Chapter 2: New Day

The next day, when Hotaru got to school, the teacher had a surprise. "Good morning class. Today we have a new student. Her name is Emura Akari. She will be in our grade. I expect you all to treat her respect."

"Yes sensei." The class responded.

Hotaru looked up at the new student. She was small, about Hotaru's size, with light purple hair done in odangos's similar to Chibi-Usa's. She smiled at everyone but took a seat next to Hotaru. "Hi." She said. "What's your name?"

"Tomoe Hotaru." Hotaru said quietly.

"Well nice to meet you Tomoe Hotaru."

Hotaru laughed. Akari smiled. "So you can laugh." She said.

Hotaru smiled. "Yes, I can."

"Well that's great." Akari laughed.

Hotaru looked at her curiously. "What's so funny?"

"You," Akari stated.

"Oh." Hotaru's shoulders slumped and she felt her self blush.

Akari's eyes opened wide. "Oh no. Not in a bad way. I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that at all."

Hotaru's eyes looked hopeful. "Really?"

"Really." Akari said with a gentle smile.

Hotaru smiled back. She liked Akari. They didn't have much more time to talk because sensei started class. Later, at lunch, as Hotaru and Akari were talking, some of Hotaru's classmates walked up to them. "Hello Hotaru. What are you doing with the new student-trying to hurt her?"

Hotaru looked like she was trying to curl up in an invisible shell. "No." she whispered.

"Hey!" Akari spoke up. "Leave us alone."

"Fine. You can stay with the freak. But you've been warned." They laughed and left.

Akari put a protective arm around Hotaru. "Don't listen to them. I know its tough but just try to ignore them. Say, do you want to do something after school? You know, like go to the park or something like that?"

Hotaru brightened. "That would be fun. But I'd have to check in at home."

"That's fine. Do you mind if I walk with you? My parents won't care."

Hotaru smiled. "Sure."

After school, as Akari and Hotaru were walking, Akari was roughly shoved to the ground. She quickly turned around but no one was there. Hotaru knelt next to her. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"Yeah but I think I did something to my ankle." Akari gently pulled her sock down and sure enough, it was black and blue and puffy. "It's sprained." Akari said grimly.

"Here, maybe I can help." Hotaru reached and gently touched Akari's ankle. Akari watched in amazement as it healed. "Wow." She said softly. "Thank you."

Hotaru looked at her curiously. "You mean you don't think its gross?"

"No. I think its neat." Akari got up. She smiled. "Its as good as new." She said.

Hotaru smiled. "Come on. My house isn't far."

As they neared the house, they passed a section of the park that was part of a forest. Suddenly a youma jumped out of the bushes screamed like and eagle. It had the head of an eagle but very ugly and dark and its wings worked like hands and its talons like feet. "I seek the soldier of silence!" It screeched.

"Quick!" Akari yelled. "In the forest." She grabbed Hotaru's hand and pulled her into the trees.

"Come out!" The youma screeched. When it got no response it took a deep breath and screeched very loudly. So loudly that it blew away trees and bushes and blew Akari and Hotaru apart. Hotaru landed in a bunch of bushes a few yards away. She thought 'Why does the youma want me?' She turned around to try and get a better handle on the situation when all of a sudden she heard "Shut up bird!"

Hotaru peered between the bushes. There was a sailor senshi she had never seen before. She was about Serena's age. She had a light purple skirt and collar with gold boots and a gold tie beneath the collar. The bow in the back was gold and her gloves were white with purple on the edges. The tops of her boots were also outlined in purple. "I am the Guardian Sailor and I will never let capture the soldier of silence. I am Sailor Orion and on behalf of the heavens and all sailor senshi, I will never let you capture one of our own."

"Pretty speech," the youma replied, "but its not you I'm after so get out of my way."

"No." Sailor Orion replied. "I will stop you and your master at all cost."

"Fine." The youma took another deep breath and screeched again, blowing Sailor Orion to the ground. Hotaru felt like she should help and was ready to transform. The youma laughed as Sailor Orion struggled to get up. "Your not so tough, Sailor Orion."

"I'm not done yet." Orion threw her hand in the air and yelled "Orion Guardian Staff!"

Suddenly, a staff appeared twirling in Sailor Orion's hands. She stopped twirling it and held it next to her. The rod itself was purple and slightly thin. On top, there was a gold star with a hole in the middle. In the hole was a blue stone but Hotaru could not make out what kind. She paused to see what would happen next.

The youma stopped laughing and screeched again. This time Sailor Orion was ready for him. She blocked his blast by yelling "Orion Crystal Shield!" Immediately she blocked the blast like Sailor Saturn would have done with her Silent Wall attack. She didn't have time to retaliate because the youma kept screaming. Hotaru was ready to transform again when she heard three voices yell, "Shut up youma!"

Hotaru looked to the side. There were three of her friends.

"I am Sailor Uranus."

"And I am Sailor Neptune."

"And I am Sailor Pluto."

