Urawa Says:

Urawa:  Hi there!  They picked me to do this segment for this episode
and...

Ami:  Hey!  This segment goes at the END of the Episode!

Urawa:  Yes, but I predicted they would pick me for it, so I wanted to
get it out of the way early.

Ami:  That's against the rules.

Urawa:  So we could go out afterwards.

Ami:  Oh, well, in that case...

Pluto:  [suddenly appears]  You!  You two aren't supposed to be back
together yet!  Urawa is supposed to still not remember who you are!  What
are you two doing!  [snaps her fingers and they vanish.  Looks out at the
audience]  And what are you doing?  Forget this segment right NOW!

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

      Turquoise snuck down the hallway, envelope in hand.  The hallway 
was dark.  It was somewhere around one in the morning.  He counted doors
and prayed he had found the correct door.  As he bent over and slid the
letter under the door, he felt a presence.  

      "Ahah, so you're the mystery lad--"  A sphere of light appeared, 
illuminating Turquoise and Guardian Nephrite of Earth.  Nephrite 
blinked.  "You're no lady."

      Turquoise nodded dumbly.  "Um...yes."

      "So why would....oh."  Nephrite smiled at Turquoise.  "So your lady 
sent you with the letters?"

      He nodded.  "Uh...yeah."

      Nephrite frowned.  "A dilemma, indeed.  My heart belongs to another, 
but I do not wish to break her heart."

      Turquoise gave an audible sigh of relief, then poked himself for 
being so obvious.  "I...uh..."

      Nephrite said, "Please do not tell her I said that.  I will have to 
tell her myself.  Somehow.  So that she does not waste her time longing 
for me."  He thought for a moment.  "Is her heart easily shattered?  How 
well do you think she will take it?"

      Turquoise thought for a moment.  "I think she already knows, but 
she can't help herself.  You're a really romantic guy, you know.  Unlike me."
He ran his fingers through his unruly hair.  "How'd you get to be like that?"

      Nephrite laughed faintly.  "It's not all it's cracked up to be.  
I'm not a very good person to fall in love with."

      "But you're powerful and brave and handsome and rich!  Half the 
ladies in the palace would give their left arms to marry you!"  Turquoise 
could hardly believe what he was hearing.

       Nephrite opened the door and picked up the letter.  "My duties 
take me away from home, away from those I love.  To love me is to love a 
man who might die at any moment, who often cannot be there when he is 
needed, who must do his duty, regardless of his heart.  What good is a 
handsome man you never get to look at?  I must treasure every moment with 
those whom I love and who love me, for tomorrow I may die, and then they 
will never see me again."  He sighed.  "Your lady deserves better than that."

      Turquoise paused, not knowing what to say.  "I...she...uh..."

      "Come in a minute, will you?"

      "Umm...okay."  Turquoise came into Nephrite's room.  It was a guest 
room, actually, but Nephrite visited often enough that it was effectively 
his room.  It was quite spartan.  A table, a bed, a wardrobe, two chairs, 
and a star chart on the wall.  

      "What is your birthday, Turquoise?"

      "Ember 23."  

      "What was the hour of your birth?"

      "Uh...around seven in the morning, I think."

      Nephrite began drawing up four charts at the same time.  He 
consulted a large book, full of arcane symbols, then scribbled more 
symbols on the papers.

      "What are you doing?"  Turquoise asked.

      "Drawing up horoscopes.  I have a hunch."

      Turquoise sat and watched the arcane procedure.  He knew a little 
astrology, but only the basics.  It was much more a science of the Star 
Kingdom, than of Earth, his homeworld.  He knew Nephrite had studied 
there, just as Jadeite had studied on Mars, and Zoisite on Venus.  
Kunzite had studied just about everywhere.  He was the most powerful of 
the Guardians, and their leader.  

      Carefully studying the four charts, Turquoise realized that one of 
them must be his mistress, Lady Patience's chart, for it had her 
birthday, Ice 1, on it.  The first day of the year.  "Is that one for 
Lady Patience?"

      Nephrite nodded, then started a fifth chart, which seemed to 
combine the other four.  He completed it, stared at it for a moment, then 
smiled wryly.  "Destiny likes to play strange games."

     "I don't understand."

     "We shall all meet our doom on the same day,"  he said quietly.

     "Uh...we who?"

     "You, your lady, myself and my lady.  I can see it in the stars."  
He paused.  "I'm sorry.  I shouldn't burden you with this."  He sighed 
and began to fold up the charts.

     "You can tell all that from..."

     "I do not know the day or the time.  I wish I had not looked.  But I 
learned what else I sought to know."

     "What?"  Turquoise fidgeted.  

     "Your dream will come true one day."  

     "I...you mean..."

     "Go home, young one.  You need your sleep."  He hustled Turquoise 
out of the room, then looked at the charts again.  We share a birthday, 
boy, though I am ten years older than you.  It's amazing what a 
difference a few hours can make in these calculations.  And how little 
difference it sometimes makes.


                          *      *     *


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


                      *        *       *

Sailor Moon Z:
Series concept by John Biles and Jeff Hosmer
Primary Writer this episode:  John Biles

Based on the series Sailor Moon, copyrighted by Takeuchi Naoko and a lot 
of other people who aren't us.



Episode 9
"Waiting for Sailor V.
 Can lost love be found again?"

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

     The streets of Calcutta are muggy, foggy, and generally unpleasant
during the rainy season, and this day was no exception.  The trio of
heroes fled through the fog, trying to outrun the shadowy humanoids
shambling through the mist after them.  

        One of them, a man, turned and looked back through the mist.  His
enhanced sight cut through the fog.  He could still see twenty or so of
the hideous plant-man monsters in pursuit.  We must have lost the other
ten, he thought.  "They're still coming."  Beneath his dark robe, armor
could be seen, emblazoned with a red cross on the chest.  However, no
medieval smith could have made THIS armor.  Servos whined as he pulled out
what looked like a rosary made of electronic components.  Kissing the
circuityry-laden cross, he raised his sword.  With a sharp POP! and the
smell of ozone, power crackled along the blade.

        One of his companions, a woman with long dark hair, said, "We
can't run forever, Darien."  She wore an outfit of flowing silks cinched
at her waist by a simple leather belt.  Her eyes were heavily outlined
with kohl and a simple brass tiara kept her hair out of her eyes.  She
looked like she had just stepped off the walls of a Pharaoh's tomb, except
for a spiral notepad she had stuck in her belt.

     The other one made the same point by tripping and falling down on her
face.  Her long white hair billowed as she collided with the concrete.
"Owwie!!!!!"  She sprawled on the ground in a long green dress, her dark
skin blending in fairly well with the black tarred street.  She dropped a
long green wand she was holding as she fell.

     The first woman sighed.  "Usagi, can't you roll something besides a
one?"

     "Hey, I don't roll ones all the time!"

     "JUST WHEN IT'S IMPORTANT!"

     The man tried to interpose himself.  "You roll ones too, Naru-chan."

     "Not every other time!"

     A voice boomed from the heavens.  "While you are arguing, the gospog
charge out of the mist and attack."

     The second woman pulled out her wand to blast the gospog, hideous
shambling plant-men armed with swords, only to realize when she tripped it
had gone flying up into a tree.  She went to climb the tree to get it.

     The voice boomed from the heavens.  "This is going to be a dramatic
skill resolution.  Three steps..."

     The voice was interrupted by a loud, "WAAAAAAAA!!!!!!"  followed by,
"Just to climb the tree and get my wand?"

     "Usagi, with your dex and bad rolling, getting out of BED is a
dramatic skill resolution."

     "Mamo-chan!  Get Naru to stop picking on me!"

     "At least she didn't try to use the disguise pen she doesn't have
again,"  another voice boomed from the heavens.  This one was female.  "So
do we show up or what?"

      "The gospog shamble forward.  You seem hideously outnumbered when
two figures come out of the mist.  One is a woman with long black hair,
wearing an aviator's hat, a tight blouse and a knee length skirt.  She is
flying, and carrying the second figure, a barely clad lizard man carrying
a long bamboo spear."

      "More monsters!  AAAAAAA!!!!!!"

      "That's me and Steven, you goofball!"  Minako shouted, tossing a
paperwad at Usagi.  

       Everyone broke character as a paper fight broke out.  They were
trying to play one of Umino's RPGs, a game called TORG where the Earth was
being invaded from other dimensions. They usually played on Saturday
nights, especially when they didn't have enough money to go out.  This was
the third time they had played.  It had started with just Usagi, Naru, and
Mamoru, but this week, Steven had heard about the game from Umino and
dragged Minako into it.  

       As it was, it would be a while before they got the game back on
track.

	                      *        *       *

     Naru sat quietly, eating lunch and reading a Fushugii Yuugi 
tankoubon.  It was a boring May day.  The sun was shining, and the air was
clear and clean for once.  She would have been eating with Umino and
Usagi, but Umino was off having a conference with Sensei and Usagi was in
detention for sleeping during English class.  

      A voice startled her out of her reverie.  "Naru-chan!  You're going
here?"

      Naru started and looked up.  "Kimiko?"  Kimiko was an old friend of
hers from junior high.  She had moved away during the eighth grade, but
had kept commuting to Naru's school.  Naru hadn't seen her since they both
graduated from junior high.  Not that that was such a long time ago, but
still...  "I thought you were going to Greenwood Academy now?"

      Kimiko, a tall, thin girl with long curly blonde hair that ran down
to the bottom of her shoulderblades, sat down on the bench next to Naru.
"That's a BOY's school.  My brother is going there now, I went to this
place, Furinkan, for about two weeks, but it was a madhouse, so I
transferred out.  I've been here close to a month now."  She stretched,
and something on her blouse caught Naru's eye.  Kimiko had a silver
circular pin with twelve tiny blue gems pinned over her left breast.  

       "Wow, I like that,"  she said, pointing to the pin. 

       Kimiko smiled.  "It's from the social club I'm in here, the Golden
Ring.  When I'm a full member, I'll get a gold version of it.  Well, once
I save up the money, anyway."  She paused.  "Want to come to one of our
meetings?  I bet you'd like it.  It's a really fun group."

       Naru smiled.  "Okay.  I haven't gotten to meet very many people
here so far since I live off campus.  I've been mostly just hanging out
with Gurio-kun and Usagi and her friends."

       Kimiko frowned.  "I thought you stopped seeing that loser."

       "Usagi is not a loser.  She's just more relaxed about school than
you are."

       Kimiko sighed.  "I can't believe you stand up for her...anyway,
enough of me complaining.  So you and Umino-kun are still dating?"

       Naru nodded.  "Yep.  Close to two years now."

       Kimiko smiled.  "He's a nice guy.  I couldn't date him, but he is
really sweet on you."

       "Yeah.  Kind of embarrassing sometimes, but I don't care."

       Good, Kimiko thought.  It's nice to see you're not ashamed of him
anymore just cause he's kinda geeky.  It always made me sad to think about
how you treated him even after you started dating.  I guess we all change
over time.  Sometimes even for the better.  

       They spent the rest of lunch reminiscing over old times and
planning for the future.

						*****

     Haruka was supposed to be playing softball.  Haruka was actually
watching the girls play softball.  To be more precise, she was watching
Noriko play softball.  She was good.  Still, she hadn't shown any signs of
superhuman abilities in the softball game.  I should have known it
wouldn't be this easy.

    Haruka probably would have watched Noriko the entire time, except that
she got hit in the head by the softball.  She oofed and fell down. Several
other people rushed over.  Kyo said, "Haruka-kun, what the hell were you
doing?  A blind wombat could have seen that coming!" as he helped her up.

     "I guess I wasn't paying attention."

     Unaware of Haruka's true gender, Kyo winked and elbowed Haruka in the
ribs.  "Yeah, you've been staring at Noriko the whole game."

      Haruka blushed.  "Was it that obvious?"

      "Man, if you like the girl, just tell her!  Ask her out."

