Sailor Moon is copyright © 1992 Naoko Takeuchi/Kodansha, TOEI Animation. English Language Adaptation © 1995 DiC Entertainment
What All Need to Grow
Chapter Nine
Raye's Day in the Spotlight
Brooke giggled as she, Jayde, and the girls all went to Raye's school to see how her festival was going. But it was obvious that Raye was getting severely frustrated. "Hopeless! Am I supposed to do this all myself? A cat would be more helpful!"
"Hey, Raye." Serena cheerfully called out.
"Huh?" Raye turned to see all but two of her girlfriends and the group's cats smiling at her. "Oh hi, Serena. Hi everyone."
"Artemis and Luna at your service." Serena offered, which made the girls chuckle.
Raye on the other hand was not in a playful mood. "What are you going on about, Serena?! Can't you see I'm busy?!"
"Well, you said a cat would be more helpful." Serena shot back.
Quick thinking Amy changed the subject fast. "Here. These are goodies Lita made for you."
"Oh, thanks." Raye meant for the distraction and the food both.
Serena was in a flaky mood. "Hey, Raye, could we have a look around?"
"Yeah, please aunt Raye?" Jayde giggled.
That made Raye smile and gave her a slight energy boost. "Oh sure. We're just about to have rehearsal anyway."
The girls all took seats to watch the rehearsal, but when Raye came up to sing Jayde got out of her seat and started to dance in front of it. Brooke giggled and Zoicite was happier than she had ever been. But then Raye blew up at the students running the spotlights, who were doing it all wrong.
Raye trudged backstage in a huff. "I practically have to do everything myself."
"Yeah, Raye, but that song was sounding really hot. Who wrote it, anyway?" Serena exclaimed.
"Hmm. Wow. You really like it, Serena? Actually, if you really want to know, I wrote all the songs for the talent show." Raye stuttered.
The other's looked at her weird. Raye snapped. "What's wrong? You guys don't believe I'm capable of writing music?"
"Oh, sure, Raye. We believe ya." Serena chuckled hard as she fought to not flake out.
"Aren't you worried it'll look like . . . you're using this festival just to promote yourself?" Amy asked.
"So what? I look at it this way: I'm the hardest worker here, and if it wasn't for me, there'd be no talent show!" Raye snapped.
Zoicite, Jayde, and Brooke shook their heads while the others laughed. Artemis calmed down enough to talk. "She sure doesn't suffer from low self-esteem."
"Boy, you can say that again." Serena agreed.
The next evening, Molly had a bit of a time moving around but was enjoying it all of the fun and the attention she got from her husband. Neflyte was worried given that his wife was so far along that she was showing full well. He feared that if there was an attack, his love might be harmed or worse she might lose their unborn daughter.
"Neflyte I'm fine and the baby is fine." Molly giggled.
He softly kissed her lips. "I just want to make sure. I can't live without either of you."
They both giggled as they saw Raye's Grandpa get turned down by a couple of girls. They barely held back the chuckles as the little old man grumbled to himself. "Oh, I'm sure they have lots of time for rollerblading and boys."
And then they saw some of their friends.
Serena had skipped dinner. "So where's all the bodacious food Raye told us about? I'm starving."
"Hang on." Lita said.
Mina and Luna too were with the girls. The lady cat looked around. "Where's Amy?"
"Hey, where else? The chemistry and biology booth." Mina chuckled.
Neflyte grinned as he and Molly interceded them. "Well, we know that she's our Amy. How are you girls enjoying this evening?"
"Hi Neflyte. Hey Molly, how are you feeling?" Serena grinned.
Molly smiled. She felt like a whale, but she knew how long it took her to get to this point and chuckled at her dreams that had come true. "Oh big, but I feel as good as I should. I agree with you Serena that it is time to grab something to eat."
They all grabbed something to eat. Serena, Mina, Lita, and Molly dressed up in traditional kimonos. Later they ran into the other two couples, the ladies and Jayde all in kimonos as well.
Lita left the group to try a cake-baking project. "Cool!"
Serena tried her luck with a puzzle. "Oh, I can't get this!"
Mina took off for a try the driving range. "Oops. Missed."
Artemis was laughing at her like crazy. Amy and Raye try out the matchmaker game, and find out that they had very different type of guys they each like.
Molly and Zoicite were exhausted so they sat back while their loves got them something to drink. It was then that Molly saw something different in her friend. "Zoicite, are you okay?"
