CHAPTER 21

It was the day after the incidents that had been set in motion by Mistrust. Rini had stayed behind from school all day sick in bed while Serena had gone to school feeling dejected. Her parents' scathing rebukes over her last exam results were still burning like fire in her memory. All throughout the morning she could barely keep herself focussed on what Miss Haruna was saying to avoid further distress.

Back home Luna and Artemis had been watching over Rini in between the visits Serena's mother made to make sure Rini was all right. She gave Rini her medicine and some small amounts of food to keep her strength up such as yoghurt and fruit. She also made sure Rini's forehead was regularly sponged and that she drank water and fruit juice at intervals. "My poor little niece. You get plenty of rest to make sure you recover."
Rini looked up at her and said gratefully, "Thank you Auntie."
Her "Auntie" fondled her cheek affectionately and left to perform some of her housework. Rini closed her eyes and went to sleep while Luna and Artemis snuggled up at the foot of her bed to take naps themselves.

Later that afternoon Mother took Rini's temperature and said happily, "Why Rini. Your fever is going down. How do you feel?"
Rini sat up and said, "You know I feel much better. Do you suppose I'll be well enough to go back to school tomorrow?"
Mum grinned and replied, "Probably Rini. I wish Serena was keen about school as much as you. You always get excellent grades."
Luna and Artemis smiled quietly as Rini said, "School's such fun. Also I have a very good friend there."

Before Mum could say anything in reply there came a knock on Rini's bedroom door. "Who is it?" Rini called out.
The door opened and Serena walked in. "It's me Rini. Hello Mum. How are you feeling Rini?"
"I'm much better," said Rini.
"She certainly is Serena."
"I'm very pleased to hear that Mum and so are my friends."

To the mutual surprise of Rini and Mum, Amy, Raye, Lita and Mina all entered saying hello. Rini was delighted. "How nice of you all to visit me."
Amy said, "We also brought you a surprise Rini."
"A surprise! What is it?"
Serena said, "Here she is," and a girl around Rini's age with short, brown hair entered. It was Rini's friend from school, Melissa.
Rini was so excited that she jumped out of bed and ran to hug Melissa before Mum realized it.
"Melissa! I'm so happy to see you!"
"I've missed you too Rini. Can you come back to school tomorrow?"
"I hope so."
Mum took charge. "Well Rini. Please don't get too excited. You really need to still rest in bed until tomorrow to make sure you don't get a relapse."
"Okay Auntie." So Rini lay back down while Melissa sat in a chair next to her so they could chat. Mum left them to be together and Serena and her friends all sat together on the floor drinking tea at a small table.
Artemis and Luna shared in the joy of seeing Rini looking so happy and in good spirits.

But that night at one am something very weird was happening. Two giant Dark Crystal Wedges as tall as forty foot pine trees suddenly materialized at the school Melissa and Rini attended. One in the grounds near the opening gateway and the other at the opposite end in the backyard with the school in between.
Regalia and Animal Instinct appeared and gesturing with their arms directed very strong magic into the Wedge at the front while Mistrust and Marzipan did the same thing to the Wedge at the back.

As soon as the enormous structures were glowing golden orange and shining brightly the four Droids all disappeared and reappeared on top of the roof of the school building. Doom and Gloom were standing there to meet them and so was Emerald, running her pink comb through her greenish hair as always.
"Is everything ready?" she asked them.
"We've set up our Wedge Emerald," said Marzipan.
"Likewise our Wedge," said Animal Instinct.
"Good work," laughed Doom.
"The Wiseman and the Grim Man had an excellent idea to lend immense amounts of their power to Sapphire so that he could create those two giant Dark Crystal Wedges," said Gloom.
"They will emit wavelengths powerful enough to neutralize anything the Sailor Scouts may have concocted to counteract the protection the usual Wedges we used to carry in our pockets since they managed to steal that one off Mistrust." Emerald said this then gave her booming laugh in anticipated triumph.
Doom said, "Now in the morning as the children come to school all of us must be ready and waiting to brainwash them and make them run riot making all the teachers flee in terror."
Gloom continued. "Then when the Sailor Scouts hear of this and come to check things out we will strike hard and finally destroy them. And not even that weird wraith or spectre or whatever it is will be able to stop us if it turns up to help them."
Emerald, Doom, Gloom, Marzipan, Regalia, Animal Instinct and Mistrust all clasped their right hands together and shouted. "We will destroy them all for our family members!"

