After dropping the huge bombshell on the parents, Ami is having a difficult time in figuring out what she needs. Can she get get the tools she needs in order to save Zoisite?
(Sunday Night)
Ryo had kept his distance from Ami because he had noticed the way Kenta, Zoi's father, had been looking at her. He could tell and sense the man wanted to get to know her, and wanted to know what had attracted his son to her the first time.
Ryo feared the only way to get Zoisite back was to have Ami let go of him. It made the most sense. Though he wondered if he could have the kind of friendship with Zoi that he saw Jae and Yuuichirou were starting to form.
Whatever decision she made, Ryo hoped it would give Ami peace of mind.
xXx
As the night and the reunions were coming to a close, everyone was leaving the Tsukinos. Usagi and Mamoru were off to the side of the front door, wrapped in each other's arms saying their good-byes. "I'm sorry about my father, Mamo," Usagi told them.
"Your father would have done it either way, Usako," Mamoru said with a sigh. He had already realized that fact about Kenji. "And he had backed us up in the corner, and the information he had given us helped us get to Jadeite."
"So there was an advantage," Usagi said with a smile.
Mamoru chuckled. "I suppose in this case every little bit helped," he said. "And after seeing Kun, Neph, and Jae with their parents, maybe it was exactly the right move." It made him yearn for his parents, ones he didn't remember.
Usagi saw the flash of pain flash on his face. "It's okay, my love," she told him. She leaned up and kissed him. "I have every faith they would have done the same."
Mamoru let her. She steadied him. "You're too good to me," he told her, as the feeling of home returned to him. He leaned to kiss her.
Usagi rose on her toes to wrap her arms around his neck. "You're everything I want and more," she said. "I love you."
"Good," Mamoru said. "I love you too." They looked over at Ami who was speaking with Kenta, Zoi's father. "Do you really believe she's going to be okay?"
Usagi smiled after she trailed his eyesight to see who he was looking at. "We'll make sure of it," she said. "Both Minako and I agree that if she knows all the information about Zoi, maybe it'll trigger something."
"It's worth a shot," Mamoru said. Then a thought struck him. "Maybe Mr. Saitou should take her home."
Usagi smiled. "I like the way you think," she told him. She kissed his cheek before she walked over to Kenta.
"Usagi, right?" Kenta asked when Usagi walked up to him.
"That's correct," Usagi said. "My boyfriend, Mamoru, was thinking you should probably drive-"
Kenta raised his hand to make her stop. "I'm ahead of you, Usagi," he told her. "Ami actually had the same thought; she asked me to take me home."
"I suppose she would," Usagi said. "She's our strategist for a reason."
"The way my son is the strategist for the Shitennou Knights?" Kenta asked. He sighed and rubbed his hand over his face. "I'm sorry. That wasn't fair."
"You've gone through a lot in the last couple of years," Usagi said. "Your wife's death. Your son's disappearance." She looked over and saw that Ami was speaking with Minako, Kun, and Kun's parents, and then she looked back up at Kenta. "Have faith in Ami."
"You girls have saved this city time and time again," Kenta told her. "I already have faith." He looked over at Ami. "My job here is to make her believe it?"
"If you don't mind," Usagi said. "She knows what she needs to do. I know that she knows what she needs to do, needs to know. But-"
"What she needs to know is who my son is in this life, right?" Kenta guessed.
"Yes," Usagi said. "That's exactly right."
"Usagi, can you tell me one thing you remember about my son in your previous life?" Kenta asked him.
Usagi smiled. "Normally, it was Endymion's job to keep Serenity at ease, but Zoisite had instead," she told him. "He would often sneak over to assist Mercury with research. Serenity was in the library assisting. Serenity couldn't do that often because she wanted to spend time with Endymion and had royal duties to attend to. However, she was assisting Mercury and Zoisite. Mercury went to go find a reference book, and after she left, Serenity had a freak out."
Kenta watched Usagi as she recounted through the memory. He sensed when this girl loves, she loved hard and would do anything for them. Kenta believed her loved ones would do the same for her.
"Before Mercury came back, Zoisite had calmed Serenity down," Usagi finished.
"It's amazing that you remember a past life memory so clearly and call your past life self by that name instead of using I, me, or we," Kenta said.
"I'm not her anymore than she is me," Usagi said. "Only when I find myself wearing her clothes, do I feel a sense of both of us." She looked around at her friends and at Mamoru. "We all feel it to a degree."
