Revision alert!  I found a few parts in this that I had to change, 
so for your enjoyment, the revised version of "Almost Home!"

No AN's this week other than, somebody has to be able to guess the 
Silver Moon Princess's sister!  I've mentioned her sister in my AN's 
before!

RATING: G- This is mostly a dialogue fic, nothing bad.

DISCLAIMER: I do not claim Sailor Moon.  I claim Mamo-chan!

FINAL AWAKENINGS
CHAPTER 11

____________Almost Home____________

Lita hummed as she flipped the pancakes over the Tsukino's griddle.  
It had been a surprisingly peaceful night for the Sailor Scouts; at 
least *after* the battle; but they were all still very sore.  Lita 
flexed her wrist and grimaced a little as pain shot through her left 
arm.  'Lucky it wasn't my right,' she thought with a bitter smile.  
'I would have a hard time making breakfast this morning if it were!'

"Pass me the spatula, Lita," Illene called from her place at the 
stove as she adjusted the heat for the bacon.

Grinning, Lita tossed it to her as soon as she turned around, and 
Illene caught it with expert ease.  "I have two children, Lita.  
You'll have to do better then that."

Luna yawned as she walked in.  "Lita, don't throw things at anyone, 
it's rude," she reprimanded primly.

Lita mumbled a, "Yes Luna," and returned back to her cooking while 
still grumbling.

Illene grinned at Luna and winked.  "It's really okay, Luna.  It 
keeps me in practice for a certain Granddaughter of mine."  Placing 
the spatula on the counter, she turned to Luna.  "A grandchild.  *I* 
have a grandchild."

Jumping up on the counter, Luna chuckled a little and peered at what 
Illene was cooking, "And a very powerful one at that," Luna agreed.  
"Though we never realized the true scope of her powers until, well, 
Black Lady came to be."

Sighing, Illene turned to Luna.  "I guess I'm still in shock," she 
murmured.  "It must be awful, not knowing who you are or thinking that 
everyone hates you.  I don't know if I could have stayed sane after 
that."

Luna stretched a bit and gave a small yawn.  "Darien was like that 
too.  Serena was what kept him in line.  He knew that Serena would 
care if he ran or killed himself, so he stayed and the girls helped 
him deal with his problems.  He was very disturbed that he had tried 
to kill his only love."  Luna looked down, "And from the little bit 
Rini has told us, she really felt like she didn't know who anyone was 
or what caring is.  Now that she's older, she knows what she did and 
not to be dishearted about love.  And speaking of older, I must say 
that since Rini's been around, I've felt older."

"Luna, you are *old,*" came the sarcastic reply from Artemis who had 
just walked into the kitchen along with Terren and most of the girls.

"Uh-oh," Mina whispered to Amy as they followed the cat inside.  
"He's gonna get it for that one.  Luna's gonna kill him!"

*scratch!*

Luna's claws slashed Artemis' face and he yelped in pain.  Giggles 
engulfed the room as the white haired cat ran from Luna to the semi-
safety of its' charges' shoulder.


"I don't think so, Kitty Cat!" Mina said as she and Raye pried 
Artemis from her arm.  "You so deserve this!  I'm not one to get in 
the way of yours and Luna's squabbles!"

Terren laughed and jumped onto the counter, while peering at Lita's 
cooking.  "Those two are never going to change," he said while 
laughing, and then dodged as Lita tried to hit him with a spoon when 
he tried to get some of the pancakes.

"Nah, why would they?" Rini muttered sleepily as she slowly walked 
into the kitchen and sat at the breakfast bar.  "None of you *yawn* 
ever change."

Amy walked to Rini and put a hand on her shoulder.  "Hey Rini, how you 
feeling today?  Any better?" she asked while pulling out her data 
computer and typing into it.  Greg and Andrew had left late the other 
night after they had finished telling the story of the Sailor Scouts.  
If they had stayed the night, they would have already checked Rini to 
make sure she was okay.

Rini nodded slightly.  "Yeah, it does feel better.  It still hurts 
though."

Amy smiled sympathetically, "Yes, we know how that is.  But what 
doesn't kill you can only make you stronger!"

"Or in our case," Lita put in, "it can kill you *and* make you 
stronger!"

