Chapter updated 07/11/2018.

Chapter 4: ノスタルジア - Nostalgia

Ami didn't know what to think about the Phantom. Throughout the following week, she had expected to sense dark energy all over the city, but nothing happened. It was confusing enough; a disguised man with access to dark magic purposely lures out a Sailor Senshi of the White Moon… only to gloat and tell her to leave him alone? Ami knew all too well that even the scariest of villains were capable of unbelievable stupidity, but this was nothing short of pointless and hammy. It was even more frustrating because she didn't know who he was. Worse still, he was still out there hiding while Ami had no means of collecting valid data on him.

She wondered if it was worth calling on her girls for help – but what was there to tell? At this point, next to nothing. Until she had more data there was really very little reason to frighten them.

No, she would be quiet for now, go on with her daily rituals and keep an eye out. If the Phantom got up to something, anything, she would let the girls know immediately.

A few days after Ami's run-in with the Phantom, the gang – Ami, Hugo, Kris and Daniel, if they could honestly be called a "gang" – arranged to meet at Daniel's flat for their next study session. They were invited by him during one of their Gross Anatomy sessions.

An odd thing to come up while one is peeling back the pectoralis major to observe the pectoralis minor and the ribcage, Ami thought.

'You haven't seen my new place, have you guys?' Daniel addressed Hugo and Kris, before turning to Ami and giving her one of his charming winks. 'And you haven't seen any place of mine… yet.'

He winked. Ami looked away, handing the pliers to Hugo so he could snap a small section of the ribcage away to expose the internal thoracic artery. She then hurriedly made notes, trying to ignore Dan provocative leer.

As always, Kris came to the rescue and took charge of the conversation. Her huge violet eyes fluttered amusedly at Daniel, 'Hmph, if it is anything like your old place she won't be missing much. You have hardly any furniture! Just a couple of cushions and a game console.'

'Hey, hey, we can't all be living with our mummy like you, Krissy,' Dan retaliated lightly, and then he glanced at Hugo, 'Or living off the courtesy of our father like you, Hugh.'

In response to that, Hugo pouted and made the next snap to the ribcage as fierce and loud as he could, knowing how much Dan hated it. Sure enough, the blonder man winced slightly.

Serves you right! Ami thought, feeling a little smug. In any case, he needs to get used to it now if he ever wishes to succeed as a doctor.

Hugo left out a little snort of stifled laughter. 'So, what'd you want us to meet 'round there for?' he queried, not looking up from his work on Bernard's intercostal muscles. 'To play video games, I'm guessing? We are supposed to be studying to be doctors, you know. We can't be distracted by during this study session.'

He stepped aside to allow Kris to do the next part and picked up his own notebook. Ami decided to just keep watching the dissection, though everything inside her wanted to keep looking at Hugo. Her resolve lasted all of twenty seconds before she snuck a glance in his direction.

'Do you even have a table for us to work at?' Hugo continued, scribbling down notes now his hands were free. 'Last time I went to your place, we were crouched on the floor around a tiny coffee table.'

'I have a proper table!' Dan said defensively. 'I even have a sofa now.'

'Oh, moving up in the world, Danny?' Kris pipped up.

Although Ami did chuckle she felt it seemed a little unfair to be mocking Daniel's lack of furniture. From just listening to the other two speak he clearly didn't have enough money to furnish the place himself. It surprised her that he hadn't tried to get a place in the Halls of Residence.

'You might say that,' was all Dan said in response.

He had an odd look in his eyes as he focused his gaze on Hugo. For the first time since Ami had met him, Dan seemed to have a "pensive" or "wistful" look on his face. She tried to pretend she hadn't noticed as she continued to watch Kris as she performed the dissection.

Dan forced a smile and slapped Hugo on the shoulder.

'Come on, mate!' he said jovially. 'Stop trying to piss me off and come over! I want to show it off. It's really nice, promise!'

Hugo sighed and shrugged Dan's hand off with a chuckle, 'Fine, but it will be a study session and only if the girls agree too.'

They both turned back to Bernard.

'Excellent!' Dan said in triumph, and he looked eagerly towards Kris and Ami. Both purposely chose not to look up. For Kris, she was obviously out to tease Dan but with Ami… she didn't want to be the first one to speak. However, if the other were going, she knew she would feel comfortable.

