OBLIGATORY LEGAL DISCLAIMER : None of these guys are mine. The Sailor 
Senshi belong to DIC and Kodansha, while the Yoroiden are owned by 
Sunrise and Graz Entertainment. Okay? So don't bother suing me. I'm a 
student. 

                       RONIN SUMMER 2 : HOMECOMINGS 
            
         A Sailor Moon / Yoroiden Samurai Troopers cross-over

             by Morgan Hudson (dataraven_659@excite.com)


Part 8 : Fathers and Sons

	Shin Mouri stuck his hands in his pockets and whistled an 
aimless tune as he rocked back and forth on his heels. A stray breeze 
ruffled his shoulder length brown hair, and he shivered slightly. 

	"Do you think he'll be much longer?" Rei Hino asked, looking 
up from the engrossing task of tying up a passing martial artist who 
had for no apparent reason begun swinging a bokken at them. Nerima 
just seemed to bristling with nuts : a few minutes ago some girl on 
a bicycle had rammed into a guy with glasses and didn't even stop 
to make sure he was alright. 

	"Beats me : when we called, he said to wait right here by the 
okinomiyaki restaurant. He said he'd catch us here and give us a lift 
to Ryo's cabin after he picked up Shuu." Shin leaned against a 
convenient streetlamp and sighed. "We could have waited inside, you 
know... that girl at the grill seemed nice."

	"She seemed like a psychopath. What sane person carries a 
spatula that big?" Rei shrugged and sat back. "Well, that ought to 
hold him. I used every knot I've ever learned, and a few I made just 
for this occasion." 

	The rope-wrapped form wiggled and began spouting muffled 
poetry through its gag, which was really about all it was still capable
of. Fortunately, a stylish red car pulled up before Rei felt the urge 
to pummel the bound boy into submission... AGAIN. 

	At the wheel, Mamoru Chiba smiled. "Hi, you two. I see you've 
met some of the locals. You might want to get in : this place gets 
even freakier once school lets out." 

**********

	"But I want to go! Why are you all being so mean to me?" Usagi 
Tsukino whimpered, sticking out her lower lip and letting a big tear 
leak from the corner of her eye. It was, without a doubt, one of her 
best performances ever. 

	Unfortunately, nobody in the room was willing to buy it. 

	"You broke your leg, Usagi! There's no way we're letting you 
come on this mission!" Makoto Kino placed her hands on her hips and 
scowled prettily. 

	"She's got a point, Sailor Moon. I wouldn't mess with her if 
I was you." Touma Hashiba shrugged aplogetically. 

	"Even if we have done everything we can, you have to stay off 
of your leg until we can get a doctor up here!" Ami Mizuno said, with 
a gentle and weary smile. "The way your limb broke, it will need to 
have a metal plate screwed into place just to hold the bone together 
until it heals." 

	"Metal plate? SCREWED INTO THE BONE?" Usagi looked as if her 
friends were about to torture her. 

	"Well, if you were a horse," Ryo said casually, "we'd just 
shoot you." 

	Usagi groaned and lay back in bed, her leg held in the air by 
a series of ropes and pulleys. The Yoroiden and Senshi present had 
combined their efforts and wraped the entire limb in guaze after Ami 
reset it, and tied a few spare pieces of kindling (of which there were
many, thanks to their battle in the forest) to it in a slipshod attempt
to keep the bone in place. 

	"Actually," Makoto said softly, "that's something we need to 
discuss. One of us has to stay behind and look after Sailor Moon and 
Touma's father. Those robots might attack again while we're gone, and 
we can't afford to move them." 

	"I'll stay," Ami Mizuno offered, and Ryo Sanada nodded in 
agreement. 

	"Yes, you will. But since you'll be sleeping, you can't look 
after anybody."

	"What do you mean, Ryo?"

