Chapter 6: The Coming of the Adaptation Sceptre Hi. I just want to remind you that the world of Sailor Moon is the work of Naoko Takeuchi and that I'm not doing this for money before we get underway. This fanfic is mine as is the world of Pollianus and its inhabitants and the idea of the Adaptation Sceptre. I have an emotional ice breaker near the beginning of this chapter that suggests violence, but fortunately, none actually takes place. Just thought I'd let you know. Okay, on with the story!!! The next five weeks on Pollianus are very boring. Sandigeo Grekari Rockheart is spending much of his spare time finishing his design for the Adaptation Sceptre, pausing only to eat and take care of other vital functions. He and his girlfriend Selraina Despicability Vitaliter don't spend a lot of time together because of Selraina's dad Gravitus La Phoenix. One day, Selraina took me to the lake two miles northwest of the cabin, the very lake we took advantage of to cool her off when she got horny shortly after arriving at the Vitaliter vacation cabin not too long ago. Once we got to the lake, we skipped stones trying to take my mind off the boredom. After talking meaningfully about life and adults, Selraina and I cuddle together just enjoying each other's company. "Reenie, you wanna know something?" Selraina asks just out of the blue. "What?" I want to know. "You're my best friend, Reenie," Selraina affirms, "and I think I have fallen in love with you." This gets my attention *real* QUICK!!! "You've fallen in love with me!??!!?" I ask Selraina, dismayed. "Uh huh," Selraina replies as she grabs at my bottom and kisses me against my will. "But what about your boyfriend Sandigeo?" I ask as I struggle to get away, a task Selraina's great strength makes very difficult. "He loves you!! If you jump from Sandigeo to me, you'll just cause yourself and him a lot of heartache. It's not worth it!!" "Reenie, I want to show you how much I love you," Selraina says as she begins unzipping the zipper on the back of the romper she gave me to wear. My heart sinks; I'm not going to like this at all. "Selraina, no!!!" I shout, making it clear that I don't want to participate in whatever Selraina is planning to do to me. Selraina ignores me and pulls the romper shoulder straps off my shoulders. She then lifts me and pulls my romper off. "Selraina, are you deaf!?!? I said *NO!!!!!!*" Selraina's mom Detective Despicability Vitaliter runs onto the scene at the sound of my resilient no. Sandigeo and Gravitus are also on the scene as are Sandigeo's parents Grekari Naturalier and Sergeant Tycallie Rockheart along with many other curious onlookers. "Selraina, what are you doing to Reenie???" Despicability demands as she snatches me away from Selraina. "Detective Vitaliter, thank @Palldere@ you're here!!!" I exclaim to Despicability, making sure to use the Pollianian term for God to emphasize how happy I am to see her. "Selraina fell in love with me and tried to assault me!!!" Despicability holds me close and glances at Sergeant Rockheart who immediately pounces on Selraina and subdues her. "I never thought that I would have to arrest my own daughter," Despicability sighs as she presses me gently against her chest and looks directly at the dirty and bruised Selraina who angrily spits at her metal-shoed feet. "Oh, so you're going to be like that, huh?" Despicability challenges Selraina as she kicks her in the chest. "Selraina Despicability Vitaliter, it is my painful displeasure to have to arrest you for the crime of aggravated sexual assault. You have the right to remain silent as the police will use anything you say against you in a court of law. At your request, you can have a lawyer present with you during interrogation. In the event you cannot afford a lawyer, one of our choosing will be provided to you at our expense." "Okay, you, against that tree!!" Tycallie growls at Selraina as she roughly shoves her against a nearby tree. "Spread 'em!!!" Tycallie barks at Selraina who reluctantly obeys. Tycallie's hands become a blur as they glide, grope, and grab all over Selraina's body. The sergeant then roughly wrenches Selraina's arms behind her back and handcuffs them together. I could hear popping and tearing from Selraina's shoulders as the arrest is taking place. Despicability watches emotionlessly as Tycallie drags away the pained Selraina to her cruiser and drives away toward Cold Falconian. "All right, everyone, break it up!!!" Despicability barks at the crowd. "Unless you all want to take a ride downtown . . . in handcuffs!!!" Everyone becomes frightened and becomes a massive stampede back to his or her respective life. Gravitus, Sandigeo, and Grekari stick around. "I meant three of you when I said everyone," Despicability orders. "Go on; get out of here!!! Beat it!!!" The three men leave to the southeast without a word. Despicability then picks up my romper and dresses me in it, but when she takes me back to the cabin, she doesn't get a warm welcome. "What happened to your decency back there?" Gravitus coldly asks Despicability. "That was MY girlfriend you beat up and had arrested, Detective!!!" Sandigeo shouts at Despicability. "That was *our* daughter you had arrested, Despicability!!!!" Gravitus bellows. "Nothing happened to my decency, Gravy," Despicability tells Gravitus as she creeps up on him seductively. "I just feel very strongly that sex should be between two people who voluntarily share an intimate bond with each other instead of one forcing himself (or in this case, herself) on the other and that the word no should be respected. ALWAYS!!!" "Hold it!!!" Grekari interrupts, holding up a hand. "What's going on here? Where did that flamingo-headed little girl come from?" Gravitus groans in exasperation. "All right!!! Everybody, fireplace living room!!" Gravitus bellows as he pushes Despicability in front of him. "March!!" Later in the fireplace living room, Gravitus makes a fire and takes a deep breath. "Okay, now let's get this sorted out," Gravitus says. "Despicability, you know the story with Reenie but not the one behind Selraina's behavior as of late, right?" "Right," Despicability agrees with Gravitus. "Grekari, you and Tycallie have no idea what the hell is going on, right?" Gravitus wants to confirm. "Right," Grekari agrees with Gravitus. "Sandigeo Grekari Rockheart, you have a lot of explaining to do, young man!!!" Sandigeo gulps nervously wondering how and where to begin. "I'm not getting any younger, Sandigeo!!!" Grekari growls through gritted teeth. "Or any more patient with you!!!!!!!!!" "This story is such a big mess I have no idea where to begin, Dad," Sandigeo tells Grekari. "JUST GET YOUR STORY SAID, SANDIGEO!!!!!!" Despicability snarls brusquely, making no effort to hide her growing anger and impatience. "I'm a police detective; I'll figure it all out later!