Chapter 4: Dragon

*Setsuna*

She sat there, across the table from Hotaru and Chibi-Usa as the two colored together. By her appearance Hotaru was about five, but her mind was still so advanced. Setsuna smiled as Chibi-Usa colored, patiently waiting for Hotaru to grow into being her best friend again.

The doorbell rang and Setsuna got to her feet. The girls had begged and pleaded for takeout. An American Style Pizzeria had opened up and they were enamored with it. The two girls trailed behind her joyfully as she walked to the door with her wallet. Setsuna greeted the nice young man who delivered their pizza and tipped him before closing the door with her hands full of three pizzas.

They were headed into the kitchen when Setsuna froze, her eyes vacant as her grip on the pizzas faltered. Fortunately, Chibi-Usa noticed the change and grabbed the pizzas so they wouldn't fall. A moment later Setsuna blinked and looked down. Chibi-Usa appeared scared, "What is it Puu? What's going on?"

The guardian of time was so dumbfounded that she started answering her, "I remember now, I remember what happened… By Selene…" Then she caught herself and just stared, her eyes locked with the precious future princess she loved so much.

*Minako*

She sat with Usagi and Makoto in Makoto's living room, twirling a strand of her blonde hair. She was stretched out on Mako's couch with Usagi on the floor and Mako in an adjacent chair. Minako loved Mako's place. She couldn't wait to be on her own and pursuing her dreams. But right now, she had other things to worry about.

The Senshi of Love bolted up into a sitting position and looked sharply at Usagi, "You're sure you don't know what is going on?"

Her princess giggled nervously, "No, Minako. I have no idea what's going on. Why would I know anything? They're always keeping secrets!"

Minako knew it! Usagi was definitely hiding something! When she glanced at Mako, it seemed she knew it too. Yet, Mako still sat quietly. Minako couldn't do that, "You know you're a terrible liar Usagi-chan! I saw Michiru on her way to the studio today and she looked so sad! She wouldn't tell me what was up, but I bet Haruka told you!"

She watched as Usagi squirmed under her gaze and then averted her eyes, "Minako-chan, please don't push this. I promised Haruka-san that I would not tell anyone her business."

Finally, Mako piped in, "Minako, give her a break. Besides, I think we should be more worried over what Rei messaged us about this afternoon and why she hasn't shown up yet!"

Of course Usagi latched right onto that and added, "Yes, Mako-chan is right! Rei's encounter with those girls is what we should focus on. What did she say about it again?"

Mako picked things up there, "She said that she ran into two girls that looked to be around our age who had strange powers."

Caving, Minako went on, "Right. One of them said something about dreams. The other, wasn't she the one Rei saw a vision of some kind when she shook Rei's hand?"

Usagi nodded and shivered, "Dreams…. I have had enough of dream invasion to last a lifetime! Did Rei tell you guys what she saw in that vision?"

Both of them nodded and Minako replied, "No. She said she would tell us tonight. I wish she'd get here already." Minako groaned as she fell backwards into a laying position on the couch again.

Usagi sighed and pouted, "I wish Ami-chan were here. Stupid vacation with her mom…." Minako and Makoto both looked at her as she pouted incredulously. Usagi whined, "I know. But we need her help… And I miss her."

The Senshi of Venus sighed, "We all miss her. But she'll be back in a few days. And how often does she get to do stuff with her mom?" It was true. Ami's mom was a doctor and that took a lot of her time away from Ami, so no one could be upset that she wasn't here right now.

Sniffing, Usagi nodded, "You're right Minako-chan. I am just worried about everything. We have peace and I don't want that destroyed."

Mako and Minako both agreed there and the three of them tried to lighten the mood talking about how they'd be entering high school in a matter of days and how excited the three of them were. It was a conversation they had been having a lot lately and it served as a nice distraction as they waited for the uncharacteristically late Rei Hino.

*Rei*

Sitting in front of her was a breathless redhead, one of the two she had run into earlier. Rei stood there, tapping her foot. This girl had been sitting here for a while and she had plans with Usagi. Minako, and Makoto. However, Rei couldn't just leave this girl. She had shown up panting and desperate. She had even cried for a few minutes. From what Rei could tell the only reason she'd stopped was because she was there. Eventually, the Senshi of Mars couldn't take the silence anymore, "I know I invited you here, but obviously something is wrong. Are you going to tell me what or are you simply going to sit here all night?"

