Hello everyone!  Know what?  I'm going to skip the disclaimers and  
everything this time, I just don't feel like dealing with them.

Sailor Moon Universal B

Chapter 12:  Trust


"What's on your mind?" Darien asked Travis.

Travis looked up in surprise.  He had been lost in his own thoughts
since leaving the girls at Lita's apartment.  He started to reply that
it was nothing but found himself repeating the conversation with his
uncle.

"Was he right?  Was I just testing him?" he asked rhetorically.

"I don't think you were, not totally," was Darien's surprising reply.

"What do you mean?  I would have been disappointed if he had let me tell
him," Travis admitted.  He continued before Darien could respond, "I
trust Serena, but could you imagine not trusting Serena?  I trust `you'
but that's because we're blood brothers."

Darien frowned.  "That makes no sense you know," he said.  "Number one,
yes I can imagine not trusting Serena, especially as she was before you
came along.  I sometimes had to wonder how she ever kept her being
Sailor Moon a secret. She can be a blabbermouth, especially if you fed
her.  She was always late, got bad grades, and forgot things two minutes
after you told her.  Does that really sound like a person you can
trust?"

"But..." Travis started.

"But you do trust her..." Darien continued, "so do I.  I trust her to
always be there if she's needed, and to do what's necessary.  I trust
her to keep a secret if it's really important.  I trust her to always be
there for her friends.  But still, I can easily imagine `not' trusting
her.  If I didn't know her so well, I could imagine it.  Now, as to your
second statement.  The fact that we were blood brothers, a thousand
years ago, shouldn't really be a reason for you to trust me now.  I'm
not the same person I was then, anymore than you are.  I am not
Endymion, I'm Darien with a whole group of memories and experiences that
Endymion never had.  Trusting me just because you trusted Endymion..."
Darien shook his head.

"But isn't that why you trust me?" Travis asked in confusion.

"Why?  Because Tranquillity and Endymion were blood brothers?" Darien
asked.  "No, I can't say that had much to do with it after the first
couple of days."

"Then... why?" Travis asked slowly.

"Because you, Travis, are worthy of my trust," Darien answered soberly.
"Those first few days, I didn't have a choice. I had to trust you, and
the memories of the man you had been was very strong.  After that, I
trusted you because you had proved you could be trusted."

"So you were testing me?" Travis asked quietly.

"Of course I was," Darien answered calmly.  "Nobody trusts at first
sight, not even Serena.  And for people like us who grew up believing
there is no one that can be trusted, it's even harder."

Travis sat and thought for a long moment, then shook his head sharply.
"I think I'm trying to overanalyze this. I probably just wanted to tell
him because I was mad."

"Doesn't hold up," Darien said.  "If so, why didn't you tell him?"

"Because Crystal was there," Travis reminded him.

"So?  If you were really mad enough at him to blurt it out, you should
have done it whether she was there or not.  So why didn't you?"

"Because..." Travis stopped in confusion.

"Because you didn't trust her that much?  But that must mean that you do
trust him," Darien said.  "Ask yourself this, would you trust him or
Crystal with your deepest secret?  With your life?  With the deepest
secret of the person most important to you?  With his or her life?"

Travis sat and thought, his eyes blank as he struggled with the
questions Darien had given him.  Meanwhile, Darien left to make up the
spare bedroom for his guest.  When he came back, Travis was still
sitting there.  He suddenly stirred and looked up at Darien.  "Yes, I
would trust him with my deepest secret, Crystal too, I think.  My life
as well... probably.  But I wouldn't trust Crystal with Serena's life."

"And Jake?" Darien asked, not remarking on who was most important to
Travis.

"Yes, I would," Travis said slowly.  "I guess that means I really trust
him, huh?  I still can't help thinking he wants something, though."

"Of course he does," Darien said, as if it was the most obvious thing in
the world.  "He wants a son who loves him."

"I think I'd like a father that loves me as well," Travis said in a
small voice.  He looked up with a crooked smile, "It would be a nice
change."

Darien chuckled.  "Yes, I imagine it would be," he agreed.  "Good night,
Travis, I don't think I could handle any more soul searching tonight."

"You can't?  Hey, I've been the one doing the soul searching, you've
just been sitting there and making smart remarks!" Travis said.  He
sobered, "I'm going to tell him tomorrow after school," he said quietly.
"Would you come with me?"

"I'd be happy to," Darien said, touched that Travis would ask.  He
turned to go into his room.

"Darien!" Travis called.

Darien turned back.

"I want more than a father," Travis said seriously.  "I'd like a brother
as well.  Do you think, maybe, we could redo the blood bonding?" his
voice was almost timid as he looked at the older boy.

"I'd like that," Darien said, turning abruptly and walking into his
room.  "A brother!" he said in a hushed voice as he closed the door.
His eyes were shining.


Reenie had fallen asleep as soon as she climbed into bed.  An hour later
she woke up and went to get a glass of water.  A hushed conversation
drew her attention.

"What is Serena going to do about Reenie and Travis?" Lita's voice came
easily through the half opened door.

"What do you mean?" Mina asked.

"Serena can only duo with one of them, remember?" Raye said.

"If she duos with Travis, Reenie's going to be so disappointed," Lita
continued.

