In an abandoned cathedral outside of town, Nephrite concentrated intently. The movement of the stars controlled everything, and, at certain points in their lives, people would simply have more energy. With the right push, Nephrite could entice them to expend their energy on a single task that they followed or were devoted to. Once the energy reached it's peak, it could be harvested, harvested through a youma created by such negative energy.
Jedite was such a fool. He thought only of hordes of people when it came to energy. It could be gathered in such a way, but this was more...precise. Efficient. And there was less of a chance that Sailor Moon and her cronies could interfere. A busload of people going missing would draw the attention of a superhero, while a person attacking their life's work more vigorously shouldn't cause alarm. Humans were supposed to be obsessive with their hobbies.
Although what did that matter? According to Queen Beryl, Jedite and the three Sailor Scouts had already perished during their battle. While she might have been gone, Nephrite knew to remain vigilant. Sailor Moon may have been the only one who interfered, but that didn't mean someone else couldn't take up the reins.
The next time Jedite stayed conscious enough to remember everything that happened, it was dark outside. Sitting up this time did not hurt as much as the others, and, he was able to survey the room.
There was no one here. Were these Scouts that lax in their duties? Who left a prisoner without at least two guards?
He sighed. He might as well have taken advantage of the silence. The cup of tea that Serena had brewed was sitting right in front of him, along with the sliced orange. Jedite looked around to make sure no one was watching, and partook in a little refreshment. Never show weakness to an enemy, but all creatures required sustenance, and Jedite was no exception.
The tea was not very good, but, considering that it had been hours or so since it was poured, it had gone completely cold. The fruit itself was not too bad, nothing Jedite had ever had before. Food wasn't some miracle panacea to cure all ails, but having something in his stomach definitely helped.
He heard footsteps coming towards him, and Jedite wondered who it could be. He quickly lay back down to hear the door open.
"And that's what happened at the tennis court today." Serena's voice said.
"So Katie still hasn't left? That isn't healthy." Amy's voice returned.
"Molly says Katie would sometimes do things like that, but not this late. She's a little worried. Good evening, Jedite, I see you're awake." Serena addressed the soldier, Jedite simply stared back at her.
"Perhaps this is what Luna meant when she said the battle isn't over. Perhaps the Negaverse could be behind Katie." Amy addressed Serena.
"Could be. Serena replied. Were they going to discuss strategy right in front of him? Did they truly think so little, that he wouldn't just report back to Queen Beryl?
"Hey, look at that. The tea and some of the orange disappeared." Serena remarked. "Oh, Jedite, you could eat the whole thing if you wanted."
"You must be mistaken. Perhaps that grandfather came in looking for a snack." Jedite answered bluntly.
"Well then, eat up. It's just gonna go bad." Serena replied. She looked at him, with pleading eyes, as she held the tray up.
For a second, Jedite thought to ignore her, as he always did. But his stomach was beginning to rumble, and she'd just keep insisting. So, he sat up, and ate another piece.
"Progress." Serena replied. Jedite ate very neatly the pieces of fruit.
"Jedite, I strongly doubt Queen Beryl will stop gathering energy simply because you are no longer doing it. Who would be the most likely candidate for doing so, and will his or her method be different from yours?" Amy asked. Her questions were very intelligent and put together, but Jedite was not going to listen to that.
"I thought I told you questioning me was a waste of time." Jedite replied. Amy was not phased, but said nothing else.
"Jedite, you no longer..." Serena started.
"Owe her allegiance?" He finished. "You may have rescued me, but I'm not about to start betraying her because I am asked a question."
"Jedite, these people betrayed you. You don't have to defend them." Amy pointed out.
"I was not betrayed. It was a showboating case of jealousy. That's all you'll get from me." Jedite replied tersely. Serena and Amy were taken aback.
"Would you like some more tea, or fruit?" Serena asked.
