The asteroid orbited comfortably above the familiar marble the senshi knew to be Earth. Yet despite this comfort, trouble brewed within. "Just what makes you such an expert on this planet?" Zhuancha shouted at Tucana.

"Oh, I don't know," Tucana said sarcastically, "Maybe it's because I've been here twice before?!" Tucana's statement ended in a shout, as many had since the beginning of the argument. For some reason the others couldn't understand, the two had begun arguing over how to handle things on the surface of the planet.

"That doesn't make you an expert!" Zhuancha quickly retorted.

"Please, please!" Geb interrupted. "As leader, I will decide how to go about this!"

"Oh, yeah," Nebula grumbled, "We've all seen how well that has gone." This earned a nudge to her rib from Daichi.

"Geb may not be perfect, but she is still the IPI leader," she said.

'But she isn't our leader,' Mei pointed out.

"This is our mission and you'll listen to her!" Ixtab yelled. By now, the senshi were in a cluster, arguing between one another.

"Please, must we argue?" Hikari asked. Her question was lost among deaf ears.

On the other side of the room stood Anog Ite and Seresha, watching the arguments with disdain. "Why do they feel the need to argue?" Seresha asked to no one in particular.

"Each feels, considering what each has thus gone through," Anog Ite began, "That she knows what is the best course of action when in reality, they must work together." She shook her head. "Arguing accomplishes nothing."

"Yes," Seresha said with a nod, "That is very true, Anog Ite."

"Oh, please," Anog Ite said, smiling. "Call me Hotah." Seresha nodded, then shook her head as though feeling she had heard something wrong.

"But, I thought your name was Enapay."

Anog Ite laughed. "Oh, no, no, no," she said. "You must have me confused with someone else." She tilted her head, then smiled again and approached the group. Instantly everything became silent, but not because they were done arguing. They found that their voices were gone.

'Anog Ite, what do you think you are doing?' Mei asked, the only one able to.

"Please, could we agree to disagree?" Anog Ite asked. "This mission belongs to Geb, Ixtab, and myself. It should be the three of us who agree on a course of action." She lifted her hand, bringing back the sound. There was a pause, as everyone looked at each other. Then, the silence was broken.

"I know what to do," Ixtab said. The room around them spun, and then they found themselves surrounded by trees. Anog Ite looked around. Everyone was there, except for Seresha. "If everyone thinks they know best, then let them go their own way."

"Sounds good to me!" Zhuancha shouted. She spun on her heel and stomped off. Daichi shook her head with a sigh.

"She'll get herself in trouble," she said as she followed. Tucana stormed off in the opposite direction with Nebula following unwillingly behind.

"Ugh!" Geb groaned. She threw her head back and swung her arms out. "Fine!" she shouted. She then turned and stormed off.

"I guess I'll stay with you," Ixtab mumbled to Anog Ite.

"I suppose..." Anog Ite sighed worriedly.

--

The clack of Zhuancha's boots echoed loudly in the empty street as she stormed through the unfamiliar area. She grumbled angrily to herself, muttering non-cohesive sentences and expressions even she wouldn't be able to understand.

"Zhuancha, hold up!" The angry senshi stopped in surprise and turned around. Sailor Daichi was following after her.

"What do you want?" she shouted, more angrily than she would have liked.

"No one should go off alone," Daichi said as she approached, "Least of all you. You have never been to this planet. You could unintentionally cause some serious trouble." Zhuancha looked away, trying to stay upset, but she gave up with a sigh.

"I know... I want to get the Eiso Beads back! I'm just so frustrated... With total strangers..." She sighed again. "Oolong was right. She does have it easier..." Daichi sighed softly and extended her hand, placing it on Zhuancha's shoulder.

"Stranger or not, you can count on us," she said. "I promise, we will get the Eiso Beads back."

--

Geb groaned and looked back to the water far below. She wondered if he had meant this bridge, or if there was another nearby. "What am I doing here?" she quietly asked herself. "Why did I take up his invitation?" She closed her eyes. "What about him makes me..." She sighed.

"Makes you what?" Geb gasped and spun around. Standing in the middle of the road was a small person, like a child, except there was something... off. "Well, aren't you going to answer me, Sailor Geb?" the person asked, their voice sounding too old for their body. Geb took a defensive stance.

