A young female teen sat before a bonfire in front of an altar, staring intently at the flames. She was young, had long, flowing black hair and violet eyes, and wore a shrine maiden's outfit,
"It's coming. Something's coming. I can sense it," the teen murmured to herself. "Something terrible is going to happen that will unleash chaos in our world."
Then, the teen heard a voice.
"Rei! Where are you?"
The teen snapped out of her trance and quickly stepped out of the room, only to find a little girl waiting for her. She appeared to be in elementary school and had brown hair styled in high pigtails.
"Oh, hello, Mii," the teen greeted warmly. "Are you heading home right now?"
"Yeah! I just wanted to say goodbye before I went," said the girl. "Today was a lot of fun, by the way! Will it be OK if I come back tomorrow?"
"Of course, you can," the teen smiled. "Now, you best be going. Make sure you get home safe and be careful."
"I will!" smiled the girl. "Bye!"
And the girl scampered off as the teen waved until she was out of sight.
Once again, in the Dark Kingdom, Jadeite found himself standing before Queen Beryl, giving his report on the search for the Silver Crystal.
"If these Sailor Guardians and Solaris find the legendary Silver Crystal before we do, then they could cause serious problems for us," said Queen Beryl. "We of the Dark Kingdom must be the first to get the crystal at any cost. If anyone dares stand in our way or opposes us, we will show no mercy." She then turned to Jadeite. "Are you here to tell me that you still haven't been able to locate it yet?"
"I'm afraid so, Queen Beryl," said Jadeite apologetically.
"Jadeite, you have failed me several times already," continued Queen Beryl. "But I am willing to grant you another chance to redeem yourself. Go collect more human energy for our great ruler, and then make sure you eliminate those three troublesome guardians."
"Yes, my queen," acknowledged Jadeite.
Harusuke, Usagi, and Luna were walking along, the Tsukino siblings having just come out from school. It seemed like another typical day when suddenly they heard the sound of blaring sirens. The three turned around in time to see two police cars zoom right past them with their lights flashing and tires humming, eventually disappearing down the street.
"Those were police cars just now," observed Harusuke.
"I wonder what could have happened?" pondered Usagi.
Then, by the bus stop just a few feet ahead, Usagi and Harusuke saw a familiar face with blue hair standing by the bus stop, waiting for the bus to arrive.
"Hey, Ami!" called Usagi as she and Harusuke went over to her.
"Oh! Usagi! Harusuke! Luna!" smiled Ami. "Hello there!"
"Hey, Ami! How's it going?" Harusuke greeted back. "What brings you around here? Are you waiting for the bus?"
"Yes, I am," replied Ami. "I was just on my way to cram school."
Usagi was surprised. "Wait... Do you mean to tell us that you need to take the bus to go to cram school?" she asked.
"It's no big deal. I'd even take a plane if it meant going to good cram school," said Ami. "And besides, I'm a sailor guardian. I need to study and get as much knowledge as I can so I can help Luna find the missing moon princess."
"Wow, Ami. That's pretty admirable of you," said Harusuke.
"Isn't she, though?" smiled Luna. Then she gave Usagi a sideways glance. "Maybe a certain someone should go with you to get some knowledge, too."
Usagi sheepishly laughed while pretending not to hear her. "Where is that bus?!" she asked awkwardly.
Then, another police car came rushing by, its sirens blaring as it sped along.
"Another police car? That's the third one that went by," said Harusuke. "I wonder if something serious happened."
Just then, Naru and Kuri walked up to them.
"Hey, guys. Did you guys hear what happened on this bus route?" asked Kuri.
Harusuke, Ami, and Usagi shook their heads.
"Yesterday evening, a little after six at night, a bus that was full of passengers just drove off and disappeared!" said Kuri.
"Wow! Seriously? That sounds pretty cool!" said Usagi.
"No, it's not, Usagi. This is serious," said Naru worriedly. "Do you guys know of a bus stop called Sendai-Zakaue?"
"That's where the five streets meet," said Harusuke. "Wha about it, Naru?"
"There was a bus carrying nearly fifty people down that way," continued Naru ominously. "And no one has seen the people or the bus since then!"
"At first, the police have been trying to keep it a secret because they thought of this as mass kidnapping," added Kuri. " However, there haven't been any demands or ransoms, so they made it public and even opened an investigation."
"The cursed six o'clock bus..." murmured Ami.
At the mention of the name, Usagi and Harusuke couldn't help but feel a little frightened.
"Man, that's scary," said Usagi, shivering. Then she remembered something. "That reminds me. The Hikawa Shrine's near the Sendai-Zaka, and their amulets from there are known for warding off evil."
"I get it," said Harusuke. "You're saying that we should buy some amulets to protect ourselves. That's a pretty decent idea."
"Yeah! I even know that place!" said Naru. "They say that there's a shrine maiden there with strong spiritual powers, so strong that she can even predict the future. Not to mention that their amulets are pretty effective, too!"
"Wow! That's so cool!" said Kuri. "Let's go over there and some, and we'll even get our future read too!"
"Hey, Usagi. Do you think that either you or Harusuke can pick up an amulet for me?" asked Ami.
"But... wouldn't it make sense to come with us, Ami?" asked Usagi.
"Well, I would, but sadly, I have to study today at cram school," said Ami. "Especially since I have a practice test that I can't miss. You know what it's like when you have to hit books."
"If you think about it, she doesn't," remarked Harusuke. "But don't worry, Ami. We'll pick up one for you."
"Thank you so much," said Ami, smiling. "I appreciate it."
Usagi and her group then got on the bus while Ami went off in the other direction. The bus was soon on its way, and Usagi and the others looked around to find some seats. But as they did, Usagi happened to notice something.
Standing beside one of the doors was the young teen with long black hair. She was now wearing a school uniform that was a different color scheme than theirs, which was gray and dark gray.
When Usagi saw her, she couldn't help but stare at the girl in admiration, feeling charmed by her beauty. Harusuke and the others soon noticed her, too.
"Whoa, you see her?" murmured Naru. "I've never seen her around here before."
