Sailor Moon:
                            Burning Bright

The Time

This story takes place shortly after the Sailor Moon R movie.

Story Notes

This can be considered my sequel to the SM-R movie and, as such,
requires a knowledge of who Fioret, the antagonist of the SM-R movie,
is.  For those who haven't seen the Sailor Moon R movie, or those who
need a quick refresher, I would recommend looking up Hitoshi Doi's
excellent Sailor Moon homepage for a summary of the movie.

After the story I've included notes on the background history created
for this story, as well as notes on the Comet Guards' powers.  Because
these contain spoilers, I'd suggest reading them after you finish the
story.

Writing Notes

This was originally just a series of scene notes, listing what the
characters did and said and a bit of what they felt, to be later
fleshed out and written `properly', in a more conventional style.
However, as the notes grew, I found I rather enjoyed this mode of
address and I decided that I would tell the story in this fashion.  I
pretended that the characters' dress, their specific movements and the
backgrounds were the responsibility of the costume designer, the
animation director and the background artists and all I had to do was
tell the story.  So I did.

It is perhaps cheating a little, but I'm pretty sure you can imagine
the transformation and attack sequences far better than I can describe
them, and somehow I don't think pratfalls, floating drops of sweat and
the other visual gags present in anime are effective as plain text, so
imagine them where you will as you visualize the story.  And you'll
just have to believe me when I say I have less fashion sense than
Makoto, so imagine the Senshi in whatever clothes you like best.

I will readily admit that I am not an expert on Sailor Moon, so details
in the story might very well be incorrect, and this story might just
break universe continuity, though I sincerely tried to not tread on the
facts that I did know.  The names are from the Japanese version of the
show when I knew them, the English when I didn't.  Corrections are
welcome, as are comments and suggestions, both good and bad.

Main Cast

Usagi
Mamoru
Ami
Rei
Makoto
Minako
Luna
Artemis

Guest Cast

Umino
Naru
Fioret
Chibi-Usa
Haruna-sensei

Special Guest Villain

The Dark Figure

The Story

(Space)

Morose and alone, Fioret flies through space, wondering if he'll find a
new friend, someone else to talk to and be with.  Mamoru is still his
friend, to be sure, but in his heart Fioret knows that Mamoru has
Sailor Moon, and that Sailor Moon will never abandon Mamoru.  It will
never be the same between him and Mamoru, and with acceptance comes
regret.

The stars are distant and cold and unappealing, and so his gaze seeks
the closer shapes of the planets and their moons.  Thoughts of the
Sailor Senshi are still fresh in his mind, though, and his eyes slide
away from their massive counterparts, embarrassment and shame reminding
him that he wasn't strong enough to see their true natures through the
Xenian flower's control.

Another flickering in the darkness catches his attention, not a star,
not a planet, and he sees that it is a distant comet, brightly burning
in orbit about the Sun.  "Ah, the sparkling trail is pretty," Fioret
thinks, and briefly imagines that the glowing head of the comet is a
glowing flower, living alone in space with only the Sun to nurture it.
"Like me," he thinks, but banishes the thought, and in his mind the
glowing comet-flower becomes a glowing rose, the rose of Mamoru.  He
moves toward it.

As Fioret flies nearer the comet, it seems to grow brighter and
brighter, and soon he realizes that it is not another trick of his
imagination.  An energy beam is intercepting the comet, Fioret sees,
and seconds later the comet vapourizes.  Fioret is both upset and
curious that something would want to destroy an object so lovely and so
he investigates, moving closer to the now disappating debris.

(Generic open field - afternoon)

Over Usagi's loud objections, Luna and Artemis are working the Sailor
Senshi hard, putting the girls through training exercises.  "But it's a
beautiful day," Usagi protests.  "Why can't we just enjoy it?  I mean,
it's our only day off and surely we deserve some rest and relaxation?"
Luna looks up at her, saying sweetly, "And here I thought you were
looking for any excuse to avoid studying."  Rei's voice is as mocking
as her sudden laugh.  "What's the point, Luna?" she asks.  "Let her go
off and play like Chibi-Usa.  It's not as if any amount of studying
will help Usagi pass the exam.  And if Sailor Moon is useless in combat
because she hasn't practiced, well the rest of us are certainly used to
it by now."  Usagi's eyes narrow in anger.  "Useless?" she sputters,
reaching for her brooch.  "I'll show you `useless'.  We are practicing
against Mars today, right?"

"Actually," Ami says, somewhat uncertain that having Sailor Moon and
Sailor Mars on opposite sides is entirely a good idea, "I was going to
be volunteering.  I've been thinking of a few techniques I would like
to experiment... umm... with..."  Ami's voice withers under both
Usagi's and Rei's venomous stares, but Luna cuts in before either can
object.  "All right, then, Ami-chan," she says.  "Thank you for
volunteering.  Okay, everyone, transform and let's get started."

Transforming, they begin their mock attacks using Sailor Mercury as an
adversary, which she bears stolidly.  The main group works on timing
simultaneous strikes, with Venus wrapping Mercury in a Love-Me Chain,
while Mars and Jupiter hammer the now immobile Senshi with Burning
Mandela and Sparkling Wide Pressure.  Of course, if Sailor Moon gets
singed by the Burning Mandela once or twice, well it's her own fault
for getting in Mars' way.  Or so Mars claims.  Strangely, Sailor Mars'
aim improves after she's clipped once by Sailor Moon's tiara.  Mercury
is never truly hurt in the others' attacks, though Jupiter's enthusiasm
and one or two less than graceful dodges do put fresh bruises on
Mercury's body, and her new tactics actually net her more than a few
Senshi wrapped in a Shining Aqua Illusion.

After a couple of boring hours of the same basic attack, though, Sailor
Moon again starts complaining.  "My throat's getting sore from all
these power activation sequences, and my legs are starting to cramp up
from leaping about and isn't anyone else getting tired yet?"  Mercury,
out of breath and trying not to limp herself, notes, "Well, I haven't
been able to catch any of the others in an Aqua Illusion for a while,
even when I'm prepared for their attacks.  Perhaps we should retire--
after all, none of us have studied anywhere near enough for our school
exam."  Sailor Venus quickly chimes agreement, and both Jupiter and
Mars throw her a disgusted look.

"All of you are still too slow," Luna says sharply.  "You may be able
to catch Mercury, but you can anticipate her actions, which is a luxury
you won't have against any new enemy.  However," she concludes,
reluctantly, "I suppose you have done well enough for today."

As they retire to Rei's shrine to study for their upcoming exam, Ami
unobtrusively rubs her bruises and wonders exactly how badly her
costume would look if she added knee and elbow pads.

(Tokyo cafe - afternoon)

Umino and Naru are in a cafe, sipping drinks.  Their notebooks are open
before them, though for the moment they lie unnoticed.  Umino looks
somewhat haggard, and Naru comments on his appearance, saying, "You've
been looking tired these last couple of days, Umino.  Haven't you been
sleeping well?"  Umino's eyes dart away from Naru's as he thinks, "How can
I tell her about something as silly as bad dreams?"  He gives a short,
nervous laugh as instead he tells her, "Ah, I guess I'm just a little
worried about the up coming exam." 

Naru frowns at him. "I don't want you getting sick now, Umino.  I read
in the paper this morning that some boy from another school got sick
and died from exam stress."  Umino looks at her in surprise.  "Oh, so
you saw that article, too?" he says.  "Actually the doctors suspect he
had a congenital defect in one of his heart valves that somehow went
undetected--"  He stops, a thought occurring to him.  "Wait...  You
don't think I could...?"  Umino laughs again, and it seems a little
more natural this time.  "There's no need to worry, Naru-chan--it's a
fairly rare condition, so the odds that I--"  A faint scowl on Naru's
lips causes him to break off in momentary confusion, and he hastens to
add, "The boy probably just had a weak heart.  But me, Naru-chan?  How
could my heart be weak with your love supporting it?"  Naru's eyes
widen and a flush stains her cheeks.  "So," she says, eyes dropping
back to the notebook, "how do you do this problem again?"  Again
confused, and wondering what he said wrong to inspire that reaction,
Umino begins repeating the problem's solution steps.

(Space)

Seeing no reason not to, Fioret absorbs the energy released in the
explosion and immediately some of the weakness he has felt ever since he
restored Sailor Moon's Silver Crystal eases.  In the process of ingesting
the energy, though, he senses something dying and he recognizes the same
sort of spirit he has so recently discovered in Sailor Moon and the other
Senshi.  "Someone dying along with the comet?  What's going on?" he thinks. 

Fioret scans space, looking for the comet's destroyer, and he spots a
dark mass far away, slowly trailing what looks to be another comet.
Fioret moves closer, considering what he should do, and a beam from the
dark mass lances into the comet.  Cracks appear in the comet's surface,
and then it breaks apart in a cloud of vapour.  Fioret can feel another
spirit dying.

Fioret wonders if the comets are related to friends of Sailor Moon, and
if they're battling another enemy.  If comets are being destroyed and
people are dying, Sailor Moon must need help.  Perhaps Fioret can begin
to repay his debt to Sailor Moon by assisting her?

Fioret turns, heading towards Earth as fast as he can.

(Rei's shrine - evening)

Mamoru arrives at Rei's shrine carrying boxes of dinner--his promised
reward if that afternoon Usagi actually studied for the exam.  Minako
glances slyly at Usagi, and tells Mamoru, "Usagi-chan study?  She was
dead asleep until a minute before you came in."  Usagi stares at
Minako, eyes wide and shocked speechless by the unprovoked attack.
Makoto laughs, elbowing Usagi teasingly, and adds, "I don't know why
she'd be so tired, though, considering how little she did during the
practice this afternoon.  The rest of us were the ones doing all the
work--all she did was point that scepter."  Perhaps a touch nastily,
Rei nods decisively in agreement and says, "Usagi should definitely
have to do a few more pages of problems before being allowed to eat."
Usagi swallows nervously and starts sweating, eyes wide and darting
between her attackers.

"Is this true?" Mamoru says quietly.  Humour glints in his eyes, but Usagi
doesn't notice.  "Hey, wait," she blusters, looking around beseechingly,
eyes stopping more than once at the dinner held safely in Mamoru's arms. 
"I worked hard in the practice!  Really I did!  Mars was the one Mercury
kept catching, not me!  And I've studied!  Yeah, I had nap, a short, short
one, but I've been learning, really!  Ask me something!  Besides,
everyone's hungry, right, and how can anyone study effectively on an empty
stomach?" 

Ami, her laughter almost under control, comes to Usagi's defence.
"Usagi-chan has been studying," she says, gesturing at the pages of
mostly illegible scrawl in front of Usagi.  "Here, Usagi-chan," she
continues, and quizzes Usagi on a couple of questions to prove Usagi's
frantic claims.  With some mad scribbling, Usagi produces answers which
turn out to be valid, but Rei scowls at Ami and says, "Those were too
easy.  Answer this one, Usagi," and asks a harder question, which Usagi
sweats over but fails to answer.  Minako gives Rei a shrewd look, and
says, "Okay, then, Rei, so what's the answer?"  Rei merely shrugs.  "I
don't know.  But I'm not the one being tested," she says, and Usagi
goes scarlet.  "Why, you--" she says, hands twitching.

