* * *
	Raye's grandfather was jogging up the steps again. He didn't give a damn
what those doctors said - he still felt young and fit as a fiddle! And he
was going to stay young as long as he could. . .
	Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a pretty young thing pass by. "Hi
there," he called. "How'd you like to come work at my temple as a shrine
maiden?"
	"Get lost, old geezer!" she shouted, then continued on her way.
	"Old geezer?" he mumbled to himself. "Ha! I'll show *her* who's an old
geezer! Why, I'll jog up and down these steps a hundred times!" And he
began to run twice as hard and twice as fast.
	He was so intent on what he was doing that he didn't notice the shadowy
creatures hiding in the bushes. . .
* * *
	Raye was lying in the middle of a circle of salt, with candles at each of
the compass points. Darien was beside her, holding her hand, talking her
down into the trance state. . .
	And then, suddenly, the room faded away, and she was walking between two
walls of fire. There was a figure in the distance, a figure she recognized
on sight, the one person in the world she was usually most glad to see. .
.but not today.
	When she drew near to him, instead of opening her arms like she usually
did, she flung herself down on her knees. "Oh, my lord," she cried, "I beg
your forgiveness!"
	"Forgiveness? For what? This is not like you, Raye."
	"For. . .for. . ." She couldn't even get the words out.
	"Have you come to me about the young man named Chad?"
	"Yes! Oh, my Lord, I've started to feel things for him. . .things I should
only feel for you!"
	"Raye. . ." He drew her to her feet. "First of all, stop kneeling. I don't
like that. You're my champion and priestess, not my slave." She noticed he
didn't add, as he usually did, the word "lover."
	He made a motion with his hand, and a bench appeared. He guided her to sit
down on it, and sat beside her. "I'm glad you came to me, Raye. . .because
there are things we need to discuss."
	"Like. . .my destiny?"
	"Yes. You do indeed have a most crucial destiny ahead of you. . .you will
affect the very course of the world. And I will play a part in that
destiny."
	Raye thought of what he'd told her before of her future. . .the Scouts
would live long, long lives, perhaps even be immortal, and would inhabit a
utopian place called Crystal Tokyo. . .where gods and humans would dwell
side by side.
 	"But Raye. . .that destiny is still a long, long time off. And you have a
lot of life to live in between times. You have found a mortal you will be
good for and who will be good for you. It's right that the two of you
should be together, and I won't stand in your way."
	"You. . .you won't? Then Chad and I are. . .an Eternal Couple? We've been
together since. . ."
	"No, Raye. In fact, this is his first incarnation. He's a new soul. He's
still trying to find his way in the universe. He needs someone to guide
him, encourage him and love him. And you could do all that for him. His
destiny beyond this lifetime lies on a different path from yours. . .but
while he is in this flesh, you and he are an ideal couple."
	"Just for this lifetime. . ." She wondered, do I want to do this? Do I
want to get involved in a relationship that's just for the next 40 or 50
years at best? What if I stay young while he sickens and dies - could I
handle that? Especially knowing we wouldn't be together in the next life?
	Then she thought more about what Mars said - that he was a new soul, and
that she was the one who could help him find his way in the universe, help
him achieve bigger and better things in the next life. This is part of my
destiny too, she thought. . .
	"There's just one thing I want to know before I return and. . .and go to
Chad." She smiled. . .now that she had said the words out loud, now that
she knew she could do what her heart truly wanted to do, it was like a 500
pound weight had been taken off her back. "How did you and I end up
together in the first place? I know how it happened in this lifetime, but.
. .before. . ."
	Mars paused, as if pondering how much to tell her. . .then, he began to
speakagain, choosing his words carefully. . .
	"You were the heiress to the throne of Mars. On that planet, the eldest
child, whether male or female, always inherited the throne. But that person
also was required to enter an arranged marriage with someone chosen by
their parents at their birth - usually the child of a political ally. Your
father was married to the younger sister of a very mighty monarch. But he
didn't love her. There was someone else he had fallen in love with, a woman
who gave him his first child. When he had to leave her and marry the woman
who became your mother, it tore his heart out. He was determined that you
would never suffer the same pain. . .so he invoked the one way out for a
princess in the planet's laws. The princess would not have to have an
arranged marriage if she were given to the god of the planet as his bride.
Your mother and your stepmother -your father's lover - were both shocked
and horrified. They thought that you would never know love, never know the
touch of a man. But when you came of age. . .I began to visit you, in a
human form. And I continued to do so until the end of the Silver
Millenium."
	"And in this life. . ."
