Shooting for the Moon: Chapter 8

     Disclaimer: I do not claim ownership of Sailor Moon or anything 
that comprises it. This is a non-profit story written solely for my 
own enjoyment and that of anyone who wishes to read it. The story and 
original characters are mine. Please don't use them without 
permission.

***

                        Shooting for the Moon

              - A Sailor Moon Fan-Fiction by Nutzoide -


    Chapter 8: The Youma Strike!
               Final Confrontations of Heart and Soul
    
    
    "Humanity, we cannot survive you. Your 'champions', your Sailor 
Senshi, destroyed us. Now, just as they defended you from us, so we 
must defend ourselves from you. We must take a new Kingdom for our 
own, and you shall be the people of that kingdom, Humanity. You shall 
be made powerful, unique beyond your basic egos - you shall be our 
people."
    
    So Tyranya had spoken.
    
    "You cannot survive us, unless you become us. We will not live 
like refugees; we will no longer survive on scraps so that we can 
remain hidden from the Sailor Senshi. What was taken from us and 
destroyed, we shall take from you. But we shall not destroy. We shall 
create. 
    
    "The Sailor Senshi will not allow us this. They have shown their 
will to complete their mission of genocide against us, and they have 
their own plans for your future, Humanity. Plans you will not be able 
to escape from. 
    
    "We will not harm you, Humanity. Those of you who believe that, 
wait here with us. We will await the Sailor Senshi's attack in plain 
sight. Today we will see who will survive whom." 

*** 
    
    Sailor Jupiter looked down from the rooftop, watching the crowd 
in the distance. It seemed to grow every minute, slowly filling the 
street. "They had a lot of guts to do this," she said, her fists 
clenched at her sides. "Do they really think they can win?"
    
    Sailor Pluto looked up to see the helicopter that hovered 
overhead, catching the first glimpses of them on the scene. "Whatever 
they have been planning must be completed."
    
    Sailor Moon looked away from the scene to her eldest companion. 
"You don't know what it is?"
    
    Pluto shook her head. "These youma breached their way into our 
time stream. The future is too changeable when it is so close to us."
    
    "Let's go," Sailor Venus said, stepping up to the raised rim of 
the otherwise flat roof. "The longer we wait the more innocent people 
will be in the way."
    
    Mercury agreed. "We are lucky that there is no traffic, but this 
is dangerous enough for those people already."
    
    "It is a good tactic though," Neptune said, as they made to move. 
"How are we going to fight without catching bystanders?"
    
    "Just be careful," Sailor Moon answered. "They are the people we 
are trying to protect in all of this."
    
    In turn they all leapt to the ground, and began the harrowing 
walk towards their foes. They couldn't make the first attack without 
risking even more people doubting their integrity, and that was what 
the youma was obviously trying to damage right now. Hundreds of pairs 
of eyes were on them, and Sailor Mars swallowed hard. "Where is 
Tuxedo Kamen?"
    
    Sailor Moon looked at her. "Don't worry Mars. He'll be here. 
He'll probably make his usual entrance at just the right time!"
    
    The crowd parted for them, in turns silent and worried or 
cheering them on, but as they got closer to their enemies those 
cheers turned to conflicted questions, and finally to outright abuse. 
One worked up woman even spat at them, and Sailor Saturn blocked the 
sputum with the blade of her Silence Glaive. She gave the woman a 
look, and at once the crowd on that side receded from the Senshi.
    
    "Saturn," Sailor Mercury said gently, "don't scare them."
    
    Sailor Saturn nodded, but she didn't say anything and instead 
turned her eyes forward to the youma who stood only a few metres 
ahead.
    
    Tyranya stood unafraid as she finally came face to face with 
their nemeses. Her long, slender fangs slipped out between her lips 
as she spoke, and her deadly sharp nails made her gestures innately 
threatening. "Are you prepared, Sailor Senshi?"
    
    Sailor Moon returned that look with sad sympathy. "I know what we 
did," she said, "and that we can't take it back. But we can work this 
out without fighting, can't we?"
    
    The Senshi saw Myoshiya bristle at those words, and Tyranya shook 
her head, her silver mane swaying majestically. "We cannot live with 
compromises, Sailor Senshi. We are too different."
    
    Sailor Venus took up the mantle of spokeswoman now. "You do know 
that you can't win against us?"
    
    Tyranya nodded. "A few survivors from the Dark Kingdom cannot 
defeat all the Sailor Senshi, this we know. But," and she raised her 
hand, "our new Kingdom?"
    
    Behind her Shivis held out an energy crystal, and slammed it into 
the wall of thin air behind her. The crystal hit home with an 
unearthly clang, seemingly stuck into an invisible hole there, and 
the energy soon drained out.
    
    Tyranya smiled. "Our Kingdom can win."
    
    The Senshi watched as the huge magical machine, a spiked metal 
shell the size of a truck, slowly revealed itself. An awe struck 
silence fell across the crowd as they watched it, the thing seeming 
to materialise right before their amazed eyes.
    
    And, once fully activated, the machine performed its primary and 
most powerful function. The crystals that ringed the rim of the shell 
began to glow again, but with a swirling green and not the empty blue 
they had held only moments before. A magical hum filled the quiet for 
a few seconds, the light growing brighter all the while.
    
    Sailor Pluto knew there could only be one outcome to this, if 
they had been allowed so close. Using her powers as the guardian of 
time, she looked forward those brief few seconds to see what that 
inevitable outcome would be.
    
    A split second later she turned to the crowd with urgency in her 
voice. "Everybody, run!"
    
    A few seconds later, and the future had caught up to the present. 
The hum from the metal shell suddenly ceased, and the light pulsed 
outwards in an ethereal green shockwave. Each of the Senshi felt the 
green light like a sickly pulling at their bodies, prying at their 
magical powers as if it was trying to rip them away. It only lasted a 
moment, but it left every one of them gasping for breath.
    
    The heroines spun away from the enemies in worry, to see the 
thronging crowd behind them. A thronging crowd of twisted caricatures 
and contorted cliches, with skins and bodies and clothes of every 
shape and colour imaginable.
    
    A hundred new youma, all standing in wait, looking expectantly at 
their creators.
    
    Tyranya smiled, and flung her arms wide. "Welcome brothers and 
sisters! Do not worry, in time you shall outgrow your child-like 
facades. But first, let us make this human Kingdom our own!" She 
turned to Sailor Moon, who looked out speechlessly at the terrible 
spectacle. "Heal one of them," Tyranya said, "and twenty more will 
overpower you. If you do not harm them, I will allow you a quick end, 
by my own talons."
    
    Sailor Pluto just looked at her princess. "Sailor Moon..."
    
    Then, as Tyranya raised her vicious nails out in offering to her 
enemy, a single red rose shot down from above, slicing into Tyranya's 
wrist and embedding its stiffened stem into the tarmac. Tyranya 
recoiled, cradling her bleeding hand and looked up to the roof of the 
Crown Fruit Parlour, where the rose had shot from.
    
    Tuxedo Mask leaped to an inactive street light from the roof, and 
dropped down to the ground. "You have enough power to heal them all, 
Sailor Moon."
    
    Sailor Moon just smiled and nodded, and raised her sceptre. 
"Silver Moon!..."
    
    Tyranya cursed herself for her naivete. Could Sailor Moon really 
be that powerful? She couldn't take that chance. "Stop her!"
    
     Youma leapt from in front and from behind, but the crowd came 
too late, and Tyranya's sisters found the Sailor Senshi blocking 
their paths. "Not today," Sailor Venus said, catching Kaizi's massive 
fist in her hands. She couldn't hold the youma's strength for long, 
but she would hold it long enough. Even if Sailor Mars couldn't back 
her up.
    
    "Crystal Power Kiss!" Sailor Moon finished, her sceptre casting a 
brilliant yellow light over everything that stood. It was a gentle 
explosion of power as the healing winds swept across the entire 
street, flooding the air with feathers and making the youma scream. 
It was their turn to feel their powers pulling away from their 
bodies.
    
    "BEAUTIFUL!!"
    
    Only Tyranya and her sisters resisted the urge to make that 
scream, and they were left panting for breath as they pulled 
themselves free from the Senshi. Sailor Moon could not heal what they 
had been born as.
    
    Tyranya looked out over what remained of the crowd: nothing but 
the humans who had trusted them enough to stay, and who now lay 
unconscious in the street. "H... How can you have that power? Damn 
you." She pulled herself upright, and stared at the nine who would 
thwart her. "Then we must risk this ourselves. Sisters, let us go!"
    
    At the same time Sailor Moon addressed her friends, tired and 
breathless after the effort of her attack. "Everyone, do your best. 
Tuxedo Kamen-sama, help me get everyone to safety."
    
    The Senshi took their cues, and both Pluto and Saturn picked 
their target, moving in with their weapons without a second thought. 
The other Senshi were too kind hearted to take the fox-girl as their 
target, and yet being so fast and nimble would have made her a 
serious problem if left uncontested. After all, she would do little 
on her own, but she would defend her sisters.
    
    Aretsuki, wild eyed and scared, took flight the second she saw 
the pair of Senshi close in on her. She wanted to help her sisters, 
but the Senshi were so powerful, and these two had weapons! "L-leave 
me alone!" she screamed, dashing to the pavement. "I hate you Senshi! 
I hate you!"
    
    Pluto replied with a whispered, "Dead Scream," and her coils of 
purple magic balled atop her staff before being launched at the 
speedy youma. Aretsuki screamed and leaped to one side as Pluto's 
attack tore into the concrete wall behind her, but that put her 
within reach of Saturn's Silence Glaive, and the huge pole-arm sliced 
down her side, only cutting fur and skin but causing enough pain to 
make the young youma panic. 
    
    "Leave me ALONE!"
    
    Aretsuki took off on all fours, but she could no longer think 
beyond getting out of the way of her pursuers. A glance passed 
between Sailor Pluto and Sailor Saturn as they ran, ready to corral 
the fox-girl once again as soon as she got to the other side of the 
street. They had done enough already. All they needed was to keep up 
with their target, and they could keep her out of the real fight. Two 
of the most powerful Senshi might have seemed like a high price to 
pay for it, but that also played into their own plans. They had 
removed a full half of the wild element from the fight. The rest 
would be child's play, assuming the giant metal turtle's shell had 
already done everything it could.

*

    The feathered one, they had all guessed, would have been the 
least threatening. She was obviously frail, even for a youma, and so 
the other Senshi had all picked other targets. Just as Sailor Mars 
seemed to hesitate, so Shivis did the same, and that appeared to be 
that. Sailor Mars scrunched up her courage and stepped forward. This 
was her target, and she had to do her part.
    
    Shivis, however, had her intelligence. She had known Sailor Mars 
was the most likely to hesitate, so it had been her that she had gone 
for when Tyranya had sounded the charge, and not Sailor Moon. That 
left her up against the Senshi that would give her the most freedom 
to act.
    
    As soon as Mars made her move Shivis broke into a dash, casting 
her arm backwards towards the girl and throwing out a flurry of 
feathers from her own skin, launching them like darts. Sailor Mars 
had to leap back to avoid being turned into an avian's pin-cushion, 
and that gave Shivis just enough time to get what she needed from the 
bag that lay unattended on the floor by the giant mental shell.
    
