day4This story is a work of fanfiction.  As such, it owes a great debt to the 
creators of the 
characters used herein: Rumiko Takahashi, creator of Ranma, and Naoko Takeuchi, 
creator of 
Sailor Moon. 
     This story is contains scenes of a dark nature and Lime rated material, and 
thus is not suited 
for younger readers.  Reader discretion is advised. 
  
  
  
On a Clear Day You Can See Forever 
Chapter Four: Shadows of the Past 
  
     Usagi woke slowly to the most wonderful sensation.  Soft lips were tracing 
along the tender 
skin of her throat, slowly making their way up to slide along the curve of her 
jaw.  A throaty, 
feline purr escaped her as someone embraced her from behind, wrapping her in 
drowsy heat.  She 
arched her back, giving the teasing lips freedom to do as they wished, her 
eyelids fluttering, still 
heavy with sleep.  The mouth trailed sweet heat down to the point of her chin, 
then slowly moved 
up towards her mouth.  Her breath quickened at the delicious sensations as she 
was rolled slowly 
onto her back, the gentle pressure of hot breath teasing her lips apart in 
anticipation. 
     "Minako, what are you doing?" a voice demanded angrily.  Frowning, Usagi 
pried her eyes 
open to see sparkling blue eyes and a tousled mane of blonde hair. 
     "Morning, princess," Minako said sweetly. 
     "Miiinaaakooo," Usagi moaned.  "I thought you were Mamo-chan!" 
     "He wakes you up like this?" Minako asked mischievously. 
     "Well ..." 
     "You can get off of her any time," the voice came again.  Out of the corner 
of her eye, Usagi 
could see Rei standing beside the sofa bed, arms crossed.  Minako sighed and 
began pull away, 
but Usagi reached up and twined her arms around the other girl's neck, pulling 
herself up enough 
to kiss Minako lightly on the lips. 
     "It is a nice way to wake up, anyway," Usagi said impishly.  "Thank you, 
Minako." 
     "Anything for my princess," Minako said, smirking at Rei.  Usagi had to 
admit that the look on 
the raven-haired girl's face as she stomped away was priceless. 
     "Hey, Makoto," Minako yawned as she crawled from the rumpled bed.  "What's 
for 
breakfast?" 
     "Mustard," Makoto replied.  "Unless someone goes for groceries." 
     "If you're cooking, I'm up for it," Minako said easily, raking her heavy 
blonde hair back from 
her face with her fingers.  Usagi watched her strut across the floor, reflecting 
wryly that her friend 
always acted as if all eyes were on her.  And, much of the time, it seemed she 
was right. 
     "Great," Makoto said.  "While you're doing that, I'm going to run down to 
Memorial Square. 
There's something in for me." 
     "I can get that too," Minako offered, rooting around in her bag. 
     "No, I want to make sure it's what I'm after before I pay," Makoto told 
her.  "Anyway, it's a 
little out of the way.  I should be there and back by the time you finish, 
though." 
     "You're taking your motorcycle?" Usagi asked, grabbing at the opportunity.  
"Can I come?" 
     "Someone has to be here if Ami calls," Makoto told her. 
     "No problem," Rei said.  "I'll stay." 
     "So it's okay?" Usagi asked.  Makoto gave her a grin. 
     "Sure, why not?  Get dressed and we'll run down there now."  Usagi bounded 
out of bed and 
grabbed her things.  She always liked riding on the back of a motorcycle, but 
that wasn't the 
reason she wanted to go with Makoto.  Somewhere along the way there was bound to 
be a pay 
phone, and she wanted to make a call in private. 
     Rei might not want to discuss the woman from the club, but Usagi wasn't 
going to be put off. 
If that woman had some sort of hold over Rei, then the sooner it was dealt with, 
the better. 
     And Usagi was just the person to handle this.  Well, with Mamoru's help; 
she'd noted the 
license plate of the fancy car from last night, and Mamoru could track the owner 
down for her 
easily. 
     Usagi suppressed a satisfied grin. 
     She loved being clever. 
*** 
     The knock startled Hotaru out of her reverie, and she turned to see Setsuna 
standing in the 
doorway. 
     "So here you are," the emerald-haired woman said.  "I figured as much."  
She came into the 
bathroom and moved to stand behind Hotaru, gently taking the straight razor from 
the smaller 
woman's hand.  Then she began combing Hotaru's thick midnight locks back with 
her fingers, 
gathering them at the base of the girl's neck. 
     "You got it a little too short last time," Setsuna murmured idly.  Hotaru 
sneaked a look at the 
other woman in the mirror, suddenly feeling anxious about Setsuna's close 
proximity.  The strange 
events of the previous night had shaken her, but the hunger remained dormant and 
after a moment 
she forced herself to relax. 
     "Setsuna," Hotaru began. 
     "Hush," Setsuna ordered sternly.  "Stop moving around, I don't want to get 
it crooked." 
Hotaru did as she was told, her head feeling immediately lighter as Setsuna made 
an expert pass 
with the razor.  Then she set it down and retrieved a small pair of scissors, 
touching up the ends. 
     "I can do that," Hotaru protested. 
     "It's all right," Setsuna replied.  "Let me." 
     "I'm sorry," Hotaru said after a few moments of strained silence.  "About 
last night.  I let 
things go too long, and ..." 
     "Hotaru, I understand," Setsuna murmured as she worked.  "I know you 
weren't trying to hurt 
me.  We're just going to have to work together to make sure your hunger doesn't 
get so intense in 
the future.  You understand that, don't you?" 
     "Yes," Hotaru said quietly.  Setsuna's calm, almost sisterly tone had the 
effect of relieving 
Hotaru's anxiety, allowing her to relax a little.  For a moment, she considered 
telling Setsuna 
about the previous night, about her dream and waking up with the hunger fully on 
her. 
     But in the end, she didn't.  Hotaru didn't understand what had happened, 
but the hunger had 
vanished as suddenly as it had come on her.  And surely, whatever it had been, 
it was simply an 
anomaly.  If it began to recur, then she would have to tell the others, but for 
now tensions were 
high enough under her roof. 
     "I owe Haruka an apology, too," Hotaru sighed at last.  "I said some 
unpleasant things to her 
last night." 
     "So I hear," Setsuna murmured.  "You don't really believe she's looking for 
an excuse to kill 
you, do you?" 
     "Of course not," Hotaru said, scowling.  She started to turn her head and 
Setsuna gently 
tugged it back into position. 
     "Haruka and Michiru are ... careful," Setsuna murmured, pausing to meet 
Hotaru's eyes in the 
mirror.  "That's all.  They're as protective of you as I am, they just don't 
show it the same way." 
     "Sometimes it doesn't feel that way," Hotaru muttered. 
     "I know.  But trust me, they're on your side.  We all are.  Now hold still 
so I can finish this." 
     Hotaru complied, the metallic snick-snick of the scissors near her ear 
strangely soothing.  Soon 
enough she would have to go downstairs and apologize to Haruka, no doubt 
enduring a lecture 
on hiding the intensity of the hunger from them.  Then she would have to see 
what had happened 
in the city over night, taking the time to sift through for anything that might 
be significant. 
     In the meantime, though, it was nice to sit here and be fussed over.  The 
normality of it pushed 
the aftereffects of her nightmare away, made her feel stable and secure and 
good. 
     That was a feeling she intended to cherish for as long as she could. 
*** 
     The rain had stopped and the clouds scattered, letting watery sunlight 
through to kiss the earth 
for the first time in days.  The wind was cool but lacked winter's biting edge, 
and Usagi couldn't 
help but grin as she clung to Makoto's back.  It was always fun, riding on a 
motorcycle.  Almost 
made her want to learn how to drive one. 
     Almost. 
     She closed her eyes a moment, just letting herself be surrounded by the 
sensation of being near 
Makoto.  The tall girl's long ponytail rippled in the wind where it hung below 
her helmet, and it 
tickled Usagi's face as she leaned into her friend's reassuringly strong body.  
It smelled faintly of 
rose perfume, and for a moment Usagi could recall a time when she'd been 
injured, and how safe 
she'd felt cradled in Makoto's strong arms. 
     If she'd ever had a big sister, she would have wanted her to be just like 
Makoto; stubborn, 
brave, and strong, but also gentle. 
     At their destination, Usagi had called Mamoru's office while Makoto went 
inside to conduct 
her business.  He hadn't been at his desk, and the surge of disappointment had 
been sudden and 
intense.  That made twice she'd had to leave messages; she had the sudden urge 
to talk to him, 
just to hear his voice. 
     You're being unreasonable, she told herself now as the sleek motorcycle 
raced along the 
expressway.  He has a lot to deal with at work right now, a lot of 
responsibility.  You can't expect 
him to put everything on hold just because you want to say hi. 
     After all, she wanted him to respect her ability.  And if something was 
threatening her senshi, 
her people, then it was up to her to figure out what it was and find a way to 
deal with it.  And that 
was just what she was going to do. 
     She just wished she had some idea where to start. 
     The fine thrum of the bike's engine resonated in her nerves as Makoto 
manoeuvred the 
machine through traffic, steadily passing cars and leaving them behind.  Usagi 
took a deep breath 
and let it out slowly.  All that could wait for a little while; this feeling was 
something she wanted 
to cherish.  The wind tugged playfully at her ponytails, the world rushed by at 
dizzying speed, and 
all she had to do was hold on and let someone else do the driving. 
     They were on an elevated section of the roadway, and Usagi caught a glimpse 
of the bay in the 
distance, shards of broken light thrown from the water's choppy surface drawing 
the eye. 
     Then something else caught her eye, something much closer.  They were 
overtaking a red car 
in the lane beside them, and something about it niggled at Usagi's memory.  It 
only took a moment 
for her to place it, though. 
     Minako had called it a Fransescetti or something, but all that mattered was 
that it looked like 
the car that woman had been driving.  As they drew closer, she could make out 
the plate number 
and felt a tingle of apprehension mixed with excitement. 
     It was the same car, all right.  Ironically, after she'd gone to so much 
trouble to track the 
woman down, she'd found her completely by accident. 
     The bike came abreast of the low-slung car, and Usagi turned her head to 
get a look at the 
driver.  She was driving with her window down, and Usagi caught a glimpse of 
luxuriant platinum 
hair being tousled by the wind, then the curve of one high cheekbone, the smooth 
line of the jaw. 
     The woman glanced over just at that moment and caught her staring. 
     Makoto had a full helmet with a visor, but the one Usagi was wearing left 
her face bare, and 
startled recognition flared briefly in the woman's captivating dark eyes.  It 
was as if Usagi could 
actually FEEL the force of the woman's personality as their gazes locked, and 
her mouth went 
inexplicably dry. 
     Then they were past, and Usagi realized her heart was racing in her chest.  
She couldn't let this 
woman get to her like this; if she was going to confront the stranger, she'd 
have to give the 
impression of power.  Usagi felt certain a woman like that would eat her alive 
if she sensed 
weakness. 
     Her reverie was interrupted by a flash of motion that she caught out of the 
corner of her eye. 
With a throaty roar, the red car lunged ahead, pulling alongside them once more. 
 The enigmatic 
beauty stared brazenly at Usagi, keeping pace with the motorcycle effortlessly.  
Usagi felt a warm 
flush spread from her neck down across her chest, almost as if the woman's gaze 
was touching 
her, insinuating itself into intimate, hidden places. 
     The sensation was disturbing; all the more so for not being totally 
unpleasant. 
     Makoto had taken notice of the other vehicle's actions, and was glancing 
over at it now.  The 
driver took no notice, though, her disconcerting gaze reserved solely for Usagi. 
 Finally, the 
corners of those lush red lips curled up arrogantly, and the woman blew a 
contemptuous kiss from 
her fingertips.  Then, with a high-pitched whine, the car accelerated away, 
leaving Usagi feeling 
strangely light-headed. 
     That ... woman.  Usagi shook her head.  Her confusion was fading, to be 
replaced with anger. 
That woman had been taunting her.  She had some kind of hold over Rei, and she 
no doubt 
believed that no one was strong enough to challenge it. 
