Shadow Khan
"The Birth of a Monster" Part One
By Zarus Tyran
Well here's what you've been waiting for, the first of my Megafic series. And to kick things off right, we'll start with the beginnings of how a young man became a Monster. Hopefully soon I can figure out how to make the song fic for this. As always I don't own any of the characters at this point, some of my own will come later. I'm also hoping my readers know about Sailor Moon since I'm not going into huge back story on their history. A final note, these stories are not the light-hearted fare their predecessors were. It is here that Chad Finletter will grow up. And now let it begin.
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Previously:
Chad opened the back of the van. Inside were various items from Gangreen's lab.
"I made you a promise, and now were gonna try to accomplish it. Your going to become a full time human." Chad said with a pleased grin.
*****
"What is it your cleverness." Igor asked.
"A solution to my problem. That CD-ROM, it holds the designs for a time machine. We'll rule the world yet!" Dr. Gangreen crowed.
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A few day later:
"Tara are you sure this is going to work?" Chad said as help carry a box full of test tubes and beakers.
"Of course Chad. According to Dr. Gangreen's notes, I found out that it is impossible to separate the human part of me from the tomato part without destroying both. So the next best thing is to full integrate it so that I won't always turn into a piece of fruit because of salt. In essence it will make me human permanent." Tara replied as they set the heavy box on a table. The room was already full of equipment they had taken from the evil scientist lab over the past year. Tara then pulled out a tuft of red hair from her pocket and set it on the table.
"So that's-"
"Yes it's the hair from the same woman we met in Seattle. She gave it to Gangreen nine years ago. According to his notes, there's something in this woman's DNA that will do the job. And yes I've made sure there are no dangerous side effects." Tara added seeing the look on Chad's face.
"Good I don't need my best friend chasing me around like on Halloween." He said as plugged in a large machine. Tara, thanks to one of Gangreen's experiments, had been turned into a vampire. Fortunately, the process was reversible and she was able to keep her secret by only flying in front of Chad, since true human ketchup vampires couldn't fly.
"There's just one caveat. In order to work in must be injected before puberty." Tara said opening a small fridge. Chad looked up.
"But it's clear you're past puberty."
"I know fortunately I've found the answer." Tara said as she held up a bottle of strange blue liquid.
"What's that?" Chad asked pointing.
"By accident my 'father' found a fountain of youth formula for plants or half-plants like me. But thanks to Igor, the formula was destroyed. This is the only sample." Tara explained.
"Been using it on F.T.?" Chad asked. Tara shook her head.
"No it turns out that F.T. is a mix of dog, tomato, and redwood DNA. He'll probably outlive us. I found this last night with the hair."
"So let's get started." Chad said rubbing his hands.
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Meanwhile in his secondary lab in the basement of an old abandoned house in town, Gangreen was hard at work on his latest plan.
"With this I will finally win Igor." Gangreen laughed as he checked the final circuits of the large machine.
"What is it your Scientific-methadosity?" Igor asked.
"It a new time twister, you chowder head. That CD-ROM the Tomato Terminator left behind had the plans for it just in case. With it I'll go back and prevent that turncoat tomato and her friend from destroying my Tomato Trooper Project. Then I will finally rule the world!" He explained with an evil laugh. Little did they know that behind a file cabinet Sam the Sham of the Tomato Task Force had overheard everything and ran off to tell Wilber.
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The next day after a long night of testing both parties were ready. Fortunately for the grand scheme of things, Chad and Tara were ready first.
"I hope this works." Chad said trying to rub the sleep from his eyes.
"Me too." Tara agreed as she put the youth potion on the desk and added three drops to a cup of water. "The potion is very powerful." She quickly explained as she saw Chad's confusion. She then put the cup to her lips and drank deeply. After a minute there was explosion and a cloud of thick blue smoke. There was silence.
"Tara where are you?" Chad asked trying blow away the smoke. His heart stopped when he heard the sounds of a baby gurgling. "Tara!" Chad shouted.
"Gotcha! That was just to scare you, just give a minute to change clothes." Tara said chuckling as she could be hear walking to the bathroom door. After a few minutes the smoke cleared and Tara stepped out of the bathroom. She looked no older than Chad now but was wearing a smaller version of her previous outfit.
