When All the Good Angels Sleep
******************************

"No te engano la primavera		"Did spring never deceive you
con besos que no florecieron?"	with kisses that didn't blossom?"

					--Pablo Neruda
					("The Book Of Questions")


		"And I looked, and behold a pale horse: 
		and his name that sat on him was Death."

					--Bible: New Testament
					(Revelation 6:8)


The First Sheep Named Infection
-------------------------------

	"Sometimes an omen can be good, other times
	it could be bad.  Yet, either way, it will
	always bring another path to destiny.  Your
	mother once accused me of not caring enough
	to help with building the future, that I
	never followed through with my duties even
	though I am the one to start the process, and
	I told her that it would be impossible for me
	to interfer.  I knew too much after all.  It
	was my duty to say so, because I could not help.
	My duties at the gates would not allow me to 
	and my exuses kept me safe.  It made many have
	resent me and many more distrust me.  Yet, I 
	admit to you know, my Queen, the Queen that I 
	had always dreamed of and followed to make you
	real, that I had been lying.  I know nothing 
	except the goal.  One day you may forgive me for
	not telling you this, but I did not know then 
	that there could be a hundred paths taken to the 
	same lighted way.  Can you blame me?  I am only a
	guardian, a watcher of time.  I am not the begin-
	all, end-all of all things.  I only tell you what
	can be, it is your choice of what paths may lead
	you there.  But it is partially my fault that you
	are here, that you have changed 'this' way.  You
	may blame me and tell me that this is not the
	utopia that you dreamt of, but we both know 'that'
	is a lie.  You just did not anticipate the price 
	you had to pay for it."

							--Sailor Senshi Pluto
							("Letters To The Queen")
	


	They came softly like the snowflakes falling upon the Earth, 
drifting so much before descending.  Their cocoons were undisturbed by 
the locals because even the locals knew not of their existence.  Black 
as the night they were born from they descended from the outer reaches 
of the galaxy, seemingly undetected by all that lay sleeping upon the 
blue-green planet.  In many ways they resembled shapeless shadows, 
having no form and no shape, but their touch was solid.
	They had many names, yet only one name will always be 
remembered.  That was the name chosen for them by those who had 
encountered others like them - youma - demons of the night.  They had 
many purposes, but only one sall prevail.  Their hollowed sockets 
looked out into the darkness.  They made no cries to prove to the 
world of their existence nor did they see the stars sparkling above.  
All they saw was soft colors of auras, anything alive they could see.
	The movement of the small tangible thing quivered at their 
approach, one youma took notice of it.  The small creature bolted but 
before it could get far razor sharp claws slashed through its flesh, 
pinning it to the ground in a bloody mess.  The creature twitched and 
made a noise to moan in pain, yet that was the last sound it made 
before its body became still on the ground.  The youma seemed 
intrigued, but something called to it soundlessly.  Retracting the 
sharp, steely claws it turned, forgetting the dead creature in the 
sand as they trudged on toward the lights in the distance.
	Civilization was the only word that echoed in their minds.
	It was their only destination.

					*	*	*

	The florescent lights flickered in a rhythmic motion between dim 
and dimmer, casting the room in eerie light blue and black.  Soft 
breathing could be heard, the only other sound that broke the silence.  
A dark head tucked beneath folds of arms and a white lab coat moved 
slightly before settling, the white back heaving with every breath.  
An empty coffee mug lay on its side on the messy desk filled with 
papers and scattered pens.  Multiple screens were on, some with 
strange images going over them well others scrolled down information 
automatically, picking ones that were already specified.  Three old 
black telephones hung on their silver-metallic hooks as the clear, 
plastic circular dial lay peacefully on top.
	The figure shifted, mumbled something in sleep before abruptly 
waking at the ringing from one of the phone.  Jumping up in surprise, 
the man accidentally knocked over the mug that smashed into pieces on 
the ground.  "Damn!"  He swore as the persistent ringing of the phone 
called him away.  Grumbling after a few seconds of orientation, dark 
eyes flashed as an awkward hand picked up the phone.  "What?"  
Irritation could be heard from the half-wakeful voice, husky from 
fatigue and groggy from the momentary nap.
	"Morning Core, nap time's over."  A no-nonsense voice answered 
calmly over the line.
	"Apparently so."  Core grumbled as he straightened in his seat.  
"What do you want?"  He asked gruffly.
	"How's your research going Core?"  The other deftly avoided the 
question.
	"Fine."  He answered, already sleep seeping from his eyes and 
his voice became sharper and more alert.
	"Good, good--"
	Before the other could go on, he cut in.  "We know this is no 
social call so get to the point, Kalic.  Why are you calling?"  While 
he waited for the other to collect himself, Core shifted his eyes at 
the smashed pieces of the mug and swore silently again at the mess on 
the floor.
	"There had been several deaths in Southern Italy.  We're not 
sure what..." the voice trailed off.
	Core's eyes shifted from the floor, becoming more interested at 
where this conversation was going.  "Go on."  He encouraged, his voice 
softened to a smooth lull.
	"We think it might have become an epidemic.  I had thought it 
was some really sick homicides at first but now, there's too many 
death for it to be humans doing the killings."  Kalic finally said in 
a deadly soft tone.  There was no telling how the other felt about 
this, but it was evident that this was something big and something 
bad.
	"What would make you suspect that?"  Core asked.  Picking his 
words carefully.  Kalic was a hard man to impress and even a harder 
one to convince, Core had learned of this from experience, but Kalic 
had learned too to trust Core's instincts and suggestions as well.  
Most importantly, Kalic had been able to see the genius in Core's 
research.  It had surprised Kalic, at first, when the other requested 
that his name to not be publish with his paper.  Instead, Core wanted 
to send most of his work to petty professors who Core knew would 
plagiarize his work and put their name on researches not their own.  
Still, he cared about his identity more than his popularity.  He had 
no care for fame, only knowledge and the spread of information from 
the things that he had gathered.
	"In the last two days, a hundred people had been reported to 
have become affected with this disease.  At least ten have already 
died from this, twenty others are dying and the rest are showing signs 
of the beginning stages of this illness.  God knows how many more are 
infected but aren't showing signs!"  Kalic was clearly disturbed.  
Even for a hard man like him the rate that this was going was horrid.  
What's worse is that they had no idea what had caused it, nor did they 
know who was the primary host or hosts for this new disease.
	"That's only 10% mortality, Kalic, don't kill yourself over it.  
It's too early to even be sure it's the same agent that caused the 
cases."  Core said casually, though dark eyes narrowed at the words 
spoken, waiting for the response it was meant to provoke.
	"Core, I'm not joking here.  I've already sent you photos that 
came in today.  Check your email and think it over.  I'll call you in 
forty-eight hours.  Keep at least one line open for me."  Kalic didn't 
need to remind him to keep a line open for him.  One of the phones not 
apparent on the desk was the private line that only a select few had 
and Kalic was one of them.  It would stay opened at all times.
	"Yes."  But the line was already dead when he opened his mouth 
to say that single word of understanding.  That word fell only to the 
ringing of the phone.  He grimaced.  It must have been even more 
serious then he had thought, for Kalic never hung up on him before.  
It seems that the other had been concerned enough to forget his 
manners and for Kalic it would take a catastrophe to do that.  Hell, 
from the first time he met Kalic, he had thought a catastrophe 
wouldn't even be able to do that!  It was definitely something big.
	A savage grin appeared on his lips as he flicked his eyes to one 
screen.  In the blink of an eye he was viewing the photos the other 
sent him.  It was not pretty.  Now, he understood why Kalic had told 
him specifically, probably only him so far, to find the cause.  But 
something like this, you can't keep down forever, and by the rate it's 
spreading it would be out in less than two weeks.  His dark eyes 
turned solemn at the thought.  Now he had less than two weeks to find 
the cure.  "Hell, that's not enough time to get me a new coffee mug!"  
He cursed before giving a soft sigh of fatigue as he leaned against 
the chair to look at the ceiling above him.  His eyes blinked to the 
beat of the lights as he silently called to the computers before him.  
Black wires suddenly sprung up around him but he seemed oblivious to 
their dark and menacing gleam.
	They coiled around his body as the room slowly began to be 
cluttered in the cables that sprung up, crawling like snakes toward 
Core.  Their bodies twisted hypnotically before puncturing his skin, 
yet no blood came.  The screens shone and in a moment, images begun to 
pop up at speeds faster than the blink of a human's eyes.  The desk 
begun to descend into the floor until nothing remained in the room, 
not even the pieces of the coffee cup that was once on the floor 
beside the desk.    The room slowly begun to fill up with liquid as 
the lights continued to flash in an unbidden rhythm that beat against 
the ceiling.
	The hunter was out to find its prey.

