OF HUNTERS AND THE HUNTED

(A Sailormoon Alternate-Universe Fan-fiction - sequel to "I Know A Secret")

OHAH-OHAH-OHAH-OHAH-OHAH-OHAH-OHAH-OHAH-OHAH-OHAH-OHAH-OHAH-OHAH-OHAH-OHAH-OHAH-OHAH-OHAH-OHAH-OHAH-OHAH-OHAH-

DISCLAIMER: "Sailmoon" does not belong to me! It never has, and never will. The copyrights to
Sailormooon belong to it's creator, Naoko Takeuchi, and a list or manga, animation, and toy firms
that I can't even remember!

WARNING! be character-death in this story (by the end)! Since I tried my best to shred the seasons of
Sailormoon in "I know a secret", I will be re-writing Season 3 in this story! If you have not read "I know a Secret",
yet, please read before reading this :)

NOTE: IF NEEDED, I will past a Japanese-glosssary later. As for the main-terms:

"Ookami" is Japanese for "Wolf" (actual translation is "Laughing god").
in our tory, it will mean WEREWOLF.

"Kyongshi" (or "Dancing Corpse", from the Chinese) can either be thought
of as a VAMPIRE or ZOMBIE! In this story, "Kyongshi" equals "Vampire".

"Mahutsukai" means "Magician", or - in this case - a witch of wizard.

OHAH-OHAH-OHAH-OHAH-OHAH-OHAH-OHAH-OHAH-OHAH-OHAH-OHAH-OHAH-OHAH-OHAH-OHAH-OHAH-OHAH-OHAH-OHAH-OHAH-OHAH-OHAH-

Mizuno Ami awoke a couple of hours before dawn in the Juuban District of Tokyo. It had been
about half a year since her mother, Doctor Mizuno Saeko, had leased-out their old apartment and
moved to Juuban. To Ami, it could have been a lifetime ago. Not that she missed the neighborhood,
of course!

Doctor Mizuno still practiced at Tokyo General, but, with the investigation into the fight a
few months before and the subsequent deaths of Doctors Shinobi and Ishikawa, that section of
Tokyo General was placed on Administrative-Leave! Afterwards, the Mizunos leased their Apartment -
the Azuba-section suddenly being too high-priced to live in - and moved into the Juuban District,
closer to Ami's school, and their friends, the Tsukinos and Oosakas!

It was a move that, Saeko told her daughter, she was planning to make, anyway:

"It is a bit .. farther from the hospital? Closer to family demo!"

Family. Ami's pack, including her Alpha and their Watchers. It had been half-a-year since
Ami was turned into Ookami. She was still adjusting. Ami had always been shy - pathologically-so,
she thought of herself - and rather inward-turning, before being bitten. Now? She was even
moreso! Tokyo.. with all it's people wandering about, all its strangers.. no longer felt
like home.

Except, of course, for Juuban, and Tsukino Usagi and Oosaka Naru. Her Alpha, and her
Alpha's Watcher!

Then, of course, there was Ami's watcher: Uwada Ryu!

Today was the last day of school for the semester, which meant that Ami and her mother
would be migrating to the Oosaka's cabin in the mountains after Saeko's shift at the
hospital ended. It was where Ami and Mizuno Saeko felt most at home, these days. And? Ryu
said that he would be joining them, this Winter-Season. This made Ami feel happy - except
for a warning her pre-cognitive Watcher had e-mailed her the night before:

"Be careful, Ami-chan! I saw trouble tomorrow, at school and after! Hai. Not just for you,
alone, but the pack! Tread carefully!"

"I need to get up.. I should go to school..", Ami let out a groan for - she was sure - the
first time in her life. "Do not want to face trouble until I know what that trouble is."

Hesitently, almost roboticly, Ami got out of her bed, turned on her bedroom lamp, turned..
and faced Sailormercury, in her full regalia, in her full-length bedroom mirror!

"We will have to face that trouble!" Sailormercury said, setting on the reflection of the
bed in Ami's mirror. "For Usagi's sake, hai. Because of.."

Sailormercury dropped to a bare whisper, and tried to turn away her gaze.

"Because of.. what, Sailormercury?" Ami asked.

"Bcause of.. what Serenity is." Sailormercury breathed out. "Because of what I am dano."

It was then that Ami noticed how pale Sailormercury actually was! And, whenever her shy
smile did come out, so did a set of fangs!

"Kyongshi.. shiro?" Ami asked her reflection.

