ranma@falcon.cc.ukans.edu 



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

Prologue:  The Call to Adventure

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

     The playground is normally an innocent place.  Normally, however, it 
isn't occupied by an eight foot tall green woman wielding a flaming 
staff, five teenagers in sailor suits with superpowers, and a lot of 
unconscious children.  

     Sailor Moon pointed at the creature.  "I won't let the life force of 
innocent children be stolen!  Childhood should be a time of innocence and..."

     While Sailor Moon was ranting, the creature tossed a small black 
object right into Sailor Mercury's hands.  "Catch."  She did, 
instinctively.  Then it exploded...

     The last thing she heard was Sailor Venus shouting, "NO!!!!!!!   
MERCURY!!!!!!!!!"

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

     For a time, all was black and void.  Am I dead?  I didn't feel any 
pain...where is everyone?"  Then there was a breeze upon the surface of 
the void, and light...

     Mercury blinked.  The world was lit once more.  It was still night 
time, but she was now in a ...forest?

     She stood deep in a forest of deciduous trees.  Two horses were 
tethered to a tree nearby, each with a saddle and heavy packs.  A little 
farther away, a small wooden building with translucent orange windows 
sat among the trees with its front door open.  She could hear voices inside.

     "Where am I?  That must have been some sort of teleportation 
bomb...I guess it wanted to get me out of the way."  Mercury activated 
her VR visor, setting it to scan for evil energies.  None lingered.  In 
fact, the building seemed likely to be a holy spot.

     A calm voice emitted from the building.  "Sirs, this shield ought 
not to be hanged about no senshi's neck but the worthiest Senshi in the 
world, and therefore I counsel you senshi to be well advised."  Whoever 
it was, they were female, speaking in ever so slightly archaic Japanese.  

     WHERE am I?  Sailor Mercury walked over to the doorway and 
looked in.  It was a simple Christian chapel, with a few benches, an 
altar, a side door that likely lead to its caretaker's quarters, a large 
cross on the wall behind the altar...and a white shield with a blood red 
cross marked in its center, hanging on a pole behind the altar.  What was 
a shield doing hanging up by the altar of a church?  Two figures clad in 
armor stood before the altar with their backs to Sailor Mercury, but 
facing an old woman in brown robes with an oddly shaved head.  She had a 
single lock of hair in the front, then was shaved back to about the 
middle of her head, but still had hair in back and on the sides, just not 
the top.  A simple wooden cross hung from a leather cord around her 
throat.  

     As Mercury watched, one of the knights strode over towards the shield.  
The other spoke.  "What happens if an unworthy senshi takes the shield?"  
It was a woman, with a lyrical voice, a voice that Sailor Mercury found 
familiar...

     "No woman may bear this shield around her neck but she be mischieved 
or dead within three days, or maimed forever."  The woman turned to the 
advancing knight.  "Let that be your warning if ye seek this adventure."

     "I must take the adventure that comes before me," the knight said, 
reaching out for the shield.  "I'll not be scared off by the words of an 
old nun who knows nothing of honor and glory."  Her voice also sounded 
familiar.  

     "I shall not attempt this adventure, Haruka, and I advise thee not 
to attempt it either."  Mercury blinked.  Haruka?  Could that be...yes, 
that was Michiru's voice.  What were they doing here?  

     She scanned the shield.  No evil energies...but they might be masked 
or something.  What were Haruka and Michiru doing in armor?  I'd better 
do something.

     Mercury said, "Hello, there!  Where am I?"

     The nun and the knight who sounded like Michiru turned to face 
Mercury.  The other knight, however, stepped forward and took the shield 
off the pole.  The nun said to Mercury, "Welcome, traveller to the Chapel 
of the Shield that Waits, founded by Joseph of Arimathea in 45 AD.  May you 
find rest and peace here."

     "I am Senshi Dodinas, and this is my adventuring companion, Senshi 
Sagremor le Desirous," said the knight who had not taken the shield.  Her 
helmet was open, and she looked very much like Michiru.  "Who I pray has 
not been overly eager in this case."

     The shield-bearing knight said to Senshi Dodinas,  "I do what 
should, and must be done.  How could we pass up such an adventure as 
this?  It is for such as this that we became Senshi."  She looked very 
much like Haruka.  Mercury now realized that they both looked about 
twenty years older than the Haruka and Michiru she knew.

     "You wouldn't happen to...know anyone named Haruka or Michiru would 
you?  And where...is this place?"  I sound like an idiot.  They might be 
relatives.  Senshi...Because they are knights?  What IS going on 
here?

     The two knights blinked.  "You know...our secret names?  What magic 
is...wait, you look familiar."  Senshi Dodinas furrowed her brows.  "You 
look rather like Senshi Bors.  Are you her niece perhaps?  And what 
is that strange outfit you are wearing?"

     Mercury smiled faintly.  No stranger than yours.  "It is my Senshi 
uniform.  I am Sailor Mercury.  I fight for Love and Justice in the name 
of the planet Mercury."

     Haruka turned to Michiru.  "How long have we been gone from 
Camelot?  I don't remember seeing her at the last gathering of the Round 
Table we attended."

     Round Table?  Mercury blinked.  That sounded familiar...What was 
that from?

     Michiru said, "She looks more a sorceress than a Senshi.  No proper 
armor for one thing."  Turning to Sailor Mercury, she said, "Are you a 
sorceress?  I've never seen a Senshi who dresses like you."

     "Umm, I suppose you could call me that.  Where am I?"  

     "In the Forest Sauvage, in the realm of Logres, on the Isle of 
Britain.  We two are senshi of the Round Table, sworn to defend this 
land.  I take it you have travelled far from home by some strange 
adventure?"  Haruka said.

     "Yes, you could say that.  Have you ever heard of Japan?"  Blank 
stares met that statement.  Why are they speaking Japanese if they've 
never heard of Japan?...Wait, Round Table...Britain...King Arthur!  They 
must be knights serving King Arthur!  Then why is everyone speaking 
Japanese?  Or are we speaking English and I haven't noticed somehow?  
This is confusing me.

     "Japan?  Is that somewhere in Africa?"  Michiru said.

     Haruka snapped her fingers.  "It's the kingdom of Prester John!  Right?"

     Sailor Mercury sighed.  "So you serve King Arthur?"

     "King who?"  Haruka said.

     The nun furrowed her brow.  "He is obscure to me also.  Who is he 
married to?"

     "Queen Guenevere."

     Michiru shook her head.  "Never heard of either of them.  We serve 
the High Queen of Britain, Rei Pendragon and her consort, King Mamoru."

     Sailor Mercury, quite appropriately, fainted.

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

A Tokyo Senshi in Queen Rei's Court

by 

John Biles

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

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

Book 1:  The Senshi Who Needs No Weapon

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

     Sailor Mercury woke up in a rough bed.  For a moment, she thought it 
must have all been a dream, then she realized this wasn't her bed or her 
bedroom, and she was still Sailor Mercury.  There was a knock at the door.

     "Come in?"

     The nun and the two knights came in.  "How are you?" asked Senshi 
Sagramor.  

     "I'm hungry, but I feel okay.  Did I just sleep all night long?"  
The sun shining in the window said yes before they did.

     "Come and we shall break fast," the nun said.  "My name is Sister 
Himeko.  What would you like us to call you?"

     Mercury got out of bed and followed them.  "I'm Sailor Mercury, but 
you can call me Mercury."  I feel like I can trust them, but I have to be 
sure first.  And try to find out more of what is going on.

     Sister Himeko led them to a small room with a table.  Four places 
were set, each with a plate, a cup of water, some bread, cheese, and 
fruit.  "I regret I can offer thee but simple fare.  My life is plain."

     The senshi dug in, eating heartily and rather swiftly.  Mercury ate 
more slowly, as did the nun.  "I take it our description of your location 
was rather a shock to you?" Senshi Dodinas asked.

     "I...I had heard stories that I guess weren't true.  So you serve a 
Queen Rei and a King Mamoru?  Have you ever heard of someone named 
Tsukino Usagi?"  Ami wondered if maybe things had come out differently 
here...could this be some far future or far past life of them all?

     "Yes.  Queen Rei has ruled the land of Logres for many years now, 
and is High Queen of all of Britain, as well as Empress of Rome, for 
what that title is worth,"  Senshi Sagremor said.  She leaned back in her 
chair.  "We are Senshi of her Round Table, the Senshi of the Realm.  
This Usagi you speak of...One of our greatest knights is Senshi 
Lancelot.  I have heard it said her true name is Usagi.  She is blond 
with twin ponytails.  Truly a klutz and a crybaby, yet she has defeated 
evils that would faze most of our fellowship.  Indeed, she grows more 
noble by the year.  Do you know Senshi Bors?  You bear a strong 
resemblance to her."

     "I...um...I've traveled here by some strange magic.  There are many 
people here who are like those of my land.  I am one of the...senshi of 
my land, Japan.  A monster we were fighting sent me here by some means I 
don't fully understand."  That was basically the truth.  Well, I suppose 
I'll need to try and find the Merlin equivalent here.  Maybe he could 
send me home.  

     "Would you like to journey with us a while?  We would learn more of 
your land, and we could tell you of the land of Britain.  We are on our 
way to Camelot.  The great feast of Pentecost is coming, when the Table 
Round gathers to feast and share tales of glory."  Senshi Sagremor 
smiled.  "Perhaps I shall tell them of my new shield."

     The nun smiled.  "I shall pray that you survive taking that 
shield.  Many a brave knight has taken that shield, and always it 
returns here within three days.  A few of the knights have even returned 
alive to try a second time, or to thank God they survived the adventure."

     "Well, I don't know what else to do.  Perhaps I can find Merlin and 
see if he can advise me."  Assuming he exists...

     Sagremor stood up.  "Ahh, yes, the everwise Merlin.  Everytime I 
hear about that talking cat...But then again, Senshi Lancelot was said 
to have been raised by a cat in a magical kingdom under a lake or some 
such thing."

     Mercury smiled.  "Would that cat happen to be black with a yellow 
crescent moon on her forehead?  And Merlin a white cat with a similar moon?"

     "Why yes.  Have you met them?"  Senshi Dodinas asked, sounding 
surprised.  I thought he'd been locked away somewhere for forty years or 
dead or something...

     "Their reputation precedes them."  Mercury stood up.  "Thank you for 
your hospitality.  I think I'm ready to travel now."

     "It was my pleasure,"  Sister Himeko said.  "May God bless your 
journey."  And may God have mercy on your soul, she thought, looking at 
Senshi Sagremor.

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


     The Senshi rode through the forest.  Well, two of them rode.  
Mercury walked, as she had no horse, nor knew how to ride one properly.  
"So how many Senshi does your land have, Mercury?"  Senshi Sagremor 
asked.  

      Mercury thought for a moment.  "Nine.  Ten if you count Chibi-Moon, 
Eleven if you count Tuxedo Kamen."

     Senshi Dodinas blinked.  "Only nine?  Your land must be small 
indeed.  The Round Table alone has seven score and eight senshi, and 
there are far more senshi who do not belong to the table."

     "Well, we've done okay so far.  We're only just starting out.  
We're the first senshi in thousands of years..."  One hundred and 
fourtyeight on the Round Table, Mercury thought.  That must mean they 
haven't filled the Siege Perilous yet, plus one extra empty chair.

     Both of the two senshi were stunned into silence.  "For thousands 
of years?  How did your land defend itself?"  Senshi Dodinas asked. 

     "It...Well, there were no threats of a level that demanded the 
existence of Senshi.  We're still trying to really figure out what 
we're doing."  I won't mention how Usagi and Rei fight all the time.  
Or how we all died that one time...or...Hmm.  A lot of things I 
shouldn't talk about,  Mercury thought.     

     Their talk was interrupted as a strange light glowed in the 
distance.  Hoofbeats began to echo through the thick forest.  "Ahh, 
perhaps some adventure has offered itself to us,"  Senshi Dodinas said.

     "It's about time!  I've been carrying this shield for over a day and 
nothing has happened yet.  I was starting to think the hermit made up the 
whole story,"  Senshi Sagremor said.  "Let us see what fate has laid 
before us."

     They rode forward, and soon they saw a figure clad in glowing white 
scale armor.  A full closed helm covered its face and its armor was cut 
in such a way as to leave it indeterminate in sex.  The warrior's surcoat 
was embossed with the same symbol as the shield, in the same colors.  It 
spoke.  "The shield is not meant for you.  Return it to the shrine, or 
face my wrath."

     "I claim this shield. I hight Senshi Sagremor, daughter of the 
Emperor of Byzantium.  Who might ye be?"  Senshi Sagremor turned her 
mount to face the knight.  Mercury wondered why Har...Ura...Sagremor had 
dropped into an archaic speech pattern suddenly.

     "I hight the Guardian of the Shield that Waits.  Have at ye, Senshi 
Sagremor, for I must battle with thee."  The Senshi began to glow with a 
bright white light.  Mercury and Dodinas had to squint to see.  

     Sagremor drew forth a rod from her hip.  She swung it over her head 
and a glowing yellow chain extended from one end, ending in a yellow 
glowing ball surrounded by rings, with the symbol of Uranus embossed on 
it.  Gripping the shield with her free hand, she spurred her horse 
forward.  

     Mercury popped down her visor, then realized that Dodinas hadn't 
even drawn a weapon.  "Aren't you going to do something?"
    
     "No.  This is her fight.  It would be dishonorable to intervene."  
Dodinas winced for a second.  "However much I want to..."

     Mercury stared at her for a moment.  "We're just going to watch them 
fight?"

     "She...has brought this on herself."  Senshi Dodinas fell silent, 
unwilling to speak further.

     The White Senshi fought with a flaming sword, embossed with a mark 
too bright for anyone to see clearly.  The first stroke of the sword 
was matched by a downward blow from Senshi Sagremor.  The weapons 
intertwined and Sagremor's weapon melted away, leaving only the hilt in 
her hands.

     "Ye art passing strong, yet ye shall not emerge triumphant this 
day.  Shall ye yield, Sagremor?"  the White Senshi asked.

     "I shall not yield, upon my honor!  Have at ye!"  Sagremor rushed 
in, raising her shield to block the sword while trying to grab with her 
now free hand at the sword hand of the White Senshi.  The White Senshi 
proceeded to clonk her in the head with its own shield, then drove her 
sword down through the Shield that Waits, somehow not damaging it or 
being stopped by it, halting the blade an inch from her neck.

     "Yield."

     Sagremor growled and tossed down the shield.  The White Senshi 
dismounted and bent to pick it up.  Mercury tensed, seeing Sagremor 
pull back her leg to kick the White Senshi in the posterior region 
while it was bent over.  To her surprise, Sagremor suddenly slumped 
slightly and put her foot back in the stirrup on that side instead of 
kicking the White Senshi.  She turned and rode back to her friends as 
the White Senshi remounted.  Dodinas let out a loud sigh of relief.  
"Don't say it,"  Sagremor said to Dodinas.

    "Until we meet again,"  the White Senshi said, bowing.  It sheathed 
its sword and rode off into the forest, swiftly vanishing admidst the 
thick growth of trees and underbrush.  The sounds of the forest closed in 
full force.  

     This is all going to take some getting used to, Mercury thought.

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

     Weeks of travel through the forest passed, often days without seeing 
anyone but the occassional hermit, woodcutter, or hunter.  Somehow, the 
two Senshi never seemed to run out of food for themselves and their 
guest, though when Mercury tried to figure out where the food was coming 
from, she couldn't.  A few times, they even stumbled on tables of food, 
simply sitting in the woods, ready to eat.  After a while, she simply got 
used to it, and hardly questioned it anymore.

     One day, the forest simply stopped.  One moment, they were 
surrounded by trees, the next, they had ridden forth into cleared 
ground.  Fields of wheat stretched out around them, full of busy peasants 
and their animals.  Off to the south, there stood a great city of crystal 
and stone, delicate towers spiraling upwards into the sky, glistening in 
the sun, which sat at high noon.  

     "It's beautiful,"  Mercury said.  "Where are we?"

      Senshi Dodinas smiled and pulled out a harp from her many 
saddlebags.  As she began to tune it she said, "Ye see before ye the most 
beautiful and glorious city in the world, second to none, the seat of 
High Queen Rei Pendragon of Britain, the capital of the realm of Logres, 
the city known in days gone by as Winchester, and before that as Venta 
Belgarum, and perhaps other names besides..."

     Senshi Sagremor said, "If we wait for her, you may wait all day, 
Mercury.  This is the city of Camelot, the only city in the world capable 
of matching the glory of my Father's capital, Constantinople, the new Rome."

     "Only matching?"  Dodinas said, smiling.  "There are those who would 
dispute that..."

     "Dodinas...",  Sagremor said warningly.

     "Let us ride.  The Queen and King will be interested to meet you and 
hear stories of your land!"

     "Maybe I can learn to ride a horse too...Keeping up is starting to 
wear me out,"  Mercury said.

     Dodinas smiled.  "Perhaps Father Kay will call you the Senshi who 
cannot ride...Hmm, what would that be in Latin...Senshi qui non equita?"

     Mercury sincerely hoped Dodinas was wrong.

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

     The streets of Camelot were thronged with people.  The first thing 
Mercury noticed were the smells.  The city smelled like perfume.  It was 
pleasant perfume, but very thick.  The senshi seemed to pay it no mind, 
but she couldn't help but cough a little for the first few minutes.  
Soon, she became used to it.  

      Crowds parted for the two senshi and they made good time through 
the city with their guest.  The streets were tangled and twisted, blocked 
with carts and hawkers.  The buildings were built out over the street, so 
that you could barely see the sky.  While Mercury was used to cities, 
this wasn't the kind of city she was used to.

     Fatigue took her, as the smells, hunger, and the long denied 
exhaustion of many days of walking washed over her.  She fainted in the 
street.

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

     She awoke in a nice soft bed, surrounded by a silken canopy.  Her 
sheets were blue, and to her surprise, they were embossed with her own 
symbol in gold.  She was dressed in blue silken pajamas.  Parting the 
canopy, she saw she was in a large stone room, with a wooden wardrobe 
against one wall, a small table, a mirror, and a tapestry on the wall 
depicting a young dark haired girl drawing a mallet with a glowing jewel 
embedded in it from an anvil.  She recognized the girl...It was Rei, or 
someone very like her in appearance.

     As she got out of the bed, there was a knock on the door.   
"Umm...come in?"  Ami said.

     The door opened and a tall middle aged woman strode in.  She had 
long brunette hair, tied back in a very long ponytail and streaked with 
grey.  Her under and over tunic were of green silk.  The undertunic's 
sleeves were very wide at the ends, hanging down in long points, and 
had an attached hood, which also hung down in a long point.  The 
overtunic was tied with a green belt and embossed with a yellow mallet 
over a yellow double headed eagle.  For a moment, Ami wondered if this 
was a relative of the Hapsburgs, then dismissed the thought as she 
recognized the woman, who bore a strong resemblence to her old friend 
Kino Makoto...Sailor Jupiter.

      The woman spoke.  "I am Senshi Gawaine.  Welcome to Camelot, Mercury."

     For a few seconds, Ami's mind rattled through her knowlege of 
Arthurian myth.  Gawaine was Arthur's half-nephew;  his mother had been 
Arthur's older half-sister Margawse.  If Makoto is this old...how old is 
Rei?, Ami wondered.  Makoto must be at least in her fifties...although 
she's in rather good shape.  Maybe she's just prematurely grey.  "Thank 
you.  I have come seeking Merlin's help in returning to my own land..."

     Gawaine frowned.  "I have bad news for you, then."

     "Bad news..."  Suddenly Ami remembered what happened to Merlin 
eventually...

     "Merlin has been missing and presumed dead for forty years now.  I'm 
sorry."  Gawaine sat down at the table, as did Ami.  

      "I guess...I'd heard rumors..umm..."  Trapped in a crystal cave by 
his own apprentice, Ami thought.  Or a tree, or whatever...the traps 
differ, but the story always ends the same way....

     "However, his last apprentice, the enchantress Minako, sometimes 
visits the court.  Perhaps you might be able to find her."  Gawaine 
noticed Ami was simply sitting and staring at the table.  "Why do you 
need Merlin's aid in returning to your land?  Is it hidden by sorcery?"

     "Something like that...It's hard to explain."  I don't even know for 
sure if I'm in the past or the future or another universe or what, Ami 
thought.  

      "Well, I advise you to get dressed.  The Queen and King wish to 
breakfast with you and learn of your land and your deeds."  Gawaine 
smiled.  "The royal will is not to be denied."

      Ami smiled.  As bossy as Rei was, she had to be loving this life.  
"I...I've been told I resemble one of the Senshi here..."

      "Hai.  Senshi Bors will no doubt be interested to meet you...You 
look much like she did when she was young."  Gawaine arose to depart.  

      "How old is she now?"  Ami asked.  "I'm fifteen."

      "Forty five years old."  Gawaine paused in the doorway.  "She was 
born in the year of our lord 409 and the year is now 454...yes, I did 
that right.  I've never been good with arithmetic."

      And how old are you, Ami wondered, trying to remember if Bors was 
supposed to be older or younger than Gawaine...

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

      Having dressed herself in a nice blue dress from the wardrobe, Ami 
made her way through the tangled maze of passages, only having to ask 
directions three times to find the royal breakfast chamber.  She paused 
at the doorway, bracing herself for the shock to come.  Taking a deep 
breath, she opened the door and walked in.

      Rei was clad in a red coathardie covered with yellow crowns and a 
black skirt.  It was laced in the front, rather reminiscent to Ami of 
Makoto's.  There was a simple silver tiara on her head, set with a 
red gem bearing the yellow symbol of Mars.  Her hair was long, black, 
and flowing as Ami remembered, yet it was starting to show signs of 
grey, like Makoto's...Gawaine's.  A green belt gathered the dress at the 
waist, and there was a golden ring on Rei's right hand.  

     Next to her sat Mamoru, his face showing a few wrinkles, his short 
black hair also streaked with grey.  His usual sardonic smile still 
graced his face, and his eyes shone with their typical faint amusement.  He 
wore a simple black tunic and black stockings, with an unfaded rose 
pinned to the front of the tunic, perhaps freshly drawn from the vase of 
roses in the center of the table.  Ami noticed he wore a ring that 
matched Rei's on his right hand.  Four pages lurked nearby, ready to 
serve, but out of the way, clad in the livery of Camelot: colors of red 
and black, with the symbol of a rose twined about a crown and a spear.  

      Ami bowed, wishing she knew more about court etiquette in the 
Middle Ages.  I really should have studied harder, she thought.  I'd have 
a better idea what I was doing right now.

      Rei smiled.  "Greetings, Senshi Mercury.  Do you come bringing 
tidings from the gods?"  She smiled.

     "Not all of us studied faerie stories as children, Rei-chan,"  
Mamoru said.  "She may have no idea of what you speak."

     "Don't let Father Kay or Grandfather hear you saying that, dear, or 
you might find yourself excommunicated again."  Rei said.  

     "Me excommunicated?  You're the one who got Pope Haruna III angry 
with you!  I was innocent."

     Ami tried not to giggle.  

     "Well, we've amused our guest at least,"  Rei said.  "Yuka, bring 
us our breakfast,"  Rei said to one of the pages, a child of ten, who 
rushed off to get the royal breakfast.

      "I understand you have travelled far to our land,"  Mamoru said.  
"From a distant kingdom far to the east."

      "Yes.  I'm from a land called Japan.  There's only nine Senshi in 
our land.  One of our enemies somehow sent me here when we were fighting 
some of his minions.  Or her minions.  We're not even sure who this lot 
of monsters serve."  I hope they're doing okay without me...They must 
think I'm dead.

      Soon breakfast was served, bread and cheese and fruit and venison 
and vegetables.  The concept of venison for breakfast was alien to Ami's 
experience, but it was quite good.  She dug in, finding herself 
remarkably hungry.  

     Rei sighed faintly.  "It has been long since the days when I have 
had such adventures.  I miss them sometimes.  Still, peace is good, 
especially for those of us who grow old.  Adventure is for the younger 
senshi like yourself now.  I must content myself with advice and 
providing a peaceful refuge for them, and justice for my people."  She 
didn't sound very content.

      Mamoru reached over and took her hand.  "Don't be jealous, dear.  I 
never got to have any adventures at all.  Unless you count being 
kidnapped multiple times..."  

      Rei smiled impishly, seeming to lose years off her age in an 
instant.  "Yes, but a man's place is in the home.  Cooking is your 
adventure."

      "While getting beaten up in tournaments is yours, I suppose?"

      "Touche...my luck has been bad of late.  Senshi Lancelot unhorsed 
me three times during the melee at Lonazep last year.  Senshi Perceval 
did too...not three times, though.  I need to practice more."

       "Well, they are younger than you."

       "It doesn't look good when the Queen can't stay in the saddle."  
Rei turned to Ami.  "Are you good at jousting?"

       "We...um...We've been too busy fighting monsters to have time for, 
umm...tournaments."  Not to mention I can't stay on a horse to save my life.

      "Yes.  Well, it keeps us busy, keeps our skills up.  That and 
quests.  Well, I haven't been questing in a long time..."  Rei got a far 
off look in her eyes.  

      "Well, it's a lot better than everyone killing each other like in 
the old days,"  Mamoru said.  "And with so many senshi out a-questing, 
I'm surprised there's any monsters or adventures left to be had."  Mamoru 
paused, and he too got a far away look.  

      Ami sat and ate quietly, uncertain as to whether to disturb them in 
their thoughts.  The door opened quickly, knocking down a page.  A woman 
with long blonde hair shaped into two knobs on her head, from which 
pony-tails protruded stood in the doorway.  She was slender, but with 
well-defined muscles, and she was dressed in a multi-colored, striped 
coathardie that ran down to mid-thigh with white and blue stripes.  She 
wore a badge upon her left shoulder that depicted a crescent moon against 
a black background with a blue lake at the bottom.  She put a hand to her 
mouth and said, "EEP!  I'm sorry!"  She helped the page up.  "Hiya, 
Rei-chan!  Hiya, Mamoru-kun!  Hiya, Ami-chan."  She froze, staring at 
Ami.  "Hey, you look so young!"

      She ran over to Ami and sat down next to her.  "Wow, you haven't 
looked like this in a long time...Did you find some ancient trove of 
beauty products on that last quest?"

      Ami laughed.  "Nice to meet you...I'm not the person you're 
thinking of.  I'm Senshi Mercury, from Japan."

      Rei smiled.  "Senshi Mercury, meet the Royal Champion, Senshi 
Lancelot of the Lake."

      "Also known as Senshi Meatball-head,"  Mamoru said, laughing.

      Lancelot turned and glared at Mamoru.  "Will you STOP calling me that!"

      Ami laughed.  Some things never change in any time or place, I guess...

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

      Ami stood in the royal stable, staring at the horse that had been 
selected for her.  Why did I ever agree to go hunting, she thought...I've 
never been hunting.  Food is supposed to be found in the supermarket, 
not the forest.

      The horse stared at her as she tried to muster the willpower to try 
one more time to get into the saddle.  Footsteps approached.  She stood 
and acted innocent, then started tying her shoe.

      Senshi Lancelot came into sight.  "Something wrong?  Everyone else 
is waiting for you."

      "I...umm..."

      "Here, let me help you up.  Snow here is really a gentle horse.  
She just looks scary."  Almost effortlessly it appeared, Lancelot lifted 
Ami up onto the top of Snow, a black courser with white spots on her 
forehead.  "I take it you haven't done much hunting."

     "I haven't done much riding..."  Ami wobbled in the saddle, then 
calmed herself.  "At least she's not as big as those horses Sagremor and 
Dodinas had."

     "Those were warhorses.  Good for fighting, but they get tired too 
easily for hunting.  Snow here wouldn't be much use in a lance charge or 
a fight with humans, but she's quick and nimble and won't tire."  
Lancelot petted Snow's neck.  "You'll need to keep an eye out, but she 
won't steer you wrong.  Just watch out for branches and the like."  
Lancelot turned, walked out of the stall and mounted her own horse, a 
black courser with a yellow crescent moon on its forehead.

