CHAPTER 4
It was getting very close to the end of the school holidays and Serena and her friends were all very excited that Amy was now going to be staying to attend her regular school in the new term instead of going to Germany. Well especially Serena and Lita, because Amy was enrolled in the exact same school as themselves. Serena always enjoyed hanging out with both of them. When she wasn't hanging out with Miss Haruna. In detention that is.
But at the moment Serena was sitting slumped forward in her chair, her arms sprawled out and her head resting on top of her dresser table fast asleep. She had set her alarm clock for half past six that morning so she'd have time to get dressed and then go to the Cherry Hill Temple for the day to assist Raye in managing things such as selling the Good Luck Charms. The other girls were also going to be helping. When the alarm went off Luna yawned. "Good morning Serena. Remember you have one hour to get dressed and ready. You must leave at half past seven if you are to get to Raye's temple on time."
"Yes Luna. I'll be ready in no time," said she as Luna curled up on her bedcovers to get more of a morning catnap.
Luna did force herself to stay awake while Serena grabbed her clothes, ducked outside to the bathroom and came back dressed. While sitting down in front of the dresser table mirror brushing her long hair tied in her usual long plaits, Luna assumed things could be depended upon and said with another yawn, "See you later Serena."
"Have a nice rest Luna. Bye," Serena replied.
But as soon as Luna dozed off, Serena thought to herself, "You know. Half past six is such a beastly time of the morning to wake up. I think I'll just rest for five minutes before I go. Right here."
As she leaned over onto the surface of the dresser table she thought, "I won't sleep. I'll just rest my eyes for five minutes at most to get my strength up."
However barely had the first minute passed when she was fast asleep again too, like Luna.
Rini woke up in her spare bedroom at precisely eight o'clock and having quickly dressed herself, decided to take a peek at what Serena was up to.
Seeing that her bedroom door was exactly half open already she crept up glancing inside. Seeing her asleep where she lay, she tiptoed in through the space. Her small body easily slipped in between the gap and she made her way quietly up to Serena.
"I'll take this opportunity to search Serena's clothing for the Silver Crystal," she thought.
She didn't know it, but she was very close to having the crystal in her hands as it hung around Serena's neck inside her transformation locket. Perhaps she may have succeeded but for two things. First Rini wasn't exactly a masterfully skilled pickpocket. Second Serena was extremely ticklish.
With a laugh she awoke and turning seized hold of Rini's wrists and lifted her bodily off the ground as she sprang out of her chair.
"Let me go! Put me down!" cried Rini.
"You little rascal," said Serena. "You tell me exactly who you are, where you come from and what you want with my crystal?"
Rini would probably have begun to scream and that would have brought Mum, Dad and Sammy running to Serena's bedroom. They would have been very furious to see Serena apparently bullying her little cousin but fortunately she was spared the consequences of such a scenario by Luna, who having been woken up by the commotion just next to where she had curled up on the bed, immediately sprang up on Serena's shoulder making her drop Rini in sudden surprise.
"Serena," she hissed in her ear. "Why are you still here? It's after eight o'clock."
"Oh no! I'm going to be late! Raye will be so annoyed!"
Luna nimbly sprang to the floor as Serena ran off to rush as fast as she possibly could to the Cherry Hill Temple, ignoring Rini where she lay on the floor rubbing her backside and muttering, "Surely there must be an easier way to locate that crystal. Ouch."
At the temple Amy, Mina and Lita had been working hard with Raye for some time. There were plenty of students present that day wanting to buy the charms in the hope that they would help them acheive successful results when school started up again soon. But when Serena appeared all out of breath from running all the way from her home, Raye rolled her eyes and frowned while the others all sighed. They politely said nothing but Raye sighed and said, "Okay Serena. Get this temple uniform on and join us."
Serena held out her arms and took the red and white robes and the sandals Raye handed to her.
Serena blushed. "I'm very sorry Raye," she began to say but Raye cut her off.
"Save it Serena. It's done now. You can change in the girls' bathroom over there."
"O-okay." Serena entered the bathroom and undressing started to try to put the robes on. But after fumbling with them for at least ten minutes she had a sudden start as Raye walked over and called behind the door.
"Why are you taking so long?"
Sheepishly Serena called back. "Uh. I keep getting tangled up. Could you help me please Raye?"