    Mars recovered just in time to see what Shivis had intended. The 
feathered youma had hefted a large device from her bag, slung it over 
her shoulder, and taken aim. To Mars' horror, this youma-made gun was 
huge, venting plumes of bright blue smoke from the ports in its 
bazooka-like barrel. And worst of all it was not pointing at Mars 
herself. 
    
    Shivis' plan had relied on her single shot, exchanging the one 
meaningful attack she could make for the Senshi that posed them the 
most threat. Shivis gritted her teeth, aimed for the heart, and 
pulled the trigger.
    
    "SAILOR MOON!"

    Mars' screamed warning came only as the blue-white laser of 
searing magical energy hit its target squarely between the shoulder 
blades, and sixty feet away Sailor Moon's eyes flew open in pain as 
she arched from the impact. The conscious people she was helping to 
safety screamed and ran as Sailor Moon fell backwards, still on her 
knees.
    
    Shivis let out a contented sigh, and lowered her spent weapon. 
There was no point waiting for it to recharge. She had done her work 
for her Captain and sisters. She could die in peace.
    
    Except that death didn't come. She looked up to see Mars running, 
screaming out her tears until she reached her dearest and most 
annoying friend, and likewise Tuxedo Kamen had left his charges and 
was by her side, cradling her in his arms as Sailor Mars took her 
hand.
    
    "Sailor Moon, please be okay! I'm sorry! I should have done 
something sooner!"
    
    Tuxedo Kamen was in shock that anything could have felled Sailor 
Moon in one blow, but to his eternal relief she could still look up 
at him, and squeeze on the hands that he and Sailor Mars held. "I... 
I'm okay, I think. It really hurts though. W-what happened?"
    
    "Stupid!" Mars shouted through her tears. "You've been shot! 
Don't talk!"
    
    Tuxedo Kamen nodded in agreement. "She's right, I'll take you 
somewhere safe, and we can see how badly you're hit."
    
    He lifted her up gently, until Sailor Mars let out another gasp. 
"Oh God, Kamen, her sailor fuku has been burned right through. It's 
really bad."
    
    "Ahh," Sailor Moon whimpered, "don't say that! It makes it hurt 
more!"
    
    "No, no," Mars rectified, "you'll be okay, you're not bleeding or 
anything, it's just burns, you'll be fine. We're the Sailor Senshi, 
remember? You'll heal no problem." 
    
    Tuxedo Kamen squeezed Sailor Moon's hand in reassurance. "I won't 
let anything happen to you, Sailor Moon. Come on, I'll get you 
somewhere safe."
    
    "No," Sailor Moon replied, with obvious effort. "We have to wait 
for Haruka-san!"
    
    "You didn't tell her to come here, did you?!" Tuxedo Kamen asked, 
astonished.
    
    Sailor Moon smiled. "She wouldn't have stayed at home. It's okay. 
I planned it."
    
    "As if that makes this any better," Mars chastised, though her 
worry had taken all the edge from her voice.

*
    
    Surely enough Sailor Moon had only just persuaded them to let her 
stand on her own, even if she needed Tuxedo Kamen's shoulder to keep 
her upright, when they saw Haruka's red convertible speed up, coming 
to a racing stop only a few feet from them.
    
    "Sailor Moon!" she exclaimed, leaping out of the car and up to 
her future princess. "What happened!?"
    
    Sailor Moon smiled through the pain. "I just got hurt a little 
when I wasn't looking."
    
    "That feathered youma..." Mars said, balling her fists.
    
    Maxill looked at them from the back seat. "Shivis? So she made 
herself a weapon as well."
    
    "Ah, good," Sailor Moon said as she saw Maxill, "you brought 
her."
    
    As Haruka looked out to the battlefield Sailor Mars stared at 
Moon in disbelief. "Why did you want to bring *her*?" she asked, a 
mixture of confusion and fear filling her as she raised her 
fingertips, ready to attack if she had to.
    
    Sailor Moon just shook her head, the combination of pain and 
exhaustion making her head foggy. "Maxill, just watch. Just watch 
it."
    
    And Maxill watched as Haruka leaped back into her car, driving 
right for the battlefield. 
    
    "What is she doing?!"
    
    Tuxedo Kamen helped Sailor Moon down again, so she could sit on 
the curb. "That is what I would like to know."
    
    For Haruka it was simple though. She couldn't do much now, but 
she wasn't completely helpless. She needed to be better than that, if 
only for herself, and her baby. She gunned the engine.
    
    It was strange how scared she felt. With her sailor fuku on, even 
if she disliked the style, she was always filled with a sense of 
power, as if battle was filled with an air of adventure. The magic of 
her transformation made it... almost thrilling.
    
    Now, as Tenoh Haruka, she was terrified. She wanted nothing more 
than to turn the wheel and flee, like those few stragglers who still 
clambered to their feet behind her. She guessed human determination 
was a wonderful thing, because she didn't turn back. She was going to 
do her bit to fight, and to take revenge for Sailor Moon.
    
    Shivis, now with no-one to fight, had chosen Sailor Pluto to 
hassle. She couldn't actually threaten the Senshi, but it made it 
harder for them to attack Aretsuki. Unfortunately for her, that meant 
her full attention was on Sailor Pluto's staff, and she only heard 
the noise of Haruka's approach as the car appeared through the wisps 
of a Dead Scream. Shivis's weak feather projectiles scored harmlessly 
across the car's bonnet and windscreen, and the car ploughed into her 
effortlessly, tossing her up and over in a whirl of yellow feathered 
limbs.
    
    She landed heavily on the tarmac, rolling briefly from the 
speeding impact, and she tried to struggle to her hands and knees. 
Only her unnatural toughness as a youma had kept her alive after 
being hit at such a speed, and even then she was barely conscious. 
That consciousness was dealt with when Sailor Pluto's staff was 
brought down, smashing her on the back of the head and putting her 
out of the fight.
    
    Pluto looked up from the feathered youma, obviously not amused 
that Haruka had come, but Haruka looked defiant, having brought her 
car to a stop. It looked like she had had the same idea as Pluto, as 
she had already reached into the back seat for the golf club that lay 
there. Pluto would have to talk to her later, but right then she 
needed to get back to helping Sailor Saturn. The sooner she and 
Saturn could trap the fox-girl behind a Silence Wall the better, as 
it seemed that the youma was showing no signs of tiring.
    
    Haruka was also reminded just how much danger she had just put 
herself in, as from the top of the metal shell Kaizi looked down at 
her fallen sister. "Shivis! You sadistic human!" she shouted, and 
flexing one mighty arm she punched out towards Haruka.
    
    The attack shot from her fist, the force of the punch smashing 
into Haruka's red convertible as she hit the accelerator, crushing 
the side of the car only inches from where Haruka sat as she sped 
off. Had that attack hit her, even with a glancing blow, Haruka 
doubted that she would have survived it as she looked in her wing 
mirror to see the impact crater that the rear side of her chassis had 
become.
    
    Kaizi could not take another shot as Haruka disappeared though, 
as Sailor Venus appeared in front of her in a flash of light, looking 
tired and put out at the youma's constantly changing priorities. 
"Hey! I said I'm the one you're fighting!"
    
    Kaizi roared and swung at her, leaving Venus to leap back to the 
street once again to avoid getting hammered. "Slowpoke! ... Hey!"
    
    She could only watch as Kaizi ignored her completely and 
corkscrewed open a hatch in the top of the shell, and got inside. It 
was too cramped in there for Kaizi's muscular bulk, but she knew that 
it was time to play their last card, before any more of her sisters 
got hurt. Remembering the instructions that Shivis had given them, 
she started pulling levers.
    
    "Hey!" Venus shouted ineffectually. "I said *fighting*, not 
*hiding*."
    
    Then, slowly, the huge spiked shell began to spin on its base. 
Sailor Venus watched, confused as the huge magical machine started to 
grind up the tarmac beneath it. Then, as it got faster, Venus 
realised what it was doing. It was surfing on the loose gravel it had 
just made, until it was spinning like a top. The energy crystals that 
ran along the side had blurred into a single line of greenish blue 
colour, and Venus swallowed as the thing slowly advanced towards her. 
    
    "Oh boy." She shot out her Crescent Beam without any real effect, 
and she tried smashing the crystals around the side with her Love-Me 
Chain, but while she could break them it didn't even begin to slow 
the machine down. 
    
    After that she only had one idea left. "Venus Spinning Stomp!" 
she cried, leaping high into the air for her improvised attack, 
spinning like a ballerina and landing right on the top of the shell, 
to deliver a crippling kick straight down onto it.
    
    That was even more useless that the Crescent Beam had been, and 
Venus found herself twisted off balance until one of the conical 
spines slammed into her. The impact sent her flying and she landed 
right on top of Jupiter, Neptune and Tyranya, bowling them over like 
pins and breaking up their close quarters brawl.
    
    Neptune had to blink away the stars in her eyes as both she and 
Tyranya staggered back to their feet. Both of them wore a few 
scratches, bleeding slightly, while Jupiter took Venus by the collar, 
sporting another cut of her own thanks to Venus' kamikaze landing. 
"What do you think you are doing?! We had her on the defensive!"
    
    Venus tried to focus on her friends' face, but the world was 
spinning too much. "Eh, sorry. It worked for Super Mario!"
    
    Jupiter decided to leave her there, as she saw Neptune trying to 
put some distance between herself and Tyranya's claw-like nails. 
"What? And to think we were worried about you being too serious! Just 
try and think of a way to stop that thing before it destroys the 
street! Jupiter Oak Evolution!"

*

    Meanwhile, Mercury and Myoshiya had chosen each other to fight. 
Mercury was one of the least combat oriented Senshi, and Myoshiya had 
decided that her chances against her were better than against the 
others. However, she was now sporting more than a few scratches and 
ice burns from too many close calls, and worse, Mercury had been 
appealing for her to stop throughout the entire battle. 
    
    "It doesn't have to be this way! Why won't you hear us out?"
    
    Myoshiya snarled again, dislocated her many arms, and slipped 
past the parked vans that blocked her escape route. "You think we 
would live with people like you? Don't you get it? Your false 
sympathy makes me sick. How could you people ever live with us? You 
would have us live as experiments and freaks for your amusement!"
    
    Mercury leaped a car a little further down and forced Myoshiya to 
head back towards the pavement again. "We're trying to help you! I 
don't want to kill you!"
    
    "We don't need your sympathy!!" Myoshiya screamed, incensed as 
she fled down the alleyway behind her. She needed something, an edge 
or even just a weapon. She had no special attacks or powers to help 
her. Then, as she ran, she saw the discarded kitchenware piled among 
the rubbish.
    
    Mercury had only just reached the alley when she saw Myoshiya arm 
herself. "Wait, don't do this!"
    
    The youma just grinned manically and broke into a run, headed 
straight for her enemy, knives of every sort clutched in her many 
fists. "You will *die*, Senshi!"
    
    Mercury backed up a step before, with regret in her eyes, she 
raised her right hand. "Tearful Celebration..."
    
