Sarah sipped her coffee, then glanced around the room
conspiratorially. "It's like this," she said in a hushed tone. "A couple
years ago I ran across this rabbit, Athena. That's when the @!$# started
coming down. Turns out Athena had been picking some stuff up about some
kind of youma operation in the area, and the youma weren't too happy
about it. Of course, it's just my !%&@ luck that she recognizes me as
some kind of magic warrior thing called 'Sailor Meteorite', and I get
pulled into the whole thing, weird ass monsters chasing me wherever I
go. What's worse, thanks to that dumb!$#! Athena, I stepped on my
transformation pen."
    Sally was confused. "But, you can still transform, can't you?" she
whispered back.
    Sarah shrugged. "Well, sort of. When the pen broke, my body absorbed
a little of its power, but not enough.  So my costume splits up right
away, like you saw. Hurts like hell, too."
    The mundane identity of Sailor Eclipse nodded. "Okay. But what about
the bullets?"
    "Far as I can tell, I'm supposed to have some lame ass magic
slingshot as my attack. Normally, some magic pellets would just appear
when I need them. I'd pull a Dennis the Menace, send the pellet off at a
youma, and boom! It goes off right in the !@$#!&'s face. Things must
have had black powder in them, or something close enough. But, really, I
sure as hell ain't some Tom Sawyer juvenile delinquent. A slingshot just
isn't my style. Turned out there's been one lucky coincidence among all
the !#$!# ones that've ruined my life for the past few months, though.
If I concentrate while my powers are giving out, I can get some ammo to
be left behind. With a little practice, I was able to get bullets for my
dad's revolver. Of course, the thing was older than dirt, so I had to
mod it a lot to get the kind of performance I needed. But, nowadays,
thing blows the heads off youma like a charm." Sarah pointed her hand
like it was a gun, and pantomimed blowing smoke off the barrel.
    Sally sweated a little. "What does, ah, your dad think?"
    "Probably misses the gun more than he misses me, the !$#!," Sarah
replied, her expression turning dark. "I ran out on him years ago."
    "Really? I mean, I'm sorry for prying." A large bead of sweat
appeared by the side of Sally's head.
    This is about when Kelly, Keith and Mamoru almost simultaneously
asked to be excused and began walking towards Sarah and Sally's booth.
Then, they noticed what they were doing.

      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
      | A WTF Production             |
      | ColdFury's Tuxedo America:   |
      | Chapter 11: Paradigm Shift   |
      | By Gaijin Dan Mastriani      |
      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Sally's face fell. "You have a girlfriend?"
    Unconsciously, Mamoru shifted away from Sally a little. "That's
right, Sailor Moon is my girlfriend. You'll forgive me for not revealing
more than that she's Princess Serenity; it's really not my place to give
away her civilian identity."
    Kelly nodded. "That's fair. It's her decision, and she's not here to
make it."
    "So," Keith interjected, "she's the girl with the odd hairstyle who
appeared out of thin air to help us with that mercenary?"
    "Yes," Mamoru confirmed. "That was her."
    "And all those other girls, they were the Sailor Scouts?" asked
Sally.
    Mamoru scratched the back of his head. "Well, I don't know what the
word 'scout' means. We call them 'Sailor Senshi'. But, yes, that was the
entire Sailor Team. Though, after hearing Sally's story, I feel I should
apologize that none of you were able to be on it."
    Kelly shook her head. "From what you've told us, it sounds like they
really did deserve the job more than we did."
    "Hell," added Sarah, "recent events make we wish I'd never gone out
for it."
    "Nonetheless, it seems you are all now a part of the team. Sailor
Moon and the others are half a world away. We cannot expect them to take
care of this, nor should we. This is our problem." Mamoru leaned in
farther. "Before, we'd help each other just because we seemed to be on
the same side. But we didn't work together; we didn't even know each
other. This has to change. This time, we're the ones who are going to
save the world. And we going to do that by becoming a team, not just a
bunch of friendly acquaintances.
    "First off, we're going to train together. Sure, we've coordinated
attacks before through sheer luck. Now, we're going to do it by design.
Every member of this team will know what every other member can do, how
they do it, and what kind of opening they need to pull it off. We have
to be aware of ourselves, each other, and all bystanders in the area.
Our goal is to change ourselves from a group into a unit.
    "Second, we need a place to meet. We all know where the coffee shop
is, but it's too public. People will start to wonder if we're in here
whispering to each other every day. We're going to need a large area
where we can discuss our plans, discuss any new information, and do our
training without a lot of people watching. All of you would know the
area better than I would, so I'm open for suggestions on this one.
