Disclaimer: "Sailor Moon" and its' characters are owned by Naoko Takeuchi and whoever else was involved with the creation and production of this anime/manga. Any new characters and story lines that come into play are of my own creation. No copyright infringement is intended. This is a fan fiction intended for entertainment purposes only and no money is being made off of it.

Chapter 3: Stolen

Tenshiko walked into her last class of the day, mentally blocking out the gossip she heard around her. There was one word that had caught Tenshiko's attention and that was stolen. She turned to face the girl who was talking hurriedly about it. The girl, of course, was Roxy.

"What was stolen?" asked Carla, the head cheerleader.

Roxy, using her usual tactic of acting cool started to speak. "These ancient scrolls or something were stolen from the museum."

"So? What's the big deal about some old scrolls?" asked one girl, that Tenshiko believed her name was Pam.

Roxy continued in an I-know-all-voice. "The scrolls had some sort of ancient language on them."

"Oh yeah. I heard that some fisherman found them in his net," a boy named David added.

"All right class, take your seats," said Ms. Jones as she walked in. The students took their seats, and Ms. Jones turned toward the chalkboard and started to write on it. "Today, we shall be discussing Greek Mythology."

Tenshiko's mind turned toward her thoughts, just barely listening to what Ms. Jones was saying. Scrolls that were written in an ancient language were stolen from the museum. But why? Who stole them? Her thoughts continued to focus more on the scrolls than on the lesson, and since teachers are able to call on those students who are not paying attention, Ms. Jones called on Tenshiko.

Tenshiko quickly snapped back into focusing on the discussion. "I'm sorry, Ms. Jones, what was the question?" The corners of the teacher's lips twitched back and forth like a seesaw with annoyance.

"The question," she said, stretching out the last word, "Tenshiko was: What were the two generations of Gods?" Roxy, taking pleasure in the fact that Tenshiko had not been paying attention, watched Tenshiko's face.

"First there were the Titans, then the Olympians."

"Very good, Tenshiko," she said turning back to the blackboard. Roxy's face went from amusement to disappointment.

The bell rang after an hour and a half of scribbling notes. Tenshiko shot out of the classroom, and went to find Katori. Tenshiko reached the sidewalk and looked anxiously around for her friend. She spotted sable hair, and rushed up beside of Katori.

"Katori, we have to go to the museum."

"Why?" asked Katori curiosity clouding her other emotions.

"Some scrolls were stolen and...," Tenshiko paused trying to explain. How was she going to explain it? Her memories were still blurred, and her senses more alert than ever, but something inside of her wanted to continue to keep much hidden from her friend. It was even a possibility that Tenshiko knew where the scrolls had come from. "...it may be important," finished Tenshiko lamely, with her usual abrasiveness.

Katori looked into Tenshiko's expressionless eyes. "I'm sorry. I can't. I have to be somewhere." Tenshiko nodded her head in understanding, and turned down the next corner.

Katori continued her pace toward home. Katori had mixed feelings about Tenshiko's strangeness over the last few weeks. She had been more distant than usual and Katori felt that Tenshiko was hiding something from her. Whatever Tenshiko's secrets were, it was Katori's unspoken obligation to trust in her friend. She had to trust Tenshiko and they depended on each other. Their lives were in each other's hands whenever they battled a monster.

Tenshiko walked unnoticed into the back of the museum were the researchers had their offices. Tenshiko knocked three times on the door at the end of the hallway. She opened the door and walked in.

In the center of the room was a large mahogany desk that was completely covered with stacks of papers and files. The wall was lined with shelves with books mostly pertaining to languages, cultures, and geography. It was a good thing that the office was large because the room also contained a computer that had its own desk, a printer, a scanner, and a copy machine.

Tenshiko, used to the state of the room, directed her attention to the man behind the desk. He had dark blue hair that was ruffled and his lean figure and height made him seem more adapt to be a basketball player than a linguistics professor at Starr University. Professor Alec Welkin gave Tenshiko one of his grand smiles.

"Ah. Hello, Tenshiko, what brings you here to Tornado Alley?" Professor Alec Welkin said in greeting, his intelligent blue eyes sparkling in the dim light.

"Hello Professor, I heard about the stolen scrolls." Tenshiko replied.

Professor Welkin's smile became one of amusement that reflected in his eyes. "What do you want to know?"

Before Tenshiko could answer, Zephyr, Professor Welkin's son walked in. Zephyr's hair was much lighter blue than his father's hair

"Good afternoon," said Zephyr looking from his father to Tenshiko. Tenshiko was a common visitor to the Starr City Museum, and had attracted the attention of the Professor. He had always admired and enjoyed the culture and language of Japan. Since meeting Tenshiko, he would often ask her questions.

"Ah. Hello, son, do you remember Tenshiko?" Zephyr nodded. "Zephyr maybe you should leave..."

Tenshiko interrupted him. "It's all right. He can stay."

"So, what do you want to know?" Professor Welkin asked, indicting Tenshiko to sit in the empty chair.

"Well. Do you know what the scrolls said?" she asked.

"I didn't have enough time to decipher them before they were stolen." Professor Welkin replied and Tenshiko gave a sigh of disappointment.