				*	*	*

	"Ami-chan!"  A whining voice broke through her concentration to 
the point in which she could no longer ignore it.  "What are you 
doing?"  Curious blue eyes looked over her shoulder to the textbook in 
her lap, but she was not reading it.  Between the pages of the 
textbook lay a small compact computer; seemingly no different then the 
new trend of palm held calculators that had suddenly became so popular 
in Japan, especially in Tokyo.
	The blue-haired girl blushed at the discovery but smiled gently 
at the curious odangle-blonde who peered over her shoulder, a dark cat 
with a crescent moon upon its forehead looked equally interested from 
the shoulder of the odangle-blonde.  At the reminder of what she was 
reading, her blush faded and her face became serious once more.  "I've 
been tracking some of the activities in the other countries over the 
last few years.  Since your knowledge in politics needs to be 
expended, thus I need to keep you up-to-date, Usagi-chan."  She said 
but before she could continue, she caught sight of a shadow at the 
corner of her eye.  "Na ni?"  She whispered softly to herself, so soft 
the odangle-blonde did not hear her but the dark cat looked 
quizzically at the blue-haired girl.
	"Oh, Ami-chan!  So, that's why you've been forcing me to read 
those boring newspapers everyday, ne?"  Usagi cut in, not allowing the 
cat to do more than gap.  Irked at being cut off before she could 
start, the dark-cat gave her owner a sweep of her claws as Usagi 
squealed in surprise and pain.  "Na ni, Luna!  Why did you have to do 
that?"  The odangle-blonde exclaimed before she started to weep 
loudly.  Luna deftly pounced from Usagi's shoulder to Ami's when this 
began to happen, wanting to be able to hear for the next few hours, as 
well as to stay dry.
	"Deserved it for having such a big mouth."  Luna sniffed as she 
contently rested on the blue-haired girl's shoulder.  While the 
odangle-blonde still continued to cry.  Ami instinctively tried to 
calm the girl, yet blue eyes never ceased to search her surroundings 
suspiciously.  Seeing Ami's searching gaze, Luna began to investigate 
the general area as well but could find nothing that would have 
otherwise alerted her sense of evil that Ami seems to suspect with 
each weary glance.
	"Daijoubu Usagi-chan?"  Ami finally asked when she too came to 
that same conclusion moments later.  The blonde had calmed somewhat, 
but had noticed the delayed reaction in her friend.
	"Hai, Ami-chan."  Usagi sniffed, but the blue-eyes looked more 
concerned at the blue-haired girl.  Suddenly forgetting all that had 
been bothering herself, she smiled at her friend warmly, "What's wrong 
Ami-chan?  You seemed not yourself today."  Usagi asked gently.  
Startled, Ami looked to her blond-haired friend and for a moment she 
caught a glimpse of what Usagi might be like in a distant future.
	"I'm fine."  She replied quickly, giving a reassuring smile for 
her reply.
	Somewhat soothed for the moment, Usagi nodded as her eyes 
suddenly returned to their normal girlishness.  "Ne, Ami-chan?  Is it 
a new boy that's been occupying all your time online?  You know you 
promised that you'd look into the boyfriend department once we're in 
high school, and now it's our last year!  This is so exciting!  Of 
course, these online boyfriends are becoming such a trend in Tokyo!  
Don't tell me you been keeping a beau behind that screen of yours 
without telling me!"  Usagi wiggled her finger at her blushing friend, 
who blinked at her startled several times.
	"Usagi-chan--" the blue-haired girl stuttered.
	"Oh, personally, I do prefer flesh and blood.  I mean, I would 
never be able to just 'chat' with my Mamo-chan online without wanting 
to be next to him."  The blonde continued with a dreamy smile, 
seemingly to have forgotten her.  She sighed in relief though 
discovered too late that it was too soon to hope, "But if that's your 
preference Ami-chan, I understand.  Ne, it wouldn't be that Urawa-san 
back in junior high would it?  Or some guy you met at one of those 
classes you take after school all the time, or did you find someone 
to--"
	"Usagi-chan!"  The odangle-blonde stopped in the middle of her 
interrogation of Ami to look up and see another sunny blonde racing 
towards them.
	"Minako-chan!"  Usagi jumped up excitedly toward the other.
	Groaning, Ami quickly packed her bags.  Best get out of the line 
of fire before it gets any worse!  She thought as the two blondes 
squealed at each other in delight as if they hadn't seen each other in 
years when it was merely an hour or two.  Strange what a few classes 
of math and science would do to those two, though she could never 
understand the reasons for it, especially since she found them to be 
the most stimulating.  "Where do you think your going Ami-chan?"  
	Snapping out of her revelry she found herself backed by two 
grinning blondes.  Apparently Usagi had already filled Minako into the 
detail of her latest discussions.  Sighing in resignation, Ami set 
down her bag as Luna gave her a pitying look, wearily Ami turned back 
to face the firing squad.  "Good luck!"  The dark cat whispered before 
jumping from her shoulder.  Giving Luna a hard glare for abandoning 
her, she turned to see two girls ready to burst with questions.
	At that moment she wondered if this torture was worth it, or if 
they felt tortured just keeping it all corked up inside waiting to 
explode.  In less than a moment the two were barraging her with 
questions that she never even had time to answer.  Too bad Makoto 
wasn't here, at least then she could read her book.  But then, it was 
just her luck that the tall brunette was staying a little late during 
classes to finish her cooking, Usagi and Minako would be too 
interested in the food that the brunette would bring soon enough, and 
then Ami could get back to her books.
	Silently Ami waited for her time to escape into the quiet of the 
library, where she could finish her research.