"Well that worked well." Chad said slightly gulping at the fact she was now more scary to him than before since she a girl his own age..
"Yes it's nice for me be my actual age. Now for the pièce de résistance." She then grimly picked up a syringe fill with a glowing red liquid and stuck it in to her arm.
"Was that really necessary?" Chad said unnerved.
"Yes unfortunately. Drinking it wouldn't work or otherwise I would have." Tara said sadly as she put on a bandage. At that moment the phone rang. Chad walked over and picked it up.
"Yes. Yes? You're kidding. Were on our way."
"What's the problem?" Tara asked worried.
"Doc Gangreen. He has built a new Time Twister." Chad yelled as he ran for the door. Tara shuddered but ran after her only friend.
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At Gangreen's lab Igor was holding the door as the evil doctor set the coordinates. Suddenly Igor flew to one side as the Task Force sans Chad and Tara ran in.
"You're finished this time Gangreen!" Wilber yelled as he drew his sword.
"Not likely." Gangreen smiled as the Gang of Six came out of the shadows. He then pulled a large switch. Suddenly a dark cloud appeared overhead. Thunder the rumbled. This clearly wasn't supposed to happen.
"Igor you put the circuit panel in backwards the machine's out of control." Gangreen said as a dark tornado appeared in middle of the room as it started to pick up both the Task Force and the villains. At that moment Chad and Tara walked in.
"Uncle Wilber!" Chad yelled as the group disappeared.
"Chad we got to do something." Tara said as they ran for the controls.
"Maybe the recall function works." Chad said as he pushed the button marked 'recall'. Suddenly a new dark tornado appeared and began now to sweep up everything including Chad, Tara, and F.T.
"Chad don't let go!" Tara cried as she grabbed his hands.
"Don't worry. Remember what we decided, in for a penny, in for a pound." Chad as F.T. jumped on his shoulder. In a flash they were gone.
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In a flash the trio found themselves on the edge of a vast forest near what looks like a large cave. Much of Gangreen's lab was now surrounding them. It was several minutes before one of them spoke.
"I don't think we're Kansas any more Toto." Tara said in a slightly amused voice.
"Ha-Ha. We got to find out where we are, not make jokes." Chad said in a serious voice.
"I was just trying to make the best of a bad situation." Tara replied slightly miffed.
"I know it's just that we could be anywhere and any when. It's a lot to take in."
"Don't worry Chad, I'm sure well find a way. We always do."
"Thanks for the pep talk Tara." Chad said with smile as Tara blushed. It was then that the pair spotted the cave.
"Since we don't know when we are, we can hide this stuff in the cave until we can use it to get home." Tara said pointing.
"Good idea come on let get started." Chad said grabbing and armful of the pile.
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A few hours later Chad and Tara were seen walking down the streets of the city.
"I still don't see why we had to leave F.T. in that cryotube we found." Tara said with a touch of sadness in her voice.
"This isn't San Zucchini, we can't fool everyone here into thinking that F.T. is a dog. Once we find a way back we'll let him out." Chad explained as he looked around for something.
"Look Chad." Tara said pointing. Sure enough there were two set of clothes hanging on a line. Clothes that would help them blend in this strange time.
"Perfect. You keep a look out." Chad said smiling. At once Chad started climbing up the side of one of the buildings.
"Do be careful Chad." Tara called to the still climbing Chad.
"Don't worry, these buildings were made for climbing." Chad called back. In a matter of minutes he had the clothes and was back on the ground.
"Nice work, now let's find a place to change. Tara said as she grabbed some the clothes from her partner. As they left the side street a pair in dark cloaks came around the corner.
"Do you think they suspect us?" Asked one of the cloaked pair.
"I don't think so my love. Otherwise Chad would have pondered the fact that it was so easy to get those clothes." A female voice said from the other cloak.
"Good, now we must prepare for step two." The other said as they left the way they came.
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Twenty minutes later the two heroes, fully dressed in their new clothes, found themselves on the docks. There were many large ships, each with it own beauty and charm. The pair finally came across a magnificent large ship with the sign of Venus on its flag.
"This ship is amazing!" Tara said standing in awe before it.
"And it gets better." Chad added pointing to a sign that said it was hiring. The pair only had to nod at each other before heading to a table near the ship. The man sitting there looked up at the pair and asked, "Can I help you?"
