A Heart of Stone

With this in mind, she changed into her pink and white dress, fixed her hair, and started to walk...

Kiji now stood in front of a full-length mirror which reflected the bedroom behind her (a black velvet decor), completely naked and brushing her now-dry hair. She examined herself as she had done many times before. She was beautiful. She was a work of art...

On this thought, she turned and looked at the Roman numeraled clock that hung on the wall. 4:00.

"Hmmm..."

This she said with an air of indifference, then went back to grooming herself. She styled her silver and black hair and put on a snug, spaghetti-strapped red dress with a red, see-through chiffon and red platformed shoes, then went about doing her make up.

She looked up at the clock. 4:45. Normally she wouldn't rush so much, but she had been intrigued to go to the new exhibit at the Alderaan Museum of Art. The best artists around the universe had their original works there, and the artist, Keika Hourou, whose exhibit this was, was not unknown to Kiji. In fact, she rather enjoyed Hourou's work and even had one of her paintings hanging in the study.

She walked out to where her ship was - a sleek, silver cruiser - saying as she approached it, "Silver Fox, prepare for boarding and immediate departure to Alderaan."

At her words, the ship came to life. As she came nearer, the door opened and the stairs folded down, and when she was safetly on board, the reverse happened.

The inside of the ship was very spacious, despite the look from outside, and was entirely silver. Kiji seated herself in the throne-like chair in the middle of the ship, the controls surrounding her at three hundred sixty degrees.

"Silver Fox, how long will it take to get to Alderaan?"

"At lightspeed... about twenty minutes," said a female voice, that of the ship. "I dare say we'll be a bit late..."

"You should know me by now, Silver Fox." Kiji chuckled "If there's one thing I pride myself on, it's being fashionably late."

Despite the hour-long trek, Annika felt she had finished her journey all too soon. The planet was so beautiful that she had to fight the urge to just stand around and look. And to add to the torture, the day was equally, if not more, perfect.

She approached the building, made centuries ago yet seemingly untouched by the many trials of those centuries, looking up at the banner that simply read "The works of Keika Hourou, temporarily on exhibit." Then her eyes fell on the crowd.

"Annika-chan!"

Annika spun around to face the voice, which belonged to Rene.

"There you guys are!" Annika exclaimed.

Xarae looked around, observing the crowds. "It looks like we would've had better luck camping out here."

"I was just thinking the same thing," Annika said. "This Keika Hourou must be pretty popular. It's pandemonium here!"

Rene chuckled. "I wouldn't go as far as to call it THAT, but I know whatcha mean."

"This is SOOOO exciting!" Chouko exclaimed happily. "I've been waiting forever to see this!"

Xarae, meanwhile, had continued to observe their surroundings. "It's so peaceful today... almost TOO peaceful."

Annika laughed. "You worry too much, Xarae. In any case, we'd better get a move-on. See! They're letting people in."

The four of them finally made it into the lobby which, despite its great size, was packed.

Annika sighed. "Exactly how long is this exhibit running?"

Rene thought a moment, then said, "I think I read somewhere it was running for six months."

Annika's jaw dropped "Six months?!? And all these people are here? You'd think they were afraid the building was gonna burn down tonight!"

"Well, it IS opening day," Rene said. "I imagine it'll be like this for at least the first month. Like you said, Keika Hourou is VERY popular."

"Attention! Attention!" came a male voice, that of the director, who was a salmon-colored Mon Calamari. "If everyone will please calm down, the tour can begin!"

The crowd went from a roar, to a hush, to a few whispers, to total silence.

Suddenly, the doors opened. Many heads turned in curiosity to see who it was, Chouko, Rene, Xarae, and Annika included.

Kiji stood there, for a moment bathed in the golden sunlight before the double doors shut behind her. For some odd reason, the sound of the closing doors seemed to jolt the crowd back to reality, and the director began to speak again.

"Now that I have your attention..."

