Chapter 6: Ami’s Birthday! Melissa Needs to Prove Herself?! “Are you sure it’s okay? I mean, this stack of presents here looks like a pile,” Yaten said, being her typical perfectionist self. “It’s okay, of course it is. Do you really think that Ami-chan would worry about that?” pointed out Usagi. It was early afternoon on September 10. That’s right, it was Ami Mizuno’s birthday. There was going to be a party at the palace in her honor; and all the Senshi were coming. Most everyone was there, except Ami and her family, of course. Mihana Kino, however, was in full brat mode. “Mama! Can’t we have my birthday here too?” she whined, following Makoto around the kitchen. “Why can’t someone who’s going to turn 14 in 5 days wait? You’ll get your turn, and anyway, no one brought anything for you today,” Makoto replied, sounding rather frazzled. “WHAT?!?! They’re mean, forgetting my birthday!!” Mihana shouted indignantly. “It is NOT your birthday today!” Makoto snapped, her patience with her eldest daughter coming to an end. Before Mihana could make a retort, though, Yumemi Kaiou rushed in, breathless and excited. “They’re here!” she panted. “Now Mihana-chan, don’t pester Ami-chan, okay?” Makoto warned. Her effort at good parenting went unheard, however, as Mihana was gone from the kitchen. Makoto wasn’t worried, though. She was probably just out in the main hall, talking to the other guests. Meanwhile, Hikari Mizuno, after arriving with Ami and her sisters, had made a beeline for Mihana, who was, at the moment, whining about her “unfair” situation to Taiki, someone who would listen silently and tolerantly. “Hey Mihana, what are you talking to Forehead Girl here for? Giving her tips on how to make it seem like her forehead is smaller?” Hikari teased, making fun of Taiki’s extremely large forehead. “No, and she’s got a big forehead too; not just Taiki!” Mihana pointed out, jabbing a finger in the general direction of Shizuko Tomoe, who was giggling with Natsumi. “Taiki’s is bigger, though, and not just because she’s bigger than Shizuko; I mean proportionately to the rest of her body,” Hikari said matter-of-factly. Mihana stared at Hikari like she had something strange growing out of her long, light blue hair, or maybe out of her glasses. “I wasn’t talking to her about her forehead. I was telling her how Mama is treating me so unfairly!” whined Mihana. Hikari was a bit surprised, she didn’t know Makoto very well, but she had never heard the electric Senshi called unfair before. “What did she do?” Hikari asked, a bit interested in the older but shorter girl’s complaint. “She won’t let me have my birthday with Ami-san! That is SO unfair! My birthday is just 5 days away!” Mihana shouted, exasperated. “How old are you turning? 4?” Hikari teased. “No, I’ll be 14. How old are you, 4 yourself?” Mihana retorted, just as sassily. “I’m 9 years old right now, you doofus!” Hikari giggled, patting the spectacled brunette on the head as if she were a puppy or a young child. Mihana pushed up her glasses, glaring at Hikari. “Stop that! Treat your elders with respect, impudent brat!” she commanded, pointing her fist dangerously close to Hikari’s face. “Hmmph. As the daughter of the person with the birthday, I should get more respect,” Hikari said snootily. “Hey, what’s this argument about?” asked Makoto, butting in. “This girl won’t respect her elders,” Mihana whined. “She doesn’t deserve respect; she’s begging for presents when it’s not her birthday,” Hikari countered. Meanwhile, Melissa was arguing with a boy with long, lavender hair and a high forehead. “Basil, you must have me confused with someone else! I do NOT believe that stars are dreamy, romantic things!” she shouted. “Good. Amanda has ordered that we attack again. If you can’t get her, I have a second plan. See this girl?” Basil asked, holding up a picture of a 10-year old girl with her turquoise hair in an elaborate hairstyle that mimicked Usagi’s old hairstyle (the Chibi-Usa style, except it’s not pink). Melissa looked bored. “Yeah, what about her?” she replied, skeptically. “She is the cold, overly serious type. She could be the perfect pawn to use against the Senshi; to freeze their sickeningly warm hearts. I’ll get her. You don’t have to worry about not knowing where I am,” Basil smirked. Melissa glared at him. “Why would I care where you are? Who do I remind you of so much that you think I’m this person?” she yelled. Basil looked smug. “You’re like Ami Mizuno. At least in looks,” he said, leaving. “Me? Well, well, what have we here? Her birthday?” Melissa was smug now too. Here was the perfect chance for her to prove that she was completely different from that sappy Sailor Mercury. “What?! I do too deserve respect! You’re the one who doesn’t!” Mihana shouted. She and Hikari were almost nose-to-nose, glaring at each other through their glasses. “Stop this, you two! It’s time to pass out the presents,” Makoto announced, trying to break up the fight. Surprisingly enough, Mihana followed Makoto, hoping that some of those were for her. “And what are you going to do if you don’t get any? Kill everyone?” Hikari teased. “WHAT?!?! Maybe just you! Nova Cosmic...MMMPHHH!!” Makoto clamped her hand over Mihana’s mouth, shushing her. Hikari giggled; this one was so much fun to torment! Ami looked up and was startled a bit as she looked into a pair of dark blue eyes. The girl looked almost exactly like her, with light blue hair in the same style, only she was wearing a dark blue bodysuit. “Um, who are you?” asked Ami shyly. “I am Melissa. Don’t you remember me? I’m your long-lost cousin,” said the girl, bending on one knee and looking sad and innocent. Azuri Lights, however, was not fooled. “Ami! Look out! That’s the same person who attacked Mama in the park!” she shouted. “Yeah! She attacked Taiki-chan!” added Seiya. “So you remember me? I’ll just take this one,” smirked Melissa, and with a swift move of her hand, ice started to encase Ami’s body. “AHAHAHAHAHA!! Now I can prove to that insane Basil jerk that I am NOT Ami Mizuno!!! YESS...OOWW!!” Melissa was suddenly struck down from the back. “How dare you attack Mama! I am Sailor Chibi Mercury!” “Sailor Hermes!” “And Sailor Algebra!” Melissa stared in horror; Senshi were transforming all over the place. Quickly, silently, she teleported back to her dimension, not even bothering to capture Ami. “Summer Heat Scorch!” “Mars Snake Fire!” Chibi Mars and Sailor Summer melted the ice, freeing Ami. Basil watched the scene, bored. He knew that would happen. His brown-eyed gaze drifted over to his target, Niji Kaiou. He would get her soon. He would just wait. And when she wasn’t surrounded by myriads of Senshi, he would get her.