CHAPTER 19

Serena was very worried and upset. She called her friends Amy and Raye on her communicator and told them she and Luna desperately needed to discuss something with them. Raye said, "Very well. You can all meet me at my home as soon as you can get here."
In no time at all the three girls and Luna were sitting together privately on the porch step of the part of the Cherry Hill Temple where Raye lived with her grandfather. Raye had requested that he give them some time by themselves so he went off to do some meditation for an hour.
"Now what's the matter Serena?" Raye asked.
"Well earlier today I was at the swimming pool having a splash and I noticed my dear friend Molly sitting on the edge with her feet hanging in the water. She seemed to be daydreaming so I went over to have a chat with her." So Serena began her explanation.
"I asked her what she was thinking about and she told me she had fallen in love. Then when I teased her saying she was having another schoolgirl crush she said this time it was an older man."
Raye and Amy raised their eyebrows. "So why did you want to tell this to us Serena?" Amy was bemused.
"Yeah. What's the big deal?" Raye added.
Luna interjected, "Just let Serena finish. You'll be as concerned as we are when you hear the full story."
"Thank you Luna." Serena waved her hands while she spoke emphasizing her anxiety. "I told her it had better not be Andrew the arcade manager because I lay claim to him. She told me it wasn't him. He was way more dreamy. I asked her who it was." Serena began to stammer as she continued, "Sh-she told me it w-w-was Maxfield Stanton."
Upon hearing this Raye and Amy both gave startled gasps of horror. This was terrible news indeed. Maxfield Stanton was the alias of their current Negaverse adversary General Nephlite. They had destroyed all his soldiers under his command but he was still at large. He had used Molly a couple of times in his schemes to aid Queen Beryl's plans to conquer the universe beginning with the Earth. The thought of Molly harboring feelings of affection for the likes of him was dreadful.
"Oh no!" Amy cried.
"What did you say to her?" Raye added.
"I was so shocked I screamed. Molly was taken aback. She said she realized how much older he was but true love knows no boundaries whatever. Then when I told her to stay away from him she became annoyed and walked away saying I was just jealous."
Raye said, "We must tell Molly the truth about Maxfield Stanton and somehow make her believe before she falls prey to the Negaverse again."
Serena boldly declared, "Molly is practically my best friend. I should be the one to tell her."
Luna said, "All right Serena. You're responsible to tell her the danger she is heading towards. Tell her everything and let her know you're warning her because you care."
"I swear I will Luna." Serena put her hand solemnly on her heart.
Raye and Amy grimly wished her good luck.

Queen Beryl was furiously angry. "That wretched Nephlite. He failed me miserably costing me more members of my valued army. Furthermore he has the gall to refuse to return to take responsibility. I've been calling him for hours and hours but he ignores my summons."
Her eyes blazed like infernos and she shook her fist. "I vow that as soon as I see Nephlite again I will have him stretched further on the rack until his arms are pulled out of their sockets."
The Dream Dolly and Ramwoir cringed and trembled as they stood nearby observing their monarch's rage among the remaining members of her forces. Dream Dolly started to cry again remembering her good friends Jedite and Titus and above them all Zoicite floated in the air with her legs crossed. Her feet were much better now and she was wearing a pair of slippers. She gloated quietly. "Nephlite is sowing the seeds of his own destruction. How considerate of him. Hahahaha!"

