Sailor Moon: AR
                        Alternate Reality
                         **************
               Part 10: "The End of the Beginning"


                     Written by Strike Fiss,
                     Ninja Crowbotics, 1998




	





      Dedicated in loving memory to Dennis Moss.  Husband,
      grandfather, and father.  Above all else, one of the 
        kindest souls and warmest hearts on the planet.  
                  We'll all miss him dearly. 











			         Prologue


	



	I now have proof there is no god.  


	Consider this.  Rats know to leave a sinking ship.  They scurry 
to whatever they can find to keep them afloat so long as it is away 
from the sinking wreck.
	By now, I am certain that if there was a god, he has done the 
same to Earth.  He has long deserted.  
	My proof comes in realizing that nothing has changed.  If there 
was a god, he was simply a watcher.  Not the lightning-bolt-slinging 
big-daddy of the cosmos that so many religions have us believe.  

	He is as helpless as I am, and was lucky enough to have left 
while he could.  Not to say that I am a god, or he is a rat, or that he 
is a little 19 year-old human stuck on the side of a cliff talking to a 
computer, but hey, we’re in the same boat.
	And as I look at the horizon, I estimate this boat has about 
three hours left before the sequel of “Titanic” plays out.  

	“Oh shit...”



	His monologue was cut off when a single shaft of ice crystal 
crept up near his foot.  One second later, and it would have been all 
over.  
	Chris leapt to his feet, dragging the little computer with him.  
Every muscle in his body, including a few he forgot he had, screamed 
with pain.  Dirt and snow fell down upon him as he struggled for higher 
ground.  
	The cliff was hardly a challenge to any experienced mountain 
climber, but to a tired, hungry, frozen, battered and cut Strike Fiss, 
it was hard to remember which way was up.  Carrying his laptop with him 
didn’t help.  And with a sword banging against his hip, he was honestly 
considering letting the ice overtake him.  
	At least then he would have a little rest.  After a brief break, 
he decided against it.  He had a story to finish.  


	“Computer?” he asked.
	It beeped.
	“Can you record while I climb this cliff here?” he gasped, almost 
falling.  
	“Yes.” It beeped.
	“Good.” Chris sighed, quickly stuffing it into the fold of his  
vest designed to hold it.  “Now, where was I?” he gasped, grabbing on 
to another clump of dirt to pull himself up onto a new cliff.  “Ah 
yes...end of the world.”












				Chapter 1
			    One Week Ago





	Beavis’ black nose twitched as he sniffed the air.  Chris looked 
down at him.  “Cold?”
	“No.” Beavis admitted.  “Just wondering.”
	They stared out over the city from the roof-top.  A dozen or so 
snowflakes passed by their faces, but otherwise the night was still.  
	“What?” Chris finally asked.
Beavis smiled.  “A few things, actually.” He raised an eyebrow.  
“I wish I knew if he was on his way here already, for one thing.”
	“Why would he come here?” Chris sighed.  “If he can just nuke the 
universe, why not do it and be on his way?”
	“It isn’t that simple.” Beavis shrugged, nuzzling into Chris’ 
coat.  “Hopefully it’s more complicated than we first thought.”
	Chris looked up at the moon that was now just overhead.  His 
brain swirling with new information.  “I’d like to know.”
	Beavis looked up at him.  “You haven’t been listening to a word 
I’ve said tonight, have you?” he frowned. “You’re used to battles that 
end.  You square away your enemy in your sights, defend yourselves and 
attack their weaknesses.  After all is blown up and vaporized, you 
offer a few words of encouragement to anyone unlucky enough to be 
caught in the crossfire and head back home so you can listen to music, 
watch Arsene Lupin fight crime, and make love to your damsel in 
distress.”
	Chris shot him a look.  Beavis immediately regretted pulling Rei 
into the conversation.  “I’m sorry.”
	“Forgiven.” Chris mumbled.
	The hedgehog sighed. “Tumbler isn’t the kind of enemy you’re used 
to fighting, Fiss.  He won’t go away.  Never.” He sighed.  “And believe 
me, I know that never is a very long time.”
	“Then why this confrontation?” Chris demanded.  “If everything’s 
so hopeless, why didn’t you help your friends freeze this planet?”
	“Because...” he sighed.  “Because there has to be a better way.  
We can’t just lock him up forever, that much is proven.  At least if we 
fight now, we fight with experienced warriors and power you are 
probably too young to even understand.” He looked up at Chris with a 
hurt look in his black, shiny eyes.  “Unlike us, who fought him with 
fear, ignorance, and the willingness to sacrifice others to save our 
selfish asses.”
	Chris closed his eyes and sighed.  “Beavis, you’ve been my mentor 
for the last three years.  I still trust you.” He grinned.  “Even if 
you are related to those icy bastards.”
	Beavis nodded to himself.  “I should have told you sooner.” He 
grumbled.  “I should have known he’d come out around the millenium 
change.  Sounds just like the crafty asshole.” 
	“How so?”
	“To say he has a love for irony is like saying the Atlantic Ocean 
is damp.” Beavis mumbled.  “He’s probably free, on his way here, and 
determined to give the world the Apocalypse it’s been blabbering about 
for the last hundred or so years.”
	“The Jehovah Witnesses will love it.” Chris snickered.  “Along 
with all those cults in the States.”
	“Exactly.” Beavis laughed.  After a long pause, he took another 
deep, cool breath.  “Let’s go inside.  I have to tell the others.  You 
can help me this time.”
	Chris grinned.  
	“What?”
	“Thanks for telling me first.” Chris shrugged.  “I don’t 
know...I’m just glad you shared all this with your own Senshi first.”
	“Well, I knew you’d be pissed off at me enough as it was.” Beavis 
smiled.  “I didn’t need you trying to slice me in half with your damn 
letter-opener in front of the others, now did I?”





	Rei paced back and forth in the fire-room.  All the other Scouts 
had assembled.  “What the hell is that hedgehog TELLING him?  They’ve 
been up there for two hours!”
	Artemis sighed.  “Beavis an Elder...who would have guessed?”
	Alex grumbled.  “Let’s just hope Chris isn’t a block of ice right 
about now.”
	Rei shot the woman a look that would have melted through metal.  
“Sorry.” Alex apologized.
	“Mom...” Miharu sighed.  “Please relax??  Beavis won’t hurt 
Chris, you know that.”
	“I don’t know anything right now.” Rei sighed weakly.  
	Serena and Ami had known her the longest, and instantly saw the 
tension in Rei’s face.  It had been a horrible week for her, and if 
whatever Beavis had hinted at was true, this next week was going to be 
worse.  Ami stood and guided Rei to the floor. 
	“You need to relax, Rei.” She cooed.  Ami’s voice had taken on 
the soothing tone of a pediatrician giving a flu shot.  It was nice to 
have during the tough times.  
	Rei smiled her appreciation.  
	“I’m going to go make some tea.” Sharon said suddenly.  “Andrea,
can you help me in the kitchen?”
	Demeter was about to offer his service when Andrea patted him on 
the shoulder and stood.  “Sure.”

	The two sisters walked down the darkened corridor.  “How’s Rei 
holding up through all this?” Sharon asked.
	Andrea felt a lump in her throat ask she talked.  “Grandpa’s 
death didn’t help.” She had to close her eyes.  “It hit all of us 
Inners pretty hard.  You have no idea how nice the man was.  He was 
like my dad away from home.”
	“This is an extremely volatile time, Andrea.” Sharon sighed.  
“Time was not meant to go this path.  Even you must realize that.”
	Andrea nodded.  “I can feel it.”  All through her bones and 
being, it was like a wind blowing against her.  Hitting her until the 
pressure rubbed her skin raw with effort.  The feeling was 
suppressible, but it existed nonetheless.  
	Her elder sister found the kitchen light and turned it on.  “Rei 
is very important to this.” She sighed.  “We need everyone.” She 
smiled.  “I don’t doubt that Chad will come in handy in the upcoming 
times.”
	“It must be bad if we need him.” Andrea joked.  
	Sharon found the tea-bags and began to boil water.  “I don’t know 
it all, but I do know a little of what’s going on.”
	“Tell me.” Andrea said.  
	“We may face a new enemy.” Sharon sighed.  “One that has power 
beyond anything you’ve seen.” She paused.  “Anything I’ve seen.”
	Andrea nodded.
	“If it comes down to it...” Sharon sighed.  “We must sacrifice 
ourselves to destroy him.”
	“The Destruction Program?” she asked, knowing the answer.
	“Exactly.” Sharon nodded.  “But there’s something I haven’t told 
you.  One last facet of that program that I never thought I would need 
to teach you.” She sighed.  “One that I thought too dangerous to 
use...even in a last resort.”
	“What is it?” Andrea pleaded.  “At least tell me so I can help 
you decide.”
	“Your broach.” Sharon started.  “It is actually a piece of my 
staff.”
	Andrea blinked.  
	“My staff was too powerful for me to control back when I became a 
Senshi.  I had to break it into two pieces.” Sharon said.  Her voice 
seemed very old at that moment.  Ancient as time itself.  “I gave it to 
my baby sister so it would not fall into the wrong hands.” She grinned.  
“And also in case I ever had to pull myself out of time so you could 
bring me back.”	
	“I try my best.” Andrea blushed.  
	The water began to boil and Sharon fetched some lemon and honey.  
“However, when Sailor Moon enhanced your powers, the tiny piece of the 
Time Key that I gave you grew.” Sharon said.  “As a cutting from a full 
plant will sometimes produce a new living copy when treated with care.
	“Your key is still small, and will never become a copy of mine, 
but together, our keys are even more powerful than the original.” 
Sharon smiled, pouring tea into a series of a dozen or so cups.  “It is 
our trump card.  Even this new enemy will not expect the power it is 
capable of.”
	The thought of that much power threw Andrea into a spin.  
Sharon’s staff alone was one of the universes most formidable powers.  
	“How do we combine the two?” 
	Sharon sighed.  “That’s what’s so dangerous.”
	Andrea picked up a tray and loaded the tea onto it.
	“We have to drag him out of time.  So he can never return to our 
universe.” Sharon said sadly.  “And unless we go with him, he would be 
able to find a way back.”
	Andrea took a deep breath and sighed.  “What choice do we have?”
	“Andrea, it isn’t that simple.” Sharon said.  “Without one of us 
in the universe to control the time continuum, even if we DO pull 
Tumbler from our universe, the bubble we cause may explode.” She 
frowned.  “Like most things with time, that would be a bad thing.”
	“Maybe Beavis can help.” Andrea sighed.  
	“Let’s find out.” Sharon nodded.  "But if we need to...each of us
can form a bubble." she smiled.  "It's worth a try."
	They walked back to the Fire Reading Room.

	Rei picked a tea off the tray and handed it to Chris as he and 
Beavis returned.  
	Sharon sat down next to the hedgehog.  “Now, I think it’s time we 
all heard the full story, don’t you think, Beavis?”
	He nodded.  “Of course, Miss Pluto.”
	Everyone huddled around him like children would around a camp-
fire telling ghost stories.  
	“Where to begin...” Beavis sighed.  “First...the Elders.”








				Chapter 2



	“Our universe is like many in the cosmos.” Beavis said.  “Balance 
is everything.  Good and Evil.  Life and Death.  If something is 
unbalanced, the universe will pop like a bubble.”
	Ami raised an eyebrow.
	“By the looks of Ami’s face, she does not agree with me.” Beavis 
laughed.
	“I hardly think that our universe is going to pop because someone 
invents the cure for aging.” Ami refuted.  “Or if the Light Side of the 
Force is just a little more powerful than the Dark Side in two of the 
three Star Wars movies.”
	Beavis nodded.  “Very true.  We may live in a bubble, but this 
bubble has a very thick wall.  It is a very tough skin that is 
impervious to quite a bit of damage.” He took a breath.  “Nevertheless, 
our universe has a life-span.  It was born, and I can assure you that 
it can die just as effectively.”
	Miss Muzino seemed unimpressed, but stayed silent.  Beavis 
continued.  
	“Anyway, the Elders were the first Senshi.” He said.  “In charge 
of the noble task of letting our universe live to a ripe old age of 
zillions and zillions of eons or whatever.” Beavis laughed.  “Imagine 
our surprise when the first challenge to our task, Tumbler, enters our 
bubble and nearly pops it.
	“We were completely unprepared.  Until that point in time, our 
only chores revolved around making sure certain points of power in the 
universe stayed apart and separate.” He smiled.  “A simple task.  I 
don’t doubt that you Senshi could have handled it easily.”
Everyone exchanged looks.  
	“But Tumbler was something different.” He continued, voice 
filling with cold anger.  “He came from outside our universe.  
Breaching the bubble, he appeared out of nowhere and began to slaughter 
civilizations in the name of good, old-fashioned fun for as much as we 
could tell.”
	“When he had finished destroying half a dozen solar systems, this 
creature had caught our attentions.  After all, you don’t let something 
like that go on unless it’s in the course of nature.”
	“More watching.” Chris explained.  “They were a lot like the 
Omega Web.  Non interference.”
	Beavis nodded.  “Unless we saw a threat to the universe as a 
whole." He sighed.  “That’s when Tumbler began to seek out those points 
of power I mentioned earlier.”
	Sailor Moon heard it coming.  Felt it coming.  She knew it was 
coming a mile away.  “He tried to get his hands on the Silver 
Crystal...didn’t he??”
	Beavis smiled.  “Yes.  The Silver Crystal is one of those power 
vertexes I was telling you about.  The central one, in fact.  I’m glad 
to see you’re catching on.”
	Lita grumbled.  “Well, it’s kinda obvious.  Every asshole who 
wants to destroy the universe eventually gets lured to the Silver 
Crystal.”
	“Not a bad observation.” Beavis nodded.  “And I assure you that 
you are correct.” He paused.  “But Tumbler was smart.  He started on 
the others first.  With even one or two of these power-points 
destroyed, he would weaken the Silver Crystal’s power significantly.” 
He raised an eyebrow.  “No amount of magical strobe lighting would 
matter after that.”
	Everyone nodded.  It made sense.  The Silver Crystal was always 
strongest in the presence of a team.  Currently, each of the Sailor 
Scouts...but before?  Perhaps there had been a whole group of crystals 
just feeding into it.  Pluto found this thought fascinating.  
	Chris decided to help Beavis tell the story.  “Tumbler managed to 
destroy the weakest of these points.  Apparently, nothing in this 
universe is able to do that other than another energy point.”
	“When we saw he could destroy them, we knew we had to do 
something.” Beavis sighed.  “Fast.  Before he could destroy the next 
one.”
	“The Elders decided to contain Tumbler.”
	Beavis nodded.  “It was a hasty decision, and it is the reason 
why we are forced to face Tumbler again.” He mumbled.  “Stupid 
decision.  We could have destroyed him back then.” He looked up.  “But 
now?  The Elders are weak.  Old.  Extinct in the eyes of the universe.” 
He looked around at the Sailor Scouts.  “You are the universes new 
Senshi.  Not just this star’s.  You must defeat this monster.  There is 
no hiding from the universe a second time.”
	Everyone blinked.
	Mina sighed.  “Did Dave know about this?”
	Beavis turned to her and nodded.  “But like us, the Omega Web had 
no idea Tumbler would break free so soon.”
	“It was our fault.” Chris explained.  “Earth.  The lock the 
Elders used to contain Tumbler was built on goodness and the qualities 
of right, hoping that good would last longer than evil.”
	Maury raised an eyebrow.  “How the hell have we affect his 
release?!?”
	Beavis sighed.  “Wars.  Degeneration of society.  The poisoning 
of the planet and the minds of it’s inhabitants.” The hedgehog looked 
up at their shocked faces.  “Every lost love, every angry killer, every 
time some Wallstreet tycoon didn’t put a quarter into the hat of a kind 
old beggar on the street.” Beavis sighed.  “It adds up after a few 
millennia.”
	“Bad karma.” Rei sighed.
	“Exactly.” Beavis nodded.  “We locked Tumbler in a series 
of...well...stone rings that we called tumblers.” Beavis laughed to 
himself.  “I suppose, on retrospect, Tumbler is not a very original 
name, is it?  Man we were lame.”
	Chris smiled. 
	“Anyway, each of these tumblers was blessed with a different 
magic.  A separate power of goodness.” He said.  “Stuff like love, 
happiness, charity and all that other stuff that Disney movies are 
supposed to spoon-feed little children so they don’t grow up to be 
psychopaths.
	“As this bad karma build up around Earth,” Beavis paused “and a 
few other planets, I might add, it began to deteriorate the magic on 
the tumblers.
	“We started with a total of twenty-five tumblers.” He sighed.  
“At last count about two years ago, there were only three left intact.”
	That tied the whole situation together for the Senshi, and 
immediately the panic in the room rose another notch.
	Chris crossed his arms.  “It is my, and Beavis’ opinion that 
Tumbler is free and on his way to Earth for the Silver Crystal as we 
speak.”
	Maury stood.  “This is bullshit!” he turned to Beavis.  “How far 
away is this fucker anyway?”
	Beavis shrugged.  “On a planet somewhere near the center of the 
galaxy.”
	“So you’re saying this asshole is going to travel a few million 
light-years to kick ass on Earth because the above-said Earth has been 
full of ‘bad KARMA!!!’” Maury yelled.
	Ami nodded.  “It does seem pretty implausible.” 
	Rei shot Ami a look she hadn’t used since the Water-Park of West 
Edmonton Mall.  “Karma doesn’t follow the laws of physics, Ami.  Even 
you have to admit that.”
	“But the center of the FUCKING GALAXY!” Maury continued.  “This 
is all a load of shit!” he pointed to Chris, but didn’t take his eyes 
off of Beavis.  “If I were you, Chris, I’d get this little hamster’s 
brain checked.”
	Beavis’ eyes narrowed into slits and his quills ruffled.  “Do NOT 
use that tone of voice with me, Mister Sol.”
	Chris stood and grabbed Maury’s shoulders.  “RELAX!” he yelled, 
then turned to Beavis.  “BOTH of you.  Beavis, if he is coming, then we 
don’t have time for this.  You know that.”
	Beavis nodded.  “Of course...” he sighed, letting out a deep 
breath.  “My apologies, Maury.”
	Maury shoved Chris out of the way.  “You’re really pissing me 
off, you know that?”
	“You want proof?” Beavis growled.  “Proof of a link between us 
and this monster?  FINE!” he turned to Demeter.  “How did you get to 
Earth, Demeter?”
	The Zistle blinked.  “Uh, well, I jumped.”
	Beavis nodded.  “How did you know where to go so you would hit 
Earth?”
	“I knew the orbit patterns.” He shrugged.  “It was a fairly 
simple calculation.  Zistles can do it like it was second nature.” He 
said proudly.
	Beavis nodded.  “How far behind would Julie have been?”
	Demeter thought for a moment.  “Out of my sensor range...I’d say 
at least half a day...considering when she landed.”
	“Half a day...would that bring her to Earth like you?” Beavis 
asked.  Chris saw where the line of questions had been leading, and was 
checking something on his laptop.
	“No.” Demeter said, obviously confused.  “If she left that long 
after me, she should have passed just out of Earth’s orbit...I don’t 
see how she could have landed.”
	Chris nodded.  “She should have hit the sun.” he shrugged.  “How 
did she get to Earth?”
	“Tumbler.” Beavis said.
	Maury frowned.
	“You see, my dear Prince of the Sun, our seal was not perfect.  
He still had powers that we were unable to confine.” He shrugged.  
“Because they were so weak, however, we ignored them.  The Elders 
thought they could do no more harm.”
	“Tumbler was able to focus on situations, however, and encourage 
the bad karma.” Beavis said. “Making more of it, and even using it like 
a chisel to break his locks.”
	Rei’s face paled.  “What else did he do?”
	Beavis shrugged.  “There’s no telling how much of your history he 
controlled.  I doubt he had his hands in everything, but I do know that 
as more tumblers broke, he had more control.”
	Andrea swallowed hard.  “Julie really DID love Demeter...”
	Demeter finished the thought.  “A lost love...she was a lost 
love.  Tumbler used her to help free himself?”
	Beavis nodded.  “He probably changed her course just enough so 
she would intercept Earth.”
	“What else?” Rei asked, shaking.  
	“I don’t doubt that Ckay, the Negaverse, and probably even the 
Elders were used in the same way.”
	Chris swore something that Beavis had never heard him say before.  
Something to do with the male sexual organs and ducks.  “I HATE being 
manipulated!” he growled.
	Maury, on the same note, had the sudden urge to slam his head 
through a wall.  “FUCK!”
	Beavis took a deep breath.  “If you would all calm down, I’ll 
continue with the story.”
	Both boys sighed and sat back down.  
	Ami had finished looking at Chris’ orbit maps of the Solar System 
and sighed.  “I agree...something changed Julie’s course.”
	Beavis nodded.  “Now that we all agree that there is some bad 
mojo happening, I assume you all have some thinking to do.” He coughed.  
“I want you all to have a good night’s sleep.”
	“SLEEP?!” Maury gasped.  “NOW?”
	Beavis turned to him.  “Tumbler is not going to interrupt your 
beauty sleep, Maury.  I suggest you take advantage of that fact.”
	Lita stood.  “Maury, come on.  We’re going home.”
	“But...”
	“NOW!” she grumbled, dragging him behind her via his collar.
	Sharon’s eyes met with Rei’s, and she smiled.  “Of course.  
Everyone can stay here for the night.” Rei nodded.  “Chad can show you 
where everything is.”
	“Thank you, Rei.” Sharon said.  “Good night.” 
	Andrea watched her elegant older sister exit the room with an air 
of confidence that one only achieved after living for thousands of 
years.  
	If you’re lucky, he brain told her, you can pull off living that 
long as well.
	Let’s hope so.  She replied.

	Beavis walked past Luna and Artemis.  Luna had a look of absolute 
shock on her face.  Beavis paused.  “Is everything okay?”
	The two cats looked down at the hedgehog and gasped.  “You tell 
us all this NOW?” Artemis almost laughed.
	“Better late than never.” Beavis smiled, then walked off.  “Good 
night, oh, and Merry Christmas.”











				Chapter 3





	Merry Christmas.  

	You really get a new appreciation for those words when they bring 
the last happy memories you’ll probably ever have to your mind.  Don’t 
get me wrong, now, I’ve experienced a few happy little moments from 
that time on to today, but Christmas was the last day before everything 
started to turn to shit.  
	Just before everything tumbled.  

	I remember it in the back of my mind.  A little voice saying:  
Chris, you WILL enjoy this.  This is Christmas.  Have fun.  Make merry 
and all that kind of stuff.  
	Deep down, I think everyone knew they should enjoy it.  
	Christmas.  
	For Christians everywhere, it symbolized the birth of their 
savior.  To the Jewish, it was still the season to celebrate Hanukkah.  
Personally, I’ve always thought of it as the official “peace on earth, 
good will towards man” time, so I always loved it.   
	Not to mention the presents, but hey!  I’m not greedy.  He he! 

	Still, it was our last Christmas for who knew how long.  I wasn’t 
about to take anything for granted. 







	

	Christmas Day in New York looked a lot like any day in New York.  
The city was busy.  Noisy.  Even so, people walked with a spring in 
their step, and an idiotic smile on their face as they greeted each 
other with the familiar “Happy Holidays” banter.  
	Strangers on the street became friends.  Fellow Human Beings.  
One day out of the entire year that people didn’t have to feel 
ridiculous about letting down their defenses just enough to promote an 
air of congeniality and friendship all over the world.  
	
	It made him sick.

	Thank the heavens that these people only do this ONCE a year.  He 
thought to himself.  Heaven forbid that he’d be locked away in those 
rocks for an even longer time.  
	They made his back hurt.  Mind fuzzy.  Powers weak.  The thought 
of all this happiness and joy brought the feeling of the magic tumblers 
back over him.  
	Shuddering, he shook the feeling off.  He was free now.  Focus on 
the freedom.  A row of needle-sharp teeth bent upwards in a pseudo-
smile.  Focus on the mission.  Focus on the payment.  

	New York City, despite it’s temporary seasonal good-will, was 
still an excellent place to start.  
	It was also the home of two Keys.
	The second largest grouping in the history of this Universe.  Two 
Keys in the same city?  Let alone the same planet?  It was phenomenally 
simple!  
	Still, no time to destroy them.  Not if he wanted to keep with 
the schedule.  He had another plan.  One that made him smile as he 
thought about it’s irony.  
	My my my...this was going to be fun.  

	A tall, slender figure stood from his post on top of the Empire 
State Building’s main antenna.  His face was covered in what appeared 
to be four, bone-white plates.  Each forming part of a mask.  Behind 
him flew jagged ribbons of pale gray cloth.  Long, black-covered arms 
extended from his body in a wide arch as he stretched out his back and 
torso.  
	Finally, kneeling back down on the tall needle, he perched like a 
gargoyle, watching the traffic below.  Oh yes.  This was going to be a 
blast.  




	Still early in the day, Japan woke to the sound of a million 
presents being opened.  A million parents enjoying their first cup of 
Christmas Morning Tea or Coffee.  A million children simultaneously 
pressing the buttons on their newly acquired “Mothra” Tamagochis.  
	As she opened her eyes, Rei could almost feel the tension drain 
out of her.  She smiled as she noticed a warm arm around her waist.  
Chris had stayed with her for Christmas.  
	Even if it was because of the Tumbler threat, she knew it was a 
big step for both of them.  He had always gone back to Calgary to be 
with his family, and she had always stayed home, helping around the 
temple.  
	Lately, though, the line separating them grew weaker, and they 
had become a family in their own right.  A sparkle lit her eyes as she 
thought about it.  Their first Christmas as a family.  Her new family.  
Replacing what had been shattered by the years before this moment.  
	She would have time to think about it also being the first 
Christmas without Grandpa.  She could never replace him.  Not someone 
so dear to her heart.  But that time was later.  When all this was 
paused for long enough that they could morn and remember.
	After Tumbler was destroyed.  She sighed.  Whoever Tumbler was.
	Chris felt her sigh and a second later, his left eye shot open.  
“Good morning!” he whispered happily.  
	She laughed softly.  “You can never just wake up gradually, can 
you?  It’s always ‘hey!  I’m awake!  Let’s party!’”
	“Party?” Chris sat up.  “Don’t mind if I do” he laughed, grabbing 
her hand and pulling her out of bed with him.  
	She gasped, and they fell onto the floor together.  “Chris!”
	He just smiled and picked her up.  “Dance with me!  The air is 
crisp, the temple is warm, the egg-nog’s ready for consumption, and I 
feel a mamba coming on!”
	She raised an eyebrow.  “Is that coal in your stalking or are you 
just happy to see me?” she asked, looking down at his boxer shorts.  
	“I’ve been a baaaaaaad boy!” he said with a devilish grin.
	“Be good for goodness sake!” Rei retorted, kissing him on the 
nose 
	


	“I don’t know how well this is all going to work.” Artemis 
observed quietly.  “I don’t like this.”
	Luna laughed.  “Why?  Are you scared?  The great Artemis?”
	Miharu smiled, a few feet away.  “You cats ready?”
	“I don’t like the tone in her voice.” Artemis persisted.  
	“WHO HOO!” Miharu jumped at them, covered in one of Rei’s old 
snow-suits.  She landed on the sled, taking her, Luna and Artemis down 
the hill as fast as gravity let them.  “YEEEAH!”
	Beavis laughed from his vantage point as he watched Artemis 
tumble off into the snow, hidden almost instantly except for his pink 
nose and paws.  Miharu and Luna made it to the bottom of the hill as 
the little hedgehog walked over to his friend.  “Don’t tell me you 
never tried sledding before, Artemis?”
	His feline friend grumbled, wiping snow from his face and 
shivering.  “Aren’t you supposed to be hibernating right about now?” 
	Beavis shrugged.  
	Artemis got to his feet and looked down the hill.  “Geeze.  And I 
thought ice-skating was dangerous!”
	Mina walked over to them and knelt down.  “Aren’t you two cold?”
	“No, m’lady.” Beavis replied.  “I’m quite warm.”
	“Speak for yourself!” Artemis grumbled.  
	Mina smiled and picked Artemis up.  “Awww, is my baby kitty witty 
all cold?”

