Chapter 4: Reenie, Where The Hell Are You!?!?! I'm back in the habit again!!! Nothing has changed as far as who owns what goes. This story, Pollianus, and all the characters *EXCEPT* for the Sailor Scouts and their alternate identities, the Crystal Tokyo Royal Family, and the husbands of the four Inner Scouts belong to me. I'm not making any money off of this. This chapter, I'm introducing three new characters, Grekari Naturalier, Tycallie Rockheart, and Sandigeo Grekari Rockheart. Like with the Vitaliters, I put a lot of work into the Rockhearts and I *do* NOT want you using them for your purposes. Oh, yeah, I almost forgot. There is a moment suggesting sex in this chapter between Selraina and Sandigeo. There's no actual intercourse per se, but I just wanted you to let you know so that you can decide for yourselves whether or not you want to read that part. Sandigeo does do the right thing and say no, though. Okay? Now on with the story!!! After Gravitus was commited to the hospital with serious head injuries last night and Despicability was arrested by the Cold Falconian Police Department soon after, Selraina and I are left to fend for ourselves. We moved in with Selraina's boyfriend, Sandigeo Grekari Rockheart. Selraina could move about the house freely, but I have to stay in the basement because Sandigeo's parents would send me to an orphanage as soon as they learn that I am in their house. Man, I'm starving!! Where is Selraina with my dinner?!! "Sorry I took so long, Reenie," Selraina apologizes as she hands me my dinner. I scowl at Selraina and then wolf down my dinner. Sandigeo comes down after Selraina to make certain everything's okay. "I feel like Anne Frank," I complain. "I hate being cooped up down here!!" "Yeah, and I don't like keeping you down here, Reenie," Sandigeo agrees sadly. "But you do understand why it has to be this way, don't you?" "If your parents find out about me, they'll send me to an orphanage," I recite. "Exactly," Sandigeo praises me. "And if my parents catch Selraina and me together in the same room for too long, Selraina gets the boot. So take comfort, Reenie; we all have to be inconvenienced. As much as Selraina and I love each other, we can't spend as much time by ourselves as we used to and we can't make out at all now that we're all in the same house together." "I want my mommy and daddy!!" I sob. "Reenie, stop that!!" Sandigeo snaps as he picks me up and covers my face with his hand so tightly that I couldn't breathe. "Now you just stop that, young lady," Sandigeo barks at me in an acid, paternal tone as he takes his hand off my face. "I can't spend any time alone with my girlfriend and I am not crying and carrying on like a spoiled brat in dire need of a spanking like you were." "Nice move, Cassonova," Selraina tells Sandigeo sarcastically. "You hurt Reenie's feelings. Oh, you're just the man of the hour." I'm not bawling like I was earlier, but I'm still upset and crying softly. "Selraina, go keep an eye out for my parents in case they heard the noise," Sandigeo says as he walks over with me to the couch on which I had slept last night and sits down before saying to me as moderately as he can, "Reenie, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you like that. I know that you miss your parents and I would take you to them if I knew who they were and where they are." Sandigeo's apology sounds nice and sincere and I begin to see him more as a nice person to be friends with and maybe fall in love with instead of as a colossal disagreeable jackass like he was just a moment earlier. "Listen, Reenie. My mom and dad must never learn that you're down here. If they do, we are all dead meat. Selraina explained your problem to me and I have the solution in the works, but I need time to develop it." "You're going to help me?" I ask Sandigeo. "Yes, I am going to help you, Reenie," Sandigeo replies. "Making you prove yourself in combat is a rotten thing for your parents to make you do." "How long will it take you, Sandigeo?" I ask. "There are too many factors at work for me to give you a definite answer," Sandigeo tells me. "I have to go to school, hang out with my friends, spend time and go out on dates with my girlfriend, do chores around the house, sleep, etc. just like any other teenager. These Pollianian days are short!!! Shoot!!!" "How do you plan to help me?" I question Sandigeo. "When your mom, Sailor Moon, was defeated by a particularly powerful Cardian, she was given a new brooch and a very powerful sceptre by your grandma known as the Moon Sceptre, Reenie," Sandigeo says. "With that weapon, she finished off many deadly monsters of all shapes. But now, you're Sailor Moon and unfortunately, all your powers do right now is simply distract and annoy enemies which may buy the other Sailor Scouts some time to regroup and refocus their efforts toward the task at hand. But this time, this will be of no help to you since it's the Sailor Scouts . . . err their daughters, you will be fighting. Trying to answer brute force with brute force will not do you any good either. The only way to win is to take advantage of the weaknesses of their powers and characters." "Okay, so how do I take advantage of the weaknesses of my future court?" I ask Sandigeo. "With a weapon known as the Adaptation Sceptre," Sandigeo proclaims proudly as he whips out a drawing of an object that's supposed to be 15 inches long. "This is the Adaptation Sceptre, Reenie. When I finish it, you will be able to exploit your opponents' weaknesses by adopting their powers as if they were your very own." "Wow!!" I marvel of Sandigeo's plan. "But I have one question: when are you going to finish it?" "This is just a temporary design, Reenie," Sandigeo tells me as he puts the drawing away. "I'm trying to design the Adaptation Sceptre with you in mind. I want the Sceptre to be something that's lightweight and balanced enough for you to be able to hold it in one hand, yet sturdy enough to be used as a club and still function if you should accidentally drop it or if it's knocked from your hand in combat. I also want it to be something you can hold onto easily without your hands getting tired quickly. The Sceptre also has computer circuitry in it which must be protected from the harsh elements and has to be supplied with power. Hopefully, there's a metal that I can make the sceptre itself out of that is lightweight yet strong enough to resist the stresses of combat and will last a long time against corrosion, oxidation, and general wear and tear." "Will I be able to use it in combat in say . . . 