      Ryu said, "Ahh, gonna go for two girlfriends now, Haruka?"

      "It's not like that!"

      "Yeah, right."

      Haruka had a really bad feeling about this.

						*****

     Minako paced around her new dorm room.  Hotaru was sitting on
Minako's  bed, and Himeko was at her desk, trying to do homework.  A tiny
part of Himeko's brain was imagining the way their room would look once
Minako wore a track in the carpet, which should happen by dinner at her
current rate.

    "I can't believe it!  I just CAN'T believe it!"  Minako said for about
the hundredth time in the last fifteen minutes.

     Hotaru had a pang of regret at having brought the latest installment
of the school newspaper to Minako's room.  She hadn't quite realized how
badly Minako would freak at the 'Interview with Sailor V' front page
story...given that it hadn't been MINAKO who was being interviewed.  I was
just bored and wanted some company...I wasn't expecting mass insanity, she
thought.  "Would you like me to help you look for this 'fake Sailor V'?"

     Minako spun on one heel.  "Thank you, Hotaru!  Yes.  A team up to
catch the fake Sailor V.  You can be the Cardinal Richelieu to my Peter
the Great!"

     Himeko blinked.  "Wasn't Richelieu in France and Peter the Great in
Russia about a half a century apart from each other?"

     "Whatever!"

     "How about Watson to your Holmes?"  Hotaru suggested.

     "Perfect!  I think Steven even has the right kind of hat for me to
use!  Come on!"

     She dragged Hotaru out the door.  Himeko watched them go.  I wonder
when Mina-chan went insane.  She seemed normal back in junior high.  I
didn't know her that well, then, though.  Yeesh, you'd think she was
Sailor V herself.  

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

     Chester sat and thought about his recent venture into the world of
dating.  How exactly the geeky kid had talked him into it, he didn't know.
What was his name again...Umino?  She was kinda nice, though.  He didn't
normally like tall girls, but she had a certain charm.  Not to mention,
she was a great dancer.  

     Unfortunately, the date had ended in abject catastrophe, due to his
sister as usual.  I should ask her out again.  Yes, I should, he thought.
Oddly, nothing happened.  I'm just going to pick up the phone and ask her
out on a date.  Still nothing.  I'm going to pick up...

     His mental paralysis was interrupted by the sound of banging from
the hall closet. "LET ME OUT!"

     Chester laughed.  "Not until after I invite Minako over to ransack
your room."

     "You wouldn't DARE!"

     "Try me, sis."

     "You.  Will.  PAY FOR THIS!"

     "Yeah, yeah, yeah.  Not.  I'm going to call her right now."  Now he
overcame his paralysis and reached for the phone.  He was actually calling
Makoto, but no reason to tell Polly that.  Let her suffer.

						*****

     Haruka walked into the Tomoe house and slumped down on the couch.
"Ugh, I'm tired," she announced to the empty room.  

     Professor Tomoe walked in, seconds later.  "Why are you tired?"

     "I've been chasing this girl all over campus.  I guess she never gets
tired."

     He blinked.  "Chasing who?"

     "This girl.  I think she's supernatural.  Her name is Udaigaku 
Noriko."

     "Sensei's granddaughter?"  Professor Tomoe smiled.  "His whole family
is interesting."

     "So do you know why she has superhuman strength?"
 
     Professor Tomoe said, "She's not a monster, if that's what you're
worried about."  He turned to go. 

     "Then what is she?  Another Senshi?"

     "Why don't you just ask her?"

     "I can't do that!"

     Professor Tomoe walked out the door to the garage.  "Good luck on
your quest then."

      "Hey!  Why don't you tell me what you know?"

      He stuck his head back in.  "That would be too easy."

      Haruka sighed.  A few days engaged to Setsuna and he's already
getting as bad as she is.  

						*****

      Hikaru was busy working on filming the baseball match between
Tsunami and Ganpeki Academy.  Tsunami was getting crushed, despite their
team's best efforts.  Normally, Hikaru didn't bother going to baseball
games, but the editor had begged her, so she was busy filming and half
snoozing.

      She was roused from her sleep by a tap on the shoulder.  She turned
around.  It was some goofy blonde girl wearing a deerstalker cap and a
long plaid coat...in late May.  Next to her was a similarly dressed
girl, except she had a fedora and was carrying...a doctor's bag?  Her hair
was short and black.  "I say, chap, can you spare a moment to speak with
me?"  the girl asked her with an English accent.

      Hikaru blinked.  "Do I know you?"

      "I am Minako Holmes and this is my assistant, Dr. Hotaru Watson.  We
want to ask you a few questions about Sailor V."

      Hikaru blinked and started filming.  A scoop on someone insane ought
to look good on the front page.  "Are you asking if I'm Sailor V?"

      The crazy people both laughed.  "No, we know you interviewed her for
the school paper."

      Hikaru nodded.  "Yeah.  I stumbled upon her thwarting a bank robbery
and got a quick interview in."

      "I see.  So you staged the robbery so you could get the interview.
Note that down, Dr. Watson."

      "As you like it, chap,"  Hotaru said in a really hokey accent,
giggling.  She scribbled that down on a notepad.

      Hikaru briefly contemplated the wonders of medication for the
deranged.  "No, I STUMBLED into the robbery.  I did not CAUSE the
robbery."

      "So you are frequently clumsy?"  Minako looked Hikaru up and down.
"Ahh, I see mud on your elbows.  Further proof."

      "That's from when we were playing softball this afternoon!"  There's
something vaguely familiar about this lunatic, Hikaru thought.  Maybe it's
Nonohara making fun of me...no, her hair is too long.  "Why are you
wearing a heavy coat in late May?"

      "So, when will you see Sailor V again?"

      "I don't know.  She seems to be hanging around our school lately."

      Minako looked at the camera.  "Hmm.  Do you have footage of her?"

      "I didn't have my camera with me.  I wish I had footage.  I could
sell it for big bucks."

      "Ahh, so you have media connections?  How long have you been
selling Sailor V footage for a profit?  Are you aware that..."

      "Look, you fruitcake!  That was the first time I'd ever seen Sailor
V!  Now go away.  I have to cover this game for the paper."  Hikaru was
starting to get annoyed.  

      "I am not a fruitcake.  But I think you know more than you're
telling."

      "Did you notice anything unusual about Sailor V?"  Hotaru asked.

       Hikaru paused.  "Will you go away if I answer that?"

      "Yes."  Hotaru said before Minako could answer.

      "Hey!"

      "There was an odd beeping noise right before she left."

      "Ahh, she carries a pager.  Make a note, Dr. Watson."  Minako said.

      Hikaru rolled her eyes.  "My dad's a doctor.  Be glad he isn't here
to kill you for impersonating one."

      "I'm not really a doctor, but the one I'm impersonating isn't real
either, so it doesn't matter, does it?"  Hotaru asked as she turned to go.

      Hikaru blinked and found herself unable to argue with that.

						*****

      Minako and Hotaru headed towards the bank.  "So you think it was a
pager?"  Hotaru asked.

      "Or a watch alarm.  Why else would someone start beeping?  It's
elementary, my dear Watson."

      They both laughed.  Soon, they reached the bank, where it took
slightly longer to get themselves thrown out than it had taken for Hikaru
to get tired of them.  Especially since no one was there who had been
there when Sailor V had been there.  "Hmm.  I see Professor Moriarity is
covering his tracks,"  Minako said.

      Hotaru laughed.  "To the MATH department!"

      Goichiro-Sensei never did figure out why those two students were
following him around for the rest of the day.

						*****

      Usagi, Naru, and Rei were working on their earth science homework
together.  "I can't remember all these stupid rocks!"  Usagi announced.
"When am I ever going to have to know the difference between hematite,
malachite, and kunzite?"

      "Kunzite is dead; Hematite is not."  Rei said.

       Usagi and Rei both laughed, leaving Naru to blink for a moment.
"Oh.  Right.  I guess living in a jewelry store makes this all pretty easy
for me."

       "Hey, you ought to see if you could have us take a field trip to
identify gems at your mom's shop!"  Usagi suggested eagerly.

       Rei laughed.  "Oh yeah, Sensei'll go for that.  NOT."

***************************************************************************
    
       Rei fumed as the class milled about OSA-P.  At least Usagi didn't
rub it in, she thought.  I can't BELIEVE our teacher went for that
cockamanie idea.  Usagi was busy drooling over a diamond necklace.  Mrs.
Osaka and Sensei were trying to maintain order, but people were milling
about wildly.  Sensei had talked to Mrs. Osaka and arranged for forty
different types of gems to be positioned around the room.  The more you
found and identified correctly got you a bonus on the next test.  

      Rei might have been less displeased if she was better at this.
Naru, of course, had finished in about three minutes and was now wandering
around looking excessively pleased with herself.  Rei, on the other hand,
was up to her sixth correct identification in 20 minutes.  She had just
never had much jewelry and all the gems seemed to look different than they
did in the textbook.  She sighed.  Usagi is doing better than I am.  I
feel pathetic.  

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

     Rei, Usagi, and Naru walked home together from school.  Usagi could
tell Rei was feeling down, but wasn't quite sure why.  Naru, on the other
hand, was so chipper she could hardly stand it.  "I got forty bonus
points!  Wooooo!!!!!!"  She danced around Usagi and Rei.  "I'm such a
GENIUS!"

      "I got 25 bonus points and I needed them even more than you!"  Usagi
took Naru's hands and started dancing around in a circle with her.

      Rei watched them quietly for a few seconds, then stalked off.  After
a minute or two, Usagi noticed.  "Rei-chan, wait for meeeeeee!!!!!"  She
ran off after Rei.  

     Naru shook her head and laughed faintly.  I think they must be
completely insane.  She smiled and walked after them, watching the dust-up
that was now in progress ahead of her.

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

     Naru finished her homework and sat by her bedroom window, looking out
at the stars.  Everything is ruled by the stars, a voice echoed in her
head.  A man's voice.  She always thought of him when she looked at the
stars.  She could feel his arms around her, protecting her.  Everything is
ruled by the stars...Did they send you to your death?  Are they ruling my
life?  Are they going to kill me like they killed you?  Fears flitted
through her head.  The stars held power, but that hadn't saved Nephrite,
her love.  If only I could remember more of my life in the Moon Kingdom.
If only I knew how to do what the others do.  If I can't figure it out,
I'm going to die, just like Nephrite did.  Just like I did, back in the
Moon Kingdom...my magic couldn't save me then... The spiral of fear was
growing, sucking her in.  It was always like this, ever since her father
died.  Most of the time she was okay, but then she'd get afraid of
something and it would build and build until it totally controlled her and
she was unable to move.  

      She nearly screamed when suddenly two REAL arms wrapped around her
and hugged her tightly.  He spoke with his geeky voice, "What's wrong,
Naru-chan?  There wasn't another monster attack, was there?"

      Naru shuddered in Umino's arms and slowly began to relax.  The
tension began to slowly drain out of her; the sea of fear ceased to rage.
Two years ago she wouldn't have believed it, but she actually felt more
safe with Umino than without him.  It was just right.  "I'm just being a
goofball.  Thinking about things that won't happen."

      "Don't worry.  Tuxedo Umino Kamen will protect you!"  He grabbed his
backpack and ran off to the closet.  

      Naru laughed at the frantic changing noises.  How does he get that
outfit into his backpack, anyway?  Soon, 'Tuxedo Umino Kamen' stepped out
of the closet, dressed in a rather crumpled tuxedo.  Naru smiled, stood up
and walked over to him.  

      Umino smiled nervously.  "Have no fear, the champion of justice is
here."

      She giggled.  "My hero."  They kissed, and she just melted into his
arms.  I wish I could be as crazy brave as you.

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

     Mamoru quietly sat at his computer, typing up a paper.  It was late,
and he should have been in bed...but he HAD to get this paper finished.
He would have finished it yesterday, but Usagi had dragged him off to the
movies and he hadn't accomplished anything.  It was due tomorrow.  He
drank another glass of Coke and looked at the clock.  1:00 AM.  Well, I've
got seven and a half more hours.  Then I can turn this in and drop dead.  