"That's not something to be proud of, Leets," Serena mumbled as she 
walked into the kitchen, with only a minor limp this morning.  "Good 
Morning, everyone."

Kent walked in behind Serena and sat down next to Rini and grabbed a 
cup of coffee.  "I feel like my life suddenly hit the fast forward 
button," he grunted as he gulped down a mouthful of the coffee.

Rini rolled her eyes and giggled.  Serena gave her a look that 
immediately shut her up.  Raye bit her lip to keep from laughing at 
the sight.  No matter how long Serena acted like a mother, Raye and 
probably all the girls, still couldn't see her as strict enough to be 
a mother.  Even when she was like one right in front of them.

Serena leaned against a wall, as all the other seats were taken, and 
sighed.  "So, how's everyone's bumps and bruises today?  And better?"

Faces were made and groans were heard as Serena got her answer.  
"Well, I guess it's gonna be like every other time," Mina said.  "We 
heal and they attack as soon as we're well again!"

Rose raised her eyebrows.  "Is Darien still asleep?"

Giggling, Serena nodded.  "Yeah!  Weird huh?  I'm actually up before 
him."

Raye stopped her.  "Wait, wait!  We are talking about *Darien* right?  
As in 'I get up at six in the morning to jog and then wake all of the 
girls up at the same time just to piss them off everyday' Darien?!"  
She paused for a moment.  "Is one of you sick!?"

Serena stuck her tongue out at Raye, who did the same.  "You're so 
mean, Raye!" Serena yelled through the war.

"Well, at least I'm not a Meatball Head like you, Meatball Head!"

"Girls!" Luna reprimanded.  "Are you seventeen years or seventeen 
months!?  Get a grip!"

Rose rolled her eyes at her friends, but still smiled with them.  "You 
guys are too much.  I really want to know why I put up with you!"

"You don't have a choice," Darien's sleepy voice muttered as he walked 
in and stood next to Serena.

Giggles suddenly erupted in the room as they got a good look at 
Darien.  Mr. Tsukino smirked and hid himself behind the morning paper.  
Serena turned and looked at her boyfriend and burst out laughing.

"What?!" he demanded.  All the others did was point at his hair.

Serena giggled again and began to *untie* the ribbons that had somehow 
made their way into his hair.  "Sweetie, what did you do?" she asked 
as she showed him what she had taken out of his mane.

Darien took the ribbon and looked at it for a moment.  "ROSEANNA!"

Grinning, Rose winked and stuck out her tongue.  "Consider us even."

**********************************************************************

King Onyxious stormed down the halls of his home with steam 
practically steaming out of his ears.  One of the strongest warriors 
he had brought back was dead.  Dead.  'And all because of that brat 
Serenity!'

He stopped when he came to the correct cell and simply barged in.

King Endymion looked up and smiled slightly.  He knew what had 
happened, he could feel it as it happened.  'Good going, Serena.  
I just hope you can keep it up.  You'll need that power for the 
real battles.'  "So let me guess, you lost and now you're going to 
take it out on me."

Onyxious glowered at Endymion and punched him in the face.  If 
Endymion had been able to stagger back, he would have.  But the chains 
held him securely in place and the only thing he could do was bite his 
tongue at the pain.  "I'd shut up if I were you, Endymion."

Endymion spat on to the ground and glared at his captor.  "Well you're 
not me, so I'm not going to shut up."

Grabbing the front of Endymion's torn and ragged shirt, Onyxious 
started straight into his eyes.  "I only want to know one thing, and 
one thing only, what is Serenity's name in the twentieth century?!" 
he yelled at the young man.  "If you tell me, I'll let you go."

Endymion stared back into the cold yellow eyes of his enemy and didn't 
answer.  Onyxious roughly let go of his shirt and backed away.  
"You'll give in.  Cutting off your food should help."

"You'll get even less out of me dead," Endymion told him with a wry 
grin.  "And Serenity won't take the news too well, either.  Plan your 
strategies carefully, Onyxious.  After all, isn't that what got 
Metalia in so much trouble?" Endymion smirked.

Onyxious glared at Endymion, and held back the power that inside of 
him that was tingling to get out.  "You won't last much longer.  I 
suggest you use that time to think of a way out of here, or 
surrender."  The door slammed shut and Endymion relaxed slightly.

