Raising Suspicions, The Senshi's Quest for Answers

"Just twenty more minutes," the teacher said to the Algebra I class that sat before her. Hoshi looked up at the clock, and she saw that the teacher was right. She looked down at the problem sheet before her and then at the answer sheet where she had to fill in the bubbles. Hoshi let out a sigh as she looked at the last five problems she had in front of her. Number 145 was an inequality equation. Hoshi worked it out as best as she could, and she continued on to the next problem. Hoshi's mind went flying as she stared down at the graphing problem. She took out her ruler and began to plot the points that she got from solving the equation and connected them.

"All right, I have the tests graded since no one was at the grading machine," the teacher said after everyone had finished. Hoshi looked up in relief. Even though Hoshi hated math, the suspense about knowing what she got was killing her. "Hoshi, great job!" the teacher said. Hoshi looked up in alarm. "You got the highest score; ninety-two out of one hundred!" The bell rang, and all of the students quickly got up, and they filed out of the classroom.

Hoshi got up and stretched; when she finally relaxed she looked up to see Dorei and Enzeru standing at the door. Hoshi put her books, paper, pencil, and ruler into her backpack, and she walked out of the classroom.

"How'd you do?" Dorei asked.

"Take a guess! I only studied five minutes before the test," Hoshi said with a proud smile on her face.

"You got the best grade in the class, didn't you?" Enzeru asked quietly. Hoshi nodded with an even larger smile on her face. "You really should study more. I'm sure that if you studied more, you would have received an even higher grade," Enzeru pointed out.

"You're probably right," Hoshi said with embarrassment. "How'd you do on your Spanish final, Dorei?" Hoshi said; she was very eager to change the subject.

"Not so great. My teacher says if I stay the way I am, I'm going to have to retake the class in high school," Dorei said with a frown.

"No wonder you guys are good friends; neither of you study," Enzeru said innocently. Hoshi turned her head towards the younger girl with a devilish glare. "Don't glare at me like that," she told Hoshi.

"How!?" Hoshi asked surprised, Enzeru replied only by smiling.

"Anyway, I'm just glad that finals are over," Dorei said, breaking the tension between the two girls.

"I can agree to that," Hoshi said with a nod.

***

"Are you sure that they are sick?" Ami asked Minako who sat a few steps above her. Ami, Minako, Makoto, Minako, Ami, and Artemis all sat on the steps of the temple; Rei was sweeping the walkway.

"Usagi's mom wouldn't let her out of the house; the same with Chibiusa. Chibiusa seemed a lot worse than Usagi, however," Minako replied.

"Let's talk about what we came here for," Makoto interrupted. "We all want to know the same thing; who are the new senshi?"

"I believe that it has to be Shakaku and Kaichuu. No one else comes to mind," Ami spoke, the senshi all listened to what she had to say.

"No one else really comes across the way those two do. I don't think that it's just fate that those girls are always around when trouble happens," Makoto agreed.

"But they're too nice to really hurt anyone like that," Minako protested.

"They may seem that way, but you just wait and see. I have the feeling that maybe we just need to get to know those two a little bit better. Look at what happened with Haruka and Michiru. We really got to know them, so they trusted us enough to transform," Rei replied.

"Rei's right," Makoto said with a nod.

"One of us should get to know them better and then fill the rest of us in with whatever information they come up with," Ami suggested. Everyone turned and stared at her.

"If you don't mind, Ami, you did suggest it," Minako said with a gleam in her eyes.

"I didn't mean me," Ami said in a shocked voice.

"You could go over to their apartment right now," Rei suggested.

With a sigh, Ami got up from the floor, and she put her shoes on. She looked back at the rest of the girls who nodded in encouragement.

***

"Any day now," Dorei called to Kaichuu who was in the kitchen making some brownies.

"Zoo not zesturb thee mazter when ze iz working," Kaichuu said as she peeked her head out of the kitchen and then went back to work on her brownies.

"Already hyper," Shakaku said with a shake of her head. A few minutes later, Kaichuu walked out of the kitchen, Pele at her shoulder, with a large platter and a very proud smile on her face.

"All right, now we can eat," she said as she sat herself and the brownies down at the table. Pele flew down from Kaichuu's shoulder, and she landed next to her mother and father, who were taking up the recliner.

"They smell great, Kaichuu," Enzeru commented as she reached out for one of them.

"She's right, there's no way any of us can say no," Hoshi said as she too grabbed for a brownie. Kaichuu made noises as she rushed down the first brownie, and then she started for a second one.

"You've been hanging around with Usagi for too long," Shakaku told her friend. Kaichuu's eyes widened, and she chewed more slowly and then laughed.

