CHAPTER ELEVEN: PLUTO'S CHOICE!
All of Tokyo seemed to fall quiet in the immediate aftermath of the short but intense battle that had erupted around City Hall. No one other than Sailor Moon's Senshi, as they ran triumphantly to embrace her, seemed able to have anything to say.
Lyle Yoshii didn't know he was holding his breath until his friend Terry put his hand on his shoulder. "Just breathe, Lyle," his Cameraman said.
Lyle let his breath out and looked at his partner in disbelief. "Stuff like this makes me glad I became a Reporter!" he said with a grin.
"So what about it?" Terry nodded toward the Senshi. "Are you a Sailor Moon fan?"
"I'll fall down on my knees and worship her as a Goddess if she can keep making News like this!" said Lyle with a laugh.
Jed Tokiba started to run forward, but he was stopped briefly by Detective Morimura. "Aren't you going to tell me you told me so?" asked the old Cop.
Jed gave the Detective a long look, then he smiled. "Later," he said, pushing past him.
"Did she do it?" asked Sailor Uranus, lifting Executioner's body up so that her head rested on her shoulder. "Her body looks the same."
"She said 'Refresh'," said Sailor Jupiter. "That usually means it worked. It has in the past."
"You okay, Serena?" asked Sailor Mercury.
Sailor Moon had sunk to her knees in exhaustion. "That took a lot out of me. She got a lot of licks in before I managed to get her. But somehow… I knew I could touch the Glaive… And I knew that breaking it would take the wind out of her sails."
"It sure did," said Mercury. "You were amazing out there! You didn't even need us!"
"Gee I guess that means we're out of a job," Tuxedo Mask joked as he squatted down next to her.
"Tuxedo Mask!" Sailor Moon jumped into his arms, knocking him over. She began showering his face with kisses. "I did it! I did it! I really did it! I'm not a failure!"
"You never were, Serena," he kissed her back.
Jed ran over and knelt over Executioner. "Is she back? Is it her? Hotaru!" he put his hands on each side of her face.
Executioner opened her dark eyes and looked up at Sailor Uranus and Jed, with Sailor Neptune and Pluto standing in the background. She smiled weakly. "Hello… guys… It's been a while…" she gasped.
"Hotaru!" Jed's eyes filled with tears.
"I can't… feel her… anymore…" said Hotaru. "Executioner… Mistress Nine… is gone. I'm completely… in control."
"That's wonderful, Hotaru!" Neptune cried, squatting down also. "Welcome back!"
"Uh oh, Here comes the mob," said Ann, assuming her Human form.
The Police, the Rescue Crews, and the Media were all moving in. Ironically it was the Police Jed feared the most.
"We have to get Hotaru away from here," he said suddenly. "Senshi. Take her away. The Cops will see no distinction between Hotaru and Executioner."
"He's right," Sailor Uranus sprang to her feet with Hotaru in her arms. "Let's go."
"Hey! Hold it right there!" someone shouted.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" Jed raised his arms and approached the advancing crowd. "There's nothing to see here. The Senshi will dispose of Executioner and you'll never be threatened by her again."
"Now just a minute!" one of the Police shouted. "Executioner should be placed under arrest!"
"Yes! He's right! It's the law!" another one echoed.
"What do we do?" asked Sailor Mars fearfully. "If we let them have Hotaru they'll eat her alive. But if we take her away from here without permission we'll have just negated everything Sailor Moon fought for."
"The Senshi are not above the law!" shouted a Cop. "Or was that little scene back there just a turf war for dominance?!"
Even the Reporters were getting in on the act:
"Sailor Senshi. Do you have any response for that?…"
"The Police have a point. Will you hand over Executioner to justice?"
"What is your stance regarding the relationship between the Senshi and the Police at this point? Are you above the law?"
Jed opened his mouth, but he didn't know what to say. None of them knew how to react to this. The situation was going downhill quickly!
"They'll put Hotaru in jail for life," Sailor Neptune's voice was filled with dread.
"…Kill me…" Hotaru said weakly.
