How do I get myself into these things? Sailor Aries asked herself philosophically as she eyed the sparkling mass of creatures in front of her. Just because I am trying to thwart an evil race of crystal beings from the future from killing a bunch of kids doesn�t mean that I am someone to be stalked down and killed.

Seeing a glint to her left she brandished her glaive in that direction, hearing the sharp crack and the quick scream as she shattered yet another mindless drone. They had managed to totally surround her out in front of that old mirror store. And there were more coming every minute.

Reviewing the events of the day she couldn�t think of anything she had done to deserve this. But then crystals didn�t seem to need reasons.

It all started out easy enough. Sleeping in on her lovely weekend, the blankets pulled up over her head to shut out the bright morning sunlight. Or was it afternoon sunlight? Hearing a noise from the living room that she quickly identified as a much too awake Ki and Ai, Hi decided it must be afternoon. The younger girls both knew better then to disturb her before noon on a Saturday. That wasn�t the worst thing though. As the sleepy redhead pulled the blankets down to eye the now open door to her room with one bleary red eye, she groaned upon seeing �Dair and Mizu there.

�Go �way,� she mumbled, sending a glance at the glowing numbers on the clock next to her bed to see it was just after one in the afternoon before pulling the blanket up again.

Mi snickered and Hi groaned, clutching the blankets as she heard him walking across the room towards her bed. �Rise and Shine Little Sis,� he said impishly pulling the blankets away to reveal the sleep-tousled girl who was now glaring at him angrily.

�Dair took in her sweatpants and muscle shirt as well as the tangled mass of red hair fanned out on the bed under her and laughed outright. �Not a good morning person.� He commented needlessly.

Hi sat up and glared, however the effect was spoiled when her hair fell over her face, covering one eye. �What are you two doing in here?� She half snarled at them.

Mi grinned again, thoroughly enjoying himself. �Jalinel got a feeling and we thought you would like to go out looking for another Soldier with us.� He announced, ruffling her hair and making even more a mess of it.

Hi perked up at the thought of a new Soldier and swung her legs over the side of the bed before realizing something and scowling. �I�m grounded, now go off and look and let me sleep!� She declared as she tried to lie back down.

�Dair laughed again and shook his head as Mi grabbed the protesting Hi and levered her out of bed.

�And how would we search without you, fearless leader?� He grinned at her as she tried to hit him.

�I understand why Ai-chan and Ki-chan sent us in here instead of coming themselves, they obviously know what she is like.� �Dair commented, leaning against the doorframe as Mi wrestled his younger sister towards the bathroom connected to her room.

Hi sent a glare at him over her shoulder. �Shut up I�m mad at you too you know.� She announced huffily before batting at Mi�s hands again. �And alright! I�ll move but I need to brush my hair first! Now out!� She declared, sending the two laughing men out of her room with a glare.

It took her about twenty minutes to get her hair brushed out and to shower. When she walked out into the living area of the apartment dressed in black jeans and a red mini tee she felt almost human.

She stopped and blinked, then blinked again, her fingers knotting her braid up about halfway down the length of her damp hair as she took in the scene before her. It was eerie to say the least. �Who are you and what have you done with the people I was looking for?� She asked immediately.

Ai snickered as she looked up at her bemused friend. The quiet brunette was dressed in her normal feminine attire and was sitting on a couch talking quietly with Mi who also had on his normal hooded sweater and jeans. They were the only people she could say looked really normal. �Dair and Ki were sitting on the couch. �Dair was wearing worn looking jeans and a simple t-shirt covered with a denim jacket. It was the first time Hi had seen him in anything that didn�t look like it would fit into royal company. Ki was the next surprising bit. Although dressed in her normal tomboyish way, the loud energetic girl was sitting calmly on the couch. Drinking tea as she watched Jalinel silently. The most awe-inspiring thing, however, had to be Jalinel and Hi�s mother. Jalinel had toned down his silk psychic clothes to wear a sleek pair of jeans and a green windbreaker covering a t-shirt. And he seemed to be flirting with Miaka who was blushing like a teenager.

Hi groaned and turned her back, fully intent on giving up on the whole being awake thing to just go back to bed to forget that scene.

Ai bounced up with a laugh and grabbed her friend�s arm. �No you don�t Hi-chan, it�s time to go out now or we�ll miss the movie!�

One of Hi�s eyebrows shot up but she was distracted when Jalinel stood and bowed over the blushing Miaka�s hand before kissing it. �Arigato Miaka-san,� he said with a charming smile. �I�ll make sure your daughter returns before it gets too late.�

Hi stared again, dumbfounded before hearing the snap of an elastic. Ai had untangled the knot Hi had made of the braid and finished it quickly. Before Hi could protest or ask anything, she was pulled from the house.

Seeing �Dair open his mouth to explain, Hi sighed and shook her head. �I really don�t want to know how you got me out of chores for the day, demo, arigato. So where are we going anyway?� She asked curiously a minute later.

�There is a man by the name of Blaize who wanders around the clubs downtown. There are lots of rumors down there of people and things made of crystal and glass and he seems to take down any of them who threaten people in the clubs he frequents. He calls himself The Lion.� Jalinel explained. �I did a reading trying to find out about him and he does seem to have a different aura then most people as if his other self is half awakened and he is fighting it.�

�Wow,� Hi felt her eyebrow rise again then grinned. �I should sleep in more often, then I won�t have to worry about finding the rest of us anymore because you will do it all on your own!�

Jalinel blushed and Ki laughed, coming out of the unnatural silence that had hung over her.

