CHAPTER 31

As the other Scouts, Luna and Artemis watched Serena in her flowing dress float back down to the ground and kneel beside Darien they recognized his face.
"Wow. Who would have ever thought Serena would turn out to be the Moon Princess?" Sailor Jupiter exclaimed.
"Yes and Darien. Who would have guessed that he was Tuxedo Mask!" Sailor Mercury chimed in.
Sailor Mars was trembling with the shock of it all.
"Sailor Mars? Are you all right?" Sailor Mercury put her hand affectionately on her shoulder while she spoke. "This must be upsetting for you."
But Sailor Mars turned to Sailor Mercury and managed to smile placing her hand upon hers still on her shoulder. "I'll be okay. I suppose they really were meant for each other long before I started dating him."

Meanwhile Zoicite was addressing Castor and Pollux. "Where did you two come from? We thought you had been killed ages ago?"
They began to try to explain but Zoicite said, "Oh never mind for now. I must make sure Cape Boy and Sailor Moon are both finished off for good. That's more important."
None of the Negaverse baddies had noticed the change that had come over Serena, let alone the arrival of the other Scouts but as Zoicite raised her hands to attack she gasped with surprise at the sight of the revealed Princess of the Moon. Serena raised the Crescent Moon Wand which was now united with the Imperium Crystal and yelled at the top of her voice,
"COSMIC MOON POWER!"
Zoicite screamed as a barrage of energy emanated from the wand picking her up and throwing her backwards hitting the wall with a crash.
The Plant Trio ran over crying out to her,
"Madam Zoicite!"
"Are you all right?"
She struggled to rise gasping and reaching out her hands towards them. "My friends. I've been hurt. Help me."
The Trio supported her among themselves. They were still worried about what might befall their friend when Beryl found out what she had done to Tuxedo Mask, but for now they just needed to get her safely away.
"We have you dear Madam Zoicite. We'll come back when we are better prepared," Gureepo spoke comfort to her as they all transported.
"Hey! Wait for us!" Castor took Pollux by the hand and transported themselves after them. They didn't fancy being left behind to face something immensely powerful they knew nothing about.

Serena was cradling Darien's head in her lap and crying. "Darien I feel your life force is slowly ebbing away. Please do not die."
Darien stirred and opening his eyes, reached up and took her hand. "My princess. I have found you at last Serena. Now I remember everything. I am Prince Darien."
Serena gasped, "Yes I can remember too. I am Princess Serena of the Moon Kingdom. You and I were engaged to be married. Prince Darien. Warrior of the planet Earth. I can remember the last time we were together on the Moon."
Darien grunted and spoke again, "That's right. It was just before the forces of evil attacked the Moon and I left to fight them and defend your world."
Serena reached into a pocket in her dress and produced the musical star locket. Opening it up she held it next to Darien's face and he grinned despite his pain as the music played.
He spoke once more, "This was your star locket. You gave it to me to always remind me of our love."
"And you gave it back to me. Even before we fully knew who each other was. Oh Darien. You cannot leave me again forever now. You mustn't."
As she began to cry even more bitterly a bright glow enveloped her and her clothes changed back into her Sailor suit. Her friends ran over to comfort her.
"Sailor Moon. We're here for you," Sailor Venus declared as she and Sailor Mercury knelt down beside her while Mars and Jupiter knelt beside Darien. Sailor Mars shouted, "Darien! It's me Raye! Can you hear me?"
Sailor Jupiter said, "He's still breathing but we must get him to the hospital straight away. If there's any chance of saving him we can't delay."
But Darien wasn't going to the hospital. Before anybody knew what was happening he suddenly was surrounded by a bright glow and de-materialized in Sailor Mars' arms.
"Darien's disappearing!" she gasped.
"The Negaverse must have taken him away," Sailor Venus exclaimed and Sailor Moon cried harder than ever.

In the Negaverse Queen Beryl was horrified to see that when she transported Darien to her side he was on the brink of death. "Quickly now," she urgently instructed her loyal servants, the five Doom and Gloom Girls. "Get Prince Darien inside this magic casket."
They set him inside flat on his back and pulled out the crystal shard. They handed it to Queen Beryl who took it and grimly frowned at it. Then she kneeled down and addressed the supreme Negaforce.
"Oh Great Negaforce. Do we have enough power to heal Tuxedo Mask and convert him into a warrior for our side?"
The Negaforce answered affirmatively. "Yes Queen Beryl. But you got him just in time. He was about to die. First I must restore him to full strength and then remove all traces of the memories he gained about his past and the Moon Princess. Then he will serve our cause faithfully."
Queen Beryl was tremendously relieved. Then she made announcement that she wanted to see all her army members in her throne room in the next ten minutes except for Titus, Dream Dolly and Ramwoir.

