CHAPTER 25

"Titus. It's time to retrieve another Rainbow Crystal. Show me and General Malachite the human who is carrying the next one," Zoicite commanded Titus and she bowed reverently.
"Of course General Zoicite." She raised her arms and summoned up an image of a tall woman with ginger-brown hair. "This is our next target," she announced proudly to Zoicite and Malachite who was standing next to her with his arm around her waist.
"That's Rita Blake. She's a research student at the School of Biology," said Zoicite.
"She is kind of beautiful," Malachite remarked.
Zoicite was shocked and turned upon him with resentment. "How can you say that of a mere human Malachite? You told me I was the perfect example of beauty!"
Malachite shushed her. "Be quiet Zoicite. Don't be angry. Queen Beryl will view your anger as weakness. She may have you tortured again."
Zoicite was still feeling king of miffed and turned her face away from him. "Go away."
Malachite produced a beautiful pink rose out of thin air and handed it to her. "Zoicite. Even that Rita Blake's beauty is pale and dim in comparison to you. You know you are the most important person to me in the entire Negaverse."
Zoicite's eyes grew as big as saucers as she accepted Malachite's peace offering. With adoration in her face she snuggled back against his chest looking up into his face. "I'm so lucky dear Malachite. I'm sorry. I was just feeling jealous. Silly." Her expression turned into a momentary cringe. "And you're right. I don't want to face any more pain."
"I don't want you to be hurt anymore either," Malachite held her adoringly. "It hurts me on the inside."
As the pair kissed deeply Titus who had quietly observed this felt tears pricking her red eyes thinking of her Jedite again. She wanted him back in her arms so badly.
When they had finished their smooching Zoicite became serious. "Now it's time we prepared to collect what's rightfully ours Titus."
"Yes General Zoicite. We will get what's ours," Titus answered. Then she thought, "And soon I shall get what's rightfully mine."

While the Negaverse was making its latest plans Lita was on her way to visit Andrew the manager of the Video Game Arcade. Earlier he had met her around town and told her that Serena had been telling him what an awesome cook she was. Lita loved to cook and had dreams of owning her very own restaurant one day. When Andrew remarked that he couldn't even cook toast she had offered to give him tutoring at his apartment. Andrew had asked, "Are you sure you'd like to do this? I don't want to impose on you."
Lita had answered, "On the contrary. I think it'll be lots of fun."
In truth Lita really was jumping at the chance for an excuse to spend time with Andrew because she was so taken with the fact that he reminded her of her former boyfriend. Strangely enough every boy who she took one of her fancies towards seemed to look like her former boyfriend to her. But for now she only had eyes for Andrew.

So she knocked at his door and called out, "Hey Andrew. It's Lita. Ready for some hot cooking classes?"
"I'm coming," Andrew called out before he opened the door. He looked a little embarassed. "I'm sorry that the apartment is in such a mess at the moment."
Lita barged her way in past him saying, "Ah, people always apologize for having a mess when company comes over but it's never half as bad as they say it is."
However when she saw the huge piles of dirty clothes, empty soft drink cans and bottles, old newspapers and other rubbish lying around over the floor she did a double take. "Yikes! In this case it isn't half as bad certainly. It's TWICE as bad."
Lita steeled her resolve, "This won't do Andrew. Do you have any washing up detergent?"
"Er yeah. There's a little left in the bottle."
"Well you use it to start washing the dishes while I tidy up the rest of this mess. We can't cook anything in this state."
So while Andrew slaved over the sink washing the dishes and cutlery, Lita zipped and zoomed around his apartment tidying things away, throwing clothes into the washing machine, vacuuming, polishing and dusting. Suddenly she noticed a picture of Andrew standing next to a woman with long hair as brown as ginger. She picked up the photo. "Hey Andrew. What's this picture?"
Andrew was just about finished his chore at the kitchin sink and he came over drying his hands.
"That's a photo of me and my girlfriend, Rita Blake, when we were at a picnic with some friends."
Lita's heart gave a very painful lurch. "Your girlfriend? How long have you been together?"
"Oh about one year."
Lita resisted the temptation to scream her head off and collapse in a heap, but she felt like the world had just caved in around her. "Th-that's very nice Andrew." NOT is what she thought quietly in her mind.
"Thank you Lita. She's a very sweet lady indeed."
As they finished the last of the cleaning and tidying Andrew said, "So what are you going to teach me to cook first Lita?"
Lita composed herself and said, "I thought we'd start with spaghetti bolognaise."
"Great. I have some spices and sauces we could use."
Lita showed Andrew how to prepare the dish and they shared some afterwards.
As she left Andrew remarked that he was looking forward to more lessons and Lita promised to come at least three days a week. But as soon as the door was shut behind her she thought, "This is the pits."

