CHAPTER TWO:

Laura lay on her back, holding the transformation wand so tight, her knuckles were turning white. She was in her bedroom, thinking about all the things that had happened earlier.

"Honey?" a voice broke into her thoughts.

Laura looked up. Standing in her doorway was her mother. "It's time for dinner, Laura."

"Yeah, I'm not hungry."

Mrs. Carpenter came over and sat on the edge of the bed next to her daughter. Laura hid the wand in her back pocket.

"You've been a little quiet this afternoon, honey. Is everything okay?" Mrs. Carpenter ran her fingertips through Laura's long brown hair.

Laura put her head in her mother's lap. "Yeah, I'm just a little tired."

The phone rang. Laura's mother got up and answered it.

"Hello? Yes, yes, I'll ask her," she turned to Laura. "It's Genia. Do you want to see a movie with her and her parents tonight?"

Laura propped her chin on her palm. "Yeah, sure."

"Yes, she will meet you there in fifteen minutes." Mrs. Carpenter hung up the phone. She faced Laura again. "You'd better get ready to go."

Laura rolled off the bed and grabbed her keys off her dresser. "I'm outie."



Maya chewed on her bottom lip. She was standing in the middle of the biggest teen spot around: the movie theater. She tugged on a fiery red curl. She would find the guardians and destroy them…proving to her mother that she was worthy of the throne….





Laura arrived in time at the movie theater to see people running out in frenzied chaos. She parked her car and climbed out. Everyone was screaming and racing to their cars.

Laura opened the theater door and entered. A man pushed past her and Laura was bumped into as she fought her way to the lobby.

When she reached the lobby, a horrible sight met her eyes. A teenage girl was being strangled by a terrible blue monster with long black claws.

"Surrender the Ring of Power!" The daimon shrieked. Its long blue fingers tightened, turning the girl's face purple.

"Surrender what?" The brunette managed to gasp.

Laura knew what she had to do. Inside, her stomach had flip-floped, and her insides had turned to jelly.

She looked around in a panic. Where could she transform? Her eyes rested on a small door to the side, marked "Janitor." She ran over to the door, checking over her shoulder to make sure no one noticed her. She closed the door and took out the wand out of her pocket, raising it over her head.

"JUPITER STAR POWER!!!" She cried. The atmosphere around her turned black with an eery greenish glow. Lightening crashed around her and her wand emitted a ring of electricity around her body. She spun around while the lightening consumed her. Her jeans and shirt were replaced by a white and green outfit and skirt, with a sugar pink bow on the front and back. A gold tiara appeared on her forehead with a green gem. The transformation ended almost as soon as it had begun. She was now Sailor Jupiter, defender of the Moon Kingdom.

Sailor Jupiter opened the door and rushed out. The blue monster was standing over the unconscious girl. A girl was standing next to the demon, with a smirk on her face.

"That's it, daimon! Defeat this guardian!" She pointed her painted fingernail at the helpless girl.



"HOLD IT RIGHT THERE!"

Maya's head jerked up. Standing in front of her was a brunette girl with a very interesting outfit. She was rather short and had a very determined look on her face.

Maya flipped her hair over her shoulder. "Destroy her, daimon!"

The daimon smiled an evilish grin. "You're wish is my command!"



Sailor Jupiter braced herself as the daimon smashed into her, knocking her to the side. Upside down, Sailor Jupiter could see Genia, staring at her in a horror. Did she recognize her? Another look told Sailor Jupiter that Genia was just horrified at the situation, not because she knew Laura was Sailor Jupiter.

Sailor Jupiter knew she had to save these people from further agony. She closed her eyes and concentrated.

"JUPITER THUNDER………CRASH!" She screamed. The atmosphere around her crackled from the waves of electricity that flowed from her fingers. A giant bolt of electricity shot out of her tiara and fingertips. The stroke of lightning split through the air and struck the daimon with such force that it threw the daimon against the wall twenty feet behind it.

Maya growled. She crossed her arms and disappeared into a ball of red light which vaporized away.

"I'll be back, guardian….in the meantime, WATCH YOUR BACK!" the voice trailed away as the light departed.

The daimon got up on wobbly legs and began to run at Sailor Jupiter again. It was clear that Sailor Jupiter's lightening bolt had wounded him.

Sailor Jupiter was ready this time. She jumped into the air again and screamed with all her might, "JUPITER THUNDER…. CRASH!" She pointed her fingers at the daimon as another burst of electricity flew forth.

With a chilly shriek, the daimon incinerated. The blue cloud of smoke wisped away into the air. Sailor Jupiter smiled in victory.

She ran outside and transformed back into Laura. Running inside, she saw Genia talking to her parents.

"Hey, what happened?" Laura tightened her ponytail.

Genia whirled around. "You have NO idea!"

"Really?" Laura pretended to look curious.



"I am sorry, Supreme Highness, that I have failed," Maya stood before her mother, her faced hidden by her hair, as she looked down to the ground.

Queen Ironia narrowed her icy blue eyes. Yes, her daughter was a failure, but who said she couldn't prevail?

"Try again, Maya. I will send you out. Besides you did as you were told…you DID find the guardian….but do not fail too often, or I must send Selene in your place."

Maya bit her lip. "Yes…mother."

Watching her leave, Queen Ironia chewed on her bottom lip, which was becoming a habit. "Akura!"

General Akura was instantly at her side. "Yes, Supreme Highness?"

"Devise another daimon for Maya to take out. Make it stronger! We don't need another guardian destroying it!"

"Yes, my queen."



Laura hugged her pillow. The moon had risen over the trees. The movie had been fun, yet Laura kept looking over her shoulder every now and then to see if another daimon would appear.

A scratching sound brought her back to her bedroom. A white paw on the window informed her that Orion was back for a report.

She opened the window and the white cat jumped inside onto her quilt.

"I have important news, Laura," Orion was excited.

Laura's eyes widened. "What?"

"I've found the next guardian."