He knew that the comment about Metalia was low.  In all of his life, 
he had never stooped down to the enemies level (at least not while he 
was thinking on his own), and though he knew he shouldn't have said 
what he did, right now he just didn't care.  This was war, not a 
debate.

Though he didn't know exactly how close Metalia and Onyxious were, the 
word 'Lovers' came to mind.  'But why don't I remember him from the 
Silver Millennium?' he thought with a frown.  'Oh well, must be that 
memory block thing that Pluto warned us about the first time the Sailor 
Scouts came.   (AN: Meaning, that the people of the future don't 
remember much or anything about the twentieth century, at least not 
what will interfere with it when they are visited.)  I hope Serena can 
take care of Small Lady and figure this out,' he said to himself.  He 
had to admit, Onyxious had been a good source of information.  Through 
him, he had found out that Small Lady was in the past and Serenity 
wasn't fighting.  The out comes of battles, both good and bad, were 
always being discussed outside of his cell.


'Small Lady...Sere...' Endymion closed his eyes.  'I hope you're okay.  
Please, be okay.  I love you both too much to loose either of you.'

**********************************************************************

Sailor Pluto crossed her arms as she watched what took place in King 
Endymion's cell and felt remorse strike a cord in her.  But she could 
help him as much as she could have helped her Queen in the Silver 
Millennium and the Princess in the Twentieth Century. (AN: Both are 
the fights with Beryl.)

She had explored those options and didn't like the outcome of any of 
the scenarios that she helped with.  Like now, if she helped King 
Endymion escape, both of them would be killed on the way out.  Not 
what she called a successful rescue mission.  But with not taking 
that path, there were a million more that could happen with similar 
outcomes, and much happier ones.

With a frown, Pluto banished the image in front of her and sat down, 
with a chair appearing magically behind her.  "There isn't much time 
left.  If I don't hurry, we could stand to loose everything."

An image of what was transpiring in the twentieth century appeared 
and she smiled, forgetting for a time, about the war.  "The Prince is 
not happy with his sister."

**********************************************************************

Darien was sitting in a chair in the dinning room while Serena tried 
to get the dozens of ribbons and bows that Rose had somehow managed 
to tie in his hair the previous night.  The others were eating 
breakfast either on the ground or at the table while shooting glances 
at Darien who was glaring at his sister.  And his mood hadn't been 
helped when Lita had grabbed a camera and taken pictures of the new 
style.  (AN: *snicker*)

Though it was a Thursday, they weren't going to go to school because 
of the youma fight the night before.  Illene had called in after she 
woke up and explained to the girls' schools that the girls had food 
poisoning and wouldn't be coming in.  She had also called their 
families and given the same story, and apologized for not calling the 
night before.  They got lucky.  Every one bought it.

Serena giggled as she pulled the last bow out of her boyfriends' hair 
and began combing it with her fingers.  "See?  All better!" she 
whispered into his ear.

Darien turned his head and gently kissed Serena's lips.  When he 
pulled back, he smiled at her and she blushed.  He leaned in and 
kissed her again, ever so gently, on her lips.

Raye cleared her throat, bring the two out of their romantic paradise.  
"I'm eating here and, though I'm sure this is quiet a shock, I'd 
*like* to keep my breakfast down!"  Darien and Serena glared at Raye 
who simply smiled sweetly at the two.

Breakfast continued without conversation for a few more moments, 
something that didn't happen very often when all the girls got 
together.  "What are we going to do?" Mina whispered quietly when the 
silence became too much for her.  The others looked up at her, 
startled, and gave her questioning glances.

"What are you talking about, Mina?" Serena asked in confusion.

"The Generals."

"Oh," was the unanimous answer.  Work.  Not the best topic of 
conversation.

Darien set his fork on his plate and leaned on his hands.  "I'm with 
Mina.  We could really be in trouble, seeing as though Jedite is, 
most likely, the weakest of all the Generals.  Dark Moon and Negaverse 
combined that is."

"What does that mean?" Kent asked.

"It means," Lita started, "that if what happen last night was because 
of the Negaverse's weakest warrior, then we are in a lot of trouble 
when we fight *Malachite.*"

"Or Rubeus," Mina comment with a dark look.