    A single shard of ice materialised, hovering above her 
outstretched wrist. Then she closed her fingers, and the shard leapt 
towards Myoshiya at frightening speed.
    
    And missed.
    
    "Ha! That was your only chance!" Myoshiya said, seeing nothing 
but the blood that she would soon spill. The blood that she so 
despised.
    
    Mercury however, just looked saddened as she flicked her wrist 
around, her palm open on front of her "...Blossom."
    
    The shard exploded in mid flight, like the firework it was named 
after, and freezing shrapnel showered the alleyway. The razor sharp 
slivers of ice buried into Myoshiya's back and took her off her feet, 
her expression lost in surprise and despair as the knives fell from 
her limp fingers. "No..."
    
    She collided with Sailor Mercury and the pair of them fell to the 
pavement, Mercury getting to her hands and knees to try and tend to 
her own victim. "It's okay," she soothed, even though she knew full 
well that she had created that attack to be her most powerful 
offensive option. "We will make sure you come through this, okay. We 
won't treat you the way you think we will."
    
    Myoshiya just stared at her as defiantly as she could. "N-no," 
she managed to say, despite her pain. "I won't have it. I won't... I 
won't live with you people... Never..."
    
    Myoshiya knew that the Senshi could probably make sure she 
survived even from those wounds, and she was sure that anything she 
did to Mercury now would be rendered useless after the battle was 
lost. So, before Mercury could stop, her she used the last of her 
energy to reach out for one of the knives she had dropped. In one 
quick motion she swung the weapon, not even caring that Mercury had 
scrambled easily out of range, and buried it in her own chest.
    
    Mercury watched with horror, unable to do anything for the youma 
as she let out a last ragged breath. This creature had hated them 
enough to die rather than attempt coexist? It was a bitter pill to 
swallow, but Mercury could actually understand it to some degree. It 
was better that the youma had died now, if she had been so blinded by 
rage inside. At least she wouldn't have to suffer with that hatred 
any longer. There was no point dwelling on that sadness. Mercury had 
others who she could try to help, even if they were just her own 
friends.
    
    Maxill however could only look on with tears in her yellow eyes. 
"M-Myoshiya... No, you didn't just do that. You didn't! She was 
trying to help you."
    
    Sailor Moon watched thinking just the same thing. "I don't get 
it," she said to Maxill, her heart heavy. "We can live together. 
We've done it in the past. It's not that hard! If... If you want to, 
we can all work it out."
    
    Maxill heard the words, but at the same time they only conjured 
up the memory of her blood-sister. Surely, for the life she 
sacrificed to bring them all there, she should want revenge more than 
anything. Yet was that revenge worth their lives? If Myoshiya was 
dead, then that was one more death too many. The humans could be 
decent people. Even the Senshi, she realised as she watched Mercury 
close Myoshiya's eyes, even they could be good people. "Captain, S-
Sisters..."
    
    But Tyranya still had once chance, as she fought with Neptune and 
Jupiter. One chance to salvage this battle. Kaizi had taken control 
of their weapon, and nothing the Senshi could do would stop it. It 
had been designed specifically to shrug of their magic. Surely this 
was enough to allow them victory, however bitter it may be.
    
    Rei knew that as well. It was her who watched the spinning metal 
fortress through Sailor Mars' eyes. The power and courage of her 
transformation seemed to have left her, and Rei stood scared as she 
watched the shining fortress that she had seen in all those 
nightmares of hers. She had been running, but her fellow Senshi had 
turned back from their flight, to fight what would be an impossible 
enemy. She now knew what that fear in the dreams had been. They would 
fight, and they would lose. Everyone would lose, friend and foe 
alike.
    
    She knew what had to happen next as well. She would force herself 
to stop running. Sailor Mars would fight, even though she didn't want 
to. Even though she knew what it would cost. 
    
    A fearful resolution fell over her. She had sacrificed everything 
for her friends before. Now she had to do so again, because that was 
what it would take to stop this 'fortress', and end the battle for 
good. Sailor Mars, trembling, raised her hand, and waited for that 
dreadful touch.
    
    "Soul Conflagration Pact!"
    
    The orange hand, tipped with nails of flame, alighted on her 
shoulder. "Thank you for calling, my little Rei," Desir said. "I knew 
that you would."
    
    Sailor Mars, Hino Rei, stood there vacantly, her demonette 
wrapped around her as Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen looked on. "No, 
Sailor Mars, don't!" "Sailor Mars!"
    
    Jupiter looked away from her fight for a split second, and froze. 
"No, Rei..."
    
    But the pact was made. Desir rose up behind her charge, and their 
powers merged in an almighty eruption of flame. The fires wreathed 
them both, playing across their skin, and Sailor Mars could not 
believe how good it felt to be free. Free of the fear and 
uncertainly. She controlled the fire now. She was the fire. 
Smouldering footprints softened the tarmac as she approached the 
spinning shell, and she raised her hands again.
    
    "Sailor Venus, do not worry. Please stand clear."
    
    Minako stared at Desir with spiteful eyes. "What have you done to 
her!?"
    
    Rei simply smiled. "It doesn't matter," and with a motion she 
poured their combined flames onto the weapon. At first it seemed as 
ineffectual as every attack Sailor Venus had tried, but this was an 
attack that Sailor Mars had spent more than just her magic on.
    
    Soon, as the flames kept coming, the metal dervish began to glow 
red, then orange, then yellow, and inside Kaizi found that the 
controls and walls had heated beyond the level she could touch. She 
reached up to the roof hatch, but even that was beginning to glow. 
    
    "Captain," she said sadly, her feet beginning to blister on the 
floor, "I am sorry."
    
    Out in the street Maxill was frantic. "Please, stop it! Captain, 
tell her to surrender! This isn't worth our lives! There has to be 
another way! Please!"
    
    Now, however, Tyranya didn't need the convincing. She had stopped 
her fight altogether, and now struggled as Sailor Neptune held her. 
"Stop this! You have proved that we cannot win! Let Kaizi free, at 
least!"
    
    But Sailor Mars didn't stop. She couldn't. She didn't want to go. 
Not just yet. As soon as she let go of Desir, that would be it.
    
    "Sailor Mars! Please, stop it! That's enough!"
    
    Mars looked over with a teary eye as Jupiter made her plea.
    
    "That's enough..."
    
    Mars smiled. "I love you."
    
    She pulled back the fire, and ended the spell. It was just a 
single attack, after all. All that was left was her part of the 
bargain.
    
    Sailor Jupiter watched with relief as the fire fell away from the 
now stationary shell, and Sailor Venus waited with her Love-Me Chain, 
ready to take Kaizi into their custody as soon as she emerged. 
However, Jupiter's relief soon faded, as the fire did not abate 
completely. Desir and Sailor Mars still burned, and now the fire had 
begun to burn away the edges of Mars' sailor fuku.
    
    "M-Mars?"
    
    Sailor Mars just continued to smile sadly as she burned, even 
though she didn't feel any pain, and Desir shared her host's 
expression. "I'm sorry," said the demonette. "It's kind of 
complicated."
    
    Jupiter couldn't believe it. "No! I won't let you have her 
again!" Before any of the others could stop her she broke into a run, 
straight into the flames.
    
    She screamed as the fire scorched her skin, but she wrapped her 
arms around Sailor Mars as tightly as she could. Mars had started 
screaming, struggling against her, but Jupiter was undeterred. "Stop 
it, I'm not leaving you! Not like this! Not ever!"

*

    In the blink of an eye, the flames ceased to burn her, and Makoto 
looked up to see the world frozen. Only Sailor Mars and Desir still 
moved. As did Pluto.
    
    "What..?" Jupiter asked, suddenly confused. She looked at her 
skin. There wasn't even a single singe.
    
    Mars didn't reply. She hadn't wanted any of them to hear what she 
had decided. Desir, however, seemed pleased. "I was hoping you would 
say that, little Mako."
    
    Jupiter glared at her. "What have you done Desir? How can you see 
who I am? And why can Pluto still move too?"
    
    Sailor Pluto gave her a smile. "I am somewhat involved, I am 
afraid." She turned to Desir. "I apologise for waiting until now, but 
Makoto-chan's involvement was all but guaranteed. Now, let us work 
this out between us, so that no-one has to have their lives taken for 
good. Are you happy with that Rei-chan?"
    
    Sailor Mars felt herself tearing up. "T-thank you. I didn't 
think..."
    
    Desir patted her on the head. "I didn't know this was possible 
either, little Rei. I am playing by ear, but this is all so 
wonderfully symmetrical! Now, to business..."

*
    
    Sailor Moon felt the tears coursing down her face as Jupiter was 
consumed by the flames. "Jupiter! Mars!"
    
    Then, quite literally in the blink of an eye, the fires subsided 
and Desir could just be seen burning off into the air, disappearing 
back to wherever she had come from.
    
    The other Senshi gathered around as quickly as they could, only 
to find both Mars and Jupiter safe and sound, holding each other with 
tears in their eyes. 
    
    Tyranya, her arms held behind her back by a very confused Sailor 
Neptune, just stared at them all. "What... what happened?" She looked 
back over her shoulder. "What are you people?"
    
    Neptune would have liked to know that herself. Pluto on the other 
hand just smiled. "We are human, just a little more complicated than 
is usual. Saturn, you can release her now. We are finished."
    
    Sailor Saturn nodded and lowered her Silence Wall, leaving 
Aretsuki free to run to Tyranya. "Big Sister!"
    
    Tyranya looked over to Shivis, who still lay unconscious as 
Sailor Mercury started to tend to her, and Venus was happily tying up 
Kaizi now that she had appeared from the still red-hot machine. "What 
will you do with us now?" she asked.
    
    Sailor Moon sat smiling happily with tear-stained cheeks as 
Sailor Saturn ministered to her, the dour young warrior slowly using 
her powers to heal her princess' deep burns. "There are some people I 
would like to introduce to you," Sailor Moon said. "They were called 
the Four Phantom Sisters. They weren't like us either, and we fought, 
but they discovered that they could love being human. Even if you 
don't want that, they'll still understand how you feel. And we'll try 
to help too."
    
    Tyranya looked down at the young youma who hugged her, then up to 
Maxill, who stood looking thankful that her Captain had surrendered. 
"That is... kind of you. Thank you. For sparing our lives. We would 
not have done the same." 
    
    "No," Sailor Moon said. "I think you would. You care about each 
other too much to be so cold."
    
    "Do you really give us so much credit?" Tyranya asked sadly.
    
    Sailor Moon nodded. "You are willing to try, aren't you?"
    
***
    
    "What!? If they're all fighting the youma what are you doing 
here?!" 
    
    Artemis tried to get to his feet, but his astonishment was soon 
replaced with the sharp pain that ran down his cast-covered leg. He 
let himself lie back down on the blanket that lined his box and 
settled for staring at his visitor.
    
    Luna on the other hand just watched him with a mild sense of 
surprise at his reaction. She had only mentioned it offhandedly, and 
Artemis was not usually one to get so excited unless Luna made the 
seriousness of the situation absolutely clear. "Artemis, you'll hurt 
yourself. Don't worry about them, they will manage quite well without 
needing me to shout encouragement. We haven't exactly been needed in 
their last few battles, have we?"
    