	“How’s she taking it?” Chris asked.
	Rei shook her head, watching from the window.  “It’s Christmas.  
She’s trying to take it well...but I can see it in her eyes.”
	Andrea nodded.  “Dave.”
	Serena shook her head.  “I don’t get it.  The Silver Crystal 
should have cleared away the ice in the Omega Web too.”
	“No...” Andrea sighed.  “I don’t think so.  It’s an entirely 
separate dimension, remember?”




	At the end of Hallway E-8 of the Omega Web complex, a blue light 
began to shine.  This was the first activity that the hall had seen in 
over a week.  
	The light had no real effect on the ice, however.  It was not the 
Silver Crystal.  It was not the light of energy and love.  
Hallway E-8 was the branch closest to New York City.  Actually, 
it led to the top of the Empire State Building.  One of the more recent 
entrances to the Normal Universe.  
	Because of the height of the building, it was an excellent portal 
for Omega Web Members to use.  Nobody could see a tiny ball of light 
fly out of nowhere from that height.  
	
	A tall, dark figure walked away from the base of the Empire State 
Building, wrapping his robes around him.  If the being had lips, they 
would be smiling.  
	Ice, from the tiny Omega Web portal, had been released. 

	Inch by inch, the gigantic broadcasting needle of the building 
began to turn a glossy, white-blue color.  Facets of crystal began to 
form.  It was slow.
	Very slow.

	But it had begun.  

	Again.

	And this time, it was the least of the world’s problems.  











				Chapter 4




	I wish we knew how to help the Omega Web.  They were so separate.  
Too isolated and distant.  In the beginning, it had helped them protect 
both Earth and themselves.  
	Now, both the Omega Web and the Earth were in deep shit because 
of their isolation.  We didn’t even know yet.  We wouldn’t know for 
another two days, but the Omega Web had acted like a battery.  Storing 
the Elder’s ice for that bastard to use against us.
	It was a diversion.  
	Tumbler just wanted us to keep busy.  
	
	Clever.  

	I hate when they’re clever.  Those are always the worse enemies.  








	
	There was no moon that night; just the pleasant twinkle of stars.  
It was summer then. 
	“About three thousand light-years off...” Dave said whispering 
into Mina’s hair “there’s a planet almost like Earth.”
	She smiled, resting her head against his chest.  “Oh?”
	“If you stand on the equator, you get to see a special sunrise 
every ten months.” He smiled.
	“What’s it like?” Mina asked.
	“The wind is warmed from the twin suns juuuusssst perfectly.” He 
sighed, recalling the memory as easily as he would flip through a book.  
“It hits you the second that the suns rise if you face to the West.” He 
let out a long sigh.  “It’s amazing.”
	Mina nodded.  “Will you take me one day?”
	He smiled.  “The trip is a few years traveling as a ball of 
light.  You might not like it.”
	“Might be worth it if I can come with you.” She replied happily.  
	Dave seemed to think about that idea for a while.  “You realize 
that you have to go naked, right?”
	“What?” she laughed.
	“Well, to get the full effect, you have to go naked.” He 
explained.  “The wind against your body is quite exhilarating.”
	“Are you sure that’s not just a ploy to see me naked?” Mina asked 
with a twinkle in her eye.
	“Are you accusing me of having an ungentlemanly thought, Miss 
Mina?” Dave smiled.  
	“Well, I can’t be certain of that...” she replied, “but I do know 
ONE way to resolve the issue.” She got up to her feet and stood over 
him.  
	Dave’s jaw dropped as Mina’s hands came up to the front of her 
white silk shirt and began to undo the buttons.  
	She smiled down at him with a fire in her eyes.  “This way, you 
don’t have to wait.”
	



	Mina’s eyes shot open as a shudder passed over her.  She was back 
in the temple.  Rei, Chris, Miharu, Chad, Ami, Sharon, Andrea and 
Demeter were sitting around the fire, talking quietly.  The cats and 
Beavis were curled up in the corner, sleeping soundly.  
	Ami glanced over to Mina.  “Hi, sleepy.  You dozed off.”
	“Yeah.” She yawned.  “Sorry.  Didn’t get much sleep last night.”
	“Of course not!” Chris smiled.  “Who can sleep on Christmas Eve?  
I never could.”
	“Too much excitement.” Andrea smiled.  “I even get like that the 
day before Christmas Eve.”
	Mina grinned.  “The last week is always hell for me.  The only 
reason I actually slept was...” she paused.  “Well, the fights, you 
know.  They kinda tire you out.”
	They all took a deep breath and nodded.  	
	“I’m going to go get something.” Chris sighed, then stood.  They 
watched him walk off down the hallway.  
	


	
	Chris needed to take a break.  Two people very close to him had 
lost someone they loved, and the tension was ebbing off on him.  Not to 
mention he had quite a close connection to Grandpa.  
	It would be so nice to just find a quiet corner and cry right 
now.  Even superheroes need to cry sometimes, he figured.  If you can’t 
even do that, then it’s not worth it.  You give up too much of your 
humanity, and saving the human race doesn’t really mean as much as it 
should.  
	He got to his room and let out a long, shuddering breath.  “Fu-
uck.”
	His laptop was beeping.  
	Resuming his tall posture, he walked over to the dresser and 
opened it.  Twenty phone call attempts had been made.  They all 
originated from somewhere in Calgary.  
	Just as he was wracking his brain on who it could be, the phone 
rang.  He shrugged and pressed the answering key.  “Hello?”
	“Chris?!” Dana’s excited voice blared back at him.  “My god!  
I’ve been trying to reach you all day!”
	He smiled.  “I see.  Sorry.  I was spending Christmas with my 
family up here.”
	“Good!  Sorry...I was just checking to see if everyone was 
alright.  There’s been reports that not everyone survived the ice.”
	Chris nodded.  “I know...a few really good people were lost.  I 
hope everything’s nice and defrosted back at the city, though.” He 
sighed, changing the subject.
	“As much as can be expected from the time of year, yes.” Dana 
cheered.  “When you pick up some snow to make a snowball, it doesn’t 
freeze you.”
	Chris chuckled.  “So it’s a warm winter in Calgary, I guess.”
	There was a light pause.  “I heard you killed one of the aliens 
that were doing it.”
	He nodded to himself.  “Yeah, how did you hear it?”
	“You mean you don’t know?”
	“Know?”
	“You, and about six of the other Scouts are now celebrities.  
People know your real names.”
	His face paled.  Relax, Chris, you knew this was going to happen 
sooner or later, he decided.  “Mmm, yeah.  It was kinda unavoidable.”
	“The name Nacho is even circling around.  Some kid who saw the 
fight was your friend and he was telling everyone about Nacho.” Dana 
laughed.  
	“Joey.” Chris sighed. 
	“Yeah.” She replied.  “But anyway, how are you?”
	He paused, uncertain what to say.  “I’m alive.” He replied 
finally.  “But this thing is far from over.”
	“What do you mean?”
	“I’d rather not scare you with the details.” Chris sighed.  
“Basically, it’s do or die.”
	“Okay.” Dana nodded.  “But, listen...I want you to talk to me if 
you need to.  Even if you have to wait.” Her voice became a little 
smaller.  “I know you have a family already, so I won’t interfere.  But 
I’d still like to be your friend and drag-racer.”
	“I’d love that.” Chris said with his first smile in hours that 
wasn’t forced.  “Now, if you don’t mind, I need to get really drunk.”
	Dana giggled.  “Sounds like a plan.” She said.  “Have a good 
night, Chris.  And...happy holidays.”
	“I doubt it.” A sigh.  “But it’s the thought that counts.” He 
amended.




	Rei was about to get up and see what was taking Chris so long 
when he finally returned with three bottles and a cluster of glasses 
under his hands.  They all raised their eyes.  “What’s that?” Mina 
asked.
	“These are the rules,” Chris interrupted  “of my drinking game.  
One, you down your first glass straight.” He began setting up a make-
shift bar.  “Second, we don’t stop till the wee hours of the morning.” 
He began pouring each of the adults a drink.  “And finally...” he 
smiled.  “We talk.”
	Chad raised an eyebrow as he was handed the little glass of dark 
brown liquid.  “What’s this supposed to do?  Make us forget our 
problems?”
	Rei shook her head.  “No, Chad.” She sighed.  “This is to let us 
get everything off our chests.” She gave Chris a suspicious look.  
“This better not be Southern Comfort.”
	He grinned.  “Oh yeah.”
	Andrea shook her head.  “Oh noooo...I like that stuff tooooo 
much.” She was handed a glass anyway.  
	Demeter smiled.  “Can I have the glass when you’re done?”
	They heard the front door slam.  Chris raised an eyebrow.  
	Andrea shrugged.  “Maury probably just needed to get out for a 
bit.”
	They all nodded.  
	“Hope he’ll be okay.” Rei said to herself.  
	“He’ll be fine.” Chris assured her.  “He does this all the time.”











				Chapter 5




	Maury walked along the abandoned snowy streets leaving a trail of 
foot shaped indentations in the otherwise pristine white powder.  It 
was midnight.  He could feel it in his bones.  
	And although he usually cherished the night for all it’s calm, he 
was now dreading it.  
	The Prince of Sol was, probably for the first time in his adult 
life, scared of the dark.  It was too quiet.  Too still.  The air 
around him fell dead and cold on his chest as he walked.  The air WAS 
dead.  Something had killed it.
	Prince Destiny walked over to a park bench and sat down, using 
his trench coat’s long back to prevent his butt from getting cold on 
the snowy architecture.  
	“Come on, brain.” He closed his eyes.  “Think.  Think.  Fuck.  
Why can’t I get a reading?”
	His future-seeing powers had all but left him over the last week.  
It was getting weird.  Little stuff, like knowing if you’d slip on a 
patch of ice while walking down the street, wasn’t even coming to him.  
He had the bruises to prove it, too.  
	Since becoming Prince Destiny, he had been able to use his powers 
in everyday life.  Not needing to sleep.  Not worrying about car 
accidents.  Not worrying about being surprised by the little day to day 
things that made up life.  
	Now, all those annoyances had jumped back in to his life.  He was 
sure that going completely crazy was just a matter of time.  Not 
knowing your destiny was not an option to the Prince of Destiny.  
	Today, Beavis had dropped the bombshell, and made Maury realize 
just how helpless he really was.  He knew nothing anymore.  Everything 
that was destined to this point has been a lie.  
	“I need a reset button.” Maury sighed to himself, leaning back on 
the bench and looking up into the sky.  “Yeah, that’s it.  Just power 
off for a moment and re-boot my brain.” He growled.  “Before I go 
fucking insane.”
	That’s when it hit him.  A vision.  One helluva vision.  The 
first in about ten days.  It was so powerful that he almost fell out of 
his seat.  

	The mouth went dry and he almost threw up.  

	Jumping to his feet coughing, looking around frantically.  Images 
kept jumping into his brain, invading his sight.  Blood.  A lot of 
blood.  Splatters and pools across the snow.  
	“NO!” he gasped, forcing the images back.  “SOL POWER!”  Even 
before he said the words, a beam of sunlight shot down from the clouds 
and enveloped him.  A second later, he was dressed in all black; a belt 
of glowing throwing stars around his waist.  
	The images continued, however.  They became clearer.  It was his 
blood.  Oh my god...his blood...everywhere...
	In his vision, he saw the park bench.  
	He turned around quickly to see the bench he had just been 
sitting on.  “What the fuck is going on?” he asked himself, shaking.  


	The voice was like thunder.  Concentrated thunder with a thousand 
flapping wings and buzzing wasps.  It shot through every cell of his 
body at once, masked by a soothing front.  Deep, rich, and dangerous.  
	“You mean you don’t know?” the voice asked.
	Maury spun around, trying to pinpoint the sound.  “Who’s there?” 
he growled.  “You picked the wrong guy to fuck with pall...”
	Finally, he saw it.  
	A dark figure leaned up against a nearby cherry tree.  “I 
disagree.  I picked you for a very specific reason.”
	“I doubt you even know who I am, psycho.” Maury said, taking a 
step forward and reaching into his coat for a star.  
	The figure leaned forward into the light.  Instead of a face, a 
smooth, bone-white mask covered his featureless head.  It seemed to be 
separated into four quarters by a horizontal and vertical crease.  
Maury blinked, not sure what to think of the sight.  
	As the thing talked, however, the four mask-plates moved like a 
mouth.  Two mouths running in each direction.  A row of tiny, needle-
like teeth behind each plate.  
	“You are Prince Destiny.  Heir to the star of this Solar System.” 
The thing said happily.  “I have been watching you for a very long 
time.  I know exactly who you are.”
	Blood.  HIS blood.  Maury kept seeing his blood everywhere he 
looked.  Superimposed on the scene around him.  “Who are you?” Maury 
asked again.
	“I am nameless.” The figure shrugged.  Massive, muscular arms and 
shoulders moved in sync to his voice.  Whatever it was had to be seven 
feet tall at least.  “However, I believe the Elders in this universe 
named me Tumbler.” The being laughed.  “I kind of like it, actually.  I 
might keep it.”
	Maury’s heart sank.  Tumbler.  Tumbler was here, and Maury was 
half an hour away from any backup.  
	“Now that you know who I am...” Tumbler continued, walking 
towards him “do you know why I’m here?”
	“You’re after the Silver Crystal.” Maury said, trying to regain 
some composure.  Focus on your mission, he told himself.  
	Tumbler nodded.  “Very good.  And you have to stop me, don’t 
you?”
	Maury nodded.  “Yes.” He coughed.  “Yes.” He repeated in a growl.  
	The plates on his face shifted to form a haunting smile.  “Good.  
This will be fun after all.” 
	“SOL FLARE!” Maury yelled, letting his body erupt in a massive 
attack of light and energy.  
	Tumbler stood his ground effortlessly as the plasma splattered 
against his chest and head.  “Oh please.” He laughed.  
	That just made Maury mad, and he turned up the juice.  The waves 
of plasma intensified until there was a beam of destructive power 
hitting Tumbler’s body.  
	Still, it made no difference.  The alien stood his ground like he 
was fighting a light breeze.  “By now you must realize what your vision 
is.” Tumbler growled over the howl of deadly plasma.  
	Maury closed his eyes.  “FUCK YOU!” he yelled as the attack 
powered down, leaving him spent and gasping for breath.  He reached 
behind his back and withdrew a bo.  
	Tumbler cocked his head.  “A stick?  Mmmmm, what a novel idea.  
Fight to the death with stone-aged weapons.  How quaint.” He smiled 
again, letting rows of teeth show.  “However, I already let you have a 
free shot on me.  I’m afraid I’ll have to fight back this time.”
	“Works for me.” Maury huffed in the cold air.  His body ached 
from the overexerted Sol Flare, but he couldn’t let that bother him 
now.  
	Not when he just witnessed his own death.  
	The tall, white and black figure took a step towards Maury.  
“I’ll make sure your precious Lita joins you next.” He smiled.
	The bo swung around and Maury held it like a spear.  Tumbler’s 
grin never left his face as Maury charged.  “LIKE HELL YOU WILL!” Maury 
yelled, jumping at Tumbler, bo first.  
	Tumbler reached up and caught the bo in two hands, swinging Maury 
around and breaking the staff in two.  Maury let go and flew into a 
nearby tree trunk.  The impact left him winded and on the ground, 
gasping for air.  
	“Strange you should mention hell.” Tumbler smiled, walking over 
to the fallen Prince.  “You see, I have a little surprise for you.  A 
little something for your efforts against me.” He paused, still 
smiling.  “Although I would consider it more of a reward for helping 
me.”
	Maury looked up, unable to speak.  A trickle of blood escaped 
from his lips.  
	Tumbler continued, admiring the broken staff in his hands.  “Ahh, 
what is that saying...I can never remember it when I want to...” he 
laughed.  “Oh, oh yes!  Of course.” He raised the splintered stick high 
above Maury’s body and laughed.  “I’ll see you in hell!”
	The bo was brought down hard and fast, hitting Maury right on the 
side, puncturing his flesh and emerging on the other side of his back.  
He gasped as pain shot throughout his body.  
	With a sickening slurp, Tumbler withdrew the bo and tossed it 
away into the trees.  
	A pool of deep red was forming under him, just like he had seen 
in his vision.  Maury tried to reach the tree to help himself to his 
feet, but his legs wouldn’t move.  Panicking, he began clawing for the 
bench just a few meters away.
	Every inch he gained, Tumbler was just a step behind.  “Oh come 
now...don’t be a bad loser.” He sighed.  “You KNEW you were going to 
die here.” He smiled.  “It’s your destiny.”
	Maury felt a tug on the back of his trench coat and was lifted up 
into the air by Tumbler’s massive arm.  He tried to protest, but only 
succeeded in coughing up blood.  
	Tumbler shook his head.  “Well, no sense in making you suffer.” 
He smiled wide.  “There will be plenty of time for that later.”
	Maury gasped as he was lifted another meter into the air, then 
launched upwards.  

	The last thing Maury saw was the park bench as his head was 
crushed into it.  












				Chapter 6




	Beavis had been watching the news that morning, and was the first 
to know.  His eyes were wide as the television showed the scene at a 
park only a dozen blocks away from the temple.  
	The tiny animal turned off the television and walked over to the 
fire-reading room where everyone had passed out last night.  Chris was 
sleeping with Rei’s arms tucked around him.  
	“Chris.  Wake up.” Beavis said calmly.
	To his surprise, Chris’ eyes creaked open.  “Hi Beav.” He 
whispered.  “What time is it?”
	“Get up.” Beavis ordered under his breath.  “Don’t wake anyone 
else.”
	Confused, but awake, Chris gently pried Rei off his back and 
stood, following the hedgehog out into the hallway.  “Where are we 
going?”
	“Outside.” Beavis said.  
	Chris paused to put on his shoes, half-noticing that Maury’s 
sneakers hadn’t been returned.  “What’s this all about?” he asked as 
they went outside.  Beavis continued to trek through the snow like it 
was nothing.  Chris just shrugged and followed.  “It’s cold.  If you 
don’t mind, I’d like to know why we’re out here in the first place.”
	Beavis stopped when they had reached the woods.  “Sit down.” He 
ordered.  
	Chris started to protest, but Beavis glared him out of it.  
“Fine.” He sighed, brushing off a log to sit on.  
	Beavis closed his eyes.  “I need you to promise me one thing.”
	Chris frowned, becoming annoyed.  
	“You have to keep sitting there for the next minute.” Beavis 
explained.  “If you do not, then I’m not going to tell you the bad 
news.”
	“Bad news?” Chris blinked.
	Beavis nodded.  “Very bad.”
	Shivering, Chris nodded.  “Okay.  Sixty seconds.  I promise.  Not 
even if I have to take a whiz will I stand up in the next minute.”
	“Maury’s dead.”
	All air in Chris’ lungs drained away.  He stared at Beavis, 
unable to speak.  
	“I saw it on the news.” The hedgehog explained slowly, voice low.  
“Tumbler must have found him last night.”
	“No...there has to...” Chris’ voice caught in his throat.  
“...Maury?”
	Beavis nodded.  “I need your head clear, Strike Fiss.  Tumbler 
wants us to get angry.  Fight carelessly.  Do not give into that.”
	Chris was shivering hard, now.  Not from the cold.  His mind had 
all but shut down.  “Oh god...Maury’s dead?” he paused.  “How?”
	“His...” Beavis paused to regain his composure.  “head was 
smashed into a park bench.”
	Chris’ eyes shut tight, desperately trying to push away the 
mental images.  “Fuck...” he shuddered as tears began streaming down 
his face.  “Beavis...please tell me sixty seconds are up now.”
	Beavis sighed.  “Yes.”
	In a blink of an eye, half the trees around Chris were smoldering 
on the ground, his sword out along his back, spent from the strike.  
“SHIT!!” he gasped, collapsing to the ground, his sword still glowing 
blue from the outburst.  
	Beavis could only stand there, eyes wide.  “I...” he shook his 
head.  “I am sorry, Chris.”
	Letting the initial shock wash over him, Chris finally stood. His 
sword spun around in his hand, then found the end of his scabbard.  It 
slid in and ended with a shark SHHNIK!!  Snow crunched as Chris walked 
back over to the temple, not bothering to change back to his normal 
clothes.  
	


	Lita woke to Chris’ hand on her shoulder.  “We need to talk.” He 
said.
	She blinked off the last remnants of sleep and sat up.  “What’s 
up, Chris?”  she paused as she saw his face.  Tears had frozen down the 
side of his head.  “Oh god...”
	

	
	
	Tumbler perched on the highest ledge of the building, taking in 
the view.  “Mmmmm.  Beautiful day, isn’t it?”
	An eyeless gaze looked out over the city.  “You humans have a lot 
to learn about suffering.  You think that the pain you feel is hell on 
earth, when really it is nothing more than your flimsy bodies 
complaining to your mind.” He said to no one in particular.  At least, 
not anyone still alive.  
	“And even though most of these people will never know true 
suffering, the Sailor Scouts will be lucky.” The four bone white plates 
on his head shifted and molded into a smile.  “You will be my pupils.”
	“As for the rest of this planet, they won’t even get such an 
honor.” Tumbler shook his head.  “Pity I can’t take more of them with 
me when I destroy this universe.”
	He seemed to pause, as if listening.  
	“Very amusing, my friend.” He laughed. “But I can assure you that 
your precious Lita will be joining you in just a few hours.” He smiled.  
“After all, you’ve all been so helpful.  I wouldn’t dream about leaving 
even one of you without a reward.”
	With that, Tumbler jumped off the skyscraper and plummeted to the 
pavement.  Dropping towards a school bus, he chuckled.  “Let’s begin.”











				Chapter 7



	

	CRACK!  

	The Scouts all cringed at the sound as they watched the 
television in horror.  “Dear god...” Rei gasped.
	On the early edition news, the large, hulking form of Tumbler 
walked over to another lamp-post and ripped it out of the ground like 
it was a blade of grass.  He then held the post like a spear, and 
preceded to use it as such against the police car that had just 
arrived.  
	The metal pole shredded the car in half, followed by a large 
fireball.  The news anchor-person was screaming her head off, ordering 
the cameraman to get the hell out of there.  
	A second later, the screen shifted as the news team ran for it.  
	Beavis was noticeably shaken from the sight of Tumbler.  “That’s 
him.”
	Ami shook her head.  “We’ve got to go out there!  He’s destroying 
the city!”
	“Don’t you think he knows that we know that?” Mina said.  “It’s 
to get our attention.”
	“Well he certainly did that.” Andrea grumbled.  “Now, what the 
hell are we going to do about it?”
	Demeter shook his head.  “It’s probably a trap, then.  If he 
expects us to come then we’ll be fighting on his terms.”
	“We have no choice.” Serena sighed.  “We have to protect the 
city.”
	“Bullshit.” Chris interrupted.  “We’re protecting the entire 
fucking planet right now.  If one city gets trashed to save ten 
thousand, I say we let it.”
	Everyone gasped.
	Beavis shook his head.  “Chris is right.  You’re going to have to 
change your tactics to fight him.”
	“I didn’t say that we won’t be going out there right now.” Chris 
interrupted.  
	Beavis blinked.  “But you just said...”
	“He’s not laying a trap for us.” Chris continued.  “He doesn’t 
need to.” He turned to Beavis.  “That monster is tearing through brick 
and metal like it was marshmallow.  He’s defeated entire planets, and 
even the Elders.  He killed Maury...who I think we all know had the 
most raw energy out of all of us.” He leaned in closer to the little 
hedgehog.  “Do you really think he NEEDS to set a trap to be able to 
kill us?”
	The silence was shredded as Tumbler threw what was left of a 
school bus into the side of a building.  The camera showed the engine 
block exiting on the other side.  
	Lita nodded.  “So we go and fight him head on.  Kill the 
motherfucker with whatever we can.”
	Chris stood and nodded.  “Thank you Miss Jupiter.  That is 
exactly what we do.  We go out there, and we keep the bastard busy...” 
he turned to Ami “while Miss Mercury tries to find some tactical 
advantage for us to use.”
	They all nodded.  Pluto said nothing, but seemed to agree.  
Hotaru nodded.  “It’s a good start.  We really have no idea how to 
fight something from outside this universe.”
	Andrea turned to Sharon.  “When do we play our trump card?”
	Sharon shook her head.  “When I think it’s the only option.”
	Everyone turned to the two Pluto’s.  “What Trump Card?” Rei 
demanded.
	“We might be able to pull the bastard out of our universe by 
throwing him into a time bubble.” Sharon explained.  “But it’s risky.”
	Beavis almost laughed.  “Risky?  Are you fucking INSANE, woman?” 
he waddled up to the tall, purple-suited Sailor Scout.  “If you so much 
as breath the wrong way when trying to form that kind of independent 
bubble...”
	“I know the risks.” Sharon eyed the little animal.  “Do not 
lecture me on the use of Time.”
	To everyone’s surprise, Beavis shot up and hovered in mid air, 
right in front of Sharon’s face.  “Then I might as well just kill you 
now and get rid of the option.”
	“STONE!” Andrea yelled.  A split second later, Beavis crashed 
into the far wall, stunned.  “Beavis, you need to relax.” Andrea 
growled.  “This is our fight.  Let us at least plan for the worst.”
	Beavis fell to the ground unharmed, but ruffled.  He quickly 
regained composure and set back his quills in their normal sleek order.  
“I can’t believe what this is coming to.” He mumbled.
	Andrea put away her fist.  Chris smiled.  “I do believe you’re 
the first person to shut him up since I knew he could talk.”
	She bowed with a smile.
	Ami coughed.  “So, about the mean looking guy in black and gray 
that just threw a semi-truck into the local police precinct?”
	Serena nodded.  “Okay.  We have to face him at least once.  This 
might as well be it.” She turned to the Pluto’s.  “You know I have no 
clue about time or anything like that.  But Beavis seems to know what 
he’s talking about.” She gave them both a hard look.  “Make sure you 
keep this time-bubble thing on hold until everything else fails.”
	Sailor Pluto and Sailor Hooze both nodded.   
	Sailor Moon turned to the group.  “Who’s the fastest driver?”
	Everyone pointed to Chris.  Chris smiled.
	Serena laughed.  “Okay.  Chris, you need to take Ami and make 
sure she has time to scan Tumbler.”
	Ami paled.  “Oh no...I’m NOT getting into another car with 
that...weirdo.”
	Mina smiled.  “Come on, Ami.  It’s the end of the world.  We all 
gotta do things we don’t wanna do.”
	Ami grumbled.  “Fine.”
	Serena turned to the group again.  “The rest of us have to keep 
him busy.” She frowned.  “In other words, if we realize that we 
can’t...”
	“Kill the mother fucking cock sucker?” Lita offered helpfully.
	“Yes.” Serena blushed.  “Kill the cock sucker...then we have to 
give Chris and Ami enough time to get a complete scan.” She sighed.
	Alex nodded.  “That means if Tumbler is going to throw a transit 
bus through the wall of a day-care, we have to keep focused.”
	Serena nodded reluctantly, realizing it just might come to that.  
“That’s an order from your queen.  Keep on this asshole like...”
	“Spaghetti on meatballs.” Darien quipped.  
	They all stood slowly.  “One more thing.” Serena said suddenly.
	“Yeah?” Rei asked.
	“I order...” Serena said slowly “each and every one of you...not 
to get killed.”
	They all smiled.
	“It makes sense.” Andrea replied.  “If we all get killed, who 
will keep him busy?”
	“Good point.” Demeter smiled.
	Chris had his key out on his finger, spinning it around.  “Well, 
let’s get going.” He gave a grave smile.  “The sooner we kill him, the 
sooner I can do donuts on his grave and piss on his headstone.”
	Beavis watched them all leave.  “May the Elders have mercy on 
me.” He whispered to himself, then walked out the door to join his 
fellow Senshi.
	Miharu, Chad, Luna and Artemis all sighed.  “Anyone for pizza?” 
Artemis suggested.  
	They all gave him dirty looks. 
	The white cat frowned.  “I was just suggesting.”











