MISCONCEPTION
			by Scott K. Jamison
			(Takeuchi disclaimer)
			Chapter VII

	After explaining to Mrs. Tsukino that Sailor Moon had indeed 
shown up and chased away the monster, Usagi and Chibiusa regrouped with 
the others at the Command Center.
	"I say we go out in force and kick Negabutt!" said Sailor 
Jupiter. 
	"Negabutt?" mouthed several of the other Senshi silently. 
	"I don't think it's a good idea for Usagi to go out there in her 
condition, especially with this man able to age things real fast," 
pointed out Sailor Mars. 
	"I agree, she should stay here," said Mamoru. 
	"On the other hand, it could be Fulgurite's intention to separate 
us from her.  And where did he get that power, anyways?" asked Sailor 
Venus. 
	Sailor Mercury looked up from her calculations.  "Presumably from 
one of those historical artifacts he was stealing, or perhaps a 
combination of them.  I wish Pluto were here; she's our time expert." 
	There was considerable discussion, some of it heated, but 
eventually a decision was reached. 
	"Let's review the plan," said Usagi.  "Sailors Venus, Mars, 
Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune will proceed to Tokyo Tower, along with the 
Starlights if they pick up their messages by midnight.  Mercury, Saturn,  
Chibi-Moon, Tuxedo Kamen and I will stay here in reserve.  If Pluto or 
any of our other allies show up, we'll assign them where there's the most 
trouble.  Did I get it right?"
	"Spot on, Usagi.  But you forgot that Artemis will be with the 
away team while I and Diana help out here," Luna pointed out.  "Also, 
despite the possible side effects, I'd suggest you transform now.  
Fulgurite might decide to strike early."
	"Right!"  Usagi transformed into Sailor Moon, and everyone 
gasped.  She saw that several faces had turned quite pale. 
	"What's wrong?"
	"Th-the baby!" whispered Mamoru.  "It's--"
	Usagi looked down.  Her costume had stretched to accomodate her 
swollen belly, but that was to be expected.  She patted her abdomen.  "It 
seems fine to me, Mamo-chan." 
	"B-but..."
	Mercury lowered her visor.  "Ah, I see.  It's part of the masking 
effect that keeps us from being too easily recognized."
	"What are you talking about!?"
	"Oh.  To us, it looks like you're not pregnant at all." 
	That was a bit of a surprise.  Usagi kind of wished she'd known 
about it earlier.
	"I still wouldn't do anything too strenuous," advised Luna.  "But 
just maybe it will fool Fulgurite if it comes to that..."
		*			*			*
	"Eights," said Chibi-Moon.
	"Go fish," Sailor Saturn replied. 
	Usagi got up from the couch.  She'd managed to catch a little 
sleep, but Ichiro was restless, and kept waking her up.  Added to her 
worry about her friends, it didn't make for much rest. 
	She looked at the clock again and discovered that it was, 
finally, nearly midnight.  
	"Say, Mercury-chan, any word yet?"
	"No, Sailor Moon, I--"  Her communicator beeped.  "Come in, 
Venus." 
	"Still no sign of Fulgurite, or anyone else.  We've checked out 
the Tower and there don't seem to be any boobytraps or explosives.  Wait, 
I see lights--*frzzt*"
	"Venus?  Venus, come in!  Mars, Jupiter, report!  Anyone!?"  
Sailor Mercury tapped her communicator as if that would make a reply 
come. 
	"Oh no!  We've got to do something!"  Usagi cried.
	"Steady, Moon, everyone's life signs are still strong, they're 
probably just busy." Mercury added under her breath, "I hope."  
	"I sense evil energy!" shouted Luna, and everyone braced. 
	Sure enough, the room began to shake, and the floor erupted with 
tentacles.  Tuxedo Kamen grabbed Sailor Moon and pulled her out the 
door.  
	There was shouting and screams behind them.  "Death Ribbon Rev--" 
"Pink Sugar Hea--"  "Aqua--"  "MRROWRR!!" 
	Then silence for a moment.
	Followed by deep and mirthless laughter. 
	Fear gripped Usagi's heart.  "Mamo-chan, what are we going to 
do?" 
	"What we must, Usako.  What we must."  He stopped before a steel 
door, and entered a passcode into the lock.  The door slid open with a 
pressurized "whoosh". 
	"Always remember, my Princess, I love you."  He kissed her 
deeply, then they passed into the lower levels. 
	It was like a maze down here, and Usagi had never fully explored 
it.  In the future of Crystal Tokyo, these corridors would be bustling 
with workers and servants carrying out the business of the new Silver 
Millenium.  But now they were dark and empty, and she was lost. 
	But if she didn't know where she was, perhaps Fulgurite wouldn't 
either.  
	That hope died when the corridor in front of them collapsed.  
	"The chase is over, little bunny.  And now the big bad wolf has 
come." 
	Fulgurite hovered a foot above the floor, his shining crystal 
eyes brighter than the overhead lights. 
	"What have you done with my friends?!"
