"Princess!" a voice called urgently. "Princess!"
Bunny spun about working her way with unforgiving slowness, through a maze of vines, thorns, and roses. Roses. There was something up ahead, a building. A face suddenly appeared before her; a dark-haired man; someone she knew, and cherished, or would know, or had known... The face tried to say something, but cried out in pain instead; then the apparition was swept away by the wind. She pushed her way through the thorny roses, to the small shrine. Someone was on the steps; someone who ran to meet her. So familiar...
"My princess!"
"Who are you?" she wondered aloud.
The pale-haired man clasped her hands, meeting her eyes. His brown eyes captivated her, and she found herself being drawn up the steps. "You must listen to me, maiden!" he said earnestly.
"What? I don't understand-"
"Come! Hurry, there is no time! He is coming!!" He started to pull her into the temple, but the roses vines ensnared her, scratching at her skin, pulling her away.
"Please help me!" she gasped in sudden fear, turning her eyes pleadingly to the young man.
He smiled cruelly at her, and stepped away from her clutching hands. "Goodbye, princess..." A red light, burning with hatred filled her vision as the vines dragged her down, wrapping around around her, clutching at her throat. She couldn't breathe, she would die here...
The echo of pipes filled the air, and the rose vines fell away.
...........!
With a moan, Bunny came awake in her bed at home. She fought her way free of the tangled sheets, and sat up, staring at the red numbers on her clock. 5:00. She glanced at Diana, who was sleeping peacefully at the end of the bed, and decided not to wake her. What a strange dream, she thought, slipping onto the floor, and walking to the window. She felt jittery, and strange inside, unable to dismiss the dream for what it was. "Just a dream," she reminded herself out loud. It was stilll dark outside, but she quietly dressed, grabbed a few rolls, and went for a walk.
The early morning air was cool, and she walked along; lost in thought. She almost stumbled over someone sitting in the middle of the sidewalk. "Are- are you all right?" she asked uncertainly.
The girl who looked up at Bunny could not have been more than a year younger than Bunny herself. He blue eyes sparkled with mischief, as she pointed to what she had been doing. Bunny crouched down to examine the intricate castle of stones at the side of the walk, filled with handmade dolls, and furniture. "Do you like my toys?" the blue-haired girl asked, gesturing to the little assembly.
Bunny picked up one of the dolls, and gasped. "Wow! It's like a work of art. Did you make these yourself?"
The girl nodded. "All with stuff I find lying around. It's a lot of fun, and sometimes I can sell them. What's your name?"
"They call me Bunny," she answered, still raptly examining the beautiful little doll. "What's yours?"
"Mine's Pallapalla. For Pallona. You can have that one if you like!"
"Really?" Bunny smiled at her. "Thanks! This is so neat. Do you go to school around here?"
"Yeah. An expensive private school." Pallapalla made a face. "I hate it. They've got rules for eveything, even art! Actually, I'm participating in an art festival today. Would you like to come? I probably won't win but it's going to be tons of fun!" She beamed brightly at Bunny.
"Neat! That'd be awesome. Thanks for inviting me Pallapalla!" Bunny said.
Pallapalla shrugged. "Anyone can come. You should bring some friends along too," she smiled slyly, "You guys can root me on."
Later that day, Bunny showed up at the festival with Cerecere and Momo. they looked around the bustling streets at all the various entries in different divisions. "There she is!" Bunny cried suddenly, tugging Cerecere in the direction. "Pallapalla! Over here!"
Pallapalla spotted them, and momentarily left her display. "Hi Bunny. Glad you could make it!"
"Pallapalla, meet Momo and Cerecere," Bunny said in introduction. Diana peeked out of her bag. "Oh, and my cat, Diana." Momo smiled. "Chibi- I mean Bunny's told us so much about you! People call me Peaches."
"Nice to meet you," Cerecere murmured absently to Pallapalla, looking over their shoulders at the models displays. "Hey, what's that guy doing?"
A young man had wandered in front of Pallapalla's exhibit, and was rearranging her jungle model. Pallapalla whirled around marching angrily in his direction. "Hey you! Hands off!!"
