Chapter Two: Lost
A few days later, Hope, Annika, Faith, and Ariel had been released from Ami and Hotaru's care. Not a whole lot had been accomplished. Hotaru and Ami had concluded that Hope and Faith's senses had picked up on the evil forces, but what scared them the most, was how powerful this enemy was. Annika and Ariel wouldn't speak about their nightmares.
Michiru sighed, and lied back in the lawn chair. She had sent her four children off to school earlier that morning, sending a letter with Hope and Faith explaining their condition. Haruka was softly playing the violin next to Michiru. Michiru looked up at her with distress in her eyes.
"Come on Michiru you haven't picked up the violin in a few days now. It's time to come off it." Haruka stated firmly, yet with tender affection. Serenity, Rei, Minako, Makoto, and Ami glanced up over at Michiru and Haruka, from the pool. "Paint! Play the Piano, the violin. I don't care. Just please don't be sad and depressed."
Michiru looked up at Haruka and smiled softly. Haruka set the Violin down and laid back in the chair. She wasn't getting through to Michiru. She had locked herself up, but this time it was different. She wasn't doing anything and Haruka couldn't figure it out.
Michiru stood up unexpectedly and turned toward Haruka, "I'm going to go. I'll see you when the kids get home."
"Where you going?" Haruka asked, sitting up in her chair.
"Don't worry about it Haruka, I just need time to think." Michiru turned and left. Haruka sank back into the chair and put her hands on her head out of frustration.
Setsuna and Hotaru went and sat down next to Haruka. "I don't know what's wrong with her. This isn't like her. These last few nights she' barely paid any attention to Jordan and Isabella, she's just been racking her brains over this whole thing that's going on with some of the chibi scouts."
Setsuna gave Haruka a look of sympathy. Haruka continued, "Jordan even came up to me asking if Michiru still loved her."
"Aww… Poor Jordan." Hotaru said. "I wonder what's up with Michiru."
…….
Maggie and Daisy were getting their lunch, they went and sat off in a secluded area so they could talk.
"I don't get the whole feeling the presence of evil thing. I mean, I do… but I don't." Daisy stated. "Can't you usually tell when there's an evil presence?"
Maggie nodded and bit down on her sandwich, she chewed and swallowed. "That's what I don't get about it either. Only Ariel, Annika, Faith, and Hope have experienced some kind of evil presence. I haven't seen anyone else."
"What about Maia? I mean I know she's not a sailor scout." Daisy questioned.
"What about her?" Maggie asked.
"Do you think she has the ability to see glimpses of the future like Ariel does?" Daisy explained more thoroughly.
Maggie thought for a moment, she had never thought about it. She shrugged her shoulders and took another bite of her sandwich.
Daisy leaned back in her chair thinking about the younger senshi's. Emily didn't have the healing power like Madelyn did, did she have some other strong power? Could she heal in any form? Did Julia have the power to sneak in on what people were thinking? What about Erin? What kind of unique power could the child hold? What about her own sister? She didn't appear to hold any sort of special power, but maybe it hadn't been unleashed. As for Hailey…? She could have anything. Yet, she wasn't one for fighting. She fought, but most of the time she watched. Was that wrong? As for Jordan and Isabella, the children were difficult. Daisy pealed out of her thoughts and gave Maggie a funny look.
"Does Lydia have any unique power?" Daisy asked.
Maggie's eyes shifted, "I'm not sure. The only thing I do know is she seems to know more than me and my mother. We can't figure it out. And if you ask her she denies it."
"Hmm…" Daisy thought. "Julia would know."
"Yea, but that girl is Lydia's little spawn." Maggie pointed out. Daisy sighed, she was right. "And she has this huge barrier built around her. She won't let me or my mom talk to her much. We're surprised that she has Julia."
"She has others. Or at least she protects those others." Daisy said, referring to the youngest twins and Emily.
"I wonder if she'll protect Maia like she does those three." Maggie questioned.
"She might already, and we just don't know it yet." Daisy replied.