	The black haired man grinned. "Simple. I had a ringside seat 
for your little bedside vigil, and I know EXACTLY how much sleep you 
HAVEN'T gotten over the past two days. No offense, but look at you! 
You can barely hold your head up, and you expect me to let you go into 
battle? You're going up to my room right NOW, and you're going get some
rest if I have to tie you to my bed to make sure of it!" 

	"Why are we even discussing this?" Touma whispered. "I'm 
staying, and that's final. My FATHER is one of the patients, remember? 
And Ryo's father is being held captive, so Ryo has to go and rescue 
him."

**********

	Minako Aino sat cross-legged on the bed and closed her eyes. 
Nearby, Seiji Date was sitting calmly in a chair and watching her. 
They had been sitting motionless, and in complete silence, for several 
hours at least. Someone watching might even have thought that both were
asleep, until they noticed that Seiji's one exposed eye was, in fact, 
open, and Minako's breathing wasn't quite rythmic enough for slumber.

	The door of the motel room creaked open and Toshio Tokushukei, 
looking as rumpled as ever, stuck his head in. "Seiji? Minako? I 
contacted my superintendant, and we've got a warrant, thanks to your 
videotapes and photographs." 

	"Good to kow you've finally done something useful." Seiji rose 
to his feet. "Now leave the rest to us."

	"Seiji..." Toshio paused, unsure what to say. "I may not have 
been around very often when you were younger, but I'm still your 
father. I would appreciate a little respect..."

	"A LITTLE RESPECT? You weren't around at ALL when I was 
younger, Toshio! You're not my father : you're just some stranger who 
used to give me birthday presents." Seiji growled, fighting back the 
tears in his eyes. "Let's just get this damn thing taken care of, huh? 
Then I'll never have to see you again." He stormed out, and Toshio 
looked away.

	"He doesn't mean it, Toshio." Minako looked sadly at the older 
man as he sighed and seemed to deflate into the recently vacated chair.
"Seiji's just upset over losing Korin, and finding Ryo's father locked 
up in that place..." 

	"No, Minako. He's right." Toshio moaned and rested his face in 
his hands. "I was always too busy for him, when he needed me. Every 
time he ever asked for something, it was always 'later'. I guess I 
didn't notice, but somewhere along the way he just got used to doing 
things himself. Asking me for help... it must have been like eating 
glass for him." 

********** 

	Ryo Sanada grinned and lifted his hands in the air. "BUSSO, 
REKKA!" A blast of red energy followed, and the boy was sheathed in 
crimson plates of mystic armour. The Yoroiden of Rekka laughed 
gleefully and gestured, sending the armour back to wherever it came 
from before repeating the entire show a few seconds later. 

	"BUSSO, REKKA!"

	"Ryo!" Makoto laughed. "Didn't your mother ever tell you not 
to play with your yoroi?" 

	"Nope, she's dead." Ryo sent the armour back and began to 
move through a number of martial arts katas. "Besides, I've been in 
bed for days. I need to work out a few kinks, physical and otherwise." 

	"Why?" Makoto tried not to ogle the boy as he moved through a 
complex series of moves, beating on an invisible opponent with 
viscious kicks and punches. He was clearly in fantastic shape, and 
from what she knew of martial arts, he appeared to be in peak form. 
"You look pretty good to me..."

	"Good isn't enough." Ryo snapped his fist towards the floor 
and quickly performed a backflip, landing in a crouch and punching out 
with the other fist. "This is my father we're talking about, Makoto." 
He kicked a target above his head and turned the move into yet another 
backflip. "I need to be PERFECT." 

	This wasn't perfect? Makoto watched as Ryo leapt into the 
air once more and landed on one foot, maintaining his balance on the 
edge of the coffee table. After standing there for at least four 
seconds, he kicked his other foot down like a piston. The sound of it 
cracking through the hardwood floor caused her to jump slightly. 

	"I don't think I ever want to fight you, Ryo Sanada." Makoto 
felt something gently tap her forehead as she finished the sentence 
and realised it was Ryo's foot. She'd never even seen him cross the 
room, let alone kick. 