"Who are you?" she asked. "I demand to know!"

"Oh you do, do you?" the person asked. She shifted, letting Geb see more of what she looked like. "Sorry, but the only demands I take are those given by my lady." Then, the small person gave a wicked, almost crazy-looking smile. "But, introductions must be made!" She struck a pose, standing on one leg while pulling the other up and extending her arms. "I am Collector Komoka, Sailor Aether!" She winked, and then a long brown whip appeared in one of her hands. Geb gasped.

"Daichi's Ibarakei!" she shouted.

"Wrong!" Aether yelled. "It is MINE!" She threw her hand forward, the thorn whip following to strike. Geb leapt to the side. "I do believe I should apologize," Aether said as she walked toward Geb. "Sebastian was unable to make it."

"Seba-" Geb's eyes grew. Of course, this person was talking about the Collector. Someone on Tae had called him that, and that someone... "It was you!" she said. "You took the Collector from Tae!"

"Very good," Aether said. "You aren't so daft after all. Yes, I took Collector Sebastian away. He had failed, gaining one item with the lose of another. Pathetic, really. I wouldn't be surprised if my lady has done away with the wretch by now." Geb suddenly felt sick to her stomach. "Well, enough small talk, AWAY WITH YOU!" Aether reeled her arm back and struck the whip forward. It didn't go far, however. It was caught up in a horizontal, twirling column of watery light that sucked up the whip and pulled it out of Aether's hands. "No!" she screamed.

Geb turned to see the source of the attack. Coming up behind her was a girl in a green mask with long pink hair. Into one of her hands floated Daichi's whip. Nestled into the other was a mirror-like object, two fish following each other around a blue sphere. Geb turned back to Aether as she let out a screeching howl. "I'll get you for this!" She then threw her hand up and vanished.

Geb stood still for a moment as the pink-haired senshi came into the corner of her eye. "Wow, she wasn't pleasant," the senshi said nonchalantly. Geb turned her head as she mirrored the move. "So... who are you?" Geb blinked, and then smiled. She didn't know what, but she liked this girl.

--

"No, please, no more!" the masked thief cried. He covered his head as his partner fell to his side, cringing just the same.

"Well then, I think we've taught you a lesson," Zhuancha said as she clapped the dust from her hands. Daichi was silent as she used a conjured vine to tie the thieves together. "I must say, that certainly was refreshing."

"Got your mind off of everything else, eh?" Daichi said with a grin. Zhuancha nodded. "Well, we'll just leave these two here."

"At the scene of the crime?" Zhuancha asked, looking to the damaged building that had housed beautiful jewelry. "Good idea." She gave an approving nod, and then motioned for Daichi to lead the way. Daichi grinned again and turned to head to the street, but stopped. "Daichi? What's wrong?" Zhuancha looked, and could see that they had an audience of two.

"Uranus and Neptune," she muttered. It was their civilian forms, anyway, and in that yellow abomination Daichi had come to loath.

"Who?" Zhuancha asked. Daichi shook her head and pulled her to the side. She hoped they wouldn't follow, but that hope popped like a bubble when she heard a pair of surprised gasps combined with a creaking crunch.

Daichi and Zhuancha spun around to see two unfamiliar senshi atop the front of Haruka's car. "Daichi are they-" Zhuancha's question was answered when the two women dove out of the car, followed by a grand tornado that tore the car apart. The senshi jumped away and Uranus and Neptune transformed.

Daichi took the initiative to crouch down and strike her hand on the ground. "Earth Tremble!" she shouted. Her shout took the attention of the attacking senshi, distracting them until the last moment before the running crack on the ground opening up beneath them to swallow them whole. The two senshi disappeared before the crack closed on them, their angry yells left on the still night air.

"We will destroy the princesses of Uranus and Neptune!"

--

"Twilight Sun!"

'Twilight Moon!' A sun and a moon drawn with the Twilight Daggers of Mei and Hikari shot forward. Their target, a psychotic gray-haired senshi, easily moved out of the way just as the images lined up.

"She's too fast!" Hikari said.