………
At the preschool, Maia, Isabella, and Jordan were supposed to be taking their nap. Unfortunately, for Isabella she couldn't sleep. She sat up from her mat, and looked at the opened window that was letting the cool November weather enter the room. None of the caretakers were present at the time. Isabella glanced at Maia and Jordan and started to crawl toward the opened window. She got to it and stood up. She carefully grasped the sides and helped herself climb through the window. She landed on her back, in some bushes. She sat there for a moment's time and then crawled out of the bushes. She stood up, glancing behind her to make sure no one had followed her, and dashed off.
A young boy from afar was watching her. He opened up a communicating device of some sort and spoke into it. "I have a reasonable target for your plan."
"Keep a close eye on whoever it is." a woman's voice came back over, and then there was nothing but static. The boy shut the communicator and stood up.
'I should probably see what kind of human power this child holds. And I'm sure the caretakers of this dump would love her back in their care.' He started walking toward the little girl.
Isabella stopped she felt a strange undeniable power. The waves were gently acting up. Isabella shuddered. She turned around to see a boy, perhaps even a young man, standing there. She tilted her head, he appeared nice, but something was wrong. He knelt down, smiling.
"Hey small one. I'm Terrie. What's your name?" he asked, gently.
"Isabella." She replied softly.
"That's a nice name." he said. 'She has a great deal of energy power. Not like most humans. I can't resist. Taking a small bit from her won't hurt.'
"I think we should go back to the daycare. I'm sure the people there will be worried about you when they find you not there." Terrie explained. He held out his hand, hoping she'd take it, and to his surprise she did. Terrie felt overwhelmed by her energy power, as they walked toward the daycare he focused on gaining it. Isabella collapsed on the ground. Terrie studied her. 'I must've taken too much. Oh well, can't put it back.' He picked her up and carried her to the front door of the daycare. He walked in, and immediately a young girl was next to him.
"Thank you." She said, as she took Isabella from him.
"I think she fell asleep. She snuck out of that window that you girls have opened." Terrie explained, and then turned and disappeared out the door.
"Isabella Kaiou you've done it now!" the girl scolded quietly to the sleeping girl.
………
Ariel was in her gifted class, paying attention to the teacher when she was struck by a premonition from the future. She saw a very blurry scenery of the Palace. She saw a small girl pass out, and the last thing she saw was a guy appearing lost, and then someone else stabbed. Ariel shuddered. What was going on? Did everything connect? Ariel sighed. She needed to talk to her mother, or someone. Ariel suddenly remembered that there was supposed to be a dinner that night.
"Ariel sweetie, you're welcome to go home now." The teacher spoke up. Ariel glanced around the room, no one was there, except for her and the teacher. Ariel turned slightly pink and nodded. She had been so caught up in thinking that she didn't realize the bell had rung.
She ran outside by the tree where her friends were still waiting. When the group saw that she was out there, most of them headed off to home. Hope, Madelyn, and Emily stayed behind.
"You okay Ariel?" Madelyn asked her friend.
"No, I had a premonition." Ariel replied, shuddering again.
"What happened?" Hope questioned.
"I don't know. None of it made sense. Maybe it's not something to worry about." Ariel sighed. "It was at one of our palace dinners, some girl passed out, and a guy walked in to our dinner lost, and then someone was stabbed."
Hope and Madelyn went pale. Emily clung onto Madelyn.
"That seems like something I'd be concerned about, but I don't know that could just be me." Someone from behind them said.
Hope, Madelyn, Ariel, and Emily turned around shocked that someone was behind them. It turned out to be Daisy, Maggie, and Usagi. Maggie came up and put her arm around Ariel.
"I don't know what it means, 'cause it really doesn't make sense, but if you feel like you should tell anyone then do." Maggie said.
"I don't like the stabbing part, but unless we know who it is we can't really do anything but be on the look out." Usagi explained, sighing.
………
The other children had just arrived to the palace, and were greeted by their parents. Ami, Hotaru, Michiru, and Haruka were worried when they didn't see their children walk up with the rest of the group.
"Momma can me and Gloria hang out? I promise I'll get my homework done." Annika pleaded.
Rei looked over at Minako waiting for some kind of answer from her. Minako nodded and Rei told her daughter that, that would be fine.
