CHAPTER ONE
Raye woke with a startled gasp from her sleep that night. She sprang straight up in bed nearly pulling the sheets off. Her face was white as chalk and she had a cold sweat all over her face and arms. Her eyes were wide as an owl's and she breathed slowly in and out. She had seen visions in her sleep that terrified her.
She hopped out of bed to get into her shower and change her sweaty pajamas. She thought to herself. "That dream. It didn't feel like any ordinary nightmare. I saw us all killed and the world overrun by an army of people who seemed to be in trances. I will try to settle back down to sleep and when morning comes I must consult the Sacred Fire. We may have an unknown new enemy."
At that very moment Souchi and Kaori Tomoe were very happy. They couldn't believe their lucky stars when a group of ladies had knocked on their door in the earlier evening and said they knew all about their deepest desires and they had the power to help them fulfill them.
"How do you know our aspirations?" Kaori had asked.
Eudial, the leader of the coven replied, "We are practitioners of witchcraft. With our magic we can conjure up a laboratory and equipment for your experiments right here in your house. We will help you, if you'll do us a favour in return."
The two scientists were practically mad with frustration at all the rejections they had received from many of the academies and they were eager to jump at any offer. Even from a witches coven. They welcomed the witches inside and listened to their terms.
The spokesman Eudial explained, "We will help you on condition that you allow us to use the beings you will create to gather the pure hearts from various individuals. As we collect them we will be able to grow stronger in our magical powers so you will be helping us as we help you."
The Tomoes were almost insane with glee that they made their bargain with no thought whatsoever for what this would mean for the victims who lost their hearts. So in no time at all the witches had conjured up everything required with the help of the two evil spirits they served. Professor Tomoe took a syringe and extracted some of his wife Kaori's blood while their daughter Hotaru looked on in wonderment. Placing the blood sample in a test tube with certain chemical ingredients and boiling it over a bunsen burner he cried out ecstatically. "It's working Kaori!"
The test tube exploded to reveal a strange looking pod. "This is our baby! Our first test tube daughter! All the creatures we create will be female since they come from your blood. Our children."
He handed the pod to Kaori and she hugged it lovingly to herself. Then turning to Hotaru she said, "Look Hotaru. This is the first of your sisters."
Hotaru didn't know what to make of it, but she was pleased to see her parents happy.
Just then Eudial entered with one of the other witches. "So you have wasted no time I see."
Hotaru flinched. There was something about these women she didn't like.
Eudial continued to speak. "So from that little pod will grow a living being?"
Kaori held it carefully in her hands. "That is correct Eudial. We believe that when infused with an inanimate object the pod will crack and the organism inside will be expelled and absorb the object, resulting in it growing up into a physical body."
Professor Tomoe went on to explain. "It is such a complex part of the experiment and I am still currently in the process of inventing a way to accomplish it. She won't be ready until then."
Eudial and the other witch looked at each other turning to Tomoe she replied, "That's no problem Professor. If you give that pod to Tellu here," She indicated her companion, who had green hair. "She can use her magic to bring about the final step while you continue to work."
Tellu said, "Yes. Then we can get started right away searching for pure hearts."
Professor Tomoe and his wife looked at each other. Kaori was somewhat reluctant. "Souchi darling. She's so delicate in this form. If the pod is broken at the wrong moment."
"But Kaori. We do owe them the favour we promised for making this moment possible and I know we can trust them with our baby."
Tellu agreed. "Certainly. I'll take good care of the dear child. I'll bring her back to you safe and fully grown."
Kaori slowly held the pod out and gasped as Tellu pointed her finger and it rose into the air hovering above her. Even Professor Tomoe balked. "Hey! Be careful!"
Eudial said, "Don't worry. She'll be gentle and not let it fall."
The pod slowly lowered into Tellu's cupped hands and she placed it inside a bag over her shoulders.
"You can trust me. Now why don't you all get some sleep? You could use it. Especially young Hotaru."
The scientists began to relax for they did indeed trust the witches. They both began to yawn realizing how late it was. "Thank you both. Come with us Hotaru. We'll put you to bed, then mummy and I will turn in."
Kaori kissed her as the two witches left to secretly meet with the rest of the coven and receive instructions from Germatoid and Mistress 9. Hotaru went with her parents obediently, but she did not easily sleep. She was rather scared of those witches and felt worried about what they were going to do.
