CHAPTER 29

"Reach for the ceiling everybody. This is a stick up." The man who had just spoken up had burst into the Second National Bank brandishing a large wicked looking double-barrelled shotgun and a huge gray mask concealing his nose and mouth. All the bank workers and the customers raised their hands in the air with terrified facial expressions. The bank robber was also wearing a cap and dark glasses and he threw a backpack onto the nearby desk. "Quickly fill my pack with as much money as it will hold and don't try anything smart."

All of a sudden a boomerang flew through the air and struck the robbers' shotgun making him drop it with a cry of surprise. "Hey! Who did that?"
He turned around to see the boomerang fly back and be caught by a tall girl in a sailor suit with very long yellow hair tied in two buns with long plaits. "Who are you?" the robber demanded.
The figure declared, "I am the Champion of Justice known as Sailor Moon. In the Name of the Moon I hereby punish you."
Before the robber could do anything he was suddenly kicked hard in his solar plexus as the strange girl leaped into the air and thrust out with her foot. The force sent him smashing into the nearby wall collapsing in a crumpled heap and all the people cheered.

Later that day Serena was watching the television news with her family. To her astonishment and also Luna's who was curled up in her lap the announcer said, "Good news today folks. An attempted bank robbery was foiled today by our super-heroine known as Sailor Moon. She took out the robber with one powerful kick and he is now safely in police custody."
Serena's parents were awestruck. "Wow. Now she's even bringing regular felons to justice," said her dad.
"Yes look. There she is," her mum pointed to a shot of what looked like Sailor Moon standing nearby the police as they escorted the robber out the door with handcuffs securing his wrists together.
Even Serena's brother Sammy was impressed but Serena and Luna were very shocked. Who was this girl calling herself Sailor Moon? It took all Serena's will power to avoid breaking down and crying in the presence of her family. She and Luna would need to meet up with Artemis and the other three Scouts as soon as possible. "Sh-she can't be Sailor Moon. That's my identity," Serena thought to herself in consternation. "Who does that person think she is?"

Meanwhile this mysterious double of Sailor Moon was continuing to roam the city finding super-heroic activities to do. Darien was nearby having a coffee in a nearby sidewalk cafe when suddenly way up above him there was unexpected trouble. Two men were carefully standing on rigged up support planks painting the side of a very tall building when for some strange reason it broke in two pieces. They screamed but they were still attached to their safety ropes secured at the top of the building but then the ropes mysteriously began to fray. They were horrified.
"Help! Help us!"
Darien jumped to his feet in horror spilling his coffee and there were many shrieks and fingers pointing up at the two unfortunate men among the general crowd in the street.
It looked very bad but then everybody gasped as "Sailor Moon" swung through the air on a lifeline and grabbed one of the men. "Hold onto my back," she instructed him as she swung out in preparation for a return movement and he held her tight, his arms wrapped around her torso.
Just then the second man's rope snapped completely and the crowd all screamed as much as he did as he began to fall. But the Sailor Moon figure moved like lightning. Sliding her hand dexterously down the rope as she swung she caught the man by his wrist. Then as they all swung back in the other direction she aimed for the covered shade over the outer cafe area and gently deposited herself and the two men onto it.
The crowd all cheered and applauded as the men lay down on the springy canvas in relief and Sailor Moon stood up and spoke, "No need to worry folks. As long as I'm around I'll keep you all safe."
Then with a mighty leap she landed on a nearby rooftop and began to run away from one rooftop to another. Many people cried out in praise.
"Hooray for Sailor Moon!"
But Darien thought to himself, "That doesn't look like the Sailor Moon I know. I'd better follow in the direction she seems to be headed."
He noted that she seemed to be going generally towards the boat pier dockyard, so he made his way there figuring that he would probably find her hanging out somewhere in that vicinity.

