WHOOOOOO! I tell you, aserene, your reviews really make my day! I'm yet again eager to write, eager to please! And now that I've got all afternoon to write this chapter, I'm ready! Let's see… Radio blog playing Japanese music, check! Water, check! Keyboard, check! Good story idea, check! Energy, check! III'MMM RRREEEAAADDDYYY! Okay! On to the third chapter of Sincere Darkness! This one's dedicated to aserene, my one and only fan so far! YOU ROCK, ASERENE! ON TO THE CHAPTER!

Disclaimer (which I forgot to put in last chapter, oopsie!): I. Do. Not. Own. Sailor. Moon. Stop making me say it! STOP MAKING ME SSSAAAAAYYYYY IIIIIIIITTTTTTT! But I do own Kaya. No touchie me Kaya! Ask if you want to borrow her! But no stealing! MY KAYA! MINE! hugs Kaya plushie tightly

Key

"Speaking"

'Thoughts'

Chapter 3

Crossroads Elementary School, 3:00 pm

The bell rang, and in a matter of seconds, the halls were filled with a flood of students, all eager to get home and forget about any homework they had until the last minute. Rini took her time in packing up her school things, and by the time she entered the halls, she was in no danger of being trampled by fellow students. She walked outside to the front of the school to wait for Serena to come and pick her up. She was quite surprised to see a familiar first grader outside, along with other students waiting to be picked up by parents or relatives.

"Kaya?" Rini asked. Kaya turned, and smiled shyly when she saw Rini. She waved, and Rini smiled as she walked over to her.

"I didn't know that you waited out here to be picked up," Rini said. Kaya shook her head, fidgeting slightly with her fingers, her cheeks tinted pink. She shyly looked up at Rini.

"I don't. I was hoping you would be here. I wanted to say bye," she said softly, hoping that she didn't seem like some sort of stalker or something. Rini smiled. She thought Kaya was very sweet.

"Awww, that's so sweet, Kaya! So, if you don't wait for someone to pick you up, do you ride a bus?" Rini asked, glancing over at the buses. Her eyes widened slightly as the last of the buses pulled out of the school and onto the street, and she looked back at Kaya, hoping that the girl would say no. Thankfully, Kaya shook her head.

"No, I don't. I walk home, by myself. Mommy works a lot, and she doesn't have time to come and pick me up. She's always in a meeting or on a business trip," Kaya said. Rini frowned slightly. She didn't like the idea of her new friend walking home by herself. It seemed too dangerous, in her opinion.

"Do you stay home by yourself when your mother's out?" Rini asked. To her shock and horror, Kaya nodded. Rini didn't like the thought of Kaya being home alone at all. The very idea of it! A six year old child, home alone while her mother's out at work or on business trips! Rini was too afraid to ask Kaya about her father, so she didn't bother.

"The neighbors check up on me frequently, once every hour or so, and I eat dinner at their houses. I'm okay at home," Kaya explained. Rini frowned. She didn't care what Kaya said. She didn't like the idea of her being home alone one bit!

"Kaya, how about you come with me to my house? You could call your mom and see if it's okay to stay there, if you'd like," Rini offered. Kaya looked up at her, emerald eyes wide.

"Really? You want me to come with you to your house? No one's ever offered to let me spend the night at their house before… Okay, I'll go to your house and see if I can stay there If it's okay with your family," Kaya said, nodding. Rini smiled.

"It'll be just fine with them! We just have to wait for my cousin, Serena, to come and pick us up. We'll have to wait a while though. She's always late!" Rini huffed, rolling her ruby eyes at the thought of her future mother's tardiness. Kaya giggled and nodded. The two friends passed the time by talking to each other about anything that popped into their minds.

Twenty minutes later

Serena huffed and puffed as she ran up to Crossroads Elementary, stopping in front of the school where Rini and Kaya were waiting. She gasped for breath, and only noticed Kaya after she had regained her breath. She looked at the child and smiled.

"Hello, I'm Serena, Rini's cousin. Who are you?" Serena asked. Kaya smiled shyly. She curtsied, then quietly introduced herself as Rini's new friend, Kaya. Serena smiled at the shy but polite little girl.

"Serena, Kaya usually stays home by herself, but her neighbors check up on her. Her mom's always working, and she isn't home a lot. Can we take Kaya home and see if she can stay with us for a while?" Rini asked. Serena nodded.

"Of course! I think mom and dad will agree. Kaya's so sweet!" Serena agreed, smiling at Kaya, who blushed at the compliment. The three girls then left, walking the fair distance to the Tsukino residence. Serena and Rini asked Kaya questions about herself, and Kaya answered them. Kaya timidly asked them a few questions as well, which they happily answered.

Tsukino Residence, 3:40 pm

Serena opened the door and stepped inside, Rini and Kaya following. The three girls slipped off their shoes and left them by the door.

"Mom! We're home!" Serena called. Seconds later, the blue-haired Ilene Tsukino emerged from a doorway leading to the kitchen and walked to them. She smiled kindly at them, and her gaze settled on Kaya.

"Hello there. I'm Mrs. Tsukino. What's your name?" she asked kindly, smiling as she squatted down to become more level with the small girl. Kaya smiled shyly, before curtsying as she did with Serena.