The following day Lita was sitting alone during lunch break at school under a tree quietly moping and Luna was standing nearby her. Suddenly Serena came crawling behind the tree on her hands and knees. "Hey Lita. Why so down in the dumps?" she asked her in a sing-song voice smiling at her.
Lita's face became furious, "Go away and leave me alone you pest!"
"Whoa. Don't be mad at me," Serena jumped back in shock. "What happened? Did you have an accident yesterday teaching Andrew to cook? Drop a dish or something?"
Luna tried to intervene, "Give her a break. She found out yesterday that Andrew has a sweetheart."
Serena was in instant denial mode. "No way. He can't have!"
But Lita gave a miserable scowl and asserted, "Yes. It really is true. He's been going out with her for a year by now."
As the truth of Lita's tone sunk in Serena began to cry her usual bitter loud tears. "It's not fair that he never told us so we could at least have started moping over him back when it all began."
"I thought you were over him now?" Lita suddenly forgot how miserably grumpy she was.
Serena wailed in reply, "He was my very first crush."
"But I thought you were now heavily interested in Tuxedo Mask?"
"Well yeah. But he doesn't show any serious interest in me." Serena was practically talking in a squeaky voice by this time.
Lita groaned and raised her voice, "Will you please lower the volume?"
Luna said, "You can't blame her too much. The only boy in the school who's interested in her is the class nerd Melvin."
"Did you have to bring that up Luna?" Serena cried again.
But she quickly brushed aside Luna's remark and said in a calmer voice, "One thing I've learned since I became a Sailor Scout is that you never give up no matter how bad things become. I'll get what I want. Yes I will."
Lita leaned in closer, "Who do you have in mind?"
"Andrew of course," Serena was on the verge of crying again but Lita put a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"Don't worry. Let's both try to woo him. May the best one succeed in making him forget about his current girlfriend."
Serena warmed to the idea of playing such a friendly competition game with Lita. She threw herself in her arms and they hugged each other laughing. "You're right Lita. It can't hurt to try."
"Yeah Serena."
They rocked back and forth in a tight hug exclaiming together in unison, "The romance will be ours and together we will find it. We're love scouts."
Just then a voice said nearby, "What are you girls doing?"
With faces blushing bright red they turned to see three boys and two girls staring incredulously at them. They separated themselves and tried to reply.
"Uh, n-nothing," Serena stammered.
"Um. We were just excited about something we hope to help each other accomplish," Lita exclaimed and the other students shrugged and walked away leaving them beetroot red with embarrassment and Luna gave a meow-type sigh.