Nephlite was determined to redeem himself. He knew that it would only be a matter of time before Queen Beryl sought to bring him back forcefully. He concentrated with all his might on the stars. "When the sun makes a right angle between Neptune and Mars the stars' power will create a magic prism that will lead me to the Silver Imperium Crystal."
As he closed his eyes and placed his hands together focussing upon the movement of the stars and planets electrical energy emanated from his hands forming a crystal prism in his grasp. He looked upon it. "This will be the key to my recovery of the Imperium Crystal."
Just then he heard familiar laughter above him and looking up saw Zoicite floating nearby in the air still wearing her slippers.
"What do you want Zoicite?"
"You're all washed up Nephlite." Zoicite twirled her hair around her finger as she smiled. "You lost all your friends and I'd say in the next 24 hours Queen Beryl will send her Doom and Gloom Girls to track you down personally."
Nephlite growled and yelled defiantly, "Mind your own business."
"The fact is I was sent as an embassy to give you this message. Queen Beryl is getting very impatient and she swears that your days are numbered."
"Oh yeah? Well you can tell Queen Beryl that in the next 24 hours I shall have the Imperium Crystal in my hands."
Zoicite did a double take. "What? I'm going to find the Imperium Crystal."
Nephlite answered, "That's what you think Zoicite. The power of the crystal belongs to the one who finds it. I shall be its master and make you eat every sarcastic word you've ever spoken to me."
Zoicite shook with rage. "Curse you Nephlite." Then she faded away.
Nephlite muttered to himself, "That Zoicite is so vindictive. Now let's see what my magic prism will reveal to me. How can I locate the crystal?"
Gazing intensely into its center a picture of Molly suddenly appeared before his eyes. "Huh?" Nephlite was awestruck. "Does this mean that Molly is the key to its location?"

In the meantime Zoicite had reported back to Queen Beryl and told her what Nephlite had said. Beryl rubbed her chin while she pondered this message. "Hmm. He has determination. I'll say that for him. Even though I am very angry with his recent failures and insubordination I shall give him 24 hours from now to find the crystal and redeem himself. But if the time limit runs out the Doom and Gloom Girls will hunt him down on my instructions."
Zoicite wisely held her tongue though inside she was quivering with fury.

Later in private she cried her heart out to Malachite while they held each other affectionately. "Oh Malachite. I hate that Nephlite so intensely."
"Don't let him upset you sweetheart."
"But if he succeeds in finding the crystal," Zoicite began to moan but Malachite held her close and assured her.
"In the first place I doubt he'll succeed. But even if he does we'll steal it off him. Then after Beryl deals with him we'll present it claiming we found it ourselves."
This cheered Zoicite up and she ran her finger through his hair. "Oh thank you Malachite. You're my heart's joy."
Malachite playfully took hold of her big toe and twiddled it up and down. "Your feet are practically healed Zoicite. The marks have almost faded. By the time Nephlite's 24 hours grace are over you'll be wearing your shoes and walking again. I love you."
"I love you too Malachite."
They shared a moment of kissing then Malachite said, "In the meantime we must make sure that Nephlite is closely watched."
He pushed a button on the nearby wall and a ringing bell sound echoed through the corridors. Footsteps immediately came along the outer hallway and somebody knocked on the chamber door. Malachite called out, "Enter," and a huge figure dressed in red and white robes opened the door. A deep masculine voice spoke behind a creepy-looking white mask. "You summoned me my master Malachite?"
Malachite answered, "Yes Yasha my faithful manservant. I command you to spy on our fellow general Nephlite. Keep a very close eye on what he's doing and if he finds the Silver Imperium Crystal, snatch it from him."
Yasha was one of Queen Beryl's soldiers. The distinctively male soldier in her entire army. He had not been on active duty for a long while though and he assisted General Malachite as his personal servant. He was devotedly loyal to him.
He bowed and said, "I hear and obey."
"Good. Do an excellent job and when my sweet Zoicite and I take over command we will use you as part of our military team."
This sounded very appealing to Yasha. He yearned for the excitement of a soldier's battle once more.
"Thank you Lord Malachite. I will not let you or Madam Zoicite down."

