CHAPTER 34
As soon as Gureepo and Housenka arrived back at the Negaverse with a very dazed and disoriented Tuxedo Mask they urgently spoke to Queen Beryl.
"Quickly your Majesty. Sailor Moon began to restore Prince Darien's memories with the Silver Crystal."
"We brought him back before she could complete the process."
Queen Beryl sprang out of her throne and commanded the Doom and Gloom Girls, "There's no time to waste. Put him in the process of erasing his memories once more."
As they complied dragging Tuxedo Mask away Gureepo and Housenka were half relieved but half scared with uncertainty as to what Queen Beryl would do to them in the end.
Beryl slowly approached them step by step with a very stern expression on her face. Then while they were trembling with legs like jelly she raised her hand and suddenly slapped them in the face, one after the other. As they recoiled gasping in shock and putting their fingers up to their stinging cheeks Beryl spoke icily, "That is for failing to get the Silver Crystal. But for bringing back Tuxedo Mask in time that is all I'm going to do to punish you on this occasion."
Even Gureepo and Housenka themselves agreed with Malachite, Suzuran and the Gemini Twins when they gathered together afterwards that that was an exceptionally generous display of mercy for Queen Beryl's standards.
"You were let off very easily. My poor arms were sore and uncomfortable for two whole days," Suzuran remarked with a pained grimace at the memory while Castor and Pollux held their tails and looked at them.
"Our tails are still badly bruised. We won't be able to attach them together and fight again for awhile still yet," Pollux groaned.
"My hands are just about healed. But like you I won't be ready to fight till they are completely better," Malachite muttered. "You three will have to all go together on our next plan," he addressed the Plant Trio.
"We are at your service General Malachite," Gureepo spoke while she and the other two loyally bowed.
"Thank you. I knew I could count on you. Now Yasha. Bring me my magic mirror."
Yasha obediently walked over holding the mirror carefully in his strong hands and lifting it up before his master's face. "Here you are Lord Malachite."
"Thank you Yasha. Show me what the Sailor Scouts are going to be doing in the future."
As he stared into the mirror his eyebrows rose in wonder. "Well well. This is interesting my friends. The magic mirror shows me a picture of the five Sailor Scouts against a backdrop of the Pine Cone Ski Resort amidst the snow-covered hills and trees. This is a sign that in their secret identities they are planning to go on a holiday there."
Suzuran cried out in deep enthusiasm, "Then the three of us will go there and set up the trap you will devise Lord Malachite."
"Excellent," Malachite turned away from the mirror and Yasha set it carefully aside. "I will think of a perfect plan to set our enemies up. And one more thing. If Queen Beryl sends Darien to help, watch him very closely. From what you've told me happened recently I wouldn't naively assume our queen's control over him is absolute. He seems to be stronger than she gives him credit for. We can't afford to risk his interference when he is supposed to be giving us assistance."
"We will proceed with caution in all areas our Commander," pledged Suzuran and the other two gave their agreement.
They were all deeply concerned about the Tuxedo Mask issue. Would he be able to resist the power of Queen Beryl once more?
As for the girls they were indeed very excited about their holiday. Chad had announced to Raye and her grandfather that every year around this time he took a trip to visit his mother and father in their elegant mansion nearby the Pine Cone Ski Resort and Raye had an inspiring idea. "Hey Chad! Do you suppose your parents would mind if me and my friends went to stay with them along with you. I'd so enjoy a little holiday in the snow and I'd really love to be able to take my friends with me."
Raye figured they deserved a little fun and recreation after fighting the Negaverse for so long.
Chad thought for a moment, then said, "I suppose they'll be okay with that. They have plenty of rooms galore after all. They could practically operate their mansion as a Ski Resort themselves in competition if they wanted to. But they are not interested in that. They're rich enough and enjoy living in retirement."
"Thank you Chad. You don't mind this, do you Grandfather?"
Grandfather grinned, "I'll be able to look after things at the Temple while you're away Raye. I hope you and your friends have fun. I think a break will do you some good."
Raye was very grateful to both Chad and her Grandfather and called her friends at once with the good news. Serena and Mina asked if they could bring Luna and Artemis and Chad spoke to his parents on the phone and said they didn't mind at all. As long as the cats were well-behaved and house-trained.
