[FFML] [Sailor Moon / Adventure Time] I Will Pay the Price

[John Biles]

	“So, were you there when Caesar invented salad?” Haruka joked.

	The trio of Outer Senshi were meeting in a café for dinner at
Setsuna’s request.  They had recently dealt with the attack of the ice
queen from outer space, alongside the other senshi, but the problem of
the Deathbusters and the right approach to fighting them remained.

	They would eventually discuss this but right now, they were
half-eating and half-dealing with Haruka’s efforts to be funny.

	“I invented it,” Setsuna said, smiling a little.  “But let him take
the credit.”

	Haruka laughed at the image of Setsuna in a toga.  She was blissfully
unaware togas were for men only and Setsuna had actually worn a stola.
 Or that Caesar Salad came from a Mexican-American cook.

	Michiru was but was not inclined to interrupt Haruka’s fun.
Especially as the idea of Setsuna in a stola amused her.

	“So how can you travel around without making a mess of history,
anyway?  Or wiping yourself out?” Haruka asked curiously.

	“I am severed,” Setsuna said. “I can be affected by anything inside
time but it must affect me in the now or lead to affecting my future.
If I followed the classic paradox and shot my grandfather, it would
not affect me, but he could shoot back at the same time and kill me.”

	“Or if I killed your grandfather, no effect on you?” Haruka said thoughtfully.

	“Yes,” Setsuna said, then worked on her soup.

	They all ate quietly, then Haruka said softly, “And you can’t go to
the future and find out for sure who the Messiah is?”

	There was a long pause while Setsuna ate soup and studied the inside
of her tea cup.

	“Let her be, she can’t reveal the future,” Michiru said chidingly to
Haruka, though she wanted to know this herself.  She trusted Setsuna
from past life memories and present action but she still wished they
could know.

	“I cannot reveal it because things can and have changed.  And must
change,” Setsuna said softly.  “Or stay changed.”  She opened her
mouth, then shut it.

	“I can die for the mission but I have to understand what to do,”
Haruka said, now sounding frustrated and shoveling food into her mouth
without her usual dignity.

	“I am sorry, my friend,” Setsuna told her sadly.  “I can promise you
this, your families will remain safe.”  There was an additional
firmness in that.  “Whether we all die or live, they will be safe.  I
have ensured that.”

	Haruka sighed and so did Michiru; they’d both always had issues with
their families.  But however much they might fight with their parents…
all the time in the old days… they didn’t want to see them hurt.  If
it came down to saving the world…

	Michiru didn’t think about that.

	“Do you have a family?  I guess they would have been back in the
Silver Millenium, though,” Haruka said, then sighed, embarrassed she
hadn’t thought of that.

	“They do not remember I exist,” Setsuna said softly.  “But it’s okay.
 I know the people I care for are safer and happier this way.”

	“Puu, you have to SAVE ME,” Chibi-Usa said, suddenly rushing up to
them.  “I don’t want to go!”

	Setsuna blinked, then gently ruffled her hair. “It’s okay, dear, you
don’t have to go back to Crystal Tokyo yet, however much Usagi may be
angry at you.”

	“Oh, she doesn’t want to go either, because she’s a bad friend,”
Chibi-Usa said, shaking her head and Michiru laughed softly.

	“What?” Haruka said.

	“Ami is going to see some stupid American blather about something,”
Chibi-Usa said, waving her hands in the air.  “Mind if I try your
salad?”

	Setsuna passed her chopsticks to Chibi, who now wolfed down a quarter
of the salad. “I’m sure you will find it educational.”

	“Is this the presentation by the archaeologist?” Haruka asked. “I was
thinking it might be cool to see.”

	“It is likely best to avoid a pointless clash with the others,”
Michiru said.  “On the other hand, broadening the mind is good.”

	“Oh, if it’s an archaeologist, you should go,” Setsuna told
Chibi-Usa.  “Maybe ask Hotaru to go with you.”

	Haruka frowned. “That girl is dangerous.”

	“She’s my friend, so don’t even *think* about it,” Chibi said,
leveling the chopsticks at Haruka.

	“You should go with her,” Michiru said and Haruka’s eyes widened.
“Everything is better with a friend.”

	“Like you and Haruka do everything together,” Chibi-Usa said thoughtfully.

	“Yes,” Michiru said warmly.

	“Well, Hotaru might make a talk about books be interesting,”
Chibi-Usa said thoughtfully.

	“You should take her,” Setsuna said to her.

	“Okay, Puu,” Chibi-Usa said and hugged her. “I love you, Puu.”

	Gently, Setsuna ruffled Chibi-Usa’s hair. “I love you too, Small Lady.”

	And then she ran off, while Setsuna watched her go.

	“Okay, what’s going on?” Haruka said, frowning.

	“We will be attending…” Setsuna began, then trailed off and looked
around.  She sighed. “I didn’t think to ask the name.”

	“Well, if it’s the guy who there are posters for on campus, he’s
Simon Petrikov and he’s giving a talk on some ancient artifacts,”
Haruka said.  “I think.”

	Setsuna, who had begun eating more of her salad, now began to choke
and Haruka moved quickly to help her cough up what she’d swallowed
wrongly.  “You okay?”

	“I am fine,” Setsuna said.

	But she looked worried to Haruka the rest of the meal, yet wouldn’t
talk about it.

	She’d better not be hiding something important, Haruka thought, frowning.

******************

I Will Pay the Price

By John Biles

An Adventure Time/Sailor Moon crossover.

****************

	“I tell you, she was real!” Kakeru Ozora insisted to his old college
roommate, Simon Petrikov.  They had both been foreign students in the
US earlier in life; he had returned to his homeland but Simon had
stayed in the US and now taught at the University of San Diego.

	“I saw her; I know, it’s crazy, but it happened,” Himeko Nayotake,
his girlfriend, said.  “You know I went to space and I saw her.  She
was beautiful like a fairy princess.”

	Betty Smith, Simon’s fiancée, pushed her glasses up her nose.  “There
are no such thing as fairy princesses.  Especially not on a dead
planet like the moon.  I thought you knew better than this, Himeko.”
She sounded disappointed.