"I'm sorry with the twenty questions," Kenta said. "I just wonder why this wasn't put together until after the boys were killed." He raised his hand. "I know it wasn't by your hand, and from what Kun said, but by Beryl's hand." He looked over at Neph. "Will he forgive my son for murdering him?"
"Yes," Usagi said, leaving no doubt. "In this life, when the Sailor Guardians and I fought Nephrite and Zoisite, they were rivals. In the Silver Millenium, they were friends, childhood friends with Endymion in common. They all were. Much like how I am the center for the Sailor Guardians; the Shitennou Knights feel the same way about Mamoru."
"They all miss him and want him back?" Kenta asked. "My son?"
Usagi looked over at Ami. "And deep down, so does she," she said. "Give her what she needs, and she'll give us what we need."
"I see why you're the center, and why your friends and boyfriend loves you so much," Kenta said. "So would Zoi. You really think she has it in her?"
Usagi nodded. "I do," she said.
Kenta sighed. "I will do whatever I can to help then, Usagi," he promised.
"Thank you," Usagi said.
"Don't thank me yet," Kenta said
Usagi tilted her head at him. "It's for more than that," she said. She then walked away hoping both Kenta and Ami would get what they needed from each other.
Mamoru watched the whole scene between Usagi and Kenta. He knew Usagi and her heart, and he knew she would do anything to help a friend, to help him and his Shitennou Knights. He knew that's what attracted him to her. He wondered why they never realized it before, but he knew he would never let her go again. As long as she wanted and loved him, he would never let her go.
xXx
It took about a half-hour, but almost everyone finally left the Tsukinos.
The only one who lingered was Mamoru along with the Tsukinos, and he couldn't help himself. Even the thought of wrapping his arms around Usagi made him feel at peace. He hoped that feeling would never go away. He couldn't quite tear himself away from Usagi knowing more than likely she was going to school the next day. Maybe it's selfish, but if one can't be selfish with the one you love, then who can you be selfish with?
Mamoru watched as Usagi saw Ami and Kenta off. He noticed that she had maneuvered all of her friends into getting rides home with his Shitennou Knights' parents. He realized she may not be booksmart, but she knew her friends and knew how to persuade them to take a ride home. He could consider that being wise because he hadn't thought of that. He saw that it had put his Shitennou Knights' at ease.
"What are you thinking about?" Usagi asked him when walked back up to him. She recognized the look in eyes.
"You know your friends better than you let on," Mamoru said, "and as well as the Shitennou Knights."
Usagi gave him a look. "Your friends, Mamo," she told him. "You can say it; it's not going to hurt." When he didn't say anything, she tilted her head. "I know just like my friends they're different in this life than in our last life, but they are still good, respectful men."
"Including Zoi," Mamoru said. "Even though…"
"We haven't met him yet?" Usagi raised her eye at him. "Ami's starting to feel the pressure. We've given her all the tools and in the process of instilling her with confidence."
"You really think Mr. Saitou will instill that confidence in her?" Mamoru asked.
"Trust me," Usagi said. "I know Ami. Mr. Saitou is exactly what she needs." She thought for a moment. "Well, what they both need."
xXx
As Kenta drove Ami home, he realized he didn't know what to say to her. He found her shyness endearing. He knew his son, and something told him he would like her. It wouldn't be just for her looks, and lord knows she was pretty, but it was the way she held herself which he could tell was genuine. He didn't get to be a psychiatrist without sizing people up quickly. Despite all of that, he really hoped she was the key to bringing Zoi back to life.
Ami still held the folder Usagi had given her earlier in the evening. She held it tight against her as if it were a lifeline.
"From what I got from your friends, you're the smart one in the group," Kenta said, breaking the ice.
"It's not much," Ami told him.
Kenta smirked. "They don't think so," he said. "I can see the five of you are a team, and each one of you has a role. However, you are friends first."
"We have Usagi to thank for that," Ami said. "She found all of us and made us friends." She looked out of the window. "I would do anything for her."
"It seems like it goes both ways," Kenta said. "I think she would do anything for you." He sighed as he fought with the pros and cons, and he went with his instinct. "Zoi dreamt about you when he was a child. He had told me he dreamt about a girl with blue hair in a Sailor suit." As he drove, he glanced over at her. "He said it was an attack with bubbles."
"It's more of a defensive attack than an offensive attack," Ami explained.
"He hasn't mentioned that dream in a very long time, or he would have told me," Kenta said. He paused and then continued. "Though once when he got into middle school he did get more involved in his studies which we were excited to see, but because he was in his studies he didn't make time to make friends."
