Rei was working quietly in the office, trying to get caught up on a mass of paperwork, when Seiya and Mariko burst in and disturbed her concentration. Now, almost fifteen minutes and a lengthy explanation later, she was fairly certain she'd not be able to get back to work that day.

"You want me to do what?" she asked, unable to keep the surprised tone out of her voice.

Mariko had the grace to flush and look slightly ashamed, but Seiya just grinned. Like his mother there was very little that could dampen his ebullient personality, and Rei had to bite her bottom lip to keep from grinning in return. Someone needed to be the responsible adult, after all. She focused all of her attention on Mariko, sensing that it was the girl's need that had brought the pair of them.

"I know you think I'll be able to see something of what the future holds," she said. "But you have to understand that even if I do a fire reading that is no guarantee. Free will is always at work."

"What does that mean?" Mariko asked, looking agitated.

Rei sighed. "It means that your actions and decision have an impact. You have the final say in what happens to you. But it also means that other people's actions will effect you." She glanced toward Seiya, who was nodding in agreement. "And one more thing to think about," she went on, a slight smile curving her lips. "When it's related to our fight as Guardians my visions have never been very clear; I could just as easily get the whole thing the wrong way round."

Mariko's face fell and the small light of hope left her eyes. Seiya opened his mouth as if to speak but then changed his mind, quickly clamping his jaw shut so tight that a muscle twitched in his cheek. Rei was gratified by the maturity that he had shown, so she gave the pair the only thing it was in her power to give.

"There is one thing, though," she began, stifling her amusement as two heads snapped up, attention riveted on her. She kept her gaze on Mariko. "One thing I've gotten exactly right in the past was recognizing the aura of a Guardian in your mother before we knew anything else. You have the same aura, Mariko."

"But that would mean. . ."

Rei nodded. "It means exactly that. You will become a Guardian. The how and the when are all that need to be worked out." She held up a hand to forestall the objection she could see coming. "I know what you're thinking; you've had the Jupiter pen in your hands for almost a week and haven't felt a thing. Nothing. Not even a tingle." She shook her head, a faint smile playing across her lips. "I can tell you from personal experience that the pen is not the whole story. Stress - physical, emotional, or mental - also plays a role. And that is something that you have been clearly lacking."

Seiya nodded in agreement, as if that was something he had already told Mariko. Repeatedly. She, for her part, shot him a dirty look. "I guess that makes sense," she said, sounding considerably calmer than when they had first arrived at Hikawa. "I just worry that it'll take too long, what with everything that's going on."

Rei laughed. "With everything that's going on it will probably happen sooner than you expect," she replied with a grin. "But don't worry about it; that kind of stress will get you no where. In fact. . ." Her voice trailed off and her eyes went blank; she turned her head away from the pair of teenagers as if listening to a voice that only she could hear.

A voice that was clearly calling for help, because before Seiya or Mariko could react Rei transformed in a blast of fire and ran from the room.

The after class staff meeting ran late, as usual, and Usagi was in no mood for anything else to surprise her as she made her way back to her classroom. All she wanted was to gather her belongings and go home, but she knew that even there she wasn't likely to relax. Worrying about her children had become a constant ache at the back of her mind, one that was now pierced by an occasional burst of emotional agony.

She knew that Chibiusa was spending the afternoon at Hikawa Shrine, beginning the difficult process of learning to control her new powers. Mizuki and Rio would be with her, ready to defend her if need be. And although she still worried about her Usagi had faith in her daughter's ability to work things out for herself, however topsy-turvy her life became. She had proven that when her powers had first appeared at the age of nine.

Seiya, on the other hand. . .

Usagi sighed and passed a hand over her eyes, pinching the bridge of her nose. For so many years her son had been an open book to her, the two of them so alike that it was sometimes as if they shared one mind and one heart. But lately he had closed himself off from his entire family, most especially her. His insistence on Chibiusa keeping the secret about his transformation was one symptom of what could be a much larger problem. A problem that she wasn't sure how to address, or if that was even possible.

She turned the corner into the hallway where her classroom was and stopped short in surprise. Makoto, Ami, and Minako were all waiting for her. Minako saw her first and pushed away from the wall where she had been leaning. Her movement caught Ami's and Makoto's attention as well and all three turned to face Usagi's approach.

