Sailor Moon
                               Alternate Reality
                               *****************
               
                             Part 6: "Family Values"
                                
                                
                             Written by Strike Fiss, 
                             Ninja Crowbotics, 1997
                                












                "One who is a samurai must before all things keep 
             constantly in his mind, by day and by night...the fact 
                             that he has to die."
                          
                               -Daidoji Yuzan
  










                                  Prologue

     Hotaru sat in the living room, reading a book.  It wasn't a particularly 
good book.  The protagonist was a bit too annoying, and no plot whatsoever.  Oh 
well.  How else was she going to spend Summer Holidays?
     The thought finally hit her.  It was summer.  And no more high-school.  A 
smile came across her face.  No more school.  
     Most teenagers would be rejoicing for the simple reason that school was 
over.  She, however, was happy to be away from the others who would taunt her 
and make fun of her.  No more teasing her pale skin.  No more people gawking at 
her when they heard that she had "spooky vampire-healing" powers.  Or, worse 
yet, a few of the more immature kids actually TRYING to hurt her so they could 
see her healing powers in effect.
     What idiots.  It wasn't her fault.  She never bothered anyone else, so she 
couldn't understand why they didn't return the favour.  She would have 
threatened them long ago with her Sailor Scout powers, but that would just bring 
more unwanted attention.
     Little did they know she had her finger on the "destruct" button   They 
didn't realize that if she lost it...even just for a moment, the Earth could be 
destroyed at her whim.  
     Luckily, she had Pluto to help her out.  Even Uranus and Neptune looked 
after her.  It was nice having them around.  It gave her strength to know that 
there were others who had "strange" powers.  It was great that they were on the 
same side as well.  

     A quick glance at her watch showed it just after midnight.  Summer had 
officially started. 

     She sighed happily and decided to finish the book tonight.  A symbolic 
gesture that everything that annoyed her in the past was gone after tonight.  
Everything in the past was dead.  
     Sailor Saturn was too busy reading to notice the figure hovering outside 
her window.  It was only the first story, so nothing should be too strange about 
that anyway.  However, this figure was floating about a metre off of the ground 
in kind of a sitting pose.  A tiny crystal block hovered with her and seemed to 
be supporting her.
     She spoke in a cool, collective voice.  "Don't worry, my princess.  I 
haven't let you down." she smiled.  "I must admit you put quite a mission in my 
hands...but I assure you, I will complete it now that I know where he has been 
hiding."
     The woman set down her feet and walked away from the window.  Even as 
Hotaru finished the last paragraph of her second-rate novel, the past was 
showing signs that it was far from dead.
















                                    Chapter 1








     Rei sat in front of the fire, meditating.  She had been doing so all night, 
and when he woke up that morning, Chad grew concerned.  He poked his head inside 
the fire-room, opening the door as quietly as he could.  "Rei?" he called in 
softly.  "Hey, Rei...are you awake?"
     No answer.  Not that it was unusual for her to ignore the outside world 
while meditating.  He sighed.  "Rei?  Have you been up all night meditating 
again?"
     Rei finally turned to him.  "Yeah...I guess I have." she sighed.  Sleep 
depravation was definitely catching up to her.  "I seem to lose all track of 
time when..."
     "Rei..." Chad interrupted.  "You never used to stay up all night 
meditating.  The only times you do are just before some horrible thing that 
happens."  He raised his hand and used his fingers to count off different 
events.  "The atomic bomb that went off downtown...the weird aliens that blew up 
my favourite mall..."
     "I know...I know." Rei sighed.
     "Can you really see these things before they happen?  Or do you get bad 
karma about something you're not too sure of?" Chad asked.
     Rei raised an eyebrow.  Becoming a Sailor Scout must have some strange 
effect on your family and non-Scout friends.  It makes them dumber.  
     Rei Hino and Sailor Mars have the same hair, same eyes, same body, and even 
the same VOICE...yet the people closest to her would say she was lying if she 
flat-out explained to them that she was Sailor Mars.  It would take a half-hour, 
multi-media laser-light presentation on a giant IMAX movie theatre screen for 
them to get the hint. 
     There were many times she wanted to put poor Chad out of his misery and 
explain that she was Sailor Mars...just because she couldn't watch the situation 
with a straight face.  
     "Yes.  I can see a bit of the future." Rei said finally after the thought 
produced a smirk on her lips.  Naturally, he'd assume that her only knowledge 
would come from a fire reading, and not the fact she was participating in the 
events directly.
     Chad's eyes seemed to spring out from his hair.  "Wow.  So is there some 
horrible natural disaster coming soon?"
     Rei stood.  "Chad, you are a dear friend.  Probably one of my best.  
However, I cannot tell you what will happen in the future.  I will, however, 
tell you to duck when the time comes." she patted him on the shoulder as she 
walked past.
     Chad smiled.  Then, his face turned serious.  "Rei.  Can I ask you 
something?"
     She shrugged.  "You just did." she smiled.
     "Okay, well, I was just wondering..."
     "Yes?"
     Chad cleared his throat.  "Well, I was thinking.  If Chris never came 
along, and you never even heard of him before..."
     "Yes, I'd probably marry you." Rei said.  Then, she frowned.  "But I'm not 
really ready for that.  I have a life to lead before all that marriage stuff."
     Chad smiled wider than he'd ever before.  "Well, as long as I know I had a 
chance." He returned the pat on the shoulder.  He then walked down the hallway.  
"Get some sleep, Rei.  I'll cover for you."
     Rei yawned and nodded.  "Thanks." she waited for him to walk out of sight.  
"Don't worry...no aliens or bombs.  I just need to do some thinking."
     She yawned again, reminding herself that she hadn't slept in twenty-nine or 
so hours.  Even though meditating was usually a passable substitute for sleep, 
actively trying to read fire was a bit more taxing.
     Time to go to bed.  







     "I really need some Jolt." Chris sighed, looking at his watch.  It read 
4:29.  AM.  
     He had been up all night on his laptop.  One of the drawbacks of having a 
computer just as smart as you was that it never got boring to work on.  Chris 
glanced at his feet.  His hedgehog was doing laps around his chair.  He smiled 
and picked him up.  "Hey, Beavis.  How's life in the animal kingdom?"
     Beavis looked displeased that he was being picked up, and hissed slightly 
as Chris let him go on top of his desk.  He then began sniffing the computer.
     "If you take a dump on this baby...you're dead, Beavis." Chris joked.  The 
problem with letting Beavis roam free around his room was that Beavis didn't 
have a single "bathroom" area...and often left "surprises" for Chris all over 
the floor.
     Beavis began to look around.  
     Chris smiled.  "I bet you'd like Rei.  You're kinda pissy.  I you two would 
get a long great."
     Beavis turned at him and ruffled his quills.  The equivalent of throwing 
back his hair..  
     "Bork." Chris said to his computer.  "Book a flight to Tokyo.  Three first 
class seats."
     The computer chimed a "yes master!" in an Igor voice.  A second later.  
"Done!  Do I get a cookie?"
     Chris smiled.  "Bork, delete your cookie comment.  It gets annoying after a 
while."
     Beavis hissed at the talking computer, but then returned to looking around 
Chris' desk.  Suddenly, the hedgehog went behind the laptop.  
     "Get away from there, Beavis.  Don't you be biting any power cords or 
something..." Chris lifted up the laptop to make sure his hedgehog wasn't 
getting into his stash of snacks.
     Beavis was looking at Chris' transformation disk.  The little animal seemed 
transfixed on it.
     Chris blinked.  "Oh..." he picked it up.  "What?  Can't a super hero keep 
his stuff on a desk?" he pocketed it.  "You hedgehogs..."
     "You're Prince of Saturn?" Beavis asked.

     Chris blinked.

     Beavis turned to Chris.  The tiny animal's eyes were wide.  "You're Prince 
of Saturn?" he gasped.  "You're PRINCE of SATURN!?!?"

     Chris Blinked again.

     "WHY THE HELL DIDN'T YOU TELL ME!" the little animal yelled at him.  "ALL 
THIS TIME!  I could have saved so much time!  Don't you realize that there are 
THINGS to be done?  People to see?  I suppose now I'll have to get you back up 
to..." he sighed.  "Sorry..." 
     "Uh, no problem." Chris sighed.  "You know...NORMALLY, I'd be very 
disturbed that my hedgehog just talked like Sean Connery.
     Beavis frowned.  "I do NOT sound like Sean Connery." he said in a rich 
Scottish accent.
     Chris smiled.  "Cool!  I have James Bond as a hedgehog!"
     Beavis's pointed face seemed to frown even more.  
     Chris shrugged.  "You mean you're my guardian?"
     "Yes!" Beavis said angrily.  "I thought you looked like the Prince of 
Saturn, but I was never sure.  You never said so to me until now."
     "This is hilarious." Chris sighed.  "Yes, of course.  I'm Saturn."
     The hedgehog nodded.  "Okay, so I assume you've transformed.  Now, listen.  
Long ago, the Solar System was at peace.  It was the great Silver Millennium..."
     "You're a bit late." Chris smiled.  "I know the story.  I've met up with 
the other Scouts."
     Beavis blinked.  "Oh, okay." he became excited.  "Hey!  How's Luna and 
Artemis?  OHHH!  Does Sailor Moon still have..."
     Even though his voice was very calm and rich, the little animal definitely 
had a spunk about him.  It was probably just inherent in Hedgehogs. 
     "They're fine." Chris said.  "How would you like to come over to Tokyo and 
visit them?"
     Beavis sat down the best his little hedgehog body could manage.  "Ugh... 
This is happening kinda fast.  Besides, you're hardly what I expected from the 
Prince."
     Chris shrugged.  "You'll get used to it.  Come on." he picked him up and 
placed him on the floor.  "Oh, and if you need to use the washroom...PLEASE use 
your litter box.  Now, I have to get packed."




     











                                   Chapter 2








     Grandpa finally found Rei around four PM.  She had just gotten up, but was 
just sitting on her bed, reading a manga.  He sighed and walked in.  "Rei?  
Honey.  Are you okay?"
     Rei almost laughed.  "I don't think I ever remember you calling me 
'honey.'"  
     Grandpa sat down on the foot of her bed.  "Hey!  I can be concerned too!" 
he replied. 
     She smiled.  "I'm okay.  Why do you ask?"
     Grandpa frowned.  "You've been down all week.  Did your final exams go 
okay?  If you want to just..."
     "They went okay." Rei replied quickly.  "Trust me, I made sure I got at 
least decent grades.  That way, I can spend more time at the temple where I 
belong." 
     Rei had never been completely happy with school.  As Grandpa aged, she 
realized more and more of the duties would fall on her.  So far, her suspicions 
had been true.  With so much work to do keeping the small temple running, she 
felt school was a waste of her time.  
     Still, with a bit of encouragement from Ami and Grandpa, she kept at it, 
and never excused it as not worth it.  Grandpa was always so proud that Rei 
could do both.  That praise alone made it worth it.  Knowing she wouldn't have 
to be in school any more was an even nicer incentive.
     He nodded.  "Okay.  So why aren't you out playing with your friends or 
something?" 
     Rei shrugged.  "I just need a break from everyone right now.  Do some 
thinking."
     The old man sighed.  "Well, okay...but if you need extra chores to keep 
busy, don't hesitate to ask!" he got up with a smile and departed.
     Come to think of it, she was feeling kind of down.  Maybe it was just the 
lack of action that year.  After the Omega Web incident, nothing had happened 
besides the occasional petty criminal that the Scouts stopped.  

     She wasn't really bored...she just felt out of place.  

     Demos and Phobos fluttered to her window and perched on the sill.  She 
smiled and let the two perch on her arm.  "Yes, your friend is coming back over 
soon!  Yeeees...he'll teach you to kill." Rei smiled happily.  
     She then realized why she had been so pissy lately.
     That summer, Chris had invited her over there. 
     He wanted to share his world with her.  
     When Chris had come the first time, just after Fiore's attack on Earth, he 
had come with school business.  When he had come back, it had been to help out 
and was generally a visit of sorts.  
     The last offer, though, she knew it meant more.  It would have been the 
same if she had asked him to come back for the summer.  She sighed deeply.  "Not 
now..." she said to herself. "Later...much later, but not now."
     Phobos cawed quietly.  
     "Besides, I wouldn't want to pick my wedding dress out before the bridal 
show next Spring." she smiled.
     Demos and Phobos both fluttered to the window and then went outside. 

     Mr Kenji Tsukino frowned as he looked out the window.  He always did to see 
who  was at the door before he opened it.  Sometimes, he thought he should get a 
peep-hole for the door, but his wife knew he'd probably go overboard and want 
some kind of taser-system to get rid of Serena's "many" boyfriends.  
     Outside stood a boy.  His eyebrows lowered.  "Serena, honey!  Someone for 
you at the door!" he said, barely hiding his angry tone.
     "Just a SEEEECOONNND, dad!!" She wailed from upstairs.  
     He walked up to the door and opened it.  "Hello?"
     Some American-boy was standing there with a strange spiky animal on his 
shoulder.  "Hello, sir.  I was wondering if I could see Serena?" Chris said 
happily.  "Actually, I want to see her cat.  My hedgehog and her need to do some 
catching up."

     The man blinked.  "Uh..."

     Chris reached behind his back and pulled out a can.  "Would you like some 
Jolt?"
     "CHRIS!?!" Serena screamed from behind, knocking over her dad.  "Hi!  When 
did you get here?!?!"
     "Half an hour ago!" Chris said.  "Are Luna and Artemis around?"
     "Yeah!  Sure, come on in!" Serena said, letting him in.
     Chris smiled at her dad.  "Here." he flung him the can of Jolt.  "You'll 
like it."
     The two went upstairs as Mrs Tsukino came into the front voyeur to see what 
The commotion was.  "Who was that?  What did he want?"
     "I don't know, some boy.  He wanted to speak to Serena's cat!" He sighed.  
"I hate teenagers." he looked at the can of pop, opened it up, and took a sip.
     "What's wrong?" his wife asked as his face began to shake.
     He finally swallowed it.  "I...I..."
     Mrs Tsukino blinked as her husband tried to pass out from the sugar-buzz, 
but couldn't, and ended up just watching him gurgle on the floor.  "Is that 
stuff legal?" she asked.





     Upstairs, Luna and Artemis were sitting on the bed, sleeping.  Chris came 
in.  "Hey, you two love-cats.  Whassup?"
     They both looked up.  "HEY!"  Artemis looked up at Beavis.  "You?  When did 
YOU get here?"
     "Nice to see you too." Beavis replied, ignoring the cat's snide tone.
     Chris picked Beavis off of his shoulder and put him down on the bed.  "You 
three get reacquainted.  Luna, tell him what's been going on.  I only got up to 
the Lords landing massacre."
     Beavis shook his head. "Yeah, and how you 'single-handedly saved all their 
asses.'"
     Chris blinked, then smiled nervously. "Uhm..."
     "So, how long are you staying?" Serena asked.
     "I don't know." Chris shrugged.  "As long as I can, I guess.  Andrea and 
Maury said I could have some time alone with Rei, so they're back at Calgary."
     Serena frowned.  "Well, you'll have to get them back over here for the 
fall!"
     "Why?" Chris asked.
     She held out her hand, showing off the ring.  "We finally picked a date!" 
she giggled.  "Make sure you have a tux for the thirtieth of August!"
     Chris smiled.  "Congrads!  You can bet we'll be there...even Andrea will 
love to come." he shook her hand.  "So, what have your parents said?"
     Serena's face went blank.  "Ahhhuh...My mom's ecstatic, but my dad doesn't 
know yet."
     "Don't worry, I gave him some Jolt.  He'll be out of it for the next half 
an hour.  Tell him soon, and he'll be too gibbled to care much." Chris grinned 
evilly.  "Sugar to the rescue."
     "So, Beavis." Artemis said.  "I see you have a new name."
     Chris looked over to the animals.  "Oh?  What's your real name, Beavis?"
     The hedgehog turned to him.  "Unfortunately, humans can't pronounce it.  
Beavis will do.  It sounds nice enough."
     "Cool." Chris nodded.  
     Luna hadn't said much.  Beavis asked about it.  "What's wrong, Luna?  I 
thought you'd be happy to see me!" the little hedgehog smiled.
     "Well, I am, it's just that..." Luna sighed.  She pointed to Artemis and 
blushed.
     Beavis blinked.  After a long sigh, he nodded.  "I guess I'm not surprised.  
You two always did seem kinda close."
     Artemis frowned.  "Did I miss something?"
     "Beavis and I were dating regularly." she blushed.
     Artemis shrugged.  "Oh?"
     "Don't worry," Beavis said to his white-furred friend.  "She's all yours.  
I've got my eye on a cute little number myself!" he said, sounding more and more 
like James Bond.
     "Who?" Chris inquired.
     "Well, when you guys went on vacation, and boarded me at the pet store..."
     "You fell in love with another hedgehog?" Chris nodded.  "You shoulda told 
me..."
     Beavis coughed.  "Uhm, not exactly.  You know that cute veterinarian that 
works there?"
     "Who?  Elle?" Chris blinked.  "She's married!"
     Beavis paused.  "Mmm, okay, never mind."
     "Not only that," Luna said "but nowadays, it's not really socially 
acceptable for a human to be dating an animal.  Or vice versa."
     Chris shrugged. "Sorry, Beavis."
     "So, why aren't you at Rei's?" Serena asked with a gleam in her eye.
     Chris shrugged.  "Beavis wanted to catch up with Luna and Artemis, and I 
wasn't in any hurry."
     Serena's look seemed to be prying for more.  
     "I dunno." Chris said finally.  "She's been acting in her usual weird, 
indescribably uneasy way again.  I hope she hasn't seen some horrible future or 
something while fire reading."
     "Just go over there and ask her." Serena urged.  
     Chris nodded.  "I guess."
     "I'll tell you what.  Why don't you let Beavis stay here for a while, and 
you and Rei can have the afternoon to yourselves." Serena offered.  
     Chris bowed slightly.  "That would be great, my queen." he smiled.  "Beavis 
eats cat food anyway, so he shouldn't be too much trouble."
     "I'm always a gracious guest." Beavis added. "It's too bad I forgot my 
tux."
     Serena nodded.  "No problem.  My treat.  Rei's been getting on everyone's 
nerves this summer.  You'll cheer her up!"
     Chris nodded.  "I'll do my best." he added a smile and then left.  "I'll be 
back, Beavis!  Behave yourself!"

     Beavis sat down in front of the cats.  "So...what did I miss?"
     Artemis yawned.  "Lots and lots of aliens, plants and people who dress 
funny and changed sex.  I say we order pizza."
     







     







                                   Chapter 3









     Hotaru sat down at besides Sharon.  "So, what are the plans for summer?"
     Sharon took a sip of tea.  "What do you mean?"
     "Any new threats coming up that you three are hiding from me?" she asked 
with a suspicious eye.
     Haruka smiled.  "If you're gonna be like this all summer, we're going to 
have to kick your ass."
     "No." Sharon said finally.  "Nothing planned, Hotaru." she set down her tea 
with the grace of the most formal princess.  "We sit and wait.  That's just what 
we do."
     Hotaru looked at her, expecting Sharon to suddenly laugh and say it was a 
joke.  She didn't.
     Michiru sighed.  "Don't worry, honey.  The boring times in between fights 
are always the worst.  You're never sure if you should just relax, or if you 
should expect something.  You get used to it, though."
     "Do you four need anything else?" a waitress asked quietly over the ambient 
noise of the cafe.  "I'm just going for a coffee break."
     "We're fine, thanks." Sharon nodded politely.  
     Hotaru grabbed the tea they had ordered for her and stirred in a cream-
pack.  "Sharon, I gotta ask." she sighed.  "When is the Great Darkness coming?"
     Sharon closed her eyes.  "You know I can't tell anyone.  I'm not even sure 
myself.  All I know is the general time frame."  
     Hotaru slumped in her chair.  
     "Excuse me..." a voice came from behind her.
     Hotaru and the rest of the table turned.  "Yes?" she asked.
     A tall woman stood there.  "Hi, I'm sorry to bother you, but I was 
wondering if I could buy you a drink." she smiled.
     Hotaru blinked.  "Uh, no thanks." she paused.  "Do I know you?"
     "I'm Yuri." The woman nodded.  "I'm sorry, if I'm interrupting, I can 
always give you a call later."
     Hotaru shrugged.  "Sure, that would be fine." Hotaru said, shrugging.  "Uh, 
My number..."
     "Don't worry, I'll find you." the woman said.  She smiled and nodded to the 
other three young ladies.  "Sorry for bothering you, ladies!"
     They all watched her walk off.  "Who was that?" Haruka finally asked.
     "I have no idea."  She replied.







     The woman walked out of the cafe with a puzzled expression on her face.  
Why was her princess acting so strange?  Surely, if she remembered what had 
happened, then Hotaru would have remembered as well.
     She wandered around, thinking for a moment.  Of course!  That's it!  Those 
three girls that were with her!  She couldn't risk giving away her cover in 
front of them!  Very smart indeed! 
     She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small crystal cube.  It was 
Rather unspectacular, and looked like a chunk of dirty welder's glass.  She 
squeezed it in the palm f her hand and it glowed for a moment.  "Crystal," she 
said to it. "Transport me to the hide-out."
     The woman disappeared quickly and materialized a second later in the woods 
just outside of Tokyo.  She walked up a small cliff.  In a clearing, just barely 
big enough to hold it, there stood a house.  Actually, it looked more like a 
church than a house.  A dark, hazy fog surrounded it.  
     It's purpose was to fend off humans and other weaker-willed life forms.  
Yuri could see through it, though.  After all, she had been trained to see 
through such silly tricks.  She went up to the front door.  Despite the 
protection-haze, the house was basically abandoned.  Nobody lived there now,
and Yuri was pleased she had found such a wonderful hiding spot.

     She pushed open the door to Nephrite's old house, and went inside.






     Chris walked up the steps to the temple.  Summer always made the area seem 
twice as colourful and alive.  It was stunning in the evening sun, just like 
always.  In a sense, the temple was his second home.  It was always great to 
return home.  

     Even when Rei was hurtling herself down the steps, unaware he was in the 
way.  

     Chris barely had time to brace himself as Rei collided into him at top 
speed.  She screamed as the two began to topple backwards.  Chris desperately 
tried to step back down the steps to regain some balance, but Rei's momentum 
finally got the best of the two.  Luckily, after
hitting the steps on their butts, Rei grabbed hold of the railing and Chris' 
jacket to prevent them from tumbling back down.
     They both looked at each other for a good ten seconds, trying to catch 
their breath.
     She began to laugh.  "Hi, Chris...nice bumping into you."
     Chris nodded, grabbing the rail himself.  The two slowly stood up.  "That 
first step's a killer, isn't it?"  The two embraced in a kiss.  "So, am I 
interrupting a marathon or something?"
     She blushed slightly.  "Uh, actually, I was going down town for a while.  
Shoe sale."
     Chris looked her over.  Her knee was bleeding.  "Can you walk?"
     She nodded.  "Of course!  I'm not totally..." she took a step down the 
stairs and instantly fell.  "AHH!  Shit that hurts!!!"
     Chris smiled and picked her up.  He was a bit sore too, but Rei was light.  
"I think shopping for shoes requires the use of your legs.  You're stuck with me 
for a while."
     They started back up the stairs.  Rei relaxed into his arms.  "Actually, 
you'd be surprised.  I've spent one or two evenings shopping after getting 
mangled by some Negaverse plot."
     She suddenly had a flash of panic.  Her thoughts analyzed the situation.  
She envisioned herself being carried over a threshold in a wedding dress.  Chris 
was in a sharp tux with confetti and rice bits still on his shoulders from the 
wedding.  
     She squirmed a bit, forcing Chris to stop.  "I can walk." she insisted.
     Chris blinked.  "Are you sure?"
     Rei nodded.  He let her down to her feet.  Using all her willpower, Rei 
continued across the temple lawn under her own power.  Chris helped out by 
giving her shoulder support, but he was puzzled.  
     They got inside.  "I'm just going to lay down for a bit." Rei huffed as she 
took off her shoes, not bothering to put on her sandals.
     Chris helped her to her room and propped her up on her bed.  "I must admit, 
I'd never be able to walk that far with a shredded knee."
     Rei smiled politely.  "Please don't mention it." she frowned.
     He nodded.  "Okay, I'll be right back..." he stepped out the door.
     She peered out to make sure he was gone.  The pain finally registered, and 
it brought stinging tears to her eyes.  "Stupid Rei!  All he was doing was 
helping out!  Grrrr!"
     She sighed, wiping away her tears.  "Relax...relax.  It's not like he's 
going to pop the question now..."    





