After one week on Earth, Azrealella believed that she was entitled to a vacation. It was so difficult to watch her mouth in school, they were so primitive here, what they called technology, she called child's play. Her physics teacher had moved her to the back of the room, believing that she was copping off of Amy, which was ridicules since she had gotten a better score then Amy on the exam, but the teacher didn't see it that way. Her math teacher must have spoken to her physics teacher because she was sent to another room to take her tests. Nothing was what it would have seemed, Amy and her friends were all giggly after this concert they were all going to on Friday, and she got the distinct impression that she was not invited. The girls even had back stage passes.
Well that was fine, she didn't want to go see a concert anyway. She had been here long enough it was time that she sat down and had a meeting with the Outer Scouts. Though she wasn't sure where to look.
After class on Friday she went to the small park, and walked around the lake, settling finally one a bench to think. This was the same park where they had found all the victims. Those people were recovering finally, something about sever exhaustion and dehydration. She knew what had caused it, had seen its effects on the Sailor Stars world, she had helped heal the Stars that had been attacked, and could still feel the strange dark taint that seemed to get under your skin and itch with no cure.
The park was quiet now, few people braving to enter it now. Azrealella looked around once more before pulling out the necklace she wore, it was simple enough, a heart locket and a key. But looks could be deceiving, it was a time key. The necklace was how She had kept in touch with Sailor Pluto all those years. She held the silver in her hand and closed her eyes, my friend in solitude I need you now, where are you?
Opening her eyes, Azrealella smiled before she turned her head. She could feel Trista's presence.
"I have been waiting for you to contact me," Trista said as she approached the bench, she smiled at her friend. "How has your week been?"
Azrealella raised an eyebrow and laughed at her friend, "exausting!" She patted the bench beside her, "you could have warned me you know."
"About what?"
"School?" Azrealella's voice shot up on the last part of the word. "I mean come on its insane, what is the point of it! I learned so much more on my own then those pencil brained morons could ever understand."
Trista smiled, "you are a breed all your own, you enjoy that crazy stuff that you call 'light reading'." Snorting she continued, "I have never heard of quantum chemistry as light reading before."
"Hey that was genuinely interesting." Azrealella laughed, "A thousand years, and we are still having the same argument."
Trista shared her smile "its good to have you hear, the others want to see you."
"I am eager to see them too, have there been any more attacks?" Azrealella asked as she stood.
Trista stood too, "none that we have heard of, but we should coordinate with the Inner Scouts on this."
Eyes narrowed Azrealella turned to her, "why bring them into this, they don't know anything about fighting dark things."
"Maybe not, but they have a right to know what is going on." Trista said in a pleading tone.
"You think they would be so kind?" Azrealella didn't wait for an answer, "where are the others?"
Trista turned and led the way. They took a taxi most of the journey, but were silent. Azrealella didn't want to fight with her friend, but didn't want to hear that the Inner Scouts were worth her concern. As far as she was concerned, they couldn't be trusted. She could feel their presence before she got out of the cab, and found the walk to the front door excruciating. She had seen them a few nights ago, but that had been official business this was friendship, sisterhood, this was heaven.
As soon as the front door opened and Hotaru came running out, Azrealella was on her knees, Hotaru ran right into her arms. She held her youngest friend and felt the stinging of tears, but it didn't matter. She was home. It didn't matter that she had never been here before in her long life, she could hear the voices of her friends, and feel the warmth of there presence. She was among those who loved her, and trusted her.
The reunion was brought inside, where Azrealella found a comfortable seat on the couch, with Hotaru next to her, and Michele on the other side. After a long embrace with Amara, she settled on the recliner, with Trista sitting on the armrest.
"I hate to be the one to end the fun, but lets get down to business." Amara declared after they had all enjoyed a few laughs from their past.
Azrealella smiled at Amara and her authority. She was different in this life, more assertive.
"These shadow creatures have you ever seen their likes?" Trista asked.
Head down, Azrealella answered. "I have seen them before, and I have fought them before. They call themselves, Dark Shadows. They feed on the negative energy that is in everyone. That's why I said they cant be hurt by love spells, they don't believe in love, or light, they exist only in the dark. That's why they wont ever attack by day."
"Where did you see them before now?" Hotaru asked, her head resting on Azrealella's shoulder.
