Jalinel was sitting crossed legged on the floor of his living room talking with Samantha when he felt something rip through him. Visions flashed in front of his eyes, jagged, cutting like glass. He was unaware of his own scream as he caught flashes of crystal all around him. Cornered, trapped, alone, outnumbered, help! A flash of red moved across his line of sight before a blade came up, holding them back for another few crucial seconds. Someone please come please too late alone. Ai-chan. A red braid swung into view as the crystals surged up over him. Aries.

Jalinel found himself lying on his back on the floor covered in a cold sweat as he tried to gasp in enough air to fill his stunned lungs. Slowly his green eyes focused on the worried face of Samantha hovering over him. �I�m alright.� He managed. �But Hi-san isn�t.� He added silently.

�What happened?� Samantha asked softly. �Can I help?�

Jalinel hid a frown, hating to lie to his friend. �It was just a vision, it tired me out is all. I think I will go to bed early tonight and rest if you don�t mind?�

Samantha still looked doubtful but slowly stood. �Alright. Call me if you need anything ok?�

Jalinel smiled and got to his feet as well, albeit shakily. �Promise. I�ll call you tomorrow as well.�

As soon as the door closed behind Samantha, Jalinel went to his coat and pulled his phone out of the pocket, pressing the Aries symbol quickly. Lifting the phone to his ear he blinked. It didn�t ring at all. But that meant there was no Soldier of Aries?

Frowning he pressed the Libra symbol. After a couple rings Ai picked up. �Moshi Moshi?� She answered.

�Ai-san? It�s Jalinel. I think something is wrong with Hi-san do you know where she is?�

He could almost hear Ai frown. �I�ll go to her apartment and check, I�ll call you back.�

Jalinel voiced his agreement and hung up the phone. A couple minutes later his phone rang and he picked it up, Ai talking immediately. �She went for a walk after her chores, she was supposed to be back about twenty minutes ago. Do you know what happened?� Ai�s voice was tight with worry.

Jalinel sighed. �I had a vision of some kind of attack that ended in a lot of pain and when I try to call her phone it doesn�t ring.�

Ai actually whimpered a bit, but still managed to keep a level head. �Taurus would be next in command, for now its Gemini. You call him and I�ll get a hold of Ki and �Dair alright?�

Jalinel nodded. �Hai.�

Hanging up the phone he swiftly called Mi. The phone rang for a minute and Jalinel almost gave up when it was picked up. �Yes?� Mizu�s voice came.

�Mizu, something is going on and I don�t know what.� Jalinel said before he explained the happenings of the past couple minutes.

Mizu sighed. �Do you think you could pinpoint where she was?�

�Hai, easily.�

�Alright then, we�ll all come to your house and then go looking for her. Call the others.�

Jalinel hesitated. �Should I contact Blaize?�

�He isn�t ready to join us. If needed we will contact him but until then we�ll try to handle it on our own.�

A couple phone-calls and a half hour later showed the small group of Zodiac Senshi walking along the road towards the place where Hi had been last.

�She was right here, fighting.� Cancer said, stopping in front of the small run down shop. �She never left here.�

�So she has to be around here somewhere.� Libra replied. Sagittarius nodded her agreement as she slid a bit closer to Cancer.

�Looking for someone?� Came a cold voice. Cancer looked up startled. Sailor Aries stepped out of the door to the shop with a hard little smile. �Now you�ve found someone and you can die.� She continued.

Cancer stared at her in stunned shock. She was made totally of crystal from what he could see. However unlike the others they had fought she still had color and her colors were very wrong. Her fuku was all black as were her eyes. Black streaks were also weaving their way through her hair, looking almost alive.

�Aries.� Libra whispered.

�Stop it!� Hi cried, watching helplessly from her prison as the mirror twin of herself raised the glaive to attack.

�Why should I?� Crystal Aries asked snidely.

Hi faltered, trying to think of an answer to that. �They will kill you!�

�Even if they do, they will kill you as well. We will still win with no one to protect the children of Mars.� Crystal Aries laughed at the glare Hi sent it.

�Watch out!� Cancer warned, pushing Libra out of the way as Crystal Aries moved in to attack the stunned Senshi of Justice.