So they all set off on the train together waving goodbye to all their respective family members. Even Luna and Artemis were looking forward to the holiday, though they feared the possibility of a surprise attack by the Negaverse and urged the five girls privately to stay wary at all times.
As for everybody else they left the train station after seeing them off and returned to their normal routines. Everybody except for Grandfather that is. Raye had made sure he was appropriately charmed with her strongest magic and three times a day he would prepare and deliver food which he took to a room at the Cherry Hill Temple he believed to be unoccupied. But Jedite was hiding there along with Titus and the Dream Dolly. Both women were now spending all their time in their human appearances and they always took the food from Grandfather, who had a vacant stare on his face. He never registered seeing them or remembered what he had done with the food he'd cooked. Only the Sailor Scouts, Luna and Artemis knew that these three people were secretly hiding at the temple to avoid being killed by the forces of Queen Beryl.
When they reached their destination everybody was excited to see the snow. "This is going to be a wonderful skiing holiday!" Mina joyfully burst out and the others agreed. Even Serena was keen to try her hand at skiing.
When they met Chad's mother and father at their home they were so very friendly and shook hands with each of them after embracing their son. "Very pleased to meet all of you," said Chad's dad.
His wife smiled and her eyes beamed. "We hope you'll enjoy your time here with us. You can set up your rooms then join us by the fireplace for hot chocolate."
The girls expressed their thanks and in no time at all they were unpacked and seated around a cosy, roaring fire sipping mugs of steaming hot chocolate. Luna and Artemis were curled up on the rug settling down to enjoy a little catnap together while everybody chatted.
Raye was amazed. "I had no idea you were quite as rich as this Chad. Why do you stay with Grandfather and myself, when you have this beautiful place you could call home?"
Chad was on his knees stoking the fire with the poker and he turned smiling, "Let's just say I enjoy your company very much. You as well as your Grandfather Raye."
Raye gulped and blushed while Serena grinned showing her teeth and softly laughing.
"Our boy Chad has always followed the desires of his own choices since he became old enough to leave home for himself," his dad explained and his mum backed that up.
"When Chadwick makes up his mind he will act decisively upon it."
Chad was slightly embarrassed at being called Chadwick, but he laughed and winked at his mother when she spoke.
As they were finishing their drinks Lita said, "So are you all ready? I'm looking forward to tackling those slopes and feeling the wind blowing upon my body."
"Yeah! Let's do it!" the other girls all said this simultaneously sharing Lita's enthusiastic curiosity for the experience.
Chad took them all to meet somebody who could teach them all they needed to know about skiing. "This is a friend of mine. Sharon Kincaid, but her nickname is "Stormy". She's a professional ski instructor who works at the Pine Cone Ski Resort."
Stormy shook hands with each of the girls who introduced themselves by name. "I'm delighted to meet all of you. I'll teach you how to ski. The reason I'm known as "Stormy" is because of the way my hair blows and whips in the wind when I zoom down the slopes. Just like the way you'd expect a really massive windstorm would make my hair move."
The girls all gasped in awe and Stormy went on to say, "Come with me and join the rest of my current class. We're about due to begin our lesson and they'll all be waiting at the resort."
As they walked off the Plant Trio were watching invisibly. "Did you see those girls? There are five of them," said Suzuran.
"Yes. They could be the five Sailor Scouts in disguise," Gureepo was excited. "Furthermore the one with the really long yellow pigtails looks very much like the girl Housenka and I saw at the finishing school who could throw the discus as remarkably as Sailor Moon throws her tiara."
Housenka fully agreed, "I believe she could be our enemy. When we get a chance we must bring that ski instructor under our power and use her to trap Sailor Moon."
"Sounds very good girls," Suzuran added. "There must be no more failure. We must destroy Sailor Moon and deliver the Imperium Crystal to our queen."
Housenka and Gureepo couldn't have agreed more with Suzuran. Queen Beryl's patience was wearing dangerously thin.
The girls had a big surprise when they met the rest of the group. Especially Amy who was so overjoyed to see who was also learning to ski.
"Greg!" she shouted and ran to him with open arms.