Later after school Serena and Lita went to the Video Arcade to speak romantically to Andrew. They stood together by the doors. "Which one of us goes first?" Serena asked.
"I thought perhaps we might see him together," Lita answered.
"Okay then," Serena began to smile cheekily. "Just don't get mad or jealous when I make him throw himself in my arms."
Lita did a double take and groaned, "Can I count on you to follow your own advice if perchance I succeed in charming him first?"
Before Serena could say anything in return Darien appeared from behind. "Hey Meatball Head," he placed his hand on top of Serena's hair making her jump.
"Buzz off creep!"
Ignoring her retort Darien spoke to her and Lita, "Andrew's not working today. He's over at his girlfriend Rita's home helping her pack for her trip to Africa."
"She's going overseas?" Lita was intensely interested by this revelation.
Darien explained, "This morning she phoned him with the news. She's finally been selected to accompany Professor Bennett on a two year field trip to study African insects in their natural habitat. I have sensed that you both have enormous crushes on him but believe me. He only has romantic affection for Rita. You should accept that before you get yourselves into deep humiliation and hurt."
"Ah, why would you care anyway?" Lita scoffed.
"Yeah why?" Serena echoed.
"He and Rita are strongly knit together so you'd better leave him alone Meatball Head."
Serena lost her temper. "For the last time. My name is Serena. Not Meatball Head, or are you too dim-witted to remember that?"
As Serena began to enter the Arcade in a huff Darien called out behind her, "But you know your name is Meatball Head."
She jumped once in rage and walked through the doors leaving Lita with Darien.
Inside she called out, "Hello? Andrew?"
But another man answered her voice, "Pardon me. Andrew's not here. I think he's spending time with his girlfriend today."
Serena sighed and tried to cheer herself up by playing the Sailor V Game. "I hate it when Darien tells the honest truth," she muttered.
As for Lita, Darien was still trying to make her see reason but she was impossible. "But if she's going to be away for two years then he's technically free. We're love scouts and we won't give up our mission till we succeed and Andrew shows feelings for one of us."
Darien sighed, "You're way beyond freaky with obsession."
"FREAKY! YOU TAKE THAT BACK!" Lita lost control and suddenly shoved Darien backwards up against one of the streetlamps.
"Ow!" he yelled rubbing the back of his head.
Lita was aghast, "Uh, sorry. I guess I got carried away."
But Darien was beating a hasty retreat. "I'm gone but be warned Lita. You and Serena will make fools of yourselves."
Lita defiantly shook her head. "We love scouts will be triumphant," she muttered with her eyes closed.

The following day Andrew called Lita to say he was ready for another cooking lesson so Lita invited Serena to come along. Serena carried the grocery bag full of ingredients for vegetable soup behind Lita and Luna walked beside Serena. She had insisted on accompanying them because she was a little worried about their ego from yesterday while she had sat nearby them in the school grounds. Luna had very good reason to worry about Serena especially. As soon as Lita pointed to the row of apartments and told her, "Andrew lives in the unit towards the middle left," she began to squeal like a little piglet. "Ooohh. Oooooohhh."
"Serena," Luna gasped. "Get a grip. It's just a cooking lesson for crying out loud."
"But Luna. There's a special agenda to this cooking lesson," said Lita with a wink.
Serena added in a squeaky voice, "That's right. A love mission."
Luna groaned to herself as they knocked at the door. "I wish I knew where this is going to go? I only hope it doesn't get out of control."

Andrew answered and met them with his best smiling face. "Why hello Lita. And hi there to you Serena. I wasn't expecting you also today."
"Hi Andrew," Serena waved and grinned.
Lita added, "I hope you've kept your place clean as a whistle so we can get started cooking Andrew."
"Don't worry. I've turned over a new leaf since our first lesson Lita. Come on in."
Andrew was indeed telling the truth. Lita and Serena were both very impressed at how neat and in tidy order every single thing was.
"By the way," said Serena slightly blushing, "I hope you don't mind my showing up Andrew. I also need to learn to cook."
Andrew was very cheerful as he replied, "Not at all. In fact I'm glad. I invited Rita to join us for dinner. You can both meet her."
Serena almost inadvertently gagged and Lita closed her eyes and said after taking a deep breath, "Let's get started then shall we?"

Andrew was very eager to learn as he stood by the two girls in his kitchen.
As the bag of vegetables was tipped up and emptied into the sink Serena suddenly asked, "I'm hungry. Is there anything here to eat Andrew?"
Before Andrew could answer Lita said, "We'll be eating as soon as we finish preparing our soup." She had picked up a carrot in one hand and a knife in the other and was just about to start peeling it when Serena asked another question.
"What'll I do then?"
Lita replied, "Well, how about you grab a knife and begin peeling the potatoes?"
"Me peel potatoes? I can't do that. It will feel like I'm in the army."
Lita was incensed by Serena's stupid objection. "Whatever. Start on the onions then."
"Oh no. Not onions. They always make me cry." Serena practically whined at the thought of it and Andrew tried hard not to laugh.
"Let me try the onions then girls." He grabbed a couple of small onions while he spoke and took them aside to the kitchen table where he began to chop them up.
Lita groaned, "Serena you're never going to make it as a cook."
"Then I'll let you cook so I can eat," Serena declared.
Andrew was really finding it hard not to burst into riotous laughter and fortunately he was saved by the ringing of his phone.