Yes, even Hugo. Their chat the other night had been surprisingly helpful. Tossing and turning over it in bed last night – trying to get what little sleep she could after returning home from her confrontation with the Phantom – she had reflected on what Hugo had said to her. "I don't know what this guy I remind you of did to you or said to you but… you shouldn't turn yourself into a one-woman inquisition." He was right. Thinking about it, there had to be at least another hundred people in the world who resembled Zoisite, and Hugo just happened to be one of them. Their natures were different, that was all that mattered. Ami could scan Hugo a thousand times and never find an ounce of darkness inside him.

He was Hugo Zehren, a nineteen-year-old med student who, at the age of fifteen, had a horrible thing happen to him from which he was lucky to recover. He was intelligent, witty and kind. A normal guy. Ami liked him and felt, in time, he could be a valuable friend. She just had to try and win back his trust. They had agreed to "start afresh" and truth was she had found herself liking him more and more. In a bid to push his physical likeness to Zoisite to the back of her mind it was hard not to relish in Hugo's distinctly un-Zoisite traits. His sense of humour, his attentiveness to his work, his smile…!

Just then, Ami saw Kris looking at her, smiling through her surgical mask as she winked knowingly. Oh, no! she thought frankly. Kris caught me staring at him! Feeling a blush rise to her cheeks, Ami stared down at her notes, too embarrassed to write anything.

'Well, ladies?' Dan said hopefully, 'Any takers?'

Kris looked up with that cat-like glance of hers. Every time she did it Ami imagined every man in the room turning into a twelve-year-old boy. The Man-eater Stare, she thought she would call it.

'I'll go if Ami does,' Kris said decisively. 'I'm not going into your place without another responsible woman at hand.'

All eyes were on Ami now. 'I'm happy to see your flat, Dan,' was Ami's immediate judgement, wanting a distraction. 'I mean, I'm sure it's… lovely.'

'That sofa of yours had better be comfy!' Kris joked.

Dan flashed a grin and offered her a comical bow.

'Only the best for you, my Queen.'

With their plans for Friday night established, there was no excuse not to get back to work. Hugo made sure that Dan was next up for the reflection of Bernard's transverses abdominal muscles.

'Here you go, Danny-boy,' Hugo said with a tired smile. 'I have a rectus abdominis muscle with your name on it.'

Daniel resigned himself to his fate and took the scalpel from his friend, 'I'm on it. Don't worry!'

'Don't cut too deep,' Ami said sternly, surprised at her own tone. She then pointed to what Kris had managed to achieve with the layers of the transverses muscles, 'You want to make thin layers, like this.'

'Just focus on the interior margin, if you want,' Hugo added. 'I'm interested in the abdominal muscles, so I would like to focus on practising incisions into the abdominal cavity myself if that's alright with everyone?'

'No problems, here,' Kris said.

'You'd just do the whole thing if we let you, Hugo,' Dan commented, beginning his contribution to today's gross anatomy session.

Ami, however, found herself focusing on the implication of Hugo's request.

'Do you… want to be a general surgeon, Hugo?'

He looked up from his book to meet her gaze. His beautiful dark green eyes speckled with gold literally shone. Kris's words rang through her head like alarm bells. He's very, very attractive. As she detected the smile beneath his mask, Ami was resolute in not blushing.

'It's early days, but I'm certainly thinking about it,' he finally responded.

She glanced at his notebook. He had made notes on almost every aspect of today's session, more so than usual. She smiled. Just a couple more things that helped her understand him better. Hugo Zehren, nineteen-years-old, green-eyed, blond-haired, student of medicine, blah blah blah, wants to be a surgeon "when he grows up."

Daniel handed the scalpel back to Hugo, 'You go ahead and do it yourself.'

Hugo raised an eyebrow, 'You'll have to do something eventually, Dan.'

'And I will,' he promised, a smile creeping up on his lips again. 'We're doing the back today, right? The vertebral column, spinal cord – I'm all over that!'

'Are you interested in the back, Dan?' Ami asked.

Dan snorted as if she had said something amusing.

'Oh, yes! Very much so. I'm very interested in 'back'. Believe me!'

'I… do?' She stared blankly at him, perplexed at what he meant.

'Just ignore him, sweetie,' Kris instructed her, eyes rolling.

Why, what did he mean? Ami wondered.

'Nothing worth translating,' Hugo suddenly said, as if reading her mind.

'Spoilsports!' Dan whined.

Their gross anatomy session went on longer than expected that day, nearly six hours. By the end, the four of them were starving and not at all put off by having stared at exposed human flesh for a quarter of the day.