	“Thank you so much for putting us up while we are here,” Simon said
to Kakeru, smiling at him.  “It’s so much nicer to be with people who
know you than to stay in a hotel.”

	“Well, we haven’t seen each other in forever,” Kakeru said.  “And we
have plenty of space; there’s a nice futon for you both in the guest
room.  Anyway, we can argue with Betty about Kaguya another time,” he
said graciously.

	“I saw her,” Himeko said.  “Anyway, we’re trying to spend more time
with each other.”

	“Since she has to be gone part of the time for her missions,” Kakeru
said. “I am trying to get a job at the International Space Program; I
may never been an astronaut but I want to help Himeko in her work.”

	“I wish Simon and I could work together, but biology and archaeology
don’t mix, unless he finds a new species,” Betty said ruefully.  “But
I am glad I got to come and see you two again.”

	“How is your work coming?” Himeko asked. “It’s in synthetic life forms, right?”

	“Yes,” Betty said and Simon soon found himself in over his head; the
rest of them were all in the sciences and he had not had a science
course since his sophomore year.  But he sat back, enjoying watching
Betty speak so passionately about her work.

	The doorbell rang and Kakeru rose. “Hold on, someone is here.”

	He soon led in two teenage girls, one with blue hair, the other a
blonde.  “Hello, I’m Ami Mizuno; I will be translating for you,” the
first said in English, shaking Simon’s hand.  “And you must be Dr.
Smith,” she said, shaking Betty’s hand. “And this is my friend Minako
Aino, who tagged along with me for some reason she won’t explain.”

	“I’ve lived in Britain and my English is very good,” Minako said,
studying the four adults.  “Hey, didn’t I see you on TV?” she said,
pointing to Himeko.

	“Japan’s first astronaut,” Kakeru said proudly.  “She’s amazing.”

	“We are both blessed,” Simon said warmly, then shook Minako’s hand.
“Your English is so good.  I can barely ask where the toilet is in
Japanese.”

	“You actually asked for a sweet bean cake,” Kakeru said, laughing,
and Simon buried his face in his hands.

	“Is your mother coming?” Betty asked Ami excitedly.

	“Mother is sick but if you’d like to visit her, I’m sure she’d be
happy to see you, Dr. Smith,” Ami said, smiling.  “How are the
Synthlife experiments coming?”

	“They keep dissolving into pink goo,” Betty said, then sighed.  “I’m
clearly missing something.”

	“Sugar, spice, and everything nice,” Kakeru said teasingly and Betty laughed.

	“I’m nearly ready to try that,” Betty said ruefully.

	“So how did you get this gig, Ami?” Minako asked her.

	“That would be me,” Betty said. “I’m in touch with her mother due to
connections in our research and she mentioned how well Ami speaks
English.”

	“Would you like a sneak peak at the Enchiridion?” Simon said,
winking.  “Everything else is still nailed into crates, or I could
show you more.”

	“Sure, what is it?” Minako asked.

	“It’s an ancient book about heroism,” Simon said.  “I’ve found it
very interesting to translate from archaic Russian.  I can’t quite
figure out when it was written.”

	“I’ll go get it dear,” Betty said, ruffling Simon’s hair.

	“Thanks, honey,” he said.  They kissed and Minako gave them a thumbs up.

	But to Betty’s surprise, the door was stuck.  She bounced off it
several times.  “The door is stuck,” she said.

	Everyone came and Kakeru and Simon rammed the door and it flew open;
they both fell on the floor, Simon landing on Kakeru.

	“This reminds me of a Bosom Buddies episode,” Simon said, laughing.

	“Never speak of that show again!,” Kakeru said urgently.

	Simon and Betty began to sing in unison.

	o/~ Got a call from an old friend
 	o/~ We used to be real close

 	Minako laughed and joined in.

	o/~ Said he couldn’t go on the American way
 	o/~ Closed the shop, sold the house

 	“Enough!” Kakeru begged, while Himeko laughed and ami stared in confusion.

	o/~ Bought a ticket to the West Coast
 	o/~ Now he gives them a stand-up routine in L. A.

	“I wish I’d brought my drums,” Simon said, now helping Kakeru up.
“Got some oil?  I’ll oil the hinges.”

	“These doors don’t normally get stuck,” Kakeru said. “I’ll go see if
I have any oil.”

	“Is this crate supposed to be open?” Minako asked, frowning and
studying the top crate; its lid was ajar, the nails pried up.

	“No,” Simon said; the window was shut and locked, curtains closed; he
ran over and found it looked into a back alley.  He frowned.  “How
would anyone even know to look for anything here?”

	Minako opened the window and leaped out into the alleyway.  “Is this
for people’s cars?”

	“Yes,” Kakeru said, leaning out the window.

	Ami began helping Simon and Betty go through his inventory list; the
crate was full of coins, plates, jewelry, and four crowns.  “Hey,
Himeko, can you come here a second?” Simon said.

	She came over. “How can I help?”

	Simon put a crown on her head. “Congratulations!  Now you’re the Moon
Princess!”  He laughed softly.

	“Moon Princess?” Ami asked.

	“Please tell me you don’t believe in silly stories about princesses
who come to Earth from the Moon,” Betty begged Ami.

	“Moon Princesses are blond,” Ami said and Minako laughed in the alleyway.

	“Throw me a crown, I’m experienced in pretending to be a princess!”
Minako shouted, then fell down laughing. “Oww, this road is kind of
hard.”

	Betty laughed and Simon now packed the crown in place. “They rooted
through the whole first crate, but I don’t think anything is missing.”
He sighed.  “I wonder why they didn’t take all these gold and jewels
and everything.”

	“Clearly they were looking for evidence of Moon Princesses,” Ami
said, sounding amused.

	Kakeru sighed, then helped Minako up, climbing out himself.  “I’ll go
ask the neighbors. Himeko, you had better call the police. And I
guess… I can’t even figure out how they got past the locks on the
window,” Kakeru said, frowning.

	“I’ll go with you,” Minako said.  “And look for moon princesses.”

	“Not you too,” Kakeru groaned and they headed off.

