Updated 19/12/2018.

Chapter 5: コア - The Core

It was a long, long ethics class where she made many notes were made but none of it seemed to go into Ami's head. Although they all had different doctors teaching them for this class, she considered whether it would be worth revising it in her next study session with Hugo and the others. She felt ashamed even thinking it. Ethics was a piece of cake compared to all her other lessons, so it seemed ridiculous that she felt so "absent" right now.

After the computer test was over, Dr Roser excused them all. 'Have a good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Just leave your essays in the tray on my desk on your way out.'

Closing the programme, Ami sighed as she fished into her folder to retrieve the said paper. She was abashed to admit to herself that she had typed it up just a few hours before class, having dedicated most of her precious free time to revise her Robbins Basic Pathology and Principles of First Aid all while going through the collective worksheets she had created with Hugo and the others for Anatomy. Even as she approached Dr Roser's desk, she knew the piece she was handing in would be filled with errors in grammar and spelling. Fortunately, it was one of those situations where being a foreigner worked in her favour. Besides, no medical student was on the course for their punctuation skills; if it made sense and had full-stops, it was passable.

'How are you today, Miss Mizuno?' Dr Roser immediately asked as Ami handed in the essay. 'Finding your way around all right?'

'Yes, thank you, doctor,' Ami said politely.

Dr Roser was unique among the many teachers and lecturers she had encountered because she always seemed to talk to her, and the other students, as just that - pupils. Often many of the other doctors Ami encountered would natter on and on about things that were better suited to junior doctors rather than first-year medical students. She also had a generally more approachable persona - a soft face with defined cheekbones, mousy blonde hair and inviting hazel eyes. Motherly through and through.

'What's on the agenda this afternoon?' Roser suddenly asked.

'Oh, um, pathology,' Ami replied quickly. 'I share it with several members of my Gross Anatomy class so that offers excellent consistency.'

'Well, I'm glad you're finding it agreeable,' the doctor smiled gently. 'It is never easy settling into a new environment, especially one in a foreign country.'

'Everyone has been very kind,' Ami assured her. 'I just worry if I'm doing all I can for myself at times.'

That was a fact. Everything Hugo had said to her the other night had all been true. Not only had he been nothing but nice to her but so had Kris and Dan (in his own unique way). Even though her motives for getting to know them had been anything but honourable, it had proven to be the best thing she could have done in London.

Dr Roser gathered her satchel up and pointed towards the door, 'I am heading towards the pathology labs as we speak. I'm sure you want to get some lunch first, but would you care to continue our chat?'

Ami bowed her head gratefully, 'I would be delighted.'

The good doctor did not push the issue of Ami not feeling at her best and instead allowed her to drive the conversation. Ami asked mainly about the university building, a few snags that she had encountered during the ethics class - mainly relating to certain terminologies that differed slightly to those used in Japan - and even briefly touching on Roser's own time as a student of medicine.

'I studied here if you can believe it,' she chuckled. 'Thirty years later and it feels like I never really left.'

She knew that Dr Roser had not always been a teacher at the university. Having researched her before her interview, she had learned the good doctor had been in internal medicine for most of her life before moving into a female speciality where she became an administrator. That led her right back to the university as a teacher a few years ago, following what appeared to have been the breakup of her marriage. Of course, Ami made no mention of that.

'I remember my first year was exhausting,' Roser said with an air of nostalgia. 'So, please don't worry if you ever need help with anything. I'm always happy to point you in the right direction.'

Ami smiled gratefully at her tutor, thankful in that moment to have such a positive and understanding woman as her guide. To hear that she too had sometimes found her first year overwhelming made her feel somewhat better about the way her ethics class had done.

She was about to voice her gratitude when Dr Roser glanced away from her for a brief second. Something catching her eye, she stopped suddenly, a little surprised to see who was approaching her.

'Hugo?' she said quizzically.

Ami's head turned so quickly her neck almost cracked.

Indeed, it was her Hugo. Serenity's sake, was he already her Hugo?

Hugo considered Ami for a moment before locking his eyes on Dr Roser, straight-faced. 'Sorry to interrupt, I was just looking for Ami.'

She felt a hot flush creep across her cheeks.

'Oh, well, here she is!' Dr Roser chuckled with sweet levity. She sounded surprised too, though. 'You know each other?'

'She's in my study group,' Hugo said plainly, almost rudely. It was like the presence of Dr Roser irritated him or embarrassed him. It was a little surprising as this was yet another side of him that Ami had not yet seen. Why are you so moody, Hugo? she thought accusingly, though she'd never dare say it.

Hugo, seemingly to realise his attitude, stepped back and looked down to the ground guiltily. 'I'm sorry,' he mumbled, 'are you in the middle of something?'

