[The Devon Edition.]

Hey, you.  Yeah, you.

So, are you confused yet?
I don't blame you, so am I.

Anyway, before you read on and confuse yourselves
some more, a few warnings:

Dubb names used, so don't jump down my throat about
the Erica thing.

Violence aplenty in here.  I'm making up for the lack of
blood and death in previous parts.

This is PG, because well, I just @#@%! feel like it!

Any comments, calls for help, or just stopping by to say hello,
send them to bastion@ix.netcom.com.  Because human contact
is a rare thing for me.

Now, on to the dedication which goes to the very nice Ms. Arilyn
for putting this story in such a concise way, that I got confused.
<grin>
Thanks, this one's for you.

Now back to your regularly scheduled fic.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Terrible Things To Waste

Part 4: Allegiances

        Boom!

        People ran for their lives as their place of shelter crumbled
to ruins.  Hysteria ruled the panicked masses.

        Boom!

        Blast after blast pounded the building.  Malance glided around
the crumbling structure, randomly firing his cannon at areas
still intact.  The survivors looked for the source of the
explosions but could find none.  Malance chuckled to himself,
noticing the insects running for their lives from this
mysterious intruder.

        "So pathetic."  He mumbled. "Run away if you can, insects."

        Malance checked to see how much the cloaking device drained the
power supply to his suit.  Satisfied with his results, Malance
made a few more rounds of the building before leaving.
Elation now filled Malance, he had redeemed himself for his
earlier folly.  The General would see his true usefulness.  He
would see he wasn't weak.

        "Phase two complete,"  He announced to the General over the com
system.

        "Good," stated the voice on the other end.

        Malance smiled underneath his visor as the glow of fires from
the shelter reflected off its surface.  The General was pleased.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

        White puffs rolled around playfully in the blue backdrop of the
sky, fascinating the blonde woman below.  She ran her hand idly
across the surface of the lake.  The calming sounds of children
playing and the breeze blowing through the branches of trees
filled her ears.

        Cindy smiled, and stared upward.

        She loved seeing what shapes clouds could create.  The last
time she had enjoyed doing such a past time was as a child, in
her parents' garden.  With her memory stirred, she envisioned
that magnificent garden with its beautiful green plants, the odd
red, blue, or violet color of flowers, and trees dotting the
grounds.  The feeling of warmth from sun upon her face as she
looked into the sky.

        The memory was very vivid in her mind:

        She happily welcomed the shape that appeared to her.  The
clouds could create the most fascinating things.

        "What are you up to, Xendyte?"  Came a deep curious voice.

        She turned to see a lanky man with light brown hair, bending
down to her level.  She giggled as the man caught his glasses as
they slid off his nose.  He stumbled to push them back as he
tried to keep some dignity.

        "So, what are you doing?"  The man asked the small child once
more.

        "I'm looking at the man in the sky, Daddy."  she excitedly
pointed at a cloud in the sky, "See he's waving."

        "Dear, I don't see it,"  the man stated as he looked upward in
vain.

        "No Dad, it is the cloud."  she explained.

        The man paused, finally comprehending his daughter's statement,
"Oh."

        Another familiar voice cut across the courtyard, "Xavier!
Xendyte! Where are you?"

        The man quickly stood up, causing the girl to notice how tall
her father was.  She then turned to the blond woman walking
toward them.

        "There you are.  I was wondering what kept you,"  the woman
smiled warmly at her mate and daughter.  "Now hurry, we're going
to be late for the Ball."

        "Teleri, the Counsule is holding a celebration for the
successful completion of the Temporal Net,"  the man pointed his
hands to the sky and came to his conclusion.  "So it really
isn't a ball- "

        "I don't care what it really is, I'm going to a ball, and so is
Cindy."  The woman bent down to the her daughter, "isn't that
right, my sweet little child?"

        The girl beamed with excitement and nodded her head in
agreement. The woman smiled warmly at her daughter as her mate
shook his head residing back to the building.  Cries could be
heard from inside.

