CHAPTER 23

Queen Beryl was most displeased. Zoicite and Titus stood before her throne with Malachite, Ramwoir, the Dream Dolly and the Plant Trio arranged solemnly behind them. It was the pair up front who bore the brunt of her furious lecture of course. They trembled and sweated as she sternly spoke.
"You both know that we need all the Rainbow Crystals to retrieve our lost comrades the Shadow Warriors and also to discover the secret of getting our hands on the Silver Imperium Crystal. I am not happy about your failure."
The two women fearfully bowed their heads as Queen Beryl went on.
"Seven crystals each containing one of our Shadows and we have only liberated one. It is most unfortunate that Tuxedo Mask got his hands on the second crystal. I want it back. It is vital to the success of our goals and Titus, if you want to have your Jedite back you'd better help Zoicite recover it."
"I will your majesty," Titus made this solemn vow for the sake of her sweetheart.
Zoicite affirmed that they would retrieve it too and Malachite stepped forward to stand next to her. "Your majesty. I humbly request permission to speak."
"Granted Malachite."
"Zoicite and I have been talking over our plans for Tuxedo Mask. Ultimately he is bound to aim to get his hands on the other five remaining crystals. So when he next shows up we plan to set a trap for him. We will capture him and make him hand over that crystal he stole."
Queen Beryl replied, "You sound very confident but you still must find the other five crystals. Get on it immediately Zoicite and Titus and your trap had better work Malachite. I will not tolerate any more failures."

Meanwhile a couple were travelling by train to the city in which Serena and her friends lived. The man and his wife were quite used to constantly moving around from place to place. He was an office worker in a factory firm and he moved to live wherever his job transferred him. They had had all their furniture moved to their new house by van. They relaxed in their train seats. Their son on the other hand always found the moving hard. They barely spent no more than one year maximum in any place and he was always making new friends and having to say goodbye too soon. But of course he just had to grin and bear it. His name was Greg. Their only child.
"Mum. Dad. I need to visit the restroom." He stood up in his seat.
"That's okay Greg." His dad smiled and so did his mother.
"I won't be long," Greg assured them and he made his way through the train to the restroom carriage. After he was finished and was washing his hands in the sink, his face suddenly went white. He had seen images flash in front of his eyes. He realized what they were and they did not bode well for him or anybody else for that matter. But he composed himself, washed his face, combed his hair and calmly went back to sit with his parents. He certainly did not want to worry them and they would never understand or even believe him. He went back to watching the scenery go by through the train window and his dad said, "We'll be at our next home city in about twenty minutes."

Two weeks later Greg and his parents had settled into daily life once more. Greg was enrolled in the same High School that Serena, Amy, Lita, Melvin and Molly attended and he was getting along well with everybody. But he was secretly amazed with Amy. He recalled a long time ago that he had seen her face in one of his visions. He had clearly seen Amy catch the bouquet thrown by Helen Lambert when she married Herbert Humphreys. He had also seen clear further visions of her since then and he knew all about her secret identity and about the rest of the Sailor Scouts and their battles against the Negaverse forces. But he kept all this to himself and they all thought he was just another average teenage boy who had joined their school. He often wondered about these things he had seen though. He knew they were going to affect him sooner or later. And it worried him. He couldn't change what was going to happen. He just needed to prepare himself to face the inevitable.

At that particular time they had just had the latest examinations at the school and all the students results were displayed up on the notice board for them to see. As usual Serena was at the very bottom of the grades. She turned to Lita was was standing beside her and moaned. "Oh! My parents are going to chew me up and spit me out again."
Lita put her hand on Serena's shoulder and said, "Maybe you should have considered trying something rather unique. Like studying for example?"
Serena looked up into her friend's smiling face and answered, "Study? Wow Lita. That is an amazing train of thought." She laughed nervously and blushed.
As Lita grinned back at her she said, "You could try it next time if you set your mind to it you know."
Just then Serena noticed Amy walking by and called out to get her attention.
"Hey Amy. You came in second."
"Yes." Amy sighed. "I missed getting a 100% score by getting one answer wrong. It's disappointing. Next time I shall try studying harder."
Serena inwardly groaned. She thought to herself, "Does she really have to be such a perfectionist?"
Lita said to Amy, "That boy who achieved full marks in every single subject is in the very same class as you, isn't he?"
"Yes that's right Lita. He's very nice." Amy gestured suddenly. "Look there he is now. Hi Greg." She waved to him as he was walking by.
Greg turned at the sound of his name and when he saw who had called out he gulped and blushed briefly. "Oh hello Amy." He sheepishly grinned and quickly ran off. Serena had taken special notice of his actions and figured she knew what was going on inside Greg.