The girl looked up at her and had gone from desperate to fuming in an instant. She snapped, "Exactly! You invited me here! What's wrong, have a hot date?" She flipped her fiery hair back. Rei furrowed her brow wondering if the girl was mocking her because she did it in the exact fashion Rei always did.

Regardless, she would not be spoken to that way, "Excuse me! If you are going to be disrespectful like that then you can just leave now!" She crossed her arms and locked eyes with the foreigner.

Shock was written all over the girl in front of her and Rei wanted so much to smile. She refrained though. The girl replied, almost mumbling, "I'm… sorry. My name is Phoenix and something is wrong with me."

It clearly pained Phoenix to admit something was wrong. Rei could sense a great deal of pride and stubbornness in her. She took a deep breath and tried to soften herself a bit, "Thank you for apologizing. Now that you seem ready to talk, why don't we go inside? I can make us some tea." She watched as Phoenix nodded and got to her feet. Rei led her into the temple and the room she usually spent time with her friends in. She motioned to some pillows, "Please have a seat and I will make the tea. It shouldn't take long."

Rei watched as the girl, Phoenix, sat down tentatively. She was definitely American. It did not take her long to go and prepare the tea and bring it back to the room. Rei set it on the low table and then sat down on a pillow across from Phoenix. She poured the tea and smiled at the look of awe on her guest's face. Rei prided herself on her grace, especially as a hostess. She handed Phoenix a tea cup and then started sipping from hers. After a moment, Rei broke the silence, "Why don't you tell me what is going on? Something brought you here tonight. What was it?"

Phoenix took a big gulp of the tea and replied, looking at the table instead of Rei, "Well… I was…out. I was out and I ran into someone. When I shook her hand, I saw something. Not the something I saw when I shook yours, but…" Her hand flew to her mouth. She clearly hadn't planned to mention the vision she saw when they met.

What the girl, Phoenix, did not realize is that Rei had seen it as well. Rei spoke frankly, "You mean that it wasn't the red castle in space?" Rei knew what castle it was, however she was not going to simply give away information like that.

Phoenix's eyes widened, "So you saw it too. I have never seen anything like that before! And then what I saw when I shook her hand…" She stopped and looked down at her hand as if it were from outer space.

Setting her tea cup down, Rei sighed, "What did you see? And if I may, can you tell me more about this girl you were with when the second vision happened?"

Finally looking at Rei, Phoenix told her, "Well, the vision was simple. It was more of an image. It was … No, it sounds even more ridiculous than a castle in space!" She looked away again.

Beginning to lose her patience again, Rei groaned, "I have seen many things. Just tell me what you saw and who the girl was. I have places to be you know!"

The garnet eyes of her visitor grew dark and she stood up, crossing her arms and yelled, "Fine! It was a fire dragon! It was a dragon actually made of freaking fire!" She paused and then huffed, "But since you have places to be, I'll get the hell out of your way!"

She slid open the door and ran out, nearly toppling someone in the process. Rei did not understand how she'd pissed her off like that, or why it bugged her that she had.

When the dust cleared Rei saw that the nearly trampled victim was actually Mamoru. He stepped through the door and looked at Rei. The expression he wore worried Rei. She was about to ask him what was wrong when he spoke, "Did that girl mention a dragon?"

Rei nodded, "Yes, she did." She paused and took a closer look at Mamoru. His face was grave and Rei didn't like it. She invited him inside and when the doors closed she asked him, "What's going on Mamoru-san?"

Mamoru sighed, "She asked me not to say anything. But I have a bad feeling about this Rei." He looked her directly in the eyes.

The Senshi of Fire's senses were going haywire and she crossed her arms, "Mamoru… Is there something wrong with Usagi?" When he opened the door and shook his head as he walked out it only left Rei with more questions.

Why hadn't Mamoru told her anything more? Who had asked them to keep their secrets? Who was the girl with the crimson hair? And what did the vision of the dragon mean?