     Chris finally found Chad.  "Hey, Chad.  Where do you keep your first-aid 
stuff?  Rei skinned her knee a bit."
     He smiled a hello.  "Oh, it's under the sink." he said.  He had been 
mopping the kitchen.  "Nice to see you again."
     Chris turned to him.  "Uh, thanks." he said, a bit surprised.  He smiled.  
"Thanks.  Nice to see you too.  If you want some help later, I'll chip in.  It 
looks like Rei will be out for the day."
     Chad nodded.  "Sounds great." 
     Chris left with the first aid kit.  "That was an unexpected pleasure..." he 
shrugged.  "Maybe he's been sniffing too much pine-cleaner." he smiled.  "Naw."
















                                   Chapter 4









     "How do you deal with it, Artemis?" Beavis asked suddenly.
     The three animals had been lounging around Serena's bed all afternoon in 
the sunlight from the window.  Artemis didn't even bother to move.  "What do you 
mean, Beavis?"
     The little hedgehog unruffled from the ball he had been curled up in.  "I 
mean, being an animal in a human world?"
     "You just live with it.  That's all." Artemis shrugged.
     Luna nodded.  "It's really not so bad unless you're mistreated." she got a 
suspicious look on her face.  "Why?  Did Chris ever mistreat..."
     "No, no..." Beavis sighed.  "He's been really nice and everything...even 
when he didn't know I was his guardian." he twitched his ears slightly.  "Though 
he does play his music too loud."
     "Then what's the problem?" 
     Beavis walked over to the edge of the bed. "I just feel my talents are 
wasted.  That's all."
     "Then why did you sign up?" Artemis asked.  "It's not like you were born 
into this situation."
     Serena had been minding her own business until then.  "Sign up?"
     The three glanced over to her.  "Yes, Serena." Luna said.  "You see, we 
chose to be cats and hedgehogs back on the Moon Kingdom."
     "There were also a lot of other, uh, household pets." Artemis said.  
     "Why?" Serena asked.  "You two are always complaining that you wish you 
could help out more.  Why didn't you just stay human?"
     "It's not that simple," Beavis said.  "We're your guardians for a reason."
     "Yes.  The whole point of being changed into animals was to pass down 
knowledge." Artemis agreed.  
     "After all, if the palace is attacked, do you think an invading warrior 
will take time to kill a cute little kitty?" Beavis smiled.  "You Scouts, and 
indeed most of the Moon Kingdom are able to live for a very long time, and if 
you die, there are ways to bring you back."
     Luna pointed her paw to her moon-symbol.  "But being reincarnated rarely 
Includes having a full memory of past events.  That's why I have the Lunar Mind-
Meld, and why we all remember the old days.  Nobody bothers to kill or destroy 
the pets, so we can live on and remind future versions of Scouts of their past 
lives."
     Serena blinked.
     "I think I see smoke coming from her ears." Beavis sighed. 
     "Uh...I understand...I think..." Serena said slowly.  
     "So why DID you sign up, Beavis?" Artemis asked.
     Beavis curled back up.  "I don't know.  I thought we'd still be able to 
fight."
     Serena finally caught the drift.  "But, Beavis.  If you were always 
fighting, you'd probably be dead too!"
     "And that's why I'm content to sit around all day." Artemis said with a 
huge grin.  "I am very dedicated to my job."
     "A bit too dedicated." Luna added.
   




  
     Somehow, she wasn't completely surprised when Yuri called out her name. 
"HOTARU!!! Wait up!"
     Hotaru had been grocery shopping when she had a funny feeling that someone 
was watching her.  It was a public place, so she figured even if Yuri was some 
deranged psychopath, she shouldn't be too much trouble here.  
     Yuri came up to her, holding her own shopping bag.  "Hi!  Funny bumping 
into you like this, eh?" she said with an enthusiasm that made Hotaru suspect 
she had been drinking a bit too much coffee this morning.
     "Yeah!" Hotaru replied finally.  She paused for a moment.  "Uh, Yuri, 
wasn't it?"
     Yuri nodded.  "So, what are you doing later?  I'd love to treat you to a 
tea or something.  We have SO much to catch up on!"
     Hotaru sighed.  "I'm really very sorry, but I don't remember you at all." 

     Yuri's face wore a curious frown. 

     "But, that's no reason not to meet new people." she continued.  "Why not."
     Yuri smiled.  "Perfect.  I know a nice little cafe down the street."
     "Okay, I'll just finish up here, and we'll go." Hotaru smiled.  Maybe this 
was just what she needed.  If some baka from school had set up this poor woman 
to pretend to be her friend, well, it wasn't about to hurt her feelings.  Why 
not take a chance and maybe make a new friend?






     Rei growled profusely as Chris helped her into the bath-room.  "It's not 
going to get infected.  I don't need to soak my knee, dammit!"
     Chris ignored her.  He had learned that although she would bitch about 
having to do something she didn't want to, she'd usually go along with it.  
Well, at least with him.  Being her boyfriend did allow Chris to get to Rei's 
better side.  He just smiled and sat her down on the edge of the tub.  "Quit 
your whining or I'll dunk you in head first."
     "You do and..." Rei sighed and allowed Chris to run her a bath.  She 
grinned evilly.  "I'll show ya dunk..."
     Chris splashed some water at her.  She frowned.  "Oh relax.  Are you going 
to take off your jeans or would you like to wash them as well?"
     "I'm not taking off..."
     "It's officially medical.  Just call me Doctor Fiss." Chris smiled.  
"Seriously."
     Rei blushed slightly.  "Fine." she unzipped her jeans and began to ease 
them off without touching her knee.  "Make any jokes about tongue depressors, 
and I'll kick your ass."
     The bathtub was finally full.  "Come on, I'll help." Chris said, carefully 
lifting her leg.  
     Rei closed her eyes as a sharp pain hit, but it quickly passed.  He gently 
lifted her leg over the side of the tub, and then into the water, ignoring that 
it was soaking his sleeves.  "That too hot?"
     Rei shook her head.  "No...it's nice." she sighed.  Though she would never 
admit it, it was feeling a whole lot better.  
     Chris nodded and reached over to the side of the tub for a sponge.  "Funny, 
isn't it?"
     "Mmm?"
     "I dunno..." Chris sighed.  "I just find something funny about something.  
I dunno." He squeezed some water into the sponge.
     Rei's eyes were closed.  She smiled as she felt water wash down her leg.  
"No, really...what's so funny?"
     Chris looked up at her.  "I would have thought you'd know me better by 
now."
     Her eyes snapped open.  "Wha?"
     "Either you've seen something in a vision, or you're just being bugged by 
something." Chris said.  "Whatever it is, I know something's eating away at you.  
Why don't you think I can handle whatever it is?"
     Rei looked at him vacantly.  "I..." she paused. "Maybe I do think you can 
handle it..." she looked down as he washed her leg off again.  "Maybe I just 
can't handle telling anyone about it." she said quietly.
     "If it's anything like the bomb incident, then you may as well tell me 
now." Chris said. "Save some lives."
     "No...I haven't been having anymore visions." Rei said with a sigh.  
"Thankfully, all I can see is some peace and quiet for a while."
     Chris' silence edged her on.
     Rei shook her head to keep focused.  The warm water was lulling her to 
relaxation.  "You did this on purpose..." she smiled.  
     "The only time you talk to me about non-Scout business is when you're 
relaxed." Chris shrugged.  "Now, I really want to know.  What's up?"
     The sunset was visible through the window now.  Warm, orange light 
reflected off the water as Chris poured more water onto Rei's leg.  She sighed 
and decided it was a good time.  

     "Chris...I will marry you."

     The water stopped pouring.  Chris looked up at her with a kind of silly, 
surprised look on his face.
     She raised her eyebrow at him.  "What?"
     "Oh, it's just that I didn't ask...and I always thought you didn't want to 
get married right away." Chris said, a little dazed.
     "That's the catch..." Rei said, looking into his eyes.  "I just don't want 
to marry until much later...but I thought," she smiled "maybe we could now, 
officially, be engaged."
     Chris stood up suddenly.  "Ohhhh YEAH!" he yelled happily, then began to 
gyrate his hips.  "Of course!" he said finally calming down.
     Rei laughed.  "Somehow, I guess I should have expected that."
     Chris sat back down next to her.  "I'm sorry, but this is great." He said, 
a bit more serious.  "It would be the greatest honour if you would be my 
fiance'...no matter how long before we decide to get married."
     Even though Chris was literally bouncing around, high on joy, or Jolt, 
whichever the case may be, Rei saw that indeed, he was happy.  Something she 
didn't really expect.  Patience had never been one of Chris' outstanding 
qualities.  
     When they were together, it was almost like their best sides shone through.  
Rei became tolerant, calm and content.  Chris was less hurried, open and indeed, 
was almost a perfect gentleman when with Rei.  
     She wasn't expecting it when Chris held a finger up to her lips.  "Just a 
second..."
     She smiled curiously.  "Mm?"
     He reached into his backpack and produced a small, velvet case.  He flipped 
it open with a flick of his wrist.   A glint of light reflected off on the walls 
as Chris held up the engagement ring.
     Rei was speechless.  Time seemed to stand still for the two.  It always 
did.  She was about to say something, but Chris interrupted her by brushing her 
bangs away from her face.  She held up her hand as Chris gently slid the ring 
onto her finger.  He then took her hand in his, and kissed it.
     Rei felt a tear roll down her cheek.  "I should pretend I have visions more 
often." She said, choked up.
     Chris smiled.  "You can vision anything you want."
     She leaned over to kiss him, but quickly winced.  Chris frowned.  "uh...we 
gotta get your knee wrapped up."
     Rei sighed.  "You're the only person I know who would be more interested in 
my knees in this situation than some kind of sexual activity."
     "And might I say you're making it extremely difficult to concentrate on 
your knee." He raised an eyebrow.  "Do you purposely get ten times more gorgeous 
every time I come over?"
     Rei snickered and splashed him with water.  "Just get the bandages, okay?"






     "Beautiful night, tonight." Yuri nodded out the window of the cafe.
     Hotaru smiled as she gazed out into space.  "I know..."
     Yuri took a sip of tea.  "Look at that!"
     "What?"
     "See Saturn?" Yuri pointed.  "Beautiful.  Normally, it's dim this time of 
night."
     Hotaru turned to her.  "You seem to know a lot about it.  You wanna be an 
astronomer?"
     Yuri shook her head.  "You know what I mean."
     Hotaru blinked.  "No...I don't."
     Yuri looked around to make sure no one was watching.  "Don't you remember?"
     A full three seconds lapsed.  "You..." Hotaru blinked.  "You're from the 
Silver Millennium?"
     Yuri smiled.  "At last!  I was beginning to think I got the wrong girl!"
     Hotaru smiled.  "You knew me from Saturn!"
     Her friend nodded.  "Of course!  You were our princess."
     "I'm afraid I still don't remember you, though." Hotaru sighed.  "Were you 
part of my court?"
     "Can you still transform to become Sailor Saturn?" Yuri asked eagerly.  
"You were always so pretty.  Everyone said I even looked like you." she pointed 
to her hair. "Except that I have red hair."
     Hotaru smiled.  She did see a vague resemblance.  Yuri was noticeably 
older, but the face features were there.  She could almost be an older sister.  
"I see."
     Yuri smiled.  "Wow!  This is so great!  Do you know, until I saw you 
walking down the street one day, I couldn't remember anything."
     "Really?  You think you're a Sailor Scout too?  I don't know of many people 
from the old Moon Kingdom that came back as anything else." Hotaru asked.
     She shook her head.  "Oh, I'm not a Scout."
     Hotaru nodded.  "Oh?"
     "Excuse me, ladies." A waitress came up to them.  "I'm very sorry, but it's 
three a.m., and we have to close down for the night."
     Hotaru nodded.  "No problem.  I should go home anyway."
     Yuri smiled as they got up.  "Can I meet with you later?"
     "I don't see why not." Hotaru smiled.  "How's tomorrow at six or seven?  I 
can pick you up."
     "Sounds great." Yuri said, reaching into her purse to pull out her share of 
the tab.  "Do you know the woods outside of the twelfth street commercial block?  
My cottage is there.  Just follow the path."
     Hotaru paid as well and the two walked out.  "See you then!"
     "Don't worry!" Yuri called to her as she left.  "I still remember the 
mission...and I won't fail you!"
     








                      







                                    Chapter 5






     Rei woke as she felt a weight fall on her shoulder.  She looked around to 
see her room...and Phobos on her shoulder.  "Where's Demos?" she asked the crow.
     Another caw alerted her.  She brushed Phobos off her shoulder to see that 
Chris was sitting in the chair next to her bed fast asleep.  Demos was under his 
arm, trying to wriggle free.
     "Chris?" Rei said.
     Chris's eyes blinked open.  Demos cawed angrily.  "Oh, sorry buddy." he let 
her go.  
     "Don't tell me you've been here all night." Rei sighed.  "Geeze, all I have 
is a scraped
knee."
     "Actually, no.  I was just going to stay for a moment, but then Demos 
wanted to be petted." Chris smiled.  "The problem was that when I tried to 
leave, he got all pissed off.  I didn't want him to wake you up."
     Rei raised her eyebrow.  "Oh." she said, getting out of bed.  "So, how long 
are you here for?"
     "I dunno." Chris shrugged.  "I plan to use my umbrella to catch the 
next East wind."
     "Marry Poppins, right." Rei asked, stretching her legs out of the covers.  
"I feel better.  Do you wanna go down town?"
     Chris nodded, trying not to enjoy the fact that Rei was half naked.  
"Sure...I'll get changed first.  Then I have to go and get Beavis.  I dropped 
him over at Serena's house."
     "You brought Beavis??" Rei smiled.  "Ooh!  I wanna meet him!"
     "He wants to meet you too." Chris said.  "He's just like Luna and Artemis."
     Rei shrugged.  "Stranger things have happened."
     "That's exactly what I said."      
     "Do you think we're being desensitized to animals talking to us yet?" Rei 
sighed.
     "Probably." He smiled back.
     "I think I'll go see if that sale is still on." she slid into a tee-shirt.  
"Do you remember where the mall was?"
     "Sure, I'll meet you there." Chris nodded, petting Demos again.  
     Rei smiled.  "Don't you two get toooo close." she said, putting on some 
pants.  "I think Demos over there likes you."
     Chris looked down at the crow.  It looked back up at him and cawed.  "It's 
a she?"
     "They both are." Rei laughed.  "You didn't know?"
     Chris frowned.  "It's not like I wanted to 'check' or anything."
     Demos cawed and snuggled up to Chris's arm.  Rei walked out the door.  
"I'll leave you two alone.  See you there."
     Chris looked down at the two crows.  "Tell you what.  Beavis is single.  
I'll introduce him to you later."
     






     Elsewhere, a tall, young woman tied her hair back and checked her weapon.  
This was almost criminal.  Too easy.  A silly smile crossed her lips as she made 
sure her gee was tight around her waist.  Fun fun fun!  That's what this was!
     A little girl stood patiently across a field of grass.  In her hand was a 
long wooden sword.  It was at least half her height.  Probably more.  She looked 
no more than eleven years old.  Her eyes glistened in anticipation. 
     Anticipation for the fight ahead.
     The tall woman took a step forward, letting the sunlight hit the front of 
her gee.  On her shoulder and front, the white fabric boasted a woven patch that 
she won from a recent kendo championship.  
     She was one of the best.  Kendo.  Kenjitsu, the art of Japanese sword-
fencing.  This little girl had no idea what she had gotten into.  Literally 
advertising that she accepted challenges.  The little girl did have a nice 
bokken, though, so the older woman made a mental note not to underestimate the 
child.
     "Are you ready?" the little girl asked...rather demanded.  
     "Yes." the elder nodded.  She brought her own bokken in front of her.  
"Fight!"
     




     Chris walked across the bridge, hanging on to his backpack as he went.  
Beavis hung on his shoulder as he strode.  "So, this is Tokyo?  Hard to imagine 
it will be so important in the future." Beavis said quietly.
     "I know what you mean." Chris nodded.  "But then again, I wasn't with the 
others when they went to the future."
     "Well, Tokyo has below-average katel." Beavis explained.  "It's the energy 
most Saturn technology was based off of."
     "Katel?  That was some kind of background radiation, wasn't it. Is that how 
my sword works?" Chris asked.
     "I don't know." Beavis said.  "Quite frankly, we never fully understood why 
it drew power from the rings, or why you and Yamato could control it."
     Chris shrugged.  "As Rei might have said, there are some things that 
deserve to stay 'magical'."
     "I prefer knowledge." Beavis retorted.  "By learning to filter katel and 
turning it into useful forms of power, we built one of the greatest 
civilizations in the history of the universe!" he said proudly.
     "Full of assassins, corruption, and a bitchy ruling family." Chris added.  
"I prefer Earth.  Saturn was fine, but I just can't live without Samurai Pizza 
Cats." he thought for a moment "Or Jolt."
     "Funny." Beavis said.  "So where are we going?"
     "We're going to meet Rei at the mall." Chris replied.
     "Are you sure I should be hanging off your shoulder in public?
     "It's no big deal." Chris said.  "If you want, you can just hide in my book 
bag."
     Chris suddenly stopped walking.
     "What is it?"
     There was no one there.  He was walking across a busy bridge.  Cars zoomed 
back and fourth.  "Did you hear that, Beavis?" he asked over the roar of 
traffic.
     Beavis was on his shoulder.  "Uh?  I didn't hear anything."
     Chris heard something from over the side of the bridge.  "It sounds like 
someone's being mugged or something!"
     Beavis and Chris peered over the side.  Below was a small field at the edge 
of the river underneath the bridge.  Two figures were darting back and fourth, 
colliding occasionally.  
     "What's going on down there?" Beavis asked, straining his beady eyes to try 
and get a better look.
     Chris looked over to his guardian on his jacket.  "It's a sword-fight!"
     "You can't be serious!  It's downtown Tokyo!" Beavis gasped.  
     "Hold on." Chris advised.  He ran over to the beginning of the bridge and 
jumped the rail.  "Low katel or not, this place is hardly boring."






     The little girl was fast!  She zipped under the older woman's legs once 
again before she knew what happened.  The little girl seemed to be mocking her, 
almost showing off that she was just as good as the kendo champion.  
     The woman stood back, trying to regroup, but the little girl jumped at her, 
sword first.  The sudden rush was too much, and the woman lost her balance.
     In a crash of grass and a quick yelp, the woman was down on her back, 
defenceless.
     The little girl swung around her bokken and placed it against the woman's 
throat.  Her face was in a smile.  "Concede?" she asked politely.

     The elder just growled.  She got up in a fit and stormed off.  

     Taking a deep breath, the girl shrugged and bowed to her opponent anyway.  
     Chris watched the entire situation from a rock on the riverbank.  As the 
older woman passed him, she said "Watch out...she's quick." and stormed up the 
hill to the road.
     He smiled.  "Did you see that Beavis?  She kicked ass!"
     Beavis nodded.  "I must admit I'm surprised."
     Chris stood up.  
     "What are you doing?" Beavis asked.  "You're not going to challenge her, 
are you?"
     "Why not?  I promise I won't kill her." Chris smiled.  "I'm just having 
fun."
     "Weren't we supposed to meet Rei at the mall?" 
     "I'll just be a second." Chris reassured the spiky little animal.  "You 
wait here and guard my backpack."
     "Fine." Beavis sighed as Chris picked him off his shoulder and placed him 
on the rock.  

     Chris put away his disk and walked up to the little girl.  She had begun to 
practice hitting a wooden target.  "Excuse me?" he asked.
     The little girl spun around, bokken ready.  She frowned.  "What do you 
want?" she demanded.  "I am a warrior in training.  If you are not here to 
fight, then leave!"
     Chris took a step back.  The girl looked ready to kick his ass.  "Okay."
     The girl looked him over.  "You don't look like much of a kendo student."
     "I could say the same thing about you." Chris replied.
     "I am Miharu of the Temple of the Holy Single Sword." she introduced 
herself.
     "I am Chris." he replied.  "Head of the Enceladus Faction and Prince of 
Saturn."
     Miharu blinked.  
     "Long story." Chris said.  "Shall we?"
     Miharu walked over to her tent and pulled out a bokken for Chris.  She 
tossed it over.  "I am ready." she said, edging toward him in a semi-offensive 
stance.
     "Anytime..."
     Miharu jumped forward.  Chris made a mental note to be surprised later on.  
He jumped too, bokken along the length of his arm.  Miharu seemed taken by the 
manoeuvre, and Chris had no trouble blocking her first strike.  
     Chris rolled and stood back up, saving him the trouble of turning.  Miharu 
however, was already charging a second time.  Their swords clashed at his waist, 
and then again as she tried for his knees.  She was trying to get him to strike 
high.  He was impressed at the level of planning and concentration the girl 
showed.
     She jumped up, trying for his shoulders now.  Chris fell back out of the 
way.  As he did, he made his own bokken swing for her neck.  In mid-air, though, 
she blocked, and was propelled out of the way by the force.  Miharu landed on 
her feet, paused for half a second, and made another try.
     Chris blocked, then spun around to attack.  Miharu blocked high, ducked 
quickly, and made a swipe for his leg again.  He was forced to fall back again 
to avoid the hit.  The little girl definitely was better than she looked.  He 
regrouped his thoughts and decided to treat the duel like any other fight.  To 
give it less than his best would only be a dishonour to her.
     He held the bokken in his right hand and brought it up to eye-level, 
pointing the tip at her.  This was a good stance because it allowed high and low 
blocks with not much more effort than letting the blade drop.  It also was an 
attack pose.  Miharu also paused to size up the situation.  This older boy 
wasn't like the others she had fought.  Perhaps he was like her, and had
practiced most of his life.  She decided to be a bit more careful.  
     Chris watched as she inched forward, sword in front.  Just as they came 
within reach, the two opponents swung their bokkens.  The tips clashed.  Chris 
jutted into the collision, and almost knocked Miharu's weapon away.  She 
recovered, and they began clashing their bokkens together rapidly.  
     He wound up, put his shoulder into it, and struck again.  Miharu blocked.  

     CRACK!

