Chapter 4
True Destinies Revealed
Parker and Rei sat down next to each other on a bench, while the others either stood still or paced around. Rei gently leaned against him: "Parker. I'm sorry, I tried my best…But, I don't think I stopped the bleeding." He put his arm around her: "Listen Rei, what matters is that you gave it your finest effort, and for that I thank you. Don't burden yourself with this too much alright?" she nodded and tried to smile.
An agonizing hour went by before Doctor Yurisma came out of the emergency room. Everyone immediately surrounded him: "Easy now, I have some good news, and some bad news. The good news is, Ami will survive her injuries. Thanks to Parker's fast and skillful driving along the highway, you were able to get her here in time." Rei again hugged Parker, but this time it was out of joy, and the others were greatly relieved.
The doctor sighed: "However, the bad news…during the surgery, she fell into a strange state of unconsciousness. I can't explain it, it's like a coma. But her mind and body are active and functioning normally. I have a feeling there's something very unusual about her. She's extraordinarily smart for her age, and then there's natural blue hair she has. I guess she's been gifted in more ways then just her intellect."
Usagi sighed: "Yeah, I guess you can say that…Parker, do you think this condition might have something to with her…'Abilities'?" He nodded: "I certainly wouldn't rule that possibility out. Ami…Head doctor, can I see her?" Yurisma replied confidently: "Yeah, you can see her. We've moved her to room twenty three, on floor two. She is resting peacefully there, and we have someone checking in on her once every hour."
Parker got up from his bench and silently left for Ami's room. Usagi crossed her arms: "Oh man. I feel so sorry for him, he must be under a lot of stress." Rei got up: "He is, I can sense the large amount of emotional strain he's under. I just hope that things start going his way, and that he and Ami can have a happy life together."
Yurisma waved back to the Mamoru and the girls: "Now that I know Ami has someone to look after her, I think I'm going to get off work. Its passed 2:30 am, you guys should also think about heading home." Everyone thanked Yurisma for saving their friend, and also waved good bye as he headed out the door. Makato yawned: "He's right. It is late, and now that he mentioned it, I'm extremely worn out from today's battle."
Usagi nodded: "Alright, well you guys can leave if you want. I think I'm going to visit with Parker and try to figure whets happened her." Luna and Artemis also agreed to go with Usagi. The others left for home, though their feelings and thoughts were with Ami. Parker opened the door to his girlfriends' room, and was instantly hit by a feeling of being watched. A spirit appeared in the room as soon as he went in.
"A-Ami…You're a ghost? What happened to you?" Parker whispered. He quickly turned around after he heard a quiet, but panicked voice behind him: "Yah! What's that thing doing here!?" Usagi screamed. Luna got a bad vibe from her: "Usagi, Parker! That is a spirit from another world, be careful!" Parker's fists clenched: "Are you the one who is caused Ami to be in this state?!"
The ghostly figure looked at him: "In a way, you can say that Parker. I am Ami's spirit guardian." "Spirit Guardian?!" Usagi, Luna, and Artemis said together. Parker was less than pleased: "I don't care who the hell you are! I just want my Ami back!" The guardian shook his head: "As of right now, that is out of the question. I've been sent by the high court of Heaven."
Artemis wasn't exactly thrilled by that detail: "Heaven! The Moon Kingdom was destroyed, by those Mortals who Dark Queen Beryl had corrupted. The Angels should have nothing to do with us now." Usagi though confused, became serious: "Angels? Heaven? Luna, Artemis, what have the two of you been hiding from us?" Luna sighed: "We would tell you, but this Hospital is not the ideal place." Artemis agreed: "Indeed. We should teleport to the Hikawa Shrine, and hold an emergency meeting there."
Parker shrugged: "First the Oda clan found a way to get to the future, and nearly killed my girl. Now there's talk of Heaven and Angels' being real, what a day am I having…" So, everyone, including Ami, teleported to the Hikawa shrine. All those who witnessed the event had their memory of it erased by a flash.
