Sailor Moon The Age of the Tribulation

by Whiteling

The four horsemen have come and gone, now the foretold judgements begin. Friends old and new reunite with the Sailor senshi as they experience plagues, unnatural disasters, and persecution by risking their lives to help others learn the truth.

25. Foreshadowing time

Naru entered into the kids room and saw Kuri and Yumiko sitting at the round table, being all quiet, with the back of Kuri facing her. Seeing that there was no one else around, but the three of them, she decided that this was the best moment to give both girls her personal thoughts concerning them. She walked down the stairway and up to the table.

"Kuri...Yumiko?" Naru said, getting the girls' attention.

"Yes?" Kuri asked.

"Let's talk." Naru said, serious look on her face.

"What about?" Yumiko asked cluelessly.

"I came to let you both know that I'm onto you." Naru said.

"We don't know what you're talking about." Kuri said, turning her back on Naru.

"You can drop the act now, there's no audience." Naru said.

"What innocent act? What are you talking about?" Yumiko asked.

"I'm talking about the two of you suddenly showing up here out of the blue in the middle of the night, scaring us all half to death after months of no contact with Usagi." Naru said.

"Did we offend her?" Kuri asked.

"Well, yes. You basically broke her trust. Not only in you, but in everyone she knows and made her question who her true friends are." Naru said.

"Yeah. I mean, Carpathia, Fortunato, Mio and the New World Order are here to show people who their real family and friends are and who isn't. This is a world for truth, reality, and REAL people to live in...not lies fairytale and fake people." Yumiko added.

"What you perceive as truth, reality and REAL people may not really be any of those things." Naru said.

"Wait." Kuri said before she turned in her chair to face Naru. "Don't tell me. You're a perfect little religious girl like Usagi now and you think you know what the truth is, is that right?"

"I'm not religious and neither is Usagi! I'm a believer of the Messiah and so is she!" Naru said.

"So you believe that some mythical guy who lived about 2000 years ago had these magical powers and was some kind of God?" Yumiko asked.

"The Messiah wasn't some mythical guy with magical powers, he was the son of the God of Heaven! As well as God in person! Plus we have more than enough historical proof that he actually existed today than we did in any other century!" Naru said.

"Ahahahahaha!" Kuri and Yumiko laughed.

"Okay, that's debatable, but for the sake of argument, we'll give it to you." Kuri said. "So you are willing to believe what Usagi believes? Why?"

"Because she's my friend, and it's the truth! The Messiah is God. He performed many miracles." Naru said.

"Miracles." Kuri said. "Have you ever seen any of these miracles? I mean, have you seen the deceased come back to life or a cripple walk?"

"No, I haven't." Naru said.

"I rest my case." Kuri said.

"And yet you're willing to base your entire belief system on what a fairytale storybook has to say about this guy who performed "MIRACLES"." Yumiko said.

"I know from personal experience these last two years that he does exist." Naru said. "The signs were all around for everyone to see, yet people still didn't in the Messiah or God."

"Oh, I see. So you have this warm, fuzzy feeling, is that it?" Yumiko said.

"It doesn't matter whether you believe me or not. What I'm saying is still true. One day the Messiah will return to Earth with the forces of Heaven and set up his kingdom. And that's only five years away." Naru said.

"And you know this by?" Kuri asked.

"Faith." Naru answered.

"Well, faith, as Mio said, is nothing more than a refuge for the weak and the hopeless." Kuri said.

"Oh, I was so right about the two of you. You're the same as you were when you turned against Usagi! Going no contact was the best thing you could've done for her! My best friend is better off! It would serve you both right if she never had anything to do with you ever again!" Naru said.

Naru's teal eyes then turned a glowing yellow.

---

In the United Nations, Naru stood at the top of a flight of stairs by Nicolae -standing behind a clear podium, Leon and a smiling Mio before a crowd of people, with the three villains facing her and wearing small wireless mics.

"Naru...I have a confession to make. Before you came to us with the identities of the Sailor Senshi, I didn't believe you could turn them in, much less several outsiders, one of them being your own mother." Said Mio.

"Yes, these moon aliens, these Earth invaders." Leon added.

"Especially since Sailor Moon is your best friend...Usagi Tsukino. But now you see the greater good for the people of our planet. And this will help make the Global Community a safe world to live in. Miss Naru...I just want you to know that we appreciate what you did. For the first time of life, you are truly free. Free to think...free to choose...free to be. We just want to thank you, Miss Naru." Nicolae said before he, Leon, Mio and the crowd of people started applauding Naru, congratulating her on a job well done.

---

Naru gulped, she hoped that was just an illusion or hallucination.

---

That morning in the hood of Seattle, inside an abandoned factory, which served as the secret base for the Kirin Empire, Lady Kirin stood in a dark room in front of a laptop resting on three stacked boxes, watching an episode of Sailor Moon Crystal on it in it's original Japanese language, trying to learn more about the Sailor Senshi, still wearing the same purple hanfu dress from the other night's gang party along with a pale purple ostrich feathered coat that went all the way down to the floor. Having originally ran her underground kingdom in Tokyo, she had heard a lot about the Sailor Guardians, but knew very little about them.

Tactio stepped out of the darkness behind Lady Kirin. "Your Empire continues to prosper here as the days go by...and your army of juveniles keeps increasing also, my Lady."

"What about the boys we sent out to spray-paint the Empire's name on the buildings' walls?" Lady Kirin asked, not taking her serious gaze off the laptop displaying the Senshi.

"They have still not returned." Tactio answered. He them eyed the laptop the Sailor Moon episode. "I do not understand. Why do these Senshi girls trouble you, my Lady?"

"They are the ones responsible for the disappearances two years ago...which means they are to blame for the number of children we lost that day." Lady Kirin said. On the day of the vanishings of billions of people around the world, every child in the Empire under teen-hood was taken too. None of the teenage-members had disappeared, nor had any of the staff, which was a good thing, but it still delt a massive blow to the organization and put her plans on hold. And it was all the Senshi's fault, since they were the ones who caused the differences in the first place, as well as were responsiblefor the disasters that followed afterwards. She actually had to thank them in a way, because after their disappearing trick, and the disasters that followed, recruiting new kids into the Empire became ten times more than it was before. All of those kids that were taken were replaced with ten times more kids in no time flat, and her Empire was back up and running better than ever. But even so...she still owed pay-back. "They will pay. They will all pay. Every last one of them."

Flame rode his skate-board down the Seattle alley and went up a slope he had made himself, making a perfect landing on the ground and continuing on.

Sailor Jupiter, meanwhile, watched from the roof of a building as Flame skate-boarded down the rest of the alley.
Flame, now lying on his board on his back, rode through a large pipe and excited the other side.

Jupiter looked on with amusement, amazed by the wonderful stunts the boy could do on his skate-board.

---

Later, Flame rode his skate-board down the sidewalk, passing the window buildings.

Jupiter was back to hopping from building to building, keeping up with the pre-teen boy.

As he was passing a restaurant window, Flame saw officer Robert sitting at a table by the window and immediately ducked as he passed by.

"Huh?" Robert asked as he looked out the window, only to see that there was nothing there. "What in the world?"

---

The next day, Flame was skate-boarding down the alley again, with Jupiter watching from the roof of the building. Flame went up a spray-painted mini-slope up against a spray-painted wall, then continued onward.

Jupiter watched as Flame did a few more tricks on his board. She couldn't believe how talented he was at this sport.

---

The next day, Jupiter watched Flame as he rode his skate-board in the empty pool of this abandoned pool hide-out.

Later, Marx, Razor and Darry stood on the sidewalk on the other side of the street away from a building titled 'STEREO STORE'.

"Now, just grab something, put it under your shirt and walk out." Marx said.

"But...that's stealing." Darry said.

"Hey, the kid's a genius." Razor said.

"I can still turn you over to the cops." Marx threatened.

"Well...if-if I do this, are we even?" Darry asked.

"Sure. If you get something good and expensive." Marx said.

Darry crossed the street, heading over to the store, and Usagi, Dana, China and Bianh poked their heads out from around a brick building, watching the boy cross the street.

"What is he doing?" Usagi asked as she and the others watched Darry cross the street and onto the other sidewalk.

"He's going into a stereo store." China said.

"Hey, Marx and Razor had a lot of stereo stuff in their bus." Dana said.

"Stolen stuff, I bet." Bianh added.

"What?" Usagi asked. She had been so focused on the predicament she and the kids were with Marx and Razor, she hadn't even paid attention to her surroundings while on their bus. If what Bianh said was true, and all of that stuff was stolen, that meant this wasn't an i-owe-you act at all. There was only one reason these two men would be sending a 10-year old boy into a store. It was to shoplift for them.

Darry pushed one of the glass doors open and entered inside the stereo store where a gray-haired heavy-set man was sitting at his desk, reading a newspaper.

The man lowered the newspaper when he saw Darry. "May I help you?" He asked, stopping Darry in his tracks.

"Just, uh, looking." Darry said before walking out of the man's sight, who was eyeing him suspiciously.

"So we'll be bringing you live coverage of the up-coming Battle Boarders championship right here in Seattle at the Lumen Field stadium." said a male voice on the intercom as Darry walked over to a shelf, picked up a disk-player and proceeded to leave. "It's the skate-boarding event hosted by News anchor April O'Bryan." The man on the intercom said as Darry exited the building.

"I've gotta stop him." Usagi said as she and China ran across the street.

"Serena! China!" Dana said.

"Don't do it, Darry!" China said as she and Usagi made it to the other side of the street, stopping Darry in his tracks.

"What are you doing here?" Darry demanded. "Go on, get lost!"

"Look, it's two of those meddling girls." Razor said, pointing.

"Those guys will only get you into trouble, they're making you do the dirty work." China said.

"China's right, those guys are thieves. They're only making you do the stealing because they're too lazy to do it themselves." Usagi added.

"I guess you're right." Darry said, knowing that China and Usagi were in fact right. "I'm gonna put it back."

"Good for you." Usagi said, nodding with a smile, glad that she and China had managed to get through to the boy.

Most people didn't believe the truth about anything now a-days, as if that meant it wasn't real. She was so happy that Darry was not one of those people.

"Come on." Said Marx as he and Razor ran across the street.

"They're heading for Serena and China!" Dana said before she and Bianh ran across the street after the two men.

Marx and Razor rushed up to Darry.

"Give me that!" Marx said as he took the disk-player from Darry. "You're get'n in our way, girls!" He said as Dana and Bianh stopped a few feet from them in the street.

"Gonna take us all on, tough guy?" Dana asked, her hands on her hips.

"Aw, now aren't you the brave one?" Marx said as he looked back at the two girls.

Robert drove his police car down the street, with Setsuna in the front passenger-seat.

"Say, that looked like Marx and Razor back there." Robert said.

"Who?" Setsuna asked, confused.

"Two criminals I've been tryin' to bust for months. I think they might be involved with whoever's behind the gang woke culture." Robert explained. "Looks like they're getting some more kids into trouble."

"Turn around." Setsuna said.

Robert shot Setsuna brief glare. He didn't take too kindly to being ordered around by his partners, especially when they were Asian, but that wasn't important at the moment. Catching Marx and Razor, however, was. The officer turned his car around and headed back for the spot where Marx and Razor and the kids were.

Inside the store, the man looked outside and saw Marx holding the stolen disk-player. "Hey," He said as he put the newspaper on his desk and ran towards the doors. "you two hold on a minute!" He said before exiting the store and running up to Marx. "Here, give me back that disk-player!" He said as he grabbed the disk-player and struggled to retrieve it.

Marx pushed the man to the ground. "Back off, old man!"

"You jerk!" Usagi said.

"Thieves! Thieves!" The man shouted.

The lights on Robert's police car were on along with the siren as it drove towards the scene where Usagi and everyone else was.

"Let's split up and I'll meet ya later." Marx said to Razor before they, Usagi and the kids all ran off.

Usagi, the kids and Marx ran off in alley while Razor ran down the sidewalk.

The police car parked at the start of the alley, and Robert and Setsuna got out, closing the front doors.

"You get Razor, I'll get Marx!" Robert said.

"Right." Setsuna said, nodding.

Robert ran off into the alley while Setsuna ran down the sidewalk after Razor.

As Usagi, the kids and Marx ran through the alley, Dana tripped over a rock and fell to the snow-covered ground, and she looked back and saw Robert heading her way.

"Come on!" Usagi said as she and the other three kids helped Dana to her feet, then they resumed running through the alley.

Marx tripped over a trash-can and fell over, but quickly got back up and kept on going while Usagi and the kids made their way past the trash-can.

They soon reached a dead end, however, when they reached a tall metal fence at the end of the alley with stacks of crates.

Usagi and the kids gasped with shock. There was no way out of here. They were trapped...unless-

"Hold it right there!" Robert shouted.

Usagi, the kids and Marx began climbing the crates, then once she and the kids reached the top, they proceeded to climb over the fence.

"Quick, over the fence!" Darry said as he helped Bianh over the fence while Usagi, Dana and China climbed over it themselves.

The four girls jumped down from the other side of the fence, landing on the ground on their feet.

Officer Robert, meanwhile, had caught up to Darry and Marx and had the 10-year old boy by the left ankle.

Marx threw the disk-player at Robert, making him duck and release Darry. This also caused the stack of crates to collapse, making Marx and Darry fall.

"Now look what you've done!" Marx said to Darry.

Darry looked and saw Robert lying on his back unconscious, with his police hat off and one of the crates on top of him. "No."

"Don't blame him, he's just a kid! You're the one who threw the disk-player at the officer in the first place!" Usagi said to Marx.

"Is...is he-" China said.

Darry climbed down from the collapsed crates and attempted to lift the crate up off the unconscious officer, to which he was surprisingly. "Come on, help me!" He said to Marx.

"Forget you!" Marx said.

Robert then started to regain consciousness.

"He's okay!" Darry said excitedly.

"Oh, thank goodness." Usagi said, glad to know that the officer was alive and well. That meant he still had a chance to hear and receive the truth about the Messiah and go to Heaven and avoid Hell.

"Hold it right there!" came a female voice.

Darry looked and saw Setsuna running down the alley with Razor and three other cops, two of them holding him by the arms, who's hands were cuffed behind his back.

Usagi instantly recognized Setsuna as one of the four cops and The Three Lights as the other officers. "Setsuna? What's she doing with the police? And what are Seiya, Taiki and Yaten doing here?" She thought.

Darry and Marx climbed back up on the collapsed crates and made their way to the fence.

"Did you not hear me?!" Setsuna yelled.

Darry and Marx started climbing the fence as Setsuna, the other three cops and Razor ran up to the crate and the fence.

"Stop right there!" Setsuna said as she and Seiya grabbed Marx by his coat, pulling him down onto the ground as Darry made his way to the top of the fence.