"What?!" Uranus exclaimed.
"Kill me. It's the only way to satisfy them and save face." said Hotaru.
"No way!" said Jed. "I'm not going to let you die anymore! I've already lost you once, I'm not losing you again!"
Something inside of Sailor Pluto snapped just then, and she clenched her fist tightly at her side. "I'll handle this," she said finally. "Gates of Time! CLOSE!!" her Garnet Rod flared and, like a record slowly coming to a stop, everyone wound down until they didn't move anymore.
The Senshi looked around at the now silent and still world. Everyone was frozen in various poses. A bird flying overhead was stuck in midair as if it were suspended from a wire. There wasn't even any wind.
"I'll never get used to that," said Sailor Uranus.
"Trista… Isn't that forbidden?" asked Neptune.
"I'll solve the problem right here and now," Pluto declared. The ice in her voice was crisp and sharp like a dagger.
"Trista. What are you thinking?" Jed was suddenly suspicious. "What are you doing?"
"I'm putting an end to this cycle once and for all," said Pluto. "Hotaru… Come with me."
"Not until you tell me what you have planned!" Jed grabbed her arm tightly. "I don't trust you!"
Trista looked sadly at Jed. "Do you love me?"
Jed paused. "What kind of question is that?"
"You can't love both of us, Jed. You need to choose!" Pluto's red eyes filled with tears.
Sailor Neptune stepped between them. "Perhaps now isn't the time for this kind of discussion."
"I have to know…" said Pluto, never breaking her gaze from Jed.
Jed looked at her desperately and then looked over his shoulder at Hotaru. Hotaru looked younger now. Her physical body was reverting to match her personality.
"Trista, I don't think you should put him in this position," Tuxedo Mask interjected.
"This is between myself and Jed. Don't make me freeze you guys too." Pluto replied.
"Don't make me do this. I'm not ready to choose." said Jed.
"You seemed quite ready to choose back at the Park," said Pluto.
"That is not fair!" Jed exclaimed. "Do you think this is easy for me?"
"No more, Trista! Stop picking on him!" Sailor Moon stepped forward. "I order you, as heir to the Moon Kingdom and the future Queen of Crystal Tokyo, to leave him alone!"
Pluto paused and gave her a stony look. "Aren't we full of ourselves all of a sudden?"
"She has a point," said Jed. "How dare you? We went through Hell this week to defeat Executioner and bring Hotaru back to us! I went through Hell! Can't you let us enjoy that for a little while before you bring this up?! I told you in the car I needed TIME!!"
"Trista, we don't doubt one bit that you love Jed very much," Sailor Neptune said. "But Jed is right. Poor Hotaru deserves a break. We all deserve to be happy that she's back. This isn't like you, Trista. You're being so… cold all of a sudden."
"Just leave them alone. We can talk about this later," Sailor Venus suggested.
Trista closed her eyes, looking sick. "Very well. It's time now for all of you to make a choice. Her or me."
"Knock it off!" Jed exclaimed. "Why are you being so selfish?!"
"This isn't about just me!!" Trista exploded. She pointed to the surrounding crowd of people who were frozen. "Look at them," she said softly after composing herself. "Many of you have already figured out what's going to happen. Hotaru will be arrested and tried in a Court of Law. The amount of crimes she has committed is worthy of life imprisonment in this country. So unless you want her to serve several hundred years in jail, I suggest you hear me out."
"Alright," Uranus put Hotaru down. "What do you propose?"
"One choice is me. I have already broken Time's sacred law myself, by stopping things like this. My Father Chronos will not forgive me this time, unless it was for something noble and necessary like it was when I saved you from that Helicopter explosion. To make this sacrifice worthwhile, I will have to destroy Hotaru. Keep in mind that if I destroy her in this way… She will NEVER come back again. There will be no more Sailor Saturn ever again."
"Why am I suddenly afraid of 'door number two'?" Lita asked.
