Chapter 180
"Ah..it's great to be back.." Serena said walking towards her house.
"I wonder how Sailor Pluto handled my parents," She said to herself and opened the door.
"Oh..hello Serena..how was school?" Her mother asked.
"Oh..uh..weird..." Serena said.
"That's good..." Her mother said. Serena glanced at the clock on the wall.
"Wait a second..it's Tuesday...the same day we left.." Serena said.
"Left where?" Her mother asked.
"Oh..nothing," Serena said grinning slightly.
It is time travel. She thought and walked up stairs. Luna was lying on her bed.
"Took you long enough.." Luna said.
"To do what?"
"Save crystal Tokyo of course."
"But to you I must have been gone only a few minutes."
"I'm joking Serena.." Luna said.
"Oh..I think I'm going to sleep for a while," Serena said.
"You've got school tomorrow."
"I do?" Serena moaned.
"Homework due too I'd gather.." Luna said.
"Oh..that's uh..right.." Serena said. "Dang..you'd think Pluto could have had me come back on the weekend."
"She thought about that..but we couldn't very well let time go on without you."
"Say..how'd this work..while we were gone..did time pass?"
"Serena..how would I know?"
"Oh..that's right..jeez..this doesn't make much sense..I mean we came back now..but time must have gone on..or maybe it didn't...now.."
"Serena..maybe you should rest after all.." Luna said.
"So your mission was a success?" Setsuna asked sitting on Darrien's couch.
"So to speak," Darrien said.
"Oh?"
"Well.things aren't that great there."
"Oh..well..yes..I'd heard..but the last time.."
"They were all right..but the Dark Moon attack really messed things up. Queen Serenity was thinking of shifting that future into another dimension."
"It's tricky, but it can be done."
"What if she tried it and messed up."
"She could possibly destroy the entire universe," Setsuna said.
"Really..the whole thing?"
"Yes..."
"Uh..Setsuna.this is Serena we're talking about here."
"Well..if it was her..I'd be worried, but Queen Serenity is much wiser."
"Still.." Darrien said.
"There's no point in worrying," Setsuna said.
"But there is reason to," Darrien said.
"No..no..of course not..just put it out of your mind, and even if she made a mistake..it would take a very big one to vaporize this dimension..I mean..we might get off with just some temporal imbalance."
"Temporal imbalance isn't a good thing..." Darrien said.
"Well..not usually," Setsuna said.
"You're enjoying this.." Darrien said. "The universe is in Serena's hand's and you like this."
"Darrien.you have to admit it is very tempting to joke. I'm sure we'll be fine."
"Setsuna..when we were gone..just what happened..I mean..you govern time and all."
"Oh...well..the truth is I don't know anymore..when we reinserted you back into our time line..the universe that existed afterward hasn't happened yet.."
"But neither has crystal Tokyo..."
"And it still may not."
"Oh.." Darrien said. "I am in College Setsuna this should make sense."
"No it shouldn't," Setsuna said. "That's why it's not wise to meddle with time unless absolutely warranted."
"I won't argue with you there," Darrien said.
"You'd be arguing with an expert."
"So would you win an argument with Stephen Hawking?"
"He's very smart, but he doesn't possess the abilities of both intertemporal and interdimensional travel I do does he?"
"Do we even know that for sure," Darrien said.
"Yes, I checked," Setsuna said.
"You didn't," Darrien said.
"I had to be sure," Setsuna said with a grin.
"Yes..hamburger.." Mike said biting into the food at the restaurant.
"We had hamburgers up there.." Rick said.
"Yeah..but I never actually ate them did I?" Mike asked.
"But you will..or you still could..I think.." Steve said.
"Maybe we shouldn't try to figure it out..I wanted a hamburger.now.." Mike said.
"Can't argue with that," Steve said.
Rick nodded and they both started eating.
"And for one thing..there wasn't any relish in the future.." Mike said dumping about half a bottleful on his hamburger.
"Can you even taste the burger?" Rick asked.
"Sure..." Mike said. "In fact..it tastes just like relish and that's the way I like it," Mike said.
The three resumed eating.
"You three look like you haven't eaten in weeks.." Lizzie Tillman said stopping at their table.
