Standard disclaimers apply! Enjoy! This is the second chapter I have revised so far, hopefully I'll have more done quite soon!

"Redemption"

Chapter 2

The hues of the sky were bright and airy; not a single cloud was in the midst of the brilliant sun-filled afternoon. Amy and Rei, both waiting for the others to gather for their meeting, observed this was a quiet appreciation. Yet it was merely moments later when their enjoyment of the cheerful atmosphere was broken by a most surprising scene.

It was probably the most amazing thing Amy, or anyone else for that matter, had ever seen. The blue-haired genius, along with the Raye, nearly collapsed just watching the blonde skip up the stairs humming a happy tune...5 minutes early. "Se-Ser-Serena?" she managed to choke out despite her surprise.

"Hi guys!" the girl giggled in a singsong voice. Raye suddenly rose and went over to the shrine, speaking with deep praise in her voice.

"There is a God," she murmured and rung the bell for a token of good luck.

"Serena Tsukino, in all the time I've known you, being on time was not a particularly pressing priority. What's with the change all of a sudden?" Amy coughed lightly and then laughed hesitantly.

"Oh you guys! You're acting like this is the first time I've ever been early to anything because there was that time when…no wait how about when…no-not then either." Serena was utterly amazed. "There's always room to try something new right?" She smiled ridiculously and Raye shook her head.

"On second thought…maybe not," the priestess sighed, casting a rueful look back at the bell and the good-luck shrine. Soon following their exchange of words, the two remaining members of their group came bounding up the stairs.

"Hey-guys!" Mina called out of breath. She stopped for a moment before trudging over to meet the others, straightening her light orange sundress.

Lita waved wordlessly. "Are we late?" she said after regaining her composure.

"Nope, right on the dot," Amy said glancing at her small, crystal-blue colored watch.

"You two want to hear something funny?" Raye chimed after they sat down. Mina cocked her head to the side, raising an eyebrow high above her bright eyes. "Our dear leader was for once in her life…on time to our little meeting."

"In fact she was early!" Amy added with a slight giggle. Mina's face lit up with surprise, and even delight.

"Serena, you've gone up in the world!"

"She what? Are you sure your watched are set right? I don't know you guys…maybe it's a fluke," Lita chuckled as she cast Serena a comical glance. Amy and Raye checked. They nodded to show they were, in fact correct and perfectly on time. Serena folded her arms and smiled proudly. A gentle breeze rustled her long streams of blonde hair, flowing from the odangoes a top her head.

Almost as if on cue, the two feline members of the group quickly assembled at the top of the stairs and joined the girls. "Luna, you should be proud of meatball head here! She was five minutes early!" Raye said. Luna smiled inwardly with a sigh of relief.

'She listened to me for once. Maybe all that yelling I did has finally gotten through to her. Good, it will make her more reliable and a better leader by far.'

"So why are we here, Luna?" Mina asked after they settled down on the steps to the Temple.

"Well girls, lately Artemis and I have been sensing a new presence…a new force."

The five girls all exchanged glances at hearing her words. "Haven't we heard that line before?" Lita giggled softly. The others shared her feelings and quickly suppressed them to deal with the tasks presented to them.

The two cats looked at one another, and then back at the girls before continuing. "It's not that simple ladies…in fact it could be much more. For the past few days, it has been apparent to us, and our senses, that there is a new presence approaching our world… and quickly. Its source of origin is unknown to us now, but hopefully a few precautionary actions will tie up any loose ends and prepare us for mostly anything that could cross our paths," Artemis expanded on Luna's words.

Amy raised her hand, unsure of how exactly to break the two cats out of their explanation. "Excuse me, Luna, Artemis. How did you across this new presence and the idea that it could be coming here?" Luna hopped up onto a higher perch and locked eyes with each girl before continuing.

"Do you girls first remember when we were reunited? Serena, when I found you. And Mina, the way Artemis was able to find you and then educate you about your pasts upon your introductions. The reason why Artemis and I are so adept in locating or sensing these types of things is much related to the ways in which we found all of you. Because we originate from the moon, and each of us met through connections based on our pasts, which in turn were connected with outer space…we could unite. It is much the same way with other situations. We sense these types of presences because they are in direct relationship to our home-outer space."

"In English please?" Lita remarked.

"Because we are of outer space, we are therefore connected to it and anything else that is connected to it. Meaning that we are all connected by our originations from outer space," Amy spoke for them. Serena nodded in vague agreement, as did the others.

"That is why we're here. If Amara and Michelle were here, they could be useful backup. But since it is just we five, as usual, we need to be extra careful. We've gotten used to them showing up just before utter chaos breaks loose," the white cat advised.