"Yes I and my companion are looking for work." Chad said in business-like manner. The raised an eyebrow at this.
"You two must be joking. This is a serious ship. If you want to work on it you're going to work hard. Are you sure you're up to it?" The sailor said, looking at the sharply.
"You bet sir, if there's one were not afraid of its a little hard work." Tara put in as Chad nodded. The man then sighed.
"Alright, I know I'm going to regret this but your hired. Go see the galley chef and he'll get you two started." As the pair ran up the gangplank the pair in cloaks approached.
"Are they on board?" The male cloaked figure asked. When the sailor nodded he took out a small sack and tossed it to him. The sailor then took a gold coin, admired it, and then turned to the pair.
"Just one thing, if you wanted those two on the ship why did you have me act it wasn't easy?"
"Simple we don't want them to think it was too easy." Came the reply from the female cloaked figure said simply as they walked way.
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Over the next few days Chad and Tara worked on the ship and learned a few interesting facts. The first of these was that the ship was magic. The first clue came the very next day when they awoke.
"So what are we doing today?" Tara asked as they walked toward the door.
"Were to help with cleaning and making the meals-" Chad stopped when opened the door and saw the stars clearer than he ever had. He quickly stepped outside fully and looked behind him. There stood the Earth looming like a giant moon.
"What have we gotten ourselves into?" He whirled to see Tara with a shocked look on her face. Chad then took her hand and smiled.
"Don't worry we'll get through this. After all we been through worse. Now let's get to work." Chad statement gave Tara courage and started their first assignments.
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Finally after three days in space, the ship landed an the capital city of the Moon Kingdom: The Imperial City. The pair was told to explore but to be back to the ship by tomorrow or they would be stranded. Not knowing what to do next Chad and Tara wandered the streets of the city until they came across a parade.
"It's a lovely sight, too bad FT can't be here to see this." Tara said her thoughts still on their 'pet'. At that moment a evil-looking man ran by carrying a girl under his arm like an old package. The girl, who was at least two years young that Chad if not more, was screaming for a she was worth. She was dress in simple white dress with gold trim. The odd thing about her was her hair style, which featured extremely long pig tail that began as two balls of hair on her head.
"I got this covered." Chad said as he picked up a large rock and threw it at the kidnapper. It hit the back of his head causing him to drop the girl. A moment later two men in full armor ran over followed by a tall woman dressed in a similar manner to the girl he saved, right down to the hairstyle. The only difference was her hair was silver and the girl's was blond.
"Thank you young man. If it wasn't for you that traitor would've kidnapped my daughter." The mother said as the pair of knights dragged of the unconscious rouge.
"It was nothing, my friend and I do what we can." Chad said with great modesty. Tara smiled at Chad's attempt to share the credit. It was then they noticed the odd look on the woman's face.
"There is something odd about you. I can sense that you have incredible potential." The woman said as she seemed to sniff the air. Chad shrugged.
"That's what my teachers, and uncle have been saying for years."
"No I mean a different type of potential. You have a power coming from you. Rough, raw, and not just a bit unstable, but it there. And it is very strong. At any rate I want to reward the two of you. If you will accompany me to the palace?"
"Palace?" The pair said together.
"Yes. Surely you recognized the Queen of the Moon Kingdom, Serenity?" The mother asked a bit surprised.
"Sorry no. And it's not Shirley it's Chad." To his surprise the Queen giggled at his quip.
"It has been so long since someone had the courage to make a delightful joke like that. At any rate If you will accompany me we shall leave at once." Chad and Tara looked at each other, shrugged, and then followed the queen and her bodyguards to waiting carriage. At the carriage was another woman who looked a weird inversion of the Queen. She had black hair in the same odd ball style as Serenity and her daughter except that it flowed free instead of being in pigtails. Her ears were pointed like an elves. Her skin was paler than the like snow complexion of the others. Her dress was black with an black pearl trim. The only thing the same was the crescent moon mark on her forehead that Chad had just noticed on the Queen and the princess.
"Oh sister, thank goodness you found my niece. But who are these two?" She asked pointing to Chad and Tara.
"These two saved little Serenity. And the boy seems to have great magical potential." Queen Serenity replied. Her tone clearly impressed.
