ranma@falcon.cc.ukans.edu


        Most of the guests had left, either to retire for the evening or to 
pursue more intimate forms of entertainment.  The servants were already 
moving among the trees and bushes, picking up the litter left behind.  A 
small group of people still remained, however.

        There were ten of them, sitting around a small reflecting pond.  
Overhead, the Earth was full, casting its blue and green tinged light over 
the scene, the color of life.

        "Endy-chan," Princess Serenity said, "show me where you live again."  
She tilted her head back to look up at the vibrant earth, sighing happily.

        "Serenity," Prince Endymion said quietly, "you know where it is."

        "But I like it when you show me.  Please?"  She put a small whine in 
it, like she was a small child asking her father to play dragon-back with 
her.  The love in her eyes and the maturity of her body belied that teasing 
whine, however.

        "All right," Endymion said with a chuckle.  He pointed up at the 
Earth.  "See that Ocean there?  That's the Ocean of Peace, the largest 
ocean in the world.  Now, follow my finger westward to the eastern shore of 
the Great Continent."  Serenity lay her head alongside his arm and sighted 
along it.  "Now, a little north....  See that small island, the one that 
looks a bit like a snake?  Crystal City is right in the middle of that."

        Serenity just looked up at the Earth with an expression of joy and 
longing on her face.  "You will take me there one day, won't you, Endy-
chan?" she teased lightly.

        "Of course, my princess.  We'll visit my home again," he said, his 
face flushing slightly.  Serenity seemed a little put out by his answer, 
but snuggled closer to him anyway.

        One of the other couples scattered by the pond wandered over then.  
"So, what are you doing, hmm?" the raven-haired woman asked.  Only the 
faintest lilt remained of her Vulcan accent after so many years on the 
moon.

        By her side, a man with short blond hair had assumed an expression of 
mock-horror.  "Oh, how could you, Prince Endymion?  Stealing away to see 
the Princess when you are dating the lovely Lady Mars?"

        Endymion smothered a smile.  "Would you prefer the Lady Mars, 
Jadeite?"

        Jadeite considered this, then looked at Mars.  "I don't know, my 
prince.  She is a trifle scrawny."

        "You better be joking, Jadeite, if you wish any favors from me 
tonight," Mars said scathingly.

        The four of them then exchanged a look and burst out laughing.  Their 
laughter brought over the other three couples.

        "What's this?  A joke?  Will no one let me in on it?" Guardian
Kunzite 
asked in his rich baritone.  A tall man with silver hair and a matching 
silver cape, his eyes seemed to sparkle with good humor.  Only a closer 
inspection would reveal the vast power housed within his frame.

        "It would seem so, love," his fiancee, Lady Venus, said.  She had
long 
blonde hair and looked rather like the Princess, save for the lack of the 
royal hairstyle.

        Kunzite regarded the still laughing quartet and turned to one of the 
other men.  "Nephrite, surely your stars could tell us more of this 
mystery."

        Nephrite, with the Lady Jupiter clinging to his arm, shook his head.  
"While the stars know all, I fear they aren't going to let us in on the 
joke."

        "What joke?  Didst we miss some fun?" came a cry.  Lady Mercury and 
Guardian Zoisite ran up.  Unlike her cousin, her Vulcan accent was still 
strong.  She felt it made her seem more exotic to the men with whom she 
flirted.  She and Zoisite had been at the farthest end of the pond, in a 
secluded bower.  They seemed a trifle more flushed than the exertion of 
running could account for.

        "I think you were having enough fun of your own!" Mars said. 
Everyone 
shared a good chuckle at that.

        "How could we?" Zoisite protested.  He walked over and laid his head 
on Kunzite's chest.  "My true love is here, after all."

        Lady Mercury got a calculating look in her eyes and she glanced over 
at the Lady Venus.  The two almost giggled. They ran over to their partners 
and started dragging them both off.

        "Huh?  Hey, wait a second!" Zoisite protested.

        "Oh, do not worry, love," Mercury said with a smile.  "We wouldst not 
dare come between such a couple."

        "So you two can be in the middle!" Venus said, laughing.  The two 
women dragged the men off, ignoring their half-hearted protests.

        "Were they serious, Endy-chan?" Princess Serenity asked, looking
after 
them in confusion.

        "Zoisite and Kunzite are Blood Bound.  In many ways, it is a closer 
bond than marriage.  They have sworn the oldest of oaths with each other, 
binding their souls.  If they have ever done anything more... physical, I 
never asked.  It's none of my business."

        "No, I meant all four of them," Princess Serenity said, still looking 
puzzled.

        "With my cousin involved, I would not say nay," Lady Mars said 
quietly.  "But perhaps Venus will have the wisdom to avert any tragedy."

        They looked at each other, then shook their heads as one.

        "Well, I think they had the right idea... about retiring, I mean," 
Nephrite added hastily as Jupiter shot him a look.  "The party was a great 
success, and we again seem to be the last ones about."

        "Are you sure they were only right about retiring, dear?" Jadeite
said 
in a falsetto voice, batting his eyes outrageously at Nephrite.

        "Jadeite?"

        "Yes, Nephrite-chan?"

        "You're not my type."

        "Ack!  Shot to the quick!" Jadeite exclaimed, clutching his heart and 
falling lightly to the ground.

        "Hmm...  Maybe I should wake him with a kiss?" Mars said.  "Or
perhaps 
a kick will get faster results?"

        Jadeite leapt back to his feet.  "Can I still claim the kiss?" he 
asked hopefully.

        "Walk with me to my quarters and we shall see," was all the Lady Mars 
would say.  The couple then said their farewells and strolled off.

        "My Lady?" Nephrite asked, indicating the nearby Palace to Lady 
Jupiter.

        "Of course, Nephrite-chan, you can walk me back to your quarters."

        "Don't you mean 'my quarters?'"

        "That's what I said," Jupiter replied, dragging Nephrite off.  
Nephrite mouthed a silent 'Help!' to Endymion and Serenity, who laughed as 
Jupiter pulled Nephrite along.

                                                        *****

Naru:  I'm tired of always running
          I've grown tired of the night
          I wish I had some cunning,
          Had some power, had some might.

        We see a collage of Naru running from monsters, grabbed by monsters, 
trapped inside big moss balls by monsters, etc.

Sailors:  You don't need to keep on running.
                You don't need to fear the night.
                We can save you with our cunning,
                With our power, with our might.

        We see a collage of images of Usagi and the other Sailors saving Naru 
and many other people from monster attacks.

Naru:  I don't want someone to save me;
          I'd just like to save myself
          I don't want to be a helpless doll
          That must sit upon the shelf.

        We see Naru sitting at her window, looking out on the starry night
sky 
of the city.  One by one, lines trace the constellations.

Pluto:  If you want to have the power
           You must reach into your heart
           Look inside to find your strength
           For that's where power starts

        We see Pluto holding out an eight-pointed star, which hovers just 
above her hand.

                                                        *****

Sailor Moon Z:

Series Concept by Jeff Hosmer and John Biles
Primary Writer this Episode:  Jeff Hosmer

Based on the Series Sailor Moon, copyrighted by a whole lot of people who 
aren't us.

Episode 10
Sailor Moon Z Special #1

"The Past Returns Again.
 Can the Future Survive it?"

                                                        *****

        "What a perfect evening," Princess Serenity mused.

        "It's more like morning, my Princess," Endymion replied.

        "Endy-chan," Princess Serenity said, looking up at the Earth, "do you 
ever think about the future?  What things will be like hundreds or 
thousands of years from now?"

        "I imagine it will be much the same as it is now.  Throughout the 
Silver Millennium, things have not changed too much."

        "Oh."  Princess Serenity seemed almost disappointed by that.

        "What's wrong, Serenity-chan?" Endymion asked, realizing her mood had 
turned serious.  Slowly, the couple began to walk back to the Palace.

        "It's foolish, I know, but I read in the histories about how things 
were before the Founders, and I was wondering what people back then thought 
the future would be like."

        "Before the Great Shield was raised, they probably had enough trouble 
trying to live from day to day.  The Things from Beyond....  It must have 
been horrible."

        "Still, I hope that the future is different!  It will probably be
full 
of strange and interesting things, new magicks, new knowledge, new types of 
food and dresses..."

        Endymion chuckled.  "I am sure it will be, Serenity-chan."

        "Will you be there for me, Endy-chan, if I visit the future in my 
dreams?"

        They were now outside her door.  Endymion glanced around for the 
guards, but saw none.  That just meant they were being discreet, of course, 
but that was enough.

        "I will always be there for you, my Princess," he whispered, kissing 
her gently, then passionately.  She moaned into the kiss, but then pushed 
him away.  "Serenity..." he said.

        She flashed him a smile as she skipped into her room, the door
opening 
obediently before her.  "Oh, no, Mr. Prince of the Earth.  It's not that 
easy."  She smiled and winked at him before her door closed.

        Endymion sighed and leaned against the wall.  "Why didn't I ask her 
tonight?" he whispered.  "She would say yes, if I asked.  I know it."  He 
sighed again.  One of the most powerful warriors on Earth, and he couldn't 
find the courage to ask the Princess of the Moon to marry him.  Pathetic.  
With that, he stumbled off to his own room.

        Inside her room, Serenity sighed and slipped into her nightgown.  
There were no servants, but that was not a hindrance.  She did without them 
when she could.  At the foot of the bed, in her own small bed, a black cat 
with a crescent moon raised a sleepy head.  On seeing who had entered, she 
swiftly leaped down to the floor.  She seemed to shimmer for a moment.  Her 
body swiftly changed, elongating, stretching, losing the fur for skin, and 
paws becoming hands and feet.  In a short span of seconds, a beautiful 
young girl in a yellow dress and with long dark hair the color of the cat's 
fur, stood by the bed.

        "Finally came to bed, hmm?" she asked archly, her toe tapping her 
impatience.

        "Oh, Luna....  Not another lecture."

        "You are the Princess of the Moon, Serenity.  You must act with more 
decorum."

        "I just want to get some sleep.  You can lecture me in the morning."  
With that, the Princess lay down on her bed and resolutely closed her eyes.

        Luna gave a loud snort, but her features softened.  Gently, she
pulled 
the blankets up over her charge.  Then, with another shimmer, her body 
melted back down into the cat she was, and she got back on her private bed.

        Princess Serenity began to drift off to sleep.  I really wonder what 
the future will be like, she thought, just before unconsciousness claimed 
her.

        She was about to find out.

                                                        *****

        Her sleep was filled with strange dreams that made no sense to the 
Princess.  At first, she was asleep in her room, and then it seemed that 
she was flying headlong down a bright corridor of some sort.  After a 
moment of this, she realized that five other figures were flying along with 
her.  She couldn't make out any features, but she knew them somehow.

        Looking ahead, she saw something glowing.  She tried to see what it 
was, but even as she noticed it, it grew larger and then six figures flew 
past her at incredible speeds, going in the opposite direction.  By the 
time she could look back, the glowing figures were already small and 
distant, dwindling to nothing.  She turned her head (if she still had a 
head) forward again and shrieked as a large door appeared.  They were 
hurtling toward it at incredible speeds.  Just before they hit, the door 
opened....

                                                        *****

        Serenity groaned.  She felt heavy, far too heavy for her to still be 
on the Moon, she knew.  The air smelt funny.  Instead of the cool, clear 
breezes of home, there was a faint smell of something burning, something 
like an oil lamp.

        Opening her eyes, she was greeted by a totally alien sight.  She was 
in a small room filled with strange people and things.  Some of the things, 
like the bed by the far wall, the couch in the center of the room, and the 
chairs she could recognize.  But what was that strange box with the glass 
face?  Or the box on top of it with the blinking numbers on its front?  She 
flipped her head around, suddenly frightened.  Where was she?

        Some of what she saw comforted her.  Her Senshi were here, looking 
about like she felt.  They were wearing strange clothes, however.  It 
looked like some sort of nighttime apparel.  Mercury's, however, were FAR 
too conservative for her well-known tastes.

        Ugh, what AM I wearing? Mercury thought to herself, viewing the 
shapeless flannel pajamas with distaste.  She was used to satin and silk, 
not this coarse fabric.  So what if this was warmer?  She had ways of 
warming her bed.

        Where am I? Jupiter thought, looking around in confusion.  This isn't 
Nephrite's chamber....  Nephrite!  Where is he?  She looked around the 
small room, barely noting her friends getting up off the floor.  There were 
four men here, none of them Nephrite.  One was Endymion and another was 
Lady Patience's page boy.  She didn't recognize the one with the black hair 
who was studying them or the brown-haired boy who was staring at Mercury.  
Lady Patience was by her page, but she seemed as shocked as everyone else.

        Oh, gods, how much did I drink last night? Venus thought.  There was 
the wine...  And then Kunzite had that wonderful drink from his home 
brought in.  Then we had something before bed that Mercury recommended.  
And then....  She blushed suddenly at her memories of "then."

        Mars was not amused.  So, someone thinks they can kidnap the Princess 
and her Senshi, is that it?  Well, I'll show them that Senshi Mars is not 
one to be taken lightly!

        "Uh-oh," came a strange voice.  It was the black-haired boy who
spoke.  
He turned to his companions.  "Guys, it's not them."

        Serenity's eyes fell on one of the familiar faces in the room then, 
even if he wore strange clothes.  "Endy-chan?" she asked.

        "S-Serenity," Mamoru stuttered, turning pale.

                                                        *****

        The Gate of Time stood closed.  This was not strange.  What was 
strange was the sight of the Guardian of Time pounding her fists against 
its great bulk.

        "Things have gone awry?" came a voice.  Pluto whirled to face her 
questioner and found Nephrite.  He was looking concerned.

        "You could say that," Pluto said.  "I was trying to show the Inner 
Senshi the Silver Millennium, but something went wrong."

        Nephrite waved one hand and a section of the milky fog that
surrounded 
the Gate of Time turned black, sparkling with stars.  He studied the 
panorama for a second.  "Mercury is in retrograde.  That signifies problems 
in communications.  It must have thrown your power awry."

        "Are you suggesting I made a MISTAKE, Nephrite?"

        Nephrite seemed to consider this.  "Perhaps you overlooked something, 
Lady Pluto.  Or perhaps this would have happened in any event.  Destiny is 
funny that way."

        "That still doesn't explain why I am trap--inconvenienced like this."

        "Perhaps it is a safeguard of the Gate?  Are there any conditions 
under which it would desire that its Guardian be sealed away from the 
effects of time?"

        "Only if the very fabric of existence was threatened.  But I only 
tried to send their minds back.  They would be in their past selves, 
observing, but not interfering.  No paradox could be created."

        "Gemini is predominant in the stars, some sort of doubling effect.  
Hmm... the distant past and the present seem mixed in ways I do not 
understand."

        "Mixed?" Pluto said quietly.  She looked at the stars in Nephrite's 
portal.  She turned pale.  "No...."

        "What has happened?"

        "They've transposed mentally.  In sending the Inner Senshi to the 
past, I brought their past lives to the present."

        Nephrite frowned.  "So, the Gate brought you here to prevent the 
Paradox?  To send them back?"

        "No, I can't affect things without going through the Gate and it
won't 
let me pass!  Until things are set right, I am stuck here."

        "And because of my situation with the Great Shield, it is difficult 
for me to go to Earth.  But how are things going to be set right if you are 
here?"

        "Either the Senshi switch places through time, or time will end.  And 
I can do little to change things either way."

                                                        *****

        "Endy-chan?  What's going on?  Where are we?" Serenity asked.

        "We're not in the Silver Millennium anymore," Mars muttered.  "I know 
of no place like this in all the planets."

        Luna stirred from her place at Serenity's feet.  "This is an 
unforgivable breach of protocol!"

        Streams of water seemed to swirl around Mercury for a moment as she 
quickly transformed into her Senshi garb.  "We had best be prepared for the 
worst.  Everyone, transform!"

        Fire, lightning, and brilliant light exploded around Mars, Jupiter, 
and Venus.  When it was over, they were standing there in their Senshi 
uniforms.  They felt better as the familiar strength and power filled their 
bodies.

        "Off hand," the black-haired boy said, "I think that's a bad sign.  
Mamoru-san, I suggest you talk fast."

        "Serenity, listen to me," Mamoru said quietly.  "I know this looks 
strange, but we can explain.  But you all have to calm down and listen."

        "How dare you kidnap the Princess of the Moon, Endymion!" Mars raged.
 
"She would give up anything for you, you didn't have to go such lengths!  
And why kidnap us as well?"

        "Thy hasty actions may have doomed our planets to war, Prince.  Thou 
must return us to the moon immediately."

        Mamoru ran a hand through his hair.  "That could be difficult."

        "Then we'll go there under our own power!" Jupiter said.  Quickly,
the 
Senshi surrounded Serenity and clasped hands.

        "Wait!" Mamoru shouted.

        By his feet, Artemis leaped into the circle formed by the Senshi.  
"Luna!  Wait!" he shouted.

        "Endymion!" Serenity shouted as she, Artemis, Luna, and the Senshi 
disappeared in a flash.

        "Well, that went well," Steven said.

        "They will be back," Urawa said.  "I know what it's like to see your 
future."

                                                        *****

        A spear of light shot out of Tokyo and into the sky.  Its color 
fluctuated from red to yellow to green to blue and back again as it sped 
toward the moon, which hung low in the sky.  Unerringly, the Sailor 
Teleport shot to the Moon Palace that the Senshi all knew so well.

        Some changes had been made.

        The Senshi, the Princess, and two cats appeared in the center of the 
ruins.  They all looked around in shock.

        "It's... gone.  It's all gone..." Serenity said in shock, sinking to 
her knees.  "Mother.  Father."

        "What happened?" Mars asked.  The others were too dumb struck to say 
anything.

        Mercury activated her visor.  She noted that someone had been making 
some changes to the default settings, but she soon got it set right.  "The 
destruction happened thousands of years ago.  How can this be?"

        "Because you're in the future."

        Everyone turned to Artemis.

        "Please, what could a furball like YOU know, Artemis?" Luna scoffed.  
She stretched and her body seemed to shimmer as she assumed human form.

        Artemis gaped at her.  "How...?  I thought you needed the Silver 
Crystal...."

        "What are you talking about?  All Venusian cats can shape change, 
Artemis.  Now, assume a human form so we can all talk properly.  And tell 
everything this time.  I don't want any embarrassing oversights."

        Artemis nearly panicked.  Transform?  How?  He didn't even remember 
having the ability.  But even as he thought it, he felt some old instincts 
taking over.  His body twitched and then elongated, changing slowly and 
with none of the grace that Luna had just shown.  There was a lot of pain, 
as muscles long unused to the strain were pulled in strange ways.  After a 
few moments, a thin, white-haired man in a silver uniform and with a 
crescent moon on his forehead stood before them.

        "Owowowowow..." he said.

        "Now, Artemis," Serenity said, "I call upon your vows of service to 
speak truthfully.  What happened to the Moon Kingdom?  What happened to 
us?"

        Artemis took a deep breath and thought that he'd be talking for a 
while.

                                                        *****

        "What do you think went wrong, Gurio-kun?" Naru asked as they waited 
to see if the Senshi would return.  "Sailor Pluto didn't say this would 
happen."

        "She must have made a mistake," Umino replied, quickly looking around 
to see if the mysterious Guardian of Time was going to appear and bap him.

        "Some mistake.  Now we have people from a magical era thousands of 
years in the past running around modern-day Earth in our friends' bodies," 
Steven said.  "Does this mean that Minako is in her past life's body back 
in the Silver Millennium?"

        Any further conversation was interrupted by a multi-colored flash as 
the Senshi, Serenity, and the human form Moon Cats returned.

        "Artemis?" Steven said, looking at the white-haired man.  Artemis 
shrugged and nodded.

        "We are ready to listen to you, Prince Endymion," Princess Serenity 
said.  Her eyes were slightly red, obviously from tears, but her gaze was 
strong.  Mamoru felt his clothes transform around him into the armor and 
cape of Prince Endymion in an unconscious reaction to the old memories she 
invoked.  "Artemis has told us some of what happened to the Moon Kingdom 
and the Silver Millennium.  I charge you to speak of how we came here to 
this time."

        "Princess, it was a mistake.  Sailor Pluto... excuse me, Senshi Pluto 
was attempting to give your present-day selves a look at the Silver 
Millennium.  Since we all were reincarnated in the time, our memories of 
the past are spotty.  Something has obviously gone wrong, bringing you 
forward in time.  I can only assume that the Sailors are back in your 
bodies in the past."

        "Someone else is in my body?" Mars said.  "And she's now with my Jade-
chan?"

        "I see where Rei got her temper," Umino whispered to Naru.  She 
nodded.

        "What was that?" Mars asked, glaring at Umino.  "Patience, keep your 
servant quiet while his betters speak."

        Naru started.  They must think I'm my past self.  "I'm not Patience, 
Re--Lady Mars.  I WAS her, but here I am Osaka Naru.  This is Umino Gurio, 
not Turquoise.  And he's my boyfriend, not my servant."

        Mars stared hard at Naru for a second.  Serenity reached over and
laid 
a hand on Mars's shoulder, calming the Senshi down.  The raven-haired girl 
gave Naru a brief nod and then they all turned back to Mamoru.

        "I guess the best place to begin is to introduce you to everyone, 
including your new selves," Mamoru said.  He reached over and took one of 
Serenity's hands in his own.  "Serenity, your name here is Tsukino Usagi.  
You are 16 years old and a student at Tsunami High School.  You live a 
perfectly normal life with your parents and your younger brother, Shingo."

        "I'm not a princess?" Serenity asked, and received a nod in return.  
"And I have a younger brother....  It's so strange, after being an only 
child all my life."

        "When evil threatens, you become Sailor Moon."  Mamoru continued.