'Provided I don't have to look a butcher meat, I'll eat anything,' Kris joked as she and Ami headed into the women's changing room to clean up. They were going to meet with the boys outside and head to the SU café for a bite to eat.

I hope Dan didn't freak you out again, sweetie,' Kris suddenly said as she removed her surgical mask.

Ami glanced up – Kris was quite a bit taller than her.

'Not at all,' she smiled. 'It's just his way, right?'

Kris hummed, taking off the surgical cap to release her glorious dark locks of hair. 'I guess so. Still, I'm glad you're coming with us to his place,' and she smiled meekly as she turned to scrub up. 'Frankly, you're the first female friend I've had in a long, long time.'

'Really?' Ami said, not that surprised.

'Girls don't tend to like me,' Kris replied. 'Aside from your, the only other female friend I have is my mum. I guess I just have that look about me.'

"Maneater Stare" shot through Ami's head again. Still, she smiled. It seemed strange for someone as independent and funny as Kris not to have at least one female friend.

'Well, I like you. You're the first female friend I've made here in London.'

Kris hummed in approval as she pulled out some disposable towels to dry off her hands, 'I'm glad the feeling is mutual, then. As for Dan, try not to take him too seriously. I know his antics can be annoying but… he'll settle down once he realizes you aren't going to sleep with him.'

Ami nearly sprayed water all over the mirror in front of them. Kris laughed. It was then they both heard a tiny little clatter against the floor. Both their eyes were drawn to the sparkling stone on the floor.

The Phantom Crystal! Ami gasped inwardly.

'What's this, an earring?'

Kris bent down to pick it up. Although she knew the crystal was safe now, she had scanned it enough times to make sure, she still recoiled slightly as Kris's long, delicate fingers picked up the clear crystal to have a look.

'No, it's… just a tumbled stone,' she observed before holding it out to Ami. 'I didn't know you were into crystal healing.'

'I'm not,' Ami said, quickly taking it back. 'I just found it. I forgot I put it in my top pocket.'

She had absentmindedly picked it up again that morning and pocketed it, not wanting to leave it on her desk lest it mysteriously goes missing. Years of being a Sailor Senshi taught her to keep her evidence close to her heart.

'Why did you think it was a healing crystal?' Ami asked, putting it away.

Kris shrugged, 'Not many people would carry a tumbled stone for any other reason – what kind of crystal is it, anyway?'

'I'm not sure,' Ami admitted. Knowing the source, there was no guarantee it was even of this world. 'Like I said I just found it.'

'Huh,' Kris nodded, taking a moment to think. She then reached into her bag to pull out her diary, 'Here, if you're curious to find out what it is, visit my uncle's shop. If you tell him my name, he'll just check it for you no questions asked.'

She handed Ami a pristine business card. "Darkstone New Age Shop" it read with an address embossed in silver lettering.

'Thank you,' Ami smiled, taking it. It's worth keeping in mind. 'I might head over there, then.'

The boys were already outside. With the surgical masks off and their caps off, for the first time that day Ami saw just how tired Hugo seemed to look. Underneath those lovely green eyes were noticeable grey patches that betrayed a lack of sleep. It was impossible for her not to stare, and when he caught her, she had to ask him straight.

'Are you okay, Hugo?'

He rubbed his eyes and forced a smile.

'Yeah, fine. Too much studying is all.'

'All you ever do is study!' Daniel scolded humorously. His eyes looked as fresh as two olives in a martini glass. He smirked at the girls, 'Come on then, my lovelies. Let's wake Hugo up with a nice big coffee and a toasted sandwich.'

Hugo made a slight approving grunt as he pulled out his roll-ups.

'…Provided he doesn't smoke himself to death between here and the café,' Dan added, teasingly giving him another slap on the shoulder. 'Come on, Hugo. You really want to be doing that?'

'It relieves stress,' Hugo mumbled, placing the filter between his lips. Ami's eyes focused on that little white object before she realised what she was doing and hurriedly looked away. While he hadn't noticed her staring, he had noticed her hasty look to the side. 'You okay there, Ami?'

She nodded swiftly, 'Fine, fine! Let's get some food.'

'Words of wisdom, indeed!' Kris declared, linking arms with her. 'Come on, lads. Follow us.'

Ami allowed herself to be led along by Kris as she heard Dan and Hugo follow behind. When she got a chance to look back, she focused on Hugo as he smoked his cigarette aloofly, looking even more lethargic. He caught her looking again and smiled wearily.

This time, she managed to smile back.