      There was a footstep behind him.  For a moment, he ignored it,
intent on his paper, then he realized the time and that he SHOULD be
alone.  He spun around and stood up.

      It was only Pluto.  "You shouldn't leave your door unlocked, Prince
Endymion."

      "I take it no one knocked when you were growing up?"

      Pluto's lips quirked.  "Quite."  She said, "I would talk with you."

      "Can't it wait until I finish this paper?  I REALLY have to get this
done."

      She reached out a hand.  "Come with me."

      He took her hand.  "I thought you were forbidden to stop time."

      "There is a difference between stopping it and traveling through
it..."  The world flickered around them and was replaced by a strange
place.  It wasn't quite a void, but it didn't really have much in it.
They stood on a stone platform, floating in a space that was not a space.
Pluto said, "We can talk here as long as we need."

      "Assuming I don't pass out on you."  Mamoru yawned.  "I'm so tired.
Anyway, what do you need to talk to me about?"

      "It is...rare that I ask anyone's advice on anything, yet I find
myself driven to do so."  Pluto turned and stared off into the void.
"Given a choice between one oath that required you to keep a secret, and
another that required you to tell it, what would you do?"

      Mamoru blinked.  "Well, I suppose it would depend on what I thought
the consequences of each would be and who I made the oath to.  What are
you talking about?"

      "For me to explain that would be to give away the secret I must
protect."  She paused.  "How much do you remember about the kingdoms of
the Silver Millennium, Endymion?"

       Mamoru thought for a moment.  "The Guardian and Crystal Kingdoms of
Earth, the Silver Kingdom of the Moon, Vulcan, and the Star Kingdom on
Odysseus.  Plus there were faeries on Venus and...someone lived on
Mercury. The Star Kingdom fell when I was a teenager.  Something destroyed
it...a monster?"  He thought a little while longer.  "Each kingdom had
various guardians, though the Senshi of the Moon Kingdom were the
strongest, if not the largest in number."

       He began to pace back and forth, his speech quickening as more
memories flitted back.  "Once, men huddled on Earth and feared the things
that flew between the stars and ruled portions of their world.  But then
the stars changed and a new age began.  The Five Wizards arose from the
peoples of the Earth and made war upon the Things from Beyond.  They
wrought the Great Shield to protect the system, and they made peace with
some of the races they had met, giving to each their own world."  He
transformed to Endymion, without even realizing it, slipping back into the
memory of a day being spent drilled by his tutor.  

      "Each of the wizards founded a kingdom and took up a task.  Vulcan
was the maker, who forged Talismans of Power and the five great Icons of
the Kingdoms.  Astra was wise with the power of the stars.  To her fell
the task of patrolling the solar system and watching for intruders.  To
Endymion fell the task of feeding the people of the planets, for he ruled
over Earth, the most fertile of the worlds.  Serenity was a healer and a
leader, to her fell the task of leading the peoples of the Solar System
and healing the ravages of war.  Finally, to Metallia fell the hardest
task of all.  She became one with the Great Shield and..."

     He paused.  "She's dead...What's maintaining the Great Shield?"  A
note of fear crept into his voice.  "Is that what you brought me here to
talk about?"

     "The Great Shield yet stands.  Before Metallia died, another joined
with it and now takes her place.  You knew him once as..."

     "Nephrite."

     She nodded.  "Good guess."

     He pointed.  "Not exactly.  Hello, Nephrite."

     Pluto was not fast enough to see Nephrite, wearing a white version of
his old Youma General uniform, making faces at her, but she could guess.
"Amusing yourself?"

    "Immensely."  He bowed.  "My prince."  At the use of these words,
however, strange emotions flitted across Nephrites face.  Shame and guilt,
muted by time but still biting, for before, as Beryl's minion, he had no
regrets.  Now, standing before his prince again, his conscience roused
itself.

     Endymion knew what was going through his old friend's mind, and was
quick to wave aside Nephrite's concerns.  "It is... good to see you again,
Nephrite," he said softly, while Pluto watched.  "The last time we met,
neither of us was in what we could call our right minds."

     Nephrite nodded and smiled slowly.  Endymion shared the smile.  Pluto
watched and shook her head.  "If we could get back to the matter at hand?"
she asked.

     Nephrite nodded.  "Of course, my lady."

     Endymion yawned.  How am I ever going to get that paper done?  "I
suppose you've come to join Pluto in being enigmatic and not telling me
anything I didn't already know?"

     "No, I will tell you what little I am allowed to.  I will say in Lady
Pluto's defense that I think she is trying to get out of her vows by
helping you GUESS the secret she swore to keep."

      Pluto said nothing.

      Nephrite laughed.  "Note she doesn't deny that.  Anyway, I ask you,
my lord, to watch over Naru and help her to find the power she carries.  I
do not know for sure how strong her power is, but I know it can be a great
aid to you and the Senshi.  She has only to let go of her fear..." He
sighed.  "I wish I could help her with that.  I wish I could do something 
for Makoto as well.  I know she must be lonely."

      Endymion said, "I will do the best I can to help Naru as I helped
Usako.  In the end, she will have to learn on her own to stand up and
fight as Usako did, though.  No one can be brave for you."

      Nephrite nodded.  

      Endymion paused.  "Do you know...what the purpose of the White
Knight is?"

      Nephrite said, "The White Knight was an immortal warrior of the Star
Kingdom, I was taught.  He could not die, but was always reborn when
needed most.  If he had any life but battle, no one knew what or who he
was."

      Good, I'm not doing the multiple personality and body trick again,
Endymion thought.  That's a relief.  "Do you have any idea why he is
here?"

      "I'm sure Pluto knows."  Silence.  "You know as much as I do."
Nephrite turned and looked at Pluto.

      To his shock, Pluto spoke.  "The White Knight...you have already met
him and yet, you do not truly know him or his nature.  As to why you have
never seen him before...he and the Zodiac are now opposed to each other.
What they try to do, he will thwart.  He is a friend you can trust."

      "Why does he always leave then?  Why is he so secretive about who he
really is?"

      "Because he doesn't know himself."  Pluto said.  "The White Knight,
when not the White Knight, does not know who he is, anymore than you did
when you began your career, Endymion."

      He thought for a moment.  "Is he like I was when I was the
'Moonlight Knight'?"

     Pluto smiled.  "There are similarities."

     Endymion yawned again.  "So...sleepy.  Stupid paper.  Anyway, you
have given me much to think about."

     Pluto reached out her hand.  "I'd best take you back."

     Another yawn racked Endymion's frame.  "I don't suppose you could
take me back to yesterday so I could a good night's sleep before I work on
my paper some more?"

     She laughed.  "You'd already be in your bed from that time."

     "Had to ask."

     Nephrite didn't remember to mention Jadeite until it was too late.

						*****

     Ami and Noriko were busily getting dressed when there was a knock
on the door.  "Who is it?"  Noriko yelled.

    "Haruka."

    "Hold on while we finish getting dressed."  Noriko tossed out the
outfit she had been starting to put on and got out a rather nicer set of
clothes.

    Ami blinked.  "That's not our uniform."

    "I know."

    Ami blinked, then smiled.  Ahh, I understand.  I ought to tell Noriko
about Haruka, but no one warned any of us.  Okay, that's NOT a good
reason, but...

     Soon, they were in a state to let Haruka into the room.  "Hi,
Haruka."

    "Hi, 'ka-kun!"  Noriko bounced over to Haruka and glomped onto her
arm.  "When are we going out again?"

    "Uhh...I don't know.  I actually came over 'cause I need to talk to
Ami-chan about some stuff."

    Noriko looked visibly disappointed.

    Haruka soon hustled off Ami for a private conference.  "Ami, have you
noticed anything...unusual about your roommate?"

    "Besides her refusal to use the first syllable of any name?"

    "Besides that."

    "Ummm...she's good with computers and she has a crush on you, I think.
That about sums it up."

    "Nothing else?"

    "Haruka, what are you trying to find out?"

    "Don't worry about it."  Haruka walked off, lost in thought.

     Ami sighed.  I wish they'd tell us what was going on sometimes.
     
						*****

      Naru, Usagi, and Ami were eating lunch together.  Well, Usagi and
Naru were eating, while Ami was mostly reading a book, or trying to,
anyway.  "Are you going to go to the movies with us this Saturday,
Naru-chan?"  Usagi asked.

      "I'm going to this club meeting with Kimiko.  She's trying to
convince me to join."

      "Namawara Kimiko?"  Usagi asked with a dubious tone of voice.

      Naru sighed.  "She's a nice person, Usagi.  I don't know why you two
don't get along, but..."

      "She's a snob and thinks she's Heaven's gift to humanity, that's
why!  She thinks I'm stupid, lazy, and worthless and used to tell me that
every day.  That's why I don't like her."

      Ami said, "She was a good student."

      "She treated me like I was a fungus!"  Usagi was starting to shout.
A few people passing by stared at her, and she blushed.

      Noriko ran up and sat down by Ami.  "Hi, everyone!  What's up?"

      "We're discussing fungus,"  Usagi said.

      "Kimiko is NOT a fungus!  She's a good friend of mine and we spent a
lot of time together when YOU were too busy being...too busy with other
things to spend any time with me."  Now Naru sounded angry.

       Usagi paled slightly.  "I'm sorry, Naru.  I just...I mean..."

       Noriko listened, carefully pretending she wasn't completely
clueless as to what they were talking about.  

       Ami said, "She had duties."

       "I know that, but I don't want to listen to Usagi badmouthing one
of my friends!"

       "She badmouths me all the time!"

       "That's not my fault!  It's not like I'm telling her to say those
things!  Maybe if you weren't so lazy, she wouldn't say them!"

       Pretty soon, things started reaching the incoherent screaming
stage.  Ami and Noriko tried futilely to calm things down, and finally,
Naru stalked off.  Usagi suddenly realized a crowd had gathered and first
blushed, then started to cry.  Ami and Nuriko tried to comfort her as
best they could.  It didn't work too well.

						*****

     Naru sat quietly in her room and tried to focus on homework.  It
wasn't working.  Her mom was gone for the night on a date, leaving Naru
all alone in the house with her thoughts.  Naru gave up on homework and
decided to go cook herself some dinner.  I've got to call Usagi and
apologize, she thought.  We shouldn't have had that fight.  She's probably
crying her eyes out right now.  Naru sighed.  

      Usagi just doesn't understand what things were like for me after she
became a sailor.  She was my closest friend for years and years and then
she just sort of drifted away.  Suddenly, she had a new group of friends
and I wasn't part of it.  I always came in second.  So I had to make new
friends, like Kimiko.

       I guess Kimiko doesn't really understand Usagi, either...At least
she and Gurio-kun get along, though.  Naru searched the kitchen, looking
for something that appealed to her.  Nothing did.

     There was a knock on the door.  Naru froze for a moment.  It must be
Usagi.  The person knocked again.  Naru ran over and opened the door.
"I'm sorry, Usa...oh, hi, Mamoru."

     Mamoru stood in the doorway.  "Hel...YAWN...Hello."  He looked tired.
"Sorry to disappoint you."

     "Come in, come in.  Have you had dinner yet?"

     "I just slept all afternoon, so no, I haven't."

     "Okay.  I'll make you something too...if I can figure out something
to make."  She headed into the kitchen.  Mamoru followed her.  

     "You don't have to bother."

     "I don't mind.  I know a lot more meals for two than for one, anyway.
Also, I won't poison you, unlike your girlfriend."

     Mamoru laughed faintly.  "I'm not much better than she is at
cooking."  He yawned again.  "Baah, I thought that nap would take care of
me.  Anyway, I came to talk with you about a meeting I had last night and
to talk to you about your powers."

     "I still can't remember how to do much, other than a few simple
tricks I've remembered."  She decided to simply make some sandwiches.  She
didn't feel very creative.