40 years from now?" I ask Sandigeo. "Well . . ., I can't make any promises, Reenie," Sandigeo says as he lays me down on the couch. "The Adaptation Sceptre is just an idea, so we can't actually test it and see how it will hold up in combat. You will have to clean the Sceptre occasionally, both inside and out. When the Sceptre is finished, I'll show you how to take it apart so you can clean out the inside and then how to put it back together securely. It's also at that point that I'll show you how to program the Sceptre and use it to copy the powers of your opponents and your adversaries. It's all very easy to do, but you need your rest." Sandigeo calls out to Selraina and she reports that Sandigeo's parents have heard the noise but dismissed it as some poorly-stored equipment falling down. Selraina comes down to check on me once Sandigeo's parents have gone to bed. I assure her that I'm okay and Selraina goes back upstairs to her bed. **************************************************************************** *******Crystal Tokyo Medical Centre: July 5, 2996, 1:30 pm******* "I'm a bad mother," Neo-Queen Serenity sobbed into King Endymion's tuxedo. Endymion holds Serenity feeling just as guilty for drawing up the battle plan. "Amy, can't you do something!??!" Amy Mizuno finishes her examination of my unconcious form. "Pulse and breathing active but very weak," Amy reported sadly. "I'm very sorry, Serenity. "All we can do now is wait." "I can't stand waiting!!" Serenity bawled. "I'll use the Silver Imperium Crystal to speed up Reenie's recovery!!!" Serenity then whips out the Crystal and is about to begin powering up when Endymion does something totally unexpected and out of character. With a swift motion of his hand, Endymion slaps Serenity!! Alexandria Haruka Ten'oh charges angrily toward Endymion, but Lita Kino and Sharon Setsuna Mei'ou grab her long enough for Michelle Michiru Kai'oh to knock her out. Alex slumps to the floor unconscious. Michelle then spots a hysterical Serenity on the floor searching for the Silver Imperium Crystal which had been knocked out of her hand when Endymion slapped her. Serenity spots the Crystal, but before she can grab it, but Michelle puts her foot on her wrist and steals it. "We all ought to be ashamed of ourselves," Michelle rebuked as she knees Serenity in the face and pulls her to her feet. "Acting like children when Reenie needs us!!! She may be a vegetable for all we know!!!! Did any of you ever consider that!?!?!?!" No one says anything for fear of inciting Michelle's wrath for a while. Then Raye Hino speaks up. "Reenie is not in this room," Raye said quietly as she concentrates her spiritual powers. Everyone turns to Raye and gives her a blank look. "Why is everyone looking at me like that for?" "Raye, you just said that Reenie is not in this room," Mina Aino replied as she points to Reenie. "That's not true. She lies right there." "That's not what I meant, you towheaded imbecile!!!" Raye barked at Mina. "Well, what did you mean, Raye?" Sharon asked as she holds back an angry Mina. "That over there," Raye explained as she points at my comatose body, "is simply a body that happens to look like Reenie. Her soul and spirit are elsewhere." "Are Reenie's spirit and soul on this . . . continent?" Endymion ventured, trying to break the ice. Raye closes her eyes and then opens them after a few seconds. "Well, are they?" Raye shakes her head. "How about . . . on this planet?" Serenity asked Raye. Raye closes her eyes for a full five minutes before opening them and shaking her head. Serenity loses all control and grabs and shakes Raye demanding, "Raye, WHERE IS MY DAUGHTER!?!?!? IF YOU KNOW, SPIT IT OUT!!!" Raye's calm violet eyes meet Serenity's hysterical blue eyes. "Weren't you ever told as a child that if you play with fire, you may get BURNED?!!?" Raye asked Serenity, putting emphasis on the word 'burned.' At this, Serenity lets go of Raye screaming that she burned her hands. Endymion escorts Serenity to the bathroom so that cold water can be run over the 'burns.' Amy goes in and examines Serenity. "You all right, Serenity?" Lita asked as Serenity, Endymion, and Amy come out of the bathroom. "Lita, Serenity was not burned at all," Amy said. Lita looks perplexed and then storms over to Raye demanding an explanation. "Lita, relax," Raye laughed. "It's just a mind trick. All I did was run a false nervous impulse through Serenity's nervous system that said the hands were being burned while I was going on about what happens to those who play with fire. Serenity is quite all right, but you should have seen the look on your face!!! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!!!!!!" Raye cackles loudly at her joke for a few minutes, but her laughter gradually subsides when she sees that no one else is laughing with her, especially Sharon, Endymion, Alex, Lita, and of course Serenity. "Raye Hino, everyone here is losing patience with you, *especially* me," Sharon started out coldly as she takes off her shoe and slaps its heel in her hand. "You better get serious and get serious QUICK before I give you the nastiest whipping you have ever known, young lady." Raye gulps. "Okay, so let's go over what we know," Raye reviewed. Sharon calms down and puts her shoe back on. "We know that Reenie's soul and spirit are not anywhere on this planet. A search of the solar system is more extensive and will take more time to complete." "Do it," Endymion told Raye. "What? Surely you don't mean now," Raye gasped, taken aback at the King's order. "You have your orders, Raye," Endymion said authoritatively. "I'm gonna have a supergiant headache in the morning," Raye groaned to herself as she closes her eyes. "The Sun's clean," Raye says after twenty minutes, eyes still closed. An hour passes and Raye checks Mercury, Venus and the Moon off the list. "Ohh ahhh, Mars!!!" Raye exclaims. "My birthplanet!! No sign of Reenie's soul and spirit anywhere." Raye opens her eyes and begins crying. Alex had regained consciousness at this point and she walks up on Raye and hugs her. "Raye, I know you're homesick for Mars," Alex whispered as she kisses the upset Raye on her head. "We all are. We all miss our families --- both the ones that we had in the Silver Millennium and the ones that we were reborn to. If you think that you're homesick, think how Reenie's soul and spirit are feeling right now. They're out there somewhere, Raye. Just think how happy Serenity and Endymion will be once you locate Reenie's soul and spirit and reunite them with that little girl lying on the bed over there." "I'm so tired and my head hurts," Raye groaned. Christine Hotaru Tomoe, who had been silent the whole time, gives Raye a recharge. "Thanks, Christine. That feels good." "You want to thank me, Raye?" Christine remarked. "Put those psychic powers of yours to good use and find my best friend!!" "Did you check Phobos and Deimos, Raye?" Mina asked. "Yeah, I did, Mina," Raye sighed. "Nothing but rock. I guess Jupiter is next on the list." Raye then closes her eyes. After two hours, Raye opens her eyes and cries out, "Shit!! It's too damn stormy down there!! I can't get a clear picture!! I'm checking the moons." Raye then closes her eyes and reports that there's nothing of interest on Jupiter's moons after 30 minutes. "What about Saturn?" Christine asked Raye. Raye scans Saturn as Christine has asked. "It's no better than Jupiter," Raye said to Christine with a sigh. "Nice planet you got there, but it won't even do me the courtesy of allowing me to get a picture before messing it up." No one says anything for a while. "What if . . . the resistance you got with Jupiter and Saturn is a message of some kind, Raye?" Sharon suggested. "What could that message be saying?" Raye asked Sharon. "Perhaps your psychic powers know best and disagree with the planet-by-planet approach we're employing now, Raye," Michelle hinted. Everyone then looks at Michelle strangely. "What??! Why are you all looking at me like that?" Michelle asks. "I can't help it if I was blessed with brains!!" "I heard that, girlfriend," Amy agreed with Michelle as she