	"In this life. . .at first, I wasn't going to get involved with you,
except in the background. I had decided to let you live as a normal mortal.
But then, you became Sailor Mars again, and I had to give you my
protection. . .and then came the day when you called upon me to show
myself. Do you remember? You were heartbroken over a broken relationship, a
relationship that could never be in the first place, because. . ." He
stopped abruptly, as if he were about to say something he shouldn't. "I
appeared, and we began our relationship again."
	"I don't regret it."
	"Neither do I. And now. . .I feel you must return to your world. You will
be needed there very soon, I fear."
	"I guess this means I won't be hearing your voice in my head again when I
need help. . ."
	"Don't think that for a minute. You will always be my champion and
priestess, the Warrior of Fire and Soul. And I will always guide and help
you. . .just as you will guide and help your new love." He embraced her,
and said, "Now, go. . .and be happy."
	She returned his embrace, then started to walk away, and the scene was
fading away, and she felt herself back in her physical body again. . .
* * *
	Raye shook her head. What was that she was feeling? Her psychic senses
were definitely starting to pick something up. . .
	"Raye?" Darien said.
	She put a hand on his arm. "Danger. . .do you sense it?"
	"Yes. . .yes, I do."
	"It feels like it's near. . .very near. . ."
	And then, she heard the commotion at the front of the temple, and a man
screaming. . .
	"GRANDPA!" she shouted, bolting out of her room. She prayed that her fears
wouldn't be true, but when she reached the porch, she saw that they were -
her grandfather was being attacked by two bizarre humanoid-bird hybrids. He
was trying to fend them off with karate moves, but they were quickly
overpowering him. . .
	"Hang on, Grandpa!" she shouted. "Help is on the way. . ." Ducking back
into the temple, she pulled her wand out of the pocket of her robe and
called, "MARS POWER!"
	But as she went into her transformation, she did not realize that she was
being watched. Chad stood agape in the shadows, not believing what his eyes
told him, even as his brain was starting to put together puzzle pieces - so
*this* explained why she ran away from the temple all the time without
explanation, why she sometimes snuck away at night after everyone else went
to bed. . .and it also could have something to do with her recent behavior.
. .
	"Sailor Mars," he whispered in awe and wonder.
	Her transformation complete, Raye lept out onto the temple steps and
shouted, "GET AWAY FROM HIM *NOW!*"
	One of the bird-things turned to her without letting go of her
grandfather. "And just who might you be?"
	"I'm Sailor Mars, and I'm your worst nightmare! Now put him down, or I'll
punish you!"
	"Do your worst, girlie," the other creature sneered.
	I'm going to have to aim carefully, she thought. One inch off and Grandpa will be burned to a crisp. . .maybe if I just singe their feathers, they'll get the idea. . .
	"MARS FIRE. . .IGNITE!" The blast flew toward the creatures, but when it
hit them, they didn't even flinch. Their feathers were singed, all right. .
.but the burns disappeared within a second.
	"Amateur hour," the first creature said. "Not like THIS. . ."
	And both bird-men raised their wings and shot feathers tipped with sharp,
stinging quills at her. They lodged themselves in her skin, sending jolts
of pain throughout her body. She tumbled to the ground. They aimed to fire
again. . .
	And then a rose landed in front of the creatures, momentarily parilyzing
them. A voice shouted, "Only a coward would attack a harmless elderly man!
You want a fight, I'll give you a fight!"
	Raye looked up and saw Tuxedo Mask on the temple roof. There was a flash
of gold as he drew his weapon. . .
	"EARTH BLADE. . ."
	"NO! STOP! THIS IS MY FIGHT!"
	"Sailor Mars, your attack doesn't. . ."
	She got to her feet, slowly. She knew what to do. *He* was telling her
what to do. These creatures were prepared for her standard attack. . .but
if she hit them with something new. . .
	Mars, my lord, she thought, you will never fail me, and I will never fail you.
	She brought up her hands, and shouted, "MARS FIREBIRD STRIKE!" The beast
of fire arced away from her and toward the bird-things. They realized what
was happening, dropped her grandfather, and tried to get away. . .but they
were doomed. As soon as the flames hit them, they were incinerated.
	Raye took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. It's over, she
thought. I did it. . .
	Darien leapt off the roof and landed beside her. "Great job, fireball," he
said.
	"Thanks for your help, Tux Boy. For *everything.*"
	"I think I'd better go," he said. "You probably have things to take care
of now. . ."
	She hugged him, and he left.
	Raye heard her grandfather stir and moan. Quickly detransforming, she ran
to his side.