        "Sailor Moon?" Venus asked.  "I've never heard of a Senshi of the 
Moon.  And why the term sailor?"

        "Oh, well..." Artemis began, "when Luna and I awoke from our slumber, 
our memories weren't so great."  Luna shot him an evil glance.  "We barely 
remembered our mission."

        "You, I can see forgetting a mission, Artemis.  I would not," Luna 
stated.

        "But you were the one who told Usagi she was to become Sailor Moon.  
Somehow, you had gotten the costumes mixed up with the title and told her 
she was the Beautiful Warrior Sailor Moon, Luna."  I won't say that I 
thought she was right at the time, he thought to himself.

        "Why would -I- tell the Princess she was a Senshi?  That's not her 
rank or title.  It wouldn't be proper."

        "Because you didn't even remember she was the Princess.  Hell, you 
thought -I- was some entity called 'Central Control' and I fooled you for 
months--"

        "What?!"  Luna suddenly shifted shape again, but this time a giant 
panther with midnight-blue fur was snarling at Artemis.  He began to sweat 
very visibly.

        "Luna!  Artemis!  Behave yourself!" Serenity barked.  The weight of 
the royal command fell on the two Moon Cats.  Luna resumed her human form, 
but glared angrily at Artemis.

        "It's true, however, that both Luna and Artemis had problems with 
their memories," Mamoru was quick to intercede.  "When Usagi became Sailor 
Moon, it sparked something in me.  Even though I, Chiba Mamoru, didn't 
remember the past, I became Tuxedo Kamen, her guardian."  His cape flared 
outward and his armor changed into his Tuxedo, complete with top hat, mask, 
and cane.

        "It's very handsome, Endy-chan," Serenity said.

        "Why, Prince Endymion," Mercury said with a smile, "I didst not know 
that thou couldst be so stylish."  Her smile turned predatory.  "Perhaps we 
could discuss apparel together some time... alone."  She took a step closer 
to Tuxedo Kamen, who blushed at the implied proposition.  Serenity gave 
Mercury a long-suffering look but said nothing.

        "Cousin, could I speak with you?" Mars said, pulling on Mercury's
ear.  
The short-haired Senshi yelped at the pain.  "Keep your hormones in check, 
please," she whispered fiercely.

        "Ahem, perhaps Urawa could explain about Sailor Mercury."  Tuxedo 
Kamen took several steps backward, his clothing shifting back to his normal 
outfit.

        Urawa stood and said, "I'm Urawa Ryo, a student at Tsunami High 
School."  Mercury looked at him and smiled again.  It was a most un-Ami-
like smile.  "In this time, Senshi Mercury, you are Mizuno Ami, a brilliant 
if somewhat shy student.  Ami dreams of someday become a doctor, like her 
mother, and would spend every minute of the day studying if it weren't for 
her friends or her responsibilities as Sailor Mercury.  Her parents are 
divorced.  I don't know what happened to her father."

        Mercury looked horror-struck.  "I am... a wallflower?  No parties? 
No 
socializing?  No men?"  She seemed unable to grasp the idea.

        Urawa sweated.  "Um... no.  Ami is a nice, quiet girl.  I think I'm 
her first real boyfriend."  Why did I say that, he wondered.  Ami would die 
of embarrassment if I said that in front of her.

        Mercury, on the other hand, seemed to be eyeing Urawa now closely.  
"Hmm, well, her taste is not all bad."  She sauntered over and wrapped her 
arms around Urawa's neck.  "So, we are a couple, are we?" she purred and 
planted a long, slow kiss on a totally surprised Urawa.

        "I-Is she ALWAYS like this?" Naru asked hesitantly.

        "You'd think being engaged would slow her down.  Have you forgotten 
Zoisite, dear cousin?" Mars asked acidly.

        Mercury broke the kiss and smiled impishly.  "Oh, he and I have an 
understanding."  She turned back to Urawa, who was just standing there 
frozen in shock.  "Yes, thou definitely has potential," she said, patting 
him on his cheek.

        Mars looked away in disgust.  "And what of me?" she asked Mamoru.

        "In this time, you are Hino Rei, a shrine maiden at the Hikawa Shrine 
and a student at Tsunami.  You live with your paternal grandfather, a 
priest at the shrine," Mamoru was quick to reply.  He was puzzled when Mars 
turned pale.

        "What kind of a fool do you take me for?" she screeched angrily. 
"How 
could -I- be a shrine maiden, following some old superstitious claptrap?"

        "Well, cousin, the maiden part is right.  It seems thy prudish nature 
hath carried over."

        "It's impossible!  I believe in logical, rational explanations.  I 
don't cover my ignorance by attributing the unknown to some mythological 
godhead.  And I am prudish only compared to you, cousin."

        Mercury sniffed haughtily and then whispered something into Urawa's 
ear that made him turn bright red.

        "Faith is for those too timid to find the real answers in life," Mars 
continued angrily.  She would have said more, if Jupiter had not laid a 
hand on her shoulder.

        "Mars, are you claiming that Parias or Neph-chan are timid because 
they believe in their gods or their stars?"  Jupiter's voice was soft, but 
there was an edge of challenge in it that Mars chose not to answer at this 
time.

        "No, I meant no slight against them."  Mars then stepped back.

        "And who am I?" Jupiter asked.  This time, Naru nudged Umino forward.
 
As the school gossip-meister, he had been the first to get the scoop on the 
tall amazon when she had arrived at Juban.

        "Um, well," he began, pulling a small Personal Data Assistant out of 
his pocket and calling up his information, "you're Kino Makoto, age 16 and 
a student at Tsunami High.  Your parents died in an airplane crash when you 
were 13.  Shortly after that, you started getting into fights with other 
students and had to keep transferring from school to school until you met 
Usagi and became Sailor Jupiter.  You like to cook, every handsome boy 
reminds you of your old boyfriend, and you dream of one day running your 
own restaurant."

        "Are you sure that Mercury and I didn't get our souls mixed?" Jupiter 
muttered.

        "And what of me?  Who am I here?" Venus asked eagerly.  Steven had to 
repress a chuckle.  She was a lot like Minako.

        "You are Aino Minako," he said, smiling, "a bright, energetic young 
girl who dreams of taking the world by storm, especially if it doesn't 
recognize your greatness.  You're a student at Tsunami like the rest, but 
you've been a Sailor Senshi even longer than Usagi, since Artemis found you 
first.  You were the mysterious Sailor V who fought for love and justice 
and even got your own toy line and movie."

        "Wow." Venus said.  "What are those?" she asked a moment later.

        Steven started to say more, when suddenly Urawa clutched his head in 
agony.  "Aaaaah!"

        "Urawa!  What's wrong?"  Mamoru, the closest one to him, took hold of 
the stricken boy.

        "Darkness.  I see nothing but darkness in the future.  It's all
gone."  
Urawa moaned, babbling almost.  He fainted.  Mamoru caught him and laid him 
out on the floor.

        "This does not bode well," Steven said.  "Guys, I really have a bad 
feeling about this.  Remember what Pluto warned us about paradox?  Well, if 
our friends are in their past lives, your bodies," he said to the Senshi, 
"they might say or do something double plus ungood."

                                                        *****

        Somewhere else, Gemini of the Zodiac (also known as Chester and Polly 
Amberson) stood on their glowing sigil.  The entire Zodiac was gathered 
before the Ascendant.  Some of them were a little worried about having the 
command of the Zodiac transferred to two teenagers, but there was no way to 
block it.  By ancient tradition, the Ascendant ruled the Zodiac and no one 
could deny him, her, or them that right.

        "We are gathered, Ascendant Ones," Sagittarius said.  "What be thy 
will?"

        Chester cleared his throat.  He and Polly were garbed in their blue 
uniforms that were mirror images of each other and they were holding hands.  
This was not to show any filial affection, but rather to share their power.  
"We have been studying the methods used by our predecessors since Capricorn 
discovered the Princess was in Tokyo and the results.  So far, no one has 
positively identified the Princess, let alone capture her.  It seems that 
drastic action will have to be taken."

        "And what do you suggest?" Scorpio asked idly.

        "We will take the four strongest of Zodiac at this time--Aries, 
Taurus, Cancer and Leo--and together we will draw out and attack the Sailor 
Senshi."

        "That sounds unwise," Virgo stated calmly.  "We have been operating
in 
the shadows for millennium.  Why risk an open confrontation now?"

        "They are powerful foes, especially with the White Knight," Aries 
added.  "Even when I was Ascendant, they came near to defeating me.  One of 
them, Sailor Mercury, was especially a threat."

        "She's physically the weakest.  What harm could a little girl do a 
true warrior?" Taurus snorted.

        "It's not her powers but her mind that I worry about," Aries snapped 
back.  "If she found a way to sever our links to the Star Power, even 
Ascendancy could not protect us."

        "Enough bickering!" Polly snapped.  "The six of us should be enough
to 
crush the Sailor Senshi, especially that little bitch Venus!"

        "Perhaps the time to strike IS now," Leo interjected smoothly.  "We 
know the identities of two of the Sailors.  We have suspects for the rest.  
We can strike them when they least suspect."

        "But defeating the Sailors brings us no closer to our true goal," 
Capricorn objected.  "We have to find the Princess before she can call upon 
the Star Power."

        "You forget, the White Knight has been helping the Sailors ever since 
January.  Obviously, something happened then--what we're not certain--but 
the Princess IS connected with them somehow."  Chester gestured and a 
picture of Rei and Minako floated in the air above the center of the domed 
chamber.  "Here are the two Sailors we have identified.  Hino Rei is Sailor 
Mars.  Aries stripped her of her power when they fought, but she has since 
regained it.  Still, with five members of the Zodiac, the odds are good 
that we can temporarily neutralize at least some of the Sailors."

        "Aino Minako is Sailor Venus.  She was at Moon Hill until recently, 
but the Sailors and the... unsanctioned actions of certain members of the 
Zodiac have led to Moon Hill being abandoned for now.  Still, knowing two 
of the Sailors, we can try to guess who the others are."  He waved his 
hand.  A picture of Steven appeared in mid-air.  Chester frowned and tried 
again, but got another picture of Steven.  He tried a third time, conscious 
of the snickers coming from around room, and got a third picture Steven, 
this time facing the camera and making a "V" sign with his fingers.  
"POLLY!"

                                                        *****

        Urawa was now lying down on Makoto's bed, unconscious.  Mercury had 
gotten her computer out and determined that he had just suffered a shock to 
his system and would recover.  The discussion had then turned to what to do 
next.

        "It seems simple to me," Mars said.  "We teleport to Pluto and use
the 
Gate of Time to go back and get our rightful bodies."  She remained 
transformed, shooting suspicious glances at the present-day Sailor 
Auxiliaries.  The other Senshi had transformed back, even though Mercury 
still grumbled about her present life's taste.

        "Unwise," Mercury countered, fiddling with the buttons on Ami's 
pajamas.  She unbuttoned two of them and looked over at Steven, who was 
watching.  He turned bright red and looked away.  She smiled.  It was 
exactly the reaction she was looking for.

        "Do you think you could stop flirting with the commoners long enough 
to tell me why it's unwise, cousin?"

        "None of us have ever been to Pluto," the short-haired Senshi
replied.  
"We would be teleporting blind.  Also, without Senshi Pluto, we cannot tell 
how functional the old defenses are.  They were designed to prevent such an 
intrusion, if thou recall."

        "What defenses?" Umino asked.  He almost wilted under the angry gaze 
Mars shot him.

        Mamoru chose to answer that, calling upon long dormant memories. 
"The 
Gate of Time was deemed so dangerous that the Founders of the Silver 
Millennium themselves erected defenses to prevent anyone besides its 
appointed Guardian from reaching it.  In times of need, the rulers of the 
Five Planets could override the defenses, if Pluto was unavailable, but my, 
that is, Endymion's father never told me... him how to do it.  I'm sure 
Serenity hasn't been told yet either."

        Serenity was examining her surroundings curiously and didn't even
hear 
the question.  "What was that, Endy-chan?"

        He repeated the question.  "No, Mother never told me any of that."  
She resumed her studies of the room and the things in it.  "Did you say 
that I was a Senshi in this time, Endy-chan?"

        "Well, yes, because of a misunderstanding.  Usagi can become the Moon 
Princess, but it always seems to take a lot out of her."

        "But how does she do it?  I never learned any sort of transformation."

        "Oh, she just yells out 'Moon Crystal Power' while holding her 
locket," Umino supplied helpfully.

        Luna spun around to face her princess.  "Serenity, No!  It's not 
proper for--"

        "MOON CRYSTAL POWER!" Serenity shouted before the guardian of her 
virtues could interfere.  Immediately the standard light show went into 
effect and Serenity transformed into Sailor Moon.  "Amazing," she said, 
looking over her costume.

        "Tacky," Venus stated.

        "Was all of that REALLY necessary?" Mars said acidly.

        "It was a bit showy, especially losing all thy clothes like that... 
hmm..." Mercury said thoughtfully.  Mars shot her a disdainful glance.

        "It's a disgrace to your position," Luna moaned, hiding her face in 
her hands.

        Jupiter just shrugged.  "Elder Jupiter showed me some worse things
she 
tried when she learned to transform."

        "What's so special about this locket?" Serenity asked, fiddling with 
it.  She removed it from her costume.  Mamoru and the others expected the 
costume to dissolve immediately, but it didn't.  Before they could wonder 
why, however, Serenity got the locket open and gasped.

        The Silver Crystal seemed to fill the room with light.  As one, the 
Senshi backed away from it.

        "Put it down now, Serenity!" Luna said, in the urgent sort of whisper 
used with people disarming bombs.

        Serenity dropped the locket like a hot potato.  The Senshi and Luna 
all flinched as it hit the floor, then breathed a sigh of relief as nothing 
untoward happened.

        "Your counterpart kept THAT on her all the time?" Mars asked.

        "Um, what's wrong?" Steven asked hesitantly.  "It's just the Silver 
Crystal.  Sailor Moon's used it lots of times."

        "But use of the Crystal is dangerous!" Luna said.  "Most of the
Queens 
of the Moon have died from using its power."

        "It was the power of the Silver Crystal that defeated Ber--er, some
of 
our enemies.  It has always exacted a horrible price from Usagi, but it 
hasn't killed her."  Unless you consider that final battle against Beryl, 
Mamoru thought.

        "Amazing.  She must be strong in magic to use it so easily."

        "Well, I wouldn't say 'easily,'" Naru said, thinking of the one time 
she used the Crystal in conjunction with Lady Patience's magic.  At the 
time, she hadn't felt it so much, but after the adrenaline and excitement 
wore off, she had slept the sleep of the dead for ten hours.

        "The other Sailors all feed her power usually when she uses it.  That 
seems to keep the energy drain from being fatal," Mamoru added.

        "I never would have thought to try that," Serenity said.  "So there
is 
a way we can use it?  Maybe we can use it to get home."  She stooped to 
pick it up.

        "That probably wouldn't be a good idea," Urawa, who had woken up a
few 
minutes ago, said, drawing on his discussions with Ami on the nature of 
magic and the Crystal.  They were both very bright and the thought of 
trying to codify an entirely new branch of learning (or rediscover a very 
old one) had fascinated them.  "Usagi uses the Crystal on an instinctive 
level, hardly aware of what she does, but I'm sure time travel of that 
magnitude, without Pluto to help, would be VERY risky."

        "So, what can we do?" Jupiter asked?

        "Our future selves can probably enlist the aid of Queen Serenity in 
the Silver Millennium.  They can reach Pluto, but it will take them time," 
Mercury said.

        "What, won't it seem instantaneous to us?" Umino asked.

        Everyone just looked at him.

        "Oh, right, it'd have happened already," he said, rubbing the back of 
his head nervously.

        Mercury fiddled with her computer some more.  "The best guess I can 
come up with is that because we and the Sailors have switched places, our 
two times have become congruent.  Basically for every day that passes for 
them, a day passes for us."

        "So we have to wait for them to travel to Pluto?  How long does that 
take?"

        "Oh, no more than a week for a military transport... providing it 
doesn't run afoul of anything.  The space between the planets can be 
dangerous," Jupiter replied.  "Especially since Odysseus was destroyed."

        "Odysseus?" Steven asked, beating Umino for once.

        "The wandering planet," Jupiter clarified and got blank looks in 
return.  "The home of the Star Kingdom?  Well, I suppose you wouldn't know 
of it, since Dr'achicar used it as a spawning ground."

        Naru shuddered.  "It used the planet as an egg, didn't it?  Burst out 
of it and killed everyone."  She and Mamoru shared a glance, thinking of 
the talk they had had recently.

        "You know of it?" Jupiter said.

        "We have a friend," Steven explained, "a painter who dreams of the 
past and paints what she sees.  But what was the Star Kingdom?  The Sailors 
remember only bits and pieces of the past."  A sudden thought struck him.  
"Is the White Knight connected to it?"

        "Oh, yes," Jupiter said.  "Neph-chan told me all about him from what 
he learned in the Star Kingdom."  She noticed that Naru was giving her a 
funny look.  "What is it?" she asked.

        "It's nothing," Naru replied, looking away.

        Jupiter didn't look convinced, but she said nothing for now about it.
 
"The Star Kingdom was one of the Five Kingdoms of the Silver Millennium," 
she continued.  "They were the Crystal Kingdom, the Moon Kingdom, the Star 
Kingdom, the Mars Kingdom, and the Kingdom of Atlantis."

        "What about the other planets?" Steven asked.

        "Oh, Venus and Mercury were given to the elves and dwarves, of 
course," Venus piped in.  "The other planets are the frontier, no 
kingdoms... yet."  She looked over at Jupiter and blushed faintly.  "Except 
for Pluto, of course."

        "They don't count," Mars interjected, her arms folded defiantly over 
her chest.  "Those things aren't even humanoid."

        "They are sentient," Serenity said softly.  Mars looked away from
her, 
unwilling to meet the gaze of her princess.  "The planet of Pluto is 
inhabited by an intelligent form of fungus.  They are very hard to 
understand, but possess a great deal of knowledge regarding the workings of 
the Great Shield, the Gate of Time, and such things."

        "This is all very confusing," Umino stated, shaking his head.  "Could 
someone start from the beginning?"

        Serenity stood up and fixed everyone with her gaze.  Though she was 
still wearing Sailor Moon's uniform, everyone present knew she was royalty.  
It was the sort of feeling that starts deep in your bones and spreads 
outward, so fundamentally a part of you that it isn't even questioned.  
Softly, the Moon Princess began to speak.

        "Long, long ago, before man tamed fire or learned to control the 
spirits, when the darkness ruled and the night terrified, the Things from 
Beyond descended upon Earth, the mother planet.  For countless eons, they 
came and went as they pleased, spreading terror and death.  None could 
oppose them, though many died trying.

        "Struggling to survive, mankind made the first steps toward 
civilization, banding together against the Things.  The first mages 
appeared, using their magic to help their people as much as they could, 
though none were strong enough to drive away the Things.  So it remained 
until the Five arose.

        "From five different tribes they came.  Serenity, from a tribe of 
healers and farmers.  Endymion, from a tribe of guardians and hunters.  
Vulcan, from a tribe of artificers and makers.  Astra, from a tribe of 
diviners and mystics.  Metallia, from a tribe of warriors and watchers.  
Each was the most powerful mage of their tribe and they came together in a 
common cause against the Things.

        "Astra determined the time and place of their strike, Vulcan's hammer 
struck the blows that forged it, Endymion guarded their backs, Serenity 
healed the wounds left by the Things, and Metallia gave her soul.  
Together, they created the Great Shield.

        "With each blow of Vulcan's hammer, the Great Shield expanded,
pushing 
out, out to where even the rays of the sun could go no further.  Before it, 
the Things fell or were pushed back, unable to withstand its terrible 
purity.  A soul had been freely given to drive them back, and no force is 
more powerful.

        "All the tribes rejoiced, believing the war was over, but the Four
Who 
Once Were Five knew that humanity could not let down its guard, or else the 
Things would return.  So each took some of their power and created their 
own protectors and items of power.

        "Endymion mastered the power of the Earth, found in the crystals She 
produced.  He took his people far to the east, until they settled on an 
series of islands on the Ocean of Peace.  There, where the power of the 
Earth flowed freely, he built the Kingdom of Crystal.  To protect his 
people, he named Guardians, empowering them with magical crystals.

        "Vulcan took up his hammer again, and with it forged the first ships 
that could sail the sky.  He and his tribe left the mother planet and 
traveled far into the night, until they reached a planet whose color 
matched the flames of his forge.  There, his people prospered and built the 
mighty fleets that would patrol the skies, watchful for the return of the 
Things from Beyond.

        "Astra mastered the power of the Stars, and knew the destiny of all.  
For her tribe, she took the Wandering Star as her home, where they would 
watch for the signs of the time of doom that is to come.  To her chosen 
protector, she bequeathed the power of the stars to guide his sword and be 
his shield.  Thus was born the Eternal Warrior, the White Knight.  From the 
sky fell the Orb of Stars, in whose depths destiny can be plumbed, and she 
took it with her to guard against the final days.

        "Serenity consulted with Vulcan and Endymion, and together they
forged 
the Empyrean Silver Crystal, whose great and terrible power was to be their 
weapon of last resort.  She took her tribe to the Moon, where the Crystal's 
power could not harm the mother planet, if it were used.  The power of the 
Planets was hers to command, and she gave their power to her Senshi.  In 
each generation, a Senshi would be born with the ability to draw upon the 
power of their planet, to be trained and nurtured by their elders until 
they in turn would find their successors.

