Chapter Four
Round Trip
"Call the O.R and tell them to prep for an emergency surgery, patient is a young woman with a puncture wound to the right side. Severe bleeding and a possible punctured organ." The head doctor instructed as she applied pressure to Ami's wound.
"On it." A nurse replied as she ran over to the phone.
"I need more gauze, we need to get this wound packed and the bleeding slowed." The doctor instructed as she held a wad of bloody gauze on Ami's wound.
"Here." Another doctor said as he handed her some gauze.
"Stay with us lady, those puffs need you." The doctor quietly said as she pressed the fresh gauze against Ami's side.
"My little...my little...puffs." Ami quietly said as she went limp.
"Vitals are dropping!" The doctor yelled as she looked down at Ami.
"O.R two is ready doctor!" A nurse yelled as he looked at the head doctor.
"Let's move her!" The doctor ordered as she and the team started rolling Ami to the operating room. "Hang in there miss." The doctor quietly said as she stared down at Ami.
"My...babies." Ami quietly said as she went limp once more. The heart monitor suddenly blared out in a singular high pitched tone.
"She's crashing!" The doctor yelled as she stared down at Ami.
"Get her in the room now!" Another doctor ordered as they burst through the O.R doors.
"Hello?" Ami quietly said as she looked around, she didn't know where she was. There was nothing but darkness as far as the eye could see. "Where am I?" Ami quietly asked as she looked around a little bit. "Professor?! Girls?! Anyone?!" Ami yelled as she continued to look around.
"Go back!" A voice shouted from the darkness.
"Who's there?!" Ami yelled as she reached for her ODM handles, only to find that they weren't there.
"You are not permitted to be here, go back!" The voice shouted again, a moment later Ami felt a great force slam against her body.
"I've got a pulse!" A doctor shouted as the team moved Ami to the operating table.
"Give her some anesthesia, we need to get her open now." The head surgeon instructed as he grabbed a scalpel.
"Pushing anesthesia." A nurse informed as he injected a dose of anesthesia into Ami's I.V.
"B.P's dropping again!" Another nurse informed as she stared at Ami's monitor.
"She's about to code, push epinephrine." One of the doctors instructed as he looked down at Ami.
"Pushing epinephrine." One of the nurses said as she jammed an auto injector pen into Ami's thigh.
"B.P's still dropping." One of the nurses informed as she looked at Ami's monitor.
"What is going on? Why do I keep coming back here?" Ami quietly asked as she looked around the infinite darkness.
"Because you're not fighting hard enough. Fight Sailor Mercury, you must fight!" The voice shouted once more from the darkness.
"Fight who?! I don't understand! Who are you, where am I, what is this place?!" Ami shouted as she looked around in a more panicked state.
"This is the void, you can not stay here for long. You must either fight or surrender, there is no in between here. So fight Sailor Mercury, fight for her, for them! Don't leave them behind, you must fight!" The voice shouted as Ami was once again struck by a powerful force.
"B.P's rising!" A nurse yelled as he looked at the monitor.
"Making incision now." The head surgeon informed as he cut Ami's side open. "Victim has a clean deep puncture to the liver with severe bleeding, I need a coagulant stat." The surgeon ordered as he held his hand out.
"Here." One of the nurses said as she placed a needle in his hand.
"Thank you." The surgeon thanked as he injected the drug into Ami's wound. Ami suddenly started coughing and spat out some blood.
"Status?" The surgeon asked as he pulled the needle out of Ami's wound.
"B.P's rising but O2 levels are dropping fast." One of the nurses informed as she looked from the monitor to Ami.
"Get her on O2, we're not gonna loose her. Hang in there Ms., you can do it." The surgeon calmly said as he continued working on Ami's injury.
"She's crashing again!" One of the doctors quickly informed as he watched Ami's readings start to drop.
"You can't leave yet, the puffs need you. Stay with us." The head surgeon instructed as he looked at Ami's face.
"I'm tired of this, I just keep bouncing back and forth. I can't do it anymore, I just want to rest." Ami quietly said as she laid down in the inky darkness and closed her eyes.
"That's not advisable, you must not sleep here or you may never wake up." The voice informed once again.