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Sandigeo jumps back from Despicability and begins with the night Selraina came to him with me and said that her parents had fought which resulted in Despicability being arrested and Gravitus being sent to the hospital. Next comes hiding me out in the basement and the trip to Selraina's house to get the key to this cabin and the plan to hide out here so that Sandigeo could finish the Adaptation Sceptre and keep out of the reach of the authorities. Gravitus interjects to say that he, Selraina, and I found him home from the hospital when they came to get the key and map. Sandigeo goes on about how we got a blowout ten miles east of here on the Fire Thrasher Parkway and how some policepeople, probably from the Cold Falconian Police Department, helped us regain control of the car when it went out of control and limp it off the freeway and to a garage. Grekari gets angry that his car was taken without his permission and that the police dinged it up when they were helping Sandigeo but is glad that everything turned out okay. What *really* enraged the adults is when Sandigeo retells how he promised Selraina a massage routine all for her and what he actually does. At this point, the adults are starting to gang up on Sandigeo and I find myself feeling a duty to come forward. "Wait!!!" I announce as I climb down from Despicability's lap. This stops all the animosity. "I watched the whole thing. Hear me out before you three do or say anything." I then retell what I saw emphasizing Sandigeo's reluctance to go through with what he did with Selraina in gory detail. I felt responsible for what happened because Sandigeo "borrowed" my suggestion that he grope around in the leg openings of Selraina's panties and I tell the adults this. I then explain how all heck broke loose when Sandigeo refused Selraina's request that he free her and I intervened as Sailor Moon when things got out of hand. I then recount my fight with a very angry and horny Selraina and how I led her to the lake two miles northwest of here after a very one-sided battle. "Yeah, Reenie really hung in there," Sandigeo remarks. "All I had to do was spring the trap at the end by pushing Selraina in the lake." "Well, that was quite a story, Sandigeo," Grekari comments. "Too bad you might not see your woman for a while after this, though. Even though Selraina was out of line to behave as she did, your catering to her every wish makes you just as guilty as she is." "I got that covered, Grekari," Gravitus says, "and Sandigeo has done very well." "Of course, I want you to know that this incident has destroyed much of my trust in you, Sandigeo Grekari Rockheart," Despicability says, "and, with it, much of your freedom. When you get a chance to see Selraina again, if you ever do, things will be very different. First, if you go on any dates with Selraina, you *will* NOT go unless Professor La Phoenix, your mother, your father or I do the driving. If we don't feel like going anywhere, then you won't either. Second, if you call her, your phone calls *will* be monitored on BOTH ends. That goes for letters, too. Finally, I hope you enjoyed talking with Selraina at school because you are no longer allowed to talk with her at school. Period!!" "But, Detective Vitaliter . . . ," Sandigeo begins to protest. "Oh, and I forgot to add that this will be for the rest of your adolescence," Gravitus adds. "Aww, come on!!!" Sandigeo finishes his protest. "I never actually entered Selraina. You're acting as if I did!!" "That has been made very clear to us thanks to Reenie," Gravitus tells Sandigeo. "However, you exercised very poor judgment with my daughter, Sandigeo, and that's something you cannot use your age to excuse even if Selraina allowed you to do to her what she did." "Sandigeo, we're not doing this just to punish you," Despicability explains. "Selraina has some issues in various areas that she really needs to address before undertaking a serious role like being your girlfriend. She is in custody to be taken to Knobby Knavery for treatment and observation. Rest assured that Selraina will be under the same conditions you are right now once she gets back to Cold Falconian. She'll get the same lecture you just got and everything." "But . . . you can't separate me from Selraina!!!" Sandigeo exclaims, crying. "I need her to feel complete because I . . . love her . . . more than my own life." Grekari blinks his bright lemon- yellow eyes as he walks over to Sandigeo and hugs him. "It's all right, son," Grekari whispers into Sandigeo's ear. "Just let it all out. "Gravitus, Despicability, I feel that we should rethink this. Yes, Sandigeo exercised very poor judgment, but he loves your daughter very much. I mean, can't we scale this back a little? What our kids discuss is none of our business unless someone's life or safety is in danger. Look at Sandigeo." Grekari then shifts the Professor and Detective's attention on the quietly sobbing Sandigeo. The Professor and Detective exchange glances and look unmoved as if asking Grekari what point he is trying to make. "Okay, so you guys could care less about how Sandigeo feels because you're not his