Chapter 319

It was a warm day in Tokyo, not abnormally warm, not painful in the least, but the heat was there. People were going about their business in the metropolis, not letting the heat get to them. In the central area of the city, Prime Minister Sylia Coral stared out the window of her office at the various people walking by. She smiled slightly.

"One whole month," she said turning away to the other occupant of the room, Maxfield Stanton.

"Ah..yes..in another thirteen minutes that is," Stanton said.

"You've been watching it that exactly?" Coral asked moving to her desk.

"I try to keep track of all the details, it may be of use someday."

Coral frowned slightly and stared at him.

"You mean to tell me that knowing the exact time to the minute...since we last had an attack of some paranormal evil force, might somehow be of use to someone..." she asked in disbelief.

"It's always possible," Stanton said.

Coral just sighed and leaned back in her chair.

"So what have you been up to?" she asked.

"Well, there isn't much for an anti-paranormal army advisor such as myself to do when there isn't any such activity around, still we've been keeping an eye on the scientists."

"Ah yes, working to adapt negaenergy to everyday life ey?" Coral asked. "And how is that coming?"

"Relatively well," Stanton said. "They have the ability to use negaenergy as a power source the only thing left to do is figure out a stable way to produce it."

"Forgive me for saying so Stanton, but isn't producing negaenergy a little dangerous?"

"Indeed it is, but I believe if the proper precautions are taken.."

"Precautions? How would we even know what those are?"

"There is risk in any venture," Stanton said.

"That's true, but we're talking about the stuff that nearly destroyed the planet."

"I have studied your history, it seems that you're more than capable of doing that with earth materials anyway," Stanton said.

Coral said nothing and reflected.

"That is true," She said. "Still, we didn't produce energy that is inherently evil. I'm just not so sure about all this. Will you keep me posted?"

"Sure," Stanton said rising. "Prime Minister, would you like to get some dinner tonight?"

He asked slipping into his most regal of tones.

"Maxfield if you're going to ask me on a date, call me Sylia?" Coral replied turning to face him.

"Sylia then..." Stanton said.

"Sure, we'll celebrate the one month anniversary of nothing going wrong around here," Coral said.

Stanton grinned and headed out the door, as he did he passed General Nagumo, and his staff hurrying in quickly.

"Uh Prime Minister.." Nagumo began.

Coral sighed.

"And just what is it?" she muttered.

Before Nagumo could reply they heard a whirring sound. A model rocket flew in the window and smashed to the ground.

"It was just a toy," Colonel Nagumo said looking the debris over.

Coral sighed and picked herself off of the ground.

"Send the Military Police to pick up Steve Carlin," General Nagumo muttered to one of his staffers. The officer hurried out.

"Now what bad news were you coming to bring me?" Coral muttered.

"Well.." Nagumo began a bit hesitantly.

Maxfield Stanton had since left the Diet Legislative building and was heading to his car. As he did so he noticed a pair of heads disappear around the corner of a wall nearby.

"I thought you had given up the rockets," Stanton said.

"I had it's Mike's fault," came a reply from behind the wall.

"So what..who are they going to believe?" came another voice.

"Hmm..guess since I'm going down I'll just commit a murder anyway!" the first voice said followed by a shout from the second voice.

Stanton grinned as Mike dashed from behind the wall, Steve chasing after him.

"There he is!" came a shout from one of the Diet guards, and soon a hoard of security officers were rushing after the two.

Stanton laughed before stepping into his red sports car. The car pulled away from the curb and was soon speeding off.

Three figures stood in the shadows and watched it go.

Several blocks away.

Serena grinned as she starred at the plate of food in front of her. Darrien sat across from her and found himself also starring at the plate.

There's at least a pound of cole slaw on that plate. He thought to himself. And she's eating a steak. I'm not so sure about whether I find the fact she's eating the steak more disturbing or the fact that it's 10:30 in the morning. It's better if I don't think about it.

Serena dug in. Darrien but out of a muffin and let his mind drift.

The project's coming along, I'm glad I was able to pull myself out of the hole Galaxia dug for me. But now I'm on the research team investigating a potential groundbreaking energy source. Of course the world doesn't know that yet. Guess that's not a bad thing. This could scare a lot of people. Heck I'm not sure it doesn't scare me too.

He glanced back at Serena, who had probably already ingested a half of pound of cole slaw in the time he had spent thinking.

Serena stopped for a minute to swallow.

