"No way. Bunny actually
acted responsible?" Rei Hino asked in mock shock. "I don't believe it!
Someone call the paper!"
Bunny didn't respond.
"Bunny?" Lita asked
worriedly. "You okay?"
All four girls were
worried about their friend's unusual lack of response.
"Don't you feel it?"
Bunny asked softly, frowning thoughtfully. "A strange power, almost like
the power Sailor Pluto gave off..."
The other four girls
looked at each other in surprise. Bunny wasn't the kind of girl who'd feel
someone else's power. Then they all felt it.
"It-It's getting closer..."
Rei murmured, looking toward the street running in front of the temple.
A moment later, a tall
woman walked into view. A stranger. She wore a simple gray business dress
and black pumps. Her waist-length hair was an odd reddish-gold that framed
her face like liquid fire, and her eyes were a deep violet that glowed
like amethysts. She mounted the steps to the temple, walking silently and
with a purpose.
Rei stepped forward,
slightly suspicious of this stranger. "May I help you, ma'am?"
The woman stopped walking
and looked at the girls. "I'm looking for the owner of this temple. I was
hoping for a tour. You see, this is my first time in Japan, and I'm curious
about your culture."
Bunny gasped softly.
"Oh my gosh! Are you Tora Freeman?"
The woman smiled. "I
see you've heard of me. Yes, I'm Tora. Whom do I have the pleasure of meeting?"
The girls looked at
each other and silently agreed to introduce themselves. "I'm Rei Hino.
My grandpa runs the temple. These are my friends Mina Aino, Lita Kino,
Ami Mizuno, and Serena Tsukino."
"My friends call me
Bunny," Bunny added.
"I'm pleased to meet
you all. Perhaps you would show me around the temple, Miss Rei? It looks
very interesting. With your grandfather's permission, perhaps I could use
it in my upcoming movie."
The girls jumped at
the mention of the movie and looked at each other nervously.
"Um...sure. I'll show
you around," Rei said slowly. "Come on." She led Tora into the temple.
"Do you think she knows?"
Mina asked quietly.
"I don't know. We'll
have to watch her closely until we find out," Bunny said, startling them
with her sudden responsibility.
"Bunny, are you feeling
okay?" Lita asked her friend. "You're acting very odd. You're actually
acting responsible."
Bunny was silent for
a moment before answering. "I'm fine. It's just...I feel something that
feels strangely familiar. I'm just trying to figure out what it is."
***
"This is amazing, Miss
Rei," Tora said, looking around at the inside of the temple. "Your culture
is so impressive!"
"Please call me Rei,
Ms. Freeman," Rei said softly, smiling slightly in embarrassment.
"Only if you'll call
me Tora," Tora countered with a smile. "You know, you would be absolutely
perfect for the role of Sailor Mars in my movie. Do you want to audition
for the part?"
Rei looked away nervously.
"Um...I-I'll think about it."
"Well, if you decide
to try out, you and your friends can contact me here." Tora handed Rei
a business card. "I have to go now. Thank you for showing me around, Rei.
I enjoyed meeting you and your friends. I hope to see all of you again."
She turned and walked away.
Rei looked at the card
with a frown and read the kanji on it.
Tora Freeman, Director
Silver Moon Studios
Tokyo, Japan
"'Silver Moon'?" Rei
whispered to herself. "I wonder..." She immediately headed to the fire
room to consult the sacred fire about the strange vibes she was suddenly
getting.
***
Tora watched Rei silently,
invisible to all eyes not rehearsed in the Ancient Ways. She smiled faintly
and raised a hand slightly, making the sacred fire flare up and making
Rei gasp in surprise. It was always fun startling the Mars Princess that
way. She watched Rei's face intently, seeing that the dark-haired girl
was on the verge of remembering, then Rei shook her head violently, as
if dismissing it as her imagination. Tora sighed softly in defeat and shook
her head. She needed more time, more hints to accomplish her mission. She
waved her hand, pointing at the fire, and her eyes glowed a deep red similar
to the fire. A moment later, the fire flared mightily once more, went out-Rei
let out a frightened gasp- then roared to life again and a single image
hovered among the flames: a silver crescent moon.
Eyes locked on the
fire, Rei whispered one word drawn from the deepest recesses of her dormant
memory of the Moon Kingdom.
"Incubus."