"Because the other choice is Hotaru, and only her. If I do nothing, and allow you to keep her, I can erase everyone's memories of this event and you all can live happily with Hotaru for the rest of your days as if she never died. But I will be punished. The punishment will be fairly permanent. I may never return from the Time Stream. If Chronos doesn't banish me outright… He'll certainly forbid my ever leaving Pluto again. None of you will ever live long enough to see me again, as I will be a prisoner of my duties until the end of Time." Trista's eyes wavered with tears. "If that happens… I might as well be dead to all of you."
"And you will have to serve out the worst prison sentence in the History of… of HISTORY!" cried Sailor Moon.
"That is why I asked Jed to choose," Pluto looked at Jed. "You must know I'd do anything for you. That's why if you chose Hotaru I could go away forever and let you two be happy."
"Why did you even stop time in the first place?" Uranus clenched her fists at her sides. "That was stupid! We wouldn't have to make this damned choice in the first place!"
"Because before I stopped time… You had NO choice," said Pluto. "Hotaru would have had to go to prison for several lifetimes. And I know none of you would be satisfied with that. Not after fighting so hard. At least now you have a choice."
"And what a choice," Mercury shook her head. "Not like this. This can't be happening."
"Time grows short. You must choose now. If you wait too long, the powers that be will make the choice for you. And the actions they take may be worse than any other choice I have offered you," said Pluto.
Everyone looked at one another. Hotaru stepped forward. "I could never live with deciding that I should live while you get outcast," she said. "I want you to do away with me. My life is a curse… I want it to end."
"Hotaru…" said Jed.
"My suffering will be short compared to Trista's," Hotaru reasoned with the others. "It's not worth saving me over. Especially if my life is only capable of causing pain."
Sailor Pluto looked at Hotaru guiltily. "This is entirely my fault, Hotaru. I should have tried to get rid of Mistress Nine years ago. To try and separate you two. But I never imagined she would have the power to make such a mess of things again. If you hadn't died fighting Dark Mercury… She wouldn't have been reborn this way." Pluto took a deep breath. A single tear rolled down her cheek. "And your willingness to sacrifice yourself has helped me come to a decision."
Pluto looked around at her friends. "Since this is my fault, the choice shall be mine. I should never have placed it on your shoulders. Jed was right. I was being terribly selfish." Pluto put her hand on Saturn's cheek. "One day… Your curse will end. One day you'll stop paying for Saturn's sins. And your ancestors will live long and prosperous lives. And you will be happy with Jed. The two of you were simply meant to be. For attempting to come between your love… I deserve eternal damnation." Pluto lifted her Garnet Rod. "I have made my choice!" she declared.
"Sailor Pluto… Trista!" Serena took a step forward.
"None of you will ever have to suffer over my absence," Pluto continued, her Garnet Rod beginning to blaze with purple intensity. "I shall use my powers to make everything right again. My last gift to you, Princess. I shall go… And you can all fulfill your destinies and be happy."
"PLUTO! DON'T GO!!" Neptune reached for her, but was repelled by some invisible force.
"I will miss you all, terribly," said Pluto, her face now flowing with tears. "When I disappear you'll be safe."
"Pluto! Don't do this to me! Even if you don't mind doing it, your doom will still be on my conscience!!" Hotaru cried, clutching Pluto's shoulders.
Pluto smiled. "Oh, Hotaru… The eternal damnation I was going to put you through would have been even worse than the one I'm likely going to serve. I can't believe I even considered it in the first place. And for my evil heart… I deserve this more than you do. Go and be happy. Live, Hotaru. Don't be sad over me. For this is what it means to be a Senshi. To put the happiness and safety of others over oneself. Goodbye, everyone…"
"TRISTA!!" Jed shouted just before the purple light of the Garnet Rod washed over everyone in the city of Tokyo! With a sound like imploding air, the light shrank back into nothingness and vanished along with the Senshi from Pluto………
ssssss
Sailor Pluto stood before the Lord of Time, looking sorrowful. Her head was bowed and her shoulders hunched in surrender.
"Do you fully understand the consequences of your actions?" Chronos rumbled to her from beyond the mists. She could not see him, but his presence was all around her. When he talked, lightning jumped from cloud to cloud. His anger was apparent.