Mamoru just smiles.  "Looks like you all need more studying," he
comments, his voice automatically calming the situation, "but I suppose
you'd better eat this before it gets cold."  Anger forgotten, Usagi is
clearing books from the table down before anyone else can move and with
a gracious nod in her direction, Mamoru sets the dinner onto the table.
Mamoru produces something from a pocket with a flourish that is largely
unnoticed because Usagi is busily flipping the box lids open to
discover exactly what the feast consists of.  He clears his throat to
get her attention.  "Just in case you need a little more motivation to
study, Usako, I've got these,"  he says, and holds up a pair of movie
tickets.  "If you pass the exam, I'll take you out for an evening."
Rei laughs shortly and says, "Since Usagi obviously isn't going to pass,
who are really going to go out with?" but because of Mamoru's offer,
Usagi has suddenly been handed the dilemma of whether to start eating
or to open her books again and fails to react to the jibe.

Before Rei can repeat herself more loudly, Ami asks, "Does everyone
know about that comet passing close to Earth?  It's supposed to be a
clear night out tonight, and maybe we'll be able to see it."  Mamoru,
his thoughts going briefly to Fioret somewhere out in space, suggests,
"Perhaps after dinner, and some more studying, we can go outside to
look for it."

(Umino's house - night)

Naru is at Umino's house, up in his room and standing by the window
while Umino recites a lecture on comet formation and fiddles with a
telescope, trying to focus on a comet glowing in the sky.  Naru ignores
the lecture for the most part and just stares up at the stars.  Into
one short pause of Umino's speech, she comments, "You can see the stars
so clearly tonight.  They're so romantic, twinkling up in the sky."
Umino shifts topics easily.  "I was reading a book on astrophysics a
while back, and it said--"  Adjustments complete, Umino stands aside to
let Naru look through the telescope and he catches a glimpse of her eyes.
He immediately realizes that while stars might be the right topic, he's
not saying what she wants to hear.  "Ah... it said that the twinkling
stars really are very pretty.  And, umm, I think they're romantic as
well."  His intonation doesn't quite make the last sentence into a
question.

Naru looks through the eyepiece.  "It's bright," she says.  "Yes," he
replies, "this close to Earth, it's brighter than any of the planets."
His lips quirk.  "And since the moon isn't out yet, it's certainly
brighter than that.  At least for a little while."

(Outside Rei's shrine - night)

Mamoru, Usagi and the others say goodnight to Rei, and then leave to go
home.  "I think that maybe going home in a group would be safer,"
Mamoru starts.  "Then again, I guess you girls can take care of
yourselves pretty well.  It's not like you need to be continually
watched over."  Luna snorts, then says, "Sleep well everyone--it helps
you to both fight and study, remember."  Making general mutters of
agreement, Makoto, Minako and Ami head to their homes, and leave Mamoru
to escort Usagi.

(Streets - night)

Eventually Naru says, "Well, it's getting late and I really should be
going home."  "It's not really safe walking alone at night, so I guess
I'd better walk you home, right?" Umino immediately volunteers.  Naru
looks at him somewhat indulgently, but agrees.  Umino is a little hurt
by her expression, but hides his reaction.

The walk is fairly quiet, as Naru thinks over the nice things Umino has
said to her over the past day, while Umino tries desperately but fails
to think of something to fill the silence with and so just decides to
enjoy Naru's company.

They arrive at Naru's and wish each other a good night.  Naru says,
"Now promise me you'll get a good night's rest," and Umino tells her,
"Well, I promise I'll try."  "Good," she replies.  "I don't want
anything to happening to you--after all, we're not finished studying
for that exam."  "So then I'll see you tomorrow?" Umino asks, eagerness
in his voice.  "Of course, silly," she tells him. "Tomorrow's school,
after all," she says with a wink.  "But afterwards we can get together
to study."

(Outside Usagi's house - night)

Mamoru walks Usagi to her door, the light of the now risen moon bathing
them both.  "You know," he comments, looking up at it, "no matter how
nice the comet appeared, nothing can really compare to the light of the
moon."  He smiles down at her and she suddenly stands on tiptoes to
kiss him, her arms going around his neck.  His eyes widen a little in
surprise and then he wraps her in a hug, whispering to her a promise.
"I'll never let the Moon Princess come to any harm," he says, voice and
eyes suddenly solemn.  Eyes closed, she smiles a sad smile into his
shoulder, a tear shimmering beneath her eyelashes. "I know, my Prince,"
she says, knowing, too, the impossibility of his promise and how much
it torments him when he fails.

(Streets - night)

Working his way home along darkened streets, Umino carefully reigns in
his imagination so that he isn't forever imagining someone hiding in
the shadows.  A cat screeches suddenly, but somehow he keeps his yelp
from getting past his teeth.  His heart racing, Umino feels a reflexive
relief that nothing had happened as he walked Naru to her home, but
upon reflection his relief turns a little bitter, and his thoughts turn
in on himself.  "And what exactly would I have done if someone had
tried to hurt Naru-chan, anyway?  Small Umino, weak Umino.  I can't
fight, I'm useless.  I couldn't have protected her."  With a touch of
self-mockery, he recalls the time he dressed up like that masked man
who aids Sailor Moon, pretending that he could protect Naru-chan just
as the masked man protected Sailor Moon.  For a moment, his lips twist
in scorn, but then a sigh escapes his lips as he lets the uncomfortable
feelings go.  "I'm just tired," he thinks.  His eyes seek the peaceful
sky, and he finds the Moon shining over the city, and the comet
obscured by a stray cloud.

(Usagi's room - night)

Chibi-Usa is in Usagi's room, hands on hips and staring up as Usagi
opens her room's door.  "Where have you been with my Mamo-chan?!" Chibi-
Usa demands as Usagi cringes back at the sudden, unexpected
confrontation.  "What were you doing with him?!"  Usagi recovers and
looks down at Chibi-Usa in annoyance.  "What are you doing in my room
again?  I can never have a peaceful night with you around."  Chibi-Usa
refuses to be deterred and spreads her arms, barring Usagi from
entering the room when Usagi attempts to step forward.  Usagi sighs,
"Look, we were just watching this comet up in the sky.  Go see it out
the window if you don't believe me."  Chibi-Usa's eyes widen at the
mention of the comet, and she darts over to the room's window to peer
out.  Usagi sees the little girl stare at the comet in an almost awed
silence, her attention completely captured.  Usagi shakes her head in
wonder.  "Weird girl," she thinks, and gets ready for bed.  Chibi-Usa
still hasn't moved when Usagi crawls between the sheets and promptly
falls asleep.

Chibi-Usa is enraptured by the comet.  The cloud has been dispersed by
the wind and she gazes at the bright head and long tail, but though she
does think of how pretty it looks, she is more remembering her father.
Luna pads softly over to the girl and looks out as well.  "I remember
Papa telling me of comets," Chibi-Usa says quietly, partially to Luna
but mostly to herself.  "I remember him telling me stories of the Comet
Guard at night, about their bravery and how they protected the Earth in
ages past and how their spirits would watch over me as I slept.  I've
never seen a comet, though.  Papa was right when he said they seemed
both strong and beautiful all at once."  Usagi mutters in her sleep,
but for once Chibi-Usa isn't tempted to kick her awake.  She looks down
at Luna and asks, "Tell me, are they still here in this time?"  Luna
stares out at the comet, speculatively.  "No," she answers, "the Comet
Guard are long dead.  Only the Planet Senshi remain to protect the
Earth."  "Oh," Chibi-Usa says.  "Even so far back in time they're all
gone?  I've always wanted to meet one someday.  Will the comet still be
here tomorrow?"  "Yes, it'll be in the sky for quite a while," Luna
says.  "Good," Chibi-Usa replies.  "I'll pretend that the comet is up
there watching over me, like I did with imaginary comets when I was
little, even if this one belongs to no Comet Guard.  Goodnight, Luna."

(Umino's Room - night)

Umino arrives at home, goes up to his room silently, partially out of
courtesy to those already asleep, partially to preserve the calmness
the quiet brings.  "Peaceful silence feels nice right now," he thinks.
He looks out at the comet once more, replaying the day's conversations
with Naru over in his mind.  Sighing at his ineptness, he sets aside
those thoughts and swings the telescope back over to the moon.  He
smiles as he thinks how lovely Naru would say it looked.  A couple of
minutes later he slips into bed, pulling the blanket up to his chin.
His hand clicks off his night-light and in the room's sudden darkness
his eyes find the moon glowing softly in the window.  "Please.  Please,
no more nightmares," he begs the bright object, as if for a moment he
believes it is more than just a big rock out in space, but it does not
answer.  Holding an image of Naru in his mind as a talisman against bad
dreams, he closes his eyes.

(Umino's Dream)

Someone calls out in the darkness, begging for help.  "Again?" Umino
thinks, but the thought fades as he walks forward and sees a boy.
Umino asks, "What's wrong, who are you?" but the boy does not hear him.
A dark figure approaches the boy, and the boy again cries out for help.
Umino sees that the boy is running, but his position does not change
and the dark figure is almost upon him.  Umino runs toward him, then,
but he cannot move either, and can't get nearer, can never get any
nearer.  "I can't!" he shouts, putting every scrap of breath he has
into the call.  "I can't get to you.  I don't know how to help you!"
The boy apparently hears this time, and turns to look at Umino and
Umino sees his face fully.  The hopelessness in the boy's eyes is too
much to bear.  "I can't help you," Umino whispers as the boy stretches
a hand towards him.  A beam streaks from the dark figure, striking the
boy, and the boy screams, enveloped in light, then fades away.  Umino
stares at the now empty spot where the boy was, his mind filled with
horror.  And then it registers that the dark figure has started
advancing on Umino.

(Umino's Room - night)

Umino jerks awake, sweating, muttering, "I can't help-- I couldn't
protect..."  He gasps for breath as his heart races and it is a long
minute before he calms himself enough to think about returning to sleep. 
However, he is awake and whispering, "It was just a dream," to himself for
a very long time after that. 

(Usagi's Room - night)

Usagi jerks awake, confused.  "Was that a scream I just heard?" she
wonders to herself, but there is only silence in her room.  She feels
movement in her bed and lifts the covers to find Chibi-Usa asleep,
curled up beside her.  Chibi-Usa shivers momentarily at a draft of cold
air, then mutters, "Moon Princess Halation," and waves her hand like
she's holding Usagi's scepter.  Usagi smiles involuntarily, thinking
affectionately, "Ah, the little twerp's dreaming of Sailor Moon."
Suddenly, a scowl replaces the smile as another idea comes to her.
"Hey, wait!  She's dreaming that she's Sailor Moon!  She is a twerp!
Well, she's never getting my scepter.  No way!  She'll just have to get
one of her own."  Still muttering, Usagi rolls over and goes back to
sleep, deliberately leaving Chibi-Usa partially uncovered.  Minutes
later though, it's Usagi who shivers in her sleep and Chibi-Usa who is
snuggled under the blankets.