    "Lastly, we've got to start acting instead of reacting. We need to
know who we're up against and why, as well as anything we can learn
about their goals and location. I'm sure they've got more than enough
youma to wear us down if we don't take the offensive soon. Sally, Sarah,
your advisors could be a really big help here. As soon as you find out
where they've gotten to, I want to talk to them. So, what does everybody
think?"
    Sarah leaned back. "Who put you in charge? And why should I risk
myself? I could just try to disappear while the youma are off my trail."
    Mamoru nodded. "I understand your concerns. As for me being in
charge, well, I'm not. At least, not unless the rest of you agree I
should be. However, I do seem to have the most experience out of any of
us, and I've worked with the Sailor Team for a long time and seen what
made them successful. I think that, at the very least, I can offer sound
advice. I believe the course of action I have outlined is our best
course of action, and I believe that by following it we can be
successful. Of course, no one here will force you to participate. In
fact, I won't think less of anyone that doesn't feel they want to be a
part of this. However, we could really use your help."
    Keith spoke up. "Mamoru's right. He has a better idea of what we're
doing than any of us. I'm behind him."
    Kelly looked over to Keith, then back at the group. "I trust Keith's
judgement. If he's in, I'm in too."
    Sally smiled. "I'm in! I'll do my best for everyone!"
    Sarah looked around, then went back to lounging on her seat.
"Whatever. I doubt these #!#!%@ will leave me alone, anyway. I might as
well take steps to improve my odds."
    Mamoru sat back. "Okay! Looks like we're a team!"

    Bloutite finished applying clean bandages. He wasn't in peak
condition, but he was well enough. He had to be, because there was only
one option now. With HER getting worse and worse, and Espenite sucking
up to HER the entire way, he'd be flayed to death sooner or later. He
needed to reverse his fortunes immediately, and there was only one thing
he knew would do that: killing Tuxedo Mask. Youma, however, had proved
less than up to the task. Certainly there were a few upcoming projects
that might have solved the problem, but they surely wouldn't be ready in
time. Therefore, only one solution presented itself. Bloutite would do
it himself.

    The icky black goop that was Nightshade's Night Darkness Ray
splattered harmlessly upon the ground as Tuxedo Mask sailed over it,
leaping at Nightshade and Solaris. As Tux expected, Solaris launched her
Solar Flare at him while he was in the air, expecting him to be unable
to dodge. This, of course, was a false assumption. Billowing his cape to
catch the wind, Tuxedo Mask twisted away from the attack and fluttered
down in a new direction, descending on the unprepared Eclipse. He landed
swiftly, his cane at her temple. "Bang, you're dead," remarked the
masked crime fighter.
    Eclipse tried to back away, instead falling on her rump. "Aw, man,"
she complained.
    For their parts, Sarah massaged her temples and Solaris and
Nightshade both sighed loudly.
    "Now, now," Tuxedo Mask cheered, "don't be so disappointed. I can
see improvement already. Let's take a break for now." He walked out into
one of the groves.
    As the others dispersed to breathe for a few minutes, Solaris caught
up with Tuxedo Mask. "Hey," she said, catching him under a withered
apple tree. "So?"
    "It's nice," he responded. "It's secluded, there's always a
refreshingly cool breeze blowing, and the scenery is relaxing. Why did
your family abandon this orchard, anyhow?"
    Solaris reached up and plucked a fruit from the tree, showing the
apple to the Japanese superhero, though one would be hard pressed to
identify the fruit as such. "Just about everything looks like this now.
One year, all the trees just stopped producing good fruit. We kept
ownership of the land for sentimental reasons, but there wasn't much
point in trying to grow here any more."
    Tuxedo Mask took the "apple", blinked at it a few times, then tossed
it away. "I see what you mean."
    "So," Solaris changed the subject, "what are you up to?"
    Tuxedo sat with his back to the tree and retrieved the box he had
placed next to it. Opening the lid, he displayed the semiprecious stones
inside to his ally. "There's something special about these, though I've
been too busy lately to figure out just what. There are definitely some
interesting coincidences surrounding them, however."
    Solaris knelt down to look more closely at the stones. "Yeah?"
    Tux continued. "Well, first off, do you remember the four Dark
Kingdom generals I mentioned the other day in the coffee shop? You
should recall Jadeite, seeing as you met him briefly. Their names
correspond to the names of these minerals. Here's something else odd."
    Solaris received the piece of jadeite Tuxedo Mask handed her. "It's
warm," she noted.
    Tuxedo took it back. "They all are. However, that one was stone
cold...until Jadeite died."
    "So, you think there's some connection?"
    Tux's eye's twinkled. "I'm sure of it."
