Chapter 10: Moon Guardian, Envoy of Destruction
The scouts gathered in the Temple, listening to Serena explain what had happened. Amy was torn, and the others knew why; she feared that if the Negaverse did turn him evil, they might have to kill him.
Lita forced a smile and put her arm around Amy. "Don't worry Amy. Knowing Koaru, he would sooner kill himself then turn evil." Lita then realized what she had said and quickly let go of her. "Not helping, Lita." Raye said, glaring at her.
Koaru opened his eyes, seeing that he was in a pitch black existence. "Guess I died." He said aloud, trying to sit up. He noted that he was chained down on a cold stone table, and fire erupted in torches all around him. "Haven't I been here before?" he thought, then he heard footsteps approaching him. He looked towards the noise and saw the same man who had beaten him senseless. Beside him was a woman in a plum purple dress with blood red hair that reached her waist. She carried a silver staff with a red gem attached to the top.
Koaru's blood chilled, he remembered her! He remembered feeling cold steel pierce his chest, and his left arm being severed. "You, I know you!" he said, panic filling his voice.
Queen Beryl looked at Jedite. "Have you found the Tritus Crystal yet?" Jedite shook his head, "No. he doesn't have it." Beryl smiled, "So, you don't remember your past, do you?" she asked, and Koaru felt even more afraid. "Well, we will give you your memories back, the memories you need."
Amy left the Temple, heading for home, when a bright light appeared before her. She held her arms in front of her to block the light until it faded. When she lowered her arms, her heart skipped a beat. "Serena! Raye! Lita! Mina! I need help!"
The four girls ran as fast as they could to find Amy standing in the middle of the road, staring about twenty feet ahead. They all looked, and Serena was the first to speak. "My God, Koaru!"
They all carried him back to the Temple. After they had gotten him into a bed, Serena and Mina ran home to get Luna and Artemis, hoping that they would know what to do. Amy sat next to Koaru, never leaving his side, always replacing the washcloth Raye had brought for him.
Serena ran into her house, locating Luna in her bedroom, fast asleep. "Luna, get up! We have a problem!"
Luna stretched and yawned, then looked at Serena in a grumpy way. "What happened?" she asked, not bothering to mask the irritation in her voice. "Koaru was in the Millennium, and the Negaverse had him, now he's back, and he doesn't look good." Luna leapt up and ran to Koaru's room, Serena close behind. "What are you doing?" she asked as the cat started to searching through Koaru's belongings. "If Koaru was in the Silver Millennium, then we need to find his Power Crystal. Serena looked above the mirror and saw a crystal sword hanging from a piece of sticky tack. She grabbed it and showed it to Luna. "This it?" she asked, and Luna nodded. Together they then ran out of the room.
Back at the Temple, Koaru's condition was getting worse. He now had a fever, his breathing had become shallow and his body was twitching randomly. Amy was close to tears as Mina and Artemis came rushing into the room. The white cat looked at Koaru for a moment, then turned to the girls.
"Well, will he be ok?" Amy asked, fearing the answer. Artemis shook his head slowly. "Not likely. His mind has tampered with by the Negaverse, so I am amazed that he is still alive as it is."
Amy broke down, crying, into her hands, shaking all over. The others could think of no way to console her, just watching helplessly.
Serena and Luna burst through the doors, almost tripping over Lita, and looked around. "Is he ok?" Serena asked. Then silence that followed answered her question for her. Luna, however, jumped up and grabbed the crystal from Serena and carried it over to Koaru. Luna turned to face the Scouts. "Girls, there is still hope. I need you all to send your energy to the crystal. It is the only way to save him, now hurry!"
The girls quickly got to their feet and closed their eyes, trying to focus all of their power into the little pendant.
Outside, Jedite smiled. "Fools, just sealed your doom."
The five female warriors all opened their eyes to see the crystal glowing a faint blue color. Luna sighed, "We did it, girls, we did…" The crystal suddenly a dark purple color, and a wild wind picked up in the room. The wind surrounded Koaru, and dark energy started to swirl around him, lifting him off the bed and out through the open doorway. "What is happening!" Mina shouted as they chased after Koaru.
When the got outside, they were shocked. Koaru's body was glowing, the same way their bodies glowed when they transformed. When the glowing faded, Moon Envoy floated before them. Only, where his outfit had been white it was now black, and gold was now purple. His crescent staff was now black and in the shape of the grim reapers staff. Koaru opened his eyes, which burned red.
