Planet Bound: Mercury
by Marj
Author's Notes:
Merry Christmas, minna!! Well, what a coincidence that the
first chapter finally came out . . . on Christmas Day!! Will we be
expecting the second one on New Year? Uhh . . . well, we'll just wait
and see!
For those who read Planet Bound: Venus, this is where the
story continues. With Ami, of course. I just got Sailormoon Vol. 5
Pocket Manga as a Christmas gift - something written there kind of
made things a little haywire with the long plot the Planet Bound
series has, but I'll find a way to fix it. I'm trying to keep this
story as close to the original as possible.
Again, special thanks to my imouto, Kismet-chan, for taking
her precious time to edit my fics. To Chibi-imp, for always insisting
that I *finish* this fic, or else! (She already read the plot for the
last story of the entire series . . .) To Small Angel and Sailor Soul,
for keeping in touch with me. These four people kept insisting that
I continue my work on this fic everytime they write to me, so minna,
this one's for you! And for all the other people who wrote, namely
Joanne, Remembrance, Z, ChibiChibi, and those who wrote without
giving names, thank you so much!
Other Notes:
daijoubu - it's all right
demo - but
ginga - shrine
gomen - sorry
hai - yes
ittai - ouch
minna - everyone/everybody
musume - daughter
ohayo - good morning
okaa-san - mother
yoshi - okay/all right
Please e-mail your comments and constructive criticisms at
. Thanks!
Disclaimers: The characters of Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon were created
by Naoko Takeuchi-san, its copyright owned by Toei Animation, Kodansha,
Nakayoshi, Sterling Animation Inc., and many other companies scattered
throughout the world. Meaning, I cannot claim the characters as my
own, and am mearly borrowing them. All the characters not found in the
manga are mine. So please don't sue, as I don't earn anything from
this other than the satisfaction of making a story.
CHAPTER ONE: LIFE GOES ON
"Where are you off to today, Ami-chan?"
Ami picked up a small gift wrapped in blue paper from the counter
before turning around and smiling at her mother. "I'll be going to
the Ainos', okaa-san."
"You went there a few weeks ago, right?" Mizuno Risa asked as she
took her coat from the clothes rack that stood near the door.
Ami nodded her head slowly and stared at the carpeted floor. "Hai.
That was when . . ."
Risa suddenly paused, the hand that was reaching for the car keys on
the counter stopping momentarily in mid-air before moving slowly once
more. "Go . . . gomen, musume. That was thoughtless of me," she
said, looking almost embarrassed.
Ami shook her head. "It's all right, okaa-san. You didn't mean it."
There was an awkward silence as the small family walked out of the
door that led to the penthouse where they lived. "Would you like me
to take you there?" Ami's mother asked.
"If it won't trouble you too much."
Risa laughed softly. "Of course not, Ami! I can spend a few more
minutes with you today before I go to the hospital."
"No emergencies?" Ami asked as she boarded her mother's charcoal gray
car.
"None today, I hope. But I will be doing an operation tonight with
Dr. Hisakawa. Would you mind if staying longer at Aino-san's?" Risa
inserted her car key into the ignition and started the engine. "I'll
just pick you up after I'm done. That way, you won't have to make dinner."
"No need, Okaa-san, I can manage by myself. Besides, I'm sure the
Ainos would like to have some time for themselves this evening, what
with all their relatives around and all," Ami said.
Risa nodded. "Okay, if that's what you want. There's still some
rice left in the rice cooker, I think. Just reheat it. Don't forget
to defrost the meat before you cook it. You could make some katsudon
- I bought groceries after work yesterday . . ."
Ami smiled to herself. Even though her mother was at work most of
the time, she always made sure that Ami could fend for herself at
home. "If you don't mind, Okaa-san, can I just fix myself some sandwiches?"
Her mother frowned slightly. "That's hardly what I'd call a full
meal, Ami. Are you sure you don't want to stay with the Ainos?"