"Hai." Sailormercury whispered. "Cocooned inside Ookami. Safe. Arigatou nissai. Only come
out when Serenity comes out. Whenever she has to."

"'Whenever.. she.. has to.'" Ami sighed as she withdrew her school-uniform for the day.
"Serenity-hime does not wish to come out?"

"Coming out.. just means coming back to memories." Sailormercury answered.

"Hai." Ami responded. "Kyongshi cannot leave memories dano. Cannot leave pasts. I remember."

"Ami-Musume?" Saeko entered the room. "Are you well? I heard you talking to...?"

Fear suddenly became apparent in Sailormercury: Her eyes seemed to grow larger, even as
her pupils seemed to shrink, and her face, already pale, seemed to lose its color. Her body
seemed to tense, as ready to flee, then froze.

"Do not be afraid, Sailormercury," Saeko chuckled, "I mean you no harm! As you have brought no
harm to Ami-musume."

"Hai!" Sailormercury hopped up and bowed to Doctor Mizuno. "Domo Arigatou, Mizuno-Sensei!"

"You do not have to be so formal onegai!" Saeko smiled as Ami showered for school. "I do
not expect it. The Senshi are family."

"I .. will try.. Mizuno-Sama." Ami stuttered. "It is just.. that.. that.. it is.. I.. I.."

"Have not been around okaasan since becoming Senshi? Hai. Usagi related what she saw of
Serenity-musume's memories. Senshi protected Hime? Hime fostered Senshi!"

"Hai." Sailormercury affirmed in a chirp.

"Goshinpainaiku, Sailormercury. Ami is musume. You and Ami are .. aneue no imouto .. you
are musume! Always will be. What is you name? What was it demo? I wish to know what to call
musume. Hai."

"My parents.. on Mercury.. called me 'Tagorma'." Mercury smiled softly.

"'Tagorma'?" Saeko smiled, "It sounds mysterious!"

"Hai. The last thing I remembered kaasan wrote to me from Mercury was that my eyes reminded
her of the vast blue seas. Ta Gorm. And that my mind should hold as many secrets as the vast
oceans!"

"Hai. They are that blue. And, your minds - yours and Ami's - are that vast!" Saeko smiled
in thinking how honored she was to have such a daughter, and now two. Then her smile faltered
a bit.

"Tagorma? You a Kyongshi-shiro? You were what Ami was refering to?"

Sailormercury nodded as Ami returned to dress for school. "Gomennissai.. kaasan! I did not
wish to frighten you!"

"Goshinpainaku, Tagorma-musume!" Doctor Mizuno smiled. "You are Kyongshi-shiro! You do not
scare me. Serenity-musume does not scare me. Serenity-Okaasan, once she was purged by
Ginzuishou, did not scare me. Still does not! Sailorsaturn did not scare me!"

Ami looked at her mother, an eyebrow raised questioningly..

"Did not scare me enough that I was petrified! Saturn is only helf-Kyongshi-kuro dano!"

"Why do you ask about Kyongshi, Kaasan?" Mercury asked Saeko.

"Just wondering." Saeko pondered. "You and Serenity are Kyongshi-shiro? What of other
Senshi? Were all planetary-royalty kyongshi?"

"If we were? We were not at first!" Mercury, now known as "Tagorma", pondered. "At least, I
do not think so! Histories of Mercury only memtioned a king kind and wise enough to unite
the warring clans, and care for the welfare of the peoples, 800 years before the rise of
Serenity 7th! So? Knowing how Kyongshi-shiro need positive-dreams to feed on to survive, it
may have been that my ancestor who knitted Mecurian-society together was our first Kyongshi!"

"Well? That would explain Mercury? Luna dano! What about Mars? What about Venus? What about
Jupiter?" Ami asked.

"We may just have to wait to find out about the Joveans!" Mercury answered. "Martian- and
Venutian-royals ARE Kyongshi demo! Their reaction to Endymion-baka proved it! No Ningen would
have had the amount of ki needed to stay alive after being bitten as often as they were! Even
if Endymion were just taken enough blood to keep them under Kyongshi-kiss! Blood would have
been drained! If they were kyongshi-kuro by time Usagi find them and used Ginzuishou on them?
Senshi would be dust, now! In Conclusion? Rei and Minako are Kyongshi-shiro. Hai. May not
want to know that are Kyongshi-ANYTHING, yet, demo!"

"I thought kyongshi did not give off a reflection?" Ami asked.

