Queen Beryl walked into her throne room, intending 
to sit down on her dark throne in the dark kingdom where the 
shadows lie down to take a nap.  However, there was 
something in the way.  Literally.  General Ego, one of her 
new recruits, was sitting on her throne, ordering several 
youma to do the funky chicken.  "WHAT do you think you're 
doing?"  Beryl said.

	"Relieving my boredom."

	"What you're SUPPOSED to be doing is either looking for 
more of Serenity's Rings or gathering energy!"

	General Horny rubbed against Beryl's legs; she was 
short, purple haired, and had not changed at all in behavior 
after having a dark crystal planted in her as far as Beryl 
could tell.  Unfortunately.  "Beryl-sama!  You look really 
nice today!  Why don't we..."

	"NO!"  Beryl shouted, punting General Horny away.  
The purple haired urchin landed in the midst of the minions 
whose job it was to stand around and look ominous; soon, 
they were running for their lives.

	General Ego yawned.  "Gathering Energy is boring, and 
how am I supposed to find Serenity's Rings?"  She stretched, 
making her skinniness more obvious, then began to idly play 
with her long black hair.

	"I gave you a dark crystal to guide you to them!"

	"I traded it to General Zwei-lite for some lessons on 
how to terrorize people with my new powers.  Besides, I 
might get in a fight with the Tennis Warriors, which would
be a waste of my time.."  


	"Get off my throne.  Get out of my throne room.  Go 
find...Go find Pluto and kill her if the time paradox hasn't 
wiped her out yet."

	"She's not in the phonebook."

	"Can I sit in your lap, Beryl-sama?"  General Horny 
asked. 

	"AAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!"  Beryl screamed with 
frustration.  "Go now or I will lock you in a room with Dan 
Quayle!"

	That got them going.  Beryl slumped down on her throne.  
It had been a mistake to recruit these two...they were 
beyond worthless.  Zwei-lite, on the other hand, was doing 
well.  So far, out of nine rings, Zwei-lite had gotten 
three, and the Tennis Warriors only had one.  And Pluto had 
vanished, which was PROBABLY good.

	With Pluto, though, you could never be sure.
  
*******************

Marmalade Moon, Episode 6:

"Yuu, I challenge you!
  Hey, why won't you pay attention?"

http://www.maison-otaku.net/~rhea/MMoon

by John Biles

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

	Miki was depressed. Even with two guys helping them 
out, the Tennis Warriors were not doing well against Zwei-
lite.  Zwei-lite had snagged the first of the Nine Rings, 
and the Tennis warriors had gotten the second during the 
complete disaster also known as the tennis tournament 
against Tomoboki.  She could still sometimes remember being 
groped by the second Doom, a boy named Ataru Moroboshi.  

	But since then, they'd been beaten twice.  The third 
Doom, one of Nanami's old friends, had turned into a purple 
werewolf, and while they had been fighting her, Zwei-lite 
made off with the ring.  The fourth doom had been the 
maniacal palm-tree wearing principal of another high school 
in the area.  While they had been trying to find his nuclear 
coconut, Zwei-lite had gotten away AGAIN!  This was turning 
into an ugly pattern.  They'd only gotten the second ring 
because Moroboshi's own classmates had kicked his butt for 
them when he transformed, so they had been able to 
concentrate on getting the ring.

	She was wearing it on a chain around her neck as Luna 
had suggested.  She wished she could wear it, but it was so 
pretty, it would raise unanswerable questions.  She 
closed her door, then took it out to look at it again.  This 
one was a bright band of gold with a topaz set in it.  The 
setting and gem were shaped like a heart; it was the ring of 
Venus, Luna had said.  

	We need to get ahold of Tennis Warrior Venus, she 
thought.  They'd run into her a few times, but she always 
ran off before they could really talk to her.  

	The ring glowed softly, startling her.  Maybe it was 
just a trick of the light, Miki thought.  I wonder if it 
does anything magical.  She took it off the chain and tried 
putting it on.  To her surprise, it fit perfectly.  

	I guess it is magical, she thought.  She got up and 
stood in front of the mirror.  "Do something magical, ring!" 
she said on impulse.  It surely had to do something, though 
Luna couldn't remember what, and Mercury's computer kept 
claiming all relevant records were 'NOT AVAILABLE AT YOUR 
CLEARANCE, CITIZEN'.  

	The ring flashed, and Miki's clothing ripped apart.  It 
took only a few seconds to rearrange itself into a peach 
gown, with sleeves gathered at the elbow and fringed in 
lace, a squared off bodice cut high, but wide, and a long 
flowing skirt to the ankles.  She could feel several layers 
of clothing under the outer dress, and her feet were now 
garbed in matching peach slippers.  Small gold and topaz 
earrings with the gems set in a little heart hung from her 
ears, and she wore a silver tiara set with topazes on her 
brow.  Her hair was gathered up in a silver comb at the back 
of her head.  Wow, I look elegant, she thought.

	A second later, the door opened, and Yuu walked in.  
"Miki, do you have a minute to..."  He did a double take.  
"Miki?"

	She turned to him and realized she was wearing white 
silk gloves.  I must look like I'm going to the ball, she 
thought.  "Uh...hi."

	"You look...Are you going to the ball or something?  
Umm...Is there a ball?"

	This would make a great dress for a formal dance, Miki 
thought.  I'm not sure how we're supposed to use this ring 
to fight evil, but...this kind of magic is nice too.  "I 
was...uh..."

	He closed the door.  "More Tennis Warrior magic?"

	She started instinctively, though she knew he knew.  
"Yeah."  She held up the ring.  "One of Serenity's Nine 
Rings we're trying to find."  

	"Weird.  It's like I've seen it before," he said.  "So 
it did this?"

	"Uh huh."

	"Can it do anything about..."  He hesitated, then 
stared into the mirror at Miki.

	"About...?"

	"I've been..."  He cut himself off again and frowned.  
"I keep having black outs.  I went to a doctor, but he was 
no help."

	Miki blinked.  You are?  No one in the house heard 
about that, she was sure.  "You keep passing out?"

	"Not exactly.  I keep having periods where I..."  He 
gulped.  "Can't remember what I was doing.  I wouldn't 
bother you with this, but I was hoping there was some kind 
of Tennis Warrior magic that could fix it.  I don't like it 
at all.  Blanking stuff out, that is."

	Miki smiled.  I'm glad he trusts me enough to come to 
me with this.  She was still struggling with her own 
feelings with regard to him and to Ginta, although it seemed 
that Ginta had moved on to Arimi now, or so it seemed.  Yuu 
was so private; he never opened up to her.  I will do my 
best to help you, she swore.  "We will find a way," she 
said.  "I bet Mercury can find a way to help you with her 
computer."  If it doesn't just smart off, she thought.

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

	Arimi frowned.  The latest phase of Operation 'Make 
Miki and Yuu Jealous' had fallen through when she hadn't 
been able to contact either of them.  Still, hanging out 
with Ginta would probably be fun anyway.  If he EVER showed 
up.  He was a good ten minutes late.

	She watched people go by as she stood in front of 
'Takeo's House of Java'.  Two of them caught her eye.  Both 
wore trenchcoats and sunglasses (at night) and were going 
from person to person, asking them something.  One was thin 
with long black hair, while the other was short with purple 
hair.  What really caught her attention two minutes later 
was a conjuction of events.  She got a glimpse of the taller 
one's face, and it looked like Makoto.  More importantly, 
she heard one of them ask someone, 'Are you Tennis Warrior 
Pluto in disguise?'.  

	She decided to slip closer and spy on them; this 
could be important.  At first, this went well, although all 
she learned was that they were asking EVERYONE if they were 
Tennis Warrior Pluto.