As for Serena at that moment she was standing outside the door of the apartment where Molly and her mother lived above their jewellery store. She was fighting a desperate battle with herself as her finger poised against the button to the doorbell. "I can't do this. I really can't do this." She thought to herself with icy chills going up and down her back. "I'll just have to say I was unable to go through with it."
But when she lowered her hand she thought of what Luna and the others would say to her. Especially Raye. Raye would nag her crazy about backing out of her sworn duty. And besides what sort of a friend would she be to Molly if she allowed her to place herself in danger?
"Be brave Serena. You can do this." With this thought in her mind she reached out and stabbed the doorbell with her finger and she heard Molly's voice call out.
"I'm coming."
The door opened and Molly poked her head out. Seeing Serena she smiled and stepped outside. "Hi Serena. What can I do for you?"
But Serena had another major panic attack and taking a deep breath she went all ballistic. She began speaking as fast as she could taking poor Molly completely by surprise.
"Molly I have wrapped up every ounce of my courage to come here and tell you that Maxfield is really a very, very bad person. Believe me. He's a creep. Not even human. Your crush on him will only lead to disaster. He will hurt you terribly. Please understand that I'm giving you this warning for your very own good. I care about you and don't want to see you get caught up in his web of deceit."
Molly tried to answer. "Serena you..."
But Serena cut her off and ran away down the stairs calling out over her shoulder, "Now have a good day and think about what I've said Moll."
Molly was bewildered and confused.

Back in Serena's bedroom Luna spoke to her. "So you told Molly everything about him?"
"Yes. It was very hard but I did it Luna." Serena sounded very proud of herself but the next thing Luna asked revealed the truth of what she'd done.
"So how did she react to it? What response did she make?"
Serena said, "Er-aah."
Luna was exasperated. "Serena. Do you mean to tell me you just blurted it all out and then ran off before she even had a chance to reply? How could you do that to her?"
"But I'm sure she must have understood the gist of it all."
"Oh! You're going right back again and do it properly and this time I'm going with you."

But meanwhile trouble was beginning to brew. Molly had been sitting at a small table leaning on her elbows brooding about what had happened when Serena had rung her doorbell. "Serena said he's a bad person. But that can't be true. He's so sweet and he has a charming smile."
Just then the telephone rang. "I'll get it Mum," she called as she was woken out of her intense thoughts.
"Okay Molly dear." Her mother's voice responded from her chair where she was watching television. Molly reached out and picked up the phone which was placed right next to her.
"Hello. Molly speaking."
Nephlite's alluring voice spoke through the receiver. "Hello Molly. This is Maxfield."
Molly's heart skipped a beat and she felt all a-flutter. "Y-yes Maxfield."
"I would like to see you tonight. Can you meet me on the bench in McKenna Park around the corner from your Mother's jewellery shop please? I'll be waiting. I'm calling there from my mobile right now."
"S-sure Maxfield. I'll be there immediately."
Molly rose from her chair and headed for the door not even changing her slippers into shoes. "I just need to go out for a little while Mum," she called as she raced out the door.
Her mother reacted with a start when she heard the door slam. She had been so deeply engrossed in her television program that she wasn't aware of what was happening until her daughter had called out and slammed the door. Her head turned toward the sound and she half rose from her chair. "What? In the early evening?"
Her eyes blinked rapidly and her lips trembled. "Molly. What's going on?" She asked herself with worry.

So at the same time as Serena was grumbling behind Luna about having had to quietly sneak out of her bedroom window and head off to Molly's again after dark and Luna was reminding her that this wouldn't be necessary if she hadn't been so silly earlier, Molly was meeting Nephlite at McKenna Park.
As they sat down on the bench together Yasha hid in the nearby shadows closely observing what transpired.
Nephlite spoke first, "I'm sorry for dragging you out tonight."
"No need to be sorry Maxfield. I'm so happy to be with you," replied Molly cheerfully.
Nephlite changed tack. "Actually I wanted to say goodbye."
"Huh?" Molly was taken aback but she sighed. "I know. You must be tired of this kid hanging over you."
"No it's not like that at all. I just want to protect you."
"W-what do you mean Maxfield?"
"I'm in danger Molly. Very, very bad people are coming after me and I don't want you caught in the crossfire. You're a very special girl and I want what's best for you. So long."
And he stood up as if to leave but Molly cried out, "Wait! If you're in trouble please tell me what I can do to save you Maxfield! There must be something I can do!"
Turning to her again Nephlite played his trump card. "If only I had the Silver Crystal."
Molly stood up herself slowly. "The Silver Crystal?"
"It's what those people want. If I could just give it to them, they'd be satisfied."
Molly thought to herself again. She remembered her mother showing her a beautiful silver gem she had purchased two weeks ago. Her mother had told her how rare and valuable it was. "That has to be the Silver Crystal. He must have it." With this in her mind she spoke up boldly, "Stay right here Maxfield. I will be able to help you."
She turned and ran as fast as she could and Nephlite gloated in anticipation.