Azrealella stroked her hair, and smiled at Hotaru. "The planet I was on before this also had Sailor soldiers, they called them selves Sailor Stars." Her head snapped up, when she heard the angry growl come from Amara. "Have they been here then?"
"They were here, looking for their Princess, which they found and left." Amara stood up, and began to pace. "That little wretched on kept flirting with Serena, like he stood a chance with her. He had no right to go near her, she is engaged. What a little weasel he was."
"That's a yes, they were here and yes we met them." Michele said with a sympathetic smile.
Frowning Azrealella apologized, "I had no idea they would be this much trouble I am so sorry."
Amara stopped in her pacing and stared at her, "explain."
"I was the one who told their Princess to come here to hide, I thought she would be safe. I didn't mean to cause you grief. I just wanted to help." Azrealella looked at her lap.
"You knowingly sent them here, with the chance that Galaxia would follow them?" Trista clarified.
"No Galaxia didn't follow her, she didn't follow until she had nearly wiped out half of the Sailor Stars forces. Then she followed, I couldn't go then I had to much healing to do." Azrealella pleaded with them.
"Healing, you mean life restoring don't you." Trista pounced on the word. "Azrealella, you know that's risky, one time your going to give away your own life! What were you thinking, how many did you save?"
Azrealella glared at her defiantly, "most were just hurt only a few perished. One of them came here, he called himself Sailor Star Fighter. And it's a worthy risk, trying to save someone's life."
"You saved Fighter's life? Why he's the scum that was after Serena!" Amara said as she paced past the couch again.
Azrealella shook her head this was getting out of hand, this was supposed to be a friendly meeting. Not her defending all her past actions.
"Enough Amara, she didn't know. I am sure it was not her intention to put us in danger." Michele said. Azrealella cast her a small smile of thanks, Michele winked in return.
"Why don't we focus on the new problem? Those Dark Shadows?" Hotaru spoke up, she didn't like fighting.
Trista glared at Azrealella but said no more, Amara finished her pacing and settled back on her chair, and the room breathed a sigh of relief. "What more do you want to know?" Azrealella asked.
"Everything, how are they killed, what are they after, what can we do to protect ourselves." Trista said.
Azrealella took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "They are killed by dark power, they are after the negative energy inside of every human, they can hide in any shadow, or patch of shade, they can materialize out of thin air. You can protect yourselves by staying in the light, or by being a creature of darkness your self." She paused, "they are afraid of me, they call me the 'Hunter' because I was able to kill them on the Star's planet."
"They can only be killed by darkness? That's the only weapon against them?" Hotaru asked.
Azrealella smiled at her, "none of you have anything to worry about, they wont come near you. I told you they are afraid of me, and you have all been around me enough that if they catch your scent they will flee."
"That's not enough! We need to be able to fight them to combat them!" Amara declaired.
"Our attacks are not as love based as the Inner Scouts, surly that will help some wont it?" Trista asked.
Azrealella thought for a moment before answering. "Your attacks should be enough to hold them at bay, I am not sure if you can kill with them."
"So that's it?" Hotaru asked looking up at Azrealella. "We defend until you can come help us?"
Azrealella hugged her, "I wont let anything happen to my sisters."
The sidewalks were crowded with excited fans all straining to get a glimpse of the Three Lights as they made there come back performance. The stadium had sold out in under ten minuets.
Rey pushed angrily against a man to make room for the others, "move over man we have backstage passes!"
"Yah! Really important people coming through here!" Mina said as she pushed through with Rey.
Amy, Serena and Mina followed slightly less sedated. "Its too bad Darien couldn't come, I am sure he would have liked to meet them." Amy yelled to Serena over the crowd.
"He has to study, he's still working towards his masters, and you know how dedicated he is." Serena said as she dodged another elbow.
"Come one move it gramps! I want to see the Three Lights!" Rey demanded.
After several more grunts, bumps and a few bruises they made their way to the front of the crowd, where they proudly flashed their backstage passes and were admitted.
"Well that was an ordeal." Amy commented as they made their way down the silent corridor.
"It was at that," Mina said, "Uhh did anyone think to ask for directions?"
They were lost in the maze of catacombs under the theater before they knew it. They wandered for almost twenty minutes before they heard the opening chords of the Three Lights first songs.
"We are going to miss it!!!" Lita yelled, and charged off in whatever direction she was pointed in.