To Rei's shock, Usagi, Artemis, Luna, Parker, the unconscious Ami, and the Spirit Guardian arrived inside the main quarters of the Shrine. "What are you all doing here? And who, no why the heck has that spirit appeared?!" She whispered loudly. Luna walked up to her: "Rei, stay calm! This is Ami's Spirit Guardian. There is one for each of the Sailor Senshi. Usagi, call the others and tell them to get here right away."
She nodded, and within a half hour, Mamoru, Makato, and Minako, showed up. Mina yawned: "Usagi, you'd better have a good reason for calling us here at five o'clock in the morning." Artemis sighed: "I'm sorry everyone, but this matter must be taken care of. If we don't, Ami could stay this way forever."
Luna jumped on Usagi's lap: "There is something we've been hiding from you. And now, we have no choice but to tell you the truth. You remember what we told you about the Moon Kingdom right?" Usagi thought back: "Yes, the Moon Kingdom was a beautiful city built upon the Moon by our ancestors. But, it was destroyed by Queen Beryl and the corrupted minds who served her."
Artemis sat down next to Mina, while Rei built a fire that gradually warmed the entire place. "Good thing Yujjiro had to leave yesterday. He's in China for four months training. Knowing him, I'd have the feeling he'd be eavesdropping on us." She said as she put in enough wood necessary to make the fire last through the morning. Winter had arrived, and in one day there was already a good two to three inches of snow on the ground.
Artemis sighed: "Very good Usagi, but now here is the part we did not tell you. The Moon Kingdom had been an Ally of Heaven for many centuries, and we often aided in their Battles against the realm of Hell. Though, Neo Queen Serenity and the Sailor Senshi of old never really fought in them, as their duties were to protect Crystal Tokyo. In their stead, we sent our finest officers, as well as our rank and file soldiers to fight the wars."
Parker looked at Ami, then to Artemis: "So how does Nobunaga Oda fit in to all of this? Wait, scratch that for now. I want to know what the heck this spirit thing is!"
The Spirit Guardian answered him: "A just question. I am what you see. A reflection of Princess Ami Mizuno, I am always in the shadows watching over her. I am awakened only when her thread of life is thin and about to be cut." Parker's tension eased: "So you're saving her then." The ghost shook her head: "No. I am only prolonging the inevitable. Unless you do something, she will die."
Parker went pale as he noticed she was pointing to him: "Me? But what can I do to help her? I'm not skilled in any kind of magic or life saving medical abilities." The spirit smiled: "It is your love for her that will bring her back. The emotional bond that you two share is strong, and only that kind of power can break the curse from which she is suffering."
He sighed: "Ami…Alright, I'll do anything to get her back to normal! Tell me, what must I do?" She turned serious: "You must perform a mind link. It is dangerous, but it is the only way to save her." Rei gasped: "A mind link?! That's too dangerous! Parker, please think this over before you commit! A mind link is a meditative state, where you are literally thrust into a person's head."
"Well Rei, that doesn't sound too difficult. And I've noticed that you have been trying to get closer to me lately. You do know that my heart is already with Ami right?" Rei's face went red: "Y-yes. I know. I've just…I've gotten so worried about you and her. I thought that if I tried to get closer to you, I could help comfort you more. Plus…There's something else that's been bothering me."
He smiled: "We'll talk about it after I save Ami, alright Rei?" Reluctantly, she agreed to hold off on the subject. The Spirit Guardian looked at him: "Are you ready? Because once you go into her mind, there is no turning back until you've completed your task." He nodded: "I am prepared. My lady Spirit Guardian, I'll let you handle the rest"
She grinned after she heard the formality in his voice: "You just might remember your past after all. Lay yourself down next to Ami, the rest will be done afterwards." He did what he was told, and layed down next to her. He gently leaned against Ami's side, and held her hand. Ami's Tiara formed upon her forhead, as a thin blue light shot out of the gemstone in it's center. The light hit Parker directly in the center of his own forhead, and he went into unconcsousness.
At first, when he came to, Parker was in an empty area. He saw nothing but black space all around him for miles, and it was eerily quiet. Then, he began to hear what sounded like a small child crying. Following the noise, he stumbled upon, to his shock, a young child version of Ami. She looked to be not older than five or six years. Her eyes were watery, and looked tired from the tears.
