Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ The Power Of Fire ❯ Chapter 17

Ami stood with Rei, their hands tightly clasped as they watched Hotaru carry in Omani-Kaye.

"Where should I put her?" asked Hotaru, her voice oddly strong and rough for the young girl.

"On the lounge," motioned Rei with her free hand. Ami's eyes were brimming with tears at the sight of Omani-Kaye and as soon as Hotaru had laid her down Ami's self-restraint dropped and she quickly made her way over to the girl, dropping to her knees beside the lounge.

"Where are the others?" asked Hotaru, her voice still rough.

Rei tried to sense Hotaru's energy, but there was something different about it. Hotaru had always been powerful but it felt like there was more energy there, as if it were spread out in further array about her body.

Ami didn't know why she felt so depressed but as she clung onto Omani-Kaye's hand the familiar flashes startled against the inside of Ami's eyes.

I don't want them, thought Ami tiredly but her energy was still so drained that she couldn't push the images back.

I promise I'll make sure you're okay Omani… I promise… As the tears overflowed down Ami's cheek, Rei coming to stand behind and placing a hand on her shoulder Ami suddenly felt a different energy.

Help me Mercury… The voice was inside Ami's head, and it sounded desperate.

It's you, was Ami's response to the voice.

It's me, replied the voice warmly and Ami felt the black hole inside of her disappear. Realising that all the negative emotions that had caused her to lash out were gone Ami felt a warm acceptance in her body that was brought with the voice.

Help me Mercury… The voice came again, there was desperation in it and Ami found that she could differentiate between her own emotions and the voice's.

Help me to save Kuriri, The voice seemed to hug at her mind and Ami was filled with the certainty that the girl she had known as Omani-Kaye was actually Kuriri.

She needs to be free Mercury. I need to be to free too… The voice spoke encouragement, but Ami had no idea how to free her or Kuriri, all she knew was that it wasn't her job too.

I can't. I don't know how. Tell me who can free you. Ami's own voice was desperate as she bent her head low against Kuriri's chest.

Trust… Whispered the voice but it faded away then and the remaining voice of Kuriri was what interrupted her.

Ami-Chan… Whispered Kuriri's voice.

Kuriri? Questioned Ami unsure of which name to use.

Omani-Kaye… Corrected the voice before it disappeared as well, the black abyss again sucking at Ami but the connection she had made kept the negative emotions at bay, allowing Ami to finally feel what she wanted to feel again, something that she hadn't been able to do for months.

"Ami-Chan…" Rei's voice was close to her ear and Ami knew she should respond she just didn't know how to anymore, her tongue felt like it was too big for her mouth.

Rei… Reached out Ami with her mind, feeling out Rei's energy in a way she had never been able to before. Ami felt resistance but as that faded she knew Rei had heard her. The sharp crack of Rei falling backwards onto the coffee table in shock was enough acknowledgement for Ami.

Ami… Thought back Rei hesitantly, obviously thinking that she had gone mad.

Rei, we need to save them. Ami's voice was strong and sure in Rei's mind and even though she could see Ami, Rei felt that she could feel Ami even better.

"Save who Ami?" Rei replied speaking aloud, obviously not particularly liking the non-verbal communication.

Save Kuriri, and… Omani-Kaye… Ami's internal voice trailed off as the body of Kuriri twitched.

"Omani-Kaye," whispered Ami knowing that it was the only name that would be responded to.

"Ami-Chan…" whispered back Omani-Kaye as she tried to sit up, abruptly coughing, a small gush of water coming out of her lungs.

"Where is she? Where's the girl Ami-Chan?" asked Omani-Kaye reaching to Ami's hand which Ami gave.

"Hotaru?" asked Ami, confused as to who Omani-Kaye was referring too.

"Saturn," corrected Omani-Kaye, startling herself with her reply.

It's like Kuriri and the other are both inside the body and to communicate they've both joined together in the form of Omani-Kaye, though it appears either one has control and neither knows the other is interfering… Ami's pondering was cut short as she heard the sharp gasp of Michiru from the kitchen.