"Oh I see. Welcome young ones. I am Lady Nehellenia and I, like my sister, thank you for saving the princess." Nehellenia said curtsying to the young pair. Chad and Tara bowed and curtsied in kind.
"Thank you mine name is Chad and this is my best friend Tara."
"Where are your parents. You two are too young to be out on your own." Queen Serenity asked.
"It's a long story. But the point is their gone. Maybe forever." Tara said sadly. Chad nodded grimly.
"Well that settles it. You two are coming with us." Lady Nehellenia said indicating they should get in the carriage. Without a word the pair climbed in, followed by the Princess, Queen, and Lady of the Moon Kingdom. As the carriage started off, Chad noticed the Princess giggling."
"What's so funny?" Chad asked puzzled.
"I am just happy because my wish came true. I have a big brother now." Princess Serenity said as she gave him a big hug despite the look of annoyance on Tara's face.
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After a ride of twenty minutes the group arrived at the palace of the Royal Family. It was beautiful sight. A tall round building with a tower on each side, all made of white stone. At the gates were two more knights, also in full armor. As the carriage drove past them, the knights bowed respectfully. The carriage soon came to a stop and the Royal family stepped out followed by Chad and Tara.
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Chad and Tara soon found themselves in the Royal Throne Room. It was there that Queen Serenity began to explain why she brought them there.
"Under ordinary circumstances I would have just rewarded you with a small bag of gold, but there's something about you and your female friend. You have a great power held within you as I said before. But you say you two are on your own?"
"Yes I know you'll find this hard to believe, but we're travelers from the future. We arrived here solely by accident and have no way of returning." Chad explained calmly with a resigned attitude. To his great surprise the queen didn't act as if he was insane.
"I see so people have found way around the great Space-Time Door. That is most disturbing." The Queen said grimly. The pair looked at each other surprised.
"You mean there are magical ways to time travel?" Tara said surprised. While she had always believed in magic, she had no skill in it or much understanding of it.
"Yes I take it you used science to arrive." Lady Nehellenia said, it was not a question. The pair nodded. It was then that the princess spoke up.
"So mother are we going to adopt them?"
"No my little one, but your aunt has no children of her own." The elder Serenity turned to her sister and smiled. The darker hair woman looked at the pair of rescuers. Finally she spoke.
"Well the boy would do for an heir. But I don't think the young lady want to become her friend's brother." She said with a slight smile. Tara blushed at the statement.
"At any rate I think we should take them to meet the sage Beryl. I am sure she would want to meet these extraordinary young people." Queen Serenity said rising from her throne. The group followed out a side door.
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Beryl's lab was filled with odd items, among them odd crystals, vials and containers of potions. On the table behind her an odd syringe laid there filled with an odd purplish-green liquid. On the table Beryl worked on an odd crystal that looked like a pointed black diamond. The crystal was a shadow crystal Beryl had just made that morning. While she worked on an odd compass, the shadow crystal began to shake slightly.
"Sage Beryl, there's someone I wan you to meet." Beryl turned to see the Queen, her daughter, and her sister Lady Nehellenia walked through the door. She then noticed a young boy and girl with them, both with red hair.
"Who are these two little darlings." Beryl asked sweetly. She was actually displeased however, as she hated children.
"These two brave children were the ones who saved my daughter today. This is Tara, and this is Chad." Queen paused to pull the pair forward before continuing, "Chad seems to have great power held within himself and I wanted you to begin to train him."
"While I am honored you give me such an important task, however-" A loud noise from near Beryl mad her pause. The shadow crystal had begun to shake violently and looked like it was going to explode. Beryl tried to run, but was rooted to the spot in fear.
"Move" A voice to her said as Chad, who had ran over, pushed her hard out of the way. As she hit the floor a few yards away, Beryl looked up to see Chad turning to run when the crystal exploded. The energies contain within it flew out and it Chad squarely in the eyes. The boy fell backward and landed on the table behind him. She then noticed the syringe filled the blood of one of the last Mongolian Goblins was pointed straight up. The needle was pierced him and the weight of the body was enough to squeeze the plunger, releasing the contents into Chad. It was then that Beryl, due to the shock of the events and the lack of sleep from working on her new creations, fell unconscious.
