I swallowed hard as I stood outside the community center.

Batwoman had recommended the place as an opportunity to socialize and to meet more “queer” people in Gotham, and I had to admit that I needed to start socializing again. Not only for my own mental health, but also because it was going to be the only way I was going to find more Sailor Scouts. In order to find people, I had to meet people, which meant stepping outside my comfort zone.

Also, on a practical level, I just needed more experience stepping out and talking to people as the real me. I needed to get a better understanding of the queer experience now that I had embraced my identity. 

I had no intention of allowing my life as Serena to become a reclusive mess like the old one had been. I could be a hero for the people while still living among them.

Somehow, I wished that I could have walked into the building as Sailor Moon. I always felt more confident as her. But… that wasn’t powered by any kind of moon magic. That was just me, when it came down to it. The confidence was there, somewhere. I just had to learn to bring it out when I wasn’t wearing a miniskirt and a tiara.

The community center was a refurbished building that had been sponsored by Bruce Wayne’s cousin, Katherine Kane, of all people. Surprisingly, she was a big deal and supporter of gay rights in addition to her business ventures and the like. I had to admit that she had done good work, or at least the contractors she hired did. The facade made it look like a small corporate office or law firm or something but it was easy to spot the rainbow flag hanging up in the window which showed where the support group was being held.

I didn’t know quite how to feel about the fact that I had suddenly fallen under the LGBT classification. Honestly I didn’t even know that the “T” stood for transsexual before I transitioned (or, Transgender, as the more preferred term). Hell, I didn’t know if I even counted as being transgender considering the fact that I had cheated the whole long, lengthy process of going through hormones and surgeries and the like with a magic amulet.

I still felt guilty. I didn’t deserve to be around these people. I was a weirdo and had no place with them and their real problems. I hadn’t suffered the way that they had suffered and my issues had no connection to their lives. This was a mistake.

I turned to leave, only to be stopped by the roar of a motorcycle turning around the corner.

I didn’t know much about motorcycles, or vehicles in general, but I could tell that this one was expensive. A matte black body set on gleaming metal chrome, illuminated with ultraviolet blacklights illuminating the undercarriage. The rider screeched to a halt and parked it right in front of the center itself. They pulled off their helmet and revealed themselves to be a tall woman with close-cropped dark hair. She was wearing a pair of tight jeans and a thick leather jacket as she climbed off the bike and looked at me curiously.

“Hey,” she said, breaking into a smile, “You’re here for the support group?”

I looked her over. She looked beautiful, if a little intimidating. But also strangely familiar. Maybe I had seen her on TV before?

“Yeah,” I said, offering a hand, “I’m Serena. Serena Moore.”

“Katherine Kane,” she said, accepting it in a tight grip.

“Yeah, I guessed, from the bike and all,” I said, frowning at it. “I don’t even want to think about how much that cost.” Given the wealthy patron of the LGBT Center, there was nobody else she could be.

She blushed a little bit. “Uh… to be fair it was a birthday present.” I felt something tighten in my chest. The sense of familiarity grew more insistent. This wasn’t just some vapid socialite I’d seen on the news. Her voice… and those eyes… Had we... met before…? I couldn’t shake the feeling that I’d met her personally… face to face.

But who-?

“Hm,” I said, frowning as some pieces began to assemble themselves in my mind. Suspicion was one thing, but there was too much about her that added up to only one answer. The motorcycle was a strong indicator, the strength in her grip and the familiarity of her voice. And who was it that had referred me in her direction in the first place? “Just a second. I need to check my phone really quick.”

Katherine Kane didn’t stop me, but even now I could sense her own suspicion to match my own. I pulled out my phone out of my purse as she watched curiously. I dialed a number and, after a small fraction of a second, her phone began to ring. Miss Kane had Batwoman’s cell phone.

“You gotta be fucking kidding me,” I said, disconnecting the call and snapping my phone shut. I rounded on her, exasperated. “Seriously?”

Katherine/Batwoman had the good graces to look embarrassed, but she did give me a small nod. “Uh, yeah… maybe don’t broadcast it to the world or anything, okay Serena?”

I fell silent, as I thought some more. This made entirely too much sense. She had money and her dad ran a freaking paramilitary contractor. Of course she’d be Batwoman. It was so blindingly obvious. Especially with the connection to the Wayne fortune.