The man looked up to reveal dazzling green eyes. He smiled placatingly. "Just examining your lovely work of art. I take it you are the artist?"
Pallapalla was not satisfied. "That's me," she growled. "You're not allowed to touch the displays." She moved defensively between her work and the young man. "Goodbye."
The man looked offended and stalked away scowling, while Pallapalla fell about reordering her masterpeice. No one noticed as Diana slipped out of the bag Bunny was carrying her in, and followed after him. Pallapalla smiled at Bunny and Cerecere, with a startling change of demeanor. "So, do you like it? It's the Amazon. I'm in the model division"
Cerecere examined it carefully. "It's great!" she proclaimed after a time.
Bunny nodded. "Who was thay guy?"
"Who knows?" Pallapalla said off-handedly. "He won't be back." Just then there was some noise over the speaker system that had been set up. "Oh, good," Pallapalla said happily. "That'll mean it's time for the judging."
A relative silence had fell over the crowd as a judge's voice reiterated the judging procedure. As it neared the end, the speakers suddenly went silence all at once. After a confused pause, a new voice suddenly came over the speakers. "Lady and gentleman artists, there has been a change of schedule." The voice was condescendingly slow. "Instead of judging your special masterworks... I'm going to burn them!" At these words fires sprung up throughout the streets pinning the contestants and spectators back against the exhibits. Sitting back against the podium, Austeri smiled at the confusion, stroking his new bracelet happily. It is a good weapon my lord has given me. This will surelt draw those senshi out! Something bit him, and he cried out as he kicked the lavender cat away from him. Diana stopped within inches of the flames. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
After a split second more of silence, utter chaos broke out. Screams and shout broke out, and several tables were nocked over, spilling into the ravenous flames. Momo clutched at Bunny. "I don't want to die!"
"Calm down, Peaches, everything's going to be fine," Bunny placated her friend. "Just stay calm!"
Momo nodded dumbly, then fainted. Bunny set her gently on the ground as Cerecere tugged at Bunny's arm. "Hey, where'd Pallapalla go?"
Bunny whirled around, finally catching sight of her new friend as she ran nimbly along the tables, carefully avoiding every display. Looking ahead, she spotted the girl's goal. In at the small podium where the announcer was supposed to stand a red-haired man leaned casually back, ringed by fire that always stayed at least 10 feet away. He was clad in black, and as he turned to admire the destruction Bunny glimpsed a red star on the back of his shirt. "Isn't he that man from earlier?" she asked.
"He must be the enemy!" Cerecere gasped. "Come on, Pallapalla doesn't know what she's getting into. "
Bunny hesitated as Cerecere dashed away across the tabletops. She reached for her bag. "Oh no, where'd Diana go?!" Tossing down the empty bag-turned-cat-carrier, she followed Cerecere. I'll just have to manage myself.
Austeri's eyes widened in surprise, as Pallapalla, far ahead, performed a breath-taking leap over the wall of fire landing firmly in Austeri ring of space. She advanced on him, blue eyes flashing with fury. "I don't know how you managed all this, you creep, but I do know you're behind this!"
Regaining his composure, Austeri laughed in her face. "And what are you going to do about it? You're just a girl!"
With an angry yell Pallapalla leapt forwards, planting her fist squarely in the man's solar-plexus.
Austeri doubled over in pain. "Why you little- I'll teach you a lesson you won't forget!" He pulled out the golden jar. "Kyro! Take her spirit crystal!" The foggy shape of a man emerged from the jar. It swirled around Pallapalla, who glared defiantly at it, refusing to retreat a step. The spirit-catcher swirled faster and faster, until Pallapalla was encircled in a whirlwind of mist.
Diana stared up blearily, wondering if her eyes were focusing correctly. Through the tornadoe she thought she could make out a glowing symbol. Pallas! Staggering, she forced herself to her paws.
"What's taking so long?" Austeri complained. "Kyro!"