				Chapter 8




	Ugh.  I’m getting tired.  Tired of death.  Tired of trying to 
prevent something that comes to us all.  Saving a little girl from an 
attacking monster only to have her die in a car crash a year later.  
	You know something?  That actually happened.  I recognized her 
face in the papers, and remembered that I saved her from one of the 
battles last year.  
	Fuck it.  I’m running from death right now, too.  There’s no 
guarantee that this ice won’t kill me.  Maybe that’s why I’m running.  
I’m a scared little child running from the reaper.  Whatever happened 
to that catchy “Don’t fear the reaper” song, Chris?  Huh?  
	Oh well.  If it gets me, it gets me.  My only fear is that I’ll 
slip and fall and break my neck before I get frozen.  
	Speaking of death, I just remembered a little poem.  It seems to 
fit this part of the story.  Just as we meet Tumbler for the first 
time.  Ahem.  Okay, lets see if I can remember it.  


Their’s not to make reply,
Their’s not to reason why,
Their’s but to do and die;
Into the valley of Death
		Rode the six Hundred.  


	Or, in this case, a dozen or so Senshi and a car with the front 
end smashed in.









	Serena was shaking as they walked.  Darien saw this and his arm 
came up behind her and held her shoulder.  She looked up and smiled 
into his masked eyes.  “Thanks.”
	He smiled back.  “Remember, whatever happens, I love you.  Now 
and forever.”
	Andrea sighed.  “That might be a good idea.  We should all wish 
each other good luck just incase we don’t get out of this one intact.”
	Mina shook her head.  “We all know how we feel.  And we ARE 
coming out of this intact.” She smiled.  “Our Queen has ordered us to.  
We have no choice.”
	The street led straight to the carnage downtown, and even more 
than a block away, they were beginning to see traces of mangled cars 
and cement dividers thrown through thirtieth floor windows in some of 
the buildings.  
	“So I guess hand to hand combat is out of the question.” Lita 
mused.  
	Alex pounded her fist into her other hand.  “Only until the 
sucker’s bleeding to death on the ground.  Then, I’m taking a shot to 
his face just for fun.”
	“Good call.” Lita nodded.  
	Pluto turned to Neptune.  “Make sure you use that mirror of 
yours, just in case we can find something we can use right away.”
	Michelle nodded.  “Already planning to.”




	Chris had cut and tied up the front fender of Nacho so he could 
drive without pieces of metal and plastic in his view.  The air-bag had 
been quickly stuffed back into the steering wheel and taped up.  Ami 
could tell he was not happy.  
	“You know.” He sighed. “I was pretty pissed off when I was forced 
to hit that Elder with Nacho.” He sighed.  “You see, Nacho is like a 
baby brother to me.”
	Ami nodded, making sure her seatbelt was done up.  
	“But now, I’ve lost my best friend.” Chris growled.  “My brother.  
The person who I’ve spent half my life with and goofed around with.” He 
turned to Ami and turned Nacho around a corner.  “How do you think that 
makes me feel?”
	“Angry?” Ami asked.
	Chris nodded.  “Yes.  Angry is an understatement.” He sighed.  
“The only reason why I’m not bawling my eyes out, or screaming at 
Tumbler right now is because I know that isn’t going to avenge Maury’s 
death.”
	Ami nodded.
	“But, Ami...” he smiled.  “That also means I will not get us 
killed in this car.  If I do that, then Tumbler also wins.” He said.  
“You don’t have to worry about that.”
	Ami smiled and relaxed slightly.  “Okay, good.  I’m glad you 
don’t let anger get to your driving.”
	Chris nodded.  “Hold on.” He punched it into 3rd gear and the car 
jumped forward.  “Would you care for some music?”
	“AAH!” Ami gasped, pushed back into her seat as they swerved 
around traffic.  “Uh...no...it’s okay...”
	“Okay then.” Chris nodded.  “Get out your computer and start 
scanning.  The fun is just around this corner.”





	Tumbler smiled to himself as the car known as Nacho skidded 
around the corner, throwing up a wake of fresh snow as it straightened.  
“Well well well.” He laughed.  “Strike Fiss.”
	Nacho stood still for a moment as Chris and Ami took in their 
first good look of the monster.  Chris raised his hand and through the 
windshield, waved.  “Hello duck fucker.” He said his own little 
greeting without even hearing Tumbler.
	Tumbler was just about to turn his destructive attention onto the 
little car when a rose shot out from the shadows and struck the ground 
just in front of his feet.  
	With a smile, Tumbler twisted around to see the assembled Sailor 
Scouts lined up along the street.  Tuxedo Mask had his arm stretched 
out from the throw dramatically letting his cape wave in the cold 
winter breeze.   
	Sailor Moon stepped forward and pulled out her wand.  “I am 
Sailor Moon.” She said elegantly, walking forward as she did.  
“Guardian of this planet and this universe.” She stopped walking and 
crossed her arms, letting the scepter rest along her arm.  “I am here 
to request that you leave.”
	Tumbler took a step forward.  “Why, Sailor Moon...I do believe 
that is the most curious and polite ultimatum I have ever received.” He 
bowed at the waist.  “I am truly touched.” His head rose.  “But why 
should I honor this request?”
	Serena wasn’t phased.  “If you do not leave of your own free 
will, we would be forced to stop your attack with deadly force.” She 
smiled.  “This is your last chance.  You may leave, or you can die.”
A black-covered hand came up to his chin and scrapped against the 
bone as if he was rubbing a beard.  


	Chris turned to Ami.  “Are you scanning this?”
	Ami smiled.  “Yes.” Her fingers were flying at the tiny keyboard.  
“Just a few more minutes.”
	He nodded, then pulled out his own laptop.  “Here.  Use mine 
too.”


	Tumbler’s double mouths opened and closed like a flower’s petals 
as he sighed.  “I’m terribly sorry, Sailor Moon.” He cocked his head.  
“Oh, and you too, Sailor Scouts...please don’t think I’m being rude to 
any of you.”
	They all crossed their arms.  
	“However...” Tumbler smiled.  “I’m afraid I’ll have to continue.  
Hope you don’t mind.”
	They watched as Tumbler walked over to a black compact car and 
picked it up.  A second later, it was hurtled through the window of a 
candy shop down the street.  They all cringed.  Lita’s fist was 
clenched.  “Hope you don’t mind if I rip off your dick and tear your 
face off with it.”
	Tumbler paused and turned to Lita.  “Alas, I have no genitalia.  
I am sorry, Miss Jupiter.  That would have been an impressive sight to 
see if you could have pulled it off...” he laughed “so to speak.”
	Sailor Moon sighed.  “Then, in the name of the Moon.” She 
growled.  “I’m going to punish you.”
	Tumbler smiled and bent down. He found a fire-hydrant on the side 
of the road and ripped it off of the cement.  Casually, he threw it 
over his shoulder.  


	Chris gasped and floored it.  Nacho just barely escaped colliding 
with the hydrant as it hit the pavement just half a meter away.  
	“Asshole.” He gasped, breaks on again.


	The Scouts all took fighting stances.  “Let’s LOCK N LOAD, 
SCOUTS!” Andrea yelled.  
	Lita was first.  “JUPITER THUNDER CRASH!”
	“Jan Ken Pon...SICCORS!”
	“Mars Fire IGNITE!”
	The three launched forward and attacked.  Tumbler had a stupid 
little grin on his face as the crackling energy tried to cut him in to, 
but ended up just snapping into oblivion like a cheap pair of scissors 
against a rod of steel.  Fire rushed over him, only to go out a moment 
later when it could consume nothing flammable.  Lightning shot down 
from the heavens above only to be absorbed and re-directed into the 
cold ground.  
	Tumbler stood exactly where he had been before the onslaught.  
Only the smoking circle of pavement around him showed any sign of an 
attack.  
	“Not too bad.” Tumbler said.  “You Scouts must be great fun at 
birthday parties and new year celebrations.” He seemed to yawn.  
“Though, I must admit, I’ve seen more impressive roman candles.”
	“I’ll show you fucking candles.” Rei growled.
	“Now...” Tumbler turned his attention to Lita. “I have a promise 
to keep.” He grinned.  “You’re next, Miss Jupiter.”
	Lita’s gloves creaked as her fists got tighter.  “Bring it on.”
	Tumbler smiled.  That was the only warning they got.
	He jumped forward with speed that didn’t really seem possible for 
his height and build.  He slammed Serena into the ground with a 
shoulder-check, and sped past her to grab Lita by the throat.  His 
momentum carried them back into a brick wall and Lita hit so hard, she 
could have sworn her back just exploded.  She couldn’t even cry out in 
pain because of the iron grip Tumbler had on her throat.  
	Darien leapt in the air, staff extended.  “LET HER GO!”
	Tumbler spun around, taking Lita with him, and grabbed the end of 
the staff.  With a casual flick of his wrist, Tumbler send Tuxedo Mask 
rocketing back into the air. 
	Darien landed painfully in a heap of snow about a block down the 
street.  
	Tumbler then threw his staff at Demeter, who only barely had time 
to react.  Instead of hitting the Zistle, it slammed into his shoulder, 
causing half of his body to shatter.  
	Dragging Lita in his left hand, Tumbler began walking towards 
Sailor Moon, who had just finally been able to stand after getting the 
wind knocked out of her.  
	Andrea, who forced herself to forget about Demeter for a moment, 
pulled together her thoughts and transported herself directly in front 
of Tumbler’s path.  
	He looked down at the girl who was a good two feet shorter than 
he was.  “Aren’t you a bit young to die, Sailor Hooze?” he laughed.  
	She shuttered as the voice echoed throughout the street.  “Jan 
Ken Pon...STONE!” she wound up and punched Tumbler in the chest.
	Tumbler was about to laugh when the force of a small meteorite 
hit him square in the gut.  A brilliant flash of red light enveloped 
him and he flew backwards into the air, landing only after slamming 
into a sushi restaurant, an electronics store, and a jewelry store.  
	Sailor Hooze stood her ground and crossed her arms.  “Bite me.”
	Lita had been dropped by the surprise attack, and was coughing, 
trying to regain her ability to speak.  They all rushed around the two 
and helped Lita to her feet.  “Thanks...I thought I was a goner.” She 
gasped hoarsely.  


	Chris slammed on the gas and Nacho zipped past the rubble, trying 
to get a fix on where Tumbler had landed.  He was all smiles for the 
first time in a day.  “That’s my sister out there!” he said proudly.
	Ami also had a smile on her face.  At least they knew they could 
hurt the asshole.  “I’m getting a reading.  He’s still moving, but he’s 
buried in some rubble.” She pointed.  “Two o’clock!  Two hundred 
meters!”
	“How’s that scan coming, Aims?” Chris asked, spotting where the 
trail of rubble had ended.
	“Not too bad.” She sighed.  “Need more time, though.”
	Chris spotted something in the rear view mirror and smiled.  
“Well, we’re just about to get a little more time.”


	Hotaru, Alex and Michelle all jumped through the last of the 
ruined walls, then continued to run.  “Okay, Outers!  Let’s show this 
asshole he picked the wrong universe to crash!” Alex yelled.
	They stopped at the sight of the trail’s end.  Andrea’s attack 
had done just what it was designed to do, and Tumbler looked like he 
had been hit by a small moon.  A black and white covered fist finally 
bust through the rock and metal, however, and a second later, Tumbler 
was free and not smiling anymore.
	He was breathing heavily now, the plates on his face opening and 
closing slightly, showing rows and rows of sharp, tiny teeth.  “I 
forgot how...” he paused “entertaining...it was to fight someone who 
was remotely formidable.”
	Hotaru stepped forward with a frown.  “I think you’ll really 
enjoy this then.” She spun her glaive around and pointed it at him.  
“SILENCE GLAIVE...” she raised her staff high in the air then slammed 
it into the ground.  “SURPRISE!”
	The entire street darkened as energy was sucked into a ball at 
Tumbler’s feet.  He frowned, then looked back up to Sailor Saturn.  
“I’m afraid I’m not falling for that again.” He jumped up into the air, 
then came down away from the energy blast hands first.  Tumbler’s arms 
ripped into the street, and he lifted up a gigantic slab of pavement.  
	The Scouts all gasped as he threw it at them like a Frisbee.  
Sailor Saturn was yanked out of the way by Sailor Uranus as they 
dodged.  Her attack fizzled into nothingness.  
	Neptune was ready before the others were, however, and launched 
the next attack.  “NEPTUNE DEEP SUBMERGE!” A wall of water shot up 
around her, then focused into her hands.  
	Tumbler was caught off guard and the ball of blue energy and 
water hit him in the shoulder.  He flew backwards and slammed into 
another wall.  This time, however, he caught himself before he left 
much more than a Tumbler-shaped indentation in the brick, and launched 
himself back over to Sailor Neptune.  She tried to duck, but he managed 
to scoop her back in his path.
	Landing in the snow, away from the others, Tumbler held her 
shoulders and laughed.  “I guess you’re next.”
	Michelle struggled, but was no match for the hulking monster on 
top of her.  “Get OFF of me!” she screamed.
	Light began to glow from her chest and she yelled out in pain.  


	Chris and Ami gasped, watching as Tumbler’s face opened up like a 
flower.  “What the hell is he doing?!?” 
	“I don’t know!” Ami yelled, scanning frantically.  
	It was over too fast, however, as Tumbler slammed his head 
against Sailor Neptune’s chest, then...
	
	Ripped it open.

	Ami had to look away as the crunch echoed throughout the street.  
“Oh god...” she breathed, not even wanting to look at the information 
on her computer.
	Chris slammed his hand into Nacho’s steering wheel.  “FUCK!” he 
turned to Ami.  “Finnish that damn scan!  NOW!”
	“I’m trying!” Ami yelled back, forcing her eyes to turn to the 
screen again.  


	Michelle’s body lay opened and ripped on the ground.  Snow began 
to turn a deep black-red color beneath her.  What was left of her chest 
let out an eerie steam as she cooled.  
	Alex and Hotaru gasped in absolute horror as Tumbler’s face 
snapped back together.  Blood seeping out of the cracks on his mask.  
He was smiling.  “Now...” he said “...who wants to be next?”












				Chapter 9




	The Inner Scouts all turned to see Nacho speeding past them.  
“What’s going on?” Darien asked, nursing the arm and shoulder he had 
landed on earlier.  
	Alex and Hotaru had clung onto the trunk, and were only slightly 
ahead of Tumbler, who was running after the car.  “We have to do 
something!” Rei yelled.
	Serena nodded.  “Might as well see if this is going to work.” She 
said, raising her Kaleid Moon Scope.
	Andrea blinked, then nudged Rei.  “I haven’t seen that one 
before.” She whispered.
	Rei winked back to Andrea.  “Hey, you guys missed a lot.  Hell, I 
bet you don’t even know who Chibi-Chibi is.”
	“Who?” Andrea shrugged.
	“Tell you all about it later.” Rei frowned, pointing to Tumbler.
	“Oh, yeah!” Andrea nodded.  “Jan Ken Pon...PAPER!” as she said 
the words, she swept her hand across her vision, trailing just behind 
Nacho.
	Tumbler was hit by pink force-field after force-field as he tried 
to keep up to Nacho.  Andrea’s interference was more than a match for 
his momentum, however, and he finally slowed enough that Chris, Ami, 
Alex and Hotaru would have been on the other side of the planet before 
Tumbler could have caught them.  
	He turned angrily to Sailor Hooze.  “The only reason you are not 
dead yet...” he growled “is because I gave my promise to kill Sailor 
Jupiter first." 
	Lita flipped him the bird.  “Come on, asshole!  I’m ready for you 
this time!”


	Chris stopped Nacho in the middle of the street.  “We can’t let 
Tumbler get anyone else.”
	“My scan’s done.” Ami said quietly.  “There’s a problem.”
	Alex was in the back seat now, and reached over and grabbed Ami’s 
collar.  “I just watched Michelle get RIPPED APPART, Sailor Mercury!” 
she yelled, tears running down the sides of her face.  “Do NOT tell me 
that all this was for nothing!”
	Hotaru’s hand came up and grabbed Alex’s.  “Let her finish.  This 
is no time to get emotional.” 
	Sailor Uranus looked at Saturn with wide eyes.  Then, she 
clenched them close and slammed her fist into Nacho’s back seat.  
“FUCK!  You’re right...okay...I’m good...” she said, whipping her eyes 
with her glove.  “Sailor Mercury, please, continue.”	
	Ami nodded.  “Tumbler’s almost completely impregnable.  His skin 
is made out of some kind of substance I’m not even sure is made out of 
an atomic structure.” She sighed.  “If it is something atomic, then 
we’re talking atoms with high triple-digit valences and...”
	“In English.” Alex demanded.
	“Basically,” Chris interrupted “he’s made out of some bad-ass 
armor that probably out performs anything in this universe.”
	Ami nodded.  “The only weakness is his mouth.” She frowned.  
“That’s the problem.”
	Hotaru nodded.  “Yeah.  Unless you can get off a good shot just 
before he rips you open...”
	Alex cringed.
	“I’m not even too sure about that.” Ami said, typing in a few 
commands.
	“What do you mean?” Chris asked.
	Ami looked up at them.  “There wasn’t enough time to do a scan 
while his mouth was open.” She lowered her head.  “Next time, I’ll have 
it.”
	“But that also means next time, another one of us is gone.” Alex 
sighed.  
	Ami nodded.  “I’m afraid that’s also true.”
	Chris was about to put Nacho in gear when Alex opened her door 
and ran out.  “What are you doing?!?” he yelled out after her.  
	“Get ready to scan!” she yelled back.
	All three of the remaining passengers gasped.  “Oh SHIT!” Chris 
yelled, popping it into gear.


	
	Tumbler grabbed Demeter and flung him into the ground.  Demeter’s 
body crystallized and reassembled into a smaller spider-like form, 
allowing him to scurry away before the monster’s foot crushed him into 
the snow.  
	Darien used his staff to knock down a lamp post onto Tumbler’s 
head, but the impact did nothing more than turn attention of the 
monster to him.  He grabbed the fallen lamp post and threw it at Tuxedo 
Mask.
	He leapt out of the way, but the end of the post caught the 
after-flow of his cape, and pinned him against the wall.  He managed to 
rip himself free just as Tumbler’s fist smashed into the area where his 
stomach would have been.  
	“Pluto!” Sharon said, turning her giant key-staff around in a 
large circle.  “Dead...SCREAM!” she yelled.  
	Buildings rattled and electricity shot out as a flash of white 
and purple light solidified at the end of her staff.  She brought it 
around and let the ball of death fly out at Tumbler.  
	He was caught off guard and it hit him square in the back.  He 
yelled out as the ball slammed him through a car and an apartment 
building.  
	That gave the Sailor Scouts time to regroup.  Lita was now 
nursing a broken arm thanks to a crushing grab and throw Tumbler had 
executed on her earlier.  Darien’s side was hurting, but otherwise, he 
was fine.  Demeter had lost some glass in the fight, but was fine.  All 
in all, the Scouts were doing well.  
	But so was Tumbler.  They had yet to inflict much more than a 
soot stain on him.  “We’re not going to be able to keep this up much 
longer.” Mina observed, angry that her Crescent Beam had fizzled out on 
Tumbler earlier.  
	“I must say.” Tumbler announced, breaking free of the rubble at 
last.  “You Sailor Scouts are by far the most fun I’ve had in a while!” 
he laughed, throwing a chunk of plaster out of his way.
	“HEY!  Tumbler!”
	Everyone turned to see Alex walking up to him.  Tumbler cocked 
his head.  “Yes, Miss Uranus?”
	She stood her ground.  “I’m challenging you to a duel.”
	Even Tumbler seemed surprised at that one.  His mouths parted as 
if not knowing what to say.  Finally, he managed “Then I accept!” a 
laugh.  “I accept wholeheartedly!”
	The Scouts had no choice but to watch as Tumbler and Sailor 
Uranus took up their respectful sides on the street.  Andrea already 
had her hand ready to cast a spell.  
	“Since you are the challenger...” Tumbler announced “you may 
choose when we shall fight.” He smiled.  “’Draw, varmint’ so to speak.”
	Uranus smiled.  She extended her arm and a second later, her 
Saber materialized.  “Draw.”
	Pieces of dirt and snow tore up as their feet took hold of the 
ground.  Andrea raised her hand.  “Jan Ken Pon PAPER!”
	Tumbler tripped over the low-cast energy field and stumbled.  He 
hit the ground face first and slid to Alex’s feet.  Everything was 
quiet for a full three heartbeats.  
	His hands came up to his sides and he tried to lift himself up 
off the ground.  Amazement and relief passed over everyone’s faces as 
it was apparent Tumbler was having difficulty getting up.  
	Sailor Uranus took her sword in both her hands and pointed it 
down, ready to strike.  “I don’t care where you’re from.” She growled.  
“Or why you came here.  But if you believe in a god...” she said, 
raising her weapon “I suggest you get ready to meet your maker.” She 
took a final deep breath, then whispered to herself “This one’s for 
you, Michelle...HAAAAAAA!!!”
	“Which god would that be?” He snickered. The sword came down fast 
at Tumbler’s back.  At the last second, however, his hand came up and 
around, grabbing the blade and pulling it sideways.  Uranus lost 
balance as Tumbler slammed the sword a foot into the ground.  Her hand 
still tight on the handle, she fell.  Tumbler rolled over, grabbing her 
as she fell.  
	Lita gasped and ran over to help.  “URANUS!  WATCH OUT!”
	Tumbler twisted around, slamming Uranus hard into the ground.  He 
stood like gravity had no effect on him, and had his hand up as Jupiter 
met him with a punch.  The attack was useless, and the sound of 
breaking bones filled the air as the massive alien monster swung her 
around like a rag doll, then dropped her onto the ground next to Alex.  
	Winded and in more pain then she could remember in a long time, 
Lita was unable to move as Tumbler opened his massive jaws. 
	Uranus could only watch as Tumbler ripped a large chunk out of 
Lita’s chest, nausea washing over her.  “Oh my god...”
	Lita slumped to the ground, eyes wide but lifeless.  Tumbler’s 
face closed and smiled.  Gore dripped from his jaws.  “I told you.  She 
was next.  Now what kind of person would I be if I didn’t keep my 
promises.” His jaws opened again.  “Now, it’s your turn.”
	Uranus’s fist came up to punch his mouth, but an even faster arm 
of Tumbler’s grabbed hers, breaking it in several places before letting 
it limp back to her side.  Her cries of pain were cut short by the 
sickening slurp of his bite.  
	As he turned back to the Sailor Scouts, he paused.  “Oh, I’m 
sorry, is there something on my lip?” he laughed, whipping off a bit 
off the blood with his arm.  “You’ll have to pardon me.  My mother 
never raised me with very good table manners.”
	Everyone looked on in complete shock and horror.  Serena was 
shaking, the metal on her weapon rattling lightly as she tried to form 
words.
	“Oh...do not look so shocked, Sailor Scouts.” Tumbler said 
apologetically.  “In every battle, there are casualties.” He shrugged.  
“Your group has been especially lucky in that area.”
	Andrea stepped forward and raised her fist.  “You will regret 
this.” She yelled.  “YOU WILL FUCKING REGRET THIS!!!”
	Tumbler raised his hand.  “Perhaps.  But not today.” He smiled.  
“It’s only fair I give you time to morn your losses.” He turned and 
began to walk off.  “Till tomorrow, Sailor Scouts.” He laughed.  “Sleep 
well.”
	“SIINNNNNEEEEEE!!!!!!” Serene yelled, raising her weapon.  Even 
before it was pointed at Tumbler, the ground rumbled with light as a 
beam of energy lashed out at him.  
	Instead of evening out, the light strengthened, throwing back the 
Sailor Scouts behind her.  All her energy focused into one outburst of 
power that most of them had never seen the likes of before.  
	Finally, she stopped, gasping for air and falling to her knees.  
Tears fell down her face.
	Tumbler was nowhere to be seen, but his laugh echoed out across 
the quiet street.  It faded finally, leaving the street as silent as a 
tomb.














