Chapter Two: The World's at the Fair

Clanging her fork on a glass, Threepio stood up. "Hear ye, hear ye! We members of the generation commonly known as the bratpack (that is, my siblings, Kodi, Alan, Sylvite, and Hema-chan) have together purchased your birthday present, my princess. Behold, it awaits you in the center of yon table."

Princess Usagi ripped off the cloth that obscured her gift. "A chocolate pudding maker? Even after twenty years some people never forget! You didn't have to tell them, Aunt Ami." Anyway, Usagi thought, I was only three and it was just a single swimming pool!

After the older generation's peals of laughter had finally subsided, Titanite II's parents stood up on a bench. "We too have an announcement" Brendan said "It seems that our palace bratpack will soon increase in number." He squeazed Rhiannon's hand and blushed.

"That is to say" continued the extradimensional senshi "that once again I'm pregnant. The tests say that our next twins, we'll be calling them Jacen and Jaina, are due in early January. Why I keep having multiples is totally unknown to me. Oh well, Sidhe works in mysterious ways as so many people have said in so many religions."

Rhiannon wondered for a second if she should have said the last sentence. She was no more religious than most people had been when she was first young, but sometimes the alienness of the habbits she had aquired reinforced the fact that this wasn't really her own world and never would be. Not that she really had her own world. She was a relic back home, and a visitor here. What was the last remaining matriarch (for Artoo seemed reluctant at the prospect of becoming heir) of an almost dead clan supposed to do?

Usagi then proceeded to open up her next present. They continued the happy mingling untill all the food had been eaten and all the presents had been doled out. Then the bratpack was set loose upon the carnival and everyone in it.

Looking pleased with themselves, Leia, Mara, Usagi, Hematite, and Threepio surveyed the assembled scene. With hardly any prodding they had convinced a few of the McIntyre-Muraino siblings to act in the betterment of their brother and keep the two Aino siblings from getting in the way of Luke while he tried to woo Sylvite. The boy had no idea of the plot which served their pupose perfectly. Surveying the scene they started humming "Matchmaker."

"Alan-chan! Alan-chan! Please go on rides with us!" The elder Aino sibling looked down. Ben and Anakin were tugging on his shirt. The seven year olds admired their elder semi-cousin a great deal. To tell the truth, Alan didn't mind. He reasoned that a warrior needs his syncophants, even if they were only little more than babes.

"Would you take them around?" Brendan asked "Rhi and I could use some time alone together and they like you so much. Please?" He assumed a pleading look. Alan nodded. He and the younger twins started walking over to the Tilt-A-Whirl, not noticing the figure approaching a certain other babe.

Sylvite felt a hand on top of her shoulder. Turning around she saw the smiling face of Luke. "Syl-chan" he said softly "do you want to explore this place with me?" Sylvite thought suddenly that he had lovely eyes under those shaggy bangs. She inwardly blushed and chided herself. Luke wasn't even interested in anything beyond friendship with her, wasn't he? Anyway he said that there was a girl he like at school.

Banishing that thought to the back of her psyche she replied "I'm not sure, Kodi and I were thinking of doing this together, although . . ." Sylvite cast a glance at Kodachi and Artoo. They seemed to be deep in conversation. Like Kodi, the older girl was interested in girls and but, unlike Syl's best friend, she made no attempt at covering it up. Neither the elder Rhiannon nor Brendan had any problems with that. Artoo's maternal grandmother had shared those same tendencies which may have been the reason why her parents were more relaxed about sexuality. Though she was the Senshi of Love, Minako had been more skittish about Kodachi's choice in love interest and so, in compromise, mother and daughter had agreed to keep mum about it till Kodachi was of age as long as Minako didn't bug her daughter about it. Getting her mind back to the present, Sylvite grinned at Luke. "I'd love too."

"Really?" Luke tried not to show how estatic he was. "I mean, that's great! Let's try out that Spider over there." He pointed to the ride and they started walking towards toward it. As Luke walked he gazed at Sylvite. No matter how many times he saw her he never tired of watching her. But today, yes today, he would tell her of his love, he vowed. Almost unconsiously, their hands touched. Then, blushing together, they quickly slid them into their pockets.

The Younger Charon looked at the adolescent she had sidled up next to. She felt a bit like a hipocrit about that comment she had made a few days ago. Strictly speaking, Alan probably wasn't the only one who liked one of the younger bratpack members. "Hey Kodi!" Artoo smiled at the other girl "I'm visiting the funhouse, want to come with?"

Unbeknownsed to the merry-makers, a silent form was scurrying around the park. Every few meters or so around he would stop to fiddle a devise made of crystal and wire. Past the machine gun shooting booth with it's spiky blue haired targets, the giant octopus scooping booth, a subspace funhouse, and a pair of vendors with a malfunctioning cotton candy machine, he stalked the carnival. Soon, very soon, his strike against the chibi one would be in effect. The plotter didn't notice a worried looking young man following him. This following one would save his cousin from this madness.

As the plotter was finishing his work, the bratpack's parents were enjoying ice cream while their children rode the ferris wheel. Spooning some mint chocolate chip from her dish, Rhiannon remarked to her husband. "Judging by today, it seems that we'll have grandchildren within a century, Bren. Number four for me and the first for you, Pyr, and Azure."

