Transformations of Time
A Sailor Moon fanfic by Beholder

Standard disclaimers apply.  I do not own Sailor Moon, those characters are owned by 
Naoko Takeuchi.  All other characters are owned by me.

Thanks go to:
DQBunny, Lady Snowbreeze, Lady Amethyst, and many others for editing/critiquing
DQBunny, Ajax, Elizabeth Turkwood, Tim Nolan, and John "P-chan" Laughlin for 
writing some very good stories that inspired me to write this, and some ideas which I 
borrowed from those stories, changed and incorporated into mine.
Some creatures are based on those found in Advanced Dungeons & Dragons by E. Gary Gygax.


Translations:

"Daijobu?"  =  "Are you OK?"
"Daijobu."  =  "I'm OK."
"sugoi"  =  "cool", "great"
"konbanwa"  =  "Good evening"
"Ohayou gozaimasu"  =  "Good morning"




Chapter 3:  Plans, Dreams, and Unexpected Surprises


	The school grounds were quiet.  The parking lot just outside of the auditorium 
was now mostly empty and cars were still trickling out.
	Rei sat on the stairs inside the parking lot entrance, waiting for her friends to 
come down from the second floor where dressing rooms had been designated.  She still 
had the images of Usagi, Ami, Makoto, and Minako whipping their mortarboards off 
their heads along with the rest of the graduates and hurling them up into the air in 
celebration.  She loved that part, especially when she did it at her graduation the week 
before.  It felt like a huge weight had been lifted.
	"Rei-chan!  Are you ready?" a voice came from above and behind her.  Rei turned 
and saw her friends at the top of the stairs.
	Makoto wore an emerald ensemble of matching blazer and mid-length skirt and a 
black blouse underneath the blazer, and had her traditional rose earrings in to finish.  
Minako was wearing a knee-length flower print sundress, Usagi was dressed in a 
sundress, similar in style to Minako's but the print was mostly dark blue with small light 
blue roses throughout, and Ami was dressed in a tank-style denim maternity dress over a 
tan shirt.  Ami was reluctant to start wearing maternity clothes, but a couple of months 
back she had started to show and it was an inevitability.
	Rei smiled up to her friends who smiled down to her, holding up the black leather 
bindings that held their diplomas.  "Ready, minna!" Rei called up in response.
	Makoto and Minako quickly descended the stairs, leaving Usagi, Ami, and Rei 
behind.  Usagi kept pace with the blue-haired girl as she slowly and carefully descended 
the stairs.  Once they reached where Rei was seated, she also offered Ami a hand, but she 
respectfully said, "Daijobu."
	The five girls made their way to the parking lot where Mamoru had brought the 
car up close to the building.  He sat against the front fender, over the left front tire, arms 
folded as he watched for his beloved and her best friends.
	"Hurry up, minna!  You'll be late for your own graduation parties!" he shouted as 
he saw the five emerge from the door.
	"Mamo-chan!" Usagi shouted and waved to him.  "We're coming!  Don't go 
without us!"
	"Never, Usako!" he responded.  A few moments later, they stood in a circle 
around Mamoru, arguing who would get to sit in the passenger seat.
	"I should cause he's my boyfriend!" Usagi shouted.
	"Baka!  I should because he'll have to drop me off first!" Rei shouted in Usagi's 
face.  Usagi stuck out her tongue and Rei responded in kind, each giving the other a glare 
that would've burned a hole through concrete.
	"I should sit in the front because I'm taller than the rest of you," Makoto said.
	"That's reasonable, but I should sit in front because then I can see all the gorgeous 
men as we pass by them!" Minako shouted.
	"Hold it!"
	The argument ceased abruptly and all eyes turned to Mamoru who was looking 
very disgusted at them.  "Ami-san will sit in the passenger seat."
	Ami's jaw dropped and was about to protest when Usagi piped up and did it for 
her.  "Why Ami-chan, Mamo-chan?"
	"Because she is pregnant.  Good enough reason?"
	No one argued.  Ami simply replied, "Arigato, Mamoru-san."
	Mamoru unlocked the car doors and everyone piled into the back seat, except for 
Ami who sat in front, as was decided.
	"Mamo-chan!  Ugh!  It's crowded back here!" Usagi groaned as Rei on her left 
and Makoto on her right crushed her.
	"Gomen, Usako.  This car wasn't intended to cart around so many people.  
Remind me to trade it in for something bigger when we have Chibi-usa, ne?"
	Mamoru fired up the engine and started to back out, but the groans and wheezing 
continued from the back seat.  "But, Mamo-chan!" Usagi whined.
	"Usagi!" Rei shouted.  "Be quiet!  We're all being crushed!  Just shut up and let 
Mamoru-san drive!"
	"But...I have to use the restroom, and this isn't helping!"
	Everyone in the car sweatdropped, and Minako, Makoto, and Rei suddenly 
squeezed themselves against the sides of the car more.  "Why didn't you think about that 
before, Usagi-chan!" Minako groaned.
	"Gomen nasai!" was all Usagi could whimper.
	Mamoru put his foot down a little harder and the car raced out of the parking lot 
and down the street.
	He pulled up to Ami's apartment building to drop her off first.  "Don't forget!" he 
shouted to Ami through the open passenger door as she got out.
	"Hai!  Arigato!" she said, and then climbed out, but before she could close the 
door...
	"Ami-chan?" Usagi whimpered from the back seat.
	"Hai, Usagi-chan?"
	"Can I use your restroom, please?" she pleaded.
	Ami sighed, then nodded.  Usagi scrambled over Makoto and Minako and then 
dragged Ami inside the building.
	Once Usagi returned and took the passenger seat, alleviating the pressure in the 
back, Mamoru drove Minako to her parents' house and dropped her off, also giving her a 
reminder, which she acknowledged by flashing a "V" sign.
	He then drove to the Hikawa Shrine and let Rei and Makoto out.  "Don't forget, 
Rei-san, Makoto-san.  My place, seven o'clock for the private senshi-only graduation 
party."
