(Continued from part b)
			  	  THE FLASH POINT
(We come in on the theater to see everyone in their normal places and 
in their normal attire with the exception of Flashman, who has a Raw 
Is War T-shirt over his Sentai uniform and has a boom box of some 
kind on his lap.)

Sakura: So, how was the taping?
Flashman: <Looks like he's talking, but no sound comes out.>
Trident: Did he say something?
Zero: I had my sound system turned up to full but I heard nothing.
(Flashman sighs {or at least gives the impression of sighing}, pulls 
out a notepad and writes something down on it before handing the pad 
to Sakura.)
Sakura:(Reading from the pad) "I enjoyed myself very much, thank you. 
 However, the need to cheer on my favorites has caused me to 
temporarily lose my voice and so, for the rest of this section, I 
will use the boom box you see here to express my feelings."
Ninjor: Let's get underway.
____________________________

Neo-Queen Serenity slowly lowered her hand and blinked. She felt 
disoriented, strange. A gentle touch made her jump. Turning, she 
stared for several seconds not recognizing the concerned face that 
was before her. It was a man. "Diamondo?" she questioned softly. Her 
eyes became bleary and a tear rolled down her cheek. <You're alive!>

"Are you feeling okay? Is it the baby?" His face was creased with 
lines of worry. Gently, he touched her. "Serenity?" he questioned 
softly, "What's wrong?"

[Sakura:(Imitating Serenity) Oh nothing, just the fact that I was 
being abused by Endymion a few seconds ago...
Ninjor: Was not Dimando a villian?
Trident: It is the very nature of alternate realities to change a 
character due to cirumstances of that reality.
Zero: In other words, since Serenity was available in this reality, 
Dimando didn't join up with the Black Moon Family.
Ninjor: Ah.]

Slowly she rose from its murky depths. As Serenity became aware again 
she kept her eyes closed. Feeling with her fingers, she felt the 
smooth fabric underneath of her. <A bed?> she thought, <It smells 
nice in here.> She couldn't place the odor but it was definitely 
pleasant. Her mind said her left eye was hurt and she couldn't open 
it. <Why though?>

[Sakura: Ain't time paradoxes a bi...
(Flashman turns on the boom box.)
Boom Box:(Click) STOP!  In the name of love... (Click)]

It was as if Serenity never even heard. <Family?> she silently 
mouthed the word to the thought. She tried to remember and found she 
could. She found the memory and it appeared not to be false. <Mamoru 
and Minako are married. She wanted to help him after we...> She found 
that thought too painful and shied away from it, <I don't know how 
Mamoru survived. Somehow, though, he did.> "They have children, ne?" 
Serenity questioned.

[(Zero looks rather distraught.)
Zero: WHAT?!?!?!  WHY?! (Starts banging his head against the wal) 
WHYWHYWHYWHYWHYWHYWHY...
Boom Box: (Click) But repeat to yourself, "It's just a show.  I 
should really just relax..." (Click)]

The door opened partially and Diamondo entered carrying a very 
worried looking eight year old. Serenity's heart grew a little 
lighter as she saw the little girl's face. But there was something 
odd about it... subtle differences and the hair... <There's no 
odangos, just a ponytail.>

[Trident: An interesting development.]

"Hai," Usagi declared grinning, "They thought they could capture Mako-
oneesan but they couldn't!" She grinned broadly at her mother, eyes 
twinkling.

[S/T/Z/N: Heh.
(Flashman's boom box plays "Danger Zone".)]

"I was scared too," Serenity said. The room fell silent for several 
minutes. As time passed, Serenity wandered down her memories, trying 
to sort fact from fantasy. "You know, a long time ago I used to know 
a girl by the name of Usagi," Serenity said.

"Really?" Usagi replied, tilting her head to look at her mother 
through partially hooded lids.

"Hai," Serenity said, "We used to call her Chibi-Usa until she grew 
up." Usagi giggled, "She was a lot like you, very kawaii... and smart.
.. and full of life..." Serenity trailed off and she could feel a 
lump forming in her throat.

"What happened to her?" Usagi asked softly.