Once she returned to her room that evening Ami found herself wondering what the girls were up to back in Japan.

It had been a while since Ami had a chance to video phone with all her friends together. They had decided after the battle with Chaos and the second rebirth of the galaxy that they would live their lives in the moment, rather than as a massive countdown towards Crystal Tokyo if it was even still going to happen in this world. None of them was sure what the consequences of Sailor Moon's choice not to destroy the Galaxy Cauldron and this all live in the Milky Way nor what might have been changed in their past. The only thing that was certain was that they wouldn't have it any other way and, since then, Usagi had encouraged them to go out and do what made them happy rather than acting as if she was their life's mission.

"I know deep down you all want more out of life than just protecting me."

Indeed, after the run-in with Sailor Galaxia and Chaos, it had felt more and more like she was protecting them.

There had been a few occasions since she arrived in London that Rei and Makoto had separately managed to call her. She knew the former was taking advantage of her father's offer to pay her way through university with the subject of her choice. She had chosen a Letters course focusing on Ancient Languages and Rituals – a good selection for a would-be High Priestess and proprietor of the family shrine. "He's hoping I'll meet the sons of some of his political allies at the university," Rei had snorted.

On the other hand, Makoto was working to save up money to open her first shop.

"…So, taking into consideration all the factors I've decided to focus on opening a bakery-café, first," Mako had told Ami after having gone through a well-detailed business plan, seemingly to seek Ami's approval. "I feel if that is a success then I will be able to branch out to the flower shop, as the turnover in the catering industry is faster although flowers are more lucrative. I think I need to make a name for myself first, though, so I'm working a couple of part-time jobs to try and network. Learn the tricks of the trade, you know…"

"It all sounds pretty complex," Ami had said approvingly. "But it sounds like you have a good plan in place."

Usagi and Minako were comparatively harder to pin down for a conversation as Ami was always sleeping when either one of them tried to call. Neither of them seemed to have sussed out time zones! Both had miraculously made through the clearing process into K.O. University. Minako had just scraped onto a 'Theatre and Creative Writing' course while Usagi was studying 'Textiles and Design'. For Minako, it was a chance to pursue her passion for drama. For Usagi, it was a way to kill time while she ardently waited for Mamoru to complete his study abroad in America. So, the two blondes had distracted themselves by bringing together their passions; a theatrical version of the Silver Millennium with Mina writing the script and Usagi designing the costumes. The idea of Minako having to do anything regarding the written word was bewildering and it amazed her Usagi had figured out how to thread a sewing machine.

"Usagi's turned out to be pretty good, actually," Rei had admitted. "Her designs were well-received. Even Setsuna seemed to like it."

Makoto had described how Usagi, excited by all this praise, had now started to design wedding dresses already. "She's made so many different looks there's enough for every single one of us twice over!" she had.

Rei had been a little more cynical. "She's currently making a regular dress for a project and Minako is her model. They took the measurements the other day and now Minako is under strict orders not to put on weight. Ha! Good luck with that, I said."

Ami did not have to ask how Minako was because she already knew the answer. She was still stuck at home with her nagging mother and deadbeat father, constantly being asked why she didn't get a part-time job so she could move out and start her life. Then, while her practical skills were praised, she struggled somewhat with the essay-style and short-short written assignments. It was tough for Minako. Very tough.

"She has to come up with some stories for her portfolio," Rei finished her Minako update on, "so if you have any ideas be sure to forward them into her."

She had always been more athletic than studious. Had Makoto not told her that Minako was also on the Women's Volleyball Team for the university her reason for being at the college at all would have completely stupefied Ami. Nonetheless, she banked the request for "prompts" for Minako's portfolio – though she wasn't sure she could come up with any ideas Mina would want to write.

"How is your course going, Rei?" Ami had tentatively asked.

"Hmph, fine," was the typically Rei-like reply. "I am enjoying the intricacies of studying the ancient Japanese and Chinese word; it's helping me understand archaic rituals – and the structure of my course allows me to continue working at the shrine. It is the 'letting father back into my life' aspect I am struggling with."

Of course, allowing her father to send her off for more studies had opened the door to him making requests of her. These usually involved accompany him to boring drinks parties or fancy dinners with other politicians. This was not to mend bridges, to bond as father and daughter, oh no! – it was simply to "whet the appetites" of several up and coming statesmen by dangling his beauty of a daughter before them as a possible prize.