        "It must be the baby again."  The man adjusted his glasses once
more.

        As the two watched  the man disappear into the building, the
girl turned to her mother, "Mommy, why doesn't Daddy see the man
in the clouds?"

        The woman smiled thoughtfully at the question and answered,
"Well your father is just. . . different, but that's why I love
him, as I also love you."

        The girl leapt at her mother for a caring embrace.

        Oh, how she enjoyed life then, but it was only a memory now.

        "Cindy, are you listening?" The woman sat up and put her hand
to the small device in her ear.

        "What is it?"  The blonde whispered urgently, trying not bring
any attention to herself.

        "General Halebit  wants to know your status."

        "I'm close.  Some of them still have their doubts, but peer
pressure is correcting that."

        "How long?"

        "A few more days."

        "The General won't wait any longer.  I will make another
attack."

        "Haven't you attacked enough homeless shelters already?
They're rare enough around here."

        "The General wants conformation for the next phase by tonight.
If not, I will attack again."

        "But," Cindy nearly exceeded the proper volume, "There's no way
I can -"

        "Inefficiency is weakness, and the General doesn't tolerate
weakness."

        The breeze broke the momentary silence.

        "Oh, the Timelord, Tracer, is alive and has followed us here,
Cindy."

        Cindy glared at the rippling surface of the lake.  She fought
the urge to scream.

        "Shut up."

        "He's probably watching you right now."

        "Shut up, Malance." Cindy felt her anger begin to preach their
confines.

        "He probably wants to finish the job -"  Cindy threw the small
device across the lake.  The action caused her anger to subside
for the time being.

        The sound of crackling grass caught Cindy's ears.  Cindy
settled down her emotions before turning toward the Time
Guardian.  Cindy barely recognized the tanned woman dressed in
civilian's clothing.

        "What do you want Time Guardian?"  Cindy sighed as she laid
back on the grass near the shore.

        The tanned woman smiled courteously, "Please don't call me that
in public.  Call me Susan."

        Cindy nodded, "Okay.  What is it you want?"

        Susan looked into the Traveller's eyes, and noticed, for the
first time, that they matched the lake in hue.

        She then turned her gaze further down the shore where a green
haired girl and her sandy haired partner were looking after a
small black haired child, who looked quite anemic.

        "I see Erica and Michelle have grown fond of you.  As well as
Victoria."

        Cindy narrowed her brow in thought, "Now she is the Messiah of
Silence, right?  Sailor Saturn?"

        The tanned woman nodded as she sat down next to Cindy.

        "You know, I keep wanting to call Michelle, Michiru and Erica,
Haruka,"  Cindy looked over to the cheerful couple, "I'm sure
you understand."

        The breeze took up the conversation for a moment before Susan
spoke, "I think we have a situation."

        "The attacks on the shelters, right,"  Cindy gazed out across
the lake, "They're looking for places I could hide, and I
suppose the shelters would be ideal.  There are not many left,
and there is no telling what they'll target next.  Like I said,
they're going to tear the city apart looking for me."

        Susan joined Cindy in her gaze across the reflective surface of
the lake, her eyes hinting apprehension.  She resented the
emotion.

        "I make this promise to you, Traveller.  If any of the Scouts,
especially the Queen, comes to harm because of them, you will be
held responsible.  I will personally ensure your reciprocation
is swift."  Susan had somehow kept a flatness to her threat.

        The blonde felt a tinge of pain in her stomach that she
struggled not to show, "You have my word, I will do everything
in my power to prevent that."

        Oh, how she loathed the position Halebit had forced her into.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

        Tracer maneuvered meticulously through the influx of people
moving one way or another.  He had decided to follow the blond
girl with the pony tails.  With the knowledge that she possessed
the Silver Crystal, he knew Halebit would concentrate his
efforts on her.  Tracer had an easy time tracking her from the
temple to her home and even to her school with her distinct
hairstyle and all.

