Notes: Episode 168, "Saturn Awakens! The Ten Sailor Senshi Gather" (Or, "The one where Hotaru gets a big level up.")

Episode 168

The problem, Rei decided, was that she couldn't strap a bell to Grandpa. If she knew he was coming, she could prepare, and the preparation would save her. She had thoroughly convinced herself of this, despite no amount of preparation ever saving her from Usagi, who was about as subtle as a ninja elephant.

Rei remembered one night when Minako couldn't sleep (which apparently meant that Rei was also not allowed to sleep). She'd woken at some ungodly hour to see Minako smiling down at her with a video tape in one hand and a bag of microwave popcorn in the other. They'd spent the night sharing a blanket and a giant bowl of snacks while watching hours of nature documentaries. Minako had simply said "Inspiration," when Rei questioned their entertainment choice.

As Grandpa appeared suddenly at her side and asked to meet her attractive new friends, those videos came flooding back. It was now so clear. Grandpa was an ambush predator. He was a wrinkled little crocodile.

A wrinkled little soon to be ex-crocodile.

"Grandpa, we don't have time!"

But of course, Grandpa never remembered that when Rei put on that voice, it meant she wasn't to be questioned.

"Ahh, youth," he said wistfully. "So certain that time is precious only to them."

Rei caught Haruka smirking to her fellow Senshi and felt that vein in her temple throb. Don't encourage him, she silently willed everyone within a ten mile radius.

"Heh heh! Silly Grandpa!" Usagi said.

Rei's palm reunited with her face like it was destiny.

"Usagi-chan!" Grandpa exclaimed, suddenly appearing at her side and taking her hand. "You won't leave a poor old man with unmarked paths on his life's map, will you?"

Kami save them all, he was laying it on thick, too.

"I have no idea what you're saying!" replied Usagi, but with great enthusiasm.

Ami shot Rei an apologetic glance (which Rei simultaneously forgave and swore never to forgive) and explained. "He wants to be introduced to the others."

"Ohhh." Usagi leaned over to Mamoru, her voice taking on a hushed high pitch. "Why didn't he say that?!" she demanded.

Mamoru only had time to shake his head before Minako was shushing them. "I want to see this!"

"Why so interested?" asked Mako.

"Inspiration," Minako said, and would say no more.

As far as Rei could tell, she had three options, Two, since there were witnesses. And when had ignoring Grandpa ever actually made him go away?

As far as Rei could tell, she had one option. Her sigh was deep and resigned and not the last of its kind. But she'd decided, and that done, the only option left was to get it over with. Grabbing Grandpa by the collar, she yanked him toward where the thoroughly amused Outer Senshi were watching with far too much attention for Rei's tastes.

Grandpa swallowed his indignant yelp but batted Rei's hands away, and by the time he was before the others, he was completely composed.

In as much as Grandpa was ever completely composed when around attractive people. He had made a line directly to Michiru, and as he stood before her, Rei was sure she could see his heart pounding in his eyes.

Rei's teeth sunk into her bottom lip. She refused to say even one of the hundreds of words that wanted to become a wall between Grandpa and the elder Senshi. The Shrine's reputation was worth something to HER, at least, and if he was going to act like an idiot, she would simply have to be that much more composed to make up for him.

"This is Michiru Kaioh," said Rei in her politest of all possible voices. "Michiru-san, this is my Grandpa." Rei privately congratulated herself on how pleasantly she'd managed to say "my Grandpa". There'd hardly been a trace of murder in it.

"Ara!" exclaimed Michiru, after returning the bow and finding her hand between both of Grandpa's. Her eyes sparkled. "Is charm a Hino family trait?"

Grandpa's laugh boomed across the courtyard. "For some of us more than others," he lobbed back.

Now they were both laughing. Rei felt her stomach shrivel and drop into her feet like a stone.

"Your hand is divine," Grandpa said, patting it and turning it over to be admired from all sides. "Such elegance in your fingers!"

Michiru cast a significant look over her shoulder and locked eyes with Haruka. "They've had a great deal of practice."

Haruka turned bright red and began coughing, which only caused her to attract Grandpa's attention. His gaze darted from Haruka to Michiru and back again, and a knowing smile slowly conquered his face.

Something had to be done. Immediately, before he do it himself. Rei yanked Grandpa away from Michiru and repositioned him. "Grandpa! This is Haruka Tenoh! Haruka, this is my Grandpa." Rei knew the last part sounded like an apology, but couldn't stop herself.