     "I think you have a mental block that is keeping you from achieving
your full potential.  I'm not sure what it is, but I want to help you
overcome it."

      "Thanks, Mamoru."  She finished making the sandwiches and brought
them to the kitchen table, then got some sodas.  "I wish our attempt to
fix my memories hadn't been messed up."

      He nodded and started eating. The sandwich was pretty good.  "I have
some dim memories of meeting you when you were Lady Patience.  Nothing
really useful, except for..."

      "Don't trail off like that.  Except for what?"

      "I remembered you were severely afraid of the dark for some reason,
but couldn't remember why.  Maybe there was a connection.  Can you
remember anything about that?"

       Naru sat and ate quietly, straining her brain.  The dark.  "I
remember...fleeing something.  In the darkness.  It wanted to eat me.  To
eat our world."  She shuddered.  "Everyone...Everyone died."  She could
feel the fear starting to swell.  

      Mamoru said, "Don't be afraid.  It's just a memory."

      Naru pulled herself together.  "Someone...important to me died.  A
lot of people."

      "The Star Kingdom."

      "What?"

      "It was destroyed...ten years before the end of the Silver
Millennium?  You must have been there.  A monster hatched out of it
and..."

      "Yumeni's painting.  Like in that painting."

      "No wonder neither of us liked it."

      "Does she know about...everything?"

      Mamoru shook his head.  "She just has dreams.  You see, she had one
of the Seven Shadows inside her once."

      "The what?"
 
      Mamoru told her the complete story.  He concluded by saying,
"Anyway, getting back to you.  You said you had remembered how to do a few
more things?"

      Naru smiled.  "Well, I can light candles, pick locks, and get really
quiet as well as make a little glowing ball of light.  Not much use for
fighting evil, but..."

      "Don't put yourself down.  If you believe in yourself, anything is
possible."  The problem will be getting her to believe in herself.  Usako
had a lot of trouble with that, he thought.  "Why don't you show me what
you've remembered?"

      She did and they spent quite a while working on the magic she could
remember.

						*****

     The Golden Circle met every Saturday evening for a couple of hours.
Naru was feeling pretty excited about meeting a lot of new people and she
had dressed up in a nice new green dress.  Kimiko had spent hours with
her, brushing up on manners, telling her how the meetings usually went,
and everything.  Typically, they first met and discussed club business,
then went and did something like going to the movies together, amusement
parks, nice dinners, etc.  Some events were open for inviting guests,
others were closed affairs for members only.  This event, luckily was
open.  Naru would arrive after the club business and join them for a night
on the town, going to the movies, then to a nice restaurant for dinner.  

       It was a wonderful evening.  The club members were very friendly
and the entire affair just oozed 'high-class'.  Naru felt like a queen
afterwards, finally slinking home around 1:00 AM and collapsing happily
into bed, having had the time of her life.  I hope I made a good
impression, she thought as she collapsed into bed.  She had.

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

     At 1:00 AM, Umino, on the other hand, was busily typing away at his
computer and feeling kinda down.  He and Naru usually went out on Saturday
nights when they could afford it, but she was off with her friend Kimiko.
He wouldn't have minded, except that all their other friends were off on
dates or studying tonight, and he felt left out.  No gaming either, as a 
result.  He knew it was silly--Naru hadn't contracted to keep him
constantly entertained, but he didn't want to be sitting home by himself,
playing computer games.  

     It didn't help that Umino didn't really like social clubs in general.
He considered them to be snobbery machines, and he was usually the butt of
any snobbery in his general vicinity.  

      He tried to ignore his thoughts and just work on conquering the rest
of the world, instead.  It wasn't working.  Right as he was about to just
spontaneously scream, there was a scratching at the window.

      He blinked and saw Artemis trying to get in.  He opened the window
and Artemis leaped over to his bed.  "You're awake.  Good."

      "Uh...hi.  You couldn't sleep either?"

      "Minako has spent the last four hours coming up with increasingly
more hokey plans to find the Sailor V impersonator.  I needed somewhere to
hide where she wouldn't think to look for me that wasn't outside where
it's about to rain."

      Umino laughed.  "You're welcome to stay here.  You any good at
Civilization?"

      "It depends on whether or not I cheat."

      Umino laughed.  "Right.  Help me cheat then.  The computer certainly
cheats pretty hard at this level."

      Things were looking up.

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

      Makoto sat in Minako's dorm room, studying with her and Hotaru.
Hotaru wasn't actually in school, but she hoped to start school again next
semester and was trying to catch up, which was a challenge, to say the
least.  "So Weber thought we'd all end up in a bureaucratic 'iron cage'
right?"

      Hotaru nodded.  "Yeah."

      Minako suddenly stood up.  "Oh, who cares about Weber and iron cages
and birds in the hand!  We should be looking for that fake Sailor V!"

      Makoto sighed.  "You're worse than I am about my old boyfriend."

      "There's not someone running around impersonating you!"

      "Have you tried asking Ami to use her computer?"

      "Good idea!"  She ran and dragged Ami out of her room down the hall
and into her own room.  "Ami, I need you to use your computer to find the
fake Sailor V!"

       Ami sighed.  "Right."  She got out her computer and started
scanning.  After two seconds, the computer pinged.  'Sailor V is located 2
meters North by Northwest.'  Ami looked up.  "Hmm.  It found you."  She
typed, 'Locate Fake Sailor V'.

      This took a while, so they studied some more while the computer ran
the search.  Finally, the results came up.  'There is no Fake Sailor V in
a 100 KM radius.  Continue Search? [Y/N]'.  Ami laughed.  "Right.  That
settles that."

       Minako leaned over and yelled at the computer, "Look harder!"

      Ami laughed.  "It can't hear you.  Let's look at this logically."

      "I don't think Minako can handle logic right now."

      "Someone impersonating Sailor V is either a friend or an enemy.  If
it was an enemy, surely they would have approached us by now, or tried to
trap us or something."

      "Wouldn't a friend approach us too?"

      "Would a new Sailor know how to find us?  It's not like we're listed
in the yellow pages."  Makoto said.  "Maybe you should try advertising."

      "What a GREAT IDEA!"

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

      Minako frowned.  About two thousand Sailor groupies had shown up by
now, including Ami's friend Yuki, the super sailor fan, but no Sailor V.
Minako pretended to be interested while Yuki told her the entire history
of Sailor V, at least as Yuki understood it.  It took a lot of
self-control to not correct her mistakes.

      "So then Sailor V fought the insidious Dr. Amoeba and..." Blah blah
blah. Yuki continued to prattle.  Minako could feel her patience stretched
to the breaking point.

     "You're STILL here, Mina-chan?"  A voice asked.  It was Himeko.  "You
don't REALLY think that Sailor V is going to show up, do you?  I mean,
surely she has better things to do than be mobbed by groupies."

      Minako sighed.  "I really thought this would work."  Maybe I should
have picked somewhere less accessible from campus than this park.

      "Come on, let's go get some ice cream."

      Minako nodded and turned to go, just as Steven arrived, grinning.
"Hiya, Mina-chan.  Decided you just couldn't live without meeting Sailor
V?  Or did a cat tell you to do this?"

      Minako frowned.  "Steven!"

      He laughed.  "Interested in catching some dinner?"

      "Sounds good to me."

      There was a sudden fanfare from above.  Everyone looked up.  Sailor
V was sitting up in a tree, holding a tape recorder.  She smiled, "Hello
to all my fans!"

      Minako, Steven, and Himeko blinked in unison.  The crowd went wild.
Yuki shouted, "SAILOR V!!!!!!!!!"  She charged through the crowd with an
autograph pad.  The tree that Sailor V was sitting in shook from the
impact of fans crashing into it.  

      Sailor V said, "Is Aino Minako here?  I understand she arranged
this."

      Minako stomped through the crowd.  "Here I am!"

      Everyone was jealous of the attention she was getting.  Himeko
turned to Steven.  "Do you know why she is being so nutso over this?"

      Steven laughed.  "Mina-chan is the most obsessive person I know."

      Sailor V looked down at Minako.  "Hi!  So what did you need me for?"

      "You're a fake!  A phony!  You're NOT THE REAL SAILOR V and I'll
PROVE IT!"

       "I am most certainly the real Sailor V.  How would you know,
anyway?"

       Minako started climbing the tree.  "I'll rip that fake mask right
off your face!"

       Sailor V looked around the crowd.  Her eyes lit upon Steven.
"Ooooh, what a cute guy!"  She leapt out of the tree and into his arms,
nearly knocking him down.  "Hi!  I'm Sailor V!  Let's go on a date!"

      Minako, halfway up the tree, froze in place.  "HEY!"

      Steven put Sailor V down.  "Well, you see, I'm already dating
Minako."

      "I'll make you forget that lunatic!"  She picked up Steven and ran
off with him.  The crowd watched, clenched with jealousy, especially the
guys.  

     Minako leapt out of the tree and chased Sailor V through the streets
with all her might.  Steven started laughing, which made her really mad.
Finally, she chased Sailor V into a blind alley.  "I've got you now!"

      Sailor V put down Steven and started to laugh.  "You're right,
Steven.  She is being nuts about this."

      "And GET AWAY FROM MY BOYFRIEND!"

      "Aww, come on, Venus.  Can't we share?"

      "No, we...you know about that?"

      "I know everything!  I'm Sailor V!  Don't you read my manga?"

      "Sharing is a virtue,"  Steven said.

      "STEVEN!"

       Sailor V laughed harder.  "I can't keep this up any longer."
Suddenly, there was a glow around her and she turned into Sailor Moon,
putting away her disguise pen.  "You were right, Steven.  She really did
freak."

      "I...you....STEVEN!  USAGI!!!!!"  

      They both laughed and laughed and laughed.  None of them realized
the Sailor V Minako had been looking for had been watching them the entire
time.  She slipped off quietly once she knew Minako was safe and this was
all a practical joke.  I never knew Minako was really Sailor Venus, she
thought.  But then who would have guessed that Usagi was Sailor Moon?  I
guess Steven must be Tuxedo Kamen or something...hmmmm.  She was soon lost
in thought.

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

     Once again, Jadeite was swathed in crystal, but this time, he was
there of his own volition.  It was taking a long time to heal him with the
meager energy supplies they possessed.  Currently, one of his chief
servants was watching over him, a tall red haired woman with pale white
skin, named Amazonite.  She bore a strong resemblance to Queen Beryl, at
least if Queen Beryl had worked out several hours a day.  Her uniform was
blue with purple striping.  Currently, she was bored out of her skull.
It's not like anyone is going to wander in here.  If the Sailors actually 
knew we were here, they'd have come by now. At least, I would have if I
was in their place.  I hate all this skulking about.  

      A voice broke the silence.  "Your time is up.  My turn, I think, to
take watch."

      She blinked.  "I thought I had six more hours to go."

      "Well, I returned from my reconnaissance early,"  Hematite said.  He
was an unremarkable man with long brown hair, immaculately dressed in a
brown uniform with dark brown striping.  His main job was reconnaissance
and spying, though he was running some sort of energy gathering mission as
well right now.  "I frankly don't see how this Sailor V could be much of a
threat at all. Seems more interested in boys than anything else."

     "Then how did she kill Onyx, Opal, and Pearl?"

     "Perhaps she's gotten lazy in the last few years.  And we have no
proof she was the one who actually killed them."

     "And of course, you didn't try to engage her in battle to see how
good she actually was."

      "And blow my disguise?  I've put a LOT of effort into these
identities I've set up."

      "Did you at least find out who she really is?"

      "She teleported away afterwards.  I was unable to follow her."

      "Baah."  She got up.  "I'll go find her and crush her myself.  Have
fun watching our lord sleep."

      "Good luck in your battle."

      "Thank you."  Amazonite strode off.  Hematite is such an idiot.  