"Story is half-truth!" Mercury said. "kyongshi-shiro use reflections as we use dreams, to
communicate! We not only feed on dreams, we communicate through them. Kyongshi-kuro FEAR
their reflection, and avoid it like the bubonic-plague! They cannot stand to see what they
are when stripped of elusions! Like driving a stake through it's heart! Except, of course,
that they can still move! It is only that thinking-functions of the brain that shut-down!
Again, demo.. why ask about Kyongshi, Kassan?"

"Because Ami told me about email from Ryu-kun! Hai!" Saeko said. "My thoughts? Troubles
could be because of Ookami. Could be from Kyongshi demo! Surely, Endymion-baka was not the
only Kyongshi, here! Ookami maybe just stumble into fight?"

"That WOULD be a first!" Ami growled. "The SENSHI are collateral-damage! Well? I best have
something for breakfast before I leave! Can't have my insides growling like Usagi's before
lunchtime!"

As Ami left her house to get to school, she was met by Usagi and Naru.

"Am I THAT LATE for school?" Ami asked, almost whining.

"Iyaa. Not late!" Usagi reassured her friend. "Naru made sure to wake me up on time! Hai!
Said it had to do with you. So. I set alarm back an hour. Hai. All Naru had to say to me
was you needed someone to talk to!"

Ami looked at Naru.

"I WAS first one to watch over you, Mizuno-inouye." Naru looked to Ami. "New-Watcher call,
ask me to watch over you before school!"

"Ryu called you?" Ami asked the red-head.

"Hai! He calls whenever he thinks he needs help!" Naru explained. "Said you would need help
before you got to school. Said he saw you talking to Sailormercury in mirror. Said he saw
nearby. And? that things start getting jumpy after that. What happened?"

"You saw Sailormercury in a mirror, Ami-imouto?" Usagi asked Ami. "That is not usual! At
least, not for Serenity and I! What did she say?"

"For one thing, her name is Tagorma!" Ami answered in a low-voice. "For another? She said
there will be trouble, because of she and Serenity.. being Kyongshi!"

"Kyongshi-shiro are not that bad!" Usagi defended Sailormercury and the Princess. "Some
people do not make distinction between shiro no kuro demo!"

And, Naru let out a short giggle, realizing that Usagi had made the point faster than she
could have.

"Did Tagorma - Sailormercury - tell you this.. in FRONT of Okaasan?" Usagi asked Ami.

"Actually, Kaasan got Tagorma.. Sailormercury.. to talk more than I did! Hai. Still have
trouble talking to others. And? Technically? Me and Tagorma have never met."

"I will have to do something about that, starting this weekend! Hai! It might help the
others!"

"I do not know, Usagi." Ami and naru said at the same time.

"Oh?" Usagi asked, concerned. "Why?"

"Tagorma said she thought, from what she observed," Ami explained, "that Sailormars and
Sailorvenus were already Kyongshi-Shiro when Endymion started feeding on them in the Silver
Millenium! And, as you said.."

"Hai. As I said," Usagi sighed, "Some people think kyongshi are kyongshi."

"Ara.." Ami softly whined. "Talk with Tagorma has made me nervous, makes me restless. Need
to run! Demo..."

"Come come!" Usagi pointed comspiritorially to the blunette and toward a couple of buildings.
We can put clothes in backpacks! Put them back on when we get to school! Hai! I know hiding-
places close enough to change!"

Ami's jaw just dropped and Naru just grinned, while trying to not even giggle, and slowly
nodded an affirmation to Ami. "Go ahead! I will watch."

And, Ami gave a questioning-look to Naru.

"Ara..", Naru grinned slightly. "Gomennissai! I forgot what Usagi-chan told me of you! Go
go!"

Ami then blushed, hot pink burning her cheeks. Then she darted between the buildings,
feeling more of a need to run, now!

Naru just smiled and shook her head, and started jogging, then sprinting, as soon as she
saw two young wolves run from between two buildings!

Soon, Ami and Usagi had found the blonde's hiding-place, as Naru melted into nearby shadows
to stand gaurd. While standing gaurd, naru stopped someone taking pictures aimed at Ami and
Usagi!

"Shimatte!" Naru hissed. "Just what Ookami need! Popparazzi! Soon, wolf-hunters come! No
good! Must warn Usagi."

As soon as Naru began to see Usagi's head start to pop up, she gave out three sharp
eagle-cries:

"Eee - Eyaa! Eee-Eyaa! Eee - Eyaa!"

Usagi quickly ducked within the protective-covering, gently pushing Ami down with her.

Soon, the photographer moved a safe distance away.

"Eee - Eyaa! Eyaaaaaaaaa!" Naru called out.