	What a mess, Simon thought.  I should have arranged more security but
I thought everything would be fine.  I have a responsibility to
protect these goods until they go to the museum.  Having failed in it
depressed him; nothing was missing but…

	“We’ll move it to the storage room, where we should have put it
anyway,” Himeko said.  All of them together hauled the crates there
and nailed the opened one back shut.

	The police came and took a statement and poked around and left, then
before Ami and Minako had to go, Simon showed them the Enchiridion, an
ancient leather and brass bound book with a strange picture on the
cover of a sword, a bundle of grapes, a skull, and a dove, ringed by a
brown circle with tiny gems set into it.

	“I’m only part way into it, but it’s very inspirational,” Simon said,
then sighed.  “I’ll never be a hero but it’s interesting to read about
ancient heroes and this fellow’s advice.”

	Minako stared at the weird letters. “They totally messed up the Romanji.”

	“It’s Cyrillic,” he said. “From the land of my ancestors,” Simon
said, then sighed.  He turned to a pair of pages; one showed Samson,
hand-drawn, destroying the Philistine temple he had been chained in.
“This talks about Samson’s courage and his dedication to his God.  He
took oaths before God which gave him power.”

	“Like one day soon we’ll make,” Betty said, smiling a little and
ruffling his hair.

	“When do you get married?” Minako asked excitedly. “I love weddings.”

	“Six months.  You two *are* coming, right?” Betty said, just a little
threateningly to Kakeru and Himeko.

	“Of course,” Himeko said.  “I won’t go up again until three months after that.”

	“Go up?  OH, SPACE,” Minako said. She reached in her pocket. “Anyone
want some Sailor V gum?  First hit is free!”

	Betty said, “I shouldn’t, but thank you.”  She took the gum and
started chewing.

	“Everyone needs a vice, and better a mild one,” Simon said, putting
an arm around her.

	Minako chewed her gum a little too loudly, while Ami said, “We’d best
get to bed.  I hope you won’t have any more trouble.”

	“It’s nice to meet you and I’ll see you tomorrow,” Simon said,
shaking their hands.  And then they took off.

****************

	“Mamoru, are you stealing jewels in your sleep or something?” Minako
asked Mamoru, having called an emergency meeting.

	“No,” Mamoru said firmly.

	“’Cause I remember when you were hanging around in a turban,” Minako began.

	“I’m fine and not doing anything like that,” Mamoru said firmly.
	
	They were at the temple, on the steps, under the stars.

	“Your old boyfriend is doing just fine with his lady love, Luna,”
Minako said to her.  “Both couples were quite kissy.”

	Luna grumbled and sighed. “I’m glad he’s happy.”

	“This may be mundane business, but I will go keep an eye on the place
tonight, with Luna,” Artemis said.

	“Do I have to?” Luna said weakly.

	“Please help Artemis; this may be nothing but it’s best to be sure,”
Usagi told Luna.

	“Yeah, running away from old lovers never works,” Rei told Luna.  She sighed.

	“Okay,” Luna said. “You’re right.  It’s best to be bold and face the future.”

*****************
	
	“Stop hiding in a cardboard box,” Artemis said later, trying to drag
Luna out of hiding.

	“Find your own box!  I am a ninja,” Luna said desperately.

	“Hmm…”  Artemis got in and they snuck up, the box over them.

	Then Simon opened the window and looked out and around. “Hello?”

	“If it’s the thief, you don’t open the window for them,” Betty said,
coming and embracing him from behind.  “I don’t know what you’d do
without me,” she said fondly.

	“Probably go mad,” he said, shaking his head.  “We’ll be together
forever, right?” he said softly.

	“Until we die of old age,” Betty said. “Nothing lasts forever.”

	“Our love will last forever,” Simon said. “I’ll find a way.”  He
shook a fist at the sky.  “Then I’ll crown you Moon Princess.”

	Betty laughed and kissed him. “And you will be my Moon Prince.”

	Luna mumbled, “Please stop being so lovey-dovey.”

	Simon, about to close the window, froze. “Hello?” he said out the window.

	Artemis put his paws over Luna’s mouth.

	“It’s late, let’s sleep, dear,” Betty said.

	Simon sighed. “You’re right, I’m just imagining things.  I’d make up
crazy things I saw sometimes, when I was little.”

	“We all do, dear,” she said and closed the window, then drew the blinds.

	“Well, it could have been Kakeru,” Artemis said.

	“I was an idiot,” Luna mumbled.

	“Yep,” he said cheerfully.

	“You didn’t have to agree!” Luna said, waving a paw at him.

	He snuggled up to her and she sighed and they snuggled under the box
silently for a little while, and then she said, “You’re a good cat,
Artemis.”

	“You too, Luna.  Okay, now we keep watch until we die of boredom,
since I suspect nothing more will happen,” Artemis said.

	He was mostly right; fortunately the first car to drive through
swerved and avoided the box while its motor woke them up.

*****************

	“I have found my next pure heart target,” Mimete told Professor Tomoe
the next morning.  “He’s a heroic archeologist like Indiana Jones!  My
program says he’s 98.8% likely to have a pure heart!”  She gazed at
him with hearts in her eyes.  She’d always dreamed of adventure around
the globe!  And she liked whips too!

	“It sounds like you have this well in hand,” he said. “I’ve prepared
an excellent Diamon for you.”  He handed her the case.

	We’ll see, she thought.  I may just have to keep this target for
myself.  Hohohoho!

******************
	
	“Is it really okay to let two children play with the artifacts?”
Betty asked Simon softly later.

	“It’s okay, Ami is a good responsible girl and she’ll keep them in
check,” Simon said; the little one, ‘Chibi-Usa’ had asked to let them
dress up as princesses.  Minako was going to take a picture.  “And I
couldn’t say no and break her heart.” He smiled, watching the kids
suiting up.

	Betty was not so sure but Kakeru and Himeko found it to be precious
and were helping the kids.

	She just wanted everything to go smoothly and kids broke things.  She
wanted a child eventually and probably it would have to be soon but it
worried her because she’d broken things all the time as a child.