				Chapter 10





	Chad closed the door slowly as Rei waved the scroll stick at the 
room, chanting softly the prayers of death.  Chris and Miharu stood 
next to the door, bowed and swords in hand.  The others watched from 
across the hall, all silent in their Sailor Scout uniforms.
	Their battle uniforms.
	Only Rei was in exception, performing her duty as a priestess.  
With a final, soft thud, the door was closed and the last prayer said.  
“It’s done.” Rei said finally.  “Until Tumbler is dead, this will do as 
a burial.”
	Mina stepped forward.  “I don’t believe it.” She shivered.  “What 
went wrong?  We used to be so good at this.” She made a slight smile.  
“We never lost one of our own.  The good guys never lose.”
	Chris nodded.  “But teams of super heroes sometimes lose a 
member.” He said quietly.  “That’s the other part of the deal.”
	Everyone was quiet.  Finally, Ami sighed.  “I really hate to 
interrupt...”
	“It’s okay, Ami.” Rei smiled.
	She nodded.  “We should go somewhere.  I have to show you what we 
scanned.”
	They walked in silent order.  Chris slowed slightly and put his 
hand on Miharu’s shoulder.  “I want to talk to you.”
	Miharu nodded quietly and they let everyone go ahead.  Ami gave 
them an inquiring glance.  He motioned for them to go ahead.  
	Alone, Chris sunk down against the wall and sat on the floor.  
“What is it?” Miharu asked after he was silent for a while.
	He looked her over.  “I want you to grow up.  That’s all.” He 
sighed.  “That’s why I can’t let you fight in this battle.”
	Miharu’s mouth dropped open.  “WHAT?”
	Chris frowned.  “You heard me quite clearly.  You will not in any 
way fight Tumbler.” He said.  “If he shows up here, then you run.  If 
he takes over the earth, try and get abducted by aliens.  If he hands 
you a sword in a locked room and tells you to duel, you use that sword 
to cut open the wall and you run.” He paused. “I think you get the 
intent.”
	She spun around and slammed her fist into the wall.  “I KNEW it.”
	Chris frowned.  “What exactly did you know?”
	“All this!” She pointed at her sword.  His old wakizashi.  “In 
your mind, this is just some gift you give your adopted daughter!” she 
took out her sword and slammed it into the floor between them.  “Not a 
warrior’s soul.”
	He eyed her with a look she had no idea where to categorize.  
“Pick up your sword, Miharu.”
	She crossed her arms.  “Not until you tell me why you won’t let 
me fight with my family and friends.”
	Chris sighed.  “Fine.  Because you’ll die.”
	“We all have to die.” Miharu said.  “That is part of the Way.”
	Chris stood.  “The only one that has the power to fight Tumbler 
is Sailor Moon.” He said, hoping he wasn’t lying.  “We learned that 
today the hard way.” He pointed to the room Lita, Alex and Michelle 
were resting in.  "And four of your warrior friends, ones with more 
experience than either of us will ever have, died protecting the rest 
of us.
	“I will not let my daughter or anyone else die just to waste more 
time until the end of the world.” He said finally.  “And I would rather 
you give up your sword now than to commit suicide by fighting him.”
	She closed her eyes.
	“Now.” Chris said pointing at her sword.  “Are you going to take 
that back, or am I going to?”
	Miharu’s hand grabbed the handle and withdrew it from the floor.  
There were tears in her eyes.  “Maybe you should ask yourself if you’re 
the one on the suicide mission.”
	With a soft shnik her sword was back in it’s scabbard.  
	“And what about Rei?” Miharu said quietly.  “She’s going to die 
too.” She turned and started walking off.  “I would rather die with the 
ones I love than to lose both my parents again.”
	Chris’ heart sunk as she left.  






	Ami stood at the center of the room, handing out sheets of 
information to everyone.  By the looks on their faces, however, she 
knew it was going to be useless.  
	“Chris and I were able to get a good scan during today’s battle.” 
She started.  “Hopefully, this will help a little.”
	“God I hope so.” Andrea muttered.  “It sure the hell wont make 
things worse.”
	“Physically, Tumbler is tough as the core of a neutron star.” Ami 
continued.  “That means no punches, no knives, no fire, no nothing.” 
She sighed.  “It’s just not going to hurt him.”
	She adjusted her glasses as she read her own print-out.  “Mina 
tried the laser thing, but there’s no indication if it damaged him or 
not.  I don’t think it would be worth another shot unless you can up 
the power.”
	Mina nodded.  “No prob.”
	“I have a few suggestions.” Ami said.  “First of all, Chris’ 
sword might be able to do something.  It’s no ordinary sword, so we can 
only hope whatever the hell it’s made out of is tougher than Tumbler’s 
skin.  Also, there’s the trusty Silver Crystal, who hasn’t let us down 
yet.
	“But if it’s coming down to the wire, we have to try and hit 
Tumbler in the mouth.  It’s the only place that isn’t armored by that 
pseudo-nuclear black skin.”
	“The Black Panthers are gonna hate us.” Rei quipped.
	“Ahem...yes.” Ami continued.  “Also, that white cloth of his 
seems to be pretty tough.  It’s made out of the same structure as his 
skin.  That means it might be tough for him to break as well.”
	Demeter shrugged.  “So?”
	“So,” Darien smiled.  “If we can use it to decrease his mobility, 
we could have a chance.” He illustrated with what was left of his 
shredded cape.  “Tie up his arms or legs with his own outfit, and I bet 
he won’t be so fast.”
	“Exactly!” Ami nodded.  “Also, if we could use something like a 
glue or rubber to do the same thing, it would be even more effective.” 
She said.  “We wouldn’t be able to trap him in a ball of cement because 
he could bust free...just like the Tumblers...but if he’s trapped in 
something that lets him struggle and struggle but never gets brittle, 
it just might work.”
	Serena smiled.  “See?  If the Elders were smart, they would have 
asked Ami what to do in the first place!”
	Ami blushed.  “Let’s hope it works.”
	Andrea shrugged.  “Okay, now all we have to do is find some 
really big elastic bands.  Any ideas?”
	“One more thing.” Ami continued.  “On a grimmer note.”
	“Mm?” Mina asked.
	“Tumbler left just as he was starting to...” she swallowed hard.  
“slaughter us.  Doesn’t that seem weird?”
	“How weird?”
	“Think of it this way.” Ami coughed.  “You’re a being who’s been 
locked away for eons.  You finally get out and start killing the only 
opposition in your way of your final goal.” She paused.  “But then you 
stop and call it a day???”
	Darien nodded, arms crossed.  “That is pretty weird.”
	“But what does it mean?” Serena asked.  “Is he only powerful in 
the daylight or something?”
	Ami shook her head.  “No.  If he killed Maury at night, then that 
idea’s out.  But maybe he gets tired.” She said, thinking about it a 
little more.  “Yeah...maybe he needs to stop after a few Scouts to make 
sure his body doesn’t overheat.” She shrugged.  “For all we know, that 
armor of his could be his downfall.  No heat can escape, and his mouth 
is never open enough to cool his body down.”
	Andrea crossed her arms.  “Then even if all else fails, we still 
might have a chance doing what we were doing before.” She sighed.  
“Just trying to stay alive long enough to defeat him.”
	Sharon sighed.  “I have a bad feeling we’re going to run out of 
plans very quickly.”  
	Andrea nodded.  “And if that happens...we make sure we take 
Tumbler with us.”
	Her older sister nodded.  “You’re right.  The fact he could do 
this to another universe means we’d have to risk the time bubble.”
	Ami shook her head.  “I like the elastic band idea better 
myself.”
	“So do I.” Sharon admitted.
	



	Beavis found Chris on the roof, looking at his sword.  “What are 
you doing?  You’re missing the meeting.” 
	“Ami filled me in already.” He mumbled.  “Go away.”
	The little hedgehog sat down next to him.  “I’m so sorry, Chris.” 
He sighed.  “I should have never gotten your hopes up.” He sighed.  “I 
warned you that you Scouts get overconfident.  I gave you my reasons.  
And even when I was absolutely forced to tell you what was going on, it 
still did more harm than good.”
	Chris looked down at him.  “Beavis, shut the hell up.”
	“Or what?  You’ll run over me with Nacho and chop off my head?”
	Even Beavis wasn’t quite prepared for the sword-swipe and had to 
roll out of it’s way as the blade imbedded into the roof where he had 
been sitting.  
	Grumbling, Beavis walked back up the roof and sat down on Chris’ 
other side.  “I’m not in the mood for you right now, Beavis.” Chris 
said, looking out over the horizon.  
	“Live with it.” The hedgehog replied.  “I’m here to tell you that 
the next time you want to know what’s going on, ask yourself what’s 
going to change once you find out.” He said.  “Usually, it’s just you 
and Senshi have a bad habit of using knowledge to become overconfident 
and righteous.”
	“Overconfidence didn’t rip out four of my friend’s hearts and 
demolish seven blocks of downtown Tokyo.”  Chris retorted.  “And it’s 
not what’s trying to destroy the universe.” He shook his head, still 
eyeing the view.  “Righteousness isn’t what’s going to destroy the 
universe if the rest of us die.”
	Beavis frowned, looking over the same horizon.  “I hate arguing 
with you.  You always make me seem like the bad guy.”
	Chris smiled to himself.  “And YOU’RE not the Bad Guy, Beavis.” 
He looked down.  “But you’re very annoying.”
	“Thanks.” He sighed. “I feel better already.”
	“What about a person’s right to know his destiny?” Chris offered.  
“The right to know what’s going on?”
	“The right to die from overconfidence?”
	He shrugged.  “If one has to die from their destiny, then fine.  
I would rather know what was coming and have hope in my heart even if 
it was misguided and foolish.”
	Beavis sighed.  “And what about finding out on your own?  I 
thought you humans loved mystery and the unexplained.”
	Chris thought for a moment and smiled.  “A little mystery is 
fine, Beavis.  Covering up the end of the universe is an excuse to 
forgo the intrigue, though.”
	Beavis sighed.  “There are more secrets out there than you may 
think, Chris.”
	“Then just tell me them as they become important.”
	Beavis thought about his reply for a moment.  
	“I mean it.” Chris repeated.  “No matter what it is, if you know 
about something that is currently fucking with life on Earth, then you 
tell me what’s going on.”
	“Deal.” Beavis sighed.  “Though you’re going to be mad.”
	Chris frowned.  “Why?”
	“I’m going to have to tell you about the aliens, I suppose.” 
Beavis smiled.  
	“And?”
	“They haven’t been here for a while, I’m afraid.” Beavis said.  
“All the current abduction stories are fakes.”
	“Well, when was the last time they were here?” Chris asked.
	Beavis smiled.  “That’s hardly need to know information.”
	Chris frowned, then crossed his arms.  “You’re just as annoying 
when telling the truth as you are keeping secrets.”
	“I try.” Beavis agreed.
		












				Chapter 11





	Nobody slept well that night.

	The images and sounds were still fresh in our minds.  The mind 
doesn’t get tired during battle, I’ve found.  Rei and I talked a lot 
that night.  
	I told her about Miharu.  I could see the tears building up as I 
told her what she had said, but she agreed with me.  Miharu was not in 
this fight.  Not even if it came down to the end.  
	I suppose we’ve always been good parents in that respect.  Nobody 
could ever say THEY’D let their daughter fight something like Tumbler, 
no matter how much freedom they wanted the child to have.  
	Tumbler isn’t the normal.  He isn’t an ideal situation.  He is 
the worse situation and more.  He is chaos wrapped up in a hard-candy 
and death shell.  
	And if there is a god, I have no doubt in my mind that He had no 
say in the matter of Tumbler’s existence.  He’s as helpless as we are, 
and if this Universe died, I have a feeling God would be right along 
with us.  
	Rats on a sinking ship.





	The sun rose with such cheer and light that Mina wanted to shoot 
it down out of the sky.  How dare it be a nice day?  She wondered.  
	Mina had slept in her uniform, knowing it was pointless to try 
any other way.  The suit had become all too familiar over the last 
week.  Artemis slept on her stomach as always, though, and she managed 
to get a good night’s sleep.  
	It had been dreamless.  Maybe her mind had pity on her after all.  
Any dreams last night would have been nightmares.  “Dave...” she 
whispered to herself, staring out the window.  ‘I hope he didn’t do 
this to you too.”
	Carefully lifting Artemis off of her, she rolled out of the thick 
quilt and onto her feet.  
	Chris and Rei were already up, drinking their tea silently.  
Chris was in uniform also.  Rei had changed too.  Beavis lay by the 
furnace vent, sleeping soundly next to Luna.  “Good morning.” Mina 
yawning.  “Breakfast?”
	Rei pointed to the counter.  “Cereal and tea.” She said.  “Until 
Lita gets up we wont have anything else to...” her voice caught as she 
remembered Lita wasn’t getting up anytime soon.
	Mina nodded quickly and went over to get herself breakfast.  
	Serena came into the kitchen and helped herself in the fridge.  
In an amazing show of taste, she never mentioned one thing about Lita 
being gone and the lack of cooking. 
	Eventually, everyone woke and was helping themselves to 
breakfast.  Chris was typing on his computer, going over the scans Ami 
had made.  “I have some good news, and some bad news.” He announced 
suddenly.
	Mina sighed.  “Well, while were’ on a roll, let’s here the bad 
news first.”
	Chris nodded.  “Tumbler’s skin is slightly radioactive.” He 
shrugged “or something.  Either way, we won’t be able to lock him away 
for long using the rubber-band-glue idea.  He’ll just eat through it 
like an acid.”
	Ami sighed.  “Okay, so much for the permanent solution.  We can 
still use it temporarily.”
	Andrea shook her head.  “If we can think of something to use in 
the first place.”
	“I’m working on it.” Ami mumbled.  Indeed, she had taken out a 
plastisizer index and industry guidebook and had been looking for 
things ever since breakfast begun.  
	Serena shrugged.  “That wasn’t so bad.”  He face brightened.  “So 
what’s the good news?”
	Chris turned to her.  “The Empire State Building is frozen.”
	Everyone’s jaw dropped.  
	“It’s on the news.” Chris said, turning the computer screen to 
her.  “I think it leaked from the Omega Web’s entrance there.”
	Ami’s eyes widened.  “Oh my god...there’s an entrance just 
downtown!”
	Serena moaned.  “I can’t just pump out blasts of Crystal Power 
that big all the time, you know!” she stood.  “If this keeps up, I’m 
going to run out of juice!”
	Rei sipped her tea.  “Pretty convenient that it reappeared just 
when Tumbler comes by.”
	Chris nodded, rubbing the bridge of his nose.  “Sounds like his 
style, alright.  From what Beavis tells me, anyway.”
	Darien nodded.  “Then we’ll have to get rid of Tumbler first.”
	They all nodded.  
	“If he can rip open the Omega Web, then he can bring back the ice 
anytime he needs a distraction.” Darien continued. 
	“Wonderful.” Mina sighed.  “So now we have a time limit on the 
end of the world where before all we had to do was keep alive long 
enough to kill him.” She turned to Chris.  “How much time we talking 
here?”
	“Four days.” Chris sighed.  “Give or take.”
	Sharon nodded.  “Then in four days it will be over, one way or 
the other.”
	Chris shook his head.  “I don’t like it.”
	Rei raised an eyebrow.  “What do you mean?”
	Chris did some quick typing on his computer.  “If Serena can New 
York City, that will buy us another two or three days.”
	Darien raised his eyebrows.  “All that will do is delay the...”
	“I know that.” Chris interrupted.  “But you have to think for a 
moment.  Tumbler lives to play us against time and ourselves.  He loves 
irony and all that kind of shit.  For all we know, he was the one who 
introduced it to intelligent life on planet Earth.”
	“If this is a train of thought, I’d like it to reach it’s 
destination soon.” Rei mumbled.
	He smiled.  “What happens in three days?”
	“New Year’s Eve.” Ami pointed out.  “Year two-thousand.”
	Chris nodded.  “Wouldn’t it be sooooo ironic that all those crazy 
mental patients, all those religious nutters, and all the computer-
industry’s worries should come true on that day?  The end of the world 
happening exactly when it should despite us Senshi’s efforts in the 
opposite direction?”
	Rei smiled.  “It would make Alanis Morsette want to sing a 
remix.”
	“Exactly.” Chris nodded.  “That means Serena has to go down and 
give us some more time.  If we start fucking with the same schedule 
he’s been using to fuck us over, it would level the battlefield a bit.” 
He said, closing his laptop.  “If we’re lucky, it will make him 
worried.  Maybe catch him off guard.”
	Rei nodded, pointing a spoon at him.  “And how are we going to 
get to New York and back so quick?  What if he is at the Empire State 
ready to cause some shit?”
	Chris nodded.  “Andrea and I will check out the Omega Web’s 
entrance here.  The rest of you telleport down there and can be back 
for dinner.  It won’t take long.  The ice cleared up last time in a few 
seconds.”
	“Why me?” Andrea blinked.
	“Because you know where it is, and you’ve gotten in before.” 
Chris smiled.  “You’re all I got, Hoozie!”
	Demeter coughed.
	“And Demeter can come along to make sure you stay safe.” Chris 
amended.
	Demeter smiled happily.
	“If I didn’t know better, I would think you just came up with a 
plan, Chris.” Rei smiled.
	He shrugged.  “Sure fooled you, huh?” 
	Serena nodded.  “Okay.  Once everyone’s ready, we’ll get this 
over with.”
	Rei nodded.  “I’m ready.”
	“We all are.  Let’s go.” Sharon said, drinking the rest of her 
tea and taking an extra second to wipe her mouth with the corner of a 
napkin.  “Shall we?”
	Ami shook her head.  “I’m going to stay here.  I’ve got some more 
reading to do.”
	Rei sighed.  “Okay.  Hotaru...” she turned to Chris’ other 
sister.  “Could you stay with her?  Help guard the Temple.  Chances are 
he has some idea where we gather anyways.  We don’t need Ami dead just 
before she comes up with a way to vaporize Tumbler or something.”
	Sailor Saturn nodded.  “You go ahead.  I’ll keep an eye out 
here.”
	



	Sailor Moon, Pluto, Venus, Mars, Tuxedo Mask and the two cats 
stood in a circle outside of the temple.  “Okay, Scouts!” Serena 
rallied.  “Let’s get in and out of New York in an hour.” She grinned.  
“I hear the smog is pretty bad.”
	“Done and done!” Mina laughed. 
	They all held hands and concentrated.  The air became still and 
started to glow a white and yellow light.  Luna cleared her throat.  
“Oooh, these always give me Goosebumps!” she giggled to Artemis.
	“He he, me too.” Artemis winked.  
	“SAILOR!!!”
	“TELLEPORT!”
	The Scouts disappeared in a flash.  Halfway across the world even 
before they noticed.














				Chapter 12



	
	Ami sat at the desk, typing quietly.  Hotaru sat opposite of her, 
drinking tea.  “Now I know why Sharon does this.” She sighed.
	“Pardon?” Ami asked, looking up from her computer.  
	Hotaru smiled.  “For the years I’ve been with Sailor Pluto, she’s 
always been a mentor to me.  Kind of a mother.  The mother I never 
had.” She nodded.  
	“Anyway, every day, Sharon would be drinking tea.” Hotaru 
explained.  “Every day, she insisted that the four of us go out to this 
little café down the street and just meditate or talk or whatever we 
needed to do.
	“I was always so full of piss and vinegar, though, and I hated 
it.” She smiled.  Ami smiled too.  
	“She’s a very calm person.” Ami nodded.  “You can really look up 
to her.” She shrugged.  “So what about the tea?”
	“It always used to make me hyper.” Hotaru smiled.  “But what I 
didn’t realize that once you get used to the caffeine boost, it keeps 
your mind focused.  Keeps you calm.  Helps you stay sane.” She sighed.  
“Knowing what the Guardian of Time knows, you’d probably need something 
like that to keep you sane.”
	Ami raised an eyebrow.  “So it works?”
	Hotaru nodded.  “Yup.”  Indeed, the young Scout looked quite calm 
considering the last week.  
	“And all these years...” Ami smiled “I thought Chris was just 
addicted to caffeine.” She looked over to Hotaru.  “I guess it’s just 
in the family.”
	The lights went off and a loud CRACK filled the air.  Both Senshi 
were on their feet instantly.  
	Miharu came skittering into the kitchen.  “Something’s at the 
door!  It’s BIG!”
	Ami nodded.  “Get Chad, the cats and get the HELL out of here!” 
she ordered.
	Miharu’s eyes widened.  “What?”
	Mercury frowned, giving her the tiny data-computer.  “I need you 
to keep this safe.  If any of us survive, you need to give this to 
them.”  She gave the little girl the computer and smiled.  “Now run.  
We’ll take care of this.”
	Miharu blinked, then sighed.  “Hai.” She ran off to find the 
cats.  
	



	A teal-green car rolled down a secluded alley and turned off it’s 
headlights.  “That’s it.” Andrea pointed to a snow bank.
	Chris stood from his car and closed the door.  Andrea and Demeter 
followed.  “I don’t see any footprints or Volkswagens thrown into 
windows.” He beamed. “Tumbler must have not been here yet!”
	Demeter nodded.  “He sure is a...unique entity.”
	“Ah yes.” Chris coughed, putting on a nature-show-host accent.  
“The Japanese Tumbler Big-Assholeus.  While tracking this beast, look 
for big foot prints and small cars parked in penthouse windows.”
	Andrea frowned.  “Please don’t go into what they eat.  My 
stomach’s queasy enough lately.”
	Chris nodded as they walked over to the hill.  A rock was visible 
under the thick snow.  He took out his sword and pointed it at the 
lump.  "FISS!”  Snow flew off, showing a boulder with a large crack 
down the middle.  “That’s it?”
	Andrea nodded.  “Well, it’s kind of a tight fit.  It’s the only 
reason the ice hasn’t leaked out already.  It’s also the reason the 
Silver Crystal didn’t help them.”
	“I wonder what it looks like in there.” Demeter sighed.  “Once 
this is all over we’ll have to help.”
	“IF this is over.” Chris sighed, sheathing his sword.  “Are there 
any other entrances around this city?  Maybe he’s not going to attack 
this one.”
	Andrea leaned on her staff.  She decided bringing it out of 
retirement would be a good idea just incase she needed to mend the 
time-crack to seal the ice.  “I don’t think so.  Dave said there were 
only a few in Japan.  One in Tokyo, I think.”  
	Chris walked past the two and sighed.  “Then we’d better get 
back.  Make sure everything’s okay at the Temple.”
	Nacho sped off a moment later.	




	This was all going wrong, she decided.  The Earth, Universe, and 
who knew what else was in danger of fizzling out into nothing.  If this 
wasn’t the end of the line, then she had no idea what was. 
	She felt helpless.  
	Miharu had no way of knowing that the rest of the Scouts felt the 
same way, though.  She rounded the corner and found Luna and Artemis.  
“Come on, we have to go.” 
	They both nodded, figuring the worst.  “Chad’s in the bathroom.” 
Luna pointed.  
	Miharu nodded, going over to knock on the door.  “Hurry up!  
Tumbler’s here!”
	A laugh outside in the hall.  Artemis gasped.  “You bet he is!”
	A large shadow stretched out over the doorway.  “Mmmm, I wonder 
who’s in here?” he said playfully.  
	Turning the corner, he found nobody.  A frown crossed his face.  
Ducking slightly, he came through the door and looked around at the 
den.  A bathroom was just along the wall.  
	Miharu, Chad, Luna and Artemis all shivered, trying to remain 
perfectly sill and calm inside as they stood on the toilet.  
	Tumbler’s smile returned to his face and he began walking to the 
tiny door.  “I told you Scouts I’d come by tomorrow.” He sighed.  “Now 
what kind of hospitality is this?  Nobody to greet me at the door, and 
no Sailor Moon?” he laughed.  “I’m complaining to the manager.”
	Miharu’s eyes widened.  “He knows we’re here!”
	“What are we going to do?” Artemis asked.
	Chad had almost lost it by that point.  “Oh no!  I’m going to 
die!  I don’t want to die!”
	“You’re not going to die if you give me a lift!” Miharu grumbled, 
taking out her sword.  “Now hurry!”



	Tumbler heard the commotion and smiled.  “Ahhh, Strike Fiss’ 
daughter.  This should be interesting.” He laughed, then ripped off the 
bathroom door.  
	Nobody was there.  Tumbler frowned.  
	He looked up and saw a jagged hole in the roof.  Snow sprinkled 
down on his face from outside.  “Mmmm, you Senshi teach your children 
well.” He smiled to himself.  “I’m glad.  It makes them more fun to 
kill.” 
	The tall monster crouched, then jumped up through the hole, 
landing up on the roof two stories later.  Looking around...

	He saw nothing.

	“What??” he gasped.  Down on the ground, Ami whistled.  He 
turned.
	“Hey!  You looking for me?” she yelled.  “Get down here and 
fight!”
	The smile returned.  “Very well.”



	Miharu, Luna, Artemis and Chad all lay in the crawlspace between 
the roof, shivering as the snow got to them.  Chad turned to Miharu.  
“We have to help!”
	“We can’t.” Miharu said, closing her eyes.  “All we can do is try 
and stay alive until Sailor Moon gets back.”
















