The Sailor Sprouts 


                                   By
                                Chibicardcaptor
                        < chibicardcaptor@dellmail.com >

Note:  This story is complete in one installment.  It is an adventure 
tale of The Sailor Sprouts, daughters of the Pretty Soldiers Sailor 
Moon.  The Sprouts were introduced in "Sailor Scout Melvin," which 
followed on "Molly's Christmas."  The home in the story is the Tomoe 
mansion, now owned by Molly and Melvin, who have been married for less 
than twenty years.  You may want to read these other two stories by 
this author.

Rating:  PG.  No language or sex.  Sailor Moon type of violence.

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon is copyright (c) 1992 Naoko Takeuchi/Kodansha, 
TOFI Animation. English Language Adaptation (c) 1995 DiC Entertainment.




	Life was quiet for Melvin and Molly, for a change.  They were 
raising Kana-chan and Kami-chan, now one and one half years old.  The 
twins were cloned from the bodies of Ami's twins, killed in the last 
battle with the Wormholers, on the Future Moon.  They were carried to 
term by Molly, who had been impregnated with their embryos by Doctor 
Mizuno, Ami's mother, at Ami's request.  Their own two boys were just 
starting college, and Melvin was President and majority stockholder of 
Nakajima Ltd.
	Hotaru Tomoe was still living with them.  She had brought her 
father home from the mental health facility.  He was not cured, but 
could manage, with her help.  He stayed in his rooms, wandered the 
grounds of the old mansion, or occasionally walked to the village for 
lunch, and to visit with men his own age.  Hotaru still called Melvin 
'Papa-san,' and could not forgive her real father for getting so 
involved with enemies of the Moon Kingdom that it had led to her own 
death and re-birth.

	Hotaru was home one day in the meditation room, listening 
telepathically for Rei on the Future Moon, when suddenly five girls 
appeared, materializing out of nowhere.  This was how time travel 
worked, and she had seen it often.  The Senshei were the only ones who 
could time travel, but could bring others with them.  So this was no 
surprise.  It was Chibi-Usa and Junko, Ju-Ju-chan, Serena's daughters; 
Seira or Si-Si-chan, Yukari and Asami; Rei's, Lita's and Mina's 
daughters.  All were young teens.  Chibi-Usa was supposed to be much 
older, but, as a Super Senshei, she could look any age she wanted to 
look like.  All five were girl soldier-sailors, battle scarred from 
defending the Future Moon against Wormholers.
	"Well, what brings you five here?" asked Hotaru.
	"Oh, we got bored," answered Ju-Ju-chan.  She had a quiet self-
confidence about herself her mother never had as a teenager.  If Chibi-
Usa was destined to someday become Queen, Ju-Ju-chan would be her 
Commander-in-Chief.  "Every day we have to put on long frilly dresses, 
stand in a reception line and let old men kiss our hands while we 
curtsey.  Yuck!  It takes all day to scrub the tobacco smell off.  And 
they all want to hear about the battles, how we kicked the Wormholers 
--- uuhhh --- they didn't have butts.  They were like giant scorpions, 
but could stand up on their back legs, balance with their tails like a 
kangaroo, and hold weapons in their pincers.  They were just plain 
nasty.
	"And the women all wanted us to marry their sons.  Yukari-chan 
said she would feed this one fat broad's boy to her pet python if she 
ever brought him around."  The girls all giggled over that one.
	Seira, Si-Si-chan, said they all wanted to go back to school at 
Crossbow Academy.  They had grown up here.  This was their home.  "On 
the Future Moon we do not have school.  We have tutors.  It is no fun 
at all."
	"We want to see Mamoru-kun, Ju-Ju and Chibi-Usa's brother; and 
the two older boys, Molly and Melvin's twins."  Asami-chan had always 
been especially interested in the three boys.
	"Well, you won't be able to see as much of them as you would 
like," Hotaru warned,  "Mama and Papa-san use the sauna and pool late 
afternoon or early evening for themselves and little Kana and Kami.  I 
sometimes help Molly, particularly if Melvin works late.  It is best if 
I stay with the two girls while they swim.  They are like eels, and 
swim laps underwater.  I can never catch them they are so fast.  Then, 
Molly and I dress them for bed.
	"The three boys get to use the water early in the morning, before 
breakfast, by themselves.  If you five stay, we big girls will get our 
own hours.  No more everybody-together-in-the-altogether, like when we 
were little."
	"Oh darn!" pouted Asami.  "Just when they were getting 
interesting.  Well, we will just have to find ways around the rules, 
right Yukari?" she said, batting her eyes flirtatiously.
	Yukari-chan laughed, and said they were still afraid of her, 
probably, and would be worried she might kick their stuffing out.  "And 
I could do it, too."
	Hotaru got serious, said she would have to tell Rei.  Ju-Ju said, 
"Don't let any of them come after us.  We really want to stay here."
	Seira said, "They are all pregnant, our mothers are, or have new 
babies.  Queen Serenity found them all new husbands after the battles 
were over.  All except Serena, of course.  She has Darien.  Tell Rei to 
have Ami come here.  She comes to see her little girls, Kana- and Kami-
chan, anyhow.  We can talk to her better than to our own mothers."
	Molly and Melvin were overjoyed to see the five.  The girls were 
interested in the little girl twins, but were still scarred from seeing 
Ami's Kana and Kami killed by the bomb blast on the Future Moon two 
years previously.  Even though they had been cloned by Ami and re-born 
by Molly, they still had been killed once.  And they, the five, all had 
seen it happen.
	Melvin said they would have to do as their own parents wanted, 
but agreed to start them in school where they had left off not quite 
three years previously.  "Can you make yourselves look like twelve- or 
thirteen-year-olds again?" he asked.
	"We can," answered Ju-Ju-chan.  "That goes with being Senshei.  
But act young?  I do not know.  We have fought battles.  We have all, 
each of us, killed thousands of enemy fighters.  That changes people.  
That is why we want to get away from the Future Moon and be normal 
teen-agers again.
	"Just like Mama-san, Serena," quietly added Ju-Ju-chan.  "She 
always wanted to be a normal teen-ager, too."
	So all five enrolled at Crossbow Academy and did fine there, 
doing their best to act like they had been before the battles. 
 