      Slowly, Snow backed out of the stall while Ami clung desperately to 
the reins.  "Lead on, good Senshi,"  she said.

     Soon, they made their way outside.  Rei and Mamoru sat on matching 
brown coursers, while Gawaine sat nearby chatting with two familiar 
figures.  One of them resembled Prisma, while the other looked like Crane 
no Joe, though both of them were older-looking than the people Ami 
remembered.  An old and wizened priest sat on a cranky looking donkey, 
and near him, Yuuichiro, his hair grey now, sat upon a brown courser.  As 
Lancelot and Ami approached the group, a senshi bolted out of the stable, 
her short blue-black hair blowing in the wind of her own movement, riding 
a white courser.  "Sorry I'm late!  Matins ran over today..."

     It was Ami's double, Senshi Bors.  She rode up to the group.  
"Father Kay, Father Ector, how did you two get here ahead of me?"

     Father Ector smiled.  "Well, I only had to go to the vestry to 
change."

     "The same for myself, Bors,"  Father Kay (Yuuichiro) said.  

     Ami said, "Umm...nice to meet you, Senshi Bors,"  Ami said.  "I'm 
Senshi Mercury."

      Father Kay smiled.  "Hmm.  So where have you been hiding this 
daughter, Bors?  I don't ...remember... you being married...Or have you 
just been..."

      Bors blushed.  "I don't have any children!  Umm...nice to meet 
you."  Ami and Bors stared at each other for a moment.  Bors was Ami as 
she hoped to be one day.  Her form was still slender, but it had reached 
its full maturity.  They had the same short hair cut and Bors' hair had 
yet to grey, unlike many of the others present.  She was dressed in a 
blue tunic, with a white surcoat over it tied with a green belt of the 
same style as Gawaine and Rei and Lancelot all wore.   In fact, almost 
everyone present was wearing one, except for the priests,  who dressed in 
simple robes of brown.  Bors even spoke with Ami's voice, though older 
in sound.  "You...You're not really my daughter,...are you?"

     "I've met my mother and she isn't you,"  Ami said.  "Don't worry, 
I'm not your child."

     "But...we look so much alike."

     "Everyone here seems to look like someone I've met at home,"  Ami 
said.  "Some strange magic afoot."  Maybe I'm dreaming all of this.

     A bee chose this moment to sting Snow, who bucked instinctively.  
Ami pitched off her horse onto Bors, and succeeded in unhorsing her as 
well as herself.

      Father Kay laughed.  "You are indeed the Senshi who could not 
ride."  Everyone laughed and Ami blushed.

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

      After a wait for some of the men-in-waiting of the court to join 
them, the hunt rode forth into the forest, following the baying of the 
hounds.  Ami did her best to keep up, but most of her energy was devoted 
to staying on her horse.  Soon, she found herself alone and totally lost 
in the woods.  She could hear cries and hounds somewhere in the 
distance.  She stared at the boar spear they had given her.  "Too bad 
they didn't teach us to use these in physical education...won't matter if 
I can't find anything.  Well, let's see if I can find anyone."  She got 
out her computer and told it to search for everyone.  A schematic of the 
forest popped up, with little moving dots for hunters and prey.    

     One large knot of people seemed to be gathered in a clearing about a 
hundred meters to her left.  The rest were scattered about, chasing a 
large orange blip hither and yon.  I guess I'll check out the large group 
first, Ami thought.

      Soon, she found the clearing.  About ten men were sitting on 
blankets, probably spread for them by the fifteen or so pages standing 
around watching as the men lunched on fruit, bread, and meats from 
several large baskets.  Seven of the men were playing some sort of card 
game while they ate, which required moving around a lot.  Mamoru was one 
of them, and he wasn't doing too well, it seemed, from the frown on his 
face.  

      Thomas, one of Mamoru's men-in-waiting moved to one end of the V 
formation that the gameplayers were in.  "Now I'm the King!"  he said, 
laughing.  

     One of the men turned and pointed towards where Ami sat on her 
horse.  "Look, it's the Senshi who cannot ride."

      Ami frowned, espcially after a second one said, "Looks like she 
can't hunt either."

      Mamoru frowned more now.  "Be quiet, Hitoki.  I don't see you out 
there chasing boars either."  He spoke louder.  "They left you behind 
too, I see.  Come over and join us, Mercury."  

     Ami rode over and managed to dismount without falling down.  She 
wondered why they weren't hunting either...why come all this way out in 
the woods just to picnic?  "All this riding around makes me hungry."

     One of the men started to say, "The senshi who..." but Mamoru 
whapped him in the head with a wooden spoon.  

     "Pardon their manners.  If they HAVE ANY."  He glared at the men, 
who shut up.   One of them, who had sat the entire time quietly reading a 
book, finally looked up.  

      "So you have finally come.  I was wondering if I had been wrong for 
once."  He was old, the oldest person Ami had seen at Camelot, with short 
grey hair.  He dressed in simple grey robes that matched his hair.  Blue 
eyes seemed to stare right through her.  Wrinkles marked his face, yet 
Ami knew him.

      "Urawa?"  she asked.  Several of the men started and even Mamoru 
blinked.  The old man smiled.

     "I have not been called that in a long time...Not since my last 
student vanished so many years ago.  I have been called by many names, 
but that one is dear to me."  He sighed.  "It is good that you are here."

      "Um, thank you."  Has he had a vision?  Maybe he knows how I can 
get home.  "Do you know, by any chance...how I might be able to..."

      "Because in ten seconds, the angry boar is going to charge into 
this clearing."

      Mass panic broke out.  Men leapt to their feet as the brush parted 
at one edge of the clearing and an angry boar charged into the clearing, 
heading straight at the knot of men.  Pages started trying to secure 
horses for people, as the men scattered everywhere.  Ami shouted, "Don't 
worry, I'll stop it!"  As the boar charged forward, Ami whipped out her 
transformation pen.  "Mercury STAR POWER!"  The change rushed over her in 
an instant.  Unfortunately, by that point, the boar had charged right 
past her.  It gored Mamoru's horse, which collapsed, flinging Mamoru 
aside.  The boar turned and gored a second horse.  Panicked riders fled 
in all directions.  

      Mercury turned and leaped over to Mamoru helping him up.  "Are you 
okay?"

      "Don't mind me!  Stop the boar!"

      Mercury turned to where the boar was working on horse number 
three.  "Shabon Spray...Freezing!"  A spray of ice flew from her hands, 
coating the horse and the boar.  They both locked up and collapsed, 
coated with ice.

      "My horse!"  Thomas shouted.

       "Better your horse than you,"  Mamoru said.  

      "Sorcery,"  whispered one of the men.

      "I was wondering why you went hunting with no weapons of your 
own,"  Mamoru said.  "I see now that you are your own weapon."

       "That's one way of putting it,"  Ami said.

       "Very impressive, Mercury.  Unfortunately, we still have a 
problem,"  Urawa said.  "The boar has a mate, who will kill Thomas in 
the next minute or so."

      At that moment, several of the hunters broke into the far side of 
the clearing.  Everyone instinctively turned towards the noise, except 
Thomas who leaped off his horse in a panic and bolted for a tree.  A 
second boar rushed out of the woods, straight at him.

      "Shabon SPRAY!"  Mercury shouted, and a fine mist spread over much 
of the clearing.  Thomas was able to leap to one side, and the boar, 
unable to see him, charged on into the tree, stunning itself for a few 
seconds.
  
     People scattered again in confusion, this time worse since they 
could not see.  Mercury began shooing everyone out of the fog as they 
muttered about sorcery.  The boar got back up and zoomed off...towards 
Mamoru.  Mercury wondered if he had angered some boar somewhere or if 
Mamoru was just unlucky.  She ran after the boar and prepared to blast it.

      Mamoru, meanwhile, was blissfully unaware of his state of danger.  
Mercury saw that the boar was going to reach Mamoru before she could 
reach him.  For a moment, it seemed Mamoru was doomed, but then...

      A black blur passed between Mamoru and the boar.  Suddenly, 
hands reached down and lifted Mamoru up onto a horse, and the boar zoomed 
through empty space.  It was an open target now.  "Shabon Spray, 
Freezing!"  Mercury shouted.  The boar became a popsicle like its mate.  
Mercury turned and saw Senshi Lancelot had Mamoru up on her horse, her 
arms around his waist, holding him on the horse.  Mercury could see 
clearly through the mist what no one else could see...the way they held 
each other closely for just a moment.  Did I imagine it, Ami wondered, 
or did they...Maybe some others things haven't changed all that much 
either.  The mist parted and Mamoru leaped down.  The rest of the 
hunters arrived.

     Queen Rei leaped off her horse and ran over to Mamoru.  "Are you okay?"

     Mamoru took her hands.  "I'm fine.  Senshi Mercury defeated the two 
boars singlehandedly."

     "Hey, I kinda saved you from getting gored to death, ya know!"  
Senshi Lancelot said.  "I could stand a little appreciation, too!"

     "Thank you, Lancelot.  We all know your great skill and give thanks 
every day for your presence."

      Mercury blinked.  Rei passing up a chance to snipe at...I guess 
some things are different here.  She is older and wiser, I guess.  "Is 
everyone else okay?"

      Senshi Gawaine finished looking at the boars.  "They...They're 
frozen...how did you do that?"

     "She called forth the ice from nowhere and the mist as well.  Great 
power is at her command.  She is a living weapon of sorcery,"  Urawa 
said.  "She shall be known as the Senshi Mercury the Senshi who needs no 
weapon, for as Mamoru said, she is her own weapon.  The one hundred and 
forty ninth Senshi of the Round Table has arrived.  The table awaits the 
coming of but one more Senshi to achieve perfection, and that Senshi is 
on her way to Camelot as we speak.  The climax of all your efforts is at 
hand.  I have seen it."

      And thus Senshi Mercury came to be known as Senshi Mercury the 
Senshi Who Needs No Weapon and to join the Round Table.  

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

**********
Book II:  The Quest for the Holy Grail
**********


     The feast of Easter had come.  It was all a new experience for 
Mercury, who had never attended Catholic religious services before.  She 
wondered if they were as weird in her own time and place as they were here...
Or if it was all Father Ector's fault.  

     Of course, it might actually make more sense if I knew more Church 
Latin.  I never realized it was this different from classical Latin.  I 
really should have taken that correspondence course, she thought.  

     After Mass, it was time for the annual Easter feast.  As usual, it 
was presided over by Senshi Bedivere, the royal butler.  Oddly, Senshi 
Bedivere looked remarkably like Senshi Lancelot, despite being completely 
unrelated.  Her real name was Serena.  

     The one hundred and forty nine senshi of the Round Table filed into the 
feast hall, with it's great round table.  One hundred and fifty seats, 
made of mahogany with plush velvet cushioning sat around it, each inscribed 
with the name of a Senshi.  Only one remained nameless.  It sat directly 
opposite Queen Rei's chair, and it bore simply the inscription, 'The 
Siege Perilous'.

     Ami stood there in an elaborate gown, as the other Senshi, clad in 
similar costumes, took their seats.  It was time for her to be formally 
initiated into the company.  Urawa came around the table, clad in his 
usual black and silver clothing.  He pulled out the chair marked, "The 
Siege of Senshi Mercury" and said, "My pupil Merlin enchanted this table 
and these chairs, that they might help to gather the most noble Senshi 
of all the world to defend this land of Logres from the evils that beset 
it.  Since his departure, I have watched over this table, helping to 
prepare for the day in which this company would come to completion.  But 
two sieges remain to be filled.  Senshi Mercury now takes her rightful 
place among this company."  Ami sat in the chair.  "Only one siege 
remains.  The Siege Perilous."  He paused.  "This day, that siege shall 
be filled and the Round Table brought to its highest perfection."

      The room fell silent.  Five senshi had braved the dangers of the 
Siege Perilous.  All had been struck dead on the spot.  It awaited the 
greatest Senshi in the world.  All those who might have been worthy had 
not dared to try.  Indeed, how could any senshi worthy of it be proud 
enough to take the chance?

      Everyone looked at each other.  The greatest Senshi of Logres, 
perhaps of the world were gathered here.  Who yet remained beyond their 
company?  Who might be worthy?

      It was at this moment that the trumpets blew, heralding an 
arrival.  A young woman strode into the room.  She was clad in a dress of 
pure white samite, cut high on top and flowing down past her feet to 
trail on the floor.  A five year old followed her, holding up the train 
so it didn't drag on the floor.  Two young ladies, each around sixteen 
years of age followed her, clad in green with the emblem of a yellow 
cup upon their surcoats.  A belt hung round her hips, and from it hung an 
empty scabbard.  Her hair was hidden for the most part beneath a long 
pointed white hat, from which hung a long white veil that almost scraped 
the head of the child carrying the train.  Her features were hauntingly 
familiar to those gathered there.  She swept in and stared silently at 
the company.  
      Mercury noticed that Senshi Lancelot was turning green and looked 
ready to explode.  It was at that very moment that the woman spied the 
empty chair at the table.  "Hey, someone saved me a seat!"  She rushed 
over and plopped down.  "This place is so big...I was getting really tired."

      Senshi Lancelot achieved a grass-like greeness and quietly 
fainted.  Everyone stared in silence, waiting for death to come.  He didn't.
Perhaps he was busy with that wizard fellow again.

     "Why is everyone staring at me...Mom, you did tell them to save me a 
seat, right?"

      Senshi Lancelot made a noise like a chicken being strangled and 
twitched a bit on the floor.  Mercury put two and two together...She 
hadn't recognized the girl at first, but hearing her voice...Chibi-Usa.
She must be twenty or so...No wonder I didn't recognize her.

      Senshi Perceval turned to the young lady.  Senshi Perceval was a 
dark haired young senshi with pale skin that made her seem ever so 
slightly ethereal.  She was clad in purple and black as was her wont.  
She was the youngest of the De Galis clan, but recently come to Camelot 
herself.  Several of her siblings had fallen under mysterious 
circumstances of late.  She knew there was a shadow growing, waiting to 
swallow the light that had been lit at Camelot.  It was lonely sometimes 
for her.  So many of the senshi she admired were growing old, and she was 
so much younger than them.  "Umm.  The chair you're sitting in kills 
people.  It's waiting for the best senshi in the world, I think."

      The woman got big eyes.  "ACK!"  She leaped up out of the seat.  
"Please don't kill me, Mr. Chair!  This is the first time Dad's let me 
out of the house in eight years!  I wanna live!"  She got down on her 
knees.  "Pleaaaassseee...."

      Senshi Lancelot finally got back up into her seat.  "Stop 
grovelling, Chibi.  It's un-senshi-like."

      "That never stopped you, Mom!"

      "I'm NOT YOUR MOTHER!"  Senshi Lancelot shouted.  Everyone turned 
and stared at her.

      "So that's why you disappear on those long quests all the time,"  
Senshi Dinadan said.  "Pregnancy requires hiding for a long time if no one 
is supposed to..."

     "I've never been pregnant!  NEVER!"  Senshi Lancelot blushed as all 
eyes turned to her.  Clearly, they didn't believe her.

      Urawa came back around to the poor girl, who was on the verge of 
crying, perhaps because the chair wasn't answering her pleas.  "Look at 
the chair, Usagi Minor."  Everyone looked when he spoke.  The inscription 
now read, 'This hight the siege of Senshi Galahad.  The circle is complete.'
"Arise and take your rightful place, Senshi Galahad.  The Round Table is 
complete."

      "So when do we eat?"  Senshi Galahad asked.

      Everyone facefaulted.

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

      The days passed swiftly for Ami.  She kept intending to ride forth, 
or at least walk forth to seek Merlin, or maybe the ladies of the lake or 
someone, anyone who could help her return home.  Yet, one way or another, 
it never quite happened.  There was always something to do.  The 
temptation to simply stay and relax and enjoy herself was too great.  She 
could feel the discipline she had forced on herself slipping away, inch 
by inch.  

      Well, one kind of discipline.  Another discipline had taken its 
place, the discipline of the art of war.  While Ami's powers of sorcery 
were awesome in the eyes of her new companions, she had rapidly seen how 
meager her fighting skills were.  She had supernatural speed and 
endurance, but she didn't know a lot about how to use it.  Somehow, she 
had begun training with Senshi Lancelot, and her daughter, Senshi 
Galahad.  

      It was, to say the least, a shock.  

      To start with, Senshi Galahad was late.  Senshi Lancelot tapped her 
foot.  "Where is that girl!  We were supposed to start an hour ago!"

      Senshi Gawaine, who sat nearby, laughed.  "I seem to remember a 
certain senshi who once couldn't be on time to save her life."

      Ami tried not to laugh too much, remembering how Usagi always was 
back home.  Senshi Lancelot said, "Yes, but I was always doing something 
important!"

      "Like mooning over Motoki?"  Gawaine said.

      "Yeah...no, I mean...aargh."  Senshi Lancelot sat down, fuming.

      At this point, Senshi Galahad ran up, dripping wet, with an 
unsheathed sword in her hands.  An also dripping wet Senshi Perceval was 
a little behind her.  Senshi Lancelot blinked.  "Umm...why did you go 
swimming with a sword?  Also, it's going to rust if you don't dry it off."

      "I'm sorry,"  Senshi Perceval said, hanging her head.  "I was 
trying to save a cat and forgot I don't swim very well.  She leaped in to 
save me and it took her a while to get me out.  I made her late."

      "So why are you waving that sword around?"  Ami asked.  

      "Oh this?  Someone left an anvil lying around in the river with it 
stuck in it.  It was about to float off downstream.  I needed a sword, 
'cause I was in such a hurry when I left Carbonek that I left my sword 
there.  So I grabbed it."  Senshi Galahad plopped down on the grass.  "I 
didn't have my scabbard with me, so I didn't have anywhere to put it."

      Ami coughed.  "An anvil...floating downstream?"

      "This is a sight worthy of the seeing,"  Gawaine said.

      "That's impossible!"  Ami said.

      "I'm not lying!"  Senshi Galahad insisted.

      "You claim I'm your mom when I'm not!"

      "Are so!  Dame Esmeraude wouldn't lie to me!"

      "Dame Esmeraude is a vicious, lying witch who tried to trick me 
into sleeping with that Demand creep!"

      "That's Prince Demand!  Grandpa really gets mad when people won't 
call dad by his title!  Besides, why'd you come live with Dad if..."

      Senshi Lancelot blushed.  "It was an honor thing..."  She fell quiet.

      Senshi Perceval said, "Do you really need to fight about this?  I 
mean, my parents never fought..."

      "You father died when you were an infant...kinda hard to fight when 
one of your parents is dead,"  Senshi Galahad noted.

       Senshi Gawaine remained silent, apparently lost in thought.

       "Anyway, aren't we supposed to be helping give Senshi Mercury some 
lessons in fighting?"

       Senshi Mercury nodded.  "I'm ready...I guess."

       Senshi Gawaine said quietly, "I need to be leaving.  I'll see you 
later!"  She departed, looking a bit melancholy.  

       Mercury watched her go, wondering why she had suddenly become 
depressed.  She was startled back to reality by Senshi Lancelot handing 
her a sword.  "Ready?"

       "Umm...No, but I'll do my best."  

       Mercury's best wasn't good enough.  Senshi Galahad looked clumsy 
most of the time, but when the sparring began, suddenly her clumsiness 
vanished.  Her face became calm and her eyes almost glowed with an inner 
light.  The wooden practice swords clashed again and again, and Mercury 
soon realized that she was hideously outmatched.  While she was faster 
than Galahad, Galahad was tremendously more skilled.  Soon, she was lying 
on the ground disarmed.  

       Over the days to come, Mercury came to a greater appreciation of 
the amount of fighting skill the Senshi actually possessed.  While her 
powers made her as powerful a combatant as them or more so, they actually 
knew how to fight much better than her.  The days from Easter to 
Pentecost passed in a blur of practice, sword forms, horseback riding, 
hunts, feasts, and time spent in the library, learning more of the 
strange world she found herself in.  By this point, Ami was convinced 
that she must be in a different world.  Armies of youma hadn't roamed 
across the world in the fifth century.  Rome hadn't had any female 
emperors, nor had there been female popes.  

      "Who was pope in 454 AD, anyway?"  Ami muttered to herself.  "I 
really should have read up more on..."

       A voice spoke from behind her.  "That should be, 'who is pope?'.  
The answer being Haruna III.  She has had an impressively long reign, 
although she's expected to die soon.  Of course, they said that ten years 
ago, too."  It was Urawa.

      "I...Do you know where the ladies of the lake live?  I keep asking 
people, but I get different answers.  I'm hoping maybe they can help me 
find..."

       "They can't.  Or won't.  I have seen our future and you are still 
in it.  You might as well not even waste your time."

       Ami frowned.  "Another vision of the future?"

       "That's what I said.  The future cannot be escaped.  Only accepted 
or denied."

       "You told me that when you were younger too...umm, I mean..."

       Urawa blinked.  "Few people ever surprise me...you seem to have 
the knack.  When I was younger...you would not have been alive."

       "It was uh...this guy I knew back in Japan.  You remind me of him."

      "Indeed.  Perhaps the Green Senshi was right..."

       "What?"

       "He once told me he believed that everyone had a double somewhere.  
>From some of the stories I have heard, I am beginning to conclude that is 
true.  You and Senshi Bors, for example."

       "I just...I can't give up.  I have to try, even if I'm doomed to 
fail."

       "That is why you are a Senshi and I am but a chronicler.  I wish 
you luck, though I don't believe you will have any.  I suspect there is 
some reason you are here, some purpose you must fulfill before you are 
able to return.  A purpose that might be long in coming to fulfillment."

      "Like what?"

      "Only time will tell..."

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

      The feast of Pentecost had arrived.  Once again, the knights of the 
Round Table had assembled for the feast.  It was Queen Rei's custom not 
to begin the feast until some marvel had presented itself, or the 
opportunity for some great quest.   The sun had set, and as of yet, no 
marvel had taken place.  The gathered senshi grew famished and Queen Rei 
was almost ready to break custom, when the marvel appeared.

     A faint music began to play and a great golden cup appeared over the 
table.  It was covered with a white cover, stitched with red crosses.  
Shining with a golden glow, it floated across the table, and in its wake 
the plates of the senshi were filled with their favorite foods and their 
cups with their favorite drinks.  A sweet scent of perfume filled the 
room.  They watched in awe as it circled the table, then floated to the 
middle.  They felt a presence watching them as they watched it.  The 
light increased in brightness until they had to close their eyes and 
shield their faces.  Suddenly it was gone.  

      For a long moment, no one spoke in the room, which now seemed dim 
and gloomy.  The world reasserted itself.  Senshi Galahad spoke in a 
whisper.  "The Holy Grail."

      Senshi Gawaine sprung to her feet.  "It is the quest for which we 
have been waiting!   We must find it!  It was for this that our table was 
assembled!  I swear I shall ride forth this day and seek the Holy Grail!  
GOD WILLS IT!!!!"

      The senshi rose and gave a great shout.  "The Holy Grail shall be 
found!  GOD WILLS IT!!!!"

     The feast began with much murmering and the making of plans.  The 
quest for the Holy Grail had begun.

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

      Soon, senshi began to stream forth from Camelot.  Many went 
straight to the stables from the feast hall and rode forth.  Others 
paused to make a few simple preparations.  Ami was one of those.  She 
went to the library to search for a map.  
     
      Unfortunately, the maps tended to be rather dissapointing.  Far too 
much "here be dragons" and a lack of caring about concepts like scale, 
unless Logres really WAS twice the size of France...

     A hand tapped her on the shoulder.  She turned and saw Queen Rei.  
"I thought I'd find you here."

     Ami smiled faintly.  "Well, I don't like looking for something 
without having any clue as to where it might be.  I mean...I don't even 
know where the next town is from here, let alone the Grail."

     "Why do you seek it?"  Queen Rei asked.

     "I...I'm hoping if I find it...I can get home.  My parents must be 
out of their minds wondering where I am, not to mention my friends.  I've 
been gone for close to two months now.  They probably think I'm 
dead...Are you going to go seek the grail too?"

      For a long moment, Queen Rei was silent.  "I cannot."

      "You can't?"

      "My duties hold me here.  It is not a Queen's place to seek 
adventure, but rather to rule her land as best she is able."  Rei sighed 
and almost seemed to shrink a few inches.  "Merlin used to always tell me 
that...I guess I did learn a few things from him.  My days of adventure 
are behind me.  Logres is at peace now.  The senshi are restless.  They 
need adventure, war, something to do."  She began to pace back and 
forth.  "For a long time, cleaning up all the corners of Logres kept 
them busy, kept them focused outward.  They rode the roads, righted 
wrongs, crushed the evils that still lurked in deep forests, abandoned 
castles, and ancient places.  I held tournaments too, to give them goals 
to strive for, prizes to win, competition to fill their need to excel.  
So did other lords, though their tournaments held less splendour.  Still, 
it is not enough."

      Ami nodded.  "People bred to fight...need targets to fight.  If 
they don't have them..."

     "Maybe this quest is what we need.  A spiritual quest.  We've 
achieved as much physical and political perfection as we're capable of.  
Now we must move on to the next level, to a higher challenge."  Her voice 
trailed off and she turned to stare into the depths of the library.

      "You think they're going to fail."  Ami said quietly.

      "You can't batter down the gates of Heaven with a lance and a 
sword.  Saint Peter holds the gates with weapons not of this world.  I 
don't know if my senshi can learn to wield them."  Her voice trembled 
faintly.  "And if they do...will they ever want to come back?  Who would 
want to leave Heaven...?"

       Peter.  Wheels churned in Ami's brain.  The Peter Principle.  
Everyone rises to their level of incompetence.  She had a sudden sinking 
feeling that they were about to see it in action.  

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

     Ami had never been to confession before.  She wasn't Catholic, for 
one thing.  Yet, she remembered from her reading that all of the knights 
who had failed on the Quest in Malory had not gone to confession.  She 
was determined not to make any mistakes.  

      She sat in a small booth, facing a grill.  This theoretically 
guaranteed anonymity.  Of course, given that she knew Father Ector was on 
the other side, and that he probably could recognize her voice, it wasn't 
much of a guarantee, but it at least made it easier to speak.

     Queen Rei had gotten her a missal, so she could at least do the 
ritual aspects of it correctly.  It was the confession that was the hard 
part.  What exactly did the Catholic church consider a sin?  Ami felt she 
had basically been a pretty good person.  There was no rape, pillage, 
murder, theft, arson, or other major crimes on her record.  She'd always 
been an obedient child, though being human, she wasn't perfect in that 
respect.  Well, that was something.  I guess I have been kinda lazy 
sometimes.  

      The silence haunted the room.  Finally, Father Ector said, "It's 
not easy, is it.  Don't be afraid, child.  Whatever you may have done, 
God will not abandon you."

     Ami took a deep breath and launched into a long litany of 
rememberances.  "I took a cookie from the tin without asking Mom 
first...I sometimes get lazy and only read six or seven chapters ahead in 
the book...I don't always clean my room when I come home...."  Everything 
came out.  Every tiny lapse she could think of.  This took a very long 
time...Ami could remember quite a bit.

      Eventually, the tide slowed and Father Ector said, "And this is all 
since your last confession?"

      "Umm.  This is my first time."

      "Well, have you done anything serious?  None of these have really 
been all that bad.  More an absence of overwhelming virtue than positive 
sin."

      "But I haven't done anything...um, I mean..."  Claiming sinlessness 
was not the way to go;  Ami knew that much.

      "That in itself can be a problem.  God wants more than just 
abstention from bad things.  He wants you to do good as well."

      "Well, I have done good things...I've fought many evil beings.  
I've been studying to learn to be a doctor...um, to heal people and..."

      "If you feel you have done nothing seriously wrong, then why are you 
here?"

      The question cut through Ami's state of confusion.  She couldn't 
just say, 'because I know I'll fail if I don't do this.'  The realization 
struck her that such an attitude would doom her as surely as a failure to 
go at all.  It wasn't just something that could be checked off a list.  
"I...don't know."

      "The admittance of ignorance is the beginning of wisdom."