"She can't make a decision based on their feelings, but on who will be
the greatest asset in a fight," Amy said quietly.

"Reenie's got both her tiara attack and her moonbeam.  I think Serena
should pick her," Lita announced.

In the hallway, Reenie silently cheered.

"I disagree," Amy said quietly.  "Reenie's attacks are strong and she
could be a big help in a fight, but from what Travis has told us, he not
only has a strong attack, but a really good defense as well.  With only
three fighters, he will be more of an asset."

"Amy's right," Raye agreed.  "There is also the fact that Travis is
older and tends on have a calming effect on Serena.  He's not about to
go off half cocked like Serena and Reenie will."

"I have to agree, too," Mina said slowly.  "Travis would be the better
choice."

Reenie stood with her head pressed against the doorjamb next to the half
open door.  *Are they right?  Would Travis be the better one to fight?
But... but I'm the one who has to change back the future!  I have to
help fight!*

Mina was still speaking, "But I don't think she will choose him."

Reenie looked up in hope.

"Travis might be the logical choice, the best choice, and even the
choice Serena would like to make, but I don't think she will.  It would
hurt Reenie too much."

"That's not a good reason to pick someone," Amy remarked.

"No, but it is a Serena reason," Raye said.

Reenie walked slowly away.  *I should be happy,* she thought to herself.
*She's going to pick me so I can keep fighting and that's great.  So why
do I feel so bad?*  Reenie sat in the windowsill and looked out at the
night sky.

"Reenie?" Diana asked softly.

Reenie automatically picked up and started petting the kitten.  "I don't
know what to do, Diana," Reenie said.  "I want to fight!  I have the
right to!  But if Travis is really the better choice, if he can keep her
safe better than I could... maybe she should choose him."  She looked at
Diana, "But I don't want her to!"

Diana just looked at her for a long moment, before she started to purr
quietly.  She wanted to help her young mistress, but didn't know what to
say. She had never run across this kind of problem before.

Reenie hugged Diana closer.  "But... why would she choose me because
she's afraid of hurting my feelings?  It would, but I'd understand. I'm
a big girl."

Diana suddenly felt a flash of insight, her mother would say later that
it came from spending so much time around her lately.  "Would you still
love her if she chose him?"

"What kind of silly question is that?" Reenie laughed.  Diana hid her
head in embarrassment.  "I'd love her no matter what, she knows that."
She stood up suddenly.  "Doesn't she?  Is that it?  Does she think I
wouldn't love her as much if she doesn't duo with me?" she started
towards her clothes.

"What are you doing?" Diana asked in confusion.

"I've got to tell her that I'll love her no matter what," Reenie said,
starting to get changed.

"You can't go out there alone!" Diana said vehemently.  "Besides, she's
going to be asleep by now, you know that.  Tell her in the morning."

"But..."

"In the morning, Reenie.  You know she would be mad at you if you woke
her up," Diana reminded her.

"I suppose," Reenie conceded, putting the clothes down.  She went to
look out the window again.  "First thing in the morning, I'll tell her I
love her no matter what!" she got into bed.  "But I sure hope she picks
me anyway."


The next morning, the six girls and the boy met up again in front of
Lita's apartment.  The girls wanted to ask how Serena had gotten along
with her mother the night before, but she didn't seem to be in the mood
to talk.  Travis, Darien, and Reenie were also silent thinking about
their conversations from the night before.

"Mommy?" Reenie said quietly about halfway there.

"Yes, Small Lady?" Serena said, shaken out of her thoughts.

"Can I talk to you and Uncle Tranq please?" Reenie asked.  She looked
around.  "Alone?"

"Go on," Serena told the others, "We'll meet you at school."

"Don't be late!" Amy called back.

"Don't worry, Amy, they still have plenty of time," Lita told her.  "We
left pretty early."

"It's good to get to school early. It helps your brain get ready for the
day," Amy said seriously.

"More sleep would work better," Mina groused.

"What did you want to talk about Reenie?" Serena asked as the other
girls left.

Reenie pulled the two older kids into a nearby alley.  She took a deep
breath.  "I just wanted you to know..." she started, and then fell
silent.

"Know what, Small Lady?" Serena asked quietly.

"That... that..." she drew another deep breath and rushed.  "That I love
you and will always love you even if you decide to duo with Travis
instead of me, because I know he's got that defensive power and I don't,
though I think my attacks work good and I should be the one you choose
and I really wish you'd think about choosing me but I'll understand if
you don't because I'm a big girl and I know people sometimes have to
make decisions that would hurt other people and I wouldn't be too hurt
because I know you have to do what you think is best and I would do the
best I could if you would let me fight!"

Serena and Travis sat and blinked for a long moment trying to make sense
of what Reenie had just said.

"Let me get this straight," Travis finally said.  "You'd like to duo
with Serena in the next fight, but if she thinks I'm the best choice,
you'll love her anyway, right?"

"That's what I said," Reenie said, still trying to get her breath back
from the sentence.

"Just checking," Travis grinned.  He turned to his sister, "And if you
choose Reenie, I'll still love you too."