	"They may be dead.  Or they may not.  You Senshi have a nasty 
tendency to keep coming back, like the bugs you are.  But cut off the 
head, and the body dies."  He raised his hand, which glowed darkly. 
	Tuxedo Kamen impaled the upraised hand with a rose, and leapt to 
the attack. 
	"So eager to die?"
	"True love never dies!  It just assumes a new form!" 
	"Let's see then, what form it now takes!"  Energy flared, and 
Mamoru was thrown back.
	As the dark force continued to batter him, his tuxedo began to 
tatter, and then turned to dust.  Mamoru found himself quite naked, and 
nearly bald.
	"Wha?"
	"Oh, that bit about me killing all the people in Tokyo with 
instant aging?  I lied.  It doesn't work on living things.  But you must 
admit it made an excellent bluff."  Fulgurite smirked, then blasted 
Mamoru with a concussive blast.  Usagi's husband slumped to the floor. 
	"Tuxedo Kamen!!"
	"And now, Serenity, it's time for the final battle."
	Serenity.  Yes.  Usagi drew upon her greater heritage and became 
the Princess. 
	"You have injured my friends, perhaps killed them.  You have 
attacked my husband and endangered my unborn child.  In the name of the 
Moon, I shall punish you!" 
	"We are pleased that you take us seriously.  Fulgurite, you have 
served us faithfully.  As reward, we fully embue you with ourself."  
Usagi remembered that voice, though she'd really only heard it once 
before.  Metallia. 
	"I destroyed you!"
	"So you did, child.  But Fulgurite found a way to reach back in 
time and salvage a fragment of us.  He nurtured us inside him until we 
regained our power.  Now we will put an end to your interference."
	Fulgurite's body had swollen grotesquely, and glowed in an 
entirely different fashion from before.  His eyes were unblinking and 
unfocused now, as the voice spoke without moving his lips.  
	"Creature of Evil!  I call upon the Silver Crystal!  You will be 
destroyed forever!"  Princess Serenity felt the power of the Crystal 
tearing at her as she directed it against her foe.  But Metallia was 
fighting back, and Serenity realized that to defeat it, she'd have to 
die again.  Her and Ichiro, and this time she'd only be able to save one 
of them. 
	She made her decision.
	But what it was, we shall never know.  For at that moment, 
Metallia/Fulgurite's forehead sprouted a midnight blue rose.  Its attack 
suddenly faltered, and Serenity was able to blast the body into atoms, 
whereupon Metallia's energy dispersed back to whence it had come. 
	She dropped to her knees, suddenly in great pain, then suddenly 
realized what that pain was.
	"No!  I can't be in labor already!"
	"Yes, the miracle of life is about to happen.  Permit me to take 
you to a hospital."  It was a tall young man in a Navy captain's white 
uniform, with a midnight blue mask and cape. 
	"I-ichiro?"
	"Never could fool you, could I, Mother?  But in this outfit, I'm 
Sailor Kamen..."  He picked her up, his arms strong and gentle.  His cape 
was lined in purest white.  It swirled around them, and they were gone. 
		*		*			*
	Ichiro was crying again.  Usagi picked him up.  Now what was the 
matter?  He couldn't possibly be hungry so soon after his last feeding,  
and he was still dry.  Maybe he just wanted to be rocked. 
	Yes, that seemed to be it.  The baby quieted as Usagi made cooing 
noises at him. 
	Things had been touch and go there for a bit, but she'd come 
through the birth fine, and Ichiro had been born healthy (for which Rei 
claimed some credit.)  Sailor Kamen had managed to get everyone to the 
hospital in time for the happy event, though some had to use the 
facilities for their own injuries.  
	Tokyo Tower had mostly been demolished in an epic battle, as 
Fulgurite had amassed a small army of monsters to engage the Senshi.  The 
city's maintenance crew was still trying to get all the ichor off the 
streets.  Usagi hoped this meant an end to attacks for a good long 
while... 
	She glanced over at Mamoru, trying his best to sleep with a 
pillow over his head.  His hair was coming back in, and a new tuxedo had 
magically appeared when he'd tried to summon one.  All in all, they'd 
gotten off amazingly lightly. 
	Ah.  Ichiro was beginning to nod off.  She laid him back in the 
cradle.  A little music would be nice.  She pushed the "play" button on 
the stereo, and the soft strains of violin music filled the room.  
	She knew some of the words to this one..."No foreboding should 
alarm thee, no dark dream shall give sad warning..."
	The crescent moon shone silver against a dark blue sky.
	And she came in on the chorus, her voice surprisingly melodic, 
"Soft the gentle hours are creeping, hill and dale in slumber sleeping;
I my loved ones watch am keeping, all through the night..."

			THE END

Hope you liked it!
SKJAM!