"Well...actually our last meal was a thousand years ago uh..I mean..I uh..oh....." Rick said.
"Are you sure?" Steve said.
"I told you we shouldn't try and explain it.." Mike said.
"You three are funny," Lizzie said with a grin and left the check.
"Great..you hear that..we're funny.." Mike muttered.
"I thought you wanted to get that response.." Rick said.
"Isn't that you're goal in life," Steve said.
"No..my goal in life is to make New Zealand my own personal island..or groups of islands..whatever..and live there, everything else is up in the air," Mike said.
"First we've heard of it," Rick and Steve said.
"Well of course.I don't want you to get there first do I?" Mike asked.
The other two sighed.
"Hey..Raye..." Chad said as Raye appeared at the top of the temple steps.
"Well I see this is still in one piece.." she said.
"Sure..nothing happened to it while you were at school."
"Of course nothing did," Raye said with a smile. "Still...you never know."
"Ch'ya...guess so.." Chad said.
"I've gotta get some sleep."
"Woah..long day.."
"Yeah...really....long.." Raye said and started laughing as she headed into her room.
"O...kay.." Chad said.
"See this is what I don't understand.." Mina said leaning against the back of the chair Lita was sitting in as she controlled a car in a racing game.
"What is it that you don't understand?" Lita muttered while straining to concentrate.
"Well here we are..we get back from the future...and what do you do..head straight to the arcade..." Mina said.
"So that's what I usually do after school nowadays," Lita said.
"But it isn't just after school.."
"I know..but I wanted to relax.."
"With a racing game?"
"Mina..why'd you follow me if you've got such a problem with it?"
"Well...I was just curious about what you planned to do.." Lita said.
"You found out.." Lita said.
"You shouldn't take the turn that fast..you got away with it this time...but...you'll mess up and off you go.." Mina said.
"I don't need driving advice.." Lita said.
"I am an expert at this game."
"I will be if you leave me alone so I can think."
"Heh.." Mina said. "Fine.I'll just go play Sailor me..that is Sailor V...ta ta.."
"Mina.." Lita snapped as the Game Over screen flashed on the game.
"What?" Mina said. Lita turned in her seat.
"Don't say ta ta again...I may have to hurt you," Lita said.
Mina grinned and moved off.
Lita turned back and got the game ready again.
"Well this is a surprise..." came another voice. She turned Haruka stood there.
"Oh..Haruka...hello," Lita said.
"You're not back from the future an hour before playing a game...."
"I've been through this all ready."
"Sorry..didn't mean to sound critical..I actually came here looking for some competition."
"You won't find it here...I'm well aware of your track record.." Lita said with a smile.
"Wise choice.." Haruka said. "Though I'm sure your friend Mina won't be able to resist a challenge from me..even though she loses every time."
"Well think about it Haruka..if she ever won..."
"She won't.."
"You never know do you?"
"Maybe you should have asked someone in the future if it ever happened."
"Maybe I should have asked their Sailor Uranus.."
"Perhaps."
"But then again..she wasn't much of a talker."
"Oh?" Haruka asked.
"But I'm sure you want to race..not hear about what may or may not happen ..after all..I'm sure you don't care right?"
"Of course.." Haruka said. "But Michiru might be curious."
"Well then I'll tell her if she asks.." Lita said.
Haruka grinned.
"Well played," Haruka said.
"Here we are..." Amy said opening her front door. "Home sweet home..for I guess all of us now.." she added as Greg and Patterson followed her in.
"If this keeps up all the Scouts will all be living together," Greg said.
"There's an ugly thought," Patterson said.
"I don't know about you two but I'm going to get some rest..that was tiring," Amy said and headed up to her room.
"Well..here we are..." Greg said.
"Yeah.." Patterson muttered slumping on the couch.
"Living with the girl who destroyed both our houses..now that's something for the books," Greg said.
"This house has little tactical attributes..no reinforced steel..weapons..systems.." Patterson said.
"Guess it needs work then huh," Greg said with a smile.
"Yeah..guess so.." Patterson said.
"Don't worry you get used to all this after a while." Greg said.