        "Metallia's tribe stayed on the continent of Atlantis, vowing to keep 
Watch over the Great Shield their leader had given her soul to create.  To 
lead their armies when the time of doom came, Generals were appointed 
because of their great power and ability.  To the tribe of Metallia was 
left the forbidden knowledge of Death, which they guarded from misuse.  In 
times of need, Metallia still spoke to them, from the Shield that housed 
her soul, offering guidance and support to her people.

        "To the other races, the elven nobles and the dwarven warriors, each 
were given their own planets to rule, apart from humanity.  The dwarves 
chose the tunnels of Mercury and built a vast empire beneath its rocky 
surface.  The elves chose the lush forests of Venus, taking with them many 
of the magical beasts and creatures who found humanity encroaching on their 
territories.

        "A time of peace was declared, the birth of a new age.  Proclaiming 
that it would last as long as the Empyrean Silver Crystal, the Founders 
called it the Silver Millennium.  When the Millennium ended, Astra 
foretold, a time of doom would come, but from that doom the seeds of 
rebirth would be sown.  The Millennium to follow the Silver Millennium 
would exceed its predecessor in all ways.  And so we watch for the doom, 
and wait for the rebirth, until the planets stop in their tracks and the 
stars cease to light the skies."

        Everyone was silent for a time.

        "That was very beautiful, Serenity," Mamoru said.  As she had told
the 
story, he remembered hearing that tale told by countless bards, though none 
told it as simply and elegantly as the young woman before him.  They had 
not believed the ancient tale's warnings, but Serenity had, and it had come 
to pass.

        "It's a very old story, but I was taught it from an early age. 
Mother 
thought it was proper and had Luna drilling me on it from day one, I 
think."

        "I did not!" Luna said.

        "Yeah, she waited at least a day," Artemis said.  He was still
getting 
used to having opposable thumbs and fingers.  Everything also looked 
different, since he was no longer seeing them from about a foot off the 
ground.  He then glanced over at Luna and saw she was glaring at him again.  
Why is it that some things never change? he moaned to himself.

        Steven interrupted them.  "Sorry to break up a potential cat fight, 
but we still need to decide what to do until the Sailors can get back here, 
or Pluto sets things right."

        "'What to do?'" Mars asked.  "We wait, what do you think we do?  We 
stay here and protect the Princess from harm."

        "But I want to see the future!"  Serenity said.  She pointed out the 
window where the lights of the city could be seen.  "Look at it!  It's all 
so grand, vibrant, exciting and NEW!  I want to see it all."

        "Absolutely not!" Luna exclaimed, forgetting her argument with 
Artemis.  "It's not safe!"

        Urawa said nothing.  He thought back to when he had met Ami again at 
Umino's game and had had a precognitive flash.  He had seen her holding 
onto his arm and acting very flirtatious.  Now he knew he had seen Mercury 
in Ami's body.  They would be leaving this room and seeing the outside 
world.  It made no difference whether he said anything or not, he thought, 
so he just stayed quiet.  Besides, he could still feel his lips tingling 
with the kiss Mercury had given him.  He wondered idly if Ami could kiss 
like that.

        "Look," Mamoru said, "you just can't stay holed up in Makoto's 
apartment.  For one thing, some of you have parents who will be worried."  
And the last thing I need, he thought, is Usako's father thinking I'm a 
child molester AGAIN.  "Also, there's school and the various activities 
your modern day selves are involved in.  If you don't go home or to school, 
it'll arouse suspicion and that's the last thing we need."

        "Marry, he doth speak the truth," Mercury said softly.  "Our future 
selves doth have lives of their own.  No doubt they  must take on our roles 
at home, so must we take theirs."

        "If your other self is as they describe her," Mars said, "she will
not 
be able to sink to your levels, cousin."

        "Mayhap she will find the experience... enlightening," Mercury said 
with a smile.

        "Well, that is all very interesting," Mamoru said, coughing
nervously, 
"but we have to try and make it seem like everything is normal until we 
find a way to send you all home."

        Urawa spoke up.  "Well, obviously Jupiter will be OK, since Makoto 
lives alone.  As for the rest, we'll just have to stay by them and make 
sure that they don't attract attention."

        "That sounds good." Steven said.  "Urawa, I guess you'll be Mercury's 
bodyguard since you and Ami are a couple.  I'll be watching Venus for the 
same reason."

        "Are we a couple?" Venus asked, looking at Steven curiously.

        "Um, yeah," Steven said.  "Sorry I didn't mention it earlier."

        "Mmmm, well, I wouldst not mind a chance to get closer to you," 
Mercury said, grabbing Urawa's arm.  He looked like he might faint.

        "What of the Princess and I?" Mars said, suspiciously.

        "Well, that's a problem," Naru said, "since Usagi has a family and
Rei 
is living with her at the moment while the Shrine is being rebuilt."

        "I would not want to live at a shrine to some barbaric spirit in any 
event," Mars snapped.

        Once again, Serenity calmed her protector down by placing a hand on 
her shoulder.  "Mars-chan, these people are trying to help us."

        "Naru, Umino and I can fill you in on what you need to know," Mamoru 
said, "but you'll have to hide your differences as best you can when we 
can't be there.  Fortunately, the girls were all sleeping over here, so we 
have one night to prepare."

        "Sleeping over here unsupervised, and with thou present?" Mercury 
said, her eyes lighting as she looked at the men.  "There is hope for thy 
friends yet."

        The males blushed as one.

        "What of Luna?" Artemis said.

        "Well, since she's a cat..." Umino began.

        "I am a VENUSIAN cat, boy," Luna said haughtily.  "Not some stray you 
find on the street."

        "Um, actually, Luna, Usagi DID find you on the street... 
nevermindit'snotimportant!" Artemis said quickly as Luna shot him a look 
cold enough to freeze helium.

        "Maybe she should stay human, so she doesn't slip up and talk as a 
cat?" Naru asked.

        "Stay human for a week or more?" Luna asked, seemingly repulsed by
the 
idea.

        "Why not?" Umino countered.

        "Boy, while Venusian cats can change shape," Luna lectured, standing 
up, "we prefer our natural form above the rest."  She winced slightly as 
she walked around.  Her muscles felt like they were on fire because of her 
transformations, which was ridiculous.  How out of shape had her 
counterpart been?  In any event, she wouldn't be lying on the floor whining 
about the pain like that boor, Artemis.  She shot him another look and saw 
him looking back sympathetically, which froze her in her tracks.  The 
Artemis she knew wouldn't do that.  How had he changed in 25,000 years?

        "His name is Umino, Luna," Naru snapped.  "You guys have to remember 
you're not royalty here.  Japan is a democracy."

        "A democracy?" Jupiter asked.

        "A representative form of government where leaders are elected by the 
people to serve for fixed terms," Mercury replied.  "The Star Kingdom 
practiced it for most positions outside of the royal line."

        "And see where it got them, with that Zodiac scandal," Mars muttered.

        "The Zodiac?" Naru asked, suddenly alert.  All the present day folk 
were now listening alertly.  "What do you know about them?"

        Mars was taken aback.  Before she could answer, Serenity spoke up.  
"Some sort of think tank the Star Kingdom formed, to study the stars.  They 
fell into disfavor on Odysseus when they tried to use their predictions to 
rig the elections.  Queen Astra, I hear, was going to disband them, but 
Dr'achicar spawned before that could happen.  They all died then, anyway."

        "Serenity, didn't Artemis tell you that some of our current foes are 
calling themselves the Zodiac?" Mamoru asked.

        Everyone looked at Artemis, who turned bright red.  "Um, I sorta only 
got a chance to answer their questions about the Moon Kingdom and 
reincarnation and the like."  He turned defensive.  "Hey, it's not like it 
was easy to synopsize all of that!"

        "Typical," Luna snorted.

        "Describe these enemies," Mars ordered, her voice lashing out like a 
whip.  "I want to know ANYTHING that might harm our princess."

        A long discussion on the Zodiac followed.

                                                        *****

        The entire group was yawning once the stories of the Sailor's
exploits 
were told.  However, some things had been glossed over or skipped in favor 
of information about the Sailors' present day lives.  Mercury, who despite 
her flighty exterior had a mind every bit as sharp as Ami's, quickly 
memorized all the relevant information on her mother and her social life 
(or lack thereof).  Jupiter likewise had an easy time.  Serenity had a look 
of intense concentration on her face as the others told her of Usagi's life 
and family, but her head seemed to swim with all the facts.  Mars listened 
closely as well, but one got the feeling she was surveying the terrain as a 
general, looking for threats.  Venus was almost given up as a lost cause, 
since she seemed to be as scatter-brained as Minako was at times.  Steven 
finally just told her to call Minako's parents "Mom and Dad" and leave it 
at that.  Then the group broke up for the night.  Naru was staying behind 
with the girls, as part of the sleepover, but the rest got up to leave.  
Mars stopped Mamoru at the door, however.

        "Endymion," Mars finally said, "you said that 'some' of your current 
foes are calling themselves the Zodiac.  Who else is after my princess?"  
The question came out low and quiet, but she was obviously demanding an 
answer.

        "I can't tell you that, Mars," he replied.

        "My duty is to protect Serenity!  How can I do that if I don't know 
what to protect her against?"

        Mamoru looked at everyone else.  Seeing them engrossed in what Naru 
was showing them of the TV and late night entertainment, he pulled Mars 
into the kitchen.  He placed his hands on her shoulders and looked at her 
earnestly.

        "Look, Mars, I know you'd die to protect Serenity.  Your other self 
would do that as well.  I would die to protect her.  But I'm protecting YOU 
right now.  Knowing who our other enemy is would only ruin your life back 
in the Silver Millennium.  I want you all to be as happy as you can before 
the doom strikes."

        Flame wreathed Mars's shoulders, hot enough to smart but not burn.  
Mamoru yelped and let go of her.  "Hands off!" she snarled.  "You may or 
may not have been Prince of the Earth, sir, but you may NOT touch a Vulcan 
Princess in that manner!"  The flames snaked down to her fist and grew 
hotter.  "Now, let ME be the judge of thy news," she said, her accent 
returning in her anger, "or I shall make thee tell me."

        Mamoru met her angry gaze steadily and then sighed.  "Our other 
enemy," he said slowly, "is the current leader of what remains of the Dark 
Kingdom, our first foes, a man who once threatened to incinerate this 
entire city to get Sailor Moon.  His name is Jadeite."

        The flames wavered for a moment, then grew brighter.  "YOU LIE!" Mars 
hissed.  "Jade-chan would NEVER serve evil!"

        "Beryl did something to all my Guardians, Mars," Mamoru said calmly, 
his armor as Prince Endymion appearing around him.  "They were corrupted by 
her dark power and betrayed the Crystal Kingdom.  They subjugated and 
killed my people, and then led them to attack the Moon Kingdom.  They 
fought the Senshi and they won.  Metallia won.  If Queen Serenity hadn't 
sealed them all away with the Silver Crystal, none of us would be here."

        The flame flickered out.  "My... Jade-chan?  Noooooooo!"  She hugged 
herself as if cold.  "It's not true!"

        "What's not true?" Serenity asked from the door to the kitchen.  She 
saw Mars dropping down onto her knees.  "Mars-chan?"  She knelt by her 
friend.

        Mamoru sighed.  It looked like he would have some more explaining to 
do.

                                                        *****

        Izuko glared at Hudson as they waited in Chester and Polly's 
apartment.  The two mercenaries had been told to be there to meet the 
Ascendants after the Zodiac meeting had concluded.  Unfortunately, the 
meeting seemed to be going long.  Hudson had finally gotten tired of 
waiting outside and picked the lock.  Now he was sitting on the couch, 
channel-surfing through the hundreds of channels the twins' satellite TV 
could pick up.

        "Hey, female oil wrestling championships!" he cheered.  Izuko rubbed 
her forehead and tried to keep a migraine from developing.

        "Your tastes never cease to amaze me, Hudson," she sneered.

        "Hey, babe, at least I'm honest about what I like," he replied, 
cracking open a Sapporo beer.  He had brought his own.  Gemini had none in 
their apartment.

        Izuko seethed about the babe comment, but any further comment was 
forestalled by a flash of light.  The Gemini twins appeared in the middle 
of the room, between Hudson and the TV.

        "Gross!" Polly said, since she was facing the screen.

        "Hudson, Izuko, what are you doing here?" Chester asked in a 
dangerous-sounding voice.  He squeezed his sister's hand almost painfully 
to get her attention away from the spectacle on the TV screen.  She yelped, 
but he didn't care how she felt.  She had embarrassed them horribly with 
those slides of Steven.  The rest of the Zodiac had been laughing at them.  
It was not a good day for Gemini.

        "Waiting for you to get back, boss," Hudson said.  Izuko was quiet, 
but she was hoping that Hudson would dig his own grave.

        Chester's eyes blazed a bright blue color and Hudson's Sapporo 
imploded on itself.  "I wanted you to wait OUTSIDE," he hissed.  "I did NOT 
want you to break into my home and watch my TV while drinking your beer!"

        "Hey, I'm not cleaning that--OW!" Polly complained as Chester
squeezed 
her hand even tighter than before.  Her eyes began to glow blue as well, 
but she was looking at her brother.

        "R-right," Hudson stammered, looking at the crumpled ball of aluminum 
that had been his drink.

        Chester got a hold on his emotions.  "Your job is to spy on Hino Rei 
and Aino Minako.  Find out what their schedules are, who they hang out 
with.  Determine who among their friends are likely to be the other 
Sailors.  I need to know where they meet and when."

        "Are we planning a strike, sir?" Izuko said, keeping her voice cool 
and professional.

        "Yes.  Gemini, Aries, Taurus, Cancer and Leo will all be striking the 
Sailor Senshi.  Hopefully we can force the Princess or the White Knight to 
show themselves."

        "T-the White Knight?" Hudson stammered, his eyes darting fearfully 
around the room as if expecting the silver-armored warrior to leap out from 
under the footwarmer.

        Izuko stifled a sigh as Hudson went into his paranoid mode and tried 
to listen to Chester state the rest of her mission objectives.

                                                        *****

        Something was beeping.  Mars opened her eyes.  She was sleeping on
the 
floor, she noted, and her muscles were protesting.  Getting up with a 
groan, she looked around sleepily and then sighed.  She was still in this 
nightmarish future.  She had dared to hope it was just a dream.

        The beeping was continuing, drawing moans and groans from everyone.  
What was making it?  Oh, yes, Mars thought, that 'alarm clock' Endymion had 
explained the night before.  She stifled an unladylike curse and shot her 
hand out toward it.  The annoying device disintegrated in a burst of flame.

        "Mars, I wish you hadn't done that.  It belongs to my counterpart,
you 
know," Jupiter groused from the couch.  The Senshi had decided to give 
Serenity the bed and Jupiter (since it was her place, in a way) got the 
couch.  The rest had made the best they could of sleeping on the floor, 
borrowing sheets and pillows or using sleeping gear their other lives had 
obviously brought.

        Naru, who had been part of the sleepover, watched the Senshi get up 
quietly.  At times it was difficult to believe they weren't her friends, 
since they looked and moved just like them.  But even as she watched, they 
shattered her expectations.

        Serenity got out of bed without complaint, totally unlike Usagi.  Her 
hair was down, but even as the auburn-haired teen watched, it stirred as if 
caught in a breeze.  Within minutes, the Moon Princess's had used her 
command of the air (How did I know she could do that? Naru wondered) to 
comb and set her hair in its distinctive style.

        Mars was looking sourly at a hairbrush while this went on.  "How does 
my counterpart deal without servants?" she muttered as she savagely ripped 
the brush through her hair.

        "Thou has figured out why I keepest my hair short, cousin," Mercury 
said with a smile.  Naru's eyes widened as the short-haired teen casually 
disrobed and strolled over to the bathroom.  "First claim on the bath," she 
said.

        Venus smiled at Naru.  "You must forgive her, Pa--Naru," she said, 
trying to remember the names they would have to use here.  "Lady Merc--I 
mean, Ami has little in the way of... how should I say it...?"

        "Morals?" Mars said.

        "Mars-chan, don't be rude to your cousin," Serenity said gently.  She 
gestured at her raven-haired friend and the same air currents that had 
tamed her hair swept through the fire warrior's black locks.  Mars shot her 
princess a grateful look, which Serenity returned with a smile.

        "I would have said inhibitions," Jupiter said as she wandered into
the 
kitchen.  "And Mars has a point, Serenity.  I hope Mercury doesn't ruin her 
other self's life."  Jupiter looked around the kitchen, trying to figure 
out what each item was for.

        "Need help, Lady Jupiter?" Naru asked.

        "Yes, what is all this stuff?" the brunette complained.  She opened 
the door to the refrigerator.  "Ah, the cold storage!  But where is the 
freezer crystal?"  She poked the refrigerator's light.  "Ow!  It's hot."

        "Inefficient and primitive," Mars sniffs.  "Doesn't this time use 
crystals for anything?"

        Naru big-sweated.  "Um, Lady Mars, I think we use them in
computers... 
like the one Mercury uses?  But we're not as good as that."  Recently Ami 
and Umino had begun work on a program to let Ami download information from 
her computer into a normal PC, but none of them could afford anywhere near 
the storage space required.  Also, the Mercury Computer ran so fast, it was 
hard to get the two machines to cooperate.

        "Now, now, Mars, don't be so hard on this time.  It obviously does 
things differently, but that doesn't mean it doesn't do them better in some 
areas."

        "What do we have to do today, Naru-san?" Serenity asked quietly.

        "Well, it's Sunday," the teen answered.  "You'll all have to go home 
at some point.  Ami and Minako live at the Tsunami dorms, so I can show you 
all the school.  Then we can go by Usagi and Minako's houses.  I think 
Minako's parents like to see her over the weekend.  We're supposed to meet 
up with the guys for lunch, too."

        "Good.  I would like to see more of this time," Serenity said.

        "I think I'll go and take a bath, then," Venus said, heading for the 
bathroom.

        A bright burst of flame came from the kitchen.  "Ouch!" Jupiter 
exclaimed, having discovered the hard way how the oven burners work.  Naru 
ran over to help her master modern appliances.

                                                        *****

        Artemis sighed as he followed Luna through the streets.  They were 
both in human form and walking about five feet apart, Luna leading the way.  
She had made it clear she didn't like him being near to her, but at the 
same time he was the one who knew Tokyo and had the yen Mamoru had 
reluctantly loaned them.

        It was all so strange, he thought, to walk in a crowd and have people 
actually nod hello to you, or move out of your way.  No need to fear 
someone stepping on your tail, no need to dodge the local Animal Control 
people.  Now if Luna would only talk to him.

        The two cats had woken up before everyone else and Luna had quickly 
decided she needed to scout out this city for herself.  Artemis was not 
invited to come along, as far as she was concerned.  Every now and then she 
shot him an angry look.  That irritated him.  She was holding him 
responsible for something he didn't even remember.  He had only vague 
memories of the Moon Kingdom, but he knew he was different now than he was 
then.  But how to convince Luna of that?

        When they passed a sidewalk cafe, he thought he saw an answer.  
Hurrying forward, he took Luna's arm.  "We're going to talk," he hissed, 
leading her to a table.

        "I've told you, I don't want to talk to you, Artemis," she said 
haughtily.  She wanted to shake him off, but he was smiling and looking 
like he had every right to hold her arm and she didn't want to cause a 
scene.  She didn't know how the lawgivers of this time worked, but she was 
sure that too many awkward questions would be raised if they got involved.  
She let him set her at a table.

        "Now, Luna, do you want to tell me why you hate me so much?" he asked.

        "You know why," she snapped.  "And I will never forgive you for it."

        Artemis threw his hands up in frustration.  "And I've told you that I 
don't remember it!"

        "Of *course* you don't," she sneered.  "How convenient."

        The waitress came over.  "Good morning.  Our specials today are..."

        "Two bowls--glasses of milk," Artemis interrupted, never taking his 
eyes off Luna, "and something with fish in it.  For two."

        "Um, sir, you can't just--" the waitress began.  Artemis just peeled 
off one of the larger denomination yen that Mamoru had given him and handed 
it to her, hoping it was enough.  It was all a lot easier in those movies 
Minako watched all the time.

        It must have been enough, for she took it and walked off.  Luna 
sniffed haughtily.  "Don't think that buying me breakfast will make me 
forgive you, Artemis."

        "This may come as a surprise to you, Luna, but you and I are actually 
civil nowadays.  I don't think she even remembers what it is you blame me 
for.  If I hurt you somehow, I'm sorry, but I'm not the same Artemis 
anymore, so could you please show me some common courtesy?"

        Luna began to snap a reply, but then held her temper.  "Always the 
smooth talker, aren't you?" she said bitterly.  "You certainly used that 
glib tongue enough to get what you wanted back on the Moon.  And who you 
wanted."

        "What...?"  He thought back to the Moon Kingdom.  Perhaps this human 
form was better able to access the memories, or maybe Luna was sparking his 
recall, but it seemed a little clearer.  Dodging Apollo in the hallways, 
stealing fish from the kitchen, finding a lady cat to spend the cool nights 
with, one with dark fur and--

        He looked over at Luna, aghast.  "We were lov--?"

        She held up a hand.  "Don't say it!  You don't deserve to say that 
word, not to me."  The waitress came with their milk and a salmon dish, 
which she set before them timidly.  She looked for some sign of approval, 
but the two Venusians were too busy staring at each other to bother with 
her.  Finally, she just left.

        Luna continued.  "Yes, we had a... relationship, Artemis.  When you 
came to the Moon with the Elder Venus, you seemed quite the handsome young 
cat.  I was young and foolish, and I should have known better."  She picked 
absently at her salmon.  "Then you go to Venus and find the Younger Venus 
all by yourself and come back all full of airs."  She stabbed her fork in 
his direction.  "I loved you so much I thought my heart would burst.  But 
when I mentioned taking you home to Venus, to meet my family, what do you 
do?  You left me for almost any cat that crossed your path, you lousy two 
timer!"