Wayne. The name bounced around my head insistently. She said there was some sort of connection she shared with Batman out-of-cowl, right?

So… there was only one answer that came to mind as I considered who that could be...

“I’m going to make an educated guess that Bruce Wayne is Batman?” I said, the math falling more readily into place as I buried my head into my hands. If Bruce was her cousin, then he would be the most likely person to be under the cowl. He would likely have the resources to act as the Batman or at least be a major backer. And… he had lost his parents to a criminal. The whole vengeance against crime would be a solid motive. Not to mention that Bruce Wayne was kind of a flake, if the news could be believed. The pieces all seemed to fit.

It was all so blindingly obvious, how the fuck had I missed it?!

She winced visibly. “Uh…”

“Look, I’m not going to tell anyone, Sailor Scout’s honor. I mean, the guy already knows everything about me,” I said, sighing, “I’m just kind of frustrated with myself for not putting it together sooner. I guess Bruce does a damn good job of playing the spoiled rich asshole. Nobody would believe him capable of the selflessness of fighting a war on crime.”

Katherine nodded. “Yeah, it’s kind of a necessary cover. He really is a better person when the camera isn’t rolling. Uh… so did you still want to join us for the group or…?”

I sighed and shook my head as I pushed open the door to the center. I was going to have to stop hanging out on the Wayne Industries building. I was literally lounging on Batman’s front door. “Yeah, let’s go.”

The community center building still kept a lot of its character as what was once an apartment building, with the zig-zagging staircase and the segmented layout. But to give Katherine and her Wayne money credit, they had done a decent job of modernizing it by brightening it up with proper lighting and a decent paint job.

The base level had a nice reception desk with an older man waving cheerfully at us as we stepped in.

“Miss Kane! Hi!” boomed the man cheerfully.

“Brian, hey,” said Katherine warmly. “Me and Serena are just heading up for the group meeting.”

“Sure sure,” said Brian, nodding enthusiastically, “she’s still setting up, I think.”

“How did the school outreach go?” asked Katherine, leaning on the desk intently. “Decent attendance numbers?”

“Uh, yes…” said Brian, looking around him as if he expected the numbers to be right in front of him. “I think I got the numbers and surveys in the back, if you’re interested.”

“I am,” she said, nodding, “I know we’ve been trying to help the GSA clubs in the local schools  get off the ground, and I wanted to see how we’re doing.” She looked over to me, “uh, give me a minute? I’ll be right up. Meeting room is on the third floor. Room on the right.”

I nodded, leaving Katherine to conduct business. 

I got to work ascending the wooden staircase. I expected it to creak, but as I looked at the wood, they really had replaced it with some newer, finished woodwork. Shit, she really did have money to burn.

I arrived at the group room as promised, seeing only a woman setting up chairs in a circle. It was a fairly well-lit room with tiled floors, and a whiteboard on the wall. It looked like a classroom, more than anything.

The woman spotted my presence and looked up at me, a faint look of consideration. She was maybe a few years older than me, with dark, bushy hair and warm, brown eyes. Her skin was dark with a wide figure that filled out her clothes. She cautiously examined me as she crossed her arms over her ample chest. She wore a colorful orange blouse with a thick gold necklace at her throat. Her dress pants ended with a pair of strappy heels on her feet which tapped slightly at my arrival.

“Hello,” she said, her voice cordial, nodding to me. “We’re still getting set up, so you’ll have to bear with me. Unless you want to help.”

I nodded and got to work filling in the chairs around the circle. “I’m Serena,” I said, pulling a chair out of the stack in the corner.

“Rita,” she said, picking up two chairs in her arms. “Did you come with Kate?”

“Katherine?” I said, raising an eyebrow. “Uh yeah. We know each other… through work.” I added the last part as I realized that there was no other way to discuss our relationship.

“Hm,” said Rita, sighing as she returned to grab another pair of chairs. Her expression seemed visibly strained.

“Uh… did I say something wrong?” I asked, unsure as I adjusted a chair nervously.

Rita seemed to consider something for a moment before turning to face me, another pair of chairs in her arms. “Look… Serena… I’m not trying to scare you off or push you out… this group is open for anyone who is LGBT… but,” she shook her head, “Kate has a tendency to bring some of her rich friends here and, honestly, it’s a bunch of entitled, wealthy white queers who don’t understand their privilege and tend to dominate their time here… crowding out the other voices.” 