"Just be back in time to do your homework and remember we have the dinner tonight." Rei reminded her. Minako nodded and told her daughter the same thing. Gloria squealed for delight and took a hold of Annika's hand. They left their school belongings there and headed outside for some play.
Not too long after Gloria and Annika had left the rest of the crew came home. Ami took her daughter in her hands and gave her a giant hug. Ariel was a little bit in the state of shock. Had something bad happened? Usagi watched as Michiru did the same thing, almost in tears. Her eyes saddened, why were the adults being so emotional? Especially Michiru?
Little Hailey who was off the side watching everyone, shuddered. She walked up to her older sister and tugged on her arm.
"Usagi I wanna go home." She said barely in a whisper. Usagi glanced down at her little sister, she hadn't been paying much attention to her these past couple of days, but now she realized that her sister had been awfully quiet and she had been staying out of Usagi's things. Usagi nodded and turned around walking off with her little sister.
"Michiru we need to go get the twins. I got a call earlier from the daycare and they weren't too happy." Haruka mentioned.
Michiru nodded. Haruka, Michiru, Faith, and Hope headed toward the daycare, Ami was right behind them with Ariel, as she had to pick Maia up from the daycare as well. When they arrived to the daycare Haruka and Michiru were greeted with a very outraged VesVes, who was holding onto Isabella.
Haruka sighed, "What'd she do this time?"
"She decided to leave from the facility, and a man brought her back." Ves explained, "She should be thankful he didn't take her."
"Not everyone's bad." Ami mentioned.
Ves's eyes widened, "You weren't here. You didn't feel the negative energy flowing off of him."
"Why didn't you tell me that when we were on the phone?" Haruka questioned, a little ticked.
"To be honest, I wasn't sure if I was overreacting. He brought Isabella back and nothing appears to be wrong with her." Ves replied sighing.
Faith held her arms out for Jordan to come running into. Jordan smiled and ran to her sister. Faith picked her up and squeezed her tightly. Michiru smiled and went back into the heated discussion between Haruka and Ves. Faith twirled Jordan around. Hope and Ariel smiled at the two. Hope glanced back at Isabella who was now being scolded by Haruka and was at the verge of tears. After what seemed like forever, Haruka, Michiru, and the four children arrived home. Ami went home with her two girls.
………
"So, Annika…" Gloria began, but silenced herself, afraid she might go too far.
"Hmm?" Annika asked, leaning back in the swing as she swung up high.
"Your nightmare. Do you remember it?" she questioned hesitant.
Annika came to a complete stop, she looked down at the ground her eyes saddening. "I remember it." Annika recalled. "Whoever were against… she never mentioned our younger sisters."
"Do you think she knows about them? If she doesn't then we could use that to our advantage."
"Yea, we could. Until she found out, then she'd quickly readjust everything." Annika stated. "And when she finds out who Maia is, it's a dead give away. She'll be hurt. And as for Emily… she could make the worst happen."
"So we're down two, but we can protect them. We do it all the time." Gloria reminded her. Annika shrugged. "Well, we should probably get home. We have to get ready for that prank… I mean party."
"Gloria!" Annika scowled. "No pranks!"
"Please?" Gloria begged. "It'll lighten up the mood."
Annika glared at Gloria. "Keep me out of it."
Gloria dropped down onto her knees, "Please Annika!"
"You're not gonna get me." Annika slipped off the swing and pushed Gloria down lightly and walked away. She was looking behind her and continued walking. When she saw Gloria smirk she knew she was in for it. She took off in a flash toward her quarters. Gloria closely behind her. Rei and Julia were watching from the window, as Annika was being chased by Gloria. Annika and Gloria were in a fit of giggles.
Annika made it to her quarters. Gloria gave her friend a hug and told her goodbye. Annika and Gloria were still laughing. Annika waked into her quarters to find her dad sitting on the couch watching some TV. Rei was busy putting Julia's hair up nicely for the dance.