"Gee, thanks," Serena said sarcastically, but she smiled softly at her
brother before going down on her knees before Reenie.  "Small Lady," she
said quietly.  "Thank you for telling me how you feel.  I know that you
won't be very happy if I duo with Travis instead of you, but I know that
you're mature enough to handle it if I find it necessary.  And I'm very
proud of you for that."  She swept Reenie into a hug.

"Yeah, kiddo," Travis said, kneeling down as well.  "You're growing up
pretty well," he smiled gently and then turned it into a grin.  "For a
`rabbit' that is."

"Uncle Travis!" Reenie wailed, but she was grinning too.  She reached up
and took hold of the two older kids hands and the three walked down the
street towards Reenie's elementary school.  Thanks to Amy's insistence
that they get to school early, they still had plenty of time.  They
turned a corner.

"Oh, come on!" Serena exclaimed in disgust.

"Why here?" Travis wondered.  "They've never gone after the government
before."

"Well, Dad always says the government wastes a lot of energy," Serena
quipped.

The three looked at the youma rampaging in front of City Hall.  It was
dressed in a conservative business suit, but the still forms surrounding
it showed that it was as much a youma as any other.  They quickly backed
away around the corner before the youma could see them.

"What are you going to do?" Reenie asked worriedly.

Serena looked from her daughter's hopeful face to her brother's
carefully unemotional one. "I... I can't choose!" Serena said, almost
frantically.

"Mother!" Reenie wailed.

"Well, I'm sorry, but I can't!" Serena answered.  "I just wish I could
duo with you both... Who says I can't?  Let's try it!"

"Serena, duoing will only work with two, that's why it's called duoing,
remember?" Travis said gently.

"Well, it won't hurt to try, will it?" Reenie asked hopefully.

"As long as you don't get your hopes up too far, and we do it quick,"
Travis said.  He didn't believe it would work, but found himself unable
to say that aloud while he looked into his niece's eyes.

Serena pulled out her Moon Crystal, and the three of them reached for
it.  "MOON CRYSTAL POWER DUO!" they yelled.

Nothing happened.

Serena dropped her head, "I'm sorry Reenie," she said softly.

"Me, too," Reenie sighed.

"Wait a minute," Travis said.  "Didn't you feel it trying to work?"

"Yeah, but it didn't," Serena answered.

"It didn't when we first tried to use the Sun Stone together either, why
not?" Travis was looking at her intently.

"Because the words weren't right!" Serena said impatiently.  Then her
eyes opened wide.  "Because the words weren't right," she whispered to
herself.  "Is that all it is?  The wrong activation words?  We need
something to tell it that there are three of us, right?  Like last time
we needed to add Duo."

"So it will work if we get the right words?" Reenie was practically
bouncing up and down in eagerness.  "What word?  Something to do with
three, right?"

"Like... triplet?" Serena asked, not being able to think of anything
better.

"Maybe third?" Reenie didn't think much of her suggestion either.

"Trio?" Travis asked.  He looked at the others.  "It's to three what duo
is to two."

A loud crash was heard from the direction of City Hall.  "Let's try it,"
Serena said quickly.

Three hands reached once more for Serena's Crystal brooch.  "MOON
CRYSTAL POWER TRIO!" they called simultaneously.

A moment later, "Nothing happened," Serena said in disbelief.  "And I
was so sure."

"I thought it would work too," Travis sighed.  "But I guess three of us
is just too many.  You're going to have to pick."

"But..." Serena started.

"Mommy, we don't have much time," Reenie said.

Serena looked back and forth desperately.  *Calm down, Serena, and
think!  Reenie wants to fight so badly.*  Serena looked at her, her eyes
were almost begging, but the young girl didn't say a word.  *And she's
got two attacks, and she's usually good in a fight.  But Travis has that
shield that can absorb energy in a fight and he's got his sword.* Serena
closed her eyes for a long moment, trying to decide.  "I'm sorry,
Reenie, I just think Travis' shield will be of more use."

Reenie nodded slowly, disappointment plain on her face.  She tried to
smile.  "I understand, Mommy," she said quietly.

Serena bent down and hugged her.  "I'm glad," she whispered.

Travis stood by watching quietly.

"Let's  do it," Serena told him when she stood back up.  "MOON CRYSTAL
POWER DUO!" they cried.

As Sailor Moon and Sailor New Moon ran down to the fight, Reenie watched
sadly.  She turned and kicked at a nearby can.  "I really wish she'd
picked me," she muttered.  "Oh well, at least I can watch the fight."

New Moon asked Sailor Moon as they ran, "Were those the only reasons you
picked me?"

"No," she answered quietly.  "But I wasn't going to tell her that one of
the reasons was to keep her safe."

When they got around the corner, they found the other youma standing
over a new batch of victims.  "Hold it, Negacreep," she started.  "For
slowing down the process of government even more, I will not forgive
you!  I am Sailor Moon, Champ..."

The youma interrupted, "Do you have a permit?"

Sailor Moon's mouth was still wide open.  She closed it with a snap and
got ready to start again.

Before she could ask what he was talking about, the youma continued, "Do
you have a speechmaking permit?  You can't make a speech in a public
place without a speechmaking permit."

"Um... well, you see..." Sailor Moon was confused.  This was not normal
behavior for a youma.