 

~~~~~

 

"It's alright Michi-Chan, really, I'm fine," said Haruka as Michiru and Makoto examined her back and front for damage from the attacks.

Michiru's mouth was opened wide in astonishment, her eyes welling with tears at the pain she had unintentionally inflicted on her lover.

"You're bruised all over," replied Michiru in despair as her fingers stroked the soft contours of Haruka's exposed back, lightly following the deep purple bruising there.

"Really, I'm fine. Just a little bit sore," said Haruka exasperatedly, momentarily forgetting about her feud with Michiru.

"Haru-Chan…" whispered Michiru in guilt, turning her face again from the bruises, hoping they might disappear.

"I'm going to go back out with Usagi and Minako…" said Makoto, leaving the two lovers alone in the kitchen for a while.

"I'm sorry Haru-Chan…" murmured Michiru, too ashamed to look at Haruka's face.

"I told you its fine Michi-Chan. Look; I'll be back to normal in no time," said Haruka, grabbing a-hold of Michiru's hand and trying to pull her close.

Michiru's whole body welcomed the action but her mind pulled her back, reminding her of how violently she had attacked Haruka just that afternoon.

"Michiru…" whined Haruka playfully, again trying to pull Michiru in and this time, succeeding.

"I've missed you Haru-Chan," whispered Michiru, startling Haruka with the words.

"What do you mean?" asked Haruka, looking down at Michiru, her eyes betraying nothing of the turmoil within.

"I think we've both been… gone, for awhile. It's nice to be back," replied Michiru, trying not to give too much away with her words.

"Michi-" started Haruka but Michiru's finger came up to abruptly cut her off before she could continue.

"I'm not hiding anything from you that you don't already know yourself Haru-Chan," stated Michiru defiantly, removing her finger from Haruka's lips but not before Haruka gave them a gentle kiss.

"It's not the same you know. I wish you could have just told me," replied Haruka, a little disgruntled but her joy at being close to Michiru again over-rode everything else at the time.

"It's impossible to explain it though. How would I have told you without you thinking I was crazy?" asked Michiru, clearly still concerned about how Haruka would react with her confession.

"Even if I did think you crazy I would never, could never, turn my back on you Michi-Chan," whispered Haruka, burying her face in the marine hair of Michiru.

"I wish you could have told me that before," murmured Michiru, a single tear escaping her restraint.

"I didn't know you needed it," comforted Haruka, giving Michiru a gentle squeeze around the torso before leaning down to kiss her lips gently.

 

~~~~~

 

"What do you think is going on Mina-Chan?" asked Usagi warily, she wasn't sure if she wanted to know what Minako thought was going on, the world was already too insane for her.

"I don't know. Setsuna's been very odd about this whole thing. She's refusing to accept that this has anything to do with the legend. But it all fits!" Minako's voice was exasperated but she knew something else was bothering her.

"Well it does seem a bit crazy, but I mean with all we've seen, what isn't crazy?" Usagi was unsure of herself as she spoke; Setsuna was acting very oddly about it.

"I wonder how Setsuna is going in the future anyway…" said Minako, speaking her thoughts aloud.

"I hope she's doing better than us," replied Usagi, picking at one of her nails as she sighed.

"What're you two talking about?" asked Makoto as she came into the study, quietly closing the door behind her.

"Nothing too interesting," replied Minako, instantly getting Makoto a chair.

Makoto blushed at the action but sat down anyway.

"So what's going on out there?" asked Usagi, as she bit one of her nails.

"Michiru and Haruka are in the kitchen. Hotaru came back with that girl; the one Ami was worried about… Ah, Omani-Kaye something so Ami and Rei are with her. Hotaru left again, without saying anything much… Mamoru's still at his apartment with Chibiusa. Anyway, is Setsuna back from the future yet?" Makoto's voice came out too fast as she tried to ignore Minako's curious stares in her direction.

"Are you alright Mako-Chan. You've been kind of jumpy ever since you woke up, and you haven't told us what happened yet," said Usagi, her eyebrows clinching in concern for her friend.

