[The Mental Library(tm) is darkened; three people are sitting around a
roaring fireplace.]

Cerina: Welcome to the Insanity, Inc. fanfic review group! Michi is not
with us due to an accident-

LilTigre: She locked her up in a room with Kodachi's alligator.

Cerina: Whatever. So we are now joined by a very special guest culled from
this author's mind, Thomas Lyn Oliver, leader of the Power Rangers.

(A long-haired teen turns around and waves reluctantly at the camera.)

Tommy: I'm from a fanfic dimension, no less. (sighs) Cerina, let's just
get started, OK?

Cerina: Spoilsport. :P

On Sat, 6 Dec 1997, Douglas Helm wrote:

Good evening,

Tommy: And welcome to Masterpiece Theater.

There's been some minor rivision in the beginning and the rest of teh part
was completed. I put the "dark" tag in because it certainly deserves it,
especially with the ending section of this part.

(Tommy turns and glares at Cerina.)

Tommy: You know I *hate* darkfics.

LilTigre: But this one's cool, I promise!

AUTHOR'S WARNING!!!

This piece of fanfiction contains distrubing images and deals with
material that IS innappropriate for younger readers. Please respect
the rating that I've given it. 

Cerina: Haven't I heard that lately?

LilTigre: It's common in most darkfics, duh.

Cerina: Oh, yeah....

Morally speaking I had a hell of a

time writting the first part. I kept wanting to kill Endymion off 
quickly.

Cerina: YES! There is only one person worthy of the name Mamoru in any
incarnation!

Tommy: Lemme guess.... green hair, orange skin, mitamas...

LilTigre: (drops a paper shredder on Cerina) Enough with the BlueSeed
refs!
 

The room was dimly lit, a fire burned low in the hearth. Its lighted
cast shadows that danced eerily about the room, they seemed to sense the
atmosphere and fed upon it eagerly. A gentle April breeze rustled the
curtains, making a whispering sound. The room's lone occupant stood at
the bay window, staring out into the clear night. However, the lateness
of the hour did not make her tired, on the contrary it made her worried,
nervous, fearful.

Tommy: Besides, it gives her indigestion.

The clock sounded the hour, its bell mournful, sounding as if from a
distance. The woman turned, glancing at the clock. Five hours and his
plane would be back, and things would be back to normal.

LilTigre: I wonder "For Whom the Bell Tolls."

Cerina: LilTigre no baka! (whaps her with her naginata)
 

As she turned she saw her reflection, even with the dim light she could
see his mark. The bruise had turned from an angry purple into an ugly
yellow-brown. She could almost see out of the eye again. Unconsciously
her hand moved to her ribs and through the thin night gown she could
feel the bandages put there to keep her ribs from moving.

Tommy: Danm bastard. (growls) People who do stuff like that should be
castrated with plastic knives.

Cerina: I second that emotion.
 

Oh Kami-sama, why hadn't she seen it? Looking back upon it know she knew
that love had blinded her to the events that had unfolded. She felt a
lump form in her throat. It was of sadness but that lump was also
frightening. It brought back images of him gripping her around the
throat, squeezing until she had stopped breathing, until the blackness
took her.

All: (wince)

And that blackness was no comfort because there was another he
could turn his rage upon, and she cared for that person more than she
cared for herself.

Tommy:(Serenity) You mess with my Tickle Me Elmo, you pay the price!
 

Fighting off the images of the recent past she sought comfort in the
distant past as she had done some many times before. But tonight was
different. Something had changed, something had snapped. She did not
retreat into the past to find comfort but to find strength and courage.

Cerina: Good. Get pissed and kill the bastard!

LilTigre: Bitter much?
 

She remember that day so long ago when her friend, a very true friend,
had died. Hino Rei had been twenty-two when the motorcycle she had been
riding slid underneath a transport truck. The police had first suspected
Yuuichiro of tampering with the brakes but he had no motive.

Tommy: Except for her insurance money....
 

She gave a little sob and stepped away from the window. It was too
painful; she was trying to remember the bad times and it hurt. It hurt
more than his kicks, punches, and slaps. She receded into her mind and
had become accustomed to acting the role. Letting the pain wash over her
until he was finished.

Cerina: (battle aura flickering) Excuse me for a second....

(The others watch her leap into an alternate fanfic dimension.)
 

Sliding into a chair, she struggled to gain back that fleeting ounce of
confidence. The fleeting glimmer of hope that had carried her through
all this time. Aino Minako had disappeared some five years after Rei's
death. No trace of her body was found. The case remained open but
inactive.