	Luna ran down the sidewalk, giving a backward glance at the 
blue-haired girl being bombarded with squeals and questions from the 
two blondes before her.  With a pitying look at Ami and an exasperated 
glare at the other two, Luna turned toward the street.  Her blue eyes 
narrowed dangerously as she crossed the road, glad that the traffic 
was lazy and almost non-existent, before slowly picking up her pace 
toward a new destination.  Though Ami was occupied, and Usagi had not 
been much help, Luna was able to catch a glimpse at the result on 
Ami's computer.  And not just that, she could see the small window 
with the neat kanji message sighed Setsuna at the corner of one 
screen, from years of experience and the memories of the distant past, 
Luna knew well that this was not a good sign, especially with the 
apprehension within Ami's eyes shone brighter than she had ever seen 
it.  Yet, it was not just Setsuna's message that had disturbed her, 
but one that was not sighed by anything but the name "CORE" in English 
letters who had written to the blue-haired girl about a strange 
epidemic that's spreading suddenly in Southern Italy, as well as 
accounting other strange events.
	Something was definitely up.  Whether this was Sailor Senshi 
business or just a very bad omen she was not sure of, in fact, it 
could even be a trap!  But there was not much else she could do but 
investigate about it by going to someone with some insight into what 
the future held without going to see Pluto herself.  Anyway, if Rei 
weren't able to decipher what this new mystery is, Luna would 
eventually have to go to central control room to check out what's been 
going on anyway (dragging that lazy Artemis with her if she had to) to 
get the job done!
	"Luna, I finally caught up with you!"  Panted a white blurb as 
she paused in her swift jog to glance over her shoulder at the 
familiar voice.
	Giving the new comer a lazy gaze she turned once more to the 
walkway in front of her.  "Oh, Artemisu, you're way too out of 
shape."  Luna sighed as she continue on, only a little slower this 
time, out of the pity she had for her new companion of course!
	"Wait!  Wait up Luna!"  The white cat panted as he finally 
caught up.  Looking at his inability to keep up somehow made her heart 
soften slightly, but not enough to slow down too much, but at least a 
little so he could catch his breath.
	"You really should work out more Artemisu," she scolded the 
other with a twinkle of amusement in her eyes.
	"Yeah, tell that to my lungs."  The other retorted 
sarcastically.
	"Hm, I'm surprised that Minako-chan doesn't keep you in shape or 
at least on your toes.  Even Usagi-chan can do that to me."  Luna said 
with a wider grin.
	"Yeah, as if she's ever done anything to keep herself in 
shape."  Artemis grumbled.  "Anyway, how do you do it Luna?"  He 
asked, wanting her to falter.
	"All those morning jogs with Usagi-chan, especially carrying her 
forgotten lunch, can keep anyone healthy."  Luna winked playfully.  
Artemis gapped at this as the dark cat giggled at his expression.  
"Anyway, I thought you were used to chasing Minako-chan by now."  Luna 
said off-handedly with a flick of her tail, turning to the street in 
front of them once more and easily picking her way through the 
shuffling of human feet that strolled by them without so much as a 
glance.
	Artemis twitched visibly at the pun.  "I do not chase after 
Minako for your information."  Artemis exclaimed as he picked up his 
own pace, one that Luna followed easily - an action that irked him 
more.
	"Oh, right!"  Luna chuckled.  "As if having you cling to her 
shoulder and flying down the street like a kite-cat is any better."  
Luna deliberately added a little of her Japanese accent to make him 
sound like a chocolate bar.
	Artemis grumbled something under his breath about "revenge" and 
"soon".  Not really minding this in the least, Luna let him stew on it 
a little more than she would have usually tolerated his grumbles.  
After all, he deserved it, especially since he should've been using 
his paws instead of trying to catch a free ride all the time.
	It took awhile but they finally reached the wrought iron gates 
against polished marble walls that were decorate with deep-green ivy.  
"So this is Rei's school."  Artemis commented with a low whistle.  
"Man, no wonder Minako was so envious when she found out that Rei went 
here!"
	"Among other things," Luna said with a roll of her deep-blue 
eyes.
	They stealthily crept through the gates and quickly climbed up 
the tall oak trees, trying to see where Rei was taking her classes.  A 
caw from above surprised both of them, but Artemis nearly lost his 
balance when he jumped a little from the branch he was on.  Waving his 
paws frantically to try to regain his lost sense of directions, he 
yelped as his body swayed.  This was especially unpleasant a surprise 
for Artemis since he knew that though other cats may land on their 
feet, he probably won't.  He knew this was true from morning 
experiences with Minako, and it took him awhile before he could 
finally regain some balance on his small body again.  "Shimatta!" he 
cursed as he clinging to the branch to keep from falling toward the 
hard ground below.
	The cawing started anew, only this time more mirthful, joined by 
a feminine laughter that could only be Luna.  "Oh Artemisu!"  Luna 
grinned softly as she saw him climb clumsily back onto the dark branch 
already in another sulk.  "You're very comical today," she finally 
said with an added giggle that she couldn't seem to keep down.
	Glaring at her he licked the back of his paw trying to smooth 
his ruffled fur.  "Well, isn't it great that I prove to be so 
entertaining for your--"
	She strode before him and placed her nose to his in a silent 
show of fondness that immediately shut him up, another surprise for 
him since he caught up with her today.  Her blue eyes sparkled into 
his green ones as she smiled, "You're wonderful Artemisu."  She softly 
replied before turning to the ones who had disturbed him in the first 
place.
	"Luna..." he begun, but was unable to finish as she only looked 
back to him with a wink.
	"I don't think we need to search any longer Artemisu, apparently 
Rei-chan has found us, well, at least her guardians have."  The crows 
above them cawed again, one of them smoothing a feather before both 
took off, leading them to their master.  They were able to locate the 
dark-haired woman soon after.  She was sitting by the building with a 
smile on her lips as she chatted with some other girls.  Dark-hair 
spelt over one shoulder as she laughed at a joke that both the cats 
had missed, but her eyes found them before they had need to make their 
presence known.  With an animated smile she excused herself and headed 
in a different direction.
	"Where's she going?"  Artemis asked surprised.  "I was so sure 
she saw us."
	"Baka!"  Luna sighed, "She want us to follow!"
	The two crows above them cawed in agreement as Artemis shot them 
a glare.  "Oh, what I'd do to--!"
	"Careful now Artemisu, their also guardians."  Grumbling the 
white cat nodded before glaring at the crows one last time as he 
turned up his tail to follow.  The crows seemed amused at this but 
said no more, her look of gratitude though was enough.
	"Thank you," she mouthed.  And for a moment she saw the 
illusionary faces of the silent guardians of Mars looking back at her 
with gentle smiles.  'You are very welcome Luna, we are glad we can 
help those of the Moon, just like our Rei-chan is glad to serve your 
Moon Princess.  We won't forget you, Luna.  Just remember, fate send 
strange messengers!'  With that they spread their wings and fluttered 
from the trees without a sound.  'Keep your hopes alive!' were the 
last traces of communication between them before that too had faded to 
nothing but memories.
	Nodding at the enigma they left to her she turned to the 
direction where the dark-haired woman and her white companion had 
already headed off.  Perhaps, Rei-chan would be able to tell her more 
about what was to come, or perhaps not, but either way what must be 
will come.  With that in mind she looked around to make sure that no 
one was watching before quickly slipping down the path of her more 
brazen partner.
	Still, the shadows were silent.  Still they watched.
	How much they understood was not known.
	But they watched and they knew more than they would show.

