"Ruined!" Jeddite growls as he sits on the empty throne, wide eyes taking in the panorama of devestation which was once the Dark Kingdom. Freed when Beryl's death nullified all her spells, including the eternal ice prison to which he was sentenced after failing to destroy those wretched Sailor Senshi, he had wandered throughout his home dimension, hoping beyond hope that he would find someone, anyone who had also survived the apocalypse. He had been successful...somewhat. Most of those around him were destitute, morale all but gone. None had tried to penetrate the dimensional veil back to Earth to seek vengeance on the five reborn warriors of the Silver Millennium who had slain so many of their friends. That was going to change, Jeddite vowed. Even though three Earth years had passed since that battle, the Dark Kingdom was not yet finished with the Sailor Senshi. But, first, energy was required. Lots of it. Concentrating, the general summons a crystal to gaze upon the Earth city of Tokyo, their first source of so much bio-energy. It is midday, all seemingly calm in the vast city...except in a district in the northwest area. Tomobiki, Jeddite recalls the name. A part of Tokyo reputed home of much wierdness. Supposedly, it was a contact point between Terrans and those former slave worlds of the accursed Seifukusu Dominion, whose forces had driven the Dark Kingdom into this dimension when they swept in a millennium before to fill the gap the Silver Millennium's destruction left behind. A fog blanketed the area. Jeddite's mystic eye senses that the fog was charged with vast amounts of energy. A battle was in progress somewhere in Tomobiki. A pity Queen Beryl had elected not to send probes into this area; it could have proven fruitful. Suddenly, a small bicycle-shaped aircraft carrying four people flew out and away from the fog toward a floating tiger-striped saucer. Minutes later, a heavily armoured cyborg carrying a green-haired woman in a tiger-striped jumpsuit follows. Then...Tomobiki detonated! Jeddite watches amazed as the energy wave almost wrecks the whole district. The energy! Oh, the energy!! Enough to allow him and his soldiers the chance to destroy Earth once and for all. Energy of a type sufficiently different from that normally used by the Dark Kingdom so it could give them the chance to resist the Sailor Senshi's weapons. If so, victory and vengeance was certainly now within his grasp... * * * "Lonely They Who Guard..." a crossover tale of the Sailor Senshi and The Senior Year by Fred Herriot gorgo@kwangju.net **** **** **** edited by E.B. Kushnir kush1@iaw.on.ca **** **** **** based on "Sailor Moon," created by Naoko Takeuchi and "Urusei Yatsura - The Senior Year" created by Fred Herriot and Mike Smith based on "Urusei Yatsura," created by Rumiko Takahashi **** **** **** WRITER'S NOTES: 1) Since this is my first fanfic involving the Sailor Senshi, I will undoubtedly make errors concerning their characters since I'm not too familiar with them outside other fanfics and the American TV translations. I will try to be as accurate as possible. Further, since this is a crossover between two anime series, Japanese names for the Senshi and their friends will be used. 2) Continuity wise, this story will fit in anytime after the end of the "Sailor Stars" segment of SM. When the final season ends, the Senshi are restored, reunited with Sailor Moon. Usagi, Ami, Rei, Makoto and Minako will be in their final year of high school at this time. 3) For those of you not familiar with "UY-TSY," it isn't your normal run of UY fanfic; far from it. As its title implies, this takes place during the cast's last year at Tomobiki High. Rather than explain to you all the details, please look up "Urusei Yatsura - The Senior Year" in the Anime Web Turnpike's fanfic section. 4) In UY-TSY continuity, the preface is an observer's viewpoint of the climax of "Spirit-War Tomobiki." The main thrust of the story falls somewhere between "Time Curse" and "Nagaiwakai's Lesson." The epilogue will occur sometime around "Great Father Ataru Stage Two: Remembrance." 