01 - Cold Sweat

It had been a nice evening for the five girls that were gathered around the center table of a guest room in the Hikawa Shrine; reminiscing about the day of walking around town, shopping for silly mementos, and grabbing something to eat in the way. Appearances could be deceiving, as they secretly were the protectors of earth, the Sailor Soldiers. They have been enjoying a long period of peace, as no enemy attacked in a long time, and no threat appeared in the horizon.

"It's the last day of vacation, girls." A girl with short hair, in a pretty tone of blue, said with a sad smile.

"After that, we'll have our last year of school, then some of us will go to college." Added the girl with brown hair, tied in a ponytail.

"Others will follow their careers." A blonde girl with a red ribbon joined the conversation.

"What about you, Usagi?" The girl with dark black hair said in a provocative tone. "You've been awfully quiet, which is very unlike you"

"I don't know." She sighed deeply, clearly concerned. "I mean, what do you do when you have already had glimpses of the future?"

The other four girls gazed in awe at the blonde with peculiar hairstyle. They were surprised by the serious tone used by their friend. Usagi never once spoke about the future Crystal Tokyo they had all seen in their adventures, so her speech was quite surprising.

"Should I want more than what's reserved for me?" There was doubt in her blue eyes. She laid her head on the center table, dismayed. "Will it even make a difference?"

"You're afraid that the future is set in stone, aren't you, Usagi?" Ami, the girl with blue hair spoke in a gentle tone of voice.

"Maybe. "

"Don't be." The gentle way that Ami said those word were comforting. "What we experienced were just glimpses of our futures. It might be inevitable that we are going to follow through with that path, but the middle of the road remains a mystery."

Genuine confusion, and a little embarrassment crossed Usagi's features. "I don't know if I follow, Ami-chan."

"What I'm trying to say is that we can't possibly know how much of what we have seen is a possibility or an impending reality. So, we shouldn't be making our plans based on what we think will happen, but rather what we wish it would happen." The other girls smiled, as they comprehended what their friend was trying to say.

"We're so philosophical today, aren't we?" Rei, the dark haired girl spoke softly, but in a jesting tone.

"Ami does have a point, Rei." Makoto, the girl with brown hair eplied, after a discrete laugh. "I won't let anything or anyone decide how I'm going to live my life."

"Makoto..." Ami said almost involuntarily, in a relief. She was constantly fighting her own fears, and, speaking her mind, even among her closest friends, was very difficult for her. She felt peaceful when she realized that the other girls agreed with her.

Ami was right: even if Usagi didn't know what she was going to do with her life after school, she could be sure that it was going to be her decision, and not anyone else's. Usagi rested her head in the center table, and smiles, shutting her eyes just for a moment. The last thing she remembered was how much she loved feeling that comfortable around her friends.

When Usagi opened her eyes, she was all alone. A dreading fear rose through her spine once she had realized there wasn't a single soul in the shrine. Something felt off, but Usagi couldn't really point out what that could be. The fear turned into a state of alertness, as soon as she stood up. The room they often gathered around to talk was different as well, but she had trouble figuring out what was wrong. She pointlessly walked around the room, trying to find a meaning for that light-headed feeling that was overcoming her.

Usagi realized that the guest room suddenly turned into a long hallway. The walls were in a deep shade of navy blue, with a red carpet cutting through, creating an eye-catching walkway. She looked behind her, only to see a wall with a door guarding her back. Seeing no other way, she walked through the corridor.

She must have walked for hours and still barely noticed any progress. Her legs started to tremble the moment she decided to take a look behind her and saw the same door from the beginning of the hallway, not much further than it was when she began walking.

"What?" Usagi nervously spoke. "What's going on?"

She took another look at the hallway, only to see darkness. Where did it end? She longed to see the light of an exit, any indication that the hallway actually lead somewhere, anywhere. Instead, there was only the darkness, implying that the end was way too far off to be seen. "Ami?" Usagi yelled. "Makoto? Minako? Rei?" Calling for each of her friends made Usagi feel more and more uneasy. A shiver ran down her spine at the same moment that an end to the path is revealed. Soon after, a door seemed to appear from out of nowhere. The girl hesitated for a moment, but eventually grabbed the handle and entered the next room.

What she saw made her heart skip a beat: in a dark dungeon-like room, the four girls were held captive. They were chained to the ground by shackles attached to their necks and wrists. Usagi could see in their faces a mix of confusion and anger, as they struggled to get free.