And, Usagi - then, Ami - cautiously exited their hiding-place!

Soon, the three girls were in their class, waiting for their teacher:

"I still .. cannot .. beleive .. you .. beat me here .. Usagi-aneue!" Ami said between
gasps."I .. was really running .. dano .. whoooooooo!"

"Just breathe slowly in and out, Ami-imouto! Like you and Rei-chan teach me! Hai!" Usagi
chirped, a proud smile on her face. "I had the feeling you would like being challanged! So?
I challanged you to race!"

"It worked!" Ami chirped back. "Almost as good as mountain! Almost"

"Arigatounissai for warning, Naru-sensei!" Usagi turned around to her friend. "What was
danger?"

"Someone was taking photographs of you and Ami, hai!" Naru responded. "Not sure of intent?
Did not want him to get pictures of human-forms! Might be bad."

"Iyaa." Ami started to tear-up. "Ryu-kun was right! Tagorma was right! Was not careful,
bring danger to pack dano!"

"Ami-chan goshinpainaku!" Usagi walked over to Ami's desk, knelt to Ami's eye-level, holding
a hand and caressing her hair. "It will be alright! Whatever comes, we will face it! Together!"

Just then, Kino Makoto came into the room:

"Ohayo!" The tall brunette said, the bowed. "Ara.. Usagi? Ami? Naru? I need to talk with you.
Later. I would start now.. class is about to fill demo."

"One kyongshi.. two kyongshi.. three kyongshi? Sensei?" Usagi whispered to Naru.

"We shall see." Naru whispered back.

A few minutes later, the rest of the class filed in for the last day. A minute later, their
teacher, Haruna Sakurada, came into the class.

"Konnichi-wa minna!" The teacher sang out.

"Konnichi-wa, Haruna-Sensei!" The class responded.

"I am glad you are here for the last class of the semester! Hai!" Haruna-Sensei said. "Your
grades for the semester shall be given to you afteer the roll in taken." The teacher started
taking the roll. "I hope Tsukino-chan is on time! She shall have a pleasant surprise waiting
for.."

"I am here, Haruna-Sensei!" Usagi arose from her desk and bowed.

"Ara! That is WONDERFUL, Tsukino-chan!" The teacher clapped lightly and giggled. "You will
still have to wait for your surprise demo!"

Soon, the roll taken, Haruna Sakurada started handing out the semester grade-scores, highest
to lowest:

"Mizuno Ami!"

"No surprise, thare!" Usagi said. "Congradulations, Ami-chan!"

"Gurio Umino!"

"Congradultions, Umino-kun!" Usagi smiled.

"Arigatou, Tsukino-chan!" Umino blushed.

"Oosaka Naru!" Haruna continued handing out grades.

"Arigatonissai!" Naru said with a smile.

"Congradulations, Naru-chan!" Usagi smiled.

"Tsukino Usagi!"

There was a strange silence in the room.

"Tsukino Usagi?" Haruna-Sensei asked. "Tsukino-chan?"

The low hiss of whispers quickly filled the room.

"Ara.. Usagi-chan?" The teacher asked.

"Hai?" Usagi answered awkwardly. She had never heard her name called so early, when grades
were issued, before.

"Your score?" Haruna said.

"My score?" Usagi meeped-out as she took the score, a bit fearfully..

"Hai!" Haruna-Sensei smiled. "I said I would have a surprise for you!"

"Ara.." The odangoed-one slowly breathed out, having held onto her breath. Then, she shouted:

"HAI!"

The next few minutes were a virtual-party as classmates continued to congradulate Usagi!

Later, as the class was well-underway, a red-headed figure wandered to the door:

"Gomennissai!" The young man said to the teacher. "I seek a Tsukino Usagi-san?"

Usagi, upon hearing her name spoken, looked up at the doorway, As did Ami, Makoto, and Naru.
The four girls stared at the redhead. A touch of fear and wonder ran through them!

"Tsukino-san is unavailable at this moment," the teacher bowed, seeing the expressions on the
faces of Usagi and Naru. "May I know who asks for her?"

"Hai!" The young man replied. "Watashi-wa Kurotsuki Rubeus. Arigatonissai!"

"Kouguu Kurotsuki-Sama!" Haruna-Sensei bowed, seeing the young man off. Then see looked back at
Usagi and Naru, and noticed Makoto and Ami.

Ami was trembling slightly:

'Tagorma was right! I am in danger! My pack is in danger! It is my fault dano! All my fault!'

