Sailor Moon/Gen13: Moonlight Heroes

by Skyrocket

While in Japan, Gen13 get caught up in the Sailor Scouts' war with Queen Beryl.

Biosheet

Since this is a crossover, I thought it would be a good idea to come up with something that would give everyone the basic information on both Gen13 and the Sailor Scouts. If you've never seen the Sailor Moon anime, or never read the Gen13 comic book, the entries below should give you at least a basic understanding of the characters.

Meet the Sailor Scouts!

Sailor Scouts: Sailor Moon, Sailor Mercury, Sailor Mars, Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Venus are the champions of love and justice. Drawn together by the legacy of the Moon Kingdom, these five young Japanese schoolgirls are all that stand between Earth and invaders from another dimension known as the Negaverse.

Sailor Mercury: Amy Mizuno (Ami in the Japanese version) is the brains of the Sailor Scouts. She represents the Japanese element of Water. Her Japanese name can be roughly translated as "Friend of the Waters."

She has an IQ of 300, is a straight-A student, but is socially awkward as she spends her most of her waking moments reading books. Her VR Visor and palmtop Lunar Computer allow her to identify weaknesses in enemies, and come up with plans of attack.

Powers: Amy says "Mercury Power!" to transform into Sailor Mercury. She says "Mercury Bubble Blast!" in order to generate a misty fog of water bubbles that reduces the visual range of enemies. This generally confuses them, making them more vulnerable to attacks.

Sailor Venus: Mina Aino (Minako in the Japanese version) is the most experienced warrior of the Sailor Scouts. She represents the Japanese element Metal and the emotion Love. Her Japanese name can be roughly translated as "Everyone's Child of Love."

Before joining the Scouts, she operated solo as Sailor V in England. She has an advisor named Artemis, a white, talking cat. Minako is very cheerful and outgoing, a practical joker, and a bit disaster-prone.

Powers: Mina says "Venus Power!" to transform into Sailor Venus. She says "Venus Crescent Beam Smash!" to generate a massive energy beam, which she can direct to a specific target.

Sailor Moon: Serena Tsukino (Usagi in the Japanese version) is the leader of Sailor Scouts. Her Japanese name means "Rabbit of the Moon."

She is the most powerful of the Scouts, with powers of healing and destruction. Unfortunately, she is also klutzy, ditzy, cowardly and a crybaby. She also has an infinite capacity for empathy and a good heart. She has a black cat named Luna as her advisor.

Powers: Serena says "Moon Prism Power!" to activate her Sailor Locket to transform her into Sailor Moon. She says "Moon Tiara Magic!" when she converts her Moon Tiara into a discus-like weapon. It is capable of destroying monsters or knocking down enemies. She says "Disguise Power!" to activate her Luna Pen. She uses this to disguise herself as needed, to follow people (or enemies) where her normal self could not go. Serena says "Moon Healing Activation!" when using the Crescent Moon Wand to convert monsters back into their original form (as normal Earth beings).

Sailor Mars: Raye Hino (Rei in the Japanese version) is the spiritual pillar of the Sailor Scouts. She represents the Japanese element of Fire, and wields it to awesome effect. Her Japanese name translates roughly into "Spirit of Fire."

A Shinto priestess, Raye has some psychic powers gained when meditating in front of her fire, and a measure of control over evil spirits. Quick-tempered and assertive (some would say bossy), she makes a steadfast friend and a bitter enemy.

Powers: Raye says "Mars Power!" to transform into Sailor Mars. She says "Mars Fire Ignite!" to create a burst of fire. This fire can then be controlled, as a fire stream (standard attack) or it can be used, like the other Scout's powers, to supplement the attack of other items (such as Sailor Moon's Tiara).

Sailor Jupiter: Lita Kino (Makoto in the Japanese version) is the muscle of the Sailor Scouts. She represents the Japanese element of Wood and the god of storms. Her Japanese name can translate literally to "Faithfulness of Wood", or by extension, to "Strength of Truth."

Apt to fight first and think later, her lightning attacks are quite powerful. As a teenager, she is a first-class cook and a fearsome martial artist.

Powers: Lita says "Jupiter Power!" to transform into Sailor Jupiter. She says "Jupiter Thunder Crash!" to activate her tiara with lightning bolts. She can then redirect this energy into an electrical bolt with which she can attack.

Meet Gen13!

Gen13: These Gen-Active teenagers, first generation descendants of the legendary Team 7, were recruited into I/O's program, Project: Genesis, a project secretly intended to develop superhumans. Upon discovering that the program was nothing more than a breeding ground for Gen-Actives, they escaped the compound with the help of renegade I/O agent, John Lynch, and to this day remain fugitives.

Fairchild: Caitlin Fairchild. The daughter of Team 7's Alex Fairchild. Deemed the unofficial leader of the group, Fairchild possesses superhuman strength, speed, agility, endurance, and intelligence.

A gifted but lonely college student, Fairchild jumped at the chance to join the mysterious Project: Genesis. During her time there, Fairchild's powers developed, resulting in her increased size and stature. Once the project's sinister plans became clear, Fairchild lead the other members of the project (Freefall, Grunge, Burnout, and Rainmaker) in an escape for freedom. Her hard work as leader of the group has paid off, and she has earned the respect of not only her teammates but other heroes as well.

Grunge: Percival Edmund Chang. The son of Team 7's Philip Chang. This slovenly, cold pizza-eating party animal has the power to assimilate the properties of any material he touches. He has used this power to turn into living steel, water, sand, and wood among other things. Grunge is naturally strong, and an above-average martial artist.

He is also a shameless flirt and is constantly sending Freefall mixed signals about his feelings for her.

Freefall: Roxanne Spaulding. The youngest and spunkiest of the team, Freefall can manipulate the pull of gravity on herself or any other object or being she desires. This being the case, she is able to levitate, and can increase or decrease the pull of gravity on individuals, rendering them unable to move or levitating them as well.

Freefall has worked hard to cultivate a "bad girl" image, but in reality, she is a very compassionate and loving young woman. She and her teammate Grunge share an on-and-off relationship that is a constant source of frustration for her.

Burnout: Bobby Lane. The son of John Lynch. Burnout can project high-energy plasma, which bursts into flame when exposed to oxygen. He is impervious to heat and can fly by projecting thermal updrafts.

Burnout (who actually had his nickname BEFORE he developed 'fire' powers) is the brooding musician of the group and only recently found out that Lynch was his father. Since this revelation, their relationship has been strained at best. Bobby has strong feelings for Rainmaker, but her sexuality makes their relationship somewhat turbulent.

Rainmaker: Sarah Rainmaker. Apache born, Rainmaker has the ability to control the natural elements. She can also fly by manipulating the air currents and can direct water with a simple gesture. The amplifier bands she wears on her wrists enable her to deliver very potent electric blasts.

The normally aloof Sarah has openly admitted to her teammates that she is a lesbian. However, she has on at least one occasion kissed Bobby. This has caused Sarah no small amount of confusion about her sexual identity.

John Lynch: Lynch earned his way up though the ranks of the Navy, and was ultimately chosen to as a member of the elite Team 7, where he served with honor and distinction. It was during this time that Team 7 was unwillingly exposed to the Gen-Factor. While Lynch did gain psionic abilities (at the cost of his right eye) he rarely uses them and considers the fact that he has powers a closely guarded secret.

After Team 7 broke up, Lynch spent several years traveling the world as a freelance adventurer. Eventually, he returned to I/O and became Director of Operations. Lynch went rogue from I/O when he chose to help the Gen13 kids escape the Genesis Compound. He now serves as the kids mentor and has just learned that Burnout is his long lost son.

Villains

Queen Beryl: Beryl is the ruler of a dark universe, just outside our own, called the Negaverse. Cold, cruel, and ruthless, Beryl dreams only of conquest. Her current goal is to gain control of the Silver Imperium Crystal (now in the hands of Sailor Moon) and use it to unleash a power called the Negaforce. Once free, the Negaforce will give Beryl the power to enslave the universe.

Malachite: The greatest of Beryl's Generals and leader of the army of the Negaverse. Malachite has been given the task of getting the Silver Imperium Crystal from the Sailor Scouts. This is a task he does with relish, since he blames the Scouts for the death of his lover, and fellow General, Zoisite.

Teleportation, telekinesis, levitation and energy manipulation are among the powers he is known to have. Know being the operative word, since Malachite always has a trick up his sleeve.

Other Stuff You Should Know

Tuxedo Mask: Darien Chiba (Mamoru in the Japanese version) is the Sailor Scout's greatest ally against the Negaverse, and the object of Sailor Moon's affection. His Japanese name could roughly be translated to "Protector of the Earth".

He is four or five years older than Serena, and very smart. In disguise, he wears a tuxedo and tophat, throws magical roses, and wields and enchanted cane.

Note: Tuxedo Mask is only mentioned in passing in this story. But since he's such a vital part of the Sailor Moon mythos, I thought it best to include him.

Anna: An android with superhuman speed, strength, reflexes, and the ability to cook like no other, Anna serves as Gen13's housekeeper. She is also programmed to protect the kids at all costs.

Gen-Factor: A mutagenic factor that changes the DNA of it's host, resulting in the host gaining extraordinary powers. The Gen-factor apparently allows the individual to tap into an extra-dimensional power source and channel the energies found therein. It is the Gen-Factor that gave both Team 7 and Gen13 their powers.

I/O: International Operations. America's premier espionage agency, I/O has agents in every corner of the world. It's goal is to maintain the new world order and I/O goes about this goal as it sees fit. It was I/O that created the Gen-Factor, formed Team 7, and recruited the Gen13 kids into Project: Genesis.

Team 7: Composed of the finest soldiers from all branches of the US military, Team 7 was designed to be America's elite anti-terrorism/covert operations unit during the Cold War and beyond. They were unwillingly exposed to the Gen-Factor by I/O causing each members to gain incredible powers. Despite the team's success in combat, its members began to question the motives of their superiors, and it disbanded. Today, former Team 7 members are still active in many paramilitary and shadow organizations throughout the world. Many member's children have inherited the Gen-Factor and possess powers themselves.

Continuity Note: This story is set between Sailor Moon episodes #31 and #32 and between Gen13 #12-13.

Sailor Moon/Gen13: Moonlight Heroes

Tokyo, Japan

It was going to be a beautiful day in the Land of the Rising Sun. Even though it was still early, most of the citizens of Tokyo were already awake and well into their morning routines. With one notable exception.

"AAAAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHH!!! Why didn't someone wake me up?! I'm going to be late for school again!" cried the voice of a young girl.

"I tried to wake you, Serena. Three times. You said you were getting up each time," called the girl's mother from another room.

"And you believed me?!" shouted Serena as she quickly changed into her school uniform.

"I suppose she keeps hoping you'll change, Serena. Almost as much as I do," sighed Luna as she watched from the nearby windowsill.

"Oh, if I hurry maybe I won't get another detention!" muttered the blonde girl as she grabbed the briefcase containing her books and charged out the door.

Still sighing, Luna looked out room's window. She was just able to catch a glimpse of Serena as she dashed down the street to school. "And so begins another day," thought the cat.

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San Diego, California, USA

"A little slice of heaven." is how some people might describe the city of San Diego. Sunshine all year round, the laid back culture of Southern California, friendly people, easy access to Mexico and, of course, miles of gorgeous beach. The dream of many an American is a condo on these sun-kissed Pacific shores. In San Diego, if you were one of those lucky few who have achieved that dream, you most likely live in the area called La Jolla.

La Jolla is home to some of the finest architecture in all of California. The homeowners would have nothing less. But even in such a ritzy area, there is one house that stands out. The fact that great architect Howard Rourke had designed it made it special. But the fact that it was secretly home to the teenage superheroes collectively known as Gen13, made it extraordinary.

"Sato-san, it's been to long," said John Lynch.

The man on the other end of the videophone grinned slightly. "Come now, John-kun. We have known each other for to long to use such formalities. Call me Kenichi. Or, as you so often did in the old days, just Ken."

"I seem to recall that you didn't much like the name Ken back then."

"That was a long time ago, John. We were both very different then. The world was different. I guess I've mellowed with age. But I doubt the same is true for you. "

"True," sighed Lynch. "But I'm sure you didn't call to reminisce over old times."

"No, I didn't. I called let you know that Hiroyuki Utatane is dead."

"That old spy king? I can't say I'm sorry to see him go. Let me guess, his death wasn't natural."

"Sharp as ever, John. No, most of Utatane was found in his home last week."

"Most of him?" queried Lynch.

"Let us just say the maid has her work cut out for her."

"Utatane was a bastard who deserved whatever he got. But what does this have to do with me, Ken?"

"As you know," began the Asian man, "Utatane went into business for himself after he left Japanese Intelligence. He became one of the biggest data brokers in the Far East before his demise."

"That was always your problem, Ken. You beat around the bush too much. Just tell me what this has to with me."

"My apologies, John. I forgot that bluntness is considered a virtue in America. You see, my government placed me in charge of sorting though all the data we've recovered from Utatane's personal files. I have found information that I think would be of great interest to you."

"Such as?"

"Such as things on Miles Craven, I/O, and a few other interesting people."

"Craven is dead so I don't have to worry about him," said Lynch distastefully.

"True, John. But some of the information could be very useful to someone with your…current status."

"You can say it, Ken. I'm a fugitive. But you know I had to go rogue from I/O to protect those kids from people like Craven."

"Yes, I know. But the information I have could easily be used as bargaining chips. To help ensure that certain people who may know things don't talk," Ken explained.

"You're being vague again, Ken. But I appreciate your help. I know the kind of risks you're taking just speaking to me."

"You saved my life, John-kun. I'll never forget that."

"You did the same for me more than a few times. Now, how do you want to handle the data transmission?" asked Lynch.

"In person."

"In person?! You want me to come to Japan?"

"I'm already taking a risk by talking to you via satellite. I would feel much more secure if I could give you the information in person. Besides, it will give us a chance to talk about old times. I still remember the address of that sake bar that you liked so well."

Lynch mulled over the idea for a minute. "Well, the kids have been under a lot of stress of late. And a trip to Japan would be a rare opportunity for them. They actually might learn something. Even Grunge. And there's the bonus of seeing my old friend again. Very well, Ken, you've talked me into it.

"It'll take me a few days to make arrangements and to cover my tracks. I'll e-mail you when things are set."

"Very well then. I look forward to seeing you. Sayonara, John."

"Sayonara, Ken," said Lynch as the videophone blinked off.

Lynch then reached over to a small intercom and pressed the button. "Anna, are the kids back yet.?"

"No, sir. I belive they're still shopping at Horton Plaza," came the reply.

"Let me know as soon as they return."

"Yes, sir."

Lynch then leaned back in his chair and smiled. The day was off to a very good start.

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Tokyo, Japan

"Raye! Hey Raye, wait up!" called an energetic voice.

Raye Hino turned to find her fellow Sailor Scout, Mina Aino, trying to catch up with her. "Hey, Mina. What's up?"

"Nothing really. I just saw you walking to school and thought you might want some company," replied Mina.

"Thanks, but your school isn't exactly on the way to mine. Are you sure you won't be late?"

"Wouldn't be the first time."

"Well, okay," conceded Raye.

With that, the two girls resumed walking. They were both silent for two blocks before Mina spoke.

"Uh, Raye, is something bothering you?"

"No, why do you ask?" said the raven-haired Scout.

"When I saw you walking you looked like you were a million miles away. I know I joined the Sailor Scouts only recently, but if something is bothering you I want to help."

"Really, Mina, I'm fine."

"Is it Tuxedo Mask?" asked the blonde girl.

"No!" exclaimed Raye. "I mean, I'm worried that he's disappeared, but I know he can take care of himself. Really, nothing's wrong."

Not satisfied with that answer, Mina stepped in front of Raye, blocking her path. "Come on, Raye, I can tell you're lying," stated Mina. "You're my friend and I want to help you if I can. But you need to tell me what's wrong."

An angry look flashed across Raye's face. It soon gave way to a rather sad expression. "You're right. Something has been bothering me."

"What?"

"I had this strange dream last night. I don't really remember anything about it though. All I know is that I woke up with this terrible sense of foreboding."

"Do you think this was another of your psychic visions?" inquired Mina.

Raye nodded. "Something's coming, Mina. I don't know what, but it's coming and it's big. I can feel the storm clouds gathering."

"This definitely sounds like Scouts' business. I'll call the others and tell them to meet at your temple after school."

"Thanks," smiled Raye. "I just wish I could remember more of my dream."

"Don't worry about it. We're the champions of love and justice, remember?" assured Mina as she struck one of her trademark Sailor V posses. "We can handle anything the Negaverse throws our way, right?"

"Right!" said Raye, finally brightening a bit.

With that the two girls resumed their walk.

San Diego, California, USA

It was two hours after Lynch's call had ended that Gen13 returned home. Anna quickly hustled them into the living room saying only that Lynch had an announcement of some sort.

As Lynch entered the room, he did a quick scan of the group. Fairchild, as usual, was quiet and waiting patiently, Grunge with fiddling with a Gameboy, Bobby was pacing, Roxy was painting her nails, and Sarah was glancing out the window.

"All right, team, pay attention," ordered Lynch. "Today I was contacted by Kenichi Sato, an old friend of mine from my freelance adventurer days. He's a bigshot in Japanese Intelligence these days, and he's come across information which he thinks may be of use to us."

"What kind of information?" asked Bobby.

"He wasn't very forthcoming with details. But I trust this man with my life, and if he says it's good then it's good. The only catch is that he wants to give me the information personally."

"Whoa! Mr.L, are you saying we're going to Japan?!" interrupted Grunge.

"Yes," sighed Lynch. Would that boy ever learn some manners? "I think this would be a good educational opportunity for all of you. Spending time immersed in a foreign culture is a excellent way to expand one's mind."

"You mean were going to have to learn stuff? Bummer."

"Quiet, Grunge," snapped Lynch. "Now there is only one slight problem with our trip. Since we're currently fugitives from I/O, that makes leaving the country tricky for us. I'm already making arrangements, but it'll be about three days before everything is secure."

"Will my father be coming with us?" asked Fairchild.

"I'm afraid not," answered Lynch. "I need him and Anna to hold down the fort here while we're gone. He's out setting some things up for us right now."

"Three days, huh?" mused Roxy. "Plenty of time to score some Far Out Far East outfits down at Fashion Valley Mall."

"You'll have plenty of time to shop when we're in Tokyo, Roxanne," chided Lynch. "Right now, I wan-"

"Uh, excuse me, Mr.L, there's just one problem," interrupted Rainmaker.

"And that is?"

"None of us speak Japanese."

"If you'd give me a chance, I'll show you how we're going get around that problem, Sarah," said Lynch. With that, he removed a small object shaped like a hearing aid from his pocket. "This kids, is a direct neural translation device. D.N.T.D for short. A little gift from a contact at Halo Industries."