     Well, she was wrong.  Her shadow talents would find their match in Usagi, 
princess of the 
White Moon.  That woman would soon find out that Rei had friends, friends who 
were not to be 
trifled with. 
     Her plan of having Mamoru track the woman down had been a good one, but 
suddenly Usagi 
was stricken by the need to seize the moment.  After all, the challenge had been 
issued, and she 
had no intention of ignoring it. 
     "Hey!" Makoto shouted, her voice muffled by the helmet.  "Who was that?" 
     "Mako-chan!  Can you catch up to her?" Usagi asked, leaning forward.  The 
visor of Makoto's 
helmet was depolarized, and Usagi could see the taller girl's brow furrow. 
     "Catch her?  Usagi ..." 
     "Please!  I'll explain later, just don't lose her!"  Makoto paused a 
moment, staring at the exotic 
sports car that was now a small speck quickly receding into the distance, then 
nodded her head 
sharply. 
     "Okay," she called back.  "Hold on tight!"  Usagi huddled against Makoto's 
back, excitement 
surging in her chest as the bike leapt ahead almost eagerly. 
     The chase was on. 
*** 
     At least the rain had finally stopped. 
     I stared out the window of the cheap hotel room, yawning hugely.  The paint 
was worn and 
the walls were cracked in places, but the room was fairly clean, not to mention 
warm and dry. 
The accommodations were better than anything I'd seen in weeks. 
     Unfortunately, I hadn't slept well.  There had been the standard issue 
nightmares, the ones I 
still had sometimes; I hadn't dreamt of my Nerima in months, but last night had 
found me once 
again wandering those shattered streets, lost in a nightmare landscape.  In the 
dream I'd found 
Ukyou's shoe in the street, full of blood.  She was the last one to die, and I 
don't have very clear 
memories of what happened after that thing took her.  Maybe the events in my 
dream really had 
happened and I'd just repressed them, or maybe it was just a freaky dream thing. 
 I honestly don't 
know for sure. 
     After that, I'd turned a corner in the dream, figuratively and literally, 
to find myself staring 
down the street that led past the dojo.  There, neatly lined up in the middle of 
the roadway, had 
been lonely pairs of shoes; blood-soaked, they formed a line that disappeared 
into the distance. 
Being a dream, I'd known who each pair belonged to, and I shouted out a name for 
each as I ran 
along, knowing I needed to get to the end of the line. 
     But I ran and ran, and there were always more shoes, and they were all 
empty.  All of them.  I 
know it probably doesn't sound frightening; I mean, shoes?  Scary, huh?  But I 
woke up in a cold 
sweat, heart slamming against my ribs, and a name on my lips, the only name I 
hadn't uttered in 
my dream. 
     No prizes for guessing whose name it was.  I didn't say it, though.  I'm 
not sure why, but it just 
felt like saying her name aloud would have been ... I don't know, improper 
somehow.  I couldn't 
live in the past forever. 
     Unfortunately, I couldn't make it let go either.  Made for bad nights, on 
occasion. 
     And then there was the other thing, of course.  I couldn't seem to get the 
events in the 
bathhouse out of my head.  The strange little girl and her weird rhyme had made 
guest 
appearances in my dreams too, along with a lot of things that didn't frighten me 
the way my earlier 
nightmares had, but did disturb me for reasons I couldn't explain. 
     I hadn't really gotten any sleep until almost dawn, and now it was nearly 
nine-thirty.  I had to 
check out within the hour unless I was going to stay another night, and that 
idea didn't really 
appeal to me.  The world outside my window was still somewhat dingy and gray, 
despite the 
gleam of sunlight on fresh rainwater, but I'd seen far worse.  And the 
temptation to just lie down 
and let the world go on its merry way was, I knew from experience, a both 
seductive and 
dangerous one. 
     So I packed up my meagre possessions, stuffing them into the hidden pocket 
in my sash, and 
headed out.  Since I'd paid cash, I'd had to pay the night in advance, so that 
saved me a trip to the 
desk.  The morning clerk was every bit as sullen as her counterpart from the 
night-shift had been, 
and she ignored me effortlessly as I strode through the cramped lobby and out 
the doors. 
     I turned and started walking aimlessly, forming the vague intention of 
finding somewhere to 
eat.  That was as far as my plans for life went; beyond that, my calender was 
pretty uncluttered. 
     That thought brought me back to the sailor girls from the previous day, Rei 
and Usagi.  And 
the flashy dominatrix in the black leather, too; the more I thought about it, 
the more certain I was 
that she was the blonde in the cat outfit who'd been at their table.  I was 
still curious about them, 
or more specifically about their reaction to me.  I might be making too much out 
of it, but that girl 
Rei had definitely recognized me, and I wanted to know why. 
     I had no idea how to find them, but thinking about it would at least give 
me something to 
focus on for a while. 
     The air was cool and smelled clean, as if the rain had washed all the 
smells of a city out of it. 
Faintly, I caught the tang of salt water, although I couldn't see the ocean 
itself.  Maybe I'd go 
down to the waterfront later on.  Somehow, watching the sea was always soothing. 

     I walked for a time, heading back through the area I'd traversed the 
previous night.  The area 
was a mix of semi-abandoned industrial buildings and new development, and I'd 
seen some places 
where I was pretty sure I could get something to eat.  As I turned onto a 
familiar street, though, I 
found myself slowing. 
     A couple of blocks down, a small crowd was gathered behind some hastily 
erected barricades. 
Flashing lights strobed from an untidy tangle of police cars that blocked part 
of the road with 
casual disregard. 
     Something about the scene tickled my memory, and I stopped for a moment, 
hit by a sensation 
of deja vu.  Frowning, I started walking again, drawn by the atmosphere of 
fascination given off 
by the crowd. 
     I had closed about half the distance when I finally realized that the 
action was centred around 
the very bathhouse where I'd seen the strange girl the previous night. 
     Fighting down a sense of apprehension, I edged up to the back of the crowd. 
 From this 
vantage point, I could see that there was damage to the building's walls; some 
holes had been 
added since my last visit, and debris was scattered across the narrow sidewalk 
and into the street. 
Whatever had happened, it had been sudden and violent. 
     An explosion, the rational part of my mind stated.  Natural gas, or 
whatever they use around 
here.  This doesn't have to have anything to do with you. 
     And that was absolutely true, but I didn't believe for a second that it was 
anything simple. 
     "Hey," I said to a guy about my age who was peering through the press at 
the uniformed cops 
clustered around the remains of the front door.  "What happened?" 
     "Place got hit last night," he replied without turning.  "Torn up real bad, 
from what I hear." 
     "Robbery?" I asked, striving to sound casual.  The guy snorted. 
     "Who in the hells robs a bathhouse?" he asked derisively.  "Naw, this was 
another weird night 
in the neighbourhood.  They really did a job on the place.  Funny, huh?" 
     "What is?" I asked. 
     "Why would wraiths attack a bathhouse?" 
     I hard-edged shard of ice fell into my gut at his words.  Wraiths?  First 
wraiths show up when I 
meet those two girls, then they make another appearance, this time in force, 
again where the girls 
are.  And now, they attack a bathhouse where I had a vision or something. 
     They must have showed up soon after I left.  That thought shattered some of 
the numbness 
that had begun to settle around me.  Coincidence?  How could it be?  But why?  
How were all 
these things connected? 
     I had no idea, but I knew some girls who might be able to shed some light 
on the matter. 
     The urge to find them had suddenly gotten stronger. 
     A lot stronger. 
*** 
     It took a while before the chase ended. 
     It seemed to Usagi that the woman in the red car was enjoying the pursuit, 
dodging in and out 
of traffic, powering her way through small gaps and surging ahead whenever she 
had any space. 
     But even with two riders, the bike stayed with her.  The ride was 
exhilarating; Makoto may 
not have been the driver that Haruka was, but she knew how to handle her 
machine.  She never let 
their quarry get too far ahead, but left a margin of safety in case the other 
woman did something 
drastic. 
     When the racy red machine finally cut off the expressway, Usagi figured 
things were about to 
get even stickier.  Chasing someone through city traffic was an entirely 
different matter, and she 
wondered if she should tell Makoto to back off.  She could still proceed with 
her original plan, 
after all. 
     But the woman didn't go far.  When she hit the surface streets she slowed, 
then signalled and 
swung into a parking lot, cruising all the way to the back before parking 
slantwise across two 
spaces.  Makoto followed cautiously, coming to a stop some distance away.  She 
planted her feet 
as the bike braked, and Usagi peered around the taller girl's body to see the 
car's door swing up. 
The woman emerged with that same sleek grace that Usagi recalled from the 
previous night, then 
closed the door and just stood there, a half-smile on her ruby lips. 
     Waiting. 
     The message was clear; Usagi would have to go to her.  Well, all right, 
then.  After all, she'd 
chased the woman this far.  Usagi slipped off the back of the bike and loosened 
the chin strap of 
her helmet.  When Makoto killed the bike's engine and followed suit, though, she 
shook her head. 
     "Here," she said, handing the tall girl the helmet.  "Wait for me here, 
okay?" 
     "What?" Makoto asked, her green eyes narrowing.  "Usagi, what is all this 
about?  Who is that 
woman?" 
     "I'll explain later, I promise," Usagi said, gazing imploringly into 
Makoto's eyes.  "But I have 
to talk to her alone, Mako-chan.  It won't take long.  Please?" 
     Makoto frowned, turning to stare at the woman across the parking lot. 
     "All right," she said grudgingly.  "But I'll be right here if you need 
anything." 
     "Thanks, Mako-chan!" Usagi beamed.  "You're the best!"  Turning, she began 
walking 
towards the other woman, trying to ignore the maddening tingle of apprehension 
in her belly. 
Perhaps she should let Makoto come with her; what if the woman tried something? 
     No, she told herself firmly.  I should be the one to handle this.  And my 
light is strong enough 
to beat her shadow, if it comes to that.  Squaring her shoulders, she marched 
straight up to where 
the woman stood watching her with what appeared to be mild amusement. 
     "Well, well," the woman murmured huskily.  "The pretty little flower.  How 
is it that I always 
find you in the company of such strong, beautiful women?"  With this last, she 
flicked a lazy 
glance over Usagi's shoulder towards where Makoto was waiting. 
     "I'm Usagi Tsukino," Usagi said firmly. 
     "Saekianna der Kae," the woman replied, her bottomless dark eyes returning 
to Usagi, looking 
her over brazenly.  Usagi felt herself flush at the frankness of the woman's 
appraisal.  "It seems 
you wanted to talk to me, Usagi.  Well, here I am." 
     "Yes," Usagi replied.  Heat still suffused her cheeks, and she paused to 
marshal her thoughts. 
This was beginning badly; next to Saekianna's poise and effortless 
sophistication, she suddenly felt 
young and clumsy.  "It's about Rei." 
     "What about her?" Saekianna asked. 
     "I ..."  Usagi stopped, cursing herself.  There was something about the 
woman facing her, an 
almost subliminal pull, that distracted her, confused her.  Remember, a little 
voice piped up. 
Remember what she is.  Don't be beguiled by her tricks. 
     "In the club," Usagi said firmly.  "It was you who threw that rose." 
     "Yes," Saekianna said, inclining her head slightly.  "And if you went to 
all this trouble just to 
thank me for saving you, I must say I'm touched." 
     "What?" Usagi blurted.  She hadn't expected the woman to admit it so 
freely.  And, in fact, she 
did have a point.  She'd killed the wraith that had been on the verge of 
attacking Usagi and the 
waitress.  "No!  I mean ... I know what you are." 
     "And what is that, little flower?" Saekianna asked, crossing her arms. 
     "A Sister of Shadows," Usagi said, lifting her chin to stare defiantly into 
the woman's eyes.  "A 
priestess of Dasma." 
     "In fact, I am the reigning High Priestess," Saekianna corrected her 
haughtily, once again 
taking the wind from Usagi's sails by refusing to be defensive.  "And you, if I 
am any judge, claim 
that pale witch Alieva as your patron.  Perhaps you are even favoured by her 
somehow."  This last 
was delivered with an arched eyebrow. 