	But then she saw Hotaru, who had arrived a sad little child, now
laughing and spinning around with the crown on her head and jewelry on
her arms and neck and she couldn’t say no, even if her common sense
said this was unwise.

	“So what are you princess of?” Chibi asked Hotaru. “I’m the Moon
Princess, of course.”

	Kakeru and Himeko both laughed at that.

	“Night Princess, since the Moon and the Night hang out together,”
Hotaru said softly, smiling shyly.

	“Oooh,” Chibi said excitedly.  “I like it!”

	“The daughter of the king of the Nightosphere,” Simon said, smiling
as he watched the children play.

	“Yeah!” Hotaru said excitedly.  “Everyone thinks she is scary but
really, she’s nice.”

	“I know,” Chibi said, patting Hotaru’s shoulder and they smiled at each other.

	Then they ran around shouting for some reason while Minako egged them
on and Betty watched them tensely.  Kakeru and Himeko had gone to get
snacks.

	“Don’t run with the priceless artifacts!” Ami said, running after
them and now Simon began running around with the kids, pretending to
be a monster while they ‘fought’ him.

	And then Hotaru laid her hands on his prone body and ‘healed’ him
back to normal.  “I took all the night out of you and now you’re just
fine.”

	“Thank you, dear princess,” he said, shaking her hand and she laughed softly.
	
	He’ll be a good father, Betty thought.  The prospect of parenthood
excited and scared her at once; her parents hadn’t been so great, but
she felt that she’d found a good man to try with.

	Kakeru and Himeko brought the snacks out and she was finally able to
get all the jewelry squared away; Simon was probably too kind for his
own good; what if they’d damaged something?

	But that was why she loved him; his kindness always cracked her shell
and made her feel glad to be alive.

	They might not have eternity but they’d get as close to it as any human could.

*******************

	Ami squirmed a little as Usagi brushed her hair and Makoto applied
makeup.  “I don’t have to look this fancy,” she said to them.

	“Everyone’s going to be looking at you and you must look your best,”
Usagi said.  “It’s too bad your mother can’t come, though.”

	Ami sighed. “She’s sick.  Dr. Smith came to visit her, though and we
all had a good talk.”  She rambled on about things which flew over her
friend’s heads, then circled around and flew past them again.

	“I wish my English was better; I saw this cute guy the other day but
I couldn’t even talk to him,” Makoto said mournfully.

	“Well, I’ll be translating, so you will understand everything,” Ami
said excitedly.

	Makoto suspected she wouldn’t understand most of it anyway, but she’d
go to anything to support her friends.  “So these are ancient Russian
artifacts?”

	“Yes, from the Kievan Rus period,” Ami said. “When Greek Orthodox
missionaries were spreading their faith to Russia; Dr. Petrikov
believes the book he found was an effort to teach virtuous behavior to
the pagan warriors of the various principalities, who were descended
from Vikings.”

	Makoto now began rifling through Ami’s closet.  “You do not need
eight identical sweaters.”

	“It makes it easier if everything matches,” Ami said and Makoto grimaced.

	Usagi joined Makoto. “Well, we’ll find some way to dress you up for
your big show.”

	“I’m just a translator,” Ami said, embarrassed.

	“This is your chance to shine and we will make you shine like the
sun,” Usagi said firmly. “I thought I burned this blouse.”  She tossed
the offending blouse aside.

	“Rei refused to burn it,” Makoto reminded her.

	Ami smiled, watching them work; she was excited and nervous; English
wasn’t even her specialty or anything.  But this excited her.  And her
friends would learn something from it, she hoped.

	She hoped he’d do a reading from the Enchiridion; it had been very
inspirational when he’d read from it to them at his friend’s home.

	I just hope Luna isn’t feeling too down, she thought.  Given she had
a crush on that astronomer.

*****************
	
	Luna and Artemis had been lying around in the sun half asleep in the
park when Setsuna gently woke them and tossed them each a fish, which
they devoured in a frenzy.  Then Luna felt embarrassed at her lack of
manners. “Thank you, Pluto,” she said softly.

	Artemis said something incoherent which spewed fish bits.

	“Did your watch go well?” Setsuna asked, sitting down in the grass with them.

	“The thief never returned, which doesn’t surprise me,” Artemis said.
“It does mean watching for art thieves at the show, though.”

	“They didn’t have to be so cuddly in public,” Luna grumbled.

	Setsuna smiled a sad smile. “Human life is brief.  People must seize
all the joy they can before it ends.”

	“I guess you’ve watched a lot of lives come and go,” Artemis said
softly, half-looking at Setsuna and half-not.

	“I have sacrificed much to ensure other people can live quiet, normal
lives with those they love,” Setsuna said, staring off across the park
at a family busy having a picnic at one of the park tables.

	Luna sighed.  “So has Usagi.  She just wants a normal life.”

	Setsuna said, “I never wanted a normal life.  But…”  She didn’t
finish her sentence.  “Everyone has to grow up some time.”  She rose
from the grass.  “I can take happiness in knowing they are happy, even
if…”  She shook her head.  “You must be on guard.  I expect the
Deathbusters will target the show.”

	“I hope they don’t attack Ami again,” Luna said, frowning deeply.

	“Not her.  Him.  S…  They will target Petrikov.  I can feel it,”
Setsuna said.   “But not if I can help it.”  She looked grimly
determined.  “I must go.”

	“You don’t normally give away knowledge of the future,” Artemis said
hesitantly.

	“There’s only one heart in this city purer than his,” Setsuna said
flatly.  “They will know.”  Her face was set in anger.  “They will
know.” And then she strode off, nearly running.

	Luna and Artemis looked at each other, surprised to see her so worked
up; she was normally so cool and calm and collected.  Why did she care
about this so much?

*****************

	“Thank you so much, sir,” Simon Petrikov said to Mamoru, shaking his
hand.  Mamoru was going to haul everything to the auditorium in his
car.  “Are you and Ms. Mizuno…”

	“No, I’m just a friend of hers,” he said quickly. “I have a girlfriend.”

	Mamoru soon loaded Simon and Betty and the crates into his car;
Kakeru and Himeko were going to take public transport later, when it
was showtime.  Neither of them had a car.