     The words stung.  Ami didn't like to be ignorant.  She'd focused her 
life around gaining knowlege.  She knew what made the stars burn and the 
worlds move in their courses.  She could name every part of the body and 
what it does.  She spoke three different languages well, and several 
more...not so well.  The last time she'd played Trivial Pursuit, no one 
else got a turn once it was hers.  In a battle of wits, her opponents 
could effectively be considered unarmed.  And yet...

      The words rung true.  The matters of the spirit were beyond her 
understanding.  She'd never quite been able to grasp why some knights had 
succeeded where other good knights had failed when she had read about the 
Grail quest.  It all seemed to revolve around bizarre theological 
distinctions, and a willingness to do things that made no sense.  Yet, 
Ami was born to learn, and this was one more thing to learn.  She knew 
the odds were against her, but she wasn't willing to roll over and die.  
"What must I do to gain wisdom?"

      The lessons were about to begin...

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

     Senshi Mercury rode forth from Camelot, garbed for battle.  Well, in 
her senshi uniform.  And a hairshirt.  How being itchy would convey 
wisdom was beyond her, but she hoped she'd come to understand.  It was 
one of the standard penitent things to do, she remembered from her 
studies.  Something about suffering conveying wisdom.  At least it didn't 
have any fleas in it.

      She turned at the edge of the forest and gazed back on Camelot.  It 
had become a home to her in the two months she had spent there.  Will I 
ever see it again?, she wondered.  

      She turned and rode into the forest.  I guess I'll find out.  The 
forest stretched around.  Minutes turned into hours.  Hours turned into 
days.  Days turned into weeks.  She had never been this bored in her 
entire life.  The forest was full of life, but you couldn't talk to it.  
Nothing to read.  Not even anything to run away from.  The constant 
itching was starting to drive her slowly insane.  Even hunting was 
hard...when your powers freeze your food, cooking it takes forever.  

     The worst part of it was wondering if anything was actually ever 
going to happen.  I could just wander the woods for years without seeing 
anyone.  How big are these woods anyway?, she wondered.  I've been 
travelling for a month and I still haven't gotten to anywhere.  Am I just 
going around in a big circle?  Ami leaned over and marked a tree with her 
knife.  She did so every hour or so as far as she could tell.  Her watch 
battery had died, and now she could only live by the sun.  

      More days passed.  She hadn't come to any of her marked trees.  
Maybe I'm going to end up as one of those questers who didn't have any 
adventures...I can't fail!  I can't afford to fail!  I've got to get back 
to my home...

      A voice spoke.  It was a young man in brown robes sitting on a 
root.  "Maybe you'll never go home.  Ever considered that this might all 
be just a big dream?  The last delusion of a dying mind?"

      She started.  Where had he come from?  "Who are you?"

      "What you've been looking for."

      "You're not the Grail!"  At least Ami didn't remember the Grail 
wandering around talking to people in any of the stories she had read.

      "What you really want is to go home, right?"

      "Yes.  I'm hoping the Grail can send me home..."  Not much of a 
hope, but better than nothing.

      "Oh, like you're ever going to find it.  You haven't got a 
prayer."  The young man smirked.  "You didn't even think to use your 
computer."

      Ami blinked and felt like an idiot.  My computer!  Why didn't I 
think of that earlier?  She got it out and called down her visor and 
started writing a program to search for the grail like the one she had 
tried writing during the whole business with the Dark Messiah.

      "It won't work.  You can't find God's power with a machine."

      Ami blinked.  "Why'd you bring it up if it won't work?"

      "Just to show you're not thinking clearly.  There's a good reason 
for that."

      "What?"  Who is this person and how does he know so much?

      "You're dying.  This is all just some hallucination you're having.  
That's why it doesn't make any sense.  Mamoru married to Rei.  Everyone 
riding around in medieval armor beating each other up.  Grandpa Hino as a 
catholic priest.  You're just mixing together reality and fantasy.  Now 
it's all winding down as the last glimmers of light go out in your 
brain.  Go home, so you can at least enjoy your fantasy before you die."
  He got up.  "If you stay here, you'll waste away what little time you 
have left."

       "Dying?  Why would I be dying?"  Ami shifted nervously on her 
horse, trying to tell herself it was just the hairshirt.

      "A bleeding grenade went off in your hands!  What, you think that 
was an eggplant or something?"  The boy got up and scowled at her.  

      Ami tried to think back to the moment.  It was fuzzy in her mind.  
Everything before she came here was somewhat fuzzy.  They had been 
fighting another monster.  It had thrown something to her...and then a 
flash of light and the void.  Then she was here.  She looked around.  In 
fact, she had been right here...or somewhere like it.

      The boy looked around.  "Yes, this is the place."
      "Are you reading my mind?"

      "I AM your mind!  I'm just a projection of the part of you that 
knows this is all just a deluded dream.  Forget it.  Go ahead and wander 
in the woods.  You know you won't find the Grail.  And if you do...you'll 
die."

      Ami started.  Three people found the grail...two of them died.  The 
one who came back was Bors...her.  Was that a sign?  And of what?

     "Just go home and enjoy yourself until your brain turns off the rest 
of the way."

      "I am NOT dead!  I know I'll be alive in the future!  I've seen 
it!  And they wouldn't let me die!"  Ami found herself almost shouting.

      "Who says they have to let you die?  It's not like they're 
all-powerful you know.  Not to mention, who says there's only one future?"
The boy smiled faintly.  "Or that something couldn't change it?  Like this."

       Ami's program finished running.  DESIRED ENERGY SIGNATURE 
UNDETECTED IN INITIAL RADIUS.  EXPAND RADIUS? <Y/N>.  Ami hit the Y key.

      "Search all you want.  You won't find it unless God wants you to.  
And I don't think He does."  The boy sat back down.  "Might as well go 
home and stop wasting your time."

      "I have no intention of giving up!  I'm not a quitter."

      "Whatever.  Wander around the woods forever like you had no brain.  
Doesn't matter to me."  The boy got up and started to wander off.

      "WHO are you?"  

      "Who are you?"  he replied.

      "You know who I am!"

      "And so do you."  The boy vanished among the trees.  Ami rode after 
him, but he was gone.  Had she imagined him?  Am I really dying?  Is this 
all just a fool's quest?  Maybe I should just go back to Camelot...What 
are my odds of succeeding at this?  She glanced at her computer.  SEARCH 
CONTINUING.  It would search until doomsday if she told it to.  If I go 
back, I can get out of this stupid hairshirt and relax and...

      No, that's not my way.  I can't sit back and wait for some chance 
event.  If I'm wasting my time, at least I'm DOING something!  Hmmm.  If 
this is where I came  here, there's a chapel nearby.  I should go see how 
the lady who runs it is doing.  She turned and rode towards where she 
remembered the chapel being.  It was there.

      She went inside.  The nun was praying.  Something was missing...the 
shield was gone.  "Did someone else take the adventure of the shield upon 
them?"

      "Senshi Galahad bears it now.  She was here just a few hours ago.  
Senshi Lancelot was here as well.  Indeed, these last few days we have 
had many visitors.  Feel free to stay and rest a while."

      Ami plopped down on one of the long benches.  "Has anyone found the 
grail yet?"

      "Not yet.  A few have already given up, but most persist."  Her 
voice was carefully neutral.  It was hard to tell what she thought of all 
this.

      "Do you think this is a good idea?"

      "What, searching for the Grail?"

      Ami nodded.

      "It is not my place to judge.  I wish you well on your quest, but I 
would advise you not to get your hopes up."

      Ami sighed.  "I have to try."

      The nun nodded.  "We are called to strive, whether or not we can 
reach what we are striving for.  God bless you in your quest."

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

      Ami stayed at the Perilous Chapel that night.  In the morning, she 
ate a simple breakfast with the nun and mounted up to ride away.  To her 
surprise, the sounds of battle rang out through the forest.  She rode 
towards the battle.  Along the way, she got out her transformation pen 
and transformed.  

      Reaching the edge of a small clearing, she saw the battle coming to 
an end.  Senshi Dodinas and Senshi Sagremor were being overwhelmed by a 
group of about eight ogres.  Dodinas' horse was dead, and she fought on 
foot with a shining blue blade.  Sagremor was trying to cover her back 
with her glowing mace and chain.  Both of them were bleeding profusely.  
As Sailor Mercury took a few seconds to assess the situation, they were 
both knocked unconscious and picked up by the ogres.  A ninth ogre was 
carrying off a young lady, who was about the same age as Ami.  He was in 
the process of ripping off her clothing and his intentions were rather clear.

      Sagremor recovered long enough to shout, "Senshi Mercury!" before 
being knocked out again.  Mercury hesitated.  The one ogre was going off 
a different way from the others...Who do I help first?  My friends or the 
poor girl?  What if the ogres kill them?  But then the girl will 
be...Mercury found herself frozen in place, unable to act for a moment.  
She made her decision and rode off after the girl.  The girl was 
defenseless and clearly in immediate danger.  I'm sorry, Senshi Sagremor, 
Senshi Dodinas...I'll come back for you.  I swear.

       The ogre was easy to chase down.  It turned, dropping the girl.  
"Another stupid senshi, huh huh huh huh."  It laughed, sounding like 
Beavis and Butthead on steroids.

     "SHABON SPRAY, FREEZING!"  Mercury shouted.  Freezing bubbles 
covered the ogre, who turned blue, fell over, and shattered.  Well, that 
was easy, Mercury thought.  I wish the monsters back home were this easy 
to defeat.  She rode over to the girl.

      "Are you okay?"

      The girl nodded nervously.

      "What's your name?"

      "Inoue."  The girl looked at Mercury as if she expected something 
horrible to happen.

      Mercury looked around.  "What's wrong?"

      "I...can you help me get home?  I'm lost.  This forest is full of 
ogres."

      Mercury hesitated.  Anything could happen to Dodinas or Sagremor if 
she waited any longer before she went to find them.  I can't let this 
poor girl try to get home by herself either.  She knew what she had to 
do.  "I'll take you home.  Do you know how to ride a horse?"

      The girl nodded.  Mercury got down and hoisted the girl up onto the 
horse, surprising herself a little.  Am I getting stronger or is she just 
very light?

      The girl smiled.  "Thank you."  

      It took five hours to get the girl home, and by the time they got 
there, Mercury had no idea how to get back where she had last seen the 
two kidnapped Senshi.  Time to put my computer to work, I guess, she 
thought.  The girl said, "Thank you for taking me home."  She hugged 
Sailor Mercury.  "God bless you."

      "I certainly hope so.  Oh, what's your name?"

     The girl smiled.  "Birdy.  Nice to meet you!"

       Soon afterwards, Ami initiated a scanning program and tried 
to retrace her steps.  She wasn't having much luck, until finally her 
computer found them.  It was getting on towards nightfall by the time she 
found them and she was getting tired.  

      Someone had already freed them, it seemed.  Ogres were scattered 
everywhere, dead or unconscious.  Dodinas was trying to cook something 
over a fire, while Sagremor sat nearby and looked cranky.  Sagremor 
looked up, saw Mercury, and snarled.  "Felt like coming to find us?"

      "I had to save the girl."

      "It took you all day to beat ONE ogre and follow the ogres half a 
mile to find us?"  Sagremor stood up.  She looked angry.

      "She needed to be taken home...I guess someone found you?"

      "YOU LEFT US TO DIE TO BABYSIT SOMEONE WHO WASN'T IN ANY DANGER 
ANYMORE?"  Sagremor stomped forward.  Dodinas frowned and got up.

      "I didn't realize it would take so long...I was afraid she'd get 
hurt and..."  

       Sagremor pulled out her mace and chain.  "WE'D BE DEAD BY NOW IF 
WE HAD HAD TO DEPEND ON YOU TO SAVE US!!!!"  She charged Mercury, 
spinning her mace and chain high over her head.  Mercury leaped up into a 
tree and the blow slew her horse instead.  

       Sagremor started trying to climb the tree, without any luck.  Too 
much armor.  "Come down and fight us!"

       Mercury looked down at her poor horse.  You did nothing to deserve 
this.  She could feel an unfamiliar sensation building.  Anger.  I tried 
to do what I thought was best and she killed my poor innocent horse, just 
because I couldn't be in two places at once.  You want a fight?  I'll 
give you a fight...

       Before she could speak, Dodinas put a hand on Sagremor's shoulder.  
"Sagremor...she was just trying to do what she thought was right."

      Sagremore sagged.  "You could have been killed Dodinas...They were 
about to kill you when Senshi Percival got here..."  A tremor ran through 
her.  "They were going to kill you with my own...my..."  Senshi Dodinas 
took her into a clumsy embrace.  

      Mercury felt the anger flow out of her.  Sagremor had just had a 
really bad experience.  She had to be forgiving.  That was part of being 
a senshi.  If I'd just watched one of my friends about to die when I knew 
someone else could have prevented it, I'd be unhappy too.  "I'm sorry, 
Sagremor.  I came as fast as I could."

      Sagremor said nothing, simply shaking in Dodinas's arms.  There was 
nothing more to be said.

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

      They parted soon after that.  Apologies were made, but it seemed 
best to let time heal the wounds.  After camping together that night, Ami 
rode one way, they rode another.  Ami set herself on Senshi Percival's 
trail.  She knew that in the legends, Percival was one of those who found 
the grail.  It gave her some kind of lead to follow.

     The days seemed to blur into one another again.  She could find 
Percival with her computer, but she could never quite catch up with her.  
It became increasingly frustrating as the days passed.  Yet, she had no 
better options.  

     One day, weeks, maybe months after her last adventure, she came upon 
a clearing in the forest with a huge table spread out in it.  It was 
surrounded by chairs and covered with a vast array of foods, all fresh 
and inviting.  Ami's stomach growled.  Her food supplies were running low 
and she had been living off venison and fruit for weeks.  At one end of 
the table, sat five Senshi, all asleep in their chairs.  Ami rode over 
to them.  "Hello?"

     Upon a closer look, Ami recognized them.  Senshi Gawaine, Senshi 
Gareth, Senshi Gaheris, Senshi Aggravaine, and Senshi Mordred.  The 
Orkney clan.  She had known them in her own world.  Makoto, Shirokuro, 
Crane no Joe, Prisma, and Catsy.  Would they really bring down Queen 
Rei's court in the end like their counterparts in the legends of 
Arthur?  Had Crane no Joe slain their mother as Gaheris did his?  Prisma 
and Catsy had started out evil...yet they had reformed.  Would 
Aggravaine and Mordred reform?  Would this legend end any differently 
from the one she knew?  Maybe I should kill them right now...they die in 
the end anyway...

      She started at the thought, so uncharacteristic of her.  I can't do 
that!  I won't murder them!  Well, I could just leave them here...if they 
sleep long enough...She shook her head.  What's gotten into me?  I can't 
just leave them here...Why are they sleeping anyway?

     A voice startled her.  "It is a test.  They failed it."

     She turned.  A woman stood nearby.  She was young...or was she?  It 
was hard to tell what age she was.  One moment, she seemed to be in late 
middle age, another she could scarcely have been considered over twenty.  
Her hair was long, blonde, and flowing, running most of the way down her 
back.  She wore a simple white robe that covered all but her feet, head, 
and hands, gathered at the waist with a belt that looked like woven 
vines.  Upon her brow hung an orange gemstone from a silver chain.  "I am 
Minako, the lady of the lake.  Greetings, Senshi Mercury."

     "I...hello.  I'm ...I guess you know who I am.  What happened here?"

     "They ignored the sign and ate."

     "What sign?"

     Minako pointed to a sign on a tree near the table.  Ami blinked.  It 
wasn't there before, was it?  It said, "Don't eat the food.  It has been 
dedicated to the Lord of the Forest."

     Hmm.  Are they even literate, Ami wondered.  Lots of knights 
weren't.  "How long will they sleep?"

     "A thousand years unless someone wakes them.  And no one will find 
them.  This place is warded now."

      Ami shivered slightly.  "I...you warded it?"

      "I do what must be done.  I understand you seek a way to return to 
your world."

      "I...can you send me there?"

      "Perhaps."  Minako smiled enigmatically as a faint breeze began to 
blow.  "All things are possible, yet most things do not occur."

      "Have you been taking lessons from Setsuna?"

     Minako smiled.  "Not recently.  I can send you home..."  She trailed 
off.

     "What do you need me to do?"

      "It is not what I desire, but a matter of fulfilling your role in 
the great song of destiny, in which we are all singers.  I cannot send 
you out of this song until your part is done.  The time shall come when I 
shall gladly aid you in going home."

      "But that time hasn't come yet."

      "It maybe be very near...depending on what you do."

      "What do I have to do?"

      Minako did not reply, turning instead to gaze into the forest.

      Ami turned and walked over to wake up Senshi Gawaine.  I can't just 
leave them here.  They haven't done anything yet to deserve a thousand 
years of sleep.

      "So you will bring down Rei's court?"  Minako asked, not turning 
around, her voice as smooth as if she had asked, "Would you like some 
pudding?"

     Ami froze up.  "I...you know what may happen?"

     "It can be very miserable, indeed.  I have followed the skein of 
time, and I do not find it pleasing."

     "Why...Why didn't you just kill them then?"

     "Why don't YOU just kill them?"

     Ami said, "It wouldn't be right!"

     "Why do you think I'd be willing to murder them for deeds undone?"

     "Because you know what happened!  Umm...will happen..."

     Minako turned.  "Then why don't you do something about them?"

     "I will!  I don't want to see it happen!"

     Minako smiled.  "Good.  That is your fate.  Why you have come.  To 
prevent this from all becoming a nightmare without end."

      The boy appeared again, walking out of the forest.  "You can't stop 
them.  Nothing can stop them if you wake them, Ami."

      Ami frowned.  "WHO are you?"

      "That's not important.  They're killers.  They slew their own 
mother.  They've been hunting down the Pellinore clan for years.  They'll do 
worse before they're done.  You can't change them.  They're bad seeds, 
rotten to the core."

      "They are not rotten to the core!  And people can change!  I've 
seen them change!"

      The boy smirked.  "I don't see Sailor Moon and her magic stick 
anywhere around here.  What are you going to do, give them ethics 
lessons?  Better living through physics?"

      "I don't know, but if I don't try, I'll never find out!  I was able 
to help Birdy change!  I can help them too!"  Maybe he's right.  Maybe I 
should leave them here.  I don't know if he's telling the truth or 
lying.  Not everything is exactly the same...they might not have done 
anything wrong yet.  

      The boy shook his head.  "Make more misery for yourself.  See if I 
care."  He turned and walked off.  

      Ami turned and shook Gawaine awake.  I'll take my chances, she 
thought.  I have to give them that chance.  

      Gawaine started awake, as did the others.  "Mercury?"

      "Hai.  I'm here."

      Senshi Gareth yawned and stretched.  "How long have we been napping?"

     "You would have slept a thousand years if I hadn't woken you.  I 
don't know how long you've been here."

      "Praise God you found us,"  Gareth said.  "How did you find out 
we'd sleep that long?"

      "Minako told me."

      Senshi Aggravaine looked around.  "I don't see her anywhere."

      "Well, she was here..."  Ami looked.  Minako had vanished, as had 
the sign again.  She frowned.

      Gawaine got up and stretched.  "We owe you a great favor, Mercury.  
I hope only that we may one day repay you."

      "We'll see what happens."

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


      Ami rode with them for a while, but eventually, they came to a fork 
in the road with six paths.  As was the custom, they split up, each 
riding down a different path.  By now, Ami had begun to realize that the 
adventures would come to her, as long as she kept moving.  It was 
completely illogical...but this world operated by its own logic, she had 
learned.  

     A senshi clad in black armor sat upon a huge black horse, blocking 
the road.  "None shall pass."

     She blinked.  This seems familiar.  "Unless they defeat you?"

     "All who would pass, must fight me to the death."

     "Right."  Ami turned her horse around and started to ride off.  

     The senshi blinked.  "Wait, you're just going to leave?"

     "I don't like the road that much."

     "Coward!"  the senshi yelled.

     She shrugged.  "Enjoy your road."  She rode off.  Being called a 
coward stung, but it certainly wasn't worth killing someone just to ride 
along the road.  She found a path she hadn't noticed before, and turned 
off onto it.  

      For several days, she rode through the increasingly dark and dismal 
forest.  It started raining most of the time.  Finally, the forest opened 
up and a manor spread out before her.  Across the fields, she could see a 
large manor house and a village spread out around it.  A man clad in 
white samite fled from a knight clad in familiar black armor.  

     It was the knight from the road.  He turned and saw Ami.  "Going to 
run away again?"

     Ami frowned.  "Leave that man alone!"

     "Or you'll what?  Tell me again?"  The senshi turned to look at her 
and the man ran and hid himself in the village.  Her voice was harsh and 
disdainful.  "Go home, little girl."

     "I am not a little girl!  MERCURY STAR POWER!"  The power came over 
her in a rush, filling her with strength.  "You shouldn't harrass the 
poor and defenseless!  In the name of the planet Mercury, I will punish you!"

      "Enough words."  The woman drew a sword with a curved blade, that 
shone with a blue light.  "Come and get me, if you dare."

     Mercury glanced for a moment at where the man had run to.  "Leave 
now and..."

     "Enough!!!"  The senshi galloped forward, sword raised high.

     Mercury waited until the senshi was almost upon her.  She lept out 
of the saddle and into the air, landing on the horse behind the senshi, 
and kicking her sword away.  She then lept back onto her horse as it 
passed the senshi, who blinked.  "Had enough yet?"

      The senshi dismounted and ran for her sword.  "NO!"

     "Why are you harrassing this town?"

      "Because I want it!  I shall be the lord of this town!  I'm tired 
of being landless, and I won't let you stand in my way!  Now come down 
here and fight me!"  

      Mercury did so.  She easily dodged the attacks, thanks to the 
training that she had learned at Camelot.  It soon became clear she had 
superior endurance as well.  After a while, her opponent was exhausted, 
and unable to prevent Sailor Mercury from disarming her.  

      The black senshi lay on the ground.  "Go ahead.  Finish me off.  
Put me out of my misery."

      "No.  Get on your horse and leave and NEVER return."  She stared 
hard at the senshi, who did so.

       The man who had been cowering behind a building came out.  He was 
very nicely dressed in a cote hardie and leggings of white samite with a 
pair of crossed red wands on a blue badge pinned near one shoulder.  He 
was only a little older than Ami.  In fact, Ami now recognized him.  He 
looked remarkably like Urawa.  He sounded like him too. "I am Greg, the 
lord of this poor manor.  Thank you, lady Senshi for aiding me.  Please 
come to my castle, so that I might reward you properly."

      Ami smiled.  "Thanks.  I could do with a nice meal."

      She got a very nice meal indeed.  Despite the rundown condition of 
the manor, her meal was very good, and the servants were very polite and 
helpful.  They talked for a while after they ate, and he told her a few 
tales he had heard of the success or lack thereof of the other grail 
questers.

     It was pleasant to relax with company for once, especially someone 
who reminded her of someone she had loved.  If only he hadn't forgotten 
me after Usagi wiped out everyone's memories.  I really liked him a lot.
Greg's voice, his mannerisms, all were the same as Urawa.  The only 
difference was that if Greg had the same power of seeing the future as 
Urawa did, he didn't show it.

      Finally, it was time to go to bed.  Greg showed her to her 
quarters then hesitated.  "It is the custom of this place..."  he 
paused.  "I should have told you of this earlier..."

      Ami blinked.  "What custom?"

      "As the lord of the manor, I must insure that no guest sleep alone..."

      Ami blinked again.  "Even if they want to?"

      "I...if you do not find me desirable, one of my servants would do 
to fulfill the custom, but I should not send a servant to do my job."

      Is this for real?  Ami remembered that some castles did seem to 
have very strange customs.  She then remembered that usually the only way 
to end a custom was to fulfil it then declare it at an end.  Wait, he had 
said sleep...maybe he really did just mean sleep..."You mean like...uh..."

      "Yes.  You would honor me if I was the one."

      "I can't sleep with you!"  It's tempting..but I don't REALLY know 
you that well.  This isn't the time for me to lose my virginity.  If you 
were really Urawa...

      He sighed.  "I know I'm not very handsome.  Well, I'll call the..."

      "No, I mean, I'm...I'm a virgin and I want to stay that way.  For 
now, anyway."  This all seemed somewhat familiar, suddenly, but Ami 
wasn't sure why.

       The man frowned.  "Well, I'll have to kill myself then."

       Ami blinked.  "You what?"

       "It is part of the custom.  I suppose I should try to seduce you, 
but I was never very good at that.  Well, it's been nice knowing you."  
He turned to go.  "Where did I leave that sword, anyway..."

       "I can't let you kill yourself!  Why do you have to die?"

       "It is the custom," he said, in the same tone one might use to 
say, "Because I like strawberries."

       "I can't let you kill yourself over some stupid custom!"

       "Then you will..."

       "No, I can't do that either!"  Is he really going to kill 
himself?  Maybe it's just an act to get into bed with me.  That is kind 
of flattering, but I can't let him force me to sleep with him...but if he 
kills himself...I'd feel so awful...There has to be some other way 
out of this.

       "Then I must die.  Will you slay me or must I do it myself?"

       "I'm not going to kill you!"

       He paused.  "That's it!  I can jump!"  He turned and ran out of 
the room.  Ami chased him through the halls of the palace.  Finally, they 
came out on the roof of the manor house, five stories up.  Ami blinked, 
wondering where the cliff had come from that now was on one side of the 
house.  It dropped down into a mist, though she could hear the crashing 
of the surf below.  Greg stood at the edge of the cliff.  "Are you 
sure you won't relent so I can live?"

       "Why are you doing this?  I'm not worth killing yourself over!"

       "I must.  It is the custom."  He turned to leap.  She grabbed his 
shoulder.

       "Don't jump!  I don't want you to die!  I just don't want to sleep 
with you."

       "And thus you send me to my death."  He tried to jump, but she 
held onto him.

     "You're the nutcase trying to kill yourself!  Why is this custom so 
important?"  How can he blame this on ME?  He's the one who is trying to 
kill himself!  I'm not making him do it!

      "It is the law of the land.  It must be obeyed.  I am only its 
executor and its heir.  Goodbye, Ami."  He wrenched himself loose and 
lept.  

       For a moment she hesitated.  I can't let him do this!"  She lept 
after him, pulling out her pen and transforming as she did so.  What 
exactly am I going to DO about this anyway?  They cleared the mist.  
There was water below.  She hit the water shortly after he did.  Luckily, 
the water was rather deep, somehow, and they sank beneath the waves.  
Mercury was an excellent swimmer and she managed to swim down to him and 
pull him to the surface before he could drown.

       She could see the shore nearby.  He was quiet as she swum to shore 
and carried him up onto the beach.  "Are you okay?"

      When he didn't say anything, but gagged instead, she realized he 
was going to need mouth to mouth resuscitation.  She went to work, then 
realized in the middle of it, he might get the wrong idea.  Finally, it 
worked and he started breathing properly.

      "You risked your life for me," he said.

      "Uh, yeah, I guess I did."

      "Why?"

      "I couldn't let you just kill yourself over some stupid custom!"

       "That was enough to risk your life?"

      Mercury paused.  "I...I'd have felt guilty if you died.  Even 
though it would have been your own fault.  I didn't want that weight on 
my soul."  I bet Urawa would have jumped too, if he'd seen a vision of 
himself jumping...Maybe you're even more like him than I thought.

       "Thank you."  He pointed out onto the waters.  "Something has come 
for you."

      She turned and looked and saw a boat, sailing under its own power.  
It halted a little off shore, though the water looked too shallow for it.

      "The time has come for you to go, Mercury.  And for me to return to 
my home.  The custom is over.  Thank you again.  God bless you."

      "My horse..."

      There was a whinney and Mercury saw her horse was already on the 
boat.  Mercury blinked.  "How did she get there?"

      There was no reply.  She turned and looked.  Greg was gone.  
What in...she wondered.

      "You're going nuts, that's what.  I told you this is just the final 
delusions as you die."  It was the boy again.

      "I am not nuts!  This must be magic!"

      "That's what they said about lightning in the middle ages.  And 
tides.  Magic or God's will.  You know better."