     Half of Chris' bokken splintered off and flew to the grass.  The two stood 
back, surprised.  
     A few moments had passed when Chris finally bowed.  "I'm impressed!"
     Miharu looked embarrassed.  "I'm so sorry!  That was no victory..."
     "You won fair and square." He said, giving her back the shattered stick.  
"Victory due to a faulty weapon may not be a very flashy or special, but it is 
still a victory."
     The little girl shook her head.  "Again, I'm sorry.  My mom only lets me 
have some old leftover equipment from the House." 
     "I like your bokken, it's nice." Chris nodded at her weapon.  "Come to 
think about it, I don't even have one."
     "How do you practice?" she asked.
     Chris sighed.  "Oh, I get lots of fighting practice."
     A gleam came in her eye.  "Really?  I would be interested in any advice you 
could give me.  I am training to be the greatest warrior in the country!" she 
paused suddenly, as if waiting for something.
     Chris just nodded.  
     Miharu smiled.  "You didn't laugh?"
     "Why should I?" Chris said.
     "Well, usually, my opponents just laugh because I'm so young.  Even after I 
beat them up!" she explained with a evil smile.  "I'm sorry, it's just that you 
seem different."
     "Why, thank you." he bowed slightly.  
     Miharu sat down in the grass by her tent.  "What was that about Saturn?"
     "Oh..." he cleared his throat.  "It's nothing." he said, picking up his 
backpack and scooping up Beavis.  He remembered why it was usually best to keep 
it to himself.  Curiosity can be annoying to someone with a secret identity.  He 
waved slightly and began walking off.
     "You're leaving?" Miharu asked.
     Chris nodded.  "I'm already late." he began walking up the hill to the 
road.  "You are the best I have fought in a long time." he called back.  "I know 
you'll be a great warrior."
     Miharu waved.  "Come back later!  Okay?"
     Chris nodded.  "You going to be here tomorrow?"
     Miharu bowed.  "Hai!"
     "See you then!" he smiled to himself and hoped back over the fence.
     Beavis frowned at Chris from his shoulder.  "Is this what you've been doing 
without my supervision?"
     "What?" Chris replied.
     "Fighting little children?" 
     Chris smiled.  "That kid is better than she thinks.  Do you remember when I 
was that age back on Enceladus?  She could have kicked my ass three times over 
back then.  She's good.  Damn good."
     "You can't be serious.  You would have..."
     "If I had my sword out, she'd no longer have a bokken.  Not only that, the 
only thing that separates us is battle experience and age." Chris continued as 
they continued down the road.  "I'd like to visit her again.  Maybe help her 
out.  It's not easy to live by a sword in the year nineteen-ninety-eight."
     "And what?  Teaching her how to fight crime by dressing up like Batman?" 
Beavis retorted.  "She's a kid, and I'm sure her parents are doing just fine 
without you."
     "I know." Chris sighed, causing his pet to roll along his shoulder.  "But I 
like the kid.  Gotta look out for the good people, Beavis.  If you don't, they 
might get caught up with the assholes."
     "Perhaps, but I think she can handle herself." Beavis said.  "So, where 
were we going?"





     Below the bridge, Miharu re-adjusted her hair-band and got ready to 
practice some more.  Somehow, she knew that this "Saturn" guy would be back.
     Her mind was too busy thinking of the fight that she didn't notice a figure 
watching her from the shore.  


















                                    Chapter 6







     Chris held Rei's shopping bags as they advanced around a shoe store.  "Hey, 
Rei..."
     "You be quiet!" Rei interrupted.  "Not only were you half an hour late, but 
you made me miss the sale, and now I have to shop around more." she said, 
picking up a high-heeled shoe that looked almost identical to the ones she wore 
in Sailor Mars form.  
     Chris sighed.  "I wanted to ask you about a monster you fought while I was 
away."
     Rei turned to him.  "Okay..." she said, still looking around for some good 
shoes.  
     "What was that about the spider? Remember?  The one that knitted or 
something?" Chris asked.  "You mentioned something about a little Samurai girl."
     Rei nodded.  "Oh, yeah...I think her name was Miharu." she smiled.  "Really 
nice little kid." she shrugged.  "Her mom was a bit of a asshole, but she got 
better later on."
     "Miharu...that's her." Chris nodded.  
     "So?" Rei asked.
     "I met her on the way over." Chris explained.  "That's why I was late.  We 
had a duel."
     Rei frowned.  "You didn't use your sword against the poor kid, did you?" 
she put down her shoes-to-be.
     "Actually, no...and she won because my bokken snapped." Chris said.  
     Rei smiled.  "The almighty Strike Fiss beaten by a little girl?  How's that 
going to look on your superhero resume'?"
     Chris shrugged.  "She's good.  I also promised to stop by a bit later."
     Rei raised an eyebrow.  "You're not going to turn into some kind of big-
brother, are you?  Her mom was pretty pissed off when Serena tried to help out."
     "So?"
     "Soooo..." Rei said "Miharu's mom doesn't like teenagers influencing her 
daughter.  If you want to stop by again, fine, but I'd keep it occasional."
     "Okay, but I'm still stopping by after we're done." Chris reassured her.  
"I like the little kid.  She's got potential."
     





     Hotaru wandered into the woods, ducking under a series of branches.  One of 
The advantages of being the equivalent of fourteen or so years old was that you 
could dodge around a forest better.  
     Ever since her re-birth, things had been going right for her.  She still 
harboured some bad memories from before, but with Pluto and the others as her 
parents, things had gone smoothly.  
     Even Chris had been a bit nicer to her.  Back in the Omega Web, he had 
actually given her a compliment.  That was the first time he'd done that in a 
long time...no...rather the first time ever!  Sure, she had saved them from 
being pushed over the side of a large mountain, but Chris' little 'thank you' 
was an unexpected pleasure.  
     Maybe they could start off as brother and sister again.  Clean slate.  
Maybe have some fun as a family.  
     And now, she was going to meet Yuri.  Another apparent friend from her 
past.  Things were looking up.

     That was, until she saw Yuri's 'cottage'.

     The Outer Scouts were fortunate enough to have missed the Negaverse fights.  
Saturn especially had no idea who Nephrite, Zoicite and Malachite were.  Even 
so, when she saw Nephrite's old cottage, she was hit by a wave of panic.  The 
entire place reeked of dark energy.  In her mind, she could almost see a dark 
fog rolling out from it's walls, infecting the surrounding woods.  
     She realized she had been holding her breath and finally relaxed.  The 
front door opened and Yuri poked her head out.  "Hey!  Hotaru!  What do you 
think?" she smiled.  "Don't tell anyone, but I found it here a week ago.  It's 
been abandoned for years!"
     Hotaru swallowed hard. "Aren't you afraid the owners might come by?" she 
asked, walking forward cautiously.  
     Yuri frowned.  "Naw."  She finally noticed Hotaru's uneasiness.  "Are you 
okay?"
     Hotaru nodded.  "Yeah...it's just this house kinda spooks me out."
     Yuri smiled widely.  "Come on in.  I fixed it up inside.  It's not nearly 
as creepy once you see the living room."
     Hotaru shrugged happily. "Yeah, sorry." she smiled again.  "I'd love to 
come in."





     Miharu smiled as she saw Chris and Rei coming down the side of the hill.  
She recognized Rei immediately.  "Rei-san!!"
     Rei smiled.  "Hi Miharu!  How've you been doing?"
     "I like your shoes." Miharu giggled.  "Are they new?"
     Chris answered for Rei.  "Yes.  She needed some shoes with support so she 
doesn't trip down stairs...again."
     Miharu had set up a little camp-area for her training stays under the 
freeway bridge.  "Please..." she offered them a seat by the fire.  Chris and Rei 
accepted gratefully.  "I didn't know you were Rei-san's friend, Chris!  Are you
two brother and sister?"
     Rei smiled.  "No, actually, Chris is my boyfriend."
     "I sure HOPE so..." Chris added with a smile.  "It would be pretty damn 
spooky if we were related."
     "I'm glad you came back." Miharu smiled.  "Rei-chan!  Did you know he's a 
great sword-fighter?  He would have beaten me if we were using real swords."
     Rei turned to him.  "You seem to have a fan-club." she whispered.  Turning 
back to Miharu, "Yes, actually, Chris and my Grandfather sometimes practice."  
She had to admire the kid's enthusiasm.  
     "So, how long have you been training?" Chris asked.  "I started when I was 
only about seven."
     "Me too." Miharu said.  "Mom wouldn't let me use a NICE bokken until I was 
nine, though." she sighed. 
     "Do you have your own sword?" Chris asked.  
     "No." Miharu sighed again.
     "Well, that's good." Rei said.  "Even some of the most skilled warriors 
don't have their first swords until much later on."
     Miharu raised an eyebrow to Chris.  "YOU have a sword." she said with a 
gleam in her eye.  "Do you think I could see it sometimes?"
     "Sure, if you want." Chris said, reaching into his backpack.  
     Rei raised her eyebrows.  "What are you doing?"
     Chris winked.  "A magic trick."  Inside his bag, he took out his disk.  He 
angled it upwards and concentrated.  It glowed and transported the rest of his 
sword around it as he pulled it out by the handle.  The effect looked like he 
was pulling a sword out of a much-too-small bag.  Even Rei was wide-eyed.  It 
did look pretty cool. 
     "When did you learn how to do that?" she asked quietly.
     "Back home.  Some asshole at school was threatening one of the Grade-Niners 
with a knife, so I decided to intervene." Chris explained. 
     Miharu's jaw had dropped.  "WOW!  THAT'S your sword?"
     He nodded proudly.  Then, he looked around.  "The katana might be a bit big 
For you...but..." he pulled at the scabbard's base, causing it to release the 
second, smaller sword.  "I bet the wakizashi would be perfect."
     Miharu blinked.  "I-I, I can touch it?"
     Chris carefully held it out for her.  "You can't break it, but PLEASE be 
careful.  It's razor sharp."
     Miharu took it in her hands.  It seemed to be a perfect size for her.  
Almost the exact same length of her bokken.  She grinned evilly, and began to 
swing it around along her wrists. 
She was more than skilled enough not to kill herself with it.
     Rei smiled widely.  "Chris, I think we just found you a side-kick!"

     "MIHARU!?!" a loud voice interrupted.

     The little girl gasped and accidentally let Chris' sword loose.  It flew up 
in the air, luckily, Rei caught it by the handle before it fell back to hurt 
someone.  Miharu turned to see her mother storming down the embankment.  "Oh 
no..."
     Rei and Chris turned to see a tall woman with identical blue hair and a 
rather contrasting red dress.  They weren't quite prepared for when the woman 
literally slammed in between the two, knocking them back with her shoulders, and 
kept going.  
     "Miharu!" she said again.   "What are you doing with that sword???"
     Miharu cowered slightly.  "I-I-I..."
     "You KNOW I forbid you touching a sword until I say so!" her mom continued.  
"I leave you alone for a day, and you return the privacy by defying my..."
     "Excuse me..." Chris interrupted.
     The woman snapped her head around like it was elastic.  "AND YOU!  That's 
YOUR sword...ISN'T IT!?!" she stood toe-to-toe with Chris.  "How DARE you let an 
eleven year old girl handle such a weapon!!!  Are you INSANE?" she yelled.
     It took him a second to regroup his thoughts.  "I'm very sorry, miss.  If I 
had known you would disapprove, I never would have let her.  Forgive me.  It 
wasn't her fault." he said, hoping the "adult-to-adult" talk would calm her down 
a bit.
     It didn't.
     "I don't know who you think you are, but if I ever see you NEAR my child 
again I will kill you!" the woman growled.
     "Now that's ENOUGH!" Rei said suddenly, surprising both Chris and Miharu's 
mom.   "You have a wonderful little girl there, and my fiance' here was only 
trying to be a friend."
     Chris smiled.  It felt good to hear Rei call him her fiance'.  
     "Why you..." the woman started.
     Rei smiled and bowed before Miharu's mother could continue.  "We'll be on 
our way.  Good day, miss."
     Rei grabbed Chris' collar and dragged him off.  He shrugged to Miharu.  
"Don't worry, kid.  You'll be slicing and dicing in no time."
     Miharu smiled back, but was quickly grabbed by the back of her collar and 
hauled up into her mother's arms.  "Come on, Miharu."
     Chris frowned as Rei continued dragging him up the hill.  "Thanks, Rei, but 
I can walk."
     Rei kept going, pulling him up the hill.  "See?  I warned you, but you 
didn't listen.  Now, instead of helping a little girl by sharing your talent 
with her, you've destroyed any chance of getting along with her family, and 
there's a good chance Miharu will get shitted on."
     He was quiet.
     Rei nodded.  "Now, next time I warn you someone's mom is a bitch, will you 
listen?" she smiled.
     Chris nodded.  "Yes, honey." he sighed.  
     



















                                   Chapter 7








     "So, what do you remember about the old days?" Hotaru asked, munching on 
some chips.
     Once she was inside, it wasn't so bad.  Yuri had done wonders with the 
classic Negaverse interior.  They were sitting opposite each other in plush, 
leather couches.  The high ceiling was bathed in the warm sunlight from outside, 
and it looked rather beautiful bouncing off the rafters.  Even if she was 
certain the old house belonged to a Negaverse General in the past, she had to 
admit it was cozy.
     "I remember a bit." Yuri answered finally.  "A bit here, a bit there."
     Saturn sighed.  "I can hardly remember anything."
     "Oh?"
     "Do you know how many times I've been reborn since the Moon Kingdom?" 
Hotaru said.  "First, I was killed in a lab accident." she became a bit more 
quiet.  "My dad felt so badly afterwards."
     "What happened?" Yuri asked, curious.
     "Well, he never did tell me much about it.  Pluto had to tell me most of 
it." she cleared her throat.  "Basically, he made a deal with the devil and I 
got my life back."
     Yuri looked shocked.
     "Don't worry." Hotaru laughed.  "Nothing satanic at all.  I'm just 
referring to an old enemy we fought."
     "That's good." Yuri smiled.  "So then what happened?"
     Hotaru shrugged.  "I saved one of the others...but it was at the cost of 
having to return to being a baby." she smiled.  "Actually, it wasn't so bad.
     Yuri watched her, fascinated.  "Did you know who you were?"
     "Well, do you remember that night all those shooting stars were falling?" 
Hotaru asked, referring to the beginning of what was to be Sailor Galaxia's 
appearance.
     Yuri nodded.
     "That was about when Pluto took care of me.  I kept shifting back and forth 
from being a baby to Sailor Saturn.  I kept having these visions of a crisis 
later on that summer...Eventually, all the Sailor Scouts were killed except for 
the North American Scouts and Sailor Moon."
     "And then you were reborn again?" Yuri smiled. "You'd be the perfect 
battery-commercial.  You keep going and going."
     Hotaru smiled at that.  "I guess you could say that.  But anyway, as you 
can guess, I don't really remember the past as vividly as the others."
     Yuri nodded.  "Well, I can always tell you a bit about Saturn." she said.  
"First of all, you always preferred the title Princess.  Not Scout." she 
shrugged.  "I always thought it suited you better."
     Hotaru smiled.  "I just use the Scout title now.  It's more comfortable."
     "If I remember correctly, " Yuri started "I was officially your bodyguard.  
That's probably why I recognized you so quickly."
     "Oh?" Hotaru smiled.  "I don't remember having a 'Secret Service' or 
anything."
     "Well, I was more of an...unofficial...protector." Yuri said.  "Don't get 
all creeped out...but I was your personal mercenary."
     Hotaru blinked.
     Yuri shrugged. 
     "I remember." Hotaru nodded. "Vaguely..."
     Yuri noticed Hotaru's uncomfortable reaction.  "Here...I want to show you 
something." The woman got up and walked down the length of the cottage floor.  
"Come on!" she urged.
     Hotaru smiled and followed.  "Where are we going?"
     Yuri opened up a door.  It was plane-looking, unlike most of the doors 
leading to other rooms of the cottage.  She went inside.  Hotaru followed.
     The door closed behind her.  Her eyes tried to adjust to the dark 
room...but it was black as night.  "What is this??"

     CHOoM!  

     Light filled the room.  Hotaru covered her eyes.  Slowly, she regained her 
sight.  Vaguely, she recognized Yuri standing nearby.  She was hovering over a 
large object...almost the size of a...
     "Check it out!  I found this Ferrari in the garage!  Some idiot just LEFT 
it here!" Yuri beamed happily.
     "A car??" Hotaru gasped.  "And this place has been abandoned for YEARS??"
     Yuri nodded quickly.  "Yes!  It's mine!  All mine!" she joked.  "I've been 
afraid to drive it, though...just in case the owner does come back."
     "You know...I have a few friends who would love to drive this thing!" 
Hotaru smiled.  "Chris and Maury would love to check it out, if you don't mind 
meeting some of the others."
     Yuri shrugged.  "Well, I'd like to keep this place as secret as 
possible...but I'll respect  your judgement." she nodded.  "Sure."
     "I think Ami also has some experience with cars." Hotaru said, running her 
hand along the top of the car.  She had to admit she was a bit jealous.  How 
often does one find a super-car in an abandoned cottage that has been long 
abandoned?  "Does it run?"
     "No...I can't figure out why, either." Yuri sighed.  "The keys were even in 
the ignition, so it's not like there's a special security system blocking the 
engine."
     "Mmm, well, like I said, at least Ami will know how to help." Hotaru said.  
"On one condition..."
     Yuri raised her eyebrows.
     "I get to drive it around for a few minutes." Hotaru laughed.  "I promise 
not to run over too many people."
     "It's a deal." Yuri smiled.
     
     





















                                     Chapter 8








     Morning came and found Chris crouched in Miharu's training field.  Miharu 
was still at home, or as much as he could tell.  She had not shown up around her 
camp all night or morning.  He was starting to feel like even more of an idiot.
     "I probably pissed her mom off...and now the woman is going to take it out 
on the poor girl." Chris said to himself, adjusting his sunglasses.  "If I could 
just talk to her for a minute, maybe I can..." he sighed.  "Where the hell do 
they live?"
     He squinted at Miharu's little camp-site that was under the bridge.  There 
was a sign over her tent.  "Mmm," he reached into his backpack and pulled out 
his computer.  "Scan and translate." he said to the screen as it flickered on.
     A blue flash was emitted from the back of the computer, scanning the entire 
horizon.  Soon, it filtered out the sign and began translating.  
     "I am Miharu from the House of the Holy Single Sword.  I am a great warrior 
in training."
     Chris smiled.  "To the point.  I like it."
     He began typing.  A quick search of the street and buildings in Tokyo 
showed the location of a small temple outside of town.  The House of the Holy 
Single Sword.
     
     Through the magic of fan-fiction, Chris is there!

     "This is a SMALL temple?" he asked himself.  
     Chris stood before two huge doors.  Huge was not the word.  If he tried to 
see the tops of the gate, the sun would have blinded him.  There was a humbly 
small sign on the door that repeated the house's name.  
     He looked around, shrugged, and out of lack of any better idea, he knocked.  
"Hello?"
     Nobody answered.  
     "Mmm, okay."  Chris sighed. He made sure nobody was looking.  "Maybe if I 
try THIS!"

     "THUUUUUMMMP!  THUUUMP!  THUUUUMP!"

     Chris slammed his head against the wooden door, producing a loud, echoing 
sound.  He fell backwards, dizzy.  "Oh yeah!  Now THAT's entertainment!  Wheew!" 
     He got to his feet just as a smaller door to the side of the big ones 
opened up.  He reminded himself to kick his ass later for not checking around 
first.  
     "Why don't you just use the door-bell?" Miharu's mother asked with a 
curious look on her face.  Indeed, she was pointing to a door-bell-button.

     "Oh..." Chris smiled.  "Sorry."

     "Can I help you?" the woman asked, slightly annoyed.  She probably just 
recognized him from yesterday.
     "Actually, can I talk to you for a second?" Chris asked.  "If you're busy, 
I can come back later, but I would like to apologize formally for that incident 
yesterday."
     She shrugged.  "Sure, come on in."
     Chris was almost surprised that worked.  He smiled and followed her inside 
the main wall.
     "So why were you there anyway?" the woman asked.  "You don't strike me as 
the kind of person to fight with a sword."
     "Actually, I saw Miharu fight, and I was curious.  You'd be happy to know 
that she defeated a local area champion." he beamed.  "I was impressed."
     "Mmm," was her only reply.
     Chris raised an eyebrow.  "So does your family run this temple?"
     "It's just Miharu and I, now." she sighed.  "We have a number of full-time 
students that stay here but even then, only ten of them."
     "I'm wondering." Chris asked.  "Did you teach Miharu?"
     She nodded with a half smile.  "Yes, though...I think I should have waited 
till she was older.  As you probably guessed, I don't like her having any swords 
or other weapons.  She's too young.  If you have a sword, you know what kind of 
bond you share with it." she paused.  "Miharu has a sword, though she's never 
been allowed to see it.  I don't want to deprive her of it more than I have to.  
I'll show it to her in a few years...when she's old enough."
     "I see." Chris nodded, realizing the woman was right.  It was like teasing 
a baby with candy, but never giving it to them.  "Strange how swords can mean so 
much to people like us."
     "Not so strange." The woman nodded and lead them on.  "Come on.  Miharu has 
been badgering me ever since yesterday.  I think she likes you."
     "I'm really good with kids...Must be the mentality-similarities." Chris 
said quietly as he rubbed his head.  "He he!"
     "I never did get your name." the woman said.
     "Chris.  Stover." he replied. 
     She bowed slightly.  "I'm Linna."
     "When Miharu and I were duelling, I noticed a certain style.  Who taught 
you how to fight?" Chris asked.
     "You wouldn't know him.  Actually, he's dead now.  Only about a year ago." 
Linna sighed.  "Yamato.  I never did know his first name."

     Fiss' world rocked.  "You're kidding, right?" 

