Adventures of the ChibiScouts III Chapter 7 To Infinity and Beyond, a sailor moon fanfic

Adventures of the Chibi-Scouts III
Crossroads to the Future
By "Tuxedo" Will Wolfshohl and Doug "Candle Light Author" Helm

This story and our other stories reside at our Shoujo Fiction . com domain. Comments are encouraged!

Chapter 7 "To Infinity and Beyond"

Mina, Raye, Molly, Serena, Luna, and Artemis were almost to the entrance to the neighborhood park. While the cats weren't bothered by the gloom of mid-evening, the girls couldn't help but feel a little apprehensive about the deep, midnight-black shadows. Mina was mildly annoyed with Raye and Serena although most of her annoyance was directed towards her fiery friend. The raven-haired priestess had started things off by wondering how her younger counterpart would react to such dark, potentially monster-filled shadows and whether or not she hid behind Chad for protection. She concluded that her counterpart being Sailor Mars was most likely a brave little girl and would only do such a thing to make Chad feel wanted. Of course, Serena couldn't pass up that opportunity. Therefore, the two girls had made the walk from the Crown Arcade to the park alternating between giggling with and growling at each other.

"You okay, Mina?" Serena's voice broke into her less than pleasant mood.

"What?"

"Are you okay? You're awful quiet." The meatball-headed teen offered, "That's like totally not like you."

"Serena, you're starting to sound like a valley girl." That comment made Serena blush slightly. "And I'm fine. Just tired... and I'm still POed at my parental units." Mina glanced at the others. Raye and Molly appeared neutral. Serena was looking sympathetic but apparently wasn't going to poke her nose in any further unless Mina elaborated further. The ribbon-wearing teen sighed. "Mom threw a fit when she found out that I was going out tonight."

"Um... Where did you tell her you were going?"

"I said I was coming to hook up with you," her normally perky friend explained.

"Oh." That was all Serena said. Mina mentally grimaced. "Well, we're all here at the park. Maybe we should transform." They had not seen a soul.

Mina considered asking what Serena thought about her mother but changed her mind. Instead, she remarked, "Isn't this a bit useless? I mean Reenie isn't here."

"Oh, I got that covered, girlfriend," Serena said brightly. When her friend didn't elaborate, Mina glanced between Molly and Raye for a clue.

"I don't think it'll work, Serena," Molly ventured.

"No harm in trying," Raye interjected with a shrug.

"In trying what?" Mina finally asked.

"Tell Sailor Pluto to meet us here and let us use HER Time Key," Luna answered.

"Hmmm... Not that I want to take the wind out of the plan, Serena, but how are you going to contact her? I mean we haven't seen her for a couple of months now and she doesn't have a cell phone." After Serena explained her plan to both Mina and Raye, she couldn't help but be impressed.

"Whoa, girlfriend, what gave you that idea?" Mina asked as she turned onto the path toward the lake and made their way to their usual jump-off point -- a secluded but well-lit intersection in the park.

Serena shrugged. "I wasn't going to let Reenie think she could out maneuver her mom."

"Speaking of our pink princess," the raven-haired teen began, "Exactly why isn't she here?" She saw Serena and Molly exchange a knowing look before Serena gave an abridged version of the events before they met up at the Crown Arcade earlier. Raye was about to comment when the group heard a snapping sound. They all turned ready for trouble only to relax when Sailor Chibi-Moon emerged from between the trees. Raye and Mina stood out of their combat crouches.

"Jeez," Chibi-Moon complained, "I thought you guys were gonna meet me at the Crown Arcade. When I got there, Big Sister, you weren't around."

"I said at nine, Miss Chibi-Moon, and you didn't show by then, so I figured you weren't coming," Serena countered folding her arms and looking not the slightest bit guilty.

"Do you know how hard it was to get out of the house?" the pink-haired Sailor Scout demanded as she came over to the group of eleventh-graders. "Hi Raye, Mina, Artemis," she added as she came to a stop in front of her mother. "Aunt Ellen kept checking on me until just a little bit ago. Then I had to figure out how to transform."

"Huh?" was the general inquiry.

"I'm not used to this outfit," the ten year old pointed out. 'So much pink. I know Serena loves it but...' "I mean this is what Serena, I mean my Serena, wears. It been a long time since me and Serena traded broaches so it took me a little bit to figure out what the problem was. Then Aunt Ellen's on me just as I remembered what to do." The youngster was sounding very much put upon. Raye tried not to giggle. Mina was giving her a sympathetic look. Serena though wasn't looking impressed. 'I won't tell them how weak I feel.'