	Then he noticed Haruka and Michiru following them in Haruka’s car.
That boded ill, but he couldn’t approach them with the Americans here.

	They picked up Makoto and once they reached the place, he and Makoto
hauled the crates in and helped them unpack and set up for the
presentation.

	“My goodness, you’re strong,” Simon said as Makoto lifted one of the
crates by herself; he knew he couldn’t have done it.

	“I’m glad to help,” Makoto said cheerfully.  “Need any help, Mamoru?”

	Mamoru stumbled a little but hefted the other crate, which amazed
Simon; Mamoru didn’t look that strong.

	They soon got everything set up and Betty went across the street and
brought back some snacks as a reward.  “Can I see the book?” Makoto
asked curiously. “Ami was talking about it.”

	The Enchiridion came out of its case; as Simon laid it out, the green
gem on the cover seemed to almost glow, as the blue one had done when
he’d shown it off the previous night.  But it had to be a trick of the
light, he knew.

	He opened it randomly, and it showed the story of Deborah, one of the
Judges of Israel, who led them to victory over their enemies.  He read
off the story, translating; it even had a picture of the battle.  An
anachronistic one in which ancient Israelites dressed like Kievan Rus
warriors.  But that was typical and just what you would expect.

	“And the moral is that God leads the faithful to victory over pagans.
 All part of the effort to convince Kievan princes to convert to
Christianity,” Simon said.

	Betty and Mamoru were busy talking biology in the background as Simon
showed off the book to Makoto.  Simon felt regretful he couldn’t keep
up with it, though he always tried.  It had to do with flowers, he
could tell that much.

	Makoto stroked the pages gently. “What kind of paper is this?”

	“Vellum; it’s made from calfskin,” Simon said, then rambled on about
how vellum was made.  “So if you ever wonder where the beef is, it’s
right here.”

	Betty laughed. “She’s too young and in the wrong country to get that, Simon.”

	Makoto said, “I don’t get it.”

	“It’s just a silly joke, don’t worry about it,” Simon said, then
looked thoughtful.  He pulled a sword out of the crate.  It had a
flawless golden blade and a hilt wrapped in black leather with a ruby
set in the pommel.  “Try this.”

	Makoto waved it around.  “It looks heavy but feel so light,” she said softly.

	“I know.  Whoever made all these things was a genius,” Simon said.

	They soon put back the sword and got finished setting everything up.

*****************

	Simon paced back and forth nervously.  He wanted this all to go well;
a ton of people from the Tokyo universities would be out there, people
in his own field.  He knew dimly that he wanted people to like him too
much, that he worried too much about being liked.  He could handle his
students, even when they got mad, but he wanted his peers to like him.

	Though everyone here had been very nice so far.

	“Go away,” he heard Betty say sharply to someone at the edge of the
backstage area.

	“Out of my way, old woman!” a woman replied sharply.

	Simon wondered what sort of lunatic thought of Betty as ‘old’.  But
this was going to turn into a brawl, he could tell.  So he headed
over. “What’s going on?”

	“Professor Petrikov!” the orange haired girl being blocked by Betty
said.  She had wavy hair held back by a colorful headscarf and huge
glasses and a trenchcoat despite the warmth of summer.  She looked
almost to him like she’d leaped out of some thirties movie about a
spunky girl reporter.  She was just a touch older than Mizuno and her
friends, not yet an adult but too old to be fully a child either.

	“I’m sorry, if you’re here for an interview, we’re about to start;
you can come back after the presentation,” he told her.

	“You can go away and never come back,” Betty said harshly, surprising
Simon.  Something must have happened.  “My fiancée and I have other
plans with our friends.”

	The girl visibly crashed and Simon winced.  Poor child.  He
understood that luck.  “I’m sorry,” he said.  “I forgot.”  It wasn’t
so urgent they had to rush off immediately, but understanding why
Betty was so angry, he had to back up the woman he loved.  Poor child.

	She stormed off. “You’ll regret this, you old hag!” the girl said,
stomping off.

	“I’m sorry,” Simon said to Betty.

	She sighed.  “It’s okay.” She kissed his cheek and smiled.  “I’m ready.”

	“Me too,” he told her and soon it was time for the show to begin.

****************

	“Dammit, people!” Haruka cursed; they were trapped in a sudden
traffic jam due to two eighteen wheelers crashing into each other in
an intersection.  “This is not the time for this!”

	“No, it is not,” Setsuna said and went out the window, flipping onto
the roof of the car.  “Michiru, with me.  Haruka, we will see you when
you can get out of this.”

	“Don’t leave me in a jam!” Haruka shouted as Michiru went out the
window and she and Setsuna began to leap from car roof to car roof.

****************

	Betty was still jumpy about letting children touch ancient artifacts.
 But Simon was too kind for his own good, so he was letting the two
little girls model the ancient jewelry; the crowd seemed to think this
the cutest thing ever.  And they hadn’t damaged anything.

	She went back to bring out the next display, only to find this insane
woman who wore a weird outfit made out of rope.  She had bluish skin
and a black star on her forehead and a huge long whip extended from
the top of her head.

	“I do not have time for insane cosplayers,” Betty said. “No one is
allowed back here.”

	And then the whip cracked, wrapping her up and lifting her to the
rafters; it then snapped off, leaving her hanging, gagged by the whip.
 The creature then took on her shape.

	Betty stared at it, eyes wide.  What the hell is going on here?

	It took the display and began to wheel it forward and Betty struggled
but could not get free.  No, SIMON!, she thought desperately,
shivering.

******************

	Simon had noticed that the gems on the Enchiridion were
extra-glittery in the stage lights.  All of them were almost glowing
now.  Right now, though, he was discoursing on one of the ancient
princes of Kievan Rus, Yaroslav the Wise. “Under this wise king,
Kievan law would be codified and made clear and comprehensible.  I
believe the Enchiridion was written during this time.”  Ms. Mizuno now
repeated this in Japanese for the audience.