I jerked back in shock.

She held out her arms apologetically. “I’m sorry, I appreciate her support and the money… I really do…and I know she means well… but me and the other members are tired of hearing about how hard it is to find “hers and hers” matching towels or how the gay couple in that new movie are an insensitive stereotype. Some of us have lost our homes, experienced abuse and are facing real, substantial harm. We’re not trying to dismiss anyone out of hand, but I worry about us losing perspective.”

I stared at her quietly. Rita looked embarrassed but still stood firm. “Sorry,” she said, turning the whiteboard to write a welcome message.

“I… I’ll admit that I don’t know a lot about this,” I said, trying to assemble my words carefully. “Like… I only… uh… came out last year or so. Everything’s changed and it’s all so different. I lost my parents, my family, my girlfriend and it’s only been through the help of friends that I’ve been able to keep myself afloat. Even so, I couldn’t begin to understand what you and others have had to struggle through because I know my privilege blinds me to that. I lucked out in a lot of ways. I… I have to own that.” I exhaled a deep breath. “But I want to learn. Really. If my presence here means that I have to just shut up and listen, I can do that.”

Rita turned around, putting a hand on her hip as her expression softened. “Oh… damn…” she snorted, “well, I guess I won’t be the only one here anymore.”

“Huh?” I asked, a little confused.

“Your girlfriend left you for coming out?” asked Rita, stepping closer, “Might need to think a little harder about that, honey.”

I flinched as I realized what I had admitted to. “Uh… I mean… I came out as… um…”

“A woman?” asked Rita, her voice quiet. “It’s okay.”

I couldn’t find anything else to fill in the space, so I quietly nodded.

“My ex-boyfriend did some… ugly things to me when I finally got the courage to tell him about my past,” said Rita, not quite meeting my gaze. “My mom’s boyfriend beat the shit out of me when I came out… but here…” She gestured around us. “You’re safe.”

I nodded. “T-thanks… I… I appreciate that. I’m still sort of getting used to everything,” said, sagging in relief.

Rita gestured to an open chair and sat down in one beside it. I followed suit. “Look, I’m not going to lie, looking at you, I never would have guessed. I mean, you’re tall… but you pass damn well.”

“Pass?”

“You don’t look transgender,” she clarified, “You look like you were born with a feminine body. How long have you been transitioning?”

“Uh…” I stumbled, as it was a difficult question to answer. Technically, I had only begun over the winter, but that seemed like it would be a difficult thing for her to believe. Especially considering I had essentially completely changed over the course of half a year or so. I had done a little bit of research and non-magical transgender women had a much longer transition timeline.  “I started last year,” I finally said, trying to keep my answers as vague as possible.

“Damn,” said Rita, giving me another once over, “Shit, girl… hormones doing some work for you… which doctor did you go through?”

I thought a little more, before a helpful answer presented itself. “Doctor Mitsuishi… I went to Japan for some… um… experimental treatment,” I hedged. 

“Shit… whatever you got going on, it’s working for you,” said Rita, nodding in approval. 

Thankfully, before any more complicated questions could be asked, Katherine returned to the room with a few others in tow.

Rita lit up and began greeting them all. Even with her known issues with Katherine, she still remained extremely friendly to her and polite. As more people began to filter in, I was given the opportunity to meet and greet. There were a number of men and women and… one person who I couldn’t quite place in either category, but they were all fairly open and accepting.

Nobody else asked any difficult questions, which was helpful, but as we began to settle into the group discussion, I did find myself at a loss of what to say.

A young Latino man told a very painful story about his father passing away, still unwilling to speak to him, simply for being gay.

An older black woman talked about the threat of losing her kids in a divorce as she left her husband for a woman she truly loved.

Of particular note was the person of indeterminate gender who sat on the other side of me. They were tanned, with Asian(?) features, short, dark hair and calm, brown eyes. They spoke with a noticeably flowing way of speaking, as if they had their entire speech memorized and they were just unraveling it from their head. They dressed in bright colors, wearing a loose, seafoam blue tropical button-up shirt, visibly worn and holey jeans and a pair of boots with rainbow laces.