Serena waved her hand.  "We're okay with him!  As long as we keep him 
away from gravity machines!"  Her tone turned serious a second later 
when everyone gave her a weird look.  "Guys, we're okay for now.  
We're dealing with the same people, and we know their weaknesses-"

"And then know ours," Darien finished for her as he looked straight 
into her eyes.

Luna sighed and jumped onto the table next to Serena.  "What was that 
name that the youma said?" she asked the group.  "It was 'King' 
something or another.  He could very well me our problem."

"Yeah," Artemis agreed as he jumped up next to Luna, "and if we know 
*who* we're fighting, then we can at least have some guesses as to 
*how* we're going to beat him or her!"

"Onyious?" Raye suggested with a thoughtful look.

"Oxy!" Mina exclaimed while thrusting her hand in the air.

Everyone looked at her weird, forming sweatdrops on their heads.

Illene recovered fastest and suggested, "Onyxious?  Was that it?"

"Yes!" Luna said quickly.  "Thank you, Illene."

"What about him or it, Luna?" Terren asked as he joined the other 
felines on the table.

"He called him 'King' Onyxious," Rini said with a frown.  "I've never 
heard that name before," she mumbled under her breath.

Familiarity flashed through Serena's eyes at the mention of that name.

Pain...Anger...Hurt...Home.........Metalia...

"Metalia..." she whispered quietly.  Almost too quietly for anyone to 
hear.

Darien touched his girlfriend's shoulder.  "Serena?"

Serena snapped back to attention.  "Huh?  What?"

Raye looked her friend over with genuine concern.  "You really spaced 
out on us there, Serena.  Then you started mumbling some junk about 
Metalia and the Moon Kingdom."

"You okay, girl?" Mina asked.

Serena put her hand on her head.  "Yeah, I'm fine.  It's just that, 
I've heard that name before.  I-Mother...once said something about it.  Something that had to do with Metalia or Beryl."

"Actually, now that you mention it, it does sound vaguely familiar," 
Luna agreed.  The other two cats voiced their own agreements as well.

Darien simply nodded.  It *did* sound familiar, something from the 
past...  'Perhaps my own parents mention him at some time.'


"Well, what ever it is, we've got to be ready!" Rose said while she 
and Lita cracked their knuckles.  The others laughed, but quickly 
settled down and continued to discuss everything that had been going 
on.  From the battles to Rose and Darien's dreams of the past.

Darien still hadn't told any of the Scouts or Serena about his dream 
that the car crash his parents had been killed in yet.  He didn't have 
any plans on doing that either.  Though he knew, Serena would 
eventually pry it out of him and then in her gentle way, assure him 
that everything was going to be all right.

Everyone was just about done with breakfast, when an important fact 
from the previous night hit Amy.  "The Time Key!" she yelled, startling 
everyone from their silent reprieve.

"OH!  Right!" Serena said in sudden remembrance.  She turned to her 
daughter and put on her poker face.  Rini gulped.  She knew what that 
face meant.  "Small Lady?"

Rini cringed.  "Y-yes Mother?" she whispered non-too confidently.

"Where is you're Time Key?  Why did you take it off?" Serena asked as 
gently and aggressively as possible.

Rini didn't meet the gaze of her parents or her friends.  "I-I...that 
is..."  'NO more lying,' she told herself.  'Even if it is for the 
good of the future, they're right, I can't help the future if I don't 
tell them about it.'  "The Key isn't even with me in the twentieth 
century."  She waited a moment before continuing, knowing that the 
others would be very shocked and upset.  "I didn't have it the moment 
I came back to the past.  It wasn't with me!"

Darien and Serena took a few minutes to absorb this information before answering.  "You're *positive,*" Darien said, emphasizing positive.  
Rini nodded slowly and surely.

"But then, why did Amy's computer say that the Time Key is in Serena's 
bedroom?" Mina asked as she massaged her temples and leaned back.

"Maybe I was wrong," Amy mused to herself as she bolted up from her 
chair and ran up to Serena's room with her computer in hand.

Rini still didn't look at any of her friends; the truth was finally 
out.  'Should I tell them about Puu?'