     "Perhaps I am," Usagi replied, giving a smug smile of her own.  "I was 
raised by White Lady's 
sisterhood, after all.  And I know all about your kind." 
     "My kind?" the other woman echoed, more amused than insulted.  "And what 
sorts of things 
did you learn at the knees of our counterparts?" 
     "The Sisters of Shadows know all sorts of ways to corrupt, to manipulate, 
to control," Usagi 
said righteously.  "That's how you got a hold over Rei, isn't it?" 
     "What?"  For the first time, the alluring beauty's control slipped, and 
Usagi pressed her 
advantage. 
     "I don't know exactly what's going on, but Rei is my friend.  If you try to 
force her to serve 
you, I promise you'll answer to me, in the name of the ..."  Usagi broke off as 
Saekianna threw her 
head back. 
     And started to laugh. 
     Even her laugh was sultry, caressing the ear like fine silk.  Usagi was too 
angry to care, 
though. 
     "What's so funny?" she demanded, furious.  "If you think I'm joking, you're 
wrong!  Stay away 
from Rei from now on, or there will be trouble!" 
     Saekianna suddenly moved so that she was standing directly in front of 
Usagi, so close they 
were almost touching.  Usagi was enveloped in a heady wave of perfume, and the 
sense of the 
woman's personality was so powerful it seemed to prickle across her skin like 
raw electricity.  The 
laughter had died away, but there was still a trace of dark amusement in those 
entrancing eyes as 
they locked with Usagi's, demanding her full attention. 
     "Is that what this is all about?" she asked softly, her breath warm against 
Usagi's face.  "You 
think I'm pulling Rei's strings?" 
     "Y-Yes," Usagi breathed, her throat strangely tight. 
     "Little fool," Saekianna crooned.  "You say she's your friend, but you 
understand nothing 
about her.  She is no unwilling pawn of the Sisterhood.  She is one of us." 
     "What?" Usagi whispered.  "You ... you're lying!  That's impossible!" 
     "Is it?"  Saekianna reached out and caught Usagi's hand in her own, slowly 
twining her fingers 
with the other girl's while holding her gaze.  Usagi was peripherally aware of 
Makoto moving 
closer, but her gaze was trapped in the silken vise of the other woman's 
mesmerizing eyes. 
     "Rei's ... she's not like you," Usagi said weakly. 
     "How would you know what she's like?" Saekianna murmured, stroking the back 
of Usagi's 
captive hand with her thumb in a delicately distracting manner.  "I knew her 
when she was 
younger, pale little flower.  We were Sisters, partners ... and lovers.  I know 
the dark fires that 
drove her to the Sisterhood.  I have tasted them, ridden their fury and tamed 
them as much as any 
person could.  Together we fought, whored, seduced, and subjugated, all in the 
name of our Dark 
Lady."  Saekianna reached up and lightly traced her long nails up the taut flesh 
of Usagi's throat, 
curling her slim fingers around the curve of the girl's jaw and tilting Usagi's 
head back. 
     "Hey!" Usagi heard Makoto growl from close by. 
     "Rei is not only like me, little flower," Saekianna whispered huskily to 
the spellbound girl, "she 
is the only Sister who could ever challenge me.  She might have been 
Nightmistress one day, had 
she stayed with us."  The platinum-maned beauty let her fingers trail slowly 
away from Usagi's 
chin, the sensation of those fingers slipping over flesh very nearly making 
Usagi whimper.  Her 
senses seemed almost painfully acute, a hot prickling spreading over her body as 
Saekianna raised 
the still captive hand towards her lips, compelling dark eyes still haughtily 
dominating Usagi's 
own. 
     Just as those full red lips were about to brush her hand, though, a thought 
made it through the 
submissive fog that had somehow clouded her mind unopposed.  She'd chosen to 
confront this 
woman, both as Rei's friend and as princess of the White Moon, and yet here she 
was not even 
putting up a fight.  If she let herself be dominated so easily, then perhaps she 
really didn't deserve 
to be either. 
     With a cry, she yanked her hand back, stumbling off balance with the force 
of the motion. 
Fortunately, Makoto was right behind her and caught her easily, but Usagi 
realized she was 
breathing heavily, as if she'd just run up twenty flights of stairs.  Saekianna 
regarded her with 
languid hauteur, her gorgeous eyes lidded. 
     "You would be easy, if I wanted you," the alluring beauty said with the 
faintest sneer playing 
at her lips. 
     "You'd have to go through me first," Makoto said flatly.  Usagi had always 
thought the tall girl 
possessed a great intimidating stare, and she was levelling one at Saekianna at 
that moment, green 
eyes flashing coldly.  Saekianna, for her part, was checking out Makoto's long 
curvaceous body 
with undisguised interest.  The tall girl's form-fitting leather motorcycle suit 
left little to the 
imagination. 
     "How a fragile little thing like you manages to attract such strong women 
is beyond me," 
Saekianna said, ignoring Makoto's terse threat and turning her gaze back to 
Usagi.  "But I do 
know this.  Rei may feel some obligation to help you with your problems, but you 
can never be to 
her what I was.  Never.  I know things about her that she would never share with 
you." 
     "Shut up!" Usagi blurted, stung.  Some part of her curdled under the 
woman's taunts as they 
struck at her deepest insecurities, lodging their barbs in the most vulnerable 
places. 
     "She wants to come back to Dasma's bosom," Saekianna said softly, her eyes 
flashing.  Usagi 
felt Makoto stiffen behind her at the Dark Lady's name.  "If you try to chain 
her down with your 
insipid righteousness, she will only come to resent you." 
     "I don't believe you!" Usagi shouted, driven to distraction by the woman's 
cool detachment. 
"Rei is not a Sister of Shadows!" 
     "You don't have to believe me," Saekianna said with a sly smile.  "Just ask 
her.  Ask the girl 
you think you know so well, and see what she says.  Then you'll know, little 
flower.  You'll know 
that she has never revealed her true heart to you.  That heart is only for those 
she regards as 
equals."  With that, Saekianna turned, her hair flowing around her body like a 
cloak, and strode 
back to her car.  Usagi wanted to shout something as the arrogant beauty slipped 
inside and 
started the powerful engine, something defiant and devastating. 
     But she could only stand there and watch impotently as the sleek machine 
powered out of the 
lot and back onto the street.  The confidence she'd felt earlier, when she'd 
schemed to find this 
woman and confront her, had been shattered, vaporised.  Had she ever really 
thought that she was 
favoured of Alieva, that her power would sustain her and dispel the shadows of 
the sultry 
priestess? 
     How could she have been so foolish? 
     "Usagi?"  Makoto's voice was soft as her hands fell on Usagi's shoulders, 
turning her.  Usagi 
couldn't meet the other girl's eyes, though.  She felt belittled, humiliated. 
     "Usagi?" Makoto repeated.  "Are you all right?" 
     Usagi swallowed against the lump in her throat, hot tears stinging her eyes 
as they fought to be 
free.  Rei IS my friend, she told herself silently, but there was a terrible 
doubt there, its seeds laid 
by Saekianna's taunts.  She would never lie to me that way, never. 
     Never. 
     But there was only one way for Usagi to set her heart at rest. 
     She had to talk to Rei, had to hear it from her friend's own lips. 
     Rei, she thought desolately, why did she say those things? 
*** 
     "Careful!" Rei blurted. 
     "Look," Minako sighed, rolling her eyes.  "There was lots of space there, 
so just relax and let 
me drive." 
     "You call this driving?" Rei scowled. 
     "You didn't have to come," Minako pointed out. 
     "I'm tired of sitting around," Rei growled.  "But I'm not so bored that I 
want to get 
hospitalized, okay?" 
     Minako shrugged.  When she'd returned with the groceries, Rei had been on 
the phone with 
Ami.  The last senshi was at the train station, but the line didn't run any 
closer to this part of town, 
so Minako had offered to go and pick her up.  Rei had invited herself along, 
since Usagi and 
Makoto hadn't returned from their errands yet. 
     Minako drove with her usual flair, which people like Rei insisted on 
interpreting as 
recklessness.  It was funny; Minako had seen first hand that Rei knew how to 
enjoy herself, but 
sometimes the girl could be such a pain in the ass. 
         "It's nice to see Usagi happy again," Rei said at last. 
     "Mmm-hmm," Minako agreed.  "After all that stuff that Hotaru said that 
night, I wasn't sure 
how she'd react to being around us again.  I mean, finding out that we were all 
just pawns in 
Hotaru's private little war ... that kind of thing could make you doubt 
yourself, your purpose." 
     "Usagi was meant for better things than that, and she knows it," Rei 
replied.  "She's special." 
     "I know," Minako said with a fond smile. 
     "Do you?" Rei asked, her tone cutting.  "Then why do you insist on throwing 
yourself at her 
the way you do?" 
     "Come on, Rei," Minako shot back.  "You're an experienced woman, I don't 
have to explain 
this to you.  Do I?" 
     "My point," Rei snapped.  "Usagi has Mamoru.  He's what she wants, she's 
made that pretty 
clear ..." 
     "Fine by me," Minako replied.  "I want our princess to be happy as much as 
you do, Rei." 
     "Really?  Then why are you always mauling her, trying to confuse her?" 
     "It's called flirting, Rei," Minako said flatly.  "I know for a fact that 
you're pretty good at it 
yourself." 
     "There's a difference between flirtation and throwing yourself at someone!" 
Rei growled. 
"Usagi is not some tavern wench, you know!  You could show a little restraint!" 
     "You know what your problem is, Rei Hino?" Minako said, wrenching the wheel 
to bolt 
around a pack of cars.  "You've put Usagi up on a pedestal, ever since we 
discovered our lives in 
the Silver Millennium.  You treat her like some fragile glass sculpture that has 
to be protected 
from everything.  In the beginning, there was more than a little heat between 
you two, as I recall." 
     "Everything is about sex as far as you're concerned," Rei snapped. 
     "Don't deny it, babe," Minako replied.  "I was there.  But now you've 
idealized her relationship 
with the shining prince, and I can't figure out why." 
     "Because she deserves to be happy!" 
     "I agree!  But shouldn't she get to decide what makes her happy?  She likes 
it when I hit on 
her, Rei.  It makes her feel sexy and desirable and wanted.  She's a woman, and 
she needs to be 
treated that way, not as some untouchable princess!"  Minako turned her 
attention to the road, 
and an awkward silence grew up between the two.  Minako knew that, for some 
reason, Rei hated 
to talk about Usagi in this context.  She couldn't figure out why; Rei was at 
least as sensual a 
woman as Minako herself, enjoying the pleasures of touch and the fine arts of 
flirtation and 
seduction.  Well, if Rei wanted to deny her own feelings for whatever reason, 
that was her 
business. 
     Minako took a deep breath and let it out slowly.  Rei's temper was up, and 
she wondered if the 
silence would drag out until they reached the train station, or if Rei would 
give vent to her anger. 
She could be pretty unreasonable when the subject was their princess. 
     "I just don't want her to get hurt."  Rei's words were soft in the still 
air of the car's cabin, the 
cutting edge of anger gone now, and Minako gave a silent sigh of relief. 
     "I don't either," Minako replied, changing lanes with a cursory glance over 
her shoulder.  "But 
unlike you, I don't think she's some fragile, innocent waif.  She's pretty 
tough, and she knows 
what she wants.  Mamoru may have more on his hands then he bargained for." 
     "It's hard enough to find happiness in this screwed up city," Rei shot back 
darkly.  "We should 
be helping her, not getting in the way." 
     "Rei, I am not getting in the way!" Minako exclaimed, exasperated.  "Usagi 
loves the 
attention!  It makes her feel beautiful and special, which she is.  And I refuse 
to hide the fact that 
I'd happily bed her.  But if Mamoru makes her happy, then I'm all for them being 
together.  I'm 
not trying to steal her away from him.  Why should I?  After all, as princess 
she's entitled to 
concubines, isn't she?" 
     That got Rei's attention. 
     "What?" the dark-haired girl blurted. 
     "Well, isn't she?" Minako continued.  "She could have Mamoru and all of us, 
if she wanted. 