	Sauna and swim time worked well.  Ju-Ju and Chibi-Usa usually 
paired off.  Hotaru joined them or Seira for her bath, or bathed with 
Molly, Kana and Kami.  After the twin girls were dressed for bed, they 
all cleaned up in groups of two or three, washing each other's hair and 
backs.  Then they would cool off swimming laps, and be ready for a late 
dinner, studying and bedtime.  The pool was barely big enough for three 
girls swimming at one time.  How did they ever get ten children, Molly 
and Melvin in there all at once not too many years ago?
	During one of these evening sessions Hotaru, Ju-Ju-chan and 
Chibi-Usa were all quietly marinating in one end of the pool, their 
laps finished.  Chibi-Usa asked Hotaru if she had thought much about 
marriage.  She was in her mid-twenties, older than many new brides.
	"Oh, of course I have thought about it.  Papa-san, Melvin, has a 
collection of young men who would be happy to marry the owner's 
daughter, or niece, or baby-sitter, whatever I am.  I would not mind 
marrying one of his and Molly's sons.  I can be younger than they are, 
if I want to be.  
	"I am caring for my father, and he may live another thirty years 
or longer.  I am also a Saturn Princess, although I have never lived 
there.  Queen Serenity would get me a husband if I wanted one.  I am 
not a Royal, like you two are, just an everyday Princess.  Maybe I 
should curtsey to you two?"
	"No thanks," interjected Junko.  "We have had enough curtseying 
for several lifetimes.  But what do you want to do?"
	"Just live, take care of Kana, Kami, my father, Molly and Melvin 
and their sons.  Queen Serenity owes me.  I went to the Wormholers' 
galaxies with your mothers and the other Senshei, and helped close them 
down.  I could ask her for anything and she would give it to me.  
Technically I am an Outer, but feel more like your sister or first 
cousin, our lives have crossed so often.
	"I have had so much death around me.  I have been borne twice, 
and both lives were scarred by battles, enemies, even by my own father.  
Could I marry and have children with all this hanging over me?  I am 
not sure."
	"Queen Serenity has had more than her share of death over 
millennia.  Our mothers, the Scouts, have been battling through several 
lifetimes.  You can do it if you want to," Junko philosophized.
	"We will see," Hotaru spoke with finality.  "You know, it is hard 
to put up a front when you are stark naked.  Let's get dressed, and 
talk some more, maybe some other day."  The three of them got out of 
the water, picked up their robes, towels and sandals, dried off a 
little and headed upstairs to their rooms to get dressed for dinner and 
bed.  This conversation was not closed, Hotaru was certain of that.  
How could she ever tell a husband and children some day that she had to 
go down the universe a couple of galaxies and get rid of a few threats 
to life as they all knew it?