"Okaa-san . . ."
"Hai, hai," Risa laughed. "I won't stop you. Just make sure you
make enough sandwiches to fill you up, okay?"
Ami nodded. "Hai!"
When they had reached the Ainos' residence, Ami took off her seatbelt
and reached over to hug her mother.
"Don't forget your gift now. Oh, tell Kimiko I said hi, and greet
little Miko happy birthday for me!" Risa said as she watched her
daughter get out of the car.
"I will. Thanks for the lift!" Ami waved goodbye and shut the car
door. She waited until she couldn't see her mother's car anymore
before sighing deeply.
Ami walked slowly towards the open gate that led to the Ainos' small
garden. Upon entering, she saw that the area was full of people who
had come to celebrate the occasion that was taking place.
Her memories returned to the year before, a few days after her friend
Aino Minako had died from emphysema. Minako's mother, pregnant then,
had given birth to a baby girl on the same date of Minako's birth.
The infant looked so much like her older sister that her parents
had renamed her Minako in belief that their daughter had been given a
second chance at life.
"Ami-chan!" someone called out. Turning her head slightly, she saw
Makoto walking towards her, carrying a tray of goodies in both hands.
Ami smiled. "Mako-chan! Have you been here long?"
Makoto nodded. "I promised Aino-san days ago that I'd help with the
cooking. I never expected there would be this many guests, though,"
she said, eyeing the crowd that were filling the once empty garden.
"We never did know how many relatives Minako-chan had . . ." Ami
said, shrugging.
"Actually, most of them are family friends. You should see Aino-
san's mother Talk about a suspicious mother-in-law!" Makoto
whispered the last sentence.
"Hi, minna!!!" Usagi called out from the gate where Ami had come in
through earlier. With her were Rei, Luna, and Usagi's black-haired,
blue-eyed boyfriend, Chiba Mamoru - who was carrying two gifts with
the arm that was not occupied by Usagi's own.
Ami and Makoto turned around. "Where have you two been?" Makoto
asked.
"We were at the shrine," Usagi answered.
Her boyfriend smiled at her. "Actually, we were on our way here when
we saw Rei walking down the street a few meters away from Hikawa
Ginga. So we picked her up."
"Oooh, Mako-chan! What are you carrying?" Usagi asked, staring at
the food-filled tray Makoto was holding.
Makoto sweatdropped. "Uhh . . . I think I should be taking this tray
to the buffet table now . . ."
Just then, Aino Kimiko, the birthday celebrant's mother, passed by.
"Ohayo, minna! I'm happy you made it! Miko is going to be so
happy!"
"Ohayo, Aino-san. Is Miko awake?" Ami asked politely.
Kimiko shook her head. "No . . . you know how little kids are. They
love sleeping. Then again, Minako loved sleeping, too . . ." she
said, a wistful look in her eyes. She was silent for a while, then
she blinked and took the tray from Makoto. "I'll just take this,
dear."
"Demo-" Makoto protested.
"Daijoubu. You've done more than enough, and for that I thank you.
I would suggest that you wake Miko up, though, before she sleeps
through her entire birthday!"
The small group laughed. "Don't worry, Aino-san, we'll get her up!"
Usagi said.
"With the amount of noise Usagi makes, Miko'll probably be awake
before we even get to her room!" Rei added.
Ami stared fondly at Usagi and Rei as they glared at each other.
True, they had grown more mature and were definitely a year older
than before - Ami had just turned eighteen the past month, and Usagi
and Rei even earlier - but the two never lost the friendly rivalry
they had always had since the day they first met. It was as if
fighting was their only way of showing how much they cared for each
other. And Ami was sure even Mamoru could attest to that.
Ami shook her head. Now why had she suddenly thought of *that*?