"Pardon me," he excused himself setting the onions down and rushed to where the phone sat on a small table in his living room area. Picking up the receiver he said "Hello," then exclaimed delightfully, "Rita!"
Lita and Serena both stopped what they were doing to listen to what he said with itching ears.
Rita was talking to Andrew from a phone booth halfway between her house and his apartment. "I'm sorry Andrew. I can't make it to dinner. I'm feeling unwell."
Andrew was very concerned. "What's the matter? Are you getting the flu?"
Rita's voice was quivering. "No it's not that Andrew. As I was walking to your place it really hit me hard to think about how long two years absence actually is. I know it's always been my dream and ambition to travel overseas to study under Professor Bennett. But I- I'm really g-g-going to miss you." Andrew could next hear loud uncontrolled crying noises in his ear. Rita was bawling her eyes out heavily.
"Oh no. Please tell me where you are. I'll come and get you."
Rita blubbered out where she was and said she would not leave the side of the phone booth she was in. Andrew promised to meet her as fast as he could before hanging up.
"Lita. Serena. Do you mind watching things for me while I go get Rita?"
The girls put on a brave face. "Sure you go on ahead and get her," Serena smiled.
"Will dinner still be ready in time?"
"It'll keep," Lita promised.
Andrew thanked them deeply for being so understanding but as soon as he was gone they both groaned and laid their heads upon the table.
Lita did try to make vegetable soup but somehow her heart was nowhere at all in it and she ended up burning it into a smelly pile of slop to Serena's added dismay. "I'm so hungry and heartbroken as well."
Lita felt just the same so instead of arguing they just sat at the table and moped.

As time went by and Andrew did not return with Rita or even call Luna spoke up, "I wonder what's going on? Andrew's not the type to just wander off when he has visitors."
"Who cares Luna?" Serena groaned.
In truth Rita had been so distraught when Andrew found her that he had sat down on the nearest public bench to talk to her and comfort her. He had honestly forgotten all about the girls waiting back at his home. But then something else was about to happen that would make things much worse for himself and for his Rita.
Luna suddenly heard a familiar beeping sound emanating from Serena's bag.
"Serena! Lita! That's the Moon Crescent Wand alert!" She yelled urgently, "The Negaverse is nearby. Perhaps they may have Andrew in their clutches? Transform quickly."
The girls were shocked into action.
"Moon Prism Power."
"Jupiter Power."
They transformed and Sailor Moon took the Wand in her hand to lead them to their enemies for battle. "Follow me Jupiter."
"I'm ready for action Sailor Moon."
Luna ran after the two Sailor Scouts. What could be awaiting them this time? One thing was sure. It would not be anything pretty.

At that very moment Andrew was standing in front of Rita glaring at Zoicite and Titus, his fists raised prepared to fight. "I don't care if you are women," he yelled with rage. "If you try to attack my girlfriend you'll both answer to my fists in your faces."
Rita was shaking with fear behind his back terrified for both herself and for him.
Zoicite sneered with venom in her voice, "If that's the way you feel then I'll just get Titus to literally cool you off. You know what to do Titus."
"I hear and obey General Zoicite." Titus raised her hands and summoned up a wave of her water that picked Andrew up and threw him over Rita who ducked and shrieked. The wave completely soared above Rita leaving her completely dry but Andrew was saturated and dripping where he had been deposited onto his back. He was groaning with the shock and pain as Rita ran to kneel beside him. "Andrew! Andrew!" He fell into unconsciousness as she took hold of his hand and she turned angrily towards Titus as she approached.
"You monster. Why are you doing this?"
Titus spoke, "It's nothing too personal but you have something that I need to extract from you and I can't allow anybody to get in the way."
Rita's emotion turned from rage back to fear as she felt Titus' influence paralyzing her. "What are you doing to me?"
Titus didn't answer. She just grabbed the back of Rita's clothes by the top of her neck and plunged her other hand inside her chest feeling her fingers close around the Rainbow Crystal inside. She felt joy as she pulled it out and Rita screamed in horror.