Sighing the others followed her. "Water." Serena begged, but was ignored by the others as they went chasing after Lita.
The concert was in the third song before they saw the light from the stage, just up a flight of frighteningly high stairs.
"Water." Serena begged again, and was again ignored as they began the climb. The fourth song was coming to an end as they made the top of the stairs and could see the concert. Rey, Mina, Lita and Amy cheered, and Serena fell at their feet, begging again for "water". They watched the rest of the concert from the wings, and cheered on the group as loudly as they could.
"They look better then I remember." Mina said as she danced along to the music.
Rey was clapping in time, "I wonder if the Princess came back with them?"
"Who cares, they are here!" Lita said, jumping up and down.
With their side stage vantage point the girls couldn't see the audience, or what was going on out there. But the Star's could, starting at the back of the theater, the audience began going silent, and still.
Seiya, glanced over at Taiki for confirmation, as he struck the chords for another song, Taiki nodded, but narrowed his eyes. They remembered the Dark Shadow from when its forces attacked their world, but they were not expecting to see it here, so were slow to believe what they saw.
The Shadow crept low over the back crowd, selecting its victims with care. The screams of those near the shadow mixed with the excited screams of the fans, till it was just one noise.
Yaten was the first one to stop singing and stare at the great cloud forming over the theater's audience. Seiya and Taiki followed suit, and they stared at the shadow creature, stronger then they had yet seen. A large security guard ran on stage and ushered them off, telling them they had to hide, and protect themselves.
As they were rushed past the girls, they dragged them with them. In their dressing room, Amy, Rey, Mina, Lita and Serena just stared at them.
"What happened?" Amy asked, as Serena dragged herself over to the sink and began drinking out of the faucet.
"You didn't see it?" Taiki asked, pacing across the room.
"See what?" Rey asked.
Yaten, Seiya and Taiki looked between each other before answering. "You didn't see the Dark Shadows that were in the theater, consuming the energy of the audience?"
"We couldn't really see anything from the wings other then you-" Lita began.
"What do you mean consuming the audience energy?" Rey demanded. "You saw it? You saw a shadow monster?"
"They are called Dark Shadows, and yes we saw it." Yaten said, "They are hard to miss."
"Is it still out there?" Serena asked, then drank another mouthful of water.
Seiya glanced to the others before answering, "I would assume it is."
"Then come on we have to go protect those people!" Lita said as she rushed for the door.
Taiki got to it first, and blocked her path, "you are no match for those monsters, you can't fight them and neither can we."
"Well we can't just sit here and do nothing!" Serena said pushing at Taiki's arm, it didn't budge.
"Serena you don't understand, we cant fight those Shadows, our powers do nothing against them. If you go out there, in the dark, then you are sighing up to be on the dinner list." Seiya said coming over to the door.
Rey began pacing, "Then what do we do wait in here until we die of starvation?"
"No," Yaten said with a head shake, "the lights will burn out before that happens and the Shadows will get in here."
Lita charged over to Taiki, "I would rather go out fighting then sit in here and wait for them to find me."
"Me too." Rey charged across the room.
Taiki stared at them, "You don't understand what it is that you're going up against." He shifted his weight so he was more in front of the door, "It may not just drain your energy it can kill you. We have seen it!"
"Where?" Amy asked.
"They attacked our home world, we wouldn't have survived if Sailor X hadn't shown up." Seiya admitted.
The girls stared at him in stunned silence. "Sailor X was on your home world? How!" Rey asked after the pause.
"She's here then?" Seiya asked with relief. He sat down hard in the chair next to him his head in his hands. "We found her."
"Well she needs to find us or we are going to have a problem." Yaten said sitting next to Seiya.
Taiki surveyed the Scouts, wondering if they were serious about trying to fight the shadows. "If Sailor X is here, where is she, why is she not with you?"
Serena looked embarrassed, "We don't know where she is, she just showed up the once, and we haven't seen her since, and anyway we don't know if we can trust her."
"Not trust her? You're a fool to not trust her." Seiya said as he leapt from the chair, the strain showing plainly on his face.
Serena stared at him, then glanced at the others. "I would still rather die fighting. Lets go!"
Taiki let them out, then turned to Seiya, "If she is here, she will come save us."
"If she has forgiven me." Seiya said sadly.