�If it looks like Aries or not, we need to beat it.� Scorpio said grimly even as his eyes reflected his pain.

�Agreed.� Gemini said softly, �But is it really Aries?�

�Don�t know. Libra watch it!� Sagittarius cried.

Libra again was pushed out of the way as Aries moved to attack. �She is after Libra it seems, why?� Gemini asked.

�I won�t fight back.� Libra whispered. �I can�t, it looks like Hi-chan.�

Scorpio nodded and stepped in front of the golden clad Senshi. �Death Devour!� He cried, flinging his attack towards Crystal Aries.

Crystal Aries laughed for a spilt second before the attack hit, but when it hit not only did a crystal voice scream in pain, but also Aries.

�I sensed her that time! It�s her body somehow taken over!� Cancer stated, watching with wide eyes as Crystal Aries slowly got back to her feet. �She is in there somewhere.�

Gemini cursed, looking torn. �What do we do? If we attack we could kill Aries. She wouldn�t want us to fail in our mission, but if she dies we fail anyway.�

�Gemini,� Cancer said slowly, concentrating on the quickly recovering Crystal. �Aries can�t be hurt my fire, it�s her own element. Can you attack and just hit her with your fire blast, let the ice miss?�

Gemini nodded. �It�s worth a try.� He crossed his arms over his chest. �Gemini Separate!� He shot his attacks off, the and the ice one crashed into the building behind Crystal Aries while the fire one slammed into her body sending her flying back. Sure enough, the only voice to scream was the crystal one.

Surprisingly, as the Crystal Being got back to it�s feet, it laughed. �You can�t stop me with that.� It said coldly, leaning on the War Glaive as the cracks along its surface began to mend. �It�s not strong enough.�

Libra touched Gemini lightly on the arm; wiping silent tears from her cheeks with her other hand. �Blaize, if we could get him, his attacks are fire. A full strength attack from him would be able to kill it where your half strength attack can�t.�

Gemini sent a quick grin at his younger sister. �Smart, you and Cancer go look for him, Sagittarius, Scorpio and I will keep her busy.�

Cancer nodded, and grabbing Libra�s hand he started running down the street.

�Do you know where he is?� Libra asked as she kept pace with the mystic.

Cancer nodded, concentrating on his power and making his headband glow faintly. �He isn�t far. You think we can convince him?�

Libra�s eyes hardened. �He doesn�t have a choice.�

It didn�t take the two long to find him, luckily he was alone when they did, sitting on a bench. As soon as his eyes fell on the two Senshi, he scowled and stood as if to fight, but Cancer didn�t give him time, grabbing him and pulling him into an alley.

�What are ya doing?� Blaize demanded, shaking off Cancer�s grip as Libra helped corner him.

�Your thinking time is up.� Libra said flatly. �We need your powers and we need them now.�

�Well that�s too bad for you ain�t it?� Blaize sneered, letting his eyes wander over Libra. �Although maybe you could persuade me��

Cancer studied the shorter man as Libra raised his staff to hold him back. His aura was a riot of colors; if he concentrated very hard he could see the vague outline of a lion with the Leo symbol glowing on its forehead overlapping it.

�I�m going to try to reawaken Leo. The lion is already half there, but Blaize is fighting it too hard.� He said softly.

�Will he want to help us if he remembers?� Libra asked.

�I doubt it will change him any. He won�t remember more than any of us do. We don�t have the bond of friendship with him yet.� Cancer said with a sigh.

�What are ya talking about?� Blaize demanded, settling into a fighting stance.

Libra shook her head at him. �Please Blaize, we need you to stop fighting and become one of us. Aries is in a lot of trouble and you�re the only one who can help her.�

Blaize hesitated. �The redhead from earlier? She had a lot of spunk.�

�She got possessed or something by a Crystal a little while ago. We can�t hurt it without hurting her but as Sailor Leo you could hurt it. Your fire attacks wouldn�t hurt her.� Libra pled softly.