        He was beginning to grow impatient with the
failure of the Society members to make an appearance, but the
words of an old friend that fateful night rung in his mind:

        "Observe before you act."

        Tracer stood amongst the rumble where corpses of fellow
Timelords and disgraceful Society soldiers littered the area.
The Society's kamikaze attack had succeeded in liquidating the
Timelord army.  He eyed the grey-bearded Traveller who spoke to
him amindst this mass grave of soldiers.

        The smoke from dying fires mixed with the pungent smell of
burnt flesh.  Blood still poured out from the open cut down the
right side of his face.  Damn that Malance, he would get
retribution for that, but not before he avenged the betrayal at
his sensei's decrepit little hands.

        The city's sirens screamed in the distance, coming to aid those
injured in the tremendous blast, as the old man continued.
"It's the only way you'll defeat Halebit."

        The Timelord narrowed his eyes.  How was doing nothing going to
help him?  The only way to defeat an enemy is to keep attacking
relentlessly and never let go.

        The Timelord's venerable friend sensed the dubiousness in the
young man's face and a small smile twitched on the edge of his
mouth.  "Please trust me, Tracer."

        A faint shadow of a smile formed in return.  A very faint one.
There was always this warmth he felt from this kooky old man
that always melted his resolve.  "Alright Briar, for some
Lord-forsaken reason I trust you.  Mind you, I'll stick to it,
but if I don't see results, then I do it my way."

        Most of his resolve, at least.

        Still, in reflection, he couldn't believe he heeded Briar's
words.  Sure, the prophet had given him the sword but his
patience was skretched thin, and he was thinking of new ways to
carve up Halebit with every passing second.  Why should he stand
by when he held an object immersed in power in his hands.  If
the sword had the strength to protect him at the epicenter of a
city leveling explosion, then what could possibly stop him?

        'The Silver Crystal?'

        Tracer snapped out of his thoughts and scanned the crowd for
the girl.  For a fleeting moment he caught a glimpse of the
familiar blond tails slipping into an arcade.  Tracer sneered at
the newly complicated situation.   If he followed her inside,
his ability to find her and track her through the dimly lit
arcade would be greatly affected.  Yet, if he waited outside, he
ran the risk of losing her within the crowds.

        Weighing his options, Tracer decided to reside at the cafe
across the street and wait.

        After five minutes, Tracer doubted if he wasn't wasting his
time by devoting it to following her when two particular girls
enter into the arcade.   He immediately recognized them as the
blonde girl's associates from the temple.

        He waited anxiously for them to exit the arcade, wondering what
they were up to.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

        The arcade buzzed with activity as sounds of synthesized
explosions and excitement from the gaming machines trying to
attract adolescents with short attention spans.  The screens
flashed an abundance of colors; reds, yellows, and oranges,
making the arcade frenzied with activity.  Yet, near the front
window of the arcade, three girls quietly chatted, enjoying
their sweet refreshments in the glow of the fading sunlight.

        "How did you convince your teacher to let us do this?"  Mina's
eyes widened with curiosity.

        "I just said those poor homeless people needed help after all
those attacks on the other shelters,"  Serena stated proudly,
"And that's how I got us out of cleaning duties at school."

        "So, instead of scrubbing the floor, you have managed to put us
in one of the most dangerous places in Tokyo!"  Raye glared at
Serena from across the table.

        "Exactly, the attacks are probably one of those demons left
behind from our other fights."  Mina whispered to the other two.

        "We're scouts and it's our duty to prevent that monster from
harming any more people."  Serena lower her volume to that of
her blond friend.

        Raye snorted in compliance, but added, "I'd feel a lot better
if Lita and Amy could join us."

        "Amy is out with Greg and Lita went on a date with some guy she
met named Ken."  Mina giggled, "It seems Lita finally found
someone that can compare to that old boyfriend of hers."

