Chapter 12: パペットマスター The Puppet Master

In the days of the Golden Kingdom, the atmosphere had been thick with a boundless power greater than anything that existed on any other planet in the Solar System. A sphere brimming with light and life. At times she could trick herself into thinking it was still there, as it had been in its heyday, hanging about her like the rich incense they used to burn in the Great Temples built to honour Father Sun. It had been unlike anything; even a genius with a supercomputer could only classify it as one thing – magic.

Earth was blessed by the Sun. From broken Mercury to the Frozen Moons of Neptune, its power and resources were the envy of the Solar System. Even the murky dark depths of the Kuiper belt, where the petty Senshi vied for the approval of their father Chronos; while Sailor Pluto held the door of time and Sailor Eris slept soundly at the gates of the multiverse, all dreamed of the planet's conquest. It didn't matter where they were, all hungered for that which lay upon Earth be it be their luscious forests or fertile lands, their blue skies or fish-filled sea, their deep caves filled with metals and precious stones filled with energy and power. The Silver Millennium had been necessary to defend it all and discourage any temptation the once great empires of the Jovian System or the Outer regions had of attacking the Inner regions to claim Earth for themselves.

Yet even the humans of Earth had secrets from their protectors of the Silver Millennium. It was said that a secret layer existed beneath Earth's crust, (a pocket universe, some would call it), where a mysterious sanctuary stood, and few were permitted to enter. Even the mighty Queen Serenity was barred for it had been an earthly place. No Venusians nor Mercurials, Jovians nor Martians, none of them. Only a true born being of terra firmacould set foot there, for it had been a sacred domain of the Queen and Earth Maiden's family, and the Kings of the Heavens, so the stories went.

All that knowledge was lost now. It died along with the first human civilisation, the destruction of the Golden Kingdom and the fall of the Silver Millennium. The age of Platinum had perished as had the Sailor Senshi, the Moon Queen and her daughter and the last hope – the Prince of Earth, the Heavenly Kings and the lost Earth Maiden.

Looking out over what the Earth had become disgusted the bitter onlookers.

'It is a pale imitation of what it should have become,' said the leader. She looked up at the murky black and orange hue that blinded the humans to their universe while they muddled about beneath their artificial light.

Her subordinate nodded in agreement. What have they done to your world, my love? During the Golden Kingdom, they had used burning crystals to light their homes that were supposedly powered through exposure to Father Sun. Now, it was a lost art for this second-wave of humans used these nauseating glass bulbs. It made her head hurt just to look upon how base and embryonic it all was.

'I can't even see the evening star anymore,' the leader went on, mumbling in disgust. 'It was by rights the greatest of all the planets, finer in beauty and resources than all the military forces of Jupiter and Mars or the magical and technological gusto of Venus and Mercury. Now there is not a star in the sky.'

With her eyes fixed on the roof of that insignificant little hovel, the humans called a 'building' below, a scowl creased the subordinate's forehead. Her fist clutched an indigo stone. 'This is a waste of time. We have been searching through this wretched world for months now. I'm going around in circles! False reading after false reading.'

'They are here,' the leader insisted.

'I wish I could believe that.'

That earned a cold look from the leader. 'Sefoné said, "In this world, they all survived." Clear as crystal.'

'Even Sefoné can be wrong sometimes.'

'Not about this,' the leader said coldly. 'Just do your duty. I will not tolerate further failures or excuses from you of all people.' She eyed her follower's clutched fist and drew closer, hissing her final words on the matter through pursed lips. 'After all, if he is here then the core will not be far away.'

The subordinate froze still and rubbed the stone for comfort.

'The boy doesn't have it. I checked.'

'Yet he continues to elude you?'

The lower-ranked one stared intently. 'He doesn't have it!'

The leader stepped away, threw her hair over her shoulder and let out a disgruntled sigh, 'Whether he has it or not, it is here. Find it.'

'I will!' she babbled meekly. I should have known better than to question this.

'Good. Make sure this "Sailor Mercury" doesn't get in the way this time either,' the leader added and turned as if to leave. 'One more thing – don't bother returning until you find the core.'

Her throat felt tight, 'Very well.'

In a brief distortion in the veil of reality, the first left the second alone. Her heart began to calm itself again.

She means it this time, she thought miserably. I can't go back until we have the core. Sefoné. She said it is hidden somewhere in this concrete monstrosity. We must find it.

She brought the stone to her lips. With one final pause, she tossed the stone into the air – unleashing its power.

Not just the core. I must deal with this fraud who calls herself "Sailor Mercury". Once she's out the way, there will only be him left.

'Core! Core! Core!'

Bespelled humans everywhere.

Pinching, grasping, crawling.

Crowded around the Lady of the Frozen Lake.

'Core! Core! Core!' they bleated like a murder of crows. Biting, scratching. grabbing. 'Core! Taste Core! Smell Core!'

'Show yourself, you coward!' Sailor Mercury cried out, looking about the room for her foe. 'Don't hide behind their enslaved minds! Let them go!'

Then she heard it, the movement above. The Phantom's shadow towered over her as it drifted swiftly up the walls, 'If you want me, come and get me, "Princess" Mercury.'