'Hikari, stay behind me!' Mei warned. 'You are her target!'

"But why?" Hikari asked. "Why is she after me?"

"My princess, I am hurt!" the senshi yelled. "Surely, Sailor Venus, you recognize you loyal guardian, Sailor Magellanus!"

"Venus?" Hikari looked at Mei.

'She has you mistaken for the other blond!' Mei said. 'She means to-'

"Blind Romanticide!" Magellanus' attack drowned out Mei's voice as Hikari was distracted by the spear-like pieces of light coming at her. Neither she nor Mei, nor the approaching senshi, could react quickly enough as the spears shredded past, around, and even through Hikari. Mei forgot to breath as she watched her companion fly back, landing limp like a doll.

Mei had no intention of fighting back as she ran for Hikari. Instead, Sailor Venus took her place. "Venus! Love Me Chain!" The golden chain of hearts flew at Magellanus, but the senshi dodged them.

"Oh, my mistake," she said nonchalantly. "I guess I hit the wrong one."

"You'll pay dearly for it!" Ixtab yelled as she charged ahead. She couldn't see the damage, but the feeling of the blood in the air... it was too much. "Death's Grasp!" She extended her arm, her black noose flying at Magellanus knowingly. It enlarged and slipped over her head, tightening around her neck.

"Ixtab, no!" Anog Ite shouted. "Don't!" She grabbed two quills from her sash and threw them at the noose. Then went to either side of the knot, just barely grazing it and slitting a few threads, causing its power to wane. The noose loosened and Magellanus slid out of it. She grabbed her neck fearfully before disappearing. Ixtab stood ridged, dumbfounded.

"What... did... you do!?" Ixtab turned to Anog Ite, her lifeless white glass eyes staring right at the wild-looking senshi she couldn't even see.

"It was wrong, Ixtab," Anog Ite said as she swiftly moved to Hikari. "To take another's life in revenge is wrong." She knelt beside Hikari and felt her pulse. "Hikari will live. She needs help. Take her to Seresha, whom you so neglected to bring, immediately." She looked over to Ixtab. "Hurry!" Ixtab didn't respond as she went to Hikari's side, Anog Ite moving out of the way.

'Take me as well,' Mei said. Ixtab nodded, and the three vanished.

"What is going on here?" Anog Ite turned to Venus and Artemis. "Who are you?" the cat asked.

Anog Ite smiled. "I am Sailor Anog Ite of the Interdimensional Police Investigators, or IPI for short," she said. "But, you may call me Hotah."

--

"Ah, so this place again," Tucana said. "What was it called? A temple?"

"I think so," Nebula said quietly. Tucana glanced at her and sighed.

"Hey, about earlier..."

"I don't want to talk about it," Nebula said. "You know I hate arguing and fighting, especially when you're the hot-head involved!" Nebula stopped and stepped in front of Tucana, facing her. "Have you so easily forgotten what's happened in the past? We don't need any repeats here on this mission!" She then turned and kept walking. "It's bad enough all the flack you'll have to face when we go home!"

"Look, I don't need a lecture from you," Tucana said as she followed. "That lecture from Geb was more than enough!"

"Geb?" Nebula and Tucana stopped dead in their tracks. Into the moonlight stepped the masked collector. The two senshi were instantly on guard. "Where... Where is Geb?" he asked, looking at them. "I sent for her..."

"Why would you send for Geb?" Tucana asked.

"Doesn't matter!" Nebula shouted. "Whatever it is, you can't have anything to do with her."

"Agreed," Tucana said. "You'll pay for everything you've done!" The two senshi charged at the Collector. He didn't move until just before Nebula could smack him in the head with her mace. He leapt back.

"I don't mean any harm!" he shouted. "I just want to see Geb!" He groaned exasperatedly before holding up Hikari's staff and vanishing.

Tucana growled and stomped. "What's his deal?" she asked. "What's he want Geb for?"

"Hey you!" The two turned to a now-open door of the temple where stood Sailor Mars. "What do you think you are doing?"

Tucana scoffed. "Hey, listen, we're good senshi, we just stumbled across a bad guy, give us a break," she said. Nothing more could be said before Ixtab appeared in between Nebula and Tucana, causing them to comically jump to either side.