    Suddenly, seeing a flash of movement, Tuxedo Mask vaulted to his
feet, grasping Solaris and leaping away with her. A blast of power
struck enameled wooden box he had left behind, shattering it and tossing
its contents upon the soft grass. The stones shuddered, then shattered.
    Being placed back upon her feet, Solaris took up a defensive stance
and glanced about her for the source of the attack. "Who there?" she
shouted, half to provoke the assailant into revealing himself and half
to alert her comrades.
    A chuckle seemed to come from nowhere, prefacing the form of
Bloutite fading into view by the gnarled tree where his blast had
struck. "You're annoyingly agile, Tuxedo Mask. We'd waste much less of
our time if you'd simply stand still and die."
    Solaris quickly recognized him. "You! You're the one that killed
Jadeite!"
    His anger roused, Tuxedo Mask took a step forward. "So, you're the
one? Trying another sneak attack?"
    Bloutite snorted. "Obviously. Unfortunately, you seem to be much
more aware than your dearly departed compatriot. I do so hate to have to
resort to physicality." This is about the time that the rest of the
American Senshi arrived. "What, all of you at once? Bah! My luck's been
awful lately. This may be difficult; I hate that."
    And thus, the battle was joined. Bloutite was upon Tuxedo Mask, his
primary target, in a second. The youma general tossed blows against the
hero, Tuxedo deflecting them with his cane. Unprepared for the swiftness
of the villain's attack, the rest of the team was reduced to waiting for
the combatants to make distance, so that they could have a clean shot.
All, that is, except for Nightshade.
    Having some level of martial skill himself, Nightshade dashed into
the fray, hoping to help Tuxedo Mask push away Bloutite, separating the
three of them and giving the members of the team with ranged attacks a
chance to go to work. However, he was unprepared for the swiftness of
the combat and the rate at which both his ally and enemy were exchanging
blows. It quickly became apparent that Tuxedo Mask was doing the lion's
share of the defense for both heroes; the man truly was a professional.
However, one man can not equally cover two. In a moment where Tuxedo was
concerned with his own safety, Nightshade was knocked soundly away.
    Sarah had not wasted this time. Confident in her own marksmanship,
she needed only time to create the necessary ammunition. Engaging her
transformation and withstanding the pain, she concentrated as her
uniform deteriorated. With a shout of "Meteorite Barrage!" the bullets
were formed, and she slammed them quickly into the revolver. Taking aim,
she fired a single shot.
    The two were moving too quickly for a clean hit, but the oracon
managed to graze Bloutite's arm, causing him to wince in pain for a
moment. Though brief, this chance was enough for Tuxedo Mask to shove
the butt of his cane roughly into Bloutite's stomach, somehow causing
him to display undue pain. The formally dressed fighter didn't bother to
ponder this, instead leaping clear of his nemesis, instinctively aware
of just what his friends were waiting for.
    Bloutite recovered barely in time to dodge three magical attacks
aimed in his direction, the Solar Flare managing to singe his guarding
forearms. His prior injuries were starting to cost him, which was just
what he didn't need. But those blasts had been wild; they'd just been
taking shots at him. An unorganized group of fools was better than an
organized one, at the very least. He fired back, sending some scrambling
and others diving to the ground. Good. He'd eliminate them before they
could stand again. Or he would have, had he not been occupied taking an
enchanted bullet in the shoulder rather than the heart. "That hurt, you
little tramp!"
    "Good!" sneered Sarah.
    "All right!" rallied Tuxedo Mask. "This is our chance! Remember the
tactics we discussed!"
    "Blinding Eclipse of Darkness!" The attack blazed just to Bloutite's
side as slid away to avoid it. He was stopped short as he was forced to
jet upwards to avoid the Night Darkness Ray, then nearly fell back into
it as a Solar Flare streaked over his head. Dodging frantically, he just
barely managed to avoid thrown roses taking bits of skin along with the
scraps of his uniform they were already tearing away. They were working
together, but it seemed they were yet amateurs in it. It was this that
prevented them from boxing in the staffer of the University of Black
Moon - Berkley with total effectiveness. He'd finish them yet.
    This was when Tuxedo Mask himself took to the air, sailing over
Bloutite's head. "Tuxedo the Smoking Bomber!" he called, showering the
fiend with roses. Avoiding the roses themselves, Bloutite was unprepared
when they burst into a thick haze of smoke, obscuring his vision and
trapping him in a coughing fit.
    As the smoke cleared, Sarah too careful aim and fired, her bullet
whizzing unerringly for Bloutite's head. This was why everyone was quite
surprised when Bloutite shouted "Enough!", catching the bullet and
whipping it back at its shooter with enough force to knock her down,
despite a lack of contact. Glowing with power, the now obviously pissed
Bloutite exploded his energy outward, knocking his adversaries painfully
to the ground. "It seems I underestimated you," conceded Bloutite.