'I will!' and without hesitation, she made her way up the stairs and towards the rooftop of the museum.

Sailor Mercury knew she had to proceed with caution. If the Phantom had the power to bewitch as many humans as those scrambling over the artefacts below, there was a good chance he had more waiting for her up at the top. Yet, as she slowly approached the already-open door that led to the flat-topped roof, she saw nothing. No man or woman, just the orange hue of the city in front of her and bright white sensor-lights beneath her feet that turned on as she approached. The murmur of traffic quietly filled her ears as the city went on about its business below and the sharpest, loudest sounds were her own boots clicking against concrete.

Her skin was covered with goose pimples as she wearily looked about for him. 'If you want me, come and get me,' he had said. She had come but he was nowhere to be seen. Yet, she knew better than to let her guard down. He had projectiles and the ability to brainwash humans into his mindless puppets. It seemed the more she learnt about the Phantom, the more powerful he grew.

Pulling her visor back down, she scanned her surroundings and they immediately drew her attention to the floor. Looking down, Sailor Mercury realised that she was about to step on a small, clear stone.

Goshenite, she realised.

It has a faint glow to it and the tingle of dark energy rose from it. As she knelt to see it closer, she noticed another beryl of similar size laid a few inches beside it, and then more beside that one. Now too weary to pick them up she instead stood and walked along the outline, finding one after another.

Three spirals joined at the centre…?

Each was a similar size to its satellite and, after letting her eyes trace them, her goggles began to put together a shape.

'It is called a triskelion.'

Mercury's head shot up, recognising the voice of the Phantom.

Then, a sharp, slicing cut hit her forearm then. The sting and soreness seemed to chop through her sleeve, then flesh. She barely had a moment to register all the pain before she screeched and stumbled. Grasping the point where the weapon hit, she was shocked to find that it had drawn blood. H-How? she thought weakly. Though it was possible to feel pain or even be weakened to the point of death, a Sailor Senshi was all but an immortal heavenly body. No cut should be so deep...!

Thankfully her magic, bolstered by her connection to Sailor Moon, was already starting to heal the wound.

Realising she had been struck from behind, she turned. There standing on the porch from which she had emerged she traced the outline of a human figure as if it were emerging from a puff of smoke. He did not move though she felt his eyes on her. She backed up slightly, wanting to keep some distance between them, almost forgetting that her arm was bleeding. Then she tripped into the laid-out stones, dislodging some of them from their spots; the aura they admitted did not stop, however.

Gingerly, she tip-toed away from the strange pattern.

He chuckled; she turned to him with a glare.

'Phantom…!' she hissed, through anger and pain. 'What's a Triskelion?'

'Perhaps if you had paid more attention in that hall of memories below you would have noticed it etched on the various objects. It was very important to humans back then.'

Maybe she had noticed it? On the music box or one of those tapestries? Sailor Mercury hissed again. She removed her hand from her wound; her bloodied glove was slowly washing clean. She couldn't remember in her heightened state.

'It is a human symbol of eternity. It keeps the power of the stones constant.'

Her eyes were drawn back to where she had displaced some of the stones. They were moving! Slowly, she realised they were rolling back into their original places like magnets. With haste, she purposely knocked several to one side with her foot but once again they bounced back into place as quickly as she had shooed them.

For Serenity's sake, what is this power?

The Phantom chuckled.

'That won't work. Only the same power that created the triskelion can defuse it'

In one swift movement, he jumped down from the porch and to the edge of the roof. Mercury span so fast she felt her neck crack. It was just another bout of pain to add to the throbbing in her arm.

'Then take it apart,' she demanded. 'Stop this madness.'

'Do you even know what purpose it is serving?'

She had a very good idea;

'It's controlling those humans!'

'That's one purpose it serves, yes.'

'What's the other?'

'Oh, there are several purposes! Another is... an amplifier. To use human magic, you must use human tools.'

'Are you using it to find the core?!' Mercury snapped. 'What even is the core?'

The Phantom snorted, only speaking after a long pregnant pause. 'I told you that you should stay out of this business, Sailor Mercury. This was never about you. In fact, I pitied you. I didn't want to involve you. Had you listened to me the first time, I would have happily continued my mission and left once I had completed it, never bothering you again. Now though you have left me no choice.'

'What-?'

'Core!'

Mercury shrieked at the sudden, shrill cry.

Turning back to the door to the stairs down she saw a horde of bespelled humans; shambling up the stairs, some bruised and bloody from where they had been stepping and crawling over one another. '

Core! Core! Core!' they squawked.

Her heart sank. No, don't fight me with them.

'I don't want to fight them.'

That was probably why the Phantom was using them.

'It is interesting, though,' he pondered. 'Just like him, you seem to keep turning up at the places I search for the core.'

Sailor Mercury braced herself, expecting the humans to lunge at any moment.

'H-He? I don't even know what "the core" is!'

One of the humans ran towards her, dressed in evening wear and smelling like the wine that had flowed freely below. Mercury's hesitancy to attack a moral man got the better of her and he ploughed into her, arms flailing, and the mantra of "core!" becoming a guttural growl from through his clenched teeth. Had she been merely Ami Mizuno, he would have knocked her off her feet – thankfully, she was Sailor Mercury right now and was able to withstand the force of his full body-weight slamming into her.