“Hello everyone. If you don’t know me, and I see some faces that I don’t recognize, so I'm going to assume that some of you don’t… so for your benefit, I’ll introduce myself. My name is Lani Moon. I can already see that some of you are trying to figure out if I’m a boy or a girl, and the simplest answer is “it’s complicated”. Whatever pronouns you feel comfortable using for me, I’m okay with them, just as long as you’re respectful.” 

They waited for a moment to take in a breath as if expecting an objection. Nobody raised one, and so they decided to continue.

“But I did want to express something here, in this space tonight. Something that I haven’t really gotten the opportunity to talk about before. So...back home in Hawaii, among my family and my people… by “my people” I want to clarify that that family is Native Hawaiian… but among them, they generally understood me and how I operated.”

They took another moment to examine their audience before continuing to speak.

“They understood that I thought a little differently from everyone else and that I acted differently from everyone else. But they still celebrated me for it. Back home, we had a word for people like me… people who don’t neatly fit into categories like “male” and “female.” They called us māhū. There’s some cultural context for the word that I don’t really want to get sidetracked with, but the point is that I felt like I had space there… back home.”

They paused again. It was strangely mesmerizing to listen to them speak. Like their words would flow out of them in a crashing wave, but then they would pull back, leaving a brief moment of stillness in anticipation for what came next.

“But that space isn’t good for me anymore… I spent my childhood with my sister, Tana Moon. That name… uh… might be familiar to some of you, even if it’s been a while since she…”

They fell silent. It was sudden and abrupt and broke the flow of their story. I paused to think about the name, because it did sound familiar. 

It wasn’t as if I had an encyclopedic knowledge of hero lore and stories, exactly, but I was more well-informed than most. Being an obsessive nerd had its perks despite what it did to my social life.

It was after a few moments of consideration that I was able to place it. She had been a reporter for the Daily Planet. The first reporter to get a scoop on Superboy when he stepped onto the hero scene. Supposedly there had been some kind of relationship between them before she was murdered by a supervillain to get to Superboy. 

While people died all the time in the world of superheroes, Tana Moon died badly. It had been the death of a dedicated reporter and a senseless murder just for a villain to establish their credentials. It was soul crushing to see how their sister’s death had so visibly hurt Lani.

I uncertainly put a hand on Lani’s shoulder, “I’m so sorry…”

They looked up at me gratefully, even if the physical contact seemed to have surprised them. “T-thank you. But… yeah, everything at home began to remind me of her…. My lost sister. For the longest time, the waves… the sea… the beach, have been my source of comfort. But not anymore. I was a professional surfer for a time, but I can’t even hear the waves or smell the ocean without thinking of the time that we spent together there.”

They gestured to the window. “So I came here… for school, yes, but also for a fresh start. But it feels like there isn’t any space for me here. Nobody knows what māhū means. Everyone just expects me to conform to fit a mold… man or woman… they want me to be normal… and I don’t know how to do that. I can’t because it just doesn’t work for me. I just… I wanted to say that it means so much to me to be here… and not feel judged for who I am.”

“Lani,” said Rita, leaning forward. “I’m glad that you feel safe here because we have been trying hard to give all of you the space to be yourself. I know the world out there can sometimes be cruel to people they don’t understand and don’t want to understand. You are loved here, Lani. I mean that.”

They broke into a smile. “T-thank you, Rita.”

She nodded encouragingly. “Okay… Serena?” she continued, now turning to me. “I know you’re new here, so maybe you’d like to introduce yourself?”

My stomach knotted in fear. I had been so caught up in everyone else’s stories that I never really had an opportunity to properly assemble and edit my own. There was so much that nobody here could understand, how could I possibly tell my story honestly? All without revealing my heroic identity?

Nevertheless, I should say something. Everyone else had been so open. I took a deep breath and tried to arrange my thoughts.

“Uh, hey everyone,” I said, waving awkwardly, “My name is Serena. I’m a sophomore in college. I’m not…uh… used to this sort of thing, to be honest. I don’t even know if I belong here, because I’ve never thought of myself as being… LGBT or whatever. But I guess the fact that I figured out that I’m both B and T at the same time… well, no matter what I want to think, I’m in deep.”