Serena suddenly broke out of her thoughts, "Luna…is it possible that because we are connected to space in our waking lives as you said, that we could somehow also be connected through our subconscious?"

"I think that is entirely possible. Why do you ask, Serena?"

The girl paused a moment before answering. "I've been having these dreams…I feel very distant and aloof-

"Are you sure you're not awake when you're having those dreams?" Raye taunted cruelly.

"Hey! What is that supposed to mean?" Serena hissed. Raye shrugged, but a satisfied smile played on her lips. Serena shifted her attention back to her explanation before any further conflicts arose. "Anyway, I feel strange…as if I am not alone and there is something lurking nearby but I can't pinpoint it. Every second I'm dreaming I feel closer and closer to losing everything I have. I wake up and realize it was a dream but…I don't know. Forget it." All who had listened were befuddled by her words, and pondered them a bit.

'Losing everything she has. How odd…could it be something more than a dream?' both cats thought simultaneously.

"Amy, we could be needing your computer to scan the area for clues, Raye check the fire to see if you can find anything about the presence, Lita, Mina, and Serena…you will be on lookout. Every time we feel the force get stronger, you'll need to be in close reach if trouble brews." When Artemis finished, the girls nodded their heads and split up to begin their new duties. If evil were hiding behind some corner, they would have to find it and quick…before it festered.

* * *

While the girls were searching for the new forces in Tokyo, the 'new forces' were looking for them. Glacier, reclining quietly in her personal quarters, decided to take a peek at what the sisters were up against. She'd been trying to pinpoint their location by using an energy scanner on the starship, which was situated conveniently in a slide-out panel on the seat. Glimmer walked into the room with the other sisters behind her, the principal of knocking completely slipping their minds.

"Yes?" she spoke impatiently, pushing long white-blond strands from her lapis lazuli eyes.

"Glacier, we want to go look for the Senshi. We thought it would be a good idea if I went because I would blend easier," Glimmer announced, a narcissistic tone invading her voice.

"How are you going to blend in "easier" with that black star on your forehead?" Glacier asked with a tiny giggle.

"Yes, Glim, do you honestly think that pressed powder is going to cover a monster like that?" Aurora hissed, referring to the family star atop her sister's forehead.

"Simple…watch," Glimmer replied. She touched her right index finger to her star and it immediately disappeared. It was like the star was never there. She merely blended it perfectly with her skin, no unnatural lines. It was just…gone. "Now I will blend easier."

"What's the difference if I go?" Aurora complained, hands on her hips. The once delighted smile on her face faded.

"You didn't come up with a neat trick like that," Glacier said simply and turned away from them in her chair. "Glimmer, make a fake name, if you find them that is. If you do find them, make sure you know where they go. Don't be conspicuous and-

"Glacier. Back home, before the massacre that trapped us in the time folds, I was feared and revered for my abilities." With that Glimmer turned and walked away from the group, her form slowly vanished as she walked; using her telekinetic abilities, Glimmer quickly transported herself to Earth.

* * *

"Serena how's your scouting going?" Mina asked over her wrist-communicator. Serena shook her head and directed her attention to her own.

"Nothing. The fact is I don't know what I'm looking for Mina."

"Same over here," Lita said peeking out from an alley nearby and also answering the call. "I don't know what to look for."

"I wish Luna had told us more about this," Mina said stretching her arms. Within a few moments, the girls had met up in a common place, and continued their search in unison.

"You think there's anything in the alleys over there?" Lita spoke up as they passed the shadowed corridor. Mina shrugged.

"Not unless whatever we're looking for has an adoration for shadows and tight spaces." Little did they know, however, that Glimmer was standing above and behind them on a second story fire escape in that alley they'd just passed.

"Luna and Artemis told us as much as they know. Maybe if my dreams progress a little, I can help too," Serena replied. The other girls nodded and they went back to combing the city for clues. Once the girls were gone from sight, the sky-haired goddess shifted her position on the fire escape so her legs were dangling carefree over the rails. Dark pants of sleek leather accented her long legs, and a one-shouldered gold top seemed to glow beneath her silver-blue (sky-like) hair.

'Maybe this is them. I should follow them and find out…but they're humans. What possible help could they be? Well…Glacier never said I couldn't have a little fun while I was here. Besides…these girls intrigue me for some reason…'

She hadn't seen Serena; luckily the Princess was hidden, but Mina and Lita were apparent. They seemed too interested in their little scavenger hunt to be inconspicuous. The secrecy was what interested her most. Glimmer teleported down onto the ground and came out of the alley. Blinking her blue-gray eyes, a delighted smile crept across her lips.

'So this is what Tokyo looks like…'