Adventures of the Chibi-Scouts
By "Tuxedo" Will Wolfshohl and Doug "Candle Light Author" Helm

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon, Sailor Scouts, and all terms, names, etc.
associated with this or other series are copyrighted by Naoko Takeuchi,
DiC, Disney, Bandai, Toei Animation, Kodansha, and other big companies.
We make no claim to them and this work of fanfiction should not be seen
as making a claim. ACS is not intended for commercial release or use.

Those characters that are original and the story "Adventures of the
Chibi-Scouts" are copyrighted (c) 1997 by Will Wolfshohl & Doug Helm

Comments good or bad are encouraged. Please Email comments to "Tuxedo"
Will (wwolfshohl@logicon.com) or Doug (dhelm@log.on.ca)

ACS's home is "Tuxedo" Will's SM Fanfiction Archive at
http://log.on.ca/users/helm/anime/index.htm


Part 14  "The Great Debate"

        Reenie snickered for a moment then said seriously, "Come on
Serena, don't joke. I want to know how come you can talk so good and
understand stuff."
        "Reenie, I'm telling the truth." Serena repeated, "I'm
fourteen."
        "Serena, I know you've pretended to be big before but you're
only five."
        "I'm fourteen and I'm also Sailor Moon," Serena confessed
softly.
        "That's not funny!" Reenie said, "Now quit foolin' around!" <She
knows I need to find Sailor Moon.> She could feel herself starting to
get angry. Taking a few deep breaths, she looked at Serena sternly,
hoping to see her smiling.
        "MOON..."
        "Serena..."
        '...CRYSTAL..."
        "What are you..."
        "POWER!" And in a brilliant explosion of light, Serena vanished
and Sailor Moon stood before her. Reenie stared at the young Sailor
Scout for several seconds before climbing out of bed.
        Luna sighed, covered her head with her paws, and muttered under
her breath, "Way to go, Meatball Head."
        "It's true," Reenie whispered out, "You're Sailor Moon. That
means you always had the Silver Crystal."
        "Yes," Serena admitted once she had transformed back, "I'm
sorry, Reenie. I didn't want to keep it a secret but I had to."
        "Why?" Reenie's features took on a hurt and angry expression,
"Serena, you knew my mommy needs the Silver Crystal. Don't you want to
help her?!?" A tear rolled down her face, "Don't you want to help me
save my mommy?!?"
        "Oh Reenie," Serena said with a sad note in her voice, "I would
help you. I would give you the Silver Crystal but I need it. Tokyo needs
it."
        "Why?" she demanded, her voice turning thick and cracking, "I
came to get it. Mommy's in trouble and I need to save her." She sniffled
and wiped a few tears away, "Serena, don't you want me to have a
mommy?!?"
        "Of course I do!" Serena reassured her sister. She moved to give
Reenie a hug but the girl backed away. "Reenie, I want your mommy to be
safe. Please believe me."
        "Then give me the Silver Crystal."
        Serena paused for a long time before sadly shaking her head,
"I'm sorry, Reenie, I can't." Reenie turned her back and clenched her
fists, "Rubeus is still here and the city is still in danger. We have to
protect all those people. When Rubeus is taken care of, I promise I'll
go and help your mommy." Reenie only sniffled. Walking up behind her,
Serena tried to hug the older girl while saying, "Please Reenie, I need
you and, if you push me away, I don't know what I'll do." Serena had
tears rolling down her cheeks.
        "You promise to help my mommy?"
        "Yes. Isn't that what BIG sisters do?"
        "But you kept a secret from me," Reenie countered without
looking around, "I told you some of my secrets. I think you're just
saying that so I'll help you." Reenie turned, tears in her eyes and a
few rolling down her cheeks, "How do I know you're not just fibbin'?"
        "Reenie, I would have told you, I really would have but..."
Serena trailed off for a moment before saying, "Reenie, the Serena that
was here before me. The one that wasn't fourteen, she had to keep it
secret because Luna wanted her too." She sent a pleading look at Reenie,
"I kept it secret because I've never had anyone I could trust with it."
She grasped Reenie's hand and pleaded, "Reenie, believe me, I wouldn't
simply say that I wanted your support just because we need your help."
Reenie pulled out of Serena's hand and turned her back again. "Reenie, I
care about you. I don't know how to explain it any plainer than that. I
just know that I need a big sister and you're the best."
        Reenie remained silent for a long time before turning around.
She still had tears in her eyes but the hurt wasn't as intense. "Okay
Serena, I believe you." She sniffled a little and then said, "So you're
fourteen?!?" <That's why she wanted to go to Crossroads...>
        "Yeah, you see me and the other girls were fighting Prisma and
something happened and we got turned into five year olds," Serena
explained, "Reenie, we need to see your key. Amy thinks that it might
help find a solution to getting us back to being fourteen."
        The hurt look returned, "You don't like being around me?"
        "I do!" Serena said. <Serena, you're an idiot!> "Reenie, you are
one of the greatest people I know. I really had fun with you, I liked
being your little sister, and I would still miss you... It's just
that..." Serena trailed off looking pleadingly at Reenie, "I would never
run out on you. Never. There's a Reenie in my timeline and if I don't
get back to fourteen, then I can't help her."
        "I guess the Reenie in your t-timeline will miss you a lot if
you don't go back. She's probably lonely without her big sister," Reenie
mused after a few seconds of thought.
        Serena flushed and looked at the floor, "Um... well yeah. I
suppose."
        "Serena?" Reenie asked questioningly. <I know that look.>
        "Well you see, your other self and I... uh... we really don't
get along." Serena flushed brightly, "I remember the first day you came.
You were looking for the Silver Crystal and put a sleeping potion in the
girls' tea." She looked up to find Reenie again staring at her, "I
didn't drink the tea so when I found that you had put it there... I...
uh well..." Serena blushed again and stared at the ground.
        "What?!?" Reenie asked. She couldn't picture doing anything
malicious against any of Serena's little friends... even Raye.
        "Well I was so frustrated because you had my family convinced
that you were my cousin and you shot me with a dart gun that when I saw
the girls asleep and found out you did it... I well... spanked you."
        Reenie giggled. It started off softly as a small snicker but as
she tried desperately to hold her laughter in it built until it came out
as a peal of laughter. Serena was about to ask what was so funny when
her door opened.
        "Girls, what are you two doing up?" Molly sounded a little
irritated.
        "Nothing," both girls said.
        "Uhuh... well go to bed. Your parents will be back soon. If
you're asleep, I might not tell them," Molly said sternly. Scrambling,
Reenie crawled into bed and was quickly followed by Serena. Once
settled, Molly shut the door again and the room was quiet for several
minutes.
        As they lay there Serena could hear Reenie grumbling to herself.
At first she thought that Reenie was still mad at her but then she
caught Molly's name. <Reenie thinks that Molly'll take over!> Serena
finally realized. Turning so she could face Reenie, she told her,
"Reenie, YOU are my big sister and Molly could never be that." Reenie
turned her head and gazed at Serena for several seconds before giving a
small smile.
        Just as she was dozing off, Serena asked, "Reenie, what was so
funny before?"
        "I was just trying to think of you, the way you are now,
spanking me and it was pretty funny," Reenie said and snickered again,
"Good night, Little Sister."
        "'Night, Big Sister," Serena called and, snuggling up to Reenie,
quickly slipped into sleep. Reenie wasn't far behind and it was with a
smile but a heavy heart that she also slipped into slumber, a tentative
arm around her little sister.