"Father keeps mentioning one whiz-kid who I haven't met yet," Rei had spat bitterly. "I think his name is Yukito or Yutaro Higashiro? He's been studying in Australia or New Zealand, I believe. Either way, my father is really gunning for a meeting with him because his father is Shigeru Higashiro, one of the biggest donors towards my father's campaign. He's already dropping hints at what a 'coup' for a match between myself and the 'most eligible bachelor' in Tokyo. Utterly pathetic and I told him as such. He merely said that I should meet with this Higashiro before I completely dismiss him…"

"Well, maybe he will be as frustrated at this 'matchmaking' practice as you are," Ami had suggested. "He's a person, too."

"One can only hope." Rei had allowed a heavy sigh to pass her lips at that point. "I'm starting to regret allowing him to take control of any part of my life. I… was an idiot to let him."

It was a situation that Ami had no answer to. While she was not the most affectionate person in the world, there was no denying she was more romantically inclined than Rei was. There were times when it seemed obvious to all and sundry that Rei not only rejected the idea of marriage but downright feared it, found it repugnant. It rooted back to her parents'; while Ami had been spared watching her parents drag out their miserable marriage through their divorce, while it hurt, Rei had been front and centre to her mother deterioration once she became sick and her father's indifference to them both. It was no surprise Rei hated marriage.

For Ami, it had always been a possibility for the future that she neither sought out like Usagi and Makoto nor outright rejected like Rei. In a corny way, she was waiting for "The One", but unless she happened upon the reincarnation of Albert Einstein, her requirements for a possible lover were pretty high. Even then she imagined she would likely find it easier to have a "fling" with Mr Reincarnated Einstein rather than be his wife – he had been a bit of a player, after all.

Ami blushed and giggled at the thought. Not many people know that she mused. Men who think are so very attractive.

He's very, very attractive.

Ami fell back onto her bed and stared up at the ceiling. It was silly to be thinking this way about Hugo when she had only known him for such a short space of time – and suspected him as an evil entity in disguise for a fair portion of it – but Kris's words just kept ringing in her ears. She hadn't even really thought about how handsome Hugo was until Kris had said it. Before that, she had mainly focused on his intelligence, his way with words… and his resemblance to him.

She closed her eyes. No more thinking about that boy. It was not fair to Hugo to keep thinking about it – she had promised to start fresh. Hugo was his own person. She refused to think about it anymore and mentally forbade herself from even thinking of the name "Zoisite".

Instead, she pulled out the clear crystal and the business card she had received from Kris. She had scanned this damned thing so much and couldn't find anything irregular about it. What had the Phantom's purpose been in leaving it for her, anyway?

The Phantom – he could still show up again. Perhaps he would leave more of these crystals lying around?

She looked at the business card again. It might be worth just popping in to see if the gem could be identified. Maybe.

Without trying to or even realising it, Ami began to drift off to sleep.

During the Silver Millennium, everyone in the Moon Kingdom referred to the Planet Mercury as "The Dead Planet"; there were even those who called that tiny little corner of the Solar System a skeleton, a corpse, a waste of space.

After the Caloris Asteroid had, Mercury had never been the same again. Though Sailor Mercury had not been alive at the time of "The Darkest Day" when life on her home planet changed forever, she knew the pain it had caused to her people and the comments of the other people of the Solar System at court still cut deep. Millions had died in that impact and those Mercurials who survived to pass down the story to their children were a lucky few. Now, they were refugees to the Moon. It was hard belonging to a kingdom very few put weight in any longer.

It was a world away from Earth.

Sailor Mercury stood in the observatory of the Moon Palace to gaze up at the blue planet wistfully. It was so cloudy, full of water and life. Just looking at that pocket of safety whirling in a sea of black, made her feel warm inside. It roused her curiosity and piqued her interest. It was not necessarily more beautiful than Mercury had been in its heyday, but it was special – starkly different from any of the other planets.

She could spend a lifetime exploring it and only barely scratch the surface.

But her eyes were trained in one point of Earth in particular, a section of land very close to the North Pole and partly obscured by cloud as the planet tipped sideways towards the Moon. Europa – or Europe. She wished she could get a better view of that point...

'I wonder what is going on down there right now...' she whispered.

'Analysing Earth again, Mercury?' the familiar voice of Venus said. 'You'll end up like the Princess at this rate. I have a hard-enough time gathering her up from the surface without having to go hunting for you too. '

'I assure you I will only carry out my investigations into the blue planet while not on duty,' Mercury assured her leader. 'And I will do it from here, not the planet itself.' It was a promise she knew she couldn't keep. The two sisters-in-arms exchanged smiles before the Princess of Water turned to look at the planet again. 'It is such a fascinating place, though, isn't it? The sight of it is unrivalled here on the Moon.'

