With Friends Like These
AN: I answered this in the reviews, but I want to make it doubly clear here. I received a review from Small Town Minx stating her disapproval of the pairings, specifically Mal/Ser. She can disapprove all she wants, I don't mind that at all. But for those of you who are hoping that I do end up going back to Darien and Serena, I want to make it clear now, that's not going to happen. It will remain Mal/Ser. Don't worry, Darien will get his love. It won't be Serena, but another female who will be reappearing within another 20 chapters I'm sure. Cherry blossoms.
Chapter 36
"You're no better. You're worse. You're a coward who would rather get his revenge by destroying those who never even knew your family. Those who can't properly defend themselves against you."
"I…I…" Rubeus stammered. Who was this man who could bring him to this, from a knight who desired justice for his family to a blood-stained monster?
"You are a fool, is what you are…"
All looked in the direction of the new voice.
"Raye?" Ami cried in disbelief.
Malachite growled. "And what are you doing here, Priestess?"
Raye Hino, still wearing the priestess garb she'd been wearing the day she vanished in the fire, smirked. "Why so suspicious, Negaverse scum! I am a Sailor Scout after all. I could be here simply to put this idiot in his place and rescue my friend."
"You could be," Malachite agreed. "But you're not. You know perfectly well that your treacherous ways has left you removed of your Scout position. And not to mention, how could you have teleported here. I know for a fact that as a human, you are without that ability. Who taught you? Who gave you that special power. Even if you had your powers as a Sailor, you would be unable to teleport here on your own, you'd need the others. When your body was not recovered from the burnt temple, we knew that you were still alive somehow. Even though Lady Jupiter informed us that the Priest had told them that you were in the Meditation Room when the fire began, and that was where the fire had originated. Why don't you tell us the rest."
Raye smirked. "The Wise Man came to the temple and I went with him, willingly. The fire was set so it would look like I had died in a tragic accident and keep everyone from looking for me. Maybe it would even make certain others feel guilty for how they had treated me."
"How we treated you?" Ami asked.
"Ami, you know as well as I do that Serena is not nor ever was fit to be leader of the Sailor Scouts, let alone the Moon Princess! That position should have gone to someone responsible and mature, someone who strong and brave and passionate. Someone who would work hard, someone smart. All of these qualities fit me. So naturally, I should have been leader, I should have been the Princess. Not HER! She doesn't deserve it! She even joined the Negaverse! She joined the enemy. Some Princess." she put her hand into the top of her kimono. "But all of you just turned on me. You followed after her like little puppies. You're all just a bunch of lapdogs to a pathetic whiny princess."
"But Raye, if you'd just listen. The Negaverse isn't the enemy, not anymore. There's more to that story than we were ever told." Ami insisted. "What's really wrong Raye? Do you even know what you're saying? Come on, don't do this!"
"She's right, Mars. Don't do this, or you'll end up regretting it the rest of your life." Jadeite coaxed from his place just inches behind Malachite.
Slowly, Raye extracted a small pen, almost identical to her Mars Pen, except it was a dark purplish-green color. A small shard of crystal sat atop the pen. "Shut up! I won't let this world, this universe fall into the hands of lapdogs like you. NEMESIS POWER!" she thrust the pen into the air and an eerie purple-green strand of light extended from the pen.
The strand split into several and wrapped around her arms, chest, and hips. When the strands were done, Raye stood before them in what appeared to be a sadistic parody of their own Sailor Scout uniforms. There wasn't a trace of white anywhere on the outfits. The entire things was one short skirted dress, no leotard, the same eerie purple-green as the pen. Tall boots reached to her knees and a dark-crystal crown adorned her head.
"I am Sailor Nemesis, and in the name of the Planet Nemesis, I will take down every last one of you traitors!"
AN: Sorry for the shortness. I had a rough day today. Can anyone tell me who benefits when you cut the budget for your child's education? Ohio's Governor cut the Early Learning Initiative funding for parents who can't afford childcare on their own. And I work in a center that is 90% ELI children. So who exactly benefits from this cut? So there's a little extra money, there's more children who can't go to preschool and childcare and thus more parents that can't go to work because they have to stay home with their kids. So that money won't be made, either that or older siblings may have to quit school to stay home and care for the younger siblings. Sorry, I just don't understand.