Her mother exercised that privilege in the early days of her rule, as I recall 
..." 
     "This isn't the Court of the White Moon," Rei informed her.  "Things are 
different now." 
     "Well, she's still our princess," Minako said stubbornly.  "And there's 
nothing that would 
prevent her from having lovers, as long as Mamoru approved, right?"  Minako 
smiled slyly.  "You 
may be her favourite, Rei, but I bet I'll be her first concubine." 
     "You are really amazing," Rei said, shaking her head.  "That's a crazy 
idea.  Usagi is NOT 
going to have concubines, or consorts, or anything of the sort!" 
     "Why not?" Minako argued.  "She's a healthy girl with healthy appetites and 
a warm, sensual 
nature.  I bet she'd love the idea." 
     "I hope you haven't been filling her head with this nonsense," Rei 
muttered, slumping back 
against her seat. 
     "You know, you're almost a different person when it comes to mentioning 
Usagi and sex in the 
same sentence," Minako mused, watching Rei out of the corner of her eye.  "I 
mean, you are a 
very sexual person, Rei.  You like to flirt, to tease, to seduce ... and you 
like to have those things 
done to you in return.  What's so wrong about Usagi liking the same things?"  
Rei didn't respond 
at first, rolling her head loosely on the headrest to stare out the window, and 
Minako wondered if 
the other girl was going to respond. 
     "Desire has its dark side," Rei murmured at last, her voice surprisingly 
soft.  "You may think 
you know it, but you're wrong.  It's intoxicating, like a drug, and you can lose 
your way so easily 
under its spell.  You think you're in control but really, you're just hanging on 
to the tiger's tail. 
And that tiger is hungry, Minako.  I don't want our princess ever driven by that 
hunger.  I prefer 
her the way she is now, a little too trusting, always wanting justice, always 
wanting to make 
things right.  That's special in this world, and when we find a shining light 
like that we have to 
protect it." 
     There was something oddly wistful about Rei's words, and Minako felt an odd 
certainty that 
Rei had been talking about herself as much as Usagi.  It made her wonder, not 
for the first time, 
about Rei's shadowed past.  She recalled the woman in the Ferengetti, remembered 
the way she'd 
stood near Rei, her stance speaking silent volumes of the intimacy between the 
two.  Perhaps she 
should push her luck just a little more, try to part the curtains that obscured 
Rei's past just a little. 
Maybe if she understood what this was really all about, she'd know why Rei was 
so strangely 
protective of Usagi. 
      But at that moment, something caught her eye, and seconds  later she 
wrenched the wheel 
hard, swerving into a nearby parking lot in a cacophony of horns and squealing 
tires.  Rei had 
braced her hands against the dashboard, and glared darkly at Minako as the car 
came to a 
shuddering halt. 
     "Nice going," she growled, peering out from under the silken screen of her 
dishevelled raven 
hair.  "But this is a tube station, genius.  Ami's at the surface station near 
the strip, remember?" 
     "Come on," Minako said shortly, bolting from the car.  She moved around the 
other cars 
parked nearby so that she had a clearer view of the building ahead of them.  It 
was an interchange 
station, a nexus of commuter lines for the tube lines and surface transit.  As 
such, it saw a lot of 
commuter traffic. 
     Right at the moment, all those commuters seemed intent on leaving the 
building.  Quickly. 
     "What's going on?" Rei asked, following Minako's gaze.  "What's wrong?" 
     The reply came in the form of something bursting from the flat roof of the 
terminal building, 
propelled by a beam of intense blue light.  That something appeared to be a 
wraith, and the light 
... 
     "That's her, isn't it?" Minako asked, eyes narrowed.  The energy seemed the 
same as that used 
by the mysterious red-head from the club. 
     "I think so," Rei replied with a grim smile.  "Looks like we can finally 
get some answers from 
this girl. 
     "If the wraiths don't get her first."  Minako winced as several windows 
along the front of the 
terminal shattered in quick succession. 
     "They won't," Rei said, breaking into a run.  "Come on!" 
*** 
     It had only taken them a few seconds to find someplace to change.  Mars 
suspected the urgent 
desire of nearly everyone present to be somewhere else had something to do with 
that. 
     Broken glass crunched underfoot as she dashed into the nearly deserted 
building, Venus close 
behind. 
     Oops.  Make that Mistress V close behind ... 
     "Couldn't you just wear your fuku for once?" Mars snapped as she ran.  V 
smirked. 
     "I stand out this way," she informed the fiery senshi.  "Anyway, I think I 
look much better in 
black than in orange." 
     Mars didn't bother to reply, scanning the main concourse for trouble.  
There was debris 
scattered across the cool polished tile, and water gushed from a broken pipe in 
one of the walls. 
Most of the action, though, seemed to be near the stairs leading to the tube 
platform. 
     As she led the charge, several things registered at once.  First, although 
there was some blood 
evident there were no bodies, which meant they'd been lucky so far.  Second, 
there were a few 
wraiths flying around, but they were hardly the only threat present.  They were 
outnumbered by 
gargoyles. 
     And third, the ubiquitous red-head was at the centre of things once again. 
     Mars watched as several of the airborne gargoyles tried to swarm the girl.  
She faded quickly 
back into the stairwell, forcing the creatures to come at her from the front.  
One gargoyle, a huge 
black-skinned specimen, wheeled in midair and tore one of the circling wraiths 
in half with its 
huge talons.  The remaining two wraiths shrieked in anger, and the red-head took 
advantage of 
the momentary diversion to turn and head down the stairs. 
     "Smart," V murmured.  "Down on the platform, there's no room for flying." 
     "Let's catch them in a crossfire before they notice us," Mars replied.  
"Ready?"  V nodded and 
broke to the right.  Mars closed in a little, sticking close to the wall.  The 
remaining gargoyles 
were facing off against the wraiths, enraged beyond reason.  In a perfect world, 
they could have 
just waited for the monsters to finish each other off.  But this wasn't a 
perfect world; the 
gargoyles outnumbered the competition badly, and anyway, waiting only increased 
the chances of 
that girl slipping away again. 
     However irresponsible V could be in her personal life, she held up her end 
of a fight.  Once in 
position, she signalled to Mars with a small nod, and the two senshi attacked 
together.  A series of 
explosive fireballs intersected a storm of luminous hearts just where the two 
groups of monsters 
were fighting, and the results were as quick as they were deadly.  Only two 
creatures escaped the 
initial onslaught, and they were quickly mopped up by the two senshi. 
     Mars met her partner at the top of the stairs, and with hand signals 
indicated that they should 
descend on opposite sides, covering each other.  V nodded, but before they could 
start down an 
unearthly roar reverberated up from below, followed by the sound of shouting.  
Trading glances, 
the two raced down the stairs, only to stop short at the scene that greeted 
them. 
     A train had stopped partway into the long boarding platform, and from the 
angle of the first 
car it appeared to have derailed slightly.  The reason it had stopped was 
crouched on the tracks, 
baying angrily as it butted the lead car with its large, reptilian head. 
     A salamander.  Even as Mars watched, the huge creature whipped its head 
back on its long 
neck.  She knew it was preparing to let loose with a blast of flame, and she 
could still see people 
scrambling back towards the cars still within the tunnel.  They weren't moving 
fast enough, 
though; some of them were going to be badly hurt, if not killed outright. 
     "Hey, ugly!  Over here!"  The shout was accompanied by a large, sharp-edged 
chunk of 
concrete hurled with astounding accuracy.  It bounced off the tough hide of the 
salamander's 
snout without causing any visible damage, but the creature's attention was 
effectively diverted. 
     It was the red-head again.  Of course.  She was moving along the platform 
in the opposite 
direction from the stalled train, shouting and waving to draw the creature's 
attention.  The 
salamander wavered, as if uncertain what to do. 
     Well, whoever she really was, that girl had the right idea.  They couldn't 
let the salamander 
flame the train before it was evacuated.  Mars broke into a run, heading towards 
the edge of the 
platform where the mysterious girl was standing. 
     "Hey!" the girl shouted again as the salamander began to turn back to the 
train.  Mars let loose 
with a bolt of fire which seemed to splash harmlessly off the monster's hide. 
     "For the record," V gritted as she caught up to her partner, "salamanders 
attack with fire, and 
they're pretty resistant to it." 
     "I noticed!" Mars shot back.  The blast had gotten the creature's attention 
again, however, and 
the beam of brilliant yellow light that lanced into its hindquarters seemed to 
settle the matter.  It 
began to turn around, surprisingly quick and agile for its size, one of its 
forearms snapping a pillar 
like it was made of balsa wood.  The red-head leapt down to the tracks and ran 
into the tunnel, 
with Mars and V right behind. 
     "Can it get turned around?" Mars asked.  V glanced back. 
     "Oh, yeah," she confirmed.  "Limber fellow.  I believe they're good at 
fitting into small spaces, 
too, which means he'll be joining us in here." 
     "What if he makes with the fire?" the red-head called back.  Mars looked at 
V, who shrugged. 
     "Great," Mars growled.  "The train's safe, but we're going to be toasted. 
     "Whoa!"  The red-head's voice drifted back to them, and within moments they 
had caught up 
to her and discovered the problem for themselves.  A gaping hole had been opened 
in the floor of 
the tunnel, the metal rails twisted like putty where they jutted jaggedly into 
empty space. 
     "At least we know where he came from," V said cheerfully.  "Now what?"  All 
three turned at 
once to see the enraged salamander wedging itself into the tunnel behind them.  
Its tiny eyes 
seemed to glow a baleful red, and tiny flames curled up from its mouth as it 
took a bead on them. 
     "Into the hole?" V asked. 
     "Into the hole," Mars confirmed.  The red-headed girl apparently concurred; 
she leapt into the 
darkness ahead of them.  Mars followed suit, and winced as flames rocketed 
through the space 
where they'd been standing only moments before.  Heat rippled over them, 
stealing breath and 
prickling skin even as she fell through the dark, hoping their landing wouldn't 
be difficult. 
     It wasn't.  The fall was farther than she'd expected, but the surface was 
even, and she caught a 
glimpse of it rushing up in time to set herself, landing neatly and rolling 
away.  The lighting down 
here was much dimmer, but as her eyes adapted she could see they were in another 
tunnel, 
somewhat smaller than the first. 
     The skitter of small rocks falling alerted her to the salamander's presence 
at the top of the hole, 
and she retreated down the tunnel behind V and the red-head. 
     "It's coming down," V pointed out helpfully.  "What's the plan?" 
     "No place to hide this time," the red-head said. 
     "Okay," Mars replied, stopping in the middle of the tunnel.  "That thing's 
hide is pretty tough. 
My fire is definitely not going to hurt it." 
     "I can fire a Crescent Beam into its mouth when it tries to flame us," V 
said.  "One shot right 
through the roof of the mouth and blammo!  Done like dinner." 
     "Your beam is pretty narrow," Mars said, her pulse quickening as the rain 
of debris began to 
intensify.  "And I don't think a salamander's brain is that big.  If you miss, 
we're toast!" 
     "Ummm," the red-head said, pointing.  The salamander's head and neck were 
emerging from 
the hole, and as it spotted them its sinuous bulk dropped out of the opening 
with a solid thud. 
The creature fixed them with its cold reptilian gaze, making an ominous growling 
noise deep in its 
throat.  The wedge-shaped head reared back, and flames began to lick around the 
edges of its 
mouth. 
     "Come on, open up," V murmured, extending her finger as the salamander 
lumbered forward. 
     'The roof!" the red-head exclaimed.  "If we concentrate our fire, we can 
bring the roof down 
on that thing!" 
     "Tricky," Mars breathed.  The salamander stopped, flames intensifying.  
Mars swore the air in 
the tunnel was getting hotter. 
     "Mars?" V asked, holding her pose.  There was no time to argue the merits 
of the plan; it 
seemed a better bet than V's sniper shot.  And how tender was the mouth of 
something that 
breathed fire, anyway? 
     "Do it!" Mars shouted.  As the salamander brought its head forward, the 
three girls unleashed 
their attacks at the roof above it.  There was a loud roar, and a wave of hot 
air hammered them as 
rock and dust exploded everywhere.  By unspoken accord all three retreated, not 
wanting to be 
caught in the cave-in. 
