Just forewarning Standard disclaimer. Sailor Moon is not mine, the idea and the show belong to people much richer than I. Please don't sue!

Dimmer however is mine.. of course if someone wants to use him or any of his transformations for ANY reason "thbbt" go ahead. You have my complete and total permission. I only request you tell me, mainly cause I'd like to read it… Hell, I don't care if you don't tell me, it's not like I could find you anyway.

Warning: mild language, also this is my first fic. Maybe some lime sometime in the far future, but I seriously doubt it. Violent scenes, no worse than most action movies, but they actually sound worse when described…

A week had past and the girls and guys were all practicing. They were putting on some kind of small tournament in which the sensai were not allowed to participate.

Darien sat beside them holding his arm in a brace. He learned well this day that the gentlemanly way didn't stop the girls from causing him pain.

Each teacher was shouting, encouraging, and coaching their own students.

"Sorry Dim, Darien just couldn't cut it." Chad whispered looking at Darien with mild interest.

"Do you really think that dude? Come on, do you really think any of my students would go outta the fight jus' for some hurt arm? He's fakin' it. Darien was easily my top student, jus' kinda disappointed at the lame performance he put on." Dimmer whispered back. "Kinda feel sorry for Amy though, she trained hard for that fight."

"Don't sweat it Dim, the tourneys a long way from over, she's there in the next round, and I'm sure whoever she's up against will put up a helluva fight, unlike Darien…"

Darien looked on in interest as Lita and Serena were going hard at it in the outside arena they had constructed in the backyard. He couldn't shake the feeling that this was a mistake somehow, faking an injury like this, but he knew Amy didn't stand a chance against him, and he was really afraid of what he might've done to her. He could feel Dimmer and Chad's eyes on him. He was certain that they knew, not to mention Amy. He was just trying to do the right thing, but he felt somehow this was going to backfire on him in some way. "Dimmer and Chad must've arranged this for a reason… I just can't think of any of them that are worth risking any of these girls welfare…"

Lita winced as another of Serena's punches managed to get through her large amount of defenses. She couldn't deny the fact she was really starting to feel some of them now. Serena was just too quick to tag with anything. At first Lita was just trying to tire her out, but the endurance training Chad had put the girls on, was working especially well with Serena's seemingly endless energy supply.

Though Serena's attacks hadn't slowed she certainly felt the strain. She knew she couldn't keep up this pace for very much longer, but Lita was just starting to feel her combos. That wasn't on her mind though as she turned to face Lita. There was only one thought flowing through her mind.

"I have to prove to Darien that I'm strong enough to help!" As she thought it she unclasped the training weights still attached to her wrists, ankles, shoulders, and thighs.

Chad smiled. His best student was about to let the gloves come off.

Lita jumped back stunned, The weights fell to the ground leaving a small crater where they landed. "I can't believe it! Serena was just toying with me!"

Serena couldn't believe how much faster she had become, her body felt lighter than a feather as she sailed through the air. Since that second day the only time she allowed the weights to come off was to put more on. This was the first time in the last week she had taken them off. She went for a basic spinning air back kick. Lita took the kick trying to land her own punch into Serena's unguarded midsection.

Serena swung her other leg up to avoid Lita's punch, making her body twist in midair while still sailing toward Lita.

Lita smirked as the kick sailed past her head to the right and Serena's other foot to her left. She reached up to grab Serena by the shoulders, catching her mid air turnabout, and pushed forward, intending to slam Serena head first into the ground.

Lita suddenly felt Serena's legs lock into position around her neck, Serena's arms outstretched, clutching the ground in an effort to use Lita's downward thrust, and turn it into a fast paced cartwheel, Lita was hefted into the air by Serena's legs. Lita flew through the air into the temple wall, her own strength used against her.

"Winner!" Chad called out as Lita eyes swirled in pain.

Dimmer and Serena ran over to check on Lita.

"Lita! Oh Lita I'm sorry! Please wake up!"

"She's just a little out of it Serena, don't worry." He brought out some smelling salts and Lita woke up coughing.

"Hey Lita how you doin'? Ya 'lright?"

"Yeah, Sensai, no problem, hey Serena great throw. Never even seen it coming."