'Do not blame yourself, imouto!' Usagi telepathically reassured the blunette. 'The fault is
not yours! Dano! We so not know what the Kurotsuki family wants! Not yet! There may not even be
danger!'

'Do you know that, Usagi?' Makoto asked. 'Really?'

'We can hope!' Usagi answered.

"Kurotsuki..", Naru whispered as she wrote the name down. "I have heard of them.. read of them..
in the archives. Hai. But.. why..?"

"The Watchers' archives, Naru?" Usagi asked in a harsh-whisper.

"Hai." The red-head answered. "What is their connection demo?"

Later, during lunch, Makoto bowed to Naru and Usagi:

"We need to talk! About.. things." She nodded for Ami to join them.

"I had wondered of that, Makoto!" Usagi responded. "Since this morning. Hai. Did you see
Sailorjupiter in your mirror? Before school?"

"Hai. Me and Melita have met. Had nice talk. Talk many time! Hai! She worries about you and Ami.
Like I do! Says Serenity and Tagorma will be safe. Likes Naru-Sensei dano! Were planets in Silver
Millenium all ruled by kyongshi-shiro?"

"Inner planets were, I think! Since Earth was not member of allience? Do not know about Earth!
As for Outer Planets? Serenity-musume says they were frontier-worlds! Various stages of government,
various stages of allience. Hai."

"I still think I should use Ginzuishou, part you guys! Let you make friends with Senshi-halves!
Hai!" Usagi said.

"I do not know about that, Usagi-chan!" Makoto said as Umino and Ryu joined the circle. "Minako
called me this morning. She sounded as frightened as she was after you burned the kyongshi-kuro
out of her six months ago! Especially after learning from Ami-chan Senshi are Kyongshi-shiro! To
Minakop-chan? Kyongshi are kyongshi."

"She may have to use Ginzuishou!" Uwada Ryu spoke up. "Something will come up, sometime this
weekend, I think. I saw the Senshi as mirror-images of each other! Some were frightened. Some were
angry. Of what, I did not see."

"Could it be with Hotaru? The cursed kyongshi?" Umino asked. "Naru told me of her."

At the mention of the small Senshi's name, Ami grew sad, while Makoto grew defensive:

"Ceallach!"

"I know, guys.. I know.." Usagi said. "Serenity cries. She wants to help."

"And, what of Rubeus?" Makoto asked. "What is he doing here? Is he the only one here? What would
the Blackmoon Clan be doing here, now?"

"I thought that - since Endymion was destroyed - the Blackmoon would not be hostile to us!" Usagi
softly said. "I guess.. I am wrong? Naru-sensei? Did you see who was taking photos this morning?"

"Photographs?" Makoto asked, suddenly nervous.

"White-hair! Probably male!" Naru answered. "Too far away for more detail, gomen. This may not
have to do with Endymion-baka, Usagi! I have read of Kurotsuki clan, somewhere. I will check
archives when we get to cabin! Who rides with who?"

As hidden as she could be by the nooks and corners of Juuban School, Haruna Sakurada stood
silently listening to the girls and boys talking. Whatever had upset her students was upsetting
her, terribly! However - did she hear her students right? Kyongshi? Did such things really
exist? She remembered her ojiisan's stories, but, to think such things really existed?

well, why not? If Sailormoon and the Sailorsenshi existed, why not Kyongshi? Haruna tried
not to giggle and give herself away. It wasn't TOO HARD to guess who Sailormoon was, especially
when she'd been in her class since Usagi was age 14! While it was true Tsukino Usagi did not seem '
the Superheroine-type, even as a typical Japanese "Magical-Girl", it was hard to disguise those
Odangos and Streamers! And.. Well? Haruna COULD see Usagi wanting to hide from the life of a
Magical Girl, to try to be as "normal" as could be! Besides? Sailormoon and Tsukino Usagi,
once she saw behind the vaneer, just were too much alike! And, once she had figured who
Sailormoon was, she started figuring out who Sailormercury and Sailorjupiter were,

Tsukino Usagi was a lucky girl to have such friends!

And,she would do her best to see that friendship stayed together!

And? Find out how Oosaka Naru fit into the equation!

Later, after were over, Sakurada Haruna started towards her home when she recognized the red-
head who asked about Usagi join with seven other people - including a white-haired young man
and a green-haired lady - in an American-made car! She started to tail the car out of town.
Soon, she passed a strange-looking gaijin with a hawksbill of a nose and oily black hair,
greying at the tempels! He seemed to stare intently at the American car. Much as if it
was his prey.