      "I know magic is real!"

      "Does it ever get this weird, though?"

      "Why do you want me to believe this is a dream?  Or the last 
delusion of my dying mind?  My mind feels fine."

      "Sooner or later, you'll realize I'm right.  Just don't wait until 
it's too late."  He vanished.

       Mercury sighed and turned to the boat.  This is kinda all weird.  
Soon, she was on the boat and it headed out to sea.

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

     For days, Ami rode alone on the boat, except for her horse.  The 
boat sailed under a stormy sky, though it rarely rained.  The land had 
soon slipped out of sight.  She thought she was probably sailing north, 
but she wasn't really sure.  There was a book, but unfortunately, it was 
in aramaic and greek and she couldn't read it very well.  She thought it 
was a bible, though.  

      This trip was even more boring than being lost in the forest.  I 
don't think I'm quite cut out for the questing life, I guess. Not alone, 
anyway, she thought.  She spent a lot of time thinking and trying to 
remember her friends and her old life.  It seemed almost dreamlike at 
times.  Will I ever see them again?  They must think I'm dead by now.  

      Loneliness swept over her.  No one here to talk to.  Nothing to 
read.  Nothing to do.  Nothing.  Just water, a book she couldn't read, 
and a stormy sky.  Oh, and a horse.  For someone of Ami's temperment, 
this was a living hell.  She spent a while trying to figure out what was 
propelling the boat, but soon concluded it had to be magic.

      She was almost to the point where even having that annoying boy 
show up and taunt her would have been a relief, when a dark shape 
appeared on the horizon.  It was a rocky island, with mountains rising in 
its interior.  Atop a cliff sat a crude castle.  The boat pulled up to a 
dock.  She got off with her horse, and the boat sailed away.  "Now how do 
I get to the top..."

      No one answered her.  With a lot of looking, she found a 
staircase.  She left her horse at the dock, and started up the crude 
staircase hacked out of the rock.  Finally, she reached the top.  The 
drawbridge of the castle was down, and there seemed to be no one on guard.
As she approached the castle, she saw there were two lions, seemingly 
asleep, on the far side of the drawbridge, inside the gatehouse.  One was 
black, and the other was white.  She moved a little closer.  "Hello?"

     There was no answer.  "Is anyone there?"

     Silence.

     She moved a little closer to the lions.  They seemed to be unaware 
of her presence, asleep in fact, but she wasn't sure if she could trust 
that.  There was an inscription over the door.  She tried to read it, 
wishing her knowlege of Pictish glyphs was better.  "And the lion shall lay 
down with the lambs."

      Does that mean it is safe to enter?  The white lion roused and 
gazed at her curiously.  

      She froze in place.  It got up, shook itself and stared at her.  
She tried again, just in case.  "Hello?"

      "You have come,"  the lion said.  Ami nearly fainted.

      "Uh, yes.  May I come in?"

      "If you wish."

      "Will you let me pass?"

      "I didn't say that."  The lion crouched down into a comfortable 
position.

      "You'll try to eat me?"

      "I didn't say that either."

      "Is it safe for me to come in?"

      "It is never safe to pass between lions."

      "I know that!"

      "Then why did you ask?"  The lion looked genuinely curious.  

      "In other words, you won't tell me if I'm safe."  She paused.  "Do 
you have a name?"

      "Yes."

      "Can you tell it to me?"

      "Yes."

      She sighed.  Are lions capable of sarcasm?  "What is your name?"

      "I have been called many names."

      "Umm.  What would you like to be called?"

      "You may call me Tawny."

      Ami came a little bit closer.  "So you can't tell me what you'll do 
if I try to come in, Tawny?"

      "I don't eat...everyone who enters."

      "Why is the other lion still asleep?"

      "There's only one of you."

      "Is there some other way in?"

      "What would be the point of guarding one entrance with lions and 
leaving another open?"

      Good point.  "Wait, how can you talk?"

      "With my mouth and lungs, just like you."  The lion smirked.

      Ami tried to remember anything like this from the Arthurian stories 
she had read.  She remembered something about lions who some knight 
befriended.  She looked up at the inscription.  It could be a trick.  
Maybe I should transform.  Then again, it might think that's a hostile 
act.  I don't have enough information to make a good decision here.

      Well, if it wanted to eat me...She sighed.  I'm going to think 
myself into mental knots.  I'll just walk forward.  If it comes for me, 
then I'll have to jump in the moat and transform or something.  Oh, 
that's a brilliant plan.  She sighed again.  

      "You coming in or not?"

      Suddenly, Ami remembered the story.  She walked forward, right past 
the lion, who sighed.  "I never get to eat anyone...Go in peace as you 
have come."

      Ami smiled.  "And you too."  The castle seemed deserted at first, 
with a layer of dust over the entire courtyard as if noone had come in or 
out for millenia.  Soon, however, she began to see lights at some of the 
windows of the keep and to hear faint music from within it.

     The doors of the keep stood open.  She paused and knocked.  Soon, a 
young female page with short blonde hair came to the door.  She wore a 
green surcoat with a yellow cup emblazoned on it, and red tights.  
"Welcome to Castle Carbonek.  Why have you come?"

     "I seek the Holy Grail."  Ami felt a vague deja vu feeling.

     "Why do you seek it?"

     "I hope that maybe it can send me home."

     The page blinked.  Apparently this wasn't part of whatever script she 
was operating by.  "I..you...Umm...come in."  The page turned and led Ami 
through the halls of Carbonek.  She followed the girl for what seemed 
like hours.  Finally, the music in the air grew louder and a smell of 
sweet perfume, masking a scent she couldn't quite recognize, filled the 
air.  They entered a great hall, lit by torches high up on the walls.  In 
the center of the room, an old man lay upon a couch.  He wore regal 
clothing, but it was battered and old.  There was a faint dripping sound, 
but Ami couldn't find the source of it.  Two tapers stood near him, 
burning incense.  A golden crown, worked to resemble a laurel wreath sat 
upon his head.  His hair was white, and a pair of glasses were perched on 
his nose.  The light reflected off them, hiding his eyes.  With a start, 
Ami realized he bore a strong resemblence to Professor Tomoe.  The grail 
king, she thought.  Stabbed by Balin after he tried to kill Balin for 
killing his brother after his brother attacked Balin.  Stabbed with the 
Holy Lance.  Galahad's grandfather.  I wish I could help him, but Galahad 
is the one destined to heal him...wait, this means I'm the first person 
to get here!

      The page led Ami over to the Grail King.  "Sir, this is Senshi 
Mercury."

      Ami blinked.  Wait, I never said who I was.

      "She says she's come looking for the grail, so it can send her home."

      The Grail King sighed.  "My release is not yet come."

      "Don't worry, Chibi-Usa...I mean Usagi Minor, will succeed.  You 
won't suffer forever."  Pluto may worry about revealing the future, but I 
don't think this would hurt.

      "I can only pray.  I have paid for my sins tenfold."  He moaned 
faintly and clutched his side.  Her gaze attracted by the gesture, she 
now saw the dripping was coming from his side.  He was slowly bleeding 
into a dish.  She shuddered faintly.  I wonder if he's hemophiliac?  

     "I...Is the grail here?  Is there anything I can do to help you?  
I've got some asprin, I think..."

     The Grail King blinked.  "Asprin?  There is nothing you can do.  
Chris, take her to the chapel.  Perhaps there she shall find what she seeks."

     Ami fumbled and got out some asprin.  "Try taking these with water 
every twelve hours.  It should help with the pain a little."

     The king took the tablets.  "Magic?"

     "Medicine."

     "Well, I guess it can't hurt."  

     "Just don't take more than two a day.  It could have bad effects."  
Well, this will help him a little, anyway.  

     The page said.  "Follow me.  I shall take you to the chapel, and we 
shall see what we shall see."

     The page lead Ami down a long hallway to a chapel.  It was brightly 
lit and seemed to be the source of the all-present music.  High on the 
right wall, a series of stained glass windows depicted important scenes 
from Christ's ministry on Earth, his death, and resurrection.  They cast 
multicolored patterns of light across everything in the room, providing 
the only light source, except for the Grail itself.  It sat on the altar, 
on top of a red altar cover, emblazoned with a white cross.  

      She stepped forward slowly.  It all seemed too easy.  As she almost 
reached the altar, she heard shouting outside and stopped.  The sound of 
fighting came through the windows.  Someone was shouting something about 
help.  She paused and tried to concentrate on the voice.  "Someone...help 
me!!!!!!"  It was Naru's voice.

     "Naru?  What's she doing here?"  In fact, I haven't even seen her 
since my arrival.  Or Umino.  It sounded like they were right outside the 
chapel.  There was a door out, in fact, which she hadn't noticed before.  
I'd better go check on her...

     She ran to the door, then paused to look at the grail.  It won't go 
anywhere...I hope.  I have to make sure Naru is okay.

     The door opened out into the courtyard, which was full of mist.  She 
heard Naru scream again.  "HELP ME!!!!!!!!"  She ran through the mist, 
pulling out her pen and transforming.  Off to one side, she saw something 
that brought her to a halt.  A circle of light hung in the air.  Through 
the circle, she could see the playground where she and her friends had 
fought their battle.  They were sitting together, looking very sad.  Not 
much time seemed to have passed.

     "She must be dead,"  Sailor Jupiter said.

     "She can't be dead!"  Sailor Moon yelled.  "It can't end like this!  
She can't be dead!  She can't!"

     Sailor Venus laid a hand on Moon's shoulder.

     "I'm alive!  I'm right here!"  Sailor Mercury yelled.  They didn't 
seem to notice.

     "They won't hear you.  Not unless you step through."  It was the 
boy.  "They think you're dead."

     The scream came again, and the portal began to shrink.  It's 
closing, Sailor Mercury realized.

     "What a brilliant observation.  In 30 seconds, it will close.  Think 
you can save Naru and get back that fast?  Of course, it may take you 
that long to make up your mind."  He smirked.

      There'll be other chances, she told herself, turning and running 
into the mist, homing in on the screaming.  The mist cleared away.  A 
woman stood, clad in blue and gold, over a crumpled body of a man.  The 
woman had long red hair, streaked with grey.  She turned as she saw 
Sailor Mercury approach.  It was Naru.  With a start, she suddenly 
realized that the crumpled man was Umino, though much older than she was 
used to him being.  He still had the glasses though, looking incongrous 
with his medieval garb.

     A senshi stood over them, sitting on the back of a black charger.  
She laughed.  "So this is the great Senshi Tristam.  I think the stories 
have been greatly exaggerated."

     Mercury recognized the voice.  It was the senshi she had battled at 
Greg's manor.  "Maybe if he hadn't been unarmed, it would have been 
different."

     The senshi turned her head, attracted by the voice.  "So, we meet 
again.  So what if he was unarmed?  He was guilty of adultery.  I acted 
to carry out the King's justice."

     Naru shouted at her, "You attacked an unarmed man because Nephrite 
promised you Umino's lands if you killed him!  Because my husband is too 
cowardly to face Umino himself!"

     "My motives are irrelevant.  I am but the humble tool doing the 
king's will.  Does not every king reward his servants?"  The senshi 
smiled.  "Those who defy the royal will, defy justice and must be 
punished.  Justice was done here."

     "Murder is never justice!"

     "He broke the law.  The punishment for adultery is death."

     "The law isn't always just!"

     "Then each person should do what they think is right?  Should we 
abandon law all together?"

     "Yes!  No...umm..."  Mercury hesitated.  Abandoning all law would 
leave all to the rule of the strong over the weak, but not all laws were 
just.  She hesitated, unable to justify her own position, yet feeling in 
her heart that it was right.  

     The senshi laughed bitterly.  "Make up your mind, child.  You can't 
have it both ways.  Don't you believe you will be judged for what you 
have done?  That in the end, you will be brought to reckoning for your 
deeds?"

      Yes, I have, Mercury thought.  When I bothered to think of it at all.  
I've tried to be a good person.  To obey the law and my parents.  Yet, 
something didn't ring true.  The law wasn't made to make people 
miserable.  Something...Words seethed at the verge of her consciousness.  
A memory just out of reach.  Something she had read somewhere.  "What 
about mercy?"

     "Mercy."  The senshi laughed bitterly again.  "Your mercy is why I'm 
here doing this.  To have slain me would have been just at the time, for 
I was outside the law.  Now I am the law, and you have sunk further into 
injustice by seeking to deny my carrying out the law.  I have reformed, 
and you have not."

      "Reformed?  REFORMED?  You haven't changed a bit!  All you have now 
is a different excuse for doing the same thing!"  Mercury could feel 
herself getting angrier.  How could this killer stand there and treat me 
like this?  I'm better than her, dammit!  I've risked my life to save 
people and all she does is kill to get what she wants!  "You're nothing 
but a murderer!"

       "We're all murderers.  We kill to live.  Plants and animals die in 
droves to keep us alive.  Do you stop to think when you squash a bug?  
No, you kill it because it's in the way."

      "A BUG IS NOT A HUMAN BEING!"  Mercury was starting to yell 
everything she said.  A tiny part of her stood back and watched, amazed.  
She had never been this angry in her entire life, not even at the moment 
of her own death when they'd faced the Doom and Gloom sisters.  She 
trembled, trying to control herself.  She wanted to silence this senshi.  
Who was she to pass judgement on me?  I'm NOT a killer!  I'm not!

      "It's still killing.  Only the law can keep us from killing each 
other.  Time and again, we've shown that left to our own devices, we'll 
do whatever we can to get what we want.  I was like that.  Everyone is 
like that.  Without a clear standard to spell out what is acceptable and 
what is not, we become beasts, preying on each other.  What I did before 
was wrong, but this is right.  I act for the law now, not myself."  The 
senshi turned to Naru.  "Now you're coming with me, back to your husband, 
for judgement."

      " A law without mercy is injust! If you want her, you'll have to go 
over my DEAD BODY!"  Mercury yelled.  She wasn't normally an advocate of 
action without thought, but she was really sick and tired of this lowdown 
murderer putting them both on the same moral level.  

     "Or what?  You'll kill me?  So I suppose it comes down to what you 
do is always right and what I do is always wrong?"  The senshi glared at 
Ami.  "How wonderfully self-righteous of you.  I guess you're just a law 
unto yourself."

      "I follow a higher law!"

      "As laid down by you.  That leads either to anarchy or 
dictatorship, depending on whether you're willing to beat the rest of the 
world up to get it to follow you."

      "And you're any better than that?  What do you call what YOU're doing?"

      "I follow a law anyone can know and obey.  It's rules are precise, 
and if you obey them, you will not be punished.  It doesn't depend on 
individual whim.  It's fair and applies to all equally."

      "All they did was love each other!  Is love wrong?"

      "Law has no room for love.  Love is inherently unjust."  The senshi 
grabbed Naru's wrist.  "Who ever really earned love?  Law is about merit 
and punishment.  Love cares nothing for either.  Only law can preserve 
the order we need to restrain us from destroying ourselves."

      "Without love, the laws we make will only help us hurt each 
other!"  Sailor Mercury struck a series of poses that made the other 
senshi blink.  "I am Sailor Mercury and I fight for love AND justice!  
Sometimes they may seem incompatible, but they're not!  Justice is more 
than the law can ever fully express and so is love!  Now unhand her, or I 
will punish you in the name of the planet Mercury!"

      "Oooh.  The planet Mercury.  I'm shaking."  The senshi hoisted Naru 
up onto her horse.  "Let's rumble."  She drew her shining blue sword and 
charged Mercury.  Mercury vaulted into the air, landing on the back of 
the horse.  She grabbed Naru and lept away.  

     "Get away from here!"

     "I can't leave Umino!"  Naru ran over to him and started to work on 
bandaging his wounds.

     The senshi wheeled her horse about.  "Very good.  You'll see I've 
improved since our last fight."

     "You'll see I went easy on you last time.  SHABON SPRAY FREEZING!!"  
The power erupted from her in a great gout.  Bubbles swarmed forth, 
innocent in appearance, but cold, cold with the chill of rage that had 
passed through burning fire to the cold ash beyond it.  Frost covered the 
senshi and her horse, encapsulating them in a layer of ice.  

       It was over.  Or maybe not.  The ice cracked and shattered.  The 
senshi's teeth chattered and she shivered.  She fell off her horse and 
collapsed to the ground, barely breathing.  

      Mercury stared at her.  The rage had blown out of her.  I should 
feel triumphant.  I beat her.  All I feel is...empty. Mercury stared at 
the fallen senshi.  I should finish you off.  If I let you live, you'll 
just start this all over again.

     Naru ran over to the fallen senshi and picked up a nearby rock.  
She knelt, about to smash in the senshi's skull with it, then started to 
cry and dropped the rock. "I can't do it..."

     Neither could Mercury.  If I kill her, I won't be any different than 
she is.  I didn't have to hurt her so bad.  I could have just made an ice 
cage like I did that time with those pets...but I wanted to make her shut 
up.  To stop challenging me.  I couldn't bear it.  I was wrong.  
Everything I've done has been wrong.  I thought I was fighting for love and
justice, but I was just fighting for myself, just like her.  I wanted to 
kill her.  

      She went over to Naru.  "Start a fire.  We've got to warm her up or 
she'll die.  Do you know anything about helping people with frostbite?"  
I've got to do something.  Make amends. 
     Naru helped her get a fire going.  Soon, some color started to 
come back into the senshi's face.  Mercury suddenly realized she 
didn't even know the senshi's name.  She was going to live, whoever 
she was.

     She turned and saw Naru sitting quietly by Umino, holding his 
hand.  "I know a lot of herbalism, but I don't have the materials or time 
to brew a healing draught.  I've bandaged Umino...but he's bleeding so 
badly, it's not stopping.  For all my skills as a healer..."  Her voice 
began to break.  "I don't know if I can save him..."

      Mercury sighed.  If only I'd taken the Grail...it could heal this.  
"The Grail could heal this.  It is beyond my power.  I'm not much of a 
healer yet."

      "The Grail.  If only the Grail would come."

      Wait, I could go get it, Mercury suddenly realized.  She turned 
about, then suddenly realized that this wasn't the Grail Castle anymore.  
The boy appeared nearby.  "That's right.  You had your chance.  You lost 
it.  You don't get the grail, you don't go home, and he dies.  And oh, 
the nutcase senshi you hate gets to live.  Nice set of choices you made, 
eh?"

      "SHUT UP!"  Sailor Mercury was sick and tired of him following her 
around and harrassing her.  She had done the right thing!  Doing the 
right thing isn't supposed to come out like this!  It wasn't fair!  

     "Since when was life fair?  People die everyday.  You just get to 
watch them this time.  Sure, he'll die and you'll never go home, but hey, 
you'll know you did the right thing.  Oh, did you know that you'll never 
be able to find your way back to the Grail Castle, since you left?"  The 
boy smiled.  "I just hope the Grail King doesn't accidentally overdose on 
the aspirin...kinda hard to measure time accurately without clocks."

     Mercury felt a twinge of worry.  What if he thinks that if one is 
good, two is better?  Or three..or four...What if he's allergic?  He 
can't be in a condition to take too much of a shock.  Her mind cast back 
along her entire trip, remembering all the things that went wrong.  
Sagremor and Dodinas carried off and nearly dying.  The lord of that 
manor trying to kill himself over her.  Waking up people who might 
destroy the kingdom in the future.  A heavy burden bore down on her.

     I tried to do the right things and all these awful things happened.  
I can't do anything right.  Umino twitched faintly.  I can't even help 
Umino.  She began to cry.  "I'm sorry.  I can't help you.  I'm such a 
failure.  Everything I've been doing has gone wrong.  I'm sorry.  I'm 
sorry.  I'm sorry."

     "It's not your fault.  Umino and I...need to stop angering my 
husband, Nephrite, so much.  I've been a bad wife.  We brought this on 
ourselves.  Please don't cry."  She gave Sailor Mercury a clumsy hug.  
"We're the ones who sinned, not you."

      "I just...all my actions have come out wrong.  I tried to do the 
right thing and it hasn't helped.  I just...just...don't understand!"
She tried to pull herself together, then realized Naru was shaking too.

      "But you tried to do the right thing.  You're not a wretched 
sinner like Umino and I.  We deserve our fate.  Don't blame yourself 
for this."

      "It's not just this.  Everything I've done on my trip has gone wrong."

      "Will you...pray with me?  If Umino dies, I'm going to kill myself, 
and I want to be ready to...to...face God."

       "I...Don't kill yourself!"  No, not another death.  I can't bear it.

      "Just pray with me."  She knelt down and closed her eyes.  Mercury 
did the same.  Naru prayed silently.  

      Mercury kneeled.  She didn't know what to do, what to say.  She 
wasn't sure what she believed.  She spoke silently, hoping something was 
listening.  God, or Goddess, or kamis, or whoever might hear this...help 
Umino.  Whatever's he done, I can't believe he deserves death.  The Umino 
I knew was weird sometimes, but he had a pure heart.  Please help him.  
There's nothing I can do.  Nothing I've done has gone right.  I can't do 
this.  Please, please, whoever you are, whatever you are, help him.  

      Mercury's lips moved silently.  All was quiet for long moments, then 
a bright light began to beat against her eyelids.  She opened her eyes.  
A shining cup was floating in the air over Umino.  A sweet scent filled 
the air and she could hear the music that accompanied it.  Her body 
tingled as if electricity had run through it.  It descended to Umino's 
head and tipped over.  A drop of reddish liquid fell onto Umino's lips.  
A flush of color ran through him and his eyes opened.  He stared at the cup.

     It rose above him and he sat up.  "I'm alive.  Oh God, I'm alive!"

     Naru hugged him tightly.  "You're alive!  God has spared us."

     Mercury smiled.  At least something went right.  The Grail hung in 
the air, as if it was waiting for something.  "Thank you,"  Mercury 
said.  "Thank you for helping Umino."

     It floated closer to her.  She backed up slightly.  "No, I'm fine.  
I'm sorry I bothered you...I should have been able to do something...to 
prevent this.  You'd better go back and wait for Galahad...the Grail King 
will need you..."

     A voice spoke without words.  DRINK.

     "I...me?  I'm not worthy.  I'm not a spiritual person.  I haven't 
done anything good enough.  I did it all for the wrong reasons.  I never 
should have come on this quest...All I wanted was to send myself home..."

     The Grail floated closer, insistent.  DRINK AND BE HEALED.

     "But...I'm not hurt."

     NOT ALL WOUNDS ARE OF THE BODY.

     How could it know how she felt?  She felt like someone had dragged a 
knife across her soul.  All her illusions shattered.  She felt very 
dirty.  How could I be worthy to drink from the Grail?  Not to mention 
Galahad died after he drank...and he was the most pure knight of all.  
She stared at the Grail.  It looked so inviting...did she dare to drink 
from it?

     Her hands reached out to it, possessing a wisdom her mind could not 
understand.  The cup moved into them and then to her lips.  The liquid 
burned in her mouth and throat, sending waves of warmth through her.  She 
shook and almost dropped the cup.  Images exploded in her mind.  Saving 
the girl from the ogre.  The girl saying, "God Bless you" after she 
escorted the girl home.  Freeing her friends from the enchanted sleep.  
Avoiding a pointless battle with the senshi on the road.  Saving Greg 
from the Senshi and from trying to kill himself.  Trying to help the 
Grail King.  Turning back from her goals not once, but twice, to help 
Naru.  She remembered other moments too.  Helping Usagi study.  Fighting 
side by side with her friends.  A quiet moment with her parents.  She 
felt a new strength flowing through her, a sense of love and peace she'd 
never felt before.  She may have made mistakes;  things might not always 
work out for the best, but that was not the sum of her existence, not the 
measure of her worth.  She didn't have to be the perfect person, knowing 
everything, never making a mistake, to love and be loved.  She could feel a 
power she had never known before.  Is this the power of God, she wondered.   
Does Rei feel like this when she prays?  What's happening to me?  I feel 
a presence?  Who are you?    

       The only answer was a smile that was neither seen nor smelled, 
neither heard nor tasted nor could be touched, but was everywhere and in 
all things.  It was inside her and outside her.  Bigger than everything 
and tinier than an atom.  Her mind tried to understand and failed.  All 
she could understand was the love that flowed from it.  The Grail 
shimmered and vanished.  The light and the music and the sweet scent 
ceased, never to be seen again by Ami, but the love endured, a welcoming 
smile without beginning or end.  

     Here endeth the book of the Quest of the Holy Grail, if not the 
quest itself.  For that is a task without beginning or end, continuing to 
this very day.

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

***********

Book III:  La Morte de Rei?

***********


      Mercury rode down the road, passing through the most actual 
farmland she'd seen since her arrival in Logres.  She was somewhere in 
what would be Devon in her own world, she thought, though she wasn't 
sure.  Somehow, she had travelled from the Grail Castle to Cornwall when 
she left the chapel.  As she crested the top of a hill, she saw another 
senshi, further ahead on the road.  Spurring her horse, she rushed 
forward and called out, "Hello, there!"  

       The senshi turned her head.  It was Senshi Bors.  "Hello, 
Mercury!"  

      Bors stopped and waited for Mercury to catch up.  "How has it gone 
with you, Mercury?"

      She smiled.  "I found the grail, though it wasn't quite what I 
thought I was looking for."

      Bors nodded.  "Indeed.  I am surprised I did not see you at the 
Grail Castle.  I thought that all of us who succeeded were there."

      They rode together for days and spoke of many things.  Bors related 
her adventures in the quest of the grail, and they discussed the things 
they had learned.  Those who would learn more of this may go and read 
Mallory.  This story is long enough already :)  

      They passed through a great forest once more, and then the forest 
parted before them.  The great fields surrounding Camelot were spread out 
before them.  A lone senshi kneeled in prayer by the side of the road.  
Bors called out.  "Cousin!"

      The senshi started and turned, her helmet falling off her head.  It 
was Senshi Lancelot.  "Bors!  Mercury!  It's so good to see you!"  She 
rushed to her feet and ran over to them.  

      "How went your quest, dear cousin?"  Bors asked as she got down off 
her horse and hugged Senshi Lancelot.

      "I was so blessed as to see the grail, which was more than I 
deserved.  I feel...I feel so young again."  She paused.  "My daughter 
and I...I'm proud of her."  She paused.  "She is my daughter, even if I 
didn't bear her.  It bothers me, though.  If Brisen could move the unborn 
infant from my womb to hers...how many people may have been born to 
mothers not their own?  Their true parentage hidden...Sorcery is rare, 
yet..."

      Mercury said, "So that's what happened?  Dame Brisen moved the baby 
out of you before you could know you were pregnant?"

      Lancelot blushed.  "I was seduced by Demand.  He was disguised 
as...as.."

      Mercury nods.  "I know what you mean.  Brisen disguised Demand as 
someone you loved.  You slept with him, and conceived a child.  Then you 
realized the mistake, and left, but Brisen took the child out of you into 
her womb.  She gave the child to Demand to raise, and one day Demand came 
to court, with your child.  You slept with Demand again due to more 
sorcery and when...someone found you, you went mad and roamed the 
countryside for two years, until finally the Grail was sent by the Grail 
King, Demand's father, to heal you.  You went stayed out of guilt and lived 
with him for a time, but in the end, you left, as you could not bear to 
stay.  That child is Usagi Minor, your child and the granddaughter of 
the Grail King, Senshi Galahad.  Am I right?"

      Lancelot blinked.  "I...how did you know all that?"

      Mercury smiled.  This must be how Pluto feels sometimes.  Time for 
the truth.  This is the best way to prevent the disasters to come, if I 
can.  "I have read books in my own land that tell a story very similar to 
many things that have happened in this one.  I took one of the stories 
and just changed a few names.  There's trouble coming, if these stories 
hold true for here.  For one thing, half of the Round Table died in the 
stories about the Grail Quest."

      Bors and Lancelot stared at her.  Lancelot spoke first.  "Half?"

      "The best knights never returned, and the worst gave up early.  
Many died in accidents, or almost slew each other through failing to 
recognize each other, enchantment, and other disasters.  And then..."  
Mercury hesitated.  What if I'm wrong?  What if Mamoru and Usagi 
don't...Well, I have to tell them.  If I'm wrong, then I have nothing to 
worry about.