She stopped a couple of feet from where the trio stood. "I should have known that this lousy day wasn't over," she said, smiling to soften her words. "Not that I'm not pleased to see you, of course."

"We know that Henderson is dead," Minako spoke, her words blunt and straightforward. "And I don't know about the two of them, but I'm pretty damned irritated that it was your husband who gave me the news. I thought we were all through with keeping secrets from each other."

"Mina -" Ami began.

"NO!" Minako all but shouted, her anger almost a physical force. "We can't keep doing this, not now. I hardly think any of us needs a reminder, but it's not just our lives on the line any more. Our children are under threat as well."

Makoto blanched, her fear plain to see on her face. Usagi could feel the heat of anger burning in her cheeks as she grabbed Minako's arm and none too gently pulled her out of earshot of their friends. "That was unnecessary," she hissed, struggling to keep from raising her voice. "And cruel, considering you know that Mariko and Akemi are still powerless." She gave Minako's arm a sharp tug, wringing a gasp of pain from the other woman. "What the hell were you thinking?"

Minako twisted her arm, wrenching Usagi's wrist and causing her to let go. They each took a step back, eyes blazing and breathing rapid. A faint orange glow bloomed around Minako, a sure sign that her anger was reaching the danger point. It wasn't until her hands clenched into fists at her sides, though, that someone else intervened.

"STOP IT!" Ami's cry echoed in the empty hallway, startling her three companions. "This is what our enemies want! If we fight amongst ourselves how can we possibly fight them?"

Usagi took a deep breath and visibly calmed down. She glanced at Minako, who still looked angry enough to spit nails. "I didn't deliberately keep Henderson's death a secret," she said, sounding rather disgruntled. "If you recall I contacted all of you yesterday evening about meeting because there was some important news. When I learned I wouldn't be able to make that meeting I asked Mamoru to spread the word.

Minako flushed and looked away, chagrined, but made no reply. Usagi went on to list all of the facts they had about Henderson's death as well as the speculations her family had indulged in the previous evening.

Makoto was the first to speak after digesting the flood of information. "So I guess we're not accepting natural causes as the reason for his death?" she asked with a forgivable touch of sarcasm in her tone.

Ami snorted. "All things considered definitely not." She looked to Usagi. "And Shingo brought all of this to you?"

Usagi nodded. "He remembered my questions about unusual deaths that looked like heart attacks, and the report on Henderson caught his attention." She grinned. "Luckily he didn't hang around for long or he'd have gotten an earful."

"But why now?" Minako asked, speaking for the first time since her ugly confrontation with Usagi. "Which ever explanation we accept - and I think Chaos killing Henderson because he was no longer useful has got to be the odds on favorite - why now has to be the biggest question."

"But that isn't really a question, is it?" Makoto put in. "Everyone's already said it: Henderson was no longer useful."

"I know, and I agree," Minako replied. "But the timing is strange. Chaos could have killed Henderson weeks ago once he had perfected his Daimon process."

"The process is hardly perfect," Ami put in. "That park bench in the shopping district and the newspapers in the train station weren't under anyone's control. And the heart snatching victim that started us down this road was a botched operation as well."

"Which makes my question even more pertinent." Minako held up a hand to forestall anyone else from speaking. "What changed in the last couple of days to make Henderson expendable?"

"Chaos found something more powerful than the Daimons?" Makoto suggested.

Usagi felt icy fingers start to squeeze her heart. "Or someone," she whispered. She didn't have to say anything else; they all knew about Chibiusa's change of circumstances. The stricken looks they exchanged were very telling.

A cell phone rang, shattering the silence that had descended and making all four woman start. Usagi quickly pulled her phone out of her jacket pocket; the conversation was making her abnormally nervous about her children. With a sigh of relief she saw that it was Seiya calling.

MOM! Mom, you've got to get over here! Something's going on. I don't know what, but it's big!"

The panic in his voice quickly re-ignited all of Usagi's worries, and it was a struggle to keep her own voice calm. "Where are you?" she asked, not wasting time on asking what, exactly, was happening. Where was the more important information. She switched the phone to speaker mode so everyone could hear his answer.