Meanwhile at the dockyard a sinister group was congregating on a rooftop. General Malachite stood in the center with his arms folded, on his immediate left stood his loyal manservant Yasha who was only just released from the Negaverse hospital wards the previous afternoon and on Malachite's opposite side stood Zoicite's dear friends, the Plant Trio.
Malachite chuckled with gloating glee, "I'm so delighted that Queen Beryl granted us permission to all help with Zoicite's latest scheme."
Yasha laughed, "It is a perfect scheme my master. Using a fake Sailor Moon will be sure to lure Tuxedo Mask into our trap.
The Plant Trio were all excited. "Soon we will capture him and force him to give us the last two Rainbow Crystals," said Suzuran.
"And finally the last two of our long lost Shadow Warriors will be back in the Negaverse," Housenka added.
Gureepo practically squealed with joy, "Then when they are all ready they will lead us to our victory."
Malachite turned his head to address somebody else standing next to Yasha. "Titus. You be sure to get those crystals when we ambush him. And keep your eyes peeled for the real Sailor Moon or any of the other Scouts. Nothing can be permitted to go wrong."
"I hear and will obey General Malachite." Titus saluted her superior officer and thought hard about many things. She had kept her experience with Nephlite's ghost a secret when she returned to the Negaverse after Zoicite. She hadn't even told Ramwoir or the Dream Dolly. Queen Beryl had seemed very pleased when Titus had released the Shadow Warrior from the crystal she had helped Zoicite to recover from Sailor Moon. That only left two of them and they of course were inside the crystals held by Tuxedo Mask. But her stomach was churning with butterflies as she secretly worried about how Nephlite had asked whether she was certain Queen Beryl could be trusted. Titus was very scared of her it is true because of everything she had had done to her. But surely she would keep her promise to restore Jedite to her loving arms when she delivered the last of the Shadow Warriors? Well Titus wanted to believe that were so with all her heart, but the seeds of uncertainty had been sowed by Nephlite's words and Titus was getting very nervous and worried. But she still wanted to find a way to save her boyfriend from eternal sleep and what else could she do but hope to please her queen. "Queen Beryl surely will reward me. Will she? Yes of course she will, but then again is that really correct?"
She didn't know what to believe but in any case she had no choice but to finish the task assigned her. The poor thing felt trapped and helpless and she trembled with apprehension while Malachite and the others were thrilled with anticipation of victory.

As for Serena and her friends, as soon as she and Luna had gone to her room after seeing the news report about the bank robbery, they had used the communicator to contact the others. They had all agreed to meet at the Cherry Hill Temple where Raye would consult the Sacred Fire.
Serena and Luna met Amy and Lita as they arrived at the Temple grounds.
"I'm so glad to see you," Serena said to them.
"We're very curious about what's going on too Serena. I also happened to see the news. I was stunned," said Amy.
"Yeah. Amy was on her communicator to me long before you contacted us," Lita chimed in.
"Hey! Where's Artemis?" Luna asked.
"That's a good question. He was with me at the time when Amy called me," Lita mused. "He said he would meet with us here at the Temple when you called to arrange the meeting. Maybe he's already with Raye?"
However Artemis proved to not be waiting for them with Raye when they went to see her in the Shrine of the Sacred Fire.
Raye was adamant. "I have neither seen nor heard from him at all since we agreed to gather here together. I don't know where he could be."
"Oh dear," Luna was alarmed. "I hope he's okay."
"Well we'd better find out about this strange young girl in the meantime. These events could be all interconnected," Lita pondered with determination.
Amy asked Luna a question that suddenly entered her mind. "Do you think she could be the fifth Sailor Scout?"
Luna rubbed her forehead with her paw. "To be honest I have no clue at all. Maybe Artemis is checking her out already? He could have sensed a lead on her."
Serena clenched her fists and shook with indignation. "Well if she is the fifth Sailor Scout she has no right to claim my identity. I was Sailor Moon first. I won't let there be another."
Raye called everybody to order. "Settle down everybody. Let me consult the fire and see if it can tell us where to find her. Then we can find out whether she is a friend or an enemy and take things from there."
So they all settled down while Raye concentrated hard kneeling in front of the flame with her head bowed. After about 10 minutes she jumped upright and spun round to face her friends.
"I saw a vision of the dockyard where all the boats are kept. There was also an image in the fire that looked like Artemis."
Everybody gasped at this but Raye went on,
"The fire showed me the dockyard clearly. Plus three blurry images. One looked like it could be Artemis and the other two looked like girls in Sailor Suits."
"Two of them?" Luna cried sucking in her breath.
"This is getting more and more suspicious," Amy said.
"There's no time to waste," Lita jumped to her feet. "We all must go to the dockyard to check things out. Come on."
They all unanimously agreed, transformed themselves and set off together.

