Hmmmm, you again? Come back for some more? Well, who am I to refuse? But, I must warn you of several things: NA names are being used! Original characters are running amuck! Gratutious violence, (in other words, its PG)! And the author is left handed! Please send comments to bastion@ix.netcom.com, because all comments are created equal, and I don't discriminate. Finally, this part is dedicated to Lord Talon because he likes his ladies with a little backbone, . ------------------------------------------------------- Terrible Things To Waste Part 1: Warm Receptions (and Cold Shoulders) The stars millions of miles away that strained against the dominance of the Tokyo skyline to cast their soft glow. The gleaming stars fueled the motivation of a girl caught in her own struggle. The young girl toyed with her with one of her fair colored ponytails as she searched for the right words amongst distractions. Oh, how she desired to write her memoirs, but the frustrations of writing seemed so discouraging at times. Yet, she reasoned most people would have the same difficulty putting her somewhat unusual life into words. Of course, this didn't count the lives of her other incarnations. *Sigh.* That was just the beginning of her story. Undeterred, she once more searched for the words, hoping that someday someone in the future would want to read about her adventures as an adolescent heroine. "Where to begin, where to begin," she pondered aloud. "Serena, I believe the beginning would be a good place to start," a proper and stern voice rang out from across the bedroom. Upon the corner of the bed, a black cat with a crescent-shaped birthmark on its forehead sat regally. "That would clear up some of the confusion," the cat continued as it eyes narrowed and her mouth flashed a wry smile, "It's not like they would be confused enough with your horrible grammar anyway." The blonde returned the smile, picked up the feline, and proceeded to prance around her room, "Of course, Luna. I couldn't leave out the most important four-legged disciplinarian in my life." Luna smiled to herself momentarily. She could remember a time not too long ago that this girl would have cried at such an insult. Of course, back then, Serena had quite a problem with maturity. She remembered back during her arduous search for the reincarnate of Princess Serenity, royalty of a magical kingdom that fell over a ten thousand years ago. Upon finding her, within the body of Serena, she couldn't believe that such a noble soul could exist within such an irritable, lazy, whiny, ditzy little child. Yet, as time wore on, she saw how Serena's duty as Sailor Moon tested her strength and made her grow. The battles she had fought slowly transformed her into a noble and caring leader Destiny intended her to be. Still, Serena's old habits would creep in, but they were few and far between. Her friends and her fellow Sailor Scouts, (or more specifically her arch-rival Raye), noticed the change in Serena's character. Granted, Serena and Raye still had their differences and arguments, but rarely did those arguments get as ridiculous as they used to. The one most probably most pleased with Serena's development was her fiancee, Darien. Darien had never let Serena's awkwardness and habits get in the way of his undying love for her, but they did get on his nerves after a while. "What is it Luna?" Serena stopped her activity as she put the black feline down, regarding her with concern. "Oh, nothing in particular," Luna began to stretch and relax her furry body, "Things on the mind, you know." Serena smiled warmly at her talking pet. She couldn't help but remember her initial shock when Luna first spoke to her, revealing that she had powers of remarkable magnitude. She looked down at her blank notebook and started to ponder how to explain it all. Would she talk about how she saved the world from perilous odds, not once, not twice, but five times? Or would tell her audience of her knowledge that she will become the future queen of a great kingdom, or should she? 'No,' she determined, 'I should tell them what it's like to be Sailor Moon.' At first, she remembered her reluctance about accepting her destiny as a Sailor Scout. She didn't like the idea of giving up her normal life. Yet, as time wore on, she discovered that were others out there just like her, other adolescent girls with magical powers, people who could relate to her own unusual lifestyle. Though they had their disagreements, they eventually bonded together to fight against any evil that reared its ugly head. In fact, over the years, she grew to appreciate the comfort they offered her through all the rough times in her life, even when she did annoy them to no end. "There's so much to say, Luna," Serena sighed, "It seems impossible to write it all down." Luna smiled at Serena, and purred, "Just take your time, Serena. There's no rush." Serena smiled once more at her cat, residing next to her on the bed and began to gently scratch down Luna's back. Luna arced and purred with satisfaction. Once the initial sensations rushed through her body, Luna looked up at the blonde girl and noticed her yawn. "It's late Serena. Let's not worry about your memoirs until tomorrow." Luna suggested before she yawned in turn. Serena nodded in agreement and went to pick out her nightgown. Suddenly a loud, rampant pounding came from the front door, making Serena and Luna exchanged a look of confusion. 