Later during morning lunch break she sneaked up on Greg while he was looking at a clipping about the time when Amy had won the state examinations and made him jump when she said in a sing-song voice, "You are keen on Amy."
"Yeow!" He exclaimed in surprise and Serena continued.
"I saw how you reacted when she called out to you earlier and I see what you have in your hands. So admit it. You're obsessed with her I just bet."
Greg gulped. "No. It's not exactly that. I'm just trying to be as good as she is."
Serena wasn't put off. "Right. Now you've gotten ahead of her you can admit to your feelings." She nudged him in the ribs and he yelled.
"Wait a minute. I made a lucky guess and obtained a perfect score. Amy's still much better than me."
Then Greg softened and sighed. "Very well. It is true. I admit I like Amy very much. But the fact is she is still too good for someone like me."
"What?" Serena would not accept this at all. "Listen Greg. I know how you can get to know Amy better. Just leave it to me to arrange it for you."
As she started to run off laughing Greg called to her to wait. Turning she asked, "What is it now Greg?"
Greg thought about his words carefully. "Um. I just want to warn you to please be careful about wet paint today."
"Wet paint? What do you mean Greg?" But just as Serena asked about this astonished, the painter man who was standing above her on a ladder painting the school building wall accidentally lost his grip on the can of bright red paint he was dipping his paintbrush into. With a splash and a crash it landed over poor Serena's head, colouring her red from top to bottom. As she took hold of the can and lifted it off her head spluttering and coughing the painter hurriedly climbed down the ladder to offer his deepest humble apologies.
Greg also apologized. "Um. Sorry. I guess I should have told you sooner."

After this unfortunate accident Serena was sent home by Miss Haruna for a shower and she spent almost 40 minutes shampooing the red out of her hair until it was yellow once more. Then with a change of clothes Serena called Greg and arranged to meet him for a milkshake in the early evening.
While Serena and Greg were meeting to talk about Amy, Raye had coaxed Darien to go out with her. They were walking to a restaurant for dinner, Raye snuggling up against Darien's arm. She was so delighted as she liked him so very much. But he was deep in thought. "My past is still so unclear to me. I know the Silver Imperium Crystal is the key to solving the mystery."
Raye suddenly brought him back to reality. "Hey. You're very quiet Darien. Is something wrong?"
"Huh. Oh, it's all right Raye. Don't worry." He grinned at her. "Let's go eat."
"Okay."