As they all made their way through the dockyard together with Luna by their feet they were observed by Yasha who was hidden in the shadows. He transported himself back to where his master Malachite was still standing.
"My Lord," he bowed respectfully from the waist. "The Sailor Scouts are nearby."
"Good work Yasha. Now we can also bait our trap to capture them too." Malachite turned to the Plant Trio and Titus. "Get things ready on the double."
"Yes General Malachite," the four of them spoke at once and saluted him.

Then the Sailor Scouts heard a voice crying out, "Help me! Help Me!"
Sailor Moon pointed in the direction of the sound. "Let's go see what's up. Follow me."
The others and Luna all ran towards the high-pitched voice as it continued to shriek and call out, "Eeeekk! Let me go! Please won't somebody save me?"

When they reached the area where the cries were emanating from they saw a formidable sight. The new mysterious Sailor Moon was tied by her wrists above her head to a line attached to a big crane and she was elevated a long, long way above the ground. She struggled and kicked her legs with violent thrashing movements. "Save me please! Aaaaaahhh!"
And nearby on the very same rooftop they were always gathered upon stood Malachite, Yasha and the Plant Trio. Titus was nowhere to be seen.
Sailor Moon said to her friends, "The Negaverse has captured my double. Let's go save her."
Luna tried to caution them. "Wait! What if this is a trick?"
"So what if it is Luna? I want to know who this imposter really is and if she's friendly we must save her. If she's with the Negaverse the four of us can handle them all together. Can't we girls?"
Luna tried to persuade Sailor Moon to seek a plan of strategy but Sailor Jupiter said, "Sailor Moon's right. We must help her and united the four of us are invincible."
Sailor Mars agreed wholly and even Sailor Mercury was drawn into the rush of it all.
Sailor Moon grinned, "You're outvoted Luna. Let's go Scouts."
All Luna could do was shut her eyes and groan. "I hope they are not making a terrible mistake. Underestimating our enemy's strength and cunning through overconfidence doesn't make me feel good at all."

So they all made their presence known to Malachite and his accomplices. "Hey you creeps. Release that Sailor Moon wannabe right this very minute. You hear me. I am the first and very original Sailor Moon. And I say on behalf of the Moon."
"On behalf of Mercury."
"In the Name of Mars."
"And finally for Jupiter too."
Having delivered their introductions one by one the four of them all issued their ultimatum simultaneously, "We will right wrongs and triumph over evil such as all of you."

Malachite grinned at them. "How very impressive Sailor Scouts. And let me say I'm delighted to make your acquaintance at last. But you're no match for my powers."
With that he raised his hands and to the Scouts' mutual shock a barrier suddenly appeared over them. It was like a giant fishbowl had been turned upside down and placed over them. They could see the transparent outline of the force shield trapping them within the middle of the open area they were standing in.
"Hey! Let us out!" Sailor Moon wailed.
"I'll show them," Sailor Mars acted. "MARS FIRE IGNITE!"
Her fire shot out and hit the shield but it failed to penetrate.
Malachite jumped down from the roof to the nearby ground followed by Yasha and the Plant Trio. "Well done Lord Malachite," Gureepo cheered.
"Your trap has worked like a charm," added Suzuran.
"Oh yeah. Well take this creeps," Sailor Jupiter was very angry. "JUPITER THUNDER CRASH!"
She put all her anger behind that attack but her electricity fared no better than Sailor Mars' fire.
Sailor Mercury remarked, "Not even a dent. We've really gotten ourselves in trouble now."
Yasha sneered at them, "You'll never escape from my master's barrier."
"And now it's time for you to die," added Malachite. "Very slowly and it will be very painful towards the end I assure you."
With that Malachite waved his arms and to the terror of the Scouts the dome began to slowly shrink.
"We'll be crushed!" Sailor Moon yelled and the others all gasped.
Watching from the sidelines Luna wailed despairingly, "I tried to warn them. I really did."
All the villains were laughing fiendishly and Sailor Moon said, "I sure hope Tuxedo Mask is out there somewhere. I think only he will be able to save us."