"Well, she does go to a different school than we do," observed Harusuke. "Based on her uniform, it looks like she attends T.A. Academy. I think it's a private, catholic all-girls school."
Usagi didn't seem to pay attention as she continued to stare. "So pretty," she marveled absently.
Harusuke then nudged her. "Hey, Usagi. You shouldn't be staring so much," he warned.
You look like one of those fangirls."
Then, the bus reached a stop. The doors opened, and the girl quickly departed. But as soon as she did, Usagi promptly followed after her.
"I'm getting off here, too!" she called out to the bus driver.
"Usagi, hold on! This isn't even our stop!" objected Naru.
But Usagi had already gotten off, and not wanting to leave her alone, Harusuke and the others followed suit. The bus soon departed, driving away, and Harusuke was quick to criticize.
"Usagi, what are you doing? Did you get off just to chase that girl?" Harusuke admonished.
"Well, yeah. That girl was so beautiful," said Usagi. "And we've got nothing else to do anyway."
"Well, she's not wrong," said Naru. "But still."
But as they looked around, they realized that the girl was nowhere to be seen, much to Usagi's dismay.
"Aw, no! We lost her!" Usagi complained. "Where did she go?"
"Who can say?" said Kuri. "Maybe she could have gone home."
"Or perhaps she could have gone to the Hikawa Shrine," suggested Naru. "It's the only other place around here close by."
"What makes you so sure?" quizzed Harusuke.
"Just call it a hunch," said Naru. "Besides, we were heading over there anyway, so why don't we go see for ourselves?"
"Great idea!" Usagi said eagerly. "That's what I call killing two birds with one stone!"
"If that was the case, then we should have stayed on the bus and waited for our stop," said Harusuke. "But now we have to walk the rest of the way due to a certain someone's impulses."
Usagi could only glance away, whistling while pretending she hadn't heard.
At the Hikawa Shrine, there was a strange but mystical sense in the air as ravens flapped about, squawking loudly. There was a flight of stairs at the entrance, eventually going up to where the shrine was. A couple of schoolgirls were at the shrine close to the altar. They had just placed their money, rang the bell from the ceiling, and started praying.
"Please, please, let him notice that I love him," said one.
The other two were excited upon hearing her wish, and then three talked excitedly about the guy the girl prayed about. Not too far away, Jadeite, who was now disguised as a shrine geki, was sweeping some leaves and listening to the girls talking. He looked back at the gossiping girls and smirked evilly.
"That's it. Keep wishing for even more love!" he thought to himself. "Fill your hearts with romantic energy!"
Just then, a short, older man came out of the temple and approached the girls.
"Hey there, you bunch of cuties!" he said cheerfully and flirtatiously. "Are any of you lovely ladies interested in working here?"
"Sorry, sir," said one of the girls. "But we just came here to buy some of those love amulets that you sell here."
"Why... of course! Of course!" said the old man, laughing and feigning innocence. "I was only just kidding with you girls!" Then he looked at his watch. "Oh! It's five-thirty! You're just in time! As I always do around this time, I will now recite a special prayer that will bring true love into your life!" He then whipped out a gohei and began waving it about as he started his prayer. "Oh, hear me, Spirit of Flame!" he said. "Listen to me proclaim! May these girls' hearts always be ablaze with true love! Let joy in them be imbued, and may their wishes come true!" When he finished his prayer, he then turned back to the girls. "I'm guessing you girls must have come a long way," he said. "But, before you leave, you should draw a fortune slip. We also sell ema plagues for passing exams as well! Why don't you buy a couple before you go?"
"Thank you for your concern," said another girl. "But we don't need any. Thank you, sir."
With that, the girls left giggling and commenting on how strange the man was. As they left, Jadeite watched from the side, keeping a close eye on them. At that time, Usagi, Naru, Kuri, Luna, and Harusuke arrived at the temple. The older man immediately approached them.
"Ooh! Another group of cuties!" he said. "Would any of you like to work part-time here as shrine maidens?"
Everyone stared blankly at the geezer, unsure how to respond. Then Harusuke spoke.
"That does sound like an interesting proposition, sir," he said. "But I think the girls aren't interested."
The old-timer looked at Harusuke. "Ooh! And here's a fine strapping young man too!" he said, grinning. "Hey, boy! If you decide to work here part-time, I can make you into a fine shaman!"
Harusuke felt a little put off, but then a voice interrupted them.
"Grandpa! Stop hitting on everyone! You're freaking them out!"
Then, the same girl from before approached them wearing shrine maiden clothes. When the older man saw her, he quickly behaved himself, while Harusuke, Usagi, and the others couldn't help but gaze at the girl with wonder, admiring her beauty.
"Oh! Hi Rei!" he said sheepishly. "How's it going?"
"Don't you "hi" me," scolded the girl. "You know people around here are starting to say very unflattering things about you, all because of your insistent pestering and flirting!"
"Wow... she's so cool and pretty!" murmured Harusuke. "And she's a shrine maiden!"
"You're telling me!" agreed Usagi. "I wouldn't mind doing that job part-time!"
Harusuke, Naru, Kuri, and even Luna looked at Usagi blankly as she giggled and blushed.
Near the middle of the steps, the schoolgirls excitedly talked to each other about their charms outside the shrine. Jadeite kept his eye on them in the bushes until he finally made his move. With a wave of his hands, a dark power took hold of the three girls. Each one of them became very tired and dizzy, entering into a hypnotic state. Jadeite smiled evilly, having to have claimed three more victims for his great ruler.
Rei suddenly gasped, and a couple of crows squawked in alarm.
"I sense it!" she cried. "An evil aura! Is it a spirit!?"
She looked around, trying to see where she sensed the evil spirit while everyone looked blankly at her. Then she looked at Usagi, thinking that she was the source of the evil presence.
"Aha! Trying to make trouble at our shrine, huh?! Well, you can forget it! I won't let you!"
She then dug into her haori and whipped out a paper tag known as an ofuda. "Evil Spirit, be exorcised!" She then lunged at Usagi and slapped the ofuda right in the middle of her forehead, stunning her and making her fall flat on her back.
"Usagi!" panicked Harusuke as he immediately went to his sister. "Are you OK?! Say something!"