     "No.  He owned a little shop down in the..."
     Chris began laughing.  "Holy newts and a bucket of Twinkies!  So you're 
saying Miharu was, in a sense, taught by Yamato?"
     "Yes, why?"
     Chris smiled.  "I was to!  That's why I recognized her style." he frowned.  
"Though it was a bit different.  I notice she holds the sword to her front."
     "Yamato never told me about a Chris Stover, and I've been his student up 
until three years ago." 
     Chris shrugged it off.  "You'd have to know him a LONG time ago."
     The two finally came up to an out-doors dojo.  Miharu was fighting with a 
man twice her size...and, not surprisingly, looked like she was wining.  
     What Miharu lacked in size, she made up for in speed.  Often leaping into 
the air to gain a bit of height.  By the time she was old enough to fight with a 
real sword, the sheer speed of her strikes would more than make up for the more 
mature body and muscles. 
     "Would you care for a match?" Linna asked as her daughter and her opponent 
flew around the dojo, striking at each other.  Every few moments, they would 
stop, Miharu's sword connecting to the man's side, and they would reset, with a 
laugh and a humble bow from the eldest.  
     Chris blinked out of his daze, realizing her mother just challenged him.  
"Uh?"
     "I want to see if Yamato taught you or not." she shrugged.  "This seems 
like the best way."
     "I'm not too used to bokken." Chris said. "Do you have something..."
     "We'll use swords if you want." Linna replied.
     "I accept." Chris said "I suggest you use one you wont miss if it gets 
shattered."
     She looked very offended.  "What?  Are you mocking me?"
     "Nope." Chris shrugged.  "I just thought I'd warn you."
     She frowned.  "Miharu!  Finish up!"
     Miharu dodged a blow from her opponent and jumped into the man's chest, 
bokken-first.  The hit knocked him down.  The two bowed to each other and the 
man smiled.  "Good one, Miharu-san!"
     She smiled back happily, "Arigato, sempai!" then turned to see Chris, 
running over to him with a big smile on her face.  "Ohayo, Saturn-san!"
     Chris waved, laughing.  "Chris is fine, Miharu-san."
     "Miharu," Linna said "bow and leave the mats.  Chris and I are going to 
have a quick duel."
     Miharu blinked.  She quickly obeyed, though, just as interested in the 
fight as the other students gathering.  "Chris!  Watch out, my mom is really 
good!"
     Chris nodded and reached into his backpack, pulling out his sword.  Linna 
turned to the man that had just finished duelling with Miharu.  "Get my sword, 
please, Cal."
     Cal nodded and disappeared into the temple.  "Do you want any protection?" 
she asked Chris.  "We have some amour here."
     "Naw." Chris smiled.  "I'm sure we won't accidentally kill each other."
     Cal returned with a sword for Linna.  It was very nice...hell, Yamato 
probably made it for her.  It was also a bit longer than Chris' katana.  She 
seemed to be a bit amused by this.  "Do you want a bigger sword?"
     Chris shook his head.  "Won't need it." he replied simply.  He bowed and 
stepped into the ring.  "Ready whenever you are."
     Linna jumped into the boundaries and drew her sword.  Chris also drew.  She 
smiled and charged, blade in front. "AHHHHH!"
     Chris held his sword casually at his side, waiting for her to get there.  
As she neared, he crouched slowly and held his sword out like a spear.  Linna 
gasped, trying to stop.  Her momentum as too great though, and she stumbled, 
falling flat on her face to avoid his sword.
     He looked over to Miharu, who was trying not to laugh at the rather simple, 
slapstick defence.  "That's why you never charge at someone unless you can avoid 
it." he said with a grin as Linna got up.  
     She saw that Chris hadn't tried to claim victory, and that only angered 
her.  He was showing off.  She spat out some dirt from her mouth and sneered.  
     Chris just smiled.  "Listen, I don't feel very good fighting a kid's mom in 
front of her.  I did know Henry, and I'll be the first to say I know how you 
felt when he died."  He picked up his scabbard and sheathed his sword.  
     Linna sighed.  "Henry was it?" she also put away her sword.  
     Miharu ran up to Chris.  "See, mom?  He is good!  He beat you!" she smiled.
     Linna frowned, a vein on her forehead pounding out her irritation at being 
told.  "Yes, I know." she turned back to Chris.  "If you want to stay for a 
while, you can watch over Miharu, and maybe you can tell me a bit about Henry." 
she said, walking over to the temple with a sigh.  "It's the least I can do.  I 
shouldn't have charged like that."
     "Sounds great." Chris smiled. 






     Yuri sat on top of the temple wall, watching the situation with a careful 
eye.  She was very disappointed, actually.  If Chris had fought, she could have 
at least seen how good he was.  Now, not only did she not have time to find that 
out, but Chris also showed a tendency to fight very smart.  Not like the other 
fools of the Enceladus resistance.
     If he was one of those people who only fought with a sword, or only used 
guns, or had some silly fetish for an honourable battle, Yuri could have 
defeated him easily.  Now, she'd have to be careful.  
     With a sigh, she hopped down from the gate.  "Best not drag this on another 
month or something.  Might as well get acquainted."
     She raised her hand and produced her little crystal cube.  "To the hideout.  
We're going to get some supplies."




















                                   Chapter 9









     "When I was about twenty," Linna started, interrupting with a sip of orange 
juice or something "I had dropped out of college.  About the only direction in 
my life was my boyfriend and old movies."
     Chris and Miharu sat opposite of her at a small dining room table.  Miharu 
sighed, probably hearing the story many times before, then continued eating some 
of the miso soup.  
     "Yamato had been my boyfriend's uncle or something.  Even after we broke 
up, Yamato offered to teach me Kenjitsu.  Luckily, he thought I was a natural...  
Something of a fighting spirit.  Otherwise, he would have never deviated from 
his swords."
     Chris nodded, poking away at his food.
     "So, Mr Stover." Linna said suddenly.  "How did you know him?"
     Chris shrugged.  "I guess you could say he was my mentor." he looked up at 
the two.  "I won't get into how, but actually, he was my grandfather."
     They both blinked.  "Really?  He certainly never told me about 
grandchildren." Linna commented.
     "I also was there when he died." Chris said quietly. 
     Linna gasped.  "You were?"
     Miharu also seemed interested.
     "Did you hear what happened?" Chris asked.  "I read in the papers that 
there had been a gas leak.  He was probably tending to a fire in his furnace 
when boom..."
     "Yes, I couldn't believe it." Linna replied.  
     "Don't." Chris added.  "That's not what happened."
     Miharu coughed.  "What happened?"
     "Do you remember a while ago with the nuclear bomb going off in downtown 
Tokyo?"
     They both nodded.  The strange, surreal events of that week were still 
fresh in the minds of everyone who witnessed them.
     "The person responsible for Yamato's death was also the one who set off the 
bomb.  Luckily, he died in the bomb." Chris said.  He wanted to tell them 
everything.  They were friends of his mentor.  They deserved at least that.
     In a sense, Chris was telling the truth.  Bermuda had been the one 
responsible for blowing up the shop, and he had been the driving force in making 
sure the bomb detonated.  Chris made it clear to himself that whoever find out 
the secret identities of the Scouts usually died shortly afterwards, and he 
should keep quiet...no matter how close they were to Yamato.  
     "You...you saw all this?" Miharu asked.
     Chris nodded.  "He was a great man, and I'll miss him."

     The rest of the dinner was relatively quiet.  It was both a blessing and a 
sadness that the three were all connected somehow.  At least now, Linna had been 
acting a lot nicer.
     "Chris?" Miharu asked suddenly.
     "Yeah?"
     "Are you Tuxedo Mask?"
     "Uh, no..." Chris coughed on his soup.  "How do you know about Tuxedo 
Mask?"
     Miharu sighed.  "Oh, I was just wondering."  
     "Don't mind her." Linna said.  "She met some of the Sailor Scouts a year 
ago." She smiled.  "I always thought they were a myth."
     "Oh." Chris smiled.  "No, I'm not Tuxedo Mask, but I've seen him."
     "Really?" Miharu smiled.  "I've seen Mars, Jupiter and Moon...uh...just 
them and Tuxedo Mask." she bragged.
     "Wow, that's pretty cool." Chris smiled.  "That's a lot of Sailor Scouts!"
     Miharu beamed and nodded.  "All the other students are jealous."
     "Chris, if you want to stay for a day or two, you can help me look after 
Miharu." Linna said.  "I have a tournament I have to help judge a few towns 
over, and it would be nice to know Miharu won't be able to slack off in her 
practice with a fellow Yamato-Gumi around her." She chuckled.  "That is, if 
you're up to it."
     Miharu bobbed her head up and down.  "Yeah!  He is!  Please!"
     "As long as I'm not intruding." Chris replied.  "I'd love to!"
     "What was that?" Linna said suddenly, standing up.
     Miharu and Chris both looked around.  "I didn't hear anything..." she said.
     Chris reached around behind him, pulling out his laptop from his coat.  
"There's some kind of energy build-up somewhere..."
     Indeed, a high-pitched hum could be heard from outside.  They all got up.  
Chris kept analyzing.  Even before his computer made a match, he recognized the 
hum.  

     A Negabomb.

     "GET DOWN!" he yelled as a glowing purple sphere flew in through the 
window.  He dropped his computer and whipped out his disk.  "FISS!"
     He shot out a repulse blast at the bomb as it was about to detonate.  Even 
then, he knew it wasn't going to do much.  
     "CHOOOOM!"  Chris was hit with a force that seemed like a tonne of bricks, 
throwing him back and down.  The pulse of light from the explosion left him 
blind and limp tried to bring around his disk again.  He aimed for where he 
thought the first wave came from and shouted "FISS!"
     The blue pulse hit the bomb just as it entered it's second explosion-phase.  
The BIG one.  Chris, Miharu and Linna were thrown into the far wall as the force 
of a barrel of TNT hit them.  Wave after wave of scalding air buffeted them as 
the explosion finally subsided.

     The three all fell to their knees...silent.

     It was the sound of crying that finally woke Chris back up again.  
"AAKKKK!" he coughed out a chunk of smouldering wood and smoke. 
     Though Chris had personally seen two Negabombs explode, this was the first 
time he was really hit by one.  He looked around, desperately trying to get his 
bearings about him.  Miharu was besides him, crying.  She looked fine, though, 
just a little smoky.  Linna lay face down next to her, probably unconscious.  
     That was the least of his worries.  Whoever threw that bomb was still here.  
He looked around and picked up his disk.  "STRIKE FISS!" he threw the disk up in 
the air, was enveloped by a sphere of blue light, and emerged transformed as he 
caught his sword as it fell.  Right now, he was especially glad his 
transformation only took about four seconds.  

     "Miharu, are you okay?" he asked.

     She looked up.  "Chris?  What's going on?" she sobbed.  
     "Take care of your mom...I'm going to find out who did this." he said, 
taking out his sword with an impressive "SHInnnk!"
     "Don't bother." a voice came in from the window.  A second later, a woman 
came in.  "Hello, Prince Saturn."
     Chris frowned.  "Who the HELL are you?!"
     She smiled.  "Yuri."
     "Like the Dirty Pair?" Chris blinked.  "Where's Kei?"
     "Funny." she examined her fingernails.  "Now let's get this over with."
     "WHAT over with?" Chris demanded.
     "I've been ordered to kill you." she said, pulling out a small silver 
cylinder from her pants pocket.  
     "You've GOT to be kidding!" Chris growled.  He pointed his sword at her.  
"You've picked the wrong guy to mess with, Miss Yuri."
     She lowered her eyebrows.  "Really?" she pressed a button on her tiny 
little silver cylinder.  It instantly telescoped out into a long bow...that 
began to morph.  
     Chris took a step back.  It now had formed one end into a nasty looking 
blade.  It looked remarkably like Sailor Saturn's Silence Glaive.  "You're from 
Saturn?"
     Yuri nodded, then, without a second pause, charged for Chris, glaive first.  
     Chris sidestepped and grabbed the staff, hoping to carry her momentum into 
the wall so she'd be stuck.  When he touched it, though, a jolt of electricity 
hit him and he flew back a dozen metres into the far wall, dropping his sword.  
     Yuri never gave him a chance to recover and changed course to attack.  
Chris spit up a bit of blood, and was about to reach down to get his sword when 
Yuri connected her glaive into his chest.  Chris coughed as the blade tried to 
press through his armoured vest.  Yuri became frustrated that her weapon wasn't 
already slicing into him, and leaned into her staff with all her weight.  
     Chris strained and coughed again as he felt his ribs about to break.  
Ignoring the pain, he swivelled his shoulder around to grab the bottom of his 
scabbard, still hanging faithfully at his waist.  It lit up and transformed into
his wakizashi.  He whipped it around into Yuri's staff, knocking her aside and 
into the wall.  
     He gasped as air finally refilled his burning lungs.  He had no time to get 
his longer sword, so he decided to go for a hit.  He swung around his sword at 
Yuri's back, but she ducked under it, causing Chris to spin on his heel and fall 
backwards, weakened.  Breath only came in short, stinging bursts as he tried to 
get up.
     While still crouched, she reached into her pocket and produced two throwing 
stars.  "HEAAAA!!" she tossed them into Chris's shoulder. 
     He reeled backwards in pain.  "SHHhhhheeeeiit!" he crawled over to his 
laptop, which was sitting in the debris caused by the bomb.  If he could only 
get to his computer...
     Yuri finally dislodged her glaive from the wall and began walking up to 
Chris.  "Nice try, Prince, but I'm here on behalf of the Royal Family.  
Nothing's going to stop me!"
     "MIHARU!" Chris yelled as he reached his computer.  "Close you eyes!"
     Miharu did as she was told.  Yuri looked around, trying to figure out why 
he said that.  Chris whipped around his computer's screen and pressed a key.  A 
blinding-white-light filled the room.  Yuri turned to the screen just as it hit, 
and got a dose of the light in her eyes.  
     She screamed and fell backwards, dropping her glaive, which reverted to a 
small tube.  
     Chris's glasses naturally protected him, and he finally regained control of 
his katana.  "FISS!"
     Yuri felt a force-wave hit her chest, pounding her into the ground.  She 
tried to get up, but couldn't.  "Shit!  I'll be back, Saturn!  Don't forget 
that!" she fumbled around and found her pocket.  She took out her crystal-cube.  
"To the hideout!  NOW!"
     Chris had finally gotten over her, and slammed his sword down.  It was a 
second too late, though, as Yuri transported into thin air and it hit only the 
wooden floor.  He coughed.  "DAMN!"
     He looked around.  Miharu had her eyes shut still, and was sobbing quietly.  
"Wh-what's going on?"
     Chris sheathed his swords painfully and picked up his laptop, shutting it 
off.  "Miharu, I'm sorry..." he sighed, walking over to her.  "Are you okay?"
     "C-can I open my eyes, now?" she asked.
     Chris was about to say yes, when he looked over to Linna.  

     She hadn't moved.  

     "Just a second." he walked over and knelt over her mother's body.  He 
checked for a pulse.
     Nothing.
     His heart began to race.  He pulled out his laptop and ordered "Call 9-1-
1".  It obeyed, and automatically began to translate.  "Hello?  9-1-1 Emergency.  
How can I help you?"
     "Get some paramedics down to the temple on ninety-eighth street and 
fourth." Chris said quickly.  "There's been an explosion, and I think someone's 
dead."
     "Right away..."
     Chris ignored the rest of the 911 call.  He carefully turned over Linna and 
began CPR.  Miharu began crying again.  "Chris!  What's going on?" 
     Chris paused for a moment, tried to say something, and failed.  Sirens 
could be heard in the background.  Chris finally said "Just keep your eyes 
closed."





















                                   Chapter 10







     Chris lay on an operating bed as a doctor was removing the two throwing 
stars in his shoulder.  Normally, he should have been in horrible pain.  Right 
now, though, all he could think of was that evening.
     The fight kept replaying in Chris' mind.  Over and over.  That was easily 
the worst fight he had ever been in.  What the hell happened?  He should have 
protected Linna and Miharu or something.  It was only luck that his disk managed 
to lessen the impact that Miharu received.  He should have been focusing more 
power into it...maybe even reflect the bomb back out the window.

     He should have done more...

     He had transformed back to normal before the paramedics came.  Right now, 
though, he wanted his sunglasses again.  They would have hid the horror in his 
eyes right now.  Because of him...some wacko from Saturn just killed Miharu's 
mom.  That was the just of it.  He couldn't lie to himself, even if he didn't 
have any idea what was going on.
     He half-hoped that she didn't know yet.  The other half of him wished that 
she did.  How the hell was he going to explain this to her?  She was just a 
little kid.  Kids took death bad enough.  Now, he would have to explain him 
being Strike Fiss as well...and being responsible.  He sat up, causing the
doctor to curse at him.  "Shit." he said out loud.  That was right...Miharu saw 
him transform.
     The doctor finally finished stitching up Chris' shoulder and put on a 
tensor bandage over a gauze one.  "Make sure to let this heal a day or two 
before moving around too much." He warned.  "Also, there was a bit of poison in 
the wound.  I got most of it out, but don't drive or operate any heavy machinery 
for a few days as well, you may get dizzy."
     "Thanks." Chris replied weakly.  "Anything else?"
     "Well, you're pretty beat up.  Just take it easy for a day." he explained.  
"Stay indoors, don't move around.  That kind of thing.  One or two days if you 
can."
     Chris nodded and was released from the room.  He walked down the hospital 
hallway to the front desk.  "Excuse me," he asked a nurse.  "Where's the girl I 
came in with?"
     She smiled.  "Oh!  The bombing victim.  Perfect.  We were wondering if you 
know of a next of kin."
     Chris raised an eyebrow.  "Actually, her mom was the only family she had."
     The nurse sighed.  "Okay.  Would you be willing to take care of her?  She's 
been asking for you ever since you two came in."
     "Of course." Chris said quickly, reminding himself to hesitate later.  Not 
now.
     "Okay," the nurse pulled out a stack of papers from under her desk.  "Fill 
these out the best you can."
     Chris pulled out his laptop.  "Mind if I scan these?  I can't read 
Japanese."
     She shrugged.  "Sure."
     He scanned them in and began filling them out as Rei came in through the 
lobby.  "Chris?"  
     Chris smiled as she literally collided with him into a hug.  She then 
backed off a bit as he winced and yelped in pain.  "Are you okay??"
     He nodded weakly.  "The day started out fine...but things went bad after 
the crazy woman dropped by."
     "What happened?" Rei asked, looking him over and examining a bump on his 
head.  
     Chris pointed to his screen and typed in "Negabomb."
     Rei gasped.  "You can't be serious!  Are you sure you're okay?"
     He smiled.  "Yes, I'm fine.  Just a few cut and bruised ribs." his face 
turned from a smile to a grave look.  "I got off lucky."
     Rei shook her head.  "Oh no...who...what?"
     "Miharu's mom." Chris said quietly.  "She had a collapsed lung and a broken
rib...punctured her...heart..."
     "Is Miharu okay?" Rei asked quickly.
     The nurse interrupted.  "She's fine, Miss.  He's just signing custody for 
her.  The poor girl has no relatives we can find."
     "Rei, she has no family.  The Students at the dojo were just...Would it be 
okay..."
     "Of course..." Rei nodded.  

     Rei drove the three back to the temple.  The trip was probably the quietest 
she had ever seen.  Chris sat in the passenger seat with Miharu in his lap, 
holding her tight.  The little girl didn't seem to mind, and eventually fell 
asleep like that.  When Rei was certain she was asleep, she asked again.  "What 
happened?"
     Chris sighed.  "Some assassin from Saturn tried to take me out." he said, 
reliving the afternoon.  "We heard something outside...then the bomb came in 
through the window." He shook his head.  "I didn't deflect it enough...only we 
managed to stay out of the main blast."
     Rei listened quietly as she drove.  The night was clear and quiet.  Almost 
like it felt Chris' loss, and wanted to mourn with him.  She understood why he 
usually didn't like sleeping.  The days are always too busy.  No time to think 
and reflect.  Occasionally, though, nights were quiet.  It seemed like a shame 
to always waste it away while sleeping.
      Sometimes, Rei didn't appreciate these quiet nights.  She decided to make 
a conscious effort to enjoy them from now on.
     "This bitch came in...Yuri, I think.  She barely let me get to my feet.  
She had some kind of a staff with her, and attacked." Chris continued.  "She 
almost won, too.  If I didn't transform, she would have sliced through my 
chest." he slammed his head back.  "FUCK!  And JUST before I could get her, she 
transported away."
     Rei sighed.  "A Negabomb...why would someone from Saturn have a Negabomb??"
     "I have no idea." Chris said quietly.  "All I know is that because of me, 
both Yamato and her mom died."
     "It's not your fault." Rei reassured him.  "Please remember that."
     Chris wasn't so sure.
   
     They pulled up to the steps of Cherri Hill and Rei carried Miharu up them 
and into the temple.  She looked down at the girl as she slept.  "Don't worry, 
kid...you're going to be fine."
     It was Chris that she was worried about.  
     She had never seen him so horrified.  Almost like he was ashamed.  Probably 
from being the cause of Linna's death.  Though it wasn't his fault, Rei knew 
that he had been the target.  That kind of knowledge lead to self-loathing.  The 
last thing she wanted was Chris to get suicidal or something.  
     She looked back down the steps.  Chris was coming up slowly behind her.  
She stopped and waited for him.  
     Chris looked up and smiled a bit as she used her free hand to hold his.  
Chris sighed.  "Thanks, Rei."
     Rei smiled back.  "You going to be okay?"
     He nodded.  "I'll be fine."  He sighed, walking past her.  "I'm not the one 
who's dead."
     





















                                   Chapter 11







     Morning.
     Yuri sat in her living room, rubbing her eyes.  They still hurt from Chris' 
stupid little computer-trick.  She reminded herself to get something to defeat 
it.  Maybe some sunglasses of her own or something.  
     At least the glaive she found worked well.  She decided it would be 
perfect.  Indeed, when fighting the legendary sword-fighter Strike Fiss, it was 
best not to use a sword against him.  Now, it was just a question of being ready 
with her own variety of tricks.  

     Nephrite's house certainly had it's share of tricks.  

     She stood up and walked over to another door.  It was right next to the 
garage.  The door opened up to a staircase leading to the basement.  She walked 
down the stairs to a vast expanse of a room.  The target range.  Nephrite kept a 
wide variety of weapons in his Universe-hideout.  In fact, Queen Beryl had 
insisted on it.  It gave the Negaverse a backup armoury if they needed it.  

     Now, that armoury was Yuri's.  

     She pressed a small panel on the wall, and a series of lights came on, 
illuminating the entire armoury.  The walls and roof were standard Negaverse 
architecture.  Green roots and hideous looking vein-shapes covered the room and 
gave it the standard gloom that was probably required by Negaverse building 
codes.  
     The floor was smooth as glass, though, and was a perfect training surface.  
Before, she had decided against armour.  Now, though, after she came so close to 
being stabbed by Chris, she decided a bit of her own might come in handy.  
     She took out her little cube.  She had found it on her second night in the 
house.  It was a great little personal assistant device.  It gave her 
transportation and information on how to use the Negaverse equipment.  "Where 
can I find some light armour?" she asked it.
     "Walk to the end of the room and press panel three." it replied.
     She went over to the control panel and pressed it.  The wall opened up 
slowly to reveal a series of suits made from various metallic substances.  She 
frowned.  They were all made for a taller body, and none looked like they'd fit 
a woman in the first place.  
     "How about shields?" she asked the crystal. 
     "Panel two." 
     Yuri pressed the pad and another wall sung open.  A few standard metal 
shields and a few more exotic ones sat in holders.  To the side was a rack of 
small crystal-devices.  "What are these crystals?" she inquired.
     "Magical shield generators."  The cube replied.  "The blue is worn on the 
arm, and produces a high-intensity protection field one half metre square.  The 
red are worn on the belt and provide a body-field."
     "Can both be worn at the same time?" Yuri asked, picking up one of the 
crystals and admiring it.  
     "Yes.  They both run on internal power for twenty Earth-Hours under 
constant use, and Do not conflict."
     "How much protection do they offer?"
     "The blue arm shield has a rating of two metric tonne of repulsion force.  
The red has approximately three hundred kilograms of repulsion force.  Both can 
repel energy and magic attacks, but vary effectiveness on the type of magic 
being used."  The crystal rattled off.
     Yuri smiled.  "Mmm, I'd like to see Chris smash through a two tonne 
barrier."  She picked up one of each colour.  "Now, how about some more of those 
nice bombs..."
     She was just about to grab another storage case for a bomb when she heard a 
ringing that wasn't inside her head. 

     A long, drawn out sigh, and she was rushing up the stairs to the phone.

     "Hello?"
     "Yuri, honey!" a familiar...yet somehow strange...voice beamed on the other 
end.  "Thank Kami-san that this number works!  I've been trying to get a hold of 
you for..."
     "I've been busy." She whispered into the phone, almost in a trance. 
     "I...I assumed as much, Yuri, but the University has been calling and they 
were wondering if I knew where you were, and I was getting scared!  They say you 
haven't been in classes for almost three weeks!" 
     "Mother...I've been busy."
     "Doing WHAT?" her mom begged.  "Are you pregnant?  Are you doing drugs?!?  
Please!  Tell me!  Are you in trouble?"
     "I've been training, mother." Yuri sighed, almost as an afterthought.  
"There's something I need to take care of."
     "It's crack, isn't it!  You're smoking crack like your goodfornothing step-
brother!" her mother wailed.  "You worked so hard to get in at Tokyo-U!  Why are 
you throwing this all away?!!?  We were so proud of you!"
    