				Chapter 13





	
	Ami crumpled against the wall, holding her arm in pain.  Plaster 
sprinkled down from the roof and frosted her over like snow.  Tumbler’s 
hand grabbed her head and lifted her up off the ground despite her 
struggling.  “Are you frightened, Miss Mercury?” Tumbler smiled, 
lifting her up so she was inches away from his mouth.  “I’m curious to 
know.  It helps me plan your reward so much better.”
	She yelped as he took her broken arm in his other hand, squeezing 
just enough to shoot riveting pain throughout her body.  Slowly, as he 
let up, her eyes opened and looked directly at him.  “Why would I be 
scared?” she said through gritted teeth.  Blood trickled down her lip 
as she spoke.  
	His hand came up and whipped her lip clean.  “I must say, you 
humans do have a high pain threshold.” He said admiringly.  “The last 
race I slaughtered had the annoying habit of dying before I’d had my 
fun with them.” He grinned.
	Ami allowed herself a tiny smile.  “I’d like to see YOU survive 
giving birth to an eight pound baby.  Us women do it all the time.”
	He nodded.  “My respect for you just went up a notch, Sailor 
Mercury.” Tumbler grinned.  
Ami couldn’t help but stare at the rows of tiny white teeth 
lining the inside of each mouth-plate.  They were just like dolphin 
teeth.  Tiny, needle sharp cones.  
	Tumbler brought Ami closer.  “I suppose I should get this over 
with, though.”
	KIIIIINCH! 
	Tumbler turned to see Sailor Saturn at the other end of her 
glaive.  It was down from a strike against his back.  He sighed.  “If 
you don’t stop playing with that, you’re going to poke out an eye.”
	Saturn was getting very frustrated.  “Let her go or I will take 
off your head and beat your body to a bloody pulp with it.” She 
demanded.
	“Get OUT OF HERE, Hotaru!” Ami demanded. 
	Tumbler nodded.  “Perhaps you should listen to your friend.  I 
won’t kill you for a while yet.” He smiled.  “After all, I have to 
stick with the plan.”
	Ami reached her feet around Tumbler ever so slowly, trying not to 
get his attention.  
	“What plan would that be?” Hotaru growled, giving Ami time.
	Tumbler frowned.  “Oh, I get it.  I’m the bad guy, so I have to 
tell you what my evil plan is?  Geeze, can’t you people take anything 
for face value for once?” he sighed.  “I just like to keep my 
promises.” He smiled.  “Tell you what, after Sailor Hooze, I’ll get you 
next.  Hope you don’t mind.”  
	“You’ll do no such thing!” Ami yelled.  “Mercury 
bubbles...BLAST!”
	Thick, cushioned bubbles threw Tumbler back, causing him to let 
go of Ami’s head.  She landed on her good arm, and was able to stand a 
second later.  
	Tumbler, however, was down on the ground.  Across his knees lay 
two rips of his cape...tied in a knot.  “What the hell is this?” he 
laughed.  “A joke?”
	Ami smiled as Tumbler tried to rip the knot apart, only 
succeeding in making it tighter.  “No joke, I’m afraid.”
	His grin was gone as he got to his feet after quite a struggle.  
His legs bound together.  “Impressive Sailor Mercury.” He growled, face 
opening slightly.  “But I’m afraid you overestimate my need for legs.”
	He crouched down in a ball then sprung out to Sailor Mercury, 
jaws open.  She had no time to move out of the way, and the needle 
sharp teeth caught her arm, dragging her along through the side of the 
Temple.  
	Hotaru gasped and ran after them, jumping through the hole just 
in time to see Tumbler raise his head from Sailor Mercury’s chest, 
blood dripping down from the monster’s face.  
	“He he...I love fast food.” He began to laugh.  After a moment he 
stopped.  “Oh, sorry.  That was a bad joke.” He giggled, standing 
easily despite the fact his knees were tied together.  “Tell you what.  
I’ll move you up to right now.  How does that sound?” 
	Sailor Saturn’s mind dissolved into pure rage.  “I am going to 
kill you if it’s the last thing I DO!”
	Tumbler reached down to his knees and began untying the knot.  
“Well, considering that you’re going to be dead in a few minutes, 
pretty much ANYTHING you do will be the last thing you do.” He 
reasoned, almost through the annoying tie.
	Hotaru’s face darkened.  “So be it.”
	



	Chris noticed the crackling energy as they reached Cherri Hill.  
“Oh fuck.”
	Andrea blinked. “What is it?”
	Demeter gasped.  “Look!”
	“HOLD ON!” Chris yelled, lining Nacho up with the stairs.  
	“What are you DOING?!” Andrea yelled.
	“There no time!” Chris said, putting it into low-gear.  “My 
sister’s going to destroy the world!”
	“Oh fuck.” Andrea agreed.  
	Nacho ripped forward and hit the steps with a loud CRACK as the 
bottom scraped against the concrete.  Luckily, the speed was enough to 
keep the car going until the tires could grip.  
	Changing into third, Chris took a deep breath.  “Hold onto your 
butts!”




	Even Tumbler wasn’t happy.  “What the hell are you doing?” he 
demanded, free of his bonds and stepping forward.  
	Sailor Saturn had a grin on her face as she stepped backwards to 
keep the distance between them.  Her glaive was throwing out red and 
pink strobes of light as she walked. “I’m going to stop your 
destruction one way...” her grin widened.  “Or, the other.”
	Tumbler frowned.  “Now now...if you kill yourselves, I won’t be 
able to give you you’re rewards.” He smiled slightly.  “I’ll promise to 
stop having too much fun.  Just put down the weapon...”
	She just smiled at him.  “If I can at least stop your fun, then 
that would be all the reward I need.” She pointed her glaive right at 
the monster’s face and spun it around.  “DEATH RIBBON REVOLUTION!” she 
yelled.
	Tumbler took a step back as the light intensified.  This was bad.  
Very bad.  If the keys were scattered, it would take millenia to find 
them all again.  
	His plan was coming apart.  
	Wait?
	Wait just a second.
	Ahhh, yes.



	Sailor Saturn’s glaive swung around, gathering power.  Raising it 
high into the air, a black sphere of power rumbled at the end of the 
staff.  She looked at Tumbler and smiled.  “Die.”
	The glaive slammed down hard, heading for the Earth below.


	TINNNNNNNGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!


	Everyone gasped, looking down at Strike Fiss who was lying on the 
ground directly below her weapon, sword locked in the glaive’s blades.  
“NO!” he yelled.  “You have to STOP!”
	She was about to protest when Chris ignited his sword with a blue 
shock of energy, throwing Sailor Saturn up in the air.  The glaive 
spun, falling finally and sticking into the ground, staff-end first.  
The energy fizzled out of existence.  
	Chris got to his feet and turned his sword on Tumbler.  “Wipe 
that grin off your face.”
	Tumbler just kept smiling.  “Ah, my knight in shining armor here 
to save the day.  How nice of you.”
	Hotaru grabbed her staff and scowled at Chris.  “What the HELL 
are you doing!  It’s our only chance!”
	“That’s for Sailor Moon to decide.” Chris replied, never taking 
his eyes off the seven-foot-tall alien in front of him.  
	Demeter and Sailor Hooze ran up behind Chris and took defensive 
positions.  “Okay, asshole!  Let’s rumble!” Andrea growled.
	Sailor Saturn gasped.  “Oh oh...”
	Everyone turned to her to see light building up at the end of her 
staff once more.
	“I told you!  We WAIT!” Chris ordered.
	“I’m not DOING it this time!” Hotaru gasped.  “The attack’s 
overloading!”
	Tumbler’s mouths cracked open slightly.  “Oh shit.”
	Sailor Saturn gasped as the ball of light crept towards her.  
“Everyone get down!!!”


	BOOM!

















						
				Chapter 14



	

	Black.

	That’s all he could see.  It took him a full three minutes to 
realize his eyes were closed.  “God damn.” Chris sighed in a half 
whisper.  His throat hurt like hell.
	Opening his eyes proved to be just as ineffective, and his left 
hurt like hell too.  Shooting pain stopped him from opening it.  The 
vision he was able to get from his right seemed just as black.  “Where 
the hell AM I?” he whispered.
	A few seconds of electric static passed over his right eye.  He 
reached up and took off his sunglasses.  The left lens was smashed.  
Only a jagged shard on the top rim remained.  The right was cracked.  
Slowly, he sat up against a brick wall.  He carefully felt his left 
eye, glad the pain was only from a cut along side it and not a 
punctured eyeball or something.
	Folding away his sunglasses, he took a look around.  As his eyes 
adjusted to the dark light he saw trash bags and brick walls on either 
side of him.  Up was a dark cloudy sky.  
	An alleyway.  
	How the hell did he get into an alleyway?
	The explosion...shit.  All he could remember was a bright light, 
then the sensation of falling for what seemed like days.  
	“So you’re awake, finally.” Tumbler’s voice echoed through the 
tiny alleyway.  
	Chris spun to the sound and found his sword faithfully at his 
hip.  
	“You won’t need that.” Tumbler said quietly.  “I want to talk to 
you for a minute.”
	“What?” Chris said in a raspy voice.  “You can’t be serious.”
	The sound of a garbage bag moving signaled Tumbler’s stance.  A 
large shadow stood just down the alley, leaned up against the wall.  
“I’ve been awake for an hour now.  I could have killed you any moment.” 
He chuckled.  “Still don’t think I have something to ask you?”
	Chris sighed, letting his sword rest back down in it’s scabbard.  
“Fine.”
	Tumbler’s four face-plates were the only white in the corner 
where he stood.  “I’m glad such a curious Senshi adopted that key.” 
Tumbler smiled.  “Most of you wouldn’t think twice and just throw 
yourselves at me with fire and bright lights, only to get yourselves 
killed even before you knew why you were doing it.”
	Fiss looked down and brought a soft garbage bag to sit on.  
“Yeah.  I’ve always been stupid that way.  Too many nature shows makes 
a kid curious.”
	“Not to mention the fact that fighting me is useless.” Tumbler 
said, taking a few steps closer so he could also sit down.  “But I 
suppose giving up isn’t part of your job description.”
	Chris nodded.  “You have been watching.”
	Tumbler sighed.  “That was quite a blast.  I’ll have to give 
Sailor Saturn my warmest regards when I kill her.”
	“It runs in the family.” Chris smiled.
	“Mmm, perhaps.” Tumbler said, looking him over.  “Would you mind 
me asking you my question now?”
	Chris shrugged.  “Knock yourself out.”
	“Where did you get that sword?”
	“My sword?” Chris looked down at it.  “My grandfather gave it to 
me.”
	Tumbler’s posture straightened.  “Then...you have no idea what it 
is, do you?” he laughed.  “Amazing.” He paused.  “May I see it?”
	Chris gave him a dirty look.  
	Tumbler smiled.  “I can see quite well.  You only have to hold it 
out.  I won’t touch it.” He chuckled.  “While you’re alive, at least.”
	With a long, drawn out ‘Shnik!’ Chris pulled out his blade and 
held it up slightly.  
	The monster nodded his approval.  “It looked a lot different last 
time I saw it.  You people make very beautiful swords, though.” He 
smiled.  “I like it.”
	Strike Fiss nodded.  “I have a feeling you’ll get a closer look 
at it after this conversation.”
	Tumbler sighed.  “You’re right.  We still have to fight.  Pity, 
though.” He laughed.  “But that’s later.  For now, why don’t we enjoy 
this time together as fellow beings in the cosmos.”
	“So what about my sword?” Chris asked.  “You’ve seen it before?”
	Tumbler nodded.  “It was the head Key of another universe I 
destroyed.”
	Chris blinked, looking at his sword.  “It’s...?”
	“Not from your universe.” Tumbler nodded.  “Actually, it’s the 
only thing left of the last one I was in.”
	“Mmm, nice to know something survived.” Chris mumbled.  
	Tumbler laughed.  “It belonged to a tyrant who ruled his universe 
through torture and pain.  Surely you know what it can do.  I’m 
surprised it hadn’t done the same to this universe.”
	“I’ve seen what it can do in the hands of evil” he sighed, 
sheathing the sword.  “Let alone in mine.” He smiled.  “That’s why I 
only take it out to get rid of things like you.”
	“I’m honored.” Tumbler grinned.  
	“Why are you here?” Chris sighed. “Why are you destroying 
universes?  It better not be a hobby.”
	“I do enjoy my work.” Tumbler laughed.  “But it is work.” He 
nodded.  “I was hired to pop this universe.”
	“By who?” Chris demanded.
	The alien smiled wide.  “The Elders of another universe.” He 
shrugged.  “Not too far away from this one.”
	“Why?!?” 
	“In that universe, they have a technology that converts a kind of 
power to usable energy.” Tumbler said.  “Kind of a turbine generator.  
The power it creates is enormous, and is like a spring of eternal youth 
to the Elders.” He smiled.  “Guess what the fuel is.”
	Chris looked around.  “You’re destroying our universe so a group 
of Elders can look like they’re twenty one for all of eternity?”
	Tumbler shrugged; narrow smile never leaving his face.  “It’s a 
living.”
	“I don’t suppose I’d be able to match what they’re paying you, 
huh?” Chris smiled.  
	Tumbler thought for a second.  “They’re paying me with what you 
would call a wish.  I’m afraid unless you can grant wishes, you’re out 
of luck.” He nodded.  “But if you could, I would gladly leave your 
universe alone."  
	“Damn.  I left my lucky charms in my other pants.” Chris said in 
a leprechaun-voice.  “Can I ask you something else?”
	Tumbler raised his arms.  “Ask as many as you like.”
	Chris nodded.  “What is your wish?”
	Tumbler paused.  “Pardon?”
	“You heard me.” Chris continued.  “Once you finish turning our 
home into a battery, what are you going to wish for?” he said.  “I 
mean, to get a wish, I admit I’d probably do some nasty shit.  I’m 
curious to see what your wish would be.”
	A long, pregnant pause.  All humor had drained from Tumbler’s 
face.  “I’d wish to go home.”
	Chris nodded, crossing his legs at the ankle, shivering slightly 
in the cold air.  “Let me guess...the Bronx?  Downtown LA?” he smiled, 
letting his sword rest against his knee.  “Nah...you wouldn’t last ten 
minutes in Central Park.”
	“Nowhere.” Tumbler smiled.  “A place you would consider nowhere.”
	Chris shrugged.  “You get cable in ‘Nowhere?’”
	“There’s no need for cable.” Tumbler said quietly.  “You can see 
infinity, or oblivion.  Everything and nothing.” He smiled.  “Perhaps, 
I’ll take you there sometimes.  Let you see.”
	Chris gave a slight nod.  “Perhaps.”
	Tumbler seemed to take a deep breath.  “It is what is best 
described as the place between universes.  What the Omega Web sees is 
only a sliver of what there is.” He smiled.  “It’s beautiful.”
	“You’re a slave, aren’t you?” Chris said, looking up from under 
his eyebrows.
	Tumbler leaned forward.  “Pardon me?”
	Chris did the same.  “You’re a slave.  A hit-man on one final job 
for the boss with the promise of your release.” He smiled.  “You’ve 
been watching us.  Tell me...how many Hollywood productions are based 
on that premise?  And most of those movies end with the hit-man being 
taken on the deal.”
	“You watch too many movies.” Tumbler mumbled.
	Chris nodded.  “Perhaps.” He leaned back, sitting straight up.  
“Tell me...how many universes did you kill?”
	Tumbler didn’t answer.
	“How many ‘nowheres’ and ‘someplaces’ have you destroyed in hopes 
of getting back to your own little nowhere?” Chris asked again.  
	“Twenty nine.” The monster said finally.  “This will be thirty.”
	Strike Fiss sighed.  “The funny thing about irony is that it can 
sometimes hit you hardest when you enjoy watching it work in other 
people.”	
	Tumbler’s anger rose to the surface.  Chris saw this.  He was 
hitting close to home.  “How is that?” Tumbler asked slowly.
	“For the zillions of years you’ve been in this universe or 
whatever, you still haven’t learned from it have you?” Chris said, 
gazing at his sword.  “Your existence has been nothing but a very slow 
soap-opera.” He smiled.  “A movie script played with stereotyped 
characters.” He looked up from his blade and directly at Tumbler.  
“Characters that our little planet perfected for the use of 
entertainment.”
	Strike Fiss stood slowly.  “You are the slave to your employers.  
A hired killer with a dream of home to keep you going through an 
otherwise barren existence.
	“And even though you believe yourself to love your killing, evil 
monster and all...” Chris took out his broken sunglasses.  “You are 
nothing but a scared, lost little boy.” He sighed.  “Wanting to go 
home.”
	The growl echoed out just a second before his fist shot forward.  
Chris’s sword connected with the monster’s knuckle, propelling him 
backwards and into a garbage can. 
	Tumbler held his hand in shock, but kept his face on Chris.  “If 
you say such a thing again, I swear I will...”
	“What?” Chris yelled.  “Kill me?” he smiled, looking down at 
Tumbler’s hand.  A shimmering clear liquid was dripping down from his 
hand as he held it.  “You may succeed, little boy.” Chris said calmly.  
“But not before I know that no matter what happens...” he paused, 
lowering his voice to a near whisper.  “You carry this memory with you 
for eternity.”
	He raised his sword up to eye-level.  Tumbler was fuming, 
shivering with anger.  “I’ll make sure you have front row seats for 
that eternity, then.”
	A silvery-blue arc of light slammed into Tumbler’s chest, 
throwing him back.  Chris waited until Tumbler hit the back wall before  
calling on more power.  “STRIKE FISS!” he yelled, pointing the tip of 
his katana at the monster.  
	More power from the weapon slammed into him, keeping him pinned 
against the wall.  Tumbler growled, unable to move.  Flecks of his 
black armor began vaporizing along the slash Chris had made.  
	“You’re forgetting one thing, Strike Fiss!” Tumbler yelled back 
over the roar of the Enceladus Katana’s power.  He rolled against the 
wall, escaping the beam.
	Chris jumped back and blocked Tumbler’s fists with his blade 
again.  “Yeah?” he asked.  
	BOOM!  A column of energy shot down from the sky, exploding 
Tumbler back in a shower of sparks as the armor around his arm cracked 
and more of his ‘blood’ began flowing from it.  Tumbler roared in pain.  
The first pain he had received since being hired by the Elders.  “You 
fit into your own stereotype!” he said, trying desperately not to let 
the anguish register in his voice.
	Chris closed his eyes, focusing on his sword.  The pillar of 
light around him focused from the heavens to his blade, then fizzled.  
“Oh?  What stereotype is that?” he asked, looking at Tumbler over his 
shattered sunglasses.  
	The seven foot high monster smiled.  “You’re a nice guy.”
	Chris smiled, crouched, then jumped.  His sword left an eerie 
vapor trail of blue light as he flew in the dark air.  
	Tumbler turned his back to Chris, then spun at the last second, 
dragging his heavy arms around and hitting Chris’ arms.  His other arm 
came up, grabbing Chris’ throat.  
	A loud SHNICK filled the air as his katana hit the wall and stuck 
in, fused into the brick.  The air was dead silent.  
	“Nice guys finish last.” Tumbler’s voice rumbled as his mouth 
began to part.
	Chris’ lips were still in a smile.  “Then I’d rather finish last 
than win all the wishes in the universe.”
	“RRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGHHH!!!!” His hand crushed Chris’ neck 
and he lunged at the man’s chest.  
	A loud crunch and a messy slurp followed.  Blood hit the ground, 
turning the dirty snow black.  Tumbler threw what was left of Chris to 
the ground, then looked down at it in shock.
	“No.” he whispered, at first not believing it.  
	
	“NNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!” Tumbler screamed 
into the night air.  “NNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!”

	From the alley wall, a perfectly formed, flawless sword...the 
sole survivor of another universe...that universes Silver 
Crystal...watched Tumbler howl into the night with desperate anger.

	
		
	










				Chapter 15




	Sailor Saturn watched the pillar of blue energy fade into 
nothing.  A minute later, a sickening scream filled the city with 
terror.  
	“Chris...” she whispered.  “Oh no...Tumbler got him...”
	But the scream hadn’t been Strike Fiss.  No human could have made 
that kind of vocal anger.  
	“I have to get back to the Temple...” she nodded to herself.  
“Maybe he got away...I have to see if Sailor Moon is back.” She closed 
her eyes.  “See if Sharon’s back.  Oh god I hope so...”
	She stood from the tree stump and managed to keep upright despite 
a broken ankle.  The blast had thrown her into a snow bank...just a 
meter away from a rusty, abandoned car that had jagged metal pointing 
out of it’s frame.
	Luck.  Protector of children, fools, and Sailor Scouts.  She 
smiled to herself and began limping back to the temple.  Her glaive was 
a good walking stick anyway.  
	The streets were deserted despite the early hour.  Tokyo had all 
but shut down because of Tumbler.  It became almost a ritual to the 
citizens:
	Monster attacks.
	Take cover.
	Wait for Sailor Scouts.
	Monster gone.
	Return to life as usual.
	It was a strange responsibility.  One that Hotaru wasn’t sure 
they could live up to this time around.  Half of the team had already 
been killed, and unless Strike Fiss had managed to do anything, Tumbler 
had yet to lose a single battle.  
	Just a block away from the Temple, now.  Hotaru saw the steps 
leading up to the hill.  
	It was that moment when she felt someone behind her.  Thunderous 
footsteps tearing up the ground as they came up angrily behind her.  
She turned slowly to see Tumbler walking towards her.  
	“Oh no...” she gasped.
	He never gave her time to say anything else.  His hand came up 
and grabbed her, lifting her up and slamming her into the ground with a 
lunge.  Tumbler was shaking.  “Who was he?!?” he growled in a low, 
painful voice.
	Hotaru couldn’t breathe, and Tumbler saw this.  He let the 
pressure of his hand on her throat lessen slightly.  His mouth came 
closer.  A trickle of blood and something else ran down his face.  Some 
kind of clear gel.  “What?” she gasped weakly.
	“Strike Fiss.” He growled.  “Your brother.”
	She could only blink, not understanding.  She looked down at his 
arm and chest and realized Strike Fiss had indeed managed to injure the 
monster.  Slowly, she smiled.  “Good work, brother.”
	If Tumbler had eyes, he would have been scowling at her.  “It’s 
too bad you wont be joining him.” He whispered, then snapped his mouth 
down on her front, killing her instantly.  
	He stood, dropping the rapidly cooling Sailor Scout.  The only 
thing on Tumbler’s mind was he had to find Sailor Hooze.  He had to 
find out what went wrong.  
	Strike Fiss had escaped him.
	He would not allow that to happen again.  




	Sailor Hooze took Demeter’s hand and helped him to his feet.  
“Are you okay?” she whispered.
	His eyes opened and he nodded.  “I’m fine.” He sighed.  “Though 
one more meter of falling and I would have been cracked.”
	They had landed in the forest behind Cherri Hill.  Andrea peered 
through the trees and saw the Temple’s roof.  “We’re not too far.  We 
should get back to the Temple and see who’s left.”
	Demeter nodded and began walking just behind her.  “I never will 
understand free will.” He sighed.  
	She turned to him.  “What do you mean?”
	The Zistle sighed.  “Just beyond those trees is a monster who has 
been ripping the hell out of our closest friends, and yet instead of 
doing the smart thing and running the other way...” he paused.  “We’re 
about to get close enough to shake his hand and try one more crack at 
killing him.”
	“Free will comes with a price.” Andrea sighed.  “Sometimes you 
have to chose to give up your choices.  Its annoying, especially when 
you know you could be walking to your own death.” She said quietly.  
	“Is that what we’re doing?” he asked.
	She nodded.  “Probably.  But if there’s one chance in hell we can 
beat him...” she nodded.  “We gotta do it.  It’s our job to risk it.  
Save this and maybe someone else’s universe.”
	He nodded weakly.  “The life of a hero.”
	“Heroes are just very lucky people.” Andrea grinned.
	“I thought your brother always said luck had nothing to do with 
it.” Demeter said.
	She shrugged.  “Well, if we’re not lucky, then we’re protected by 
our own stupidity.”
	“Makes sense.” He smiled.  “Maybe it’s in our DNA or something.”
	They walked out into the field just to the side of Cherri Hill, 
looking around.  Artemis was on the roof, looking around.  “Over here!” 
he said, waving his paws.
	They ran over and into the dojo where Miharu was trying to coax 
Chad down from the roof.  “Come on now!” she yelled.  “We need to get 
out of here!  He knows where we are!”
	Chad wasn’t budging.  Luna regarded the situation with a sigh.  
“Considering how long we put up with Serena acting like this, I’m 
surprised we don’t know how to handle him better.”
	He shook his head.  “I’m NOT MOVING!  I’m staying right here 
until that guy is GONE!”
	Miharu frowned, pulled out her sword, and jumped up, slicing the 
roof right under Chad’s belly.  The second she landed, the roof gave 
way and he fell out of the crack.  “When you’re holding a sword, you 
can give your own orders.  Until then, please listen to me.”
	He got to his feet slowly. 
	Miharu turned to Andrea.  “Can you use computers?”
	Andrea shrugged.  “Yeah.  I guess.”
	She was handed Ami’s data-computer.  “Ami said we had to get that 
information to the Scouts.” She smiled.  “Here you go.”
	“Where’s Ami now?” Demeter asked.  
	Luna closed her eyes.  
	“Oh.” Andrea sighed.
	Artemis nodded.  “I’m just going to take a nice long sleep after 
all of this.  Maybe get drunk.  Really drunk.  Maybe I’ll be lucky and 
get alcohol poisoning.”
	Andrea opened the tiny computer and looked at the screen.  
“Dammit...it’s in Japanese.” She paused.  “Darien will know what to do.  
He uses computers a lot at his university anyway.”
	Miharu took back the little computer and nodded.  “Has anyone 
seen my dad?  He should have been back by now.”
	Everyone shook their heads.  
	“How about Sailor Moon?” Andrea asked.
	“They’ve been gone about an hour and a half.” Luna sighed.  
“Hopefully they didn’t run into any trouble.”
	Artemis gasped.  “THERE!”
	Over by the steps, Tumbler stood, hunched over and very angry.  
His head tilted down slightly, and his jaws swung in and out as he 
seemed to breathe.  
	“He’s wounded...” Luna whispered.  They all nodded.  
	“Then let’s finish the job.” Andrea clenched her fists.  “Jan Ken 
Pon...STONE!”
	Even though Tumbler was a hundred yards away, Sailor Hooze still 
hit him directly with her spell.  The red ball of light slammed into 
his shoulder and he left two grooves in the ground where his feet had 
been.  
	Despite the force, though, he was still on his feet.  The monster 
began walking towards the Scouts.  
	Andrea turned to Miharu.  “Get everyone out of here!  If you have 
to, get over to Calgary.  You know the emergency plan.”
	The little girl nodded dutifully, even though the fear in her 
eyes was obvious.  This would be the last time she saw Andrea or 
Demeter alive.  “Good luck.” She whispered, then ran off, followed by 
the two cats and Chad.  
	Tumbler began walking towards them.  “Strange.” He grumbled.  
	“What?” Andrea replied, wielding her staff around to her front, 
ready for an attack.  
	He grimaced.  “Why save those four?  If you fail, your entire 
planet will no longer exist.”
	Andrea frowned.  “Hey!  Do we tell you how to do YOUR job?”
	Tumbler smiled slightly.  “I suppose not.”
	Demeter went into action.  While Tumbler had been talking to 
Andrea, he sent tendrils of glass into the ground.  With a thought, he 
molded the glass like a cage around Tumbler’s feet that sprung up all 
around him in a dome of brambles.  
	Tumbler looked surprised, but unworried.  “What’s this?” he 
laughed. “A glass cage?”
	Demeter smiled.  “Not quite.” He focused his eyes to zoom in on 
the monster.  The armor on his left arm and chest was cracked.  It 
would be the best chance...
	The shafts of glass shot out and closed onto Tumbler’s arm and 
torso, shooting long, needle-thin spines of silicone into the cracks.  
Tumbler roared in pain, twisting and trying to get the glass off of 
him.  Demeter kept re-forming the glass, though, and sent more of his 
body into the attack.  
	Finally, Tumbler jumped up into the air, too fast for Demeter’s 
tendrils to drag him back down.  With a snap, the glass shattered and 
fell useless to the ground.  Demeter was forced to pull as much of him 
back together as he could.  
	A moment later, Tumbler landed.  He never even stopped for 
breath.  “AAAARRRRRRRHHHHG!” he roared and charged for Demeter.
	Andrea threw up walls of power against the monster, but it was no 
use.  He was just too fast this time, and tackled Demeter to the 
ground, making sure the Zistle could not re-form and escape.  
	Demeter was stunned by the blow, and it gave Tumbler ample time 
to bite into the Zistle’s chest, shattering his entire body.  
	Tumbler stood and turned to see a horrified Andrea.  “You fight 
very well.” He growled.  “All of you do.  I must say, though, you’ve 
moved beyond a little diversion to something more like a thorn in my 
side.”
	She gritted her teeth as Tumbler ripped a long spike of glass 
from his arm and threw it on the ground.
	“And even though killing each and every one of you would please 
me to no end...” Tumbler growled.  “I have something to ask of you...”
	Andrea just stood, waiting.
	“You must tell me where Strike Fiss was from.” He said.
	“Was?” Andrea growled.  “You killed my brother?” she closed her 
eyes.  
	“WHERE WAS HE FROM!” Tumbler demanded, taking a dangerous step 
towards the Senshi.
	“I’m sorry, Sailor Moon.” Andrea whispered.  “I can’t wait for 
you to return.” She looked at Tumbler.  “This has to end.” She raised 
her staff.  “NOW!”
	Tumbler was losing patience.  “Answer the question!”
	“ULTIMATE DESTRUCTION PROGRAM!” Andrea yelled.  Green light shot 
out from her body the moment she said it.  All her concentration 
focused into her key.  “TIME BUBBLE!”
	Tumbler growled.  “I have no time for your games.” He began 
walking toward her.
	Andrea smiled slightly.  That’s right...she thought...just a 
little further.  A green and black energy field began to form around 
her.  Inwardly, she wondered what it was going to be like trapped in a 
time bubble.  No time to be scared, though.  She had to do this.  Her 
sacrifice would bring life to the entire universe.  It had to be done.
	Demeter.
	Maury.
	Chris.
	All dead.  A tear rolled down her cheek.  “I should have done 
this sooner.” She said, looking at the monster approaching her.  “I 
hope you have fun trapped in forever.”