Usagi responded with a dazed groan. Rei then face-palmed herself sheepishly.
"I'm so sorry," she apologized. "That wasn't supposed to happen."
A little later, Harusuke and the others carried Usagi inside to try to nurse her back to health. Then Jadeite opened the door, still under his disguise, and came in with a bowl of supplies.
"Miss Rei. I brought some water and hand towels," he said.
"Thank you, Jed," replied Rei. "Just leave them by the door, please."
"Of course," he said as he set down the bowl before leaving.
Upon seeing him, Naru and Kuri couldn't help but blush, feeling charmed by him, while Harusuke and Luna felt suspicious.
"That's weird," thought Harusuke. "That guy..."
"He looks very familiar," thought Luna. "But where have I seen him?"
"Wow... what a hunk," murmured Naru.
As soon as she said the word "hunk," Usagi immediately shot up from the futon, knocking Luna off her and looking around back and forth around her, making everyone jump.
"What!? Where?! Where's the hunk?! Where'd he go?! Huh?!" she exclaimed.
"Well, that sure was a speedy recovery," thought Luna.
"Typical Usagi," Harusuke also thought. "One minute she's out cold, and the moment she hears the word hunk, she gets back up like nothing."
"So, is that guy your older brother or something?" asked Naru.
"Ugh... no. Jed's just a guy that my grandpa hired, and he's been working and living with us," sighed Rei. "It's all because he's so overly friendly with everyone, trying to make friends with every person who comes to the shrine. It's so embarrassing!"
"Well... he sure is interesting. I'll give him that," said Naru.
Rei then turned to Harusuke and Usagi. "Listen. You're Usagi and her older brother Harusuke, right? I really must apologize for what happened earlier," she said. "Please forgive me."
"It's no big deal," said Usagi.
"Yeah. It was a mistake, and those things happen," added Harusuke. "No harm done."
"I just wish I knew what's been going on lately," said Rei. "My sixth sense and prophecies used to be spot on, but not anymore. It's like something's been throwing me off."
"Maybe you're having one of those off days?" wondered Harusuke.
When Luna heard this, she couldn't help but stare at her. "Sixth sense? Wait a minute. Could this girl be the princess that we've been searching for?" she thought to herself.
Then suddenly, the door behind them flung open, and three women came in, a brunette in a white blouse and pencil skirt and the other two in jeans and a shirt.
"Rei! Thank goodness that I found you!" the woman in business attire
gasped.
"Ms. Shizu," said Rei. "Is something wrong?"
"It's Mii!" the woman spoke urgently. "She's gone missing!"
Rei gasped. "She didn't come home?" she asked with concern.
Ms. Shizu shook her head. "You know how dangerous this neighborhood can be," she said. "And lately, everyone's been talking about some kind of demon bus."
One of the women then cut in. "But that's not to say that you and this shrine are dangerous," she sneered snidely.
The other then grabbed Ms. Shizu by the shoulders, urging her out. "Come on, let's go," she said. "We're wasting our time here."
And before Ms. Shizu could protest further, the three women left. But not before the teens heard the two women whispering.
"That girl is not normal, I tell you."
"They say she can sense the supernatural! She's probably sending people to the demon bus!"
Hearing their comments, Rei felt hurt, but she said nothing.
"What was up with them?" Naru huffed. "Talk about rude!"
"I know, right?" agreed Kuri. "Who do they think they are?"
Usagi then looked at Rei. "So, is this Mii person a friend of yours?" she asked.
"Yes, she is," Rei nodded. "She's a little girl who likes to play here, usually after school while waiting for her bus."
"And by bus, you mean…?" Harusuke spoke, trailing off.
"Sendai-Zakaue has five hills in total that all intersect close by," explained Rei. "However, according to an urban legend, a mysterious sixth hill exists. They say that it's an invisible gateway, and that's where the demon bus vanishes, too. Do you know what they call it when someone disappears?" She paused impressively as she looked at everyone. "Being spirited away."
Usagi and the others could only stay silent at this exchange, bewildered at Rei's story.
After a while, when Usagi fully recovered, Naru and Kuri went home, but Usagi, Harusuke, and Luna stayed behind.
"Usagi, Harusuke, something strange is going on," said Luna. "Our enemy is involved in this. I can feel it."
"You're telling me," said Harusuke. "This reeks of Jadeite and his goons all over."
"We need to call Ami," said Luna. "So, we can have a strategy meeting and investigate that bus."
"But Ami's busy!" said Usagi. "I don't think we should bug her, right?"
"Come on, Usagi! A whole lot of people have gone missing!" snapped Luna. "Just call her and tell her to get here quickly!"
"All right, all right already!" said Usagi. "No need to get snappy!"
Moments later, Usagi, Ami, Harusuke, and Luna were all at Sendai-Zakaue on their way to investigate the bus stop. People were walking around going about their business.
"So, this Sendai-Zakaue," said Luna. "Seems pretty normal."
Then, as Usagi turned around, she saw something that made her gasp: a long line of girls standing in line at the bus stop, waiting for the bus to arrive. They were all dazed in a zombie-like state, not responding to anything.
"Look at the line!" murmured Usagi. "I've never seen so many people!"
"They must be waiting for the bus," said Luna.
"And they all have amulets from the Hikawa Shrine," said Ami.
Sure enough, she was right. Every one of the girls either was holding a charm or had one hanging on their bags.
"Well, it's no wonder Ms. Shizu's friends were accusing Rei," said Harusuke. "I wonder why they have them?"
"Come on, Big Bro, isn't it obvious? They're all probably in love with someone," deduced Usagi.
"They should be busy with high school entrance exams!" Ami spoke disapprovingly. "It makes you wonder where they find the time for all of this!"
"I know, right? It makes no sense!" agreed Harusuke.
"Oh, come on, you two! Don't you two want to fall in love, too?" asked Usagi. "It's wonderful!"
"Usagi, the three of us are too young to understand what love is," said Ami. "I don't think you should spend so much energy on these fantasies."
"Yeah. Not to mention, it makes you look like a lovesick puppy," said Harusuke. "It messes with your head."