"I knew it!" the youma exclaimed.  He handed her a large pile of paper,
which she took automatically.  "You need to fill out these forms in
triplicate and submit them to the proper authorities.  Failure to show
the proper permit while making a speech will result in immediate
suspension of all rights to make speeches, a two year prison sentence,
and a five hundred thousand dollar fine."

"Five hundred thousand dollars?" Sailor Moon gulped.  "I... I don't have
that kind of money!"

"I told you your speeches were going to get you in trouble one of these
days!" New Moon laughed.

"I don't feel so good," Sailor Moon said, swaying slightly.  "I'm so
tired," she murmured.

"Sailor Moon!" Reenie yelled, running towards her.

"Drop the paperwork," New Moon called.  "It's draining your energy!"

Sailor Moon tried to throw down the pile of papers, but something
exploded from it and started to wrap around her.

"Red tape!" the youma crowed.  "No one can escape it!"

Sailor Moon tried desperately to escape the never-ending supply of red
tape exploding out of the paperwork, but wasn't able to find her way
through it.

"What do we do?" Reenie asked her uncle.

"There's only one way to get rid of red tape," New Moon responded.  He
pulled out his sword.  "Cut right through it!  And you need to get back
out of the way."

The Moon Sword carefully cut through the mass of red tape.  Sailor Moon
was in the middle, almost suffocated.

"Are you alright?" the other two asked anxiously.

Sailor Moon coughed for a few moments, desperately trying to get her
breath back before she nodded.  "Reenie, get out of the fight!"

"All right," she said, running towards the building.

"Don't you know you can't fight City Hall?" the youma asked as Sailor
Moon slowly got up.

"No, I don't," she said.  "MOON TIARA MAGIC!"  She threw the discus
toward the youma.

"Firing a weapon within city limits!" the youma called as he dodged,
throwing up a blocking wall of paper and red tape.  "That's a violation
of Section 254, paragraph 4, subparagraph c of the Municipal Code.  The
fine is her energy!"  Faster than anyone expected the red tape wall
collapsed and moved towards the young girl on the sidelines.

"NEW MOON DARKNESS SHIELD!" A wall of darkness suddenly appeared between
Reenie and the youma.

"Thanks!" she called to New Moon as she moved out of the way.

Sailor Moon had been happy to see the shield between her daughter and
the youma but didn't let it distract her.  "MOON TIARA MAGIC!" she
called, sending the attack straight at the youma.  Immediately, she
threw a second tiara to the side in a gliding path around the youma.
She watched with bated breath as the youma took out the first tiara but
didn't notice the second.

"Yeah!" she started to cheer as the tiara started towards the youma's
back.  Suddenly the youma turned and almost contemptuously sent her red
tape to capture the disc.

"MOON SWORD SLICE!" was called from the side even as Sailor Moon started
to wail her disappointment that her plan hadn't worked.  The youma was
distracted by Sailor Moon's attack and didn't notice the other until it
was too late.

"Now!" New Moon and Reenie called.

"MOON SCEPTER ELIMINATION!" dusted the youma and left only a pile of
dust and a business suit.

"Dusted!" Sailor Moon started to say, and then, "Oh no!  We're going to
be late!" Reenie and New Moon looked at the clock at the top of the City
Hall building.  Without a word they detransformed.  Serena and Travis
grabbed Reenie's hands and they took off running towards her elementary
school.

"Next time you'll duo with me, right?" Reenie asked as they ran.

"We'll see," was all Serena said.


Meanwhile at her desk at Crossroads Junior High, Crystal was carrying on
a conversation unheard by the other students.

::The problem is going to be Sailor Moon,:: Quartz was thinking to
Crystal.  Crystal was still sulking.  The plan was based upon
information Crystal had sent to Quartz, sister to sister, and she didn't
think Quartz should be using it like this.  Quartz continued, ::I wish
there was some way we could leave her free or at least keep the Imperium
Silver Crystal from falling into Spessarite's hands.  Unfortunately that
hairstyle will make it obvious who she is.::

::I think this is a really silly plan, Quartz.  Why all the drama?::
Crystal thought to her sister.

::Because it gives them a better chance to get out of it, and it's
exactly the kind of plan that old Spaghetti enjoys.  He ate it up,::
Quartz answered.  ::Now can we get back to the problem of Sailor Moon?::

::Look,:: Crystal thought back.  ::Why don't I just talk to Travis?  I'm
sure he'll help us, especially if we explain about our father.  He's a
nice guy, even if he is a Scout.  Serena is too, from what I've seen of
her.::

Quartz threw back a picture of what their father had looked like after
being brainwashed.  ::Do you want him to stay like that?  I'm sorry that
you don't like the plan.  I know that you like Travis, and if we
explained things to him, maybe he would help.  But we can't take that
chance and it's too late now. The plan's already in motion, and there's
no way I can stop it now.::

Crystal sighed almost audibly.  ::I'll take care of Serena,:: she
thought back sourly.  ::Just do what you can to make sure Travis isn't
hurt, okay?::

::I'll try,:: Quartz promised.

Crystal waited impatiently for Serena and Travis to get to school.  Amy
and Lita were already there and they started throwing worried glances at
the clock and the window as the time for the first bell got closer and
the twins didn't arrive.