parents," Grekari quickly tells the Professor and Detective, trying to hold their attention, "but," Grekari turns Sandigeo to face Gravitus and Despicability, "what if this were your own daughter Selraina here instead of Sandigeo? Could you be as heartless to her as you are to Sandigeo and not regret it later? Despicability, I bet you're feeling bad about the rough way you handled Selraina right now. I can tell that there's a heart in there, but I don't know why you're supressing it. Let's lighten up by allowing our kids to exchange letters and converse in school but leave everything else in place. What do you say?" Gravitus and Despicability agree with Grekari. And for the rest of the night, no one ventures to say anything more. I feel sorry for Sandigeo because he's going to catch it from his mom for his carelessness and because it will be a long time before he sees Selraina again. "Sandigeo?" I ask as I cautiously approach the saddened Sandigeo who is lying on his bed crying. "Please say you're going to be all right. I . . . I care about you." "Reenie, a broken heart cannot be fixed easily like a broken vase can," Sandigeo sobs. "You only want to help me so that the Adaptation Sceptre can be built and you can use it to win that tournament." "That's not true, Sandigeo," I deny. "The adults are separating you and Selraina because they only care about their interests and not yours. I know you love Selraina, but we have no way of getting out to Knobby Knavery to visit her. It has been said that absence makes the heart grow fonder. Now you have a chance to find out if that saying is true. As for the Adaptation Sceptre and that tournament, I don't really want to go back to Earth but know I can't stay here on Pollianus. My parents miss me very much and I them. I don't want to fight in the tournament because I know I'll get clobbered unless I have help. You began designing the Adaptation Sceptre because you wanted to help me, not because someone is making you help me. So if you don't feel like helping me now, I'll understand. I'm in no hurry to go back to Earth anyway." "I'll be all right, Reenie," Sandigeo chokes, trying to be strong. "Are you going to be okay?" "Selraina reminded me of someone when she was assaulting me, Sandigeo," I say. "Oh well, she didn't get the chance to do anything to me, so I guess I'll be okay even though I'm still freaked that Selraina told me that she had fallen in love with me." "Are you sure, Reenie?" Sandigeo asks as he sits up. "You're not hurt or anything, are you?" "I'm all right," I reply, slightly annoyed. "I'd rather hear an experienced doctor say those words of you two," Despicability says as she enters the room. "Come on; we're going to the hospital." "Detective Vitaliter, Reenie and I are a-okay," Sandigeo tells Despicability. "I'm not asking if you want to go to the hospital; I'm TELLING you that you *are* going to the hospital," Despicability insists. Sandigeo and I give up objecting and allow Despicability to drive us to the hospital. At the hospital, I'm checked over and my blood is drawn. I undergo a CAT scan and get X-rayed and the doctor finds a point from one of Selraina's claws embedded in my stomach and a bruise on my head right above my left ear. My whole right side goes numb for a moment and I tell the doctor while we're waiting for the X-rays and CAT scan results. When they arrive, he tells me that I have a fracture on the left hemisphere of my cerebrum and cracked ribs. The doctor also reports that Sandigeo is suffering from being electrocuted by that last lightning ball Selraina launched at him and took a few skeletal injuries. When we arrive at our assigned room, a nurse says that Sandigeo will stay in the hospital for observation and I'm slated to have an operation tomorrow. "Sandigeo, you alive over there?" I ask. "Yeah, I'm alive but bored, Reenie," Sandigeo replies. "Are you scared about tomorrow's operation?" "I'm terrified!!!" I exclaim. "Will it hurt any?" "Reenie, they usually knock you cold before they start cutting you open so you don't feel anything," Sandigeo assures me. "However, given what needs to be done, they'll probably just give you something to kill the pain or numb your stomach while they get that claw out. Boy, Reenie, are we in a jam!!! I can't see Selraina except under certain circumstances which are few and in between, but if I do, I risk ending up like Professor La Phoenix did when we came to Selraina's house to get the keys and map to the cabin. Remember that?" I nod. "Your jam is that the Sailor Scouts are going to eventually figure out where Pollianus is and come here to get you and take you back to Earth to make you fight in that awful tournament and if I don't get the Adaptation Sceptre's plans finished, made into blueprints, and shipped off to Metalicon sometime in the near future so the Adaptation Sceptre can be built and given to you before then, you're going to get clobbered for sure!!! I also need to get a jewel known as the Adaptation Amethyst which is only found on Pyranina or the Sceptre will be useless. I'm going to need money, too." "Why?" I ask Sandigeo. "Surely you don't think that having the plans made into blueprints and shipped off to Metalicon so that the Adaptation Sceptre can be built and shipped back here and going to Pyranina to get the Adaptation Amethyst and back to Pollianus is free, Reenie," Sandigeo remarks. "I have to pay for postage and insurance for the blueprints and the Sceptre and then pay the Metaliconian people for their work. But don't worry; Detective Vitaliter and my mom make a lot of money being cops for Cold Falconian. They'll help me with these costs . . . or at least I hope so." I break out crying and Sandigeo picks me up and rocks me gently. "Shhh shhhh," Sandigeo whispers soothingly. "Don't cry, Reenie. Everything is going to be just fine. I'll get the necessary amount of money somehow. I promise." Sandigeo then carries me over to a chair and sits down with me on his lap. I wonder what's going on right now back