Kiji looked around. Each person, like herself, had clothed themselves in what were probably their best garments. The difference between them and Kiji? Kiji did not lie, as they did. Not that she told the truth, she just did a better job of lying than them. Each of the creatures in here, despite their attire, could not hide the truth that hung around them like an aura. Whether they be anxious, bored, tired, excited, observant...

Then her eyes fell on a girl. A girl wearing a pink and white dress, her hair up in two buns.

All her life, Kiji had been with those who had chosen to see the deeper meaning of things. This girl though, seemed to see things for what they were. She was, in a word, innocent.

As they were led through the exhibits, Kiji couldn't help but stare at the girl. She had overheard her name - Annika - and let herself silently ponder it... Annika. Could this be the companion she had longed to find? All her life, had she been looking down the wrong path?

"Perhaps..." she said to herself, "a change WOULD be good..."

When the four reached Coruscant, they all parted ways, Annika retreating to the Room of a Thousand Waterfalls, then to her own room. There she hung a picture of a single pink rose she had bought at the museum. She tried it on a few walls before deciding where it should go, and wondered how many people she could convince that it was an original Hourou.

"Hey Annika!" Priire's voice called. "Can I come in?"

"Er...sure," Annika said.

Priire entered and sat down on one of the chairs. "What's up, Annika?"

"Oh, nothing much," Annika said, quickly kicking the gift-shop bag out of view.

Seeing this, Priire's eyes wandered around the room, then landed on the new painting. "Say! That's really nice. Did you get it at the museum?"

"Uhh... Yeah. You like it? I got it at the Hourou exhibit."

Priire smiled, having figured out Annika's game, and decided to play along. "Really now? Is it an original? It must've cost a fortune!" she said, doing her best to look serious.

"Uhh... Yeah! I mean, Yes. But I think it was worth it."

Priire got up and approached the painting. "Mind if I get a closer look at it?"

"Erm... well, actually, I-"

But before Annika could finish protesting, Priire had taken the painting off of the wall. Now she couldn't help but smile. "I thought Keika Hourou was from Ryloth."

"Yes... how come?" Annika said, getting a little nervous.

Priire spun the picture around so it was facing Annika and pointed out the small gold writing on the bottom. "See? Made in Alderaan."

"Well... well... maybe she-" Annika began.

"Come off it, Annika," Priire said. "I know it's a copy. It's nice, though."

She was about to hang it up when she noticed something. A note taped to the back. She peeled it off and examined it. "What's this?" she asked, setting the painting down.

"I dunno," Annika said, looking at the peace of paper curiously.

Priire handed the note to her, saying, "It's got your name on it."

Annika took it and quickly unfolded it. The writing was in blood-red ink and written in elegant cursive. She began to read it to herself, Priire peering over her shoulder.

"That's pretty deep," Priire whispered.

"Shhh!" Annika said, and continued to read.

"There's no name..." Priire said.

"Don't be so dense, Priire," Annika laughed. "It's obviously from Obi-wan."

"Ummm... I don't think that's his handwriting," Priire said uneasily. "And besides, he wasn't at the museum with you."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Annika asked.

Priire gestured towards the painting.

"Oh.... well, Maybe Xarae did it, as a joke. Or Chouko. Or Rene. Or all of them," Annika said quickly.

"Hmmm... that doesn't look like any of those guys' handwriting."

"What... you don't mean... SOMEONE ELSE?" Annika's eyes widened as she brought the note closer to her. "WHO?"

Priire grabbed the note from her. "Well, from the looks of it... I'd say it was another woman."

Annika through the paper away as if it was some vile bug. "ANOTHER WOMAN!??!" she shrieked. "Oh man! This can't be right!"

"This is WAY too freaky," Priire exclaimed.

"How did she know my name?" Annika asked in a horrified whisper.

"Search me," Priire said and leaned over and picked up the paper. " 'You will love me,' " she read out loud, then turned to Annika. "What do you suppose...??"

"I dunno. I frankly, I don't think I want to," Annika said.

"Do you have any idea who this could be?" Priire asked, studying the writing.