        Artemis shrank back from her vehemence.  The Luna of the present 
obviously had forgotten that, or else she wouldn't even be civil toward 
him, let alone let him hope they might have something together.  Now that 
Luna had told him, he remembered it a little more clearly.  He had 
panicked, afraid of changing, growing up.  Afraid of his feelings for Luna.  
He had run away from her, and now he was paying the price for it all over 
again.

        "Luna..." he began, then stopped.  What could he say?  He struggled
to 
find the words.  "Luna, I know what I did was wrong, that it hurt you 
horribly.  I wish I hadn't done it.  By the founders, I wish I hadn't done 
it.  I was incredibly foolish.  I was young and I was afraid."

        "Afraid?  Bah!" Luna snorted, but she was listening.  That was a 
start.

                                                        *****

        Finally, the Senshi all got ready to face their future.  They stepped 
out into modern Tokyo looking a little bewildered.  Their choices in 
clothing were limited to what the Sailors had brought, but they raided 
Makoto's closet for things more to their liking and Naru had helped them 
chose proper accessories.

        Serenity was wearing a long white sundress, reaching down to her 
ankles, that came close to matching her Moon Princess dress.  Mercury had 
found a black mini and a man's dress shirt that she had knotted at the 
waist.  It showed off a lot of skin, but it was a warm and sunny day.  Mars 
wore a deep red dress that didn't constrict her movement too much.  She 
claimed she wanted to be ready if she needed to move fast.  Jupiter wore a 
light green sundress that matched Serenity's.  Venus wore tan slacks from 
Makoto's dresser and an orange blouse she had dug out of Minako's gear.

        All in all, Naru thought, they looked good, but not exactly like her 
friends.  Modern day makeup had also been a chore.  Mercury and Venus had 
taken to it quickly.  Jupiter had preferred to just be clean.  Serenity and 
Mars, however, had become walking disaster areas, with enough rouge, 
mascara, and blush to make them look like clowns.

        "Um, Mercury, are you sure you want to wear that?" Naru said timidly.
 
"I mean, you're going to attract a lot of attention and Ami never dressed 
like that, or wore that much makeup."

        "Tis the whole purpose of my choice," Mercury said with a smile. 
"Who 
says I do not wish attention?"

        "There are a lot of people here, aren't there, Aurora-chan?" Serenity 
said, looking about curiously.

        "They must breed like sand lice," Mars replied caustically, "like
some 
people I know."  She shot a glance at her cousin who was openly admiring 
the bodies of some of the passing males.

        Serenity looked at her friend in concern.  "Aurora-chan, what's
wrong?  
You've been angry ever since we arrived in the future."

        Mars sighed.  "Ever since we've arrived here, we've had one shock 
after another, Princess.  I keep wondering where the next surprise will 
come from."

        "Is it because of what your other self does?" Serenity asked, laying
a 
gentle hand on Mars's shoulder.

        "I don't see how she... *I* could stomach a religion.  It seems so 
alien."

        Serenity giggles, which draws a glare from Mars.  "But, Aurora-chan, 
you've always had faith in your technology, haven't you?"

        "That's different!"

        "Magic and faith here seem to be in the same position here that 
technology was back home," Serenity said.  "Is it so strange that you would 
still pursue the more exotic art?"

        Mars was silent.  Serenity smiled and linked her arm with that of her 
Senshi and they went off.

        Naru led them to a small park where they were supposed to meet the 
guys.  Looking around, she spotted them by a fountain and waved to attract 
their attention.  The Senshi's outfits got a few stares, Mercury's most of 
all, but they recovered quickly.

        "Shall we go to lunch, my princess?" Mamoru asked Serenity.  His eyes 
couldn't help but follow her as she walked.  Usagi showed so little of the 
grace the Moon Princess had.  The smile she gave him was just as dazzling, 
however.

        "Of course, End--Mamo-chan," she said.

        Mamoru felt his heart constrict at the use of Usagi's nickname for 
him.  He wanted his Usako back.  Endymion had loved Serenity, but Chiba 
Mamoru loved Tsukino Usagi.  There was no going back.

        Serenity seemed to pick up on his mood almost immediately.  Her smile 
dimmed, but didn't disappear entirely.

        "Hello, Urawa-kun," Mercury said, capturing his arm in hers and 
snuggling close.  Her accent was muted today.

        "M-Mercury-san," he stuttered.

        "Oh, don't act like a virgin," she said teasingly.  Then her accent 
came back full strength.  "Mayhap you are one...?"

        Urawa turned bright red and couldn't even answer.

        "Oh, how sweet!" she said.  The accent faded again.  She was
obviously 
trying to suppress it, but it was difficult to break the habits of a 
lifetime.  "I have introduced many a lad to the ways of pleasing a woman.  
My counterpart will have much to thank me for...."

        Urawa thought of how Ami would react if he took Mercury up on her 
offer and shuddered.

        "You look nice," Steven said to Venus, who spun around obligingly.

        "It was nothing," she said.  "When you've had to deal with the 
fashions of other races and cultures for as long as I have, you learn to 
pick up the basics quickly."

        "How come you know so much about other races and cultures?"

        "Oh, my father was a merchant on Venus.  We had to deal with elves, 
dwarves and people from all over the system," she said nonchalantly.

        "Amazing," he said with a whistle.  "I'd love to hear more about it.  
I'm afraid the Solar System is a much drearier place now."

        "Y-you look nice, Lady Mars," Umino tried to compliment her.  He 
realized that they hadn't started out on the best of terms and hoped to do 
better.  Mars took her eyes away from Serenity and Endymion for a second to 
glower at him, but stopped at a look from Naru.

        "Thank you, Umino," she grated out.  Naru smiled at her and then 
welcomed her boyfriend, who seemed pleased to get out from under Mars's 
gaze.

        The group headed toward a small cafe near the park.

                                                        *****

        "Well, well, isn't this interesting," Izuko said as she lowered her 
binoculars.  "It's the same group of girls from the New Year's festival."

        She and Hudson were sitting in a car not far from the park.  It had 
been simple enough to find their quarry, with a little magical help.  She 
looked down at the hand-held sensor unit Capricorn had given her.  At least 
it had worked better than Taurus's money tracker.  All they had to do was 
feed in information on Hino Rei's magical aura, which Aries had encountered 
when he drained her power, and it could find her anywhere within a ten city 
block radius.  Now, if they only knew what the Princess's aura was like.

        "Whooee!  Look at the legs on the blue-haired one!  I didn't think 
they let Japanese school girls wear things THAT short!"  Hudson was, as 
usual, dwelling in the gutter.

        "Take pictures of them, Hudson," Izuko said as she tried to keep from 
grinding her teeth together.  "ALL of them, not just the short-haired 
slut."  She took a closer look at the group.  Of the guys, only the boy 
Steven was familiar because of Gemini-P's little job.  She focused on the 
tramp Hudson was so taken with.  Oh yes, she was the one they had accused 
of cheating at the festival.  She was currently draping herself all over a 
schoolboy.  Funny, she hadn't seemed so forward at the fair.  But the right 
(or totally wrong) guy could do that to a young girl, Izuko knew.

        "I wonder if she's wearing any underwear," Hudson mused.

        Mr. Right is definitely not in this car, Izuko thought.

                                                        *****

        Unaware of their watchers, the Senshi settled down to try some future 
cuisine while the Sailor Auxiliaries debated what to do next.

        "There's no way they can pull it off," Naru prophesied gloomily.  
"They're so... different!"

        Mamoru nodded.  "They're going to need help.  Who can we trust on 
this?"

        Slowly, a list was compiled of everyone who knew of the Sailors' 
secret identities:  Nonohara Himeko, the Outer Senshi, and Tomoe-sensei.

        "What about Sensei?" Umino asked.  "Doesn't he know now?"

        "Setsuna told me that he knows the Outer Senshi's identities, but
they 
kept the Inner Senshi a secret from him."

        Mamoru looked over the list they had scribbled on a napkin.  "Right, 
Steven and Himeko can ride herd on Venus.  No one will comment if they are 
seen together.  Likewise for Urawa and Mercury.  Makoto lives alone, so 
there's no family problem.  Naru, you and Umino will have to watch her, 
Serenity, and Mars at school."

        "What about when Serenity and Mars are at the Tsukino's?" Steven 
asked.  "We can't be with them every moment of their time there."

        "I'll go there with them," Naru volunteered.  "Get them over the
first 
hurdles."

        "Thanks, Osaka-san," Mamoru said gratefully.  If she hadn't 
volunteered, he would have had to take them there.  He didn't want Usagi's 
father to call him a cradle robber again.  At least her mother likes me, he 
thought.

        While their schedules were being plotted, the Senshi were having
their 
own discussion.

        "Are we just going to let them dictate to us?" Mars whispered
angrily, 
tossing her head in the direction of the Auxiliaries.  "We only have their 
word that this is actually the future, after all."

        "Cousin, why art thou so prone to dismiss the evidence of thine
eyes?" 
Mercury said.  "We teleported to the Moon Palace ourselves.  Those ruins 
were thousands of years old."

        "Could someone have messed with your computer, Mercury?" Jupiter 
asked.

        "Perhaps, but I think not.  I checked it, this IS my computer."  She 
looked down at her chest disdainfully.  "Even if this is not my body."

        "We are all a lot younger," Venus added.  "I wonder why Pluto didn't 
try to send our counterparts to when we were the same age as them."

        "It must be a plot of some kind," Mars muttered.

        "Mars-chan, could you pass me a napkin, please?" Serenity asked as
she 
ate her pizza with a knife and fork.

        "Serenity, aren't you the least suspicious about all this?" Mars said.

        "No.  That is Endymion.  I trust him.  If he says this is the future, 
this is the future."  She looked out the cafe windows.  "And I want to see 
as much of it as I can before we go home."

        "If we can go home," Mars groused.  She reached over for a can of
some 
sort of red seasoning and took a whiff of it.  Then she poured some on her 
pizza and took a bite.

        "Is that good, Mars?" Venus asked.  On getting an affirmative nod, 
Venus liberally sprinkled her slice with the same spice and picked it up.

        "Venus, you might not want to--" began Mercury.

        Venus took a bite.  Almost immediately her eyes bugged out and began 
to water.  "Yiiiiiii!" she shrieked, grabbing at the water in front of her.

        "I think thou forgot my cousin's liking for spicy foods," Mercury 
said.

        Venus was too busy fanning her tongue to reply, but she shot Mars a 
look that would have been terrifying in its rage, if not for the distress 
she showed over the spicy food.  Mars was trying very hard not to giggle.  
Serenity wasn't even trying.  Soon all the Senshi were laughing and drawing 
strange looks from their friends.

                                                        *****

        Artemis led Luna on one of his favorite prowls.  After their rather 
strained breakfast, he had suggested they revert to their normal forms for 
a while.  He was pleased to find that their clothing (and the yen Mamoru 
had given him) were all kept safely in some magical pocket.  It must have 
been where Luna kept all the transformation wands and the like, he thought.

        "Hey, Luna, catch me if you can!" he crowed, darting down an alley.

        "Why would I WANT to catch you?" Luna yelled but she gave chase 
anyway.

        No way she'll catch me, Artemis thought gleefully.  He squeezed under 
a dumpster and through an open door into the kitchen of a sushi restaurant.

        "What?  It's that CAT!" one of the cooks yelled.

        Luna followed Artemis closely and was surprised as she and her 
companion became the recipients of a hail of cooking implements.  She 
dodged back and forth as best she could.  Meanwhile, Artemis leaped up onto 
a counter and grabbed one of the fish there before darting back out the 
door.

        Artemis, when I catch you, I will KILL you, Luna thought, chasing him.

        "TWO of them now," the head cook muttered.  "He must have been
showing 
off for his lady friend."

        "How do you know the white one's a he, Chief?" one of his assistants 
asked.

        "Because I was young and trying to impress the ladies once," the head 
cook replied before turning back to his work.

        Meanwhile, Artemis led Luna to a small alcove and dropped the fish on 
the ground.  "Ah, nothing like the thrill of the hunt," he proclaimed.

        "You STOLE that fish, Artemis!" Luna accused.

        Artemis nudged the fish toward Luna.  "It's more of a game, really, 
Luna.  They try to stop me and so far they haven't been able to.  We cats 
get special privileges on Earth."

        "Well, we should!" Luna said, looking confusedly down at the fish.

        "No, I don't mean Venusian cats.  Earthers tend to think of all cats 
being smarter than them.  Which is only too true in my case."

        "How come you could never fool me when you tried to shirk your
duties, 
then?"

        "Um... I let you win?"

        Luna cuffed him playfully with one of her paws.  "Ha!  You never
could 
beat me, Artemis."

        Artemis sidled alongside her and began to purr, rubbing himself next 
to her.  "Maybe I wanted you to win," he said teasingly.

        "Don't."

        He stopped rubbing against her and stepped back.  "Luna?"

        "Don't get so close to me.  I can't... I can't go through it again, 
Artemis."

        "Luna, I..."  Artemis was surprised to see that Luna's eyes were 
filled with tears.  "Let me tell you something about me and you, in this 
time."  He looked up and waited for her nod.  "Not too long ago, the 
Sailors faced a new enemy.  She was a queen of ice and snow and lived on a 
comet.  Her plan was to freeze the Earth into a solid mass of ice.  But 
part of her power was found by a young scientist.  That scientist also 
found you, saving you from being run over by a car.  You... you fell in 
love with him, even though he was human and you were a cat.  He was dying, 
his life-force being used to power the Ice Queen's magicks, but you stayed 
by him, desperate to give him a reason to live.  Usagi helped you do that, 
using the Silver Crystal to trigger your change to human form and letting 
you show him the wonders of the moon and space.  After that, you let him go 
back to the human woman who loved him."

        "What does that have to do with me and you?" Luna asked.  Her eyes 
were still moist.  She wasn't sure if she believed Artemis's story, but he 
seemed awfully sincere.

        "I was... devastated while you pursued that relationship.  I didn't 
know until that moment exactly how much I needed you to be by me.  After 
you saw your young man go off with his girlfriend, you looked so sad... so 
depressed, I couldn't watch from hiding anymore.  I came over to you.  You 
looked at me in surprise, like you couldn't believe I was there.  You asked 
me what I was doing there, and I said, 'I'll always be there for you, 
Luna.'  And then you leaped for joy and I couldn't believe how happy *I* 
felt, seeing you happy."

        Luna stood stock still, staring at him as if he was a Thing from 
Beyond.  Then she turned and ran.

        "Luna!"  Artemis yelled, chasing after her.  "LUNA!!!"

                                                        *****

        Tomoe frowned as he looked at the monitor before him.  The readout
was 
fluctuating wildly.  He looked at his patient and sighed.  "Could you at 
least try to cooperate?"

        Tethys, the first and only youma POW, tried to stick her tongue out
at 
the white-haired scientist, but the thermometer in her mouth made that 
difficult.  She spat it out.  "You know I don't like all these tests, 
human," she snarled.

        "Would you rather be a pile of moondust?" he said quietly.

        Tethys was quiet.  It had been several weeks since her capture.  At 
first she had devoted all her time in seeking an escape.  Sensei's cage, 
however, was too powerful for her at her current energy levels.  Her 
thoughts of escape had died completely after a visit from one of the Sailor 
Senshi.

        Tethys frowned to herself.  Nine.  There were NINE of them now as
well 
as that Tuxedo Kamen.  When she and Jadeite had put together their love 
cruise trap, he had told her in the briefing that there were only three.  
Her mood got even blacker as she remembered the power levels those three 
now possessed.

        Once she would have scoffed at the idea of a youma being afraid.  
Youma were masters of fear, not subject to it.

        Pluto had scared her with a look.

                                                        *****

        "Tethys," the green-haired Senshi had said, "before you try anything 
foolish, I want you to know that Beryl is dead.  Metallia is dead.  They 
faced Sailor Moon and they failed.  As a youma, you should know the penalty 
of failure."

        Tethys had nodded.  The thought that the Sailor might be lying didn't 
even cross her mind.  Somehow, she knew deep in her soul that Metallia, the 
demon goddess her kind had worshipped for millennia, was gone.

        "The Generals are gone, too, Tethys," Pluto had continued.  "Kunzite 
fell to his own power while facing the Sailor Senshi.  Zoisite was executed 
by Beryl for disobeying her orders.  Nephrite tried to defect and was 
sentenced to death."  The litany of the Dark Kingdom's defeat was 
inexorable.

        "And what of Jadeite?" she asked, finally.

        Pluto fixed her with a stern gaze.  "He was placed in Eternal Sleep
by 
Beryl.  There is no one left for you to run to, Tethys.  I suggest you 
cooperate with Tomoe and Udaigaku.  It's the only life you have left."  
With that, she turned and left, the threat in the last sentence hanging in 
the air.

        Tethys lowered her head and used her power to cause water to condense 
on her cheeks in imitation of human tears.  "Jadeite," she whispered, 
hugging her knees to her chest and rocking back and forth.  The tears 
splattered against the floor below her, but she didn't care.

                                                        *****

        The youma now sat on an examining table in Sensei's lab, cooperating 
grudgingly with their tests.  They weren't very diligent in watching her, 
and she thought that foolish until she learned of Horus.  She thought of 
the AI as a disembodied watch spirit, but it did not matter.  Either way, 
she now knew that Horus watched her every move and could clamp a 
containment field on her before she knew it.

        The tests weren't too bad, actually.  She remembered how Beryl's 
Savants would get when trying to create some new weapon for their volatile 
queen.  Youma had died by the score, either from testing new weapons or 
having them tested on them.  By comparison, Sensei and Tomoe were gentle.  
They were polite in their questions and never forced her to do something 
she wasn't comfortable with.  Sensei had explained some of his equipment to 
her.  He even seemed to forget that she wasn't human at times.

        Still, it was boring, staying cooped up in the lab all the time.  
Maybe it was time to see if she could get something more out of this 
arrangement.

        "Sensei, can I go outside?" she asked.

        Both Tomoe and Sensei looked at each other in shock.

        "I don't think that would be very wise, Tethys," Sensei said 
carefully.  "Even if you promised to behave, I'm afraid we can't let you 
have the opportunity to drain humans of their energy or escape.  We'd have 
to let the Sailors hunt you down then.  I don't want to do that."

        "Becoming a pile of moondust is better than being cooped up in here 
all the time," Tethys sulked.  "Haven't I been cooperating?  Haven't I done 
all you've asked... eventually?" she added, after Tomoe raised an eyebrow 
at her.

        "Hmm, you raise several good points....  I'll see what I can come up 
with that the Sailors will agree with," Sensei promised.

        Tethys was shocked at how readily he accepted the idea of granting
her 
some degree of freedom.  What kind of creatures are these humans? she 
wondered.

                                                        *****

        "So where are we going NOW, Endymion?" Mars asked crossly as Mamoru 
led the group down a street.

        "We're going to meet some friends," Mamoru replied for what felt like 
the thousandth time.  Mars's paranoia seemed beyond belief.

        "Don't worry, Mars," Naru said, trying to calm the Senshi down.  "You 
know them.  Some of them, at least.  The Outer Senshi were reincarnated as 
well."

        Mars grumbled, but seemed to accept that for now.

        After they had eaten, Mamoru had made some phone calls to the various 
people they felt they could trust and arranged for them all to meet up at 
the Tomoe house.  He felt like kicking himself for not doing it earlier, 
perhaps checking to see if Pluto was at home.  They had gotten so used to 
the mysterious Sailor of Time appearing when needed, they had assumed 
something was wrong when she didn't immediately correct the problem.  Of 
course, the call to her home had revealed that she WAS missing.  Hotaru was 
beginning to panic and Haruka and Michiru were doing their best to keep her 
calm.  Tomoe was off at Sensei's lab running experiments on the youma, but 
Mamoru did manage to reach Himeko, who had agreed to come.

        They stopped before the ordinary-seeming house and Mamoru rang the 
doorbell.  Michiru answered it.

        "Good afternoon, Chiba-san," she said, as polite as ever.  She smiled 
at Serenity.  "And hello, Princess."

        "It is you, Ishtar!" Serenity squealed, hugging the aquamarine-haired 
Sailor tight.

        "Don't worry, Moonbeam," Michiru said, dredging up the nickname she 
had had for the Moon Princess long ago in another life.  Ever since she had 
gotten Mamoru's call, she had been thinking about her past life, trying to 
remember the little things she would need to know to put the Senshi at 
ease.  "We'll get you home again, somehow."

        "Moonbeam?" Naru asked.

        Michiru smiled.  "When Lady Ishtar, my past self, went to the moon to 
become Senshi Neptune, she adopted Princess Serenity as a younger sister.  
'Moonbeam' was her pet name for her."

        "Moonbeam?" Mars asked, sounding almost jealous.

        "You didn't know, Mars?" Venus asked innocently.

        Mars just glowered at Venus and looked away.

        Michiru led the group into the family room, which was just a little 
too small for the large group, but they squeezed in where they could.  
Haruka was on the couch, wearing jeans and a loose shirt that didn't hide 
her femininity, hugging a sleeping Hotaru.  Hotaru's eyes were red, as if 
she had been crying.

        Beside them sat Himeko, who waved a bit self-consciously.  It was her 
first real Sailor Meeting as "the new and totally different from the 
original Sailor V II" as Minako put it.  Himeko had tried to argue that the 
phrase was redundant and that the way Minako wrote it made her feel like 
she was Sailor Seven, but Minako was adamant.  Her ideas about a V2 attack 
were best left unmentioned.

        Michiru made the introductions.  She introduced the Senshi, giving 
their planet names first and then their given names, where she knew them.  
Then she went on to introduce the others.