Seiya noticed Usagi was one of the five kids on the other side of the fence and their eyes locked.

"Odango?" The lead cop-disguised Starlight thought.

"Come on, drop!" Dana said, snapping Usagi out of her gazed at Seiya.

"Hurry, Darry!" China urged as Darry climbed over the fence and jumped on the other side where the four girls were.

"Let's go!" Darry said as he, Usagi and the other three girls took off running.

"You alright, sir?" Setsuna asked Robert.

"Yeah." Robert said, now sitting up, rubbing his head with his left hand. "And the delinquents?"

"The kids? They're running like rabbits." Seiya said.

"Yeah. I got 'em so scared of cops, they won't come within a mile of one." Marx said, Setsuna and Seiya holding him by the arms.

"Yeah, and if it hadn't been for your manly assistance, we might've help those kids." Taiki said.

"I hope those gang-bangers got the brains to get help from somebody. 'Cause it sure isn't going to be us." Robert said.

Setsuna didn't react to Robert's comment, but The Three Lights shot him a glare.

Seiya then handcuffed Marx's hands behind his back, placing him under arrest.

Robert then got to his feet, picked up his hat, put it on his head, then he, Setsuna and the other three officers turned and headed out of the alley with Marx and Razor.

---

Three Days Later...

Standing at the top of a building in Seattle were Mio and the Mischiefs in hang-gliders, ready to fly off over the city for a publicity stunt, and they were all winter-dressed, wearing high heel boots, with Ric Rayfield standing behind Rocky and her glider.

Ric Rayfield was the Mischiefs' music manager and main sponsor, as well as the owner of the entire music industry in America, thanks to Nicolae. He had dark brown eyes, dark brown hair styled as two cowlicks that resembled horns, and he was dressed for the winter.

"Are you ready, girls?" Ric asked.

"Another minute, Mr. Rayfield. " Mio said, adjusting the straps of her glider.

Rocky gasped as she looked down at the street and traffic below. "I-i-i don't like this stunt, Ric."

"It'll get you lots of publicity for the Battle Boarders championship." Ric said.

"Awww. Poor wittle Rocky's afraid." Pizzara teased.

"Hey, I'm not afraid! It's just that this is the stupidest thing I've ever heard of!" Rocky said.

"Yeah, yeah,." Mio said. "Hit it, Mischiefs!" She said before she and the Mischiefs took off flying on their gliders-the music now playing, releasing multiple flyers of themselves from small boxes over the city as they did, the boxes being strapped to the back of their gliders.

Mio then started singing, with the music coming from two small stereos strapped to both sides of her hang-glider.

This is the place where we belong
Up at the top, riding on a song
You oughta see the view from here
It's fabulous.
The Mischiefs took over.

(And so are we!)

You oughta see how things appear
When you are up in the stratosphere
You oughta hear all the people cheer

Flyers landed on the ground below and many people picked them up and started reading them.

When you are fabulous, like us!

Pizzara began singing solo.

We feel right at home
Looking down on those below
All you little people with your dreams so small
We are towering above it all!

Mio, Rocky and Storm took over.

You oughta see how things appear
When you are up in the stratosphere
You oughta hear all the people cheer
When you are fabulous, like us!
You oughta see how things appear
When you are up in the stratosphere

You oughta hear all the people cheer
When you are up in the stratosphere
When you are fabulous, like us!

Mio sang.

You oughta see how things appear
(Things appear)

Pizzara sang.

When you are up in the stratosphere
(Stratosphere)

Mio sang.

You oughta hear all the people cheer
(People cheer)

Pizzara sang.

When you are fabulous
(Fabulous)

Mio and Pizzara sang.

Like us!

---

Rosenzweig Estate

At Israel, inside the home of Dr. Rosenzweig, Ami sat on the sofa in the living-room, watching the New World News concerning the quarantine of ASTRO-V carrying children and their parents, with 25 male Israel GC soldiers standing in front of the building with guns.

The TV displayed two different scenes, one being that of a male Israel News anchor sitting at his desk and another of countless adults protesting outside the Israel GC headquarters.

The male News anchor began explaining the situation in his Hebrew accented voice. "Tensions are at a breaking point here in Israel with all the parents of the ASTRO infected children sharply condemning the GC for imprisoning their offspring. Parents and other adult family members have been protesting against the GC. Calling the quarantine camps prisons, they are demanding the release of their children immediately. Things are pretty much the same in Canada and Alaska, parents and other adult relatives insisting that current strategies are clearly not working. Like the protesting parents gathered outside the GC headquarters here in Israel, these parents believe the GC soldiers-"

Ami turned off the TV with the remote, then retreated into her mind about ASTRO-V. She had been watching the News and reading online articles about the epidemic ever since it began, and so far none of the infected adults had exhibited any kind of sick symptoms. They hadn't even coughed or sneezed, much less fell ill to the virus. All it did was make the infected adults' eyes glow purple and turn them against children. And the children carried the disease inside them until the age of 20, then they'd turn into the infected just like the adults. What kind of disease did that? What kind of plague was American falling prey too?

Buck walked into the living-room, as he was now staying with Dr. Rosenzweig.

"Ami?" Buck said. But Ami didn't say anything, as she was too deep in thought. "Dr. Rosenzweig needs you. The serum is nearly finished."

Ami snapped out of her thoughts, placed the remote down on the sofa, got up, and exited the living-room to go help Dr. Rosenzweig.

---

Two pre-teen girls were walking down the Seattle sidewalk on their way to school, one African American and one Caucasian, both girls wearing messenger-bags across their right shoulders. The African American girl had black hair in two pony-tails on both sides of her head and her eyes were brown, and the other girl had black hair that went past her shoulders and stopped at her upper-back, and her eyes were brown.

A black van pulled up beside the sidewalk, followed by the back door sliding open, revealing Plug, one of the kids from the Kirin gang party.

"Hey, I'm a member of the cool kids club and we're looking for new members. Get in and you can both be one of us." Plug said.

"Don't go." The African-American girl warned her friend.

"I...I don't know. Maybe I should. After all, it's not every day we get asked to join the cool kids." The other girl said.

"Hold it right there!" came a female voice.

The girls and Plug looked and saw Sailor Venus standing on the sidewalk, with her right hand on her hip and a serious look on her face.

Plug quickly slid the door closed and the van sped off.

Sailor Venus ran up to the girls.

"Sailor Venus!" The girls said excitedly before Venus put both hands on her hips.

"Who was that?" Venus asked.

"I don't know." The Caucasian girl answered.

"That kid said he was part of a so-called cool kids club and asked Valerie and me to join." The African American girl explained.

"He's not part of a cool club, never listen to a stranger, even if it's a kid your age. Ask an adult you know and trust or a teacher or a relative. You don't have to be with the in-crowd to be cool. Just be yourself. That what cool is." Venus said.

"I'm glad you showed up when you did. Not that I wasn't suspicious from the get-go, I just...wanted to be one of the popular kids. I don't fit in around here." Valerie said.

"Realizing you don't fit in is a good thing. You were born for something much greater. You both were. You weren't born to fit in...you were born to fit out." Vanessa said before she started telling the girls the story of the Messiah.

---

The next morning in Iraq in New Babylon, Nicolae sat in his office at his desk inside his palace, on the phone with the mayor of Seattle-Washington, regarding the criminal mischief with the city's children population, having contacted the world leader on what to do about the situation.

"I want you to order the Seattle GC to pick up every child that is a street urchin and has that Asian tattoo. And I want you to send them upstate to a tough love program. You've said that lately there have been children in your city forming a gang and committing crimes, and whoever's behind all of this may try to recruit and brainwash more of the children in your community if we do not rescue them. Especially the ones that are living on the streets." Nicolae paused for a second. "The owner of the New World Religion, Mio Kuroki, and her band, the Mischiefs, will be performing at the Battle Boarders championship...Yes, this is what Miss Kuroki wants. And since she's such a big help to Fortunato and I, I'm letting her have free reign as always." Carpathia was quite once again. "Mio does not want today's generation of young people to be brainwashed by any beliefs that are not part of the New World system, and neither do Fortunato and I. Henceforth, all Seattle children sent upstate will be taught the New World Religion and expected to follow it."

A pause. "Yes, sir." replied the male voice of the mayor on the other end of the phone.

---

All of the kids and teenagers sat on the floor of the command-room, their quilts wrapped around them and wearing their mittens. Luna sat on the stool in front of the control-panel, facing everyone, with Artemis standing by the stool on the right.

"Thanks for meeting with me again." Luna said.

"Did we have a choice?" Kuri asked.

"I think not." Yumiko added.

"I've asked you all here to discuss the events in Tokyo and America, regarding the ASTRO-V epidemic." Luna said.

"What is there to discuss? We already know who's behind the epidemic." Kuri said.

"Yeah. It's the same monsters that are responsible for the disappearances and all the disasters that followed after." Yumiko added.

"The Sailor Senshi." Kuri and Yumiko said.

"I'm sure many of you have a big concern about what is occurring here in Tokyo and in the United States. I can promise you one thing: That the truth about this epidemic has not been addressed honestly by the media and the New World government. The truth is twisted about the situation with these two infected countries. Usually, I would never bring up political events in the media. But now I feel it's my duty as a believer to tell you all that you are again being misled by The Dark One-Carpathia, Mio, Fortunato and the rest of the New World system around the globe. Do you think you can trust any of them? This epidemic wasn't caused by the Sailor Guardians, and neither were any of the previous disasters that befell the planet. The Dark One, Mio and Fortunato are desperate to look like the saviors of the world, so they are blaming the vanishings, the disasters and this ASTRO-V fiasco on the Senshi and imprisoning and killing anyone who speaks out about the apocalypse and against the Global Community. They know that Sailor Moon and the rest of the Senshi believe the truth as well, so they're trying to make all of humanity see them as the villains.

This is not going to happen. The truth's vibrations are high, and The Dark One's lies and deceptions can't prosper when people know the truth and accept it. The adults of America and Tokyo are dying from the destructive actions of others. Your focus should be you and your eternal salvation. Take my advice and receive the Messiah into your hearts. All of these events need to occur in order to crash the New World Order illusion and to create a foundation for the future. Please...be prepared for more events and truths that are coming to Earth for the remaining five years. The awakening continues, and more and more people want to be free and happy and have accepted the Messiah in their lives. The Dark One, Mio, Fortunato and the New World organization are getting exposed left and right, and their end is getting closer and closer with each passing year. I am very sad for all the children who lost their children in the asteroid disaster and the ASTRO-V epidemic. I am sending a lot of love and encouragement to you, Kuri, Yumiko and Jacob. God loves you all so much. You are all precious in his eye-si..." Luna was cut off by one of Mio's songs, 'World Gone Mad'.

"Blah, blah, blah, no one care, no one cares." Kuri said, now standing up, dancing along with Yumiko, listening to Mio's song on her cellphone that she held in her right hand.

"Yeah, no one cares about this." Yumiko said.

"Kuri, Yumiko, quit it!" Naru chided.

"Quit interrupting!" Justin added.

"We wanna hear what Luna's saying." Ruby said.

"Yeah, we care." Cole said.

"Of course you all find it interesting. You all believe you're gonna die and go to Hell. But we don't. That's the difference between the sane and the insane, isn't it, Yumiko?" Kuri said.

"That's right." Yumiko agreed.

"That's enough you two! Turn off that music right away or you're both dismissed from the command-room." Luna said.

"I'm sick of all this non-sense anyway!" Kuri said. "Come on, Yumiko, let's blow this stand of nuts." She before turning and heading towards the exit.

"I'm with you." Yumiko said before following Kuri out of the room.

"Well, that went well." Artemis said.

"Ugh! I give up." Luna said, frustrated.

Sadly, she couldn't force them to believe. It would take something big to make those girls see the truth.

At the school hideout, Jani and Melinda were in an empty class-room, dancing to a Mio/Mischiefs song on a cordless radio titled 'WINNING IS EVERYTHING'. The two girls sung along as the song played, and the radio rested on the floor in front of them.

Winning is everything
Winning is everything
I ain't cut out for second string

Winning is everything
Winning is everything
So go find another song to sing

Winning is everything
Winning is everything
Winning is everything
Winning is everything.

Jani and Melinda ceased their dancing.

"Keep listening to stuff that spews the wrong messages like that and you'll never wake up to the truth." came a female voice.

"Huh?" Jani and Melinda said as they turned to see Sailor Venus standing in front of the open doorway.

"Sailor Venus?!" Jani and Melinda gasped.

"What are you doing here?!" Melinda demanded.

Venus was silent for a moment. "We need to talk."

"There is nothing to talk about unless it's about you and your kind, leaving this planet." Jani said as Melinda bent down and turned off the radio, then stood back up.

"Yeah, so why don't you just get lost?!" Melinda added.

"Sorry. I can't do that. Not until I do what I came here for." Venus said.

"Why are you even here?" Jani asked.

"She's here because I asked her to come." Vicki said as she, Rei and Hotaru entered into the room, making their way past Venus as they did.

"Oh, that figures." Melinda said.

"I should've known you'd be behind this, Bryne." Jani said.

"Just...listen to what she has to say." Vicki said.

"Look, if you brought her here to bad-mouth Carpathia to us, you can forget it, she just wasted a trip." Melinda said.

"We've heard everything you three, the rest of your friends and many others have had to say about Carpathia." Jani said to Vicki, Rei and Hotaru.

"Well, they're right. Carpathia is bad news and so is the New World Order. He's the mysterious world leader talked about in the apocalypse prophecy." Venus said.

"Sure. And the next thing you'll tell us is that Mio Kuroki isn't human." Melinda said.

Venus was silent. "Well, let's not get ahead of ourselves."

"Ugh!" Jani and Melinda said.

"Is that why you're here? To gossip about Mio to us?" Jani asked.

""It's not gossip if it's the truth." Rei said.

"What truth? We've heard everything people have to say about Mio." Melinda said.

"No, you haven't. You literally have no idea who she really is." Hotaru said.

"And I'm not leaving here, no matter what, until you do." Venus said.

"Why is everybody so bent on warning us about Mio?" Jani asked.

"Who else warned you about her?" Venus asked.

"Conrad talked to us about Mio." Melinda answered.

"Conrad is a good boy." Vicki said.

"What about his brother, Taylor, was he a good boy?" Melinda asked.

"Melinda-"

"Yeah, yeah, I know, you all believe Conrad's brother is in Hell, suffering eternal torment." Melinda said, cutting Rei off.

"Well, he is." Hotaru said. "Regardless of whether he was good or not, he didn't trust Mio either."

"Along with his girlfriend." Vicki added.

"You know what, I don't even care anymore. I use to. I was ready to turn you all in to the GC so that they could help you see the truth, I was willing to help you. You were the ones who took me hostage." Melinda said.