        "Hmm, interesting,"  Raye's voice dripped with sarcasm, "It
doesn't make me feel any better."

        "Then, Raye, you can go scrub the floor in the safety of the
school room."  Serena gave Raye a cunning grin.

         Raye's face grew red with frustration, "Oh fine!  I'll come
with you two, just to make sure you don't get in over your
heads."

--------------------------------------------------------------------

        Tracer saw the girls emerge from the arcade, and tailed them
from afar.  He followed them for a few blocks to a small
building with a sign saying, "Juuban Homeless Shelter" above its
doors.  Heavy traffic of various people going in and out, let
some of the noise inside to escape.  Pushing through the police
officers standing by the door, he noticed their pensive faces
studying him.  Tracer welcomed the guards with a sneer and
entered the building.

        Within, chattering chaos drowned out any thoughts in Tracer's
mind.   Searching the lobby, he caught a glimpse of a blond ponytail.
His sneer arched into a small grin, nothing could stand in the way of
Tracer and his prey.  Unfortunately, a young woman stepped in his
way and greeted him.

        "Ah, hello sir.  I take you are looking for a room?"  Tracer
ignored the woman as the three girls disappeared from sight.

        "Sir?  We're really busy and I'd appreciate your cooperation."
Tracer noticed the large number of people in the lobby, all just
about as dirty and ragged as himself.

        "We have a few rooms left, and since we are very busy," the
woman handed Tracer some papers, "Could you please fill out
these forms in your room?  Remember you don't have to state you
name."

        The woman took a key from the large collection in her hand,
"Your room is 234, and if you would like some direction -"

        "I can find my own way,"  Tracer blurted, bolting in the
direction of the girls, fighting the urge to rip out the woman's
larynx.

        Tracer roamed the halls searching for the girls, but the
cramped hallways offered no help.  Tracer then reluctantly
decided to search the building floor by floor, a time consuming
but thorough activity.

        As Tracer climbed the stairs, he tried to locate the girl by
using his new found sensitivity to their power.  He sensed her
nearby, but the building overflowed with her power.  He grunted
in frustration.

        As Tracer opened the door to the second floor, a blast shook
the building causing some of the plaster above to cave in.

        "Malance!" Screamed a voice from underneath the pile of
crumbled ceiling.

------------------------------------------------------------




        The building shook and the three girls looked at each other.
Trouble had found them.

        "I told you so."  Raye growled to Serena.

        "It's time for the Sailor Scouts to pay a visit to our resident
monster."  Mina pulled out a small orange pen and ducked into a
nearby room.

        "VENUS CRYSTAL POWER!" Flashes of yellow and orange light
emitted from the room.

        After the light dissipate, Mina emerged wearing a tiara upon
her head, clothed in an orange collar with a blue bow attached
to a white bodice and an orange pleaded skirt covering the lower
half of her body.

        "Let's go!"  The girl smiled and flashed the other two her
patented 'V' sign with her hand.

        "Mina wait!"  Serena shouted after the blonde girl while
disappearing behind a corner.

        "She loves to be at the center of all the chaos, doesn't she?"
Raye hung her head.

        Another explosion rocked the building.  Raye and Serena blinked
at each other and shrugged.

        "MARS CRYSTAL POWER!"  Raye shouted as she raised a red pen
over her head.

        "MOON COSMIC POWER!" Serena shouted as she raised her brooch
above her head.

        Both girls underwent a magical transformation.  Flashes of red,
blue, and yellow lights surrounding the girls with their
clothing changed to ribbons and solidified into bodices and
skirts.  Once the light dissipate around them, both girls now
wore uniforms similar to Mina's.

        Both girls raced after Mina.  After running down the twisting
halls, they saw Mina peering out a hole created by an explosion.
 She carefully observed the police below firing at the sky,
searching for their aggressor.  Mina's eyes darted across the
sky as another blast shook the building and a part of the wall
nearby began to fall away.