        "This is Nonohara Himeko.  Venus, she is your counterpart's roommate 
and she has the magical power to become anyone she wants for an hour.  She 
duplicates Sailor Venus's old alter ego of Sailor V to help us out."

        "Pleased to meet you," Venus and Himeko chorused.  They stared at
each 
other, then burst out laughing.

        "This is Ten'ou Haruka, Sailor Uranus."

        Serenity goggled.  "You're a girl!"

        Haruka scowled.  "I know.  What's your point?"

        Mercury looked up from where she was snuggling Urawa.  "My Princess
is 
no doubt referring to your counterpart's, Prince Marduk, known aversion to 
being a girl."

        "PRINCE?" the Sailor Auxiliaries blurted out.

        "So that's what Anthracite meant," Haruka mused.  "Damn, wish I knew 
that earlier."

        "Wait," Naru said weakly, "what do you mean, 'aversion to being a 
girl?'"

        Mercury shrugged.  "I don't know the particulars, but it seemed that 
the Younger Uranus turned out to be a male this generation.  Senshi Uranus 
had no choice but to train him, because of some politics or another.  When 
Prince Marduk transformed, however, he became a female.  No one knew why."

        Serenity hugged Michiru again.  "Oh, Ishtar, I'm sorry.  For the love 
of your life to be born again as a woman...."

        Haruka grinned.  "It's not that bad, actually."  She gently pushed 
Hotaru aside and got up.  Walking over to Michiru, she swept her love into 
a hug and kissed her deeply.  Michiru giggled a little, but made no 
protest.

        Most of the Senshi goggled.  Mercury, however, just smiled and nodded 
her head.  "Finally, some enlightened people," she said.

        "You're disgusting, cousin," Mars said.

        When Haruka and Michiru finally broke the kiss, Michiru was a bit 
flushed.  Still, she continued the introductions.  "And this sleeping 
little one is Tomoe Hotaru, or Sailor Saturn."

        "Who?" Serenity asked in a tiny voice.

        "Vulcan's Forge," Mercury breathed.

        "You must be mad," Jupiter said.

        "First the Silver Crystal, now this!" Venus complained.  "We're all 
going to die!"

        Mars said nothing, but acted.  Fire streamed around her as she 
transformed into Sailor Mars.  Drawing on her power, she began to chant one 
of the rote phrases she had been taught.  "MARS FLAME SNIP--"

        Hotaru's eyes snapped open.

                                                        *****

        Hudson took a big slurp of his takeout ramen and looked again at the 
house their quarry had gone into.  "So, who's the place registered to?" he 
asked around a mouth full of noodles.

        Izuko controlled her temper with difficulty.  She looked back at her 
laptop, where she had just run a search for the address through a CD-ROM 
directory.  "It belongs to someone named Tomoe Souichi."

        "Is that a guy or a girl?"

        "A guy."  The sound of grinding teeth filled the car.

        "Stupid Japanese names.  Can't tell a thing from them.  Say, what's 
Izuko mean?"

        "Who says it has to mean anything?"  Stupid gaijin.

        "I thought all Japanese names meant something."

        "Mine DOESN'T, OK?!"

        "Fine, fine.  Should we go take a closer look?"

        "It'd attract too much attention, Hudson.  You know that."

        Hudson cracked a grin.  "So you aren't the least bit curious about 
what they're talking about?"  With that, he got out of the car and began to 
saunter over to the house.

        "HUDSON!" Izuko screeched, getting out the car and following him.

        "Look, babe, we'll just take a peek, see who all is there...."

        Don't call me 'babe!'  I hate--"

        Any further discussion was interrupted as the house in question 
erupted in a flash of bright pink light.  The light burst out of all the 
openings and forced them to cover their eyes.  Then came a noise like a 
sonic boom, rolling over them like a wave, pulling at their clothes and 
hair.

        "What the--?" Izuko yelled over the burst of sound.

        "Oh Christ oh shit oh mother oh no, it's THEM!" Hudson babbled, 
pulling out his oversized hand gun and charging the house.

        "Hudson, get back here, you moron!!" Izuko screamed, but he obviously 
didn't hear her.  Cursing, she ran after him into the still illuminated 
house.

                                                        *****

        Inside the Tomoe house, the Senshi and the Sailor Auxiliaries had
been 
thrown back against the walls by the burst of power emanating from Hotaru.  
The now-awakened Sailor's eyes were a pair of molten red pools in her face, 
bursting with power.

        "Saturn Planet Power, Make Up!" she chanted, transforming to Sailor 
Saturn, the Silence Glaive appearing in her hands.  Her face was an 
emotionless mask as she faced Senshi Mars.  "You obstruct my Purpose," she 
said, pointing the Glaive at the raven-haired warrior.

        Mars gathered her power and let out a torrent of flame at Sailor 
Saturn.  The Sailor and the couch disappeared in the conflagration as 
everyone else scrambled out of the way as best they could, considering the 
waves of power still flowing from Saturn's lithe frame.  After a full ten 
seconds, Mars let the fire die.

        Saturn was completely untouched.  She looked at Mars and simply said, 
"My turn."  Dark energies crackled around the Silence Glaive and gathered 
at its tip, which was still pointed at Senshi Mars.

        The blast from the Glaive punched the Senshi of Fire though the wall 
and out into the front yard.

                                                        *****

        "Shit!" Izuko cursed as something punched through the wall of the 
house and crashed into the yard at high speed.  Whatever it was, it left a 
furrow in the yard before crumpling against a tree.

        Hudson spun and covered it with his gun while Izuko ran to get a 
better look.  She cursed on seeing it was Sailor Mars.  What could have 
done this to one of the Sailor Senshi?  Her eyes turned toward the hole and 
saw her answer.

        Hudson turned to look and his jaw dropped open at what he saw.  
Stepping through the hole was one of the Sailors, or at least someone 
wearing the uniform of one.  He didn't recognize her, but the molten red 
light burning from her eyes was horribly familiar to the merc.  As he 
watched she seemed to shimmer slightly and two large raven's wings appeared 
on her back.  In her hands was some sort of polearm, sharp and deadly 
looking, especially with the black lightning now crackling up and down the 
length of its blade.

        He could feel the terror clawing at his mind as he faced her, his gun 
held high.  It seemed pathetic against her, but he clung tenaciously to his 
training and the techniques he had learned in the long hours of therapy 
after his unit had died, except for him.  Damn it, he wasn't supposed to 
face THEM anymore!  Keeping his hands from trembling with difficulty, he 
sighted along the gun's dark steel barrel and gently squeezed the trigger.

        The .60 caliber bullet smashed into Sailor Saturn's forehead, sending 
her flying backwards in a spray of gore.  Hudson gaped at the unexpected 
success of his shot.  "I... did it?" he stammered.

        "You SHOT one of the Sailors?  We're screwed," Izuko said.  She knelt 
by Mars and checked for a pulse.  It was there, but weak and thready.  
Izuko noted that the Sailor's right shoulder and slammed hard against the 
tree and she didn't like the way it looked.  It was almost certainly 
crushed.  A quick check of the Sailor's eyes showed them dilated and 
turning red from burst blood vessels.  Mars was also breathing raggedly, 
which was not good.

        "Hudson, we're going to need medevac for Mars," she said, turning 
toward her fellow merc.  She then froze, not ready to accept what she saw.

        Sailor Saturn was getting to her feet.

        There was still a bloody hole in the middle of her forehead, but it 
was closing even as she stood.  The blood was still caked on her face, 
making her look even more demonic than before.  Slowly, as if uncertain how 
to do it, Saturn smiled.

                                                        *****

        Inside the house, Himeko slowly pulled herself to her feet.  Saturn's 
blast had blown everyone off their feet.  If she hadn't scrambled behind 
the couch, thus missing most of Mars's firestorm and Saturn's counter-
stroke, she'd be out cold like the rest.

        She paused.  The rest?  A quick checked showed that most everyone
else 
was out cold.  That left her to face a berserk Sailor.  "Oh, bollocks," she 
said, using a phrase she had heard Steven use once when particularly 
annoyed.

        A groan from one side caught her attention.  Maybe she wasn't the
only 
one available to fight Sailor Saturn!  Her hopes died, however, when she 
saw it was only the geeky kid with the glasses and his girlfriend.  "Hey, 
you OK?" she called.

        "Y-yeah," he said shakily.  He looked at his girlfriend, "Naru?  Naru-
chan!  Are you OK?  Please, speak to me!"

        "I'm OK, Umino... Really, don't panic.  How's everyone else?"

        "Oh, they're just peachy," Himeko said.  "All out cold and we have
one 
Sailor going berserk on us.  Damn, I wish I had more practice with 
transforming into Sailor Moon or one of the others.  Sailor V's powers 
aren't going to cut it against her."

        "You can transform into Sailor Moon?" Umino asked.

        "I can transform into ANYONE and do anything they can do, but it has 
to be someone real and someone I know about.  And getting their powers 
doesn't mean I know how to USE them."

        "You better change into Sailor Pluto then, she's one of the most 
powerful Sailors," Umino said.

        "But I've never done her before!"

        A gunshot rang out in the front yard.

        Himeko made her decision and pulled out her little compact mirror.  
"Parallel Parallel Sailor Pluto ni nare!" she chanted, looking into the 
mirror and hoping that this wasn't a mistake.

        There was a flash of light and Himeko felt her body change into
Sailor 
Pluto's statuesque form.  The Time Staff appeared in her hands and she 
turned towards the hole Saturn had blasted in the wall.

        Then the bottom fell out of her mind.

        She fell to her knees as her perceptions ran wild.  Even as she fell, 
she saw herself getting up again.  She also saw herself lying on the 
ground, blood flowing from her nose and her body shaking in convulsions.  
Those possibilities and all the ones in between flashed before her eyes.  
She wanted to scream, and that possibility became fact.  New possibilities 
now flashed before her eyes, some the same as the old ones, some different.  
Some earlier possibilities were now gone.

        My god, Himeko thought, is this how Pluto sees everything?  The 
thought was almost lost in the flood of possibilities, but Himeko clung to 
it, imagining herself using her thoughts to create a dike that would keep 
the flood of images at a safe distance.  Slowly, she got to her feet.  
Umino and Naru were saying something to her, but she could see nothing bad 
in the possibilities that were created by ignoring them, so she did so.  
She needed to get a handle on this.  She saw the possibility that she 
succeeded and made it fact.  Opening her eyes, she fixed her gaze on Umino 
and Naru.  "Come with me." she said, heading out into the front yard.

        Umino and Naru exchanged startled looks and followed.  "I think she's 
got the act down TOO well," Umino muttered.

        The situation in the front yard had not improved.  A blood-splattered 
Saturn had gripped some man by the throat and lifted him off the ground 
with only one arm.  The man was flailing around desperately, trying to 
break Saturn's grasp, babbling incoherently as he did so.  He was crying, 
too.  Pluto-Himeko stood there and watched, Time Staff in hand.

        "Why don't you DO something?!" Naru asked.

        Pluto-Himeko didn't take her eyes off the fight.  "Why don't you?"
she 
asked.

        "I'm not a Sailor!  What can I do?  I'm just an ordinary girl!"

        "Who brought the dead back to life."

        Naru shot a glance at Umino.  The tableau before her seemed almost 
frozen as she spoke with Pluto-Himeko.  "I don't know what I did!  It was a 
fluke!  The Silver Crystal did all the work!"

        "Words have power, Osaka Naru," Pluto-Himeko said.  She turned back 
toward the fight.  Saturn slowly tightened her grip on the man's throat.

        Naru froze.  It wasn't supposed to be like this!  Someone was
supposed 
to stop Saturn!  Someone HAD to stop her!  Himeko was supposed to prevent 
this, but she wasn't do anything.  How was she, a mere....  A mere what?  
Suddenly, her identity seemed blurred between Osaka Naru, school girl, Lady 
Patience, magician and... someone else.  Someone who could stop this.  But 
that someone was blocked, kept behind a wall of darkness.  A darkness that 
threatened to devour everything, her family, her home, her planet.  Naru 
felt like screaming.  She was helpless again.  Nothing she did mattered.  
She was just a minor piece, caught up in their plans, squeezed between the 
powers.

        Pawns can become queens, a voice whispered to her.  It came from the 
shadowy figure caught behind the wall of darkness.  Free me, Naru-chan it 
whispered, in a voice Naru recognized as her own.  The shadowy figure 
reached out a hand to her.

        Naru almost didn't reach back.  Why bother?  Sailor Moon or the White 
Knight would come and save the day.  They always did.  But, could she live 
with that?  Always turning to others for protection, for strength?  She 
gritted her teeth.  No.  No more.  That stops now.  She reached her hand 
out to the shadow figure, expecting to feel pain when she touched the wall 
of darkness.  Instead, she felt nothing.  The wall crumbled at a touch.  
Looking up at the figure, now revealed, she saw her own face smiling back 
at her.  Thank you, the figure said soundlessly.  

        The outside world flooded back into Naru's perceptions.  Saturn was 
still squeezing the life out of the poor man.  Naru gently pulled Umino's 
protective hands off her arms and ran toward them.  "STOP!!!!!" she 
screamed.

        Everything froze, except for Saturn, Naru, and Pluto-Himeko.  Slowly, 
Saturn turned to face Naru.  Naru stood her ground, refusing to show any 
fear before this dark-winged angel.  Strangely enough, she felt no fear 
whatsoever.  Instead, she felt a new power filling her body.  It was making 
her feel lightheaded, like she had a fever.

        On her forehead, an eight-pointed star glowed brightly.

        "Naru, catch!" Pluto-Himeko called, tossing something to her.  She 
caught it.  It was a brooch, just like Usagi's, except it had an eight-
pointed star was embossed on it instead of a pentagram.  Without a second 
thought, Naru held it aloft.  "ODYSSEUS PLANET POWER, MAKE UP!" she 
screamed.

        The power came, filling her until she felt she would burst.  Her 
mundane identity was washed away with it.  New clothing appeared around her 
form, a sailor fuku with a black skirt, covered in sparkles, and a black 
bow with an eight-pointed star in the middle.  Her feet were encased in 
thigh-high black boots, laced from top to bottom with silver cord.  White 
gloves covered her hands.  And finally, on her head appeared a golden 
tiara.

        Sailor Odysseus had arrived.

        Saturn looked on impassively.  "You stand against my Purpose."

        Sailor Odysseus looked back just as impassively.  "The stars chart
the 
destinies of all who live, and these people still have roles to play.  I 
will not allow you to cheat them of their birthrights!"

        If Sailor Saturn was impressed by this speech, she did not show it.  
"Stars die, little Senshi," she said, lowering her Glaive to point it at 
Odysseus.

        Behind Sailor Odysseus, Umino started to run toward his transformed 
girlfriend.  "Naru-chan!" he cried, fearful for her life.  He headlong 
charge was interrupted, however, as Pluto-Himeko tripped him up with the 
Time Staff.  He went down with a thud.

        "What the--?!" he spluttered.

        "It is her fight, Umino-san," the transformed high-schooler said.  
"You cannot help--"  She was interrupted by a sudden beeping from the 
pendant attached to the bow on her chest.  "I'm out of time.  Rurerapa 
rurerapa motono sugatani nare!" she chanted, swiftly turning back into 
Nonohara Himeko.  She would have staggered and fallen right then, but for 
the Time Staff in her hands.  "What--?" she asked, looking at it in 
bewilderment.

        Sailor Odysseus was not even aware of the drama unfolding behind her.
 
Her concentration was focused totally on her opponent.  She was dimly aware 
of a gaijin woman helping Saturn's victim away, but even that faded as the 
point of the Glaive drew level with her chest.

        Hugging her arms around her chest, she drew upon her power.  "SOLAR 
FLARE!" she shouted, flinging her arms open wide.  A bright sphere of light 
formed before her and shot toward Sailor Saturn, leaving a trail of 
luminescent gas as it went.  When it was halfway toward the possessed 
sailor, it detonated, filling the area with a blinding white light that 
blotted out all the details.  Whiteout.  Everything present suddenly seemed 
to fade into the white void.

        Except one.  Around Saturn, a darkness seemed to cling.  Slowly it 
grew, feeding on the light, growing larger as more and more of the light 
disappeared.  In the center of it, Saturn was little more than a 
silhouette, with only her glowing red eyes shining forth.  Slowly, Saturn 
began to march toward Odysseus.  "Envy destroys Love," she said, making it 
sound like a ritualistic chant.  "Anger destroys Hope."  Another step."  
Pride destroys Faith."  Another.  "Sloth destroys Fortitude."  She brought 
the Glaive up into a ready position.  "Gluttony destroys Temperance."  She 
was now only a few feet away from Odysseus.  "Greed destroys Justice."  She 
leveled the Glaive at Odysseus  "Lust destroys Modesty."  She paused in her 
recital, her voice dropping to a low whisper.  "Darkness destroys Light," 
she finished, the Glaive unleashing a bolt of pure darkness at Sailor 
Odysseus.

        Odysseus dodged to one side, desperately, and tumbled head over heels 
on the ground.  Getting to her feet, she reached inside herself for the 
power again.  I can't be beaten, not even by Saturn! she said to herself.  
"Stars shine in the Darkness!" she said.  "STAR BOLT!"

        The eight-pointed star in the center of her bow glowed an
incandescent 
silver.  Odysseus seemed to rise several feet in the air, her feet together 
and her arms outstretched.  The sky overhead darkened and the stars came 
out, one by one, shining brightly in the night.  Then they began to fall, 
streaming towards the now brightly burning star on Odysseus's chest.  Then, 
when the last star had joined the others, a mighty bolt of coruscating 
light shot towards Sailor Saturn...

        ...who split the beam in two with her Glaive.

        The split beam shot off in two directions, demolishing houses on 
either side of Sailor Saturn while Sailor Odysseus dropped to the ground, 
exhausted.  Panting, the newest Sailor tried to get to her feet and catch 
her breath.  Looking up from the ground, she found the Glaive pointed at 
her throat.

        "Death," began Sailor Saturn, "destroys Life."  The Glaive began to 
move...

        Suddenly, Saturn's face twisted in surprise.  "No," she whispered.  
"You cannot..." she said, staring off into space, the symbol of Saturn 
glowing brilliantly on her brow.  "My Purpose... you cannot..."  She was on 
her knees now, clinging to the Glaive as if it were a lifeline.  "You... 
cannot... defeat... my... PURPOSE!"

        For the second time that morning, brilliant white light filled the 
neighborhood.

                                                        *****

        The study was large, yet cozy, possessing an intimacy that belied its 
size.  Books lined its walls, a wallpaper of knowledge and wisdom.  Two 
people sat in this room.  One, a beautiful blonde lady, was laying a book 
down before the man.

        "I think you will find the information you seek here,
Capricorn-sama," 
the lady said.  She was tall and willowy.  The only clothing she wore was a 
silken sky-blue kimono with a dark blue sash at the waist.  Her honey-
colored hair was done up in the traditional Japanese style, despite her 
Caucasian appearance.  She smiled almost shyly at the man.

        "Thank you, Virgo," the man said gratefully as he picked the book up.
 
He was tall and lanky, wearing a simple jumpsuit that seemed more suited to 
a garage than a library.  Indeed, there were places on the jumpsuit where 
it seemed that oil and grime had dug into the fabric so deeply, it would 
take a siege to get them out,  "I would have spent hours looking for the 
information myself.  Perhaps I can finally finish that--"

        Both members of the Zodiac suddenly froze.  It felt like someone had 
just driven an icicle of solid nitrogen down their spines.  Virgo fell to 
her knees, clutching her chest while Capricorn dropped the book and gripped 
the table with both hands to keep from falling himself.

        It passed quickly, but they felt... lessened by it, as if something 
was missing.

        "The-the Star Power," Virgo stammered fearfully.

        "Someone else is wielding it," Capricorn said, offering her a hand.  
Suddenly he found his arms full of her trembling body.  "Virgo--?"

        "The seals are breaking, Capricorn-sama... why won't the stars tell
us 
what our fates will be?"

        "I don't know, Virgo," he said, tentatively holding her in his arms.

        "Just hold me," she said.  He did.

                                                        *****

        Odysseus felt the light flow through her, cleansing and purifying
her, 
healing her of her wounds.  Behind the light, she felt a comforting, benign 
presence soothing her, telling her that everything would be all right.

        Who are you? She tried to ask, but was unable to speak.  Yet somehow, 
her question was heard.  A memory came to her, but it was not her memory.

                                                        *****

        The Silver Millennium was dying,

        "Hurry!" Senshi Uranus snarled at the crew of the hapless scout she 
and Senshi Neptune had commandeered at Pluto.  News of the final attack had 
been slow to reach them and even the scout, the fastest ship available to 
them, seemed dreadfully inadequate when compared to the distances they must 
travel.  However, the Moon was finally in sight.  Choking clouds of 
obsidian darkness covered its once pristine face, but perhaps they were 
still in time to save their Queen and country.

        Even as they thought that, however, a bright silver light erupted on 
the surface of the Moon.  The darkness vanished before it as shadows before 
the dawn.  Everyone present knew then in the hearts that they were too 
late.

        Pluto was there to greet them.

        "We don't have much time," she said, not meeting their gaze as she
led 
them toward the Palace.  Around them, the beautiful capital of the Moon 
Kingdom lay in ruins, fires still burning in too many places to count.  The 
bodies of the dead lay where they fell, perhaps too many for anyone to 
bury.  Neptune choked a little at the sight, and Uranus felt nausea clawing 
at her gut.  Pluto seemed unaffected as she continued.  "Metallia took part 
in the final assault."

        They gasped at that.  "What of the Great Shield?"

        Pluto still wouldn't meet their gazes.  "The Great Shield... is down."

        "Then the Things..."

