Chapter Twelve: The Great Fire

Rei Hino woke up at stir of motion within her room. She sat up and looked around. Everything seemed to be at peace. The priestess let out a sigh of relief. For some odd reason, she thought that some thing was in her room. She chuckled to herself then laid back down. Then another sit of motion passed by her. Her eyes quickly widened and she stayed perfectly still. Something WAS in her room. Her heart began to pace faster as the many images popped in her head. Damn, Chad for making me watch those stupid horror flicks. It's just my imagination. Get a hold of yourself.

Rei closed her eyes again. Minutes passed before she heard another noise. This time she could make out what it was. Listening harder she heard a giggle. A familiar giggle at that. Rei sprung up and look nervously around. Searching for a face to match the sound. It was the middle of the night and her room was almost pitch black. The only came from the full moon outside. It provided little to no light at all. Rei could only make out with objects that she had memorized to be there. When her heart started to beat at the normal rate and she was about to claim herself paranoid, the sound came again. Her head jerked to the side of the room where her dresser was set in front of the window. There, she saw an unknown figure siting on a chair. It was sitting straight up and held its hands in its lap. By the slender shape and long hair, and the high pitch giggled it made; Rei sensed it was a woman. She saw the movement of the woman, she was shaking her head as if disapproved, while making a tsk tsk tsk sound. The woman stood and turned to the dresser where a picture of Rei, her grandfather, and mother sat. The woman picked up the picture and sighed.

"You mother is beautiful here. I can see where you get such looks. She has a sense of pride and courage in her. Your grandfather was always a flirt. I miss him dearly."

The priestess just stared at the figure in her room. She had many questions, but seemed to be under hypnoses. Her lips couldn't form the words she wanted to say. The figure put down the picture and stared at Rei. Rei could tell this by the eerie purple glow the eyes gave off. The figure moved only a step closer to her bed and looked down on her.

"W...w...who are you?"

The woman smiled and let out a giggled, this one sounding like the kind of thing that only came out of a ugly monster before it attacked. Only this woman wasn't ugly to Rei. Her face gave off a glow itself somehow, as if it drew the light from the moon. Rei let in a quiet breath, so that the other person couldn't hear how nervous she was. She held up her chin and put a mask of courage over her fear.

"You should be forewarned: I am the most powerful priestess in Japan. No evil dare come in without facing my flame."

The woman's giggle turned into a loud roar of laughter. She placed her hands on her hip and held back her head as she laughed. Rei caught offense to that and narrowed her eyes. She stood up and faced the woman who would laugh at her to her face. The woman's laughter died down. Although when she spoke there was still humor in her voice.

"Then I guess I shouldn't worry, should I? I am not hear to hurt you, Mars. I am here with a message."

Rei was stunned and raised an eye brow, placing her hands on her hips as well. The fear was no longer there, but an atmosphere of familiarity. She lowered her eye brow at this along with her arms. The other woman held a stern face. Rei could tell by numerous of readings, that this person had been through a lot more than she let on.

"Earth is endanger. Without the silver crystal, it will perish at it's next opponent. Earth will fall before a vigorous man. He calls himself Red Beard. Beware of him, for you haven't the power you used to."

Rei gasped at this new information. More importantly, how did this woman know her as Mars? What did she know of the silver crystal? The woman stepped forward and placed both hands on Rei's shoulder. Why did the woman make her feel as if she knows her? When her skin touched Rei's skin, a sense of safety along with great sadness fulfilled her. Rei looked up to meet the woman's eyes, only to see the figure almost in tears.

"There is one thing I must ask of you, Mars. I need you to do something."

"Yes."

"I...I need you to wake..up.."

"huh?"

Rei tilted her head and looked at the woman bewildered. The woman had a steam of tears down her cheeks and then pushed Rei back onto her bed. Rei gasped and opened her eyes. She jolted up from her bed, to see Chad to her side. He had a very worry expression and held her by the shoulders.

"Rei? Rei are you okay?"

The priestess looked around her frantically for the woman. She then faced Chad and sighed.

"I think it is time to call the gang back. There's been a new development."

Later on that afternoon

Outside, Chad swept off dirt and leaves from the steps of the shrine. Rei told him specifically that there would be no visitors today. After her experience last night, she needed to consult the Great Fire. Chad sighed and did was she had ordered him to do. He did not ask about her dream or why she needed to meditate, he knew that it was personal. After he had left her side that night, he checked the calendar. Sadly, it was only a week before everyone returned. It was funny how everybody separated and never looked back..not unless it was a certain day for them to really come back. Chad looked up at the sky and watched the clouds passed by. One week and then it would be the anniversary of Serena's death.