"Hmm..." she said starring at the steak. "I don't know about this.."

"What? The steak?" Darrien asked.

"Uh huh," Serena said.

"What's wrong with it?" Darrien asked not sure he wanted to hear the answer.

"Well it's missing something," Serena said and then reached into her bag.

"Don't tell me.." Darrien said.

"Tell you what?" Serena asked pulling a bottle of steak sauce from the bag.

Darrien sighed.

"Serena...that's insane."

"What?" Serena asked.

"The steak sauce in your bag."

"Darrien," Serena in a serious tone pointing the bottle in his direction. "I'll have you know that there are many things of use in this bag of mine, not the least of which is this bottle of steak sauce, and let me ask you, if I didn't have the steak sauce with me, I couldn't put it on my steak could I?"

"Well no..but.." Darrien said. "No..never mind..you're right..sorry."

"You think I'm doing something wrong don't you?"

"No..no..I'm a liberal, you know freedom's fine, do what you like."

"Ah.....okay..." Serena said and proceeded to eat again.

I guess the unpredictability appeals to me. Darrien thought.

At Tokyo General Hospital.

"You know Amy, you've spent a lot of time working here, more than you needed to," Doctor Burrows, her supervisor, said.

"Yes, I know," Amy said. "But I like it here. I guess I feel that in some small way I'm helping."

"So have you decided on what you're going to do with yourself yet?"

"I guess I've gotten rid of my fears," Amy said. "And when I say Misa got saved I think my mind was made up. I guess right now I've just been confirming it."

"I'll be honest with you. It's not always easy to tell what course of action you should take, it's never that obvious, there are days I'll wonder whether I've done the right thing or not, but it passes."

Amy nodded.

"I don't feel like I should leave though," Amy said. "I mean I know I do little more then bring food around to patients, but I feel like it helps, maybe heals a little."

"It does, in ways I've had trouble understanding at times. I've never been much more than a scientist always looking for the logical way of thinking. Sometimes, things just aren't logical, or at the very least they involve things that I just can't understand."

"I know what you mean," Amy said. " believe me I do."

"So how are your brothers doing?"

"Well..Greg's trying to get his novel published..and..D.V...well...he's fine..I'm sure," Amy said. I'm sure he's okay, even if I haven't heard from him in a month. She thought.

"You seem to have a good family there, I mean..considering.."

"Yes...we've managed," Amy said.

A mile or so away at the A.P.T. house.

"You know Greg, the more I try to understand women..." Rick began.

"What happened now?" Greg asked not turning away from his computer.

"Well..you know how Raye and Mina decided to change their hair color and style to avoid being recognized for a while until the hype over them cools down..right?" Rick asked.

"Of course," Greg said.

"Well..so yesterday Raye asked me whether she looked better or worse then before?"

"Oh.."

"Yeah..so..what am I supposed to say..if I say she looks better, it'll sound like I didn't think she was pretty in the first place, but if I say she looks worse, well you just don't say that," Rick said.

"I see, so what'd you say?" Greg asked.

"Did it matter?" Rick muttered.

"So she's angry at you again?"

"Well..kinda," Rick said.

"Kinda?" Greg asked.

"Yeah, she'll be fine," Rick said. "I think she just likes being angry to be perfectly honest."

"Now that's probably not true," Greg said.

"Greg...you know her well enough to know it is true," Rick said.

"I guess if it were possible for anyone.." Greg began. The doorbell rang.

"Wonder who that is?" Greg asked.

"Yeah, you don't usually get visitors," Rick said.

"It's too bad I so enjoy everyone's company," Greg muttered.

"When'd you get sarcastic?" Rick asked.

"I think it was the minute D.V. left, it's the strangest thing," Greg said in surprise as the two headed down the stairs.

They opened up the door.

"Guys you gotta help us!" Mike said hurriedly.

"What?" Greg asked with concern.

"That.." Rick said pointing at the herd of law enforcement and military personnel rushing down the street.

"Rocket?" Rick and Greg muttered.

Mike and Steve nodded.

Greg slammed the door in their faces.

"Well done," Rick said.

"I don't know.." Raye muttered. "Maybe it was an unfair question to ask."

She was staring into a mirror looking at her now blonde hair, tied into a long pony-tail that trailed down her back.

"Hey..I'd ask it," Mina said lying on her bed and running a hand through her newly darkened black hair. "I mean I just may keep my hair style like this."