	Then the purple-haired short one spotted her.  She was 
clearly female, unlike the taller, androgynous one who 
looked disturbingly like Nanami's boyfriend, Makoto.  Even 
with the sunglasses, Arimi could see the girl's eyes light 
up.  "KAWAII!" the short girl shouted, and charged Arimi, 
who froze up for a moment, then panicked completely.

	"FAN CLUB POWER!" she shouted, and began to 
transform...just as the purple haired kid glomped onto her 
with the power of a dozen Azusa Shiratoris.  As a result, 
when her uniform formed, the girl was INSIDE Tennis Warrior 
Mars' blouse.  This was NOT part of the plan, such as it 
was.

	At least it can't get any worse, Tennis Warrior Mars 
foolishly thought.

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

	>What is wrong with Yuu?

	[HE HAS A BIG MOUTH AND HE'S RUDE.]

	Yuu frowned.  Miki laughed, and Nanami frowned.  "I 
should sell this thing for scrap."

	"Try...Why does Yuu keep forgetting things?"  Miki 
said.

	>Why does Yuu kept forgetting things?

	[POSSIBILITIES IN DECLINING ORDER:
	YUU HAS NO ELEPHANT BLOOD IN HIS HERITAGE.
	YUU IS ACTUALLY A PAINTED IMAGE ON CELLULOID AND THUS 
	HAS NO ACTUAL BRAIN.
	YUU'S MIND IS BEING SLOWLY CONTROLLED BY THE INSECTS 
	FROM SHAGGAI.
	YUU HAS WATCHED TOO MANY MUSIC VIDEOS.
	YUU PERIODICALLY TRANSFORMS INTO FAT ALBERT AND 
	BLANKS OUT HIS ACTIVITIES AS SUCH.
	YUU HABITUALLY DRINKS FROM THE RIVER LETHE.
	YUU'S BOSS IS THE DREAD DORMMAMU.
	YUU IS THE MASKED GOLFER AND BLANKS OUT HIS ACTIVITIES
	AS SUCH.
	YUU IS FAKING IT TO GET ONTO A QUOTA LIST.
	YUU IS THE KEYMASTER.]

	"I think your computer is on drugs," Yuu said.

	"I'm starting to think that myself," Nanami agreed.  

	Miki scanned the list, and one of the items struck her 
as plausible.  "May I?"

	"Uh, sure."

	She sat down and typed.

	>Where is the Masked Golfer?

	[CURRENTLY, HE IS DORMANT]

	>Where is he dormant?

	[INSIDE YUU MATSUURA]

	"Ahah!  You are the Masked Golfer!"  Miki annouced.

	Yuu blinked.  "I could never be that silly."

	"Hey, the Masked Golfer is a real hero!" Miki said, 
hands on hips.  An idea struck her.

	>What triggers the change?

	[WHEN MIKI KOISHIKAWA IS IN DANGER]

	She blushed.  

	"Hmm.  We could test that by me trying to break this 
thing over your head," Nanami suggested.

	"Hey!"

	"Just an idea."

	"So why don't I remember it?"  Yuu asked.

	No reply.

	"ANSWER ME!"

	"You have to type it," Nanami said dryly.

	"Oops."

	>Why don't I remember it?

	[DEFINE IT]

	>Why don't I remember being the Masked Golfer?

	[THE LAWS OF DRAMA]

	>The what?

	[DEFINE WHAT]

	>What are the laws of Drama?

	[EVERYTHING IS RULED BY THE LAWS OF DRAMA.   SHALL I 
LIST ALL 5 MILLION?]

	>No, thanks.

	[THE MASKED GOLFER HAS NOT BEEN PROPERLY AWAKENED; 
UNTIL THAT HAPPENS, YOU WILL NOT REMEMBER YOUR ACTIVITIES AS 
HIM]

	>How do I awaken those memories?

	[IT WILL HAPPEN WHEN THE TIME COMES, IN OBEDIENCE TO 
THE LAWS OF DRAMA.  UNTIL THEN, KEEP YOUR LASER HANDY.]

	"Laser?"  Yuu frowned.  "Well, this does remove one 
worry of mine, but..."

	"I'm so glad you're one of us!"  Miki said.  Even if it 
means Arimi gets more chances to hit on you.  Still, she is 
with Ginta now, Miki thought.  "Now we just have to find 
Tennis Mask!"

	Yuu sat bemused and thought.  "Well, tell me everything 
you know...maybe we can come up with a plan to...uh...do 
whatever we're trying to do."

	Miki and Nanami and the Mercury Computer launched into 
a lengthy explanation.  

*********

	While the purple-haired pervert fondled her, Mars beat 
her in the head with her tennis racket.  She couldn't use 
Burning Passion Serve because she would have hit herself as 
well.  Meanwhile the pervert's ally threw off her 
trenchcoat, revealing a slender, but probably female, 
figure, only partially concealled by her black and white 
striped bodysuit and pink tutu.  She pulled out a long 
obsidian rod capped with a black heart ringed with a tube of 
glowing purple neon from...wherever Highlander immortals 
hide their swords.  "Horny, stop getting off and use your 
powers to stun her so I can finish her off with my Magic 
Twaggler!"

	"But I want you to finish ME off with your magic 
twaggler!" General Horny said, turning to face General Ego.

	This gave Mars the edge she needed to FINALLY get Horny 
out of her blouse.  Can I fight two of them at once, she 
wondered.  I'd best call for help.  She took off running as 
Horny charged Ego and glomped onto her.

	"Do it now, General Ego!" Horny begged. 

	"Not in PUBLIC!" Ego shouted.  "We have to catch that 
Tennis Warrior!"

	Cue Road Runner music.

**********

	"Go ahead and transform already!" Tennis Warrior Moon 
said to Yuu, who she was carrying as she and Mercury leaped 
from roof to roof on their way to answer the distress call 
they had gotten from Mars.

	"I don't know HOW!  I think that computer screwed up."  
Yuu felt and looked undignified slung over one of Moon's 
shoulders.  The way she kept nearly dropping him every time 
she leaped between buildings didn't help.

	"There she is!" Mercury shouted, doing a powerleap that 
sent her flying across the street ahead of them.  She landed 
next to Mars, and Moon (accompanied by a screaming Yuu), 
landed next to them.  They took off running again.

	Mars said, "Why are you carrying Yuu?"

	"Because the universe hates me," Yuu announced.  "Can 
you put me down now?"

	"Surrender now and we will be merciful!" General Ego 
shouted.  "Resist and you will be CRUSHED!"

	"Why are we running away when we outnumber them four to 
two?"  Moon asked.

	"Force of habit?" Mercury speculated, then skidded to a 
halt.  "Surrender now!  I have to go run a betting ring at a 
soccer match in twenty minutes!"

	The others skidded to a halt as well.  Moon put Yuu 
down.  "Transform already!"

	"Maybe you're not in enough danger," Mercury said.

	Ego pointed her Magic Twaggler at Moon.  "I can fix 
that.  I call upon the power of Merchandising!  DEATH BY 
GLOOM BEARS!"  She spun about in a circle, leaving a trail 
of black unsparklies and movement lines, from which formed a 
ring of nine plush bears in shades of black, puce, puke 
green, and burnt orange.  Each of them had a symbol on his 
belly, like a burnt cake, a taco-eating chihuahua, or 
Marilyn Manson.  

	"GLOOM BEARS, ATTACK!" she announced.

	Several of them lit clove cigarettes, while two of them 
pulled out chalk and started writing poetry on the sidewalk.  
Another one began to sing the entire discography of The 
Cure, and the last one sat down and started trying to fit 
some toy fangs into his mouth while putting on a tuxedo and 
black cape.  