Minutes later, she found herself standing in front of a door with a
sign hooked in front that said "Minako." The nameplate had been
there for as long as Ami could remember - or at least, ever since she
had first visited the house - and it looked like it was there to
stay, even after its first occupant's demise. After all, it was only
appropriate that Minako's namesake should inherit her room . . . and
*all* the stuffed toys that came along with it.
Ami opened the door, and the group quietly entered. After leaving
their gifts on what had once been their friend's study table, they
gathered around the bed-turned-crib, where the now twelve-month old
baby and her cat were sleeping.
Little Minako's head was rolled slightly to her left, her left hand
near her face on her pillow, her right on the blanket covering her
small chest. Sleeping right beside her, also to her left, was
Artemis, all cuddled up with his head tucked in his forelimbs and his
long tail curled around his body. They looked as if they had played
all night long and were taking a long needed rest.
"Kawaii . . ." Usagi whispered.
Artemis opened one blue eye and tensed as he looked at the people
staring at him and the baby. When he saw who the people were, he
relaxed, raised his head, and gave them a small smile. "Minna,
ohayo," he whispered.
"Ohayo, Artemis," Luna greeted him in turn.
The little girl beside the white cat stirred. Artemis smiled fondly
at her and gently nudged the tiny face.
"Rise and shine, Miko-chan," Rei said as the child opened her light
blue eyes halfway up and stared at them momentarily. Recognizing her
visitors, she gave a small smile, slightly rolled over to her side,
and slept again.
"Come on, little girl . . . there you go," Mamoru said, reaching over
the installed rails that made the bed into a crib, lifting the child,
and cradling her in his arms. Miko's eyes opened once more, her gaze
landing on Mamoru's smiling face. "Mo-cha!" the child gurgled.
""Mo-cha"? When did she learn that?" Makoto asked.
Rei glared at Usagi. "You taught her that, didn't you?"
Usagi flashed a wide grin and shrugged. Then she leaned so that her
face was right in front of the baby's. "Happy Birthday, Miko-chan!!"
Miko responded by grabbing a fistful of Usagi's bangs. "'Gi!!"
"Ittai-! Ittai-!!!" Usagi exclaimed, unsuccessfully trying to yank
her head away.
Mamoru tried to help Usagi untangle her hair from Miko's fingers.
"That's bad, Miko, don't do that," he said, gently scolding the
child. Miko only grinned up to him.
Ami gazed at them for a moment before finally taking Miko from
Mamoru's arms. "You're very good at handling babies, Mamoru-san,"
she said, placing the child back in her crib.
Rei handed her the baby clothes that Kimiko had prepared earlier and
left on the table, while Makoto gave her a face towel. No sooner had
she wiped the little girl's face then Miko started to crawl for the
other side of the bed, where Luna and Artemis were resting.
"You should have seen him take care of Manami back then, Ami-chan.
Now *that* was something!" Usagi said, reaching out to hold the child
in place so that Ami could put on a fresh new diaper.
Mamoru shook his head, remembering the baby he had taken care of when
his mother had been injured during a cardian attack many years
before. "I wonder how the boy is now?" he asked himself.
"He should be around four or five years old by now, right?" Makoto
asked, walking towards the dresser where something had caught her
attention.
"K'to!" Miko called out, standing up from where she was laid, holding
on the bars of her makeshift crib for support.
Usagi sighed, laying the child down again. "And today isn't even
your second birthday!!"
The child uttered a lot of nonsense in reply.
Ami fastened the left strap of Miko's blue jumper over her white
blouse and adjusted it so that it would not fall over her shoulder.
She combed the short, soft locks of Miko's blond hair before standing
back and smiling. "Done!"
Makoto smiled, shaking her head, as she turned away from the pictures
on the dresser that had caught her attention before. "I'm surprised
Mina-chan's parents didn't remove that picture of all of us from the
dresser."
Rei shrugged, a smile on her face as well. "They like to keep old
memories alive, don't they?" she said, standing beside her friend so
that she, too, could look at the pictures.
