Chapter Five: Only the Start; Introduce the Combat Unit

Have you ever gotten those days where you learn something unbelievable? Well, let's you did, would you react so strongly as I would?

I stared at C.C. in shock. "What do you mean there's eight more of us?"

He shrugged. "You fight in battles, of course you'd be a big team."

"Explain this all to us again, Naikou," Aijou asked, sitting slightly above us on a tree limb. Ban'yuu agreed, as she lied on the grass, petting C.C. absently.

"Well, when I awoke as Sailor Discordia, it was a long time ago. I didn't really transform until I had an unusual dream. There was destruction of a people and a bright, warm light. In flashes I saw three groups, each fighting an evil. Then everything went white and I saw her. A forgotten princess, if you may. She wasn't the one with the bright white light but she was also special, you know? Anyways, I now remember that we, a long time ago, were those fighters, those senshi, from up there." She pointed upwards.

"What, the stars?" I asked.

"Wait, you mean the moon?" Ban'yuu guessed it right.

"Yes, the moon, I think there was once a civilization there but was destroyed. It was there that we were also destroyed."

"Whoa...." I breathed. "So what, we're reincarnated aliens?"

"Not aliens," C.C. answered me. "You're still human, just with a special gift."

"So how do we find the other eight?" Aijou asked C.C.

"I don't know," he purred as Ban'yuu scratched behind his ears. "But I think we should just wait. Usually, a senshi is drawn to other senshi. We are all one after all."

"Okay, that's it," I snapped. My mind wasn't on the matter on hand but rather, I was getting flustered that C.C. was having so much fun.

"I think we should go home, my mom worries too much about me and I don't want to raise her suspicions." I said, lugging C.C. up. I nodded goodbye and left the group.

"That was rude," C.C. said quietly.

"That was not rude. Rude is you asking to be petted."

"I can't help it, I'm a cat. And it's very soothing."

"But do you have to purr so loudly."

"What is your problem," he jumped off and in an instant he was human.

"First you hate my guts, now what? You got a silly crush on me?" He looked at me, his eyes laughing. "I mean, come on."

I was speechless. 'Is that what's wrong with me?' "I, uh, I.." I tried to clear my throat. His laughing then hit deep inside me and I felt tears well up.

I turned suddenly, trying to hide my tears. "Yea, well its not you'd like me," I tried to fake laughing. "And besides, you're just a dirty cat."

The worst thing he could have done was what he did then. Nothing. He didn't say anything. He just stood there behind me, listening to me as I tried to stop sniffling. I turned around angrily.

"Stop it, just stop looking at me like you, you feel sorry for me," I took off, my mind in a rush. 'Why of all the times I develop feelings for a guy?' I found my way home and went to my room, my mom watching me worriedly.

I lied on my bed, trying to calm myself down. I tried focusing on the information Naikou had given us.

'So, there's eight more,' I thought. 'Ban'yuu's right, we can't always go to the ice cream parlor to break the ice.'

I heard a noise and I stiffened, thinking it was C.C. But it was only my brother, trying to steal something from my room.

"You little creep," I shouted at him as he took one of my comics and ran out. I stomped out and settled down to watch television with my dad. It soon became time for dinner and that passed too. I stayed in the living room, watching the clock. When it ticked 10 o'clock, I grabbed my coat.

"I'm going out mama," poking my head in my parent's room.

"Why dear?"

"C.C.'s gone missing. I'm going to go look for him."

"He'll be fine," Dad answered, peeking at me from behind his book.

"Alright dear, be careful," Mom smiled a gentle smile.

"But dear," I heard my dad protest as I left.

I walked to the park and walked aimlessly around. I was too embarrassed to call for him. I settled down on a swing and silently dug my feet into the dirt.

"So, what're you doing?" A familiar voice struck me.

"Just out." I answered as C.C. took the swing next to me.

"You weren't looking for me," he asked.

"Well, yes.."

"Oh.." we both swung ourselves lightly, each gazing at the ground.

" I wanted to apologize. I didn't mean to laugh at you. It's just, well,.." C.C. blushed slightly then shook his head. "It's just that I....I like..."

There was a sudden screech of tires and a motorcycle that raged closely past us startled us. Others soon raged through and C.C. took off as I jumped off the swing onto my feet. I watched the motorcycles take off, all except one that turned around and stopped a few feet from me. The person was dressed in a huge black leather jacket and had short spiky orange hair. They pulled off their bike and took off their helmet.

"Yo," a girl peered out at me. her eyes were emerald green and had a friendly sparkle to them. "Didn't mean to scare your boyfriend away."

"My, my boyfriend?" I gasped. "He, he's not my boyfriend, he's just a friend."

"Huh, well anyways, what's a kid like you doing out here so late?" She took off her jacket, flinging it over her shoulder. "It can get pretty troublesome around here."

"Well, I can take care of myself." I grinned. There was something eerily familiar about her.

"Name's Shukumei Rikugun." She held out her hand and we shook.

"I am Shukumei Shuushi."

"Yea, I know. You're also Janus, right?"

"What...??" I stared at the girl in shock. She grinned and pulled out a familiar pen. It was like the ones I and the others had, only instead of a diamond shaped tip, it was triangular shaped.

"It was nice meeting you. We'll be seeing each other again, alright?" In my stupor, I failed to notice her getting back on her bike.

"W, wait," I spoke finally, breathlessly, as with a sudden rip from her bike and she sped off into the dark night.

"Ahhh......" I stood there stupidly.

"That was unexpected." C.C. commented. I turned to face him. "But she seemed friendly." He added.

"Yea, right," I said as I picked him up.

We headed home and as we settled ourselves for sleep, I was reminded of the girl. I wondered how she knew me and if she knew the others. Who knows? Maybe she would be the one to help us find them. I yawned and fell asleep.

It's strange, these past few weeks. Everything's happened so fast and yet, it feels like nothing really happened. I'm still me, and there hasn't been any real danger or threat. Sometimes I wonder, just why was I awakened? Was I really needed? Oh well, until next time,

End Combat Mode.