Chapter 10:


Thunder awoke her. She sat up, at first forgetting where she was. Then she remembered why she was lying on a cot. She yawned, and sat up. Her back hurt. She missed her own bed horribly.

"Good morning, sleepy-heads," said a cheerful voice. She looked over at the door. A blue-haired woman smiled at her.

"Good morning, Ky. I've fixed up a special breakfast just for you." She went over to the bed where Serena and Rini slept. "Get up, Serena," she added, her voice carrying a note of exasperation.

"Ahh, mom," Serena mumbled. She pulled the pillow over her head. Rini did the same. Ky sighed. What lazy girls they were! It was a wonder they had befriended Ami.

After breakfast, the three girls took off to the video arcade. Serena wanted a rematch. Ky really had little interest, but she did want to distract herself. Besides, then she could get to know Serena and her cousin. She wanted to remain as close as possible to Ami, which meant she had to get close to her friends.

Serena lead her to the Sailor-V section. Ky had never played a Sailor V game until the day before, but the controls were fairly simple. She had played hundreds of games like it in her home.

"So where do you live?" Serena asked, putting in her coins.

"A small town," Ky lied. "Just north of Toronto."

"Which is?" asked Serena, starting to play.

"In Canada," Ky replied, concentrating on the game. She made her little Sailor-V jump, and wondered what Sailor V stood for, what Senshi she was.

Serena played much better, though Ky still beat her, and Serena still wined about it.

"Can we get some ice-cream?" Rini asked, reappearing. "Before you spend all our money?"

"Sure, why not," Serena replied. "This way, Ky."

They sat in a park, eating their ice-cream. Rini ran off to talk to a strange looking man and a baby across the field.

"Serena, what does the "V" stand for?" Ky asked, licking her chocolate ice cream.

"Wha-at! You don't know who Sailor V is?" Ky flushed, but nodded.

"She's Sailor Venus, one of the five legendary Sailor Scouts."

"The five?" Ky repeated.

"Sure. Sailor Venus, Sailor Mars, Sailor Mercury, Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Moon, of course."

"Sailor Moon!" she thought.

"Wow," she added out loud. "I only knew about Sailor Mercury."

"Wha-at!" Serena screeched again. "Here, look, I'll show you. There are dolls and toys and everything. Gee, do you not have TV up in Canada?" Ky scowled.

"Of course we do. But no Japanese channels."

"Fair enough," Serena sighed. "Come on. RINI! We're going to the mall. Come on!"

"Alright," Rini called back. "Give me a minute!"

They browsed the mall for the rest of the morning, stopping just after noon for lunch. Ky's stomach growled loudly. She could hardly believe she was hungry, but she was. They stopped at the food court.

"So, what do you-" A scream cut Serena off. Above them, on the second floor, Ky could make out two lion-sized shadows. One of the shadows was attacking a woman.

"Rini, get Ky out of here now!" Serena said.

"But!"

"Now, Rini!"

Rini pulled on Ky's hand, and dragged her into the running crowd.

"This way! Hey, watch it!" Someone slammed into Ky. She turned, and saw a senshi. It was Sailor Mercury.

"Ky! Watch out!" screamed Rini. She pushed Ky out of the way of a falling vending machine.

"Thanks, kiddo. You should get out of here. They need help."

"Naw, the Scouts can take care of themselves," Rini replied.

The two of them continued to run. Someone grabbed Ky from behind. She pulled from their grasp. It was a Guardian. Or, at least he seemed to be. He wore the uniform of a Guardian, but had no crown. Instead, he had a top hat, and a white mask.

"It's alright," he said. "No one is going to hurt you. But there are more monsters down that hall. Rini, take her out through the back exit."

"Got it, Tuxedo mask. Go kick their buts."

"Will do, kiddo. Now get out of here."

Ky followed after Rini, feeling truly bewildered. Who was that masked man? Why did he seem familiar? Rini's grip tightened. The Guardian of Fire swooped down from the second story, grabbing Rini, and sweeping her up. Rini screamed, and tried to hold on to Ky. She grasped once more, but then he had her.

"One more step, Senshi, and this girl pays the price." He addressed this to Sailor Mercury, and the Senshi with her. Ky ran. She had no choice. She had to escape. She had to help Rini.

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Ami looked over at Serena. She watched Ky run. She didn't blame her friend. She would have run away too if she wasn't a senshi.

"Let the kid go," Serena commanded. Ami looked over to where Darien was battling it out with the Guardian of Earth.

"You heard the lady, let the kid go."

"Kotanam!" the Guardian of Fire made it sound like a swear word. Ami wasn't sure if she was happy to see the mysterious Senshi, or worried.

"Your fight is with me, Earth, Fire. Leave these Senshi alone."

"Gladly. But only if you surrender. You will serve our master." Kotanam stepped up beside her.

"I'll never surrender, to you."

"Then the kid dies."

"Venus love chain encircle!" Rini was yanked from the Guardian's grasp by Venus's attack.

"Mars celestial fire surround!" Flame engulfed the Guardian of Fire. He laughed.

"Kotanam Gate!" The Guardian of Fire disappeared into a black warp hole.

Ami turned her attention to Darien and the Guardian of Earth.

"Let me take care of him," Serena whispered.

"No! She's too close. Let Kotanam handle it," Ami whispered fiercely. "You remember what she's after?"

"Right."

"Mercury Aqua Rhapsody!" Ami cried. The Guardian was trapped in a case of ice. Kotanam made him disappear.

"So you must be part of the legendary five," Kotanam said. She turned to Serena. "You look familiar."

"Back off, Kotanam," Ami said. "We could have managed without your help."

"As you wish, Princess Mercury." Kotanam jumped up, and disappeared in a flash of blinding light.

Ami sighed.

"Alright, let's get out of here, Sailor Moon. Before that creep comes back."

"Any vibes, Mars?" Ami called down. Rei shook her head.

"She's protecting herself somehow. I can't get a feel for her."

"Oh well. Let's go home. I need to study." Ami jumped down after her friends. She paused when she found a green ribbon caught on a fake tree by the doorway. She untangled it, and set it in her pocket. She decided that Sailor Mercury would have to visit Ky, but not today.