	Ami showed up several months later, explaining she wanted them to 
get well established in school to see if it was what they really 
wanted.  "I think you all have a career protecting the Earth, for a 
while at least.  So you had better get used to being soldier sailors."  
She presented each of them with crystal lockets, given them by their 
own mothers, and put crystal lockets on her two daughters, Kana- and 
Kami-chan.  "Do not ever be without these lockets, girls.  These are 
made from Silver Crystal, the same as the Imperium Silver Crystals.  
They are different colors.  Mercury crystals are blue.  Moon crystals 
are rose colored.  Mars and Jupiter crystals are ruby and emerald 
colored.  The Venus crystal is bright yellow.  Villains will always 
exist in the Universe, and these lockets will protect you."  Ami stayed 
around for a few days to visit with Melvin, Molly, and her two little 
girls.  
	On her last day, she and Molly were talking.  "How is your new 
husband and family," Molly asked.
	"Oh, just fine.  We have a little boy, Mario.  His father is a 
Basque, but he is from Brazil.  Little Mario has my blue hair and big 
Mario's blue eyes."  Then Ami started to look sad, trying to choke back 
tears.  "I keep wanting to call little Mario Sammy, or Shingo-chan.  I 
just can't shake it, Molly.  Every time we won a fight with the 
Wormholers, I would say, 'This one is for you, Shingo-san.'  When we 
were dumping galaxies full of Wormholers into the black hole I thought 
his death was finally avenged.  But it was not.  Then they killed our 
twins, and it was as if all the fighting had been for nothing."  Molly 
was seeing more hurt, more grief than she thought one person could bear 
without dying.  "I love big Mario.  He is a good man, and he loves me.  
But with Shingo, it is like a poem I learned in school. ***

	"Time does not bring relief; you all have lied
	Who told me time would ease me of my pain!
	I miss him in the weeping of the rain;
	I want him at the shrinking of the tide;
	The old snows melt from every mountain-side.
	And last year's leaves are smoke in every lane;
	But last year's bitter loving must remain
	Heaped on my heart, and my old thoughts abide!
	There are a hundred places where I fear 
	To go,-- so with his memory they brim!
	And, entering with relief some quiet place
	Where never fell his foot or shone his face
	I say, 'There is no memory of him here!'
	And so stand stricken, so remembering him!"

	The little girls were sitting on Molly and Ami's laps.  They both 
said, 'Don't cry, Mama-san.'  They called both ladies Mama-san.  Ami 
wept uncontrollably for a minute or so, more than a decade of sadness 
erupting from her soul.  Then, just as quickly, she stopped.  "I have 
his sister, Serena, on Future Moon, and his nieces, Chibi-Usa and Junko 
here.  These little ties help.  He is not gone completely.  His 
daughters are alive."  She kissed both little girls.  "Life goes on."  
She then returned to the Future Moon.