"Yeah Serena, gee, I wonder where you might have picked that one up, wouldn't be from either Chun Lee or Sonja Blade would it?"

Serena just blushed, "You knew?"

"Actually I'm impressed, street fighter moves are exactly what I was using at your level. Just remember some of the moves on those games aren't realistic, and could break you for even trying to do them. If ya need any references ask me after the tourney and I'll see what I can do."

"Thanks Dimmer."

"Serena! Ya gotta sit with Amy, me and Dim forgot to bring any pens and paper, so winners and losers gotta sit in corresponding places before we forget who won and who didn't."

"Okay Sensai!" Serena called back to Chad before running over next to Amy.

"Hey Lita, ya did good. Serena fooled ya good on that last one, but remember she wasn't used to of all that speed. There is always a way to win, all you have to do is see it and take advantage of it. You could have tried to move around a bit to try to keep her off balance."

"Oh, okay, I'll try to remember that. But it isn't looking good for your students Sensei, both me and Darien are down I don't suppose we're going to win."

"Gotta have faith girl, Rei's up next. We may yet."

"But she's would have to win three times in a row! Once against all of them!"

"You're forgetting Lita. Everyone else has been training a week for this, Rei has been training since she was old enough to walk, she may surprise you.

Rei faced off against Mina. Mina immdiately took off the weights, she hadn't done as well in her training as the other two. Against Rei she knew she'd need all the advantage she could get.

Rei stood her ground, looking cautiously at the blonde. Mina's hair was splayed out in the wind as she took up a fighting stance. Rei's hair was done up in small, white piece of bandana, keeping it from going into her eyes.

Mina charged in.

"Ha!" Rei shot to the left, using the small amount of speed training Dimmer taught, that neither Darien or Lita had thought to use. The scene almost seemed to slow down as Mina ended up her first move way overextended expecting Rei to just stand there and take it like the other two.

"Hiya!" Rei brought her own fist forward taking Mina's mistake as her chance to strike. Mina found herself slamming into one of the trees. She was up and away just barely before Rei had put her fist through it. Mina came down on Rei as her fist got caught into the tree.

A shot to the stomach, a knee to the head, Mina brought both hands down to Rei's head slamming her to the ground before jumping away. Mina felt the bruised spot on her face with her hand. Her whole body ached from where she had hit that tree, she knew another shot like that and she'd be out of commission.

Rei, picked up a rock and threw it missing Mina completely making a small hole in the earth far below her. Another and another, all missing Mina as she spun in the air, landing and jumping back, by the time Rei was done with her attack the ground was littered with small craters.

Mina landed gracefully, her arms spread out as if just performing moves to show off. Every one knew that that kinda stuff for any of the girls was just child's play now.

"Looks like your going to have to teach Rei a bit about accuracy there Dim."

"Really? I thought she did rather well. After all she just won. I'm going to go get her a drink of water."

"Huh?"

Chad turned his eyes back to the battle as Rei charged after Mina, who had taken to the air again. She once again landed gracefully, only this time when she went to dodge. One of the many little craters slipped her up, it was all the time Rei needed.

"YA!" Rei had kicked Mina into the air before jumping up after her. Mina heard herself grunt in pain from the kick, she looked down only to see Rei use a flying uppercut sending her further up into the air.

Rei grabbed Mina by the ankles before she flew too far out of range for hand to hand, and hurled her toward the ground.

Chad immediately flew out catching Mina before she hit the ground, he ended up hitting the ground first, breaking her fall. "You okay Mina?"

"Yeah… umm thanks.." Mina looked away from Chad blushing.

"Good, think you could help me up? I can't feel my legs."

Mina paled at this and quickly got off him and helped him to his feet.

"My turn to thank you eh?" Chad laughed, "ya did good. You've improved a lot. Rei caught everyone but Dimmer by surprise with that crater thing so don't feel bad alright?"

"Yeah I know. Don't worry about that. You're hurt."

"You ain't in perfect condition either girl. Besides that's what me and Dimmer were here for anyway."

Mina set Chad down on the ground where he was to begin with.

"That was one helluva throw there Rei, good job."

Rei smiled at Chad through her panting.

"Hey Rei, here ya go."

"Thanks Dimmer." She took the water drank some and poured the rest on her forehead to get rid of the sweat.