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Chad didn't know how long it was before he awoke. All he could remember was shoving the strange woman away from the odd black diamond, the dark purple flash of light, and the stabbing pain in the back of his neck which was now a dull ache. As he opened his eyes he looked to see his best friend and the royal family looking at him with worry. When they saw him stir they were relieved. Their relief ended when they looked at his face and into his eyes.
"What is there a cut or something from the blast?" Chad asked as he rose to his feet then felt his own face.
"No but there has been a change, here." Tara said pulling out her compact and handed it to him.
"I must warn you this may be a shock." Queen Serenity said with concern in her voice. Chad nodded and opened the compact to look into the mirror contained within it. His face seemed normal, there was a bruise where he had hit the floor after the stabbing pain but everything seemed in order until he looked into the his reflection's eyes. They were now bright yellow and there were no coronas anymore, just two tiny pupils. Chad blinked once to make sure they his eyes. They were.
"Well this isn't very good now is it?" He said simply as he turned to face them again. The quartet now looked puzzled at Chad's lack of fear and shock.
"Uh Chad you do realize what just happened to you, right?" Tara asked worried.
"Yes, I'm just sure that this is a temporary problem." Chad explained calmly. At this Beryl who had just awoken walked over and examined his face.
"I never seen anything like this before. Normally such a blast would at worst blind him, or at best make his eye glow green for two days. I saw him land on something before I was knock out. What was it?" She asked the princess who was standing near the table Chad had fallen into.
"This needle says 'sample from last Mongolian Goblin'." The Moon Princess said trying to keep the syringe at arm's length from her.
"That's what I was afraid of. By itself that blood sample would be harmless too. But with sudden blast of mystical energy, like from the crystal, was enough to fuse the goblin's DNA to the boy's own. For all intents and purposes he'll become a human sized shadow goblin." The Sage said with a sad shake of her head.
"A shadow goblin. That sounds more cool than it probably is." Chad said with a sigh as he looked back at his own reflection.
"Never the less, I am confident we will find an cure my son." Lady Nehellenia said placing a hand on Chad's shoulder.
"You called me son." Chad said, surprise in his tone.
"Yes it's clear you need a proper family, and since you no longer have one I would like to try to raise you." The sister of the queen politely to the young man.
"Sure if your willing to take Tara too." Chad said not wanting to let down his best and only friend.
"I'm sorry Chad but I can't stay here." Tara said suddenly. Chad whirled around to face her.
"What? Why?" Tara sniffled before answering.
"Look here you can learn things you can't back home. It was clear after our trip to San Francisco that you have a talent for magic. And here you can learn how to use it."
"But you want a shot a normal life and family." Chad said quietly. Tara look directly into Chad's face. His face showed that he was saddened but he knew she deserved her chance at peace.
"Chad I guess this means we have to break company." Tara said sadly.
"Yes but it's only for a little while. There's so much for me to learn here. Besides with the changes that are happening to me I'll need all the help I can get. But we will see each other again." Chad said as he wiped away a tear from his best friend's face.
"I can help but think we'll never see each other again." Tara said between sniffles before she broke down and cried. Queen Serenity and Lady Nehellenia both looked at the pair with sad smiles over how much these two friends cared about each other.
"Listen Tara. Remember what we swore when we first met? 'In for a penny, in for a pound.' We will see each other again."
"But how will you find me."
"I'll find you. That is certain. If I have to go through hell and back. I will find you and that's a promise." Chad said with great serious. At this point the queen stepped in.
"I'm sure that Lady Pluto can help. One of her last acts as guardian before her daughter takes over can be to set up your friend in a nice peaceful life." Chad looked to his friend who nodded.
"Okay but I want her to keep track of where Tara ends up so I can find her someday." Chad said with a sigh.
"Very well, I'll tell Pluto your wish. In fact I think you should meet her daughter before she goes. I think you will like her." With that she was gone with a slight chuckle.
"Well I think it's time I showed you to your new home Imperious." Nehellenia said walking over after they had left.
"But my name is Chad."
"Yes but for the time being you will be called Lord Imperious. Firstly to show your power as my son. And secondly to help keep people from the future from catching on." Came the reply as she place a hand on her new son.
That was how it began.