      "In the story, the Queen and the King's best knight had an affair.  
Two jealous knights set out to reveal the affair.  The end result was a 
civil war and the death of the King, and almost all of the rest of the 
knights of the Round Table."  Mercury stared at Lancelot.  "You have to 
give up on him."

      "I know.  I learned many things on the quest.  You can rest 
assured.  I've changed.  I won't let that happen.  There will be nothing 
that anyone could speak of with dishonor."  Lancelot paused and smiled.  
"Come, let us speak of happier things."

      And they did.

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

     Queen Rei sat in her chambers, pouring over various royal 
correspondence.  Pope Haruna III was asking for a tax to be levied on the 
Logres Clergy to help pay for the missions to the Youmas beyond the 
Gaulish frontier, while the Archbishop of York was insisting they 
couldn't afford to pay due to the bad harvest this year.  Endless letters 
from lords complaining about increased bandit activities.  Letters from 
the loved ones of her Senshi, asking if Senshi This or Senshi That had 
returned yet from the Grail Quest.  Depressed Senshi lurking around 
Camelot, trying to pretend they hadn't failed abjectly in the quest.  A 
general atmosphere of gloom prevailed.  

       To make matters worse, it had been almost three years now, and 
noone had seen Galahad, Percival, Bors, Lancelot, or Mercury  since the 
first year of the quest.  Many other senshi had fallen by the wayside, 
and their deaths at least established.  These five were simply missing 
without a trace, except a rumor from Cornwall that Mercury had brought 
the Grail there, and another rumor that Galahad had healed the Lord of 
Castle Carbonek, wherever that is.  The Queen sighed.  So many places in 
my little realm of which I know so little.  Carbonek...wasn't that where 
Galahad came from?

      A page boy ran into the room.  "Your highness!  They're coming!"

      She blinked.  "Who's coming?"

      "It's Senshi Lancelot and two others!  They've come back!"

      She leaped to her feet.  Lancelot!  You've come back!  "Who else?"

      "I don't know.  They look a lot alike, though."

      The Queen raced through the halls and soon came to one of the many 
balconies of the palace.  Mamoru was there.  "I see the page found you."

      They looked out across the fields together.  Three figures in white 
approached Camelot, shining in the sun.  Lancelot, Bors and Mercury.  A 
surge of joy ran through her.  Surely, one of them had succeeded.  But 
where were Galahad and Perceval?  

      Mamoru smiled.  "I knew she'd come back."  He reached over and put 
an arm around his wife's shoulders.  She moved closer to him and smiled.  
"Look at them.  They look so..."

      "Let's go greet them.  I'm eager to hear their stories.  "  They 
hurried down to the great hall, where everyone was assembling.  Dozens of 
Senshi had rushed into the chamber.  Dozens more pages, squires, 
servants, husbands and wives of Senshi, and many others all milled about 
as Rei and Mamoru entered and took their seats on the throne.  

      The trumpets of the heralds blared loudly.  A herald cried out.  
"Senshi Lancelot, Senshi Bors, and Senshi Mercury have returned!"

      The three strode into the room together, walking with the same 
stride.  It was a slightly uncanny sight.  A gentle smile lit their 
faces, and the same light shone in their eyes, telling stories of 
inexpressible joy.  Everyone watched silently as they strode through the 
hall, approaching the Queen and King.  

      Senshi Lancelot broke the silence, stepping forward.  "The Quest of 
the Holy Grail is over."  Unfortunately, she slipped on a bump in the rug 
and proceeded to fall down.  Everyone laughed instinctively, and so did 
she.

      Mamoru smiled.  "I take it the Grail didn't make you any more agile 
than you used to be."

      Rei said, "Shush, Mamoru.  Let them tell their story."  She got 
down from her throne and helped Senshi Lancelot to her feet.  "Are you 
okay?"

      Lancelot smiled.  "Better than I've ever been."

      "Tell us what happened, Lancelot,"  Queen Rei said, returning to 
her throne.

      They did.  Again, those who would learn more of her quest may read 
Malory;  this story is still long enough already.

****************************************************************************  
      
     They held a great dance, a ball to celebrate the return of the 
heroes, the completion of the quest.  Ami danced through the night with 
dozens of men.  Everyone wanted to see, to touch, to be near one of the 
successful heroes.  She could see that Bors and Lancelot were veritably 
besieged as well.

      Indeed, as the evening wore on, Ami began to get very tired.  She 
could hardly stop dancing.  As she approached dance number thirty or so, 
she started trying to figure out some way to slip away.  Then she changed 
her mind...

     A young man approached her nervously as she finished dancing with 
the Duke of Lindsey...or was it the Earl of Leicester?  She recognized 
him.  "Greg?"

      He smiled nervously.  "Hello, Lady Mercury.  Would you like to dance?"

      She grabbed his hands and moved out onto the dancefloor before the 
vultures could pounce.  "I'm sorry I left you on the beach like that...I..."

     He smiled.  "I told you to go.  So you found the grail?"

     Ami laughed.  "It found me, really.  How are things at your manor?"

     "Much better.  Except for the butler fighting with his wife all the 
time, but it's always been like that, really."  He smiled.  "You're a 
really great dancer."

      "You too."  He was a good dancer, though he seemed very nervous 
about it. 

       Somehow, they found themselves outside in the courtyard, looking 
up at the stars.  The night air was a little bit chilly.  Greg looked up 
at the stars.  "It's a beautiful night."

       "It is indeed.  I like Astronomy.  It's really interesting."  Ami 
soon found herself prattling on about constellations and parallax and all 
sorts of things that flew way over Greg's head.  She sighed.  "I'm 
sorry...I get into things and..."

       He smiled and nervously took her hand.  "I don't mind.  I've 
always wished I could know as much as you do."

       They smiled nervously at each other.  It was the first of many 
evenings they would spend together in the days  to come.

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

     Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into years.  Many are the 
stories that could be told of that time, of Senshi Meliagraunce and how 
he kidnapped Mamoru and died in a judicial duel with Lancelot, having 
accused Mamoru of adultery.  Skipped also is the tale of how Mamoru was 
accused of poisoning Senshi Gawaine, and the refutation of that 
accusation. Those who desire greater knowlege may find these things in 
the more lengthy retellings of this tale, elsewhere.  Perhaps the Frenshe 
books of which Mallory so often speaks...

     The sun shone in Ami's window.  She stirred slowly, gradually 
pulling herself out of happy dreams of home.  She sighed.  Will I ever 
get home?  She got out of bed and went over to the mirror that now hung 
over her carefully built dresser drawers.  Indeed, the room looked 
increasingly like her room back home.  Queen Rei had rewarded Ami to the 
best of her ability for her many services to the crown.  Whatever Ami 
wanted, Ami got if it could be made.  The bed was like the one she had 
back home, even though the mattress had no springs.  She had a dresser 
drawers, a mirror, even clothing like she was used to, though she rarely 
wore it, since no one else dressed like that.  She even had hand sewn 
pajamas, which had caught on as a fashion once she had introduced the 
royal tailors to them.  

      She looked at the mirror and started.  She hadn't really looked at 
herself in a while.  Or maybe it was just today that she REALLY looked at 
herself.  She had started growing her hair out...somehow the difference 
that made hadn't quite sunk in before.  It was down to her shoulderblades 
now, and she really needed to get her bangs trimmed.  

      Her figure had changed too.  She was far more muscular than she 
had been on her arrival, and her build had filled out as well.  She'd 
never be as voluptous as Makoto, but she felt pretty proud of her looks.  
I hope I'm not getting vain, she thought.   

     What really surprised her, though, was that she looked older.  She 
was starting to look more like her mother than she had believed 
possible.  How long have I been here, she thought.  Months?  Years?  It 
was all blurring together, the result of no clocks, few calendars, a life 
that ran at a slower rhythym.  She counted the Christmases.  Four years. 
She paused. FOUR YEARS?  

      She staggered away from the mirror.  No way.  That's not possible.  
Oh God...everyone HAS to believe I'm dead now.  Poor Mother...Father...
they must be heartbroken.  How much longer will I have to stay?  All my 
efforts to find a way home...they haven't worked.  

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


     It was late at night, and the castle was quiet.  A single figure 
crept down a hallway, returning to her quarters before anyone could 
notice.  Elsewhere, two others were not so wise.  Well, one of them was 
already in his quarters, and thus could be excused at least some of the 
blame for what was to come.  It was the woman in his arms who had waited 
too long to leave.  Some say that forbidden love is sweetest;  certainly, 
it gets you in the most trouble.  

      In this case, the trouble was coming in the form of fifteen young 
senshi, armed and armored, led by two somewhat older ones, namely Senshi 
Mordred and Senshi Aggravaine.  "Be careful.  Senshi Lancelot may be 
getting old, but I think we all remember our luck against her from the 
last tournament."  The group nodded to Senshi Mordred's statement.  "Let 
her be the one to start anything if she resists arrest.  Hopefully, we 
won't actually have to fight her."

       They nodded.  Most of them will still trying to figure out how 
Mordred and Aggravaine had even talked them into this.  They had grown up 
on stories where Senshi Lancelot defeated entire armies with a toothpick, 
could go to Gaul by walking on the water, and could heal the unhealable.  
She wasn't quite God in their minds, but if he had decided to come 
moseying by, they wouldn't have been surprised if he went to Lancelot to 
reminisce about the days when they created the universe together.

      Still, there was safety in numbers.  If nothing else, it increased 
the odds that someone else would die first.  Ideally, it wouldn't come to 
killing.  

      They hesitated outside the door.  Aggravaine and Mordred crept 
closer and listened.  

      "I think I'm going to go get a drink of water, Mamo-chan."  It was 
Senshi Lancelot's voice.

      "Maybe you'd best go back to your rooms now,"  he replied softly.  
"Mercury warned us about what could happen...We shouldn't have done this."

      "You know I love you. I couldn't stay away.  Neither..."

      It was enough.  Mordred tried to hurl open the door.  Unfortunately 
it was locked.  That wouldn't stop her for long.  She drew her sword and 
it ignited into flame.  With a few blows, the door was chopped to splinters.

      By this point, Mamoru and Lancelot were on their feet.  Mamoru was 
swathed in sheets from his bed, while Lancelot was clad only in a shift.  
Seeing the armed men and women confronting her, Lancelot swiftly 
unscrewed the top half of one of the posts of the canopied bed while 
Mamoru spoke.  "What are you doing bringing armed men into the King's 
chambers, Mordred?  You should be ashamed."

      Mordred laughed.  "You won't be the king for long.  You've 
committed adultery.  That's high treason, punishable by death."

      "Then pick your time and my champion will..."

      Aggravaine sneered.  "You've been caught in the act.  Trial by 
Combat doesn't apply.  You're going to burn, and so will your precious 
lover."

      Lancelot turned to Mamoru, who said, "We weren't doing anything 
illegal."

      "Then come with us and we'll see how well your innocence stands a 
trial,"  Aggravaine said.  "If you had any."

      Lancelot scowled.  "I will not stand for insults to the King.  I 
don't care what you say about me, but you will NOT cast aspersions on 
either of our monarchs in my presence."

     "Look, are you going to come with us peacefully or will we have to 
fight you?"  Mordred asked, noticing her followers were starting to get 
restless.

      Lancelot turned to Mamoru, a questioning look in her eyes.  
Mamoru's face was hard with anger.  "Show them that the word of the King 
is not to be trifled with."

      Lancelot turned back to the crowd.  "If any of you want to leave, 
I'll let you.  The rest of you will see what it means to..."

      "ENOUGH!  You're guilty and that's that!  Now you're coming with us 
if we have to beat you black and blue."  Or worse, thought Aggravaine.  
Aggravaine drew her mace.  Electricity crackled around the head of the 
mace.  She charged forward.  The others hesitated and start drawing their 
weapons and trying to rush through the door.

      Lancelot smiled.  The bedpost in her hands shone with a white 
light.  Everyone blinked at the sudden bright flash.  The makeshift staff 
whirred and struck Aggravaine's hands.  A second blow and Aggravaine had 
not only dropped her mace but was on her way out the window.  Before the 
other senshi could see, Lancelot was striking the ones who had charged in 
through the door.  There was a time when she would have cried and run 
away from a fight like this, though most of these senshi had been 
babes at best when that was still true.  Since those days, she had 
become the heroine she had dreamed of being, but never truly believed 
she was.  Her motions were fluid and confident, the fruit of over 
forty years of battle.  Within seconds, Mordred's sword was shattered, and 
she was on her knees, clutching her gut.  Four other senshi were 
unconscious, jammed in the doorway, unable to even fall down.  The 
remaining senshi stared through the doorway as best they could.    

      They hesitated, then the pile of senshi finally collapsed.  The 
rest of the senshi turned and ran, hoping that Senshi Lancelot couldn't 
REALLY outrace the wind.  

      There was a shout from the courtyard outside the window.  "Help me, 
I CAN'T SWIM!"  It was Aggravaine.  Lancelot ran over to the window.  
Aggravaine had not only gone out the window, but down one of the palace 
wells.  A pair of pages were running over to the well, and started 
reeling Aggravaine up.

       Mordred looked up at Lancelot.  "If I could get up..."

       "I'd just have to knock you back down.  Look, you don't understand 
what's going on."

      "I don't want to understand.  I want justice.  You're breaking the 
Queen's law.  You've betrayed her.  Your wife."  Mordred pointed at 
Mamoru.  "And your closest friend."  Mordred pointed at Lancelot.  "And 
my mother."  Lancelot and Mamoru started.  "What, you thought I didn't know?"

      Lancelot said, "Uhh...how exactly do you think the Queen got Lotia 
pregnant?"

     "I don't know.  How did you bear a child without giving birth?"
Mordred said sarcastically, then suddenly realized something and blinked.  
They didn't know?  Surely they knew I'm the Queen's daughter.  She looked 
over at Mamoru, who also looked stunned.  

      Lancelot blinked again.  "Damnit...I wonder who else has had that 
happen to them...how many seemingly infertile women in our kingdom are 
really losing their babies to sorcery."  For that matter, how many of 
Lotia's children might not really be hers?  Now that she's dead, we may 
never find out.

      Mamoru went over to Mordred.  "Who...who is your father?"  The 
unspoken words, is it me, hung in his mind but wouldn't quite come out.

      Mordred stared at the wall and clutched her stomach again.  
"Zoicite.  He seduced Rei before she was married to you.  SHE didn't 
cheat on you, if that's what you're wondering.  It was back during the 
war of the twelve kings.  When Zoicite came with my half-brothers and 
sisters to try to arrange a peace.  Then Aunt Beryl moved me into Queen 
Lotia's body.  So noone knew.  I didn't know for years.  I thought Lotia 
was really my mother."  She stared at the floor.  "Then a hermit told me 
one day."

      "Does the Queen know about this?"  Mamoru sagged slightly.  He and 
the Queen had been married for decades, and they had been unable to have 
a child.  He had hoped that just maybe...it wasn't his fault. Clearly, it 
was.  

      "Yes.  Minako, the lady of the lake, confirmed it when I confronted 
her."  She didn't even tell them...her closest friends.  Mordred tried 
not to cry.  Why is she so ashamed of me?  Am I such a failure?

      They could hear running about in the hallways.  People were 
coming.  Mamoru turned to Lancelot.  "Get out of here."

      "Where am I supposed to..."

      "The window.  Quickly."

      Lancelot leaped out the window as a dripping wet Aggravaine, Queen 
Rei, Gawaine, Dodinas, and a dozen or so other Senshi reached the 
doorway.  Mamoru turned to face the Queen.  "I'm sorry, Rei."

       The Queen frowned.  "So am I."  She looked about as if looking for 
something, then kneeled by Mordred.  "Let's get you to the healers."  She 
helped Mordred up and walked her out of the room as Gawaine and Dodinas 
hesitantly took Mamoru away.

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

      Ami sat in the library, a book staring up at her.  Blast it, I told 
them they had to stop!  OVER AND OVER, I TOLD THEM!  Now it's all going 
to go to hell in a handbasket.  If only I'd been there.

      In a burst of rationality, she corrected herself.  There's no way I 
could know EXACTLY when it would happen.  What am I supposed to do, 
follow them everywhere?  Dammit!  All it would take would be a little 
self-control.  Okay, maybe a lot of self-control.  She sighed.  Maybe 
there was nothing I could do.  But I can prevent the next thing.  I'm not 
going to let Gareth and Gaheris die...not on my life.

     The time was coming.  Soon, Mamoru would go to the stake, burned for 
high treason.  The crux was coming.  She could feel it.  This was why she 
was here.  To prevent two senseless deaths.  It had to be.   If I fail at 
this...we're doomed.

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

      I hate being sick, Ami thought.  She lay in bed with a fever raging 
through her.  The royal healers hadn't been able to do much more than 
offer chicken soup and reduce her temperature a little.  She missed 
modern medicine very much, not that it could have done much for her 
either.  

      To make matters worse, this was when she most needed to be well.  
The time for the execution of Mamoru was close at hand.  The trial had 
been a nightmare, especially when she started getting sick.  The evidence 
had been far too clear, especially in light of past events.  To watch 
someone be sent to their death for adultery sickened Ami to the core.  It 
wasn't a good thing, but death was an excessive punishment.  It wasn't 
just.  It wasn't right.  Maybe I should have gone with them...She 
remembered what had happened.

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

      The trial had been in progress.  She had returned to her quarters, 
feeling woozy.  To her surprise, Senshi Bors had been waiting for her.  
"I...hi."  Ami said.  She never quite knew what to say around Bors.  Bors 
was so like her in some ways, unlike her in others.  

      For one thing, Bors and Lancelot were cousins.  Their mothers had 
been sisters.  Bors was the heir to a kingdom that no longer existed.  
Queen Claudia of the Franks had conquered it many years ago.  Bors and 
Lancelot were very close.  Ami thought Bors was one of those who had 
snuck out to join Lancelot when she fled the court.  

      "Hello, Senshi Mercury."  Bors hesitated.

      "What brings you here?  I thought you left."

      Bors said, "May I sit down?"

      Ami gestured to a chair.  "Go right ahead."  She sat down too.

      "I've come to ask you to join us."

      Ami blinked and feigned ignorance, though not well.  "Join you?"

      Bors stared at the door for a moment, then turned back to Ami.  
"We're going to rescue Mamoru if he is convicted.  Lancelot and I have 
been getting all our relatives and supporters together."

      Ami sighed.  "I wish I could join you."

      "Why don't you join us?  You know this is a farce.  The Queen 
doesn't really want to kill Mamoru.  I don't think anyone wants Mamoru 
dead except maybe Mordred and Aggravaine, but the Queen has to follow the 
law.  This way, it's our fault, not hers.  We'll go to France and she can 
just claim there's nothing she can do about it.  Everyone will be happy."

       "Because it's going to end in tragedy...I have to be here, so I 
can try to prevent it, not be in the middle of it."  Ami sighed.  "And 
the Queen will need me after this, whatever happens.  If what I fear 
happens..."  She trailed off, not wanting to think about it.  The road to 
Camlann, and the death of all those she had grown to hold dear lay at 
hand.  She coughed.  "Blast it, I can't afford to get sick."

      Senshi Bors got up.  "I understand.  If Lancelot wasn't my cousin, 
I'd do the same thing.  I have to help her.  You understand that, don't you?"

     Ami nodded.  "I'd do the same for my mother, or my friends back 
home.  I understand."  I miss them so much.  I wonder if they ever 
figured out what happened to me?  

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

      I told the Queen to expect a rescue.  She just smiled and nodded.  
Maybe I'm paranoid, but I can't take the chance this will all go horribly 
wrong.   Ami sighed, then coughed.  The first horn blew in the distance.  
She staggered out of bed.  I have to get down there.  I have to be there.  
The world spun.  She got out her transformation pen and transformed.  She 
felt a little better, but not much.  

      She stumbled out into the hall and headed for the main courtyard.

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

     The execution was about to begin.  It had a strangely festive mood, 
perhaps because of the huge feast laid out for the wake in advance.  
Perhaps it was the fact that no one except maybe Mamoru actually seemed 
to believe the execution would go through.  After all, this was what, the 
third time in as many years that Mamoru had faced charges of a crime and 
nearly died as a result?  And who saved him every time?  Lancelot.  There 
was no way he'd really be executed.  

      The Archbishop of Canterbury was droning on, giving a long boring 
sermon about the sin of adultery.  He was reading it out of some book, 
and even seemed to be boring himself.  Most of the crowd was watching the 
gates and the walls, waiting to see when Lancelot would show up.  

      A gate guard spotted a suspicious clump of trees getting closer to 
the castle and pretended he didn't notice anything.  Inside the gate, 
Mordred and Aggravaine stomped around in a circle with the other senshi 
who had been assigned to gate duty.  Mordred hoped her observation that 
the 'guards' seemed to consist of the least competent fighters among 
those in attendance was not correct.  At least she had her brothers with 
her, Gareth and Gaheris.  Unfortunately, they were both unarmed, in 
symbolic protest of the whole affair, which rendered their vast fighting 
skills largely moot.  

      Mordred turned and looked at the Archbishop, who was starting to 
wave his arms and rant more loudly.  "I'm surprised he used a generic 
sermon...usually, he writes his own."

      Aggravaine spun a finger in a tight circle.  "Whoop de doo.  Who 
cares.  Either way it would be boring and pointless.  Just wasting time."

      Mordred shouted up to the sentry.  "Anyone coming?"

      "No,"  the guard lied.  He didn't want to see Mamoru burn anymore 
than anyone else did. 

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

      Ami staggered down the hallway.  She could hear distant chanting.  
It was Latin.  Something about preparing the stake.  She tried to speed 
up, her head swimming.  Another spell of dizziness took her on the 
stairs.  She wasn't quite sure where she was going.  

       "Give it up.  You can't stop anything in your condition."  It was 
the boy.  She had thought he would never come back.  Clearly, she had 
been wrong.  

     "I never give up!  Ever!"  She reached the top of the stairs, then 
nearly fell back down the stairs.  

     "You can't fight fate.  The kingdom has to fall.  The story has to 
end.  Nothing good lasts forever."

     "But I can try to make it last as long as I can.  I won't let them 
die!  I won't!"

      Down the hallway she went, wishing desperately that someone had 
left a handy pharmacy nearby.  The chanting rose to a climax.  A second 
horn blew.  She stepped out onto a balcony.  The boy followed.  Ami could 
see the courtyard.  Mamoru was being marched to the stake, followed by 
the Archbishop and an executioner.  No sign of Lancelot.  Ami leaned on 
the railing.  "Why did I have to pick today to be so ill."  She moaned 
faintly.  Looking down, she saw Queen Rei who was starting to look worried.

     The boy smiled.  "A fine day for a burning."

     "There won't be a burning."

     "How can you be so sure?  After all, don't you believe you can beat 
destiny?  Well, maybe you will, and Mamoru will burn.  You don't want 
that, do you?"

      Ami froze.  I couldn't stand to let him burn.  What if Lancelot 
doesn't come?  What if something goes wrong...I know how my Usagi's plans 
often come out.  What if she overslept or something?  Fear clutched at 
her.  Should I do something?  She decided to wait...better not to panic 
and leave her plan.  If she had one, anyway.  She was too ill to think 
clearly.

      The boy smiled.  "The game begins."

      The Archbishop and the executioner stood on the platform.  The 
executioner began trying Mamoru to the stake, while the Archbishop prayed 
quietly.  The Archbishop said, "Do you have any last words, Mamoru of house 
Chiba?"

      "I do not regret anything I have done.  I am sorry only that I 
bring this pain to my beloved wife, and the dishonor that has been done 
to her.  I am ready to face my maker."  His face was stoic, a look that 
Ami knew well, though not as well as his wife knew it.  

      Ami sighed and began to pray.  Give me strength.  I have to be able 
to act.  I can't do this like this...Help me.  Help me find the strength 
I need.  She spoke to the presence she had first felt when she found the 
Grail.  God, Goddess, whatever it was exactly, she knew it cared, cared 
deeply about her, about others.  She lifted up her heart in prayer, and 
watched through half-closed  eyes.

      "I don't regret any of it either," said the Archbishop, who then 
deftly punted the executioner off the stage.  Everyone blinked.  The 
Archbishop pulled out a whistle and blew it.  The gates flew open and a 
pack of Senshi on horseback charged through it.  The Archbishop started 
untying Mamoru.  

       Mordred stared at the Archbishop for a moment, then turned to face 
the charge.  Her men and women weren't ready.  The charging senshi simply 
swept past them.  She ordered the gate to be closed and properly formed 
up her group.  Leaving wouldn't be as simple as coming in had been.  

      The knights charged forward.  Ami watched, feeling her strength 
coming back to her.  Was it God?  Her own willpower?  Maybe being in 
Senshi form was just burning the disease out of her.  She could see what 
was going to happen, just like she now realized that...

      The clump of senshi charged the platform.  They had an extra horse 
with them.  Lancelot's horse.  Everyone recognized the black charger with 
a yellow crescent moon on its forehead.  But where was Lancelot?  
Everyone realized that at the same time.  Three guards rushed the 
platform, trying to do their duty.  The Archbishop spun and his bishop's 
staff glowed with an easily recognizable white light.  With one blow, he 
shattered their weapons.  His image shimmered and shattered.  It was 
Lancelot.  It had been so long since the last time she had had to use her 
disguise ring that Luna, the Lady of the Lake, had given her, that 
everyone had almost forgotten she had it.  Hefting Mamoru in her arms, 
she leaped onto her horse.  The senshi about her spun their horses about 
as best they could.

      Everyone sensed the moment of decision was at hand.  Ami could 
almost see a road before her, forking two ways.  She could see Gareth and 
Gaheris, still standing with the senshi guarding the gate.  A wave of 
illness washed over her.  Her head spun.  She fought back.  I have to be 
able to act.  Give me strength!  The strength came.  Words swam into her 
mind.  She hefted her transformation pen and whispered, "Mercury Eternal 
Power, make up!"  The second, higher transformation came over her in a 
rush.  Warmth flooded her limbs, driving the illness from her.  Blue 
feathery wings sprouted from her back, and the tiara on her forehead 
became a crown.  It was time for action.  She rose into the sky with her 
new wings, then dived towards the fight that was about to begin.

      The crowd spotted her first.  Queen Rei stared.  Someone shouted, 
"It's a bird!"  Someone else replied, "It's an angel!"  A third said, 
"Wow, she's cute!"

      She pushed herself.  The two groups of Senshi were too preoccupied 
to notice her, even now.  Lancelot was laying about with her staff, 
knocking Senshi right and left.  She seemed posssessed, moving with a 
speed and grace no one could match.  She was heading straight for Gareth 
and Gaheris, who were trying to get out the way, but were caught in the 
press of the fight.  No way to get out.  Except her.  She dropped down 
and grabbed them.  Senshi around her blinked and stared, getting 
clobbered as a result.  She rose into the air as Lancelot passed through 
the space where Gareth and Gaheris would have been.  

      Gareth stared at her.  "You...wings..."

      Gaheris was more direct.  "You saved us.  We were dead meat."

      Eternal Sailor Mercury turned her head and looked down.  Battered 
and unconscious senshi were strewn everywhere.  Mordred had lost another 
sword and was pinned under her horse.  Aggravaine was lying on the ground 
with her own mace wrapped over the top of her helmet.  Lancelot's senshi 
had charged out the gate and were rattling off across the countryside.  
She flew to the ground and put Gaheris and Gareth down.  Gawaine rushed 
over.  "We are again in your debt,"  she said to Mercury.

      "I only did what was right,"  Mercury replied.  

      A sharp hideous laughter replied from the top of the walls.  
"Interfering brat!  You force me to show myself.  You should have stayed 
in bed, sick, like you were supposed to."

      Everyone looked up.  It was the Queen's half-sister, the 
Enchantress Beryl le Fay.  She stood on the ramparts, holding her usual 
gnarled staff of some black unearthly wood.  She had been exiled from the 
court long ago after she had tried to slay Queen Rei and her husband.  
"Why are you here, Beryl?,"  Queen Rei said, anger in her voice.  

