A/N: Sorry it's taken so long for me to update. Sometimes life gets in the way and there's just not enough hours in the day to take care of everything!

Disclaimer: Alright! I'm using characters that don't belong to me! I do not own Sailor Moon - but since I'm not getting paid for this story, it doesn't matter, does it? Rory (no matter what name she is under) belongs to me and so do the villains.

Chapter 6

Reunion

Serena, Darien, Rory, Mina, Amy, and Lita sat around the table in Raye's room, nibbling on the treats Lita had brought while they waited for the others to arrive. Raye was in the fire room, trying to get a reading on their new enemy. On the far side of the room, Luna and Artemis relaxed and chatted together. To the casual observer, the room looked like a relaxed atmosphere - a simple gathering of friends - but there was a slight tension in the air as the girls chatted.

Rory excused herself and went to sit outside for a bit. Sitting cross-legged at the edge of the platform, she closed her eyes and soaked up the warmth of the sunshine. She hadn't felt the invisible watcher since last night, but she felt the need to scan the area anyway.

'You'd think that after all those years of Watching, I'd be more patient,' she thought to herself, not sure whether to smile or frown. 'I wish Trista were here. I've missed our talks.' She scanned the Temple area and slightly beyond it, but felt nothing. Pulling her awareness back into herself, she felt a hand on her shoulder.

Rei smiled down at Rory. "I felt your scan as I placed my wards. Thank you. The others should be here right away. Why don't you come in and have some tea with us?"

"Where are Grandpa and Chad?" asked Rory as she got up and dusted herself off.

"They went off on a retreat for some deep meditation exercises. I told Grandpa he's getting too old for such things, but he's caught on to my tactics. He just pats my hand, says he loves me too and does whatever he wants to do anyway." Rei sighed. "Chad promised me he'd work extra hard to make things a little easier for Grandpa." Rei looked at Rory's dress. "Hmmm, guess we'll have to go shopping today and get you a few other outfits. You can't keep wearing that dress, no matter how good it looks on you."

Rory blushed and nodded her head. They turned to go into the room, but were stopped as a voice called to them.

"Raye!! Rory!"

They turned to the entrance and saw Amara running toward them with a box under one arm. When she caught up to them, she handed the box to Rory with a wink.

"Trista sends these with her compliments. She sorry she can't make it the meeting, but she doesn't want to leave the gate right now."

"Does she expect trouble?" worried Raye.

Amara shrugged. "I'm not sure. She didn't look all that worried, but thought she should stay at her post just in case. I think she plans on watching for the spy that followed Darien and the girls home." Amara looked to the stairs in time to see Michelle and Hotaru climb to the top. She grinned and slightly crouching, she held out her arms. "C'mon, Hotaru! You always sprint the last of a race, you know that! Give it all you've got now!"

Laughing, Hotaru ran towards Amara and leapt into her arms. Amara chuckled and gave her a hug.

"Good job, squirt. Now go with Raye and Rory inside for some cookies." She ruffled Hotaru's hair as she put her down. Hotaru grinned and taking Raye's hand happily walked inside for the promised cookies.

Michelle walked up to Amara and kissed her cheek. "Not everything is a race, you know."

"Yeah, but it does give us an extra minute or two, doesn't it? And I always try to steal a moment or two extra when we are involved with an enemy, you know that."

Michelle sighed. "Yes, I know. I do the same." Amara gave her a quick kiss on the lips and they went in to join the others.

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Lovely place to pause and stretch the legs ... Nothing like a pause button!

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"As you know, Queen Serenity was speaking with the Rulers of Earth, Darien's and my parents, about the possibility of joining the alliance of the Silver Millennium. It would be the last planet to do so and Queen Serenity felt that such a close neighbour should have a more solid bond. They tried to keep the talks as quiet as possible, which may have been the wrong choice in the end.

"As with any political movement, quiet or not, rumours start among the court, which then circulate among the people. The Peacekeepers did their best to keep things calm, but it seemed that as soon as one rumour was exposed and the people calmed, two, three, or four more would rise up in its place. Somebody was keeping a step ahead of us, keeping the people angry and the Monarchs off balance."

"Beryl," growled Lita, and her frown was echoed by every one else around the table.

Rory nodded. "Yes, though we did not discover her until it was too late."

"How is it that you have the title of Guardian and yet you fought in a fuku of a Scout?" asked Amy.

"Yeah," Mina agreed as she leaned forward, "I was wondering that myself."

"While Queen Serenity had given me the position of Royal messenger and Official Liaison between the Moon and Earth, as well as being Ambassador for the Royal House, it was also agreed that the Earth would receive it's own Sailor Scout to seal the Alliance. My parents chose me. So when I wasn't running errands or attending meetings, you girls would be training me."

"We trained you?" Rei asked incredulously.

"Well, with the schedule I kept, I couldn't always join the training sessions, so you girls would show me what I missed. Everybody helped, even the Outers when they showed up for a brief stay."

Darien leaned forward. "That's enough history for now. It gives us enough to work with. what we need to discuss now is how to deal with our enemy. Rory says that she is not sure Maboroshi is gone. We need to decide how to deal with him should he return."

"Yes," said Amy as she opened her Mercury computer, "We barely held our own last time. It took almost everything we had just to wear him down - and that wasn't much."

"Well, we didn't fight him as one complete team last time either," pointed out Lita, trying to remain positive. The Inners wore themselves out and Tuxedo Mask was knocked unconscious by the time the Outers arrived."

"Yeah!" Mina grabbed that idea enthusiastically. "If we confront him all together and we are all at full power, then that should make a difference!"

Amara frowned. "And if it doesn't? We can't count on Guardian Eos the next time ... I seem to recall that Guardians don't get involved unless there is no other option left available. Helios only got involved before because he was in danger himself."