	And that’s when things went wrong.

	Tumbler walked through the bubble like it was nothing...just 
strolling through the energy around Andrea.  His arm came up and 
grabbed Andrea’s arm.  A quick squeeze later and it was broken.  She 
yelled out in pain.  The loss of concentration caused the bubble to 
flicker and disappear into nothing.  
	He just smiled at her and said four words that made Andrea’s soul 
shiver.  

	“It’s not time.” His mouths re-formed into a sinister smile. 
“...yet.”

	She gasped.  “No!”
	He threw her to the ground, letting her staff clatter away from 
her grasp.  Andrea realized she had one last chance.
	“Jan...” 
	Tumbler pinned her down with his massive hand, dislocating her 
shoulder in the process.  
	“Ken...”
	He bent down, laughing slightly as she made the symbols with her 
free hand.
	“Pon...” she winced.
	The four, bone-white plates of his face opened up in their deadly 
flower-pattern.
	“STO...”
	His mouth came down, ripping the breath away from Hooze before 
she could say the words.  Just as he came back up, however, he had just 
enough time to see that Sailor Hooze, just before she died, had made a 
fist.

	It fell to the ground.

	Tumbler frowned.  

	BOOOM!  The impact rocketed him off of the dead Sailor Hooze and 
into the Cherri Hill temple.  He flew through the dojo wall, out the 
other end, and against a tree.  
	He smashed into it and fell down, flat on his face.  It took more 
than a minute for him to stand.  He gasped in pain.  The rip across his 
chest had been hit and was bleeding his life essence away.  His blood, 
silvery and clear, pooled onto the ground at an alarming rate.
	He finally managed to stand, clutching his chest, trying to keep 
the wound from flaking open any more.  “I HATE that family...” he 
gasped.  
	It was then when he heard the scream.  
	Sailor Moon’s scream when she saw Sailor Hooze.  They were back.  
	“TUMBLER!” Sharon bellowed.  “SHOW YOURSELF!” she demanded.  From 
the hole in the walls, she spotted him, and was marching closer.  Tears 
flowed from her eyes.
	Tumbler swallowed hard.  This was bad.  
	Darien leapt down from the sky behind him, cornering an escape 
route.  His staff was out and extended.  “This ends NOW!” he growled.  
	Sailor Moon, Mars, Venus and Pluto all advanced.  
	Tumbler sighed, the pain in his chest a reminder that a strategic 
withdrawal would be a good idea.  “I’m sorry I can’t stay and play.” He 
smiled.  “But I think I’ve done enough damage for a day.” He laughed.  
“Sorry.  Didn’t mean for that to rhyme.”
	Darien raised his staff, ready to strike.
	“Farewell for now, Sailor Moon.” He laughed, then began to spin 
around.
	As he sped up, the black and white of his skin blurred into a 
gray, then faded into nothing.

	He was gone.

	Rei closed her eyes.  “Where’s Miharu?  Chris?”
	“We’ll find them.” Mina said softly.  
	Darien bent down and smiled.  His white glove came back soiled 
with Tumbler’s blood.  “Hopefully...they won.”















				Chapter 16




	The sleep had been strange.  Unfamiliar.  Unwelcome.  At the back 
of his mind, Maury knew he was supposed to be awake.  Doing something.  
Fighting someone.  
	Consciousness finally appeared over the foggy recesses of his 
mind’s eye, and he swam for it.  Had to get to the shore before he fell 
back to sleep.  
	There was battles to be won.  People to protect.  A universe to 
save.  Even now, he realized that.  He had been stupid earlier.  Not to 
trust the others explanations.   
	It was then when he realized he should be dead.

	Maury woke with a start.  Thick blackness filled his vision as 
his eyes shot open, grasping for anything to lock on to.  “What the 
hell?” he whispered, heart racing.  
	His hands came up to his forehead, feeling for injury.  He found 
only his hair.  A quick check on his waist showed he was equally intact 
on the rest of his body.  
	Even his bo was tucked away in the inside fold of his coat.  
	Realizing he wasn’t going to get any explanation from his own 
mind, Maury squinted his eyes, looking through the darkness.  Slowly, 
his eyes adjusted.  Gaining ground in the dark until he could make out 
walls and shapes.
	He was in a small room.  The long rectangle in the center 
indicated a bed.  
	Noticing it for the first time, Maury saw a squat triangle shape 
on the wall.  A yellow glowing outline.  It was the only light in the 
room.  
	Deciding it was a good start, Maury walked quietly over to the 
shape and examined it.  Cloth covered the shape.  In one quick swipe, 
he tore back the curtain.
	It was a window.  
	His eyes shut involuntarily as yellow and red light bathed over 
him.  “Aarh!” he gasped, hand coming up to shield his vision.  

	A molten sea of light lay across the horizon as far as the eye 
could see.  A low rumble filled the room as a ribbon of yellow liquid 
shot up over in the distance.  
	“Oh my god...” Maury paused, not quite believing it.  “I’m back 
on Sol!”
	That was when Maury realized where he was.  He looked around 
frantically.  “No...” he whispered, realizing he was in his old 
bedroom.  

	He wasn’t home.

	Not by a long shot.

	This was Tumbler’s reward.

	“Don’t DO THIS TO ME!” Maury yelled out to the roof.
	His voice was interrupted by the sight of something moving on the 
bed.  Someone under the covers.
	A head poked out from the blankets.  His hair was messed from 
sleeping, but otherwise looked identical to Maury...just a few years 
younger.
	Maury was just about to head for the door when a hand was on his 
shoulder.  He turned to see Tumbler’s smiling face.  “You...” Maury 
growled.
	Tumbler turned to look at the room around them.  “You’re a 
strange person, Maury.” He sighed.  “Most people would love the chance 
to go back to their childhood and look around.”
	The Senshi had no response, hoping against hope that this monster 
couldn’t read his mind.
	“Here are the rules of your new existence.” Tumbler said, 
adopting a more formal tone to his voice.  His smile never left his 
face, though.  “Number one?  I grant you eternal life.” He said.  
“Isn’t’ that nice of me?”
	Maury growled.
	“Yes.  It is.” Tumbler said, continuing.  “At least, life in my 
mind.” His smile widened.  “I think you’ll like it here.  Lots of fun 
things to do.”
	The boy on the bed started to stir, but seemed oblivious to 
either Maury’s or Tumbler’s presence.  
	“Rule two...” Tumbler continued.  “As you probably guessed, you 
have no physical self anymore.” He shrugged.  “After all, you’re 
happily decomposing and feeding worms right now.  That means no matter 
what you do here...” the monster smiled.  “You’re pretty much 
helpless.”
	“Anything else?” Maury growled.  
	“One more thing.” Tumbler nodded, crossing his arms.  “And I 
expect you to remember this for the rest of your...” he laughed “life.  
If you forget, then you will be sorry.”
	He leaned in and glared at Maury.  “Welcome to your own personal 
hell.” 
	
	Before Maury could respond, Tumbler was gone.  

	Maury looked around and instantly felt like vomiting.  “Oh 
god...no...”
	He fell down to his knees, curling up into a ball.  “I have to 
get out of here.” He whispered to himself.  “Before...” he shut his 
eyes.  “AAAAAARRRRRHHH! NOOO!  THIS IS NOT HAPPENING!” he yelled.  

	The room around him was silent as he rocked back and forth.  It 
was happening.  

	His own personal Hell.






	Tumbler smiled to himself, sitting down against the brick wall.  
In his mind, he could hear Maury’s screams and fears.  They tasted 
delicious.
	Even more so than the rest of their hells.  
	“Don’t worry, Sailor Scouts.” He sighed happily.  “There’s no 
hurry to enjoy all your fears yet.” He smiled.  “After all, we have all 
of eternity together.”
	He sat, against the wall of the attic of a hospital deep within 
downtown Tokyo, arms crossed against his chest.
	All he needed to do was rest.  Wounds healed and resolve back, he 
could finish his job.  The final parts of his plan had already been set 
in motion.  
	
	This universe would fall like all the rest.  But this one would 
be his crowning achievement.  A masterpiece orchestrated from the 
moment he had been imprisoned.
	The actors had played their parts so well without even realizing 
it.  
	“Time...” Tumbler said quietly to himself.  “Is on MY side this 
time.” He chuckled.  














				Chapter 17




	December twenty-eighth started as a very lonely day.  The 
decimated Sailor Scouts were only five strong now.  
	“We should have never left them alone.” Serena cried, shaking as 
she held her tea.  “I might have been able to do something...the Silver 
Crystal...”
	Darien shook his head.  “He’s weak.  You saw yourself that he was 
cut up.  He just would have left like he did yesterday.  We have to 
wait until he’s foolish enough to face you head on.”
	Sharon was unusually quiet.  Even for her.  
	Rei nodded.  “You’re right, Darien.  But today it has to end.” 
She sighed.  “One way or the other.”
	“Do you know what it’s like?” Sharon asked suddenly.
	They all turned to her.
	“Pardon?” Mina asked.
	The oldest Sailor Scout turned to look at her.  “Do you know what 
it’s like to watch a timeline die?”
	Mina shook her head.  
	“I’ve had nightmares about it.” Sharon said, shivering slightly 
at the thoughts and images that washed over her.  “The future 
disappears first.” She said.  “It fades.  All moments in time after now 
dissolve into one point of light.” She closed her eyes.  “Then time 
itself screams out in pain as it is severed.  Gone.  Out of existence.” 
She looked them all over.  “You have no IDEA how final it is.  The 
brutal finishing nothingness that remains.” She shook her head.  “A 
maddening silence that seems to be always a second away.
	“The past is next.” She sighed.  “In the span of a 
thought...every moment of history is destroyed by a blinding white 
flash.” Tears were now flowing down from her clenched eyes.  “It rips 
memories up from your mind and devours them like a fire.  Every moment 
you’ve ever cherished in your life is taken from you.” She laughed 
weakly.  “But not before you see the timeline being raped in front of 
your eyes.  Every second.  Every year.  Every month.” She paused.  
“Every heartbeat is destroyed.”
	Darien closed his eyes.  “Please...”
	“Then.” Sharon continued, ignoring him.  “When there is nothing 
left but the present...and the nothingness driving your mind insane on 
either side of you...” she said, barely keeping a sob down.  “Just when 
you think you might be free of the wasteland around you...everything 
dies.  Light.  Sound.  Feeling.  Thought.  Everything dies.  It screams 
louder than you could ever imagine.”
	Darien’s hand came up and rested on Pluto’s shoulder.
	“Afterwards...” Sharon stammered.  “There is nothing.  N-othing.” 
She turned to Darien and grabbed his arm.  “Do you have any idea what 
TRUE nothing is?  The void?  It sickens me just THINKING about it!” she 
yelled, suddenly angry.  “The echo of the timeline’s screams fades and 
everything is GONE!  No ashes, no bodies, no rubble.” Her eyes riveted 
shut.  “It’s a holocaust that would make anyone wish for an atomic bomb 
instead.”
	Her eyes widened.  “We should have let the bomb take Tokyo.  If 
we had all been killed, then at least we would have died then.” She 
cried.  “Not witnessing the end of our universe.”
	Rei nodded to herself, tears also rolling down her face.  “We 
fight.” She said quietly.  “If we die, then the universe dies.” She 
shook her head.  “We have to win.”
	They all looked to Serena.  She nodded.  “We have to win.” She 
said quietly.  “That’s all there is to it.”







	It was another hour before anything else happened.  Maury had 
elected to stay huddled in the corner.  The last thing he felt like 
doing was looking around the room.  The palace.  Anywhere.  
	He didn’t want those memories back.  That was exactly why Tumbler 
was forcing them upon him.
	Maury was all to aware of what day it was.  He knew that if 
Tumbler wanted to torture him, this would be the day to pick.  He 
sighed weakly and hoped that if the others were with him inside this 
monster’s mind, they weren’t being tortured like he was.
	There was a knock on the door.  The younger Maury in the bed 
stirred.  “Blah!” he replied.
	The door opened, and both Maurys looked over to see their mother.
	“Mom?” Maury gasped.
	She smiled and walked over to the younger.  “Let me guess.” She 
sighed.  “You were up all night talking to your Saturn-friend, weren’t 
you?” she laughed, sitting down on the bed, ruffling the young prince’s 
hair.
	Maury’s younger self yawned.  “So?” he smiled, sitting up and 
giving his mother a hug.  
	“I don’t mind so long as you aren’t plotting to blow things up 
like last time.” She smiled, gently bopping him on the nose.  “You gave 
the palace guards quite a scare.”
	Maury remembered that day well.  Him and Chris had become friends 
rather quickly when they realized their combined talents for 
pyrotechnics.  A smile crossed his lips as he watched his mother stand 
and promise that breakfast was about ready.  
	“I’ll be down in a minute.” The young-Mo said.  
	“Do yourself a favor.” Maury whispered to his younger self.  
“Stay in today and sleep.”
	
No sooner than he had said that, but the scene changed.	
	
	Suddenly, everything was golden yellow and white.  A roof made 
completely from a mirror like substance floated overhead, sat on 
impossibly wide pillars of stone at the far ends of the room.  
	The courtyard, Maury thought.  He stood up, still in the far 
corner of the room.  His trench coat was unaffected by the slight 
breezes.  
	Maury was a ghost in the world of his own memories.  He couldn’t 
help but smile.  Tumbler defiantly knew how to torture a person.  He 
cracked his knuckles.  If he ever got out of here, he would be sure to 
replay the favor.
	Mo, as Maury had decided to call his younger self, came running 
into view from the inner palace.  The complex was simply amazing by 
anyone’s standards.  A city floating on the surface of the sun in a 
secluded dark-spot.  In reality, there was nothing dark about a dark-
spot.  It was very bright outside the walls of the compound, and all 
the windows had to be shielded so the inhabitants wouldn’t go blind 
from taking a look outside. 
	The main tower was the palace.  The city looked almost like a 
radio-telescope.  A slightly curved half-circle bottom supporting the 
city above, who’s tallest building was the needle-like Royal Sector set 
right in the middle.  
	Although Maury couldn’t see the rest of the city, he knew it was 
about three thousand meters down.  The court-yard was actually a 
massive suspending balcony near the top of the palace.  Only the Royal 
chambers and a few guard houses were higher.  
	Three thousand meters.  Maury’s heart almost stopped.  “Oh 
god...” he felt his stomach heaving, but in his ghost-like state, 
nothing would eject from his bowels.  He was left hacking and coughing 
for a few uncomfortable seconds.  
	Maury had never been afraid of heights.  
	But this was still the place of his deepest fears.  
	Mo walked over to the edge and giggled, pointing down at the 
surface of the sun.  “Wow.  Rough day today.” He smiled.
	Suddenly, Maury noticed his father standing next to the boy.  The 
elderly man nodded to his son.  “Sure is.” He sighed.  “Looks like we 
might have to raise the city today.”
	“Can I help?” Mo asked happily.  “I remember how!”
	“I know you do.” His father smiled.  “But your mother would kill 
me if I let you miss your practice today.” He paused.  “You remember 
what we talked about yesterday?”
	Both Maurys nodded.  Maury remembered the conversation that he 
had with his parents earlier on in that week.  The young Prince needed 
to practice his attacks and powers for the day he was needed to defend 
the rest of the Solar System.  
	Maury cringed, though he wasn’t sure why.  He had a bad feeling 
he forgot something about this day.
	Something that Tumbler knew.
	“But I want to help you with the controls!” Mo sighed.  “That’s 
my other duty as a prince, remember?  Look after our city?”
	His father smiled, looking down at him.  Maury smiled.  He was a 
very nice looking old man.  Gray hair and beard.  Skin tanned from 
years living on the sun.  At least he was able to see his family again 
because of Tumbler.  
	“You just said you already knew how to do that.” His father 
continued.  “I’m afraid your powers are still clumsy, though.” He 
chuckled.  “You have to learn some control before you kill someone.”
	Maury’s eyes clenched shut.
	Mo just sighed.  “Fine.” 
	“Don’t look so down, my son.”  His father said.  “Just go for a 
few hours to make your mother happy, and you can join me up on the 
bridge.” He smiled.  “You can help me lower the city later once this 
damn ion storm slows down a bit.” His hand came down and ruffled 
Maury’s hair.  “How does that sound?”
	“Can I use the VR thingy?” he asked.
	“Sure.” His father laughed.  “Now, get going.  I think breakfast 
will be ready in a bit.”
	Maury watched his younger self hug his father’s waist, then run 
off towards the palace.   
	How young was he then?  Ten?  Eleven?  It was way too young for 
the young prince.  Maury almost felt as if he was too young sometimes 
for the things he had seen and been through.  
	Dry eyes produced no tears.  Even when he realized at this very 
second, Lita could be here with him.  
	She could be dead.
	So could Andrea.  Chris.  Everyone.   
	His eyes re-opened to find another scene change.  It felt hours 
later.
	Then the real terror of the situation hit.  For all he knew, 
Maury could have been inside Tumbler’s mind for years.  Eons.  
	They could have already lost.
	Maury’s vision got cloudy as his eyes tried to tear up but 
couldn’t.  “Oh god...”

	











			Chapter 18





	At this point, you must be wondering how I’m talking to you.  He 
he!  Well, to tell you the truth, so am I.  I was dead.  Three or four 
of my most vital organs were violently ripped out of my chest.  Why 
shouldn’t I be dead?  The entire cast of E.R. and all the doctors on 
every Star Trek combined probably couldn’t have been able to save me.  
But hey!  When has death ever been a problem for us?
	Well, okay.  It is a problem.  But still, when you’ve been killed 
once before, it’s a bit easier to take.  All you need is something to 
harbor your soul until you’re brought back to the wonderful world of 
flesh and blood.  
	We had the later.  The Silver Crystal was quite an impressive 
anti-death talisman, but even that wasn’t enough against Tumbler.  Not 
when he was still happily ripping up chests.  
	For all you know, I’m in Tumbler’s head.  Forever damned to climb 
icy mountains and talk to this fucking computer.  Sure, it doesn’t seem 
like much of a hell...but think about it after being here for a few 
billion years.  
	Back to the story.  The sooner I finish it, the less you’ll be 
confused.  Ha!  As if I’m not still trying to figure out what happened 
myself!






	Beavis rocketed through space.  Surfing over the gravity of stars 
and planets as fast as his powers would let him.  He was nothing more 
than a tiny blue spark of light as he flew.  Even Tumbler couldn’t 
match this speed.  
	Godspeed, as Beavis liked to think of it.  Not much less than a 
god was able to travel this fast.  
	The little hedgehog was hoping Tumbler wasn’t a god.  It would be 
just his luck, too.  They were up against something that could destroy 
universes.  In a way, he was the Anti-God.  Creation’s match.  
	Antichrist, Beavis?  He thought to himself.  Don’t give him that 
much credit.  At least he hoped not.  
	Finally, his eyes spotted the planet he was looking for.  Beavis 
dipped into the shallow gravity well and used it to slow down to a 
manageable speed.  He had been gone only one earth day.  He hoped it 
would be quick enough.  The Scouts had been completely unprepared for 
the attack and had suffered badly.  
	In Beavis’ mind, he knew it was not going to be enough.  They 
needed something more.  Something that Beavis knew worked.
	The Tumblers.  
	Below him, a charred rock of a planet hovered silently around a 
dying red giant star.  The place of a battle that raged millennium ago.  
Magic, power and brute strength combating for the fate of an entire 
universe.  A timeline and the home to countless peoples.  
	Luckily, Magic and Power won.  Tumbler had few powers he used in 
the heat of battle.  That was his weakness.  It was also his strength.  
If nothing you used against him effected him, then you were in trouble, 
because he would be able to weaken you eventually.  He could rip 
planets apart with his bare hands and throw a chunk into your skull.  
	More than one Elder died on that day.  More than were left 
living.  
	Even with their power and magic combined, Tumbler was able to 
weather it like a snow storm, then emerge unscathed to continue his 
damage.
	The stones had only succeeded to buy them time.  Time spent 
foolishly.  Wasted.  But Beavis had a plan.  
	He slammed down through the ground and found the Tumbler Room.  A 
temple had been built around it to forever hide the monster.  Protect 
the magic forever.  
	Forever was an impossibly long time.
	
	As the day set on the dead world below, Beavis flew away, heading 
back to Earth.
	In his tiny hedgehog mouth, he held a rather large chunk of rock. 

	Things were going to go fast.  Events would move into a blur.  

	Beavis hated to do it, but he had to focus on the goal.

	Time to make things right.  





	







				Chapter 19





	Tumbler woke with a smile on his face.  He realized that he had 
been smiling a lot lately.  Indeed, the Sailor Scouts had been 
everything he had hoped for in an opponent.  
	No matter how many of them there were, and no matter how 
skillfully they fought, they could still be manipulated.
	He sighed.  It wasn’t fair to label them as such.  After all, 
everyone could be manipulated to do exactly what you wanted.  In 
reality, they were all very excellent opponents.  It was probably the 
only reason he was bothering to keep them all.
	The memory washed over him and he frowned slightly.  Not all of 
them.  
	Imagine the shear audacity of Strike Fiss to think he could 
escape him?  It wasn’t possible.  Yet...it had happened.  The little 
bastard escaped his punishment.
	Just to make things worse, he had no idea how!  The slashes 
against his chest and arm still hurt more than he would care to admit.  
Nothing had ever done that to him before.  Cut into his flesh.  
	Even so, it was flesh, and it had healed a lot since last night.  
A thought crossed his mind and he laughed.  What was a bad-guy without 
a few nasty looking scars?  Who was he to deny his victims that little 
bit of characterization?  
	In the very back of his mind, Tumbler could remember Chris’ 
words, though.  It shouldn’t have got to him as much as it did.  There 
was no way he was falling into any stereotype.  
	It wasn’t possible.
	The only thing he allowed was the villain cliché.  It was all 
part of the act.  Part of his plan.  But Chris had given him something 
else.  Classified him like a character on a movie screen without even 
having to think about it too hard.
	Tumbler frowned.  That wasn’t too bad in itself.  After all, 
characters were characters.  People and real faces.  
	But a hit man?  Was that all?  Was that all he boiled down to?  
Distilled and purified until he was a guy named Bugsy who was in some 
Quentin Tarantino movie?
	How dare he.  That little bastard.  
	Tumbler shook his head and walked over to the wall, punching a 
hole through it.  No.  This would be over in less than a day.  He would 
return to his employers and receive his wish.
	Then he would be home again.  
	Free.  

	Tumbler leapt out into the morning air.








********** 
Sorry to interrupt your regularly scheduled SAILOR MOON AR 10!  This is 
a special announcement by SAILOR HOOZE!  

“This is page 69 according to the word processor.  Huh huh huh...69.”

Thank you for your co-operation.  We now return you to your regularly 
scheduled SAILOR MOON AR 10...already in progress
**********






	Maury looked over the balcony for the thousandth time.  It would 
be so easy to jump.  Just fall and splash into the molten white heaven 
of the sun.
	He looked up.  But Tumbler was not about to let Maury do that.  
It would have meant his hell had an exit to nothingness.  Maury would 
have gladly jumped if he knew it would save him from reliving this day.
	Especially now.

	Not after he saw her again.