	"Grandpa! Grandpa! Are you all right?"
	He sat up slowly. "What happened? I feel like I got hit by a truck. . ."
	"No truck. Just a small. . .accident."
	"Accident?" He got to his feet. "I'm sore all over. . .I think I'm going
to go lie down for awhile." Raye supported him as he walked back into the
temple.
	After she had put him to bed, she started to head back into the main room
- when she heard Chad call her name.
	"Chad. . .hi. I didn't realize you were. . ."
	"Raye. . .I saw you. I know that you're Sailor Mars."
	Her heart dropped into her feet. "You. . .you *saw* me?"
	"Yes. I always knew you were a special woman. . .and now I know just *how*
special."
	"Chad. . .please don't tell Grandpa. If he knew, he'd literally worry
himself to death."
	"I won't tell another living soul." He let out a big sigh. "Well, I was
hoping that maybe, someday, you'd see me as more than just a buddy. . .but
I guess Sailor Scouts have their pick of any flashy guy they want, like
that Tuxedo Mask dude. . ."
	She smiled to herself. There was a time when Tuxedo Mask was the only
thing she wanted in the world. . .but not anymore.
	She moved closer to Chad. "I don't have my pick of any guy in the world.
Not really. And even if I did. . .I would pick you."
	He stood rooted to the spot, not knowing what to do at first. And then her
arms were around him, and she was drawing his head toward hers. Their lips
came together, and suddenly, he *definitely* knew what he wanted to do. . .
	As their mouths opened, she let out a small groan of passion, her tongue
hungrily stroking his. Her hands roamed up and down his toned and muscular
athlete's body, and her body shivered with desire as she felt the dampness
rising between her thighs.
	Strange, she thought. . .all the sex I had with Mars, and right now, I
feel. . .like a virgin. I've never been intimate with a mortal man before.
. .
	Their lips broke apart, and she rested her head on his shoulder as their
hands roamed each other's bodies.
	"We don't have to go any further. . ." he said.
	She raised her head and looked him in the eye. "We don't *have* to. But I *want* to."
	Their mouths came together again, explosively, and then he lifted her in
his arms as if she were light as a feather and carried her to his room.
	Gently, he deposited her on the bed, busily working on her temple robes,
trying to get all the sashes and knots undone, his hands tripping over each
other in their eagerness. She pulled away from him just long enough to do
the job herself. The garments fell to the floor, and as his lips claimed
hers again, his hands came up to her breasts, beginning to rub and squeeze
them through the fabric of her bra. She let out a loud gasp, feeling her
nipples harden and rise, as if trying to tear their way through the cloth
to meet his skin.
	Feeling passion rise and rise within her like lava in a volcano, she
flipped him over on his back, her mouth caressing his again and again. Her
hands roamed his body over and over as she stripped away his clothes, piece
by piece. Pulling away just long enough to rid herself of what she was
still wearing, she lay atop him, her lips moving down his neck, down over
his chest. . .she ran her tongue around his right nipple, then drew it into
her mouth and sucked, drawing a groan of surprise and delight from him.
Slowly, softly, she moved over to the other side and repeated her action,
making him groan and squirm.
	Down she moved, and still down, and then she saw it. For a second, she
froze, all her customary boldness draining out of her body. Seeing his
erection right in front of her made it so. . .so. . .*official *. . .she
was going to embark on a full-fledged romance with Chad. Did she want to do
this?
	She most definitely did. She took him in both her hands, gently caressing,
sliding her fingers up and down his length, delighting in how he groaned
and shuddered. . .She leaned over and took him into her lips, caressing him
with her tongue before starting to move him in and out, in and out. . .He
cried her name out, his whole body writhing in ecstasy.
	She could have taken him all the way like that - she was definitely
willing to - but he had other ideas. He gently pushed up on her shoulders
to make her back off, then flipped her over on her back, kissing her lips
hard, gently nibbling on the lower one.
	His fingers were flicking back and forth over her nipples, and her
breathing was starting to become rapid. Then, he bent his head, taking one
in his mouth while continuing to caress the other. As he started to suck,
she felt hot pulses of electricity flying through her body, shooting down
to the hot center of her being, which was starting to feel like it was
ablaze. She moaned his name over and over, tangling her hands in his hair.
. .
	And then his mouth left hers, and she let out a cry of disappointment. But
he was moving downward again, over her stomach, down, down, down. . .