      Hematite smiled.  Amazonite is soooooo gullible.  She seriously
thinks I would do such a sloppy job.  Perhaps after Amazonite runs around
like a chicken with her head cut off for a while, she'll bring the REAL
Sailor V out of hiding.  Why was Sailor Moon impersonating Sailor V,
though?  And what does this Steven Grant person have to do with all
this...I thought Sailor V was Sailor Venus, but this doesn't seem to be
the case.  I have much to think about.

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

      Amazonite sat quietly in a small cafe, thinking.  Hmmm.  This is
what I get for rushing off without thinking about how I'm going to
actually FIND Sailor V.  Well, this is one thing I have to say in this
planet's favor...it's a lot easier to get decent coffee here than back
home.  

       A commercial came on the TV.  "Sailor V will be appearing a week
from Sunday at Channel 10 television to sign autographs and hold a raffle
for a complete selection of this season's Codename is Sailor V episodes.
Be there at..."

       Amazonite smiled.  Well, this will be easier than I thought.

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

     Naru sat with Hotaru and watched as the Senshi beat the snot out each
other.  To be precise, it was a training session out in the countryside
where no one, at least ideally, would see them.  Five Inner Senshi vs.
Pluto, Neptune, and Uranus, while Saturn and Naru watched.  Tuxedo Kamen
had bowed out early to take care of other business.

     Naru said to Saturn, "Well, I'm not sure how you can help me with
this, but..."  She concentrated and formed the sphere of light.

     Saturn said, "I think Pu still thinks I'm fragile and might break."
She sighed.  "Try making it bigger."

     "I'm not sure how."

     "I'll help you."  She held Naru's hand.  "Feel my strength."

     "Grow."  Naru concentrated and the sphere of light began to grow.
She could feel Saturn's strength helping her.  The sphere grew and
encompassed them, limning them with light, then finally stopped at around
15 feet across.  "Wow!"

      Saturn smiled.  "What else can you do?"

      Naru thought a moment.  "Fire."  A tiny candle flame appeared over
her hand.  "It's all these simple cantrips.  I can't seem to remember
anything more powerful."

      Saturn thought for a moment.  "When do you remember learning them?"

      Naru thought.  "After I arrived at Serenity's court.  It was a new
kind of training for me.  The magic I had known before that
was...different somehow."

      "Maybe that's why you're having trouble.  What was it like?  Can you
remember anything about it?"

      Jupiter went flying past them, followed in close order by Uranus and
Venus.  Things were apparently getting pretty rough.

      Naru said, "Maybe we should move."

      Saturn nodded.  "If Tuxedo Kamen was right, and you did come from
the Star Kingdom, then maybe you'd have more luck with the kind of magic
you would have grown up with.  Like Nephrite used."

      "Is it that different?"

      "Uhh...I have no idea."

      Naru facefaulted.

      At about that point, the Senshi broke off their 'training' to take a
break.  They all slumped down exhausted around Naru and lay on their
backs, watching the sky.

      Pluto said, "I have important news."

      "What is it?"  Sailor Moon asked.

      "Jadeite is alive and seeking revenge."

      At least they got to take it lying down.

     Ami blinked.  "Where's he been all this time?"  She thought for a
moment.  "Well, we didn't actually see him die..."

      Mamoru frowned.  "You knew this and didn't tell us?"

      Usagi stared off into the sky, remembering Jadeite's head over the
city and his threat to set the city on fire.  "Are any of the others
alive?"

      Rei stared at the ground.  "I thought we had finally beaten him.
Where's he been all this time?"

      "Beryl sent him to Eternal Sleep...which turned out to not be so
Eternal."  Pluto said.  "Now he is seeking revenge with what is left of
the Dark Kingdom."

      "Two enemies at once?" Haruka said.  "This could be bad."

      "It will be a challenge."  Pluto said.  "Your greatest yet."  

      Rei stared quietly at the ground.  She had a bad feeling about this.

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

     It was lunchtime at Tsunami.  Naru got ready to go eat with Usagi
after buying a soda, but then Kimiko found her.  "There you are!  Come eat
with us!"

     "I was going to..."

     "The club always eats together at lunch time when we can."  Kimiko
grabbed Naru and dragged her along.  

     Naru soon lost herself in conversation with all of the club members,
having a grand old time and entirely forgetting she hadn't told anyone
where she was going.

     Ami, Umino, and Usagi sat together at lunch.  Umino looked around.
"What's taking Naru-chan so long?"

     Ami said, "Perhaps the change machine was being persnickety."

     "I'm sure she'll be here soon, Umino."

     Umino nodded.  "I just worry, you know."

     "Of course you do.  I worry about Mamo-chan all the time."

     "Really?"

     "Hey, just remember that Naru doesn't get possessed, forget she's in
love with you, hang around in a white turban and whatnot all the time."

     "There is that."  Umino tried to figure out what on Earth Usagi was
talking about.  

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

     Umino finished shuffling papers behind his gamemaster's screen.  It
was time for another exciting RPG session with his friends.  Well, he
hoped it would be exciting.  Things had certainly got exciting last time,
though about half of the excitement had come from Usagi dropping a soda
bottle, which then spun around and thoroughly doused everyone, including
Umino's mom, who had been passing through the dining room.  

     More players this week, though.  Rei and Ami and Makoto were going
to play with them, having heard Minako prattle all week about how much fun
it was, and a new friend of Umino's was supposed to come too.  Everyone
was here except for him.  

     Umino went over all the new players' character sheets, trying to make
sure they would all work out correctly.  He noted that Ami had done a
rather better job of creating her character than the others.  In fact, she
hadn't made any mistakes and had squeezed every bit of efficiency she
could out of the starting skill points he had given her.  "You've read the
rules on psionics, Ami?"  he asked.

     "I spent last night memorizing them."

     "..."

     Minako laughed.  "Let me guess, you memorized all the rules last
night."

     "Well, I had to give back the rules today, so I didn't time to study
them at leisure, so I just memorized them."

     The doorbell rang.  "I'll get it,"  Naru said.  She got up and went
to get the door.

     "So who are we waiting for?"  Makoto asked.

     "This friend of mine from the photography club.  His name is..."

     A young man walked into the room.  He was around 16 years old with
short, neat black hair, wearing a blue t-shirt and blue jeans.  Naru led
him into the room.  "Everyone, this is Urawa Ryo.  Urawa, this is Usagi,
Mamoru, Minako, Steven, Makoto, Rei, and Ami."

     Steven felt an odd twinge.  Something about this guy.  He seems
familiar, but why?

     Ami stared, feeling her heart stop for a moment.  Ryo-kun...it's been
so long.  I never thought I'd see you again.

     Urawa smiled at everyone.  "Nice to meet you."  Then he saw Ami.
It's her...the girl I dreamed about.  She's so pretty.  His precognition
flashed, and he saw her clinging to his arm and smiling at him in a
seductive manner that seemed completely out of character.  He blushed.
Why do I feel like I've actually met her before?

     Then he remembered.  That picture...the one I could never figure out
where it came from...that's her!  She's the one in that picture.  How did
I get a picture of her two years ago?

     Ami tried not to blush.  I wish you hadn't lost your memories.  I
wish I'd had the courage to try to call you and start over, but I was
afraid it wouldn't be the same, that it wouldn't work out.  I wish I'd
been braver.  

     "Here's your character, Ryo."  Umino handed him the character sheet.
"I finally found that name in my notes.  You're 'Greg Farshtey'."

     Ami blinked.  "He's playing one of the game designers?"

     "He's that psychic you guys got on the trail of last week.  I
couldn't think of a good American name, so I stole one off the box."

     Greg, Ryo thought.  That sounds like a disease.  Oh well, I'm just
glad Umino could work me in.  I never get to do any gaming what with the
way my dad moves so often.  Greg read the list of powers.  Telekinesis.
Send Thoughts.  Precognition.  He paled slightly.  What a ...it has to be
a coincidence.  

     Ami said, trying to keep her voice light, "So you see the future?"

     "Yeah."  Why is she so nervous?  Why am I so nervous?  Wait...how did
she know...oh wait, my character does that too.  I'm not thinking clearly.

     Usagi thought, this is going to be interesting.  I wonder if we can
get Luna to give Urawa-kun his memories back.  Poor Ami-chan.

     Minako elbowed Makoto, and whispered, "This must be pretty rough on
Ami-chan."

     Makoto nodded.  

     "Okay, let's get going,"  Umino said.  "To recap.  We're on session
four of the Crystals of Power adventure.  So far, Alexandrite has two of
the crystals, and you have one.  Combined, the seven crystals form the
Golden Crystal of Apeiros, a powerful eternity shard.  Currently, our band
of heroes and heroines consists of Princess Angelina Comtessa Fireball the
III--that's Usagi--an elven Princess from Aysle, Darien de'Tocqueville
--that's Mamoru-- a renegade Hospitaller from the Cyberpapacy,
Hatsheput--that's Naru--a priestess of Isis from the Nile Empire, Stinger
Ace, Defender of Justice--that's Minako--a Flying Hero from the Nile
Empire, and Dag Nabbit--that's Steven--An Edeinos lizard man with
delusions of being a master of disguise.  I'll introduce all the new
characters once you meet them.  Now, last time we played, you had decided
to drop by that biotech shop and hospital to see if you could get Dag
Nabbit a new brain."

     "Hey!  I needed to get a new tail after that blasted Alexandrite's
monster chewed my tail off, NOT a brain!  Dag has a Mind of 6, you know!"

     "Yes, but my pet cat has a Mind of 6,"  Usagi replied.  

     Steven fumed.  Minako laughed.

     Umino laughed.  "So, Ami, your character, Quinina, is working at this
clinic."

     Things soon really got going.

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

     Makoto said, "So we have to find this person who has the next rainbow
crystal?"

     "That's Crystal of Power, not rainbow crystal."  Urawa said.  Usagi
started laughing for no apparent reason that he could tell.  

     "If I can remember how to do this, anyway," Makoto said.

     "Here's an example,"  Naru said.  "Let's say you need to kill a
youma.  So your goal of the ritual is 'I kill the Youma.'  But the more
steps you put in it, the better the occult works.  So let's say you do it
this way.  'I shout out a long, silly speech to get the Youma's attention.
I accompany the speech with silly poses like this,"  Naru did a flawless
mimicry of Usagi's usual pre-battle poses.  "I let everyone else get beat 
up fighting the monster first.  I take my tiara off my head
and pose like this."  She posed, holding a paper plate.  "I shout out
words of power that turn it into a deadly frisbee.  I throw my tiara at
the Youma's head, causing it to crumble to dust."  She threw the paper
plate at Usagi, who got clocked in the chest as she stood up.  "Six step
ritual gets you a +5 bonus."

     "NARU!  Don't make fun of me!"

     Urawa blinked.  "I didn't think your character had a magic tiara."

     "It's not my character, it's...uh, never mind."  Usagi blushed and
sat down.

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

     "What do you mean they don't believe I'm the Rotan?"  Steven asked
Umino.  "I've got the funky headdress and everything."

     Everyone laughed.  Minako elbowed Steven.  "I suspect the Rotan is
NOT seven foot tall with green scales and a tail."

     "Geez, everyone's an art critic."

     "Okay, now we'll cut to the other scene.  Quinina, your psychic
senses lead you to the park where Greg is trying to hide from
Alexandrite."

      Ami thought for a moment.  "I run over to him and ask him why he ran
away from us."

      "Act it out,"  Umino said.

     "Yeah, ham it up, Ami!"  Minako said.

     Ami took a deep breath.  Is Umino trying to embarrass me or is this
all a big coincidence?  "Greg, why did you run away from us?"

     I feel so weird, Urawa thought.  Like this has happened before or
something.  He looked at Ami.  She looked incredibly intensely serious,
and he got even more nervous.  "I saw the future!  Alexandrite is going to
turn me into a Horror and I'll try to kill you all!  You've got to stay
away from me, Quinina!"

     Usagi whispered to Mamoru, "I can't BELIEVE THIS!"

     Mamoru smiled enigmatically.