"Unfortunately for you, you've also underestimated me." He began to
advance on the prone Tuxedo Mask.
    Suddenly, a voice reached Bloutite's ears. "Killer!" it seemed to
whisper upon the wind. Bloutite's eyes dashed about, searching for the
source of the voice.
    "Murderer!" came another voice, a bit clearer and louder.
    "Who's there!" Bloutite shouted. "Who said that!"
    "Traitor to the crown!" came a third voice, seemingly disembodied.
    "Who dares! Come out!" Bloutite whirled, searching the trees for
anyone concealed within them. The heroes stared in confusion, having
heard nothing.
    "You killed me!" An apparition formed from out of the air, resolving
into a transparent image of Jadeite.
    "This...this is a trick! You're no ghost!" Bloutite backed away from
the insubstantial presence. "The dead don't appear to the living! You're
just an illusion!"
    Nephrite appeared from out of the darkness behind Bloutite, causing
him to jump and fall between the spirits. "Killer!" he intoned.
    Slowly rising to his feet, the general found himself flanked on
another side by the specter of Zoicite. With over-dramatic flair,
"Murderer!" pronounced the most effeminate of Beryl's generals.
    "Traitor!" With the arrival of Kunzite, Bloutite found himself
surrounded on all four sides. He attempted to attack his tormentors, but
found his blasts passing harmlessly through them as they advanced,
uttering their condemnations.
    Tuxedo Mask was oblivious to this. He saw only Bloutite, who was for
some unfathomable reason leaving himself wide open. And knowing when it
was time to finish off an enemy had always been one of Tuxedo Mask's
specialties. "Charging...Cane...Attack!" Bloutite noticed nothing, until
he was dying. In seconds it was over, dust and a few green stained
bandages blowing away in the wind.
    Solaris was rather confused. "What just happened?"
    This is when the four generals appeared to all present. Too confused
to be afraid, the heroes watched as all four bowed to Tuxedo Mask,
Kunzite then stepping forward and kneeling before him, such as a ghost
could. "My prince," he spoke, "there is much to tell and little time."
    Tuxedo Mask stepped forward, a lack of comprehension plain on his
face. "Kunzite? How is this possible?"
    "My lord, it was the stones," Kunzite explained. "When Metallia
changed our bodies, our souls were trapped in those gems, which somehow
found their way to you. Now that they have been destroyed, it seems our
souls will soon pass from this world. I grieve that we cannot remain to
aid you, your highness. However, before we pass on, there is a difficult
truth Jadeite must impart to you."
    Kunzite stepped back and Jadeite stepped forward. "It is difficult
for me to tell you this as my last act in this world, my prince, but it
would be worse for you not to know. Are you prepared?"
    Tuxedo Mask had no idea what news could be so terrible, but steeled
himself just the same. He nodded to Jadeite to continue.
    And so Jadeite did. "Very good, sir. My final message to you is the
terrible true identity of the enemy you face. My liege, the grave truth
is that she is none other than the Princess of Earth, your royal
highness's own sister."
    Tuxedo Mask's defense had been inadequate, and he fell to his knees.
"My...sister?" he whispered.
    Jadeite bowed more deeply. "I am sorry, my lord. I wish only that
this was untrue, that you may be spared this difficulty, but the prayers
of one as unworthy as myself could not possibly be answered. I hope only
that I may better serve you in my next life. Farewell, Prince Endymion.
I beg your pardon; farewell, Mamoru." Jadeite stepped back into the
group of his comrades, and all once again bowed deeply. And, with that,
they dissolved away, leaving the living alone in the orchard grove.
    Nightshade walked over to Tuxedo Mask and put his hand on his
shoulder. "Hey, man, are you going to be okay?"
    Tuxedo Mask pulled himself to his feet, holding on to Nightshade's
hand as if it supported him. "Yes. Yes, of course. I need to be. Sailor
Moon would be strong. I must be, too."
    They all sat in silence for a while, until Solaris perked up. "Hey,
I know just the thing! Next weekend, we're forgetting about all this for
a little while and going to the beach!"
    Tuxedo Mask did his best to smile. "Yes, the beach."

    "ESPENITE!" said HER. "I SENSE THAT BLOUTITE HAS FAILED! IT IS NOW
UP TO YOU TO TAKE OVER HIS DUTIES!"
    Espenite bowed deeply, a wicked grin on her face. "But of course."



Author's notes:
    Story done. I sleep now. Hope you like.