whips out her computer and starts typing. "I caught it a lot from the Inners in the beginning." Everybody chuckles at the plight of the two brains until Christine asks what Amy is doing. "I'm writing a program to process all this data, Christine," Amy explains, showing no sign of pausing. "As strange as Michelle's suggestion that Raye's psychic powers know what will get the job done the fastest and are instead dropping clues about the whereabouts of Reenie's soul and spirit are, I agree with it and this program, once I . . . . ack!!!" Amy scrolls up several lines, deletes and rewrites a line, and then drops to the bottom of the screen to resume coding. "As I was saying, once I finish this program, I'll use it to conduct a search that will list the planets that fit that description, Christine. Programming in these variables is murder!!" "Then save what you have done and take a break, Amy," Michelle suggested as Amy saves what she has done. "We're all mothers and you'll need your energy later. In your case, you may not have enough for dealing with that brat daughter of yours." Michelle then swipes Amy's computer and puts it in her breast pocket. "Hey, Michelle!!" Amy shouted as she jumps up and reaches for her computer. "That's mine!! Give it back!!!" "Not until you go home, eat dinner, and get a good night's sleep," Michelle refused as she steps out of Amy's reach. "Alexandria, Lita, could you please take care of Ms. Mizuno?" "Wait!!" Christine interrupted when she sees Michelle soak a cloth in chloroform. "If you feed Amy and then use the chloroform, she'll drown in her own vomitus!!" "You have a point there, Christine," Michelle agreed as she empties the whole bottle of chloroform into the cloth. "I guess we'll just have to send Amy to bed without supper. Alex, Lita, hold it." Michelle then walks over to Amy who is struggling unsuccessfully to free herself from Alex and Lita's death grip. "Michelle, what are you going to do?" Amy demanded. "Let go of me, you muscle bound gorillas!!!" Alex and Lita simply tighten their grip on Amy. "Tsk tsk tsk, Amy," Michelle scolded in a playful tone, shaking her head. "Insulting someone stronger than yourself . . . now I KNOW it's past your bedtime." Folding the cloth, Michelle flashes a brief smile and then puts the cloth over Amy's nose and mouth. "Now just relax and breathe deeply," Michelle coaxes Amy in a gentle maternal tone. Amy bugs her eyes out as she tries to fight the fumes of the chloroform. "Amy, don't do this to yourself," Michelle cajoles as she plays with Amy's short blue hair. "You're going to go to slumberland one way or the other, be it this chloroform or the lack of oxygen. Personally, I would rather that it be the chloroform." Amy then begins to fall asleep and fight less. "Yeah, Amy, that's it," Michelle encourages as she kisses Amy on the forehead. "Just shut those baby blues and let yourself go to sleep." Amy then becomes completely limp. Michelle removes the cloth from Amy's face and opens an eye and waves her hand up and down real fast. No response. Michelle then flashes the thumbs up sign and Alex and Lita form a chair with their arms and carry Amy away. "She'll thank me later for this," Michelle remarks of the sleeping Amy as Alex and Lita disappear down the hall. "In about twelve hours." "Michelle!!!" everyone scolded. Raye whispers something to Sharon and the two women leave the room. Christine does a military-style about-face and marches out of the room. Mina dresses Michelle down for being so careless and orders her not to ever use chloroform again before stomping out of the room. Michelle walks over to Endymion and Serenity. "You guys going to make it?" Michelle asked Endymion and Serenity. No answer. "I know that it's your kid you're worried about. Don't worry; Reenie's going to be just fine." "Michelle, I think you have a daughter at home who needs you," Endymion said blankly. Michelle turns to leave, but Serenity grabs her and slaps her . . . hard. "Serenity, what did you do that for?" Michelle asked, shocked. "That's for gross carelessness and negligence!!!" Serenity bellowed at Michelle as she slaps her again, much harder this time. "It's one thing to use a splash or two of chloroform to help or force Amy to go to sleep, but you tried to suffocate her with it!!!! If Amy does not wake up on her own in twelve hours as you have predicted, I'll have you on trial for attempted murder!!! NOW GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!!!!" On that note, Serenity turns her attention back to Reenie's comatose body and Michelle takes the hint and leaves her queen and king alone with their daughter. **************************************************************************** The next morning, Sandigeo comes down right when I'm trying to wake up and asks to measure my hands. "Sandigeo, what are you hoping to accomplish by doing this?" I ask, not sure if I want to accomodate Sandigeo's unusual request. "Reenie, remember what I said about wanting to design the Adaptation Sceptre with you in mind?" Sandigeo asks. "If I want to meet that goal, I have to find out the dimensions of your hands so that I know how big around to make the handle of the Sceptre. I'm also trying to think ahead on how big your hands will get so that you'll be able to hold onto it easily many years from now." I look into Sandigeo's dark reddish-orange eyes. Sandigeo frowns as if in thought, and then smiles and tells me, "This won't hurt a bit, Reenie. All you have to do is hold out your open hand." "You sure this won't hurt?" I ask Sandigeo. "You won't feel a thing, Reenie," Sandigeo assures me as he takes my left hand and a large pair of calipers. He then opens them and clamps them parallel to the bones in my hand. Sandigeo then tightens them and it hurts. "Sandigeo Grekari Rockheart, what are you doing?" Selraina demands. "Selraina, I thought you were my mom!!" Sandigeo gasps as he releases the calipers. "Why are you torturing Reenie?" Selraina asks Sandigeo, ignoring Sandigeo's comment. Sandigeo then explains his intentions to Selraina and she chuckles softly. "Sandigeo, your intentions are very thought out considering you only have [65] years, but frankly, I find your methods of excuting them are the biggest little bull I have ever heard. Why don't you have Reenie do handprints on a piece of paper? Or trace her hands?" "Why didn't I think of that?!!" Sandigeo chides himself as he slaps his forehead. "You're an Earth-year younger than I am and you came up with something so simple, Selraina!!" "Sandigeo, Selraina, are you two having a lover's spat?" Sandigeo's dad, Grekari Naturalier, shouts as he storms toward the basement entrance. Selraina grabs me, shoves me in the closet, and closes the door while Sandigeo goes up to meet Grekari. "No, Dad," Sandigeo replies. "Selraina and I are just talking." "Well, I don't care what you two are doing!!!" Grekari bellows. "Your mother and I are trying to sleep, so keep it down!!!!" "Selraina, is it safe to come out?" I ask in a small voice from inside the closet. "Hold on for a bit," Selraina tells me. I stay put and then I hear footsteps. "So is the coast clear?" "Yes, it's clear," Sandigeo replies. "Reenie can come out." I come out of the closet. "Boy, is your dad a grouch," Selraina grouses to Sandigeo. "Yeah, he's been like this ever since Spinster Orphanage was shut down," Sandigeo sadly agrees with Selraina. "Okay, here's the plan. Selraina, take these two tickets and do what you can to get my parents interested in going to the cultural event they're for while I gather my equipment and drive it and Reenie to your parents' vacation cabin." "But why, Fire Eyes?" Selraina asks Sandigeo, calling him by her pet name for him because of his fiery looking eyes. "It's not safe for Reenie here anymore, Emerald Angel," Sandigeo explains, calling Selraina by his pet name for her because of her dark green eyes. "My mom Tycallie Rockheart will go ballistic in a heartbeat if she finds Reenie here. And my dad doesn't need any more surprises at this point in the game. I just don't want to press our luck anymore than we already have. If my mom catches Reenie here, she'll end up in an orphanage where she'll basically be warehoused until she +has [eighty] years.