	His tongue pushed its way between her folds, into her sweet center, and
she arched and cried out loudly. His hands reached up, continuing to caress
her nipples as his tongue flicked and swirled and probed, searching for
every sensitive space, making her gasp when he darted here, making her moan
when he twirled away there. . .And then, he found the nub of flesh that
most craved his touch, and he began to lick it with long, firm strokes. She
almost screamed. Over and over he licked, and then he took it in his lips
and started to suck. . .
	And that's when she felt the freight train running through her body, her
soul, and she shouted his name at the peak of her orgasm, just before
collapsing back on the bed.
	He came back up to her and kissed her gently, stroking and holding her as
her spasms faded. She reached up to caress his face.
	"Raye," he said, "before we go any further. . .before we do anything else,
I want you to know. . .I love you. I've loved you ever since I first laid
eyes on you."
	"I love you, too."
	"You do?"
	"Yes." And she knew she meant it.
	The expression on his face was one of the most beautiful she had ever seen
- it was just pure, unadulterated joy on a level she thought she had never
seen before. He leaned over and brought his lipsto hers again, and this
time, the kiss was as sweet and tender as it was hot. They shared one long,
lingering kiss, then several little, feathery ones.
	"Come to me, my love," she whispered.
	He broke away just long enough to go into his dresser drawer and get out
the package of condoms he'd bought in hopes that this day would come. He
quickly prepared himself, then lay back atop her, kissing her breasts, then
her lips.
	The first thrust took her breath away with the intensity of pleasure. She
felt her hips rising to meet him, trying to pull him as deep into her as
she possibly could. Soon, very soon, they found their rhythm, connecting,
pulling apart, connecting again. . .She was amazed at how fast she was
climaxing again, the hot spasms shaking her quickly, firey darts of
pleasure racing through her bloodstream.
	She went limp for a second, just gasping and trembling. . .and then she
rolled him over on his back and straddled him, driving her hips fast and
hard, determined to bring both of them to climax together.  He reached his
hands up to her breasts, and she covered his hands with her own, guiding
him, letting him know just how she wanted to be squeezed and caressed. .
.Her moans grew longer, louder, more intense, and the flames within her
were climbing higher and higher. . .Suddenly, the explosion came, and the
throbbing and tugging of her sheath pulled him over the edge with her.
	She fell to his side, and they clung to each other, continuing to kiss
each other's faces lightly.
	"I really meant it when I said I loved you, Raye," he said. "It wasn't
just sex."
	"And I really meant it when I said I loved you too."
	They curled up in each other's arms and fell asleep. . .and somewhere, a
certain god was giving his blessing.
* * *
	Usually, when his youma got dusted, Hematite flew into one of his rages.
Not this time.
	Before it had been killed, one of his creatures had managed to send back a
most interesting piece of information. It seemed that in her everyday life,
the one named Sailor Mars was a shrine maiden. And she talked to the gods
quite a bit. In fact, she seemed to have a special relationship with one
god in particular.
	Divine contact, he thought. That's their secret, the secret I've been
looking for all along. And this Sailor Mars is the key. Remove her, and
I've removed all their strength. . .
	Hematite went into his study, to formulate a plan. . .
	* * *
	Chad arrived back at the temple in high spirits. The doctor had told him
that he no longer had to wear his sling.
	But he was still going to wear it - at least for this one special occasion. . .
	Raye found him sitting in the TV room, the sling on his arm and an
exagerated expression of pain on his face.
	"Raye," he said, "my arm really, really hurts. Think you can give it a
massage?"
	She studied him for a few seconds - and caught on instantly.
	"Sure," she said. "Be right back."
	She returned with a bottle of baby oil - which she tossed in the air high
enough so she knew he would have to catch it with both hands. Sure enough,
he did, the sling falling to the floor. . .
	"HA!" she said. "Faker!"
	He looked at her with a sheepish and guilty expression. . .
	"But you'll still get the massage anyway. In private."
	He opened his arms to her, and she entered them, their lips coming
together in a sweet kiss.
	I'm truly happy now, she thought. I know I have a destiny with a god in
the future. . .but for now. . .let me just be here with this wonderful man.
	"I love you, Chad," she said.
	"I love you too, Raye."
	And hand-in-hand, they headed for his room.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Thanks to Jeffrey Wizard (my skateboarding consultant for
this story), Mark Berger and Sailor Star Love for pre-reading and giving me
input - and for your friendship. Thanks also to Sally, Molly, Mishii
Kawaii, Lunar Rose, Luna and Artemis, Sailor November, Jennifer Wand and
everyone who's supported my work.

Standard Sailor Moon disclaimers apply. These characters ain't mine, I'm
just borrowing them for a little while. . .