"So I take it you decided to come?"

"I can't let you guys run amok while I'm not around," Chibi-Moon explained. "And this outfit is..."

"Reenie," Molly interrupted her. She waited until the youngster was looking directly at her. "We're glad that you decided to come." Then she winked.

The other girls were obviously confused about this particular comment but Chibi-Moon seemed to understand. "Right. So like can we go?"

"Yep, let's change and then we can call Amy and get things started," Serena declared. As the group separated slightly to give themselves some room, Serena closed her eyes. "I'll go first. MOON ETERNAL MAKE-UP!"

Mina turned away as a brilliant flash of light came from her princess. Her head whipped around however when Chibi-Moon let out a startled cry.

Mina's blue eyes opened wide at the sight now before her. Serena was not in her eternal form. Rather than Eternal Sailor Moon in the black and yellow skirt with the white stubby wings, the young woman before her looked much more like Neo-Queen Serenity, a very naked Neo-Queen Serenity.

Both Raye and Molly were having similar reactions. "Aren't you cold?" Raye questioned of her friend. Sailor Moon had long flowing angel-like wings, her crescent moon sigil burned brightly on her forehead, and the Imperium Silver Crystal was nestled in the middle of her bosom. These three facts would not have been too terribly unsettling except for the fact that not one stitch of clothing was present.

"Oops," was the young meatball-headed Sailor Scout's understated comment.

"Oops?" Chibi-Moon asked. 'You look like Mommy! So pretty.' This of course made her feel even worse about her earlier behavior toward her as well as shirking her duty to her Serena.

"Um, guess I did go through a new power-up," Moon tried to say casually. "What do you think?" she asked her friends.

"When did that happen?" Mina asked. She wasn't quite sure how her princess was managing not to succumb to fatal embarrassment.

"Oh, when I battled Galaxia," Sailor Moon said airily waving her hand, "Just as I was facing her down."

Mina, Molly, and Raye glanced amongst each other. The ribbon-wearing blonde then regarded the pair of lunar cats. Luna was looking, if anything, rather smug. Artemis had tactfully turned his back and for good measure had his eyes closed knowing the abuse he'd suffer from his charge if he didn't.

"That didn't happen the other night," Raye commented.

"No, but I explicitly called out my Eternal form that time," her friend corrected, "This time..." she shrugged.

"Eternal form?" Chibi-Moon asked.

"Yeah, like this... MOON ETERNAL POWER!" Sailor Moon shouted and in another blinding flash of pink light was suddenly clad in her Eternal Moon uniform.

"You have shorter wings," Chibi-Moon observed. "But I still think you look better in pink." 'Much cuter.' She pointed and looked down at the uniform her little Serena typically wore and then back up at her mother's. "I like the angel wings better though, Mom."

"Oh I can get those in this form too. That happened the first time," Eternal Sailor Moon explained, "But those big wings are a pain. I'm a big enough klutzoid as it is. Wings just make things worse."

Raye blinked. "I don't remember you knocking a lot of stuff over though, Sailor Moon."

"When I first got them, it was a nightmare," Sailor Moon remarked, "But why don't you gals change. I want a final word with my daughter." Chibi-Moon looked suddenly worried.

- - - - -

Across the world in Germany, Amy Anderson, or rather Sailor Mercury, sat curled up in a chair beside her hotel room window. She stifled a yawn and thought longingly of a hot bath and then her bed. The time difference, her exams, and calculating cross-dimensional jumps were challenging. She'd completed all of her exams that morning and for the next few days if everything went well, she'd be touring this lovely city before heading back home to Japan to await the results.

These mundane plans were sitting safely filed in the back of her mind. Her full attention was focused on her minicomputer and the data streaming across her VR visor.

Her Sailor Scout communicator chirped. Glancing at it, Mercury saw that it was Venus calling. Depressing the Venus symbol, she replied, "Yes Venus."

"Hey!" came the cheery voice of Sailor Venus, "We're almost ready on this end."

"So it's Mars, Jupiter, Luna, Moon, and Chibi-Moon that are going, right?"

"You got it, Mercury," Venus replied and then lowered her voice, "We're just waiting for Sailor Moon to finish laying down some royal edicts to Chibi-Moon." Obvious mirth was present in Venus' voice.