Just then Sailor Moon and Sailor Jupiter arrived. As soon as they saw what was happening they cried out,
"Stop! I am Sailor Moon."
"And I am Sailor Jupiter."
"We are Sailor Scouts of love."
"We fight for romantic justice."
The two of them said this final bit together.
"In the Name of love we won't have creeps like you after our boyfriends."
Luna groaned, "They are getting crazy over this crush they share."
Zoicite and Titus were both taken aback at this strange speech but Zoicite quickly cried, "I don't understand what you're gibbering about but I don't care. Titus you know what to do next."
Titus sprang to attention. "Of course General Zoicite. I know just what to do about this Sailor Jupiter in particular."
She turned her powers upon poor Rita who screamed, twisted, writhed and changed into a green skinned lizard-like humanoid with a forked tongue sticking out of her mouth. Fully confident she directed the hissing snarling creature to focus upon the two silly Scouts.
Sailor Jupiter prepared to attack. "I'll stun her quickly. Then you can heal her with your wand Sailor Moon. Jupiter Thunder Crash!"
Titus, still holding the Rainbow Crystal in one hand laughed, "I've designed Rita's transformation with your power in mind Sailor Jupiter. Watch and see."
While she spoke the monster opened its mouth and drew in Sailor Jupiters' lightning bolts.
"It's sucked up all your power," Sailor Moon gasped.
"No way!" Sailor Jupiter was deeply shocked.
"Wait till you see what happens next," declared Titus as she rose into the air alongside Zoicite who was already floating with her legs crossed. Titus kept her arm stretched out to guide the actions of the terrible beast and it regurgitated Sailor Jupiter's attack straight back at her and Sailor Moon.
"Look out!" Sailor Jupiter grabbed Sailor Moon and jumped aside with her as the powerful bolt hit the pavement sidewalk drilling an ugly gaping hole in it.
Sailor Jupiter said, "If I try attacking again my lightning will just keep being used against us."
Sailor Moon sobbed, "I wish the others would show up. We called them on our communicators."

Suddenly a familiar voice cried, "Mercury Bubbles Blast!" A familiar chilly wave of bubbles hit the lizard creature stunning it. The others had arrived.
"Mercury! Mars!" Sailor Moon was elated.
"We got here as quick as we could," said Sailor Mercury.
"I call upon the power of Mars. Fireballs charge!" Sailor Mars slapped one of her charms on the forehead of the creature immobilizing it. "Now's your chance Sailor Moon."

In the meantime Zoicite was saying to Titus that they'd better take the crystal back to Queen Beryl when a familiar caped and masked figure flew through the air and snatched it out of Titus' hand. As he landed lightly on his feet holding it high above his head the Sailor Scouts were distracted from the frozen monster and all called out, "It's Tuxedo Mask."
Zoicite and Titus flew down to the ground squaring off with him. "Hey! That crystal belongs to our queen!" Titus pointed her finger at it and Zoicite clenched her fists.
"Give it back!" she snarled menacingly.
"Take it back if you two witches can," Tuxedo Mask twirled his cane brandishing it just like a staff as he weaved and dodged waves of water from Titus and other blasts of blue-green energy from Zoicite. They tried so hard to knock the crystal out of his other hand but they could not score any hit on him.
Watching the fight Sailor Moon said, "He's such a hunky dreamster when he's fighting."
Sailor Jupiter said, "I thought you were back in love with Andrew."
Sailor Moon turned to her with a gaga smile. "You can have Andrew. Tuxedo Mask is way cooler."
"Hey listen. Forget about him," It was Sailor Mars who spoke up.
Sailor Moon was deeply offended. "Who are you to tell me to forget about Tuxedo Mask?"
"I mean stop wasting time and save poor Rita."
Sailor Mercury added, "Sailor Mars is right. Do it now Sailor Moon."
"Yeah. You'd better save her," Sailor Jupiter agreed with a reluctant sigh. Part of her was still a little jealous of Rita but it was the right thing to restore her to normal.
"Oh, okay. Moon Healing Activation!" As the power of the Crescent Wand washed over Rita, the monster lizard vanished transforming back into herself again. Sailor Mars removed her charm and she collapsed unconscious to the ground just like Andrew.