Ami stayed quiet. It sounded too familiar to her because she had done that before she had met Usagi. "I suppose Zoi and I had more in common than I thought," she said.
Kenta looked over at Ami. "You were like that?" he asked. "How? When?"
"Before Usagi found me," Ami told him. She remembered meeting Usagi and how over the months she had come out of her shell. She realized there wasn't much she would do for Usagi.
"That's an interesting term," Kenta said. "Found?"
"It's the best way I can describe it," Ami said. She told him about how she met Usagi, what happened at the arcade, and the cram school. "Since that day, we've been friends ever since. I've come a very long way since I met her."
"You were that much of a recluse?" Kenta asked.
"It sounds just like Zoi," Ami said as Kenta pulled up towards the sky rise apartment Ami lived in with her surgeon mother.
"Ami," Kenta said before she opened up the door to get out. "I love my son, but I know you're feeling the pressure because you're the last one." He sighed. "Ignore everyone else's feelings, and think about yours and what you want." Kenta knew he was talking to a brick wall. He knew since she was friends with Usagi she would care about other people's feelings. Then on impulse he added, "Meet me at Fruits Parlor Crown tomorrow after school. I want to tell you more about Zoi than what is in that file that Mr. Tsukino had put together."
"Alright," she said. "I can do that."
Kenta smiled. "You're more than willing to look through it," he said. "But there's more to him than that file."
Ami studied him before nodding. "Alright," she said. "I'll see you tomorrow then." She got over the vehicle. "Have a good night." She closed the car door and felt a little bit lighter as she realized she was going to know more about Zoi tomorrow.
xXx
(Monday Morning)
When Ami walked into school the next day, she saw Usagi and Makoto together deep into a conversation.
Makoto was leaning against a wall. "He actually drove you to school this morning?" she asked, impressed. "That's sweet."
Usagi stood in front of Makoto. "Yeah," she said. "We've pretty much been joined to the hip since Friday night."
"I'm surprised your dad didn't have a heart attack when he pulled up in his vehicle," Makoto said.
Usagi grinned. "He was already out of the house when Mamo pulled up," she told her. "Mom told me Kun's dad pretty much dragged him out of the house this morning."
"I wonder what they're planning," Makoto said, knowing her friend well.
"And that's not the only thing I'm worried about," Usagi said. "There was an incident last night at Hikawa Shrine."
Makoto didn't say anything, but as far as she knew, she was the only one who knew about the bet Neph and Kun had made. She had a certain feeling as to what Usagi was going to tell her. She was afraid she was right. "Did Jae try to sneak into Rei's room?" Makoto asked.
Usagi gave her a certain look and then noticed Ami walking up to them before she could answer. "Hi, Ami," Usagi said.
Ami smiled in greeting. "What was the incident that happened at Hikawa Shrine?" she asked curiously. She truly wanted to know.
"This one had it right," Usagi said, referring to Makoto. "Jae tried to sneak into Rei's room." She looked at Makoto. "How did you know?"
"I'll tell you after you give us the full story, and Usagi, don't leave anything out," Makoto urged her.
"Alright," she said. "In the middle of the night, Rei's grandpa had to use the bathroom. At that moment, Jae thought it was a brilliant idea to sneak into Rei's bedroom. As Jae was trying for Rei's bedroom door which was locked by the way, he came out of the bathroom."
"Talk about perfect timing," Ami said.
"I'll say," Usagi confirmed. "From what Mamo said, they woke everyone in the household. Jae was spitting mad when he noticed Kun and Neph exchanging money as he was getting kicked out of the shrine." Usagi sighed. "He's banned from the Shrine from sundown to sun up."
"You said he was getting kicked out," Makoto said. "Where did he wind up going?"
"Kun had the foresight of telling Jae he was going to call Mamo," Usagi said.
"Has he even asked how Rei has Mamoru's phone number?" Ami pondered.
"No," Usagi said. "I'm going to let Mamo and Rei tell him, but Mamo wasn't very happy when he had to pick Jae up."
"I'm sure he wasn't," Ami said. "Is he going to be staying on Mamoru's couch then?"
"Yeah," Usagi said. "There's nowhere else he can stay, which is his own fault." She looked over at Makoto. "Mako, did you know that Kun and Neph made a bet?"
"Yes," Makoto said with a sigh. "Neph lost."
"Zoisite would've known the probability of Jae getting caught," Ami said, "and getting caught like that."
Usagi smirked. "He would've," she agreed.
"Did Mamoru say how angry Rei was?" Makoto asked, wanting to know.