"Please, just listen." Venus said.

"And now you have the nerve to say that Mio is not what she seems." Jani said.

"She's not! She's evil! She framed Sailor Moon and Venus for murder!" Hotaru said.

"What's wrong with you? How can you call Mio, a teenage-girl, evil?" Melinda asked.

"Because sadly we know her. You don't." Hotaru said.

"Well, maybe she's made some mistakes, sure, who hasn't? Is that any reason to spread rumors about her?" Jani said.

"They weren't mistakes. She has meant everything she's done." Rei said.

"Even if she did, no matter what she did, my goodness...you guys, she has been through a lot this year, especially when she got caught in the crossfire of the Indiana Governor getting shot." Jani said.

"Jani, that's just it. She didn't." Hotaru said.

"What?" Jani and Melinda asked.

"Mio didn't INNOCENTLY witness Governor Carl's shooting. Mio is not a traumatized victim." Hotaru said.

"Mio's not a victim, you expect us to believe that?" Melinda said.

"It doesn't matter if you believe it or not, it still happened." Hotaru said.

"Oh, I am so sure." Jani said sarcastically.

"Just listen." Vicki said.

"I use to know exactly what you were thinking, Byrne. But now...you say that Carpathia is this evil, fictitious villain predicted in some fairytale apocalypse storybook...you tell me and Melinda that the New World Order is some kind of shady criminal organization...you know how much we admire Mio, and you decide you don't want us to like her either, so you bring one of the moon aliens here to make up this crazy story about her." Jani said.

"I'm not making any of this up, it is the truth!" Venus said.

"The truth?" Melinda questioned.

"Alright, I'll play along. Mio pretended to be an innocent spectator to Governor Carl's shooting, why would she do that?" Jani said.

"So she could frame Sailor Moon and me." Venus answered.

"Come again?" Melinda asked.

"She's always has it in for us and the rest of the Inner Senshi. She's been obsessed with getting back at us...especially Sailor Moon...since she became famous over-night. She told me herself just before the earthquake/meteor shower happened...and that she was the shadow of Beryl, the evil Queen that attacked and destroyed the Moon Kingdom centuries ago, with humanity's assistance." Hotaru said.

"What?" Jani and Melinda asked.

"Mio...didn't care...that Governor Carl was abusing his wife. She didn't care what he did to her. She had set him up to be killed...just so she could get back at me and Sailor Moon." Venus emphasized.

"Mio...she set the governor up to be killed just to get back at you and Sailor Moon?" Jani asked, stunned.

"I know. It's awful." Venus said.

"She-she wouldn't. C-couldn't." Melinda said, also stunned.

"Oh, yes, she would and could, and she did." Hotaru said.

"Listen. Mio was suspicious from the start...and the rest of the Senshi and I didn't trust her. Especially since she was with Carpathia and the New World Order." Venus said.

"Another reason for you to gossip about her." Melinda said.

"So my ally, Minako Aino, and her friends show up at school one morning and Mio shows up. And the teacher introduces her to them and the rest of the class, and I thought that was really weird. I felt like it was strange that a famous teen-singer was going to school instead of taking home-school like so many other famous kids and teens." Venus said.

"Yeah, it sounds too good to be true." Jani said.

"Yeah, and in an awesome way." Melinda added.

"Only then-fast forward to the day of the earthquake/meteor shower-she tells me...that she is the shadow of Beryl and that she was created by Carpathia to uncover the Senshi's identities." Hotaru said.

"She actually said this?" Melinda said.

"Yes. I was being taken away by Miss Jenness when Mio was revealing her origin story." Vicki said.

"Carpathia said on live TV that she told him that you and the rest of the Senshi were responsible for disappearances and all of the disasters." Jani said.

"And that was her first lie to the world through that weasel." Rei said with a scowl.

"Why didn't you or one of your Senshi friends mention this on your podcast?" Jani asked Venus.

"Assuming that it's true, which I doubt." Melinda added.

"We wanted to, but she knows who the rest of the Senshi and I are, and we were afraid that if we went public with what we knew about her, she'd blow the whistle on us and put us and all of our loved-ones in danger. And then Mio resurfaced in Israel." Venus explained.

"Yeah, I remember. It was when she, Carpathia and Fortunato showed that recorded speech Sailor Moon made of herself confessing to being responsible for the disappearances." Jani said.

"Yes, a fake video." Venus said.

"So you say." Melinda said.

"And we knew how bent she was on getting back at me and the rest of the Senshi for defeating Beryl. And knew that she would stop at nothing to take us down. But I knew we couldn't just tell people about Mio's true nature, I knew that they wouldn't believe us." Venus said.

"No, they wouldn't." Jani said.

"Us being two of them." Melinda added.

"We were so upset and afraid. We didn't know what to do. Then Sailor Moon and I met the Carls in Gary-Indiana." Venus said.

"The governor and his wife." Melinda said.

"Sailor Moon and I went there to try to help save their marriage." Venus said.

"You got yourselves involved in this domestic violence dispute instead of letting the Carls work it out for themselves?" Melinda asked.

"If we wanted to save Laura and the kid her husband adopted from this un-safe situation, we had to play our cards right and stop it ourselves. Her husband had already had his business partner, Terrell Blanca, killed because he was threatening to expose the illegal adoption of the boy he'd adopted, and we weren't going to let that happen to her or that kid or her sister." Venus said.

"The governor had killed Terrell Blanca killed?" Melinda asked.

"Yeah. And I think his wife was going to be his next victim." Venus said.

"But the News said that you and Sailor Moon conspired with the governor's wife to kill him. How do you explain the gun in the house that was used to kill him?" Jani said.

"Mio had the gun sent to Laura. She wanted her to kill her husband. She wanted him dead. Jani...Melinda...we didn't do anything. Okay? It was all lies from Mio just to get back at us, to make us look like the bad guys." Venus said.

"You didn't conspire with the governor's wife to kill him? If that's the case...then why is Laura the one in prison instead of Mio?" Melinda said.

"Mio framed Laura like she framed us. And that is why she is the one behind bars. And we...we never set out to hurt or kill anyone. We were just trying to help. We didn't plan the governor's death. Honest." Venus said.

"Yeah, right." Jani said.

"Sure you didn't." Melinda added.

"I promise you...Sailor Moon and I didn't have anything to do with what happened to Governor Carl. And I promise you I'm not lying to you." Venus said.

"You and Sailor Moon didn't conspire with the governor's wife to kill him?" Melinda said.

"No. The rest of the Senshi and I didn't cause the vanishings, we didn't cause any of the disasters that have impacted the world or anything else we've been accused of. We never did any of the things Carpathia and Mio said we did. We're the good guys." Venus assured.

"Good guys? You let an alleged murderer walk away scott free!" Melinda said.

"We had to. And after the rest of the Senshi and I started fighting back against the New World Order, there were still people who believed in us and that we weren't the bad guys. The Trib-Forces even kept quiet about who we are. And we just wanted to get on live TV and tell the world everything we knew about Mio." Venus said.

"But you didn't." Jani said.

"No, we didn't. And I wish to Heaven we could've. But we had to keep quiet about what we knew about Mio. It was the only way to keep ourselves safe." Venus said.

"So...if this is true...why didn't any of you just come to us and tell us?" Melinda said Vicki and the others, looking past Venus.

"Why bother, you wouldn't have believed us. Just like you don't believe what's happening in the world is the apocalypse of Revelation." Rei said.

"So you were just going to keep this information a secret from the world forever just to keep your private lives under-wraps?" Jani said to Venus.

"Ugh, Jani, the Sailor Guardians have their families and friends to think about! They have enemies who would love to know who they are, Carpathia being one of them! I mean, put yourself in their position, what would you have done?" Vicki said. "Would you have risked your family's lives and the lives of your friends so you could destroy a famous celebrity's career with truthful information about them likely wouldn't be believed? Or would you have done anything and everything to keep them safe?"

"Mio really did all of these?" Melinda said.

"Yes, yes, and it killed me and the rest of the Senshi knowing that she was responsible for the governor's death, so we just kept our mouths shut and we watched that witch get away with it and frame me, Sailor Moon and Laura Carl for her crime." Venus said.

Jani and Melinda were quiet for a while, not sure what to think.

So why are you telling us all of this now?" Jani asked.

"I told you, we found out that Mio killed Governor Carl." Venus said.

"How?" Melinda asked.

"The autopsy." Venus said.

"Autopsy? There was no autopsy, Mio requested that there not be one due it being an open and shut case and all. Also, she wanted to respect the governor's memory." Melinda said.

"Now we know you're lying." Jani said.

"I'm not lying. We got proof. That's another one of the reasons why we hadn't come forward with this information sooner." Venus said.

"What kind of proof?" Melinda asked.

"I've got to hear this." Jani said.

"When Mio decided against an autopsy, Sailor Mercury went to the hospital and took a picture of Governor Carl's body and sent it to our headquarters where an on-screen autopsy was performed. He died from a drug overdose. The gunshot wound was not the cause the death. Laura's sister couldn't have killed him." Venus explained.

"Oh, my peaches." Melinda said, stunned.

"Now do you believe us? Mio killed the governor of Indiana by overdosing him with drugs. That's why she didn't want an autopsy performed. Not because it was an open and shut case or to respect his memory." Hotaru said.

"And that's not the worst of it." Rei added.

"Oh, there's more?" Jani asked.

"I'm afraid so." Rei said. "Remember the ASTRO-V epidemic that hit Tokyo and America five months ago?"

"How can we forget, it's still here." Melinda said.

"And spreading." Jani added.

"Well, our headquarters did an on-screen DNA test on the purple...and you know what they found in it?" Venus said.

"No." Jani said.

"What?" Melinda asked.

"The same kind of drug that was found inside Governor Carl. Also, his violent energy was found in the purple smoke as well." Venus said.

"His energy? How did Mio get that?" Jani asked.

"I told you, she's the clone of Beryl, the Queen of the Dark Kingdom. Stealing energy was what they did best. What she does best." Venus said.

"But if that's true...then that means-"

"Mio is the one responsible for the ASTRO-V epidemic." Vicki said, cutting Melinda off.

"What?!" Jani gasped.

"Get real, Byrne! No one could pull something like that off by themselves!" Melinda said.

"Exactly. Which means she would've had to have hired somebody to invent this airborne disease." Venus said.

"Like who?" Melinda asked.

"I don't know. She found someone. And she got them to create the virus and unleash it upon America. Not to mention Tokyo in Japan." Venus said.

"Hold on, space-girl. Are you trying to tell us that someone helped Mio weaponize domestic violence into an airborne disease?" Jani asked.

"Correct." Venus answered.

"Listen to yourselves. Carpathia creating Mio? Mio hiring someone to turn domestic violence into an airborne sickness to infect Tokyo and America? That's crazy." Melinda said.

"Yeah. It's almost as crazy as Carpathia bringing Fortunato back from the dead." Vicki said.

"Or billions of people, alive and dead, vanishing off the face of the Earth with the unborn and all children under teenage years." Rei said.

"I know it's crazy." Venus said.

"It's more than crazy." Jani said.

"That's what we're trying to tell you, this is who Mio really is. Okay? She killed the governor of Indiana, frame me, Sailor Moon and Laura Carl for it, and had this virus created and unleashed...to get back at me, Sailor Moon and the rest of the Inner Senshi for defeating Beryl." Venus said.

"This is true? All of it?" Melinda asked.

"Yeah, and here's some more truth. You know that ancient was between Earth and the moon long ago? It was because Bery had the hots for the Earth Prince, so she and the people of Earth destroyed the Moon Kingdom. Years later, as I mentioned earlier, Beryl had a clone of herself made, now she, Carpathia and the whole GC are out to get us." Venus said.

"You expect us to believe that pack of lies?" Jani asked, rolling her eyes.

"You mean that whole Earth Kingdom vs Moon Kingdom war was waged just because Beryl couldn't handle rejection?" Melinda asked.

"Oh, come on, not you too." Jani said.

"Why not me too? I mean, think about. If you found out a whole war was started because one individual couldn't get with the object of their objection, wouldn't you be indignant?" Melinda said.

"Newsflash, I did just find out! I just don't believe it. Just like I don't believe this gossip about Mio or this talk about the apocalypse." Jani said.

"People didn't believe monsters and aliens were real either, but look now. And if they were wrong about that, don't you think they're wrong about denying the existence of God and Hell too?" Venus said.

"Well...if this is the apocalypse of 2000-year ancient prophecy like you say, which I doubt...what about Mio? Where does she fit into all of this?" Melinda said.

"I've been wondering that too. So I went back and read the prophecy again and came across something very interesting." Hotaru said.

"What, concerning Mio? Oh, this I gotta hear." Jani said.

"Go ahead." Melinda said.

"Well, according to Revelation 17, there's a woman in the wilderness that rides a scarlet beast. She is known as The Whore Of Babylon. It's quite possible Mio is that woman." Hotaru explained.

"Whoa, I never thought of that." Vicki said.

"Me either." Rei added.

"But the apocalypse people are saying that the New World Religion is the woman in that chapter." Melinda said.

"Mio literally owns the New World Religion. As a matter of fact, she's the face and owner of it. So that's pretty much the same thing. Nicolae Carpathia is the scarlet beast, Fortunato is the false prophet, and Mio is The Great Whore Of Babylon." Hotaru said.

"That would explain why she's still around after the 6th Seal disaster." Rei said. "But according to Revelation 17, The Great Whore is supposed to meet her demise at the hands of the beast. But somehow I don't think that part of the chapter is talking about Mio."

"It could be talking about the end of the New World Religion." Hotaru said.

"Yeah, that's what I thought too." Vicki added.

"Blah, blah, blah, I still don't believe." Jani said.

"You can say you don't believe in Canada, but guess what? It still exists?" Venus said.

"And your point is?" Jani asked, folding her arms.

"My point is the truth is still the truth, whether you believe it or not. And it doesn't need your belief in it to be real. You can say you don't believe in God or Hell...but it doesn't mean they're not real." Venus said.

"Whatever." Jani said.

"Whatever? Didn't you hear-"

"Every word." Jani said, cutting Vicki off. "Get out. All of you."

"What?" Rei asked.

"We're done here. Get out." Jani said.

"Alright. If I can't convince you...maybe this will." Venus said. "Bring 'em in, Charlie!"

"Coming." Charlie said before entering the room, carrying a stack of nine thick books. "Charlie's here...with books."

"Good. Sit them down in front of Jani and Melinda." Venus said.

"Yes, Miss Venus." Charlie said before making his way up to Jani and Melinda. "These are for you." He said before sitting the books down on the floor in front of the two girls.

"What is this?" Jani asked before she and Melinda bent down and looked at the books' titles on the binders. "Sailor Moon VS The Dark Kingdom"."