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Over the next seven years Chad, or rather Imperious, studied and trained at the royal palace and elsewhere. Not only did he take lessons in the mystic arts from the court sorcerers, he traveled to Asia to study the marital arts. London to study the skill of the thieves. To India to study healing arts from fakirs. He studied with anyone who could teach him something strange or useful. And for good reason, as it kept from focusing on his continuing transformation.
As the years went by, the young adventurer's features change more and more. His skin slowly turned a dark shade of green. His nose became sharp and angular. His ear were large and pointy like an elf's. And his hair color shifted from it's normal red to a deep shade of black, which he cut short and slicked back. As a result of these changes, or because of his new position, his style of clothing changed. Instead of the simple jeans and t-shirt Chad normally wore, as Imperious he now wore a fancy dark purple shirt with black silk pants, black leather boots, dark gray gloves, and a long sleeveless black duster with an equipment belt place over it for defense.
Despite the odd physical changes, Chad was as content and happy as an odd mutation like him was capable of being. That is until the week he, for the second time, lost his family.
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It was normal day in the royal palace, or so it seemed to Lord Imperious. As he pasted Princess Serenity's room her crying caused him pause. While the pair were technically cousins, they had been raised like brother and sister. So he turned and walked in to see what was wrong.
"Go away Imperious. I do not want to see you." Serenity said before he spoke a word and not raising her head from the pillow. As the years had past she had grow to resemble her mother, only her smaller size and hair color
"Yes I get told that a lot." The goblin lord quipped. As always Imperious' clever jokes made her laugh in spite of herself. After a moment he continued.
"What's wrong you almost never cry. Did that Endymion do something. Cause if he did I swear I'll-" It was here that Serenity interrupted him.
"No it is not that. Do you remember Beryl?" At this the goblin gave her a looked that stated clearly he remembered her.
"Of course. If it wasn't for her I'd still be relatively handsome. Why?"
"She has staged a coup on Endymion's kingdom. She convinced the people of the Golden Kingdom that we are slowing their development too much. They think we are keeping a secret for immortality from them."
"But that's silly. With the obvious exception of me, the royal family is just naturally long lived." Imperious said scratching his head in puzzlement.
"I know but she wish to take the kingdoms for herself. Ever since you arrived brother, she has been acting most strangely." The princess said as she got to her feet.
"Well as the newly appointed head of head of the Royal Army, I'll see what I can do. In the meantime why don't you go down to the annual Christmas Jubilee. And don't forget tomorrow you and Jupiter are having a skate-off." Imperious told her hoping to get her mind off politics. She nodded and started for the ballroom. Imperious was about to set off himself when Sailor Pluto came running over. Pluto was different from the other sailors. The most obvious difference was her uniform. While other sailors had bright colors on their shoes, collars, skirts, and bows, Pluto's were all black. She was also the oldest. While most Sailor were close to the Princess' age or slightly older, Pluto was even older than Imperious by a year or two. The final major difference was loyalty, while the others were all focused on serving the princess, Pluto was much more loyal to Imperious. The rumor was that it was his need for protection that lead to her no longer needing to be alone at the time-space corridor, which was the source of this loyalty.
"What is it Pluto." Asked Imperious worried. Her expression was one great concern.
"The Queen wishes to see you, my lord." Pluto said attempting to curtsey. She always called him 'my lord', as if he belonged to her alone.
"Thank you Pluto." Imperious replied as headed to the queen private study with Pluto walking one step behind him. When they got there they saw Lady Nehellenia was also with her.
"Your Highness, Mother." Imperious said as he gave them both a short bow. Seven years in the palace had taught him all about proper etiquette and royal protocol.
"I am afraid this is not the time for protocol Imperious. Beryl is coming with a large army to destroy us all." Queen Serenity said curtly.
"Very well, I will gather the other generals to prepare what defenses we can-"
"The other generals serve her now." Nehellenia interrupted pointing to a chair sitting next to the young shadow goblin. Imperious nodded and sat down.
"We have learned, as your mother just told you, that Endymion's four generals, Jadeite, Nephrite,
Zoisite, and Kunzite, have betrayed us and joined Beryl" The Queen continued with a tone of worry in her voice.
"But why? While I never full trusted Zoisite, the other seemed genuinely to you and the royal family."