"But ... she's not just a Guardian. She's a Scout too."

Michelle slowly shook her head. Mini looked around to find Rory and Serena also shaking their heads. Luna leapt onto the table and sat down.

"Rory was in training, yes, is preparation for the coming Alliance with Earth. But the Alliance never came to be, remember? Rory was never officially a Scout. She IS, however, officially a Guardian. She cannot get involved unless she, or her charge is in immediate danger. And even then, she must make sure her charge has no other course of action to get out of that danger." She looked to Rory with respect in her eyes. "It takes a strong person to fill that position. Queen Serenity chose well."

Rory nodded her acceptance of the compliment. Darien looked at her and then at her hands. She was crumbling a cookie and didn't seem to realize it.

"Rory," Darien smiled, placing his hand over hers to stop her. "I doubt that cookie has the answers hidden inside. Tell us what's bothering you."

Rory stared at her hands, but didn't crumble the cookie anymore. "I may have over stepped my bounds a bit, but I've already been considering re-enforcements."

Luna sat up straight and peered at the red head. "You have?" She turned to Serena, were you aware of this?"

Serena shook her head. "Not entirely, I was so tired I wasn't up to much conversation, but I woke up late at night and Felt her doing something. When she came out of her trance, I asked and she said she was searching for possibilities. I didn't push her about it and we both went to our beds."

"I see." Luna's tail twitched, but only the tip ... so she was thinking fast, but wasn't angry ... yet. "Well, then tell us what you have done and we'll re-evaluate what chances we have."

Rory sat up straight and looked Luna in the eye. Royal dignity written in every muscle of her posture. Her body screamed 'offended' as only a member of a royal house can. But Luna wasn't backing down.

"Now don't get your tail in a twist, I'm not swatting your efforts. But you are an unknown to this group and you should have talked to somebody about your actions first." Luna's tail thumped the table with her own imperiousness.

"Perhaps," Rory allowed, relaxing her spine a fraction. "Last night I was considering your possible Allies. You have made a few friends over the years, you know." Luna tilted her head in consideration and Serena nodded. "Yes," Rory continued, "many allies, but not many answers."

Michelle reached over and touched her arm, getting Rory to make eye contact. "You tried, that's all we can ask. More than we could ask. Just tell us what you attempted and we'll go from that."

Rory nodded again and looked back to Luna. I sent messenger bubbles in several directions. I found where Ann and Alan have settled with the Tree of Life. Actually, I've known their location for quite a while since I sent Fiori to them."

Darien flinched. "You did what?"

"Fiori saved Sailor Moon in return for the both of you saving him from that wretched blossom's control. (A/N: SM movie - The Promise of the Rose) He gave so much of his life force to heal Sailor Moon that he didn't save much for himself. The Healer in me couldn't bear that, so I wrapped him in a life support bubble and pushed him towards Ann and Alan. They've managed to heal his body but knowing he's not alone has been the greatest balm to his mind. Still, Ann and Alan are reluctant to uproot everything to come help us. They haven't yet figured out a way to carry an energy source when they travel without taking the tree everywhere with them. They'll help if they can, but they don't have much hope that they'll be here in time."

"Well, there's no use crying over ripped silk ... where else did you try?" mina piped up, trying to lighten the mood a bit. Ami covered her eyes, Lita looked to the ceiling, Raye just sighed, the cats hung their heads and everybody else just smiled.

"I tried the Dream Elves and Fairies, but unfortunately this is not an area where they can battle. They protect Dreams of children, and Hotaru is the only child with us. Pararoo wasn't sure how he could help. (A/N: SM movie - The Black Dream Hole) Then I tried the Amazon quartet, but they aren't awake yet at this time and won't wake until Small Lady becomes a full Scout herself. Sailor Galaxia is still working hard at helping her own planet and considering her track record in the past, she doesn't feel she should leave her planet. She still has some healing of her own to go through as well."

"Well, it looks like we may be on our own after all," commented Artemis from the bed. "I'm sure we'll find a way to pull through, everybody. We always do."

"We might have another option." Rory got everybody's attention. She looked to Darien. "I would like to bring back your generals."

Shocked silence. Then chaos erupted from the Inners.

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Ah... on last commercial break ... I think this might be my longest chapter yet. Run to the bathroom while you still can. I'm almost done shaking some blood back into my legs ...

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A fist banged down on the table, making everybody jump and fall silent. Luna was so startled that she almost fell off the table until Amy reached out to steady her.

Darien pulled his hand back from where he'd slammed it down, but he continued to look steadily at everyone. "Rory has put a lot of thought into our options for help. I happen to think that she managed a wonderful job. She looked in places we wouldn't have considered looking at. This is just another option and we should hear her out. It's not as if she tried and failed already." He looked to his sister. "Have you?"

Rory gave a small smile. "No. It's going to require help. It's not just a matter of bringing them back you see. They are going to need some healing so that they never again be used against you again."

"These generals," Amara began, "I remember you telling me about them, but I never met them before - in this life or the last. They weren't actually a part of the rebellion against the Moon then?"

Darien shook his head. "They were brainwashed and placed under compulsion. When they were reborn, they were freed, but easily caught again by Beryl because of the previous compulsions."

"And you think you can stop that from happening again." She looked to Rory for confirmation.

Rory nodded. "I can. I can block the pathways so that they can't be used again. The generals would have to be caught and broken again ... and I intend to strengthen against that as well."

Amara leaned back and placed an arm around Michelle. "Sounds good to me. It's not like we have more options at the moment. Darien seems to be for it, and I'm sure Serena agrees with him, because I know how she thinks. So ..." Amara grinned at Rory. "Who do you need to help?"