As for Injector, she had stayed behind in the future to keep an eye on all the citizens of the Crystal Tokyo Kingdom who were still under the thumb of Prince Diamond, through the power of their two evil mentors.
Rini and Melissa were in for a terrible shock the next morning.

When the day dawned Rini was completely better with all trace of the flu gone. She was all excited when she woke up and dressed. Before she went downstairs to breakfast she stuck her head in Serena's bedroom door and called out.
"You'd better get up Serena. School today."
Serena woke with a start. "Huh? Wha? Oh Rini! I'm perfectly capable of organizing myself, thank you."
"Okay, but don't be late."
Rini was gone before Serena could express any further resentment. Luna was still curled up deeply asleep on the floor and Serena lay back on her pillow grumbling to herself. "I set my alarm myself as Luna told me to last night. When it goes off I will wake up. In plenty of time."
With that she yawned and went back to sleep.

Unfortunately when she set the alarm she had set it for 7pm instead of 7am. She had gone to bed after 7 last night having set the digital alarm clock to go off at approximately 7 the following night.

Rini had her breakfast, said goodbye to her family and went walking to school with Melissa, who had come to call on her that morning.
"Hi Rini. I'm so delighted to see you still looking so good."
"I'm feeling the very best Melissa. See you later dear Uncle, Aunt and Cousin Sammy."
"I must get going to my own school. Have a good day Rini," said Sammy hugging her quickly. Then he did the same to his parents.
"Goodbye Rini. Goodbye Sammy." Mum paused a moment and said, "Where is Serena?"
"I told her to get herself ready before I came down. She said she could manage herself," said Rini.
Dad rolled his eyes and sighed. "She's going to be late again. Mum and I had better go upstairs and get her moving."
"What are we going to do with her?" Mum moaned and Sammy went his own way grinning and thinking to himself that Serena was such a hopeless ditz while Rini and Melissa went their way merrily together.

As for Serena, her mother and father desperately shook her awake to her sleepy confusion. "Wake up Serena! Wake up!" cried Dad.
"Huh? Wh-wha?" Serena yawned as she spoke next. "Dad? Mum? What are you doing?"
"Young lady. You're going to be hopelessly late again," cried Mum in a despaired tone.
"But I set the alarm. It hasn't gone off yet."
Dad said firmly, "If you'd set it properly it would have gone off by now. Look at the time!"

So saying Dad shoved the clock in front of Serena's face and she could see that her parents were right. She screamed so loudly that Luna woke up in a fright.
"Oh no! Miss H will chew me up and spit me out!" Serena ran around desperately trying to get her school uniform to change in and ran into the bathroom while Luna quietly moaned about her stupidity.
"Will she ever learn?" She quietly groaned to herself and poor Mum tried hard to make sure she was ready. She sighed as she entered the bathroom to find that Serena had put her clothes on back to front in her haste.

Meanwhile as Rini and Melissa arrived at their own school they were astonished. "Hey Rini. What is that strange structure inside the gate?" asked Melissa pointing at it.
"I don't know Melissa. It sure is unusual, isn't it?" Rini was at least slightly suspicious and hugged her bag tightly to her. Her ball that she used to keep in contact with her dear friend Sailor Pluto was stored inside and she drew confort from it. Ever since she had lost her time key Sailor Pluto had been working as hard as she could to magically create an alternate way for her to return home and bring Sailor Moon, Tuxedo Mask and everybody else to help save her mother and all the rest of the people who were dear to her.
Inside all the other kids and the teachers were standing around looking at the Wedge and wondering what it was and where it had come from. Some kids were running over to say the other one had just been discovered. Even people passing by in the street were astounded and began to spread the news.

Then the bell rang. "Okay boys and girls. Time to begin classes and forget these weird, enormous things," said the principal and the teachers herded them away. Melissa and Rini went along with their class group.

But as soon as they were all inside the Black Moon Clan, who were gathered together up on the roof above them made their move. "Now let us all combine our concentration and activate those Wedges everybody." Emerald stuck her pink comb inside her hair as she spoke and she and the others all raised their hands, shut their eyes and channeled all their energy into the Wedges to activate them.