"Yeah..I guess.." Patterson said. "It's just a little different experience."
"Yep..well...that's what happens when we go and get our houses blown up huh.."
"Yes..it's all our fault," Patterson muttered.
"So...Patterson..about the future...you think it could turn out that way?" Greg said. "Even with them moving the dimension."
"Well..it did happen that way once.." Patterson said. "Of course..I don't change at all so that suits me fine."
"Good for you, but I'd rather not be suicidal," Greg said.
"Being that way can be disappointing..of course.." Patterson said.
Greg grinned.
"Still..you can laugh about it..what am I going to do.."
"Well hopefully things will change..after all this time meddling there could be changes."
"Speaking of that meddling, how are things going in your own little dimension?"
"Don't ask.." Patterson said.
"Too late," Greg said.
"Greg..you really don't want to know."
"Just a little..come on.."
"Greg..it has become a chaotic mess..and half of Tokyo doesn't exist anymore..."
"Where'd it go.."
"I don't know.."
"But you know everything."
"Well yes..and that bothers me."
"Sorry.." Greg said.
"They've returned.." Hotaru said.
"Yes, only minutes after leaving.." Michiru said. "Isn't time interesting."
"Time will destroy everything eventually."
"Not for billions of years...at least."
"Yes..but it is almost guaranteed," Hotaru said.
"Things could happen to change that."
"Of course...but then again..this is time."
"Hotaru..where'd you learn all this."
"My father was a scientist.."
"And he talked about this kind of stuff."
"All the time," Hotaru said. "He tried to build a time machine to assist our evil efforts...it didn't work."
"You tested it?"
"No..it exploded before the power source was hooked up."
"Oh.." Michiru said.
"It was embarrassing at the time," Hotaru said.
Michiru grinned.
"Oh..gee..too bad that didn't work.." Michiru said.
"It was an ambitious project though," Hotaru said.
"I don't doubt it."
"I want to see my father."
"What?"
"I think I was clear."
"I guess so," Michiru said.
"Do you hear sirens?" Greg asked.
"Yes.." Patterson said.
"Wonder where they're going."
"Most likely here.." Patterson said.
"What?"
"They're military police sirens."
"You recognize them.." Greg said.
Patterson nodded. The two walked to the window. Two green patrol cars pulled up to the curb and a helicopter flew over head. A truck rolled up and into the driveway as several more patrol cars pulled in behind it followed by a jeep.
"You're computers?" Greg asked in awe of the size of the effort.
"Well.they are a security risk if they fell into the wrong hands..of course..the wrong hands couldn't get in to it...but," Patterson trailed off and headed out the unlocked front door with Greg.
William Patterson climbed out of the jeep and headed to him.
"How'd you like my escort?" he asked.
"I'm sure the taxpayers would just love to know they're money is being spent on things like this," Patterson said.
"It's justified," William said.
"General's Stars," Patterson noticed looking at his uncle's shoulders.
"Oh..yeah..they promoted me today..I'm in charge of all extraterrestrial activities, which is what I used to before, but now I get more money," General Patterson said.
"Congratulations," Greg said.
"Thank you," General Patterson said and turned to his men. "Well troops let's unload it."
"Uh..you might want to do it quietly..Amy's trying to rest.." D.V. said.
"Oh..we can do that.." General Patterson said. "I think.."
"Yeah..sure..quiet.." the crowd of men replied somewhat sarcastically and then began laughing.
"I don't get it," Greg said.
"It's nothing," D.V. said with a slight grin.
"Hey..maybe we should just get the special forces to move the stuff in.." one of the officers said.
"Ehh..why not..call them up Lieutenant," General Patterson said.
"Oh...that explains the noise.." Amy said walking onto her front step.
"Sorry.." the army troops said in unison.
Amy grinned.
"It's all right..my this is impressive...." she said. "Oh..they've promoted you sir..it's well deserved."
"Thank you Amy," General Patterson said. "We're just going to move it into the basement as planned.."
"Right," Amy said.
"When was this planned?" D.V. asked.
"Oh..that's right you weren't there..but don't worry..we're going to set everything up..it'll take a few hours.." General Patterson said.
"Oh.." D.V. said.