"Sailor Moon VS The Cardians"." Melinda said.

"Hey, what's the big idea? These are all Sailor Moon books." Jani said.

"That's right. These are all compiled archives of me and the rest of the Senshi, written by Ami Mizuno and Setsuna Meiou. Everything you need to know about us in these books. Except for our identities, of course, which were changed for protective reasons." Venus said.

"I thought the GC banned Sailor Moon merchandise from all stores in Japan." Melinda said.

"They did. These are just written accounts of our experiences. Also, she's translated these into English so you'll be able to read them. Maybe once you've done that, you'll realize the rest of the Senshi and I are not the enemy. Maybe you'll even believe everything we've said about Mio, Carpathia, Fortunato, the GC, Mio and the apocalypse." Venus said.

"Reading is for dummies." Jani said.

"Yeah, what she said." Melinda said.

Rei rolled her eyes, "There should be videos containing old news reports about past incidents in there too."

"Well, I've done my part. I've shared the truth with both you, and you shot it down. I'm out of here." Venus said before she turned and headed for the open doorway where she stopped. "But let me say this: If it ever gets placed on your heart to receive the truth about the Messiah...don't ignore it or put it off. It's a different world now...and there are no more guarantees. Who knows what will happen to either of you before the end of today?"

"We're not gonna die, we're teenagers." Jani said.

"Yeah, teenagers." Melinda agreed.

"Teenagers or not, tomorrow is not a given for anyone, and neither is the next hour. Especially in this new world. What would be worse than finally learning the truth and then dying without acting on it...because you waited too long?" Venus said before disappearing in a flash of orange light.

Jani and Melinda just rolled their eyes in annoyance. What were these people and that alien on? Carpathia a beast? Fortunato a false prophet? And Mio an evil witch in some fairytale end of the world storybook? They were high! What a bunch of craziness. Utter craziness. What were the odds of any of any of that being true?

---

Inside a 50s diner in Seattle, Usagi and the other four kids were sitting at a white table in red sofa-chairs with empty plates and empty glass ice-cream cups, as they had already eaten what they had ordered, which were fries, burgers and milkshakes.

"Thanks for the food. I'll pay ya back when I can." Darry said.

"Don't be silly." China said.

"I mean it. I'm not gonna sponge off anybody." Darry said.

"You know, I think Darry should go back to the foster-home with us." Dana suggested.

"He can't do that, it's for girls only." Bianh said.

"Hey, I don't need your home. I'm a boy. I can look after myself." Darry said.

"Even boys need help sometimes, Darry." Usagi said.

"Yeah, Serena's right, everyone needs help, even a boy. You can't keep on running forever." China added.

"Uh, I don't mean to butt in or nothin', but you look like you need somebody to talk to." Said a male waiter as he walked over to where Usagi and the others were sitting. "Somebody who can help you work things out."

"Yeah, sure. Somebody else to lecture me." Darry said.

"Doesn't have to be that way." The waiter said before reaching into his right pants-pocket and pulling out a white card. "Here, call this place." He said, handing the card to Darry. "They'll give ya good advice, try and help you."

"Well, I guess I could give it a try." Darry said.

"You don't have to go home, but you really should talk to someone." Said the waiter.

"Hey, look, the News is on." Said another male waiter.

"Huh?" Usagi and the other three kids said as they looked at the TV, which was mini-sized and hanging from the ceiling. On the screen were April O'Bryan and another anchor-woman sitting at a desk.

"This is beginning to sound less and less like your common garden variety subway mugging." Said the anchor-woman.

"Exactly, Jill. I believe these people are responsible for the sudden criminal behavior in the children of Seattle. I also believe they're associated with a shady criminal organization known as the Kiri Empire." April said.

"I'm sorry, what?" Said the anchor-woman known as Jill.

"Yeah, I know, it sounds like a weird club for Asian myth fanatics. But I've been speaking with a lot of Japanese Americans in town in the past few days who say that our recent crime wave being committed by our children is connected to a secret organization who once operated underground in Tokyo-Japan." April explained.

"Are the police looking into this?" Jill asked.

"Well, I've included everything in my statement, but I doubt very much that chief Stark is taking this possible connection seriously." April said.

"I see. Well, perhaps if any of our viewers have any further information-be they citizens or local police-will get in touch with us here at the station." Said Jill. "One last question, April. You still haven't told us how you managed to get away from your attackers." Jill said.

"It's really quite incredible." April started. "One of the moon aliens actually came to my rescue. Twice, to be exact. Once when I got attacked by those kids and twice in the subway. Who says everyone in Seattle looks the other way now a-days? Seriously, Jill, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the one that saved me, and...if she's watching...thanks Sailor Moon."

Usagi smiled at the TV, glad to know that April was appreciative of her saving her life.

"Come on, let's find a phone." Said China as she stood up, followed by Usagi and the others stand up, and they all rushed out of the diner.

---

Ami stood with Dr. Rosenzweig in his office of his home, with a flat screen TV on the wall behind the doctor's desk, showing a News anchor-man. There were also two laptops on the desk, one of an anchor-man and the other of an anchor-woman.

"It's been five months now since the ASTRO Virus began. But citizens in Baldwin, Mankato, Barberton and here in Carrington are less concerned with health risks than with Israel, Canada and Alaska, who have all closed their airport to the U.S., preventing the people of the other infected communities from evacuating by plane. Therefore, the mayor's of the towns are having the populations moved by ferry ships. The adults will be escorted to Israel, Canada and Alaska, while the children will be transferred to quarantine camps where the other ASTRO carrying children are. Meanwhile, over in Israel, Canada and Alaska, parents of the other quarantined children poured into the GC centers in protest, demanding the release of their young ones into their custody, and were met with resistance from GC soldiers." The anchor-man explained.

"So tell me what's happening." Dr. Rosenzweig said.

"It's like a horror film out here in Barberton. ASTRO-V adults chasing children, kids taking refuge inside abandoned buildings, 'cause the healthy adults won't let them in the buildings they're in." Said the anchor-man on the first laptop.

"The infected are falling physically apart here in Carrington. It's like a scene out of a zombie flick." The anchor-woman added on the second laptop.

"Are either of you having any problems with local law enforcement being infected with the virus?" Dr. Rosenzweig asked.

"Yes, we lost 25-percent of our force to the virus when it hit and poisoned our town." The anchor-woman answered. "Not to mention the prisons that were poisoned by the virus, infecting inmates and officers, 'causing them to escape and wreak havoc in the societies."

"How many inmates are you talking about?" Ami asked.

"Nearly all of them. Evidently, the prisons got hit worse than the communities." The anchor-woman answered.

"Well, you can't just let convicted felons run loose into the population, much less infected ones." Dr. Rosenzweig said.

"You wanna do this another time?" The anchor-man asked.

"Yeah." Dr. Rosenzweig said.

"Doc." Said Buck as he entered into the room.

"Yes, Cameron?" Dr. Rosenzweig asked as he turned to face Buck.

"I just heard on the News...they're not releasing anymore of the vaccine into America." Buck said.

"Why not?" Dr. Rosenzweig asked.

"Baldwin and the other latest infected towns declined the vaccine because of the dangerous side-effects the vaccinated experienced. Plus the Pentagon's saying it's too dangerous to inject into more people." Buck explained.

"The vaccine is part of our emergency protocol." Dr. Rosenzweig said.

"It's probably for the best. From what I hear, the vaccine was a bust and isn't working anyway. If anything, it's done more harm and zero-percent good." Buck said.

"That is not the point. The public was assured by me they could count on it. What's the use of having a plan if nobody wants to follow it?" Dr. Rosenzweig said. "How do you feel about this, Miss Mizuno?" He asked as he turned to Ami.

Ami, however, didn't respond, for she was too deep in thought about the ASTRO-V situation.

"Miss Mizuno? Miss Mizuno?" Dr. Rosenzweig repeated. But again, no response.

"HELLO? Earth to Ami." Buck called.

"Miss Mizuno, please tell us. How do you feel about Baldwin and the other new ASTRO virus infected communities in America rejecting the vaccine?" Dr. Rosenzweig said.

Ami was silent for a moment. "I'm starting to think a virus has nothing to do with what's been happening."

"What do you mean by that?" Buck asked.

"Well, think about it." Ami began as she turned to face Buck and Rosenzweig. "When's the last time either of you have heard of a virus like this?"

"Like what?" Dr. Rosenzweig asked.

"What are you talking about?" Buck added, confused. What was Ami driving at?

"The purple smoke...what are your thoughts on what it could be?" Ami asked.

"Some kind of airborne disease from outer space. After all, it was originally inside the asteroids before they hit America." Dr. Rosenzweig said.

"And that's what makes this whole thing so bizarre. It all sounds impossible. In fact, it IS impossible. " Ami said.

"Why?" Buck asked.

"Because I've learned a lot about space and asteroids over the years, and I know for a fact that viruses cannot come to Earth inside asteroids. And even if they do, they are not very likely to survive the trip through space or while coming down to Earth." Ami said.

"Please explain." Buck said.

"Meteors and asteroids are rocks, basically fragments from any planet or any other cosmic object. Like, we got Martian meteorites on Earth. Now, if any other planet or natural satellite in outer space generates carbon-based life, also bacterial and viral life forms and due to some reasons viruses and bacteria gets in the place, they are unlikely to survive coming to Earth. Because most bacterial and viral species don't survive the harsh conditions of outer space, because very low temperature and almost zero pressure could bombard the lifeforms. And even if they do survive the trip through space, after entering Earth's atmosphere, they will burn out." Ami said.

"She's right. I remember reading about that in one of my astronomy books back in my 40s. Viruses survive space because of extremophile bacteria...but as soon as the meteor or asteroids enter the atmosphere of Earth due to gravity, they achieve kinetic energy, an impacting velocity. Plus they will face atmospheric resistance, friction, and heat due to compressing molecules of atmosphere due to falling. All these heavily heat up the meteors and asteroids, rising temperature of the meteors, half the temp. No extremophiles will survive such temperature and will eventually be wiped out, along with any virus that took host on or in them." Rosenzweig said.

"Right. So after meteors and asteroids hit the ground finally, and turn into pieces of thousands of rock and stones, there would hardly be any evidence that microbial lifeforms were on or in the meteors and asteroids. And that's why this purple smoke couldn't have come from outer space. Which means those purple asteroids can't have originated in space either. I mean, when's the last time you've ever heard of purple asteroids, let alone seen any?" Ami said.

"But if the smoke and asteroids didn't originate in outer space, then where?" Dr. Rosenzweig asked.

"I wish I knew." Ami said. More than anything, she wanted to spill the beans to Dr. Rosenzweig about everything she knew about Mio and the ASTRO-V epidemic. But she didn't want to risk giving out too much information and endangering herself. After all, the doctor was part of The New World Order, just like Mio, and she couldn't trust him not to go to Carpathia with this information, who would then most likely go to Mio with it, who would then most like have her "taken care of" like she did with Governor Carl. Also, she did want Mio going public with this information and putting her spin on it to make the Senshi look like they were the ones responsible for the epidemic even more than she already had. And for those very reasons, she couldn't afford to reveal to the doctor everything she knew. Not now. She would tell him as Sailor Mercury, but not until she and the rest of the Senshi had proof and all the facts. But until then...the information would stay with her.

---

"Let's get the obvious out of the way." Artemis began, sitting on the stool in front of the control-panel in the command-room of the command-center, facing all of the kids and teens sitting on the floor in front of him, wrapped in their quilts and wearing their mittens. "Some of you aren't going to believe me." He said, referring to Kuri, Yumiko and Jake, eyeing them after finishing his sentence. "Not at fist. And that's okay. The book of Revelation isn't a story for the faint of heart. It isn't a horror novel that pulls you in and let's sleep at night because you can tell yourself it's just a story. No. This story is true, and the truth is bigger than many people can admit. You've been trained to not believe or receive it by the New World Order. Again, I know some of you don't believe that, but just because you don't believe the truth doesn't mean it isn't real. That's the thing about truth that so many people get wrong these days. There is no my truth, your truth, his truth, her truth, our truth or even their truth. There is only THE truth. There is only THEN truth. What you do with the truth once you know it...that's where things get interesting."

"Get to the point." Kuri said.

"Fine." Artemis said. "The reason why I summoned you all here again is because I'd like to talk to you about the disappearances that happened two years ago."

"Not that again." Yumiko said, rolling her eyes.

"Oh, brother." Jake said, annoyed.

"Look, your kitty girlfriend already shared the story of the disappearances with us. Why are you sharing it with us again?" Kuri said.

"Because I'm gonna share with you information from the prophecy concerning the vanishings to let you know that what happened two years ago was Heaven-related, not an alien abduction like the world leader is saying." Artemis said.

"Oh, swell." Yumiko said. "Alright then, fire away."

"Thank you." Artemis said. "Computer, look up the Bible verse concerning the Rapture."

"Yes, Artemis." Said the female computerized voice before it started looking up the requested verse. "1st Thessalonians 4:16-18: For the Lord himself will come down from Heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of the archangel, and sound the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore, encourage one another with these words."

"More fairytale stories, with a bunch of craziness on the side." Kuri said.

"Or how to go from sane and stable to insane and unstable." Yumiko added.

"Be mean while you still can, you two." Naru said. "I'm gonna let you in on a secret. Remember the GC summer camps that use to hurt kids with their lies and manipulations? See them anywhere in the News? No. Because Sailor Moon and the rest of the Senshi put a stop to their scams. And they'll do the same with Mio, if the Messiah doesn't do away with her himself when he returns with the forces of Heaven five years from now to knock Carpathia off his throne and destroy the New World Order."

"Oh, I very much doubt that, Osaka." Kuri said.

"As do I." Yumiko added.

A GNN News icon appeared on the mid-round screen, making Artemis turn and face the screens.

"Hey, what's that on the screen?" Shingo asked.

"Huh?" Artemis said as he turned to the screens. "A GNN News icon?" He said. "Everyone get in here now!" He shouted into the intercom.

Luna and all of the adults rushed into the room.

"What is it, Artemis?" Luna asked.

"More GNN News from our mystery hacker you told us about." Artemis said.

"What did they send us this time?" Luna asked.

"I don't know, let's find out." Artemis said before clicking on the News icon and a large screen formed between the two pillars, displaying Buck sitting at a desk in Jerusalem, with banner at the bottom that read GNN NEWS.