"What is she saying?"

"I can't hear them but Chibi-Moon's face keeps getting longer by the minute and she nods or shakes her head. That's a mom laying down the law to her daughter if I ever saw it." Mercury couldn't help but grin. "Any more alarms?"

"No, nothing since that night," Mercury said. "Anything from Mars?"

Mars shook her head. "No surprises from that quarter, Mercury." The mirth was stronger as Venus added, "Although Sailor Moon gave us all a shock."

"How so?" Mercury asked, wondering if it was serious. Going by Venus' tone, it wasn't.

"Oh, she has a new form... Apparently it happened just before her big showdown with Galaxia and she never mentioned it to us." There was a pause. "'Though she might have showcased it for Darien." Mina ended in a giggle that made Mercury raise an eyebrow.

"Really?" 'I must acquire some data on it.' She tapped a quick note to that effect to do so after she returned home. "What does it look like?" Mercury asked curiously. She was surprised when the Orange Scout gave a snort of laughter. "That bad?"

"Let's just say that seeing is the only way to describe it..." Venus paused. "That and our princess would likely get arrested if she trotted around town in her latest 'uniform'. Right now, she's in her Eternal form."

Sailor Mercury was tempted to inquire deeper but only shook her head. "Okay, girls, here we go. Looks like it's show time."

"Hi Mercury!" Jupiter and Mars greeted her over Venus' communicator.

"Hey Mercury!" Sailor Moon called out, "You all set?"

"Yes, Princess, are you ready?" There was a moment or so of silence before Moon gave an affirmative reply, "All right. Let's get you into position. Since Artemis and Venus aren't going, we have to be careful that they aren't affected by the chronoton field being created by Chibi-Moon's Time Key. Please move back at least fifteen meters." The next couple of minutes seemed to crawl by as Mercury got all the players into position as precisely as she could. She noted with a little humor that it was Sailor Mars who was chomping at the bit to get the show on the road and not Serena. That worried the blue-haired Scout a little. On the other hand, the meatball-headed blonde was being rather sedate.

"Okay, everything's set. When you say you're ready, I'll give a thirty second countdown. Jupiter, start building energy. Chibi-Moon, hold up your Time Key and concentrate on your universe."

"Okay!" Jupiter and Chibi-Moon called out.

Mercury tapped at her minicomputer watching as Jupiter's power grew. As the critical level neared, something attracted the Blue Scout's attention. Glancing at it, she found an energy pattern near the Sailor Scouts. After a furious few moments of typing, she realized that it was Sailor Pluto. The Scout of Time was standing 52.6 meters to the southeast. 'What is she doing there?' Mercury wondered but pushed it aside.

"Ten seconds!" she called out. She could hear the crackle of the building energy could almost feel the tension from where she was. She got up looking out into the historic city. A city where if things went as planned that she'd be living in and attending medical school in the coming year. However, she did not see anything but the streams of data scrolling before her. "Five!" she called out trying to make sure the girls heard her over the deep thrumming of Jupiter's power. "Four! Three! Two! One!" She waited a heartbeat. "GO!" she roared.

From her communicator's tiny speaker, the sound of Sailor Jupiter's thunder boomed out rolling over her in a wave of noise. That booming seemed to fade only to be replaced by a gaggle of voices. One of them froze Mercury's heart.

- - - - -

Raye Hino waited for her senses to steady. Her hearing said that things were quiet around her. Her eyes, currently hidden behind her lowered eyelids, said that things were rather dark. Touch told her that she was no longer wearing her Sailor Scout uniform but was dressed in some soft fuzzy material and she had something heavy laying on her. At first, Raye wasn't sure but as her senses straightened themselves out, she couldn't help but grin. She knew this room. She was in her own bedroom within the Cherry Hill Temple or at least in a bedroom for her younger counterpart. 'We made it!' Carefully sitting up and opening her eyes, she felt her sleeve of her garment. 'In bed and wearing fuzzy pajamas. Not bad... Serena's are probably still bunny-footed.' She glanced about. Except for the glowing hands of a clock showing 10:05, the room was dark.

She patted her body. As she expected, her curves and other signs of near adulthood were gone, washed away. Glancing at the clock once more, she decided to see if Chad (Daddy she giggled) was still up. Swinging her legs over the side, she hopped from the bed and padded across the carpet of her bedroom in bare feet.

