Hotaru Mahou sat at home, relaxing. It was her day off from the hospital, and her husband, Brad, was due home any moment. Her daughter, Zoe, would be home from the movies any minute now. Her son, Jason, was in his room, watching TV.
Hotaru was enjoying her moment of reflection. It had been twenty-two years since she had departed from her beloved friends. It was hard to be apart from them for so long, but it was something that she had to deal with. But still, she found herself wishing that the purple watch that was almost always on her wrist would start beeping, just as long as it was not while she was in the middle of surgery. She allowed nothing to disturb her while she was in the operating room, and she hoped that the beginning of the end of the world would not compromise that.
"Hey, Mom, would please shut your watch up, that's kinda annoying!" Her just returned daughter complained, snapping Hotaru out of her reverie.
"The watch!" Hotaru said, jumping up and locking herself in the bathroom. She pushed the button, and then touched the tiny purple crystal, and listened.
"I am Eternal Sailor Moon! How dare you shatter the peace of earth! In the name of the moon, I will destroy you!"
"Give me your energy!"
"Never!"
That was all Hotaru heard, for Brad was pounding on the bathroom door, wanting to know what was wrong with his wife. Hotaru opened the door.
"What's wrong, Honey?"
"Brad, the watch beeped."
Brad looked confused for a moment, but then understanding began to cross his face. Zoe stood by, looking at her parents like they had gone nuts.
"What is going on here?!" Zoe said, exasperated.
"Go pack your bags, Zo, we're leaving."
"Where? When? When will we be back?"
"Juuban. As soon as possible. Never."
"Never! But..."
That was as far as Zoe got.
"Now." Hotaru said.
Zoe had never seen that look in her mother's eyes before. There was a look of such power, such horrible knowledge, that Zoe found herself in the middle of packing before she knew what had hit her.
Several hours later found the Mahou's on a plane, heading for Juuban.
Back to Chapter Seven
Chapter Nine
