Hey there! Not that much to say here. So I think I'll just start the episode. Yay!!

Episode: Taking a Stand

The silence was broken when the phone rang. He waited for a while until he finally rose and picked up the receiver. Slowly putting it next to his ear, he waited for a voice.

"Hello? Is someone there?"

He recognized the voice.

Aoshi "Andrew."

"Hey, Aoshi! Good to hear from you again. I was just wondering if Anna's available. I've been wanting to talk to her. Is she still sick?"

Aoshi "One moment."

He walked to the bedroom while still holding the phone. Aoshi opened the door and peeked inside.

At the foot of the bed, leaning against the wall with shattered glass before her, Anna gazed mindlessly into the ground she sat on. Her arms rested in an uncomfortable position. She still wore her squalid Game Crown vest, ripped jeans and buttoned shirt. Although she was alive, her mind was far away, implausible to find. Not a twitch or flicker came from Anna's body. Aoshi looked at her impassively before returning to Andrew.

Aoshi "Yeah, she is. Sorry, but she won't be well for a while."

"Oh...that's too bad. Well, wish her a 'get well soon' from me. We're all waiting for her return."

Aoshi "All right. I'll tell her."

He hung up before carelessly dropping it on the floor. Aoshi didn't bother to pick it up. He walked back into the room and sat at the foot of the bed. His hair was ruffled; he wore a white tank top with ripped jeans. Sitting with his legs set apart and leaning on them with his arms, Aoshi looked at Anna as he did for the past two days. It seemed like an eternity since Darien told him what happened...

Darien "Something happened at Game Crown..."

Lita "Is there something wrong with Andrew or Elizabeth?"

Darien "...No."

Amy "Where's Anna?"

None of them answered. Amara, Michelle, and Trista stayed silent.

Raye "Did something happen to her?"

Michelle "Anna...she..."

Aoshi walked to the tall steps of the temple. He saw Darien's car waiting at the foot of the hill. He was still confused of what was going on or what they were trying to explain. As he looked down, a glimmer caught his eyes. Aoshi used his keen eyesight to peer down at Darien's car. Something glimmered in the sunset, something...made of glass.

For some reason, his instincts immediately sent him down the long steps.

Mina "Aoshi!"

Trista "Wait!"

The others chased down after him. He was in hot pursuit to reach the car. What was that flicker of light? Was it reflecting off of something? Halfway down the stairs, the red vest came into view. It made him worry even more.

Aoshi (Is she hurt??)

Aoshi reached the ground level. The car was 10 feet away. He moved forward...until Darien jumped down in front of him. Amara came down and placed a hand on Aoshi's shoulder. The others arrived and watched from a distance.

Aoshi "Where is she??"

Darien waited for him to cool down.

Amara "You really wanna know?"

He laid a hand on the door handle.

Amara "She was attacked by those circus freaks."

Aoshi frantically questioned in his mind if she was all right. But the answer was completely opposite of what he hoped for when Darien finally opened the door.

Everything was a blank after that moment. He looked out the window and saw the clear blue sky. Why was it in that bright color? It seemed so refreshing and clear.
He wanted to pollute it.

The horns of cars were ringing throughout the neighborhood.
He wanted to smash them.

Blue jays were flapping and twittering happily in the air.
He wanted to shoot them down.

The pedestrians on the sidewalk were chatting, laughing, having fun together.
He wanted to slash their throats out.

Not a single person should have been allowed to live in the world if Anna couldn't see them. Seeing a happy atmosphere around her wretched form; it made him want to die.

It didn't feel like two days. It felt like an eternity. But still, the morning kept coming. Why did it? Why did time pass by? Why were those pedestrians smiling, laughing?

Why didn't the world collapse when Anna's dream was shattered?

With one glance at Anna, he gasped. What he saw became the most terrifying thing that pierced his heart. It all seemed so real.

Aoshi (No!!)

Blood stained the Game Crown uniform she always kept neat. The gory mess splattered all around her. It soaked her hair; it trickled down her mouth.

Aoshi (A-Anna!?)

Her head slowly jerked. His heart felt like breaking; Aoshi didn't want to see her look at him with hateful eyes. But it was too late.

She turned to him with bloodshot eyes. The blood kept pouring out, but that didn't stop her. Anna's left hand as she lifted it towards him. The blood dripped at the fingertips, continuing to flow.

"A...Aoshi..."

He couldn't avert his eyes from the horror. Aoshi couldn't do anything to stop it. He wanted to help her, but not in the way she was.

Aoshi (Was...Was it my fault!?)

His hand began to shake. He looked down at them and saw...blood.

