Rules Are Meant To Be Broken-Part 6
As they walked along the hallways of the palace to the training room, Ami explained about training and why she had been hurt before. "Every so often, whenever I get the chance, I like to keep in shape by using the simulator. It's a highly-developed computer program that throws out youma and other creatures that one can choose to fight either physically or magically. Randomly, the computer will decide whether the opponent has physical, magical, or both types of strategy, and you won't know until it surprises you."
"But...you get hurt, don't you?"
"Well, it's a little inevitable when I get thrown into the walls a few times. A few cuts and minor scratches come when I get caught off my guard using weapons. Then the hardest times are when the youma can teleport all over the place. So you spend half the time fighting it by kicking and punching, but then you suddenly realize that it's hurling bolts at you that burn through your clothing. Trust me, it's not pretty."
Looking extremely surprised, Zoicite reminded himself that he would definitely have to find out more about Mercurian technology and tell his fellow generals about this type of training. Kunzite would love getting creative new ways to torture them all, he thought to himself dryly. "Isn't it dangerous? I mean, could you die from it?"
"Let's just say that if you're smart enough, you'll admit defeat if you can't handle it. But not many people can use the simulator. For one thing, most people have limited resources, and this type of thing isn't exactly very available for the typical person. But yes, you can get very bad injuries if you aren't careful." Closing her eyes briefly, the princess remembered the time she had nearly lost an arm after it had been broken badly and scorched besides. Now her left arm was slightly stiff but recovering nicely, but she would have light brownish burn scars under and along her forearm forever. Ami opened her eyes and smiled as she opened the door. "Of course, we won't be using the simulator-unless you're in the mood for experimenting."
"No," he replied hastily, "I think one on one combat will do very nicely, thanks." Shrugging, she began typing away at the computer, which answered with various clicks and beeps. Curiously, the gen asked, "What are you doing?"
"Just setting up one of the training rooms. It's more interesting in strange terrain."
Shuddering slightly, Zoicite asked, "But why do you have to undergo such harsh training? Not that it's a negative thing for you to be able to defend yourself...but..."
"Most princesses don't have to deal with this type of situation, and if they do, they have others to fight for them?" Ami finished off his statement mildly, raising an eyebrow. When he nodded, she stared off into the distance for a few silent minutes before turning to face him once more. "You're right, in most aspects of the world. Unfortunately, this doesn't apply to me. And I'm going to tell you something that must not travel outside the walls of this room or any other protected room, understand?" When he nodded quickly, the blue-haired woman continued, "I am the senshi of Mercury. Thus, I have to retain my fighting skills and wits any day that the darkness may threaten. And it's threatening daily."
Fighting to breathe with his shock, the gen gulped a few deep breaths before he was calm enough to digest the information. This delicate-looking, beautiful, proud princess was a senshi?!
As if she knew what he was thinking, Ami smiled slightly. "I went to the Moon when I was ten and returned for a month when I was nineteen when my mother died. I was called back after a month when strange traces of magic were being found on the Moon. I didn't return until I was twenty, because my father was getting old and near his death. And so...after he died, I became ruling princess. I haven't set foot on the Moon, which was my home for ten years, since I was twenty."
"You lived fifteen years on Mercury and ten on the Moon?" When she nodded, Zoicite massaged his temples. He wasn't used to getting such earth-shattering news so calmly and in just a few seconds. "How come no one has made the connection that you're the senshi? Don't you look alike?"
"It would be extremely dangerous for me if anyone found out my other identity. But, through magic, we have ways to deal with that. I'll show you." Pulling out her transformation wand from her subspace pocket, Ami glanced at it critically for a few minutes before raising her arm up in the air and shouting, "Mercury Planet Power!" The general watched, flabbergasted, as a thick foam of brilliant blue bubbles swirled out of nowhere to envelope the princess. When he could see her once more, she was wearing knee-length boots, a short blue skirt, a white sailor-suit like top with a blue collar and two lighter blue bows (one in the back), as well as elbow-length white gloves. Completing the ensemble was a dark blue choker with the symbol of Mercury and a golden tiara with a sapphire stone set in the middle.
Blinking, he exclaimed, "But you look exactly the same! Well, not exactly the same, because your clothes are different and everything-"
Looking puzzled, the senshi looked down at herself in bewilderment. "Are you sure? The disguise magic doesn't affect you?"