	Sweat tickled down her brow as she shifted the pan from the oven 
carefully.  Wiping it away with her free hand, she then dusted away 
some of the flour that clung to her apron.  Sighing happily with a 
smile, she set down the tray on the rack to let it cool.  "Usagi-chan 
and Minako-chan would be pleased with this."  She said to herself with 
a small grin.  Just imagining the looks on those two's faces made her 
grin widen.
	It had been an uneventful year, just like the last one.  Nothing 
had happened since the defeat of the Dark Moon Circus and now they 
were working hard to catch up on all the years they had missed on 
being normal people.  It had almost surprised her when she woken in 
her bed sleeping, panicking at first at what happened to Usagi before 
relaxing at the memories of the defeat of the Nephrenia.  It was a 
relief that Tokyo was free again from the nightmarish dreams that had 
haunted her for sometime, and when they had first settled into high 
school too!  She was glad of this; glad of the peace, but something 
didn't seem right now that things have settled.  True, Nephrenia had 
lost and no longer was she a threat to their future, but something was 
coming, something troublesome and dangerous.  She knew, after all, she 
was the wielder of storm and in her heart she felt that silent storm 
gathering at the horizon, a hidden intensity that scared her with its 
unknown powers.
	Come to think of it, they never found out exactly how Crystal 
Tokyo came into being.  Never did they even question the trials that 
would follow, in fact all they could gather was that there would be an 
ice-age much like the once long ago, only this time they would sleep 
frozen for sometime before they would awaken and rebuild Crystal 
Tokyo.  Hell, they didn't even know how long it would be before they 
would sleep as a bunch of frozen icicles!
	A rumble disturbed her thoughts as she realized it had come from 
her own stomach.  Laughing softly at this with a blush that came 
across her features, she quickly gathered the stray cookies from the 
rack and packed them off in a nicely tied package.  It's about time to 
visit her friends, especially since lunch was waiting to be eaten!
	Stepping down the corridor she saw a shadow pass her, startled 
as she felt a darkness descent.  She quickly turned to find that the 
corridors were empty.  "Na ni?"  She whispered in suspicion, emerald 
eyes narrowing into dangerous slits of fiery green.
	She ran down the corridor to the nearest hall and saw nothing 
but a passing shadow that soon disappeared.  Determined, she raced 
down towards it and turned to see that it led to a darker corridor, a 
figure that nearly merged into the shadows was the only silhouette she 
could detect.  "Na ni?"  She whispered to herself, getting ready to do 
battle.  Of all of her years as a Sailor Senshi, she had never had to 
change in her school.  Disturbed at this, with a hint of discomfort 
she looked around to make sure no one was near.  Not, only that, she 
knew that even though she may be more powerful than she had ever been 
since the boast in her powers two years ago, it had also been two 
years since she used it.  I've been slacking, we all have.  Knowing 
this unsettled her somehow and distracted her as well.
	It couldn't be an enemy, she thought.  How could it be?  An 
enemy has never attacked them this time of day unless it was the 
weekend or during vacation, and what's more, it has never attacked 
them on such familiar grounds!  It couldn't be!  Maybe her mind is 
getting away from her.  But she was sure she felt a dark presence, 
strong enough for her to detect and she had no special abilities to 
sense this like Rei or any of the cats.
	Her senses told her that her target was near, too near for 
comfort.  She stepped back into her own shadows as she pressed the 
emergency button for communication.  It took longer than usual for 
them to answer, probably because they hadn't done this for such a long 
time.  The timing was bad, but still she could do nothing about it 
now, "Min'na, I sense a youma in corridor 5."  She said softly when 
four faces finally popped up.
	"Mako-chan, you can't mean in our own school!"  Usagi exclaimed 
in surprise.
	"Hai."  She said uneasily, searching the environment around her.
	"We'll be there in a jiffy!"  Minako said as she turned from the 
screen and was gone with Ami and Usagi.
	"You sensed it Mako-chan?"  Rei asked, though somewhat 
surprised, the look on the dark-haired girl's face was more disturbed 
than surprised.
	"Hai, I fear that it has a very strong presence."  The dark-
haired girl frowned at this, as she looked away from the screen, soon 
two more faces popped up.
	"Mako-chan, I want you to wait until Usagi-chan and the others 
are there.  Don't attempt to fight this thing on your own."  The dark 
cat on Rei's shoulder order, Makoto gave a prudent nod.
	"Understood," she answered.
	"Mako-chan, be careful."  Rei said softly with genuine concern.  
Purple eyes looked to her for reassurance but then the other's 
expression changed, as she felt the shadows shift behind her.  "Mako-
chan, jump!"
	No time to think she dived, feeling cold steel cut through her 
uniform and skim her flesh.  Crying out in surprise, she dropped her 
communicator as she slammed into the opposite wall.  Long fingers 
suddenly wrapped around her throat.  Damn!  She thought desperately as 
she grabbed onto the scaly arm with her free hand as she realized that 
she was in no position to transform.
	"Stop right there!"  A feminine voice cut through.  She 
immediately felt relieved that the others had gotten there on time.  
Thanking whatever gods there were that it had been indeed in school 
where the four of them attended.
	'Sailor Senshi.'  The youma muttered, but it had no mouth to 
mutter from!  It sounded like a whisper, as its face turned to the new 
comers.  She could hear Super Sailor Moon gasping in horror and could 
almost imagine the disgust on Sailor Venus's face.  Taking the 
advantage of the momentary distraction she slammed her leg into the 
youma's own and knocked the thing off balance, freeing herself when 
its dark body fell onto the cold floor.  Mercury immediately brought 
her hands to her chest and unleashed a volley of fog giving Makoto 
enough time to escape.  Somewhere in the denseness she cried out her 
own transformation and no longer was she helpless to the being that 
had threatened her life but moments ago.  "This ones mine!"  She 
called to Super Sailor Moon who was already clutching to her wand in 
the mists.
	Just when it cleared, the youma stood.  Its skin was all black 
and it had no features, only shapes and wisps of would-be hair.  Its 
hallowed sockets looked to them with their own menace as it stood and 
stalked towards Super Sailor Moon, the closest target and the most 
unwilling one.  "Jupiter Oak Evolution!"  Sailor Jupiter screamed as 
she sent the golden-green energy slamming into the darkness of the 
youma.  It screamed at the pain, only it was not like any sound she 
ever heard, and before Super Sailor Moon could do more the creature 
disintegrated into nothingness.  Super Sailor Moon stood staring at it 
in shock at exactly how easy it was, being that even the weaker youma 
they had faced had needed her to at least finish the job!
	Grinning Jupiter gave a thumb up to her fellow senshi, "That was 
easy!" she said with a smile.  Sailor Mercury was looking at her 
carefully, walking to her side before forcefully turning her one way.  
"Na ni?"  She exclaimed in surprise.  The blue-haired senshi ignored 
her complaint and continued to examine the wound that was on her right 
arm.
	"Daijoubu Mercury?"  Super Sailor Moon asked worriedly once she 
got over her shock.  Looking between her two friends with equal 
concern, but Mercury was ignoring her too, or too busy to reply to her 
questions.
	"I'll need a sample of your blood today after school and I want 
you to go home and get that wound bandaged up."  The commanding tone 
that Mercury gave her told her that it would be useless to try to 
argue.
	"Min'na!  Min'na, answer me damn it!"  All attention turned to 
see the communicator a few feet away.
	"Gomen ne Rei-chan!"  Laughed the nervous Sailor Venus who had 
bent and picked up the communicator.  "We forgotten that your not 
offline yet."
	"For gods sake de-transform before anyone can see you in that!"  
Rei snapped on the other line, giving the sheepish blonde leader a 
glare.
	"Ara, ara," Venus said.  Playfully sticking her tongue out at 
her friend.  Super Sailor Moon twitched slightly with worry for 
Jupiter and their sudden appearance in their school.  Not being able 
to help Jupiter the way she wanted to and having Mercury already scuff 
her away, she hurriedly looked around to make sure that the coast was 
clear.  They stepped into the abandoned hallway and reverted back to 
their normal selves as soon as Mercury finished checking on Jupiter.  
Minako handed the communicator back to Makoto who received it 
graciously.
	"Min'na, I better go!  Class will be commencing soon."  Rei 
explained, after they agreed on a meeting later on the day at Makoto's 
apartment as Mercury had suggested.  "Call me when it's over or 
anything else comes up!"  And without waiting for an answer Rei logged 
off.
	Makoto staggered a little when she tried to straighten from her 
lean against the hallway after she had pocketed her communicator, 
feeling slightly light headed all of a sudden without the tiled 
support of the wall startled her, and not only her, but the others as 
well.  Mercury did not de-transform, her face was grim as ever.  
"Usagi-chan, I want you to change back to Super Sailor Moon."
	"Na ni Ami-chan?  I just--" Mercury gave the odangle-blonde a 
hard glare that immediately shut the other up.  Obediently she turned 
back to Super Sailor Moon in a flash.  Though, not long before, Usagi 
would've wailed with hurt at the commanding tone her blue-haired 
friend gave her, this time she said nothing.  Whether if it was 
because of the affect of Makoto's unbalance or because of the sudden 
appearances of a youma in their school -- hitting home a little too 
closely than usual -- was hard to tell.
	"I want you to take Mako-chan home, and you should revert back 
to your Senshi form."  Mercury told the startled brunette.  "I don't 
want you to change back to your normal self unless you absolutely have 
to."  She said softly, her eyes were worried but she betrayed none of 
those feelings in her voice.
	"How can I just leave school?"  Makoto asked surprised.
	Mercury smiled at this and turned to the startled Minako, 
"Minako-chan, I hope you are still carrying your compact with you."  
The blue-haired senshi said with an amused smile at the blonde beside 
her.
	Minako grinned.  "Of course!"
	"All she needs to do is act sick, as you of course Mako-chan."  
Mercury told the tall brunette.
	"You're a genius Ami-chan!"  Exclaimed Super Sailor Moon.
	"Shhhh!"  They shushed at their excited princess.
	"Gomen."  Sailor Moon said with a blush and a sheepish grin.
	"Now get moving, when the bell rings, go to the roof and try to 
get as far away from here as you can and hopefully as soon as 
possible.  Mako-chan, transform, we can't have other's see you like 
that.  It is best that if anyone catches you, they see you in senshi 
form.  You two should leave now.  Minako-chan and I will be going to 
the nurse, she can change into you too Usagi-chan."  Grateful, the 
odangle-blonde senshi smiled at this new change of events, especially 
now that she gets to miss class.
	"We'll meet at Mako-chan's apartment after school as planned, 
stay there and make sure to report any change in Mako-chan's health, 
especially if Jupiter is affected."  Nodding in understanding Super 
Sailor Moon waited for Makoto to transform back into Jupiter and the 
two left.  Minako watched as Mercury quickly reverted back to civilian 
form as soon as she made sure that Eternal Sailor Moon was off of the 
school grounds.
	"Okay, let's get this plan rolling."  Minako said 
enthusiastically as she produced her compact from her dimensional 
pocket.
	"Yare yare," Ami muttered but complied as the two headed toward 
the nurse's office.
	Of course, Ami, already engrossed in her research on the health 
of their auburn-haired friend, did not see the pensiveness that seeped 
into the blue-eyes of her blonde companion.  For after all, though 
Minako was the leader, most of the time she didn't act it.  Even 
though she had power to boot, she was lenient and many times allowed 
Super Sailor Moon or the other senshi to do all the decision with her, 
if not sometimes for her.  How Rei and her stayed best friends was 
still beyond Ami, though none of the senshi would ever admit to not 
understanding what Rei and Minako found in common.  But of course, 
they had missed the time that Rei and Minako would quietly sit and 
discuss the events that had been happening, or when Minako would go 
respectfully up the hundred steps of the Hikawa-Jinja each time they 
had an enemy to ask for Rei's advice.  They would not know that it had 
become a secret tradition for Minako to continue the pilgrimage to 
visit her dark-haired friend even after the dangers had dissipated.
	None of the other Sailor Senshi could understand the silent 
respect that Rei had for the carefree blonde, for it was hard to win 
much ground with the dark-haired girl, especially with how the two 
girls started off.  Rei would never talk about it, but she knew that 
it would only take time for them to see that Minako was the chosen 
leader of the Sailor Senshi once Neo-Serenity was on her throne.  
After all, wasn't it Minako the one who beat the undefeatable Kunzite 
when not even Sailor Moon could?  Wasn't it Minako who killed Queen 
Beryl while Usagi faced off with Endymion?  Wasn't it Minako who had 
to fight evil since the age of thirteen?
	To Rei, the quiet moments spent with her blonde friend had made 
it clear to her that though Minako was sometimes gossipy and noisy, 
she was not stupid.  In Minako's own way, Rei had seen the qualities 
of the once ancient leader of the Sailor Senshi shining through those 
sky-blue eyes, past the millenniums of forgotten lore and hidden 
pasts.  So Rei waited and did not speak of the courage that she saw in 
the ditz blonde friend she spent more time with than any other Sailor 
Senshi, she did not tell the others that the one person who knew them 
best was Minako, and that when the final battle comes, it would be 
Minako who would finally have her chance to shine.  Instead, Rei 
waited as Minako continued to act like she always acted.  But the time 
of upheaval has arrived, and though Ami might not have seen the 
determined glint in Minako's eyes nor would she have noticed the 
increasing confidence in the strides of the blond-haired girl beside 
her, the time of rebirth has arrived and none of them would walk out 
of this battle the same as they were now.   

