Third Time's the Charm

By Bashfulglowfly

Chapter Twelve

Mercury and Zoicite watched the graphs carefully as Sailor Moon went through the training session in the other room. They talked to each other and to Artemis, periodically pointing at one graph or another. The other Senshi and Shitennou as well as Endymion watched her on the monitors.

"She's quite graceful." Said Mars.

Jadeite nodded "She should. She's been taking Traditional Dance, ballet and karate since she's been little."

On the monitor, Sailor Moon barely dodged an attack before she was able to throw her tiara, which was deflected by the virtual youma. She used her scepter to power her final attack, destroying the youma. She collapsed to her knees, panting.

"Stop the simulation." Ordered Endymion as he opened the training arena door. Sailor Moon looked up as he strode to her side. She struggled to get to her feet but before she could, he had scooped her up and carried her back into the control room.

"I'm fine! I'm fine! Honest! I just need a little rest then I can go on."

Endymion sat down on the sofa that was against one wall and pressed a finger to her lips. "Hush. Drink." He handed her a bottle of water that was tossed to him by Nephrite. Sailor Moon glared but opened the bottle and began slowly drinking from it.

"That's it?" asked Zoicite.

"Yes. That's it." Said Mercury. She turned to the group, "We've finished our analysis."

"What's your conclusion?" Asked Kunzite. Venus stood next to him. She wasn't touching him but it was obvious that they were very aware of the other's movements.

Mercury sighed and glanced as Sailor Moon. "Sailor Moon is perhaps the strongest of us all. BUT she really isn't meant for the initial fighting. She's…"

"Sailor Moon is the Closer, so to speak." Interrupted Zoicite. "Her powers are meant more for ending the battle rather than fighting during it."

Mercury nodded. "Yes, but she's still the most vulnerable of all of us. Because she is a Closer, it takes her time to gather her power and when she's finished, she's weak and could be attacked by another youma or by one of the ones who's controlling them."

"So, we – the Senshi and the Shitennou – go out and kick youma and villain butt while protecting Sailor Moon until she's able to finish them off?" asked Jupiter.

"Exactly." Said Mercury and Zoicite at the same time.

"I remember the fight between Metallia and Serenity. She was using a lot of power then." Said Mars. "She used her own and she used what we gave her."

Artemis nodded "True, she is able to channel and use immense amounts of power but the more Sailor Moon or Serenity uses, the weaker she becomes afterward. In the fight with Metallia, she used so much, it killed her."

That shocked the Senshi. They stared at each other. "Wait, she died? I thought we were the only ones who died?" said Venus.

Artemis shook his head. "Everyone died. But Serenity had one last wish at that time and the Ginzuishou granted it."

"Regardless, Sailor Moon simply shouldn't fight alone." Said Mercury. "In fact, if at all possible, we should keep her away from any of the battles…especially with the fact that Demando is still looking for her."

Sailor Moon shuddered and buried her face against Endymion who growled low in his throat and pulled her closer.

Venus looked at Kunzite. Even though they had been apart for a very long time and their bond was tenuous, she knew he could read what she was thinking. "We need to find a way to get Demando to come out. We need to finish this once and for all."

"I don't like what you're thinking." Said Kunzite.

Venus smiled gently at him. "I know you don't. You're the Big Brother."

"Sailor Moon as bait." Stated Jadeite.

"No." Venus shook her head. "From everything you have said, he's not obsessed with Sailor Moon…he wants Serenity."

"Hell no!" shouted Endymion. "I won't allow him to get his hands on her again."

"Sailor Moon or Serenity. I don't see the difference." Said Jupiter. "One becomes the other."

"True." Said Mercury. "But when you're dealing with obsessions…it does make a difference to an unstable mind like Demando's."

"I'll do it." Said Sailor Moon. Endymion started to speak but it was her turn to lay a finger across his lips. She leaned her head against his. "I don't want to be afraid anymore. I can't be afraid." She straightened and looked at each of the Senshi and Shitennou. "I can be strong about this. You come up with a workable plan and we'll implement it." She smiled at Endymion. "I know I'll be safe with all of you there."

Zoicite ran a hand across his ponytail. "We're going to have to bring the Outers in on this."

Nephrite shook his head. "Uranus is NOT going to like this one bit."

Luna, who had been sitting quietly listening, snorted. "Uranus is going to have to suck it up and deal with it. Just like the rest of us."

Uranus didn't like it. And let everyone know that she didn't like it. At the top of her lungs.

Neptune didn't like it much either but she was practical and understood that something had to be done to get Demando eliminated.

Saturn and Pluto simply shrugged and agreed to do what was necessary while keeping Chibi-Usa safe.

Chibi-Usa clung to Sailor Moon and Endymion. She knew that they weren't quite her parents yet, but they would be eventually and she'd already seen them get injured in the future. She was still dealing with the loss of Kenji and Ikuko and didn't want anything more to happen to Serenity and Endymion in the past. Those fears explained a lot of her previously bratty behavior towards Sailor Moon but with a long talk and plenty of reassurance, her attitude changed considerably.