5) Thanks to the many SM websites (especially CHAOSnet '98, Dahn's, Chenny's, Icelord's and Hitoshi Doi's) for the information they provided on the Sailor Senshi and their powers. Also many thanks to the various SM fanfic websites, especially A Sailor Moon Romance and Jupiter Knight's archive, for giving me the chance to get a better feel of the series. For those who would want to archive this story, I give it an AA (in the U.S., a PG-13) rating. 6) Naru's powers as Sailor Terra are deprived from the *saikoo jinseijitsu* (as UY-TSY fans know, it is an entity which deprives its might from the earth itself). While others have introduced a Sailor Terra/Sailor Earth in other fanfic series, all similarities to those works, if there, are not intentional. 7) "Oni-chan" - cute devil. A joke someone made in another UY fanfic. **** **** **** And as we always say...ON WITH THE SHOW!!!! **** **** **** PART ONE - CROSSED PATHS Two months later... Naru Oosaka's skates gently glide across the ice, her thoughts wandering as she skims past the couples dancing around the outdoor rink. She needed the chance to be alone these days. Watching many of her classmates pair off, prepare for college or to enter the workforce, time seemed to have left Naru standing still. She planned to go to university; her pre-exam trial tests indicated she would do very well when the entrance exams were marked. Still, like all those facing this time of her life, Naru wished that things would not change, remain as frozen as the ice below her feet. Stopping, she leans against the wall. Her eyes had already detected one familiar couple engrossed with the other's company: Usagi Tsukino and Mamoru Chiba. Naru smiles as she detects the open expression of love both felt for the other. Having developed and grown steadily since the days when Mamoru and Usagi traded constant insults, it was obvious that both would never think of seeking another. Lucky, Naru muses as she turns to head off on her own...and runs into someone! "Oh, sorry!!" she calls out as the hapless man lands on his backside. "It's okay," he embarrassingly laughs. Naru blinks. He was not Mamoru-tall, but seemed fit, well- exercised, a track runner type. Shaggy brown hair with a will of its own trailed down to a rougish pony-tail, well-trimmed beard and moustache. He was plainly dressed. He seemed very nice. They gaze on each other, then both find themselves laughing. "I'm sorry," Naru appologizes again. "My mind was a million miles away! I didn't see you in time." "It's okay," he brushes himself off after he rises to his feet. "I've zoned out on occasion many times. Nothing to be sorry about." They glide onto the ice, falling in behind a gaggle of freshman high school girls. "I don't recognize you," Naru stares at her companion. "Are you from around here?" "No, I just came here because Minato's a peaceful part of Tokyo and I don't have to worry about my former classmates trying to ruin my day," an annoyed look passes over his face. "I was born in Wakkanai, spent my early years between there and Sendai, then grew up in Tomobiki. These days, I live in Oshika." Naru blinks. If one did not know about Tokyo's most infamous district, they were obivously not from Earth, Uru or one of the other planets which regularly interacted with the place. "Then you must know Lum," she comments. "Know her?!" he laughs. "Miss, be assured, I know her a lot better than anyone else." Her eyes widen. "Then, you're...?!!" He sheepishly nods. Naru looks closer. Shave the beard, moustache and ponytail, and yes, this was Ataru Moroboshi. Gurio Umino kept their class up-to-date on Tomobiki's goings-on; like all bespectacled studious types (how's that for a PC term for "nerd?" ...F.H.), he was very interested in the subject of aliens. Naru knew everything about the Earth tag champion, even his recent change of attitude which saw him become closer to his Oni-born girlfriend even though he did not reside in Tomobiki anymore. "If my classmate was here, he'd freak on seeing you," Naru admits, then diplomatically adds, "...as a fan, that is." "I have fans!" Ataru mutters, gripping the sides of his forehead. "Oh, the concept alone