LilTigre: The yakuza finally got to her.
 

There! She felt the cold fury start to build. She knew who had slain her
friend but she had found out too late. Quickly before it slipped away
again she called up the other image. Makoto... Kino Makoto had always
had a fear of planes, so what ever possessed her to join the Japanese
Air Force was a mystery.

Tommy: ? Wait a sec... if this is Crystal Tokyo time, shouldn't they have
been reincarnated or something? I can't see that time period having an Air
Force when they have the Sailor Scouts.
 

Serenity bore down on the edge of her chair as racking sobs shook her
battered body. She was supposed to be Queen, a very powerful Queen but
that was simply a lie! Mizuno Ami had been Serenity's last line of
defense. She pushed Serenity to fight back, to do something, leave
Endymion.

LilTigre: Endymion no teme! &%$#*@!!
 

But Endymion was intelligent, he used Serenity's love against her,
turned her against Ami.... And when it finally came to it, Endymion
simply banished her on a trumped up charge. Ami had fled, and shortly
afterward, had been slain in a gangland style execution.

Where was Serenity's great power? The Ginzuishou? She didn't know,
Endymion had told her that he would put it in a safe place. He had
CONVINCED her that she would be able to reach it when she needed it.
More lies and threats. He was free to do as he liked after that last
obstacle had been removed. The Senshi were gone, the Outer Senshi lost
in the battle that started the Great Darkness, Pluto exiled to the
timestream, and her Royal Guard broken, slowly over the years so she
wouldn't notice.

Tommy: Persistent bastard. All that? Geez....
 

Quickly she moved and entered her bedroom to dress. She had to reach
Small Lady before Endymion returned. If he arrived before she could send
them both back into the past, then she wouldn't have another chance for
some time and Endymion's behavior was getting progressively worse.

LilTigre: Good! get out of that situation!
 

She was dressed within five minutes and spent another five desperately
scrambling for the Time Key. The key that she had secretly gotten from
Pluto several weeks ago. She had barely managed to meet with the
mysterious Senshi of Time. Endymion was keeping Serenity under a close
watch while not in their own rooms so meeting with one of her exiled
friends was hard. He had started monitoring her after her second attempt
to flee, that had been around the time that Endymion banished Ami.

Tommy: Surprise! You're on Candid Camera!
 

Serenity had actually begged Setsuna to go back, to warn her past self
of what was to come but Serenity new that it was a lost cause. Pluto's
duty was to the timeline. The events that had unfolded were set in time
and nothing that Serenity could say would sway Setsuna. She knew that
Setsuna desperately wanted to help but was bound by duty.

LilTigre: Some excuse. (sniffs)

Tommy: I dunno, Tigger.... duty is a very powerful thing; you just can't
ignore it for possibilities.
 

Leaving her room Serenity re-entered the small sitting room and stopped
short. Something was out of place. She gazed around the room, trying to
place her finger upon it. As her eyes traveled they alighted upon a set
of bags.

(A band starts playing the Jaws theme in the background.)
 

"No..." she breathed out. He wasn't supposed to be back yet! "No!" she
hoarsely shouted. She could feel herself start to tremble. She had been
so close! No Endymion wasn't in the room, so where was he? Shoving the
Time Key deep into her pocket, she moved across to the door that led out
into the hall and gripping the knob took a breath before opening it.

Low murmuring voices met her ears. Softly padding down the hall, she
looked into her daughter's room and found Endymion there. "I'm sorry, I
didn't hear you come in," Serenity said, "I would have met you but
you're early."

Tommy: Actually, I didn't want to see you at all, but since you're here...
 

"That's all right," Endymion said, "Usagi was telling me all about her
day at school yesterday." He gave her daughter a pat on the back and
Serenity didn't miss her daughter's flinching slightly. "What say we get
breakfast!" Endymion declared.

Tommy: (glowing white) What say I kick your ass, you child-abusing-

LilTigre: Tommy-chan, it's just a fic. Relax.... you'll strain yourself.
 

"Hai!" Usagi said, quick to please her father. She waited until he
lifted her off of his lap before taking his hand, "Come on, Daddy."

"Lead the way, Princess," Endymion said and allowed himself to be pulled
by his daughter. Serenity stepped out of the doorway and suppressed the
urge to scream.

Endymion was treating her like a normal daughter, treating Serenity like
there was NOTHING wrong! He was acting the doting father but who knew
how long that would last. She trailed behind him, plotting, trying to
figure out a way she could get away from Endymion for a little while to
finished the rest of the plan. She also wanted to hide the key. If
Endymion knew that she had the key, he wouldn't be please. Sailor Pluto
was supposed to be exiled to the Gate of Time. Never to set foot in
Crystal Tokyo unless summoned.