Serena put her hand on her daughters' shoulder.  "Is there anything 
else you wanted to tell us?" she asked gently.

Rini nodded her head.  "I-I...Ihaven'tbeenincontactwithpuu!" she in 
one breath.

"Whoa!  Whoa!" Darien said with a smile.  "The only thing I got out 
of that was 'I' and 'Puu!'"

There was light laughter, but it died as quickly as it commenced.  
Rini smiled slightly, but her smile, too, fell.  "I haven't been in 
contact with Puu.  At all.

"What!" Serena exclaimed.  "Why?" she asked the young girl.

Rini shook her head.  "I don't know!" she said with tears in her eyes.  
"She just hasn't answered me!  I call her everyday, but there's 
nothing.  What if she's..." Rini trailed off.

"No," Serena said.  "Pluto never leaves the Time Gate, and she 
certainly isn't dead!  I think I would, or should, know if she were 
dead."

Raye sighed.  "I'm with Serena.  Pluto is probably busy helping with 
the war in the future, so she only checks up on you and make sure the 
Time Stream is flowing as it should."

"Perhaps," Amy said as she came down the stairs, "she is not allowed 
to interfere with us this time.  We may be on our own."

"You found it, Amy?" Luna asked as she jumped down near the young 
girl.

Nodding, Amy held out the small, gold key in her palm.  It looked 
exactly like the one Rini had, a little dustier perhaps, but otherwise 
exactly the same.  "I found it in Serena's jewelry box."


"My jewelry box...?" Serena whispered.  She suddenly gasped in 
remembrance.

<:Flashback:>

'How can *I* be a Champion of Justice?' Sailor Moon thought as she ran
home from the battle site.  'Why me?  I'm not at all special!'

Luna was far ahead of the new Super Heroine, so Sailor Moon stopped to 
rest for a moment.  Looking up, Sailor Moon saw the full moon shining 
brightly over head.  "Why did you choose me?" she asked it.  "Why?"

Sighing, Sailor Moon bent her head down.  "Huh?" she said when she 
caught a glimpse of something shining in the moonlight.  Bending 
down she delicately picked it up and examined it.  It was a golden 
key with a red ball on top and a strange arc over the ball.  "What a 
strange key..." she mused.  She was in the back of an alleyway, far 
from homes, or anyplace this key could have come from.  Something 
inside of her, told Sailor Moon that she should hold on to the key, 
and to never let it go.

Placing it inside of her dimensional pocket, the young girl ran off 
to find her new found guardian cat.

<:End Flashback:>

Serena finished telling the others what had happened and let out a 
breath.  "Puu must have know that I would need it, so she made sure 
that I got it, but didn't know what it was," she suggested. 

"And by the time you did, you would have forgotten all about it," 
Darien said with a nod.  "Makes sense.  Sounds like something she 
would do."

"Maybe Rini's was taken away because she wasn't supposed to go back 
until we found this key," Amy suggested.  "It's possible that Sailor 
Pluto needed the other Key for some reason."

"Then I would like to suggest something," Luna said after briefly 
discussing things we the other Guardian cats.  "I suggest that 
tomorrow, we go to the future, and help them out."

**********************************************************************
(Bet ya thought that was the end!)

The Tsukino's, Andrew, Greg, the four sisters and Sapphire were 
present in the Tsukino's backyard to see their friends off to the 
future.  Mr. Tsukino had grumbled and put up quite a fight until Luna 
had told him that Serena was going, and nothing he said or did would 
stop them from making sure she got to the thirtieth century.

Serena hugged her parents and promised she'd be back soon.  As soon 
as possible.  After a few more good byes, they were ready.

"Join hands, everyone," Rini instructed.  "We won't get separated when 
we enter this time if we join hands!"

They did as told with everyone holding someone's hand, except for 
Serena, who was in the center of the circle with the Time Key.  
"Ready, guys?" Sailor Moon asked with a slightly nervous voice.

"Yeah!" Jupiter yelled.

"Get this show on the road all ready, Meatball Head!" Mars called out, 
causing light laughter and groans.

"Here goes..." Sailor Moon whispered as she stepped forward.

"Guardian of Time...Let the Door of Time split the heavens and open 
to me...I call you by your true name, the all knowing God of Time and 
Father of the Guardian, Chronos!  Lead me!  Protect me!  Send me the 
path of light!"