Ten minutes after homeroom started, Serena and Travis rushed into class
out of breath.

"I expected better from you, Travis," Miss Haruna said.  "Did you have
trouble getting your sister up this morning?"

"Hey!" Serena said, annoyed.

"No, Miss Haruna, we were up in plenty of time, it was just that there
was this..." Travis began.

"I don't want to hear it. Detention, both of you," Miss Haruna said.
"And maybe next time you'll be on time."

*Her boyfriend must have broken a date again,* Crystal thought.  Even
she knew that on those days Miss Haruna would use any slight problem as
a reason for detention.  *This is going to make it more difficult,
unless...* she grinned slightly to herself, and bent down to her
classwork.

During lunch she walked up to Serena.  "Hello," she said softly.

Serena turned around quickly.  "Crystal," she said in surprise.  "Hi!"

"Look," Crystal said, "Can we talk?"

"Sure," Serena said, still surprised that Crystal was talking to her. It
wasn't something that happened often, especially when Travis was around.
"Excuse me," she said to the others.  Grabbing her lunch she and Crystal
walked off to one side.  "What's up?" Serena asked as they found a place
to sit down.

"I'm sorry," Crystal said quietly.

"For what?" Serena was honestly confused.  As far as she knew, Crystal
hadn't done anything to be sorry for, or at least not to her.

"I've been kind of jealous of you," Crystal confessed.  "Of the amount
of time you spend with Travis I mean."

"But you didn't know I was his sister," Serena told her.

"Even after that, I didn't like you very much. I couldn't get over being
jealous. After all you don't see many brothers and sisters that spend as
much time together as you do.  And it seems like he'd rather hang around
you than me," Crystal said.

"That's silly," Serena grinned.  "You should see him when he knows he's
going to be meeting with you. He gets really worried if he's going to be
late or thinks he doesn't look his best."

"Really?" Crystal asked happily.

"Um hmm," Serena agreed.  "And did you know that you're the first
girlfriend he's had since he came here?"

"Really?" Crystal asked again.  "But why?  I mean he's very handsome,
and he's extremely nice, and gallant, and..."

"Well, from what I hear, he did have a girlfriend before he moved here
but she really hurt him and it's taken him awhile to get over it."
Serena looked off into the distance.  "He doesn't talk about that time
much.  Actually, he doesn't talk much about his life before coming here.
It wasn't very happy."

"I know some of it," Crystal said.  "But he seems very well adjusted."

"Oh, he is," Serena smiled, coming back to the present.  "He just has
some problems with trust occasionally, and he refuses to be a
responsibility to anyone."

"Problems with trust?" Crystal's voice was very low.

"Um hmm," Serena said.  "He's had too many people that lied to him, told
him something that wasn't true.  It's very hard for him to trust anyone.
You'd never know it to look at him though, would you?  He seems to make
friends so easily, but I wouldn't ever want to be a friend of his that
betrayed him. I don't think he could ever forgive that."

Crystal was lost in thought.  *He'll never forgive me for this, will
he?* she sighed silently, *I wish there was another way, but it's my
father's and sister's life on the line, I can't waver now.*

"Why do you wear your hair that way?" Crystal asked.

Serena stared at the abrupt change in subject.  *Maybe she doesn't want
to talk about Travis' other girlfriends,* she thought.  *I know how I
feel when someone talks about Darien's previous ones.*  "I've always
worn my hair like this," she replied.  "It's the way I like it."

"I'm surprised you don't get teased about it," Crystal told her.

"Oh, I do," Serena replied, unconsciously reaching up to one of her hair
buns.  "But most people are used to it by now. I've worn it this way
since I was a baby."

"Don't you ever want to change it?" Crystal asked.

"Occasionally," Serena said, "But not for very long, this is the way it
should be.  Why do you ask?"

"Oh, I just like playing around with different hairstyles, as my friends
have learned to their regret, and I got to thinking I'd like to see what
your hair would look like in a different style."  Crystal smiled.
"Would you let me style your hair?  Please?  It would be fun."

"Well, I suppose," Serena said.  *We can't do anything until Amy figures
out how we can get back to the Negaverse and try again.  As long as
there isn't another youma attack, and I would like to get to know
Crystal a little better.*  "Sure," Serena decided.  "It sounds like
fun."

"Great!" Crystal grinned.  "After you get out of detention?" her face
suddenly looked surprised.  "Is that the time?  I haven't even started
my lunch!"

Serena looked up to see that the next bell would ring in two minutes and
hurried to finish her lunch.  She managed to finish it and get back into
the classroom in time.  Crystal, however, couldn't eat as fast and wound
up late back to class.  She was given detention.

That afternoon, in detention, Miss Haruna left the three of them alone
when she got a phone call.  Crystal grabbed a brush from her purse and
moved over to Serena.

"What's up?" Travis asked, watching with interest.

"Girl stuff," Crystal grinned.  "You probably wouldn't be interested."

"Actually, Travis is pretty good at hairstyling," Serena said, also
grinning.  "He does a mean braid."

"Really?" Crystal asked, surprised.

Travis shrugged, embarrassed.  "She didn't want Darien to recognize her
when she went out, so I changed her hairstyle."