Ami slipped a pair of baby shoes on Miko's feet before joining her
friends around the dresser. For a moment, she stared at the
pictures, thinking of how happy they seemed to be in the photographs.
Ami thought fondly before turning to
face her friends.
"Aino-san is probably wondering what we're all still doing up here.
I think we should all head downstairs now," she suggested.
Usagi and the others nodded. Ami watched as Rei lifted Miko - who
was playing with Luna and Artemis - from the crib. Ami was not too
surprised when Miko eagerly lifted her arms so that Rei would not
have any trouble lifting her up. Spending most of their free time
visiting the child had earned them Miko's complete trust.
"Yoshi . . ." Rei said. "Let's all head down then."
As soon as they left the house and entered the garden, visitors who
had wanted to see and hold the now one-year-old child suddenly rushed
towards them. The child, used to such attention, just stared at each
person with huge, innocent blue eyes. Still, their sudden
overwhelming numbers had an affect as small, chubby fingers tightly
gripped the cloth of Rei's shirt.
A man approached his daughter with his wife and gently, fondly,
tapped Miko's little nose. Miko blinked before extending her arms
towards her father. Rei handed the child to the man. "How's our
birthday girl today, hmm?" Aino Michio asked, raising Miko high up in
the air. Miko laughed heartily.
Kimiko smiled. "She seems very lively, considering that she just
woke up . . ."
Ami watched as the Ainos, their relatives, and their close friends
played with the little girl. Miko seemed a little reluctant at
first, but she easily adapted to the new faces. A few minutes later,
the child was hanging on to the hands of a neighbor as she walked,
clumsily moving her chubby legs forward as she took a few steps.
An old lady suddenly appeared between Ami and the Ainos, staring at
the child with an amused look on her face. "You know, Michio," she
began, "I still think your daughter is a foreigner."
"Okaa-san!" Michio groaned good-naturedly while his wife giggled.
Makoto elbowed Ami and whispered, "I told you!"
Ami couldn't help but giggle, too.
*****
Rei whispered a few more prayers before finally standing up from her
kneeling position in front of the year-old tombstone. Incense,
offerings and flowers surrounded the stone, where a name was carved
in kanji.
Aino Minako.
Ami quietly stared at the name. Even though they had visited the
tomb a few days earlier, even though it had already been more than a
year since Minako had died, she was still finding it hard to believe
that her friend was gone.
After the priestess - Rei - gave her prayers, Michio and Kimiko
stepped forward. The mother gently handed her child to Ami before
kneeling down beside her husband in front of their daughter's grave.
Ami carefully shifted the child's weight in her arms. Miko's eyes
were half-closed, her blond head occasionally nodding drowsily.
Finally, she yawned, rested her chin on her chest and fell asleep.
Upon seeing that the child was sleeping, Ami shifted her once again
so that her head would rest on Ami's shoulder. After making sure
that Miko was comfortable, she let her gaze wander.
Many of those who had attended the party earlier were with them,
paying their respects to the other birthday celebrant of the day.
Ami
thought sadly, gently rubbing Miko's back with her right hand.
Ami continued, believing with all
her heart that the dead could hear her thoughts.
The child she held squirmed slightly, sighed, and went back to sleep.
Ami smiled.
Ami was so caught up in her thoughts that she barely noticed Rei
standing right behind her. Leaning slightly, Rei whispered in her
left ear, "He's not here."
Ami turned her head slightly towards her friend. "Hmm?"
"You know."
"Oh . . ." Ami returned her attention to the tombstone in front of
them. "He never came back, did he?"
Rei shook her head sadly. "Not since her funeral. It's almost as if
he's forgotten all about her."
"That can't be true." Ami's eyes stared at the ground. "He loves
her too much."
Her friend shrugged. "Maybe."
"Perhaps he's busy with his responsibilities back home," Ami
reasoned, though her soft voice made it sound like her mind was a
million miles away.
she
thought, her eyes distant.
The wind blew with an undecipherable answer.
(
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