Hey Guys sorry about the wait my computers been down. I want to thank all you guys for your reviews especially to the ones who give me a review for each chapter. I really appreciate it and that's why you have my word that I wont abandon this story. As long as theirs just one person out there enjoying it I'll keep the chapters coming.

CHAPTER TWELEVE

"What do you mean by the truth? Uranus demanded, "We already know the truth he's one of Beryl's soldiers. Which makes him the enemy and that's that.

"Your wrong." Malachite insisted "You don't know the whole truth. If you'll help Zosite I'll tell you everything about him and believe me you'll need to know this before you battle him again."

"I think he's toying with us" Jupiter stated "Who's to say that Beryl was the one who encased Zosite in stone? Maybe she did and maybe she didn't. But I think he's just using us to free her so that the both of them can return to Beryl.

Mars agreed, "It makes sense. Why else would he be here seeking help from us?"

Malachite took an angry step towards them before stopping himself. Eyes flashing he barked angrily at them "Do you know how Zosite perished the first time? Do you?" Malachite was now trembling with rage. Rage that had been building up inside him day by day "Beryl killed her." He informed them "She struck her down right in front of my eyes and there was nothing I could about it. It was all over before I even knew it what was happening or have a chance to react and now…" he paused trying to regain some of his composure and put a seel on his rage. "And now her life is once again in Beryl's hands. Don't you see I couldn't protect her then. But I can do something to save her now. With your help."

Malachite couldn't believe he was actually here pleading for their aide. He never once thought in a million years he would be here seeking the help of the Sailor Scouts. But Beryl had left him with no choice. He couldn't depend on her goodness because she had none and he couldn't wait until she forgave Zosite because that day might never come. Beryl was colder and more unforgiving than ever. Just look at what she did to poor Jedite the one who brought her back. The one who brought all of them back and gave them a second chance. And now with Prince Darien back on the scene and with his threat lingering in his mind he had no other option than this one. But he had to stay focused. To lose control now would be disastrous. He couldn't afford for anything to go wrong. He needed to get this over with before his absence was noticed or even worse Zosite's.

"I believe you" Sailormoon said quietly Malachite head shot up and he turned to look at her and he read the truth of her words in those blue eyes of hers. He closed his eyes in a sign of relief. She was going to help him.

"Sailormoon you can't be serious" Mars cried out in stunned disbelief unable to believe that she could fall for such an obvious trap "Can't you see that he's just using you? Who's to stay that when you free Zosite the both of them wont turn on us? And you can't trust his word that they wont" Mars looked at him in disgust "after all he's only Negaverse scum"

Malachite looked at her with a strange gleam in his eye "That wont be a problem. After today I can't go back. Beryl will consider what I'm doing now an act of betrayal not only did I take Zosite out of the palace without her permission or knowledge but I came to you for help. She hates all of you more than anything or anyone else especially Sailormoon. "No" he stated with certainty "she won't forgive me for this betrayal to go back now would mean certain death for both me and Zosite. Therefore going back is definitely out of the question."

"So" Uranus drawled sarcastically "you plan to head off into the sunset with Zosite by your side leaving Beryl and the Negaverse behind. How sweet."

"It's more complicated than that" Malachite sneered at her before turning his attention back to Sailormoon "we have to rid ourselves of all the negative energy in our bodies or Beryl would be able to track us easily."

"Are you saying that you want Sailormoon to use the Crystal on you" Venus gasped

"That's exactly what I'm saying"

……………………….

Jedite have you any news of Prince Darien?

"No my Queen he has still not returned"

"Tell me again what happened." she demanded

"Prince Darien ordered me back to the palace and then proceeded to pursue Sailormoon on his own"

Beryl leaned forward angrily "Find him Jedite. Find him now"

Jedite thought to himself for a minute. Their could be a chance that Prince Darien had survived and was even now buried under ground. Although he preferred to have dead than alive he took great pleasure in imagining him trapped beneath the earth he treasures so much. He needed to stall for time and set up a story that Beryl would have to except as fact when Prince Darien didn't show up.

"My Queen it is possible that the other Scouts met up with Sailormoon and managed to defeat Prince Darien by combining their powers."

Beryl dismissed the idea immediately "Don't be a fool Jedite those pathetic Sailor Scouts are no match for Prince Darien and I did not detect Princess Serena using the Crystal. If she had used it against Prince Darien I would have felt her power"

"Maybe so My Queen but don't be so sure about the power of the Scouts" he cautioned "their much stronger now than they were when we fought them in the past. If they managed to gang up on him and combine their powers than I'm afraid it's very possible that they destroyed him and that he wont be coming back."

Beryl now looked unsure

Jedite bit back a smile. Soon he would have everything that was his. His place at Beryl's side and return of his handsome face. For Beryl only surrounded herself with handsome men and once he got rid of Princess Serena and recovered the Imperial Crystal he would have back his perfect face and all the power that came with it. But first he had to finish what he started with Prince Darien. Collapsing the cave with him and Sailormoon in it was the easy part now convincing Beryl that his destruction occurred in another way was the hard part "You have to consider it my Queen I mean if you haven't been able to detect him" he paused to let his words sink in this was all to easy "But of course I will continue the search until we know for a fact that he's gone. You have my word my Queen that I wont rest until we know for sure what happened to him.