frightens me! Please don't speak about fans, miss..." "Naru Oosaka," she introduces herself. "Naru-chan," he smiles, eliciting a blush. Even though he no longer chased girls, he had not lost his touch when it came to talking to them. "Anyway, I'm in the process of destroying Lum's all-too many fan clubs. It's enjoyable although some would accuse me of being unsportsman-like." "Why?!" Naru wonders. "Because they're like dumb animals!" Ataru winks. "You're supposed to be kind to dumb animals, remember?!" Naru laughs. She had heard the stories of how everyone in Tomobiki worked to ensure Ataru's remaining with Lum. From what she heard, all the district's high school boys had vowed to protect the Oni's dreams. The girls, on the other hand, ga-ga over Shutaro Mendou, the district's richest resident, wanted to prevent their idol from falling under Lum's spell. Combine that with Ataru's propensity for attracting bad luck, accompanied with his growing ostracization from others, made him leave Tomobiki. Of course, no one could have predicted that Ataru's departure would culminate in the explosion of the Spirit War. "Well, they deserve it!" she finally concludes. The two glide around the rink, Ataru offering his arm to his new friend. Watching them from the sidelines, the other inner Senshi are awestruck by Naru's find. "Wow!!" Minako Aino gushes, tongue embarrassingly drooling to the floor. "Where did Naru find THAT hunk-meister?!!" "He looks like my old boyfriend!" Makoto Kino automatically chimes in. "Only cuter and more mature!" "He is quite attractive, admittedly," Ami Mizuno comments. "But by the way he's behaving around Naru, I believe he is not interested in romance." "Of course not," Rei Hino hops onto the ice, then races after him. As her friends watch in disbelief, the priestess approaches Ataru from behind, coughs, then announces in accentless French, "<>" Ataru jolts, then barks, "SHE SPOKE FRENCH!!!!" To the surpise of Naru and the other Senshi, the ex-Tomobiki resident takes Rei's arm, then plants loads of kisses on it from wrist up. In a flash, Minako and Makoto surround Rei, accusing eyes flashing. "Okay, Hino, fess up!!" the former growls. "When did you meet this guy?!" "Why, we've been friends for years," Rei innocently replies, then pats Ataru's head. "There, there, Ataru! You can stop now." "Ah!" he finishes with a courtly kiss on Rei's knuckles. "To actually be in the presence of the most competent priestess in all of Tokyo is an honour indeed!" Then he sobers. "Rei-chan, you're looking well." "Thanks," Rei nods. "I see leaving Tomobiki's has been good for you!" "Tomobiki?!!" Minako and Makoto exclaim together, then exchange looks. "Why, that must mean you're..." Ami stares at Ataru. "At your service," Ataru bows. "I take it these are you friends, Rei?" Rei quickly makes introductions. Naru remains beside Ataru as he meets the other Senshi. Makoto and Minako seem to deflate, the knowledge of Ataru's girlfriend dampening their libidoes. Ami, as is her way, looks on Ataru as a trailblazer in the dense forest of Terran-alien relations. "Ataru, when did you and Rei meet?" Naru finally asks. "Oh, when we were kids," Ataru explains. "Her grandfather's a friend of my clan's chief priest, Chiezou Budou. We haven't seen each other in several years, but we've kept in touch." "So what's with the kissing the arm bit?" Makoto blinks. "Haven't you ever seen 'The Addams Family,' Makoto?" Rei wonders. "Oh!!" Makoto and Minako nod. "I haven't," Ami admits. Suddenly, a thermometer is placed in her mouth as Ataru feels her forehead, looking at her watch. "Ah-hah!" he nods, then takes the thermometer out and looks at it. "I thought as much!!" "What is the diagnosis, Doctor Moroboshi?" Rei appears beside him. "An acute case of social depravation, Nurse Hino!" Ataru declares. "This poor child has been studying too much! I prescribe five days of bad jokes, loads of manga reading and watching television!!" He then eyes Ami, his eyebrows dancing up and down. "I'd also prescribe a wonderful date with me, but since you already have a boyfriend, we'll substitute him instead!" Ami flushes