        Sunday morning was slightly overcast. As a meager early morning
sun tried to break through the clouds, Chad softly walked down the hall
and stopped at Raye's room. Softly opening the door, he blinked when he
saw that her pajamas were laying on her bed and that her clothes were
gone.
        Scratching his head, Chad started to hunt for the little girl.
<Dude, I hope she didn't pull a stunt like she pulled yesterday. That
would be like... totally uncool!> His fears were alleviated when he
spotted the little girl sitting on the steps to the main building, her
coat wrapped around her. Pulling on his own, he quietly walked over
towards her.
        As he approached he could see that Raye looked miserable. <I
wonder what's wrong?> Walking over to the steps, he looked at her. She
didn't seem to notice him. Sitting down on a lower step, so he was at
eye level with her, he asked, "Raye, what are you doing out here?"
        There was silence for several seconds before Raye spoke, "Chad,
why don't I have a daddy?" Chad opened his mouth but nothing came out.
"I mean, was I bad?!? Doesn't he love me?!?" <In either reality.>
        "Raye," Chad said softly, "Your daddy left you with your
grandfather."
        "But why?!? I mean Serena has a daddy. Mina has one. Amy and
Lita have one of sorts!" A tear ran down her cheek, "Why doesn't he love
me?"
        "I don't know, Raye," Chad retorted. <I'd like an answer to that
question myself.> "I do know that I and your grandfather care about you
very much." He brushed away another tear from her cheek and continued,
"When I first got here I was going to leave. I figured that I came to
find peace... not to raise a kid." Chad laid a hand on her arm. "Then I
saw a little girl who was very sweet and a person I would like to know.
I've grown to think of you as my little sister, Raye. I won't leave you,
and I promise that."
        He was expecting her to yell, or to say that she didn't
understand. What he wasn't expecting her to do was to reach forward and
hug him. He reached up and hugged her back, "Come on inside, Pumpkin,
and I'll get you some breakfast."
        Picking her up, he carried her towards the living area. As they
walked Raye had her head nestled on his shoulder. Her eyes were closed
and a faint smile was on her face. "Chad?"
        "Yeah?"
        "I like you as my brother." And she did, something felt right
about this. And when Chad hugged her she felt a little safer, a little
stronger and wanted, because they cared about her.