Before opening the door, Raye reached up above her and flipped on the light. She found herself blinking in the sudden brightness. Her room looked like a typical little girl's room. It was outfitted in a pink and red motif with splashes of other colors. A set of dolls and a few stuffed animals sat atop a wooden chest, which Raye took to be a toy box. 'Things look bigger... No, I'm littler.' The newly minted eight year old wasn't sure how she felt about that but giggled and attempted a skip. This produced another giggle and for the next few minutes, the wide-awake youngster skip-walked around her room surveying everything both familiar and unfamiliar.

She was pleased to see that her room still held the rocking chair that she remembered from her last visit. It looked worn and well used. 'I bet I sit on his lap in it.' She was also glad to see more storybooks in a low bookcase that were appropriate for a third-grader. She couldn't resist the urge to pull some out. A couple titles she recognized as ones Serena's mother had got for Reenie during her last visit. 'Oh, tomorrow night's bedtime is such a long wait! Maybe I can get Daddy to read me one sooner.' The youngster glanced towards the clock. 'Not tonight though...' She tried not to feel disappointed.

Her disappointment vanished as something occurred to her. "Hey!" she exclaimed and then immediately covered her mouth. She glanced towards the door expecting Chad to come in but after a few moments, nothing happened. 'I can check things out for the sake of argument, and if there's nothing too wrong, that means...' She grinned, set the books she'd taken out on the floor, and she skipped towards the door.

Raye turned the light out before softly opening the door. She carefully peeked out into the dark hallway. She listened and could hear the television in the living room. A soft sound told her someone was in the kitchen. 'That's okay. I don't have to go near the kitchen or the living room.' The pajama-clad child started to step out into the hallway but then stopped as something else occurred to her. 'It'll be cold out, better put something else on.' The raven-haired youngster only took a moment to pull on a red sweater, a pair of white sweatpants, and don her slippers. As she was doing this, she kept glancing towards the door.

Once she was ready to brave the cold, Raye stepped back to the hallway and glanced out. 'This is sort of exciting!' she thought as she suppressed another giggle. She knew that she was doing something that she could get her into trouble. It made her tummy feel funny but it was also exciting at the same time.

Softly she left her bedroom and crept down the dark hallway. As the little priestess made her way to the Great Fire Room, she was unaware of the shadow that began to follow her.

- - - - -

Chad with a slight frown on his brow followed his daughter as she crept down the dark hallway and then outside. 'Man, what's she up to this time?' he wondered, 'I hope it's not another stray.' The last time Raye had snuck out of bed, she had managed to smuggle a stray puppy into their quarters. The young acolyte grimaced at the memory. 'She wouldn't talk to me for a week after I told her we couldn't keep it.'

The young man ceased worrying when the little girl headed into the adjacent building and then into the Great Fire room. Raye might want a pet, but not badly enough to hide it in a sacred place. Her grandfather had taught her that much respect for their religion and the young man knew she wanted to grow up to be a priestess.

He couldn't help but smile with pride burning in his heart as his adopted daughter all by herself began the preparations for a fire-reading. He stayed out in the hallway, not wanting to intrude. The raven-haired youngster only paused to glance toward him once. In the flickering firelight, Chad could tell that she was frowning in his general direction. He briefly considered stepping out of the shadows and revealing his presence but before he could, Raye had turned back toward the fire.

Once he was sure that she was concentrating deeply enough, the young man entered the room softly and settled himself by the door. Raye's meditation didn't last very long and as she seemed to come back to the present. He could tell that she was both relieved and somewhat puzzled. He saw her shrug her shoulders as if she was dismissing whatever was puzzling her.

"Daddy!" Raye squeaked as she turned around and saw Chad sitting nonchalantly by the entrance. It seemed to her so natural to call him that. Her eyes were wide and he seemed to sense that she was blushing slightly.

"See anything interesting, princess?" Chad asked as he got up and walked over to where his daughter was. Raye got up and shook her head.

"I wouldn't wanna be a princess."

Chad blinked at this rather strange comment. "Why not?" he asked.

The raven-haired eight year old regarded him with a serious expression and replied, "It's too much work, Daddy. Serena can be the Princess."

Chuckling at the long-running inside joke, Chad said, "Come here, you munchkin." One day he hoped to find out why Raye considered her cheerful pigtailed friend a princess. He lifted her up and hugged her. Raye for her part giggled and snuggled closer. "Come on, let's get you back to bed. You shouldn't be up this late." Raye only snuggled closer.