At that moment Darien, who had been at first searching the dock in his civilian identity, suddenly sensed that something was very wrong. "I can feel that Sailor Moon's in danger. I must find her."
So saying he magically changed his clothes with his psychic energy and now as Tuxedo Mask he ran as fast as he could searching for her. As he raced past a narrow alleyway he pulled up short and backtracked to peer upwards through the two buildings. From there he could see the fake Sailor Moon still dangling motionlessly from the giant crane. But from this distance he could not tell that it was not the Sailor Moon he knew.
"Oh no!" he gasped. "Somebody's put her way up there. I hope I'm not too late."
He rushed through the alley coming out on the other side. Next with a mighty super-human leap he soared through the air and taking the top off his cane revealing a short, sharp blade he swung with all his might. Severing the cord he grabbed the prone body and dropped lightly to the ground.
"You're safe now Sailor," he began to say when he realized the truth. "Wait. You're not the,"
Before he could say another word the fake Sailor Moon stabbed him in the shoulder with a strange looking knife that suddenly materialized in her hand.
"Aaaarrrgh!" he screamed and the figure jumped away from him and threw off her disguise to reveal Zoicite.
The Sailor Scouts had observed this with terror and dismay. Now they realized that Zoicite had impersonated Sailor Moon to trap them all.
"You're so pathetic Tuxedo Mask," Zoicite sneered as he struggled to his feet and turned like a scared, wounded rabbit running into a nearby open warehouse.
Zoicite cried out to Malachite and the others who had also watched gleefully what had transpired, "Leave him to me. He's mine. Except for you Titus."
She called up to the crane, "Get down here and help me get those two Rainbow Crystals off him."
Titus had been operating the controls of the crane and she jumped down gracefully landing at the bottom. "Yes my Commander. I obey."
"Excellent. Go and get him. My sweet Zoicite. I'm so proud of you," Malachite laughed and Yasha and the Plant Trio cheered and shouted words of encouragement.
Inside the warehouse Tuxedo Mask was in a frenzied state of mind. Shocked at how easily he had been fooled coupled with the pain and its effects made him stagger dizzily among the crates and bags stored inside the area. The magic knife that had been planted in his shoulder had by now disappeared leaving only a gaping, ugly wound. Zoicite had used the same mystical blades to sever the supporting structure and ropes of the two painters she had "rescued" just for show earlier. As he leaned up against a stack of crates fighting back nausea he heard Zoicite's voice ring out.
"You can try to run. But you can never hide. I'll find you and chase you out Cape-Boy."
Titus' voice added, "And then we'll force you to hand over the crystals to us."
Tuxedo Mask moaned to himself, "What a mess I'm in." He felt the two crystals which he always habitually kept secure inside his costume's secret zip compartment. Could he possibly defend himself and the two crystals with an impaled shoulder?

