"She's crazy!" Luna gasped. "How could she even think about giving herself to the Death Phantom?"
"She's just found out she has a sister, Luna." Serena murmured. "Now, she wants her freed."
"Besides," Mina added. "Didn't she admit that she wasn't thinking very clearly at the moment?"
"That's what she claimed." Malachite agreed. "But she's gone longer than this without sleep and still had perfectly good logic. I very much doubt she got more than three hours sleep during that last week when Beryl tried to get her to serve Metellia. And she still managed to outwit us and get you the Sliver Moon Crystal.
"She didn't really think it would work." Rei said. "Remember she left that tape in my tree in case Beryl got the Crystal. Everything she told us later was on it, as well as an apology for not telling us who the Princess was. She really thought she was protecting you, Serena."
"Well, you can't let her give herself to that monster. As both the Queen of the Negaverse and a Sailor Scout, she is too important in this battle for us to lose her."
"And technically," Malachite added. "She is also the Queen of Night. But they are able to rule themselves without too much interference on Jessie's part."
"We'll go talk to her later." Ami said. "Let's let her get a couple hours sleep before demanding she get a grip on reality."
*@*@*@*@*@
"You did what?" Her black eyes flashing with anger, Jewel stared at the man she'd known all her life. "Why did you agree to such a thing? If Jessica wants the Princess of her homeworld released, then she shouldn't have to think about it! She should just do it."
"It is only one day, Mistress." Jem pointed out. "And it is indeed a trade of some importance. Is she willing to surrender her entire kingdom to save one person? She would be a fool not to think it over before deciding on the fate of her people."
Jewel felt herself unwilling calm down as she listened to his reason. He was right, as always. The Queen wasn't known for making rash decisions. In a way, she was surprised Jessica only wanted one day to consider her choice. It didn't give the girl much time to save both the Princess and herself. "Could she be up to something?"
"It's possible." he agreed. "But if she swears to join our Master, then she will. She's a good Queen, and as a person, she keeps her word. Even for a human, she's rather stupid in that aspect."
Jewel nodded and looked back down at the pictures she had found in Jessica's suitcase. They now covered the large nightstand near the bed.
She realized she had not finished going through the suitcase that sat next to her. There was little of interest she found as she pulled a few more outfits from the bottom. "Hmm, what's this?" she wandered aloud as she pulled the final item from the bag. In her hand she held a thick spiral notebook. The cover contained no markings to indicate what it was, so she opened it.
Inside, written in a sloppy but readable hand, was another set of numbers followed by nearly two pages of writing. "Jem, we've hit the jackpot here." she said laughing. "I've just found Queen Jessica's journal." She read the first few pages carefully, searching for hidden meanings, but found nothing. Instead, it talked about something called gymnastics meets, school, and conversations she'd had with her family.
Then, on an entry marked 03-8-96, it changed. The comments were made in an offhanded way, as if an afterthought at the end of the day's note. "Today I net five really nice girls at the Arcade. Serena, Ami and Lita go to the same school I'm starting at tomorrow. Also, a strange woman came over when I got back home. She kept calling me 'Sailor Night' and insisting that she knew me from something called the 'Moon Kingdom'. What was she talking about? And why does she seem so familiar when I first saw her? It's so strange…"
"She forgot all that happened on the Moon Kingdom." Jewel whispered. "I wonder how she got her memory back?"
"Doesn't it say?" Jem asked, moving closer to read over her shoulder.
She flipped through the pages, skimming them quickly. "No. She mentions Zoisite and the Scouts, but she doesn't say how she remembered anything. She'd even written notes about her plans to regain the Sliver Crystal for the Princess. I never imagined she was so tricky." She turned the pages more slowly, becoming more interested in her enemy's life. "It worked too." Jewel read in silence for some time, learning the secrets of the Queen she had been sent to capture. Plans for the Negaverse, parties she'd attended, so much of it was different from the person she appeared to be. The last entry had been made on the day she'd arrived on Earth.