"Nope," Annika answered.

Priire stood up and started to leave, saying, "We'd better ask Xarae and Rene and Chouko. Maybe they-"

Annika's hand shot out and grabbed Priire's. "NOOOO!"

"Annika!"

"If you tell them, then they'll start telling other people, and it'll get around, and pretty soon it'll get screwed up and everyone will think I'm... you know... THAT way!!!"

Priire pried her arm away from Annika. "No they won't," she said. "Trust me... Now come on."

"I don't think you could worry about it, Annika-chan. Whoever it was, they probably just had to get this off their chest and won't bother you anymore," Rene said after reading the letter, which had been passed between the three, then handed it back to Annika.

"What I can't understand," Xarae began, "is why this woman would fall for Annika."

"Yeah - HEY!" Annika said, turning red. "And what is THAT supposed to mean?"

Xarae laughed. "Oh nothing, I'm just saying-"

"YOU'RE JUST SAYING THAT NO OTHER BEING WOULD FIND ME ATTRACTIVE! THAT'S IT, ISN'T IT?" Annika fumed.

Xarae couldn't hide a smile. "I'm not even gonna say it. It's just too easy."

"Wha? What are you - HEY!"

Chouko had snatched the letter out of Annika's hands. "Oh man! This is great! Wait until everyone hears about this!" And she started to run off.

"Why you little - GIVE THAT BACK!" Annika shouted as she gave chase.

"Why? Think Obi-wan'll be jealous?" Chouko called back.

Xarae, Rene, and Priire all looked at each other, shook their heads, and ran after Chouko and Annika.

They found them, with Annika pinning Chouko to the floor.

"Stop it, you two!" Xarae ordered. Then she and the others pried Annika and Chouko apart. They each tried to catch their breaths, each glaring, and each holding a torn peice of paper.

"Tell her to give me that letter back!" Annika growled.

"Drop it," Xarae said.

They both looked at her but didn't drop the papers.

"You heard me."

After a moment's hesitation, they each reluctantly dropped their piece of paper.

"Good," Xarae said. "Now, I suggest we forget about this whole ordeal. AND that you two make up."

Annika and Chouko each mumbled "I'm sorry" to each other, and they were all about the leave the room when...

"Hey!" Rene said and ran back. She picked up one of the pieces of paper and looked at it, then picked up the other piece and put them together, the back side facing her. "Look! There's something written on the back!"

They all crowed around her and read it.

"It looks like an address to me," Priire said. "I'm suprised we didn't notice it before."

"Maybe you should go, Annika," Rene said.

"What?!!? Uh-uh! I'm not going on any date with another woman!" Annika said, looking disgusted at the thought. "No way!"

Rene shook her head. "I didn't mean that. I mean, maybe you should get together with her, just to tell her your not interested. I mean, she SEEMS nice."

"Yeah, SEEMS nice," Priire said. "What if it's a new enemy?"

"A new enemy? You don't think?" Annika began, then gasped. "You don't think they know I'm Sailor Bakura? Do you?"

Xarae took the two pieces of paper from Rene and looked at them. "I don't know... something's definitely going on though. Maybe we SHOULD check it out."

Annika's eyes widened. "What happened to forgetting about this whole thing?"

"Don't worry, Annika-chan. We'll be there if things go wrong," Xarae said.

Annika rolled her eyes. "Oh great. Might as well throw me to a rancor."

Priire put her hand on Annika's shoulder. "Do you really think we'd let you get into something dangerous? If ANYTHING goes wrong, Sailor Asteriod, Sailor Iridonia, and the Sailors Dantooine will be there, right guys?"

"Right," they all said in unison.

Annika sighed in defeat. "Okay. I'll do it."

"She loves me... she loves me not... she loves me... she loves me not... she loves me... she loves me not..." Kiji said, picking the petals off a red-colored flower.

"You know," Silver Fox began, "there would be more chance in that game if you stopped using the same kind of flowers."