"It was you that turned them. They were unsure of your and my sister's loyalty. They were sure any rebellion would come from you, so they went to Beryl in hopes of learning a way to stop you when you attacked. They had not yet learned that it was she who had been planning to bring down the kingdom. From what witnesses still loyal to us, and who were not seen said only Zoisite joined her willingly. His price I do not know." At this point a frown came across Imperious' face.
"So it's because of me that were in this mess." At these words Lady Nelhellenia walked over to her son and knelt down to face him.
"No my son it's because of Beryl and her deceit that we are in trouble. Anyone who truly knows you can see the nobility you have shown since the first day you arrived." She then place her on the Imperious' cheek as he grinned his very evil looking grin.
"I know you are my nephew, but I do wish you would smile like that." The queen said before she could help herself. As she well knew every smile on his face looked evil regardless of his intentions.
"Thank you very much for the help sister." Nehellenia snapped with a dirty look to Serenity as she got to her feet.
"It's alright mother. Now then if my fellow generals have left, how are we going to combat this threat." Imperious asked, all business again.
"We shall rally what defenses we have. But the real reason we brought you in here is your help in picking a location of evacuation of the subjects if we need to abandon the kingdom." Queen Serenity's word's made the goblin's jaw drop.
"Evacuate almost seven million people? But there's no place in this system that we could hide that many people without Beryl finding them."
"Exactly why we want to know about your time. We believe it might be safe enough compared to now to let our subject's live in peace."
"Live in peace? Well besides whatever might be left of Gangreen's mess, there are definite hot spots in my time."
"But no large full scale wars correct my son?" Nehellenia now asked. Imperious nodded. Serenity then continued.
"Then it might just do. In a worst case scenario, Beryl might try to take over more than the kingdom. In which case we need a place similar, but safer than this world has become." At these words an explosion could be heard from outside. A minute later one the royal guard came running in.
"Your majesty Beryl's force are attacking from the main gate! We need help stopping them." Three nods came from the royal family members who got up and followed the soldier to where hell was.
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The once beautiful capital city of Moon Kingdom was now horribly torn and scared battlefield. Broken and bleeding bodies, mostly those of the cities citizenry, were scattered across the landscape. It was clear that Beryl's forces were not taking any prisoners, anyone who had committed the sin of being a resident of the Moon Kingdom was being executed for their crime. Later in his travel Chad, or rather Imperious, would look back of great carnage of history but never find such a bloody campaign then the one he know found himself battling in. He had already lost two of his own Sailors in battle. Uranus and Neptune, partners in every sense of the word, had tried to hold off the soldiers while Pluto escorted civilians to the emergency bunkers created in case of Chitauri invasion. They felt together in battle as the two lovers always hoped they would. Now the goblin they were suppose to guard was in the middle of a huge battlefield blasting various enemy soldiers with his 'shadow fire', a glowing purple and black flame-like energy that reminded him of his last adventure in San Zucchini.
"We must overcome the monster!" One of lieutenants cried trying to rally his fellow soldiers.
"Monster?! You come here and start killing innocent people left and right, and you call me a monster?!" Imperious said with his full fury in every syllable. His power now aimed at the lieutenant.
"We serve a noble purpose, and they were never innocent. They turned a blind eye to the actions of their leaders. They deserve their fate." The lieutenant snapped as avoided bolts fire at him by Imperious. Finally a bolt knock out the soldier and sent across the field. Imperious was trying very hard to only do as little damage as possible to the enemy in spite of what was happening. Still he had managed to kill three of the most vicious soldiers as acts of defense.
"Sabão Spray!"
"Fire Soul!"
"Supreme Thunder!"
"Rolling Heart Vibration!"
The sound of these cries caught the goblin lord's attention and he turned to see the four guardians of the princess, his cousin in name, his sister in heart, combined their attack at a large dark cloud-like entity. The attacks were in vain though for they had no effect on the creature. It the raise a dark, clawed hand a launched a blast of what looked like green lightning which knocked the Sailors across the field like they were nothing. For Lord Imperious this was the straw that broke the camel's back.
"This has gone too far it's time to see what I can really do!" With that he pulled on the full force of energy that the queen had sense in him all those years ago. A change came in the form of a purple aura forming around him and strange mark that looked like a black crescent moon with the points connecting on his forehead. He felt the power, with a single shot he would destroy that monstrous creature and cause the enemy to scatter. As he about to fire the deadly blast a power blow fell on his head and he knew no more.
