CHAPTER 10

Queen Beryl had assembled everybody before her throne and called two people to come forward by name.
"Jedite. Titus. I am well pleased with your services in gathering energy for our cause."
But after a pause she added, "But you have also fouled up several times and you still have not defeated the three Sailors Moon, Mercury and Mars."
Jedite and Titus flinched and tried to speak but Beryl cut them off.
"Your last failure with the Cruise Boat scheme was the final straw. I am giving you one final chance to redeem yourselves. Eliminate the Sailor Scouts. If you fail this time I will punish you with eternal sleep."
Titus gasped and covered her mouth, her eyes bulging in fear and Jedite shook his fists in nervous spasms. They had both been fearing that Queen Beryl would merely inflict more excruciating pain upon them. This however was a dreadful shock.
Voices came from the crowd. "Oh no. Poor Jedite and Titus. She can't really mean it."

But Queen Beryl was very serious and she said to her trembling servants, "I do hope you succeed Titus and Jedite. For the penalty of eternal sleep will condemn you both to the most utter and profound darkness. FOREVER!" The iciness in her voice made all present cringe. Then she thought quietly to herself, "If perchance these twerps do succeed I suppose I'll have to reward them for getting rid of our enemies. But first I'll have the Doom and Gloom Girls torture them one final time then I'll consider the last of their past guilt atoned for."

Later that night Serena was looking out the window of her bedroom admiring the stars and their constellations with Luna by her side. "Oh Luna. I wish Tuxedo Mask had his very own constellation."
"You really do like him so much. Don't you Serena?"
"Like him? I love him Luna. He's so dreamy. I'm also in love with Andrew at the arcade. Oh if only Andrew was Tuxedo Mask's secret identity. Ooohh!"
Luna just rolled her eyes choosing not to get involved in talking about Serena's crushes.
Suddenly the images of Titus and Jedite's faces and shoulders appeared above the city startling them both.
"Attention Sailor Moon, Sailor Mercury and Sailor Mars. Titus and I have a huge announcement for you."
"Yes. We challenge the three of you to a duel. We have our score to finally settle."
"Meet us tomorrow night at the airport at one o'clock in the morning. We shall be waiting."
"And if you don't show up then behold." Titus waved her hands and a gigantic tidal wave began flowing through the streets submerging everything and tearing buildings up from their foundation.
Serena screamed. "Stop it you monsters. Stop! Stop!"
Titus waved her hands again and the waters all disappeared. But the damage had also vanished leaving everything standing normal.
Jedite laughed. "That was only an illusion. But if you don't meet our challenge then my girlfriend will wash away the entire city for real."
They wrapped their arms around each other and hugged tight as they laughed together for a couple of minutes before vanishing leaving Serena and Luna both shaken.

Sneaking out very quietly once again they both met up with Amy and Raye at the Cherry Hill Temple. Luna knew that the threat to flood the city was no idle bluff. "You can bet that Jedite and Titus will carry out their wicked plan. What do you think we should do girls?"
Raye said that they had a responsibility to answer Jedite and Titus' challenge to protect all the innocent lives in the city while Amy urged caution. "We can't risk the fight without a good strategic plan of defence and attack or they will surely destroy us."
"Well what is your opinion Serena?" Luna asked and Raye and Amy repeated the query to Serena who was humming and hawing looking at the ground.
Finally she laughed and blushed. "What? Little old me fight Jedite and Titus? I don't know about that. Heh heh."
Luna, Raye and Amy sighed in exasperation at her typical reluctant cowardice.