Sailor Moon gasped at the incoming light and prepared herself for the 
travel.  Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the others looking 
on in amazement.  Perhaps they hadn't truly believed until now, that 
time travel was possible.

And in a flash of light, the Sailor Scouts, Tuxedo Mask, Rini and the 
three cats were gone.

"They don't have much time," Catsy said in a dead voice.

"If they don't hurry, we could stand to loose everything," Sapphire 
said as he held Prisma.

"They'll survive!" Avery told everyone with a cheerful voice.

"Yeah," Birdy agreed.  "After all they've been through, this is just 
time travel!"

"But if they don't get the information they need..." Sapphire trailed 
off.  There was no need to upset the Tsukino's right now.

Greg smiled up at the sky to where his Amy had disappeared.  "So, the 
dream was right.  They did need to find a key to open the door," he 
stated to no one in particular.

Prisma managed a small smile at the boy.  "Yes," she agreed.  "I 
suppose the dream was right."

Illene bit back her tears at the thought of her daughter being so far 
away, and yet so close at the same time.  "When will they come back?" 
she asked softly.

Kent gave his wife's shoulder a squeeze and draped his arm of her 
shoulders.  "Let's hope for soon," he told her.

**********************************************************************

The Sailor Scouts landed softly on the ground, all together 
surprisingly, and glanced at their surroundings.  Nope, nothing had 
changed.  There were still clouds all around, and it was dull, and 
gray.

"Well, this is still the happiest place not on earth," Mars muttered.

Earth shuddered involuntarily and wrapped her arms around herself.  
"Is it always this cold?" she whispered through her teeth.

Rini nodded, not really acknowledging her aunt.  "PUU!!!!!!!!!" she 
yelled as she and the others ran towards the door.

"Sailor Pluto!" Tuxedo Mask called.

"Where are you?!" Sailor Moon said as she stopped and looked around.

"Well she's not-AGGH!" Mars screamed as a sudden wind whipped up and 
blew the Sailor Scout back about fifty feet.  They landed safely, if 
not slightly bruised.

Sailor Moon got up and ran towards the door again, only to have the 
wind throw her back again.  "What is this?!"

"You can not go there," a soft angelic voice whispered.

Sailor Moon turned quickly to the sound of the voice.  A voice she 
*knew.*  In a flash of light, a small woman appeared in front of the 
Sailor Scouts.  "Mother!?" Sailor Moon said as she quickly stood up 
and stared at the woman.

"Grandmother?" Rini whispered.

"Queen Serenity!" Luna exclaimed as she bowed before her Queen along 
with everyone else but Sailor Moon.

"You may rise," she instructed with a smile.

"Mother, what do you mean, 'we can't go there?'" Serena asked in her 
most professional, Princess-like voice.

"I mean, my daughter, that you may not pass to the future, until you 
know of the past."  And with that, Queen Serenity spread her arms and 
all present in the room disappeared.

Almost all.

Two women with staffs stepped out of the shadows after Queen Serenity 
had vanished with the Sailor Scouts.  "Thank you for your help.  They 
would have seen me or entered the Gate if you had not been here."

One of them with long black hair up in a braid smiled.  "It's no 
problem."  She sighed and shook her head, "There was no way, *I* was 
that young."

The other one, just a little taller then the first, laughed as she 
stepped out into the light.  "Please, Roselyn, you have always been a 
child!  Even now you and Endymion fight more often then Serenity and 
Mars!"

Roselyn, or more appropriately Sailor Earth, stepped out too.  "Well, 
*someone* has to keep his Royal Pain in the Butt in line!"  Earth's 
eyes softened slightly.  "Can you tell me anything about what is 
happening?  Or if he is alright?  Or Serenity..."

Sailor Pluto looked away.  "You must leave a soon as you can.  The 
others will need you."

"But-"

"You must go now," Pluto insisted.

With a dirty look in Pluto's direction, Sailor Earth turned and 
disappeared into the flow of time, to head home to her friends.

"Just pray, that everything will work out as it should," Pluto 
whispered after the Earth Princess as she closed the door.

To be continued...

That's it for the revised version.  Just a few things that bugged 
me!

Stefanie