	Sailor Mars laughed.  "Oooh, scary!"

	"GLOOM BEARS, ATTACK!"

	"Now, now," Trampled Clover Bear said.  "Combat is an 
act of futility in a universe where all beauty is transient 
and crumbles before you even have time to appreciate it.  
Life is a garden of dead roses and..."

	"JUST KILL THEM ALREADY!  YOU CAN ANGST ON YOUR OWN 
TIME!"

	"I bet I could sell them as living plushies for a good 
price," Mercury mused.

	"Who in their right mind would buy one?"  Moon asked. 

	Yuu leaned against a handy wall.  "Are all your enemies 
this pathetic?"

	The Gloom Bears ignored Ego, formed a poetry circle, 
and began to argue the merits of existentialism versus 
logical positivism.

	"I am NOT PATHETIC!"  Ego screeched.  "Horny!  GLOMP 
THEM!"

	Horny leaped forward at Mars again.  "You're cute!  
Wanna be my big sister?" she said hopefully.

	"NO!  BURNING PASSION SERVE!"  A flaming tennis ball 
zoomed right for Horny's head, then bounced off, only 
slowing her down.  Seconds later, Mars went down in a flying 
glomp.

	Then Ego shouted, "MERCHANDISING TIE-IN!"  Black 
ribbons erupted from the end of her Magic Twaggler, hogtying 
Moon, who she then began to swing round and round over her 
head like a tetherball.  

	Yuu felt his blood pressure rising, and he began to 
sweat.  I have to do something, he thought, rushing at Ego.  
"PUT HER DOWN!"  Ego casually punted him aside.  He felt 
himself starting to black out, but he fought it this time.  
He didn't trust the computer enough to be sure he would 
transform if he blacked out, although he didn't know what 
else he could do.

	Moon had dropped her racquet when the ribbons grabbed 
her, and now all she could do was scream as she spun round 
and round over Ego's head.  "YUUUUUU!!!!!!"  she shouted.  
"Do something!"

	Mercury and Mars were locked in hand to hand with 
Horny, who apparently could not be stopped from crawling 
into Mars' blouse again.  Yuu tried to charge Ego again, 
only to actually be hit by the spinning Moon, used by Ego as 
a weapon.  He went flying, and this time he gave in to the 
blackness, hoping he would transform.  

	He did transform.  Unfortunately, he crashed into a 
wall two seconds later and passed out.  This was not of much 
use, except to confirm that Mercury's computer hadn't lied.

	Two things turned the tide.  First of all, a car roared 
up, and Tennis Warrior Jupiter jumped out of it.  Secondly, 
a golf ball zoomed down from a nearby roof, slicing the 
ribbon holding Moon.  While it sent her flying across the 
street into a parked car, it beat passing out from motion 
sickness, which she had been about to do.

	Everyone looked up, either from surprise or coerced by 
the laws of drama.  A masked golfer stood atop the roof, 
wearing an Arnold Palmer mask.  It hid his hair, though not 
his eyes.  He said, "Enslaving teddy bears and turning them 
to evil just isn't right!"

	"We're not evil, just Gloomy," Teen Smoking Bear said.  
"And we've been ignoring her anyway."

	"Oh, right.  Well, playing tethercat with Tennis 
Warrior Moon isn't nice either!  Even if you are a dog!"

	"Haha!  You think you're tough?  I'll show you TOUGH!!!"  
General Ego said.

	"I don't think so," Jupiter said.  She had General 
Horny in a headlock.  "Surrender now!  We have you 
surrounded!"

	General Ego frowned.  "Well, then we'll just take our 
toys and leave."  She gestured and the Gloom Bears vanished.  
She then pointed her Magic Twaggler at Horny.  "SHABAZZ!!!"  
They both vanished.

	Tennis Warrior Moon got up.  "Thanks, Masked Gol...hey, 
how was Yuu on the roof and on the ground at the same time?"  
She looked at the unconscious Masked Golfer on the ground, 
then up at the roof, but the second Masked Golfer was gone.

	"Here we go again," Mars said.

***********

	>Where is Pluto?

	[ORBITING THE SUN.  WOULD YOU LIKE PRECISE GALACTIC 
COORDINATES?]

	>Where is Tennis Warrior Pluto?

	[SHE'LL HURT ME IF I TELL YOU]

	>I'll hurt you more!

	[NOT BLOODLY LIKELY.  SHE'S AN EXPERT]

	>Dammit, tell me!

	[MY NAME ISN'T DAMMIT]

	>Why do Horny and Ego want to find Pluto?

	[SHE GUARDS THE TIME TUNNEL.  IF SHE FAILS, BERYL CAN 
USE THE TUNNEL TO CHANGE HISTORY.]

	>That would be bad.

	[YEP.]

	>Why doesn't she want to be found, then?

	[SHE DOESN'T TELL ME ALL HER SECRETS, YOU KNOW]

	>Can you give us a clue?

	[THERE'S A CLUE BURIED UNDER SHINONOME HIGH SCHOOL]

	>About Pluto?  Not a copy of the game 'Clue' or some 
other cheesy trick?

	[YES.  A CLUE ABOUT PLUTO]

	>Where under the high school?

	[UNDER THE MAIN CLASSROOM BUILDING]

	>How are we supposed to get to it?

	[I HAVEN'T GOT A CLUE]

	>You said this was a clue!

	[I'M NOT BURIED UNDER THE HIGH SCHOOL.  THE CLUE HAS 
ITSELF]

	>AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!

**********


	Ginta was tapping his foot when Arimi ran up.  "Where 
WERE you?" he snapped.

	"I...I'm sorry," she said.  YOU'RE the one who was 
late, she thought, but I can't tell you that.  She fumed for 
a few seconds, then let it go.  While sometimes relentless, 
she didn't like to hold grudges.  "There was a fight between 
the Tennis Warriors and some maniacs, so I tried to avoid 
it."

	"Are you okay?" he asked hurriedly, coming over to her.  
"You didn't get caught in it, did you?"

	"No, just went out of my way," she said.  "Let's get 
some coffee and see if we can figure out the next step of 
our war."

**********

	Anju woke up in a pool of her own sweat.  She was far 
too used to that, with her health problems, but this time 
was different.  She'd had a dream, a dream of being a living 
weapon, an angel of light and darkness, with the power to 
heal or kill.  And the responsibility to chose between the 
two.  

	In the dream, she had been forced to destroy an entire 
village possessed by demons.  At first they came at her 
howling with rage, trying to slay her.  It had been easy to 
kill them then, but then they had begun to beg, to grovel, 
to offer her powers and riches and wealth.  And then had 
come the worst part of all.  A child possessed by a demon 
had come at her, and just as she aimed an unstoppable blow, 
the demon had left the child, so it had been only a hapless 
child she had slain, and not a demon.  She remembered crying 
tears of blood.

	It was just a dream, she told herself, but ever since 
she had seen the strange woman across the street, the dreams 
had begun to come nightly, some of them wondrous dreams of 
healing, like the one where she had saved an entire nation 
from a plague, and others nightmares where she had to kill 
entire towns.  

	She sighed and staggered of bed.  Time to change the 
sheets, she thought.  

	Soon enough, that was done, and she dreamed happier 
dreams of her friends, and family, and her old friend Yuu, 
who she had not seen in several years, but hoped one day to 
find again.  He would know what to do about the dreams.