        "They are massing to invade now."  Pluto carefully led them through 
the death and destruction around them, toward the center of the Palace.  
There, the two Outer Senshi saw their Queen.  Once a woman possessed of 
vibrant health, she was now frail and wasted.  She looked like the merest 
breath of wind would shatter her, like some elvish crystal.  But still she 
clung to life.  The Empyrean Silver Crystal, mounted on the Moon Stick, lay 
on her chest and pulsed in time with her breath.

        "She didn't--?" Uranus began.

        "The Crystal banished Metallia, Beryl, and their armies," Pluto 
affirmed, "but at a terrible cost."  Then, Pluto knelt beside the monarch, 
one hand reaching out gently to stroke her feverish forehead.  "My Queen," 
she murmured.

        Queen Serenity turned her head slowly and actually smiled faintly.  
"Is... this what... I must do.. to earn your... respect, Pluto?" she 
whispered.

        "You've always had my respect, My Queen."

        "And you... have always had... my trust."  Queen Serenity was 
struggling to form her words now.  "My... daughter?"

        "Gone with all the Fallen," Pluto affirmed.  "They will live again.  
Luna and Artemis will protect them and teach them."

        "Good..."

        "My Queen.  I need the Empyrean Silver Crystal for one last duty," 
Pluto asked.  Her eyes almost seemed to quiver slightly as she looked on 
the fragile lines of Serenity's face.  Almost.

        "Do... what you must, Pluto."  The Queen slowly reached over to grasp 
the Moon Stick.  Her eyes never left Pluto's as she slowly placed it in the 
green-haired Senshi's grasp.  Then, her eyes fluttered and closed for the 
final time.

        "The Queen is dead," Pluto intoned.  "Long live the Queen."

        For a moment, Queen Serenity's body glowed brightly, then the glow 
coalesced into a bright sphere that flew up into the sky, heading for Earth 
and leaving behind the lifeless body of the mightiest monarch of all time.

        Pluto gripped the Moon Stick tightly.  "We must hurry," she said to 
her companions.

        "But the Queen--" Neptune began.

        "She will be fine, I promise," Pluto said, walking away briskly.  The 
other Senshi could only follow.

        Pluto led them deep into the catacombs beneath the Palace. 
Sometimes, 
the only light they had was the Silver Crystal's flickering brilliance.  At 
other times, though, some of the palace's magical lighting still worked.  
Uranus and Neptune could tell where they were going.  They didn't like it 
one bit.

        They came to an intact room.  The room was also almost perfectly 
empty, save for a crystal bier in the center of it.  On that bier, 
completely encased in the transparent crystal, was a young, dark-haired 
girl wearing the uniform of a Senshi and clutching the Silence Glaive.

        Pluto spoke before the Senshi could get over their shock.  "With the 
Great Shield down, we have only one recourse, and that is Saturn.  Produce 
your talismans."  Without hesitation, Pluto reached over to her Staff and 
unscrewed the Garnet Orb from its tip.

        "Wait, Pluto, isn't there some other way?  Saturn is too dangerous!" 
Uranus protested.  Still, the Space Sword appeared at her side.  Likewise, 
the Aqua Mirror appeared in Neptune's hands.

        "This is the path we must follow," Pluto said.  "Saturn must awaken."
 
Her gaze swept the other two, firm and unyielding.  Slowly, against their 
better judgment, they nodded.

        All three Senshi gathered around the bier and held aloft their 
talismans.  The three talismans began to glow, summoning the Holy Grail to 
their presence.  The Grail shone with the light of a thousand suns, somehow 
made bearable.  Before that light, the crystalline bier melted away.

        Sailor Saturn opened her eyes.

        Pluto spoke.  "The worst has come, Rhea," she said to the young girl 
who had spent almost all of her life trapped in a magical sleep, a sleep to 
which her power had condemned her.  "The Great Shield is down, and we must 
call upon Saturn's power."

        Sailor Saturn nodded resignedly.  "I understand, Pluto-sama," she
said 
formally.  She held aloft her Glaive and began to draw upon her power, 
building it up so as to finally fulfill her purpose.  The Grail drew closer 
to her, seeming to glow more brightly as Dark Power gathered around the 
young girl.

        Pluto watched as the powers built, then turned toward her comrades.  
She had worked alongside these young warriors for years, trained with them, 
fought next to them.  They were closer to her than any mortals alive.

        "Forgive me," she said, and tossed the Empyrean Silver Crystal into 
the maelstrom of gathering energies.  Then, she vanished along with her 
Staff and Talisman.

        For the second time that day, a brilliant eruption scarred the face
of 
the Moon.

        Sailor Saturn screamed as the energies of the Silver Crystal met her 
own Power, a Power diametrically opposed in nature to the Crystal's.  Her 
body was torn apart by the resulting explosion and her soul flew on to 
Earth, leaving the Saturn Power behind, a writhing mass of Light and Dark.  
The Crystal fared little better, the stress overtaxing even its mighty 
strength.  It fractured into seven perfect crystals, one for each color of 
the rainbow.  The crystals flew up and out, passing through stone and space 
towards the earth.  The Holy Grail vanished back to whence it came, to wait 
until summoned once more.

        The Saturn Power spread outward.  Uranus and Neptune were atomized 
before either could make any move.  Their souls also flew off toward Earth, 
following the Moon Queen's earlier wish.  With their souls went their 
talismans, fused together by the mighty powers unleashed by Pluto.

        The energies reached out and covered the entire moon, killing all
that 
lived in those first few seconds.  The oceans boiled away, the plants 
burned, the animals shriveled and turned to ash.  Buildings were smashed 
away in an instant, leaving only the Palace to mark the once great 
civilization.  The Moon was now a dead world, orbiting a common point in 
space with its healthy sister.

        The energy did not stop at the moon.  It flew outward from the rocky 
surface at high speed, changing almost everything it touched.  Earth fared 
well.  Its magic was deeply rooted in its soil, in the gems and crystals it 
bore, so it could resist the mighty power.  Still, the energy upset the 
planet's delicate ecosystem and the glaciers began their doomed march 
toward the equator.  The Ice Age had come.

        The Great Shield was back.

        But only around the Earth and the Moon.  The other planets were 
immediately subjected to wave after wave of Things from Beyond.  A few, 
like Mars, resisted, but most fled back to Earth, leaving everything not 
absolutely necessary for survival behind in their haste.  The dwarves and 
elves of Mercury and Venus disappeared into pocket dimensions, cut off from 
all outside contact.  Pluto's defenses, placed by the Founders of the 
Silver Millennium, alone stood firm.  Mars eventually fell after repeated 
and brutal attacks, the Things pouring over their defenses until they 
shattered.  The Silver Millennium died slowly and painfully.

        For 25,000 years, however, the new Great Shield stood firm, empowered 
by the Saturn Power.  Then, one day, something happened.  Something 
wonderful.  Something terrible.

        An overzealous scientist, eager to develop a means of matter 
transportation, breached the Great Shield with his experimental apparatus.  
Ever alert for such an opportunity, several Things entered through the 
breach and sought out its creator.  The Saturn Power went with them and the 
Great Shield began to fade.
        Somewhere else, a man died protecting the girl he loved from his 
former comrades-in-arms.  Their love was great, but not great enough to 
keep him from dying, his energy nearly gone.  His body dissolved into many 
motes of light and flew away...

        ...to be gathered by three robed beings who offered the man a new 
duty.  He would be the Great Shield's new guardian, protecting the Solar 
System from the Things From Beyond.  Knowing the importance of the task, he 
accepted.

        And on Earth, the Saturn Power entered the body of a young girl who 
had nearly been killed by the arrival of the Things in her father's lab.  
Believing that the Things alone could save her, the scientist and his 
assistants entered into a pact with them.  The rest, as they say, was 
history.

                                                        *****

        Odysseus slowly surfaced from the memory, confused by what she saw.  
The man who died and became one with the Shield she had recognized as 
Nephrite.  Did that mean he was still alive somehow?  The scientist and his 
daughter had been Tomoe-sensei and Hotaru.  But what did it all mean?

        "Yes, Nephrite is alive," said Hotaru's voice.  Reality flooded back 
in around them.  Sailor Saturn stood before her, but her uniform was 
changed.  It was now all white, so stark it was almost blinding.  "And that 
was Poppa and me."

        Odysseus froze, uncertain whether to attack the girl before her or 
not.  Not that it made much difference, she thought, since she felt so 
tired she could barely move.  "H-hotaru?"

        Saturn smiled warmly.  "Yes, it's me.  I'm in control for the
moment."  
Her uniform flickered and changed back to its normal colors.

        "What happened?"

        Saturn turned and walked toward Senshi Mars.  "The Saturn Power is 
obsessed with only two things, the preservation of its host's existence and 
the accomplishment of its Purpose.  Mars made the mistake of attacking me, 
so it reacted."

        "And what is this Purpose?" Odysseus asked hesitantly.

        "The utter and complete destruction of all Life in the Universe, 
beginning with the Things from Beyond and ending with the simplest amoeba."  
The answer was said so quietly and matter-of-factly that Odysseus didn't 
grasp it at first.  When she did, she gasped.  Hotaru didn't seem to 
notice.  Instead, she was holding her hands over Senshi Mars, a warm white 
glow engulfing them both.

        "W-why?  Why kill everything?"

        "Because that is the only way it can die."  Hotaru stood up.  Mars
now 
looked much better, though she was still asleep.  Hotaru turned to Sailor 
Odysseus, looking tired and sad.  "You have to understand, Naru-chan, the 
arrogance and power of the early mages of the Silver Millennium.  They 
summoned up Powers they thought they could control, and used them in 
irresponsible ways.  Saturn was the result.  I am both Light and Darkness, 
Life and Death.  I can heal or I can destroy.  I am Shiva, the Shatterer of 
Worlds and Brahma, the Creator."  Her shoulders drooped.  "And stuck in the 
middle is Tomoe Hotaru."

        Odysseus was torn between hugging the young girl or shrinking away in 
fear.  "Why didn't you tell us?"

        "Because I didn't KNOW!"  Saturn was crying now.  "Pluto wouldn't
tell 
me anything!  Was almost killing a friend the only way I could learn what 
my past life knew?"  She raised her head to the sky.  "DAMN YOU, PU!" she 
screamed, then dropped to her knees, sobbing.  "Why couldn't you tell me?"

        Odysseus transformed back to Osaka Naru, her sailor fuku disappearing 
and then her regular clothes slowly reappearing.  This was, she 
rationalized, so as not to seem too threatening to Saturn, but in truth it 
was more because she was out of power.  Being a Sailor was still too new to 
her.  In time, she hoped, she would build up some endurance.

        She heard a choking sound behind her and looked.  Umino was 
desperately trying to staunch the blood leaking from his nose.  Beside him, 
Himeko was looking at him in disgust, still clutching the Time Staff.

        "Naru-chan," Himeko said, "you better make sure you're alone in the 
future when you change back.  You gave geek-boy an eyeful."

        Naru blushed.  Beside her, Saturn began to giggle.  They all stared
at 
her in shock, but the ludricousness of the situation hit them all and they 
began to laugh.

        "I better clean up the mess," Saturn said at last.  She took the 
Silence Glaive in hand and waved it in the direction of the shattered 
houses.  They swiftly knitted themselves back together, leaving no sign of 
the destruction caused by Sailor Odysseus's deflected attack.  Likewise, 
the furrow Mars had made in the yard vanished, and the hole made by her 
exit in the Tomoe house fixed itself.  The others could only watch in awe.

        "If I changed into you, my pendant probably wouldn't last five 
seconds," Himeko said in awe.  Ever since she had started changing into 
super-heroes, she had learned the limits of her pendant.  It could 
reproduce special attacks, but doing so drained its power, cutting down on 
the time she could remain in that form.  Just sharing in Pluto's 
perceptions had cut her usual hour down to less than five minutes.

        Sailor Saturn transformed back to Tomoe Hotaru.  "I don't think 
becoming me would be very wise," she said quietly, moving over to Senshi 
Mars.  Effortlessly, she picked the unconscious Senshi up in a fireman's 
carry and took her inside the house, with Umino getting the door.  "Still, 
this body is nice.  Better than being a baby."

        "You remember being a baby?" Naru asked.

        "At the time, I was a baby in mind as well as body, but now I
remember 
what happened, like it was a dream.  Not a pleasant one."  She put Mars 
down on a chair and went to see to the others.

        Naru slumped down to the floor.  Suddenly her limbs felt very heavy 
and she couldn't keep her eyes open.  She dimly heard Umino calling her 
name before unconsciousness claimed her.

                                                        *****

        "So, you say a new Senshi has appeared?" Chester asked Izuko over her 
cell phone.

        "Yes, sir.  Going over our files on the Senshi, I can identify the
one 
who attacked us as Sailor Saturn.  The girl who transformed into the 
unknown Sailor is, I believe, Osaka Naru, one of Hino Rei and Aino Minako's 
friends."

        "Osaka Naru....  Was she also present at the New Year's Festival when 
the White Knight first appeared?"  Chester flipped through his folder on 
the Sailor Senshi.  As he expected, there was a picture of Osaka Naru.  
Only one, but that would soon change.

        "Yes, sir."  Izuko struggled to keep her voice calm.  That night had 
been the first of what was now a string of failures and retreats.  Every 
time the Senshi were involved, she seemed to come up second-best.  Well, at 
least she was in better shape than Hudson.  Cancer was still trying to 
rebuild his shattered mind.

        After the new Sailor had saved them from Saturn's Night of the Living 
Dead impression, Izuko had dragged Hudson away and almost thrown him into 
their car.  The merc had been mostly catatonic, just like he was after the 
New Years Festival.  For once, however, Izuko didn't blame him.  When you 
shot someone in the head, they were supposed to stay down.  The really 
scary thing was that Izuko didn't know if that or Saturn's smile had scared 
her more.

        "Very well.  Tone down the surveillance for now.  We don't want to
tip 
our hand," Chester said, and hung up.  He flipped to another picture, this 
one of Kino Makoto.  Next to it was a picture of Sailor Jupiter.  He shook 
his head.  "So much for dating.  I should have known it was going too 
well."

                                                        *****

        "Are you sure you are feeling okay, Aurora?" Serenity asked for the 
thousandth time.

        The Moon Princess, Mars, and Naru were walking down the street toward 
the Tsukino household.  After Saturn's little demonstration, no one could 
think of much to say.  The Senshi were given telephone numbers for the 
Outer Senshi and the Auxiliaries and instructions on how to use the phone.  
It was decided that it would just be best then to try to integrate the 
Senshi into their public lives as quickly as possible.  Hotaru used her 
healing power on Naru and restored some of her energy, but Naru still felt 
like crawling into bed and sleeping for a week.

        "I've told you, I'm just a little sore, Princess," Mars said.

        "'Usagi,'" Naru reminded her.  "You have to call her Usagi or 
'Meatball Head,' or else you'll blow your cover, 'Rei.'"

        "Why would she call me 'Meatball Head?'" Serenity asked, confused.

        "Well, because of your... you know..."  Naru made motions with her 
hands to indicate Serenity's hairstyle.

        Serenity raised a hand to touch them.  "My royal hairstyle?  The 
Queens of the Moon have worn it since the original Serenity.  It's a mark 
of royalty."

        "It suits her," Mars added.  "Why would I make fun of it?"

        Naru felt her cheeks redden.  "Actually, Rei borrowed the name
from... 
Mamoru."

        "Endy-chan?"

        "You see, he and Usagi didn't realize who they were when they first 
met.  They didn't get off to a good start.  You should have heard some of 
the things she called him.  I think 'stuck-up creep' was one of the 
mildest."

        "I... insulted Endy-chan?"

        "Well, he insulted you a lot... but then again, Usagi also kept 
accidentally tossing things onto his head..."  Naru trailed off as she 
realized she wasn't painting her friend in the best light.  "After 
defeating the Dark Kingdom, though, they got their relationship settled."

        "I still don't see why I would insult the Princess's hairstyle," Mars 
muttered.

        Naru was spared any further explanations by their arrival at the 
Tsukino household.  Before crossing the gate, she cautioned them one more 
time.  "Remember, you are Rei and Usagi, not Senshi Mars and Princess 
Serenity.  And DON'T transform!"  Mars started to open her mouth but Naru 
stared at her until she shut it.  "God, it feels strange to know more about 
what's going on than you guys," Naru muttered.

        "You are one of my Senshi now, Osaka Naru," Serenity said, laying her 
hand on Naru's forearm.  "I trust you."  With that, they passed through the 
Tsukino gate.

        "Aha!  Take THIS!" came a shrill yell.  Tsukino Shingo, the bane of 
older sisters and scourge of Usagi's bedroom, leapt out of his hiding place 
with a large super-soaker.  Naru ducked back behind the wall surrounding 
the Tsukino house as the spurts of water came flying.  Serenity and Mars, 
not versed in the tactics of water pistol combat, were soaked.

        "Stupid Usagi," Shingo crowed.  "What, are you too dumb to even 
dodge?"  With that, he ran off around the house, gun held high in victory.

        "Um, THAT was your little brother, Shingo," Naru said to the dripping 
wet Princess.

        Mars was sputtering, at first too enraged to be coherent.  Serenity, 
however, got a cold look on her face that stopped Mars in her tracks.

        "He dies," Serenity said in a tight voice.  "GET BACK HERE, YOU
LITTLE 
RUNT!" she screamed suddenly, chasing off after Shingo.

        Naru and Mars looked on in shock.

        "You know, maybe she can pull this off better than I thought," Naru 
said.

                                                        *****

        Urawa led Mercury through the crowded Tokyo streets that evening 
toward Tsunami.  They had left the Tomoe household at the same time as 
everyone else, but Mercury had insisted that he take her shopping for 
clothes before going to Tsunami.  He had done it, reluctantly, but had 
flatly vetoed going into a Victoria's Secrets.  Mercury was clinging to his 
arm, but was strangely quiet.  He didn't mind too much, as her constant 
flirting made him feel uncomfortable, and only partly because she was 
acting so unlike Ami.

        After this silence had lasted several blocks, he finally spoke up.  
"Is something wrong?"

        She looked up at him, her face troubled by strong and conflicting 
emotions.  "Forgive me, Ryo-kun," she said, "But I am not very good company 
right now."

        Urawa stopped and pulled her over to the side of the street.  "Is it 
Saturn that's bothering you?"

        She lowered her head, as if trying to hide from him.  "She is part of 
it.  Back home, she was deemed so powerful, her avatar was locked away in 
eternal sleep.  Thou canst imagine how terrified I was to see her.  And her 
power!"  Mercury pressed her body against him.  "Please, hold me," she 
whispered.

        Hesitantly, Urawa put his arms around her as she buried her head 
against his chest.  They stood there, just out of the way of the busy 
sidewalk, in a little nook created by two storefronts, for several moments.  
Her arms slowly wrapped around his body and she began to move her hands up 
and down his back.  In shock, he looked down at her.  She looked back, a 
desperate need in her eyes, and kissed him, hard.  Without pause, she tried 
to drive her tongue into his mouth and began to slide against him in a very 
distracting manner.

        With a great deal of effort, Urawa pushed her away.  If only she were 
Ami...  No.  He pushed the thought away.  Ami would never act like that.  
Right?  But Mercury was the same person, only raised in a different 
environment.  How could they be so different yet the same?  And a part of 
him wanted Ami to be like her.  That was the worst part.

        "How could you take advantage of me like that?" he hissed, drowning 
his guilt in anger.

        Mercury seemed taken aback.  "I... I thought thou wouldst like it," 
she stammered.  She tried to step closer to him, but his rock-hard grip on 
her shoulders held her at arms length.  "Ryo-kun, thou art hurting me," she 
protested.

        "Don't call me that.  Ami-san can calls me that, but you've just 
proven you are definitely not her."  Urawa was barely resisting the urge to 
shake her.  He felt... disillusioned.  Mercury was befouling the perfect 
image he had built up of Ami in his mind.  The smartest, prettiest, nicest 
girl in school now marred by this... this... slut with her face.

        Now real pain crossed Mercury's face as he looked at her in disgust.  
No one, not even Parias had ever looked at her like that.  She didn't know 
what to say, so the truth came out.  "I... I'm sorry, Urawa-san, but I... 
needed... had to be held by someone," she said, her body shaking.

        The disgust deepened.  "You like sex that much?"

        Now her cheeks flared red, in both embarrassment and anger.  Her hand 
flew up and she slapped him on the cheek.  It wasn't a hard slap, because 
she couldn't put any swing into it, but it startled Urawa into letting go 
of her shoulders.

        Mercury took a step back, out of reach.  She glared at him in a cold 
rage.  "What wouldst thou know about it, who haven't even done it yet?  
Thou art in no position to judge me, sir!"

        Never in a million years would Urawa have imagined that he would
fight 
with Ami, let alone a fight this surreal.  He struggled to get a hold on 
his temper.  "Athena-san, I apologize, but you can't behave like that 
toward me!  I love Ami, and even if you're in her body, I can't do anything 
with you.  It wouldn't be right."

        Her face softened slightly.  "Thou really dost love her," she said in 
surprise.  "Hast thou told her this?"

        It was almost comical to watch as all the rage and guilt left Urawa 
and he was reduced to a stammering, red-faced fool.  "Umm, well... we... 
our relationship... we hadn't gone that... I mean...."

        Mercury rolled her eyes.  Their fight was now almost forgotten.  She 
reminded herself that she was in a strange land with strange (and 
annoyingly prudish) customs.  This boy loved her other self with a love she 
had rarely seen, except when she had looked in Zoisite's eyes as he 
proposed.  She shouldn't tease Urawa so much, she knew, but she was 
attracted to him, probably by many of the same things that attracted her 
counterpart.  She thought briefly of the arrangement she had with Zoisite, 
and whether it applied to her future self and her boyfriend, but then 
dismissed the thought.  If Zoisite and this Ami did do anything, then it 
would confirm that she and I do have a lot more in common than it seems, 
she thought.

