Sariel Tsukino strolled down the streets of Tokyo, her head hung. She had lost sleep again, having strange dreams about her cousin, Usagi, and a kingdom on the moon. The strangest part was that she always caught a glimpse of herself wearing a sailor suit with an incredibly short skirt...nothing that she would dream of wearing normally.

"Why is this happening to me?" she groaned, looking up at the sky through her red bangs. "What is this new being I feel inside me? I have to call someone..." She ran home and grabbed the phone, dialing Usagi.

"Hello?" Usagi's peppy voice almost lifted Sariel's spirits. "Who's this?"

"Um, Usagi, this is your cousin Sariel...I haven't spoken to you in years." Sariel could feel her cheeks turn red...this was incredibly embarrassing for her.

"Oh, HI, Sariel! What's been going on? I have so much to talk to you about...like my new boyfriend Darien..." Usagi continued to talk for about a half an hour, until Sariel gently interrupted her.

"Um, Usagi, I wanted to know something. I.." Sariel cleared her throat uncomfortably, "I have been having weird dreams lately...I was wondering what you thought about them. Is that cool?"

"Sure, Sariel...what are they about?" Usagi raised her eyebrows.

"Well, I'm on the moon, and you're there, wearing a flowing white dress...a guy in armor and a cape is standing near you, and eight other girls are standing around you, most of them I recognize from a picture that your mom sent us a while back. And, the odd thing is, that all the other girls are wearing these short little sailor outfits, and so am I, except mine is all black and theirs are in colors...but then this other girl shows up. I recognize her from somewhere, but I don't know where...she has long white hair and a gold sailor suit..." Sariel suddenly laughed. "I'm sorry, this must sound crazy to you."

"Uhm..." Usagi cleared her throat and scratched her head. "It sounds kind of weird...uh...I have to go to a study session. I'll call you tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay...it was good hearing your voice again." Sariel hung up the phone and leaned her head on the table. Why did she do that? No doubt, Usagi would think she was crazy and tell everyone...her friends, her parents, and soon she would be known as the neighborhood nutcase.

Meanwhile, Usagi was putting books in her bookbag, a puzzled expression on her face. Luna crept up to her and jumped on her bookbag. "Usagi! You look spacier than ever. What's up?"

"Luna, do you think that there are even more Sailor Soldiers on earth?" She rubbed Luna's ears gently.

"Well, it's a big universe and it needs a lot of defending...there are probably millions spread throughout the cosmos. Why do you ask?" Luna cocked her head slightly.

"It's a long story, Luna. Let's go, we know how Rei gets when we're late." Usagi shouldered her bookbag and started off towards the Hikawa shrine.

Rei was waiting for them, arms crossed and anger etched on her face. "Usagi! You know you have to study! Why are you always showing up late?"

"I'm sorry, Rei! My cousin thinks she's a Sailor Soldier, all right?" Usagi's fists balled up and she shouted before she thought. Minako, Makoto, and Ami all turned their heads towards Usagi and Rei, confused looks on their faces. Artemis jumped up on Minako's shoulder and looked equally as confused.

"That's exactly why I came." A calm, even voice broke over the confused girls, making them turn around. The statuesque figure of Setsuna Meioh stood before the girls, her long hair blowing gently in the wind. "I have some news for you..." she said, taking a few steps forward.

"You see, there are two ancient forces, dark and night. They rule gravity and planetary motion...dividing time into day and night. Recently, the forces have been thrown into discord because they have been gaining consciousness for some mysterious reason, and transforming into Sailor Soldiers, Sailor Light and Sailor Night. I have heard from Cronos, my companion at the gates of time, that one of the new Soldiers has traveled to Earth, seeking the wisdom and assistance of Queen Serenity and King Endymion."

Usagi gulped heavily and scratched her head. "Why would they want advice from me? I don't know anything about planetary motion!"

Setsuna shook her head lightly. "One of the new Soldiers is seeking to control the other. Over time, they have become adversaries instead of allies, and if they don't return to the state of stasis they were in before, the balance of the universe could be permanently upset."

Ami piped up, "I think I get what Setsuna is saying, Scouts. If one of these new Sailors triumphs over the other, the universe may be held in permanent day or night."

Setsuna nodded. "Right. And if that happens, there's no telling what that will do to time as we know it."

The scouts fell silent and looked at one another. This wasn't just their normal day of fighting evil beings that looked to rule the universe. This time, they were immersing themselves in the unknown, uncertain of the outcome. No one knew whose side they were on, or even how to discover that.

To be continued.....