        Sunday morning presented its own problems to Reenie. She was
trying to reconcile Serena being fourteen but in a five year old body.
It had started innocently enough. They woke up and, as usual, Reenie
started to help Serena dress. Midway through the process though, Reenie
realized that Serena didn't really need any help, especially hers.
Sadly, she let Serena finish on her own. The problem seemed to mount
when it came to helping Serena in the bathroom. Reenie saw a five year
old. Someone that needed help brushing her teeth and doing other
necessary things. She wanted to help this Serena like she had helped the
five year old before. Now, however, she was haunted by the fact that
Serena was fourteen and it was causing Reenie no small amount of
distress.
        Reenie was distressed because Serena had kept that secret, only
ACTING like a five year old. She was also distressed because she felt
that she was losing someone that she loved. Flitting around the edges of
her conscious mind was the confusion over her other self. Serena had
said that they hadn't gotten along and, judging by what Serena had told
her, Reenie's other self was a little brat. <That Reenie must act like
Raye does...>
        Reenie was so absorbed in her own thoughts that she didn't even
notice eating breakfast. She vaguely recalled helping her aunt do the
dishes and watching some television with Serena but most of the early
morning passed by in a blur.

        "Reenie!" Serena called, exasperation showing in her voice.
        "Huh?!?" Reenie said startled out of her own thoughts.
        Serena gave a sigh of long suffering and glared at Reenie for
several seconds before saying, "Let's go ask Mommy if we can go over to
Amy's." She looked at Reenie, "Is anything wrong?"
        "Uh... no, Serena," Reenie sighed, "Come on, let's go ask Aunt
Ellen if we can go then." With that she left the room. Serena briefly
took on a worried expression when Reenie didn't take her hand. Giving a
shrug, Serena quickly followed Reenie out of their room and down the
stairs.