"Girls! What happened?" Usagi ran to their aid, halting at the moment she realized someone is in the back of that weird dungeon room, watching them. That sinister laugh, that purple dress, the pale sickened skin, she knew exactly who that was:

"Beryl?!" She gasped, taking an involuntary step back. The woman was the one responsible for their awakening as Sailor Soldiers, when she attacked their town with her Youma, almost three years ago. The pain she caused those girls were not forgotten even for a single moment. "That's not possible!"

"Queen Beryl?!" Minako said, terrified as well. She tried to turn her head so she could have proof of her fears, but the shackles were too tight.

"I've been waiting for this moment for so long, Sailor Moon." Queen Beryl had a vicious smile in her face, walking through the captive girls. Ami, Makoto, Minako and Rei tried to stand, infuriated with that sight. They weren't sure of what was happening, but they would rather hurt themselves trying to get free before they let Beryl hurt their friend. "That fear in your face taste so good."

The fear was soon overcome by determination, as Usagi gripped her fingers tight in a fist. She knew what she had to do, she knew she had to fight to save her friends. Reaching for the pocket of her skirt, the blonde girl takes a pendant in her hands.

"Moon Crystal Power! Make Up!" Silence ensued. All the girls were confused when the transformation didn't start. Unable to believe what was happening, Usagi stared blankly at the Legendary Silver Crystal.

Beryl, using both hands, started to strangulate Usagi, lifting her in an angle that would aggravate her pain. Grasping for air, Usagi wasn't even able to scream, letting heavy tears run through her face. She could hear the voices of her friends calling her name, as she was losing consciousness. Her hands, once grabbing Beryl's arms, now had no strength. In the other side of the room, she saw a red blur, and a muffled voice seems to resonate.

"Wake up!" The voice had a commanding tone. The red blur was getting closer. "Wake up!" The voice was clearer, as the blur was already behind Beryl. The evil queen seemed shocked with that intervention, dropping Usagi in a haste. "You have to wake up! NOW!"

Usagi woke up in a sweat. She was home, as it seemed. Was it all just a dream? She had tears still running down her face, she was still breathless. It all seemed so real. Her first instinct was to reach for her cellphone, so she could call Mamoru, her boyfriend. Giving second thought, she decided she would call Ami.

Ami was standing by the window of her room when Usagi called. She was trembling in fear, having just awaken from an ominous nightmare. She tried to rationalize what had just happened, but it was very difficult to remain calm, as her heart was beating like a drum. She flinched hearing her cellphone ring, as it got her off-guard. Recomposing herself, she picked the phone:

"Usagi?" Her voice was still in a soft tone, proper of someone who had just woken up.

Usagi couldn't hide her relief when her friend picked up the phone. "Ami-chan! I'm sorry for calling so late."

"That's okay. I've just woken up. I'm having some bad dreams."

"You too?"

"What do you mean, Usagi?"

"I've had this dream where we were at the Hikawa Shrine, and it played out exactly like this afternoon, then..."

"It suddenly changed to a nightmare where we were captured by Beryl..."

"Exactly! Yikes!" The blonde felt a bad taste in her mouth, as if that dream wasn't really about to end. "Ami, what could that mean?"

"I don't know, Usagi." Ami said, while sitting on her bed, startled. "But I have a bad feeling about this."

"I'll call the other girls. Try and get some sleep, Ami-chan."

"You too, Usagi. And thanks for calling."

They hung up. Ami laid her head in her pillow, too scared to go back to sleep. She had been fighting as Sailor Mercury for a while now, and, having experienced unbelievable situations, she got used to never dismissing something as a coincidence. Usagi would probably leave a message, or call again, saying that all the girls had the same dream. She unwillingly fell asleep, while thinking about every single possibility that could explain this strange event.

Ami left home earlier than usual. Even though she had a lousy night, as she was unable to sleep well again, she wanted to arrive earlier so she could meet with her colleagues from the chess club. She was distracted in her thoughts, thinking if that was the right course of action after such a suspicious night. Eventually she convinced herself that it would be good for her to distract herself, and the chess club was one of the best ways to do it. After all, she had been slacking off due to her obligations as Sailor Mercury, and that would be the best time to make amends. The girl turned a corner on the street to keep her way, as she bumped softly into someone.

"I'm sorry..." The blue haired girl apologized right away.