     "I have to kill someone." Yuri stated simply. 

     "W...WHAT?!?" her mother gasped.
     "Please do not call here again.  I will be changing the number anyway." She 
hung up as her mother was crying.
     "This ends." Yuri whispered to herself.  "As soon as I'm free of this 
assignment, I can rest it in peace."

     To her dismay, the phone rang again.  It was silenced a moment later by a 
large, silver blade crashing into it.







     Chris had no trouble sleeping, probably because the poison on the throwing 
stars had weakened his system just enough.  He sat up in his bed with a ringing 
headache, though.  It was to be expected.  
     Rei poked her head in through the door as she heard him rustling around.  
"Good morning, you sleep okay?"
     Chris nodded.  "Yeah, not too bad."
     "You're going to take it easy today...I don't care what you say, I'm not 
letting you go outside until tomorrow." she commanded.  "You WILL get better 
before you go out fighting assassins."
     He smiled.  "Yes, Nurse Rei."
     "Please don't call me that." Rei replied with a smile.  "Sounds like a 
second rate porno-movie."  
     "Can I at least get up and walk around?" Chris continued.
     "Yes, but take it easy." she came in and helped him to his feet, supporting 
his shoulder for him.  "I'll make you up a quick sling.  Miharu woke up early
today and is in the dojo." 
     "Uh?" Chris replied.
     "That's what I said." Rei sighed.  "The little kid looks just as determined 
as you did last night.  She's been practicing with her bokken all morning."
     Chris smiled sadly.  "I'm not surprised.  That's what I Do when I'm pissed 
off."
     Rei crossed her arms as Chris got dressed.  "Chris, I've been thinking... 
how long can we keep her here?"
     "What Do you mean?"
     Rei looked away at a wall.  "I dunno.  It just feels weird.  Legally, we're 
her guardians until a replacement can be found."
     "Well, I dunno.  The doctors said it may take a week or two..." Chris said, 
putting on his shirt.  
     Rei smiled.  "I know...it's just that I've been thinking."
     "What about?"
     "I dunno." Rei sighed.  "Maybe I just need to get used to it." she walked 
up to Chris and gave him a kiss.  "Normally, I only have to look after you."
     He smiled, then frowned.  "How is she?  Has she asked what happened to her 
mom?"
     "She knows.  The doctors told her all about it." Rei sighed.  "It was way 
beyond CPR, unfortunately.  I guess the House is going to hold a funeral in four 
or five days.  But..."
     "But what?" he asked, worried at the expression on her face.
     "It's going up for auction after that." Rei sighed.  "And I'm sorry to say, 
but THIS dojo isn't exactly able to buy it out for her."
     "It's WHAT?!?!" Fiss blinked.  "But...what about the students??"
     "I guess most of them were in the process of leaving anyway.  The good 
students want to train on their own now, and the novices don't see any point in 
continuing if their dojo is falling apart." She sighed.  "We can pick up 
Miharu's stuff around the time of the funeral.  That's when the cops say they'll 
be done looking for clues or whatever it is they do with Negabombs."
     He frowned.  "Four days...Mmmm, okay."
     "What?  Something wrong with that?" Rei asked.  "And you KNOW you can't get 
that much money in time..."
     Chris shrugged.  No.  I just want to finish this before the funeral."
     Rei sighed.  "How can you be so sure you can do that?"
     "Yuri wants to kill me.  She'll find me sooner or later." Chris shrugged.  
"If she finds me today, I'll have to fight again weather I'm ready or not.  All 
I can hope for is that she finds me later on."
     Rei frowned.  "Okay.  I'm going to get the others and maybe we can nuke 
this Yuri person before she has a chance to."
     Chris smiled. 
     "I'm still going to stay here, though." she said.  "The last thing I need 
is Chad or Grandpa trying to help you out and getting hurt."

     His face dropped.

     "Oh shit..." Rei flustered.  "I'm sorry, that's not what I meant..."
     Chris walked out the door.  "I know..."
     Rei sighed and followed.  They walked over to the dojo and found Miharu 
still practicing against a bamboo target.  
     She looked over to Chris and smiled.  "Hi!"
     Chris smiled back, a little surprised at the warm greeting.  "How are you 
doing?" he asked.  Miharu didn't answer, rather shrugged and continued to 
practice.  Chris sighed.  "If you want, we can leave you alone for a while..."
     Miharu shook her head.  "No, it's okay." But she kept hitting the target.
     Chris walked up behind the bamboo and watched her practice for a while.  
Rei decided to break the silence.  "Miharu, I'm Sailor Mars.  Chris is Strike 
Fiss."
     Miharu stopped practicing.  "I know."  
     "I'm so sorry about what happened yesterday." Chris said.  "I had no idea 
someone was out to get me.  If I did, I would never have..."
     "Put us in danger." Miharu finished.  "Don't worry, Chris, I know.  You 
protect the innocent and defenceless."  The speech seemed practiced...but it was 
heartfelt.  She had probably been milling the problem of what to say in her head 
all morning.
     "Mmm," Chris replied.  "It doesn't seem to be that easy for me."
     A tear rolled down Miharu's cheek.  She sat down abruptly on the mat.  "I 
want you to know that I don't blame you for my mom's death...I blame Yuri, and I 
plan to avenge my mom."
     "You gotta admire her spirit." Fiss said grimly to Rei.
     Rei walked over to Miharu and sat down next to her.  "Honey, we're going to 
find her.  When we do, I promise you that she'll never live to hurt anyone 
else."
     Miharu said nothing.  Rei put her arms around her, and she sighed 
contently.  Chris sat down with them.  "Chris?" she asked.
     "Yeah?"
     "Can I be a Sailor Scout too?"
     Chris shook her head.  "Sorry, all the planets are taken."
     "Oh."

     Miharu wept quietly into Rei's arms, long into the afternoon.  























                                   Chapter 12
        






                        
     The doorbell rang.  Yuri ran up from the armoury and quickly shut the door.  
"Damn!" she remembered that Hotaru and that Ami girl were going to stop by and 
help with the car.
     She ran in front of a mirror, made sure she looked acceptably normal, and 
then went over to the door.  "Just a second!"
     Sure enough, Hotaru and Ami stood on the other side, smiling.  Ami looked a 
little weird, probably noticing the "bad vibes" emanating from the house like 
Hotaru did.
     "Hi!  You up for a little help on your car?" Hotaru smiled.  
     "By all means, come in!" Yuri smiled, letting them inside.  "So, you're 
Ami?  I hear you're a mechanic."
     Ami blushed.  "Not really, but I guess I get by."
     "Don't be modest.  A few months ago, she helped restore an old roadster." 
Hotaru continued as the three walked over to the garage.  
     "Well, I doubt we'll have to go that deep on the Ferrari.  I think it just 
needs a new battery or something is loose in the ignition." Yuri explained.  
"The garage is pretty well equipped, you should have no problems."
     "Anything to help out a friend!" Ami smiled.  She had been looking forward 
to doing something.  The summer had been...well...boring.  No monsters since the 
Omega Web incident, and she didn't start Med School until the fall.  Not only 
that, but Chris maintained that there was no chance for them to get together, so 
she didn't even have any boyfriends to chase.  At least not yet.  She was 
hearing promising things about the hunks in Med School.
     "Right this way..." Yuri opened the garage and turned on the light.
     The car was sitting in the centre of the room.  Ami took one look at it and 
gasped.  Nephrite's CAR???  She had been the only Scout to see it, back when 
Nephrite was terrorizing an Animation-Studio downtown.  
     Hotaru noticed her reaction.  "Is anything wrong?"
     Ami quickly took her aside.  "That's Nephrite's car!  This house probably 
belonged to him!  He was a Negaverse General we fought before you guys came in."
     Hotaru's jaw dropped.  "Are you sure?" she shook her head.  "Don't worry 
about it, though.  Yuri just found the place a while ago.  It's been abandoned 
for years."
     Ami was quiet for a second.  "I should get the others over here.  We might 
be able to learn a lot about the..."
     "She's my friend." Hotaru said sternly.  "If you want, ask her if you can 
bring in the Scouts, but otherwise, she's perfectly harmless, and I won't have 
her privacy intruded on for the simple pleasure of tearing apart an old enemy's 
house."
     "Fine..." Ami agreed reluctantly.  "But I'm not staying here longer than 
necessary.  This place freaks me out."
     "Is anything the matter?" Yuri asked, wondering what the two were 
whispering about.
     "Oh, nothing."  Ami smiled politely.  "I was just saying I wish *I* found 
this house!"
     Yuri smiled.  "Yes, it is kind of nice, isn't it?"
     They walked over to the car.  "Okay, let's try it." Ami said.  To herself, 
she was debating whether or not to call the others.







     "I watched you fight."
     Chris glanced up from his computer.  "Pardon?"
     Miharu sat next to him.  She had been reluctant to be anywhere away from 
him or Rei.  Chris could hardly blame her.  She had just lost her only family.  
"I saw you fight on the news.  Against the aliens." she repeated.
     Chris smiled.  "Oh?" he shut his computer.  "I didn't think anyone knew who 
I was back then."
     "My mom was glad that someone with a sword could still fight today." she 
continued.  "Normally, the only time you can practice is when you're in a 
temple." she explained.  "Though she was mad that you had to use magical powers 
to do it." 
     Chris put on a mock hurt look.  "I'll try to be more subtle next time." He 
smiled at Miharu's sheepish grin.  "Still...sometimes, that's a good thing." 
Chris sighed.  "Fighting is necessary against the type of enemies we face, but 
it's still not the best option.  I'd rather just practice like you."
     "I wish I could fight." Miharu said.  "Like you."
     Chris lowered his eyes.  "It's different to fight than actually fight and 
kill."
     Miharu looked at him.  "Why?"
     He smiled.  "You know...I've tried to answer that as long as I've been 
Strike Fiss." He paused.  "I guess it's different because when to kill 
someone...no matter who...you kill a bit of yourself as well."
     Miharu was quiet for a long time.  "Why do you do it then?"  she asked.
     He shrugged.  "Because if I don't, then the bad guys will do it for me.  I 
guess that helps, knowing you're on the right side.  I still lose a bit of 
myself whenever I fight someone...but if that person, or whatever, is evil, then 
I gain a little bit back after I know people are safe."

     "What if you kill Yuri?" Miharu asked.

     Chris looked up for a second.  "If I kill her?  Then I'll get back a big 
piece that I lost when I let your mom die."
     "What about me..." 
     Chris sighed.  "That's up to you...but I think you'll gain a bit back as 
well."
     She shook her head.  "She said that revenge wasn't honourable.  I don't 
think I can ever gain back what I lost." 
     Chris admired the girl.  She had been through hell this last day, but she 
was taking it well.  She was older than Chris really let himself believe.  Hell, 
she was only 7 years younger than he was...not some little kid who wants a 
lollypop after getting a shot at the doctor's office.  Maybe she could handle 
the situation.  Maybe she was waiting for some kind of closure before grieving. 
     "Revenge?" Chris said.  "Maybe...but I couldn't care less."  He stood up.  
"I've lost many things since I became Strike Fiss, and I'm not about to lose 
more than I have to." he looked at Miharu.  "Do you know WHY Mr Yamato died?"
     She shook her head.
     "Because of me." Chris growled.  "Because some stupid evil clone, that 
never would have existed if I wasn't here, killed the poor man." he suddenly 
slammed his fist into the table. "And I was one block away!" he put his computer 
off to the side..  "If I left the temple half a minute earlier, or didn't stop 
to check a bus-schedule that I didn't even need to know until next week, I might 
have been able to save him!"
     Miharu watched quietly.
     Chris rubbed his hair back in frustration.  "I do not care about honour 
when 
the people I love die as I watch."
     Miharu stood up.  "How can you say that?  Honour is everything to us!  We 
are warriors of the sword!  Without that, we have nothing!" she yelled.  "I 
thought you knew that!"
     "Honour isn't everything." Chris replied quietly.  "Honour is nothing.  
It's 
family and loved-ones that count." he sighed.  "Not enough people realize that.  
What good is honour if it allows everything good to be destroyed?"
     The girl blinked, then quickly turned away.  "It's not that simple."
     "I know."







     Somewhere, light-years away;  

     The Darkness was shattered once again by an added source of light.  This 
Darkness was the only thing that stood in It's way.  Perhaps the Darkness was 
good for something.  
     At least against THIS light.
     A blue, glowing cylinder.  More of it was visible than before.  Cracks 
appeared in one of it's remaining five stone tumblers.  Through each crack, the 
blue glow oozed through like blood.
     Bit by bit...stone by stone...it was breaking free of these stone tumblers.  
Breaking free of the seal.
     If Earth had known about this, it may have re-examined itself.  Maybe, if 
this tiny blue planet knew what was happening on the other side of the galaxy, 
things would begin to change.  
     They would finally be forced to change to prevent any more of the tumblers 
to be destroyed.

     But...it was already almost too late.

     As the light began to overwhelm the stone ring, it illuminated the writing 
on it.  The words were cast a good inch into the rock, and had lasted all these 
centuries...and millennium...and eons...maybe in hopes of warning Earth and 
whoever else was out there.  
     It was a strange, alien character.  Exotic, yet elegant.  Maybe even a bit 
friendly and inviting with it's smooth curved shapes and the sturdy line in the 
centre.  

     It stood for Family.

     It crumbled.  

     Each piece fell, joining pieces from a dozen or so other rings that lay
scattered about the lifeless, gray clay below.
     The blue glow from the centre crystal was bright.  It flickered for a 
moment, as if it was laughing.  The rest would come soon.  After all, the Family 
Tumbler had been one of the strongest. 

     Crumbled, useless on the floor...
     
     And now, remaining, only four.























                                   Chapter 13
     








     Beavis ruffled his quills and yawned.  The night was young...but everyone 
else was asleep.  He decided to check out the temple.
     Although Chris had let him sleep on the bed, and it was pretty high off the 
ground, Beavis simply curled into a ball, rolled off the edge, and hit the 
ground like a foam chunk, letting his quills absorb most of the impact.  
     He trotted out into the hallway.  There was some truth to that 'certain' 
video game.  (Though Beavis detested Sega and it's exploitation of Hedgehogs) 
Hedgehogs were fast little animals when they wanted to be.  Maybe they did not 
have 'sonic' speed, but they definitely could hold their own against a speed-
walking person.  
     Chris had explained what happened earlier on.  The name Yuri sounded very 
familiar.  Probably one of the royal assassins or something.  Sure, "officially" 
they were called bodyguards.  However, bodyguards don't usually try and kill 
your brothers and sisters at your command.  
     Yuri was not only one of the body guards...but she was one of Sailor 
Saturn's Honour Guards back then.  Put simply, she was the best of the best.  No 
wonder Chris had such a hard time fighting her.  It was said that when Yamato 
was not training Fiss in the old days, one of the Guards would often help out.  
     But the weapons she used sounded too exotic to come from Saturn.  Even if 
Hotaru's government had manufactured some kind of Negabomb without the 
Guardian's knowledge, Beavis couldn't see how she could have brought any to 
Earth with her.
     That meant she had a base of operations.  A large, well-stocked base.  
     Tokyo was full of large, abandoned buildings, though.  Most were being 
renovated, though...so that represented another conundrum.  She couldn't just 
have some armoury in the middle of the city or someone would have noticed.
     He sighed.  What was he thinking.  In a city this big, anything could go by 
unnoticed.  While the crime rate was far from New York standards, it was still a 
city where things could happen right under the peace-officer's noses. 
     The little dark spot on the floor skittered into the kitchen.  Beavis 
thought to himself maybe he could scrounge up a little extra food while no one 
was looking.  He stopped when he heard someone coming.  Beavis quickly zoomed 
under the table to hide.
     It was Grandpa.
     He walked in, humming softly to himself.  Then, he walked over and started 
Fixing himself some tea.  
     Beavis relaxed a bit.  He seemed like a nice old man, and Chris had 
introduced the two earlier on.  Grandpa had been thrilled to meet the little 
animal, having never seen one in person before, and promised to get some
crickets from the garden later on for Beavis.
     Beavis smiled.  He would have to go hunting later on.  Crickets weren't too 
Common around their house in Calgary, so it would be great to finally catch one.  
The thrill of the hunt, he mused with a grin.  
     CLATK!  Beavis looked up suddenly as he heard Grandpa drop a cup into the 
sink.  What was going on?  He...he wasn't moving!
     Grandpa spun around quickly, clutching his arm...then his chest.  He looked 
like he was trying to say something...but he couldn't.  His eyes were wide as he 
began reaching towards the counter for the telephone.  He failed, though, 
falling to the ground, only managing to pull the telephone off the counter and 
onto the floor.  Then, he stopped moving.

     Beavis gasped.  The old man was having a... "HEART ATTACK!" Beavis yelled,
running over to the phone.  It was a cordless with a keypad on the back.  

     Nobody was coming.  It had to be around midnight.  "Oh shit...oh shit..." 
Beavis said to himself.  He put his nose under the phone and flipped it over.  
He then tried to press in 9-1-1.  His paws weren't heavy enough.  
     The hedgehog took a deep breath and ran back down the hallway as fast as 
his feet could carry him.  "Rei's room!" he told himself.   All his experience 
and knowledge were failing him, and he felt like a helpless child. 
     He found it to the right and managed to nudge the door open enough to poke 
his head through.  "REI!  REI!" he yelled as loud as his lungs could manage.
     Rei popped her head up from her pillow.  "Uh?  Sean Connery?"
     "NO!" Beavis growled.  "REI!  HURRY!"
     Rei looked down at him.  "Beavis?  What the hell are you doing?!?  
Someone's going to hear you!"
     He frowned, took a deep breath, and bellowed in his best, Scottish accent.  
"YOUR GRANDPA IS HAVING A HEART-ATTACK!"
     Rei jumped to her feet, completely shocked into lividness.  "WHAT!?!" she 
didn't even wait for a reply and slammed open the door.  "WHERE?!" she began 
running down the hall, following Beavis.
     "Kitchen!" Beavis lead on. 
     Rei jumped over him and skidded into the kitchen, nightgown parachuting her 
to a stop.  "Grandpa?" she knelt down and rolled him over onto his back.  "Are 
you okay?" she pleaded, tears flowing down from her face.  
     He didn't answer, but nodded, despite the look of pain on his face.  
     Rei grabbed the phone and called 9-1-1.  
     Beavis stood beside her, breathing quickly.  "Not now...please, not now." 
he pleaded.  "There's been enough bad shit happening already."






     Beavis got his wish.





     Grandpa lay in his bed as the doctor checked him over.  "I'm fine, I tell 
you!" he insisted.
     "Please, Mr Hino.  Stay still.  You've just had a minor heart attack, and 
I need to make sure you're going to recover." the doctor insisted.
     Rei stood with Chris, her face pressed up against his shoulder, crying 
softly.  Chris didn't know what else to do but provide support.  Beavis lay on 
his other shoulder, watching the situation nervously.  
     "Thanks, buddy." Chris whispered to him.  "We owe you."
     Beavis nodded silently in appreciation.  
     Miharu watched from inside the doorway.  She occasionally looked to Rei and 
Chris.  Rei had been shook up pretty bad.  Miharu couldn't help but realize she 
herself was in the exact same situation.  Then, she looked over to Chris.  She 
almost felt like he was responsible somehow.
     She shook her head.  No.  That was just her emotions talking.  Miharu 
cringed.  "How dare I even think that!" she told herself.  It had been Chris who 
told her that day that family was the most important thing in the world.  He 
would never consciously endanger any family.  Especially not that nice old man!  
Not even Momma...they were only fighting for fun...and they actually became 
friends! 

     She walked back down the hallway with a tear building up in her eye.  He 
was right.  And now, because Rei and Chris were busy looking after their own 
family, she would have to look after her own. 

     Maybe she could satisfy both Honour and Family at once.  Revenge was the 
only thing left to do.  At least she would defending her Mom's honour, if not 
her 
own.
     Miharu walked into Chris' room.  She reached under the bed and pulled out 
his duffle bag.  It had his sword inside.  She reached down to the scabbard like 
she had seen him do, and pulled out the hidden wakizashi.  The moonlight 
shimmered off the clean, smooth blade like water.  
     She was wide-eyed as she held it up.  The blade seemed to captivate her.  
For a moment, she was no longer on a revenge mission.  She was no longer a child 
grieving for her dead mother.  She was no longer full of frustration.
     A sword had that effect on people.  For a moment, she felt like a samurai.  
Nothing more, nothing less, nothing worse, nothing better..  To a little, 
grieving girl, that wasn't a bad deal.   

     She ran down the hallway with the sword in her hand, emotion returning.





















                                    Chapter 14







     "Try it now!" Ami hollered from under the engine.  
     Yuri nodded to herself and turned the key.  The engine responded.  It 
turned over suddenly...almost threatening to stop just as quickly.  However, it 
kept turning...slowly at first...then up to a smooth hum.
     "IT WORKS!" Hotaru yelled excitedly.  "Right on Ami!!"
     "I don't believe it!  It's running!" Yuri said, also ecstatic. 
     Ami rolled herself out from under the car.  "The starter just needed a bit 
of overhauling." she smiled proudly.  "I'm glad to be of some assistance."
     Yuri got out of the driver's seat.  "Don't be silly!  The word 'assistance' 
is too light!  You were amazing!"
     Ami blushed and shrugged.  "Thanks."
     "Did I say she knew cars or what?" Hotaru smiled, patting Ami on the back.  
"It took all night, but we did it!"
     Ami yawned.  "Yuri, do you mind if I use the washroom?  I gotta get cleaned 
up."
     Yuri nodded happily.  "Of course!  It's the third door on the left when you 
leave the garage." she said, looking back to the car.  "Ooh!  I'm in love!"
     Ami left the garage, rubbing her eyes.  "God...it must be the middle of the 
night!"  She yawned, walking into a door that was jarred open slightly.  It was 
a stair-case, but she didn't think anything of it.
     She was too tired to care that bathrooms usually didn't have a long flight 
of stairs leading to them.  At the back of her mind, she remembered that it was 
Negaverse design, and was probably common.  Ah, another thing she would have to 
do once she left with Hotaru.  Once the others were here, they could learn all 
about the house...and maybe get a bit of a better understanding of the Negaverse 
in case a successor to Queen Beryl ever decided to attack.

     She found the light-panel and touched it. 