Desperately trying not to lose her patience Raye called over to Amy. "Will you kindly go in and assist Serena please? I can't do it."
Amy and the other two for that matter, could tell by Raye's expression what she was inwardly going through.
So Amy stood up, said, "Of course. My pleasure Raye," and entered the bathroom, where she helped Serena to dress, technically meaning that she dressed her entirely herself, because Serena still couldn't dress herself despite Amy's initial efforts to explain her directions.
But finally she and Serena exited both wearing the temple's standard uniform perfectly. Then as they all sat at the counter serving customers, Raye mentioned, "By the way. Chad and Grandfather are attempting to open a Martial Arts Class here Monday through to Friday beginning next week. They've advertised in a magazine and posted fliers around town."
The girls were very interested. Particularly Lita. "I'd love to come. I love Martial Arts. I could even help out as a teacher."
Serena grinned and said, "Whatever will be happening here next Raye? I wish you good luck."
So did the others and Raye thanked them for their encouragement. In three days on Wednesday they were due to commence business. She echoed their hopes that the project would be successful and make some more money for them.
It turned out that Grandfather and Chad had every good reason to be delighted and excited because they received plenty of positive response from the community about their Martial Arts Classes. Fifteen women wanted to sign up and also five men, making twenty in all. They paid their initial yearly joining fees and after the first half week beginning Wednesday, they would only pay a small weekly fee covering the five nights Monday through to Friday irrespective of how often they were able to attend. They were really looking forward to their first night's coaching and Raye was very happy. She wished them good luck, but on Tuesday night while they slept soundly they had an intruder.
It was Birdy's older sister Catzi. She materialized in the middle of the dojo set-up. With a triumphant smile she gestured in a circular motion turning herself all the way round. The room was briefly bathed in blue green light in the darkness. Then she disappeared and appeared back inside their spaceship in front of Rubeus, her sisters and all the Droids. "I've accomplished my task Rubeus," she announced with pride.
"Very good Catzi," said Rubeus. "This will be an easy Crystal Point to take over. We won't need to take over the counterpart place here at all. Every time there is a Martial Training Class as scheduled, none of the people will be aware that as they train hard and devotedly, they will be strengthening our prince's power in Crystal Tokyo. We all need to congratulate you."
"Good job Catzi!" Birdy and her other sisters cheered as they and the rest of their team applauded. Even Rubeus. The Sailor Scouts would never know what was going on under their noses. Now they were all free to invest their resources in tracking down Rini while the Crystal Point took care of itself.
So the class sessions were established from half past seven to half past nine five evenings a week. After getting off to a good beginning Wednesday, Thursday and Friday the students all talked about the classes to their families and friends over the weekend and a few others decided to join too. Among them were, of all people, Miss Haruna. She attended all nights the following week and she loved it. School started up again the very next week, but she still found time to squeeze in at least three nights a week. She quickly learned to prepare most of her lessons in advance on the weekend so she was free for her beloved Martial Arts.
She told Mrs. Humphreys, "I am having so much fun Helen. Why don't you come with me next week?"
Mrs. Humphreys agreed. "I might come at least to watch and see if I'd like to take it up myself Patricia. I'll prepare a few sewing lessons ahead of schedule this weekend, so I can go check it out when you go."
"You'll be blown away. I guarantee Helen," answered Miss Haruna.
Meanwhile in Crystal Tokyo, the forces of the mysterious prince were granted free rein in control over the corresponding Crystal Point. The warriors who were trying their best to oppose the invasion of their glorious empire had already been so bitterly frustrated when they were completely blocked off from the area where the ice cream parlour stood in the past and now they found they were hopelessly held back from entering this second area also. Some of the prince's own Droid forces were now permanently residing in each of these two Crystal Points. They held positions of government over the people who lived there. They were all very scared even though the Droids told them that they need not fear anything as long as they submitted themselves to the rule of the prince. "Our prince bears you no ill will. None of us do. Our only desire is for revenge against those who rule here. We know you are not responsible for the pain and sorrow your rulers have inflicted on us."
Nobody could understand it. But they realized it was obvious these invaders really believed their actions were justified. They couldn't believe that their king and queen would have done any wrong to these strange people. But whenever anybody tried to reason with any of them, they would firmly but gently cut them off making it clear that they believed they were innocent, but ignorant of the truth. Needless to say there was deep worry and tension in the people about what this would mean for Crystal Tokyo in the near future.
