THE WILD BOAR
Chapter 12: "Peaceful Solutions"
A Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.


Bravely Queen Serenity stepped forward, approaching the Goremu head on while the crowd cried and screamed and begged her not to.

"Serenity!" Mars said anxiously.

"It'll be all right," Serenity smiled gently at her, actually turning away from the stone monster that was about a foot away from her. Jupiter and Mercury sucked in air, while Venus lunged forward to pull her away, fearing she would be too late. Overhead, news helicopters and video-equipped drones circled and broadcast the events to a nation and a world.

While Serenity was still looking at Mars, the Goremu swung its left arm, much the way it had before, seeking to brush the Queen aside. Worldwide billions of hearts leaped into throats.

"Ah ah," Serenity gently admonished, sensing the blow coming or at least sensing the change in air pressure that would precipitate the blow. Her dainty right hand went up and the monster's arm was held in place by an invisible force. "There's no need to be afraid. I'm not going to hurt you."

The other arm swung and Serenity caught it with another barrier materialized just in front of her left hand.

"I'm also not going to let you hurt me," she told the stone beast. "I'm ready for you this time. And I can't allow you to do anymore damage, either. This has to stop."

The Goremu strained to move forward, but couldn't against Serenity's power. The Senshi looked on in relief, while Hojiko ground her teeth and the world observed in awe.

"Please forgive me for this," Serenity said meekly as she held the two stone arms at bay, "but this has to end."

And the Queen levitated upward, planting a kiss on the thin etching in the stone head that represented a mouth. Instantly an explosion of light came from the back of the creature. Moments later, Takeshi Ootsuka sat on the pavement behind the now lifeless stone idol, looking dazed.

"YOU DID IT!" Mars squealed happily and ran up to her friend. She was quickly joined by the other Senshi, all patting Serenity on the back and congratulating her. It was a quick alert from Moriko that warned the others that Hojiko had regained her feet. Though she still suffered from the shoulder wound of Mars' enchanted arrow, the fox demon was no less a menace.

"This is only the first round, Queen Serenity!" Hojiko snarled, her three tails twitching behind her. "I will defeat you another day, when you least expect it! Mark my words!"

The three-tailed fox turned to run. But to her and everyone's surprise, a cage formed from the asphalt of the roadway and surrounded the fox, trapping her inside. Hojiko whirled and glared at the Queen.

"You think THIS will trap me for long?" Hojiko growled.

"Perhaps not," Mars answered before Serenity could speak. She had a sutra pressed to her forehead. "But THIS will!"

Mars flung the sutra at the cage. Recognizing it, Hojiko frantically attempted to change her form to try to slip through the holes between the bars. But then it was too late. The bars of the cage resisted her efforts. Hojiko turned back to Serenity and the Senshi with a look of extreme malice on her lupine face.

"Pray that I never escape, Queen Serenity!" the fox hissed. "For if I do, you and your Senshi will pay dearly for this!"

"I hope you'll change your mind," Serenity offered. "I hope some day you'll see the folly of anger and vengeance, as well as inflicting pain and suffering on others just for your amusement. Until that day, though, you'll have to stay like that. I'm sorry."

"That's two foxes we're going to have locked up in Fuchu Prison," Venus observed wryly. "When people call that place a zoo now, they won't be kidding."

At once, the group turned when they heard desperate scratching. They found Takeshi Ootsuka clawing at the leg of the now-motionless stone idol. Serenity glided over and put her hands on the man's shoulders.

"Please don't do that, Ootsuka-San," she said. "You'll hurt yourself."

"No," Ootsuka gasped, clawing at the statue as if he was trying to find a way back inside. "Need the power! Have to kill Morobishi! Need to kill him! Can't get his territory unless he's dead! Have to have it!"

"Ootsuka-San, please don't!" Serenity begged. "It's over."

"No! Need to kill Morobishi! Doesn't deserve his territory! I do! Going to take it! Going to be the most powerful Oyabun in Tokyo! That's why I have to have the power! So nobody can stand in my way!" He finally slumped against the idol and weakly pounded on it with his fists. "Give it back. I need it. Need it."

