A Dream, A Fight!

A cool cloth dabbed Usaka's forehead, and he opened his eyes at the feel of it. "Oh…" He whispered. "Rei-san…" A weak smile came across his face.

"Are you all right?" She asked worriedly.

"I… I was lost in my dream…" He pushed himself up on the futon Rei had laid him down on. "Did you carry me here?"

"You're not very heavy," Rei said, smiling.

"Ouch, that one hurt a little," He said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Usagi-chan, are you here?"

Yes, but why did you faint like that! I've been so worried about you!

"I'm sorry…" He said, smiling sheepishly. "I really don't even remember what I saw to tell you the truth."

"It was too fizzled," Rei said. "I couldn't get a clear sight from as far away as I was. The fire was practically going crazy too, and I couldn't hold my concentration."

"Too bad…" Usaka said. "-but it didn't really make a difference because it wasn't the same dream I had anyways…"

"Do you need anything?" Rei asked.

"Some… some water would be nice," He said, smiling innocently at her. "I'm feeling a bit dehydrated."

"Sure, I'll be right back," Rei said, standing. "You just wait here." She closed the shoji of her temple, and her silhouette walked away.

Usaka laid back down and stared at the ceiling. "I… remember something…"

What? You do? What do you remember?

"It was a word… Hope…"

Hope? Usagi questioned. Maybe it has something to do with Chibi-Chibi! She was called the light of hope.

"I don't think so… Chibi-Chibi… doesn't really ring a bell to me. I probably would have thought of it when you mentioned her in your story had she had anything to do with it."

-but you hadn't had any dreams at the time.

"That's true, but still…" He sat for a moment, thinking. "What about-"

Rei returned with a glass of water.

"Thank you," Usaka said, taking it. He sipped the cool water and let it slip smoothly down his throat. "This is really good and cold. This didn't come out of a faucet, did it?"

"No, water is better from a well. I have one outside. The best water comes from a well, I think. It's always chilled, and it just seems to be cleaner somehow," Rei said, sitting down next to him.

"I agree with you," Usaka said, smiling. "I feel better now."

"Still…" Rei said, placing her hand on his shoulder. "Do you have an illness or something? It's really not normal to pass out like that."

"There was probably too much going through my head at one time. I couldn't handle it all. I mean, I've been a bit stressed over my schoolwork lately, and I need a job-- and---"

"I really am really, REALLY sorry about all of that," Luna said.

"No problem, Luna," Usaka said, petting her. "I mean, it's not as if I haven't gotten in worse trouble. I don't think I'm learning anything anyways."

"Don't you study?" Rei asked.

"Of course I do. I study very hard, but nothing ever sinks in… It's actually a kind of dream of mine to make it into a good college and make something of myself. I want to be someone that my friends will be proud of… something I would be proud of… but no matter how hard I try, it doesn't work…"

"Maybe you're trying to hard?" Luna suggested.

"No chance," Usaka said. "Trust me, I've slacked off, and my grades dropped. I didn't even know they could get lower… Jeez, I barely made it through high school… but then again, I was made fun of for being the skinny kid, but that's another story."

"Sounds like you've had a pretty rough education," Rei said. "If it helps, Usagi wasn't exactly you're A + student either."

HEY! SHUT UP, REI! Usagi yelled. Usaka laughed nervously.

"Yeah, well… I'm going to try to get some help," Usaka said. "Ami said that she would try to help me."

Rei smiled, but her smile faded quickly. "Something's wrong…" She muttered, standing.

"Kuroyami?" Usaka asked, standing too.

"Let's go," Luna said, and the three rushed out of the temple and into the yard.

-

It was almost silent in the yard. Only the sound of the wind brushing through the trees echoed upon the air, making it feel very tense and heavy.

"Where is it?" Usaka whispered, as if someone was spying on them.

Rei's eyes traveled along the yard, and she walked in a few random directions. She started walking in the direction of the well.

"Over there?" Usaka asked nervously as Rei reached out towards the well.

"I'm not sure. My powers seem to be jumbled. I think I need to rest. Your dream over-rode my psychic abilities, but I think…"

Her palm touched the side of the well.

Silence.

"Guess you were wrong," Usaka said innocently.

…but she was not wrong…He had jinxed it. Oh, how he'd jinxed it indeed.