while Naru, Minako and Makoto fall over laughing. "Hey, what's up?!" Usagi skates up with Mamoru. "Who's your friend, Naru-chan?" "Oh, this is Ataru Moroboshi," Naru smiles. "Ataru, this is Usagi Tsukino and her boyfriend Mamomu Chiba." "THE Ataru Moroboshi?!" Mamoru blinks surprisedly. Usagi's reaction is much different. "THIS is Ataru Moroboshi?!" she growls, backing away. "Eeew!!! Get this hentai pervert away from me!!" Ataru's eyes close. It had to happen, even here. "Usagi!!!" Rei spits out. "Stop being a dumpling-head for once in your life! Ataru's my friend and I won't tolerate you calling him names!!" "What I'm calling him is what everyone calls him, Rei!!" Usagi retorts. "Usako..." Mamoru closes his eyes. Suddenly, Ataru finds himself surrounded by a mob of female freshman high school students, all with autograph books out, screaming with delight upon seeing Earth's tag champion. "Eeek!! It's really him!!!" "Oh, he's more handsome in person!!" "His beard's so sexy!!" "Can I have your autograph, Moroboshi-san?!!" "Oh, he looked at me!! I'm just going to die!!" Sweat flows down Usagi's forehead as Rei fires a knowing look. "Well?!" Usagi drops to her knees... * * * Sometime later, after Ataru had freed himself from the mob of well-wishers, he relaxes with the Senshi, Naru and Mamoru in a cafe near the ice rink. "Sorry about that," Rei apologizes. "I guess you came here just to get away from people, huh?" "I tried," Ataru sips his drink. "Atop that, Lum's with her class in Kyoto this weekend. It was a time when I would've gone to Tomobiki to be with her, but those pathetic morons who WERE my classmates conspired with my old vice-principal to keep her in Kyoto instead of allowing her time off to see me." "Boy, they sure are stupid!" Makoto snorts. "Chasing after a girl who's already in love with someone else!" "Well, no one from Tomobiki is completely innocent on that regard, Makoto," Ataru sighs. "I've chased people with their own fiances." "You admit that?" Minako blinks. "No reason to deny it, Minako. I just don't like reflecting on it." "As much as he doesn't like other people reminding him of it, right, Usagi?" Rei fires her friend a warning look. A duel of the tongues results. Everyone's eyes roll. Ataru stares at Mamoru. "Chiba-san, you have my deepest sympathies," the former sighs. Usagi spins on him. "WHAT...?!?!?!" Mercifully, Ataru's cell phone rings. Pulling it out, he calls into it, "Hiya, gorgeous!! What's a cute Oni-chan like you doing surrounding yourself with those clueless morons?!" * * * "Darling calls you 'clueless morons' again!" Lum calls out. Mendou and the guards bellow in futile rage as the Oni returns her attention to her phone. "Well, this cute Oni-chan is wondering if you'd come down to Kyoto and find a nice hotel room for us so we can have a date and do other fun things that intimate couples do," she smiles. "Where are you?" "Skating rink meeting a friend of mine," Ataru replies. "That priestess I told you about, Rei Hino." "Oh, the one you say is the best priestess in the district," Lum blinks. "What?!!" Megane appears beside Lum. "How dare that bastard insult Sakura-san by insinuating that someone else is better than her...?!" Lum zaps him to shut him up! "How is she?" she returns her attention to the phone. "She isn't trying to crawl into your pants, I hope!" "No, none of them are," Ataru laughs. "Rei's just an old friend I met through Chie-san." "Ah, I understand...eh?" Lum looks to see Mendou firing frantic messages through his cell phone. The words "Rei Hino" and "find Moroboshi" chime in loud and clear. Sighing, she turns back. "Darling, you better call Reigi and get him to curb the Kuromegane! Mendou's trying to get someone after you!" Mendou pales on hearing that. "I'll handle it at my end, you handle it at yours," Ataru sighs. "Right," Lum lowers the phone and zaps Mendou! * * * Ataru winces as Mendou's pained screams echo through the line, then Lum's voice comes back. "Handled!" the Oni cheerily announces. "Thank you," Ataru sighs, then tenses as his sixth sense sounds the alarm. "What the...?" His eyes turn to the skating