"So what's it do?" asked Bobby.

"The D.N.T.D creates a direct link between itself and the speech and hearing areas of the wearer's brain. It then provides a perfect translation of whatever language it's programmed for."

"It's a Universal Translator! Just like on 'Star Trek'!" exclaimed Grunge.

"A crude but accurate description," admitted Lynch.

"Wait, so you're saying that if we stick those things in our ears we'll be able to speak and understand Japanese?" asked Freefall skeptically.

"That's what he just said, Roxy," said Sarah.

"Will we be able to read Japanese to?" asked Fairchild.

"No, I'm afraid not. That's why you're all going to spend the next three days getting a crash course in written Japanese. You'll also be learning about their culture so as to not make fools of yourselves in public," said Lynch.

"Hey! Why were you lookin' at me when you said that?" blustered Grunge.

"There's just one thing, Mr. Lynch," began Fairchild. "You're the only one of us who really knows Japanese culture. And from the sound of it, you're going to be to busy too teach us."

"Good girl, Caitlin. Always thinking," smiled Lynch. "You're correct, I'll be very busy the next few days working with your father to make sure things proceed smoothly. That's why Anna will be handling your instruction."

"Anna?!" gasped Freefall.

"That's correct, Roxanne," said the android housekeeper. "I've been programmed to speak 42 languages and am familiar with the customs of many of the world's cultures."

"Great, we get to spend the next few days with C-3PO," muttered Grunge.

"When do we start all this?" queried Sarah.

"Now is as good a time as any. It's still two hours till dinner," assessed Lynch as he looked at his watch. "Plenty of time to learn a few basics. I'll being quizzing you all during the meal so pay attention."

With that Lynch left his charges to their work and returned to his study.

Tokyo, Japan.

The girls had agreed to gather at their usual meeting place, the Cherry Hill Temple, once the school day was over. Unfortunately, one of them was missing.

"I can't belive Serena is this late!" grumbled Lita.

"You know Serena. She'd be late to her own funnel," said Mina.

"I think you mean funeral," corrected Amy.

"Whatever."

"Let's forget about Serena for the moment, and get on with it. We can always fill her in later," suggested Lita. "So, Raye, you get anything more from that dream of yours?"

Raye shook her head. "Not really. I've been trying all day but…" The girl closed her eyes began to concentrate. After several long moments she opened them and frowned. "Still nothing. Just this horrible sense of doom. Something bad is going to happen, guys. I can feel it."

"Hey, everyone! Check out what I got!!" called a new voice. The girls looked to see Serena running up carrying pink box.

"Where were you, Serena? You where supposed to be here twenty minutes ago!" admonished Lita.

"Sorry about that. But on my way here I passed a donut shop that was having a special," replied the pig-tailed girl as she opened the box. "I got some for all of us! Check it out, sprinkles!"

"I don't belive this! We've got Sailor business and all you can think about is stuffing your face!" blasted Raye. "Honestly, Serena, when are you going to gro--"

"Hey! There're only six donuts in here!" exclaimed Mina as she looked inside the box. "And most of them are the kind with jelly in the center! I hate those!"

"Well, lunch was a really long time ago, and I got hungry on the way over here…" began Serena.

"Guys!" shouted Amy. "Can you forget about the donuts for a minute? We might be looking at a real threat here."

"Amy's right," sighed Lita. "So, Luna, do you think the Negaverse is up something?"

"I'm not picking up any of the usual signs of Negaverse activity," the magical cat answered. "But I do have a bad feeling about Raye's premonition."

"What about you, Artemis?" said Mina. "You got anything?"

"Afraid not," began the white cat. "But I think it'd be wise if all of us were extra vigilant for the next few days."

"I'm not picking up anything usual on my computer," reported Amy, as she studied the highly advanced palm-top Luna had given her.

"Maybe my vision was wrong," said Raye.

"Maybe it was something you ate. I know I always get weird dreams whenever I have my mom's meatloaf," suggested Serena. The other girls and the cats glared at her.

"What?! It was just an idea."

"Those feelings of yours have been right most of the time before, Raye. I belive you," assured Amy. The others quickly echoed that feeling.

"Thanks," smiled Raye. "Look, I'll consult the sacred fire later tonight. Maybe that will give me something to go on."

"Cool! Problem solved!" cheered Serena. "Now, who wants donuts?"

Artemis, Luna, and the other four Sailor Scouts just shook their heads and sighed.

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Private jet en route from San Diego to Tokyo.

"Whoa, you guys have gotta check this view!" proclaimed Grunge, as he pressed his face against a window.

"We already did. It's the Pacific Ocean. And it's still going to be the ocean until we get to Japan," sighed Burnout, as he looked up from his magazine.

"Oh, let Grunge have his fun. After all, it's not everyday that we get to travel in something like this," said Sarah, as she gestured at the luxurious cabin of the jet.

And luxurious it was. Instead of the usual row seating found on most planes, this jet had several comfortable overstuffed chairs and couches as well as a minibar, TV, and a small refrigerator.

"Yeah, this plane kicks ass! Shame it doesn't have one those revolving beds like in 'Austin Powers'. If it did I could join the Mile High Club," mused Grunge.

"You only get into the Mile High Club if you do that with a partner," joked Bobby.

"Aw, suck it, jerkweed!"

"Guys, could you please hold it down? I'm trying to read," admonished Fairchild.

"What are you reading?" asked Sarah.

"It's a book on Japanese culture Mr. Lynch gave me. It's really very fascinating," began Kat as she held up her book. "This section here talks about the traditional tea ceremony. Did you know tha--"

"Uh, I think I'll go see what my dad is up to," interrupted Bobby. Hoping to avoid a boring lecture, he headed up to the cockpit.

As he headed to the front of the plane, Burnout passed Freefall who was lying on a couch. She had her eyes closed, and was singing along softly to the music coming from her Diskman. "Rainy day man, on your shoulder I cried, when my first brush with love left me shaking inside. Rainy day man," she sang.

"Cripes, I don't know how she can listen to that mall bunny music. Still, I guess I should just consider myself lucky she it's listening to Hanson," mused Bobby, as he entered the cockpit.

"Is there something wrong, son?" asked John Lynch from behind the controls.

"No, I just needed a little time away from the others."

"You mean away from Grunge?"

"Mostly, yeah. Listen, uh, dad, there was something I wanted to ask you back in San Diego, but didn't get the chance," said Burnout.

"What?"

"When did you learn to fly a jet? And speaking of the jet, how did we afford this? I know we've got money, but this seems way out of our price range."

"To answer your last question first," began Lynch, "the plane was Ken's doing. I don't know how he pulled it off, but I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

"As for me flying, well, I learned to pilot just about anything back in my Team 7 days. Flying is just like riding a bike; you never forget how."

"Okay, but wouldn't you still need a license or something? The people at the airport don't let just anyone fly a plane."

Lynch turned and gave Bobby a mischievous grin. "Son, do I really need to tell someone your age just how easy it is to get fake ID?"

Burnout took a moment to process his father's words. "I guess not. So, how did you meet this guy we're going to see?"

"It's a long story, son. One I'm not quite ready to tell. Let's just say it involves me, Ken, a paranoid crime boss with a passion for the occult, and a ancient legend about seven rainbow crystals."

"Rainbow crystals. Riiiiight," grumbled Bobby as he left the cockpit.

Tokyo was in flames. Everywhere she could hear people screaming.

"-monster! It will destroy-"

"-my wife! It killed my wi-"

"-powerful! We're doom-"

"Run! It's coming this wa-"

"-destroyed the whole buildi-"

"Mommy, where are you?!"

The crowd surged over her like a tidal wave, knocking her to the ground. Gritting her teeth, Raye managed to get to her feet. She then reached out and grabbed one of the fleeing people. "What's going on?!" she demanded. Her momentary captive, a young man in a denim jacket, fanatically tried to jerk out of her grasp. Raye only held on tighter. "What's going on?" she repeated evenly.

"It's a monster!" screamed the man. "It's blowing stuff up left and right! It's already killed a lot of people!"

Raye was about to press for more information, but in a burst of adrenaline-fueled strength, the young man broke her grip and fled.

Just then, the sound of a massive explosion filled the air. Raye whirled to see the top third of Tokyo Tower sheared off by a large fireball.

"It finally happened! The Negaverse is invading the earth! I have to find the others and hope we're not to late!"

With that, the raven-haired girl cried "MARS POWER!" Instantly strange energy began to flow around her body, and Raye felt the familiar sensation of her transformation into Sailor Mars.

When the change was over, Raye opened her eyes to find that she was no

longer in the panic filled streets but, in a dimly lit park. She felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up, as it always did when she was in the presence of evil. "Sailor Moon? Mercury? Jupiter? Anyone?" Mars called.

"Looking for your friends, little girl? Here, let me help you," chuckled

an unseen voice.

It was then that the park became brighter and Mars could see the bodies of four people lying near her. "Serena! Amy! Lita! Mina! No!" she cried as she recognized her fellow Scouts.

"I'm sorry, but they can't hear you at the moment. They're all a bit busy being dead," said the voice.

"No! It can't be true!" screamed Raye as she ran to Sailor Moon's side. The blonde girl's body had many cuts, bruises, and burns. Her tiara was covered in blood and her Crescent Moon Wand, snapped in two, was still clutched in her hand.

"Serena, you can't be dead! You hear me, meatballhead, you can't!" begged Raye, her voice filled with tears.

"Oh, but she is. She and all the others. You're the last one left, little Scout," gloated the voice. "Once you're gone, nothing will stand in the way of Queen Beryl's conquest of this world."

"Show yourself!" demanded Mars as she stood from her friend's body. "Face me, monster! Face me and on behalf of Mars, and my friends, I'll punish you!"

"Very well. Let us see if you are a true warrior of Mars," answered the voice.

Raye turned and saw a figure cloaked in shadow standing behind her. The only part of the being not black as midnight was its eyes. The left one was a sinister yellow Raye had seen in many of the monsters she had fought. But the other was an angry shade of crimson. That eye seemed to radiate with energy.

Suppressing her rage, Sailor Mars began to focus her power. She felt the

inferno inside her and let it build until she could not hold it anymore. "MARS FIRE…IGNITE!"

The fireball flew from her hands toward the creature. Suddenly, the

flames spilt into two streams and flowed harmlessly around the thing's body.

"No, it can't be," whispered Mars.

"Is that the best the famed Sailor Mars has to offer? Pity," said the creature. "Your fallen friends put up a much better fight. I think you should join them now. IN OBLIVION!!" Then a beam of pure red flew from the creature's eye at the last Sailor Scout.

"NO!!" screamed Mars as she felt the energy hit her, burn her, consume

her…

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

"NO!!" shouted Raye as she sat up. Her heart was pounding and sweat drenched her body. "A dream! Just a dream!" she panted as she looked around the familiar setting of her room.

After a few deep breaths, Raye managed to calm herself down a bit. "It's closer. Whatever that monster is it's closer now," she thought. "It's real and when it gets here it's going to be horrible. I have to warn the others. I can't let…won't let them die!" angrily swore Raye as she fought back tears.

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

Narita Airport, Tokyo, Japan

"Turning Japanese, I think I'm turning Japanese, I really think so! Turning Japanese, I think I'm turning Japanese, I really think so!" sang a very off key voice.

"Grunge! Shut you will you?! People are starting to stare!" gasped Freefall.

"Come on, Rox, I'm trying to get into the Japanese spirit!"

"Somehow don't think singing bad 80's pop tunes is the way to go," remarked Rainmaker.

"Hey, Sarah, does that stick up your ass hurt when you walk?" retorted Grunge.

"Zip it, Grunge!" snapped Lynch. "We haven't been on Japanese soil twenty minutes and you're already making a fool of yourself."

"Mr. Lynch, I was wondering, how are we going to get into the city?" asked Fairchild.

"Hello? Earth to Caitlin," said Roxy. "We take a cab. Just like everyone else."

"According to my guidebook, a trip from the airport to downtown could run us as much as two hundred dollars," informed the redhead.

"Two hundred dollars! No freakin' way!"

"Caitlin is correct, Roxy." said Lynch "Things are quite expensive in Japan. But that won't be an issue since Ken said he would provide us with transportation."

"Wow, Ken must be a really great friend to do all this for you," commented Rainmaker.

"That he is, Sarah."

"Yeah, he's great. But there's one problem he can't help us with," grumbled Bobby.

"And that is?" quizzed Lynch.

"Trying to find our luggage in this place!"

On the roof of one of the outer terminals there was a brief flash of light. When the flash was over, a man with flowing white hair, wearing a gray militaristic uniform, and a white cape stood there. His name was Malachite.

Malachite pulled a small black jewel from his pocket and watched as it glowed with a slight blue light. "Something in this area is giving off powerful energy readings," he thought. "Could it be the Silver Imperium Crystal?"

Following the jewel's glow, Malachite wandered to the edge of the roof and looked down at a passenger loading area. "Nothing. Nothing but pathetic humans!" he growled. "How could any of them be giving off such power?"

Malachite's question was interrupted by a sound from the loading area.

"My woman from Tokyo, she makes me see, my woman from Tokyo, she's so good to me!"

Malachite saw that the noise was coming from a group of teenagers and an older man who were standing by a limo.

"Dammit, Grunge, shut up!" yelled the blond male. "Bad enough I had to listen to your Chris Rock impressions on the ride over. Now that we're here there's no way I'm going to listen to you butcher Deep Purple!"

"Unclench, will you, Bobby?" said the short, dark-haired one Malachite presumed was "Grunge".

"Will you two knock it off and get in?" growled the older man.

Malachite took a moment to study him, presuming older one to be in charge. He had a weather-beaten face and a pair of scars cutting diagonally across his right eye. "A warrior, that one," mused the General.

"I don't know this Ken guy but I sure do like his style!" gushed the girl with the pink streaks in her hair.

"We'll be meeting him for dinner tomorrow, Roxanne. You can thank him then," said the older one as the group climbed into the limo.

As the car drove off, Malachite again glanced at his jewel. A bright halo of blue energy surrounded it. "Those humans, there's something special about them," he assessed. "I must find out what their power is. And if it can be used to gain the Silver Imperium Crystal."

With another burst of light, Malakite was gone.

The next day

The sun shone down brightly on the campus of Crossroads Junior High. It was one of those days that made eating lunch outside not an option, but a must.

"Yes, Serena, as a matter of fact, I am going to finish my sandwich!" said a voice that, oddly enough, would not have been out of place in New York City's Brooklyn, half a world away.

"Come on, Molly!" pleaded Serena. "I'm really, really, really hungry! We're friends and friends share."

"I didn't see you offering to share your lunch," pointed out Molly. "In fact, you sucked it down so fast I thought you were a vacuum cleaner."

"I only had time to grab some toast on the way out this morning," pouted Serena.

"Hi, hi, girls!" came an excited voice from behind the two. Serena and Molly turned to find a boy with unruly hair and thick glasses grinning at them.

"Oh, hey, Melvin," said Serena unenthusiastically.

"Check this out!" gushed Melvin as he removed three slips of paper from his pocket. "I got tickets to the aquarium! I was wondering if you'd want to go."

"Sure," replied Molly. "I've never been to an aquarium. It'll be fun!"

Serena looked at her friend with disbelief. "Molly actually thinks looking at a bunch of fish is going to be fun?" she thought. "I know she and Melvin are going out, but this is too much."

"Awesome!" shouted Melvin. "So, Serena, are you coming too? I hear the aquarium just put in a new exhibit about squid that's supposed to be really fascinating!"

"Uh, no thanks, Melvin. Squids really aren't my thing," said Serena, hoping not to hurt the nerdy boy's feelings.

"Oh. Okay," nodded Melvin, sounding more than a little disappointed. Suddenly his eyes went wide and he seemed to perk up. "I know! I'll ask Ms. Haruna to come! She's a teacher! I bet she'd love the squid exhibit!" With that, Melvin dashed off on his mission.

"Remind again why you like that guy."

"Aw, come on, Serena," sighed Molly. "Melvin's really a very sweet guy. He may act like a dweeb sometimes, but it's only because he cares about me."

"Yeah, I guess he's not that bad."

"And you may not think it, but he's really brave too. He's risked his own life to protect me from being attacked by those monsters Sailor Moon is always fighting. Twice!"

"Okay, okay," grumbled Serena. "He's Indiana Jones in a pair of cokebottles."

"Serena, can we talk to you for a minute?" someone called.

Serena looked up to see Amy and Lita waiting a few feet away.

"Uh, Molly, do you mind--"

"Sure, it's no problem," assured Molly as she stood up to leave. "I'll call you later."

It wasn't until Molly was safely away that anyone spoke.

"So what's up?" asked Serena.

"I just got a call from Mina," began Amy. "She said that Artemis thinks he might have detected some Negaverse activity. We're all going to meet at the temple after school to try and come up with a plan."

"And try not to be too late this time, Serena. Raye's been stressed out enough the last few days. I don't think that yelling at you will do her any good," chided Lita.

"No problem," reassured Serena. "As soon as that last bell rings, I will be out the door and on my way!"

"No you won't," said Amy "You have a detention today, remember?"

"For falling asleep in class. Again," noted Lita.

"Oh yeah," chuckled an embarrassed Serena. "Well, after detention. Really, I promise!"

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

"Serena promised she'd come here right after detention," groused Luna. "That ended twenty minutes ago. Plenty of time for her to get here."

"Oh, you know Serena," said Lita. "For her being late is like breathing. It's natural."

"I know it's a tall order, but she really needs to pull it together on this one," commented Artemis. "If you look at the readings Luna and I have gathered, and add Raye's dreams to it, we could be looking at some major Negaverse activity."

"Speaking of Raye, where is she?" asked Mina.

"She's off consulting her sacred fire," answered Amy. "She said she thought her vision was becoming more focused."

"Heads up. Look who's finally here," said Lita.

"Sorry! Sorry!" exclaimed Serena as she joined her friends. "Ms. Haruna keep me after to talk about my grades."

"Failed another math test, huh?" quizzed Mina.

"You got it," sighed Serena. "A parent-teacher conference is in my future, big time."

It was then that the door to the building the girls were waiting by opened. Raye walked out wearing her priestess garb and a somber expression.

"Hey, Raye. Sorry I'm late, but Ms. Haruna-" fumbled Serena.

"It's here."

"It's here? What's here?" inquired Artemis.

"The monster from my dreams. It's real and it's here in Tokyo," said Raye flatly.

"Monster? Wait a second, you never mentioned a monster," interjected Lita.

Raye didn't seem to notice her friend's words. "It's here and it will be more powerful than anything we've ever faced."

"Jeez, Raye, you're starting to scare me," whispered Mina.

"You should be scared. We all should be. I…I know I am," admitted Raye. "Just a little."

The other girls couldn't think of any way to respond to that.