Rumours spread all throughout the population after Jedite and Titus made their strange appearance in the sky last night. Authorities were taking it seriously and the news announced that police commando squads would be patrolling the airport that very next night in question.
But at school to Serena and Luna's concern some of her friends were talking about sneaking out to see what was going on at the airport. Melvin was excited theorizing that it was UFO related alien activity. Luna whispered, "We can't let those kids go out tonight and get caught in the crossfire."
"Well maybe this is a good reason for us not to go Luna."
"Serena."
"Only kidding Luna. I'll try to stop them."
"Don't just try Serena. You must do it."
Luna sat back on the windowsill and watched as Serena started to tell Molly, Melvin and her other friends what a bad idea this was. Miss Haruna was passing by then and overheard the argument.
"What are you silly kids planning? Of course it's dangerous. You should stay completely away from the airport."
"Yes that's right. You guys had better listen to what our teacher, Miss H says."
Serena's friends thought she was joking.
"No I'm serious. You really could get badly hurt. Why don't you all just stay at home and do something constructive with your free time. Like study."
Serena's friends couldn't believe what they were hearing and nor could Miss Haruna for that matter. She actually asked Serena if she was feeling sick. "I've never heard you say anything so serious before. It's so unlike you."
Serena was incensed. "I can be serious if I want to. It's not fair. I need respect too." She began to cry and Luna jumped down off the windowsill. She was not involving herself in this crying tantrum. But thankfully the other kids were dissuaded from the idea of going to the airport by what their teacher and Serena had said.

So that night as one AM slowly approached all the police around the airport suddenly were overcome by an immediate state of sleep which made them collapse to the ground all at once. Jedite and Titus appeared hand in hand and shared a hearty laugh. "Let's quickly round up all these cops and store them away Titus."
The pair sent magic beams to gather up the sleeping policemen and transport them into the male restrooms where they peacefully dozed in piles on the floor.
"Now let the Sailor Scouts come Jedite my sweet."
"We will be ready for them my lovey."

At that moment Amy, Raye, Luna and Serena were running up the stairs of the train station. "Oh no. We've missed the last train. Serena." Luna groaned.
"Don't blame me for going to sleep. It's way past my bedtime."
"So what do we do now?" Raye asked but just then a train pulled up and the door opened.
"Hey."
Serena was amazed and so was Amy but Raye said, "It looks like Jedite and Titus have sent us our own personal transportation. So let's take it."
With that she entered and the others reluctantly followed. The door slid shut and the train began travelling towards the airport. Luna was beginning to worry a little. It did indeed look like their enemies were leading them into a trap.

When they arrived at the airport platform they all exited and ran to the terminal as fast as they could. When they arrived they saw what appeared to be all the police officers lined up for their patrol. "It looks like nothing's happened yet," Raye observed.
Suddenly to their shock the police all tried to attack them with their truncheons. Raye kicked a couple out of the way and cried for the others to run after her. Serena was upset. "I thought we could always trust the police."
The three girls and Luna were all chased onto the runway. Amy turned and said, "Enough's enough." Raising her stick she transformed and Raye followed suit. Serena gulped. "Oh. I guess I should transform too." So she did.

Sailor Mercury quickly used her data computer to analyze the police chasing them. "Hey. They aren't even real. They're similar to those mud men we encountered on the cruise boat."
"I know what to do about them. Mars Fire Ignite." With that Sailor Mars melted them to sludge just like she did to the ones they fought previously.

They rejoiced in their little victory but the war was only beginning. "So now we know who the three Sailor Scouts really are Titus."
They looked up in horror to see Jedite and Titus standing above them on the roof.
"You watched us transform?" Sailor Moon gasped.
"We certainly did. And now it's time for our duel." Titus sneered.
"Remember the way I levitated you at the talent contest when we targeted Saffron Sailor Moon?" Jedite silkily asked. "Well I've been practicing and experimenting with that power."
"And he's also been sharing it with me and teaching me how to use it." Titus kissed his cheek and he stroked her hair.
"So now we will destroy you once and for all together. I'll never forgive you for that punch you gave my girlfriend or for the way you tried to kill her."
"And now I'll really get to pay you back for the suffering you've caused me and my boyfriend also."
Titus transformed into her creepy form and she followed Jedite's example as he directed his power to a huge jumbo jet. She sent her own power to a second one. They started to move on their own chasing the Sailor Scouts and coming at them from both sides. "Mars! Use your fire power!" Sailor Moon screamed.
"No don't!" Luna cried urgently. "If you destroy those planes you'll be arrested by the real police for extreme vandalism."
"Yes that's right," agreed Sailor Mercury.
"Then let's run for our lives while we still have room to do so." Sailor Mars burst ahead and the others followed.
"What'll we do?" Sailor Moon moaned at the rear while Jedite and Titus laughed and jumped down hand in hand to the ground floating gently still guiding the planes with their opposite hands.
Just then a red rose suddenly zoomed through the air and stuck in the runway in front of their feet. The planes stopped still as they turned to stare at the caped and masked stranger.
"Tuxedo Mask again." Titus spoke his name in an oily sarcastic voice.
"This is how you use your magic powers Titus and Jedite?" Tuxedo wagged his finger admonishingly. "For picking on little girls? What cowardly bullies you are."
"Is that so?" Jedite sneered. "Then perhaps we'd better show him how great our magic really is dear Titus."
"Yes Jedite. Call us cowards? We will both take you on together. So there."