"And why would that be, Fox?" Kiji inquired, ceasing her petal picking for a moment. "You know Jaspian roses are my favorite flowers."

"Yes," Silver Fox said. "But the Jaspian rose always has seven petals, and you always start on 'she loves me' or 'he loves me'... so logically, everyone ends up falling madly in love with you according to those silly flowers."

Kiji's face turned to cold stone, but her eyes blazed with anger. "You know, for a machine, you sure have a big mouth." And she shut off Silver Fox's voice box.

She sighed and leaned back, picking up what was left of the flower. She stared at it, then plucked off the remaining petal and said, "She loves me."

Annika had spent hours in front of her mirror trying to find the right thing to wear. She wanted to look nice, but not so nice as to lead this woman on. A sort of casual yet stylish look. So far, no go.

She now stood admiring herself in a long spaghetti-strapped pink and white dress.

Priire entered the room and looked around at all the clothes strewn about. "Man, Annika, what happened in here? A bomb go off or something?"

"What do you think of this one?"

"It looks fine." Priire said, actually paying attention to another discarded dress.

"Are you sure? I mean, maybe I'm too dressed up. Maybe I should go with something a little more relaxed. Maybe this is a bad idea. Maybe-"

"Maybe you you just settle down," Priire interupted, getting up and placing a hand on the other girl. "Look. What you have on now is fine. FINE." She added this last note as Annika was about to protest.

"Now come on," Priire said, pulling Annika along.

"Hey! Don't rush it!" Annika said. "I'm the one who may be putting myself into danger!"

"Or you could just be dealing with a lovesick girl."

They both stopped and turned to see Xarae standing behind them, almost as if she had arrived as the wind does, unseen but with a true presence.

"Either way," Annika said, at last pulling herself free from Priire's grasp, "I'm still the one playing the bait."

"EITHER WAY," Priire began, "we're gonna be late if we don't get moving." She turned to Xarae. "Where are Rene and Chouko?"

"They're waiting at the ship already. We're taking the Silver Swan."

"What?!? Why?" Annika said, a note of exclamation in her voice.

Xarae shook her beautiful, dark-haired head and explained. "To look inconspicuous. There's a good chance this mystery woman saw you leave Alderaan on the Silver Swan and will be looking for it."

"Okay... Okay... I see your point," Annika grumbled.

"Good. Now that that's taken care of..."

Priire again grabbed Annika by the arm and dragged her along towards the docking bay where the Silver Swan awaited, Xarae following silently behind.

Kiji also prepared for the meeting, having decided on an elegant black dress, the top part being solid black and the skirt, which reached the floor, being a tight black on the bottom and a sparkling, see-through, lighter black on the top. The top part of the dress was cut like a V with jeweled straps. Black high heels added to the effect, each and every part making her more and more beautiful. She was a vision.

She admired herself for a while, then said into the mirror, "I am Lady DragonFlower."

With those simple words she was transformed and now wore a green, silver, and black battle-style dress.

Pure energy coarsed through Lady DragonFlower's being, making her feel euphoric. She closed her eyes and let the feeling run through her, greater then any other experience, and sighed in unashamed pleasure. She held it within her... the sweet essence of power... breathing as if, with each breath, she took in more and more energy. At last, though, she opened her eyes and smiled, very pleased at the woman before her.

Lady DragonFlower touched the mirror and said aloud, "DragonFlower Nebula... show me Annika."

She watched then, as the mirror filled with smoke.

She furrowed her brow slightly, staring into the white smoke. This was very odd indeed. Could it be that something was protecting the girl? That Annika was more valuable then Lady DragonFlower had thought? She pondered this for a moment. "Interesting..."

She touched the mirror again, and it returned to normal. When it did, Lady DragonFlower's being and reflection had turned back into Gingitsune Kiji. She regarded herself, then left the room.