	"That's a very good thought, Makoto." Ryo grinned and reached 
for his shirt and headband. "You might get what these boys are in for, 
and I like you too much to do THAT." 

**********

	Shuu Rei Fuan was getting impatient. "Where are they? I 
thought you said that the guys were going to meet us here!"

	"They are, Shuu. Just give them time!" Mamoru wrapped his cape 
around himself and pulled his top hat down low. In the middle of the 
afternoon, Tuxedo Kamen felt less dramatic and more, well, stupid. 
Even on the deserted rooftop of Shuu's family restaurant, he stuck out 
like a sore thumb. "However, if you want to pass the time, how about 
a little sparring match?"

	"Deal!" Shuu was already pulling off his jacket as he said it, 
leaping forward and raising his fists enthusiastically. There was only 
one thing he liked more than eating, and that was fighting. Besides, 
it had been weeks since he had a good challenge, and this was TUXEDO 
KAMEN! How many chances did a guy like him get to spar with Tuxedo 
Kamen? 

	Mamoru grinned and shucked his cape, tossing it over onto a 
chimney. The top hat followed it, sailing through the air and landing 
perfectly on top of the cape. "Rei," he said, "hold my jacket." 
	
	The two men paced towards each other and bowed, gracefully. A 
breeze had sprung up from nowhere as Shuu hollered and charged 
forwards, fists swinging. Mamoru barely even seemed to move, simply 
failing to be there everytime Shuu's punches tried to land. After 
several moments, Tuxedo Kamen wrapped his gloved hands around the other
man's wrist and, turning, tossed the boy over his shoulder to land 
heavily on the roof. It had taken all of twelve seconds for the match 
to end, as Mamoru placed his fine Italian leather shoe on top of Shuu's
neck. 

	"That was pretty good! You didn't even break a sweat!" Shuu's 
voice was filled with astonishment and suspicion. He had seen those 
moves before somewhere... "Have you been training with Anubis?"

	"Sasaki-sensei had much to teach, and I had a lot of free time 
on my hands." Mamoru smirked slightly, and his eyes were twinkling 
behind his mask. "We brushed up on my unarmed combat skills, yes."

	Ryo clapped, and Shuu shot him a dirty look. "When did you get 
here?" 

	"About two seconds after your fight started and five seconds 
before it ended, Shuu." Ryo chuckled. "You have to learn to stop 
leading with your head, even if it IS the thickest part of you." 

	Makoto smiled as she walked over. "Hi Shin, Shuu. It's great 
to see you guys again. Are Seiji and Minako still late?"

	"No," Rei admitted sadly, "Minako called in a second ago. She 
said she and Seiji were going in alone to grab Korin. Once he can 
transform, they'll join up with us inside." 

	"Cool by me." Ryo looked around. "Well, I'm obviously in charge
as far as the Yoroiden are concerned. Who's going to lead the Senshi, 
if Sailor Moon is incapacitated?"

	Sailor Jupiter blinked. "Gee... we never really bothered to 
figure that out before..."

	"I'll lead the Senshi on this mission, Ryo Sanada." Mamoru 
quickly threw his jacket back on. "If that's alright with the girls, 
I mean. Since I AM the only one of us with an actual PLAN..."

*********

	Touma padded across the floor, careful to avoid the large hole 
Ryo had put in it. Reaching the fridge, he opened it and rooted around
inside for a while. Without even looking over his shoulder, he spoke. 

	"Nice try, Usagi. Go back to bed." 

	The blond girl sighed and turned around, grumbling as she 
hopped back upstairs."Stupid Touma, eyes in the back of his head, 
can't even go to the stupid BATHROOM without him yelling at me..." 

	Touma made a mental note to sneak her a bowl of the triple 
fudge ripple ice cream he had seen in the back of Ryo's freezer later. 
She may be a persistant and even annoying girl, he reflected, but she's
not that bad. Besides, she IS my Queen... I may as well try to start 
being nice to her now. 