"I'm glad you had fun darling. You need to get started on your homework, 'cause after I'm finished getting your sister ready, I'm gonna have to start working on you." Rei explained. Annika nodded still smiling. She was glad to have a friend like Gloria, who could make her laugh till it just about made her cry. Annika went up to her bedroom and shut the door. She got out her book bag and started on her homework.
Gloria in the meantime was on her way up to her quarters when she spotted a man roaming around. Gloria didn't know what it was about it, but she didn't like him. Gloria ignored him and continued to her quarters. She tried to think of how much fun her and Annika had, but the man was in her mind. Gloria told herself to stop being so stupid, that she was overreacting. She opened the door to her home and walked in.
Asai was playing some kind of game with Erin at the dinner table. Minako was no where in sight. Gloria shrugged and went to her room. She decided to start on her homework, hoping that it would keep the guy off her mind, but it didn't. Something was wrong, she could just feel it. What was he doing here? In the palace? How'd he get in? What'd he want? Was he looking for someone? Was he here to hurt someone? What could he possibly want? Gloria did a few of her math problems and then leaned back in her chair.
She needed to think of a good prank to play at the dinner tonight. She knew she would be frisked before she got in there, so she couldn't possible sneak something in… Of course, she had a worthy component. If she could meet up with Isabella or Faith then she could give them the props and they could easily bring it in. She smirked as she finished up her math homework. She closed up her folder and pulled out her English folder. She cringed at it… English. It wasn't her favorite subject. All the verbs, nouns, and pronouns. It was enough to give someone a headache.
Minako walked into Gloria's room, she smiled when she saw that she was doing her homework, without being asked. Gloria looked up at her mother, she might as well get to her plan.
"Mom! I think I forgot an assignment. Can I go to Faith's quickly and get it from her?" Gloria asked frantically digging around in her book bag looking for it.
"Alright, but hurry back. You need to get ready." Minako said, and shut Gloria's door. Gloria smiled and gathered up her whoopee cushion and a couple of other things. She stuffed them in her backpack and ran out the front door. She was determined to have a laugh tonight. She went straight for Faith's residence. She cringed when she remembered the guy, she was alone in the halls, on her way to Faith's. She felt around in her pocket, she sighed in relief when she felt her transformer and communicator.
Gloria made it to Faith's without running into the mysterious guy. Haruka answered the door and gave Gloria a funny look. She wasn't used to Gloria coming to the house unexpected. Haruka noticed the hint of fear hidden deep within her eyes, but didn't question it. She let Gloria come inside.
"Sorry, I forgot my homework." Gloria explained. "I came to see if Faith had it."
"She's getting ready." Haruka replied and pointed to the back rooms. Gloria smiled and skipped on to the back, trying to get the images of the random guy out of her head. Gloria found Faith dressed her dress, sulking in her room.
"Hi." Gloria said, startling Faith.
"Hey." Faith replied back.
"I have something that might cheer you up." Gloria insisted.
Faith smirked, "What's really in that bag?"
"Tricks, but I can't get them into the dinner tonight. Mom will frisk me." Gloria explained.
"I'll gladly sneak them in." Faith agreed before Gloria even asked. Faith grabbed a bag, from her belongings. Gloria opened her bag and transferred the stuff to Faith's. Both girls snickered. Isabella walked in, leaving the door wide opened, but the stuff was already hidden, so no one would know.
"What are you up to?" Isabella questioned.
"You want to have some fun tonight?" Gloria questioned. Isabella nodded. "Good, 'cause tonight should be a blast."
Faith nodded in agreement, she opened the bag up and Isabella peaked in. Her eyes widened with excitement. Gloria and Faith laughed at her.
"You should go get ready 'Squeak'." Faith acknowledged that she was still dressed in her school clothes. Isabella nodded and started toward the door. Faith and Gloria went to talking for a few more seconds, when Faith noticed that Isabella had started to sway back and forth. Faith gave Gloria a worried look. Gloria shrugged her shoulders. Isabella collapsed to the ground.