'No, no, just talking,' Dr Roser assured him. She then looked to Ami and smiled politely, 'I'll leave you two to it if you'd like.'

'You don't have to…' Ami quickly said, feeling as if she were a part of Hugo's moody behaviour. It wasn't just his discourtesy either - he had the same noticeable dark patches under his eyes.

'No, no,' the doctor assured her. 'I must be getting along, and you'll want to discuss somethings as lab partners, I suppose? We can always discuss anything more during our one-to-one meetings. Have a good afternoon, Ami. I'll hopefully see you later, "Mr Moody"?'

He flinched from the title; folded his arms and forced a smile, 'You know you will.'

Dr Imogen Roser did not seem remotely bothered by Hugo's attitude and continued to smile as she walked on ahead of them towards the pathology, leaving Ami alone with " Mr Moody". She was naturally perplexed as to what she had just witnessed; one of the oddest and tensest interactions for a long time.

He left out a heavy sigh. 'God, did she have to call me that in public?!'

She turned to Hugo.

'Did I miss something? Weren't you a little too… curt with her?'

He glanced down at her, smiling a little softer now.

'I know. I'm sorry. She just… annoys me sometimes.'

'Why? She's nothing but pleasant to me,' Ami protested.

He tilted his head, smirking, 'Doesn't your mother annoy you sometimes?'

That hit her like a ton of bricks.

'M-mother?' she spluttered. 'Y-you mean Imogen Roser is your moth—?'

Hugo chuckled, realising for the first time that Ami clearly didn't know. 'I just presumed… everyone else knows. Half of them think I'm here through pure nepotism.'

She looked in the direction Dr Roser had walked off in and then back at Hugo, who seemed to have woken up slightly from amusement. 'I… didn't realise. You have… different family names.'

'She uses her maiden name. Always has.'

He seemed completely lost in thought as he said those words as if he had said something more poignant. Ami couldn't help but smile at the expression on his face, so distant and thoughtful; he was always thinking. He then glanced down at her, catching her staring. She hurriedly looked away, hearing only his light chuckle.

'I was genuinely looking for you, Ami.'

Her head snapped up again, 'O-oh?'

'Yeah, I wanted to ask you something before we went into Pathology,' Hugo said quickly, a little awkwardly. 'Y'know, away from the prying eyes and ears of Kris and Dan.'

'O-OK?'

'Y-yeah. I was thinking about the other night, how you were interested in me showing you one of my haunts…'

'Haunts?' Ami repeated, confused.

'Ha, yes,' he smirked. 'It's a slang word for "favourite place", in a way.'

'Oh, I see. What about it?'

'Well, this campus isn't too far from one of them,' he went on, clearly trying to sound suave as he spoke. Nonetheless, Ami detected a slight crack in his voice. Was he worried about something? she wondered. Then she made a realisation, which caused a blush to rise to her cheeks. Is he trying to ask me out?

He finally got it out: 'Fancy grabbing coffee? From there. With me?'

She felt a flicker of activity in her chest and tummy. 'Are Dan and Kris going to… be there?'

'No,' he said quickly, bluntly and yes, anxiously. 'I just wanted to ask you. So, it'd be just the two of us.' A brief pause and he added. 'You're the only one who's ever shown interest in going, so, I… thought I'd ask.'

Ami could tell that latter part was probably a lie. She reckoned he had never even suggested going to this place with Dan or Kris. He was only asking her and had no intention of asking anyone else. It didn't matter anyway; she knew she was going to say yes. There was no reason not to, after all. Besides, despite how nervous she felt she was also intrigued. If anything, she felt a tinge of genuine excitement. Plus, there were no itchy rashes breaking out anywhere on her body – a very good sign! The moment she realised this she bit her bottom lip and clutched her hands against her chest. As soon as she did this, she knew she had no chance of hiding how flustered she felt.

Hugo seemed to notice too, and he looked away awkwardly while clumsily running his hand through his hair.

'You-you don't have to if you don't want to, Ami…' he said slowly.

'N-no,' Ami said quickly, worried immediately he was about to retract the offer. 'I mean, Hugo, I-I would like to very much. I have time. It is lunch, after all.'

'Yeah?' Hugo asked hopefully, seemingly satisfied when she nodded back. It was yet another side to him that she was meeting now. Her curiosity, as well as a few other things, were piqued. 'Okay, then! As I said, it's not far…'

She smiled and followed beside him.

'If anything,' he added, 'you'll wonder how you've been missing it all this time.'

After some light conversation about their previous classes and whether they were still up for Daniel's place that weekend, Hugo led Ami down a side street just off the one where the campus was located. They didn't walk far before he stopped them in front of a nook of a café with painted blue pillars and sign that read: Café Thule.