	Hotaru and Mare-chan, Luna and Artemis' descendant, took over 
training the five girls to be Senshei.  "You need to practice using 
your brains, Sprouts," they liked being called Sailor Sprouts.  "Do not 
use your powers against ordinary mortals, not unless you absolutely 
have to.  Look around school.  You will find trouble if you look for 
it."
	At school they were immersed in activities, studies, friends, 
mall cruising, eating, everything, just like their mothers had been.  
Then, two girls accused one of the teachers, a fine Mr. Tamaguchi, of 
something really terrible.  These weren't the nicest girls in school; 
in fact, they were down right bad.  So the school proceeded slowly, not 
wanting to take their word against Mr. Tamaguchi's.  The five got 
together and Ju-Ju said, "When we left the Moon, I 'borrowed' my 
mother's Luna Pen.  I can disguise myself as Mr. Tamaguchi; maybe I 
will learn something."
	Soon she saw the two bad girls, the accusers, together and took 
out the Luna Pen and chanted, "Luna Pen Disguise Power.  Make me into 
Mr. Tamaguchi."  Transformed, she approached the two, acted both angry 
and afraid of them, and said, "When are you two going to leave me 
alone?  I have done nothing to you."
	One replied, "Just as soon as you give us the money, Fatso.  
Otherwise you will go to jail.  Got it?!"  Money?  That sounded to 
Junko like they were trying to extort money from Mr. Tamaguchi.
	Back with the other four, Si-Si-chan said, "I picked up that 
those two are dealing drugs.  Maybe that is what they want the money 
for.  Let's get one of Melvin's gold coins and see where it will take 
us."
	At school, Yukari took the gold to one of the two girls, saying 
she wanted to score some opium, and maybe a little hashish.  She showed 
the girl the coin.  She replied, "My supplier wants cash up front.  
Give me that coin and I will get you all the stuff you want," and 
reached for it.
	Yukari jerked her hand back.  "Not so fast, witch," she 
responded.  "That move will buy you a broken nose," and assumed a 
Karate stance, ready to kick her face in.
	The girl was intimidated.  "Well then, as soon as the old man 
comes across, we will have money to deal with.  That is the best I can 
do."
	"So take me to your supplier.  I will score some stuff.  If it is 
priced wholesale, I will cut you in.  If not, you're burned."  Yukari 
could talk tough when she needed to.  So the girl took Yukari to her 
source, where she bought some opium, and was promised some hash later.  
She gave the bad girl a silver coin.
	"Is this all I get?" she asked.
	"This stuff wasn't all that cheap.  You need to learn what 
wholesale prices are.  Now buzz off."
	Back home, the girls explained everything to Melvin, who called 
in a police investigator and the school principal.  Yukari gave the 
inspector the drugs.  They then formulated a plan.  Mr. Tamaguchi was 
given a bundle of money, whose serial numbers were recorded, and the 
next day he presented the marked bills to the bad girls, who were then 
arrested, minutes later, after having accepted the currency.  They 
would never be seen at Crossbow again.  "Nice going, girls."  The five 
were all congratulated.  "You did a terrific job; you saved Mr. 
Tamaguchi his career, and did a real service for your school.  We will 
shut down that drug dealer, too."
	The five were suddenly popular, both for rescuing Mr. Tamaguchi, 
who was well liked, and for getting the two bad girls arrested.  They 
suddenly had more would-be boyfriends than they had time for.  However, 
one callow youth asked Yukari-chan if she would sell him some opium, 
and she landed a powerful kick on his chest, sending him crashing into 
a wall.  
	They soon paired up with five nice boys, all slightly shier than 
themselves.  Molly said, "Invite them over to go swimming if you like.  
You all will need to wear swimsuits, don't you forget!"
	Asami-chan pretended to be disappointed.  "Oh darn!  Swimsuits?"  
but she really had no intention of not wearing one.
	They all had a fine time, particularly when Yukari-chan cooked 
and introduced an exciting new foreign dish to them.  "What is it?" she 
was asked.
	"Pizza!  It is from Italy, or maybe the United States, I am not 
sure."
	"How do you eat it?" one boy asked.
	"Pick it up with your fingers, dummy.  You cannot use chopsticks 
on pizza."
	"Fingers?"
	"Disgusting."
	"Unsanitary."
	"Revolting."
	"Barbaric!"
	"Okay, so starve, already, you nit-wits.  That will just make 
more for the rest of us."  Yukari was getting steamed.  They all gave 
it a try; finally decided they could manage, and even liked it.  They 
quickly discovered they could pick up an entire slice of pizza with 
chopsticks and eat it, one bite at a time.  Yum, yum.  This was okay, 
after all, they thought.

	One day, Molly asked Chibi-Usa to baby-sit the twins while she 
took a short nap.  She came back forty-five minutes later, and found 
three little girls sitting cross-legged on the floor, talking twin-talk 
and playing 'jacks' together.  The new girl then spoke to Molly, "It is 
I, Chibi-Usa.  I transformed to their size.  It works great for 
babysitting.  I can go back to normal size any time I need to," and 
turned back to her thirteen-year-old self.  "The little girls 
understand.  It is not even a trick to them.  They may want you and 
Papa-san to do it sometime."  Molly was not sure how she would ever 
manage that.