'I like this!'

- - - - -

About five minutes later entering Raye's bedroom, Chad turned on the light. At that moment, the eight year old suddenly remembered the books she had left lying out on the floor. She gave her father a sheepish grin as his eyes found them.

"What were you doing, Raye?" the shaggy acolyte asked. He sounded mildly puzzled.

"Just looking at my books, Daddy," the raven-haired child explained. She casually flipped some of her hair over her shoulder. "I was picking out what you might read me tomorrow."

Chad blinked and then he slowly smiled. Raye took a moment to appreciate what this Chad looked like. He was clean-shaven and his hair was still long but neatly trimmed. He had on an old pair of jeans and a T-shirt and socks. As he moved closer towards her, she also noticed that he had a small pink heart sticker stuck on his forehead above his right eye.

'Oh!' She stifled yet another giggle. 'Did little Raye do that to him?' Either Chad didn't know or had forgotten it was there or her father was a good sport. 'I doubt my Chad would do that... Maybe for me but I wouldn't ask him to do that.'

She squealed as Chad found a ticklish spot. "I'm wise to your plan now."

"What plan?" Raye was confused. She squealed as he tickled her again.

"What plan?" Chad mocked with a gentle tone. "I'm not letting you stay up until midnight just so I can read you a THIRD bedtime story."

"I wouldn't do that!" the little priestess protested while wrapping her arms loosely about his neck and giving him an earnest look.

Chad smiled and touched the tip of her nose. "Come on. Back to bed."

"Okay," Raye agreed, "But I'm not sleepy." That statement was true enough. She didn't protest though when the young man tucked her back into bed and gave her a gentle kiss on her forehead.

She watched as he picked up the storybooks and put them back where Raye had gotten them from.

"Go to sleep, Raye," Chad requested. He walked to the switch and turned the lights off. Raye rolled to her side, sought out the stuffed animal she had saw there, and hugged it. She listened as Chad left the room. Smiling to herself contently, she started making plans for the next day.

- - - - -

Little Raye Hino wasn't the only one who was active that night. When Serena found herself in bed, she was bewildered believing that the transfer might have failed. But after hopping out of bed, she was delighted to find that she was indeed eight years old. 'To think I know how long I'll take to blossom,' the blonde mused as she looked down at her boyish frame. She was wearing a pink and white nightgown with its ubiquitous bunny-head logo. 'I'm cute as a button but how can Darien stay loyal to a little kid?' Serena shook her head. "I guess we're here, Luna."

"Yes," Luna replied. She bounced onto Serena's bed from the other side and padded to where she could sit on her haunches facing her charge. "I wish it wasn't so cold out though. I'd like to go for a hunt. I'm feeling antsy."

Serena gave the young cat, no longer a kitten, a long look. "I think a mouse might be a bit big for you." She grinned as Luna said something rude. "Want me to wash your mouth out?"

"I have claws," Luna stated simply holding one paw up.

"Jeez, Luna, I was joking!" Serena complained and then grinned, "Let's go see Big Sis!"

She started skipping towards the door and humming to herself. It was the youngster's bad luck to reach the door as it opened. The little blonde (her long pigtails undone for the night) stumbled backwards, both hands covering the swelling lump on her forehead. She abruptly sat down and sniffled. Light flooded her bedroom. She wondered if it had been Reenie coming into her room but it was her mother's voice that cut through the throbbing in her forehead.

"Oh, sorry. Are you okay, Serena?"

'Stupid question!' Serena whined to herself and sniffled again. She looked out from under her hands to see Ellen Tsukino coming across the floor on slippered feet. The mother of two bent down and gently took her youngest hands. "Let me see, sweetheart."

"I'm okay, Mommy," the meatball-headed girl assured her mother than mentally winced. She could feel tears starting to well up in her eyes. 'Man, I sound like I'm about to start bawling! Am I that much of a crybaby?'

"Let's see that bump," Ellen instructed and pulled Serena's hands away. The youngster winced as her mother probed it and tears began to flow down her cheeks, "I didn't mean to hit you with the door."

"I know," Serena said and sniffled again. She continued to restrain her emotions. Her mother must have sensed it and lifted her little girl up into a hug. Serena did not object in the slightest.

"What were you doing up? Going to the bathroom?"

"I was gonna go see Reenie, Mommy. I know she wasn't really happy with me." She chewed her lip. "I wanted to say I'm sorry."