     The noise went on for what seemed like a long time but probably wasn't more 
than fifteen 
seconds before finally tapering off.  Mars waved at the heavy dust that hung in 
the air, coughing 
and grimacing at the gritty taste in her mouth. 
     "V!  You okay?" 
     "You bet," the blonde replied. 
     "Me too, thanks for asking," the redhead said wryly.  Mars stood with her 
back to the tunnel 
wall, making sure the mystery girl couldn't get behind her without being obvious 
about it.  When 
the dust had cleared enough to see in the dim light, it became apparent that 
there was no further 
danger from the salamander. 
     Unfortunately, the cave-in had completely blocked the tunnel, and the roof 
around the 
blockage looked very unstable.  They would not be leaving the way they'd 
entered.  They'd have 
to walk to the next station. 
     For the moment, though, that was the least of her concerns.  She turned her 
gaze to the 
red-head, who was shaking her head ruefully as she checked out the damage. 
     "Well," V said, her attention also fixed on the mystery girl.  "Here we all 
are." 
     "Yes," Mars agreed.  "And I think it's about time we had some answers." 
*** 
     Saekianna strode through the doors of her mansion, heels clicking sharply 
on the polished 
marble floor.  One of the household staff waited, dressed in the severely cut, 
tight-bodiced black 
and white uniform that managed to be alluring despite its plainness.  She, like 
all of the staff, was 
exquisitely lovely, her blue eyes lowered demurely as she bowed deeply to the 
lady of the manor. 
     Her behaviour befitted that of a servant greeting her employer; anyone 
entering would have 
found nothing out of the ordinary about her.  They certainly would not have 
guessed that she, like 
all the other staff, were Maidens of the Rose, serving the Sisterhood as was 
their calling. 
     "Nightmistress," the girl murmured in her pleasingly modulated voice.  
"Mistress Mirra awaits 
you in your study." 
     "Have tea sent up, and prepare the Cage for my practice session," Saekianna 
replied, handing 
the girl her leather driving gloves. 
     "At once, Nightmistress," the girl replied smoothly, bowing again and 
moving off with supple 
grace.  Saekianna went directly to her study, entering to find Mirra staring out 
the window. 
     "Nightmistress," the other woman greeted her with a bow. 
     "Mirra," Saekianna replied.  She seated herself behind her desk and 
motioned the other woman 
to sit as well. 
     Mirra was one of the strongest of the Sisters, and Saekianna's right hand.  
Her dark hair was 
cut short and full to frame her face, accentuating her strong bone structure and 
piercing ice-blue 
eyes.  She wore her usual enigmatic smile as she studied Saekianna carefully. 
     "The transaction was completed without difficulty?" Saekianna asked. 
     "Yes," Mirra replied.  "The deal is done." 
     "Good."  Saekianna waited as another Maiden entered the room with a tray, 
moving 
unobtrusively to set it on the desk.  She poured two cups full of steaming tea, 
placing one in front 
of Saekianna and giving the other to the smiling Mirra before bowing and taking 
her leave.  Mirra 
watched the gentle sway of the girl's hips as she walked, only tearing her gaze 
away once the door 
had been closed. 
     "The Maidens are all aflutter," she sighed, sipping her tea.  "They sense 
that something is in the 
air." 
     "Indeed?" Saekianna replied.  "I am certain that our Sisters can think of 
some outlet for that 
energy." 
     "They have been more than happy to do just that," Mirra admitted. 
     "Something troubles you, Mirra?" Saekianna asked, noting the other woman's 
posture and 
tone. 
     "As it happens, yes," Mirra replied, inclining her head.  "There is not 
much time left before 
Baniesti.  Can we really afford this distraction?" 
     "You have made your concerns on this point clear, Mirra," Saekianna replied 
coolly. 
     The other woman sat back, her icy blue gaze steady. 
     "May I speak freely?" she asked at last. 
     "Of course, Mirra," Saekianna replied.  "You know I value your counsel."  
Some of the 
stiffness went out of Mirra's slim frame, and she smiled wryly. 
     "You've brought us this far, Saekianna," Mirra said at last, her smile 
widening into one far 
more engaging than her usual expression.  "Why do we need these outsiders?  
Bringing them in 
just seems like a risk.  There's so much at stake." 
     "I am not bringing in outsiders," Saekianna replied, sipping her tea.  "If 
we use them, it will be 
as Thorns, nothing more." 
     "You are going to a lot of trouble to find them," Mirra pressed.  "The 
bounty hunter we're sure 
about, but this one ..." 
     "Mistress V is Sailor Venus," Saekianna murmured, a silky smile playing at 
her lips.  "After 
last night, I am certain." 
     "I see," Mirra replied.  "But it will still take time to find her, and more 
still to make her over 
into a Thorn that we can use.  And time is something we are in short supply of." 

     "I would very much like to use these girls come Baniesti," Saekianna said 
softly, pinning her 
lieutenant with her gaze.  "The irony of the situation appeals to me greatly, as 
does the prospect 
of their ... indoctrination.  However, that is not why I've been seeking an 
opening into their 
circle." 
     "Then why?" Mirra asked, her brow creased. 
     "This Sailor Moon," Saekianna breathed, leaning back in her chair.  "Her 
name, her emblem, 
invoke the White Moon.  I want to know what relationship, if any, she has to the 
cursed White 
Lady.  If she is some sort of avatar of that pale bitch, we should certainly 
deal with her before 
Baniesti, or we may find an unexpected obstacle to our success." 
     "I have found nothing to link her to the temple," Mirra pointed out.  "And 
she hadn't even been 
sighted for over a month, at least until yesterday." 
     "But as you pointed out, Mirra, there is so very much at stake.  I will not 
permit this girl and 
her sisters to stand in our way.  If she opposes us, then she will either submit 
or die.  Either way, I 
must know for certain if she is a threat.  I cannot find her, but I believe I 
will be able to find this 
Mistress V.  She seemed very protective of that club and its patrons last 
night." 
     "I hope you're right," Mirra said, frowning into her tea, "because the 
other one, Jupiter, seems 
to have gone to ground.  There was some sort of incident last night, bad blood 
between her and a 
group of weres over a capture.  She'll be even harder to track now." 
     "Have faith, Mirra.  The Dark Lady herself smiles on us."  Saekianna 
removed a slip of paper 
from her tailored jacket, holding it between two fingers.  "Tell me, do you 
remember my old 
partner?" 
     "Rei Darkeyes?" Mirra asked.  "Of course.  You two were Fire and Ice, 
unstoppable.  Like a 
force of nature." 
     "Yes," Saekianna mused softly, staring at the folded slip of paper.  "Yes, 
we were that.  And 
will be again." 
     "You've seen her?" Mirra asked, surprised. 
     "Indeed.  There's only one obstacle to her rejoining us, and I intend to 
deal with that obstacle 
personally."  Saekianna held out the slip of paper.  "Trace this license plate 
number, and find out 
what you can about the owner of the motorcycle.  I want a full report by the 
time I finish my 
workout." 
     "No problem," Mirra replied, taking the paper and bowing.  After she was 
gone, Saekianna 
reclined a moment, a hungry smile on her lips. 
     Usagi Tsukino, she thought.  You are going to find out what it means to 
stand in my way.  I'll 
see you kneel before me, and once you've pledged yourself to the Maidens of the 
Rose, there's no 
way Rei will be bound by you. 
     She'll be free to join us again. 
     Saekianna pictured how the doe-eyed little blonde would look in the black 
and white uniform 
of her house staff as she rose and walked to the door, a warm tingle in her 
belly. 
     Everything was falling into place for her.  Soon, she would be in 
possession of everything she 
desired. 
     Everything. 
*** 
     And here I'd started off my day certain that I'd never find these girls 
again.  Just goes to show 
how often I'm right, I guess. 
     The one named Rei was staring at me suspiciously.  I hadn't seen her do 
anything during that 
first fight, but now I knew she could throw fire around. 
     The other one was definitely the girl who'd been at their table in the 
club.  She was wearing 
that risque outfit again, all shiny leather and tight lacings and bare skin.  I 
didn't see how she could 
walk in those boots, much less fight, but she'd done all right. 
     Of course, now that we were here, I had no idea what to say. 
     "Well, here we all are," Mistress V said.  Unlike her friend, she was 
smiling at me while giving 
me the once over. 
     "Yes," Rei said coolly.  "And I think it's time we had some answers." 
     "Answers?" I echoed blankly.  I hadn't known there were questions. 
     "Yes," Rei said.  "For starters, who are you and what do you want with the 
senshi?" 
     "Um, Ranko.  Ranko Saotome.  And I don't want anything with any senshi." 
     "Really?" Rei asked acidly.  "So it's just coincidence that we keep 
meeting, and every time we 
meet, wraiths show up?" 
     "Hold on," I protested.  "The way I see it, every time I see YOU things get 
weird.  I never saw 
a wraith before I met you!" 
     She didn't seem impressed by that argument. 
     "What exactly are you up to?" Rei shot back.  "Or do you want me to believe 
it's just 
coincidence you keep showing up wherever we go?" 
     "Um," I said.  "Well, I did follow you and your friend Usagi to that club 
last night, but that 
was only because ..." 
     "What?" the dark-haired girl blurted.  She and Mistress V were looking at 
me strangely, and I 
stopped, trying to think of what I'd said. 
     "Um, I followed you," I repeated slowly.  "But ..." 
     "My friend?" Rei asked slowly, her eyes locked on mine.  "What are you 
talking about?" 
     "The girl with the odango and the ponytails," I said, wondering why she was 
acting so strange 
about something so simple.  "You called her Usagi when I ran into you on the 
sidewalk ..." 
     "You're thinking of someone else," Rei said firmly.  Mistress V was looking 
back and forth 
between us, her eyes shadowed by the brim of her cap, and I couldn't help but 
think that there was 
more to this than I understood. 
     "Right," I said with a placating gesture.  "So I followed two girls named 
Rei and Usagi, who 
are someone else entirely, to that club, where they met with the girl in the 
kitty-cat outfit."  I 
nodded at Mistress V. 
     "Mars ..." Mistress V began. 
     "How?" Rei asked angrily, her hands clenched into fists.  "How did you 
know?"  I took an 
instinctive step back.  I know temperamental women, and this one was definitely 
getting mad. 
     "How did I know what?" I asked, thoroughly confused. 
     "How did you know who we were?" she asked, glaring. 
     "Look," I said, beginning to get more than a little irritated myself.  "If 
you don't want people 
to recognize you, then wear a bloody mask or something!" 
     "That's just the point," Mistress V said, cocking her head.  "People DON'T 
recognize us like 
this.  It's a magic thing, a ..." 
     "Glamourie," Rei said flatly.  "Part of the transformation magic.  But we 
look exactly the same 
to you, don't we?" 
     "Well, yeah," I said.  "Except for the clothes, of course." 
     "Do you suppose that's why you had the vision?" Mistress V asked her. 
     "Vision?" I broke in. 
     "Mars had a vision," the sultry blonde told me, "and you were in it." 
     "Wait a minute," I said, holding up my hands.  "A vision?  So that's why 
you freaked when you 
saw me?  You didn't recognize me?" 
     "I recognized you from my vision," Rei, or Mars, or whatever she was 
calling herself, said. 
"Where else would I recognize you from?" 
     "Well," I sighed.  "I thought you might know someone ... um, who looks just 
like me.  That's 
all." 
     "You mean you've got a twin?" Mistress V asked.  "Hey, maybe SHE'S the one 
you saw in 
your vision, Mars!" 
     "A twin," Mars said flatly.  "Convenient." 
     "I said maybe," I replied, stung a little by her tone.  "That's why I was 
following you, to find 
out for sure." 
     "You don't know if you have a twin?" Mars asked in disbelief. 
     "It's a long story," I sighed.  "So what did you see in this vision?" 
     "I saw you bringing danger to the people around me," Mars said, her eyes 
narrowed.  "I saw a 
great shadow spreading, covering everything.  And you were at the centre of it." 