"I'm fine. It's not me you have to be worried about, it's everyone else," replied Makoto, not thinking before she spoke, instantly giving them a little bit too much information.

"Everyone else? What do you mean Mako-Chan?" asked Minako, leaning over to touch Makoto's arm softly, trying to help her friend be more at ease.

Makoto shrugged off the touch, shivering at it. "It's nothing, I was just thinking of something else," replied Makoto unconvincingly.

"You know something…" murmured Minako, staring wide-eyed at Makoto, leaning forward closer causing Makoto to lean backwards.

"I don't know what you're talking about Mina-Chan," replied Makoto, trying to put an edge of certainty in her voice but failing completely.

"It's like Ami… And Haruka and Michiru… And now Hotaru and Setsuna… You all know something," said Minako, as she continued to stare at Makoto as if she hadn't ever really seen her before.

Makoto hated the way Minako was looking at her.

I'm not an animal in a zoo, thought Makoto angrily, trying to suppress the already overwhelming emotions.

"Mako-Chan, do you know something?" asked Usagi, leaning in close just like Minako.

"Setsuna!" The screech came from Rei back in the lounge room, the three girls all instantly forgetting their own conversation.

 

~~~~~

 

Rei's eyes were wide as she took in the two forms of Setsuna standing side-by-side in the lounge room. "That's not possible is it…" trailed Rei, trying to find reason for there being two Setsuna's.

"Mars," stepped forward the first Setsuna, in her Senshi form as Pluto. Rei's eyes scanned Pluto, noticing subtle differences. Her hair is shorter and slightly darker, her skin is lighter and her uniform is that of the original Senshi form… Rei's thoughts thundered in her head.

"Rei," stepped forward the second Setsuna, Rei instantly recognising her as the one from this timeline.

Setsuna and Pluto looked at each other in agitation.

"You shouldn't have come here Pluto," said Setsuna, her anger apparent as she sized up Pluto.

"You know as well as I do that I had to come. You can't figure this all out alone," said Pluto obstinately, swinging her Garnet Rod across the body.

"I was just going to tell them," replied Setsuna her teeth clenched.

"Ahh…" Rei's voice didn't seem to work, she felt Ami's hand gently squeezing her's, obviously as notice that Ami couldn't seem to speak either.

Setsuna and Pluto both turned to look at Rei expectedly, as if she were about to say something important.

"You haven't found it yet," stated Pluto, looking down at Rei in a confused manner, as if something were troubling her.

"No, she hasn't, and she's not going to," replied Setsuna, stepping in front of Pluto.

"Um… Pluto, who're… Ah… Which time are you from?" asked Ami, trying to voice the question appropriately.

"About two millennia ago," stated Pluto simply.

Rei watched as Ami seemed to swallow back, looking as though she were going to faint at the whole idea of that amount of time.

"Why are you here then?" asked Rei. Rei knew as well as anyone the rules with which Pluto had been assigned and it usually meant a life-or-death matter for those rules to be broken.

"I'm here to make sure you all receive your complete powers again," stated Pluto confidently.

"No you're not. We're not going to complete the pact, we're going to destroy them," said Setsuna, stepping in front of Pluto, blocking her from Rei and Ami's view.

"Pluto… You came for me…" Omani-Kaye's soft voice was full of light and warm as her eyes glanced up at Pluto, a small smile spreading on her lips.

"That's right Omoikane. I've come to make it all better again. I promise we will save you," replied Pluto, going to kneel beside the lounge, clasping her hand in Omani-Kaye's lovingly.

"Omoikane… The Shinto Goddess of Wisdom?" asked Rei incredulously, uncertain of whether she had heard right.

"Yes," replied Pluto, turning to face Rei with a small smile, "I see you're the same as ever Mars."

"Her name is Rei," stated Setsuna angrily, obviously disgruntled by Ami and Rei's apparent inclusion of Pluto.

"No, her name is Mars," replied Pluto calmly, turning back to Omani-Kaye, "And we're going to set them free whether you like it or not, Setsuna."