Hugo held the door open for Ami and she stepped into the dimly lit yet cosy little place. As if fortune had seen them coming, there was one small table vacant. Despite being reasonably out of the way, the café was well populated with groups of up to four fellow students crowded around the other tiny tables. The scent in the air was rich and fruity, reflective of the coffee beans the place likely used. There was also the distinct taste of cinnamon in the air. Glancing over at Hugo, she caught him sniffing it.

He immediately set his bag on the back of the chair and turned to her, 'What're you having?'

'Oh, I'll get my own, it's fine,' she replied quickly.

'No, I want to get the "first round", as it were,' Hugo chuckled, and he pointed to the opposite chair to the one he had picked. 'Besides, you need to sit here and guard the table.'

That was a good point.

Ami nodded, 'I'll just have a Chai Latte.'

'Righto,' Hugo said, and almost skipped towards the bar.

She watched him as he stood tapping his fingers on the counter, speaking to the barista. They clearly already knew each other as the woman in question smiled when she saw him. Ami saw her flick her peroxide blonde hair over her shoulder each time she turned to speak to him, perhaps even flirting with him. It made Ami's heart sink a little – and it surprised her how disappointed it made her feel.

However, she immediately felt a little better when Hugo came back with the coffee and smiled upon making eye contact with her.

Ami returned the smile.

'You seem very popular with the people who work here,' she said without thinking. She felt like kicking herself and glanced over at the woman behind the bar. To Ami's surprise, the woman was looking over at them with a slightly amused smile. This confused her, and that prompted Hugo to glance over his shoulder at her too. He scowled and tried to wave her off, to which the woman lifted her hands in defeat and went back to cleaning the counter.

Ami picked up her cup, blowing before the first sip.

'Do you... know her well?'

Hugo turned back and winked, 'Only since birth. That's Helen. She's my sister.'

Ami nearly blew bubbles it took her so by surprise. Looking back, it was clear now. Though her hair was bleached her roots showed she had the same blonde hair, the same nose and bone structure. In fact, that woman being Hugo's sister seemed even more obvious than Dr Roser being his mother.

'I thought all your sisters worked in the medical profession,' Ami said in awe. 'How does she find time to work?'

'Oh, don't get me wrong,' Hugo shrugged, taking a quick drink now. 'I'm certain she hasn't slept in days she needs the money since she and dad had a falling out.'

Ami decided not to ask for details because it seemed rude. Nonetheless, Hugo offered them quickly, indicating that his elder sister's predicament was no secret to anyone. He probably caught her looking over at her and felt the need to offload as many facts as possible.

'Dad disapproves of her choice of speciality and refuses to support her further studies.'

'What does she want to get into?'

He paused for a moment, 'Shrink.'

Ami blinked, 'Excuse me?'

'I love it when you're all confused,' he smiled mischievously, inducing another blush from Ami. He continued, 'Psychiatry, she wants to work as a doctor of the mind.'

'What's wrong with that?'

'Dad has this idea that psychiatrists are for people with more money than brains,' Hugo said bluntly. 'Yeah, he's a neurosurgeon so he thinks that joke is very funny. Plus, it's a hard area to get into and he feels that with her qualifications, Helen would be better suited to obstetrics like our sister Audrey. When Hel told him her plans, it led to a heated debate over the phone. A third in German, a third in French and some even in English. Bottom line is this – women are best paid in paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology, and the demand for the latter two means she'll be likely to find work.'

'I'd have thought female psychiatrists were in high demand, too…?' said Ami, half-thinking, half-mumbling. 'I'd certainly prefer to speak to a woman.'

Hugo paused to look at her, who was listening with interest. It was odd to get such a quick insight into his family relations and life. One thing did spring into her head, though: what does Dr Roser make of all of this?

'I know what you're thinking,' he sighed. 'What does mum have to say about all of this?'

Reading my mind again, Ami thought.

'Not a lot,' he went on. 'She's tried to speak to Dad about the issue, but he said, "You support her then!" knowing full well she doesn't have the money to help Helen herself. It's a crappy situation but – ah, damn it all!'

He grabbed his coffee again and took a quick sip.

Ami nodded towards his sister again. 'She seems cheerful though.'

Hugo looked over his shoulder; she was smiling as she chatted with another customer. He turned back, 'She's good at it, sure. I just hope I never get on the wrong side of dad.'

They both took another sip, looking at each other over the rims of their cups. Ami smiled again, 'It's funny. I've effectively discovered two members of your family within half an hour of each other.'

'Two more sisters and you'll have bingo,' he joked.

Ami didn't get the joke, but she laughed all the same.

She placed her hand on her heart, feeling its quick beat hammering away beneath her palm. That was when she felt it, the Phantom Crystal she had found, and the business card Kris had given her. Looking up at Hugo she decided to keep the Crystal to herself – she doubted he would have anything to say about it anyway – but she pulled out the card to look at it again.