"Disguise magic?"
Sighing, Mercury explained, "No one except the fellow senshi and my Prime Minister know that I am a senshi. Even Greg couldn't tell that I was Ami...well, he couldn't tell that we were the same person. As a senshi, I'm supposed to look completely different. Sometimes my features are even obscured and foggy. Only the senshi could see through the magic, and we had to master that first."
Shrugging, the gen replied, "I can't see any difference, and I see all your features clearly. Is this going to be a problem?"
"It may be. I don't know, because it's never happened before. I'll have to contact the Moon and ask them about it. For now, though, we can start, if you want."
Nodding, Zoicite snapped his fingers and was enveloped immediately in a sparkling white uniform with the usual green trim. "See, no special effects here. The uniform looks just like some of my dressier tunics."
"Let's start with just some basic, physical training. We can move on easily from there," she suggested confidently.
Gazing at her, awed, the general thought that she sounded the age of experience and wisdom. And indeed, she was.
~~~~*~~~~
They had begun fighting with powers almost half and hour ago, and Mercury was feeling pretty exhausted herself. She admired his skills as a fighter; he had quickly proved this his skills levels were almost identical to hers, even if they each had different areas of specialization. Effortlessly, every time she had tried to hit him, he had caught her wrist or deflected the blow so that when it landed, it was very light. Likewise, she had been able to stop most of his attacks, and although her build was slighter than his, she had spent her years on the Moon building up her stamina and dexterity, as he had worked on endurance, muscles, and agility.
As they had moved on to attacks, she had analyzed his attack style, which changed constantly to throw her off guard. Her first pattern had been, in her opinion, one of a better and very subtle design, but the crafty general had found her weak spot and dissolved her shield. Mercury had switched to pattern after pattern, just as he altered his style to keep up. Their powers were also very different. She could conjure up mystifying fogs and send sharp icy fragments and icy hailstorms at him, but Zoicite could not only use razor sharp leaves but very powerful crystals to combat her attacks. Usually they ended up canceling each other's out.
Eyeing her steadily, he called, "Are you tired yet?" as they circled each other for what must have been the ninth time that fight.
Grinning, she shouted back, "Not even winded. Come on, General Zoicite-let's see what the Four Shitenou are capable of. You want to be a credit to General Kunzite's training, don't you?"
"Are you trying to psych me out?" he asked in reply, keeping his eyes on her forms. He noticed the muscles of her leg tightening as she prepared to leap over him and jumped aside.
"No, never. Would I do a thing like that?"
"Yes," he grumbled. "I wouldn't put it past you."
~~~~*~~~~
Two hours later and still evenly matched, the princess and the general had decided it was time to call it quits and agreed that they would meet for the informal dinner later. Heading back to his room and thinking about the wonderfully steamy shower he would be indulging himself in, Zoicite halted and nearly tripped over his feet in trying to avoid a messenger. "Oh...I'm very sorry. Are you all right?"
Pleasantly righting herself, she bowed neatly and replied, "I'm just fine, my lord general, and it's quite all right. You have a message from General Jadeite, my lord."
Accepting the sealed envelope, he tucked it into his pocket almost as an afterthought. "My thanks." "My pleasure."
When she had left, Zoicite opened the door to his rooms and sighed, taking out the envelope and throwing it into the first desk drawer, which he locked and hid the key once more. Just in case Jade had decided to send some important information... Gathering a fresh change of clothes, he turned on the water and waited for a few minutes until he was sure it would be hot and then got. The general sighed in bliss as the hot water poured over his hair, face, and body, relaxing the tired muscles and draining the tension from his body. Shortly after he was clean and dried, Zoicite walked over to his drawer and unlocked it, taking out the rather soiled letter again. Skimming its contents quickly, his eyebrows raised before he scowled darkly in contemplation. It read:
Zoi-
So you've been having fun on Mercury, I hear. Well, aside from those talks that you must be enjoying. Glad I'm not in your place. So, you think the Princess of Mercury is attractive, don't you? Show some subtlety and restraint, because even I can do that better than you're doing it. I'll admit she's pretty attractive, but I thought you were smarter than to get mixed up with a princess. Remember to watch your back, because we're not there to watch it for you. Oh, by the way, if you're pissed about the surveillance, they're Kunzite's spies-not mine.