Outside of the border of the Prefecture, Sakurada haruna was still shadowing the car and
heading into the mountains. Soon, she passed, she was sure, the same Gaijin she had seen in
Tokyo!

Soon, both cars were in the mountains, and traveling roads that seemed to have seen little
use for half-a-century, at least! Two hours later, even the gravel surfacing had diappeared,
and Sakurada was folowing tracks of mountain-trails!

Soon, the teacher came to a split in the trail. Then, even with the tracks of the car ahead
being fresh and clearly following one trail, she decided to follow the other:

"This.. track.. seems familiar.. somehow!"

After another eight kilometers, the trail becoming too rough to follow in her car, Sakurada
got out of her car. Grabbing an old journal, the teacher started following the trail for
another twelve kilometers.. until..

"An old torii? This far from a town? I see no jinja demo? Just opening in mouuntain! Could
be cave. Look like mine. Hai. Dano. No place for me! Iyaa. Torii look like made of old bleached
bones. I feel strange. Like I am sufficating! Hai. Must.. go on. Iya. Too weak. Must.. go
back.. find girls.. warn.."

Somehow, Haruna-Sensei commanded her body to turn around and get back to her car. And, when
she was able to turn, she ran and stumbled - right into the same oily hawksnill of a man she had
seen, twice, along the highway!

"Nani-yo?" Haruna asked.

"I was about to compel you to turn around and leave.. Haruna Sarukada-Sama!" The hawksbill said
with an English-accent. "I am.. glad.. to see.. compulsion was not needed."

"'Compel?'" Haruna asked, taken aback. "Do I .. know you?"

"Not.. yet, Haruna-san!" The hawksbill replied. "I know of you demo! My wife lets me know about
as much of.. our daughter's life.. as she can! Including who her teachers are! Watashi-wa Severus
Snape, father of Snape-Mizuno Ami! Come! We are close to the lands of Oosaka, where my wife and
daughter are staying. We must find an inn demo. The sun is behind too many mounatains to give us
enough light to see clearly to get through this forest to my wife and daughter and their friends.
Fortunately, the lack of daylight has also turned back the Kurotsuki Clan, who I, too, have been
following."

"Domo arigatou, Snape-Sama!" Haruna bowed, then looked fearfully at the torii. "Do you know?
Of that place?"

"I have never seen it, before, though certain toriis are - rumoured - to be gates to other
realms." Snape eyed the torii. "But? I know death.. when I sense it! Torii itself is older than age
dano."

Meanwhile, as the adults were preparing dinner, Usagi was preparing an outside-fire to gather
her Senshi around:

"Where is Naru-Sama?" Minako asked, impatiently. "Should she not also be here? It has been
over an hour since she left for the caves!"

"Hai! Doko Naru-chan, Usagi?!" Rei stalked around. "I wish to know what she knows! Hai! ESPECIALLY,
if it deals with Blackmoon! Hai. Am sure that was Esmaurodo at T.A.! Even asked for me. How did
Esmaurodo know I am Sailormars? We are not supposed to MEET Blackmoon, yet!"

"I do not KNOW how Esmaurodo knew you, Rei-chan! Not know how Rubeus knew me! Iyaa! He does demo.
Probably knows I am Sailormoon. Thinks I am Serenity dano. Know of Ami and Makoto dano."

"I think I may have answer!" Naru announced as she came up from the stream. "May not like reason
demo! I do not like reason. What that reason may imply dano!"

"Eat, now!" Mrs. Oosaka said. "Meet, later! Takiyaki is ready!"

After the meal, everyone - Naru, the Senshi, families, Umino, and Ryu - gathered around the fire.

"Arigatonissai for coming, tonight!" Usagi said. "I know this is not manditory! It is important
demo! Espesially with Kurotsuki Clan asking of us! We need to know why they are looking! Need to
know how they find us dano! Naru thought name 'Kurotsuki' sounded familiar to her! Naru-Sensei?
What did you find out?"

"Find something useful, hai." Naru pulled out a notebook. "Find something dangerous
moshikashitara. Ojiisan knew old kyongshi-hunter named Kurotsuki Kohaku, runoured to have come
from many generations of Youkai-taiji! Hai! Ojiisan wrote that Kurotsuki Koharu was tracking
kyongshi-kuro who called herself 'Meioh Setsuna'! Gave ojiisan description of kyongshi ano
drawing! Drawing is in notebook! Be careful, as this is only picture and description we have
of suspect! Besides what I think is portrait on cave-wall."