"Yeah, just … um … Molly, how did you tell Neflyte that you were pregnant?"
Molly was shocked. Why would Zoicite ask her that? "Well, I was talking to mom with my mind and she told me. I gasped and Neflyte was afraid that I was hurt, but I told him that I was carrying our daughter. Why?"
"I think I'm pregnant, but I'm afraid to hope. After all it looked like there was a year's difference between our daughters. What if?" Zoicite looked as if she was about to fall apart.
Molly instantly contacted her mother. But, Jessica had been expecting it. 'Yes, Zoicite is pregnant. She is a week along. Give her my congratulations.'
"Zoicite, there was an age difference yes. But mom told me to give you her congratulations. You are pregnant. You're a week pregnant to be exact." Molly smiled. She knew exactly what the female General was in for.
"I'm having a baby. My little Hope is on her way." Zoicite said it out loud, but she couldn't quite believe it completely. "How do I tell Malachite?"
"It will come to you. Let your heart guide you. Here come our guys." Molly rubbed her swollen belly.
Neflyte was worried instantly. "Molly?"
"We're fine. But I think I could use some walking, these benches aren't very comfortable for a pregnant woman." Molly grinned.
The couple walked off, Zoicite looked up at her love and smiled. Not too much longer and she too would be in that position. "Queen Jessica sent Molly a message for us."
"And what would that be my beloved?" Malachite asked as he sat next to her on the bench.
Zoicite was so terrified, and happy, and excited, and worried all at the same time. How was Malachite going to take her news? After all, they had assumed that Molly's baby would already be born before they would find out Zoicite's belly was heavy with their daughter. She wasn't sure how she felt about it herself. "I'm pregnant."
At first Malachite's face held a look of shock. "Are you certain? How far along are you? Are you okay?"
"I guess so. Jessica said that I'm a week along." Zoicite tried to hold back her tears. He wasn't happy, or so she thought.
But, Malachite was ecstatic! "I love you my Zoicite. And here we thought we would have at the earliest a year before we would hold our Hope. You have no idea how happy you have made me my Zoicite."
"Then you are not angry?"
Malachite couldn't understand where that came from, but he remembered Molly's early moods swings. "I could not be angry at my love. Is that why you felt tried? Are you better? How are you feeling?"
Zoicite smiled at his pint up joy. She knew that Malachite was happy to be a father. And what a wonderful father he would make. "Yes, that was why I felt tired. But, I'm feeling better now. A little weary, but I'm ready to move some more … and get a snack?"
"Of course. You do know that the Princess will order you benched until after the baby is born." Malachite wrapped his arm around her protectively.
"How long can we wait until we tell her?" That was the only part of being pregnant that she hated. Zoicite loved to fight and wasn't comfortable at having to stay at home … especially after their first battle against the aliens.
Unfortunately, Serena was right behind them at that moment with all of the group but Raye. "Tell who what?"
"Tara?" Malachite grinned down on his love. She had no choice. Though he hated benching her so soon, he didn't want to risk their child.
"I'm a week pregnant."
The group celebrated for her and Malachite. Then Serena took a serious look and tone in her voice when she was able to move Zoicite away from Darien's hearing. "You do realize that you are benched as of this moment. Any trouble, you get Molly and am scray back to the mansion. Am I understood?"
"Clearly Princess. You have been looking forward to this, haven't you?" Zoicite grinned at Serena's dirty grin.
"That was easy to figure out. But we all are happy for you and Malachite. So, is Hope going to share Desiree's nursery?" Serena smiled as the pair rejoined the group.
Zoicite suddenly wasn't feeling to well. "We haven't had time to think about it."
"Tara?" Malachite easily saw that his love was off.
"My stomach. Oh, I don't like this." Zoicite groaned softly.
Molly smiled softly and shook her head. "I understand that feeling. It will get better in time, believe me."
Raye's voice came over the P.A. system. "Attention everyone! The highlight of our school festival's gonna start in the auditorium in five minutes!"
Malachite looked down on his beloved with soft worry. "Would you rather we go home so you and the baby can rest?"
"No, I want to hear all of Raye's song. It was so beautiful! Please Ranen."
He could never resist her pleading eyes. And after all the going on she had done about it Malachite was curious too. "Alright."
Raye continued on with her announcement. "We'll start with the fashion show, then a really cool concert featuring none other than the festival president, me."
"Wow, Raye's sure got some promotion machine, huh?" Lita commented before giggling when Ken squeezed her closer to his side.