"I think Raye is right on this one, Artemis," said Luna to her fellow cat. "I've been having a bad feeling about something all day. I just hope that whatever it is, that the Scouts will be up to facing it."

The white cat simply nodded his agreement.

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

Like any major metropolis, Tokyo has its share of after dark entertainment. If you're looking for the most posh restaurant, or the most exciting nightclub, then you want the Ginza district, located in the very heart of the city. And in this bastion of hip, there is no restaurant more acclaimed than Ginza Otaku.

"Stop fussing with your tie, Grunge."

"I can't help it, Mr.L! It's so tight it's cutting off the oxygen to my brain!"

"How can you tell?" snickered Bobby.

"Stuff it, matchstick!"

"Knock it off, the both of you!" snapped Lynch. "Ken will be here any second and I don't want him to see you two acting like children."

"Ah, the impetuousness of youth is never ending is it, John-kun?" said someone. The speaker was a Japanese man in his mid-forties who sported a conservative brown suit and a friendly smile.

"Ken-kun, it's good to finally see you again," grinned Lynch as he reached out and shook his friend's hand.

"The pleasure is mine as well, John. Now, when are you going to introduce me to your young friends?"

"Of course. The tall young lady is Caitlin Fairchild."

"Konbanwa," said Fairchild, as she bowed slightly.

"And good evening to you as well, Fairchild-san. Your pronunciation is excellent."

"Domo arigato."

"Moving on," continued Lynch. "The girl with the pink streaks in her hair is Roxanne Spualding."

"Uh, hi."

"Rounding out the girls is Sarah Rainmaker."

"Pleased to meet you."

"Next we have, uh, well, he prefers the name Grunge to anything else."

"Hey, Ken. 'Sup?"

Mentally Lynch rolled his eyes. "And finally we have Bobby Lane. My son."

"Your son?" asked Ken in surprise.

"A long story. I'll explain it to you in private later. As for now, I belive our table is ready."

"Roxy, you really gotta try this unagi stuff! It's great!" exclaimed Grunge.

"No thanks," said Freefall. "I'm going to stick with this kamameshi. You can't go wrong with a casserole."

"You gotta be open to new experiences, Rox!"

"Grunge, you do know that unagi is grilled eel, right?" asked Fairchild.

"Did you say…eel?" rasped Grunge, as a slightly green tinge began to suffuse his face.

"That's what she said," chuckled Bobby.

"Uh, excuse me, please," said Grunge, as he stood and held a napkin to his mouth. He then took off in a mad dash for the bathrooms.

"I told him to stick with the noodles," smiled Rainmaker.

"And now that the entertainment portion of the meal is over," sighed Lynch, "perhaps we could get down to business. Did you bring the information, Ken?"

"Check your right coat pocket."

Lynch did so and was surprised to discover a computer disk there. "Still have those clever fingers, I see," he remarked.

"Blame it on a misspent youth in the streets of Yokohama."

"Thank you, Ken-kun. I know the risks you took to give this to me, and I will always be grateful," said Lynch.

"Think nothing of it, John-kun. It is as the saying goes; what are friends for?" replied Ken.

"This calls for a toast! Waiter, a bottle of your finest shochu, please."

As per Lynch's request, the bottle was brought and everyone's glass was filled.

"Mr.L finally loosens up enough to let us have whiskey and Grunge misses it. Boy, he's going to be pissed," remarked Freefall.

"He's in the bathroom hurling up stuff he ate in the second grade. I don't think booze is high on his list of priorities right now," commented Bobby.

"Settle down," said Lynch. "I'd like to propose a toast. To that which has brought us here tonight and what will, hopefully, serve us all in the future. To friendship!"

"To friendship!" everyone chorused.

"So, Mr. Sato, I hear there's a good story behind how you and my dad meet," Burnout said.

Ken glanced at Lynch and raised an eyebrow.

"Go ahead and tell them, Ken. I guess it won't hurt to let them know what happened after all," assured Lynch.

"It's quite a story," began Ken. "It starts with an ancient legend about a lost kingdom and seven magical rainbow crystals. The story goes that ages ago our moon was home to a great kingdom ruled by--"

"Mr. Lynch, are you okay? You don't look so good," interrupted Rainmaker.

Lynch indeed did not look good . His skin was yellow, his eyes went in and out of focus, and he was sweating profusely. "I…feel…I…warm," stammered Lynch. His eyes then rolled back in his head, and he fell face first into the remains of his sushi.

"Oh, man! Did he find out he'd eaten eel too?" It was a slightly pale Grunge, who had returned from the restroom just in time to see Lynch collapse.

"Ohmigod!"

"Is he dead?!"

"No, he's still breathing!"

"Someone call 911 or whatever it is they have in this country!"

Amid the shouting and confusion, a figure appeared in a dark corner of the restaurant. The figure watched the chaos for a moment and grinned.

"The first part of my plan is a success!" thought Malachite. The next second he was gone.

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

"Almost, but not quite," thought Lita. She rolled the bit of meat around in her mouth again, and tried to ascertain what was missing. "Curry! It needs more curry," she realized.

After retrieving the appropriate bottle from her spice rack, Lita dropped a small amount into the cooking pot and stirred the contents. "That should do it," she smiled. "Five more minutes and another batch of Lita's Five-Alarm Chili Inferno will be ready."

The ringing of a phone interrupted the young chef's moment of satisfaction. "Always when I'm busy!" cursed Lita as she ran to get it.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Lita. I hope I didn't catch you at a bad time," said Amy.

"Hey, Amy. No, I'm just finishing up dinner."

"Great. Look, I just got a call from Serena and she's really worried about Raye."

"Yeah, Raye really hasn't been herself lately. She's only yelled at Serena five times in the past two days. That's way below her average," commented Lita.

"That's what Serena thought. She thinks we need to do something to get Raye's mind off those dreams she's been having."

"I'm all for that. What does she have in mind?"

"She suggested that we take Raye to the mall tomorrow after school," informed Amy. "In fact, her exact words were 'Raye has been such a downmeister lately. A couple of hours mall trawling is just what that old grump needs.'"

"Going to the mall, how totally Serena. Okay, I'll meet you guys--"

Lita stopped as a strange smell caught her attention. "What in the world is that?" she thought. "It smells like something's burni—My chili!!"

With a quick shriek, Lita dropped the phone and ran for the kitchen. There she found a cloud of smoke billowing from the pot on the stove. She quickly grabbed a towel to protect her hands, snatched up the pot, and dumped its contents into the sink.

"So much for Lita's Five-Alarm Chili Inferno," the tall girl sighed. "Oh no! Amy!"

"Hello? Hello? Lita, are you there?" came Amy's voice.

Lita dashed back in the living room and grabbed the phone. "Yeah, yeah, I'm here!" she panted.

"What happened?"

"I just forgot about some stuff I had on the stove. My chili is now Chernobyl."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to distract you," apologized Amy.

"Forget it. It was my own stupid fault. Anyway, do you want me to call Mina and fill her in?"

"No, Serena said she'd do that."

"Okay, see you tomorrow then. Oh, and Amy, can I ask you something?"

"Of course," said Amy.

"You wouldn't happen to know the number of a good pizzeria, would you? Preferably one that delivers."

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

Tokyo Memorial Hospital

"Wow, Mr. L looks pretty bad," remarked Freefall quietly.

John Lynch did indeed look bad. He lay motionless in the bed, his skin pale, a breathing tube up his nose, and an IV in his left arm.

"Do not worry, Spaulding-san," reassured Ken. "I've known John a long time. He's a fighter. Whatever is wrong with him, he'll pull though."

It was then that a tall man in his early thirties, dressed in a doctor's uniform, entered the room. "Hello, I'm Dr. Nakagawa. Which of you are members of this gentleman's family?" he asked as he studied Gen13 and Ken, who stood around Lynch's bedside.

"I'm his son," said Bobby. "Do you know what's wrong with my dad? Is he going to be okay?"

"Our initial findings seem to indicate that your father was the victim of a very rare, but extremely virulent, form of food poisoning," explained the doctor.

"It was those eels. I knew it," grumbled Grunge.

"Will he be all right?" asked Fairchild.

"We expect him to make a full recovery," Dr. Nakagawa assured. "However, it will take several days for his body to purge the toxins from his system. I expect that he will be unable to speak or move for the duration of that time.

"Now I'm afraid I must ask all of you to leave the room. I must run some tests. Tests which I think the patient would prefer done in private."

The group silently left the room and assembled in a nearby visitor's lounge.

"Well, this is certainly living up to the disasters that were our last few vacations," grumbled Sarah.

Fairchild nodded in agreement. "It's really terrible this had to happen now. Mr. Lynch promised to take me a Noh performance at the National Noh Theater the day after tomorrow. I guess that's canceled."

"It may not be my place to say this, but I don't think you should let this unfortunate event ruin your trip," said Ken. "John-kun saw this as a rare educational opportunity for all of you, and I think he would be disappointed if you didn't take it."

"But we just can't leave him here and go running around playing tourist!" objected Burnout.

"I admire your loyalty to your father, young man. But I really believe this is how John would want it," replied the Japanese man. "He would not want all of you to do nothing but sit at his bedside for days on end."

"Sato-san does have a point," remarked Sarah. "Mr. L did make a big deal about how he wanted us to learn about Japanese culture."

"I guess you have a point. But I feel weird about leaving him here alone," admitted Bobby.

"Your father is getting the best care possible, Lane-san. I've seen to it," assured Ken.

"So, Mr. Sato, do you know any good tourists spots?" asked Freefall

"It depends on what you're looking for, young lady."

"Well, do you know any good malls?"

At this, Ken smiled. "Young women, they're the same everywhere. But yes, there is a fine shopping mall not far from where I live, out in the suburb of Juuban. I'll get you a map of how to get there, plus a few other points of interest."

"Thanks, Ken. We really appreciate you being so righteous," grinned Grunge.

"It is my pleasure, Grunge-san. I'm only sorry I can not show you around the city myself. Sadly, I have been called to Kyoto on urgent business. I'll have that map sent to your hotel."

"We can't think you enough for your help, Sato-san. Domo arigato," said Fairchild, as she bowed.

Ken returned the bow and smiled. "Do oitashimashite, Fairchild-san. One last thing, what happened to the disk I gave John? I all the confusion I lost track of it."

"It's safe in here," assured Fairchild as she held up her purse. "I grabbed it out of his pocket while they were loading Mr. Lynch into the ambulance."

"Very fast thinking," complimented Ken. "Now I'm afraid I must leave. Please enjoy your stay in my country and give John-kun my best when he is better." With a final bow, Ken headed off.

"Do you think we should go back to the hotel?" said Roxy.

"There's no reason to stay here," noted Sarah. "We can't do anything for Mr. L, and I'm beat."

"You guys mind if I track down a soda machine first?" asked Bobby. "I'm dying of thirst."

The others nodded their assent.

"Let me come with you. I could use something wet myself," admitted Fairchild, as Bobby headed out of the room.

The two walked down the hospital's corridors for several moments in silence.

"Are you going to say it or am I going to have to?" quizzed Fairchild.

"Say what?" muttered Bobby.

"That you really aren't looking for something to drink. That you said that as an excuse to get out of there."

"You're being silly."

"Bobby, we've been friends too long for us to start lying to each other. It's about your dad, isn't it?"

That stopped Burnout in his tracks. "Dad's right, you know. You really are perceptive," he sighed, as he leaned against a wall.

"Want to talk about it?"

"Not really. But you probably won't stop bothering me until I do." At that, Caitlin smiled. "It's just that it's not fair. I mean, I only found out Mr. Lynch was my real dad a few weeks ago. And the way he's always keeping secrets has made it hard to get to know him. As a father anyway."

"Try and understand where he's coming from, Bobby," implored Fairchild. "This is just as hard for him as it is for you. He has made some efforts to get closer to you, but you just seem to push him away."

"Yeah, I guess part of it is my fault. It's just that, well, I guess I'm mad at him."

"For what?"

"Not being my dad, I guess. I know about all the crazy stuff that happened to separate me from him and my real mom, but that's cold comfort. It doesn't make up for all those years I spent in foster homes."

"What's done is done," said Cat. "You have to look to the future. I really wish my dad could have been there for me while I was growing up, but he couldn't. Now that we're together I don't want to waste a moment."

"That's sorta how I feel," sighed Bobby. "I finally get my real dad, but before I really get to know him he's taken out by some bad fish. It just blows!"

"You heard the doctor, your dad is going to be fine. You're worried about him so that means that you care about him, right?"

"Right, I guess."

"Think of this as a chance to get closer to him once he's better," suggested Fairchild.

Bobby spent several moments thinking that over. "Okay, once he's better I'll try and give him a real chance."

"Good for you," smiled Cat.

"Thanks. Now can we try and find a soda machine? I really am thirsty now."

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

In Lynch's room Dr. Nakagawa smiled as a shimmer of light encased his body. Once the light faded the visage of the doctor was gone. In his place stood Malachite.

"Foolish humans. They never suspected a thing," thought the General as he removed his black crystal from his pocket. He then let go of the crystal and watched as it hung in the air and glowed with a blue light. The crystal then began to send out small waves of energy, which washed over Lynch's body. The American never moved a muscle.

Once the pulses stopped, Malachite grabbed the crystal out of the air and studied its glow intently. "Yes, according to the Dark Crystal, these beings are even more powerful than I thought. They're perfect for my plans!"

Malachite then leaned over Lynch's prone form and sneered. "Your young friends don't know it, old man, but they're going to help the Negaverse gain ultimate victory over the Sailor Scouts. And once they have, well…" Malachite's sneer grew larger. "Pity you're in no position to warn them."

Still gloating, the General stepped away from the bed and again gazed at the Dark Crystal. "Now all that remains is to convince Queen Beryl of my plan," he thought, as he vanished.

Inside his mind, John Lynch was screaming.

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

The next day

In an ordinary shopping mall in the Tokyo suburb of Juuban, commerce continued its never-ending march. Among those taking part in that parade, were the Sailor Scouts in their civilian forms.

"Amy, I'm telling you, that skirt would have looked great on you!" said Mina.

"I don't know. It seemed awfully revealing."

"And our Scout outfits aren't? You've never complained about them," joked Raye.

Amy blushed deeply.

"Hey, Raye's cracking jokes," observed Lita. "Does this mean you're finally coming out of that funk you've been in the last few days?"

"I think so. Thanks for dragging me out of the temple and bringing me here. This is just what I needed."

"It was my idea," grinned Serena. "I just couldn't stand any more of you being Ms. Doom-and-Gloom. It was starting to make you even more annoying than Melvin."

"Thanks, meatballhead." Raye smiled as Serena blanched at her hated nickname. "I really was letting that dream get to me way too much. I mean, we've beat Jedite, Nephlite, Zoisite, and every monster Beryl has thrown our way. I'm sure tha--"

"Everyone look! The new Sailor V game is finally in at the arcade! I thought it wasn't supposed to be out until next month!" cheered Serena, as she pointed to a colorful poster affixed to the window of the Crown Game Center.

"Serena, you can play video games anytime," chided Amy. "Today we're supposed to be helping Raye."

"It's okay," assured Raye. "Serena, go have fun. We'll meet you at the food court later."

"Thanks, Raye! See ya!" called the blonde girl as she dashed inside the arcade.

"That was really nice of you, Raye," complemented Mina. "Letting Serena off like that when she was being so rude."

"It was no big deal. There's only so much of that meatballhead I can take at one time."

"Say, Mina, this is a really nice picture of you," commented Lita, as she appraised the Sailor V poster.

"Thanks. You know, even after all this time, it still feels kind of weird seeing my face on posters, toys, anime, and all that other Sailor V stuff."

"I bet you wish you got royalties on all that," said Raye.

"You bet I do. If I did, I'd be making a lollipop!" grinned the blonde girl.

"Don't you mean, making a mint?" Amy corrected.

"Whatever."

"Let's forget about that stuff," suggested Lita. "Come on, I know a shoe store that's having a sale."

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

Meanwhile, in the dark kingdom known as the Negaverse, Malachite entered Queen Beryl's throne room. "You summoned me, my queen?" said the General, as he bowed.

"I've noticed that you've been quite the busy bee of late, Malachite," began Beryl, as she peered into her crystal ball. "Just what have you been up to?"

"Nothing more than finding a way to retrieve the Silver Imperium Crystal from those wretched Sailor Scouts. And I believe I have found a way."

At this, Beryl arched an eyebrow. "Explain," she demanded.

Malachite made a broad flourish with his left arm and an image of Gen13 and Lynch appeared in midair. "Majesty, two days ago the Dark Crystal detected an anomalous energy reading at Tokyo's airport. Suspecting it could be the crystal, I investigated."

"Since I do not have the crystal in my hands at this very moment, I will assume it was not the prize we seek," snorted Beryl.

"You assume correctly, my queen. The readings from the Dark Crystal seemed to indicate that the energy was coming from the group of humans you see before you."

"How could humans produce the energy you speak of?"

"I was curious to that as well, majesty. However, I needed to be much closer to them for the crystal to provide sufficient analysis. Since these beings were unknowns, I thought it prudent to observe them for a time before taking action.

"I found my opportunity the following night while they were dining with some human. Apparently a friend of this one," said Malachite, as he pointed to Lynch. "The older one seems to be the guardian and mentor of the younger ones. Judging by his scars and bearing, I determined him to be a warrior of some sort. His companions called him 'Lynch'.

"While they were dining I slipped a small amount of poison into Lynch's food. He soon collapsed and was taken to the hospital. I then disguised myself as doctor, got rid of the children, and took a thorough reading of his power," finished the General.

"And what did you find?" asked Beryl.

"This man is a seething cauldron of psionic energy. A foe to be reckoned with, even by our standards."

"And the younger ones?"

"I was only able to get cursory readings from them," admitted Malachite. "But my initial findings indicate that they may be even more powerful."

"Just what are these beings? And what is the nature of their power?" questioned Beryl.

"They are what the earth people call superhumans. Humans given vast power through some strange means.

"The ones we're dealing with seem to channel some unusual form of extra dimensional energy to use their abilities. It's startlingly similar to the energy used by the Sailor Scouts."

"Quite fascinating, Malachite," sneered Beryl. "But I fail to see how your little science project will gain me the Silver Imperium Crystal."

"My plan is simple, majesty," said the General. "My investigations have taught me that superhumans tend to, as the earth saying goes; shoot first and ask questions later. We simply need to get these young ones and the Sailor Scouts in one place at the same time. Then, all it will take is a small push and they'll attack each other."

"Go on," nodded the queen.

"My analysis has indicated that these superhumans are just as powerful, if not more so, than the Scouts. With a bit of luck, they might destroy our enemies for us. Or, at the very least, cause them enough injury and confusion for me to step in and simply take the crystal," grinned Malachite.

Queen Beryl paused to consider her General's plan. "You're leaving a lot to chance, Malachite."

"My plan will succeed, majesty," he assured.