"Nice tactics. You'll have to take Amy next. Be ready. She's a perfectionist, unlike Mina she wont take the time to do anything fancy with her jumps. Completely by the book, but don't underestimate her because of it. The book was made for a reason. All the tricks in it work."

"In other words, go unconventional?

"It's about the only way she won't have already figured out what you're going to do. She's memorized and is perfect with every written down strike, block, and dodge. But her main advantage is she'll know whatever move you're going for, just as if it was a chess game to her, or a game of go."

"What are the rules again?"

"Beaten to an inch of their life, into unconsciousness, help from outside interference for stopping near death or mortal injuries, or an obvious killing blow that you stopped yourself from delivering."

"I meant about area of the fight. Anywhere restricted?"

Dimmer smiled. Perfect strategy. "The inside of the temple, I don't think you're grandfather would appreciate us smashing things up in there."

"That's it?"

"That's it." He handed her a towel, and she dried off some of the water.

"Alright, I'm set, lets do this thing."

"Amy, Dimmer knows you, the way you think, the way you act. He knows what advantages you have over Rei. Expect her to be unpredictable, but every move she ever uses will still be based upon the books you studied. All of our basic styles come down to them. Instead of looking for the moves themselves, look for similarities. Watch out for the feints there's bound to be some in there."

"Got it."

"One moooooore thing. Leave the weights on, it worked for Serena as a surprise tactic. Taking it off now will just put you off balance. Plus, you're not likely to get too many blows in like the other girls. This way you have a bit more weight and power to the tags you manage to get through."

"Okay!" Amy got up to leave.

Chad pulled her down "One moooooore thing. You're shoe laces are untied."

"Oh… thanks."

After she finished tying her shoes, Amy got up and took a stance towards Rei.

"One moooooore thing!" Chad called from the sidelines.

Amy looked at him a little annoyed.

"Kick her ass!"

Amy smiled, once again took up stance against Rei, Chad seemed to know exactly how to stop her from being nervous.

Amy and Rei ran at each other at the same time, suddenly Rei stopped and ran the opposite way.

"Huh?" Amy had to follow her. She watched as Rei ducked around the other side of the temple. Than the thought hit her.

"An ambush!" She jumped to the tree just in time to see Rei's round house swish through the place where her head had been. The force of the kick nearly made her fall out of the tree. Instead she used the extra propulsion to flip around the branch and land a heavy dropkick into Rei's gut, knocking her to the ground. Amy was on her in less than a second, but Rei had already managed to get up. It was punch against parry for every move they made. Amy read every move she tried, even the feints.

Every now and than Amy would out do her and get a strike in knocking Rei's head back, and use the stun to get several light blows in. She wasn't as fast as the other two, but the extra weight supplied some knock back, to help for stunning effects.

Rei knew she would lose if she continued to fight like this , but Amy was blocking her off with tactical moves. Every time she tried to escape out of range a kick or punch was stopping her.

Rei thought for a second, of course. If she could just…

Amy punched and kicked all the while keeping an eye on her opponent. Her mind raced with the possibility of what moves to use, making the right decisions in split seconds, it was exhilarating. More so than any challenging test or quiz. She felt her mind was being put to full potential. But than something happened she did not intend. One of Rei's blocks turned into an arm lock, she was already in the reversal for it, but she couldn't help but notice her arm was lighter.

"The weights! She's taking them off!" Amy recoiled in defense allowing Rei the room she needed to get to a different terrain. She jumped to the top of the temple roof. Amy wasted no time in jumping after her. She couldn't allow her to find the terrain she wanted to fight in. She wasn't even half expecting another surprise attack. You never use the same trick twice, and Rei knew Amy thought it would be useless. She landed on the roof only to find herself slipping off.

"Some shingles are missing!" She looked up to see Rei launching an air attack throwing the shingles down toward her.

Amy brought up her arms and legs to defend against them, not having time, to get away, she knew doing it too hastily might just end up in her falling off of the now slippery roof. To her surprise none of the shingles had any effect on her. She got up to face Rei who smirked as all Amy's weights fell to the ground broken off of her by the shingles.

"Uh oh."