"Our Raye's never been short on self-confidence, but she sure has worked her heart out on this." Amy added on.
Jedite nodded in agreement. "Yes, but then again she never was one for half doing a job."
"Yeah, Raye's definitely got charisma." Artemis said.
Luna sighed. "Yes, even though she's a shameless self-promoter."
"We'd better hurry, guys, or there aren't gonna be any seats left." Mina said.
Serena smiled. "Yeah, let's book it."
The group all made it in time to get good seats – Zoicite, Molly, Brooke, and Jayde all on the outside for a quick get away in case of trouble. The fashion show started just as they settled in.
"Wow, this is kinda cool!" Serena gasped.
Amy on the other hand wasn't so pleased. "Hey guys, isn't that Ann and Alan up there?"
"You're right." Mina nodded after taking a good look at the pair.
"They're sure being super cool about this." Lita added on to keep Darien from guessing the problem they all noticed.
Serena was grateful when Darien possessively held her hand. Still she was worried how she would transform if he was right there.
A few minutes later, the announcer came out on stage. "Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. Now, here's the girl who made this festival such a big success, our very own Raye Hino."
"All right! Finally, it's Raye's turn!" Mina cheered.
Zoicite smiled up at her only love. "I hope she starts with that song we heard her practicing!"
"I totally agree with ya, Tara." Serena rested her head on Darien's shoulder.
"Quiet. It's starting." Lita said as the curtains opened to show Raye.
"Hi out there. I hope you guys are having as much fun as I am being here." Raye smiled at the cheers from the audience. "You guys are so great, and 'cause you're so great, I wrote these special songs just for you. Now, whaddya say we get started?"
"Oh boy." Luna groaned. Artemis had to agree. "She thinks she's a teen idol."
"Way to go, Raye! Yeah!" Her Grandpa cheered from nearly the front row! It seemed that she really was some teen idol – at least to him.
"Oh Raye, you look so cool!" Serena chuckled in her excitement.
Raye was enjoying the attention. "Hope you like this one as much as I liked writing it."
There are days when those gray skies
Can make you blue
Each forward step you take
You fall back by two
You've been hit by some hard
knocks
You just can't stand
Feeling like Alice felt
In Wonderland
Let me the one to lend a hand
Call my name and I'll be there
There's nothing like laughter that we share
Whenever you need someone
Or a shoulder to lean on
Call my name and I'll be there
Once again Jayde was dancing on the floor just in front of her seat, bringing delight to her parents and family-like friends. Malachite was glad to have agreed to stay. Even Darien was moving slightly to the music.
Serena smiled up at him and whispered, "that's the same from me to you, Muffin."
"And it is same back to you my Meatball Head." He smiled as he kissed the top of her head.
The sky above rumbled ominously, and Raye didn't like the feeling it gave her. "I sense something."
The same was said for her friends in the audience. Quickly Zoicite, Molly, Brooke, Jayde and several youma made ready to teleport when the time was right.
Without a beat, the Cardian showed up – looking like a mermaid with strange hair. "All right. It's show time!"
The crowd screams at the sight of her, but she flings out gold dust that drains the peoples' energies. Darien knocked Serena out of the way in the nick of time, or she would have been dusted (and that would have been a very bad switch).
"What's that? Not part of the show." Serena cried out to make a cover for the benched group to escape.
"I don't know, but I'm not willing to risk finding out. Time for all of us to get out of here!" Darien shouted to the others.
But it was too late. The Cardian coated his back with the dust and it knocked him out on top of Serena's legs. Artemis saw it and was stunned! "Don't let the gold dust touch you!"
People keep dropping left and right! Serena and the group dove under the seats for cover. Soon the Cardian only sees Raye standing, and this drives it mad. "Stage hog!"
Raye didn't see it coming after her until Serena cried, "Raye, look out!"
"What is that?" huffed as she looked up at what was hovering above the stage.
Neflyte growled. "A nothing that we are going to take care of!"
"Right." Serena agreed. This thing had hurt her Darien, and it was going to pay dearly for that! "MOON CRYSTAL POWER!"
"MERCURY POWER!"
"JUPITER POWER!"
"VENUS POWER!"
All four roared together, "SAILOR SCOUT POWER!"
As they transformed, so too had the three remaining Generals. Zoicite had been an arduous power they were glad to have. But, now they would be without her for the meantime and would have to cope for that loss. But, none of the warriors had any complaints – after all there were two little angels that would become a part of their family soon. That gave them all the more reason to fight with their personal all.