    Artemis looked non-plussed. "And see how well that worked against 
their last enemy. We lost half our soldiers."
    
    Luna had to accept that. "True. But we did get them back. The 
point is that they don't need watching, and even if they did the 
youma have been so public that the entire battle is being shown on 
the national news! If it isn't over already."
    
    Artemis settled himself properly, resting on his good side and 
leaving his broken paw out in front of himself. "No wonder the Ainos 
haven't come to pick me up yet. They'll be glued to the T.V."
    
    Luna nodded. "Probably. That is why I thought you needed the 
company."
    
    Artemis sighed, a wry smile appearing on his feline lips. "You're 
being awfully nice, too. I would almost think you didn't have a 
lecture ready for me about this."
    
    "Oh, I do," Luna replied, a similar smile appearing on her own 
face, but softer and more genuine. "It *is* your own fault, and it 
*was* stupid of you. But it was rather brave too, and you did it for 
Minako-chan's sake. I'm glad you didn't get yourself killed. If only 
for Diana's sake."
    
    Artemis looked at her, blushing slightly. Like Usagi and Mamoru, 
knowing for a fact that he and Luna would have a daughter at some 
point in the future had changed their relationship somewhat. Luna 
didn't talk about Diana often, the idea of their future relationship 
seemed to unnerve her, but on these few occasions it was plain that 
Luna did care about them both, even if she wanted to pretend not to.
    
    "Thanks Luna."

***
    
    Just like the rest of Japan, Katsura hadn't been able to take her 
eyes off the television screen. Few people had ever seen a full on 
Sailor Senshi battle, let alone one on this scale. Even from the 
unsteady helicopter camera it had been both terrifying and riveting.
    
    Katsura had been shocked to see Haruka get involved. Surely that 
meant that the other girls wouldn't be Sailor Senshi either. That was 
the excuse that instantly sprang to mind. But then, she rationalised, 
Ami would never have let a pregnant woman fight, so...
    
    As Sailor Moon talked to the subdued youma and the police, 
ambulances and media finally started to appear properly, Katsura knew 
that she would need to get ready to work. After that the hospitals 
would be inundated with patients, even if it was just to make sure 
that there had been no ill effects from the transformations they had 
undergone.
    
    Yet she couldn't help but stare at the heroines on the screen. 
How could Ami possibly be one of them? What hurt Katsura the most was 
that, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't recognise her 
daughter. Even with their bold costumes and distinctive hair styles 
she couldn't match even one name to any of their faces. 'Which one 
are you, Ami? Why can't I see you!!'
    
    And then an idea came to her. She could find out. If one of them 
was really her daughter she would surely respond, and from the 
distance the helicopter was at no-one but her would know. She could 
feel the sweat on her palms, and her eyes were watering at the 
frustration. It was too tempting not to try, no matter how ridiculous 
it seemed; like checking under the bed for monsters before putting 
the lights out at night.
    
    Katsura reached her hand into her bag, started tapping buttons on 
her phone, and then sent the message. Surely, even in that guise, Ami 
would still have her pager on her. She never went anywhere without 
it.
    
    But, of course, wasn't that futile? Where would any of the Sailor 
Senshi have kept a pager in those outfits?
    
    Then, in the bottom corner of the picture, to Katsura's 
disbelieving eyes, Sailor Mercury turned away from the youma she 
knelt over and looked away at something in her hand. Where did any of 
the Senshi keep their pens when they weren't in hand? Or Mercury's 
computer for that matter?
    
    After that, it all seemed to click into place. Ami was Sailor 
Mercury. Sailor Mercury was Ami: the same, and yet completely 
separate. Usagi, with that exuberant hair and kind, earnest eyes, 
could only be Sailor Moon. Minako was Venus, Makoto was Jupiter, 
Michiru was Neptune, little Hotaru was Saturn...
    
    Haruka *was* Uranus, even if she could not fight as such.
    
    And Setsuna. She had been fooling the parents club all along. 
Sailor Pluto had been there with them all, making sure no-one 
suspected enough to be able to break through the magic of their 
children's transformations. She had been allaying fears, and drawing 
them all closer to each other, and yet still keeping the Sailor 
Senshi safe from being identified.
    
    It was so much, so fast, that it made her head hurt.
    
    "K-Katsura-sensei! It's okay, sit down, I'll find someone to help 
you."
    
    Katsura looked up at the orderly with confused eyes a she was 
eased into the chair behind her. "W-what?"
    
    The young man laid a hand on her shoulder and tried to look 
reassuring. "You're bleeding, Katsura-sensei. Just sit still, I'll be 
back in a second."
    
    Now that he had said it, Katsura could feel the trickle down her 
earlobe, and put her hand to that ear. It came away smeared with 
crimson. 'Oh...' she thought, strangely unconcerned. 'I must have 
burst something when I saw through the magic. I had better send Ami 
another message. I hope I didn't make her too worried.'

***
    
    As it turned out Ami hadn't been worried so much as surprised. 
Once they had all made their escape from the media circus that the 
scene had become, she had needed to double check her messages.
    
    'Are you watching the T.V.?' it had said, 'I will have to work 
late again. I love you.'
    
    And then, only a minute or so later, 'I'm sorry Ami. I must be 
feeling over-emotional. I will see you tomorrow, I hope. Please treat 
yourself.'
    
    Ami hadn't really known what to make of it. It wasn't like her 
mother to worry like that. Working late had never been much of an 
issue before, and she had *never* received an apology for being 
motherly!
    
    Ami smiled as she reached their condo apartment, hoping the 
hospital wouldn't need her mother to do too much overtime. Then, when 
she put her key in the lock, her eyes widened in worry. Someone was 
already inside. 
    
    Very slowly she inched open the door, swallowing hard, and crept 
inside. It didn't sound like anyone was robbing them, but it could 
have happened already. She left the door ajar and pulled out her 
mobile phone, dialling for the police and ready to both start the 
call and dash for the door at the first hint of an intruder.
    
    What she found instead was Katsura sitting at the kitchen table, 
a bandage over her left ear. "M-Mother! What happened?" she asked, 
dropping her bags and rushing over. "Why aren't you at the hospital?"
    
    Katsura just smiled up at her attentive daughter. "It's okay Ami. 
This is nothing, my colleagues saw to it at work before they sent me 
home."
    
    "Sent you home?" Ami echoed in concern. "What happened?"
    
    "Just a little concussion dear," Katsura replied, staring into 
Ami's eyes. It was strange, having such a simple conversation now 
that she knew who she was talking to. "I am fit to work, but you know 
how they can be there. They threatened to take me home in an 
ambulance if I didn't agree to leave them to their work."
    
    Ami sighed, shaking her head. "Mother, you should know better 
than that! How did you do it?" Ami didn't even notice her mother's 
stare. She was too busy performing her own quick diagnosis, and her 
mother let her.
    
    "They don't know," Katsura replied, "I don't have a mark on me. 
It was quite amusing."
    
    "Mother! Be serious! People do not suffer concussions 
spontaneously. They should have kept you there and done a full check 
up!"
    
    Katsura's smile grew. "No, I know what it was, Ami. There are 
some things that science cannot explain just yet. Things like magic."
    
    Ami just stared at her. "Magic?"
    
    Katsura nodded. "It happened just around the time that Sailor 
Mercury checked her pager on national television."
    
    Ami blanched. The implication was clear as crystal to her. It was 
supposed to be impossible for anyone, any human at least, to discover 
their identities. "M-Mother..."
    
    "I didn't expect that fighting off your magic would have such a 
physical effect," Katsura said, taking her daughter's trembling hand. 
"Some of your friends' parents have had suspicions for a while, 
though I doubt if they have gone as far as I have."
    
    Ami barely even heard it though. "I-I'm sorry, Mother. I didn't 
mean to lie. It's just..."
    
    Katsura sighed and got to her feet, lifting her daughter's head. 
"I know why you did. I am sorry for doing something I shouldn't have. 
I knew that magic was there for a reason. It is just that, for that 
split second, I had to know. And I am proud of you Ami. You've been a 
hero time and time again, for six years, and no-one has ever thanked 
you for it."
    
    Ami shook her head. "We've been thanked. Even the government..."
    
    "I mean no-one has ever thanked *you*," Katsura interrupted. "You 
have just gone on being Mizuno Ami after fighting so hard. I remember 
that the Sailor Senshi almost died... and you must have still been in 
high school. I'm... more proud of you than I can say, Ami."
    
    Ami had never been happier to hear her mother say anything. 
"Thank you. Thank you so much Mother!" But, of course, she had to let 
the reality of the situation reassert itself. "Mother, I'm glad you 
feel that way, but could you please keep this to yourself? If an 
enemy found out that you knew, or if it was made public..."
    
    Katsura could only agree. "Of course. I know that I am a risk to 
you now."
    
    "No, you're not!"
    
    Katsura shushed her. "I know I am, and I will do what is 
necessary. Outside the two of us, and perhaps your friends, I do not 
know anything. As long as you know that I am proud of you, and that I 
expect you to come home safely."
    
    Ami nodded. "I will. Do Usagi-chan's parents know? Or Minako-
chan's?"
    
    Katsura shook her head. "The Tsukinos, as nice as they are, do 
not want to believe. They seem happy to let the magic allow them that 
peace of mind. Hino-san suspects, and seems to know more than he lets 
on, but that is probably because he and Setsuna-san appear to have an 
understanding. Maybe he knows to suspect Setsuna-san of being one of 
you all."
    
    "Setsuna-san?" Ami asked.
    
    Katsura nodded. "It seems that your magic is a singular 
possession between you all. Once I could see past it, I could 
recognise you all, even from memory. I know about Sailor Pluto."
    
    Ami was a little worried by that. "She does mean well."
    
    "No doubt," Katsura agreed. "I may not like her methods, but she 
seems to have good intentions, and she is good company. No doubt she 
will want to talk with me if she finds out what I have done."
    
    Ami thought that turnabout was fair play in this instance though. 
"She doesn't have to be told. We can let her discover it on her own." 
Ami smiled. "She finds out everything else well enough!"
    
    Katsura allowed herself a chuckle at Setsuna's expense. "I see. 
Makoto-chan does not have a guardian, the dear girl, so she does not 
have anything worry about in this regard. As for the Ainos, I suspect 
that..."

***
    
    Minako hugged Artemis tightly, at least until the poor cat mewled 
in discomfort. "Ah, I'm sorry Artemis, but I'm so glad you're okay!"
    
    She turn on her parents, who watched the display with a strange 
concern. "How could you leave him at the vet all this time?!" Minako 
chastised them, clutching her feline friend to her chest. "I bet he 
was so lonely waiting for you to pick him up."
    
    Kikon didn't trust herself to speak, and looked to her husband.
    
    "I'm sorry Minako," he said. "We were... caught up in the news on 
television."
    
    "Oh, you mean the Sailor Senshi?!" Minako beamed, acting as eager 
as a puppy, "You saw them too? Weren't they so cool?"
    
    Yokozuki swallowed hard. "Yes. They were."
    
    Minako dropped her act. "Daddy? Are you okay? You hate the Sailor 
Senshi."
    