Rei came forward in a charge. The two met blow for blow, but this time Rei had gotten some strikes in. Amy felt her kidneys explode in pain, as Rei brought her foot into them. She couldn't do anything about the other foot coming up in her spin kick knocking Amy right off the roof.

Dimmer was there, he caught Amy before she could slam into the tree she had swung from earlier.

"Well done Amy. Great maneuvering. Work a little on your strength though, without the weights you couldn't hurt Rei even when you did hit her. Never grow dependent on items that could be taken away from you."

Amy nodded. "Great job Rei. You win."

"Thanks Amy." Rei hopped down from the roof. "You did good too."

"Rei go rest up a bit. Your final match is with Serena is in ten minutes."

"Will do."

"Okay Serena. You're the pride of my students. If anyone can take Rei off her winnin' streak, you can. Take this ten minutes to stretch and train a bit without the weights, you're going to need every advantage."

"Right!" She immediately started her stretches.

"Rei?"

"Yes Sensai?"

"You ready?"

"Yes Sensai.

"I can only tell you this Rei. Be ready, have patience, and strike hard. Serena will not improvise. She will make mistakes. She doesn't know her speed well enough, so she'll be a little off balance, and a little klutzy. But she will not give up. She's fighting for Darien's trust here, that will be your ultimate task. As long as she has a reason to keep it up, you'll never keep her down, and she'll learn from her mistakes, she'll get used to of her speed, and she will become so powerful, that improvisation will not be necessary."

"You give her too much credit Sensai. She's good, but no one's that good."

"I am, and so is she. There is much to be said for determination Rei. Don't underestimate Serena, or it will be you lying unconscious at the end of all this."

"Yes Sensai."

"Rei?"

She looked up to him.

"You can beat her. But the only way you're going to, is if you find a real reason to fight her, like she has to fight you. Find one." Dimmer turned around and walked toward the sidelines, where Mina was looking after Amy.

"All bandaged up Chad?"

"Yup. When'd you get so fast?"

"Huh?"

"You caught Amy faster than anything I could do."

"Strength isn't the only thing I train in Dude."

"You don't train in strength," Chad said as he looked toward Serena and Rei taking up stances.

"All you train in is pain."

The words echoed in Dimmer's head. It was true, it was all he knew how to do. He could handle any kind of pain. Pain from muscles pulling, wounds, heart, soul, body.

Pain…truly was all he ever trained in.

Serena and Rei closed the distance in between each other immediately. Serena nearly tripped as she was closing in on breaking the sound barrier. Rei crushed her face into the dirt the moment her eyes were torn from her own.

Serena rolled straight into a tree with a loud CRUNCH. She stood up again a little wobbly, to find Rei come in laying it on to her. She dodged almost every blow but the ones she wasn't able to get away from had smashed her into the tree again and again..

Chad was already about to get up, but Dimmer held him down.

With a final punch straight to Serena's chest, Serena flew right through the tree.

"AAAAGGHH!"

Serena once again slowly got up. Rei flew past the tree trying not to give Serena the chance she would need to get up. Too late.

Rei ran straight into a round house that knocked her straight up into the air.

"Darien…" Serena whispered before following, colliding with Rei in midair, as she drill kicked Rei back to the ground.

Serena rolled back to another fighting position.

Her arms and legs were all scratches with trails of blood starting to seep out.

Rei, who had her own wounds bandaged, got up with no small amount of force. Her fist from where she had puched through the tree trying to hit Mina, had started to bleed as the wound reopened. She felt every bruise Amy left on her ring sharp with pain. She remembered Dimmer's lessons.

"Ignore it. They expect you to suffer from it, to not get back up. Don't do them any such favors. They'll mock you and than, when you get back up you can kick their ass into oblivion. Mock them when they've died. It is only than that you'll be able to spare the time to do it. and its only than when it won't come back to bite you on the ass."

His lessons were for fighting the Negaverse. But the very foundation of his training laid on ignoring pain, and exhaustion.

Serena rushed at her. "I can be strong!"

Rei blocked and tried to dodge, but the moment she was caught by one punch, she was caught with an onslaught of them.

Serena performed a cartwheel, smashing one fist against Rei as she brought it down, than smashing her with the other. Standing on her hands now, she brought both of her feet into her gut. Rei felt herself fly back. A small bit of air rushed underneath her she realized Serena's combination wasn't finished as she felt both of Serena's feet slam into her back sending her high into the air.