"No, it is him." Artemis said weakly. "The first of the four Tritus warriors, Moon Envoy." The five Sailor Scouts transformed, ready to stop Moon Envoy, even Sailor Mercury, though she was hesitant. "How do we stop him?" Sailor Moon asked, hoping for an easy solution. Luna looked at Moon Envoy. "Get the crystal from his around his neck, and he will lose most of his power." The five nodded and went to work.
Moon Envoy raised his scythe into the air and slashed down at the Scouts, giving the battle command "Nega Scythe Silence!" The five Scouts leapt away from the resulting black energy blade that shot in their direction, slicing a ten foot scar into the ground.
"Note to self," Sailor Mars said as she regained her footing, "Don't let Koaru hit you."
Moon Envoy flew after Sailor Venus, who was leaping off of a tree branch to get a decent shot at him. He grabbed her by the throat, spun around and threw her straight up into the air. He then placed the scythe behind himself. "Nega Scythe Silence!" he shouted as he slashed, shooting a black energy blade at Mina, who was in no condition to get out of the way.
"Minaaaaaa!" Sailor Moon cried as she watched the blade close in on her friend. Suddenly, the blade vanished. Serena stood there, dumb founded. "What the…?"
"Sailor Venus, are you alright?" Mina looked up to see that Tuxedo Mask had just saved her. She felt herself go red, "Er…yeah. I'm alright."
Koaru looked over at the newcomer, horn rimmed mask with a tuxedo, cape and top hat with a cane hooked on his wrist. The thought that this man thought he was a challenge for him angered Koaru, right to his twisted soul.
"You dare mock me, masked man?" Koaru growled as he charged energy into his arms, causing them to glow black. Tuxedo Mask looked over at him, feeling slightly nervous as he took in how much power this new enemy possessed. "I in no way meant to mock you." He replied, standing straight up and withdrawing a rose from his pocket. Moon Envoy molded the energy into two large spears, and flew straight at Tuxedo. "Well you did!" he roared as he threw one of the spears at him
Tuxedo Mask barely dodged the black spear aimed at his heart. It struck a tree behind him and exploded, turning the oak into a pile of toothpicks. Koaru slashed down with the remaining spear, and Mask raised his cane to block the attack. The spear head connected with the cane, and detonated, blowing the cane in half and sending Tuxedo flying backwards. "Defend yourself!" Moon Envoy shouted as he rushed after Mask and grabbed him by the throat, spun around, and threw him straight down
Tuxedo Mask exhaled sharply as he slammed into the ground, then hacked up blood as Koaru flew down, somersaulted, and slammed his heel into Mask's gut. "And you call yourself their protector." Envoy said as he walked away, leaving Tuxedo Mask lying on the ground.
"Koaru! You will pay for that!" Sailor Moon shouted as she ran at her brother. He turned to look at her, ducked down, and swept her feet out from under her with a kick, then planted his hands on the ground and kicked out at her, like a horse, and sent her flying straight up into the air, winded. He then raised his scythe.
"Sailor Moon! Get out of the way!" Luna shouted as Koaru shot another black blade at her. "How can she? Sailor Jupiter asked, charging energy into her antenna and launching the lightning at Koaru, who blocked it with one hand.
Sailor Moon turned in mid air, watching the blade come to her, and time slowed down. She reached up, grabbed her tiara, charged her energy into it, and threw it straight at the blade, striking it head on, and knocking it back towards Moon Envoy. Serena smiled, "How you say bro, Boo-ya-ka-sha?" she thought in triumph.
Koaru looked, raised both hands, blocking Sailor Venus' Beam Smash and Sailor Mars' Fire Ignite. He then matched the energy output and shot their attacks back at them, along with some of his own power. He lowered his arms, happy with watching the two Scouts get blown backwards and into the wall. He suddenly felt a chill run up his spine, and turned to see the black blade two feet from him.
Sailor Moon smiled as she saw the blade strike Koaru, severing the chain, and the crystal dropping to the ground. Then she crashed into the tree below with the landing cry, "SON OF A-!"
Moon Envoy's body glowed pure black, then erupted with white energy, sending up a dust cloud around him and blowing Sailor Moon out of the tree. From the center of the dust cloud came Koaru's cries of pain.
"What is happening!" Sailor Mercury shouted as she and the others watched, holding their arms in front of their faces to shield themselves from the dust and rocks that were flying around. Artemis crouched lower to the ground, squinting his eyes. "I believe that he is healing, regaining his memories, and possibly turning to our side!" he shouted back, now digging his claws into the ground to keep himself on the planet.