The large double doors of the bedroom opened up to a landing that wrapped around in a square pattern with various doors to various rooms around it, ending down in an elegant spiral staircase. Kiji walked down the flight of stairs, black marble with gold railing like that of the railing of the landing. The stair ended on a gray marbled floor. In the middle of the floor was the black and gold symbol of the Gingitsune house, and above were various tapestries, and around the large room, statues, busts, and paintings - most of the Gingitsune family. Another door had the Gingitsune house symbol on it, and a hallway led in two directions before the door, which was made out of a rich ebony. A large chandelier hung from the ceiling, its silver chain lost in the darkness that stretched upward, making the aforementioned ceiling unseen. The entry hall was mainly for show and doubled as a ball room for parties. But that was before, when she was just your average rich noblewoman... when she had to entertain high-nosed society members to earn herself a place among them... when she had to manipulate men who ended up leaving everything in their wills to her name... before she discovered true power...

The doors opened before her of their own accord, and she walked out to the Silver Fox. When she stepped out a ways, the doors closed.

Kiji boarded the Silver Fox. Around the ship, everything seemed to fade away until they were surrounded by nothing but blackness and stars.

"OO2... 694... 566..." she told Fox, seating herself.

"M'lady, are you sure those are the coordinates you want? I mean, that's a dreadful place!"

Kiji laughed. "I know perfectly well, Silver Fox. It is necessary, though, that I go there to pick up my lovely Annika. Now, are you going to follow my orders, or do I have to short-circuit you?"

"Very well, very well," the British-sounding voice answered. "No need to get huffy."

Kiji leaned back in her chair, her legs in a lotus position. It was strange, really, that this damned machine was the only one who could get away with talking to her like that. That's easy, Kiji, she told herself. Silver Fox doesn't need anything in return from you. She sighed deeply and looked around the ship, her heart aching evermore for her lovely Annika...

"Are you sure this is the place?" Chouko asked.

They all looked around the desolate planet, covered with cold gray stone and surrounded by an atmosphere of cold, screaming winds that whipped the girls' hair and clothes mercilessly.

"These are the coordinates..." Rene said, checking a small device.

"Not exactly my idea of a dream date," Annika mumbled, trying to control her hair - one of her buns having come undone.

"There's no time to complain," Priire said. "Look, you chill here, and we'll wait behind those rocks over there, okay?" she instructed, pointing towards a bunch of large, stalagmite-like rocks.

"But-"

"Don't worry," Xarae said. "We won't let anything happen to you." And with that, she ran off the join the others in hiding.

Annika stood there, in the open, awaiting the arrival of the mystery woman...

High above, on a cliff, two jade-green eyes watched as the ship arrived, the five girls spilled out from it, checked the area, then four of them went into hiding while the last, Annika, stayed and waited.

Kiji's beautiful ruby lips smiled. "I beckoned... you came," she whispered. Her eyes then turned to the skies. "I am Lady DragonFlower!" she called.

Below, her voice was lost to Annika and the others in the violent winds. Above, Kiji once again transformed into Lady DragonFlower.

"Aura of Rose Manipulation!" she said, kissing the underside of her own fingers, then blowing the kiss into the wind. The kiss came in the form of shimmering reddish-pink light, which flowed down to Annika like a snake and surrounded her, filling her like a fine perfume.

She was lost in the lovely scent, the warmth, and the very love of herself. Her mind felt free now... she was floating... she was at peace... without thought or care...

"What's going on?" Priire asked between clenched teeth as they all watched as Annika was surrounded by a strange, reddish light.

"It looks like she's headed towards that cliff, but why? Do you think we should go after her?" Rene asked.

Xarae had taken it upon herself to observe the area with some binoculars. She at first followed Annika, then raised them up, all the way up to the top of the cliff. She lowered the binoculars and turned to the others.

"There's someone there... up on that cliff."

"Do you think it's that woman?" Chouko asked.

"If it is, she's controlling Annika," Xarae told them.

Priire stood up. "Then what are we waiting for?"

They all stood up, nodded affirmatively, then called out their henshin phrases and were transformed into Sailors Iridonia, Asteroid, Dantooine and Chibi Dantooine. The sailors now watched as the light glowed brighter and Annika's form rose into the air, ever higher.