Dimmer looked on with a raised eyebrow before smiling. "Orchid offa Killer Instinct."

Serena's speed did break the sound barrier at that moment as she flew through the air.

Rei heard a loud BOOM

Than felt what had caused it as a fist collided against her face, than an elbow, than another fist, and the other elbow, a knee, a foot, an knee, and she caught the other leg before it could finish the combo.

Rei threw Serena forward into the ground, right before Rei flying elbow dropped her.

They both got up once more.

Dimmer chuckled to himself, "Combo breaker."

"Tuxedo Mask…" Serena was in tears as she rose to face a shaking Rei. "I am strong."

"Serena…" Rei whispered under her breath, "I don't want be your sidekick, I just want to be your friend."

They both rushed at each other, both wanting to prove themselves. Serena moving faster than sound, Rei an infallible cliff wall.

The neighbor hood reported it as a supernatural disturbance when the resulting shower of dust clouded the temple grounds, and the booming noises cracked the windows of the nearby houses. They were, in a way, right.

Neither Rei or Serena had seen what the other had done during the fight. Neither of them knew when they had transformed, in the middle of the fight. But there could be no mistaking the mini skirts of Sailor Moon and Sailor Mars fighting on the temple grounds.

Dimmer and Chad were smiling. They had achieved the level of capabilities they were hoping for. Darien, Lita, Amy, and Mina all stood in shock. And on the temple roof cackled an old man.

"I think this one will go into the record books." He laughed.

The girls would be fine, they were just tired.

There was only one thing on any of the scouts minds afterwards. Serena's leadership was never questioned again, when she stumbled out of the dust cloud laughing with Rei as she carried her friend on her back.

"I think it's time to propose my idea Chad."

"I can't believe you're going to even mention this."

"What idea? Dimmer What are you tow going on about."

"Crime stoppers."

"What?"

"I think I know." Mina put in. "Chad and I were talking about it. When me and Artemis were together, we didn't find to many youma, but we did solve a couple crime rings."

"Exactly Mina. If we do some stuff like that, You girls can get some real life training in, and help out some people while you're at it."

"And how exactly are we going to solve crimes Dimmer? We don't have the training for that kind of thing." Rei pointed out dramatically.

"We get help."

"Where from?"

"The police. They already trust you guys, and I ran the idea across Pidge and John, and they said that the government would go for it in a second."

"I get it now." Lita smiled, "The police do the detective work, and we help what they can't."

"Or emergency situations. We can help if there's some equipment gone haywire." Darien put in.

"Yeah! And people will trust us more, and we may get called if the Negaverse attacks." Serena squealed excitedly.

"I don't know Serena. You girls… I should say people, are going to be right in the public eye. That might get people trying to find out who you are." Luna wasn't so sure on this idea.

Artemis had stayed quiet over on Dimmer's lap. He didn't intend to open his mouth until next winter. "Maybe I can stay out of trouble a bit more that way." He still stared a little longingly at Luna when she wasn't looking.

"Already figured out Luna, knew you'd bring it up. You guys already got communicators right? Well all we need is someone to answer the phones. They can send us the call. And with the person I got we can take calls directly from the public and he'll be able to tell us if the calls are legit or not. We'll only accept the ghost stories from public ,but I the police need us it will be put on an emergency beeper for him to send to us."

"Who is this guy? Can we trust him?"

"We already do Luna."

"We do?"

"Umm… Hello," A young man with his arm in a sling opened the door to the dojo, "the old priest told me you were expecting me. Dimmer? Are you here?"

Amy was up in a second to hug him. "Greg! You're going to take the calls?"

"Well, I figured it was the least I could do. I'd be able to tell if whatever unsolved mystery actually involved the Negaverse by talking to the people involved. Dimmer said I was the obvious choice."

"But what if it it turns out to be an actual ghost? They do exist you know, I've ran into a couple." Mina asked a little perturbed.

"That's what I'm here for." Rei smiled. "And if its too tough for me, Grandpa would be happy to help. The only reasons why these souls remain, is because no one seen them off properly and unfinished business. As priestess off the Hino Temple, I have to look in on these things anyway."