	As they all came home from school one day there was furious 
activity.  Some people were running through the woods.  Screams were 
heard.  Molly ran out of the house, crying, "The twins have been 
kidnapped.  Someone grabbed Kana- and Kami-chan.  Help me, please!"
	Ju-Ju-chan gathered the Sprouts for a quick war council.  "Chibi-
Usa, you and I will go airborne.  You other three follow us, and listen 
on your communicators."  They all transformed.
	"Luna Pen Disguise Power.  Make me into an Eagle," Ju-Ju became a 
big grey bird.
	"Moon Crystal Super Power, Make Up!" and Chibi-Usa became Eternal 
Sailor Chibi-Moon.  Both took a running jump into the air, wings 
flapping, gained altitude, and searched for the twins.
	"Mars Crystal Power, Make Up!"
	"Jupiter Crystal Power, Make Up!"
	"Venus Crystal Power, Make Up!"  The other three became Sailors 
Chibi-Mars, Chibi-Jupiter and Chibi-Venus.
	"Archangel to Mars," Chibi-Moon called on her communicator. "We 
see them.  Close in."  Someone was holding Kami-chan, and Ju-Ju folded 
her wings, screamed Earthwards in a power dive, guiding with her tail, 
and at the last instant she flared, sinking her rear talons into each 
of Kami-chan's abductor's eye sockets, dragging him a short distance.  
He dropped Kami-chan, screaming in pain, and Sailor Chibi-Moon grabbed 
Kami-chan in her arms, became airborne again, and returned the twin to 
Sailor Saturn, who had just joined them.  "Take care of her, Saturn.  I 
am going back for Kana," and flew back to the front line.
	Meanwhile, Ju-Ju-chan had transformed from the Eagle to Sailor 
New Moon and found Kana-chan tied to a stone table, some kind of an 
altar.  It was at the center of a Pentagram drawn on the ground.  There 
were five candles burning, one at each point of the star.  She was 
surrounded by cult-followers, demons, and one big, tall, ugly dude with 
horns and a bad case of body odor.  They were getting ready to kill 
Kana-chan.  It was intended to be some kind of a ritual sacrifice.
	"Archangel to Jupiter.  Come help New Moon.  Mars and Venus, hide 
on opposite sides of the path.  We are going to set a trap."  New Moon 
had sailed her tiara, which cut Kana's bonds with its sharp edges.  New 
Moon and Chibi-Moon moon-dusted anyone who got close to her, and Kana 
went running back towards home.  "Jupiter, hit the big one," called 
Chibi-Moon.
	She called out, "Jupiter, Thunderbolt, Attack!" and planted a 
surgical strike into the big man's groin, his male-ness acting as a 
lightening rod, drawing the thunderbolt.  He exploded in pain, but it 
would take more than that to stop him.
	Meanwhile, Kami-chan had squirmed loose from Sailor Saturn and 
went running towards her sister-twin.  Chibi-Venus and Chibi-Mars were 
dealing with the underlings, who had come running into their trap, 
running after Kana-chan.  "Venus Love Chain Encircle Attack," she would 
shout, and lash together several cultists and demons in a metal loop.
	Chibi-Mars then chanted, "Mars Fireball Incinerate!" and burn the 
gathered minions to ashes.  All that remained standing, after a short 
time, was Big Demon, who came forward to capture the twins again.
	"You are no match for me, schoolgirl twits.  Give up while you 
are still alive.  I want those two babies.  Do you understand?  Now!"
	"You will never get our cousins, Big Barn Smell.  Now go back to 
the hole you crawled out of!" Chibi-Jupiter insulted him right back.  
All five girls launched their best attacks.
	"Mars Fireball Incinerate!"
	"Jupiter Thunder Crash!"
	"Moon Crescent Wand Disintegrate!"
	"Venus Crescent Beam Smash!"
	"New Moon Tiara Magic!"
	The big satanic figure simply granulated, vanished into dust 
under this combined attack.  The five thought they had won, but 
remembered not to be overconfident.  That had killed Kana and Kami 
almost three years before on the Future Moon.
	Suddenly the devil dust came alive, circled and swirled, looking 
first like a shadow warrior, then like a Youma, then like a swarm of 
locusts, and then like the original demonic Lord.  How could they kill 
him?  How could they fight?  He was all over, everywhere, and heading 
for the twins.
	Sailor Chibi-Moon then transformed into a two-year-old toddler, 
and joined Kami-chan and Kana-chan, spoke a few works to them, and the 
three held their lockets out in front of themselves and chanted:
	"Mercury Crystal Attack!"
	"Moon Crystal Heart Attack!"
	"Mercury Crystal Locket Attack!"
	The three little girls directed a focused beam of energy at the 
Arch-Demonic cloud, following it everywhere.  It swirled, congealed, 
made an unearthly noise, and finally turned into billions of pea-sized 
granules which fell to the Earth, each igniting, bursting into a 
sulphurous flame, like gunpowder.  Chibi-Jupiter's thunder and 
lightening had created a storm cloud, which then produced rain, washing 
away any trace of the Arch-Demon's ashes, which then flowed into a 
river and on to the sea.  This time they were through with them, the 
enemy, or thought they were, at least for now. 