on Earth. My dad King Endymion and my mom Neo-Queen Serenity are probably broken down with worry by now as are the other Sailor Scouts, especially Christine Hotaru Tomoe and Sharon Setsuna Mei'ou. If only I could get a message to them that I'm still here and that they're in my thoughts . .. ********************************************************** *******Cherry Hill Temple: July 6, 2996, 12:30 pm******* "Amy, are you done yet?!?!" Raye asked impatiently. Amy groans as this is the twentieth time in a single hour that Raye has asked that question. "Raye!!! Shut up!!!!" Amy snapped, looking up from her work. "This is a very labor-intensive program I'm writing and you are not helping matters any by rushing me!!!" Amy then takes a bite of her sandwich and then goes back to work. "Ah ha!!! Finished at last!!!" Michelle Michiru Kai'oh then provides the data collected from Raye's search of the solar system and Amy types it in. Everyone crowds around Amy with Lita and Raye closest of all. "Banzai!!!" Amy cries as she wolfs down the remainder of her sandwich. "I found Pollianus!!!! It's the third outer planet of a star system in a galaxy 12,000,000 light-years away from the Milky Way. Its neighbors, in order of decreasing distance from the star, are a metal-laden industrial planet known as Metalicon and a fiery planet known as Pyranina." "Fiery planet?" Raye whispered quietly like a spanked little girl. "Is there an echo in here?" Amy asked. "Yes, Raye, that's what I said." Raye weeps and runs from the room almost flattening her daughter Ariadne who was playing quietly and staying out of the way. "Ms. Mizuno, what's wrong with my mommy?" Ariadne asked Amy as she tugs on Amy's skirt. Amy could do nothing but pick up Ariadne and sit her on her lap. "Ariadne, your mother's very homesick for Mars," Amy said. "Try not to get on her nerves too much." "I'll go bathe my mommy in warm water and put her to bed," Ariadne said. "It works when I get sick." The other Sailor Scouts can't help but to burst out laughing at Ariadne's remark. "I'm gonna go do it right now!!" Ariadne leaps down from Amy's lap and runs off. Christine heard what Ariadne said and stops laughing. "Hey!!!!" Christine called to the still-laughing crowd, to no avail. She then searches the temple for Raye and Chad's room. A loud shriek alerts Christine, but by the time she gets there, a wet and very enraged Raye is already spanking Ariadne!!! "This'll teach you to dump water on people!!!!!" Raye was shouting at Ariadne as she readies herself to strike her daughter on the bottom again. "Mommy, please stop!!!" Ariadne begged Raye, her bottom stinging fiercely. "I only dumped that water on you to make you feel better because Ms. Mizuno said that you were homesick for Mars." Despite Ariadne's good intentions for her behavior, Raye's rage seems to jump from red-hot to white-hot and she continues. Chad comes into the room followed by Christine. "Raye, what are you doing??!!" Chad demanded. "This brat dumped water on me and I was teaching her a lesson!!!" Raye growled to Chad of Ariadne. Chad grabs the crying Ariadne and carries her out of the room. "You overreact to everything, Raye!!!" Christine shouted. "Keep that up and you'll die alone!!!" Fighting the urge to attack Raye as Sailor Saturn, Christine then turns and stomps out of the room. "Okay, so we've found Pollianus," Alexandria Haruka Ten'oh remarked. "Let's transform and go get Reenie and bring her home!!!!" "We're very close to that point, Alex," Michelle said, "but there are some things we need to do first. First, what about our daughters? Second, we have to learn about Pollianus so that we don't waste a lot of time searching for Reenie. There's no telling what's there. Third, we need to choose who goes and who stays. After all, we can't leave Crystal Tokyo and its king and queen unprotected." "I want to go!!!" Christine exclaimed. "You're not going," Michelle told Christine flatly, flashing her a icy look. "That's MY best friend stranded out there on Pollianus!!!" Christine screeched at Michelle. "I want to help!!!" "Michelle has her reasons for not wanting you along, Christine," Alex said. "I bet I'll get to go." "You lose, Alexandria," Michelle said. "You're not going either." "WHAT!??!?!?" Alex screamed. "Why aren't Christine and me going, Michelle??" "You're not going because you like to pick fights, Alex," Mina explained. Alex growls at Mina's remark. "I know you very well in that respect. Your strength will be needed here to protect Crystal Tokyo. I'm the leader of the Sailor Scouts, so I'm going. Amy and her computer will be useful, so she's in. We may need Lita's muscle at some point during this mission, so she's coming along. In case our powers don't repel whatever danger challenges us, Michelle is also coming along. Christine, you're staying because I want Reenie to wake up out of her coma to a friendly face. If it's any comfort to you, Raye will also stay behind to provide emotional support for the King and Queen . . . if she ever stops being mad at Ariadne. All right, does everyone know what she is to do?" "I do!!!" Alex agreed. "Take my car." Alex then hands Mina the keys. Mina looks Alex's yellow sports car over and finds that there's room for five people. "All right!!!" Mina cried as she vaults over the driver's side door into the sports car, making the shocks and springs squeak. Lita leaps in right in the back seat behind Mina. Michelle bounds over the passenger side door into the front seat beside Mina. "Hey, Amy!!! What are you scared of? Hop in the car!!" Amy hangs back reluctantly. "I don't know if I can," Amy told Mina shakily. "I guess there's only one way to find out." Amy begins her hurdle but instead ends up butting heads with Lita and kicking Michelle in the head when she lands clumsily with her rear end in the air and showing the whole world her dark blue lace edged panties with little fish all over them. Mina breaks out laughing at Amy. Christine and Alex join in and then Raye shows up on the scene and