Eternal City Crystal Tokyo

It was snowing in Crystal Tokyo, though this year it wasn't exactly a natural event. Weather conditions weren't right, so Queen Serenity asked Mercury to take care of it. Normally Ami wouldn't have, but once Usagi used her tearful eyes and quivering chin, she relented.

"Mom, you shouldn't have gave in so easily," Ran Mizuno noted with some amusement as she got dressed to go meet friends.

"YOU try to resist tearful Usagi," Ami shook her head wryly as she relaxed on the couch.

"She's right," Rei agreed, the black haired woman carrying in two steaming cups for her and Ami. "Have fun with your friends," she added as Ran headed out.

"I'll be back in time to go to the Queen's party," Ran added over her shoulder.

"Be careful," Ami added.

The two watched their daughter go, then sat down together on the couch, Ami snuggling up beside Rei. "Do you think she'll get into trouble?" Rei sighed.

"Probably. She's our daughter after all," Ami noted wryly.

Rei laughed at that.

Outside Ran adjusted her coat, then the trouser clad woman forged forward through the snow. Her anklet boots were insulated very well, but even if she was naked Ran had a natural immunity to weather extremes. One of the advantages of her parentage.

The group of hardsuit pilots were where they had said they would meet, looking cold and just a bit annoyed. "Damn it Ran," Haruhi complained, the brown haired woman adding, "it took you long enough. Penalty!"

Hazuki calmly clouted her, "She's on time, you were just early."

"Owww," Haruhi winced. She looked at the other woman, "Meanie!"

Kyo Yamada laughed, the black haired young man smiling warmly. "Ran, looking good. Has the toga thing ended yet?" he smiled.

Ran snickered, "Yeah, mom is no longer insisting I wear them."

"Being a fashion plate is SO hard," Rockuro Yamada noted. He plaintively added, "Can we get out of the snow, please?"

They headed into Cafe Alpha, one of the trendier coffee houses in the city. They took a back table, settling around as they were served some very good coffee. Alan South, the oldest of the group, addressed Ran, "So, what's the occasion?"

"Well, first of all, gifts," Ran noted as she took out slim packages and passed them out. "It's a unit tradition, so don't refuse them," she said as Hazuki looked ready to say no.

"Thanks," Hazuki took one, noting it felt like a gift card. Good, she could use some extra cash, having spent a bit too much on her girlfriend.

"Secondly. Chief Ozaki wants us more firmly integrated with emergency response," Ran said, having gotten the messages yesterday.

There was a chorus of groans. "We're not even offically under her command," Haruhi complained mildly.

"Agreed, but do you want to tell her that?" Ran asked sweetly.

There was a beat of silence as everyone considered that. Leona Ozaki was a legend, having fought through the reconstruction period and having been elected chief by unanimous decision of city council and rulers. She was, bluntly, intimidating as hell.

"I'm not arguing," Alan said, and others murmured agreement.

"Pretty much my thoughts," Ran agreed. "Besides, I suspect it'll mostly apply to the city units, which is why I'm telling you."

"Well, we'll help spread the word," Hazuki nodded.

"Well, after dropping that news on you I've gotta go, but Merry Christmas, Season's Greetings and so on to you." Ran smiled as she got up.

"You too," Haruhi grinned, "be careful, I heard a revised prediction of two feet of snow, maybe more."

As Ran headed back out to the street she muttered under her breath, "Mom, you just HAD to over do it..."

Meanwhile, Touga Kiryuu was in his own personal version of hell: babysitting. "Why did I agree to this?" the redhead sighed as he wiggled a finger in front of the surprisingly good natured baby daughter of his sister, Nanami.

"Because we're both very very gullible?" Utena Tenjou offered, the pink haired woman smiling wryly at her friend.

"Yeah, true," Touga admitted. He had been drafted because of a last minute dress fitting for Nanami, and she needed someone to watch the baby, as their usual nanny was away.

Utena had been near enough to get drafted too, but she didn't mind too much. Besides, her lover Anthy was still talking about having a baby too, every now and then. "I'm STILL not sure they should have named her Kozue," Utena noted.

"She straightened out her life as she got older," Touga shrugged, referring to Miki's sister. The young woman had been a bit of a hellion, both when they all went to school together and afterwards.