So Zoicite, the Plant Trio, the Gemini Twins, Malachite, Yasha and even the Seven Shadows assembled before their monarch. First she spoke to Castor and Pollux. "I'm very glad to find out you're both still alive. Now that the Sailor Scouts have the Imperium Crystal it is imperative that we get it back off them. I want you to work together with the rest of my forces to accomplish this."
"We pledge ourselves to your service Queen Beryl."
Castor and Pollux humbly bowed then Beryl continued, "Malachite since your hands will not be healed for a good while yet, you shall take command of things here and send out the Gemini Twins and the Plant Trio on the missions you set forth. Got that?"
"Yes Queen Beryl," Malachite humbly bowed and so did Yasha when Beryl decreed that he would continue to wait on Malachite and help him with his injuries.

Then Beryl changed her tone. "Now I have a little question for you Zoicite." She produced the shard and held it up high for all to see. "Can you explain to me how Tuxedo Mask came to have this buried in his stomach when I transported him here?"
Zoicite trembled slightly and said, "I'm sorry your majesty. It was an accident."
Beryl waved her free hand over her crystal ball and gazed into it. "Oh yes," her voice dripped with frightening sarcasm. "I can see what happened Zoicite. I see how first you accidentally severed the cables to the elevator. And next there was another accident unforeseen with this weapon I'm holding. It was really unfortunate wasn't it?"
Everybody was beginning to tremble and quake. Zoicite most of all. Then as she tried to speak Queen Beryl thundered in rage,
"Did you really think you could hide the truth from me? You have been warned for the last time!"
Malachite and the Plant Trio tried to intercede for Zoicite and she whined in fear, "Please don't turn me over to the Doom and Gloom Girls Queen Beryl."
Malachite and the others kept their desperate pleadings while Beryl screamed, "The Doom and Gloom Girls are not going to deal with you ever again!"
And with that she hurled the shard with deadly precision sending it deep into Zoicite's belly.
"Nooooo!" Malachite cried. The Plant Trio shrieked in horror and Yasha, Castor and Pollux were open-mouthed and bug-eyed with shock. The Shadows however were all neutrally unresponsive.
Queen Beryl calmly spoke, "All who wish to say their fond goodbyes to General Zoicite have my permission to quickly do so before it's too late."

Malachite hugged her tearfully as best he could with bandaged, broken hands. "Oh Zoicite. I'm sorry. Queen Beryl should have punished me for not teaching you to be more patient," he sobbed uncontrollably.
"Malachite. Where are my best friends? Let me hug them one last time," Zoicite pleaded and Malachite consented to step aside while Gureepo, Housenka and Suzuran ran forward weeping. They all threw their arms around her.
"Madam Zoicite. It's not fair."
"You saved our lives but we are powerless to save yours."
"We have failed you."
"So have I!" Malachite moaned.
But Zoicite smiled at them all. "The only one who failed was me. You wonderful girls tried to dissuade me from seeking revenge and disobeying Queen Beryl, but I wouldn't listen to you. I'm sorry."
Gureepo sobbed, "We will miss you Madam Zoicite."
Suzuran added, "You're our best friend."
"I will miss you too. Don't ever forget me."
"We will always remember you," Housenka whimpered.
"Let me die in Malachite's arms now please," Zoicite turned her face towards him and as the Plant Trio stepped back crying he embraced her once more and kissed her tenderly.
"Don't you forget me either darling Malachite," her lips trembled and as he told her he would never do that she expired and went limp in his arms.
He stammered, "G-goodbye my sweetheart."
Yasha stood with his head bowed at a distance and even Castor and Pollux were looking sympathetically sombre.

Queen Beryl broke the silence. "Well now that that's all over I expect that you three will now get down to business and take care of the matter of executing that Titus as I ordered you to do now that the Shadow Warriors are all present and accounted for."
The Shadows pricked up their ears and one of them said, "You want our old trainer disposed of your majesty?"
"Oh yes," Queen Beryl smiled. "Titus is a disgrace. She is guilty of insubordination just like Zoicite was." She indicated the dead body lying at grief-stricken Malachite's feet. "She must die herself. That is my judgement and I command you Shadows to assist in her execution."
The Seven Shadows all unanimously agreed pledging their unquestionable loyalties to their queen and Beryl threw back her head laughing loudly.