	First, though, a little talk with patient number two. After 
filling a plate with the few bits of food in that fridge that hadn't 
been looking at him, Touma walked upstairs to the only bedroom not 
containing a Sailor Senshi. Within, an older man with unruly hair and 
a beard lay, moaning as he tossed and turned in his sleep. 

	"Dad? Wake up, Dad." 

	The man snapped his bloodshot eyes open and looked around 
feverishly for a few seconds before focusing on Touma. "Son? Wh-what 
happened?" Genichirou Hashiba maoned and clutched his head, smacking 
his mouth loudly. "I feel like I've been on the bender to end all 
benders." 

	"That's probably a result of the drugs working out of your 
system. Do you remember anything from last night?"

	"No... not really. My assistant Ken Shimada and I were going 
over some reports on our latest project, and then there was some kind 
of pinprick, and... and... and then a blank." Genichirou tried to sit 
up, but his son gently restrained him. "Where are we, son?"

	"This is Ryo Sanada's cabin. There was... an accident... last 
night, and we brought you here to rest. Ryo's a friend of mine." 

	"Sanada?" Touma's father racked his brain for a reason why 
that name was so blasted familiar. "Wasn't that one of the Yoroiden?" 

	"Yeah, the Yoroiden of Rekka." Touma looked sadly at his 
father. "Dad... there's something I have to tell you. Something I 
should have told you a long time ago..." Reaching down his shirt, Touma
pulled out the gleaming crystal with the glowing sigil for 'CHI' 
burning in its centre. "Yeah, Dad. It's a yoroi. Our yoroi, Tenku, 
handed down through the Hashiba family for generations. Mom and I found
it last year. I should have told you then."

	"My God... it's... I mean, I always thought it was just a 
legend, a fairy tale told by my Grandmother! How does it work? What 
does it do? Is it like the others we..."  Slowly, understanding 
filtered into Genichirou's eyes. "Oh, my son... those boys we sent 
those robots after... they were...?"

	"My only friends. And me." Touma sighed. "How could you do it, 
Dad? You always taught me that science had to be tempered with 
wisdom and compassion. How could you just attack innocent people like 
that?" 

	"I had no CHOICE, son! I swear, I had no choice! Mr. Xavier, 
he said I had to procure one for him or he'd fire me, and we needed 
that money for your education!" Genichirou began to cry. "If I had 
known... if I had only KNOWN... I would have spit in his face and 
left. I didn't even know that these yoroi things existed!" 

**********

	In the next room, Ami Mizuno shed a few tears of sympathy. Poor
Touma. He was going through so much right now. Maybe she should tell 
her mother about being Sailor Mercury, and try to avoid such a tragedy 
in her own life. She could feel for him so easily, they were so alike.

	She wished she could go over and lend him support... 

	...but she was tied to the bed. With a slight sigh, she closed 
her eyes and tried to go back to sleep.

**********

	The security guard for Xavier Industries' front door was a 
rather bored man. Really, he was just window dressing, and nothing 
else : just someone they stuffed in a uniform and stuck behind a desk 
to give the executives a false sense of security. 

	The most exciting thing he'd seen all day was the weird guy 
who just came in the door and asked to use the phone. 

	"Sorry, buddy. I'm not allowed to use the company line for 
personal calls. Not even tow trucks."

	The man frowned. "Are you sure? My car has a flat, you see, and
I'm late for a very important date." 

	The guard considered that. "Well... there is a private phone 
line in the back office. I guess if you're that desperate, you can use 
it. But I have to watch you."

	"No problem, sir!" The younger fellow had saluted merrily and 
followed the guard into a back room. 

	"So," asked the guard out of curiosity, "you're late for your 
own wedding, huh? Who's the lucky girl?"

	"Oh, she's the Queen of Crystal Tokyo." Mamoru said, and 
knocked the guard unconscious with his cane. Reaching into his jacket, 
he pulled out his mask and Rei's communicator, which she had leant him 
for the duration of the mission. "Okay, guys. The door's open." 

