Imani                    Wordsmiths

     Hotaru was depressed. Imani was taking a month long trip back
to America. Hotaru liked the others, but knew Imani the best. This
was because Imani was the most outgoing. She saw the door to 219
was closed and went to go home
     When she was halfway home a voice from behind her sung, "I
must have known that it existed, but I couldn't quite conceive it."
     Hotaru turned to see Brian. He smiled and continued, "I was
always the loser, in the face of the hunt. But know now when you
find something that you want you don't believe it." He shook his
head. "No, you can't quite believe it, when a good time starts."
     He put his arm on her shoulder. "I used to think of love, as
just a dream that disappears. But she taught me now to love and I
have learned in all these years."
     He paused and then sang louder, "As long as the moon can keep
on shining and the sun keeps hanging in the sky. Nothing can take,
what flows between us, no one alive. As long as the moon can keep
on shining and the years keep rolling slowly by. You'll be a
friend of mine as long as the moon can shine."
     He stopped and smiled. He said, "Imani has instructed us to
have you take her place until she returns. Come to the meeting
tomorrow, we have music to make."
     Hotaru smiled and nodded, not ready to talk. He smiled and
slowly walked away. She returned home to write what was on her
mind.
                               *
     The next day at lunch Brian was alone in 219. She smiled and
sat at the piano. She had learned it from Haruka, but was never
very good. She experimented with a few notes. She sat for the
period composing a song.
     She returned after school and finished it. She began to sing
it softly. Brian's back was turned, but she knew he was listening.
"Since my life is pain, Time is my bane, My dreams were killed,
Because I am ill."
     She heard him hum a harmony. "Will I reach 35, Will I first
die? My heart now beats, When will it cease? Yet here I am, alive,
I will continue to survive, Upstream I will wade, Till in a coffin
I am laid. Through the storm I will persevere, On and on until the
year, That my soul is freed."
     He made no comment but smiled at her once and returned to his
work. She leaned over the back of his chair. "What are you doing?"
     He smiled. "I am attempting to use cat meows and noises to
write a symphony."
     "Luna and Artemis would like that." Hotaru said without
thinking. "They're just some friend's of Michiru-mama's." she
quickly added on.
     He nodded. "I have been fascinated by animal tongues for a few
years now. I wrote one with whale song, wolf howls, and guinea pig
squeals."
     Hotaru was impressed. "That's amazing. How do you make it into
music?"
     He motioned for her to sit at the table. "See this is what I
recorded....."
                                *2*
     In the middle of the night, Haruka ran in. "Hotaru-chan, the
Princess is dying, we need your help."
     Hotaru jumped up and transformed into Sailor Saturn, the
Sailor of Silence. She followed Haruka who drove her to the scene
of the fight.
     Sailor Moon was in her princess form and being held by
Endymion. She rushed over to Sailor Moon. She laid her hand on her
forehead and began the healing, but the damage was too great.
Hotaru could only keep her around for a few more minutes at most.
     The Sailors heard an odd voice. "What of the hunting, hunter
bold?"
     A quiet voice answered. "Brother, the watch was long and
cold."
     "What of the quarry ye went to kill?" the first voice asked.
     The quiet voice answered. "Brother, he crops in the jungle
still."
     "Where is the power that made your pride?" the loud voice
asked.
     "Brother it ebbs from my flank and side." was the answer.
     The loud voice asked, "Where is the haste that ye hurry by?"
     The second voice decreased in volume and they had to strain
to hear. "Brother, I go to my lair to die."
     A young man, dressed in white and wearing a silver mask,
stepped forward. "Guardian of the Blessed Silence. You seek to
hurry what must be meated out to the rhythm."
     Saturn nodded in understanding and he disappeared. "Adieu."
     Saturn found the rhythm of Sailor Moon's heart beat. She
slowly adjusted the amount of healing flow. Sailor Moon regained
her color and opened her eyes. "I was almost dead. I saw my mother,
Queen Serenity. She told me not to fear the Silence."
     In the dark no one could see Hotaru smile.