	The five returned to school the next day.  They tried to act like 
nothing had ever happened.  Their boyfriends joined them during lunch, 
but they just could not shake the heady lethargy of having fought, 
killed and won.  It had created a euphoric high, and a low as deep as a 
well, both at the same time.  Si-Si-chan's boyfriend asked her what was 
up.  "Oh, nothing; just some trouble with family.  No big deal."
	"Could we all come over again this Saturday for some swimming and 
snacks?" the boys asked.	
	"Sure, why not."  The girls were glad for a little diversion.

	Ami lost no time in coming to Earth when she heard what had 
happened.  Rei had joined her.  It was a happy reunion between Rei and 
her daughter, Seira; Rei assured her she was not taking her back to the 
Future Moon.  "You need to be here with the twins, Si-Si-chan.  We have 
eight Senshei on the Moon, and that is enough to protect the babies we 
all have there, now."  
	She handed Ju-Ju-chan an object.  It was the Moon Scepter.  "Your 
mother, Serena, sent this for you.  Do not use it to crack walnuts like 
she did.  By the way, did you people know you have a Cardian in your 
house?" Rei finished.  She had sensed its presence when she had come 
in.  
	"No! What is going on?"  This time it was Hotaru asking.  "Is my 
father involved?"  No one was sure, but it was possible.  They all took 
different routes upstairs to Professor Tomoe's suite.  Chibi-Usa even 
took the twins, after clearing with Ami and Molly.  Quietly, they 
opened his door and there he was, together with, not one, but seven 
Cardians.  He was back to his old tricks, getting involved with the 
spirit world.  He had a deck of Tarot cards spread out, and was calling 
Cardians into existence, one by one.  All five Sprouts, joined by 
Sailors Mercury, Mars and Saturn, hit the Cardians with everything they 
had.  
	"Mercury Bubbles Blast!"
	"Mars Firebird Strike!"
	"Jupiter Thunder Crash!"
	"Venus Meteor Shower!"
	"Mars Fire Incinerate!"
	"Moon Scepter Elimination!"
	The Cardians fought back fiercely.  Sailor Saturn skewered a 
Cardian to the wall with her pole axe, calling out:
	"Silence Glaive Surprise!"
	Chibi-Usa repeated her beamed energy attack with the little 
twins, chanting,
	"Mercury Crystal Attack!"
	"Moon Crystal Heart Attack!"
	"Mercury Crystal Locket Attack!"
	The energy vibrations, coupled with the fire and lightening from 
Rei, Seira and Yukari, disintegrated the Cardians; and they all turned 
into granules of a gunpowder-like substance, igniting as they fell to 
the floor.  Everyone backed out of the room, coughing from the 
sulphurous smoke; but Hotaru, Saturn, asked Sailor Chibi-Jupiter to 
give her father a jolt.  "Burn his brain cells to ashes," she demanded.  
"He is bad, totally bad.  I am ashamed of him.  He did the same thing 
all over again."
	Chibi-Jupiter shook her head and muttered, "One frontal lobotomy 
coming up," and, directing her forces, chanted "Jupiter Thunderbolt 
Attack!" smashing his skull with a lightening bolt.  "He is not dead," 
she pronounced, "but he will be lucky if he can ever feed or dress 
himself again."
	Hotaru was not sorry.  "He brought this upon himself," was her 
last statement on the subject.  Sailors Mars and Chibi-Mars finished 
the task on hand by incinerating the Tarot cards, one by one, with fire 
attacks.  If any Cardians were trapped inside, they were annihilated in 
the process.