"I am trying not to throw-up tariyaki!" Usagi said as she passed the notebook to Ami. "She will
probably give me nightmares!"

"Explains how Blackmoon knew how and where to find us!" Ami replied. "Blackmoon probably do not
know who they deal with!" She and Ryu passed the notebook to Rei and Minako, who - after gasping -
handed the notebook to Makoto.

"So? Never an ally?" Makoto asked. "That makes since! Want to tear her apart!"

"Me, too." Usagi said. "First demo, we warn Kurotsuki of devil they play with! Hai! Did not make
enemies with them in future, do not want to make enemies of them, now! Endymion-Baka must NEVER have
last laugh. Iyaa!"

"Damn her, damn Pluto!" Rei was close to tears. "WHY is she doing this? Revenge for Endymion?"

"Maybe," Naru answered the miko. "I doubt it demo! Kyongshi are not big on seeking revenge for
others unless they, themselves, are also being avenged. Even Kyongshi-kuro. There is a saying
among them. 'Time itself repays'. If Setsuna-Kyongshi is involved in revenge, it must involve
her on a personal-level. Probably more then revenge dano."

"Something that Senshi may answer." Usagi spoke, calling forth Ginzuishou. "Gomen nissai, Rei!
Gomen nissai, Minako! I need to talk to Senshi demo! You need to talk to sister-selves dano."

A gentle beam, much like a searchlight or lighthouse-beacon, slowly passed over each of the Senshi,
plus Tsukino Ikuko. Soon, the Princesses of the Inner-Planets, and Queen Serenity of
Luna, sitting besides their earthly-hosts!

"Gomen, Serenity-kaasan!" Usagi bowed. "I did not mean to force you out!"

"Goshimpainaku Usagi-Sama!" The Queen demurely closed her eyelids in response. "When Ginzuishou called,
I wanted to come out. I had to! Hai. For, I know.. something.. of what we must talk about." Serenity then
growled out, "I.. remember.. Setsuna-kuro. Hai."

At the mere-mention of the kyongshi-kuro, the rest of the kyongshi-shiro either growled or hissed!

"The thing is remembered." Naru commented.

"Hai." Usagi acknowledged. "Not a good sign! Setsuna-kuro seems to have lead Blackmoon to us nanishiro.
Naze? DEMO! First things first! Introductions!"

Usagi pointed first to Sailormercury.

Mercury giggled lightly. "So like Serenity-aneue's introduction of Senshi to each other! Hai.
Gentle use of force! Watashi-wa Tagorma-no-Mercury, daughter of Fionnlaidh and Gruoch!" She softly took
hold of Ami's hand, and then Saeko's. And, gently kissed them.

"You have no idea of how long I've been wanting to do that." Tagorma softly spoke. "Needed to."

Saeko smiled softly as she held on the Ami and Tagorma tightly.

"Saskhazyi Hollu", Sailormars turned to Rei, "the Raven, of the House of the Eagle, warrior-
priestess. I did not want to frighten you, Hino Rei! I apologize!"

"That's ok." Rei whispered. It wasn't you, Hollu-san! It was.."

"I know." Sailormars answered. "We Kyongshi-shiro have always been told to be wary of our black-cousins!
One-thousand years ago, I leaned why. Kyongshi-kuro care nothing for us! Endymion-kyongshi made me feel so
weak, so dependent! Me! A warrior and priestess! Turned into slave-girl! Me. Wanted to die. Endymiom-kuro
would have won, then."

Rei held on to the trembling, sobbing Senshi.

"I wish Ojiisan were here." Rei whispered.

"This is what our cousins leave us as, Minako-imouto!" Sailorvenus whispered. "Sorry I am that I have
frightened you, can you not but see the wherefor of my rage?"

Minako gripped Venus's hand as a life-line. "I see your rage, Hela Tyrsdottir! I see it too well. That
kyongshi-bitch has MUCH to answer for!"

"I do hereby swear, upon the honor of my grandfather, Setsuna-kyongshi to be mine enemy until time ceases
to be! Here me, O Grandfather Zeus!" Sailorjupiter spoke. "Melita, daughter of Herakles, swears to you!"

"And, so speak the cousins of Serenity-musume! My cousins, also, Usagi!" queen Serenity spoke.

"Your COUSINS, your Majesty?" Makoto asked. incredulously.

"I wondered.. kukukukuku..", Naru laughed, "why the Senshi of Princess Serenity was so quick to give me
a home.. kuku.. that.. felt like home!"