"Very well then. Proceed!" commanded Beryl. "And do not to fail!"

"Your will be done, my queen," pledged Malachite, as he bowed. And then he was gone.

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

"Come on, Rox!" ordered Grunge. "Get that rear in gear!"

"Honestly, Grunge, what's the hurry?" sighed Freefall. "We've got the whole day to shop."

"If you wanted to waste time looking at boring stuff you could have gone with Cat to that electronics store. Or with Bobby to the music store."

"I bet he's picking up some killer imports right now," sighed the girl, as she ran a hand though the pink streaks in her hair.

"Or you could he helping Sarah pick out…whatever the hell it is she's looking for."

"She said she wanted to pick up a kimono. "

"Whatever. All boring junk."

"Maybe so, but it sounds better than having you drag me all over looking for whatever it is you're looking for."

"Well the lookin' is over, Rox!" proclaimed Grunge, as he pointed to the Crown Game Center.

"This is what you were so on about?!" glared Roxy. "A stupid arcade! There are plenty of those back home!"

"Whoa! They have the new Sailor V game!" grinned Grunge, as he stared at the poster in the arcade's window. "That's not even going to be out in the States until next year!"

Realizing the pointlessness of yelling at him, Roxy decided to give conversation another try. "Sailor V? Isn't that one of those anime things you're always watching?"

"Yeah. You've watched a few of them with me, remember?"

"Only because you made me," thought Roxy. "Wait, isn't Sailor V the one with the girl in the funny skirt and weird goggles?"

"That's the one," confirmed Grunge. "And it's called a fuku, not a skirt.

"Whatever. That one wasn't too bad," admitted Freefall. "Way better than the one about the martial arts guy with the spiky hair and orange jumpsuit."

"I'll explain the finer points of Dragon Ball Z to you later," muttered Grunge, as he grabbed his teammate's hand. "Right now I wanna blow some tokens!"

Fighting the urge to roll her eyes, Roxy followed Grunge inside and waited while he secured some tokens. "Why do I put up with this Neanderthal?" she sighed to herself.

"Come on, Rox! The game is over here! This is gonna rock!"

"Jeez, Grunge, it's only a video game. There's no need to get so wor--"

"Ah, dammit!" cursed Grunge. "Someone's already playing it!"

Roxy looked and saw a girl dressed in what Mr. Lynch had described as a typical Japanese school uniform. The girl had blonde hair tied into two spheres and then pulled back into two very long ponytails.

"Ha! Yes! Got you! Close call! I'll teach you to invade my universe!" cheered the girl, as she worked the game's joystick.

"Looks like you'll have to wait your turn, Grunge," poked Freefall.

Just then the girl called out, "Oh no! Where'd that thing come from?! I'm toast!"

Grinning like a piranha, Grunge walked over to the girl's machine and looked at the game screen. "You only got a score of 32,000? Man, do you suck!"

"Hey, this is my first time playing it!" flared the girl. "I'd like to see you do better!"

"I could do better in my sleep, little girl" proclaimed Grunge.

"The name is Serena and you're on!" said the blonde. "I'm going to kick your butt in this game's player versus player mode, surfer boy!"

"Promises, promises," mocked Grunge as he sat down and fed a coin into the machine.

Roxy casually leaned against a game machine and watched the two compete.

"Ha! You missed"

"Take that!"

"Almost got it!"

"Missed!"

"Yes!"

"Taste laser death!"

Things continued on like this for several minutes until, at last, the inevitable happened.

"No!" shouted Grunge. "Dammit! Dammit! Dammit!"

"Oh yes!" grinned Serena, as she stood and did a little victory dance. "I'm good, I'm bad, and I'm totally rad!"

This seemed to only incite Grunge. "Beginner's luck!" he snapped.

"You're just being a sore loser," accused the blonde.

"Yeah, well, I may be a loser but that's better than being a stupid, uh, a stupid…MEATBALLHEAD!!"

Those words made Serena freeze. After a moment, her eyes began to water and she suddenly burst out crying. "Why does everyone call me a meatballhead?!? WWAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!"

Freefall stalked up behind Grunge and roughly smacked him on the back of the head. "What the hell is wrong with you, Grunge?! I know you can be a major jerk sometimes, but making little girls cry is low! Even for you!"

"Honest, Rox, I didn't mean to--" began the male Gen-active.

"Hey, what's going on here?" interrupted a young man with blonde hair. He wore the apron of an arcade employee over his clothes, and an annoyed expression on his face.

"Who are you?" asked Grunge.

"I'm Andrew Furuhata," said the newcomer. "And Serena is a friend of mine. Now what did you do to make her cry?"

Serena leapt at Andrew and buried her tear-filled eyes in his chest. "Oh, Andrew, it was horrible! I beat him at Sailor V and he got all mad and called he a meatballhead!"

"I hope you're proud of yourself, Grunge," said Freefall, as she gave her sometimes paramour a withering look.

"Listen, buddy, I don't know what your problem is, but I don't like it when people hurt my friend's feelings," proclaimed Andrew, as he tried to comfort Serena. "Now you'd better get out of here before I decide to call security!"

"But--" started Grunge.

"Save it!" ordered Freefall, as she grabbed her teammate by the collar. "We're getting out of here before you make things worse. God, I don't know what we're going to do with your stupid ass sometimes!"

With that Roxy unceremoniously dragged Grunge out of the arcade.

As he stood on the roof the Jubaan mall, Malachite studied the image of Freefall dragging away Grunge. "If all superhumans are as stupid as that one, this will be ridiculously easy," he assessed.

Malachite then closed his eyes and began to concentrate. He cupped his hands and after several moments, energy began to crackle between them. Seconds later a ball of angry purple energy sat on his palm.

Smiling at his handiwork, Malachite walked over to a nearby skylight and let the ball fall from his hand. It began to fall much more slowly than gravity should have permitted. The ball fell though the skylight without disrupting the glass, through the upper levels of the mall, and landed in a small fountain. All completely unnoticed.

"That energy ball should create a delightful explosion," thought Malachite. "Large enough to attract the Sailor Scouts, but small enough as to not risk injuring the superhumans. Now all that remains is to wait for the right moment to detonate it."

The General then turned back to the floating image of Freefall and Grunge and began to wait.

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

Meanwhile, in the mall's foodcourt, the leader of the Sailor Scouts was engaged in one of her favorite activities.

"Oh, this is so yummy!" gushed Serena as she dug into her ice cream cone. "Thanks for buying it for me, Andrew."

"It was nothing," assured the young man. "I just thought that you might need a little something to cheer you up after what happened with that jerk back there."

"Well, it's sure hitting the spot!"

"Good to hear it," said Andrew. "Listen, I hate to run, but I really need to get back to work before my boss notices I'm gone."

"Bye, Andrew!" called Serena as he headed back to the arcade. She then returned her attention to her ice cream. "Hhhmmm, Butter Pecan, my favorite!"

Several minutes later, Serena was just finishing off the cone when someone called to her, "There you are, meatballhead. Stuffing yourself as usual, I see."

"How many times do I have to say this, Raye?!!" growled the blonde girl as her friend approached. "Don't. Call. Me. MEATBALLHEAD!!"

A few feet away, the other girls watched as the two got into yet another bickering match. "Well, if there was ever any doubt that Raye wasn't over those dreams, it's gone now," commented Amy.

"No kidding. It's just like old times," smiled Lita.

"Yeah, it's good to see Raye feeling better," said Mina. "But we've got more important things to do. Namely, shopping!"

"Good point," agreed Lita. "Come on, let's go pry those two apart."

"Easier said than done, sighed Amy.

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

"It's a crime against music, that's is what it is!" proclaimed Bobby.

"What's a crime against music?" asked Fairchild as she walked up to the bench where Bobby and Sarah were sitting.

"Oh, you are SO going to regret asking that," sighed Sarah.

"It's the price of CDs in this country!" declared Bobby. "They're about $28 apiece!"

"Well, Mr. Lynch did say that things were very expens--" began Cat.

"But $28?! That's too much! It's a crime against music lovers everywhere!"

"So is Billy Joel," said Sarah. "But we can't do anything about him or the price of tea in China. Or CDs in Japan, as the case may be."

It was then that the final two members of the team showed up. It was evident from the expression on Roxy's face than things had not gone well.

"So what did Grunge do this time?" quizzed Bobby.

"Hey!" shouted the dark-haired boy. "Way to stick up for a bro, man!"

"You would not believe what this primitive did!" started Roxy. "We were in an arcade and he challenged some young girl -- she couldn't have been more than 14 -- to a game. Well, she stomped his sorry butt, damaging his fragile male ego. So to make himself feel big again, Mr. Sensitive here calls her names until she breaks down in tears!"

"I didn't mean to!"

"Just when I thought my opinion of you couldn't get any lower…" sighed Sarah.

"I'm really disappointed in you, Grunge," said Caitlin.

"Are you sure being the biggest jerk on the planet isn't your power?" asked Bobby.

"Come on!" pleaded Grunge. "I said I was sorry!"

"Tell that to the girl!" hissed Roxy.

"I think we should just keep going. There's still a lot to see here," suggested Cat. With that, the four walked off.

Grunge stood, dumbstruck for a moment, before he realized he was being left behind. "Hey, wait up!" he called, as he dashed after his friends.

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

"Perfect!" thought Malachite as he studied the image of Gen13. "They're all together again. Now is the time to strike!"

The General then squeezed his hands into fists, and watched as they began to glow with a purple radiance.

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

KRA-BOOM!!!

"What the heck was that?!" shouted Raye.

"Earthquake!" screamed Mina.

"No, it sounded more like a bom--" began Amy.

The rest of her sentence was cut off as the people in the store began to scream and flee. The girls were all forced to take shelter behind a display to avoid being trampled.

"So much for a peaceful day at the mall," sighed Serena.

"Forget that!" said Lita. "There are people out there who might be hurt! We have to help them!"

"Lita's right," agreed Amy. "The store is empty now. It's safe to transform."

The other girls nodded.

"MOON PRISM POWER!"

"MERCURY POWER!"

"MARS POWER!"

"JUPITER POWER!"

"VENUS POWER!"

Waves of magic energy swirled around the girls, enveloping them in a bright

flash of light. Seconds later, the group of Juuban schoolgirls were gone. But a band of young warriors had taken their places. The Sailor Scouts have arrived.

"Okay, Scouts, time to book it!" said Sailor Moon.

"Right!" echoed the others as they dashed from the store.

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

"What the hell was that?!" cursed Grunge as he pulled himself to his feet.

"It sounded like a bomb!" assessed Sarah as she too struggled to stand.

"Do you think it's some villain we pissed off out for revenge?!" asked Roxy.

"No point in jumping to conclusions," said Caitlin. "Right now we have to help anyone who might be hurt."

"And see if whoever did this is still around!" added Bobby.

"Right," agreed Cat. "Does everyone have their flashsuits?" The others nodded in affirmation. "Okay, activate flashsuits on my mark! Three, two, one, mark!"

Gen13's flashsuits were yet another technological miracle John Lynch had secured for his team. These wondrous devices are disguised as watches for the boys and bracelets for the girls. With the push of a hidden button, the very molecules of their street clothes are disassembled, and exchanged for field costumes hidden within the flashband.

In a burst of light, the five ordinary looking American teenagers disappeared. When the light faded, Gen13 stood in their place.

"All right, team, let's go!" ordered Fairchild. The others immediately feel in behind their leader.

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

Not far away, the Sailor Scouts were racing to the center of the disturbance. However, their progress was being slowed by the throng of fleeing shoppers.

"Do you guys think the Negaverse has anything to do with this?" asked Venus as she ducked out of the path of a panicked couple.

"It wouldn't surprise me a bit," growled Sailor Moon. "It would be just like those Negadweebs to trash a mall just for fun!"

"We'll know for sure soon," said Jupiter.

The girls had just made it past the last of the fearful civilians when someone called to them, "Hey, Sailor Scouts, stop!"

Mars cast a quick look to see if someone needed help. The person yelling at them was a young man in a denim jacket. "It's the guy from my dream!" she realized. "Scouts, I think we need to talk to that guy," the red-clad Scout said.

"You can sign autographs later!" scolded Sailor Moon.

"No, I'm getting one of my hunches again. Please trust me!" implored Mars.

Before the others could respond, the young man came running up to them. "Sailor Scouts, thank God you're here! You wouldn't believe what just trashed this place!"

"A big scary looking monster?" asked Venus, expectantly.

"No!" exclaimed the young man. "It was five gaijin teenagers in weird outfits! They came out of nowhere and just started wrecking the place!"

"That doesn't sound like anyone from the Negaverse," commented Mercury.

"Not anyone we know," noted Jupiter. "Anyway, that doesn't matter! Whoever they are, they messed with the wrong mall!"

"Thanks for your help," said Sailor Moon to the stranger. "Now you'd better get out of here. It isn't safe." With that, she and the other girls resumed their mission.

But as they left, Mars couldn't help but turn and give the young man one last glance. If she'd looked a few seconds longer, she would have noticed that his eyes had begun to glow with a purple light.

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

"Looks like all the civilians have bugged out," assessed Burnout.

"Then we'll focus on finding whoever did this," decided Fairchild.

"Hold it right there, Negatrash!" called a voice.

Gen13 all looked up to see the source of the voice. They immediately saw the Sailor Scouts, balanced on the railing of the mall's next level, looking down on them.

"What the hell?" said Rainmaker.

"We are the Sailor Scouts! The champions of justice!" the girls declared in unison.

"In the name of the Moon…"

"In the name of Mercury…"

"In the name of Mars…"

"In the name of Jupiter…"

"In the name of Venus…"

"We'll punish you!!" they chorused.

"Killer outfits," commented Freefall.

"Is this a joke?" asked Burnout.

"I don't think so," replied Fairchild.

"Did they just say they wanted to punish us? Kinky!" exclaimed Grunge.

That comment did not sit well with Sailor Jupiter. "Pervert!" she cried. A small rod then rose from the front of her tiara toward the sky. "I call upon the power of almighty Jupiter!" bellowed the Scout. "JUPITER THUNDER…CRASH!!" From nowhere a bolt of lighting came, struck Jupiter's tiara, and by her command, lanced out as she finished her words.

The energy bolt flew toward Grunge. He was able to dodge, but was thrown into the air by the ensuing explosion.

"I guess that answers the question of this being a joke," grumbled Burnout as his flames encircled his body.

While he did that, the Scouts jumped from the railing and landed in front of Gen13. The players were now in place, the battle had just begun.

As she touched down, Sailor Mercury went into action. She concentrated and a sphere of aqua-blue energy formed between her hands. "MERCURY BUBBLES…BLAST!!" As the shimmering sphere left her hands, it fragmented into hundreds of tiny bubbles. The bubbles burst almost immediately and released a thick soup of fog, which covered the immediate area.

"I bet you think you're hot stuff!" jeered Mars as she moved in on Burnout, who had taken flight. "Let's see if you're hot enough to handle this! MARS FIRE…IGNITE!!"

The Gen-Active instinctively covered his face to protect himself. But the Mars's fire, instead of hurting her opponent, seemed to bond with his flame. "Sorry," grinned Burnout as he lowered his hands. "But fighting fire with fire doesn't work on me. Let's see if the same is true for you!" The blonde man then launched a fireball at Mars who barely managed to get out the way.

Venus saw this and moved in to help, but she only managed a few steps before she was struck by a bolt of energy. The former Sailor V was knocked to the ground with a scream. But her opponent's triumph was short-lived. Moments later, she fought her

way past the pain and began to get to her feet.

"I'd stay down if were you," suggested Rainmaker as she approached the Scout. "That is, unless you want another dose of shock therapy." To emphasize her point, the Apache girl held her hands about a foot apart and let some sparks crackle between them.

"Not bad," complimented Venus as she went into a roll and quickly came to her feet. "Let's see how you like my brand! VENUS CRESCENT BEAM…SMASH!!"

The laser-like pulse flew from Venus's finger straight at Rainmaker. The Gen-Active tried to shift out of the line of fire but was to slow. The beam hit Sarah dead in the chest and sent her flying.

"Oh yeah, this girl has style!" grinned Venus as she blew on her finger as if it was a smoking gun.

Off on the sidelines, Mercury tapped her earring, thereby activating her VR Visor. She quickly began to analyze the data from the Visor and her Lunar Computer, trying to find some weakness in Gen13. "How odd," she mused. "They're giving off powerful energy readings, but they're not like the ones that Negamonsters have. They're more like the ones the Scou--"

"Hey, smurfhead! Put down the Gameboy and let's rumble!" interrupted someone.

Mercury looked up to see Grunge, his body now seemingly made of steel, charging at her. She leapt into the air just as Grunge's fist impacted on the spot where her head had just been.

"Nimble little minx," muttered the Gen-Active as he whirled to watch Mercury land.

Grunge let loose a flying kick, but the Scout just leaped into the air again. The metal-skinned man was forced to take a second to regain his balance after he landed. That was just the chance Mercury needed. She planted her boot squarely on the top of Grunge's head as she touched down, stunning him. "It takes more than that to beat Sailor Mercury, tinman!" declared the blue-haired girl as she leapt away.

"I am SO gonna kick your ass!" blasted Grunge.

Nearby, Sailor Jupiter was delivering a series of fierce Judo blows to Fairchild, which the other girl was just managing to block. But then the redhead moved just a fraction too slow, and Jupiter was able to nail her with a powerful blow to the chin. Lita smiled as Gen13's leader stumbled backwards.

Her joy was short-lived, however. Fairchild stopped and took a moment to rub her jaw. "Not bad. I actually felt that. But it'll take a lot more than that to hurt me," said the Amazon.

Fairchild then barreled straight at her adversary and faked a right that the Scout fell for. Before Jupiter could recover, she was hit with a massive punch to the gut. The green-clad Scout was sent flying until she crashed though a store window.

"Oh man! Did someone get the license number of that truck?" thought Lita as she tried to recover. Jupiter looked to see that Fairchild was closing in fast. "Okay, let's see if Ms. Legs can stand up to this! JUPITER THUNDER…CRASH!!"

The lightning flew from Jupiter straight at Fairchild. The redhead only had a moment to blink in surprise before she was blasted.

Only feet away, the final battle was getting underway. "I am Sailor Moon, the champion of justice! On behalf of the moon, I will right wrongs and triumph over evil! And that means you!" proclaimed Sailor Moon as she pointed at Freefall.

"Oh please," sneered the American girl. "What cheesy comic book did you steal that speech from?"

"I'll show you who's cheesy!" promised the Sailor Scout's leader as she took off her tiara. "Chew on this, Negaslime! MOON TIARA…MAGIC!!" Sailor Moon's tiara turned into a discus of golden energy just before she tossed it at Roxy.

But Freefall only raised her right hand, which shimmered with blue energy. The same glow encased the tiara, stopping it dead in the air. "Your little moon frisbee isn't much good against someone who can control gravity," she smiled.