"Nebula, Tucana, there's been an incident," she said. "Hikari's been severely wounded by one of this Earth's senshi's enemies. I just dropped her and Mei off with Seresha."

"Wounded?" Nebula asked. "How bad?"

"Bad," Ixtab replied. "Real bad."

"What is going on here?" Mars asked.

"Rei, stand down!" Luna shouted as she hurried toward them. Behind her was Ami, Makoto, and a very sleepy Usagi. "These are friendly senshi. Minako's called an emergency meeting."

--

"I have to say, it all sounds very exciting!"

"Yeah, I suppose," Tale sighed as she nestled her chin into her pillow. She turned her head to the bed. Beneath it, she could see her host's feet moving around as she changed. Then her feet disappeared as she hopped onto her bed.

"I mean it!" she said, brushing her short brown locks from her face as she looked down at Tale.

"Ne, Karen, it really isn't," Tale said as she rolled over to look up at the girl. She looked much different when she wasn't a senshi. It had greatly surprised her when the senshi, Sailor New V, had changed into the girl, Karen Thomas. Tale had gotten used to senshi appearances mirroring non-senshi appearances.

"You're still worried about Sebastian, aren't you?" Karen asked. Tale blushed and turned on her side, facing away from Karen. "It's okay to be worried about him. By the sounds of it, he's seen the errors of his ways and has decided to change his ways by helping the love of his life."

"LOVE?!" Tale shot up and looked to Karen. "I never said anything about love!"

"You didn't have to," Karen said. "Just listening to what you've said, I've added it up." She then winked. "Don't tell me you haven't added it all up." Tale's blush grew and she looked down.

"I wouldn't know anything about that," she said. "I've never known anything of love." With that, she grabbed her covers and laid down, cocooning herself.

"Well, no matter," Karen said. "You'll learn. In the meantime, we need to get our beauty sleep for the dance." Tale's eyes shot open.

"Dance?"

--

Morning light cut through Minako's curtains and cast themselves on her table as she ate her noisy, crunchy cereal. She was still digesting everything she'd learned the previous night from the mysterious IPI senshi and of their mission and such.

"Oh, blasted mess..." Minako looked over her shoulder as her house guest, the one named Sailor Anog Ite, came down the hall, fussing with her incredibly messy hair. Minako turned back around, remembering what Rei had said.

"Keep your guard up," she had said. "There's something strange afoot. Watch out for this one."

"Good morning, Minako!" Minako smiled and looked up as the girl walked by.

"Good morning, Hotah," she replied. "Okay, so about tonight-"

"Oh, I can't wait! It sounds like such fun. You know, I am so glad that you girls still maintain a normal life despite your obligations as senshi."

"Believe me, it isn't easy," Minako said. "But it is totally worth it! You'll see why tonight, since you've so enthusiastically agreed to go!" The two girls grinned and began jabbering about clothes and make-up, but most importantly hair.

--

"Really, you should come with us," Makoto insisted as she carefully carried a tray of tea to her two guests. Tucana and Nebula looked at each other and shook their heads again.

"Like we've been saying, the answer is no," Nebula said. "We have to find Geb and the Collector, and besides Anog Ite would be most upset if we engaged in something like that." She took her cup and glanced at Tucana, who had been struggling with saying no. Nebula knew Tucana well. This dance sounded just like something she would want to go to, so Nebula had to do all the talking for once.

"Well, suit yourselves," Makoto said, seeming to finally give up. She set the tray on the coffee table and disappeared into her room. No more than two seconds later, her head popped back out. "So, have you changed your minds yet?"

--

"Oh no no, Rei, this is the color for Ami!" Usagi held up a compact she had brought. Rei shook her head.

"No no, Ami should use these, they suit her much better," Rei said. "Those would be better for Daichi or Zhuancha." Rei then looked over to her silent guests. "Are you two sure you won't be coming with us? It couldn't hurt." The two looked at each other, and then back at the others.

"What I fail to understand," Daichi said, "Is why you are attending a function at a school that is not your own."