        "Urawa-san," she said firmly, "I apologize.  I was horribly rude to 
you."

        He looked up, glad to be off the spot on the question, but uncertain 
as to her motivations.  She laughed a little bitterly as she read the 
emotions on his face.

        "Do not fear," she said.  "I HAVE seduced many a lad, but I never
have 
come between true loves."  She sighed and leaned back against the side of 
the storefront behind her.  "I guess," she said quietly, "it's because I 
have searched for it for so long."

        "I don't understand...."

        "Have you ever felt," she asked in an almost rhetorical manner, "that 
the people who brought you into this world regretted doing it?  Were you 
ever used as a weapon in their fights, as ammunition in their verbal wars?"  
He shook his head mutely.  "My parents hate each other, Urawa-san.  I have 
no happy memories of them, only of fighting and abuse.  They could have 
cared less about my existence.  I was not the boy they wanted to carry on 
the family.  Nor could I be a proper young lady.  Your Ami-san, is she 
anything like that?  Stubborn, set in her ways, impossible to budge once 
she sets down a path she thinks is right?"

        Urawa started to shake his head, then he remembered Ami's impassioned 
pleas about changing one's destiny.  Her stubborn refusal to give up on 
him, no matter how much he begged her to.  Reluctantly, he nodded.

        "I know what thou and others think, that I'm a woman of loose morals.
 
Mayhap I am.  I was young when I had my first boy, but it was wonderful.  
He loved me, even if it was only for that night.  He held me, he didn't 
yell... well, not much," she said nostalgically.  She smiled as Urawa's 
cheeks reddened.  She reached over and laid her hand on his arm.  "Dost 
thou understand how I felt?  Maybe it was not love, maybe I was only using 
it to keep the pain at bay... Elder Mercury certainly thought so.  But it 
felt... good.  Dost thou understand why I turned to you now?"

        Urawa felt himself nodding again.  "Ami... Ami told me a little about 
her parents.  They divorced... separated when she was young."

        Mercury gave a sad nod.  "Those of the Royal House of Vulcan are not 
permitted to divorce.  Marriage vows are for life."  She sighed.  "I know 
my parents would have been happier if they could do it."

        "It's just a guess... but I think her father leaving was as bad for 
Ami as your parents fighting was for you.  I think she used her books and 
her studies to compensate.  She's not very close to her mother, because 
she's a doctor and works long hours."

        "Mine was always too busy with her social life and her... young men," 
Mercury said softly.

        "Maybe you are more like Ami than I thought," he offered hesitantly.  
He held out his hand to her.

        Mercury took his whole arm and held on to it.  "Well, shall we 
continue?" she said.  "I am feeling a little hungry, maybe we can find a 
place to eat?"

        "Perhaps," he said.  They continued down the street.  Along the way, 
they passed a small club that was now starting to open its doors to 
patrons.  Loud music and flashing lights leapt out at them through the open 
door.

        "Ooh, let us go in there!" Mercury said, pointing.

        "Um, isn't it a little rough...?" Urawa replied.

        "Well, if thou wouldst rather take me back to your place," she cooed 
suggestively, clinging to his arm in a provocative manner.

        "NO!Thisisquitealrightwe'llgohere!" he said quickly, almost pulling 
her inside.  Mercury giggled as they went.  Somehow, they had become 
friends.

                                                        *****

        "Shingo, Usagi!" Tsukino Ikuko barked.  "You two should be ashamed of 
yourselves!  Stop fighting right now!"

        The fight in question was in fact an all out mud war.  Serenity's 
chase had ended when Shingo had ambushed her with the garden hose.  He had 
used it earlier to turn a section of the yard into a mudhole, anticipating 
that Usagi would chase him.  Mars had run up and tried to help, but had 
gone sliding and landed hard on her bottom.  This indignity had been 
followed up with Shingo plastering her long black hair with mud.  The three 
of them now resembled mudmen more than human beings.  When Ikuko had 
finally arrived, Serenity was in the process of rubbing Shingo's face into 
the mud.

        "Well, what do you have to say for yourselves?" Ikuko asked the 
contrite mudmen.

        "It was not my fault, mother!" Serenity protested.  "Shingo ambushed 
me with his water gun."

        "That's right!  The little brat deserved it," Mars added.

        Ikuko's ears had twitched at Serenity's use of the formal "mother."  
Usagi only used that term when she was in trouble.  "All right, young man," 
she said to Shingo, "go take a bath and then wait in your room until I come 
to see you."

        Shingo scampered off, pausing only to pull down his eyelid and stick 
his tongue out when he thought Ikuko couldn't see.  Somehow, though, Ikuko 
knew and turned to face him.  "GIT!" she barked, sending the little rascal 
scampering.

        Serenity was at a loss as to how to deal with this situation.  She
had 
never been involved with the usual roughhousing that goes on between 
siblings before.  She had certainly never been in trouble for it.  To make 
matters worse, she had no idea how to deal with the woman standing before 
her.  She knew how to deal with queens and nobles, lords and ladies... but 
how does one deal with a Tokyo housewife?

        "Okay, Usagi, what's the matter now?  You never call me mother unless 
you want something or you are in trouble."

        "This really wasn't Usagi's fault, Tsukino-san," Mars began.

        "Rei-chan, this is between me and my daughter.  I know you mean well, 
but it would be best if we settled this ourselves, okay?" Ikuko asked 
sweetly.  For all the sweetness, there was an underlying steel to that 
warning that Mars knew she better heed.

        "I do not know what you mean, mother," Serenity protested.

        "Usagi."

        Serenity shrank a bit beneath Ikuko's penetrating gaze.  "Mother, 
I..."

        "Usagi."  The voice was a little louder now.

        "I chased him and I tried to plant his face in the mud and I enjoyed 
it.  I'm sorry!!!"

        "Take a bath and go to your room, young lady," Ikuko said.  She was 
sure that her daughter hadn't come completely clean, but she was sure that 
it would all hit the fan sooner or later.  And why was she speaking so 
formally?

                                                        *****

        "That was very undignified, my Princess," Mars said with disapproval.
 
The two transplanted nobles were soaking in the Tsukino bath, glad that the 
last of the mud was finally out of their hair.

        Now you're starting to sound like Luna, Aurora... Rei-chan," Serenity 
said.  She closed her eyes and leaned back against the side of the bath.  
"It was... fun.  I never could have done something like that back home."

        "With reason, Serenity.  A noble of your standing--"

        "REI-chan, you shouldn't call me that, remember?"

        "You WANT me to call you meatball head?"

        Serenity giggled.  "Why not?  I'm just an ordinary girl here."

        Mars fumed.  "I can't believe this!  You're treating this like a 
VACATION!  You-You MEATBALL HEAD!"

        "There you go!"  Serenity giggled again, then turned serious.  "Did 
you ever not want to be a noble, Aurora-chan?"

        "Of course not.  It is my duty."

        Serenity pulled her knees up to her chest and hugged them.  "I envy
my 
future self.  She gets to be one girl among millions.  Not a princess, not 
a Queen...."

        Mars looked at her liege and a rare expression of sympathy crossed
her 
face.  "What was it that Parias once said?  'Death is as light as a 
feather, duty as heavy as a mountain?'"

        Serenity suddenly looked seriously at Mars.  "I must be delirious," 
she said.

        "What?  Why?"

        "You just quoted the Book of Virtues... you might become a Shrine 
Maiden yet!"  Serenity burst into giggles.

        Mars scowled and splashed her Princess.  "Oh, be quiet, meatball 
head," she muttered.  She turned her back on Serenity and began to study 
the far wall intensely.  She stiffed as she felt two arms surround her 
waist and hug her.

        "I'm sorry, Aurora-chan," Serenity said contritely.  "I shouldn't
make 
fun of you.  I know you are scared--"

        "I am not!"

        "Yes, you are.  I know, because *I* am scared."

        "You hide it well," Mars said dryly.

        "That's because I have you here," Serenity said simply.

        Mars turned to face Serenity, stunned.  "Serenity...."

        Serenity leaned her forehead against Mars's and closed her eyes.  "I 
know you'll never let me down, Aurora-chan," she said simply.  "Don't ever 
change... but you could try to be nicer to everyone.  They aren't to blame 
for this and they are doing the best they can to help."  She opened her 
eyes to stare into Mars's.  Sapphire blue eyes met dark violet ones in a 
rare moment of perfect communication.

        Serenity smiled and gave Mars a little kiss on the cheek, and then 
rose to leave the bath.  Nothing more needed to be said between them.

                                                        *****

        It was late night before Artemis finally returned to Tsunami High, 
defeated.  Luna had given him the slip.

        Why did I say all those things to her, anyway, he castigated himself.
 
She's not the Luna I know now.  Was it because I felt so lousy when she 
told me what my younger self had done?  Was it only guilt?

        Still, it had felt like the truth when he said it.  Luna's love for 
that human HAD hurt him, in ways he had never imagined.  He knew he 
shouldn't have been so surprised.  He HAD treated Luna shabbily at times.  
Too many times, his conscience pointed out.  He winced.  He had put too 
much faith in the fact that they were the only two talking, intelligent 
cats on Earth.  Who ELSE was Luna going to turn to?  Now that they had 
rediscovered that they could assume human form, the answer was almost 
anyone.

        "I," he said aloud, "am an ass."

        "And here I thought you were a cat."

        Artemis leaped almost six feet into the air and spun around.  Luna
was 
regarding him calmly from a overhead branch, smiling.

        "Luna!  I've been looking for you!"

        "I know.  I doubled back and I've been following YOU all day."

        "WHAT?!"

        "You really aren't much of a hunter, Artemis," Luna said as she
leaped 
down to his side.

        "I... I had a lot to think about," he said defensively.

        "My, you HAVE changed.  The old Artemis only cared about eating and 
sleeping."

        "I did not!" he said indignantly.  "Catnip was also on my mind at 
times."

        Luna burst out laughing.  Artemis tried to keep his indignant mask, 
but it broke and he joined her.

        "I'm sorry I scared you off," he said.  "I forgot you aren't the same 
Luna I work with every day.  I... I haven't been able to tell HER how I 
feel.  I think she knows, but...."

        "She does," Luna said confidently.  She padded over to Artemis and 
began to rub her head against his neck.

        "L-Luna?"

        "I hated the old you, Artemis," Luna said, "but I think I could get
to 
like the new you a lot."

        The two cats did not get home that night.

                                                        *****

        The week passed slowly for the misplaced Senshi.  They tried to cope 
with the strange and sometimes incomprehensible environment they found 
themselves in, but it was difficult at times.

~~~

        "Rei!  What did you do to the television?!  It's all in pieces!"

        "DON'T MOVE ANYTHING!  I'll never get it back right if you touch 
anything!"

~~~

        "Who can solve this equation?  Anyone?  Mizuno-san?  MIZUNO-SAN!  If 
you are passing a note to Aburatsubo-san, you can share it with the rest of 
the class!"

        "Certainly, sensei.  'Abu-chan, I'd love to feel your strong arms 
around me as I kiss your neck.  I can't wait for you to touch my--'"

        "Uh... Mizuno-san, that's quite enough... why don't you go see the 
Counselor for a bit...?"

        "She's... out sick."

        "Well, just go outside and stand in the hall with a bucket!"

~~~

        "That's very... nice, Kino-san, but... what is it?"

        "Europan Salamander Quiche... though I had to substitute pork for the 
Salamander."

        "It's... purple."

        "I know... it should have orange and green streaks, but... Sensei?  
Where are you going?"

~~~

        "Usagi!  Duck--OW!"

        "Naru-chan"  Why didn't YOU duck that volleyball?"