	"No problem, Mamoru-san!" Makoto shouted through the open passenger door.
	"We'll be there!" Rei added.
	Mamoru and Usagi finally drove to her house and found that many people were 
already there, in the house and in the yard.  They walked inside and Usagi was happy to 
see many of her friends over the years.  Haruna was there, chatting with Kenji.  Naru and 
Umino stopped by before heading home to their own graduation parties to wish Usagi 
luck in the future and instructed her in no uncertain terms that she had better keep in 
touch.  Other friends over the years filled the house with their parents.
	The other senshi also arrived home to houses or apartments full of family, 
relatives, and friends.  The afternoon was very busy as the senshi were congratulated over 
and over.


	"Where are they?" Mamoru said out loud as he paced the floor of his apartment.  
Rei and Makoto were sitting on one of Mamoru's white couches, while Ami was 
stretched out on a matching love seat, which was at a ninety-degree angle from the other 
couch, surrounding a circular glass-top table.  On the other two sides of the table were 
two recliners, both unoccupied.
	"Calm down, Mamoru-san.  They'll be here.  You know as well as I do that Usagi 
and Minako-chan can't be on time to something to save their lives," Rei muttered.
	"They'd have a reasonable excuse today," Ami said in defense of the two 
absentees.  "Their get-togethers may have run late."
	"It's not Usako or Minako-san that I am worried about."
	"Nani?  Are you expecting someone else?" Makoto asked.
	Before Mamoru could answer, the buzzer for the door sounded.  Mamoru quietly 
sighed in relief as he walked to the door and opened it.
	"Konbanwa, Mamo-chan!" Usagi cried and threw herself into Mamoru's arms.  
He was startled at first, but quickly wrapped his arms around the blonde girl and held her 
tightly, chuckling.  He then noticed the other blonde with the red ribbon and the white cat 
in her arms.
	"Konbanwa, Mamoru-san," Minako said, sedately.
	Mamoru was about to ask them to come in when he heard a distressed mumbling, 
and felt something squirming between his and Usagi's chest.  Mamoru gently pulled 
away from Usagi and a squished Luna plopped to the floor.  She gasped loudly.
	"Gomen, Luna!" Mamoru and Usagi said simultaneously.
	"Daijobu," Luna replied, wearily.
	"Come in, minna.  Make yourselves comfortable," Mamoru said.
	Ami moved to one of the recliners.  Minako joined Rei and Makoto on the long 
couch, leaving the love seat for Usagi and Mamoru.
	"OK, Mamo-chan, let's get this party started!  What did Mako-chan cook for 
dinner?" Usagi asked.
	"Well...See, there's still some people missing."
	"Huh?  I thought you said this was going to be a 'senshi private graduation 
party'?  Here, I only made enough food for us six!" Makoto whined.
	"It is going to be a senshi-only party," Mamoru replied, cryptically.
	"If that's true, then that could only mean that the people that are still coming 
are..."
	Ami was cut off in mid-sentence by the door buzzer once again.  Mamoru quickly 
got up and went to the door and opened it.
	"Haruka-san!"
	"Setsuna-san!"
	"Michiru-san!"
	"Hotaru-chan!"
	One by one, the Outer Senshi entered the apartment, and Usagi was the first to 
jump up and give out hugs to each of them, Minako, Makoto, and Rei just behind her.  
Haruka, Michiru, Hotaru, and Setsuna then took turns walking to where Ami was sitting 
and gently hugging her in the recliner.  Mamoru opened a closet near the front door and 
pulled out four folding chairs and placed them around the circle by the table.
	"Konbanwa, minna-chan," Michiru said as she sat down next to Haruka.
	For the next several seconds, the Inners and Outers exchanged greeting and 
expressed how good it was to get together again after so long.
	"We had to come by and catch up with you and find out what you all are planning 
to do," Setsuna said.
	Usagi was first to stand up, but only by a narrow margin beat Minako.  "Mamo-
chan got a research grant at Penn State in America!" she said, proudly, causing Mamoru 
to look a bit sheepish, not really wanting it to be made into such a spectacle.  "And I 
applied to the Art School there, too!"
	"Sugoi, Mamoru-san and Usagi-san!" Hotaru exclaimed.  "Usagi-san, your 
mother would be very proud of you."
	"Hai.  I wish she were here to see it."
	"She's watching you right now, I'm certain of it," Haruka added.  "And what of 
the rest of you?"
	Ami slowly stood.  "We talked about this, when Usagi-chan and Mamoru-san 
weren't around.  We all felt that as Sailor Senshi, we have an obligation to Usagi-chan 
and we have all decided to make the trip to America as well and continue our 
educations."
	"Sugoi!" Setsuna remarked.
	"Well...that's not entirely true," Makoto sheepishly said.
	"Mako-chan?" Usagi said.
	"I know that you all turned in your applications to Penn State, but...I didn't."
	"Why not, Mako-chan?" Rei asked.
	"Oh, call it a silly whim, but I think I'd rather find a nice restaurant to work at, 
maybe become an apprentice, and learn that way."
	"That's not a silly whim, Mako-chan," Ami said.  "In a field such as that, I'd 
think practical experience or apprenticeship would be better."
	"Perhaps.  We'll see." Makoto replied, but still slightly depressed.  She felt like 
she had let everyone down, but their reassurances to the contrary didn't seem to help 
much.
	Minako jumped up.  "I applied to the Drama school at Penn State!"
	"I applied to the Music school there as well, and am minoring in business!" Rei 
said.
	"I decided that I am going to be a doctor, so I applied to the Medical program, but 
I decided not to become a surgeon," Ami said quietly.
	"Nani?  Why not?" asked Hotaru.
	"Because of the many nights that I wanted to spend with my mother, reading, 
talking, or just playing cards, but she wasn't there.  She was always at the hospital, 
sometimes pulling double-shifts.  I didn't get to spend as much time with her as I wanted, 
so I decided I would go into family practice, so I could have time for me, my child, and 
all of you."
