Author's Notes: First off, I want to thank Rei Firestar and Kirika for informing me of the names meaning: Raging Tiger(Ikarikuruu Tora) and Fury(Gekido) ... Don't read too much into my self-insert... I don't want anyone to think I'm gonna make him into some *super-cool, invincible* warrior, I'm not! I will explain, though, that he is an excellent fighter, focusing on physical abilities, his strongest such attack is *Raging Tiger Fury*... his weakness is that he's weak, paranormal-wise (i.e. Paranormal, as in the powers of the Senshi and Youma), he has a pretty lame defense against paranormal attacks, and he's only got two such attacks, both of which can only be used when he's near-death: Ultima Break, mentioned in the previous chap. and, Flaming Hell, which is a gravity/flame-based attack. Afterall, This is a Rei/Serena fic, not a ME fic, right? Right! Anyway, I'm sure you don't want to hear me rambling on anymore, before my ramblings at the end of the chapter. So, You think I should shut-up and get on with the fic?

Me Neither! Anyway, Some people mentioned the paragraph-format in which I've been writing my fics is sorta confusing... so, I figured I'd try a different format in this chapter and you can review and tell me which you all like better, ya know. Also, A request was made, to add more *back-story* to my created senshi, which I'll try to do, over the course of the story, without focusing too much on those characters. On with the fic!
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Part 11: More Mysteries...


~Hikawa Shrine~

Rei steps into her room, slides the door shut and sighs.

"Why did you kiss me, infront of him, like that?" the blonde odango asks, from where she's sitting on her futon.

"What do you mean, Serena?" Rei replies, with a question. She walks over and sits down beside her princess.

"Well, I mean," Serena says, "You used to date him, right? And, Everyone knows how he feels about you. So, Don't you think that might've been a little harsh?"

"No..." Rei replies, giggling a bit, "He's known about my love for you, since before I ever dated him." she kisses the odango-atama's cheek and adds, "You've got nothing to worry about."

"I wasn't worried about that." Serena responds, facing the priestess, "I just didn't want him to be hurt, that's all." she wraps her arms around the raven-haired girl and kisses her lips. Rei embraces her and returns the kiss. After which, Serena says, "Besides, I can feel how much you love me, Rei." they kiss, again...

~Shrine/Next Morning~

Rei and Serena awake in one another's arms(and yes, they're still dressed). They get out of bed and take turns in the shower, in Rei's private bathroom. Rei showers first and then gets dressed while Serena showers, putting on white underwear, a red sleeve-less tank-top and lavender denim bike-shorts. When Serena gets out of the shower, she dries her hair and fixes it up in two odangoes, then she wraps a towel around herself and goes back into Rei's room. Rei lends her an outfit... pink underwear, a white t-top and a blue skirt, and politely turns around while Serena puts them on. "So, What are we going to do today?" asks Serena, after getting dressed.

"Well," Rei responds, "First, We need to hold a Senshi Meeting. And then--"

"Before that, we need to talk..." a female voice says.

"Who was that?" Serena asks, looking around.

Then, she and Rei look toward the window, the source of the voice, and see... Phobos and Deimos, sitting on the window-sill. Rei walks over to them and says, "Uhh... We must've been hearing things."

"Not the case." Phobos(the female raven) says, "We have something to tell you, about the new threat... who's responsible for releasing Hariel and who is involved."

"Really?" Rei asks, not really surprized that her pets can talk, "What is it?"

"The one who freed the Demon, is someone without true power..." Deimos(the male raven) riddles, "And, The force behind the Demon, is one who controls the souls of those he vanquished. That is your clue." he turns on the sill and flies up to a high, tree-branch.

"And, To defeat them, you must defeat your greatest fears." Phobos adds, "You must discover the answer, yourselves." she follows Deimos.

"Did that make *any* sense to you, Rei?" asks the blonde princess.

"It's a riddle, Sere." Rei says, "hmmm... I don't, yet, know the meaning, though..." she thinks about it for a few moments, then turns to face her princess and asks, "You hungry?"

"Sure am!" Serena replies, sounding delighted, "How'd you know?"

Rei shrugs, "... lucky guess, maybe? I just had a feeling you were." she says, "So, I guess I should fix some breakfast, huh?" Serena nods and they leave Rei's room, to go to the kitchen.

Outside... 'I wonder why those two insist on speaking in those damned riddles...' wonders Kubira, before laying her head back down on her front paws.

A short while later... Rei and Serena are finishing their breakfast in the kitchen, when Shawn enters the room wearing one of his usual outfits... his black-leather jacket, a white t-shirt and black denim pants. Serena turns toward him and asks, "Are you feeling better?"

"Yes." Shawn replies.

Rei asks, "What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to go check on my students and my dojo." Shawn says, "But before that, There is something I want to ask you two..." "This might sound strange but..." he adds, sorta scratching the back of his head, "Have you been feeling closer? Like, Mentally or anything?"

Serena and Rei look at each other and then back to him, "... yes." Serena replies, "We've heard each other's thoughts, a time or two."

"Yeah and," Rei adds, "Just this morning, I could tell that Serena was getting hungry... without hearing her stomach growling."

"I see..." Shawn says, bringing his right hand up to his chin. 'So, The bond is reforming.' he thinks. Suddenly, Rei's and Serena's communicators start beeping.

Rei raises her left hand and looks into the communicator's screen. Raika's face blips on and Rei asks, "What's wrong?"

"I need some help!" Raika says, a bit breathless, "I'm bein' attacked... by several of Hariel's Youma, near the woods... just outside of the Juuban District! I tried to contact the others but... you're the only ones I was able to get a hold of! I've managed to hold my own but I--" her face abruptly vanishes and is replaced by static, then the screen blips off.

"Sounds like she's in serious trouble." Serena says, worriedly, "We should go help!" Rei nods.

"Well," Shawn says, "I guess the dojo can wait."

"Shawn, You don't have to go." Rei says, "We can handle it."

"I know." Shawn responds, popping his knuckles, "It's just been a long time since I've been in a good fight." he half-grins.

"Give it up, Rei." Serena says, "You know he's gonna go, anyway. He's too hard-headed not to. Just like someone *else* I know..." she gives Rei a certain look.

"I told you." Rei says, retrieving her henshin pen from her sub-space pocket, "I've gotten over my injuries." Serena shrugs and agrees, pulling out her broach.

"Moon Cosmic Power!"

"Mars Crystal Power!"

In moments, Rei's and Serena's outfits are replaced by their Sailor Uniforms. "I don't think I'll ever get used to those long, *flashy* transformations of you guys'." Shawn says, as he raises his right hand infront of his face, with his index and middle fingers extended. In a second, his outfit changes... his left arm becomes encased in armor accompanied by a black leather glove on his left hand, a silver chain encircles his right arm accompanied by a black leather fingerless glove on his right hand, a black cape with a red tiger design appears on his back, three small belts encircle his right leg above the knee, black leather motorcycle boots appear on his feet, and a broadsword appears at the left of his waist.

"Let's go." Serena says. Rei and Shawn agree and, the three leave the shrine and head toward Raika's location...
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Ramblings: Well, Kirika suggested this type of paragraph format so, I'd like to know if you think it's better than the way I've been typing and if you think I should go back and revise my other chapters, and put them in this format too. Anyway, Check back in next time to see some serious action. This one'll be a much longer battle than the first. So, Review and tell me what ya think. Til next time!