Chapter 335

"I should have expected this," Sylia Coral said speaking into a cellular phone as she sat in the back of her modest limousine as it moved through the streets of New York.

"I'm sorry Prime Minister, ahem..former Prime Minister," one of her fellow political faction members replied. "However, the decree does not take effect until you return."

"I know," Coral said. "Maybe I'll just stay over here then."

"I'm afraid the opposition has anticipated that too."

"I was kidding."

"I know, I'm sorry."

"I'll be flying back tonight," Coral said. "Then I can throw myself to the wolves personally."

She hung up.

Meanwhile back in Tokyo around Noon.

"I was thinking Darrien, maybe there is a place for me in today's workforce," Serena said twirling some spaghetti around her fork.

"Ah..I was worried there might not be," Darrien said.

Serena glanced at him.

"Anyway, I think the perfect role for such a cheerful and caring person such as myself is charity worker, you know, helping people full time," Serena said.

"It's a noble goal," Darrien said. If they can tolerate the insanity that surrounds you until the task is eventually complete.

"Why the long pause there Darrien?" Serena asked.

"What?"

"Well, you seemed like you were thinking something."

"We're always thinking something."

"Yes, but this probably wasn't a good thing."

"How would you know that?" Darrien asked.

"Because I know you so well," Serena said.

"I uh..was just thinking your methods would be unconventional, that'd be an obstacle."

"Unconventional, that's an interesting way to put it," Serena said. "But that's the way I am. What exactly were you referring to?"

Darrien sighed.

"This is going to be fun," General Nagumo muttered. "The Prime Minister-elect calls us in less than an hour after he's been elected."

"I'm sure it's just to say hello," General Patterson said.

"You're getting to pessimistic for your own good."

"Ah, you're missing the point of being pessimistic," Patterson said.

The two headed down the hall.

"Ah..gentlemen," new Prime Minister Kanzaki said ushering them towards his office.

"It didn't take him long to take over Coral's place," Nagumo noticed.

Kanzaki walked into Coral's office, which had been yet to be cleared out. He sat behind the desk.

Nagumo and Patterson stood at attention.

"Please sit," Kanzaki said.

The two did.

"First off, let me just assure you that with the change in administration there will be no changes to the structure of the SDF," Kanzaki said. "You have been doing an excellent job. To be honest, I am hoping to supplement your forces, especially in the face of newer threats. However, what you will get from me is a more impersonal interest in military affairs. You'll be on your own so to speak."

"I appreciate that sir,"Nagumo said.

"However," Kanzaki said. "I fear we are already in a hole."

"Not by Coral's doing," Patterson said.

"Hardly," Kanzaki said. "The reason she was voted out was because of her overzealous pursuit of this nega.whatever you call it..not because of the current mess. However, we are in it anyway, and I fear that this will not be an easy thing to resolve. However that is best left to the diplomats. For the time being, I want the SDF to continue everything it's doing, with as much secrecy as possible. However, I would like all the information the SDF has accumulated to be presented to me later this week."

"Of course sir," Nagumo said. "General Patterson will see to it."

"Very well, that's all," Kanzaki said.

The two stood up and walked out.

"That didn't go so badly,"Nagumo said.

"When he says all the information we have.." Patterson said.

"Well, of course we'll have some omissions," Nagumo said.

"Just checking," Patterson said.

In Lita's front yard.

"I should have known!" Seiya shouted.

"Should have known what!" Steve shouted back.

"That doesn't matter!"

"Guys..calm down.." Lita said.

"No. it's fight time," Seiya said.

"Hey..I don't want it, but if you got it, bring it!" Steve said.

Lita sighed.

"Guys..please..there's no need to fight, I'm sure the two of you are quite capable of settling this other ways."

And I haven't even told Seiya about the visions. She thought.

The two lunged at each other and were soon brawling in Lita's front yard.

"How did this start?" her father asked poking his head out the door.

"As always, I don't know," Lita said.

"Ah..well the one that wins can date you."

"Dad! This isn't what it's about at all! Seiya's my boyfriend."

"Oh...why?" her father asked.

"What? He's a great guy."

"Yeah, sure, you just know how to pick em..." her father said.