It was later towards the end of the following day after school. Silly Serena had just been handed her test result and Miss Haruna had sighed and told her how very disappointed she was in her. "I'm giving up getting angry with you over your test scores Serena. You never listen to me, so what's the point?"
Serena gasped in dismay as she stared at the paper. "I've failed again!? Mum and Dad will go bananas!"
"I can't help that and I don't blame them Serena. You alone are responsible for what befalls you."
Serena left her teacher's presence moping and sobbing. "Maybe I should have studied. I could have sworn those were all very easy questions though.
As she was walking along with her head bowed not looking where she was going Raye walked into her from the opposite direction. She was deep in worried thought because she had tried consulting the fire before she went to her own school with no luck getting any immediate information. Raye and Serena bumped heads as they were going along never realizing the other was in the way.
"OUCH! Serena!"
"Oh Raye!"
They groaned and went to relieve their painful bumps at a nearby drinking fountain. Taking turns to spray water on their foreheads they grumbled at each other for not watching out.
While Serena was soaking her bump Raye's thoughts went back to her vision. She still hadn't told any of the others about it. She intended to call a meeting to discuss it. Now was a good time to tell Serena.
"Hey Serena. Will you come and see me at 5pm this afternoon?"
I'm not in the mood to socialize Raye. I just scored another bad grade and my parents will chew me out over it."
Normally Raye would feel compelled to admonish her. However under the circumstances instead she said, "No Serena. I had a dream last night that made me very uneasy. It didn't feel like an ordinary nightmare. I'm calling all the other girls too for an emergency meeting."
That made Serena turn away from the fountain and gasp. "You mean it may have been a premonition of a new dangerous threat to our peaceful world?"
"Yes it could very well be so Serena. I wasn't even able to get anything from fire consulting. It's darkly mysterious."
Serena gulped and promised she would be there. She knew that her parents would be so furious they would not permit her to go out, but it didn't matter. When she transformed in her room and exited through the window the Silver Imperium Crystal would keep her family from discovering her absence until she returned.
So she and Raye went their separate ways. Still she ran into her Darien on the way home. He came up from behind while she was staring at her test paper again. He overheard her talking to herself. "I just know that if Darien hears about this horrible mark he'll be very disappointed."
She nearly jumped out of her skin when Darien said, "Oh. You achieved a horrible mark, did you?"
"Yeeoow!" Crushing the paper to her chest with both hands she nervously giggled. "Hee. Hee. Now don't get too worried Darien. I promise I'll study harder next time."
Darien groaned. "Serena. I think we may be seeing too much of each other."
Serena gasped. "What? You're not breaking up with me again are you? Think about our future! Think of Rini!"
"Chill out Serena. Rini and the rest of our future are a long way away. For now you need to concentrate on your education and I think we should call off our dating for the time being until your results improve. So long and good luck."
With that Darien walked off and Serena began to cry. "When will we date again? Who has time to study with a new unknown enemy to worry about?"
When she arrived home a volcano would erupt. So she walked as slowly as possible and at least by the time she had to face her parents she was all dried out of tears.
Later on while Raye was waiting for her friends to arrive, she was wandering among the forest area outside the temple grounds. A small group of people was also strolling, but among them was the witch with green hair named Tellu. She had the pod the mad scientists had given her in her shoulder bag and the demon, Germatoid was silently speaking to her inside her head.
"Tellu. I sense that the person with a very strong heart is nearby. Your magic is specially attuned to plants. Infuse the pod in that nearby tree and I will see to it that all these people are frozen except the one we seek to make it easy."
She replied with her own thoughts. "I understand Master."
Reaching inside her bag she withdrew the pod and threw it against the trunk cracking it like an egg. A strange shadow like a winged serpent came out and passed through the wood out of sight. Then as the tree changed form to become a humanoid woman with purple skin, brown hair and an orange kimono, the people all became still as statues. Those who were nearby had expressions of shock stuck on their faces as they had briefly observed what was happening.
But Raye was not frozen and she was horrified to behold the final transformation as the branches became arms and the roots became legs. The feet even had what looked like wooden shoes on them.
Germatoid said to Tellu, "I'll control the creature and make her extract that girl's heart. You keep watch out for any trouble."
"I will master."
Before Raye could even try to transform reaching into her pocket for her stick, Tellu had gestured magically and the grass suddenly grabbed her feet, while the branches of another tree above bent down and wrapped around her wrists. She was trapped in place unable to move.
Germatoid spoke to the tree-woman. "Her heart. Extract this girl's heart."