**********

	Yuu sat on one of the benches watching the Tennis club 
practice.  Ryouko-sensei was talking to Miki and Setsuna 
right now, setting up a practice doubles match between them 
and two other girls, while Namura-sensei worked with the 
boys.  Normally, he wouldn't have bothered just watching 
people practice, although he did enjoy seeing a real game.  
However, they had a Tennis Warrior strategy meeting later, 
and this was easier than finding something to do in the 
interval.  It gave him time to think.

	A lot of what they had told him sounded crazy, but at 
the same time, it felt right.  He had yet to reconcile the 
contradiction.  He had dreamed of walking through a forest 
and coming to a gap in the trees, looking up at the night 
sky, and seeing Saturn dominating his sight, huge in the 
sky, bigger than the Moon was in Earth's sky.  Was it a 
flashback or a delusion spawned by Luna's stories?  

	It was scary and exciting at the same time.  If it's 
true, at least I won't have to worry as much about Miki 
getting hurt without me being able to do anything about it, 
he thought.  I hated wondering if she was going to be okay.  

	As he waited, Arimi came up to him, followed by 
Tsutomu.  "Save me, Yuu!" she begged, running and standing 
behind him, then stuck her tongue out at Tsutomu.

	"He doesn't like you and you know it!"  Tsutomu said, 
pointing at Yuu.

	"I never said I disliked her," Yuu replied. 

	Ginta came over.  "Tsutomu, go home and stop bugging 
Arimi-san."

	She now glomped onto his arm.  "Yeah!  What he said."

	"Hah!  You're not worthy to be her boyfriend!  I 
challenge BOTH OF YOU!" he said, pointing at Yuu and Ginta.

	"You're a looney," Yuu said.

	"To a game of...golf!"

	"..."

	"We'd need a fourth person to be your partner, but no 
one would ever be that stupid," Ginta said.  

	"Hah!  I can find one easily!  Loser shaves his 
head...or are you chicken?"

	"Heck no!  I'll golf you to baldness any day.  Yuu and 
I will crush you!"

	"Hey, I never said..."  Yuu began.

	"Deal!"  Tsutomu said.  "In eight days, we golf to see 
who gets to look like a monk!"

	"But, I...hey..."  Yuu spluttered.

	"Don't worry," Ginta said.  "We'll crush him.  I'm 
pretty good at golf."

	"It'll be an easy win," Arimi said to Yuu.

	Yuu thought about being bald and prayed they were 
right.

**********

	General Zwei-lite was at his favorite country club, 
having a little round of golf with some of his favorite 
Youma.  The night staff had been carefully tied up, since he 
didn't actually have a MEMBERSHIP in said club.  "Yes, this 
will do nicely," he said.

	He then missed his shot; the youma laughed, then shut 
up when he turned and looked at them.  Then a burst of 
spontaneous innocent whistling broke out.

	"I was referring to my master plan."

	"Oh, of course you were," the caddy said.  "So what is 
it?"

	"Multi-fold.  First, I suspect one of the people 
involved in the golfing grudge match is the Masked Golfer; 
observing him in action will help me prove it.  Secondly, 
the Laws of Drama dictate the Fifth Doom will likely 
manifest himself, disrupting the match."

	The caddy cocked his head.  "Why this match?  Surely 
there's thousands of matches for him to disrupt all over 
Tokyo on any given day."

	"The Dooms seem drawn to students from Torio; there's 
always been one present when a Doom manifested itself.   
Torio is the heart of the struggle, and thus, it is this 
match which will call him forth.  To those who know the laws 
of drama, predicting the future is easy."

	"Can nothing escape these laws?" the caddy asked 
doubtfully.

	"Not in this struggle.  The Laws of Drama rule all, and 
I will use them to assure my victory!"

	Whatever they might assure him in the long run, they 
did nothing to save Zwei-lite from an embarrassing drubbing 
by his own youma, perhaps because he spent more time 
lecturing than aiming his swings.

**********

	Ginta's shot went wild, careening into the woods.  He 
frowned.  "I think your clubs are broken."

	Yuu, Miki, and Arimi stood nearby, watching the ball 
fly.  They'd gone to play a round to help Ginta prepare for 
the grudge match.  It was starting to look like he would 
need a LOT more preparation.

	"My clubs are not broken," Yuu said.  "You don't see me 
having any trouble with them, do you?"

	"Wanna use mine?"  Miki asked Ginta.

	"And this course is so big," Ginta said.  "And what are 
all these funky different clubs for?"

	Arimi got a sudden sneaking suspicion.  "And I suppose 
you're wondering where the windmill you have to shoot 
through is?"

	"Yeah."

	Yuu slapped his forehead.  "Lemme guess, you've only 
played putt-putt golf?"

	"There's a difference?"

	"Well, if you're this stupid, then we might still have 
a chance, since Tsutomu is even dumber than you," Yuu said.  
"He's probably so confused, he's practicing frisbee golf 
right now."

***********

	Tsutomu smiled confidently.  I'll crush Yuu, he 
thought.  He won't know what hit him!  And I know Ginta 
can't golf his way out of a wet paper bag.

	He brought his arms back and let loose with a mighty 
swing, fit to knock the golf ball into the next prefecture.

	If he had hit the golf ball.  A divot of earth rose 
into the air.  His second try was more accurate, sending the 
ball high into the air, arcing towards...the sand trap.  He 
sighed and hiked after it.  I guess I have let my golf game 
go to pot, he thought.  This would have been tricky, since 
something can't go to pot if it never existed.

	Four holes and hours later, he was gnashing his teeth, 
ready to eat his golf clubs.  "I HATE THIS GAME!"  He 
shouted.  "This is impossible!"

	A young man his age, with short sandy-blond hair and 
deep green eyes walked up with a bag of clubs.  "Practicing 
like me?"

	"I need to beat my cousin in a golf game, but I'm out 
of practice," Tsutomu said.  "And it's driving me nuts."

	"Want some tips?" the youth asked.  "I could see you 
need to work on your stance."

	"I'd be grateful.  So what's wrong with my stance?  Oh, 
my name is Rokutanda Tsutomu."

	"Nice to meet you.  I'm Haru Palameru."  He shook 
Tsutomu's hand, and the lessons began.

***********

	"Yuu and Ginta are like, dead," Miki said to the other 
Tennis Warriors.  "And I think shaving your head is against 
our school rules, so they might get in trouble."

	"Good question," Ryouko said.  "I'll check on that.  
But aren't we supposed to be trying to come up with a plan 
on how to find the next of Serenity's rings?"

	"It would help if my piece of junk computer would give 
me a straight answer!  Being told that 'A big-mouthed fool 
of a man' has the ring still leaves of half of Tokyo to 
search.  Unless maybe Ginta is the one it means...agreeing 
to a match when he can't golf to save his life wasn't very 
smart."  Nanami frowned.

	"Are you very good at golfing?"  Miki asked.  "Yuu is, 
but he's not a very good teacher."

	"Makoto's pretty good.  I'll ask him to help Ginta," 
Nanami said.  "Maybe it means a physically large mouth."

	"Hmm.  Try asking it what the ring does.  Maybe that 
will give us a clue,"  Arimi said.

	"Good idea!  And ask it about the Ring of Venus."

	Nanami nodded and started typing.  "It's probably just 
going to tell us our security clearance is too low again."

	>state the powers of the Ring of Venus

	[1.  +1 to Charisma]
	[2.  Charm Person 3/day]
	[3.  Lovesight]
	[4.  Summon the Girdle of Venus]
	[5.  Conjure Beautiful Clothing at Will]
	[6.  Increased Horniness]
	[7.  Increased Table Tennis skills]

	"Wow, we got a straight answer out of it!"  Miki said.  

	>state the identity and powers of the next ring of 
serenity to appear.