(Space)

An image of the comet is in Fioret's mind, and he sees the figure of
someone curled into a fetal position inside the comet's head.  Fioret's
voice calls out to the spirit.  "Wake up!" he shouts. "You're in
danger!"  There is no response.  Fioret opens his closed eyes, gazes at
the physical form of the comet that he is flying close beside as it
wings its way towards Earth.  "The fact that the spirit is asleep
worries me," Fioret thinks.  "I'll try again.  It must wake up!"  He
closes his eyes and resummons the image of the spirit locked in the
comet.  Fioret calls, louder than he has tried before.  Maybe it hears
him for it slowly raises its head, but it does not look at anything.
The spirit vaguely mutters, "I couldn't help them.  I couldn't protect
them.  I didn't know how.  I couldn't remember how..." and Fioret
repeats his warning to the spirit, but it merely lowers its head again,
and appears to fall back into sleep.  Fioret tries to waken the spirit
again, but without success.  "Damn it," he curses.  "Well, I guess I
can do nothing but go talk to Mamoru-kun and Sailor Moon."  The dark
mass is a long way off, he knows.  The comet has time, but not too much.
He hopes it will be all right.

(Ami's House - morning)

It's morning and the sun is shining brightly and birds are singing
happily and a hand raps out a quick, impatient pattern on a house's
door.  Moments later, the door opens to reveal Ami munching on the last
bit of her breakfast.  "Well, aren't you ready for school yet?" Usagi
demands and Ami almost chokes on a bite.  With Ami still swallowing and
trying to form some sort of answer, Usagi proceeds to mutter, "The
stupid munchkin kept waking me up with her stupid dreams.  I don't
think I got even three or four hours sleep last night.  Why'd she have
to fall asleep in my room, anyway?  Can't wait for class--at least
there I can catch a peaceful nap or two..."  Wordlessly, Ami slips into
her shoes, picks up her school bag from beside the door and motions
Usagi out towards the street.

(Umino's house - morning)

Umino is sitting at the kitchen table, munching slowly on a piece of
toast as he listlessly flips through a newspaper.  He looks terrible.
Headlines flash by, but Umino's eyes barely see the paper, let alone
read the words.  To avoid remembering what he doesn't want recalled, he
thinks back to a phone call he had made to Naru a little earlier.  "I'm
not going to be at school today," he had told her when she picked up
the phone.  "I want to, but my mother says I should stay home."  "You
didn't sleep well, did you?" Naru asked somewhat unnecessarily.  "I'll
be over in a few minutes," she informed him, and hung up before he
could tell her he would much rather just be alone.  When she arrived,
Umino was pelted with questions.  "When did you go to bed?" Naru
demanded.  "How long did you sleep?  What have you been eating?  Do you
have a fever?"  "I'm fine," Umino said.  "Just tired.  Here, would give
this to Haruna-sensei for me?"  He handed her a note from his mother
which briefly said that Umino hadn't been feeling well lately and to
please excuse his absence from school.  To forestall any further
questions, he told her, "I think maybe I should just go back to bed."
Visibly worried, Naru replied, "That's probably for the best.  I'll
stop by after school, to see how you're doing.  I hope you'll be
feeling better."  With some reluctance, Naru then left for school.

"I don't like lying to Naru-chan," Umino says to himself.  "Why did I
bother?  What does it matter if she knows I'm having stupid dreams?"
Shaking his head, he turns to the next page in the newspaper and his
eye is caught by an article proclaiming that a second student has died,
again due to heart failure.  "Another?  I'm glad Naru-chan didn't know
about this or she would never have left."  There is a small picture of
the student and Umino scans the picture without recognition for a
second before his dream comes back to him and he realizes that the
picture is of the boy in his dream.  He's suddenly on his feet,
standing over the picture, and his upset chair crashes loudly into the
floor.  Umino shakes his head in shock and disbelief.  "It can't be,"
he thinks.  "It can't be.  I need air, I have to get some air."

(School - morning)

Usagi and Ami enter the classroom together.  Haruna-sensei is there,
sitting at her desk, and she looks up as the pair enters.  Noticing how
tired Usagi looks, she comments, "Ah, Tsukino-san.  Looks like you
didn't get much sleep late night."  Her voice takes on a note of false
sympathy.  "Ah, that's too bad," she continues, and then her voice
suddenly sharpens.  "However, if I even think you're napping in my
classroom, you'll have detention for the rest of the week!"  The class
laughs as Usagi groans and heads to her desk.  She glances miserably at
Ami and finds that even her friend is trying to conceal a grin behind
her hand.  Usagi scowls and starts muttering, "Everyone hates me.  I
just know it."  She looks over at Naru, hoping to find some sympathy
there, but Naru is staring moodily out the window, apparently oblivious
to the entire incident.  Usagi frowns at her in concern as she takes
her seat.

(Streets - late morning)

Umino is walking randomly, distracted, only vaguely aware of what's
happening around him.  He can't get the boy's face out of his mind and
the dream, the dream keeps whispering in his ears.  "I know him," Umino
thinks.  "I know I know him.  But from where?  Someplace besides the
dream, but I can't remember.  I just can't remember..."  Suddenly
thoughts of the comet enter his mind.  "What?  The comet?  Are they
related?" he wonders.  His footsteps are carrying him near the school
and he jerks to a stop as he recognizes it.  He glances at his watch.
"Almost lunch time.  Naru-chan might be outside.  I'd better be careful
to avoid her.  I don't want to see her now... Don't I?"

Confusion in his thoughts, Umino's gaze falls on a white cat sitting on
a tree branch.  "That cat--it's Aino Minako-san's, I think.  I wonder
if it's waiting for her to come out?  Smart cat."  It looks down at
him, meeting his eyes for a moment before jumping down to the sidewalk.
Umino's mind latches onto the mark on the cat's forehead, a moon shaped
discolouration.  "That mark.  I know...  I've seen..."

Some of it comes back.  Too little, not enough.  "I know the cat," he
thinks in a flash.  "It's Artemis, but I don't know its name from this
lifetime.  How can that be?  Tsutone!  Tsutone, that was the boy's
name.  Gamma, too.  Gamma?  Artemis.  Artemis knows.  The cat must
know."

Umino moves, faster than he ever has before.  "I should have fallen,"
he thinks.  He should have tripped and landed on his face but the cat
is in his arms and he's in the bushes holding it still.  "I know you,"
he says, whispering urgently.  "I know you, moon cat.  I remember.
Give it to me!"  He can't control his mouth.  Give what?  What is he
talking about?  There's a glow, a red glow on the back of his right
hand.  What is it?  It doesn't matter.  He doesn't stop talking, can't
stop talking, and the muted words pour out of his mouth.  "We're dying
and you haven't taught us how to fight!  Tsutone's dead!  Mishini's
dead!  They're dead because they didn't know how to fight in this
lifetime!  Gamma and Theta are gone!  And don't meow, cat--I know you
can speak.  If you just meow I swear I'll break your neck.  Mishini was
always the bloodthirsty one, but he's gone so I guess it falls to me,
it all falls to me.  I won't die like them, Artemis!  I won't die with
my honour soiled and the debt unpaid!"  The words stop and Umino hasn't
a clue what he just said, what he's talking about.  He only knows he's
angry, oh, so angry, angrier than he's ever been in his life.  Who is
he, who is this person talking?  Kill the cat?  He couldn't-- Yes.
Yes, he could, if...  "Give it to me," he demands.  "My memory, and--
And..." Umino's voice trails off.

Artemis has ceased struggling and just stares up at Umino, disbelievingly
looks down at the symbol glowing on Umino's hand.  "Zeta?" Artemis
says.  "You--you're alive?  The Guard are still alive?  I looked and
looked but couldn't-- And then I found Venus and..." Artemis shakes his
head, clearing away the shock, the surprise.  "Yes," he continues,
"Theta was bloodthirsty, unlike you, Zeta.  You always hated fighting.
I didn't think any of you had survived the last battle, I thought you
had all exhausted your powers.  But who killed Gamma and Theta?  Wait,
come, we must talk.  Elsewhere.  First, though, here.  I suppose this
is yours."  Artemis concentrates and an object appears, an amulet with
a red stone in the centre floating in the air.  Umino reaches out and
grasps it and there's a flare of light.  A glowing symbol of Zeta
appears on the stone, matching the symbol burning painlessly on Umino's
hand.

Umino slips the amulet over his head, feels memory returning even as
the two move away.

(School grounds - lunchtime)

Minako is standing by the tree, looking for Artemis.  She calls out,
but no one answers.  Confused, she heads back to the school, looking
for the other Senshi.  Ami and Makoto are staring as Usagi wolfs both
her lunch and what appears to be a second person's lunch.  Minako says,
"I guess one of you must not have been hungry to let Usagi-chan have
your lunch," but they just shake their heads.  Usagi surfaces for a
moment and tells her, "I got up early 'cause Chibi-Usa woke me up with
her silly dreams, so I had lots of time to make lunch," before popping
an unrecognizable bite into her mouth.  "Naturally this equated to
increased quantity rather than improved quality," Ami continues, "but
maybe getting up early isn't a bad thing after all?"

Minako smiles as a frown of contemplation appears on Usagi's face, then
Minako asks, "Has anyone had seen Artemis?  He was supposed to meet me
for lunch."  No one has.  Luna comments, "He's probably just out goofing
off again," but then suddenly shivers and looks around.  "Something's
wrong," she says.  "Over there!"

(Generic park - lunchtime)

The Senshi run in the direction indicated by Luna, into a tree-filled
park, coming across a group of unconscious people in a clearing.  They
pause at the edge of the clearing and Ami produces her computer,
scanning the area.  "They're alive," she reports.  "There are energy
readings from all around, but there's a large concentration in that
direction."  They move forward slightly, find a strangely dressed man
crouched in shadow beside one of the victims.  Minako's eyes widen when
she spots Artemis under one of his arms.  "Venus Star Power, Make Up!"
is out of her mouth in a flash, and the others need little prompting,
though Usagi groans, "I didn't get a full night's sleep or eat a full
lunch and now you expect me to fight?"  "Usagi--" Luna warns, but Usagi's
complaint is merely habit.  "Moon Cosmic Power," she calls, cutting off
Luna's lecture.  "Make Up!"