        Mina's uncanny ability to take control of a battle situation
had always impressed Serena.  In fact, it scared Serena how much
unlike herself Mina could be when pressed to act quickly.

        "Venus," Serena addressed the girl by her alias, one could
never be too careful, "Do you see anything?"

        "No, nothing,"  Mina narrowed her eyes, searching.  "It must be
hidden or something."

        "Let me take care of this," Raye took out a small strip of
paper with kanji written along its length.

        She closed her eyes, focusing her spiritual energy, searching
for the presence hiding itself.  Once the paper became rigid,
Raye threw it at the empty space near the building.  The paper
then collided with the invisible perpetrator and crackle against
its surface.

        Malance became acutely aware that his cloaking device had shut
down.  He scanned his exterior armor and found a charged piece
of paper attached to his back, judging from his readings.

        'How is that possible!?'  He pulled the paper off his armor.

        "Hey creep!"  the large metallic creature rotated in the air
facing the crater in the building and slowly drift toward the
three girls.

        Serena gulped silently to herself as this mechanical monster
methodically approached, "How dare you attack the only real
homes of the poor and unfortunate citizens of this city!  I am
Sailor Moon and-"

        At the mention of Sailor Moon, the metallic oddity began
attacking.  All three girls scattered from the open area of the
building being obliterated by Malance.  Landing in the open
crater, Malance inspected the area for any sign of survivors.

        From out of the rumble, Raye jumped out, hands extended.

        'Let's see what this guy is made of.'

        "MARS FIRE IGNITE!"

        A streak of fire snaked itself toward the figure.  Malance
quickly charged his thrusters and narrowly dodged the attack.
Then Mina appeared from her concealment, shouting:

        "CRESCENT BEAM SMASH!"

        A concentrated beam of light shot from her finger and came at
its attacker.  Malance swerved once more, avoiding the cross
fire of the two magical girls' attacks.  Malance activated his
targeting system.  As Malance dodged and bobbed, the targeting
system locked onto one of the girls.

        Raye, in a blind fury to bring down the monstrosity, did not
have a chance to react.

        "Mars!"  Serena grabbed her tiara, "MOON TIARA MAGIC!"

        Serena tossed her tiara, now a glowing spinning disc, toward
the projectile.   The resulting collision, caused a blinding
flash.  The flash died away and a charred rose fell to Raye's
feet.

        "How dare you prey upon young girls!" Everyone scanned the room
for its source.

        A man dressed in a black tuxedo, top hat, and cape gracefully
landed in the mist of the battle.  Malance got a good look at
the man, and noticed three roses clutched in his fist.

        In a swift motion, the man tossed the bundle, stem first, at
the humanoid machine.  Each rose sliced through the air, hitting
their mark.  The machine to reel in humbled agony.  Malance
struggled to keep his trajectory stable as he accessed the
damage.  Apparently, these roses had a greater density than he
had anticipated, and, added to that fact, the costumed stranger
already had produced a few more.  Malance grudgingly decided to
retreat and fight another day.

        The General would not be pleased.

        The metallic monstrosity flew back out of range and made his
retreat.  The girl's stood their guard until their aggressor
disappeared into the night.  Serena released the sigh she had
been holding and ran over to the mysteriously masked man.

        "Dari-er-Tuxedo Mask!  I thought were still in Osaka!"  She
eagerly embraced her fiancee.

        The man slipped off his top hat, revealing his bristly dark
hair.  Serena's heart fluttered when he smiled.

        "Luna called and convinced me otherwise.  She felt that Sailor
Moon was in need of all our help."

        Serena hugged him tighter.  For once, her cat's cynicism had
proven fruitful.

        Raye ignored the couple, choosing instead to peer over the
edge.  Down below, panicked crowds were calmed by the police as
paramedics stormed inside.

        "Hey guys.  I think we better book it."

        Mina observed the great disorder below.  "Uh, maybe we should
take the stairs."