	The mere sight of her brought tears to his eyes.  He sobbed for 
half an hour just from his first glance.  Relief to see her alive once 
again was poisoned by the memories that had been haunting Maury his 
entire life.  It was like waking up with a refreshing splash of cool 
nitric acid in the face.  
	The front of his black shirt was heavy with moisture by the time 
he was able to control the tears.
	Celeste.  God she was beautiful, he thought with a shivering 
sigh.  Tall, lean, and stunning.  A face of a goddess.  Silky red hair 
that was tied back sharply at the back of her head, but with stray 
curls always resting on her shoulders.  
	About one or two years older than Mo was at that age.  Maury had 
to think to remember.  That would make her fourteen or fifteen.  
	Her parents had died shortly after her birth, and Maury’s parents 
had accepted her into the palace.  A friend for the young prince to 
confide in.
	Maury couldn’t help but smile.  They were a lot more than that.  
To say love at first sight was an understatement.  They grew up 
together with the closeness of a husband and wife instead of the 
friendship of a half sister and brother that his parents had intended.
	From the moment they had been introduced, their fates had been 
sealed in the stars.  Destined for each other.  You could see it in the 
way they moved together.  
	Mo walked over from the palace.  It must have been around noon 
then.  Lunch was over.  
	“Good afternoon, Miss Tasumi.” The young prince smiled and took 
her hand in his to kiss. 
	Celeste shook her head and smiled.  “Who says romance is dead?”
	Maury stood at the edge of the court, frozen.  He would have 
given anything to have the courage to walk over to her and pass his 
hand over the lines of her face; but terror locked his feet down.  
	Mo, who although was a bit younger than she was, could still 
match her in height.  They embraced in a playful hug and he spun her 
around once.  “Romance will never die as long as there’s...” Mo smiled.  
“Prince Destiny!”
	“My hero.” Celeste laughed, kissing him on the tip of the nose.  
	“Damn straight.” Mo nodded, letting her back down. 
	She brushed his shoulder off and smiled.  “So how was practice 
today?”
	He shrugged.  “Not too bad.” He stretched his arms out and 
cracked his knuckles.  “The usual.  Almost perfect on the long range 
targets.”
	She laughed.  “Almost perfect?”
	Mo grinned and slid his arms around her waist.  “Well, every time 
I try to concentrate, I think of you...”
	“Flattery will get you everywhere.” She smiled sweetly.
	Maury couldn’t help but watch the exchange with a smile.  His 
smile faded, though, when a loud klaxon sounded throughout the city.  
	“We better get inside.”  Mo sighed.  “Dad’s lifting the city.”
	“No fair.” She pouted.  “I thought you said we were going to go 
to the lower observation deck and picnic?” 
	He raised an eyebrow.  “I have no intention of not going.” He 
puffed out his chest.  “The Prince of Sol keeps his promises.”
	“Please...” Maury shuddered.  “Don’t keep this promise.”
	“Good.” Celeste nodded.  “I’m going to go back and get changed.” 
She ran her hand through Mo’s hair.  “You get the food.”
	Mo let her go and was about to go when he spun around and smiled.  
“Change into what?”  she already had on a fairly revealing, very 
beautiful white blouse and pants.
	Celeste just winked and walked off.  “Don’t keep me waiting.”
	“Oh god I love this woman.” Mo sighed happily to himself.  
	Maury’s eyes stung with tears.  “You still do.” He whispered.
















				Chapter 20




	She hadn’t stopped crying that night.  Luna and Artemis knew to 
leave the room as she sat in the corner.  Huddled in the corner of 
Chris’ bed and lamp.  
	The low hum of his desktop computer had finally lulled her to 
sleep.  Miharu welcomed it.  She knew that if she woke up tomorrow, it 
would be another small victory.  If she didn’t?

	If she didn’t?

	Then it was over and nobody would ever have anything to fear 
again.  
	They had arrived in Calgary around midnight local time.  Time 
enough to sleep and hope for a full day tomorrow.  If that happened, 
then Sailor Moon had won.  
	More importantly, Rei and Chris had won.  No matter the cost.
	Dreams flooded her that night.

	The first was of the night her mother had died.  Her real mother.  
She remembered vividly how Chris told her to keep her eyes closed.  To 
keep them closed.  Even when his voice was dripping in pain.  Not 
physical, but emotional.  
	That was when she knew her mother had died.  What she didn’t 
really realize how badly Chris had felt.  Losing another link to his 
past.  
	In a way, they were both losing a parent.  
	She imagined the scene over and over.  Feeling the shock wave of 
the Negabomb hit.  Then the second, more lethal wave.  The air scalding 
over her skin.  One degree less than it would take to burn, but enough 
to send searing pain throughout her body.

	When she woke from that dream, Miharu went over to the bed and 
found her sword.  Taking it in her arms like some children would take a 
teddy bear, she returned to the corner and fell back to sleep.

	The second dream was terrifying.  Rei had told her of the waking 
visions she had long ago.  Just before Professor Tomoe started 
attacking the city with his Daemon Seeds.  
	The tornadoes of gray dust ripped through frozen crystal statues 
of each of them.  The entire city ripped up.
	This time, however...the tornado was Tumbler.
	She watched as the monster began spinning around, tearing things 
up like a Tasmanian devil.  All the while making a growling cry that 
sped up and varied as he spun.  
	She saw rows and rows of people.  First, just nameless faces, 
then, closer to her, she saw that the Sailor Scouts were all frozen in 
crystal as well.  Tumbler made short work of the crystal, leaving a 
trail of blood.  A river of blood.  
	At the very end, he ripped through both statues of Rei and Chris, 
coming to a stop and facing her.  
	The last thing she saw of that dream was a bloody smile.  She 
woke with a start and was convinced that sleep would be impossible for 
the next few hours.

	Finally, she went on Chris’ computer and selected a few nice, 
slow songs to play.  “Pulse.”  A song from Macross Plus, began to 
repeat in the background; adding to the soothing whisper of the cooling 
fans.  
	Sleep found her a few blissfully short minutes later and she fell 
back into a dream.

	This last one was strange.  Where the other two had filled her 
with fear, she felt strangely relaxed as she realized she was dreaming.
	White.   White as far as the eye could see.  It was almost like 
standing on a cloud.  Blue sky was visible upwards as the white faded 
into billowing puffs.  
	“Beautiful.  Isn’t it?” a voice asked behind her.
	She turned and saw Chris standing there.  He was wearing all 
white, and seemed to be giving off a strange light.  She was glad it 
wasn’t a ghost when she ran up to him and hugged a very solid, real 
Chris.  “Dad!” she whispered happily into his tuxedo vest.  
	“Miharu, honey.” Chris whispered back, brushing a tear off of her 
cheek with his finger.  “Are you okay?”
	She nodded, but then shook her head.  “No.  You’re all going to 
die.  I don’t want you to die.” She whispered shakily.  “I don’t want 
to die.”
	He nodded and smiled.  “You’re not going to die.” He paused.  
“Your mom and I may have to leave you for a while...” he sighed.  “We 
have to.” He explained.  “To make sure you can live.”
	She cried against his chest, hugging him tighter than she ever 
had before.  “Daddy...I think you’re dead.” She cried.  “I think that 
this is heaven, and you’re here because you died trying to save me.”
	Chris seemed to look around for the first time.  After a glance 
around, he returned his gaze to his daughter.  Slowly, he knelt down 
until they were eye-to-eye.  “Miharu.  I need you to do something for 
me.”
	Slowly, she nodded.  
	“Things are very different right now.” He explained slowly.  “I 
want you to remember something.  To believe in one thing for me.”
	“Okay.” She whispered.  Tears streaking down her face.
	She watched his lips curl up into the biggest smile she had ever 
seen.  Slowly, he stood.  “The impossible...” he said proudly “...is 
possible tonight.”
	Miharu’s eyes widened.  Chris turned and began walking away.  Two 
large, angelic wings were pinned to his back, glowing in a white, pure 
light.  
	He turned one last time and nodded to her.  “Believe.  Just 
believe.  Everything will be fine.”
	
	She woke with eyes filled with tears.  Besides her, her wakizashi 
lay across her lap.  Warm with her own body heat.  
	“I believe.” She said slowly.
	There was a blanket over her when she woke.  Brushing it aside, 
she reasoned that Luna or Artemis had draped it over her during the 
night. 
	She fell back to sleep a few minutes later, not quite noticing a 
white feather on the floor.












			Chapter 21




	Tumbler watched as all five remaining Sailor Scouts (four and one 
Tuxedo Mask, actually) lined up on the hill. 
	Serena already had her sword-like Moon Kaleidoscope waiting at 
her side.  “So this is it?” she whispered.
	Sharon nodded.  “If you can’t kill him with your crystal, then 
it’s my turn.” She closed her eyes.  “I hope your way works.”
	Darien nodded.  “Let’s rock, then.”
	“Wait.” Rei sighed.  “We need some kind of inspirational speech.”
	“Chris and Maury were always good at that.” Mina smiled.
	Tuxedo Mask nodded.  “So am I.” He pointed at Tumbler with his 
walking staff.  “Sailor Scouts!  This is the end of the line.  The 
final fight.  All the marbles.  All the glory.  We CAN NOT FAIL!  We 
WILL NOT FAIL!” he gritted his teeth.  “Now let’s make this guy sorry 
he ever stepped foot on our planet.”
	Rei nodded.  “Works for me!” 
	“I’ll run interference while you all power up the crystal.” 
Darien said, extending his cane slightly.  
	“Here.” Rei winked, giving him a handful of ofudas.  “He’s about 
as evil as they come.  If you need to...they’re all charged up and 
ready.”
	He smiled his thanks.  “Good luck, Sailor Moon.” 
	Serena smiled and nodded.  “You too.”
	Tumbler crossed his arms and yawned, showing his deadly teeth.  
“Are you ready now?  I’ve got a schedule to keep, you know.”
	Tuxedo Mask walked forward slightly and nodded.  “I look forward 
to ramming my staff down your throat and using it to pry you in half.”
	Behind him, Sailor Mars, Venus and Pluto arranged themselves in a 
triangle around Sailor Moon.  She spirited away her Moon Kaleidoscope, 
and raised her hands to her chest.  “Please, mom...” she whispered “if 
I ever needed your help...it’s right now.”
	“Ready, meatball-head?” Rei asked softly.
	Serena nodded.  “Ready.” She took a deep breath, then closed her 
eyes.  A strange, unsettling calm filled the air, leaving only her 
words.

	“SILVER CRYSTAL POOOWWWWWWEEEEEERRRRRR!!!!!!!”

	Tumbler jumped forward for Darien.  He was ready, and the end of 
his cane connected with Tumbler’s chest.  It bent back, almost to the 
point of cracking, then sprung back, propelling Tumbler into the air.
	Around Sailor Moon, everyone’s outfits began glowing pure white.  
Beams of energy began to focus on Sailor Moon and the Silver Crystal as 
she raised it into the air.  A low rumbling began as the raw power 
began to build up.  
	“Get ready, Sailor Moon!” Tuxedo Mask urged.
	Tumbler landed and plunged his hands into the ground.  Darien was 
quite unprepared for when the monster ripped the frozen ground up from 
under him in a large strip.  He lost his footing like someone had 
pulled a carpet out from under him.  
	Just as he got up, Tumbler was on him, plowing him deep into the 
fresh snow like a meteorite.  “Did I ever tell you that I hate roses?” 
he laughed, then raised his fists, ready to pin Darien against the 
ground.  
	Darien’s hand came up from the depths of his cape.  Four roses in 
his fist took flight and landed against Tumbler’s broad chest.  
	Three bounced off.
	One stuck into the scar Chris’ sword had left.  Tumbler roared in 
pain.  He fell off of Tuxedo Mask as he tried to claw the flower out of 
the wound.  Darien took the opportunity to roll away and stand.  
	Tumbler managed to stand about the same time.  Rose crushed to 
dust in his hand.  Even though it was out, a small trickle of clear 
liquid was coming from the entrance wound.  Darien had no time to feel 
satisfied, and sent another volley of roses towards Tumbler.  “Just DIE 
already!” he demanded.
	Tumbler dodged, but one rose caught him in his left arm, right in 
the shattered skin that had only healed that morning.  It too, stuck.  
	Darien’s roses were blessed with magic, and that magic stung 
Tumbler’s soul like he had known only once before.  Rage was taking 
over.  
	All of Tumbler’s conscious thought drained away, and despite the 
pain from his chest and arm, he ROCKETED towards Tuxedo Mask so fast, 
he was nothing more than a blur when they collided.  
	Even when Darien’s chest was ripped open, he knew he would have 
died a second later from the impact shattering his ribs.  On the 
ground, blood everywhere, his mouth opened in one, final breath, then 
drew shut.  
	Tumbler stood.  Rage still ruling his actions.  They would all 
die.  Now.  
	He turned to Sailor Moon and cracked open his bloody jaws.  
Serena just glared at him, pointed the Silver Crystal in his direction, 
and whispered:

	“Silver Moon Crystal Power Kiss.”

	The rumbling energy redoubled and refocused.  It launched forward 
at Tumbler in the form of the most beautifully pure and intense beam of 
light they had ever seen.  
	It collided with Tumbler’s chest, and he howled in anger.  His 
advance had been stopped by the sheer power of the Silver Crystal.  He 
could feel flecks of his armored skin peeling away under the light.  
“NOOOOOO!” he yelled.  
	Slowly, as if fighting the most rapid current of water ever 
produced, Tumbler’s right arm raised.  It began to deflect the power 
around him like a shield.  
	Sailor Moon shook her head.  “Not today, Tumbler.” She smiled 
slightly.  “MOOOOOOON POOOOOWWWEEEEEERRRRR!”
	“MARS POWER!” Rei added.  Her beam of energy strengthening as she 
poured her soul and being into it.  
	“VENUS POWER!” Mina yelled.  The stream of light from her body 
redoubled as well. 
	“PLUTO POWER!” Sharon yelled.  All three of them now at full 
strength. 
	Tumbler began to lose ground in his struggle.  
“GRAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!” he yelled as more and more of the light splattered 
into his body.
	Sailor Moon held her crystal proudly and took a step forward.  “I 
AM SAILOR MOON!  And in the name of love, justice, and all my 
friends...” she growled “...I WILL PUNISH YOU!”
	Tumbler leaned forward, both arms up.  “I doubt that.” He 
replied.  
	Serena realized that he was right when the Silver Crystal began 
to flicker.  It’s energy on the verge of being spent.  “Come on!  Just 
a few more seconds!” she pleaded.
	The crystal obeyed dutifully, but it wasn’t enough.  Half a 
minute of the most powerful attack it had ever produced, and the poor 
tiny crystal was exhausted.
	Sailor Moon could almost feel the power ooze away from her as the 
light faded.  She collapsed a second later, followed by each of the 
Sailor Scouts.  “No...” she whispered into the white snow beneath her.
	Tumbler’s body was in ruins.  Cracks lay across his entire torso.  
His left arm was nothing more than an oozing stump, and his right was 
bleeding extensively.  The only thing on him that wasn’t touched were 
the four bone-quarters on his head.  

	They were turned up slightly in a smile.

	Rei was the first to stand.  “That slash on your chest.” She 
whispered weakly.  
	He nodded.  “Your fiancé fought very well.” He took a step 
forward and cringed as the pain from all his wounds registered.  “But 
I’m afraid he is rotting in an alleyway a few blocks away now.”
	She closed her eyes.  
	“Rei!” Serena gasped.  “Get back!  Run!” she pleaded, too weak to 
move.  “It’s over!”
	Rei turned to her princess and smiled.  Then, she turned back to 
Tumbler.  “It’s NOT OVER!” she yelled.  Red energy flew off from her 
body and focused into a ball of fire.  
	Tumbler walked forward.  “You’re right.” He smiled.  “It’s not 
over.”
 
	










				Chapter 22




	The scene had changed a while ago.  Maury was suddenly standing 
in mid air.  The sun’s yellow-hot surface crackled beneath him.  Above 
was the bottom shelf of the city.  
	Just in front of him lay a tiny observation deck.  Nothing more 
than a balcony.  An emergency exit hatch leading to the burning star 
below.
	One of the most romantic places to spend an evening.
	And one of the most dangerous.
	“No.  Please no...” Maury begged.  His mind had all but shut 
down.  Those two words were his new mantra.  He must have repeated them 
three dozen times before he saw himself arrive on the tiny balcony.

	Mo smiled to himself, looking out over the double horizon.  The 
curved surface of the floating city above him, and the giant star 
below.  Golden yellow lit up the scene.  
	“God.  Tonight’s the night...isn’t it?” he asked himself.  A 
dreamy smile crossed his lips.  “I’m SOOOOO fucking nervous.  I’ve 
rehearsed this a thousand times, and still...”
	He reached into his pockets, trying to find it.  His right hand 
produced a delicate gold chain.  Woven from liquid gold.  Delicately 
spun from forces only possible by magic.  It was more like gold thread.  
	In the center, set with a single, perfect green emerald, was the 
symbol of Sol.  
	Both Maurys smiled at the sight of it. 
	Mo took a long, deep breath and nodded.  “I’m going to get 
through this.” He chuckled.  “I’ll ask her after dinner.” He gazed out 
over the star that was his home.  “And, if I’m the luckiest bastard in 
the Solar System...she’ll say ‘yes.’” 
	He decided to pocket the engagement necklace and set the scene.  
The young Prince needed this to be perfect.  Somehow, though, he knew 
he could be proposing to Celeste in a garbage dump and it would still 
be the happiest moment of his life when she agreed.  
	The emerald in the center would match her hair so perfectly, Mo 
decided.  It was exactly the same shade as her eyes.  The same eyes 
that looked at him with love.  Real love.  
	He hoped against all hope that she could see the same in his 
eyes.  It was there.  Oh god was it there.  
	
	With the picnic set up around him, Mo had nothing left to do but 
sit and wait.  He propped himself up against the waist-high safety rail 
and waited.  
	He didn’t have to wait long.
	Celeste walked down the long flight of stairs and emerged into 
the golden light as elegantly as any princess in the universe.

	Both Maury, and his younger self, were unable to prevent the drop 
of their mutual jaws.

	She was absolutely stunning.  Her long, red hair was up in some 
kind of nameless, but oh-so-classically beautiful curl and twist.  Two 
locks of it dropped down in front of her ears and bounced off of her 
long, milky-white neck.  
	Mo’s eyes wandered lower, drinking in the sight of her one inch 
at a time.  Her white blouse had been replaced by a VERY flattering, 
low-cut black summer gown.  The shimmering fabric spun at her feet as 
she playfully turned around, showing off.  Her back was cut low.  
Almost down to the small of her back.  
	“What do you think?” she asked.  Her voice was barely over a 
whisper.
	He stood slowly.  In a long blink, his eyes came up to hers.  “Oh 
my god...”
	She blushed considerably.  “Thanks.”
	He walked over and took her hand in his.  “Do you realize...” he 
sighed.  “You can’t possibly know how lucky you make me feel.” 
	“Who says you’re getting lucky tonight?” she teased.
	He shook his head.  “Not that...” he took a long breath, 
absorbing her light perfume into his lungs.  She even smelled gorgeous.  
“I just can’t believe how lucky I am to...”
	Her hand came up and slid across his cheek, taking a tear he 
wasn’t even aware of shedding.  “Maury?  What is it?” she asked.  Her 
voice was soft and kind.  
	The young Prince Destiny nodded and smiled, taking a step back to 
compose himself.  Finally, he remembered what he was doing.  “It’s 
missing something.” He said, motioning to her dress.
	She raised an eyebrow.  “Oh?”
	He nodded, then opened his fist, reveling the necklace in his 
hand.  “I...uh...” he shook his head.  “Let me...”
	Her mouth parted slightly and she smiled.  Maury’s hands came up 
and began fitting the golden necklace around her neck.  His hands 
leaving shivers of anticipation down her spine as he closed the clasp.  
“Maury...” she whispered.  
	He looked up, and in her eyes, he saw his answer.  Make it 
official, he reminded himself.  With the biggest grin she had ever 
seen, Maury slowly got down on one knee.
	“Celeste Tasumi.” Maury said softly.  “I have something to ask 
you.”
	“Yes?” she replied.  Her voice shaking with joy.  
	He looked up at her.  “Not as your prince.  Not as a Senshi.” He 
bowed his head slightly.  “I ask this as a humble man who is...” he 
took a long, deep breath.  “SO in love with you.”
	She let out a soft laugh.  “Yes??” she begged.  
	Mo looked back up into the deep green eyes looking back at him.  
“Will you make me the luckiest man in all of history?  Will you be my 
wife?”
	Celeste closed her eyes and nodded.  “Yes.” She replied happily.  
“Of course I will.”
	He rose and they embraced in a passionate kiss.  At that 
moment...Prince Destiny felt like he was the luckiest man ever.
	
	Tears streamed down Maury’s face as he watched them.  He wished 
he could relive that moment forever.  But it was just a prologue to the 
main event.  
	It made it worse.  Reminded him of what he lost.
	What he was about to lose again.  

	Then, it came.  

	A solar flare.

	Normally, dark-spots were relatively free of the loops of deadly 
plasma.  However, it had been a bad day.  The seas of the surface of 
the sun had been rough and wild.
	And three million tons of heated gas struck the bottom of the 
Royal City.

	Mo grabbed the railing to keep from falling.  Celeste in his 
arms, holding tight as the entire horizon seemed to shift.  “What’s 
HAPPENING!?” she gasped.
	“HOLD ON!” Mo replied.  It was the only thing he could think to 
do.  
	He turned to see the bottom of the plate being licked by the 
flare.  White-hot gas splattered into the perfectly smooth surface, 
deflecting off and away.  As the flare subsided, the rumbling around 
them slowed and smoothed out.
	“My god!  Did you see that?” Celeste gasped, looking over Maury’s 
shoulder. 
	He nodded.  “We have to get out of here.” He said.
	As soon as it was stable enough to walk, they both darted up the 
stairs, leaving the picnic below.  
	Only a few seconds up the stairwell, another giant ribbon of 
plasma hit.  Maury, who had gone second, looked back to see the walls 
and stairs around them begin to heat up.  “HURRY!” he yelled.
	This flare was a lot bigger than the last one, and was hitting a 
spot only a few meters away from the look-out balcony.
	The balcony had vaporized.  
	The stairs were following suit.  Faster than they were climbing 
them.  Celeste gasped as the hand-rail became red-hot and started to 
melt.  “Maury!!” 
	
	Maury watched in horror from below.  The bottom of the city had 
cracked.  All the way up the balcony’s access stairs.  It came undone 
and crumbled.  Sucked down by the vacuum caused by the retreating solar 
flare.  

	Mo watched as the stair in front of Celeste gave way and she 
fell.  Right through the bottom of the city.  “NO!” he yelled.
	
	Maury saw Celeste falling.  “No, please...” his words were cut 
off by a flash of yellow light.

	The young Prince Destiny, master of the Solar elements, smashed 
through the floor, glowing a bright yellow.  “CELESTE!” he yelled, 
picking up speed to catch up to her.  The sun’s supercharged gravity 
sucking her faster and faster downward to the boiling plasma below.  
	“Oh my god...” Maury whispered.  Half of that statement was in 
awe of his younger self.  
	Clothes had long since vaporized off the young prince as he flew.  
Skin turning bright yellow and hair throwing off a trail of fire as he 
sped downwards.  
	Celeste was one more second from hitting the wall of heat when 
Maury zoomed up in front of her and caught her.  “I got you!” he said, 
looking down only long enough to make sure she was in his arms.  
	Maury’s ghost followed as Mo exploded upwards in a trail of 
plasma that rivaled any solar flare.  





	The King, Queen, and the Royal Court were assembled that moment, 
discussing the application to the Moon Kingdom when a bright yellow 
streak flew past them.
	“That’s Maury!” his father stood.  “What the hell?”
	The entire courtyard gasped as Maury landed with Celeste in his 
arms.  
	“Oh no...” his mother whispered.  Already she could see...
	The young prince stepped forward.  His skin returning to normal.  
He was exhausted.  “We fell...!” he said to the dozens of watching 
eyes.
	A hand came up.  Celeste’s hand.  It rested against Maury’s 
cheek.  It felt hot.  Too hot.
	He looked down and was stunned.  

	Celeste was burnt.  

	Badly.

	Very badly.

	“Oh my...” Maury’s voice was instantly gone from his lungs.  
	Celeste’s eyes locked into his for one last time.  “I...love 
you...” she whispered.  
	He held her in his arms.  A look of pure shock on his face.  
“No...” he gasped as she slumped lifelessly into his grasp.  
	“Son...” his father rushed up towards him.
	Maury jumped backwards, Celeste still in his arms.  “GET AWAY!” 
he screamed.  A tear rolled down his face.  “Oh god no...NO!” he 
yelled, taking a step forward, then back...uncertain where to go.  
	His father, the King of Sol, stepped back.  “It...wasn’t your 
fault...”
	Maury leaned down, gently setting the love of his life down on 
the ground.  He looked up at his father, only able to keep his eyes 
open for a second before they steeled shut.  “WHY didn’t you tell me!” 
he begged.  “I didn’t know...”
	
	Maury...the real Maury shook his head.  “You didn’t know.” He 
tried to tell himself.  “You didn’t know your own powers.”
	“YOU FUCKING DIDN’T KNOW!” Maury yelled to both himself and his 
younger self.  
	All the feelings of that moment that he had locked out of his 
mind came flooding back in.  

	The feeling of the tender kisses he missed so much against his 
face.

	The feeling of loving someone so utterly completely it made your 
heart ache to be without her.

	The feeling...the horrible, indescribable feeling, of having the 
one you love most in the entire universe...be cooked to death in your 
own arms as you tried to save her life.

	Maury’s eyes shot open. 

“TUUUUUUUUUMMMMMMMBBBBBLLLLEEEEERRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!”


	













				Chapter 23







	Sharon held Serena tightly as Rei hit the ground, dead.  Tumbler, 
smoking and hissing, continued forward.  Mina lay next to her friend.  
A bloody puddle expanding in the white snow from their chests.
	“This is it...isn’t it?” Serena shuddered.  Every muscle in her 
body spent.  Every neuron in her brain numb to the point of collapse.”

	That’s when Sailor Pluto stood up.  

	“Not for you.” She said solemnly.  Her voice aging eons in 
seconds.  “But for me...and Tumbler...” she glared at the monster.  “It 
is over.”
	Tumbler smiled at her, jaws cracked open.  “Give it your best 
shot.” He laughed.  “I dare you.”  Just to make his point, he raised 
his arms and hung his head slightly, entering a demented crucifix pose.  
	Sailor Pluto, the guardian of Time, would only need one shot.  
Her arms came up and she spun her staff around once.  “Very well.” She 
closed her eyes.  “Ultimate Destruction Program.  TIME BUBBLE!”

	“Finally.” Tumbler smiled.

	Sailor Pluto launched herself towards him, staff outstretched.  A 
bubble of green and black energy forming around her.  “I banish you to 
forever!” she growled through clenched teeth as the energy jarred her 
very bones.  “Even if I have to share it with you.”
	“I look forward to it.” He grinned.
	Her staff hit him, and they were both enveloped in the bubble.

	Tumbler reached over and grabbed Sailor Pluto’s chest-bow.  
“Thank you.” He smiled.
	She struggled but couldn’t break free.  “For WHAT?!” she 
demanded.  The bubble of time around them started to solidify, almost 
complete.  
	He leaned in very close and tilted his head.  “For helping me 
destroy your universe.”
	Her heart sank.  “Oh no...”
	Her heart was inside Tumbler’s jaws a second later.  He laughed 
mightily as the time bubble formed completely.  

	Sailor Moon knew something was wrong.  Light began to bend 
towards the black and green sphere that Sailor Pluto had formed.  As 
the light hit, it seemed to fold inside out.  
	“Oh no!” she gasped.  “It didn’t work...”
	