The Senshi leap to attack, their timing precise, drills practiced
yesterday easily coming back to them.  They should have taken the
adversary by surprise, it should have been so easy, but somehow the
adversary dodges the Venus Love-Me Chain, rolling on the ground, faster
than they would have thought possible.  It snaps harmlessly by him.
They hear "Bright Barrier!" called out as the adversary comes to his
feet, his arms crossed in front of him.  A Sparkling Wide Pressure bolt
dissolves in the glowing mist that suddenly surrounds him, as does
Mercury's attempt to snare him with Shining Aqua Illusion.  With
"Plasma Flaming," white fire sprays out of the adversary's hand,
surrounding Venus, who screams and struggles to break free.  Another of
Jupiter's bolts causes him to dodge again, but the bolt nicks him and
this time it takes the mists with it as it dissolves.  Sailor Moon's
tiara nails him in the chest, ringing off armour, sending him to the
ground and forcing him to release Artemis.  The adversary struggles to
get up as Mercury encases Plasma Flaming with Aqua Illusion, shattering
both and setting Venus free.  Eyes blazing, Venus then completes what
she started initially and wraps him in another Love-Me Chain just as he
gets to his knees.

Artemis, knowing what's about to happen, leaps at Sailor Moon, knocking
her scepter out of her hands before she can aim one of its deadly
bolts.  The Senshi are shocked, but Luna, who has finally truly seen
who it is they are fighting, calms them.  "I know him," she says.
"He's a Comet Guard.  He's on our side."  The Senshi look confused for
a second, stare at the Guard's white shirt and black pants, chain mail
vest and red cape, at the black gloves and boots, at the red stone set
in the cape's clasp beneath his throat.  He stares back, blankly
unafraid--it's all he can do, bound as he is.

Memory tickles.  "Aren't they all dead?" Mercury asks.  The Guard
speaks.  "No," he says, "we didn't all die when the Moon Kingdom fell.
Only the Soldiers.  Those who were Scouts that night were saved.  Some
of us, anyway."  His voice is bitter.  "Why do you fight me?" he asks.
"Do you hate us that much for failing?"

The Sailor Senshi look at each other.  The Love-Me Chain fades, but he
remains on the ground.  "You didn't do this?" Sailor Venus asks.  He
looks surprised, glances around at the victims, glances at one in
particular.  It's Naru.  "No," he repeats.  "I defend.  But I was too
late.  I couldn't do anything.  Again.  It's still here though, but it
won't come out of hiding."

Then, as if answering the challenge, a form appears behind the Senshi.
Artemis calls a warning and they spin.  A flight of bright projectiles
arcs toward the form from the Guard, leaving glowing trails.  They
explode harmlessly against it and it looks around at the gathered
Senshi, and speaks in a rumbling voice.  "So," it says.  "So, more than
comets guard this planet and its people.  Interesting," it says.
"Interesting."  It then fades away, disappating in the breeze.

Mercury tells the others, "The energy readings are gone."  The people
don't get up.  "It's stolen their spirits, taken them into itself,"
Artemis explains.  "The only way to save them is to destroy the monster
when it appears next."

The Senshi turn from each other, look to the mysterious Guard, but he
is gone.  They see a figure dressed in school clothes kneeling beside
one of the victims.  They know him--it's Umino.  They move over to him,
and Sailor Moon asks, "Are you okay?"  He doesn't bother to glance up
and they look past him, see Naru on the ground, gasp in horror.  "Oh,
Naru-chan, not again," Sailor Moon whispers.

"She'll be all right", Umino says.  He looks up and the Senshi take a
step backwards.  He's different, they see.  This isn't Umino of the
watery eyes and small stature.  This isn't the silly class geek with a
core of steel showing through when his Naru-chan's in danger.  This
Umino has eyes that burn and a bearing that says big or small, he'll go
for the throat.  The steel in him is molten with his anger.  And his
grief.  "She'll be all right," Umino repeats.  "I couldn't protect--"
His throat closes on "protect", and you can almost hear the word
echoing in his mind.  "I couldn't protect her," he finishes.  "But I
will save her."  How could they have ever thought he was weak and
foolish?

"I'll see you later," Umino tells the Senshi.  "Artemis?" Artemis looks
apologetically at Sailor Venus.  "It's my fault," he says.  "I thought
they were all dead and so I stopped looking for them.  And then this
monster started killing them off when they weren't trained, couldn't
defend themselves.  I've got to teach him all I can."  "Yes," Umino
says, glancing at Venus.  Something ugly moves in his eyes.  "Yes, he
found you, trained you, while we died."  He stops, and the look
dissolves under a weight of shame.  "But what right do I have to hold
grudges?"  He turns and walks off.  Artemis trails after.

The Senshi reel under the realization.  Umino--?  Umino is--?  "Comet
Guard Zeta," Luna says.  "I remember now.  Come, we have things to
discuss, to plan.  No time to waste.  These people will be taken to a
hospital."  The Senshi follow Luna, calling Rei to meet them at the
shrine.

(Space)

Fioret approaches the Earth, senses a darkness fly past him.  It's the
dark mass, he knows.  The dark mass is attacking the Earth.  He follows
the darkness down, but in the atmosphere he has to slow or burn up.  He
is too weak to teleport, to weak even to deflect the heat.  He misses
the fight.

Fioret follows the path of the darkness, sees the group, sees Sailor
Moon and her friends, sees the stranger.  He recognizes the stranger
suddenly, recognizes that he has the same spirit as the comet.  Fioret
elects to approach him instead, warn him about what's happening to the
comets.

(Elsewhere in the park - afternoon)

Umino doesn't go far, slumping beneath a tree.  He stares at a bed of
flowers, idly fingering another present from Artemis--a communicator
which can contact the Senshi.  There's a viewscreen, and the thought
crosses his mind that if he called them right now, and they didn't
block the screen, he could probably see what they looked like in real
life.  Actually, Artemis' owner, Minako, is probably the one Artemis
said he found.  Venus.  He finds he doesn't really care.  He remembers
the shock on their faces when they learned he was Umino the geek.  He'd
probably be equally surprised to find out who the rest really are as
well.

Except he's not Umino, and that's what is truly bothering him.  Umino
doesn't get angry, not like this.  Umino worries about his grades,
about how to keep Naru-chan happy, about what Naru-chan sees in him
anyway.  He worries about being picked on.  Now, if someone tried to
pick on Umino, they'd get the surprise of their life.  Umino knows
exactly how to take people apart--

No.  No, Umino doesn't know how to take people apart.  Zeta does.
Zeta, who learned back in the Moon Kingdom.  Zeta, the Comet Guard,
watching and defending his Queen and Princess, watching as one died
sending the other to Earth after he failed.  He is not Umino, he is
Zeta.  Umino can't survive with Zeta's memories--it's all changed,
nothing's the same.  Zeta thinks only of revenge, of killing, of power.
To Umino those are only words, not thoughts and emotions that course
through his blood.

But Umino remembers shame.  It's one feeling they have in common, Zeta
and Umino.  But Zeta, he suffocates under the weight of it.  He must
redeem himself.  For the failure, the failure of the entire Comet
Guard.  A chance at redemption.  So badly, he wants a chance at
redemption.  And to live.  So many of his friends died, he wants to
live, to remember his friends to others, to tell of their secret
battles, of the redemption won, for can there be forgiveness if no one
knows of the reparations?

But he's Zeta, shamed Zeta, powerful Zeta, with a chance at redemption.
Umino is already dead, and to Zeta redemption is more important than
life, or love.  And Artemis knows everything.  Surely Artemis would
tell the Prince and Princess, if Zeta asked?  Surely Artemis knows who
the Prince and Princess are in this time, in this life?  In truth, Zeta
knows he couldn't face them.  So much failure...  And its redemption...
A chance, so small a chance, can it really be called one at all?

"It doesn't matter, does it?" he asks Artemis.  "My shot did nothing to
it.  I can't hurt it.  It'll just kill me."  Artemis looks at him,
says, "No, the Guard weren't meant to fight, that's not their
strength."  "I know," Zeta replies.  "That's why we died, in twos and
fives and tens, our power drained and drainedime.
I thought my amulet would be shattered, too, with what I required of
it.  But I was reborn again.  I wish I hadn't been..."

Tuxedo Kamen steps into view, but Zeta's gaze doesn't stray from the
flowers.  Tuxedo Kamen had been watching, of course, watching since the
beginning.  He was glad that he hadn't been forced to throw a rose
against the Sailor Senshi--he wasn't certain he could have--but that
thought is far from his mind.  "When did you become so bitter, Umino-
kun?" he asks.  "I'm not Umino," comes the response.  "I'm Zeta.  And
who are...?" Zeta squints up at the tuxedo and mask and top-hat.
"Tuxedo Kamen.  No, wait," Zeta says, a memory returning, "at the Ball,
that night...  I remember, the Prince wore those clothes at the
Masquerade Ball.  Prince?" Zeta asks, and the tuxedo and cane shimmer
and become plate mail and sword.  "Prince--"

And Zeta stands, but not to greet Endymion, or salute him, but to turn
away.  "Why?" he asks.  "Why are you here?  Don't make me look in your
eyes, I know the rejection I'll see.  We failed and the Queen died.  I
failed and the Moon Kingdom fell.  We didn't sense her coming, Queen
Beryl and her demons, we couldn't warn the Planet Senshi, let them
prepare, and there was death, so much death and I could do nothing
except know the damning mercy of my Queen as she sent me to Earth, me
and the surviving Guards, and the defeated Planet Senshi and the
Princess and you.  I should have died with my friends and brothers, I
didn't want to live in shame, with a debt--"

"No," the Prince says.  "I remember the attack.  The Comet Guard Scouts
couldn't have known Queen Beryl was coming--she didn't come from
outside the Solar System, she appeared directly above the Moon from
another dimension.  There was nothing you, nothing any of us could do.
I remember the Guard Soldiers fighting, fighting and dying so bravely.
They occupied Beryl's forces, kept them from the Planet Senshi's
bodies, let our Queen save as many of us as she could.  Even the Guard
Scouts fought, even though so far from the Sun their comets couldn't
lend them power with which to fight.  I remember you, Zeta.  I thought
you had died..."

"No," Zeta says.  "I just wish I did.  I was dying and she saved me by
sending me to Earth.  No, you're wrong, we could have done something,
we should have sensed something...  Please, my Prince, I beg you--just
go away.  Leave me to my shame--I will redeem myself.  Somehow..."

"There's nothing to redeem," the Prince replies, but Zeta doesn't
answer, doesn't turn around, and the Prince sighs.  "I'll see you in
battle," he says, and walks away.

"Artemis," Zeta says.  "Go after him.  Tell him, tell him what we've
done, how we've been repaying the debt.  Tell him that we've kept the
planet safe waiting for the Princess' and his return.  Tell him the
names of those who have died and tell him that the Comet Guard knows
that the debt can never truly be repaid but that on our blood we will
try.  Go, Artemis, tell him he will see me in battle."

Artemis looks at Zeta, a crumpled, defeated Zeta, says, "I'll be back
soon," and hurries off, looking for the Prince, or Tuxedo Kamen, or
Mamoru.

