Los Angeles, California
11:37 PM
12/31/99
        It was crowded, it was wild, and geezus it was loud.  By Serena’s watch, they had just twenty minutes left in the millennium.  Twenty minutes to leave behind the year and the 20th century and the second millennium of the current era.

        “Thank God the square has a counter or we’d never hear it over the noise.” Darien noted. He was referring to the countdown, of course. He was right, the crowd was damn loud.

        “Where are the others?” by some miracle, Serena was heard over the commotion.

        “I don’t know They should be along at any moment.” Darien replied. No doubt Mina had dragged the other Scouts off in search of a supply of booze. The city at New Year’s Eve had it’s perks for teenagers. If they weren’t back in fifteen minutes, they’d miss the ball drop.

        Mina had coaxed a group of UCLA frat boys into believing she was drinking age (she was sixteen, but easily passed for twenty-one) and they let her join their little party. Just as she raised the first beer to her lips, a though slashed across her mind. She couldn’t shake the feeling that she had done this before.

        “Hey guys.” the pretty blond announced to her friends, “Why does this feel familiar?”

        “I don’t know.” Rei answered, glaring at the cup of liquor she held in her hand.

        “Ya know,” Lita said, pulling the can of Miller away from her face, “I don’t really wanna do this.”

        “Me neither.” Rei agreed, dumping the contents of her cup to the ground.

        “Yeah, my parents would kill me if they found out anyway.” Mina shook her head. She set the bottle down.

        “Hey, Greg! Amy! C’mon.” Lita waved the boyfriend/girlfriend pair over. “We’re leaving.”

        “That sounds like a good idea to me.” Amy smiled. She looked back at Greg, and drew his arm around her waist. “Something wrong, sweetie?”

        “No.” he shook his head, “I’m fine.”

        “I always knew they were sensible.” Luna smiled brightly.

        “They had some good teachers.” Artemis said. Luna could only agree. “Remember what we were doing a thousand years ago, Luna?”

        The black cat thought a moment, then nodded. “Yes, unfortunately I do. At this very moment,” Luna paused to look at the counter, “well...ten minutes from now a thousand years ago, the Negaverse first invaded the Moon Kingdom. Why, Artemis?”

        Artemis cleared his throat, “Well, now that Queen Beryl has been defeated and the Doom Phantom has been destroyed, it’s like old times again. Big happy celebration bringing in the New Year.”

        “Do you really think the Negaverse is through?” Luna wondered.

        “Well, the Scouts haven’t seen action since last spring, so maybe.”

        “I hope so. It’ll give the girls a chance to be normal for once.”

        “It’s about time.” Artemis nodded, and was surprised to find Luna snuggling close to him.

        “Flute!” she glared at him. “How did you escape?”

        The blue-faced man was surprised that she could know it was him. “Um... my followers, Jekter and Meredith. They let me out.”

        She ached to challenge him to combat, but in the pit of her mind, she knew better. Instead, she raised the key-shaped staff. “Pluto Death Scream!” she shouted, and the vortex of temporal energy whirled at Flute, vaporizing him instantly. The pair that must have been Jekter and Meredith gazed on in awe. “Let that be a lesson to you.” Sailor Pluto said, “No leave this place at once. And never do evil in your entire lives.”

        “Yes ma’am.” Jekter bowed. He led Meredith off into the mist and Pluto took her place by the door once again.

        “This is going to be a great year.” Darien said. Serena laughed in pleasure and kissed him.

        Not one person knew how hellish the year would go in another reality. Well...one knew, but Greg was all too liplocked with Amy to do anything about the feeling and he quickly forgot.

Soundtrack
To many of my stories, music serves as an inspiration. Here is a list of songs that served my musings on this story. If you have any suggestions that you think suit the story, E-mail me and tell me what and why.
“More Human Than Human” White Zombie
“Kashmir” Led Zepplin
“Open Your Eyes” Semisonic
“End of the World.” REM
“Favorite Game” the Cardigans
“Heavy” Collective Soul
“Precious Declaration” Collective Soul
“Battleflag” Low-Fidelity Allstars

Other fanfictions by me:

• A Requiem for Mercury

As a new enemy bears down on them, the Scouts are shocked when Amy attempts to commit suicide. But was it caused by a feeling of uselessness or a figure from her past?
 
• Aqueous Solution

A former general under Queen Beryl sends a spy to destroy the Sailor Scouts. Everything goes as planned, until he meets Sailor Mercury...

• Into the Great Wide Open

In this alternate future, the Scouts are in their mid twenties. Amy Anderson is now a hotshot naval aviator. When a disgruntled Russian general takes control of the Kuril Islands and sinks an American aircraft carrier, can the US Navy push back the red tide?
 
• Tin Soldiers: A Sailor Moon/West Wing cross-over

Congressman Lillianfield continues to publically humiliate Presidential Cheif of Staff Leo McGary, but President Bartlet has other problems: monsters have begun to run amok in Washington D.C. He desperately needs the Sailor Scouts.

• Ghosts of Dong Bang

Thirty years ago, Peter Anderson was a draftee in Viet Nam. Thirty years ago, he performed a horrifying act that changed his life. Now, he is a divorced artist desperately trying to forget. When he decides to move to California to be near his daughter Amy, she begins to pry dangerously into his past...

• Sailor Moon: Takedown

On a class trip to Paris, the Sailor Scouts’ plane is hijacked. Unable to escape or transform, they must act quickly before people start getting killed.