                              *3*
     Hotaru walked into 219 for lunch. Without preamble, she said,
"Fate burns an chills, The Pattern weaves as it wills, Who shall
know, What is to come, When others with us run? For time is
eternal, And so is light, And for this we have fought, Gather
knowledge, Gather lore, For that small insight, Which lies in
store."
     Mark, Nyale, and Brian were seated at the table. She walked
over to them. "I know it was you last night."
     Brian smiled, but said nothing. Nyale looked at her. "You must
follow the rhythm."
     Brian sang, "Sing your hymns of evensong, Sing loud to long
ago, All you fishermen and you fortune hunters, sharpen your
harpoon."
     Mark joined in and the two sang together. "Sing rhapsodies,
to the mighty gods that guide you, awake the great adventurer, that
sleeps inside you."
     Nyale took over. "Before you vanish away like midnight smoke,
so that no signs or memory remain. You might vanish away like
midnight smoke and never be seen again."
     Brian sang, "You Sailors, sail your stormy seas, you gamblers,
roll your ball, all you fireflies and you ballerina's dance until
you fall."
     Mark joined in. "Dream and believe, follow what you;'re
searching for, One day the brave adventurer, will be no more."
     Nyale spoke. "You are a warrior and you must fight."
     Hotaru felt dejected. Her weak body made her ill suited to
fighting. Nyale continued in a softer tone. "If one follows the
rhythm, much is possible. You have been dancing, but now you must
fight. For what is fighting but a form of dance."
     Nyale stood. "Meet me in the gym after school."
     The bell rang and Hotaru left for her next class.
                                *
     After school, Hotaru found Nyale waiting for her. Nyale held
two long wooden sticks. "Your weapon can be used many ways. The
first is as a quarterstaff."
     Hotaru took one. Nyale sat. "First you must breathe
correctly." She led Hotaru through several breathing exercises.
Then took up the stick. "Defend yourself."
                               *4*
     Two weeks later, Hotaru headed home. A few of the bullies
circled her. "So, you got some new friends."
     She didn't flinch and weighed her opponents. She looked around
and saw several likely looking sticks. Without a favorable
response, the bullies became bored and attacked her.
     She grabbed a stick and knocked the air out of two of them.
She used techniques taught her by Nyale to punch a few into retreat
and tripped the remaining two.
     She started to laugh. Music ran through her head and she sang
mockingly at their shocked forms. "Loser! Good evening upper
classmen, I know you, you're name's Ryoh Ganere, so don't don't
believe a word you say, for none of it's true, this only goes to
show what little people can do. Bad little people know, when little
people fight, we may look easy pickings, but we got some fight, so
never kick the dog, because it's just a pup, I'll fight like twenty
armies and I won't give up, so you better run for cover when the
pup comes up!"
     Then she walked away. She was not surprised to see Nyale
watching. She nodded in approval and continued on her way. Hotaru\
felt strong for the first time in her life.
                               *5*
     It was Saturday. Haruka answered a knock at the door. A red
haired boy stood there. "I would like to speak with Hotaru-chan."
     Haruka grinned. "Come in."
     Hotaru emerged a moment later. "Mark, how good to see you."
     He grinned. "What are your plans for the day?"
     Hotaru shrugged.
     "Well, I have planned a full day of activities to keep you
occupied until Imani's return tomorrow." he said.
     Hotaru looked to Haruka, who nodded. "But if she gets hurt,
you're toast."
     He nodded. "I will guard her with my life."
     The two went outside. "First, we go to the beach. Then we are
going to eat lunch. We will them do several surprises."
     Hotaru stopped him. "Each of so far has gone out of your way
to teach me something. What is this about?"
     He grinned. "Spontaneity, fun, life! Passion, joy, and FUN!!!"
     They ran off."
                                  *
     That night they returned. Haruka and Michiru watched her. "Our
little girl is growing up." Michiru said.
     Haruka nodded. "It's wonderful to see. You know, a few days
ago I could have sworn she wads doing martial arts katas."
     Michiru shrugged. "She's been better than I have ever seen
her, either lifetime. I suggest we don't interfere."
                                  *
     Hotaru rushed into the Hikawa Shrine. She grinned at the
others. "Am I late? I didn't notice the time."