     "Just because you see things that have happened doesn't mean you
can't change them!  Are you going to control your life or let your visions
control you?  Together, we can fight Alexandrite and win!"  Ami had almost
forgotten this wasn't real.  She was half in the game, and half flashing
back to a confrontation in the park two years ago with Urawa.  She stood
inches from him, her face intent, her voice agitated.  

     "You're an all powerful alien! I'm just this game designer with a few
psychic powers!"  I feel REALLY silly saying that, Urawa thought.
Memories drifted through his mind.  Memories that didn't make any sense.
Something about a man chasing him, trying to get something from him and
Ami...in a costume?

     "Please, let me help you!  I don't want to see you get hurt!"

     Urawa turned away.  "There's nothing you can do.  You can't fight
fate."  I feel like I've told her that before, but this is the first time
we've met, right?

      "So where are we right now?"  Rei asked.

      "You're all scattered all over San Diego, looking for Greg.
Angelina, the Forest Wand is starting to beep more loudly."

      Usagi leapt to her feet.  "Right!  Stinger, go airborne and take a
look to see if you can spot Alexandrite anywhere.  Darien, you..."

     "Um, Angelina, you're by yourself, except for your cat and Darien.
Everyone split up to search the town, remember?"  Umino said.  "Dag, you
finally catch up with Quinina.  Greg, you see a seven foot tall scaly
humanoid dressed in a San Diego Police Uniform, carrying a hrockt spear,
running down the street towards you."

     "Quinina!  WAIT FOR ME!"  Steven shouted.  

     "Right.  Greg pales and leaps to his feet.  'One of Alexandrite's
monsters!  He's sent it to take me away!"

     "I thought Alexandrite was female,"  Naru said.

     "Yeah, me too,"  Mamoru said.

     "No, he's a guy!  See?"  Usagi said, showing the picture she had
drawn of Alexandrite, an androgynous man(?) in an antiquated suit.  "You
can tell because I drew him without any big eyelashes."

     "So is he a guy or a girl, Umino?"  Makoto asked.

     "You can't tell,"  Umino replied.  "Not by just looking, and the
voice is indeterminate and creepy.  Anyway, back to the park."

     "No, Greg, that's Dag Nabbit! He's stupid, but a nice guy."

     "I don't understand why everyone thinks I'm stupid!  How could you
tell I'm not a cop?"  Steven grinned.

     "A voice cackles from a nearby rooftop.  You see Alexandrite perched
up on the roof looking down at you.  "So, the little Akashan doctor and
the stupid lizard think they can stop me from getting this crystal?
Give it up, game boy, you can't run from me!"  Umino got up from the floor
and perched on a nearby countertop for dramatic effect.

      Ami moved and interposed herself between Umino and Urawa.  "I won't
let you take him, Alexandrite!"

      "Ho ho ho!"  Umino tried his best to laugh maniacally.  "Alexandrite
raises a hand and you find out why you hadn't encountered Alexandrite
earlier in this adventure...Dozens of figures begin to shamble out of the
fog.  The dead walk the streets of San Diego! Alexandrite says, 'Kill
them and bring me the crystal!', then vanishes into a poof of fog.
Someone make a Perseverance check."

      Usagi grabbed the die.  "Let me do it this time!"

      "But all you ever roll is a 1, Usagi."  Minako said.  "Let Mamoru do
it.  He has better luck."

      Usagi ignored her and rolled the die.  It was, of course, a 1.
"Urk.  I don't disconnect, do I?"

      "You'll be wishing you had.  We'll come back to the now likely
doomed heroes..."

      Minako bounced her die off Usagi's head.  "Thanks a lot, Usagi!"

      Umino laughed faintly.  "Stinger, you spot this while flying over
the city. Sister Raye, you sense great evil afoot to the west."

      Rei sprung to her feet and turned to Makoto.  "Come on, sis.  We
have to find the evil before Princess Meatball Head the 3rd can screw
everything up again."

     "I am not Princess MEATBALL HEAD!"  Usagi said.

      "Right!"  Makoto said.  She turned to Umino.  "I look for a passing
horse and carriage."

      Umino said, "Nice thinking as your character would.  Sadly, this
city seems devoid of horse and carriage operators.  Just these smoke
spewing 'cars' everywhere."

      "I guess we'll have to walk, Maggie,"  Rei said to Makoto.

      "I know!  I'll do an occult ritual to summon up a horse and
carriage!  Let's see.  I put a banana on sister Raye's head.  I enchant
the bananas with runes, then I..."

      Rei had a really bad feeling about this.
      
                            **********************

      "I run down the street."  Urawa said.

      Minako ground her teeth.  "Stop running so we can find you!"

      "Yeah!  We've been chasing you all over the city for two hours!"
Makoto said.  "And Sister Raye's gonna clobber me if I try another occult
ritual."

      "Ya got that right!  What gave you the idea of trying to SHOOT A
BANANA off my HEAD?"

      "It worked for William Tell!"

      "And you're gonna be dead like William Tell if you don't stop!"

                            **********************
   
    "Dag follows Quinina, since she seems to know how to find him."
Steven said.

      Umino nodded.  "You find Alexandrite.  A little too late.  Greg has
been transformed into a giant demonic BARNEY!"

      Everyone shuddered.  

      "Alexandrite is about to run off with the fourth crystal.  'Fools!
I told you I'd get it, and now your little friend will kill you all!"
Umino nodded to Urawa.  "Go for it."

      "I love you, you love me, we worship Nylarhotep eternally!"  Urawa
sang, badly.  "B'harne charges at Dag."

      "Dag recognizes that even Lanala would not want this abomination to
live.  He levels his hrockt spear and charges."  Steven said.  

      Ami blinked.  "Quinina grabs Dag.  'No, you can't kill him!  It's
still Greg inside!'"

      Urawa felt another memory trying to surface.  He tried to
concentrate on it.  Why am I remembering these weird things?  This is all
so familiar.  I remember being chased and...

      "Dag turns to Quinina.  'My goddess Lanala is very powerful, but she
hasn't told me how to cure this.  If only the Princess was here with the
Forest Wand.  She has cured these victims before.'"

      "I use my Beacon power to send a mental signal to the princess,
then."

      "Right."  Umino flipped over a card and read it.  "Darth Vader is
your ...no, wrong side."  He reversed the card.  "Life Reeks.  Villians
win initiative, Villians are UP.  Heroes are stymied."

      Life was indeed, about to reek for their characters.

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

      "And for the last step of the ritual, I write the kanji on his
forehead, then chant..."  Makoto said gleefully.

      "Can't I just use my wand?"  Usagi asked.

      "That would be too EASY!  C'mon, let me try it!"  Makoto said.  This
is really great, she thought.  I wish I could use this occult stuff in
real life.  Even though Rei would probably have killed me by now if I
could.

      "I ignore the goofy occultist and use the forest wand on Greg."
Usagi rolled the die.  She got a 10.  "Roll again, right?"

      Umino nodded.  

      Usagi rolled again and got a 15.  "Total of 25.  I succeed, right?"

      "Green rays of light shine down upon the unconscious Barney clone.
He shrinks and turns back into ordinary Greg Farshtey, who groans and
starts to wake up."

      "Quinina checks him for injuries with her medscanner,"  Ami said.  

      "You can tell he's basically okay, if a bit battered."

      Urawa said, "Greg shakes his head and looks at Quinina.  'I didn't
hurt you, did I?'"

      Ami looked over at Urawa.  This is so much like what happened
before, she thought.  Maybe...maybe he'll remember what happened.  No, I
couldn't be that lucky.  "No, I'm fine, Greg."  Somehow, without quite
being sure how it had happened, she found herself holding his hand.  "I
knew you wouldn't hurt me."

      Luckily for Ami, she couldn't see Minako mouthing 'Kiss him' at her
or she would have been VERY embarrassed.  Urawa, on the other hand, could
see this and he blushed.  A memory suddenly flooded into his mind.

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

     Urawa and Ami were sitting on the couch at Ami's house, watching TV.
Ami seemed fascinated by the goofy mech show they were watching, Sailor V
Gundam.  "You really like this show, Ami?"

     Ami laughed.  "It's so completely unbelievable.  It has some nice
romance and lots of humor."

     "I wouldn't have thought you'd go in for the mushy stuff."

     She leaned a little closer to Urawa and smiled.  "And which one of us
suggested watching this, hmm?"

     Urawa laughed.  "You got me there.  Okay, I do kinda like mushy stuff
sometimes."

     They fell silent, staring at each other. Urawa's dad still
moved constantly, but Urawa had managed to save enough money to visit Ami
again, after Endymion's failed attempt to ressurect the Seven Shadows.
But despite all they had gone through together, they still hadn't actually
kissed.  It wasn't that they didn't want to, but neither of them would win
any awards for romantic bravery.

      Finally, Urawa got his courage together and leaned forward.  Ami
closed her eyes. Their lips met.  It was heaven.

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

     Everything rushed into Urawa's mind in a flash as the mental dam
broke.  He remembered everything.  How he and Ami had met.  Zoisite.  The
crystals.  A ride on a ferris wheel.  Being chased by the Dark Kingdom.
And then...one day he had just forgotten it all.  He was left with a
picture that he didn't know the origins of, and that was it.  What did
this to me?  Does Ami remember?  Did they plan this?  "I...Ami-chan."

     Ami could see Urawa had a weird look in his eyes.  "Are you all
right, Urawa-kun?"  

     Urawa whispered, "Hello, Sailor Mercury."

     Ami's eyes got big.  She whispered, "You remember?"

     He whispered, "I remember everything.  What..what happened to me?
Why did I forget everything?"  To his surprise, he began to cry.  "I'm
sorry, Ami.  I didn't mean to forget you.  I'm sorry I didn't call.  I
just...What happened to me?  How could I forget you?"  His voice was
getting louder.

     Steven whispered to Minako, "What's going on?"

     Ami moved forward and hesitantly hugged Urawa, who wrapped his arms
around her.  "Let me tell you the whole story."

     This took quite a while.
     
**************************************************************************

     Michiru sat and practiced a new piece of violin music in the living
room, while Haruka tried to read the newspaper.  She wasn't succeeding,
and it was starting to really aggravate her.  I'm being as ridiculously
obsessive over this as Minako is being over that Sailor V business, she
told herself.  

      "What was that about Sailor V, Haruka?"  Michiru asked.

      "Just wondering if Minako's had any luck in her quest yet."

      "Quest?"
     
     "She's looking for that Sailor V people keep spotting that's not
her."

    Michiru nodded.  "And that reminds you of Noriko."

      "Yes."  Haruka paused.  "No!"

      Michiru laughed.  "I don't think she's a threat to us.  Pluto would
do something if she was."

      "Pluto's not all-knowing.  We saw evidence of that recently."
Haruka remembered her own falling victim to that ridiculous youma.  It was
one of the most humiliating moments of her life.  She remembered the
'Gastaman' incident as well.  "She couldn't even save herself from some
kids with water pistols.  Maybe the future is changing too fast for her to
keep up with it."

       "Have you tried asking Tomoe-sensei what he knows?"

      "I think Pluto's been giving him lessons on how to not answer
questions."

      Michiru went back to her music.  "I'll think about it.  Maybe I can
come up with a way to help you."

      Haruka spent the rest of the afternoon fretting.

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

     Minako sat in her dormitory room.  There has to be some way to find
that fake Sailor V.  I'll eat my hat if I can't find a way.  I'll set
myself on fire if I can't.  I'll...

     Himeko walked in.  "Still obsessing over Sailor V?"

     "I'll expose that fake if it kills me!"

     "Well, there's supposed to be a Sailor V autograph signing this
Sunday.  Maybe your evil Sailor V imitator will show up."

     "And then I'll expose her to the world! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!"

     Himeko said, "This I have to see."
      
**************************************************************************


     Ami and Urawa sat in Ami's room.  Ami was sitting on her bed, while
Urawa sat in the chair by Noriko's computer.  "No, I haven't had any
visions about the Zodiac, but if they show up again around me, I'm sure I
will.  The only one I had..."