"When the police take him into custody, I would suggest a thorough psychiatric evaluation be given to him," Mercury suggested to Serenity. "Perhaps it was the merger with the Goremu that put him in this state, but right now he needs proactive mental health care rather than incarceration."

"We'll be sure to do that, Mercury," Serenity nodded.

"And after he's cured, THEN we can lob him into Fuchu," Venus added.

"Oh, Venus!" Serenity sighed petulantly.


"You took a terrible chance, Your Majesty," Luna fretted at the Queen after she had returned to the palace. The police had taken charge of Hojiko and Ootsuka and the stone idol was being transported to a storage facility.

"Oh, Luna, I was in no real danger," Serenity replied, then absently rubbed the sore spot across her chest. "Well, not after he surprised me, anyway. Anyway, if I'd been in any kind of danger, Endymion would have shown up to protect me."

"I almost went," Endymion told her. The three were gathered in Endymion's office in the palace. "That's how close you were."

"And all because of your recklessness," Luna continued to admonish. "And your inattentiveness!"

"I did what had to be done," Serenity declared. "That monster had to be stopped before it could threaten more lives. And I had to find a way to free poor Ootsuka-San from his merger with it. People weren't meant to live that way." The Queen grew self-conscious and looked down at her hands. "I just hope you can forgive me, Endymion."

"For putting your live in danger once again?" the King asked.

"For kissing another man," the Queen replied earnestly.

Luna emitted her most world-weary sigh, while the King struggled not to burst into laughter. When he saw that Serenity was completely serious, he was able to rein in his emotions.

"Given," Endymion struggled to say, "the reason why you did it, I think I can let it slide for the good of the people."

"What are you laughing about?" Serenity fumed.

Just then, Endymion's phone rang. He answered and gave a short message to the other party on the line, then hung up.

"We're about to have a guest," he told them. "Dietman Takahashi."

"Takahashi?" Luna exclaimed in disgust. "What does HE want?"

"To discuss the charges against him. He phoned me while you were coming back from Chiyoda-Ku."

"What's to discuss? The man's guilty," the black cat sneered.

"Luna, let's hear him out," Serenity told her. "Maybe we can resolve this."

"Just don't kiss him," jabbed Endymion. Serenity made a face at him.

The door buzzed open and Jinro Takahashi entered. He took note of who was in the room, but he walked straight up to Endymion's desk. Bowing crisply, he straightened, removed a letter from his jacket and handed it to the King.

"Your Majesty," Takahashi said solemnly. "As of this moment, and with this official letter, I am resigning my position as a member of the Japanese Diet. I also make myself available for any punishment you deem fit for me concerning my actions. I offer no defense. I only wish to convey my deepest regret and sincerest apologies."

And, as Luna and Serenity stared in shock, he bowed again at the waist.

"Well, I am relieved to hear you say this," Endymion replied. "Takahashi-San, I accept your resignation in the spirit it was given. As for punishment," and he paused a moment, "there won't be any."

Takahashi rose up and looked at the King, surprised.

"It was a compromise between my wife and myself," Endymion explained. "She agreed not to oppose my seeking your ouster from the Diet, and I agreed not to prosecute you for - - your crime."

"Queen Serenity?" Takahashi gasped, staring dumb-founded at the woman. "But - - I tried to have you assassinated!"

"And I think you've realized that what you did was wrong," Serenity told him happily. "As long as that knowledge has changed your goals and desires, I don't see what benefit there would be to punishing you. I don't need vengeance. I forgive you."

Takahashi stood amazed. "Hino was right about you. Right all along."

"I am curious about why you did it," Serenity ventured.

The former Dietman sighed. "I'd grown very comfortable in my life. Then you came along and threatened that life - - threatened the power, threatened the money, threatened the prestige. And when you've had that kind of power and prestige long enough, it tends to insulate you. You think you can do anything and get away with it. I never saw you as a person; only as a threat." He took in a breath to steady himself. "When it began to fall apart, I began to realize the consequences of what I'd done. But it was seeing you battling that stone creature, risking your life to help people you didn't even know, that brought the true gravity of what I tried to do home to me. It showed me that I had become just as much of an enemy to this country as that stone monster was."