rink...just as a point of absolute darkness disgorges a squad's worth of terrifyingly ugly monsters!! "Holy...!!!" Ataru exclaims as shrieks echo from the crowd still on the ice. "Darling, what's wrong?!" Lum shouts over the line. Seeing the monsters, the Senshi exchange knowing glances, then split off to change. Naru watches them go, then sighs, looking down. "Damn!!" Ataru spits out, then calls into the phone, "Lum, something's going on here! I'll call you back!!" He tosses the phone aside as he runs toward the rink. Naru watches him go, then sighs. All her friends were off to do their thing again. If only she could help... * * * "Darling?!! Darling?!! Darling?!!" Lum repeats frantically over the dead line, then blinks. "Oh, no!!! He must be in trouble!!!" Switching on the phone's tracking beacon so she could home in on his phone, she calls out, "Here, Saucer!!!" Lum's scoutship appears over her head. Before she could fly up to it, Mark Onsen appears. "Wait a moment!!! Where do you think you're going?!!" Lum zaps him! "Sorry, Sensei, but Darling's in danger!!" she calls out, then flies into her scout. As it blasts off, Megane and the guards race after her. "Lum- san!!!" the bespectacled leader fruitlessly cries for his icon. "Where are you going?!! Don't go see that traitor alone!!! Take us with you...!!!" Suddenly, an empty yatai cart buries the four! Tamiko Seikou walks up. "Lucky thing Mie-chan asked me to keep an eye on your four!" she cackles as her telekinetic powers boost the guards into the air. "Now, which way to the bay, I wonder?!" she cutely inquires. "I'm sure there're hungry sharks swimming about who'd want a snack!" The guards scream as they are dragged off... * * * Ataru hops over the rink's guardrail, his eyes locked on a screaming girl his daughter's age, now about to be squashed thanks to an ugly thing which could give Stephen King nightmares. Pouring it on, he calls forth a unique transformation as his hands snare the girl, somersaulting three times to return to his feet as the Cyborg. The girl stares at the Terminator-esque features, then giggles. "Do it again!! Do it again!" "**Here!**" Ataru hands the girl to a bystander. "**Now, run!!**" No need to say it twice as the machine-man faces the dozen or so youmas attempting to snare any person within their grasp. "Listen up!!" a green-hued female humanoid snarls, the claws attached to her hands snapping. "We want the Sailor Senshi and we want them now!!" "**They're busy!**" a metallic-tinged voice snarls. "**Will I do?!**" Before the woman could turn, a beam of starlight shreds half her head! As she drops to the rink, her ichor staining the ice, the others spin on the intimidating entity facing them by the goal line. "Who are you?!" a hydra-like creature demands. "How dare you interfere...?!" Ataru is suddenly on them, his claw-tipped fingers ripping into their mass without mercy!! The youmas howl as they try to retreat...just as a voice from their darkest nightmare barks, "Hold it!!!" The Senshi yowl in shock as one sweep of Ataru's arm sends the youma flying in every direction, leaping to safety as two crush the stands they were standing on after their transformation. "**Quit with the posturing, you people!**" Ataru fries another with his laser-eye! "**Get down here and start slugging 'em...or do you want me to do it myself?!**" "Quit giving orders...!!" Sailor Moon suddenly screams as one youma lunges at her. Fortunately, Tuxedo Kamen lances the creature with a rose, then leaps clear with his girlfriend. "Unfortunately, since he's the first on the scene, we've have no choice but to join in and destroy them, Sailor Moon!" he grits his teeth, landing her beside Naru, who remained by the table when everyone scattered. "Well, he doesn't have to be so snobbish about it!" Moon growls as she follows him into the brawl. "Be careful, Usagi-chan..." Naru quietly intones. Sailor Jupiter finds herself surrounded by four of the creatures. "You jerks must think I'm still the weak one your bitch of a queen took out in the Arctic!!" she snarls. "You dare insult Queen Beryl?!!" a youma snarls. "Die, insolent worm!!" Already, the tallest of the Senshi is spinning. "***JUPITER ...OAK...EVOLUTION!!!!!!