    "No Minako, your father doesn't think anything of the sort," 
Kikon explained for him. "They just do dangerous things, and people 
get hurt. We don't want... we don't want you hurt Minako, so please 
don't do anything reckless, okay?"
    
    Minako blinked. It was nice to hear them seriously worried for 
her for once, without telling her off. If only they knew.
    
    "Don't worry Mum, Daddy," she said with a smile, taking Artemis 
up to her room. "I'll be okay. I'll leave that kind of thing for the 
Senshi."
    
    Yokozuki swallowed hard again, and his wife squeezed at his hand, 
looking for the support she needed to stay quiet. "That's good." 
Yokozuki said. "I'm proud of you Minako." 
    
    Minako almost tripped up the stairs, her eyebrows twisting in 
confusion. "Daddy? Are you really sure you're feeling alright?"
    
    "Of course I'm sure," he barked. "Can't I be proud of you just 
once in your life? Go on and look after your cat already."
    
    "Yes sir!" Minako said, bouncing up to her room with a huge grin 
on her face.
    
    When they heard her door shut Kikon let out a sigh and looked up 
to her resolute husband. "Dear, are you sure? Is this really 
alright?"
    
    Yokozuki nodded. "We might still be wrong, Kikon-chan, but it 
mustn't matter either way. We are not supposed to believe. We have to 
keep their secret, because if even one of those girls is a Sailor 
Senshi, then we can't risk putting them, or ourselves, in danger. 
Leave the Tsukinos and Hino-san and everyone to their ignorance. We 
can keep on fooling ourselves in their eyes, as long as we are 
cheering our girl on from the shadows, whichever one of them she 
might be."
    
    Kikon nodded. It would be a bitter pill to swallow, but if Minako 
was pretending not to be one of the Senshi, then Kikon would let her 
pretend. "I'm sorry I misjudged you, dear. I'm glad you told her how 
proud you are of her. You should say it more often."
    
    Yokozuki nodded, and Kikon stood up on her toes to kiss him. "If 
only she knew the real reason."

***
    
    "So," Grandpa Hino asked, as he sat with his single visitor, a 
cup of tea slowly cooling in front of his cushion, "that explains it. 
At least she will have Mako-chan and yourself with her."
    
    He looked up from the limpid beverage, and for once he actually 
looked as old as he truly was. "Will I live to see it happen?"
    
    Setsuna shook her head. "I'm afraid not, Hino-san."
    
    Grandpa Hino let out a sigh of relief. "Good. I hope you will 
take good care of her for me, Setsuna-dono."
    
    Setsuna smiled a little at the respectful suffix, while the 
priest himself seemed to regain some of his bounce. "So," he said, 
"how long have I got, Pluto-chan?"
    
    Setsuna chuckled at his show of cheek. "Long enough, Hino-san. 
The future is always flexible, but we all have time before then, 
yourself included. And don't call me that. It is... inappropriate. 
How you saw through us all I will never know."
    
    Grandpa Hino chuckled. "Well, after six years suspicions have a 
tendency to add up. Especially after the whole 'Jiji' incident," he 
said, remembering all his confusion after he himself had been 
attacked by the Dark Kingdom those six years before. "Yoko-kun's 
theories were just the push I needed. Though I could have lived quite 
happily without the ambulance trip that followed, I can tell you. 
That was an experience, to have my own guests having to look after 
me. They thought I was having an aneurism!"
    
    Setsuna shrugged. "I have been told it is somewhat dangerous to 
force your body to accept magic that it was not meant to deal with. 
You are lucky you got off so lightly, old man. But this must have 
happened before I joined your 'club'. You really are quite the 
showman."
    
    Grandpa Hino bowed his head in apology. "Can you blame me, 
Setsuna-dono?"
    
    Setsuna didn't answer that. It was certainly not an acceptable 
turn of events, but the old priest had done a great deal for them 
over the years, it seemed. More so than even she had ever suspected. 
"So, now that you have admitted your knowledge, will you tell Rei?"
    
    "I am not sure," Grandpa Hino admitted. "It is more your decision 
than mine. I would rather like to live out my remaining years with 
all my limbs, if you know what I mean."
    
    Setsuna thought on that for a second. "Remember our 
understanding, Hino-san. What you tell your granddaughter is your 
family business, but beyond that this must remain a pleasant fiction. 
Anything more could be... somewhat dangerous."
    
    Grandpa Hino nodded. "Well, I have answered your questions, and 
you have answered mine, and we have both had our share of surprises 
from it all. I can be happy with that, so I would have thought that 
nothing more need be said. Right Setsuna-san?"
    
    Setsuna nodded, and humoured him with another smile. "Yes. Thank 
you for the tea, old friend. I look forward to our next meeting."
    
    The priest got to his feet and beamed as he walked her to the 
door. "A beautiful lady will never be turned away!"
    
     They both stopped there to see Rei appear at the top of the 
shrine steps, and catch sight of them. "Setsuna-san! What are you 
doing here?" she asked as she jogged up, her re-packed over-night bag 
slung over her shoulder. "Grandpa isn't trying to flirt with you is 
he?"
    
    Her grandfather just put his nose in the air. "Hmmph, I can have 
my friends over too you know. Especially cute friends like Setsuna-
chan!"
    
    "Grandpa!"
    
    Setsuna just shook her head, and waved as she left. He really was 
a charming old man, she thought. Even if he was too perceptive for 
his own good.
    
    Grandpa Hino returned the wave before turning to his annoyed 
granddaughter. "Honestly Rei, after what they showed on T.V. is it 
any wonder people want a little company now? It was a scary looking 
battle."
    
    "Yeah," Rei agreed, as if she had watched it herself instead of 
living it. "Yeah, it was scary."
    
    "The Sailor Senshi are very brave," he continued, "especially 
that Sailor Mars. I was worried that she wouldn't make it at the end 
there. It's a good thing she and Sailor Jupiter seem so close. Say," 
he added suddenly, with a twinkle in his eye, "have you invited Mako-
chan over again tonight? It would be much less lonely with her here."
    
    Rei blinked, feeling embarrassed at the apparently indirect 
praise. "Umm, I already have. I mean, if you don't mind."
    
    Her grandfather nodded, satisfied by the answer. "Good, good. I'm 
sure she doesn't want to be alone in that apartment of hers tonight 
either. It does an old man good to see you girls happy, especially 
after something like today."
    
    Rei could have sworn he was insinuating something that he 
couldn't possibly have been insinuating, but she just smiled back, 
happy that he was so supportive. "Yeah. We're... we're happy Gramps. 
Thanks for understanding."
    
    Grandpa Hino just nodded, and left it at that. If Rei was happy, 
what more would he ever have to say?

***
    
    Meanwhile Makoto was also continuing with what would have been 
her plan for the day, unaware that certain pretences no longer needed 
to be kept up. In all honesty she would have liked the rest of the 
day off from everything, but she didn't need yet another excuse to 
put off what she needed to do. It had been long enough as it was. She 
just had to swallow her pride and ask, or Rei would never let her 
hear the end of it.
    
    "Mizuno-sensei," she said standing in Katsura and Ami's living 
room, bowing as deeply as she could, "I know you have already done a 
lot for me, but I have a favour to ask..."
    
    And she explained, at length and with great self-deprecation, 
about how she would have to re-take her current year at college 
despite Ami's diligent help, and how she would not be able to pay for 
another year, thanks to her own lack of foresight with her money. Ami 
found herself blushing for her friend as Makoto slowly became more 
and more embarrassed, and not least because she was trying to paint 
herself in the most unfavourable light she could so that none of the 
others could be blamed for influencing the situation.
    
    Katsura would have found it amusing in a motherly sort of way, 
had she not known who it was who was putting herself down in order 
not to tarnish Ami's reputation as student tutor extraordinaire. 
"Makoto-chan... Makoto-chan!"
    
    "Yes maam?" Makoto said, suddenly looking up, a little bit 
worried. Had she gone too far?
    
    Katsura sighed, and looked up at the still bowing girl from her 
seat on the couch. "Makoto-chan, I don't believe that what I am 
hearing was entirely within your control. I am sure that your parents 
would be proud that you made it to college, and I think you have done 
more than enough to deserve a second chance." She smiled as Makoto 
stared at her. "You can straighten up now, Makoto-chan."
    
    Makoto did so, slightly dazed at how easily Ami's mother had 
agreed. "T-thank you Mizuno-sensei. I... I promise to pay you back!"
    
    Katsura nodded and got to her feet. "As you wish. Now, I'm sure 
you two would like a cup of tea. Or coffee?"
    
    "Yes please mother," Ami said, both glad that her mother had 
spared Makoto any further embarrassment and curious that she hadn't 
told Makoto about what she knew. Still, she supposed, it would be an 
easier secret to keep this way, even if she trusted Makoto 
implicitly.
    
    "Makoto-chan?" Katsura asked, extending the offer to their guest.
    
    Makoto blinked. "Umm, coffee would be nice. Thank you."
    
    Katsura nodded in satisfaction. "Good. I will leave you two to 
talk, assuming you can stay for a little while. I have not had very 
much chance to show you any hospitality recently, Makoto-chan."
    
    Ami giggled at Makoto's confusion as Katsura left for the 
kitchen, while Makoto visibly relaxed. "Ami-chan, have I missed 
something?"
    
    Ami shook her head as Makoto took the now vacant seat on the 
settee. "Really, you did lay it on a bit thickly Mako-chan. I told 
you that Mother thinks quite highly of you, and that she would be 
happy to help you."
    
    Makoto shrugged awkwardly. "I guess I'm lucky then."
    
    "No," Ami corrected, "just loved. Sometimes being someone's best 
friend comes with a few extra perks."
    
    Makoto smiled at that. "Best friend, huh? I haven't been too 
attentive recently," she joked, despite the truth that she felt in 
that statement
    
    That time it was Ami's turn to feel awkward. "Neither have I. But 
you are still the best friend I have."
    
    Makoto nodded. "Same here."
    
    "So..." Ami said after a moment's uncomfortable silence. "How is 
Rei-chan? You both scared me back then."
    
    "She's fine," Makoto replied, trying not to make too much out of 
it. "It could have been bad, I guess, but we worked it all out."
    
    "It could have been bad?"
    
    Makoto nodded. "She was trying to be noble. And she gets so upset 
when Usagi-chan tries that too."
    
    Ami sighed, interpreting that correctly. Sailor Mars had been 
ready to sacrifice her life for that one attack. "I'm glad you 
stopped her." Then she remembered that it had been Desir fuelling 
Mars' extra power. "It hasn't cost you too badly, has it?"
    
    "You don't need to worry about us," Makoto replied, choosing her 
words carefully. Ami was perceptive, but she didn't want her to be 
concerned. "We still need to get our heads around it, but we'll be 
okay. I'll tell you before anything happens, I promise."
    
    That sober thought brought Ami to the right conclusion. "We'll 
still worry you know."
    
    Makoto smiled at her, trying to lighten the mood. "Hey, we've got 
a lot of free credit this time around. Desir won't collect for a long 
time."
    
    Ami decided to let that reassurance work. "As long as you will 
both be alright."
    
    "We will." Makoto decided this was as good a time as any to 
change the subject. Especially since she still had so little idea of 
the situation herself.
    