+" "You're already becoming attached to Reenie," Selraina teases Sandigeo. "You could say that," Sandigeo shoots back at Selraina with a smile, "but I'm trying to keep us out of hot water and Reenie out of the hands of the authorities." "Scalding water makes for nasty burns," Selraina says amusedly. "Yeah, whatever," Sandigeo sighs, dismissing Selraina's remark. "Get going!!!" Selraina tromps up the stairs and Sandigeo leaves to gather his equipment. I linger at the entrance to the basement waiting for Selraina's signal. I hear a car engine start up and Selraina cheerfully announces that the coast is clear. Sandigeo and I meet each other at the front door. "This is working better than you planned it, Sandigeo," Selraina squeals. "Grekari's car is parked in the driveway just waiting for someone to get in and take it for a ride." Sandigeo packs his instruments in the trunk and I get into the car. Sandigeo picks me up and puts me in the back seat. "Hey, Sandigeo!!!" I protest. "What's the big idea?" "Any child that has less than [40] years must ride in the back seat fastened down, Reenie," Sandigeo explains. "Sorry, that's the law." I'm really starting to get tired of Pollianus and its stupid laws. "Don't feel too bad, Reenie," Selraina reassures me. "Every child has to go through this. Hold on . . ." Selraina rushes into the house and rummages around. She then comes back out with a booster seat in her hands which she places on the back bench seat. "Have a seat," Selraina grins as she pats the seat where my bottom is to go. I sit down and Selraina buckles me in before getting in the front seat beside Sandigeo. "We need to stop by my parents' house first," Selraina tells Sandigeo. "Okay, Selraina," Sandigeo agrees as he starts the engine and backs out of the driveway. After weaving our way through the subdivision, we come upon a major thoroughfare known as Commercial Route 30045. After traveling east for a while, the road climbs and we come up on a huge rift valley about 35 or 40 feet deep. "What's that?" I ask Sandigeo, pointing to the rift valley underneath us. "This is the Speed Trap Highway, Reenie," Sandigeo tells me as he drives into the right-turn lane and stops for the red light. "Hey, Reenie, Cold Falconian High School is just a couple of miles more to the east," Selraina cries out proudly. "Sandigeo and I go to school there." "Do you do any good there?" I ask. "We do enough to excel . . . and then some," Sandigeo tells me. "Anyway, I wish we had a chance to show you Cold Falconian High School. It's a very pretty building and I think you would like it." Sandigeo spots his chance to make his right turn and takes advantage of it. After traversing a weird onramp with a metal ramp that rises if a car is going too fast to safely enter the Highway and Selraina shrewishly yelling at Sandigeo like a fishwife for going too fast, we drive onto the Speed Trap Highway only to be greeted by a whole pack of cars doing exactly 55 mph. "Umm . . . what happened here?" I ask Sandigeo. "I don't know, Reenie," Sandigeo replies as he signals to get out of the right lane which would end in 200 feet. "I guess we'll be a while before we get to your house, Selraina." Soon the traffic comes to a halt. "Somebody must have had a wreck," Selraina sighs. "Or got pulled over for something and got violent," Sandigeo adds. "Here come the police." Several police cruisers followed by ambulances and wreckers all with lights and sirens blaring charge down the middle lane and everyone splits down the middle to either side to allow them to pass. One of the officers glances over at us as his partner speeds on by. "That officer . . . looked at us," I gasp nervously. "I noticed that, too, Reenie," Sandigeo agrees. "Both of our moms are cops . . . well-known cops. That subjects us to a lot of unwanted publicity and that's something we have learned to live with." "Sandigeo, you don't understand," I protest. "I have a very bad feeling about that guy. I feel like he's going to be our downfall at some point in the future." "In what way, Reenie?" Selraina urges me. "I have a very bad gut feeling that says that cop is jealous of your moms and will seek revenge on them by having us captured and tried for treason!!" I blurt out. "I'm starting to get that feeling, too," Selraina agrees with me, holding her stomach. "So am I, but we'll have to cross that bridge when we come to it," Sandigeo sighs in agreement with a pained look on his face. One of the officers announces over the loudspeakers that everyone involved in the accident is alive but in critical condition. A massive cheer and round of applause breaks out. The police and the ambulances speed by the way they came and soon everyone is slowly but surely getting by the wreck. When we finally get to Selraina's house, we are surprised to find Selraina's dad Gravitus La Pheonix has gotten out of the hospital. Gravitus's head is wrapped up like a mummy and one arm is in a cast. "Mr. La Phoenix, are you okay?" Sandigeo asks Gravitus. Gravitus looks at Sandigeo blankly. "You . . . talking to me?" Gravitus asks, not directing the question to anyone in particular. "Yes, I am talking to you," Sandigeo tells Gravitus. "Selraina, what's with your dad?" "He and my mom had a lover's spat not too long ago, Sandigeo," Selraina explains. "My mom got mad at something my dad said and she went off and chased him around the neighborhood with a chair in her hands hitting him with it when she could." "Don't remind me!!" Gravitus barks at Selraina. I jump at Gravitus's bitter tone of voice. "Look, guys, I didn't mean to snap at you like that," Gravitus apologizes. "I'm angry at myself for not detecting Despicability's childish short temper sooner. I let my love for her cloud my logic. My injuries are my own fault." "No, they're not, Daddy," Selraina disagrees with Gravitus. "Mommy was completely out of line to act as she did. Chasing you around the neighborhood with axes, knives, and stuff. You should divorce her!!!" "Selraina, I can't," Gravitus whispers with a sob. "It's illegal for a couple to divorce when they are raising any children that have less than [80] years. You have only [61] years, Selraina." Now this is *the* LAST STRAW!!!! I didn't complain too much about being made to ride in the back seat of the car on the way here because that's how my dad survived the car accident that claimed his parents, but not be able to divorce your violent spouse when there's a child