Hugo noticed immediately, 'What's that?'

'Kris gave it to me,' Ami replied, handing it over for him to look at. 'Apparently, it's for her uncle's New Age shop.'

'Uh-huh,' Hugo hummed cynically. 'I didn't think you were the type of person for all that stuff.'

'I'm not,' Ami said. 'But I have something I want to get checked and Kris thought her uncle would be helpful.'

He nodded and looked at the address. 'Well, I know the area. It's not far from here, actually, and it's a pretty decent shopping area for all the Hippie, Wicca and Witchy stuff you could want.' Then another sip of coffee later, 'I'll go with you if you'd like.'

Ami's eyes widened. 'I don't want to be too much trouble.'

He smiled, 'No trouble. As a matter of fact, there is a decent health food shop there, so I could always pop in there if you're worried I'd cramp your style?'

She bit her lip. 'Um… well, if you'd like to come?'

'Sure,' Hugo said, his smile widening. Barely through the first coffee and they were already planning their next venture out together. Was it too soon to call it a date? Ami decided not to think about it. He continued, 'We won't have time today due to lectures this afternoon but how about this weekend?'

Ami immediately agreed, 'OK, great!'

'We could go before heading over to Dan's place,' Hugo suggested. 'It'd be a decent way to kill the morning.'

They finished their coffees and checked the clock. There was plenty of time for another cup and a slice of cake even. Ami got up this time. 'Would you… like to go splits on a blueberry muffin? I'm a little hungry…'

Hugo smiled. 'Sure, I'm a bit peckish—um, I mean—hungry myself.'

He handed her some money.

'No, it's my turn,' Ami said quickly. 'You got my first coffee after all.'

He sighed, still handing her some of the coins. 'Well, at least take some for half the muffin? I'd feel bad otherwise.'

Hesitantly, she took them, knowing he wouldn't withdraw them until she took them. So, she headed up to the counter, ready to have a look at this sister of Hugo's herself.

Up close, Ami could see very clearly the biological resemblance between the two. While Helen had clearly bleached her hair and washed some blueish dye into it, the roots were showing up as the same buffy-blond that made up all of Hugo's hair – right down to the slight reddish tinge. Her eyes were different, though, hazel rather than green.

Just like Dr Roser's, Ami observed.

She didn't seem too perplexed or disturbed when she finally turned to take Ami's order and saw her staring.

'Same?' were Helen's first words through a vinyl-lipstick pink smile.

'Huh? Oh, you mean the coffee? You remember?'

'You're with Hugo, right?' Helen replied, already turning to the coffee machine to begin her work. She looked over her shoulder, cheeks shining brightly. 'He always gets the same thing. I'm guessing he's already told you. I'm his sister, Helen.'

'Yes, he did say,' Ami nodded respectfully. 'I'm Ami Mizuno but… please do call me Ami, if you'd like.'

'Thank you,' Helen said, seemingly aware of the custom surrounding given names in Japan. She continued to make the coffee. 'You're the first girl Hugo has ever lured back to this place – congratulations!'

'Lured back?' Ami muttered.

'Asked out for coffee here,' Helen clarified. 'Usually, he just sits at a table all by himself reading or writing.' The pretty blonde – probably in her early to mid-twenties – pointed to a small alcove behind her. 'We have books on sale back there too, so feel free to check it out.'

Ami glanced in that direction, remembering how Hugo had mentioned his favourite spots tended to be the places that sold books. That this place sold coffee too probably made it the Holy Grail. She wondered if they had an outside area for smokers. Hugo would probably want to be buried in the place if it did.

Helen placed the coffees down, 'Anything else?'

'A blueberry muffin, please,' Ami said, remembering the coins in her hand.

'Sure thing,' Helen said, pulling one out from the glass guard and placing it on the tray with the coffees. 'You can have the muffin on me.'

'S-sorry?'

'I get to give out a free one every week,' she chuckled. 'Think of it as a celebration of my brother actually socialising with someone for once.'

'But I couldn't,' Ami began, looking down at it. 'It's your one free muffin.'

'I don't mind,' Helen assured her. 'No one ever comes in here that I like enough to give it to anyway.' She then winked, 'Nice meeting you!'

Ami felt another blush spread across her face as she returned to the table. Hugo was checking his phone when she got back and placed the tray down. She handed him the change for the muffin back, 'She said this was her weekly free muffin.'

Hugo smirked, 'Nice! I'll have to bring you here next week too. It'll save Helen wasting those muffins on guys who won't appreciate it.'

She smiled as she sat back in her chair.

'Your sister is very nice,' was all she said.

'She's alright,' Hugo nodded, cutting the muffin in half. There was a slight size difference, just ever so slightly. He turned the bigger half to face Ami – a gesture that did not escape her notice – before he went on. 'There are worse sisters in the world and I'm lucky to have ended up with three pretty decent ones.'