"No." Jedite replied. "No, I do not." Jedite started to feel the dull throb of his torso, the pain was starting to come back. He lay back down, and, for the first time, fell asleep rather then simply passing out from the pain. His head stopped swimming, and he actually felt like he was resting.
Serena watched for a moment as Jedite slept. He wasn't coughing or sputtering, gasping in pain like he was before, he was actually sleeping. Peacefully.
"Serena." Amy replied from across the table.
"Yes?"
"We're going to have to decide quickly what to do with Jedite." She remarked. "He's not willing to cooperate, and that makes him an unknown quantity."
"According to Luna, she doesn't think he can go back to the Negaverse."
"Luna might be right." Amy reasoned. "But he still knows our identities, and that information could be dangerous in the wrong hands."
"It's not like he can give it to Queen Beryl or anything." Serena replied.
"Serena, I know you're trying to help him, but I don't think Jedite wants our help. I doubt he even understands that Queen Beryl wanted him killed."
"I think he does." Serena replied. "He just doesn't want to admit it. It can't be easy. I mean, he can teleport and stuff and he hasn't gone back to Queen Beryl. That has to mean something." Amy did not have a response for that.
"Well, tomorrow is a school day, Serena. We should study now. Jedite's asleep now, we can watch him and study at the same time." And Amy opened her books, while Serena only groaned first. A surefire way to fall asleep was to announce anything related to schoolwork.
It was still dark when Jedite awoke. Much to his surprise, he didn't feel bad when he woke up. There was still a number of aches and pains in his body, but he was able to sit up without making a single groan of protest.
It took a second for his eyes to adjust to the low light: the only illumination being the moon outside through the open windows. Jedite was not alone in this room: Both Serena and Amy were here. And they were both asleep, not having been woken up by Jedite himself.
Jedite sat up for a moment and looked around the room. In between Serena and Amy was another plate of a skinned orange. And lying on the tray with the remaining pieces was a fruit knife.
Jedite stretched out his hand to pick up the object. Even in this dim light, Jedite could tell it was quite sharp. Raye took care of her things, Jedite knew that for a fact. It glinted in the moonlight, and then Jedite could see Serena's back.
A knife this sharp, with Jedite's strength, could easily slip right in her back. Cover her mouth, twist the knife, the girl would be dead without a peep. And then, he could move on to Amy, sitting right there.
It was late: Raye would be asleep in her own room. It was right down the hall, Jedite still remembered when he stayed here as caretaker. A quick trip, and all three Sailor Scouts would be gone. He could take the little wands and that brooch they used, and bring them as trophies to Queen Beryl. The power those items emitted would be proof enough that Jedite was the one who collected them. She'd know that Malachite failed in his mission, and he'd regain everything he lost. Beryl would punish Malachite, and reward him for defeating these Scouts. It would be so easy. One, two three.
Jedite looked towards Serena, Sailor Moon. She was snoring, but not aware of her surroundings.
"This is too simple." Jedite thought. He held the knife handle firmly, and Jedite could feel no pain.
He looked again at Serena, blissfully unaware of the man that would kill her, right above her. She snored, she muttered, but she did not notice him at all.
He looked to the knife, and then at Serena's back. He drew his elbow back, prepared to strike.
"Are you all right?" He heard Serena's voice ask him in that sweet voice she had, that sweet voice that belied any sort of alternate agenda.
"You'll never get better if you don't have nutrition." He recalled her saying, and remembered her offering him tea and fruit.
"You're not my enemy." Was a phrase that continued to echo in his head. His hand was starting to tremble, followed by his entire body. Was he hesitating? How could he hesitate? This was simple. She'd be gone forever, and the others would follow. Everything would be as it should.
Jedite's foot brushed against something damp. He looked on the ground and noticed a wet cloth lying next to the bed.
"What was this?" Jedite held it in his hand. And then he remembered, before he slipped unconscious earlier, that something was placed on his forehead. She must have put this damp cloth on his forehead to help him feel better.