involved??!! "That's bullshit!!!" I scream. "You have to put up with Despicability until Selraina has [80] years, Gravitus!?!? If *I* had a husband and he hit me, I'd be out the door WITH my kids that SAME day and then I would press charges against him the *next* day!!! You know what I mean!?!?!?" I pause to catch my breath and then continue, "And the law???? Screw the law!!!! We're talking about your safety and possibly your life here, Gravitus!!" Gravitus then looks up at me, his dark green eyes rimmed with indigo, much like our eyes are rimmed with red when we have been crying. "Mr. La Phoenix, Selraina is a charming young lady and your influence on her shows," Sandigeo tells Gravitus. "If you won't divorce Ms. Vitaliter for your sake, at least do it for her sake. Please." "Reenie, Sandigeo, you're both right," Gravitus says as he jumps up from the couch. "Selraina shouldn't have to put up with her parents fighting all the time; she didn't ask to be created!! I should begin the divorce procedure right now. But how will I pay for it? It will take so much time and the bills are just going to pile up. How will I take care of Selraina?" "We're going to your and Mom's vacation cabin," Selraina tells Gravitus. "We'll hide Reenie there until Sandigeo finishes designing the Adaptation Sceptre." Gravitus raises an eyebrow as if to ask what Selraina is talking about. "It's something for Reenie, Mr. La Phoenix," Sandigeo explains to Gravitus, hoping to shift the emphasis to anything else but the Adaptation Sceptre. Fortunately, Gravitus decides to dismiss the issue by going to fetch the keys and a map. "Sandigeo, that's *my* daughter you're dating," Gravitus states bluntly, putting the emphasis on the word 'my' and pointing the folded map at Selraina. "If you knock her up, YOU ARE going to marry her and take care of that child." "Yes, sir," Sandigeo promises Gravitus, saluting. "Don't worry, Daddy," Selraina promises Gravitus. "Sandigeo will wait until he has my green light to free me and knock me up. Right, Fire Eyes? Selraina then nudges Sandigeo in the ribs. "You better believe it, Emerald Angel," Sandigeo agrees with Selraina as he takes the keys and map from Gravitus. "We need more responsible young people like you two," Gravitus smiles. "Go on; get out of here, you lovebirds!! I'm gonna call a lawyer and arrange a court date so that I can get this divorce underway and then I'll come out there and join you." Sandigeo shakes a little. "What's wrong, Fire Eyes?" Selraina asks Sandigeo. "Daddy likes you; he won't bite." "What's wrong, Sandy?" Gravitus asks Sandigeo, grinning. "Feeling a little horny? Don't worry; you're my child just as much as Selraina is. I can understand if you feel a little horny around Selraina and I'll help you resist its power." I groan at all this male bonding and Selraina picks me up and she and Sandigeo head out to the car. We then drive west on Merlin Drive to the Speed Trap Highway. "Okay, Selraina, which way?" Sandigeo asks. "Turn right and head north on the Speed Trap Highway for twenty miles to the Fire Thrasher Parkway, Sandigeo," Selraina instructs. "And you had better not speed down the onramp like you did last time, Sandigeo Grekari Rockheart, or you're going to get a fat lip!!!" "Selraina, that's not ladylike at all!!" I shout from the back seat. "You say you're sorry!!" "Shut up, Reenie!!!" Selraina snarls at me. "What happens between my boyfriend and me is NONE of your business!!!" During the 20 mile drive between Merlin Drive and the Fire Thrasher Parkway, I don't say a word. I can already see without the assistance of Sailor Mars's Great Flame, Sailor Neptune's Deep Space Mirror, or Sailor Pluto's time-based precognitive powers as the Guardian of the Time Gate that Selraina will soon end up a jailbird like her mother Despicability if she doesn't watch her temper. "Sandigeo, what's the Fire Thrasher Parkway?" I ask, spotting a huge overpass with lots and lots of cars streaking back and forth across it. "It's another major freeway like the Speed Trap Highway, Reenie," Sandigeo explains as he steers over to the right two lanes and cuts speed. "Here on Pollianus, parkways are east and west while highways are north and south." Selraina groans softly and leans her head on her arm. "Selraina, are you all right?" Sandigeo asks as he turns his attention onto Selraina who has just grabbed her abdomen. "Selraina, please let this be nothing serious!! There's no easy way to turn around and get you to a hospital." "Sandigeo, will you quit whining and drive the damn car?!?!" Selraina snaps. "Don't worry about me!! It's just my predatory instincts trying to assert themselves. I'll be fine once we get to the cabin." **************************************************************************** *******July 5, 2996, 4:55 pm******* Meanwhile at Cherry Hill Temple, a very disgruntled Raye Hino angrily stomps out of the Fire Room. Her husband Chad looks up from the newspaper he's reading and asked Raye, "Anything wrong?" "The Great Fire cannot help me locate Reenie!!" Raye growled. "I'm going to call Amy to see if she's done with that program." "Mommy, Daddy, look at this!!" Raye and Chad's daughter Ariadne cried out as she focuses on the lock of the main entrance door and unlocks it. The door then swings open. In the same manner, she then closes and locks it back. "Neat, huh?" Raye gives Ariadne a cold glare. Ariadne slinks fearfully out of the room. "Raye, you were a little hard on Ariadne," Chad chided. "I think you should calm down and go apologize. Ariadne may get on your nerves with her playful and mischievous nature, but she sensed that you were upset and she intended that telekinetic act of hers to cheer you up and take your mind off of whatever's bothering you." "But what about the Great Fire?" Raye asked Chad. "A wise man once said 'If you want the right answer, you have to ask the right question,' Raye," Chad advised. "Wait a while and calm down and then try wording your request differently." "It's funny, Chad," Raye remarked, her anger having cooled considerably, "that I'm the one who has been at this temple longer than you and you're advising me how to use the Great Fire." Chad and Raye then have a good chuckle at the irony of the situation until Ariadne skips into the room and asks if she can go visit Hermione. Raye and Chad exchange glances and give Ariadne the green light. "Not so fast!!" Chad barked at an ecstatic Ariadne who stops dead in her tracks and faces her parents. "Let's run though the procedure for visiting a foreign household first." "Not again, Daddy!!!" Ariadne whined to Chad. "The more you complain and the longer you tarry in reciting it, the shorter your visit will be, Ariadne," Chad said emotionlessly. "First, I state my destination and ask for permission to go," Ariadne recited. "Second, when I have your permission and you tell me the time I am to have returned home by, I go straight to my destination and call you as soon as I arrive. Third, I behave myself and keep an eye on the time. Fourth, I call you before leaving. Finally, I come straight home and make sure to call if I'm going to be late." "What do you think, Raye?" Chad asked. "She's got it down pat, Chad," Raye replied. "Ariadne, you're to be back here by 10 pm . . . or else!!" Ariadne's butt muscles cramp up a bit fearing the 'or else' for being