The more Chad thought about it, the more nothing made sense to him. Serena had been acting quite a bit awkward. She had told her friends of a man she had helped. Although when confronted, even by Rei, she would not give out anything about him. Later on, everyone had suspected that whoever he was, was the person that made Serena act different. She would sneak off so often and told no one where she had gone. The strange fact was that she had just disappeared. He had been around when The Scouts and Darien had to tell Luna and Artemis about Serena. They took it hard, but not as hard as Serena's family. They had flown back. Chad remembered Ken going off on Darien for not protecting her, Irene cried endlessly, and Sammy just stayed quiet until he was alone enough to cry himself. He stood there and sighed loudly. His theory of it all, was that they weren't just upset over her death...but the fact that they never knew what happened to her body. There was no where, but the spot she last stood, to place flowers or to grieve.

All those who never knew about Serena being Sailor Moon or the rest of them, sorta just accepted it. As if she wasn't really important. Boo hoo, Serena is dead. It was just another life gone. We must accepted it and go on with life. That's the kind of message the gave off after hearing of her death. They didn't even ask about a funeral or how the family was taking it. Just shrugged it off. That made Chad's blood boil. All those who claimed to be her friend's while she was alive, never really took affect of her being gone. No life should be thrown around like that. Even if they never really knew her, they should show some respect. Any life should be cherished, even more when it is gone. Then, in a way, it was the positive thing out of all this. No one asked how she died, so non of them had to lie. They all kept quiet and never mentioned anything unless it was when they met.

Chad kept sweeping and then looked back to the shrine. He felt sorry for Rei. She had taken it hard. The first few weeks, she had denied Serena was even dead. Then she went through a stage of her blaming Serena for dying. Rei even went as far as to imporve herself farther, claiming that she would never let any one die on her watch again. Not when she knew she could prevent it. Inside, she blamed herself for not seeing it coming. She saw all the signs and shrugged it off. It wouldn't happen again.

Inside, Rei sat in front of the Great Fire. With her eyes closed and in total meditation, she began to consintrate. It seemed that the only thing that Rei could remember from last night, was the woman's eyes and her message. Purple, glowing eyes, that had both joy and sadness within them.

...Earth is endanger...

...silver crystal...

..Earth will fall...

...Red Beard...

... Beware of him..

...haven't the power you used to...

Rei growled to herself at the message. Her home was endanger and would fall at the feet of a man named Red Beard. Out of bad habit, Rei started to pop her knuckles. The released calmed her nerves somewhat. She opened her eyes and decided to start her meditation over once more.

The priestess tried all morning and afternoon, attempting to get some sort of premonition. Some meaning to all of this. She couldn't concentrate hard enough. There was just too much on her mind. She bent her head down and let out a long breath.

"I wish Serena were here. She could always help me clear up my head by cheering me up."

The thought of her friend's smile, made her smile as well. Tears welled up and she sniffed a little. More than enough "what ifs" and "should haves" came to mind. She should have been stronger back then. Should have seen it coming. What if Serena HAD heard them all discussing her that night? What if she were here now? Things would be so much better. Every one would be so happy and better off. A tear slid down her cheek and she tried to hold back the rest. Images of her beloved friend and princess flooded into her and she could think of nothing more.

A sudden gush of wind swept through the room. Rei snapped her head up and looked towards the back of her. The door was shut and there was no windows. Where had the wind come from? She felt the fire getting hotter and turned back too it. The Great Fire had rose to the ceiling blazing wildly. It started to reach out to her, flames snapping at her like whips. She held up her arms to her face, to be sure that the fire didn't hit her. The unnatural wind circulated the room and caused the fire to get out of hand. It slung Rei back against the wall.

When she got her strength built up, she sat up and groaned. Her eyes darted back at the fire. The room was now filled with a presence. It felt sweet, innocent, and purer than ever. The fire shaped a figure within its flames. Rei squinted her eyes to make it out.

"Serena?"

The image was of Serena in her formal white dress. She was smiling and laughing. The sounded was wonderful to Rei's ears, and she crawled to get closer to the fire. She reached out to the image of Serena and then flames shot back at her. She quickly moved away from the fire. The images seemed to shift into another person. Rei couldn't make it out as clear as the one of Serena. All she could tell was that the person in the fire, was the same woman who was in her room last night. The fire shifted back to Serena quickly then back to the other woman. Rei's eyes's got wider as the wheels in her head started to turn.

"...Is Serena...alive?"

AN: THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR THE IDEAS! I am no longer brain dead and will be working really hard on the next few chapters. I couldn't decide which one I liked best..so I decided to combind them in some sort of odd way. Also for the next few chapters I will publish the names of those in which I got the idea of the chapter from. You are REALLY HELPING ME! I can't express how much I love you guys. Thanks once again. I hope you enjoy the chapter. I'm going to work the best I can to get things going so that I can continue to satisfy everyone. Plus if you have any more ideas..feel free to e-mail me any time. I would LOVE to hear them.