Following their battle with Techniclon, Usagi and Ami decided to look for Luna. They had noticed that something unusual had happened during the healing process. They had seen something similar (and even more jarring) during the battle with Ryo's monster form the other day. Curious as to what it meant, they had both decided to ask Luna about it.
When they found her, the cat sighed. "I didn't think I'd ever have to share this story again."
This got Ami curious. "You mean you have a whole story for these brief ghostly appearances?"
Luna nodded. "Indeed. It all began very long time ago. Back in the days of early civilisation, there was a cult that believed that Death was the only ultimate in life. They used a jaguar to try and summon a demon that would eradicate their leaders, who were seen by the cultists as corrupt and snobbish. One day, they succeeded. The six cultists found a demon and summoned it into the mortal world, in exchange for more power. All of them, even the jaguar, were corrupted by the dark entity into destroying the moon."
"This cult were the Shadow Warriors you told me about, aren't they?", Usagi asked.
"You'd be correct to think that?", Luna replied. And then she continued. "During the attack, Queen Serenity sealed the 7 Shadows inside 7 Rainbow Crystals. They were restored to their human forms, albeit with all impulse to commit acts of evil suppressed and lingering powers left over. As an unusual side effect, whenever one of them died, they would be reincarnated into a new body, with no memory of their previous lives."
"You still haven't explained those apparitions we saw.", Ami pointed out.
"I'm getting to that. Once the Crystals are removed, the hosts DNA is overwritten with that of their original incarnation, which is what brings out the Shadow Warrior. When healed, the dark magic contaminating them is cleared, reverting them to their original human form. Then, that presence is exorcised from the body, restoring the current incarnation as a separate entity. The soul is sent to a world known as the Netherway, where spirits of evil go for eternity."
Content with the explanation, Ami and Usagi thanked Luna and went home.
Elsewhere, Motro was meeting with Nephrite, who had been sent from the Dark Kingdom. Both were accompanied by a personal retinue. Motro had his three Phages, while Nephrite had the Youma Widow, Jumeau and the Gemini Twins, Castor and Pollux.
"So I take it you agreed to my demand for the Rainbow Crystals you have.", Motro said.
"Indeed.", Nephrite replied, handing them over. "You can scan them if you want to check their authenticity."
Motro did so. "Confirmed. You are telling the truth." He then ushered for Sailor Director to release the prisoners. The four remaining Shadows and the paralysed human were handed over. The trade completed, Motro inserted the Crystals into a slot on his chest, stopping when he realised something. "One of them is missing!"
"Perhaps Sailor Uranus stole it from the factory the other day.", Sailor Medicine suggested.
"Perhaps.", Motro replied. "Our association with Nephrite is now concluded.", he said, creating a smokescreen for long enough for him to disappear with his followers and the Crystals. Nephrite snarled, the ambush he had planned was a failure.
"So what do we do now?", one of the twins asked.
Nephrite thought for a minute, then said "Take them back to Queen Beryl. Leave the girl with me." The Youma complied. Nephrite then performed a Sutra, which transformed the little girl into a puppet-like creature. "Track down that metal man and put him on the scrap heap."
"As you wish.", the Youma said with stiff lips, before flying off, as if on strings.
Elsewhere, Lily Temple woke up. Looking at her body, she was dismayed to discover that her ordeal over the last few days hadn't just been a dream. She really had been turned into a weird sports monster and called herself Sailor Leaguer. Even worse, she was now in a glass room, being tied up by 2 women, a blonde tomboy and a bluenette girly girl. "Let me guess, you think I'm here to kill you?", she groaned.
"And why wouldn't we?", Haruka asked. "You're one of Motro's goons from the factory."
"I was.", Lily corrected her. "But those pens he used your power to make did more than what he intended. It gave me my mind back, allowing me to get away from that horrible man. If he does send someone to kill you, I think you'll find they'll be trying to kill me as well."
"Do you really expect us to believe that?", was Haruka's response. But then the three Phages burst in through the windows and each picked a target, including Lily, who was targeted by her old partner, Sailor Gekisha.
"Well now I've got you in my sights, traitor.", Gekisha cried.
The 1st 3rd of this chapter primarily exists because someone pointed out a little detail last time, which I had intended to elaborate on much later.
This is also the last chance to take part in the poll. Do you want Sailor Buri, Sailor Ojou or Sailor Gamer to appear in this story? The competition ends when the next chapter goes up.