He took the first sip of his new coffee. 'Any siblings yourself?'

'No, just me,' Ami replied. 'Most of my life it was just my mother and me, and she was usually at work, so I spent most of my childhood alone.'

'What about your dad?'

'He and my mother divorced when I was little,' she said simply, thinking back to that time. It was a sad memory of her father walking out the door, his back to her as he muttered the words: "Be good, Ami. Remember to be a little girl sometimes." Then he was gone, usually only communicating now and then via paintings with no letters attached to them. 'He's a painter. Very talented but he had very little in common with my mother, who is a doctor. They had very few interests, either.'

Hugo hummed, listening carefully. 'My parents broke up when I was six. In their case, it was my dad never being there, full stop. My mum just had enough. There was no other woman involved or anything, as far as I know, and he's never remarried. I don't think dad has even had another relationship since he broke up with mum – he was just work-obsessed. Aromantic and asexual… it's a wonder he managed to produce four kids.'

'I see,' Ami said, then smiling. 'My father hasn't had a relationship with another woman either… but that is for completely different reasons to your father, it seems.'

He tilted his head as if trying to translate the meaning. It was then he finally twigged, eyes widening and mouth dissolving into small surprised laughs that he tried to keep back.

'O-oh is that so? So, your dad is…?'

Ami inclined her head to the side. 'He's never told me outright, mind you, but I know he is.'

'I see,' Hugo nodded, now having full control over his smile. 'Sorry, I didn't mean to—I was just surprised.'

'No, it's fine,' she assured him. 'It is quite funny in hindsight. To tell you the truth though I hated my father for leaving my mother when I was a child and too young to understand what was happening. It always felt like he had abandoned us. He did abandon us, really.'

'I know what you mean,' Hugo agreed. 'My dad has been dodging tax in Switzerland since he left my mum too. He's always been fair to us – well, to an extent if you consider Helen's situation – and paid for our school, hobbies, my… medical treatment,' he paused as he looked at Ami, who offered him a sympathetic smile, 'But the fact he was never there for me in person infuriated me more than anything. It was tough being the only boy in a family full of women.'

'You turned out well,' Ami assured him.

'Thanks,' he sighed. 'Yeah, mum gets on my nerves, but she's always been fair with me and worked hard for all of us. It was Audrey – my eldest sister - who did most of the raising. Well, her or the boarding schools – now they were a killer!'

'I've only ever been to regular state schools,' Ami admitted.

'Well, if you have kids one day, don't send them away to a boarding school!' Hugo told her, smirking as he did. 'The way my family solved my "only boy in the family" problem was to send me to an all-boys boarding school. It was so awful, I slipped into a coma just to escape!'

He laughed despite himself, causing Ami to chuckle too.

'Sorry,' he added. 'That joke was a little tasteless.'

'No! It shows you have a sense of humour about yourself,' she promised him. Then she blushed as she added, 'I…like that about you.'

That seemed to perk Hugo up. 'Thank you.'

It had been a long day for Ami when she finally got home. She had stayed with Hugo at the café for as long as they could without being late for their pathology class. It was one they shared with all the other students, so they had headed over to the hall together and met with Daniel and Kris there. Much to Ami's relief, neither of them questioned why the two of them were already walking together and the usual banter continued.

Daniel was adamant that his invitation for that weekend was still on. 'We'll study and then have some fun times,' he said gleefully. 'That is… if Hugo lets us.'

'Why are you making me out to be the villain of the piece. Provided we do get some studying done, I'm fine,' Hugo reaffirmed.

Ami was looking forward to this meetup. It was starting to fill her social calendar for the weekend quickly as she planned to try and call some of the girls too to give them a catch-up. Even if she had nothing to say about that crystal or the Phantom, the least she could do was check-in.

Come five o'clock everyone seemed ready for an early night. Despite seeming fine while they were talking earlier, Ami noticed again that Hugo was especially tired. 'It's been a long day,' he told them all through a yawn. 'I'm probably going to do a quick drop-in with Bernard and then head home.'

'Ugh, why are you going to the anatomy labs so late?' Kris asked, obviously a little creeped out.

'God, Kris, it's not like Bernard is going to rise up and kill me,' Hugo replied. 'I want to double check a few of my notes – we have an analysis essay due on him and I want to focus on them…' he yawned through his words, making them inaudible. No one cared anyway at this point.

'Well, I'm off home,' Kris declared, turning to Ami, 'My train station was in the same direction as the Halls of Residence. Fancy walking with me?'

'Yes,' Ami smiled.

She turned to say one last good night to Hugo and Daniel. The latter gave his typical boyish grin while Hugo's was a little more understated as if all the weight of the world was tied around his wrist. For whatever reason, they wordlessly decided to keep their one-to-one to themselves. It had probably been nothing special, anyway, but it was fun having a mini secret.