     "Look, I've got nothing against you or your friends," I said.  "I'm just 
passing through."  The 
hair on the back of my neck prickled painfully, though.  A great shadow?  There 
was a lot of 
death and destruction in my wake; could that be what she'd seen?  Or could it be 
that all that 
darkness was still following me around, waiting to spring up again? 
     "Well, I've got some old business to get out of the way first," V said, 
walking towards me with 
a slow, sinuous gait.  I tensed, wondering if she was going to attack.  I really 
didn't want to fight 
these girls; nothing I'd seen indicated that they were the bad guys.  In fact, 
anyone who fought the 
monsters was okay in my book. 
     She stopped directly in front of me and stared into my eyes for a moment.  
Hers were blue and 
sparkled with an inner fire, something playful but with a sharp edge.  She 
smelled like girl and 
leather, not at all a bad combination.  In this form, I was shorter than she 
was, so I had to look up 
slightly to meet her gaze, keeping my face expressionless.  This girl struck me 
as being 
unpredictable. 
     Still, there's unpredictable and then there's unpredictable; when she 
slipped her arm around my 
waist, I was caught off-guard. 
     When she dipped me low and kissed me, off-guard got upgraded to 
flabbergasted. 
     She was pretty strong, holding my weight easily in her arms.  Her lips were 
soft, but the kiss 
was anything but.  Her mouth slid over mine, eliciting wild spikes of pleasure 
in my chest as it 
created a silken friction along the tender skin of my lips.  As she began to 
pull back, she caught 
my lower lip between hers and pulled gently, parting with a gentle plosive sound 
as she righted me 
again, placing me back on my feet. 
     "Nyahaaa," I mumbled.  I think my eyes may have been a little glazed, too.  
Her actions had 
just been so entirely unexpected, my brain was having a little trouble catching 
up to events.  Also, 
my knees felt distinctly rubbery. 
     "Excuse me," Mars said wearily.  "Don't you think we should find out 
whether or not she's our 
enemy before you start doing that?" 
     "Nope," V replied, still staring down into my eyes.  "This way, if she does 
turn out to be a bad 
guy, I still get to kiss her." 
     "Um," I said, testing out my synapses.  A few of them actually seemed to be 
firing, so I tried 
again.  "Um.  What ... why did you just do that?" 
     "That," V said, trailing her gloved fingers along my cheek lightly, "was me 
saying thank-you." 
     "Oh.  For?" 
     "Last night at the club," the blonde bombshell replied with a sultry smile. 
 "You saved my ass, 
remember?" 
     "Ah.  Well, uh ... you're welcome," I managed weakly. 
     "Can you just be serious for ONE minute, V?" Mars asked, sounding 
distinctly irritated. 
     "I was being serious," V told her with a sniff.  "I thought she deserved a 
reward for saving my 
life.  And note, Mars, that saving my life tends to indicate a low probability 
that she wants me 
dead." 
     "So you're going to totally ignore my vision, then?" Mars fired back.  V 
stepped away from me 
and went to face the other girl. 
     "Well, it's not like you're infallible," V said slyly. 
     "Is this about Hotaru again?" Mars growled, back rigid with suppressed 
anger.  Still reeling 
from the unexpected kiss, I watched them in amazement.  They seemed determined 
to get on each 
other's nerves; despite that, neither of them actually turned her back on me. 
     Well, fine.  I didn't totally trust them either. 
     But come on.  A vision? 
     Hey, I was a girl!  She'd kissed me like that when we were both girls! 
     And what kind of vision, anyway? 
     "Uh, ladies?" I said weakly, tired of trying to marshal my racing thoughts. 
 They ignored me, 
bickering away. 
     "Ladies?" I repeated, louder this time.  They stopped, turning to stare at 
me together. 
     "Yes?" Mars asked tightly. 
     "The train is safe, the salamander's squished," I said, "but what about us? 
 What do we do 
now?" 
     "Ranko's right," V replied.  "We should get out of here.  We can discuss 
what to do about this 
... situation later." 
     "Fine," Mars grumbled.  She pinned me with her deep violet eyes.  "But I'm 
keeping my eye on 
you, so don't try anything." 
     "Like what?" I asked defensively. 
     "Like blowing up the moon," V said with a secretive smile. 
     "Pardon?" I blinked. 
     "Never mind," Mars said with a put-upon sigh.  "Let's just get going, all 
right?" 
*** 
     Makoto felt a strange mixture of relief and apprehension as she read the 
note Minako had left. 
The trip to pick up Ami had only delayed the inevitable, but at least it gave 
her some time to try 
and talk to Usagi. 
     She turned, watching as the lovely blonde walked slowly across the floor to 
settle on one of 
the couches like a wind-blown thistle.  Makoto hated the sudden fragility in her 
friend, hated that 
stuck-up snobby bitch for causing it. 
     And hated herself for not being able to fix it. 
     She'd heard enough of what had passed between Usagi and the stranger to 
understand how 
grave the situation was.  That woman had claimed Rei was a priestess of Dasma's 
order.  Not only 
that, but Usagi, despite her weak protestations to the contrary, seemed to 
believe her ... or at 
least, not totally disbelieve her. 
     That alone told Makoto there was more going on than met the eye.  Usagi 
would never believe 
that her Rei was a worshipper of the Dark Lady, not without damned good reason.  
And Usagi'd 
obviously known the woman in the Ferengetti, but how?  How would a girl like 
Usagi, nurtured 
by the White Sisters, know a sultry priestess of the White Lady's opposite 
number? 
     She dithered a moment, watching Usagi stare vacantly into space.  Rei would 
be back soon, 
and it would probably be helpful if Usagi was a little less out of it when that 
happened.  Before 
she could take more than two steps, however, the phone rang.  Cursing under her 
breath, she 
went to answer it, keeping one eye on Usagi. 
     "Yeah?" she barked. 
     "Makoto?" 
     "Ami?  Hey, what's up?  I just got back and found a note saying that Minako 
and Rei are on 
their way to get you." 
     "They were supposed to be," Ami replied, her voice breathy with concern.  
"But I called a half 
hour ago and they still haven't shown up." 
     "What?"  Makoto frowned.  In that case, they should have been at the train 
station already. 
"No sign of them?" 
     "None," Ami said.  "I was getting a little worried so I thought I'd call." 
     "Ami, can you grab a taxi here?" Makoto asked quietly, eyeing Usagi.  She 
could go pick Ami 
up herself, but that would mean leaving Usagi alone. 
     Not an option. 
     Ami agreed readily, and Makoto gave her directions, then hung up.  Usagi 
hadn't moved at all 
during the entire conversation, and Makoto sighed.  As for Rei and Minako, this 
didn't have to be 
a crisis.  They might just be caught in traffic.  If they made it to the train 
station and Ami wasn't 
there, they'd no doubt call.  At any rate, there wasn't anything she could do 
but wait. 
     Or maybe there was something.  Checking the fridge, she found that Minako 
had gotten the 
groceries before heading off to pick up Ami.  She walked up behind Usagi and 
leaned over the 
back of the couch, beaming. 
     "Well, we've got food," she announced.  "How about some brunch while we 
wait for the 
others to get back?" 
     "I'm not hungry," Usagi said wanly.  Makoto winced. 
     Not hungry?  Usagi? 
     This was going to be even worse than she'd thought. 
*** 
     Mars kept an eye on Ranko, trying to figure out exactly what they were 
going to do. 
     It was bad enough that this girl knew who they really were.  The situation 
was exacerbated in 
her eyes, though, by the fact that she refused to do anything hostile or 
provocative. 
     In fact, thus far she'd fought against the monsters at every opportunity, 
not incidentally 
protecting innocent bystanders, although whether by design Mars couldn't say. 
     It was maddening.  Articulating the emotional impact, the certainty of 
disaster, that had come 
across in her vision, was extremely difficult at the best of times; the others 
just didn't understand 
how horrifying the experience had been. 
     On the other hand, Mars didn't sense anything from the girl that would 
account for what she'd 
seen.  Oh, Ranko was definitely unusual; strong and incredibly fast, a lethal 
fighter able to harness 
her own chi as a weapon, if Mars judged her energy attacks correctly. 
     And quite a looker.  Her loose, boyish clothing tried valiantly to disguise 
the curves of her 
petite frame, but wasn't quite up to the task as her athletic stride pulled her 
pants tight against her 
rounded buttocks with every step and her shirt outlined high firm breasts as it 
was cinched tightly 
around a narrow waist.  Her long, thin flame-red braid snaked sinuously along 
her back as she 
moved, and unruly bangs made a silken frame for high cheekbones and deep blue 
eyes that 
showed the slightest hint of gray when the light struck them just so. 
     It was the eyes that bothered her the most.  In her vision, they'd been 
dead orbs, windows on a 
soulless husk.  But these eyes were very much alive, full of vitality, strength 
... and shadows, 
lurking deep beneath the surface. 
     Mars didn't begrudge the girl her shadows; many people, herself included, 
carried their own 
personal darkness around.  But what did it mean?  Was Ranko really a harbinger 
of disaster? 
Could the fate revealed in her vision be avoided if Ranko's eyes remained alive 
with the glimmer 
of her soul? 
     Too many questions.  And no answers. 
     "Man, we should have reached the next station by now," V groused.  That 
roused Mars from 
her reverie. 
     V had a point; they HAD been walking for quite a while. 
     "I don't think this is a regular tube tunnel," Mars said.  "It was quite a 
distance underneath the 
main tunnel, remember.  It must be some kind of maintenance tunnel." 
     "Whatever it is, it doesn't get used much," Ranko said, crouching.  "These 
rails are all pitted 
and rusty."  V crouched beside the girl, who promptly blushed a bright crimson 
that rivalled her 
hair.  Mars suppressed a sigh; it was hard to take a girl who blushed so easily 
as a serious threat. 
And after all, it had just been one kiss. 
     She knelt and saw that Ranko was correct about the rails, though.  
Frowning, she stood again 
and moved over to the wall to get a better look at the dim lights which provided 
them with their 
illumination.  What she found surprised her. 
     "Glowstones," she murmured. 
     "What?" V asked, joining her. 
     "These aren't electric lights, they're glowstones," Mars said.  "They used 
to use them a lot in 
the last century, before the Sidhe Wars drove up the cost of such things." 
     "So?" V asked, frowning. 
     "So," Mars replied, taking in their surroundings with a critical eye, "this 
is no maintenance 
tunnel.  I think we may be in part of the old tube system, a forgotten line." 
     "Forgotten?" Ranko asked.  "What do you mean, forgotten?" 
     "Saeni has been attacked many times in her history, and rebuilt each time," 
Mars said absently. 
"The Drakennin Sidhe pushed Queen Virla's forces all the way back to Saeni 
during the last war, 
and the city was badly damaged." 
     "But she did spank their pointy-eared asses," V grinned. 
     "Yes, and levelled parts of the city in the process," Mars mused, turning.  
"I've got no idea of 
which way we're going now ..." 
     "Well, if this was a tube tunnel, there still has to be a station 
somewhere, right?" Ranko asked. 
     "Presumably," Mars murmured.  "Hopefully it'll have easy access to the 
surface, although that 
doesn't seem likely." 
     "Right.  If people knew this tunnel was here, they'd have scavenged all 
these pretty 
glowstones," V agreed.  "Well, I guess we'll just have to find a station and go 
from there." 
     They set off again, trudging through the abandoned tunnel.  All things 
considered, Mars 
thought the tunnel was in excellent shape.  She tried to recall some details 
about the underground 
transit system back around Queen Virla's time, but couldn't remember anything 
helpful.  History 
spoke of furious battles and heroism; it tended to neglect mundane details such 
as the municipal 
transit system. 
     She did recall that monsters had been a problem even then, and regular 
patrols had kept the 
tunnels clear of intrusion.  She didn't think they had to worry too much about 
that, though. 
      Or did they?  After all, the salamander seemed to have gotten into the 
current tube tunnel 
from this one ... 
     Not a comforting thought. 
     "Damn," V said suddenly. 
     "What's wrong?" Mars asked. 