As the Scouts watched intensely the two villains rose up into the air to meet Tuxedo Mask on the high ledge from which he had thrown the rose. He flew up also and led them over to the nearby dam.
"Okay you two creeps." He raised his cane and hovered over the water. "I'm ready to fight you both."
"Tuxedo Mask!" Sailor Moon gasped and Mercury covered her mouth while Mars trembled and gulped.

Titus and Jedite threw themselves at Tuxedo Mask and the three of them locked themselves into a huge group bear hug. Jerking one way and the other. Then Titus used her powers to control the water and summoned up a whirling spout into the air that caught them all and dragged them all down.
The Scouts were terrified. Would their Tuxedo Mask win? The waters grew violent and thrashed big waves while the three combatants fought underwater. Then they calmed down and a single rose floated to the surface.
"Tuxedo!" The girls sobbed. Next minute Jedite and Titus burst out into the air hand in hand and laughing.
"We did it! Titus and I defeated him. That rose is the last memento you'll ever have of Tuxedo Mask."
"Now let's carry on where we left off Jedite. Those twerps will be in so much grief we'll run them down with our toy planes in no time."

The Scouts were indeed upset but Luna told them they must not allow themselves to be beaten because of what happened. They had to work together to give Titus and Jedite their just desserts.
"Yes. We will win standing united." Mars declared boldly and Sailor Moon had to act as decoy to get the planes to chase her while Mercury and Mars made ready to spring their surprises on their enemies. Sailor Moon wasn't really happy but she agreed although while she ran to get attention drawn to herself she puffed and panted.
"It's not fair. Why am I always the one who has to run for my life?"

"Mercury Bubbles Blast!" Mercury fogged up the line of vision with her bubbles while Sailor Moon diverted attention away from her and Mars.
"Hey. W-where'd the b-brats g-g-go? I c-can't s-s-see in th-this wretched ch-ch-chilly fog."
"I'm b-b-blinded too J-j-j-jedite."
"Here I am." Mercury called and while Titus and Jedite turned toward her voice directing the planes as her cold bubbles were dispersing Mars sneaked up behind them holding two of her magic charms one in each hand.
"I call upon the power of Mars. Fireballs Charge!" She threw them both and they each attached themselves upon Titus and Jedite's backs.
"Jedite. What's happening to the planes?" Titus screamed as they began to turn around and next thing she and Jedite were running. The planes were now under the control of Sailor Mars and she sent one chasing Titus and the other after Jedite in different directions. As they ran they panicked looking back over their shoulders gasping and puffing as the noses of the aircraft doggedly pursued them. Then Mars cunningly sent them running into each other while they weren't watching where they were going. Turning each plane so that Jedite and Titus were set up for collision they crashed and fell dazed to the ground. Groaning they struggled to sit up and saw the three Sailors standing in front of them, the planes just behind them.