"I'm at Hikawa with Mariko." Makoto's eyes widened at that news. "We were talking with Rei when out of nowhere she sort of zoned out on the conversation. Then she transformed and took off." Seiya's agitated breathing was clearly audible. "I have a bad feeling about this."

Usagi heartily seconded that feeling. "Stay put, the pair of you," she said, her tone unmistakably a command. "Usa, Mizuki and Rio are there and can help Rei until we arrive. You and Mariko are to stay out of it, understood?" She clicked off the phone before he could respond and shoved it back in her pocket. When she looked to her friends she was surprised to find all three of them already transformed.

"Hurry up. Times a-wasting," Minako said with a grin.

"MOON ETERNAL MAKE UP!"

Seiya pushed the phone into his pocket with a gusty sigh. Calling the cavalry (in the form of his mother and the other Guardians) had been the right thing to do, he knew that. But it still left him with an almost unbearable feeling that on his own he was utterly useless.

"We're not just going to sit here like good little children, are we?" Mariko asked.

Seiya sighed again, this time a touch angrily. He wasn't about to admit that that was exactly what he planned, though. Admitting that would mean admitting that although he had undergone a transformation he was still noticeably lacking the powers department. Combine that with the uncertainty that still surrounded Mariko and staying put, and staying safe, seemed like a very good idea indeed. Not that he was going to say any of that out loud.

"What do you suggest we do instead?" he asked, turning to face her as he spoke. She stood there with a determined look on her face and the Jupiter Pen in her hand.

"What do you think?"

Seiya felt the blood drain from his face. "Mariko -"

She held up a hand to cut him off. "This is it," she said, a grim smile on her face. "This is what I've been waiting for; what I need to do. You heard what Rei said about stress being a trigger for the transformation. This might be my best chance."

"And if nothing happens?" Seiya asked, his voice rising in his agitation. "You'll be in danger!" He was all but shouting by that time.

"With my mother, your mother, and half a dozen other Guardians to protect me?" She smiled gently as she spoke, and Seiya flushed as he realized that she knew how he felt about her. Before he could respond, though, the building was rocked by some sort of explosion nearby, knocking both of them off their feet. Mariko was up and running out the door before Seiya even got his breath back.

She was out of sight by the time he reached the porch, but it was easy to figure out which direction she had headed. Purple-ish flames were visible through the trees to his right, so he ran in that direction, narrowly avoiding a beam of orange light coming straight at his head. Mizuki's contribution, clearly. Seiya had barely reached the edge of the trees when Akemi emerged, running at top speed. She screamed as they collided, then her hands locked on to his arms. She opened her mouth to speak but he cut her off.

"Stay here," he ordered, trying to pull his arms free of her grasp. She held fast.

"No, wait," Akemi began, struggling to speak and catch her breath at the same time. "You need to know; what they're fighting. . ." She took a deep breath and tears glimmered in her eyes. "It's not there! Nothing is there! It's like a phantom moving through the trees."

That explained the errant Crescent Beam that nearly took off my head, Seiya thought. Before he could respond to that, however, something else struck him with all the force of a kick to the stomach. Every word anyone had ever said about the stress of a battle awakening a Guardian ran through his head as he looked at Akemi.

"Why aren't you transformed?"

Akemi gulped down what could only be a sob. "I don't have the pen," she whispered. "I was angry and threw it away, and before I could get it back. . ." She gestured helplessly, seeming to indicate the hell that had broken loose around them. A split second later another, smaller, explosion shook the ground, proving her point. They could hear shouting but not make out any of the words. One thing became abundantly clear, though; Akemi recognized the one voice that she thought shouldn't be there. Mariko, she mouthed as the color drained from her face.

Seiya didn't hesitate; he grabbed Akemi's hand and pulled her along as he started toward where the shouting came from. He had no intention of letting her out of his sight until the Mercury Pen was back in her hands. He'd worry about how she hadn't seen Mariko in her flight through the trees later.

