Disclaimer this is a work of fiction. I do not own Sailormoon, blah blah blah you should know the drill by now.

A Second Destiny

Chapter 1: Seeds of darkness

Raie tried to sit up in her bed, heart hammering and breathing hard. Looking wildly around, she noted with relief that she was still in her bedroom. The familiar surroundings and comforting sound of the rain outside quickly calmed her. She was soaking with sweat and trapped by her twisted sheets. The digital clock at her bedside told her it was around half-four in the morning, with chores and preparing for school there was little chance of getting back to sleep. She let out a quiet groan of frustration and struggled to extract herself from her bedding. With an effort she pulled herself free and began searching for some clothes. What had the dream been about? It must have been pretty bad to have left her in this state.

The only other time she could remember a dream affecting her this badly was when she had been eleven or twelve. She had wanted to catch a late night movie which her grandpa had forbidden and had snuck out of her room to watch it. The film had been one of those budget horrors, the kind which are scariest if you have to sneak down dark hallways after you've seen them. The dreams which followed had left her in tears that night.

This time had been different; it had been so real although the details were slipping away rapidly. There had been something dark like the demons she and the other scouts had faced in the past. Could it be something to do with the Negaverse? And so soon after that chaos with Anne, Alan ant the Doom Tree? Raie pulled on some robes and slipped out of her door. She decided to consult the flames for guidance. There was little harm in trying and it would serve to either set her mind at ease or justify telling the others. With a speed and grace born of years of practice she hopped from one board to the next, knowing exactly where to tread to avoid waking grandpa or Chad. Raie's progress as she slipped down the corridor was silent and she was soon kneeling in prayer before the fire.

It was a day later a Saturday. Gathered around a table in the temple, five girls sit in deep discussion. Just looking at them you would never guess that they were the sailor scouts who had prevented the city and even the world from being destroyed on at least two occasions now.

"So c'mon Raie what did you discover? Tell us already." Serena whines, her impatience getting the better of her and causing her to pace the room, breakfast forgotten.

"It's got to be something." Lita points out "You wouldn't have called us all out here otherwise."

Raie hesitates a moment, just to wind Serena up a little further. She still enjoyed teasing Serena although it was no longer mean spirited.

"I'm not sure." She finally admits "The dream was definitely connected to a real event. Some sort of dark energy that was released that night was the trigger."

"Do you think it was the Negaverse?" the cat Luna asks.

"I couldn't tell."

Amy looked up from the newspaper, her expression pensive. "You said this happened Friday morning?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Because of this story right here." She pushes the paper forward so they can all crowd around 'Police are investigating a horrific attack which took place late Thursday evening in the south end of the city. They believe it to be a territorial battle between street gangs although they have been unable to find any leads on those responsible."

"Hey! I know that place." Mina exclaims pointing at the picture of the café which accompanies the article. "I've eaten there a few times. It's only a few minutes from my school."

Raie looks over at the picture and freezes the blood draining out of her face. "That's the place in my dream." Everyone looks up at her.

"You sure?" Serena asks concerned by Raie's abrupt reaction. "I mean I'm not saying you're wrong, but you just told us you couldn't remember a lot of the dream, and the picture just shows an ally next to some cafe."

"I think so." Raie looks around at everyone "I know I don't remember many details but something's telling me that that's the place."

"Well then girls we should go down there and look around" Artemis states jumping up onto the table. "If it is something to do with the Negaverse then we can't afford not to."

"But I don't want to go on a bus ride." Serena whines "Can't we just rent a movie or something instead." She places her head in her hands and pouts.

"Oh come on Serena, It can't hurt to at least go over there and check the place out." Mina chides, grinning and leaning on Serena's shoulder "Besides if we all chip in we can get some ice cream while we're there."

Serena let's out a defeated sigh. "Alright, but it had better be a good ice cream."

An hour later, the five girls climb off the bus and walk the last few streets to the café. They pause at the police barricade looking around.

The street isn't too crowded and despite the barricades there are no police in sight.

"Go on girls. We can keep an eye out for any police officers while you're back there." Artemis states. He and Luna take up places by the barricades watching the street as with furtive looks around the girls slip under the sign.

"Ok Raie. Where to now?"

Raie looks about in confusion. The dream is little more than a haze of confused colour and sound. "I'm not really sure you guys. This is the right area but I don't remember…..wait a second" She closes her eyes trying to focus in on the sensation. "A dark presence, this way" Slowly Raie leads the others deeper into the gloom.

Creeping along in middle of the group Serena is clinging timidly to Lita's sweater and Amy's sleeve. She jumps at just about every sound tries in vain to look in every direction. It's all too easy for her to imagine the sort of person who could come out of those shadows. Out all the places in the world she didn't want to be this had to be at the top of the list. A trashcan suddenly tips over with a thunderous clanging. With a scream Serena jumps forward into Lita, clinging desperately to the taller girl's arm "Um does anyone else think we could just get out of here. This place is too creepy."

"Serena will you get a grip." Lita retorts pulling her arm from Serena's death grip. "You're with all of us and besides we're the sailor scouts. There's no one we can't handle."

Privately, Lita had to admit something felt a little off here. Like passing from sunlight to shade with her eyes closed and being able to feel the difference. This place just didn't feel quite right.

"This is it." Raie announces bringing the group to a halt near the side entrance to the café.

"Give me a minute I'll check this out with my computer." Amy pulls her transforming wand. "Mercury Power Transform!" having transformed into Sailor mercury she activates her visor and begins a scan. "This looks pretty bad. I'm reading massive amount of lingering dark energy still in the area. It's all over the place."

"Right! How about you Raie? Are you getting anything?" Mina asks. Serena now clinging to her shoulder looks over curious.

Raie closes her eyes in prayer, trying to read the energy in the ally. "It's dark, and extremely powerful. It's not quite the same as anything we've met from the Negaverse though." She turns to face her friends. "What worries me is that the aura is still this strong after a few days."

"Raie. What are you talking about?" Serena butts in, temporally forgetting her fear.

Raie sighs and looks up. "Alright Serena. Have you ever spilled perfume in your room? You know how the smell lingers for a while" Serena nod suspiciously "Well evil energy is similar. It leaves a trace of itself behind. The more powerful the evil source the longer the aura takes to fade. This place is still stronger than anything I've ever sensed."

"You know if we're quick enough there might be a way to be sure if it is the Negaverse or not." Amy says. She looks unsure of what she's about to say. "I'll need someone to come with me to the police station."

The sound of sirens penetrates the silence causing the girls to look up in alarm. "You girls might want to take a look at this." Artemis shouts over. They run over to the street, Amy changing back from Sailor Mercury along the way.

The road is still busy with police and medical teams. All of them heading to the shopping district. Luna runs over from an electronics store across the street. "Scouts. I've just caught the news. There's been some kind of incident at the shopping centre. You might be needed."

"Alright." Lita says looking over at Amy "Amy! You and Serena go to the police station. Raie, Mina and me can check this out."

Serena and Amy start off. "Just make sure you keep your communicators on. Call us if there's trouble."

With that the girls set off in their different directions.

A.N. Ok that's all for chapter one. Chapter two is mostly done already and should be out later in the week. Please send me some sort of feedback. Any suggestions or longer comments then please E-mail me.