"Hey!" Lita shouted. "You didn't do any better!"

"Oh..is that a challenge?" her father snapped.

"Uh..I mean.."

"No, no, I'm up for it!" Her father said. And the two began arguing over the other's romantic prowess.

Seiya and Steve's fight came to an abrupt stop as they noticed the two Nelson's arguing.

"Better that we just go," Steve said.

"Reluctantly I agree," Seiya said and the two hurried off.

Police Chief Ozaki stared as his daughter sat in front of him.

"So you found nothing?" he asked.

"Nothing conclusive," his daughter said.

"Where's Nelson?"

"I sent him home sir, no point in us both coming to see you."

"I see," the Chief said. "And how is it you found nothing?"

"They just covered their tracks well."

"Yes they did," Ozaki said. "But not that well."

"What do you mean?" His daughter asked.

"I mean that you are lying to me, or you are incompetent, but I doubt the second, because Nelson isn't at the very least. Now..how about the truth?"

"What truth?"

"You're telling me you couldn't connect the scouts with their human identities!"

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying," his daughter said.

"Why..."

"What?"

"Why did you even turn on me?"

"What do you mean?"

"Nagumo, the SDF, Nelson, they've kept it a secret, and now you, my own daughter betrays me!"

"I don't understand!"

"You don't understand..I KNOW WHO THEY ARE!"

His daughter was stunned.

"Oh yes, I did the simple research, I tracked them down, even watched them transform one night! I know who they are, and you're telling me you couldn't find them! No, that's not true is it?"

"It does no good for any of us to know who they are!" his daughter shouted back. "It only makes their position more dangerous. And we've all been taken over at one time or another, and that makes it dangerous for them. I didn't want to know, it was better this way."

"And so rather than tell me that in the first place, you instead chose to lie. That's what the problem is! If you didn't want the job you could have refused, instead you set out to mislead me!"

"It's not about that!" his daughter said.

"Get out, tomorrow you'll be transferred to another assignment. I will not harm your career, but I can't have you hanging around me anymore."

"Now wait.."

"No.." The Chief said. "W may discuss someday..but not now.."

His daughter held back a tear and then backed towards the door.

Chief Ozaki turned towards the window and stared at it. His daughter hurried out unsure of what to do.

"Greg, you know what we are talking about before.." Mike said.

"You say so many things..." Greg said.

Mike grinned slightly.

"Anyway, look I'm not giving up Mina that easily just because Yaten's here."

"And that was your latest mistake," Greg said.

"Look Greg, I'm getting all the signals," Mike said.

"Mike, just what makes you think if you get her back she wouldn't cheat on you again."

"It doesn't matter."

"What?"

"No..no I understand it all now. Sometimes things aren't that simple. Sometimes there are other needs, certain people have.."

"Mike, listen to yourself."

"Hah...I'm not going to fall into that trap," Mike said. "Look..what I need is a way to convince Mina to come back to me."

"Well you could always kill Yaten, but that is frowned upon by most moral and legal authorities."

"We'll put that in the maybe box," Mike said. "Look how can I prove my love to Mina."

"Leave the country?"

"Now, now don't get all envious because I actually have an object of my affection who isn't related to me."

"Mike.." Greg growled.

"All right..so that was a little wrong, but look Greg, I'm honestly trying to make this work. Mina and I are both unconventional, Yaten's a straight shooter, you know he should be with."

"Who?"

"Michiru."

Greg started laughing.

"Aw come on Greg, you went with her."

"She has and still does help me understand emotions, but everything we do is not the least bit romantic, we make sure of it," Greg said.

"Right, but look, she's an artsy intellectual, but still slightly spiritual person, so's Yaten," Mike said. "Now if we could get those two together."

"Mike you can't just throw two people together and expect it to work," Greg said.

"Maybe," Mike said. "But I'm not in this to disparage Yaten, I can do that millions of other ways, but I became convinced one night when Mina and I were making out..ahem...you didn't hear that, that we are kindred spirits."

"Well good for you," Greg said.

"I'll prove your skepticism wrong," Mike said.

"That's theoretically impossible at this point," Greg said.