"Me? Like her? No, I don't think so," she replied as she finished her second brownie. Shakaku didn't reply, and she opened up her music book to finish her homework.

There came a small knock at the door, and all of the girls stopped what they were doing. "I'll get it," Kaichuu said, getting up. She walked down the hall, and the other girls heard her open the door.

"Hey, Ami!" Kaichuu shouted as she wrapped her arms around the blue-haired girl in a large embrace.

"Hello, Kaichuu," Ami responded after Kaichuu had put her down. Kaichuu let Ami in, she stopped as she noticed that five girls were sitting on the couch; Hades, Pele, and Athena had left the room.

"Hello, Ami," Shakaku said. She stood up and crossed the brown-carpeted room to go to her room.

"Don't think you know my friends," Kaichuu began. "This is Kareino Hoshi," she said, pointing to Hoshi. "This is Shojo Dorei, and Kurai Enzeru," Kaichuu finished. Enzeru and Ami both smiled, but Hoshi just looked at Ami blankly. "Made some brownies, want some?" Kaichuu asked, offering Ami a brownie.

"No, thanks; actually, I came to see if Shakaku could help me with the music homework," Ami replied.

"Sure. SHAKAKU!" Kaichuu yelled at the top of her lungs.

"Que quieres?" Shakaku asked as she poked her head out of her room. Kaichuu pointed at Ami, and Shakaku nodded. Shakaku stepped out of her room, and she closed the door behind her, crossing the room once again. "Music homework?" Shakaku asked.

"Just a few questions," Ami agreed. Shakaku motioned for Ami to sit down at the table, where it seemed that everyone was doing some form of homework. Hoshi was reading from her literature book, Dorei was working on Spanish (with bits of help from Shakaku), Kaichuu was drawing, Enzeru was reading, and Shakaku was working on her music homework. Ami sat down next to Shakaku, and she took out a pen.

"Gregorian chant comes to us as what kind of song for church services?" Ami read allowed. Ami looked at the question for a while and then said, "archetypal Latin songs?" Shakaku looked at her own paper, and she nodded.

"What are three types of Offices that Gregorian chant is used for?" Ami read the second question. Ami was getting bit frustrated with this homework, so she decided that if she was going to get a good grade on it, she was going to need Shakaku's help.

Ami was the smartest person at her school, but that didn't mean that she never had her down times. She loves math and studying science; Ami also loved writing, but music had never been something that she had a passion about. Music didn't come easy to Ami the way math or literature did, but she had seen others get help on their homework, couldn't she? Ami didn't want to admit it, but she was going to have to rely on Shakaku to pass this assignment. If she studied really hard, she knew that she could get a better grade in that class. But what about her other classes that she worked hard in? Was she going to let one stupid music class get in the way of her grades? Ami didn't want to let that happen, which is why she was going to need Shakaku's help.

Ami looked up as Shakaku spoke. "What do you think it is, Ami?" Shakaku asked as she peered down at the girl sitting next to her.

"I can only take a guess," Ami confessed. "Is one of them Vespers?" she said, looking up with hope written on her face.

Shakaku nodded, "Vespers is one of the three. See? It's not so hard. I'll give you a hint on the second; it starts with an 'M'," Shakaku replied.

"Mestians," Ami said, hoping that she had gotten it right.

"Actually it's Matins, but close enough," Shakaku said with a smile.

"Shakaku! Why aren't you eating any brownies!?" Kaichuu shouted as she noticed that Shakaku hadn't even touched a brownie from the plate.

"I'm not that hungry, Kaichuu," Shakaku replied.

"Not hungry!!!??? I WON'T BUY THAT! You'd better eat one," Kaichuu screamed, and then she said the last sentence dangerously, growling and narrowing her eyes.

"Kaichuu," Shakaku pleaded.

"I don't want to hear another word until you EAT!" Kaichuu replied, forcing a brownie into Shakaku's hand. "EAT!" Kaichuu ordered.

"Kaichuu, Ami and I are trying to study," Shakaku responded.

"EAT!"

"Kai-"

"EAT!"

Shakaku gave up her losing battle, and she looked at the brownie. She had never liked foods that contained sugar, but it looked as though she didn't have a choice. Shakaku turned the brownie around in her fingers, making sure that Kaichuu hadn't hidden any duct tape as she was known to do.

Shakaku looked over at Kaichuu, who rolled her eyes. Shakaku nibbled at the brownie, taking small bites. As she ate, she could hear that Ami was trying to hold back a laugh. Shakaku looked around the table, and she saw that Hoshi and Dorei were watching her, also making sure that she ate the entire thing. When she had finished, she looked over at Kaichuu.