"6-29-99," Jewel read aloud. "It's hard to believe that Zoisite and Malachite are finally married. The wedding was beautiful, as I knew it would be, but I wish they hadn't insisted I be there. The press follows me everywhere, and they wanted their vows to be private. Instead, they were married on live TV, for all the Negaverse to see. At least I got my revenge on the idiots who were behind the cameras. I wonder when they'll figure out that I'm not engaged- at least not yet. I wish I could tell him how I feel…"
"Who is she talking about?" Jem wondered.
"She doesn't say." The Queen's look-alike shrugged. "Want me to keep reading? There's a little more about the Sailor Scouts."
He shrugged. "Why not? We've invaded her privacy this much, let's finish it off."
"'Later;" the girl read on. "I saw Darien and the Scouts as soon as I got to Tokyo. Thank goodness Serena wasn't there too, or it'd have ruined our surprise for her birthday tomorrow. I hope they all like their presents. It took me forever to find those rings. I doubt they'll ever need the power, but they are beautiful. Later still; I've told Jedite I'm going to nap off my jetlag, but I think I'll just take a walk and see how much the city's changed instead. Even if it's just for a few hours, I'd like to be a normal person of Earth again. I miss being able to walk down the street without an armed escort. I know Jedite, Malachite and Zoisite are there to protect me, but I'd still like a private life every now and then."
"Lady Jewel, why did you stop?"
"That's how it ends. Are we doing the right thing Jem? I almost feel sorry for Queen Jessica. What's wrong with me?"
"Perhaps you need a boost from the Dark Crystal. You've given up your last three chance to receive the energy from our Master."
"Who am I, Jem?" she asked an hour later, rereading the large notebook. "Who was I before I served the Death Phantom? I can't remember."
The young woman's question would not be answered that evening, for he said nothing more until the next day.
*@*@*@*@*@
Jessie awoke and smiled at the sight before her. "Hello, guys," she said to her eleven friends standing just outside her door. "I thought you said one of you would be with me at all times, Jedite, not a small army."
"Sorry, Queen Jessica," he apologized. "But they said they had to see you as soon as you woke up."
"Alright, you've seen me. Now, go downstairs while I take a quick shower and get out of my pajamas. I'll join you in twenty minutes or so."
Before they could protest, she had entered her bathroom, locked the door behind her and turned on the shower, determined to at least wash her hair before answering any of their questions.
Downstairs, her friends waited anxiously for Jessie to join them.
"Is she likely to take long?" Darien asked. "When Serena used to tell us twenty minutes, we'd go see a movie or something."
If looks could kill, there would have been four Sailor Scouts and one Prince of Earth dead on the floor. "We'll talk about that later." Serena hissed. "Now, we're going to wait for Jessie- and have a quick snack."
"No." Rei contradicted. "Right now, we're going to tie you to a chair so you don't eat the Klinto's out of house and home. Sit!"
The blond girl sat and they remained silent until Jessie came downstairs.
"First order of business," she stated once she'd come down almost twenty minutes later. "I'm sure Serena's starving, so I'll pull out the chocolate cheesecake Mom bought this morning just for us. There's also a bunch of other junk-food to munch on too. I warned her about our little Moon Princess's big stomach, so she stocked up big-time."
Serena was the first one into the kitchen.
"Next," Luna said once they'd gotten their snacks. "You're going to tell us just what you were thinking when you agreed to consider turning yourself over the Death Phantom in order to save your sister."
"Jessie, don't you realize you'd be handing the Negaverse to the enemy?" Ami asked. "Not to mention the planet Night."
"No." Jessie disagreed. "I'd be giving them Sailor Night, no one else. I both can and will give up my right as Queen should I choose to go through with Jem's offer. It's very tempting to do that anyway, sometimes."
"So, what are you going to do?" Serena demanded. "You don't have much time left."