	Inside the bubble, Tumbler looked down at Pluto’s body and 
sighed.  “Stupid girl.  There are only three ways to destroy a 
universe.” He laughed.  “One, is to destroy all the keys.” He floated 
over and picked up her staff.  “But that takes hundreds of your years 
for someone like me to do.
	“Next, you can try and wait for Armageddon.” He shrugged.  “But 
even that’s not a sure bet...as I’m sure you know.” He smiled down at 
her.  “But the easiest way...and the most fun...”
	Tumbler leaned over and smiled.  “Is to rupture time.” He paused.  
“Your little sister was about to do it when I was forced to stop her.  
It was too soon.” He grinned.  “But now that I have you all with me...I 
can leave, and you can all enjoy an eternity of hell.”
	
	“TUUUUUUUUUMMMMMMMBBBBBLLLLEEEEERRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!”

	Tumbler gasped.  What the?





	Serena looked up to see a shaft of pure sunlight shoot down from 
the heavens above and slam into the bubble of time.  “Maury?!?” she 
whispered.
	Tumbler shot out from the side of the bubble, smashing down onto 
the ground once again.  His mouth was smoldering.  “You’re DEAD!” he 
yelled out.  His mighty voice booming with anger.  
	In a burst of fire and light...Maury...the Prince of the 
Sun...emerged from the bubble.  Serena gasped and her mouth dropped.  

	Prince Destiny stood, alive and well, covered in white-hot liquid 
fire.  He looked down at Tumbler and gritted his teeth.  “I was dead.” 
He smiled.  “But you reminded me of some powers I haven’t used in a 
thousand years.”
	The power of a nuclear bomb lashed out with the flick of Maury’s 
wrist as he sent a jet of plasma out at Tumbler.  It impacted and threw 
the monster back into the air.  
	Tumbler got to his feet, angrily.  “Then you’ll love it when I 
kill you again.” He shot forward, despite all his injuries, like he was 
brand new.  “Better hurry up and die!” he laughed.  “You’re universe 
will be dead in a few minutes.”
	As Tumbler impacted Maury, though, he was washed with fire.  He 
passed through the Senshi like he was water.  Maury never even 
flinched.  His body now glowing a bright yellow.  “You’ll have to do 
better than that.” He growled.  “You put me through hell...” Maury 
raised his fist.  “And I intend to repay the favor.”  
	Bolts of sunlight stabbed out from his hand and THROUGH Tumbler’s 
leg.  It exploded in a splash of shimmering clear goo.  
	Tumbler screamed in pain.  His jaws open wide.  
	Maury took the initiative and his chest erupted in a Sol Flare, 
slamming down Tumbler’s gullet.  “How does THAT feel?” Maury yelled.  
“You murderous bastard!  How do you like that?!?”
	Tumbler shot back, smoldering from the heat and energy.  His face 
plates were charred and black.  Chips of bone now dropped as he tried 
to speak.  “It doesn’t matter...” he coughed.  “That time bubble will 
rip you all from reality.” He sneered.  “You’ll never have existed.”
	Maury growled.  “Then I plan to take you along with us.”
	Raising his hand, a jet of blue plasma shot out like a laser into 
Tumbler’s groin.  Maury moved up, splitting the monster down the middle 
as he went.  
	At the last second, he spun around, and the blue flame licked 
across Tumbler’s chest, ripping open Chris’ slash.
	Tumbler’s jaws gasped as his body slid apart, separating into 
three pieces.  
	Maury walked up to Tumbler.  His body returning to normal flesh 
and blood.  Slowly, he pulled out his bo.  
	Tumbler looked up weakly.  “I’ll see you in hell.”
	Maury just smiled.  “Been there...” he slammed the staff down, 
directly into the monster’s head.  “Done that.”

	Tumbler slumped down to the ground.  Dead.


	

				







				Chapter 24





	Maury helped Sailor Moon to her feet and she gave him a huge hug.  
“Maury!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!” she cried.  
	He cringed.  “It’s okay now.  He’s gone.”
	“Everyone...” Serena cried.  “They’re all dead.  Andrea.  Chris.  
Lita.  Rei.” She looked over to the growing time bubble.  “He still 
won.”
	He looked over and nodded.  “I know...but we tried our best.”
	Tumbler’s body began to glow.
	They both looked over and took worried breathes.  “Oh no...not 
again.” Serena gasped, collapsing against Maury.  
	He smiled.  “Wait a second...”

	One by one...tiny, diamond-like crystals began to appear over 
Tumbler’s dead body.  Each were tinted a different color.  A flash of 
light appeared over them as Serena’s Silver Crystal gave it’s last 
shred of energy to the dozen or so tiny heart crystals.

	Sailor Mercury faded into life.
	Sailor Mars was next, wearing a peaceful smile on her face.
	Tuxedo Mask appeared.  Then Sailor Venus, Sailor Hooze and Sailor 
Pluto...both holding onto their Time-Keys.  
	Sailor Saturn, Neptune and Uranus came next, all appearing and 
smiling thankful smiles to each other that they were all back.  
Sailor Jupiter appeared with her determined grin already set in 
place.  Demeter wasn’t far behind, forming a tiny little blue crystal 
instead of a full body.  
	They all floated down from the air, landing on the snow in a 
light crunch.  
	One full heart-beat later, and they all were in a group-hug 
around Sailor Moon and Prince destiny.  “SAILOR MOON!” they all yelled.
	She was drown in tears by the end of the hug, and she wouldn’t 
have traded it for anything in the world.  “You’re all back!” she 
whispered between sobs.  
	Maury managed to free himself from the group and walk towards the 
rip in time just a few feet away.  “This may be a final farewell.”
	Sailor Pluto and Hooze both walked up to the bubble and closed 
their eyes.  “Shit...” Sharon said simply.
	Andrea nodded.  “We can’t stop it.” She looked around 
desperately.  “It’s going to rip a hole in our universe.”
	“Soon.” Sharon amended.
	Mina took a long, deep breath.  “Then, at least...” she smiled.  
“We are together.”
	Rei’s eyes filled with tears.  “Oh my god...”
	They all turned to her.  
	“What is it?” Hotaru asked.
	“Chris.” Rei said.  “What happened to Chris?”





	Beavis found it in a back alley behind a toy-store.  “Figures I’d 
find you here.” He chuckled to himself.  
	The tiny hedgehog set down the chunk of rock he had ferried back 
from the center of the galaxy and began floating.  He flew up to Chris’ 
sword and latched onto the handle with his teeth.  With a quick pull, 
it was out of the wall.
	A second later, Beavis was up in the air with both the katana and 
the chunk of rock.  “Chris.” He said as he flew.  “I know you can here 
me.  I know you’re with me.” He smiled.  “It’s time for you to come 
back to us.  I need your help saving the universe.”
	Nothing happened.  Beavis frowned.  
	“Come on, my friend.” He repeated.  “I know you’re here.” He drug 
the sword along in his blue energy wake.  His Sean Connery voice 
booming with pride.  “I can’t use this sword.  Only you can.” He 
smiled.  “You ARE this sword.”
	Beavis stopped flying and looked behind him as Chris’ sword began 
to glow a bright white.  “There you go.” He laughed.  “I’m surprised 
you didn’t figure it out sooner.”
	The sword began to throw off light in all directions.  Slowly, 
though, notes of power began to swirl around the handle.  It grew into 
a humanoid shape and began to solidify.  
	Chris Stover materialized, eyes closed, hands clutching his 
sword.  
	He and Beavis landed just across the street from Cherri Hill.  He 
was unconscious, though. 
	Beavis blinked.  “Chris?!?”
	No answer.  His clothes were bloody from his fight with Tumbler, 
but he was indeed intact.  Beavis waddled over to the young man and 
listened for a second.  He was breathing.  Asleep.
	Trying a hunch, Beavis began kicking cold snow on Chris’ face.  
“WAKE UP!!!” he yelled.
	Chris continued to sleep soundly.
	Beavis frowned.  Time to pull out the big guns.  “CHRIS!  There’s 
a guy over there wearing an Apple Macintosh tee-shirt!!!”
	“WHAT?!!” Chris was up on his feet in less than a second.  His 
sword was instinctively out and ready to be-head.  “Where!” he gasped, 
coughing, looking around frantically.  
	Beavis smiled.  “Come on...we have to save the world.”
	Chris looked down at him.  “What happened?”
	Beavis let the memories flood over Chris on his own time and the 
young prince’s eyes shot wide open.  “Tumbler!”
	Beavis nodded, and they shot up the steps of Cherri Hill.






	Pluto cringed as she felt it start.  Time was cracking.  All 
around the sphere of black and green crackling energy, light seemed to 
segment and break like a mirror being stepped on.
	The Sailor Scouts all grouped together and watched helplessly as 
it started.  
	That’s when Beavis and Strike Fiss made the scene.  “What do we 
do again?” Chris asked.
	Beavis flew along side of him, rock in mouth.  “You need to jam 
that sword of yours in that ball of time.  Got it?  And when I say so, 
you need to cut a hole in it.”
	“Got it.” Chris nodded.
	Everyone watched in surprise as Strike Fiss leapt at the ball 
time, and stabbed it with his sword.  He gasped as it yanked forward.  
	“Hold on!” Beavis ordered.  “Don’t let it pull you in!”
	Chris just nodded.  “HURRY!”
	Beavis dropped the chunk of rock on the ground.  “Maury!  Come 
here!”
	“Do you know what this is?” Beavis asked.
	Maury shook his head.  “I have no idea.”
	The hedgehog smiled happily.  “This is a piece of the Tumbler of 
Destiny.”
	Maury’s eyes widened.
	The hedgehog nodded.  “We are going to set destiny right again.  
This universe is not destined to die here or now.  Do you get that?”
	Prince Destiny nodded.  “Yes.  I think so.”
	“NO!  You must BELIEVE it.” Beavis said.  “Or this won’t work.
The power of the mind is not something to be fucked with." He frowned.  
“Now, tell me...is the universe going to die right now?”
	Maury shook his head.  “Hell no!” he gritted his teeth. “Not on 
MY watch.”
	“Good.” Beavis smiled.  “Now...I want you to touch it.”
	Maury blinked.
	“Go on.” Beavis urged, then closed his eyes.  “In doing so, you 
will lose your foresight.  But it will save our universe by rebuilding 
the Tumbler of Destiny.”
	“Sounds like a good trade.” He smiled, reaching down and picking 
the rock up.  “Let’s get this over with, shall we?”
	
	BOOM!

	Red light filled the air, then converged on Maury and the stone 
in his hands.  Maury closed his eyes as he felt part of his power drip 
away into the rock in his hands.  
	He welcomed it.  It took with it the pain of watching people die 
in the future.  The pain he felt looking into Celeste’s eyes even 
before she died and realizing it was already too late.
	
	It gave him back control of his own future.  

	A tear fell from his chin onto the shattered stone.  No sooner 
had it done so, then it was finished.  The power transferred.  
	
	“Chris!  Make that hole NOW!” Beavis ordered, taking the tumbler 
into his mouth as it began to re-grow.  Reforming into a giant stone 
ring.  
	"Looks like it's PARTY TIME!" he yelled out.
	A bright flash filled the air as Chris’ sword ripped open the 
bubble.  Wind like none of them had ever experienced before rushed out, 
throwing everyone back.  

	And they saw it.

	Nowhere.

	It seemed to be both everywhere and nothing all at once.  In the 
strange, blue-black void, visions of every point in the universe 
flashed by their eyes.  "Oh my..." Mina gasped.  "It's...the edge of the
universe."
	Everyone stared silently at the sight no human had ever seen before.
	Chris’ eyes were wide.  “He just wanted to go home.” 
	To everyone’s surprise, Chris walked over to Tumbler’s body and 
picked it up; ignoring the blood dripping down from it.  Fighting the 
wind, he managed to push the monster into the slit of time.  
	“You’re back home, now.” Strike Fiss whispered.  "You got your wish."  
	Beavis was a second behind, and threw the glowing piece of rock 
into the void after Tumbler.  “There we go.”
	
	Everyone watched in silence as the time bubble collapsed slowly 
on itself and disappeared.  The universe once again whole.














			Chapter 25




	Beavis would never admit how happy he was at that moment.  Just 
seeing Tumbler broken on the ground had made his life long dreams pale 
in comparison.  Although he never thought himself as a bitter man, 
Beavis was still more than a little happy to see the THING that tried 
to destroy their existence dead and gone.  

	Everyone sat silent at the table.  Scared that talking would
break the wonderful spell of peace and quiet.

	Each with their partners or lovers or fiancés.  Each just happy 
to be in the land of flesh and blood once more.

	Nobody talked of what they experienced while in Tumbler.

	Beavis sat at the center of the table, smiling.  “I knew you 
could do it.” He looked at the group.  “Somehow...” he laughed.  “I 
knew you would do it.”
	Maury sat with Lita, their arms around each other.  Somehow, he 
knew Beavis knew.  Beavis knew everything.  Beavis’ black eyes 
shimmered with appreciation.  If Maury wasn’t willing to live thorough 
his hell again, he might have never escaped.  
	Beavis turned to Chris.  Both him and Rei were lost in each 
other’s eyes, and he had no intention of breaking the two apart.  He 
just smiled.  One day, he would find out who he was.  There was no 
hurry now with Tumbler gone.  
	“What are you thinking?” Sharon asked, nodding over a cup of tea 
as Darien held Serena in his arms.  
	“I’m thinking we should get the hell married before anything else 
goes wrong.” Darien smiled.
	“Mmmmm.” Serena just cooed.  Content to spend forever in his 
arms.
	That’s when the phone rang.  Chris stood reluctantly and walked 
over to get it.  “Cherri Hill.” He answered.
	Beavis saw the look in Chris’ face as soon as it hit.  “Oh no...”
	Pluto looked over to Beavis.  “You re-set Destiny...?”
	Beavis nodded.  
	“Oh shit.” Sharon blinked.
	Chris hung up the phone.  “Good news.  Miharu and the cats are 
safe in Calgary.” He ran over to the television and switched it on.  
“Bad news is...”
	“The ice is back.” Sharon finished.

	Nobody moved.  Unsure of what to do.  Serena looked down at her 
locket and paled.

	The Silver Crystal had been spent.

	Tumbler had managed to get in one, final victory after all.  


	“What do we do now?” Ami asked.

	Serena surprised everyone by answering.  “We spend our last few 
days on earth with our loved ones.” She looked up into the eyes of 
Darien, who nodded back with a sigh.
	Chris stood.  “We also have one last thing to do.”
	Rei’s eyes filled with tears as she realized what it was.
	“We owe an old friend our last respects.” He said, eyes closed.  










				Chapter 26



	The snow had finally started to fall as the few moments of 
twilight colored the sky dark purple.  Rei's eyes were full of tears as 
Maury, Chris, Demeter and Darien walked in between the two groups of 
assembled Sailor Scouts.  
	In their hands was a tiny coffin.  They walked slowly along the 
back of the Cherri Hill temple.  Walls were wrecked and falling.  Holes 
in the roof and floor.  
	But it was still home.  Home to Grandpa.  Home to Rei.  Home to 
the Scouts, if not their human identities.  
	"I'm glad we're doing this here." She sighed quietly.  
	Mina's arm was around her shoulder.  "Let's hope we don't make 
this a habit."
	Rei nodded, hugging her.  
	Serena was crying like a baby throughout the entire ceremony.  
"He made the BEST cookies!" she whimpered.  "I'm going to miss him…SOOO 
MUCH!"
	The four boys had lowered Grandpa's coffin into the grave dug 
against the back wall of the temple.  It was a beautiful spot.  
Overlooking the forest behind the buildings.  They all bowed their 
heads and walked back.  
	Darien nudged Serena as he got back.  "We're ready."
	She nodded.  "Prince Saturn, if you please."
	Chris took out his sword, and with a light pulse from the weapon, 
had covered the coffin in dirt.  It was smoothed over a moment later.  
Chris walked back over to the line of Scouts.  
	One by one, they walked by the grave.  Each dropping a flower.  
Chris and Maury both dropped white roses.  Darien, Rei and Serena all 
left red roses.  
	Maury took Chris off to the side.  "You know, I never got the 
chance to do this back on the sun."
	"You will, man." Chris said, patting him on the back.  "It's just 
the process of losing someone."
	Maury nodded.  
	"No matter how you lose them." Chris amended.  "It's all the 
same.  It just takes time."
	He would have argued with Chris two weeks earlier.  But now?  The 
wounds were healing.  Slowly, but they were still healing.  Tumbler's 
hell had been a blessing in disguise.  He was able to remember a past 
love.  He was able to escape Tumbler's mind.  And, he was able to 
exercise the ghosts that haunted him.
	"He went after our heart crystals." Maury smiled.  "He wanted us 
all to suffer."
	Chris shook his head.  "I think, somehow…he thought he was 
rewarding us."
	"What?" Maury gasped.
	His friend just shook his head.  "Nobody's one hundred percent 
evil, Maury." He smiled.  "You know that.  You've seen it before."
	"Mmm." He grumbled.  "Well, he's dead.  Gone.  That's all I care 
about." He paused.  "Heart Crystals?"
	Chris nodded.
	"Then how come he didn't take yours?"
	Chris thought for a moment.  "I don't know.  Just lucky, I 
guess."



	Rei looked over to Chris and Maury with a smile.  Chris looked 
like he had been on a long hike and just come back.  Not ripped apart 
by the worse monster they had ever faced.    
	God knew SHE felt it.  The terror and pain.  The stuttering 
relief that it was over.  
	And he was with her again.  Even if her grandfather wasn't.  "I 
think you'll be proud of him." She whispered to the heavens above.  
"He's a lot like you." She chuckled.  "A pain in the ass, but I love 
him so much."
	Chris glanced over to her and smiled a toothy grin.
	She laughed.  "See?" she sighed and walked over to Grandpa's 
grave. 
	On the headstone, engraved deep into the stone, it said:

	Grandpa Hino.  
	Though he left us in body
	He will always be with us in spirit.

	Rei leaned over and left a light kiss on the top of the marker.  
"Goodbye."












				Chapter 27





	“Destiny is a bitch.  I will never say otherwise.”

	“When all the shit happened with that time-bubble, it jarred 
loose the ice in the Omega Web.”
	
	Chris sighed, rubbing his sore eye as he grabbed hold of a chunk 
of rock to pull himself up.

	“We had Grandpa’s funeral the next day.  It was nice.  Very 
peaceful.  For the first time, every Sailor Scout was able to dress in 
his or her uniforms at the graveyard.  A show of respect, I suppose.  
It’s our armor.  Our dress uniform.
“I returned to Calgary with Hooze, Demeter and Mo.  We decided to 
be with our families this time around.” He chuckled.  “Figures that 
Nacho’s poor engine would finally give on my way back from my favorite 
look-out hill and I’d have to try and climb home with the ice at my 
toes.”
	He paused, looking beneath him.  About five minutes down the 
cliff was ice.  Creeping up on him almost as fast as he was climbing.  
“But now you know of the battle.” He continued.  “You know why we’re 
all about to be Popsicles.  Why even the good guys sometimes aren’t 
good enough against all the evil in the world.
	“I just hope that the eyes that read this journal next will be 
understanding.” Chris sighed.  “I hope they don’t think we didn’t try 
our hardest and then give a little more.  My friends have worked too 
hard, and sacrificed too much to be labeled as incompetent heroes.”
	“We aren’t even heroes.” Chris continued.  “We are just human 
beings who happen to have some fancy powers and shit.  Nothing too 
special.” He paused.  “It’s like that one song.” He cleared his throat.  
“We can be heroes, just for one day.”
	He smiled.  “Yes, I DO listen to other music besides the Smashing 
Pumpkins.  The Wallflowers are nice too.  And the lead singer looks 
like you can kick him in the head and he wouldn’t even flinch.” Chris 
laughed.  “Tumbler wouldn’t last ten minutes against Jacob Dylan.”
	“The ice was a lot faster this time around, unfortunately.  It is 
just half an hour before New Years, you know?  Because the ice was 
spread from the Omega Web, it attacked the planet from a dozen or more 
places at once.  Only took a day and a half to take most of the earth.
	“Oddly enough, Alberta, and New Zealand will be the last to 
freeze.  I think the other Sailor Scouts are frozen by now.  Who knows, 
I could be the last one left.” He paused.  A lump was growing in his 
throat.  “I don’t want to be the last one left.  It’s not a 
responsibility I’m good at.  Being the last one.  The last Senshi.”

	Chris felt a tear crawl down his cheek.  

	“I haven’t cried so damn much in my entire life, you know?” Chris 
coughed.  “Got into a car crash once when I was about six years old.  I 
barely even got choked up.  When Rei got killed that one time when we 
were against our clones?  That was a close second.  I cried a lot that 
day.
	“But these last two weeks have been hell.” Chris closed his eyes.  
“I’ve lost everyone, and more.  I’ve fought with my daughter.” He 
sighed.  “And I’m scared to death that once this ice takes me, it will 
be for eternity.” He paused.  “Hell.  I even crashed my car.”



	And yet, as I can finally see the top of this mountain, a smile 
comes across my lips.
	Rei is there.  I don’t know how she found me, or how she got 
here.  Maybe she’s just a mirage that my crazy, deranged mind is making 
up.
	She’s wearing that purple and white jacket and the black jeans I 
got for her last Christmas.  Hair tied back in that way she knows I 
secretly love, no matter how I try to convince her I like her hair any 
way she puts it.  
	Her eyes soften as she sees the ice behind me, though.  She knows 
we only have a minute or so left.  
	“I’m here.” She says, taking my hand and pulling me up the last 
few steps with a strength I know has to be real.  
	I can only smile and cry as I embrace her.  I want to wrap myself 
around her.  Let the ice take me and shield her from it’s grip.  I try 
hard, even though I know it’s futile.  She doesn’t seem to mind, 
though, and I hear her sobbing too in a second.
	We spend an eternity, just holding each other.  
	“Miharu and the cats...Beavis...they’re all safe.” She tells me.  
“Back at the apartment.”
	I nod.  A small part of me relived to hear my daughter is safe 
even though I know it to be true.  
	A light snap and crack alerts us to the ice approaching, but 
neither of us is willing to check how much time we have.  I don’t want 
to take my eyes off of this woman.  
	This woman who made me the new life I share with her today.  
Fraught with perils and pain, but also unbelievable joy that I wouldn’t 
trade for anything in the universe.  
	This woman who has shared so much with me.  Has shared herself 
with me, and allowed me to share myself with her.  Who has let me lose 
myself inside her body and soul.  Who has let me slay some of the 
dragons that plague her in return.
	This woman who will be my wife.  Who is already that in my heart.
	This woman who makes me believe that I am the luckiest son of a 
bitch on this plain of existence.  Makes me believe it with every kiss 
we share.  Every touch.  Every smile.  Every moment I’m with her.  
	This woman who reminds me that life’s worth fighting for.  That 
the blood I’ve shed is not in vain, but for the right reasons.
	This woman who keeps me sane, and insane at the same time.  

	This woman that so utterly and perfectly completes me.  Makes me 
whole.  Makes me better than whole.  

	I debate weather or not to say these words out loud.  I love you.  
I don’t need to.  She knows.  But I still feel the need to say them.

	She decides for me.  Her arms slide around my sides and draw me 
closer.  Her head tilts upwards, her lips find mine.

	And we kiss.

	And I am no longer scared.



***RECORDING INTERUPTED***  
Error 10010101  

“External hardware failure.  Emergency battery backup saved” 

Omega Web R&D Systems
**************************














			Epilogue








	From space, Earth looked gray.  

	Ice covering everything.  Locking the lives of six billion people 
in one moment in time.
	
	But in the middle of a city.  One called Tokyo.  A tiny light was 
visible.

	Not yet strong enough to break free from the ice.

	But growing.

	Slowly.  Ever so slowly.  Growling and gaining strength.  

	Recovering from the battles of the past.  Preparing for the ones 
to come in the future.

	It rested on the body of an eighteen year-old girl with long, 
golden hair tied up in two buns on either side of her head.

	Because of her, and her friends, time would go on.
The universe would still be there when they woke from the ice.
And the mysteries would continue.  The adventures expanded.

	The reality around them altered.

	

	Love.
	
	Justice.

	She is the one called Sailor Moon.














					The End
					*******












***********************************************************************




	WhooooohhhhhYAAAAHHHHH!  

	Ahem.  :)  Sorry about that folks.  I’m at a mix of emotions right 
now.  I’m so damn glad to be done AR 10.  Ha!  For three reasons.  One, 
is that it was a bitch of a story to write.  Long, and very touch-N-go.  
You should have seen some of my earlier plot-ideas for it.  <shudders>
	Two.  I won’t be killed!  Horray!  After the AR 9 cliffhanger, I 
got numerous death-threats stating I would join Jimmy Hendrix in the 
afterlife if I didn’t deliver AR 10 in a timely fashion.  
	Three...

	The AR series is just getting started.  He he he....



	This is the end of the original 10.  The ones that got me into so 
much trouble when people started loving them and asking me to write 
more.  Don’t worry, though.  I’m addicted to it now, and I can’t stop 
anytime soon until the rush of power is gone.  (Might take a while, 
folks!  Thanks!)  

	Anyone who is familiar with the original Sailor Moon timeline 
will probably guess that this is the Great Darkness now.  1000 years 
under the evil spooky ice.  That means, once people wake up (IF they 
wake up)  it’s the future.  Crystal Tokyo era.  Whole new adventures 
and situations.  Wheee!  Can’t wait.  

	But, my head hurts.  Ouch.  It is 7:30 am, and I’ve been up all 
night.  Thinking up dark humor and bloody battles is easier when you’re 
a little zonked out on sleep-depravation.  I hope I didn’t scare anyone 
away by the Tumbler story-arch...making you think I was some blood-
thirsty field for gore and dark story-lines.  I just wanted 1999 to go 
out with a bang.  A big sucker.  That means epic struggles against 
spooky monsters.  Thanks for riding out what is obviously non-Sailor 
Moon material.  I hope you’ll agree it was worth it.  

	As you probably guessed with all the unfinished titbits and hints
in the story, AR is far from dead.  If anything is left unanswered, 
it's only because I'm saving it for a future story.  He he!


	THE MORAL OF THE STORY?  Nice guys don’t always finish last.  :)
(Actually there's a whole shit-load of morals.  You're all
smart people.  I'm sure you got them all.)
	
	If you have any comments, questions or suggestions, as well as any 
valuable stock-trading tips, you can contact me, Strike Fiss, at

strikef@bigfoot.com

	But it’s always a good idea to check out Crystal Canada, my official 
web-site-of-fanfics to get the latest stories, and direct links to 
contact all three of us NA Scout-type-people.  

http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/9110


This is Strike Fiss, signing off until the ice melts and the forces of 
evil rise again.  I thank you for reading the Alternate Reality series.  
:)  If you keep reading...I’ll keep writing.