Pushing him away from her was another matter. Sailor Uranus, Sailor Jupiter or even Sailor Mars would have had the strength, but Mercury was a soldier of the mind. Thankfully, he was the only human attacking; she briefly wondered why. The Phantom probably wished to taunt her. Utilising her strong point, she deduced how to use the man's weight against him. She managed to turn to slightly one side. He fell forward with a painful grind against the concrete.

Pitifully he whimpered, 'Core… core… core…!'

The mantra couldn't stop their pain.

The Phantom clapped mockingly at her.

'Well done, you managed to take down one. Only fifty or so to go!'

Mercury was too nervous to take her eyes of the crowd of mindless people to look at him.

'His clothes... he was at the party, wasn't he? I thought they all got out.'

'Most of them did. The slower and weaker among them fell prey to my ancient spell.'

She frantically thought of Hugo, his sisters and Dr Roser. What if they were among this crowd at this very moment? Being forced to fight for this coward, their minds taken from them. It angered her to think of it. Unable to contain her fury, she spun towards the Phantom again.

He was nowhere to be seen.

Immediately her sense of dread increased. She looked back to the people who continued to stare blankly at her. Cautiously, she tried to find a spot where the entire roof and all bodies standing on it were in her line of sight.

His voice echoed out:

'You are frightened, Sailor Mercury. I can feel it.'

She stopped dead, trying to work out where the voice was coming from.

'Phantom, show yourself!' A chuckle reverberated off the concrete; it was so hollow and empty. Mercury spied the nearest cover for her back and slowly side-lined towards it. 'Why call me up here if all you wanted was to taunt me again?'

'I said if you wanted me, to come and get me. I never said I would make this easy, human.'

Safely against the wall, she summoned her visor again to see whether he was hiding in the shadows or beneath some form of invisibility spell. Still, nothing. Her anxiety wouldn't let up now. Any moment she expected him to get the drop on her, or another human to attack... or all of them to attack!

'Face me!' she demanded. 'Not hidden from sight or using those people to attack. You yourself.'

'You really want that?'

She took three steps away from the wall, out of the shadows and into the light. If she would face her enemy, she would do it standing tall. 'I do.'

'I see. Very well but I must warn you… I won't play fair!'

Suddenly, someone grabbed her from behind and placed pressure on her neck. She didn't even have time to cry out let alone determine whether it was another human or the Phantom himself. She tried to throw him off but it only made him tighten his stranglehold.

'P…please…!' Mercury coughed out. 'At least… let them… go…!'

She eyed all the people stumbling out onto the roof to circle around her.

'Ha…' she felt, breath tickling her ear. That was how she knew it was him holding her.

'Ha…you want them to be let go?'

Yes, she might have said. Instead, she felt a terrible foreboding. Now the Phantom was here, this close, speaking right into her ear she wondered. I know that voice, she swallowed. But it can't be!

…Her mind had to be playing tricks on her.

That was when she noticed something else.

'No, I have another idea,' came a faint whisper.

'—another idea,' the Phantom said aloud, his words delayed by less than half a second.

Another voice? Mercury wondered.

She didn't have time to ponder on the Phantom's voice or the whisper have preceded his words. Bit by bit, the humans turned away from them and slowly began to walk away from them.

'What are you doing?' Mercury muttered weakly. 'What is the core? Why do you need it?!'

That's a lot of questions—'

'—a lot of questions from someone in my grasp.'

Another faint echoed chuckle.

'Don't you want—'

'—you want to see my idea?'

Unable to do much else, Mercury queried the second voice.

'I know there's someone else behind this!' she cried. 'I can hear you!'

'Good for—'

'—for you!'

The Phantom then tightened hold so tight Mercury seriously began to feel faint.

'Now—'

'—look!'

No! she thought. 'Mercury… A-Aqua Mist!'

It was barely a whimper from her mouth, but it was enough for the fog to burst forth from her fingertips and surround her. The Phantom, momentarily, was taken off guard and it was enough for her to squirm out of his grasp and stumble forward. Cough for air she fell to her knees to catch her breath.

The whisper scoffed. 'You think—'

'—think that'll solve anything?'

Now she was out of the Phantom's grasp the second, faint voice became barely audible again. Yet now she knew it was there, she couldn't un-hear it. To her surprise, the Phantom made no attempt to get hold of her again nor was a human deployed to attack her. It wasn't until the mist cleared that she saw why. Her throat tightened with fear. Every single one of the humans was now standing on the edge of the roof like morbid ducks in a row, staring down at the busy roads below and looking incredibly precarious as they wobbled in the wind.

'No!' she screamed, finally finding her words again. 'For Serenity's sake, take them down!'

'Scared—'

'—scared they'll fall? That's the point.'

Once again, the whisper and the Phantom's voices faded into the echo that was all so familiar. If the Phantom himself wasn't behind all of this but instead this mysterious entity whispering in his ear, then his life could be in danger. If he was a human, (as she suspected), he could be just one step away from standing on that ledge, too.

'What do you want from me?' she finally asked.