	Betty now came out with a display showing a copy of the law code. “I
found this with the artifacts; it is a copy of the Ruskaya Pravda,
that law code.”  Ms. Mizuno now repeated this in Japanese for the
audience.


	Betty now came over to him, looking ready to kiss him and he turned a
little red.  Everyone was looking.  But he couldn’t say no to her.  So
he leaned in for it.

	A raven haired girl in the audience suddenly rose and shouted
something in Japanese.  Ms. Mizuno’s eyes widened and she suddenly
leaped forwards and pushed Betty back to Simon’s confusion.  But then
Betty hefted and hurled her into the audience.

	“Betty, what’s going on?” Simon said in utter shock.  Betty looked
angry and grabbed him, even as Chibi-Usa shouted something at her
friend, who now began to run off to one side of the stage.

	The audience was shouting and people were fleeing and now he could
see a black star on Betty’s forehead, even as she punted Chibi-Usa
away. “Betty, what are you doing?  What is going on?” he said
frantically.

	“That isn’t Betty!” Ms. Mizuno shouted, climbing back onto the stage.
 “Show yourself!” she said angrily.

 	Betty responded by turning into a strange blue-skinned woman dressed
in an outfit made out of whip, with a giant whip extending from her
forehead, above the hollow blue star.  She whipped poor Ms. Mizuno off
the stage again and then stared into Simon’s eyes and he felt himself
freeze up; he felt strange and his whole body tingled and it hurt.

	But what hurt more was knowing this thing had somehow taken Betty’s
place, which meant Betty was in danger and probably hurt and…

	He managed to kick the creature, but it didn’t stumble far and now it
tied him up and the pain started again and the last thing he saw was a
strange glowing crystal coming out of his own mouth.

**************

	Everyone was fleeing, which was probably for the best; it let Ami
finally transform and the others.  When they returned, they found
Mimette studying the heart crystal her minion had extracted.
Chibi-Moon was already there, confronting her.

	“You meanie!  How can you possibly do that to such a kind old man!”
she said angrily.

	Mercury smiled a little; he wasn’t *that* old, but he must seem so to
a little girl, she thought.

	Dr. Petrikov was on his hands and knees, breathing hard and trying to
stand to Ami’s amazement.  Most victims just laid there.  “Betty…” he
said weakly.  “Where is she?  What have you done to her?”

	“This one is very strong,” Mimette said approvingly.  “Let’s take it
home, Whip-chan.”

	“Don’t ignore me!” Chibi-Usa said angrily.  “PINK SUGAR HEART
ATTACK!”  She ‘blasted’ Mimette, who giggled at the gentle massage.
	
	Dr. Petrikov grabbed the table leg where some of the artifacts lay,
like the Enchiridion; its gems shone brightly and the gems in
everyone’s tiaras shone as well.  The closer Mercury got, the brighter
her gem became, which made her a little nervous.

	“Mimete, your reign of…” Sailor Moon began her speech.

	WHIP CRACK; five Sailors were now hanging from the ceiling, bound up
by wiggling whip segments.

	“Hey, you missed me!” Chibi-Moon said triumphantly.

	“I didn’t care about you,” Whip-chan said.

	Being ‘blasted’ by Chibi-Usa didn’t make her care either.

	Chibi began kicking her in the shins. “Care, dammit!”

	“You shouldn’t swear!” Sailor Moon shouted as she swung above the
seating area, trying to get free.

	Mimette now hefted Chibi-Usa over her head.  “Go away, brat!”

	Then Hotaru suddenly charged out of the wings, seized the Enchiridion
and hit Mimete in the back of the head with it.  “You’re a terrible
person!” She shouted.

	Chibi fell and Mimete stumbled and Whip-chan now hung up Hotaru like
a side of beef also.

	“No, HOTARU!”

	“Injuring children… kidnapping Betty… you are terrible,” Simon said,
now holding himself up using the table and fumbling around blindly;
his glasses had fallen off when he’d lost his heart crystal.

	“Oh, that’s right, Whip-chan, get Betty; she’ll make a good Diamon
host,” Mimette said. “Someone has to do Eudial’s old work so it
doesn’t get in the way of my mission, anyway.”

	“N…n…NO,” Simon said and now he grabbed the sword which was on the
table.  Its red gem glowed brightly and fires danced in his eyes.  He
lunged at Mimete with the blade as it caught fire and she barely
parried his blows with her staff.

	“WHIP-CHAN!” Mimete shouted.

	WHIP CRACK!  Simon went flying and the sword flew into the air.  He
began to crawl towards Mimete.  “I can’t let you hurt her.  You hurt
those children.”

	“How the hell can you keep going like this when I have your heart
crystal?” Mimete said, staring at him.

	“Because he isn’t a monster like you!” Betty said and came out of the
backstage, spraying Mimete in the face with mace.  Mimete, no longer
wearing her glasses in her super form, screamed and rubbed her eyes
and dropped the heart crystal and then a wave of violet energy blasted
Whip-chan back out of sight into the backstage area.

	“Damn you all,” Sailor Pluto said angrily and then blasted Mimete
back through the wall in turn.

	As she did so, Sailor Venus caught the tumbling sword with her feet
and then twisted and cut Jupiter loose, tossing her the sword.  Mars
began to pray and the sword’s flames grew larger as Jupiter charged
towards the melee.

	Whip-chan now seized Betty, holding her up.  “Give it up or she
dies,” she said, squeezing the trapped scientist.

	Pluto was locked in a blast-vs-blast battle with Mimete, who was
barely holding her own.  But she stopped shooting and blasted
Whip-chan, forcing her to let go of Betty at the cost of being flung
into the seating area.  “Damn you!” she shouted angrily.

	“I’ll get you out of here,” Chibi said to Betty, trying to drag her off.

	“I can’t leave Simon,” Betty said, grabbing her can of mace again.
“I love him too much to abandon him.”

	Pluto made a noise as she crawled out of the seats.

	Tuxedo Kamen finally made his appearance. “Sorry, I chose the wrong
time to go to the men’s room,” he said, then hurled roses to cut Moon
and Venus and Mercury loose, only to get blasted off the stage by
Mimete.