"As the world continues to move forward two years after the vanishings-the single most catastrophic event in all history-and security forces worked to stem worldwide violence, there's still more questions than answers with some people." said Buck. "Putting that aside for now, it's been two months since the ASTRO-V epidemic started hitting and infecting America, poisoning countless adults and turning theme against all children, including their own. And as far as we're concerned, no one has been able to develop a cure for this mysterious disease since. Adults from infected communities, including Tokyo-Japan, grapple with a new reality, trying to accept the fact that they may never be able to return to their home-towns and cities again. Faith in our doctors and scientists is gone. And frustration and anger is in an all-time high with the parents of the ASTRO-V carrying children, who have all been shipped off the quarantine camps for the time being. Not only have violent riots risen in them dramatically, but their protests against the GC are soaring out of control. But according to mental health experts, there is an explanation to what's going on. We're going to get into that right now. The world's obsession with the epidemic that's spreading throughout the U.S. is still in full force. And since we have no answers from our supposed doctors and scientists, that's not really a surprise. And while the immediate panic and acute terror may have passed, I don't think anyone can say that America is not slowly becoming a completely different place now. Compared to the same times two years prior, the death toll of the virus is up by thousands...and the infected adults...are up to thousands as well. The violent riots, threats and protests from parents of infected children, they're all shattering records. And mental health experts are telling us that the worst is yet to come." The scene then expanded, revealing Mio sitting at Buck's side.

"It's Mio!" Kuri and Yumiko said excitedly.

"What's she doing on the News?" Jake asked.

"Shhhhhh!" Everyone else said.

"I have with me tonight Mio Kuroki, who is leading the multinational investigation into what many are calling "The Fall Of America"." Buck said. "Miss Kuroki, thank you so much for being there with us tonight." He said, looking at Mio, trying to act casual towards her in front of the camera. But it was easy to see from his facial expressions that he did not want to be anywhere near the girl.

"Thank you." Mio said.

"So I guess we should just get right to the heart of the matter. What's going on?" Buck said.

"In The case of the epidemic, there's simply no historical knowledge to draw on. So people are triggered into a prolonged fight or flight reaction. There is anger, fear, mistrust, retaliation. Those are powerful emotions, and they need an outlet." Mio explained.

"So do you think world doctors and scientists and our One World government as well should be doing a better job at helping us understand exactly what's happening? I mean, I know we have no idea why this virus only takes immediate affect in adults 20 and over, but evacuating everyone, taking their children away from them, telling them to stop asking so many questions? I mean, that can't likely be helping." Buck said.

"I think the root cause is not the lack of clear information, but the amount of misinformation. Our GC needs to do more to stop people from coming up with conspiracy theories." Mio said.

"So...ignorance is bliss?" Buck said.

"Protecting people from dangerous ideas isn't making them ignorant. We need to make it our priority to keep people safe." Mio said.

"Keep them safe from...what exactly?" Buck asked.

"A third wave of vanishings." Mio answered.

"What?!" Mayumi gasped.

Buck chuckled surprisingly. "What?"

"Yeah, exactly." Mayumi said.

"Hold on. A third wave of vanishings?" Buck said.

"Well...scientists have been feeding all of the data they've managed to gather about the vanishings, into a database. They were then able to use sophisticated computer algorithms to create predictive models. And those models suggest that a third wave is not only possible, it's almost certain. Especially since the first wave of vanishings was pulled off by the moon aliens." Mio said.

"So computers figured this out." Buck said.

"That is correct, yes." Mio said.

"Do you yourself personally believe more people are gonna disappear? Or do you think people are just better off scared of the epidemic right now, you know, to keep them more complaint?" Buck asked.

"I'm not sure what you mean." Mio said.

"I mean, we have a problem where the parents of the quarantined children are so terrified and confused that they're becoming violent and self-destructive. And you think coming on here and scaring them even more is gonna somehow make things better?" Buck said.

"Are you saying that you know for a fact that it's not going to happen again?" Mio asked.

"That's exactly what I'm saying. But at least i'm not sitting here pretending like i know there's gonna be a third wave." Buck said.

"I am talking about science here. And some of the world's top scientists have studied the data very carefully. And suggests-"

"Where did it come from?" Buck asked, cutting Mio off.

"I'm sorry?" Mio said.

"The data. Where did it come from?" Buck said.

"All of the data has been verified by the United Nations. It's all publicly available in the UN's Vanishing Accountability Project." Mio said.

"I'm asking you where did they get their information from?" Buck said.

"I just told you. All of the data has-"

"I'm sorry, but I guess that's all the time we have for tonight. Thank you for coming on." Buck said. "But I do want to encourage our viewers...keep demanding facts. Don't just blindly accept whatever the so-called experts are telling us. And I wouldn't be too quick to sign up for a vanishing vaccine either. I'm Cameron Williams. Up next is Victoria Jordan. We'll see you in a minute." The video then ended and the screen vanished.

"What a jerk." Kuri said.

"You said it, what a snob." Yumiko added.

"What was that? What did she mean by a third wave of vanishings?" Kenji asked.

"Oh, no." Ikuko said.

"What? What is it?" Nehelenia asked.

"She was talking about the vanishing of the adults in Jacksonville-Florida." Ikuko said.

"What?!" Mayumi gasped.

"Are you sure?" Idina asked.

"This was recorded two months before the adults of Jacksonville disappeared. It's the only vanishing act that's happened since the time of this broadcast. If that's the case, then...I think we just found the mastermind behind all of those adults." Ikuko said.

---

At Seattle Park, a crowd of kids-teenagers and a few pre-teens-were all gathered in front of a Japanese man dressed in an Asian wizard costume with an Asian wizard hat, holding a staff in his right hand. He also had the red kanji tattoo on his forehead. Behind him were stacks of multiple purple boxes and many cases. This man was Isoko, a member of the Kirin Empire.

"Boys and girls, girls and guys, gather around and feast your eyes. I promise you all you just can't lose when you've got your own supply of Isoko's Candy." Isoko said.

"What are we suppose to do with it?" A 10-year old boy asked.

"Share it with your parents, share it with your friends. When you've got Kirin Candy, the fun never ends." Isoko said.

"Sounds kind of lame to me." said a 13-year old boy, holding a purple box of Isoko's Candy.

"You may have heard the phrase that "Looks can be deceiving". I'm sure that when you've tried it, you all will be believing." Isoko said. "And did I mention it's free?" He said as Usagi rolled her eyes, her arms folded.

Having been Sailor Moon for four years, the Japanese blond had exposed and foiled a lot of scams her enemies had master-minded. So much so that she'd developed an ability to spot a scammer whenever she saw one. And this man was no acception. She didn't know who this guy was or what he was up to...but she wasn't buying his act.

"I'll take some!" A 14-year old boy said excitedly.

"Here ya go." Isoko said before picking up one of the purple boxes and handing it to the 14-year old boy.

All of the other kids started talking all at once as they reached out with their hands, each wanting a box of candy. The only ones in the crowd that didn't have their hands out either. Judging by the looks on their faces, they weren't buying this man's act either. It was was nice to know she wasn't the only one.

"There's enough for everybody. Take it home in boxes, take it home in cases. If your parents try to stop ya...just offer to share it with them." Isoko said.

All the kids shouted and cheered, with their hands still reached out.

"Come on. Let's get out of here." Usagi said before she, Darry and the three girls began walking away from the crowd.

Isoko noticed Usagi and the other four kids leaving. "Hey, what about you four?" He asked, making Usagi and the others stop and turn to him. You wanna buy some Isoko Candy? It's really good."

"Uh, no, thanks. We're too young to smoke whatever it is you're selling." Usagi said. She had learned in school at 13 about how drug rings put drugs in candy to sell to kids to disguise their products, so she knew exactly what was going on and what was in that candy. And she didn't wanna find out what kind of drugs they were by taking them. Instead, she decided to do the one thing she had learned in school on what to do if someone had ever offered her drugs. She left...with Darry and the girls following after her.

Isoko watched them leave, clearly angered by Usagi's remark, but maintained his happy composure and resumed giving out more drug-laced candy to the crowd of kids.

---

At the Seattle high school, one of the teachers, Carson Brody, sat at his desk, with 13-year old Damien Osborn, Troy Paddington and 10-year old Carter Dean sitting at three of the students' arm-desks.

Carson had black hair and brown eyes, Damien and Troy were dressed like gang members, and had the red kanji on their right hands.

Damien had black brushed down hair and brown eyes.

Troy had brown hair and blue eyes.

And

Carter had black hair, brown eyes and wore black glasses.

A man then knocked on the open door, getting Carson's attention. "Hi, I'm Mr. Osborn, Damien's father, I was told to come right away." Said the man known as Mr. Osborn as he entered the room, dressed rich, with black hair, brown eyes and a black bread.

"And I'm Miss Paddington, Troy's Mom, I was told the same thing." Said a woman as she entered the room, with cut short black/gray mixed hair and brown eyes, and she was also dressed rich. "Is everything okay?"

"Please take a seat." Said Carson before Mr. Osborn and Miss Paddington walked over to two front arm-desks and sat down. "We'll wait for the others to arrive."

"Others, what others?" Damien asked.

"Alright, we're here." Said Robert as he, Setsuna and the Three Lights officers entered the room. "I'm officer Robert Wilson, this is my partner, Trista, and three knew lackies, Suki, Sumi and Shino. What's the emergency?"

"No way." Damien said, baffled.

"You called the cops?" Troy asked.

"Yeah, I called the cops." Carson said.

"Is everything alright here?" Setsuna asked.

"I'm afraid not." Carson began. "These two boys have been bullying this boy today. Normally I wouldn't get the police involved in this sort of thing, but this has been going on for weeks now."

"Oh, is that right?" Robert said.

"Bullying? For weeks now?" Miss Paddington said, stunned, as she looked at Troy, who's lips were pursed and eyes were wide.

"Is this true, Damien?" Mr. Osborn asked.

"It's not that big of a deal, He smells sometimes and he dresses up in old rags. Plus he wouldn't even join our club or take our symbol." Damien said.

"Yeah. And he comes to school with his dopey Messiah beliefs, trying to force them on everyone, including us. You should hear him, Mom, he's crazy." Troy added.

"What?!" Setsuna and the Three Lights gasped in shock. Then they looked at Carter's forehead and saw the seal. Now it all made sense why these boys had been picking on him. He was a believer.

"So I guess we can take this as both of your confessions, right?" Robert said.

Damien and Troy were silent for a moment. "Yes."

"Troy, I'm so disappointed in you." Miss Paddington said.

"I've expelled Damien from this school and given Troy a month's worth of detention. And I'll let you two decide on any further punishments." said Carson to Mr. Osborn and Miss Paddington.

"You were making fun of this kid because he's poor?" Mr. Osborn questioned as he looked at Damien.

"Yes, sir." Damien answered.

"And because he wouldn't take your tattoo and join your club?" Setsuna asked.

Damien and Troy didn't respond.

"Hey! My partner asked you a question! Answer her, you future hoodlums!" Robert yelled.

"Yes." Damien and Troy said.

"That's "Yes, officer," to you, say it!" Robert yelled louder, making Damien and Troy flinch.

"Yes, officer." Damien and Troy said fearfully.

"Look, Carter and his parents have been going through a real rough patch this year, haven't you, Carter?" Carson said.

"Yes, sir." Carter answered.

"Damien, I want you to apologize to this boy right now." Mr. Osborn said.

"What? No way." Damien said.

"You heard me, I said apologize." Mr. Osborn said.

"You too, Troy, apologize now." Miss Paddington said.

"We're sorry, Carter." Damien said.

"Yeah. Sorry." Troy added.

"So can I still go to Hawaii with you?" Damien asked.

"Absolutely not. I'm ashamed of you, Damien. You call that an apology? You bullied this boy just because he's poor and wouldn't join your club. You are selfish and spoiled." Mr. Osborn said.

"Come on, we already said we're sorry." Damien said.

"Yeah." Troy added.

"I raised you better than this, Troy." Miss Paddington said.

"Correction, you THOUGHT you raised your son better than this. Your kids played you both like fiddles and you bought into their nice routine. But the truth is your kids are nothing but entitled brats like every other kid in that gang they call a club. You not only failed as parents, you raised monsters." Robert said.

"Sir!" Setsuna gasped.

"No, no, he's right. We thought that our kids were genuinely good people. That we had raised them right and taught them the difference between right and wrong. But we were the ones who were wrong. Now, Damien...whether you like it or not, you're going to have to face the consequences of your actions. Not only are you not going to Hawaii, but you're gonna donate all of your things to Carter." Mr. Osborn said.

"What?" Damien said, surprised.

"That's a great idea. Troy, you can do the same thing." Miss Paddington said.

"That's NOT fair." Troy said.

"Oh, you know what's not fair? Is that this young boy is getting bullied by YOU two because he and his parents are having a hard time and are people of faith and can't give him the same things that your parents give to you!" Seiya said.

"We're gonna go home right now and pack up all your things." Mr. Osborn said.

"It's okay, Mr. Osborn. You don't have to do that." Carter said.

"That's very kind of you, Carter, but yes, we do. Our sons need to learn what it means to be good people. And good people do not bully others." Mr. Osborn said.

"That's right. Especially just because they're less fortunate, people of faith, and won't join a school club." Taiki added.

"Get your things, Damien. Come on, we're going home." Mr. Osborn said as he pressed his ring-phone on his right index-finger, making an upward rectangle-shaped screen appear, followed by him smirking.

---

Principal Oren Paxton sat at his desk in his office, with Setsuna and the other adults and Carter standing in the room and Damien and Troy sitting in the two sofa-like chairs in front of the desk. After being called by Damien on his ring-phone and informed of the bullying gossip against him and Troy, Principal Paxton demanded to see everyone in his office right away to straighten out this issue.

Principal Paxton had black hair brown eyes. "If you want to keep your job at this school, Mr. Brody, then keep Damien and Troy in it."

"But couldn't we at least hear Carter's side of things?" Carson asked.

"I'm afraid that's not an option. Everything is here-say. Punishing these boys because of another boy's gossip would be setting a bad example to the other students, which would be terribly damaging to our school's image." Principal Paxton said.

"But that means Carter will have to go on getting bullied by these two boys with no one to protect him. He'll be in a state of fear the whole time. The school will have betrayed him." Carson said.

"Well, that won't happen." Principal Paxton said. "Carter Dean, you are hereby expelled from this school for falsely accusing two of your classmates of bullying. I'll call your parents and let them know what's happened and to come get you right away."

"What?!" Everyone gasped, minus Damien and Troy.

"This is crazy! You can't just expel Carter based on the accusations of these two boys." Seiya said.

"Without an investigation? Or proof?" Taiki said. "Or was that all just another comforting lie?"

"Who needs proof when you've heard the story from us?" Damien said.

"Yeah." Troy agreed.

"Damien, Troy...I know you're not doing this of your own free will. You're just following orders from that gang you're in that has somehow enrolled it's teachings into this school by disguising itself as a cool kids club. To me that is proof that you're both fragile kids who don't know love and are simply looking for acception and a place to belong, which is why you joined that gang that calls itself a club. And...we're all trying to help you. So please, whatever it is the powers behind this gang has ordered you to do, ask yourselves if it's worth all this drama and confusion you're causing." Setsuna said.