**********

	Two teens entered carrying a large carpet and walked into 
the elevator. Ordinarily, such a delivery would have to be signed in 
at the desk, but the security guard appeared to be missing. Which was 
fine by the two teens, since the second the elevator doors closed, they
unfurled the carpet and dumped a third boy on the floor. 

	"Thanks for the lift, guys." Ryo groaned, and stood up. 

	"Yeah, well don't expect another one." Shin moaned and rubbed 
his shoulders. "You're pretty heavy, you know." 

	"Must be all the rocks in his head." Shuu said, grinning. 

	"Let's just get started. BUSSO, REKKA!"

	"BUSSO, SUIKO!"

	"BUSSO, KONGO!" 

**********

	Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Mars were already waiting for Tuxedo 
Kamen when he joined them on the roof of the bank. On the other side of
the street, the headquarters of Xavier Industires stretched up for at 
least twenty or thirty feet. 

	With even bothering to stretch, the three jumped from the 
bank to the rooftop of the other building. Upon landing, Tuxedo Kamen 
hurled one of his roses, and a security camera turned into a pile of 
scrap metal. "The elevator down from the roof is over here," he said 
brusquely, and lead the way, cane held at the ready. 

**********

	 Xavier leaned back in his padded leather chair and lit a 
cigar. "Ken, have our little guests made it in alright?"

	"Yes, sir. Three through the door and three through the roof." 

	The man smiled ferally and let the warm smoke seep through his
teeth. "Well, let's not let them go unwelcomed. I assume they're in 
the elevators."

	"Yes, sir. Cabs four and seventeen, according to our cameras." 

	"Amateurs." Xavier took another long drag from his cigar. "I 
almost think we're doing them a favour, taking these yoroi away from 
them. Foolish children like these might hurt the wrong people." 

**********

	The elevator doors slid open, and the three Yoroiden stepped 
out, their metal feet ringing loudly on the tiled floor. 

	"Okay," Ryo asked in a worried voice, "who's the wise guy that 
pressed this button?" 

	The doors slid shut behind them, and a thick steel panel 
slammed in place over the elevators with the distinctive hiss of 
hydraulics. 

	"What do you think, guys? Trap?"

	Shuu and Shin crossed their arms and nodded. "Trap." 

	Ryo shrugged. "Let's guess : 'you check in, but you don't 
check out', right?" 

	Mamoru and the two Sailor Senshi rounded a corner and started 
in surprise at the sight of the three Yoroiden. "Right," chorused 
Shuu and Shin, as the robots came pouring in.

	"We have got to get a better travel agent," Ryo groaned.

**********

	Ken Shimada raced into his lab, grabbing papers desperately. 
As far as he could tell, it was time for this rat to flee the sinking 
ship. He had squirreled away a good amount of money, thanks to a little
embezzling and a LOT of double-dealing : he could grab the crystal, 
flee the country, and start over somewhere else...

	There were two other people going through his stuff, he 
noticed, and drew his gun. 

	One, a strangely familiar blond boy with a thick shock of hair 
falling over his right eye, stood up and deliberately placed himself 
between Ken and the other intruder, a girl. "I don't think you want to 
do this," he said calmly. Something glowed green in his hand. 

	"I beg to differ," Ken said, "you see, I KNOW you're the 
Yoroiden of Korin. I see you got your bauble back, too."

	Seiji nodded slightly.

	"However," Ken continued, "I'm willing to bet you can't 
transform faster than I can pull this trigger." 

	"He doesn't have to," Toshio said calmly, and pistol-whipped 
the scientist from behind. Ken grunted and fell to his knees. 

	"Hello. I am Toshio Tokushukei, with the Tokyo Police. You, 
my good man, are under arrest for assault, attempted murder, theft, 
and... well, I'll make more up later." 

	"ME?" Ken pointed at Seiji. "That boy is the criminal! He's 
stealing evidence from a crime scene and taking Xavier Industries 
proper- UGH!" 