The conversation between her and Kris was light too, mainly about the lesson they had and what their respective accommodations were like. Ami tried to avoid her fellow flatmates most of the time as they were all bland, uninteresting people. Besides, when they did bump into each other there was only ever an awkward silence as they tried to make small talk that never really got off the ground.

'I know Dan makes fun of me for staying with my mum,' Kris sighed, twirling a dark curl around her finger. 'Sometimes I wish I could have lived in student residences, but I think I'd have to go home every weekend to be with her. I'd just be too worried.'

'Is… everything okay with her?' Ami tentatively asked.

Kris shook her head, suddenly a little uneasy. 'She's… not been great for a while. Part of the reason I wanted to become a doctor or at least a nurse, was because of seeing how hard they have worked to help her during the moments I thought I might…' she stopped and shook her head. 'Anyway, she's fine right now. Uncle Cole looks out for her too and I'm there. That's all that matters.'

Ami knew not to push the issue, realising that it was a sensitive subject for Kris. It was strange to see her so vulnerable.

They parted ways at Kris's station and Ami crossed the road to walk the short distance to her residence.

She grabbed a bath, washed her hair and was in bed well before ten o'clock just reading. It felt nice to have an early night for once. By half-past ten, she was starting to feel tired and decided to turn in. Placing the book to the side of her pillow, she turned off the bedside lamp and closed her eyes hoping sleep wouldn't be too far off.

I wonder if I will have another dream about the Silver Millennium? Being there in bed, in the darkness, it helped bring the dream of the night before back to her. Sailor Mercury had been talking about a person – who sounded like a man – while Venus warned her about the risks of getting too close to a mortal human. Why am I only having these dreams now? I don't think I've ever really had them before now.

The truth was she could never really remember her dreams very well.

Ami imagined she must have dropped off as she started waking suddenly, like when someone has the sensation of falling. That was when she felt it again, that dark energy. It was close too.

Too close for comfort—

She reached into her pyjama pocket and pulled out the tumbled gem again. Although it was faint, she could distinctly feel the aura oozing off it. The stronger sensation, though, was coming from a distance outside her window. As if by magic, her supercomputer's alarm went off again and she scrambled for it to shut it off, conscious that her flatmates could hear. Opening it quickly, she ran a scan to see if she could pinpoint where the source of the energy was coming from this time. However as soon as pulled up the local map, the screen distorted, as if hit by some form of electromagnetic interference. It was scrambling with her own Mercurial technology; it had to be powerful.

Ami looked at the crystal.

'Damn it!' she cursed.

The only thing left to do was transform. She climbed out of bed and raised her hand… but hesitated slightly. This was almost certainly the Phantom at work. He had said he was looking for something and that she should not interfere. It was not fear of what he might do to her that made her wonder but what he might do to others if she defied that warning. But what might he be doing now to others? That decided it for her.

'There's nothing else for it,' Ami muttered under her breath. Damned if you do, damned if you don't, she thought, weirdly, in Hugo's voice. It was a phrase she had heard him a few times to Dan and it seemed apt right now. 'I have to go. Perhaps I'll learn something useful…'

Hand outstretched, she called on the power of Mariner Castle and the Mercury Crystal.

'Mercury Eternal Power, Make Up!'

In a flash of light, she was Ami no longer but the Guardian of Wisdom and Love.

Jumping out the window, she stopped on the rooftop of a short block of flats to try and get her bearings. The supercomputer was still producing nothing but static. Best guess was that the dark energy emitting from those different points were confusing her computer. Either way, she would have to rely on her natural senses.

Perhaps if I deactivate all the points I will be able to locate the transmission that is keeping them going, Mercury reasoned to herself. She already began trying to locate the first on before she even had time to consider any downsides to this plan.

The first one was discreetly hidden behind a rubbish skip. It almost seemed to glow pink in the dark. Being close to the object stopped the interference long enough to for her to deactivate it. As with the crystal she already carried, it was reduced to nothing but a cloudy grey-white crystal. She pocketed it and searched for the second one. Taking a quick hop up the wall of the line of shops the first was found, she located a second. This one was hidden in a rubbish bin four blocks over not too far from where Mercury had first confronted the Phantom - just a little way away from the library. A thought dawned on her the moment she deactivated it.

They are all within a kilometre of the university campus…

The signal was much weaker now and Mercury was able to better locate the final one, which made up a triangle of dark energy. She went after it without hesitation. Even though she knew it had to be close to her, she was surprised when she finally landed in the spot.

'The gross anatomy labs?' she muttered out loud.