    "You know," she said, sitting back lazily, "I wanted to tell you, 
but I didn't get the chance. That was really brave of you, when you 
gave Haruka-san that brooch. It was just amazing."
    
    Ami blushed. "Well, I wanted to give her something, if Usagi-chan 
won't let me give anything at the baby shower. I guess I was a little 
extravagant, but it made a good thank you."
    
    "A thank you?" Makoto asked.
    
    "Mako-chan, I've been given more leeway than I have deserved," 
Ami explained. "They have gone out of their way to humour me, when 
they have every reason not to. Haruka... Haruka-san even told me that 
I mean something special to her. It is more than I could have asked 
for. I wanted to say thank you to her, before I have to face up to 
reality."
    
    Makoto stared at her for a moment, turning those words over in 
her mind. "Ami-chan, don't you think that maybe they have been trying 
to accept you for a reason? Michiru-san had as good a time at the 
party as you did. Think about it. It could have been a disaster, but 
you and Haruka-san and Michiru-san all got on wonderfully."
    
    "Mako-chan, do you really think it will be that easy for them, or 
for me?" Ami asked, a little wistfully.
    
    "No," Makoto replied, "I bet it'll be tough, but you've all been 
making the effort, and you've all done better than I thought anyone 
could. You're all friends, and you can both still be in love too. 
Isn't that an effort to cherish?"
    
    That speech drew out the longing in Ami's heart. "Yes. I hope 
that the second shoe never has to drop. But even if it doesn't, how 
could that work? I don't know if *I* could deal with the kind of 
relationship that would become, let alone what Michiru-san would 
think."
    
    However, Makoto's eyes seemed to hold enough hope for her. "I 
don't think *anyone* would know how to deal with it. But as long as 
you don't give up, you'll work out what's best for you all."
    
    Ami had to smile as that hope seemed to invigorate her. "Thanks 
Mako-chan. Maybe you're right."

***
    
    That evening, with their upstairs neighbours partying audibly 
like so many others in the wake of another victorious Sailor Senshi 
battle, two of the true heroes sat at their small dining table, 
sharing a large delivered sushi plate between them.
    
    "Are you sure you don't want to go out tonight Usako?" Mamoru 
asked. "I think you deserve it."
    
    Usagi shook her head, wearing the same smile that she had done 
for the past six hours. "In which case so do you. And nope, I just 
want expensive sushi with my Mamo-chan." She popped another salmon 
roll into her mouth, and chewed luxuriously. "It doesn't seem right 
to party though. And besides, I'm still tired. All that 'Moon Kiss' 
stuff is really exhausting, you know."
    
    Mamoru nodded, conceding the point. "I suppose getting shot 
wasn't the best thing that could have happened to you either. You 
were very brave there; I could have fallen for you all over again 
with that willpower you showed."
    
    Usagi giggled. "Hee hee, and my knight came rushing to my side. 
You were so dashing. It would have been nice if it hadn't hurt so 
much!"
    
    They both shared a laugh over that.
    
    Usagi eventually sighed, and rested her head in her hands, her 
elbows propped up on the table. "We did good today."
    
    "That you did," her finace agreed. "And it doesn't look like 
we'll get a witch hunt for the youma after all. Everyone is too busy 
thanking the Sailor Senshi to notice the bad guys have been spirited 
away. By the time the thought occurs to them the youma will be so 
well hidden they'll never find them."
    
    Usagi nodded, picking out another of the choicest sushi. "Koan-
san looked delighted to have more potential help, and a real makeover 
challenge. I swear, I was never as addicted to makeup as those 
sisters are. Well, almost, but not quite."
    
    "What do you think they'll do now?" Mamoru asked, subtly taking 
the cucumber rolls that Usagi was working her way around.
    
    Usagi shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe they'll help Koan-san and her 
sisters with their cosmetics store. The big youma - was it Kaizi? - I 
bet she'll want to go back to that fitness company, even if she can't 
use the same disguise. I'm sure it will work out. As long as they 
don't try draining peoples' energy again, I'm sure they'll never be 
noticed, and they can live happily."
    
    "They will have to eat, you know," Mamoru put in, but Usagi 
didn't seem worried.
    
    "They don't need much though, do they," she said, giving them the 
benefit of the doubt. "All the energy they harvested before, most of 
that went into their machine. If they only take what they need... And 
Koan-san and her sisters seemed willing to donate a little. Maybe if 
the scientist one can really set it up under the cover of a medical 
check-up or something... or like a blood drive..."
    
    Mamoru was glad to hear his fiancee's thoughts. "As long as you 
are okay with that. I don't think we can expect them to give up their 
necessities just in order to fit in."
    
    That was Usagi's opinion as well. "We can trust them, I think. 
And anyway, I'm sure that Sailor Pluto will be keeping a very good 
eye on them. She still checks up on the cosmetics shop, though I 
don't think they know that."
    
    "It all turned out for the best then, almost," Mamoru said. "Did 
Rei-chan ever tell you what happened to her? I am assuming that the 
demon showing up again was not a harbinger of good news."
    
    Usagi shook her head. "No. Well, she didn't say anything apart 
from that it wouldn't happen again. And she seemed okay with that."
    
    "Did you believe her?"
    
    Usagi grinned. "Nope, but as long as she's okay, I'll trust her. 
Rei-chan wouldn't lie about it if it was important. Open wide."
    
    She held up another piece of sushi between finger and thumb, and 
fed it to her obliging fiance, who closed his mouth around the 
savoury treat and the fingers that had held it.
    
    "Oi, Mamo-chan!" Usagi giggled. "I need those!"
    
    Mamoru smiled around his food and released the captive digits, 
before he returned the favour and held up his own next roll, which 
met similar results. Usagi grinned, nibbling on both the rice and 
Mamoru's fingers before letting them free. "There, now we're even."
    
    Mamoru cocked an eyebrow, and looked down to see the last piece 
on the plate. He glanced up to see Usagi noticing the exact same 
thing. They shared the same ready smile. 
    
    The challenge was on. To the winner would go the spoils, and to 
the loser, the pleasure of being made up to!

***
    
    The sunlight was warm on Rei's back next morning. She lay on her 
bed, the covers crumpled up against the wall, and watched as Makoto 
dressed for the day. She glanced at her clock, and yawned loudly, as 
if to make a point. "Makotooo, it's too early. Why are you up 
already?"
    
    Makoto looked over her shoulder once she had pulled her head out 
of her top. "Oh, sorry, did I wake you?"
    
    Rei shook her head, and managed to remain thoroughly 
unconvincing. "Nope," she replied, letting her head flop back onto 
the pillow, which made her rather dramatic bed-hair even more 
comical; like an unshorn dust bunny, as drawn by Usagi. She didn't 
bother to pull the covers back over herself though. The sunlight on 
her back was too nice for that. "You're not going to run around the 
shrine at this hour are you?"
    
    Makoto smirked at the idea. "Why not? Your grandpa is up 
already."
    
    Rei closed her eyes and smiled. "That's the reason why not! I 
don't want that old pervert thinking weird thoughts about my 
girlfriend's athletic assets."
    
    Makoto covered her chest with her arms and gave Rei a pointed 
look as the girl giggled. "Hey."
    
    Rei just rolled onto her side and stretched out her arms. "Come 
here."
    
    Makoto did as she was told, and was promptly pulled to sit by her 
supine girlfriend. "Better," Rei muttered, wrapping her arms around 
Makoto's waist and snuggling down into her pillow.
    
    "Hey," Makoto exclaimed, "don't just go back to sleep!"
    
    Rei smirked and opened her eyes again. "Spoilsport. Come on Mako, 
what's up?" She dropped the humour in her voice and sat up, her arms 
still encircling Makoto's waist from behind. "Are you worried about 
Desir? I am sorry I didn't tell you. I just..."
    
    "You wanted to play hero," Makoto interrupted, "and I would have 
lost you. But no, that's not the reason, so don't look like that."
    
    Makoto pulled Rei around to face her. "But if you're okay to talk 
about it, are you sure you're fine with this?"
    
    Rei looked at her. "I thought you would have wanted to go back to 
Seiji. I know you liked it there."
    
    Makoto was happy to admit that, but it wasn't the point she was 
making. "No, I don't mind, but what about you. I don't want you to go 
through all that again. If Pluto and me hadn't stopped it, you would 
have gone back for good!"
    
    Rei looked ashamed of that. "I told you, I'm sorry. I thought it 
was worth it. That was how it had to work. Desir would lend me her 
power so no-one else had to get hurt - so we could win - and in 
return I would go back and be her Seraphi."
    
    The mention of that name filled the air with a contemplative 
silence. "I guess it's like she said though," Makoto observed after a 
moment. "It's all very... symmetrical. I always thought it was weird 
when Desir said it took her years to get back here with Ami-chan and 
Haruka-san's baby. Now she's found her own loophole back to Seiji, 
and it's so far back in the 'past'. And you, me and Setsuna-san..."
    
    Rei nodded. "We are the real Seraphi after all. We were 
impersonating ourselves all that time, and we didn't even know it."
    
    Makoto thought that it felt too big to be real. "We're supposed 
to introduce magic to them all? What about Ami-chan's magic, and 
Minako-chan's and Haruka-san's? How are we supposed to be leaders 
when they taught us everything we learned? We were only novices, even 
when we left."
    
    Rei agreed, "But we will know more than they do. We will look 
really powerful to the people in Seiji's history. I guess we just 
teach them the basics, and they work it out from there. They'll never 
know any better."
    
    Makoto nodded. "I guess so. Ami-chan has figured it out though, I 
think. How am I supposed to tell her we'll be okay if Desir is just 
going to pop up one day and take you, Setsuna-san and me back to 
Seiji? We're not going to get any warning, she just said she'd come 
when she had worked out how to do it with all three of us."
    
    "We'll just tell them the truth," Rei replied, voicing the only 
idea that had come to her. "We can give it a few years, until 
Setsuna-san can check up as much as possible, and just say that we'll 
be gone for a bit. We know that we'll be back, after all. If we are 
the Seraphi, we know we'll leave Seiji just as mysteriously as we 
arrive, and it'll only be a few years."
    
    Makoto looked at Rei seriously. "And are you okay with few years? 
That's such a long time."
    
    Rei didn't know. "I'll have you there. And maybe we'll work out 
something so Desir doesn't drive me nuts. Sorcery wasn't.... isn't 
supposed to be an evil power when the Seraphi... eh, when *we* first 
introduce it."
    
    Makoto was satisfied with that. She had helped Rei through that 
ordeal once. She would do the same again without a second thought. 
"Well, at least we've read our own history, so we know we probably 
come out of it okay. I guess, for the Magicians' and Warlocks' magic, 
we manage to work out something between now and then. I mean, it's 
already happened, sort of."
    
    Rei smiled at the thought. "I bet Setsuna would have something to 
say about that. You know how she used to be about paradoxes."
    
    Then a thought struck her. "Makoto... In the books in Seiji it 
said that we are each supposed to teach them a different kind of 
magic; one for the Warlocks, one for the leaders and one for the 
nobles, which the nomads stole. The Warlocks got the 'Art', and I 
guess Setsuna-san figures that out somehow."
    