'Thank goodness.' "Well, let's see if you can sleep with her, but you'll have to be quiet, Serena. Reenie's asleep. It's late." Serena nodded. She gave her mother a huge smile as the woman bent down and kissed her on the tender spot on her forehead.

'Mommy... Mom can always make me feel better,' Serena observed and laid her head against her mother's hip. The pair left Serena's room, her mother pausing to turn off the light. Luna followed peering about. As the pair exited, the black cat turned and stalked down the hall towards the attic stairs.

Serena was starting to get comfortable even though she still felt like she wanted to go for a quick jog or something when suddenly she became aware that her mother had stopped. Lifting her head up, she glanced about the dark room. While fine detail couldn't be made out, one thing that Serena could make out was the fact that the bed was empty. "Where is she?" Serena felt herself starting to worry and the tears returned. 'If I'm here, where's Reenie?' A sudden thought occurred to her. 'Did she go out on a mission and leave me alone just like she thinks I did to her?' The eight year old pushed that idea aside although it took some effort. 'My big sister wouldn't do that. She loves me lots. Or at least I don't think she would do that.'

Ellen for her part moved over and sat Serena on Reenie's bed. "Serena, you wait right here," the woman instructed the little girl and left the room. The seconds seem to drag by but eventually, her mother returned. "I think you'll have to sleep in your own bed tonight, Serena. It looks like Reenie went out."

Serena's eyes went wide and she turned around to stare out the window. "But it's majorly late, Mommy!" she blurted out.

"Yes, it is. Now come on, young lady, back to bed. You can talk to Reenie tomorrow." The tone in her mother's voice made Serena wary of arguing. She hopped off the pink-haired girl's bed and trotted back across to her own room, where her mother gently tucked her in. It had been a long time since her mother had done that. "Now go to sleep. I'm going to get your daddy to go out and look for her. Sammy will be here if anything happens."

'Uhoh!' the little girl thought, 'I hope I didn't get Reenie in trouble.' Her mother gave her a kiss and after straightening moved towards the bedroom door.

The little blonde had just begun running scenarios over in her mind on how she could make sure her daughter was all right when Ellen's voice made her bolt upright. "REENIE!" Serena looked past her mother and found the pink-haired ten year old looking shocked. "Exactly where were you, young lady?"

'Busted...' Serena sadly thought. Reenie seemed at a loss for words. 'She can't possibly deny it. After all, she's got her jacket on and is carrying her shoes!'

"Serena, go to sleep. Reenie, come with me," Ellen directed before stepping into the hall and closing the bedroom door. Serena sighed, flopped back onto her bed, and decided that if Reenie used Luna Ball, she wouldn't protest.

- - - - -

'That's it?' Molly Baker thought as her senses untangled themselves. 'Did we even make it?' The fact that she was in her bedroom sitting at her dresser wearing her nightgown rather than at the park in her Sailor Scout uniform wasn't the most reassuring piece of evidence. Getting up, Molly walked to the door and opened it. All seemed quiet. She could hear the television in the living room down the hall. Stepping out and turning that way, she paused beside her sister's open door. "I must be in another dimension," Molly muttered as she took in the clutter-free floor before her, "It's actually clean..." Not spotless but much improved.

"Oh thanks a lot!" came a familiar voice. Molly lifted her eyes to see her sister sitting at her desk. Her figure was backlit by the desk lamp. Nevertheless, Molly could see the fourteen year old girl was frowning at her. "You think I live in a pigsty, Sis?"

"Well..." Molly came in and lifted the bed skirt to check beneath it.

"Oh hardy har har," Jenny mocked as she got up and glared at her older sister.

'I must've made it. There's no way MY Jenny would wear that.' That being Jennifer Baker's candy-cotton pink nightgown. The younger redhead even had a pink scrunchie gathering her hair into a loose ponytail reminiscent of the one Lita wore.

"Sorry, I'm not my usual self, Jen," Molly apologized to her sister.

"Oh," Jenny's annoyed expression vanished as she asked, "So your date went that well, huh?"

"Date?" Molly asked. 'Did I go on a date? Melvin had to work on some computer thing.'

"Yeah, Molly. You know... The one you went on tonight with Greg? The one you've been going on about for days." Molly only gave the teen a smile, not wanting anyone to suspect. Of course, the silence allowed her kid sister to speculate, which she did by saying, "Ooowww... so it went like that!" Molly wasn't quite sure how to handle the apparent smugness in her little sister's voice. "Oh yeah, Molly, Mrs. Tsukino phoned. She wants to know if you can sit Serena and Reenie Monday."