There was a chuckle around the group. I looked around nervously and nobody seemed bothered by the fact that I had outed myself. Rita had made it extremely clear that the meeting was supposed to remain confidential, and I could believe that, given what I had heard from everyone else. Across the circle, Katherine nodded encouragingly.

“It’s new…” I continued, “I don’t know how to tell people and I don’t know if I’m even supposed to. I admit that I lucked out on my transition… it went well, physically. But it’s like I got shoved into the deep end of womanhood without really getting any training on how to handle it. I never really got the chance to grow up and play with dolls or buy a prom dress or whatever…” I buried my head in my hands. “I finally got the life I’ve wanted for so long, but there isn’t really a manual on how I’m supposed to live it. I’m lost.”

“Serena,” said Rita, smiling, “I know plenty of other women who’ve been in the exact place that you are now. Myself included. And I want you to know that you can do this. We’re with you every step of the way.”

I nodded. I was amazed by the depth of warmth that came from her. Despite her initial suspicion, she had come to care for me so easily and so readily. There was something familiar in it.

I blinked in surprise as something slid into place in my mind.

Rita would make a perfect Senshi.

As I considered it further, I realized that her warmth, her energy, her passion… all of it echoed Mina so clearly.

“And remember,” chimed in Lani, “you don’t need to fit into the idealized conceptions of womanhood. Just be yourself, first and foremost.”

Rational, cool and yet still possessed of the same kindness and generosity as Izumi. 

I blinked in surprise at that thought. I had literally just met these people. Was I seriously considering handing out superpowers like they were candy just because of the gut reaction I had in liking them?

Sure, they were LGBT. Sure, they seemed nice. Passionate, even. But these were powers that could cause all sorts of damage in the wrong hands. I could be handing superpowers to serial killers…

But… Luna had said that I would recognize the planetary powers of those around me. Their souls would resonate both with my own and those of the other senshi. And… sitting here, I couldn’t deny that these two shone the brightest of anyone else I’d met so far.

Katherine/Batwoman had all sorts of positive qualities, certainly, but she didn’t quite resonate the same way that Rita and Lani did. She already had her calling.

I had no way of knowing for certain if Rita or Lani had a “True Star Seed” or whatever. I couldn’t see into the very depths of their souls.

All the same, Usagi was able to trust her instincts with me. She had gone out on a limb to give me a chance. She saw something in me at a glance. And now I was having the same insight. If I was going to be Sailor Moon and lead the other Sailor Scouts, I would have to trust my gut.

The very least I could do was make the offer.
___________________

“So… thanks for meeting me up here…”

Lani and Rita said nothing in response. It was late, it was cold, and truthfully the roof was probably the last place any of us wanted to be, myself included. But it was the only place I felt comfortable asking them for this. I needed somewhere private and invisible to onlookers. And thankfully the community center roof had a raised edge that obscured us from the neighbors.

“So, I needed to talk to you about a… proposition, I guess,” I began.

“If this is a pitch for a pyramid scheme or a religion or whatever, why can’t we have it inside? I’m freezing my ass off out here,” said Rita in irritation.

Lani didn’t respond, but I could see the thoughts in their mind blazing as they tried to figure out what I was planning.

“Uh… I’m not entirely sure how to ask this… but I think I need to start by clarifying who I am…” I pulled out my brooch, “MOON PRISM POWER, MAKE UP!”

In a flash, I was transformed, and left to face the two of them, with two very different reactions.

Rita had flinched backward, swearing up a storm and generally freaking out. She pointed a finger at me and tried to speak. All that came out was more swearing.

Lani, on the other hand, had gone very still and very cold, unmoved by my reveal. I saw their mouth tighten into a fine line and their arms cross over their chest.

“Uh… so in case you didn’t know, hi… I’m… Sailor Moon, superhero of Gotham.” I said, trying to smile disarmingly. I held out my arms wide in a little “ta-da” pose.

“Jesus fucking Christ!” shouted Rita. “Holy fuck!”

“I know who you are,” said Lani, without any trace of emotion. “What do you want?”

“I have been… tasked, I suppose… with finding a team,” I said, nodding to the two of them. “Bestowing powers onto people who are attuned to wielding them.”

“Wait, wait wait…” said Rita, waving her hands around as if to clear the air “You wanna give out superpowers!?” she blinked in disbelief. “Like… what kind? We taking about Superman or Aquaman here? You going to let us fly or are we just going to be able to talk to fish?”