"You would?" Raye muttered turning towards her.

"Uh huh," Mina said. "I especially like this part," she said tugging on a clump of hair sliding down in front of her right ear, which was matched by a similar clump on the other side of her face.

"I don't know though Raye, you're just not the blonde type," Mina said.

"I know that," Raye said.

"Maybe a nice green," Mina said.

"Now you're just teasing," Raye said.

"Blue maybe," Mina said.

"Nah...blue's not my personality either."

"Grey?"

"Grey?" Raye asked. "Grey?" she said her ire rising.

"Just a thought," Mina said.

"And what kind of thought was it," Raye said growling.

"Hey..it was merely a matter of style, maybe I should have said violet, now that's the ticket."

"How about violent!" Raye said and leapt at her.

Mina bounced off the bed and flipped to the other side of the room.

"Just trying to be helpful," Mina said.

"I'm all for helping people!" Raye shouted. "Let's start with you.."

"That kind of help I can do without!" Mina said hurrying away, Raye raced after her.

Mike and Steve were looking around the room they sat in worriedly.. It was illuminated by a dim light that hung above them. Across from them sat several army and police officers.

"You guys just don't learn do ya?" Chief Ozaki said menacingly.

"Don't enjoy this too much," Mike said nervously.

The officers all laughed.

Ozaki pounded the table.

"This is going to be a whole pile of enjoyment!" he shouted.

"What?" the rest of the room said.

"Shut up!" Ozaki said. "Now let's have a little talk about rockets."

Mike and Steve glanced at each other.

And in a car headed down 10^th street.

"So what happened to that boy Seiya you were seeing?" Lieutenant Nelson asked.

"He's been gone a month dad, this is the first you've noticed?" Lita asked.

"No, it's just the first I thought I'd ask, I mean I was trying to stay out of your business, that is what you wanted right?"

"Uh..yeah. Well he's uh gone back to his home planet for a while."

"He what?"

"You know he was from another world, he came here to help out against an enemy force and all..uh."

"You were dating an alien?"

"Uh..not exactly," Lita said.

Lieutenant Nelson pulled the car over.

"Lita..why can't you find a real man to date?" he muttered.

"Dad! That's not fair," Lita snapped.

"Ehh...you just aren't going to be in a successful marriage I guess," he moaned.

Lita sighed.

"I'm not that bad at this."

"Ehh..you're worse then your mother," he said.

"What?" Lita said in shock.

Before that moment could get even more out of hand, the police radio broke in.

"Attention all units, we've got Steve Carlin in custody, anyone with unfinished business with him swing on by HQ."

"That doesn't sound very official," Lita said.

"Heh heh..who cares, we'll talk about this later," Mister Nelson said pulling way from the curb with a grin on his face.

"I'm coming to get ya rocket man!" he shouted and started laughing.

Lita sighed.

Now I'm worried. She thought.

And in the bowels of an SDF science lab, Doctor Richter and his colleague Doctor Tomoe starred at a piece of equipment sitting on the table in front of them.

"We know we constructed this.." Richter said.

"But why..." Tomoe said finishing the sentence. "This serves no purpose."

"It must, I mean this looks very complex to me," Richter said. "We must have put some thought into it."

"Yet, it seems like we didn't," Tomoe said.

"You'd think one of us would remember why we did this," Richter said.

"Maybe Darrien knows."

"It's possible, Richter said. "Strange huh?"

Tomoe nodded.

"How is the work coming doctors?" came a scratchy voice. The two turned as Jaedite walked in.

"Ah..Jaedite," Tomoe said. "Or what is it you're calling yourself?"

"Jed Jeddingon," Jaedite replied.

"The others always said you were no good at names," Richter muttered.

"I like it," Jaedite muttered. "Now how is your progress."

"That's always an interesting question," Tomoe said.

"We can try to explain it to you though," Richter said.

"Actually, maybe you shouldn't," Jaedite said. "Call me if you need assistance."

He turned and headed for the door.

"We'll call you if we need ya Jed!" Richter said and let out a laugh.

Jaedite growled as he headed out.

"He's a strange one," Tomoe said.

"Understandably so though," Richter said.

"Yes..you're right."

"They didn't like the name either I guess," Nephlite said walking up next to Jaedite as they headed down a hall.

"I just like things simple that's all," Jaedite said. "I don't care for your higher standards."

Nephlite smiled.

"Sorry to raise the bar so high," Nephlite said.

