Chapter 23: Harumi
Usagi coughed and spit sand out of her mouth. She looked around. Nothing but cacti, sand, clouds, and the dead bodies of Ami and Haruka. She screamed. No way was she dying too! Not without seeing Mamoru one last time! She clutched her brooch, ready to transform.

Usagi, it's just us. We won't hurt you, Ami's gentle voice said. Usagi whirled around, startled. Ami and Haruka were standing up; apparently they weren't dead. Or else she was seeing mirages...Usagi shook her head. This was no time for hallucinating; she had to find a way so that she didn't die like her friends. Suddenly she felt a sharp pinch on her arm.

Sorry, Usagi, but you looked like you were going to start dreaming awake, Ami said.

Stay alert, this is probably another enemy trap, Haruka added. Usagi blinked. No, if she felt that pinch, she wasn't seeing things. Dreams didn't hurt you. If Ami was a mirage, she couldn't have touched anything anyway. She sighed with relief; at least she would have help in the quest for survival.

I feel like we're in one of those Western movies we watched on the English channel, Usagi said, trying to lighten the mood. Her eyes sparkled dreamily. I wonder if Mamoru's going to ride up on a horse like a rugged cowboy.

Mamoru's in Harvard now, isn't he? Why would he be here? Ami asked.

I haven't heard anything from him, even though I've tried to contact him a lot. So I thought he might be somewhere else, somewhere close by, Usagi pouted. Tears started to form in her eyes. Where was he, if he wasn't at the American school? Had he been captured by the enemy too? Did any of those girls hate him? She shuddered to think of Mamoru being tortured like that Fuyumi girl did to Taiki.

Don't cry right now. We need to have a plan to find out where we are and how we can find the other Senshi, Haruka said.

Let her cry. How would you like it if Michiru was in place of Mamoru? retorted Ami, being assertive for once. Haruka understood. Then she squinted into the distance. Was that a mirage, or was there someone coming? As the figure came closer, she could see that this person wasn't running, but that he or she was riding on a horse.

Look out! It's a runaway rider! screamed Usagi, shoving Ami and Haruka aside as the mysterious rider came through. It was obvious that the horse was uncontrollable, and it bucked its rider off. The rider spun through the air and made a perfect landing, seemingly calm as his or horse ran away.

Umm...shouldn't you go chase your horse? Walking in the desert is much worse... Usagi started to say, but she stopped, as she felt the rider was glaring at her behind the black mask. Male or female? Whoever it was had long brown hair and was wearing not only a mask over his or her eyes, but a bandana covered his or her mouth.

This is a female, I can tell, Haruka said softly, causing Ami and Usagi to blush.

Correct, you cold-hearted monster, the girl snapped, throwing off her two masks. She pulled a chain whip out of her pocket and brandished it. Haruka gasped. It was Harumi, the one who had captured her back then!

What are you doing here in the desert, Harumi!? exclaimed Usagi. Harumi snorted.

What do you think I'm doing here? This is an alternate dimension I created. I can leave or enter it as I wish. But you three, on the other hand, can't, because you don't know its secrets. Ami pulled out her Mercury Computer and began typing on it, but Harumi smashed it with her whip. Ami screamed and jumped back, seeing the pieces of her magical computer shattered on the sandy ground.

Enough of this! Uranus Crystal Power, Make Up!

Moon Eternal, Make Up!

Mercury Crystal Power, Make Up!

Harumi rolled her eyes. How predictable of them to transform. She struck the ground with her whip and a bunch of plant vines rose up and tied the three Senshi's legs down. She smacked Usagi and Haruka's arms with her whip, causing them to both scream in pain. Ami was still trying to gather up the pieces of her computer and fix them.

You know what I hate about you? Usagi, you're such an obnoxious crybaby. Ami studies too much, and Haruka is a Seiya-wannabe! Harumi snarled.

A what?! I barely know him! Space Sword Blaster!

Mercury Aqua Rhapsody!

Silver Moon Crystal Power Kiss!

The three attacks struck Harumi and she toppled over wordlessly, gazing dazedly at the yellow jewel that was coming out of her chest. The vines disappeared, and the three Senshi fell to the ground, relieved that they could move their legs again. But what of Harumi? Somehow, she didn't seem evil anymore.

Oh, hi. I don't like you guys, but I won't kill you, she said gently, sitting up. Where am I? I didn't know you guys were real.

Didn't know we were real?! Then who do you think you were just attacking?! shrieked Usagi.

Attacking? The last thing I remember, I was with my Anime Club. We were searching a video store for all their Sailor Moon stock. Though, I do wish Sailor Jupiter, Sailor Pluto, and Sailor Star Fighter could be the stars, Harumi pouted.

Anime club? Video store? Then what happened? asked Ami. The look in Harumi's eyes plainly told she didn't know the answer to that question, which she couldn't say anyway, because she was vanishing, becoming one with the sand.