Chapter 58: Chapter 54: Taurus
Meanwhile at the Hikawa Shrine, Rei had returned home. Completely unaware of what had happened, when the shrine maiden stepped in, the fire sparked as it caught Rei's attention. Her brow furrowed a look of anger played on her face.
"Now what?" Rei mumbled under her breath, she sat down in front of the fire. Closing her eyes and focused on the fire, an image of Scarlet appeared in the fire as Rei opened her eyes. She watched as something foreshadowing appeared. "So....she's going to kill Setsuna...I have to warn the others and we may be able to prevent this death." She stood up as a knock on the door of the shrine was heard.
Rei groaned but sighed, she slipped her sandals on. She went to go slide the door open. A stern and angry look on her face. "Usagi, I swear if you're here to-"
"Ara Ara, me Usagi? You're mistaken." Scarlet spoke as she grins, stabbing Rei in the stomach with her hand. The Grimm girls hand went straight through Rei's shrine maiden robe, flesh, inner flesh and through her back. "You poor summer child, all that tiresome school work. The overload of being a shrine maiden...all piled up on one single girl."
Rei gagged as she coughed up blood, her blood sprayed over Scarlet's arm. "W-Who...."
Scarlet smirked, leaning over and whispered into Rei's ear. "Your worst nightmare." She yanked her arm out of Rei's body, her arm and hand drenched in blood. Her smirk widened more as she watched Rei's body fall onto her, Scarlet snickered. "What will happen when they find out their friend is dead. I'm sure you're wondering how I know? Nothing can lie to my nose. You see." She lifted Rei's chin up with her hand, she forced her head to look at her. "I was at Minako's home, I had her smell familiarized. When I went to her school, I also picked up Usagi's scent as well. So one thing led to another, And then they showed up."
"S-Sailor Moon....you..." Rei mumbled.
"I know who they are, yes." Scarlet spoke as she moved away from Rei, letting her body fall over onto the floor. "I already know who Makoto is, So them having to hide their scent from me....well you know."
Rei took one last breath as she looked at her in the eyes. "How did...you?"
Scarlet chuckled. "How did I find your temple and know who you are? You can't really ignore a shrine temple that's overlooking the city. As for how I know who you are, well. I just took a guess really, that, or you gave it away when you said Usagi." She licked the blood from her arm and hand. "See you in your dreams."
Rei watched as Scarlet walked off, the light in her eyes faded. Blood pooled under her as her breathing had stopped, no one knew she would be laying there. Because once Scarlet had exited the shrine, she killed Rei's grandpa soon after. A quick slice to the neck was all it took.
~~~
Usagi and the rest of the girls were meeting at the Fruits Parlor Crown cafe. Along with them was Mamoru, Luna and Artemis were outside the cafe waiting for Rei to show up, unaware of what had happened to Sailor Mars.
"She should be showing up." Artemis spoke. "It isn't like her to be late for a meeting, especially one like this. Maybe we should've all went to her shrine instead."
Luna nodded as she looked left and right. "Indeed. Something feels off, if she was sick...she would've used her Sailor communicator to let us know."
Chibiusa came out from the cafe as she looked down at the two cats. "Luna, Artemis. Haruka and I are going to go to Rei's temple to check up on her."
"Right, be careful you two." Artemis spoke as he watched Haruka come out of the cafe soon after.
Haruka jumped into the drivers seat of her car as Chibiusa got into the passenger seat. "We'll call if anything comes up." She looked over at Chibiusa as she buckled in. "Safety first, hold on." Putting the car in drive she drove off from the cafe and towards Rei's shrine.
"Something really feels off.." Artemis spoke as he looked at Luna. "I don't like it....Usagi says Makoto finished off that....girl, what did Usagi say her name was?"
Luna paused as she thought for a moment. "I think she said her name was Scarlet?" She closed her eyes for a bit and then opened them. "Either way, this could be bad news. All we know is, her, Makoto and Mamoru were fighting."