     "Someone is still waiting for us at the surface line station," the blonde 
said sheepishly.  Mars 
pinched the bridge of her nose and nodded.  She'd forgotten all about that. 
     "When we don't call, she'll phone the apartment again," Mars pointed out.  
"Nothing much we 
can do now anyway." 
     They continued on in silence for a time, their pace discouraging idle 
chatter as they ate up 
distance, waiting for some sign of possible egress.  It was hard to say how much 
time had passed 
since they'd first started out, but it had to have been at least a couple of 
hours when Mars called a 
rest break. 
     "Man," V grumbled.  "This train must have been the express."  She took off 
her hat and shook 
out her blonde mane, combing her gloved fingers through it in a way that caused 
it to cascade 
down her back in an eye-catching silken disarray.  Mars knew the girl well 
enough to know that 
she was putting on a show; she'd certainly managed to catch Ranko's attention, 
although the 
red-head was studiously pretending not to watch. 
     "Maybe we just ought to blast our way out," V sighed. 
     "Oh, marvellous idea," Mars agreed.  "Except we have no idea what's above 
us.  We could 
drop a train on ourselves, for instance.  Or just crush ourselves under tons of 
rock." 
     "What do you think?" V asked Ranko. 
     "Um," the red-head hemmed, obviously surprised to have been asked.  "I 
think she's right.  We 
shouldn't do anything that extreme unless we have to." 
     "Fine," V said.  "Be boring." 
     "Come on, let's go," Mars said wearily.  "The sooner we find an exit, the 
sooner we can get 
out of this bloody tunnel." 
     They set off again, Mars letting Ranko get a distance ahead as she fell 
into step beside V. 
     "Okay," the senshi of fire said in a low voice.  "Once we're out of here, 
we still have a 
problem.  What are we going to do about her?" 
     "I have a plan," V replied gravely.  "I'll take her home and seduce her.  
Once she's thoroughly 
smitten with me, I'll instruct her never to reveal our identities." 
     "Can't you be serious for once?" Mars hissed. 
     "Well, what do you want to do?  Kill her?" 
     "Of course not!" Mars gritted.  "But we can't ignore this problem, V.  It 
isn't going to go away 
by itself!" 
     "Listen," V said after a moment, her blue eyes following Ranko's progress 
closely.  "I know 
you'll take this as a shot, but I'm not convinced that you're right about her.  
My instincts are pretty 
good despite what you probably think, and I don't get any sort of bad vibe from 
her at all." 
     Mars nodded glumly.  She could hardly argue this point; after all, nothing 
the girl had done 
had revealed any animosity towards the senshi at all.  The more Mars saw, the 
less inclined she 
was to believe that the girl was concealing some sort of grudge against them. 
     "I know how it sounds," the raven-tressed senshi sighed after a moment.  
"But in my vision, 
she was different, not like this at all." 
     "Different how?" V pressed.  "Evil?" 
     "No, more like ... empty.  Soulless, like a zombie.  Her eyes were just 
dead.  It wasn't like she 
was calling the darkness out of malice, but more like ..."  Mars broke off, 
frustrated at her inability 
to articulate the jumble of feelings her vision had thrust upon her. 
     "Like?" 
     "Like she was beyond caring," Mars finished.  "Like nothing mattered 
anymore.  And there 
was a bigger shadow behind her, one I couldn't see clearly.  It might have been 
urging her on ... 
that part I can't really explain.  But I'm certain the danger is real." 
     "I'm not questioning that," V murmured quietly.  "But does Ranko really 
have that much 
power?  She's a wicked fighter, but what you're talking about goes way beyond 
that.  And if 
something or someone pushes her to the point you describe, maybe the only way 
for us to prevent 
this disaster is to keep her safe." 
     "Maybe," Mars said slowly.  "I don't know.  But I suspect we're going to 
have to keep her 
close until we figure this out." 
     "Music to my ears, babe," V grinned, her demeanor switching from serious to 
devilish in the 
blink of an eye.  "I think our hot little tomboy is a trifle shy.  And the shy 
ones are always fun to 
seduce ..." 
     Mars sighed and shook her head.  Sometimes she thought V's outrageous 
antics were part of a 
facade, but if they were there was no question that the sultry blonde enjoyed 
playing her part to 
the hilt.  And she really was quite a sensual and alluring girl; with a little 
training, she'd have made 
a capable Sister. 
     "Hey!" Ranko's voice came back to them.  "I see something ahead!"  The two 
senshi broke 
into a run, quickly catching up to Ranko.  Mars could see what had caught the 
girl's attention; 
there appeared to be a darker spot along the right-hand wall. 
     Together, the three continued quickly along the tunnel, the irregularity 
taking shape as an 
opening.  They drew near to find a platform at nearly head-height, and V 
whooped. 
     "Now we're talking!" she crowed.  "Man, I want to get out of here and get 
something to eat!" 
     Mars silently agreed; it must be well past lunchtime by now, and they 
hadn't had any breakfast 
either.  Ranko crouched slightly and sprang up to the platform, V and Mars 
following suit. 
     It was quite a sight to behold.  Dusty green and black tiles disappeared 
into the shadowed 
recesses of the old platform, pillars standing in orderly rows like forgotten 
soldiers.  Some of the 
glowstones around the platform must have been destroyed or taken; heavy pools of 
darkness lay 
all about, giving the abandoned station a vaguely desolate air. 
     "Wow," V said, her voice hushed.  "Nobody's been here in a very long time, 
that's for sure." 
     "Let's look around," Mars said, automatically lowering her own voice in the 
funereal 
surroundings.  "See if there's a way up." 
     Moving tentatively, they walked across the platform.  The heels of V's 
boots and Mars' pumps 
made hollow tick-tack noises on the cold tile that echoed sharply in the 
darkness, but other than 
that and the sound of her own breathing Mars couldn't hear anything. 
     "Check this out," V breathed, pointing.  Mars joined her and looked at the 
plaque bolted to 
one of the pillars. 
     "Wyvern Keep Station," she read. 
     "Wyvern Keep?" V echoed.  "Wasn't that one of those old defence posts from 
the Sidhe 
Wars?" 
     "That's right," Mars said.  "A series of Keeps connected by a wall 
surrounded the city back 
then, forming a defensive perimeter.  None of them survived the war, though.  
This station must 
have been near Wyvern Keep.  During wartime, the military could have used the 
line to bring 
supplies and men underground from the inner city, I guess." 
     "Hey, take a look at this," Ranko called.  The two senshi walked over to a 
nearby pillar where 
the red-head stood staring at something on the floor.  Mars noticed a bare spot 
on the pillar where 
something had been removed; from the shape of the lighter patch and its 
position, she guessed it 
was one of the station's nameplates. 
     "My, my," V breathed.  "Someone made a little offering to Olidia, goddess 
of luuuuuv." 
     "Is that what that is?" Ranko asked. 
     "Uh-huh," V replied with a knowing smile.  "Olidia is usually associated 
with Venus, you 
know, so I have a natural affinity for her.  I like to think of myself as an 
avatar of love." 
     "As opposed to a sex-crazed bimbo, you mean," Mars shot back, earning a 
black look from V. 
Mars knelt to get a better look at what had been laid at the base of the pillar. 

     It was an offering, all right.  Olidia was associated with romantic love 
the way Dasma was 
associated with lust and the darker aspects of desire, and people often made 
offerings to one or 
the other.  This was obviously the work of someone seeking Olidia's blessing. 
     Fortunately, Olidia (whom the Kalliestri actually called Venus, a fact Mars 
forbore to mention 
to V) didn't require expensive offerings, just heartfelt ones.  The usual three 
roses were present, 
and although they were badly desiccated Mars knew that there would have been one 
red for 
passion, one yellow for friendship, and one white for purity.  They were bound 
with a silk ribbon 
that they supplicant would have worn on their person while in the presence of 
the target of their 
affections; if the tie had belonged to said target the offering was supposedly 
that much more likely 
to gain Olidia's approval. 
     Something personal belonging to the supplicant would be under the flowers, 
sealing the pact. 
Many young lovers made such offerings when trying to woo, but they usually did 
so at a temple. 
Mars wondered why this person had come to such a strange place to do so. 
     "Hey, what's this?" V muttered, reaching down.  She jostled the flowers 
lightly with the back 
of her hand, and the dried stems rustled noisily. 
     "Leave that alone," Mars sighed, knowing that the blonde would ignore her.  
V scooped 
something from the dusty floor, standing smoothly and staring into her cupped 
palm. 
     "Well, well," she said with a crooked smile.  "What do we have here?"  
Puzzled by the glint in 
V's eye, Mars checked out what the other senshi had found.  When she realized 
what V had 
cradled in her palm, a tiny shock of surprise jolted her. 
     The silver earrings were tarnished but still managed to gleam weakly in the 
uncertain light, 
nestled snugly in a bed of supple black leather.  Ranko peered down at the small 
objects, brow 
furrowed. 
     "Rose earrings?" she asked. 
     "Rose earrings," V confirmed, giving Mars a meaningful glance. 
     "Oh, come on," Mars said.  "It's just coincidence." 
     "Maybe," V smirked.  "But can't you just see her doing something like this? 
 Under that 
tough-guy exterior, she's just such a girl!" 
     "Uh, what are you two talking about?" Ranko asked. 
     "Nothing," Mars sighed.  "It's not important." 
     "Huh.  Well, I'll tell you what IS important," Ranko continued, dismissing 
the matter of the 
earrings.  "Someone got down here to leave this junk behind.  There's tracks in 
the dust if you 
look close.  And if they got down, we can get up." 
     The tracks in question were softened by a layer of dust; clearly, they were 
at least several years 
old.  Still, Ranko's reasoning was sound.  This could be just what they were 
looking for. 
     The tracks meandered a little across the floor, leading away from the edge 
of the platform. 
The three followed the tracks back, soon spotting the bottom of a flight of 
stairs.  Unfortunately, 
they ascended only a short distance before being totally blocked by rubble. 
     "Damn, a dead end," V growled. 
     "Yeah, but the tracks don't go that way," Ranko told her, squinting at the 
floor.  "We need 
more light." 
     V obliged by summoning her whip.  Its warm, golden light washed across the 
floor, and Mars 
could see that Ranko was correct.  The faint tracks veered off to the right.  
They followed the 
trail left by the intruder towards a back wall, behind what might have once been 
an information 
booth. 
     "There's only a couple of trails, one coming in and one going back," V 
observed.  "She 
wandered around a little back this way, but she obviously didn't spend too much 
time down here." 
     "I don't blame her," Ranko said dryly.  "It's not all that cheery, is it?" 
     They came to the point where all the tracks appeared to converge, a steel 
hatch of some sort 
set in the grimy wall.  Something else caught Mars' attention though, a clear 
spot near the hatch. 
V noticed it too, and moved so her whip illuminated it more clearly. 
     "Well, well, well," V breathed.  "Still think it's coincidence, Mars?" 
     Mars shook her head.  A design had been painted onto the wall in deep red, 
a design familiar 
to young lovers everywhere.  It was a heart, and inside were two sets of 
initials joined with a plus 
sign. 
     "M.K. plus Y.S.," V murmured, rubbing her lower lip with her thumb 
thoughtfully.  "Y.S.?  Y 
... Yoshi?  Could it be ...?" 
     "Lost again," Ranko announced.  "Did someone you know do this?" 
     "Maybe," Mars admitted. 
     "That little dickens!" V said, admiration in her voice.  "She never said 
anything about ..." 
     "Later, V," Mars broke in.  V blinked. 
     "Yeah, sure," she said, her eyes still a little distant.  Mars grabbed the 
handle set into the 
hatchway and turned.  It took some effort and the handle made an awful racket, 
but it did turn.  A 
sharp tug caused the hatch to swing outwards with a metallic shriek, revealing a 
shaft dimly lit 
with more of the ubiquitous glowstones.  Metal rungs were set into the back wall 
of the shaft and 
extended upwards; the rungs themselves were rusted but appeared to be fairly 
secure. 
     "Okay, I guess we go up," she announced.  "I'll go first."  She stepped 
into the shaft and 
gripped the rungs, testing their stability before trusting her weight to them.  