Suddenly, the well glowed, and the water went flying into the air, sending bricks shooting across the lawn at high speed. Usaka and Rei dropped to their knees to avoid being hit and only stood again when all the bricks were gone. The water spun in circle after circle, then formed into the shape of an adult woman.

He, Luna, and Rei all gasped in unison.

"Kuroyami!" Rei yelled.

"Let's transform now!" Usaka replied.

"GO!" Luna exclaimed.

The monster finished her own transformation. She was see-through with a red bathing suit and a bucket on her head. Her golden eyes glared menacingly at them, and a fanged smirk was placed upon her gray lips. "AQUARA!" She shouted in more of a gurgled hiss then a voice.

"Mars Crystal Power, Make-up!" Rei yelled, not wasting any time, holding her staff into the air.

Usaka prepared himself to transform as well, ready to summon Usagi to the surface. "Eternal Moon Power, Make-"

Before he finished, however, he was suddenly bombarded with freezing cold water. It hit him so hard that every bit of air slipped from his lungs and was replaced with all but what he needed inside of them. He tried to cough, but it was to no avail. He was completely under, locked within a cube of water that was trying to be his grave.

He was floating for what seemed to be hours, even though it had only been minutes or maybe even seconds, and he had become numb from the icy water, his chest in great pain since he had no air. No… I have to get out… I can't breathe… He knew he couldn't speak out loud, but for a very last hope he prayed someone could hear his thoughts.

Usaka! Usagi's voice seemed far, distant. He couldn't grasp her presence, and it was quickly traveling farther and farther away. He couldn't even think her name anymore. Nothing was reaching his brain correctly.

His vision began to blur and sway. I need help… SOMEONE HELP ME!

A burning sensation in the middle of his chest drew his attention away from his current position. At first it seemed impossible, but he almost felt as though he could breathe again. He looked down and saw a bright, white light beginning to emanate from him. It made him feel safe, warm… alive. His hands slowly lifted themselves towards his chest to see just what it was that was saving his life.

The water collapsed as if it had never been, and he found himself choking and sputtering on the ground. The light was no longer glowing in his chest, and there was no evidence of it ever even being there. He quickly concluded that it had to of been Usagi trying to save him.

"Are you all right?" Sailor Mars asked, looking at him frantically.

"Yeah," He coughed, looking up at her. She would never know just how grateful he was for saving him. "I'm okay…"

"Burning Mandala!" Rei cried, blasting Aquara back.

Aquara countered with a stream of water towards Rei. She jumped and dodged, but only after she moved did she realize that it left Usaka wide open for attack.

"Usaka!" Rei covered her mouth.

"Eternal Moon, Make-up!" Usaka yelled, transforming.

"Flame Sniper!" Rei shot Aquara before she could hurt Usaka in mid-transformation.

As Aquara recovered, Sailor Moon appeared. "I'm ready now, Sailor Mars!" Sailor Moon said, smiling at her.

"You can do it, Sailor Moon!" Rei cried out.

She held out her tier. "Silver Moon Crystal Power Kiss!"

Aquara looked up. "Wha--!"

She jumped out of the way.

"MEEP!" Usagi cried. "I MISSED! I can't believe I missed! That's terrible! I swore I had that SHOOOOTTTTT!"

"Oh, no!" Luna exclaimed. "Sailor Moon!"

She jumped in front of her, and the moon on her forehead lit up.

"Luna, what're you doing!" Usagi cried.

The monster stared into the light, and it seemed as if the life vanished from her eyes.

"I can't hold this for very long, Sailor Moon! Try it again! Do it now!"

Rei held up one of her anti-evil scrolls. "FIRE SOUL BIRD!" She hit Aquara full on, and Usagi lifted her tier once more.

"SILVER… MOON CRYSTAL… POWER KISS!" She screamed, and the enemy had been hit.

"NOOO!" She cried as she vanished, and Luna laid down in exhaustion.

"Phew…" She said.

"Are you okay, Sailor Moon?" Rei asked, running up to her.

"Doing great," She said, smiling. "You?"

She looked at Usagi with the happiest look in her eyes. "I don't think I've been so happy in awhile."

Usagi smiled back at her. "Good to be back, Rei!"

(A/N: Okay… This is kind of a filler chapter, but I had to put it up so I could get back on track. I'll be working on this story a lot more. It had slumped for awhile, but now I can get where I'm going with it. Thanks for sticking with me, guys! I love you all!)