     Instead of finding a toilet, she saw racks and racks of weapons.  She 
instantly woke up.  "Oh my god!"
     She raised her communicator to her wrist.  "Anyone!  This is Ami!  Who's 
awake?!"
     Not surprised, Rei answered, with Chris' face in the background.  "What 
is it, Ami?  This really isn't a good time." Chris said as Rei shivered to 
herself.  
     Ami nodded.  "I've found Nephrite's house, Rei!  One of Sailor Saturn's 
friends owns it!  There's a huge weapon-stash here!"
     Chris literally grabbed the communicator off of Rei's wrist.  His face came 
up really close, as if he was trying to look around through Ami's wrist.  
"Nephrite was from the Negaverse!  Do you see any Negabombs?"  
     Ami looked around quickly.  "I see a big rack of about ten of them."
     "What's her name?"
     "Who?"
     Chris growled.  "AMI!  WHAT IS HOTARU'S FRIEND'S NAME!?!"
     "Yuri, I think..."
     Rei and Chris both went wide-eyed.  "Ami!" Rei demanded.  "You've got to 
get the hell away from there!  Yuri tried to kill Chris this morning!"
     Ami went pale.  "I don't know if I can leave without getting her 
suspicious."   
     "Where are you.  I'll come there!" Chris said.  "Ami, she's good.  You have 
to watch out.  She has a lot of tricks up her sleeve!  I barely got away, and 
only because I blinded her.  DON'T make her think you know ANYTHING."
     "I don't know where I am!  It's somewhere in the woods behind the tennis 
courts." Ami said, looking around to make sure Yuri wasn't around.  "Oh crap!  
Oh crap!"
     "Just don't leave." Chris said.  "I'll need all the help I can get."
     The connection went dead.
     Ami took a deep breath and ran back up the stairs.  






     "Chris," Rei said, "I have to stay here and look after Grandpa..."
     Chris smiled and nodded with a determined look.  "I know.  Just make sure 
you cover up Beavis's talking." he pulled out his disk and ran out the door.
     Rei shivered.  "Please be careful.  I don't want to lose my husband and 
grandpa in the same night."
     
     Chris ran out the door and jumped into the air.  "FISS!!"  He tossed his 
disk in the air and caught it as it fell as his sword.  
     He had no time to notice that it was a bit lighter than usual.  
     Rei's car was parked down at the base of the steps, and he got in.  "Come 
on, Fissy.  Time to kick some ass." he reassured himself, ignoring the sting in 
his shoulder and ribs from the fight only two days ago. "This time, she's not 
going to surprise me."
     Though his scabbard was a bit lighter than usual, the car was a bit heaver.  
Miharu lay in the back seat with Chris' sword.  "You're going to pay, Yuri..." 
she whispered to herself, then tried her best to prepare.






     Rei poked her head into Grandpa's bedroom to see if he was asleep.  His 
eyes were closed, but he spoke.  "Come in, Rei..."
     She sighed and came in.  "How are you feeling, Grandpa?"
     He shrugged.  "I'm fine...I really don't feel all that bad."
     Rei pulled up a little stool and sat by his bed.  "I'm so happy you're 
okay." she sniffed, wiping away a tear.  "I was afraid I'd lose you."
     "Don't be silly, Rei." he replied with a huge smile.  "I'll be here long 
after you get tired of me!"  
     "I hope so." she nodded, leaning over him and giving him a hug.  
     A long pause.  "Rei...why did Chris' hedgehog talk to me?"
     "Talk?" Rei tried to sound surprised.  
     "Yes...why did he talk to me like James Bond?"
     "Grandpa...have you been dreaming about spies again?" she smiled.  "You've 
had quite a traumatic experience...maybe you imagined it."
     Grandpa frowned and crossed his arms like a little boy who wasn't getting 
his way.  "I'm not insane, Rei!  I know what I saw and heard!  He tried to call 
9-1-1!  I think that part was more shocking to me than the heart attack was!"
     Rei was silent.  
     "Maybe I'll just have to do a fire-reading later on!" Grandpa said. 
     Rei's eyes widened.
     He saw Rei's face and smiled.  "Now...are you going to tell me what's going 
on, or do I have to find out by sitting in front of a flame and getting my nice 
new clothes all sweaty?"
     Rei walked over to the door and shut it in case Chad or someone was 
eavesdropping.  She sat back down and sighed.  "I'm Sailor Mars.  I've been 
fighting evil with Sailor Moon and the others for the last few years, and Beavis 
is a talking hedgehog from Saturn."

     Grandpa blinked.  "Oh...is that all?"

     Rei smiled.  "Now go to sleep.  I'll tell you more in the morning."
     Grandpa was about to protest, but he probably realized just how weak he 
was.  "Rei...thank you for telling me.  You have a good sleep." and before she 
could suggest it, he added "and I will wake up in the morning.  Don't worry 
about that." he laughed.  "Someone's gotta wake you up to do your chores!"
     Rei stood.  "I never doubted that." she leaned over and kissed him on the 
forehead.  For the first time that night, she knew at least she would not have 
to worry about Grandpa.
     Now, she had to worry about Miharu.  Beavis was motioning her to the door.  
"What is it, Beavis?"
     "Miharu isn't in your room!  She left!" Beavis explained, huffing and 
puffing.
     Rei sighed.  "Chris will look after her."
     "Let's just hope he can look after himself." Beavis added.




















                                  Chapter 15









     Hotaru, Ami and Yuri sat around talking.  Rather, Hotaru and Yuri.  Ami 
hadn't said a word since she came back from the "bathroom".
     Yuri noticed.  "Ami, is there anything wrong?  You've been edgy all night."
     Ami shook her head.  "No...no.  I just feel a little tired.  Probably from 
working on the car all evening." she smiled politely.  
     Yuri smiled back.  "Well, you're welcome to relax here as long as you want.  
The night is young, and I feel like celebrating!  Besides, I already ordered 
those pizzas, so maybe some food will be just what you need."
     Ami sighed.  Where the hell was Chris?  It had been a good half an hour 
since she called.  She was beginning to wonder if maybe she should do something 
on her own.  
     She shook her head to herself.  She realized that she had been awake for a 
good twenty hours  She was far from tired now.  The news that her gracious host 
was a homicidal warrior from Saturn wasn't something you could snooze with... 
somehow...she was supposed to keep up the illusion that nothing was going on...
     She smiled.  Nothing was disarming as someone falling to sleep.  While Yuri 
and Hotaru talked, she leaned back and snuggled into the sofa.  She had been 
tired earlier on, this was perfect.  They would think she was asleep.  If Chris 
needed backup, or she saw an opportunity to kick some ass, she was in the 
perfect position to do so!  She closed her eyes.
     "So, Yuri, what are you going to do with the car now?" Hotaru asked. 
     "I dunno.  I'd like to get it registered and everything, but..."

     The doorbell rang.

     "Just a second..." Yuri said, standing up.  "It might be the pizza."
      Ami opened her eyes.  Ahh!  Perfect!  Chris had finally showed up!  She 
stood as Yuri reached the door.
     "What are you doing?" Hotaru asked as Ami pulled out her transformation 
crystal.
     "Stand back." Ami said dramatically.  "This may get dangerous." she held 
out her wand.  "MERCURY CRYSTAL POWER!"
     Yuri opened the door.  A young man in Pizza Delivery hat and suit was on 
the other side.  He scratched his head, holding out a pack of four pizzas.  "You 
order pizza?  It was hell finding the place."
     Yuri nodded and paid the boy.  "Thank you very much." she smiled.  "Smells 
great."
     The boy thanked Yuri for the tip and left.  She closed the door in time to 
see Mercury fully transformed and wide-eyed.

     "Oh oh..." the blue-suited Sailor Scout said simply.

     Yuri dropped her pizzas.  "What the hell is this?" she said, eyes growing 
wider. 
     "Uh..."
     Hotaru blinked.  "Ami!  What are you doing?" she smiled.  "The Pizza 
Delivery boy was hardly that evil-looking." She shrugged.  "I mean, sure, he 
probably..."
     Yuri frowned.  "You're Strike Fiss' friend!  Aren't you!?!" she reached 
into her pocket and pulled out her telescoping staff.  "You thought that was him 
at the door!"
     Ami shook her head desperately.  "Uh no!  No!  You see...Uh, I was just 
startled!  I was
dozing off and..."
     Yuri pressed the button on the tiny silver cylinder and it extended into 
her weapon with a quick "click!".   
     Hotaru gasped.  "Yuri?"
     "Sorry, princess.  I was going to surprise you with the news when I had 
accomplished the mission.  I guess some people are just eager to die." she began 
walking towards Mercury.  "This will only take a second."
     "WHAT MISSION?" Hotaru yelled, standing up.
     "MERCURY BUBBLES!"  Ami said suddenly, crossing her arms.  "BLAST!"  
     The entire house was filled with a dense fog in a matter of seconds.  
     "Damn!" Yuri mumbled to herself and ran over to a coffee table.  At least 
she remembered where it was.  From the drawer, she pulled out her extra weapons.  
"Your annoying little fog isn't going to help you for long, Mercury!" she 
threatened.
     Ami grabbed Hotaru's hand.  "Come on!  I just found out that she attacked 
Chris and a bunch of civilians downtown the other day!  She's a maniac!"
     "WHAT?" Hotaru shook her head.  "No!  You must be mistaken!  She's a good 
friend of mine!  Back in the Millennium!"
     Ami frowned.  "Didn't you say that you weren't yourself back then?  
Nepheria had control over at least part of you.  I doubt all your friends were 
the nicest people in the galaxy."
     She blinked. "I know...but she seems so nice..." Hotaru shook her head.  
"Okay, fine.  We're getting out of here.  If only to settle this argument."
     Ami let go a sigh of relief.  "I'll scan for the door." she pressed her 
earring and activated her VR Visor.  "Over here..."
     "I'll tell you what!" Yuri called through the fog.  "If you let me kill 
Fiss, I'll let you go, no hard feelings!  He's all I care about!"
     "Why do you want to kill him in the first place!?!" Ami responded as she 
and Hotaru made their way through the fog.  "What did he ever do to you?"
     They stopped when they heard laughing.
     "What did he do?" Yuri called back.  "DO?  What he did was cause a civil 
war!"
     Ami and Hotaru both listened, curious.
     Yuri activated her arm-shield-crystal, and the fog around her began to 
dissipate.  "Hotaru, don't you remember?  YOU were the one that ordered me on 
this mission."
     "WHAT?" came her reply.  "I-I, I was crazy back then!  You can't possibly 
care about an order I made a thousand years ago!"
     Yuri frowned.  "Oh, I remember.  Not just the mission, but also, I know 
fully why I took on this mission!  Because of the wars, I lost my sister, my 
boyfriend, and my father!" she hissed.  "Because your big brother couldn't 
handle you being accepted into Serenity's Court, most of my friends were drafted 
and killed!" she growled.  "I don't know how you could have forgotten all that, 
and I suppose I cannot hold it against you...but I still remember...and this is 
not just to satisfy your order.  It's my tribute to all my friends and family!"
     Ami and Hotaru were quiet for a long time.  
     Yuri smiled to herself.  "Ahh, I guess he never told you about that part.  
As you can see, this is between us two, and if you want to leave, go...but I'll 
warn you now, Ami...if you interfere again, as much as I won't enjoy it, I'll 
kill you too!"
     "I'm going to try and stop her while she's disorientated." Ami whispered to 
Hotaru.  "Whatever Chris did back on Saturn, it's no concern now.  That was the 
past."
     Hotaru nodded hazily.  "I remember...we had a rather large-scale civil war 
between two of the ring systems." she shook her head and became clear again.  
"But that was just as much my fault as it was his.  It makes no difference 
Yuri!" she yelled.  "He's my brother, and that was a hundred lifetimes ago!"
     Yuri held her head in her hand.  "Then I'll warn you now, my Princess...I 
am not responsible if I accidentally strike you down as well."  she looked into 
the fog and held out her arm.  "SHIELD!"
     A weak, but effective magical pulse was emitted from the blue crystal on 
her arm and the Mercury Bubbles dissipated.  Yuri saw the two near the door.  
She grabbed her crystal cube.  "Lock door." she ordered.  
     It shot out a yellow flash, causing the door to CLANG shut.  In the crack, 
metal sheets secured the wood.  
     "Sorry." Yuri explained.  "Since Fiss is coming here already, I can't have 
you two outside to warn him."
     Hotaru frowned.  "Fine, you want to play like that?" she held her own wand 
in the air.  "Saturn PLANET POWER!"
     Yuri stepped back, sweating slightly as she watched the girl transform.  
"Please, Princess, the last thing I want to do is fight you too!"
     Sailor Saturn stood fully transformed.  "If you fight one of us, you fight 
both!" she said proudly.  "This petty war is of a past long forgotten!"
     "CHEWM-CHEWM-CHEWM!"  Something echoed throughout the living room.  They
all turned to the front door to see three glowing slashes in it.  "CHOOM!"  it 
shattered.

     The dust cleared, and Strike Fiss stood where the door once was.  He 
smiled.  "Pizza-Pizza!"

     "You!" Yuri scowled.  "I was right!  Mercury lead you here!"
     Chris bowed slightly. "Defender of the innocent, protector of the Sailor 
Soldiers, and deliverer of free Crazy-Bread!" he spun his sword along the length 
of his arm.  "I am Strike Fiss.  Give up now or insurance companies are going to 
go bankrupt."
     Yuri blinked.  "Give up?  You're asking me if I want to give up?" she 
growled.  "Is that the fight, or the millennium of pain you caused me by killing 
everyone I loved back on Saturn?" she pointed her glaive at Chris.  "I ask you 
again, which one should I give up?"
     Chris adjusted his glasses and turned to Mercury.  "See?  They never give 
up."
     She shrugged, then sighed.
     He took a step towards Yuri.  "Pain?  How about the pain of loosing your 
mother in front of your eyes?" he nodded as he saw Yuri's confused look.  "Back 
at that temple, you killed a kind mother who loved her daughter with all her 
heart." Chris said slowly.  "Killing innocents?  I thought you were supposed to 
be some kind of warrior" he spat out the words.  "The least you could have done 
was have better aim."
     "Yuri, all you're doing is becoming what you hated about Saturn!  The 
killing and revenge!" Hotaru yelled.  "You still have goodness in you!  DON'T do 
this!"
     Yuri turned to her former princess.  "A month ago...I didn't realize this 
life existed.  But now...I know why I'm here...to set things right again.." she 
energized a tiny crystal on her belt.  "Sorry, princess." she turned to Chris 
and began advancing.  
     Chris stood his ground and brought his sword around to his side.  "Ami, I 
know we never got along very well...but if something happens, I'd like you to 
tell Rei about it.  She knows the rest already."
     Ami shook her head.  "Nothing's going to happen." she smiled.
     Yuri jumped at him, glaive out.  Chris lowered the tip of his sword and 
brought it up in an effort to cut the staff.  Yuri's shield, however, was on.  
The sword hit the invisible field and ricocheted off, causing him to fly back 
outside.  He got to his feet as Yuri came out.
     "You seem to like bouncing off energy fields." she smiled.  "Just stay 
still and I promise you won't have to."
     "Nougat!" Chris growled, pointing his sword at Yuri.  "See how YOU like 
it!"  There was a powerful humming that seemed to grow from the sword.  "FISS!"
     He shot out a particularly powerful blue pulse that should have blasted a 
hole right through her, instead, she shot back into the house, protected by her 
shield.  Chris didn't care.  The sight of her getting a taste of her own 
medicine was enough for now.
     Yuri regained her footing and shook her head.  "An amusing trick, but I 
don't feel like playing." she ran back towards him.  
     Chris growled.  He'd have to use his bigger attacks to get through her 
shield, but there was no time!  He deflected her glaive with a careful slice, 
and jumped out of her way.  Ami and Hotaru stood back, unable to do much more 
than watch.  Chris spun around and reached for his second sword.  He'd have to 
try.
     His hand touched air at the end of his scabbard.  His eyes went wide.  His 
sword was gone!  As Yuri turned around for another attack, only one possibility 
ran through his mind.  
     "Miharu!" Chris looked around.  She must have followed him.  "Ami!"  
     "What?" Ami asked.
     Chris turned to her.  "Go outside!  There's a little girl somewhere out 
there.  Make SURE she's away from this house!"
     Ami nodded and ran out the door.  
     Chris frowned and turned to Yuri again.  "Fine.  If I can't nuke you, I'll 
take you apart piece by piece!" he griped his sword as tightly as he could.  The 
black-blue leather grip squeaking under his hand. 
     Yuri came at him full-bore.  "DIE!"
     He spun, evading her glaive, then slamming his sword into the shield around 
her face.  It crackled, but stayed up.  Chris didn't stop, though.  He then 
brought his blade down across her shoulder.  It deflected safely.
     Yuri turned to face him.  "Two direct hits...I think you should give up 
now, Strike Fiss."
     Chris frowned and regained his breath.  This wasn't working.  Whatever 
shield she had, it was not going to be cracked by a sword.  He pointed the tip 
at her again.  "FISS!" 
     She was caught off guard, and lost her footing.  Yuri rebounded back into 
the wall, which produced a dent from her shield.  Chris noticed the wall 
cracking above her.  Why not...it worked with Zoicite... 
     "FISS!" he yelled again, aiming higher this time.  The pulse hit the wall 
at the weak point above Yuri, and began to crumble.  
     A large, jagged section of the wall and roof fell right on her with a 
thundering crash!  He had a bad feeling that it wasn't enough, though.
     Yuri cursed.  "Damn!" she tried to push out of the rubble.  Her shield had 
her trapped, though.  It kept trying to deflect the rubble, pushing her back 
down.  She reached for her belt and turned it off.  With a quick swing of her 
glaive, she cut her way out.  
     Chris sighed.  "I wish I got overtime pay for this."
     Yuri growled and re-engaged her shield.  "I already warned you.  I am not 
in the mood to
play around." she brought her glaive around.  
     CLANG!
     They both turned to see Sailor Saturn's glaive holding back Yuri's.  The 
relatively small girl looked pissed off.  "That's ENOUGH, Yuri!"
     Yuri stepped back.  "In case you haven't noticed, I am no longer your 
Honour Guard." She frowned at Saturn.  "So fuck off."
     She pulled out a throwing star from her pocket. and shot it at Hotaru.  
Hotaru was forced to fall back as it flew over her head and into the far wall.  
Chris took the initiative and lunged at her glaive.  Yuri's weapon was just out 
of range of her shield, and it connected.  His sword sliced through it like 
butter.
     Yuri gasped as the top two feet of her glaive detached and went skittering 
across the floor.  Her staff wobbled uncontrollably as it reverted to it's 
compact size.  She tossed it away angrily.  "You asshole!  There was only one of 
those in the armoury!"
     Chris smiled.  "And that's supposed to get my sympathy??" he raised his 
blade to an attack posture.
     She gasped as he smacked his sword toward her face repeatedly.  The force 
of the blows knocked her a few steps. Chris paused to examine his sword.  "Well 
well well...look at that.  Not a scratch." he continued, smiling.  "And I doubt 
you have too many throwing stars left, do you?"
     Yuri growled, knowing she only had one or two left.  
     "Well, I don't know about you." Chris yawned.  "But I can do this all 
night!" he wound up his sword like a baseball bat and cracked it against her 
shield just for fun, tossing her around.
     "Go right ahead." Yuri smirked. "This thing has a longer battery than you 
realize."
     Sailor Saturn frowned.  "Now what do we do with her?"
     Yuri began to move to the garage.  
     Chris frowned.  "Where the hell are you going?"
     She bolted.  Hotaru gasped.  "The Ferrari!  She's going to make a break for 
it!"
     Yuri clawed the door shut behind her, hoping the lock would hold them long 
enough.  "Fuck!  Fuck!" she yelled to herself.  "I gotta regroup!  This is 
crazy!  I can't fight them both with no weapons!" she turned off her shield and 
got in the car. 
     Strike Fiss' sword carved the door off it's hinges just as she started up.  
"What the...?" Chris gasped.  "When did she get a car?"
     Yuri revved the engine and shifted into gear, pressing the garage door 
opener on the dashboard.  In a tire-squeal, she was gone.
     Mercury came in just as the two Saturns reverted transformations.  "Where's 
Yuri?"
     Hotaru frowned at her.  "She got away in the car we helped fix."
     Ami sighed and also reverted her transformation.  "I found Miharu.  She's 
in the back of your car, Chris.  She has your sword, but she's asleep."
     Chris nodded and groaned as he tested his shoulder.  "Well, at least she 
didn't get in the way or anything."
     "I'm sorry, Chris.  I had no idea she wanted to kill you." Hotaru sighed. 
     Chris nodded.  "Don't worry about it.  I forgive easily." he smiled. 
"Thanks for helping out."
     "I want to help later, too." she replied.  "She's as much an enemy of mine 
as she is yours."















                                    Chapter 16






     "At least the fight went better than last time." Chris cringed as Rei re-
bandaged his shoulder, which opened back up during the fight.  He hadn't even 
noticed until he stopped.
     "How's Miharu?" Rei asked, putting on a final layer of gauze.
     "She's been sleeping ever since I knew she came along." 
     Rei nodded quietly. 
     Chris noticed her unusual quiet-mode and looked into her eyes.  Rei smiled.  
"Don't worry...I guess I'm just a little run down." she sighed. "Grandpa's 
heart-attack came at the worst time for the Scouts."
     "More like for you." Chris said.  "You said you needed to look after Miharu 
now." He patted his shoulder and smiled.  "Normally you just have to look after 
me."
     Rei nodded.  "I guess.  Now, I have to look over Grandpa and Miharu..." she 
grinned. "All the while making sure Serena doesn't klutz out."
     "Well, don't worry about Miharu.  She can take care of herself.  I'm going 
to check on Beavis." Chris said, standing up.  "He's been kind of weird ever 
since the...thing...you know."
     Rei nodded.  "I'm going to go check on Miharu."  
     





     Yuri had been driving for an hour now.  She was fuming.  What had gone 
wrong?  The first fight had almost been hers, and now, she did little more than 
give Strike Fiss a few bruises. 
     Another thing was bothering her.  She was alone.  Before, at least Hotaru 
would have stayed out of the loop and she could have killed Chris without her 
knowledge.  
     Now, revenge would be much harder.
     She should be able to go back to the cottage in a day or two...maybe she 
should even go sooner and grab a few weapons before more of those damn Sailor 
Scouts could arrive.  

     The swarming ability of the Scouts was legendary.  Even if you managed to 
contain one, two, more...it didn't matter.  They had Sailor Moon.  If you caught 
her...they always had the Outer Scouts.  If you caught them, they had Tuxedo 
Mask and the Princes.  If you were lucky and strong enough to contain that 
many...all the while making sure Sailor Moon couldn't use her crystal...the 
Guardians were known to throw off a few plans to kill the Scouts.  
     AND WHAT THE HELL WAS THIS!?!  NOW they had some kind of super-human group 
on their side.  The Omega Web or something.  Who knows?  The North American 
Scouts appeared late.  Maybe there were Australian Scouts, European Scouts... 
HELL!  WHY NOT EVERYONE!  
     Yuri growled, accelerated, and cut off about three people during a lane-
change.

     It was getting so you couldn't slaughter ANYONE anymore.

     At least she knew where she went wrong.  Too much defence.  Almost no 
offence.  She would keep her arm-shield and find something else to use in her 
main attack.
     "If they weren't so intent on thinking they were the good guys, maybe 
they'd shut-up and die easier." Yuri said to herself.
     Maybe in her own mind, she was right.  Maybe she was doing the right thing.
     Maybe she was just a victim of a previous life caught up to haunt her.

     Then again, maybe her brain was playing with a few cards short of a full 
deck...and seemed to be cheating at Solitaire.  