So Darien and Raye went off in their own direction away from the milkshake parlor Serena and Greg were visiting. As they slurped their shakes through their straws Serena gave Greg a photo of Amy. "Here. This is for you," she cheerfully said.
Greg took a look at the picture. It showed Amy preparing to take a bite out of a hamburger when obviously she had been taken by surprise when her picture had been suddenly unexpectedly taken.
Greg's eyes opened wide and his mouth broke into an enormous smile. "Oh thanks. This is a very nice picture."
Serena sniggered. "Yes it is. As you can see it shows that Amy can sometimes act normal."
As Greg slipped it inside his shirt-breast pocket he added, "Just please don't tell Amy I have this. Okay?"
"Oh don't worry. My lips are sealed." Serena gestured with a wave of her hand then became serious. "Now let's get down to business. When are you going to meet with her?"
Greg became all defensively timid once more. "Oh no. I can't just ask her out. I'm not worthy of that."
"Sure you are," Serena objected. "Look leave it to me. Amy's computer class will be ending very soon. I'll go over there, meet Amy at the door as she leaves and drag her right over here to meet you. Just wait for us to arrive."
As Greg vainly protested Serena ran off, followed by Luna who had been quietly observing the proceedings acting just like an ordinary pet cat. She was wondering if this was going to go well for all concerned.
Greg took the picture of Amy out of his pocket to look at it once more and sighed deeply. Remembering his vision of Amy catching that bouquet he thought, "I guess I should not try to run from my vision. But still what about the other visions I've been having?"
Indeed Greg had very good reason to wonder about that for at that moment Titus was using the magic powers the Negaforce had given her to conjure up an image of him sitting at the table right now for Zoicite to see.
Zoicite laughed gloatingly. "So this boy is one of the seven humans who has a Rainbow Crystal implanted in him. But not for much longer."
Then she spoke as an afterthought, "Titus what if Cape Boy or the Sailor Scouts show up again though? Suppose they thwart our intention to destroy them by making a monster out of the boy? What if they steal another crystal from us?"
"Those are very good and valid questions and I've been thinking about them also General Zoicite." Titus turned to address her as the psychic screen in the air vanished. "I think if I invest just a little bit more of the Negaforce's magic I will be able to actually control the mindless creature I transform the new host into. Then we won't need to disappear to save our own lives and we can make sure our enemies are well and truly destroyed."
"Very good. I like that Titus," Zoicite exclaimed with satisfaction. But quietly she thought, "Excellent. This will ensure we eliminate the Sailor pests and that infuriating Cape Boy. We'll get all the crystals including the one that was stolen from us and finally I shall gain absolute appreciation from Queen Beryl when my friends and I kill this idiot afterwards."
Zoicite really was looking forward to Titus' demise. Ever since she had been forced to team up with her she had grown to hate her as intensely as any person could hate another.
Titus herself didn't really like Zoicite either. But she thought it was worth being appointed her partner, for she still believed Beryl's lies about promising to restore Jedite from eternal sleep so she could be with him again for the rest of their lives. She often thought about "Jeddy" longingly never imagining the danger she was in.

While Serena and Luna were waiting for Amy outside her computer school, the Crescent Moon Wand suddenly began beeping inside the bag Serena carried it in. "Serena. Remember what I've explained to you since the experience in the graveyard?" Luna gasped, "That's the sign the Negaverse is somewhere in the city."
Serena was agonized, but just then Amy exited through the door. "Amy. Thank goodness."
"What's up Serena?" Amy asked as her fellow students filed past Serena on their way home. Serena had quickly zipped up her carry bag to muffle the beeping noise and none of the other girls were alerted to it.
"My wand is beeping," Serena lowered her voice as she spoke to Amy.
Amy gasped. "We should call Lita and Raye."
Luna was smiling proudly but Serena grabbed Amy's arm. "Yeah but before we do anything about the Negaverse you need to come with me to meet somebody Amy."
"What?" Amy was confused. "But Serena."
Serena pulled Amy along with her. "The Negaverse will be able to wait a few moments Amy. It's extremely important that you meet this person and stay with him while I call the other two and go to fight."
Amy felt very confused and Luna gave a meow-style groan. "Sometimes I wonder why we didn't decide to agree to make Raye leader the other day," she said in despair as she ran after the two of them.