Asteroid was ready to attack the woman when Xarae stopped her. "Don't. If we attack this woman now, she may lose control of Annika."

"I thought that was what we wanted!" Asteroid protested. "To save her, REMEMBER?"

"Yes, but if she does lose control, we could lose Annika."

Asteroid stepped in front of Iridonia and yelled, "WHAT DO YOU EXPECT US TO DO, THEN?"

"GUYS! STOP IT!" Dantooine shouted, then turned her attention toward the same device she had used to check their coordinates before. "Whoever she is, she came on a ship... nice one too, by the looks of it..." she said, and began to name off some of the features.

"Okay, okay," Asteroid said. "We get the idea? What about it?"

"Don't you see?" Chouko piped up.

"See what?"

"If I can just... THERE! Got it!"

"GOT WHAT!"

"The coordinates for wherever they're going... but... this is odd..."

"What is it, Sailor Dantooine?" Iridonia asked, leaning over the other sailor's shoulder.

"Well, it looks like wherever they're going doesn't exist. At least it doesn't chart."

"You think it could be a trick?" Chibi Dantooine asked.

Asteroid's eyes looked up the cliff, to where Annika went into the waiting arms of the woman who was, no doubt, their new enemy. "Trick or no trick, I say we hurry up and follow them."

When Annika came back into consciousness it took her a moment to realize she was in strange surroundings. The first thing that came to her was the sound of fire crackling. She had tried to get up at first, her mind not meeting with her movements. When the two did collid,e she was suddenly forced down by a sharp pain... forced back into darkness. When again her mind came back into the world of the living, it was met by the clanky sounds of china dishes. She managed to sit up, her head swooning a moment, and as she was about to fall back down, she was caught, and a soothing voice said, pressing a china cup to Annika's lips, "Drink this... it'll make you stronger..."

Annika gratefully took the cup and drank, the woman urging her to finish it all. When she had finished with it, Annika's mind felt much clearer. She blinked a few times, absently mumbled, "Thank you," and watched as the entire room came into focus.

She was in some kind of study, sitting on a silken white couch with gold and oak trim in front of a fireplace with an elaborate mantle. What she noticed most, though, was the woman, clothed in black. She watched as this woman so gracefully put the cup down on a silver plate on the mantle, then returned to the couch and sat down next to Annika.

"Who? Who are you? And where am I?"

"Shh... shh... my pet... I am Kiji. I am the one who wrote you the letter, in the art gallery. And this... this is my home."

"But I-" Annika began.

"You have the most beautiful eyes... dear Annika. You know, the eyes are the windows to the soul."

Annika stared into Kiji's eyes as Kiji stared into hers.

"How did I get here?" Annika asked, her mind clouding over as she tried to remember. She was on that strange planet, or asteroid, or whatever it was... waiting for that woman, waiting for Kiji... "I don't remember."

"I am afraid that's my fault, Annika. The pull of gravity on the planet must've made you pass out. Don't worry - your friends saw you safely to my ship. And they trusted me to remedy you as well. You do feel better, don't you?"

Annika took a moment to let her feelings seek in. She was feeling a great deal better. "Yeah."

"Better enough to perhaps take a look around my humble abode?" Kiji asked with a smile.

Annika smiled as well. This lady was so kind... how could they even think for a second that she was their enemy? "I'd like that very much."

Kiji took Annika's hand and led her around the manor, at last ending up in a large, exotically beautiful garden.

"This is Shalimar... the garden of mystical love... You are the first person besides myself who has entered this place, Annika..." Kiji told her, then gently slipped her hand into Annika's. "I knew it would be safe to bring you here... because I know we were meant to be together." And she gently kissed Annika's hand.

Now had come the moment Annika was dreading... "Listen, Kiji, I-"

"-they are glowing so brightly tonight..." Kiji observed, looking up towards the night sky.