begins laughing when she gets wind of what Amy tried to do. Michelle and Lita then join in. Mina pulls Amy's skirt back over her behind and Lita pulls Amy from off the floor of the car. "Amy, you sure will try anything once!!" Mina chuckled as she starts the car. Amy scowls and she and everyone else buckles herself in. "You all right, Amy?" "In what way?" Amy glowered at Mina, still upset about being laughed at. "Look, Amy, that was a really rotten thing for us to do to you back there," Mina said ruefully. "I'm sorry." Michelle and Lita respond in a similar fashion. Amy gives them a very cold glare. "Gee, we must have done more damage than I thought we did, guys," Mina gulps of Amy's cold response. "Anyway, we're going to need to get some supplies before we head off to Pollianus. Lita, you and Michelle take care of the food. I'll take this car in to get inspected, the oil changed, etc. Amy, why don't you go and buy as much gasoline as we can carry?" "Okay," Lita and Michelle agreed. "All right," Amy said. ************************************************************* Fortunately, the hospital was able to treat Sandigeo and release him so that he can finish designing the Adaptation Sceptre for me. My stomach still hurts from the surgery and I have a metal plate in my head. Sandigeo comes to pick me up and tells me that he went to Pyranina and found the Adaptation Amethyst and got someone to make a blueprint of the Sceptre for free. "That's great, Sandigeo!!!" I cry estatically as he and I drive back to the Vitaliter cabin. "I also sent the plans in a couple of days ago," Sandigeo tells me. "Now if the Metaliconians get to work right now, they'll have the Adaptation Sceptre completed for me in three weeks. My parents are furious at me for doing what I did, Reenie. They're going to be stuck with the note I took out on the Sceptre for a long time." I don't know much about notes and stuff, but I know you need to be a certain age to get one. "Sandigeo, *just* HOW did you pull off getting that note?" I ask suspiciously. "Errr ummm, I have my ways, Reenie," Sandigeo replies nervously. I give Sandigeo my I'm-going-to-tell look. "All right!!!! All right!!!! I lied about my age and used my dad's credit rating as my own. There, are you happy now?" "Not quite, Sandigeo," I say, shaking my head. "You're going to tell your mom and dad what you did and accept whatever punishment they have in mind for you. You remind me of Sailors Uranus and Neptune; all your heads are just like brick!!! If you had thought to ask your parents, Professor La Phoenix, or Detective Vitaliter for help, one of them might have gone to the bank with you and co-signed that note. But ooooooooh no!!! You had to lie about your age and use your dad's credit rating!!!!" "I can't, Reenie," Sandigeo sighs sadly. "I might never see Selraina again." "Sandigeo, one of three things can happen at this point," I say. "One, you can tell your parents and accept the consequences like I'm telling you to do. Two, you can do nothing and let your parents find out on their own and then suffer their wrath at that point. Three, I can tell your mom and dad and get you into MAJOR trouble!!!! It's up to you how your parents learn this, but I'd rather that you tell them than the bank." Thoughts of using this to my advantage cross my mind, but I couldn't think of a single thing I want from Sandigeo that he can but doesn't want to provide me with. Probably just as well, when we arrived at the Cabin, Sandigeo finds that Grekari and Tycallie have been waiting on him!!! "Mom, Dad, what's up?" Sandigeo greets Sergeant Rockheart and Director Naturalier with a smile. "Come, son," Grekari says dangerously to Sandigeo. "Your mother and I have much to talk at you about at home." Grekari and Tycallie then load a frightened Sandigeo in Grekari's car and drive away. Figuring that they're talking about the note Sandigeo dishonestly took out on the Adaptation Sceptre in his dad's name, I chortle out loud. "I wouldn't be laughing if I were you, Reenie," Gravitus tells me in the same dangerous tone Grekari used on Sandigeo. "Despicability and I feel that you've been keeping something from us." "Well . . . ," I begin. "My name is not really Reenie. My full legal name is Serena Usagi Chiba. I'm called Reenie when I travel back in time to distinguish myself from my mother Serena Usagi Tsukino." I hope that gets me off the hook. "Very interesting, Serena," Despicability says to me, using my full first name, "but I was hoping that you would tell me what the Adaptation Sceptre is really for." I begin to say something but think better of it since it could mean the difference between whether or not I leave Pollianus with the Adaptation Sceptre. But what could I tell Despicability? Ah ha, I know!!! "It's for absorbing enemy attacks," I tell Despicability who makes a strange face and then confers with Gravitus. Please, God, let Despicability believe me!!! Despicability then gets out Sandigeo's drawings of the Adaptation Sceptre and studies them. "I don't buy that," Gravitus says to me as he sneaks a look at the drawings. "According to these drawings, the Adaptation Sceptre can not only capture enemy attacks; it can also store several different types of attacks and deploy them at the will of the holder." Gravitus's eyes turn black in anger and his claws extend. Despicability starts to stalk toward me and I barely duck in time to avoid one of her metal gauntlets. I begin wishing that the Sailor Scouts would come and get me. Where the hell are they?!?! "I want my mommy!!!!" I scream hysterically. Despicability corners me and prepares to punch me, but before she can: "Jupiter Thunder Dragon!!!" The attack engulfs Despicability, electrocutes her, and leaves her unconscious. "Venus Love Chain, encircle!!" The attack ties up Gravitus and stops him in his tracks. Sailor Neptune then goes through the house calling my name. Not one to stick around a dangerous situation after being saved, I head toward Sailor Neptune's voice. "Reenie!!!" Sailor