"Trail of Fears"

"Serena? Pick up! Where are you?" Serena's mother exclaimed, her ear pressed to the telephone. She had been trying to call home for ten minutes already. She hung the phone up, then started fishing around in her purse for some more change.

"Uh, honey?" Serena's father asked, tapping his wife on the shoulder.

"What???" she turned around, her mouth in a snarl.

"Serena and Sammy went on a nature hike, remember?"

"What about Rini? Why isn't she answering the phone?"

"We dropped her off at swimming lessons before coming to the ball, remember?" he answered, a look of exhasperation coming over his face.

"Well it's dark already, there's a storm outside, so why isn't Serena back yet?!?!" she screamed.

"Do you want to go home to check on them?"

"Really?" her eyes lit up. "Oh, thank you!!"

"Anyone home??" Serena called as she hit the knocker against the front door.

"See if its locked," whispered Molly, wiping the rain from her forehead.

"Won't that be breaking and entering?" asked Melvin, still tugging at the fingercuff.

"It'll just be entering if it's unlocked. We never broke anything, right?" Molly half-joked.

"Are you sure you guys wanna stay here? It seems kinda spooky..." Serena said.

"It's raining, Serena..." Molly stated, exhasperated.

"So? What's a little wat--" Serena was interrupted by the crash of lightning. She tugged at the knocker with all her might, pulling the door open. The four hikers ran inside, then closed the door behind them.

"What were you saying?" Sammy asked, taunting his sister.

"Oh, shut up," she responded, sticking her tongue out. "Do you have any matches Melvin? I don't think I have a flashlight..."

"Yeah, just a second," Melvin unzipped his backpack and pulled out a book of matches. He struck one against the side of the book, lighting it. "Hey, there's a fireplace over there!" he walked across the room they were in. "And there's dry wood in it! Talk about luck!"

"Have any food, Serena?" asked Molly, draped over Melvin.

"Let me check..." Serena started rummaging in her backpack, as Melvin got the fire going. "Cookies!" she cried in celebration, pulling a bag of chocolate-chip cookies out.

"Ten more minutes, then you attack," Sailor Nega informed. Her hand grasped the

branch of a tree, as she pulled the leaves off one by one. "That girl Serena, she's my friend, so don't attack her, okay?"

Phobius nodded, "What about the other three, Queen Nega?"

"You mean Pipsqueak, Nerd Boy and Little Goody Two-Shoes? Drain them for all they've got. They really get under my skin... Especially that little brat."

The nega-slave blinked, causing a small bit of darkness, as the light from her eyes was gone, then responded, "Yes, Queen Nega..."

To their right, a slash of light appeared. As it grew bigger, a figure stepped out. Sailor Nega squinted her eyes. "What is it, Deathwish?" she shouted over the rain.

"Rubius has found the next Crystal Subroutine. We are planning the next attack," Deathwish answered. "And what are you doing in the rain anyway?"

"Like I'll catch cold!" Sailor Nega laughed. "You and your gal-pals can have the second Crystal Subroutine! I've got a bigger fish to catch! Or rather, I've already caught..." she smiled.

"What are you talking about?" Deathwish questioned doubtfully.

"Meet Sailor Mars," Sailor Nega gestured toward Phobius. A moment of silence ensued before Deathwish scowled at the Sailor Scout, then dissappeared through the light again. "Ready to attack, Phobius?"

The nega-slave bowed to her queen, then jumped out into the darkness.