I'm starting to detect a pattern...

[bloodsong1]

Rei's gaze flicked from the fire to Miss Sarah and back. Questions bubbled in her mind, each jamming to be first on her tongue.

"What are you?" She blurted out. Miss Sarah blinked a few times and smiled her sad little smile.

"I'm a priestess," She said, shrugging. Her hands lowered to her lap and she stroked the embroidery silk. Rei's eyes followed the movements as she fought for her composure.

"But, the Fire. Where did you learn to master it like that?"

"Master?" Miss Sarah sounded confused. Rei turned her focus back on the widow's face. She looked confused, nibbling her lower lip. "I haven't 'mastered' anything."

"But...How? How do you do that...channelling? How do you call it to you and send it around your body?" Miss Sarah shrugged again and looked Rei dead in the eyes.

"I asked for help."

"EH?!?" Rei left her cushion to sit next to Miss Sarah. "You...asked? I ask the Fire for help and it's never surrounded ME like that!"

"It could be because I'm not of this dimension," Miss Sarah said thoughtfully, eyes on the Fire. "Or it could be a manifestation of my own Gift. This isn't the first time an Element has worked with me directly, but it IS the first time I've seen a physical manifestation, let alone anyone else." Rei leaned back and folded her arms.

"An Element? Is that why you called it a Guardian?" Another shrug.

"My beliefs are very similar to Shintoism. In my practice, there are four elements instead of five. Each element is related to a compass point and a color, to make it easier for humans to relate too. East is air and yellow. South is fire and red. West is water and blue. North is earth and green. East is also intellect, South is passion or drive, West is emotions and North is strength of the body. I like using Guardians of Watchtowers of the Directions because it's formal." Rei nodded. It sounded like a logical system.

"So that's how you got the Fire to help you? By addressing it as a Guardian of the Watchtower of the South?"

"I don't know, Rei-chan."

"But you just SAID..."

"I SAID that I used my own belief system. I'm not a Shinto priestess, I'm a Wiccan priestess. You have to use your own methods."

"But I've tried!" Rei jumped to her feet, frustrated at Miss Sarah's obtuseness. "I've spent HOURS in front of the Fire chanting my meditations, trying to find answers! All I get is destruction and Silence!" Miss Sarah's head shot up.

"Silence? Have you Seen anyone?"

"Aside from my friends and my family turning to stone and crumbling to dust?" Rei bit out, glaring. "No."

"I see." Miss Sarah sighed and looked up. Rei's temper took a blow at the worry on Miss Sarah's face. "All I do, Rei-chan, is ask for help and then quietly wait and listen. You are welcome to try my method. I don't want you exhausting yourself. This planet needs Sailor Mars at her best. It needs ALL the Senshi at their best." Rei bowed her head, breathing deeply to calm down.

"You can't tell me anything about the future? Anything important?"

"You will see the Face of Silence before anyone else."

"That's not much help, Miss Sarah," Rei growled and flopped down on her cushion. Miss Sarah sighed.

"I know and it's killing me slowly that I can't help more. But I don't dare. Everyone's actions and reactions must be genuine. I can't abide the thought of me destroying Crystal Tokyo with a careless comment." Rei's mouth fell open again. Miss Sarah removed a skein of white silk from the pile, set the rest aside and crawled over to Rei. "May I measure your wrist?"

"Huh?" Rei blinked and held out her arm. Miss Sarah wrapped the bundle of threads around her wrist twice and added a few centimeters. Using her finger and thumb as a marker, she unwrapped the threads and went back to her corner. Rei sighed. This was all so confusing and frustrating! Here was a woman who could tell them all they needed to know about this new enemy and she wouldn't talk because SHE wanted Crystal Tokyo to happen? Was her being here a blessing or a threat to that very future?

That will be my question Rei decided and turned to the Fire. She heard two snips and glanced towards the corner. Miss Sarah had cut the white and some bright red threads to the proper length. Rei watched as she pinned the threads to a piece of cardboard and began weaving.

"I use 'Hail Guardian of the Watchtower of the South'," She said softly, eyes on her weaving. Rei blinked, swallowed and nodded. She arranged her legs and arms, folded her hands and closed her eyes.

"Hail Guardian of the Watchtower of the South. Your priestess Rei seeks your guidance. What is the purpose of Miss Sarah and her family being here?" Rei began breathing exercises, forgoing her normal meditation chant to see if this would work. The room became silent save for the fire. Two priestesses focused on their tasks, one seeking answers and the other wanting only to protect.