"No," Usagi said. "He didn't see her, but we all know that she would be very angry." Usagi sighed. "I suppose some things will never change."
Ami and Makoto chuckled, both remembering how often they fought. "He lives to be in the doghouse with Rei," Makoto agreed.
"I'm going to Fruits Parlor Crown to meet Zoi's father," Ami blurted out to the two girls.
Usagi and Makoto stared at her. "Are you okay?" Usagi asked, knowing both she and Makoto knew Ami well.
Ami sighed. "I'm getting tired of that question when it's clear I'm not," she told them. She leaned against the wall. "I poured through all the information your father collected on Zoi, but I don't feel it's enough."
"You're feeling the pressure, aren't you?" Usagi asked.
"I suppose I am," Am told her, "but I don't know if that's part of the problem."
"At least, it doesn't hurt to speak with him," Makoto stated. "And Neph's mom works there."
"And so does Motoki's sister, Unazuki," Usagi pointed out. "Ami, you have people in your corner and all the people in your corner believe in you."
"I know, Usagi," Ami said. "My heart knows that, but my head doesn't want to believe it." Ami hugged herself. "Thank you for believing in me."
Before Usagi and Makoto could say anything, the bell rang and they all went their separate ways to their classrooms.
Usagi stopped for a moment as she watched Ami and Makoto walk to their separate classrooms. She could sense everything would be alright. She sensed after the conversation Ami would have with Kenta, she would get what she needed.
Sensed, Usagi thought. "Maybe that's another thing I need to speak with Ami," she said to herself.
xXx
(Monday Afternoon)
Throughout the day, Ami ignored everything that was on her brain about Zoi and his father. She could only think about school and the work right in front of her.
Now, Ami stood in front of the Fruits Parlor Crown. She has never been more unsure in her life, and so many people in her life are counting on her. She shook off the uncertainty and walked into the cafe.
"Ami, hi!" Unazuki said.
"Unazuki," Ami said. "I'm meeting someone."
"Sure," Unazuki said. "Usual?"
"Yes, please," Ami said. "Thank you." When Unazuki walked away to fill her friend's order, Ami looked around to see if she saw Kenta Saitou.
Kenta was in a booth in a corner by himself. She wondered if he had sensed this is what she needed as she walked over to him. He was on a laptop going over data.
"Hello, Mr. Saitou," Ami greeted.
"Ami," Kenta said. "This is a nice place. I've never been here before."
"We like it," Ami said as she sat across from him.
"I think so would Zoi," Kenta agreed. "He's a studious boy. Very smart. He's so good with computers. He knows so much about them. Even before I knew something was broken, he had already fixed it. Even when my wife was alive…"
"Cancer?" Ami asked.
Kenta didn't say anything, just stared at her.
"It was in your son's file Mr. Tsukino had put together," Ami said. "From what I read and understood, everything that could be done was done."
"That's what the doctors said too," Kenta said. "The last few months were horrible. She had refused any more treatment, and even the doctors had stated the only thing that could be done was make her comfortable. I hired a nurse to take care of her when I couldn't be there." Kenta sighed. "I wanted to take time off of work to take care of her, and she wouldn't hear of it. The nurse was my compromise. She took the nurse. Zoi helped when he wasn't in the middle of his studies, which my wife had also insisted he didn't fall back on."
"It sounds like she was a force to be reckoned with," Ami commented.
"After she passed away, I only had Zoi, and for him…" Kenta words drifted.
"Hey," Ami said. "You had no idea what his destiny would be. We're in the process of it."
"I was talking to Usagi last night," Kenta said. "She told me Zoisite was the one that calmed her down after a panic attack."
Ami gave him a weird look. "It sounds like him, but he wouldn't have told me if he didn't want to embarrass her," Ami said.
"So he was considerate even then," Kenta said, musing about his son's past life. "Would you have noticed regardless?"
Ami smiled and half-chuckled. "Yes," she said. "I do remember I had left the two of them alone, so I could grab a reference book."
"It's amazing that you have such a clear memory of your past life," Kenta said. "All of you, really."
"It was kind of unexpected," Ami said. "It wasn't until Usagi was reunited with Mamoru on Friday that everything was starting to click." Ami paused. "Well, I guess it still is."
"It sounds like everything begins and ends with them," Kenta remarked, referring to Usagi and Mamoru. "Doesn't it?"
At that moment, Unazuki came to the booth with Ami's order. "Reina told me she would pay for your table, Ami," Unazuki said. "I didn't realize you knew Reina."