He gazed at her, wondering what exactly he was supposed to do. Then the space filled with a scene from Ami's past. "Daddy…Why? Why did you abandon mother and me? Was it because of me, because I am too weird?? Mother! What's wrong with me?!" A middle aged woman put her arms around Ami: "Listen dear, how many times must I tell you, there is nothing wrong with you. You should be very grateful to have a gift such as yours, there's nothing wrong with beeing smart. Your father…just doesn't understand that."
Then the area faded back to black. Parker kneeled and gently placed his hands on Ami's shoulder's: "A-Ami…" She turned to him and pushed him back, she then transformed into the Ami he knew: "Parker! Are you here to criticize me too? First my father, now you?!" He was caught off guard by her sudden outburst: "Ami, what's wrong with you? You know I love you for just the way you are!"
She hesitated: "R-really? But, what about my powers, my abilities? Surely deep within in you, you must think I'm off of my head." He shook his head: "No Ami, I feel like the luckiest guy in the world, to be in a relationship with one of the legendary Sailor Senshi." To his dismay, his words didn't seem to reach her. With almost no emotion, she transformed into Sailor Mercury, and began her pose for "Shine Aqua Illusion".
Usagi nearly fell off her chair when she saw Ami's clothes changed to her combat uniform. "Wh-what's going on?! Why did Ami suddenly transform like that?!" She said panicked. Luna had a bad feeling: "Usagi, this isn't good. Whatever happens during the mind link, I think it will happen in real life."
Rei clenched her fists: "That's why I was against having him perform it. There's a chance that they could both die, and we'd lose two friends instead of just one. Spirit Guardian, can't you stop him?" "No I cannot. I am unable interfere once this ceremony has begun. You are right Lady Hino, if he fails, they both will die. But I believe that his love for her will prevail, it would help if he remembered his past however…"
Meanwhile, back in the empty void, a cut had formed on Parker's cheek as he dodged Ami's "Shine Aqua Illusion" attack. He grinned as he felt some blood drip onto his hand: "Man, that attack of yours is much more frightening when you're on the receiving end of it." He said humorously, though he was a bit worried.
Ami was slightly surprised by remark: "Why? Why aren't you fighting back? I'm hurting you, yet you treat me like a friend." He sighed: "So this is what the Oda did to you. They warped your mind with evil energy, as way to try and take revenge against me. How can I make you believe and remember Ami? Try to recall all the times I helped comfort you."
Ami quickly placed her hands upon her head, as the memories began flow within her. She was struggling to resist the Oda's control over her mind. "G-get out of my head…! I-I don't want to hurt him anymore!" Parker cheered her on: "C'mon Ami! You have to fight it! Don't give into to them! Think of all the times we've spent together!" There was silence as she fell to her knees, Parker wondered what was going to happen next.
Meanwhile, in the cold darkness of the ninth realm, Lord Nobunaga was getting impatient: "She has not killed him yet, her will to resist us is getting bothersome. Mistuhide, release her forbidden power. I don't want her to show anymore mercy to that dog who defies us." Hesitantly, Mistuhide bowed: "Yes my lord, it shall be done. But, if she should break free from our grasp, wouldn't unlocking her forbidden power hinder our own plans?"
He scoffed: "Don't be so foolish Master Akechi. You know as well as I, that because of her lack of strength, her body will be crushed from the sudden increase of power." Mistuhide obeyed and reluctantly left the throne room. He approached a device with an enormous amount dark energy surging within it.
"So, Lord Nobunaga wishes to kill two birds with one stone. I can only hope that nothing unforeseen will occur." He thought to himself as he thrust his sword into what looked like a keyhole, and turned the blade slowly to the left. Mistuhide was blinded by blue light and then flung backwards five feet from the sudden blast of power: "This is her forbidden magic?! If our plan fails, we're going to be in for a long and difficult battle."