	"So the invasion has begun?"  The sandy-blonde replaced the cup 
back onto the delicate cream saucer.
	"The mirror confirmed our earlier suspicions, but it is clear 
that the attacks should be appearing any time now."  The aqua-haired 
woman sitting beside the sandy-blonde nodded in confirmation.
	"It is not so surprising that it is now that they attack."  
Another woman with long elegant dark hair, tinted green, answered the 
two women before her.  
	A teenage girl around fifteen sat beside her and remained silent 
through out the conversation, suddenly decided to speak up.  "Setsuna-
mama, is this the reason why I've suddenly began to grow again?"  The 
raven-haired girl asked.  Her large purple eyes filled with curiosity 
and mysterious shadows.
	All three women looked discomforted by the statement, "I hope 
not."  The sandy-blonde muttered.  It had been hard now that Hotaru 
has started her growth spurt once again.  They were forced to pull her 
out of the junior high being that it would be more difficult to keep 
her away from prying eyes now that she was no longer a little girl.
	"Daijoubu-yo Haruka-papa, I'm sure I'll survive."  The raven-
haired girl smiled as she set down her own cup of tea that she had 
been holding between her slim hands.  "Usagi-chan won't let anything 
happen to any of us.  I know she won't!"  The innocent smile radiated 
a trust and warmth that seemed much like their blonde princess, their 
savior.
	"Hai Hotaru-chan, but we will make sure nothing will endanger 
you if we can help it."  The aqua woman told her with a motherly 
smile.
	"Arigato Michiru-mama!"  Hotaru bounded from her seat and gave 
the older woman a warm hug.
	"Ne, why don't we go for ice cream hime-chan?"  Haruka asked the 
young girl fondly.
	"Great Haruka-papa!"  The sandy-blonde gave the two women a wink 
and led Hotaru to the counter on the other side of the small cafe.
	"Haruka seems happy now that things has finally settled."  
Setsuna commented, leaning back on the cushioned seat.
	"Hmm," Michiru agreed as she twirled a silver spoon in her tea.  
"Ne, Setsuna," Michiru paused.  As if searching for words for what she 
felt she finally met the curious gaze of her dark-haired friend, "I 
feel that an unrest has fallen over Tokyo once more, but the darkness 
is fainter yet my dread is greater.  I really do hope that Hotaru will 
not be dragged into this."  Setsuna sighed as she looked into the 
liquid in her cup, staring at the woman who reflected her sadness and 
her severity.  "Peace was such a nice change to the battles, I had 
hoped that the oncoming sleep would be easier."  Michiru chuckled 
softly, "I guess the Inners has truly made us all soft and hopeful 
inside."
	Setsuna smiled at this and petted the other woman's hand from 
across the table, "Daijoubu Michiru, what will be will be."
	Nodding, the aqua-haired woman smiled and the two shared a 
moment of their own peace.  "I'm glad that you've returned to us 
Setsuna."  Not knowing quite what to say to that, Setsuna found 
herself smiling slightly in appreciation.
	"Ladies, here are the ice cream," the husky voice of Haruka 
interrupted their quiet conversation.
	"Arigato," Michiru nodded as she took her cone from the hands of 
the grinning blonde.
	"Michiru-mama, I got a free cone!"  Hotaru announced proudly.
	"Oh?  And how did our little hime-chan do that?"  The aqua-
haired woman looked suspiciously at Haruka.
	"Ara, the counter-boy thought she was cute, I had nothing to do 
with it."  Haruka answered coolly.
	"Haruka-papa threatened the counter-boy," Hotaru added matter-
of-factly.
	"Haruka!"  Michiru scolded as Setsuna chuckled at this.
	"So I told the boy to buy the ice cream for our hime-chan like a 
gentleman should instead of just gawking at her."  Grumbled the 
blonde.  "It was no threat in that!"
	"Haruka-papa threatened to beat him to a pulp if he didn't."  
Hotaru spoke up once more, this time receiving a glare from the sandy-
blonde.
	"Daijoubu, daijoubu Haruka."  Setsuna chuckled at the other's 
expression.  "She has you pegged!"
	"I can see that!"  The blonde scowled at this and took another 
swallow of her cooling tea.  "Out done by her own daughter," muttered 
the blonde to herself that only caused Michiru to laugh softly at the 
comment.  Haruka gave her an amused grin but said no more.
	"Michiru-mama, do you know who the enemies are?"  Hotaru asked 
innocently after spooning a piece of the ice cream.  A silence fell 
across the tables for the three older women were still unused to her 
talking so boldly about Senshi business.  Perhaps it was because they 
have gotten too used to her youth.
	"Hime-chan, they are like shadow demons, a breed of youma we 
have never met before."  Michiru soon filled in the silence.
	"Strange that they have not yet attacked a larger area yet."  
Haruka pondered out loud.
	"They seem smarter than the ones Usagi had fought with long 
ago."  Setsuna said thoughtfully.  "It seems that they are using 
stealth instead of brute force."
	"If they are using stealth, I wonder about their strength."  
Haruka answered.
	"They seem a lot like the daimon's my father used to make."  
Hotaru added.  Startled once more, they looked to her in silent 
observation.
	"Hai hime-chan, like the daimons, but perhaps not as 
sophisticated enough to use human beings as hosts."  Michiru answered, 
saving them once more from an awkward silence.  They did not mention 
to their young daughter that it might be worse than the daimon in that 
it did not need a human host to survive and to spread.
	"How soon would you estimate when they would start attacking," 
Setsuna asked, rouge eyes staring pensively to the city below.
	"I think they have already started."  Hotaru answered softly as 
she looked down at her tea.  They understood the implications of that 
statement for the raven-haired girl had been sprouting growth once 
more, a sign that foreshadowed coming doom and dangerous battles.  A 
sign that they took on with gravity but had not yet informed of this 
startling revelation to their future Queen. 
	"Well, at least it'll be getting interesting around town 
again!"  Haruka said cheerfully, eyes gleaming with silent menace as 
she cracked her knuckles with anticipation.
	Michiru chuckled at the comment as Hotaru giggled at the wink 
the sandy-blonde gave her, but Setsuna stayed eerily silent.  The 
dark-haired woman stared down at the city as if she were seeing 
another in its place, "May our ways be lighted!"  She whispered to 
herself as the images of the looming future flickered before her eyes, 
unsettling her heart.