	The room was silent for several seconds.  "That is very noble of you, Mizuno-
san," Setsuna said, then cleared her throat, to indicate the subject was about to abruptly 
change.  "I suppose you are all wondering why we asked you to meet here and why we 
made Mamoru not tell you about this."
	"Mamo-chan, we really have to talk about you keeping secrets from me," Usagi 
whispered, nudging him playfully in the ribs.
	"We wanted to present you with your graduation gifts, personally," Michiru said.  
Setsuna then dug into her purse and pulled out five white envelopes.  She handed the 
envelopes to Hotaru who quickly distributed them to the Inners, by the name on the front 
of the envelope.
	When Hotaru handed out the final envelope, Usagi, Ami, Makoto, Minako, and 
Rei each started to tear the envelopes open in their own ways.  Usagi and Minako tore the 
end off mercilessly, Ami carefully tore the top edge open taking extraordinary care not to 
damage the contents, and Makoto and Rei put their finger inside the little tab at the top 
and tore across, a mixture of the methods the others used.
	Each of the Inners pulled a piece of paper out of the envelope and flipped it over.  
Eyes bulged out of their sockets when they recognized what the Outers had bestowed 
unto them for their graduation:  a check, made out to each of them, for fifty thousand 
U.S. dollars. 
	Jaws dropped as each of the Inners looked to the Outers, almost asking what it 
was for, but afraid to do so in case it was a horrible joke.  Even Mamoru was surprised 
when he saw Usagi's check.  "It's no joke, minna-chan," Setsuna said, as if reading their 
minds.  "You each have a fifty thousand dollar check in your hands."
	Ami was the first to protest.  "Setsuna-san, I can't accept this."  She handed the 
check back to Setsuna, but she refused to take it.
	"The money is yours," Setsuna commanded, "but the money is to be used only for 
necessities:  food, clothing, a place to live, and most importantly, your education.  
Agreed?"
	A chorus of "Agreed" echoed through the half of the room occupied by the 
Inners, followed shortly by a chorus of "Arigato".
	After a long pause, Hotaru said, "Hey, let's get this party started!  I'm starving!"
	Ami, Makoto, Minako, and Rei all shouted, "Yeah!"
	"Setsuna-san?"
	"Hai, Usagi-chan?"
	"One question: for a Guardian of Time, why were you guys so late?  Minako-chan 
and I both got here ahead of you," Usagi asked, knowing she had Setsuna cold, or so she 
thought.
	"Ummm," Setsuna started, sweatdropping, "gomen, you'll have to ask Haruka-
san about that."
	Usagi shifted her gaze to Haruka and raised an eyebrow.  "Well?"
	"Errr...ummm...," Haruka stammered.
	"Haruka-poppa got pulled over," Hotaru said.
	"Nani??" Rei asked.
	"Haruka-poppa sometimes has trouble telling the difference between a city street 
and the racetrack, at least, that's what he told the officer," Hotaru explained as Haruka's 
face began to turn red and contort in embarrassment and anger.
	"Shush!" Haruka commanded, turning to Hotaru.
	"How much was the fine?" Minako said.
	Haruka grumbled.
	"Oh, nothing!  He just let Haruka-poppa off with an autograph on this weird piece 
of paper with writing on it," Hotaru said, proudly.  "He must've been a fan."
	"Haruka got a ticket!  Haruka got a ticket!" Minako began to taunt, playfully, as 
Haruka's face turned a deeper shade of red and her eyebrows furrowed.
	Haruka turned to Hotaru and said in a low grumble, "You're enjoying this, aren't 
you?"
	Hotaru and Michiru began to chuckle, followed by the rest, except for Haruka.  In 
time, though, Haruka started to laugh at herself, too.
	After a while, they all went to the kitchen and dug into the wonderful dishes that 
Makoto had created, then sat in the living room and simply talked, reminisced, told jokes 
to one another, or shared their memories of Silver Millenium. 
	The party lasted for three hours, and by ten o'clock, everyone was getting tired.  
Hotaru had already fallen sleep in one of Mamoru's recliners, Ami was dozing on the 
other, one of her hands draped over her abdomen as if she were protecting her unborn 
child, and Luna and Artemis were curled up under the coffee table.  Setsuna, Michiru, 
and Haruka each noticed their pseudo-daughter was asleep and stood up.
	"Mamoru-san, Usagi-chan, minna, arigato for inviting us to spend this evening 
with you," Michiru said softly.
	"We're happy you came!  This is something we've wanted to do for a long time," 
Usagi said as she stood, Rei, Minako, Makoto and Mamoru following her lead.
	"Sayonara, Usagi-chan, and good luck," Haruka said.  She and Michiru turned to 
Hotaru and were about to wake her up when...
	"Wait!" Mamoru said suddenly.  "If you could wait a little longer, I wanted to say 
something."
	Haruka and Michiru stopped, Luna and Artemis perked up and all eyes focused on 
Mamoru, wondering what was on his mind.  He slowly turned, and met everyone's gaze, 
one by one, then he came to Usagi.  Mamoru looked deep into her eyes, gently smiling, 
and she returned his gaze and smile, without any clue of what he had in mind.  The room 
had gone silent in anticipation, but went up into a collective sigh when Mamoru dropped 
to one knee in front of his beloved Usako.
	The world suddenly went into slow motion as her Mamo-chan dropped to one 
knee in front of her, the meaning of this registering, and yet not registering.  Usagi was in 
shock.  When Mamoru looked back up to her and caught her gaze again as he pulled a 
small velvet box out of his pocket and opened it, revealing the small gold ring with the 
sizable diamond, the reality of what was happening finally hit her and the tears began to 
well.  She'd waited several years for this; a thousand more on top of that if you count 
their past romance on the moon.
	The Outers stood in silent reverence of the moment.  Rei and Minako tried to keep 
quiet and still but the excitement was spilling out in little sighs and incoherent awe-struck 
mumblings.  Makoto was just as excited, but managed to keep a better grip, and to help 
Rei and Minako get a grip, put them both in gentle headlocks and cupped her hands over 
their mouths.  Rei and Minako didn't even notice.