“Uh,” I said, considering Rita’s question. “Well… I mean… they’re good powers. Like… control over water… or shooting magic lasers?”

“Magic lasers?” said Lani, clearly unimpressed.

“Yeah… I mean, not exactly,” I wavered. “Magic, but also technology… ancient techno-sorcery? Uh… there’s kind of a lot of history in play with these powers and it’s kind convoluted, but the simple explanation is that a long, long time ago, a bunch of women lived on the moon and had magic and advanced technology and such… and then there were some people living on the Earth. And the moon princess fell in love with the prince of the Earth. And then some evil queen kind of screwed that all up and the moon was basically turned into the empty rock it is now, and humans got sent to the dark ages…”

Rita cut in. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

“You want us to become Sailor Scouts, right?” said Lani, clearly unmoved. “I’ve seen the show. It was pretty popular back in Hawaii.”

“That was… kind of the idea, yes,” I said, feeling a little deflated.

“Wait, what is she talking about?” asked Rita, turning to Lani.

“Essentially she is asking us to join her team of magical girls in matching outfits who command the powers of water, fire, lightning and…” Lani frowned. “Heart?”

“Venus is more of a ‘love’ vibe, to be honest,” I clarified. “Practically you get a magic chain and shoot lasers.”

“Damn…” said Rita, visibly excited. “Fuck yeah!”

“Rita… no… she wants to draft us into an unending crusade, charging at windmills and wasting time without actually changing anything meaningful until we inevitably die a painful death..” said Lani, still staring at me unblinking, their voice shaking with repressed fury and disgust “The whole concept of a superhero intentionally ensures a continual underclass held captive to the soap opera antics of a bunch of costumed toddlers. When was the last time the Justice League stopped banks from foreclosing on the poor or stopped health insurance companies from rejecting the dying? I’m not getting involved with this pageantry.”

Rita stared wilted a little. “Oh…”

“Okay… you know what, Lani… that’s fair..” I sighed, frowning at the floor as their words sank in.

Superheroics did help people. I believed in that. But Lani was right that there were all kinds of blind spots and taboos that limited their real power for change. But… who said that we had to follow those rules? Usagi had been destined to become a moon queen and even in spite of that fate, she chose a different path.

“So… what would you do with the power?” I said, looking back up at them. “Forget heroes and villains and capes and comics… if I handed you the power of Sailor Mercury, the ability to control water and mist and ice… how would you use it?”

Lani took a step back, surprised. They sighed, running a hand through their hair in thought. “Help people. Forget criminals and idiots in costumes… I’d put my pre-med classes to good use and dress wounds and get people to hospitals. I’d take from those who had too much to give to those who had nothing. I’d make sure that the people on the bottom rung could find the hope to live one more day.” Their eyes burned with determination. “Fuck being a hero or villain, I want to do what’s right!”

I nodded. I should have been worried, I knew. I should have been cautious about giving Lani this power, because words like that could just as easily come from a villain as they could from a hero. But I was beginning to understand that Lani was right… the labels were arbitrary. In terms of gender and in terms of heroics and villainy. It was an artificial distinction. A false binary. Shaped by public opinion.

If rumors were to be believed, Batman regularly rubbed shoulders with Catwoman, a bona-fide villain. But I knew all too well that Catwoman stole from those who could afford it… and made sure some of those riches went to the needy. And maybe that was something our team needed. Someone who understood that sometimes people were more important than rules.

“Okay,” I said, nodding. “Then I want you to do that. I want to see what you do with these powers. I want to earn your trust because I can see that your heart is where it needs to be for this power.” I chuckled. “Hell, your reasons are better than mine… like half the reason I stepped up to the plate was because these powers could make me a fully biological woman.”

“Wait… wait wait wait…” said Rita, raising a hand. “Do these powers make you a woman? Like… completely?”

“It did for me and did for another Sailor Scout,” I said, nodding, “She was able to become pregnant and everything. I just had my first period last month.” I winced a little in memory of the event. I was due for another one any time now.

“Damn…” said Rita, pursing her lips. “Let me think about that.”

“RITA!” exclaimed Lani, “SERIOUSLY?!”