	Toshio drew back his foot and kicked the man sharply in the 
ribs. "What was that? You were resisting arrest so loudly, I couldn't 
hear a word."

	"I... I said... UGH!"

	"See? There you go resisting arrest again." Toshio pulled a 
pair of handcuffs from his belt and looked over at his son. "Get out 
of here, son. I've got this slime taken care of."

	"D... Domo arigato... Dad." Seiji blushed and grinned. His 
yoroi was back where it belonged, and that was all that mattered. 

	"BUSSO, KORIN!"

**********

	"Man!" Shin leapt back and dodged a crushing blow from one 
robot, only to get caught in a bear hug by another. "It's not hard 
knocking them down : making them STAY down's the trick!" 

	Rei Hino ducked under a vicious jab and blasted one with her 
flame. "They're INDESTRUCTIBLE!"

	"And they're EVERYWHERE!" Makoto screamed, frying three with 
the Thunder Dragon. 

	"SO?" Ryo clashed his blades together and began to glow. "Let's
just slag them all!" 

	"Save your strength, Ryo!" Mamoru kicked the head off of one 
robot, and blocked another's attack with his cane. "This is just the 
START of the mission!" 

**********

	Kyoto Sanada sat in his cell and waited for something to 
happen. He wasn't disappointed, either, as somebody in a suit of 
green samurai armour tore the door off of his cell and motioned for 
him to follow. 

	With a shrug, he decided he may as well. Whatever was going on,
he'd rather face it on his feet than lying down.

**********

	Xavier remained seated, even when Seiji no Korin kicked in 
the massive oaken doors of his office. The glowing samurai was flanked 
by a girl in an orange and white fuku and an older man with a nervous 
look on his face. 

	"Hello," Seiji said calmly, and chopped Xavier's desk in half 
with the massive Korin Ken. 

	"Greetings. If you have a grievance, I really suggest you 
take it up with our complaints department." Xavier somehow maintained 
his usual calm. 

	"I don't have a grievance. I have a warrant." Another man 
entered, with a piece of paper in one hand and a revolver in the other.
Ken Shimada, semi-conscious and badly bruised, hung over the man's 
shoulder.
	
	"The police would like to have a little talk with you, Mr. 
Xavier. Here in Japan we kind of frown on foreign businesmen who see 
fit to flaunt our laws and threaten our children with illegal 
weaponry. You're facing several counts of property damage, reckless 
endangerment, attempted murder, kidnapping, etc, etc." 

	"You'll never pin anything on me. I have the best lawyers in 
the world." Xavier smiled smugly. 

	"Maybe, but I can assure you Mr. Shimada will be willing to 
talk when he wakes up. Plus, we have several photos and videotapes, 
most of which seem to implicate you, your employees, your company, 
and so on." Toshio paused for a moment, and holstered the gun. "And by 
the way," he added, and punched the man in the stomach. Xavier heaved, 
and Toshio rocked him with a right cross to the jaw.

	"That," he said, "was for fucking with my kid."

**********

	Ryo Sanada burst into the office six seconds later, fuming so 
much smoke literally was rising from his body. There were scattered 
bits of metal and circuitry hanging off of him and littering the 
ground. His anger seemed to evaporate the second he saw the older man. 

	"Dad?"

	Kyoda Sanada looked at his son in disbelief. "Ryo? When did 
you get so big?" He stretched out his arms, and Ryo hugged him. "Now, 
what's all this I've been hearing from your friend Seiji? It sounds 
like you have some explaining to do, young man."

	"I'm sorry, Dad. I would have told you, but you haven't been 
home in ages! I found the armour during that big forest fire and-"

	"No, not THAT! Seiji tells me you've been getting serious with 
some girl named Ami. Were you ever planning to introduce me to her?" 

	Ryo tried to answer, but his father interrupted him, putting 
an arm around the boy's shoulders as they walked back the way they 
came. "And while we're on the subject, son, what were you thinking 
breaking in here? You know your old man can take care of himself! Why, 
one time when I was on safari in Africa..."