        "Make sure to take care of Serena for me, Reenie," Ellen said
and winked. <Something's bothering Reenie. Maybe her walking Serena to
the Anderson's will help.>
        "Okay, Aunt Ellen."
        Mrs. Tsukino gave each girl a hug. "Now you girls be good,"
Ellen told them, "I'll see you after lunch."
        "'Kay Mommy!" Serena called.
        Reenie took Serena's hand and started to leave the Tsukino yard.
Once down the street, however, she let go. Serena looked at Reenie again
but this time in curiosity.
        "Don't you want to hold my hand, Reenie?" Serena asked. <I sorta
like it.>
        "Serena," Reenie said after a pause, "You don't need me to guide
you around. You're fourteen. You don't need a big sister anymore." In
Reenie's eyes was the sad fact of what this meant to her.
        Reaching out, she pulled Reenie's arm and they stopped and stood
silently on the sidewalk for a moment. "Reenie," Serena explained
softly, "You ARE my BIG sister until I go." She saw Reenie's eyes start
to mist over, "Reenie, you helped me when Darien pushed me away and I
needed that.   You were both a true big sister and a true friend." She
looked at the ground, "This might not even work. Amy doesn't have a
solution yet. We may be stuck this way." Stepping forward, she hugged
the older girl and said, "Reenie, I need you as a BIG sister as long as
I'm here." Reenie hugged Serena and sniffled.
        Serena sniffled back. "I just thought that you wanted to be
fourteen," Reenie said softly. "You were really happy about maybe Amy
finding a solution..."
        "Darien doesn't love me even when I'm fourteen, Reenie," Serena
said. She winced and Reenie hugged her again, "And I don't get along
with you very well. I've tried but... I don't know." She looked up
towards her big sister, "I want a chance to make up with my Reenie. To
become a great big sister, like you are."
        Reenie smiled and let the hug go. Taking Serena's hand, they
started walking down the street again. As the moments passed Reenie
commented, "Serena, you said in the other timeline that you spanked me
that first day." She giggled, it sounded so funny to her, "Was that the
only time?" <I can't believe that I was ever mean to Serena.>
        Serena giggled herself and then sobered. "No," she said softly,
"One time, I was asleep and you came in looking for the Silver Crystal."
She looked at Reenie and continued, "You thought I had it on me so you
started to tickle me." Serena lowered her head and sniffled.
        "What's the matter, Serena?" Reenie asked, concern showing in
her voice.
        "Oh Reenie, I was just so mean to you." Seeing the confused look
Serena amended, "I mean the other you, in the different timeline." She
felt Reenie give her hand a little squeeze, "I mean you just tickled
me... I shouldn't have got that angry."
        "It's okay, Serena," Reenie said consolingly, "When you get back
you can say you're sorry to the other me. She'll understand." <But I
don't want you to leave,> Reenie thought, <I don't want you to go away.
I love you.> However, Reenie knew she was being selfish. It's just that
she didn't care.
        After a little bit Serena wondered, "Reenie, how come you know
about timelines and junk?"
        "Puu told me," Reenie quipped.
        "Puu? Who's Puu?"
        "Just someone who helped me come here," Reenie said cautiously,
"Puu couldn't come with me so I had to come to the past by myself."
Serena sensed that it was a sensitive issue with the girl so she didn't
pursue it any further.