      "I spent a very long time setting this up.  Now I'll have to do 
this the hard way."  She looked around the courtyard, then stared at 
Mercury.  "You think you've won, don't you.  Well, I was in this game 
when you were but a twinkle in your mother's eye.  In the end, I'll win 
and you...you'll wish you'd stayed a twinkle."  She gestured with her 
staff and fired four bolts of black light.  Mordred, Aggravaine, Gaheris, 
and Gareth vanished.  

      Queen Rei stood up and hefted Rhonoghymant, her magical spear to 
which she had affixed the Silver Imperian Crystal so many years ago.  
"BERYL!!!!  What have you done with my kinsmen?!?!"

      Mercury launched herself into the air.  Words sprang into her 
mind.  Power gathered inside her.

      "Well, soon enough you'll see your little playmates again.  They 
won't be such pushovers, either."

      "You're not going to be seeing anything except maybe a dungeon 
cell, BERYL!"  You're supposed to be dead!  I didn't die so I could see 
you again!  "ETERNAL WATERY VORTEX!"  She spoke the words of power and 
the ground below Beryl's feet began to glow.  Water erupted upward and 
spun, trapping Beryl in a wall of swirling, glowing water.

      "Dispel."  Beryl spoke quietly, and the vortex broke up.  She 
looked a little battered, but not as hurt as Mercury had expected.  
"Well, I'm sure my half-sister wishes to join the fun as well, but I 
don't have time to play with you.  I'll see you again, far sooner than 
you might wish."

      She vanished in an explosion of darkness.  Eternal Sailor Mercury 
flew down to Queen Rei.  "Blast it, I was certain I could stop her now.  
I should have..."

      Rei sighed.  "My half-sister is powerful, though I never realized 
she was this strong.  So she was behind this...I should have guessed."

      "I think she was bluffing...though I could be wrong.  Although..."  
It would make sense of the illness.  She might have just been trying to 
take advantage of something that would have happened without her...or it 
could all be her fault.  Mercury's sense of certitude wavered.  This 
hadn't happened in the legends.  For the first time in a long time, she 
had no idea what the future might bring.  It was a suddenly scary 
feeling.  

     Rei smiled faintly.  "Well, there is nothing that can be broken that 
cannot be mended.  A new adventure calls to us.  We must find Beryl and 
rescue the Orkney brothers and sisters."

     Gawaine nodded.  "I won't rest until my siblings have been found!  
I'll make Beryl wish she had never been born!"  She smacked a fist into 
one palm, and for a moment, she extremely reminded Mercury of the Makoto 
of her own world.  

     The papal envoy chose that moment to arrive.  She rode in, 
surrounded by an escort of senshi, nuns, priests and priestesses.  "Halt 
these proceed...hey, why are all these people unconscious?"  Cardinal 
Rita looked around at the battered senshi still clonked out around the 
gate.

      "Umm.  I'll meet with you inside, Cardinal,"  Queen Rei said.  
"Gawaine, Mercury, come with me."  

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

      They adjourned to one of Queen Rei's conference chambers.  It was 
just Queen Rei, Cardinal Rita, Senshi Gawaine, and Mercury.  Mercury had 
reverted to her normal sailor form...wings made walking in the hallway 
difficult.

      Cardinal Rita stared at Mercury.  "Are you an angel?"

      Mercury smiled.  "Just another senshi, your holyness."

      "Do all the senshi around here sprout wings these days, then?"

      "It's a long story..."

      Queen Rei cut in.  "What brings you here, your holiness?"

      "Pope Haruna III has sent me to resolve this situation with you 
and your husband, Mamoru.  She has issued an indulgence for whatever 
errors he may have committed, and requests that you accept him back into 
your home and your bed.  Christendom does not need this spectacle 
distracting it when there are greater concerns that must be dealt with.  
The Cardians have invaded Italy again.  The Franks are in chaos because 
Queen Claudia' husbands poisoned each other again and started another civil 
war."

     Mercury blinked.  "Husbands?"

      The Cardinal sighed.  "She is still sunk in her wicked pagan ways, 
despite her father's nominal conversion."

      Queen Rei smiled.  "Well, just before you were here, Beryl showed 
up and stated that this was all her fault."

      Gawaine growled.  "We should have realized this was all one of 
her tricks."

      It wasn't ALL one of her tricks, Mercury thought, then sighed and 
decided not to say anything.  If this can bring reconcilliation, it's 
worth it.

       Queen Rei continued.  "So I am ready to accept your 
arbitration.  Assuming we can actually FIND Lancelot and Mamoru."

      The Cardinal smiled.  "Then let us begin."

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

      The reconcilliation was easily arranged.  Far more easily than 
the papal envoy had believed, but she didn't mind.  The court was once 
again abustle with activity.  Gawaine was leading a body of senshi in 
search of Beryl.  Lancelot was taking command of the forces to be sent 
to fight the Cardians in Italy.  And Mercury...

      "I need you to stay here, Mercury,"  Queen Rei said.

      "But if I go with Gawaine, I can use my computer to help them 
find Beryl!"

      "King Nephrite refuses to send Tristam.  I need a powerful senshi 
here, if Beryl strikes before Gawaine can find her."

      "Then keep Gawaine here and send me."

      "If I try to keep Gawaine, she'll just sneak out of the palace 
and try to find Beryl herself.  At least this way she won't be leaving 
alone."  Rei sighed.  "Or will you try to do that too?"

      "I'll stay.  I just...I just don't like waiting."  We always seem 
to do this back home...just fumble around and wait.  It frustrates me 
sometimes, Mercury thought.  

      Rei smiled.  She waved to the page-boy who was sitting in 
attendance on them.  "Go outside.  I must speak with Senshi Mercury in 
private."

      The page-boy departed.  Rei relaxed.  For a moment, she looked 
young, and could have almost been the Rei of Mercury's world.  "You have 
made me a very happy woman, Ami.  You don't mind if I call you that, do you?"

      "No, that's fine, Rei.  I'm really much more used to that name, 
then having everyone call me Mercury all the time.  I'm glad that my 
staying will..."

      "No, no, not that.  Your part in bringing my husband and my dearest 
friend back to me.  If Gaheris and Gareth had died...Gawaine would be 
trying to hunt Lancelot to the ends of the Earth."

      "I know.  I thought I was here to prevent that..."

      "Why are you not so sure of that?"

      "Because preventing that threat just opened up another one."

      "Maybe you're just here.  It may be that there was no purpose, no 
higher power behind your coming here.  Just a lucky accident."

      Maybe if you could feel the presence I feel, you'd think 
differently, Ami thought.  God brought me here for some reason...if I 
could only figure out why.  "Well, whatever the reason, you've been very 
good to me."

      "Not half as good as you've been to me.  If there's anything I can 
do for you, just name it."

      "I wish...I wish I could go home.  At least send them a message.  
It's been years now.  I'm sure they think I'm dead...I wish I could let 
them know I'm alive.  I just...I should let go.  I might never return, 
but..."  Ami sighed and shrank down into her chair.

      Rei reached across the table and squeezed her hand.  "Is 
there...someone special waiting there for you?  I know you have been seen 
much in the company of Greg of Castle Anfang, but..."

      Ami sighed.  "No, not really."  She sighed.   "I'm really glad you 
and Mamoru were able to reconcile.  Being Queen by yourself would be 
very lonely, I'd think."

      Rei smiled.  "I am lucky indeed.  I will see what I can do to help 
find a way for you to return to your home.  I take it the ladies of the 
lake were unable to help you?"

     Ami said, "Minako told me 'That is your fate.  Why you have come.  To
prevent this from all becoming a nightmare without end.'  I have to find 
a happy ending before she'll send me home.  And...I wouldn't feel right 
if I left this unresolved.  I want to go home...but I can't abandon 
everyone.  You're my friends too.  It'd be nice if I could at least let 
them know I'm alive.  They might even want to help."

     "Well, I will see what can be done about sending a message.  Is 
there anything else I can do for you?"

     Ami paused for a moment, then smiled.  "Let me tell you about indoor 
plumbing..."

**************************************************************************
 
     Ami stood in the new shower and luxuriated it.  A warm shower.  It 
had been so long.  Such a simple pleasure, but effective.  She felt more 
clean than she had felt in...well, years.  I should have brought this up 
a long time ago.

      It was the first in many improvements Ami had in mind.  Some things 
were impossible...She'd thought about trying to have a bicycle made, but 
the gears were too complex, rubber wouldn't be available unless she went 
to Asia and got it herself, and there were other technical problems as 
well.  

      Still, despite the limitations, there was still a lot of good she 
could do.  Some things didn't require massive technical innovations.  
Better planting methods, better plows, carriages, dyes...simple things, 
but it made her feel good to spread the knowlege she had...and to figure 
out some of the things she thought she had known, then realized she 
wasn't entirely sure HOW they worked.  

     She stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around herself.  
Having magic around helped as well.  She'd had to cheat some on getting 
the indoor plumbing to work, but for once the ladies of the lake had been 
very helpful.  Things had been calm for months.  The one worry was that 
Gawaine and the others still hadn't returned.  They were starting to 
worry.  Lancelot had sent news from Italy.  She had been victorious, but 
it would take another year to finish driving out the Cardians.  

     I hope we have another year.  Christmas was coming, and the land was 
wrapped in a blanket of snow.  She stood at the window of the new palace 
baths and looked out on a field of white.  It's so beautiful, she 
thought.  
     
     She started as she heard movement from another one of the showers, 
then laughed faintly.  It's a public bathroom...of course there's other 
people here.  Queen Rei stepped out of the shower and quickly wrapped 
herself in a towel, then joined Ami at the window.  "It's beautiful, 
isn't it?"

      Ami laughed.  "My thoughts exactly.  Do you think Gawaine has found 
her siblings yet?"

      "I intend to find out."

      "How?"  Ami turned to face Rei.

      "I am going on a trip with Minako to drink from the well of wisdom."

     Ami blinked.  "The what?"

     "Far in the frozen north, there is a well guarded by a giant.  
Whoever drinks from the well gains visions of the future.  Minako will 
take me there.  I shouldn't be gone too long.  I'm appointing Mamoru 
regent in my absence."

      "I...is it safe?"  Somewhere in Ami's mind, an alarm bell was 
wringing, but she couldn't think of why.  

      "Nothing in life is safe, but I think it's necessary.  Blaise 
refuses to talk anymore about the future...I don't know why.  I think 
something horrible may be about to happen, and I want to know what, so we 
can at least try to prepare for it."

      "So you have to beat the giant in combat to drink?"

      "So the stories say.  I leave in a week.  I'll proclaim the regency 
today."  She smiled.  "A final adventure waits for me."

      Ami frowned.  She had a really bad feeling about this.

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

     Greg and Ami walked together, hand in hand, through the snow covered 
garden of the palace.  The night was crisp and clear, their breath 
shining dimly from the lanterns hung through the garden.  Several other 
couples were out wandering around together.  

     Ami smiled.  "It's very cold."  

     Greg smiled deeper and moved closer to her, putting an arm around 
her waist.  "Maybe this will help."

     She smiled and leaned her head on his shoulder.  Worries about what 
she would do when she had to leave one day fled her mind.  Slowly, she 
was coming to believe that she might never leave.  What really worried 
her sometimes was that increasingly she didn't mind.  She was needed 
here.  She had friends now, and things to do.  She missed her family 
horribly, and her senshi friends as well, but she had adjusted.  "It 
does.  It's nice to be held."

     He laughed faintly.  "I bet you never would expected this when we 
first met, eh?"

     She laughed.  "Especially not during the part where we were falling 
off the cliff."  Not exactly the best first date any couple ever had.

     "Well, we did kiss the first day we met."

     "That was mouth to mouth resuscitation to save your life!"

     "I'm sure you planned it all."  He grinned.

     She bent down.  He stared at her.  "What are you doing?"

      She smiled as she stood back up, molding a large lump of snow in 
her hands.  "Making something for you."

      "With your magic?"

      "Something like that."  She suddenly leaned forward and dropped the 
snowball down the inside of his tunic, then took off running.

      "Why...you...ooooohh!"  A snowball fight was soon in progress.

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

     
      Ami lay in bed smiling, her love in her arms.  He was asleep, 
breathing softly, his head against her chest.  Memories of the night's 
events flitted through her mind.  Maybe I shouldn't have done this, she 
thought, then decided she didn't care.  I can't wait forever.  I may 
never leave.  It's not wrong to want to love...to give love.  I just 
wish...I knew if I'd be here long enough to...to...

      Time enough to think of that later.  She looked down at Greg again, 
then up at the mirror across the room.  I look the same...but I feel 
different.  Older.  If not any wiser...

      She giggled.  Usagi would just die if she walked in and saw me with 
a man in bed with me.  For a moment, Ami was carried away by her 
memories, and was the child once more she had been on her arrival here...

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

     Ami and Urawa sat in the usually empty living room of her house, 
watching TV.  Slam Dunk was on.  Urawa liked it more than Ami did, but 
Ami was happy just to be with him.  He had taken the train down from 
northern Honshu to visit her for the weekend, because his school had had 
to close for two days after a gas leak.  

     Ami took a deep breath and scooted a little closer to Urawa.  This 
wasn't exactly a perfectly romantic moment...but she'd make the most of 
it anyway.  Slowly, she reached over to take his hand...and suddenly 
realized he'd moved it and she was now clutching his leg.

     For a moment, she wondered where it had gone, then she suddenly felt 
an arm on her shoulders and a hand on her right shoulder.  She smiled and 
leaned over.  They didn't say anything.  To touch was enough.

      They watched the rest of the show, talking occassionally, but 
mostly just revelling in being close to each other.  A commercial came on 
and Urawa turned his head to Ami.  "Thanks for letting me come visit you, 
Ami."

      She smiled.  "You know I always like it when you come visit."

     He smiled nervously.  "I really like spending time with you."

      "I like being with you too."

      They stared at each other for a moment, then by unspoken consent, 
their eyes closed and they leaned forward.  Their lips quivered with 
anticipation...neither of them had ever kissed someone before.

      Then they heard a faint whisper, "Look, Rei, they're about to kiss."

      They froze.  It was Usagi's voice...someone was watching them.  
They heard Usagi giggle.  Blushing, they pulled back.

      Usagi popped up.  "Hi!  We're here to take you two snugglebunnies 
dancing with us!"

      Ami blushed.

      Urawa said, "Snugglebunnies..."

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

      Ami laughed a little.  We had a lot of fun dancing...we even kissed 
on the dancefloor.  I almost died of embarassment...happy embarrassment.  
There was a knock on the door.  She blushed.  Who's coming to see me in 
the middle of the night?

      She scrambled out of bed and hastily got dressed, then realized she 
wouldn't normally be dressed in her winter outfit in the middle of the 
night, undressed, and redressed, this time in pajamas.

     She opened the door and quickly stepped out into the hallway.  "Hello?"

     It was Bors.  She looked bleary and kept yawning.  "The Queen is back."

     "In the middle of the night?"

     "She wants to see you right away."  Bors yawned again.  "She..."  Bors 
yawned really loudly.  "Be ready for a shock."

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

      The Queen's council chamber was full of Senshi in pajamas, Senshi 
in robes, Senshi in underclothing.  For a moment, Ami felt like she was 
at a pajama party at Rei's temple.  The only thing missing was Rei herself.

      
      That lack was soon rectified.  The Queen walked in, preceded by her 
pet ravens, who flew up and perched on a bookshelf.  For a moment, Ami 
felt something was horribly wrong, then she realized what.  Rei had an 
eyepatch over one of her eyes.  What happened to her, Ami wondered.

      "There will be war before spring,"  Queen Rei announced.  "I have 
drunk from the well of wisdom, and the future does not look good.  Queen 
Beryl has roused the Youma to rebellion.  She has corrupted the Orkneys 
to her service, and soon will create seven monsters with which to destroy 
us."

      "What about Gawaine?"  Senshi Dodinas asked.

      "She has her captive.  Probably, she'll corrupt Gawaine too with 
her magic if she can.  However, I know where Gawaine is.  The Lady of the 
Lake has offered to take a group of senshi to where she is and help them 
escape Beryl afterwards.  Do I have any volunteers?"

      A sea of hands shot up.  Queen Rei smiled.  "I have missions for 
everyone...We must prepare."

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

      Ami staggered back to her room to get some more sleep.  I can't 
believe Queen Rei is putting me in charge of a naval squadron...but I 
guess my powers will be very useful at sea. I hope...I can be worthy of 
her trust.

      She opened the door and staggered over to her bed.  She clambered 
into bed, next to Greg, snuggling up to him.  His warm body helped ease 
the chill from her body.  This castle really gets COLD at night, she 
thought as her mind tumbled into the darkness of sleep.

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


      The sun came up, waking her.  She stirred and slowly sat up, then 
realized something was missing.  Greg.  Her brain stirred slowly.  Maybe 
I just dreamed all that...No, there's no WAY I could have dreamed that.  
She smiled.  It was a dream come true, but it was real.  He must have 
gone to the bathroom or something.  She looked over and saw a note on the 
dresser drawers.  She scrambled over to it.  Maybe he got hauled off like 
I did.

      It wasn't EXACTLY like she had been hauled off.

      The note read, 'You'll never see him again, unless you count when 
he kills you, bitch.  He's one of my special servants now."  It was 
signed, "Beryl of Cornwall".

      Queen Rei's words returned to Ami's mind.  'Beryl has roused the 
Youma to rebellion.  She has corrupted the Orkneys to her service, and 
soon will create seven monsters with which to destroy us.'  Four 
Orkneys.  Seven Monsters.  She took Greg, who is like Urawa...

      She could hear the mocking laughter of that irritating boy who 
always showed up when she least wanted to deal with him.  She couldn't 
see him, but she could hear his mocking voice.  "History repeats itself.  
What will you do without a Sailor Moon to turn him back, Mercury?  
Assuming he doesn't kill you first..."  His laughter rang in her head 
through the days to come.

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

     Mercury stood on the deck of the Dawn Treader, staring out into the fog 
that shrouded the Channel.  This weather was unnatural.  Certainly the 
Channel had some of the most wretched weather on Earth, but there 
shouldn't be icebergs this far south, even in winter, nor this constant, 
annoying fog.  

      The ship was far more primitive than she would have liked, but it 
was the best they could do.  At least it had sails instead of being 
dependent on rowers.  

     Her fleet of twenty ships continued northeastward with remarkably 
gentle winds.  Their purpose was to keep the Cinque ports safe and make 
sure that when Lancelot arrived with her army, she'd be able to get 
across the channel.  

     Also, ideally, this would help prevent Youma fleets from coming over 
from Youmalandia and ravaging the coasts.  Assuming of course, that her 
fleet of inexperienced sailors and seasick Senshi could handle that task...

     As if summoned by her thoughts, a swarm of dark, low slung shapes 
loomed out of the fog ahead.  The sound of oars slapping into water 
carried through the fog.  It was a fleet of sixty youma longboats.  

     "Run up the signal flags.  Everyone to their posts.  Here we go..."  
Mercury said.  
      
     Time to see if my secret weapon actually works right...She went over 
to a large keg and hefted it, then said, "ETERNAL MERCURY POWER, MAKE 
UP!"  The higher transformation rushed over her.  She flexed her wings 
and prepared to take to the sky when the time came.  

     Around her, the fleet formed into a square and prepared the boarding 
planks.  She knew her fleet couldn't hope to compete in seamanship with 
the Youma, so she was going to take a page from the Romans.  They would 
plunge into the middle of the Youma fleet, and drop boarding bridges to 
catch as many Youma ships as they could, then open full sail and drag the 
Youma with them.  The Senshi on board would storm the youma ships and 
ideally wipe them out.  Mercury prayed that her plan didn't have some 
horrible flaw she hadn't figured out.  She wished for a moment she'd 
studied more naval history.

     The two fleets sailed towards each other.  As they crashed into each 
other and the bridges began to drop, Eternal Mercury took to the skies.  
Dodging a few arrows shot her way, she flew over the youma ships her 
fleet was not engaging.  Opening the keg, she began to drop smaller pots 
from the keg onto the youma ships.  The kegs fell, burst open, and 
exploded into flames.  When the youma tried to put out the fires with 
water...they exploded into bigger flames.  Greek Fire.  Senshi Sagremor 
had smuggled her the secret formula.

     She circled over the battlefield, spreading fire and terror in her 
wake.  Soon, the youma fleet scattered, fleeing as best it could down the 
channel.  Eternal Mercury returned to the Dawn Treader and returned to 
being just ordinary Sailor Mercury again.  She slumped, tired.  Around 
her, the cheer of victory arose.  She smiled faintly.  My first victory 
as a general.  I hope it's not my last.

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

     Mercury laid in bed and tried to pretend she wasn't all alone.  
Thoughts of her lost love kept drifting into her mind.  She'd see him 
again.  She knew that.  Beryl would see to it if nothing else.  It's not 
fair, she thought, opening her eyes and staring at the wall.  It had been 
two months since the day he had vanished, but she still thought of him 
constantly.  
  
      There was a knock on the door.  She dragged herself out of bed.  
One of her squires was there, a young girl named Noriko.  Mercury smiled 
faintly.  As usual, Noriko was overflowing with good spirits.  "I've got 
great news!"

      "What is it, Noriko?"

      "The Queen has sent word that they managed to rescue Senshi 
Gawaine!  Also, they beat a youma army that landed near York.  Now the 
Queen is trying to bring her army down from the north to link up with 
Lancelot's forces.  And we've gotten word that Lancelot has reached 
Paris.  And Senshi Sagremor sent word that she's bringing reinforcements 
from her father."  Noriko paused for breath.  "This really cute guy sent 
me flowers too!"

      Mercury laughed.  I'm surprised she didn't tell me that first...

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

     The Channel Squadron cruised through the fog.  Mercury sighed.  This 
winter is definitely unnatural.  The channel does not have icebergs in it 
during the month of March, nor should the land be blanketed with snow.  Her 
efforts to scan to find the source of the disturbance had yielded only 
signs of massive enchantment with no real center.  

     Lancelot stood nearby, clinging to the mast, trying not to be sick.  
Mercury had linked up with Lancelot's army, and was now ferrying it 
across the channel.  Well, some of it.  Unfortunately, much of the 
channel shipping had been disabled by the constant bad weather and all 
those blasted icebergs, so Mercury had deposited half of her "marines" at 
Bolougne, and was hauling Lancelot's forces across the channel a few at a 
time.  

      It did help a lot that the Northern Squadron had sent 
reinforcements, and they had been able to arm some merchant ships.  The 
Channel Squadron now numbered sixty ships, including five Byzantine 
warships that had arrived in advance of the rest of the fleet and army 
that Senshi Sagremor was bringing.  

      There was an audible 'pop' next to her and one of Mercury's three 
squires appeared.  Her name was Kurumi.  She had short blonde hair and a 
few sorcerous abilities, as did all of Mercury's squires, which Mercury 
suspected was why Queen Rei had assigned these particular squires.  Who 
better to train magicians than another sorceress?  Mercury smiled.  As if 
I could actually TEACH my abilities.

      Kurumi said, "I've got some good news and some bad news.  Which do 
you want to hear first?"

      Lancelot said, "Does the good news include a cure for...seasickness?"

      "No."

      "You might as well start with the bad news,"  Lancelot said, 
testing out a few new shades of green.

      "The Youma have defeated Senshi Dodinas in Wales and captured her.  
Mordred has captured London and King Mamoru has had to lock himself in 
the Tower of London to evade capture.  Beryl's main field army is 
striking east towards London and will probably arrive before Queen Rei's 
army can march all the way from York."  Kurumi sighed.

      Lancelot almost threw up on the spot, then regained control.  
"Damnit.  That'll put Beryl in a position to try and beat Rei before we 
can reinforce her."

     "Well, if Rei waits for us to arrive..."

     "With Mordred beseiging Mamoru in the tower?  Maybe the man in the 
moon will drop by with some cheese for us too.  Rei may or may not even 
know I've gotten here."

      Mercury sighed.  "What's the good news?"

      "Senshi Gawaine is raising an army in Lothian, her kingdom.  Also, 
Bors and Bedivere defeated an effort by Aggravaine to capture Camelot, 
and heavily damaged his army.  They've trapped the remains of his army on 
the Isle of Wight."

      "Now that's good news."

      "There's an odd report that a giant cat was fighting alongside 
Aggravaine's army..."

       Mercury smiled faintly.  She remembered that one.  Rhett Butler.  
What a goofy name for a big fat cat.  I wonder what the other shadows 
are in this world...

       There was another audible pop and Mercury's other two squires 
appeared.  Manami put Noriko down.  "The Youma are coming."

      "What?"

      "They're being lead by some huge ship with black sails made 
out of some kind of translucent white stuff.   It's...scary to look at."

     "They'll be here soon, then,"  Mercury said.  Something struck her.  
"When you say huge, how big is huge?"

      Noriko said, "Five times bigger than those Byzantine ships."

      Mercury paled.  "FIVE TIMES?"

      "Yes."

      Lancelot paled now.  "It could hold hundreds of youma."

      Noriko shrugged.  "We'll win.  It'll just take longer for Lancelot 
to kill all of them."

      "I'm not invincible, Noriko."  Lancelot said quietly.

      "You'll beat them!"  Kurumi said.  "Mom used to tell me bedtime 
stories about how you chased the Giant Chicken of Bristol all the way to 
Ireland, killed it with one blow, and then cooked it for dinner and fed 
Dublin for a week.  This is EASY."

       Lancelot looked over at Mercury for a moment, a hounded look in 
her eyes, then the look faded.  A smiling, confident face took its 
place.  "It's best not to be proud, Kurumi.  Hubris has been the bane of 
many a Senshi.  The gods destroy the proud and raise up the humble."

      Mercury said, "Well, tell the captains to get into position."  
Suddenly, she realized something she'd forgotten to ask her squires.  
"How big is the enemy fleet?"

      "Around a hundred and twenty if you don't count the big ship."  
Noriko said calmly. "This should be easy."

      Lancelot and Mercury both facefaulted.   
        
************************************************************************

     The youma fleet slowly came into view through the fog.  At its head 
was the huge white ship with black sails.  Strange greenish humanoids 
manned it, along with twisted and strange creatures of a variety of 
types.  At its prow stood a woman, who was purest black on one half of 
her body and pure white on the other, holding a sword similarly divided 
and wearing a dress of the same coloration, but reversed from her flesh.  
Even her hair matched the pattern.  Many of the ships around her large 
ship were ordinary youma longboats, but there were a variety of other 
kinds of ships...manned by half-rotted humanoid figures.  The fleet of 
the dead.

      Mercury shuddered and tried to tell herself that wasn't Hel, Norse 
queen of the dead at the prow leading the enemy fleet, then failed.  
Especially when her computer reported, "Hel, Queen of the Dead 
approaching from the northeast.  Distance 500 meters and closing."

       Mercury's fleet was ready.  The plan was to swing northwest and 
hit the fringe of the enemy fleet, damage it some, then use the winds to 
run past it and make for Dover or Rochester.  A full battle could only 
result in disaster.

     She had a few other surprises planned as well.  Although she really 
wanted to know HOW that sailing ship was sailing headon into a wind 
without having any trouble at all....

      The fleets engaged, and the battle was joined.  At first, things 
were going well.   The wind was strong enough that her fleet could sail 
around the flank of the Youma fleet and bring superior numbers to bear.  
Then the wind died.  Her ships weren't going anywhere, while the Youma 
closed in.

       It was time to activate the contingency plans.  Mercury became 
Eternal Mercury and took to the sky carrying Noriko and more greek fire.  
Besides firebombing as many youma craft as they could, Noriko put her 
talent to use.  Spheres of Darkness began engulfing youma craft, and they 
started crashing into each other in the artificial night.  

      Still, it wasn't enough.  Hel's ship could sink Mercury's ships 
just by ramming into them.  She could see Hel's ship heading for the Dawn 
Treader.  If the flagship sank, her fleet would likely panic...not that 
panicking would let them get away.  Noriko looked down at the battle.  
"It's not going too well..."

       Mercury nodded.  "Hel took away our wind..."