As Rini and Melissa sat down at their desks, suddenly they flinched for a moment like all the other students. Their teacher had been facing the class about to speak and she responded upon noticing this. "Are you all okay? What just happened?"
Without even speaking Rini and all her classmates jumped up and began to bellow and scream, running around and making a mess of the classroom. To the teacher's abject horror they pulled things out of drawers and cupboards throwing them everywhere and even tipped over some of their desks and chairs. "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING? CEASE AT ONCE! YOU'LL BE SEVERELY PUNISHED!"
She reached out and grabbed a boy in one hand and Rini's friend Melissa in the other. But the boy kicked her hard in the shin and Melissa bit her. She released them shrieking in pain and fright. Then when they all gave her a black warning stare she became shocked and trembling. Backing her way out to the door she exited and ran away while the children started to tear their textbooks and and throw whatever they could pick up at the walls and the blackboard with ugly sounding crashes. She was met by the principal and all the rest of the staff also retreating. Most of them too had also attempted to arrest some students and been kicked, punched or bitten in various places.

"This is very distressing. We shall have to call in the authorities. I don't understand why those children have gone ape, but I hope they can be subdued without hurting them," said the principal as they poured out through the school gate past the Wedge that still glowed and pulsated with evil power.

At that very moment Serena came desperately racing along with Luna right behind her. She was seriously late due to having to get dressed again properly with Mum's assistance while Dad prepared himself to leave for work. At least he had plenty of time to leisurely walk to his office building. Not like his silly daughter who desperately took off like a rocket in the direction of her school. He shook his head in exasperation.
Luna had been telling her off while they ran but they just so happened to pass Rini's school on the way and Luna saw from across the street all the teachers running out in a frenzied panic. Then she saw the huge Wedge.

"Wait Serena!"
"I can't stop Luna. I'm already in dreadful trouble." Serena hadn't even noticed anything and kept running. As she turned the corner, Luna put on a massive burst of speed and sprang with all her strength upon Serena's back. Digging her claws gently in to stop her she held on tight as Serena pulled up to a sudden stop nearly tumbling over her own feet.
"Yeeeooooww! Luna! What do you think you're doing?"
"Just turn around and look behind the corner back at Rini's school and tell me what you see Serena."
Serena tried to protest but Luna insisted. "As much as I dislike causing you pain Serena, you know that when I say something I mean it. Now don't try to shake me off or I'll have no choice but to dig in deeper."
"V-very well Luna."

As Serena turned in obedient consent Luna jumped down to the ground. Gasping Serena cried, "Th-that looks like the thing that Nephlite helped us obtain from the clan the last time we faced them. Only it's ENORMOUS!"
"Exactly Serena. I saw all the teachers running away down the street like frightened rabbits. But I didn't see or notice Rini or any of the other children with them. We must investigate it."
Serena pulled out her communicator. "Hey! What are you doing?"
Serena was taken aback. "I was going to call my friends of course."
"No Serena. The others cannot join us at the moment."
"What? Why not Luna?"
"Think Serena. They are all in school at the moment listening to their teachers. They can't leave their classrooms to transform now, can they?"
Serena lowered her communicator and slipped it back in her pocket muttering, "That's where I'm supposed to be too. Miss H will be furious."
"Snap out of it Serena! You need to go in there to check things out."
Serena's mood changed to her scared and whiny cowardish manner. "Oh no. I have to face things on my own?"
"You did it when you needed to before we met the others Serena. Come on."
"But this looks especially creepy Luna. Wait! I know what I need. A disguise." She remembered something she had not used for a very long time, but still carried around with her. She had not really needed it particularly in her encounters against the Black Moon Clan so far, still she produced it to Luna's surprise.
"The magic Disguise Pen? Serena, really! There's no reason for this. Just transform into Sailor Moon."
"No Luna. I can't do this alone. Not as Sailor Moon at first. DISGUISE POWER! CHANGE ME INTO A," Serena began to stumble over her words. "Uh, ah. OH A GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL OR SOMEBODY WITH AUTHORITY!"

In the next five seconds Serena was dressed in dark brown business top and skirt. She also had dark glasses, black shoes and her hair was short and well combed. She even held an attache business case in one hand. "I'm ready Luna."
"This is ridiculous," groaned Luna in disbelief as she followed Serena into the school grounds heading for the main building.