"You're getting a little ahead of yourself, Rhi." her husband replied "It's not like they're dating or anything." Though, Brendan thought, it wouldn't be that bad to have Sylvite as a daughter-in-law. He genuinely liked the girl and wouldn't mind having Syl and her parents as part of the family.

"That's because Luke's shy, dearheart. When he gets his courage up he'll tell her. Sylia's a sensible girl, she'd know the difference between Luke and those phony battling suitors." Rhiannon grinned "Though even if Syl goes temporarily insane and does choose Alan we still might get granchildren."

"What do you mean?" Minako asked from the next bench over "And what's wrong with Alan, anyway?"

Besides acting like Tatewaki Kuno on Prozac and annoying all females in the area, the pregnant woman thought, nothing. Rhiannon, however, didn't voice that opinion. "Alan is a nice boy" she finally said "He's great with my twins. I just think that Luke and Sylvite would be a better match. Alan reminds me a bit of Bren's old fencing teacher, the eternally single samurai type."

[Internal: That teacher being Kuno. See R&T4.]

Minako took the bait. "And . . ." she reminded "You said you still might get grandchildren."

Time to reel her in. "Oh, didn't you notice how well my Artoo and your Kodachi are hitting off? I'm so glad that genetic engineering is far enough along so that two women can produce offspring." Rhiannon smiled beatifically as Sailor Venus started to turn purple.

Minako screamed towards the ferris wheel "Artoo McIntyre, keep your bloody paws of my daughter!" Figuring that they hadn't heard her, she stalked over to the stand for more icecream to console herself.

"That was terrible, Rhi." Titanite put in, swirling around her double fudge soup "You know how Minako feels about that kind of thing." Usually Titanite's unofficial sister was more serious but today she seemed to have the devil inside her.

"Why do you think I did it, Ti? Minako's gone hidebound in her immortality. I wanted to shake her up a bit. Let an old woman have her fun."

"Ha! Pot calling kettle black, more likely." Ti snorted. "You know you can be just as bad about other things."

"Who? Me?" Rhiannon assumed an innocent expression, then frowned "She did react a little worse than I expected her to. I wonder . . ." Maybe there was a little bit of truth to her jokes. Had she hit too close to the mark? She stared ahead a little untill a comment brought her attention back to the here and now.

"'Phantom of the Opera' is coming to town." Azurite mentioned, licking her spoon. "Do want to go with me, Rhiannon? You know I have first call for tickets at the Kumada Memorial Theater." When they had first met, Azurite had been suprised to find out that Titanite's eternal houseguest was also somewhat of a culture vulture. Azure had thought she was the only Immortal or near-Immortal that was a patron of the theater. Rhiannon, however, had revealed that she also had an interest in that subject, which might have sprung from her own father's love of the theater and her exposure to it from an early age. Even though the two women were never as close of friends as their husbands had became, they still would go to plays together.

"Of course!" Rhi replied "You know that Phantom is my favorite.

Even if Micheal Crawford can't play the lead in it, I'd never pass it up." For a second Rhiannon let herself slide back into an memory from over a millenia ago, one that happened when she was ten. She was visiting her aunt who lived in Columbia that week and one night she, her father, her aunt, and her sister Elinor all went up to Kenedy Center to see a showing of the original cast of Phantom. Ever since then it had been her favorite play. A second later Rhiannon was jolted out of her reminiscing.

"Excuse me Prime, Senshi, Guardians, your Highnesses." A young man had tapped Serenity on the shoulder. "I'm sorry to say that a madman is about to interupt your birthday celebration. There's no telling what he'll do, if he gets the chance. I'm not sure how he got through your city's defences when we first entered though I'll grant you that Harry is a sly one. Sorry, I forgot to introduce myself, though I think Uncle Tom recognises me."

"Is that you Jordan?" Tom asked, remembering the twentysomething from advanced training. "What happened? I had heard you had had trouble with Hunter CURE over your trading cards being burnt by him but are you saying . . ." The two had fought on and off again when he had met them. Family bonds had kept them from killing each other but they still sometimes came close to homicide. That was one of the times.

The youth's clothes changed into ninja black. "Yes, his hatred for the princess has consumed him utterly. In coarser words, he has finally cracked. Oh, by the way, I'm Hunter CUTE, _Jordan_ Smith in mundane terms. My cousin cum partner, Harry, and I were taking a vacation here when I found some papers of his. Uncle Tom, he has a plot on a scale not seen since Hunter Leo . . ."

Not knowing that trouble was a-brewing, the Ferris Wheel kept a-turning. "Enrolling is going on rather well" Threepio said to the girls she shared her bench with "Pacifica has pretty much given a definate yes for my joining their marine biology program. Did I tell you two about Artoo? She's pretty well set on Monterey Northside. Are you sure you want to stay here in CT, Usagi? There is a whole wide world ouside our little haven. By the way, how's UW-Oshkosh, Hema-chan? Did Mom's pointers on dealing with Packer Worship work?"

