Chapter 7: Glimmer of the Past

The next day Serena met up with her friends at a small café on the edge of the city. She told them about her dream, about the knights, them, the old guy, and the warrior who turned against them with his blood chilling eyes. The girls remained silent, then Serena continued. "I asked Luna about it, and she said that this 'Shadow Mercury' guy was the prince of a destroyed planet, some place called 'Tritus'." Amy nodded her head, "Yes, that planet is now the asteroid belt." Serena nodded as well, "I know, Luna told me that. But, the problem is that Shadow Mercury had some kind of curse mark on him, something called a Shadow Scar." Lita thought a moment, then snapped her fingers. "I remember, I read about something called the Shadow Scar, or close to it at the Library!"

Fifteen minutes later the girls were going through the many shelves of the Tokyo Public Library, searching for the book Lita had mentioned, "Symbols of Ancient Power", trying to see if they could get an idea of what this mark was about. Ten minutes later, Serena shouted "Hey! I found it!" Many people glared at her, putting their fingers to their lips, then returning to their books. Serena blushed in shame as the other crowded around her to read what it said. There was no picture, but it described, "Of all ancient Shadow Magic, the Scar of the Shadows was the most feared curse, and also the strongest. The one branded with this mark is given extreme power of energy and body, but is a slave to the one who put the curse on the poor soul. When the mark is given to a mortal enemy, however, the curse will have an extra mark: a red demon eye. When the curse has this mark, the cursed one will have immeasurable power, and boast immortality until the hearts desire is fulfilled or the mark severed from the body. Purifying the demon eye of the curse will create even more power, but to do so means to survive the Trial of Galian, a trial of your own soul." Serena shut the book, even more worried now. "I never saw this demon eye that it described, and I would love to know more about it." Amy took the book and looked at it. "The next few pages have been ripped out." She noted, and the others moaned in disappointment. Amy got to her feet, "Well, I have to go meet Greg. See you all later." Serena looked up and followed Amy outside. Lita, Mina and Raye all left the building, ready to relax with an ice cream over at the harbour.

"Amy, didn't you see the news last night?" Serena asked Amy as they walked. "No, I was working on our Science project." Serena sighed, "Amy, that isn't due for another month. But besides that, the Science Center was on the news last night, and Greg made it out that he was the hero and that he alone saved you, and that Koaru was one of the many he saved." Amy shook her head in disbelief, "Serena, I know that you don't approve of Greg, but he wouldn't ever lie like that. Now please, I am going to be late." With that she broke into a light jog, leaving Serena behind. "But…I'm not lying."

Amy was walking next Greg as they headed to a burger joint for lunch. They placed their orders and sat down at a table, chatting about random stuff. As they talked, a few people in the restaurant were leaning over to each other, whispering and pointing at Greg. Then one of them got up and approached Greg, slightly nervous. "Um, excuse me, but…you wouldn't happen to Greg Akamichi, would you?" Greg looked at the man, his eyes narrowed. "Yeah, I'm Akamichi, why?" The entire restaurant suddenly was filled people crawling over each other in order to ask Greg how he had single handedly saved all the hostages, asking if Amy was the girl he saved from the one man, and how he had organized the escape. Greg looked over at Amy, whose face was dead with shock. "Greg…how could you?" she said, and the restaurant went silent. Greg started to stutter, "Well, you weren't around, and I couldn't find Koaru anywhere, so I told the reporters, and-" "Made yourself out to be the hero." Amy sighed, fighting back tears. "Greg, Koaru saved me from that man, Koaru started to rescue the people, I was the one who started to gather everyone by the fire exit. And even after Koaru told us all to leave while he was being fired upon, you wanted to leave him behind. It is true that in the end you saved us both, but that was it." She got to her feet, tears streaming down her cheeks now. "Serena told me about this, and I didn't believe her. She was right, Greg. You and I aren't meant for each other." She then turned and left the dead silence of the building, every eye now on Greg, who was staring at the ground, caught in his own lie.

Amy ran home, grabbed her swimsuit, and then ran to the pool. When she felt depressed, she found that swimming help her feel better. As she left the change room, she noticed that Sammy was in the pool, riding the shoulders of a guy with long black hair. The guy turned around, and Amy saw that it was Koaru who was with Sammy. As she watched, Koaru put his hands under Sammy's feet, told Sammy to stand up, then pushed up, throwing Sammy eight feet into the air. Sammy hit the water in a cannonball, splashing everyone within 12 feet of him. Amy smiled and dove into the pool, heading over to Koaru.

"Whoa!" Koaru cried as Amy popped out of the water next to him. "Hi." She said, smiling slightly, yet Koaru knew something was wrong. "Something the matter?" he asked as Amy swam circles around him. "No, nothing's wrong." She lied, and Koaru grabbed her around the waist and lifted her over his head. "Amy, I know that something is wrong, it is written in your eyes." Amy sighed, hung her head, and Koaru set her back in the water. They both got out of the pool and sat on the grass, watching Sammy dive off the low diving board. Amy explained about Greg, and Koaru nodded in silence, not telling her about how badly he had wanted to give Greg a black eye, a pair of crutches, and a cast for his wrist. After Amy was done explaining everything, she sighed. "I wish that I had someone who could help me with these problems." Koaru looked over at her, smiling, and reached out, placing his arm around her shoulders. "Hey, what about me? I got nothing to do, so let me help." Amy looked at him with misty eyes, then cuddled close to him, the two of them watching the people in the pool.

After a while, Amy dozed off, shivering slightly as she slept. Koaru reached over and grabbed his towel, which he draped over her, feeling for the first time in his life, love. Amy dreamt of a dark dungeon back on Mercury. She was looking for someone, but she didn't know who or where he was. As she continued through the mess of prisoners, she saw Greg chained to a wall, he looked up at her, then past. "Try looking over there, Princess." Amy turned around, confused. She walked till she found the end of the dungeon, and heard a moan in the cell next to her. She looked in, and the sight chilled her blood. She woke up with a jolt, accidentally slamming her elbow into Koaru's ribs, causing him to flinch. "Ouch, easy there Amy." She sat up, panting slightly. "Sorry, I just had a bad dream." Koaru nodded his head, then looked back at the water, making sure Sammy was alright. That was when Amy noticed it, Koaru had a tattoo on his left shoulder. Then she gasped, that tattoo, she had seen it in her dream, her nightmare. "Um, Koaru?" she asked, and he looked at her. "Yeah, what you need?" he kindly asked, smiling. "Uh, when did you get that tattoo?" Koaru looked at it. "Oh, this thing? I've had it as long as I can remember. For all I know, I was born with it." Amy got to her feet. "I have to go." She said, and Koaru felt disappointed. "Oh, got some work to get done?" she shook her head. "I need to talk to Raye." Koaru nodded in understanding (he thought he understood, anyways) and Amy left with a quick good-bye.