As Molly was halfway up the stairs to the apartment she shared with her mother she came to a dead stop. She could hear voices. Her mother and Serena were talking about her at the front door. "I don't know where Molly went or who she could be seeing Serena. The phone rang, she answered it and next thing I knew she was saying goodbye and slamming the door before I could say anything."
"Oh no. I just bet it was that dreadful Maxfield Stanton." Serena was very upset.
"Maxfield Stanton? The millionaire? Do you really think he could have lured her out Serena?"
"Yes. He is not the gentleman he appears to be. He is very dangerous for Molly."
"No Serena. You're wrong," Molly thought to herself holding back tears as she carefully made her way back down and ducked into hiding behind two large potted fern plants at the bottom. She crouched down in the corner of the staircase concealed out of sight by the huge fronds of shrubbery. She had heard her mother and Serena continue their exchange.
"Oh this is terrible. I must go out and look for my daughter."
"And I'll try to find help Mrs. Baker. While you search I'll alert the police or whoever I can."
"Oh thank you Serena. Thank you."
Molly had just made it to her hiding place in time. She heard the door slam once more as she reached the bottom stair and quickly ducked out of sight as her mother, Serena and Luna rushed down the stairs, past where she lay and out the door. When the coast was clear she went upstairs and sure enough in her haste her mother had left the door unlocked. Molly was relieved but still very worried. She quickly ransacked her mother's jewellery collection and found the gem she was looking for. Tears were pouring out of her eyes. "They just don't understand," she sobbed. "I must get this to Maxfield." Then like a fugitive she fled from the scene of her crime keeping an eye out as she headed for the bench in McKenna Park.

Molly's mother went off in one direction searching for her daughter while Serena and Luna ran off in another. They didn't alert the police of course but Serena digged her communicator out of her pocket and called Amy and Raye, who both promised to meet up with them as soon as possible to help search.
"Transform Serena." Luna reminded her.
"I'm going to make Nephlite pay for toying with Molly's affections. Moon Prism Power." Sailor Moon transformed and began running like a cheetah. Luna kept up beside her as they zoomed off into the night.