	Ami called everyone together again.  "There is something about 
Kana and Kami that draws Moon Kingdom enemies.  They were killed once.  
Now others have tried to kill them.  I want all of you girls to make it 
a special obligation to look after them.  I do not think it was just a 
coincidence that the Wormholers came to this star system, or that those 
demonic cultists came here yesterday, or that the Cardians were in 
Hotaru's father's rooms.  Something, someone is after my daughters.  I 
want them stopped, but I do not know if we can ever stop them 
completely.
	"I am going back to talk to Queen Serenity to see if she knows 
anything, or can give us some ideas."
	A few days later, Ami returned to Future Moon.  Mare-chan had her 
own communicator, and stayed with the twins all the time the five girls 
were in school.  Hotaru also watched the twins when she was not doing 
housework or looking after her father.  It was nerve wracking.  How 
were these two little girls, or the five Sprouts for that matter, 
supposed to grow up normally, with villains behind every tree or in 
every bush?

	Junko's new boyfriend approached her and Chibi-Usa at school.  
"I have an older sister.  Maybe I could bring her to your house this 
weekend?  She is just right for your brother, Mamoru-kun.  Do you think 
that would be okay?"  Both girls agreed to it; it sounded cool.  Mamo-
san was shy, and had not dated, even in high school.
	On Saturday afternoon, Yukari-chan's boyfriend showed up early.  
"I want to help you cook.  I know a foreign dish or two, and I brought 
some of the ingredients."
	"Okay, Dodo, you are on.  What do you have up your sleeve?" 
Yukari asked.
	"Tacos," Dodi-san replied.  "They are Mexican, and you have to 
eat them with your fingers."
	"Oh no!  And you were freaked out over eating pizza with your 
little pinkies!  Well, let's get started."  Yukari would never be the 
sweet, demure type.  She was too much like her mother, Lita.  So the 
two prepared barracuda tacos, rice, veggies, a fruit dessert and some 
more pizza.
	Everyone swam, then baked and microwaved the food, and ate.  
Mamoru and the new girl, Machiko, hit it off famously.  "I like your 
parents.  But isn't this a lot of kids for one couple?" Machiko asked.
	"Oh, they are not our real parents.  This is like a foster home.  
They have two sets of twins, boys in college and two little girls.  My 
parents have jobs a long way from here.  I almost never see them."  He 
did not say he had not seen them since he was three, and did not 
remember them at all.  "We are just like Molly and Melvin, M and M.  We 
are Machiko and Mamoru.  How about that?"  Machiko giggled over that 
one.  She liked the sound of 'Machiko and Mamoru.'
	The day was drawing to a close, and the two drifted outside and 
took a walk.  Machiko snuggled against Mamoru, saying the evening chill 
was making her shiver.  Mamoru did not mind, not at all.  "I do not 
ordinarily let boys kiss me on the first date.  But I will make an 
exception for you.  If you want to."  He did, and they did.  Once.  
Twice.  Three times.  Each kiss lasted a little longer than the one 
before.  "I told you a little fib," she confessed.  "I have never had a 
date with a boy, up until now.  So I guess I always do let a boy kiss 
me on the first date."  They both laughed a little, then heard Molly 
trying to shoo everyone home.  Mamo-san bid good evening to Machiko.  
The Sprouts' boyfriends also said goodnight.  'See you all in school;' 
then the girls and Mamoru all settled in for the evening, feeling warm 
and tingly.
	But before they could get to their rooms, Melvin called Hotaru, 
Chibi-Usa and Junko into his study.  "I have a request of you three.  I 
would like you to come to a formal dinner, to welcome a special guest, 
tomorrow, Sunday.  Dinner at eight.  That means dress formally, be your 
best."  Melvin rarely asked anything of them.  This was important.
	"Do we have to curtsey?" asked Ju-Ju.  The other two giggled, 
remembering her feelings about the reception lines on the Future Moon.
	"Just be polite.  Remember, you are all Princesses, two of you 
are Royals."  This must be something really big if Melvin brought up 
that Royal nonsense.  Come Sunday evening and they were gathered, ready 
for the guest of honor.  The three were looking very pretty, but Junko 
whispered, "As soon as this is over, I am getting naked and swimming a 
hundred laps."
	"Me too,"
	"Me three," echoed Chibi-Usa and Hotaru.
	"Mind if I join you?"  It was the handsomest man they had ever 
seen, looking uncomfortably like Darien, and wearing a tuxedo.
	"Oh my goodness.  Oh heavens," blush, nervous giggles.  "Oh, 
excuse us!"  "What the devil were you doing, eves dropping!?"  Ju-Ju-
chan finally recovered her bearings.  "And just who the hell are you!?"
	Now, the well-dressed young gentleman looked embarrassed.  "I am 
sorry, I did not hear a word you said.  I simply asked, 'Mind if I join 
you?'  Did I miss something?"
	Now it was Junko's turn to be embarrassed for mouthing off.  
Melvin saved the evening, however.  He introduced the guest.  "Ladies, 
this is Florien Montgomery.  He is a distant nephew of Darien, Serena's 
husband.  I suppose he is some kind of a cousin of you two, Junko and 
Chibi-Usa.  Florien, this is their Royal Highnesses, Princess Chibi-Usa 
and Princess Junko.  And this is her Highness, Princess Hotaru.  
Florien has just completed his doctorate in aeronautical engineering at 
The University of California, Berkeley, and is joining Nakajima Ltd.  
He will be living here, with us, indefinitely."
	Florien bowed low, greeted each girl appropriately, his lips 
barely touching their gloved fingers as they curtseyed, returning his 
honor.  "This monkey has class," thought Ju-Ju-chan.  For once in her 
life, she did not mind curtseying.  "And he looks just like Tuxedo 
Mask."
	They all talked for a while; dinner was called, and Molly 
was seated on one side of Florien, Hotaru on the other.  Florien 
managed to talk to everyone, quite properly, but his attention was 
riveted to Hotaru.  And hers to him.  A caterer was handling the 
arrangements, giving Molly time to be a hostess.  Each had an 
appetizer, soup, main course and a dessert, followed by a small glass 
of sherry for the adults.  They all then retired to a drawing room, but 
Florien and Hotaru drifted out onto the balcony.  Before long, Molly 
and Melvin had left for a short time.  Chibi-Usa whispered to Junko, 
"Catch that musky aroma.  Hotaru is emitting pheromes like a queen bee.  
Does she have the hots, or does she have the hots?!  Look at the two of 
them."  Hotaru was hanging onto Florien's every word, occasionally 
reaching out and touching his chest with her fingertips.
	Molly returned about this time, wrinkled her nose a little, 
testing the air, wondering what she sensed.  "Smells like somebody has 
wet their p----."  Junko and Chibi-Usa tilted their heads and flicked 
their eyes towards Hotaru, who was totally oblivious to her 
surroundings.  Molly followed their glance, took in what she saw, and 
said, very quietly, "Oh ---.  Oh my ---.  Oh my goodness."
	Melvin returned, and Molly whispered to him, "Do you see what I 
see?"
	Melvin smiled and answered, "Ahh so.  Ahh so.  This is exactly 
what I had in mind."
	"Do you want to go swimming now, Ju-Ju-chan?" asked Chibi-Usa.
	"Sounds good to me," Junko answered.  They went to their rooms, 
shed their finery, grabbed robes, towels and sandals and headed for the 
basement.  After soaping and spraying each other off a little, they got 
into the pool, swam a few dozen laps and settled in at the deep end for 
serious conversation.  
	"When do you guess the wedding will be?"
	"Oh, six months, a year at the most, maybe even sooner."  Life at 
the Tomoe mansion was suddenly looking very bright.