Four hours later.
"Now what you have here.." General Patterson said. "Is the similar door configuration to what you had at the old house."
"Isn't that the same door," D.V. muttered.
"Oh..well..yeah," General Patterson said. "But in the basement it's set up just like the war room. There are of course vents lined with motion detectors...personal bathroom..cot..and all the computers you need. And we've made sure there won't be any carbon monoxide problems.."
"That's good..I could just figure I'd die in such an annoying way.." D.V. said.
"Don't worry, it's all set," General Patterson said. "And upstairs in what would be your other room, we've installed the bulletproof glass which you can see out of, but no can see into as well as an escape hatch."
"Always good to have," D.V. said.
"And with that...we'll be going," General Patterson. "Nagumo's probably wondering where the first division is."
"Thanks," D.V. said.
"Sure," Patterson said and headed out.
"Well..let's have a look.." Amy said.
"Oh..okay.." Patterson said. He walked to the door inputted his keycode while covering it with his hand.
The door slid open revealing a room filled with red light and computers.
"It's even bigger then the first.." Greg said.
"Think of all the fun you can have with that," Amy said.
Patterson just grinned.
"Ehh..." Serena said waking up from her nap.
"What is it?" Luna asked.
"That was a really stupid dream I just had."
"What happened?"
"Everyone kept calling me rabbit and I couldn't understand a weird anyone was saying."
"Then how'd you know they were calling you rabbit?"
"Believe me I knew that..that was made very clear."
"Oh..." Luna said. "That's uh interesting."
"I'm going to find everyone," Serena said and hurried out the door. Luna
followed.
Raye had just woken up too. She had moved past the fire reading room and stopped in surprise as she heard Chad's voice within. She slid the door open quietly.
"Uh..hey..uh..Sacred Fires.." he was saying. "I don't know how to do this...I'm hoping you'd kinda help me out though..see there's this girl I met yesterday and she's kinda nice.."
Raye covered her mouth and jumped into the nearby woods where she started to laugh.
"The sacred fires aren't going to tell him anything," she said. "I don't know whether he's desecrating them or not..oh..let him have his fun."
She heard a scream and rushed to the door. Chad raced out bumped into her and knocked her to the ground he ran around to the side and ducked his head in their well since his hair had caught fire.
"Ehh.." he said and sighed.
"What happened?" Raye asked.
"Uh..nothing.." Chad said.
"I know you were trying to talk to the sacred fires."
"Oh..well..apparently they weren't interested...."
Raye figured things out.
"Guess not," She said with a grin. "So who is she?"
"Who?"
"Chad..I overheard it."
"Intentionally I'd bet."
"Maybe.." she said.
"Her names Lizzie she served me lunch yesterday."
"And now you want to date her!" Raye said and started laughing.
"Well..she is attractive...and I don't know I felt something."
"It's called a crush Chad."
"Right..and so I will not rest until I have her! She shall be my queen..since you didn't want to be!" Chad shouted striking a pose.
"Way to put the veiled insult in there Chad," Raye muttered.
And at the arcade.
"Just one more race," Mina said.
"We've raced fourteen times," Haruka said.
"I gained a second on you the last game."
"Mina...I don't enjoy beating you the fifteenth time.."
"Oh..okay..but someday.."
"Not likely," Haruka said.
"Jeez..you two are still at it?" Lita asked walking up.
"We just quit.." Mina said.
"Oh good..because Serena's looking for us..all of us.."
"All of us?" Haruka asked.
Lita nodded.
A few minutes later, the entire group of scouts was sitting around a park.
"So what is it Serena?" Raye muttered.
"Well..most of us have been to the future..and it didn't look to great..but things could change..and maybe the Crystal Tokyo we make will be nicer..and happier and all that good stuff..but I just wanted to say just in case things don't work out or they get worse..that right now..I'm glad to know everyone..even the strange people.." Serena said. "Uh..I mean..I don't know how to say this..but whatever happens I know..that in the end will all be together...because that's what we do.."
"Be together?" Mike asked.
"Uh...yeah.." Serena said. "Just don't add any other words to the sentence and it works..right?"
The entire group all sighed.