"It's pretty good so far and her tips were a great help. I've made a couple of friends, though none of the caliber of you guys. Somehow Mikey and Nathan in Analysis of Science Fiction and Fantasy always pull me into these Trek vs Wars debates so it's actually kinda like home only colder and full of crazy Cheeseheads and members of the conservative right. Don't look at me like that, Mikey and Nathan are just friends. " Hematite reflected that it was funny that she, shyest of all the elder bratpack, with a timidness only exceeded by Leia, was making friends and adapting. Somehow Senshi-ness did have it's effect on you.

Heading down a curve, Mara remarked "If Luke doesn't tell Syl he loves her I swear I'll disown him. I mean, conditions are perfect with Kodi and Alan out of the way. After all we planned for him . . ." Mara threw her hands up in the air. "Oy vey!"

"You do realise that you are admitting that you care for him, dear sister. It might damage your reputation." Leia smiled "And what's with the Yiddish? Mom's influence?" At Mara's nod, she added "Thought so. Heh, I wish they would finally figure out heredity vs upbringing. They were still arguing about that in the twentieth."

"Why don't you give a go at it?" Mara asked "And while you're at it you can help me with my book report due at the beginning of term. It's on Orwell's '1984.' I'll even treat you to ice cream on the way home."

"I just might, I just might."

"It's so fun playing with you, Alan!" Ben giggled as they swooped up again. Anakin nodded vigerously. Both a carnival _and_ Alan, they were practically in heaven. The older boy had even promised that he'd get them popcorn after this ride!

Alan truly was having fun today. It was nice to have time off from guarding his beloved. He knew that Luke wouldn't be a danger, he was too shy to confess of his love for the girl that was rightfully Alan's. And he did have a special liking for the younger twins. "Ah, even in ones so young peace doth flourish."

Kodachi and Artoo were talking of this and that. Right now Artoo was expounding on politics. "It's not that I have anything against Serenity, it's just that I don't think monarchy is the right type of government. There is too much potential for abuse. Now direct democracy, like in the CAF, is my idea of government. Everyone gets their own vote in the whole matter!" Artoo blushed. "Am I boring you, Kodi-chan?"

"Not really, though I hadn't thought of the subject before." Kodachi actually hoped the other girl wasn't bored with her. She was impressed as Artoo waxed feverently on topics. There was something bugging Kodatchi, though. She decided to ask her friend "You might think this sounds weird, but even though you and your siblings are so different you're all alike in some ways."

"You noticed?" Artoo raised an eyebrow "Most people don't but yes, we all do have some similarities. I think I'm the only one of my siblings that has figured that out. Clan mindedness is probably one. As whole we care more for our close friends and family than either ourselves or the omnipresent THEM. We don't have true extroverts either. Not that we can't be friendly but we'd rather just associate with ourselves and our siblings. Threepio is the nearest to an extrovert we have and even she really only has a handful of non-bratpack friends."

"And you're all so stubborn!" Kodi put in "Not that there's anything wrong with that." she quickly added. Damn, she put her foot in her mouth again.

"I agree." Artoo replied "Although the others might not. Hey, why is your mom shouting? I bet she thinks I'm going to ravish you or something." Artoo grinned and added "Of course that would be illegal as you aren't at the age of consent. Who does she think I am?" Kodachi sighed, but was happy none the less just talking and riding.

"Sylvite?" Luke was sure he had the right moment. He and Sylvite were perched on the next bench up. It really was now or never. "Remember that night a few months ago? When I mentioned that girl I liked?" He crossed his toes for luck.

"Hmmm? Oh yes, I remember." Why did Luke have to remind her of that, Sylvite wondered, and why was she so bothered with the thought of Luke having a girlfriend? But then the girl would end up hanging around with them and she'd be an outsider and . . . Sylvite drew her thoughts together, not sure which answer she wanted."Did you tell her yet?"

"Sylvite that girl . . ." Luke was interupted by omnious, evil sounding laughter. The Ferris Wheel came to an abrupt stop with them at the very top of the ride. "Oh shit." he muttered.

"I think we should get down there" Sylvite said and then, grabbing Luke, she teleported down. At the bottom she met up with Mara and Leia whose bench, synchronicity willing, had been closest to the bottom, thus the female triplets had been able to climb down. That was lucky as they were the only group on the Ferris Wheel that didn't have a teleporter among them. Artoo and Kodachi soon appeared followed by Hematite, Threepio, and Usagi. Last to come down was Alan and the twins, as it took a while for Ben to get ready for treble teleporting. As it was, the boy had to rest a second after that.

His twin started to run to their parents but stopped short."Hey, the air has gone stiff!" Anakin cried. He knocked on it once or twice to prove the point. The solid air around the bratpack had began to glow and the boy stepped backwards. And then it looked like the kids blinked out of existance.

Chrysolite sighed, "I _knew_ we should have held this at Märchenland."

Makoto shook her head, "With our luck the bratpack would have been turned into pink hippos."

Both watched with interest as pale hands grabbed the young hunter and shook him. "Where the hell did my kids go?" Rhiannon glared fiercely at Jordan. Unconsiously, the slight hissing of the silibants she usually had grew more pronounced. "You haven't told us the whole story about you and your so-called partner. And this whole thing _smells_ like dimensional meddling."

