In a strange stone room, Aquilo kneeled in a semi-circle with three other black-clad men. In a gauze covered chair in front of them, a contrastingly white-cloaked princely figure sat, with many golden jars neatly stacked around him. His short wavy hair was a pale faded blonde, framing dark chestnut eyes. His smooth pale skin spoke of youth, but the dark eyes betrayed an ageless wisdom. Wrapped loosely about his head was a white turban, studded with golden ornaments and centered with a glowing, four-pointed star. "Well, Aquilo?" He asked. "How do you excuse yourself- yet again?" There was a hint of mockery, toned down by the weariness of ages passed.
Aquilo kneeled still lower, "My lord, I was unprepared for the arrival of Sailor Moon. You told me yourself that no senshi had-" He stopped as the red star glowed menacingly brighter.
"Aquilo," the man said, patiently, though not without a dangerous undertone, "I have tried to teach you all, time and again, that ignorance is no excuse for failure."
"The spirit-catcher-"
"Did exactly what it was supposed to. You know very well that Sesa was not designed for battle. If you are so quick to forget lessons, I shall have to devise a different teaching style." His voice was slightly ominous, and the red star pulsed faintly. He suddenly laughed, as Aquilo cowered. "Never fear, you have not outlived your usefulness yet- though I doubt very much you will have another chance to botch an encounter like the last one. What on Earth possesed you to order a spiritless to kill her?"
Aquilo looked perplexed. "You said they would follow orders exactly.."
"Which they will." He spoke slowly as if to a child. "When you steal the spirit crystal of someone you possess them mind and body. A much more effective method of obtaining energy than heart-crystals, whose removal will kill. Dead bodies are never useful for anything, ne?"
One of the other men suddenly nodded excitedly. "I see what you mean, my lord! Why kill Sailor Moon if we can possess her spirit crystal? It must surely be the strongest of all!"
The man in the chair nodded approvingly. "Very good, Eurius. Though it will not be a simple as all that..." he paused in thought, sifted through the jars at the foot of his chair, then selected one with a smile of satisfaction. He handed the jar to Teolli. "Take Ace. He will know how to handle her. Find some place crowded. The more people, the better."
Eurius, bowed, rising to his feet at the same time. "It will be my pleasure."
"Cerecere!" Bunny waved at her friend, as she approached. "It's about time! You were supposed to meet me ten minutes ago."
"I know," Cerecere said apologetically. "But I lost my purse, and what's a trip to the mall without money?" They both grinned as they threw themselves into the hustle and bustle of mall shoppers. "So, where do you want to hit first?"
"I was thinking the pizzeria," Bunny said, "Waiting makes me hungry."
Cerecere grinned. "Doesn't everything? But I agree, let's high-tail it down there."
"Do they have sardine pizza?" Diana asked sticking her head out of Bunny's backpack.
Cerecere smiled, pushing the cat back. "Hush up! Cats aren't allowed in here, even talking ones. Stay quiet and I'll buy you a slice." She glanced at Bunny, wrinkling her nose. "Sardines. Yuck."
They hurried to the Pizzeria and walked through the crowded resteraunt to the counter. After placing the order, they took a seat helping themselves to pizza, and passing Diana her slice. Cerecere stared at Bunny as she stuffed slice after slice in her mouth. "Er..."
Bunny looked up. "Wha? Whuth tha matha?" She looked abashed and swallowed her peice. "Scuse me."
Cerecere smiled, and got up. "No prob. I'm going to take a bathroom break, k?" she said, excusing herself.
"Don't expect there to be pizza when you get back!" Bunny called teasingly after, before turning back to her pizza. Someone's shadow fell over her, and she didn't look up, expecting Cerecere. "Back so soon? You're lucky. There's one piece left." A man's gentle laughter caught her by surprise. "Huh?" She looked up, at a boy who looked about 19. He had green hair, slicked back into a pony-tail, and eyes so dark they were almost black.
"I appreciate the offer, though something tells me it wasn't intended for me."
Bunny blushed, brushing back a stray strand of hair. "Sorry. I thought you were my friend..."
He grinned. "An easy mistake to make. Do you suppose there's room for me at this table? It seems crowded."
Bunny nodded. "Sure! Have a seat, it's always crowded here. This is the favorite weekend hangout you know!"
"I had hoped." His smile seemed suddenly menacing, and Bunny drew back in her seat. "Don't be uncomfortable," he smirked, "Make yourself- at ease."
Bunny found she was suddenly frozen in her seat. Craning her neck, it seemed everyone else was in the same predicament. She also caught a glimpse of something furry slipping between the table legs. She looked back at the man. "Who are you? What do you want?!"
He waved a hand in front of his face, and his clthes changed to a loose black top, and black pants. Bunny recognized the red four-point star on his back as the same one Aquilo had. "My name is Eurius. And I want..." he tapped the lid of the gold jar in his hand, and heart crystals shot out of all the diners' chests. "Your spirit crystals!" Saying, he opened the jar, releasing a spirit-catcher in the form of a young man. "Ace! Deliver the crystal spirits to me!"