"Even if I knew- which I don't- I wouldn't tell you, Serena. Should I decide to give myself up, you would either try to talk me out of it, or do something to prevent me from meeting them. But there is something else you need to know- I'm not basing this choice on what would be best for anyone other than my sister. This is no one else's business, and, quite frankly, you have no say in the matter. I'll listen to arguments against my agreeing, but think about this; Jewel's been serving the Death Phantom literally since the day we were born. If I take her place, wouldn't she be able to give you all sorts of wonderful information on how to destroy him? I can't, you know."
"When are you going to decide?"
"And what do you mean it's none of our business?" Darien added. "You're our friend, and we ought to have some say in what you decide. Don't forget, you were born on Earth, so that makes me your Prince. I could order you to inform us of your decision once you've made it."
"Why would I decide anything until tomorrow? I know what my heart tells me to do, and I know what would be best for me to do as Queen. I hope I can find some sort of compromise between the two."
The others stared at her in silence for a long time before leaving.
*@*@*@*@*@
Jessie was curled on her bed, clutching a pillow and sobbing when her mother got home a few hours later.
"Honey?" Mrs. Klinto asked, knocking on the locked door. "Are you alright?"
The dark-haired girl took a deep breath and called back in a calm voice. "Yeah, Mom, I'm fine. I guess everything that's happened to me the last couple of days has finally caught up with me emotionally." She stood up and unlocked her door.
"Jessie, your friend- Malachite?- told me something's bothering you. What is it?"
"Well, let's see. Yesterday, I had more fun than I've had in the last three years combined. Then, late last night, I get back to my hotel and find my evil look-alike waiting for me. I run into the next room for help from my bodyguard who's missing. I teleport into the bedroom of a fellow Sailor Scout and wind up unconscious for a full five minutes before being able to tell her what's happened. Next, I refuse her offer of help and teleport again- this time to the last place I'd called home before leaving the planet. Then, my mother- who should have forgotten I'd ever existed- comes into my old room and starts demanding where I've been for the last three years, so I wind up putting her in very great danger by telling her.
"Finally- after no sleep- I meet up with the Sailor Scouts and admit that while I don't want their help, I do need it. After this, I find out that my look-alike is really my twin sister whom I've never even known existed. Now, I've been given an offer I don't think I can refuse- give myself to my enemy to save my sister who still doesn't know we're related." Jessie paused for breath at last. "So, what could possibly be bothering me, Mama?"
"How long before you have to decide?"
She looked at the alarm clock she'd sworn to replace three years before. "Oh… about eighteen hours. I'm supposed to meet them a few blocks from here at noon tomorrow. For the first time in my life, I may have to ignore my heart in order to protect my people. Oh Momma, what can I do?"
"Listen to your heart, Jessie. It's never led you down the wrong path before, has it?"
"How do you follow a path that could cost billions of innocent people their lives? Either path goes against my heart because someone will get hurt." Her eyes brightened suddenly and she laughed. "Maybe I can do something after all. I wonder who'll kill me first, my worst enemy or my best friends? They're both going to be pissed when they realize what I'm doing. I might be able to save all involved after all."
"What do you have planned, Jess?" Zoisite demanded as she also walked into the room. "You had that look on your face when you tricked me into bringing you Beryl's six Rainbow Crystals into that meadow and every other time you've outsmarted us. What's going on in that hard head of yours?"
Jessica shook her head. "It's only half an idea right now, so I don't want to talk about it just yet. Let me think it over completely before I lose my train of thought. It might not even work." Her smirk said something different, but she ignored their questions as she rummaged through her old desk, hunting for a pencil and an old notebook. "There we go." She murmured happily, seating herself in her favorite "thinking chair." "Now, let's get to work." She said to herself, scribbling down different ideas.
When Zoisite walked over to read over her shoulder, Jessie gave her a filthy look. "Do you mind?" she asked. "I don't want you ruining my surprise. I wonder if Luna can drag Serena out of bed early enough to be here by nine. I'll have to call and find out."
"Why do you want them here that early? It's only a ten minute walk to where you need to meet those other people."