"This is meant to allow prospective students to look learn more about the school and enrollment," Ami explained as she poked at the monster bottle of hairspray that Usagi had brought. "While anyone may go, it is meant for prospective students like myself."

"Ami!" Usagi cried. "You, go there? What about us?"

"But our real purpose," Rei said, cutting in, "Is to investigate Sailor New V and her connection to both the school and the enemy."

"This Sailor New V, she has a weapon, right?" Zhuancha asked. The others nodded.

Daichi nodded. "In that case, we will go," she said. "We must. She's as much a target as the rest of the senshi."

--

Unfamiliar music filled the recreation hall as Tale stood along the edge of the dance area with Karen and her best friend, Tenka. They'd only arrived a short while before, but now Karen was already being asked to the dance floor by one of the male students for a slower song. Tenka quietly excused herself to do something she was assigned to during the event, leaving Tale alone. A few moments later, however, a man with blue eyes and mint-green hair approached her. At first, she thought he was coming for someone behind her. She looked behind her as she stepped to the side, but she discovered there was no one around her. She looked back to him as he spoke.

"May I have this dance?" he asked, holding out his hand. Tale blushed and shook her head. "Please, may I?" She then gasped softly and slowly lifted her head to look at him. She stared right into his blue eyes, and almost instantly recognized the pleading look in them. Without taking her eyes away, she rested her hand in his and was lead to the dance floor. As they began dancing, he leaned his head closer to her. She resisted the urge to back off as he spoke. "I was worried, did you get my message?" he asked. She pulled her head back and looked at him with confusion. "My message, to meet me at the temple."

"I got a message, yes," she said quietly. "But, it was to meet you at a bridge called the Rainbow Bridge, and instead of you I met Sailor Aether."

"Komoka," he said through gritted teeth. He sighed to calm himself, and looked back at her. "I... I am sorry," he said. "I had hoped I'd gotten my message out without her finding out. It seems I was wrong." He closed his eyes. "Tale, she will replace me soon. I've displease our, no, her master too much."

"Replaced-"

"Please, let me finish," he interrupted quietly. "I'm sure to be replaced, but before that happens, I can return some of the items that have been stolen."

"You have me interested," Tale said, "But what about you? What will happen?"

"I... don't know," he admitted. "But, I don't care, so long as I can make up for some of the things I have done." His eyes lined up with hers. "So long as I can help you..." He didn't finish his sentence, but he didn't need to. Geb closed her eyes and moved a little closer, resting her head on his shoulder. Somehow, it felt right.

--

On the opposite side of the room, Tucana was being held by her wrist by Nebula. There was so great an urge to get out and have a party that Tucana had to be kept leashed. Kimi had suggested using her noose, but they figured it would look too strange and attract unwanted attention.

Standing next to them was Zhuancha and Daichi. They had been silent until Zhuancha decided to start complaining about wearing the dress. Tucana looked like she was about to argue with her, but she was cut off by Daichi, who agreed that the dress was horrible, just as much as her own.

"I'm afraid we weren't exactly prepared for this," Rei said suddenly as she and the others joined them. The only absent ones were Ami, Minako, and Anog Ite.

"Where's the others?" Nebula asked.

"Ami is talking with a representative of the school," Rei said, much to Usagi's dismay. "Minako and your friend, well, they are just late."

"Fashionably late!" Minako said as she grabbed Rei's shoulders. "We're late, but we're fashionable." She straightened as she pulled Anog Ite forward. "Hotah and I couldn't decide what to wear." Everyone blinked, and then looked at each other.

"Uh, who is Hotah?" Kimi asked, scratching her blond head. Anog Ite laughed.

"Oh, they have such senses of humor, don't they?" she said. Nebula's eyes widened.

"Wait, you're talking about Anog Ite?" she said. "You're mistaken. Her name is Enapay, not Hotah."

"No, Nebula, that's wrong," Anog Ite insisted. "My name is Hotah, silly."

"Anog Ite, stop lying right now," Kimi said coarsely. "Stop with these silly stories and start acting like yourself!" There was silence among them, then Kimi could hear a sniffle, and a choked cry, that surprised everyone.

"Kimi, you have been nothing but mean to me since we got here!" Anog Ite sobbed.