"Hey, you give that back!" demanded the blonde Scout.

"You want it back?" grinned Freefall. "I'll give it back, all right. Xena style!"

With a quick burst of her power, Roxy sent the tiara flying back at the Japanese heroine at blinding speed. Serena ducked and the projectile missed her head by inches. "No fair using my own tiara against me!" she called.

"Oh, kiss the floor, you big crybaby," muttered Freefall as she focused her power on the other girl.

Sailor Moon was instantly hit with gravity several times more powerful than that of earth's. In seconds she was slammed to the floor and pinned. "How totally embarrassing," muttered the Scout's leader as she tried, and failed, to move.

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

"Yes!" thought Malachite as he watched the battle though the skylight. "My plan is working. Those wretched Scouts are doing better than I expected, but it's only a matter of time before they're overwhelmed. Then the Silver Imperium Crystal will be mine!"

"You can't run forever!" yelled Grunge as he closed in on Sailor Mercury.

"He's right," realized Amy as she slipped though the older male's grasp. "I'm starting to get tired and he's still going strong. It's only a matte--"

Mercury's thoughts were interrupted as Grunge caught her in a tackle. He raised himself up and drew back his fist. "Sorry to do this, girlie, but no one messes with the Grungeman!"

"You leave her alone, ugly!" ordered someone.

Grunge whipped around just in time to be struck by a beam of yellow energy. The Gen13 member went flying and actually gouged a streak in the floor as he landed.

"Are you okay?" asked Venus, as she helped Amy to her feet.

"I'm fine," assured the blue-haired girl.

"Come on, we have to go help the others."

"No," insisted Mercury. "I need to stay here and analyze this man's energy readings. If he is from the Negaverse, he's not like anyone we've ever faced. Those readings could be critical if we're to defeat these people."

Venus hesitated for a moment, cast a quick look at the unconscious Grunge, nodded, and then took off for the battlefield.

"Now, Mr. 'Grungeman', let's see what's so special about your energy signature," thought Amy as she activated her computer and went to work.

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

"Give up now!" called Burnout as he sent another volley toward Sailor Mars. "We don't want to hurt you if we don't have to!"

"Like I'd belive anything one of Queen Beryl's lackeys said!" spat Mars as she avoided the attack.

"Who the hell is Queen Beryl?" muttered Bobby.

Nearby, Jupiter watched the exchange. "Hotstuff up there doesn't see me. Now is my chance to even things up, " she thought. "JUPITER THUNDER…CRA--"

Lita was interrupted by someone tapping on her shoulder. She whirled to see a fist rushing at her face. The punch sent the tall girl reeling.

"You shredded my uniform," said Fairchild as she approached the dazed Scout. "I really hate it when people do that."

"Then you're really going to hate this!" called Jupiter as she lashed out with a brutal kick.

"Comfortable down there?" asked Roxy as she watched Sailor Moon struggle on the floor.

Then, much to Freefall's amazement, the Scout actually began to stand. "There's…no way…I'm..going to…let Ne..Negasleaze…like you hurt…my friends!" stammered Sailor Moon as she slowly pulled herself to her feet.

"No way! I'm hitting her with enough G's to squish a rhino!" gasped Freefall.

"Roxy, duck!" shouted someone.

Moving purely on battle instinct, the pink-haired girl fell to the floor. Just as she did, a beam of yellow energy flew right though the space she had just occupied. Before Roxy could figure out was going on, a blast of electricity whizzed past her and she heard a scream.

"It's okay now," said Rainmaker as she ran up. "I got her." Freefall turned to see the unconscious form of Sailor Venus lying a few feet behind her.

"Thanks for the save, Sarah," said Roxy. "I had no idea she was about to nail me."

"Well, maybe if you spent more time training and less time shopping yo--"

Freefall ignored her teammate and turned to check on the other Scout. Sailor Moon had retrieved her tiara and was quietly trying to slip away. "Hold right there!" called the youngest member of Gen13.

"MERCURY BUBBLES…BLAST!!"

Before the two Gen-Actives could react, the area, which was already hazy, was covered with a veil of fog.

"Dammit!" cursed Sarah. "I can't see my own hand in front of my face!"

"I think they're getting away!" said Freefall.

"Sailor Moon, help me," called Mercury. "Venus has been hurt!"

Somehow, Serena found her way to Amy where Mercury was trying to pick up their fallen comrade. "Oh, Amy, what are we going to do? Mina looks pretty bad."

"I think she's just out cold," assured the other girl as she and Sailors Moon hefted Venus up onto their shoulders. "But we have to get her out of here!"

Serena nodded and the Scouts began to head for their other teammates.

"This is getting us nowhere!" thought Mars as she ducked another volley of Burnout's flame. "I can't hurt this guy, and that other girl is wearing Lita down. Neither of us can last much longer. If we want to win this we'll have to switch opponents."

"Jupiter, get out of the way!" called Raye as she leapt at Fairchild. The green-clad Scout did so and Mars smiled. "I hope you like your food spicy, Ms. Amazon! MARS FIRE…IGNITE!!"

The flame barreled right toward Fairchild. The redhead cartwheeled out of the way, but was caught in part of the fire's explosion.

Catching on to her friend's idea, Jupiter launched a lighting bolt at Burnout. Bobby managed to avoid it, but clipped a wall in his haste, which sent him spiraling toward the ground. Luckily, his fall was broken by an abandoned expresso cart.

Again the cry of "MERCURY BUBBLES…BLAST!!" filled the air. Mars and Jupiter took advantage of the cover to find their friends.

"What happened to Venus?!" gasped Mars.

"Later! We have to get out of here right now!" declared Mercury.

"You want to run away?! But we can't leave these Negacreeps on the loose!" shouted a bruised Sailor Jupiter.

"I don't like it either," admitted Amy. "But we're in no shape to stand up to them now. Just look at you. You can barely stand."

"I'm fine!" snapped Lita.

"Amy's right," said Sailor Moon. "Right now we need to help Mina. But once she's better, we're going to kick these jerks' butts right back to the Negaverse!"

"I hate to say it, but the meatballhead is right," sighed Mars. "Now let's get out of here before the fog clears."

The others nodded. The Scouts then made their way toward the nearest exit.

"They're running away!" gasped Malachite. "I never planned for that."

The General's mind then began to race. "Perhaps I should make my play for the crystal now. In their weakened condition the Scouts would offer minimal res—No, even injured, and with reduced ranks, those cursed little girls are still formidable. Plus, there's no telling what the superhumans would do if I were to reveal myself. Better to cut my losses and try again.

"Queen Beryl isn't going to like this one bit," grumbled Malachite as he disappeared.

"Bobby, are you okay?" asked Fairchild as she helped her friend free himself from the ruins of the expresso cart.

"It'll take me a week to get the smell of cream and cinnamon out of my uniform, but yeah, I'm okay," said Burnout as he got to his feet.

"Hey, a little help here!" called a voice. "He's a lot heavier than he looks."

Cat and Bobby turned to see Rainmaker and Freefall carrying Grunge on their shoulders.

"What happened?!" demanded Burnout.

"I think the blonde in the orange dress nailed him," reported Sarah. "He's unconscious, but I think he's fine otherwise."

"Guess that thick head of his finally came in handy," said Roxy, without humor.

"We'll worry about Grunge later," asserted Fairchild as she picked up a large piece of rubble. "Right now we have to get out of here. I'd imagine our little scuffle has attracted the attention of the authorities by now." Cat then hurled the rubble at a skylight and watched it shatter. "Roxy, do you have enough strength to carry Grunge and me out of here?" the redhead asked.

"Probably not, but I'll manage," declared Freefall.

With that, blue energy flew from her hands and surrounded her, Grunge and Fairchild. The trio took to the air, with Rainmaker and Burnout following, and flew out the skylight.

Imperial Naoko Hotel

"Aw man, my head feels like the floor of a taxi cab," moaned Grunge.

"Here, this should help," said Freefall as she handed him an icepack. Grunge gratefully accepted.

"So what are we going to do about this?" asked Bobby as he began to pace in what had been his and Grunge's room yesterday. It had now been declared Gen13's unofficial "war room."

"I'm not really sure what you mean," said Caitlin.

"Come on, Cat," prodded Sarah. "We were attacked for no reason. Are you just going to forget that?"

"I'm not!" growled Grunge. "I owe those chicks some payback!"

"Oh, you're just mad that you got your butt stomped by a bunch of little girls," teased Roxy. Grunge only fumed.

"I understand how you feel," began Fairchild, "but I'm not sure if that's the best course of action. If Mr. Lynch was here we cou--"

"But Mr. Lynch isn't here," interrupted Sarah. "That means you're in charge. That you have to make the decisions."

"It's just… just that I'm not sure what to do," admitted the redhead.

"My dad always said that the best defense is a good offense," reminded Bobby. "I say we find these girls and make them tell us why they attacked us. If someone is coming after us, it'd be best if we were to strike first."

"Say, don't think those girls were Gen-Actives, do you?" asked Roxy.

"As far as I know, we Gen-Actives are the creation of I/O and the US government," said Sarah. "I don't think information on Project: Genesis is something America would willingly share with a foreign power."

"Unless the Japanese have a Project: Genesis of their own," speculated Burnout. "That would explain those girls. Maybe they came after us as some sort of test to see how good they were,"

"Wow, that sounds like the plot for one cool anime," mused Grunge.

"This is getting way too X-Files. I think I'm getting a headache," sighed Roxy.

"You guys are right."

Those words drew everyone's attention to Fairchild. "I don't believe a word about those girls being Gen-Actives, but someone did target us. If they did it once, they'll do it again. For our own safety, we have to find out who is responsible."

"Great," nodded Bobby. "But how do we find them?"
Instead of speaking, Cat went to her purse and retrieved what looked like a large calculator. "With this. It's a tracking device. With it, we can locate those girls anywhere."

"But wouldn't we need to have planted a homing beacon or something on one of them first?" quizzed Roxy.

"I already did," grinned Caitlin. "I had a few tracers concealed in my boot, and slipped one on that Sailor Jupiter girl while we were fighting."

"Since when do you carry tracers in your boot?" demanded Sarah.

"It was Mr. Lynch's idea. After what happened the last time we went abroad, is it any wonder he'd be a bit paranoid?"

"Cat's got a point," admitted Bobby. "Getting attacked by rogue British Intelligence agents would sour anyone's feeling about vacations."

"Right," confirmed Fairchild. "He took me aside back in San Diego and explained his fears. He thought the tracers would be useful if we were attacked or separated."

"Another secret John 'Paranoid is my middle name' Lynch keep from us," muttered Freefall.

"Just because you're paranoid, doesn't mean they aren't out to get you," noted Bobby.

"It's going to take me a few minutes to calibrate this to the tracer's frequency. Why don't you guys load the spare costumes into our flashbands while I'm doing that?" suggested Caitlin.

"Are you sure that thing can pick them up? What if they're out of range?" asked Sarah.

"This is one of the most sophisticated pieces of tracking hardware on the planet," informed Cat. "If those girls are anywhere within thirty miles, we'll find them."

"And when we do, we're going to get medieval on their fuku wearin' asses!" promised Grunge.

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

"Is Mina going to be okay?" asked Serena as she looked at her unconscious friend's body as it lay in Raye's bed.

"I'm not a doctor, but I think she'll be fine," diagnosed Amy. "She just needs some sleep."

Nearby, Raye was treating some of Lita's scrapes with iodine. "Ow! That stuff stings!" winced Jupiter.

"I can't believe you," muttered Raye. "You can take a pounding from some girl built like a freight train with no problem, but you whine about a little iodine."

"Hey, at least I actually did some fighting!" retorted Lita. "All you did was run around dodging fireballs!"

"At least I didn't almost pass out on the way here!"

"Hey, you two, stop it!" shouted Serena. "Mina's hurt. Now is the time we have to pull together."

"Serena is right," chimed in Amy. "I know we're all tired, hurt, and angry, but we can't take that out on each other."

"They're right," sighed Mars. "I was out of line. Sorry, Lita."

"I'm sorry to, Raye," said the auburn-haired girl.

"Great," smiled Serena. "Now let's figure out a way to show those Negadorks why no one messes with the Sailor Scouts!"

"Are you sure this is the place?" asked Sarah. "It looks like a Shinto shrine."

"That's what the tracker says," confirmed Fairchild.

"Supervillains and mad scientists have been known to hide out in stranger places," noted Bobby. "I say we check it out."

"Maybe we should split up," suggested Roxy as the kids entered the Cherry Hill Temple.

"Rox, Rox, Rox. Don't you know anything about horror movies?" sighed Grunge. "Splitting up is what people do right before the psycho killer starts to pick them off one-by-one."

"What the hell do horror movies have to do with anything?!" demanded Roxy. "God, sometimes I wonder if you're even from the same planet as the rest of u--"

"Whoa, check that cool statue! I gotta get a picture!"

"You brought your camera on a mission?!" gaped Sarah as Grunge ran off.

"Bobby?" said Cat.

"I'm on it," replied Burnout. "I'll make sure he doesn't break anything." The blonde boy then took off after his friend.

"Hello there, ladies. Is there something I can help you with?" came a voice from behind the girls. They turned to see a very short man, wearing the robes of a temple priest, smiling at them.

"Haro, Osho-sama," greeted Caitlin. "Maybe you can help us. We're looking for some friends of ours and think they may be around here."

"Please, call me grandpa," insisted the old man. "Now, what do these friends of yours look like?"

"They're five girls all about fourteen," described Sarah. "One was blonde and had her hair done in a very unusual style, another girl's hair was blue, and another--"

"Oh, you must mean my granddaughter Raye and her friends," interrupted grandpa. "Strange, Raye never told me she had any Amerikajin friends. You must be exchange students at one of the local colleges, right?"

"Uh, um, yeah," fumbled Roxy. "We're exchange students!"

"That girl is growing up so fast," sighed the priest. "Hanging out with older kids, not telling me about new friends, I guess Raye's finally become a teenager.

"Anyway, she's in her room with her friends. Just go though there, hang a left, and you can't miss it."

"Arigato," thanked Cat as she gave a small bow.

The old man returned it and turned as if to leave. But he stopped and quickly looked the girls up and down. "Say, you young ladies wouldn't be interested in helping out around here after your classes would you?" he asked. "Community service always looks good on job applications."

"Uh, sorry. We really don't have a lot of free time what with college and stuff," replied Freefall, who had been taken aback.

"Can't blame a man for asking," mumbled grandpa. "Oh well, if you girls need anything just call." With that, the old man wandered off.

"What an odd, odd little man," commented Fairchild.

"Odd? Try perverted," spat Roxy. "Did you see the way he looked at us? I bet he's some kind of secret lecher."
"Speaking of lechers…" said Sarah.

In was then that Bobby returned dragging Grunge by the arm. "Dude you need to lighten up!" suggested Grunge. "I was only trying to get some phat photos for the ol' scrapbook."

"Grunge, this is a holy place. Did it ever occur to you that the Japanese might find the idea of you climbing up on that lion statue and riding like a horse a bit offensive?" demanded Bobby.

"Uh, no, not really."

"Forget that," ordered Fairchild. She then filled the boys in on their meeting with grandpa. "According to the scanner, the signal is coming from what should be this girl Raye's room."

"Okay then, let's get to the bottom of this," said Bobby.

"The truth is out there," joked Grunge as the team entered the shrine.

"Are you sure you're up to this, Mina?" asked Luna.

"It takes a lot more than a nasty zap to stop me," smiled Mina as she drew her hand across her face in her trademark "V" style. "Don't worry, I'm tough as whales!"

"Don't you mean, tough as nails?" corrected Amy.

"Whatever."

"That's my girl," thought Artemis. "She's not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but she can bounce back like nobody's business."

"Now that we're all okay, we have to come up with a way to beat these new creeps from the Negaverse," said Raye.

"Actually, I don't think they were from the Negaverse," interjected Amy. "According to the reading I took at the mall, their energy signatures are nothing like the ones used by any known Negaverse creature. In fact, the signatures are very much lik--"

"I don't care if those guys were from the Negaverse or the Merry Old Land of Oz!" flared Lita. "I want a rematch!"

"Be careful what you wish for. You just might get it," came a voice. The Scouts looked up the see Gen13, with Fairchild in front, standing in the room's doorway.

"Who are you?! What do you want?!" demanded Raye.

"We're lookin' for the Sailor Scouts!" informed Grunge.

"Didn't you guys hear what they just said?" quizzed Roxy. "It sounded like they're th--"

"I heard," interrupted Bobby. "But no way could they be the Sailor Scouts. They don't look anything like them."

"Uh, Sailor Scouts?" stammered Serena. "They're not here. Never heard of them. No, sir!"

"Really?" said Fairchild as she arched an eyebrow. Then, like lightning, the redhead snatched at Lita's shoulder.

"Hey, what are you doing?!" demanded Lita as she jumped away.

"If you aren't the Sailor Scouts, then what's this tracer I planted on Sailor Jupiter during our fight doing on your clothes?" asked Caitlin as she held up a metal disc about the size of a dime.

"Busted," moaned Mina

"My god, they are the Scouts!" gasped Rainmaker. "I don't know how I could have missed it before! That girl is Sailor Jupiter!"

"And that one has to be Sailor Moon!" shouted Grunge. "No way could two different people have the same stupid haircut!"

"My haircut isn't stupid!" protested Serena. "Wait, you're the jerk from the arcade!"

"And you're the meatballhead!" retorted Grunge.

"Don't call me MEATBALLHEAD! My name is Serena!"

"I don't care if your name is Astro Boy!" yelled Bobby. "I want to know who you are, why you attacked us, and what this Negaverse thing is!"

"We're not going to tell any of Queen Beryl's lackeys anything!" declared Raye.

"Who the hell is Queen Beryl?" asked Sarah.

"Perhaps I can shed some light on that," said Luna as she jumped onto a nearby table.

"Did that cat just talk?" said Fairchild.

"It's one of those Pokémon things!" sputtered Grunge. "I knew they were real!"

"This is so weird," whispered Bobby.

"Don't trust that critter, Cat," warned Grunge. "It's black and that means it's bad luck."

"Would it help if I told the story?" questioned Artemis as he hopped onto the table next to Luna.

"Another one. This is giving me a headache," sighed Freefall.

Caitlin cast a quick look at her team, trying to judge what they thought she should do. "I suppose it couldn't hurt to hear them out," she said finally.

At that a look of surprise flashed across Raye's face. She then relaxed her guard just the tiniest bit.

"All right then, everyone get comfortable. This is going to take awhile," began Luna.

"Thousands of years ago, the universe was in a state of total peace. This period of time, called the Silver Millennium, was a happy and prosperous time for human kind.

"Our solar system was ruled by Queen Serenity, who lived on the Moon. The Moon Kingdom led the entire system during the Silver Millennium. However, a threat to this long-lasting peace existed in the form of the Negaverse.

