Chapter 6-Catch the Firefly

Akira touched the bracelet under her sleeve and reminded herself that help would be coming. The light blinked once earlier, meaning someone had received the distress signal she sent out. She was glad her mom forced her to wear it ever since the world lost its voice. She wished she didn't argue with her mom about wearing it to bed, if she knew that was the last conversation they would ever have. The last thing she saw before she was dragged away by the monsters were her parents turning into statues.

The toddler was getting fussy again and Akira picked the boy up and started rocking him. The gentlemen only gave them food once a day, according to another girl that was here before her. Akira was the oldest and she quickly assumed the role of group leader. She tried her best to comfort the little ones. It helped to take her mind off the grim reality.

The gentlemen were back. They started floating around the cage, eyeing their prizes with glee. The little ones huddled behind Akira. One reached in with his skeletal hands and stroke Akira's hair. Then he yanked hard and grabbed a handful of hair. Akira's face contorted in pain but she quickly told herself to be brave. It was just a few pieces of hair. Then….she watched in horror as the gentlemen started to open the cage...

Ami was running through the quiet alleys of Tokyo, wishing that she wouldn't run into any stray monsters at this hour. Panting and gasping for breath, she slowed down and leaned against the wall. Without her Mercury power, Ami realized how ordinary and how weak she was. She opened her computer and checked the map. Ten more blocks. She would never make it there on time. Everyone else could run like the wind, and Haruka was the wind. Urgh. She spotted a bike that wasn't chained down up ahead. Ami made a mental note of the address and decided to borrow the bike.

"Setsuna mama, please let me go with you." Hotaru pleaded silently. Setsuna mama was busy packing up her weapons bag and she had her back turned. Earlier, she told Hotaru to lock herself in the bedroom once she was gone. "I am a sailor senshi too, even though I am just a kid now. Chibiusa would be there, running head first into battle. I should help." Hotaru reasoned with herself and a decision was made. She already had the address. She could just sneak out.

"Stay here. Lock the door." Setsuna instructed with her written message. She emphasized her point by making a stern face and wagged her finger. Hotaru nodded obediently. She went into her bedroom and slid the newly installed lock into the hinge. Hotaru leaned against the door and listened. The front door opened and then pulled shut. The little firefly held her breath and count to ten. Then she turned to her bedroom window and pushed it open. Carefully she made her way across the roof and then jumped and rolled into the bushes down below. Unknown to her mamas and Haruka papa, Hotaru had explored the forest in detail and she knew a short cut to the road closest to the destination.

Chibiusa ran beside Usagi and Rei, struggled to keep up. She had to run twice as fast, in order to keep up with the two senshi. Her legs were burning, and so were her lungs. "Keep going. You can do it. You need to save those little kids." She thought in her head, pushing her body harder to accelerate.

Small Lady wasn't sure if she could be of any help, really. Perhaps she could use her small size to her advantage. Or perhaps she could get the kids out while the senshi were fighting. The small child clenched her fists. As the future princess, it was her duty to protect the innocents.

As Rei ran, she kept thinking about the box she saw in her dream. What was the significance of it? Why was the girl showing it to me? She wondered if Michiru had the same dream lately as well.

Rei was painfully aware of Usagi running beside her. She wanted the princess to stay at the temple, along with Chibiusa, but Usagi wouldn't listen. Even as a sailor, Usagi was never good at the one on one combat. She either land on her ass, or she needed rescuing. Now as a civilian, without the power of the moon crystal, Usagi was placing herself in grave danger.

Hotaru zigzag through the forest with ease. Even in the dark, the little firefly could navigate the routes with ease. Up ahead, she could see the clearing and then the main road. She looked down on the map on her communicator. So three blocks north of the forest was where the house was located. Quickening her pace, Hotaru kept running. Just then, she heard a twig snapped behind her. She stopped cold in her track, heart pounding. Before she could turn, a pair of skeletal hands grabbed her and floated up.

The gentlemen couldn't believe their luck. They sensed a child nearby so they went out to investigate. It was then they spotted the small purple hair child dashing through the forest. Something was different about this child. The gentlemen were excited. In a matter of seconds, they arrived at their base. Floated down to the basement, they opened the cage and threw the child in.

Hotaru landed on her hands hard and winced in pain. She looked up and saw four children and one toddler, all looking at her with curiosity. The tallest girl came forth and extended her hand. Hotaru took it and helped herself up.

Akira. The girl wrote on the dusty floor and then smiled at Hotaru. Hotaru quickly gave her name and then started scanning the room. They were inside a giant cage and there were two large pad locks on the cage door. The little firefly reached into her pocket and pulled out her Swiss knife. Haruka papa gave it to her for her last birthday and now she could finally use it.

Hotaru wiggled one of her hands out and reached around for the pad lock. The small child was terrified but she kept her face straight. She looked at the group of children, all younger, and she decided she needed to be brave for their sake. Akira kept an eye on the door, just in case if the gentlemen came down again. Akira reached up and felt her bald spot. She didn't understand why the gentlemen came in and took her hair. At least, she was relieved that they didn't come in to kill them.

Some faint sounds echoed through the hallway, Hotaru quickly withdraw her hand. When it was quiet again, Hotaru resumed picking the lock. She had never done this before, but in the movies, it seemed so easy. The basement was hot and humid, and Hotaru could feel sweat running down her back. Her hand was getting tired from twisting in an unnatural way. Akira tapped her on the shoulder and then pointed at herself. Hotaru handed the Swiss knife over to the young girl. Akira took over the spot and tried to pick the lock. Her hand was smaller and it was much easier to maneuver between the bars.

Just then, the basement door open and one gentleman floated down. He waved a pair of scissors and grinned at the children. Akira quickly hid the Swiss knife under her shirt. Hotaru stood in front of the others, her arms out stretched.

The gentleman opened the cage and then went straight toward Hotaru. The skeletal hands grabbed a handful of Hotaru's purple hair and the scissors started snipping. As if on purpose, the gentleman snipped randomly, leaving ugly bald spots on Hotaru's head. The little firefly struggled to keep her tears from falling. She refused to show weakness to the enemy. She couldn't wait for her mamas and papa to come crashing through the door and saved them all.

Michiru stop dead in her tracks, a sense of dread washed over her. Haruka stopped too and looked at Michiru quizzically. Michiru clutched her heart. She swore she could feel Hotaru in the house. How was that possible? She looked at the old house in front of her and felt an urge to run in first. Instead, she and Haruka stood there, waiting for the others. Ami insisted that they should all go together. The sea goddess paced impatiently, as her dread continue to increase...

Just then, Setsuna showed up. She bent over gasping for breath. One look at her friend, and Michiru knew her daughter was in trouble.

"Hotaru ran away. Did she come here?" Setsuna typed the message on her communicator and showed it to the couple. The paled look on Haruka's face answered the question. The three outer senshi looked at the house and knew something terrible must have happened to their little firefly.