Back at the shrine, there was a sudden blue flash of light. This time Usagi actually did fall off her chair: "What's going on now?!" she said as she got back up. "No!" Luna and Artemis said together. Everyone looked at them: "What's going on guys?" Minako asked worriedly. "Ami's forbidden power has been awakened!" Artemis replied. Makato wasn't sure what they meant: "Forbidden power??"
Luna pointed to Ami's tiara, and now, there were many smaller topaz jewels aligned on both sides of the main one. "That's the symbol of the princess warrior. However, she's not supposed to reach that level until much later in her life. She'll be killed by the sudden increase of power, her body just can't handle it!" she explained to everyone.
Rei pounded her fists onto the carpet: "Damn! What can we do?! This has to be our enemies bidding, can't we stop it?!" The spirit guardian shook her head: "No. We cannot, once her forbidden power has been awakened there is no way to return it to its former state." Usagi, though upset, remained calm: "So all we can do is wait and see what happens."
Parker shielded his eyes from the sudden brightness of the light. "What the heck was that?! Ami…!" he realized what had happened. She was floating in mid air, a whirlwind of water and ice surrounded her. A grim feeling shot through him, he knew that neither of them would survive this power surge. He needed a miracle….
Then, he felt something strange within him, an energy he had never felt before was about to be unlocked. With his emotions raging inside, Angelic Wings formed upon his back. He rushed to Ami, breaking through the elemental barrier that had formed around her. He embraced her as his wings shielded her from the force of the explosion.
With a blinding flash of light, they were back at the shrine. To everyone's great relief, Parker came to and looked around startled. He noticed that he didn't have his wings, and that Ami was still unconscious. He shook his head disgusted: "Was that all in vain??" The spirit guardian was strangely calm: "No, none of it was so. Not only did you regain your heritage as Heaven's heir, but also your Angelic abilities have been re-awakened."
He sighed: "But all that is useless if it can't save Ami…" "That is where you are wrong. Place your hands gently on her stomach. Close your eyes, and let your powers do the rest." He nodded, and to his surprise a small, pulsating ball of white light formed underneath his hands. The ball shot into Ami, and her body was completely outlined by the warm, soft glow.
The power of the Heavens overwhelmed the evil energy within her, it rose out and was incinerated instantly. Ami slowly opened her eyes, she was weak and tired, but still able to get up. Parker helped her stand as she hugged him tightly: "Parker…I'm so sorry that I put you through that…I never meant to hurt you, please forgive me…" she said with tears flowing.
He gently guided his hands through her hair: "Its alright Ami, it is over. Just forget about it for now, I just want to be with you. I was so close to losing you…" Everyone smiled as the two were once again together, and that their friends would be alright. Usagi let out a sigh of relief: "Finally. We can all relax now, it's a good thing that this happened on a weekend. I'm so tired right now I wouldn't be able to get up to go to school."
Rei playfully jabbed Usagi in the ribs: "What are you talking about knucklehead? Half the time you're late because you don't get up in the morning." "Rei-chan! why do you always have to be so mean to me?" Mamoru sighed: "There they go again…Its always something that gets those two fired up." Everyone laughed, even Ami managed a small giggle.
The spirit guardian bowed: "Parker, I shall now reveal to you your true calling. You are Alzurath, son of the late great Angelic Warrior Azaules and heir to the throne of Heaven. You, and Princess Mizuno, must now reclaim the realm of light from its state of civil war. Only one who is a rightful heir can reunite the people of Heaven."
Parker smiled: "Can't we discuss this later? I just fought my first major battle and saved my love. I don't really care about Heaven's problems at the moment, that will be dealt with in due time." She again bowed: "As you wish Lord Alzurath. The two cats shall reveal the rest to you, and for now I bid you both farewell." The spirit guardian vanished from sight, not be seen again in the mortal world.
"Alzurath? Heaven?" Ami looked at Parker curiously. He shook his head: "Just call me Parker, I'm not used to that Alzurath name yet. Shall we go home Ami?" She nodded: "Home…That sounds good. I need a shower, I smell too much like blood. Besides, I've got to study for a science exam I have to take on Monday…"