    "And," Makoto added, the idea clicking together in her mind, "I 
bet you anything that's why the Warlocks only wielded staffs. 
Setsuna-san *teaches* them to fight like that, because that's how she 
fights as Sailor Pluto!"
    
    Rei nodded. "I teach the leaders Sorcery, so they have powerful 
advisors - demons and demonettes - who can also help them lead 
battles. You teach the nobles how to look after the land they own."
    
    Makoto sighed then. "It's kind of depressing. I mean, we already 
know that all of that stuff doesn't come to anything. Sorcerers and 
Warlocks either go mad with power or become hermits, and the nobles 
barely even bother with their magic before it gets stolen from them."
    
    "Well, it was supposed to have worked for a while," Rei said, 
"But that's not the point! The common magic is something we all teach 
to everyone else, and that eventually got evolved into stage magic 
and telekinesis and so on, but what about the Seers?"
    
    Makoto thought about that. "I don't know. You were the one who 
did most of the reading Rei, you just told us that they were 
descend... You're kidding!"
    
    Rei nodded, her eyes wide, barely able to believe it herself. "We 
don't teach them the 'Sight'. The Seers, like that slave girl, could 
make prophesies about the future because they were the direct 
*descendants* of the Seraphi. Setsuna-san is Sailor Pluto..."
    
    "... guardian of the gates of time," Makoto finished. 
    
    They both swallowed in unison. "Setsuna-san finds a husband 
there!!"
    
    Makoto stared at her girlfriend for a moment, before suddenly 
breaking into a huge smile. "How many kids do you think they'll have? 
I mean, that bloodline lasts a long time!"
    
    "More to the point," Rei said, "do you think we should tell her? 
I mean, what if she doesn't like the idea of hooking up for a short 
lived relationship in some ancient parallel world?"
    
    "She will know what she is doing," Makoto said. "It wouldn't be 
any fun if we spoilt the surprise now, would it?" She turned around 
until she stood up over Rei and leaned down to kiss her. "I wouldn't 
have wanted anyone to spoil it for me."
    
    Rei closed her eyes as Makoto kissed her again, playfully laying 
her back down on the bed. "Makoto..."
    
    Makoto smiled down at her still dishevelled girlfriend, but she 
stopped, one hand either side of Rei's pillow. "Sorry. You just 
looked so cute. Do you want me to stop?"
    
    Rei blushed, and wriggled her way back up so she could sit close 
Makoto's head height as she leant on the bed. "We shouldn't," she 
said, but at the same time she smiled and locked her hands behind 
Makoto's head, and Makoto sat back down on the mattress.
    
    "But I won't mind any more," Rei added. After Sailor Jupiter had 
run into those flames, for no other reason than to hold onto her, 
Rei's insecurities had once again been re-aligned. For all Makoto had 
known, she might have been running to her death. It had been a 
remarkable gesture of self-sacrifice. 
    
    On her part Makoto nodded, smiling. It would be nice to finally 
give to Rei what Rei had been giving to her. Makoto had been longing 
to since they had first come back to Tokyo. With a cheeky grin she 
pulled Rei back down the bed, making the girl shriek.
    
    "Mako, no!" Rei objected, trying not to let a smile break her 
mask of embarrassed indignation as she pulled her top back down from 
where it had rucked up beneath her unbound breasts. "We've only just 
got up! And Grandpa is around somewhere!" 
    
    Makoto just grinned, and kissed her frowning girlfriend on the 
nose. "I never did keep that promise of a proper date, did I? Do you 
have to work today?"
    
    Rei looked up at her, still trying to fix her pyjama top, and her 
indignant mask slipped. "Maybe I don't care."  Then Makoto raised an 
eyebrow, a twinkle in her eye, and Rei decided this was a battle that 
she would rather lose. "... It's not like Grandpa actually needs the 
stairs swept today. I'll make him give me the day off!"

***
    
    At the same time, a few miles away from the shrine, Meioh Setsuna 
poked her head into a darkened bedroom. It was still early, so she 
managed to slip into the room and close the door behind her without 
rousing her prey. While the room was dark, she could still see the 
outlines of that sleeping pair, wrapped haphazardly in their bed 
sheets as their arms and legs crossed each other.
    
    Setsuna smiled, and crept forward. Sailor Pluto's garnet rod was 
carried carefully in her hand, but she was not a Sailor Senshi just 
at that moment. This was something she needed to do as a woman, not 
as a soldier.
    
    Being careful not to disturb them she pulled away the covers from 
Haruka and Michiru's bed. The two of them looked very peaceful, half 
wrapped around each other as Haruka snored quietly and Michiru 
murmured faintly into her pillow. In typical fashion Haruka was under 
clad once again, but Setsuna had come to expect that of her. At least 
she was wearing some nice feminine panties, and not those awful boxer 
shorts. It always riled Setsuna that Haruka would not model the 
dresses she designed, but she was too mature to admit it.
    
    Instead, ignoring the temptation to find Haruka's stash of boxers 
and surreptitiously dispose of them, she knelt down next to the bed 
and brought Pluto's staff across. She would have to be quick, before 
one of the sleeping pair stirred from the feel of the air against 
their skin, but she took a moment to smile as she looked at Haruka's 
unclad stomach. There was not single sign to betray what was 
happening inside her, but Setsuna smiled all the same. 
    
    "Hello Miranda," she said quietly. "It is nice to meet you. I am 
Setsuna. You were quite the little surprise, but it looks like you 
will be a good influence."
    
    "I hope you don't mind," she continued, placing the ornate garnet 
tip of her staff against Haruka's skin, "but you have something that 
I need. Don't worry, you won't miss it, it is just a little left-over 
packing material, but one day it will help a lot of people."
    
    A faint trace of purple vapour began to rise from the contact 
against Haruka's abdomen, and Setsuna watched with a vague sense of 
awe. "Don't worry, little one. I will make sure that you have a power 
of your own one day. Just don't tell your parents. We don't want them 
to worry before it is time."
    
    The vapour soon ebbed, and Setsuna watched as the strange inert 
magic swirled within the gem of her staff, before looking back to 
Haruka's stomach. "Thank you Miranda. You can go back to sleep now. I 
will see you again soon."
    
    Setsuna paused as Haruka stirred slightly, and the slumbering 
young woman rolled over onto her side. "Enjoy your lie in, Haruka, 
Michiru," Setsuna whispered. Then she slipped out as quietly as she 
had come in, to begin her studies. 
    
    At least until Hotaru appeared for breakfast, she amended to 
herself. It was strange to think that Sailor Saturn, a harbinger of 
destruction who had filled her with such deathly fear for the future, 
could have become her own beloved daughter, and have ended up being 
such a similarly good influence on them all. She would make a very 
capable older sister indeed.

***
    
    Ami looked at her hair in the mirror as she combed it, wondering 
whether it was high time to have it cut at last. It was that little 
bit longer again, and was moving from 'grown out' into the territory 
of 'untidy'. She liked it being a little longer, like it had been 
those few weeks before, when she had had too much else to think about 
besides her appearance, but it was high time she did something with 
it. It wouldn't do to look too lax when the new university year 
started. She had always been a little proud that she could be the 
presentable face of bookish student life.
    
    But, in reality, that was just a distraction. Her mother had 
given her the message before leaving for work, and had been far too 
kind about it not to have been a little worried. 
    
    Ami and Haruka had not been able to see much of each other, with 
Ami preparing for new classes for over a week and Haruka and Michiru 
getting back into their high profile lives, but Haruka had called. 
She wanted Ami to meet her at the Tenoh/Kaioh/Meioh house. There was 
something they needed to talk about.
    
    It saddened her as she made herself presentable, but Ami had 
expected something like this. It was not timed as well as it could 
have been, but then these things happened. Once Ami had finished she 
picked up her one and only bag, locked the door behind her as she 
left, and made the walk to Haruka's. 
    
    It was a reasonable distance, but it gave her time to think. Over 
these last few weeks Makoto had been proved right. Haruka had made 
time for her, when their circumstances had permitted it. Michiru had 
been more distant and quiet about the situation, but Ami had most 
likely been the same towards her. They had all been amicable, 
allowing each other space when needed, and taking the cues as they 
were given.
    
    But, naturally, something had to change. Ami and Haruka had 
started to regret the lack of time they could spend together, and Ami 
felt guilty about the amount of Haruka's time she took up when 
Michiru was there. Likewise, Hotaru had confided in her that Michiru 
felt the same, in her own way, and had consciously tried to give Ami 
room on those occasions they could meet up. It had all become a 
little strained, because of the logistics and the over-generous 
levels of consideration they all gave each other.
    
    This wasn't a contest, or even romantic game. None of them were 
trying to win. Ami couldn't try and do that in good conscience, and 
it surprised her that Michiru had not taken that as an advantage. 
Haruka seemed happy, but at the same time it was obvious that she 
felt like a cad. She had come to make a joke of it, and they could 
all laugh it off as such, but that flirtatious humour had masked a 
definite uneasiness. 
    
    And, simply put, an intimate relationship had been impossible. 
That was Michiru's domain, and Ami could not intrude on that. It was 
ironic that, since Haruka had admitted that she loved Ami, she had 
been forced to stay faithful to Michiru. They had come close, but one 
of them had always turned away, and always for all manner of reasons.
    
    Just as Michiru was undoubtedly jealous of Ami's new place in 
Haruka's heart, so Ami was jealous that there was still such a rift 
between them.
    
    She seemed to reach her destination before she knew it, and 
Haruka was there to open the door, and usher her inside. "Good 
morning Ami. I'm glad you came."
    
    Ami smiled, despite her fears. It didn't matter how much she 
thought about it, she was always happy to hear Haruka's voice sound 
so kind. "Haruka, I'm sorry, but can we move past the pleasantries 
today. As happy as I am to see you again after all my study 
preparations, I know there is a reason you asked me here."
    
    Haruka nodded, swallowing her prepared line, and lead her inside. 
"Yes, that's true." She sat herself down on her favourite chair, and 
offered Ami the settee. "Ami, I know things have got a bit tense for 
us. I don't like seeing you like that, or Michiru."
    
    Ami nodded, glad to hear Michiru's name there. It would hurt, but 
at least it would be honest.
    
    "And," Haruka continued, "I know it's your birthday in a few 
days, just after your new term starts."
    
    Ami looked up in surprise. It was true, she would be the last of 
the 'Inners' to turn twenty, and in less than a week but...
    
    "But we thought we could offer you a present a little early," 
Haruka finished. She looked at Ami seriously, but wore a genuine and 
slightly hopeful smile. "Would you like to live here? With us."
    
    Ami almost choked. "W-what? Haruka, how can you say..."
    
    Haruka didn't let her finish. "Ami..." she said, trying to 
collect her own thoughts enough to explain properly. "We seem to be 
working when we are all together, don't we? I know it's a delicate 
situation, but it seems that it troubles us most when we have to be 
making time for each other. Both you and Michiru, you keep trying so 
hard to 'play fair', and that is making you both act awkwardly when 
the other isn't around! I want to love you as an equal Ami, and I 
want Michiru to stop hiding from you."
    
