Notes: In the near future I plan to reformat the chapters for this fic. When I do, you'll likely get extra notices of chapter updates. Sorry!

Shattered Ice: Super Sailor Mercury

Chapter 63

Hikari Littner, ACE REPORTER (Ha!) was watching as the three Starlights fought a transformed guy they called a 'phage.'

Or at least the weird catlady in fetish wear had called the transformed man a 'phage' apparently. Why, she had no idea. Or why she was dressed in what looked like rubber with a tail, cat ears and everything. Kinky.

"BURGER!" the huge man yelled, shooting burgers from his hands.

"Are all the monsters this odd?" Hikari wondered aloud.

"Mostly," the youngish man in a military-like uniform answered, apparently standing close enough to overhear her.

"Oh," Hikari looked embarassed, "I didn't mean to say that..."

"It's fine," he waved it off as he introduced himself, "Jadite, formerly of the Dark Kingdom, at your service."

Hikari was NOT used to handsome men bowing and kissing her hand. Wow. "Hikari Littner, reporter," she managed.

"Charmed," he smiled.

"So, are you with her?" Hikari nodded to the fetish catgirl.

"Sort of," Jadite shrugged, "I was drafted. More or less."

DAMN he was cute! But dangerous too. She got a vibe he would kill her casually, if with a bit of regret. Hikari shook herself, "Would it get you in trouble if you told me why their doing this?" she asked him.

"Alas, I think my superior might get upset," Jadite admitted.

Said superior rushed up while the fight was ongoing, looking annoyed. "This operation is a bust, let's go!" she ordered.

"Of course, Tin Nyanko," Jadite nodded to her respectfully. He turned to Hikari and added, "Nice to meet you, Miss."

"Really?" Tin Nyanko looked her over, then shrugged, "Not today."

Before Hikari could ask what THAT meant, both disappeared in a burst of light.

"Wow," Hikari blinked.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"JADITE?!" Ami Mizuno blurted, reading the newspaper story Hikari had written.

Her mother, Nicole, looked at her oddly, "You know him?"

Kakyuu was there too, the woman sitting with Chibi Chibi and Usagi, while Hotaru was reading nearby. It was weirdly cozy, really.

"He was one of our first villains," Ami admitted, "he disappeared, and I thought he had died."

Nicole had a moment where she wondered how many villains Ami and her friends had killed. Mind you, she was well aware they were monsters that were killing people, but it was still faintly disturbing to realize.

"I thought their realm had been destroyed," Ami added, frowning. "Could there be others out there?" she mused.

"Maybe ask Setsuna? With her whole time travelling thing," Kakyuu suggested mildly.

"I suspect she can't answer those kind of questions," Nicole noted.

"Well, it's the past, yes? Or... ugh," Ami made a face.

"Chibi!" the little girl offered.

"Usagi?" Ami asked, as she knew Setsuna from the future.

"I think she'd tell you, if it won't come up later," Usagi mused. "As you know, time travel is complicated."

"What could Jadite do?" Nicole wondered.

"Fire and energy manipulation," Ami noted, "and enhanced strength like we had. And of course commanding minions from the Negaverse."

"So kind of a evil Sailor Mars," Kakyuu said gently.

"Hmm," Ami agreed.

Just then the door opened as Setsuna hurried in, after having a after school meeting.

"Welcome home," Nicole smiled.

"Hello," Setsuna smiled, but her eyes were just on Ami. Ami got us and hugged her, though they didn't kiss as her Mom was right there.

"Hmm," Ami sighed contentedly.

Usagi jokingly made gagging noises.

"Gee, thanks," Setsuna laughed.

Ami pulled back, "How was the meeting?"

"Boring," Setsuna sighed as she said, "but needed to be done." She looked at Ami's frowning face, "Something wrong?"

"Apparently one of Sailor Moon's early enemies is alive," Nicole noted.

"Which one?" Setsuna asked reasonably.

"Jadite," Ami said.

"Ah," Setsuna nodded, "in most timelines Beryl killed him for his failure, but she does at time imprison him."

"... I see," Kakyuu murmured.

Ami sighed as she mused, "He figured out who, I was, back then. I just have to hope he doesn't remember NOW."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"You did a INTERVIEW?!" Lead Crow scowled.

"I did not realize the woman would publish our conversation" Jadite defended himself mildlt, the group sitting in a room at Galaxy Broadcasting.

"We're so in trouble," Aluminum Siren sighed.

"Possibly not," Tin Nyanko offered.

"Oh?" Lead Crow looked at her.

Tin Nyanko shrugged, "The story was done by a reporter working for Galaxy Broadcasting, which is controlled by our mistress, and she apparently allowed it to go ahead."

Aluminum Siren blinked, "Oh!"

"So CLEARLY, we're fine," Tin Nyanko declared.

"Or she just didn't notice it," Jadite deadpanned.

Tin Nyanko deflated, "Or yes, there's that."

Heavy Metal Papillion was mostly ignoring the byplay as she studied a printout. "Not only can't we find Iron Mouse," she scowled, "we can't even defeat this planet's Sailor Soldiers."

"Nor have we found the True Star Seeds," Lead Crow sighed. "Galaxia will loose patience with ALL of us soon."

EVERYONE sighed at that.

"WHY can we not find them?!" Heavy Metal Papillion growled.

"Maybe we should just ask Galaxia who would have the Star Seeds?" Aluminum Siren suggested innocently.

"She'd just kill us all for bothering her." Tin Nyanko noted.

"Maybe try getting the Sailor Soldiers' Star Seeds?" Jadite suggested after a moment.

Everyone stopped and looked at him.

"What?" Jadite asked.

"Why didn't I think of that?" Heavy Metal Papillion muttered. "Of COURSE it would be them! It makes sense."

"Of course, now we have to catch one of them to try to extract a Jewel Seed," Lead Crow noted.

Everyone again stopped, well aware of how much of a pain in the ass THAT was going to be.

To be continued...

Notes: Sorry for short update. Life is kicking my ass lately. I figured at SOME point they had to figure our the Sailors had the Jewel Seeds so...