"Oh, good, then you can help me with this," Crystal pulled him over and
started talking about hairstyles as she undid the buns on top of
Serena's head.  "So that's how you do it," she said, impressed, as she
finally figured out how to undo them.  Crystal started drawing Travis
and Serena into a conversation about hairstyles.  Serena gradually
dropped out and just listened, grinning when she was sure they couldn't
see.  It wasn't exactly flattering to be treated like a mannequin, but
it was fun listening to the two of them argue about how her hair would
look best.  Crystal braided, draped, and piled her hair into different
styles, finally settling on almost an exact copy of her Sailor Sun
hairstyle, except all of it was braided though only the first half
formed into a flat bun.

"I've never dealt with hair so long and fine before," Crystal finally
said, drawing back, "But that looks pretty good, don't you think?"

"Indeed I do," Travis remarked, smiling at Crystal.  "Is this what you
want to be when you grow up?"

"Hmm?" Crystal asked, seemingly distracted.  "Oh, no, it's just
something I like to do for fun.  I wonder whatever happened to Miss
Haruna?  Detention ended a half hour ago, and she still hasn't
returned."

The twins looked up at the clock in surprise.  It did say what Crystal
had said.  "I had no idea we'd been here so long," Serena gasped.
"We've got to get home," she told Crystal.

"I'll see you tomorrow then," Crystal smiled.  "Don't take out that
hairstyle tonight, okay?  I want to see what response you get in the
morning.  Please?  Promise me you won't go back to your normal hairstyle
tonight."

"All right, I promise," Serena smiled back.  "See you tomorrow!"

Crystal stood at the window, watching as they ran out of the school
towards Serena's house.  She held her hands clenched in front of her as
she watched until she couldn't see them anymore, then she slowly opened
her hand to reveal the Moon Crystal Brooch.  While she had been messing
with Serena's hair, she had managed to take it without anyone noticing.
"I'm sorry, Serena," she whispered achingly, "I wish we could have been
friends.  And Travis..." two tears ran down her face and her hands
tightened compulsively around the brooch.  ::It's done,:: she telepathed
to her sister.


Serena and Travis raced towards Travis' house.  "Hi Apollo!" Travis said
as they got there.

"Hello Travis, I notice you're home late," Apollo said, backwinging to
land on Travis' upraised fist.

"Yeah, we got detention because we had to stop and fight a youma,"
Travis shrugged.  It had happened a couple of times before, and as long
as it was in a good cause, he didn't really mind the detention.
Especially when it was enjoyable as it had been that day.  "Uncle Jake
home?" he asked, hoping he was so he could talk to him.

"He had been, but then a man came and gave him a letter and he left.  I
wasn't able to get close enough to see what it was all about, but your
uncle did not seem happy," Apollo told him.  "I believe he left you a
message on the door."

Travis went up to the front door, and then quickly back down again.  "It
says to go to your house as soon as possible," he said in confusion.  "I
wonder what's going on."

"Maybe he's figured out our identities and is going to tell my parents,"
Serena said worriedly.

"I don't think so," Travis shook his head.  "If he knew, he wouldn't
tell."

"You seem pretty sure of that," Serena said, puzzled.

Travis smiled.  "Darien put my head straight," he said.  "I do trust my
uncle.  Even with that secret.  In fact, if that isn't the problem, I
plan on telling him tonight.  Will you be there?"

"Do you even have to ask?" Serena smiled.  Then her smile died.  "You
don't think... maybe something happened to my family?  Or to Reenie?
We've got to get home!"  She took off running before the last word was
out of her mouth.  Travis was right behind her.

They burst into the house to find Jake and Ken standing tensely in the
living room.  "What's the matter?" Serena gasped out, "Did something
happen to Mom?  Reenie?  Sammy?" she asked quickly.  The expressions on
the two men's faces did nothing to reassure her.

"No, Serena, it's nothing like that," her father said soothingly.  "Your
mother had decided to take Reenie shopping this afternoon remember? And
Sammy's at a friend's house."

"Thank goodness," Serena sighed, sinking into a nearby chair.

"So what's the matter?" Travis asked.  "Uncle Jake, is something wrong."

Jake silently handed Travis a piece of paper and he read it quickly.
"WHAT?!?" he shouted.

Serena surged to her feet, "What is it?  What's wrong?"

"They can't do this!  They can't!" Travis said desperately, ignoring his
sister's questions.  "It must be some kind of joke, or mistake, or
something!"

"Our lawyer says it's real, and it's legal," Ken said in a defeated
tone.

"Well, you can forget it!" Travis shouted at him.  "We're fifteen years
old, and we have the right to choose!"

"Will someone tell me what is going on?!?" Serena shouted deafeningly.

"I'm sorry, Serena," Travis said after taking a few deep breaths and
trying to calm down.  "According to this, one Roland Garner, Sarah
Garner Aton's older brother, is suing for custody of us, and has been
awarded temporary custody until the matter is settled."

"What?  He can't do that!  I already have a family!  Daddy, they can't
take us away, can they?" Serena ran up to her father and threw herself
into his arms.  "I don't want to leave you and Mom and Sammy and Reenie
and everyone!"

"It'll only be for a little while, sweetheart, and then we'll get you
back," Ken whispered in his daughter's ear, tears in his eyes.