Serena, Sailor Moon, his enemy, had showed Jedite more kindness and respect than Beryl ever did. Beryl would only berate him, or mock him. She gave him command, but little else.
Jedite put the knife back on the plate carefully so as not to make a sound. He was trembling too much: he could hurt himself. As he was putting it back, he noticed a small, round object sitting next to the plate, roughly the size of Jedite's palm. He picked it up. He had seen human women with this before, but he didn't know what it was for.
"There was something about the bottom." He thought, and noticed the bottom had a little hooked clasp. He triggered it, and found it opened. The bottom was full of some powder Jedite had no desire to touch. The top was a mirror.
The mirror showed Jedite his own face, as all mirrors would do to him. It had been the first time he saw it since the accident. His hair was greasy, and in disarray. One of his earrings was missing. His skin was oily.
Jedite looked down at his own body. He was covered in bandages from hip to the middle of his chest, as well as another set of bandages wrapped around his shoulder. They were somewhat bloody, and sticky. He was still wearing the pants of his uniform, but they were sticky with blood as well.
The man in the mirror was not a proud general of the Negaverse. He was a failure, a broken wretch of a man beaten by a bunch of schoolgirls, who had the audacity to rescue him.
Beryl did not believe in this fool, sending Malachite was an action that fit her to a T. She preferred her hands unsullied. Zoicite or Malachite would have sent a youma, not a general. Beryl didn't want him, Beryl considered him trash.
Jedite couldn't convince the man in the mirror he was a capable general. He couldn't convince him that he was anything more than a pathetic, ridiculous failure. Destined to be cast aside, used, and then destroyed.
He sighed. What was left for him now? No one would come to rescue him, he'd be slain the second he returned, and if Beryl caught wind that he'd survived, she would send monsters after him. He was in no shape to fight in this condition.
Jedite closed the mirror, and put it back where he found it. He sat up in his bed, leaned against the wall. He needed to think.
He wasn't sure what answers he had by morning, when the birds started chirping outside. It looked to be a lovely day. Normally, such lovely days were perfect for gathering energy: The humans would be eager to go out and do something.
Serena yawned from her seat.
"Oh goodness, did we fall asleep, Amy?" Serena shook Amy awake.
"Erm..." Amy gently awoke. "Oh! We feel asleep studying." Amy looked at her watch. "Thank goodness it's still early. We won't be late for school."
"Oh, Amy, we can just play hooky today, can't we?" Serena tried to sweet-talk.
"Absolutely not, Serena, school is important." Amy remarked. "We should at least call our parents and let them know we were over here, they must be worried."
"Yeah, right now they're having breakfast without me. And knowing Mom, it's the one day she makes my favorite." Serena moped. That's when the two noticed Jedite was sitting upright.
"Oh! Jedite! Were you awake this whole time?" Serena asked, blushing a little.
"Yes." He replied.
"Are...are you alright?" Serena asked with that same warm concern. "You look so sad."
"I surrender." Jedite remarked.
"Huh?" Amy was confused.
"I cast the white flag, or however you humans say it. I'm powerless, there's nothing I can do. Do whatever you want with me." Jedite replied. The words were not easy to say, and even harder to hear coming from his mouth, but they were the truth. He was the failure, the unwanted, and he had no reason to resist the Sailor Scouts anymore.
He would have expected them to laugh, or rejoice. A broken enemy was nothing if not humorous.
But Serena sat next to him on the bed.
"I'm glad you understand we're not enemies. But perk up, you're not going to recover when your depressed. That's another of my mom's secrets."
"I'm surprised, you're not jumping for an interrogation?"
"I didn't save you because I wanted your information. It was the right thing to do. And this still isn't an interrogation. If you want to tell us or don't, that's fine. What's important is we both want you to feel better. So get some rest, okay. And we can talk later."
Amy didn't say anything, perhaps there was nothing to add. But Jedite lay back down, and he felt a lot lighter as he began to rest.