       Noriko looked through the fog, not sure which way she was 
looking.  The sound of oars started to drift through the fog.  "More boats."

      "More of their boats...Ours don't use oars."

       Noriko paled.  "We're all going to die, aren't we..."

       "It is the Fimbulwinter, the time for the death of Gods and 
Men..."  Mercury quoted.  "As Odin foresaw when he drank from Mimir's 
well..."

       "Who is Odin?"

       Mercury smiled faintly.  "A legend that is about to be born, I think."

       "I don't understand."

       "Well, we'll see what happens.  I don't intend to give up without 
a fight."  She set her computer to searching for any weaknesses in the 
huge ships construction, then started flying towards it.

      Something was filling the ship's sails, she saw.  She flew around 
to try and figure out where the wind was coming from.  It didn't seem to 
be coming from anywhere...it just was.  The sails were billowing with no 
wind at all.  

      "Can you freeze the sails?"  Noriko asked.

       Eternal Mercury smiled.  "Good idea."  She shouted "SHINE AQUA 
ILLUSION!"  Ice shredded the sails to bits.  Then the mast suddenly 
toppled over.  Looking, she could see Kurumi and Manami holding hands, 
their eyes closed, staring sightlessly towards Hel's ship.  They both had 
telekinetic powers, though she had never realized they were that strong.

     Hel's ship still drifted forward, but slower now.  It pulled up 
alongside the Dawn Treader, and the battle began.  Mercury dived to the 
deck of the Treader and put Noriko down.  The battle was underway.  
Hordes of monsters were trying to pour onto the Dawn Treader, but 
Lancelot and her elite Senshi guard were standing on the bridge between 
the boats, tossing monsters right and left.  Her glowing staff cut a 
swath of destruction through the onrushing tentacled hordes.

     Mercury rose into the air again and dropped the last of the greek 
fire onto the huge ship.  It burned on the deck, slaying some of the 
crew, but the ship did not catch fire.  Hel turned and stared at Mercury 
for a moment.  A stiff wind struck her and blew her away from the ship. 
She struggled, and finally had to drop down low to get out of it.  
Meanwhile, Hel strode towards Lancelot.

     Lancelot stared at her as she approached.  The monsters fell back.  
Lancelot waved her guards back.  Nervously, they withdrew.

     YOU ARE LANCELOT?  Hel's voice seemed to reverberate through the mind.

     "Yes.  And you are?"

     HEL, QUEEN OF THE DEAD.  WHOSE RANKS YOU WILL SOON JOIN.

     Lancelot gulped.  "You..."  Her voice took on strength.  "Go back to 
Niflheim, Hel.  Your time has not yet come.  This is not the true 
Fimbulwinter, only Beryl's mockery of it."

     PERHAPS.  PERHAPS NOT.  She drew her sword.  WILL YOU COME WILLINGLY 
OR UNWILLINGLY INTO MY KINGDOM?

     "I answer to no Queen but Rei.  Do your worst."  Mercury tried to 
fly to Lancelot's aid, but the wind always seemed to shift to blow her 
away.  She had to watch as Hel and Lancelot did battle in a flurry of 
blows and counterblows.  Hel seemed tireless, but Lancelot was clearly 
the better fighter.  However, nothing Lancelot did seemed to hurt Hel, or 
do more than mildly annoy her.

      The fight went on for twenty minutes.  The fleet that Mercury 
had heard earlier emerged from the fog.  It was getting dark and it 
was hard to see the boats, but they didn't look quite like Youma 
longboats.  Who could it be?  The dead calm that afflicted all the 
boats kept any banners from being visible.  

      Mercury frowned.  There has to be something...Her computer 
beeped.  'Weakness located in ship.  Site of rudder is vulnerable to 
attack.'  Mercury flew around the ship to the rudder.  "ETERNAL 
WATERY VORTEX!"  The water, filled with chunks of ice, erupted up 
around the rudder, smashing it to splinters and pulling the end of 
the boat open.  Water rushed into the ship and it began to sink.

      Above, the bridge staggered and Hel toppled backwards onto her 
boat, which was swiftly sinking.  VERY GOOD, HUMANS.  PERHAPS THERE 
IS SOME HOPE FOR YOUR SPECIES AFTER ALL.  I WILL SEE YOU AGAIN ONE 
DAY.

     "Too soon for me!"  Lancelot said.

      As Hel went down with her ship, suddenly, the wind picked up.  
The banner of the approaching fleet flew proudly.  It was a golden 
chariot on a blue field, the sign of Senshi Sagremor.  The Byzantine 
fleet had arrived.  

      The youma fled as Hel's ship sank.  The combined fleets of 
Logres and Byzantium ran down the youma and destroyed them.  The 
battle of the Channel was won.

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

     After some conversation, they had decided to save time by bringing 
the fleet around to London directly.  With the help of the additional 
Byzantine ships, they had been able to pick up the rest of Lancelot's 
army and swiftly shipped it to the mouth of the Thames.  They sailed up 
the river, through the marshes, heading for London.  

     Within a few hours, the walls of London could be seen, and the Tower 
of London itself.  The flag of Logres still flew from its spire.  Around 
the fortress was a vast host of Youma, Cardians, Droidos, Daimons, and 
other barbarian peoples from the continent.  

     "Well, either Rei hasn't gotten here yet, or they've already beaten 
her."  Lancelot said.

     "We're going to have a rather hard time landing our troops while 
Beryl's forces control the docks."  Sagremor pointed out.

     Mercury turned to Manami.  "Teleport into the tower and find out if 
Rei's forces have already been and gone."

     Manami nodded.  She vanished with an audible pop.  

     Mercury turned and looked at Sagremor.  I should tell her 
about...Dodinas...but what if she can't handle it?  I don't know how well 
her forces will cooperate if she goes running off...she might even take 
them with her.  Mercury sighed and felt dirty for not telling her.  

      Soon Manami reappeared.  "Mamoru says that her army hasn't arrived 
yet.  He just got a pigeon messenger from Saint Albans.  Her army has 
arrived there, so she should be here tomorrow."

      Lancelot nodded.  "If we run up the river to Windsor, we can dock 
there and then march northeast to join with Rei's forces."

      "Do you think you can make all the way to Saint Albans from here?"

      "I can try."  Manami said.

      "Good.  Tell Queen Rei that we're coming."

      Manami vanished again.  Mercury smiled faintly.  Things were 
looking up.  She sent Kurumi to the Tower to tell Mamoru about the plan.

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

     Soon, the two armies were united and began marching down Watling 
Street to London.  The old Roman road made for easy going, and the army 
made good time.  They arrived at London, only to find that Beryl's army 
was gone.  

      The leaders met in the Tower, with Mamoru.  "As soon as she saw 
Mercury's fleet, she took off,"  he said.  

      "Which way did she go?"  Queen Rei asked.

      "She crossed the Thames using the London bridges, and headed 
Southwest."

      Lancelot blinked.  "Where is she going?"  She paused.  "Unless she 
plans to seize the Cinque ports."

      "That wouldn't do much good with her fleet gone,"  Sagremor said.  
"Hmm.  I'd have thought she'd retreat into the Youma settlements in 
Trinovantes and Icenia..."

      "I'd have thought she'd head for Wales,"  Queen Rei said.  "But if 
she's SOUTH of the Thames, that seems unlikely."

      Senshi Sagremor blinked.  "Wales?  Why Wales?  No youma settlements 
there to fall back on.  Plus she'd have to fight Dodinas' army and..."

      Queen Rei's face fell.  "You haven't heard?"

      Sagremor's expression fell too, now.  "Heard what?"

      "She defeated Dodinas and captured her before marching on London."

      Sagremor's face turned red.  "SHE WHAT?"

      "I'm sorry.  We're pretty sure she's still alive..."

      Sagremor brought down her fist on the table, which quietly 
collapsed.  "WHY DIDN'T ANYONE TELL ME ABOUT THIS BEFORE???"

      Everyone flinched.  "I assumed you heard,"  Queen Rei said 
quietly.  "I thought I had sent news of this to everyone.  Everyone I 
could reach, anyway."

      Sagremor stood up.  "I'm going.  Now."

      "You think you can fight Beryl's entire army by yourself?"

      "I can't let her do to Dodinas what she did to the Orkneys!"

      "You can't stop her by yourself!"  Lancelot said.  "Beryl could 
turn you into a kumquat and you couldn't do anything about it."

       "How is ANYONE supposed to stop her then?"

       A sudden memory flitted into Mercury's mind.  "Moly."

       "What does a princess from Brittany have to do with ANYTHING?"  
Sagremor shouted.

       "No, not a person.  A plant.  According to Greek tradition, it 
would protect you from shapechanging sorcery...I don't know if actually 
works, but..."  Mercury said.  "I'm not sure where to find it, either."

       Sagremor nodded.  "I've heard of it.  Good thinking."  Sagremor 
started to run off again.  It took a LOT of effort to calm Sagremor down.

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

     They soon set out in pursuit of Beryl's main force, sending 
messengers to tell Gawaine where they were going.  They recieved word 
that Beryl had seized Chichester, probably in hope of recieving 
reinforcements from her destroyed fleet.  Queen Rei swung her forces west 
to Camelot to join with Bedivere and Bors' army there, also sending small 
forces southeast to watch the roads and see which way Beryl went.  

      Beryl simply sat in Chichester.  Rei would have been content to 
wait for Gawaine, but Sagremor threatened to take her army herself and 
move on Beryl if Rei didn't.  Rei gave in, not wanting to be beaten in 
detail.  They arrived in Chichester, only to discover Beryl had broken 
out, swatted aside the patrols watching her, and was heading for 
Silchester.  There was nothing to do but chase her and pray she didn't 
catch Gawaine before they could catch her.

     The two armies moved northeast, then turned Northwest, to try and 
intercept or meet Gawaine's army moving down the road from York to 
Circencester.  Gawaine's army reached Circencester and turned down the 
road to Silchester.  Finally, the three armies came together in the 
Salisbury downs, just north of an old defensive wall, at a place known as 
Badon Hill.

      It was here that Queen Rei had broken the armies of Bretwalda Aelle 
of the Youma in 414 AD, over forty years ago.  Most of those who had 
fought that day were dead, the parents and grandparents of those who met 
on the field this day.  Beryl's army was outnumbered now, but Beryl had 
one thing her enemies did not.  Monsters.  Seven Monsters.  The Seven 
Shadows.

      Two of them towered over the rest.  One was a huge man, clad in 
furs, with red skin and a flaming sword.  The youma named him Surtur, 
king of the Fire Giants.  The second was a man clad in armor of ice, his 
skin blue, a great axe of blue steel in his hands.  The Youma named him 
Ymir, king of the Frost Giants, but Ami knew him by a different 
name...Greg.  She recognized his features distorted as they were.  It was 
all she could do to keep from crying.

      Five more monsters joined their ranks.  The Fenris Wolf, a wolf the 
size of a small house, about the right size to be a puppy dog for one of 
the giants.  The Angel of Death, a woman clad all in black with black 
batwings and a scythe.  A huge serpent the youma had named Jormungandr, 
the world serpent.  A huge cat, almost as big as Jormungandr, whom the 
Britons compared to the legendary Cat of Anglesey.  Finally, there was a 
huge red scaly dragon, a fire breathing beast known as Fafnir.  

     Queen Rei picked her best Senshi to engage the monsters.  If they 
could be defeated, the day could be won.  If they could not be 
stopped...their army didn't have a prayer.  

      The Youma formed up into a huge wedge and drove for the center of 
Queen Rei's army, with Beryl, the Orkneys, and the Monsters at the point 
of the Wedge.  The last remaining Senshi of the Round Table formed up in 
the Center of Rei's army.  She put her lesser senshi on the two wings of 
her force, and placed her infantry in the center of her wings.  

      As Mercury charged down the hill towards the onrushing monsters, 
she felt more tense than she ever had felt before in her entire life, 
except when she had sacrificed herself so long ago to help her friends 
make it to a previous confrontation with the Queen Beryl of her own 
world.  

     She stared at Greg.  There has to be something I can do to help 
him.  If only Usagi was here...she could turn them back to their old selves.
A voice now irritatingly familiar spoke to her.  "I guess you'll just 
have to kill him.  Too bad, eh?"

      It was the boy.  He was riding on her horse behind her.  How he 
could stay on, she didn't know.  "Don't you have someone else to annoy?"

     "Nope.  I'm your own personal annoyance."

      Maybe the youma will get annoyed and kill him, she thought.

     "Don't count on it."

      She sighed.

      "Hmm, looks like the Youma forgot to read their part of the 
script..."  the boy commented.

       Mercury blinked.  The monsters had turned and were charging at an 
angle into the infantry.   The hole they left was plugged by more youma 
moving into place behind them, while the monsters charged the hapless 
infantry.  

       Queen Rei swore.  "Everyone, take your targets!  Hunt them to the 
ends of the Earth if you must!  If we don't act fast, we won't have much 
of an army left."

       The Round Table parted for the last time.  

       Mercury turned and charged after Greg, ignoring the boy and his 
annoying comments.  She plunged through the youma and infantry alike, 
parrying the occassional blow with the mace she had taken as her weapon 
for the occassion.  Her training with Senshi Lancelot had paid off.  

       She caught glimpses of other fights.  Bors was going toe to toe 
with Gaheris.  Queen Rei fought the Fenris wolf, the Silver crystal 
shining like a beacon.  Senshi Gawaine battled the great serpent.  
Lancelot did battle with Surtur.  Sagremor wandered the field, dishing 
out destruction, a berserker fire in her eyes, crying out "Dodinas!" over 
and over again.

       Mercury pressed onward through the fight, finally reaching Greg's 
wake, able to move through the path he had opened by his movements 
through the battle.  Her computer was still analyzing him, looking for a 
weakpoint.  

        Finally, she reached him.  Her computer located three weakpoints 
in his armor.  He turned and stared at her.

        "GREG!  It's me!  AMI!  Can you hear me?"

        Emotions flitted across his face, a mix of confusion and black 
rage.  "Don't fight us, Greg!  I love you!"

        He raised his arm to smite her with the great spear he held, then 
clutched his head.  She started to speak, when suddenly, she was struck 
from behind and knocked off her horse.  She knew that only the protection 
that her Sailor uniform offered had kept her alive. 

       Rolling to her feet, she looked up and saw Mordred.  A black fire 
raged in Mordred's eyes, her face a mask of bitter hate.  "Mordred!  Why 
are you doing this?"

       "This is my revenge on a world that wanted me dead!  My own mother 
tried to have me killed!  She didn't even tell her best friends I was her 
child!  I tried playing it her way, but I've had enough of that.  When 
she dies, I'll rule Logres."

       She raised her sword, limned with black flames and leaped off her 
horse, down at Mercury.  Mercury rolled to her feet and leaped back.  
"SHABON SPRAY!"  A spray of mist swept over the area.  Mercury was easily 
able to keep out of Mordred's way in the fog.  "She cried when Beryl took 
you!"

       "It's too late for tears now.  She made a mockery of me and 
everyone.  How can you defend someone who sent babies on a boat to die 
and broke her own laws time and again?"

       "She's paid for her sins in blood and suffering!  No one is 
perfect!  If you repay Evil for Evil, the whole world dies!"  Mercury 
tried to circle behind Mordred, who wandered through the mist slashing 
wildly.

      "Maybe the world deserves death!"

      "If you really believed that, you wouldn't be bothered by what your 
mother did!"  

       Mordred turned and tried to home in on Mercury's voice.  Mercury 
simply leaped over Mordred and landed behind her, then kicked her sword 
arm.  Mordred's sword went flying and the fire went out.  Mordred swore.  
"Who gave you the right to pass judgement on me?"

       "Who gave you the right to pass judgement on your mother?  Do you 
know what it's like being Queen?  Do you know what it's like having 
millions of people depending on your decisions?  Yes, she's made some 
mistakes, but she's done the best she could!"  Mercury sprinted over and 
kicked Mordred's sword further away.

        Suddenly, the mist vanished.  Beryl stood nearby.  "Why are you 
playing around with her, Mordred?  You've got business elsewhere!"

        Mordred said, "Without a weapon?"

      Beryl sighed.  "You people and your silly weapons."  She gestured 
and a sword appeared.  "Go."

      Mordred went.

      Beryl turned to Greg.  "What are YOU waiting for?"

      "I...couldn't...see anything,"  Greg said very slowly.

      "Well, now you can!  KILL HER!"

      "I...I don't...I don't want to."  His face contorted with pain.

      "DAMN YOU!  KILL HER!"  Beryl shouted, then fell down as Mercury 
smacked her in the head with a mace, then lept away.  "YOU!  I have had 
ENOUGH OF YOU!"  She pointed her staff at Mercury, and lightning crackled 
from it.  Mercury dodged desperately, but got clipped by the lightning.  
She fell down stunned.

       For a moment, the whole battlefield went silent as Greg let out a 
deafening shout.  He kicked Beryl halfway across the battlefield.  She 
screamed in pain.  Suddenly, her spell on Greg broke and he returned to 
his ordinary self, collapsing to the ground.  Mercury staggered to her 
feet and rushed to him.  He lay on the ground, barely breathing.

       She cradled him in her arms.  "Greg...Greg...Greg..."

       He smiled weakly.  "Ami...my...my love.  I feel so cold."

       She pulled him as close as she could.  "You'll be okay.  You 
will.  You will."

       "No I won't.  I'm sorry, Ami.  But I will see you again."

       She began to cry.  "I don't understand.  Don't die.  Don't leave 
me, Greg."

        He smiled faintly.  "I have to leave you...but you'll come to me 
soon, Ami.  In the other world."

       "You...you think I'm going to die?"  Her body shook from her 
tears.  How could he be so calm?  Just like...like Urawa so often was.

       "It doesn't always end this way, Ami.  We've danced this dance 
through life after life, time after time.  Every true love defies death.  
I have to die so that you can come back to me.  I can see this 
now...They're coming for me."

        "Who's coming for you, Greg?  I won't let them have you!  I 
won't!"  Her voice was rising to a level of hysteria she had normally 
only ever heard Usagi achieve.

      "You've got to take care of the living, Ami.  How will you ever be 
a doctor if you can't learn to let go when someone's death can't be 
prevented?"

       Ami blinked.  "I...how did you know that?"

       "I told you...we've loved before.  We'll love again.  You've known 
me by many names, and I you by many.  Sometimes...I can see what has been 
or will be again...Not much in this life, but..."  His voice grew 
weaker.  "You've got to save the Queen, Ami.  Beryl is determined to get 
her, by hook or by crook."

        Ami tried to pull herself together.  "So this doesn't mean the end?"

        "Not anymore than Usagi catching us about to kiss on the couch 
did..."

        Ami started and suddenly understood.  "I won't let you down.  
I'll save the Queen if I have to die trying."

        His last words were, "Beryl ALWAYS carries her staff.  
Always...Remember..."  

     Beryl.  I'm coming for you,  Mercury thought.  What can I do with 
Greg's body?  I can't just leave him here...I don't have time to dig a 
grave.  

      Wordlessly, the boy picked up Greg.  "I will bury him."

      Mercury frowned.  "I don't trust YOU with his body."

      "I know I have tested you beyond measure.  I have doubted your 
mind, your soul, your morals, your courage, your faith, and your love.  I 
have laid seige to your patience, your time, and your energy.  I have 
forced you to confront the fears and darkness within your soul.  I have 
been your shadow and your bane.  You have passed every test.  Truly, you 
are the champion I hoped you would be."

     Mercury stared at him.  "Who are you and what right do you have to 
test me?"

     "I am Gwion Bach, sometimes known as Taliesin, the new Merlin of 
Britain.  I have no more right to test you than anyone else.  I have done 
what I thought was necessary for the good of the land.  I do not ask for 
your forgiveness, nor do I expect it.  If you choose to hate me, that is 
your right.  The Goddess makes demands of me that I often regret, but I 
must do what is right for the land as she sees fit."

      "The Merlin?  What about..."

      "He sleeps until his time shall come again.  He was the last 
Merlin, the lover of the Goddess, her servant, messenger, and prophet.  
Now I hold that role."  

      "I...uh...."

     "I swear by my soul and my hope of everlasting life that I 
shall lay him safely to rest, doing no dishonor to his body or soul."  
Suddenly, the boy's forehead glowed.  A symbol of a bird shone upon his 
brow, and a light fired up into the heavens.   He aged before her eyes, 
his form taking on the shape of adulthood, his clothing changing to adult 
garb.  He looked familiar, but Mercury didn't quite recognize him.  Somehow, 
Mercury knew this oath was the most binding one she had ever seen.  He 
reached out now and touched her forehead and the power flowed into her.  
"When the time comes, you shall be able to open a way to your home.  Use 
this gift well.  I trust you now to not abuse it.  And know that while 
you part from your love now, soon, you shall indeed see him again.  Go 
forth, Angel of Wisdom, and put your wisdom to use."

       Mercury looked at herself, and to her shock, she discoverd she had 
transformed into her Eternal Mercury form.  She looked up at Taliesin, 
who was fading into the bright glow surrounding him and Greg.  "G...Goodbye."

       Taliesin smiled.  "Remember what he told you.  Goodbye, until we 
meet again."  He faded from sight.

       Eternal Mercury turned to the battlefield.  It was a nightmare of 
death, bodies scattered everywhere.  Surtur had fallen, and his death had 
killed dozens of others, crushed beneath his corpse.  Knots of infantry 
and Youma struggled onward, and here and there, a lesser Senshi charged 
into various frays.  She activated her computer.  "Find Queen Rei and 
Queen Beryl."

       The computer began searching.  She moved through the battlefield, 
borrowing a horse no one seemed to be using and heading towards the 
loudest sources of noise. 

       She emerged into a 'clearing' in the battle, and soon saw the 
source.  Senshi Gawaine was being attacked by three of her siblings at 
once, as well as Jormungandr.  Aggravaine, Gareth, and Gaheris had her 
ringed in.  Eternal Mercury charged to her aid.  She could hear them 
speaking.

       "Not so tough now, are you sister?"  Aggravaine shouted.  "I bet 
you're regretting the way you always beat us up when we were kids, eh?"

       "I didn't start ALL those fights, Aggravaine!"  Gawaine shouted, 
desperately wrestling with the serpent, which had wrapped around her 
torso and was slowly crushing her to death.

       "You killed Pellinore too.  A harmless old man obssessed with a 
stupid rabbit.  You deserve every inch of this, Gawaine,"  Gaheris said.

       "YOU HELPED!  You wanted him dead as much as I did!  He killed our 
mother, Damnit!"

       "In the middle of a battle!  She was trying to KILL him!  No 
different than what's happening with you and Mr. Snake here."

       Gawaine sighed.  "You're absolutely right.  I deserve death for 
what I've done."

       Aggravaine smiled.  "See?  Justice is being done."

       "So do you.  So do all of us except Gareth.  He was never partner 
to any of our crimes."

       Eternal Mercury paled.  She tried to press the horse to go faster. 
No matter what she did, she couldn't seem to get closer fast enough.  
Something horrible was going to happen.

        Gawaine began to swing her hammer over her head.  Above her, a 
swirling cloud began to form.  "I AM THE WIELDER OF THE HAMMER OF 
JUSTICE!  LET JUSTICE BE DONE TO ME AND MY KIN!!!"  

       Mercury realized what was going to happen.  "NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!"  

      Sometimes, just saying no isn't enough.  Gawaine released the 
hammer and it flew at Gaheris, who dodged to one side.  The hammer kept 
flying.  Aggravaine laughed.  "I guess Justice has a different opinion."

       Mercury knew better.  She saw the clouds still swirling over 
Gawaine, darkening.  She saw the hammer suddenly arc around and turn back 
towards the three Orkneys.

       So did Gaheris.  He lept desperately at his sister Aggravine, 
trying to knock her out of the way.  The hammer changed course and homed 
in on her head, crushing her skull from behind and pitching her forward 
onto the ground.  Gaheris was knocked away as well, though unhurt.  He 
blinked and the glaze in his eyes faded.  The hammer returned to 
Gawaine's hands.  Gaheris stared at Gawaine, the berserkergang building 
in his enchantment-shrouded eyes.  "YOU KILLED OUR SISTER!"  He rushed 
forward, his sword crackling with black electricity.

        As Gaheris reached Jormungandr's side and began to clamber over 
the serpent to reach Gawaine, Gawaine said, "You murdered our mother for 
daring to love someone other than us.   We both deserve death.  Let there 
be an ending."

       Mercury rode forward, "No!  MAKOTO!!!!!"

       "Justice must be done."  As Gaheris swung at Gawaine's head, 
Gawaine tossed her hammer to Mercury, then wrapped her arms around 
Jormungandr's head.  "Great lord of Heaven, SEND DOWN YOUR WRATH!"  

       A massive bolt of lightning, as wide as a house stabbed down from 
the clouds.  Gaheris, Gawaine, and Jormungandr turned into negative 
images of themselves and winked out of existence, leaving only a crater.

       Gareth began to cry.  "No...no..."

       Mercury rode up to Gareth and handed him the hammer.  "This is all 
that is left."

       Gareth began to sob.  "They didn't deserve this."

       "We can only pray that God will show Gawaine more mercy than she 
showed herself.  I wish I could have stopped her.  There had to be 
another way."  She was crying too.  "Come on, Gareth.  We have to save 
the Queen."

       "I don't care about the queen!  My family is dead!  I'm the last 
of the Orkneys.  They're all...dead..."

       Mercury hugged Gareth.  "You don't want her sacrifice to be in 
vain do you?  Gawaine didn't die so that you would lie down and die...She 
tried to make sure you would live.  So you could carry on where she could 
not.  Can't you do it for her?"

       Gareth pulled himself together and stared at the hammer.  "The 
mallet of justice.  I...Am I worthy to bear this?"

      "You're the most worthy person I know to bear it.  That's what 
Gawaine wanted."

       "But she threw it to you..."

       "I am the Senshi who needs no weapon.  I pass this on to you, as 
you have passed it to me.  Bear it well, Gareth, and let Justice be your 
guide, but do not forget mercy as well."

       "Gawaine was always better at Justice than Mercy."  He hefted the 
weapon.  "Let's go."

        They made their way across the field.  They pulled a dazed Bors 
out from under her horse.  They retrieved Lionel, Lancelot's younger 
brother from a pile of corpses he had almost smothered in.  They saved 
Aglovale from a knot of Youma that were attacking her.  Aglovale stared 
at Gareth for a long moment.  He stared back and bowed  his head.  "My 
brother and sisters slew your father.  I'm sorry."

       Aglovale sighed.  "Melodiam died for nothing."

       "My brother and my sisters are dead, except for Mordred."

       Mercury decided now was not the ideal time to bring up that 
Mordred wasn't really Gareth's sister.  

       "As are mine.  We have destroyed our families for nothing.  Can 
there be peace between us?"

       Gareth looked up.  "I hope so."

       Lionel twitched.  "Come on.  We have to find my sister before she 
does anything stupid, like the time she tried to wash the dishes with 
lamp oil..."  He started off and the others followed.

       Not every Senshi could be saved.  They found Ector dead with an 
axe stuck in his chest.  Pelleas had died from mutliple spear thrusts.  
Dinadan had been stepped on by Surtur.  Palomedes, eaten by the Cat of 
Anglesey.  A small pink rabbit could be seen circling him, letting out a 
sound like hounds baying, a sound that would never again call him to the 
hunt he had dedicated his life to.  Many others had fallen, of less 
reknown.  

       Others were conspicuous by their absence.  Tristam, who had 
finally died at the hands of King Mark.  Lamorak, cut down by Gaheris so 
long ago.  King Bagdemagus, slain on the quest for the Grail.  Griflet, 
slain by a chance arrow at the battle of York.  The Pellinore family, all 
dead, but for Aglovale.  The Orkneys, also all dead, but for Gareth.  So 
many others cut down by chance, hate, feud or accident.

       A fog had settled upon the field.  The sound of battle drifted 
through the mist, making it hard to tell where fighting was going off.  
There certainly seemed to be enough corpses for both armies to be dead.