    "Hiding?" Ami echoed. "Haruka, she can't want this. I don't even 
know if I can believe it."
    
    "Ask her," Haruka replied. "We all talked about this." She turned 
away from Ami and looked at the door to the hall. "Michiru. I know 
you are there."
    
    Ami just watched as the door swung open, and she saw Michiru 
leaning against the frame. "Michiru-san."
    
    Michiru sighed, and walked over to take her own favourite seat, 
staring at her hands. "You're right Ami-chan," Michiru said. "I don't 
want this..."
    
    Ami was about to speak, but Michiru forged ahead. "But I'm not 
the only one I have to consider. You are a good friend, Ami-chan, and 
I am tired of exhausting myself over this. I never expected this 
contest of ours to last. I thought that either Haruka would choose 
you, or you would decide not to pursue her any longer. As long as I 
continued to love her, without backing down, I thought one of our 
relationships would prevail. 
    
    "But you didn't back down, and yet Haruka didn't choose one of us 
over the other. Now, Hotaru is convinced that you are as much a part 
of this family as any of us, and I cannot think of any rational 
reason why she should not, despite my best efforts." She looked up, 
smiling in resolution. "In our inaction, my choice has been made for 
me. I will not leave my family, but at the same time I would never be 
able to forgive myself if I went back on my word. You are going to be 
yet another very unique 'father' Ami-chan, and I will not deny you 
the chance to see your child grow up."
    
    She looked over to Haruka's stomach, and then back to Ami. "She 
will start showing eventually. That is as definite a beginning of 
that life as we will be able to understand. I am prepared to be 
Michiru-mama for a second child, I am even looking forward to it a 
little, and I am willing to learn to live with you as 'Ami-papa'."
    
    Haruka nodded. "That's the reason," she finished for her. "If you 
want to, then we won't have to worry about who is overstepping whose 
bounds, because we'll all be here, and I'll try to be fair too. I 
know Hotaru and Setsuna would both be happy to have you. I have to go 
and get my first ultrasound soon too. It's scheduled for the ninth."
    
    The ninth of September, Ami thought. Just one day before her 
birthday.
    
    Ami looked to Michiru again. "But... what about..."
    
    "If you are worried about sleeping arrangements," Michiru said, 
"we have more rooms here than we need." And she went beyond that, 
just to make herself clear. "I don't think I can share a bed with you 
both, Ami-chan. But if we are going to live together, we shall have 
to try and be fair. Can you live with that?"
    
    "I... don't know," Ami replied honestly. "But I have known that 
you two have been with each other all this time. I've been so jealous 
of that, but I still love Haruka."
    
    Michiru nodded, letting out a sigh. "Then I suppose it will have 
to be my turn to know what that feels like. Maybe it is fitting."
    
    Ami shook her head. "I haven't said I will accept."
    
    "But you will," Michiru said. "As hard as it might be, we will 
both continue to try our best. We will just stop pretending that we 
still think of it as a competition."
    
    Haruka, however, was far more practical about the matter. "If you 
don't want to, then that's okay Ami. It is quite selfish of me to 
suggest it."
    
    "Selfish?" Ami asked, breaking into a trembling smile. "I never 
thought... I want to! I want to try. But only if you mean it, both of 
you."
    
    Haruka nodded without a thought, smiling from ear to ear. Michiru 
still had her reservations, but she paused only briefly. She had 
already made her decision. Following through with it might be 
difficult, but she was not going to surrender now. "You do not need 
my permission Ami-chan. I said that I am willing to learn how to do 
this, if you want to be here. As long as you let me cry myself to 
sleep tonight." She said it with a laugh, but it was obvious how much 
she was worried about the idea of her first night knowing Haruka was 
with someone besides herself. "And don't look like that Ami-chan. I 
can endure a little more heartache. I simply do not have your 
strength yet."
    
    Ami looked concerned, and got to her feet. "It's not strength 
Michiru-san. I just... I know how it has to be for you both. And 
please don't say that. I wouldn't be able to stay tonight anyway." 
She turned to Haruka. "I have to talk to my mother, and there is a 
lot to sort out."
    
    "Do you think she won't understand?" Haruka asked.
    
    To their surprise Ami shook her head. "I think she might be 
concerned, but she and I have reached an understanding. As long as it 
is you, she will not object, as long I assure her that it is all 
alright. If nothing else, she knows that I am old enough to make my 
own mistakes!"
    
    Then, from behind her, Hotaru's voice drifted into the room. "Is 
it alright to come in yet?"
    
    Haruka and Michiru nodded and Hotaru, clad in a lavender 
sundress, walked in with a hesitant air. "It's okay, Ami-papa?"
    
    Ami stood staring at her open and honest face as she joined them, 
and all at once she burst into tears. Hotaru looked mortified as Ami 
hugged her, sobbing openly over her shoulder. "Ami-san! I'm sorry! I 
didn't mean to make you cry!"
    
    "It's okay," Ami sobbed, holding the girl. "Oh God, I never 
thought this could happen." She choked back her tears and stood back 
up straight. "I'm sorry Hotaru-chan. You really don't think I'm 
intruding?"
    
    Hotaru sighed, realising what Ami was thinking, and shook her 
head. "I'm not a child any more Ami-papa. You've all been happy 
together already, so this is just the next step, right? It would be a 
shame if you couldn't be here for my little brother or sister too. 
And anyway," she said with a smile, "I like having my parents as 
friends too. So, getting a friend for a new parent, sort of, is kind 
of nice."
    
    Michiru had to admit, her daughter made it sound so simple. "Come 
on Hotaru, we have to go and tell Setsuna."
    
    "Like I said," the teenaged girl sighed, "I'm not a child any 
more Michiru-mama." Of course, while she wasn't a child, she was 
sensitive enough not to say exactly why they were leaving Haruka and 
Ami to it. She just coloured a little and made for the door while 
Michiru followed, explaining that she knew what it was like, but that 
she wasn't ready to have her little girl explaining that she 
understood too much just yet. 
    
    "So," Haruka said, getting to her feet and wiping away the tears 
on Ami's cheeks, "you do want to live here?"
    
    Ami nodded, beaming. "I've never had a better present." She 
looked down, before wrapping her arms around the taller woman. "I 
know what Michiru-san means. I don't think I can... be there with you 
both..."
    
    "I'm not asking you too," Haruka said, returning the embrace. "I 
don't know how it will work either."
    
    Ami nodded into Haruka's shirt. "I love you though. I'll try my 
best, and I'll do everything I can to make Michiru-san happy too. And 
Hotaru-chan, and Setsuna-san." She found herself laughing. "This is 
going to be so strange!"
    
    "I think Hotaru has it right," Haruka replied. "It's only a 
little stranger than what we are used to here, at least from the 
outside."
    
    "So," Ami asked, picking up that observation, "what will you tell 
your fans about us all, and the baby? It will be hard to explain."
    
    Haruka shrugged. "Who says we have to say anything? It was a dear 
and trusted donor, and we of all people don't need any more reasons 
to have another resident here. People have always thought what they 
like about Michiru, Setsuna and myself. Now they can speculate about 
you too, if they want." She lifted Ami's head from her shirt. "If we 
have to, we can make something up. As long as you are okay with 
people speculating. It doesn't bother us, but I know Hotaru doesn't 
like it."
    
    "I can ignore people whispering," Ami replied. "I learned not to 
pay any attention to it at school."
    
    She leaned up, and her lips touched against her new partner's. 
"Thank you Haruka," she whispered, allowing her tears to flow again. 
"I love you."
    
    Haruka leaned into the kiss, stroking away Ami's new tears with 
her thumb as she held her. "Sorry I got you into all this," she said. 
"But I love you too."
    
    Then she cracked a smile, and pulled them together until their 
stomachs touched. "So, do you think you can come for the ultrasound?"
    
    Ami had to giggle at how exited Haruka sounded. She had to admit, 
her own heart skipped a beat at the thought. "I will be able to 
manage something."
    
***
    
    At the back of the house Michiru sighed, watching as Setsuna 
stared intently at her Garnet Rod. Hotaru had been happy to head back 
to her room, leaving her to inform Setsuna of Ami's answer, and in 
typical fashion Setsuna hadn't seemed in the least surprised.
    
    Instead she just looked up from her Senshi staff. "Are you okay?"
    
    Michiru nodded. "I'll be fine. Ami-chan isn't staying tonight 
anyway. At least I can cry into Haruka's arms." Setsuna gave her the 
same look that Ami had, and Michiru let out another sigh. "Setsuna, 
don't. It has been decided, and we never said it would be easy. They 
have their own misgivings as well. The least we can do is try and 
make it work."
    
    "And," she added, moving over to lean against the wall beside her 
co-mother's desk, "even if it doesn't work, you're the one who said 
it. We will always have our times together and our times apart, and 
it will always be for the best. Right?"
    
    Setsuna nodded, smiling to herself. "Something like that. Do not 
worry Michiru. I think Ami-chan will surprise you. You might surprise 
yourself as well."
    
    Michiru shook her head at Setsuna's elliptical advice. "Would you 
care to elaborate on that, or is this a mystical prophesy to keep me 
occupied at night?"
    
    Setsuna chuckled. "You will be beside them at the ultrasound, 
won't you?"
    
    Michiru paused, and her expression softened. "Yes. Of course I 
will."
    
    "There you are," Setsuna replied. "Isn't that all the reassurance 
you need?"
    
    Michiru looked at her with deadpanned eyes. "You're doing this on 
purpose, aren't you?"
    
    "Yep."
    
    But, as exasperating as Setsuna was at times, Michiru could see 
her point. She would be there together with Haruka and Ami to see 
their new child, and when that happened, at least for that short 
while, she doubted that anything else would matter. For all the 
complications Ami had brought, it was a wonderful gift.
    
    The thought brought a warm flush to her. She was going to be a 
mother again. One of three, true, but that was the kind of motherhood 
she knew. And, thinking back to Hotaru's all too brief childhood, she 
wouldn't have traded it for the world.
    
    She smiled to herself, and shook her head. "I wonder what the 
others are going to think of this."
    
    "I don't know," Setsuna said, a hint wickedness tweaking at her 
smile. "It is all so scandalous Michiru: lesbians living under the 
same roof as other women, and all masquerading as parents to boot! 
But with all of our girls, I am thinking a certain surprise birthday 
party would sound about right."
    
    Michiru's smile wavered, only to be replaced with an impish smirk 
as she imagined Ami on the receiving end. A very red faced Ami, 
holding her hands in her lap, driven mute by the embarrassment of it! 
Once Michiru had got that good, heart-aching cry out of her system it 
would be the ideal sort of revenge. "You know Setsuna, I think you 
might be right."
    
***

The End

***

Author's Note: Well, there it is. It's been a fun trip. Almost two 
years in the making if you include Fallen Stars. My most sincere 
thanks to everyone who has kept reading for all this time. I hope you 
have all enjoyed it as much as I have.

Please send any comments and constructive criticism to:

nutzoide@nutzoide.net

They are always greatly appreciated, and there is no better reward 
for a writer than to hear back from the readers.

Many thanks to Richard King for his proofreading assistance.

(c) Nutzoide 2007

http://www.nutzoide.net