At that moment Greg was leaving the parlor, though he was still staying in the immediate area. He knew he could neither run nor hide from those who sought him and resolutely walked out the door and down the street a few paces. He knew he would meet them soon and he didn't want to be inside the parlor with all the other people.
As they materialized in front of him laughing he took them by surprise. "You're Zoicite and Titus, aren't you?"
They both pulled up short, Titus gasping and Zoicite saying, "What?"
Zoicite was the first to approach him in the face up close. "How do you know our names?"
"Yes how indeed?" Titus agreed in perplexment.
Greg set his jaw defiantly and replied with boldness, "Ever since I was a very small boy I've had this ability to foresee the future and I seem to be getting even better at it. So I know all about you, your terrible queen and your plans to invade our world. I know what I carry inside myself."
"Well really?" Zoicite grinned. "Then let's not waste any time. Take the crystal Titus."
"Nooooo!" Greg screamed. "I will never give your Shadow Warrior back to you. I'll fight back till I die."
Titus tried to seize him. "You can't win boy. Submit to the Negaforce power."
But to her disbelief Greg was able to resist being charmed. He grabbed her wrists and struggled to keep her hands away from his chest.
"I won't let you take it. I won't," he shouted.
Just then Serena dragged Amy around the corner. Amy pulled free of Serena's grasp and pointed exclaiming, "Look. It's Zoicite and Titus and they have Greg."
Serena was momentarily frozen with shock but Luna cried, "Come on you two. You'd better transform and save Greg."
That brought Serena back to reality and she transformed a split second after Amy.
"Mercury Power."
"Moon Prism Power."
The two Scouts leaped into the air over Greg, picking up Titus between them and shoving her over onto her back by Zoicite's feet.
"Sailor Mercury. Take Greg with you to safety while I take care of these two sleazebags," called Sailor Moon over her shoulder.
Sailor Mercury didn't hesitate. She helped Greg get to his feet, draping his arm over her shoulder. "Come on. Let's go," she told him and they ran away together.
While Titus was getting to her own feet groggily Zoicite and Sailor Moon stared each other in the eye. Sailor Moon was tensed for a fight but it never came. Instead Zoicite scoffed, "We have no time to play silly games with silly girls. Titus. Come with me."
Then she raised her palm and cried, "Zoi!" While Sailor Moon was blinded the two women de-materialized.
"Where did they go Luna?"
"I don't know Serena. But the Crescent Moon Wand will guide us to them if they are anywhere around. And they probably will be because they'll still be after Greg."
As Serena took out the wand which was indeed beeping Luna continued, "Quickly call Raye and Lita on your communicator Sailor Moon. We will need all the help we can get."
"Yes Luna."

In the meantime Sailor Mercury had taken Greg to the park where her friend Mr. Baxter worked. Finding a secluded area near the boating lake she lay him down on a park bench and using one of her clean hankies, she dipped it in the water and used it to sponge his forehead. "You'll be okay now Greg," she told him.
He muttered his thanks but lost consciousness. As Sailor Mercury tended to his forehead she noticed a photo sticking out of the pocket of his shirt. She took hold and drew it out. She was amazed when she saw what it was. "I wonder where he got this from?" She slipped it back where it had come from and concentrated on keeping his forehead wet. As she returned to the water's edge to freshly soak the hanky suddenly Greg woke up and gasped in horror. He had seen another future vision and it wasn't good at all.
Sailor Mercury rushed over and applied the wet hanky once more. "Easy Greg. You're just having a nightmare."
"No that's not simply it Amy."
As Sailor Mercury reacted in shock at hearing her civilian name Greg pulled himself up into a sitting position. "H-how do you know my real name Greg?"
Greg proceeded to explain. "I know all about you and the rest of the Sailor Scouts Amy. I've always had this strange power to see visions of the future. That's how I made a perfect score on that exam. I psychically saw the correct answers. Technically I cheated."
Sailor Mercury sat next to him on the bench. "What did you just see that upset you so much?"
"I was seeing my own future. It's horrible. I want you to know I care deeply about you Amy. I like you so dearly."
Sailor Mercury blushed.
"This is very hard for me Amy. I know what's going to happen to me. Please promise me as soon as I am transformed into a monster you will destroy me."
"Destroy you? No!" Sailor Mercury leaped to her feet in shock.
Greg bowed his head with his fingers clasped imploringly. "Please Amy. You must promise me. If you don't destroy me I know I will eventually destroy you. Please don't allow that to happen. My heart breaks at the very thought of it."
"Greg. Listen to me. There must be a way to get around this problem. Together we can take control of your future and influence its outcome."
But while Sailor Mercury was trying to speak encouragingly to Greg a huge wave of water suddenly knocked her off her feet into the huge body of water that was the boating lake. Before Greg could jump off the seat in reaction Titus materialized fully behind him and pounced reaching into his chest and pulling out the Rainbow Crystal. "Here General Zoicite." With a gleeful cry she threw it to Zoicite who materialized in mid-air over the lake above Sailor Mercury who was desperately swimming to the shore. Zoicite caught the crystal and clutched it tight to her chin.
"Well done. Hahahaha!" She cackled triumphantly.