Mike sighed.

"I miss Tokyo," Doctor Richter said.

"Why? Because there was actually a nightlife?" Doctor Tomoe asked.

The two were standing on a farm in the Northern part of Japan, which was actually a heavily disguised SDF installation.

"You know," Doctor Richter said. "When we get away from the bustle of the big city it clears your mind."

"If such a thing were possible for us?" Tomoe said.

The two began to laugh.

"Anyway, and perhaps I've realized what all the fuss is about," Richter said. "As a scientist we always wish to probe new theories, and new ideas, going where no one has gone before us, to seek out and understand new phenomenon, to explore strange new ideas..."

"Will you quit doing that?"

"What?"

"Adlibbing the opening lines to Star Trek in the hope of sounding eloquent."

"Fine, jerk..." Richter muttered. "What I'm saying is that we jump into research without considering the other implications, and there are a lot of them."

"It's not our job to consider the other implications, we can't be distracted by them."

"That's an odd position to take."

"There are plenty of people who can tell us how wrong or right we are, but what we do is be..."

"Oh that's it.." Richter muttered.

"Look...scientists deal in science. We're trying to figure out how we can better use this energy for the benefit of mankind, many people may have trouble with that, and that's their right. In the meantime we will continue our research."

"But shouldn't we defend ourselves?"

"When called upon, maybe, but scientists first obligation is to work. Everything else comes after it."

"I don't agree."

"Good for you," Tomoe said.

A helicopter flew over head.

"Oh that's not going to be blatantly obvious," Richter muttered.

The chopper set down and Colonel Nagumo hopped out.

"Ah..Colonel Nagumo, you're the first woman I've seen in days, lets go out somewhere," Richter said.

"I'm flattered, but can't you just create yourself a woman in a test tube?" Nagumo asked.

"It's just not the same," Richter and Tomoe answered in unison.

Nagumo shuddered.

"I was just sent up here to see if there's anything more you need," she said.

"Women," Richter said.

"Seriously.." Nagumo snapped.

"Hey, all work and no play.." Richter said.

"Honestly, Colonel, I believe we are doing fine considering the circumstances," Tomoe said. "However, we're wondering what progress is being made back home."

"Well, the rogues are still running around we guess, we'll let you know when it changes,"Nagumo said.

"All right, thank you," Tomoe said.

"Say...are things getting bad up there?" Richter asked.

"Do you mean about the politics and all?" Nagumo asked.

Richter nodded.

"Pretty bad, but that's not our problem," Nagumo said.

"It will be,"Richter said.

"Ehh...don't worry about it," Tomoe said. "We'll survive."

"I like to think so," Richter said.

"Hi..." Raye said quietly starring at the graves of her family. "I know I haven't been by lately...and I never thought to ask if you can hear me right now..but hey...I'm trying...anyway..things are a little rough again, we're fighting some pretty tough enemies. But I guess things aren't that bad either, Rick's matured, and he's become so much better than I can ever could have imagined. I really wonder if we can make this last, and that I'm not deluding myself into making this romance seem more than it is. I really like him, in a much deeper way then I've felt before. I know deep down..I hope I know deep down..that I love him..and that I really mean that."

"Look Seiya, the least we can do for Lita's sake is not fight in front of her," Steve said.

"Yeah, I know that," Seiya said. "Still, the best way to do that is try not go come in contact with each other."

"Yes, that is the best way, but it will happen occasionally," Steve said.

"I know," Seiya said. "I'm sure we'll find that we don't hate each other as much as we think though."

"I don't hate you, the whole army of guys against you thing was just on general principles."

"And the big crushers lyrics?"

"That's what our fans wanted to hear."

"Don't blame you," Seiya said. "To nonintellectuals our music can appear odd."

"Now don't go putting it that way," Steve said. "There's something to not wanting to think all of the time."

Seiya laughed.

"Now that I will remember," he said. "You're not so bad after all."

"Yeah, I guess.." Steve said. "But Seiya, while we're here, I gotta tell you something."

"What?" Seiya asked curiously."

"I want her back," Steve said.

"You what?" Seiya asked in surprise.

"I'll play by the rules, but I want Lita back."