"I'm Sailor Moon, and I stand for love and justice!" She shouted as the warriors came forward.
"Sailor Mercury!"
"Sailor Jupiter!"
"Sailor Venus!"
"We shall punish you!" All of the girls bellowed in unison.
The three Generals then showed up, with new introductions. "By the power of the stars I, Neflyte – leader of the Guardian Generals, will punish you."
"With my powers of illusions, I'll punish you as well. And the name is Jedite."
"I am second General Malachite. With the power of true magic I will punish you."
Sailor Moon looked at them funny. Neflyte grinned. "Couldn't let you girls have all of the fun, right?"
"Right … I guess. Let's put this fish face out of our misery!" Moon nodded.
The Cardian had Raye tangled in its hair and was draining her from the physical contact. Raye gasped, "My energy! You're zapping me!"
Seeing their friend in trouble, the warriors went to work with a team attack.
"JUPITER THUNDER . . ."
"MERCURY BUBBLES . . ."
". . . CRUSH!"
". . . BLAST!"
That freed Raye from the Cardian's grasp. Then the three Generals took their turns.
"MIRROR IMAGE CHAOS!" came from Jedite. It made there seem like hundreds of each warrior in different positions and alignments! It was more confusing to the Cardian than an evil house of mirrors!
Malachite pulled "CONSTANT SHIFT MYSTIFY!"
The images created by Jedite's attack began to disappear and reappear, moving without stop, coming closer to the Cardian and moving out of its reach, one would tap her shoulder making her spin around, only to have it happen again behind her. She got annoyed and leapt out the spells.
Neflyte wasn't about to let the Cardian get away with that. "STAR LIGHT ATTACK!"
That knocked it down, but the Cardian got right back up and flung its dust at the Generals, who teleported out of harm's way. "Try to upstage me, will ya?"
Before any of them could react, it tangled all but Moon, Venus and Raye in her hair! Moon yelled in fear as she tried to shake her friend awake. "Raye, can you hear me?"
"WATCH OUT!" Luna tried to protect the two remaining conscious Scouts, but it was too late.
"It's curtains for you girls and whimps!" The Cardian roared with glee.
Back at the mansion, Zoicite was pacing like a tigress in a cage. "Something is wrong … I can sense it. Malachite is hurting. I have to go to them."
Molly motioned for two of the youma to move. They barely grabbed the female General in time to stop her teleport. Zoicite was pissed! "Let go of me! They're all hurting and need help!"
"I know … don't you think I haven't sensed all these past time when you guys could have used my help … don't you think it tore me up inside too … having to wait and hope that everything would somehow be alright? Right now our jobs are to protect our daughters!" Molly snapped.
She didn't want to tell anyone, but her back was hurting bad and she felt sicker than ever before. Something was wrong, but Zoicite needed her right then.
Jessica stormed into the room at that very second. "Molly Elisabeth Renee Stanton you go get in your bed this instant!"
"What's wrong with Molly? Molly?" Zoicite cried, but Molly couldn't hear her.
The young red head was doubled over with pain.
The youma and Zoicite helped Jessica get Molly to her and Neflyte's bedroom. Jessica hooked a small heart necklace around her daughter's neck.
It was a bi-crystal heart that was edged with silver. One was a nephrite stone, and the other was a sunstone. Immediately, their spirits were bound to one another – as Neflyte wore an identical necklace as he had since the day her first became engaged to Molly during the days of the Moon Kingdom.
"Molly's in trouble. She's miscarrying! RAYE PLEASE WAKE UP!" Neflyte roared in agony and worry.
It took a few more heartbeats for Raye to return to her senses, but it looked as if she heard Neflyte's call and that pulled her back to the living. "Hold on, you guys! Be right there!"
"Careful, Raye!" Artemis saw that nothing would stop the girl.
But Luna saw that she was worn beyond normal. "Raye, are you strong enough?"
"MARS POWER!" Raye cried out and transformed without answering, mainly because she knew that it wouldn't take much to put her out for a long time. "I'm Sailor Mars! How dare you zap my friends! Fish face, you're gonna pay!"
She was exhausted and light headed from the energy drain transforming cost her, but she remained steady enough to pull off an attack. "MARS FIRE IGNITE!"
That burned the hair that held the Scouts and Generals captive. As the Cardian used its waterpower to put out the fire, Sailor Moon turned to the Generals … her face telling them that she was serious. "All three of you go see what's wrong with Molly!"