“Lani…” said Rita, her gaze firm, “Do you know how expensive surgery is? Do you know how much I’ve wanted this? Jesus fuck, you think I wouldn’t put on a magic miniskirt and punch bad guys to be able to have the family I’ve always wanted? To be able to make love to my boyfriend as the real me? Do you understand what that means to me?”

Lani wilted a little and I felt my heart ache for Rita as she said the words I’d felt in the depths of my own soul.

“But… this is dangerous,” insisted Lani, “Hell… even if we had the power to really change things… we could just as easily end up dead. Or the people we care about could get in the crossfire… fuck…” Lani wiped at their eyes, “Rita, they killed my sister. Her head was literally blown off her body. I loved Tana so much and we couldn’t even have an open casket…” they sniffed. “I…”

“It’s scary,” I said, nodding, “and dangerous. I won’t lie to you, these powers haven’t solved everything in my life. Hell, they’ve made things pretty complicated for me. It would be irresponsible to tell you that they’re a solution for everything… but…” I spread out my arms to them. “I… I don’t believe that I ran into you two tonight simply by coincidence. I see something in you two. And if you’re willing to try, I think you’d be able to see it too. If we stick together… I think we can make a difference.”

Lani turned their back, looking up at the stars, as if searching for answers. Above the Gotham skyline, the crescent moon peeked out from behind the clouds.

“Look… I’m just going to say that I’m in,” said Rita, pressing her fist into her palm. “I mean, fuck, how many black heroes are there? How many black female heroes? And how many black female transgender heroes are there?” She stood tall, placing her hands defiantly on her hips. “People like me need to know that we can change things. Hell, they need to know that we can exist. Fuck, I would have lost my mind if I’d had a woman in a cape tell five-year-old me that I could be like her… that I was like her. And I’m tired of seeing gang-bangers and crooked cops gun down my neighbors and family… fuck that shit, if I can do something about it and I can do it as a trans woman of color… I say fuck yes.”

Lani looked back to me, turning away from the stars. With a frown, they seemed to be searching for the right words. “I’m not killing anyone… ever…” they said quietly, “I don’t care if the Joker himself is holding my mom over a tank of sharks… none of us has the right to take a human life… period…If anyone forgets that, I’m out… completely. And I don’t care if the cops or the feds or even the fucking Justice League has a problem with me doing the right thing… I’m standing firm,” They sighed as they held out a hand. “So… you want me to be Mercury, right?”

“Uh… yeah,” I said, nodding, “You remind me a lot of Ami. Or, her real name, Izumi. Not just because of your thoughtfulness but your kindness. You work to protect others and do everything in your power to make the world better.”

They snorted. “I was kind of hoping for Neptune… sea-based rather than water-based, you know?”

“Uh… I don’t think they wanted any more Outer Senshi,” I said nervously, “Especially considering the powers of Saturn and Pluto are kind of overpowered.”

“Fair... “ they said, “Uh… so… I probably should have brought this up sooner… but, it’s okay if I become a sailor scout, then? I’m not a girl…”

“Uranus is both male and female,” I said, nodding in encouragement, “And I think neither or in-between are valid choices too. So are you in?”

“Yeah,” Lani sighed, “So what do I do?”

I reached out for it and put my hand in theirs. Luna had said that I’d know what to do instinctively and I tried to follow them. I tried to remember that feeling of connection we had when Lani told their story. That sense of familiarity. The sensation of knowing that Lani had every right to be a part of our team, because they carried within them-

“MERCURY POWER!”

Something flashed in our hands, and as I removed my own, I found a small gleaming blue pen/wand had remained in their hands.

“Damn,” said Lani, holding it up. “It’s smaller than I expected.”

I snorted. “That’s what she said,” I chuckled.

“Really?!” said Rita, visibly put out, “All that fuss for a pen?!”

I gestured to Lani. “You want to show her how it’s done?”

“I… I guess,” they said, holding up the pen tentatively. “I just say the words?” I nodded and Lani uncertainly held up the trinket.  “Uh… Mercury Power! Make Up!”

I had to shield my eyes slightly from the flash. When I could see again, I saw that Loni had indeed transformed into Sailor Mercury… but not the Sailor Mercury I remembered.