        Amy yawned. She heard Lita gently snoring to her right. It was
well past their bed time. She was patiently waiting for her computer to
finish analyzing the data it had gathered from scanning Reenie's Time
Key. Reenie had tried to answer Amy's questions but there was something
stopping her whether it was because she didn't understand the questions
or she didn't want to answer.
        Yawning again, Amy shook her head. She really wanted to go to
sleep. That pillow looked so inviting; the covers looked warm and Lita,
her sister, was sound asleep, probably dreaming. <I'll give it five more
minutes,> Amy thought. She felt very impatient but there was nothing she
could do to speed the process up.
        As each second ticked away, it grated on her nerves a little
bit. She tried to distract herself but it was no use. She was about to
give up for the evening when her computer gave a soft beeping sound and
then fell silent.
        "It's done!" Amy breathed with a sigh of relief.
        "Mmmm???" Lita asked while rolling over. Amy waited until Lita
had settled back into sleep before grabbing up her computer eagerly and
studying the results.
        As she fitted the resulting pieces together, she started to see
the larger picture; that picture, however, wasn't looking very good. She
gave a sigh. This time Lita opened an eye and gave her sister a bleary
eyed glare.
        "Sis, do you know how annoying it is to be woken up?" Lita
grumbled out. Then she noticed Amy's face, "What's the matter, Amy?"
        "I found a solution," Amy said softly, almost reluctantly.
        "Really?!?" Lita squeaked and then promptly covered her mouth.
They sat in the darkness for several seconds listening for their mother.
After a short pause Lita said in a softer voice, "That's great!"
        "It's dangerous, Lita," Amy said, "The reading I got from the
Time Key show that it has a temporal distortion field around it. This
keeps it in a state of quantum flux."
        "Huh???"
        "The Key is tuned to a specific time," Amy explained, "It won't
work properly unless the specific time has been reached." She shook her
head, "We were lucky that it just turned us into five year olds."
        "We're lucky?!?" Lita asked. She could feel the pit of her
stomach start to sink, "What could have happened?"
        "One possibility, we could of ended up almost any other age,
older or younger. Five years old is good considering we could have been
sixty-five, or infants, or still in our mothers' wombs. There is even a
worse possibility."
        "Worse than being born again?"
        "Yes. We could have been plucked permanently out of space-time.
We would have never really existed," Amy shuddered, "Our atoms could
have been scattered throughout space-time."
        Lita shivered, "But, Sis, we went through it okay. All we have
to do is get Prisma to blast it again, right?"
        "Your Jupiter Thunder would work as well," Amy said, "In fact,
it would be a lot safer, IF we tried this in a controlled situation.
Even then there would still be significant risk." Amy stored the
information and shut her computer off.
        "I think we should do it, Amy," Lita remarked, "I mean being
five is okay but I'm fourteen!" Amy didn't respond. She simply slid
under the covers and closed her eyes. Sliding back down to sleep, Lita
lay awake. <But I'm all alone when I'm fourteen,> Lita thought, <Kami,
think Lita, you have a mother who loves you. A sister... even a father
who visits.> She paused and whispered softly, "I don't want to go back."
        "Lita?" came Amy's soft reply.
        "Sis, I don't want to go back," Lita said again, "I want to stay
like this. I have a family now."
        Amy didn't say anything for a moment before saying, "I don't
want to go back either, Sis." She turned her head to look at Lita, "I
want to be accepted, not an outcast. I can slowly lower my grade, you
could bring yours up too. It'll be different this time. Besides, I like
having a sister."
        "What about the others though?"
        "Serena likes being five," Amy reasoned, "She enjoys having
Reenie as a big sister and she's happy to make her parents proud of
her."
        "I don't know about Mina..." Lita paused, "I mean she likes some
things about being five like Carrie's friendship but I think she'd want
to go back. She wants to be able to chase boys and to play sports like
she used to."
        "We both know Raye doesn't want to stay five."
        "But you said it could change our ages again or even kill us,"
Lita said, "Amy, isn't there another solution?" Amy gave a shrug the
best she could, "We have all the time in the world. You could look for
another solution and we could stay like this. The girls never have to
know about this in the meantime."
        Amy lay quietly thinking, "No." She finally decided, "We have to
tell the others. If we keep this to ourselves, then we're being
selfish." Amy sighed, "We need to tell Serena. She's the Princess so
we'll let her decide." Now Lita had a lot of faith in Serena but letting
Serena decide their fate was even disquieting to her.
        "Good night, Amy."
        "Good night, Lita."
        And finally sleep took both little girls, and they dreamt. They
dreamt they were fourteen again, and being five had all been a dream.