While this was happening Tuxedo Mask had actually lost his grip on the crystal while fighting and it fell to the ground. But even so he was determined to protect it where it lay as he dodged, thrust and parried at the two women with his cane. "You're not getting that crystal."
Just then Zoicite motioned for Titus to stop attacking. "You have beaten us this time. Titus, we're no match for the great Tuxedo Mask."
Titus couldn't believe that General Zoicite would really give up knowing the wrath of Queen Beryl, but as soon as Tuxedo Mask smiled and bent down to retrieve the crystal one facial gesture from Zoicite instructed her to act quickly. She had been right in her assessment of her superior officer and she immediately sent Tuxedo Mask flying backwards with a jet of her water. As he was hit his mask was knocked off and he quickly turned tail and fled covering his face with his soggy cape.

Zoicite had snatched up the Rainbow Crystal as Sailor Moon noticed what had happened after she had finished healing Rita. It was too late for her to do anything though as Zoicite and Titus teleported themselves back to the Negaverse. As they vanished Zoicite laughed with fiendish triumph, "I can't believe he actually was suckered so easily into letting his guard down. The great Tuxedo Mask indeed."
"We did him in by his own ego General Zoicite and now we have recovered three of the Shadow Warrior team." As she said this Titus thought to herself, "Jedite. I won't let you down. I'll help General Zoicite rescue the other four and then we'll be together again."

Tuxedo Mask ran all the way back to his apartment and as he so often did, he jumped through the air into the window he always left conveniently open. Inside he took off his hat, once more in his Darien persona and cursed himself for his own stupidity. "How foolish I was to believe they really had given up."
He walked over to his dresser drawers, pulled open the second from the top, took out a fresh new mask and held it in both his hands staring at it. "Next time I will not be so naive and I will defeat them. I'll get the three crystals they also have as well."

As for Andrew and Rita when they recovered consciousness the Sailor Scouts were present watching over them. "We saved you both and got rid of those bad ladies," said Sailor Jupiter.
"You're going to be okay," added Sailor Mercury.
"Thank you Sailor Scouts." Andrew was overjoyed.
So was Rita. "Thank goodness for you amazing warriors. I dread to think what may have happened after I was knocked out."
Rita would never know just how much reason she really had to dread. But neither she nor Andrew were upset anymore in any case. As they held themselves in each other's arms and kissed, Sailors Jupiter and Moon had to close their eyes or turn their heads but the other two and Luna were all smiling brightly.

Eventually the time came for Rita to depart for her flight to Africa. At the airport she and Andrew had a tearful goodbye. They were both going to miss each other very much but they told each other they would be together in their hearts. "I will e-mail you as much as I can Rita."
"I will too Andrew. I love you."
"Me too." They dried their eyes and blew their noses as the final boarding call for Rita's plane was announced over the intercom. Rita composed herself, said her final farewell and then she was gone.

Serena and Lita had said goodbye too. They had said farewell to Rita then stood off at a distance to give her and Andrew privacy. Serena was crying. "That's the most romantic thing I've ever seen."
Lita suddenly became all cocky, "Now that she's gone I must invite him out for a milkshake sometime."
"You mean to tell me you still want him?" Serena asked incredulously.
"Well, not really. But it will be good practice," Lita winked.
"Practice you say? What for?"
"Oh for when I get an opportunity to invite Tuxedo Mask out on a date."
I'm afraid Serena was not in the least bit amused by this prospect of romantic competition.
"Wait. Tuxedo Mask's mine."
"But I'm thinking that underneath the mask he could very well be just like my ex-boyfriend."
"Aaaaarrgh!" Serena buried her face in her hands but Lita went walking alongside Andrew towards the exit without a care at all.