"Ne, what do you mean you can't find him?" Hikari whined as she walked in between Tale and Mei. Their group had swiped some native clothing to wear as they made a second trip to Tokyo, Japan.

"I don't know, I just can't," Tale said irritably.

‘You are distracted,’ Mei said. ‘Concentrate a little more.’

"This is still new to us, Mei," Enapay reminded Mei. "We aren't going to be able to use our gifts on a whim."

"So is it just me or does it seem like we never left?" Tucana asked. She and Ixtab, otherwise known as Kimi, were leading the group. "Nothing seems different."

"Well, not everything is going to be different, right?" Nebula said. "After all, didn't you guys say that each dimension is part of the same universe? So theoretically, won't there be similarities?" The others shrugged. Nebula looked over at Daichi, but noticed she seemed to be in pain. "Daichi? What's wrong?" Daichi, who was partially hunched over, glanced over at Nebula.

"I don't... feel well," Daichi said weakly. "I feel very... ill." Nebula immediately took Daichi's arm and everyone stopped, turning to the two who had been bringing up the rear.

"Maybe we should find somewhere to sit down," Tucana suggested.

"Come on, I don’t have all day. We know she’s in this park somewhere. Tell me or Cerberus will eat you alive!" Enapay snapped her head to her left.

"No time to rest, there's trouble!" she shouted, pulling a quill from her hair. She looked down as Daichi helplessly fell to her knees, groaning in pain. Nebula looked up at everyone pleadingly.

"You guys go on ahead!" Nebula said. "I'll stay with Daichi, just go and do what must be done!"

--

"I am Kornephoros! Do not mistake me for my former colleague ever again!"

"Well, at least the Senshi are the same," Tucana whispered to Anog Ite. They and the others, sans Daichi and Nebula, were crouched low in the shade of some trees. All of the Senshi before them were familiar, except for one with long green hair. They took note of the flute in the girl's hands.

"A target for the Collector," Geb said, her staff securely in her hands. "And of course, he could go after the weapons of the other senshi, too."

"Or anything the enemy has," Anog Ite said. "We must be on our guard."

“Come with me, Dragon child," the man named Kornephoros said to the unfamiliar senshi. "You will show us the Tree and become my Master’s eternal slave.”

“Over my dead body," the green-haired senshi said as she ripped her arm from the man's grasp. She looked like she contemplated for a moment, and then her flute began to glow. "Draco Harmony Blast!" the senshi shouted. Kornephoros clutched his ears and the senshi went for the dog.

“This is far from over, Draco. Until next time.” Kornephoros bowed mockingly, and then vanished.

"Well, that wasn't much to worry about," Geb said. Then she and the others felt themselves flying through the air. They landed hard, skidding to a halt near the other senshi. Geb was the only one to see the flash of the Collector as he ran into the trees. "The Collector!" Geb shouted, jumping up and running after him. The others were in no condition, as black energy was growing over them. Geb was long gone, taking no notice of the others.

The other senshi backed away as the unfamiliar senshi before them were slowly enveloped in black energy. They withered to the ground until they could not be seen, then one of the black clouds exploded. From the black mass emerged Sailor Mei. She had a dagger in her hand, and with it she lunged at another cloud. She cut through the cloud like fabric, releasing Sailor Tucana. She then released Ixtab, and then Hikari. She got to Anog Ite last, and this was not good. While the others were able to stand, shaky as they were, Anog Ite was flat on her back and unconscious.

"Mei, was that-"

‘Yes, it was,’ Mei replied as she took Anog Ite into her arms. ‘None of you go after Geb, you must stay with me. I must make sure you are all well, beginning with Anog Ite.’

"I'm not going anywhere," Tucana said, slowly sinking to her knees. She held her self, rocking slightly. "Mei, what-"

‘Another time,’ Mei said, placing her hand on Anog Ite's forehead as she began a desperate attempt to rescue Anog Ite from the depth of her nightmares.

--

Geb charged through the park after the Collector. He had begun as only a blur in front of her, but now she was gaining ground. Then, they were out of the park. Geb skidded to a halt in the middle of the street. She looked furiously to see where he had gone. Then she heard a blaring noise. She turned and saw a large Earth vehicle coming at her. She jumped up into its front, then onto the top, running until she could jump off of the back. As she landed in the road, she caught sight of the Collector cutting through an alley. She followed, skidding around the corner into the alley, not bothering to slow down. Only once had she ever chased anyone to this extent, and it had been as much of a thrill as it was now.