Once inside Serena ran up the stairs to the main classrooms and found Rini, Melissa and all the other children gathered around like mindless zombies. She was shocked to see the mess they had made of their school. They had even thrown things such as blackboard erasers and whatever else they could pick up through the windows and the glass frames of the doors. Shards of broken glass were everywhere although they had not harmed each other at all and had avoided going anywhere near the areas of sharp danger. The clan members had them under such perfect control to cause mayhem and destruction while looking out for their safety and that of the adults they had driven away.

Serena tried to talk to Rini first of all, holding up her attache case in both hands in front of her chest nervously. "Rini. It's, ah m-me. Serena."
Rini said nothing and she and the others began to advance threateningly.
Serena gulped and stammered. "V-very well. I'm a r-representative of the g-g-government and by the power invested in m-m-me, I hereby c-command you all to cease this m-m-mischief."
Rini and her classmates all picked up brooms and any other large things they could carry and swung them warningly. Even though none of the clan really wanted to hurt anybody, Serena had one of her panic attacks and ran away screaming. Luna followed her into a vacant science room that was still in one piece and shouted, "SERENA! ENOUGH NONSENSE! TRANSFORM NOW!"

Serena jumped with a start and gasped. "Okay Luna. MOON CRYSTAL POWER!"
Sailor Moon quickly appeared and up above on the roof all the clan members suddenly gasped themselves. They were psychically observing everything below them while controlling the children, but their concentration was momentarily cut off.
"That person is Sailor Moon in disguise!" shouted Animal Instinct.
Rini and Melissa had also ran inside after Serena leading the other kids and as the clan's power over them was lifted, they were all amazed to see Sailor Moon as well.
"Sailor Moon! What is going on?" shouted Rini lowering the broom in her hands.
"What has happened to our school Sailor Moon?" Melissa was astounded and the others all looked around perplexed and shocked at the destruction. None of them suspecting they had done it themselves in spite of the things they were all clutching hold of still.
Sailor Moon was immensely relieved to see them all calm down. "I'm not sure myself. But I must get you all out of here."

On the rooftop Regalia suddenly recognized Rini. "Hey! One of those two girls up in front of Sailor Moon is the Small Lady we've been trying to capture."
"Regalia is right," cried Mistrust and Marzipan and Animal Instinct both shouted.
"It's her indeed!"
"Small Lady and Sailor Moon!"
Emerald, Doom and Gloom were astounded, but they quickly took charge again. "Hurry everybody. We must control all the children again so that they will beat Sailor Moon to death."
"All of them? Even the Small Lady?" asked Animal Instinct.
"Yes," Emerald continued. "Then we can make her come with us after our bitter enemy is dead."

So they all carried on channeling their power together. Melissa and the others all rose their weapons again with vacant staring eyes once more. Sailor Moon cried out, "Oh no! Not again!"
She backed away as Melissa ran forward and swung at her. She just struck her knee and Sailor Moon gasped hopping on one leg rubbing where she was hit.

Then Luna yelled, "Look out!" as the kids all swarmed forward before Sailor Moon knew what was happening. This time they really were out to cause harm and Sailor Moon fell on her backside with a crash. She desperately tried to crawl away, but the children had her surrounded. "Luna! Help me!"
She covered her head with her arms whimpering as she was struck by one weapon after another.

However Rini wasn't with them. As soon as the mind control had invaded her she had screwed up her eyes and gripped the broom very tightly. She knew she was being told to attack. But this was Sailor Moon and she fought hard to resist.
While Sailor Moon screamed for help and Luna watched in horrified helplessness, Rini heard a familiar voice say to her, "Rini. Be strong. You can resist them."
She also felt her bag upon her back being opened and hands reaching in to withdraw something. Opening her eyes she saw white gloved hands holding her blue ball in front of her. "Take this Rini. You must help Sailor Moon."
Looking up she saw the familiar figure of Tuxedo Mask in his top hat, cape and mask staring down at her. Dropping the broom so that it clattered to the floor, she took the ball off him knowing immediately what to do. She squeezed it so that the radio antennae popped out and she desperately called to Sailor Pluto. "My dear friend. If you can hear me please respond. I need your help to overcome the enemy who's invading my mind trying to cloud my senses."