	[THE NEXT RING TO APPEAR WILL BE THE RING OF SATURN. ]
	[POWERS:  
		1.  +1 to Angst
		2.  Charm Ghost 3/day
		3.  Deathsight.
		4.  Summon the Chainsaw of Saturn.
		5.  Conjure Gothic Clothing at will
		6.  Increased Gloominess
		7.  Never miss a free throw.]

	"So, we should look for someone really depressed," Miki 
said.

	"Maybe.  Ataru only manifested one of the seven 
traits...increased horniness.  It could be we're looking for 
a really good basketball player," Ryouko said, pointing to 
number seven.

	"A gothic basketball player," Manami speculated.  "With 
a chainsaw."  Pause.  "Or not."

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

	Miki sat at her desk, scribbling in the diary she 
traded daily with Meiko.  'I think Yuu and Ginta are going 
to win, but I'm really scared they'll lose and have to shave 
their heads.  They'd look awful that way.  But I'll be 
rooting for them.  Do you want to come see them play, 
Meiko?'

	She closed the diary; there wasn't too much else to say 
that she could actually tell Meiko.  I have to tell her I'm 
Tennis Warrior Moon soon, she thought.  Meiko deserves to 
know I'm watching out for her, and I just...she's my best 
friend.  I'll just have to plan for when Luna isn't 
watching.

	Going over and sitting on her bed, she petted Luna, who 
was snoozing.  Luna started awake, "That you, Artemis?"

	"It's just me," she said.  

	"Done writing to Meiko?"

	"I have to tell her my secret, or I'm going to 
explode," Miki said.

	Luna frowned.  "Loose lips sink ships."

	"She's my best friend!"

	"Do you want her to think of you as Miki or Tennis 
Warrior Moon?"

	That stopped Miki in her tracks. "You really 
think...she'd stop seeing me as me?"

	"She might even get jealous."

	"But she's caught in the middle of this!  You know how 
many monsters have come after her."

	Luna sighed.  "I feel sorry for her.  She must feel so 
trapped and hunted at times."

	"I bet Tennis Mask is Miwa-san.  He's got a crush on 
Meiko, and Tennis Mask usually shows up to save her when she 
needs saving."

	Luna nodded.  "I think I'll try keeping an eye on him 
to see if he transforms."

	"I wish I knew why she doesn't like him.  He's a really 
cool guy."

	Luna shrugged.  "Some people don't know what's good for 
them, I guess.  Or maybe she knows something about him we 
don't."

	"Maybe she thinks he just wants sex or something."

	"Maybe he does," Luna said.  "I know very little about 
him."

	"I think he'd give up by now if he was like that.  He's 
so stubborn, it has to be true love."

	"That would mean Arimi should have Yuu and Tsutomu have 
Arimi, though," Luna pointed out.

	Miki frowned.  "Don't be so logical."

	Luna laughed.  "When you're my age, you have to learn 
to think about such things."

	"So how old are you?"

	"Only about forty years, since I slept through most of 
the period between the Moon Kingdom and now.  I spent two 
years looking for you."

	For a moment, Miki wondered how Luna could have been 
looking for her for two years, when she found Miki so 
quickly after Miki made her wish...Luna wouldn't have been 
looking for Miki before Miki had made the wish that turned 
her into Tennis Warrior Moon.  But then...if I wasn't Tennis 
Warrior Moon in the past, how did all the history of the 
Moon Kingdom happen?  Miki frowned, suddenly feeling an 
onslaught of metaphysics.  

	Could my wish have changed history...no, surely not, 
she thought.  But then...how did I...it made her head hurt, 
and she resolved to worry about it later when someone who 
knew more about that sort of thing was handy.

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

	Teachers aren't supposed to have affairs with their 
students.  Especially not in public places.  Thus, the fact 
that Namura-sensei and Meiko were smooching on the 
observation balcony of Tokyo Tower was a double no-no.  
Meiko at least had the excuse of being young and 
inexperienced.  To her, this was one of the most romantic 
moments of her live.  She was wearing the brooch that Na-
chan had given her, and he was wearing the pin she had given 
him.  

	The sun was setting, and Tokyo was awash in a rosy 
glow.  "We won't be able to do this much longer," Na-chan 
said softly to Meiko.  "Though I wish we could."

	Her eyes widened, and icy fear clutched at her heart.  
"You...You're not going to...I mean..."

	"I don't mean I'm going to dump you," he said, and felt 
her relax.  "It's just that this life of teacher and 
student...all these lives..."  He waved his hands out across 
the skyline, embracing the city in his comments.  "This age 
is ending.  Soon, I will likely have to throw off this mask, 
and abandon any pretence of a normal life, whether I win or 
lose."  He paused, suddenly realizing he'd said more than he 
had intended to, yet.  She tugs me so hard, I don't know 
which way I'm going when I'm near you, he thought.

	"Because you're Tennis Mask," she said faintly.  "And 
the war is going to get worse?"

	He half jumped out of his flesh.  How much did she 
know, he wondered.  "You...knew?"

	"You're not very good at being sneaky, Na-chan.  And 
the way he always shows up to save me...who else could he 
be?" Hesitantly, she reached up and stroked his cheek.  "I'm 
not mad you didn't tell me.  It's hard to keep a secret.  So 
you think...that soon you won't have time for a normal 
life?"

	He nodded.  Best to move cautiously, he thought.  
That's enough revelations for one night.  "It's possible.  
Things are heating up.  If things go the way Zwei-lite wants 
them to, Beryl will triumph, and I don't know if I'll be 
able to protect you from that.  I think that soon...I 
might...have to take you away somewhere safe.  If you don't 
mind."

	"You can take me right now...My house hasn't been a 
real home in years," she said, sighing.  "I'm ready to go."  
Her heart sang to her at the prospect of living with her 
love.

	"Not yet.  But I'll tell you when the time comes."

	"I'll be ready," she said, stepping up and kissing his 
cheek.  

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

	"Do it like this," Makoto said, miming a shot for 
Ginta, who nodded, and did as he was told.  The shot flew 
high, a little too high, overshooting the green by fifty 
yards, but it had gone the right way, and that was a vast 
improvement.

	Nanami turned to Arimi; they were watching the two men.  
"See, I told you."

	"It's a lot better than when he and Yuu started having 
a duel with their golf clubs."  She sighed. 

	"I'd have won if he hadn't cheated!"  Ginta shouted 
back at them.

	Arimi laughed.  "You dropping your club was cheating?"

	"Hrmph."

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

	It was two AM.  Haru said to Tsutomu, "Maybe we should 
get some sleep."

	"No!  I HAVE TO CRUSH THEM BOTH!  AND I'LL PRACTICE 
UNTIL I DROP DEAD ON THE FIELD TO DO IT! HAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!"  
Tsutomu cackled, then unleashed a mighty blow at the golf 
ball, which shattered.

	I think I may have overdone it a bit, Haru thought.

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

	The sun shone brightly, and nary a cloud covered the 
sky on the day of the golf duel.  A small crowd of friends, 
enemies, and bored people had gathered to watch the 
competition, a full eighteen hole set of golf.  Miki had 
brought a cooler of drinks, and she and her friends 
clustered together near the first hole as the four men went 
through various pre-golf rituals like licking their fingers 
and testing the wind.

	They then drew straws to see who would go first; 
Tsutomu won.  He cackled maniacally, then pointed his club 
at Arimi.  "This is for you!"

	"You can keep it!" she shouted back.

	Ginta yawned.  "Get on with it."

	He choked on the yawn when Tsutomu fired off a hole in 
one.

	Yuu's eyes widened for just a moment.  We are so dead, 
he thought.  

	Arimi's jaw dropped.  "That's impossible!  He's never 
been that good."