	"Usako," Mamoru began, "I've waited over a thousand years to do this.  You are 
the most important person in the world to me.  When I lost my parents, I thought I would 
never again feel happy or feel meaning in my life.  You have given me both, my lovely 
princess.  Now, I want to show you the same happiness that you have brought me.  
Tsukino Usagi, will you marry me?"
	The room went dead silent.  All eyes turned from Mamoru's proposal to Usagi, 
waiting for her reaction or answer.  It didn't take long.
	"YES!" she blubbered.
	As Mamoru removed the promise ring he'd given Usagi before the Galaxia 
incident, and then slowly put the diamond engagement ring in its place, the room stayed 
silent, but the moment Mamoru pulled his hand away, the room echoed with screams and 
shouts of joy.  Mamoru stood, and he and Usagi embraced and kissed for a long time.  
The other girls and the cats began to crowd around them, congratulating them.
	Hotaru and Ami stirred from the sudden outburst.  Hotaru forced her eyes open 
and saw the crowd around Usagi and Mamoru first.  "What happened?" she asked, 
groggily.
	Haruka walked away from the crowd and crouched down next to Hotaru.  
"Mamoru-san just asked Usagi-chan to marry him," she said.
	"NANI?" Ami shouted, overhearing Haruka deliver the news to Hotaru.  
"Awwww!  I missed it!"
	"Do it again!  Do it again!" Hotaru cried in disappointment.
	Haruka chuckled.  "Help Ami-san up and go congratulate them," she suggested.
	Hotaru jumped out of the chair, helped Ami up and they both joined the group 
congratulating Usagi and Mamoru, but soon, weariness set in again.  After the excitement 
had died down a bit, Setsuna, Michiru, Haruka, and Hotaru once again bid everyone a 
good night and good luck in the future, then went home.
	"It was really cool to see them all again," Rei said.
	"They all look good!  Hotaru's grown up so much," Ami said softly.
	Minako yawned.  "Usagi-chan?  Mamoru-chan?  I'm very happy for you both, but 
I hope you won't be angry.  I really need to get home and get some sleep."
	"Hai, me as well," Ami said, her eyes drooping again as she longed to sit back 
down in that recliner and doze off again.
	"It's OK, minna-chan," Usagi said.  "I'd like some time alone with my fianc饮"
	"Hai, Usagi," Rei said.  "Want to come by the shrine tomorrow?  We need to go 
shopping..."
	"Nani?  We need to go shop?"
	Rei's eyes went wide, then narrowed and fiercely glanced over to the pregnant 
blue-haired girl to her left.
	"Oh!  Hai!" Usagi said, getting the hint.
	"Tomorrow, then?" Rei asked again.
	"Hai, Rei-chan!  Ja ne!" Usagi said as her friends, Luna, and Artemis headed for 
the door.
	"Ja!" they all shouted back, and then left.
	As the door clicked shut, Usagi turned back to Mamoru who was still standing 
behind her and wrapped her arms around his waist as he put his around her shoulders.  
They stood there, eyes closed for a long time.  Then, Mamoru opened his eyes for just a 
second, but what his gaze fell on was a wall clock reading 10:25pm.
	"Usako?"
	"Hm, Mamo-chan?"
	"When did your father say you had to be home?"
	"10:30."
	"Shimatta!"
	Usagi and Mamoru suddenly pulled away from each other.  "Daijobu?" she asked 
him, puzzled, then looked over her shoulder to the clock.  "Shimatta!"
	In a flash, Mamoru and Usagi picked up their things and were out the door, down 
the stairs, in the car, and on their way to the Tsukino house.  Fortunately, when they 
arrived, Usagi's father didn't give them too much grief and as soon as Usagi and Mamoru 
shared their big news, all was forgiven amongst the celebration.  After Mamoru went 
home, Usagi dragged herself up to her room, changed for bed and was soon asleep, 
dreaming of her wedding day and pondering the shopping trip with Rei to buy a gift for 
Ami's upcoming baby shower.


	The light of the dual suns shone through the small slivers called "windows" in his 
bedroom.  He opened his eyes slowly and looked around.  Jadeite sat up in bed, 
disappointed that it was morning so soon.  I was just getting to like my new soft bed, he 
thought to himself.  Then, he noticed his slave girl alongside the bed, kneeling on the 
floor, holding a silver platter up to him.  On the platter was a china plate with three eggs, 
over-easy just the way he liked them, wheat toast, two strips of bacon, two sausage links, 
and a large glass of water as well as polished silverware.
	"Ohayou gozaimasu, goshuujin-sama," the girl said, keeping her eyes downcast 
and the platter held up to him.
	"What is this, slave?"
	"Goshuujin-sama, this morning's breakfast was prepared by Baatezu-sama's 
cooks and delivered only a few minutes ago.  Slave hopes that it pleases you."
	"Very well, slave."  Jadeite took the fork and started to cut the sausage links as 
the slave girl held it still.  He then noticed a slip of paper folded and tucked under the 
plate.  Jadeite took up the paper and opened it, and as he read, he stabbed a hunk of the 
sausage and ate it.
	"Hmmm.  'Jadeite-kun, your presence is requested in the main conference room 
as soon as possible.'  I hope they're allowing me time to eat, dress, and make myself 
presentable."
	"Goshuujin-sama, a new uniform was delivered with the meal.  Slave has laid it 
and your other clothes out in the main room."
	"Arigato, slave."  Jadeite continued to eat the meal on the platter as the slave girl 
held it up for him.
	Jadeite finished the meal, took a quick bath, dressed, and then left his apartment, 
leaving the slave girl behind.  He walked through the ornate hallways, passing all sorts of 
odd creatures on his way to the conference room.  He had been living under Baatezu's 
roof for a couple of weeks now, and for the most part has not even seen his employer, 
aside from a few chance encounters in the hallways, and one time that he came by 
Jadeite's apartment to see how he was settling in and used his slave girl for a while.  
Other than that, there had been very little talk of this operation, let alone the 
Taiyounotsue.
	He walked down the stairs to the floor where Baatezu's main chambers were.  