Without hesitation, he charged out of the room. He grabbed a coat and froze. Aoshi looked back at Anna and his heartbeat returned to normal. Blood was gone, no movement and everything was normal...as normal it could get. He looked at his hands; the blood disappeared. The hallucination was over.

But that didn't stop him. He wore his coat, put on some shoes, and walked out the door. Closing the door, Aoshi hastily walked out of the apartments and onto the streets, entering the peaceful world he wanted to destroy.

Anna was left staring down mindlessly at the shards.

Being outside only made the situation a little lighter. Everything still acted normal, without Anna. He wondered about going to Game Crown; try to find clues of exactly what happened.

Up ahead on the sidewalk, Aoshi saw people he never met before: Molly Baker and Melvin Butlers. All he did was walk past, giving them room to walk by. Aoshi glanced back at them and saw the young girl laughing sweetly. The peaceful aura around her reminded him of Anna. Aoshi became heart-broken once again.

Aoshi (No more.)

He began to turn around, but stopped in his tracks when he saw-

Aoshi "Small Lady."

Rini looked up at him with a blank expression.

Rini "Sir Aoshi. It's great to see you."

She suddenly clung onto his coat. Aoshi was confused at what was happening.

Rini "I need to tell you something. Something important."

Aoshi "Wha...?"

Rini "Please, listen to me. It's about Anna."

His mind went away. The mention of her name...it fueled him with sorrow again. Aoshi held her hands and slightly tugged them away from him.

Aoshi "Small Lady...Rini...Pardon me, but I'd rather be alone right now."

Rini "Wait. P-Please..."

He began walking away as Rini began to shed tears. Aoshi hated to see her cry, but for the moment, he wanted to let everything go. He wanted to be released from everything he was feeling. But that couldn't happen unless Anna's dream was revived.

Rini "T-They thought Pegasus was in her dream!!"

Aoshi stopped. The realization slapped him straight across the face. The reason for attacking Anna, the reason for his suffering...He didn't turn to Rini, who tried her best to explain herself.

Rini "B-Back at the house, she told them that Pegasus was in her dream!! They m-must have found her at Game Crown...and..."

She couldn't hold back the tears. It was easier when she told Anna the truth, but now that she was gone, it was painful to tell the person who cared for her the most.

Rini "It's me...Pegasus is in my d-dream! She lied to them to p-protect me. Sir Aoshi..."

Rini fell to her knees. She covered the drenched face with her hands. Aoshi turned to her and saw her feeble state. She really did feel guilty for what happened to Anna.

Rini "I'm sorry!! FORGIVE ME!!"

Aoshi walked up to her and knelt. He took his sleeve and tried o wipe away the tears. Rini noticed and became shocked: it was the same thing Anna did.

Both of them were too kind and...

Aoshi "I don't lame you. It's all right."

Too forgiving. She clung onto his neck and sobbed out her guilt. It was the same little girl who tried to destroy the world with the Doom Phantom; the little girl who broke that vase...the same girl that made Anna swear to not tell anyone about Pegasus.

But he didn't blame Rini. Aoshi knew that she was too young to be caught up in this fight. And it was her dream that was going to save everyone.

Aoshi "Let's go tell the others."

Rini gasped. If she told the truth...if she told them the reason why Anna's dream was shattered...what would happen? Would they be mad? Hurt? But then she remembered when Anna knew who Uranus and Neptune were. It ate her away inside. It was better to tell the truth...and come clean.

Rini "Mm-hmm."

He got up and held out his hand. Rini held it with one hand while wiping away her tears with the other. They walked to Cherry Hill Temple, where the rest of the team was sulking. Rini quivered a little, but Aoshi reassured her.

Aoshi "We're gonna sort this out. Don't worry."

"Pardon me."

They turned and saw a man with wavy orange hair smiling in an odd way.

Aoshi "What is it?"

Man "I was wondering if you two are associated with Miss Anna Onodera from Game Crown arcade."

Aoshi's eye twitched. He never met the man before. Anna never mentioned a man like him.

Aoshi "Is there something you need from her? She's sick at the moment."

Man "Oh, that's too bad. I wanted to ask her a few questions, like...what her dreams were like."

Rini stammered at what he said. A strange man asking for a dream...

Rini "Sir Aoshi! He's with the Amazon Trio!!"

The man grew shocked. How did the girl know about the Amazon Trio!? Unless...she was a scout...!?

Man "A sailor scout!?"

Aoshi's eyes grew. He finally found a witness from the incident at Game Crown. The man chuckled.

Man "Perfect."

A tapestry appeared and rolled down before him.

It was him. He was there at Game Crown on that terrible day.
He was there when Anna's mirror was shattered.
Tiger's Eye thought while he was changing.

Tiger (Could that little girl have Pegasus? It's worth a shot. I'll get rid of the thug and go for her. Nehellenia's gonna be so grateful!)