This one was just sitting on the rooftop of the building for all the world to see. She knew this was an easily accessible area. Very often this refuge place was used by the smokers in the gross anatomy class to nip out for a cigarette. In fact, Mercury was certain that Hugo, Dr Finley and one or two others had popped up for a quick one during lab when their drive for nicotine was too powerful.

As she went to pick it up, though, something hit her. Hard. Painfully on the wrist.

She screamed in shock and pain, and instinctively rolled away from the crystal and looked up to find her attacker. There, hidden by the shadow cast by the moonlight against his back, was the Phantom again. Still unrecognisable.

'I told you not to come,' his voice boomed.

Mercury gripped her wrist and looked up. 'How was I supposed to ignore this... this triangle of evil?!'

'The energy was doing no harm to you.' His voice was completely indistinguishable as if he was using some sort of voice modifier. 'I was merely using it to locate my special item.' He folded his arms and tilted his head, Mercury was no closer to identifying him.

Then she caught the eye of his bright white teeth. 'But... perhaps your being here will help me more than I anticipated?'

'How did you find me so quickly?' Mercury queried.

'My stone you have chosen to carry,' the Phantom replied, pointing to the one she had kept with her the past few days. 'It has been very helpful in helping me keep track of you. I don't just mean tonight, either – from the moment we first met. I knew what classes you were taking, who you were with - even when you were having that chat with Dr Roser, and then with her children, her daughter at the coffee shop and her son.'

Mercury's heart sank. The Phantom watched her with Dr Roser, saw her speaking with Helen… and Hugo. His likeness to Zoisite once again crossed her mind. Could this darkness be connected to him? She didn't want to admit it but could it be… Chaos?

The Phantom hummed as if reading her mind.

'He's an interesting one. Your… little boyfriend.'

His voice boomed like an echo. It made her feel sick.

'Stay away from him!' she hissed, then remembering herself she added. 'All of them. Dr Roser, Helen… and Dan and Kris! If you hurt any of them or anyone else…!'

He scoffed. 'Ha! So, you're about those frauds you call "friends", too, are you?'

'Frauds?!'

The Phantom snickered deviously. 'Hmph, if any true memories remain in that empty head of yours, you'll come to know what I mean soon enough.'

Mercury didn't think she wanted to know. She had a sickly feeling in her stomach again - but it had nothing to do with Hugo. She had no doubt in her mind or heart at all about him. Whatever Zoisite had been all those years ago, he had not been Hugo. That was clear. She only had to think of one or two jokes he had told her, the funny little side smile he made when she agreed to get that coffee with him, and the way she had seen that same light in the eyes of his sister. A person's aura did not lie.

A person's aura does not lie. She repeated that to herself. Kris and Dan… their souls are pure, too. Whatever the Phantom was suggesting here, it did not make her fear them – but fear for them.

'I don't know what you're talking about, but I have had enough of your dark aura crystals interrupting my sleep! ' Mercury said sternly, readying herself to attack. 'Dose yourself in water and repent!'

Not taking another second, she fired her water at him faster than a bullet. No attack called, just water that with the whip of her arm, turned to icicles and fired towards him.

The Phantom dodged. Even Mercury knew it wasn't going to be that easy.

He hopped onto the top of a long, disused chimney and looked down at her. Tutting, he spoke again, 'I'll say it one last time, Sailor Mercury. Leave now and do not interrupt my experiments again.'

'Experiments?' she queried.

She got no response as another unseen attack knocked her off her feet and threw her far enough that she almost fell from the rooftop. Were it not for her fast reflexes as a Sailor Senshi, she undoubtedly would have gone over the edge. Instead, she was able to grip the side and pull herself back up.

By the time she got her bearings, the Phantom was nowhere in sight.

Mercury cursed under her breath in English for the first time ever. For some reason no Japanese word she knew felt powerful enough.

She pulled out her supercomputer to try and see where the Phantom went. Nothing. He didn't even seem to leave an aura behind him, for all the dark energy he had at his disposal. He had taken the third crystal too. Still, Mercury had her crystal. She took it out to look at it. It was tempting to throw it away but... she couldn't take that risk either.

At least now she knew that the Phantom would likely try and stop her whenever she ventured out as Sailor Mercury with it in hand.

Instead, she used her supercomputer to do something else - locate the centre of the triangle. Her heart went cold when she saw where it was: the same address on the business card Kris had given her! She pulled out of her fuku again to double check. There was no doubt. She didn't even realise the shop had been so close.

Hugo had said it wasn't far but...

She sprinted off immediately.

Jumping over a couple of rooftops she made her way down to the streets and ran the last couple of blocks. The shop was located in a small square just off a smaller road. The minute Mercury laid eyes on it she saw that there had been a break in as the window was smashed in.

Then she got closer and saw something else that... surprised her.

