A nightmare

It's dark, and there's a sound like someone or something groaning. It reminds Hotaru too much of her possession by Mistress 9, and where she was kept when the Tau Ceti entity was in control of her body.

"Awww, is someone lost?" a voice mocks. Quickly she turns around, searching for the source. 'No! It can't be!' her mind screams. Hotaru (or Saturn; she'd never figured out which) had banished her herself!

The familiar voice chuckles, and it sounds like it's coming from all around her. "Oh you did, did you? Are you sure about that, Little Firefly?"

There's a sickening, twisting sound as the blackness turns in on itself, and suddenly there she is before her - Mistress 9 in all her evil, smirking long-tressed glory. Gasping in fear, Hotaru takes a step backwards.

"Yes, it's me. I would say that I'm back, except that I never left."

"No!" Hotaru shouts. "I destroyed you! Super Sailor Moon helped me to destroy Pharaoh 90! I was reborn, because of her!"

The black-haired woman only laughs. "And you're so sure? How do you know that a piece of me didn't remain behind, in you? Hiding in a corner of your mind and waiting for the right moment to emerge?" Mistress 9 makes a motion with her arm, and suddenly her long black hair is animated, moving towards Hotaru as if it were alive. The strands of hair wrap around her neck, lifting her up off the ground.

"Michiru-mama, Haruka-papa-!" She tries to scream, but the hair tightens, cutting off her voice.

"-Can't help you; they're not here, remember? You're all alone!" the Tau Ceti woman taunts. The chokehold grows tighter, cutting off Hotaru's air. Feebly she attempts to raise her arms, to try and pull it away before she strangles to death. Spots are dancing before her eyes as it gets harder for Hotaru to breathe. And below she can hear Mistress 9 laughing, laughing-

"Iiya*!" Hotaru snaps awake, bolting upright in bed and gasping for breath.

*No!