"Who are you? Please show yourself, you're scaring me." Ami quietly said as she reached for her wand, only to find it wasn't there.
"I'm a guardian like you, but I'm a different caliber of guardian." The voice answered in a soothing tone.
"Where are you?" Ami asked as she looked around the empty darkness.
"I am here, turn around." A pleasant and feminine voice called out from behind Ami.
"Okay." Ami quietly replied as she slowly turned around. "What are you?" Ami quietly asked as she stared at a bright white orb.
"I am the voice that calls to you, come to me Ami. For I shall guide you home." The voice quietly instructed in a soothing tone. Ami took a few steps towards the orb.
"STOP! Do not listen to the orb of white, for it betrays and lies to you! Do not go towards it, remain in the dark!" The original voice ordered in a firm tone.
"Why?" Ami asked as she looked around the darkness.
"Not all that glitters is gold, and not all that is dull is junk. Remain in the dark or loose them forever!" The original voice replied.
"Do not be fooled by the one of darkness, for the light is welcoming and warm. Come to it Ami, bask in its glory and warmth." The soothing voice quietly beckoned to Ami.
"I don't understand what's happening?! Who are you people, show yourselves now!" Ami ordered as she frantically spun around looking for the owners of the voices.
"We are life and death Ami." The first voice explained in a calm tone.
"Life and death? I don't understand, are you saying that I'm dead?" Ami quietly asked with a horrified expression.
"No, not completely anyways. For you are currently in the realm between life and death, it's up to you to choose which path to take. But you must choose quickly, though time moves slower here than in the realm of the living it still moves fast enough. You must choose which side to trust within an hour or fate will choose for you." The original voice explained in a firm tone.
"How do I know which is which?" Ami asked with a small frown.
"We can not answer that question directly, but you may ask either of us as many questions as you wish before time is up. Through these questions you must determine which of us is life and which of us is death." The first voice explained in a calm tone.
"Okay. Then my first question is...who are you really? Because death does not speak, so neither one of you can be pure death, so I ask that you reveal your true selves to me please." Ami asked with a straight face.
"Very well." The voice replied as both orbs floated towards Ami, then took human form.
"Hey, I've seen you two somewhere before. But where?" Ami asked as she stared at the beings. One was tall and slim with a feminine physique, the other was tall and broad with a more masculine physique. "Do you have names?" Ami asked as she continued to stare at the figures.
"You may call us Mr. and Mrs. K." The masculine one answered with a smile.
"Mr. and Mrs. K. Wait, K. I knew I've seen you somewhere before, the picture next to Mako's bed! You're Mr. and Mrs. Kino!" Ami yelled in shock as she stared at the figures.
"You really are a bright one Ami." Mr. K said with a smile as he stared at Ami.
"You've made our daughter so happy, and for that we are eternally grateful." Mrs. K said as she bowed to Ami.
"But, if your Mako's parents then...why is one of you trying to lead me to die?" Ami asked with a small frown.
"It is the way the universe works, balance. One of us beckons you towards life, the other towards death. We have no choice in the matter. I'm sorry." Mr. K explained with a small sigh.
"I understand. So how long do I have now?" Ami asked with a straight face.
"Fifty-seven minutes." Mrs. K answered with a smile.
"Okay. So I can ask as many questions as I want to try and determine which of you is which?" Ami asked as she stared at the figures.
"Yes." Mr. K answered with a nod.
"Alright, first question. Does the one of light beckon me towards something good?" Ami asked with a smile.
"Yes, it beckons you to a place of love." Mrs. K answered with a smile.
"Okay. Where does the one of dark beckon me?" Ami asked with a flat expression.
"To the same place, just in a different realm." Mr. K calmly answered.
"Well that was useless." Ami grumbled as she tapped her foot while she thought. "Which of you beckons me to the girls?" Ami asked with a smile.
"We both beckon you to a place with girls." Mrs. K answered with a smile.
"Which of you beckons me to the Powerpuff girls?" Ami asked with a straight face.
"I do." Mrs. K answered.
"How do I know you speak the truth?" Ami asked with a small frown.
"You don't." Mrs. K replied with a small frown.