It didn't take long to arrive at the scene of the action. The small clearing seemed overwhelmed by all of the people, so Seiya chose to hang back on the edge of the trees. His eyes roved over everyone, though, seeking the one face he was most concerned with at that moment.

Akemi's hand squeezed his. "There! She's over there! She's not hurt!"

Seiya followed her pointing finger and saw Mariko, half-hidden behind a small tree and being guarded by her mother. He breathed a sigh of relief just as the atmosphere surrounding all of them changed. The noise of someone or something thrashing through the trees stopped and after one last gust of wind that stirred everyone's hair and clothes the breeze dropped away to nothing. It felt like the world was holding its breath.

Akemi started to move around him, but Seiya tightened his grip on her hand, holding her in place. "Don't move," he whispered, alert to a feeling he could barely understand. "It's not over yet."

"But -"

"Seiya's right." Usagi stood in the middle of the clearing, a bright spot in the semi-darkness. A ghostly image of wings stood out on either side of her, moving whenever she did. "There's still something here," she said, glancing at Ami. The other woman touched a finger to one of her earrings and the Mercury Visor snapped into place across her eyes. The few moments that she studied the readings felt like hours.

"There is still something here," Ami said, speaking quietly as if unwilling to disturb whatever was with them. "But I can't get a fix on it. Or track it." She shook her head and turned off her visor. "All we can do is wait."

While Ami was speaking Mariko had come out from behind her mother so she could better see what was happening. Time passed painfully slow as they all held their breath, watching and waiting.

Chibiusa was the first to break that expectant silence. "It has to be gone now," she said, taking a few steps towards where her mother stood. "If Ami can't track it -"

Helios had followed her, one hand outstretched to take hold of her arm. He did no more than hiss a warning before the calm was interrupted by a blast of wind and swirling leaves. Chibiusa and Helios were knocked off of their feet by the first eruption, then whatever the force was attacked Rio and Mizuki, landing both girls on the ground with grunts of pain.

"SEIYA!" Usagi shouted the warning, giving her son just enough time to shield Akemi as best he could before the invisible force came at them.

He had often heard people speak of strong winds feeling solid, like a wall. But this. . . It didn't just feel solid, it was solid in a way he couldn't explain. It buffeted them roughly, shaking and rocking them as they stood together. Akemi cried out during one particularly vicious stroke and clenched her hands tightly on his arms. Her fingernails dug painfully into his skin, but he was grateful for it; it helped focus his mind on keeping his feet under him. Then, just as quickly as it had struck it passed on, leaving both Seiya and Akemi breathless.

But the pause was brief, and it didn't take Seiya long to put the pieces together and realize who the next target would be. He released Akemi so abruptly that she staggered and nearly fell but he barely noticed. All of his attention was directed at the other side of the clearing, and he set off at a run.

It was too late, though, for the force had already knocked Makoto aside and gotten hold of Mariko. Seiya could see her leaning into the wind, struggling, as her hair was whipped around her face, obscuring her vision. Then without warning she was lifted off her feet and everything went still.

Literally. Everyone and everything had frozen in mid-motion. From where he stood, unable to even move his eyes, Seiya could see that even Mariko was locked in place; her hair lifted away from her face and a shocked expression in her eyes. In that small space, and for that brief moment, time was standing still.

Sound and movement returned in a rush. Seiya staggered and nearly fell when one of his feet hit the ground, hard. He didn't clearly see what happened next, but he heard a choked-off scream that could only have come from Mariko, followed by a squelching sound of something hitting the mud. Chibiusa called out Mariko's name, fear and concern making her voice crack. Then they all heard the roar of rushing water followed by an enormous splash. Somehow there was real water involved, even though no one saw any. But everyone standing in that clearing was soaking wet.

Everyone except Mariko. She stood in the spot where she had fallen, a shaft of sunlight making it's way through the trees and bathing her in light. Her hair was much shorter than normal and she wore the fuku of a Sailor Guardian; the skirt was a rich, slate blue and the accent bows a bright aquamarine. She held Akemi's discarded Mercury Pen in her right hand. She smiled as they all stared at her, then crossed the clearing to where Akemi stood. She handed the Jupiter Pen to the other girl.

"I have a feeling that this belongs to you."