Yay! I'm finished with the Dreams arc. A few more episodes and this story will be complete. I don't know whether to be happy or sad. I've been having a writer's gap lately (GRR!), but I'm concentrating enough to finish the story. Notice that the title of this episode is a big hint of what's happening. Let's go!!
Episode: A Lost Dream
Pirates. Heroes. Ships. Kraken. Davy Jones. And "Captain" Jack Sparrow. The elements made Pirates of the Carribean: Dead Man's Chest a must-see film. After the movie it left everyone ever so active and hyper. If sure made an effect on Rini.
Rini "Wasn't that movie so cool!?"
She and her friends walked out of the movie theater, smiling and giggling with joy.
Rini "I gotta go home now. Bye!"
Once she stepped out, her smile faded. Her eyes grew. She made a little quiver. All her nerves went numb.
For there, leaning on the wall, arms crossed, was Anna. She had a small smile, although Rini knew that something was up.
Anna "Hey, squirt. Enjoyed the movie?"
Rini stayed silent. Anna walked up and ent down to her level.
Anna "Let's go for a walk, okay?"
Rini's eyes created tears. She was responsible for everything that was happening. And now Anna was defending her by taking the role as "keeper of Pegasus". The Amazon Trio could strike atany moment. Yet Anna stayed in the wide open, prone to any attack.
Anna stood up straight and began to walk away. She took a pretty slow pace, telling Rini to follow her. And so she did.
They continued walking for a while. Everything was silent until Anna spoke up.
Anna "Rini."
She suddenly stopped on the sidewalk. Rini mimicked her and waited for what would happen as she looked up at Anna.
Anna "This is very serious, so I'm only gonna ask you once. Understand? And I want the truth."
Anna sounded quite stern. Rini didn't want to make her mad, so she agreed to her terms.
Anna "If I'm going to protect Pegasus, I need to know."
She turned around and stared keenly at the little girl.
Anna "Is Pegasus in your dream?"
Rini quivered some more. She didn't know what to do. She felt water coming down to her hands. Looking up at the sky, there wasn't any rain. She then touched her cheeks. They were moist. At the sudden realization, she covered the eyes with her left arm.
She was crying.
Rini began to wipe the tears away with her sleeve. It was true. The one with the beautiful dream...the one that was protecting Pegasus...was Rini.
Anna walked up and tried to wipe away the tears with a handkerchief.
Anna "Here, use this."
She gave it to Rini and stood up to see if anyone was around.
Anna "Let's go somewhere where we can talk."
Rini nodded pitifully. The tears were gone, but her eyes stayed forever red. They found a little coffee shop and rested there for a while.
Anna "I'm not gonna push you...but I'd appreciate it if you told me about Pegasus."
Rini "...He...He resides in a beautiful dream. That's the only way he survives."
Anna "Are you the one with that beautiful dream?"
Rini "Yes...We talk in my dreams. He needs to stay secret. Promise you won't tell anyone! Not even Serena and Darien!"
Anna "Don't worry. Until we figure everything out, I'm shutting my trap."
Rini calmed down. She knew she could trust Anna.
Anna "What is you dream, anyway? What makes it so beautiful?"
Rini looked out the window. The sun was beaming down on the peaceful-looking Tokyo. Birds were soraing through the sky. Kids were laughing on the sidewalk. Cars honking, people working, living natural lives...until their future is corrupted by the evil forces.
Rini "The future..."
Anna "Huh?"
Rini "...I wanna make sure the future doesn't change. Mommy and Daddy in the future are doing well since the Wiseman disappeared. But there's still some evil out there. I wanna stop it all. So then everyone can truly live peacfeully."
Anna thought for a while. Rini's home would still be destroyed if it weren't for the scouts. If the Wiseman still lived...Crystal Tokyo would be nothing but rubble. She remembered the moment she first laid eyes on the horrid landscape.
Anna (I felt like puking.)
Rini looked back at Anna. They were silent. And they stayed silent the whole time.
Anna "Darien?"
He glanced at the entrance and saw Anna in her ripped jeans and long-sleeve buttoned shirt. The uniform vest was in her hand.
Darien "You're a little late. What's up?"
Anna "Had to talk to someone. You don't have studying to do?"
Darien "Nope. Just swung by since everyone's busy."
Anna "Yeah...that's been going on a lot lately."
Then Darien's face turned a bit stern. Anna was surprised by the sudden change after putting on her vest.
Darien "I over heard that youtold the enemies that Pegasus was in your dreams. Is it true?"