***" she bellows, leaf-like lightning balls blazing in every direction! An explosion later, Jupiter finds herself surrounded by four intact and unharmed youma!! "Nice try!" one cackles as they move on her. "Oh, shit...!" Jupiter backs off. "Hey, what's going on?!!" a panicking Moon demands. "That should've pulverized them!!" Sailor Mercury lowers her visor to take a look. "They seem to be overlayed with a protective energy sphere, blocking all our attacks!" she exclaims, wide-eyed. "But...how is this possible?!" "Let me try!!" Sailor Venus draws her magic heart chain. "***LOVE CHAIN ENCIRCLE!!!!!!***" she lets it fly. The energy band rips around four of them, crushing them together as Venus sets them up for her final attack. "***LOVE AND BEAUTY SHOCK!!!!!!***" The energy heart slams into the youma as Jupiter leaps out of the way!! The resulting explosion nearly wrecks half the rink. "Got 'em!!" Venus howls. "I don't think so!" Sailor Mars warns. "Wha...?" Venus looks...to see four very angry and UNHARMED youma emerge from the smoke! "No way!!! Impossible!!!" "As we said, you genocidal little freaks," one of them cackles. "We're prepared for you this time!!" "I think they are!" Tuxedo Kamen warns. "Wh-what do we d-do?!" Moon stammers. "**Let me try something!**" a familiar voice announces. Everyone sees Ataru landing between the youma, his sensor-eye glowing as bright as the sun. "**Care to dance with me?!**" he cackles as the bolts lash out. The Senshi hit the dirt as the youma are burned every time Ataru scores a hit. Mercury keeps track of events via her sensor- visor. "He's done it!!" she calls out. "His laser-eye's destroyed their shields!!" Moon is already on her feet, drawing her upgraded Moon Sceptre. "I haven't said this for a very long time," she icily smiles, taking aim. "Wait!!" Mars warns. "Ataru and Sailor Jupiter are still...!!" Too late. "***MOON SCEPTRE...ELIMINATION!!!!!!***" The cleansing wave lashes out just as the Cyborg appears before Jupiter. "**Hi, Makoto-chan!**" he grabs her, then leaps for the heavens as Moon's bolt burns the youma into dust. "**You have plans for tonight?!**" The tallest of the Senshi screams as gravity pulls Ataru back to Earth. "You do this often?!" Jupiter wonders as they land safely some distance away. "**All the time,**" he winks with his good eye, then transforms back to his normal self, turning to see that the youma were gone. "Boy, you girls know how to work hard, don't you?" "Y-yeah!" Jupiter stammers. The other Senshi and Tuxedo Kamen run up. "Oh, Jupiter, I'm so sorry!" Moon kneels beside her friend. "You okay?!" "Yeah, thanks to Ataru," Jupiter rises, brushing off her skirt, then looks for Mercury. "What the heck's going on here?! Since when could simple youma from the Dark Kingdom resist our attacks?!" "And why are they still around?!" Mars adds. "I thought we finished that lot when we destroyed the Black Moon Clan!" "Obviously, since they were from a different dimension, some might have survived the battle Sailor Moon fought with Queen Beryl in the Arctic," Mercury summizes. "As to how they were able to resist our attacks, I can't say. Ataru destroyed their shielding too fast for me to properly scan its energy matricies..." "There's no need," Ataru's voice announces from behind them. Everyone turns to look. "What do you mean?" Moon walks up. "Look for yourself, Usagi," Ataru holds up a pink leaf. The Senshi jolt, surprised that he could guess their secret identities so quickly. "Ladies, your disguise might fool most people, but not me," Ataru chuckles, placing the leaf in Moon's hand. "A side benefit of my having chased girls for so long; I can detect and memorize things like perfume, which you still wear when you transform." "Boy, that's some 'girl radar' he has," Venus snickers. "I wish I had 'boy radar,'" Jupiter laughs. "What is this?" Moon pulls up the object Ataru gave her. "This is a cherry blossom leaf!" "Not just any cherry blossom leaf," Ataru's eyes narrow. "If I'm right, and that proves to be from the tree I suspect it came