'Bingo. If those two need babysitting, I guess there's no doubt... Of course, Serena as an adult might need babysitting sometimes too.' "Thanks, Sis. I'll call her tomorrow." Molly turned to leave the room when Jenny stopped her.

"Wanna watch a movie?"

"Sure, Sis," Molly replied. "I'd love to." If anything, Molly missed spending time with Jenny.

"Well, go pick one out, Sis," the younger teen suggested. "I need to finish this book report up. I'll be out in a few minutes."

"Okay."

"And see if Mom wants to watch!" Jenny called as her sister left the room.

Molly nodded, even though her sister couldn't see her. She made her way to the living room. 'Serena and I have been friends since kindergarten but when I became a Sailor Scout, things got a lot more hectic.' It was the price of being a Sailor-suited fighter for justice. The young woman mentally frowned. 'Could Jenny have been jealous of Serena all this time?' It was a thought that had never occurred to her. It might explain some things. 'She sure doesn't act like this Reenie. I just hope Serena doesn't say something mean like she prefers her Reenie to this one. That kid looks up to her "big sister" so much it'd probably crush the kid for life.'

"Earth to Molly. Come in, Molly!" The redhead started and then grinned at her mother who was looking both annoyed and amused. "Daydreaming are we?"

"Just thinking about Serena and Reenie. Mrs. Tsukino wants me to babysit Monday. Is that okay, Mom?" Molly asked.

Her mother looked surprised. "Sure. Jenny's old enough and I trust her to be alone for a little bit." Mrs. Baker smiled. "Of course, Serena might want to come and visit too. She likes Jennifer."

"Serena likes everybody," Molly mused. "She's got such a big heart."

"And it can get easily hurt too, Molly," Mrs. Baker remarked.

'Yeah that's true. Look at how she reacted when Reenie was rude to me.' Sitting down on the couch, the seventeen year old sighed a little.

"Everything go okay on your date?"

"Yes, I just... Well... I feel like I've had a really long day, Mom," the redhead lamented. "Jenny's idea of watchin' a movie was a good one."

"What are you going to watch, Molly?"

"Are you gonna watch with us?"

"No, I think I'll go co-op the bathtub and soak." The woman smiled. "I'm not as energetic as I used to be."

Molly snorted with disbelief before interjecting, "Speaking of that, I hope Serena isn't too energetic Monday."

"I don't know why, Molly," Jenny commented as she stepped out of the hallway, "Reenie looks after Serena like she's playing house or something. Or at least that's what you tell me. You're just there to make sure they don't burn down the house, kill each other, and dial for the EMS if they do."

"Jeez, Jenny, you make it sound like a combat zone. They're good girls," Molly protested but with a laugh.

"They just don't like me as much as they like you, Sis, 'though it's good money." Jenny put in, "Say maybe you should go on another date with Greg and I can take the job. I need some extra cash to buy a cute vase I saw today." They might own a jewelry store but the family wasn't swimming in money.

"Absolutely not," Mrs. Baker put in, "I told you, Jennifer, one item a month." Jenny pouted. "You're like a dragon building its treasure trove. If I don't put some limits on it, there won't be any place for us to sleep."

"MOOOOM... It's not that bad, and I sold most of my pieces at the school fair last fall, didn't I?"

"That's true, honey." Mrs. Baker allowed, "But how big is this 'cute vase'?"

Jenny rolled her eyes. Her mom made it sound like it was the size of Tokyo Bay or something. "Jenny could share with me," Molly offered, feeling she had to support her sister.

"Yeah, see?" Jennifer said, "Come on, Mom. It's only one little vase." The teenager sketched the dimensions with her hands.

"Which will mysteriously multiply to half a dozen other things. I know you, Jennifer Baker. You can just wait until next month." Jenny looked sullen.

In a mock whisper, Molly offered conspiratorially, "Jen, you can take me tomorrow and I'll buy it."

"Are you serious?" Jenny asked, eyes bright. Her sister had never shown an interest in antique hutting before, expensive or otherwise.

"Maybe not," Molly reconsidered as their mother gave a pointed cough. After exchanging a look, both sisters giggled.

End of Chapter 7

Coming next in Chapter 8 "Friends"