Zeta continues to stand there, staring at nothing, slowly reaching up
and gently grasping the amulet around his neck.  At least his friends
will now be remembered.  Perhaps even forgiven a little.

A hand thrusts itself under his face, holding a flower delicately.  "For
you," a voice says.  Zeta starts, eyes drawn to the strange flower, and
curiosity makes him take the flower in his free hand.  An old part of
him says, "I've studied botany thoroughly and I have never seen a
flower like this before.  Is it really from Earth?"  Zeta suddenly
looks past the flower, more closely at the hand that gave him the
flower and sees that its skin is green.  He steps back, knuckles
whitening over the amulet as he beholds the alien Fioret.  Then he
shrugs, and smiles, looking back at the flower.  "It's very beautiful,"
he says and tucks it into the pocket of his jacket.

"Yes," Fioret replies.  "Not as lovely as a rose, perhaps, but lovely
nonetheless.  That was very foolish, you know.  Mamoru-kun is a good
friend.  He wouldn't--" Fioret breaks off, sways slightly.  His
complexion pales.  "I'm sorry, I'm still so weak and this planet's
atmosphere isn't very good for me.  Would you mind if we sat?"

Zeta shrugs and seats himself.  "Friend?" he says.  "The Prince could
never be my friend.  I have no friends, none who are alive.  Who are
you?"

Fioret introduces himself.  "Fioret," he says and Zeta reciprocates.
"Umino," he says reflexively, then breaks off.  "No, I'm Zeta."  He
flushes slightly under Fioret's slightly amused glance, and hurries to
add, "I'm both, I guess, in a way.  But call me Zeta."

Fioret nods agreeably.  "But do you not remember me?," he asks.  "I
tried to speak with your spirit hidden inside your comet."  Zeta shakes
his head.  "Oh," Fioret continues.  "I, too, have few friends.
Actually, Mamoru-kun is my only true friend.  You see, if he could
befriend a lost and lonely soul like mine, and keep that friendship
even after-- even after hard times, I have no real choice but to
consider him a true friend."  "You don't understand," Zeta persists.
"I failed him."  Fioret shrugs, says, "Maybe so.  But I know that it's
lonely just flying through empty space.  It was there that I saw the
death of your companions, and I am sorry that I was unable to help."
He pauses for a moment, says delicately, "I suppose I should ask
forgiveness for my failure."

"But if you could do nothing, there was no failure," Zeta says.  "There
is nothing to forgive.  Instead, I thank you for your sympathy."
"Strange," Fioret muses, "isn't that what your Prince told you?
However, as a fellow wanderer through lonely space, I would be glad to
offer my hand to you in friendship."  Neither Zeta nor Umino are
strangers to logic, but logic is a poor weapon against ancient
emotions.  Zeta says, "I'm not likely to live long.  My friends' fate
will probably be my own.  However, it would be nice to have a new
friend, if only for a little while."

And the two shake hands.

"So, you like flowers," Fioret ventures and gestures at the flower bed.
"Tell me, what do you think of tulips?"  "Well," Umino replies, "they
are sturdy plants, well adapted to--"  "Yes, yes," Fioret interrupts
with a grin, "but what do you think of their appearance?"

(By a lake - late afternoon)8

Mamoru sits on a bench by the water, a white cat cradled in his arms.
No one can hear the cat whispering to him, telling him of the centuries
that have passed while the Sailor Senshi slept, awaiting reincarnation.
Of the invaders over those centuries, seeking to conquer Earth.  Of the
Comet Guard who fought and died to protect their new planet.  Of the
tales of bravery and heroism, almost lost, almost lost because of
Artemis' mistake.

"I thought they were all dead," he explains, "but then I, myself, was
killed before the end.  The last invader fell to the Guard with four
comets still sparkling.  The final blast didn't shatter all the comets,
as I thought it would.  I was so relieved when I found Venus--I had
been so afraid another invader would come with no one to defend the
planet.  I trained her, and looked no further for survivors from the
Comet Guard."

Mamoru strokes the cat, wonder in his eyes at the tales told and
promise of further tales in the future, and says, "The two that died
fought bravely in the past.  I'm sure they would forgive you.  So long
the Guard has fought for us.  There is no failure to forgive, but even
if there was, how could any debt not be repaid after so much toil and
blood?  Go, Artemis.  Prepare him as best you can.  I have to tell
Usako about this--if Zeta won't accept my forgiveness, perhaps he'll
accept hers."

(Rei's shrine - early evening)

The Sailor Senshi are in the shrine, discussing plans over a take-out
dinner.  "I don't know," Ami says.  "I don't when it'll attack again or
where."  Usagi, who had been reaching for more rice, freezes.  "But
this is serious," she says.  "Don't you realize that if it never shows
up again those victims will never recover?  Naru will never--"  Rei
interrupts her with an uncharacteristic gentleness.  "Don't worry--
it'll return.  We just have to be sure of finding it when it does."
"And then stopping it," Makoto adds.  "That Guard--Umino--seemed pretty
powerful," Minako says, wincing at the remembered pain of the Plasma
Flaming attack, "and yet the monster just ignored his attack.  Will we
be any more effective?"  "Actually," Ami says, "the energy readings did
fall after Umino's attack.  We just have to hold it long enough so that
our cumulative attacks can seriously wound it."

A silence falls.  Usagi settles back, ignoring the food still in front
of her, and says, "Do any of you remember the Comet Guard?  I mean, in
that battle?  Why did Zeta ask if we hated him?  I only remember
reaching for Mamo-chan--I mean, Prince Endymion--as Beryl attacked us.
Mamo-chan told us about what the Guard has been doing all this time--
how could Umino ever think we hated them?"  Her voice is confused, her
eyes almost lost in the absolute mystery of Zeta's words.  Makoto
answers softly, "I don't know.  All I remember is that after those
damned demons knocked me down, I saw the Guard continue fighting.  No.
No, they weren't fighting, they were dying.  They were just punching
bags, moving targets--they could do as little as we did.  I remember
two or three of them attacking the demon that took me on, stopping it
from ripping me apart.  They died before the Queen unleashed the Silver
Crystal, sealed the demons inside it and sent all of us to Earth."
"Yes," Rei says.  "There wouldn't have been anything for the Queen to
save if it hadn't been for their bravery.  They fought and died
honourably."  Ami and Minako agree.  Ami says, "I'm glad some are still
alive to thank after so long."  "I know," Usagi says.  A faint smile
appears on her lips, but vanishes a heartbeat later.  "But Umino?  I
feel as if I should be laughing at the thought of him playing a hero,
but all I can remember are his eyes as he looked at us.  They were so
haunted..."  "You're as likely a hero as poor Umino," Rei jibes at
Usagi, but her heart isn't in it for she, too, remembers Umino's eyes.

The Sailor Senshi's communicators beep and they start at the noise,
laughing nervously.  Ami is the first to activate hers and Umino's face
appears on the display.  "Yes?" she asks.  "Mizuno Ami," he says.  "Why
am I not surprised?  I have some information on the invader.  Where are
you?"  Ami looks around, sees the others shrug.  Ami tells him.  "I'll
be there shortly," he says.

A little later, Zeta steps into the shrine, trailed by Artemis and
Fioret.  Even in his human guise, Usagi gasps as she sees Fioret and
Fioret smiles.  "I thought it would be useless," he comments, and his
appearance returns to normal.  "Why are you here?" Usagi asks.  "At
first I thought to repay the debt I owe you, Sailor Moon, for giving me
back my life, but now I seem to have found a new friend, one whom I
will do everything I can to make sure isn't forced to leave me any time
soon."  Usagi shakes her head.  "Debt?  No, you gave me back my
crystal.  We're even."  Fioret shakes his head, smiles crookedly.
"There seems to be a lot of this going around," he comments.  "Would
you mind if we sat?  I'm still rather weak and though Zeta here has
been kind enough to lend me some energy, I'd rather not overly tax
him."

Zeta and Fioret sink to the floor.  Artemis moves over to Minako,
waits, looking up at her a touch beseechingly.  Minako stares down at
him for a second, then picks him up and settles him on her lap.  "I
have an idea," Zeta says.  "Fioret told me he sensed something headed
towards Earth just before the monster struck.  Of course he's on Earth
now, but my comet is still up there and even if it's close enough to
the Sun for me to be a Guard Soldier, I can still act the Scout, right?
I should be able to sense when another monster approaches, and that'll
give us enough time to figure out where it'll strike and be ready.  How
does that sound?"

Umino seems different to the Senshi, relaxed almost--his course is
clear and he's eager to follow it.  They look to Ami, who nods.  "Yes,"
she says, "if you can tell me the direction it's travelling, I'll be
able to compute its landing point.  But, are you sure about sensing it?
After all, your comet is surrounded by a corona as close to the Sun as
it is, unlike when you're truly a Scout."  "I'll sense it," Zeta says,
adamantly.

There's a pause, and then Ami ventures, "Umino, about the corona, it's
really part of the comet burned away by the sun.  What happens when--?"
"Exactly what you think," Zeta tells her, perhaps a touch sharply.  "A
comet isn't a planet."  He falls silent.  "Umm, what happens when?"
Usagi asks.  "Idiot!" Rei snaps.  "When enough of the comet has been
burned away by the Sun's heat, it breaks apart--"  She stops as she
hears the words she is saying, glances at Zeta and flushes.
Uncomfortably, she apologizes.  He shrugs.  "Don't worry about it.
That's too far away in time for it to be a concern."  His voice is
grim, fatalistic.

Then his stomach gurgles.  He flushes, suddenly looking like shy Umino
again.  He eyes the remains of their meal, says, "However, it is rather
close to dinner time.  Would you mind if...?"

It's not even really a joke, but still everyone laughs.  When silence
again threatens to fill the room, Ami points out, "There is still the
exam to study for, everyone."  Usagi groans and says, "We have more
important things to do, don't we?" but Rei contradicts her, "Right now
we have nothing to do at all."  "Besides," Minako adds, "you do want to
go to that movie with Mamoru-san, right?"  "Yeah," Usagi asserts, then
remembers the attached condition and sighs in defeat.

Something in Zeta scorns the idea of a silly exam, but something else
longs more for when he was simply Umino.  "I was supposed to be
studying with Naru-chan this evening," he tells the girls and his lips
form a half-smile as he adds, "We've got save her quickly.  Otherwise,
she'll get an even lower mark on the exam than Usagi-san."  Usagi
stares at him with an `even you?' look and the other Senshi break into
genuine laughter.

(Rei's shrine - late evening)

The other Senshi sit in confusion, completely lost, looking at Ami and
Umino like they're speaking a foreign language as they discuss the
advantages of different methods of solving one particular problem.  The
general feeling is that while their conversation remains polite, any
other pair would be screaming at each other by now.  The Senshi glance
at each other, shrug and go onto the next problem, ignoring the two,
and Usagi whispers to the others, "I just hope that question isn't on
the exam."  "You hope there are no questions on the exam," Rei
counters, and Usagi sticks out her tongue at her.