"The Negaverse was the direct opposite of the Moon Kingdom. It was a place of fear, deceit, cruelty, torment, and hatred. An evil woman, Queen Beryl, ruled the Negaverse itself. With the help of a power called the Negaforce, Beryl planned to conquer the universe, starting with the Moon.

"During a lunar eclipse, Queen Beryl led her minions to the moon, and quickly began their attack. It ended almost as quickly as it had started. The warriors of the Moon Kingdom were no match for the overwhelming, relentless forces of the Negaverse. The Moon Kingdom tried to retaliate. Four young girls, the princesses of their respective planets, attempted to fight off the tremendous Negaforce, but their attempt proved to be futile.

"In the end, there were many casualties. Two of these deaths included an Earth Prince named Darien, who fought bravely against the Negaverse warriors. The other was Queen Serenity's only daughter, Princess Serenity.

"After the decisive battle, the Negaverse claimed victory. Queen Serenity knew that she could not let the Negaverse win. She resorted to one final act. Using the power of her Silver Imperium Crystal, Queen Serenity purged the universe of its invaders. Queen Beryl, the Negaforce, and the Beryl's army were all sent back to the Negaverse. The spirits of her daughter, the princesses, and many of Serenity's people were sent into the future, to be reborn on present-day earth. Queen Serenity gave her life, so that her people, and her universe, could live in peace once more."

"So this Princess Serenity would be you?" asked Caitlin as she looked at Serena.

"Yep, that's me, Serena, princess and future ruler of the moon," answered the young girl with a grin.

"And you four would be the other princesses?" quizzed Roxy.

"That's right," confirmed Amy.

"You guys aren't really buying this, are you?" snorted Grunge. "It sounds like the plot to some bad girl's cartoon."

"Grunge, we just heard that from a talking cat," reminded Burnout. "I don't really know if I buy this Moon Kingdom stuff, but you have to admit, we're seen and heard weirder things."

"I believe them," said Sarah. This drew everyone's attention. "That story sounds a lot like an old tale of my people, the Apache. It's so old that most members of the tribe don't even know of it. And those who do, have discounted it from our beliefs."

"How does the story go?" asked Raye, warily.

"It's been years since I heard it from my uncle. As I recall, it's about a moon goddess whose home is attacked by a shadow demon. After a great battle, the goddess drives the creature away, but she's mortally wounded. With her dying breath, the goddess sends the souls of her children to be reborn on earth."

"What a beautiful story," whispered Serena.

"And surprisingly accurate," noted Artemis.

"Pretty stories or not, I'm still not convinced these guys aren't working for the Negaverse!" declared Raye.

"I am," said Amy as she help up her Lunar Computer. "As I was saying before, these people's energy signatures are nothing like those used by Negaverse beings. In fact, they're very similar to our energy patterns."

"I agree with Amy. I'm not getting any Negavibes from these people," reported Luna.

Raye didn't take those words well. She shot a hostile look at Gen13 before she closed her eyes and concentrated. Seconds later they opened, and Mars had a look of great surprise on her face. "Amy and Luna are right. I sense no evil in them."

"Well, DUH!!" grumbled Grunge.

"I must have been so worked up that my anger clouded my powers," reasoned Raye.

"You know, I'm beginning to think that someone manipulated you kids into that fight," mused Artemis.

"I think Artemis is right," said Raye. "It'd be in all our best interests to find out who has been toying with us."

"Truce?" asked Fairchild as she held out her hand.

"Truce," echoed Raye as she shook it.

The cats breathed a large sigh of relief.

"Listen, now that you know about us, would you mind telling us where you got your powers?" asked Lita.

"Get comfortable again," sighed Fairchild, "this is also going to take awhile." She then outlined the story of Team 7, I/O, the events at Project: Genesis that had made them all fugitives, and the happenings that had lead them to the mall.

"Now that we've introduced ourselves, what do we do?" questioned Sarah after Caitlin was finished.

"I suggest we pool our knowledge and find out who has been manipulating us," suggested Luna.

"I took some environmental scans at the mall," reported Amy as she held up her computer. "If we go over the data I gathered, and correlate it with the scans I've been taking of the city for the last few days, we should be able to determine if the Negaverse is involved or if it's someone else."

"May I see that?" requested Fairchild politely. Amy nodded and handed the computer over. The redhead spent several moments studying it, her eyes growing wider the whole time. "My god! I've never seen anything this advanced and small. This beats even the equipment we have at home, and that's saying something! Where on earth did you get this?"

"It's Silver Millennium technology," smiled Amy. "It was a gift from Luna."

"Uh, Cat," called Freefall, "if you're going to be doing your brainiac thing, is it okay if I go and hang outside? It's not like I'd be very helpful."

"She has a point," said Lita. "Amy's the genius girl around her. We'd only get in the way."

"Well, I suppose…" began Fairchild.

"It's actually not a bad idea," commented Luna. "We've all had a very hard day. A bit of rest would do us all some good. And give all of you a chance to get acquainted."

"I think I'll go take a fire reading," informed Raye. "Maybe I'll pick up something useful."

"You do fire readings?" asked a deeply surprised Rainmaker.

"That' right. I'm a miko, a shrine maiden," explained Raye as she gestured to her red and white robe. "Sometimes the sacred fire reveals things to me."

"Could I join you?" requested Sarah. "We had a similar ceremony back on my reservation, and I'd like to get back in touch with that part of myself."

"Sure," agreed Raye. "Come on, I think we might be able to find a kimono that will fit you."

"Hey, Raye," called Serena. "Since you're going to be busy, can I read some of your comic books?"

"Okay, just don't bend the pages like you did last time," sighed Raye as she and Sarah left the room.

"Cool!" exclaimed the blonde girl. She then dashed over to Raye's bed and pulled several comics from underneath.

"Um, I'm into manga. Could, I, uh, read those with you?" asked Grunge, lamely.

"I don't know…" said Serena, skeptically.

"Come on!" pleaded the Gen-Active. "I've been in Japan for three days and I still haven't had a chance to pick up any manga!"

"Okay, you can read them with me," relented Serena. "But you have to promise not to call me meatballhead anymore."

"Deal!" shouted Grunge.

"It's a nice day, lets go read these outside." With that, the two former adversaries left the room.

"I'm going to go have a look around," said Bobby. "This shrine is pretty cool." The others also made their excuses and left.

"I guess we should get started on that data," suggested Caitlin. Luna, Artemis and Amy nodded in agreement.

Roxy was bored. She'd spent several minutes looking around the shrine, but such things held little interest for her. It was then that she spotted Mina sitting on the porch of one of the buildings, looking up at the sky. "May as well try and make friends with the natives," thought Roxy.

"Mind if I join you?" Freefall asked as she approached the Japanese girl.

"Huh?!" said Mina, jumping slightly. "Oh, no, I don't mind."

"We didn't get off to a very good start back there," commented Roxy as she sat down. "Maybe we should try again. Hi, I'm Roxy."

"You can call me Mina," said the blonde girl with a smile.

"You looked like you were into some deep thought when I came along. Mind if I ask what you were thinking about?"

"Just trying to deal with everything that's been going on lately," explained Mina. "It's a long story. Let's just say things have been tough for the Scouts recently, and we haven't had much time to catch our breath."

"Tell me about it," sighed Roxy. "One day you're just a regular teenager, the only things you really worry about are what guy likes you and not failing math. Then one day, you find out you have these crazy powers, and suddenly people who want to kill you are popping up left and right. You know you can't get rid of your powers, and you do want to use them to help people, but sometimes that isn't enough. Sometimes you wish the whole hero thing had never happened to you, and that you could just go back to being like everyone else."

Roxy suddenly stopped and her face went a bit red. "Uh, sorry. I guess I was venting."

"No, no, it's fine," assured Mina. "Actually, it was nice to hear someone say that. I've felt that way sometimes since I got into this whole Sailor thing."

"It does suck sometimes," agreed Roxy. "But it's not all bad. I've made some really great friends since I got my powers."

"That's true," nodded Mina.

The girls were then silent, thoughtful, for a few moments.

"Say, haven't I seen you somewhere before?" asked Roxy, eventually.

"You did. Back at the mall."

"No, I mean somewhere else," clarified the Gen-Active. "Were you ever on TV or something?"

Mina hopped up and drew her fingers across her face in Sailor V's trademark "V" style. "Ever heard of Sailor V?" she smiled.

"Whoa, so you were Sailor V?!"

"Uh, how did you guess?!" gulped Mina.

"Come on," chuckled Roxy, "How many blonde girls in Sailor fukus can there be running around?"

"I guess so," agreed Mina as she sat down. "The thing is, you're one of the few people who figured that out. It's kind of a secret."

"It's safe with me," promised Roxy. "I'm good with secrets. They're sort of a way of life for us.

"Man, I bet Grunge would just die if he knew you were Sailor V. He has a ton of Sailor V stuff at home."

"If he asks nicely, maybe I'll give him an autographed picture," giggled Mina. "Heck, if he's as big a fan as you say, I might give him some stuff I have left over from my days as the Sailor V model."

"Wait, I'm confused. You were Sailor V and the Sailor V spokesmodel?" queried Roxy.

"Yeah, that's what I was hinting at before," said Mina. "The modeling deal was fun, and it sure made the whole secret identity thing easier."

Roxy mulled over that for a moment. "Wicked cool!" she grinned.

Nearby, in the shadow of the torii, the shrine's gate, Grunge and Serena sat with a large pile of comic books. As Grunge studied one, an intensely sour look crossed his face. "Aw, this sucks!" he growled as he tossed the book aside.

"What's your malfunction?" asked Serena as she looked up from her comic.

"It's these mangas; they're all in Japanese," muttered Grunge.

"Well, this is Japan. Did you expect them to be in German or something?" teased Serena. Grunge simply glowered. "Hey, something's bugging you and it isn't the manga. What is it?"

Grunge was silent. "I guess I'm still pissed that someone played us for chumps," he admitted eventually.

"Don't worry about it."

"Whadda you mean don't worry about it?!"

"I mean don't worry about it," repeated Serena. "Amy, Luna and Artemis are on the case. And they've got your friend Caitlin helping them, and she seems smart. I'm sure they'll figure out who it is in no time. Then we'll find where the bad guys are, and go and moondust 'em!

"Afterwards we'll have a big party to celebrate! We'll all pig out on pizza, ice cream, chips, chocolate, cookies and…" Serena trailed off as she noticed that Grunge was staring at her. "Heh, heh," she chuckled in an embarrassed voice. "Sorry, I got a little carried away."

"So you like to pig out after a big fight?"

"Totally!" gushed the girl. "Nothing like fighting Negamonsters to work up an appetite."

"You know, meatballhead, you're okay," chuckled Grunge.

"You promised not to call me MEATBALLHEAD!!"

"I didn't say for how long," said Grunge. "Anyway, what's that comic you're reading?"

"It's Sailor V Goes to Hollywood. It's so cool!" declared Serena as she held the book out.

"I haven't read that one yet. It's tough to get translations of the Sailor V manga back home."

"You're a Sailor V fan?" asked a surprised Serena.

"Big time!" exclaimed Grunge. "Me and the others where in England a few months ago, where she used to hang out. One night, I snuck out of our hotel and spent a couple hours going all over London hoping I'd run into her. I didn't have any luck though."

"What if I told you I could introduce you to the real Sailor V?" quizzed Serena, a grin spreading across her face.

"No way! You know Sailor V?!" gasped Grunge.

Serena's grin only got bigger.

Lita was walking past one of the shrine's wooded areas when the sound of music reached her ears. "That sounds really nice," she thought. "I wonder who's playing it."

Lita followed the music, and after a few seconds she found the source. It was Bobby, sitting under a tree, guitar in hand, idly strumming away. "Wow, that guy is such a hunkster!" the Scout blushed. "He looks just like my old boyfriend, Freddie."

It was then that Bobby noticed Lita's presence. "Oh, uh, hey there. I hope I wasn't making to much noise."

"Oh no, that sounded very good," assured Lita. "Say, where did you find that guitar?"

"I, um, got lost looking for the bathroom," admitted Bobby. "I stumbled into a supply closet and found this in there. It's a lot like the one I have back home and…well, I couldn't resist. Um, you wouldn't happen to know whom it belongs to, would you? I really wouldn't want to mess with someone else's instrument without them saying it was okay."

"It must be Chad's. He's a musician who helps out around here sometimes," explained Lita. "He's visiting some friends down in Osaka right now, so you can't ask for permission. But Chad's a cool guy, I'm sure he won't mind."

"Awesome," grinned Bobby as he fired off a quick riff.

It was then that an odd thought crossed Lita's mind. "You know, now that I think about it, your friend Grunge and Chad look an awful lot alike. In fact, you could actually mistake them for brothers."

"Just what the world needs, another person who acts just like Grunge," muttered Bobby. "I don't think humanity could survive that."

Lita was hardly listening. He is so cute, she thought. I wonder if he'd let me fix him dinner.

"Listen, we all got off on a really bad foot back at the mall," said Burnout. "So to try and set things right, how about I play you a song? Just to show that there's no hard feelings. That is, if you can stand listening to me play."

He wants to play me a song? Does this mean he likes me, or is he just being nice? wondered Lita.

"Uh, well, do you know anything by the Three Lights? All of us Scouts are big fans of theirs," she said after a moment.

"Do I know the Three Lights?" chuckled Bobby. "Roxy discovered them about a month ago and hasn't shut up about them since. They're really not my type of music, but I've heard Roxy play their stuff enough that I can fake it." With that, Bobby launched into a admirable rendition of one of the Three Lights current hits.

Oh yeah, he likes me! Lita smiled to herself as she sat down to listen. I bet he'll ask me out after this is over.

"Oh no, not another 'indeterminate' answer," moaned Amy. "We must have had an error in our calculations."

"All these numbers are giving me a headache," complained Artemis.

"You're not the only one," sighed Fairchild as she rubbed her forehead.

"Maybe we should take a break," suggested Luna. "I think I'll go outside, get some air, maybe take a short snooze…"

"Sounds good to me," agreed Artemis. The two cats then left.

"These calculations are quite difficult," admitted Amy. "I'm glad you were willing to help me, Caitlin. It's nice to be able to talk to--"

"Someone who doesn't look at you as if you're from another planet when you use the word 'algorithm'?" interrupted Fairchild.

"That's not quite what I was going to say, but yes," nodded the blue-haired girl.

"Believe me, I know what that's like. I got that a lot. Even when I was in college at Princeton."

"You're pretty and smart," complimented the younger girl. "You must have been popular." At that, Caitlin began to laugh. "Did I say something funny?" asked Amy, puzzled.

"Sorry," apologized Fairchild. "It's just the idea of me being popular in college is too funny. You see, Amy, when I told you guys about what happened at Project Genesis, I left a few embarrassing details out."

"Such as?"

"Such as, that I didn't have this, as Grunge puts it, 'Robo-Babe' body until after my powers kicked in."

"That must have been…startling," fumbled Amy.

"It was. But I didn't have much time to deal with it. A few seconds later I was running for my life," said the redhead.

"Anyway, before my powers kicked in, I was your average, Plain Jane, nerd whose only concern was keeping up my 4.0 GPA. People avoided me because I smart. No guy would give me a second look. The only thing I could do was to try and hide from the pain by burying my nose in a book."

"I…think I can relate," sighed Amy. "How did you get over it?"

"Well, I still feel that way from time to time," Cat admitted. "But not very often. Now I have friends who accept me for who I am, and are there for me when I need them."

"I can relate to that too," smiled Amy, perking up a bit.

"Feel like giving these numbers another try?" queried Fairchild.

"Definitely!"

In a nearby building, an ancient ceremony was under way. Raye and Sarah, both wearing miko robes, sat cross-legged in front of a burning fire. They concentrated, willing the fire to share its wisdom.

"Oh sacred fire," prayed Raye, "we ask that you share with us your knowledge. Show us the face of our enemy."

The fire blazed as if a small amount of gas had been poured on it. Within the flames, a face appeared.

"Raye, do you see--" began Sarah.

"I see it," confirmed the Scout. "And I know that face. It's the guy from the mall. The one who lied to us and said that you and your friends were responsible for the explosion."

"But who is this guy?" questioned Rainmaker. "And what does he want with us?"

Before the other girl could respond, the flames rose again. The face of the man in the denim jacket faded, and was replaced with a new and familiar one.

"It's Malachite!" gasped Raye. "I knew that there was something odd about that guy!"

"Who is Malachite?" asked the Apache girl.

"One of Queen Beryl's stormtroopers. I guess this cinches it. The Negaverse is up to something big."

Before Sarah could reply, the flames twisted again, this time revealing a face she knew. "Oh my god! That's Dr. Nakagawa, the man treating Mr. Lynch!"

As Raye opened her mouth to speak the flames shifted yet again, again revealing the face of the Negaverse General.

"Oh no, this Malachite guy disguised himself as Dr. Nakagawa?! Mr. Lynch is in terrible danger!" said Rainmaker.

"We have to warn the others!" declared Raye.

With that, the two girls raced to find their teammates.

Meanwhile, in the Negaverse, Malachite was being brought before Queen Beryl. It was not something he looked forward to.

"You summoned me, majesty?" asked the General as he bowed.

"Yet another of your plans has failed, Malachite!" blasted Beryl.

"My apologies, my queen. I did not expect the Sailor Scouts to flee the battlefield. In all the times we've fought against them, they've never retreated."

"I don't want excuses! I want the Silver Imperium Crystal!"

"And you shall have it, my queen," assured Malachite. "While the events at the shopping mall were…unexpected, the situation can still be turned to our advantage."

Beryl arched an eyebrow at her servant's words. "You have a new plan, Malachite? Let's hear it. And it had better be good!"

"While the crystal is out of our hands at the moment, we do still have one large advantage. The superhuman called Lynch," began the General. "I've had a chance to study his abilities more closely. If we were to infuse him with a portion of the Negaforce and transform him in a youma, one of our warriors, he would be almost unstoppable."

"The Negaforce would amplify his already potent powers. Interesting…" mused Beryl.

"Once the change is complete, we can send him out to capture his young charges. Once they are transformed into youmas, their power could rival, perhaps ever surpass, that of our lost comrades, the Seven Shadows.

"With such a mighty legion at your command, you could easily destroy the Sailor Scouts, get the Silver Imperium Crystal, and conquer the universe," finished Malachite.

Beryl was silent for a long moment while she considered her General's words. "Very well, Malachite, proceed. But for your own sake, you had better hope this works!"

"I will not fail you again, majesty," promised the General. And then he was gone.

"Amy! Luna! You have to get everyone together now!" shouted Raye as she slid open the door to her room. Much to her surprise, the other members of the Scouts and Gen13 were already there.