	Meiko put a hand on Miki's shoulder.  "Maybe Yuu will 
look good with his head shaved."

	Ginta nervously stepped up to take his first shot while 
Tsutomu danced around making the victory sign and waggling 
his butt at Ginta.  It flew off at an angle, and landed in 
the woods halfway to the green.  He frowned, and stepped 
back to let Yuu and Haru go next.

	Neither of them made a hole in one, or even got their 
shot on the green, but they did close the distance more than 
he did.

	The game continued, with Tsutomu playing remarkably 
well, Ginta having some problems, though improved from where 
he had started a week ago, and Yuu and Haru neck in neck.  

	By the sixth hole, Yuu and Ginta were eight above par 
(if one added the par ratings for the first five), while 
Haru and Tsutomu were three below.  While they still had 
time to catch up, things were not looking good.

	Tsutomu stepped up, put his ball on his tee, and got 
ready to take his shot.  Arimi glanced at him, over at Yuu 
and Ginta, then over at Miki questioningly.  Miki blinked, 
wondering what Arimi was trying to hint at.  Then Arimi ran 
onto the course and embraced Ginta.  "Good luck!"

	Tsutomu stared at them, and nearly bent his club in 
half.  He tried to ignore her and take his shot, but she 
then leaned up and kissed Ginta and his shot went wild, at 
nearly ninety degrees to what he intended, almost smacking 
Ryouko in the head.  "Dammit!  That's cheating!"

	"Rules of golf don't say anything about someone else 
getting kissed," Yuu said, shrugging. 

	Tsutomu continued to fume for the next three holes, 
playing rather badly, which gave Yuu and Ginta some room to 
catch up.   Arimi went back to Miki and whispered, "It's so 
easy to push Tsutomu's buttons, it's almost criminal."

	"That wasn't a very nice thing to do," Miki replied, 
feeling just a twinge of jealousy, even though she knew 
Ginta was Arimi's boyfriend, and they could do whatever they 
wanted.  

	"You want them to shave their heads?"

	"Well, no, but..."

	"Neither do I."

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

	Zwei-lite sat up in a tree, watching the game through 
binoculars.  Should I intervene, he asked himself, or should 
I wait for the end of the game to try and induce the 
transformation?  Given the way that girl is tormenting him, 
I may not have to do anything further.  I think he was 
taught a little too well, though...he's supposed to lose so 
he'll get mad enough.  

	He reached out with his mind, and tried to intuit how 
the currents of drama were flowing.  Was it the right 
moment?  No, not yet.  Something had to happen to push 
Tsutomu over the edge, and it would be best if he was not 
seen to be involved.  That way, he would retain his freedom 
to come down on whichever side would be most fruitful.  Yes, 
that was best.  

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

	Miki had to admit she was impressed by Arimi's skills 
at distracting Tsutomu.  At one point, she'd even thought 
Arimi was going to flash Tsutomu, but either she changed her 
mind, or Miki simply hadn't been looking when she did.  
Tsutomu was playing more and more wildly, and becoming more 
and more frantic and angry.

	He did, however, nearly save himself with a hole in one 
on the last hole.  His partner, however, in a string of bad 
luck, took fifteen strokes to make the final shot.  In fact, 
it made Miki wonder if Haru really wanted to win...Ginta had 
done it in five, and she was sure she could have done it in 
less than fifteen, even with little skill at golf.

	Yuu toted up the score.  "We win by four strokes."  He 
gave a great sigh of relief.

	Ginta laughed and stuck out his tongue at Tsutomu.  
"You'll look great with a shaved head!  You can go cruising 
the monasteries for women."

	Miki said, "Don't rub it in, Ginta.  That's mean!"

	"Yeah.  He already knows he's a loser," Yuu said.

	That was the final straw.  "Loser?  LOSER?  I'LL SHOW 
YOU LOSER!"  Tsutomu shouted, turning purpler than his hair.

	Miki's arm hairs suddenly stood on end, and she could 
hear Nanami mutter, "Trouble."

	Tsutomu whipped a five iron out of his bag and took a 
swipe at Ginta's head.  The club burst into flames as he 
swung it, and Ginta only barely avoided getting hit, falling 
back over his own bag.  There was nothing to save 
him....nothing but Yuu, who parried the next blow with one 
of his own clubs.  "What are you DOING?"  Yuu said.  "It's 
just a game!"

	"You tricked me!  This was all a trap!  NOW YOU WILL 
ALL PAY!"  Another blow cut Yuu's seven iron in half, but it 
was enough time for Ginta to scramble out of the way.  
Tsutomu charged after them, shouting incoherently, growing 
larger with every step.  He had become Fire Iron, the Fifth 
Doom, sprouting a corona of flames and huge wings of fiery 
feathers.  

	The crowd of onlookers began to panic.  Ryouko took 
charge.  "I'm a teacher!  This way, back to the club house!"  
She and Makoto herded them along.

	Miki tried to stay with Arimi and Nanami, but Meiko 
took her by the arm and started dragging her along.  "You 
can't help Yuu!  We've got to call the police or something.  
Although I guess the Tennis Warriors will probably show up 
soon."

	Protesting inarticulately, Miki was swept away.

	Nanami and Arimi transformed once they got out of 
sight, then Mars said, "You keep him from burning the 
grounds with your rain, while I fight fire with fire."

	"Right.  GAME CALLED ON ACCOUNT OF RAIN!"  A howling 
storm poured down on the Fifth Doom, preventing him from 
setting the grounds alight.  Unfortunately, it also 
prevented Mars' Burning Passion Serves from reaching the 
Fifth Doom, who didn't even notice them and kept chasing Yuu 
and Ginta.  His fiery aura was damped down to only an inch 
long, however, and he clearly wasn't enjoying it.

	Ginta managed to run into a tree, unfortunately, since 
he wasn't looking where he was going, and Yuu grabbed a 
handy branch and tried to fend off the Fifth Doom.  This 
didn't work too well, as he soon had only a stub of a stick.  
Ginta got back up again and grabbed a stick himself, having 
no more luck.

	Mercury began struggling with her computer, while Mars 
closed to hand to hand combat, launching a flying kick into 
the Doom's head.  That got it's attention.  "Mars!"  It 
cried.  "I love you!"  Rushing forward, it began to glomp 
her, catching her by surprise.  

	Yuu and Ginta hit the Fifth Doom in the head with 
everything they could, while Mars struggled desperately.  
She tried kicking him in the 'nads, only to discover his 
golfing shorts were armored.  With arms pinned, she finally 
resorted to trying to bite his neck, only to have him 
announce, "Oooh, a hickey!"

	Mercury finally got a straight answer out of her 
computer.  "Mars, you should..."  She took a golf ball in 
the head.  Youma Caddy, a green skinned young man with short 
teal hair, an alligator t-shirt and golf pants, unleashed 
five more balls, sending her running.  He charged after her, 
and knocked her a good hundred yards into a water trap, then 
laughed.  "Appropos."

	"Yeah, whatever!"  She charged out of the water, only 
to be sent flying into the fifth hole.  Sure, she didn't 
fit, but a hard enough impact fixed that.  

	Meanwhile, Yuu and Ginta continued pummeling the Fifth 
Doom in an entirely ineffective manner.  Mars finally passed 
out from too firm a hug, and it turned to face them.  "NOW 
YOU BOTH DIE!"

	This would be a good time for my alleged powers to 
spontaneously manifest, Yuu thought.  His powers, however, 
disagreed, so he went to plan B.  "RUN FOR IT!"

	They ran for their lives.

