View source for 728/Illicit Science

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2015/12/18
|Location=Seishou Public School - Classrooms
|Synopsis=Ami puts the final pieces of the puzzle together, and lets Rei help her decide what it all means. Bolstered by Rei's confidence, Ami makes the decision to tell everyone what really happened.
|Cast of Characters=54, 64
|pretty=yes
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{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:54|Ami Mizuno (54)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>It's well after dark. Well past the time when the school should be closed. But who would think of coming in through the roof? Sailor Mercury, that's who. She does have to use a credit card to jimmy the lock, which will probably mean someone later might detect the breakin ... but only if they have reason to notice, really.<br /><br />She'd asked Rei to meet her here, and on inquiry informed the miki to meet her down in one of the high school science labs. There, Ami Mizuno is bent over an electron microscope, examining a sample on a glass slide, while taking notes on a pad beside her.<br /><br />At least she had some nod towards the illicit nature of her current activites: Ami has dressed in a black sweater and matching leggings, which so totally screams "doing illicit things".<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:64|Rei Hino (64)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Rei said she would come, and does as promised. It doesn't take her long to notice the jimmied lock, taking Ami's same path down to the science labs. Coming so late, she came in a black outfit of her own... of course, sneakiness isn't the only reason she's in a sweater. Winter nights are freaking cold!<br /><br />Hardly the kind of thing that a hero of justice would want to be caught doing, but then again even cops go undercover sometimes right?<br /><br />When the ravenhaired miko finds Ami, she comes up behind her and says quietly, "I'm here, Ami-chan. What do you need?"<br /><br />Rei has a vague idea of what Ami has been trying to do. She was there when Usagi asked her to do it. If Ami needs a bit of help from Rei to finish it, then she's perfectly willing to provide said help.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:54|Ami Mizuno (54)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Ami looks up from the microscope when she hears Rei's voice. The bluenette looks tired, with bags under her eyes. But at least she also looks alert, which implies she might have slept a little, recently.<br /><br />"Rei-chan," Ami greets, a little smile on her face. It's a false smile, and her eyes are drawn inexorably back to the microscope almost immediately. "Hi. Sorry for making you do illegal things. I just ... want to finish this sooner than later."<br /><br />She frowns and writes one last thing down, then moves over to a printer and inexpects a sheet of paper that's been printed out of it. Ami reads it over, then folds the sheet up and puts it in her notebook.<br /><br />"I have some ... interesting theories," Ami says to Rei faintly. "And I'm not ready to tell Usagi-chan about them. I want to present you with some pieces of evidence, and see what conclusions they draw you to. Just to see if my lack of sleep is affecting my judgement."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:64|Rei Hino (64)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Rei flips her hand dismissively at the mention of illegal things. "Eh. It's public property and we're the public. Or something like that. I think I saw that on a show once."<br /><br />The comment on wanting to finish it sooner isn't really responded to, but Rei understands it. Yeah, all things considered, the sooner the better, right?<br /><br />The tired look on Ami's face, the bags under her eyes, the general worn-out-ness earns a concerned frown from Rei. She almost thinks that she should say something, but... if Ami thinks that this is really important, isn't that her call to make?<br /><br />"Okay. Let's see the evidence. I can at least offer my thoughts on them, if that will help you."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:54|Ami Mizuno (54)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Ami nods at Rei's agreement, but for several moments she just sits there, staring at the wall without any indication that she's even still awake.<br /><br />When she does move again, it's very sudden and jerky, as a robot suddenly powering back up. She takes a breath, then says, "Right. Here we go. Saturday, at the Orphanage, when Kyouko Sakura entered the barrier, I noticed it shift and change. The energy pattern was distorted. A few minutes later, Tuxedo Mask carried Sailor Jupiter into an adjoining room, where none of us could see him. He came back after a sound like lightning in a bottle."