Rip Van Who?
2. The Future Unfolds
"Hello. Anderson residence," said Amy, answering the ringing phone. Outside, the weather was bitterly cold, unrelenting snow blanketed the city.
"Hey, Amy?" A familiar voice answered. "That you? It's me, Greg."
"Greg, where are you? You sound so close," Amy said, smiling fondly at the memory of her friend. Greg had once carried a Rainbow Crystal inside of him. It had given him the power to see the future, an ability that had remained, even after the Crystal was removed.
"Yeah," Greg responded. "I'm just here for the weekend with my folks."
"Hey, why don't you come over?" Amy suggested. She had feelings for the boy, but she really didn't know how to act on them. She got to see Greg so rarely these days.
"I can't, Amy," said Greg, "but listen. Turn on your TV, okay?" Amy wondered what all this was about, but she leaned over and turned on the television.
There was a special news report on, and Amy was shocked to see a picture of Peggy Jones, an artist and former carrier of another Rainbow Crystal. The news reporter said something, but Amy was too stunned to make it out.
"That's Peggy Jones. The artist?" Greg said. "She's one of the carriers of those Rainbow Crystals, and she's missing, Amy."
"Missing? You mean like kidnapped?" Amy asked, suddenly worried.
"Uh huh. They're after me too. I had a vision about it. The Negaverse is trying to round up the seven Crystal carriers," said Greg seriously. "There's more. There's a girl. Young, maybe seven, with blue hair and eyes. She's way dangerous Ames, so strong it's unreal." He paused, as if he was still trying to wrap his mind around the idea.
"What is it, Greg? What's wrong?" Amy asked.
"It's like the Negaverse has been holding her in reserve," Greg said. "She's only seven, but she could easily destroy a planet with her power." Amy gasped, felt her jaw drop involuntarily. Greg continued. "Her future's uncertain, like she isn't even supposed to be here."
"Wh-where are you?" Amy asked. "I'll get the girls. We'll protect you."
"No, that's not a good idea," Greg said, his voice sounded both urgent and worried. Amy got the impression that he had seen more, that he was holding something back. "I'm just going to have to try to outrun them."
"But, Greg—" Greg hung up the phone. He took a deep breath, looking around. The street was busy. Maybe he could hide here. He stepped from the phone booth.
Greg squeezed his eyes shut. He could still remember his vision. He still saw Sailor Mercury's – Amy's – lifeless eyes staring up at him. Her bloodstained uniform casting a sickening contrast against the harsh white of fresh snow.
A little way away, Sailor Jupiter – one of Amy's friends – was struggling for breath, her breathing in short gasps. Jupiter's eyes were blank, unseeing, her body was beaten, broken.
And then there was the violent golden aura.
"I won't let that happen," Greg muttered, shaking his head, trying to rid himself of the frightening nightmare. He started walking, moving, just not staying in one place for too long.
***
Amy asked her friends to meet at Cherry Hill temple, calling an emergency meeting to tell them all about what Greg told her. As usual, Serena wasn't really paying attention, her attention focused instead on a comic book.
"So, Greg's back in town, and he thinks the Negaverse is after him?" Mina asked.
"Yes," said Amy, nodding. "He had a vision about it."
"Wonder what they're up to," said Artemis. The small white cat shook his head. "The Negaverse knows something we don't. Why else would they be going after Greg and the others all over again?"
"What are you waiting for?" Lita asked, standing up quickly.
"There's more," Amy said calmly. "He mentioned a young girl with enough power to destroy the planet, and I had a feeling that he wasn't telling me everything he knew." She paused, allowing the details to sink in. "He doesn't want us going up against her, that's for sure."
"That's great," said Mina. "I'm not looking forward to going up against someone that powerful either, but if she's working for the Negaverse, then she has to be evil, and that means we have to stop her."
"Come on, Amy," said Lita.
"Where? Greg wouldn't… He refused to even tell me where he was calling from," Amy said, sounding a little hurt. She knew that Greg meant well, but she still felt a little dismayed that he didn't trust her enough to take care of herself.
"I think I saw him before you called," said Lita. "He-he's probably wandering around downtown somewhere." Amy nodded, and stood up. "Grandpa's probably next. Better watch him, Rei," Lita said, laughing. She and Amy quickly left.
***
"Hello, Greg." Greg looked up at the tall man. Greg knew the man's face well; he had seen Prince Darien, Champion of the Negaverse, in a vision too. The man had short black hair and cold blue eyes. He was dressed entirely in black, wearing sunglasses, even though the sun had set hours ago.
"Sorry," said Greg. "You must have mistaken me for someone else." He tried to move past Darien, but Darien moved to stop him.
"Oh come on," said Darien. "Don't play innocent. It's pointless."
"I really don't know what you're talking about," said Greg, still trying to convince Darien that he was just another bystander. It was difficult, because even he didn't buy the story coming out of his mouth.
"I thought you were supposed to be so smart. Some kind of fortune teller with visions of the future? Now, come on. Tell me, Greg. What reason could I have for talking to you?" Greg paused, wondering what to say. He knew that there was no point in continuing the ruse.
"You want to take me back to the Negaverse with all the others," Greg said finally. Darien smiled, a cold calm smile that Greg didn't like at all.
"You got it, Greg, so you must know there's just really no point in fighting me," said Darien, smugly. "Or maybe it's not me that you're worried about."