He thought a moment. "Maybe it's better this way. Maybe people should be limited in how much time they can rule. It's so easy to become insulated from the people who gave you that power."

"So what will you do now?" Endymion asked.

Takahashi smiled. "I honestly don't know. Financially I don't need to work. I suppose I'll find something." He straightened. "Well, thank you for seeing me, Your Majesty. And thank you for your compassion, Queen Serenity. The nation is in good hands with you leading us."

They watched him leave.

"Well, that went better than I expected," Luna commented. "Perhaps I've misjudged Takahashi-San - - ever so slightly."

"Oh! Endymion, what time is it?" Serenity gasped suddenly.

"Your Majesty, the Senshi Communicator does have a chronometer display," Luna frowned.

"It's almost three," Endymion told her. Their eyes met. "Setsuko is due out of kindergarten."

"Race you to the gate," Serenity grinned.

The two monarchs lurched out of their chairs and moved swiftly for the door. But before leaving, she paused and turned back to the black cat.

"AND STOP CALLING ME YOUR MAJESTY!" the Queen bellowed, then ran out the door.

"Disgusting," scowled Luna.


Shinjiro Hino was leaving King Endymion's office. He'd just come to thank the King for not prosecuting Jinro Takahashi, and to consult on some infrastructure legislation that Endymion was trying to push through the Diet. He'd politely visited with Queen Serenity and received a warm welcome that still made him feel a little like a kid who had just brought home his first 'A' grade. All in all, Hino felt pleased with life as he walked down the corridor. Retirement from politics was agreeing with him and he could always consult with the monarchy if he ever felt the itch again.

Then he turned a corner and spotted the shrine that his daughter maintained within the palace. His mood darkened a little. At first, he was going to head for the front gate and ignore the impulse to try once more to mend fences with his estranged child. But the man stopped himself. Avoiding her wouldn't bring them back together, and that was what he wanted after all. Taking a breath to steady himself, Hino ventured into the shrine.

Rei was standing by an alter, lighting some ceremonial candles. Immediately she turned, whether from the sound of his entry or the psychic presence she felt was unclear. But upon seeing him, her expression turned cold. Hino thought for a moment to leave, but kept himself in place.

"You have a lot of nerve coming here," Rei said. "After what you did."

"And what did I do now?" Hino sighed. Rei's eyes flared.

"You knew!" she hissed. "You knew what Takahashi had done! And you COVERED for him!"

"First off, I didn't 'know'," Hino patiently explained. "I did suspect what Takahashi was involved in, but I had no proof."

"So you just kept quiet," Rei frowned.

"I suppose I could have brought my suspicions to the Crown," Hino continued. "But I chose not to, for several reasons. One of them was lack of proof. You don't go around making accusations in public life based on speculation. Another was the possibility of scandal so close to the transfer of power destabilizing the government. Queen Serenity and King Endymion were just starting out, and the public was nervous enough from the attempt itself. A scandal involving a high ranking member of the Diet might tip the country into anarchy - - at least injure the people's trust in government."

Rei continued to glare.

"And the third reason is that Takahashi is a friend of mine," Hino said, refusing to back down. "He's a good man who has done some bad things. Aside from Queen Serenity, who among us is pristine?"

"Remaining silent in the face of evil is tantamount to condoning that evil," Rei told him.

"Of course I considered that," Hino replied. "I haven't led a pristine life either. But I was faced with a choice: loyalty to a friend or loyalty to my country. I didn't want to choose between them, but I had to. History will determine if I chose correctly."

"Hmpf!" sneered Rei.

"I'd be interested to see what choice you'd make if you were faced with such a dilemma," Hino said. "You're very good at judging people, so maybe I already know the answer." He turned to go, then stopped. "Rei, I don't want to keep fighting. I'd like us to become a family again. Maybe there's too much water under the bridge for that. But if you ever do decide to stop judging me long enough to want to try, let me know. I've suddenly got a lot of free time - - and if I do happen to be busy with something, I'll make the time."

"Don't hold your breath," the priest muttered, turning away.

"Perhaps some day, before I die, you'll change your mind," Hino replied. "It's something to hold onto."

Hino left the shrine. After he was gone, Rei grabbed one of the candles and smashed it on the candle holder in a fit of rage. Then she just stared into space that was that much darker.