Meanwhile Molly was feeling so very proud as she handed the jewel to Nephlite and he took his magic prism out of his pocket to hold it against the gem in his hand. She really believed she had helped her dear friend Maxfield with his serious problem. However Nephlite was disappointed but he said nothing to Molly out loud. "The prism isn't reacting at all. This is nothing but a silver gem."
But no sooner had this bitter thought gone through his head when the prism did begin to react. Nephlite was amazed. "W-where's this power coming from? It's not from the gem."
He looked at Molly and saw that she was glowing while she stared at him with her hands held up to her chin fingers inter-locked and eyes shining with love. "I-it's reacting to M-m-molly. What is the secret behind this strange girl? I must find out."
All the while Yasha was still vigilantly watching from the shadows.
Nephlite put his arm around Molly's shoulders. "I need some more help from you my dear Molly. Will you come with me for a little while please?"
"Y-Yes." Molly snuggled against his chest when suddenly a voice called out.
"Halt! I'm Sailor Moon Champion of Justice. I won't let you take advantage of this poor naive girl." Sailor Moon pointed an accusing finger at Nephlite.
He growled. "Stay out of this."
Molly spoke up, "Sailor Moon. You're mistaken. He's no danger to me."
"No. You're the mistaken one Molly." Sailor Moon was adamant. "This man is part of a group of extra-terrestrials who are trying to invade and conquer our world."
"But that can't be true!" Molly raised her voice imploringly. "Maxfield. Say it isn't so please!"
Nephlite said nothing in response but raised his hand and blasted Sailor Moon in the chest with an energy bolt hurling her backwards a short distance landing on her buttocks.
"Oh no. She must brush up on her blocking and deflecting skills," groaned Luna.
While Molly watched horrified Nephlite summoned power from the stars and sent electric hailstones falling around Sailor Moon where she sat. She screamed as they landed very close only just missing her.
"That's only a warm-up." Nephlite raised both hands. "Now I'll finish you off."
But as Sailor Moon started to shriek with bulging, horrorstruck eyes her friends arrived in providential time.
"MERCURY BUBBLES BLAST!"
Nephlite was thrown off guard by the chilly mist spray of Mercury's power.
"MARS FIRE IGNITE!"
"Yeeeeoooowwww!" Nephlite stumbled backwards falling to one knee while he rubbed his arm where Sailor Mars' attack had burned him. Next thing he knew he heard a voice full of care and concern asking him this question.
"Are you in awful pain?"
In surprise he turned his head to see that Molly was still nearby while Sailor Moon thanked her friends and prepared to finish off the battle.
"MOON TIARA MAGIC!"
Nephlite gasped as he saw the spinning tiara flying towards him but Molly cried out, "No Maxfield!" Then she actually threw herself in front of Nephlite with her arms spread wide. "I'll defend you my dear friend."
"M-molly. You'll be k-k-killed." Nephlite stammered in shock and amazement. Luna and the Sailor Scouts were also horrified. Sailor Moon began to panic and scream out hysterically. "No. No. Stop tiara. Stooopp!"
It looked like Molly was going to be vaporized but when it was only a few inches away from striking her it stopped spinning, hung briefly in mid-air and clattered to the ground. Sailor Moon was relieved and surprised. Apparently she had the ability to halt her tiara in mid-flight and never knew it.
But Molly began crying angry tears while she maintained her position in front of Nephlite. "I don't care if it is true what you say about this man. I don't want him to die. You'll have to kill me first to get him."
"But Molly. He's evil." Sailor Mercury protested.
"Step aside right now." Sailor Mars commanded but Molly defiantly held her ground.
"Why is she acting like this?" Nephlite wondered to himself.
"Molly how can you still protect him after the way you saw him attack me?" Sailor Moon was almost in despair.
"I care about him with all my heart." Molly was sobbing now. "I don't care if I die as long as he survives."

Just then Nephlite noticed his magic prism begin to glow. It was drawing Molly's love energy from her. "Could this mean that Molly's love energy will lead me to the crystal?"
While Nephlite was pondering this question Yasha suddenly made his move bursting out of his hiding place and rushing straight for Nephlite. "Is that the Silver Crystal?" He lunged to grab it as he cried these words.
Nephlite ducked away from him yelling, "No it isn't." But Yasha did not believe him obviously and scuffled with him trying to wrench it from his hand.
"Give me the crystal Nephlite."
"I'm telling you it's not the crystal."
As the pair of them exchanged blows at each other's wrists finally Yasha knocked the prism out of Nephlite's hand sending it flying to the ground next to Molly. She bent down and picked it up. Yasha turned away from Nephlite and lunged at her. "Give that to me."
Molly screamed as she beheld the huge, hulking figure of Yasha with his sinister white mask fast approaching her. The Sailor Scouts were shocked but before any of them could react in time Yasha would be on top of Molly. That is Yasha would have hurled himself on top of Molly to claim what he assumed to be the Silver Imperium Crystal, but Nephlite had shot out a quick burst of his power from the stars straight at Yasha's back. First he stopped Yasha in his tracks, then picked him up and sent him flying through the air safely over Molly's head to land in a crumpled heap with a crash far away from her.
Sailor Moon gasped. "He just saved Molly." Luna was stunned and so were the other two Scouts.
Molly said, "I just knew Maxfield cared about me. He protected me from that monster." Then she fainted while Nephlite himself was just as amazed trying to understand what he'd just done.
But Yasha jumped to his feet. The mask had come off when he took his spill and his face was revealed. He had long white hair, pointed ears, large eyes, sharp-looking teeth, a grey moustache and two wicked horns. Furthermore he was enraged. "So Nephlite. You attack me to save that girl? You are a traitor to our cause and I will kill you for this."
With that he bent his head and started to charge Nephlite like a bull. His horns even began to grow longer out of his head. "Prepare to meet your doom," Yasha yelled as loud as he could and Nephlite braced himself for a fight.
But the fight was never to be for Sailor Moon gave another cry of "MOON TIARA MAGIC!" and sent her tiara flying towards Yasha. Sensing something behind him Yasha turned his head and twisted his body around in shock just as the weapon struck him. Yasha was obliterated but before he was gone he shouted, "Nephlite. You won't get away with your treachery."