Getting back to the Martial Arts Class, the Wiseman kept watching it very closely with his crystal ball to be certain things were running smoothly. But one evening he saw something that was of critical importance to their cause. He told the Grim Man and they sent special word to Rubeus. He in turn called everybody to a meeting in the main center of their spaceship. "I've been informed by the Wiseman that he and the Grim Man are going to be making a special visitation to us right here in person within the next twenty minutes."
"They're actually coming from the future to see us?" cried Catzi in awe and all the others echoed the amazement they all shared.
Rubeus continued. "Yes that's right. They have a vitally important message for us."
They all waited with baited breath and finally in the center of the floor the pair appeared.
Rubeus led them all in humble bowing. "Welcome Masters. Tell us what you wish us to know please."
"Rubeus. We have discovered that the child Rini has just now enrolled with that Martial Arts Class at the Crystal Point," the Wiseman declared and they all gasped in eager surprise.
The Grim Man said, "We want you to show up at the next class session tomorrow and capture her. You can use your magic reserves to paralyze everybody before you strike, so they won't register your presence while you take her captive."
"If you bring her back tomorrow night, our hold over the royal Crystal Tokyo family will be well nigh protected," said the Wiseman.
"You can depend upon us Masters. I'll select some of us tomorrow and we'll prepare for our mission," said Rubeus.
The Wiseman said, "We and the prince himself are counting upon you all Rubeus. Let's go now Grim Man."
With that the creepy duo faded away even as everybody vowed to apprehend Rini.
Rini was very keen on learning Martial Arts and she had used the same magical hypnosis with which she was keeping Serena's family convinced of her identity on Grandfather. At first when he'd seen her he'd been startled remembering how he had pursued her while she'd been crying only to have seen her suddenly vanish before his eyes. But Rini had foreseen this possibility and clutching the ball she always carried with her tightly to her chest and concentrating hard, she'd stared him in the eyes and he had forgotten all about the strange past incident.
"Well well. So your name is Rini and you'd like to learn Martial Arts." He had laughed heartily in a jovial manner. "You're never too young to begin I suppose. So welcome to our school Rini."
"Thank you sir." Rini was so thrilled.
Serena had agreed to walk with Rini to and from the temple. Her parents had said, "We want you to start being even nicer and showing more care for your little cousin."
Serena had mixed feelings about Rini. On the one hand she thought her a colossal pain in the neck. But on the other hand she was convinced that for all her faults, Rini was indeed an innocent kid. And though she refused to open up and tell Serena or any of the others why she was so desperate to get her hands on the Silver Crystal, she had given Serena and Darien some inkling of the back story one time when they were in the form of Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask. So she was begrudgingly happy to safely escort Rini. Not to mention she didn't want to aggravate her parents and risk being grounded.
Rini was nice and friendly enough as they walked together the following evening. "Why don't you consider signing up for the classes yourself Serena? They're so exciting you know."
Serena replied. "Um. Perhaps I will at some future point Rini. But for now Raye and I are spending some quality social time together while you do your training."
The real truth is that Raye and Serena were having conferences with the other girls via their communicators whenever possible. Rini unknowingly winked and said, "You should try and get Raye to train with us also. At least offer it to her as a suggestion."
"Okay Rini. I will do that," said Serena to humour her.
As soon as they arrived Serena left Rini with Grandfather, Chad and all the others and she went to sit with Raye in the Shrine of the Sacred Fire. That night only Lita was free to talk to them on her communicator. Mina and her family were visiting friends for dinner and Amy's parents had taken her shopping that evening for textbooks she required for the beginning of the new term.
Lita sat quietly in her bedroom as she discussed their strategies with Serena and Raye. "Things have been very quiet from our opponents these past few weeks. I'm worried. They must be planning a super big attack."
"Fully agreed Lita," said Raye. "We must be wide eyed and alert."
No sooner had she said this than Raye quickly snapped to attention. "Hey! The fire's trying to tell me something. Hold on."
Handing the communicator to Serena, Raye crawled over to the flames on her hands and knees and began to pray. "Great fire. Please tell me what is going on. I beseech you."