Usagi puffed her cheeks in a pout as she looked away, grumbling. Then Ami looked down the road and saw their target. A bus loomed over the horizon of the road and came towards them.
"Look!" she cried. "There it is! The six o'clock bus!"
"It... it looks like a normal bus," said Luna as she observed it.
"You're right," said Harusuke. "But why am I getting the hibbie jibbies all of a sudden?"
The bus soon pulled up to the stop, the doors opened, and the girls all started to climb. The bus driver appeared to be female, but she had an ominous vibe as she seemed to look at the four.
"Alright, Usagi," said Luna. "Go ahead and climb on!"
"But... I don't wanna!" yelped Usagi, now feeling a little scared.
Ami and Harusuke then got behind Usagi, pushing her toward the door.
"Go on now!" urged Ami. "Be brave!"
"This isn't the time to be a chicken!" pressed Harusuke.
When all the girls got on, the bus driver looked at Usagi with a creepy stare, making her even more frightened and causing her to cling to the post in terror.
"Now I don't wanna!" she whimpered.
"Come on, Usagi, don't be like that," chided Ami. "We have to get on with the other girls so we can investigate!"
"I don't wanna!" wailed Usagi as she began to cry. "I'm too scared!"
Then the bus driver shut the door, and the bus slowly drove away, leaving the four of them all alone at the bus stop.
"Oh no, it left!" said Ami disappointedly.
"Honestly, Usagi, you're such a chicken!" chided Luna.
"Oh well. There's nothing we can do about it now," said Harusuke. "We'll just have to come back tomorrow."
They were just about to leave when suddenly, the air around the bus began to warp and distort.
"Hey, you guys! Look!" cried Ami.
Everyone immediately looked towards the bus. Even Usagi stopped crying and looked at what was going on. The bus then began to float off the ground until it was up in the air. Then, a strange black portal opened in front of the bus, and it flew straight into it, disappearing into the darkness. The portal then shrank into nothingness and disappeared. Usagi, Harusuke, Ami, and Luna could not believe their eyes for what they had just witnessed.
"I... don't believe it..." murmured Harusuke. "That bus... just vanished without a trace in that portal!"
"Could... that have been a black hole?" wondered Ami. "A fourth-dimensional rift?! Or a tear in the magnetic field?! Just what is happening here?!"
No one could answer or reply.
In an alternative dimension, the passengers inside the bus were all fast asleep, unaware of what was going on. The only one who was still awake was the driver herself, another one of Jadeite's monsters that served him. The driver chuckled to herself, admiring her latest victims, and then she spoke to Jadeite via telepathy.
"Master Jadeite. Today's operation was a big success," she said.
"Well done Kigaan," said Jadeite. "The energy of girls wishing for love is potent and will be great for our cause. Make sure to drain it all from them!"
"Yes, sir!" said Kigaan as she flashed an evil and began to drain the energy from the unconscious girls.
The very next day, the news of the demon bus had spread all throughout the school. Everyone in every classroom was talking about it.
During the lunch period, Usagi, Harusuke, Ami, and Luna discussed their next move.
"Looks like the word's gotten around pretty quickly," said Ami.
"No kidding," agreed Usagi. "And I'm still pretty spooked about what we saw the other day."
"One thing's for sure, we need to stop Jadeite from kidnapping more people and rescue those who he's taken," said Harusuke. "But first, do you think we can go see Rei?"
"But why?" wondered Usagi.
"I was hoping to ask her some questions," said Harusuke. "Maybe she knows something about the demon bus. She did tell us about that legend."
"I was thinking about her, too," said Luna. "Rei is a beautiful and mysterious girl with sixth sense powers and a regal face to boot. There's a possibility that she could be the princess we're looking for."
"Oh, wow! That's a good point!" Usagi spoke, her face lighting up. "Rei's definitely pretty enough to be a princess!"
But having said that, Luna couldn't but also be a little doubtful. "But then again, there's also a chance she could be something else."
A bit later, Usagi, Harusuke, and Luna returned to the bus stop that was en route to the Hikawa Shrine. But as Harusuke was boarding with Luna, Usagi stayed hidden behind the sign, still feeling frightened.
"Come on, Usagi. Get on," urged Harusuke.
"But I don't wanna!" Usagi denied. "I don't wanna get spirited away by the demon bus!"
Harusuke sighed. "Usagi, there's no reason to be so scared," he said. "Besides, the demon bus doesn't come around till six, and this is the five o'clock."
This made Usagi's fear vanish at once, and she got on board. The two then went to the back of the bus and took their seats as the bus set off.
"Geez, I really wish Ami was here with us," Usagi complained. "I mean, how many cram schools does she have to go to? At a time like this, what if something happens?"
"Well, there's nothing we can do about that," said Harusuke. "If something happens, we can always call her with our communicators."
"Communicators?" said a voice next to them. "Are you guys playing spies or something?"
Usagi and Harusuke looked next to themselves and saw a familiar sight that made them each let out a noise in surprise.
Sitting next to them was the casually dressed boy. Only he was wearing a school uniform: a white long-sleeved button-up shirt, a navy-blue blazer, a red tie, and gray pants. He was also wearing glasses.
"It's you again!" gasped Usagi.
"What are you doing here?!" Harusuke also squawked.
"There's honestly no need to scream," the boy said. "I use this bus to get to school. Although it seems as though we've been bumping into each other a lot."
"I'll say," said Harusuke. He looked at him up and down. "That uniform. Never seen anything like that before."
"So, does this mean that you're a junior high student like this?" asked Usagi.
The boy then dug into his blazer pocket and held up his ID before the siblings, which showed his identity and school information.
"Nope. I'm a high student," the boy replied.
Usagi then read his ID. "Mamoru Chiba. Moto-Azabu Private High School, second year," she said. "Do you know anything about this, Big Bro?"
"Search me," said Harusuke. "I've never heard of that school. Must be pretty exclusive."
"So, Mamoru, have you heard about the demon bus?" Usagi then asked. "If you don't mind me asking."