"Good, you're here," said Caitlin. "We were just going to come and get you. Amy and I finished our calculations. We've confirmed that--"

"It was the Negaverse!" yelled Sarah as she appeared behind Raye.

"Yes, that's right," confirmed Amy. "Our readings indicate that it was Malachite at the mall."

"That's not the only place he was at!" declared Rainmaker. "He was at the hospital too! Dr. Nakagawa was really Malachite in disguise!"

"What?!" gasped Bobby. "Are you sure?!?"

"Completely," nodded Raye.

"Then all of you must get to the hospital immediately!" said Luna. "If Malachite went though the trouble of disguising himself as your leader's doctor, he must have plans for him."

"The hospital is a long way from here. If we want to save your friend, we'll have to hurry!" declared Lita.

With that, the two teams of heroes dashed into the night.

Tokyo Memorial Hospital

Silent as a ghost, Malachite appeared in Lynch's room. Still immobile from the poison, the Gen-active could do nothing.

The General spent several moments looking Lynch over, appraising him. "You are like me," said Malachite as he leaned over the paralyzed man's bed. "A warrior. You fought for you God, your country, your beliefs. And now you fight for those children.

"But that ends now," informed the General as he took the Dark Crystal from his pocket. "From this moment forth, you shall fight for the Negaverse!"

Malachite tossed the opaque crystal into the air. It came to a dead stop over the bed, where the crystal began to spin and glow with a blue light. Ripples of energy radiated from it, washing over the former Team 7 member.

Lynch's eyes shot open. The energy crackled though his body and he began to convulse. Face contorted, John Lynch then let out a scream from the very depths of his soul.

"Everyone, stop!" shouted Amy. The group stopped their dash through the streets to turn and look at her.

"What is it?!!" demanded Bobby. "My dad is in danger!"

"If Malachite is after your father, he won't let him go without a fight," informed Amy. "If that's going to happen we must be ready. We should transform before we attempt a rescue."

"She's right," agreed Caitlin. "We all have secret identities to protect." The redhead then glanced into a nearby alley. "In here. There's no one around, so it should be safe."

"It's better than using a phone booth," joked Grunge as everyone herded into the alley.

"So are you guys wearing your costumes under your clothes or something?" asked Lita.

"What we've got is way better than that, girlfriend," grinned Roxy as she reached for her flashband.

Light flashed and molecules moved as the Scouts watched in amazement. When the light cleared, Gen13 was dressed for action.

"Not bad," complemented Serena. "But we can top that. Okay, everyone, transform!

"MOON PRISM POWER!"

"MERCURY POWER!"

"MARS POWER!"

"JUPITER POWER!"

"VENUS POWER!"

A spectacle of light, energy, and magic that would make the world's greatest magicians jealous began. The Gen-Actives watched in wonderment as their new allies were changed from ordinary girls into the champions of justice.

"Ow!" winced Grunge as Freefall whacked him in the back of the head. "What the hell did you do that for?!"

"I saw the way you were gaping at those girls while they changed!" snorted Roxy. "God, you're such a pig!"

"Sarah was doing it too! The way she was looking at Jupiter you'd thi--"

"I was not!" protested Sarah.

"Stop jabbering and start moving your asses!" shouted Burnout as the others dashed out of the alley.

"What was that all about?" whispered Venus.

"Who knows?" shrugged Mars. "Americans are just plain weird."

The explosion shattered what had started out as a peaceful night. Within a heartbeat, the main entrance to Tokyo Memorial Hospital had been turned into a giant smoking hole. From that hole emerged a being that had once been a man.

From nowhere Malachite appeared. He then looked over the damage and the monster that had once been John Lynch. "Your power is even greater than I'd hoped for, my creature," grinned the General. "Do you understand what you must do?"

"Start trashing the city until my brats show up to stop me. I'm then to capture them and bring them to you," said the youma. "But what about the Sailor Scouts?"

"If an opportunity presents itself, destroy them," ordered Malachite. "But capturing your young companions is to remain your top priority. Once they have been turned to the Negaverse's side, your combined might will be more than enough to kill the Sailor Scouts and wrest the Silver Imperium Crystal from Sailor Moon's cold dead hands."

"Understood," nodded the creature.

"Good. Now burn this pathetic city to the ground!" With that, the General disappeared.

"My pleasure," smiled the monster. The right eye of the thing that had once been John Lynch then glowed with crimson energy.

Gen13 and Sailor Scouts were only blocks from the hospital when the sound of a massive explosion reached their ears. Looking around wildly, they soon discovered the source of the explosion. The top third of Tokyo Tower had been sheared off by a giant fireball.

"No!" screamed Raye mentally. "My dream is coming true! The monster from my nightmares is here!"

"What in the hell did that?!" shouted Rainmaker.

"I don't know, but we have to check it out!" declared Sailor Jupiter.

"But what about my dad?!!" protested Burnout.

"Bobby, whatever did that is a danger to everyone in city!" exclaimed Fairchild. Bobby opened his mouth to protest. "It's what Mr. Lynch would want us to do," said the redhead.

"Okay," agreed Burnout. "I guess this is what superheroes do."

With that, the young heroes raced toward the damaged tower.

Chaos. There was no other word that could describe the streets of Tokyo. Children screamed, glass shattered, cars were overturned, pavement cracked, fires burned, and people stamped like animals to escape the destruction. And Gen13 and the Sailor Scouts were headed right into the heart of it all.

"God, look at this nightmare," shuddered Sarah. "What kind of monster could do this sort of damage?"

Just then a nearby storefront exploded, sending shards of glass flying. From the flames a figure began to emerge.

"I'm going to take a wild guess and say that kind of monster!" shouted Venus.

"About time you kids joined the party!" cackled the thing that had once been John Lynch. The power of the Negaforce had done its job well. Lynch now looked twenty years younger, his hair was fuller, his skin had become a odd grayish blue and he wore a green uniform almost identical to the one from his Team 7 days.

But most striking were his eyes. His left was now a gleaming yellow, his right scarred eye burned with crimson energy.

It's him! thought Mars. He's the monster from my dream! The one who killed the other Scouts! At that moment, Raye Hino realized she had never been more afraid in her entire life.

"Dad! What did those Negaverse guys do to you?!" gasped Burnout.

"Mr. Lynch, please, you have to let us help you," pleaded Fairchild. "You have to fight whatever Malachite di--"

Caitlin was cut off as a stream of energy shot from Lynch's right eye, blasting her. "John Lynch is no more!" cried the youma. "From now on the name is Topkick!"

"Well, we're going to topkick your butt!" promised Jupiter as she fired a lightening bolt.

The thing once again unleashed it's crimson energy. It struck Jupiter's bolt causing it to dissipate. "That the best you got?" sneered Topkick.

"Stop him but don't hurt him," ordered Sailor Moon. "He's not responsible for what the Negaverse did to him."

With that, Venus, Jupiter, Mars, and Rainmaker launched their powers at Topkick. "I'm sorry, dad," whispered Burnout as he unleashed a barrage of fire at his father.

The massive outpouring of energy struck the youma, and for a moment he staggered. But then a bubble of red energy surrounded the monster's body. "That the best you brats got?" mocked Topkick as the barrage began to pound at his shield.

Nearby, Mercury was analyzing the turn of events with her visor and computer. "This is very bad," she muttered.

"What wrong, Amy?" asked Sailor Moon, who stood fingering her Crescent Moon Wand just feet away.

"According to my computer, this youma's power levels are off the charts. I don't think we've ever faced anyone this powerful before."

"That's because Mr. Lynch was already a powerful psionic," came voice. Mercury and Sailor Moon turned to find Fairchild, slightly supported by Grunge, heading toward them. "Whatever the Negaverse did to him, it must have amplified his power exponentially."

"And given him a sense of humor," commented Grunge. "Mr. L never cracked jokes before."

"Caitlin, are you okay?" inquired Mercury.

"I'm fine," assured the redhead. "Just a bit sore from getting blasted. And having to dig myself out of what used to be someone's Toyota."

"We gotta do something!" exclaimed Grunge as he watched the others continue their futile onslaught on Topkick's shield.

"No, Grunge," warned Fairchild. "Our powers wouldn't be of much use against that energy shield. We'll just have to wait until the others find a way to breach it."

"Maybe I could shatter it with tiara," suggested Sailor Moon.

"No, he's too powerful for that," said Mercury. "Maybe we cou--"

It was then that Topkick released a powerful wave of energy, knocking Rainmaker, Burnout, Mars, Venus, and Jupiter to the ground. "Funtime is over!" he shouted. "Gen13, fall in! You're all coming to the Negaverse with me. Like it or not!"

"I choose or not!" shouted Freefall as she zoomed onto the scene. Topkick whipped around to face his former student. That was a mistake. He never saw the small van Roxy had secretly been levitating until she dropped it on his head.

"Way to go, Rox!" cheered Grunge. "I was wondering were you were."

"That won't hold him for long," said Fairchild. "We have to get out of here right now."

"No way!" proclaimed Jupiter. "We don't run from the Negaverse!"

"Caitlin is right," cut in Mercury. "Topkick is too powerful for us to fight like this. We need a plan." Jupiter was about to protest again when a crackling sound cut her off.

The heroes looked and saw that crimson energy was building beneath the van. "You brats are going to pay for that!" swore the monster trapped underneath.

"Roxy, get the non-flyers out of here now!" ordered Cat.

With a quick nod, Freefall began to extend her powers around Fairchild, Grunge, and the Sailor Scouts. Grunting from the strain, she pulled the group into the sky. Burnout and Rainmaker followed.

Only yards away the crimson energy reached its peak. With an ear-shattering blast, the van was rocketed into the air. Seething with rage and energy, Topkick stood and looked around for his adversaries. "You won't get away!" he promised as he saw the teenagers flying away. "I'll find you! If I have to level this whole city to do it, I'll find you!"

Several minutes later, the young heroes touched down in nearby Hibiya Park.

"Guys, I think we're all in really big trouble," Venus commented.

"Us? What about poor Mr. L?!" exclaimed Roxy. "He's gone over to the dark side of the Force!"

"Speaking of your boss, what's up with that 'Topkick' stuff?" questioned Jupiter. "I thought you said his name was Lynch."

"It is. Topkick is military slang for a commander," explained Burnout. "It was also my dad's codename during his Team 7 days."

Though she was only a few feet away from the others, Raye heard nothing of what they said. She was busying dealing with a revelation of her own.

"I know this place. It's the park from my dream. This is where that monster killed us all." Struggling to control her fear, Mars cast a look at her companions. "Of course, Gen13 wasn't a part of my vision. Maybe together we can stop this monster."

Raye held onto that thought like it was a lifeline. Any other possibilities were too horrible to consider.

"Hey, you two Einsteins want to share your conversation with the rest of the class?" called Grunge to Sailor Mercury and Fairchild.

The two girls stopped their conferring, glanced at the others, looked at each other, and nodded. "We've got some good news and some bad news," reported Caitlin.

"Bad news first," said Sarah.

"According to my readings, we've only seen a fraction of Topkick's power," informed Mercury.

"No way!" gasped Jupiter. "That guy held off five off us without breaking a sweat, and that was a fraction of his power?!"

"I'm afraid so," nodded Amy, grimly. "The Negaforce has super-charged Lynch's already potent abilities."

"It gets worse," cut in Fairchild. "You see, the energy the Negaverse charged Mr. Lynch with is starting to bond to his Gen-Factor. But the two energies are somewhat incompatible. It's taking time for the Negapower to fully integrate itself. The power Topkick has now comes from the fusion the two energies have achieved so far. Once they're fully bonded, not only will he be twice as powerful, but…but the change will be permanent."

"God, and from the way he was talking, it sounds like the Negaverse wants to do the same thing to us," muttered Bobby.

"You said there was some good news," said Mars.

"We think that if we can purge the Negaenergy from his system, Mr. Lynch will return to normal," replied Mercury.

"So how do we do that?" quizzed Rainmaker.

"Amy and I have come up with a plan. But it's going to take all of us to pull it off," informed Fairchild. The redhead then focused on Serena. "And Sailor Moon, you're going to be the key to it all."

"Uh, who me? Oh boy," gulped the Scouts's leader.

The bus came to a landing in the street with a loud crash.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are!" called Topkick. All around the monster what had once been Hibiya-dori, one of Tokyo's most famous streets, lay in ruins. "Come out, you little brats! I'm just going to keep destroying this town until you do!"

"No need for that, sir," came a female voice.

Topkick whirled to see Fairchild and Grunge standing behind him. "You always were a smart girl, Caitlin," grinned the youma as he approached his former student. "You see the futility of trying to defy the will of Queen Beryl. And I see you managed to convince Grunge to join you."

Topkick stopped a few feet from the teenagers and looked at them approvingly. "You two will make fine additions to the army of the Negaverse. Now we just have to round up Bobby, Roxy, and Sarah. Once you're all transformed we'll be a family again," promised Topkick. "After we've helped Queen Beryl conquer this mudball, you'll all be princes and princess of the dark kingdom she will reign over."

"You misunderstand what we came here for, sir," informed Fairchild. "We didn't come here to join up with the Negaverse. We came here to do THIS!" With blinding speed, Caitlin hit her former mentor with a uppercut that sent him hurtling.

"Sucker!" mocked Grunge as he and Fairchild dashed away.

As the two Gen-Actives fled, Topkick raised himself off the ground. "Clever girl," the youma muttered as he rubbed his jaw. "Okay then, rabbits, run! Run all you want! I'll find you!"

Seething with anger, Topkick began to pursue his former students.

"Cat, have I told you I hate this plan?" asked Grunge as he and Fairchild raced though Hibiya Park. "Being bait really sucks."

"I'm not too thrilled with it myself," admitted the redhead. "But we have to lure Topkick into position if this is going to work."

"Now I know what Shaggy and Scooby felt like," Grunge grumbled.

"You can run but you can't hide!" screamed the creature.

Fairchild glanced over her shoulder to see Topkick closing in rapidly. "Well, Shaggy, you'd better move it, cause we've got a monster on our butts!"

Just a few feet behind the Gen-Actives, Topkick came to an abrupt halt. His right eye flashed and immediately burning red energy surrounded his hands. With an inhuman scream, the youma slammed his fists into the ground. The energy fragments torn though the earth like the fins of a hungry shark, right on the trail of the two Gen13 members.

"Crap!" cursed Grunge as he saw what was closing in on them. "Cat, we got trouble!"

"We're almost in position. I hope the others are ready," whispered Fairchild.

She then reached over and grabbed Grunge. With her teammate in her arms, the statuesque redhead leapt into the air. Just as she did, the two energy sparks collided were they just been, causing a small explosion.

The two came to a rough landing in a tangle of arms and legs about twenty feet away.

"Grunge! Get your hand off my--"

"Uh, sorry, Cat."

"Game over!" snarled a voice. The two teems looked up to see Topkick approaching. "You brats are coming to the Negaverse with me if I have to drag you there in pieces!"

"Roxy, now!" shouted Fairchild.

Before he could even turn to look for anyone else, Topkick felt himself slammed to the ground. "What the hell?!" he grunted.

A few feet away, Freefall, her hands glowing with the energy of her gravity powers, stepped out from behind some trees. Burnout, Rainmaker, and the Scouts were right behind her. "Sorry to do this to you, Mr. L, but it's for your own good," said Roxy.

"You kids led me into an ambush. I'm proud of you," complimented the youma. Topkick's body then began to radiate crimson energy. "But you won't be able to hold me for long!" Slowly, but steadily, the monster began to stand.

"His Gen-Factor is almost totally bonded with the Negaforce!" reported Sailor Mercury as she studied her computer.

"Sailor Moon, now!" cried Fairchild.

Serena nodded silently and then removed her tiara. "MOON TIARA…MAGIC!"

"Now, everyone! Use everything you have now!" shouted Mercury.

Her words were unnecessary. Both Gen13 and the Sailor Scouts knew that everything rested on this moment.

"MERCURY BUBBLES…"

"MARS FIRE…"

"JUPITER THUNDER…"

"VENUS CRESCENT BEAM…"

"BLAST!"

"IGNITE!"

"CRASH!"

"SMASH!"

As the Scouts let loose, so did Burnout and Rainmaker. Sarah fired as large a lighting blast as she could, while Bobby unleashed blazing stream of fire.

The energy from the six heroes flowed into the glowing disc that had been Sailor Moon's tiara. Instantly, the weapon began to burn with an intense light.

It was then that Topkick, with a howl and a burst of crimson energy, broke free of Roxy's power. He had just enough time to notice the glowing object flying at him, and scream before the tiara impacted.

Gen13 and the Scouts were knocked to the ground by the ensuing explosion, which was accompanied by a large and brilliant flash of light.

"Did it work?" asked Sarah as she stood.

"You bet. Look!" Venus exclaimed.

Nearby, his uniform shredded, Topkick lay unmoving in a small crater. But the Venus's joy was to be short lived. Suddenly, the youma's eyes shot open and it began to lurch to it's feet. "You..you…little bastards…are..going to…pay for that!"

"Sailor Moon, you know what to do!" shouted Fairchild.

"Time to put this monster to bed," quipped the blonde girl as she grabbed her Crescent Moon Wand. Sailor Moon then began to draw a large circle in the air with the wand. As she moved, something very much like stardust fell from the tip of the wand. "MOON HEALING…ACTIVATION!"

The glowing stardust then flew over Topkick, causing the monster to scream again. There was then another flash of light. When it was over, it was John Lynch, not Topkick, who remained.

Immediately the young heroes dashed to the injured man's side. Fairchild wrapped Lynch's left arm around her shoulder and pulled him to his feet. "Sir, are you all right?"

"Dad, please say something!" implored Burnout.

"Oh, I hope we didn't hurt him," worried Sailor Moon as she moved to help Fairchild support a man who, moments ago, had been her enemy.

"Bob..Bobby? Ca…Caitlin?" rasped Lynch.

"We're here, sir" assured the redhead. "How do you feel?"

"I…I…feel like hell," moaned Lynch. It was then that the injured man turned his head to see Serena beside him. "You!" he gasped.

With a quick burst of strength, Lynch broke free of Caitlin's grip. Lynch began to tumble forward, but was stopped by Serena's hold on him. "Hey, are you okay?!" gasped the Scout as she knelt down to help the Gen-Active stand.

With a quickness that should have been impossible for a man in his condition, Lynch grabbed Serena's right hand. On pure instinct, she tried to recoil.

But the man's grip held firm. Before Sailor Moon could do anything, Lynch raised his head to where she could see his face. His eyes were filled with tears. "You…sav…saved me. Than…thank you," Lynch sputtered. His eyes then rolled back and he collapsed.

"How touching," sneered a voice. The kids looked up to see Malachite floating in the air above them.

"You're the one that did this to Mr. Lynch!" accused Rainmaker.

"Aren't you the clever one?" retorted the General.

"Come down here and fight, you Negaslime!" demanded Jupiter.

