Just a little note, I think of the Dark Kingdom as a location inside the Negaverse.

Two days had passed since Malachite abandoned Queen Beryl, with her thinking he was dead. During that time, the Sailor Scouts had grown more welcome to him, but were all still wary. Mars-well, Rei he had found out was her real name-was still opposed to the idea, but who could blame her for being who she was?

But back in the Negaverse, Prince Endymion was announcing his plan to Queen Beryl within the Dark Kingdom. "The plan will require a lot of energy, are you certain you can pull this off? I do not want the same thing that happened to Neflyte to happen to you. That girl has a very influential presence on people." Beryl was wary. Being down to only one main warrior she could not afford to lose him.

Endymion's plan was simple, using Neflyte's old friend Molly he would lure out Sailor Moon like the second shitennou had tried before his untimely death. But unlike his predecessor, Endymion would turn her into a warrior for the Negaverse. Sailor Moon would give up the wand for her return. From what he knew, Sailor Moon was someone who knew Molly well, so she would be hesitant to attack. If she did not give up the wand, he would use his new warrior to take it by force. "I am certain, in every aspect Sailor Moon is at a disadvantage. The Imperium Silver Crystal will be in your hands by sunrise tomorrow."

"Very well, do not fail me. With that crystal we shall rule together for eternity!" Beryl's smile was vile and wicked, just like her heart to its core.

"Yes, your majesty." Endymion bowed before vanishing from the throne room through a warp hole.

Molly was on her way home from school, reading over her test results as she walked. "Oh man, Serena's gonna be so jealous!" She passed in front of a back alley, and a strong side wind blew the paper from her hands and off into the alley. "Oh no!" She rushed after it, the paper finally stopping near a sewer grate. "Got it."

She turned to leave, but her exit was blocked by Endymion. "It's good to see you, Molly. I need your help."

"Darien? Where have you been, Serena's been really worried ya know." She recognized him, but not completely.

"No, I am Prince Endymion. Warrior and second in command of Queen Beryl's Dark Kingdom." He took out the Star Crystal that Neflyte had made so long ago. The yellow rings that came from the black gem wrapped themselves around Molly as she became a new warrior of darkness. When the rings left, Endymion gave her the order. "Now, go and bring me this Serena person. That ought to lure Sailor Moon out of hiding. Double the hostages means twice the probability that Sailor Moon will hand over the crystal."

At the Hikawa shrine though, Rei was busy sweeping the stone grounds clear of any fallen leaves. Chad was busy greeting the guests and somehow she had wound up with his job, and his hers.

"It's not that bad Rei, it could be worse." Serena tried to cheer her friend up, before Ami had dragged her off to a study session that is.

"Well, let's see you do chores all day long." She mumbled as she thought back on the moment. She heard footsteps, and turned to see Molly. "Oh, hi Molly."

"Hey, where's Serena? I thought she always hung out here after school." Molly pondered as Rei put her broom away to begin the next chore on her list.

"Not today." She picked up a cloth from a nearby basket and hung it on the clothes wire. "She's over at Ami's for a study session." But Rei got an odd feeling about her situation, something was different about Molly's eyes. Not in their color or shape, but in a spiritual sense. She could recognize the trace of who did it too. "Endymion..." She whispered.

"Serena studying? Huh...well that's a first. Thank you Rei. You've been very helpful." Molly turned as if she was going to leave, but quickly turned and fired a black stream of energy at Rei from her hand. Unable to react, the raven-haired girl fell to the ground, falling unconscious upon contact.

Molly left the scene quickly, drawing no attention to herself as she left. It wasn't long before Rei woke up, "Ugh...The Negaverse got to Molly, again...Why is it always her?" As she stood up, Malachite arrived on the scene, having heard something fall to the ground.

"What happened to you?" He asked as he tried to help Rei up. She refused the help however, pulling away from him.

"Don't touch me! You may have fooled the others, but i'm onto you." She accused him of treachery, which had him confused.

"What do you mean?"

"Don't play dumb. Because of you Darien is working for Queen Beryl, and now you're trying to trick us into thinking you've abandoned her so you can catch us off guard." She had gotten up close and Malachite took a few steps back, he had to befriend them not kill them.

The fourth shitennou asked his question again. "Who did this to you?"

The reply was almost instant. "Molly, she's working for Endymion. I could sense it. I'd know that trace anywhere because it has you written all over it along with Darien's!" It was crystal clear that Malachite would have to do something remarkable to gain Rei's trust. But there was no time at the moment.

"I shall warn them." He began to depart, but Rei grabbed him by the shoulder.

"Not without me you don't! Until you prove that you're telling the truth i'm not letting you go anywhere near my friends without me there!"

He opened a warp hole before them. "Ladies first." He said, and Rei stepped through, soon followed by Malachite.

"Oh come on, Ami! Can't we just do this later? I heard that there's a great new game at the Arcade and I really wanna try it, don't you?" Serena whined yet again. They hadn't even begun studying and she was already complaining. The doorbell rang. At the same time, Rei and Malachite appeared via warp hole in the center of the room. "Oh, hi guys!"

"Now's not the time Serena, Endymion got to Molly. She's with the Negaverse now." Rei explained.