<br /><br />Ami continues, "Then he left, and his activities for the next two days were relatively normal ... except that for an entire hour after he 'left', his cell phone seemed to be everywhere in the city at once."<br /><br />Again, Ami pauses, falling completely silent and still once more. Then she starts back up. "The text to all of us from Mamoru asked us to meet at the dropoff point for his homework assignment. We all rushed in, and found Sailor Moon being attacked by him."<br /><br />She hesitates, here, then says, "He turned into a Youma. Humans who turn into Youma traditionally turn back into humans after they are cleansed. The cats did, too," she points out. "Usagi-chan says he always tastes like what he's eaten recently; coffee or donuts. But the youma tasted like a coffee mug: plain, as if he'd ''never'' eaten anything, nor brushed his teeth. Just totally tasteless."<br /><br />"We defeated him," Ami says, hesitantly. "Moon Healing Escalation, used on other dark kingdom infected, has completely purified them. Kyouko Sakura, again, is my example. I scanned her earlier tonight; she shows no residual influence from it."<br /><br />Ami swallows, then says, "but her spear still has taint from where she stabbed Kunzite. He's clearly full of the stuff. It's practically replaced his blood at this point."<br /><br />She squints in thought, then returns to the previous point, "But Moon Healing Escalation completely destroyed the Youma that looked like Mamoru. I collected some of the ashes," she motions towards the experiments around her. "Human ashes should be composed primarily of calcium phosphate. Bone and impurities," she explains. "There's no calcium phosphate, here; just alluminum silicate. Clay and spinel and bits of blood ... but no bone."<br /><br />Ami looks to Rei hopefully. "Usagi-chan's signature hasn't changed. She keeps saying she feels this hole in her heart where she once felt him. But her energy is the same as it was Saturday. Even showing herself as the Princess ... she hasn't changed, Rei. I have ... some theories about what all of this adds up to. But I don't want to say it aloud. I'm worried I'm wrong."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:64|Rei Hino (64)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Rei tilts her head at Ami's... hesitation? pause? ... is she falling asleep? Just as she raises a hand towards Ami, Ami seems to wake up on her own. Rei withdraws her hand and begins to listen as Ami starts to lay out certain facts.<br /><br />The miko listens to every fact as its laid out. Her lips tighten, her eyebrows shift, her eyes widen, and her muscles tense as the story goes on.<br /><br />She turns away from Ami and says, "I... need a moment to think about all of that. There's a lot of information."<br /><br />After a moment, she says, "First off, without doing a fire reading or something else, I don't really have much to go on aside from my own intuition. That said, I'll try to give you the best answer I can give you."<br /><br />Rei adds up the facts. Going forward it makes little sense, but going backwards... "Maybe you don't remember, but didn't you think it was a bit easy to take Tuxedo Kamen apart? His hands just fell off from someone cutting them. Considering the kinds of hits that boy has taken, it's a little difficult to think that he'd just collapse like that, even if turning into a youma had weakened him in some way. Of course, that also ties into the apparent fact that he had no bones."<br /><br />"The difference between Kunzite and Apatite is interesting in of itself, isn't it? Kunzite has been there for a long time, but Apatite had only been there a short while. It's possible that the difference comes from the fact that Kunzite has been with the Dark Kingdom, relative to Kyouko-chan."<br /><br />"It might be the case that Kunzite would be less human and more youma, as time passes... However, having had Kamen on watch for most of that time, he couldn't have been with them very long. Even Kyouko-chan spent longer with the Dark Kingdom than he could've. If the Dark Kingdom could've made it so that a human would die to Moon Healing Escalation, they would've done it to Apatite. As cold and murderous as it is, that's the only thing that makes any sort of strategic sense, considering their past behavior."<br /><br />"Plus the fact remains that we don't know that Kunzite can't be redeemed that way. If we could redeem any one of the Shitennou, then we'd know for sure... that Mamoru-kun should've been healed too."