**********

	Youma Caddy, having dealt with Mercury began combing 
the grass with a magnifying glass, trying to find the Fifth 
Ring of Serenity.  Trying to search an entire golf course 
for the ring, or even just part of it, was slow work.  

	General Zwei-lite slipped out of the trees.  "Any 
luck?"

	"No."

	"I believe he's wearing it."

	"Wearing the ring?"

	"It is what they're for," Zwei-lite said, laughing.  
"You take the low road, and I'll take the high road, and 
we'll see who gets the Ring first."

	"Eh?"

	"Get to it!"

	"Yes sir," Caddy said, bowing, summoning his Youma Golf 
Cart, hopping in, and roaring off across the course.

**********

	From the clubhouse, Miki could see Fire Iron chasing 
Yuu and Ginta around in circles, though not very well, since 
it was now raining very heavily over most of the course.  
She couldn't stand having to just stand there, but with 
Meiko and Setsuna there, she couldn't run off and transform.  
"I've got to do something!"

	"I'm surprised Moon and Jupiter and the Masked Golfer 
haven't shown up yet," Setsuna said.

	"Maybe they're on vacation," Meiko speculated.

	Maybe they can't transform because everyone is looking, 
Miki thought, hopping back and forth.  There has to be 
something I can do...Ahah!  "Has anyone seen Nanami?"

	Meiko looked around.  "Hey, she and Arimi are missing."

	"And Tsutomu's partner, and Manami and Kurumi and their 
boyfriends are gone too.  Do you think the Youma captured 
them?"  Setsuna asked.

	"I'm going to go find them!"  Miki announced, running 
off into the rain towards one of the patches of woods.  "I 
think they went this way!"

	"Miki, it's dangerous out there!"  Setsuna said.

	Meiko hesitated.  Miki was going to get into trouble; 
she could smell it.  But I don't have any powers, and I 
can't always count on Na-chan saving me, and he didn't come 
to the match, so he's probably not around, but I can't 
just...  "Miki, come back here!"  she ran after Miki.
	
	She couldn't tell if Miki was deliberately ignoring her 
or if the rain was just blocking the sound.  The knots of 
woods on the course weren't too thick, so they soon passed 
through it to a point where no one in the clubhouse could 
see them.  Miki started to say something, then saw Meiko and 
blinked.  "Meiko, it's too dangerous!"

	"I'm not going to leave you here!"  Meiko said.  "Come 
back with me!"

	"I have to...I have to find everyone!  They could be in 
trouble?"

	"And what are you going to DO about it?  We don't have 
any powers, you know!"

	Miki winced and walked over to Meiko.  "I'm Tennis 
Warrior Moon, Meiko."

	Meiko laughed.  "Don't be silly, Miki."  She paused.  
"You are serious."

	"Totally.  I'll...explain it all later.  I've got 
to..."

	"Miki, RUN!"  Ginta shouted.  He and Yuu suddenly came 
barreling into sight from around another grove.  Fire Iron 
was in hot pursuit, his aura growing as Mercury's storm 
faded.  

	No choice, Miki thought.  I have to transform now!  
"Mo..."  She took a golfball in the head and collapsed, 
stunned.  Youma Caddy had arrived.

	He was barrelling towards Meiko and Miki, on his way 
towards the Fifth Doom, and it was clear he would simply run 
Miki over, and Meiko too if she didn't get out of the way.  
More golfballs zinged past Meiko, narrowly missing her, 
which was what Caddy had planned, since he was actually 
aiming at the Fifth Doom.  He'd only hit Miki by unlucky 
accident.  Six balls bounced off the Fifth Doom, who didn't 
even notice them, though two ricocheting balls took down 
Ginta.

	In a nearby tree, Zwei-lite watched, and his suspicions 
were confirmed when Yuu gave a howl like an angry wolf.  A 
shimmering aura rolled over him, and when it cleared, the 
Masked Golfer, or at least one of them, was revealed.  He 
hurled a club at the cart, stopping it dead, and sending 
Youma Caddy flying, much to his surprise.  How'd he shut off 
my cart with a golf club, Youma Caddy wondered.

	The Masked Golfer then sprinted forward and jumped up 
into a tree while carrying Miki and Meiko.  He gently laid Miki 
in the crook of a branch, and helped Meiko balance herself on a 
second one.  Then he pointed one of his clubs at the Fifth 
Doom.  "You'll pay for this!"

	"Hahaha!  I have unlimited greens priviledges, and I 
didn't pay for them!"  Fire Iron began to rant incoherently, 
while Youma Caddy simply rushed him.  Fire Iron casually 
beat Youma Caddy unconscious with a flaming club and 
continued to rant about how great he was.

	Miki sat up, rubbing her head.  "Ow.  You okay, Meiko?"

	"I'm fine, Miki," she said faintly.

	"Good.  LOVE FORTY, GAME POINT!"  Miki transformed, 
then pointed her racket at Fire Iron.  "Setting the golf 
course on fire and hugging Mars until she passes out just 
isn't right!  Golf is a friendly competition, not a war to 
the death!  You have violated the sanctity of this golf 
course!  I won't forgive you!"

	She looked over expectantly at the Masked Golfer, who 
said, "I'm gonna kick your butt."  Pause.  "I'm not good at 
speeches."

	"MOON SLAM!"  Moon shouted, smacking a powerful serve 
into Fire Iron's forehead.  He staggered, and the Masked 
Golfer followed up with a powerful putt to the gut.  

	Fire Iron threw Youma Caddy at them, knocking them both 
out of the tree.  Meiko barely clung to her branch, and 
ended up upside down, clinging by her legs.  "Drop into my 
arms," Moon shouted, and she did so.  "You'd better get back 
to the clubhouse."

	Meiko nodded, and ran.

	The fight went on, seemingly for hours, but probably 
not.  While Fire Iron was too slow to catch them, they 
couldn't hurt him with their attacks, and they soon realized 
their balls were burning up in his fire aura, which was now 
at full strength as the storm had quit.  

	"We need Mercury," Moon said.  "Where is she?"

	"She's in the Fifth Hole," the second Masked Golfer 
said, as he tried to play through Fire Iron's chest with a 
putter, which melted to slag.

	They both started, wondering when he had shown up.  He 
waved.  "I'll hold him off while you go find her!"

	"I'll help him," the first Masked Golfer said.

	"Right!"  Moon said, and she took off sprinting.  Soon, 
she was pulling Mercury out of the hole and shaking her 
awake.  "You've got to do another storm, so we can get our 
attacks through his aura."

	Mercury rubbed her eyes.  "Why are there three of you?"

	"Eep!  I hope you don't have a concussion or something.  
Are you up to fighting?"

	"Just don't make me use that stupid computer," she 
said, getting up.  "Okay, let's go."

	Life was not looking up for the forces of good.  Mars 
had gotten back up and joined in, which was helping, but he 
was still overwhelming them.  The Masked Golfer was stuck 
head first into a hollow tree, and the second one was being 
chased round the tree by Fire Iron.  Mars was pelting him 
with flaming tennis balls, but fire only made him stronger.

	As Mercury was about to shout her attack, the 
sprinklers suddenly kicked in, hosing down Fire Iron, who 
began to dance about, trying to avoid them.  Then General 
Zwei-lite dropped down on him from higher up in the tree.  
To everyone's surprise, the duo began to roll around, 
wrestling on the ground.  Zwei-lite managed to get the ring 
off, but the fire aura was still strong enough to hurt him, 
and he lost his grip on it.  It rolled away, right at Mars' 
left foot.  "Hah!" she shouted.

	Then the rain came down, and the fire aura dimmed more.  
Zwei-lite picked up Fire Iron and hurled him at Mercury in 
irritation.  "You can HAVE him!"