"You dropped a few pieces," Kaichuu replied before Shakaku could say anything. Shakaku looked hurt, and she then gave up. Ami had now lost control over her laughter, and she was trying not to fall from where she was kneeling.

"Next time, I won't listen to you," Shakaku said as she made faces. Kaichuu smiled triumphantly, and she continued drawing the picture that she had been working on.

"What is the name of the last Office?" Shakaku asked Ami, getting back to the assignment.

"I don't know," Ami replied sadly.

"Why don't you look it up?" Shakaku suggested. Ami got out her music book and searched, Shakaku waited.

"Lauds!" Ami said with a smile, Shakaku nodded. Ami had finished the assignment, but she had found nothing on the girls so far. What if they weren't the senshi? Had they been wrong? Ami rose from the table, thanked Shakaku for her help, and she left, noticing nothing strange about the group.

Ami closed the door behind her as she exited from the apartment. A moist smell hung in the air; Ami started breathing from her mouth to avoid the smell. Ami walked around and turned the corner where the stairs were. She turned around as she thought that she heard breathing behind her.

"Yajuu!" the monster screamed as it launched for Ami. Ami turned around only to see the creature almost on top of her. She turned the other way, and she ran in the direction that her brain told her was away.

***

"Ami?" Dorei said as she looked up from her book. It was clear that there was a yajuu attacking Ami, and the others had heard it.

"Going on the duct tape list," Kaichuu added as she pretended to take out a piece of paper and write on it.

"It's about time," Hoshi said with a smile.

"Hoshi," Enzeru said with a frown.

"Time to kick some butt," Shakaku said with a smile to match Hoshi's.

"Virgas Constellation Power, Make up!"

"Dracas Constellation Power, Make up!"

"Phoenix Constellation Power, Make up!"

"Gemini Constellation Power, Make up!"

"Huh, what? Oh! Aquaria Constellation Power, Make up!" The room was filled with colored light as they transformed. When Kaichuu was done transforming, the girls all looked at each other, then they burst out of the door.

Ami closed her eyes as the yajuu shot her transformation pen out of her hand. "Virgas Melody Entraption!" Sailor Virgas yelled, stopping the yajuu from attacking once again.

"Dracas Star Shatter!" Sailor Dracas yelled, using this time to set up an attack.

"Help!" Ami screamed, reaching for her transformation pen, but she pulled her hand back as the yajuu shoot at her hand.

"Twisting Flame Encounter!" Sailor Phoenix yelled, burning the creature's hand that was about to launch another attack. After she had let her attack loose, Sailor Phoenix turned around and narrowed her eyes.

The yajuu screamed in pain, touching its hand and trying to ease the pain.

"What's the matter?" Sailor Virgas asked with a smile. "Did we get the best of you? Aquaria, if you would do the honors."

"Aquaria Showering Stardrops!" Sailor Aquaria yelled, a sphere forming in her hands and letting out what looked like blue raindrops. The yajuu laughed, watching as the drops drew closer. One of the raindrops touched the creature's skin and began to sizzle.

"Why!?" the yajuu yelled as it began to burn away, leaving nothing but a puddle in its wake. Ami reached down to get her transformation pen, which she quickly shoved into her pocket.

"Are you ok?" Sailor Dracas asked, watching as Ami hid her pen.

"Yes, thank you," Ami said with a bow.

"Even the strong senshi need help," Sailor Gemini added. Ami turned around, after bowing again and left the hall, walking down the stairs.

***

Kaboku watched as the senshi of Mercury walked away and the senshi stayed behind. Kaboku ached to jump out and attack the senshi, but Kyuuteki had given him orders and he would not disobey him. Kaboku held back his breath as Sailor Phoenix turned around, her eyes looking almost into his own again, and Kaboku hoped that she didn't sense him there. Sailor Phoenix's eyes stayed locked where they were, but much to Kaboku's luck, she said nothing.

"Why would a yajuu just attack out of nowhere?" Sailor Virgas asked.

"There must be a reason," Sailor Aquaria added.

"I'm sure there is," Sailor Phoenix said, raising an eyebrow in Kaboku's direction. There was some reason why Sailor Phoenix wasn't telling the others that he was there, and Kaboku wanted to find out why. Kaboku wasn't going to push his luck, so he disappeared, almost thanking Sailor Phoenix for her silence.

"He got lucky," Sailor Phoenix said.

"What? Who?" Sailor Aquaria asked.

"Kaboku just left; he was watching us," Sailor Phoenix said.

"He was here, and you didn't tell us?" Sailor Gemini demanded.

"What would we have done? His powers are just as strong as ours and if he can take one of us down in a fight, then he's got us all," Sailor Phoenix pointed out.

"He won't get so lucky next time," Sailor Virgas growled.