<br /><br />Rei turns towards Ami, eyes narrowed and focused. "... but the fact that he had no bones... the fact that he tasted wrong... the strangeness with his cell phone... Hey, Ami-chan, is it possible that Mamo-kun was stolen from us, right under our noses? I mean, the Dark Kingdom had a very specific reason for attacking that Orphanage. I doubt they were just trying to sell ice cream or upset Mamo-kun."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:54|Ami Mizuno (54)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Ami taps her nose gently and points at Rei. "That thing we killed ..." Ami says faintly. "I don't know what it was, but it was ''not'' Mamoru Chiba. Mamoru Chiba is alive, somewhere," Ami says faintly, "and the Dark Kingdom has him. I don't think Jupiter was responsible for the lightning in the room. I think he got body-swapped, or ... maybe mind controlled. But whatever the case, I think he's still alive, Rei. He's still alive, and we need to find him."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:64|Rei Hino (64)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Ami says it... Rei's gut clenches, as do her teeth. "Yeah... yeah... that's what I thought you were getting at. They replaced him with a body copy. You know, there's something else that Mamo-fake said. He said he wanted witnesses. So with that in mind one possiblity becomes alarmingly clear, doesn't it?"<br /><br />Rei tilts her head. She frowns. She's angry, very angry, at the thought of Mamoru being imprisoned, and possibly tortured, or corrupted, or whatever evil things they're doing to him. She keeps her anger in check, for the moment. That anger isn't for Ami. It's for the Dark Kingdom.<br /><br />"They kidnapped him, and faked his death in a way that would hurt Moon-chan. With so many witnesses to that little ''performance'', there'd be very few people going off and looking for him. At least, I could imagine that being their plan."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:54|Ami Mizuno (54)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Ami shakes a little, with the information out. "I don't know how to tell Usagi this," she says faintly. "I don't want to give her false hope. And I can't prove that I'm right," she says. "I"m just ... I'm sure of it, Rei-chan. I'm sure he's alive, somewhere, and that the Princess can find him."<br /><br />She swallows, then looks to Rei, "But how do I tell everyone that they're mourning for someone who isn't dead? How do I ..." she trails off, and for the first time in a week, tears start to form in her eyes: grief Ami has denied herself. She wipes at it, denies it again, then takes a steadying breath.<br /><br />"I don't know what to do now," Ami tells Rei honestly once she's got her exhaustion-triggered emotions back under control. "I've worked so hard just to reach this point. I don't know what to do next."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:64|Rei Hino (64)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Rei takes a long look at Ami. She can't hold back her concern this time. The miko reaches out with her arms and wraps them around Ami's back, pulling her in. Softly, she says, "You've worked so hard for answers... this is the answer you've found. I'm still... processing it myself... I spent the past several days thinking that he was dead, trying to explain to grandpa where Minori went, trying to..."<br /><br />An unwanted tear falls from Rei's eye. She wanted to be strong about this... but death was something she could've gotten over. Knowing that someone who was a friend to her was still alive and being held captive... that's going to bother her for as long as it goes on. A problem that can be fixed but isn't yet is always harder to cope with than a problem that can never be fixed.<br /><br />"... I don't think you're wrong. I don't think it's a false hope. It's the answer you came up with, and I have faith in that. I know Usagi-chan does, too. If we have a chance to save him, then even if it's hard... we have to take it, don't we? It's our duty, as Sailor Senshi, and I'm not going to shy away from that."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:54|Ami Mizuno (54)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Ami leans into Rei's embrace readily, closing her eyes for just a moment. And in that moment she nearly falls asleep against Rei, but then starts back awake. Ami opens her eyes again and stares towards the wall.<br /><br />She nods just faintly. "I'm glad you have so much faith in me, but I can't ... be so sure. If I tell her this, and I'm wrong, it's going to break her heart even worse."<br /><br />The bluenette hesitates a moment, then asks, "Do you really think I should tell her?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:64|Rei Hino (64)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Rei pauses. If she's wrong it breaks Usagi's heart... but...