"Yes, Father… I do," Pluto answered. "I am ready to accept my punishment without complaint. For I have broken the Covenant."
Chronos rumbled again. "The last time you broke my rules, I gave you another chance, since your actions ultimately contributed to Sailor Moon's victory over a being that would have laid waste to the Universe. However, once again you have broken the Law of Time. And not just with interrupting its flow, but also with tampering with the minds of millions of people to make them forget a crime that should not be forgotten. I have to say that I had great hopes for you, my daughter, when you took over the mantle of Guardian of Time from your Mother. I was proud.
"But now…" Chronos continued. "You stand before me as a failure. You are the greatest disappointment of a Time Guardian that I have ever seen. Your impatience and your loneliness has repeatedly driven you to abandon your post and meddle in the affairs of the Third Dimension. Your ignorance and your ineptitude allowed a being like Dark Mercury to ravage my Time Stream and forever alter Universal History! Your selfishness has driven you to repeatedly offend the sacred laws that I put in place for a reason. In the end, Trista, you were entirely too weak and mortal at heart to be able to hold the position of Guardian of Time."
"So I am to be banished?" Pluto asked.
Chronos was silent for a minute. He seemed actually to consider it. "Don't be a fool. I will take some responsibility in appointing you to a position you were unqualified for in the first place. That, at least, was not your fault. However, unlike you, my irresponsible daughter, I rectify my mistakes. You are no longer fit to be Time's Guardian. I shall appoint a successor more worthy of the job."
"And what is to become of me?" asked Pluto, feeling a bit of disbelief over what she was hearing.
"Though you are an abject failure as a Guardian, there is one thing that you have never been a failure at," Chronos continued. "Courage to fight against nearly impossible odds. Putting yourself before others, even though they probably deserved the worst fate imaginable. You have put your life on the line as a Senshi, despite my objections, and you have stood by your friends. You break my rules to save your friends regardless of what you know the consequences will be. Your soul is far too pure to warrant damnation. You are weak, just like a mortal, but among your peers you have stood tall, and though you may not believe this, Setsuna… Of your mortal achievements I have been incredibly proud."
Pluto looked up, even though she could see nothing, she imagined she was looking into her Father's face. "What are you saying?!"
"You're so much like your Mother, Setsuna. Just as impetuous. I strip you of your Guardian duties and forever banish you from the Time Stream, but not to oblivion. Not even as a visitor will you ever set foot in this Dimension again. Or any Dimension for that matter above the one you were born in. Your sentence will be to carry out your mission as a Sailor Senshi, to protect and serve the future Queen, and to protect innocent mortals from danger for as long as you are able to live. Your longevity has been stripped, and you shall die as all mortals do with the passage of time. From this point on you are simply Sailor Pluto… Nothing more, nothing less. And should you ever fail at even this small repentance I have placed upon you… Then I will have no choice but to take steps in punishing you permanently! Do you understand all that I have told you?"
Sailor Pluto trembled. Too shocked to believe what her Father was saying to her. Too shocked to feel happy or joyful. This punishment… It was more like a blessing! But she contained her joy, afraid that to sound happy might make Chronos change his mind. She simply lifted up her Garnet Rod across her palms, and offered it to the Lord of Time.
"To your judgment… I willingly submit… Father…" she said shakily.
"Oh, come now. You can't fool me. I know you are happy with this decision. Don't try to pretend you are not!" Chronos said, sounding irritated. "If there's anything I hate it's people who are not honest with their feelings!"
Trista Meioh, the woman who was once Princess Setsuna of Planet Pluto, the woman who was Sailor Pluto, the woman who longed desperately for countless Centuries to be Human, began to cry. Thousands of years worth of relief washed over her all at once and she collapsed to her knees, sobbing in happiness that she had never felt before!
Even as the Garnet Rod twinkled and vanished in thin air, she stayed there for several minutes, crying her joy out.
"Father! I love you so much!!" she sobbed thankfully. Placing both hands on the ground, she bowed to Chronos. "Thank you!!"