As they embraced Lita explained to Mina that Greg was a good friend of Amy's. Greg shook Mina's hand. "Very pleased to meet you Mina."
"Likewise you Greg."
As they all put their skies on and picked up their sticks Greg was thinking hard to himself. He had not been in the least surprised for he had known that he would meet the Sailor Scouts while he and his parents were on vacation. But there was something else he could sense was going to happen soon. He had to tell Amy as soon as they were alone after the lesson.
When Stormy had finished the instruction class Serena and Raye decided to do a little gentle skiing together by themselves while Lita and Mina both felt like a special treat.
"Let's go buy ourselves some ice cream sodas Mina."
"That sounds like a swell idea Lita. See you later Raye and Serena."
"Bye. We won't be out for too long. I hope," Raye muttered the last part.
Serena was so thrilled about her first time on skies and Raye more or less was going with her because she thought somebody ought to keep a watchful eye on her.
"Oh I'm skiing! I'm skiing! This is wonderful Raye. I could do it all day."
Raye thought to herself, "Until you start getting hungry at least you Meatball Head." But she resisted the temptation to say this out loud and smiling she thought, "Well perhaps I should be more patient with her. She hasn't done anything stupid or reckless and she's having fun. Like we came here to do in the first place. So I'll ski down the gentle Bunny Slopes for beginners with her. Can't do me any harm."
With that she and Serena waved goodbye to their friends and gently pushed themselves away with their sticks.
"Hey Amy. Do you want to come with Mina and I or maybe you'd like to spend some personal time with Greg?" Lita said this and winked at her.
Amy giggled and turned to Greg who was standing next to her. As she took his hand Mina turned to Lita and winked at her.
"I think we both knew what the answer was going to be Lita. So long for now Amy and Greg."
After Lita and Mina took their leave Greg suddenly became serious. "Amy it is so wonderful to be alone with you but before we can have fun together I must warn you about something."
"Is this another of your precognitive visions Greg?" Amy was very intense as she made her inquiry.
"Yes. I see only small vague images. But they seem to involve Serena. I don't know exactly what will happen yet but I think it may be a Negaverse attack."
"Oh no! Greg can you please try to get a clearer picture? This sounds extremely serious."
"I will. I must concentrate hard. I remember how the last time we met I couldn't see the clear picture of what exactly would happen when the Negaverse turned me into a monster. But I've been practicing hard at improving my skills Amy. I-I must do my very best for Serena's sake."
With that Greg scrunched his eyes tightly shut and clenched his fists setting them upon his chin while Amy watched wide-eyed with worry.
Meanwhile as Serena and Raye were going down the Bunny Slopes weird things began to happen. First huge mounds of snow suddenly appeared in front of them. Serena panicked and only just managed to miss them without falling over but then she lost control.
"WAAHAAAA! Help me. I can't stop!"
Raye had also barely avoided an accident. She couldn't understand it. "I swear those miniature hills just appeared out of thin air. They were not there to begin with," she thought to herself. Then as Serena started wailing she yelled out urgently, "Serena don't panic! Just use your snow plough to help steady you like Stormy said. And these are the Bunny Slopes for crying out loud! They're easy and gentle."
"Oh yeah? So what about that surprise obstacle? And how does my snow plough work? I've forgotten in the shock of the moment."
Raye groaned, "If you break your leg or your arm on these simple hills because of your silly overreactions don't whine at me about it!"
The next thing Raye knew a huge mound of snow mysteriously formed itself into a giant snowball and started tumbling down behind her. She gasped and cried out, "Look out Serena! There's an avalanche behind us!"
Serena was still hopelessly trying to stay upright ahead of Raye and she screamed, "You do something Raye! You know I have no control!"
Up above the Plant Trio were floating in mid-air. They had brainwashed Stormy and sent her skiing off after Serena and Raye. With Negaverse sorcery Stormy had caused these misfortunes to befall the two girls and she was right behind the avalanche in perfect control.
"Time for the coup de grace," said Housenka and the three of them concentrated hard influencing Stormy to magically open a chasm in front of Serena and Raye. Still pathetically screaming Serena disappeared down the chasm. Raye had no idea what was going on but pushing on her ski sticks as hard as she could she caught up to Serena and tackled her to the ground before she could crash into the huge wall at the end.