Standing by her post in front of the door to time Sailor Pluto heard her. Raising her scythe high above her head she called out to her in return. "I do hear you Small Lady. I am sending my power to you. Channel it and free yourself and your friends who are with you."
Rini opened her eyes wide and the golden crescent moon appeared glowing on her forehead.
"What is happening?" shouted Marzipan.
"This energy is weakening all of us," gasped Mistrust.
Emerald clenched her fists and growled. "I recognize it. It's that mysterious woman known as Sailor Pluto. She's working with the child against us."
"No," said Doom.
"We must all fight together," said Gloom and the others all desperately attempted to support each other. But it was no use and they all fell to their knees, then down on all fours gasping for breath. Even Emerald, though she was furiously gnashing her teeth.

Inside the building Melissa and the rest of the kids all lowered their weapons and backed away confused from Sailor Moon. She rose from the floor rubbing her bumps and bruises. However Tuxedo Mask had disappeared.
"Don't worry children. J-just follow me outside and be very careful." Sailor Moon calmed herself and the kids all trustingly followed her as she led the way. Rini, still clutching her ball like it was her lifeline, took up the rear with Luna.

As Sailor Moon led them outside she was very surprised to see her friends, the other Sailor Scouts waiting in the grounds to meet her. The children were all very happy to see them. "All the Sailor Scouts are here. Hooray!"
"There's nothing to worry about now."
Sailor Moon couldn't understand how they all managed to come when they were supposed to be in school. Nor could Luna. However this was no time to ponder it.
"Sailor Mercury. You and Sailor Venus escort all these children to safety. Sailor Mars and Sailor Jupiter. You stay with me to confront any of the clan."
Sailor Mercury said, "Sure thing Sailor Moon."
"Follow us children," said Sailor Venus and they all complied. Even Rini, who turned her head and called out to the other three Scouts.
"Please be very careful."
Luna stayed behind too.

Sailor Mars said, "I analyzed that small version of those two large statues. They give off a magical aura that counteracts our powers of healing, so we can't debrainwash them."
Sailor Jupiter said, "If we couldn't heal them before, those giant things must be making it way beyond impossible to save them."
"Couldn't we destroy it before any of them show up?" cried Sailor Moon.
"We could certainly try but even if we were successful there is still the second one on the other side of the school grounds," Sailor Mars pointed out.
Luna said, "You'll just have to try to reason with them very carefully and try not to hurt them."
The three Scouts were glancing around very worriedly for any sign of somebody approaching.

They had forgotten though that Doom and Gloom had the power to rise up out of the ground and take them from surprise behind. They gave a combined resounding battle cry as they flew up prepared to strike the three Scouts a very hard blow. However a red rose flew past in front of them sticking into the ground distracting them and giving Sailor Moon and her friends time to turn and face them. Doom and Gloom gasped as they noticed Tuxedo Mask standing several feet away at the very top of the ladder up the slippery dip in the playground. He spoke loudly. "Sailor Moon. You must try your very best to do your duty. These people need to learn how very wrong they are."
"Yes Tuxedo Mask. I know what I must do."

She took off her tiara and it instantly changed to her Moon Scepter. Sailor Mars and Sailor Jupiter guessed what the idea was and they prepared to act too.
Doom and Gloom were scared half to death. They immediately began to sink back into the ground assuming that Sailor Moon was about to try to eliminate them.
"Hey! Don't let them get away," cried Sailor Mars.
"I'll stop them," said Sailor Jupiter. "JUPITER THUNDERCLAP ZAP!" She sent her electrical energy shooting into the ground under the surface where Doom and Gloom had vanished and as it struck them they were forced out of hiding back to the surface. Then Sailor Mars slapped one of her charms on each of their faces while they lay sprawled stunned on their backs. Next the two of them combined their powers with Sailor Moon to attack not the brothers, but the giant Dark Wedge nearby.
"MOON SCEPTER ELIMINATION!"
"MARS FIRE IGNITE!"
"JUPITER THUNDER CRASH!"
The trio directed all the strength they could summon towards the Wedge. They didn't manage to destroy it completely, but together they did blow up approximately half of it and it did not glow anywhere near as strongly. Though it still flickered and shimmered with some reserves of power.

Sailor Moon quickly turned her scepter back into her tiara and put it on her head, intending to try to use her crystal's healing combined with Mars' specially prepared charms. But before she could do anything Emerald's voice shouted out above them. "MY BROTHERS! SAVE MY BROTHERS!"
Looking up they saw Emerald floating overhead holding her pink comb in both hands, so anguished that she snapped it in two. Then the Droids materialized on the ground surrounding them on all sides. Marzipan was about to shoot some gooey cakes at them and Mistrust summoned up four clones of herself ready to charge. Regalia and Animal Instinct were also ready to use their own powers to help if the others needed back up. It didn't look good for the Scouts at all. Could Tuxedo Mask help them?