"Together we will stop you." They yelled in chorus.

"Ah more Sailor Senshi. Well like I told your friend over there, I'm only interested in the soldier of silence so leave!" The youma screeched again, knocking the three outers to the ground. This gave Sailor Orion all the time she needed. "See you later youma. Orion Crystal Blast!" A stream of energy was generated from the blue jewel and it destroyed the youma.

Sailor Orion nodded to the three outers. "Thank you." Then she jumped up and disappeared.

The three outers, making sure no one was looking, quickly powered down. As soon as they were 'civilians' again, Hotaru emerged from her hiding spot. Setsuna spotted her and rushed forward. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"Yes. I'm fine. Sailor Orion managed to keep him from finding me. But what was scary was the youma was looking for me."

"I know. That is strange. Usually its Sailor Moon or Sailor Chibi-Moon." Haruka commented.

"Oh no! Akari!" Hotaru said suddenly. She turned around and called, "Akari!"

Akari emerged from a thicket about 50 feet behind them a few seconds later.

"What was that thing?" she asked as she trotted up to Hotaru.

"I don't know. It scared me to death."

"Yeah me too. Good thing a sailor scout showed up."

The eyes of the four outers grew wide. "You mean you saw them too?" Hotaru asked, feigning innocence.

"No I just heard them. Are you okay Hotaru?"

"Yeah I'm fine. How about you?"

"I'm fine but that was a little freaky." Akari looked at the three older girls surrounding Hotaru. They were looking at her oddly. Michiru nudged Hotaru. Hotaru spoke up. "Let me introduce you to my family. This is Haruka-papa, Michiru-mama, and Setsuna-mama. This is my friend Emura Akari."

After nods all around, Michiru spoke up. "Hotaru, we had better get you home. I'll bet you're exhausted."

"I agree." Akari said. "I think I'll do that too. We can go to the park tomorrow, if that's okay with your guardians."

Hotaru looked up at her family. Haruka spoke up. "We'll have to see how she's feeling tomorrow."

Akari nodded. "Okay. See you in school tomorrow Hotaru." She waved and jogged off.

Haruka gave Hotaru the eye. "She's new in school and she's been real nice to me and has ignored the other kids completely. She wanted me to come to the park with her after school but I said I had to ask you all and so she said she would walk with me and that's when we were attacked by the youma and we jumped in here for safety." Hotaru explained.

"She probably planned for the youma to attack you there." Haruka stated.

"No. Akari wouldn't do that to me." Hotaru insisted.

Setsuna intervened. "We don't know anything right now. Haruka could be right and Hotaru could be right. But until we find out more, please be careful around Akari, Hotaru-chan. She could be friend or foe."

"And what about that Sailor Orion? Who is she? Can we trust her?" Michiru pointed out.

"Well, she did save me. And she said she is the Guardian Soldier." Hotaru responded.

"Yes, but she didn't stick around to see if things were all right." Haruka said.

"Well, neither did we when we were looking for the talismans." Michiru countered.

There was a pause while Haruka digested this piece of information. Then Setsuna spoke up. "Should we let the inners and Sailor Moon know about the youma attacks?"

"No." Hotaru replied. "Not right now. They don't seem to be after her and things could get messy if they get involved. On the other hand, if we don't seem to be getting anywhere after awhile, we might have to go to them for help. But lets not get them involved right now."

The group agreed with the young girl's wise sentiments. Then, they went home.

Akari entered her darkened home and turned on the lights. It was a small one-story home but lavishly furnished. There was only room for one in this house. Akari quickly entered a closet door and closed it behind her. She turned on the light and watched in the giant mirror on the wall as she grew into a lady of sixteen. Then, she approached the mirror and put her hand square in the middle. The room went dark and light emanated from the mirror. Akari pulled her hand away and as a woman appeared in the mirror. Akari quickly bowed. "Your majesty." She said.

The woman in the mirror responded, "Did you find her?"

"Yes your highness."

"You must hurry. Its getting worse here and all I know is it has something to do with her and the past."

"I am doing my best."

"Hurry," the woman said as she faded from the mirror.

A man had watched the scene in the park from a safe distance. He was tall with vibrant purple hair and lavender eyes. He wore a dark purple shirt with black pants. "So here's where you are, Akari." The man said to himself. "Trying to steal my prize it would seem. But I will win. I always do." The man got up and walked away in the fading sunlight, slowly disappearing. He materialized in a sort of throne room were he sat on one of the throne's. A man with blue hair appeared before him. "Your highness." The man with blue hair bowed.

"What do you want Azul?"

"Your majesty Amethyst. I'm afraid my youma wasn't able to find the soldier of silence."

Of course not you idiot or she would be with you. You must not fail Azul. Time is precious. Bring her to me soon and you will be rewarded greatly. If not . . ." Amethyst let the sentence trail off. Azul knew what failure meant.

Azul bowed again. "Yes, my king." He turned around and disappeared.

**end chapter 2**