What was going on was that shortly after the evenings' class had started Catzi and her partner Rhonda had materialized in the midst of everybody. But they barely had any chance to cry out or react in any way before Catzi had gestured with outstretched arms and all the people including Chad, were standing still like statues.
"You're ours now Rini," sneered Catzi. "Get her Rhonda."
"Oh no!" Rini wailed as the huge, muscular form of Rhonda came lumbering up to grab her.
But suddenly Grandfather planted an unexpected karate kick to Rhonda's shin making her collapse on to one knee in pain and surprise.
Catzi was astounded. "You're not paralyzed?"
Grandfather stood steely eyed and ready to spring. "As a priest of this temple I have trained my mind to resist magical attacks lady. Very rarely am I ever placed under a spell. I won't let you harm this little girl."
Rhonda rose to her feet saying, "We don't want to have to hurt you old man. But we must capture this child for the sake of our triumph against our enemies."
"Don't give me any of that. Run Rini!" Grandfather shouted as he stood in front of her and Rhonda. Rini didn't need to be told twice. She ran for it while Catzi cried out to Rhonda.
"Take care of the old man as gently as possible Rhonda. I'll try to grab the kid."
Catzi sprang up into the air and zoomed across to the other side of the room, her arms reaching downwards about to grasp Rini while she desperately tried to flee.
Grandfather was putting up a valient battle. But Rhonda was really enormously strong. His first attack had only been lucky since Rhonda had not been expecting it. She blocked his punches and punched him instead knocking him down. He kept jumping up and trying to connect with punches or kicks. Rhonda deflected them all and struck him down again and again. "I'm trying to go easy on you," she said. "Why must you be so stubborn?"
Meanwhile as Catzi lunged for Rini something else unanticipated happened.
Something struck her in the face stunning her before she could reach Rini. As Rini kept on running Catzi fell to the floor in a heap unconscious. Sailor Moon reached out her hand and caught her Moon Scepter. She had thrown it at Catzi in a remarkable spinning motion. It had knocked Catzi out and then amazingly had been deflected still spinning back to Sailor Moon, like a boomerang.
Rini pulled up short and gasped to see Sailor Moon and Sailor Mars standing next to her. She knew she had nothing to fear now. She jumped for joy and cheered.
Rhonda wasn't even aware of what had happened. She had just delivered an extra hard blow to Grandfather reluctantly in order to lay him down and he groaned in pain.
The sight of seeing that happen to her beloved Grandfather made Sailor Mars boil like an exploding volcano. In her unquenchable rage she summoned up a brand new power from deep within her. "MARS CELESTIAL FIRE SURROUND!"
As Grandfather was lying dazed and moaning upon the floor, Rhonda snapped to attention at the sound of Sailor Mars' booming voice. As Mars summoned up rings of fire in mid-air and sent them flying straight at Rhonda, she made attempt to counterattack.
Boldly she summoned up whirlwinds of energy from her arms when she flexed her muscles. As they shot out they fought against the rings of fire. They held them back and Rhonda cried out, "I'll send your own weapon flying straight back at you."
Sailor Mars and Sailor Moon both gasped in terror. Sailor Moon couldn't attack fast enough to save Sailor Mars. In seconds her own fire would be blown back at her point blank.
But just then another sort of object came flying in a rotational effect. Of all things, it was a rose and as it spun up to Rhonda's psychic energy it was followed by a second one. Their whirly motion halted Rhonda's attack dispersing it and also freeing the rings of fire. Incredibly the two roses were not even singed by the fire, but as they finished spinning and fell to stick their stems into the floor side by side, they redirected Sailor Mars' attack back towards Rhonda really fast. As they struck they set Rhonda's clothes on fire and as she began to scream and vainly attempt to beat out the flames, Sailor Moon, Sailor Mars and Rini all turned to see Tuxedo Mask standing in the open doorway behind them.
"Tuxedo Mask! You've come again!" cried Sailor Moon but he cried back at her.
"Don't waste time Sailor Moon! Use your scepter!"
"Oh, right. MOON SCEPTER ELIMINATION!"