"Then its settled. Dimmer's idea works. We fight crime, ghosts, and the Negaverse!" Serena called out cheerfully. "Heck with this, we won't even have to go out on patrols!"

"Yeah really, with the entire city watching out for us, we're bound to find them. Dimmer how quick can we put this together?"

"I'll call John tonight. Hey Chad where you going?"

"I uuuh… well… ummm, I got something I gotta tell my folks. It's been awhile since I was talking to them."

"They might have something to say about your new accent," Lita laughed.

"Who are your parents Chad? What do they do?" Mina asked

"Umm well… they really aren't much, just business people really. A lot of work in America and here. They spend their time over there though…" Chad looked away sheepishly.

"Really? My parents own a restaurant over there." Lita smiled. "I wish I seen them more often, but I'd rather be here with you guys anyway.

"Hey yeah? What's the restaurants name? Where at?"

"China Town, Manhattan. Its called the Canton."

"Isn't that Chinese?"

"Most Americans can't tell, and everything else seemed copyrighted."

"Cool, I'll get Ma and Dad to drop by some time."

"Alright" Lita laughed, "I can tell my parents I'm finding customers for them all the way over here."

"Yeah, I guess you can." Chad laughed and inched away nervously and was out the door without another word.

"Well Dimmer, go make that call now. I want to check out the new Sailor V movie coming out!" Serena said.

Mina blushed as all the other scouts looked straight at her. She smiled a little embarrassed, "Ummm isn't that supposed to be rated 18 or over?"

"Don't worry, the theatre here never holds it against the sweet, innocent girls" Serena waved it off.

Dimmer looked up to think. "Hey yeah? You guys really going to see that? Supposed to be a lot of gratuitous nudity in that one. Didn't think yas were mature enough to handle something like that." He laughed and than was quickly hit with Rei's shoe.

"Are "you" of all people, trying to call us immature?!"

"Uhh… point…" Dimmer shrugged sheepishly.

Mina's blush had turned a deep red, and she inched herself to the door the same way Chad did earlier and than out it in a flash. Watching a movie based on her having gratuitous sex wasn't her idea of a good time. That's when she heard Chad's voice.

"Listen Dad, you don't wanna mess with these girls, haven't you watched the news?"

"Never mind the accent! I'm serious."

"I'm part of it! Are you going to make me disappear too? Besides they're all my friends!"

"Good. Alright than. It only has to be for a little while. Has that list of things I ordered come in yet?"

"Of course I need them! It's the world at stake here!"

"Well some one's gotta!"

"I don't care if a hero can save me, I'm not gonna just stand here and wait! Not if there's something I can do!"

"I can so do something, especially if that stuff comes in."

"It has arrived already? Good, yas better pull out for a while, I mean it Dad."

"Right, hey you know there is a restaurant called the Canton right in Manhattan ever hear of it?"

"Have ya ever eaten there? I know the daughter of the people who run the joint, I think you'd enjoy it."

"Well yeah, she is a friend of the family I guess, she's one of my students."

"You'll put it under protection? Thanks, I think…."

"Yeah, was nice talkin' to you too. Say hi to ma for me."

"See ya." Chad hung up, and leaned back against the wall and sighed.

Mina was hiding behind the corner.

"Just what kind of stuff? Just who are your parents?" Mina thought to herself not noticing Dimmer walking in.

"Hey Mina is Chad offa the phone yet?" Dimmer asked without thinking.

"Dimmer!" Mina gasped in surprise before seeing an even more surprised Chad staring at her.

The three stood in silent contemplation staring from one to another. Not knowing what the other knew or not. The awkward silence was so loud it drummed upon the ears of those caught in it. Dimmer broke the silence with a single sound.

"Meow?"

Both Mina and Chad face faulted. Chad. Shaken out of the stupor form the fall, answered, "Yeah Dimmer, the phone's free. Mina has decided to come with me tonight for a drive on the Harley, you don't mind do ya?"

"Huh?" Mina looked up stupidly, "Oh! Yes! That's what I'm doing, sorry no gratuitous sex for me tonight!" She laughed nervously.

"Oookay…" Dimmer looked at them both like freaks, and coming from Dimmer that was pretty bad. "I think I'll call John now… get outta my temple!"

