Something Missing

Now standing beside the waves, Rei closed her eyes and reviewed in her mind what exactly had happened over the course of the few hours she'd been here. She'd heard her queen's cries that her daughter was awake before the monarch even opened her mouth, but there was no light with her princess's awakening. The darkness she'd felt before still loomed all around the princess, causing the Miko some great concern.

Was the princess alive, then, or just awake?

"Rei?" a soft voice called from behind. The priestess turned and saw her queen and best friend approaching. "You weren't inside."

"No, I wasn't, Your Highness," Rei answered as she turned back to the ocean.

"There's something wrong," the queen stated as she moved to stand beside her friend. "What is it?"

"I can't answer what I don't know." Rei simply continued to stare out at the water. One thing Rei hated about the ocean was the certainty that nothing is certain.

"Rei, please," Serenity begged. "I'm her mother. I need to know…"

"Am I speaking Swahili? I don't know!" Rei turned to her queen. "Usa's awake, and she seems okay…" The queen nodded, encouraging her to continue. "Everything's lining up, and something is still just…"

"Not right?"

"Yes!"

"What are you sensing?"

Rei huffed as she bowed her head to her queen. Either her Japanese is lacking from being in this country, or she's seriously not hearing me.

"My Japanese is fine, Rei Hino, and I'm hearing you clearly," Serenity said as she took her friend's hand. "I'm asking if you're sensing any danger."

"You need to stop listening to people's thoughts," Rei said as she looked up at her queen and best friend. "It's really creepy."

"I can't help it if they're screaming at me." The queen smiled at her Senshi. "Now, do you sense any danger? Any impending threat to Usa? Or to any of us?"

Rei closed her eyes, trying to sense where the danger – if any – would be coming from and felt a presence, one she hadn't felt in over a hundred decades. This evil touched her conscious, and she turned on her heel and raced back towards the bungalow, her queen calling to her and following.

Rushing through the back door, she found herself in the dining room, but could see clearly into the living room. Standing just inside the door was a couple with a young boy – one about Usa's age. This boy had the same aura around him as the princess, and immediately, Rei's guard went up.

"Rei," the king started, sensing the guardian's sudden distress, "these are friends of mine: Derek and Melinda Masters, and their son, Brad."

Brad bowed slightly. "We had heard about the princess and wanted to see how she was doing," he commented as he began to move forward. He held out his hand. "Pleased to meet you."

Rei watched him carefully as she took his hand and shook. There was a sudden energy spike as their palms pressed against each other – an energy she couldn't identify. "You, too," was her soft, yet almost dangerous, answer. She then turned to the rest of the Senshi and said in Japanese, "We need to meet outside, now."

The queen threw her a questioning glance as she went to follow, but was stopped by Rei.

"No," she said quietly. "You need to go be with your daughter. Do not let her out of your sight."

Serenity stared into the eyes of her Senshi of Fire. Never before had she seen a more commanding glare from the woman. She nodded and headed toward her daughter's room where her pink-haired princess lay sleeping.

Rei joined the others on the deck as the sky burned a crimson red with the sunset. They were all sitting around the picnic table under the umbrella.

"Makoto," she started as she sat down, "did the king say anything to anyone when you went with him for the tea?"

Makoto started as she shook her head and answered, "No, why?"

"Did any of you speak to anyone about the Princess?"

All of the Senshi shook their heads: Not a good sign.

Ami got a dark look on her face. Yes, Ami – Sailor Mercury; the Senshi of Wisdom; the most passive of the Senshi – got a dark look on her face. "What exactly are we dealing with here, Rei?"

"I don't know," Rei answered truthfully, "but if no one said anything to anyone about Usa…"

"How did they know?" the Thunder Senshi finished.

"I called them while you were in with Usa," a voice came from behind. The girls turned and saw the king standing behind them. "I told them what happened. Answer your question?"

"Not entirely," Rei dared, challenging the King. "Why didn't you tell us you called them? Do you know what that just looked like to me?"