Fioret looks on in amusement, his gaze often returning to the girl who
had given a young and lonely Mamoru a flower.  Usagi, who is pointedly
ignoring Rei while still trying to look at Minako's work, doesn't
notice.

Umino breaks off in the middle of an explanation.  "I can feel it," he
says.  He looks at Ami, who pulls out her computer and waits for him.
Umino concentrates for a second and gives her the velocity vector and
current position of the darkness he senses.  Ami quickly calculates its
landing position and brings up a map of Tokyo.  "It's another park,"
she says.  "So let's go," Rei replies.

(Generic Park - late evening)

The Sailor Senshi, the Comet Guard and Fioret arrive at the park at
almost exactly the time Ami figured the attack was supposed to begin.
The ground glows eerily, enveloping a group of people whose mouths are
stretched wide, as if they're trying to scream.  That tableau remains
frozen for a second and then the light is extinguished and the bodies
fall, puppets whose puppeteers suddenly vanish, leaving their puppets
to collapse.  "We're too late," Zeta whispers.  "No, there," Fioret
says.  "It's over there."

They see a dark figure standing a distance away and then Zeta is
running at it and the others are calling him back.  Stifling a curse,
Venus throws a Love-Me Chain, but it shatters as it slams into the
figure and she gasps in surprise.  Zeta has put up his Bright Barrier
and a beam spears into it from the dark figure.  Some of it is
reflected, but not all, not enough.  Zeta screams and falls and the
beam continues to eat into the barrier and the barrier begins to dim.
Mercury surrounds the figure with a Shining Aqua Illusion as Mars and
Jupiter charge, one to the left and the other to the right.  The figure
cuts apart the Illusion with its beam, then lashes the beam towards
where Sailors Moon and Mercury stand.  They both manage to dodge, one
gracefully, the other not, as Mars and Jupiter both hit the figure with
bolts.  It doesn't flinch, turning the beam on Jupiter, who throws
herself to the ground to avoid it.

Zeta is on his knees again, his barrier flickering out.  The dark
figure regards him, considering, then starts to fade.  "No," Zeta
gasps.  "No, you're not getting away."  Plasma Flaming burns through
the air, surrounding it, holding it.  The beam cuts through the Plasma
Flaming field, but doesn't seem to affect it as it did Mercury's Aqua
Illusion.  Venus bathes the figure in a Crescent Beam, while Mars hits
it with another Burning Mandela and Jupiter, again on her feet, throws
multiple Sparkling Wide Pressure bolts at it.  The figure appears to
concentrate and then slowly continues fading, even surrounded by the
Plasma Flaming.

Mercury has her computer out and visor down and her gaze flicks
intensely between the figure and her various readouts and displays,
waiting, waiting.  "Now," she calls to Sailor Moon, who holds her
scepter ready.  The other three cease their assault as Sailor Moon
activates the scepter with `Moon Princess Halation', aiming the deadly
beam at the figure.  The energy washes through the Plasma Flaming and
over the figure and it looks back at her with something akin to
disdain.

The assault ends with it still standing there.  "Was that supposed to
hurt?" it asks.  The Senshi look at it in shock.  "That scepter doesn't
seem to affect me," it continues.  "But it was interesting.  Very
interesting.  We shall have to play again.  Soon, soon.  Good bye."

The Plasma Flaming is gone and before Zeta can re-establish it, the
figure has faded away.  Its victims remain on the ground.  "What?"
Sailor Moon asks.  "Why didn't it work?"  The others gather around her
and Mercury.  Mercury typing away on her computer, simulations running
by on the screen.  "Oh," she says.  She looks at Zeta.  "It was your
field," she explains.  "The field you used to hold him altered Sailor
Moon's attack as it passed through, rendering it harmless."  Zeta looks
away, whispering, "So, it was my fault again."  Sailor Moon grips his
shoulder, tells him, "There's no way you could have known."  Luna looks
at Artemis, who says, "I don't believe those attacks have ever been
used together in the past.  No one knew, Zeta."

"So, what do we do now?" Mars asks.  "Well," ventures Jupiter, "we were
hurting it."  "But not enough," Venus replies.  "It shattered my Chain,
destroyed Mercury's Aqua Illusion and was slowly escaping from Zeta's
Plasma Flaming.  It would have gotten away from us before we could kill
it alone."  "Then next time," Jupiter says, "if we can't use Sailor
Moon's scepter, we'll just have to increase the power of our attacks,
finish it off before it can escape."  Sailor Moon asks, "Do you think
it'll attack again tonight?" and Mars turns on her, saying, "Why,
afraid you'll lose beauty sleep while we're busy saving the world?"
Sailor Moon steps back under the anger and frustration in Mars' voice.
"Easy, Mars," Jupiter tells her.

Tuxedo Kamen's voice comes from somewhere above them, saying, "All of
you fought well so there is no point in being angry."  The group turns
toward the sound of his voice, seeing him jump down from the tallest of
the nearby trees to land lightly on his feet.  "Mamoru-kun," Fioret
whispers.  Tuxedo Kamen doesn't notice the alien--Fioret is standing
off to one side, his form obscured by shadows and trees.  Tuxedo Kamen
is concentrating on Mars, and continues, "The monster said that it
would be back.  And soon.  You'll have another chance at it, so you
should save your anger and your energy for that battle."  Mars nods,
reluctantly apologizes to Sailor Moon.  Tuxedo Kamen turns to Zeta, who
refuses to look at him.  "The Sailor Senshi had their chance because of
you," Tuxedo Kamen tells him.  "Surely--"

"No," Zeta cuts him off.  "I failed.  It escaped again."  Zeta then
turns away and walks off into the trees.  Seeing this, Fioret himself
steps further back into the shadows, to follow him.  Sailor Moon looks
to where Zeta disappeared, makes a small sound of distress.  She looks
back at Tuxedo Kamen, who just smiles and suggests, "Go."  Sailor Moon
gives him a look of gratitude, then hurries to follow Zeta.  Tuxedo
Kamen turns to the remaining Senshi and says, "Now I would suggest you
return to the shrine and get what rest you can.  I will see you in the
next battle."  He, too, then melts into the trees.  The others look at
each other for a moment, then begin making their way back.

(Elsewhere in the park - late evening)

Sailor Moon easily catches up with Zeta--he wasn't trying to hurry--and
sees that he has returned to being Umino.  She reverts to Usagi,
calling out to him as soon as her school clothes settle once more about
her.  He stops and politely waits for her.  "You're the Moon Princess,
aren't you?" he asks, before she can speak.  "The others represent
planets, but you, you represent the Moon.  So you must be the
Princess."  "Well, umm, yes," Usagi agrees, caught off-guard.  "So, why
are you here?" Umino continues.  "Why do you follow me?"

He is reserved, distant, not at all like the Umino that Usagi is
familiar with.  She knows that being Sailor Moon, that being aware that
she once lived on the Moon as a Princess far in the past has changed
her, but she has remained, at heart, the same person she always was.
The same is true for the others.  So, why is Umino so very different?
Why has he changed so much?  She doesn't know what to say, doesn't know
how to reach him, and so she asks the only thing that she can think of
to ask: "Why did you ask us if we hated you back then?"  Usagi knows
that must somehow relate to it, if not exactly how.  Maybe this will
start him talking, give her what she needs to know to help him.

Umino looks her, stares into her eyes from behind thick glasses.  He
makes a small sound, a sound like a short laugh except that it tears
into her heart.  "You don't know, do you?" he says, accusingly,
disbelievingly.  "You don't know what we've done."  "Oh," she says,
brightly, earnestly, latching onto what she thinks he means.  "Yes.
Yes, I know.  Mamo-chan told me.  You've been protecting the planet
while the we've slept, the others and Mamo-chan and I, waiting to be
reborn.  Thank you for that.  Thank you so very much."

"No," he says. "No.  You don't understand.  We failed the Moon Kingdom,
we didn't bring warning of attack, we didn't sense Queen Beryl coming."

"I know," she says, confused.  "But Queen Beryl was ready for us.  The
Comet Guard was supposed to watch for attacks from space, which Queen
Beryl must have known.  She attacked from another dimension or plane or
something, appearing directly over the Moon, inside all our defenses.
The Comet Guard couldn't have known she was coming.  They couldn't."

"No," he says again, denying it.  "No--"

And then Usagi feels something happen, a slight, subtle change in her
mind, and suddenly Zeta is no longer facing a school girl.  She may not
be wearing a white, flowing dress, and she might have a little dirt
smudged on her face, but Zeta knows he facing a Princess, with a
coolness in her eyes and a surety about her bearing, and she says,
"Stop.  The Comet Guard gave their lives to protect me and mine that
night, and to protect this planet on all the nights since.  If for no
other reason than those two facts, their honour is intact.  You only
stain their memory by pretending to believe otherwise.  However, if you
truly do believe that you need to redeem some failure, then know this.
Enough of my friends and loved ones have been hurt already.  Save her,
Guard Zeta.  Naru is my friend and I would see her safe.  Save her, and
everything, everything can be nothing but forgiven."

"Yes, Princess," Umino says and Usagi thinks, "Foolishness, accepting a
Princess' forgiveness and rejecting a friend's.  But, at least he'll
leave behind his shame and let himself heal."  Then Usagi becomes aware
of how strange those thoughts feel and suddenly comes back to herself.
She gives a little laugh to cover the momentary disorientation.  "I
must be tired," she says.  "And I know I'm starved.  Want to head back
now?  I'm pretty sure I'll be able to convince Ami that we've studied
enough for one day, and Rei must have something in her kitchen..."

Umino shakes his head.  "In a few minutes.  I'll follow in a few
minutes," he tells her.  Usagi nods, smiles brightly as she waves
goodbye and begins to walk back to Rei's shrine.  Umino turns slightly,
says, "Fioret, you can come out of the shadows now".  Fioret emerges,
unabashed, a lopsided grin on his face.  "Why aren't you with Mamoru-
san?" Umino asks.  Fioret shrugs, "Well, I had been planning on telling
you that if Mamoru-kun couldn't forgive you, then surely he couldn't
really have forgiven me, but somehow I no longer think it's necessary."
Fioret looks to where Usagi vanished.  "She never ceases to amaze me,"
he admits.  "You know, I don't think she'd leave Mamoru-kun even if he
wanted her to."  Fioret shakes his head ruefully.  "How could I have
believed--?" he thinks.

"I wish I could say the same thing about Naru-chan--that she wouldn't
leave me," Umino whispers.  Fioret says, "Granted, I don't know this
Naru-chan, but what makes you think you can't?"  Umino shakes his head,
but can only say, "No good reason.  Fear, I guess."  "So save her,
then," Fioret suggests.  "If you can only feel worthy of her by saving
her, do it."  "I will," Umino says.  "I will."  Looking at him, Fioret
nods, thinking to himself, "And I'll save you."