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"Your Majesty! Your Majesty! Are you okay?" Imperious slowly opened his eyes to see a very worried Sailor Pluto looking down at him.
"I'm fine Pluto. Where are the others? Where is my-" He got no further when saw the bodies of the only mother he ever knew and her older sister laying as if they were dead. He quickly ran to their side and began to prepare a healing spell when he heard a voice.
"Don't my son." Imperious looked down to see his mother and aunt stir slightly. He was so focused on them he failed to notice Pluto and the two cat advisers, Luna and Artemis, walking over to them.
"Your majesty, you did it." Luna said awaking the now stirring Serenity.
"No, we did it." The former queen corrected looking at her sister. While it wasn't official yet, it was clear that the kingdom was damage beyond repair.
"We I don't understand." Artemis said puzzled.
"I was not strong enough for the spell to seal Beryl's forces away by myself. Nehellenia combined her power with my own to complete the spell."
"You killed them?" Imperious asked shocked.
"We trapped them all my son. If Serenity and I had destroyed them, we might have destroyed your sister and the others as well." Nehellenia answered looking at her son with great sadness.
"We can discuss this later first I need to heal the pair of you first-"
"You can not. As you know everything, not just magic, comes with a price. The price of that spell is our life energy. If you heal us, the spell will be undone and Queen Metallia, Beryl, and their dark forces will be freed immediately. As it is they will become free in a thousand year's time." The Serenity explained as she strove to stay alive for them to learn this important information.
"But a thousand year from now is-" Imperious began.
"Yes my son, it's the time that you came from. This isn't coincidence. You, Chad Janus Napier, came to us for a reason. And that reason was to help us prepare for this eventual end." Imperious, or rather Chad, was shocked to hear his mother use his birth name for the first, and probably last, time since they met.
"We will send them all to your future on Earth. Their memories will be block until they need to know the truth. Even then the full memories of these events will only be known by you and Pluto." Serenity said slowly to conserve what little strength she had left.
"But what of Beryl's eventual return?" Luna asked as the former queen removed the crystal from the Crescent Moon Wand."
"That is a task I sadly leave to you and my daughter, for only a true descendent of the kingdom may use this wand. As such you must find her and the others in order to stop Beryl for all time." She then let go of the crystal where it floated up into the sky. After a moment the was a blinding flash and now following the crystal to earth were a large number of human-sized spheres each containing a survivor of the kingdom.
"My daughter, may your dreams of love be fulfilled on Earth." And with that the queen knew no more. The Wand then fell to the ground, where in a flash of light it disappeared, leaving Luna and Artemis in special stasis tubes. They to began to float upwards.
"Keep them here a little longer." Nehellnia croaked to her son. Chad nodded and released a beam of dark energy to keep the tubes from following the others.
"To ensure they don't reveal too much too soon adjust their memories so they don't know that the princess is the Sailor Warrior's new leader, but just another Sailor."
"But won't they need to find the princess." Pluto asked.
"Exactly. This will give the Serenity experience which will help in her battles with Beryl. Now please give me a moment with my son before I follow my sister." At this Chad stepped forward, having made the adjustments to the cats.
"My son, the most precious thing in my life. I truly wish I could go with you to your world. But I know it will be a better world now that I'm giving you back to it. Use what you have learned here to help the people of your own time. But be careful. Some people will fear you. Perhaps even try to destroy you. Despite this, you must never use your powers in anger. They just need someone to show them the way. Know I will always love you, my son." And so Lady Nehellnia followed her sister into the realms that lie beyond. Chad eyes filled with tears as he let out a blood-curdling scream of despair as he fell to his knees.
"Sire, we need to leave now." Sailor Pluto with quiet respect in her voice. After a moment the two bodies disappeared as if they made of smoke. Then with a very sad sigh, Chad nodded and rose to his feet.
"Yes Pluto I have a lot to do." with that they were gone in a flash.
End of Part 1
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Well that's it for part one of 'The Birth of a Monster'. Next time Chad, after a few brief stops, arrives in the Big Apple. With a little help from an unexpected source, the Shadow Khan is about is rise. Hopefully this /new story will be finished quicker than this one. Well until next time, good bye.