"I need a few witnesses for what I've got planned, Mom. People outside the Negaverse Royalty. That removes you- as family- and our three guests, since they're bodyguards. Therefore, I need the Scouts. And," she added, crumbling the papers she'd written on. "You're not going to find out anything more until morning." As she spoke, the few papers burst into flames while her mother stared.
"Where'd you learn to do that?"
Nephrite taught me before the Moon Kingdom was destroyed. It's really fun, so long as you keep your mind on what you're doing. And, it really annoys all the government officials who've spent weeks looking for notes and such from the rulers of other planets here in the Universe. They hate the idea of not knowing every single detail of my life. That's why I declared I was planning my wedding- just to get them really angry. I so can't wait to get ahold of the gossip magazines when I get back; just to see who they've got me engaged to this week."
"You little trickster." Her mother laughed. "I can't say I blame you. You've got to have some fun, ruling an entire dimension by yourself. Is the Negaverse as large as the Universe?"
"No. The Universe is at least fifty times larger. We're not sure of the exact size difference because so much of the Universe is still unexplored. Beryl was the first Queen in at least twenty thousand years who wasn't happy with control over just one dimension. She could have been an excellent Queen if she'd only focused her energy toward her people. Three years haven't made even a dent in the damage she caused with her neglect. Thank goodness my home planet doesn't need me very often or I'd be a real basket case."
"You mean you're normal for an Earthling?" Zoisite demanded. "I guess I'd better cancel the order on that straight jacket then, huh?"
"Ha. Ha. Ha." Jessie answered, deadpan. "Remind me again why I made my three best friends my bodyguards?"
Mrs. Klinto was about to respond, but this was obviously an old joke between them because they both smiled. Everything seemed to be going nicely, so she went back downstairs, where Jedite and Malachite were trying to fix dinner without blowing up the kitchen
*@*@*@*@*@
"Hello?" Serena asked into the phone.
"Serena? This is Jessie. Um… do you think you could get up early enough to be here by nine tomorrow? There's something I need to do, and it won't be legal without witnesses outside the Negaverse political circle. I thought you, Darien and the other girls could help."
"Sure," the leader of the Scouts agreed. "What do you have planned?"
"Hopefully, something that will keep everyone in this battle save- with the exception of the Death Phantom, of course." Jessie answered vaguely. "You don't have to do anything, just be here. I'll make breakfast afterward, if you like."
"Sure! But, Jessie… Don't do something you're going to regret, okay? We don't want to see you get hurt more than you already have. Be careful."
"There's not very much that can hurt me anymore, Serena." Jessie whispered before hanging up. "But I'll be careful."
Jessie sighed as she picked up the phone again. One down and five to go. Strange, she was almost looking forward to the next day. Maybe all these sudden changes in her life were becoming routine. She only hoped she was doing the right thing.
Jessie sighed again and dialed Darien's number.
*@*@*@*@*@
Memories drifted in and out of her sleeping mind. Battles against her enemies. Wishes made on shooting stars. Parties, funerals. Laughter, tears. So much joy and sorrow had taken place in her life. What would happen tomorrow? Would she be receiving a new friend, or recognizing an old foe?
Jewel awoke from her troubled sleep. She seldom dreamed, but when she did, it always meant something. Usually, the dreams told her it was time for an energy boost from the Dark Crystal.
But this one was different. It was almost as if she'd been searching for something in her sleep, but she hadn't been able to find it. Now, as her mind tried desperately to remember, she asked herself again what she had asked Jem. "Who am I?"
It's amazing how a mailbox full of reviews can inspire you to type the next Chapter more quickly, huh? I think Venus Smurf did all 19 reviews at the same time, too. Thanks!! If you haven't read her work yet, DO SO NOW! She's awesome. Oh, anyone who reviews, leave your e-mail adress, and I'll send you a scene from the next fic. It won't make much sense at the momment, but I promise, it will later! Anyway, I have better things to do on my 21st b-day than type at you, so, so long!
Hope: Next time; a choice is made, and the Pink Demon returns! Also, it will be another two part chapter so it'll be a long wait again. Sorry 'bout that.