"Tell me something that hints at wether or not I'm being played here. For all I know you're both liars." Ami grumbled as she stared at the figures.
"We can tell you this much, one of us speaks only truths, and one of us speaks both lies and truths." Mr. K answered with a smile.
"That doesn't make this any easier on me. Shoot, what am I gonna do. Think Ami think." Ami quietly said to herself as she closed her eyes and scrunched her face in thought. "Can I ask that the one who tells both lies and truths tell me only one of those things?" Ami asked with a smile.
"So only speak lies or truths?" Mr. K asked with a confused expression.
"Correct." Ami replied with a smile.
"How will you know if what the one says is either truth or lie?" Mrs. K asked with the same confused expression.
"A simple test." Ami replied with a grin.
"Very well, we'll try it your way. One of us will tell only lies, the other will tell only truths. Let's see what you've got." Mr. K said with a grin as he stared at Ami.
"Alright, easy question. What color is my hair?" Ami asked with a smile.
"That's easy, it's blue." Mrs. K answered with a smile.
"It's cyan." Mr. K answered with a similar smile.
'That wasn't a good one, people tell me both those options all the time.' Ami thought to herself with a sigh. "Alright new question. What is my guardian name?" Ami asked with a grin.
"Sailor Mercury." Ms. K answered with a sweet smile.
"Mercury." Mr. K answered with a grin.
'Damn it, neither one is technically wrong again. Come on Ami think, you're running out of time.' Ami thought to herself as she lightly knocked on her head, then it suddenly hit her, the perfect question.
"Well that's an odd look." Mrs. K quietly said as she stared at Ami, who was grinning ear to ear.
"Odd indeed." Mr. K said with a confused expression as he stared at Ami.
"This is the final question, my last chance to get back. Last question, if you were the other being then which one would you tell me is life?" Ami asked with a smirk.
"That's easy, I'm life." Mr. K answered with a smile.
"Yep, it's him." Mrs. K answered with the same smile.
"Then my choice is clear, I choose Mrs. K." Ami informed with a grin. Both beings looked at her with shocked expressions.
"But why?" Mr. K quietly asked with a stunned expression.
"If you were the one who tells only truths then you would answer truthfully what the one who tells lies would say, but if you were the liar then you would answer how the truthful one answers but it would be a lie making the answer the opposite of what you said. So either way Mrs. K is the answer and I choose her." Ami explained with a smile.
"I feel like you stole that from some kind of T.V show, but whatever the case it worked. Good job Ami, I can see why our daughter fell in love with you." Mrs. K said with a smile as she held her hand out to Ami.
"I hope she still loves me when she finds out I have kids." Ami giggled as she took Mrs. K's offered hand.
"I think she's gonna love you even more." Mrs. K replied with a smile as her light enveloped Ami.
"Goodbye Ami, we'll always be here for you and Mako. We love you girls with all our beings!" Mr. K yelled as Ami's vision went from pure white to pure black.
"She's stabilizing." The head surgeon quietly said as he stared at Ami.
"The bleeding's slowing, let's get this wound sealed and cleaned. Three little girls are waiting for their mommy." Another doctor said with a smile as she looked at the head surgeon.
"Agreed, let's finish up here and get this young woman where she needs to be." The head surgeon replied in a happy tone as he gently started cleaning Ami's injury before stitching it up. While the doctors worked on Ami, the puffs were on the verge of a breakdown over her injuries and lack of news on her condition.
"This stinks! Where's our Ami mommy?!" Buttercup yelled with anger as she slammed her fists on the armrest of her chair.
"We want our Ami mommy!" Bubbles cried out with a rain of tears.
"Why isn't she out yet professor?!" Blossom shouted as she stared at the professor with watery eyes.
"Because she's very hurt girls, and the doctors need time to make her better." The professor quietly answered with a small frown.
"She's not gonna have to go away is she?" Bubbles quietly asked with more tears.
"I...I don't know girls. We're just gonna have to believe that Ami's strong enough to endure whatever it is she's going through in there." The professor quietly said with a small frown.
"Is she gonna die professor? Is Ami mommy gonna die?!" Buttercup asked as tears poured from her eyes.