    "Yes?"

     Urawa laughed faintly.  "You'll laugh if I tell you."

     "Come on.  It might be important."

     "You were...uh..."  He blushed.

     "I was what?"

     "You were dressed like...and you...uh... I can't say it."  Urawa was
squirming in his chair.  I should have kept my mouth shut.

     Now Ami was worried.  "Dressed like what?"  What could I possibly do
that would embarrass Urawa so badly?

      Urawa laughed nervously.  "You, uh...you looked really cute and
uh..."  

       Ami sighed.  "I won't press you about it."  Why is he acting like
this?

       Urawa was relieved.  Time to turn this conversation to other
topics.

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

     Amazonite watched the horde of screaming kids in the parking lot of
Channel 10 Television.  They were surging with excitement.  Clearly this
Sailor V has many admirers, she thought.  These people do seem to flock to
the great and powerful like kittens to their mother's breasts.  

      Minako stood in the crowd as well.  I know this is just going to be
some stand-in, but maybe the fake Sailor V will show up as well.  She
turned to Himeko, "You didn't have to come."

      "It's my duty as your roommate to make sure you don't do something
really stupid and get arrested."  Himeko looked around the seething
masses.  "I'm surprised Yuki hasn't shown up yet."

       Minako pointed up to the area right next to the stage.  "She's over
there.  She camped out here last night."

      "Yeesh, she's crazier than you."  Himeko paused.  "You didn't sleep
out here last night too, did you?"

      Minako noogied Himeko.  "You going blind?  We sleep in the same room
you know."

      "Just making sure."

      Sailor V's voice actress came out on the stage, looking reasonably
silly with a blond wig and a fuku.  "Hello, everyone!"

      Amazonite smiled.  We meet at last, she thought.  She looks silly in
real life...oh well, dignity is nice, but not essential to a warrior.  She
began shoving her way through the crowd.  

      The seiyuu began striking silly poses and rattled off some sort of
speech, though everyone was cheering too loudly to hear her.  When
Amazonite leaped up onto the stage, everyone thought it was just part of
the show, except the seiyuu, who knew better.  Still, she assumed at first
that they had just forgotten to tell her something again.

      "So, we meet at last, Sailor V."  Amazonite said.

      Everyone started whispering, trying to figure out who this was
supposed to be.  Most of the crowd was betting it was supposed to be Queen
Topaz, even though she had died at the end of the first season.  Minako
frowned.  

      "Indeed we do!"  the seiyuu improvised.  Who the hell is this, she
wondered.

      Minako turned to Himeko, "Who's this person?"  She looks way too
much like Queen Beryl, Minako thought.  I smell trouble.

      Himeko said, "I have no idea.  I've seen every episode and I've
never seen herefore in my life.  She looks a little like my aunt, though." 

      "I have come to do battle with you to see if you are as strong as I
have been told."  Amazonite readied her spear.

      The seiyuu began striking poses and rattling off one of her stock
speeches.  Amazonite politely waited for her to finish, noticing about
halfway through the speech that someone was tugging on her leg.  She
looked down, and a young girl with a notepad and a pen held it out to her.
"Hi!  My name is Yuki!  Can I get your autograph?"

      Amazonite blinked.  "Uh...okay."  She signed the pad, "To Yuki, from
General Amazonite, with my best wishes."  She handed the pad back.  "Here
you go."

      Yuki was in ecstasy, even if she still wasn't sure who this person
was.

      Sailor V finished her speeches and struck her last pose at about
this moment.  "...I will punish you!"

      Amazonite smiled.  "We shall see."  She charged forward, spear in
hand.  Fairly soon, she was chasing Sailor V all over the stage.  This
was, to say the least, not what she had expected.  "Fight me!"

      The seiyuu had quickly concluded that either this was not a planned
part of the show or that her counterpart had gotten into her role a little
too much.  Time to put my self-defense class to work, she thought.  

     As Amazonite charged at the seiyuu, she suddenly discovered that
'Sailor V''s hands were gripping her shoulder and tossing her through the
air and into the crowd.  "So, you're finally taking me seriously."  She
raised her spear and fired a bolt of blue energy at the seiyuu, who only
barely managed to dodge it.

     Minako frowned.  This must be a youma or something...I don't think
this is part of the show.  "I've got to..."  Himeko was gone, swept away
in the crowd, which was now turning into a panicked mob.  I guess I won't
have to make any excuses to Himeko, Minako thought.

      The seiyuu, being no fool, ran for it, losing the wig in the
process.  Amazonite got mad.  "You tried to fool me with a fake Sailor V!"

      Minako tried to get through the mob to somewhere out of sight she
could transform.  She wasn't having any luck.  

      The seiyuu shouted, "You idiot, you're the only person here who
didn't know I'm not the real Sailor V!"  She got blasted for her pains and
passed out.

      Amazonite frowned.  "So the real Sailor V is too much a coward to
face me."

      A voice spoke from the roof of Channel 10.  "You forgot to tell me
you were coming.  Who are you, anyway?"

      "I am General Amazonite, a warrior without peer of the line of
Opaline and Bauxite.  I have come to challenge you to a duel."

       "Why do you want to fight a duel with me?"

       Minako kept trying to fight her way out of the crowd, but now it
had stopped moving and was watching the faceoff.  Nearby, she noticed a
turtle outracing her.  

       "You slew three of my companions in arms that I know of, and
defeated many more!  I wish to avenge them and test my mettle.  Enough
words!"

      Amazonite fired another blast with her spear, which Sailor V easily
dodged by leaping into the air and down to the stage.  She rolled and
delivered a kick at Amazonite's legs, knocking her down.As Amazonite fell,
Sailor V sprung to her feet and back-flipped away from the General, all
the while dodging Amazonite's spear thrusts.

      Minako could see the edge of the crowd, taunting her with its
closeness.  She closed her eyes and concentrated, shoving her way through
the mob.  I have to transform before the fake steals my glory!

      "You're good, but not good enough,"  Amazonite proclaimed in a
highly cliched manner.  She charged at Sailor V and the fight began in
earnest. It was much like a fight between a raging bull and an angry bird.
Amazonite couldn't hit Sailor V in a million years, it seemed, while
Sailor V couldn't meaningfully hurt Amazonite.  For several minutes, they
dueled, methodically destroying the stage in the process. The crowd
cheered both sides indiscriminately.  

      Minako finally found somewhere to hide and swiftly transformed,
returning to the fray.  As she leaped up to the roof to observe, she saw
that Amazonite had ripped up the ropes around the stage and were swinging
them like giant whips, trying to tangle up Sailor V.  Time for my grand
entrance, Sailor Venus thought.  "Destroying property belonging to my TV
show isn't just bad, it's expensive!  Do you know how much it will cost to
replace this?  What about the loss in revenues for the show from angry
fans and all the medical expenses?  Are you prepared to pay for this?"
Venus paused.  I sound more like Accountant Venus than Sailor Venus.
"Before anyone else gets hurt, I will punish you in the name of the planet
Venus!"

       Sailor V and Amazonite didn't even notice.  Sailor V had managed to
grab one of the 'whips' and tied it to one of the posts of the stage, then
dragged Amazonite off her feet by pulling on it.  

      Sailor Venus sighed.  "VENUS LOVE CHAIN ENCIRCLE!"  She spun and a
long whip of yellow hearts formed then fired itself down at Amazonite,
sending her flying off the stage into the crowd again.  

      Someone shoved a microphone in Amazonite's face.  "So, the public
wants to know who you are and why you have come to kill Sailor V."

      Amazonite slugged the reporter out of the way with a gesture that
would have people speculating she was related to Sean Penn for weeks.  She
looked up to see where the attack had come from.  Another Sailor V stood
on the roof, though without the mask.  "How many of you people are there?"

      Sailor Venus leapt down to the stage.  "I'm the one and only
ORIGINAL Sailor V.  I have no idea who this other person is."

     Sailor V stared at Sailor Venus.  "Hurry up and help me!  I didn't
expect you to be so late!"

      Sailor Venus cackled.  "No one expects the Senshi Inquisition!  Our
chief weapons are surprise and transformation wands!"

      Sailor V blushed slightly.  "I hope you're not too mad with me,
M...Sailor Venus, for uh...stealing your look."

      "Who are you?  Are you a new senshi?  Where did you come from?"

      "Umm.  Maybe we should discuss this after we beat Amazonite."

      Amazonite nailed this point home by knocking the twosome across the
stage with a blast and through the plate glass windows of Channel 10 into
the interior of the building.  She ran in after them.  

      Sailor Venus turned to Sailor V.  "Do you have all of my powers or
do you just look like me?"

     "I don't know."

      "You don't KNOW?"  Amazonite sent them both flying again.  This time
they landed in the set of 'One  Life to Lose', a popular daily soap opera.
Actors and actresses fled for their lives.

      Sailor V clutched the purple pendant she was wearing.  "This thing
didn't come with an instruction manual.  So how would I go about using one
of your powers?"

       "You just shout the command phrase, like Crescent Beam, and
concentrate on what is supposed to happen."

       Sailor V turned to the oncoming Amazonite and concentrated.
"CRESCENT BEAM!"  A bolt of yellow light struck Amazonite and sent her
flying in surprise.  She crashed through the wall of the 'room' on the
stage, leaving a large hole.  "Cool!  It worked!"  

     The beam had not been as bright or as powerful looking as her own
beam, Sailor Venus noted.  "Try this one."  She turned to Amazonite.
"VENUS CRESCENT BEAM SHOWER!"

      Her and Sailor V rained down a meteor shower of energy upon
Amazonite, who fell down again, then fired her spear from ground level,
sending the two Sailors flying.  Sailor V frowned.  "She's so tough.
Ahah!  Distract her for me!"

       Sailor Venus nodded.  "Right!"  She began leaping about, keeping
Amazonite busy firing blasts at her.  

       Sailor V slipped around backstage, trying to get behind Amazonite.
She slipped up into the rigging over the stage and stealthfully positioned
herself over Amazonite.  As Amazonite fired off another blast, she dropped
down and landed on the spear, knocking it to the ground.  She then
sprinted off with the spear.

       Amazonite frowned.  This was taking all day, and neither of her
opponents would stand and fight her properly.  She had had enough.  "I'll
deal with you two later."  She vanished in a spray of light.  At least now
I understand why Sailor V has proved so hard to kill...if there's more
than one, even if we eliminate one, another can take her place and no one
will ever know.  A clever ploy on their part.

       Sailor Venus turned to Sailor V.  "So who are you?"

       The pendant began to beep.  "Uh oh."  Sailor V said.  "Gotta run!"

       She took off.  Sailor Venus chased after her.  "Hey!  Tell me who
you are!  You can't just imitate me and run off!"

       Sailor V kept running.  "Would you be related to a certain
lunatic named Minako by any chance?"

       Sailor Venus paused.  "How did you...uh..."

      Sailor V's pendant kept beeping.  She sighed and crossed her arms
in front of herself, muttering something.  A flash of light engulfed her,
and Nonohara Himeko stood sheepishly in front of Sailor Venus.  "Blasted
time limit.  I guess you don't have that kind of problem, eh, Minako?"

      Sailor Venus boggled.  "I...how did you guess?"

    "Well, besides your goofy obsession with this, I saw you talking to
Sailor Moon about you being Sailor Venus.  That was quite a trick they
played on you."  Himeko looked at the ground.  "I'm sorry I didn't tell
you, but at first I didn't know why you were so obsessed, and when I
learned your secret, I was afraid that you might be angry with me..."

      "So...how...uh..."

      "Let's go back to the room and I'll tell you everything."
 
**************************************************************************

      "I had thought it was all over after the year I spent helping Erika
out by testing her magical items for her, but then a few months ago, she
came back and gave me the pendant again, explaining that she had reason to
believe my life might be in danger and that I should use it as best I
could to defend myself and my friends,"  Himeko continued, trying to
explain everything to Minako, back in her room.  "So then I got the idea
of trying to imitate Sailor V one day when I saw these people getting
mugged.  To my surprise, it worked.  You know the rest."