	Neptune now emerged from the side of the stage.  “I couldn’t find
anything but I heard the fighting.”

	Then she dodged Whip-chan attacking her and blasted Whip-chan back
and now Jupiter closed in on Whip-chan, slicing off her whip again and
again.

	“Betty, you must recover his heart,” Pluto said to Betty.  “I will
keep Mimete busy.”  A battle of staff vs. staff ensued as Betty dodged
through the chaos around her, trying to get to the dropped heart
crystal.

	Simon tried to crawl after her and Mercury had to hold him back for
his own good.

	“LOVE ME CHAIN!” Venus now had Whip-chan hanging from the ceiling and
they began to play piñata with her, blasting her back and forth.
“Turnabout Choo-Choo is fair play!” Venus crowed.

	Betty crawled back with the heart, then looked over at Pluto.

	“Kiss him,” Pluto shouted, so she did and the crystal flew into her
head and then into his and down into his chest somehow.  His paled
skin turned normal and he breathed normally.

	“Sailor Moon, touch the book with the Silver Crystal,” Pluto said, so
she did so and now the Enchidrion glowed very brightly.  The light of
the gems mixed to form white light.  “Now, Simon, tell Whip-chan to go
home.”

	“Whip-chan, go home!” he said, holding out the book.  The circle of
gems became a swirling portal which sucked up Whip-chan and then the
light faded and it seemed a normal book.

	“Dammit!” Mimette shouted and teleported away.

	And then there was silence and Pluto helped Simon and Betty up.  “You
were never supposed to be caught up in all this,” she said, sounding
frustrated.

	“I… do I know you?” Simon said, taking off his glasses and cleaning
them.  “I… have we met?” he said softly.

	“No,” Pluto said softly.  “*You* have not met me before, not now.
Not this way.  And that is how it must stay; prices must be paid.”
She sighed and rose.  “You will have no further trouble from this fool
and I am very sorry this ever happened.”

	“I thought Kakeru was joking about monsters,” Simon mumbled.  Then he
asked, “I… are you the Princess of the Moon?” he asked softly.

	“I was the Princess of the Nightosphere,” Pluto said softly. “In a
world that no longer is nor will be.  I serve the Moon Princess now.”
She gestured at Sailor Moon.

	“Hi,” Sailor Moon said, laughing nervously.

	“That’s not the real Moon Princess!  She has long black hair and it’s
all wavy!” Kakeru said.  “She led us to safety when the chaos
started!”  He and Himeko had now come back into the far end of the
seating area.

	“The other Moon Princess,” Pluto said, now amused.

	“And we met the Moon Prince too, he was very handsome,” Himeko said,
stars in her eyes.

	Sailor Moon started to say something but then she just laughed.
Simon and Betty couldn’t understand what she said in Japanese, but
Mercury said in English, “She says that was her big sister.”

	“We must go,” Pluto said firmly.  “Gather around me.”

	Soon they all vanished in a spray of light, leaving Simon, Betty,
Kakeru, and Himeko alone to begin cleaning up, though Hotaru soon
joined them.

	Shortly after, Ms. Mizuno and her friends arrived to help as well and
the police arrived, too late to do any good.

******************

	“Setsuna, what is going on?” Michiru demanded of Setsuna  a little
later; they’d joined Haruka at a café once the traffic had cleared.

	“We should play some music; I will bring my guitar,” Setsuna told
her. “I need to sing some old songs.”

	“Don’t dodge the question.  You knew that man,” Michiru said. “But he
didn’t know you.”

	“In another timeline, I knew him well,” Setsuna said softly.  “That
world can never exist, I won’t allow it to happen again.  But it means
he will never know me.  But that’s for the best.  This way, he, at
least, will be happy.”

	Haruka sipped her coffee, then said, “Old boyfriend?”

	“He was my father,” Setsuna said.  “In every way that mattered.”  Her
eyes were far away.  “He gave up everything for me, to protect me,
when I was just a child he found.  Because he had a heart as big as
the world.  And he could not allow a child to suffer if he could help
it.”

	Haruka and Michiru didn’t know what to say, so they quietly drank their coffee.

	“But now history is different.  Better,” Setsuna said. She sighed and
drained her glass.  “I have to find where I hid my guitar.  I’ll meet
you at your place soon.”

	“What about the book?  It and the sword are both magical and our
enemies know it,” Haruka said.  “Something will have to be done to
keep them coming for him again.”

	“I know.  I will arrange that as well,” Setsuna said, then laid down
some money. “This will cover my cut of the tab.” And then she strode
away.

*********************

Crystal Tokyo, 1000 years in the future, more or less:
	
	“It’s always so peaceful,” Finn complained.  He was busy hauling
cannisters out of a car for his lady… at least he wanted her to be his
lady… Bonnibel, an aspiring young scientist and student under Lady
Mercury.

	Finn had the heart of a hero in a time of peace; the Black Moon
Crisis was over and everything was peaceful.  But it had been so
exciting, dodging and fighting monsters, Bonnibel at his side.

	He knew he shouldn’t want it to happen again but…

	“That is for the best, Finn,” she said, smiling at him; she was older
than him with long pink hair.  “I need you even when there is no chaos
everywhere.”

	He blushed at that as he finished loading cannisters onto the cart
and hauled it into her lab, where they found Lady Pluto waiting.

	They bowed and she said, “You don’t have to bow for me,” sounding
embarrassed.  “I have a mission for you, in the past.”

	“Back when Captain Kirk fought the Indians?” Finn said excitedly. “I
kept the sword you gave me!”

	“Finn, the Indians were made up creatures in stories,” Bonnibel said.
 She’d gotten straight As in science, but the humanities were another
question.

	Pluto rubbed her forehead, not having actually realized that until
now.  “There is a man who is very important; he has to live in peace
and quiet and you have to ensure that happens, so this future can come
to pass.  I just need you to stay a few months until this crisis is
over.”

	“What crisis?” Finn asked.

	“The one in the past.  Also, Indians are real, Captain Kirk was a
story,” Pluto said.

	Bonnibel looked embarrassed.

	“We’ll do it!  I can bring Jake, right?” he asked urgently.

