Ami Mizuno gave a smile and a nod to the young woman guarding
the door tonight at the Locket. "Cyber Six," she recognized the
leather clad woman enough to ask her, "what's a police detective doing
on bouncer duty?"
"It's a favor to a friend," Cyber Six explained in her husky
voice, pushing her black hair back from her face one-handedly. She
opened the door for Ami with a sweeping gesture, "Go on in, Prof.
Mizuno."
Ami blushed, "Thank you."
One of the major advantages of being a Sailor Senshi had been
the concealment of their previous mortal identities. To most of the
world 'Lady Mercury' was the only identity that she had, so
re-establishing 'Ami Mizuno' in the city's records hadn't been all
that hard to do. Deciding to be safe she created the public image of
being a reclusive scientific genius, so that the rare appearances of
'Ami' weren't too unusual.
Ruri nodded to her with a smile, "Good to see you again." The
captain of the Nadesico didn't look at all out of place there, her
calm manner soothing anyone who came in.
'I wonder if May is going to try to get her to become a
regular?' she wondered even as Ami asked, "Is Victoria Ceres here
tonight?"
Ruri surprised her with a soft chuckle, "Check out the karaoke
stage."
"Thanks," Ami smiled, moving into the crowds. She had arranged
to meet Victoria here because the Locket was widely known to be
neutral territory, and anyone who broke that rule usually faced the
combined wrath of everyone else there.
'I know things were hard for her, being a vampire,' Ami
thought grimly. 'I hope that it hasn't made her a harder woman than
she was,' she reflected. She made her way to the stage and stopped
cold, her eyes wide. 'Then again,' she thought whimsically, 'maybe
not.'
Victoria stood up on the stage, an impish smile on her face.
Right there beside her, a smile looking a bit odd on her normally
serious face, was Integra Hellsing! Victoria had the mike, and was
singing to her blushing vampire companion with a charming grin...
"I died, so many years ago
And you can make me feel
Like it isn't so
But why you come to be with me
I think I've always known
Never scared
Embracing what you feel
And you can tell the one you love
You know I always deal
Go whisper in this dead girl's ear
I'll always make it real
That's great
And I always wanna play
'Cause being with you touches me
More than I can say
And since I'm still the dead to you
I'm saying come and stay
And let us rest in peace,"
The number got a bit more rock and roll, and Victoria took on
a bit of an flamboyant strut as she continued on singing to her,
"Let us rest in peace
Let's go get some sleep
Let's take our love and bury it
In a hole six foot deep
We can lay our bodies down there
And find that sweet release
So let's go rest in peace!"
To the cheering of the crowd the two vampires stepped down
from the stage, noticing Ami standing nearby almost immediately.
Victoria smiled, "It's been a long time, Mercury." A raised eyebrow,
"Would you care to join us at our table?"
"I'd be glad to," Ami smiled back at her, not surprised that
she recognized her. 'When did Integra Hellsing become a vampire?' she
wondered as she followed them over to a corner table. Victoria
gentlemanly held out a chair for Integra, who smiled up at her
gratefully.
Ami took a seat, wondering quite how she should start the
conversation. Integra smiled at her slightly, "I suppose you're
wondering when I became a vampire?"
"To be honest, yes," Ami admitted.
"Arucard did it," Integra explained, "at my own request." She
took a drink of something thick and red that Ami hoped was just wine,
"I don't think he was too surprised at my request to stay with
Victoria."
Victoria looked at Ami calmly, "So why did you want to see
me?"
To buy herself some time, Ami flagged down a waitress.
"Hi!" Excel bounced up and down happily. She took Ami's order
and was gone in a flash, returning in a few moments with the glass of
brandy.
"I wanted to let you know about something," Ami took a
cautious drink. "I, along with a few other experts, have been doing
research on vampirism, and the biological aspects of the change," she
explained.
"And?" Integra asked leadingly.
Ami gave her a smile, "We think we may be able to cure some of
the disabilities that come with vampirism, including the light
sensitivity."
Integra raised an eyebrow, "And the catch is?"
Ami gave her a respectful nod. "The treatments are still
experimental," she explained to them, "and any possible side-effects
are still unknown."
Victoria didn't need very long to think about it before she
answered, "I can't speak for Integra, but for me the answer is no." A
slight smile, "I've adapted to what I am, and I don't think that I
would want to change it."
Integra nodded, "I would tend to agree."
Ami smiled slightly, "That's pretty much what I was
expecting." She leaned back slightly, "Are you planning to stay in
Crystal Tokyo?"
The two vampires exchanged a silent glance and then Victoria
answered her, "For the near future, at least. Why?"
Ami quickly reassured them, "The Queen is organizing a meeting
up at the palace, officially it's a conference of the immortals." A
grin, "But I really think it's just a chance to get all our old
friends together. I think she'd love to see you there."
"We'd be honored," Integra smiled.
Ami looked up, noticing a familiar face hovering at the edge
of the dance floor. "Looks like my lover has arrived," she chuckled,
"please excuse me." She left the table and walked towards her with a
smile on her face.
Rei Hino blushed slightly realizing she had been spotted, then
moved forward to meet Ami. "Sorry love," Rei murmured as she gently
took Ami into her arms, "I was getting a bit worried."
"My hero," Ami chuckled softly, as they began to sway together
to the music. She looked up to meet her eyes, "Thank you."
"For what?" Rei blinked.
Softly Ami answered, "For caring."
Characters in this Episode: Ami Mizuno and Rei Hino are from Sailor
Moon. Cyber Six is from Cyber Six. Ruri is from Martian Successor
Nadesico. Excel is from Excel Saga. Victoria Ceres and Integra
Hellsing are from Hellsing.
Author's Note: the song that Victoria is singing is a bit more
cheerful re- write of the song "Rest in Peace," from Buffy the Vampire
Slayer: Once More With Feeling! My deepest respects goes out to Joss
Whedon, and I hope he doesn't mind too much what I did to his song...
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