Chapter 3

"How are we going to do that, Amy?" Sailor Jupiter asked, "I don't mean to sound depressing or anything, but look at our situation. We're fugitives on the run. How are we going to win Crystal Tokyo back? I'm not saying that I'm not for it. But how are we going to do that, Ames?"
"We're too visible in our Sailor uniforms," Mercury said. "We have to change back to ourselves. We also have to change how we look. Lita, you've worn your hair tied back like that ever since we've known each other. The only way we're going to be able to win Crystal Tokyo back is if we disguise ourselves."
"How are we going to do that?" Sailor Venus asked. "It's not like we have anything at our disposal, you know."

Mercury nodded. "I know. But do you really think that the people of Crystal Tokyo are happy living with Nemesis ruling over them? I know for a fact that most of the population isn't. If we transform back to ourselves, there's a certain hairdresser who will help us out. Lita, do you remember Molly?"
"Do you mean Serena's friend, Molly, from school?" Jupiter asked, not quite understanding what Amy was getting at.

Sailor Mercury nodded.

"Yeah," Jupiter replied. "Why?"
"It just so happens that Serena had been keeping in touch with Molly," Mercury replied.

The Scouts looked to Mercury, the look on each of their faces asking the same thing. What did this have to do with them disguising themselves?

"It also just happens that Molly has become a hairdresser," Mercury said, smiling.
"Do you think Molly would help us out?" Sailor Venus asked.

Mercury nodded. "Definitely," she said with no uncertainty.
"Where is Molly's shop?" Jupiter asked. "Near here?"
"I think so," Sailor Mercury replied. "And if I'm right, it's only a block away."
"Then what are we waiting for?" Venus almost exclaimed. Quickly, the four Scouts de-transformed. A few seconds later they were back to their normal selves, each wearing jeans and a sweater.
"Let's get going, you guys," Lita said, "Even if we're not dressed as our Sailor selves, people will still recognize us."
"Lita's right," Amy said, "We'd better get going if we want to make it to Molly's shop before we're recognized."

Mina turned her head to see if there were any soldiers of Nemesis nearby. When she couldn't see any, Mina turned back to her friends and nodded. "There's none nearby," she assured her friends. "At least none that I can see. Can you sense anything, Raye?"

Each of the girls turned to face their friend, who shook her head but said nothing. "Then let's go."

As quickly as they could, without arising suspicion, the four of them walked away from the building and headed towards Molly's shop.

Meanwhile, in the darkened Crystal Palace a tall, intimidating figure sat in Neo-Queen Serenity's throne room. His head of security stood just a few feet in front of him.
"Where the hell are they, Collins!" the figure barked, rising from the throne. "Why haven't you caught those fucking idiots by now! It shouldn't take you over two years to catch someone!"
"They are very crafty, si-" the man named Collins began, but was immediately cut off by the new ruler of Crystal Tokyo.
"Silence!" roared the new king. "I did not give you permission to speak!"

Collins nodded apologetically.

"Now then," began the new king, "Why haven't you caught the remaining four Sailor Scouts? Do not tell me that four women give you, a man that I thought was smart and tough enough to head my security force, so much trouble?" He practically spit out the word women, as though it were toxic.
"I... I do apologize, sire," Collins stuttered, afraid of his king, "But they are very crafty. They are not as easy to capture as the others were. Unlike before, they are expecting us and are watching out for us or any of our soldiers."
"And about those kids," the king began, "The ones that were sent into the past. Has anything been learned about them? Have they returned yet?"
"No, sire," Collins replied. "At least, we do not have any sited reports of them. As far as we know, they are still back in the past."

The king nodded and sat back down on the throne. "Very well, Collins," he said. "You may leave now."

Collins nodded and turned to leave the throne room. When Collins was almost out the door, the king called his name. "Oh, Collins?"

Collins froze in midstep. "Yes, sire?" he asked, trying to keep the fear he felt from showing.
"Do not fail me this time," the king threatened.
"Yes, sire," Collins said, letting out a breath he didn't even know he'd been holding. Quickly, Collins left the throne room before the king could call him back.

Cassidy. Guiya. Nika. Austin! Reenie read the names on the side of the apartment building, smiling when she finally found the name she was looking for. "Melissa," she whispered, triumphantly.
"Yes?" a familiar voice asked behind Reenie.

Surprised at hearing the voice, the princess jumped.

"Are you okay?" the person asked.
"Melissa Austin?" Reenie asked, turning around to face the person standing behind her.
"Do I know you?" the journalist asked, a puzzled expression on her face.

Reenie smiled. "Sort of."
"What do you mean, 'sort of'?" Melissa asked, shifting the bag of groceries she held in her arms.
"Let me take those for you," Reenie suggested, reaching out her hands to relieve the burden from her old friend.

Melissa backed away, looking warily at Reenie. "First answer my question," she said.

Reenie sighed and ran a hand through her long, pink hair. "Lissa, please, can we talk about this some place else? Like in your apartment?"

Melissa stared at Reenie, not sure whether or not to trust this pink-haired stranger. Finally after a few minutes, Melissa nodded, handed Reenie the bag of groceries and opened the door that led into the apartment building. They climbed the stairs, Reenie with the bag of groceries in her hands. It didn't take them long to reach Melissa's apartment, number 369. Quickly, Melissa unlocked the door and stepped inside.

Reenie followed.

Inside, Melissa took the bag of groceries from Reenie and placed it on the kitchen counter.

Reenie looked around Melissa's two bedroom apartment, surprised by how large it was. Looking around the living room, Reenie stopped and stared at a picture that was on the middle of the coffee table. The picture was of Melissa, Rodney, and Kristy.
"Now," Melissa began and with her arms crossed, turned to look at Reenie, "What did you mean by 'sort of'?"