But one the tapestry rolled up, the first thing Tiger's Eye saw was Aoshi's fist come straight to his face.
BAM!!
He flew back, falling to the ground. A bruise was left on his face. Blood filled his mouth. His backbone ached and his elbows received a couple of scrapes.

Tiger (What...the hell!?!?)

Aoshi "You were there..."

Tiger "Huh?"

Tiger's Eye looked up as he wiped the blood from his mouth. Fear took control once he saw the ice blue eyes. Indeed, they were cold, for they showed no mercy.

Aoshi "You were there when her mirror was destroyed!?"

He kicked Tiger's eye in the ribs. Tiger's Eye rolled away, unable to move by the pain.

Aoshi "You destroyed her dream!?"

Tiger's Eye got to his hands and knees.

Tiger (He's too strong!)

He noticed Aoshi coming closer to him. Tiger's Eye thought of a way to defend himself.

Tiger (That's it!)

Kneeling on one knee, he held out his hand to summon a dagger discreetly.

Tiger "Wait...Hold on..."

Aoshi "No."

With full strength, Tiger's Eye got up and held the dagger high in the air. He smirked at his thought of victory.

Rini "No!"

But Aoshi just held out his hand and grabbed the blade head on. It was sharp, but he endured it. He wrenched the dagger out of Tiger's Eye's hand.

Aoshi "You witnessed it. You caused it!"

He kicked away Tiger's Eye. Black eyed and confused, the circus performer looked up at Aoshi.

Tiger "C-Caused what? What did I do?"

Aoshi walked up and stared down with the ice blue eyes. He gritted his teeth before raising his foot above Tiger's Eye's arm.
CRACK!!
He yelped in anguish as Aoshi grounded his foot into the arm. As of now, the arm was completely useless to Tiger's Eye.

Aoshi "YOU DESTROYED THE SOLAR SCOUT'S DREAM!!"

His eyes snapped. The girl from Game Crown...the one called Anna Onodera...was also called Sailor Galaxy. How was Tiger's Eye to know that Saggi destroyed the mirror of the solar scout? The protector of the entire galaxy?
The girl most important to Aoshi?

Tiger "...There's...there's a way..."

Aoshi "...What?"

Aoshi softened the power of his foot. Tiger's Eye used his strength to sit up at least midway.

Tiger "There's a cure...to heal a broken dream..."

He looked up at Aoshi. The ice blue eyes softened as well; his plan was working. Using the solar scout's condition was expedient to lure the entire team to the Dark Moon Circus.

Aoshi strode over and picked up the dagger. Rini stood by and tried to look at his visage, but could not. The man then walked to Tiger's Eye. In a swift motion, he held Tiger's Eye in the air by the collar.

Tiger "Hey!"

But the then dagger was pointed at his face. Aoshi kept his eyes shaded from those around him.

Aoshi "You say there's a cure to heal Anna, correct?"

Tiger "Y-Yes."

Aoshi "Is it ready?"

Tiger's Eye made a confused face. After not answering for a few seconds, Aoshi violently shook him.

Aoshi "Is it ready!?"

Tiger "N-No! It needs time to prepare."

Aoshi "How long?"

Tiger "About f-five days...y-yes, five days, to be exact."

Aoshi "How can I find you?"

Tiger "The Circus will drop in the park at noon." (Then, we'll deal with the scouts once and for all!!)

Aoshi kept his eyes hidden. Within a second, he threw Tiger's Eye to the ground. The schemer sprawled up to his feet and faced Aoshi.

Aoshi "Get it ready in five days. I will find you in the park."

Tiger "Yeah."

Swaying his injured arm, Tiger's Eye created a fiery portal. He checked to see Aoshi's eyes before jumping through. Luck wasn't on his side for he didn't see them.

Aoshi held onto the dagger as Rini came up to his other side.

Rini "I thought you were really gonna stab him."

Aoshi "...If I did that, we'd lose all hope of saving Anna."

Rini looked back at where Tiger's Eye teleported away.

Rini "How are you so sure he'll keep his promise?"

Aoshi "It won't matter."

Rini looked towards him. He finally revealed his ice blue eyes...with a blazing fire growing within them. Aoshi brought the dagger in front of him and shook it with rage.

Aoshi "Because I WILL keep my promise of protecting Anna, even if it kills me!!"

Lots of sacrificing lives...wow. 2 more episodes and we're in the Stars arc!!

Next time on Sailor Galaxy Chronicles:

Aoshi "I'll protect Rini in your stead."

Hotaru "I'll do my best to get that cure."

Aoshi "No one will get hurt...badly."

Hawk "Where's he going!?"

"I trust you."