from, your part of Tokyo will soon experience its own form of the Spirit War." The Senshi shudder fearfully... * * * "Destroyed?!!" Jeddite barks. "How?!!" His chief servant, Shiki, kneels before the general. "They attacked the ice rink as we planned, sir. The Sailor Senshi showed up; the three you know, plus the two who joined later, Venus and Jupiter. Fortunately, I can report that the new shield power works perfectly. Nothing the Senshi could do could harm our soldiers." "Then explain to me how twelve of my best warriors died?!" "An outside agent, General." "Tuxedo Kamen, then?" "No, sir," Shiki shakes his head. "That foolish Prince Endimion was too busy saving his precious Princess to determine if our shields can withstand him. This is an unknown, sir." "Show me!" An image appears, revealing a visage which fills the youma with dread. Considering the wild variety of shapes and forms the denizens of the Dark Kingdom possessed, Jeddite was surprised they reacted with such revulsion at a face which was three-quarters a metal skull. Then he realizes what the source of their dread is: the creature's eye-fired energy beam had just sliced off the head of the strike team's leader. Jeddite's eyes close. Shiawa was young, energetic and loyal. She had a bright future in the ranks had not this being cut her life so short. Then he looks again. "I've seen this being!" he declares, rising. "He is the one who last left Tomobiki before the district was destroyed by the energy from the Tarouzakura!! Shiki!!" "Sir?" the aide bows. "Find someone who has stealth skills! I wish Ninjana was here to help us, but she is long since gone!! Learn everything you can about this being! Who he is, where he's from, why is he this way!" "At once, m'lord!" Shiki bows, then leaves. Jeddite dismisses the image with a wave, then faces the others. "Shiawa and the others will be remembered!" he declares. "We will learn about this armoured stranger who interferes in our quest to destroy the Sailor Senshi and destroy him!! That, I promise!!!" The youma around him bellow their support as Jeddite returns to the throne. No mistakes this time. Queen Beryl wanted things done immediately, not realizing that learning and countering one's foes took time. Jeddite had been punished because of that idiotic thirst for speed. He would not make the same mistake twice. If he progressed at Beryl's rate, there would be NO Dark Kingdom left before long! * * * "Darling, you're okay!!" Lum flies out of her scoutship to envelop her boyfriend with a passioned hug. "What happened... *tcha!*" the Oni's eyes widen on seeing the destroyed ice rink, then she looks at Ataru. "Did you do that?!" "With the help of a dozen uglies from the Dark Kingdom and their old sparring partners, the Sailor Senshi, yeah!" Ataru scratches the back of his head. "How many people did you have to zap before getting up here, anyway?!" "Everyone!" Lum's eyes roll, then she blinks surprisedly. "You were here with the Sailor Senshi?! Where are they?!" she looks around. "Probably back to their civilian lives, knowing people like them!" Ataru wraps an arm around her. "C'mon! Let's go someplace so we can have a date and really make those dorks in your class upset!!" His tongue flicking on Lum's horn elicits an ecstatic shudder from her. "Let's go!!!" she grabs him as they fly to her waiting scout. The Senshi in question watch from the seclusion of one stand still intact. "Wow, aren't they something?!" Venus empathically drinks up the love Ataru and Lum felt for the other. "You'd never think they used to hate each other, the way they are now!" "Good for them!" Mars yawns. "Let's meet by the shrine tomorrow so we can clue the others in on this!" "Gotcha!" Jupiter and Moon nod. "I'll be in Tomobiki tomorrow," Mercury announces. "Ataru's uncle owns a prominent financial firm whose Tokyo offices are located there. Given that the tree, he suspects, that is the source of our current problem is on the Mendou estate, I'll need help getting in." The others nod as they transform to their civilian identities, then break off to head for their homes... * * * To be continued...