Back for more, I see? Well, enjoy the search for Hotaru in Mercury Down.

Author's Note: In the story, you will come across (' s a lot. This means the other conversation on the communicator between the Senshi. Keep that in mind. It is meant to show the other line of the conversation.

Rei plopped onto the couch and covered her face in her hands. Her bag sat beside her, next to her communicator and her lipstick. She stretched out, groaned, and closed her eyes with pictures of Hotaru running through her mind. "Where could she be?"

Just then, Jaedite entered the house and closed the door behind him. He put his jacket on the rack and walked over to Rei. "No luck, either?"

"No, not at all. I don't know where she could be."

It was twelve thirty in the morning and everyone was out looking for Hotaru. It was the only time in five years since the Senshi Communicators were put to good use; Rei kept hers on beside her, just in case anyone found her or knew her whereabouts. And it was the only time they set aside their differences.

"Rei, I think I know where Hotaru could be," Usagi said through the communicator as Rei opened it. "Chibiusa stated that she could have run away to the park. That's where she went when she first came to Tokyo from the future, remember?"

"Yes. Should I go check?"

"Sure. And bring a flashlight. It's pitch black out here! Good thing we have the streetlights, but I doupt any are in the park."

Rei glanced over at Jaedite who jogged down the hall to the closet. "Okay. We'll meet you at the Icecream Parlor Entrance in ten."

"You got it!"

Rei hung up the communicator and stood up from the couch. "Jaedite, let's go. They think Hotaru could be at-"

"The park. Yeah, I heard." He handed her the flashlight. "I just hope she's there."

---

By the time Rei got to the parlor, Ami, Usagi, Mamoru, Minako, and Makoto lined the street. Rei ran up to the group with Jaedite close behind. "Where is Chibiusa?" Rei asked, looking around.

"She went with Setsuna to the Police Station," Ami answered as she took a step forward. "Thanks for coming to help us, Jaedite."

"You didn't have to," Makoto said, with her arms folded. She didn't bother to look at him, but she hung her head to hide her blushing cheeks.

"Of course I had to," he began, "Hotaru is just a child and besides, I care about her just as much as any of you do."

Makoto instantly looked up at his serious, cold face and wondered vaguely why she didn't trust him in the beginning. There was a pause of silence, like everyone was thinking the same thing, then Rei spoke up. "Hey, we better get started. Let's split up. Usagi and Mamoru, come with us. The three of you go together. Do you have enough flashlights?"

The girls held up their own. "Yeah. We are set."

"Great. We'll go left, you three search right. Our communicators will be our walky-talkies. Call if you encounter a problem. Remember, we can't transform and who knows if this isn't a plot of revenge somehow by the enemy."

Everyone gulped and nodded, then took off into the darkness of the Park.

---

"Damn, it sure is dark," Jaedite said, moving the flashlight around on the surface ground. This was the only flashlight in the house, so Rei had to hold onto Jaedite so she wouldn't lose him. She gripped his hand tightly everytime something scaried her.

"Tell me about it," Mamoru said back, flashing his light at Usagi. "You okay back there, buns?"

"Huhm?" Usagi asked, in a quivering voice as she squealed and ran behind Mamoru. "Something grabbed my leg!!!"

Jaedite shined his light over to the direction that Usagi pointed to and relieved a swaying leaf. "It was a leaf, Usagi," he said calmly.

"Oh..." she clinged onto Mamoru tightly and Rei bust into a laughter.

"You didn't change, Meatball Head."

Usagi looked over at the darkness which should have been Rei's face and stuck out her tongue. "I don't wear my hair in meatballs that much anymore! HA!"

Rei smiled back at her and was glad of the darkness. She didn't want Usagi to know she smiled back at her as she stuck out her tongue from anger. At that moment, Rei's communicator rang and the group circled around. "What's up?" She asked, talking back to the darkened face.

("Shine the flashlight on the screen, Minako!") she could hear Ami say. Soon, Ami's face was visible and those worried eyes appeared. ("We didn't find Hotaru, but we did find Michiru's Deep Aqua Mirror by the lake.")

"The lake?!" Rei asked. "What is Michiru's Mirror doing there?"

("I do recall Hotaru telling me that Michiru lent her the mirror while she came to Tokyo to keep in touch. Hotaru must have been here, but something must have happened. She wouldn't have just abandoned the mirror by the lake shore.")

"Do you think someone kidnapped her?" Usagi asked, looking past Rei's head. She handed over the communicator.

("Maybe. But I think we should get out of here at once. Something or someone is watching us. They are following us!")

"How do you know, Ami?"

("Because this shadowy figure keeps flashing past us and Makoto is getting weird vibes. We should leave at once!")

"Well let's go. I don't want to take any chances," Jaedite said, looking into the communicator. "Meet us by the Entrance as soon as you can. Do not leave that spot!"

He shut of the communicator and handed it to Rei, then faced the group of worried faces. Giving Rei's shoulder a squeeze, he turned around and the group ran and tried to retrace their steps.

---

Ami quickly bolted around and faced the group of girls. "Come on! We have to keep moving!"