Annika looked up as well, expecting to see stars, but instead saw hundreds if not thousands of... "Faeries..." she breathed.

"Yes," Kiji said. "They burn brightly when they are near one with a pure heart..." She gently stroked Annika's cheek. "And you, my dear, must surely have the purest of all." And she gently kissed Annika... first on the lips, then on the nape of her neck...

Annika swooned a moment, closing her eyes... Never before had she known such passions to exist in a simple kiss and wondered now why she had wanted to deny it. To deny Kiji, whose very presence now emanated sheer desire. Let us take a moment, now, to observe absolute pleasure... absolute euphoria... a feeling so great that Annika almost couldn't stand it if it stopped. She had tasted blood...

"I love you..." Kiji whispered softly in her ear, then kissed that ear.

It was these words that brought Annika back. She pulled away from Kiji, who had then embraced her, saying, "No. I'm sorry, but I love someone else. That's why I came here... to tell you that I can't - mmmmm..."

This time, Kiji kissed her full on the mouth, then slowly deepened at kiss. Again Annika was made drunk, this time almost to the point of madness. Kiji gently put her hands on Annika's arms, feeling her beautiful flesh tremble beneath her touch.

Oh dear Force... Annika thought. Please let me die now...

When at last the kiss was released, Annika felt as though she had died. She had died, and this feeling within her was Hell. She knew then her heart and soul had never tasted such torture... she was on that fine line between ultimate pleasure and ultimate suffering. Why must she be tortured so? Why can't she just be with... Kiji...

"Convinced?" Kiji whispered. "My love... you see, my love is greater for you than any other. I cannot bear it to be apart from you. Say you will be mine... Annika... so that we can be together... forever..."

"I - I... I..." Annika's eyes suddenly met Kiji's... bored into them, as if searching deep within her soul. Deep into the depths of her being...

What she saw was blackness. And suddenly Kiji's words returned to her...

They burn brightly when they are near one with a pure heart...

"Who are you?" Annika asked again.

"I am one who will have nothing less than all of you, Annika," Kiji whispered.

"Can't you just settle on my friendship?" Annika asked, not noticing she had taken a step back.

"How can you even dare to deny me my feelings for you, Annika? I love you. You are mine." And she wrapped her arms around Annika and gently drew her close, into her almost terrifyingly loving embrace. "I can give you everything you want... all you desire... if you'll be mine forever..."

Annika brought her arms up so they were now resting on Kiji's chest. Annika attempted to pull away, but Kiji brought her closer still, so close their lips were almost touching.

"I'm not an object... not just some prize. No one owns me," Annika protested.

"I do not wish to own you, my love..." Kiji said, then whispered gently in her ear. "I simply wish for us to belong to each other... to make you happy in ways you've never even dreamed possible."

"If you want to make me happy then let me go."

"I do not hold you prisoner here, my love. I only wish that we can be together, you and I. To know that you will at least hold within you a small part of the love I am suffering for you now. If you could feel that, my love, my dear, my Annika... I know you would never leave my side." She whispered these last words softer still and kissed Annika's lips gently.

"NOOOOO!" Annika said and pushed Kiji forcefully away. Kiji stammered a moment, then regained herself. Annika suddenly felt the impulse to run. And she did. But she had only made it to the exit/entrance of the garden when she heard Kiji's voice from behind her.

"Do you still wish to know who I am?"

Annika turned around with new determination. "Yes," she said.

Kiji smiled. "I am Lady DragonFlower."

Annika watched as the woman before her was tranformed into Lady DragonFlower. The girl took a step back, then glanced down the glass walkway that separated the garden from the manor. If she hurried she could transform and...

She gave it no other thought, but ran...

Lady DragonFlower stood there, silent and dark against the beauty of the garden around her, kissed her own hand and whispered, "Aura of Rose Manipulation," then blew the kiss...

Annika suddenly lost herself... again trapped in the sweet essence of pure nothingness... oh, it was so blissful not to worry, not to wonder, not to even think...

