Malachite stood in his chamber, remembering Zoicite's last words to him. His mind was absent of anything else.
Don't forget me. She had said to him before vanishing into Nega Dust, Queen Beryl had executed her for disobeying orders yet again.
"I would never." Was what he said in reply, he was torn on the inside. He felt the urge to avenge his fallen love. But he took pride in his honor to the queen.
"Then do what feels right to you." The voice called out from the blackness of his chamber.
Malachite recognized the voice. "Neflyte? But...But you're dead! Zoicite's youma trio killed you!" He looked around for his fellow general, but didn't see him. "Where are you?"
"Zoicite may have killed my body, but my soul lingers on." He began. "I know what you're feeling right now."
Malachite stood on edge, he knew that the fallen general could only be after one thing. Revenge. It was he after all, that had encouraged Zoicite to kill him in the first place. "And I know what you want. Revenge! Right?" He was ready to fight should the spirit attack him.
"No. You wish to avenge Zoicite, right?"
"Of course, but my honor and loyalty belong to Beryl. I cannot go against her." He explained, but wondered to himself just how Neflyte knew of his inner desire. Could he be reading his mind?
"As much as I hated her, I know you two were close. So I will tell you how." He announced.
"But Queen Beryl will-"
"Forget about Beryl!" The ghostly form of Neflyte appeared before him. "I know the truth she does not want you to know! Now, listen." The white-haired shitennou fell silent. "We were the four guardians of Prince Endymion, proud warriors that had counterparts." He raised an eyebrow upon hearing this. "You don't remember this because she brainwashed us all. A vile woman" He finished
Malachite was startled to hear such news. Had he been following the wrong person all along? If Queen Beryl had brainwashed him, then who had he been before? He didn't know, but he knew that his urge to avenge Zoicite grew stronger from hearing this. A flash of memories flew into his mind, but he didn't remember much of it. "I know now." He told himself. Zoicite had been murdered by a monster, and he would slay it! "Tell me, how?"
The ghostly form moved to his fellow general's side. "Serena Tsukino." He spoke. Malachite raised his eyebrow again. "That is the name of the girl who is Sailor Moon. Find her and you'll already be ahead of Beryl."
The loyal side of him urged him to report the name to Queen Beryl. But he did not, he shoved the thought to the darkest depths of his mind. "I doubt it. Sailor Moon will attack me on sight."
"No, she won't. She cannot reveal her identity to her family. I was lucky to have tricked her into revealing herself."
"And you did not use that to your advantage?"
"Molly was in danger. I would not let her be injured by the three Youma that Zoicite sent out." He refocused on informing Malachite. "She knew me, so if you explain to her that I was the one who told you it should calm things down. Well, at least a little."
Malachite turned his back on the ghost. "How do I know this isn't some elaborate trap?" His loyalty was resurfacing no matter how hard he tried to push it away.
"Who do you trust more? The woman who brainwashed you and executed your lover? Or your fellow shitennou?"
That did it, Malachite's loyalty was vanquished by the memory of Zoicite's execution. "The shitennou, without a doubt!"
"Then find Sailor Moon. I cannot stay any longer, the guardian of time has found me. I wish you good lu-" The ghost abruptly vanished. Malachite stayed silent for some time, thinking over how he would go about this.
"Ninjana!" The Youma appeared within moments of being summoned.
"Yes, Lord Malachite?"
He turned to the Youma. "Bring me a Nega Bomb from the battlements. I have something to...take care of."
She vanished to execute the order, leaving him to his thoughts. Malachite walked over to the table next to his bed, and picked up the golden picture frame. "Zoicite." He held the frame to his chest. "I swear that on my honor I will avenge you, even if it brings me death itself." He placed the frame into his subspace pocket.
Ninjana returned, holding the Nega Bomb as ordered. Malachite approached to take it, but the Youma held it from him. "If you don't mind my asking, what exactly are you going to do with it?"
"That's none of your concern. But I have another order for you." He coldly replied. His icy eyes sent shivers down the Youma's spine. "Evacuate the lair. You have ten minutes to get everyone out."
"But, Lord Malachite! You aren't planning to-"
"You shall speak of this to nobody! Not even Queen Beryl must know!" Ninjana bowed to the general. She had sworn loyalty to him, not the queen.
Those ten minutes passed fast, every one of Malachite's Youma were out of the base. He gave them an order to go into hiding on Earth, and they complied without question believing it was part of an elaborate plan to impress the queen.
Malachite gathered his belongings in his subspace pocket, and took one last look around the base. He set the Nega Bomb down on his bed. "This is for you, Zoicite." He whispered before starting the countdown.
As he was about to leave, he heard Beryl summoning him. She could send her commands to generals mentally, but it was up to that specific general to follow them. Malachite did not.
He vanished in a pink light as the bomb exploded, turning his home into nothing but shrapnel. The light from the bomb could be seen for miles throughout the Negaverse, Beryl's Dark Kingdom in particular.
"What is the meaning of this!?" She hissed as she shielded her eyes. "Malachite! Appear before me!" When he did not, she feared him dead. Beryl knew that such a large blast could only be produced by a Nega Bomb, and Malachite was one of the only two to have access to such powerful weapons. "Aaagh!" She roared in fury. When the explosion dissipated, Beryl teleported to Malachite's home. She found nothing but smoldering rubble.
Hours passed before she publicly announced the death of her last general. "Soon, Prince Enydmion shall be ready to take command." She announced to Metallia.
"Excellent work, Beryl." The dark entity replied from her crystalline prison. "It is unfortunate that you are out of generals. But, Endymion will rise to be more powerful than them all should his training be completed. You, of course, will have to take this responsibility yourself."
"Of course." Beryl bowed before the entity. Earth would soon fall, as would every world after.
But in Tokyo, Malachite stood atop a telephone pole. He was quite pleased that his plan had worked without a hitch to this point."Now, Sailor Moon. Where are you?"
I am well aware that Zoicite was male in the Japanese version, but just go with it for now.
Reviews appreciated as always.
Just a little note: Yeah, i'm using aspects of both the Dub and Original versions.