"We can't Ami," Makoto said, looking around. "There are more of those creatures. They are in the bushes, watching us. If we make any sudden movements..."

Ami frowned and reached into her pocket. She pulled out her Mini Computer that looked brand new and Minako broke into a wide smile. "Sailor Mercury... didn't lose her spirit."

Ami faced the rustling bushes and focused the Mini Computer. It took a while to respond, but soon three life forces soon appeared blurry on the screen and looked somewhat like wolves. She grinned. "Mako-chan, they are just animals-" She stepped back and dropped the computer. "Mako... Mina... get out of there.."

"What?"

"RUN!"

The three wolves burst from the bushes and lept onto Ami, pinning her to the ground. The other two stayed close by, then eyed the screaming Minako. Its eyes rang with a deep blue color, then yellow, green, pink, then red, and then silver. It took a step forward and its paw print left a silver glowing mark. "AMI!"

The two of them ran toward the girls and Makoto stood in front of Minako. She did a spinning kick and knocked the first one back into the second. Then, Makoto grabbed Minako's arm, spun around, and ran the opposite way. "But what about Ami?!" Minako screamed, looking back at the hudle. Now, the wolves began to chase after them again.

"We have to tell the scouts!" She took the communicator from her jacket pocket and panted as she ran faster. Minako kept looking back, then stopping every now and then to throw a rock at them.

("Makoto?")

Makoto smiled lightly at the sight of Rei's face in the communicator. "Rei, these wolves things are chasing us. It got Ami!"

("Wolves?! Like the animal?")

"This isn't an ordinary animal, Rei! It's the enemy! It must be! Wolves' eyes do not glow silver and blue!"

("Where are you?")

Makoto looked up and shined the flashlight around. "We are by the swings, the playground. Ami fell way back, toward the flower bed. Meet us at the playground and hurry!"

("We'll be right there!" Rei faced the group. "Mako's in trouble!")

Makoto closed the communicator and Minako gasped. "Mako, they are gaining on us!" She held her flashlight by the grip. "I have to throw it!"

"WHAT?!"

"We will still have yours. This is the only heavy thing we have and it will slow them down!"

Makoto looked back at the snipping teeth of the monsters that followed close behind. "Throw it!"

Minako aimed quickly and threw it at the face of the first wolf. It yelped, and lay still on the ground as the other stopped to aid it. She smiled and turned back around. "I think I blinded it!"

Makoto shook her head, smiling, and finally reached the park. "Come on. We have to get to the top before they come back!" Makoto helped Minako up as she climbed up the bar and sat on top of the swing set. Once Minako did so, she pointed to the distance. "Mako, they are back!" She turned around and lost grip of pole and faced the two wolves that pounded toward her; the one Minako hit had blood streaming down it's face and over it's right eye. "MAKO! Come on!"

Makoto began to climb the pole and Minako reached out. She grabbed her hand and tried to support her weight on the pole, then slid back down. "MAKO! Try again! Hurry!" She frowned and hopped back onto the pole; now the wolves came closer. She slid off again. "MAKO!!"

"Aku Ryo Tai Sen!"

The fire attack shot from the far distance and knocked both wolves across the playground. Rei lowered her hand from the attack with a scroll in hand. "Haven't done that in a while," she whispered, smiling.

Jaedite ran over to Makoto and grabbed her wrist. "Go on. I'll help you up. It's too dangerous to fight without any magic."

Makoto looked at him, nodded, and hopped up the pole with his help. Minako hugged her tightly once she sat down beside her. By now, Usagi and Mamoru made their way over to the swing set. "Are you guys alright?!" Usagi asked, calling up to the girls that rocked on the swing pole.

"We are fine, just tired. But Ami is the one we should be worried about!"

"Yeah," Minako said, pointing to the distance. "There were three wolves, one for each of use, and the third one never came back. We think it still has Ami!"

"What exactly was it?" Usagi asked.

Makoto thought for a moment, then drew her communicator from her pocket. "See for yourself." She tossed the compact down and it fell in Usagi's palm. "Press the green button on the right. It will show the last taken picture, and that, would be that beast."

Usagi did as she was told and the picture revealed what looked like a wolf with human eyes. The eyes were cold, and in the picture, they were light blue. "You see, Usagi," Minako began, "the monster's eyes kept changing colors! It turned blue, yellow, green, pink, then red!"

Usagi shook her head. "Changed... colors?"

"Yes. And in that order!"

By now, Rei backed away and held her scroll at hand. "Guys, the wolves are recovering!"

Everyone turned and watched the wolves get back to their feet. Mamoru instantly wrapped Usagi in his arms and she buried half her face in his sleeve. Jaedite joined Rei's side and grabbed her hand. "Ready to fight?"

She nodded. "It might be hard for me; I haven't fought in years and I only have one magic."

"Try and remember. You can do many things with your scroll. Just try and remember." Rei faced the wolves and now, let go of Jaedite's hand. They lept toward them and their roars rang through the park grounds.

Wow. Rei's first fight in years. Stay tuned for the next chapter, "Silver Maiden / Mako's Sorrow."