Zoicite drew a magic sword out of thin air and waved it back and forth. "You wait here Titus, while I drive him out of hiding."
Without even waiting for Titus to answer she proceeded to dash wildly in and out between all the crates and bags slashing with her blade and making them fall over. Titus obediently stood still though while Zoicite yelled,
"You're history Cape-Boy!"
Tuxedo Mask was almost buried by the very crates he was leaning against while nursing his shoulder. But as he felt them begin to topple he realized he had to run despite his pain and disorientation. He burst out into the sight of Titus as everything came crashing down barely missing him.
"There he is General Zoicite!" Titus sent a blast of her water that sent him flying backwards as Zoicite made a giant leap and brought her sword down upon him. He reacted instinctively to defend himself and held up his cane to deflect the blow. Even though he had not had time to take the cover off Zoicite's sword cut into the cane striking the hidden blade beneath it.
He gritted his teeth, striving to overcome the agony that he was bombarded with. "Get away," he growled.
"Hand over the Rainbow Crystals," Zoicite relentlessly demanded with her other hand outstretched, her fingers itching to claim the last two crystals they needed. Titus was slowly walking towards them to help subdue Tuxedo Mask.
But at that moment Queen Beryl was watching everything intently through her crystal ball and she gave a gasp. "I recognize that face!"
When Titus had blown Tuxedo Mask over his mask had been knocked off and Queen Beryl could see the face of Darien as he struggled to hold off Zoicite. "So this is the identity of Tuxedo Mask." Beryl had a sinister smile on her wicked face as she said this. "How wonderful to see him again."
At this moment Titus was nearly next to the forms of Tuxedo Mask and Zoicite. Tuxedo Mask was defiantly telling Zoicite that he would never surrender.
"Fine. Have it your way. Titus! Deal appropriately with him."
Titus raised her hands. "Yes my general."
But before she could do anything something strange happened.
"VENUS CRESCENT BEAM SMASH!"
A strange golden beam of light struck Zoicite's sword knocking it out of her hand. Shocked she stumbled backwards bumping into Titus and knocking her to the ground. "Hey! Who did that? Who's up there?"
Glancing up while gently rubbing her hand and wrist Zoicite briefly saw a figure in a Sailor Suit with long golden hair down her back standing in an open window high above them.
Tuxedo Mask saw this as his chance to get away while Titus was picking herself up off the floor and Zoicite was gazing upwards. He quickly got to his feet and ran as fast as he could through the warehouse to the open doorway at the back entrance. Once outside he ducked into another dark shadowed alley and collapsed to the ground. But he rolled over onto his back clutching his aching shoulder and struggling to sit up against a wall. "I must master this pain and focus myself," he muttered with determination as he shut his eyes tight and breathed very slowly and deeply.
Zoicite was shocked. "Who are you?" she yelled up at the figure who didn't answer but turned and disappeared with a graceful bound from the window ledge.
"Did you see that Titus?"
Titus had just gotten to her feet. "No I didn't General Zoicite. What was it?"
Zoicite was agitated. "I-it looked like a Sailor Scout. She sent some weird attack that drove me away from Cape-Boy." Then realizing he was gone she cried, "Oh no! How could you let him get away?"
"Hey. Don't blame me. When you were knocked backwards you pushed me off my balance and I fell to the floor. In fact I even bumped my head. I was dazed and disoriented. Oooohh!" With that Zoicite rubbed the back of her head where the bump still hurt slightly.
Zoicite was almost ready to start another fight with Titus but she controlled herself. "Well then what just happened? I thought Malachite had trapped all the Sailor Scouts inside his dome."
"So did I General Zoicite." Titus wondered about this while her fingers gently massaged her sore spot. There couldn't be another brand new Scout. Could there?

In the meantime the four Sailor Scouts were getting very close to being crushed to a pulp. Sailor Jupiter had desperately tried again as hard as she could to break Malachite's shield but she failed hopelessly. She was forced to concede that his magic was very strong. Yasha and the Plant Trio watched with evil enthusiasm as the dome continued to shrink. Then Zoicite and Titus joined them.
"My darling Malachite. I have bad news," Zoicite began.
"What's wrong sweetheart?"
"I had Tuxedo Mask trapped and was about to overcome him with the help of Titus when I was attacked by another Sailor Scout."
Yasha and the Plant Trio all gasped in dismay and Malachite said, "That can't be Zoicite. You can see I have them all trapped. There can't be another."
Zoicite mused, "That's what I thought." Then she became angry, "I bet it was an illusion that wretched Tuxedo Mask used to trick me and escape."
Titus wasn't so sure about that. The other three Scouts had all appeared out of thin air one by one to join Sailor Moon. But she kept her mouth shut not wanting to stir up any argument.