Anna "That I otld them that: yes. That he's in my dreams: no."
Darien "This is bad. What will happen if they find out the truth?"
Anna scratched her head. Many thngs were still a mystery. But they knew they could trust Pegasus.
Anna (If only we knew what they want with him...)
She thought if hiding in Rini's dream was a good idea. But then something else popped into her head.
Anna "Hey, Darien...What makes a dream beautiful? What does it have to make it better than simple common dreams?"
Darien "Dreams...my guess is the pure ambition o the dreamer."
Anna "Huh?"
Darien "If that person's dream benefits everyone, then it could be pure."
Anna "But anyone could simply say 'I want to make the world a better place' and still not keep Pegasus."
Darien "Only through their eyes, the dream is pure. They'll want to change the world into a way that's fitting for them only. But the dream has to be right for everyone. Listening to everyone's thoughts, negotiating with them...that kind of stuff."
Anna stayed silent. She tried to think things through in peace and quiet...
"I hate you!"
Darien and Anna looked towards the etrance. Two young men and a woman a little older than Anna were embroiled for some apparent reason. The woman had long sky-blue hair and a cute blue dress. One man had long wavy blond hair while the other had spiky purple hair.
Woman "She told us to find him together! You guys don't listen to me!"
Purple "Well, sorry, Miss Bossy Boots!"
Woman "What!?"
Blond "You're too loud! We can find him without you!"
Darien "What with them?"
Anna didn't reply. Their argument caused a ruckus throughout the whole arcade. Plus...they were irritating her.
Anna "HEY!!"
Her blue eyes grew fierce. The trio ceased their meaningless fight abruptly and turned to her.
Anna "Quit jabbering on about your problems in here! As assistant manager, I have to make sure everything runs smoothly. What I want right now is complete equanimity and peace in here!"
The three of them gasped. Darien and Anna didn't understand their change, but she didn't care.
Anna "If you wanna be taught a lesson, we'll just take it outside."
Darien was confused at first of what she said. Anna wanted peace, but she was still willing to fight. How was that possible? But then he came up wth a solution.
Darien (She's fighting for peace. Not exactly a beautiful dream, but it qualifies. A right goal with the wrong steps.)
Anna was about to turn around.
Blond "Wait."
Anna stopped and eyed the trio. They looked like they finally stopped fighting, but deep down, a feeling told her it wasn't all over.
Woman "You're right. We were all intractable."
Purple "But we'll show you that we've changed."
She became slightly interested. Turning back to them, Anna 's face showed calmness.
Anna "All right. Show me."
Purple "We'll prove it outside."
The trio exited the arcade. Anna looked back at Darien. He showed a sense of uneasiness, but both of them agreed to follow.
Anna (What are they gonna do, perform a circus trick?)
Anna and the trio stood in the middle of the road while Darien waited on the sidewalk.
Anna "So...what is it?"
All three smirked. Anna's eyes narrowed; she got a bad feeling from this. She glanced at Darien for a moment...only to have her sight blocked by a red board.
Anna "Huh!?"
Darien "Hey!"
The red board multiplied and spreaded out, surrounding Anna and the trio in a circle.
Darien "Anna!!"
Anna "It can't be...!!"
Tapestries fell before the three strangers. They ravelled up again and the trio were in familiar attires. Hawk's Eye! Tiger's Eye! Fish Eye!
Anna "No!"
Darien ran up to th boards and tried to break them open. But they were as slid as steel.
Hawk "One..."
Another red board sprung up behind Anna. She had nowhere to run.
Tiger "Two..."
Cuffs binded her on her ankles and wrists. Anna squirmed to get free. She knew what was gonna happen; she had no way to escape her fate. Shutting her eyes, clenching her fists, Anna waited.
Fish "Three!!"
Darien couldn't do anything now. He had to save her somehow. He took out a rose and prepared.
She gritted her teeth to keep herself from screaming. The pain surged though her body. Anna never experienced pan that lasted for so long. Once the mirror finally appeared, her breathing turned abnormal. Sweat dripped from her face. But she didn't scream.
Fish "Ooh! A pretty mirror. Pegasus MUST be hiding in here!"
Anna (Th-They thought I had Pegasus! Do they know...!?)
"PLUTO DEADLY SCREAM!!"
A purple sphere of energy shot straight at the board. The collision was deafening...but it made no avail.
Tiger "What...the...hell?"
Anna (...Trista...Pluto...that means...!!)
Mask "You came!!"