"Hai." Queen Serenity sadly smiled. "All Hime were kyongshi-shiro! All were refugees dano! Driven from
homes by other family-members, who viewed them as too close to what kyongshi were in the beginning!"

"Was that.. a bad thing.. Serenity?" Usagi asked.

"You tell me, Usagi!" Serenity smiled. "You have talked to Orion, the Wiseman! Family is almost complete.
Only one cousin is missing."

"One?" Usagi asked Serenity, though she felt she already knew the answer. "Who, your Majesty?"

Four kyongshi echoed a name Queen Serenity that seemed to float in the air the remainder of that night:

"Caellaech".

"Caellaech".

"Caellaech".

"Caellaech".

"Caellaech".

Usagi's eyes began to tear and cry, as she felt Serenity-Hime's heart break, then shatter.

"Hai." Queen Serenity whispered through her tears. "Caellaech's grandmother was my Aunt Harmonia,
Caellaech's grandfather was the 'High-Priest', if you will, of Saturn, a planet just beyond our frontier,
but one we knew fairly well. Anyway, Harmonia married the.. he seemed more a shaman.. Lir. And, one day,
shortly before Serenity was born, their daughter, Ethne, my best-friend, was abducted by a kyongshi-kuro
of Pluto! We later recovered Caellaech. Ethne had died from her exposure to the dark one's poisons, and
Caellaech had spent her formative years on Pluto, we were scared she would not be able to survive anywhere
else! So? Because of Luna's magics, we agreed to take Caellaech in! And? She grew happy on Luna!"

"And, became Serenity's friend." Usagi whispered through her tears. "Now, Caellach - Hotaru - is missing,
and Serenity-hime will not come out until she is safely with us, again!"

"Doko Caellach?" Naru asked.

"Setsuna, Hime-no-Pluto, took Caellach away, for 'safe-keeping', she said!" Tagorma spat out. "To make
sure she was in an enviroment that would not kill her!"

"Hai! To keep her position sure as 'Senshi-of-Time', if the truth were told!" Melita growled.

"'Smoke and Fog'!" Hela snapped one. "Kidnapped! Vanish like rising smoke! Hidden in rising fog!"

"We have two things to do, then!" Usagi snapped out. "One! We have to find Caellaech-no-Satarn! now
known as 'Hotaru'. Two! We have to deal with Kurotsuki-Blackmoon while we hunt for Pluto and Saturn!
I am sure, where we find Pluto, we will find Saturn! Hai! Now, minne! Take Henshin-sticks, and hold
then, two girls to one stick. Cabin is no big enough for all. I think. So? Time to put us back together!
Hai!"

Ami and Tagorma, Rei and Hollu, Minako and Hela, and Makoto and Melita held onto the henshi-sticks,
and Iukukuko and Serenity held on to the Lunar-Sceptor, as once again,the light of Ginzuishou bathe each
one in healing waves.

As the night slipped silently into morning, Ookami and Watchers took the turns as sentries. Just before
the switch at 2:00am to Usagi and Naru, Ami and Ryu talked from their vantage-point at the top of the falls:

"They have their reasons for coming here," Ryu said after taking some tea, "the Blackmoon."

"Hai." Ami sighed. "Fears can rouse their cautiousness! That, I understand, as well as Tagorma-ane!"

"Goshinpainaku. The Blackmoon will tast us. They are not eneemies demo! Not if they can talk to Usagi
no Naru!"

"That is it. 'If'!" Ami growled. "Senshi still remember fight! Even if future is different, now? The past
is not forgotten! There is Setsuna dano!"

"Hai. And, her subordinants!" Ryu sighed. "Probably why I thought I saw Senshi fighting Blackmoon, first,
then fighting subordinants of Setsuna the same ways."

"Do you mean, they are related, Ryu-kun?"

"They could be, somehow!" Ryu said. "Be careful, Ami-chan!"

Below and away from them, Ami and Ryu watched the steam fall and eddy away, and listened intently to
the sounds of the night. Listening for any signs of trouble.

"There may be others to fight, if the Senshi are not careful, Ami-chan! They try to gaurd Caellaech, if I
have seen right! They do not know Senshi demo."

"Just what Usagi DOES NOT need!" Ami let out a small whine. "She does not like innocents to be hurt!"

"You care for her, for Usagi!" Ryu smiled, as her gently held on to Ami.

"Hai." Ami whispered as she bowed her head. "Oldest friend I have, besides parents! In both lives. First
friend. Best friend. As it was on moon, so it is, on earth. Hai."

"Usagi will be alright," Ryu replied, "if the Senshi can work together!"