"Don't think like that Buttlyn, I'm sure she's gonna fine." Maylyn quietly said as she gently rubbed Buttercup's head.
"But she was so bloody Maylyn, I've never seen so much blood before. I'm scared." Buttercup cried as she snuggled up to Maylyn.
"Oh Buttlyn." Maylyn quietly said as she hugged Buttercup.
"Ah." Buttercup quietly winced as she lightly pushed away from Maylyn.
"Sorry Buttlyn." Maylyn quietly apologized with a small frown.
"It's okay." Buttercup quietly said with a sniffle.
"Here, maybe this will make you feel a little more comfortable." Maylyn said with a smile as she gently picked Buttercup up and set her on her lap. "There, now we're really close teammates." Maylyn giggled as she gently patted Buttercup's head.
"Thank you." Buttercup quietly said as she leaned her head on Maylyn's chest and snuggled up to her.
"I wanna sit on someone's lap to." Bubbles quietly said as she looked at the professor.
"Come on Bubbles, daddy's got you." The professor said with a smile as he picked Bubbles up and set her on his lap.
"You want a lap to Blossom?" Ms. Bellum asked with a small smile.
"Mhm." Blossom quietly answered with a sniffle as she held her arms out to Ms. Bellum.
"Do I get a lap?" The mayor asked as he looked around the room.
"No Mr. Mayor, you're a grown man and you can sit in a chair like one." Ms. Bellum answered in a soft tone.
"Oh." The mayor grumbled as he crossed his arms in a huff.
"Excuse me." A woman quietly said as she walked over to the group.
"Can I help you ma'am?" The professor asked as he looked up at the woman.
"No, I just wanted to let you know that your friend is okay and should be out of surgery shortly." The woman answered with a smile as she kneeled in front of the professor.
"That's wonderful news. Thank you so much ma'am, did you hear that girls, Ami's okay and she's gonna be done soon." The professor said with a smile as he looked at his girls.
"Really?!" All three puffs yelled with excitement.
"Really really, now why don't you all follow me and I'll lead you to the room she'll be staying in." The woman informed as she stood up and started walking away, turning back to see if the group was following her.
"But we wanna wait for Ami mommy." Bubbles informed with a small smile.
"You can all wait for her in the room, wouldn't you agree professor?" The woman asked with a seductive grin as she stared into the professor's eyes.
"Yes, I believe that's a fine idea." The professor replied as he slowly stood while staring at the woman, practically dropping Bubbles in the process.
"Come with Mr. Mayor, your company is always welcomed." The woman said with with a smile as she leaned forward in front of the mayor a little, exposing her cleavage to him.
"Thank you very much madam." The mayor replied as he to stood and began following the woman.
"Uhg, men." Ms. Bellum grumbled as she picked Bubbles up.
"Ain't that the truth." Maylyn sighed as she looked down at Buttercup.
"I'm suspicious, the professor may be a man, but he'd never just dump Bubbles like that. No matter how attractive a woman was." Blossom said as she lightly rubbed her chin in thought.
"Maybe living in the house with a pretty lady like Ami mommy has the professor feeling lonely or something." Bubbles suggested as she looked at Blossom.
"Maybe, Ami mommy is beautiful after all. She'd make any man envious of whomever was dating her." Blossom replied with a shrug.
"Blech, all that lovey dovey stuff grosses me out." Buttercup said with a disgusted expression.
"That's just because you can't find it." Blossom said with a giggle, Bubbles couldn't help but join in on it.
"Like you can?" Buttercup grumbled as she stared at Blossom.
"Yeah, boys love Bubbles and I. Like Jared, he's so perfect." Blossom said with a content sigh as she thought about her friend.
"All the boys love me because I'm adorable." Bubbles giggled with joy.
"But none of them like you because you're too rough, you're not gentle and cute like Bubbles and I." Blossom said with a grin as she stared at Buttercup.
"Pft, who needs boys anyways. I've got Maylyn and the gang, Derbytantes for life!" Buttercup yelled with a big smirk.
"Rock on Buttlyn!" Maylyn cheered as she fist bumped Buttercup.
"Excuse me." A woman said with a smile as she approached the group.