(Rei's shrine - night)

Usagi snores beside an empty plate while Rei stares somewhat
disgustedly at her.  Makoto paces impatiently back and forth,
occasionally stomping over to where Luna, Artemis and Ami sit and
discuss what to do during the next battle to demand if they've come up
with anything.  Minako sits quietly, debating whether or not to take a
nap herself, if she could fall asleep with Usagi snoring.  Fioret and
Umino chat amiably about various flowers, and about which flower would
best suit each of the Sailor Senshi.

Before Usagi gets enough rest to feel better, before Rei strangles
Usagi, before Makoto wears herself out pacing, before Ami and Artemis
and Luna find an answer, before Minako settles on something to do and
before Fioret and Umino reach any conclusions about their discussion,
Umino again senses the approach of the darkness.  Ami determines where
they should be and when, and everyone readies themselves for combat.
The group heads to where Ami indicates.

(Park with a temporary stage - night)

The dark figure has chosen another park, one where a small outdoor
concert plays loudly on a hastily erected stage.  This park is somewhat
closer to Rei's shrine and so they arrive before the dark figure has a
chance to attack.  They are waiting, ready, when it appears.  Mars and
Jupiter lash into it immediately, and the crowd starts scrambling to
escape.  Mercury scans the area and says, "The figure seems to be
weaker now--it must have been stronger in the last battle because it
had just fed."  It's good news but, moments later, the figure is still
able to shatter Venus' Love-Me Chain and Mercury's Shining Aqua
Illusion.  Everyone dodges aside as the figure tries to rake its beam
across the Senshi.  With 'Comet Fireray Fly', Zeta directs more
projectiles at the figure.  Beside the Comet Fireray, both Mars and
Jupiter send their mightiest bolts, but the figure ignores the strikes,
instead tossing something into the air.  A dark sphere arcs toward the
bunched Senshi and they leap aside, guessing from experience the sphere
will prove to be explosive.

They are correct, but as they begin to pick themselves up off the
ground, Mercury shouts, "The ground is glowing, move!"  Indeed, a large
patch of ground is glowing just as it did the first time they battled
the monster when it was sucking the spirits out of its victims.  Except
for Mercury, who took the time to shout, everyone leaps, rolls, or
crawls out of the patch.  Mercury collapses as the glowing patch fades.
Venus, picking herself up off the ground for the third time in what
seems to be as many seconds, fails to see the beam stab at her.  She
screams and falls, sailor suit smoking.  She cannot move as, for a
second, the ground glows beneath her.  Mars and Jupiter go to their
fallen friends, but there's nothing they can do.

Sailor Moon moves toward them, too, and doesn't see the beam slice
across at her.  Zeta throws himself in front of her and the beam bites
into his armour for a moment before he can activate his Bright Barrier.
The beam is weaker this time, and the barrier blocks most of it.
Sailor Moon is safe behind him.

Concentrating, Mars and Jupiter put everything into their attacks that
they can, anger spurring them.  The figure rocks back, then directs its
beam at the Mars, who easily dodges.  With the beam off him, Zeta drops
his Barrier and launches another burst of Comet Firerays at the figure,
drawing its fire back to himself.  His Barrier snaps back up barely in
time.  The beam moves to Jupiter, who leaps aside, not seeing the area
she where she lands begin to glow a moment before her boots hit the
ground.  Her eyes widen momentarily, then close as her spirit leaves
her.

Mars curses, throws a series of firebolts and Sailor Moon's tiara spins
through the air, absorbing Mars' fire and glinting red instead of gold.
The figure tries to knock the tiara down with its beam but, powered-up,
the tiara cuts through it, impacting on the figure's chest.

Zeta hears it grunt and is glad.  "Will it retreat now?" he thinks and
moves closer, prepares to hold it with Plasma Flaming.  Sailor Moon
grips his arm.  "Wait," she says.  "Maybe I can hit it with my scepter
now."  Zeta shrugs, sends a third round of Comet Firerays at the
figure.  The beam moves back to him, but it still cannot breach his
Bright Barrier.  He covers Sailor Moon as she begins to activate the
scepter.

Another of the figure's black spheres is tossed at Mars, a little to
her left, driving her to the right.  She suspects the trap however and
moves only a little, gratified when the ground a pace or two away from
where she is begins to glow.  She swiftly crouches to try to avoid as
much of the blast as possible.  It comes and she's hurt but is still
able to fight.  The beam hits her as she starts to come out of the
crouch, blinking away from Zeta faster than it ever had before.  Mars
goes down without a sound, and doesn't feel anything when a moment
later the glow takes her spirit as well.

Sailor Moon completes the incantation, aiming the scepter's attack at
the dark figure.  For a moment its bearing is almost contemptuous, and
Zeta hears the start of a laugh a moment before it screams.  The energy
blasts into the figure, and the scream goes on and on, except when the
attack is finished, the figure is still there.  Diminished, trembling,
but still alive.

"That hurt," the grumble comes.  "Next time.  Next time I will defeat
the rest of you."  And the figure begins to fade away.  Zeta doesn't
waste time on a curse, instead wrapping the figure in Plasma Flaming.
The figure again hits Zeta with its beam and this time the Barrier is
weakened--it's difficult holding onto both attacks, and Zeta falters.
The beam penetrates the Barrier, a little, too much, and this time it's
Zeta who screams.

A red rose arcs down, striking the dark figure.  Energy crackles around
the dark figure and the beam snaps off.  "Tuxedo Kamen-sama!" Sailor
Moon cries, looking back to find Tuxedo Kamen perfectly balanced on the
scaffolding holding the stage's lights.  An abandoned spotlight just
happens to be centered on his chest, bathing him in radiance.

"You," the figure rumbles, speaking to Zeta, though, and not to Tuxedo
Kamen.  "You keep me here, with your powers from the comet.  No more.
No more."

And Zeta screams again, though nothing is touching him.

Fioret, watching the battle, too weak to fight, looks up into the night
sky where Zeta's comet burns.  He knows what's happening, but he knows
not if he can do anything to stop it.  He must try, however, and,
briefly regretting not being able to speak with his friend Mamoru, he
leaps into the air.  A swirl of petals surrounds him and then he is
gone.  The petals draw Tuxedo Kamen's attention, and he whispers,
"Fioret?" as he leaps down to the stage.

"Damn you, damn you, damn you," Zeta breathes.  Something's attacking
his comet.  He can feel it being consumed.  "I will not fail, damn you,
I will not fail."  And he steps forward and there's a flare in the sky.
He steps again, and again towards the figure.

(Space)

Fioret materializes in space.  The dark mass he had seen destroy the
other two comets is close, moving parallel to Zeta's comet and blasting
into it.  The beam from the dark mass would destroy him in a second he
knows.  And then he sees the comet shift a little, change its heading
so that the comet begins moving a little towards the dark mass.

(Earth)

The dark figure tries to move away from Zeta, but Zeta drops his
Barrier and intensifies the Plasma Burning, holding it, holding it.
He step closer, willing his comet to move with him, to intercept the
dark mass he can sense in the heavens just as he is intercepting the
dark figure on Earth.

Tuxedo Kamen's attack apparently crippled its ability to fight back, at
least on Earth; the beam doesn't come, the ground doesn't glow, no dark
sphere explodes near him.  It's funny, he thinks, taking a step
forward.  The Comet Guard had all been in love with the Planet Senshi.
How could they not be in love with such shining figures?  Whether it
was Mercury's wisdom, or Jupiter's strength and devotion or any of the
others.  Even knowing they could never be loved in return, the Sailor
Senshi were the real reason that the Guard had willingly died that
night on the Moon, protecting them.  And Senshi didn't know.  Even he
had loved one of them, his former love now lying on the ground.  Who
was she?  Who--?  Zeta can't remember.  It would have been so easy to
love the Princess, but she was so in love with the Prince no Guard
could have imagined daring to love her.  It is funny, though.  After
that night, after all the battles since then, he isn't stepping forward
for that love, to save that love.  Umino is stepping forward for Naru.

His steps grow lighter.

(Space)

Fioret cannot block that terrible beam, stop it from ripping into the
comet's core, blowing apart chunks of ice and rock.  But he can help in
another way.  "This is stupid," he thinks.  "The idiot's going to kill
himself, and you want to help?  He'll leave you forever, that way!"

But Fioret knows that the comet is going to die no matter what he does
and so he concentrates, sends what strength he has left into pushing
the comet with his mind.  He has done this before, back when he was
battling the Sailor Senshi.  They'd been easy to throw around, slam
into buildings--he winces at the memory--but a comet is much larger
than a human body.  Granted, the comet is growing smaller as the beam
disintegrates it, but Fioret doesn't want to think about that.

(Park - night)

Sailor Moon can't get near Zeta.  Zeta is now glowing brightly and the
light is almost a physical force pushing her away.  Tuxedo Kamen stands
beside her, watching helplessly.  There is nothing either of them can
do, and Tuxedo Kamen thinks that it's probably a mercy that Sailor Moon
doesn't know what Zeta is trying to accomplish.  He glances up into the
sky and hopes that Zeta's comet will hold together long enough.

The dark figure cannot move.  Zeta slowly approaches it.

The dark mass cannot change course.  The comet slowly intercepts it.

And then Zeta is before the dark figure.  He straightens, looks into
the blackness that is its body, and smiles.  His symbol glows with a
bloody light as Zeta, still wracked with agony, hugs the dark figure,
as gently as lover.  "Redemption, together in death," he whispers to
the figure.  "Forgive me, Naru-chan..."

(Space)

Fioret watches as the remains of the comet touch the black mass.  There
is an explosion, bright, so bright, so much light that the dark mass
itself must glow with it and be destroyed, but Fioret is no longer
watching.  His eyes are closed now, and he is looking for the spirit of
the comet which must be dying even now.  Fioret finds it, finds Zeta,
and reaches out to absorb the spirit.  Not to consume, no, but to bond
it to a new home--himself.

And he opens his eyes and the comet is gone and the dark mass is gone
and there is a figure beside him, a glowing figure, a spirit.  The
spirit open its eyes, and Fioret can hear its confusion in his mind:
"Dead, dead, am I dead?"  Fioret whispers to it, "No, you're safe, I
saved you.  The comet, your home, is gone, but you're safe."

The spirit hears him, looks at him, hears his thoughts, responds to the
thoughts, not the words.  "I'm not him, I'm not Umino, I'm Zeta..."
Fioret answers, "I know, but I made friends with both of you back when
you were one.  I'll let you go, though, if that's what you want, if
that's what you wish."  And the spirit tells him, "No, Umino would die
and I want him to live.  He won't remember, they won't let him
remember, but this way it's better because they will.  And I saved her,
he saved her, and so forgiveness is ours, is mine.  And I can't help
them anymore, my comet is gone, I have nothing.  But at least he has
her."  "Except me?  You have me, right?"  Fioret asks.

"Yes," Zeta answers.  "My friend..."