"We have all the time in the world for me to tell," the young Hunter sighed as the elder woman slackened her grip. "You see, Harry is, besides his sister, my only living relation. We started out as friends through out mutual interest in the twentieth century adventures of the Senshi. Unfortunatly, on the subject of Chibi Moon, who we figured out was really a relative of Serenity, then Sailor Moon, known as Chibi Usa, we greatly differed. I chose my name, Chibi Usa is Terrific Everyone, as a way to express my love and deep respect. Harry, as Chibi Usa is Really Evil, instead wanted to foister his hatred of her onto the world as whole. If only I hadn't told him my hunch that Chibi Usa was also the princess . . ." He hung his head. "I just wish I knew what the machine he was planting was.

Harry was always more mechanically enclined than I."

"Machine? Was it about yea high, shaped like an umbrella frame, and crystaline?" Brendan asked, using his hands to illustrate the quiry. Jordan nodded. "Just what I was afraid of. Somehow he's stolen the Hyperphasic Dimensional Cage Generator." Blank looks.

"It's a devise Bren and I invented. It's in the records as the Hyperdimensional Hammer of Thor." Pyrite put in. "Basically, what it does is create a phantom world in pocketspace that mirrors the non-living parts of the surounding kilometre of where it's been placed. You can also bring living beings into the field. The kids must have been between Usagi and CURE."

"You mean the bratpack is going to be trapped in there forever? He used your equipment to get rid of your children?" Makoto's eyebrows shot up. "We're in big trouble, now."

"Rather ironic, isn't it?" Pyrite replied "Of course they won't stay there forever. The field will collapse on it's own in a half hour bringing the kids and CURE back. But we want it down faster because the time diallation is about 12.157 give or take a thousandth. In plain English . . . well, Japanese actually, they could be in there for over six hours." After the uproar that statement created was quieted down, the two men explained that they and Ami would get to work post-haste on collapsing the field.

Meanwhile, Jordan remarked to the Martian Senshi "Harry has to know he's going to be caught! I can't believe that he'd risk getting in the slammer just to get a potshot at the princess. I should have seen it happen." Great, the only family he had left was headed straight for a mental institution with his sister! Why in the hell did Harry have to loose it?

"It wasn't all your fault, boy." Rei replied "CTU security isn't what it could be. When I get that Hyper . . . Hyper . . . Hyperdimensional Hammer back I'm keeping it under lock and key in the palace vaults and there is no way anyone will build another, not with the public saftey bans I'll put on it." Watching the three scientifically gifted ones scramble, she wondered if the kids were still okay.

The bratpack was staring at their surroundings. They seemed to still be at the Carnival but it had become different, shadowed. "Why, hello." A man in Hunter black put his megaphone down as he stepped out from the shadows. "I didn't know so many of you would come to call. I was only expecting your princess. Allow me to introduct myself. I am Hunter CURE, though my friends call me Harry. You can be my friends too. I have brought you all to my little playground, for playing is what I will be doing with you. How about a nice game of cat and mouse?" Harry grinned. "Catch if catch can!" Teleporting away to one of the points he had selected earlier, he started fiddling with the equipment he had placed there earlier. Twelve against one certainly wasn't fair. It was time to even the competition a little with a few suprises of his own borrowing.

Though he tried to busy himself, Harry's thoughts soon turned to melancholy. He and Jordan had their quarrels a gazillion times and they had always bounced back from it, even when he had torched that inspid trading card in a fight. Still, what if Jordan repudiated him? He probably thinks me mad, Harry mused. Doesn't he understand that the Princess is dangerous? Remember Black Lady from the war? That was Chibbi Usa! She's the bad seed, the snake in the grass. He may be ridding the world of the evil flamingo head but now he was having second thoughts if losing his partner and, more importantly, cousin was worth it . . .

The Princess was Black Lady, she had been friends with the Anti-Messiah, and, worst of all, according to records she had cause a short-time split between Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen with her stupid arrival when they fought the Uncanny Sisters. And those eyes . . . Harry shivered. Red eyes were _evil_. Princess Usagi was evil and he was doing right. Jordan would come around to his thinking eventually.

Harry sighed as he looked around his basement hide-out. He felt a little guilty about filching CTU property but rationalized that it was for a good cause. In the corner, sat the Hyperdimensional Hammer and its remote. Next to it, a magisci teleportion device, a loudspeaker, the Illusion Machines, and, best of all, a life-sized cardboard cutout of Vina the green Orion Slavegirl. Of course, the slavegirl Princess Leia cutout was almost as nice. Both were morale-boosting.

Heh. Pyrite and his assistant might not be so happy about his borrowing _them_. Not to mention the fact that he accidentally kidnapped their kids. Well, in order to make an omlette you've gotta break a few eggs. Anyway, he wouldn't hurt any of the kids, just the princess. Which made him wonder how the kids were doing.

"We'll have to split up and search the place." Kodachi said, back at the ferris wheel.

"Good idea, we can be picked off one by one then. We'd just love to give this Harry guy the advantage." Threepio replied, dryly "Haven't you ever seen old horror movies?" When the younger lesser senshi shook her head the older girl sighed. "Kids these days."