"She's on her way over here now, you need to transform now! I shall leave as to not alert the prince of my presence." With those words, Malachite vanished into thin air.

"Moon Prism Power!" Serena held up her brooch, and in a series of twirls and motions had transformed into Sailor Moon.

"Mercury Power!" Ami held up her transformation pen and in a single spin became Sailor Mercury.

"Mars Power!" Rei held up her transformation pen, and fire surrounded her body before she became Sailor Mars.

Almost at the same time, Molly broke down the door to Ami's room. "Ah, Sailor Moon! I've been looking for you!" Molly began to approach the three.

"This isn't you, Molly! Try to fight it!" Sailor Moon tried to get through to her dear friend, but the darkness was too strong for Molly to fight even if she tried her hardest. Raising her hand, she fired a black beam at Mercury, who bolted out the door. They needed an open space to fight her in if they were going to win without killing their friend.

"You can't escape!" Molly shouted while giving chase to the sailor of ice and water. Sailor Moon and Mars gave chase to her. After a few moments of chasing each other down the staircase of the building, in which Molly had decimated a few doors with her beams, they found themselves outside.

"Mars Fire Ignite!" The stream of fire shot towards Molly with the intent to merely drain her strength. But as a counter, Molly shot a beam of darkness through the fire which dispersed the flames and hit her foe in the stomach.

"Moon Healing-" Sailor Moon tried to use her wand, but it was knocked out of her hand by a black rose. "Tuxedo Mask!" Sure enough, the warrior in a tuxedo was standing nearby. The two other Sailor Scouts looked to see their former friend, Molly leapt over them and stood by his side.

"It's the end of the line, Sailor Moon. Hand over that crystal!" He demanded while revealing his cane in preparation to attack. Molly laughed wickedly with a hand on her hip.

"No." She replied, but became emotional and began to cry.

"So be it! Molly, get the wand!" Molly was happy to oblige, and fired another beam.

"Look out!" Mars pushed the crying Sailor Moon out of harms way, barely being missed by the attack herself.

"Mercury Bubbles Blast!" The thick fog that covered the area bought the Sailors enough time to regain their focus.

"As useless as ever!" Tuxedo Mask threw another black rose once the fog dispersed, this one aimed for Mars' chest. It was traveling through the air far too fast for her to dodge however, so she closed her eyes and waited for the inevitable.

Although Malachite would have liked to keep the element for his attack on Beryl, he couldn't let his ally be killed when he still needed them. He teleported directly in front of the rose, taking the hit for her. It hurt badly, and was draining his energy, but he quickly yanked it out, throwing the rose back at Tuxedo Mask!

"Malachite!?" Tuxedo Mask was in a state of shock, not only was the thought-to-be-dead general standing before him, but he had saved Sailor Mars. The black rose stuck itself in his shoulder, causing him to reel back in pain. Mars nervously opened her eyes, and was speechless to see that Malachite had taken the hit for her.

Forming three balls of energy in his hand, he shot them one at a time at his foes, driving them up against the wall. "Now, Sailor Moon! Use the wand!" He said upon firing the third ball.

"Moon Healing Escalation!" sailor Moon shouted while tracing a circle in front of her with the Crescent Moon Wand. The mystical energy it produced surrounded Molly's body, and a dark entity with Endymion's face flew from her back as she collapsed to the ground.

Malachite did not hesitate to attack it with a fourth ball of energy, stunning it so Sailor Mars could get what she wanted. Good old fashioned payback. "Alright, you're in for it! Mars Fire Ignite!" The stream of fire pierced through the entity, forcing it to disperse into nothingness.

Beryl had watched the fight through her orb, and was furious to discover the truth. "Malachite! You traitor! How dare you stand against your queen!" Lightning struck outside the throne room as a symbol of her anger.

Tuxedo Mask knew he couldn't stand against the former general in his current condition, so without hesitation he vanished through a warp hole to return to Queen Beryl. Sailor Moon and Mercury helped Molly up, and began to escort her home. Leaving Mars and Malachite alone on the streets. "Thanks for saving me. I guess I owe you an apology." She said to him, feeling ashamed of her earlier accusations.

"Well then, apology accepted."

"I guess I was wrong about you after all." Mars nervously chuckled, she hoped that she wouldn't make such embarrassing mistakes in the future.

"I understand. I did kidnap your friend after all, but you'll get him back." Malachite chuckled before turning to leave the scene.

"Hey, wait." Mars called after him. "Where are you going?"

"Back to the park, the piles of leaves on the ground make a decent blanket." He replied without stopping.

"Oh...So, you don't have anywhere to go?" She almost sounded sad.

"No. But why is this something you concern yourself with?"

"Well, since you saved my life, maybe you'd like to live at the temple for a bit? Grandpa keeps a spare room for guests. Think you'd wanna give it a try?"

Malachite stopped and said, "Thanks, but not tonight. Now that Beryl knows I am alive I have to sleep with one eye open. Perhaps another time." His voice had returned to being cold, like before. But he gave a smile before vanishing from sight. He was quite pleased with himself, now that he had gained the trust of at least one of them, becoming friends would be much easier. He needed all the help he could get, his Youma were strong, but they were nothing against Beryl's.