Just as Titus rose up into the air to hover excitedly next to Zoicite, Luna and Sailor Moon suddenly sprang out of nowhere landing between Greg in shock on the bench and Sailor Mercury, who was desperately hauling herself onto dry ground. Sailor Moon called up to them. "Hey you two witches! In the Name of the Moon I shall punish you."
"I'm afraid punishing us will be the very last thing on your mind Sailor Moon." Zoicite coyly smiled clenching the prize in her hands. "Titus. Do your thing."
"Yes General Zoicite. The boy will be under my control." Titus sent a barrage of sorcery right into Greg just as Sailor Mercury got to her feet and yelled, "Sailor Moon! Behind you!"
Too late. As Sailor Moon spun around Greg jerked and held his head. "A-a-amy. Remember your promise," he wailed in despair as he transformed into a huge beast with a giant pair of scissors on the end of each arm instead of hands.
Zoicite and Titus prepared to enjoy watching the demise of the two Scouts but Greg was fighting for control. He looked up and he saw through the eyes of the creature he'd become the Rainbow Crystal inside Zoicite's hands. He knew that if they got away with it the Shadow Warrior inside would be released. He didn't want that to happen.
He launched himself into the air over the terrified Scouts' heads and slammed into Zoicite making the crystal fly out of her grasp towards Sailor Mercury who caught it. Titus was so horrified she didn't even think about what happened to the crystal. Her attention was on Greg and Zoicite. Zoicite herself screamed, "Titus you bungling twerp! You were supposed to control the monster! I could be killed!"
She de-materialized from Greg's grip and as he fell with a splash into the water she reappeared next to Titus furious. "You almost caused my death."
The truth is that Greg certainly could have done her in with those scissor blades. He could have slashed her to pieces but he hated the thought of killing anybody. Even Zoicite. He had purposefully avoided bringing those weapons in contact with her. But she just thought she had been remarkably lucky and Titus felt the same way inclined. "I don't understand what went wrong."
But Greg was losing control of himself. He was becoming the savage killing machine like the other crystal carriers had been. He rose up standing in the water roaring and howling.
Zoicite and Titus were both scared. "Let's get out of here Titus. And if we don't find the Scouts' corpses with the crystal lying nearby to recover when we come back, I'll pull out your hair by the roots." Titus didn't waste her breath arguing. Zoicite was already disappearing as she spoke. She did also leaving Luna, Sailor Moon and Sailor Mercury to face Greg in his wild frenzy.

Sailor Moon tried to heal him immediately. But when she activated the Crescent Moon Wand's power to her dismay it had no effect. As she and Sailor Mercury screamed while the monster chased them, Luna running along side them cried, "Sailor Moon. I think he must be too powerful. You need to wear him down and then try again."
"Easier said than done Luna," Sailor Moon retorted as she and Sailor Mercury were run up against a tree. As they turned their heads they quickly ducked as Greg spit several giant razor blades out of his monster mouth at them. They cut into the tree sticking in the trunk. "Where are Sailors Jupiter and Mars? They promised to join us straight away!" Sailor Moon screamed as Greg raised his scissor-hands and opened them as wide as they could go.
But he took just one step towards them when back-up assistance did arrive.
"Mars Fire Ignite!"
"Jupiter Thunder Crash!"
The huge monster that was really Greg was struck from behind by the fireball and the lightning bolt simultaneously. He gave a roar of pain and shock and fell face forward, the giant scissor blades sticking into the ground a few feet away from where the three of them were gathered by the tree. Behind Greg familiar voices were heard.
"Sorry we're late." It was Sailor Jupiter.
"We came as fast as we could," added Sailor Mars.
Sailor Mercury yelled, "Save him Sailor Moon. Surely he must be weak enough for you to heal him now."
Sailor Moon pulled out her wand once more.
"Moon Healing Activation!"
This time it worked. The monster shrank back into Greg. As he collapsed in a daze Sailor Mercury ran forward. "Greg!"
As she cradled him in her arms she pleaded with him. "Greg please say something. Let me know you're all right."
Greg groaned. "Amy." Then smiling he put his hand upon the crystal she still held in her hands. Gently taking it from her he held it up looking at it. Then he turned to grin at Sailor Mercury and gave it back to her.