For a start, their shoes were not the boots I remembered from the show, but sandals with criss-crossing blue straps that snaked their way up their legs. Also, while the expected skirt was present, there was also a pair of longer shorts that peeked out from under it. Lastly, the ribbons on their chest and in the rear looked to have… some kind of Hawaiian tribal designs worked into them that I didn’t recognize.

They peered at their new outfit, clearly impressed. “Damn… Okay, I have to admit that this is kind of cool.”

“So… can you fly or something?” asked Rita, peering at Lani closely.

“Try jumping… just a little bit,” I said, adding the last part to make sure they didn’t jump off the building or anything.

Lani nodded and experimentally gave a little hop. The force of their jump carried them several feet in the air before they landed. “Holy shit…” hissed Lani, landing on all fours, trying to keep to the ground. “What the fuck?”

“As far as I can tell, all of the Sailor Scouts basically operate on lunar gravity, for the purposes of jumping and moving,” I said, peering over them. “You can channel some of your energy into attacks like punches and kicks and you can use your attacks by calling them out. All the ones from the comics work, but I think you can make up your own if you need to… I’m still not 100% sure how it all works.”

“Do I get the computer or the visor?” asked Lani, unsteadily getting to their feet.

“I’d have to ask Izumi, but I think she made those herself,” I said uncertainly. “I only got the Moon Stick from Luna last December, so I don’t know how the items work, honestly.”

“Okay!” said Rita, interjecting between us, “Okay… so I don’t understand a word you two have been saying, but I’m gonna say it’s my turn to get a magic pen, right?”

“Uh, right,” I said, nodding, “You are going to be receiving the Venus Transformation Pen.”

“So… I get moon powers like Lani?” asked Rita.

“You’ll be able to jump like Lani, yes. You shoot lasers and you get a whip beaded chain or something,” I said, trying to explain what Venus’ gimmicks were.

“Doesn’t she get a sword, too?” chimed in Lani.

“Uh… I think that still belongs to Mina? Like… seriously, do you want me to call them up? I have their numbers…”

“Just give me the goddamn pen,” snapped Rita holding out her hand.

I nodded and put my hands over her own. Rita, like Mina, spoke her mind and refused to back down in the face of insurmountable odds. She acted selflessly and wore her heart on her sleeve and stood up for those who couldn’t stand up for themselves. I could think of nobody else who better deserved-

“VENUS POWER!” I shouted.

Again, energy flared to life and when I drew away my hand, the Venus Pen remained. Rita eagerly held it up and looked at me impatiently. “How does it work?”

“You say, ‘Venus Power Make Up!’”

“...That’s kind of stupid,” she said, frowning. “It doesn’t even make sense. Why can’t it be something like ‘Venus Power Activate’ or ‘Venus Power Go’ Or something?”

“I have no idea,” I said, shaking my head, “My gut says that it has something to do with the old lunar language and how it translates into Japanese and English? Maybe? Just say the words.”

She rolled her eyes, but gripped the pen in her fist and shouted, “VENUS POWER! MAKE OUT!”

Nothing happened.

“Make up,” I insisted.

“Dumb as hell,” Rita grumbled. “VENUS POWER! MAKE UP!”

 

The pen flared to life and in a moment, Rita stood before us as the newly minted Sailor Venus.

Her outfit more closely matched Mina’s costume, but I did notice a few changes. Her belt/chain wasn’t composed of beads, but heart-shaped chain links. The costume was likewise sized for her bigger figure, but no less gorgeous as she wore it. On her feet, rather than the heels worn by Mina, she instead wore thigh-high boots with a thicker wedged heel instead.

“Damn…” hissed Rita, examining herself. “Shit… The outfit makes me look like a Girl Scout or a Catholic sailor girl or something, but I gotta say.” She flexed her bicep. “I feel more powerful.”

“I can go over the basics of how the power works, if you want,” I said. I indicated a tall disused parking garage several blocks away. “We can do a little practice over there if you want.”

Lani frowned. “It’s a little late… I don’t know.”

“Oh come on, I wanna try this shit out!” said Rita excitedly. “I wanna shoot some lasers!”

Lani sighed in defeat. “Okay, let’s give it a shot.”

I nodded. “Follow me… I know a place where we can do a little testing...”

Two down. Two to go. I wasn’t certain how these new Senshi would size up, but I trusted them. Everything else could come in time.