"And what makes you think you've got what it takes to get her?" Seiya asked.

"I don't know yet," Steve said. "But I'm letting you know now..so there will be no pretense."

"I guess that's honorable, but I hardly know how to react."

"May the best man win.." Steve said.

"Well then I've got nothing to worry about then.." Seiya said.

"Now don't start it that way.." Steve said.

"We'll see," Seiya said and walked off.

"Could've gone better," came a voice. Steve turned to see Taiki sitting in the booth behind him, Amy beside him.

"You think so huh?" Steve muttered.

"Actually Steve, you did the right thing," Amy said.

"I quite agree," Taiki said. "The only problem is now where do you go from here."

"Well, that's an interesting question," Steve said. "One that I never have an answer too."

He headed out.

"I'm surprised," Taiki said.

"Oh?" Amy asked.

"I didn't think any of those boys were capable of evolution."

"Taiki, don't joke," Amy said.

"Sorry.." Taiki said. "Old habits.."

Serena starred intently at a newspaper classified page that night.

"You haven't eaten all your food," Darrien observed.

"Yeah, I'll get to it," Serena said. "Look at this, there are all sorts of opportunities for people to use unconventional ways to help people."

"Like what?" Darrien asked.

"Uh..how about this, experimental bird watcher."

"How can you be that?" Darrien asked.

"New ways to watch birds, you see, I mean that's not what I'd do, but it shows that anything can be done differently."

"Look at this, improvisational speaker."

"Inspirational.."

"Uh uh.."

Serena showed him.

"Improvisational speaker needed for banquets..what the heck...no that can't be right.." Darrien said. "Still Serena, aside from pointing out the overall decline of society, I don't see where you fit in."

"I'm right at the center of it!" Serena said.

"What?"

"The page..look..at this...."

"Do you like helping people? Good, because the Helping People Institute...oh geez..."

"Keep reading," Serena said.

"Or HPI, is looking for people who like helping others. All you need is enthusiasm and a good heart," Darrien said.

"See...my years of education are worthless."

"I wouldn't say that," Darrien said.

"Look see there's jobs for people who are just into helping the world."

"Yes Serena, but all I'm saying is that you have to be careful. I believe that you could be the most helpful person in existence, if you can control some of your quirks..that's all. I really want to see you at the top of the "helping people" ladder..ahem..I really want the best for you."

"I know," Serena said. "But sometimes you nag."

"Only for your own good."

"And that's why I listen to you," Serena said. "But I must finish this dinner before it ceases to be of use."

"Uh..well put," Darrien said.

Back at the secret headquarters of the rogues.

"Well the world is in a sufficient amount of chaos I think," Guardian Moon muttered.

"You don't like it either huh?" Guardian Earth said.

"I fear we may have partly unleashed a dragon larger than any of us can tame."

"Do not fear that," Sailor Earth said. "It will be resolved."

"You sure?" Guardian Earth asked.

"In one way of another yes," Sailor Earth said.

"That's hardly encouraging," Guardian Moon said. "Get the warriors together, I think it's time to make another move."

"Where exactly?" Guardian Earth asked.

"I'm still deciding," Guardian Moon said.

A blast of energy smashed into the area blasting apart a table. The three whirled.

The warriors raced in.

"We tracked it to the north!" they shouted.

"Then get after it!" Guardian Moon said.

"Perhaps we should move our base yet again," Sailor Earth said.

"This is getting on my nerves," Guardian Moon said. "Whoever is attempting to intimidate us, they are succeeding only in annoying me."

"Perhaps that's all they wish to do," Sailor Earth said.

Sylia Coral climbed off of her airplane and sighed.

"It's so great to be back," She muttered.

"Miss Coral," One of her bodyguards said. That hurt, she hadn't been called that in three years.

"Yes.." Coral said.

"The Prime Minister wishes to see you."

"Well let's go then."

They got into the limo and sped off.

"Last trip I'll make in this car ey.." she said.

"Unless you're a guest miss," the driver said.

Coral nodded.

"Well it's been fun.."

Seconds later an energy blast slammed into the car. It skidded of the road and smashed into a ditch.

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