Chapter Two: The Arrival of the Fourth General. Fighting In A War? Zoey blinked her eyes open. She didn't recognize any of her surroundings. When she tried to sit up, she found thaat she couldn't move very easily.

Where am I?

"Don't move. You're weaker than I expected." Said a voice that was now becoming familiar to Zoey.

"What happened? Where am I?"

"You're in the Negaverse. Don't you remember what I told you?"

Zoey did her best to shake her head in reply. "I can't remember much of anything."

Malachite, who had been sitting in a chair near the bed, stood and picked something up off the table. Bringing it to Zoey, he sat down again and showed it to her.

"I brought the picture you wanted."

"Arigato. It means a lot to me."

"I figured it did. Your parents will worry about you, won't they?"

"I'm sure they would. Demo, they don't have to. They can always see me, and know where I am. I will never worry them in the way that they don't know where I am."

Malachite studied her face for some clue as to what she meant.

"What time is it?" Zoey wanted to know.

"It's a little after one in the morning. Go back to sleep. I'll wake you when it's time for your training to begin. You need to regain your energy." Malachite left the room, closing the door carefully behind him.

Zoey closed her eyes and fell asleep.

* * * *

"My Queen," Malachite bowed. "I have brought Zoey to the Negaverse."

"Very good." Beryl said, smiling approvingly. "Where is she now?"

"She is asleep in the castle, recovering her energy."

"And why was her energy drained in the first place?" Beryl demanded to know. "I told you not to hamr her in any way!"

"Your Majesty, she wouldn't listen to me, she kept struggling. I had no choice but to use the sleeping spell on her. I can assure you she is unharmed."

Beryl ignored his protest. "You are to bring her to me at precisley twelve o' clock tomorrow afternoon."

"Yes, Majesty."

"You are dismissed."

Malachite teleported back to his castle.

* * * * The next morning, Zoey woke before Malachite came to get her.

"You will have to change into your uniform before you go see the Queen." Malachite said. Crossing the room to the closet, he took out a couple of hangers that held a grey sort of uniform trimmed with pale blue, like Malachite's uniform. He handed it to Zoey.

"Put that on. When I come back, I expect you to be ready."

"Yes, sir." Zoey replied.

Malachite left the room. Zoey took a good look at the uniform. Grey pants, a black shirt, and grey jacket trimmed in blue. She decided it was better than Sailor-style uniforms. She guessed she wore Malachite's color because she was to be his student. Hadn't he said something like that?

A knock came at the door. "Are you ready, Zoycite?"

"Yes, sir!" Zoey called. The door opened and Malachite came in.

"Perfect." Malachite said, inspecting her appearance. "Except for one thing."

"Nani, sir?" Had she done something wrong? Great. Already, I've messed up.

"Your hair. It's very pretty, and it would be a shame if it were messed up in combat." Holding up one hand, he conjured a pale blue ponytail holder and handed to her. "You might want to pull it back."

"Y-yes, sir." Zoey said, taking the ponytail holder and pulling her hair back with it. A few shorter strands hung on the sides of her face.

"Kirei," Malachite commented.

"Excuse me?" Zoey wondered if she'd heard right. Did he just say kirei?

"Nothing. Come with me." He placed one hand lightly on her back and guided her downstairs and to another room that resembled an office.

"Sit down." He indicated that she should sit in a chair in front of a desk. She sat and folded her hands in her lap, waiting patiently. Malachite sat in the chair behind the desk.

"I have some questions for you to answer."

"Okay."

"When is your birthday, Zoey?"

"October 30th, sir."

"How old are you?"

"Seventeen, sir."

"Have you lived in Tokyo all of your life?"

"Yes, sir."

"Who was your legal guardian in Tokyo?"

"My aunt, sir."

"You did not live with your parents?"

"No, sir. They....passed away."

"Gomen nasai. When?" Malachite felt bad immediately.

"When I was thirteen, sir."

"Did you ever have any health problems?"

"No, sir."

Malachite took down the information on a notepad. "That's pretty much it. I'm taking you to the Queen at twelve noon. Shall I tell you what you'll be trained for?"

"Whatever you think is best, sir."

Malachite was slightly amused at how she addressed him. She looked out of place in the Negaverse. Why did such a sweet, innocent little girl have to become an evil warrior of darkness? Pushing the thought out of his mind, he went on to tell Zoey what would happen in the Negaverse.

She would learn to teleport and levitate objects with her mind. She would have to be skilled with a sword and in combat. Zoey thought it was a lot to learn, and she hoped she could learn fast. But it wasn't truly what she wanted. She wanted to go home. She wanted more than anything to go back home.

* * * * "It's almost time to meet the Queen." Malachite said. "Are you ready?"

"I-I guess so, sir."

"You know, you don't always have to address me as 'sir' everytime you say something to me."

"If I am not mistaken, you are of high rank, ne?"

"You are correct."

"I am supposed to show respect, ne?"

"You don't have to make it the last word of every sentence."

"Gomen nasai, sir- I mean-"

"It's okay, Zoycite." Malachite said, a slight smile on his face. "Come on, we better go."

"How are we getting there? If you don't mind me asking, I mean."

"Teleportation, of course." Malachite answered. "And don't be afraid to ask questions."

Zoey nodded. "Okay."

Malachite placed an arm around her and channeled magic energy to transport them to the Throne Room.

Beryl greeted them with an evil-looking smile. "You're early. I see Zoycite is already in her uniform. Very good."