"I'm Kaya, Rini's new friend. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Tsukino," she said quietly. Mrs. Tsukino smiled and straightened.

"It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Kaya," she said, before looking at Serena and Rini. Serena explained why they had brought Kaya with them. Ilene agreed to have Kaya stay here if it was all right with her mother. Ilene went back to the kitchen to cook dinner, and Serena and Rini took Kaya to the living room to call her mother. Kaya dialed her mother's cell phone number and waited for her to pick up.

"Hi Mommy…. I'm at a new friend's house…. They say I can stay here with them if it's okay with you…. Yes, I remember…. Okay…. Okay…. Yes…. Okay." Kaya turned her attention to Serena and Rini, then told them that her mother wanted to speak to Ilene. Serena went to the kitchen and entered the living room with her mother. Kaya handed Ilene the phone, and Ilene held the receiver to her ear.

"Hello? Yes…. Yes, it's fine…. I'm Ilene Tsukino…." Ilene's eyes suddenly widened in excitement and she squealed.

"Adina! Is that really you! It's been so long! …. Yes, of course! She'll be no trouble at all, I'm sure! …. Yes, she is very polite! You must be so proud! …. I'm doing great. How are you? …. Fantastic! …. Oh, that's wonderful! …. Yes, well, I'll let you go now. Don't worry, we'll take care of her. …. Yes, bye Adina!" Ilene hung up the phone, smiling. Upon seeing the confused and impatient looks on the faces of Serena and Rini, and the curious look on Kaya's, she smiled.

"I've known Kaya's mother since elementary school! I haven't heard from her since we graduated from high school and went to separate colleges! Oh, and yes, Kaya, you may stay here for the next two months, as your mother will be on a business trip. I'll take you home to get your things in a moment, just as soon as I get dinner out of the oven," Ilene explained before going back to the kitchen. Serena and Rini cheered, and Kaya smiled. The girls went to the front door and got their shoes back on to wait for Ilene. Ilene joined them minutes later, and the group set off to Kaya's house, Kaya giving Ilene directions after they went past the school.

4:15, Kaya's House

Kaya was upstairs in her room. A black duffle bag filled with clothes and other necessities lay on her bed. She looked around her room one last time, searching for anything she missed. Her gaze settled on her bedside table, and she gasped softly before walking to it. On it laid a brooch that looked a lot like Serena's, except it was silver as well as gold.

"I almost forgot this. That would have been bad," Kaya said softly, placing it carefully in her duffle bag. The sound of a car horn broke her out of her thoughts, and she zipped up the duffle bag and slung it over her shoulder. She walked to her door and stopped, looking around her room one last time.

"Bye room. I'll be back later," she said softly before closing the door. She rushed down the stairs and out of her house, locking the front door behind her. She got into the car where Ilene, Serena, and Rini were waiting, getting into the backseat next to Rini. She buckled her seatbelt, and they were off to the Tsukino residence once more.

Back to the Tsukino Residence! 9:05 pm

Luna quietly slipped into Rini's room, where Kaya was also bunking in a sleeping bag on the floor. Luna peered through the darkness at the sleeping children, before turning her attention to Kaya's black duffle bag. Her red eyes narrowed and she quietly slunk through the darkness to the bag, which was open. Luna peered into the bag, immediately spotting what she was looking for. When she left the room, she had Kaya's brooch in her mouth.

Luna quietly padded down the hall and entered Serena's room. The blonde girl was sprawled out on her bed, hair let down from its usual style. Luna leapt onto the window sill, where the white cat who also a crescent moon on his forehead sat, waiting for her. She set the brooch down, and looked at him. He looked at the brooch, then at her.

"Artemis, this has got to be enough proof for you! Kaya has to be Sincerity!" Luna said, keeping her voice low, so as not to wake Serena, despite the fact that Serena was a deep sleeper.

"If the crystal isn't in the brooch, I won't believe it, Luna," Artemis whispered back. Luna sighed, but nodded. They both looked at the brooch. Luna placed a black paw over it, and it began to glow with a black light. It suddenly opened, the black light spreading over the faces of the two cats. They stared down in shock at the black glowing crystal inside the brooch.

"You know what this means, Artemis," Luna said quietly, voice stern but dismayed. Artemis nodded slowly.

"But she doesn't deserve it, Luna. She's just a child. She hasn't done anything yet," Artemis said softly, voice pleading. Luna shook her head and sighed.

"You know as well as I do that it must be done, Artemis. She hasn't done anything yet, but she will later," Luna said.

"How do you know that!" Artemis argued. The cats kept their voices low, but it was difficult.

"I don't. But it is most likely that it will happen. We can't take that chance," Luna said stubbornly.

"But-" Artemis protested, but Luna shook her head and held up a paw to silence him.

"I hate it too, Artemis. But we must do it. Kaya must be killed."

Author's Note

AHAHAHAHA! How's that for a cliffhanger, huh! I'm soooooo evil! Why exactly does Kaya have to be killed? What does it have to do with the crystal? How will Luna and Artemis kill Kaya? Will they even have the heart to do it? You gotta keep reading to find out! Please, follow aserene's example and REVIEW! I really want to know what you all think of this story!