Lady DragonFlower approached Annika, who simply stood there, surrounded by the pink light. She gently stroked Annika's arm, then held it as well as the other, leaned in, and kissed her on the neck. The girl made no movements, no responses, but Lady DragonFlower kissed her again, saying, "Oh, my love..." She brought Annika against her and held her. "I gave you a chance to come to me of your own free will, but you wouldn't listen... my love... I told you you were mine..." She kissed Annika's lips again. "Forever..."

Annika simply stared out into space, unaware of the woman's kisses or of anything around her... not even aware of herself. Nor was she aware of it when she walked with Lady DragonFlower up the stairs and into the bedroom...

Let us now leave Lady DragonFlower alone with Annika, for not even we are made to know the secrets Lady DragonFlower carried with her about what happened within that room, bathed in black and mystery. Should Annika ever be freed of the spell, she would remember nothing, and there was no being daring enough to enter the darkness within the Lady's soul that brings forth her burning passion. No, let us close the doors now... let us leave here... wondering but never fully knowing... instead, let us now join the other senshi...

"Do you think it'll work?" Chibi Dantooine asked.

"I have no idea..." Sailor Dantooine said, busy with calculations. "I have to get a fix on her and then... well, if it does work, she could end up just fine or a pile of stardust."

"Anything, as long as we get her out of the clutches of that... that... WOMAN." Asteroid said, seething with word "woman."

"I'll be able to figure this out if you guys will JUST SHUT UP!" Dantooine fumed.

"Okay, okay... geesh, no need to get wild," Asteroid said, rolling her eyes.

Iridonia entered then and leaned over Dantooine, observing the progress for a while until Chibi Dantooine asked her, "What did you find out?"

Iridonia raised her eyes and attention to the others. "Nothing really. But I think I've figured something out. Maybe it's another dimension... maybe even from another time. Perhaps wherever this woman took Annika does exist, but not to our time."

"So... what are you saying?" Asteroid asked.

Iridonia now stood to her full height. "I'm saying that we have no chance of finding her with technical crap."

Dantooine threw down her pencil and paper. "Well... there goes that idea..."

"The only way we have a chance is if we use our Senshi Force powers to teleport her."

Dantooine now stood up. "That'll take some serious firepower... do you think us four alone are enough?"

"No," Iridonia said with a simple shake of her head, "which is why we must use the power of the Force to call to the other Senshi for help. They will aid us... then we can only believe..."

It was with these words that the four Senshi joined hands in a circle.

Senshi of the universe! Annika... Sailor Bakura... is in trouble! Lend us your power! they all thought, and as they thought this, all the Senshi stopped to receive the message, and each then called out their henshin phrase. When all the henshin phrases were called, the circle of Sailors each began to glow with white light.

Please... return to us, Annika, Asteroid thought.

Suddenly, a great white light developed in the middle of the circle, and Annika appeared there.

"Annika!" Chibi Dantooine squeaked with glee.

"Annika! I'm so glad you're safe," Iridonia said.

"Annika! You're alright!" Dantooine said with a smile.

"Annika! You're... NAKED!" Asteroid said, looking the girl over with questionable horror.

Lady DragonFlower watched with some disbelief as Annika's form was engulfed by the brightest of white light, then simply faded away. The Lady lay there then, on her stomach, carressing the place where Annika had laid not moments ago. Her eyes burned with cold fire as she contemplated... Annika... she had failed, for her heart still ached for the girl, to feel her skin once again under her touch... her soft caress. Oh, and how wonderfully painful it was to seize her scent then, still there on the sheets and pillows. The very essence that was purely Annika. She sighed and whispered to that essence as if it was truly Annika herself. "You have bewitched me, my love... overtaken me... oh, if you only knew, my sweet love, knew of my pain... a pain that shall be but a pinprick compared to what you shall suffer for ever denying me..."

She smiled and again ran her hand along the bed where Annika once was, taking in her scent as if she could with every aspect of her body. "Annika..." she whispered, pondering revenge...