	Kuragari Fuma stepped in the streets of downtown Juuban.  His 
dark sunglasses covered his eyes, eyes that narrowed at the lights as 
he stepped from the darkness of the club's hallway even though they 
were protected by the dark tints.  He's blond hair stood out in this 
part of town, though he was partially glad that he was not anywhere 
near the richer parts since tourists were known to mingle during this 
time of year and cameras of the locals were also known to flash when 
they weren't gawking at the visitors, or the other way around.  As far 
as he was concerned it was best that no one took any pictures of him, 
especially since he didn't want anyone to suspect about his origins.  
For Kuragari Fuma had a problem, he was not photogenic, literally.  In 
fact, his pictures always showed up blank, as if he wasn't even there.  
He had made the mistake once or twice already and had to deal with the 
consequences, all of which had been ... unpleasant.
	Strolling down this part of the street was interesting in that 
he had never had time to observe his surroundings till now, in fact he 
had been too busy to notice anything but trying to detect any signs of 
evil.  He slung his leather bag over his shoulder before tousling back 
a wavered strand of hair as he strolled down the dirtied streets.  If 
he was uptown he'd be in a much cleaner environment, he knew that, but 
that wasn't what he was sent for.  A few nights before, the program 
dubbed "C-O-R-E" called him for a mission, a special mission that only 
he and a select few others could attend to without risk, to be the 
Hunter.  He had a feeling that the elements that had allowed him to be 
what he was now also made it impossible for him to remove the 
microchip at the base of his neck.  It was the exact same spot that 
allowed C-O-R-E to access into his brain and dispatch him for this 
mission.  And for now, it was probably surveying things to the 
scrutiny that even he would fail to do for it saw and heard everything 
that he was able to hear and see.  In a way, this program was the God 
of the computer world, if not the world of the technology world.  It 
still bothered him slightly that though he might feel real and be 
perceived as real, he was no more than a holographic image of his old 
self.  Hell, he probably wasn't even human anymore!
	Unknown to the citizens of Tokyo, or the world for that matter, 
the leaders of underground research labs had been able to start a top-
secret project for the government.  The founder for this project had 
chosen to remain silent, and even Kuragari, once known as Fuma by his 
dead friends, and Kura by his living colleagues, did not know the 
origins of his 'birth'.  Birth in that he was not born human.  
Actually, perhaps, a long time ago, Fuma was a human being - maybe he 
still had a body - but then he had somehow ended up here, a half-
ghost, half-man machine that could be perceived and touched but never 
truly known.  In truth, even if Fuma was connected to a machine and 
did indeed have a real body he would not know where to look for it, 
nor did he think he would want to if he had the chance, for who knows 
why he was chosen for this project.  It had saddened whatever heart or 
soul he had left, but not enough of it remained for him to feel truly 
sorrowful, nor did his doubts on how much his feelings were real or 
just a program made it easy for him to just contemplate upon his 
strange emotions.  His mind could not comprehend it to be real, much 
less take it seriously with any consideration of its consequences!  
Fuma's perceptions of all things were different.  His perception of 
time was warped.  In fact, he wasn't really sure how old he was.  All 
he knew was one thing, and one thing only: He was a computer program 
and his mission now was to find the entity virus, supposedly first 
appearing in Southern Italy.  His job was to isolate and discover the 
true origins of the virus itself.  This job, and his program were 
probably saving a lot of lives, researches and doctors alike.  Of 
course, none of them knew about Fuma, nor did he think he wanted them 
to know of his existence and the existence of those like him.  Stupid 
people like that tend to want to misuse machines like him, so it was 
best in the interest of everyone else that he was not known.
	True, the few that did know and had created him weren't prefect, 
but at least he had some freedom.  Though they tried to make him as 
'human' as possible, his electric mind and heart could and would never 
agree.  But when your brain's 2/3 metal and wirings, complete with 
futuristic technology and computerized chips that 99.999% of the world 
never even knew about, it can put your doubt about "where your heart 
lay" in a whole new perspective!  At least, when you are human you can 
trust that your heart is alive and real, an organism that moves to 
support the body, but when its just another piece of machinery, it can 
make one wonder just how brilliant the programmers they recruited for 
your cybernetic body and brain were.  A strange tingling at the back 
of his neck interrupted his contemplation on his own existence, as it 
had done many times in the past.
	As a precaution, he did not stop to search the grounds 
frantically for signs of confirmation.  Instead, he continued to walk 
down the street a little more.  To an ordinary observer, he was a 
clueless boy strolling down a very bad part of town, but then they 
could not see his instant link to the satellites that may be in orbit 
of Japan and checking the alleys and stores he had just passed, 
searching through data that might give him some clue to what he was 
looking for.
	His black suit that seemed typical of a young man in an elite 
university, one that made him stand out more, but that's what he 
wanted.  Make yourself less noticeable by being noticeable; anyway, 
after a second glance most people will get bored of it.  There were so 
many sake-drinking students and they just might mistake him for one of 
those human boys.  He retreated his steps before pausing and listening 
to the soft beep on the side of his ear.  Apparently he had missed 
something because of his earlier broodings, though his biogenetic 
brain that continually scanned his environment did not.  What 
surprised him though was that he stopped before a quiet little junk 
shop on the side of the road, a store that most people would've past 
without even noticing it to be there in the first place!  "Hmm," he 
muttered to himself thoughtfully as he studied the sign that hung at 
the top of the store's opening.  He had actually been studying some of 
the 'phenomenon' that's been circling Tokyo City when he found out 
about his assignment, scanning over the stories even if they seemed 
bogus.  From what he had recalled, most of these parasites, if not 
all, seemed to prefer places that were more public or had a likely 
chance of becoming so, making it easy to take whatever it is they need 
from human beings, be it energy, memory, or an advanced host.  It 
seemed that this was not a usual place for creatures of such nature to 
take stock of, a nature that seemed imbedded into the parasites' genes 
since there seemed to be little evidence that there were other cases 
similar to these.  What puzzled him more was that, had this been a 
busy street he would've understood why the parasites might cunningly 
chosen to hide here, but it was not.  Unlike the rest of downtown 
Juuban, this part was a dump and many people avoided it unless they 
came looking for something, be it trouble, drugs, or both.  The 
traffic was at its highest at night but it was no place to seek any 
lasting hosts, nor is it any good to take over scarcely populated 
places.  Taking note to keep the doubts he had inside, he thought best 
to at least check out what's been jumping on his sensory.  If it 
wasn't the demons he was sent to look for he wanted to know what had 
enough power to cause this to go off in his head.  Maybe it'll help 
him in his investigation in understanding the strange events that has 
been happening globally.  After all, this could prove to be 
interesting!  He walked to the door and turned the knob after only a 
few seconds of hesitation, opening the creaky old brown door.