Bunny grimaced, as a pain shot through her chest. She felt as if something was burning on her forehead. She fought a wave of dizziness, gasping, "You- can't- do this!"
"What? Haven't surrendered your crystal yet?" Eurius looked down at her in surprise. "That sign!" He extended a hand to touch the glowing crescent moon symbol on her forehead, and was knocked backwards. Cursing, he pulled himself to his feet. "Ace! Get her crystal, now!"
Diana dashed through the crowds of surprised people, jumping onto the returning Cerecere's shoulder when she found her.
"Diana, what's gottewn into you?" Cerecere asked in surprise She moved into an empty shop, when people started to stare.
There's no time for that. Bunny's in trouble!" Diana gasped she twisted, and pulled a pendant seemingly out of thin air. It was a golden circle set with a pink crystal 5-point star. "Put this on. Then say Ceres Goddess Power to transform into Sailor Ceres!"
"Ace! Get her crystal, now!"
The spirit-catcher swirled lazily through the air, coming to rest in front of her. Ace seemed about to throw himself forwards, when a lavender cat leapt through the air, knocking the golden jar away from Eurius. It clattered to the floor, and Bunny, released by the strange power that held her motionless, pulled out of her seat, moving quickly away.
A dark figure suddenly appeared in the doorway. "How dare you treat people this way, abusing innocent people's love for pizza! I am Sailor Ceres, and I will punish you!"
*Cerecere?* Bunny thought, saying aloud, "Sailor Ceres?" Bunny blinked then bent down as Diana started to tell her something. While Eurius's attention was averted, she quietly moved behind a table.
Eurius frowned. "You little meddler! Get her, Ace!" The spirit-catcher hovered unmoving, staring solemnly at him. "What? The jar!"
"Looking for this?" Sailor Ceres held it up. The heart crystals of the people in the room, were drifting gently back.
"No!! This can't happen!" He ran towards Sailor Ceres, summoning a red bolt of energy, that gathered around his hands.
Sailor Ceres raised her voice. "Demeter Tumbling Jolt!" There was a flash of yellow and pink stars, and Eurius was knocked onto his back, the attack he had been creating flying askew.
Stumbling he pulled himself to his feet. "You haven't heard the last of this! My lord will have you all!" He stepped backwards, almost fell, and vanished in a silver flash.
Sailor Ceres ran over to Sailor Moon as she stood up. "Are you all right? Diana came and got me!"
Sailor Moon picked Diana up. "She told me. Thank you, both of you. I'll be fine." She was suddenly concious of the spirit-catcher, Ace, hovering nearby, watching them carefully. Looking carefully at him, she noticed something she hadn't seen before. Something like a golden chain hung about the spirit's neck. "Why is he still here? Why isn't he attacking?" She asked quietly.
Diana hopped down, and paced around the spirit-catcher, then sniffed the golden jar Sailor Ceres was holding. "It's the jar!" Diana said suddenly, "I've heard stories about evil ones who imprison the spirits of dead people, and force them to do their bidding. The chain on his neck, it puts him under the power of the holder of the jar!"
Sailor Moon looked at the spirit again, which gazed somewhat sadly at them. He must have once been a living man, with dreams of his own... Reaching out she took the jar from Sailor Ceres, and threw it against the foor where it shattered.
As the spirit dissipated, Sailor Moon heard a voice in her head. Good luck, my Princess.
Around the pizza parlor, people stood up, dizzily rubbing at their heads. As the usual hustle and bustle filled the parlor, Bunny and Cerecere slipped quietly out.
"Let's not do that again any time soon!" Cerecere joked, with a relieved laugh.
"Hm?" Bunny nodded absently. "Oh! Of course."
Eurius found himself in the same position he had taunted Aquilo about only a few days earlier. He shuddered, not daring to look up at the pale face in the chair above him. OR worse, the eerie, glowing star than hung where the center of his forehead would be. "My lord- I have failed."
"I know."
The tone of his voice startled Eurius, and against his resolve, he looked upwards. "You are not... angry?"
"I am very angry, Eurius!" The man said the four-point star flashing brightly enough to fill the chamber with red light. Eurius quickly dropped back to his earlier subservient position.
"Never the less it was not a complete loss." The pale man stroked the star on his turban thoughtfully.
"My Lord..." Another of the four started. He had spiky red hair, and a cat's green eyes. "Perhaps it would be beneficial to use our secret weapon."
The pale man shook his head distractedly. "No, we will do that in good time." He stopped to let his eyes rest on the one who had spoken.
The flame-haired man shrunk back, but seeing the steady glow of the turban's star took some courage.
"I respect the ability to take intiative, Austeri, even if your thoughts were misdirected. You will capture the spirit crystal's of the senshi for me. The other people of Earth matter no longer."
"My lord?" Austeri asked in surprise, then bowed deeply. "As you command."
The man on the throne chair, reached into his robes, and pulled out four silver bracelets. Each had a red crystal set on the top. "Each of you take one. These bracelets are a new weapon I have devised. They will give you power over the element of your choice." As the four men took their power-bracelets, he reached to his side, and picked up a gold jar, which he set carefully in front of Austeri.
Austeri cradled the jar, and bowing once more, he left.