Neptune cries as she scoops me up. "Sailor Neptune, thank God you're here!!!" I cry out, hugging her. "Let's get out of here!!!!" Sailor Neptune agrees and starts to carry me outside, but Gravitus breaks free of the Chain. "You'll not leave here alive!!!" Gravitus growls at the Sailor Scouts as he breaks free of Venus's Chain and charges at us claws bared. Gravitus swipes with one hand and Sailor Neptune dodges taking special precautions to protect me. Gravitus retracts his claws and throws a powerful left hook which sends me flying into Sailor Mercury's arms and Sailor Neptune into the opposite wall so hard I could hear her bones cracking. "Neptune!!!" Sailor Mercury cries as she scans the unconscious Sailor Neptune. Sailor Mercury frowns at the results the computer is displaying. "That was a good friend of mine!!! Mercury Ice Storm, blast!!!" As the attack collides with Gravitus and stuns him, Sailor Mercury secures her grip on me and takes me outside. "Mercury, we have to stop this!!!!" I yell. "Professor La Phoenix and Detective Vitaliter are too powerful for the four of you to fight!!! If this keeps up, someone's going to get hurt!!!!" "What do you have in mind?" Sailor Mercury snaps at me, still infuriated about what happened to Neptune. "I've done research on the Pollianians and they are afraid of fire," I tell Sailor Mercury who gets out her computer and types in some things. "Too dangerous, Reenie," Sailor Mercury says as she shakes her head. "The atmosphere is 65% oxygen and there are methane deposits everywhere on Pollianus. One good spark is enough to blow up the whole planet!!!" "Mercury, we have to do something!!!!" I entreat. "I also read that the gravity on Pollianus is 24X that of Earth, giving the Pollianians great strength and enabling them to live to be 300 to 700 Earth-years old." "Yeah, so? I'm over 1000 Earth-years old," Sailor Mercury tells me. "As for their great strength, I definitely believe you on that!!!! We have to do something to help the others or they'll get clobbered." Sailor Mercury pauses to gather her thoughts. "I'm still pissed about what Professor La Phoenix did to Neptune. Lousy Outer." I hear an angry roar and I tell Sailor Mercury that Detective Vitaliter is awake and mad and will join the fight. "Reenie, we have to do something NOW!!!! If one Pollianian is as dangerous when angered as you have said, adding another Pollianian to the broth is fatal!!! Change into Sailor Moon and follow me." Sailor Mercury then charges back into the cabin and I follow. "Pink Sugar Heart Attack!!!" I yell when I spot Despicability ready to attack me. Despicability angrily swats at the hearts while Sailor Mercury uses her Mercury Bubbles to cover the whole house with a dense fog. Sailor Jupiter fetches Sailor Neptune and Sailor Venus disengages from a confused Gravitus. The five of us waste no time in getting out of the cabin, piling into Alex's car, and burning rubber outta there. "Neptune!!!" I scream as I shake Sailor Neptune. "Are you okay?!?!" We all power down except for Sailor Neptune who is bleeding heavily. "Reenie, which way back to the freeway?" Amy asks me. "We're going the wrong way, Amy," I call out as I point my thumb back the other way. "The Fire Thrasher Parkway is the other way." "Why didn't someone say something?!?!" Amy demands as she slams on the brakes, bringing the car to a tire-squealing halt. "There's nowhere to make a U-turn here!!!" "Just keep driving, Amy," Mina barks. "We're going to need a secluded spot to teleport the car and ourselves back home." Amy nervously resumes driving and a half mile later we find that the road is a dead end. Mina looks around to see if there's room to make a U- turn. "Man, we're going to be trapped like rats here!!!" Mina curses. "I think we're going to have to do the Sailor Teleport here, girls." "Mina, it's not safe for us here!!!" I argue. "Detective Vitaliter is probably on the phone calling for reinforcements right now!!!!" "Just who asked for your worthless opinion, Serena Usagi Chiba?!?!?!" Mina angrily demands of me. "It's because of you we're in this mess!!!" "Mina Aino!!!! Now you apologize!!!!" Lita snaps. Mina refuses and gets out of the car. I tearfully look to Amy for comfort, but she roughly hauls me out of the car and Lita seizes the bloody and still unconscious Sailor Neptune who had just detransformed to Michelle. "Hey, Mina!! What about the car?" "I know that Alex loves it to death, but we have to leave it here, Lita," Mina hisses. "We'll tell Alex that we left her sports car because it ran out of gas and the Cold Falconian police were on our tail. She'll understand. Now come on and transform!!! Venus star power!!" Lita waits until the transformation is complete and hands Michelle to Sailor Venus before initiating her own transformation. "Jupiter star power!!" Lita cries out. In a bright flash of lightning, Lita transforms to Sailor Jupiter. Amy passes me to Sailor Jupiter and then begins her own transformation. I shudder and Sailor Jupiter whispers, "Reenie, stop that crying. This is no time to have a tantrum!!" "Mercury star power!!" Amy shouts. A torrent of water bathes Amy and after it subsides, Sailor Mercury stands ready for combat. "Okay, Reenie, your turn." I had sort of zoned out, much like when a computer is sitting idle and the screen saver is on the screen. It's taking me a while to get back to reality. "Come on, Reenie; get it in gear," Sailor Venus urges in a brusque and hurried tone of voice. "We don't have all day. You said yourself that it's not safe here." Sailor Jupiter gently puts me down. "Moon . . .