"Were we much better at her age?" her twin asked, "Why don't we split into three groups? One to watch the twins, one to comb the joint, and one to protect Usagi." Artoo ignored the protests of the princess who thought she could take care of herself. "Luke and Leia will watch their brothers. Hematite and Mara will guard the princess. The rest of us will set out together to look for Harry and help. Okay?" The plan sounded sensible enough and the bratpackers set out to make it happen.

The non-combatants started to search the premisis for a safe haven. After a few futile attempts Luke leaned back on the giant tree in the middle of the park in exasperation. There was a sound and a door in the tree swung open. "It's hollow!" Leia cried "C'mon. We'll get settled in."

They climbed up the stairway in the trunk and reached an alclove, just big enough to fit all of them in. There were windows, a pipe organ, and the was the legend over the door: "Here Tsunami rests." The younger kids started to climb around around the room but Leia noticed that her triplet looked desolate. "You wish you were there with Sylvite. I can see it." Luke turned toward his sister.

"That obvious?" he asked, a melancholy aspect in his voice. He chided himself inside. Though underneath Luke had quite the passionate soul, he almost never wore his heart on his sleeve. He wasn't restrained, just introspective and most people put that tendency down as shyness though Luke usually didn't have trouble relating to people. Except Sylvite. Sigh.

"Only when you know what to look for." Leia replied "And who else but me is always watching." Her tone suddenly softened "Go to her, Luke. I'll cover for you. Maybe you can be a night in shiny blue armor. But Luke, don't forget to use the force." Touched, Luke nodded. It was times like this when he was glad he had sisters. Jauntily, he skipped off to seek out the girl he loved, pressing a small button on his watch.

Meanwhile, Artoo was sighing. There was almost totally no evidence of anyone yet. Most disconternenting. Oh well, at least she got to see Kodi-chan in her fuku. That was a definite plus. She had had a crush on Kodachi for the last year or so but had thought it futile untill Mara had shown her a recording she had made. Quite frankly, that information was worth all the yen she had to pay. Gazing ahead she saw a shape in blue. Hey, that looked like the guy in those disks Luke kept watching. Of course, Luke . . .

"Halt!" cried out Alan "Who art thou and why doest thou goest here?

Art thou a minion of the scourge named Harry?"

"I am a tick!" replied Luke. He hoped against hope that the last minute program he had his father put in was working. He wouldn't properly be the Tick if he didn't sound like his idol. Well, he didn't have the pecs of the great blue one but he wanted everything else to be accurate. "And what the heck did you just say?"

"He wants to know who you are and why you are here." Kodi answered, helpfully. "He's my brother and I can understand his language better than anyone else." Unfortunately.

"Thou art not a tick. Thou art too big and too blue. And ticks have eight legs. Anyhow, ticks suck blood. Doest thou suck blood?" Hah! Alan didn't know who this Tick was but he had a pretty good guess. He was suprised that Luke actually was daring enough to come up with a super hero identity.

"Err . . . yeah, I . . . I . . . I . . . err, I suck blood all the time." Well, I can at least start now. Heck, maybe I could bluff my way through it.

"I don't believe thee." Alan was puzzled. What would cause Luke to start acting so eratically? And why did it seem like he was quoting without knowing whom?

Luke grabbed a straw out of thin air. "I got a straw right here, pal! Do you want a demonstration?" He leered at Alan making sucking noises. Incredibly enough, the older boy backed away. "Didn't think so." But he really should stop his own quoting. Just because his rival quoted the Imortal Bard didn't mean that he should quote the Imortal Edlund.

"No, but thou shall have to fight me to be able to join us." And Luke, if this was indeed he, was no match for Alan's prowess.

"I choose the combat." Luke replied. "And the stakes are?"

"You win, you join our fight against Harry. I win, you slink off like the dog you are." Alan paused for a second and then grinned under his mask. "This will be good practice. No one has fought me for the hand of Lady Sylvite for days."

"Lady Sylvite?" Luke asked.

"The beautiful maiden dressed in leather." Alan guestured to the babe in the Arcturus costume. "What, Tick? Do you wish to add her in as part of the stakes?"

"Hey!" The voice behind Alan was ticked, if you excuse the pun.

"'The lady doth protests too much, methinks,'" Tuxedo Mask quoted.

Now he had made an offer the boy couldn't refuse.

All eyes were on Tick. "I . . . I . . ." Think idiot! You'd be saying she's a prize to be won. Just be ambiguous and this might work out to your advantage. "I . . . I accept your offer. I choose Combat Paper Rock Scissors!"

Tuxedo Mask nodded. He and Tick circled. ""One . . . two . . .

THREE!""

"Paper beat rock!" Threepio cried. "Tick won!" The females cheered until Alan shot a look at them that would melt glass. Feeling just a little sheepish, Threepio started her speech. "Friends, Superheroes,

Countrymen, lend me your ears-"

"Hey, I'm the only one that can quote Shakespeare! It's in my character profile!" Romantic irony strikes again.

"Shut up, Alan. Where was I? Dearly beloved, we are gathered here to witness the inclusion of Tick into our fold. I am Bishoujo Squirrel, the sexily-tuxedo'd heroine. This is my sister, Sailor Woodstock, Hippie for Justice. That man you just beat is Tuxedo Mask. His sister is the new, improved Sailor V. And of course, Sylvite, who you have just 'won' from Tuxie over there, is Sailor Arcturus."