'I wonder. . . ' Dropping the nightgown, Serena proceeded down the stairs as the knocking became more desperate. "I'm coming, I'm coming, jeez." Serena whispered to herself as the knocking continued. Who could it be? Could it be Raye? No, why would she be out at this time of night? In fact, why would any of her friends be pounding at her door this late without calling her first? Then, it occurred to her, maybe Darien had canceled his trip to Osaka knowing that her parents and her brother went to visit her aunt in Nagano over the weekend. That thought sent her racing down the stairs. 'Very convenient,' unvirtuous fantasies danced through Serena's mind. Luna gracefully leapt down the stairs after Serena, beating her to the bottom. Serena's increased eagerness worried her, especially when she noticed the wry grin on Serena's face. 'She's thinking about Darien again,' Luna shook her head. "Now, Serena, be weary. You don't know who's at the door. It could be some hooligan or weirdo," rung Luna's stern voice as Serena reached the well pounded door. "Oh, don't worry Luna. If worse comes to worse, I can just change and zap 'em" Serena winked at her cat and dramatically flung the door open. "Darien!" Serena cheered in anticipation. What beheld the two was not the tall, dark haired handsome prince they both had come to know. Instead, a ragged woman in filthy, military-type clothing stood before them. The woman had been toying with her blonde hair pony tail as Serena opened the door. When the woman saw Serena, she instantly knelt before the stunned girl. An expression of relief came across her face as she raised her blue eyes toward Serena. "Oh, thank the Lord, I've found you! I need your help, Sailor Moon!" The woman stood once more and looked into Serena's eyes. Serena, feeling quite uncomfortable, could only muster nervously, "Uhhh, what? No, uh, um, I'm not her at all. You must be mistaken." She heard a very audible sign of disappointment from her guardian cat, as the woman's face contorted with confusion. "Well, aren't you Sailor Moon?" The woman reviewed her history quickly, "Oh, wait. Are you going by Princess Serenity or it is Neo-Queen Serenity? I never can quite get the titles straight." Both Luna and Serena exchanged glances of surprise at the woman's knowledge of Serena's past and future personas. The woman observed Serena's apprehension and smiled meekly at their silence. "Serena, what's going on? Who's at the door? Is it Darien?!" came a young, shrill voice from the top of the stairs. In a flash of pink, a small child in light blue nightgown appeared at the foot of the stairs before Serena could utter any protest. It was Reenie, Serena's daughter from the future, and another person who Serena had trouble dealing with at first. Since they both had similar personality attributes, they constantly argued and bickered with each other. Their recent content relationship proved to be the greatest testament of Serena's maturity. "Darien!" Reenie squeaked as she blindly leapt at the stranger. The pink haired girl's excitement quickly faded as she noticed that the chest she clutched was much softer and rounder than the muscular, broad one she had expected. The shocked little girl let go and looked up at the blond woman smiling down in return. "You must be the crown princess of Crystal Tokyo." the woman cheerfully chimed, "I'd recognized that color hair anywhere." The child stared dumbly at the woman, "Uhhh, heh, I don't know what you're talking about, heh." "Who is this woman?" The girl growled softly to Serena under her smile. "Yes, who are you?" Luna piped in, concluding that if the woman knew this much, a talking cat wouldn't be much of a surprise. "She is a Traveller, a meddler of events and destinies," came an austere voice. Everyone turned their attention just beyond the door where a woman stood. Her dark skin and long, enveloping hair made her hardly distinguishable from the night. The red orb atop the staff she held radiated, like a beacon, in the surrounding darkness. The blonde stranger immediately noted the woman's unusual apparel; the dark pleated skirt attached to a restricting white bodice topped with a large flowering black bow covering her chest, and most especially her staff. From the stranger's knowledge of this dimension's history, only one person fit this description, the Time Guardian. "Puu?" Reenie approached her friend with curiosity, "What are you doing here?" The woman stepped next to the blond stranger, answering the child's question, "I will promptly be removing this uninvited Traveller from this time stream. I am sorry, Small Lady, for any inconvenience this intruder has caused you." The Guardian then faced the stranger with her staff looming, "Your disturbance has probably caused enough change to the future already." The blonde stranger tried to keep her composure against the Guardian's cold stare, "I was expecting you to be upset, Time Guardian. . . Sailor Pluto, I believe, but I urgently need help since other 'Travellers' have pursued me here." "All the more for you to leave," the Guardian's retort chilled the stranger, "If you leave, the others will surely follow." "It doesn't matter if I'm here or not, they will definitely rip apart the city looking for me," the blonde woman's tone had a slight edge to it, but remained subtly calm, "So helping me defeat them now will be the most profitable action, preserving the possible futures you foresee." The Time Guardian responded with unyielding silence. The distressed Traveller visibly fought her urge to scream at the Time Guardian, but she knew there would