Chronos rumbled again, but it was less of an angry rumble this time. There even seemed to be some mild approval. "I suppose disgrace and repentance is too much to hope for from a mortal daughter," he said. "Now get out of my sight before I change my mind… And may you spend the rest of your natural life making certain that no further harm comes to Planet Earth or anyone thereon."
Still crying, Sailor Pluto stood up and ran. She ran as fast as she could toward the looming door of the Gate of Time and flung the doors open. With a reckless abandon that she never permitted herself to display before, she dove into the light…..
ssssss
"I've asked five people so far and they all say pretty much the same thing," Mina shrugged as she stepped in out of the rain and took off her shoes inside the doorway to the Hikawa Shrine.
"Let me guess," said Katsie, shutting the door behind her. "They tell you they remember everything that happened about Executioner, right up until the conclusion of the fight with Sailor Moon…"
"And then they all claim that Executioner was killed by Sailor Moon," said Lita, finishing the sentence. "It's the same story everywhere we go. It's even being broadcast on the news."
"And how we all ended up here, instead of downtown… It has to be Trista. It was her last gift to all of us. She actually erased everyone's memory and rewrote it so that they wouldn't bother us about Hotaru anymore," said Michelle, pouring everyone tea at the table in the next room.
"It's truly astonishing how powerful Sailor Pluto actually was," said Luna, curling up in a corner with Artemis. "To be able to do something of this magnitude. Even if it was only a few minutes of time, she actually rewrote History in a way."
"Jed feels just awful about this," Hotaru sat at the head of the table with her dark eyes cast on the floor shamefully. "He won't speak to anyone. Not even me. This is all my fault. We'll never see her again because of me."
"I think it was all of our faults in the end," said Amara, taking some tea and sipping it. "Right up until the end we treated her like she was being selfish. In the end, we were the selfish ones."
"I wonder what's happening to her right now?" Birdie wondered.
"I cannot even imagine," replied Luna.
"Where did Jed go?" asked Mina.
"He got called back to the station," said Michelle. "They wanted to talk to him for some reason. I hope this whole event doesn't cost him his job."
"I heard it was for a Press Conference," said Amara. "It should come on the television eventually."
Serena walked into the room. She too looked just as deflated as everyone else did right now. "God… Now it's raining too," Serena said, looking out the window. "Rain always makes me so depressed. It's like the weather is crying for Trista too. I can't believe my last words to her were so mean." She looked like she was going to begin crying again.
Hotaru's head sank further into her shoulders. Michelle tried to give her a cup of tea, but she wouldn't take it.
"Hotaru… I'm sorry it had to turn out like this," said Michelle. "But it happened. I don't think it's possible to feel any worse than you do about this whole affair… But Trista made a choice. And even though we're all sad to see her go, I believe it was the right choice. If you look at it… Any other alternative would have just made everyone miserable anyway. Trista made a decision worthy of a Senshi, and I'm certain she doesn't regret it one bit."
Hotaru sniffed, fighting back more tears. "It's… It's just not right…" she whimpered. "I would have gladly gone to jail or died rather than have her do something like that."
"Stop that talk," said Lita. "What's done is done. Trista would want us all to move on with our lives. Let's just stop talking about it. Talking about it will only make us more miserable. It won't bring her back, so what's the point?"
Artemis rubbed himself against Hotaru's elbow. "She's right. It will take some time, but we'll move on. That's the best thing we can do to honor Trista's sacrifice."
"It's the best thing we can do to honor anyone's sacrifice," Katsie told her. "Take it from someone who knows exactly how you feel. I do my best every day to become a good Shinto Priestess and a worthy Sailor Mars to honor the sacrifice made by Raye."
"And I do my best to be a good Sailor Mercury in honor of Amy," said Birdie. "You're back now. You'll never be Executioner again. Now you have to be Sailor Saturn again and honor the person who sacrificed herself for you."
Hotaru nodded slowly. "I'm so sorry…" she said.