(sniff). . . prism . . . power," I sob out, trying to get a handle on my emotions. The transformation is taking a little longer than usual because I'm upset and I didn't shout out my transformation phrase, but I'm transforming nevertheless. "Okay, Sailor Moon ready. Take me home to my mommy and daddy, guys." Sailor Jupiter takes the still-unconscious Michelle from Sailor Venus and Sailor Mercury takes me by the hand. At Sailor Venus's direction, everyone joins hands and calls out her guardian planet, or in my case, natural satellite. "Sailor Teleport!!!" we all cry out at once right before the very eyes of the arriving Cold Falconian Police Department. *********************************************************** *******Royal Palace: July 6, 2996, 6:45 pm******* "Come on, guys," Raye encouraged her teary-eyed king and queen. "Cheer up. I bet that the others are bringing Reenie home right now." Endymion looks at Raye. Sailor Pluto shows up and tries to comfort Serenity. "Poor Reenie," Serenity whispered to herself. "I should never have pushed her so hard!!!" "Serenity, feeling sorry for yourself won't help matters," Sailor Pluto whispered as she sits the Queen on her lap like a frightened child. Sailor Pluto then hears a beep on her communicator and after pressing a few buttons, she says, "Sailor Pluto here. Go ahead." Raye also gets out her communicator and listens in. "We have Reenie's soul and spirit with us, but she's refusing to cooperate with us," Sailor Venus transmitted. Endymion perks up and would have kissed Raye if she didn't remind him that she's married. Serenity starts kissing Sailor Pluto passionately. "Hey!!!!! Serenity, control yourself!!!" Sailor Pluto shouted, pushing her off her lap. Sailor Pluto then transmits, "Good work, all of you. I'll alert the others and have them meet you at the hospital." "Michelle was hurt on Pollianus," Sailor Jupiter transmitted. "She's in real bad shape. I don't think that Alex will be pleased at this news . . . or that we left her car behind." ********************************************************* *******The Crystal Tokyo Medical Centre: July 6, 2996, 6:50 pm******* "Get your mangy mitts off of me, you ruffians!!!!" I shout angrily at Sailors Mercury and Jupiter as they carry me in. I struggle to break free and even go as far as to bite Sailor Mercury on the hand. "Owww!!!!!!!!!!!!" Sailor Mercury yelps, snatching her hand away. "Damn you, Reenie!!!!" "Mercury, you okay?" Sailor Uranus asks. Sailor Mercury nods but tells her that Michelle has lost a lot of blood. Sailor Uranus then takes up where Sailor Mercury left off before I could the same to Sailor Jupiter. In the room where my body lies, Serenity, Endymion, and Sailors Mars, Saturn, and Pluto stand waiting. "What are you going to do to me!?!?" I shout. "Somebody get these musclebound gorillas to take their rusty paws off me!!!!" "Nothing doing," Sailor Mars tells me as she shakes her head. "You're too big a flight risk." "Where am I going to go?" I ask Sailor Mars. "I just want these overgrown monkeys to turn me loose." Sailor Mars doesn't seem to be listening. "Sailor Mars, what are you doing?" "I call upon the power of Mars---," Sailor Mars chants as she holds up one of her charms, ignoring my question, "Mars Fireballs, charge!!!!" Sailor Mars then places her charm on me and I suddenly find myself unable to move. Sailors Jupiter and Uranus release me and Serenity gets out the Imperium Silver Crystal. "Now can I use the Crystal to heal my daughter?" Serenity asks Sailor Mars. "Yes, Serenity, Reenie's spirit and soul are here," Sailor Mars replies. "And we'll all help you." Serenity powers up her Crystal. Sailor Mercury donates her power followed by Sailors Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Pluto. Endymion then gets into the act. AAAAAARRRRRRRGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! The pain is unbearable!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't want to reunite myself with my body or fight in that tournament!!!! Even without Sailor Neptune, I find it a losing battle to fight the energy that my parents and the Sailor Scouts are expending to reunite me with my body. I don't want to lose my independence. My royal status has its pluses, but one of its major minuses that I don't get a chance to be a kid. There's always so much for me to learn and so much expected of me. A chance to be a kid and some attention from my parents is all I really want. I know Serenity and Endymion aren't exactly model parents, but they are only people doing the best they can and know how to do with me. (Sigh), I guess all good things must come to an end . . . ************************************************************ *******Crystal Tokyo Medical Centre: July 6, 2996, 9:35 pm******* I open my eyes and wake up to a tremendous headache. "Hiya, Reenie," Sailor Saturn smiled. What just happened? Oh, yeah, I remember!!! Without thinking, I tearfully grab Sailor Saturn in a massive bear-hug. "It's nice to have you back, Reenie," Sailor Saturn whispers in my ear as she sheds a tear and returns my hug. "Don't you *ever* scare me like that again." Sailor Saturn and I release each other. "Saturn, where are my mommy and daddy and everyone else?" I asked. "Next door healing Michelle," Sailor Saturn replied as she turns to leave. "Where are you going?" I asked Sailor Saturn as I grab her arm. "I order you not to leave my side!!!" "I do not have to obey your orders, Reenie," Sailor Saturn said firmly as she snatches her arm away. "I am not of your court. I am going next door to see if I can be of any assistance. I want you to lie there and rest; I'll be back soon." Sailor Saturn walks to the door, goes through it, and sticks her head back in and says, "Oh, and one more thing: Serena Usagi Chiba, you *had* BETTER be still alive when I get back." Sailor Saturn then leaves the room. Just what does she want me to do all by myself in bed? Well, at least, I'm back on Earth and I get to sleep in my own bed tonight. Rats!!! I left before Sandigeo had a chance to give me the Adaptation Sceptre!!!!! I'm going to get clobbered in the tournament without it!!!! It's not fair!!!! I search the room frantically for the Sceptre. Perhaps Sandigeo found a way to send it to me. Finding nothing, I break down crying. In the past two days, I have discovered a planet whose people have wiped out a whole race in the name of survival, found out that parents are