"Another time," promised the Negaverse denizen. "Congratulations, Sailor Fools, you've managed to win a small battle. But we will win the war."

Malachite then turned his gaze to Gen13. "As for you, you've only delayed the inevitable. The day will come soon when all of you will serve the Negaverse!" pledged the General. And then Malachite was gone.

"Go bleach your roots, creep!" shouted Roxy at the empty air.

"Don't forget about Mr. Lynch!" exclaimed Serena. "We have to get him to a hospital!"

"After what just happened?" asked Venus. "Someone could recognize him."

"We have to get him to the temple," said Mars. "It's the only place that's safe."

"We'd better haul ass!" shouted Bobby. "'Cause I think the cavalry is on the way!"

Everyone looked up to see a squadron of Blackhawk helicopters heading toward the park.

"Looks like someone called in the army," assessed Jupiter.

"No surprise there. Mr. L did more damage than Godzilla," joked Grunge.

"We have to get out of here now," said Fairchild as she regained her grip on Lynch. "This place is going to be crawling with soldiers any minute. And I have the feeling they're all going to be very trigger-happy."

With that, the two teams of heroes fled into the night.

Cherry Hill Temple, four days later

"As of this moment, the official death toll is seventy-three," reported the news anchor. "That number is expected to rise as authorities continue to sort though the rubble. They ask that people with family or friends still missing not give up hope, as survivors are still being found.

"Estimates of property damage are still flooding in. The current damage assessment is at 200 million yen and increasing steadily. The cost to repair Tokyo Tower alone is expected to top over--"

With a sigh, Artemis tapped the 'Off' button on the remote control. "The way the news makes it sound, you'd think we lost," muttered the white cat.

"If the Scouts and their new friends hadn't stopped Topkick, Queen Beryl would be ruling the world by now," reminded Luna. "As horrible as what happened is, things could have been much, much worse."

"I suppose you're right," conceded Artemis. "But somehow I think that will be cold comfort to Mr. Lynch. How do you think he's handling it?"

To that, Luna had no reply.

The key to martial arts is focus. To clear your mind of all distractions and concentrate only on the movement of your body. John Lynch had been a student of the martial arts for decades, and while he appreciated the fighting skills he had learned over the years, it was that ability to remove all unwanted thoughts from his mind that he valued the most. Over the years, John Lynch had formed a long list of things he didn't want to think about.

Lynch put body though a series of moves that drew from Karate, Kung Fu, Jeet Kune Do, and a variety of other styles he had learned over the years. With a final kick, Lynch ended his routine, gave a bow to the air in honor of the men who had trained him, and reached for a nearby towel.

"Nice stuff," came a voice. "You really looked like Bruce Lee there."

Lynch turned to see Bobby standing in the doorway. "Some of those moves were created by Bruce Lee," Lynch informed as he began to towel off. "Some I learned during my Navy and Team 7 training. And a few I picked up over from men like Genma Saotome during my travels."

"Who?"

"I met Genma the last time I was in Japan," began Lynch. "He runs a place called the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts. His methods are…unorthodox but he gets results. Genma's son, Ranma, is one of the best fighters I've ever seen.

"It's a shame our trip got…interrupted. I'd been planning to look Genma up."

"Yeah…interrupted," said Bobby. "Look, dad, the others--"

"Are worried," interrupted the older man. "Try and understand, son. After what happened I needed some time to…put my head in order. I just couldn't do that at the hotel with you and the others. I needed to do it alone. I'm just grateful Raye's grandfather was willing to let me stay here for a few days in exchange for helping out around the shrine."

"So are you…okay now?" asked Bobby. "You're dealing with what happened?"

"There's nothing to 'deal' with, son," Lynch informed sharply. "I…wasn't myself. I'd been changed by some power I can barely comprehend. Topkick was responsible for that slaughter, not me."

"That's it?!!" shouted Bobby. "Over seventy people are dead and you shrug it off just like that!"

Lynch glared at Bobby. "Son, I am a soldier. Do you have any idea of the number of people I've killed? I don't. I stopped counting years before you were born.

"I killed people when I was in Team 7. That was our job. Go into Laos, Sudan, Iraq, the Yucatan, or whatever hellhole it was that week, and kill people. All in the name of God, mom, and apple pie.

"Things didn't change much with I was Director of Operations for I/O. I planned assassinations, helped overthrow governments, and put my seal of approval on scientific experiments that would give most people nightmares. All to protect America's best interests.

"All those thing I did, I did of my own free will. So don't expect me to curl up and die over something I did when I was under the control of some monster from another dimension," concluded Lynch.

"So that it?" spat Bobby. "You can honestly look at what happened and feel no guilt?"

"'Honesty isn't a factor," said Lynch as he turned from his son. "That's what I have to believe if I want to go on living."

"You heartless son of bitch! I'm sorry I ever found out you were my father!" screamed Bobby. He then stormed out of the room.

Lynch stood silently, letting his son's words ring in his ears. Then, with a heavy sigh, he buried his face in his hands.

"Damn, it wasn't supposed to be like that," Lynch whispered.

"Rox, you gotta check this out!" exclaimed Grunge as he entered Raye's room triumphantly waving a comic. "Mina autographed that Sailor V Goes to Hollywood manga I bought off Raye."

"Whatever,' dismissed Roxy.

Annoyed, Grunge tried to figure out what had caused Roxy's attitude. His teammate sat at a table with Serena, and seemed to be holding something in her hand. By the expression on the girls faces, the Gen-Active got the feeling he'd interrupted a secret conversation.

"What were you two yakkin' about?" demanded Grunge. "You weren't talking about me, were you?"

"Dream on, ego-boy," teased Roxy, as she held up a large, pink pen that had a ruby-like jewel at one end. "Serena was just telling me about this little gadget. It's called the Luna Pen and it can disguise you to look like anyone."

"No way a pen can do that."

"I can so!" insisted Serena. "Show him, Roxy. Do it just like I explained."

"Well, if it's okay with you," shrugged Freefall. "DISGUISE POWER! Turn me into…a magical heroine, just like Sailor Moon!"

There was a quick flash of light as the Luna Pen did its work.

"Wow, Rox, you…don't really look all that different," said Grunge.

That wasn't an entirely unfair assessment. Roxy did still have on her trademark black combat boots and leather jacket. But her street clothes had been replaced by a slightly modified version of the sailor fuku wore by schoolgirls across Japan. The top had been cropped to expose Roxy's midriff, and a stylized G13 symbol was at the center of the top's bow. On her head, she wore a tiara with the same G13 symbol on the front.

"Cool," grinned Roxy. "I'm ready to fight for truth, justice, and the Southern Californian way!"

"You look goofy!" snickered Grunge.

"She does not!" snapped Serena. "With an outfit like that, you're welcome in the Sailor Scouts anytime, Roxy."

"Look out evil, here comes magical drama queen Roxy!"

"Knock it off, Grunge," warned Freefall. "I'm magical, dammit!"

"Oh, let the Negaverse tremble before the power of Sailor Freefall!" teased Grunge in mock horror.

"Okay, surfer boy, I gave you a chance. Now I'm going to get magical on your ass!" growled Freefall. "Koo Koo Nutty Funkyfreash Gravity Magic!"

Grunge was quickly surrounded by Roxy's power and pulled off his feet. "Hey, Rox, I was just joking around! I didn't mean--" The Gen-Active was cut off as, with a wave of her hand, Roxy sent him hurtling out of the room at blinding speed. An instant later there was a very loud crash.

"That sounded painful," winced Serena.

"Moondusted!" smirked Freefall.

Several hours later, the two teams of heroes were making their final goodbyes to each other.

"You might find this useful," said Amy as she handed Caitlin a computer disk. "It's all the information I've gathered on the Negaverse since I became a Scout. It should be compatible with the scanning equipment you told me you have at home. Once it's in place, it should give you some warning if the Negaverse ever comes after you."

"Thanks," replied Caitlin. "I'm sure this will help all of us sleep a little better. I did give you my e-mail address, right?"

"Yes," nodded Amy. "It'll be nice to have someone who I can talk about academia with. Who knows, maybe we can figure out just why the energy signatures of Scouts and Gen-Actives are so similar.

"Maybe we can," concurred the redhead.

Nearby, Mina and Roxy were also talking. "I know it's not much, but I'd like you to have this," said Mina as she handed Roxy a bow identical to the one she wore in her hair. "I think it would look good on you."

"Cool," thanked Roxy as she looked at the bow. "Anyway, it's been really great hanging with you these last few days, Mina. I never thought I'd meet someone who could shop more than me. If you're ever stateside, look me up and we'll go mall-trawling."

"Look out, Beverly Hills, the Dynamic Duo of shopping have your number!" grinned the blonde girl.

Roxy burst out laughing.

"I hope you like it," said Raye as she handed Sarah a box wrapped in red and white paper. "It's that miko kimono you wore during the fire reading."

"Wow, Raye, I'm really honored that you give me something like this," replied Sarah.

"It's no big deal," assured the Japanese girl. "It's not like it would have ever fit me. I'm just glad it will go to someone who'll understand its sacred meaning."

"I'll be sure to wear it when I practice my meditation," promised the Apache.

"I hope it helps you on the path to peace," smiled Raye.

"These should keep your from getting bored on the long plane trip back to California," smiled Serena as she handed Grunge a large stack of mangas.

"Not that I'm ungrateful, but how am I supposed to read these?" asked Grunge. "They're in Japanese."

"You can use them to practice learning our written language. That shouldn't take a smart guy like you, oh, more than five or six years."

"Maybe when I get back home, I should send you some American comics to help you with you English. From what Raye says, you need all the help you can get."

"That Raye has such a big mouth," muttered Serena.

"Look, before I go, I want to apologize again for the way I acted at the arcade," said Grunge. "You're okay in my book, Serena."

"Yeah, well, you're okay to, Grunge. Just remember who kicked your butt at Sailor V."

"Just wait until next time," promised the Gen-Active. "I'll blow you out of the water, meatballhead."

"Don't call me MEATBALLHEAD!!"

"It's a little something to hold you over on that long flight back to America," explained Lita as she handed Bobby a circular shaped box.

Upon opening it, Bobby was surprised to discover a variety of shrimp, rice, sushi, noodles, and other confections. He experimentally popped a shrimp into his mouth. "Wow, this is excellent!"

"Thanks," blushed Lita. "If you're ever in Japan again, maybe you'd let me fix you dinner sometime. I make a mean bowl of chili."

"Sounds nice," said Bobby. "Maybe I'll bring my guitar and can play you some Three Lights stuff. And introduce you to my favorite band, Soundgarden. I think you'd like them."

"It's a date," smiled Lita. She then quickly reached over and kissed the older boy on the cheek. It was now Bobby's turn to blush.

"Well, well, Bobby, going for the younger girl!" teased a voice. The two turned to see Serena and Grunge, both grinning, on the approach.

"Dude, I never knew you went for the Lolita type," ribbed Grunge as he tossed his arm around his friend's shoulder.

"Shut up, Grunge!" snapped Bobby as he elbowed his teammate in the gut. "God, you can be such a pervert!"

"I have to admit, he's a cutie, Lita" giggled Serena. "Not as cute as my Darien, of course, but still major hunk."

"Grow up, Serena," hissed Lita. "I was just saying goodbye."

"Sure you were. And next you're going to tell me he doesn't look like your old boyfriend."

To that, Lita could only sigh in defeat.

While that was going on, Fairchild noticed Lynch talking with Raye's grandpa. She excused herself from Amy and went to talk to the team's leader.

"Domo arigato, Osho-sama," thanked Lynch as he bowed to the older man. "I cannot thank you enough for allowing me to stay here while I recovered from my…hospitalization."

"Think nothing of it," dismissed the priest. "You did more work in one day than that lazy granddaughter of mine does in a week."

"Sir, may I have a word with you?" asked Caitlin. "In private."

"I'll just get out of your way," said grandpa as he turned to leave. "Please tell your young friends that I wish them all good journey." With that, the old man bowed and departed.

"What is it, Caitlin?" demanded Lynch.

"I've noticed the way Bobby has been avoiding you for the last few hours," informed the redhead. "Care to tell me what happened, sir?"

"I had a…talk with Bobby about what happened. It didn't go well," Lynch sighed. "He thinks I don't feel guilty over what happened. I tried to make him see that that wasn't true but…"

"I'm sure he understands what you were trying to say on some level," comforted Caitlin.

"I'm not so sure. I think I may have alienated him permanently."

"When you were in the hospital he was the one who was the most concerned about you," said Fairchild. "It was the same when you were transformed. He's your son and he does care about you. You just have to give him some time to work things though."

"You're wise beyond your years, Caitlin," assessed Lynch. "I suppose you're right. But I'm afraid I've destroyed whatever progress we've made as father and son in these past few weeks."

"Then you'll just have to start over, sir."

"I guess I have no other choice," agreed Lynch.

Just then, Sarah called, "Mr. L? The limo Ken sent for us is here."

Gen13 and the Scouts assembled by the limo for a final round of hugs, handshakes, jokes, and goodbyes.

"I know I haven't had the chance to get to know you girls very well," began Lynch, "but I can never thank you enough for what you did for me."

"We're Sailor Scouts, fighting for love and justice is what we do," declared Serena, good-naturedly. The other girls nodded in agreement.

"I'd say that love and justice are in good hands," complimented Lynch. "You girls may be young, be each of you has the heart of a true warrior. I'm proud to have known you."

"It's mutual," grinned Lita. Bobby blushed again.

"Sayonara, Sailor Scouts," said Lynch as he and the kids bowed.

"Sayonara, Gen13," replied Serena as she and the Scouts bowed in return.

Then, with a last round of waves, the Americans climbed into the limo. The girls stood on the sidewalk and watched the car carry away their new friends until it was out of sight.

Three nights later, the light of the crescent moon shone down on Tokyo and the Cherry Hill Temple. In Raye's room the floor was covered with sleeping bags, bags of junk food, and several of Raye's mangas. The girls themselves, sporting their pajamas, sat around the table talking. A full-scale slumber party was well under way.

"Save some of those cookies for the rest of us, Serena!" snapped Raye.

"No way, get your own. This bag is mine!" retorted the blonde as she popped another cookie into her mouth. "Oh, these are so good! Where's the milk?"

"Jeez, and I thought Grunge was a glutton," muttered the raven-haired girl. "I should have known no one could be as big a pig as you."

"Hey!"

"That reminds me of something," interrupted Amy. She then went over to her bookbag and pulled out a manila envelope. "I got this in the mail today. It's from Caitlin."

"What is it?" asked Mina.

"It's a photo of all of us together," replied Amy as she laid the picture down on the table.

It showed the kids standing together in a park on what seemed like a beautiful day. Grunge and Serena were mugging for the camera, Roxy and Mina were imitating some of Sailor V's famous posses, Lita seemed to be trying, unsuccessfully, to get Bobby to hold her hand, Sarah and Raye had opted to stand back-to-back, and Amy and Caitlin were smiling and attempting to ignore it all.

"I remember this," said Serena. "It was when we went on that picnic in Ueno Park the day before they left."

"Hey, Lita, just what was going on between you and Bobby?" inquired Mina.

"We were just friends," declared the auburn-haired girl. "He's really a very sweet guy."

"If you were just friends why were you always giving him food?" teased Raye.

"Uh, um, well, I…" fumbled Lita.

"It's okay," assured Mina. "The guy's a hunkster. If you ever see him again, you should get him to ask you out."

"I wonder if we will ever see them again," said Serena as she dug into a bag of potato chips.

"I hope so," said Amy. "It was nice to be able to spend some time around people who understood some of the problems we face everyday." The other girls nodded in agreement.

"Hey, I wanted some of those chips!" flared Raye. She then bashed Serena with a nearby pillow.

"You are so dead, Raye!" growled Serena as she grabbed a pillow of her own.

"Are we going to let them have all the fun?" asked Lita.

"No way!" chorused Amy and Mina.

Soon, a pillow fight of massive proportions was under way.

San Diego, California USA

Several hours later, that same crescent moon found its way to the skies above Southern California. At Gen13's La Jolla home, Fairchild found herself standing on the deck staring up at the night sky.

"It's a nice night," said someone, interrupting her solitude.

Cat turned to see Sarah approaching. "Yeah, the sky is really clear tonight. I think I can see Mercury and Venus up there."

"Did you want to be alone?" asked Sarah. "If you want I'll go bac--"

"No, it's fine," assured the redhead. "In fact, I wouldn't mind some company."

"You said you could see Mercury and Venus. Could you point them out for me?"

"Sure. See that palm tree over there? Mercury is the bright star just above it," explained Caitlin. "Venus is over there by our neighbor's satellite dish."

"Yes, I see them both," reported Sarah after a few moments. "Speaking of Mercury and Venus…"

"You've been thinking about them too, huh?"

"Yeah. I mean, we're Americans who got superpowers from some crazy government experiment. They're Japanese who are the reincarnations of princesses who used to live on other planets. Yet, we had so much in common."

"It was nice to be able to just…talk with some other people about what it's like to be a superhero," agreed Caitlin. "Someone who knows how your stomach knots up when some ugly monster is trying to kill you. Someone who knows what it's like to long for a normal life, but know that you can never have it."

"Mr. L was right about the Scouts," said Rainmaker. "They're young, but strong. They have warrior spirits that would make any Apache proud. Do you think we'll ever see them again?"

Fairchild cast a look up at the crescent moon and smiled. "It wouldn't surprise me at all, Sarah. It wouldn't surprise me at all."

The End

Notes: Wow, I can't belive I'm finally done! This is the longest story I've ever written. It's almost twice the size of my previous record. I admit, this thing was a pain at times, but in the end, I've found it to be some of my most satisfying work ever.

• I'd like to thank my faithful beta-reader, Yasmin, for catching my numerous spelling and grammar errors, some good points on plot, and the input of a fellow Sailor Moon fan. I'd also like to thank Pace, Rowen, the gang from OTL for the encouragement, the good people at alt.fan.sailor-moon for help with research, Jim Lee, Brandon Choi, and J. Scott Campbell for creating Gen13, and Naoko Takeuchi for bringing Sailor Moon into the world.
• I borrowed information for this story from several sites, so it's only fair that they get credit. I couldn't have done this without Fritter's Sailor Moon Indulgence, SailorM.com and the Norton Guide to Sailor Moon Fanfic. Thanks, guys.
• That scene where Roxy changes into a Scout was a homage to the great comic mini-series, Gen13: Magical Drama Queen Roxy. I just couldn't do this story without some reference to this great work by American manga master Adam Warren. A few lines from that section were borrowed directly from the comics. I didn't do this to rip Adam off, just to show his comedic genius.
• Disclaimer: Gen13 belongs to Wildstorm/DC Comics. Sailor Moon belongs to Naoko Takeuchi and Toei Animation. I make no money off this. Don't sue. Blah, blah, blah…