"Right." Chad grabbed Mina's hand and pulled her roughly to the door, Don't wait up!" He shut the door.

Dimmer's eyes widened a little at Chad's statement, and his rough handling of Mina…

"I thought she said no gratuitous sex?" he shrugged and turned back to his phone call.

"How much did you hear?" Chad asked quietly his back faced Mina.

"Enough… Your parents, their smugglers?"

"Hmph, hardly. They control much more than a bit of a smuggling operation, Mina."

"Yakuza…"

"Yes. I told them to do their business elsewhere. I don't like what they do, but I don't want to see them hurt. You guys may put them outta business. Guns aren't that easy to get over here, because my parents don't like the idea of them getting over. Often their operatives are giving anonymous tips to the police about shipment of weapons. They do a little bit, but only with people they can trust. They aren't the monsters people make them out to be. And should they go down, there are a hundred others willing to take their place who would turn Japan into a war zone for a little extra cash."

"And what sort of shipment came in for you?"

"Mina, you never seen me in a fight. Unlike you girls, I have no transformation. Guns and explosives are my best chance at hurting them."

"If you aren't powerful enough, don't face them! Leave it to us!"

"And let some hero do it? No way! I'm not gonna stand here and wait for you guys if there's trouble I can help with!"

"But you're putting yourself at needless risk!"

"What's needless about protecting my friends? And you guys are taking the same risk I am. I nearly beat Sundown in a fight all by myself! Can you say the same Mina?"

"I've never even seen Dimmer's other transformation, how can I say?"

"Pray that you don't. I seen him transform. It's cool, but not pretty. But more than that, its powerful. The only reason I stood a chance was my weaponry, and an underestimation on his part. And despite your training. I think Sailor Venus would have a hard time fighting Dimmer himself, let alone Sundown."

"I see. Well than can I judge if you have the right weaponry to help or not?"

"Dimmer has already given it a looksee. No one else knows about my family though. Only you."

"I'd like to make that decision on my own please."

"What do you know about guns?."

"I spent a lot of my time tracking them down, you learn things. Like where people will usually carry them," She twisted Chad around and grabbed his pistol form the back of his coat.

"How to use them." She checked the magazine to see if it was loaded and re-locked it into place.

"What to look for in them, like balance, weight, the extra options like scopes and different types of ammunition, and silencers." She gestured with Chad's pistol, which happened to have a silencer on it.

"In most of them I can tell if they've been modified, or where that type would usually be found, or who'd usually be carrying it. Like this one is military grade, and I'm rather curious how you got your hands on it. I'm also a pretty good shot" she shot the silenced pistol, picking off a few hairs on a stunned Chad's head.

"… Give me that!" He snatched the pistol from her hand, and pushing it up against her head, and in a very menacing, quiet tone spoke into her ear, as he pushed her up against the temple wall.

"So you know what they're like? Have you ever had a barrel of the gun pointed straight at your head? Sure you'd survive as a Sailor, but your not a Sailor right now are ya? Have you ever felt a freshly fired gun in your face? How the barrel burns at the touch? Have you?"

Mina giggled and pinched his nose, and whispered into his ear. "You know your whole intimidation factor wouldn't have been ruined, if you had the safety off."

Chad face faulted. And turned back to his bike. "Fine, but your going to stick out like a sore thumb in the red light district…" It was his last hope of getting her to back off. The red light district was famous for the cheap hotels and prostitutes on the corners. Mina looked like your average prep.

"I got a couple of things I can wear. I've been under cover there before."

Chad shook his head, a little in admiration. Just what had she been doing as a sailor scout? Hunting down every gun in Japan?

"You'll have to stay on the bike, they don't like strangers. I'll do the pick up and head out to my cabin. My main stash is out there."

"Okay, but drop by my apartment first. I have to change."

"Zoicite! Just what are you asking?!"