They had found Blaize easily enough. He wasn�t what they expected though.

Hi stared at the man in front of her. They had found him walking through and alley and Jalinel had stated this man matched Blaize�s aura. She could see how he got the name Blaize fairly easily. His hair was only a couple inches long and stood up in spikes on top of his head. It was bright orange with brilliant yellow streaks. His eyes were also orange and although his jeans were a subdued black, Hi�s eyes almost hurt from the neon color of his orange tank top that covered his tanned chest.

�Whatcha want?� He asked rudely, crossing his arms over his chest.

Hi raised one eyebrow and looked over her shoulder at her friends, seeing they were as surprised as she was.

Jalinel shrugged. �He has Leo�s aura, I can feel it defiantly from here.�

Hi sighed and massaged her temples. This wasn�t going to be as easy as she had first thought. �My name is Miraino Hi. I�m also known as Sailor Aries. We have discovered that you have the soul of one of our comrades inside you and would like you to join our group to help us protect the children that will be needed in the future.� She said shortly, deciding to keep it simple.

Blaize stared at her and then laughed. �Yeah, sure babe. That�s a nice offer but I got things to do here y�know? So I�m sorry I�ll hafta say no. If you wanna come over to visit me I�ll be more then happy to get down and dirty though. Haven�t had a redhead in a long time.� He declared, leering at the stunned Hi.

Hi�s mouth opened, then closed, then opened again and she growled as a blush spread over her cheeks. She raised one fist and lunged forward angrily, red eyes flashing fire. The man was only a couple inches taller then her and couldn�t be more then a year or two older. She could take him. Never mind that he had about fifty pounds more muscle on him then she had.

�Dair�s hand snapped out, and he grabbed Hi�s braid and one of her arms pulling her back against him to keep her away from the arrogant man even as his dark green eyes glared daggers.

Ai and Ki looked stunned, unable to move as Blaize�s gaze swung to them. �Maybe you two want to join us?� He asked cockily. �Having three girls is much better then just one redhead no matter how much temper she has.� He grinned and set one hand on his hip.

Mizu snarled and pushed his hood down as he cracked his knuckles. �Leave off my sisters,� he said in a soft voice, his black eyes promising retribution. He then lunged forward, tackling the smaller man to the ground in a flurry of fists.

Hi couldn�t believe what was happening, she stood there in �Dair�s arms, unable to react and knew Ai and Ki felt the same way.

Jalinel tried to interfere, but the slim man was knocked back in a swirl of long green hair. Hi saw the glint of the pin on his chest as he passed his hand over it and paled. �Jalinel don�t!� She cried but it was too late.

�Cancer Celestial Power Make Up.� He said softly. Seconds later Sailor Cancer stood in the alley in Jalinel�s place. Ki put her hand on his arm, her eyes worried, but he smiled. �Don�t worry, I just need the extra strength to separate them.� Ki nodded and stepped back and Sailor Cancer turned to the two fighting on the ground. The longhaired man concentrated then opened his eyes. The form of the large ghost crab they had seen on the moon appeared, and then it picked up Mi and Blaize from the ground holding them apart off the ground. Mi still looked mad and Blaize looked faintly stunned as he saw his feet hanging a couple feet above the alley below.

Hi frowned as she took in the two men, Mi had the beginnings of a black eye as well as a forming bruise on his cheek; Blaize had a bloody nose and a spilt lip. She sighed as she saw Mi pass his hand over his own pin and transform, splitting into his two halves before dropping to the ground.

Sailor Cancer shook his head at the two. �We are supposed to be getting him to join us, not beating him up.�

�You heard what he said about the girls! He can�t just get away with that!� Gemini replied angrily.

�Cancer let him go.� Hi said softly. Cancer shot her a look but nodded and the crab put the spiky haired man back on the ground. �Listen Blaize, you don�t want to join us that�s your loss. We will give you some time to feel the need to help on your own. But we will not wait long. If you still haven�t decided to join us by the time we collect the others you will join us. I will not let your selfishness bring harm upon the children and we need you to protect them to our best.� She held out the Leo pin and phone. �Don�t take too long to decide.�

Blaize stared at her, then sneered and snatched the phone and pin from her. Hi noted that although the others had each transformed with the first contact of the pin nothing happened to Blaize. She trusted Jalinel to know this was Leo and refrained from commenting as the young man ran off down the other end of the alley and out of sight.

Aries came out of her musings with a groan as she realized the crystals were making another move on her and quickly waved them back. She thought she had handled Blaize�s insults rather well. No reason to get this treatment. However once she had gotten home, she found herself restless, and went out as soon as her chores were finished to walk off some steam. She should have known better and had been cornered in this dark road only to watch and more and more crystals spawned out of the broken mirrors in the run down shop.

Aries backed up another step then groaned as she felt something cold behind her. �How do I get myself into these things?� She asked herself again, this time aloud. She didn�t have any more time to think of an answer however, before the mob of crystals surged forward and shoved her back into the mirror behind her.

Aries felt a terrible ripping pain, and screamed as she felt herself be torn apart. Then merciful blackness claimed her.

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