     Rei sat down on Miharu's bed, waking her.  "It's okay, sleep." she hushed.
     Miharu sat up slowly.  "Where am I?  I was going to battle..." she yawned.
     Rei raised an eyebrow.  There was something unsettling hearing that from an 
eleven year old.  "You fell asleep.  Besides, it's not your battle." she sighed.
     The little girl looked around.  "I-I borrowed Chris' sword.  Is he mad?"
     Rei smiled.  "No...he's not.  But..." she frowned "he needed that sword.  
He might have been able to destroy Yuri."
     Miharu swallowed hard.  "I'm sorry..." 
     Rei shrugged.  "Don't worry.  Now she doesn't have any more of those 
horrible bombs, at least.  We destroyed all of her weapons."
     Miharu nodded and leaned into Rei's shoulder.  She gave her a hug. The two 
were quiet for a long time.
     Rei smiled to herself.  She imagined her mom doing the same thing.  Rei 
could still remember a bit of her mom.  These weren't much more than images and 
feelings, but she cherished them when something made her remember.  
     She squeezed Miharu tighter.  "You're lucky, Miharu."
     "Why?" she replied.
     "At least you remember your mother." Rei said as a tear rolled down her 
face.  "At least you have good memories of her."
     Miharu seemed to notice this and hugged Rei back.  
     





     Beavis frilled up as Chris entered the room.  It was common hedgehog-
protocol to look like you can kick some ass when anyone unexpected walks in.  He 
relaxed as he saw it was Chris.  "Hello."
     "Hi." Chris replied.  "Nice night, eh?" he pointed out the window.  
     Beavis had been standing on the window sill all night, contemplating and 
thinking.  "Very nice." he replied.  The way he said it he emphasized the 
'iccce' in his speech.  "Why do you suppose I chose a Hedgehog, Chris?"
     "I don't understand?" Chris shrugged.
     Beavis sighed.  "What if that man's heart attack had been more serious?  I 
was there when it happened, so I had the best opportunity to save him." he 
lifted up a paw.  "I couldn't dial emergency, I couldn't even THINK about CPR or 
anything like that..." he said.  "So I ask you again.  Why would I choose to be 
an animal when I want the ability to save lives?"
     Chris nodded and sat down.  "He did live.  That's what's important.  There 
are times where you could have been a human, and nothing would prevent a 
disaster.  It doesn't matter, as long as you try.  The rest will happen if it 
can." he sighed.  "I guess we're a lot alike.  I wish I was able to notice that 
bomb coming sooner.  If I could have warned everyone, and got them out of the 
room, Linna would still be alive.  I would still have a living link to Yamato."
     Beavis nodded.  "You could be right...but why a hedgehog?  I ask again?  
Why not a cat or something?"
     Chris smiled widely.  "Only you could have the audacity to go as a 
hedgehog." he nodded his approval.  "Cats...bah!  Too many.  You on the other 
hand are original, and very functional.  Small and fast with defensive and 
offensive weapons?  It's perfect."
     Beavis shrugged.  "I guess so..."
     "Come on..." Chris continued.  "You know you love it.  You're the perfect 
Sailor Scout companion." Chris blinked.  "Or Prince." he corrected himself.  
"And at least you didn't pick being a hamster."
     Beavis smiled sheepishly.  "True...true."
     "Come on..."
     "Okay, fine..." Beavis laughed.  "You're right.  This deal kicks ass."
     "That's better." Chris nodded.  "Now, I need to call on your little 
guardian-brain for a while."
     "Oh?" Beavis asked.  "What do you need to know?"
     Chris looked him in the eye. "The civil war."




















                                   Chapter 17







     
     Sailor Saturn sat on the roof of Sharon's house.  Thinking.  
     Maybe, once and a while, she wondered what she was doing up there...but she 
Always came back to one thing.  She needed to do some thinking.  Lots of 
thinking.  
     Somehow, she wasn't too surprised when Chris was suddenly beside her, 
crouched like some kind of superhero.  "Had a chat with my little guardian." he 
said suddenly.
     "Mmm?" she replied.
     Chris looked over his sunglasses into the night.  "I am tired, Hotaru." he 
sighed.  He paused just for effect.  "I'm tired of finding out that I've caused 
so much shit without my even trying."
     Saturn nodded quietly.  "Maybe being reborn a few times has it's 
advantages.  You forget most of it."
     "So how come it's the homicidal maniacs who always remember, and never us?" 
Fiss smiled.  
     The two Saturns sighed and continued crouching on Pluto's roof.  "So, who's 
this Miharu?" Saturn asked, curious.
     Fiss shrugged.  "Hopefully, the last innocent bystander I have on my head."
     "So what do we do now?"
     "I already put an All Points Bulletin on Yuri and her car, so we wait." 
Chris sighed.  "Either the cops will find her, or she'll find us."
     Sailor Saturn nodded.  "You know...Maybe..."
     "Maybe what?"
     "Maybe it's time that we changed all our bad luck."  Hotaru smiled. 
     Chris could only nod.
     Hotaru cleared her throat.  "I think it's time that the little speck up 
there..." she pointed up at Saturn.  "I think we should start fixing all that 
death and struggling, and what ever else we caused."
     Chris nodded.  "Yuri's going to try for her stash again.  I say we go there 
and wait."
     "You drive?" Hotaru asked.
     "How fast?" Chris answered, taking a quick running jump off the roof.  He 
landed in the bushes below.  "Come on, sis.  Time to go kick some ass."





     Yuri growled as she stepped out of the car.  Smoke billowed from the back 
of Nephrite's house.  The Scouts had been there.  She should have expected it.  
     And now, she was without weapons.  
     Almost...she sighed.  One Negabomb should be able to kill him if it was 
placed well enough.  Even if she had to get close and personal, her arm shield 
could protect her from Chris' sword.  If she was lucky, maybe she could even 
grab it next time he dropped it.  
     Yuri walked up to the house.  Even if she could find her staff, it was a 
weapon without the blade.  
     The sound of an engine made her turn.
     A dark green car rolled up the gravel drive.  It rolled to a stop as it saw 
Yuri.  Inside, she saw Chris and Hotaru.  Oh oh.
     She darted into the woods just as Hotaru and Chris pulled up the path.  
"The car's here...but I don't see her inside." Chris said, using his sunglasses 
to check for any movement.  They were hardly as accurate or versatile as 
Mercury's VR visor, but they worked in a pinch.
     Hotaru nodded.  "I doubt she would be inside..."
     "I guess we'll have to check." Chris said, parking and getting out.
     She followed him into the house.
     Yuri peered out from behind a tree.  This might work...She smiled.  No, no, 
no...this WOULD work.  
     When she was sure the two had gone into the house and were out of view, she 
Quietly walked over to the Ferrari.  "Quiet and simple." she assured herself.  
"Perhaps I'll show more mercy than they have shown me in the past."
     She pulled her pack out from the passenger seat.  Then, she walked over to 
Rei's car, opened the driver's door, and popped the hood.  The "POP" echoed 
around the trees, but Chris and Hotaru never heard it.  Yuri smiled to herself 
and opened her pack.  The last Negabomb was inside.  She carefully hauled it out 
and examined it.

     They were works of art.  

     Gently rolling energy clouds contained with some mysteriously invisible 
sphere.  The colours were truly vibrant and lively.  Hard to think that just one 
of them could level the side of a building if placed properly.  When used by an 
amateur, at least they could destroy a car.
     Yuri eased the orb into the engine.  Right next to the cooling fan and 
belts.  It rested right on the fan's blade.  That should be more than enough to 
set it off.  
     "SLAM!" She shut the hood, and knowing full well they could have heard, she 
got into her car and started the engine.  
     Hotaru and Chris ran outside to check on the noise.
     "THERE!" Hotaru yelled.
     The two leaped into Rei's car.  Chris fumbled for the keys, but finally 
found the ignition.  "Once she gets on the road, it's going to be hard to keep 
up!" he said, planning ahead.  "We gotta take her down NOW!"
     
     Yuri tore off down the path, watching the rear-view mirror closely.  She 
didn't really have to.  The blast would light up the entire area anyway.
     She waited.
     Waited...
     
     Chris turned the key.  "Let's kick some a-"

     Yuri smiled and mouthed the word "Boom."

     BOOM.






















                                     Chapter 18








     "That's a nice car you got out there, miss."
     "Pardon?" Yuri looked up from her coffee.  The waiter was smiling at her.  
"My grandson, big-shot executive down town, he's got one just like it...only 
black." he pointed out the Diner's window to the Ferrari.
     "Oh, thanks." she smiled back.  "It's not really mine.  A friend let me 
borrow it while he was away." she lied.  The last thing she wanted was to 
attract attention.
     "Ah." the kindly man said, washing a cup with a dish rag.  "Are you okay?  
You've been sitting here for the last hour.  You're coffee's forming a ice-sheet 
on top." he smiled, giving her a fresh cup of the black beverage.  
     Yuri smiled her appreciation.  "I'm just thinking." she sighed.  "I've had 
a tough day...but what a great evening." she smiled and took a sip.  "Thanks for 
the refill."
     "My pleasure, miss." the man smiled and continued to wash dishes behind the 
counter, letting Yuri have her privacy.  
     "Yeah." she whispered to herself.  "This one's for all you guys." she held 
up her coffee in a toast and took another sip.  As she did, she watched the 
replay of the explosion in her head.
     It had been glorious.  Even better than she expected.  Even as far away as 
she was at the time, the back end of the Ferrari had swept off the ground from 
the blast.  
     She sighed, looking at the time.  She couldn't stay in Tokyo.  Not now.  
She had gotten her revenge, but it was the aftermath she had to worry about now.  
The other dozen or so Scouts.  Hell, she didn't even know how many were left, 
nor did she want to find out.  And that wasn't even counting the cops.
     But it was still early.  She had to make her peace with the dead.  Her 
friends and family were the reason she did this...she wanted to pay her 
respects.  It was coming around five AM.  Sunday morning.  Why not?  

     Maybe then...she could go back...no...
 
     Yuri got up, tossed a handful of bills on the counter...probably enough to 
let the nice waiter retire...and left.  She had a new life to stake out, and she 
had to start soon.







     Hotaru looked up suddenly.  "What the hell??"
     All around her was a billowing smoke cloud.  Tiny fires speckled the 
ground, adding to the haze.  Her first conscious breath was hardly joyous.  
Smoke filled her lungs and she began gasping of air desperately.  
"AHHHHKKKKKKK!" she cried out, eyes watering.  
     She brought her gloves up to her mouth and began to use them as a filter.  
It helped a little, and she was able to get up off the ground.  She didn't like 
what she saw.
     Parts of the car were everywhere.  A door handle hung on a tree nearby.  
Twisted metal was smouldering all over the ground.  The place looked like a war-
zone.
     "Chris???" she called out.
 
     No answer.

     How the hell had she survived an explosion like that?  WHAT the hell caused 
it?  She didn't like the answer she came up with.  Not all the Negabombs were 
destroyed.
     "CHRIS?" she yelled out in a panic.  "Come on!  Answer!"
     At first, only the sound of burning wreckage.
     Chris coughed from somewhere in the cloud of smoke.  "Now THAT'S a de-frost
system!"
     "Where are you?" Hotaru laughed.  "Are you alright?" she finally found 
Chris.  He was still sitting IN the car.  
     His hair and clothes were blown backwards from the front, giving him a 
rather comical appearance.  "That little bitch put a Negabomb in the engine!" he 
laughed.  "Good one!"
     "Apparently not good enough." Hotaru smiled weakly.
     "She put it in front of the engine block." Chris shrugged, easing his way 
out of the car's smoking frame, hissing in pain as he did.  "All that metal 
protected us.  Deflected the blast forward." he said, dusting off his clothes 
only succeeded to showing how burnt they were.  "Mmm, it was still a good one,
though.  I'll have to congratulate her as I introduce her face to her spleen."
     "Who's car was this again?" Hotaru smiled.  "Rei?  I think she's going to 
beat you to it once she finds out."
     "No." Chris frowned.  "We're going to find her right now, and we're going 
to nuke her.  I promised myself she would be gone before the funeral, and that's 
only one or two days away now."
     Hotaru sighed.
     He nodded determined.  "Okay, first of all, we're going to find a new car.  
Then, I'm going to see if the cops got a fix on our little Ferrari." 

     "Do we really need to go after her?"

     Chris blinked behind his smoking sunglasses.  "What do you mean?"
     "She thinks we're dead." Hotaru explained.  "She's done with killing and
everything...maybe we should just leave her alone."
     He put away his sunglasses.  "Mmm.  I see."
     She frowned.  "You disagree?"
     "No..." Chris sighed.  "Sorry.  You're right." he said, pulling out his 
sword.  "I just got caught up with the 'hero' idea."  He looked at her with a 
sigh.  "Maybe I should take my own advice..." he trailed off.
     Hotaru watched as he slid the disk off the blade and sheathed his sword 
again, transforming back into normal clothes.  "She'll probably be smart and 
leave the city.  That should keep her out of the loop.  With any luck, she'll 
never have to worry about her past life again."
     Chris rubbed his eyes.  "I never thought I'd say this." he walked over to a 
piece of metal and picked it up.  "But I'll give up as long as she does."  It 
was the licence plate.  "I suppose Rei will need this back."
     "We're not giving up." Hotaru said.  "We just don't need to fight anymore."
     Chris turned to her.  "See you later, sis.  It's been great knowing we're 
on the same side again." he smiled.  "We survive another day."
     "Well," she shrugged.  "I'm glad too.  Maybe we could hang out sometimes." 
     "Sounds great." Chris nodded.  "I am off.  I got two wonderful young ladies 
to bid a 'good-morning' too." he nodded his thanks one more time.  With that, he 
walked off.
     Hotaru sighed, looking around at the debris.  "God, I hope this was the 
right thing to do."

     

















                                  Chapter 19








     Rei sighed relief as she saw Chris walking up the stairs.  Then, she 
frowned as she saw her licence-plate.  "What the...???"
     Chris walked up and gave her a hug.  "Your car is in the giant multi-level 
parking garage in the sky, Rei.  Sorry."
     She growled.  "Oh?  I hope it was worth it..." she said with a slight 
edge on her voice.
     "She thinks I'm dead.  Hopefully, that's the last we'll ever hear from 
her." Chris explained.  "She gets her life back.  She doesn't harass us." 
     Rei was wide eyed.
     "I know." Chris said quickly.  "She gets away.  We decided it's worth it."
     "WHO?" Rei yelled.
     He shrugged.  "Hotaru and I." he shook his head.  "No, that's not it. *I* 
am tired of all this."
     "What?  Being a Senshi?" Rei asked. 
     "No.  I'm just sick of causing death around me in my efforts to save 
people." Chris said, throwing down the licence plate.  "What if Miharu was in 
the back of the car again?  There's no guarantee she would have survived."
     "She's been with me all night." Rei assured him.  "But that's not the 
point.  That bitch killed her mom.  You CAN'T let her get away with it!  It's 
not right!" she said angrily.  "What if she killed YOU?  Would you expect ME to 
let her get away...just because I knew she wouldn't be after anyone anymore???"
     "If I see her, I'll kill her." Chris said, walking past her.  "Until then, 
life goes on.  She's lucky enough that life will go on for her as well."
     Rei nodded.  "Okay, but what about Miharu?"
     Chris stopped.  "I dunno.  I'll tell her after I get changed.  The simple 
fact is that Yuri is long gone, Rei..." he shrugged.  "And maybe that's good.  
She didn't ask for those memories and more than our Serena did."

     Rei sighed, but said nothing for a long time.

     "I'll tell everyone to look out for her." she replied.  "If she's smart, 
she'll just stay out of the way."  She said.  "I'm impressed."
     "Oh?" 
     "Well,"  She smiled.  "I'm glad you decided to let this one go.  Sorry I 
got kind of weird back there...Miharu might not understand at first, but I think 
it will all end up for the best.  You get so passionate about fighting our 
enemies that I get scared you'll go overboard and get yourself killed"
     "I get scared too." Chris said simply. 
     She hugged him tightly.  "Then maybe it IS for the best.  So long as she 
leaves."







     Grandpa stood at the counter washing some dishes.  "Stupid doctor, what do 
they know..." he sighed.  It was going to be a nice day.  "I'm not about to 
spend today in bed."
     "Ftttttt!"
     He looked down.  "Beavis?" he smiled.  "That's your name, right?"
     The little hedgehog nodded.  "Please to meet you." he said.  "I'm sorry we 
couldn't be introduced under more pleasant circumstances."
     The old man smiled.  "So, little hedgehog, I hear you're from Saturn.  What 
was it like?"
     Beavis nodded again.  "Actually, a lot like Earth, only bigger."
     "Mmm," Grandpa 'mmmm'ed. "Did you ever have days like this?" he pointed out 
the window.
     Beavis looked.  "No.  Unfortunately, a sunny day on Saturn wasn't much 
brighter than a cloudy afternoon." he smiled.  "Though we had some great 
sunsets."
     Grandpa nodded.  "That's good." he stated firmly.  "You have to have sunny 
days.  Even if they're only sunsets.  If you don't, life isn't worth living."
     "Speaking of that," Beavis said "you should be in bed, or at least 
relaxing."
     Grandpa frowned at the tiny animal.  "I'm not scared of dying." he said 
sternly.  "But I'm going to live while I can.  That INCLUDES watching sunsets 
and enjoying a nice day."
     Beavis looked down.  "You're right, you know.  When I became a Guardian, I 
was about your age." he said.  "All I really felt I needed to do was exist and 
enjoy life while I was living."
     "Oh?"
     "Yes." Beavis said, his accent making him say "Yeesh.",  "That's why 
everyone's so particular about my voice.  I look like some squeaky little 
stuffed animal, but I'm really an eighty-two year old diplomatic advisor by 
human standards."
     Grandpa smiled.  "I was wondering about that."
     "The point is why I chose to be a guardian." Beavis continued.  "The Scouts 
don't know.  Nobody knows.  Not even Luna and Artemis."
     "Know what?"
     "There's more going on here than anyone realizes." Beavis said quietly.  
"Even Pluto doesn't really know.  Right now, Sailor Moon and the others are 
happy.  Taking it easy.  Destroying enemies now and then and enjoying life."
     "Are you saying my Rei is in danger?" Grandpa asked.
     Beavis nodded very slowly.  "I wanted to be around when it happens.  I 
needed to make sure Chris and Rei would be alright." Beavis turned around.  "I 
was afraid to die and miss it."
     Grandpa was silent. 
     "Life's too short." Beavis continued.  "I became a small household pet so I 
could have another chance at it.  You won't be able to do the same.  If you have 
to miss seeing one sunset so you'll be able to see ten more...then do it.  Stay 
in bed, Grandpa.  Listen to your doctors.  Otherwise, you might not be around 
for Rei when she really needs you."
     Grandpa reached up to his forehead and began to rub it.  "Ahhh, you're 
right." he joked.  "Besides, I can always get Chad to do the dishes." he put 
down his rag.  "Thanks, old man."
     "Who you calling old?" Beavis smiled back.  
     Chris walked in the kitchen, doing up his shirt.  "Who were you talking to, 
Beav?" he had just gotten out of the shower.
     "Just Grandpa." The hedgehog replied.  "Glad to see you're back.  I was 
getting worried that I wouldn't have a job anymore without you."
     "You're just saying that 'cause of the sniper-gummy-bears who are holding 
you at gun-point...aren't you?" Chris said, reaching into the refrigerator and 
pulling out an apple.  "You hungry?"
     "Maybe I'll go for a quick nap.  See you later?"
     "Yeah, I need to relax for a bit.  I don't usually get blown up by car-
bombs." he said, taking a chomp out of his apple, then he reached for a knife 
and cut Beavis off a piece.  "How's Grandpa doing?"
     Beavis sniffed the apple chunk and took a small bite.  "He'll be fine.  As 
long as he relaxes.  He's going to bed right now."
     Chris went wide-eyed.  "You actually got him to RELAX??" he laughed out 
loud. "Wow!"
     "Naw...it was nothing." Beavis said.  "We have an understanding." He 
smiled.  "One old man to another."
     "Do you know where Miharu is?" Chris asked finally.  "I gotta break some 
news to her."
     Beavis nodded.  "She's still asleep in your room.  Rei and Miharu were up 
all night talking."
     Chris smiled.  "Rei mentioned she likes her.  It's too bad we can't really 
keep her."
     Beavis downed the rest of his apple-chunk.  "Oh?"
     "What do you mean, 'Oh?'" Chris asked, taking another bite.  
     "You're legally an adult now...so is Rei.  Why can't you two simply adopt 
her?"  Beavis said.  
     Chris blinked.  "Me?  A father??" he paused.  "I don't even know if Miharu 
would want that."
     Beavis smiled.  "Scary as it sounds, I think you'd be a good one." he 
rolled up into a ball and threw himself off the counter-top.  "Well, I'm going 
to bed.  You have a lot to think about, and you hardly need me to tell you what 
to do." he zipped off down the hall.
     Chris finished his apple in silence.


















 
                                    Chapter 20






     A red Ferrari spun around as it's driver noticed the steps leading up to 
Cherri Hill.  
     "Wonderful." Yuri smiled to herself.  "I hope they're open." she parked 
across the street and with a great air of solemn about her, walked across the 
street and began up the steps.  
     Before leaving town, she had decided to pay her last respects to her old 
life.  "I may even wish Chris and Hotaru well.  It wasn't their conscious 
decision to kill all that I loved." She thought.  "Naw." she grinned, though 
looked a little sad as she did.  "Fuckem."  
     She walked up the steps, enjoying the scenery.  It was a nice day, after 
all.  Probably the brightest blue sky a crowded city like Tokyo could hope for.  
It seemed to mark her victory.  "At least the sky was on my side."
     Yuri reached the top of the stairs.  Looking around, she saw the temple.  A 
young lady was sweeping out front.  She noticed Yuri and walked forward to greet 
her.  "Hi!  Welcome to Cherri Hill." Rei said happily.  
     Yuri smiled.  "Beautiful day, isn't it?  I was wondering if you were open.  
If it's a bad time, I could come back later."
     "Oh, no!" Rei lead her to the temple.  "We're always open." she said.  
"Actually, I was thinking of making a few prayers later as well.  Maybe hope for 
more days like this." she smiled.

     Chris had made one mistake when he told Rei about Yuri.  He forgot to tell 
her what the woman looked like.

     "I feel silly asking this, but I was wondering if I could ask you a 
question." Yuri continued, her happiness fading back to her more melancholy 
mood.  
     "Oh?" Rei asked, curious.  
     "I was wondering how I should say good-bye." Yuri said.  "I want to do it 
right."
     "Oh, I'm sorry." Rei nodded.  "Friend?  Relative?"
     "Actually, a bit of both." Yuri replied.  "I'd just like to put them behind 
me now.  Maybe start anew."
     "I know what that's like." Rei said, leading her over to a bench where they 
sat down. "I've lost people before.  No matter what, though, I find that the 
best closures take time, not some simple prayer."
     Yuri sighed.  "It's already been a long time."
     "Then why the sudden need to say goodbye to them?" Rei asked, curious.
     "Mmm," she smiled.  "I guess you could say the past revisited me a month or 
so ago."
     Rei shrugged.  "Well, like I said, I can't really tell you what to do.  
It's really if *you're* ready or not."
     "Yeah, I guess you're right." Yuri sighed, then smiled.  "I feel so stupid, 
I never did get your name."
     "Oh, I'm Rei." she extended her hand in a handshake.  "A pleasure."
     The woman met her handshake.  "Yuri."

     Rei had to take a conscious effort not to let her hand get tighter.  "What 
a pretty name." she grinned.  