"But, I was able to scan them into the computer." His eyes sparkled as Tenshiko gave him a menacing look. He laughed softly, enjoying the look on Tenshiko's face. "You can take a look at them if you like." He indicated to the computer. He looked at his watch. "Oh. I am late for my class. Will you be all right?"

Tenshiko nodded as he left the room. Tenshiko sat in front of the computer and studied the language on the scanned version of the scrolls.

Tenshiko was completely focused on the scrolls that she hadn't noticed Zephyr was studying her from his father's desk where he had an excellent view of the computer screen. It looks as though she is reading the scrolls, but that's impossible, it is written in a language that not even my father had recognized.

Zephyr's gray eyes narrowed as he continued to study Tenshiko. It did seem as though she was reading the scrolls because Zephyr could see her going through each section of the scroll.

When Tenshiko closed the program and stood up, Zephyr looked down at his history textbook and pretended to read.

"Oh. It was nice to see you again, Zephyr. Please thank your father for me. I have to run. Have a nice evening." Tenshiko said and then headed out the door.

Zephyr frowned at his textbook, but then he shook his head, thinking that it was not possible for Tenshiko to have been able to read the language on those scrolls. Zephyr returned to reading his textbook forcing the ridiculous thought out of his mind.

Katori returned to her house, dropped off her school bag in her room before going outside, and walked on the path that lead into the woods. Katori came to a stream where an older woman with white hair sat cross-legged on a blanket and who had been waiting for Katori.

"Greetings, Granddaughter. Come sit before me, so we may talk." Her grandmother Una said. Una had long white hair and dark eyes. Her face was narrow and she had the same hawk-like nose as her granddaughter.

"Hello, Grandmother." Katori sat on the blanket before her grandmother.

"Now, Katori, close your eyes and focus." Una commanded.

Katori did as she was told. She closed her mind off to the sounds around her, the birds chirping in the trees, the flow of the water rushing over the smooth stones in the steam and the wind rustling the leaves in the trees. But, her thoughts continued to intrude into the serene place that she was trying to reach.

"I can not do this. I am able to speak with my Spirit Guide, but this is something I can not do." Katori exclaimed, losing control of her emotions.

"You must learn. You have been chosen." Una said firmly yet softly.

Katori frowned at her grandmother. "Why was I chosen? Why not Yoki?"

Una did not sigh but looked at her granddaughter. "You were chosen, not your sister because it is your path. You have been able to contact your Spirit Guide which is the first step onto your path."

Katori sighed softly. "What if my path varies quite differently from becoming a Shaman?"

Una locked eyes with her granddaughter and it seemed as though she was searching for something behind Katori's dark eyes. Una nodded her head a few times and mumbled something that Katori could not hear.

"I will continue to train you, Katori. I will also begin training Yoki." Una said. "You may go and see your friend now."

Before Katori rose from her sitting position, she studied her grandmother. "Thank you." She rose and headed to the path that would lead her back to her house but before she stepped into the shadows of the trees, she turned to look at Una. "I will see you later this evening, Grandmother."

"Have a nice evening, Katori." Una replied and then she closed her eyes.

Katori turned and headed into the woods at a slow jog. Various thoughts flashed in and out of her mind as she went down the path. The one thought that continued to pass through her mind was what did her grandmother know?

Tenshiko met Katori at the Rosewood Cafe. Once Dearg had given them their usual orders, Katori noticed that Tenshiko seemed more troubled than usual. Before Katori could ask Tenshiko about the scrolls the silver haired girl had spoken about earlier, a girl with golden hair, rushed up to them.

"Hello, Tenshiko. Hello, Katori." Medea Starr greeted with a smile. Medea was just a year younger than the girls were, but was in the same grade. Her eyes were admired by everyone that knew her, for the right eye was blue, and the left eye was gold. "Tenshiko, do you have the notes for Mr. Talon's class from yesterday?" Tenshiko nodded, and went into her bag for the notes.

"Hello, Medea. How are you?" Katori asked.

"I'm fine, thank you, Katori. I had one of those twenty-four hour bugs. I felt sick to my stomach all day yesterday. Thanks, Tenshiko." Medea said as she accepted the notes from Tenshiko's hand.

"You're welcome, Medea. I'm glad you are feeling better." Tenshiko said.

"Thanks, I'll see you guys later." Medea said as she left their table and headed out the door.

Tenshiko spoke before Katori had a chance to ask Tenshiko about the scrolls. "Well, Professor Welkin allowed me to take a look at the scrolls."

Before Tenshiko could continue, they heard several people screaming. Tenshiko and Katori stood up and rushed to the door. Down the block was a monster that stood on a pair of legs with a head like a hammerhead shark. Its flesh was gray and it had gills on the sides of its neck. The creature had a large hammer that it used to crush a post office box that was in front of the candy store.

"What in the heck is that?" Dearg exclaimed as he looked over the girls' heads at the creature. "I hope the cops can stop that thing." Then Dearg looked down and no one was there. "Hey! Where did you guys go?" His eyes scanned the café but he only saw four people huddled together at a window beside him, their noses squashed against the panes of glass as they stared in fear at the monster.

guardianM3: Please review with thoughts, comments, constructive criticism, etc.