As for the avalanche the Plant Trio instructed Stormy to close up the canyon except for the small rectangular hole where the two girls were huddled and as they watched in fright the walls crashed and fused together crushing the giant snowball which formed a snowy slope trapping them.
Raye and Serena did try to climb up the snow to get out. Raye grunted as they both tried grimly to scale the slope side by side. "Watch your step Serena. This is made of nothing but snow. It's very slippery."
Raye and Serena tried to be very careful but it was just too slippery. They only managed to climb short distances before their feet began to slip and armfuls of snow broke off in their grip sending them sliding back down. After two tries Serena gave up. "We'll never make it Raye."
"I'm not a giver-upper like you Serena. I swear I'm getting out of here before I turn into a popsicle."
As she began to climb once more Serena said, "Come on Raye. It's hopeless."
As Raye slipped for the third time Serena said, "You see what I mean?"
Raye shook snow out of her hair and angrily snapped at her, "I'm not staying with a quitter like you!"
As Raye tackled the slope once again Serena was a little hurt. "Why are you so grouchy? I'm sure somebody will come and find us."
"Yeah. Somebody from the Negaverse after your crystal will find us!"
"Huh?" Serena was taken aback and Raye grunted.
"That's right. Haven't you figured it out? These things were not natural occurences."
As this sank in Serena sat down and took the star locket out of her pocket absently. Listening to the music she thought about Tuxedo Mask. How she wished he could still be depended on to save them from this Negaverse trap. Then she noticed Raye sit down next to her.
"Hey. I thought you were gone."
Raye sighed. "It really is too dangerous. I could be very badly injured if I made it half-way or three quarters up and slipped. I suppose there is no other option but to wait."
Sitting next to each other they both listened to the locket play.
"I hope you don't mind me playing this Raye, but it really cheers me up when I have the blues."
Raye made a slightly mournful sound while she listened and Serena suddenly shut the locket off. "Oh! I'm very sorry Raye. I didn't think about your feelings. It must be awful to be reminded of Darien right now."
But Raye turned and smiled, "Actually even though it is a little bit sad it's really very nice to think about him. Though I know it was never meant to be."
"But you still love him very much don't you?"
"Not really. It was just a silly crush. I realize that Darien wasn't seriously interested in me. He just went out with me sometimes to make me happy. I mean, it was fun imagining he was my boyfriend for awhile. But it was never like YOU and Darien." Raye had been looking up at the sky through the opening high above them. At this point though she turned to Serena with a beaming, shining, merry look on her face. "With you he's solidly devoted."
Serena's eyes had tears pricking at the back of them. "He's not anymore."
Raye became incensed. Not at Serena though. She clenched her fist and said, "That's just because the Negaverse has used their magic powers to hypnotize him and turn him against us. But we'll get him back. Just you wait and see."
At these words Serena smiled and her eyes brightened up.
But Raye went on to say something else. "But you know what? I really wish we could just blast our way into the Negaverse and overthrow Queen Beryl once and for all in a full head-on Sailor Scout ambush."
At these words Serena jumped to her feet. "Hey. Wait a minute Raye. Why didn't you mention the Scout thing sooner so we could think to transform ourselves and get out of here?"
Raye got to her feet on the defensive. "What? I can't think of everything you know. You should be able to think for yourself you Meatball Head!"
Serena passed the buck back. "Well I'm a princess you know. Royal people should be able to depend upon their servants."
"You're such a royal pain in the neck," retorted Raye. But in anger the two of them were about to transform when a familiar voice called out to them.
"Hey Raye!" it was Chad. He was standing at the top of the pile of sloping snow.
Raye cried out in surprise, "Chad! Where did you come from?"
"I was skiing nearby when I saw the two of you get boxed into this mysterious canyon by the avalanche. I noticed you were both unharmed but trapped so I zipped off on my skis as fast as I could and borrowed this strong cord of thick rope from the resort."
Holding on to one end he trailed it down the snow hill near their feet. "Grab on and I'll help you climb out."
But just then a voice called out, "Hold it!" It was Gureepo. She, Housenka and Suzuran suddenly materialized in front of Chad making him drop the rope in fright. It fell all the way down the slippery snowslide to his dismay.
