"She's refilling!" Sailor Venus yelled unnecessarily as the daimon, who resembled a demented drink vending machine, guzzled several liters worth of freezing cold iced tea.

The senshi, already drenched and shivering from U-Long's previous attacks, prepared themselves for another round with the daimon.

Mars attempted to attack but, impotent in her waterlogged fury, could only stomp her heels in frustration as fire refused to ignite between her soggy fingers.

"Ahhh, refreshing!" U-Long said, tossing the empty containers into the rectangular slot in her abdomen.

"Sparkling Wide—ahhhh!"

Jupiter, having accidentally electrocuted a tea-drenched Sailor Mercury earlier in the battle and fried her Mercury computer, abandoned her lightning attack as the daimon once again sprayed the shrieking senshi with ice-cold tea from her mouth.

Wiping the beverage from her face, Venus went on the offensive. "Venus Love-Me Chain!" she said, calling forth her attack, but U-Long was ready for her.

The daimon had already pulled one of the empty bottles from her abdomen, yanking off the plastic bottle cap ring and pressing it between her hands.

"Uuuuuuuuuuu-Long!" she said, as, like a magician, she pulled her hands apart to reveal a rapidly multiplying chain of linked plastic rings, which she sent flying to meet Venus's chain. The two chains met midair, wrapping together and forming an impossibly tangled knot. U-Long gave a mighty yank on her end of the connected chains, sending Venus flying across the mall they had been battling in and through the window display of a lingerie store.

"Nice work, U-Long!" Mimete called from the food court, where she had been snacking on French fries abandoned by one of the terrified mall patrons. "Now let's get out of here!"

"Freeze!" a voice echoed throughout the mall.

Mimete screamed in frustration when she spotted Tuxedo Kamen perched on the banister at the top of the escalator.

"T-Tuxedo K-Kamen-sama!" Sailor Moon said with chattering teeth as she attempted to rub some warmth into her goose bump–covered arms.

"Daimon, you truly tee me off!" he said, riding the banister as it inched its way downward. "To tease with treasured teas is truly terrible. This tempest in a teacup transcends taste and tests my temperance."

"I'm outta here," Mimete said, grabbing her briefcase. "U-Long, you're on your own!"

Tuxedo Kamen continued his advance, undeterred by Mimete's departure. "Time to terminate this tea for two and two for teatime trash-talking tête-à-tête. Tune in as I spill the tea—this tuxedoed teen will take you to task for your transgression!"

"Huh?" U-Long gaped as Tuxedo Kamen leapt to a nearby table.

"Take this!" he said, pulling a beautifully potted plant from his jacket and throwing it at the daimon, who deftly caught it.

"Woah, a bonsai!" Sailor Jupiter said, sidling up next to U-Long to get a closer look. "Is it a Japanese maple?"

"That's right," he said with a smile. "Or, as we say here in Japan: a maple."

"Wow, and it's really beautiful, too!" Jupiter said as she inspected the tree. "I bet you could get tens of thousands of yen for it, easy!"

"Tens of thousands of yen?" U-Long asked nervously.

"Maybe even hundreds of thousands!" Jupiter said with a nod.

U-Long's eyes widened as she gripped the pot more securely.

"You Titanic tool, Tux!" Sailor Mars said as she stomped to the other side of the daimon. "So, what brilliant idea do you have tonight? Is the bonsai infested with aphids, hmm? Have some mysterious fungus? Is there a bomb hidden in the pot?"

"A bomb?!" U-Long shrieked, shoving the miniature tree into Sailor Jupiter's arms.

Tuxedo Kamen smiled. "I just thought it was pretty," he said. "Now, Sailor Moon! Toast this toxic tea-ser!"

"Right!" She pulled out her Spiral Heart Moon Rod and held it high, then twirled it deftly in her fingers as she prepared her attack. "Rainbow Moon Heart Ache!" she cried, plunging the mall into darkness.

A rainbow appeared momentarily, but was soon replaced by a huge pink heart, which crashed into U-Long.

"Love-lovely!" U-Long cried as she toppled backward, then fell to the floor, replaced by a bottle of oolong tea. Beside it shined a Pure Heart Crystal. A daimon pod fell from the plastic bottle, breaking with a poof of cormorant-shaped smoke.

"Well done, Sailor Moon," Tuxedo Kamen said as she beamed at him. "Another daimon down the drain."

Sailor Mercury gathered the Pure Heart Crystal, gently carrying it to the unconscious celebrity who had been hosting a meet and greet at the mall.

His eyes fluttered open as he regained consciousness.

"Mr. Tea?" Sailor Mercury said. "How are you feeling?"

"Huh?" he said as Mercury helped him to sit up. "What happened?"

"You were attacked by a daimon," Sailor Mercury explained as he looked around the trashed mall, "but we were able to retrieve your Pure Heart Crystal and defeat the enemy."

Mr. Tea shook his head, causing the heavy chains around his neck to rattle. "I pity the baka who messes with the sailor senshi!"

"Did anyone see where Sailor Venus went?" Sailor Jupiter asked, peering around the rubble.

"I'm here!" Sailor Venus called, climbing through the destroyed lingerie storefront with an armload of merchandise. "And look at all these cute bras and panties I found!"

"You have to pay for those!" Sailor Mars yelled.

"Jeez I know that . . ." she said, rolling her eyes. "I already gave Artemis my ATM card to get cash."

"And you," Sailor Mars said, stalking toward Tuxedo Kamen. He took a step back as she reached him and poked him hard in the chest. For a few moments, she stood in silent fury, shaking her head at him. "Just . . . no."

He raised his eyebrows as she turned and stomped off to corral Sailor Venus, who had returned to rummaging the mall wreckage for treasures.

"Well, I guess everything is under control here," Tuxedo Kamen said, swishing his cape as he leapt onto the banister of the escalator leading to the 2nd floor. "I shall bid you all adieu!"

"Hey wait, Tuxedo Kamen!" Jupiter called after him.

"Yes?" he asked he slowly crept upward with the banister.

"Can I keep the bonsai?"

"With my compliments." He tipped his top hat, his teeth gleaming as he smiled. "Farewell!"

"You know," Jupiter said as Sailor Moon waved goodbye to the slowly inclining Tuxedo Kamen, "if that whole doctor thing falls through, he would make a killer florist."


The thought running through my head as I write each chapter is, "This has to be the dumbest thing I've ever written." (But it's supposed to be that way, I guess, lol!)

Sorry that the break between chapters was MUCH longer than I was expecting. But! Here you are, the penultimate chapter of Flower Power. Hopefully I will get the last chapter up this weekend, and then I can move on to the other fics that need my attention (including a Secret Project which I think you will really enjoy)! Thank you to Antigone2 for beta-ing, FloraOne for being the fandom cheerleader (she's just so dang enthusiastic all the time it's like impossible to say no to her), and to all of the people who left comments while I was being a bad fic writer and not posting. xoxo