	Moon shot him down with a Passion Serve, and he finally 
collapsed, turning back into Tsutomu.

	The second Masked Golfer helped the first one out of 
the tree, and Zwei-lite took off running.  "Well, best to 
run away and fight again another day," Zwei-lite said.

	They gave chase after him, charging into a grove, only 
to come out into an unexpected water trap.  They all fell in 
the pond, while he, to their surprise, simply vaulted it 
with a lithe jump, then vanished into yet another grove.  

	"He got away!"  Moon shouted in frustration.

	"But we got the ring," Mars said, brandishing it.  "And 
we...hey, the second Masked Golfer vanished!"

	"So there were two," Mercury said.  "And not three?"

	"Let's check on your head," Moon said.

**********

	"And that's how I became Tennis Warrior Moon," Miki 
explained to Meiko.  They were at Miki's house, up in her 
room.  Luna was curled up in Meiko's lap; she'd been mad at 
first, but now she was just snoozing.  

	"Wow.  I'm happy for you, Miki."

	"I'm just glad I don't have to hide anything from you 
anymore.  No more secrets."  Miki flopped down on her bed.  
"And we won!  I was starting to think we weren't going to be 
able to beat Zwei-lite again.  Although I can't even figure 
out what his plan was this time.  I guess since Tsutomu was 
wearing the ring, he had to either grab it himself or wait 
for us to get it, then take it, unlike the other times.  
Hopefully, we'll get the next one, too."

	"Where is it?"  Meiko asked.

	"All the computer knows is that we'll find it 'where 
love has turned to hate'.  We always get these vague clues 
that don't help much, until it's almost time to find it, and 
then it's usually too late."  She sighed.

	Meiko thought about her parents when Miki said that, 
and shuddered.  

	"What's wrong, Meiko?"

	"Nothing.  Just wondering if Miwa is going to try 
something else stupid tomorrow."

	"He really likes you, you know.  You ought to give him 
a chance.  Or is there someone else?"  Miki asked.  Maybe 
she has a crush on someone, but she's too shy to tell them.  
Although I'd think she'd have told me, but, maybe she's 
afraid to admit it.

	Meiko said nothing for a little while, and just petted 
Luna, then said, "Sometimes I wish I could come live with 
you."

	"Well, my parents are so crazy, they'd probably adopt 
you if you asked.  Is it really that bad at your house?"

	"It's horrible.  I'm glad I'm staying the night with 
you, because I know no one will scream and break things in 
the middle of the night."

	Miki frowned.  "I'm sorry, Meiko.  I wish I could 
help."

	"You do help, by being my friend.  I...I don't ever 
want to be married, Miki.  I don't want to end up like my 
parents."

	"But you don't have to," Miki said.

	"They didn't WANT to end up like that, they just did," 
Meiko said.  "I'll be happy when I get out."  She sighed, 
and Miki came over and gave her a hug.  For a while, they 
said nothing, then Meiko said, "So what happens when all of 
Serenity's Rings are found?"

	"We duke out until one side has them all and assembles 
Serenity's original ring.  And then we have to find the Moon 
Princess, who can use it."

	"And you have two of them?"

	"I'm carrying one, and Arimi has the other one.  I have 
the one of Venus, and she has the one of Saturn."

	"But Saturn isn't the fifth planet."

	"They're all jumbled up, I guess.  I sorta expected the 
Saturn bearer would be a basketball player, anyway."

	"Can I see it?" Meiko asked.

	Miki reached inside her shirt and extracted the ring, 
then unhooked the chain and handed the ring to Meiko, who 
slipped it on.  Meiko blinked, staring at Miki's right hand, 
so Miki looked at it, but didn't see anything.  "There's a 
thread going from your hand, under the door."

	Miki waved her hand about.  "Is not."

	Meiko thought a moment, then smiled.  "Ahh, I see."  
She looked at her own right hand; Miki saw nothing, but 
Meiko smiled broadly.  "Neat.  Ring, give me a really nice 
dress."

	Light and shadow swirled around her, and when it 
cleared, she was dressed in a long green tafetta dress that 
went down to just a little above her ankles.  The sleeves 
were poufy and gathered just above the elbow, and the 
neckline was high, buttoned shut with tiny pearl buttons.  
Her hair was gathered back into a pony-tail, and a braided 
light blue headband pushed her bangs up in front.  Light 
green gloves covered her forearms, and two tiny emerald 
studs in a gold setting graced her ears.  She looked older, 
and more mature, almost regal, and Miki felt her breath 
catch just looking at her.  

	I wonder if I looked that impressive when Yuu saw me, 
Miki thought.  "You look great!"

	Meiko looked at herself in a mirror and did a double 
take.  "That's me?"

	"I bet Miwa would die from joy if he saw you like 
that."

	Yuu opened the door and did a take.  "The parents will 
certainly ask interesting questions if they see you like 
that."

	"If you ever KNOCKED first..."  Miki said, "You 
wouldn't..."

	Meiko looked at each of them and smiled broadly.  "I'll 
just turn back now.  Turn me back, Ring."  There was a 
flash, and she was back to a simple blue blouse and tan 
skirt.  She handed the ring back to Miki.  "I wish I had one 
of these."

	Miki put it back on the chain.  "Did you just butt in 
for fun, Yuu?"

	"Just a warning to be careful," Yuu said.  "I could 
hear you two discussing everything in the hallway.  Oh, and 
supper is ready."

	Miki slipped the ring into her shirt.  "Let's eat!"  
She took off down the stairs, and for a time, all things 
Tennis Warrior were forgotten, especially when Miki slipped 
and fell down half the flight.
	
************

	"You sure you're okay, Ginta?" Arimi asked.  They were 
at a coffehouse, having a snack.  

	"I'm fine.  I just slept a while after the youma hit 
me.  Well, and got wet from the sprinklers."

	"Meiko turned them on," Arimi said.  "She was trying to 
help the Tennis Warriors."

	"I wish I knew where all these monsters are coming 
from.  Or that I could do something about them.  I worry 
about if Miki is safe."

	Arimi sighed.  "We have to come up with another plan to 
get the ones we want."

	Ginta nodded, though he was starting to think this plan 
of faking a relationship just wasn't working out.  Although 
sometimes when he thought about Arimi, he wondered if he 
would have a chance with her for real.  "How about some kind 
of beach party?"

	"Ooh, good idea!  My family has a place..."

	The wheels of teenage plotting began to turn.

**********

	Zwei-lite brooded.  I handled this one badly, he 
thought.  I should have stuck to my original plan, but then 
that branch broke, and...the Laws of Drama had broken the 
branch.  They were a knife that twisted too easily in his 
hands.  It took intense planning to thwart them, and he had 
handled this job badly, for he had had other things on his 
mind.  Plans for the future had kept him from focusing on 
the present, without which there would be no future.  

	If I get all of Serenity's Rings, I can write my own 
ticket.  If not, I'll end up like Jinnai or worse.  At least 
Horny and Ego are no threat.  But what of Pluto?  She was 
the wild card, and he knew Beryl feared her most of all.

	As for the other tennis warriors, knowing Yuu was the 
Masked Golfer, many other things fell into place.  Well, a 
few things.  The Masked Golfer always came to the aid of 
either Miki Koishikawa or Tennis Warrior Moon, and after the 
way Miki had run out there...she had to be one of the Tennis 
Warriors.  Or insane, but he didn't think she was.  

	The problem with that logic was that Meiko had run out 
as well, but she was not a Tennis Warrior.  Not unless she 
could be in two places at once.  Still, watching Miki would 
lead him to the others.  Time to find a good spy youma, he 
thought.