Blaize paused again, and Cancer watched in surprise, as the outline of the lion in his aura grew stronger. �A Crystal? Like the ones attacking the Senshi�s kids?� At Libra�s nod his belligerent look came back. �There is no Senshi of the Sun. That is Leo�s planet right? So there is no one for me to protect anyway.�

That was it. Cancer�s eyes widened. Blaize had been fighting his soul for so long because he thought if he accepted it he would have no one to guard, and that was what the Zodiac�s were meant to do. �Your wrong.� Cancer inserted. �Leo is the protector. It is his job to protect all the other Zodiac Senshi.� His headband began to glow again as his eyes unfocused. �You are already using some of your powers to protect the people in this area of the city. You need to protect others; it is what the Lion was made to do. While there is no Senshi of your ruling planet, you are meant to protect the protectors. While there are no certain children for you to protect, you are meant to protect all children.� Cancer cut off and shook his head to clear it of the daze, looking into Blaize�s stunned eyes. �That is your purpose.�

Blaize took a deep breath, looking from Cancer to Libra. Slowly the lion in his aura solidified, then overlapped totally, and the rioting swirl of colors in the aura calmed into a more peaceful state. �So what�re we waitin� around here for? We got a babe to save.� Blaize grinned.

Cancer let out a relieved sigh, and Libra laughed softly.

Blaize stuck his hand in his pocket, digging around and pulling out the Leo pin. After another glance at the others, he pinned it into his t-shirt and passed his hand over it. �Leo Celestial Power Make Up!� A roar echoed in the distance, and a pillar of fire appeared behind him. The pillar formed into the shape of a lion, which leapt forward and covered his body. Seconds later, the fire jumped off again, and landed on the ground at his side, rubbing its head against his leg. Leo�s fuku was bright orange, and his boots, gloves and belt were trimmed in red and yellow swirled together. The Leo sign was glowing softly on his forehead and belt, and he wore a red earring in his left ear shaped to look like a drop of fire.

�Lets go!� He said, pumping his fist in the air.

When they got back, they saw Sagittarius, Scorpio, and Gemini had mostly trapped Crystal Aries against a wall. Both Scorpio and Sagittarius had cuts on various parts of their bodies, but Gemini was in his ghosts form and was unhurt.

�You did it?� Sagittarius looked surprised as she caught sight of Leo and had to jump out of the way of the glaive with a yelp when Crystal Aries swung at her.

�Attack her Leo, talk later!� Scorpio decided, also jumping out of the way.

Leo smiled faintly before he smirked and brushed his fingers lightly over his earring. �Gotcha! Lion of Fire!� As he called the words, the fire lion that had remained in the alley when they had left, roared. A trickle of fire came from the earring, twirling around his fingers before pooling onto the ground and forming a lion shape. �Attack!� Leo commanded, pointing to a surprised Crystal Aries as soon as the lion had totally formed up.

At the command the Fire Lion leapt forward. Crystal Aries only had time for a single scream before the Lion hit her, covering her in flickering flames. Seconds later, there was a loud cracking sound and another scream.

�What do you think?� Libra asked in a whisper, looking at the pillar of fire that was the lion.

�Only one way to see.� Sagittarius said softly, moving over to stand beside Cancer.

Leo nodded his agreement, and made a beaconing gesture. Obediently the Fire Lion withdrew, moving back to his side.

Hi blinked from where she was standing, and then sat down hard on the ground. �Ow.� She mumbled.

�Hi-chan!� Libra half shrieked, lunging forward and hugging her best friend who smiled weakly and hugged back.

Sagittarius giggled and hugged Cancer before running to her sisters and joining the group hug.

�What happened?� Scorpio asked, moving forward and resting on hand on Hi�s shoulder.

�A whole bunch of stupid Crystals pushed me into a mirror. Never let them push you into a mirror. It really hurts.� Hi replied, making a face.

�I felt it.� Cancer said wryly. �That�s how we knew to come find you.�

�Oh well aren�t you handy?� Hi laughed. Cancer smiled and shook his head wryly and Hi turned her attention to Leo. �Thank you for helping.� She said softly.

�Don�t worry about it. I wish I had joined y�all straight out. I had some problems but psychic boy here talked me out of them.� Leo said with an easy shrug.

�I look forward to becoming your friend.� Hi smiled at him, and he grinned back.

�Don�t expect me ta change y�know? But y�all can count on me any time ya need me.� Leo�s voice was gruff as he stroked the fire lion with one hand, but his eyes looked a lot happier then they had when they had first met. Maybe things were coming together for them after all.

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