Crystal Tears

Disclaimers: No matter how much I wished I did, I don't own any of the SM characters, but my birthday is coming up in a month. If anyone wants to, buying me the team would make a great present…Other than the original team, the made up characters are mine, so please ask if you want anything. I love getting feedback… lilsykogrly@hotmail.com

This is my first attempt at writing a fanfic, so please don't flame me. Also, if some things are different from the original series, it's because I made it that way! In this story, the Senshi meet a strange new girl, Amber. Amber seems to have some type of problem, but certain members of the Senshi team just don't trust her…This is rated PG-13, since it may have some gory visuals as we go along.

Chapter One: A Bad Day?

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"Serena! What were you thinking? Has your brain taken another vacation on you, just like how it does when you're in school? You could've gotten her killed!" Raye screamed at Serena the next day when they met once more. "I mean, anyone with even a quarter of a brain could see that."

"Serena, Raye's right, you know. What you did was really dangerous back there. I mean, how could you even think of putting Reenie on a rooftop while she was still rolling around in pain. She could've fallen off to her death, " Ami added to Raye's stream of fury.

Serena looked to Lita and Mina for comfort, but they looked mad (not to mention a little dazed out at how the battle ended) as well. Thinking over the night's events, Serena shuddered and let her friend's words sink in. She wasn't sure why she put Rini on the rooftop in the first place, only knowing that she had to be in a safe place where the youmas probably couldn't reach her. A single tear formed in Serena's eye, threatening to fall and shatter onto the concrete floor of the temple of Raye's home. "I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me…."

"Well, sorry isn't going to cut it this time. You're just not responsible. I don't even know why you are our leader. You—" Raye continued before being cut off by Luna. Silent tears began running down Serena's face.

"Give her a little credit, Raye. She did think about trying to put Rini in safe…"

Luna never got to finish her sentence, for a long shrill scream suddenly pierced the stillness of the Sunday morning. A girl with long purple hair ran past them, yelling, "Help! Anyone! Help! He's after me." The strange girl spotted the girls sitting there, and ran up to them. Hiding behind them, she cowered in fear, shaking all over.

"Who—" Serena started, but soon found Raye's hand over her mouth, motioning with her other hand to be quiet. Serena's usually smooth face scrunched up in confusion, before finally getting it that she wasn't supposed to talk for the time being, although she had no idea why. Mina found her voice first, and began to talk. It was mostly for her own benefit, wondering what could have shaken this pretty child so deeply. Looking into the girl's big hazel eyes, Mina said, "Ssshhhhh, you're safe here. No one's going to hurt you. It's all right; you're going to make it. Why don't you tell me what your name is and what's wrong?"

Looking a little embarrassed, the girl looked at the ground. "Welllll, I'm Amber. My—…he's…I'm running from…." Trying many times to start, Amber just couldn't get the words out of her mouth. Instead, she used her dirty sneaker to trace circles on the floor. The Inner Senshi looked at each other, and exchanged looks. Everyone shifted uncomfortably, and the silence seemed interminable.

All of a sudden, Serena's stomach grumbled, LOUDLY. A big sweat drop appeared on Serena's face as she turned really, really red. Lita had an idea. "Anyone else hungry? Let's head to the mall, and we'll get to know each other a little better. Amber?"

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Nodding, Amber willed herself to trust these girls, a little bit anyway. She knew they probably thought she was some kind of nut. That wasn't unusual. People usually thought along those lines of her. Well, at least they seemed nice. She had become quite an expert at reading people's expressions and actions. She knew that by her looks, she looked like 14 or 15, like them, but in reality, she was already 18. Taking advantage of the age pretense, she talked some, but not too much. As they walked to the mall, they got to know of each other a little, without Amber ever telling her age. Amber's motto to life had always been, "The less they know, the better."

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::Okay…Amber, if that's even her real name, is really kind of strange:: Raye thought to herself. ::There's something, or rather, a lot that she's not telling us. When we asked of her age, she just skipped around the topic, weaving a pattern so confusing even Ami seemed confused. She wouldn't tell us of her problem either. Can we actually trust her? Well, Serena seems to like her, but she can be a friend to anyone. I mean, the fact that I kept everyone away didn't really work on Serena, and she always seems to be so cheerful and bouncy that everyone likes her anyway::

!@!@!@!

Standing outside their favorite café, Serena's eyes suddenly light up at something the poster by the store window said. Jumping up and down, and turning around and around in cartwheels like a kid, she squealed (and forgot Amber was with them for a while), " AHHHHHHHHH! Look! Look! The sign says buy 2 sundaes and get one free! This day's getting better already. Come-on, let's go…Mina, want to split the cost? I'm soooo happy!!!"

Now, sweat drops appeared on everyone that knew Serena's head (excluding Amber who had no clue what was going on). Amber asked in vain, "Serena, are you alright? Don't you think you're overreacting a little here? Hello? It's just a sundae. Serena, haven't you ever seen ice cream before?"

Everyone giggled at this remark. Serena got over her little over-excitement, and finally came back to Earth with everyone else. "Oh, sorry," she said, looking down in embarrassment. Raye opened her mouth and proclaimed, "Amber, don't mind Serena. She's just kind of a pig, she eats everything in sight, and sundaes are something she enjoys eating, A LOT!"

Serena nodded in agreement, before the rest of Raye's words sunk in. "Hey! You called me a PIG! I'm not fat; I'm probably as skinny as you are. How dare you called me a pig, you, you…you…crow!" Serena yelled when nothing bad came to mind. Raye heard the part about the crow and broke into peals of laughter. "A crow? Hahaha…that's all you can think of? A crow? Just so u know, crows are very spiritual animals. They guide the lost spirit to death."