Suddenly there was a knock on the Temple door. Katsie went to go answer it. Everyone else simply continued to mope in the Living Room.
"Jed, hi," Katsie said as she answered the door. "Come in. How did your conference go?"
"The Press Conference isn't until next week," Jed said, moving inside. His hair and shoulders were soaked from walking through the rain without an umbrella. "Detective Morimura is going to announce his retirement."
"So why did he summon you downtown?" asked Katsie.
"He wants me to take his place… As Detective," Jed slipped into sandals and walked into the Living Room. "Everyone pretty much knows me as the guy who has connections to the Sailor Scouts. Harry says I'll make a better Detective with the Senshi around. The Commissioner agreed. He said he wants an officer who can call upon you girls when things get too hairy for the Police."
"So you're the Senshi Hotline now, huh?" Serena said. "I'm sorry about that."
"It doesn't matter to me," said Jed. He looked across the table at Hotaru. "It's not that I'm unhappy with the promotion… It's just… difficult knowing that all this is happening because of Trista. I never did get to tell her just how much she meant to me. Of all the people here I was the most selfish out of all of us."
"Not again, please," Michelle stopped him. "We just got done talking Hotaru out of her own feelings of responsibility. Let's not rehash things all over again."
"Hotaru…" said Jed.
Hotaru looked up and regarded him with sad eyes. "Thank you, Jed… For helping me."
"I meant what I said earlier to you," Jed replied. "I will always be there for you. No matter what happens."
"Oh, that's so sweet…" Serena bit into her cracker emotionally. "I wish Darien would say that to me more often…"
"That is pretty sweet, Jedite. But just what am I? Chopped Liver?" said a familiar voice from the doorway.
"Who's there?" asked Katsie. Suddenly she gasped loudly.
"It can't be!" said Lita, dropping her cup of tea in shock.
"Who?" asked Serena.
"My God!" Luna exclaimed.
Serena leaned over the table and looked out at the doorway to see a pretty young woman with red eyes and dark green hair wearing a blue skirt and matching turtleneck underneath a brown rain jacket. The smile on her face was glowing like the Sun.
"You shouldn't leave the door open on a rainy day. It's bad luck," said Trista Meioh.
"SAILOR PLUTO!!" everyone exclaimed at once. Like a mob they all crowded around her. Their sadness of a moment ago was suddenly forgotten. Gone like a feather in the wind. They all took turns touching her, embracing her, kissing her, and all saying how happy they were to see her again.
"What are you doing here? This is so wonderful!" Hotaru embraced her the hardest. "When you went away, we all thought you would never come back!!"
"That's what I thought too," Trista returned the hug. "Sorry to worry you so badly."
"But how? I thought you were going to be permanently punished," Amara said. "Not that I'm complaining or anything."
"I have been punished," said Trista. "I've been fired."
"Fired?" just about everyone repeated.
"From my job as Guardian of Time," said Trista with a smile. "Chronos stripped me of my Time powers, my position, my Garnet Rod, and booted me out of the Time Stream forever. As repentance I must serve faithfully full time as a Sailor Senshi."
"OH MY GOD! THAT'S SO WONDERFUL, TRISTA!!" Serena leaped on her back and wrapped her arms tightly around Trista's neck. Trista gagged, lost her balance, and fell to her knees right there on the floor.
"Serena…" everyone sweat-dropped.
"Oops… Sorry," Serena got off. "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"
"It means I'll never have to leave Earth to go back to the Time Stream ever again," said Trista. "In retrospect this dismissal should be extremely humiliating to me. But I can't help feeling as if I've been set free."
"Well don't take this the wrong way," said Lita. "But we're glad you got fired."
"Yeah, it was a lousy job anyway," Mina added.
Trista stood back up on her feet as Serena slid off her back. She looked mischievously at Jed. "I heard you, you bad boy. I'm gone for less than three hours and you're already chasing another girl."
Jed blushed, as did Hotaru. "It's… Not what it looked like…" he stammered.
Everyone laughed. Katsie walked around behind Trista and grabbed her rain coat. "Here, let me take that for you," she said.