        Tuesday afternoon found all of the girls, including Reenie,
along with Luna and Artemis in Serena's room. They were supposed to be
playing while Ellen and Chad remained downstairs. What was really
occurring was a impromptu Scout meeting. Amy had spent the first five
minutes outlining the possible solution and its risks. Raye had a
neutral expression on her face. Mina and Serena looked bored and Reenie
looked rather pensive.
        As Amy finished speaking there was a long silence. Artemis was
the first to break it, "I say we go for it." <I hate being a kitten.>
        "Were you just asleep?!?" Luna demanded, "Amy said it could kill
us!" <I do not have any intention of having my atoms spread through time
or being reborn! It's fun being a kitten. 'Sides, I'll finally have the
time to properly train the girls to be Sailor Scouts and Serena to be a
proper Princess.>
        The girls' mouths fell open. It was unlike Luna to speak like
that. Artemis bristled, feeling just a tad insulted, he countered,
"Luna, you were never one for strategy. Tactically speaking, we are not
up to battling the newest enemy." He glared at her, "You're well matched
to Serena, both of you are quite thick."
        "Why you oversized powderpuff..." Luna started over towards
Artemis but Lita instead lifted her off the ground.
        "Keep it down, or do you want Mrs. Tsukino and Chad to find out
that you can talk?" Luna glared balefully at Artemis and growled.
        The two kittens started a staring contest but Raye broke in, "We
don't belong here. We're fourteen, not five." <I want to have a talk
with Chad.> "I'm tired of having to act like a little kid. I don't want
Chad or Grandpa running my life!" <I certainly don't like being punished
like a little kid...> Raye thought darkly. She could understand it but
she had no intention to let it continue on indefinitely.
        "Oh come on, Raye!" Serena said, "You mean to tell me that you
don't like ANYTHING about being five?!?"
        "I am fourteen. I've already gone through this childish stuff
once and I have NO intention of repeating it! I certainly don't want to
go through puberty again!" She immediately flushed red. <Kami, I don't
believe I just said that.>
        "What's that got to do with anything?" Reenie asked quizzically.
        "Never mind!" the other girls chorused simultaneously.
        "But..." Reenie started but noted the other girls were glaring
at her. <Sheesh... it's no fun being the youngest.>
        "Look, we have good lives here. It isn't like any of us are all
alone," Lita commented trying to get back on topic, "I don't want to
risk losing this one on the chance that we won't survive."
        "Aren't you just becoming a little TOO emotional?!?" Raye asked,
"I mean you actually want to commandeer Amy's family to try and replace
yours???"
        "Why you bratty little sack a..."
        "Lita, Raye's just being testy," Mina interrupted while she and
Serena blocked Lita's path, "I think what Raye was TRYING to say is that
you aren't looking at this thing objectively." <I can't believe I'm
saying this instead of Amy.> She looked sternly at Lita, "If you start a
fight, then we'll all be in trouble." <I've stood in enough corners...>
        Lita glared at Raye for several seconds before saying, "What
about you, Mina? Do you think you can look `objectively' at this?" Her
voice was controlled but it sounded hurt as well.
        Mina wriggled uncomfortably for a moment before answering, "I
think we should really try to get back. Being a kid is fine but, it
ain't for me." <I'd miss Carrie but I'll go see her.> She looked towards
Serena, "Artemis is right. Tactically speaking, we aren't prepared to
fight these new enemies. Scoutland was close, the school was closer.
Sooner or later, someone's going to get hurt."
        "But you're the Sailor Scouts," Reenie pointed out, "I've seen
you defeat them. And Darien will help you." She looked towards Serena,
"You said that you didn't get along with the other Reenie so STAY! Stay
here, Little Sister. I seen how proud you get when you do good in
school. How happy it makes you when your mommy says that she's proud of
you." <How you looked holding my hand...> She paused, cleared her
throat, and then said, "If you go, who's going to help my mommy?"
        Raye sent a silent apology towards Reenie before saying, "You
stay out of this, Reenie. You won't be the one taking the risks and, as
far as I'm concerned, you shouldn't even have a say in this!" She tried
to glare at Reenie but couldn't find it in her heart.
        Reenie growled but Serena raised a hand, "Raye, Reenie is as
much a part of this as you are." She looked at Raye, "I want you to
apologize... NOW!" Serena stomped the floor with her foot. The others
hoped it wouldn't bring Mrs. Tsukino or Chad up to investigate.
        "Serena," Raye snapped. "If you stay five, then you'll have that
much longer to wait for Darien." <Sorry Serena... I'm sure he still
loves you.> She saw that Serena's face had crumpled slightly but,
amazingly, she recovered quickly. "Do you really want to grow up again?"
She was fighting back the urge to provoke Serena; it wouldn't get them
anywhere.
        Serena was silent for a few moments, "Amy, what do you think?"
        Amy put her computer on the bed and looked off into space for a
few moments. "Serena, I want to stay here. You already know my reasons."
She looked over to Lita then back to Serena. "But if we're going to use
this solution, we should hurry."
        "Why?!?" everyone chorused at once.