"Yes, we went to get Usagi and the other two. It was a good thing Minako interfered with the battle." Artemis said.
As Chibiusa and Haruka arrived at the temple. Haruka jumped out as Chibiusa got out the normal way, as one should. The two guardians ran up the stairs up to the temple grounds, crows cawed as they circled over head, they continued to caw. The stench of fresh blood and a rotten corpse filled the air. Chibiusa screamed as she saw the dead body of Rei's grandpa on the ground.
"What the?" Haruka asked, her face went pale as she quickly adverted Chibiusa's gaze. "Look away, no wait....call the others, let them know." She glanced at the dead body as she covered her mouth and nose. "Rei needs to know..."
Chibiusa swallowed hard as she nodded lightly, she went down the steps and back to Haruka's car. As for Haruka, she rushed towards the shrine. She noticed the door was slid opened, she slowed her pace down as she came to a stop. Her eyes went wide as she saw Rei's body in her own blood. "Oh no..." She clenched her fists tightly as she slammed her left fist against the wall. "Dammit!"
Haruka rushed out and down the stairs. "Scratch that idea Chibiusa!" She quickly jumped into the drivers seat. "I'll do it."
Chibiusa was puzzled, but something in the pit of her stomach told her Haruka had found something else. Haruka grabbed her communicator and made the call.
~~~
Usagi's communicator went off as she grabbed it from her skirt pocket. She was confused at first, but wondered if it was Rei calling in. So, she answered without thinking much of it. "This is she."
"Usagi, thank the heavens." Haruka spoke over the other end. "Can everyone hear me?"
"Loud and clear, what's up?" Ami asked with a confused yet curious tone.
Haruka paused for a moment, she fell silent as she tried to digest what her and Chibiusa had seen. But, she spoke after a moment, her voice was cold and slightly quiet. "Rei and her grandpa...they're both dead..."
Makoto spat out her melon soda as her gaze looked towards the communicator in Usagi's hand. "What?! How?" The room fell silent as a cold chill ran through the air. "Haruka, you have to be joking....please tell us you're joking."
Haruka was silent again, the sobbing from Chibiusa was heard in the background. Haruka then spoke up again. "No Makoto, I'm not joking."
Michiru's face went pale as well as the others. Mamoru who was standing behind Usagi, quickly turned around. "She has to be alive, that girl we fought."
Usagi turned her head to look behind her. "How? She was struck down by Mako's powerful attack."
"That doesn't change anything Usagi!" Makoto shouted as she slammed her fist on the table. "While Luna and Artemis were off to go get you, Ami and Minako. Mamoru and I were fighting her." Makoto glared at Usagi for a moment before taking a deep breath. "No matter what we threw at her, she came out unscathed."
"So she's immortal or something?" Minako asked with a raised eyebrow.
The room once again fell silent, none of them wanted to believe what Minako said. But at the same time, it was the only leading option to how Scarlet was unharmed by Mamoru's and Makoto's attacks.
"Then she must've been at the temple. But how? How did she know where to look? How was she sure Rei knew us?" Usagi asked puzzled.
"We need to relocate and meet up again. If she's lurking around the temple, or around here...we need a secret base of operations ." Hotaru spoke softly. "Haruka, Chibiusa. Hurry back, we don't know if she's there."
"Right, just in case we'll transform." Chibiusa spoke.
Haruka shook her head. "No, don't. If she's lurking around, we may be next. We'll come back as soon as possible."
Unaware to them, Scarlet was in fact watching them. She was hidden in plain sight, she was standing on the sidewalk across from the shrine. She was dressed in different clothes, and of course she was wearing sunglasses. She watched Haruka and Chibiusa get into the car and drive off, the Grimm girl snickered quietly and lowered her sunglasses. "Two little lost birds, I could go after them. But where's the fun in that? I do wonder however..." She closed her eyes and hummed softly. "Should I target the entire group, or just go after them one by one? So many choices, what to pick?"