Just then who of all people should come running as fast as her little legs could carry her, but Rini herself. Everybody including the three Sailor Scouts were taken by surprise to see her approach so blatantly. But before any of them could say or do anything Rini shouted. "I CAN'T LET YOU HURT MY FRIENDS! THEY MUST SAVE MY DEAR MUMMY!"

Then she screamed, scrunching up her eyes and shaking her blue ball vigorously. Her forehead glowed with the crescent moon symbol, but it was different from all previous times. Blinding golden light emanated from her and to the horror of Doom, Gloom and the four Droids, they were dazzled by the brightly glaring light and lightly picked up where they lay or stood by it and thrown up into the air. Emerald gasped and propelled herself upwards one step ahead of her allies who were all crying out in shock and dismay. Mistrust's clones had vanished the minute she had been bombarded with the intense brightness. They all desperately managed to gain control over themselves and float right side up next to Emerald several feet above. Finally as they blinked and rubbed their eyes to clear the dazzlement from them, they all gasped as Rini's power destroyed what was left of the Dark Wedge and even the one on the other side of the school.
"I never thought she could be so strong," exclaimed Regalia.

Emerald knew there was only one thing to do. "Everybody return to the future. Our mission's backfired once again."
They all disappeared courtesy of their magic rings and Rini returned to normal. But Sailor Moon and her friends had been completely unharmed. Though they were amazed.

Before they could try to talk to Rini, Sailor Venus and Sailor Mercury came running up followed by a trio of police officers. Tuxedo Mask had already faded away into the background according to his skillful manner and one of the officers explained. "Sailor Moon. We met Sailors Mercury and Venus as they were leading the children out at the gate. We were coming to gently but firmly quell the riot the teachers had reported to us."
A second officer took over. "But when we had been told that something sinister had made them all become so uncontrollable and that you were looking into it we knew that the best thing was to leave it in your hands."
The last officer said, "When that weird statue blew up your allies said it was safe to enter. We left the children with the rest of us while we came to check on you." Noticing Rini he added, "There's one girl who mustn't have been able to escape. But you Scouts obviously saved her."
"Er yes, that's right. We did," Sailor Moon quickly gained her bearings and Sailor Mars and Sailor Jupiter helped her answer as well as they possibly could what questions the police had.

Luna was watching from the nearby bushes. She was just as amazed herself. She hadn't even realized that Rini had stopped following the others until a few seconds after she'd left her side and when she ran back she'd been just in time to see the end of what Rini had suddenly done. "Artemis is going to be astounded when we discuss this turn of events with him," she thought.

After the police had finished talking with the Sailor Scouts they thanked them once more and told the children to all go home. "We will see you all to your houses and explain the situation to your parents and guardians."
Even Rini consented to go with them, but she looked back over her shoulder and the look she gave the Scouts let them all know that she was determined to fight with them in their next battle.

When they were all alone Luna came out from the bushes and so did Tuxedo Mask. Sailor Moon couldn't help chiding him. "After all this time you still won't let the public know about you."
He smiled behind his mask. "I'm too humble. The Sailor Scouts are welcome to hog the spotlight."
Luna broke the silence with the very question that Sailor Moon herself wanted to ask the others. "How is it that you girls all came to be here? What will your teachers and classmates say?

Next minute some figures materialized in their midst. A tall man, a tall woman, a short woman with a baby in her arms and a handsome ghost with long flowing hair.
Sailor Moon, Tuxedo Mask and Luna were all surprised but not the other Scouts. "I summoned Jed, Tweetus, Dorothy and Jordan to help me bring your friends to help you Sailor Moon," said Nephlite.
"That's right," said Sailor Mars. "Jed came to my school."
"Tweetus came to my school," said Sailor Venus.
"And Dorothy and Jordan came to our school with Nephlite," added Sailor Mercury and Sailor Jupiter confirmed it.
Dorothy smiled and said, "While I was using my Youma abilities to enchant Sailor Mercury's teacher and classmates Nephlite was holding Jordan psychically in his own hands so that Jordan could do the same thing in Sailor Jupiter's class."
Tweetus proudly declared, "We all fixed things so that the Sailor Scouts' teachers and classmates all failed to consciously notice us informing them of what was going on here."
"Precisely," agreed Sailor Venus. "We were all able to transform right in front of everybody and nobody's aware we've left. We'll be able to join them again now as if we were always present."