Mamoru then took off his glasses. "Yes, I have," he said. "Supposedly, it's this bus line, if I'm not mistaken, and there have been a lot of strange incidents lately."
When he took off his glasses, Usagi couldn't help but stare at Mamoru's visage. Even though most of their interactions had been less than good, she couldn't help but admire how good-looking Mamoru was. So much so that her heart began to pound.
Mamoru then looked at her. "Something wrong?" he asked.
Usagi let out a squeak as she quickly moved to the window seat next to Harusuke and buried her face in his shoulder.
Mamoru then smiled. "Don't tell me that you're feeling scared about being spirited away," he teased.
"And what if I am?!" Usagi said huffily. "And even if I was, it's none of your business!"
Mamoru chuckled. "Well, it's good to see you're just as lively as ever." He looked at Harusuke. "Make sure you take good care of your sister."
Harusuke was taken aback by this comment. "U-Um, yeah. Sure," he responded.
The bus soon arrived at a stop, and Mamoru got up and left. As soon as he was gone, Harusuke looked at Usagi and saw that she was still clinging to him while blushing.
"Are you OK?" he asked. "Your face is as red as a cherry."
Usagi didn't give an answer. "My heart won't stop pounding again!" she cried in her thoughts. "But why?! What's going on with me?!"
Back at the Hikawa Shrine, Rei was feeding her two crows, whom she called Phobos and Daimos, some bread crumbs when Ms. Shizu, along with her two friends, approached her.
"Rei, please! Can't you use your spiritual powers to find my daughter?" pleaded Ms. Shizu. "We've looked everywhere for her, and we're running out of options!"
Rei regrettably frowned. "I'm so sorry, Ms. Shizu," she spoke gently. "I wish I could, but my powers don't work like that. It's not like I can meditate and pinpoint where Mii is. I think the best thing to do for the time being is to call the police."
Ms. Shizu felt sadder still, but her two friends became angry.
"But her child is missing!" snapped one. "Why can't you help her?! You're a psychic, aren't you?!"
"Maybe she's refusing because she's the reason why Mii disappeared!" accused the second. "It's her fault!"
Rei was shocked by their words, unsure of what to say. Then, an angry voice came.
"Hey, wait a second!"
Usagi, Harusuke, and Luna happened to arrive and have heard everything.
"How dare you accuse Rei like that?!" Usagi reprimanded. "She's a beautiful girl inside and out!"
"That's right!" agreed Harusuke. "How could you even think of saying such a thing to her! She would never do anything like that!"
"Then where have the children gone then?!" demanded the first woman. "Do you know where they could have gone?!"
Both the Tsukino siblings went silent, unsure.
"Do you two have any proof of her innocence?" questioned the second. "And are you involved in this, too?"
"First of all, we don't have anything to do with this!" barked Harusuke. "And second, the same could be said for you two!"
"Yeah! You don't have any proof that she's guilty, either!" Usagi also shouted. "You're both so overwhelmed by stress that you'll accuse just about anyone, and you're only accusing because Mii and the others happened to have those amulets!"
The two women glared, and Harusuke and Usagi glared back at them. Then, Rei suddenly shouted.
"ALL OF YOU! JUST LEAVE NOW!"
Everyone jumped at her outburst and stared in stunned silence. Then, Ms. Shizu's group walked away, but Usagi's stayed behind.
"Hey. Are you OK, Rei?" Usagi asked quietly.
"It's always been like this, ever since I was little," Rei spoke quietly. "My spiritual powers have always made me into an outcast." She sadly looked at the ground while scowling in frustration. "Why did I have to be born like this? I just… don't get it."
"Hey, you don't need to worry," said Harusuke. "We know you didn't do anything wrong."
"And we're going to help you find Mii!" concurred Usagi. "I'm sure that we can!"
Rei looked up at the two, a brief glimmer of hope flickering in her eyes before she turned away.
"Thank you very much, Usagi. Harusuke," she said quietly. "But it's for the best that you both stop getting involved with me and coming here."
Both Usagi and Harusuke wanted to say something, but neither of them couldn't find the words.
But believing that Rei needed some space, the two Tsukinos started to walk away. But as they did, Luna left something behind Rei on the ground. It was a small pen that looked oddly similar to Ami's, but it was red and had a different symbol on the end.
"Luna. Isn't that..." began Usagi.
"There's nothing more we can do for now," interrupted Luna. "We should go."
She then scampered away, and the two Tsukino siblings followed.
No sooner than when they were gone, Rei then turned around, staring at the gates wistfully with some regret. Then, her eyes fell upon the pen lying on the ground.
What's this thing?" she wondered. "Did one of those two accidentally drop this?"
Then she heard a couple of girls over at the shop where Jed was.
"We'd like to buy some love amulets, please!" they said.
"Of course," smiled Jed. "And what colors can I get for you?"
As the girls tried to decide what colors they should get, Rei couldn't help but think about what Usagi had said before about the amulets, which made her feel suspicious, particularly of Jed.
She then went to the room of the sacred fire and then sat down in front of it.
"Now that I think about it, we've been selling a lot of amulets ever since Jed came here," she thought. "Not to mention that a lot of people have been visiting, too. But why would the buses that go to the shrine suddenly disappear? What's the connection?!"
Then suddenly, Rei's faithful crows let out a squawk, sensing danger, and Rei immediately looked behind her towards the door.
"Who's there!?" she demanded.
The door opened, revealing Jed sitting in front of the doorway. "It's only me, Ms. Rei," he said. "I just wanted to tell you that your meal is ready now."
"Please leave!" said Rei. "You're distracting me!"
"My apologies," said Jed as he slowly shut the door.
As he did, Rei couldn't help but notice the evil glint in Jed's eyes. It made her feel uneasy.
"Those eerie, ice-cold eyes of his..." she thought. "Could they be the reason that my prophecies and divinations aren't going well?" She then looked back to the great flame before her. She then closed her eyes and began to focus. "Please, great flame," she said. "Where is the origin of this evil? What is the cause of this misfortune?" She then made hand signs with her fingers while chanting a mantra.
"Rin, Pyō, Tō, Sha, Kai, Jin, Restu, Zai, Zen!"