late in returning from a foreign household. Ariadne then leaves the temple and sprints toward the Mizunoes. After Ariadne leaves, Chad and Raye return to the Fire Room together to inquire of the Great Fire the whereabouts of Reenie's spirit and soul. **************************************************************************** Negotiating the Fire Thrasher Parkway-Speed Trap Highway interchange proves to be an interesting ride. Sandigeo, Selraina, and I are in a car loaded down with stuff on a two-lane one-way road. The white line down the middle of the road dividing it in two goes from thin broken lines to a thick solid line signalling the right lane is going to head off to the Fire Thrasher Parkway going east. "Selraina?" Sandigeo asks gently. Selraina stirs. "Sandigeo, what do you want?!" Selraina snaps. "My stomach hurts and I'm extremely tired!!!" "Which way do we go down the Fire Thrasher Parkway to get to your parents' cabin?" Sandigeo asks Selraina. Selraina looks at Sandigeo blankly. "Come on, Selraina; I know you don't feel well, but I need to know. East or west?" Selraina looks at the map and replies west for 100 miles. Sandigeo changes over to the left lane after letting a rude driver go past. The speed limit here is only 35 miles an hour while one can do upwards of 85 miles an hour on the Speed Trap Highway. A sweeping roadway streaks above us. Sandigeo explains that it's the frontage road from the Speed Trap Highway. A curved ramp joins us on the right and forms a temporary lane which Sandigeo trades with a couple of slow but kindly drivers as we drive around the ramp onto the two-lane bridge that spans the Speed Trap Highway. He then whips around and quickly gets out of the right lane which would take him down to the Speed Trap Highway going south. I feel like I'm choking on my heart as I watch the speedometer needle . . . err, needles, climb above 40 and then 50. "Hey, Sandigeo, slow down!!" I shout. "The speed limit is only 35 miles an hour here!!" "Just sit back there and enjoy the ride, Reenie!!!" Sandigeo snaps at me as he applies even more engine power. "Back seat driver." Sandigeo then sends the car flying past the ramp that connects Speed Trap Highway south to Fire Thrasher Parkway west which forms a temporary lane that runs alongside the one we're in. The two lanes then head down to the Fire Thrasher Parkway. The lane we're in blends in gradually with the lane next to us. Once on the Fire Thrasher Parkway, I find the speed limit is a staggering 105 miles an hour. For the next ninety miles, I'm not sure what to think of the fantasic speed we're driving at. I have a feeling that Alexandria Haruka Ten'oh would like driving here on Pollianus. But my dad's parents died when the car they were in became a runaway and crashed into a stationary object, leaving my dad as the only survivor. I don't want to lose Selraina and Sandigeo the same way. On the other hand, I am enjoying the speed. At the end of the ninety miles, the Fire Thrasher Parkway climbs back up to ground level and the speed limit drops to 70 miles per hour. Sandigeo brakes to bring the car down in accordance with the speed limit but as he does so, there's a loud POP!! "What's happening?!!?" I want to know as the car lurches over to the right. "We have a blowout!!!" Sandigeo shouts back at me. Selraina is roused at the lurch and Sandigeo's cry of alarm. "Hang on, girls!!" Sandigeo then tries to jerk the car back over to the left and succeeds in straightening it out. "This car fights like a man!!" Sandigeo grunts as he tries in vain to steer the car to the left. "Police cruiser on our five!!" Selraina cries. "There's another on our eight!!" I screech. "What do they want?!?!" "Reenie, don't panic!!" Sandigeo yells as he continues fighting to regain control of the car. "We don't know for sure that they're after you." One of the cruisers comes on our three and crashes into us. I could feel the car start to stabilize and straighten itself out. "Okay, I have control now." "Master Rockheart, please follow us," the officer driving instructs Sandigeo. He then drives in front of us and Sandigeo drifts over to the right lane driving at only 20 miles an hour. We then tail the cruiser to a turn-off which happens to be the correct exit. We stop at a garage and it takes two hours to arrange to have the tire . . . or rather, tires replaced since the other tires had taken severe wear when the right front tire blew out and caused the car to go out of control. The officers offer to call Sandigeo and Selraina's parents, but Selraina declines and tells the officers that her mom Despicability had been arrested for beating up her dad Gravitus who is busy hiring a lawyer to begin divorce proceedings. "WHAT!?!?" the officer who was riding asks Selraina. "Your parents are getting a divorce?!?!" "But why, Selraina?!?!" the officer who was driving the cruiser asks. Selraina gets a crestfallen look on her face as she takes off her jacket to reveal scars and bruises on her arms. "Your mommy beat you!?!?" I ask Selraina in such shock that it seems that I'm screaming in anger. "Yes, Reenie, my mom beat me," Selraina whispers as she puts her jacket back on. "I'm never going to trust another woman again!!" Sandigeo hugs Selraina and I kiss her. Selraina musses up my hair affectionately. "Selraina, your mom's in custody," Sandigeo reassures the softly sobbing Selraina. "She's not going to hurt you for a long time. I'll protect you. Shhh shhh, it's all right." "Why didn't you tell somebody what your mom was doing to you and your dad, Selraina?" I ask. "I get spanked too, but my mommy and daddy do it only when I'm bad and not to be cruel." Sandigeo gives me a dirty look. Ooops, another faux pas!!! The officers leave to go check on our car. "Look, Selraina, we've had a long day," Sandigeo says, changing the subject. Once the car is fixed, we'll head to the cabin and unload our stuff. Then I got a massage routine up my sleeve just for you." "Sandigeo, we're too young to have sex," Selraina says flatly. "You know that." "Who said anything about having sex?" Sandigeo replies, offended. "I said that I would wait until you give me your green light to free you and knock you up, Selraina, and I meant that. I may make a great dad one day, but I don't want that day to be today. Tell you what. I'll let you run the show. You tell me where and where not to go and what you want done and I'll do it. Deal?" "Deal!!" Selraina agrees as she shakes Sandigeo's hand. The officers come into the room and tell us the car is ready. We all pile in and head south 0.8 miles across the Fire Thrasher Parkway and come across Diamond Cabin Park. After arriving at Gravitus and Despicability's cabin which is Cabin 245, we unload the stuff out the car and make a fire. Selraina still looks shaken, so Sandigeo picks her up and I follow them to a room upstairs and hide in a nearby closet. "Easy, Selraina," Sandigeo soothes as he calms his frightened girlfriend who is now lying on the bed. "I'm just going to get these boots off your feet and make you more comfortable." Selraina stops shuddering and allows Sandigeo to remove her boots and jacket which he then flings into the closet . . . right on top of me!!! Nevertheless, I shift the items quietly off to one side and continue watching. Sandigeo then opens Selraina's shirt and is shocked to find