Nodding in agreement, the men left. Hoping that their Princess knew what she was doing, and that Molly and Desiree would be all right until they arrived home.
Jessica and Zoicite held onto Molly's hands as the young woman panted and groaned through her tears. "It hurts! My body wants me to push!"
"No Molly. If you birth Desiree now, then she will die. She's not developed enough to be born now." Jessica was afraid. For once in her life, she had no idea what was to happen. Would her granddaughter perish? What could she do to stop it?
"Molly!" Neflyte, Jedite, and Malachite stormed into the bedroom. Neflyte's heart broke as he saw the agony and fear his wife was in.
They all looked to Jessica. "I don't know what is to happen or how to help. It is all up to the four of you, I know it."
Looking to his now friends, Neflyte knew he didn't have to ask – they were only waiting to lend their help. He laid his wife back down on their bed gently. He only prayed that it wasn't too late to save their unborn child.
This all had a feeling of familiarity, as if the four of them had done this before … but when?
Malachite rested his left palm firmly on Molly's heart. He was a kind of lightening rod in this rite, taking the powers he and the others gave and it all into one beam of power before sending it into her body. He was able to ease the hard contractions into the most severe cramps, and strengthened Molly's endurance so she could hold on until the rite was complete. They all needed her to remain awake or it would do no good – and they would have to start over once she woke … if it wasn't too late.
The others laid their left hands onto his right hand the moment he extended it – showing he had made the needed connection to Molly's body.
Jedite opened his powers to full to strengthen the hold Molly had to Desiree both emotionally and physically. Then he cast a spell that heightened his and the powers the others sent out three fold. Finally he and Malachite both gently balanced out Molly's shattered emotions so that the group's magicks would take hold and heal her.
Neflyte filled Molly and Desiree with his love and support first off, both girls happy to know how much they meant to him. Then he fed them his strength, knowing that the battle was over and their Princess and the Scouts had won. Finally he was able to send out enough power to stop Molly's cramps. But, her muscles were still so tight. They might have faced this all over again.
That is if it hadn't been for Zoicite. She first relaxed all of Molly's muscles and sent energies to protect Desiree. Then she healed the damage the premature contractions caused. By the time the female General was done, both she and Molly were exhausted, but neither were suffering ill effect from the rite.
Once everyone was sitting or laying down, the youma came forward with a gift. A window to see the last of the concert. Yes the Sailor Scouts had won a battle with their Generals helping them.
"In a corner of the Universe, there is a planet which plays a beautiful melody: the planet Earth. My last song for tonight is called Oh Starry Night."
I have waited all of my life
For the day when love appears.
Like a fairy tale in days of old,
He will rescue me from my fears,
And now, suddenly he walks in like a dream,
And how can I tell him what he means to me?
My heart stands still - has he come?
Oh starry night,
Is he the one that I dream of?
Oh starry night,
Tell me is he my own true love?
The group felt bad that Molly and the Generals had missed the rest of the festival, but were happy to know that both babies were safe.
Queen Jessica said that she knew for certain that both girls would be born right on time, and both would be healthy. That was good news to them all.
While they were all visiting the two expectant mothers, Darien was having a vivid nightmare.
His Serena … his love … they were in danger. The ugly woman rubbing his chest … he almost attacked his Serena. Cullen standing at his side as if they were watching out for one another … no the blonde's name is Jedite … or was Darien going crazy. The others … Tara, Ranen, Max … no their names were Zoicite, Malachite, and Neflyte! They were calling him a prince! A cold snow covered desert. A white rose later it became a sandy desert that was warm. It was night. Then he saw the Moonlight Knight … or was it himself he was seeing?
Darien woke with a start. Something was off, and he wasn't sure what it was. He knew that what he saw in his dream was real, but he wasn't sure how he knew.
Molly's mom Jessica … Serena always goes to her for advice. But, was it too late to call? Only one way to find out.
"Hello … Mrs. Baker? This is Darien."
So how was this? I know that it has been a while, but I'm back in school and the evil Nega-Daddy has declared that if I work on my fics before my homework is done the cord to my comp will disappear! And I am taking no chances on this! Besides, it's about time I start acting like Amy rather than Serena (but at least I only got as bad as Serena in only four classes – i.e. I flunked two classes twice). Knowing my luck I'll end up as Mina or Raye instead of Amy by the end of the semester.
I'm scared that Beryl will use my poor cord as a chew toy if Nega-Daddy sends it to the Negaverse! LOL. How was this anyway?