But what nobody knew was that the Dream Dolly had decided to hide herself behind a huge cluster of rocks just nearby where she could see and hear everything that transpired. She had had to place her hand over her mouth to keep from crying out and revealing herself when Queen Beryl had killed Zoicite but upon hearing about the threat against Titus, angry tears began to well up in her eyes and she very quietly turned and snuck away being very careful to stay in the shadows out of sight as she made her departure from the throne room.

In the meantime the Sailor Scouts all made sure that all the people who had been bound and gagged inside the Starlight Tower offices were set free and unharmed. The happy crowd showered them with immense gratitude for their liberation and cheered loudly for their brave guardian heroines. Sailor Moon miraculously managed to compose herself throughout all of this. But after they said farewell and left the building she began to weep once more.
"Tuxedo Mask. Oh my Darien." The tears would not stop and the other Scouts were also deeply upset. Tuxedo Mask was dead for all any of them knew.

Luna and Artemis took charge of the situation. "This is a terrible tragedy but we must not allow it to keep us from focussing upon the threat the Negaverse imposes upon Earth," Luna told them.
"That's right," Artemis agreed. "Everybody meet us at Lita's family home straight away. We need to fill you girls in on your background. Luna and I are only just beginning to remember all the details ourselves."
So back in their civilian identities Lita explained to her parents that she and her friends were going to spend some social time privately in her bedroom along with Serena and Mina's pet cats.
"That will be fine Lita," her father grinned amiably.
"If you need anything just come and let me know," her mother cheerfully added.
"Thank you very much Mum and Dad. We will do that. Let's go girls."
Lita led them upstairs to her room with Artemis and Luna curled up innocently in Mina and Serena's arms respectively.

When they were all settled together in a circle on Lita's bedroom floor with the two cats in the center Artemis took the speaker's position. "Okay everybody. Luna and I always knew it was our duty to find you and awaken you as Sailor Scouts, but even we did not remember all the exact details of the background story until just recently. And it's a remarkable story."
He went on while they all listened, "Thousands of years ago all of us lived in peace and happiness on the moon. There was a flourishing kingdom there ruled by Queen Serenity and she had a daughter by the name of Princess Serena."
Serena's eyes bulged and she gasped, "Th-that was m-m-me!"
Luna took over. "That's right Serena. Your mother was training you along with the help of your father, King Lune-Eclipsus to take over from them as the reigning leader of all their loyal subjects."
Artemis continued, "The Moon Kingdom was the center of a united community encompassing all the planets within the inner solar system. You other four girls were the selected warrior champions of your respective planets and your own rulers agreed that you would be part of the Moon Kingdoms special defence force in honour of their union. The outer planets of Uranus, Neptune, Saturn and Pluto did not officially consent to be part of the Moon Kingdom so they stayed at a neutral distance and had no direct dealings with us."
Luna again took center stage, "But when the evil forces of Queen Beryl invaded the universe the outer planets did at least send warning that the Negaverse was on its way to attack. The four independent outer kingdoms held them off for as long as they could, but eventually Queen Beryl broke through and went straight for the jugular vein of our combined empire. The Moon Kingdom was thrashed to pieces though all of us fought with bravery and honour. King Lune-Eclipsus led the army himself and was killed by the Seven Shadow Warriors."
Artemis concluded the story, "But Queen Serenity mustered up enough magic power to defeat them and seal them away and Queen Beryl and the rest of her army were banished too. But because the Moon was destroyed and she herself was about to die she also sent her daughter and the rest of you to live happy lives on the earth. But Luna and I were sent to look for you and awaken your true identities if perchance Queen Beryl should ever break free from her place of imprisonment and threaten the universe once more."

Raye gritted her teeth. "So now we must all be united as one against the Negaverse."
Mina agreed, "Yes. We must fight together or our new home on this planet will be destroyed just like the Moon Kingdom was."
Lita and Amy also swore to fight together as one but to everybody's shock Serena said, "Count me out."
"What are you saying Serena?" Amy gasped.
Serena was beginning to cry once more. "What I'm saying is I have not got the will to fight anymore after what's happened today. I've found out that I'm the Moon Princess on top of being the Sailor Warrior of the Moon and also that dear Darien, who I thought was a total jerk, is actually my long-lost love. And he's most likely dead. He was dying in my arms and the Negaverse has probably killed him by now. How can I continue to fight in the wake of this terrible event? You four can defend the universe. I'm sorry. I just can't."
As the tears began to pour out of her eyes like a massive downpour of rain even Raye bit her tongue and bowed her head sympathetically. All of them including Artemis and Luna understood Serena's strong feelings of grief. There was nothing to do now except leave her alone to mourn.