Luna and Sailor Moon thanked their friends Mask gave Nephlite and the Youma family a salute and a smile. But just then Sailor Moon groaned. "I'll still have to face Miss H's wrath for being not only late but absent from school for so long."
Tuxedo Mask walked over and hugged her with a gentle admonishment. "You silly meatball head. You're always so hopeless, aren't you?" She looked up into his masked eyes.
"Dear Tuxedo Mask. Can't you do something?"
He shook his head. "Sorry honey. I'm powerless in this matter."
The other girls sighed. "Oh Sailor Moon."

But Tweetus said, "Come with us Sailor Moon. After we return your friends to their teachers, we'll all combine our power so that your teacher and classmates will think you've been present all the time."
Sailor Moon was deliriously overjoyed to hear this. "You'll really do this for me?"
"None of us are perfect and it will be our pleasure to do an extra favour for you," smiled Jed and Dorothy and Jordan expressed unanimous agreement.
Everybody, even Luna, was touched by the Youma's genorosity. Though Sailor Mars couldn't help thinking to herself, "Nobody's perfect, but that Serena doesn't even make any serious attempt to come close." She kept control over her indignation for once and said nothing out loud. She and the others all transformed back into their secret identities. Nephlite and Tuxedo Mask said their farewells and vanished in their respective styles and the four Youma all were good to their word. Luna went with them as they delivered first Raye and then Mina to their schools. Then between them they delivered the last three to their common school and nobody in Serena's class comprehended her long absence. Luna and the Youma quietly departed and Serena felt happy. It wasn't very often she was granted a reprieve from her own silliness and Miss Haruna smiled back at her when she saw her beaming, joyful face. Everybody was touched by the jolly atmosphere that day including Molly and Melvin.

Meanwhile back in Crystal Tokyo, Emerald materialized along with her brothers and all the Droids to report their failure yet again. "I'm so sorry my Prince. We failed." She bowed her head while the others all lamentably admitted how they had all been beaten.
But Prince Diamond merely smiled and said, "Never mind you lot. I was watching your battle along with our mentors personally via Wiseman's crystal ball."

He was actually not perched upon his throne for once. He stood next to the squat, hooded form of the Wiseman while the similar creepy Grim Man hovered on his opposite side. He continued. "Wiseman told me he had an excellent idea to help us."
All eyes were directed upon the Wiseman as he continued waving his spectral hands over his crystal while he spoke. "I saw the power displayed by the Small Lady when she used it to disperse all of you and destroy Sapphire's giant Dark Wedges. We can harness that power and use it to our advantage."
"Exactly how can we do that Wiseman?" asked Regalia.
"By capturing her and then the Grim Man and I can use our powers to turn her into an ally of the Black Moon Clan."
Marzipan said, "That sounds very exciting."
Mistrust added, "Yeah. But first of all we need to somehow capture her without her doing what she did to us all just now."

Emerald held up the fragments of her pink comb that she had snapped anguishedly in two at the plight of her dear brothers as she asked, "Do you have any idea how we can overcome her resistance?"
Wiseman was still looking into his crystal ball as he replied. "There is no reason to worry Emerald. I have shown Prince Diamond a glimpse into the future. Very soon she will be coming back here to Crystal Tokyo herself with the Sailor Scouts."
Everybody gasped in awe and Wiseman continued. "You don't need to fear this because when it happens she will soon separate herself from the others and while she is alone the Grim Man and I will make our move."
The Grim Man finally spoke in turn. "Yes we will turn her over to your side and then she will help you destroy your enemies and make your revenge complete."

Prince Diamond said proudly, "Again we have our two saviours and guardians to be thankful for. They care deeply for us and desire to see our victory come to fruition. We will honour and revere them always for everything they have done."
The clan all cheered and raised their hands in the air including Sapphire and Injector, in her human form. They had been standing off together in the far background when the others had returned.
The eyes of the Wiseman and the Grim Man began to glow brightly red once more inside their shadowy hoods.