       Mercury's computer pinged.  'QUEEN REI LOCATED.'  She lead her 
band through the mist to the site.  The sound of fighting got louder.  
Finally, the mist parted and they could see the heart of the battle.  
Knots of senshi, footmen, and youma were still fighting here.  At the 
center of the killing ground, Senshi Lancelot did battle with Fafnir the 
great, while Queen Rei battled the Fenris wolf.  A hard pressed Senshi 
Bedivere tried to fight the Angel of Death and Mordred at the same time.  
It was clear that soon Bedivere would die.

       "Lionel, help Lancelot.  Gareth, Aglovale, help Queen Rei.  Bors, 
take Mordred.  I'm going to deal with the Angel of Death..."  The Senshi 
nodded and went to do their duty.  Eternal Mercury spread her wings and 
rose into the sky.  She flew towards the Angel, which accepted her 
challenge and rose into the sky.  "SHINE AQUA ILLUSION!"  Ice and frost 
soon limned the wings of the Angel of Death.  It plummeted to the ground 
and shattered.  She turned to dive down to Bors aid, only to see a huge 
blue cat bound out of the fog.  It swatted Bors aside, knocking her out, 
then charged Lancelot and Lionel.  Lionel turned to face it and it leapt 
into the air and landed on him, knocking him out as well. 

      Mercury dove towards it.  "Here, Kitty, Kitty!"

      The cat paused and turned, looking up.  The computer identified a 
weakpoint right between it's eyes.  She kicked it there, then flew off, 
drawing it away from Lancelot and Rei.  Why do I feel like I've forgotten 
something, she wondered, then her brain clicked.  No one's fighting 
Mordred.  She whirled about and returned.  Unfortunately, so did the 
cat.  As she returned to the ongoing fight, the cat headed for Lancelot, 
while she could see Mordred staggering towards the beleagured Rei.  

      Lancelot, I'm sorry, Mercury thought as she spoke the words, 
"ETERNAL WATERY VORTEX!"  The ground beneath Mordred swirled as water 
rushed up from dry ground and smote Mordred in a whirring guyser that 
shone with a white light.  Mordred went flying.  

      As the cat charged Lancelot, she lept away.  The cat slammed into 
Fafner, knocking them both back.  The two monsters began to fight each 
other.  Then, out of the fog, came a great shout of rage.  A blur with 
golden hair charged out of the mist, crying its refrain of fury.  
"DODINAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"  Senshi Sagremor attacked the 
beasts, uncaring of survival in her fury.  

       Lancelot paused, trying to assess the situation.  Mercury dove 
down to attack the Fenris wolf, unleashing a cloud of mist over its 
massive head so that it could not see.  She could see Queen Rei was 
bleeding from multiple wounds.  Her ravens were pecking at the huge 
wolf's eyes.  Rei stared at the beast through the one good eye she had 
left.  "Thank you, Mercury.  I knew I could count on you."

      Bedivere staggered to her feet and stumbled over to Lancelot.  
"I'll help Sagremor.  Go save the Queen."

      "Can you handle it?"

      "I'll be fine.  Kill that damned wolf.  She needs you..."  Bedivere 
trailed off, some thought unspoken.

      Lancelot nodded and turned to charge the wolf.

      Unseen, and forgotten as always, Mordred stood.  She could feel her 
life ebbing away.  Only one thing was left to drive her on.  Revenge.  
Gripping her sword, she lifted it one last time.  Flames ignited along 
the hilt.  The sign of her descent from Queen Rei.  The sign of her 
vengeance.  She staggered closer to Rei.  This also meant coming closer 
to the Fenris Wolf.  It lunged forward, smelling fresh prey.  Rei leaped 
at Mordred, knocking her back.  "Mordred!  You've got to be more 
careful!  It's trying to kill everyone!"

      Mordred began to cry.  Rei held her.  "Kyrstiara,"  Rei said, 
calling Mordred by her true name, her secret name.  "I...I'm so glad 
you're alive."  Kyrstiara began to cry more.  

      "Mother...mother...I'm sorry.  I've failed you, mother.  I failed 
Aunt Beryl...I'm so sorry."  Krystiara sobbed.  

       "Don't be sorry.  We all make mistakes.  Mine were much worse than 
yours."  Queen Rei held her daughter tightly.

       Unfortunately, a battlefield with a hungry wolf the size of a 
house isn't a very good place to have a tearful reconciliation.  The 
Fenris Wolf lunged forward, but unable to see, stepped on its prey 
instead of biting them.  Kyrstiara could hear Rei's ribs cracking.  She 
raised her sword.  "BASTARD!  FOR THE HONOR OF HOUSE PENDRAGON, RECIEVE 
MY DYING CURSE!"  She hurled her sword at the Fenris Wolf, the flames 
erupting upwards into its right eye, blinding it.  It staggered, badly 
hurt.  Slowly, the flesh around the eye began to wither.  The wolf would 
die....but not soon enough.

      Kyrstiara felt death coming.  The end was near.  "I'm sorry, 
Mother...I wasn't strong enough to kill it."

      Rei coughed and said, "Neither was I.  I love you, Kyrstiara...I 
think I may be coming to join you soon.  Goodbye, my daughter." In death, 
Kyrstiara found the dignity so often denied her in life, dying neither 
unseen nor forgotten.  The Fenris Wolf bent its head a second time to try to 
eat Rei.  Rei managed to roll her daughter away on the ground as the 
wolf picked her up in its mouth.  At least you won't be eaten as well, 
my daughter.  The wolf began to close its jaws to finish the job it had 
begun...

      But its jaws could not close.  Senshi Lancelot stood in its mouth 
as well, and she stuck her staff into it's jaw.  The mouth could not bite 
down.  Senshi Lancelot knelt and focused on the staff. It glowed 
brightly.  Sweat began to run down her brow.

      "MERCURY!  GET THE QUEEN OUT!"  Lancelot shouted.

      Mercury dove down and picked up the queen, then paused.  "What 
about you?"

      "Just get her to safety!"  

      Rei woke back up and moaned.  "Lancelot..."

      "What, Rei?"

      "I'm sorry, Lancelot..."

      "You don't have to be sorry.  Just get out of here."

      "I won't leave you to die."

      "I'll be fine,"  Lancelot lied.

      "Don't you know by now that you can't fool me?  Mercury, give me my 
spear."

      "What are you doing?  You're badly hurt!  Mercury, take her away 
from here!"

      "We leave together or not at all."  Rei took the spear from 
Mercury.  The Silver Crystal glowed.  She put her hand on Lancelot's 
staff.  It began to grow longer, forcing the top jaw of the Fenris Wolf 
upward.  It howled with impotent rage as its mouth was forced further 
open.  Weakened by Kyrstiara's dying curse, the beast could no longer 
resist them.  Then its jaw was dislocated.  White fire surged up the 
staff, carving a swath through the beast's head.  The Fenris Wolf died.  
Lancelot grabbed Rei and leaped out of the mouth, with Mercury following 
her.  

      The battlefield was largely silent.  Sagremor had collapsed in some 
sort of exhausted torpor, still murmuring Dodinas' name.  Bedivere was 
trying to revive her.  Bors and Lionel were unconscious.  The cat and Fafnir 
were dead.  Everyone was dead.  

      Gareth and Aglovale mutely followed Lancelot and Mercury.  Lancelot 
laid Queen Rei down by Senshi Sagremor.  Rei moaned. "Bedivere."

      "Yes, my Queen?"

      Rei paused and removed the Silver Crystal from her spear, 
Rhonoghymant.  She handed the spear to Bedivere.  "Cast the spear into 
the lake."

      "Lake?"  Bedivere looked and now saw they stood near the shores of 
a small lake.  "Why?"

      "I will soon die, and I must return the gift the ladies of the lake 
gave me."

      "Shouldn't I..."  Bedivere began.

      "You're not going to die, Rei,"  Lancelot lied for her own benefit.

      "Do it.  Oh, and Bedivere..."  The Queen paused.  "Make sure 
Kyrstiara, my daughter, recieves a proper burial.  That will be your 
last duty..."

      "Yes, my queen."

       Bedivere walked to the edge of the lake and hurled the spear as 
far as she could.  Her two long ponytails blew in the stiff wind that 
began to blow off the lake.  A black cat lept up from the water and caught 
the spear, brandished it, then sank into the lake.

       "I wish Mamoru was here so I could say goodbye..."  Rei said.

       Three figures walked out of the fog.  "Sometimes, wishes come 
true,"  Minako said.  With her walked Mamoru and Dodinas.  Dodinas rushed 
over to Sagremor, while Mamoru rushed over to Rei.  

       "No...Rei-chan..."  Mamoru held Rei and began to cry.

       On the surface of the lake, a boat came into sight through the fog.

       Minako smiled.  "They have come for you, Rei, to take you to your 
final reward.  A time of rest and healing in Avalon, until the world 
needs you once more."

       Rei smiled.  "Rest...that would be good."

       The boat came closer.  Three Queens sat upon the boat.  One a 
raven haired beauty, bearing a hammer.  She was the youngest.  One with 
brown hair, bearing a staff, middling in age.  The third with long white 
hair, holding a spear.  She was old, but dignified.  They sat on thrones and 
wore crowns.  Their boat sailed closer to the shore.

      Lancelot picked Rei up and began to carry her towards the boat.  
"I'll miss you, Rei."

      Something caught Mercury's attention.  The staff that the middle 
queen bore.  It looked like...She ran a quick computer scan.  It was 
Beryl's staff.  And her computer's long search for Beryl suddenly clicked 
positive on the middle queen. They were all shrouded with illusions.  
       
      The computer soon identified the others as well.  Mistress Nine.  
Nephrenia.  At least, their doubles in this world.  "It's a trap!"

      Lancelot froze at the edge of the lake.

      Minako turned and stared.  Her eyes widened.  "Oh my goddess, I have 
been decieved..."

      The middle queen shrieked with rage.  "So, you interfere in my 
plans once more!  NOW I WILL DESTROY YOU!"  The illusions shattered.  
Queen Beryl of Gorre, her sister, Elaine, Queen of Norgales, and the 
youma queen of the hidden kingdom of the Eastlands, Nephrenia, stood 
revealed.  

      Mercury felt fear clench her heart.  We can't stop them all.  We're 
all hurt and tired.  Most of us are dead, Rei is mortally wounded...How 
can we stop them?  If only Usa...She remembered Taliesin's words to her.  
That's it.

      Below her, Lancelot handed Rei to Mamoru.  "Run.  Get out of 
here."  She turned to Beryl.  "Come and GET US!"  

      The last of the Senshi of the Round Table drew their weapons to 
make their final stand.  

      Mercury flew lower.  She knew what she had to do.  Drawing her 
transformation pen, she concentrated.  An ice-blue blade erupted from the 
end.  As Beryl, Elaine, and Nephrenia began to chant in unison, Mercury 
began her own spell.

      She slashed a circle rimmed with blue light in the air, then cut it 
with a horizontal and a vertical slash so that it became like a celtic 
cross.  She prayed for strength and unleashed all the power Taliesin had 
stored inside her.  The circle flashed blue fire, and a door opened in 
the air.  Beyond it was the playground she had left so long ago.  Her 
friends were still staring in shock.  

       She cried out to them.  "Sailor Moon!  Venus!  Mars!  Jupiter!  I 
NEED YOU!"

       They started, hearing her voice, and came, no questions asked.  
Mercury looked around.  A great black dome had settled over the area.  
Clearly, no one was going anywhere.  Dodinas was trying to wake Sagremor, 
while Bedivere, Aglovale, Lancelot, and Gareth were trying to wade out 
into the lake.  

      Sailor Moon said, "What's going on?"

      Mercury said, "I don't have time to explain...We have to stop Beryl!"

      Moon stared out onto the lake. For a moment, a terrifying wave of 
anger washed across her face.  A rage that Mercury had never seen in her 
before. It vanished, swiftly.  Sailor Moon blinked.  "That's 
me...twice...I mean..."

      Jupiter said.  "Those three again?  What is this, a rerun?  Right.  
Time to kick butt."  She charged into the fray, as did the others, and 
not a moment too soon.  Bolts of energy flew from the three queens, 
knocking out Aglovale, Bedivere, and Gareth.  Lancelot took the blast and 
kept going grimly, silently, through the water.  Minako fired a bolt of 
energy at Elaine, and began to duel with her.  The Senshi charged forward 
and began dumping attacks on the boat.  The boat began to break apart 
under a hail of energy.  

       Mamoru watched the battle in which he could not take part, and 
held Rei tightly.  Sagremor moaned and woke up.  "Dodinas?"  She hugged 
Dodinas desperately.  

       Sagremor stood up.  "Battle...we are needed."  She drew her mace 
and chain.  Dodinas followed her as she pitched into the fray.  

      Mercury desperately tried to tow the three fallen senshi out of the 
lake with Dodinas' help.

      The water of the lake churned from the blasts being hurled about.  
The air crackled and hummed with energy and shouts of words of power.  
Lancelot finally climbed onto the boat and said to Beryl, "It ends here."

      "With DEATH!"  Beryl shouted, raising her staff high.

      "Your death."  Lancelot struck Beryl's staff with her own.  Beryl's 
staff shattered and she collapsed, visibly aging.  "Nooo...."

      Lancelot picked up Beryl and hurled her into Elaine.  They both 
fell over and another bolt from Minako struck them.  Elaine collapsed, 
howling in pain.  Nephrenia saw them fall and vanished just before 
another wave of attacks cascaded in from the Sailor Senshi.  Beryl looked 
up to Lancelot, "Mercy..."

      Lancelot hesitated.  Her choice was taken from her as the boat 
cracked apart and hands reached up from the waters, pulling Beryl and 
Elaine under.  A voice whispered, "We will not be mocked," as they 
screamed and sank beneath the waves.  Lancelot jumped off the wreckage 
and swam to shore.  

     She joined the knot of those who stood around Queen Rei.  Sailor 
Moon knelt by Queen Rei's side.  "What...what happened to you?"

     Queen Rei stared at her through clouded vision.  "L...Lancelot?  You 
look so young..."

     Lancelot knelt and took her hand, as had Mamoru.  "I'm here, my 
Queen.  My friend."

     "Mercury."

     Mercury flew down.  "Yes, my queen?"

     "This is the end.  Lancelot, Mercury...promise me you'll take good 
care of Mamoru."

     "Rei...I..."

     "Don't prattle on about not wanting to live without me, Mamoru.  I 
don't want to leave you either, but I don't think I have a choice.  Swear 
you won't do anything stupid like entering a monastery or swearing never 
to love again, Mamo-chan."

      "I..."

      "Do it!  I know you'll do something like that if I don't make you 
promise me to try to not be miserable for all of eternity!"

      "I swear I won't try to be miserable for all of eternity."

      Sailor Moon said, "Maybe...Maybe I can heal you..."

      Minako said, "Her wounds are beyond even your power, Sailor Moon.  
But not beyond their power."

      "What?"

      Minako gestured.  "This time, the emissaries have come in truth 
and light."  Another boat had appeared on the lake.  This one also bore 
three women, but their visage was joyous. The boat veritably shone with 
light.  Three sisters stood upon the prow, clad in white. 
       
    The middle sister stepped forward, and spoke in gentle tones.  "Rei 
Pendragon, High Queen of Britain and Lord of the Roman Empire, you are 
summoned to the Glad Hall of Kamisama, Overlord of Many Names ..."

    The youngest sister stepped forward, and picked up where her elder had 
left off.  "... where you will be honored for those of your deeds which 
have been done in the service of the Light."

    Rei stared at them, dazed by the splendor ... then shuddered.  "And 
what of my sins?" she said quietly.  "I have been prideful, I have wrought 
ruin on the lives of thousands ..."

    The eldest sister stepped forward, and said, in a sure voice, "... and 
for these you have paid fullest price."

    "You are summoned now to glory, not to pain," the middle sister 
explained.  "This is the hour of your release from anguish."

    For the first time in ages, it seemed that hope glistened in Rei's 
eyes ... and then Ami saw it flicker and fade, and knew in an instant the 
cause.

    Rei turned to Mamoru.

    In the long moment that they gazed on each other, a thousand words 
could have been uttered ... but perhaps the time for words was past.  He 
smiled, stepped forward, and bent to kiss her on the lips -- a kiss of 
farewell.  And then stepped back.

    In his heart, he had never been unfaithful, she knew.  His love for 
her had been as great as his lover for ... the other ... and each of them 
had held the whole of his heart.

    Mercury heard a quiet weeping, even as she felt her own tears begin to 
flow.  She knew who wept for the two of them.  Her tears were almost never 
for herself ...

    Rei turned slowly to face the sisters once more, and there was a 
pleading expression on her face ...

    For a moment, they seemed to commune, and then the middle sister 
stepped forward once more.  "This boat is large enough for more than one 
passenger, Rei of the Fire Soul."

    It seemed for a moment that Rei was about to burst into tears.  She 
drew a long, shaky breath, and turned once more to Mamoru.

    "Will you come with me?" she whispered.  "Will you stand by me in the 
Hall of Light?"  It was no command, but a plea.

    He came forward, and took his hand in hers ... and together they 
walked across the water to the boat.

    When they were aboard, Rei slowly turned to gaze back at the shore.  
And then her eyes fell on Usagi.  And Mamoru also turned to look.

    Usagi of the Lake stood unbent by the grief that she must have been 
feeling, staring back at them with shining light in her eyes.

    Rei knew that it was folly.  That it pressed the patience of the 
divine ones.  But ... "Megami-sama," she whispered, "Is there room in this 
boat for three passengers?"

    "There is, if you wish it."

    And the very last shackle fell from Rei's heart, and with a cry of joy 
from the depths of her being, she turned back to the shore, and called "OH 
USAGI, COME!  OH, COME WITH US!"

    For a moment, Senshi Lancelot did not move, not even the muscles of 
her face.  Then the light of her eyes doubled, no tripled in brightness, 
and she began to stride to the boat, picking up speed, running at the 
last, clambering into the boat to grab Rei and Mamoru into a great embrace 
that seemed almost to pull them into a single being.

    Which was what they were, after all, Mercury realized.  Not a 
triangle, as poets and authors who had never seen this moment had 
painted them, but a circle ... each loving the others with all of their 
heart.  And so perfect and sacred was the moment that she couldn't bring 
herself to gaze on it for long.

    So she turned her eyes away, and glimpsed another such moment.

    To the side, her own Rei and Usagi were standing at each others 
shoulder, gazing in wonder at their counterparts.  Their eyes did not 
stray from that wonder.  But Rei's hand slowly reached out for Usagi's; 
then hesitated; and then was caught in Usagi's firm grip.  They squeezed, 
once.

    It was another moment too private to intrude on, so Ami turned back to 
gaze at the boat.  Rei's voice echoed from the boat.  "Mercury!"

    "What is it, my queen?"  She said for the last time.

    A shining mote of light flew through the air and landed in her 
hands.  It was the Empyrian Silver Crystal.  Usagi stared at it, as did 
Mercury.  "I...what do you want me to do with it?"

     "Give it to Gareth when he wakes.  He is my heir, the king of 
Logres.  He is the last of the Cornwalls, the last of the Orkneys.  Two 
royal houses.  Farewell, Ami, my friend.  I regret I can give you no gift 
in parting to match the many gifts you have given me.  Perhaps one day we 
will meet again!"

     Mars stared at herself in wonder, unable to speak.

     Mercury smiled, remembering Greg's words.  "Perhaps we already 
have.  Goodbye, my friend.  God bless you!"

     "And may the great Goddess bless you also,"  Queen Rei said, "As you 
have blessed me.  Farewell, Mizuno Ami, the Senshi who needs no weapon.  
For there is no greater weapon than love."

     The boat began to move against the wind, picking up speed, as it 
began to sail to the Glad Hall of the Overlord of Many Names.

    To Avalon.

    To Heaven.


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

Epilogue 1

Memory Shall not Dim the Beauty

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

     Louvois reached over to stir the fire as Francis finished the tale.  
"And so Senshi Mercury vanished into the mists from which she had come.  
Like the Queen she had served, she went to wait for the day when the land 
would need champions once more.  Queen Rei rests still at Avalon, until 
the day when she shall return, in Logres' darkest hour."

      Marguerite smiled.  "What a beautiful story."  She sat, polishing 
her sword while Raoul kept watch.  

      Raoul moaned.  "You haven't had to listen to Francis tell it a 
thousand times, like I have."

      Eleanor laughed.  "It beats listening to you tell the Chanson de 
Priscilla again.  Bishop Macky and all that...And that only happened, 
what...five years ago?  And I'm already sick of listening to you tell 
about it."

      Marguerite finished working on her sword and slid it into her 
sheath.  "Well, we don't hear many of those Breton stories down in 
Occitania, so this is new to me."

      
      Francis smiled.  "Well, when you march in the army of Celia Magnus, 
Queen of the Franks and Emperess of Rome, you hear a lot of stories."

      Raoul muttered, "Some of them even worth repeating."

      Everyone laughed, and the story lived on...

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

 

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

Epilogue 2

Of the Fires of Your Love

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


     Urawa sat at his desk, studying hard.  He put away his books.  His 
dream from last night had really bothered him.  Dying in Ami's arms.  It 
felt like one of his prophetic visions, yet...well, his name WASN'T Greg 
for one thing.  Or was it?  

     He knew he had lived other lives, or at least it seemed likely from 
the strange dreams he had of other times and places.  Worst of all, now 
he remembered other things.  Things he had forgotten, but wasn't sure 
why.  Things like Ami.  How could I have forgotten her?  He stared at the 
phone.  I should call her...but what if she doesn't remember me?  What 
happened?  

     There was a knock on his door.  "Yes?"

     "There's a girl here to see you, Urawa-kun."

     He blinked.  A girl?

     His father opened the door.  Next to him, Ami stood, smiling 
nervously at him.  She looked different.  Her hair was longer, down below 
her shoulders.  She seemed older too;  maybe it was the hair, Urawa thought. 
His father smiled.  "Well, I'll let you two talk."  He ambled downstairs.  

     Urawa stared at Ami.  "Mi...Mizuno-san...what are you doing here in 
Fukushima?"

     A smile crashed across her face.  "You remember me!  Oh god, I was 
so afraid you wouldn't remember me..."

     He stood nervously.  "I...what happened..to me..to us?"

     She stepped closer to him.  Her eyes sparkled.  "After Usagi 
defeated Beryl, she wiped our memories so we could live normal lives."  
She paused.  "Which didn't work out.  But I was afraid to come find you.  
I was afraid you wouldn't remember me.  That I'd just make a fool of myself."
She moved closer again.

     "I dreamed last night...that I died in your arms.  It was another 
world...When I woke, I remembered everything.  It's been haunting me all day.
What I said to you...'we've loved before.  We'll love again.  You've known 
me by many names, and I you by many.  Sometimes...I can see what has been 
or will be again...'"  He stared at Ami.  "You look older...like you did 
in the dream..."

      Ami crossed the gap to Urawa's side and kissed him fiercely.  "I 
love you by whatever name, Urawa."

      He nearly fainted.  "I...I love you too, Ami-chan."  He pulled her 
close and kissed her.  They would never forget their love again.  They 
relit a flame that would burn for over a thousand years and beyond.




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

Epilogue 3

A Flame Which Burns Forever More

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

     Raye Hines ducked her head to avoid a small stalagmite.  "Are you 
REALLY sure this was a good idea, Bunny?"

     Monica Love nodded, shaking her long blonde hair in the dark.  "Yeah.  
This place is kinda creepy."

     "Oh come on!  That rock's been sitting there for AGES!"  Bunny 
said.  Her real name was Roberta Moon, but everyone called her Bunny 
because of her three dozen stuffed rabbits.  She wasn't quite sure WHY 
she liked rabbits so much. She just did.  Her hair was blonde too, but 
done up in an oddball hairstyle with two small buns on each side with 
long trailing pony-tails.  Raye liked to call her meatball-head 
sometimes because of it.

      Maggie Kines nodded.  She was tall with long brown hair in a single 
pony-tail.  "Where's your sense of adventure?  Haven't you heard all 
the stories about how this place is haunted?"

      Amy Waters said, "I hope one of those monsters isn't down here."

      Maggie laughed.  "Been reading the sci-fi again, Amy?"

      Bunny blinked.  "Like on the news?"

      Raye stopped moving.  "What?"

      "Yeah, five people have died in Winchester due to unexplained 
attacks.  One of them was near your grandfather's church, Raye."

      Raye shivered.  "But Monsters?  Like in those old fairy stories?"

      Suddenly, there was movement in the darkness.  They all jumped and 
Amy swung her flashlight around.  It lit upon two figures who were 
cuddled up in the corner, busily smooching.  They turned and stared into 
the light, blushing.

      "Hey, it's Harry and Michelle!"  Maggie said.  "I bet this would 
make a great makeout spot."  

      Monica and Bunny both got hearts in their eyes as they looked at 
Harry.  He was a new student at Winchester Academy where they were all 
going to school, and he had rapidly become the biggest heartthrob of the 
school, despite having a girlfriend already, Michelle Kayson. 

      Raye rolled her eyes.  Can't these idiots tell he isn't 
interested?  I suppose if I wasn't dating someone right now, I'd be doing 
the same thing, though.  Matthew is more handsome than Harry, anyway.

      Michelle blushed.  Harry laughed.  "Yeah, it is, eh?  You'll need 
to wait in line until I finish with Michelle, though."  He winked.  
Michelle bopped him lightly on the head.  

      "I DON'T think so."

      Another voice spoke from the darkness, a garbled male voice.  "Ugh, 
I hate waking up in the morning."

      Amy swung the flashlight around.  "Hello?"  Is it some kind of 
vagrant, she wondered.

      No, it was a little white cat with a yellow crescent moon on his 
forehead.  "Hiya, girls!  You miss me?"

      They all froze in place.  Bunny broke the silence.  "Cat.  Talking 
cat.  Cat, talking cat."

      "Oh right...you don't remember anything."  He lept over to Raye and 
bowed as only a cat can.  "I am Artemis, the Merlin of Logres.  I thank 
you for freeing me from my centuries of sleep."

       Raye stared.  "M...Merlin?  Like in the Stories of Queen Rei?"

       "Indeed.  You have come again as was foretold.  Britain has need 
of you, Raye Hines.  For you are Rei Pendragon, the once and future Queen 
of Logres.  Your nation has need of you."

       Raye, of course, did the natural thing.  She fainted.

      Every event is unique.  History always repeats itself.  Both of 
these are true, and so every story is lived over and over, ever changing 
and ever eternal.  The story ended a thousand five hundred years ago.  It 
ended today.  It ends a thousand years from now.  Or perhaps it never 
ends at all.


THE BEGINNING.



Author's afterword:

Wow.  I've been writing this baby since March.  I hope the love and
passion I've put into this story shows.  I honestly think this is one of
my best works ever.

I'd especially like to thank Chris Davies and Jeff Hosmer for their
contributions towards this work.  Jeff provided much valuable advice,
while Chris helped me create the combined Sailormoon/Arthurian mythos,
wrote a few scenes, and has generally been of much help.

I'd especially like to thank Chris Davies and Jeff Hosmer for their
contributions towards this work.  Jeff provided much valuable advice,
while Chris helped me create the combined Sailormoon/Arthurian mythos,
wrote a few scenes, and has generally been of much help.

I'd also like to thank the hundreds of authors who have contributed to
the Arthurian mythos over the years, keeping it vibrant and alive for all
ages.  It is perhaps the greatest cycle of fanfiction in the English
Language and other languages as well, and I am proud to be a part of it.



This story Copyright (1996) by John Biles, for whatever THAT'S WORTH :)


--
John Walter Biles :  MA-History, Ph.D Wannabe at U. Kansas         
ranma@falcon.cc.ukans.edu       
naru@sailormoonfan.com
rhea@tass.org

http://www.tass.org/~rhea/falcon.html

"It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and 
goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you 
talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be 
strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as 
you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare...There are no ORDINARY 
people.  You have never talked to a mere mortal.  Nations, cultures, 
arts, civilization--these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the 
life of a gnat.  But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, 
snub, and exploit--immortal horrors or everlasting splendours."
--C.S. Lewis, "The Weight of Glory"