-Jade
P.S. Don't be stupid, Zoi. Now is definitely not the time to start. -Kunzite
Crumpling up the note, his cheeks flushed a dark, angry crimson hue, Zoicite threw it back into the drawer and locked it. After a moment's thought, he took it out once more and began his reply on a fresh sheet of paper.
Jadeite and Kunzite-
So you're watching me, are you? I'm learning about new technology and training up here-better than you two could ever do. Admit it-getting close to the princess means that I get the advantages of much more knowledge than a common visitor. I'm not interested in her romantically, as you seem to think. I don't think the Mercurians appreciate spies, and neither do I. I'm watching my back, as usual. Thanks for the advice, Kunzite. I keep it in mind always. Why don't you and Jade take your own suggestions? You seem to need it a lot more than I do.
-Zoicite
P.S. Neph, I'm disappointed in you. You didn't have your two cents' worth to add-or is it two stars worth?
Smiling pleasantly, Zoicite folded the sheet neatly and stuck it into a fresh envelope. He would drop it off on his way to dinner...and he grinned just imagining their reactions. Normally, he wasn't this annoyed in his letters, but the fact that they were spying on him and that they thought he was interested in Ami... Both ideas were just preposterous. He wondered how they could have become so asinine in the five short days he had been gone from Earth. Of course he wasn't interested in Ami...right?
~~~~*~~~~
Feeling more than slightly uncomfortable in the revealing dress that Mina had sent her, Ami picked at her food inconspicuously, straining to hear the conversation of those around her.
"Hearing anything interesting?" a soft voice inquired dryly at her elbow, and she turned slightly to stare at the speaker, feeling her cheeks blushing hotly.
"Actually, I am," she retorted loftily, attempting to regain her dignity. "Everyone's talking and laughing together. It's good news."
"My comrades are conversing with your nobles and quite freely, too, I should say. It looks like things are working out to both of our advantages," he smiled back. "But besides all this political talk, I was wondering if you could explain to me about Lunar cats. You must have come in contact with them on the Moon, didn't you?"
Remembering her mentors Luna and Artemis, the latter of which was on the Moon with Serenity, the former on Venus guarding Mina, Ami nodded. "Lunar cats are always a popular topic," she remarked. "They come from Mau, and they actually can shape-shift between two forms. Some of the particularly gifted Mau can develop other forms. However, their natural form is that of a cat. They can also become human, and hair or fur color as well as eye color will remain the same."
"What about the crescent moon emblems on their foreheads?"
Smiling once more, Ami said, "You must have visited the Moon, then, and met Luna and Artemis. They both have sigils to show that they are official guardians of the royal family there."
Inquisitively, the gen asked, "How come the other planets don't have Lunar cats? Or Mercurian or Jovian animals?"
"Actually, I'm not sure. The topic has been debated a few times, but most people have come to the general consensus that the Moon is the most important, etc., etc., as the foundation of the Silver Alliance."
Changing the subject, Zoicite commented, "My friend, General Nephrite, is very interested in astronomy, especially about stars. He's curious to hear what the Mercurians have to say about the comet that recently passed through the Milky Way. Have your scientists come up with any explanations?"
"No, we haven't, but everyone agrees that it was definitely a supernatural occurrence with a very strange path. If I remember correctly, it was white with a multicolored tail. But it circled past all the planets, from Pluto inwards until it went past the Earth and eventually the sun. Did it enter the Terran atmosphere, by any chance?"
"It's a shame, but no. For this reason, we were unable to study it closer..."
~~~~*~~~~
It was late again that night when Zoicite escorted Ami back to her rooms. Pausing outside the closed door, she smiled teasingly and observed, "Ever since you've begun escorting me to my rooms, I've always gone to sleep very late at night." "Perhaps, but I reach my room even later than you do," he jested back.
"Will you meet me here tomorrow morning, after breakfast?"
"Of course," the gen answered, slightly surprised. "Sweet dreams. Unless, of course, you don't like them."
Spinning around suddenly, as she had been about to open the door, ocean blue met forest green. Intensely, she whispered, "Do dreams disturb your sleep at night?"
Steadily, Zoicite replied, "We all have our haunting skeletons in the closet. It's an unavoidable part of living."
"I don't suppose you ever have these pair of eyes flashing in your mind every time you try to rest, do you?"
"Yes, I do," he breathed softly. "But no one else ever..."
"They're your eyes," they said together, before falling silent and staring at one another.