     Rei grinned at her, "Watch out, you'll turn out like our silly
moon bunny, Usagi."
     Usagi stuck out her tongue, but didn't otherwise comment.
     Luna, the black cat, called the meeting to order. "Now that
we are all here, we need to be able to guess where Set's forces
will strike next."
     "He has attacked many places, but they all have one thing in
common." Ami said. "In every area there was a concentration of very
young children. I believe he will strike in a school."
     Makoto nodded. "I agree."
     The alarm on Ami's computer went off. "He's attacking the
Middle School!"
     They all stood. "Moon Crystal Power!"
     "Venus Crystal Power!"
     etc.
                               *
     A few moments later they arrived at the school. They had been
expected and had to fight before Sailor Moon could even give her
speech.
     Saturn held out her glaive. "Silent wall!" She held them back
as the other readied attacks. Her limited energy drained heavily
and she was forced to let the wall down a few moments later.
     She was then forced to duck and dodge from two attacking cat-
like minions. Her heart beat very fast and she was soon out of
breath.
     She saw the others use their attacks to defeat them and felt
useless. Her depression rebounded, worse than it had been before.
     She heard a scream and saw two surviving cat-humanoids holding
two small children. They were too far away to help and their
attacks would kill the children as well.
     "No!" the Sailors cried out.
     Saturn then saw Imani and Nyale block their path. Sailor
Uranus cursed. She would be very upset if a friend of Hotaru's
died.
     Imani looked very angry. "You disturbed my music." The two
creatures tried to shove her backwards, but she jumped away. Nyale
used the distraction to grab one child. She ran off to the side and
left Imani facing them.
     Imani fell into a defensive stance. She looked over to Saturn
and smiled. "Can you hear the rhythm Saturn-san? The rhythm will
guide you." As she spoke she evaded attacks from both with apparent
ease. 
     Imani's voice broke through. "Saturn-chan, I need your
glaive!"
     Saturn acted without thinking and tossed the glaive to Imani.
     "Are you insane?!" Mars asked. "Do you know what she can do
with that?"
     Imani caught it and used it as a quarter staff. Hotaru was
swept up in the girl's rhythm.
     Imani grabbed the small boy. She then tossed the child in
Saturn's direction. Saturn rushed forward, still caught up in the
rhythm, and caught him effortlessly.
     The other Sailors watched in shock and turned back just in
time to see Imani use the blade on each, ending the fight. She held
the glaive and faced the Sailors.
     A voice from behind them spoke. "What is Silence?" They all
turned to see a boy with red hair.
     Imani answered, "The absence of life's rhythm,
                    The cessation of melody,
                    The deprivation of power,
                    The emptiness of words,
                    The stilling of movement,
                    The simplicity of nothing,
                    The uniformity of everything."
     Another voice asked, "What is Silence?" They all saw a dark
haired boy.
     Imani answered. "The end,
                    Some say."
     The girl holding the first child asked. "What is Silence?"
     Imani answered. "A beginning, 
                    We say."
     Imani looked each over in turn. "How can one know color if one
has never seen black or white?"
     Mark asked, "How can one know evil if you have never seen the
light?"
     Nyale asked, "How can one see filth if you've never seen what
is clean?"
     Brian asked, "If you were never blind, how can you know what
it is to see?"
     In unison they asked. "How can one know sound, if one did not
start from silence?"
     They all stood in a circle around Saturn. "You are Silence,
that which is the beginning of the rhythm. You are Silence, that
which is the listener of the melody. You are Silence, that which
is the observer of the movement. You are Silence, that which is the
one behind the power. You are Silence, the one who begins the
passion. You are Silence, which understands the complexities. You
are Silence, which gives the words meaning."
     They each held out a hand. Their forms blurred. "We are the
Guardian's of life." They now each wore a uniform similar to the
Dark Kingdom's, but in white and gold. "The Words, Music, Dance,
and Life. We pledged ourselves to the Guardian of the Silence at
the beginning. We vowed to protect life. We renew our vow. We now
are returned as we were. For without silence we mean nothing."
     Then the four vanished.