Inside the shop, there was a huddle of three people, all tied together and muttering something slowly under their breaths. She peered about them to see the shop was trashed. Items like the dream catchers, books and herbs were untouched but the cases containing tumbled gemstones had been broken into and their contents were all over the floor.

'What on Earth?' Sailor Mercury muttered.

It was only when she got close enough to hear what the group of three - two guys and a girl dressed in hoodies, fellow students from the look of them - were saying.

"Find the core! Find the core! We must find...the core..."

They said it over and over, only vaguely struggling against the rope restraining them.

Seeing the people like this reminded her of all those years ago when they were searching for the Imperium Silver Crystal and—

Someone turned a light on at the back. Mercury froze, quickly adopting an attack stance. She waited as the person emerged from the hanging beads clutching a cordless phone. Seeing the caller was just a long-bearded middle-aged man prompted her to duck into the shadows near the window. Even though she knew no one would recognise her as Ami Mizuno, she didn't really want to explain herself to this man. Still, she decided to wait and make sure he was safe.

She overheard the call.

'...That's right, sweetheart. You heard me. I have made a "citizen's arrest", right? Three bloody teenagers broke my window and tried to rob my shop,' his gruff, cockney accent rang out. Not really the sort of voice one would expect from the proprietor of a New Age shop. Weren't they supposed to speak all mellow?

'I've got 'em all tied up on my shop floor right now - are you sending the police over or what?'

The faint murmur of the lady with 999 services wafted out from the receiver.

'My name is Colbert Dunsten and I want to press charges for breaking and entering,' the man said sternly. He stepped forward to look at them too, 'Frankly, I'd send them down for using drugs, too, they seem high out of their minds.'

All the while he spoke, the three students continued to chant the same words.

'They attacked me too!' he added. 'So, you can add assault to that charge sheet, too, love!'

He came across as the sort of person who mumbled on and on. However, in this case, it was worth listening to.

'I heard the window break, came downstairs to sort it out because I'll tell you this, sweetheart, I'm no pushover, but whack! Got me stone cold. I wake up a bit later to find my shop being turned upside down. Thank God that lad came by when he did—!'

Lad? Mercury thought, not being able to place the word.

'Tall lad with a mask on,' Mr Dunsten said. 'Didn't give his name. He just walked in and the sods, pardon my French, toppled over like dominos. Then, he restrained the little bastards, oops there I go again, sorry dear! Anyway, he then helped my head injury and I—what? …oh, I think I'm fine. Probably could do with seeing to, if you don't mind. He patched me up, so I'm not too much of a mess at least. In the end, he then told me to call you because he had to leave. "No one else can see me," he said. I reckon he's one of those vigilante superheroes you read about in the Metro. Probably didn't want to be caught by you lot. Uh-huh. Yeah... he was my bloody knight in shining armour!'

In the distance, Mercury heard sirens. She glanced in the man's direction. He had his back turned. She decided to sneak her way out of the shop. The matter was in hand and she had heard all she needed.

'Oi, Oi! I hear sirens in the air - are they for me?' Mr Dunsten asked. He got his response and tutted, 'About bloody time, too!'

Mercury was outside fast enough not to be seen. She glanced into the shop one more time, her eyes landing again on the three teenagers. They sat there mumbling, mumbling…

Then one looked up, straight at her. Mercury recoiled - his eyes were completely whited out.

"Core! Core! Core!" he shouted.

She ducked away, worried he would draw the shopkeeper's attention to her. "Where's the core? Find the core!" she heard the other two chime in. The moment she ducked out of sight, the one who had stared at her settled down and resumed the slow chanting from before.

As the sirens drew closer, Mercury decided it was time to go.

She turned to leave and froze dead: someone was watching the shop from one of the side roads leading to the square. He was completely in shadow so it was impossible to make him out except for the paler stitches set upon a black or navy material - but Mercury could see it was a 'he'. The moment she noticed him, he seemed to tense up. Due to the darkness of the street he was in there was no light touching him but he clearly saw her.

She brought down her goggles, wondering if it was the Phantom again back to gloat - but no, he was already running off.

Mercury scowled and made after him. She didn't get very far though as by the time she got to where he had just been standing, he was gone. Checking the area around him, there was no remaining energy and certainly no crystals.

Looking down the road, there was no sign of him either. He ran fast.

A police car pulled up to the shop behind her, the red and blue lights just barely catching her. She moved further into the darkness so they wouldn't see her and mistake her for someone they might want to question. The shopkeeper ran out to greet them, still waving his phone in the air.

Mercury knew there was nothing for it but the head home now.

At least she had learned a lot and had data to correlate in her supercomputer. Her only regret was not getting a good look at that second shadowy figure. However, with any luck, she would have got a picture of him just before he ran off with her goggles.

She would check when she got back to her flat.

Either way, she had to call the girls about all of this.