     Yuri noticed the change in Rei's look.  "Something wrong?"
     "Not at all." Rei continued.  "Actually, I have a friend with the same 
name." she lied.  She had to find out if this was THE Yuri...but how?  
     The answer seemed to drop from the sky, smash in through the temple's roof, 
and out the front door.  Chris walked out, holding a series of printer-paper 
sheets.  "Hey, Rei.  I was thinking..."
     Yuri took one look at Chris and gasped.  "YOU!?!"
     Chris dropped his papers and looked up at her.  "ME?!?"
     Rei decided to take the initiative.  She spun sideways and delivered a high 
kick to Yuri's face, throwing her back onto the ground.  "Hurry, Chris!"
     He reached for his disk...But his pockets were empty.  "Shit!  I left it in 
the bathroom!"
     Rei was wide-eyed.  "WHAT?"
     Yuri growled.  She touched what looked to be a crystal on her wrist.  The 
crackle of an energy shield filled the air.  She then reached into her pocket 
and pulled out her glaive.  It didn't have the blade anymore, but at least she 
could use it as a staff.  It morphed into it's longer shape and she stood up.  
     Rei pulled out her wand.  "MARS CRYSTAL POWER!"
     Yuri swung around her staff, slamming it into Rei's wrist.  Her wand went 
flying into the bushes as Rei cried out and held her hand.  "I don't think so, 
Miss Mars."
     Chris ran for Yuri and body checked her to the ground.  "Dammit!  I was 
going to let you get away, but you just had to come here, didn't you!?!" he 
said, stepping back as Yuri shook her head off.  
     "I put a damn Negabomb in your car!  How the hell did you survive!?!" Yuri 
said.
     "Magic." Chris replied.  
     "So!  You nuked my car..." Rei growled.  "You're gonna pay for that."
     "Rei!  Don't!  She has a..."
     Rei wound up and kicked for Yuri's head again.  This time, though, Yuri 
blocked with her shield.  ZAP!  Rei flew backwards in a shower of sparks.
     Chris ran over to help, but he was blocked by Yuri's silver-ish bo slammed 
down in front of him.  "Sooo, little Fissy and little Mars DID get together in 
the end." she smiled.  "You two were pretty hot gossip back on Saturn."
     Chris glared at her.
     "Not so fun without your sword, is it?" Yuri said.  She smacked the bo back 
into Chris' stomach.  
     Chris crumpled and fell over.  Yuri attempted to smack him in the head, but 
he rolled out of the way.  "Arrrr!  I need me spinach!" he replied, getting back 
up.  Yuri jumped into him, shield first.  Chris tried to block with his arms, 
but it didn't do much besides vaporize some of the material on his shirt.  He 
flew backwards into a tree.  He fell down, gasping for air.
     Yuri managed to stay upright, but was unprepared when Rei came from behind 
And smashed the handle of her rake into Yuri's back.  She fell forward, dropping 
her staff.  Rei threw back her hair triumphantly.  "Never piss off anyone with a 
rake."
     Yuri coughed up some blood.  "Dammit!" she scurried forward and picked up 
her staff.  
     Rei rolled up her sleeves.  "Okay, dammit!  Let's rock!" she got a better 
grip on her rake.  
     The two stood a few arm-lengths apart, breathing heavily from their falls 
already.  
     Yuri made the first move.  She ran for her, staff pointed out like a spear.  
Rei side-stepped, grabbed the staff, and swung Yuri in an arch.  
     Yuri tripped and skidded to the ground in a painful-looking roll as she 
tried to hold on to her weapon.  Rei finally released it, sending Yuri into a 
nearby bush.  She sat back up a second later, kind of stunned.  She rubbed her 
head as she stood.  "You're going to pay for that!" she choked.
     Rei didn't leave Yuri time to regroup, and was already charging.  Just as 
she reached Yuri, Rei put all her momentum into a kick to Yuri's stomach.  Yuri 
gasped in pain, coughing up more blood.  Rei spun around and attempted to do a 
reverse roundhouse, but Yuri raised her arm in time and deflected it with her 
shield.  
     The sudden blast hit Rei's foot, toppling her over.  She landed on her 
arms.  "AAHK!"  
     Yuri stood back for a moment as she watched Rei struggle to get up again.  
Her right shoulder looked like it was probably popped out of place.  Finally..." 
she said to herself.  
     Rei looked up and gasped as she saw Yuri advancing again.  "Oh shit!" she 
yelled at her shoulder that refused to co-operate.  She managed to roll onto her 
back, but the pain was finally beginning to register in her brain.  "Ah!  
Dammit!" she clutched her arm.  
     Yuri was still dizzy, but managed to keep walking.  "I told you that you 
were going to pay!"  She mumbled, raising her staff over her head like a club.  
     PIFT!  The end came down right besides Rei's face, hitting the ground.  Rei 
went wide-eyed.  "Oh oh..."
     Yuri shook her head.  "Lucky...just a second, I'll try again." she said, 
raising her staff over her head again. 
     Rei cringed and held her arm up to block.  "SNAP!" Rei looked up to see 
Someone standing over her, holding a stick against Yuri's.

     Miharu.

     The kid pushed against Yuri's bo with all her weight, causing the woman to 
Stumble backwards.  "Wh...who the hell?"
     Miharu held her bokken at her side.  "I am Miharu of the House of Cherri 
Hill.  I will defend my friends and defeat my enemies.  YOU are my enemy." she 
lowered her head in a mean glare.  "Defend yourself!" she demanded.  Despite her 
demanding tone of voice, tears streamed down her cheeks.
     Yuri blinked. "I...I know you...You're that little kid that Chris was going 
on about..." she laughed.  "THIS is why he's been so pissed off?"
     Miharu growled, no longer patient.  "Fine, I'll make an exception in your 
case!" Her sandal pushed back the earth beneath her.  "HIAA!" she jumped, 
bringing her bokken around in an arch.
     Yuri stopped laughing when it smacked into her jaw and she fell backwards 
on her ass.  She coughed and shook her head.  "WHAT?!?" 
     Miharu stood across from her, waiting with a revived sense of infinite 
patience.  "Defend yourself." She repeated coldly.  The tears were no longer 
coming...all that was left was the goal.  

     To protect.

     Rei had almost been killed...she would not allow a repeat of her own 
mother's death.
     Yuri jumped to her feet.  "You should take your own advice, little girl." 
she growled back.  
     Rei nodded.  "Miharu, go back to the temple.  Wait inside.  Call the 
police."
     Miharu didn't move.  "This is MY fight!  I won't give up!" she said.  
     Yuri lowered her staff.  "If it's a fight you want..."
     Before she could finish, the little girl charged again.  Yuri held out her 
staff, ready to block.  Miharu suddenly ducked under the bo and jumped, bokken 
extended.  She swung, connecting with the side of her neck.
     Miharu landed and spun around for another attack as Yuri held her throat in 
pain.  "Wait!" Rei yelled.
     Yuri, though she had a bruised windpipe, easily lifted her arm to use her 
shield.  Miharu
hit the invisible shield like a tennis ball.  The rebound threw her tiny body 
across the yard.  She cried in pain as she hit and skidded, dropping her bokken.  
She eventually came to rest in a heap of singed kimono.  
     Rei was silent, unable to even think.  Rage was mixing with the pain in her 
arm.  A second later, Miharu began to sob.  Rei breathed a sigh of relief.  At 
least she was alive.  She tried to get up again as Yuri coughed and hacked, 
trying to breath.  "You BITCH!" Rei growled, forcing herself to ignore the 
stabbing pain in her shoulder. 
     Yuri frowned, breathing in shortened breaths.  She wasn't about to let Rei 
get up again.  Tightening her grip on her staff, she walked over to the Sailor 
Scout.  "Now," she said hoarsely.  "Where were we?"
     "If you do that, I'll make sure you have a long, painful life from now on."  
Chris said, finally conscious again and stepping towards Yuri.
     He was still unarmed, though.  Yuri grinned.  She placed the end of her 
staff on Rei's forehead and pushed her over.  Rei cringed as she fell on her 
shoulder again. "Promises, promises." Yuri replied, pointing her staff at his 
head.
     Chris growled.  
     Yuri sighed "You damn Sailor Scouts have more lives than cats, you know?"
     








     











                                    Chapter 21







     "Who you calling a cat?"

     Yuri looked around.  The voice seemed to come from nowhere.  "Uh?" she said 
simply.
     Beavis ran up besides Chris with something in his mouth.  He dropped it.  
"I said, are you calling me a cat?  After all, I'm part of this team!" he hissed 
for effect, then looked up at Chris.  "I believe you were looking for this..."
     Chris looked down.  Beavis had his disk in front of him.  "Beavis, you are 
the best Bond ever." he smiled and picked up the blue crystal.  
     "If you think I'm going to start saying 'Moneypenny' for your amusement, 
think again." Beavis replied.
     Yuri coughed.  "Talking rats?  What's next?"
     Beavis hissed.  
     Chris cleared his throat.  "And now for something completely different..." 
he tossed the disk up in the air and was enveloped by the customary flash of 
blue light.  He pulled out his sword without a second thought.  "Beavis, get Rei 
out of here."
     Rei shook her head, in tears from her shoulder.  "Chris!  Get Miharu!  
She's hurt!"
     Chris looked over at the same time Yuri did as well.  Then, they looked at 
each other.  He didn't like the look in her eyes.  "Miharu...RUN!" he yelled.
     Yuri and Chris began to sprint for the girl.  She looked up in horror.  "I 
can't!!" she cried. 
     Chris leapt for Yuri's feet, hoping he could tackle her.  Yuri jumped too, 
though, and he missed.  She rolled and, in one motion, scooped up Miharu with 
her arm.  
     She held Miharu in front of her for protection as Chris got up.  "Try 
ANYTHING, Fiss, and your precious little friend here dies." she readjusted her 
grip on Miharu, wrapping her arm around the girl's neck.  Miharu struggled in 
protest, but was stuck.  
     He didn't move.  "Are you okay, honey?" he asked.
     Miharu nodded slightly against Yuri's grip.  "Mm mm..."
     Chris had his sword out along his arm, just in case.  "Yuri, what are you 
doing?  You can't leave...not when you have such a good chance to kill me.  Drop 
the girl and we'll have that duel you wanted."
     Yuri shook her head.  "I don't think so, Chris.  With Rei, she was mainly 
in the way.  With..." she smiled at Miharu.  "Little Miharu here, if she dies, 
then you'll finally feel what I've been feeling for the last millennium."
     Chris tightened his grip on his sword.  "If you twitch in the wrong 
direction, you won't live long enough to kill her." he said calmly.  At least he 
hoped he appeared calm.  It was times like this that he was grateful he had 
sunglasses.  Tears were beginning to build up.  The last thing he wanted was for 
Yuri to have that bit of satisfaction.
     Yuri began to back up...towards the steps.  "If I go, then I can regroup.  
The next meeting will be on MY terms, Strike Fiss...and there's nothing... 
NOTHING!" she screamed "that you can do about it!"
     Miharu began to panic and struggled harder.  Yuri just tightened her grip 
on the girl's neck.  Chris turned away, helpless.  
     Rei gazed at him from the ground.  "No..." she mouthed weakly.
     Chris took a deep breath, reached around to the back of his scabbard, and 
withdrew his second sword.  "Looks like it's..." he sneered, bringing the two 
blades together.  "LOOKS LIKE IT'S PARTY TIME!"
     He spun around as his sword emitted a sparking blue energy pulse.  The arch 
streaked toward Yuri's right arm.  
     She gasped, half-thinking it was impossible that he actually just attacked 
her.  Dodging, she lost her balance.  Miharu's extra weight made the quick 
manoeuvre impossible, and she began to fall backwards towards the top of the 
stairs.  
     In a desperate gambit, Yuri swung around her staff, trapping it in the 
metal hand-rails next to the steps.  Her foot caught on the second step.  TING!

     She stopped falling.  

     Chris ran up to her.  She was holding on to her staff still, barely 
balancing with Miharu clung to her chest.  She couldn't pull herself up, 
though...if she dared move, her staff might dislodge.
     Miharu was silent as Chris slowly edged closer.  "Careful, honey...reach 
out for my hand..." he said realizing just how steep the steps looked from this 
height.  
     Miharu swallowed hard against Yuri's grip.  Slowly, she reached out with 
her right hand.  Chris sheathed his swords and grabbed onto the rail with one 
hand, reaching out over Yuri's legs for Miharu.  "Almost there..."
     Sweat was pouring down Yuri's face as she struggled to hold onto the staff.  
Her palms were getting wet, though.  Millimetre by millimetre, she felt it 
slipping.  "I...I can't hold..." she whispered to herself.
     Chris finally grabbed Miharu's hand.  "I got you!" he said.  "Yuri!  Let 
her go!"
     Yuri looked up at him.  She was now almost horizontal from slipping down 
her staff.  If she didn't use her other arm...
     Yuri swung her arm away from Miharu, letting Chris pull her up.  She 
grabbed onto her staff with both hands and stopped slipping.  She smiled, 
reassuring herself.  "This is NOT how it ends, Fiss!  I'm going to pull myself 
up and..."
     Chris held Miharu in his arm, shaking his head.  "Miharu, are you okay?."
     Miharu nodded, hugging him.
     "This...IS NOT going to end like this!" Yuri seemed to demand as she began 
to pull herself up.
     He sighed, pulling out his sword.  "I'm sorry, Yuri.  This isn't going to 
end until one of us is dead." he pointed the blade at her stomach.  "It HAS to 
end like this." he crouched down, held Miharu's head against his chest so she 
couldn't see, and then said "Fiss."
     
     Yuri was rocketed out over the steps by the blast.  She waved her arms, 
trying to slow down or land upright, but it wasn't working.  She began tumbling 
for the street below.  It had to be a good two and a half stories downwards.  
     Miharu shut her eyes.  At first, she had wanted to see Yuri's death.  It 
was different when you realized that it could have easily happened to yourself 
as well.  
     The woman never screamed.  She probably knew it was futile anyway.  And so, 
With nothing more than a muffled thud, Yuri hit the pavement of 10th street.
     Cars began to honk wildly as someone swerved out of the way to hit her.  It 
wouldn't have mattered too much.  She died on impact.
     Chris took off his sunglasses like someone would take off their shoes after 
a long day's work.  "Gravity.  It's a bitch, ain't it?" 
     Rei smiled weakly from the grass.  "I guess you were right.  That first 
step's a killer."





















                                    Chapter 22







     Anyone who could recognize the Sailor Scouts in civilian clothing would 
have had quite a story to tell their friends.  Sailor Mercury, Mars, Moon, 
Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, Uranus, Pluto, Charon, Sol, Enceladus, and of course, 
Tuxedo Mask, lined up in their Sunday's best.
     It was hardly a festive occasion, though.  The funeral had just ended.
     Hotaru and Chris stood together.  "I'm glad this is over." she mentioned.
     Chris nodded.  "I'm just glad we did it before the funeral." he nodded over 
to Rei and Miharu.  "I promised myself it would be over."
     Rei smiled back at Chris.  She had her arm in a sling, and found her 
Crystal later on.  Miharu also seemed fine.  She was actually fairly bright 
considering today was her mother's funeral.  It was over.  The goodbyes had been 
said, even if the feelings remained.
     Pluto walked up to the two Saturns.  "She's a sweet girl." Sharon smiled.  
"I'm glad you and Rei are going to take care of her.  If you need a godmother, 
I'm offering." 
     "Thanks." Chris bowed slightly in his black rain-coat.  "I'll consider it, 
but actually, I was hoping that my sister would be willing."
     Hotaru blinked.  "Really?"
     Chris smiled.  "Don't worry.  I plan to be around forever.  I can't bare to 
let the world go without Fiss-brand-weirdness."
     Hotaru nodded.  "Good."

     Rei sighed, squeezing Miharu's hand with her own.  "How you doing, kiddo?"
     Miharu looked up to her.  "You asked that a minute ago." she smiled.  "I'm 
fine."
     "Oh...sorry." Rei said.
     "Really." Miharu continued.  "You helped a lot that night.  I didn't think 
warriors cried."
     "Me?" Rei blushed slightly.  "I'm not a warrior...just a..." she searched 
for the right word.  "Guardian, I guess." she pointed over to Chris and Hotaru.  
"We're not fighters.  Just defenders."
     "Is there any difference?" 
     Rei looked down at her.  "Fighting's fighting...it's the reason why you 
fight that counts."
     Andrea suddenly walked up to them.  "Hi!  You're Miharu, right?"
     Miharu smiled and bowed.  "Yes, ma'am."
     "Oh, don't talk so formal." Andrea smiled.  "Lord Andrea is fine."
     Miharu blinked.  "Oh, okay, Lord Andrea."
     "Cute kid." she replied with a grin.  
     Rei smiled.  "Just call her Hooze, honey."
     Andrea sighed, pointing over to Maury who was standing by Lita and the 
others.  "Sorry we couldn't come by sooner."
     Rei shrugged.  "No problem.  It worked out okay." she winced as she 
remembered her arm.  "Well, at least not too bad."
     Andrea leaned over to Miharu again.  "Welcome to the Sailor Scouts, 
Miharu."
     Miharu beamed happily and bowed.  "Thank you."
     Rei smiled.  "Andrea, please don't encourage her.  She's dangerous enough 
with a sword already."
     Andrea grinned evilly and walked off.  "I'm going to see if Darien wants to 
play 'Doctor'."     
     "I HEARD THAT!" Serena bellowed from behind a crowd somewhere
     "He he!" she ran off.
     "So..." Miharu yawned, looking up to Rei.  "What should we do with Yuri's 
Ferrari?" 
     "I'm selling it." Rei said sternly.
     Miharu smiled. "Ooh!  What are you going to do with all that money?"
     Rei smiled.  "Did I ever tell you that I always wanted to go to Tokyo-U?"
     Miharu blinked.  "U...Univerity?"
     "That's right, kiddo.  Gotta pay for your tuition somehow." Rei said 
wisely.
     Miharu sighed.  "I was hoping we'd get a better dojo."
     "And what's wrong with the one we have??" Rei scolded.
     "N...nothing, Rei-san!"
     Rei smiled and nodded.  "Good girl."

     The others watched the exchange with a smile.

     Luna, Artemis and Beavis sat high in a nearby tree, watching the Scouts.  
"Poor girl.  Do you think she'll be alright?" Luna asked Artemis.
     "She seems fine." Artemis noted.  "She's probably going to need a shoulder 
to cry on for a while, though."     
     Beavis sighed as he hung onto the branch.  "That's another thing.  I wish I 
had shoulders."
     "Not you, Spikey...Rei and Chris." Luna sighed.  
     "I was just commenting how nice having protruding shoulders must be." 
Beavis replied, frowning.  "And you wonder why I broke up with you.  You were 
always putting down my intelligence."
     Artemis blinked.  "She did that to you too?" 
     Luna frowned coldly at the two.  They both smiled widely.  "Oh be quiet.  
It's a funeral."
     Beavis continued to smile.  "Hey, Art-y.  Did she ever tell you her old 
nickname?"
     Artemis grinned.  "Why, no...I don't think she did."
     "DON'T YOU DARE!" Luna gasped.
     "Shhhhh!" Artemis said.  "It's a funeral, remember?" he turned to Beavis.  
"Well?  What was it?" he grinned.
     "Well, it was..." Beavis was suddenly picked up by two black paws and 
rolled up into a ball.  
     Luna blushed, holding him so he couldn't talk.  "What??"

















                                    Epilogue







     He snuck out in the middle of the night.  It was so quiet, so perfect, that 
he drove himself to it, saying the night was made for the task.

     Chris wanted to do this alone.

     If Rei knew what he was about to do, she would have smacked him.  If Andrea 
or Maury would have known, they probably would kick his ass.  Even Miharu would 
have been against it, though she had been the determining factor.
     Chris walked up a steep embankment.  He had seen it during a late-night-
walk with Rei.  A patch of dense woods, just outside the city.  
     It was sacred ground, so nobody would ever find it.  It also took a good 
amount of effort to reach this area.  It was hardly worth it.  Just a cliff 
overlooking a scraggly patch of dark forest. 

     It was perfect.

     He finally reached the top of the cliff.  Briefly, he wondered what anyone 
would think if they saw him there.  Maybe he looked like he was about to jump.  
He wasn't, though.  In fact, he sat down on the edge once he was sure it was 
safe; dangling his feet over the edge.  
     With him, he carried his sword-case.  He popped the two brass latches and 
carefully took out the sword, holding it up to the moonlight.
     It really was beautiful.  Even the scabbard.  In it's un-transformed form, 
it was a rich, deep red-wood.  Specks of red danced about it's shiny outer coat 
of some ancient, indestructible varnish.  
     He had seen the blade too much already, though.  
     He stood suddenly.  Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his 
transformation disk.  
     Chris took out the sword, slid the disk back onto the katana, and re-
sheathed it.  He then placed it back into the case, latching it back up.  Every 
action was militant and unemotional.
     He closed his eyes.  "Yamato, Miharu, Linna, and anyone else I've hurt with 
this sword..." he took a deep breath.  "This is for you."
     Not even opening his eyes, he took the case by it's handle, swung back with 
his shoulder...and pitched the case into the raven below.
     Chris stood there for a moment, unsure what to do next.
     He shivered, then began walking home.

     ...

     No.

     ...

     Chris woke up with a start.  He fumbled around his bed desperately.  
Finally, he found his crystal disk besides him on the end-table.  He breathed a 
long sigh of relief.  
     "Mmm?" Rei woke up besides him.  "Everything okay?" she asked, half asleep.
     He smiled, looking at the oval-ish crystal in the moonlight coming in from 
the window.  "Rei?"
     She opened her eyes a bit more.  "Yes?"
     He settled back into the covers, looking over her to where Miharu was 
sleeping.  She had a nightmare earlier on.  "I think that everything's just 
fine." he said.
     Rei looked over to Miharu as well, then back towards him.  "Get some sleep,
Fissy...we're going to be parents tomorrow." she smiled. 
     They both lay there for a long time, silent.  "I don't feel like sleeping." 
Rei said suddenly.
     Chris nodded.  "Then don't.  I'll stay awake too."
     She sighed and wrapped her arm around him.  "Everything happened so fast."
     "Mmm," Chris smiled.  "Do you know what the best part is?"
     Rei shrugged. "What?"
     "It's not over yet." he leaned over and kissed her forehead.  









                                   The End




===============================================================================

Well well well, you survived yet again!  I guess this just goes to show that you 
should check the label's expiration date for poison before you put it in your 
reader's food. ^_^  After all, it's 3 years old now.  

<coughs>  I hope you all enjoyed... <insert drum-roll>

  SAILOR MOON ALTERNATE REALITY PART 6!!!!!!  REFORMATTED!  Oohhh!  Spooky! 


Anyway, Fiss here, thanking you for sticking with the series this far.  In my 
humble opinion, it starts to get a lot better with Miharu's addition to the 
Family.  I cleaned up a few plot-holes with this new Reformat of AR6, and it 
should answer a lot of the questions I received from the first round of the 
fic's release. 

Also, of course, this fic continues hinting at the eventual Tumbler storyline, 
the basis of...well...indirect base of pretty much the entire Omoi series.  ^_^ 
So keep your eye out for additions and extra goodies as that fleshes out.  

For now, though, I'd just like to, once more, say thank you all, and may you all 
take care of each other.  Hug your parents.  Spoil your kids.  Let your 
grandparents tell their stories, and tell them some of your own.  If you don't, 
you'll miss it later on.  ^_^  Take care.



e-mail:  strikef@bigfoot.com
homepage1:  www.studioshinnyo.com
homepage2:  www.geocities.com/Tokyo/9110





Strike Fiss, Studio Shinnyo 2000.  Khattam-Shud, EOF.