bruises everywhere. I'm shocked to see that Selraina has a flat chest like mine is and figure that it's because she hasn't started developing yet. I make a note to myself to ask Selraina about it later and keep watching. Sandigeo has already begun to kiss Selraina's stomach. "Sandigeo, that tickles!!" Selraina giggles. Sandigeo pauses, then resumes after adding the act of biting Selraina's nipples to see if he could get any milk. "Ack, you're dry," Sandigeo tells Selraina, disappointed. "I don't think you have to worry about getting pregnant right now, Selraina. You haven't developed enough to be a mother yet." "Pet me and try to make me horny, Sandigeo," Selraina says amusedly. "Selraina, are you really sure that's what you want me to do?" Sandigeo wants to confirm, his hand positioned to take off Selraina's miniskirt. Selraina nods earnestly. "All right, then," Sandigeo sighs, "so be it." Sandigeo then slowly undoes Selraina's belt as if hoping that she will change her mind. Sandigeo doesn't look like he's enjoying himself, so why didn't he say no to Selraina's request? After a brief pause and a look down Selraina's skirt, Sandigeo then proceeds to slowly unfasten the upper waistband and unzip the front zipper. He then pauses and looks at Selraina. "Sandy, what's the matter?" Selraina asks Sandigeo, calling him by his nickname to signal her concern. "I thought you'd be excited about doing this. Have you already done this to another girl? Do you love another?" "No to both questions, Selraina," Sandigeo whispers. "Well, then make me horny!!" Selraina barks excitedly at Sandigeo. "I want to see if I have a sex drive and if I'll ever be a mother!!" Sandigeo then takes a deep breath and pulls the miniskirt off Selraina. After he tosses it aside, Sandigeo pauses to plan his next move. "Grope around the leg openings of her panties, Sandigeo," I whisper silently. Sandigeo then looks in my direction, making it necessary for me to retreat from the opening to keep from being seen. Using the mirror in my compact to watch the action, I see that Sandigeo has returned his attention to Selraina. I then use my eyes to watch the action as Sandigeo sticks his fingers inside the leg openings of Selraina's panties and gropes around. "Sandigeo, wherever did you get the idea to do that?" Selraina asks with a tone of surprise, genuinely impressed but nowhere near horny. "I've never had that done to me before." "I . . . I don't know, Selraina," Sandigeo replies, just as surprised as Selraina is. "Well, I like it," Selraina tells Sandigeo as she jumps up and throws him on the bed. "Do it again!!" Selraina cries as she straddles Sandigeo like a frog ready to jump and clamps his hands on her butt. "Well, what are you waiting for?" Selraina wonders of Sandigeo. "Reach inside my panties and tell me how my butt feels. Come on; you know you want to." "You're in heat, Selraina," Sandigeo declares as he finds his hands coated with a strong-smelling liquid. I take off my skirt, fold it several times, and put it over my nose and mouth because this stuff stinks!!! Pee- yew!!! I have to get out of here before I suffocate!!! "Well, you wanted to see if you can get horny, Selraina; I think you're as horny . . . and smelly . . . as you're going to get. So I'll get to work on the Adaptation Sceptre . . . as soon as you get off of me." "I haven't felt this good in ages, Sandigeo," Selraina says with an evil grin as she begins undressing him. "I would be in remiss of my training as a well-bred lady if I didn't thank you properly." "Well, you're very welcome, Selraina," Sandigeo smiles. "But I'd rather not do any hanky-panky with you. What if your dad were to walk in on us?" "Sandigeo, I could care less what that old fossil thinks," Selraina chuckles. "All that matters to me is you and me. Sandigeo, I want you to free me." "What?!?!" Sandigeo screeches at Selraina. "Even though I couldn't get any milk out of you, I don't want to risk getting you pregnant!!!" "Am I not pleasing enough for you?" Selraina whispers quietly, about to cry. "You're very pleasing to me, Selraina," Sandigeo replies. "And I love you very much." "Then show me!!!" Selraina whines, crying like a little girl having a temper tantrum of the terrible twos. "No, Selraina," Sandigeo refuses as he struggles to free himself. "Get off of me!! This is getting out of hand!!!!" Selraina's eyes turn black and she extends her claws. Right now, I couldn't agree more with Sandigeo. As if by magic, I find myself standing outside the closet as Sailor Moon. "I am Sailor Moon, champion of love and justice!!!" I cry out. "I right wrongs and triumph over evil and that can include horny hoochie-mamas like you who won't accept the answer no, Selraina Despicability Vitaliter!!! On behalf of the Moon, you must be punished!!!" "A horny hoochie-mama!??!" Selraina snarls at me as she stops her advance and turns on me. "You'll pay for calling me that!!!" I jump back quickly, but not before Selraina's sharp claws have a chance to slash through the stomach portion of my costume. "Reenie?" Sandigeo asks in shock. "Is that you?" I really wish that Sandigeo hadn't asked me that; I slide like a desperate base runner between Selraina's legs and almost get my back raked. "Long story, Sandigeo, but can you please help me with your horny girlfriend?!!?" I shout. Selraina then lunges at me and grabs me, but before she slashes my face, Sandigeo attacks!! Selraina is shocked and loses her grip on me. Sandigeo subdues Selraina, but not before she cuts loose with a massive lightning attack in my direction. I dodge in time, but the force of thunder drives me into the wall and results in a massive wound on my head right in line with my left ear. My whole right side starts to feel weird. "Reenie!!!!" Sandigeo cries as he disengages from Selraina and rushes to my aid. "You're hurt!!!!" "My head . . . it hurts so much," I moan. "Reenie?" Sandigeo calls. I'm about to black out. "Reenie!!! C'mon, stay with me!!! I need your help to stop Selraina. Our best chance is to lead her to the lake which is a couple of miles northwest of here." Not one to stay down when knocked down, I force myself to my feet. "Pink Sugar Heart Attack!!!" I cry out. The attack flies out at Selraina who angrily falls down trying to swat the hearts out of her face. Sandigeo wastes no time in following up by subduing Selraina firmly. As I run past the brawling teenagers, I catch Selraina biting Sandigeo out the corner of my eye. "Sandigeo, she bit you!!" I screech as I watch Selraina pick Sandigeo up and fling him at me. "Don't worry about me, Reenie!!!" Sandigeo snaps at me. "Get Selraina to follow you to the lake!!" I barely have time to be hurt by Sandigeo's harsh tone of voice when Selraina launches a big lightning ball at us!!! "I'm . . . sc-sc-sc-sc-scared of thunder and lightning!!!" I wail loudly as I cower away from the lightning ball which harmlessly sears the wall on the opposite side of the hall. "Well, Reenie, now's a good time to face that fear of yours," Sandigeo remarks, trying to gently but firmly get my mind back on what's happening. Selraina launches another lightning ball at me and electrocutes Sandigeo and he goes flying through the air and lands right next to me. "GRRRRRRRRRroar!!!!!!" Selraina snarls as she charges towards me. I scream and run downstairs. Gravitus picks right now