Chapter 6: The Shadows in the Memories

Four days later, Koaru woke up in a hospital bed, a vase of flowers next to him, with Serena and Amy both sleeping on the guest chairs. He sat up, feeling pain shoot through his left shoulder and lower chest. He let out a loud grunt, and Amy stirred, causing him to freeze. Amy's eyes opened, and she saw Koaru sitting up looking guilty about something. "Sorry." He said as Amy sat up in her chair. "About what?" Koaru sighed, "Waking you." Amy got out of her chair and walked over to him, and stood next to his bed. "Thank you." She said, leaning over and kissing him on the cheek. Koaru felt himself go red. "For what?" he asked, trying to stop blushing. Amy sat on the foot of his bed. "You saved me twice in there, I cannot thank you enough." Koaru sighed, "I only protected you once. Greg saved both of us in the end." Amy shook her head, "Greg wanted to leave you behind, he only stayed because I did."

Serena opened her eyes, and saw Koaru and Amy having nice little chat, both of them blushing slightly. Serena smiled, then closed her eyes again. "Hook Amy up with Koaru, going better then expected." She thought as she drifted back off to sleep.

Koaru left the hospital the next day, being told to take it easy for the next few weeks. Mrs. Tsukino brought Koaru home, feeling anxious and mad, giving him a lecture all the way back to their house (he ignored almost of it, having mastered the art of deafness). As they pulled into the driveway, Koaru hopped out of the car and ran into the house, not wanting to listen anymore about how guns kill people. He opened the door, ran inside, and found himself face-to-face with his adopted father, who launched into the same speech. "Koaru," he said after twenty minutes, "haven't you heard that is wrong? You know the saying, 'Guns don't kill people, people do?' It's because people get crazy ideas, and therefore-" Koaru had had enough and responded, "Yeah, but in my opinion, I think the gun helps, as I am reminded with these wounds, or the fact that I almost killed someone!" He then got to his feet and stormed off to his room, leaving his father frozen in mid speech.

That night as they family sat around the table for supper, Sammy asked if they could watch TV. Serena asked as well, so Mrs. Tsukino turned the TV on, and they sat down as the news reporter started to talk. "Oh! Turn it up, its about the Science Center!" Koaru sighed, setting down his fork, and leaning back in his chair, his hands on his head as Serena grabbed the remote and turned the sound up. "And in an terrifying robbery at the Tokyo Science Center four days ago, one teenage boy saved the two-hundred and thirty-six hostages the eleven robbers had captured as they attempted to get away with close to $12,000,000. Gregory Akamichi, age 15, was able to not only save all the hostages, but also save his girlfriend from being raped by one of the crooks. After all the hostages had escaped, he went back to check if anyone was left, and ended up saving the life of 17-year-old Koaru Mazaki. The-" Koaru got to his feet and went outside. Serena and the others turned back to the TV as Greg was now being interviewed. "Mr. Akamichi, how did you feel while you were saving the others?" "Well, it was slightly nerve wrenching, but after I got a hold of a weapon, saving the others was easy." Serena turned off the television, now thoroughly pissed off. "That little…(I won't write down what she said, since it would involve me changing the rating to Mature)".

Koaru sat on the back porch, staring at the stars, wondering why Greg had been so self-centered about the robbery. "Damn it, I saved Amy with his help, I organized the escape, I'm the one who defeated seven of those bastards. He got two, and one of those was a fluke." He lay back, feeling even more irritated at Greg. He looked up as Serena came out, looking as pissed as he felt. "Any idea why he did that?" Koaru asked as Serena sat next to him, her pigtails swinging in front of her face. She brushed them out of her eyes, then looked up as well. "Probably to show off for Amy, but it won't work. She knows what happened, right?" she asked Koaru, looking over at him, feeling concerned. "Yeah, she knows almost everything that happened, she was with Greg almost the whole time." Serena leaned back, smiling. "So, when Greg phones her to brag, she will slap him silly. Koaru smiled, then got up. "I'm heading off to bed. Night."

That night, Serena tossed and turned in her bed, her nightmare creeping through her mind. In her dream, she was in her Sailor outfit, in the middle of a huge castle courtroom, and around her were the other Scouts, several knights who all looked so familiar it was frustrating, some old guy who was kicking the crap out of them all, and a figure wearing a black outfit that resembled a ninja's outfit, with two katanas, a large, black, crescent shaped blade as well as a giant double edged sword that was longer then him, and almost as wide. His head was wrapped in a black cloth, hiding it from view, revealing only his eyes, which were dark storm blue with a black and silver ying-yang symbol for pupils. On his forehead was a silver tiara like her own, only it had a symbol like his eyes instead of a planet symbol. As she watched, he vanished, appeared behind the old guy and blasted him clear off his feet and into the wall with a golden beam from his palms. The old man got to his feet, anger burning in his eyes. "I will destroy you, Shadow Mercury." The black clad figure chuckled, drawing his katanas. "Just try it, Nega-trash." The old man growled, then pointed his own sword at the figure. "I gave you your power, and I control it, so I control you!" The man's eyes then glowed red, and the figure's eyes glowed red as well, then he howled in pain, dropped his swords, and grabbed his head, dropping to his knees, then turning to face the Scouts, a lust for blood in his red eyes. His arms glowed with black energy, which he unleashed at all five of them. Serena sat bolt up in her bed, screaming like a banshee, sweat dripping off her head and soaking her body to her pajamas. She sat there, panting, still trying to rid her mind of those blood hungry red eyes. There was a soft knock on her door, and Koaru walked in, looking a little worried. "You ok?" he asked, standing next to the doorway. Serena nodded, took a deep breath, and lay back down. "Ok, good night then." Koaru said as he left the room. Serena waited a moment, then turned over to look at Luna, whose fur was still standing on end from the shock. "Luna, we need to talk."

(I apologize to any Greg fans that I may have offended)