"Eleven fifty-nine," noted Ami, without looking up from her computer.

Minako checked her watch. "Silly Ami-chan, it's eleven fifty-six."

"I'm synchronized with the United States military atomic clocks."

"Isn't that dangerous?"

They weren't alone, since putting them alone together was like putting high heels on ice. Their friends and fellow fighters for love and justice lounged around the living room of the Tsukino residence. Rei and Makoto were intently watching a samurai video; every so often Rei would move her hands unconsciously. The cats rested, Artemis at his charge's feet, and Luna on Makoto's lap. Their host was snuggled in the lap of her prince, feeding him candy sticks and giggling.

"Forty seconds," noted Ami.

"Usagi-chan." Rei turned from the movie. "Will you tell us your plan now?"

Usagi turned around, annoyance written on her face. As she wiped off the chocolate kanji, she declared, "Not until New Year's, and only if the power fails."

"That's ridiculous," Ami scoffed. "Japan has nothing to worry about. Our programmers are the best in the world, and any Year Two Thousand failures will occur in less developed countries, like Canada. Twenty seconds."

Makoto nodded. "I hope so. I once tried to power an electric egg beater." She shuddered.

"Ten seconds."

They held their breath, except Ami, who had to breath on account of talking.

"Three, two, one, midnight!"

"WOO-HOO!" Minako jumped up, and whipped out a handful of noisemakers and tossed them in the air.

As they plunked on the ground with a disappointing lack of noise, Ami smiled at Rei. "Nothing to worry about. See?"

The lights flickered twice, then died.

Somewhere in the distance, a dog barked and a woman screamed.

"No, I don't."

Somewhere in the distance, a mosquito sneezed.

"Okay, Usagi-chan," challenged Rei. "now what?"

"Now?" She clapped her hands and started to glow. Rei noticed a smear of lipstick on Mamoru's face and did her best to ignore it.

"So you can glow."

"Hey!" Usagi retorted, "I'd like to see *you* try... Oh. Cool. Aren't you afraid you'll singe your hair?"

"Hah!" Makoto hahed. "That's nothing! Check this out!" Luna made a hasty retreat.

"That's less than nothing!" Minako insisted. "Mamoru-kun, close your eyes. Girls, *this* is how you light up the night."

"Ooh!" Usagi cooed. "Mina-chan, my good friend and loyal servant, can I borrow those?"

Ami turned on a flashlight.

Rei grimaced. "So, Usagi-chan, this is what you do when the power fails?"

"Naw, Rei-chan, that was so I don't stub my toes. Everyone, follow me!"

So they followed the glowing girl: first the priestess with an aura of fire, then the living lightning lamp, then the lady with the glow-in-the-dark panties, and finaly Ami, who had turned off her flashlight to conserve the batteries.

"As you know," Usagi lectured when they all stood on the kitchen tiles, "experts have long predicted this very disaster. For months now I've been stocking supplies critical to our survival. This was done a little at a time to avoid the appearance of panicked hoarding. The time has come." She marched to the refrigerator. "You see, I have known, for some time, what to do when the power fails."

She opened the freezer door.

"Now then, we have vanilla, strawberry, banana, mint chocolate chip, root beer (ick!), caramel, chocolate (yum!), cookies 'n cream, cherry..."

Fin