Sailor Moon Silver Legacy

Act VII: Cleansing Fire (Part 3)

The successive late nights spent protecting the city had finally taken their toll on Ami. On returning home from work that evening, she had immediately kicked off her shoes, pulled her curtains closed tightly, climbed under the covers of her bed, and gone straight to sleep without fully undressing.

Ami knew patrolling was important right now, but she reasoned that she wouldn't be much use to anybody with her current level of exhaustion. Before drifting off into peaceful oblivion, Ami wondered how Minako had ever kept up her nightly routine. In a moment of curiosity, she had hacked into the police records earlier that week and discovered the full extent of Minako's exploits, giving her a renewed respect for the so-called vigilante.

Minako may not have worked full-time, but she had never missed a beat when it came to her other job. With how many arrests Sailor V had assisted with over the years, it was a little sad that she got so little recognition, especially now that Ami had some idea of just how taxing it must have been on her.

It was also sad that despite her efforts, crime levels in the city were at an all-time high. The place once destined to become Crystal Tokyo, a beacon of hope for the future, was rapidly descending into one of despair.

When a noisy alarm sounded just four hours after Ami had fallen asleep, she was tempted to hurl the source at the nearest wall, but she realized it was coming from her computer. She may have taken the night off, but it seemed the enemy was doing no such thing.

Ami fished out the hand-held device from under the covers and squinted at the screen to analyze the readings. An energy signature strong enough to be cause for concern had been detected. Once her bleary vision had adjusted, she bolted upright in her bed. The large reading was close to a hospital. Her hospital.

They wouldn't target a medical facility, though, would they? Even as Ami asked herself this question, she remembered that the children at Makoto's school had not been off-limits to the Blood Moon Alliance. Why would the infirm be any different? As quickly as she could, Ami got ready and headed out for the hospital.

Along the way, each time her car stopped at an intersection, she checked her computer. She cursed under her breath upon seeing the energy-reading head in the direction of the building, and again when it fainted considerably and split in two, knowing that this meant there were multiple enemies. Halfway to her destination, another noise disrupted her thoughts. It was her phone ringing this time.

"Hello?" Ami answered.

"Hello, Doctor Mizuno? This is Nurse Shizuka from the hospital. Doctor Miyamoto has asked me to get in touch."

"Is there a problem?" Ami asked with urgency.

"I'm afraid we're having a problem with Miss Hino."

"What's wrong?"

"She's had one of her episodes and isn't responding to our sedatives. Dr. Miamoto says that you're to be informed of anything out of the ordinary regarding Miss Hino's treatment."

"I'm on my way. I'll be there shortly," said Ami before hanging up and pushing a little harder on the accelerator pedal.

There it was. Confirmation—not that she needed it. Rei had detected the enemy and was unusually disturbed. And no wonder, after consulting her computer again, Ami saw that there were now four separate readings in different areas of the building. After what happened to Makoto, if they discovered Rei's energy was pure, they would surely take her.

Ami had to get there, but what could she do in these circumstances? How could she fight while maintaining her secret? In order to perpetuate the myth of Sailor V, she would have to defeat four Youma, and in enclosed surroundings. She wouldn't be able to pass off mist as a natural occurrence inside the labyrinthine building. On top of that, patients would be endangered if the battles got out of hand. The police—whom she alerted using her computer—would face similar problems.