       "Where is this Erika person from?"

       "The Kingdom of Magic, like I told you.  She's the me from that
universe, I think.  Everyone I know has a parallel in that universe.  I
wish she could have brought me some of the other items too."

       Minako nearly jumped out of her skin when Himeko's stuffed lion
suddenly spoke.  "Hey, you have me!"

       Himeko hugged Pokota.  "True, but you're kind of small to be
fighting monsters."

       Pokota nodded.  "At least I'm not fat like Artemis."

       Artemis frowned.  "I am NOT fat."

       "Does anyone else know about this?"

       "Just Daichi-kun.  I think Hikaru suspects, though.  She found out
about my magic the first time."

       "This is great!"  Minako said.  She thought for a moment.  "Do you
think you could do Sailor Moon?"

       Himeko stood up and crossed her arms in front of her, after getting
out her compact mirror and gazing into it.  "Parallel Parallel Sailor
Moon Ni Nare!" She transformed into an almost exact duplicate of Sailor
Moon.

      Minako cackled.  Vengeance will be mine.

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

         Usagi ran down the street.  I really shouldn't have taken that
nap, she thought.  I'm going to be late for ANOTHER sailor meeting.
This reeks.  Rei-chan was supposed to wake me up!

          She ran up the stairs into the Crown Cafe.  Looking around,
she spotted her friends sitting around one of the tables, talking
animatedly.  Rei-chan was there, sitting next to Ami and Usagi.
Usagi blinked.  WHAT?  Who's that person who looks just like me?
A half dozen thoughts ran through her head, then the Usagi look-
alike leaned over and put her head on Mamoru's shoulder.  Usagi
turned red and let off steam through her ears.  Someone's not just
imitating me, they're after my BOYFRIEND!

          As she stomped forward, the Usagi at the table scarfed down
half a dozen donuts in one fluid motion.  Usagi paused.  I didn't think
anyone on Earth but me could do that.  She's good, whoever she is.
It must be an evil youma!  Maybe I should transform.  No, I'll
confront her first.  This could be Minako trying to get even...yeah,
she just did up her hair like...

         Usagi then spotted Minako sitting across the table from the
fake Usagi.  It's not her.  Right.  Time to expose this imposter!  The
Usagi at the table kissed Mamoru on the cheek.  He blushed and
Usagi blew her top.  She rushed forward and grabbed the fake
Usagi.  "Get off MY BOYFRIEND!"

          Everyone at the table went silent for a moment and double
taked.  The fake Usagi howled.  "Help, Mamo-chan!  It's that person
I told you was following me earlier!"

          Mamoru quickly interposed himself.  "I don't know what you
think you're doing imitating Usagi-chan, but I won't let you get away
with it!"

           Rei sprang to her feet, pulling out an ofuda.  "Don't try
anything funny!"

           Usagi stared at Mamoru.  "Can't you...can't you tell who I
am?"

           "No one can scarf down donuts like my Usako.  You must be
the imposter.  The real Usako wouldn't be late to eat, either."

          "I was napping!  Rei-chan was supposed to wake me up!"

          "I forgot,"  Rei said.  "You came running after me and caught
up on the way here."

          Usagi felt the urge to cry, but she fought it off.  "Doesn't
anyone believe in me?"

          Minako said, "I'm sure you must be the fake."

          Ami, working on her computer, said, "Hmm.  My computer
can't tell a difference between you two."

          Makoto said, "Ah, I know how to tell the difference!"

          "What?"  Usagi said, grasping at straws.  "I can prove who I
am!"

          "An eating contest!  Not just donuts, but an all out food
assault!  Whichever one gets sick first must be the fake!"

          Everyone nodded.  Mamoru called the waitress over and the
contest began.

          Plates piled up like falling cherry blossoms in spring.  Mamoru
began to sweat as he contemplated the bill that was to come.  Usagi
gritted her teeth and glutted herself.  NOONE can possibly outeat
me, she thought.  Finally, she felt herself getting full.  She glanced
over and saw the other Usagi was now a delicate shade of green,
but yet, she still ate.  Usagi drank down another bowl of soup.

           The Usagi imitator gave a great belch, then covered her
mouth in embarrassment.  "Sorry about that, Mamo-chan."

            "See!  She's a fake!  I never belch at the table!"  Usagi then
let out a great roar that seemed like it should have shaken the
windows.

             Minako laughed.  "Never, eh?"

             Usagi turned to the dessert plates.  I'm going to explode,
she thought.  She glanced over at the other Usagi, who smiled at
her.  "I'm ready.  Are you?"

              Usagi raised her fist in the air and shook it.  "I was BORN
ready!  I will outeat you in the name of the Moon!"  Ooops, she
thought.

              The other Usagi raised an eyebrow.  "So, Sailor Moon.
Going to throw your tiara at these desserts?"

              Several people looked around at the words, 'Sailor Moon',
then stopped looking when they couldn't spot her.

               "I'm going to punish these desserts, then punish you!"  She
grabbed a piece of chocolate cake and scarfed it with a single bite.
She ate like a maniac.  Soon, she was so full she could barely
move.  She kept going until every plate was clean.

                The other Usagi had simply sat and watched her eat.
"Okay, you win.  I don't think I can copy you well enough to live
through that."  She turned to Minako.  "If I get sick from this, I'm
going to kill you."

       "Just aim for her,"  Minako said.

        Everyone rounded suspiciously on Minako, except Usagi, who
just stared at the evil plate which was taunting her--well, she was
daydreaming it was taunting her.  Minako laughed.  "This is my
revenge for Usagi's little prank on me."  She turned and smiled at
Steven.  "We'll get you later, dear."

         "I thought I got off for not saying anything about this one!"

         "I lied."

         "So who are you?"  Ami asked.  "If you're not Usagi..."

         "Are you another new sailor?"  Naru asked.

         "I'm the Sailor V Minako's been chasing all over creation, not
noticing that..."  After looking around to make sure no one was
watching, she crossed her arms and muttered something,
then turned back into Himeko.  "I was right under her nose."

          Usagi said, "So where did you get your powers from?"

          Himeko explained everything.

          Ami thought for a moment, then asked, "Does the Kingdom of
Magic have any other names?"

           "Not that I know of.  Minako had never heard of it, but it's in
another dimension, so I'm not surprised.  Everyone I knew had
doubles there."

            "And your double was a princess?"

            Himeko nodded.  "Yeah, it was kinda cool."

            Makoto looked over at Ami.  "Are you insinuating..."

            "We know the Zodiac is looking for the Princess.  We've
assumed it was the Moon Princess, but..."

             "But I'm not a Princess!"

             "I didn't think I was one either,"  Usagi said.  She thought
for a moment.  "So which Kingdom would she be from?"

              A voice cut through the chatter.  "Himeko is not who the
Zodiac is looking for."  Setsuna said.  "But she is a valuable ally to
us."  Everyone turned and stared in surprise.  Setsuna hadn't been
there a minute ago.  "But enough of that.  I have a proposition to
make.  I believe I know a good way in which I can assist you to learn
more of your heritage without violating the rules by which I am
bound."

     Usagi said, "You can?  How?"

     "I can send your minds through time so that you may
observe a few typical days in the life of your past selves.  Would you
like to try this?"

     "Sounds like a great idea!"  Makoto said.

     "Can I go too?"  Naru asked.

     "I will need you to help watch over them while they sleep
through this experience."  Setsuna continued her explanation of the
process and everyone's excitement rose.  This was going to be cool,
they felt.

       Not all of them would be so happy with this decision after it was
all over.

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

Closing Credits:


     "My road leads me far away."

     We see Nephrite telling Juno that he must go soon for a great 
conflict is about to begin.
 
     "Though my heart tells me to stay,"

     We see Princess Serenity clinging to a worried looking Endymion.

     "When my duty calls, I must go"

     We see Pluto appearing in the midst of the ballroom at the Diamond Gala.

     "'Twixt worlds of fire and worlds of snow."

     We cut to a shot of the solar system, with the nine planets and the 
moon lined up from the Sun at the left to Pluto at the right, with the 
Senshi and Prince Endymion standing on their planets as shadowy figures.

     "The road I travel will be long"

     We see the White Knight galloping down a Tokyo street on horseback.

     "To set things right, to end the wrongs."

     We see Tuxedo Mask tossing a red rose into the barrel of a gun, 
which backfires and explodes.

     "But this message will I send," 

     We see Rei picking up a blue crystal, which starts to play back a 
message.

     "Wait for me at Journey's End."

     We see Naru waiting for someone outside a restaurant.

     "Do not forget the love we share"

     We see Princess Serenity and Endymion tearfully bidding each other 
farewell.

     "Though I must leave, my heart will stay."

     We see Naru crying as Nephrite dissolves away in her arms.

     "Do not think I ceased to care"

     We see Beryl implanting crystals in the foreheads of the four 
Guardians and cackling maniacally.

     "When my duty took me away."

     We see Steven waiting at a restaurant, then sighing as he checks his 
watch.
     
     "The road I travel will be long"

     We see the Sailors using the Sailor Teleport to travel to the ruins 
of the Moon Kingdom.

     "To set things right, to end the wrongs."
     
     We see Umino trying to fight a monster in "Tuxedo Umino Kamen" mode.

     "But this message will I send,"

     We see Luna trying to use a dial only phone.
 
     "Wait for me at Journey's End."

     We see Umino leap to his feet as Naru comes running up the sidewalk 
to him with Usagi and company.

     "I have only my heart to give"

     We see Haruka and Michiru sharing a quiet moment.

     "For my life is not my own."

     We see the baby Saturn in a crib.

     "It is for others that I must live"

     We see Pluto having a frustrating time trying to counsel a young girl.

     "But it is for you that I come home."

     We see Mamoru following a trail of smoke to Usagi in his kitchen.

     "The road I travel will be long"

     We see Capricorn vanishing through a portal.

     "To set things right, to end the wrongs."

     We see a chamber with stars for a ceiling and a horoscope on the 
floor.  A man stands in grey robes in the center and stares down at the 
horoscope.

     "But this message will I send," 

     We see Usagi listening to a message on the phone, her eyes getting big.

     "Wait for me at Journey's End."

     We see a closing tableux of the Sailors, Umino, Naru, Steven, Tuxedo 
Mask, and twelve shadowy figures standing on a Zodiac wheel.

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

Urawa Says:

Urawa:  Hi there!  They picked me to do this segment for this episode
and...

Ami:  Hey!  This segment goes at the END of the Episode!

Urawa:  This is the end of the episode.

Ami:  [blinks]  Oh, right.  So what did we learn in this episode?

Urawa:  Steven likes to play really goofy Torg characters.

Ami:  And?

Urawa:  And Himeko has special powers!  And she's seriously cute!  She
also outsmarted Usagi, not that that's much of a challenge.

Ami:  And?

Urawa:  Or course, that's not surprising, since she had her own series,
and...

Ami:  [taps her foot]  AND?  I think you're forgetting something.

Urawa:  Write your local anime distributors.  Demand they start a campaign
for a NA import of Hime-chan no Ribbon!  Write your congressman!  Write
your...  [Urawa begins to beep]  Uh oh.  I'll...uh...be right back
Ami-chan.

Ami:  What the...Ahah!  [grabs Urawa]  I'm going to kill you for this, you
know.

Urawa:  [transforms back into Himeko]  Hey, I didn't hurt him too much
when I knocked him out and took his place.

Ami:  I won't hurt you too much either, then!  [drags Hime-chan off]

Urawa:  [comes out]  I knew this would happen.

[Someone drops an anvil on him.]

Urawa:  That too.  Such is fate.

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

Author's afterword:

Not much to say on this one.  This episode was much delayed by my work on
Dance of Shiva and on #11 :)

Enjoy and #10 and #11 should be ready very soon!  If not before this one
:)