parents no matter where or what you are, saved a teenager from being raped by his horny girlfriend and gotten hurt in the process, gotten sexually assaulted . . . twice, and *almost* got done some serious bodily harm by an angry police detective and her scientist husband who think that I lied to them. If I had time to get the Adaptation Sceptre from Sandigeo, all that might have been worth it. But now I have bumpkus!!! NOW do you understand why I'm crying??? I feel like I'm going to explode if I don't tell someone what I have been through on Pollianus. But who??? I hop out of bed and head next door. I could hear cheering as I approach the entrance. I enter the room and find all the Scouts hugging each other. Look at them!!!! They're all having a good time without a single thought about me. "Guys, why are you letting Michelle hog all the attention???" I rudely interrupted. The room gets *dead* silent. "She's a Sailor Scout; she's supposed to expect to be hurt up like this!!!! What about me!?!?! What the hell was keeping you guys from getting out to Pollianus and bringing me home sooner??!?! You can't even begin to imagine what I've been through while I was waiting for you to find me!!!! Don't you guys . . . love me anymore???" My parents and the Scouts couldn't think of anything to say to me, so I turn and run away crying. "Hey, Reenie!!!" Sailor Uranus shouted. I stop and look back over my shoulder and then resume running. "Wait!!!" With Sailor Uranus right behind me, I run all over Crystal Tokyo blinded by hurt feelings and tears. After a trio of hours, a tall form sneaks up behind me and two white gloves ringed in black grab me, put a black bag over my head, and pick me up . . . *******The Royal Palace: July 7, 2996, 12:50 am******* "Thanks again, you're a life saver!!!" a female voice said. "I would have been heartbroken if I lost my little girl again!!!!" "No need to thank me," another female voice replied to the first. "Just make sure you discipline your kid and put the fear of God in her. She may not be so fortunate next time." "We sure will," a male voice vowed. "Good night and thanks again." Who are those people!?!? I can't see a thing with this stupid bag on my head!!! When I finally get the bag off, I see my dad holding a wet razor strop!!!! "Daddy," I squeak out to Endymion who strikes me sharply on the stomach with the strop. "What did you do that for???" "You made your mother and me look bad!!!" Endymion growled as he lashes out at me again with the strop. "You made the government look bad!!!! All the kids on Earth will think that it's okay to rebel against their parents thanks to you!!!! For that, *you* WILL pay with your hide, Serena Usagi Chiba!!!!" Endymion lashes out at me again and again, scoring successful hits on me each time. "What gave you the right to run away?!!? Huh!?!?" I could not answer Endymion's questions. All I could do is dodge that razor strop and cry out in pain at every successful strike. Unfortunately, all my dodging does is incense Endymion royally. "Daddy, please stop!!!" I begged Endymion. "I'm sorry for the trouble I caused. What can I do to correct things?" "First, you're going to write a personal written apology to ALL eight of the Sailor Scouts for making them spread out all over Crystal Tokyo looking for you and the mean and spiteful things you said to everyone in the hospital, starting with Sharon and Michelle," Endymion ordered me as he stops hitting me. "Second, after all the Scouts have been apologized to, you're going on the air to apologize to the populace of Crystal Tokyo for your disgraceful conduct tonight which forced me to close off the city. I'm up to my chin in complaints from people worried about their jobs because you did a poor job of dealing with your emotions!!! Third, you are going to train harder and longer than ever with your mother and me for this tournament!!! Maybe if you win the tournament, I'll feel better knowing that you're actually capable of accomplishing something worthwhile instead of being a flamingo-headed pain in the ass!!!! Good night!!!!" Endymion does a military about-face and marches out of my chambers, slamming the door behind him and leaving me in darkness. I change into my pajamas and crawl into *my* OWN bed. I wish that Queen Serenity were still alive. She could help me understand why Endymion was so angry with me for what happened tonight. I *really* wish that I had not jumped to conclusions, lashed out at my parents and the Sailor Scouts, and ran away. Maybe I might have gotten some attention if I had stayed put like Sailor Saturn wanted me to. The tournament is in four days and I know that they will be torture. I hope Sandigeo finds a way to get the Adaptation Sceptre here to me before the tournament or I'm in big trouble. Gravitus's advice to use my brain and capitalize on the strengths and weaknesses of the Sailor Scouts and Sailor Pluto's slide show and lecture on the eight members of my future court keep ringing in my mind, making it hard for me to go to sleep. I also have to make peace with my dad King Endymion somehow. I don't know how my mom Neo-Queen Serenity will treat me now, but I know that my parents are telepathic and act as one mind when they are dealing with me. But that's tomorrow's problem . . . THE END Damn, this chapter has taken me the longest to write!!!! I sincerely hope you liked it. So what do you think? Reenie is FINALLY back home in Crystal Tokyo and everything's hunky-dory. Agree or disagree? Do you think that Endymion was right to punish Reenie like he did for insulting Serenity, the Sailor Scouts, and him in the hospital and then running away? If you think that Endymion was too hard on Reenie, how would *you* have handled Reenie if you were Endymion (or Serenity, for those of you female readers)? Why did you choose to handle Reenie the way you did? If you were called to search Crystal Tokyo for Reenie and you found her, what would you do and/or say to her and why? 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.