"Keen," the blue guy replied.

"We thought you might think that."

Sylvite was annoyed before but now she was incensed. "Hey, who said

I was anyone's anyway? Women are not chattel!"

"Rock on, sister!" Artoo cheered. "You're right. Tuxedo Mask had no right to use you in his wager. Sorry, Tick, but she's not yours and never was. Besides, Crystal Tokyo Statute 86753.09 expresively forbids the use of sentinent lifeforms for placing bets."

"Um . . . yeah. I always knew he was crooked." Sylvite graced both Tick and Tuxedo a dirty look for even attempting to bargain her off. The two shrank under her gaze. Under their relative degrees of masks, the two blushed similtaneously. Then the sirens started to go off.

NO, SILLICON BRAIN, Leia raged at the mainframe located in their hideout/control tower/centerpiece, GO OFF WHEN I TELL YOU, NOT NOW. She sighed as the shrieking sound died down. What she wouldn't have given for a good AI. Unfortunately, the only one Leia knew was Llarion and _she_ was stuck at home.

One advantage of being a Class B cyber-telepath was that Leia could replay any memory she had at will, a lot like opening a file. Actually, anyone with even the smallest bit of extrasensory powers could learn this, as evidenced by Leia's own mother who, like the rest of the family, had Class E precognitiance. (Her father had once joked that the McIntyre-Murainos were reason for there to be a level below E.) The others, however, never took the time to learn, a grave mistake in Leia's mind. One of her theories was that Ferrite himself was a Class E _something_. How else could he have such a complete memory?

Leia remembered the day when she had first met Llarion. The day before the twins had gone with the queen to send off Usagi, Hematite, and Azurite, returning after the triplet's bedtime. When Leia came down to breakfast that next morning, she noticed a laptop sitting next to her sister.

Touching the computer's case, she tried sending a message to it.

HI, I'M LEIA. WHAT'S YOUR NAME? Leia knew that most computers weren't very smart, but she never gave up hoping that one of them would be able to hold an intelligent conversation. Which was why she was suprised when the reply came.

MY NAME'S LLARION, BUT DADDY ALWAYS CALLED ME LARRIE. The computer sighed mentally. I MISS MY DADDY. HE AND HONEYKINS HAD TO LEAVE WITH THE FUKU'D ANGEL AND THE BLUE HAIRED BABE TO GO INTO SPACE. HE GAVE ME TO A GIRL NAMED ARTOO TO TAKE CARE OF ME.

ARTOO'S MY BIG SISTER! Leia squealed.

NEAT. I LIKE HER, BUT SHE DOESN'T TALK TO ME LIKE THIS.

THAT'S BECAUSE SHE ISN'T A CYBER TELEPATH LIKE ME. WE'RE VERY RARE.

IN FACT, BESIDES HEMATITE'S BIGGEST SISTER CASSIE, I DON'T KNOW ANY OTHERS

BESIDES ME. BY THE WAY, WHY'D YOUR DADDY SEND YOU WITH ARTOO?

DADDY SAID I WOULD MEET MY GRANDADDY HERE IN CRYSTAL TOKYO. ALSO,

HE WANTED ME TO SEE THE WORLD, AND NOT FROM THE WINDOW OF A SPACESHIP.

WHAT'S YOUR GRANDADDY LIKE, LARRIE?

I HAVEN'T MET HIM YET. The AI was puzzled for a second. DADDY SAYS

HE'S A HUMAN LIKE YOU AND ARTOO, NOT A COMPUTER LIKE ME AND DADDY. BUT DADDY SCARED THE SEXY WATER LADY THAT GRANDADDY WORKED FOR, SO SHE SENT DADDY AWAY TO THE SCHOOL WHERE DADDY MET HONEYKINS. HE'S LIVED WITH HER EVER SINCE.

OH. WANNA BE MY FRIEND, LARRIE?

I'D LOVE TO . . .

Leia smiled, coming back out of her memory. Larrie _had_ been a good friend, especially when her co-triplets were quarreling as they so often did. It was a pity that she was with Artoo so often. In fact, when Artoo left for college at the end of the year Larrie would be going with her. Something Leia didn't like to think about.

Looking out the window, Leia got an idea. She glanced behind her. The twins were playing Cat's Cradle with the string she had found. She wagered that they wouldn't miss her if she wasn't gone too long. She pushed the window open, pressed the button on her watch, and glided out into the sky.

It was amazing how peaceful the carnival looked from this height. Dead, but peaceful. It was easy to forget that Leia was supposed to look for problems. She was at the edge of the grounds when she noticed something that scared her. There was nothing past the parking lot. They were all alone in a world they had never made. Leia began to race towards the others.

A couple hundred feet below Leia and a few yards to the right, Mara was in her element. Well, nearly. Granted, she could wreck havoc to an unthought-of degree as the Werecat Vigilante, but she would have rather been on the front with the elder twins instead of guarding Usagi. Ah, well, this was the duty she had been dealt. It could have been worse.