Unlike the others that lived in the castle, Baatezu's living area and meeting rooms were in 
the belly of the castle.  Jadeite heard from the others who lived in the castle for some time 
that Baatezu's section was almost like a castle within a castle.  He had his own kitchens, 
bedrooms, meeting rooms, main chamber, etc.  He practically had his own evil Camelot 
within the walls of an even larger structure.  It impressed Jadeite tremendously and was 
one of the reasons he chose to join up with this operation, plus the fact that he wanted to 
exact revenge on the Sailor Senshi, especially Sailor Moon.
	Jadeite descended the stairs until he reached a very large room that was heavily 
guarded by demons, orcs, and hobgoblins; even a troll was there and decked out in plate 
armor.   He cautiously walked towards the large group of guards and it took no time for 
someone to notice him and bring his sword to bear.
	"Halt!" the hobgoblin said, causing the others to turn and look at the intruder.  
"Identify yourself or die!"
	Jadeite leveled his steely gaze at the hobgoblin.  "My name is Jadeite and my 
presence was requested by Baatezu-sama.  If you value your existence, then put that 
sword down now!"
	The hobgoblin quickly realized who Jadeite was and put the sword away.  
"Gomen nasai, Jadeite-sama.  You may pass."
	Jadeite watched as the sea of guards parted, opening a clear path to a huge, ornate 
door.  He slowly walked through the guards, casting glares randomly to them.  Each of 
them stood at attention as he passed and showed respect.  Only a single guard stood 
between him and the door, and that guard was only there to open the door for him.
	The door swung opened and revealed a huge main chamber with high ceilings and 
an ornate tiled floor.  Jadeite walked to the center of the chamber as the large door closed 
behind him.  He looked around, impressed with the architecture and the decorations that 
lined the walls.
	"Jadeite-kun!" a voice thundered through the room, causing Jadeite to snap his 
view towards a large throne that he hadn't noticed when he first walked in.  He found that 
odd since the throne was directly opposite the door he came in through and should have 
been clearly visible, yet, it wasn't there before and it was here now, with Baatezu sitting 
in it.  "I am pleased you could come and join us."
	"Us?" Jadeite repeated, puzzled.  He then heard an odd sound to his left and 
behind him, almost like a mini-sonic boom, the sound of air being suddenly displaced.  
He whipped around and saw a spinagon, sitting on a small stool with a wooden box in his 
lap.  The box also had golden inscriptions on all sides and an opening in the front about 
two inches tall and six inches wide.
	Jadeite heard the sonic boom again.  He looked around and turned until he saw 
who had teleported in behind him and to his right.  Another spinagon had arrived, but he 
was seated at what appeared to be a blackjack table for one and was wearing a visor on 
his forehead.  Jadeite raised his eyebrow at the sight of a blackjack-dealing demon, but 
after a few seconds of philosophical ponderings about gambling, money, and greed, 
figured it was fitting.
	The sonic boom sound echoed through the chamber again.  Jadeite wheeled 
around to try and locate the source and saw it next to the first spinagon that appeared.  
What appeared this time was a table covered in test tubes full of a pink liquid, something 
very small suspended in the solution.  A Bunsen burner and other chemistry apparatus 
also filled the table.
	Another sonic boom.  Jadeite looked casually to his right, next to where the 
poker-dealing spinagon sat.  He saw nothing at first except his shadow being cast by a 
torch on the wall.  Then Jadeite noticed two small beady red eyes shining from his 
shadow.  Jadeite noted this and then turned back to Baatezu.
	"Your forces, Jadeite-kun.  You may use these creatures as you wish to complete 
your mission.  First, the creatures you are most familiar with, the youma."  Baatezu 
pointed to the spinagon with the box.  "Then, there are the cardians."  Baatezu pointed to 
the blackjack table.  "The daimons."  Baatezu pointed to the table with the test tubes.  
"And finally, the lemures."  Baatezu indicated the red eyes in Jadeite's shadow.
	"Decisions, decisions," Jadeite said, absently as he gave the various youma 
another going over and was grinning like a kid in a candy store.
	"Jadeite-kun, look carefully and know that this is all you get.  Once you use them 
all up, you're on your own and I will not give you more.  Besides, I have faith in you, 
Jadeite-kun.  I am sure you will accomplish your mission without need of all these 
creatures."
	"Arigato, Baatezu-sama," Jadeite said as he gave a bow.
	"Our first task is to acquire the book which will tell us how to locate the pieces of 
the Taiyounotsue."
	"Hai, Baatezu-sama.  I've given this some thought.  I noticed you have a very 
extensive library in the upper part of the keep."
	"Yes, that is correct, Jadeite-kun."
	"I thought that I might do some research and see if I can find the name of the 
book, a description, or possibly both."
	"Excellent, Jadeite-kun.  You have permission to do your research."
	"Baatezu-sama, even if I do find the information, how will I actually locate the 
book and sieze it?  The Earth is a large place."
	"Do not worry, Jadeite-kun.  An underground cult that worships me as their god 
exists in most parts of the world.  Each cell of the cult has a high priest whom I can 
communicate with and bestow gifts upon.  If you find the information, I can pass it on to 
the high priests, who will in turn send my followers out into the world and they will 
locate the book.  Then you can go to Earth and seize it."
	"A wise plan, Baatezu-sama.  I shall begin my research immediately."  Jadeite 
turned and walked to the main door as the four types of youma disappeared, along with 
Baatezu.


	The summer passed quickly for the senshi.
	Ami kept busy reading various books on the topic of motherhood and began to 
attend natural childbirth classes with Usagi, Makoto, Minako, and Rei on a rotating basis.  
They thought they should all be ready, should Ami go into labor.  Mamoru even 
volunteered to be a coach for Ami, but Usagi's old habit of getting too jealous surfaced 
and she forbid it, unless she was along, too.
	Minako kept busy by frequently taking part in beach volleyball contests, and 
always did well; she even won some championships and never did worse than second 
place.  She also took part in some neighborhood plays, just to keep her acting skills in 
tune and gain some more experience.  Usagi, Ami, Makoto, Rei and Mamoru never 
missed one of her performances.