"Oh no!" he yelled but he had more things than that to worry about. Stormy suddenly materialized in between him and the Plant Trio and she was transformed into an intimidating ugly creature.
"Put this pest on ice!" Suzuran commanded pointing at Chad and Stormy opened her mouth emitting an icy cold breath that literally froze Chad as he tried to raise his arms to defend himself. He became an ice-encrusted statue with a shocked expression on his face.
Raye had had enough. "Come on Serena. Let's show these Nega-creeps we mean business."
Serena whimpered, "What if we get turned into popsicles too Raye?"
"That's probably what will happen if we do nothing anyway Serena," Raye yelled angrily. "So you'd better get some backbone up."
Serena flinched at Raye's rebuke but she knew what she said was right so she put on a stern attitude of determination and shouted, "Moon Prism Power!"
As she transformed Raye made her move too, "Mars Power!"
"It seems we have two of the Sailor Scouts including Sailor Moon," observed Housenka looking down from above.
"That's right. I'm the Champion of Justice," Sailor Moon called up to them, "And in the Name of the Moon,"
"And on behalf of Mars also," Sailor Mars cut in.
"We will triumph over evil trash like you," Sailor Moon finished.
"So do you want to come down to us or shall we leap up and out of here to fight you?" Sailor Mars issued her scathing challenge but just then another voice they recognized declared loud and clear,
"The answer is neither of those two options because I'm coming down to you all by myself!"
The two Scouts gasped as the figure of their fallen hero Tuxedo Mask jumped all the way down to land smoothly and agilely on his feet before them.
"Queen Beryl has sent me to get that crystal and I'm not giving you another opportunity to try its corrupting mumbo-jumbo on me like last time Sailor Moon!" As he stated this he drew a black rose out of his cape and threw it at them. They shrieked as it stuck in the ice rock wall behind them in between their heads. He threw a second one that came very close to Sailor Moon's face that time.
"I've got plenty so I suggest you hand over the Imperium Crystal and don't try anything funny with it," he warned as he drew a third black rose while speaking.
"Tuxedo Mask! Don't do this. We're your friends," Sailor Moon begged and Sailor Mars also tried to reason with him.
"Don't you remember how we used to fight the Negaverse together? You would always come to help us defeat these monsters."
"That's right. And I'm Serena. The Moon Princess you were searching for. You must remember how much we mean to each other!"
Sailor Mars pointed to Sailor Moon, "Yes please try to remember. You must retain some traces of your memories."
As Tuxedo Mask hesitated his rose started to turn bright red. The Plant Trio were watching very carefully above.
"Do you suppose he is in conflict with his loyalties?" Gureepo asked the others.
"I don't know but I don't like the way that other Scout is drawing Sailor Moon to his attention," said Suzuran.
"I agree," Housenka concurred. "We should destroy her. Let's get the monster we've created out of this person to kill her quickly."
So the three of them presented Stormy with a crystal spear and commanded her to impale Sailor Mars throughout her body. The creature obeyed jumping into the chasm with her legs up in the air, holding the spear straight downwards aiming at the top of Sailor Mars' head.
All of a sudden Tuxedo Mask looked up, shouted, "Watch out!" and threw his rose at the spear snapping its point off. Sailor Moon and Sailor Mars looked above them and gasped. Sailor Mars quickly jumped to the side so that the monster came crashing to the ground at her feet. The rose that Tuxedo Mask had thrown was stuck in the ice wall halfway to the top as red as a traffic stop light.
"He saved your life Sailor Mars!" Sailor Moon exclaimed.
At the top of the chasm the Plant Trio saw this and prepared to attack together with Suzuran's sonic blast, Housenka's exploding seed pods and Gureepo's horrible thorn arm.
But before they had the opportunity they were suddenly attacked themselves.
"VENUS CRESCENT BEAM SMASH!"
"JUPITER THUNDER CRASH!"
The golden-yellow crescent beam broke off Gureepo's thorn attack just as she proceeded to shoot it out towards her targets below and then the electrifying thunder clap charge blew all of them off their feet. They landed flat on their backs.
