He had it all in his mind, how everything would work out. He even had her room all planned out for her, the Goddess of Mercury would lay her petite body on the sheets of blue satin that he had carefully acquired for her usage. Yards of blue satin and silk had been used for her dresses that he had the tailors designed for her. Of course, he hoped that one day she would share his bed, but he would not force it so, he wait for her to love him. And that one day would be the day when she would be crowned beside him, as Lady Takeuchi. Indeed it was a step downwards for a princess, but he did not consider the colony and powers that he commanded inferior. A gentle knock arose him from his dreams of days to come, “Avarice and Ossify awaits sire.”
    “Show them in.” He commanded.
    “My Lord,” the two of them bowed deep as they entered the room.
    “Prepare to strike tomorrow afternoon, at Crown Arcade. Bring her back, ALIVE! Kill the others if you can. A failure, and your head joins those of many others.” He leaned into his throne.
    “Yes my Lord.”

    “Moshi-moshi? (Hello?)” Ami spoke softly in the receiver. Dressed in her blue flannelette pajamas, she gently put her cup of hot chocolate on the glass table beside her as she sank into the cool dark blue leather couch. Her hand fingered at the telephone cord nervously, waiting for someone to answer her response.
    After waiting for a moment, her patience was finally rewarded by a gentle, tenor-voice. “Mizuno-san? This is Urawa Ryo.”
    “Ryo-san, I… how have you been?”
    “I’m coming back into Tokyo from Koyto, I’m arriving in four days.”
    “Really? That’s… wonderful. Come and see me won’t you?”
    “I’m afraid I will be too late Mizuno-san, I am calling you to warn you. You will be taken away from your family and friends soon, only to be reunited with another, but whether they are friends will depend on you.”
    “I see.” Ami did not bother trying to ask how he knew that, of course, everyone knew that he had supernatural future-seeing powers.
    “Be careful, Mizuno-san. I will be staying in Tokyo for a while, I hope to see you when you return.”
    “How long will I be gone Ryo-san?”
    “As long as it takes for you to accomplish what you must do. But remember, this time, time in this world will continue to pass.”
    “I see.”
    “One more thing Mizuno-san.”
    “Yes?”
    “You will find love, but I find myself regretting to say that I withdraw from the race for your affections, there are too many competitors, I will only cloud your choice. The choice will be difficult, but you will arrive at the correct one I believe, one which will bring you much happiness. May you find it without much heartache.”
    “Thank you, Ryo-san, I will keep that in mind.”
    Ami pressed the phone back in its cradle to end the call, and picked up her hot chocolate again. She was amazingly cold, despite the warm air, her hands felt rigid, and chills traveled through her spine. She had not spoken to Urawa for a long time now, each time, it was to warn her of the future, although he could not be specific. He was a nice person, and they got along together, everyone believed him and herself were an item, but it was not true. Ami was grateful for his friendship, yes, at one point, she had fancied herself to be in love, and he had fancied himself in love with her, but they had both worked out the truth. At least that was what she believed, obviously, from what he had just said, his fancy had continued until this moment, when he knew that it was impossible.
    She didn’t know when she would see him, in the end, it would all depend on her, when she would finish her test. The thought that she would find love through this test worried her, love was not something that she wanted at this point in her life. Perhaps this was what deus would be here to help her about. As much as she despised the whole idea of love interrupting her life, she was curious, curious to know who the person was. Yet, if it was really true that Asuka was her love, it could only mean… she would find him. Her heart leapt for joy, but she knew that she would have to restrain herself in fear of disappointment. The question was, did she love him? She had never felt the sensations of love, so she did not know the answer, she wished she did though. He had also mentioned that she would find friends, Ami knew by now that Urawa chose his words carefully, he meant that she would find more than one friend. Could it be possible, could it be possible that Kunki-san might be found as well? Again she felt her heart lift, but the sinking of her stomach also reminded her of the fear that was in her.
    Ami pulled a pillow from between her back and her couch, pulling it close to her, she comforted herself with the warmth of her chocolate, and the softness of the pillow against her tummy. Carefully, she took a sip as the warmth of the thick liquid invaded the insides of her body. Ami took a deep breath and sighed in contention, the whole effect was a rather calming one that she enjoyed more than anything else.

    “Do you think what I am thinking?”
    “That we’d better be careful or we’ll loose our heads? Yeah.”
    “Shut up Ossify, I meant that Lord Takeuchi seems to have a soft spot for this SailorMercury person, if we capture her and bring her back alive, we will be ensured a rise for the top.” Avarice rubbed his hands together, in anticipation of the pleasure to come.
    “Well then, hadn’t we better get the plans done?”
    “Crown Arcade, make sure we have anmitrones prepared for tomorrow’s attack. We cannot fail this time, you heard that.”
    “Anmitrones?”
    Avarice rolled his eyes at his partner’s stupidity, indeed, Ossify would never be able to become Lord Takeuchi’s advisor, “have you been awake the past few days? The youmas that we have especially prepared for this attack.”
    “Oh, those. I’ll go get them ready.”
    Avarice did not respond, his mind already drifting off to the day when he would be Lord Takeuchi’s right hand, Ossify would be gone from the power struggle, and he would be the only one in his favor… There would be no competitors with him for the top job…
    Unfortunately, he was not from Earth, or he would have heard of the old proverb, “don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched…”

    He looked at her from above, his heart throbbed and fought within him, the emotions which he had buried were now fighting to surface. He knew that it was a forbidden act, him falling for Ami; she was a Princess, and he, a God, two people of entirely different nature and status. He was destined to live a life solitarily, and she, destined with an earthly being. He knew that was not alone in the regrets of not being able to unite with their respective princesses, each one was destined to an earthly being, merchants of royal blood, which had been introduced by the Prince of Earth himself, Prince Endymion.
    Deus Mercury disliked his job immensely, because it was he who would have to guide his cherished princess to the man that she was destined to be with. Despite all his own feelings, he would have to be satisfied as the second fiddle in her life, the person whom she could turn to in times of need. He was doomed to never be loved, he knew that, but he knew it too late. The teacher, the mentor, the protector, but never the lover.
    The other child, the future-seer, Urawa was like him, a man who knew the future and despaired at it, he, Deus, felt the same way. It was an automatic withdrawal from this competition of love, because they both knew that Ami’s heart would never be bestowed on them. He thought of the time when he had taken the body of the young man, Miles (again, refer to Remember Me), the cherished moments that he had spent with her. Her face when he had given her the aquamarine ring, the confused blush that spread through her cheeks, up towards her ears. He would give anything to have the chance to repeat it all with her. No, not all, he would never hurt her, neither physically nor emotionally, and last time, it had been too close for his comfort. He believed that the future was to be made, not destined, but he could not bear to see her hurt, while he would toy with destiny with other matters, love was not one he was willing to risk. He would have to watch silently, and bite his lip calmly, smile through his tears, when it came to giving her away.

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