				*	*	*

	Ami examined Makoto's wounds carefully after removing the 
bandages as she frowned over the scarring that was rapidly healing 
before her eyes.  To ordinary humans, this might be somewhat of a 
surprise, but to the Sailor Senshi, it had become somewhat of a habit.  
The blood of Sailor Jupiter was already being tested, but it was not 
what worried Ami.  Though Jupiter was healing quickly she was in a 
fever.  Ami reviewed the notes she memorized from her communication 
with CORE, trying to see if this might be the deadly virus that he had 
spoken off.  Her hand did not shake at her uncertainty, nor did she 
allow herself to feel desperate for Usagi would panic and it was best 
that no one distracted her from her work or Makoto from her sleep.
	Rei bent down and replaced the damp cloth with another cool one 
and Ami was thankful for the dark-haired shrine maiden's presence.  
Minako was bringing more water from the bathroom and Usagi was trying 
to contact Mamoru.  For that, Ami was thankful.  Though the dark-
haired prince had already finished his last years of med-school, he 
had had an even busier schedule now with his new doctor's job.  Ami 
sighed as she scanned the data her computer was gathering, checking to 
make sure the results would be hers in a few more minutes.
	Rei stood up and headed for the door, "Where are you going?"  
Ami asked surprised.
	"Someone needs to cook dinner and knowing Usagi, she'd start 
complaining about her stomach soon.  We all know what a disaster zone 
Mako-chan's kitchen would be if we let 'her' cook!"  Rei said with a 
bit of a chuckle.  Ami knew immediately that the dark-haired woman was 
trying to lighten the mood and she had to admit, she was a little 
hungry.
	Luna and Artemis was already busying away at Central Control, 
looking up clues on their computers.  Maybe it had some kind of 
history on Earth or on the Moon, and from the little information they 
hoped to salvage, it might be able to help them.  Anyway, all their 
enemies had a history somewhere, this one can't be this powerful and 
still be new, can it?  Anyway, as worried as the cats were, they 
couldn't help take care of Makoto now, and they needed to do something 
useful without getting in anyone's way.  Though, somewhat painful to 
admit, they finally agreed to research what they can and leave the 
senshi on their own.  It was hard on them, with worry on top of losing 
some status as guardians, their pride was battered at this very 
moment.  Luna was especially distressed at this new brush with 
helplessness.
	Yet, the dark cat had not protested at all.  Thank the gods for 
Artemis, who found the perfect time to stick his paw in his mouth -- 
so to speak -- and make a fool out of himself just to get Luna's mind 
off of the hurt she was feeling.  Sometimes, that cat reminded her so 
much of Minako, it was amusing.
	The activities in Makoto's kitchen returned her attention on 
what she had been working on and her turn back to her computer once 
more.  The faint smile that had lingered on her lips from Rei's 
earlier banter, disappeared.  Her brow became a frown as she tapped at 
the keyboard at an almost frantic speed.  Her blue-eyes widened and 
then narrowed.  "Shimatta, it can't be!"  She whispered to no one in 
particular except for herself.  Her eyes clouded and her senses reeled 
at her discovery.
	The epidemic was now in Japan.
	Brought on by a youma and hosted by a senshi!

				*	*	*

	Alyssa Smith stepped out of her sleek, black sports car, setting 
one black booted foot onto the concrete ground of the garage.  Her 
blue eyes studied her surroundings from behind her dark sunglasses.  
Rouge lips thinned in distaste as she saw the dim florescent lights 
lining the top of the cement ceilings above her.  She walked briskly 
to the elevator, impatiently pushing on the 'up' button of the 
elevator.
	By the time she got to the tenth floor a look of boredom has 
already replaced the earlier impatience.  The door slide open to 
reveal a bustling office with large windows lining all sides of the 
room, people moved quickly in and out of the rooms as they hurried to 
their tasks.  She walked with careless saunter as she approached the 
gilded doors at the end of one grand hallway.  Opening its massive 
doors, a waiting room revealed itself, in it a much older lady with 
fading gold hair and a faked smile looked up to her startled.  "Good 
evening Miss, how may I help you?"  She ignored the superficial woman 
who quickly tried to intercept her when she went for the dark oak 
doors that the woman's desk sat next to.  "You can't go in there, 
Miss!  Not unless you have an appointment!"  The woman said hurriedly, 
a trace of great annoyance in her voice.  "Miss?  Miss!"  The old lady 
made a grab for Alyssa's arm but never got a hold of it as she turned 
to her.  Dark curls tumbled in agitation, blue eyes sparked and turned 
to liquid red as she snapped her hand out and held the older woman in 
a strangle hold.
	"I'm sorry, I think you're the one who's not where you're 
suppose to be."  Effortlessly, she threw the woman crashing to the 
opposite wall and turned back to the door.  Opening it she stepped 
through, her eyes immediately falling on the dark chair on the other 
side of the room.
	"Who--?"  The startled figure turned to see her leaning against 
the side of the door.
	"Hello, are you Christopher J. Michaels?"
	"Yes, why do you--" the door crashed open as two security guards 
rushed in to see Alyssa leaning against the door.  She did not turn to 
even look at them.
	"Intruders are never welcome, you must understand that."  She 
said with a frown at the interruption.  "Be gone."  She waved the men 
away and in a flash they too were sent crashing, but this time by a 
different force.
	Michaels sat there with a frown when he saw the events occurring 
before him.  His dark eyes narrowing dangerously with suspicion, "Who 
are you and what do you want?"  He demanded.
	"Me?  I am somewhat of a collector."  She said with an 
irritating smile, straightening and walking toward him like a hunter 
to a prey.  "And you Mister Michaels, have just been recruited.  I'm 
simply here to collect you."
	Dark eyes widened as he rose, "On whose authority?"
	"Mine."  She said as she grabbed his arm.
	The door thrashed open as the security group, all armed in guns 
and bulletproof vest ran in, only to find themselves pointing into an 
empty room.  
	The two had already disappeared.