"You," Grandpa said with an approving wink, "are a very lucky young man, Haruka Tenoh."

"Oh, Haruka's not—"

"Haruka knows," Haruka said, interrupting Rei's correction. She'd recovered quickly and now returned the wink.

Oh no. Rei slowly closed her eyes.

"I think you might not be the only lucky one," she heard Grandpa say, followed by a strangled sound from Haruka. Rei cracked one eye open, though she already knew what she'd find.

Now it was Haruka's hand sandwiched between both of Grandpa's and he was gazing up at her with a profoundly content smile. "You know, you can both work at my Shrine," he said, his smile growing wider. "I don't discriminate."

Distantly, Rei was aware of Minako howling with laughter. She was pretty sure Haruka was racing toward an aneurism and was about to step in and save her when Setsuna came forward. A pang of relief flooded Rei, followed immediately by one of regret. Saving one of the Outers was always so damned satisfying.

Setsuna bowed respectfully. "Hino-san. It's good to meet you."

She'd been there the entire time, of course, but in that Setsuna way she had that made her almost invisible until the moment she wasn't. Grandpa had immediately been ensnared by Michiru's cool beauty and Haruka's rugged charm, but this was something else again. He stood before her like he was meeting a goddess for the first time.

That may not be too far off, actually.

"This is Setsuna Meioh," Rei told him, though she wasn't sure he heard.

"Setsuna," he repeated, letting her name coat his tongue like a fine brandy.

Even in his prime, Rei's grandfather had never been a tall man. The years only stole more inches ("It keeps the spirits from noticing I'm still here!" he'd laugh) and looking at the two together, Rei wondered briefly if the years hadn't given them all Setsuna.

Grandpa looked up at her. And up. And up.

"By the kamis, you go on forever," he said reverently.

Setsuna's smile seemed genuinely amused. "Indeed."

"Grandpa! Grandpa!"

They all turned at the sound of Chibi-Usa's voice. She'd kept quiet through all the introductions, but it was clear she couldn't wait anymore. She bounced forward, dragging a shy and somewhat reluctant Hotaru with her. Since the fight with those mirror demons, Chibi-Usa had wrapped herself around Hotaru and had made it clear that there was no force on earth strong enough to make her let go. Ever. Chibi-Usa looked like she'd been given every birthday present she would ever receive, and Rei's heart swelled at the sight.

Chibi-Usa launched herself into the air and landed with a thud right in front of Grandpa. Hotaru stumbled next to her and looked like she might fall, but the sheer force of delight that was pouring off of Chibi-Usa kept her upright. "Grandpa, this is my best friend in the whole wide world, Hotaru!"

"Hi," said Hotaru, somehow managing a bow with a full-contact Chibi-tachment.

"Ahh, Hotaru-chan!" Grandpa greeted her with a warm smile. "I've heard so much about you!"

This was all the prompting Chibi-Usa needed to repeat everything nice she'd ever said about Hotaru in increasingly glowing terms. Grandpa was the perfect audience, agreeing and encouraging, while Hotaru squirmed with a mixture of embarrassment and delight under the attention.

The worst was over. Grandpa had met them all (and they'd met him) and they'd somehow all survived. Rei would pry him away soon so they could have their much-needed talk about dire warnings, new enemies, and Usagi's latest transformation. Suddenly though, watching as Chibi-Usa loved her friend so much she couldn't possibly keep it to herself, Rei wasn't in any huge rush.

She felt her friends approach, and then Usagi was wrapped around her arm in a near mirror image of Chibi-Usa. "Silly little Grandpa," she said happily, resting her head against Rei's shoulder.

Rei felt herself smiling. "Yeah," she agreed.

As they watched, Grandpa kept stealing glances at Haruka, Michiru, and Setsuna.

"Pervy little Grandpa," corrected Minako.

"That too. Hey, Mako-chan?"

"Hm?"

Rei didn't take her eyes off Grandpa. Someone needed to keep watch. "How good are you at sewing bells onto clothes?"

Well I managed to write this and completely not realize that I'd set it in Episode 168, not 169. After review, I couldn't mentally separate it out from 168. I'd just become too fond of Chibi-Usa glomping on to Hotaru the second the fight was over and refusing to let go, and then Usagi mirroring the action.

Dammit, why do you Tsukinos have to be so CUTE.