"Why Jedite is that concern for me that I hear in your voice"

Startled Jedite swung around and it was all he could do to stay standing and not fall to the floor in disbelief.

Prince Darien strolled out of the shadows with a dark chuckle to stand next to Jedite.

Jedite swore at his luck. It appeared as if Prince Darien was unharmed in anyway but the question now was did he suspect him of anyway.

……

"How do you know this is what Zosite wants" Venus asked now convinced of his sincerity if he was willing to disobey Beryl and leave the Negaverse behind all for Zosite he must love her very much

"I'm not" he said surprisingly "but I know that she'll chose to follow me in my decision"

Sailormoon looked at him with concern "You do know that I can't change her unless she wants to change."

He nodded his head "Yes I know. But I have no worries she'll come with me and the only way she can do that is to leave the Negaverse behind and allow you to heal her with your Crystal." He looked at her as if he wanted to say something.

"What?"

He shook his head "Later."

Sailormoon nodded and grabbed her brooch and then looked at Malachite uncertainly "Afterwards after I heal you and Zosite and before you leave you will tell me about him wont you?"

"Sailormoon?" Jupiter questioned while the other Scouts looked on with different degrees of surprise.

Now it was Malachite's turn to be uncertain He knew that she didn't remember Prince Darien her question verified that much but still there was something about the way she asked the question. There was an emotion behind the words almost undetectable but it was their all the same. And it seems as if her friends noticed as well. She couldn't remember him but was a part of her still drawn to him? Well if that was so she'll know the reason for that after tonight.

………………..

"Prince Darien explain yourself. Why have you ignored my countless summons?"

Darien bowed to her. "Forgive me my Queen I was unavoidably detained."

"Doing what?" she asked suspiciously

"I had a little run in with the Sailor Scouts. I pursued Sailormoon into a cave unfortunately our battle made the cave unstable and it collapsed burying me under some a ton of rubble.

Beryl looked him over "well you appear to have come away unharmed."

"Oh yes" he said slowly "It will take more than that to get rid of me"

Jedite looked at him swiftly trying to see if he should read anything into those words. But Prince Darien was still looking at Beryl.

Beryl looked at Princess Darien intently "You said that you followed Sailormoon into the cave and was she also caught in the cave in."

"Yes, but her friends managed to rescue her before I could lay claim to the Crystal. It was a lucky break for them but luck cant save them for ever."

Beryl frowned darn that moon brat how many lives did she possess.

"Jedite" Darien drawled, "Leave us I wish to speak to Queen Beryl alone."

Jedite looked at him in surprise and then with anger. How dare he dismiss him?

Beryl didn't even wait to find out why Prince Darien wished to speak to her alone before waving him away like he some pesky little fly.

Jedite fumed but gritted his teeth. Bowing to Beryl and with one last hateful look at Prince Darien he left them alone together.

"We have a problem my Queen one that I would gladly rid you of."

…………

As soon as Jedite left them he had misgivings Prince Darien was up to something. Did he know? Did he know that he was the one who caused the cave in? Is that why he wanted to talk to Beryl alone? That had to be it. Shivering but not from the cold he sat down and waited to hear his fate.

…………..

"What" Sailormoon cried trying not to blush and give herself away. "He's by far the strongest of Beryl's soldiers that we've gone up against so far. And if he" she said pointing at Malachite "knows something about him that we need to know than we should find out what it is right?" Sailormoon tried not to fidget as she waited for them to respond. She had been ready to tell them the truth earlier on the beach but a lot had happened since then. He hadn't kissed her before and she hadn't kissed him back. Now everything was different and so very complicated.

"All right, alright sorry" Jupiter grumbled she didn't know what she had been thinking anyway. What did it matter if Sailormoon thought the prince of the Negaverse was hot they all did. It didn't mean anything.

The Sailor Scouts might have bought her story but Malachite didn't. Their was something else going on. But they were her friends how come he was the only one to pick up on it?

"Are you ready?"

Malachite opened his mouth to tell her the truth and then shut it. No Zosite first then he'd tell her everything. He didn't have a reason to doubt her word but he was unused to trusting anyone but Zosite. Instead he nodded his head and stood back and waited. He pushed all his rising doubts aside. This was for Zosite.

He held up a hand "Wait." he had almost forgot he better retrieve Zosite while he was still able to. He raised both hands up in the air and opened up the portal and brought Zosite through it. He put her down gently on the ground not far from him and turned back to Sailormoon. "Ok" he sighed, "I'm ready"

Sailormoon raised her brooch "Moon Healing Activation" she cried the Crystal inside the brooch flashed and let out a bright white light that encompassed him.

………….

Beryl trembled with rage. "Are you sure of his betrayal" she demanded harshly leaving no doubt of who her wraith would fall down upon if he should prove to be wrong.

Darien looked at her completely unafraid. "I'm quite sure. And I shall bring him to you immediately so that you can ask him for yourself."

Beryl looked at him for a moment in confusion. Why was he so unconcerned with the possibility that she would take her anger out on him. Was it because he was positive of the one's betrayal or was it something else? "Yes bring him to me. If he has betrayed us as you claim he shall be punished severely."

Darien bowed to her and left her in search of the Betrayer.