no moving the cold soul of Pluto. In desperation, she hoped her cause could move a more caring soul. "Sailor Moon, or Serenity, please listen to my pleas," the feeble calm facade of the blond woman finally crumbled away, "I am with a rebel group, called the Society, that is fighting the against the corruption of my world. I've seen them kill many of my friends and they even executed my family before my very eyes. These Timelords are not only corrupt, but they're ruthless. And only the power that you and your Scouts possess are my last hope for survival. Yet, Pluto's only care is conformity to the timeline, but you understand, right, Sailor Moon? You fight for those who are in grave need, and you fight for justice and all that's right?" Serena stood speechless as the tears flowed down the blonde Traveller's face. She couldn't help but notice the stranger's pain and sheer humility to put herself at Serena's mercy. This display touched Serena's heart. She felt an obligation to stand up for this stranger, just as she had with many others when no one gave them any hope. That's what Sailor Moon would do. "She stays, Pluto." Serena stated softly. Both Luna and Reenie gaped in shock. The Scouts had always adhered to Pluto's advice before because, as the Time Guardian, she needed to have extensive knowledge of the past and future. Thus, Serena's assertion came as a total shock to everyone in the room, except for Sailor Pluto. The Time Guardian outwardly displayed indifference toward Serena, but her dark, piercing eyes were a window to the betrayal she felt. "My Queen, I suggest you take into account these Travellers offer nothing but trouble. The consequences of their actions are unpredictable to anyone. . . . even me," Pluto lectured, "It would not be wise to involve all of us in their problems." Serena stepped back from Pluto's imposing stance. She then narrowed her eyes, met the Time Guardian's gaze, and stated with the confidence of royalty, "I fight for love, justice, and helping those who are in need. This woman is in need of our help, and you are telling me to ignore her pleas. I can't do that, I wouldn't be Sailor Moon, or your Queen, if I deny her and others who are in need." Luna stared in amazement at Serena, the backbone she had been growing for the past three years finally manifested itself in the form of her stubbornness against Sailor Pluto. Reenie, on the other hand, noticed how much Serena sounded like her mother in Crystal Tokyo, and then shook her head, realizing that she was her mother. Sailor Pluto, herself, was amazed, though doing her best not to reveal it. She knew that this naive child, Serena, would eventually become the assertive Queen of the future, and therein lay her problem. With the Traveller's presence in the timestream she could not foresee if disobeying Serena would affect her trust with the Serena of the future, Queen Serenity II. A trust she couldn't afford to risk. The Time Guardian sighed to indicate her reconsideration, "You make a good point your Highness, though I feel it is an error in your judgment. I will permit this Traveller stay here, but I will put her some place where she will be protected and safely away from you." The blonde looked with sudden optimism at the turn of events and excitedly hugged Serena, "Thank you, Sailor Moon! I knew you would understand!" Serena smiled wearily and looked at the woman with gratification, "Thanks, I guess. Ummm, but who are you?" The blonde let go of the girl and smiled warmly, "My name is Xendyte, but, please, just call me Cindy." ----------------------------------------------------------------- "Stop thief!!" screamed the shop manager as a lanky young man jetted out the door with an article of clothing. A heavy-set man in a semi-formal attire bolted after the thief down the street, knocking over many pedestrians who were trying to enjoy the cool autumn night. The thief quickly weaved in and out of the crowds along the strip, eventually losing the obese store manager. The thief kept going until he found a dark alley to safely look over his stolen bounty. He unfolded and studied the long, black trenchcoat, it's thick material and blanketing length would easily keep him warm on cold nights. He ran his hand across material's rough cloth, satisfied with the results of his efforts. As the thief threw on the coat, a gleam of light appeared from behind the dumpster further down the alley. The growing gleam of light eventually caught the thief's eye. When he turned to look, he came face to face with a smirking visage covered with long black locks of hair. The thief gasped as he felt a barrel of a gun poking his stomach. The thief stared in disbelief at the aggressor that appeared from thin air, gazing at his apparel, a simple black jumpsuit that covered him from his neck to what looked to be shoes. "A being entering into your dimension, I bet you don't see something like that everyday." laughed the strange man as he snapped his head back to remove the black, greasy locks from his vision. The thief gasped as he saw the long visible scar from the top of the stranger's right brow to lower part of his cheek. "Now give me your coat or I will kill you. . . slowly." The man huffed impatiently as he jabbed the gun harder into the thief's stomach. The thief quickly tore off the trenchcoat and ran for his life out the alley, letting the coat fall to the damp pavement. The man picked up the trenchcoat and surveyed his location. He noticed all the litter lining the sides of the alley and the heavy smell of garbage from the dumpster to his left. The radiance of neon across the street in front of him and the full moon high in the night sky were about the only illumination in the dark alley. The man confirmed his location by the symbols flashing in the window of a small shop across the way. Tokyo. 