From a distance Tuxedo Mask observed the scene. He was also late and had missed the battle but he had seen Greg overcome and restored to normal again. He turned and walked away un-noticed by anybody. He thought to himself, "So the Sailor Scouts have taken possession of that particular crystal. I suppose I may as well leave it in their care for the time being."

So Greg explained everything about the Rainbow Crystals and the Shadow Warriors to the girls who gasped in shock at being told what was inside the crystal that had been inside of him.
Since Luna understood that Greg knew all about her too she spoke up, "Of course. I remember when the Negaverse sent the Seven Shadows to attack the Moon Kingdom. Queen Serenity counter-attacked magically trapping them inside a huge crystal that somehow shattered into seven individual pieces that flew away and vanished into the earth's atmosphere. So Queen Beryl is sending her servants to recover them from humans who carry the crystals unknowingly inside them. So we have one of the shadows contained safely among us."
Sailor Moon gasped, "So when Tuxedo Mask took that crystal back off me it means he must have another in his keeping."
Greg spoke again, "Yes he has one. You have one and the Negaverse has released another already. Three of them are accounted for between all of you. You will have a battle for possession of the other four. Then they'll do all they can to get the missing two back off you."
"Scouts you must all be prepared and train hard for battle," Luna told them and they all agreed.
"Yes Luna."
Greg took Sailor Mercury's hands. "Thank you Amy. I need to work on my prediction powers more. I failed to foresee that the outcome would actually be good in the end. Thank you once more."
Sailor Mercury suddenly hugged Greg and he hugged her back and the other Scouts all smiled. Especially Serena who was all giggitty-goo. But to Greg and Sailor Mercury nobody existed except the two of them at that moment.

However things were not to last. Sadly in just one week's time Greg announced that he had to say goodbye. His dad had been transferred yet again. It was the same old story.
Serena, Amy and Lita all went to the train station to see him off. Raye didn't come because she went to a different school and so hadn't really known him as well as the others. Luna had also stayed home.
"We're very sorry to see you go Greg," said Lita.
"Yeah. We were just beginning to become friends," Serena sighed.
"This isn't the first time this has happened girls. My dad has always moved us around with his job. I'll never get used to it." Greg stood just outside the train car. His parents were settled into their seats inside. They had left him to say farewell to his friends privately.
He looked at Amy and blushed. "Well Amy. Uh."
She smiled. "I'll miss you Greg."
Greg pulled the photo Serena had given him of Amy with the hamburger in her hand and the surprised look on her face. "I suppose I should give this back to you."
Serena was gobsmacked. "No. Keep it."
But Amy took the photo and pulled another one out of her pocket. "Here. Take this one instead Greg."
Greg took it and his face lit up. "Wow! Thanks Amy."
Suddenly he hugged her and Amy laughed. "It is a much better picture. I'm smiling in it. Not with my mouth wide open just like Serena."
Serena was a little incensed and muttered, "I do not always have my mouth open."
But she and the others all waved goodbye as Greg boarded the train and the doors shut.
As it chugged off Amy cried out, "Please visit us again as soon as possible."
Greg stared at the nice picture of Amy and her beautiful smile. "One day I'll come back permanently Amy. I make this vow for you and myself."