"Did you here that? A police officer not only falsely accusing two students of gang activity, but accusing the school of teaching it. This is mutiny, utter mutiny." Troy said.

"A real principal would never tolerate this from any officer." Damien added. "He'd contact the mayor and ask for their immediate dismissal and would relieve the teacher of their position for falsely accusing us of bullying."

Everyone else in the room, except Principal Paxton, gasped with shock.

"Sir, you can't do this!" Carson said.

"I'm sorry, but since we only have Carter's word on what happened, I have no choice but to comply. Carson Brody, you are hereby relieved of your teaching position at this school. Please collect your things and vacate the premises. As for you, officer Trista, i will be contacting the mayor of Seattle about your false accusations towards this school about it teaching and enabling gang activity." Principal Paxton said. "Damien, you are officially re-enrolled in our school, and you and Troy are cleared of all bullying accusations. And Troy, your month's worth detention is hereby canceled."

Damien and Troy smirked evilly as they looked at Carter.

"Case closed." Principal Paxton said.

"Wait a minute, just like that?" Yaten said.

"Just like that. You all know where the door is." Principal Paxton said.

Damien and Troy got up and they and everyone else left out of the office.

The screen of Principal Paxton's ring-phone appeared, revealing Hiroko, member of the Kirin Empire. "Congratulations. Now you're not the one who's getting fired." She said before the screen displaying her disappeared.

"Well, that went well." said Setsuna as she, Robert, the Three Lights, Carson and Carter walked the school hallway. Damien and Troy, meanwhile, had left with their parents.

"I don't believe it. How could the principal just fire you on the spot like that?" Seiya said to Carson.

"Indeed. And what about him letting those two boys off scott free and expelling Carter?" Taiki agreed.

"That principal is no better than the New World leaders." Yaten added.

"Mr. Brody, I am so sorry. I didn't mean to get you in trouble or for you to lose your job because of me. You were just trying to do the right thing." Carter said.

"Listen..." Carson began as he stopped in his tracks, placing his hands on Carter's shoulders, and bent down to his angle, making Setsuna and the other four officers stop in their tracks. "don't ever apologize or blame yourself for the actions of others. This wasn't your fault, not any of it."

"But you only lost your job because of my situation with Damien and Troy. If I had just joined their club and taken their kanji symbol in the first place, then none of this would've happened." Carter said.

"Sometimes doing the right thing doesn't always have good end-results. But it doesn't mean you shouldn't have done it. You're a good l kid, Carter. Don't ever change for anyone. Especially for people like Damien and Troy. They're not worth it." Carson said.

"I won't. I promise I won't." Carter said.

"You're a cool kid, Carter." Carson said, smiling warmly.

"We're real sorry you lost your job, sir." Setsuna said.

"Don't be." Carson said as he stood up and faced the five officers. "I've been wanting to quit this school ever since that club took over. The only reason I stuck around was this long was to protect Carter from Damien and Troy. But now that neither of us is going to be attending this school anymore, I see no reason for either of us to stay."

"What will you do now?" Seiya asked.

"I guess I'll have to find a new job. And I know I will with Heaven on my side." Carson said before the seal appeared on his forehead.

Setsuna and the Three Lights noticed the seal on Carson's forehead and it instantly became clear why he had been fired. It wasn't because of what happened with Carter, it was because he was a believer. The principal had most likely been wanting to fire him for a while, but had no reason to. The situation with Carter had just been an excuse to let him go.

"Good day to you all. Have a blessed day." Carson said before he turned and resumed walking down the hall, heading back to his classroom to collect his things and leave.

"Wow. Thank Carpathia the principal let him go when he did. He's one of those fruitcakes." Robert said.

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that." Setsuna said.

"Come on. Let's get out of here." Robert said before he, Setsuna and the Three Lights turned and walked off, with Carter turning to watch them leave.

---

In alley of the hood part of Seattle, 11-year old street kid Kevin Hudson was backed up against the wall of building by three teenage-boys, one caucasianand two African american, all dressed in gang clothes and all three wearing the kanji tattoo. They were pressuring him to join the Kirin club. Something he didn't want to do.

Kevin had long brown neck-length hair in a bowl-cut style, and his eyes were brown.

"Listen up, kid...I'll ask you for the last time. Do you wanna join our club or not?" The caucasian boy asked.

"I-I told you, I don't want to." Kevin stammered fearfully.

"Then I'm gonna have to charge you for wasting our time." said the caucasianboy, placing his left hand on Kevin's right shoulder.

"I don't think that's gonna happen." came a female voice.

"Huh?" Said the four boys as they looked to see Sailor Venus standing in the entrance of the alley, with her arms crossed and a serious look on her face.

"What are you doing here, playing hero or something, like you and your friends always do?" The boy said.

"Oh, I'm not just a hero." Venus said, a serious smirk on her face. "I prefer to go by the title Sailor Venus."

---

Somewhere in a dark room, a figure was sitting at a control-panel, with another figure standing at his left side, both watching the scene between Sailor Venus and the three gang-banging teenager-boys in the alley on a large screen.

"Hahahahaha!" The caucasian boy laughed. "You're hilarious. That's gotta be the dumbest name I've ever heard. Alright, can't say I didn't warn ya." Said the white boy.

"The girl's got guts, I'll give her that." Said the second figure in a female voice.

"Let's see how this place out." Added the first figure in a male voice.

---

"Teach her a lesson." The caucasian boy said.

The African American boys chuckled ominously as they walked toward Venus, one of them cracking their right knuckles.

The boys tried to attack Venus, but she fought them off with her martial arts.

The caucasian boy and Kevin just looked on with surprise at the scene.

The African american boys attempted to attack Venus again, but she fought them off with her martial arts again.

"Stop playing around and take her out!" The caucasian boy said.

The African american boys panted, trying to catch their breath as they stood behind Venus, who's back was turned to them, smirking with her left hand on her hip.

"Oh, you are gonna pay for that." Said the first boy.

---

"Right now!" The first African american boy finished on-screen.

The boy attempted to assault Venus again, but she dodged their hits.

"What is she doing?" The female figure asked.

"She's dodging every single hit." The male figure said.

---

"Whoa. She's a fast fighter." Kevin thought.

The boys tried to tackle Venus, but she over-powered them with her martial arts, defeating them.

"Now I'm mad!" said the Caucasian boy, getting his cellphone out of his right pants pocket. "You think you're pretty cool, hey, tough girl?!"

"Hm?" Venus said.

"50 Of my main crew are on their way to back me up here. All i have to do is text them." The caucasian boy said.

"50?" Kevin asked, worried.

---

"He'll need a lot more than 50." Venus said on-screen.

"Oh?" The male figure said.

---

"Light in the darkness, with love and beauty, and brightening the hearts of the mistreated." Venus, her back turned.

"I think this chick's lost her marbles." The caucasian boy said.

"The Pretty Guardian of love and beauty, Sailor Venus, is here." Venus said. "Ever since I became a Senshi, I've had this dream of fighting 100 bad guys." She said, looking back at the caucasian boy. "So go right ahead, call another 50, bring it on." She said, turning to face the white boy.

"Grrrrr!" The caucasian boy growled.

Kevin gasped, smiling with excitement.

---

"This is going to get ugly." said the female figure as she and the male figure continued watching the scene.

---

Sailor Venus grinned, both of her hands now up, prepared for defense.

---

"Uh, are you sure you wanna do this?" Kevin asked Venus on-screen.

"Don't worry, kid, I'll protect you." Venus assured.

"Does she really expect to win against 50 gang members?" The female figure asked.

---

"Well, what are you waiting for? Text your friends." Venus said. "In the name of the Messiah, I, Sailor Venus, will take you down your whole entourage."

"Rrrrrrrr." The caucasian boy growled.

---

"Time to claimyour victory, attack." The male figure said.

"I've got to see this." The female figure added.

---

"On second thought...I think I'll skip this one." Venus said.

"Not a chance!" Said the caucasian boy before putting his phone back in his right pants pocket. "Let's get her!" He said, charging forward.

The other boys charged at Venus from behind, all three boys closing in, but she used her martial arts on them.

Kevin just looked on in amazement.

Venus then rushed over to Kevin, scooped him up, placing the kid over her right shoulder. "Time to go." She said before jumping high into the air onto one of the two buildings.

Too bad no one had noticed a small gray spy-bug on the wall, which had been recording them the whole time. The bug then flapped it's wings and flew up to the roof to catch up with Sailor Venus and the boy.

---

"You gotta be kidding me." The female figure said as she and the male figure watch Venus hop from building to building with the boy she had rescued. "Super-hero my hair. I hoping to see a fight where she used her powers. I was hoping to see a fight when she used her powers. What a waste of time. I told you you shouldn't have had that map of the United States sent to the Sailor Senshi's base.

"Brilliant." The male figure said, congratulating Sailor Venus.

"What?" The female figure asked.

---

Venus rushed to the end of a roof and jumped down into another alley, landing on her feet, followed by putting Kevin down.

"How can I ever repay you for saving me from those bullies?" Kevin asked. The seal then appeared on his forehead.

Venus took notice of the seal and smiled. "Don't mention it. See ya around." She said before turning into an orange light as she shot up into the sky, disappearing after.

"Uh, well, thank you very much!" Kevin shouted, looking up at the sky.

The spy-bug stood at the top of the building, having captured the moment between Sailor Venus and Kevin.

---

"Hm." The male figure said, deep in thought as he and the female figure watched the scene.

---

"Okay, I'm officially exhausted. The place we're looking for wasn't on the first block." Darry said as he, Usagi and the others walked the streets of Seattle, trying to find the place on the card the waiter had given Darry back at the diner.

"And the second block was a let down too." Dana added.

"And we need to find it so we can have a place for Darry to stay." Bianh said.

"What we need is to find someone and ask them for directions." China said.

"Yeah, but who?" Dana asked.

"Well, the people around here sometimes ask the Seattle Baptist church for directions around here to help them find their destination." Darry said.

"Yeah. Then why can't we?" Bianh said.

"Where is this church?" Usagi asked.

"It's right over there." Darry stated, pointing up ahead.

Usagi and the other three girls looked and saw the Seattle Baptist church up ahead of them on the right side of the street.

"Oh, thank goodness." Usagi said. "Come on. Let's see if anyone's inside." She said before she and the others ran toward the church, a light in this dark over-taken city. Relief spreaded through Usagi, a warm and fuzzy feeling in her chest. We were about a hundred yards away from refuge safety.

Usagi and the kids rushed up to the Seattle First Baptist church, she opened one of the two doors, and they all ran inside and stopped in their tracks when they saw a woman standing outside in the foyer, painting her finger-nails.

"May I help you?" A woman asked, briefly looking up at the kids before re-focusing on her nails. "Uh, I'm Serena and these are my friends, Darry, Dana, Bianh and China." Said Usagi.

"We're here to get directions to a place called Heaven House. It's a refuge home for runaway kids. Can you tell us how to get there?" Darry said.

"I wouldn't know. I just moved here last week and started working here today." The woman said, looking at her neck. "Hey! You can't go in there!" She said as she took her eyes off her nails and watched as Usagi and the kids opened the doors and entered inside the service room.

Inside, all the pews were filled with multiple adults, and standing on stage before them behind a pulpit was a Japanese man talking to the people. For an instant, everything appeared to be normal. People sitting on pews, dressed up, listening to a someone on stage talk to them. The usual church stuff. It wasn't until Usagi saw the kanji on the man's forehead that it all came into horrific realization.

"The most important question here is...how can our Sunday school program and youth center benefit your children and your community?" The Japanese man said, speaking into the microphone. "One of our greatest assets, of course, is that your church and it's pastor has agreed to assist us in giving your children a future...and a sense of confidence second to none. Our company is giving your children, and you, an opportunity for Seattle to become probably one of the most successful cities in America. Therefore, you're in-trusting your children to us is safe. Each and everyone of the kids in the program have already made hundreds, perhaps thousands of dollars in just five months by simply selling candy and cookies. The program, you understand, is unique. Your pastor's cooperation with us, your cooperation with us, and the assistance of your children, has helped this city prosper and flourish. It is a localized plumb...and we are willing to assist you in any way to make you succeed wherever it is you want to go. The stakes have been high here in Washington since World War 3 last year, not to mention the earthquake/meteor shower that happened this year. And I know that many other parents out there-maybe even some of you parents here today-look at our proposals toward your children with raised eyebrows and suspicion...and are wondering "What parents in their right minds would go along with this preposterous idea of letting their children join this program, even when it's under the church's watch-care"? It would indeed take a lot of convincing. Proverbs 22:6 says "Train children in the way they should go; when they grow old, they won't depart from it". "

"Alright, that's it, I've heard enough. Come on, you guys, let's get out of here." Usagi said.

"What? But I thought we were gonna asked someone here for directions to Heaven House." Darry said.

"We'll take the town bus and ask the driver to take us there." Usagi said.

"More families...homes...lives...and soon all of Seattle...will experience success and prosperity like it has never seen before. And your children will get this city back to it's prosperous, successful self in no time flat." The man said as Usagi and the kids turned and exited the room.

As they all headed out the front double-doors of the church, Usagi thought about Matthew 24:11 and how it talked about many false prophets rising up during the end-times and deceiving many. She and the kids had just seen that verse in action first hand.

The Kirin Empire weren't just out on the streets recruiting and brainwashing the children of this city...they had gotten in the church and were using it to manipulate the parents too.

---

Setsuna, Robert and the Three Lights walked into the security-room of the Seattle mall. After Robert was contacted by Jezel by walkie-talkie outside the school, requesting them to report to the mall and it's security-room, they immediately got in their cars and returned.

"Hey, Jezel?" Robert said, making Jezel and Jacks turn and face him as he, Setsuna and the Three Lights walked up to them. "We got your message. What's up?"

"Jacks and I arrested a kid here at the mall." Jezel said.

"Yeah, our first arrest since we've been here." Jacks added.

""You don't say." Robert said.

"Where is the kid?" Seiya asked.

"He's right over there." Jezel said as she and Jacks turned, both pointing in the direction where the boy was.

Setsuna, Robert and the Three Lights looked and saw a 10-year old Mexican boy standing up against the wall. He had long black neck-length hair with blue and purple streaks, his eyes were brown, he wore gang clothes, and he had the red kanji on the left side of his face.

"And he's wearin' kanji tattoo. Why am I not surprised?" Robert said.

"What do he do?" Setsuna asked with concern as she looked at the boy.