'I told you.'

Slowly, Mercury was starting to focus more on the whisper than the Phantom, hard as it was.

' I didn't want to interfere with your petty human life, but you insisted on being a nuisance. Turning up in all the wrong places. Places where the core might be, and now this "museum" of his life…!'

'His life?' she repeated under her breath.

Was the core one of the artefacts downstairs, or tied to the culture from which they hailed? Had she been right about it all having survived from the Golden Kingdom before the Silver Millennium fell to Queen Metaria, one of the most powerful incarnations of Chaos? What if It had returned? If all of their lives had been restored, had all the evil they had once fought so hard to vanquish returned too? These fears had crossed her mind many times before but now… it truly felt like it could be real!

So many thoughts were swimming through her head that her eyes seemed to glaze over. So much so, she had no time to react when the "Phantom" – or the man who served as the face of the true Phantom, this "Puppet Master" – rushed at her.

'Shadow Mist…!'

He had one of his projectiles deftly held between his fingers. Except he didn't throw it but slashed it physically across her collar bone.

Her strident shriek reverberated off the wall as she tumbled backwards. She fell onto the hard concrete and sharp little Goshenite stones laying upon it. Opening her eyes, she realised it had not been her mind that had been a haze but her surroundings. Like a shadowy aqua mist, she couldn't see anything in front of her though she could hear the steps of the "Phantom" approaching.

Mercury panicked. Though she didn't want to attack someone who might be a living being, she had no choice. If she could just disable him with her hydromancy…!

'Mercury Aqua Mira—agh!'

'—Aqua Mirage? I think not.'

Out of the black fog, he fell upon her with lightning speed and stepped on her forearm, on the first wound he had given her. 'Gah!' was the only sound she could make, both in frustration and agony. Her burst of power splashed into nothingness. She tried to roll over to shake him off, but he simply put more pressure. This time, without thinking, she tried something else –

'Shine Snow Illusion!'

'Move!'

The Phantom jumped to dodge the attack.

Sailor Mercury jumped to her feet. Now the black mist was clearing she finally seized the opportunity to keep him in place as humanely as possible. With a wave of her hand, the freezing snow rushed towards the Phantom, catching him before he could escape. Swiftly, it clotted about his feet and arms.

'I'm sorry,' she whispered.

He struggled at first but then the piercing cold must have got to him as he began to thrash... and scream. Not in the echo but with the same pain she had done just moments before. Like a human. He screamed.

'Not bad,' the Puppet Master conceded.

Ceasing her attack, Mercury ran forward towards him – aiming to knock off the hood and mask that had long obscured his face.

As she reached out, a different freezing wind hit her with full force and yanked her backwards again.

She screamed from the shock.

Before she could spin to react, it had driven her with such force that she landed with a great slam before sliding further and rolling a little more. The concrete scolded her flesh and ripped at the top layer of skin, including the barely healing wounds she had already received that night. Too winded to cry out now, she realised she had once again landed on the hundreds of glowing goshenite stones, now burning with far greater power than before.

'Did you think unmasking him would solve anything?'

Sailor Mercury opened her eyes.

'No, but I need to know—'

'—Who it is? How sad! Obsessed with the least important aspect of this situation. Humans are always distracted by curiosity.'

The "puppet master" – it was like she could anticipate every move Mercury made. She heard the shattering of ice, then footsteps. The Phantom had been freed from the ice. She couldn't even bring herself to raise her head. The air had barely returned to her lungs and the rawness of her scabs throbbing torturously. The steps continued towards the edge where the lines of humans swayed on the edge of the roof.

'But who is—?'

'It doesn't matter any more than these humans do.'

She glanced at the new figure. The woman's face was obscured by the glare of the Goshenite stones as she raised her hand to touch the back of one man standing on the ledge. Sailor Mercury's heart hammered in her chest as she tried to stand. No, don't push him! she tried to say but nothing came out.

As if the woman had anticipated her words, she shrugged.

' All of them are just a means to an end.'

With a wave of her hand, all the humans began to stumble.

'No…' Mercury croaked weakly.

To her relief, they did not fall over the edge to the streets below but back onto the roof. Landing on the hard concrete and then each other, they flailed like fish stranded on a beach. Some seemed to be crying in pain while others began to groan the same old word, 'Core!' in a cacophony of noise.

'Watching you squirm is a greater pleasure than watching them lemming off this roof anyway.'

I can't do this on my own, Mercury sniffed, fighting back tears. Venus, Jupiter and Mars; Uranus, Neptune, Saturn and Pluto; Tuxedo Mask and… Sailor Moon. I wish you were here. It's too much. Too much. I'm not… strong enough on my home! I need help. I—

Then, something, someone – maybe one of the humans, or the Phantom or the figure behind the Phantom – grabbed her by the hair and began to drag her backwards. Mercury was already in so much pain the anguish of yanking her roots barely seemed to register anymore. She barely had breath left to screech. Finally, whatever it was let go. They had dropped her near the eye of the spiral where the energy seemed strongest. It was so murky and thick that she choked on air as she tried to catch her breath.

'Humanity has weakened you,' the Puppet Master said. She heard steps walk closer to her, but she couldn't see through the light. 'Before I can return, I must locate the core and put an end to your meddling.'