	"You were face to face with a lion, and he backed down, I know.
Gee, I don't know WHY I was worried." Ryo chuckled in relief. "I have 
to admit, I was kind of hoping to come to the rescue, though..."

	"Well, when we get back to the cabin, we'll have a nice long 
talk about timing... and, I think, girls." 

	"DAD! I'm fourteen years old! Stop treating me like I'm ten!" 

	Seiji chuckled as they left. "Say, Dad... do you... need help
carrying those two?" 

	Toshio grinned. "Sure. I'd love your help, son. And, about the 
whole Yoroiden thing... is it true you saved the world?"

	"Well, it was kind of a group effort, but I helped, yeah." 
Seiji blinked. "Wait a minute, where did you hear about THAT?" 

	"Your friend Minako and I have been talking. She seems quite 
taken with you, you know." Toshio grinned as he watched his son lift 
Xavier and sling him over one shoulder. "I'm proud of you, son. You're 
a real hero." 

	Seiji tried not to blush. "Listen, Dad. About what I said back 
at the motel..."

	"Did you say anything? I don't remember you saying anything." 

**********

	Back at the cabin, the victory party was in full swing. 
Everybody was there, and even though Seiji and Yayoi had agreed to be 
on their best behaviour, the cracking of bokkens was echoing through 
the forest in seconds. Still, Seiji's grandfather had agreed to referee
the match, and, as Seiji's mother pointed out when she wasn't snuggling
with her long absent husband, taking the fight outside really WAS the 
best behaviour one could expect from them...

	Usagi, her leg in a fresh plaster cast, had gotten permission 
from her parents to attend, and was busy collecting signatures. A 
comment made by Satsuke had made it apparent that she and Usagi were 
both fans of the same manga, and the two were now as thick as thieves. 
Mamoru wasn't sure where to be, hovering around Usagi one minute and 
conversing with his new friend and sparring partner Shuu.

	Kyoda Sanada had begun crying when he saw the damage done to 
his beloved cabin, and bawling when he saw what had been done to 
his even-more beloved tub of triple fudge ripple. Shuu's parents 
had shown up and decided to cook for everybody, since this was their 
way of enjoying a good party, and Shuu's little sister Chun Fa had been
glued to Usagi's side ever since learning the girl was her idol, Sailor
Moon.

	There was good food, good music, and good times. Toshio and 
his wife had begun dancing, and soon nearly everybody had joined in. 
Laughter and music floated out of the cabin and into the night air, 
where Makoto Kino leaned against a tree and spoke quietly with Touma 
Hashiba.

	"So, my father and I started talking, and... well... the 
next thing I knew it was like nothing had ever changed. We haven't 
talked like that since before my parents broke up, and we're even 
making plans to go on another astronomy hiking trip." Touma smiled, 
but sadly.

	"That sounds great, Touma. Why are you so sad?" 

	"Well..." Touma ran one hand through his hair nervously. "I'm 
moving back to Osaka Fu, to live with him again. We're really going to 
try to make this whole 'family' thing work... and I don't think I'll 
be seeing you anytime soon." He took a deep breath. "Like... ever 
again." 

	Makoto's breath caught in her throat. "Are you breaking up 
with me, Touma Hashiba?"

	"I guess so." Touma turned away from her. "You're great, Mako, 
you really are. But you need someone who can be here for you, somebody 
who can give you the attention you deserve,and I can't do that right 
now. I'm sure you'll find the man you deserve. Who knows? He might even
be me... someday." 

	"But not now." Makoto sniffed, and wiped a tear from her eye.
"Well, then, I guess I'll see you around, or something. Later, Touma!" 
Turning on her heel, she raced back towards the party, tears streaming 
from her eyes. 

	"Wow." Shin walked over. "I was sure you'd chicken out, Touma."
There was no response. "Touma? Are you alright, man?"

	"Good-bye, Makoto Kino," Touma whispered between his sobs. 
"I love you." 

THE END