The biggest hotel in Tokyo was hosting the biggest wedding reception possibly ever conceived, at least the biggest since the Emperor had married. All of the hotel's ballrooms were open and flooded with guests. People who knew the bride mingled with people who knew the groom and people who knew the hostess. There was enough food to feed a small country and enough alcohol to poison a lake. A band played a mixture of pop standards and current hits, and not just any band: It was the quartet currently sitting atop the J-Pop charts, all as a favor to the hostess.

Because when Minako Aino did something, she always did it big.

"Mina," groaned Hikaru, dressed sensibly in a flattering but low-cost ensemble. "Why?"

"You don't like the band?" Minako asked, genuinely perplexed by Hikaru's attitude.

"Are you kidding? If I said that, Kohana-Chan would disown me," the woman grinned ruefully. "I mean - - all this?"

"It's just my way of saying 'I'm sorry' for losing touch, Hikaru," Minako explained. "For not being there when you might have needed a friend. And my announcement that it's all going to be different from now on."

"I would have been happy with a simple reception and a few friends," Hikaru cautioned her.

"I wouldn't have," Minako admitted. "I would have chewed myself up wondering if I could have done more. You were a big help to me in the early days. You were the one who kept me grounded." She grinned self-consciously. "Well, as grounded as you could manage. It was probably a tough assignment."

"You can say that again," Hikaru smirked knowingly and for the moment two old friends shared a bond again. "But this must have been so expensive!"

"I've got it covered. I ran it by Dad first and he said I've got enough to cover it," Minako assured her. "Well, barely. But it's still money well spent. I mean, this place is rocking!"

Spotting someone, Minako waved them over. Suspiciously, Hikaru turned to see who it was, because with Minako it could be anyone from her agent to the hottest movie star in Japan. When she caught sight of the people, though, Hikaru's eyes nearly exploded from her head.

"Y-You're . . .!" Hikaru gasped in shock.

"Another very old friend of Mina-Chan," Queen Serenity said with genuine humility. "I'm very glad to meet you. Mina-Chan talked about you a lot when she was in middle school."

"Ahhh..." Hikaru just stared.

"I'm so happy for you," Serenity continued, grasping Hikaru's hands in hers. "It was a lovely wedding and I hope you both have a long and happy life together."

"Those sentiments are from both of us," King Endymion leaned in.

"T-Thank you," Hikaru replied with a trembling voice.

"So," Makoto began, popping up over Endymion's right shoulder, "any embarrassing stories you can tell us about Minako?"

"You know all of my embarrassing stories," Minako countered.

"There's probably a few we don't know," Rei said, popping up over Serenity's left shoulder. "After all, there are probably SO MANY that Minako had to forget a few."

"Read this, Hino," Minako snorted and pulled down her eyelid.

"This is hardly the time or the place for that," admonished Ami. She was with her husband, Hayami. "Congratulations, Sorano-San. It was a lovely ceremony. I wish you nothing but happiness."

"Wow," Serenity murmured, staring at the two women as Ami shook Hikaru's hand. "Almost like they're twins."

The Royal Couple and the others moved off to mingle and enjoy the party. Hikaru turned to Minako and Minako could see the woman was nervous.

"Well, almost time for my speech," Hikaru said. "Didn't think I'd be speaking to THIS MANY people. Kind of nervous."

"Want to know a trick?" Minako asked.

"Pretend everyone is naked?"

"Noooo! Way too many potential mental bleach moments! No, find someone in the audience and speak directly to them. Don't stare; just act like they're the only one in the room with you. And be yourself."

"Thanks," Hikaru smiled.

"Now you call me if anything goes wrong in your life," Minako told her. "You've got my number. Or even if you just want to chat like the old times. I'll make time for you."

"OK, but that goes both ways," Hikaru replied. "You've got my number, too. If you ever need to talk out anything - - or even if you just want to chat like the old times." Hikaru smiled devilishly. "Or if you decide to get married again on the spur of the moment. Especially to that Ace character."

"Deal, Girlfriend," Minako grinned. "Now go knock 'em dead!"

Hikaru took a breath, then nodded.

END