"Yes ma'am?" Ms. Bellum asked with a smile.
"I just wanted to let you know that your friend's surgery should be done shortly and we'll be bringing her out in probably about twenty minutes at the most." The woman informed in a friendly tone.
"We know, a nice lady already told us. She took the professor to the room where Ami's gonna be." Blossom replied with a smile.
"What woman?" The nurse asked with a confused expression.
"The other nurse that was just here." Buttercup replied with a smile.
"I'm the first person who was sent out here to give you this news." The nurse informed with a confused expression.
"That's not right. There was another nurse who just came by and told the professor that Ami would be out of surgery soon, she said that she'd show us the room she'd be in." Blossom informed with a straight face.
"Yeah, she took the mayor and the professor to the room Ami's gonna be in." Bubbles said with a smile as she stared at the nurse.
"We just figured out the room she'd be going to less than a minute before I came out here." The nurse replied with a confused expression.
"Wait, you mean that you had no room for Ami a few minutes ago, you just decided where she's gonna be heading to?" Ms. Bellum asked in a worried tone.
"Yes ma'am, whoever told you there was already a room prepared was misinformed. Staff just finished prepping the room we're brining your friend into less than two minutes ago." The nurse replied with a straight face.
"Oh no." Ms. Bellum quietly said as she stared at the exit to the waiting room.
"What is it Ms. Bellum?" Blossom asked with a small frown as she floated over to Ms. Bellum.
"That wasn't a nurse girls, I should've known a nurse wouldn't behave in such a sleazy way. That wasn't a staff member at all, that was Sedusa." Ms. Bellum informed as she stared at the girls.
"Sedusa?!" All three puffs yelled with shock as they stared back at Ms. Bellum.
"Yes, you need to find her and stop her girls. Protect the mayor and the professor." Ms. Bellum instructed in a stern tone.
"But what about Ami mommy?" Bubbles quietly asked with a pout.
"She'll be here when you girls get back, but you need to save your dad and the mayor. Go quickly girls, Maylyn and I will watch over Ami until you all get back.
"Yes Ms. Bellum." Blossom replied as she flew out of the waiting room.
"Come on Buttercup, the professor and mayor need us!" Bubbles yelled as she followed after Blossom.
"Alright, I'm..." Buttercup replied as she started getting up, until she tried to stand. "Ah!" Buttercup yelped as she fell to her knees.
"Buttlyn!" Maylyn yelled as she kneeled down by Buttercup.
"AH! It hurts Maylyn, it hurts!" Buttercup cried as she clutched her ribs and sternal region.
"You can't fight like that Buttlyn, you need to stay here and trust your sisters." Maylyn instructed as she carefully picked Buttercup up and set her on her lap.
"But the professor." Buttercup quietly cried as she looked at Maylyn.
"I'll go help the girls, watch her please." Ms. Bellum informed as she stood up and left the waiting room.
"What is she gonna do?" Maylyn quietly thought out loud as she watched the doors close behind Ms. Bellum.
"This isn't the first time Ms. Bellum's fought with Sedusa, and last time she kicked Sedusa's butt." Buttercup informed with a smile.
"That is one tough lady, but I still think the gal in there is even tougher." Maylyn said with a grin as she looked at the doors to the operating room, then looked down at Buttercup.
"She sure is." Buttercup replied with a smile as the doors to the O.R opened.
"Here she is, all patched up and sleeping peacefully." The head surgeon said with a smile as he and the team wheeled Ami out of the O.R.
"If you'd like you can follow us to her room." One of the nurses informed with a smile.
"Thank you sir. Come on Buttlyn, let's go." Maylyn said with a smile as she picked Buttercup up.
"Wonder how Blossom and Bubbles are doing against Sedusa." Buttercup said to herself with a straight face.
"I'm sure they're fine." Maylyn said with a smile as she followed the team out of the waiting room.
"I bet they are to." Buttercup quietly said with a small yawn as she leaned her head on Maylyn's shoulder.
"Get some rest Buttlyn, you wanna be alert when your Ami mommy wakes up." Maylyn quietly said with a smile as she followed the doctors.
"Okay." Buttercup whispered as she fell asleep in Maylyn's arms.