Malachite bowed. Hoping she was doing the right thing, Zoey bowed as well, in the same way Malachite bowed with her right arm crossed over her chest and one knee to the floor.

"Your Majesty, I am ready to begin training Zoycite at anytime you wish."

"Good. You may begin, and you'd better begin within the next twent-four hours, or you will lose the job."

Zoey thought this sounded harsh, but she kept her mouth shut, not wanting to upset Beryl.

"I assume you have informed Zoey of her training and what she will learn as well as the rules of the Negaverse?"

"Of course, Your Majesty."

"Good. You are dismissed."

Malachite teleported the two of them back to the castle.

"Um, I have a question." Zoey began. "Beryl-sama said you'd lose the job of training me if we didn't start in the next twenty-four hours. Who would have the job then? Another general?"

"There are two other generals, Generals Nephlite and Jedite. Both of whom are your superiors. You are still a general in training."

Zoey nodded, indicating that she understood. "When will I meet these other generals?"

"Soon enough."

Zoey was silent for a while, and Malachite wondered if something was wrong. Was she scared? Homesick? He was tempted to ask her, but didn't want to upset her.

"We'll start your training in a few hours. Is that okay with you?"

Zoey nodded silently.

"Follow me." Malachite walked upstairs, looking behind him once to see Zoey follow him. He led her into the room she had been brought to when she entered the Negaverse. "This is going to be your room. You are free to decorate it however you like. Let me know if you need anything. I'll be downstairs."

"Okay."

Malachite left, leaving Zoey alone in her new room. She figured she could rearrange things to make it at least resemble her room on Earth, but instead she stood silently, tears running down her cheeks.

* * * * Malachite sat in silence in the study, downstairs. He had tried to keep his thoughts on the first lesson planned for Zoey's training, but instead his thoughts wandered.

He thought about Zoey, mostly. She seemed vaguely familiar, but he couldn't place it, and it was getting to him.

If I keep doing this, I'll go insane for sure, he thought to himself. There's just something about her....

A knock at the door disturbed his thoughts. "Who is there?"

"General Jedite, sir."

"Come in."

A blond man wearing the same grey uniform, trimmed in red and minus the cape, entered the room. He saluted Malachite with a slight bow.

"General Malachite, Beryl-sama has sent me to inform you that the Obsidian Kingdom has declared war on us."

"They have?" Malachite asked in disbelief. The Obsidian Kingdom, a neighboring kingdom with a great dislike for the Negaverse, had been threatening to declare war, but had never actually gone through with it. Five years of threats had now become reality.

"Beryl-sama has ordered for all four platoons to be ready for battle. She wants us to have our youma army prepared for them. We're going to take them down."

"Thank you for the information. Did she say what to do about Zoycite?"

"She said until Zoycite has been in trainging for two weeks, and is succeeding, she is not allowed in battle."

"Very well. Have you informed Nephlite as well?"

"I'm going now, sir." Jedite replied. He bowed his head seeking leave. When Malachite gave him permission, Jedite teleported aaway in a swirl of red light.

"Zoycite!" Malachite called. Within minutes, Zoey entered the room.

"Yes, Malachite-sama?" Zoey asked, bowing her head slightly, mostly in attempt to hide her tearstained face.

"I have just been informed by General Jedite that the Obsidian Kingdom has declared war on us." Malachite said. "You will not be allowed in battle until after two weeks of successful training and I've decided to start now since we need all the generals we can get."

"I- I will have to fight in...a war?" Zoey asked, her eyes held a look of fear.

"Not until you have been in training for two weeks, and if you are not successful, you won't be in the war. We are going to the training field now."

Malachite walked over to stand by Zoey. With one arm around her, they teleported to the training field.

The training field looked exactly as the name suggested. It was a large open field. There were a few charred marks on the ground in various places, which Zoey figured were from fire based attacks. A good distance away, two men were leading a large group of youma in battle practice.

Malachite would start with teleportation, then conjuring weapons.

"I will demonstrate for you, then you can try it on your own. Okay?"

Zoey nodded and paid close attention to anything Malachite said. She wanted to do well at using her powers, though she honestly didn't want to fight in a war. She did, however, want to be able to at least defend herself in any situation this war might bring on.

"Telepoting takes little energy. You focus on drawing up the portal, then will yourself to go to a specific point.You can also cloak your path to cunfuse anyone who is looking for you, which is just as easy, and I'll show you how later."

"Okay."

"Watch closely." Malachite drew up a portal and vanished into it, reappearing behind Zoey.

"That's how it's done."

Zoey turned quickly, startled. "You scared me!"

"Sorry." Malachite apologized. "You try now."

Zoey did exactly as he had done, only she reappeared in a swirl of pink flower petals a few feet away from where she had been before.

"Good. You learn quickly." Malachite commented. Where did the flowers come from? I didn't teach her that.

"Uh...arigato." Zoey said. "What next?"

"You can teleport both of us to that boulder over there." Malachite pointed to it. Zoey nodded and stood closer to him to bring him with her in the portal. She found it quite easy to teleport.

"Good. Now I will show you how to conjure weapons. We'll start with a simple dagger."

Zoey watched closely again, while Malachite conjured a dagger.

When she tried it, she began to feel dizzy. "Malachite-sama! I... I feel...." The finished dagger hit the ground at their feet as Malachite caught Zoey before she fell.

"I'm taking you back to the castle. Your magic has overpowered you and made you feel weak. We'll continue this later." Malachite teleported back to the castle with Zoey.