'Well, the Moon is its satellite,' Venus huffed, staring up at it too. 'I imagine you would enjoy the view of Earth from my planet also, though.'

'Your planet is in the middle of its day right now!' Mercury quipped, not looking at her as she spoke. She then added, 'As volatile as my planet is without the same solar shields my people erected here on the Moon, you can at least see the night sky.'

'Yes, well, Mercury is nothing but an eternal night sky,' Venus pouted. 'You don't have an atmosphere.'

'And you have too much!'

A long silence past before they both laughed.

'I suppose neither of our planets is in the best of shape these days,' Venus sighed. The golden-haired demigoddess walked up beside her to look back up at the blue marble too. 'They both came out of the war worse for wear, I suppose. How does that little ball manage to thrive so much better? Not too long-ago Venus was just like that.'

'There isn't a planet in the solar system that doesn't look on Earth with greedy eyes, it seems,' Mercury mused aloud. 'I heard from Sailor Mars that her father wishes he could just sweep the humans away and move in himself.'

'Hmph,' Venus snorted. 'I would like to see him try.'

'The humans wouldn't go down easy. I hear many humans have come to question the Moon Kingdom's role in their development,' Mercury said, only half taking part in the conversation now. The rest of her was just voicing the thoughts in her head.

Venus tilted her head, 'Oh yes? And who told you that, Mercury?'

'Huh?'

'Are you sure it is just the planet you are interested in?'

'What do you mean?'

'I think you know.'

There was a long silence as the two young women looked at each other. Mercury could feel her heart racing, her blood coursing and her cheeks tinting. It was a curious emotion, one she had never felt much before.

'Don't worry,' Venus said quietly. 'I won't tell anyone.'

She looked away from her friend again, muttering under her breath.

'I know it's wrong but… oh Venus! He is a thousand times more radiant than Prince Endymion; gentle, intelligent and handsome. His voice sounds like a soft breeze. I have never encountered anyone like him before. I've tried to stop seeing him, talking to him but… I can't.'

'…I see.'

A rush of fear ran through her. 'I-I haven't besmirched the Law of God!'

'Oh?'

'No,' before Mercury added hastily. 'I wouldn't dream of shaming him either!'

'That's good because breaking God's Law would be the least of your worries,' Venus warned in a heavy voice. 'For him, it's a death sentence.'

'I know-!'

'Remember, humans, take "purity" very seriously. It is strange but true. It is sacred and heavenly to them. He his bound by his vows of chastity as well as God's Law. It would be a pity to throw it all away, considering how young he is. Just a boy, really.'

'I know!' Mercury continued to say. 'I know, I know, I know…!'

Hearing those horrible words spill from her leader's lips scared her. It was true that in the case of their Princess, she could be forgiven for her stupidity in consorting with the Prince of Earth because of her youth and naivety; a Sailor Senshi should know better than to play dice with the law-!

'So, make sure you are discreet,' were Venus's final words. Mercury had looked up at her in surprise. 'Provided no one else knows, then "God" won't know either.'

With a heavy heart, she looked up towards Earth again, towards the piece of land known as Europe…

She closed her eyes and whispered his name so quietly even her ears were death to its sound.

Ami woke up.

Sitting up, she half expected to feel some form of dark energy as she had the previous night, but there was nothing. Checking her alarm clock, she was surprised to see that it was already four in the morning. Past the "Witching Hour" but too early to get up, she lamented. So, she swiftly threw off her clothes into the washing basket and slipped on her pyjamas. She slipped the business card and the crystal into the breast pocket, worried that even though her window was locked, someone could still sneak in and steal them.

Then she settled down and returned to slumber for another two hours, this time utterly dreamless.

She awoke normally at her set time, got ready and began her day without incident. In fact, she had practically forgotten her dream but for a few minor details – mainly, the sight of the Earth and the point she (or Mercury) had been fixated on. Europe. It was almost as if Mercury had foreseen that her reincarnated self would end up there as if she had passed down a curiosity with the continent to Ami.

Maybe Guardian Mercury was trying to send her a message but couldn't spell it out in words?

Either way, Ami had no time to worry about it now – she had an ethics class to get to and only a few hours to do some quick reading and get an essay ready.

How could I have let that one slip me by?!