	Makoto spent most of her days working as head chef at the Coxtop, and dreaming 
of finding a good restaurant to apprentice at in America.  Her friends always made it a 
point to come by once a week and enjoy a leisurely dinner.  She also picked up a part-
time job at a small flower shop in the Azabu Medical Center to give her green thumb 
some practice.
	Usagi continued to draw and sketch, keeping her own skills in tune, but now that 
school was over, her drawing had become unfocused and more like a hobby again.  She 
began to draw manga images and hoped that she could impress her future teachers at 
Penn State with them.
	Mamoru continued to refine his theories and hypotheses about his new processor 
design, but that was all he could do without the resources that Penn State would provide.  
The rest of the summer, he spent with his fianc饬 going to the park, to movies, or to an 
occasional concert.
	Rei continued to be the beautiful shrine maiden and sell the love charms to the 
tourists.  But any chance she got, she would sneak away to that garage where Zombie 
Horseradish continued to practice and hoped that one day, Rei, Kenji, Takahiro, and 
Tadashi would have the chance to perform onstage in front of a packed club, even for one 
night.
	Then, the most important day of their lives, so far, arrived.
	One day in early July, Usagi and Mamoru returned to her house after a walk in the 
park with Luna.  She opened the door to find her father and little brother dancing in the 
living room and shouting, "Hooray!"
	"Nani?  Father??  Shingo-kun??  What's going on?" she asked, dumbstruck by the 
display.
	"You got a letter from Penn State!" Kenji cried, still dancing around, and waving 
an open envelope and letter in his hand.
	Usagi rushed into the room and snatched the letter away from her father and 
quickly began to read it.
	"I got in!!" she cried and threw herself into Mamoru's arms.  She took hold of his 
hands and started to dance around him, spinning him in little circles.  He closed his eyes, 
laughed along with Usagi and smiled back, just as Kenji and Shingo were stopping from 
pure exhaustion.  Usagi noticed her father and brother finally standing still and wheezing 
like they'd just run a marathon.  She broke away from Mamoru and slowly approached 
her father.  "I wish mama were here to share in this," she said quietly.
	Her father stood up straight and put his arms around Usagi.  "I know, Usagi-chan.  
I know.  She would be very proud of you, just like I am."
	"Yeah!" Shingo interrupted.  "Whoever thought that Odango-Atama would ever 
get into college!"
	Usagi turned to her side and stuck her tongue out at Shingo, igniting a playful 
tongue war that paled in comparison to the classics she used to have with Rei.  After 
several minutes, both Usagi and Shingo broke into huge grins and hugged each other.
	At the same time, a couple miles away, Makoto and Rei returned to the Hikawa 
Shrine after walking to the shopping district to buy some new clothes.  They walked 
inside; gabbing and comparing the guys they saw on the way back, but split up when they 
got to their rooms.
	Makoto dropped her purchases on her bed, grabbed some hangers from the closet, 
and began to unwrap the shirts and dresses she bought and put them on the hangers when 
she heard a loud scream from Rei's room, just next door.  Makoto dropped everything, 
ran out of her room and threw the door open to Rei's.
	Rei stood in the center of the room, jumping up and down and waving a piece of 
paper and an envelope in her hand through the air.  Makoto slowly walked closer to her.  
"Rei-chan?  Daijobu?" she asked.
	"Hai!" Rei cried in a high-pitched voice.  "I heard from Penn State, Mako-chan!  
They accepted me!"
	Makoto quickly rushed up to her friend, they grabbed each other by the shoulders 
and let out a shout of joy in unison, then hugged tightly and started jumping up and down 
together.
	A few seconds later, Rei's grandfather and Yuuichiro ran through the open door 
and into the room, panting hard, to see Rei and Makoto rejoicing.  "Rei-san?  Daijobu?" 
Yuuichiro asked, puzzled.
	"I'm going to school in America, Yuuichiro-san!" she answered.
	"Sugoi, Rei-san!"
	"I thought that might be the reason.  Rei-chan, I was holding back a graduation 
present until I knew for sure if you were going to America or not," Rei's grandfather said, 
pulling a box from behind his back and handing it to her.
	Rei examined the box.  It was about the size of a shoebox, but was wrapped with 
gift paper and a ribbon.  She was about to yank the ribbon off and tear into the paper 
when her grandfather shouted, "Stop!  Don't open it here!  Open it once you are in your 
new home in America."
	She looked down to the box, her curiosity about what was in it gnawing at her.  
After some consideration, she put the box down on her desk and said, "As you wish, 
grandfather."
	Rei's grandfather smiled to the girls, then turned and walked out of the room, 
everyone watching as he departed.  Yuuichiro turned back to the girls, then approached 
Makoto and gave her a friendly hug.  "I'm real happy for you both.  I wish I were going 
to America with you.  Did you also apply to Penn State, Kino-san?"
	A lump rose in her throat.  "Iie, Yuuichiro-san.  I didn't apply," she said, sadly.
	"Why not?" he asked.
	"It's a long story."
	Yuuichiro nodded and smiled.  If she wants to tell him about it, she will in her 
own time, he thought.  He then turned to the beaming face of the girl he cared about more 
than anything.  He marveled at Rei's beauty.  The way the sunlight was streaming in 
through the window and played upon her features was dazzling to him.  She looked so 
much like an angel.  She seemed to be holding her arms out to her sides, invitingly.  He 
took a step towards her and wrapped his arms around her to give her the same friendly 
hug he had given to Makoto, although he secretly wished it could be more.  The warmth 
of holding Rei close made him melt inside, but the feeling was abruptly cut short when 
she suddenly started to pound on his chest and arms, as hard as she could, and shouting 
for him to stop.
	Yuuichiro released her, not so much by choice, but more as a reflex action from 
the pain Rei was inflicting.  He took a step back and held his arms out, as if to say, 
"Look!  I'm not hurting you!"  He glanced over to Makoto who was beside herself.  She 
had never seen Rei act this way.  They both looked at Rei who was frozen there, her arms 
clasped against her chest, terror etched across her face, her breathing heavy, and she was 
visibly shaking.  Neither Yuuichiro nor Makoto knew what to do, so Yuuichiro broke the 
silence first.  "Rei-san..."