"Not a problem." The boy with long red hair replied, with an emotionless tone in his voice. He was carrying a bike with a broken chain, and didn't seem to be bothered by the bump, not even making eye contact with Ami. He wore the uniform from Juuban High School, Ami and Usagi's school, but there were some changes made by the boy, as he folded the long sleeves of his jacket up to his arms and left it unbuttoned. The inner white shirt was not tucked, giving him a lazy look, also, he had bandages covering his left forearm, as he just had some kind of fight.

The boy sported all the trademark traits of a delinquent. "He's probably a Yankee." Ami thought at first. Yankees were often sign of problem, as they would get angry over any little thing. And the fact that they couldn't care less about their studies didn't paint them in a good light for Ami. Her first instinct was to back off, letting him get some distance. He was intimidating at first glance, with a strange aura surrounding him, which was the reason Ami held her steps. He noticed it, looking behind for a single moment. After a few more steps, he stopped and turned around, staring directly at Ami:

"It's okay to be afraid." He smiled, trying to sound gentle. He sighed deeply, before continuing. The way he spoke showed Ami that he was aware of why she was scared. "You don't have to feel bad about it! Truth is, I haven't been sleeping so well these days. I had a problem with my bike, so I fell hard when the chain broke. It must have been funny though, as some kids couldn't stop laughing. Good thing is I always carry some bandages in my backpack, so I could stop the bleeding in my arm."

"Well..." Ami walked next to him, a little impressed that he would open up and talk that much. Also, she was intrigued by what he said about not sleeping well, and decided to investigate a little about that boy. "...I'm sorry. It's just that you looked so much as a Yankee just out of a rumble."

"I used to be one." The boy said, trying to keep the smile on his face. "Got in a lot of trouble back in the day."

"Oh..."

Noticing the feeble disappointment in her voice, he gripped his hand tighter in the handles of the bike, unable to hide his bother. "I get it." Pushing his bicycle, the boy walked away, Ami felt guilty once she realized how indelicate she must have sounded.

"Wait!" She fastened her pace, following him. "It's not what you think. I'm just...not used to that kind of openness. I'm sorry, but, why are you telling me all this? I mean, if you're not a Yankee anymore..."

"I just..." He hesitated, immediately blushing. "...I think that if you want to be friends with someone, honesty is the best way to go. Could you imagine if I hide my terrible past from you, and you discover in the most inconvenient way possible? That could ruin everything that we might try to build!"

"You're a little weird, aren't you?" Ami couldn't help but laugh at the boy's rant, as he just stared, confused. He reminded her of Usagi, as they both could be really open and vocal about their feelings. Unlike Usagi, though, who gathered a lot of people around her with her openness and kindness, that boy was probably left alone because of his troubled past. Yankees still made Ami uneasy, but how could she deny that boy her friendship after such energetic speech? "My name is Ami Mizuno, and you are?"

"Homura." He said, with a little crack in his voice that he tried to hide. "Andrus Homura. I don't fight anymore, though. So if you need someone to be your bodyguard you'll have to look somewhere else."

"So, I'm guessing you're new at Juuban High, right?" Ami walked beside Andrus, who seemed to have lightened up, as he pushed his bike.

"Why do you think that?"

"Don't take this the wrong way, but a fireball like yourself could never go unnoticed in that school."

He laughed, actually enjoying being called a fireball. "I'll take that as a compliment. But you're right, I recently transferred. I was living abroad, but as I said, I got in a lot of trouble. I..." He hesitated. "I'm not proud of what happened. I got into a serious fight. Bad stuff happened. I'm trying to start over, but, as you can see, I'm not very good at it. But..."

She suspected what was coming next. Her brightness wasn't something exclusive to her studies, after all. "But...?"

He looked at her sharply, which made Ami feel a little concerned. "I'm very talkative and trying to be as honest as possible about myself. But you, Mizuno-san, don't strike me as someone who would give someone like me a chance to be your friend. I'm scary and used to be a Yankee, while you're most likely a good student. I'm sorry if I'm being indelicate, but what is your real interest in me?"

She was busted. "Oh..." She said as she was trying to think of a cover-up story, but after all that Andrus said about honesty, she just started talking, not thinking too much. "You intrigued me when you said you didn't sleep well last night. I had a horrible dream and didn't get much sleep as well. And I know for a fact that I'm not the only one who had this particular problem. I just found curious that so many people could suffer from the same disturbance on the same night. But I must confess, your speech was a little inspiring. I don't know much about leaving a past of fights and trouble behind, but I know a thing or two about making friends, and how difficult it can be."