Sailor Moon aimed her attack straight at Rhonda, just as she was about ready to run away in despair, her whole upper torso practically being consumed by a raging celestial inferno. The effect of the scepter's power combined with the flames set Rhonda exploding with a sound like a firecracker. Sailor Moon's tiara was indeed far more immensely powerful now that it could be transformed into this scepter. Rhonda was reduced to the same minuscule atomic particles as the wicked aliens Peter and Jenny had been. It seemed highly unlikely that anybody could have the slightest chance of surviving her new improved attack such as the Youma had done in the past. And even then that had only been an extremely rare outcome. As it was the only thing that was left of Rhonda was the jewel with the trademark symbol of the dark upside-down crescent engraved in it that she had been sporting inside the belt of her outfit.
Sailor Moon turned around but to her dismay Tuxedo Mask had already vanished and in his place was Sailor Jupiter running in breathlessly. "Did I miss anything?"
Rini was very excited to see her. She knew all about the Sailor Scouts.
But before she or anybody else could say anything more, they heard a groan and turning saw Catzi begin to slowly climb shakily to her feet. "What happened? Where's my partner?"
Sailor Moon pointed her scepter at her and said in a stern monotone, "Your partner's dead. And so are you if you don't surrender and tell us why you are harassing poor Rini."
Catzi practically screamed in rage. "YOU KILLED RHONDA?"
Everybody's ears rang with the loud volume pitch of this stinging accusation. Including Grandfather's, who was shaking his head trying to get his full bearings after being half knocked out.
For a moment the Sailor Scouts thought Catzi would be so daring as to make an attack, even though Sailor Moon had her scepter trained upon her. But Catzi knew when to fight and when to run away. So she dematerialized before any of them could blink an eye.
But though Catzi was physically no longer present, they heard her angry voice call out scathingly, "You are a ruthless killer Sailor Moon. We shall avenge Rhonda and all your other victims next time."
"This has to be some kind of elaborate trick to confuse us," declared Sailor Moon.
"Guess you're probably right," said Sailor Mars as she bent down and pocketed the jewel that lay on the floor.
"Sailor Scouts," cried Grandfather getting to his feet. "What's going on here? My students and Chad?"
But even as he was speaking they began to become unparalyzed. Sailor Moon and her friends were beginning to get a little nervous. What would they say to them all? And what if Grandfather suddenly wanted to know how Raye and Serena were? What if he insisted on going to check on them at once? How could they offer explanation for their absence and their subsequent reappearance when the Sailor Scouts were gone?
But fortunately they were spared having to worry about anything. Young Rini thought to herself, "I want to keep as low a profile as possible. I don't want a great deal of undue attention or unease within anything I'm involved in. I know just what to do."
She held her ball tight against her chest and drawing on its hypnotic charges she walked out in front of the Scouts and even as people attempted to ask questions she cried out as loud as she could, "Everybody! Listen to me!"
Having obtained the attention she sought the people, including Chad and Grandfather all locked eyes on her and as she squeezed her ball tightly releasing its mystical waves she began to speak just like a hypnotist. "Nothing out of the ordinary has been happening tonight. We've all been enjoying our Martial Arts training together. Do you understand? Nothing has been happening except our training."
She was encircling the entire ring of people while Sailor Moon and her two friends watched astonished in the center. Everybody's eyes were glassy and they chanted in a unified monotone. "We understand. Nothing except our training."
"Good," Rini went on. "As soon as Sailor Moon and the other two leave, I'll snap my fingers and you won't even remember their being here at all. Is that clear?"
"Yes. Very clear."
Rini turned and smiled at the astounded Sailors. "I haven't hurt anybody Sailor Moon. I was told to try to fit in like an ordinary kid during my search for the Silver Crystal and at all costs to avoid bringing any indication of my connection to the enemy who are trying to stop me. My good friend who sent me here to the past gave me this magic ball to perform miracles to help me including the power to hypnotize. That's how I was able to establish myself as a member of a family here in this city. I was also told you and your friends would be here to give me assistance when I need it."
Sailor Moon silently gasped. So that was what had happened to her parents and younger brother Sammy. Rini had used her power to make them believe she was their niece and cousin. But why then she wondered hadn't Rini attempted to hypnotize her too? She could have told her to hand over the crystal under hypnosis. What a big mystery there was around such a small girl.
Rini ran over to the two roses stuck in the floor, pulled them out and quickly handed them to Sailor Moon breaking these thoughts she was having to herself.