As they all raised their heads groggily they saw Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Venus standing before them along with Greg and Sailor Mercury. Greg had concentrated very hard with all his might and had finally detected what was happening to Serena and Raye and where to find them. He and Amy had wasted no time in alerting Lita and Mina and they had transformed and ran off following Greg's psychic lead.
As Sailor Mercury attempted to disorient the Plant Trio even further with her Bubbles Blast attack Sailor Mars cried out to Sailor Moon indicating the creature that was really poor Stormy,
"Hurry before this monster gets to its feet!"
Sailor Moon whipped out the Moon Crescent Wand. "MOON HEALING ACTIVATION!"
In seconds the monster was changed back to Stormy Kincaid, who collapsed in a dead faint.
But when she and Sailor Mars looked around they found that Tuxedo Mask had disappeared and cries from their friends above drew their attention skywards.
Tuxedo Mask was shielding the Plant Trio from further attack. As the three of them helped each other rise to their feet Tuxedo Mask declared with a loud voice, "Sailor Moon! I have saved you and your friends this time though I don't understand why. I will not necessarily do it again. We are true enemies. Next time I'll get that crystal."
Jupiter, Venus and Mercury just couldn't bring themselves to attack Tuxedo Mask even to get at the Plant Trio.
Tuxedo Mask turned his head and addressed the Trio from behind him, "Take me back to the Negaverse. I want Queen Beryl to help me overcome the negative influences that are interfering with my mission for her."
Suzuran said to Housenka and Gureepo, "Let's do as he says before he suddenly changes again and helps the Sailor Scouts destroy us."
So the three of them grabbed hold firmly upon Tuxedo Mask and instantly they shimmered and were gone. To the dismay of the poor girls they had transported back to the Negaverse along with Tuxedo Mask.
Sailor Moon fought back tears thinking to herself, "I swear I'll set you free from the real Nega-influence that's competing for your mind and heart Tuxedo Mask. If it's the last thing I ever do."
It took no time at all for the five Sailor Scouts to get Stormy up and out of the chasm and Greg helped them gather bits of wood to make a snow campfire after they transformed back into their everyday identities. Raye slowly began to realize just how much she cared about Chad while she wrapped him in a warm blanket beside the fire. As he defrosted he gave a sneeze and asked what had happened with his teeth chattering.
"We were saved by Sailor Moon and the other Sailor Scouts Chad," Raye told him while she held him in her arms. "They brought our other friends here to us and drove off the baddies."
Stormy was still unconscious but she was breathing okay supported by Amy and Greg who had her lying down on her back with her head comfortably perched on their knees for a makeshift pillow.
Chad sat up laughing. "Those Sailor Scouts are awesome. I wish I'd been conscious at the time so I could have thanked them myself," then he looked somberly at Stormy and spoke with concern, "Is she going to be all right?"
Amy smiled. "I think so. Lita and Mina have gone to get an ambulance service. They'll take her to hospital when they get here."
Greg added reassuringly, "But we're pretty sure she will be fine. She just needs to rest for a good while."
"I'm very glad to hear that," Chad was so happy and elated for everybody.
Then Raye said, "As soon as the others return and Stormy is put in safe hands I'll be all ready for some dinner."
Serena liked the sound of dinner very much but Raye then went on to say, "Then I suggest we all go out for a little night-skiing to relax after this whole affair."
Serena did not like this part of Raye's plan one bit. "What? Haven't we spent enough time skiing for one day? Come on Raye. Why can't we stay in and play video games?"
"Serena. I came here for a skiing holiday and that's what I intend to experience with my friends."
Amy spoke up, "I agree with Raye Serena and I'm sure Lita and Mina will be keen on the prospect also."
"Yeah. It's actually very fun to ski at night. I'll join you," chimed in Greg.
Silly Serena was having one of her childish temper tantrums. "I don't want to ski anymore today."
"Fine Serena. You can stay in and play video games while the rest of us go out."
"But I want my friends to play with meeeee! Waaaaaah!"
"OH SHUT UP!" Raye roared while Amy and Greg looked at each other nervously. "This is nothing new Greg. You learn to live with conflicts between Serena and Raye."
As for Chad he was saying nothing. He was smart enough to stay out of it all.