	"Shut up, baka!  Get out!" Rei snapped at Yuuichiro.
	"Rei-chan..." Makoto whispered.
	"Get out!  Get out!  Get out!" she continued to shout, then finally shoved him 
hard into a waist-high bookshelf, and ran out of the room.  Yuuichiro tried to use the 
bookshelf to maintain his balance, but he was too heavy for the thin wood and the shelves 
shattered beneath him.  Makoto turned to Yuuichiro once Rei had disappeared out of the 
room and helped him up from the pile of wood and twisted books, and then they both ran 
in pursuit of Rei.
	Yuuichiro and Makoto ran out into the courtyard and spotted Rei leaning against a 
distant tree, her head hidden by an arm.  They immediately ran to her.
	"Rei?  Daijobu?" Makoto asked again.
	"Gomen," she mumbled.  "I don't know what came over me."
	"Rei-san, if I have done something to offend?"
	Rei looked up at him.  The swelling of her eyes and the tears that had streaked 
down her cheeks was obvious.  "You haven't done anything," she said softly, soothingly.  
"Gomen nasai for treating you that way."
	"Do you want to talk about it?" Makoto asked, sensing that something was up.  
She didn't need Rei's psychic abilities to see that something was bothering her.  The pain 
of this secret was clearly overwhelming Rei, and Makoto hoped her friend would confide 
in her as she had with so many things before.
	"There's nothing to talk about.  Gomen," she again said softly, then walked 
slowly back to her room, leaving Makoto and Yuuichiro concerned.
	In another part of Juuban, the lock on an apartment door snapped open, and the 
door swung wide to allow a blue-haired girl entry into the room.
	"Mom!  I'm home!" she shouted as she carefully bent over to remove her shoes.  
Her growing belly was making it more and more difficult to do certain tasks, changing 
shoes being one of them.
	"Ami-chan!"
	The blue-haired girl looked up to see her mother, Dr. Mizuno, standing by the 
doorway to the kitchen.  "Hai, mama!" she called again.
	"I made some sandwiches for you!"
	"Sugoi!  When do you have to be at work?"  Ami finally got her slippers on and 
slowly walked, or waddled, as she liked to tease herself, to the kitchen.
	"Not for another hour, which will give us time to have dinner together!"
	Wow, Ami thought, it's been ages since mom and I have managed to sit down and 
have a meal together.  When she walked into the kitchen, she gasped.  Her mother didn't 
just make some sandwiches.  On the round kitchen table sat a platter with three short 
stacks of sandwiches.  From the doorway, she could easily identify a stack of peanut 
butter and jelly, a stack of ham and cheese, and a stack of chicken sandwiches, all of 
Ami's favorites.  She moved to the table and carefully seated herself on one side as her 
mother filled two glasses of water from a container in the refrigerator and then sat 
opposite her.
	"What's the occasion?" Ami asked, then wished she had taken it back.
	"What do you mean, Ami-chan?"
	Drat, Ami thought, I'm committed.  "Well, it's just been a long time since we 
both sat down for a meal, plus you made all my favorite sandwiches."
	"You got some mail today...from America!"
	"Really?"
	Dr. Mizuno reached into her blazer and pulled out an envelope that had already 
been ripped open.  Ami immediately noticed the Penn State return address logo and lost 
her appetite.  Her mother pulled out the contents of the envelope.  "They accepted you, 
Ami-chan!  Actually, accepted would be an understatement."
	"Really?  Why?"
	"Not only did they accept you, but they gave you a full-ride scholarship, which is 
unheard of for a foreign student!"
	Ami was speechless.  She hoped more than anything that she could get a nice 
scholarship to reduce the burden on her mother, but this went way beyond her 
expectations!
	"So, to celebrate, I thought I'd make us some sandwiches, and we'd have dinner 
before I have to go in to work."
	Something nagged at Ami, turning her feelings of joy into feelings of dread.  She 
never told her mother what her major really was going to be.  She only told her that she 
was going into medicine and be a doctor.  The time had come to tell her.  "Mom?  You 
know I'm going into medicine and going to be a doctor, right?"
	"Hai," Dr. Mizuno replied as she took a chicken sandwich off the top of the stack 
and bit into it.
	"Well, I didn't tell you everything.  I'm not going to be a surgeon.  I've decided to 
go into family practice."
	Dr. Mizuno stopped chewing her bite of sandwich and simply stared at her 
daughter.  "Why, Ami-chan?" she asked after a long, uncomfortable pause.
	"Mama, please don't take this wrong.  You've been a wonderful mother and I 
wouldn't trade you for anything?"
	"It's because I'm gone a lot, isn't it?"
	Ami wished she could've taken everything back?everything she had said or done 
since she came home.  "Hai," she whispered, a hint of sadness in her voice.
	Dr. Mizuno sighed and put the sandwich down.  "Gomen, Ami-chan.  I never 
meant my workaholic ways to hurt you.  Believe me, there were many nights that I 
would've much preferred to stay at home and spend time with you, but this job?it's 
more than just a job.  You might not understand now, but once you graduate and have 
patients of your own, you'll get it.  I hope you don't hate me."
	"Never, mama!  I could never hate you.  It's like you said, there were nights that I 
really wanted you to stay home with me."
	Dr. Mizuno looked at her daughter, and could see the silent pleading in her eyes.  
"Ami-chan?"
	"Hai?"
	"Would you like to go rent a movie?  I'm suddenly not feeling too well."
	Ami didn't understand at first, but when she saw her mother wink at her, she 
knew what was up.  Her mother was going to play hooky from work to spend it with her 
and she felt herself smile again.
	"How long until you'll have to leave for the States?"
	"About a month."
	"What do you say that I talk to my boss and see if he can re-arrange my schedule 
so we can have some more time together?"
	"I'd like that, mama."
	"Great!  Well, dig in to that pile, honey.  Remember, you're eating for two.  I'll 
go and call in."