While Sailor Moon knelt beside Molly's unconscious form Nephlite reached down and took his prism exchanging it for the gem Molly had taken from her mother's collection. He tucked it into her hand. "Nephlite. Why did you protect Molly?" Sailor Moon asked. "Do you really care about her?"
Nephlite hesitated a moment. "There was no reason why she should have been hurt. My fight is against you. Not her."
Sailor Mercury exclaimed, "You mean you were using her to try to trap us? Yet you didn't want to hurt her?"
Sailor Mars scowled. "I don't believe it. You're a heartless minion of the Negaverse."
"Hey chill out Mars. He still saved Molly." Sailor Moon spoke calmingly. "Whatever his agenda we can't attack him anymore. At least not today. Not after that. Nephlite. You're free to go."
Nephlite smirked. "How very honourable of you Sailor Moon. Okay then. Please make sure Molly gets back home safe and sound. But next time we meet I vow to settle our score. Be warned. When we get the Silver Imperium Crystal the Negaforce will finally rule the universe and you will either bow down in reverence to Queen Beryl or feel the force of her wrath. Bye for now."
With that Nephlite turned and walked away while the Sailor Scouts tended to Molly who faintly stirred and moaned, "Maxfield."
Luna meanwhile was deep in thought. She had heard about the Silver Imperium Crystal from somewhere before. She wasn't sure what it exactly was but she knew they needed to try to prevent their enemies from getting it if it was really such a powerful weapon.

But back at Negaverse Headquarters things were beginning to get hot for Nephlite. Yasha had been one of the very few victims of Moon Tiara Magic to in fact survive and he had reported back to his master Malachite. Malachite had had him interred into the hospital wards and then he called together his girlfriend Zoicite and three other soldiers who were collectively known as the Plant Trio. Their names were Gureepu, Suzuran and Housenka and they had always had very good rapport with Zoicite. All of them went to talk to Yasha by his bedside. Malachite was deeply impressed with his work and his survival. "I always knew you had a strong fighting spirit Yasha. You were always renowned for boasting that you would never die easy in battle."
"Thank you Lord Malachite." Yasha was very badly injured but he smiled proudly. "I came back with information for you at least. Nephlite has the Silver Crystal. I fought him and tried to get it and I would have if Sailor Moon hadn't interfered."
Zoicite gasped. "The crystal!"
Malachite put his arm around her shoulders and held her tight to himself. "We will very quickly relieve him of it before he can present it to Queen Beryl my darling."
Yasha continued, "But there's more my master."
All attention was on him as he explained, "At one moment the crystal was picked up by a human girl he called Molly. When I tried to take it off her he attacked me. He acted like he cared for her. He stopped me to protect her."
Everybody including the Plant Trio thought about this deeply. "Could it be possible?" Suzuran mused.
"If General Nephlite has grown weak enough to have feelings for a human girl," began Gureepo.
"Queen Beryl will be so furious who knows what she'll do to him," finished Housenka.
"We must investigate immediately. My feet are completely better now. I shall spy on the idiot. And of course my dear friends, you shall accompany me to assist?" Zoicite addressed the Plant Trio smiling.
"We shall be delighted Madam Zoicite," replied Gureepo.
"Together the four of us will snatch the crystal and gather evidence against that traitor Nephlite," vowed Housenka and Suzuran agreed raising one of her fists in the air.
"You have done marvelously well Yasha. Now get some rest and recover. You shall serve me and Zoicite as one of our soldiers when Nephlite has been eliminated." Malachite placed his hand on Yasha's shoulder gently.
Yasha lay back on his pillow. "You're too kind Lord Malachite. I look forward to our future collaboration."