LilTigre: Or not until Pimp-Master Endymion calls her...
 

"Daddy, you shoulda saw the big bird we saw on the video!" Usagi suddenly
exclaimed. She was sensing that her father was working up to something
and she was hoping to make him happy. She always seemed to be doing bad
things.

Tommy: Oh s%&$, it's gonna start....
 

"Really? How big was it?" Endymion asked, his tone was friendly but
Serenity saw that he was displeased that his daughter had interrupted
them. That's when things started to go wrong.

"Well it was this big!" Usagi said stretching her arms out as far as the
would go, "He went around and around!" she said motioning with her
hands. "Then it yelled and dove!" She swooped down with her one hand
dramatically, "It snatched up this big fish!" Her hand clamped around
the juice glass and lifted it up. Serenity saw it coming and tried to
make the save but failed. The glass slipped out of Usagi's young hands
shot over Serenity's outstretched hand and both contents and glass hit
Endymion squarely in the face.

(Tommy covers LilTigre's eyes.)

Tommy: You're too young for this, Tigger.
 

The room went deathly silently for several long seconds. Usagi let out a
little whimper. Her father sat there his face twisting into a savage
scowl. Hopping off her chair Usagi ran around and started dabbing at her
father's face with a napkin.

"Gomen nasai!!!" she said, "I didn't mean it, Daddy."

"YOU CLUMSY BRAT!!!" Endymion bellowed. Usagi took a step back, "You're
just like your mother, a klutz!" He stood up wiping the juice off his
face and neck. He looked down at his clothes and said, "You got it on my
clean shirt!" He raised his eyes to his daughter and said, "Come here!"

Tommy: Then wash your shirt, moron!
 
(He finally gets up and snips the violence.)

Tommy: OK, Tigger, it's over.

Endymion's face twisted into a snarl, lunging forward he gripped
Serenity around the throat and, while squeezing, dragged her down the
corridor. Usagi gave a startled cry and started chasing after her mother
but Endymion roughly pushed her in into the room and said, "I'll be back.
Don't even think of moving!"

Down the hall they went into the small reading room that adjoined their
bedroom. Pushing her up against the fireplace mantle, Endymion said,
"I'll handle that monstrosity anyway I like."

LilTigre: I think you missed some.
 

"How could you do that to any child, especially your child?" Serenity
sobbed out. She made a gurgling noise as his grip tightened. She vainly
moved her hands to try and stop him but she was weak.

Tommy: I'm very glad Cerina's not here to read this.

LilTigre: Why?

Tommy: Let's just say that certain people would be dying extremely slow
and painful deaths if she was to ever see this.
 

"Because she isn't my child!" Endymion hissed, "You were unfaithful to
me."

"You promised, Endymion, you swore on your life that you would stand by
me. I was honest with you!" Serenity yelled in anger, "I was honest with
you. You knew that I was vulnerable. You were gone. To me you were dead.
What was I supposed to do!" She never saw the blow coming, her head
snapped around and the salty taste of blood seeped into her mouth.

He tightened his grip and Serenity desperately sought something,
anything to let him go. Her hand alighted upon something solid and
metallic. Grasping it, she brought it up in a long swinging arc, her
desperation channeling into strength. Suddenly, she found herself
dropping as her husband let go and crumpled to the floor. In her hand,
she held the bloody end of the fireplace poker. 

Both: YES!!!!!

She stood stunned
for several seconds before hurry as best she could of of the room.
How much time had she bought? "Kami-sama let it be enough." Serenity
whispred as she entred Usagi room.

In the small reading room Endymion gave a moan and stirred slightly.
"Serenity..." Endymion whispred out through gritted teeth, "I'm going
to kill you!"

(Cerina suddenly storms in and dumps a smouldering sack on the floor.
She's covered in gore and looking very pleased with herself.)

Cerina: Well, I jumped into a fic reality and castrated every Endymion I
could find! Boy, I feel better now. Is the fic over?

Tommy: Yeah... it's well-written, tackling major issues that face people
today. Good for you.

LilTigre: I can't wait to see Endymion killed!

Cerina: Uh... that too. Anyone wanna help me clean up this mess before
filming stars of *Hidden Fires* chapter 4?

Tommy and LilTigre look at the mess and bolt out of the library.)

Cerina: Damn. Oh, well, keep up the good work!

(Fade out.)


Jess, the LilTigre =^_^=