"I should probably go…" Gloria stated and headed toward Faith's door. Something wasn't right at all. She shuddered and left the house scared. Gloria walked back slowly to her quarters. She was afraid of everything that had been going on this week. Annika and Ariel had bad nightmares, Faith had literally lost it, the guy from earlier wasn't supposed to be there, and Isabella was now in the mix of it all. Did it all connect? Gloria moseyed on back to her house, she went upstairs and put her backpack on her bed. She went to her closet and picked out a dress. She chose to wear her bright orange one with a lighter orange lace. She quickly changed into it, and then went to find her mother so she could do her hair. She'd have to finish her homework after the dinner.
………
At the dinner, Gloria hadn't had anytime to do her pranks. Faith had brought them, but every time Gloria had the chance to perform one of her pranks, she ended up losing her goal. She went up to Faith and asked her if Isabella was going to be alright.
"I don't know." Faith replied truthfully. "We're going to take her to Aunt Ami's after the dinner. Right now we don't know what's wrong with her. It's almost as though she has no energy anymore."
Gloria sighed, "There's someone in the palace that's not supposed to be here."
Faith gave Gloria a funny look. "Ves said some guy had returned Isabella this afternoon."
"I hope it's not the same guy, there was something about him that wasn't right." Gloria explained.
"Ves said there was a lot of negative energy flowing off of him." Faith replied. She glanced up over at her sister who was cradled in her mother's arms. "We don't know what were up against."
The Queen walked through the doors, running a little bit late. Behind her was Usagi, the King, and a very distraught Hailey. The King and Usagi went ahead and sat down at the table. Everyone else started making their ways to their places. Neo-Queen Serenity bent down and took her daughter in close to her.
"What's wrong sweetie? I've noticed that you haven't been yourself lately." Neo-Queen Serenity asked, concerned. She had noticed it for the last couple of days, but she figured Hailey would've pulled herself out of it by now, but she hadn't. Neo-Queen Serenity was becoming extremely concerned.
Hailey shrugged, she scanned the table. Not everyone was the same right now. Gloria and Faith were continuously looking around, as though looking for someone. Annika and Ariel were keeping some information to themselves, that could be vital to the new enemy. Faith and Hope had experienced… something. Hailey looked over at Isabella, she looked exhausted.
"Mommy what's wrong with Isabella?" Hailey questioned.
"I don't know, why don't we go see?" Neo-Queen Serenity asked, she took a hold of Hailey's hand and the two walked over toward Michiru, right when the mysterious guy who Gloria had seen walked in. He appeared to be lost. Minako pushed her chair back about to get out of it, when Gloria knocked her juice into her mother's lap. She didn't want her to go anywhere's near him, and she didn't care how much she got scolded at it for. Minako stood up, angry that Gloria had poured her drink in her lap.
"It's alright Minako, have a seat, I'll tend to it." Makoto said, standing up. She went and greeted the guy. Michiru locked eyes with him. It wasn't a sweet sensation, but more as a death glare. Makoto escorted him out of the dinner hall.
"Are you lost or something?" Makoto questioned as they had stopped outside the dinning hall.
"Yea, I'm sorry greatly for that." He replied. "The names Terrie."
"I'm Makoto. Do you know Michiru, I saw you looking her way." Makoto said, she had a feeling she should trust this guy, but he wasn't leaving.
"Yea, old friends." He answered. "Her daughter doesn't look so healthy."
"She's just feeling a little down." Makoto replied, not wanting to give out too much information about Michiru's family. She didn't mention her other three children.
Terrie smirked, "Can you give this to Michiru?" he made a knife appear in his hand.
"Hmm?" Makoto questioned, as he stabbed her in her stomach. He held the knife in for a little. She was unable to scream or make any sort of noise. The pain went through her body, numbing her lungs. He pulled out the knife and walked away, not caring about the position he had just put himself in with his own master.
Makoto clutched the wound, she tried to steady herself. She reached for her communicator, but was unable to speak into it. She fell to the ground, tears streaming down her face. Was she going to die?
Authors Note: I didn't think this chapter would end up being longer than five pages. I had slight writers block, 'cause I couldn't figure out what else should happen. I didn't want to rush it, but now it's finished. And it's around nine pages long. I left it at a cliffhanger. I'm going to try to update this story once a week. Next chapter is all planned out, if you guys have any ideas please share.