Then the flame roared and flared, burning brightly, and then Rei saw an image of a person in the fire. The person was Jed, who was, in truth, Jadeite. The moment it did, she knew that he was responsible for the events that occurred. She then raced to another room, bursting through the doors with her faithful crows close behind her, where Jed stood in the darkness.
"So, you're the cause of all of this evil!" she growled as she stomped up to him.
"I... don't understand what you mean," Jadeite spoke, feigning ignorance.
"Don't play dumb with me!" barked Rei. "My trusted flames have shown me the truth! I know that you're the root of all the evil here! So stop hiding and reveal your face to me!"
Jadeite then smiled evilly and chuckled. "So, you knew foolish girl," he said. Then, with a wave of his hand, a black portal appeared right behind him. "But now that you know, you will join the others!"
And before Rei had a chance to react, she, along with Phobos and Daimos, was sucked inside the portal and disappeared into the darkness, with Jadeite smiling evilly with triumph.
Back at the bus stop, Usagi, Harusuke, and Luna were hiding behind the corner, waiting once again for the bus. There was a long line of girls, ripe for the taking like yesterday. As they waited for the bus to arrive, Usagi and Harusuke were still curious about the pen that Luna left.
"Hey, Luna. Why did you leave that pen with Rei?" asked Usagi.
"I just wanted to confirm something that I've been wondering about," said Luna.
"Confirm something?" wondered Harusuke. "Like what exactly?"
"Nothing that you two need to worry about," said Luna. "I'll explain it to you both later. Right now, you two need to get on that six o'clock bus today, no matter what!"
"Yeah... we know... but..." said Usagi hesitantly, still feeling a little frightened from yesterday.
"Come on, Usagi. We can't afford to chicken out this time," said Harusuke. "We have to get on there and get to the bottom of these disappearances!"
"That's right! You must conquer your fear!" added Luna. "You are a sailor guardian, after all!"
Usagi then pouted. "Alright, I know! I wish Ami were here! She even said that she would go with us!"
Then, sure enough, the bus came looming over the horizon of the road, coming right towards them. Usagi's face immediately paled upon seeing it as it pulled up to the stop.
"Look! There it is!" said Luna. "It looks like we're going to have to do this without her! Let's go!"
"What?! You gotta be kidding me!" squeaked Usagi as she immediately grabbed the pole. "I changed my mind! I'm too scared!"
"Oh, come on! Not this again!" sighed Harusuke. "Come on, Usagi! We have to get on! Now, let's go before it leaves us behind again!"
With Luna grabbing a mouthful of her skirt and Harusuke holding her hand, they both tried to pull Usagi away from the post, but Usagi held on like a bulldog and wouldn't let go.
"Come on, you two! Give me a break!" she wailed. "There's no way I'm getting on that evil bus!"
Suddenly, she got an idea. She immediately let go of the post, causing Luna and Harusuke to fall backward on their bums, and then she whipped out the Disguise Pen.
"Oh no, what's she gonna do now?!" cried Luna.
"Don't tell me that she's going to..." began Harusuke.
Then, Usagi raised the Disguise pen and activated its powers. "MOON POWER! Turn me into a gorgeous flight attendant!"
In a brilliant flash of light, Usagi transformed. She now wore black high heels, a navy blue miniskirt with a jacket to match, a red bow, and a flight attendant's hat. Her hair was also shorter and tied in buns.
"There we go," she said, sighing with relief. "Now, I won't be so scared now."
"But... why a flight attendant?!" gawked Luna.
"Yeah. Last time I checked, this was a bus, not a plane," said Harusuke flatly. "Then again, beggars can't be choosers, especially with this situation. Let's go, guys!"
"Yeah! Hold that bus!" yelled Usagi as she, Harusuke, and Luna climbed on board.
When they got inside, a shocking sight awaited them. All the girls who had just boarded the bus were now unconscious, unaware of anything going on.
"What is all of this?!" gasped Luna.
"They're all out cold!" cried Harusuke.
Usagi then angrily turned to the bus driver. "Hey, you! As a flight attendant, it's my sworn duty to see that passengers have a safe and pleasant trip!" she said. "So, we won't let you take over this bus!"
Then, the bus doors suddenly closed behind them, and the bus began to move. It rolled forward, and then it started to float up into the air like before towards a black portal. Usagi, Harusuke, and Luna could only hold on to dear life as the bus entered and disappeared with them inside.
Back outside, Ami arrived in time to see the bus disappear into the black vortex and then disappear again. She sank to her knees in despair, unable to believe what had just happened.
"No... I'm too late!" she cried.
Soon, the bus came to a complete stop in a strange and alternative dimension. The bus driver pushed Usagi, Harusuke, and Luna out of the bus and onto the ground. Usagi immediately burst into tears from fright and pain.
"Usagi! You have to calm down!" said Luna.
"How can I when we don't even know where we are?!" she wailed.
Harusuke then looked up and saw something that made his eyes go wide. Above him, there wasn't one, nor two, but three buses floating in the air with dozens of girls inside.
"No way! That bus wasn't just the first one?!" he cried.
Then, the bus driver leaped out of the bus and landed in front of them. At the same time, another portal opened, and someone fell out into the bus driver's arms, who immediately put the said person in a headlock, not wanting the person to escape. That person was Rei. Not only that, but the driver shed her disguise, revealing her true identity as the monster Kigaan. She had brown skin, long red hair, and a long green dress.
"Oh, crap! It's Rei!" exclaimed Harusuke. "And the bus driver is another one of Jadeite's monsters!"
"Harusuke! Usagi! You both have to transform into Sailor Moon and Solaris!" cried Luna.
"You got it, Luna!" acknowledged Harusuke.
"I'm so sick of this!" wailed Usagi, who was still crying, but then she stopped crying and stood up bravely. "But I'll do it!"
Luna and Harusuke face-faulted in surprise, but they quickly recollected themselves.
"Atta, girl, Usagi!" cheered Luna. "Your carefree spirit and optimism are your true strengths!"
Then Usagi and Harusuke sprang into action.
"MOON PRISM POWER MAKE UP!"
"SOLAR GUARDIAN POWER FLARE ON!"