	“Of course,” Pluto said. “Now this is what I need you to do…”

******************

Adjectiveless Tokyo, the Present:

	Usagi didn’t even know what she was singing, but Minako and Ami found
it hilarious, so she sang along as best she could; the post-cleanup
party at Kakeru’s place had become a big sing-along, which Minako was
enjoying hugely.  And Usagi, though she knew she was terrible.

	“Okay, something which is NOT a theme song,” Kakeru insisted.

	She hoped they weren’t intruding on the four friends too much, but it
had seemed to her they needed company.

	“Young lady, why don’t you pick a song?” Dr. Petrikov said to Usagi,
though Ami had to translate for him.

	“Umm… Umm…”

	“Let’s do some Michael Jackson,” Rei said.

	“How about Thriller?” Usagi suggested.

	They soon all formed a line of zombies and began to dance and sing.
This is how life should be, Usagi thought.  And one day, in Crystal
Tokyo, it would be.  That was her dream, a peaceful future for
everyone.

	Even at cost to herself.  One day, she would be queen and have to
work hard so others could enjoy themselves.

	But she would make that sacrifice for everyone.

	But not yet.  Right now, it was time to goof off and these were the
goofiest adults she knew.

	She just wished Luna could have come.

*****************	
	
	Luna and Artemis would have been more comfortable if Haruka hadn’t
kept eyeing them.  But Pluto had brought them and given them fish and
now was leading the trio in wild rock music that seemed so strange
when she did it.

	o/~	It’s just you and me in the wreckage of the world
 	o/~ That must be so confusing for a little girl
 	o/~ And I know you’re going to need me here with you
 	o/~ But I’m losing myself and I’m afraid you’re gonna lose me too.
	
	“Moon Prince, huh?” Artemis said softly and teasingly to Luna.

	“I had to say something,” she said frantically, blushing under her
fur.  But then she smiled a little.  “I didn’t know you could do that
now.”

	“I figured it out from watching you,” he said, snuggling up to her.

	She patted him gently with a paw.  “I know we fight a lot but having
someone here who remembers the old days makes me feel less lonely.
Sometimes I wonder if it was real, even with the Sailors back,”  Luna
said softly to him.  “Thank you.”

	“You’re welcome,” Artemis said.  “I know.  Sometimes I wonder if it
was all real too.  But I have you as proof.  And all the girls.”

	They listened to the sad song and Luna wondered if Pluto felt like
this too.  She must, from the songs she wrote.  She knew Pluto had
come to the Silver Millenium from the distant future, a future that no
longer existed.  Beyond that, she was a great mystery; she’d made some
sort of deal with Serenity and become the Guardian of Time, giving up
all her old ties, her old life.

	Yet remains of that still clearly existed.

	But Luna would not pry; she did not want to add to Pluto’s sorrows.

	I hope it was worth it, she thought.

****************

	“Why Gunther?” Simon asked Betty as they laid together that night.

	“Because that’s Father’s name and it’s a family tradition,” Betty
said. “Did you forget his name again?”

	“Yes,” Simon said, embarrassed.  “I am such a flake sometimes.”

	“And you can name our first girl,” Betty told him.

	“Marcy,” Simon said.  “I spent a lot of time agonizing over this, but
it just… It seemed right.  It’s a good name for a good girl.”  He felt
an odd ache, as if he had forgotten something again and he prayed he
wasn’t naming his future daughter after an old girlfriend by accident.

	“After the cartoon character?” Betty said in confusion.

	“What cartoon character?” Simon asked.

	“Sometimes I forget you grew up in Russia,” Betty said to him.

	“Well, I know some American culture, from watching things which got
broadcast in free countries and then crossed the Iron Curtain because
TVs didn’t care about borders.  I memorized every bit I could because
I hoped to see freedom,” he told her.  “Even a silly show like Cheers
was a sign there was a better world out there.  One with *you* in it.”

	They kissed and soon fell asleep, exhausted from the day.

*******************

	“I can probably use the Crystal to make him remember.  I can tell you
knew him in the past,” Usagi said to Setsuna; they were meeting at a
café.

	“You can’t restore what never happened.  History has changed and it’s
for the best,” Setsuna said.  She smiled sadly. “And it’s dangerous
for you to use the crystal too much.  You could hurt yourself or die.”

	“It doesn’t matter,” Usagi said urgently.  “I can’t stand to see you
hurt like this.  To see any of my friends hurt.”

	“Everything has a cost.  I will not try to cheat, for fear I lose it
all,” Setsuna said softly.  “I will remember him and he will be free
and happy and that is enough.”

	“Setsuna…” Usagi said, putting her hand on her brooch.

	“No,” Setsuna said firmly.  “Let him live his life.  He will have
adventure enough, I fear, without him being dragged into our business.
 If he knew, if he remembered… he would only get himself hurt trying
to protect me.”

	“But he…”

	“He is like you, but without any innate power,” Setsuna said.  “He’s
sacrificed enough on my behalf.  Now I return the favor.  Though it
seems fate may not let me have what I want.”  She frowned.  “I have
arranged protection for him.  In case there is trouble.  It’s in their
hands now.”

	“What is that book?” Usagi asked. “I thought I saw a picture of
Mother in it.”  She meant Serenity, Setsuna could tell.

	“You did; the book adjusts itself to the viewer and to its master,”
Setsuna told her.  “And it is *not* supposed to be in this universe
any more.”  She frowned deeply.  “But it is not your problem now.”

	“I just want to help you be happy,” Usagi said softly.

	“I know,” Setsuna said, then munched on her cookie.

	Usagi stuffed hers into her mouth and ate it all in one big messy chew-fit.

	Setsuna smiled a little.  Your heart is so big, princess.  You will
be a wonderful Queen one day, as your mother was before you.

	Old pains and memories sometimes troubled her, but she’d learned you
could always find new joy and new friends and make new memories. So
she would preserve what was in her heart and work on to create a
better world, where everyone could be happy and no one would have to
pay the price but her.  She could afford it and then she wouldn’t have
to feel guilty.

	Fly free my friends, she thought.  I will pay the price so you can fly free.

END STORY