Chapter 4: A Question of Gender

Kurumi Kino turned off the Wedding Peach DVD. Since the Love Angels had started their attacks, Makoto felt that it was Kurumi and Mortimer's duty to learn all they could about this new enemy, which meant watching the anime that chronicled their adventures. Mortimer suddenly began to giggle at something.

"What's so funny?" Kurumi asked curiously.

"Momoko and Yousuke. We're similar to them. We're about the same age, and I often tease you. If we were in a show like Wedding Peach, I'd probably have hidden romantic feelings for you," he explained with an impish grin.

"Do you? If that's true, you have a pretty weird way of showing it," snorted Kurumi, blushing slightly.

"I don't think I do. I just was noting things that were the same. And from what I've heard, that's a common thing that appears in girls anime," Mortimer shrugged. Makoto peered at the tall pair of pre-teens.

"You know what? Mamoru used to tease Usagi before he fell in love with her. The same with Seiya," she noted.

"If one of the Love Angels was here, they could tell whether or not we had secret feelings for each other. Rainbow said they could sense Love Waves," Mortimer added.

"Speaking of Seiya, she's coming over later. It's a date at our house," Makoto said.

"You love her, don't you Mommy? But isn't she also partly a boy, too?" Kurumi asked.

"Yes, she and the other Starlights have the ability to change genders, though they were born females and prefer that form," Makoto explained.

"How do they do that? Does it hurt?" inquired Mortimer, with scientific eagerness. Makoto shrugged.

"I really don't know. I've never bothered to ask them. Maybe Ami's done some tests on them, but otherwise all I know is that they can do that."

Meanwhile, Scarlett O'Hara was preparing to go out and seek her selected Sailor Senshi targets.

"Why them? That girl with the big forehead looks like a scary giant," whimpered Momoko.

"Her mother is single and is currently in love with an alien who can change genders. If I can convince said alien to stay in the male form, then it will be true love. If not, then they must be destroyed. And from what Aphrodite showed me, the 'big forehead' girl has a relationship with a boy that seems similar to the one that you have had with Yousuke. Possibly I can help them along on the right track," Scarlett explained, before heading out the door.

Soon, Seiya arrived at the Kino household, a football tucked under her shoulder. Mortimer immediately greeted her with questions.

"How do you change gender? Does it hurt? Does everyone on your planet have that ability?" Makoto pulled him off of the startled alien.

"Sorry, I just told him about that and he's just a curious kid," she apologized. Kurumi held up a Wedding Peach DVD.

"We were just going to watch the next episode of this. Do you want to watch it with us? It might help you if the Love Angels attack you in the palace," she suggested cheerily.

"Woah, woah! One at a time you two! About changing gender, it doesn't hurt, yes, everyone on our planet can do it, and no, I don't know how it exactly works. That would be a better question for Taiki, since she's the science fan. And for the DVD, sure, why not?" Seiya said as she took a seat in front of the TV screen. Kurumi popped in the DVD and it started. This episode was the one where Angel Daisy first got her powers.

"I can identify with her having an annoying little brother," commented Kurumi. Mortimer snickered.

"I may be shorter than you, but I'm actually older."

"Just by a year or so," Kurumi shot back. The story played on, and when it came to the part where Angel Daisy first found out about her powers and decided to help save Momoko from the Devil, a cry was heard.

"Passionate Cake Cut!" With a crunch, the door was ripped open, and a Love Angel stood in view. She did not look like any of the ones that they had just been watching on the anime, however, as she had a purple outfit and fluffy red hair to her shoulders.

"Who are you? Some fake Love Angel? You're not on the anime!" Kurumi exclaimed in surprise.

"I am not a fake. I am Angel Salvia, and I am here to give an ultimatum to you," announced the intruder, pointing to Seiya.

"What! Are you one of those people who's scared of aliens?" Mortimer accused, holding up his transformation bracelet. Angel Salvia shook her head.

"No, I myself am not exactly human either, I am a pure angel. It is because of her heinous gender-switching abilities that confuse the idea of sexuality itself." Kurumi just looked confused.

"What's sexuality?" she asked.

"It's whether or not you prefer having a lover of your own gender or the opposite gender. Some people prefer both and they're bisexual," explained Mortimer frankly.

"As for you, I advise you to only have romantic affection towards the opposite gender of whichever form you're in," Angel Salvia said, still addressing Seiya. Makoto glared at her.

"But that would make her unfaithful!" she protested.

"Then only stay as a male," Angel Salvia ordered.

"No way! This Crystal Tokyo place seems to favor girls who are like me, I don't want to be in male form and be ridiculed if I have a choice!" Seiya retorted.

"Let's just beat her! Chocolate Power, Make Up!" shouted Mortimer.

"I think we can just make her go away. Maybe if I gave her some of those cookies I burnt earlier..." giggled Kurumi mischeiviously.

"Wait, wait, wait! You're MAKOTO'S daughter and you burn cookies when you try to make them!" Seiya teased.

"Burnt cookies aren't going to stop me. But why would you want to? You're a pure, sweet girl who would want to help us, wouldn't you?" cooed Angel Salvia, her voice suddenly becoming soft and gentle. Kurumi stepped back, confused. What was that supposed to mean? The Love Angels were evil, weren't they? And even if they weren't, they were probably under the spell of Sailor Nemesis, and killing them here would just send them back to their own world...she decided, then. She decided what she would do.

"Caramel Power, Make Up!" Angel Salvia stepped back, surprised.

"What kind of pure, sweet girl are you! How DARE you not fight for the sake of true love!" she roared, brandishing her sword.

"Because if I kill you, like with the Magic Knights, you can be freed from Sailor Nemesis's spell," Sailor Caramel asserted.

"Crystal Surround!" called Sailor Chocolate, and a clear, rocky shell quickly began to form on Angel Salvia's body, starting with her feet. When it stopped, it encased her up to her shoulders, so that her head was free and vulnerable to attack. Sailor Chocolate nodded to the taller girl; she knew what to do.

"Crescent Beam!" Sailor Caramel shouted. For good measure, Seiya and Makoto added a kick and a punch to Angel Salvia's head, knocking her unconscioius. She faded out, reappearing back in the "home" she shared with the other Love Angels.

"How dare she! She wants me to face oppression!" Seiya ranted.

"Not really. She is probably unaware of the way the gender roles operate in Crystal Tokyo," said Mortimer as he detransformed.

"Well, I guess that settles our debate earlier. You and I don't have any secret love for each other, because if we did, that Angel Salvia person would've sensed it," Kurumi commented.