Mara looked backwards at her charge. She and Hematite were walking together. Once again, the triplet marveled at the difference between their costumes. Usagi wore the pink serafuku she had used back in her Chibi Moon days, enlarged to fit her taller frame. Hematite . . . well, she looked impressive. Indigo and violet serafuku with all the white parts black, hematite butterfly choker, violet boots, with an indigo mask and butterfly motif cape. Fitting for the Dire Butterfly, master of paralysis and, though only a select few knew, _not_ including Mara, the Younger Nemesis. She skipped jauntily in contast to her plodding comrade.

The former Chibi Usa was not in a happy mood. Hmmph. Why did they think she needed extra protection? Usagi was no wimp-she was a fullfledged Sailor Senshi! They were acting just like that masculine manipulating idiot Helios. At the thought of him Usagi's mood turned darker. She fired a Pink Sugar Heart Attack at an innocent target duck to blow off some steam.

"You okay?" Hematite asked her sister in arms.

"Just _fine_," Usagi grumbled, "Here I am, stuck in a deserted amusement park, being chased after by a psychotic Hunter, and I HAVE TO HAVE A PAIR OF BLEEPING BODYGUARDS BECAUSE NO ONE THINKS I CAN FEND FOR MYSELF! THINGS ARE JUST GREAT! NOTHING COULD BE BETTER! THE ONLY THING THIS SITUATION NEEDS IS FOR THAT STUPID HORSE TO START BUGGING ME WHILE I SLEEP AGAIN!" After blowing up, Usagi noticed that all eyes were on her. She shrugged, embarrassed at her outburst. "I'm just having a bad day."

"We understand," Hematite said soothingly.

"Uh . . . yeah." Mara added, then whispered to the other girl. "Do we understand?"

"Yeah. CU's been like this ever since she broke up with her boyfriend four years ago. Real touchy about how people think she can handle things. See, her old boyfriend was really protective and a little manipulative." A little? He controlled all our dreams! Weird way to try to prove one's love.

"Oh." Maybe I should get the rest of the dirt on that, Mara mused. Could fetch a pretty penny. Which reminded her that her bank balance was slightly lower than usual. That could be soon mended. Taking care than no one saw her, she snapped a couple of pictures of her compatriots. She always could find a good customer for those through Tuxie Boy.

While she was putting down her camera, Mara spotted something white in the sky. Could it be? Well, unless it was that Arthur guy Luke was always ranting about, the calvary was coming. Now, should she alert the older girls or not?

Too late. "TROPICAL WHIRLWIND!" As the cyclonic winds hit her, he moth-girl started to plummet down to Ma Earth. Hematite smiled to herself as she watched the invader sink lower and lower.

Mara screamed, "NO! That's Leia!"

"Shit! STABALIZE!"

Leia came to rest a dramatic two feet from the ground. She stared, rather groggily, at the older girl. "Oh, hi Spock. Thanks for catching me.

I feel like I've fallen from El Capitan."

Hematite hung her head. "She's hallucinating! Oh God, what have I done? I almost killed my best friends' little sister."

Usagi tried to soothe her friend, "Oh Hema-chan, you didn't mean to. Don't worry, Leia will be okay soon. I'm sure she'll forgive you." She patted her sister-in-arm's back.

Mara however, was glaring at her sister. "Leia, you've been hanging around Uncle Pyr too much. Now stop scaring your friends."

Leia jumped down from her mid-air perch. "Darn. Why do you always get to have all the fun? I just wanted me to be the bad girl and _you_ to be the good girl for once."

"Well, you tricked me into it. Now, appologize to Usagi and Hematite, then we'll both resume our relative roles in the family."

"Agreed. Sorry, Usagi-chan, Hema-chan. I couldn't resist. I have some really weird news, though."

"Spit it out."

Leia nodded, "I was flying over the area, trying to get a feel for it, when I began to notice two things. First, we're the only people, besides that CURE guy, in the carnival. Second, Cabbitland is all that still exists."

"You're kidding!"

"Wish I was. Do you want me to call for a meeting at the tree?"

Usagi nodded. "Good idea. Luke probably has his hands full with Ben and Anakin."

Leia looked down, ashamed. "Actually, they're alone. Luke dressed himself up as a tick and went after Sylvite."

All eyes were upon her. "YOU LEFT YOUR LITTLE BROTHERS ALONE WHEN

HUNTER CURE'S TRYING TO KILL US ALL! WHAT IF HE FINDS THEM?"

"Err, that was my problem. I should probably get back now."

"Yeah, you should."

Leia nodded, blushed, and took to the air once more. When she returned to the faux tree she was amazed by the silence. She expected Anakin and Ben to make a _lot_ more noise. Were they playing hide and seek or what? The answer seemed to be what, as Leia realized when she felt someone hit the back of her head.

Down near the ground Alan was kicking stones. It would be accurate to say that no one was having a good day. However, in Alan's case it needs to be underscored. Alan Aino was not having a good day.

The reason Alan Aino was not having a good day was blue. It was tall. It was walking next to him while trying to appologize to the fair maiden Sylvite.

[Meanwhile, The Magnificent Six join up with the trio. Usagi tells them off their worries and the nine head off to check on the non-combatants, only to have their worries confirmed.]

[Harry meets them at the door. He'll trade his captives for the princess. Nonsense! We'll fight you, Hunter Scum. Ah, which one is me? Along with the Hyperdimensional Hammer, Harry's also stolen the Multi-Image Reproduction Device, also known as the Illusion Machine.]