"Thank you," Trista slid her jacket off and looked down at Luna and Artemis. "I can barely even recall the last time I could just visit my friends this way."
"It's almost like old times, Setsuna," Artemis replied, using her old name. "We're just missing a few people, that's all."
Hotaru wiped a tear from her eye and smiled sadly at Trista. "Now that you're back, I suppose you'll be wanting Jed back too. He's all yours. I can't help feeling like I came between you two and forced you to do what you did."
"Hey, I said no hard feelings," Trista said to her. "And besides. I know how YOU feel about Jed. Don't just give up and bury your own feelings."
"You should know by now that burying your love for someone isn't healthy," said Lita.
"That's right," said Trista. "I'll tell you what. As of right now, he's up for grabs. Now that I'm a full time mortal, I can afford to hang around for a little friendly competition. Whoever wins between us will have Jed, deal?"
"Hey, uh… wait a second here!" Jed was beginning to feel a little bit objectified. "Don't I have a say in this?!"
"No, because you can't make up your mind!" Hotaru suddenly turned on him and speared him with a hard look. She turned back to Trista. "You're right. I care for him just as much as you do. I'm not going to give up!"
"And neither will I!" Trista shot back with a determined grin.
"Hooo boy," Luna sweat-dropped. "And here I always thought Pluto was the MATURE Senshi."
"But in the end, they're all just girls," Artemis sighed.
Jed simply stood aside and hung his head. "Why me…?" he moaned.
ssssss
A week later, Jed Tokiba pulled into the parking lot near his Apartment and shut his car off. He got out of his car and took another look at the new badge in his wallet. The badge still had his old ID number, but now it was engraved with the words: "Detective: Tokyo PD."
Jed shook his head with an ironic smile. "Morimura, you old bastard… Why do I get the feeling you had the last laugh here?"
"Oh! Jed! You're home!" someone exclaimed from an upper story window. Jed looked up to see Trista leaning out the window. She had a cooking apron on and a spatula in one of her hands. "Come on in. I just cooked you some dinner. You're right on time because it's almost ready."
Jed's eyes became wide. "Um… How did you get into my Apartment?" he asked up to her.
Trista held up a small sparkling key in her other hand. "Skeleton Key. I made it myself." The smile on her face was unashamedly triumphant.
Jed heaved a sigh. Trista was acting more lively and happy in the last week or so since she got 'fired' as Time Guardian. Was it just because she was living it up after being stuck away from reality for so long? Whatever the reason… The intensifying rivalry between Trista and Hotaru was beginning to grate on his nerves. He began to curse his plague of indecision and knew that whatever happened, this headache was not going to go away any time soon.
Jed almost opened the door to his room by himself, but somebody on the other side flung it open for him. When he saw Hotaru standing there at the door, also with an apron on, he felt his heart sink.
"Today I made some Spicy Curry, your favorite!" Hotaru bubbled.
"Hold it!" Trista called from the kitchen. "He's trying my Pot Stickers first!"
"We'll just see about that!" Hotaru called back. She turned and grabbed Jed by the hand. "Come on. The food will get cold if you don't eat quickly!"
Jed wrenched his hand free and backed out into the hallway. "You know something? I just remembered I left something at the station. Gotta run!"
"Hey!" Hotaru called as he bolted down the stairs. "You big meanie! COWARD!!"
"Argh! Did he take off AGAIN?!" Trista shouted, sticking her head out of the kitchen.
"Yes!" Hotaru replied.
Trista balled up her fist in determination. "He's not getting away so easily this time! PLUTO PLANET POWER!!"
Hotaru threw off her apron and raised her own Henshin Pen. "SATURN PLANET POWER!!"
Those who were passing by the Apartment building at that moment would have seen a Cop car scream out of its parking spot and burn rubber down the street toward the skyline of Tokyo. Followed just after that by two Senshi, leaping out of a window and jumping from rooftop to rooftop to try and keep up with it.
Little did anyone know, it was a sight they would grow more and more accustomed to......
THE END