Placing the picture back on the coffee table, Reenie replied, "I'm surprised you don't remember me, Lissa."
"Remember you from where?" Melissa asked, not understanding where she was supposed to remember Reenie from. "You do look familiar, but I have no clue why. Where I should remember you from?"
"I went to high school with you, Melissa," was all Reenie said.

Melissa frowned, trying to remember. Suddenly, her eyes widened with recognition. "Reenie!" she exclaimed.

Reenie smiled and nodded. "Good to know you didn't forget about me."
"But. . . didn't Neo-Queen Serenity send you and your little sister back into the past?" Melissa asked.
"I guess you know about that now, huh?" Reenie said, sheepishly.

Melissa nodded.

"Well, in four years time our training was completed, so Pluto had a portal to open up automatically. That's what we used to get here."
"Maybe it would have been better if you had stayed back in the past," Melissa whispered, sadness in her voice.

Reenie frowned. "What do you mean, Lissa? I mean, I know that something bad happened to Crystal Tokyo and that Nemesis now has control over it, but why would it have been better if I had stayed back in the past? If anything, I should have come back earlier so that I could have helped prevent Nemesis from taking over Crystal Tokyo. I should have come back before I did to protect Crystal Tokyo."

Melissa shook her head. "You don't get what I'm talking about," she informed her old friend. "Coming back means that you have to face things that you won't be able to handle."

Reenie frowned. "What do you mean?" she asked, confused. "With the Scouts help, I can face anything. My mother and the others will help us, too."

At the mention of Neo-Queen Serenity, Melissa looked to the ground, her eyes moist.
"Melissa, are you okay?" Reenie asked, concerned for her old friend. Clearly something was bugging her.

Melissa sighed, wiped her eyes, then lifted her head to look at Reenie. "Reenie, you don't know what happened here. You can't fight against what you don't know."
"Then explain it to me," Reenie argued, trying not to lose her temper. "Tell me what happened." There was something that Melissa was hiding from her. What was it?
"Reenie," Melissa began, her voice shaking, "Nemesis attacked two and a half years ago. No one had been expecting it. Everyone had thought that Nemesis was gone and destroyed of. We were stupid and our stupidity cost people their lives. Nemesis attacked on the anniversary of Prince Diamond's death. No one had been expecting it, least of all your mother and your father. The Sailor Scouts were separated and sent out to protect and try to defend Crystal Tokyo against Nemesis. Nemesis had way too many people. Even your mom and dad had to transform to fight. No one except the Elder Sailor Scouts know why they didn't contact the Sailor Scouts from the past. But they didn't. As you can tell, we lost and Nemesis won. Unfortunately, lots of lives were lost, too. Most of whom, lived in the palace."

Reenie looked to Melissa, still not quite understanding what she was trying to say. "Okay," Reenie said, "So, Nemesis attacked the palace when no one was expecting it and that's why they won. I still don't understand why you said it would have been better if I'd never come back to Crystal Tokyo. Now that I know what has happened, I can tell the others and we can make our plans to defeat Nemesis and win Crystal Tokyo back."

Melissa shook her head. She couldn't believe that Reenie wasn't getting it yet. "Reenie," Melissa said, sympathy showing in her voice, "You don't understand what I'm trying to say, do you? Your mom. . . Neo-Queen Serenity, and your dad. . . King Endymion. . . they were two of the people that were killed by Nemesis."

Melissa looked to the ground as she told Reenie this. She had never wanted to be the one to tell her princesses this news.

Reenie froze, stunned. "M. . . mom, d. . . ad," she stuttered, "Gone."

"I'm sorry, Reenie," Melissa said, sadly. "I'm so sorry."

Reenie looked to the floor, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to overflow. She wiped her eyes, and when she was sure that she had her emotions under control, she spoke. "Melissa," she began, her voice hard. "Where is Nemesis now?"

Melissa looked at Reenie, her eyes answering Reenie's question.

"The palace?" Reenie asked, not believing it.

Melissa nodded.

Reenie's eyes hardened. "Melissa, tell Kristy that I'm back and I say, hi," she said heading towards the doorway.
"But where are you going?" Melissa asked, worried for her friend. "Nemesis has guards everywhere."
"Don't worry, Melissa," Reenie said. "We're going to get Crystal Tokyo back and destroy Nemesis once and for all."
"But how?"

"You forget, Lissa," the moon princess smiled, "I'm Neo-Queen Serenity's daughter. I have the power to transform into a Sailor Scout. All I have to do is get together with the others, then we'll attack the palace." Reenie reached out to open the door, but Melissa stopped her. Confused and surprised, Reenie turned to look at her friend.
"Nemesis' soldiers will be here in a few minutes," Melissa explained, "They come by every day at the same time to see if anyone is hiding the Sailor Scouts. They really want to capture them."

Reenie nodded. "Thanks," she said and headed towards the window.
"How are you going to get down?" Melissa asked.
"Watch," Reenie said, smiling. Quickly, she took out her transformation pen and, holding it up high in the air, cried, "Moon CT Power!"

Almost immediately, bright lights surrounded Reenie. A few seconds later, CT Sailor Moon stood in front of Melissa, whose mouth was wide open in shock. She had never witnessed one of the Scouts transforming. Reenie, however, was in to much of a hurry to notice her friend's expression.

"I'll see you later, Lissa," CT Sailor Moon said climbing out onto the balcony. Quickly, she climbed up on the edge of the balcony, then jumped down three stories to land in a crouch position on the pavement. A few seconds later, she was up and running away from the apartment building in the direction of the park where she was to meet up with the others.