Jaedite scowled.

"Don't worry, it's the least of your concerns," Nephlite said.

"I guess so," Jaedite said. "You know on this subject they're trying to build a device capable of producing and controlling negaenergy.."

"Uh huh."

"Is that wise?" Jaedite asked.

"I wonder that," Nephlite said. "It's never been tried before, it could be a colossal success as well as a catastrophic failure."

"I know that," Jaedite said. "Are humans even supposed to meddle with this kind of power?"

"Another good question," Nephlite said as the two stepped into an elevator.

"And what's your answer to it?" Jaedite said.

"I don't have one yet," Nephlite said.

"Me..neither," Jaedite said. "Do you think we should try and figure it out though..is it our place?"

"Sure is," Nephlite said. "The last thing we need is another war."

"Yeah I guess, but fighting's the only thing I'm any good at."

"But you're not good at fighting," Nephlite said.

Jaedite scowled at him.

They got off the elevator as Darrien was waiting to get on.

"Ah...hello Darrien," Nephlite said.

"Hello," Darrien said.

"Be careful down there," Jaedite said. "The doctors are in another one of their moods."

"Aren't they always?" Darrien said getting onto the elevator.

Serena meanwhile was headed down the street back towards her house.

I wonder what dinner will be. Hope it's steak. She thought. Hmm..I haven't seen anyone else today. Wonder if anything's going on I should know about. I'll call someone when I get home see if I missed anything. I think I smell something cooking..please be at my house..ooo..

She quickened her pace hoping he senses weren't leading her astray. Naturally she didn't see the three figures following her.

"So that's her," one of them said.

"Apparently," a second replied.

"She does an excellent job of concealing her strength," the first said.

"No one would have any idea she was Sailor Moon," the second said.

"Though she does seem to leave herself vulnerable," The first said.

"That should prove to make things a bit more easier from our side," the second said.

"I wouldn't be so sure," the third said. "Appearances can be deceiving on many levels at once."

"We'll see," the first said. "Let's certainly not lose track of her."

The other two nodded.

"Smells good what is it?" Serena said sliding in the front door.

"You can't eat it "Mount Fuji mouth'," Sammy said with a grin. "It's a new brand of incense."

Serena stopped dead in her tracks.

"First of all...when did this family start using incense?"

She didn't wait for an answer.

"And second! "Mount Fuji mouth" is a pathetic insult! Sammy you're slipping!"

She said and hurried up the stairs.

"Guess she has a point," Sammy said. "Guess I lowered my standards for her. No use wasting the good material."

"So I'm not even worth the good material!" Serena said sliding up to him.

"How did you..." Sammy said in surprise.

"You worry about that later!" Serena said. "You worry about me now!"

"Uh.." Sammy said worriedly. "Mom! Serena's acting like a screwball again!"

"Now Serena, you behave," her mother said.

Sammy grinned.

"Sammy..you better watch it or you'll have to deal with this screwball's knuckleball," Serena said holding her right fist in front of his face.

"That's just odd," Sammy replied.

Serena sighed and stalked up to her room.

"Ah..so you're back," Luna said.

"Yeah, so?" Serena said.

"And in such a wonderful mood too..."

"I hate my brother, is that so wrong?"

"Yes, it is, but how was your date with Darrien?"

"Wonderful," Serena said beaming and proceeded to tell Luna all about it.

Night fell.

"Dinner stunk," Serena muttered climbing into bed.

"Life just isn't fair," Luna muttered.

"Ehh..it's fair most of the time," Serena said. "That just makes the unfair times even worse."

"How eloquent," Luna said.

The two were soon fast asleep.

An hour later three figures leapt in the window.

"Where would she hide it do you think?" the second one said.

"She might keep it with her," the first said.

"Let's have her tell us then," the second one said.

"We could just incapacitate her," the third said.

Luna's eyes slowly opened.

"Only if necessary," the first said.

Luna watched all this wondering what to do. If I wake Serena it might be trouble, but they don't seem to want to hurt her..still.

"Let's find that crystal," the first said. "Quietly, we can't arouse suspicion. The scouts have a vast intelligence network. We must be quick."

Luna woke up slowly and stared at them. They all tensed.

"Meow.." she said.

"Friendly cat," The first one said.

Luna quickly sent a telepathic message to the scouts communicators and then watched as the figures made their next move. To her surprise the three were all wearing the uniforms of the scouts, and they were moving right in on Serena.

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