"I can't believe you're taking this so calmly!" Travis yelled.  "I
thought the law said that if a child was more than thirteen he or she
got to choose with which parent he would live."

"That's for cases of divorce, Travis, not in cases of adoption," Jake
said in a tired tone.  "And biological parents always have an edge over
adopted ones."

"But he's not a parent!  And if he's actually Sarah Aton's brother,
where has he been for the past fifteen years?  You can't just let him
take us!  Well, I'm not going to go with him!"

"Me neither!" Serena agreed vehemently.

"But the law says," Jake started.

"I don't care!  There are more important things than laws, and I am not
going to leave my family!" Serena's voice wasn't worried anymore, it was
determined.  Travis smiled slightly behind his own worry.  `Nobody'
threatened Serena's family and got away with it, and she was definitely
thinking of this as a threat.

"Serena's right," Ken said.  "She's been my daughter for fifteen years,
that gives me more of a right than someone who shows up out of nowhere.
If he wanted custody he should have come forward fifteen years ago. It's
too late now. I am not giving up my daughter."

"I don't want you to give up your daughter," a voice said from behind
them.  They turned to find a man in his late forties, with gray temples
blending into blood red hair and dressed in a conservative business
suit.  "I just want time to get to know my niece and nephew.  I'm sorry
for barging in," he continued, "but your front door was open, and no one
answered when I knocked."

"You're Roland Garner?" Jake asked, stepping forward.

"Yes, I am.  And you must be Darien Jacobson.  Nice to meet you," Roland
Garner held out a hand which Jake shook with evident distaste.  "I know
this is a shock," Garner continued.  "Having me show up out of nowhere
like this, and I can understand your feelings, but I don't mean any harm
to your families.  Oh, how rude of me," he continued without letting
anyone get a word in edgewise.  "This is my lawyer, Mr. Perry, and his
associate, Mr. Mason." He pointed to two more average men who had
stepped in behind him.

Out of politeness, Mr. Jacobson and Mr. Tsukino shook the lawyers'
hands.  "Look," Ken said, "I understand your wanting to get to know your
niece and nephew, but I am not going to let you break up my family to do
it, and neither is Mr. Jacobson.  Lawyers or no lawyers, you're fifteen
years too late."

Mr. Garner looked down.  "I never knew," he said softly.  "My parents
were very rigid in their beliefs and feelings and when Sarah decided to
marry Trevor Aton, a man of whom my parents did not approve; they
disowned her.  I never heard from her again, and as far as I knew, she
was still alive and married.  It wasn't until the death of my father
last year that I really tried to find her, when I truly realized how
important family is.  Still, I could find no trace.  When my mother died
last month, I was looking through her papers and found... Sarah's death
certificate, and the birth certificates of the twins.  I immediately
started to look for them.  It took me this long to find them."  The
man's monologue was hypnotic, lulling.  "I don't want to take your
children from you, I just want a taste of what you've had for so long.
I simply want a chance to get to know these new members of my family.
And I think it would be easier for us to get to know each other if we
were alone.  That's why I've asked for temporary custody.  I just want
to give myself a chance to know them, and them a chance to know me."

"Besides," Roland Garner's voice was harder now.  "I do have a legal
right to be with my niece and nephew.  That paper you both have proves
that.  If you don't hand over custody, I'll call the police and have you
charged with kidnapping." *This isn't working.  How did Quartz ever
convince Spessarite this was a good idea?  We should have just come in
here and grabbed them like I wanted.*

"What?" Serena gasped.  "You can't do that!"

"Serena," Mr. Garner said, "I wouldn't want to of course, but I do have
a right to get to know you, and I won't let anything interfere.  It's
been too long since I've had any real family.  You understand don't
you?" he smiled softly at her.  *I thought for a moment she might be
Sailor Moon, but not with that hairstyle.  Still, she'll help keep the
other brat in line, after all, we've seen what family loyalty can do.*
He barely restrained a chuckle at that thought.

"No," she hissed, "I don't understand!  You can't create a family with
threats!  All you'll create is hate."

"We won't go with you," Travis said steadily.

"It's not your choice, Travis," Roland Garner said silkily.  "This
document says that you are in my custody until this case is brought to
trial.  Legally, I'm your guardian, and you will stay with me until the
courts say otherwise, if they ever do."  *And so it does, that youma
this morning was a good distraction while I got the papers I needed and
`convinced' people to sign them.*

"This is about an inheritance, isn't it?" Travis asked.  "I recognize
the signs.  You don't want us, but your sister was left something in
your parents estate and you want it through us.  Or something like
that."

"Forget it," Jake said angrily.  "I'm not letting Travis go back into a
situation like that, even if I had been thinking of letting him go,
which I wasn't!  Travis will stay with me, where he belongs."

"Mr. Mason," Mr. Garner turned to one of the men behind him.  "Please
swear out the warrants on these two men with charges of kidnapping, and
then call the police."

"No!  You can't do that!" Serena cried.  She turned to Travis with a
hopeless look in her eyes, and for the first time really tried to talk
to him without words.  ::What do we do?::

::I don't think there's anything we can do,:: Travis' thought was bleak.
::If we don't go with him, Uncle Jake and Uncle Ken...::

She closed her eyes and nodded her head painfully.