"You underestimated us Titus and Jedite," said Sailor Moon. "The three of us together are stronger than all your evil."
"How did you do this to us?" Jedite spluttered. Just then Titus saw what was on his back.
"Oh no. This is what they did Jedite." She tried to pull the charm off his back but it wouldn't budge. He tried to remove hers also to no avail.
"You brought this on yourselves," said Sailor Mars.
"Yes you're getting what you deserve," added Sailor Mercury.
"Now I'm going to punish you in the Name of the Moon." Sailor Moon prepared to attack them where they sat. "MOON TIARA MAGIC!"
She sent the missile at them. She was probably hoping Jedite would be weakened enough to allow her to terminate the wicked pair but Jedite just had enough strength to push Titus aside to the ground and he lay on top of her while he deflected the tiara sending it flying away from them. But Mars immediately sent one of the planes moving again over them. They screamed and held each other tight as they disappeared beneath the huge wheel. When the plane moved past there was no trace of the two lovers except for a faint outline of their bodies hugged up together in the runway.
"Titus and Jedite must be dead," Sailor Mars said coldly.
"Oh good. I'm so glad one of us killed them," Sailor Moon replied indignantly. "They deserved to die for killing dear Tuxedo Mask."

Then the three Scouts went to stand by the water's edge with Luna and cried bitterly for their friend and hero. But just as Luna was telling them to be strong and carry on without him a voice said, "Don't get used to missing me too soon."
To everybody's amazement they turned around and Tuxedo Mask was right behind them.
"Oh Tuxedo. We thought you were gone forever." Sailor Moon was so elated as were the others.
"Jedite and Titus underestimated me as well as you. I pretended to have drowned during our struggle and sneaked up to the surface to observe how things went when they thought they had won. I was very impressed with the way you all worked together to vanquish them."
"Tuxedo Mask. Will you tell us who you really are?" Sailor Mercury beseeched.
"Sorry. But for now that must remain a secret. Sailors Moon, Mercury and Mars. Continue to work together against evil through the power of friendship. Take care."
With that Tuxedo Mask flew away through the air while the Scouts watched him depart with joy in their eyes. Especially Sailor Moon who was all gaga over her love for him.

Jedite and Titus had not really been killed though. They were indeed rather badly sore. What actually happened was that just as the wheel had begun to roll over them between themselves they had desperately mustered enough magic power to keep them from being crushed to death and teleported back to Queen Beryl's headquarters. But they were not only in pain but also in big trouble.

Jedite attempted to placate Queen Beryl saying that he and Titus had important information for her.
She just frowned and said, "You two have failed to eliminate the Sailor Scouts."
Titus was still in her non-human form and her red eyes pleaded with her queen as her mouthless jaw moved tremblingly. "But Queen Beryl. We have learned the secret identities of the Sailor Scouts. We know who they are."
"I am not interested in any more of your pathetic excuses. I said I'd condemn you both to eternal sleep and I meant it."
With that Queen Beryl stared down at their feet and magic beams flew out of her eyes. It struck their feet sealing them in a hard crystal-like substance. Jedite and Titus struggled in vain as the crystal rose slowly up their legs as Beryl moved her glance up inch by inch.
When they were up to their waists Jedite pleaded. "Queen Beryl. Put me to sleep if you must. But please have mercy on my girlfriend."
"No. Put me to sleep but I beg you to release my boyfriend."
After saying these things they looked at each other, the crystal up to their necks. The only other part of their bodies free was one arm each. They stretched them out in a vain attempt to clasp hands.
"TITUS!"
"JEDITE!"
With these last words they were completely frozen in two blocks of crystal side by side. A few people in the crowd around the queen's throne gasped and gulped nervously. "Let the fate of General Jedite and his lover Titus be a warning to all the rest of you." She put them aside in storage as she said this. "General Nephlite. I hereby appoint you in their place."
A man with long curly hair said, "What lovesick fools Jedite and Titus were. I shall succeed where they messed up your majesty."

Finally word about what had happened reached the ears of the poor Dream Dolly in her hospital bed where she was free from the paralysis Sailor Mars had placed upon her and almost ready for discharging. As soon as she was told what had become of her dear friends she buried her face in her pillow and began to cry with loud, bitter sobs and the tears would not stop flowing. Ramwoir in her opposite bed was in shock and couldn't say anything. She just lay on her pillow with a blank, distressed facial expression. Queen Beryl was watching this on her crystal ball and laughing. Especially at Dream Dolly. "I'll let her live so she can continue to grieve. I love to see her crying. I will have to make every opportunity I can to speak about her friends when she can hear me. This is actually even better than her dying as I had wanted at first."