	It would not last.  There were battles just around the corner.  
But for now, they were loved, well fed, and had a warm house to sleep 
in.  Eventually, everyone got dressed for bed, and settled in with a 
book or music.  Everyone except Junko.  She took a pillow and sleeping 
bag to the little girl twins' rooms, and spread it out on the floor.  
Molly was still there.  "What are you up to?" she asked.
	"Oh, just playing it safe.  One of us Sprouts will be here every 
night, along with Mare-chan, in case anything happens.  We have our 
communicators, and can have everyone here in a flash."  Molly felt 
relieved the Sprouts were taking the threat Ami had warned them of so 
seriously.  "It is only for ten or twelve years.  The twins will be 
Sprouts then, too, and will not need so much protection."  Ju-Ju-chan 
was a good cousin.
	"Thanks, Junko.  Thanks for taking good care of my little girls."  
Molly went off to her and Melvin's room.  Time for bed.


                               The End



        I hope you liked the story.  Will there be more 
        Sailor Sprouts adventures?  A wedding?  Could be.  Let me 
        know if you like these new Girl Soldiers Sailor Moon.
        Read more about Ami in "Ami's Diaries," by Lady Guinevere.
        Check out "Finding Faith," by Acacia.  It has a new epilog,
        and is a great tale.

                               Chibicardcaptor
                        < chibicardcaptor@dellmail.com >

***  A sonnet by Edna St. Vincent Millay