"Alright," Travis said slowly.  "We'll go with you."

"Travis!" Jake said in disbelief.

Travis ran and through his arms around him.  "I have to, I can't let you
go to jail over this.  It'll be okay, you'll see," he whispered.

Serena was wrapped in her fathers arms telling him the same thing.

"Come on, let's go," Garner said impatiently.

Serena turned back towards her `uncle'.  "At least let me say good-bye
to my mother and brother and cousin," she said.

"There's no time, we have to catch the next train.  Now come on, let's
go."

The other four looked at each other for a long agonizing moment.  Travis
ran to Jake once more and hugged him again.  "I love you, Dad," he
whispered.

Jake's eyes opened wide and then closed as he wrapped his arms around
the young boy.  "I love you too," he whispered, "Son."

Mr. Mason cleared his throat and they separated.  Serena also
reluctantly separated from her father.  "Tell Mom and Reenie and even
Sammy, that I love them and will be back as soon as I can, alright?" she
said in a wobbling voice.

"No!" Ken suddenly yelled.  He ran forward.  "Call the police, I don't
care, I am not letting you take my daughter!"

"Dad!" Serena said.  "But if you don't..."

"I don't care, Serena," Ken said.  "Take your hands off of her," he said
harshly to Mr. Perry who had taken her arm.

"Oh goody, we get to do this the hard way," Garner said, smiling.  In a
flash his clothes transformed into a gray Negaverse captain's uniform
and the gray left his hair to become its normal blood red.


"Hi," Reenie caroled as she came into the room with Mrs. Tsukino behind
her.  On seeing the youma captain she screamed.  "It's him! Let them go!
Let go of Serena!" she yelled, running at the still normal seeming human
holding her.

"Look at that hair!" Garnite gasped.  "She must be that little one, grab
her!"

"No!" this time it was Serena who shouted it as she jerked herself free
of Mr. Perry and threw herself at Mr. Mason in a high kick.  He suddenly
grew to almost twice the size he was before, making it obvious that he
was a youma as well.  With one swipe he slammed Serena into the wall.
She slid down it with a grunt.

"Serena!" all the others in the room called out.

Serena reached for her brooch.  *I don't want Dad and Uncle Jake to see,
but it looks like we don't have a choice.*  "My brooch!?!" she
whispered, looking down.  "Where is it?"  She looked frantically for
where it had fallen off.

Travis was attacking the youma who had been Mr. Perry, who was holding a
struggling Reenie.

"Get the little one, and the boy!" Garnite shouted.  "I'll get the
girl!"

Mr. Perry knocked Reenie on the back of the head, knocking her
unconscious and then threw her to the other youma.

"No you won't!" Jake charged at him, only to be thrown back by an energy
blast.

"Uncle Jake!"  Travis turned and threw himself at Garnite, but Mr.
Perry managed to grab him, and started to wrap his arms around him as if
they were made of rubber.

Serena was searching the floor furiously.  "Travis, have you seen it?"
she asked, before noticing the predicament he was in.  "Oh, no," she
gasped.  Turning she saw her father down in one corner, Uncle Jake
leaning against a wall, her mother hovering in the doorway, and Travis
and Reenie in the hands of the youmas.

"You'll pay for this," she said, standing up defiantly.

"Oh, and who is going to make me, you?" Garnite said, grabbing her.
"You see, we know who your brother and little cousin are, and you're the
perfect person to `convince' them to work with us."

"Never," Serena said, twisting desperately.  However, Garnite held her
easily.

"Oh, I think so," Garnite grinned.

"Why did you go to all this trouble?" Travis remarked, trying to get
free of the youma holding him.

"Why?  I've wondered that myself a time or two, but Lord Spessarite
thought it was a good plan, so I went along with it.  You don't argue
with Lord Spessarite.  But since it didn't work, I get to do it my way,
which is much simpler don't you think?"

He looked around at the others as a portal formed in front of him.
"Maybe I should take some of these others, like that man over there."

Jake had managed to get up by that time, though he was holding his ribs
carefully.  He moved purposefully towards the youmas.

"Or maybe not," Garnite grinned, sending several pulses of energy
towards the man.

Serena and Mrs. Tsukino screamed as he was sent backwards into the wall
again.  This time he didn't get up.  Travis gave a hoarse shout and put
all of his strength into getting free.  His sudden thrashing caught the
youma off-guard and he almost got free when Garnite raised his hand
again and pointed it at Ellen Tsukino.  He looked at Travis, "It's your
choice."

Travis stopped struggling even as Ken threw himself in front of his wife
and the youma captain sent another pulse of energy at him, slamming them
both into the hall wall.  Without another word, he turned and walked
through the portal, the youmas with Travis and Reenie right behind him.

----------------
Remember one thing, my address is Jendra@aol.com and I love mail ^_^
I haven't done one of these in a while.  What is going to happen to 
Serena, Reenie and Travis?  What happened to their parents?  Will they 
find out what Crystal did?  Find out next time in Chapter 13!

I want to thank Will and Doug for making this chapter much better than 
it was, and Cassandra for the idea of Travis calling Jake "Dad". ^_^