"Considering your gruff is up and rather ruffled, I do, but I assure you, they are fine. They are friends of mine, and Brad, their son, is a friend of Usa's."

Suddenly, Rei shot up from her chair at the picnic table and yelled, "Mars Eternal Crystal Power, Make Up!" before racing into the bungalow.

Inside the Princess's room, the boy – Brad, was it? – was holding her princess's hand.

"Mars!" Serenity was on her feet instantly when the Senshi entered the room.

Mars went to the princess and pulled the boy away from her. "Who are you?"

"Mars, what's wrong?" the queen was now beside her Senshi.

"I won't ask nicely again. Who are you?" Mars never broke eye contact with Brad, which made both of his parents nervous. "Answer me!"

Brad stared the Fire Senshi down, not blinking. It was then that Mars saw the shift in his Aura.

Bringing her hands together, she began, "Rin…Pyo…Toh…"

The queen's eyes grew wide. "Mars!"

"Sha…Kai…Chin…"

"Mars, stop it!"

"Retsu…Zai…Zen!"

"Mars, as your queen, I command you to stop!"

Mars stopped, and as she went to approach the boy, a hand restrained her.

"Stand down!" Serenity commanded softly, yet dangerously, as she went to stand to shield her friends. "I'll protect them the same way I would anyone else."

"And I'll protect the princess the same way I would you," Mars replied just as dangerously as she turned her head and the two women's gazes met.

"I'm just her friend," Brad answered evenly. "I wasn't doing anything but holding her hand, I swear!"

Before Mars could say anything, Serenity asked pointedly, "Satisfied?"

"No." Mars hissed to her queen as she closed her eyes and stretched out her senses.

After a few moments, Mars' eyes flew open and she stared towards Brad. Within seconds, she pushed past Brad and his parents as she hurried out of the bungalow in close pursuit of something unseen by the others.

"Perhaps we should come back on another day when she's not as uptight," Melinda said as Mars pushed past them away from the queen.

"Good luck in finding that day," the queen muttered as she blew her bangs out of her eyes.

"Perhaps that is best," Endymion said from the doorway.

"I'm so sorry, Brad," Serenity said as she bowed slightly. "She's not usually like this. Forgive her?"

"Don't worry about it," Brad answered as he smiled. "She wasn't looking at me."

***

"You felt it, didn't you?" a voice came from behind her. Mars skidded to a stop in the sand and turned to face the baritone.

"Who are you?" she asked, taking a defensive stance.

"My name, here, is Scott, but my actual name is Parallax."

"Your actual name?"

He smiled as he approached the red Senshi. "Yes, my actual name. I'm not of this planet, Senshi Mars. I'm just another celestial being, as I believe your king and queen call it."

"Are you a friend or foe?"

He smiled again. "It would depend on what direction you're running."

"Excuse me?"

"To put it into terms you'd be able to relate to, I'm a bounty hunter of sorts, for celestial auras. I travel the Universe collecting the souls that have either been lost or refuse to let go of the life they had to join the one they are destined for."

"And the aural issues I'm feeling in that bungalow…"

"…is from a soul I've been chasing," he finished as he sobered. "You must keep that boy away from her."

"Why?"

"He has a very open heart. He's a perfect conductor." He paused a moment. "But unfortunately, so is your princess."

***

The sun was setting as the queen stepped back into the bungalow and found Endymion sitting at the table with Usagi. She smiled as she sat beside her princess.

"Finally got up enough strength to come join us, huh?" she said, trying to sound cheerful.

"Yeah, something like that," she replied as she smiled at her mother.

"I carried her out here," Endymion piped up.

The queen nodded. "I see."

"Mom, don't be mad at Aunt Rei," Usagi said softly as she reached for her mother's hand.

Usako stared at the table. "I'm not mad."

"Yes, you are. I can see it on your face."