Transformation Sequence: Usagi
Usagi's body shone with rainbow-colored light as she seemed to spin around. Then, from her brooch, it flashed pink, and pink ribbons shot out, wrapping her upper torso and midsection, and became a white leotard with a red bow in the center and a blue collar with white stripes. Next, Usagi crosses her arms as more pink ribbons cover them, turning into long white gloves. Then, the pink ribbons wrap around Usagi's legs and turn into red thigh-high boots. Then, a blue skirt appears around Usagi's waist with a red bow in the back. Then a tiny gem starts glowing in the middle of Usagi's forehead, a gold tiara with a red gem, a pair of dangling crescent moon earrings, and a red choker with a moon on it appear along with red circular accents in her hair buns. Usagi then strikes her signature pose as the Moon shines behind her.
Transformation sequence: Harusuke.
Harusuke's bracelet begins to glow as Harusuke holds it in the air. Next, the symbol of the sun starts to shine on Harusuke's head as golden yellow and silver light envelop his body. First, the sun appears above him, shining its light upon him. Then, while Harusuke bathed in its light, a silver jumpsuit with gold lines on his hips formed around his body. After that, the light shone on his legs, and long golden metal boots that went up to his knees appeared on his legs with silver hexagon knee pads. Next, the light shone on his arms, and then golden gauntlets appeared on his hands going up to his wrists. Then, a yellow symbol of the sun materializes in front of him, crashing into his chest and making a golden piece of armor appear with silver shoulder guards. Finally, a silver helmet covers his head, exposing his hair and making it stand up with a mouth guard covering his mouth and nose. Finally, Harusuke's eyes open, and he strikes his signature pose as the symbol of the sun appears behind him.
"I'm the pretty guardian who fights for love and justice! I am Sailor Moon!" she said. "And in the name of the moon, I'll punish you!"
"And I'm the knight with the brilliance of the sun and the courage of a warrior who also fights for love and justice!" he said. "I am Solaris! And in the name of the sun, with my blinding rays, I'll scorch you!"
"It's about time you two showed up," growled Kigaan. "I've been expecting you, guardians!"
"Let Rei and everyone else go!" demanded Sailor Moon.
"Yeah! We won't let you keep them trapped here!" said Solaris. "So, save yourself some trouble and give up now!"
"Why don't you make me?" growled Kigaan as she tightened her grip around Rei's neck.
Rei whimpered as she tried to get free, but she couldn't. Then suddenly, a strange glowing red symbol appeared in the middle of the girl's forehead.
"That mark!" gasped Luna. "That means...!"
Sailor Moon immediately went on the attack using her signature attack with her tiara.
"MOON TIARA ACTION!"
The white disc zipped through the air right towards Kigaan and Rei, but with a great leap, while still holding to Rei, Kigaan dodged the attack and landed safely on the ground. Then there was a pair of squawks and caws as Rei's faithful crows, Phobos and Daimos, swooped down and attacked Kigaan, forcing her to let go of Rei. Solaris then saw his chance. He immediately went over to Rei and carried her to safety while Sailor Moon attacked again with her Moon Tiara Action. This time, as Kigaan fended off the crows, she caught it with her hand, blocking it.
"Nice try, but did you think that your toy can defeat me?" she sneered.
Sailor Moon grinned. "No, but it did make you fall for my trick!"
Then, the white disc expanded and wrapped around Kigaan, binding her. Sailor Moon then went over to Solaris, who was setting Rei down on the ground.
"Rei, are you OK?" she asked. "You're not hurt, are you?"
"No, I'm fine," replied Rei. "Although I don't know what's going on!"
"Rei listen to me," said Luna. "Do you still have that pen I left you?"
Rei looked at Luna, and her eyes widened. "Hold on! Did that cat just speak to me?!" she exclaimed.
"I'll explain it all later," said Luna urgently. "Now, if you still have that pen from earlier, then take it out right now!"
Rei dug into her haori and pulled out the pen in particular. "You mean this?" she asked.
Luna nodded. "Use it to transform into Sailor Mars, the guardian of fire!" she said. "All you have to do is hold that pen up and say, 'Mars Power, Make up!' "
Then, with a mighty roar, Kigaan managed to break free of Sailor Moon's binding as it fell to the ground, turning back to a tiara.
"I don't even know what's going on!" said Rei as she stood up. "But I'll give it a shot!"
She then held up her pen and shouted out her transformation phrase.
"MARS POWER MAKE UP!"
Transformation Sequence: Rei
The symbol on Rei's pen begins to glow in a bright shade of red as she holds up her transformation pen. Then, it starts to spin around as it shines and envelopes Rei in red light. As she holds up her pen and turns around, long tongues of flame erupt from it, forming several rings around her body. They tighten around her form, and in a brilliant flash of light, her uniform forms, looking similar to Sailor Moon's, but she is wearing red pumps along with a pair of red star-shaped earrings, the center bow is purple, and the rims of her gloves, her skirt, her choker, and collar are red. After that, Mars finishes with her signature pose.
"I don't believe it!" cried Sailor Moon in amazement. "Rei's a guardian too?!"
Sailor Mars looked at herself, surprised by her transformation as well. "What... is this?!" she murmured with wonder. "What's happened to me?!"
Solaris stared at Sailor Mars, feeling just as surprised, too, but then it happened again. Solaris saw several visions: a white castle under the stars, a shadow of a young man bowing before a woman, and the same man carrying a sword leaping into battle. This time, he could see that the woman the man was kneeling to was a young woman in a white dress with long flowing hair; however, he couldn't make out who it was.
"It... it happened again! Just like when Ami became Sailor Mercury!" he thought to himself. "What the heck is going on here?!"
Then, Kigaan let out a roar, catching his attention, and she gunned straight for them.
Reacting quickly, Solaris punched his fists and conjured a sphere of light in his hands.
"SUNSHINE METEOR!"
With a mighty roar, he punched it in Kiggan's direction, striking her in the midsection and exploding upon impact. Kiggan shrieked in agony as she stumbled from the smoke, recoiling in pain.