	"In the last two days, six people all have disappeared.  Police 
have no idea how or who had planned this, but with each case the 
suspicions mount.  It is reported that a young woman, said to be in 
her mid-twenties with curly black hair and blue eyes would walk into 
homes and offices, each time taking a victim with her before she 
disappears.  She apparently always appears in a black suit and black 
boots, with a height of 5'7".  The purpose of her mission is never 
known and her targets seem random.  None of the authorities know why 
she has taken the people that have been abducted.  Those who were 
taken ranged from some of the richest people in the world to the jails 
of California!  It is only known that no force has yet been able to 
stop her, and her victims never seem to be found."
	"It's as if they disappeared off of the face of the planet!"  A 
brown-haired man in a baseball cap said in bewilderment.
	"Not just that, video cameras has already caught her, yet it 
seems that her image is always blurred.  Reports has shown that no 
ransom has been requested nor has there been any contact."
	"We just want our baby back!"  A middle-aged mother said, crying 
through her tears.
	"So far, no one is safe nor is there any where safe to go."
	"She just appears, and then she's gone!  Gone, as if she and the 
boss was no more than ghosts!"  A security guard told the report with 
a troubled expression on his face, though he didn't seem to mind the 
attention.  "You'd think this woman could pass through walls or 
something!"
	"The reports says that this event is not even concentrated in 
one area or location, for police of different states find themselves 
with the same problems and in similar situations in less than a months 
time!  It is the worst kidnapping series our country has ever faced, 
but there doesn't seem to be anything anyone can do.  The best advice 
the Police Department seems to give is to lock your doors, check the 
backseats of your cars, and make sure you are never alone.  Let us 
hope that whatever happens tonight, not another person goes missing 
into the unforeseen night and let us pray for those already gone that 
they are safe.  Perhaps someone else will be abducted tonight, but in 
our sincerest hopes that it not be you or anyone else you know and 
love.  Live from us at New York City, back to you Sarah."
	
	"Goddamn it!"  He swore as he kicked the desk.  "Didn't I tell 
you guys to keep this under wraps?  Now, we'll have cities filled with 
fear and anticipation!"  He kicked the desk again in frustration as 
the men around him cringed ever so slightly under his wrath.
	"I'm sorry Captain, we'll try to find out who talked to the 
reporters."  Said Luke, a highly influential agent with a dark and 
smooth baby face.  Intelligent brown eyes looked to him calmly before 
he finally set down in a huff.  "Who has time for spy hunting?  Get 
some of the lower guys to flush them out, but I'll need every 
available agent to find whatever lead we have left."  He sighed.
	"Hey Captain, you should take a rest.  You haven't slept well 
since the fifth victim was found missing and you look like you'd need 
it!"  Luke told him worriedly.
	"Luke's right, Dale.  You can't wear yourself down like this, 
especially not when you are needed."  Said another voice, this time 
distinctively female.
	The whole room went silent as all heads turned to see a 
beautiful woman in a black suit, dark tinted sunglasses was held in 
one elegant hand as blue eyes looked straight into the Captain's who 
sat in shock at her appearance.  "Well, well, well!  If it isn't the 
kidnapper herself."  The Captain said, quickly recovering from his 
shock.
	"John A. Dale, I'm Alyssa Smith; and I have come to collect my 
due."  Dale laughed in amazement at her boldness.
	"And what makes you think that I'll come with you?"  He asked 
her in amazement, wondering exactly how she got in without an 
identification card, and taking note to fire whoever let her get into 
their office so easily.  All guns turned onto her as he said this as 
the men surrounded her with weary and surprised faces, watching her 
without knowing what to do now that they had captured her.  In a way, 
they had expected that the video cameras lied, for this woman did not 
seem to fit the profile of an evil kidnapper driven by madness and 
greed, nor did she seemed the type who enjoyed delusions.
	"Because I can."  She whispered into his surprised ears as her 
slim arms circled his paralyzed body in faster than the blink of an 
eye.  He never even saw her move!
	All eyes turned to him now in surprise, all weariness gone to 
shock to see that the woman had just disappeared only to reappear next 
to Dale's side.  Then the captain was gone, and not even one man was 
able to react before they vanish into thin air.
	For she will find them and she would not allow them to escape 
the destiny she had in store for them.

	The ship was silent in its arrival.  No one saw it until it 
landed.  They shouldn't have been surprised to find another illegal 
immigrant ship on the side of the New York harbor, that is, until 
other states lined against the Eastern Coast reported similar 
findings.  What greeted them was not a happy sight.  For when the lid 
was uncovered, they found eighty dead bodies.
	Eighty dead bodies lining the Eastern Coast of North America, 
plus countless more that did not land in the United States.  The 
disease has now moved across the great oceans that had once allowed 
the Americas to be safe from the epidemics of their Easter 
counterparts.  The epidemic Kalic feared has now spread to a global 
scale.  It would only be a matter of time before the whole world goes 
mad with fear and suspicion.  The first phase of the unknown disease 
has spread and now it has sawed its seeds to the world around it.
	Still, Core slept in his hidden room, trying to discover the 
cure and recruiting as many brilliant scientists and students that he 
had watched over the last thirty years as he possibly could find.  But 
some of the people he needed were disappearing mysteriously and 
without a trace, and he found himself against a competitor he had 
never encountered before.  Not only that, a few of his networks of 
researchers has reported that the epidemic had already appeared in 
Japan and North America.  The two top industrial cities were infected, 
and it wouldn't surprise him if Germany had already had it spread 
amongst their people as well.  His search was more urgent now, 
especially with the urging of Kalic on their second conversation a few 
days back.  The disease was spreading at an enormously fast rate, the 
news of this was harder and harder to maintain as a secret
	And the world was just beginning to fall to pieces.





Dedicated to:

		His Lordship Chaos for all of his help
		during the writing of this fic!  And
		for clearifying several important
		details that I was confused over!  His
		stories are truly wonderful and so are
		his characters!  And for some strange
		and twisted reason, he still manage to
		blow us all away!  Ne, Chaos-chan?
		*strokes Chaos-chan's ego*

		Angus MacSpon for also putting in the
		time to help me, but most importantly
		for pointing out some of the worst
		grammar and style mistakes in my
		writing!  And for showing us that good
		ideas will never dry up as long as
		there are author's out there willing
		to try the possibilities!

		Antigone 2000, who gave me new
		appreciation on the relatioship between
		Usagi and Mamoru, and showed me that a
		good writer can tell the same old tale
		and still make it beautiful and
		refreshing as it was when it was first
		presented!

		And last, but not least!  Ken Wolfe,
		the author who inspired me to write
		in the first place!  And he has awed
		us all with his new take on everything!
		Made us think and made us cry, Ken-chan
		I'd like to thank you for all the
		wonderful new worlds that you've built
		with your imagination, while innocently
		making us all jealous of your awesome
		skills in writing!  Domo Arigato!

		Thank you for reading, min'na-san!

			blue@icedream.f2s.com