Serenity sniffled then said, "She died." <When she was thirty-six.> 
That had been a very long night. It looked like she had fallen asleep 
at the wheel coming back into Tokyo from a trip. Her car had flipped 
several times before coming to stop. <She fell asleep and never woke 
up.> There had been no foul play suspected and Ami hadn't detected 
any type of drug either.

[Sakura: Can we say "time paradox"?
T/Z/N: Time paradox.
Sakura: I knew we could.]

Feeling tired, Serenity gently slid forward before lying down and 
waited for Usagi to settle herself again before she answered her 
daughter's question. "Hai, I was sad... but then I thought about all 
the good times. You know all your cousins?" Chibi-Usa nodded, the 
yearly family picknick that was held always producs several hundred 
people. "Well every cousing you have is either related to Usagi, the 
girl I used to know, or Shingo."

[Sakura: Damn!
Zero: Talk about living up to your name...
(Flashman wacks Zero on the back of the head with the Sentai Saber.)
Trident: "Always produced" not "always producs".  And "every cousin" 
not "every cousing".]

Put six typically well behaved little girls together and feed them on 
average triple the daily intake of sugar and mischief is bound to 
occur.

[Boom Box: (Click) It's time for A-ni-mai-niacs! (Click)]

Maia's mood grew a little somber. Taking on a little worried 
expression, she stared at the bed. "I hope Sobo's okay," she said 
softly. She had wanted to go with her parents but they had managed to 
talk her into staying with Chibi-Usa for a couple of days. Chibi-Usa 
slid over to sit beside Maia and gave her a hug. "Arigato," Maia said 
softly and hugged Chibi-Usa back.

"Kawaii," came a voice from the doorway and both little girls jumped.


[(Everyone nods in agreement as they smile softly.)]

Getting down, Chibi-Usa slid under the covers. Maia simply sat where 
she was and stared towards the ground again. Sitting back up, Chibi-
Usa looked towards her friend. "Are you scared?" she questioned Maia. 
After a moment, the little girl nodded. <I don't want Maia to be 
scared...> Chibi-Usa thought and, tapping her chin, tried to think of 
something to help Maia. A slow smile spread across her face as she 
turned and took her teddy bear down. "Here," Chibi-Usa said and 
handed Ranma over to Maia.

[Boom Box: (Click)(Sound bite of Ranma) Quit treating me like a cup o 
noodles! (Click)
S/Z/N/T: O_o]

Mamoru paced nervously. He was lost in his own thoughts unaware of 
the storm that was raging outside. <How could Serenity hurt such a 
child?>

[S/Z/N/T: SHE COULDN'T!!!!!
(Flashman tries to yell but no sound comes out and he rubs his throat 
in pain.)]

"No," Endymion said tensing slightly before relaxing, "They're going 
to jump to some conclusions. Now did you do like I said?"

"Hai, Motoki's waiting for me," Mamoru said then shifting uneasily 
said, "Why don't we just talk to Usagi, get her to understand?"

Endymion's face drooped and he placed a hand on Mamoru's shoulder. "I 
wish it were that simple. Once Chibi-Usa is back in the time where 
she belongs, you can help Usagi pick up the pieces and get on with 
her life."

A little hope crept into Mamoru's heart. "Arigato," he whispered, 
"Kami-sama help you."

[Ninjor: For no one else will.
Boom Box: (Click) HAAAAALEILUIA! (Click)
Sakura: I can understand why he's helping.  If *I* were told what 
he'd been told, I wouldn't want to believe it either.]

Usagi sat up and blearily turned her head, she stared for a moment at 
Maia in confusion for several seconds. "Maia???" she questioned 
groggily.

"Usagi-chan, Chibi-Usa's gone!" She shook Usagi some more, "Maybe a 
monster got her!"

[Zero: You're dead on kid.]

<SNIP the following scene.>

[Sakura:(Not looking well) I think... I'm gonna be sick.
(Ninjor is sobbing as Trident has his head lowered and Zero is 
muttering, "Iris" over and over.  Flashman pats Sakura on the 
shoulder and is caught off guard as she wraps her arms around his 
neck and cries on his shoulder and he strugles as Sakura doesn't 
realize her own strength.)
Boom Box: (Click) HELP!  I need somebody!  HELP!  Not just anybody! 
(Click)]

Ikuko closed the door and leant heavily against it. The police were 
starting to search while others combed Chibi-Usa's room for clues. 
She felt the warm embrace encircle her trying to provide strength. 
Turning, the couple slowly made their way into the living room.