        Everyone nodded in approval and cautiously reverted back to
their civilian clothing.  They quickly made their way down the
stairs as other panicked people joined them.  Once reaching the
ground floor, the authorities had ushered them out.  Outside,
the group maneuvered through the crowd.  Serena clung to her
fiancee as he squeezed her gently.

        "You know, Serena, I feel terrible about leaving town like
that,"  the young man's voice rung with sincerity, "so I
reserved us a spot at one of the best restaurants in town
tomorrow night."

        "What!?" Raye stopped dead in her tracks.

        "Oh my!  How romantic!"  Mina gushed.

        "Really Darien!?" Serena perked up and her eyes glazed over
from the surprise announcement.

        The announcement shocked her so, that she did not notice the
black-haired man staring at the sky.  They both nearly knocked
each other over.

        "Oh, I'm so sorry, uh sir."  Serena stuttered.

        Tracer had been too late for the battle and now tried to figure
out the trajectory Malance had flown.  Tracer nonchalantly
brought his head down, and lazily looked at the young girl's
face.  He immediately gazed into her eyes, and, once locking
eyes, they both became transfixed.

        The man's dark brown eyes drew Serena in.  They drew her so far
in, she thought she could see his very soul.  She felt something
odd from him.  Pain.  A pain similar to that of Cindy.  And
longing.  A longing for something, something he wanted
desperately.

        The man broke the gaze, tightened his coat around his body, and
quickly went about his business.

        "How rude." Raye put her hands on her hips disapprovingly at
the man walking away.

        "Yeah."  Serena said in a daze.

        Darien faced her.  "Are you alright?"

        Serena shook her head and looked at her partner, "I guess, I
mean. . ."

        She looked down and noticed the crystal in her brooch glowing
brightly, "What!?"

        She covered the crystal with both her hands, perplexed as to
its strange behavior, "What is causing this?"

--------------------------------------------------------

        Tracer chastised himself for being so careless.  Now he had to
be more careful when following her or risk being recognized.
Tracer ducked into a dark alley near the building, he needed to
recover from his high.

        He leaned back and closed his eyes.  The girl's eyes still were
imprinted on his memory.  The feeling of power they procured
electrified his soul, while their blue hue, calmed him to his
very core.  Tracer took a deep breath and let his thoughts roam.

        Warmth.

        Love.

        Peace.

        Calm.

        Blue?

        Ah, yes.  He had loved the color blue, ever since he gazed upon
the blue eyes of . . . of. . .

        Tracer's mind immediately clicked back into reality.  He had to
fulfill his mission of revenge against the Society.  His eyes
flashed open and noticed the dark alley was now lit.  He tracked
down the source of the luminescence to the sword underneath his
trench coat.  Tracer stared in wonder at the sword's intensity,
an intensity it never had before.  The spectacle caused Tracer
to mumble:

        "What is causing this?"

-End of Part 4-

Author's Note:

I hope this clears things up.  Didn't think so. <grin>

As stated in the last part, "Counsule" is spelt right within this story.
So don't try and pass this off as right when you fail your spelling tests.

Thanks goes to Matt Johnston, his lil' bro, David, Erin Ellis, Lord Talon,
Doug Whiddon, and Elisa Bibat for their comments, suggests, and support.

Also thanks to Patrick Vera, Sebastien RENON, and John Tsoi for
assorted info. on homeless shelters, and the like.

Plus, I must thank SCA-Cooks Mailing List for being cool about my story
somehow getting reposted to their list 11 times, by only banning me
and flaming me just a few times.

Of course to A&L, oops, I mean Sailor Skuld and Andrea for being kind
enough to give this story a home.

And most especially you, dear readers.  Because without you, I'd just be
writing to mysel-
Hey! Come back here!

All original characters are owned and copyrighted by Bastion (c)1999.
And Sailor Moon is owned by Naoko Takeuchi and in America by DIC.

Thanks for reading, and please come again.

Bastion
bastion@ix.netcom.com

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