As for Tuxedo Mask he had gotten on top of the pain in his shoulder and he had made his way back through the warehouse when he saw the coast was clear and his eagle eye had spotted where his mask was lying on the floor. He picked it up and put it back on and saw outside that the Sailor Scouts were in big trouble. They were all scrunched up against each other with no more spare room and then the slow agonizing death would ensue.
Zoicite yelled arrogantly, "Where are you Tuxedo Mask? If you don't come out right now and surrender those crystals your fan club will be crushed to jelly."
Tuxedo Mask was horrified. What else could he do? He felt the two crystals in the lining of his tuxedo and called out in resignation, "Wait! Let them go! I'll give you the crystals!"
Everybody turned their eyes towards him as he slowly began to step out of the open warehouse.
"I knew you'd see things our way," laughed Zoicite.
But then a voice cried out, "He's not giving you anything Nega-scum."
"I knew it," thought Titus to herself with a start.
"That voice! It's the one I heard before!" Zoicite yelled and as Yasha and the Plant Trio looked around in fright, Gureepo gasped and pointed with her finger.
"Look! Up there on top of the warehouse!"
Luna also looked up and her eyes bulged open wide. "It looks like salvation is at hand," she cried in hopeful joy as she beheld the sight of the Sailor Suited girl who leaped gracefully off the warehouse roof, her long golden-yellow hair billowing out above her head as she plummetted to the ground.
Landing agilely on one knee and jumping straight up to her feet like a cat she addressed the gang of villains while Tuxedo Mask backed off in amazement, grasping his wounded shoulder. "I'm Sailor Venus and if you're looking to make any trouble, I'm going to give it to you double."
With that she sent her golden-beam missile attack straight for Malachite. "VENUS CRESCENT BEAM SMASH!"
She aimed with perfect precision for his hands which were poised controlling the dome as it slowly shrunk. Malachite screamed in pain as the attack raked over both his hands making the bones break.
Zoicite and the others all reacted aghast except for Titus who calmly stared at Sailor Venus taking this new Scout in.
"She's broken Lord Malachite's magic," cried Yasha as the dome shield dissipated releasing Sailor Moon and the others as they fell to the ground in enormous relief.
"Th-that's not all she's broken," Malachite shut his eyes and groaned with his fractured hands raised and Zoicite was very upset.
"Oh no! How could she do this to my sweet Malachite?"

Sailor Moon raised herself up and beheld their saviour. "Hey everybody. We've been saved by the fifth Scout."
As Mercury, Mars and Jupiter all picked themselves up and gazed awestruck, Artemis reappeared from behind Luna giving her a mild startle. "That's right folks," he announced. "While I was on my way to meet you all at the Cherry Hill Temple I passed a strange girl who had only just moved to our city with her parents two days ago. I sensed something very strong about her so I followed her and was eventually able to confront her at her home and convince her that she was the Scout of the planet Venus. Thank goodness I was able to activate her or else you would have all been goners."
Luna turned and smiled, "Congratulations Artemis and thank you."
"You're welcome Luna."

Zoicite became furious while her Malachite moaned in agony. "We'll teach you all a lesson you'll never forget."
She moved in front of him and raised her arms preparing to fight and Yasha, The Plant Trio and even Titus followed suit.
Sailor Moon defiantly answered, "Well come on. We will dust every last one of you rats."
But before the battle could break out Queen Beryl's voice boomed out magnified ten times in volume, "Zoicite! Malachite! All the rest of you too! Return this very minute!"
All the goodies and the baddies alike raised their eyes to behold a transparent image of Queen Beryl's head and shoulders floating high above them.
Suzuran cried out, "But we don't have the crystals your majesty."
"I know that. But it's too risky," Queen Beryl declared. "Leave them alone for now until we can form a perfect strategy. Come straight back here to me."
Zoicite momentarily forgot to guard herself. "No! There's enough of us! We can win!"
"ZOICITE!" Queen Beryl screamed in rage. "Don't ever question me! Next time it will mean punishment."
Zoicite and all the others trembled in terror and Malachite said gently to her, "Please be careful."
With that they all de-materialized but they swore to the Sailor Scouts that they would get them next time.

As the villains all vanished Tuxedo Mask grunted as he gripped his aching shoulder and ducked away into the shadows. Sailor Moon thought she caught a glimpse of him and called out,
"Tuxedo Mask. Is that you?"
She was perplexed. "I could have sworn he was here a moment ago."
But Sailor Jupiter smiled, "Oh well. We really didn't need his help anyway."

The Scouts were so delighted that their final ally was at last united with them. Sailor Moon was particularly amazed. "You look so much like my favourite fictional character Sailor V come to life in person," she said this with awe.
Sailor Venus smiled, "I know. I love Sailor V myself. I always thought I looked a lot like her with very similar sort of hair. And now I discover that I'm Sailor Venus. The V in the Character of Sailor V as most fans know stands for Valiant, though it's seldom made mention of in the various media. And co-incidentally Venus begins with V also and we all dress in Sailor outfits just like the fictional heroine. I am just awed and amazed by it all."
So were the rest of the team and they were all very excited. So were Luna and Artemis. There were still big battles ahead and together they would face any attack the Negaverse could throw at them.