They groaned slightly 
but held, and slowly she started up. 
     There was a slight breeze in her face, a good sign.  She couldn't see light 
above them, though, 
which was not so good.  Perhaps she should make sure that there was actually a 
way out before 
they all went to the trouble of climbing. 
     A quick glance below showed her that it was already too late.  V was on the 
ladder below her, 
and Ranko was beginning her climb. 
     "Hey, Mars!" V called. 
     "What is it?" 
     "From here, I can see right up your skirt!" V said in her most suggestive 
tone.  "I don't mind 
telling you, voyeurism gets me hot!" 
     "Everything gets you hot, nympho," Mars called back.  "Just climb, okay?" 
     "Hey Ranko, can you see up her skirt?" V continued gaily. 
      "I'm not looking!" Ranko shot  back, sounding flustered.  Mars suppressed 
a sigh at V's usual 
antics and continued to climb. 
     They appeared to be in some sort of old emergency access shaft, or perhaps 
it had been for 
ventilation.  One or two rungs were missing along the way, but all in all the 
climb was not 
difficult.  Soon Mars reached another hatch, this one partially ajar.  It 
appeared to be jammed, and 
she had some trouble getting enough leverage from her precarious position, but 
finally she 
managed to force the twisted hatch open far enough to squeeze through.  She 
found herself in a 
small room with concrete walls along two sides.  The rest of the chamber was 
crumbled rock and 
debris, but there was a ragged opening in the ceiling.  V and Ranko joined her, 
and  one by one 
they leapt up through the hole. 
     "Where are we?" V asked, looking around.  This new room appeared to be of a 
slightly more 
modern design.  There were electric lights instead of glowstones, but they were 
all broken, and V 
had to summon her whip again for light.  They trudged through the small room, 
which had been 
stripped of anything useful, and walked through a doorway whose frame had been 
broken at some 
point. 
     That put them in a series of bare concrete corridors, and Mars led them 
along, looking for 
some clue as to the way out.  Around one corner they found a flight of cracked 
concrete stairs 
that led up, and they took them. 
     Upstairs was a little different.  There were signs of habitation, although 
none recent.  Mouldy 
mattresses lay strewn about a large room, and empty tin cans were piled in one 
corner.  They 
passed through the room and down a hallway decorated with intricate graffiti. 
     "Black Dragons Rule," V read.  "Well, that cinches it." 
     "Cinches what?" Ranko asked.  She'd been mostly quiet sine the climb, and 
Mars wondered 
what would happen once they reached the surface.  She had no sense that Ranko 
meant to do 
anything hostile, but she still hadn't decided what to do about the girl. 
     "The Black Dragons were a gang," Mars said, a trifle shortly.  "One of our 
friends was a 
member."  Ranko accepted that silently and they moved on. 
     Soon Mars could see light ahead, and another set of stairs led up.  Almost 
unconsciously she 
picked up the pace, and moments later they were standing outside of a 
half-collapsed building. 
     "Whoo," Ranko sighed, looking around.  "Bad part of town, huh?" 
     "You could say that," Mars sighed.  "Of all the areas we could have ended 
up in, this is 
probably the worst." 
     The signs of devastation were all around them; not a single structure was 
undamaged, the 
streets were choked with rubble, and nothing moved anywhere.  Through a gap in 
the skyline, 
Mars could glimpse the ruins of the Old City, and suppressed a shudder. 
     "What happened here?" Ranko asked, her braid tossing lightly in the cool 
wind. 
     "This," V told her, "is the Zone.  It's the area that lies between the edge 
of the Triangle and the 
Old City.  It used to be a pretty nice part of town, but that was before the 
Long Dark." 
     "The long what?" Ranko asked.  It took a moment for the question to 
register, but when it did 
Mars turned to V.  Their eyes met, then both turned to Ranko with identical 
expressions of 
disbelief. 
     "The Long Dark," Mars said slowly.  "You're not trying to tell us you've 
never heard of it, are 
you?" 
     "I'm not from around here," Ranko replied defensively. 
     "Really?  And what planet ARE you from?" V asked. 
     "What's the big deal?" Ranko frowned, looking from one to the other.  "I 
just asked what it 
was, that's all." 
     "The big deal," Mars echoed softly.  "About fourteen years ago, the sun set 
on this city one 
pleasant spring evening.  It didn't rise again for thirteen days.  And during 
that long night, the 
Clans of Night unleashed their unholy alliance of vampires, necromancers and 
other foul spawn on 
this city.  They gorged themselves on the blood of the innocent, they killed 
with impunity, and 
they declared themselves the ruling gods of a new dark order.  Saeni was to be 
their citadel, from 
which they would spread their stain over the entire world as it trembled at 
their feet.  This city 
was pushed to the brink of absolute subjugation, and only the bravery of a few 
and the 
intervention of the gods at the last minute saved us from being enslaved.  That, 
my friend, is the 
big deal." 
     "You know," V said into the ensuing silence, "it was kind of a hard event 
to have missed, no 
matter where you're from." 
     "Um," Ranko said weakly.  "I guess it would be." 
     Mars turned away, searching for the best path back to an inhabited area.  
She didn't know 
what Ranko was playing at by pretending ignorance.  But, a nagging little voice 
piped up, she 
doesn't seem like she's lying, does she?  And what would lying about this gain 
her, anyway? 
     What indeed?  Just another mystery surrounding the red-headed girl, one of 
many.  But it was 
just inconceivable to Mars that anyone could be ignorant of that period which 
had become known 
as the Long Dark, when the world trembled in the grip of the darkest magics.  
Saeni had been at 
the epicentre of events, but the repercussions had been felt around the world. 
     "I see towers over that way," Ranko said, shading her eyes with her hand. 
     "That's the Old City," V sighed, rolling her eyes.  "You don't want to go 
there." 
     "Why not?" 
     "Because nobody who goes there ever comes back," V explained.  "Boy, you 
really are 
clueless.  How long have you been in Saeni?" 
     "Not long," Ranko grumbled.  "And I wouldn't have come here at all if I'd 
known the place 
was lousy with monsters and sections no one ever comes back from and cranky 
sailor girls."  This 
last was delivered with a dark glance at Mars, who felt her already short temper 
twang like a 
guitar string. 
     "Okay," V said, unobtrusively stepping between Mars and Ranko, "on that 
inspirational note, 
let's get moving, shall we?"  Mars took a deep breath, slowly let it out, and 
nodded. 
     They started walking, Mars casting about for landmarks to indicate exactly 
where they were. 
Destruction stretched all around, naked steel beams thrusting from piles of 
rubble like skeletal 
remains, some festooned with tatters of cable.  The entire area seemed to Mars 
like the decayed 
remains of a great beast, and she tried not to let the permeating sense of 
desolation and despair 
get to her. 
     That was difficult, though, considering the memories that being here evoked 
in her, memories 
that rarely rested easily as it was.  They wove down the rubble-strewn street, 
coming to an 
intersection which gave Mars a better view of the surrounding area.  There was a 
sudden 
sensation in her chest, like a chime being struck, and the reverberations spread 
through her body, 
raising bittersweet prickles along her skin. 
     "I know where we are," she said softly. 
     "You do?" Ranko asked.  "How?" 
     "Because," Mars said, pointing without meeting anyone's eyes, "I used to 
live down that way. 
That building over there was the old Royal Stadium." 
     "Mars," V began, a gentle empathy underlying her tone.  Mars didn't 
acknowledge it; her 
defences had been badly shaken by the unexpected sight of her old neighbourhood, 
and her 
sudden vulnerability made her ... nervous. 
     "Come on," the raven-haired senshi said brusquely, leading the way.  "This 
will take us 
towards the Twin Towers drawbridge.  From there we can probably find a working 
phone or 
something."  She marched off, leaving the other two to follow. 
     They walked in silence for a time.  That silence was heavy, a constant and 
nearly physical 
pressure against Mars' skin.  She knew V wanted to say something reassuring, but 
was probably 
constrained by Ranko's presence; Ranko probably wanted to ask a million 
questions but could tell 
just how unwelcome they would be.  All in all, it made things more than a little 
uncomfortable. 
     "So, Ranko," V said after a time, "what are your plans now?" 
     "Plans?" Ranko repeated blankly. 
     "Yes," V said.  "What are you going to do?" 
     "I, uh, don't really know," Ranko admitted. 
     "Well, you said you weren't from Saeni.  What brought you to the city in 
the first place?" 
     "Just wandering," Ranko replied evasively. 
     "Oh?  Where are you staying?" V asked. 
     "Here and there," Ranko said.  "You know, wherever.  I travel light, go 
from place to place." 
     "That sounds kind of exciting," V murmured, gazing at the red-head from 
under the lowered 
brim of her cap. 
     "Not really," Ranko shrugged.  "I mean, I've seen a lot of places, done a 
lot of things, but it 
does start to get to you after a while." 
     "Maybe you should go home for a while, then," V suggested. 
     "That's ... not really possible," Ranko replied.  Something in the girl's 
tone caught Mars' 
attention, although when she glanced over Ranko's expression was carefully 
neutral.  There was a 
shadow lurking in those blue eyes again, though, and for once Mars didn't think 
of her vision. 
This shadow was a more familiar sort, one that many inhabitants of this city 
harboured; it spoke of 
old pain and loss. 
     "Look," V said then, pointing.  Ahead, past the crumbling ruin of an old 
stone building, rose 
the remains of the Two Towers.  They marked the edge of the White Orb River, 
beyond which lay 
civilization, or what passed for civilization near the fringes of the Triangle.  
They were nearly in 
the clear. 
     And Mars still had no idea how to handle the girl from her vision.  What on 
earth was she 
supposed to do about Ranko? 
     They quickened the pace a little, passing by the burned out ruin of what 
had been, according to 
the still-intact sign, a post office, then skirting a huge pile of debris. 
     Mars caught a sudden flash of motion and only had a moment to react before 
something 
sprang from behind the pile, rocketing past her.  Instinctively, she and V moved 
so they were back 
to back, Mars cursing herself for being so careless. 
     There were three of them; four, if you counted the one that had hit Ranko 
and knocked her to 
the ground.  That one was a leopard, and it stood straddling the stunned girl, 
bared fangs hovering 
near Ranko's vulnerable throat.  The other three were human, but Mars recognized 
one from the 
previous night's encounter. 
     "Weres," she murmured. 
     "Very good, sailor girl," the blonde woman sneered, her pale blonde braid 
swaying in the 
breeze.  "You remember me, yes?" 
     "Yes," Mars replied darkly.  "And when this is over, you'll remember us, 
kitty-cat." 
     "Carefully," the blonde cautioned.  "Or Mika will tear your friend's throat 
out."  The leopard 
made a low coughing noise in its throat, and Mars saw Ranko start to stir. 
     "Yui, wasn't it?" V asked softly.  "I thought you guys had a beef with 
Jupiter." 
     "We do," Yui said shortly.  "But Rin isn't handling things well.  He's soft 
on the amazon, 
because he wants her.  But if I have you two, then I can get Jupiter and present 
her to Gareth 
myself." 
     "Nice plan," Mars said, her voice a throaty growl.  "But you don't have 
us." 
     "I have her," Yui said smugly, pointing at the frozen Ranko.  "Either you 
surrender, or she 
dies.  After all, I only need one of you alive." 
     Mars tensed as Ranko's eyes focussed on the big cat straddling her.  The 
red-head's body went 
rigid, and a small, strangled sound escaped from her clenched jaw. 
     "Well?" Yui demanded.  "Do you give up?  Or shall I let Mika feed?  He's 
very hungry, you 
know ..." 
     Yui's voice trailed off as a low, feline snarl rose into the air.  The 
leopard's tail had stopped 
lashing, and its ears lay back flat against its head.  Mars was certain that it 
was going to strike. 
     Then Ranko growled back. 
     The sound that came from the red-head's throat was inhuman, a low, feline 
yowl of rage that 
made the tiny hairs on the back of Mars' neck stand up painfully. 
     "What in the hells?" V breathed. 
     "I don't ..." Mars began. 
     Then everything happened at once. 
  
End part four.