<br /><br />"How do I put it... I think it's a matter of risk assessment. One way, you could potentially break Usagi's heart. Yet on the other path, you could potentially leave Mamoru to a fate worse than death."<br /><br />Rei shrugs. "You know Usagi just as well as I do... do you think she'd choose taking a chance for a better fate for Mamoru? Or do you think she'd want to avoid further pain?"<br /><br />Rei shakes her head. "I know it'll hurt if you're wrong... but... I don't think you are... and I don't think we'd be very good friends if we didn't at least try."<br /><br />Rei pulls away from Ami, her hands sliding down her arms and grasping the water senshi's own hands. Rei looks Ami in the eye. "I know she cries easy... but having seen her... I don't really think she's ''weak''. If it were me, I would tell her, but you're the one who did all of the work. You should be the one to tell her this."<br /><br />Rei glances away, looking at a wall. "Besides... even if you don't, I can't just let this be. I'm gonna go searching for him. I'd like to have Usagi be a part of that search. If he is alive, I'm sure she'll be needed."<br /><br />Her eyes turn back to Ami, and she gives a half-grin. "The medicine you need doesn't always taste good, but that doesn't mean it wont be healthier for you in the long run. Even if it turns out to be a false hope, it's a lesson we'll all have to learn."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:54|Ami Mizuno (54)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Ami nods her head just faintly. "Okay," she says, emboldened by Rei's words. "Okay, I'll tell her. But I need some sleep first. Real sleep, not just little catnaps taken to appease Usagi after a nodoze spree. I'll try and get everyone together in a few days. Can you hold off that long?"<br /><br />The bluenette looks to Rei hopefully. "I know it's more time that he has to wait, but ... I'm not in a condition to deliver this news to everyone, yet. I need to make sure I am right, first. I need to be sure I'm rested. Okay?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:64|Rei Hino (64)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Rei smiles, releasing Ami's hands and pulling away. "Can I wait a bit for an friend to rest up and be ready? Yeah, I can wait for that. I'll keep it to myself until then."<br /><br />Rei chuckles, "Thanks for working so hard. I'm sure Usagi-chan appreciates it, too. You ''should'' get some rest though. If you're right, then we're all going to need to be well rested... for the next phase in our fight against the Dark Kingdom. Whatever form that ends up taking."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:54|Ami Mizuno (54)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"You don't have to tell me twice," Ami says to Rei with a faint smile, as she slides off of her stool. Slowly, she starts cleaning up the mess she's made of the chemistry lab. But after a moment, she pauses and turns to Rei to say, "Thank you. It really means a lot to me that you came ... that you trust me. That you believe me."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:64|Rei Hino (64)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"You're the smartest girl in school, Ami-chan," says Rei, moving around to help clean up the mess. "... or is it smartest girl in the city? Country? Either way, you're our girl genius, and I know you've been working hard on this. I've never known you to make mistakes, and the evidence you presented is very compelling."<br /><br />Rei looks around and chuckles, saying, "Now if only we can get out of her without getting caught!"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:54|Ami Mizuno (54)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Same way we came in," Ami replies once she's done cleaning up the lab and putting it back just the way she found it--minus a few glass slides and chemicals. She stands and wraps her hands around one of Rei's arms. "Rooftop, then jumping, then .." she trails off. "Can I come stay with you tonight? I don't trust myself not to fall asleep in the elevator on the way up to my apartment."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:64|Rei Hino (64)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Mars chuckles, and says, "Yeah, sure... it'll be another sleepover." Her free arm places a hand on Ami's, as Rei starts walking Ami back towards the roof.<br /><br />Rei is mindful of Ami the whole way. She knows the other girl is tired, probably more tired than Rei has ever been before, but even if Ami falls asleep Rei will be able to carry her the rest of the way home.<br> <br>
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