        "Because Usagi never ducks in time... owowowow."

~~~

        "Innana-chan, have you seen Artemis around at all?"

        "No, Hime-chan...  I guess they're busy.  Hey, how long are you going 
to hold on to Pluto's staff?"

        "IF I COULD GET THE DAMN THING TO STOP FOLLOWING ME, I WOULD!"

                                                        *****

        The Zodiac met again in their hall.  Chester and Polly took their 
places on the glowing symbol of Gemini.  Once again, Chester took the lead 
in addressing the company.

        "We have spent the past week keeping a discreet surveillance on the 
Sailor Senshi.  There have been no repeats of the Saturn incident, 
thankfully."

        "Saturn be too powerful for us to take without the Star Power firmly 
in our hands.  Half a Thing of Darkness she be," Sagittarius rumbled.

        "Only half?" Polly muttered, earning her a sharp glance from her 
brother.  He had threatened to destroy her pictures of Steven if she made a 
fool of him again in front of the Zodiac.

        "We have decided to keep the so-called Outer Senshi out of our plans 
for now, and concentrate on the inner five.  We believe we have their 
civilian identities down now.  They all attend Tsunami, so it should be 
simple to call them out."

        "Why not simply eliminate them or take their families hostage?" 
Scorpio suggested.

        "Because we have no interest in THEM per se," Chester said slowly, as 
if explaining something for the millionth time to someone incredibly dense.  
Scorpio glared at him.  "We want to flush out the White Knight and the 
Princess if possible.  Only once we have her will we be able to achieve our 
goals.  The Sailor Senshi actually help us at times, taking out monsters 
and other threats.  It would be counter-productive to eliminate them when 
they seem willing to take some of the burden off of us."

        "Yes, speaking of monster attacks," Leo said smoothly, "what do the 
stars say about the creatures behind the Tokyo Riots?  We have to know when 
and where they will strike again."

        "Everything is written in the stars," Virgo began, "but sometimes
they 
are a closed book.  The near future has become very difficult to read as of 
late.  Readings are conflicting and distorted.  It's as if Time was out of 
joint somehow.  Mercury in retrograde is playing a large role, but I can't 
exactly see how that would cause all our problems."

        "It seems to be affecting SAILOR Mercury," Chester said.  "She's been 
acting strange all week."  He gestured, pausing to glare at Polly before 
completing it.  Thankfully, an image of Ami in her school uniform appeared.  
"Mizuno Ami was, by all accounts, a shy and studious girl.  Now," he 
continued as the image changed to show Ami in a short, short skirt and 
halter top dancing in a nightclub, "she seems to be a dedicated party-goer 
and playgirl.  She seems to flirt with anything that breathes.  She also 
has acquired a jealous boyfriend," the picture now shows Urawa pulling 
Mercury out of a club, "and we're looking into his identity."

        "This is trivia.  Is the attack on?" Taurus rumbled.

        "Yes.  If the Things from Beyond are beginning an all-out campaign of 
some sort we cannot delay on acquiring the Star Power.  You all felt the 
use of the Star Power last week, didn't you?"  Everyone nodded.  "That 
shows that our time is limited.  Someone, either the Princess or a Thing is 
attempting to use the Star Power."  Everyone shuddered at the latter 
prospect.  "We shall deliver a challenge to Hino Rei and Tsukino Usagi at 
the Tsukino household."

        "Where shall we attack them?" Cancer asked.

        "The stars seem to indicate the Hikawa Shrine as being the best 
spot... but with things as they are...."  Virgo trailed off.  "Still, three 
readings out of ten suggested the Shrine.  No other location got more than 
one indication."

        "It's a good, out of the way place," Chester said.  "We don't want 
witnesses to what will happen."

        "What of this new Sailor Izuko reported?" Capricorn asked.  "Is she 
likely to be a threat?"

        "Maybe, but likely not.  There is no indication, even in twenty 
readings, that she will be there," Chester said confidently.  "Most likely 
she's too new for them to risk.  It is also unlikely that they will include 
Sailors Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto.  The two groups of Senshi almost 
never work together."

        "Good.  It shall be as you say, then, Ascendants," Aries said.

                                                        *****

        In the remains of the Dark Kingdom, another meeting was taking place.
 
All remaining high-ranking youma stood in rows before Queen Beryl's now 
vacant throne.  The New Generals stood before their troops, awaiting the 
arrival of their liege.  Before the throne, Beryl's magic orb floated 
quietly, as it had since its mistress's death.  No one had dared touch it, 
fearing that Beryl had trapped it somehow.

        A gong rang.  The New Generals knelt before the throne in one swift 
motion, followed by their troops.  In a flash of Dark Energy, Jadeite 
appeared.  His arrogant gaze took them all in before it turned to the 
throne.  He smiled and raised his hand.  Making a fist, he used his power 
to crush the throne.  A gasp ran through the crowd.  The pieces of the 
throne then reassembled into a much smaller, more utilitarian throne.  
Jadeite turned his back to his troops.

        "Does anyone here contest my right to lead our armies to glory?" he 
said, using the ancient words of a rite that almost no youma knew, since it 
predated the rise of Beryl.  Still, centuries of Beryl's rule had taught 
them to correct answer to this question.

        "NO!" They shouted.  "JADEITE!  JADEITE!  JADEITE!" they chanted.

        Jadeite raised his hand to silence them and their shouts turned off 
like a switch.  "The extravagances and decadence of Beryl's court shall be 
done away with.  We will return to the ways of the Kingdom of Atlantis, the 
warrior stock you all descended from.  We are an army, a powerful army... a 
VICTORIOUS ARMY!"

        The youma cheered.

        "Amazonite!" Jadeite barked.

        "Yes, sir?" Amazonite said, knowing that Jadeite wanted no extraneous 
titles.

        "Your attempt to assassinate Sailor Venus failed."  The youma
stirred.  
They knew what the price of failure was and were looking forward to an 
entertaining spectacle.  "Do you have anything to say to defend yourself?"

        "No, sir.  I accept the responsibility of my errors."

        "Good.  I despise excuses.  Are you prepared to redeem yourself?"

        The youma were not expecting THAT.  A murmur ran through them.

        "Yes, sir."

        "Prepare a battalion of youma and take them on a Search and Destroy 
mission.  Your targets will be the Sailor Senshi."

                                                        *****

        "Rei-chan!  Rei-chan!  You have a letter!" Ikuko called out as she
was 
sorting the mail.

        "Coming, Tsukino-san!" Mars yelled.  She left Usagi's bedroom and
went 
downstairs.  She was glad that Ikuko had forgiven her for the TV incident.  
For a simple housewife, Ikuko had all the bearing and force of personality 
of a queen.  It had not been pleasant when she had found the TV in pieces.  
Fortunately, it worked better now than it had before Mars had worked on it.  
The cable de-scrambler had also been well-received.

        "Here you go, Rei-chan," Ikuko said, handing Mars a small white 
envelope.  There was nothing more than a simple "Hino Rei" on the front of 
it, written in careful calligraphy.  "Maybe it's from that young man who 
works with your grandfather... what's his name?  Kumada?"

        Mars blushed.  She had met Yuuichiro once during the week.  His
almost 
slavish devotion to her had reminded her painfully of her Jade-chan (though 
the latter's devotion was less embarrassing), the man that Endymion had 
said would betray the Silver Millennium.  But at other times, he was like a 
clumsy little puppy.  She felt bad even as she laughed at his antics.

        "Maybe," Mars said.  She didn't want to read whatever declarations of 
love might be on this letter.  Yuuichiro had embarrassed her enough 
earlier.  Fortunately, it seemed that Rei was equally embarrassed by his 
attentions, so it had gone unnoticed.

        "Well, open it!  See what he has to say."

        With a sigh, Mars opened her other self's mail.  She read the first 
line involuntarily, but it caused her to gasp and nearly drop it.

        Sailor Mars:
                We know who you are.  We know who your friends are.  We want
        you, Sailor Moon, Sailor Mercury, Sailor Venus and Sailor Jupiter
        to meet us at the Hikawa Shrine at midnight tonight if you want
        to keep the world from discovering your little secrets.
                                                                             
                  The Zodiac

        As Ikuko watched the young girl go all pale and trembling, she
thought 
back nostalgically to the days when Kenji used to write her love letters 
and smiled.

                                                        *****

        "What are we going to do about this?" Mars asked.  She had taken the 
message to Serenity before alerting the others.  Serenity had to be warned 
so that she could be kept safe.

        "Well, we can't ignore it," Serenity said.  "We can't let the Zodiac 
expose our identities."

        "What do you mean WE, Princess?  No matter what your counterpart is 
here, you are not a Senshi!"

        "But they will be expecting Sailor Moon there," Serenity said calmly.

        Mars slowly shook her head.  "We can't risk you.  Our duty--"

        "They say they know who the Sailors are, can we afford to risk their 
families?"

        "I wouldn't mind seeing Shingo get blasted," Mars said.

        Serenity smiled.  "Granted, though he does remind me of Apollo when
he 
was younger."

        "I wouldn't mind seeing Apollo blasted either," Mars muttered.

        "I think Luna would agree with you, but that's neither here nor 
there."

        "You're avoiding the subject."

        "No, you're avoiding what must be.  I have to go."

        "Look, isn't that Endymion at the window?"

        "What!?  Where?!"

        The last thing Serenity was aware of was a sheet wrapping itself 
around her head.

                                                        *****

        The grounds of the Hikawa Shrine were empty and quiet.  Scaffolding 
and construction equipment surrounded the half-rebuilt buildings, a 
testimony to the damage done by the Gibberlings.  A small tent stood in a 
small stretch of open space near the Fire Shrine and a small fire burned in 
a fire pit before it.  Yuuichiro was sitting there. 'keeping watch' over 
the Sacred Flame.  Actually, he was sleeping, but that was to be expected.  
Grandpa Hino slept inside the tent.  Neither of them noticed a glowing 
green sphere surround them.  The sphere turned opaque, hiding them from 
view.

        "It is done," Chester said.  He lowered his left hand, which was 
firmly gripping Polly's right hand.  "Neither light nor sound will 
penetrate that globe until morning comes."

        Cancer stepped forward then.  She was a short woman with long red
hair 
done in an ornate hairstyle that looked like a crab was sitting on her 
head.  She was wearing a black and red jumpsuit that showed that despite 
her size she was no little girl.

        "They will sleep until then at least," the diminutive member of the 
Zodiac said.  "I've given them pleasant dreams."  She laughed.

        Leo brushed a nonexistent speck of lint of his impeccably tailored 
suit.  His blond hair fell to his shoulders, resembling the mane of the 
namesake of his sign.  Piercing blue eyes, set on both sides of a craggy 
nose, scanned the grounds for any other interlopers.  "We are ready, then?"

        "Yes," Chester said.  "Now we only have to wait for the Sailors to--"

        Chester was going to say "arrive," but he was interrupted by that
very 
thing.  Or rather the arrival of ONE Sailor, who announced her presence by 
throwing a ring of fire around the six members of the Zodiac.

        Senshi Mars leapt out of the shadows and stood before them, her fire 
surrounding her body in a protective aura.  The heat caused her hair to 
float around her face, making her both lovely and terrible to behold.  "I 
don't take well to threats against my Princess and my friends, Zodiac," 
Mars ground out.  "I want to know what your plans are now, before I start 
having to burn a few holes through you."

        "Oh, please," Aries said, making a small gesture with his hands.  The 
fire died, snuffed instantly.  Sailor Mars's transformation also reversed 
itself, leaving the body of Hino Rei behind.  Having snuffed her power 
once, Aries could do it easily now.  So long as she was in his presence, he 
could block her off from the fire.  He frowned suddenly.  It was proving 
more difficult than he expected to keep the power blocked, however.  Maybe 
Sailor Mars had been practicing?  Whatever the reason, he was having to 
concentrate to keep the block up.  "You've improved since we last met, 
girl," he said.  He reached out with more of his power, blocking not only 
her power but her ability to move, insinuating his control throughout her 
body.  It was a strain.  He was not the Ascendant anymore, and even then he 
could only control one or maybe two people born under his sign.

        Chester smiled nastily.  "I believe it's now pay back time, Sailor 
Mars," he gloated.  Raising his and Polly's hands, he sent a bolt of force 
into the dumbfounded Senshi.  Mars screamed as she felt it slam into her 
body.  She landed in a crumpled heap face down a few feat away, her left 
arm bent unnaturally beneath her.  Aries released his hold on her limbs, 
putting all of his concentration on keeping her from becoming Sailor Mars.  
"Not so tough without your powers, are you?" Chester said.  Letting go of 
Polly's hand, he walked over to the helpless girl and planted a savage kick 
into her stomach, followed by another, and another.  Mars grit her teeth 
and tried to get to her feet, but Chester just swept her good arm out from 
under her.  He laughed as she fell on the broken arm and screamed.  
Reaching down, he grabbed her long black hair and pulled her face up to 
look at his.  "What you did to me was not very nice, Miss Hino," he said.  
"Fortunately, we Zodiac have access to magical healing or else I would 
still be missing some teeth."  He smiled down at her.

        Mars spat in his eye.

        Chester reached up to touch the spit with a trembling hand.  "Oh, 
dear," he said, "It's a good thing you Senshi can heal magically too."  His 
hands glowed with his power, a fraction of the might he commanded with 
Polly but enough, and he then gave her a vicious backhand, sending her 
spinning around.  He then began to punch her over and over again, blow 
after blow landing on the defenseless Senshi's face.

        "Chet!  Stop it!" Polly yelled.

        "ENOUGH, BOY!" Leo roared.  Chester paused his beating.  Leo's
command 
had not gotten through to him totally, since Gemini was Ascendant and Leo 
was not, but it did make him pause.  He looked down at the bloody mess he 
had made of the Senshi's face and stepped back, shaking slightly.  He had 
never lost control like that before.  What had happened to him?

        Mars's battered lips cracked open and a small sob escaped.  Chester 
turned away in revulsion.  "Cancer, get what we need from her," he croaked 
out, looking down at his hands.  "The others are obviously not coming."

        Cancer looked at Chester appraisingly, but said nothing.  She instead 
strode past him to Mars.  Polly looked at her bother as if she had never 
seen him before.  Her face had taken on a greenish tinge.  Aries was still 
keeping his blocks on Mars, so he did nothing, but Leo was watching 
disapprovingly.

        Mars had never known such pain.  She thought she had been tough, with 
all the endless training she had undergone, but she had forgotten that this 
was not her own body.  It was nowhere near as strong or as capable of 
bearing the pain.  She couldn't see, her eyes were swelling shut and her 
nose felt broken.  Her jaw seemed crooked and it hurt it hurt it HURT!  
Tears mixed with blood running down her face.  She was ashamed of the 
tears, but at least the Princess was safe.  Let them beat her, it was what 
she deserved, but the Princess MUST be safe.

        She felt someone touching her face and cringed, but the touch was 
soft, gentle.  Then the pain disappeared away and she felt herself falling 
into a vast black pit.

                                                        *****

        The ugly little girl in rags dropped another handful of clay onto the 
already towering mound and pounded it into place.  There was nothing 
remarkable about this girl, except perhaps how plain she seemed.  The only 
good feature she had was long black hair, but this was stringy and matted 
with dirt.  She lifted another handful of clay.

        On top of the clay mound she was building was another little girl, 
this one so beautiful that it made your heart ache to see her, who was 
playing with a handsome little boy.  The girl had blonde hair done up in 
two blonde pigtails.  The boy had short black hair.  Every few minutes the 
young girl would look down at the ugly little girl and smile at her.  She 
would lean down the side of the mound, not caring how dirty her perfect 
white dress got, and reach for the ugly little girl's hand, beckoning her 
to come play.  But the ugly little girl refused, she wouldn't even look up 
at the girl.  She wasn't worthy of that, her demeanor suggested.

        The boy would join his companion in trying to cajole the ugly little 
girl into joining them, but the girl would not.  She just kept building up 
the clay mound, letting her friends reach higher and farther than they 
could alone, even if it meant that she would always be alone, forever apart 
from those she loved.

        Another handful of clay was placed on the mound.

                                                        *****

        Cancer broke her link with the wounded Senshi and looked down at her 
in awe.  The girl was beaten and battered horribly, yet she could still 
shield her mind from her probes.  It was her love for her friends that made 
her fight so much, endure so much.  It was admirable, really.

        Too bad for her.

        Cancer's power changed from a subtle probe to a crushing force.  Had 
she the time, she would have been more careful, peeling away Mars's 
defenses slowly and painlessly.  If she was Ascendant, she could have been 
gentler.  But she had neither the time nor the power, so her mental probe 
merely smashed against Mars's mind.

        "Stop right there!" came a voice.

        The Members of the Zodiac whirled at the sound of the voice.  On the 
roof of the half-rebuilt shrine, silhouetted by the rising moon, stood 
Sailors Moon, Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, and Odysseus.  Sailor Moon had a 
small lump on her head and looked very angry.

        "Surrender, Zodiac, or in the name of the moon, I'll punish you!" 
Serenity yelled, having no idea what she was saying or where it came from, 
but it felt right.  Beside her, Sailor Odysseus groaned slightly.

        "So, the rest of you decided to come after all," Chester said, taking 
Polly's hand in his own again, re-forging the link between them.  He could 
sense his sister's revulsion and fear over the beating of Mars, but he 
pushed it aside for now.  Cancer backed away from Mars and stood beside her 
comrades.

        The Senshi leaped off the roof and landed beside their fallen friend.
 
Odysseus felt her stomach heave as she looked at all the damage Chester had 
done.  Sailor Moon knelt down and cradled her protector's head in her 
hands.  "Oh, Mars," she said gently.  "Why do you have to do these things?"

        "Pr-princess," croaked Mars, "g-get away..."

        Sailor Moon!" Chester called.  "Or should I say, Tsukino Usagi?  We
of 
the Zodiac have no quarrel with you unless you provoke one.  We merely want 
the Princess.  Turn her over to us and we will leave you in peace."

        The Senshi formed a protective circle around Sailor Moon and Mars.  
Odysseus was slower to react than the others, but she took her place beside 
them.

        "Like you left Mars in peace?" Sailor Moon said, her voice filled
with 
anger and the pain she felt from seeing her friend in such a condition.

        "That," Chester said, "was something personal."

        "I am Serenity, the Princess of the Moon, and I will have nothing to 
do with you!" Serenity thundered.

        The members of the Zodiac fell back a step from her suddenly unveiled 
power.  For those who could see it, the power and purity of the Royal Line 
of the Moon shone around Princess Serenity, blinding them.

        Chester found his voice again after a minute.  "We don't want the
MOON 
Princess," he shouted.  "We want the Star Princess!"

        Sailor Odysseus looked confused.  "Who?" she whispered.

        Serenity shook her head gently.  "She has been dead for Millennia, 
Zodiac."

        "She is alive again today, just like the rest of you," Leo 
interjected.  Power and charisma filled his voice, commanding the listeners 
to obey him.  "Give her to us."

        The Senshi swayed slightly, but Leo's time was still more than a
month 
away.  He was persuasive, but not overwhelmingly so.

        "We have no idea where or who she is," Serenity said, "and we
wouldn't 
tell you if we did know.  You of the Zodiac are nothing more than criminal 
scum who thought they were better than their liege lord and revolted.  You 
sought the power of the stars for yourself, but it eludes you still, I am 
glad to see."

        Chester had had enough of this.  Perhaps the Sailor Senshi would be 
more cooperative after a little show of force.  "You will tell us where the 
Star Princess is, or face the consequences!" he said, raising his and 
Polly's hand.  Their power glowed a brilliant blue and a bolt of force shot 
toward the Senshi.

        Mercury acted quickly.  The water in the air froze into a thick wall 
of ice between the bolt and her friends.  When the two met, both vanished 
in a spray of ice shards and steam.  Mercury staggered, amazed at how 
drained she felt.

        Jupiter and Venus leapt to the forefront of the group, combining
their 
powers as they had been trained to do.  Lightning and golden hearts 
surrounded them and then shot toward the Zodiac.

        The torrent of lightning and hearts surged toward the Zodiac.  Taurus 
grunted and charged into its path, setting his feet firmly on the ground.  
It smashed into his chest, burning away his suit, and jolted him backwards 
several feet.  "Is this the best you can do?" he asked with a barking 
laugh, though he was amazed that they had moved him at all.  Jupiter and 
Venus got ready to try again, but looked a little woozy.  They were calling 
on more power than the bodies of their counterparts were trained to handle.

        "Try this, you monster!" Odysseus yelled.  "STAR BOLT!"  The stars 
overhead seemed to stream into Sailor Odysseus's brooch, giving her their 
power  With a cry, she released that power at Taurus.

        Even before she did so, however, the Zodiac cried out in pain as the 
Star Power ran out of their bodies as water through a sieve.  Most of them 
fell to their knees.  Taurus managed to stand his ground, but even he 
looked dazed as the bolt of coruscating energy slammed into him.  He flew 
backwards until he crashed into a tree.  The trunk splintered and he lay 
still.

        "It was YOU!" Aries groaned, glaring at Sailor Odysseus.

        For her part, Sailor Odysseus didn't look too good.  The Star Bolt 
seemed to take a lot out of her, more than any of the others' attacks did 
to them.

        The two sides stood frozen for a moment, glaring at each other.  
Jupiter, Venus, Mercury and Odysseus were taking deep breaths, trying to 
recover enough strength to attack again.  The Zodiac struggled to their 
feet, likewise shaken and drained.

        "Sailor Moon, use your tiara!" Odysseus cried.

        "Right!" Serenity said, taking off her tiara and throwing it at the 
Zodiac.  It clattered to the ground ineffectually.

        "You're supposed to empower it first!" Odysseus yelled.

        "You didn't tell me that!"

        Then all hell broke loose above them.

        The star-filled sky seemed to rend itself open, tearing like rotten 
cloth to reveal an inky blackness that was far darker than any night could 
be.  From that darkness fell youma, led by their red-haired General, 
Amazonite.

        "Death to the Sailor Senshi!" she cried, brandishing her spear.

        The Senshi got their first look at the not-quite human bodies of the 
youma and shuddered.

        "The Things from Beyond?" Mercury said.  "Have they been released?"

        Youma after youma fell from the sky, surrounding the Senshi and the 
Zodiac both.  Friend and foe moved closer together, for being faced by ten 
times your number has a tendency to make you put aside your petty squabbles 
and take every bit of help you can get.

        Amazonite smiled.  These 60 youma were among the best warriors in her 
army.  After her pathetic showing against Sailor V (both of them!) she had 
fallen back on the most successful military tactic in the universe: He who 
brings the most guns to a fight, wins.  If this failed, the Dark Kingdom 
would not have the energy to mount another invasion for weeks, maybe 
months, but she was determined not to fail.  "FOR JADEITE!" she screamed, 
"ATTACK!"

        But for the second time that night, the battle was postponed.

        Amazonite's forces stopped in confusion as a massive gate appeared 
suddenly in their midst.  Mist and fog seemed to flow jerkily around the 
apparition, like bad stop-motion photography.  Silently, the ornate doors 
opened and the several impossibilities stepped through it.  The youma all 
gaped as the unmistakable figures of Generals Kunzite, Zoisite, Nephrite 
and Jadeite, along with Prince Endymion and the Sailor Senshi!

        Amazonite balked at what she was seeing.  It must be a trick of some 
kind!  She began to order her forces to attack, break them out of their 
stupor, when a red rose flew from behind her and slashed her hand.

        "Uh-uh-uh," Tuxedo Kamen admonished her from the top of a nearby
tree.  
Raising his cane, he said, "Shall we dance?"

                                                TO BE CONTINUED

                                                        *****

SATURN SAYS:

Hotaru:  Hi!  I'm Tomoe Hotaru, also known as Sailor Saturn.  Hosmer-sama 
asked me to do this segment for two reasons.  Number one, Usagi is stuck in 
the past, so she can't do it.

[We cut to the past where Usagi is gnashing her teeth and pounding 
ineffectively on the Gate of Time, which has a big sweatdrop running down 
its side.]

Hotaru:  Secondly, he felt that I was powerful enough to take all the flak 
you guys might generate over the cliffhanger!  SATURN PLANET POWER, MAKE 
UP!

[Hotaru transforms into Sailor Saturn and waves the Glaive at the camera, 
which sweatdrops.]

Saturn:  Oh, I want to thank my fans out there who wrote to Hosmer-sama and 
protested my appearance in Z6, saying I was not such an evil zombie.  He 
and I had a little talk after that...

[Scene cuts to show Saturn holding the Glaive over the author's head as he 
writes.]

Saturn: ...and things are MUCH better now!  [winks]  Now, if only my friend 
Chibi-Usa was here, it'd be perfect!

[The Space Pirate Bailesu pops up behind Saturn and waves a picture of 
Chibi-Usa with a big red slash drawn through it.  Saturn turns to look at 
him and he begins rolling on the floor with a tire, forgetting he's not a 
panda.  Saturn looks at him suspiciously, but turns back to the camera.]

Saturn:  Any way, I suppose you could say that this story asks the 
question: What makes us who we are?  Is it heredity or is it environment?  
As you can see, the Inner Senshi's past lives are markedly different in 
some cases.

[Athena pops up behind Saturn, wallops Bailesu over the head with a club, 
and pulls him by his hair off camera.  She pauses only to blow a kiss at 
the camera and wink.]

Saturn:  Next episode we'll get to see what sort of mess Usagi and the 
others have been making of the past!  You probably won't see me, since I 
spent almost my entire life in a crystal--thanks a LOT, Pu!--but it's sure 
to be fun!  See ya!

                                                        *****

     "My road leads me far away."

We see Nephrite telling Juno that he must go soon for a great conflict is 
about to begin.

     "Though my heart tells me to stay,"

We see Princess Serenity clinging to a worried looking Endymion.

     "When my duty calls, I must go"

We see Pluto appearing in the midst of the ballroom at the Diamond Gala.

     "'Twixt worlds of fire and worlds of snow."

We cut to a shot of the solar system, with the nine planets and the moon 
lined up from the Sun at the left to Pluto at the right, with the Senshi 
and Prince Endymion standing on their planets as shadowy figures.

     "The road I travel will be long"

We see the White Knight galloping down a Tokyo street on horseback.

     "To set things right, to end the wrongs."

We see Tuxedo Mask tossing a red rose into the barrel of a gun, which 
backfires and explodes.

     "But this message will I send,"

We see Rei picking up a blue crystal, which starts to play back a message.

     "Wait for me at Journey's End."

We see Naru waiting for Umino outside a restaurant.

     "Do not forget the love we share"

We see Princess Serenity and Endymion tearfully bidding each other 
farewell.

     "Though I must leave, my heart will stay."

We see Naru crying as Nephrite dissolves away in her arms.

     "Do not think I ceased to care"

We see Beryl implanting crystals in the foreheads of the four Guardians and 
cackling maniacally.

     "When my duty took me away."

We see Steven waiting at a restaurant, then sighing as he checks his watch.

     "The road I travel will be long"

We see the Sailors using the Sailor Teleport to travel to the ruins of the 
Moon Kingdom.

     "To set things right, to end the wrongs."

We see Umino trying to fight a monster in "Tuxedo Umino Kamen" mode.

     "But this message will I send,"

We see Luna trying to use a dial only phone.

     "Wait for me at Journey's End."

We see Umino leap to his feet as Naru comes running up the sidewalk to him 
with Usagi and company.

     "I have only my heart to give"

We see Haruka and Michiru sharing a quiet moment.

     "For my life is not my own."

We see the baby Saturn in a crib.

     "It is for others that I must live"

We see Pluto having a frustrating time trying to counsel a young girl.

     "But it is for you that I come home."

We see Mamoru following a trail of smoke to Usagi in his kitchen.

     "The road I travel will be long"

We see Capricorn vanishing through a portal.

     "To set things right, to end the wrongs."

We see a chamber with stars for a ceiling and a horoscope on the floor.  A 
man stands in grey robes in the center and stares down at the horoscope.

     "But this message will I send,"

We see Usagi listening to a message on the phone, her eyes getting big.

     "Wait for me at Journey's End."

We see a closing tableaux of the Sailors, Umino, Naru, Steven, Tuxedo Mask, 
and twelve shadowy figures standing on a Zodiac wheel.

                                                        *****

AUTHOR'S NOTE

        The idea for this story was conceived way back when John and I were 
writing the Prelude to this series, though the means of bring the Senshi to 
the present kept changing.  Originally, we thought to have Senshi try to 
awaken their memories and succeed too well.  We also thought of having the 
Senshis meet the Sailors, or cohabit their bodies.  It wasn't until I wrote 
Z8 and Pluto promised to help the Sailors learn more about the Silver 
Millennium that we hit upon the perfect method to bring the Senshi forward 
in time.
        As for Sailor Odysseus, her appearance was also planned from the 
beginning.  I have read a lot of Sailor Moon fanfics and Naru almost always 
either gains sailor powers or grows apart from Usagi.  John and I both 
agreed that we didn't want to destroy their friendship, so we took the 
other path.
        She might not be the only new Sailor we introduce, either, though we 
have not decided.  After all, Nemesis, the Black Moon, is out there beyond 
Pluto and could have its own Sailor.
        If you want to read our previous works, they are available at:

http://www.tass.org/~rhea/Stories/Z/

        My co-author has, with some help from me in plotting, written a
LITTLE 
story that takes place almost 40 years in the future of the Z series.  It's 
called "The Dance of Shiva" and is a mega-crossover between Bubblegum 
Crisis, Tenchi Muyou, Kimagure Orange Road, Patlabor and Sailor Moon Z, 
with a LOT of minor cameos from other animes.  If you want to see a glimpse 
of things to come, take a look at:

http://www.maison-otaku.net/~rhea/Shiva/Shiva.html

        Stop whining, it's only got a prelude, 18 parts, and an epilogue!  
Read it like a man!  Isn't that GIF of Sasami a riot? :)
        My co-author and I have not decided exactly how long Z will run, but
I 
am getting the feeling that if we haven't crossed the half-way point yet, 
we will soon.  Maybe it'll run 20 episodes, or 26, like some Japanese TV 
shows.
        Oh, one last thing.  I DO like Rei.  She is, in fact, my favorite 
Sailor.  However, my favorite characters tend to take a lot of $#!+.  Those 
who have read my BGC stories can attest to that, given that Priss is my 
favorite Knight Saber.  Of course, I've done some nasty things to 
characters who aren't my favorites, like what I did to Shampoo in Ranma 
2096 "Gisei."
        (What's that, John?  Me, plugging my own stories?  Never!  Oh, shut 
up, I put in a plug for Shiva, so... what?  I'm still on?)
        Anyway if you want to send us any comments, criticisms, or flames, 
feel free to contact us.  I'm at:

jhosmer@ix.netcom.com

and John can be reached at:

ranma@falcon.cc.ukans.edu

(Check out his Sailor Moon Tribute Page at:

http://www.maison-otaku.net/~rhea/SM/sailor.htm

You'll be glad you did!)

        Mata ne!

Jeff Hosmer
6 August 1997



--
John Walter Biles :  MA-History, Ph.D Wannabe at U. Kansas         
ranma@falcon.cc.ukans.edu       
rhea@tass.org              http://www.tass.org/~rhea/falcon.html
rhea@maison-otaku.net      http://www.maison-otaku.net/~rhea/

      It sought to scour him to ash, but he would not burn.  It tried to 
crush him, but he would not be broken.  It tried to blow him away, but he 
would not move.  He locked his mind around it and struck back with his 
anger, binding it with the power within himself.  He had gone beyond 
rage, into the calm at the heart of the hurricane of his anger.  By 
turning his anger outward, he mastered it, and now he did the same for 
the power.

                                   --from 'Power', the first third of my
unfinished story, 'Parallel Lives'.