"Now, Sailor Mars!" yelled Solaris. "Finish her off!"
Sailor Mars didn't react at first but quickly plucked up courage. "I don't know what's going on here, but you're going to pay for your evil deeds, you wicked monster!" she spoke bravely.
She clasped her hands together with the index fingers pointed, conjuring a fireball at the tip of them.
"MARS FIRE SOUL!"
She then shot the fireball right at Kigaan, engulfing the monster with a pillar of flame and making her shriek in agony. She soon was incinerated, the fire reducing her to nothingness.
"All right!" cheered Luna. "She took her out with a single attack!"
Then Sailor Moon began to panic as she noticed something. "Guys, look!" she cried as she pointed from above. "What's going on?!"
Everyone looked up, and sure enough, the black portal from above them was beginning to shrink and disappear.
"This is bad!" said Luna. "Because of that monster being defeated, the portal's starting to shrink and close!"
"Then we gotta get out of here as soon as we can before it closes!" said Solaris.
"But how do we do that?!" cried Sailor Moon.
"I don't know!" said Luna. "Your guess is as good as mine!"
"Wait! Aren't you supposed to know these things, Luna?!" cried Solaris. "You're one of the brains on this team!"
Sailor Moon began to panic more than before. "Oh no! What are we going to do?!"
Outside of the dimension, Ami was still at the bus stop, waiting for her friends to come back. It was already nightfall, and she had just about lost all hope. Then she took out her pen and held it close to her chest.
"Usagi, Harusuke, Luna, everyone! Please be safe and come back!" she prayed in her thoughts.
Then, her pen began to glow, and a blue beam of light from her pen shot into the air, piercing through something in the air and disappearing.
The portal was just about to close, sealing everyone inside the dimension forever, but suddenly, a blue pillar of light shone through the portal, keeping it open.
"What's that?!" asked Sailor Mars.
Solaris squinted, and then he smiled upon recognizing the light. "It's Ami!" he cried happily. "I'm sure of it! I don't know how, but she's using her power to keep the portal open so that we can get out of here!"
"Quickly, everyone! We got to head toward the point where the light is emerging!" said Luna.
Then, as they headed for the buses, an unexpected visitor was found in the driver's seat of one of the buses. It was Tuxedo Mask.
"Hey there! You guys need a ride?" he called out. "I can drive you!"
"Tuxedo Mask! You're here!" squeaked Sailor Moon happily as her eyes turned into hearts.
"Wow, he's cool," said Sailor Mars, who was impressed upon seeing him.
"Look! We all know how cool he is to you girls, but now's not time!" said Solaris. "Let's get on the bus and get out of here!"
The four then boarded the bus, and then, with the other two buses tied onto the bumper of the first, Tuxedo Mask drove them through the portal, exiting the dimension.
Back outside, Ami was still praying for her friends' safe return. Then, suddenly, the black vortex opened before her, and three buses emerged from the portal. To Ami's joy, she saw all of her friends inside waving to her.
Just above them, standing on a railing from a building, Jadeite watched on from afar, fuming.
"Damn it, not only did those guardians foil another plan, but now there's another one?!" he growled. "It seems that I underestimated them, and they're worthy opponents! But next time, I'll crush you all next time without fail!"
He then retreated into the Dark Dimension.
Sailor Moon, Solaris, and Luna all went to Ami and reunited with her. Sailor Moon gave Ami a big hug.
"Thank you so much, Ami!" she said gratefully. "You saved all of us!"
"Yeah! You saved the day by keeping that portal open!" smiled Solaris.
"I'm just glad that you're all safe!" said Ami as she wiped her tears.
"And not only that, we have Tuxedo Mask to thank, too," said Sailor Mars. She turned towards the bus, expecting Tuxedo Mask to be there, but she was surprised to see that Tuxedo Mask had disappeared.
"Aww! He disappeared!" said Sailor Mars, sounding disappointed. "I wonder where he went."
"Hey! I saw that!" barked Sailor Moon. "Don't tell me that you're falling for Tuxedo Mask, are you?!"
Sailor Mars then went as red as her skirt. "Don't be ridiculous!" she snapped. "I only wanted to thank him for helping us save the passengers! Besides, you're the one who probably has feelings for him!" She then looked at herself. "But more importantly… What's with these clothes I'm wearing? Does this mean…?"
"That's right. You're a guardian just like the others are," smiled Luna. "The guardian of fire and passion, Sailor Mars."
"All right! That means Rei makes guardian number four!" Sailor Moon spoke eagerly.
Sailor Mars could only stare, still stunned.
A little while later, Mii woke up and found herself in Rei's arms. The sounds of police sirens filled the air as everyone on the buses regained consciousness.
"Mii, it looks like you're awake," said Rei.
"Rei! You're here!" gasped Mii as she looked around. "What's going on? How did I get here?"
"The Guardians came and rescued you," explained Rei. "They then brought you and the others back here."
Just then, Ms. Shizu and her friend came up, and when Ms. Shizu saw Mii, she immediately broke down in tears and tightly embraced her daughter.
"Mii! Thank goodness, you're all right!" Ms. Shizu spoke thankfully. "I was so worried!"
Rei could only smile and turned to leave to give them their moment. Then, Ms. Shizu's friends approached her. Both of their faces were filled with guilt.
"Excuse us. We wanted to apologize for what we said to you," said the first. "We shouldn't have been accusing you."
"Your two friends were right before," said the second. "We were so stressed and worried about Mii and the other children, and we acted horribly."
"Yes, you did," Rei admonished, but not before smiling warmly. "But Mii and the others are safe, and I'm willing to forgive and forget."
She then walked away and joined her new friends, Usagi, Harusuke, Ami, and Luna, who were all waiting for her.
"It looks like everything worked out," smiled Luna.
"Yeah, and we're so glad that you're one of us now, Rei," said Ami. "It's a pleasure to meet you."
"And we're also so glad that we found you," smiled Usagi with a wink.
"And you may call yourself an outcast, but we've been needing someone like you," said Harusuke. "And also, I speak for everyone when I say we're proud to call you a comrade and a friend."
Rei couldn't help but smile happily as the group then set off for home.