	"Hai, mama!" Ami leaned back in her chair as her mother walked into the living 
room and picked up the phone.  She picked a ham sandwich from the pile and began to 
eat, thinking about all the things she wanted to do with her mother over the years, and 
now finally having the chance to do them.
	Meanwhile, in another part of Juuban, a blonde girl with a red ribbon in her hair 
and a play script tucked under her arm ran up the sidewalk to the Victorian-style house 
where she lived.  Without a hesitation, she turned the knob, knowing the door would be 
open and walked inside.
	"Hi, mom!  Hi, dad!  I'm home!" she shouted, and was nearly run over by a 
gentleman in his early 50's, balding, with salt-and-pepper hair, eyeglasses, wearing a 
dark blue suit come rushing down the stairs and down a hallway that was in front of the 
girl.
	"Kimiyo-chan, have you seen my blue tie with the maroon trim?" the older man 
shouted as he walked down the hallway and then disappeared to the left.
	"Iie, but your blue tie with gold trim would look better, Tarou-chan!" a woman's 
voice replied.
	The older gentleman reappeared in the hallway, muttering to himself about the 
color of ties when he stopped in front of Minako.  "Konbanwa, Mina-chan.  I hope your 
day went well," he said, and kissed her on the forehead, but before she could answer, he 
took off up the staircase and disappeared into a room at the top of the stairs.
	Minako sighed as she caught sight of an older woman, probably in her early to 
mid-forties walk down the hall towards Minako, but then stop and shout up the staircase, 
"Your cufflinks are in the small box on the big chest!"  The only reply was a muffled 
mumble of acknowledgement.  The older woman stepped up to Minako.  "So, dear, how 
was play practice?"
	Minako rolled her eyes.  "Mom, tonight was the second performance of the play 
and you and dad still haven't come!"
	"I'm sorry, dear.  Things have just been hectic.  Did you hear that your father was 
promoted to Executive Vice-President of Nakatomi Computers?"
	"Yes, mother, you told me two weeks ago!  Now, tell me why you and dad 
haven't come to see me in the play!"
	"You know it really is terrible that only after two weeks on the job, they're 
sending him off to a factory in Taiwan to fix some horrible design screw-up.  You think 
they could've at least given him some time to settle?"
	"Mother!  There are only two more nights of performances!  When are you and 
dad going to?"
	"Don't interrupt, Minako-chan.  That is so disrespectful!  Anyway, like I was 
saying, only two weeks in the new position and they're sending him off to Taiwan 
tonight."
	"Tonight?!  But my play?"
	"Oh, yes!  Your play!  'Grease,' wasn't it?"
	"'Grease' was last month!  We're doing 'The Glass Menagerie' now!"
	"Oh!  That's Oscar Wilde, isn't it?"
	"No, mother, it's Tenessee Williams'!  Oh, never mind!"
	Minako rushed up the stairs, nearly crashing into her father at the top, but dodging 
him at the last second, rushing straight to her room, and slamming the door.  Her father 
watched Minako disappear into her room, and then turned down the staircase to meet his 
wife's gaze.  "What's with her?" he asked.  Kimiyo just shrugged in response.
	In her room, Artemis had heard the argument downstairs and was standing on 
Minako's desk, awaiting her arrival, and arrive she did.  In an instant, the door swung 
open, then closed and a blonde girl suddenly stood in the middle of the room, staring at 
the closed door, her fists clenched.  "Mama no baka," she quietly seethed.
	"Minako-chan?" Artemis asked quietly.
	The room was silent for a moment, and then Minako suddenly whirled around to 
Artemis, a huge grin on her face, fists no longer clenched.  "Hai, Artemis?" she asked, 
innocently.
	"How did the performance go?" he asked, leaping from her desk to her bed.
	"Oh, Masahiro missed a cue, and Yumi forgot her lines right during the climax of 
the story, as usual, but other than that, it went pretty good.  I stunned the audience, of 
course!"  Minako flashed a self-satisfied toothy grin to her feline companion.
	"It's too bad your parents missed your performance again," he sighed.
	Minako's expression suddenly reverted back to one of rage.  "Mama no baka!" 
she shouted at the closed door.
	"Hey!  Hey!  Keep your voice down," Artemis pleaded.  "You got some very 
important-looking mail today.  Maybe it'll cheer you up?"
	"Really?  Where is it?"
	"On your desk."
	Minako shot to the desk and spied the envelope right away with the Penn State 
logo and return address in the corner.  She quickly opened it, pulled the contents from the 
envelope and scanned them.  Artemis looked on as she read the letter inside.  She 
suddenly clutched the letter to her chest and turned to the cat, huge stars in her eyes.  "I 
got in!" she said to him loudly, then choked back a scream of joy and re-read the letter.  
"I'm going to school in America!" she sighed, then collapsed on her bed next to the cat 
and stared up at the ceiling, her thoughts already on the other side of the world.  
Something suddenly snapped her out of it and she sat up.  "I have to tell mom and dad!  
They'll be so happy!"  And so will I, she thought, because I'll be away from both of 
them, although maybe with news like this, they'll actually stop and listen to me for once!
	"Minako, I don't think now is a good time?"
	"Nonsense!  This is the perfect time!  You know what they say, 'No rhyme like 
the present!'"
	Artemis sweatdropped and was about to correct her when she zipped out of the 
door, like a blonde tornado.
	Minako sped down the stairs just in time to see her mom and dad heading out the 
door.  "Wait!  There's something I need to tell you!" she cried to her parents.
	"I'm taking your father to the airport.  His flight leaves in an hour.  You can tell 
me when I get home," Minako's mother said.
	"But, mom?"
	"There are some ham sandwiches and chips in the kitchen!  I shouldn't be gone 
too long!  Ja!"  And before Minako could say another word, her parents closed the door 
and were gone.  She walked down the rest of the stairs and peered out to watch her folks 
get into their car and drive off.  She turned and leaned against the door and sighed.  
Artemis appeared at the top of the stairs and looked down at his charge as she began to 
slide down the door to the floor and sob silently to herself.