"Well-"

"Okay, I'm here." Said a tan-skinned Mexican man as he entered the room, cutting Jacks off, getting the attention of Setsuna, Robert, the Three Lights and Jezel and Jacks. He had black spikey hair and brown eyes. "I'm Greg Lucero. You called me about my son?"

"Yeah, we did. He jumped another kid here at the mall." Jacks said.

"Is this true, Marco?" Greg asked his son, the boy known as Marco.

Marco didn't answer. Nor did his face change the moment he saw his father.

"Don't be too hard on yourself. Once your kid goes down that road, there ain't much you can do." Robert said.

"Well, my kid's not goin' down that road, okay, he's smarter than that." Greg said.

"Oh, I am so sure." Robert said sarcastically.

The Three Lights just looked at Robert with disgust. What was with this guy? Over the last few days, they had noticed that Robert hadn't been very fair to Setsuna as his partner or caring or understanding of the situation of the children with the kaji tattoo. Because when she had tried to suggest a way to help kids, he didn't want to hear it at all. Not only that, but the gang kids-hating officer hadn't treated her like a partner at all and had barely allowed her to voice her concerns regarding the children. They didn't know what this man's deal was...but they didn't like him.

---

Later, in the hood of Seattle, Greg entered the backyard of his house with Marco through the gate-door of a tall fence, holding him by the left arm, with Setsuna, Robert, the Three Lights and Jezel and Jacks behind them. Setsuna had suggested following the father and son home in the hopes of getting answers from the boy about the gang he was in and who was behind the kanji-marked kids crime-wave.

"Greg!" Said Greg's wife, a Mexican woman, as she rushed out of the house through the back door and up to Greg and Marco. She had long brown hair that went her shoulders and stopped at her upper-back, and her eyes were brown.

"Angela." Greg greeted, addressing his wife by her name before letting go of Marco's arm.

"Marco...why would you do this?" Angela asked, concerned.

"That's what we'd like to know." Seiya said.

"This kid at the mall wouldn't join our group. And he bad-mouthed our club." Marco said.

"So that gives you the right to gang up on the boy?" Angela asked.

"This is America, freedom of speech." Setsuna said.

"You can't make someone join your little clique." Taiki added.

"Yes, and if I recall: people have minds of their own, they're free to decide for themselves if they wish join something or not." Yaten concluded.

"I had to stand up for the club. And they'd do the same thing for me. You're either with us or against us. It's as simple as that." Marco said.

"Oh, that's it!" Greg said before grabbing Marco by the left arm. "Come here." He said before leading the boy over to a water-hose. "Standing right there." He said before picking up the hose. "Now cover your eyes."

Marco closed his eyes and Greg turned on the hose, spraying his head with water. "What are you doing?!" He demanded as he got out from under the hose, followed by Greg turning it off.

"Look! Those kids are gonna end up prison! I know because I grew up with kids like that! And I didn't work myself crazy to let that happen to you!" Greg said.

"I see. So you've chosen a side. You've turned against me, just like they said you would." Marco said.

"They?" Robert said as he rushed over to Marco and turned him around to face him, snatching him up by the arms. "Who is they?! Who do you work for?! Start talkin', you! Now!"

"Sir, please. This isn't the way." Setsuna said.

"Let them all have their fun. Let them think that they're the ones still in control. Their day of reconing is coming...and so is every other adult's in Seattle." Said the voice of Lady Kirin in an ear-piece Marco wore in his left ear.

"Give it up, flat-foots. I'll go to prison before I snitch on the club." Marco said.

"Forget it, sir, he's not gonna tell us anything." Jezel said.

"Put him down." Jacks said.

"With pleasure." Robert said before dropping Marco on the ground on his feet.

Angela stormed up to Marco. "Go wash that stuff out of your hair yourself, and wait in your room!"

"Gladly." Marco said sternly, glaring at Robert before storming off into the house through the back door, slamming it shut afterwards.

"So much for getting information from the kid." Robert said.

---

The Seattle town bus drove through the city, taking Usagi and the other four kids to Heaven House. After leaving the church, they soon found the bus stop and waited for it to arrive, and when it did, Usagi told the driver she wanted him to get them to Heaven House, they got on, she paid the driver, and here they were.

"I wonder if we're there yet." Usagi said.

"I hope that waiter at the diner was right about this place." Darry said.

"There it is. Heaven House." Dana said as she stood up, pointing at a building up ahead, making the others look where she was pointing.

The bus pulled over on the right side of the street, stopping by and 1800s Victorian mansion with a hiss.

"Thanks, mister." Said the voice of Usagi to the bus driver.

The bus drove off, making another hiss as it did, leaving Usagi and the other kids behind, having gotten off the bus.

Usagi and the others ran up to the mansion, onto the porch, and the others looked inside through the windows while Usagi stood in front of the door.

"Anyone home?"!" Usagi shouted.

"Hello in there!" Bianh shouted as Usagi knocked on the door.

"Sure looks deserted." Dana said.

"They must be shut down." Darry said with disappointment as he and the others turned away from the windows, with Usagi looking at him and China.

"Don't give up yet." Usagi said.

Dana then noticed a red car coming from around the backyard of the house. "Look. There goes somebody." She said before she rushed off the porch. "Wait!" She yelled as she ran towards the street, followed by running out into it, stopping in front of the car that was headed her way. "Stop!"

The red car stopped in it's tracks and a woman with brown hair and brown eyes rushed out of it as Usagi and the others ran up to Dana, and she ran up to the kids, her hair going past her shoulders and stopping at her upper-back. "Hi there. I'm Ivy. Are you all runaways?"

"Uh, well...sort of. I mean-"

"Yes. And especially Darry." China said, cutting Usagi off.

"Well, no one's here right now. They all went out on a field-trip." Said the woman known as Ivy.

"No sweat. I can take care of myself." Darry said.

"Wait a second. Ivy? As in Ivy Gold?" Usagi said.

"You've heard of me, I see." Ivy said.

"Yes, I've heard of you work at Global News Network." Usagi said. However, that was not how she knew this woman. Buck had told her about Ivy two years ago and how she worked for him. She didn't think she'd ever meet her, and yet here she was in person. "Oh! I'm Serena, by the way. These are my friends, Dana, Bianh, China and Darry."

"Nice to meet you all." Ivy said. "Now, about your situation. Why don't I just take you over to the homeless shelter and you can stay there until everyone gets back from their fild-trip? And then afterwards, you can all stay here at Heaven House."

"That's not an option!" came a female voice.

"Huh?" Usagi and the others turned to see Crystal, Birtch, and five other GC grunts-all five armed with guns, standing on the sidewalk.

"It's the GC." Darry said.

"What are you all doing here?" Ivy demanded, putting her hands on her hips.

"We're here on orders, Miss Gold. The mayor's orders, to be percise" Crystal said.

"Yeah. He's ordered that all kids with the kanji and all street urchins be rounded up." Birtch added.

"What?!" Usagi gasped. The GC were arresting kids just because they wore tattoos or were living on the streets? On the mayor's orders? Since when was wearing tattoos or being homeless illegal?

"Seize them, soldiers!" Crystal ordered.

Four of the GC grunts ran up to Darry and the other three kids and escorted them away.

"And what about you, little girl?" Crystal asked as she, Birtch and fifth grunt approached her. "Are you a street kid too?"

"Well, uh...ya see, uh...i-i'm not from around her and-"

"Alright. Come with us, young lady." Said the GC grunt before he gently grabbed her by the right arm.

"Yeah. You're going up-state with the rest of the kids we're roundin' up." Birtch added before the other GC grunt led Usagi away, with him and Crystal following after them.

Usagi's eyes were big with shock. She couldn't believe it. She was on her way up-state.

---

Setsuna, Robert, the Three Lights, Jezel and Jacks entered into the police station after being called back by radio by Cheif Stark.

"Thanks for coming back so quickly." Said Cheif Stark as he walked up to the group.

"Is there a problem here at the station?" Setsuna asked.

"I'm not sure. Something's come up unexpectedly. And the mayor of Seattle is here, explaining everything. He also said he wants to see you right away, Trista." Said Cheif Stark.

"I see. Where is he?" Setsuna said.

"He's in the commissioner's office. Come with me, they're expecting you." Cheif Stark said.

Setsuna, Robert, the Three Lights, Jezel and Jacks all followed Stark to the door of the commissioner's office and he opened the door and they went inside.

"No way!" Setsuna and the Three Lights gasped in shock.

Aside from Sheriff Gerald Hatter and several other cops being in the office, a smiling Mio Kuroki stood behind the commissioner's desk by a rolling-chair, with the back of it facing the desk.

"What is she doing here?!" Seiya demanded.

"Come to confess and turn yourself in finally?" Taiki said.

"Turn myself in? Why, whatever for? I didn't do anything." Mio said innocently.

The turned around, revealing it's occupant to be not commissioner Bo Benson, but another man with brown hair, brown eyes and glasses.

"Who are you?" Taiki demanded.

"I am George Landon...the new police commissioner. As of this moment, the entire Seattle police department is under my control." Said the man known as George.

"Mr. Mayor, what's going on?" Robert asked.

"A change in the system." The mayor said, with black hair and brown eyes.

"During a recent secret investigation, it's been revealed that the Seattle police system has not been following proper codes of conduct. Disregarding public safety." George explained.

"There has to be some mistake. All we do is seek out and prosecute criminals who have broken the law." Yaten said.

"You are the second reason that I'm here." The mayor said, looking at Setsuna.

"Yes, I know." Setsuna said.

"Well, officer Trista, I just have one question. Why have you been accusing innocent people?!" The mayor said.

"I'm not sure what you mean, mayor." Setsuna said. She hadn't done anything wrong, so why was this man yelling at her?

"I'm talking about the false accusations made towards the school about the teachers teaching gang violence to our children!" The mayor said.

"If you mean that club that's been instated in the school, then yes. What they're doing here is against the law." Seiya said.

"I am the law, officer! Interrupt me again and you'll be without a badge!" The mayor said. "It's wrong to accuse someone of something you have no proof of, let alone an entire school! You've known that since you started working as an officer! And yet you chose to ignore it!" He said to Setsuna.

"I simply said what was on my mind." Setsuna said.

"Trista did accuse the school. Unfortunately, she didn't have any evidence to back up her claim. It's on my body-cam footage." Robert said.

"Hey, who's side are you on?!" Taiki said.

"Because of your blatant disregard for the law, I will now oversee all police operations. And effective immediately. Cheif Stark and Sheriff Hatter are both relieved of their positions." George said.

"But the Cheif and Sheriff have done nothing wrong. This is entirely my responsibility." Setsuna said.

"No, no, it's fine. It's okay." Stark assured. "You can't fire me anyway. Ya wanna know why you can'tfire me? Becausei quit! I quit!"

"I'm sick of working at this place anyway. We don't need to spend another day here. I quit too." Sheriff Hatter added.

"Very good. Now hand over your badges, guns and holsters." George said.

Stark and Hatter walked up to George's desk, placed their badges and holsters-with their guns in them, on the commissioner's desk, followed by exiting the office.

"This isn't fair! I mean...if they're fired, who's gonna be the Cheif and Sheriff?!" Seiya said.

"Glad you asked." George said. "Okay, new Cheif and new Sheriff, you can come in now!"

"Tada." Said Razor as he and Marx entered the office.

"Remember us?" Marx asked.

"Razor and Marx?! They're the new Cheif and Sheriff?!" Robert gasped.

"That's right, and they start work immediately." George said.

"But...these men are criminals." Setsuna said.

"And now they're the Cheif and Sheriff." George said.

"But you can't hire criminals as police officers!" Seiya said.

"Well, I just did!" George said. "I'm cleaning up the police department, just like the mayor is cleaning up the city with those tattooed kids and homeless brats."

"What do you mean by that?!" Taiki demanded.

"Glad you asked. Today I made a phone call to Juvenile Services and the GC headquarters to initiate a humane but tough-love program to get these gang-tattooed kids off the streets and into the loving arms of Juvenile Services." The mayor explained.

"You did what?" Yaten asked.

"And just where are you sending all of the children that get rounded up?" Setsuna asked.

"Well, foster-homes for the ones under 13. Up-state for the rest." The mayor answered.

"Up-state?" Setsuna questioned.

"Yeah, the GC Youth Corrections Facility. A fine institute." The mayor said.

"Prison, in other words." Setsuna said.

"That won't help!" Seiya said.

"You'll have to forgive TRISTA and her friends. They're from the Japanese police department. They don't get how things are run over here in the U.S." Mio said.

"No, no, no, th-that's okay." The mayor assured. "Trista...May I call you Trista?"

"Sure." Setsuna said.

"Half the petty crimes in this city is kids in gangs and street kids. They need structure. People who care for them. For the greater good of Seattle and for the children. You see?" The mayor said.

"I see you're using this child-gang crime wave as a pretext to lock up children without a trial." Setsuna said.

"Thank you, my friend. Valuable input. Most refreshing." The mayor said.

"But these kids need a positive influence to look up to. You're the mayor and we're the police. We're suppose to be trying to set an example. Because believe it or not, kids actually look up to us. They see us as heroes and sending them up-state will change that. They probably already think we're the enemy. This will just give them more reason to believe it." Seiya said.

"Imprisoning these kids isn't gonna help anything, it's just gonna make matters worse." Taiki said.

"We're the cops. We're suppose to be the good guys, not the other way around! Many of those kids you're sending up-state may want to be police officers themselves when they grow up." Yaten said.

"Perfect. When they get out of juvie and fostercare, they'll know how to act like cops." The mayor said.

"Mr. Mayor, you're missing the point. This stunt you've pulled will dash their hopes and dreams of becoming police officers. If you send those kids away, you just might as well be firing the next generation of cops before you hire them." Setsuna said.

"If the juvenile little twerps don't wanna be cops anymore just because this generation of police laid down the law with them, that's their choice. Besides...we have too many crooked cops in the PC system as it it." Jezel said.

"I agree with Jezel. I see nothing wrong with stopping the future crooked cops before they grow up and enter the PC system. That's why we have brilliant leaders like Carpathia and the mayor here." Jacks added.

"Thank you, Jezel...and Jacks." The mayor said.

"Don't thank them, thank Mr. Carpathia. If it wasn't for him, those kids wouldn't be getting the help they need." Mio said.

"Carpathia, of course. We should've known he'd be behind all of this." Seiya said.

"Ooh, that man specializes in trouble." Taiki added.

"No, no, no, don't bad-mouth him when he's doing us a huge service. Finally the New World system is helping us out down here in Seattle. It's taking out the trash." Robert said.