As if on cue, the seven-year-old stepped out from behind Greg. She wore her azure hair in a high ponytail. Her skin was pale, unhealthy looking. Her eyes, Greg shivered. Her eyes were devoid of life, completely empty; she was obviously under a powerful spell. She was dressed in a denim skirt, blue tights, a powder blue tee shirt, and a denim jacket, no doubt so that she could pass for any other little girl. Greg knew better.
"You don't know what you're messing with," Greg said, glancing at the little girl. "But I don't have to fight you, you Negaverse lackey. The way I see it, I get away from you without exchanging a blow."
Darien didn't like that. "Don't insult me, boy."
"Your shades are blinding you, geek," said Greg, a smirk crossing his face.
Darien looked confused for a moment, almost surprised. "Huh?"
"Someone help me!" Greg yelled. The passing bystanders turned to see what was going on. "Stop this guy! Help!" The crowd pressed in around Darien, preventing him from moving. Greg pushed his way through the crowd, away from Darien. He knew he didn't have much time left. He just had to keep running.
***
Greg was starting to feel the effects of constantly running, but he couldn't let himself slow down, he couldn't let the people chasing him have the chance to catch up. He skidded to a halt, turning quickly and running into an alley.
The boy stumbled, tripping over an empty box that he hadn't seen. He landed painfully on the ground, rolling to a halt. Greg picked himself up, forcing himself to ignore the pain.
There were two people waiting for him at the other end of the alley. For a moment, his heart sank as he realised that he was caught, but that changed when he recognised the shorter of the two girls. Sailor Mercury and Sailor Jupiter stood ready to fight off the people chasing him.
There was fresh snow on the ground.
"No!" Greg yelled. "No! You have to run!"
"Too late," said Prince Darien. The girls looked up at the source of the voice: Prince Darien perched on a fire escape, calmly watching them. Darien had changed; he now wore black armour and a sharp-looking sword. Darien leapt to the ground. "Are these your bodyguards now?" Darien asked, his voice filled with more than a little amusement at the situation. "This should be fun."
"Hey, that's Darien!" Sailor Mercury realised.
"Correction: Prince Darien, Champion of the Negaverse," said Darien. "Now out of my way, if you wanna stay healthy. It's not you I want, girls. It's your friend."
"Sailor Mercury, get Greg outta here," said Sailor Jupiter, her voice burning with conviction, her face wearing a resolved look. Sailor Mercury didn't understand. "I wanna teach this guy a lesson," Sailor Jupiter said, with a smirk.
"No, you go," said Sailor Mercury. "I'll fight him." Darien looked uninterested in who tried to fight him. In his opinion, it would end the same way in either case.
"No," said Jupiter. "It would really be better if you go, because of what we talked about." She gave her friend a smile. She and Amy had discussed Amy's feelings for Greg.
"But…" Mercury started, not sure which she was more afraid of: confronting and admitting her feelings for the psychic boy, or fighting with the brainwashed prince.
"Now get lost," said Jupiter.
"Okay, but be careful. I'll call for help," Sailor Mercury relented. She turned, and grabbed Greg by the arm. He resisted only a moment, before he and Sailor Mercury were running.
"Alright, traitor," Sailor Jupiter said. "You ready to rumble? No way we're letting you capture Greg. We know what you're up to, pal. This is the end of the line." Sailor Jupiter dropped into a defensive stance, watching Prince Darien through narrowed eyes, watching for the merest suggestion of an attack. All she had to do was buy her friends some time to get away.
Darien just laughed. "I'd like to introduce you to someone," he said. He looked around. "Come on out, Bra." A seven-year-old girl appeared, in a blur of motion. In any other instance, she would have been an adorable child, but the dead look in her eyes told Jupiter that this girl was a servant of the Negaverse. This was doubtless the girl with the power to destroy the world.
"So now you need a little kid to fight your battles for you?" Jupiter asked, trying to goad Darien into a fight. If what Amy said was true, she stood a much better chance against Darien than she did against Bra.
"Deal with her, Bra," Darien ordered.
Bra extended her hand. She frowned slightly. Sailor Jupiter was thrown back. She was slammed against the alley wall. The little girl did it again, harder this time. Jupiter screamed in pain, the impact no doubt breaking a few bones.
Bra didn't even seem to be exerting herself. Her feet left the ground, and she floated forward. She picked Jupiter up by the throat. Jupiter tried to fight the vice-grip on her throat, but the little girl was much too strong. "Jupiter… Thunder…" Sailor Jupiter gasped. A small antenna extended itself from Sailor Jupiter's tiara. Storm clouds formed overhead. "Crash!"
A bolt of lightning streaked down towards them. Jupiter was immune to her own attack's power, but striking the antenna, it also struck Bra, who was holding Jupiter. She hoped it would stun the seven-year-old long enough to stop her. Bra looked around, completely unaffected.
"You're gonna have to do better than that," Darien laughed.
"You… don't scare… me," Jupiter managed.
"Is that so?" Darien asked, his tone indifferent. He let Jupiter hang in the air for a moment. "Okay, kiddo. Let her go. We've got bigger fish to fry." Bra obediently let Sailor Jupiter go. The beaten Scout dropped to the ground. "You've got guts, Jupiter. But it takes more than guts to beat the Negaverse."
Jupiter forced herself to stand. "Traitor," she hissed.