Andrus sighed, relieved. "Well, that' just because you're still living your life of fights and trouble, right? When you leave it behind, I'll probably already have some guidelines for you. Don't worry!" He laughed, with a big grin on his face. Ami was still somehow apprehensive. For a second she could have sworn that the boy knew anything about her secret life as Sailor Mercury. 'It's probably the lack of sleep.' She convinced herself, as she laughed with Andrus. She wondered if her new found friend was feeling as comfortable as she was. He should be, otherwise, he wouldn't joke around and tease her that way. She smiled as she looked at the boy.

"I'm not worried. And if I need a bodyguard, I know who to call."

"Hey! I just said that you shouldn't call me! I'm leaving the life behind!"

She laughed, eager to tease him as much as he teased her. "Well, you're not that scary, after all." They walked beside each other, laughing and joking, until they arrived in Juuban High School. Ami stopped at the entrance, with a preoccupied look: "People will probably judge you way harder than I did, and I still stand by my words when I said that I didn't mean to."

"I believe you." He spoke, nonchalantly. "Still, I'm not worried, though. I never cared for what other people thought of me...that is, until I scared you. I'm really sorry about that." He stopped, gazing at the school. "Say... isn't the school a little...I don't know...deserted?"

She patted on his shoulder, smiling. "It's a little early, Homura-kun. You don't have to worry."

The boy felt embarrassed, covering his face with his hand "Oh!" He spoke while laughing. "I thought I was going to be late, so that's why I hurried and broke my bike chain. Now I feel like an idiot. Well, at least I'll have time to find my class, lay my head down on the desk and try to sleep the sleepiness away."

"Does that even work?"

"Not really, but it feels so good. Talk to you later, Mizuno-san!"

"Good luck, Homura-kun!"

He walked away, lifting his thumb in a positive gesture. Ami couldn't help but feel amused at how Andrus was able to change his attitude in a matter of seconds. Thinking back about that incident, she felt a little suspicious about her new friend: His sincerity and his openness could all be a way to try and find out who were the Sailor Soldiers, maybe he was the one responsible for all those bad dreams. Ami felt disgusted at herself for having those thoughts. She tried to shrug it off, telling herself that she must be careful, they have made the same mistakes before. She tried to tell herself that if Andrus knew all that, he still would be her friend, she tried to convince herself that he would understand. Still, that didn't help the blue soldier and her guilt.

Ami finally arrived at the room reserved for the chess club, and just as she thought, there were already a few members gathered, even though it was early and a first day of school. She greeted her colleagues with a smile, still embarrassed to actually say something, being received with a surprised but friendly tone.

"Well, look who's here!" One girl said, excited. "Haven't seen you around here for almost a month, Mizuno-senpai!"

Ami approached the girl. "Hana-chan! How have you been? Enjoyed your vacation?"

"It was great! I went to the beach with some friends. Although..." Her voice gained a particular tone that was becoming quite frequent to Ami. It was a puzzled tone, with a worried contour.

"What's the matter?"

"Well...since I came back I have this weird feeling. I haven't been able to sleep very well. And everyday, the whole day, I feel very uneasy."

"That's weird." One of the boys in the room spoke, eavesdropping in the conversation. "I haven't been able to catch much sleep myself, since I came back to town. And I've seen some people arriving at school today, and they look like they haven't slept in a little while as well. Don't you think that's odd, Sanada?" The boy reached to one of his friends, who was laying his head down on the table, probably trying to catch some sleep. "Sanada?"

"Is he alright?" Ami asked, worried. They all flinched when Sanada suddenly lifted his head. His glassy eyes and his twitching hands put Ami in an alert. He got up, all clumsy, and a sudden purple aura seems to emanate from his body, he tried to speak, but all he could do was whisper, like he was struggling against himself:

"Help..." He softly said, tears flowing wildly through his face. "Help me!" The purple aura turned stronger, covering his whole body. Ami tried to reach the boy, but the energy surrounding him knocked her back. When the mauve hurricane of energy finally ceased, Sanada was no more, being replaced by a greenish imp-like monster, wearing a bizarre and unique piece of armor on his chest, with long shoulder pads.

The first boy, terrified, backed away. "What is that?!" He asked, tripping to the floor.

The green monster laughed, manically, arching his back. "I am the Bakhtak. I've been chasing your friend through a lot of dreams, and finally I caught him! You're next!"

The monster approached Ami, menacingly, as the evil aura surrounding him grew stronger.

Next: Wild One