That did it. Setsuna had had all she could take from this man. She'd put up with him talking down to her, his judgemental character, his racial behavior towards gangs, him rejecting her ideas to help better the community, and now he was referring to the children being sent up-state as trash, which was the last straw for her. "THAT'S IT!" Setsuna screamed. "I'm finished with you!" She said, pointing at Robert. "I've had it with them!" She said, pointing at Jezel and Jacks. "I'm fed up with this place! I quit!" Setsuna said before storming up to George's desk and putting her badge and holster on it, then she turned and stormed out.

"Hear that? Sounds like our cue." Seiya said before heading for the desk, with the other two Starlights following behind. "We'd like to say it's been fun." The Starlight officer said before placing his badge and holster on the desk then turning and leaving.

"But it sure hasn't been." Taiki said as he placed his badge on the desk, followed by his holster, and then he turned and left.

"I quit too." Yaten said as he placed his badge on the desk, then his holster, followed by turning and leaving as well.

"Who needs you!" The mayor said.

"You can all be replaced!" George added as he shot up from his desk.

---

All of the kids were lined up by school busses in a bus parking-lot, with gun-armed GC soldiers watching the kids like hawks and standing in front of them with notebooks and pens, who were asked for their names and writing them down.

Usagi stood in front of one of the lines of kids, with Crystal standing in front of her, holding a notebook and pen to write down the kids' names.

"Names?" Crystal asked.

"Ma'am, there's been a mistake, I'm too old to go up-state. I'm 18, I graduated high school." Usagi said.

"We'll get all that sorted when you get up-state. Name." Crystal said.

"I don't think you heard me. I said I'm 18." Usagi said.

"Well, the law has changed since New World Order was established." Crystal said.

"By law, I'm an adult and adults don't get sent up-state, so you have to let me go." Usagi said.

"Not happening. You're only 18. You have to be 20 to be too old to go up-state. Name." Crystal said.

"Enjoy being evil while you can. The 5th Trumpet Judgement could happen any day now, and I would not wanna be you and your goons when it does." Usagi said.

"Well, well, well...looks like we've snagged ourselves one of those apocalypse wackos." Crystal said. "Ooh, the end is coming, watch out, it's right around the corner, it's gonna be here any minute. Get ready for Heaven or you're all gonna spend Eternity in Hell when you die." She said mockingly.

"Yes, that's right." Usagi said.

"What a bunch of lunacy. Name." Crystal said.

"Serena." Usagi said.

"Last name?" Crystal asked.

"Yeah, that'll happen." Usagi said.

"We don't need your full name, you know. Just your first." Crystal said. "Serena Jane Doe." She said writing Usagi's first false name and the Jane Doe name in the notebook with the pen. She then noticed the brooch Usagi was wearing. "That's a nice brooch. Too bad it'll be confiscated when arrive up-state. Enjoy your final hours with it."

Usagi boarded the bus, made her way down the aisle-seeing Darry, Dana, Bianh and China sitting together on the right side, terrified-and she sat down next to a young teenage-boy on the left-with brown hair and blue eyes, who was trying to hold in his tears. The American boy let out a whimper. "Hey." Usagi said, getting the boy's attention. "I'm Serena. What's your name?"

"Jimmy. Jimmy Bateman. I'm 13." The American boy answered tearfully, revealing his name.

"Hi, Jimmy. I'm Serena. I'm 18." Usagi said, introducing herself. "Don't be scared. Juvie's not so bad." She assured. "Not enough, Usagi." She thought. "First week, whatever you do, don't make friends with anyone that's friendly. When you get into a fight, go for their eyes." She finished. "Oh, sure, that was real helpful." She thought. She didn't know much about juvie, as she had never been, but from what Vicki had shared with her about her stay at Northside, it wasn't pleasant. And now she was about to find out first hand what it was like on the inside. She wished she could transform into Sailor Moon and save the day like usual, but she knew she couldn't do that without exposing her identity and putting everyone she loved in danger. Sure, she was going by a false name, but it wouldn't take long for the GC to find out who she really was with the technology they had. All they would have to do was run a DNA test and the name Usagi Tsukeno and everything about her would show up in the results, and from there, all of her love-ones would be in danger. For their sakes, she would have to let the bad guys have this one victory. Even if it came at the cost of losing her to the system.

"Hiya, kids." came a female voice. "How you doing?"

Usagi looked and saw Hiroko standing up front, with a Kirin ninja standing behind her.

"HIROKO!" The kanji-marked kids yelled excitedly

"Are you ready to go on a big adventure?" Hiroko asked nicely.

"YEAH!" shouted the kanji-marked kids.

Usagi looked across at Darry, Dana, Bianh and China, who looked just as scared as the other kids who weren't kanji-tattooed.

All the busses then drove off with the kids, driven by ninjas of the Kirin Empire, leaving Crystal, Birtch and the other GC grunts lying on the ground, unconscious, having all been knocked-out by the ninjas. The bad guys had saved the kids from the good guys.

---

Robert stood in the alley with Jezel and Jacks, their backs turned as they searched for any leftover kanji-marked gang kids and street kids the GC may have missed.

"Stay alert, you two. Be sure to keep a sharp eye out for gang brats with the kanji and street kids." Robert said.

"We're always on alert when on duty, sir. How do you think we managed to find and lock up so many apocalypse wackos?" Jezel said.

Jacks then turned around and saw Flame coming around the corner on his skate-board, entering the alley, wearing his helmet. He wore a gray zipped-up hooded sweat-shirt, a dark blue shirt, gray calf-length pants-like shorts, white socks and gray sneakers with white trims. "There's a kid." He said before Robert and Jezel turned to see the boy coming their way.

Robert blew his whistle he wore around his neck, making Flame stop. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa." He said as he, Jezel and Jacks walked up to the boy. "Shouldn't you be in school by now?"

"My Mom...she decided to home-school me." Flame said, trying to sound convincing. He had heard about the GC being in town and rounding up all kids with the kanji and all kids living on the streets on the mayor's orders, and he was both of what they were looking for. He just hoped that neither of them figured that out by looking down at the kanji on his right hand. "Gotta go." He said before skate-boarding past Robert, Jezel and Jacks.

"Home-school?" Robert said as he, Jezel and Jacks turned to see Flame skate-boarded around the corner.

"What a weird kid." Jezel said.

"Yeah, and he's not even in the New World home-school system." Jacks added.

"Come on. Let's follow him." Robert said before he and the two GC grunts followed after the boy. They stopped around the corner when they saw Flame holding his board while opening a tin-walled fence, entering the other side, and then closing it back.

"Well, how 'bout that, he's a street kid." Jezel said.

"So that's where you go." Robert said, a smirk on his face. "Perfect. More street trash to pick up and take out."

"We better get Child Services on the line and let them know about this right away." Jacks said.

Robert and the GC duo turned and headed back down the alley towards the entrance.

Standing at the top of one of the alley buildings, Sailor Jupiter had seen and heard the whole thing. "Oh, no."

---

As the Kirin Empire ninjas drove the busses drove down the street, one of them kept swerving in the left and right lanes as one of the songs of Mio and the Mischiefs played on the radio titled 'MAKIN MISCHIEF', with Mio starting to sing.

We're makin' mischief, we're makin' mischief

The Mischiefs sang.

(Makin' mischief)

Mio sang.

and we're really get'n in it

Pizzara sang.

Mischief, we're makin' mischief

Rocky and Storm sang.

(Makin' mischief)

Pizzara sang.

And we're lovin' every minute

Mio sang.

We've almost gone berserk

Pizzara sang.

Doin' all this dirty work.

The bus swerved back into the left lane, nearly hitting a jeep, which honked at it by getting back in the right lane.

"Drat. Sorry about that, kids!" The ninja said.

"Seriously, where did this guy learn to drive?" Usagi asked, scared. Where had this guy gotten his license, out of a cereal box?

"Suddenly, up-state doesn't sound so bad." Darry said, also scared.

"You can say that again, I'm starting to wish it was a GC driving." Dana added.

"Us too." Bianh and China said.

"Me three." Jimmy said.

All of the other kids were afraid as well.

"Gotta keep my eyes on the road. Doctor says I need my glasses to see, but I don't like 'em. Which is why I wear contact. I've been driving since I was 20 years old. In fact, I told him I could do it with my eyes closed...if I had to." The ninja said.

"Just stay in the right lane and get us to our destination without killing us." Hiroko said, standing by the driver's seat, holding onto the back wall behind it for dear life with both hands.

"Aye, aye, Hiroko-sama." The ninja said, saluting with his right hand. The tires screeched as he swerved into the left lane, then swerved back into the right one.

---

Robert grunted as he made his way through the tin-walled fence, followed by holding the left side of it open, his back up against it, allowing Jezel and Jacks to enter the pool area. "Right this way, ma'am. Be careful."

Bartha entered through the open tin-walled fence, her messenger-bag on her left shoulder.

"Wow. I never knew this was here. It's cool." Robert said, no longer learning up against the tin-walled fence.

"It's also abandoned. You can tell that just by looking at the drained pool." Jezel said.

"Let's go check out that shack over there." Bartha said, pointing at the first-aid station.

"You that old first-aid station?" Jacks asked.

"Oh, yeah. Good idea." Robert said. He, Jezel, Jacks and Bartha went over to the first-aid station where he used his club to knock the lock off the door, then he opened it.

Bartha entered inside the shack and Robert and GC duo followed in after her, and they all looked around.

"Wow. Would you look at this?" Robert said, amazon. He and the others walked over to a billboard on the wall and saw one of the flyers for the BATTLE BOARDERS championship stuck to it by a tack.

Bartha then picked up a picture of Brenden and his mother with her right hand off the counter. "Looks like we found him."

"It sure does." Robert said.

"Yes, you have." came a female voice from behind.

"Huh?" Robert and the others said as they turned to see Sailor Pluto standing in the open doorway, holding her staff.

"The question is what are you going to do now?" Pluto said.

"Sailor Pluto?!" Bartha gasped with shock.

"It's one of those Moon aliens that attacked and destroyed New Island in New Zealand and kidnapped all of those kids!" Jezel said.

"Yeah, we've met." Robert said. "I told you to stay out of police business. What are you doing here?"

"I wish to know what you intend to do now that you've found this boy." Pluto said.

"That is none of your business." Jezel said.

"Well, I'm making it my business. And I won't until I recieve an answer." Pluto said.

"It's fine." Bartha assured Jezel. "I'll have to put him in another foster-home, since the one he ran away from got destroyed in the earthquake/meteor-shower." She explained to Pluto.

"So that's it? You merely ship him off to another unit of what he ran away from?" Pluto asked.

"He's lucky that's all that's him, considering he's one of them." Robert said.

"And just what is one of them?" Pluto asked.

"You know what I mean." Robert said.

"No, I don't. Tell me." Pluto said.

"He's a street kid. And nothing good ever comes from street kids, especially around here. They're always forming gangs, stealing, looting stuff from stores and out of people's homes and vehicles. Put 'em behind bars, that's what I say." Robert said.

"He's a child." Pluto said.

"Oh, what does that matter, every criminal in the world was a kid once. Street kids aren't kids, especially not on these streets. You look in their eyes like I do and you'll see they're already dead." Robert said.

"Alright. I've given you both every opportunity. I've said my piece, I'm taking my leave. You do what you think is right. My comrades and shall do what we know is right." Pluto said before disappearing.

"Whoa." Bartha said. "People are disappearing at random a lot these days."

---

Flame, with his backpack on, skate-boarded down the alley and turned around the corner, heading for the entrance of his hideout.

"Flame, wait!" Jupiter said as she ran after the boy around the corner.

In the abandoned pool area, Bartha exited the first-aid station, followed by Jezel and Jacks, then Robert exited the small building. Robert closed the back as Flame, with Jupiter running up from behind, walked up to the open entrance of the tin-walled fence, who then looked in and saw Bartha, Robert, Jezel and Jacks.

Jupiter went the right side of the tin-walled fence to get a better look and gazed in at Bartha, Robert, and GC duo, Jezel and Jacks. "Not those two again." She thought, looking at Jezel and Jacks, who she had met and fought against on New Island in New Zealand.

"We can't wait around here all day. He's bound to show up eventually." Robert said.

"You'll alert me when he shows up, right?" Bartha said.

"No problem, this place'll be under 24-hour watch by GC." Jezel said. "Jacks, phone headquarters, inform them of the situation, and have them send over a unit of GC soldiers."

"Right away." Jacks said before getting his cell-phone out of his right pants pocket.

Flame turned around and skate-boarded off, with Jupiter running after him.

Flame skate-boarded down the alley as fast as he could, making his way around the corner, with Jupiter running after him. The boy went over to the slope he had made and skated up the slope, only to fall to the thin snow-covered ground and break his board.

"Flame!" Jupiter said before she fastened her speed.

Flame sat up and placed his left hand on his bruised left knee as Jupiter kept running after him. Had it not been for the snow covering the ground, his injury would've been far more serious. The 10-year old boy looked at his skate-board and saw that it was broken. So much for entering the Battle Boarders championship. He got to his feet, picked up his broken board, and grunted as he snapped it in-two with his left knee.

Jupiter made her way around the corner and stopped when she saw Flame carrying his broken in-two skate-board in both of his hands as he walked over to the spray-painted wall and tossed both parts to the ground. Then he sat down up against the wall, un-strapped his helmet and pushed it off his head, letting it fall to the ground on the right, wrapped his arms around his knees, buried his face in his them, and started crying.

Jupiter watched Flame as he cried. The Senshi made her way over to where the boy was. "Hey...you okay?" This was the first time she'd seen Flame sad, let alone cry.

Flame looked at Jupiter with tears in his eyes. "They found me. They're gonna take me away from here. They'll make me go back. Now what am I gonna do? I was gonna enter that tournament tomorrow. I was gonna get sponsored so I could take care of myself."

Sadness filled Jupiter's eyes. She wished she could do more for this kid than what she'd been doing, which wasn't much, other than be-friending him and following him around.

Flame put his face back in his knees and resumed crying.

Jupiter bent down to Flame's angle. "Hey..." She said as she placed her right hand on the boy's right shoulder. "don't cry. It'll be okay."

"Why does everyone always say that when it's not true?" Flame asked.

Jupiter took her hand off Flame's shoulder. Clearly he had heard this before and it turned out to be the complete opposite.

Flame looked at Jupiter. "Thanks for being friend, but...I can't stay here anymore. CPS, the cops and the GC know I'm in town. I won't be able to hide anymore."

Jupiter didn't say anything to Flame...because she knew he was right. No way could he stay hidden from the CPS, the cops AND the GC. Especially now that they knew he was here in Seattle. It wasn't safe for him to be here anymore.

Flame stood up and picked up his helmet and broken board. "You saw me. Understand? I was never here." He said before he turned and ran off down the rest of the alley, limping, as he put his helmet on, leaving Jupiter behind.

Jupiter stood and sighed in defeat. "Great. Just great. Now what am I suppose to do?"

To be continued...