"I suppose," Utena admitted. She hadn't stayed in tough with the young lady, clearly remembering her yandere tendencies towards Miki.

"Urgle," the six month old noted wisely.

Touga looked amused, "Is Anthy still talking about the baby idea?"

"Off and on," Utena admitted. "I'm okay with the idea, but we're trying to decide on the timing and such."

"Hmm. I, thankfully, am free of such encumberances," Touga said loftily.

"Your latest girl dumped you?" Utena guessed.

"Well, yes," Touga conceded.

Utena shook her head, "I can't decide if you are really bad with women or just epically unfaithful to them..."

"Bit of both?" Touga quipped. Somewhat more seriously he added, "Utena, not all of us are lucky enough to have fallen for a fellow near immortal. Unless I am very lucky, I will outlive anyone I attempt to date. It tends to put a damper on the 'long term' thing."

"Point," Utena admitted. Though she, and others, had set him up with other near immortals too. Maybe he was just resistant to love?

About half a hour later Miki returned home, blinking. Touga was asleep, while his darling daughter was curled up in his arms looking angelic, as usual. Utena was watching with amusement, drinking the local version of eggnog.

"What the...," Miki murmured.

"Shut up and get your camera," Utena noted with amusement, "I want blackmail photos of this for later." Miki snickered and got the camera.

Later that afternoon, two young women soared above Crystal Tokyo. "The snow is really coming down!" Alicia called, the blond haired girl wearing a more formal design for her barrier jacket and a matching cloak.

"I know! And it wasn't in the forecast," Subaru complained. "How did this happen?" she wondered aloud.

In the palace nearby, Lady Mercury sneezed. "Someone's talking about you?" Rei suggested to her wife.

"Don't," Mercury sighed, "I'm sneezing so much today I think I'm getting a cold."

Back outside the two young women came to a landing near where their friends were waiting. "About time you got here," Ran teased.

Both Alicia and Subaru touched down, then reconfigured their barrier jackets to more formal wear. "I wish I could do that," Erica Tenoh noted admiringly, having invited her friends to the Palace celebration. Subaru had picked out a tuxedo based design, while Alicia was wearing a black dress.

"I could get you a intelligent device, but they are a bitch to get off Midchilda," Ran noted.

"From your days out past the frontier?" Erica teased.

Both girls ignored that, deciding it was none of their business. "Thank you for inviting us," Subaru noted as they headed inside, "my parents are out of town, and Alicia..."

"If it helps any," Ran noted, "Alicia was already on the list. It's the least we could do, considering she saved my mom's life."

Alicia blushed faintly while Subaru moved a bit closer, protectively.

'DAMN they are cute together,' Ran thought. The lift rose, giving a incredible view of the city with all it's crystal towers and the more conventional buildings in the outer area. Both she and Erica tried to look casual, but the view effected them too a bit.

"Actually I'm glad to have more people near our ages," Erica admitted. "I mean, Usagi is going to be there, and us and you, but most of the crowd will be immortals."

"They're perfectly nice folk," Ran hastened to add, "but sometimes a bit old fashioned."

"I guess if you've lived a few thousand years it's hard to stay current," Alicia noted wryly.

"How are you dealing with the culture shock?" Erica asked.

"It's not so bad," Alicia admitted with a smile. "Earth now is in some ways like Mid was when left it, so..."

"Argh, I forgot," Ran winced, only then remembering that Alicia had sort of 'jumped' a thousand years to now, "sorry."

"It's okay," Alicia nodded. "IN many ways, I'm very lucky."

"How would you say they're old fashioned?" Subaru wondered. She grinned, "And how much will you pay to keep me from passing that on."

Ran laughed, "Better not. I know where you live."

Deciding she was joking Erica shrugged, "I think it just... gets harder to keep up with current things, outside of your interests. Lady Mercury is a brilliant biochemist, but I doubt she could list a current novel."

"I suppose so," Subaru nodded thoughtfully.

They reached the main room, and a wash of sound poured over them. "Come on," Ran led them in, "the food is great, even if you two are too young to drink..."

To be continued...

Notes: This actually illustrates why the Sailor Scouts don't use their powers much anymore. They've increased to the point that Ami can accidentally bury Crystal Tokyo in snow without trying very hard.