Back in the Negaverse itself the Dream Dolly ran as fast as her little legs could carry her with her dress hitched up to join Titus and Ramwoir where they said they would be hanging out inside Titus and Jedite's personal living quarters. When she burst in out of breath they were immediately alarmed.
"Dream Dolly! What's the matter?" Titus jumped to her feet out of her chair and the Dream Dolly ran into her arms crying.
"Oh Titus. It's horrible. Queen Beryl killed General Zoicite and then she told the Plant Trio to personally execute you!"
Ramwoir also leapt out of her chair. "WHAT?" she was outraged and Titus was turning pale.
The warning that the ghost of General Nephlite had given her now made crystal clear sense. Death was to be her only reward for helping to liberate the Shadow Warriors. Not the restoration of her boyfriend Jedite.
Dream Dolly looked up at her friend with a tear-stained face. "The Shadow Warriors have been told that you are a traitor who must be put to death. They will be here any moment along with the Plant Trio to kill you. Oh, my dear friend. You must escape."

Ramwoir was furious. "I will help you escape Titus. But you will not go alone. I have more magic power reserves than our treacherous, despicable queen gives me credit for."
Concentrating hard she willed Jedite to appear in his frozen block of crystal. Titus gasped at the sight of him but Ramwoir concentrated further until the sweat was pouring down her face and the crystal cracked. The cracks spread and spread until the crystal burst into little pieces freeing Jedite, who collapsed to the floor.
Titus and the Dream Dolly were immediately by his side lifting him to his feet. "T-titus. What's going on?" he muttered in surprise.
"There's no time to explain Jedite dear," Titus replied. "We must flee together."
But suddenly the door burst open and the Plant Trio appeared. "We have orders from our queen to exterminate you Titus along with all who are by your side," Gureepo raised her thorn arm ready to strike.
Ramwoir shouted, "You two transport yourselves away with Jedite. Don't worry about me. I will hold them off with my power to slow time."
Gureepo was shooting at Titus first but the thorn was moving at a snail's pace slowed down. "But Ramwoir," she began to protest.
"Don't argue Titus or you'll all die. I'm trying to save you. Please go."
Titus began to cry but she said, "Thank you Ramwoir. I'll never forget you. Come on Dream Dolly."
Jedite was so disoriented he did not know what was happening as Titus and the Dream Dolly shifted positions to support him firmly between themselves before transporting.
But then the Shadow Warriors appeared. They were immune to Ramwoir's magic of slowing down time. Suzuran shouted at them pointing to Ramwoir, "Destroy her! She's impeding our efforts to annihilate our targets."
Ramwoir bravely stood her ground as the Seven Shadows surrounded her and engulfed her snuffing her out like a light. When Ramwoir was killed Gureepo's thorns shot out just as the others de-materialized. But she could feel a small piece of thorn break off obviously snagged inside something all the same.

All of a sudden the five girls were startled along with Luna and Artemis by the appearance of Nephlite's spirit in their midst.
"W-what is this?" Lita gasped.
"Is this an attack?" Raye was immediately defensive but Serena swallowed her sobs and wiping her eyes with her hanky spoke to calm the others down.
"No it's serious. But it's nothing to threaten us. This is Nephlite's spirit girls. He always appears to alert me whenever Molly's in danger from the Negaverse."
Amy and Raye recognized Nephlite's form and Amy was immediately concerned.
"It is you Nephlite! What's happened to Molly?"
Nephlite was very solemn. "For once it isn't Molly I'm bringing to your attention. Sailor Scouts. Don't ask me what the matter is right now but you must come with me immediately. It's most urgent."
Lita and Mina were a little skeptical but Serena assured them, "Nephlite has never led me astray since he became a ghost. Trust me on this please."
Raye and Amy sided with Serena so the others including Luna and Artemis consented.
Lita told her parents they had decided to go for a walk together now so they all said goodbye and met Nephlite outside the front door. "Follow me," he floated in front of them as they all ran towards the park.