It was seven in the morning one Sunday. Only a few hours earlier everyone, except the Outers and Chibi-Usa, had staggered back to the house and collapsed after a long battle with the Ayakashi Sisters and Rubeus. Shingo woke long enough to make sure that everyone was okay then went back to bed. The guys went to their own rooms with Mamoru crashing on the floor in Neph's room. Ami and Rei slept on the floor in Makoto's room while Minako slept in Usagi's.

Minako rubbed her eyes sleepily. She could have sworn that she heard the doorbell. The noise echoed again. It was the doorbell. She heard Jade's door open and listened to the muttered curses as he moved quickly down the hall and the stairs. She heard the front door open and a woman's voice entering the house. Curious, she got up, quietly opened the door and slipped into the hall, closing the door behind her. She tiptoed to the head of the stairs and looked down.

In the living room, stood Jade, both hands gripping his hair, staring at his sister who walked into the kitchen. "Kaede, it is SEVEN AM on a SUNDAY! We're all sleeping!"

Jade's sister. The one who is interested in Kazuya. Minako's eyes narrowed as she looked at the woman who wouldn't take "no, get lost, I'm not interested" for an answer. She wasn't impressed. The woman was too skinny which made her fake boobs look like Madonna's bullet bra from the 80s. And her hairstyle just didn't suit her face.

"Don't be silly, Jun-chan." Minako raised an eyebrow at that, even his parents called him 'Jade.' And he was more than a bit old to be a '-chan' as well. "It's a beautiful day and I've brought muffins, cinnamon rolls and coffee."

Jade tried again. "Kaede, we had a late night last night. We're exhausted. It's going to be several more hours before we're going to get up. And we have guests."

Kaede dropped the bags she held onto the counter. "Guests? Who has guests? Does Kazuya have a guest?"

Minako grinned as an idea came to her. She cast a spell and made herself invisible. She sped down the stairs, through the living room, down the hallway and into Kazuya's room. Once inside, she released the invisibility spell. She stared for a long moment at the man sleeping peacefully in the large bed. Her eyes roamed from the top of his head and down the muscled torso to where the sheet, regretfully, covered some of his most salient points. More than slightly disappointed about that fact, she need to get on with her plan.

She picked up his discarded dress shirt and put it on, rolling up the sleeves. She decided to only button three of the buttons. Too many wouldn't give the right impression and less than that was slutty.

She cast another spell to make her look like she was in her early twenties then artfully tousled her long blonde hair. She walked out of Kazuya's room and into the living room, stretching and covering her mouth with one hand, faking a yawn.

Jade's eyes bulged at the sight of her. "M…Minako…what are you doing…"

"Here?" Minako asked sweetly. She strolled into the kitchen and poured a cup of coffee from the coffeemaker. "It was late. You guys were already asleep upstairs and it too late to go back to my place so I stayed." She carefully dropped in a spoonful of sugar and began to stir. "Kazuya's still asleep. He's just completely worn out." Minako looked at Kaede. "Who are you?"

Jade looked like he wanted to find the nearest hole and hide in it until the end of the world but he manned up and made the introductions. "Kaede, this is Minako, she's a…friend of Kazuya's. Minako, this is Kaede. My sister."

Kaede nodded stiffly, glaring at Minako.

Minako looked blandly back at her with limpid blue eyes. "Oh, you're the one stalking my Lollipop." Kaede gasped with outrage but Minako continued. "Just so you know…I don't share. No one sucks on my Lollipop but me." She stopped stirring the coffee, stuck the spoon in her mouth, closed her lips about it and pulled it free with a popping noise.

She ignored Jade's whispered moan of "Oh. My. God." And kept her eyes on Kaede.

"If you'll excuse me, I need to get back to my Lollipop and see how many licks it takes before the creamy goodness appears."

Jade sounded like he was strangling while Kaede's face grew red with anger but her mouth could only silently open and close.

Minako turned and started to sashay down the hall towards Kazuya's bedroom when he exited wearing only a thin pair of cotton drawstring pajama bottoms. Minako felt her mouth grow dry at the sight but she had to carry her plan through. She pouted up at Kazuya. "Aaahhh, I wanted to wake you up and give you your morning coffee."

Kazuya's eyes barely flickered to the woman standing in the kitchen. "Sorry about that. I woke up and I there I was…cold and lonely." His voice was a sleepy husky growl that sent shivers through Minako and she swayed closer to him.

"I'm sorry. I guess I'll just have to make that up to you." Her own voice had also become low and husky. She handed him the coffee cup then wrapped her arms around him, pressing her body against his. She stood on her toes and kissed his mouth. She purred as his tongue dueled with hers while his free hand cupped her bottom through his shirt. She slid her hand across Kazuya's barely covered bottom.

Neither heard Kaede's muffled scream. Nor did they hear the slamming of the front door. They broke away and stared into each other's eyes.

"I'm going to go and bleach my brain and eyes now." Said Jade loudly. "I don't want to remember the last ten minutes…ever!" And he loudly climbed the stairs.

Kazuya continued to stare at Minako who had rather feline smile across her face. He read in her thoughts what she had done. He took a sip of the cooling coffee and swallowed. Minako raised an eyebrow at him and waited. He raised his own eyebrow right back at her and smiled. "Wicked minx."

Minako's delighted chuckle echoed through the room.


Author's Note: Just in case: by Traditional Dance I mean Japanese Traditional Dance.