[Trident: "Leant"?  Do you not mean, "leaned" or something similar?]

Tentatively, Maia moved over to stand in front of Usagi, "You aren't 
mad that Chibi-Usa got took?"

"Hai, I'm very upset," Usagi said, "But not at you. I'm worried about 
you; I like you and I'm very glad you're safe." She looked at Maia, 
sincerity showing in her face and expression.

[Zero: And we're going to be even glader when we get our hands on 
Endymion.]

Usagi, at first, was unsure what to do. Then slowly she hugged Maia 
in return; drawing the little girl close, she stood. Maia wrapped her 
arms around Usagi, her tears were causing Usagi to become upset again.
 "Shhh..." Usagi said, blinking rapidly to clear her eyes, "It'll be 
okay." She rubbed Maia's back, a longing sensation went out. She 
wanted Chibi-Usa home; she wanted to hold her close and comfort her. 
"Let's get you back to bed," Usagi suggested.

"No," Maia pleaded through her tears, "I'm scared... that monster 
will come and get me if I go to sleep." She lifted her face to look 
pleadingly at Usagi.

"You can sleep in my bed," Usagi offered, "And I'll stay awake... 
okay?" She gave Maia a reassuring smile and winked. Maia shook her 
head and gave Usagi another pleading look. Bending her head, Usagi 
whispered to Maia, "If you go to bed, I'll let you help me call the 
Senshi."

[Boom Box:(Click) <The trumpet Charge music> (Click)]

"Doing a fire reading," Makoto said testily, "I'm telling you it's 
that slime Mamoru! I went over to his place last night but the coward 
wasn't there."

[Sakura:(Reading from the notepad that Flashman hands her) "Whatever 
happened to 'innocent until proven guilty'?"  Sorry Flash, this is 
Japan not the US.]

"We know it's him... or his future self. I say we track him down and 
crack his head." She slammed her fist into her hand to emphasize the 
point. "When I get my hands on that... that..."

[Zero: End of the line!  I've been waiting since about chapter 4.]

                                  ******

Usagi and Makoto approached the door to Motoki's apartment. Usagi was 
desperately trying to hold Makoto back. The blood of Jupiter was 
definitely coursing through Makoto and she was out for blood in a big 
way! Before Usagi could even knock on the door, Makoto had pounded 
three times, heavily for good measure.

"Konnichiwa," came the voice as the door started to open. Makoto 
never gave it time. Her eyes bulged in disbelief and giving a snarl, 
applied her shoulder to the door. It swung open smacking Mamoru in 
the forehead.

"YOU BASTARD!" Makoto screamed and launched herself towards Mamoru. 
Both sprawled to the ground.

"Nani?!?" Mamoru questioned hastily as he tried to restrain whomever 
was attacking him.

"Where is she?!" Makoto cried while gripping Mamoru's head and 
starting to shake him, "Where is she, you monster?!"

[Trident:(Small grin) She certainly has a... unique style that I like.

N/Z/S/F: <Raised eyebrow>
Trident: I am over 500 years old.  She is most definatly jail bait.]

Mercury was pale and visibly upset, "I'm chasing what appears to be 
Endymion."

[Boom Box:(Click)(Gex sound bite) Time to go postal. (Click)]

Hoping... praying that they would be quick enough. <But if we catch 
him, it doesn't mean we're gonna find Chibi-Usa.>
___________________

Sakura: And on that cheerful note...
Trident: We end the review of section three of this final chapter of 
Mama's Hand.
(Flashman writes something else on the pad and hands it to Zero.)
Zero: And make sure to watch Raw Is War, this monday night and make 
certain to watch out for the "May The Spirit Preserve You!" and the 
"TRIO 3:16" signs.  Althought, he was in the "pidgeons get 
nosebleeds" section so you might not see them.
Sakura: We'll be back for the final part as soon as Flashy here gets 
his voice back.

The Flashman
(Proud member of The Church Of Tsukino Usagi)
www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Dojo/3105/
May The Spirit Preserve You!