(Park - night)

Sailor Moon is beside Umino's still form.  The comet is still in the
sky, but it's too bright and she knows it's too bright.  But he's
breathing, he's not dead as she had feared and there are tears in her
eyes and she's whispering, "You'll be all right.  You'll be fine."

Tuxedo Kamen goes around to the Senshi, helping them up, for they woke
only moments after the burst of light came from Zeta, before fading to
reveal Umino alone on the ground and the dark figure gone.  Mars and
Venus gingerly touch their blackened suits, finding they are only
bruised, and they know the suits will be like new the next time they
transform.  Mercury has her computer out, and tells whoever is
listening, "I detect no energy readings.  However, Zeta's comet seems
to have been shattered."

Luna and Artemis walk over to Umino.  All that remains of the amulet is
a broken stone in a twisted clasp.  Luna glances a question at Artemis
and he nods.  Sailor Moon asks Luna, "Can you restore the amulet, make
it--" but she breaks off, knowing already that what she asks is
impossible.  "I guess you can't," she says, looking down at Umino and
gently brushing a streak of dirt off his face.  "Then can you turn him
back, make him the Umino from before all this happened?  It would only
hurt him to know he had power and to no longer be able to help."  Luna
scowls at her, saying, "I know that," but she cannot make the words
sharp with tears shining on Sailor Moon's face.  "I was just about to."
The Moon symbol on Luna's head glows brightly and gently bathes Umino
in light.  He moans softly, then settles down.  "He's just asleep,"
Luna tells Sailor Moon when Sailor Moon looks worriedly at her.

The others gather around and are also reassured that Umino is all
right.  Tuxedo Kamen kneels beside Umino and then he is Prince
Endymion.  "A fine battle, Soldier," he says to the unconscious Umino.
"Know when you wake that your honour is intact and all debts are paid.
Rest easy, Zeta, and be well, Umino."

The Sailor Senshi look at each other and wonder what to do next.

(A Hospital - morning)

Umino wakes up in a hospital--the antiseptic scent is unmistakable.
However, he seems to be in a chair, not laying in a bed.  "How can this
have happened," he thinks.  "I know I wasn't feeling well, but a
hospital?"  He opens his eyes and finds himself in a chair slumped
forward over a mattress.  There's someone on the mattress, he sees, and
turns his eyes to the person's face.  It's Naru-chan, and she's looking
at him.  "Good morning," she says.  "I was wondering when you'd wake
up."  "G-- good morning," he stumbles.

"Why is she here?" he thinks.  "Why am I here?"  "I feel silly," she
says.  "Here I go telling you to watch your health, and then I collapse
and wind up here with you waiting on me."  "Uh, yeah," he replies.

"Yes," he thinks, "that must be it.  She collapsed, I came with her to
the hospital and then I fell asleep.  Simple."  He starts to smile in
relief at the mystery solved, but then another idea catches his
attention.  "How are you feeling?" he asks, worry in his voice.  "I
don't know what was wrong with me," she replies, "but I think
everything's fine now.  And you?  You look better than yesterday.  How
did you sleep?"

Concerns eased, Umino takes stock of himself, finds he's feeling fine
as well.  Just like normal, in fact, except for a handprint on the left
lens of his glasses and a flower in his right hand.  No, better than
normal.  He feels happy, with no shadows on his heart.  "How unusual",
he thinks.  "Yes, I feel happy."

"A flower?" he thinks.  He raises the flower, a very strange and
beautiful flower.  Strange, indeed.  He didn't know that ones like this
grew on Earth.  "Something new every day," he thinks.

Naru-chan is looking at him.  What did she ask?  Oh, right.  "Fine," he
tells her, and then thrusts the flower out at her.  "How beautiful,"
she exclaims.  "This is for me?"  "Well," he replies, praying for
eloquence, "there's no one else I'd give it to."  For a moment he has
no idea if the prayer was granted, but then she smiles gently at him.

Naru-chan looks at him somewhat expectantly.  He's getting better--it
only takes him a couple of seconds to figure out what she wants.

End.

The Story History

In addition to the Planet Senshi guarding the Moon Kingdom in times
long past, there existed another class of warriors--the Comet Guard
(Ko-me-to Ga-ru-do).  Composed of both soldiers and scouts, the Comet
Guard patrolled far outside the reaches of the Solar system, watching
for invaders, and acting as a first line of defence to occupy the
invaders while the Planet Senshi mobilized.  Those of the Guard whose
comets were close to the Sun took their energy from the Sun's burning
rays and acted as the soldiers, while those far out in their orbits
coldly watched and reported and waited until they, too, could fight
again.

When Queen Beryl appeared without warning above the Moon on the night of
the ball, the entire Guard felt the disgrace of an enemy that had somehow
slipped by them.  Lacking any sort of warning, the Planet Senshi were
easily defeated by Beryl's seven great demons, though the Comet Guard
soldiers, their blood burning with shame, were somehow able to sacrifice
themselves so that the Senshi were not killed outright, as Beryl had
planned.  Instead, Queen Serenity was able to send the Senshi, as well
as her daughter, Prince Endymion, Luna and Artemis and a few others to
Earth, to fight again in the future.  Many comets burned brightly that
night, for when they blaze a final time, should--no, could it be
otherwise? 

If the Guard's soldiers were perhaps able to expiate their failure,
however, the Guard's scouts, those able to only stand and watch as
friends died by demons' claws and teeth and magic and then be
reluctantly sent to Earth with the Planet Senshi, had no choice but to
bear it and pray that sometime in the future, they, too, would have a
chance at redemption.

As the centuries passed between the Moon Kingdom's final night and the
time of the Planet Senshi's reincarnation, the Comet Guard, themselves
reincarnated over and over, watched and defended the Earth.  However,
the Guard had never been meant to fight by themselves, their powers
designed to delay and hold until the arrival of the Planet Senshi, and
with half or more of them lost in that terrible battle, they were ill-
suited to the task.  At any one time there were few Comet Soldiers, but
they still stood ready, guided and taught by Artemis' reincarnations.
They drove away the menaces from space and they died, energy exhausted
and their comets crumbling, never to be reborn and know again their
powers, but with their duty accomplished and their failure forgiven.

The Earth remained free until the Princess and the Planet Senshi
returned to life.  Artemis found Minako, teaching her to be first
Sailor V by herself, and later Sailor Venus with the rest of the Inner
Senshi while Luna found Usagi and Ami and Rei and Makoto.  They learned
to work together fighting Queen Beryl, eventually defeating her, though
not without cost.

However, with the re-emergence of the Planet Senshi, the remnants of
the Comet Guard were forgotten.  Ail and Ann approached with their
Doom Tree and, in this lifetime the Comet Scouts hadn't been taught
to watch and report and the Comet Soldiers hadn't been taught to fight.
The Dark Moon approached, and the Comet Guard could do nothing.
Fioret returned to Mamoru on his asteroid of Xenian flowers, and the
Planet Senshi had no warning.

Still, they lived, unaware of their true identities, of their true
powers, yet knowing somehow they had failed.  They tried, desperately
and uselessly, to make reparations for that failure of lifetimes ago,
waiting for someone to show them the way, to teach them their duty, and
to give them their chance at redemption.

The (Original) Premise

Umino has been having nightmares recently.  Nameless people have been
walking in his dreams, walking and dying.  He knows them somehow-ees an article on the mysterious death of a teenager.
There is a picture, and he knows the face.  He knows the face from his
dreams and also from his past.  He should know him, should remember,
but he can't.  It's like that feeling all his life that he was a
failure, that he wasn't good enough no matter how hard he tried.  His
grades are almost the best, surpassed only by Ami's, but he's not
good enough.  For some reason he wants to fight, to protect, and yet he
can't.  He doesn't have the power.  He tried to protect Naru, trying
and failing.  She'd be dead if it wasn't for the Sailor Senshi, and
there was nothing he could do to help.  He sees Tuxedo Kamen, knows
that's what he should be, could be if only he could remember.

Notes on Powers

When they use their powers, the Comet Guard consume part of their
comets' energy, of which there is a finite amount before they crumble
to nothing.

The comets are named (among other things) after the Greek alphabet
(Guard Alpha, Guard Beta, etc).

Their symbol is the Greek letter, and it appears on the back of their
hands (they're the common doers of the Moon Kingdom, not the important
leaders) instead of their foreheads.

Their costume is sort of like Prince Endymion's, but with a chain mail
vest instead of the plate armour.  An appropriately coloured half-cape
is secured with clasp, fronted by a polished stone of appropriate
colour.  A white sleeved shirt, black gloves, black pants and black
boots complete the costume.  Nothing is worn on the head.

Transformation sequence involves reaching to take an amulet worn around
the neck in the right fist.  The symbol glows on the back of the fist.
The arm is brought over the head, with the hand turned so that the
polished stone can be seen, also glowing with the symbol.  A short arc
is described, leaving a burning trail behind (such that the picture
presented looks like a comet, with the stone glowing like the comet's
head and the burning trail as the comet's tail).  The trail then
glitters like stardust and falls over the person, the costume appearing
as the stardust passes by, from head to boots.

I don't see any reason why there can't be female Guards.  Actually,
Naru-chan could be that fourth Guard unrevealed in the story.  Hmm,
yeah, the dark figure attacked that specific first group of people
because it wanted to eliminate another comet's representative without
actually having to hunt down the actual comet.  And that's why Naru-
chan always has so much energy for others to steal.  Now, if Luna and
Artemis repair Umino's amulet, and give Naru-chan hers, they could work
together fighting off incidental bad guys the Sailor Senshi miss.
Yeah, that's why you rarely see them in the TV series.  Hmm, wait--I
guess Zeta would need a new comet.  Well, I suppose Fioret could find
Zeta a new comet.  Sure, why not?  "Naru and Umino: The New Adventures
of the Comet Guard", anyone?

"Zeta Comet Power, Make Up!"

"Bright Barrier!"

- defensive effect.
- a glowing shield like a comet's corona, deflecting attacks.
- powerful if used alone, but can be used simultaneously with "Plasma
Flaming" (which is basically the same effect but around a target,
rather than the wielder) though its effectiveness is reduced.

"Plasma Flaming!"

- capture effect.
- an arc of white flame, surrounding target and holding it.
- powerful if used alone, but can be used with "Bright Barrier" at
reduced effectiveness.

"Comet Fireray Fly!"

- offensive effect.
- a burst of cometoids, trails arcing from hands to target.
- rather weak, primarily used as a distraction
- cannot be used if either "Bright Barrier" or "Plasma Flaming" are in
effect.

A Final Word

Well, that's it.  I'm done.  The past couple of weeks have been fun,
first writing, then revising and polishing this story.  It's my first
and probably will be my only attempt at writing fanfic (playing in
universes of my own creation is much more fun than having to follow the
rules in someone else's universe) but you never know.  Maybe if I get
another silly idea and am feeling bored some night, I'll crank out
another story.  Anyway, I hope you enjoyed reading this.  See you
online...

Craig Green / gree6300@mach1.wlu.ca

06/03/96