"My Queen. The Sailor Scouts took out many of our youma and newly discovered nightmares, and always seem to know where we are. I fear my strength will not hold out against them further. I will need help or they may steal the other crystals away once we gather them. I have already located the rest of the crystals, but if they all show up the youmas are as good as healed or dead. I've expended much of Talenite's resources, and summoned nightmares. Ambushes, do not seem to effect them, and now they start to set up some of their own. The number of allies grow, they were up to seven when this new Daybreak character came in during the last fight, and now you tell me that our scouts say the other sailor scout they have been watching has disappeared? Is it not expected she will join with the others? That will make the odds 8 to 1 my Queen, for Talenite only cowers should the battle not go our way. Those are not good odds my Queen, even for me."

"No General of mine has ever asked for any kind of assistance before. It surprises me how powerful these new allies must be. Very well Zoicite, take Malachite with you next time. No more attacks directly for the crystal, we'll just lose it if we underestimate them once more, instead focus once more on energy. I believe we'll need more information before going after the crystals again. Test them, prod them. Send as many monsters as we can, none of these battles will we win, I am assured, but record their progress and bring it to me. Summon Talenite for me. I must have a word with him."

"Yes my Queen." Zoicite disappeared. She returned to her own quarters, wiping some of the nervous sweat off of her forehead. Beryl was so unpredictable, she wasn't sure if she was going to make it out of there alive. She waved her hand in the air and a wisp of black energy became a cloud with the transparent face of Talenite in it.

"Queen Beryl wishes a word with you Talenite. It may be time for you to pay for your cowardice do you think?"

Talenite's eyes opened wide in fear, and quickly teleported to the Royal Chamber. Head bowed, he groveled against the ground. "Yes my Queen?"

"Talenite, you have brought to us a rare gift in your summoning abilities. I wish to learn how. You will teach me." Her eyes narrowed, "Will you not?"

"Of course my Queen."

"Very well. Tell Zoicite you will no longer be needed at the battle sites. Help her with the battle tactics, and summon the nightmares she may need. All other time you have will be spent with me. Understood?"

"Yes. I understand and will do your bidding."

He teleported away to relay his Queen's orders.

"And after that we will no longer require your services." She laughed loudly echoing through the bitter cold recesses of her chamber.

"It is about time I took matter into my own hands. We will see just what we can do about these scouts and their allies. We have time. And with the energy collected in these battles, we will be able to do something that the scouts will not expect…" A plan was already forming in her mind.

"After we gather the information. Than will I unleash the true power of the Negaverse."

"Hi again! Sailor Moon here. Wow the Sailor Scouts have gotten very strong haven't we? And I've finally proven myself as leader! But remember, being the best doesn't necessarily mean you should be the one to lead everyone else. The Sailor Scouts chose me to be the leader way before our training. We don't choose the people we want to follow us, but it's the people themselves, who choose who they want to follow. "

"Look at Chad! He doesn't follow anybody, for any reason, if it doesn't make sense to him. We can't expect to have everyone follow our orders without question or reason. If this is why you're being followed, you're not leading, you're just being bossy. Sailor Moon Says!" She giggled.

Reality:

Mike turned off the show. "Damn. Even in that world."

Mike was thinking about how it had focused on Dimmer between one of the fight scenes. He too thought of what Chad said. "Pain is all you ever train in."

Chad didn't know what he was saying. Pain was, for a long time, all Dimmer ever knew. The running, the beatings, but mostly the mental pain that came with everything he did. He always blamed himself for everything, especially the trouble that others went through when he was around. Dimmer always felt like he should do something, but instead took a page from Mitchell's book, and tried his best to ignore it, but ignoring hurt Dimmer too, it made him regret it, and he always wished he had helped them when he had his chance.

It was always a no win situation. Someone was always going to get hurt, and that sucked. Of course pain is what Dimmer trained in, it's what he knew best.

Mike berated himself. How come he never forced Dimmer to let him help him? He should have.

"And now even in that world, all you ever feel is pain…"

Endnotes:

Yeah! A new review! I'm so sorry I haven't answered ya yet, I almost always email back to the people who review. The problem is, I'm in some of he final projects of my digital animation course and have been having quite a time of it lately. Oh yeah, for all of you reading that wanna take the extra time, there is a picture of Dimmer as he first arrived in the Sailor Moon world, located at mediaminer.org, there's also one of Talenite there. I use the same pen name and the same title to the fic there too, so it should be simple to find. Anyway, more animation to get to, so ciao!

Oh yeah! Keep reading and reviewing!!