"Not so fast!" Sailor Moon and Sailor Ceres burst over the wall of flames. "How dare you destroy the work and dreams of countless young artists! We're here to extinguish your fires of hate. In the name of the moon- you're punished!" Sailor Moon raised her wand.
"Sailor Moon, Sailor Ceres," Austeri chimed. "How nice of you to join me. Tell me, are you warm enough?" Austeri touched his bracelet and flames sprang up at both senshi's feet. Sailor Moon and Ceres fell back, batting at their feet. In an instant, flames ringed each of them. Austeri grinned wickedly. "So sorry to make you wait, but you see, Kyro's currently occupied." He gestured at the whirlwind surrounding Pallapalla.
"You evil jerk!" Sailor Ceres called angrily. "I'll get you! Demeter Tumbling Jolt!!" Austeri laughed, and Ceres gasped in surprise as the fire swallowed up her attack.
Something pushed against Sailor Moon's ankle. "Sailor Moon…"
"Diana!" Sailor Moon cried in surprise, staring at the singed and bedraggled cat. "Are you all right?"
"Worry about that later. For now, just toss Pallapalla this pendant." Diana dropped a golden circle with a blue star-shaped jewel set in the center at her feet.
Sailor Moon looked at the cat worriedly but did as she asked, lobbing the pendant into the center of the whirlwind. Abruptly the mini-tornadoe started to glow from within with a strong blue light. "Pallas Goddess Power!" a voice cried, and abruptly, the spirit catcher was thrown away to reveal Pallapalla in a blue senshi costume. She smiled, fingering the pendant set in the middle of her bow. "I like this!"
"Huh?" Sailor Moon looked down at Diana in confusion.
"I saw her senshi symbol," the cat said weakly. "She's Sailor Pallas!"
"Get him Sailor Pallas!" Sailor Ceres cheered.
Sailor Pallas looked around at the flames. "Let's see what we can do about this… Hera Fearsome Gust!!" A howling wind filled the area, rapidly extinguishing the flames. Austeri was bowled, over, the golden jar falling from his hands.
"I got it!" Sailor Ceres called triumphantly, scooping it up.
Sailor Moon brandished her wand. "Pink Moon Disruptive beam!" Austeri cursed and vanished in a silvery haze, just before the attack hit him. The attack took out the art center behind him. "Oops," Sailor Moon muttered.
Sailor Pallas glared threateningly at her, then laughed. "That was fun! So, who are you guys?"
"Don't you recognize us?" Sailor Ceres asked. She de-transformed. Sailor Moon did likewise. "How bout now?"
Sailor Pallas nodded. "But of course! Do you guys always have this much fun? I should hang out with you more often." She changed backed to Pallapalla. "So who was that guy? He seemed to know you."
Bunny had picked Diana up. "Poor thing. Let's get you home. You guys can come too, and we'll fill you in on all the details Pallapalla." She frowned. "Actually, would you take Momo home first Cerecere? She wasn't looking to well herself. You can stop by my place later."
The light of the red four-point star shone brightly, casting shadows across Austeri's frightened features. "You have failed me. And do you know why, Austeri?"
The young man shivered. "Because I let them get away?" He ventured.
"Because you acted foolishly. You followed your emotions. Your desires." The red light pulsed. "You wanted entertainment. You wanted to enjoy yourself. You wanted revenge. You had the senshi and you let them slip through you fingers because your pride was wounded." The light flashed, and Austeri fell to the floor.
"I'm sorry lord! Forgive me! I've learned my lesson. It will not happen again!"
"Yes. It won't." The star's light faded to it's normal glow. "Fortunately, all was not lost. We have discovered the existence of the third senshi. And my studies lead me to believe that there are two more that haven't been awakened yet." A smile crossed the turbaned-man's lips. "So. We will devote our resources to finding them. "Zephyr."
The man with dark blue hair that hung long down his back stepped forward. Two thin braids framed his face. "Yes my lord?"
The pale man pulled out a golden jar. "Take this and go after the three awakened senshi." Zephyr nodded. "The rest of you begin searching."