as the proper time to join us. "Reenie, what are you doing running around in that revealing get-up?!?!" Gravitus asks, meaning my short skirt and tight form-fitting sailor-suited body suit. "Tell ya later!!!" I yell at Gravitus as I rush by him, nearly knocking him over. I then run around the back of the cabin and into the woods, with Selraina in hot pursuit. "Reenie, the lake's only a couple of miles northwest from here!!" Sandigeo calls out from the bedroom window. A couple of miles? That distance might as well be twenty or two hundred miles considering that there's a very horny and angry Pollianian on my tail!!!! As I'm running to the northwest, I'm almost glad that my mom Neo-Queen Serenity made me run those 60 miles this morning. Slowly but surely, I begin to put distance between myself and Selraina and I eventually make it to the lake before she does. "God, please don't let me drown," I pray silently as I jump into the lake. Snarling fiercely, Selraina arrives and stalks out onto the dock I had jumped off of. Seeing me, she then lets loose with the most horrible snarl I have ever heard. "What's wrong, Selraina?" I taunt. "Scared of water?" "RRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRR!!!!!!!!!" Selraina responds, making no effort to hide her anger. Sandigeo sneaks up behind Selraina and pushes her into the lake. She thrashes around and then calms down dramatically. "Sandigeo, what happened? Why am I in the lake almost completely naked?" Sandigeo and I breathe a sigh of relief. "I'm sorry I pushed you in the lake, but you were really horny, Selraina," Sandigeo apologizes. "Reenie was spying on us and she came out dressed in this weird suit and tried to stop you when you got out of hand." "Oh, @Palldere@," Selraina gasps when she realizes what she has done. "What have I done? How am I going to explain this to my father?" "Selraina, let's make a pact," Sandigeo says. "If our parents still allow us to see each other after this, I'll keep the simulation technique of groping inside the leg openings of the girl's panties between the two of us if you don't ask me to do it to you anymore until we're married and we each have stable careers and can provide for any children that may come of our night of passion financially, emotionally, and psychologically. Deal?" "Deal!!" Selraina agrees. "But who's going to explain this to Gravitus?" She and Sandigeo then turn their attention to me and grin mischievously. This reminds me of the time when I was four and I saw Neo- Queen Serenity naked and took some pictures. Sailor Pluto saw them and spanked me for violating my mom's privacy. She then told my mom and I got spanked again when I got home. King Endymion, although just as equally angered at what I had done as Sailor Pluto and Serenity were, came into my room and comforted me. He said to me that curiosity killed the cat. Well, I'm one very sorry feline right now!!! **************************************************************************** *******Cherry Hill Temple: July 5, 2996******* "Yes, we've found Reenie!!" Chad cried out. "But where is she?" Raye asked Chad. Raye then looks at her watch. "Chad, it's 10:15 pm. Ariadne should have been back here by now!!" "Mommy, Daddy, I'm home!!!" Ariadne shouted to Raye and Chad who rush out of the Fire Room to meet Ariadne. "Ariadne Hino, where have you been?!?" Raye snapped. "You're fifteen minutes late!!!!" "Sorry, Mommy," Ariadne apologized. "I was playing and I forgot." Raye fumes angrily. "Just get out of my sight, Ariadne!!!" Chad growled brusquely. "Your mother and I are just too disgusted with you to deal with you in a rational manner!!!!" Ariadne is very hurt by her parents' hostile welcome and slinks off to her room as per her father's will. *******Meanwhile, at the Mizunoes . . .******* "Greg, we can really hit it off now that Amy's gone," Hermione smiled as she sits in her dad's lap and cuddles up to him. "I'll hit you if you call me Greg again!!" Greg threatened Hermione as he shoves her off his lap. "I'm not one of your buddies on the playground; I'm your father!!" "Sorry, . . . Dad," Hermione corrected herself. "That's better," Greg said. "When is Mom going to get back?" Hermione asked Greg. "I don't know, Hermione," Greg replied. A few minutes later, Amy comes in with her minicomputer. "It's time you went to bed, young lady," Amy told Hermione. "Amy, come on!!" Hermione whined. Amy whips around and gives Hermione a VERY nasty glare. Hermione leaves the room like a shot. Greg goes up to tuck Hermione in and kiss her good night and then joins his wife in the master bedroom. "Amy, how are you holding up?" Greg asked as he sits down next to Amy who is lying down. "In what respect?" Amy asked back. "As the brains of the Sailor Scouts or the mother of the future Sailor Mercury?" "You decide," Greg told Amy. Amy breaks down into tears. "Amy, don't cry. I don't like seeing you cry." "I'm a horrible mother!!!" Amy shouted at Greg. "Just look at how Hermione treats us!! We mean nothing to her!!" "No, you're not and that's not true," Greg countered. "Hermione just needs a lot of heavy-duty discipline and now's the best time to give it to her. If we can't, we can find a finishing school or charm school to send Hermione to that will straighten her out in a hurry!!" "But I love Hermione!!" Amy protested, sobbing violently. "Hey!!! Love hurts sometimes, Amy," Greg replied. "I love Hermione just as much as you do, but we can't just let her loose into the world thinking that she can treat everyone she meets however she wants. Maybe someone can do for Hermione what we can't. I believe our intentions are good, but it's not in a format Hermione can use." "Wait!!" Amy stopped Greg. "All these conclusions we're making have no basis. We don't know if Hermione is behaving this way because she chooses to or because something is internally wrong with her. Before we do anything, I want to take Hermione to a child psychologist for a complete evaluation to determine what's going on with her and get information on how to correct whatever problems they find." "Amy, that will cost us a fortune!!" Greg objected. Amy's sobs start up again more violently than before. "Amy, stop that or you'll make yourself sick!!" Greg orders harshly. Amy looks at Greg in shock and Greg realizes at once that he wasn't being very supportive of his distraught wife. Not knowing what else to do, Greg hugs Amy and suggests, "Amy, we can discuss this more in the morning. I think we should go to bed and sleep on this issue before we actually do anything. Okay?" Amy agrees and allows Greg to undress her and give her a bath. Greg then dries Amy off and dresses her in her nightgown and tucks her into bed. Greg then joins Amy in the bed and kisses her saying, "Good night." THE END Okay, I cleaned up my act and ended this chapter on a romantic note. I have always thought that Greg and Amy would make a cute couple, but the anime never gave them a chance. Agree or disagree? So what do you think so far? Do you think that the Sailor Scouts will find eventually find Reenie's soul and spirit and reunite them with Reenie's comatose body or is Reenie pretty much a dead duck? Why do you feel as you do? Email address: CMDChiba@hotmail.com Please put the title of this story in the subject line of your letter. Doing so will enable me to get back to you faster.