As they approached some figures huddled together in a grove of trees in the shadows Nephlite called out, "Transform now!"
The five of them did so then they realized who Nephlite had led them to.
The Dream Dolly lay in the arms of Titus while Jedite was crouched next to them. They were both crying bitterly because their friend was pierced through her arm with a piece of Gureepo's thorn that was sucking away the life force of the Dream Dolly slowly but surely.
Sailor Mars cried, "Why have we been brought to this scene?"
Jedite and Titus looked up with tear-stained faces and the Dream Dolly just lay in Titus' lap with her eyes closed groaning.
Nephlite's ghost appeared making Jedite and Titus gasp in between their sobs.
"Sailor Scouts. Listen to me," he implored them. "Titus and Jedite were about to be killed as they were fleeing the Negaverse. You can see their friend is fatally wounded just like I was. You could do nothing to save me but I know you have the power in your wand to save her Sailor Moon."
Sailor Jupiter exclaimed with disbelief, "You want us to help part of the enemy? No way!"
Sailor Venus and Artemis were unsure about this. Luna, Mercury and Mars were somewhat hesitant though they remembered how Nephlite had changed.
Jedite was speechless with shock and confusion while Titus looked at Sailor Moon and begged, "Please save Dream Dolly if you can Sailor Moon. Remember I once spared Molly and released her."
Sailor Moon looked from Titus to each of her friends then to Titus once more. Indecision raced through her mind.
"Sailor Moon," Nephlite addressed her gently. "Titus did spare Molly. Won't you return the bit of good she did with good?"
The other Scouts all had their eyes on her wondering what she was going to do and Luna said, "Sailor Moon. I think you really should do what you know in your heart is the right thing to do."
"Yeah. Before it's too late," added Sailor Mercury.
The Dream Dolly grunted and shifted position in Titus' lap.
"She can't last much longer Sailor Moon," Nephlite warned her softly and Sailor Moon realized she needed to act and no longer delay.
Whipping out the Crescent Moon Wand she waved it round her head shouting, "MOON HEALING ACTIVATION!"
The energy emanating from the wand washed over the Dream Dolly and the thorn in her arm dissolved leaving an open wound which in turn healed itself and closed up the wood-like flesh leaving not a mark.
The Dream Dolly opened her eyes and gazed at the faces of Jedite and Titus. "What has just happened?"
They didn't answer her. They both fell upon her and hugged her tightly laughing for joy at the miracle.
Then Titus threw herself at Sailor Moon's feet thanking her grandly and Jedite followed suit.
The Sailor Scouts were all flabbergasted. They never expected things would ever come to this. The Dream Dolly was still rather weak but she smiled and said how grateful she was even while her strength was returning.

Nephlite spoke again, "Sailor Moon. You have done the right thing. There is potential for good within these three people. I can sense it like I told you before. Zoicite was pure wickedness through and through but these folk are different. Give them a chance to redeem themselves." This request was made to all the Scouts not just Sailor Moon.
Titus suddenly spoke to Jedite and the Dream Dolly, "Where can we go to be safe from the forces of Queen Beryl? She is bound to send them to track us down in the future?"
Jedite moaned with despair and the Dream Dolly sobbed.
The Sailor Scouts all looked at each other worriedly but then Sailor Mars spoke up, "There is plenty of room to hide at the Cherry Hill Temple. You can stay in one of the big spare chambers together."
Upon hearing this the three of them all burst into hopeful, joyous smiles. "You'd really do this for us in spite of all the bad things we've done?" Jedite could hardly believe it.
Sailor Mars grinned and said, "Everybody makes mistakes. Don't worry. I'll keep Grandfather and Chad heavily charmed so they'll never know you're hiding out there and I'll see you get food and everything else you need so you'll be able to stay out of sight and in the shelter of my magical protection."

And so this is precisely what happened.
As for Darien, Queen Beryl was currently watching him as he lay in the open casket being bathed in the power from the Negaforce. "Darien is a very stubborn man. Erasing his memories is taking much longer than I thought," she muttered to herself. Then she asked him who he was.
He grunted and replied, "P-prince Darien."
"You won't be much longer," Queen Beryl gritted her teeth determinedly. "When we're finished with you you will become a loyal Negaverse soldier. And your first mission will be destroying Princess Serena and delivering the Silver Imperium Crystal to me so that my Seven Shadow Warriors will be strengthened with its power and lead us to final victory."