"It would seem," Rei said to Minako, "That my caution was warranted, but I cautioned the wrong person."

"Caution?" Anog Ite cried. "What caution?" Rei couldn't reply when there was suddenly screams coming from the opposite side of the room and everyone began to leave. The girls pushed there way against the grain. Then they got to an opening, they were surprised to see Tale, holding hands with the Collector and both running toward the screams. What they found was a shock to them all.

"It's your enemy!" Nebula said, more for Kimi than herself. "They've got Ami and another girl!" Ami was in the grasps of Sailor Mirandas while Karen's friend Tenka was trapped by the attack of Sailor Tritonus.

"Geb Pantheon Power!" Tale shouted, transforming and jumping right into action. "Earthly Strike!" She spun once and stabbed the ground with the blade on her staff. A great shock wave emanated from it. Directed at the two evil senshi, it shook them off of their feet with a great force, freeing Ami and Tenka to crawl away. The others transformed and took stances as Mirandas got to her feet. She threw her hands forward.

"Wind Disruption!" Mirandas shouted. The whirling tornado zoomed at Geb, but was stopped prematurely by Sebastian, who had stepped in front and took the brunt of the attack. It beat on him before it was suddenly blasted away by a dark beam of energy coming from a silver staff, Mei's Staff of Silver Night. The new attack blasted into Mirandas, throwing her into the wall. As Sebastian collapsed into Geb's arms, Tritonus vanished, followed by Mirandas' limp form.

The senshi approached Geb, who had lowered to the ground under Sebastian's weight. "Just what is going on here?" Makoto asked. Geb could only smile.

"We have an ally," she said. The others looked at her, and then at Sebastian in disbelief. There was silence, and then it was broken by such a sour voice that everyone jumped.

"And it seems I have a traitor!" Everyone turned to the source of the voice to find an odd-looking child staring at them. "Now it is time to introduce myself to you all!" she declared. "I am the NEW Collector: Collector Komoka!" She then posed, pointing a finger at the group. "But you meddling senshi can call me Sailor Aether! I'll deal with all of you... After I deal with our traitor." Her finger lowered to point directly at Sebastian. He had he neck craned to look at the child-like senshi. "But before that, you'll give me that staff: Now!" Sebastian's face grew stern and he shook his head slowly.

"No." He looked at Geb and forced the staff into her hand. Aether growled and pointed a white wand at the group. At the end toward them was a white sphere. Upon it was the same red-and-salmon-colored symbol that was on Aether's forehead.

"Shrinking Negation!" A wave of energy, or maybe sound, left the wand and flew past the group. They suddenly felt like they were suffocating. It was a familiar feeling for the Geb and Kimi, as well as Daichi, Nebula, and Zhuancha. It was just like what had happened on Tae. They felt like they were being suffocated from the inside out. Familiar or not, though, they fared just like everyone else: panicked, in pain, losing consciousness. Sailor Aether was enjoying this, especially now that she could see Sebastian's pained face as he hung from Geb's limp arm. Then, she gasped. She gripped. There was nothing but air. Everyone gasped at the suddenly ability to breath while Aether turned to follow her wand's flight as it followed a familiar brown line. The path ended in the hands of none other than Sailor New V, who now held Aether's wand in one hand and Sailor Daichi's Ibarakei in her other.

"Mars Crystal Power, Make-Up!"

"Jupiter Crystal Power, Make-Up!" Mars and Jupiter moved side-by-side ahead of the group as New V joined the senshi.

"Flame Sniper!"

"Oak Revolution!"

Sailor Jupiter's attack wrapped around Mars' arrow, creating a spiraling current of leaves around it. The leaves caught fire and the whole spiral turned to flame. The attack was aimed straight at Sailor Aether, but she threw out her hand.

"Shrinking Negation!" An area in front of her seemed to warp, and the fire was sucked into the warped space before it unwarped. She threw her other hand forward. "Shrinking Negation!" she called again. This time, space was warped in between Mars and Jupiter. They were suddenly pulled together, hitting each other with a great force before dropping.