Mercury tried to place her voice. It sounded familiar yet it did not match anyone she knew.

A dull light emerged from the centre of the spirals.

She heard the footsteps circle her as she lay in the centre of the Triskelion.

'Where is the core?'

'I…don't… know!'

It hurt to speak.

'Are you hiding it even from him?'

The brightness of the Goshenite and the influence of their power felt stronger with each step. Mercury's head began to pound, right at the point between her eyes. They strained to focus through their bleariness and she screamed. 'I don't know… what… it… is!'

She began to find some strength again and tried to sit up.

'No!'

'Oof!' Mercury blurted out as someone held her down. Looking up she got her first proper glimpse at what little of the Phantom was not obscured by his hood and mask. At his greyish-green eyes. She tried to call on another attack to warn him off again, but the words failed her again and the energy surrounding her seemed to oppress her hydromancy.

'Don't try to attack. It will only make the torture worse on you.'

Completely stuck, even the voice in her own head seemed to whimper.

'Where is the core?' the Puppet Master repeated.

'Core! Core!' went the humans again.

'I don't know!'

Ami cried out through the pain of her wounds and the intense throbbing between her eyes. She no longer felt like a Sailor Senshi who could take on any foe, but the dainty little student hid behind the mask. Please, someone, help me! She might have called out again to Sailor Moon, Sailor Venus — anyone of the other Senshi who could have supported her against this foe. Their combined forces together would be enough to crush this figure, she was sure! She found herself clutching the point of her neck where her tanzanite tumble stone would be hanging if she in her mortal form.

Then, of all the names, of all the people she knew in the world her mind focused on one name and it was the one that made it passed her lips;

'…Hugo.'

...

...

A sharp noise emitted.

A twang of metal, clanging against bone and flesh.

'You again…?' the Puppet Master huffed.

She finally took a gulp of air.

Within a second the crushing power, the intense light and the sharp headache were gone. Ami heard a body hit the ground, a gasp and a clink of something large and metallic being thrown to one-side. The overwhelming weight of energy lifted enough that she tried to move. It still hurt to lift her head to look up but it didn't matter. He came to her, lifting her head with the tenderness of a mother.

Like an angel of mercy.

'Ami…!' Hugo said, breathless.

He had a mask over his eyes but she knew it was him.

He helped her sit up; his touch gentle and his voice as sweet. It had another effect. Just like before in Colbert's shop, it had a soothing feeling. It was as if all the pain and cares had faded away. 'Are you all right?'

'Hugo,' was all she managed to say. Ami found enough strength to roll over to cough up... something unpleasant. Blood or bile, it didn't matter and thinking of it more would only scare her. He knelt beside her as she continued to retch.

Then she looked up at him.

He looked awful, like "death dug up" but it was still him. His nose was bleeding; the skin beneath his eyes looked veiny and grey; he looked clammy, feverish and pale - and as if he had thrown up. His hair was wild and out of place with more of the blond curls having escaped his tie than remained with him. Hugo, with his beautiful speckled-green eyes and lovely, long, curly blond hair. Strong despite seeming so fragile at that moment. A man she loved and wanted with every fibre of her being. It hit her like an epiphany.

I love him.

As much joy as she felt seeing him, she also felt sick with fear.

If they hurt him, I couldn't bear it.

She placed a hand on his wrist.

'Leave,' she choked out. 'It's dangerous. You don't understand how much…!'

His hand found hers and gave it a squeeze.

'Believe me, I understand.'

She glanced to one side to see the Phantom lying to one side, hood off, groaning. He clutched his head of tow-hair as if waking up from a bad dream. Beside him lay a fire extinguisher. Despite the pain, Ami smiled as she realised that was what Hugo had saved her with.

'You... heard me?' she whispered.

'Yes, I heard you. I heard everything.'

He offered her one last smile before turning to the shadowy figure.

Though she still felt weak, Ami tried to sit up on her own and force her eyes to focus, to make out the Puppet Master's face. However, a pain shot up her side and between her eyes again. They clouded over with darkness. For a moment, she felt she had an out-of-body experience as the figure almost looked like herself – and her eyes were transfixed on Hugo. Eying him up like a grand prize.

Fearing what would happen next, Ami made one last attempt to reach out and whisper… something.

Then, she lost consciousness.

Ami was dreaming again.

She heard the sound of little bells in the distance. Looking down at her costume, she knew she was back during the Silver Millennium, too. She was in her Princess garb rather than her Senshi gear. The chiming bells were drawing closer. It was difficult to tell where they were coming from through the thicket. The trees seemed to stretch up above their heads forever, obscuring the dusk. She looked around, trying to trace where the bells were coming from.

Suddenly, someone grabbed her forearm.

'They can't find you here. You need to hide!'

Hugo. No longer the shadowy angel but clear as day she could see his face. Just like in the first dream, in that field.

What are you doing here? Ami wanted to say.

'What's wrong?' were the words spoken by Mercury.

He motioned her over to the thickness of the trees.

'Kneel down and don't make a noise,' he said. 'I'll get rid of them.'

'Who are they?'