[While the nine superheroes are led on their wild goose chase, Leia is slowly working herself free of Harry's ropes. After untying herself, Ben, and Anakin, she dons the mothsuit, andflies of to help the others.]

Serenity sighed. Why weren't Ami and company done shutting down the field? It had been almost fifteen minutes and she was getting worried. Not so much for Usa-chan, as she had total confidence in her daughter, but for Sylvite and Kodachi. This was their first fight out of simulation and, while the reports she had gotten from Titanite said they were improving, the two would-be senshi were still far from perfect.

She stared glumly at Minako. If it was this bad for her and Ti-chan, whose daughters were Younger Senshi, think of how Mina felt with two children in there. One was virtually untrained and the other was . . . well, Alan, who bore the brunt of quite a few grudges. Or Azure, her daughter being about the same level as Kodi. Rhi was even worse off. Seven children, two fighters, one in training to be, two in their first few days of lesser senshidom, and the rest non-combatants. Serenity was comparatively lucky.

[Internal: Yes, Serenity knows about Luke and Leia. She's the focal point of the city and surrounding area. Think about it.]

All of the parents (save Pyrite and Brendan) had gathered together to comiserate. Some, like Minako and Titanite, were rather vocal in their displeasure. The former was crying on Calcite's sholders, the latter muttering a long string of phrases in youma'shak that Serenity didn't really want to understand. The look on her brother's face at what Ti was saying was all Serenity needed to know.

The queen transfered her gaze a little to the left. Well! This was certainly unexpected. Azurite and Rhiannon, casual friends normally, were leaning on each other, trying to console each other in lieu of their spouses. The two were nearly silent, save for the occasisonal murmured word of comfort. Serenity fancied she could see the reminant of silent tears on both cheeks.

Rei, Mako, Chrys, and Tom were still talking to that young fan of Usa-chan. Jordan, that was his name. A thought suddenly came into Serenity's head. If Usa-chan wanted to emphasise her repudition of Helios, Jordan would be the perfect person to do so with. It wouldn't last, but it would certainly be rubbing it in to Helicon's ruler. Hmm . . .

Minako had stopped crying suddenly and was grimacing, "The worst part of all is that Ko-chan's with . . . with that reprobate daughter of yours, Rhiannon."

The child-woman spoke for the first time in ages, "Come now, Mina. I'd be the first to admit that Artoo's disapointed me on a few things, but I trust her with Kodachi."

"Trust her to what? Make-out with my little girl? I raised her and what thanks do I get? Huh? Does she try to respect her mothers wishes? Does your daughter?"

Rhiannon considered what the other woman said. "True. You'd think the girl would be honored to follow in your footsteps but all you get is:

'Mama, I'm tired of memorizing the List of Magical Beasts!' or 'Mama, I don't want to go gather foxglove with you tonight!' and even 'Mama, do we have to strip, paint ourselves blue, and dance widdershins tonight?'"

"Yeah. All you want for her to find a nice young man, who drives his own car-"

"-and brings you flowers-"

"-and is even studying medicine or magisci. Instead, you wake up one morning and you find your daughter has turned in to some kind of . . . some kind of . . ."

"Some kind of bum who won't even bring her girlfriends home to meet the family and wants to run away to California and study under some crazy male wizard. A man, Goddess forbid."

"Horrible."

"I know, Mina. I know. Oy."

"Ditto." The two gave exaggerated sighs while everyone else stared at them. It was scary to think that those two had something in common.

Queen Serenity shook her head. This whole ordeal would have been a lot easier to deal with if she had the ginzoishou with her. Unfortunatly, it was with Usa-chan now, who was in the same boat Serenity was as a child involving the energy it drew from her. That was even more troublesome when one realized what could happen if that psychopath got ahold of it . . .

Serenity felt Endymion put his arms around her. Instictively, she curled up next to him. For over a thousand years he had been her protector and her consoler. They all were in need of consolation right now. As Serenity wiped away the tear that threatened to form, she hoped that the kids were doing okay.

[We see that Luke and Sylvite have finally found the real Harry and have given chase. The other seven are still battling the doubles. The twins are fooling around with the hide-out's soundsystem. Leia discovers a cotton candy machine and an idea begins to percolate. Ever seen the carnival episode of Tenchi Universe?]

[The field is shut down, as a tidal wave of cotton candy engulfs the carnival. When the stickiness subsides, we see Sylvite with a death grip on Harry and Tick nowhere to be seen. The triplets have taken the time to detransform, thus keeping their identities from being found out from Sylia.]

[The Bratpack is congratualated for capturing the bad guy, and fussed over by their parents. Who is this masked Tick that helped Sylvite? Rei vents her wrath on Harry, who only survives because of cousin Jordan's intercession.]

[Syl meets Tick, as planned, on the top of a nearby building. They talk, and Luke figures out she doesn't know he and Tick are one and the same. He slinks off depressed, the same condition Alan is also now in.]

End Chapter Two

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Next Chapter: The Day After

Luke's depressed; Alan's depressed; Sylvite's infatuated with Tick-things have definately been screwed up. Artoo's delivering baked goods for her mother and through her eyes we see the aftermath. Can the matchmakers fix what they have wrought?