        "Because of the chibi-chemistry. The longer we stay five, the
more of a hold it places on us. We'd keep our knowledge and experiences,
our fourteen year old minds, but our bodies and personalities would be
five."
        "And how long would it take, Amy?" Artemis asked, "I mean how
long would it take to become permanent?"
        "I don't know," Amy's answer hung in the air, "It could be
tomorrow; it could be next year. Each one of us is being affected at a
different rate." Amy shook her head, "I'm not sure about the others but
I would say in my case it would take approximately five to six weeks."
        "Serena, if you stay here and help Reenie's mom, she'll leave,"
Raye stated bluntly. Serena turned to Reenie who sadly looked to the
ground. Raye continued, "What will you do then? Sammy will still be here
as your BIG brother and he'll still bug you." She turned to Amy, "But
what do you say, Amy? Do we try it or not?" <You're the smart one. Don't
you see it?>
        "I don't want us to try," Amy said softly.
        "What?!?" Mina demanded, "Are you nuts?!?"
        "HEY!!!" Lita protested.
        "It's okay, Lita," Amy said before Lita could do anything,
"Mina, I could have kept this to myself. I decided to tell the rest of
you because it's really up to Serena. She's the Princess and our leader.
I gave her all the information I have. I would prefer to stay but I'll
go along with the decision that Serena makes."
        "You're leaving that decision up to HER?!?" Raye asked
incredulously, "Serena, the girl who klutzes out all the time?" Mina and
Artemis nodded their agreement.
        Reenie balled her fists and took a step towards Raye. She wasn't
about to let Raye hurt Serena's feelings again. It was Serena's hurt
tone that stopped Reenie. "Raye, is that all you think of me?!? That I'm
dumb?" Serena's lip trembled, "Raye, THAT'S why I want to stay. So I can
do better in school, to make my parents and friends proud of me."
        "All you're doing, Serena, is running away from your real
problems and hiding in a world that we DON'T really belong in," Raye
countered, "It's real to you but that's because you want it to be real."
        Serena trembled. She wanted to cry but couldn't. Raye's words
hurt her deeply. <If I stay here and Reenie leaves, then what am I going
to do?!?> Serena thought, <I have a hard enough time with Sammy when I'm
fourteen.> She looked around the room, <Amy and Lita like being sisters.
Mina and especially Raye aren't happy with being five. Even Luna and
Artemis can't agree.> She took a breath and said shakily, "Raye, don't
you like anything about being five?"
        "NO!" Raye snapped a little too quickly. <Chad's a great big
brother though.>
        "Don't listen to Raye, Serena. She's always picked on you," Lita
interrupted, "She tried to take over as leader before. She's just not
willing to let her pride go."
        "MY PRIDE has NOTHING to do with it!" Raye retorted, "At least
I'm not pining over something that happened more than two years ago."
        Lita turned around and started to sniffle. Amy looked at Raye
and said coldly, "Raye Hino, I thought you were a brat before, but this
is ridiculous. Don't you understand her? Don't you feel ANY loss?"
        "No," Raye said, "My past is long behind me. I'm fourteen."
        The atmosphere hung thickly in the room. The tension was high.
Reenie was glaring at Raye who was doing the same. Mina seemed rather
lost. She hadn't believed the debate could turn so nasty. Most everyone
were in tears. Artemis and Luna were glaring at each other and Serena
was, stumped.
        Serena gave all the information she had some thought. It was
hard to be objective but she tried. <I'm the Moon Princess. I must try
to be fair. Artemis is right. We have different problems. It was hard
enough learning how to fight with Beryl around. I don't know how we
practice now but we'd have to learn to fight all over again. I know Luna
and Artemis could train us but they might not have the chance.> Serena
gave a little sigh, <Darien doesn't love me in either reality but if I
do win him back, being fourteen would be easier than being five. And
what about Reenie? Would I doom this Reenie's mommy if we go back?>
        The other girls watched Serena do internal battle, each hoping
for Serena to decide in their favor. Raye was about to goad Serena for
an answer when she spoke. "All right, let's try it," Serena said in a
soft tone of voice. <I'm sorry, Reenie.>
        "YES!!!" Raye and Mina declared together. Turning, they
high-five each other. Amy and Lita just stood there mute. Reenie pushed
out of the circle and headed for the door.
        "Reenie?" Serena asked but there was no response.
        "She's just a sore loser," Raye said sarcastically, "She's the
REAL child around here."
        "Raye!" Serena snapped. "Reenie, I'm sorry!" she called but
Reenie never turned around. She just rushed out of the room, the door
banging closed behind her. <Reenie...> Serena thought sadly, <I'm
sorry...>

Coming Next in ACS Part 15  "Twisting Paths"

Doug

"It is major decisions that change the course of our future but it 
is the minor decisions that shape the being who we are."

"I write in broad tapestries, interweaving characters lives leaving
 the little details to the reader unless the detials are important."
	- Anne McCaffrey
	  From the book "Get off the White Unicorn"

"I am Sailor Chibi-Earth! And I will sit you in the corner!"
	- Tsukino Misako, ToYV#6

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