'I'll tell you in a moment; just stay down. They can't find you here!'

She did as he asked, crouching so low she could barely see him through the shrubbery any longer. The chimes were so close, and her heart was pounding so fast that they seemed to synchronise.

The party approached the crossroads where he waited. He drew a gorgeous white-gold and vine-green sword with a violet stone embedded in the hilt. Mistilteinn, Mercury's mind whispered. She admired his stance. He glowed with magic. With the power of the holy Tanzanite stone, she told herself.

A group of three hooded figures - two men and one woman - came into the clearing and stopped. The eldest among lifted his hand and spoke in a stern, commanding tone. ' Lower your weapon, Young King. Onyx, High Priest in the North, will do you no harm and begs you do him none either.'

'This is my kingdom and I have a duty of care to it, Onyx,' Hugo muttered as he sheaved his sword. ' Bells are easy to come by. You could have been bandits for all I knew. '

The younger seemed incensed at that, 'You dare compare men and women of the cloth to bandits?!'

'Be calm, Jasper,' Onyx said sternly.

Hugo turned to Jasper.

'Don't take it personally,' he said tartly. 'As the ruler of the North and knight of Elysion, I am always on guard. It is the duty handed to me by my master; to keep my kingdom and Elysion's gates safe.'

'It was your duty to protect the princess!' Jasper spat.

'Easy, boy!' Onyx told the younger priest again.

'Yes, calm down!' the girl finally piqued up.

Mercury noticed Hugo's entire body stiffen.

'We were children when the Earth Maiden was lost,' he grunted in a low, cold tone. 'Master hasn't forgotten her. In every breath he takes, he thinks of her, prays for her and dreams that one day she will be found. He will not rest until she is found... there is not a girl living on Earth he loves more.' His voice cracked with emotion. Who is this Earth Maiden? Mercury wondered. She had never heard of such a person before. What is Hugo even talking about? the dreaming Ami questioned.

'Besides,' Hugo added. 'It was the priesthood who were supposed to protect her the day she was taken, kidnapped under their noses!'

Jasper looked ready to throw a punch, but the girl steadied his hand with a tug on his sleeve.

Instead, it was Onyx who responded;

'Our purpose was to aid her in her task to bring our people — the people of Earth! — spiritual enlightenment. Children you may have been but Endymion failed her. He has the Golden Crystal, more power than the entire temple put together could muster, in his hands yet he stood by like a coward while the villains carried her away!'

'Watch your words,' Hugo snapped angrily, tightening the grip on his hilt again. 'Priest or no, carp on any more I might just arrest you for treason.'

This conversation was entirely over Mercury's head and the dreaming Ami's too. It involved Earth politics, something well-hidden from the Moon people by the humans. In reality, she should have listened to every detail and reported back to her own Queen but — she knew she wouldn't. Queen Serenity will never, ever hear a word of this. Though Mercury knew her loyalty should be to her Queen and Princess first, the thought of betraying this man shook her to the core. She would never do that. Never.

The priests were silent from a long moment.

'You would arrest us and take us to your puffed-up Prince?' Onyx challenged. 'His mind has been weakened by the influence of the Four Queens.'

Hugo answered quickly. 'You have broken no law, yet, but you edge dangerously close. Should the day come where you go too far and I am asked to provide evidence of your views of the Prince, I will not lie.'

The priest scoffed, 'I expect no less from the Knight of Clarity! Be assured I will do the same. You of all people should be subject to the law and to Father Sun.'

Mercury held her breath.

'What's that supposed to mean?' Hugo scowled. 'I would never betray Prince Endymion or the Faith for that matter. If you are trying to trap me—!'

'I would never dream of it,' Onyx cut him off. 'I would remind you though that you are bound by more than just your vows before Father Sun and celestial law. You made an oath of loyalty, servitude and, above all, chastity. To put nothing and no one before our Prince and the Earth.' He took a step back to look Hugo up and down, saying his next words in a harsh whisper. Had Mercury been crouched anywhere else she wouldn't have heard it. 'You think people don't gossip, boy? One day you will be made an,' he paused, '..an example of…?'

He stopped as he glanced over to where Mercury was hiding. She felt her heart skip a beat; he clearly had noticed something was off. She stayed as still as possible;

Hugo immediately realised what was about to happen. He never took his eyes off the priest. His brow was furrowed, his lips straight, and he was perfectly calm as he grabbed Onyx's arm. 'Look me in the eyes!'

The older man glared at him, 'Hands off me, boy!'

Too late.

'Look at me,' the boy repeated. 'All of you!'

They obeyed; Onyx, Jasper and even the girl felt compelled to look at him.

Mercury bit back a gasp of relief.

He has them!

Through the natural sounds of the forest, she could hear his voice echo through her mind.

'Look me in the eyes. It is nothing but a bird. Nothing but the brambles. Look away from that bramble. Pay no mind to the bird in the bush. Look me in the eyes. Am I not who you wish to rebuke?'

Confused, they all obeyed and looked away at once. Mercury smiled. That was his great ability; the power of suggestion. When she had first met him, she had resented the number of girls who would coo and sigh over him. He was constantly showered with praise from many women, and plenty of men for that matter. It was only after he had risked exposure of their 'friendship' to rescue her from the Den of Burning Ice, he confessed to her why it happened.