Tuxedo Mask looked down the street. The Outer Senshi arrived!!
Neptune "Anna!"
Uranus "Let her go, circus freaks!"
Hawk "Hmph. One goon isn't enough for all four of them."
Tiger "Guard the mirror, Saggi!"
His shadow stretched across the ground, abnormal to natural ones. A polka dotted arm popped out with a handful of knives. An evil chuckle escpaed a mout of razor sharp teeth. A juggling clown looked at Anna with vulgar eyes in abhorred attire.
Saggi "As you wish."
Anna looked up at the wretched monster. Everything took a turn for the worst.
Tiger "It's a good thing the scouts are here. I've been wanting to deal with them since the beginning."
Hawk "But not all of them are here."
Fish "It's more fun to track them down. And if this girl doesn't have Pegasus, we'll just check every single annoying scout and dispose of them afterwards."
Anna growled in frustration. If they check Rini's mirror, verything will be done for.
Hawk "Let's deal with these annoying intruders.
Tiger/Fish "Right."
The trio jumped out of their protection circle and faced the protectors of their respective planets.
Uranus "Let her go."
Neptune "She doesn't have Pegasus!"
Tiger "A response that quick must be a lie."
Mask "Let Anna go!"
Fish Eye jumped in front of Tuxedo Mask's path. Sailor Pluto raised her staff against Hawk's Eye as Uranus and Neptune squared off against Tiger's Eye.
As time ticked away, Anna tried to find some lost energy to break free. It won't be long before her mirror was gonna be checked.
Anna (When they realize the truth, they'll go after Rini. I need to escape and keep them thinking I have Pegasus. But there's nothing I can do!)
The best way to go was to get out of the situation. She had to find a way to stop becoming their target. But it was all useless. They'll hurt anyone that has a dream.
Anna (How do I not get a dream!? How do I get rid of it while still pretending to have Pegasus!?)
She gasped. The egregious idea came to her head. As long it could save Rini, Anna was all for it.
Anna "Hey, clown!"
Saggi "Huh?"
Anna's face expressed a smirk, trying to elude the clown into trickery.
Anna "I pity you. Look at this: someone as strong as you is called to simply guard this weak mirror. I would take that as a slap across the face. Want real credit? Break this pathetic thing of a dream. Getting rid of a possible Pegasua? Big bump in rank."
Saggi grinned at the idea. His filthy teeth disgusted Anna, but she continued to smirk to keep her act up. He held the knives in a throwing position directed at Anna's mirror.
She knew she would make everyone fall into complete despair, especially Aoshi. But it was all to help Rini fulfill her dream of a peaceful future.
Anna (I'm sorry...everyone.)
CRASH!!
The pieces and shards fell to the ground. Her irises turned clear and dull. Her body slumped as it hung on the board. Anna's head dangled on her shoulders as all activity stopped within the body.
Fish "What happened!?"
Tiger "Saggi, you fool! Let's get out of here!"
Thr trio made portals of their own elements and jumped through. Saggi and the red boards teleported away, leaving Anna to fall lifelessly atop her shattered dream.
Pluto "Anna!?"
Tuxedo Mask ran to her and flipped her over. He knelt down on one knee and leaned Anna on his leg, checking her visage.
Mask "Anna! ANNA! WAKE UP!! MOVE!!!"
He shook her violently, but Anna didn't respond. She continued staring into the sky, as if all life escaped her body. Anna's dream laid shattered at Tuxedo Mask's feet.
The team was surprised to see Michelle, Amara, Trista, and Darien enter the shrine. Aoshi finished training Chad for the day and decided to end with a little chat with the girls. He thought of picking up Anna at Game Crown until he noticed the expressions on their faces.
Aoshi "What happened?"
Darien walked between him and the Outer Senshi. He looked directly into Aoshi's ice blue eyes.
Darien "A dream was lost."
Everyone lightly gasped and thought deeply. Rini began to hyperventilate as Serena easily quivered.
Serena (What?)
At the foot of the hill, in Darien's car in the front seat, Anna sat with her shattered dream across her lap. Only God knew what she was thinking...if she was thinking at all.
Poor Anna. Once the Stars Arc begins, I'll be starting chapters rather than episodes, so it will probably be going by faster.
Next time on Sailor Galaxy Chronicles:
Aoshi "Where is she??"
Rini "They thought Pegasus was in her dream!!"
Aoshi "It's all right."
Tiger "The Circus will drop in the park at noon."
Aoshi "I WILL keep my promise, even if it kills me!!"