Ch 5: Who are these four strangers?

Meantime, Rini and Hotaru had been walking home, discussing the past few days. They had just turned to go their separate ways when four women jumped out at them. Rini and Hotaru tried to transform, but couldn't! The women were coming closer, looking at their foreheads.

"Rini, what's wrong! Why can't we transform!" Hotaru asked clinging to Rini's hand.

"I don't know. What do these people want!"

Just then they were grabbed by the four. At that exact moment Rini let out the moon beam, something she hadn't done since the four sisters of the Dark Moon had come after her. Hotaru had also let out a beam, in the sign of Saturn. When this happened the four women let them go, though still stood around them.

"Rini!" Bunny awoke with a start. She looked over a Darien, he had felt something too.

"What was that?" Darien asked.

"That was Rini's energy, being released in her moon beam, look," Bunny pointed to the beam they could clearly see out the window. "But what's that purple one?"

"It's Hotaru's, it gotta be. Lets go!"

Bunny and Darien ran out to find them. Bunny called the other scout who also hurried out. When they got to were they had seen the beams, the beams had stopped. Rini and Hotaru were sitting on the ground, holding each other for sapport. When all the Scouts had arrived the four women left. The Scouts were to worried about Rini and Hotaru to chase them.

"Rini, Hotaru, are you okay?" Bunny asked, running up and hugging them.

"We couldn't transform! Why can't we transform? What did those women want?" Rini cried. She and Hotaru were shaking. The scouts looked at each other, and then at Luna and Artemis but no one had an answer.

"Come on, you're coming home with us Rini. Amara, Michelle, and Trista will take you home Hotaru," Darien insisted as he tried to take Rini into his arms.

"NO! I'm not leaving Hotaru!" Rini insisted. Darien looked at Bunny and then at Amara, Michelle, and Trista. They all agreed without speaking

"Hotaru, you can come stay with us as well, if you want," Darien said gently.

"Yes, thank you," and the Scouts all walked Rini and Hotaru back to Darien's and Bunny's place.

"Small Lady, are you all right?" Diana asked as she caught up with them.

"Yes, I'm fine Diana."

"I wish I had a cat who could talk." Hotaru said quietly.

"Hey, you can always barrow Diana, if you want," Rini readily offered.

"Yeah or Luna," Bunny added.

"Hey don't forget about Artemis" Mina said, with a smile.

"Yes, Artemis. I do so love white cats," Hotaru said as both Luna and Artemis ran up to her.

"Mina I think I'd like to stay with Luna and Diana tonight. They both look worried," Artemis said, turning to Mina.

"Yes, and I bet you think Hotaru will spoil you more then I do," Mina jokingly replied, which made Artemis blush, and look away.

When they had put Hotaru and Rini to bed in the guest room, they feel asleep right away. Luna, Artemis and Diana were all curled up together in the middle of the bed. Hotaru and Rini still clung to each others hands, as if scared to let go and the cats were leaning against their hands. Almost as if to assure them they were there.

"Look at them. They are so scared," Darien said as he closed the door.

"We have to figure out why they can't transform," Bunny responded.

They went back to the living room, where the rest of the scouts were waiting. They all looked worried. They not only had a new enemy, but Rini and Hotaru couldn't transform.

"Are they all right?" Michelle asked anxiously.

"Yes, they are asleep now." Bunny reassured them all, "Though they still looked very scared."

"So, why can't they transform? What's going on here?" Raye demanded.

"I don't know, but it seems they were after Hotaru and Rini, so we have to protect them," Lita responded.

"Yes. Rini can stay here with us, of course. And Michelle, Amara, and Trista can keep an eye on Hotaru," Bunny said. No one noticed that the door to the guest room was partially open and the two girls were listening.

"Rini, I don't want to leave you," Hotaru whispered when they heard this.

"I don't want to leave you either," Rini whispered back.

"Yes, but it will be easier to protect them if we knew who our new enemies are. To bad we didn't get a good look at them," Amy was saying.

"We can ask Rini and Hotaru about it in the morning," Darien was saying when Bunny suddenly gasped.

"What are you two doing up?" Bunny asked seeing Rini and Hotaru listing.

"We couldn't sleep," Rini said, climbing into Darien's lap.

"We're sorry we were listening," Hotaru said as she climbed into Bunny's open arms.

"It's okay, we just thought you would want some sleep, after what happened," Trista told them.

"Bunny, Darien I don't want Hotaru to leave," Rini said, looking into their eyes pleadingly.

Darien and Bunny looked at the rest. They had already thought about this question, but didn't want to deprive Trista, Amara and Michelle of Hotaru's presenes. They knew how having a child around can be a blessing.

"Hotaru, if you want to stay with Rini it's all right with us, if it's all right with Darien and Bunny," Amara told her.

"It's all right with us. We know how much these two love each other," Bunny assured Hotaru.

"Thank you, all of you. I don't want to leave here." Hotaru expressed her relief.

With that settled they decided that they could all use some sleep, seeing as it was close to one am. Luna-P made sleeping bags for the others, and Rini and Hotaru were put back in bed. Bunny climbed into bed felling very anxious. Was this new enemy after Rini and Hotaru? If so, why? Last time Rini had been targeted, it was because she and the enemy had been from the future. So, were these new enemies from the future? Bunny fell asleep with all these questions in her head. She was glad to have everyone there to help her, specially Darien.

Darien couldn't fall asleep for a long time. He knew Bunny was worried, and so was he. He had always had a special relationship with Rini. He couldn't imagine what it would be like if anything happened to her. And recently Hotaru had started to feel like his own daughter as well. Rini and Hotaru were inseparable, you rarely saw one without the other near by. He looked down at Bunny. Was this what her dreams about Wicked Lady had been telling her? That someone else would be after Rini? Then what about her dreams about him? He gave Bunny a soft kiss on her forehead, and fell asleep.