"Anog Ite Pantheon Power!" Anog Ite stepped up in front of Mars and Jupiter, quills nestled in between each finger of one hand while the other hand held the Ibarakei. "All right, it's time for an ass-kicking!" she shouted in a gruff voice. She took an offensive stance. "I wasn't named Enapay for nothing!"

"Enapay?" Minako asked questioningly. "I thought your name was 'Hotah.'" Anog Ite looked over her shoulder at Minako with a confused face.

"Um, no?" she said. "That's a south-hemisphere name. I was born in the north." She looked back at Aether and changed at her. She pulled the hand with the quills over its opposite shoulder and then flung it at Aether. The quills flew hard and fast, but Aether was quicker. She dodged and avoided them as she ran. She couldn't get too far too quickly when the Ibarakei was suddenly wrapped around her ankle. She gave a screech as the thorns dug into her skin. She held her hand over the vine as Anog Ite advanced. Space warped around the vine, releasing Aether's ankle so she could charge away. With a swiftness the others couldn't have guessed, Aether ran around the group and slid into New V, knocking her into Geb and Sebastian. Aether joined the pile as she slid to a stop next to Sebastian. She produced the jeweled bottle Sebastian had once used and in the bright light they had seen before, Geb and Sebastian disappeared.

Everyone was stunned. They were quiet, then New V stood up. Her mask was gone, lost during the pile-up. "What just happened?" she asked. She looked over as Tenka cautiously joined the group.

"She got away," Daichi said, quickly pulling herself up while keeping her dress down. Anog Ite stepped up next to her and handed her the Ibarakei.

"And hey, we have Mei's staff!" Tucana said excitedly.

"But..." Everyone looked at Geb, who was still sitting on the floor. "They have Sebastian..."

--

"We didn't see ANYTHING of them..." Zhuancha grumbled. She sat in the corner, her arms and chin on her bent knees. "Nothing! We didn't see the Eiso beads at all!"

"Oh for the love of all that is decent, shut up!" Tucana shouted.

"Well-"

"Shut up," Ixtab and Geb said grumpily. Like everyone else, they were losing patience for Zhuancha's complaining. Zhuancha frowned and didn't continue. Then as Seresha came into the room, she had a thought.

"Say, what is up with Anog Ite?" Zhuancha asked. "You know, the Enapay-Hotah business. She's suddenly really unstable."

"Empese," Seresha said as she bent down to pick up one of Hikari's discarded pillows. The recovering senshi looked up at Seresha with surprise, but couldn't yet speak because of her injuries. She looked at Mei.

'How do you know that?' Mei asked.

"I've seen it in previous senshi," Seresha said simply. She turned and left the room. Everyone went quiet, and then they all glanced at Geb, who had her head hung and her arms crossed. Finally after several moments, Tucana broke the silence.

"Where are Daichi and Nebula?"

--

The duo was quietly padding down the steps to the hall of paintings. Each carried a torch they had borrowed from upstairs hall. "Why are we here again?" Daichi asked curiously.

"Well, when you were ill," Nebula explained, lifting her light to look at the paintings, "You came here because everything felt familiar. Lately, I've been feeling the same."

"Well, you were an IPI, too," Daichi said matter-of-factly, looking up at a painting.

"I know, I know," Nebula said as she continued. "But, I want to see our painting for myself. Here!" She lifted her torch as Daichi joined her. She lifted her torch as well so they could get a good look. In the painting was Sailor Tucana in a uniform of the same design as Anog Ite and Nebula in Ixtab's place. In the middle was a man in a fuku of similar design to Geb's, but his nicely-sculpted chest was bare. The symbol of Dohisei was attached to his collar much like Geb's symbol was on hers. What was most interesting about him, however, was the sharp, short, silver hair that was spiked atop his tanned skin and the brilliant bi-colored eyes, one green and the other brown.

"Well?" Daichi asked, looking at Nebula.

"It's all more believable now," she replied. Daichi nodded and glanced around to the other numerous paintings. Then something caught her eye and she wandered off.

"Nebula, over here!" she called. Nebula followed.

"What is it?" she asked. Daichi pointed silently to the painting above them. Nebula looked, and then gasped.

"You see what I see, don't you?" Daichi asked. "That 'movement' IPI..."

"...The Collector!"