Usako let out a sigh. "I'm not mad, Usa. I'm frustrated and concerned." She looked into her daughter's eyes. "You've been awake for most of today, and yet your strength hasn't returned…"

"…but it will, Mama," Usagi interrupted. "Just give me some time…"

"I know, Darling, I know…"

"I think what your mother's worried about mostly is Rei," Mamoru cut into the near-argument between mother and daughter. "Rei's not acting like herself, and Mom's a bit concerned."

"She clearly saw something, Endymion," Usako argued. "Rei's not one to just start that chant over hand-holding…and the way she ran out of here…she saw something. That has to be it." She stopped as the front door opened and three of the plain-clothed Inner Senshi walked in. "Did you find anything?" she asked anxiously as she rose from the table to meet her friends.

None of the Senshi could meet her gaze. "We checked everywhere, Serenity," Ami stated as Makoto, Minako, and she sat down on the furniture around the coffee table in the living room.

"She's just…" Makoto started.

"…gone," Minako finished.

"She wouldn't have gone back to Tokyo, would she?" the queen asked as she sat between Minako and Makoto on the couch.

"I don't think without one of us knowing, no." Ami smiled. "She's just got to blow off some extra steam, and she'll be back."

"I think," Makoto said as she stood and stretched, "that we should all get some rest before tomorrow. It's getting late, and I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm beat."

"I am, too," the pink-haired princess said from the table.

"You?" Usako said, her tone that of the Usagi Tsukino of old. "You haven't done anything all day!"

Usa got a twinkle in her eye as she stared into her mother's. "It's hard work laying in bed willing your body to move when it won't! Takes a lot of energy to let your father carry you to the table, too! After all that, I'm beat!"

Mamoru chuckled as he picked his daughter up and began carrying her back to her room.

"No, Papa," Usagi said. "Put me down a second. I want to see if I can stand at least."

"Sweetheart," Usako started as she approached, "you think you can?"

Usagi looked at her mother. "Won't know unless I try, right?"

Mamoru looked at his wife as she each positioned herself on one side just in case Usagi needed extra support. Once Usako was beside the two of them, he began lowering his princess.

Usagi wrapped one arm around her father's neck and grasped her mother's hand with the other. Both parents offered support as her two feet touched the floor and flattened against the wooden surface.

1…2…3…Mamoru let go, and Usagi stood there. She was holding on to her parents for dear life, but she was standing.

Usako silently cheered as Usagi went to take a step. Too much! Something screamed in her head, and she collapsed to the floor.

Mamoru caught her and lifted her back into his arms.

"Well," Usagi said as she smiled, "I stood at least, right? Better than nothing." She narrowed her gaze at her mother. "I also get to be in Papa's arms," she said slyly as she stuck her tongue out at her mother.

Usako smiled back. "Don't get cocky, little princess. Papa still may do that to me tonight, so there!"

Mamoru chuckled. "With the way you eat? I don't think so!"

"Mamo-chan!"

***

Ten chimes the clock on the wall rung, and Rei still had yet to come back. The other Senshi had fallen asleep – two in the third bedroom; one on the sofa-bed in the living room – and Usako left them to their dreams to sit on the porch.

Today had been an interesting day, and her muscles were tense. She was feeling uneasy about what had happened, starting to wonder if Rei's paranoia had started rubbing off on her.

Something flashed by her, and she looked up to see a figure standing near the front door. She stood to meet her sudden visitor.

"May I help you?" she asked politely.

"I need to see your daughter," the dark figure answered her.

Why did that voice sound familiar? "Who are you?"

"I need to see your daughter!"

He looks so young! "Who are you?"

"Where is Usagi? I need to see her!"

"I'm sorry, but not until morning. She's sleeping, which is what most people do at ten o'clock at night."

"I want…"

"To see my daughter, yes, you've established that. However, as I said, she's asleep, and I don't know who you are…"

"Don't you recognize me?" The figure turned and flashed a menacing smile towards the queen. His eyes burned red, but there was no mistaking who he was.

All the queen could do was gasp before he clapped a hand to her mouth, silencing any cry she would've made.