'I want to know what people think of me so, I make them tell me. Trouble is, once they say it aloud, they seem unable to stop.'

Mercury had smiled, 'Have you ever tried it with me?'

'Oh, I don't need to,' he had responded, teasingly. 'You, my lady, are an open book.'

The memory of his kiss still danced upon her lips.

After a moment of recovery, the trio seemed quite dazed. Onyx gave up on looking in the shrubs immediately. He stepped back and politely nodded as if the previous exchange had never happened. 'I have no wish to rebuke you further. I only pray Father Sun will see you down the right path. Good evening, my Lord.'

Hugo flashed a soft, pretty smile and stepped aside as Onyx passed-by peaceably.

On the other hand, Jasper retained his long-held resentment towards him.

'Hmph, to think you were chosen by the gods to be a Heavenly King.'

Her lover cocked an eyebrow at that, 'Jealous, Jasper.'

'Simply questioning your worthiness, "Your grace".'

Hugo's eyes flickered, losing his cool demeanour for a moment.

' My hair is not long for fashion's sake, you know,' he said stiffly, patting the pommel of his sword. 'It is a symbol. I have never known defeat, since the moment I picked up Mistilteinn.' For a moment, Mercury was worried another altercation would break out. To her relief, Hugo regained his composure and with a new smile, he nodded to the younger priest. 'Remember that next time you sneak up on me in the dark. Good evening.'

Each member of the trio walked by him.

'Forgive his temper, my lord. We did not mean to offend you.'

The hooded girl. Though she was mostly hidden beneath her long robes, she was remarkably beautiful with huge violet eyes and long, thick-black hair barely contained by her hood.

' Have a pleasant night, sweet Zoisite.'

A twinge of dread ran through the dreaming Ami's bones as he let her pass. Zoisite. I'm imagining Hugo as Zoisite, again. Am I? Or am I seeing...? She had no more time to consider it much further as Jasper called out to the hooded girl.

'He is unworthy of your apologies,' he snapped. 'Come along, Beryl!'

Though that name had meant nothing to Mercury at the time, Ami felt heavy with fear.

That awful, awful name!

But it wasn't her. It couldn't be! Beryl had blood-red hair and eyes. This girl was so beautiful and sweet-voiced with her dark hair and purple eyes. It had to be another Beryl… but that name! Ami might have woken up then, a shadowed vision of the waking world barely visible before her eyes... but the feeling of Hugo – or Zoisite – grabbing her hand pulled her back in.

He helped her out of her hiding place carefully.

'Sorry about that,' he whispered. Mercury smiled; Ami wondered how she could be so calm. I knew Zoisite, something from inside her whispered. Hugo and Zoisite... are like one being. Ami's current life was being mixed up with these long-lost memories. Mercury saw Zoisite and her heart skipped a beat; Ami saw Hugo and felt the same.

They stood in silence and did not move until their bells could barely be heard any longer.

Sighing, she leaned back against him relief. 'I was worried they'd find me.'

'I know,' he agreed, resting his chin on the top of her head. It was so familiar and comforting. 'They would not have tolerated the presence of a Sailor Senshi, let alone Queen Serenity's tactician. They would have insisted I arrest you.'

'Or have had you arrested for being seen with me…' she added nervously. For the first time in a very long while, she was reminded at the risk they were taking meeting like this. As they began walking again, she continued: 'I might be Queen Serenity's strategist, but you are the Earth's tactician. It... doesn't look good to be seen with me.' She brushed herself off and looked in the direction that had disappeared in. 'Who were they?'

'Elysion priests,' he exhaled. 'They conduct the rites of Earth and offer reverence to Father Sun.'

'On Mercury, the word "priest" meant governor.'

'Ha,' Hugo-Zoisite bleated miserably. 'That's not too far off from how they are here. Bit by bit it feels as though more and more people are flocking to the Churches of the Sun to pay their respects to the Priests' power rather than our solar system's star. I barely remember life when men like Onyx didn't hold sway over the minds of the people. It was all because—'

His voice trailed off and he said no more. Mercury did not push him; he had probably told her more than he should have already.

She changed the subject. 'I never thought to ask before but—'

'Yes?'

'Why are so many of your kind named after crystals found on Earth?'

He gave her a sad smile. 'It's a rite of passage of sorts. People who take up magic, especially in the priesthood, all take the name of their chosen a crystal of power.'

'I see,' Mercury nodded. 'So, there is more than one Onyx?'

Or Beryl, Ami thought.

He chuckled. 'Yes, in fact, if a priest or priestess gets a large following, people will throw their kids at them to become their disciples and those children will take their name. It's supposed to be an honour. If you wish to serve Earth, you must adopt the new name and take the vows. Those who devote their lives to Father Sun, or Earth, or the royal family take on a crystalline name.'

'Just like you?'

'Not quite,' he muttered. 'All names except those of the Heavenly stones are up for grabs.'