The alley ended with a wall, but it didn't stop either of them. The Collector scrambled up a fire escape, with Geb hot on his heels. The two climbed all the way to the roof. Geb skipped the last ladder and simply leapt clean up to the roof. When she landed, she found the Collector waiting. He stood straight and erect, his hands behind his back and his masked face staring right at Geb. Peeking over his shoulder was a staff that Geb knew to be Sailor Mei's.

"That was interesting," the Collector said. "This staff may be more useful than I thought."

Geb was going to respond, but then she glanced behind her, and realized she was all alone. She looked angrily at the Collector. "What did you do to the others?!" she shouted.

“I learned a new trick with Sailor Mei’s staff,” the Collector said as he pulled the staff forward. “Of course, I had to spare the leader. What fun would it be to incapacitate all of you at once? I wouldn’t have any competition for that lovely flute, otherwise.”

“You won’t get it,” Geb said. “This ends now.”

“Oh, I beg to differ,” the Collector smirked. “This is only beginning.” He held the staff up as Geb ran headlong at him. A black beam shot from the staff and hit Geb, surrounding her in a black dome. “Until next time, Sailor Geb!” the Collector said as he saluted. In his other hand appeared Hikari’s staff, and with it he opened a golden gate and disappeared.

Geb swore, her curse going unheard in the black dome.

--

Enapay groaned as she tossed and turned, her cold sweat and fever making her nightmares worse than they were. Nearby, Kimi lay on her stomach, her face buried in her pillow as she tried to shut out the dark images in her mind. At the other end, Hikari and Tucana whispered quietly between each other, trying to help each other cope with their own nightmares. Down the hall and at the foot of the stairs sat Geb, her head in her hands and her staff carelessly tossed on the floor.

‘Geb.’ Geb looked up and turned to look at the top of the stairs. Mei stood up that, motioning for Geb to come up. She slowly stood and walked up, taking each step carefully and meekly. ‘As careless as it was for you to run off like that, you mustn’t blame yourself,’ Mei told her. ‘The Collector laid a trap, and it was only natural to fall into it.’

“I never noticed you weren’t following,” Geb said with a weak voice.

‘Even if you had, it wouldn’t have done any good to come back for us,’ Mei reassured her. ‘I’m the only one who can help them. ‘Solitude, Confinement’ is the curse of my staff. Only I am immune, and only I can have any hope of helping them.’ Mei motioned for Geb to follow. ‘It is up to you to find Daichi and Nebula, and it is up to your three to stop the Collector. Kimi has already said she can send you safely back to Tokyo.’

“But I-”

‘Geb,’ Mei interrupted. ‘You must.’ The two entered the room the other four Senshi shared. Tucana and Hikari took no notice as they continued to whisper feverishly to each other. Kimi turned her head, her blank, white glass eyes staring into the room. ‘Kimi, Geb is ready.’

“Of course,” Kimi said, her normally strong and mature voice now only a meek whisper. Geb approached Kimi tentatively, then placed her hand on Kimi’s shoulder.

“I’m sorry,” Geb whispered. “I’ll try to make it right.”

“Don’t try too hard,” Kimi whispered as she touched Geb’s arm. In an instant, Geb was gone.

--

Nebula paced back and forth behind the bench Daichi rested on. It was dark now. Nebula didn’t know how long ago she and Daichi had been left by the others, but it had been too long now. Daichi was still in pain, and Nebula didn’t know how to help her.

She stopped her pacing and went to the bench. She looked over the back to Daichi, whose eyes were closed and face was screwed with pain. “Oh Daichi, I wish I knew what to do,” Nebula said sadly. Daichi peeked one eye open and looked at Nebula.

“Honestly, you’d think you were my mother,” she said, her voice forced. Then she smiled. “Honestly.”

“Well, I’m worried,” Nebula said. “First this, and now we’ve seem to have been forgotten by the others.”

“Well, Geb will find us in time,” Daichi said as she pushed herself up. Nebula panicked and ran around to Daichi’s front.

“Wait, maybe you shouldn’t sit up!” she cried.

“Didn’t you just say you didn’t know what to do?” Daichi said. “Look, I’m tired of laying around like mold on a tree. You and I are going to look for the others.” She then made to stand up. Nebula grasped her arm and helped her stand. Since she really didn’t know what was best, she followed Daichi’s lead. Daichi always seemed to know what she was doing. She pulled Daichi’s arm over her shoulder and the two hobbled deeper into the dark park.

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