A black star mysteriously appeared just above the woman's chest as she reached up and undid the top of her clothing revealing the area above her cleavage. Before Raye knew it a dark beam shot out from the star and struck her own chest and she screamed as she saw her own heart pass out through her and slowly travel along it towards the monster.
Just then Sailor Moon, the other Scouts, Luna and Artemis came running along with Tuxedo Mask. He had had one of his own premonitions that something was wrong and having gone to the Cherry Hill Temple and finding Raye missing, he had met the girls and their cats as they were arriving. "Hurry and search the area with me. We must find and help Raye." He had urged them and as they saw the people standing around motionless while they searched, they realized how desperate the situation was.
As Sailor Venus cried out pointing, "Look! There she is!" Tellu was ready for them.
She gestured magically and the flowers all uprooted themselves and flew at the Sailor Scouts forming linked chains, tying them up like ropes. Even Tuxedo Mask was attacked, though he swung with his cane deflecting the attack.
"What magic is this?" Sailor Moon screamed while struggling to break free. "I can't get loose."
Sailor Mercury grunted. "These thin flowers should be easy to get off."
"You'd think they were thick ropes." Sailor Jupiter strained as she spoke in vain and so did Sailor Venus.
Artemis and Luna were aghast and beginning to feel worried. They'd never observed such power before.
Raye's heart was just about fully along the dark beam to the tree-woman's outstretched hands and Tellu began to crow gloatingly. "You'll never stop us. This girl's heart and empty vessel are coming back with,"
Just then she was cut off by a big surprise to all present.
An enormous phenomenon like a wave of water appeared out of nowhere and enveloped the tree-woman. Raye's heart was sent flying away backwards and Tellu gasped in horror. The woman broke free and ran to Tellu and she heard Germatoid in her mind. "Tellu. Let's retreat. We've lost the heart but I've shielded this creature from destruction."
"Oh yes master." Tellu took hold of the creature's arms and Germatoid transported them away in the blink of an eye.
Tellu's magic evaporated and Sailor Moon and the others leaped to their feet, lifting their arms above their heads to break away the flower chains. "Oh Raye! Are you all right?" Sailor Moon cried.
Raye still looked like she was in a trance and made eerie, groaning noises as she snapped the branches round her wrists and broke free of the grass with a shambling step. Sailor Mercury cried, "Her heart!"
Tuxedo Mask snatched it up and Luna said, "Quickly Sailor Moon. Put it back using the Silver Crystal's healing properties."
The few scattered people nearby were feeling dazed and confused as they were unfrozen and before they were aware of the horrible sight of Raye's palpitating heart, Sailor Moon had shouted.
"MOON CRYSTAL HEALING ACTIVATION!"
Tuxedo Mask felt the heart being drawn towards Raye and letting go, he and the others watched it cleanly pass through her chest with no sign or mark that anything had ever happened.
Typically Tuxedo Mask gave tremendous leaping bounds disappearing out of sight, so that the people only saw the Sailor Scouts who of course explained that Raye had been attacked by a random monster, but she was going to be all right.
"Thank goodness for our Sailor Scouts," said one young boy and everybody cheered and applauded, while Raye quietly thought they had better seriously talk about the mysterious forces they'd encountered as soon as possible.
Meanwhile two pairs of eyes were silently observing things from the thick foliage of a tall tree's branches where they were in hiding and making certain plans of their own.
Finally when Germatoid and Tellu returned to the Tomoe family home, she presented the woman who had come about through fusing the pod with a tree to them. They were so happy to see her and hugged her to them.
"Oh Souchi. She's so adorable."
"Yes Kaori. We must teach her to speak and understand who we are and all about the world we live in. Hotaru will be so thrilled. We must give her a name."
They decided to call her Mikuji and she was a fast learner because she was so brilliantly intelligent. She learned to call them Mummy and Daddy and to refer to Hotaru as her sister. Hotaru didn't know what to make of Mikuji at first, but she slowly came to love and trust her, though she still never would trust the witches. She felt positive they were planning something bad. She kept quiet though because she knew her parents would not believe her. She hoped that eventually she would be able to get Mikuji to listen and help her.
But the two demons had their own plans involving her and the Tomoe's future creations. They secretly briefed the witches. "We need these creatures, so we must protect them to keep the trust of those two fools. We must also get some hearts and the empty shells of their owners. Be on your guard against the opposing forces we encountered today."
"Yes great spirits. We will not fail you."