"Here! You'd better take these. I don't want to have them wondering where they came from. Next time you see dear Tuxedo Mask please give one back to him and keep the other for yourself."
"Uh sure. Okay." Sailor Moon was taken aback by the look in Rini's eyes as she gave her the roses. They seemed so full of love. As if she was expressing intimate feelings of some kind. She wished she knew just who this little girl really was.
"Well then. I guess we had better be off Mars and Jupiter." She turned to the others who agreed. After all what else could they do?
The three of them said goodbye to Rini and Sailor Jupiter headed back to her home while Serena and Raye resumed their secret identities back in the Shrine of the Sacred Flame.
Serena stared at the roses before slipping them into her bag and Raye took out the jewel that was left behind when Rhonda was destroyed. They stared at it then at each other. They didn't know what to make of it all but Raye said she would keep trying to find information through fire readings.
So they filled in their time in this manner until Serena had to take Rini home after the rest of the training class had normally finished.
None of them, not even Grandfather, had the slightest inkling of what had taken place. Rini was very relieved. Her friend was extremely powerful and knew how to control people when necessary for good purposes. It was to her credit that the power she had shared with Rini was able to successfully charm a strong old man like Grandfather.
As for Catzi, as soon as she arrived back at their spacecraft she delivered the bad news. "Catzi! What happened? And where is Rhonda?" asked Rubeus.
Catzi bowed her head, clenched her fists and said slowly, "The Sailor Scouts prevented us from capturing our target once again. I was knocked out by a surprise attack and while I was unconscious Sailor Moon murdered Rhonda."
There was a huge gasp from all the occupants of the spacecraft. Even Rubeus was aghast. To have lost part of their team was a deeply felt blow for them all.
He made a huge announcement. "As leader of our team on this mission I hereby decree we observe not one, but two minutes silence. Rhonda was wholeheartedly devoted to helping us all acheive our mutual revenge. Her loss is very tragic. She is worth two minutes easy in her honour."
They all stood or sat around in various places. Birdy sat on a big couch with Droido on her left and Frosty on her right. Birdy draped her arms around each of their waists and drew them close to her. She bowed her head and began to weep remembering how very easily they could have met the same fate as Rhonda. The thought of losing her best friends was too much for her to bear and she cried as quietly as possible during the two minutes. Frosty and Droido placed their arms around her shoulders offering silent comfort to her. Rubeus, Hypnotica and Thunderclap quietly frowned and glared at them. They each had a brief recanting moment because they knew how much Birdy and her friends meant to each other, since they were all friends like they were. But very quickly something inside them seemed to push their sympathy aside and they deeply resented the way those three cuddled and Birdy sobbing like that made them sick. They knew that it was a terribly wrong attitude to have. But even though sometimes they didn't fully understand why they couldn't help being so critical.
As for the others, the Droids known as Jellax and Avocado were standing with bowed heads along with Catzi's other two sisters in a group and Catzi herself sat down in front of a mirror and stared at her reflection dejectedly. She couldn't quite believe it was really true that Rhonda was gone forever.
As soon as the two minutes were over Rubeus made another announcement. "Rhonda must not have died in vain. We must do all we can to help our cause succeed for her memory's sake. I have an idea for our Crystal Points."
All the ladies moved in close to hear him explain. "That Point at the Martial Arts School was looking after itself okay. I suggest we place spells upon the Cosmetic Store and the ice cream parlour businesses of the exact same kind so that the humans running them will unknowingly help provide strength to the adjacent Crystal Point locations in Crystal Tokyo. With three of the major key Crystal Points under control in the future it will advantage our allies while we come up with a new plan to capture Rini."
They all thought this was an excellent proposal. That evening Birdy and her friends revisited Beauty 4 You Cosmetics, Catzi took the company of Rubeus' friends Thunderclap and Hypnotica to call on the ice cream parlour and the other two sisters along with Jellax and Avocado reset the magic spell over Grandfather's dojo room at the temple after making sure the coast was clear.
With these three businesses running with their enchantments upon them, things were vastly improved for the forces of the prince in Crystal Tokyo. He sent word via his two creepy advisors that he was very pleased and Rubeus promised on behalf of them all that soon Rini would be their prisoner to send back to them in chains.
Then he sat down himself musing over a new bright idea that was coming to him.