"Oh, well," Ami said. "It turns out I'm an old acquaintance of her son."
Unazuki's eyes widened. "You know Neph?" she asked with surprise.
"Yeah, I do," Ami said. "And I'm aware he's been missing for the last several months." Ami knew she couldn't tell her the truth.
"All these coincidences," Unazuki said. "What is the world coming to?" She took out her pad. "Do you know what you want to order?"
"Do you know what's good here, Ami?" Kenta asked.
They took a few minutes to figure out what they wanted and ordered their food, and Unazuki went to put it in.
"She seems like a good friend," Kenta replied.
"She is," Ami agreed, "and so is her brother, Motoki, who works at the arcade. They are both good people. Good friends."
"Do you really think it's possible that everyone you're connected to is part of your past life?" Kenta asked.
"I have thought about it," Ami said, "but I can't really think about it now."
"Zoi," Kenta said, remembering why they were there in the first place. "He was always studying. He barely had any friends. He never took interest in any girls."
Ami took in what he was saying. "Because he was waiting for me," she realized. "On some level, he remembered loving my past self."
Kenya wondered if she understood what he was saying. He wondered if she realized just how much she and his son had in common. "And what about you?" Kenya asked. "When you started dreaming about him, do you remember loving him?"
"When I dreamed of him again, I had fought him along with Usagi and Rei as an enemy," Ami pointed out. "It didn't make sense to me until Ryo had said something Friday night."
Kenta tilted his head at her. "Is that what you're struggling with?" he asked. "In order to save my son, you're going to have to hurt the one person who has helped you put all of this together?" He closed his eyes because, of course, that is what she is afraid of. He sighed. "I barely know Ryo, but if I'm understanding him correctly, he understands that he is going to be hurt by your decision, Ami."
The tears had started falling down Ami's face when Kenta bullseyed Ami's fear. "That still doesn't make it any easier," she told him.
"Of course, it isn't," Kenta said, gently. "Because you, with your sweet nature and brilliant mind, understand you're going to be hurting someone you care very much about, and you will be hurting yourself." He passed a napkin over to her. "It's never easy hurting someone."
Ami took the napkin offered. "I can see why Queen Serenity chose you to be his father," she said as she continued to wipe her tears away from her face. "You're a good man."
"Thank you," Kenta said.
At that moment, Unazuki came back with their orders, and they both dug in.
xXx
Ryo sat at his desk. He was studying what he had written in his workbook when the vision hit him like a freight train. The paper and the writing utensil he was holding fell out of his hands. He only said "Ami" when he had lost control of the vision.
When he finally got out of it, for the second day running, Ryo ran to the hallway phone and called Usagi at home. "Hello, Mrs. Tsukino," Ryo said. "It's Ryo. Is Usagi home?"
"No," Ikuko said. "She's not. She's with Mamoru; she's over at his apartment. Do you have his number?"
"Yes, ma'am," Ryo said. He remembered the brilliance of an idea that Kun's father, Detective Yoshi Shin, had insisted that everyone share their numbers with the group. "I do. Thank you."
"Of course," Ikuko said. "Bye."
"Bye," Ryo said as he hung up the phone. He wondered if she knew why he wanted to speak with Usagi. In either case, he decided she was a very brave woman. Someone with that much bravery had to instill that in Usagi.
Ryo made his next phone call to Mamoru.
"Hello," he heard Mamoru say in the middle of a laugh and also heard a female laugh in the background, Usagi's laugh.
Ryo imagined it would do Motoki's heart good that Usagi could make him laugh. He was just sorry he was going to halt whatever plans they had going, halt whatever they were laughing about. He was going to deliver them their worst nightmare again, but this time he hoped it would work out the best for everyone.
"Mamoru, it's Ryo," he told him. "Ami did it. She made her decision. I know where the next resurrection is going to be." Ryo paused. "It's going to be exactly where we thought it was going to be." Ryo sighed. "Man, I'm so sorry." He imagined Mamoru would be holding and hugging Usagi very close to him knowing he wasn't going to like the answer he was going to give them.
"Mamo, what is it?" Ryo heard Usagi ask.
Ryo imagined Usagi felt the shift in Mamoru's demeanor as he had gone stiff while he was holding her.
Mamoru sighed as he understood what Ryo was telling him and why he was apologizing about where his vision told him where they were going to resurrect his last Shitennou Knight. If there was one destination that he or Usagi didn't want to revisit, it would be this one spot. "Starlight Tower," he said, "that's where Zoisite is going to be resurrected."