They stopped still again. With a weariness, Zoisite sighed and pulled Mercury towards him into an embrace. Her heart began to beat faster as he gently leaned his cheek upon the top of her head again. She breathed in his scent - so comforting and warm. 'Most people choose the crystals but for me…'

He rubbed the point between his eyes.

Mercury understood. 'Your crystal chose you?'

He chuckled and pecked a kiss upon her crown. 'Yes, it chose me. The Holy Tanzanite stone, one of the four heavenly crystals of Earth. All because I was born with its core…'

Core.

Core…

Ami was slow to wake as she was enveloped by the most comforting, sweet and organic scent she had sensed in a while.

The pillow upon which her cheek lay was soft. The sheets were worn, thin, and soft, so unlike her own bedding. Their scent reminded Ami of something else, someone else; laundered cotton or freshly washed hair—it was with this thought she finally opened her eyes. She gently wiped the sleep caking her eyes away, not taking time to survey the room. Her dream had welled up tears in her eyes, so she knew she must have been crying again in her sleep.

Her heart fell.

Hugo.

Zoisite.

The angel of shadows from all those dreams she had been having of the Silver Millennium. Were they the same after all?

Then it hit her – eyes wide open now, she realised the room in which she lay was not her own. Yet the smells, the clutter and the shape of the window frame told her exactly where she was. She noticed the makeshift bedside table fashioned out of old, well-read books of varying subjects; a copy of 'The World as I See It' topped one pile, a French book titled 'Le Petit Prince' another.

She climbed out of bed.

'Hugo?!' she hoarsely called-out. He... brought me back here?

She noticed an unopened bottle of water on "the bedside table", sitting beside a half-full one. Mouth dry, she nervously reached out for one of them. Her hand shook as she sipped.

Her thoughts rushed frantically. What happened? H-How on earth did we escape? Was that all a dream—? Am I even awake?!

She pinched herself to make sure, watching as her skin yelped with pain and redded beneath her fingertips. Once she was satisfied that she was, indeed, awake, she put the bottle down and stumbled towards the bedroom door.

Then she walked out into Hugo's living room.

'Hugo?!' she called out again, throat clearer though voice no less frantic.

To her relief, he was there.

Hugo jumped up from the sofa.

'Ami!' he gasped. 'You're awake!'

His eyes heavy with concern and lack of sleep and he awkwardly rolled on his toes as if he were too nervous to approach her.

'I'm sorry, I had to bring you back here because I couldn't wake you and-'

He was cut off mid-sentence as she ran up to him and threw her arms around him. Hugo laid his hand gently against her back. Ami closed her eyes, breathing easy for the first time since waking. The scent that had filled his room now filled her nose, and Ami felt safe.

As they pulled away from each other Hugo smiled meekly.

'I'm glad you're—um, are you... alright?' he said, and his brow furrowed a little, 'Your cuts look better than they were last night.'

Ami blinked and stepped back to look at herself. She was injured last night, wasn't she? She checked the wound to her shoulder and then her chest. Thankfully, they were healing nicely, the process expedited through her Sailor magic—

That was when it dawned on her. She took a shaky breath. My fuku! she panicked. Immediately she looked up at him again, so quick that her neck cracked. Unable to ignore it, she grasped it while she stared at him in disbelief.

'Hugo, I can explain, I—' she began, then stopped as she made another realisation. 'You… can tell it's me?

He could last night as well. He had called her Ami, hadn't he? It was honestly hard to tell it was all such a blur now. Even so, it shouldn't be possible. Humans were not supposed to be able to see through the transformation of a Sailor Senshi. Her eternal Mercury garbs were her most powerful form, too... yet he knew it was her.

Hugo smirked. 'Of course, I know it is you! Even dressed like that I know it is you. It's obvious.'

'It's not supposed to be…' she muttered.

'Well, it is to me,' he whispered. 'Sailor... Mercury.'

Ami felt her chest tighten. The moment those words tumbled passed his lips, the room started to spin. She lost her footing and had to be helped onto the soft by Hugo, who remained sturdy. Once she was settled, he perched on the coffee table in front of her. Sailor Mercury. Hearing that name come from Hugo was bewildering. How could he possibly know that name?

'But... how? A-And how in the wide, wide world did we escape last night?!'

She tried to stand, wanting to pace but her knees wobbled the moment she shifted weight to her feet—

'Maybe…' he interjected, grabbing her arms to settle her back onto the sofa. 'Um, maybe you should stay sat down?' he suggested in a lighter tone.

Immediately, she found herself obeying. She thought of her dream last night, of Zoisite speaking to those weird priests. The one with the girl called Beryl. Once again Ami felt her chest tighten and her breath begin to quicken.

Clearly concerned for her, Hugo placed a hand over hers. 'It'll be okay, Ami. I'll tell you whatever you want to know. I think it's time we corroborated our stories anyway...'

What do you mean…?

'I mean, compare a few things—'

'Yes, Hugo,' Ami found herself chuckling, realising he must have "heard" her. 'What I mean is... what could you have to corroborate with me? Does it have something to do with last night? How we escaped-?' and then another thought came to her. 'W-What happened to that woman, and the Phantom?'

He tilted his head and smiled a very faint smile.

'I'll tell you. As for what we could have to corroborate, I don't know yet… but something, I hope.'