'This coat should keep me inconspicuous enough,' the man slipped on the heavy material, 'and they still think I'm dead in that explosion, so that's to my advantage.' The man padded himself to make sure he still had everything, his guns strapped to his sides, the shot gun on his back. . . He paused as he felt the wooden hilt of his sword strapped to his hip. A mysterious object with a strange power that had somehow protected him from certain death. The man knew it would be his ultimate weapon in his revenge. The man broke from his momentary trance as a soft roar of an engine caught his ear, a sound he associated with one thing. He had only a split second to dive behind the dumpster before the pavement he stood upon was blasted to rumble. The black haired man peeked around the dumpster to see an armored suit landing in front of the exit of the alley, a suit occupied by an old adversary. "Malance, " the man whispered hoarsely under his breath as he groped for both his guns, "Damn it, there goes my element of surprise!" Malance's smiling face was hidden behind a dark visor of his helmet connected by circuitry to the broad shoulders on either side. The armor was equipped with a large cannon on its right arm and a claw hand on the other. The thick reflective metal protected every inch of the eight feet tall frame that loomed over anything in its path, specifically its target behind the dumpster a few feet away. "You survived the blast at that old warehouse, hmpf. The General will be interested on this development," Malance's voice resonated from within the suit. The man could feel Malance's cannon aiming at the dumpster as he heard the metallic footsteps come closer. 'This is no time to think, just react,' the man sprang to his feet and opened fire. The man's guns, though as small as a regular handgun, inflicted massive damage to the mechanical suit as it staggered backwards. Malance cursed himself for underestimating Tracer's firepower, and responded quickly to the attack. Unfortunately, the penetrating bullets made his targeting system malfunction, making his aim haphazard at best. Though the shots easily missed their mark, they, instead, blasted away the wall of the alley. The resulting avalanche of bricks from the collapsing wall buried Tracer and the entire area of the alley. Malance paused for moment to get his bearings. Upon seeing the rumble he created, Malance quickly started to dig through the rumble for his fallen foe. After a few moments of clawing through the pile of bricks, a voice came over his communicator. "Malance, why have you not reported back to base," the cold and irritated voice of his general ordered. "I was delayed, General." Malance tried to hide his nervousness caused by the agitated tone of the General's voice. "I am disappointed in you, Malance," the unemotional voice continued without acknowledgment of his soldier's excuse, "I don't want delays." "Yes, General." Malance barked without hesitation. Malance charged up the thrusters on the back of the suit and growled, "I will relish killing you, Timelord." As the metal suit disappeared into the darkness, the man emerged from underneath the pile of rumble. He look up into the starry night. Now his only advantage became obsolete, and they would surely be expecting him. 'They will die. All of the Society must die.' Tracer fumed to himself as he stared intently at the full moon. ----------------------------------------------------------------- After the Time Guardian transported the Traveller, Cindy, safely away, Serena, Luna and Reenie ascended the stairs in a shocked silence, going to their respective rooms. Serena quietly sat on her bed, still trying to sort out what she was feeling or what she should be feeling. Serena looked to her advisor for approval, "Are you sure that I made the right decision, Luna?" Luna paused a moment to think, "I'm not sure, Serena. You did what was morally right, but Pluto doesn't usually make statements like that without consequence." Serena stared out her window once more, hoping that maybe the stars might give her some condolence. "How do you suppose the others will take this?" Luna leapt onto the bed and seated herself next to Serena. Serena stayed silent for a long moment still looking out her window, focusing on the full moon, "Probably not too well, but, either way, we'll definitely find out tomorrow." Serena opened a drawer near her bed and found a thin device which looked similar to a credit card. She pressed a button near the bottom, and an image of her friend, Amy, flashed into view near the opposing corner. The girl's short blue hair was in disarray and she struggled to keep her head straight up. She rubbed her eyes, swollen with sleep, before yawning; "What is it Serena?" Serena forced an apologetic smile to her drowsy friend, "Amy, it's time for an emergency Scout meeting." -End of part 1- Author's Note: A great big thanks to David Johnston for editing out all my blatant errors, thanks my man. And, of course, thank you! Sailor Moon is owned by Naoko Takeuchi and in America by DIC. All original characters are owned and copyrighted by Bastion (c)1998 Thanks for reading, and please come again. Bastion bastion@ix.netcom.com