The bell rang and the entire school left the vicinity within five minutes.  The day had been especially hard on many of the students, mostly Serena and the new kid, Matt.  Serena was once again late for class and missed her big English test by nearly ten minutes.  No surprise to her teacher, though, so nothing was too out of the ordinary there.  If anything were abnormal, it would have been the enrollment of the new kid, Matt.  He was placed in Serena’s class and, unlike the other newcomers, was ignored the entire school day.  No one wanted to ask any questions or learn more about him.  There was just something about him that repelled the students.

Matt was not enjoying the quietness surrounding him, and was really self-conscious about it as well.  His eyes darted around the room, looking to see if anyone even caught glimpse of him.  He was so busy finding people that he didn’t even notice when class started either.  Ms. Haruna had to scream to get him to look forward, and even then he was sort of spacey.

 Serena immediately took off towards the Cherry Hill Temple after school to meet with her friends.  They had all agreed to meet there for a snack and a chat after school, and Serena wouldn’t have missed it for the world.

 Matt had decided, after about ten minutes of self-debating, that he would go as well, though it seemed that none of the five really enjoyed or wanted his company.  It was something to do, and he had skipped lunch so he needed to eat.  He arrived right after Amy did, and the girl went from a brisk walk to a trot, seated herself by Rei, happily exchanged greetings with her friends, then took one of the chocolate cupcakes brought by Lita and proceeded to take a nibble.

 “Oh, there’s Matt!  Hi!”  Mina was the first to notice him and waved him over quickly.  He only picked up his pace by just a little, still in no hurry.  He sat on the stairs after receiving a dirty look from Rei.

 “Mmmmm, yummy chocolate, I love these!  Who made them?”  Serena asked Lita as she took another rather large bite of cupcake.

 The tall girl smiled.  “I did!  My own recipe!”

 “That’s so yummy, good job!”  Luna popped out from behind Serena and partook of a cupcake.  Artemis just smiled and curled up tighter in Mina’s lap, not hungry enough to eat the chocolate.

 “So Serena, late AGAIN, and right before that BIG ol’ test, I’m amazed you’re still in school.”  Rei commented wryly.  Serena growled a little and glared at Rei.

 “You’re lucky I’m in a good mood.”  Serena just giggled and took another bite of the cupcake.

 “Matt!  Want one?”  Mina held out a cupcake to Matt, whom looked at it, then at Mina, then smiled and shook his head no.

 “Sure?  They’re really good!”  She floated the cupcake in front of Matt, trying to tempt him into taking it.  Another second and it would have worked, but Rei elbowed her and promptly made her put the cupcake back.

 “What was that all about, Rei, all I wanted to do was give the guy a cupcake, lighten up!”  Mina snapped.  Lita looked at Mina with a raised eyebrow.

 “I’m still unsure of him.”  Rei whispered.  “We can’t trust him, he was working for the Negaverse, y’know.”

 “Oh, come on, I SAW him wipe Malachite’s face in the dirt, he’s with us now!”  Serena smiled at Rei.  Lita stepped in quickly.

 “We don’t know that, it could have been a trick!  It looked too easy for him, it couldn’t have been real.”

 “That was no trick, Rei.”  Luna gave her a stern face.  “I am not THAT easily fooled, give me some credit.  He IS Serenity’s bodyguard and our friend.”

 “We still should check his background, I am a little uneasy about him myself.”  Amy glanced over Mina’s shoulder to Matt, still staring into the distance, trying not to listen to the gossip.

 “Oh, come on, he saved our lives!  He’s perfectly fine.”  Mina smiled.

 “Serena beat Malachite before, she could have done it again!”  Lita snapped quickly.  “And he saved YOUR life after he endangered it.”

 “Oh, get real!”  Artemis raised his head to glare at the group.  “The situation was special, he had to wait until you guys were out before he could turn against the Negaverse.  He couldn’t risk getting nailed by an unknowing scout.”

 “Well, I say we don’t need him.  We can fight the Negaverse with just us five!”  Lita declared.  Amy and Rei nodded in agreement.  Serena, Mina, and the two cats sighed.

 “Mind if I sat here?”  Matt appeared next to Amy, pointing towards the ground where he would be completing the circle.

 Rei growled.  “Yeah, so you can look up Amy’s dress, no way you pervert!”

 Matt’s eyebrow raised a little.  “Umm, that’s not why I want to sit here.  It’s out of the way of you guys.”

 “Oh, fine…” Rei turned ninety degrees and took another cupcake.

 “Thank you.”  Matt sat in the spot where he pointed and stayed still.  Lita turned away and started a conversation with Amy.  Rei continued to stay out of his line-of-sight.  Luna jumped from Serena to Matt’s lap and curled up.  The boy smiled.

 “So how’s the school?”  Mina asked sweetly, tossing a cupcake at him before Rei could object.  It bounced on Luna’s head and Mina quietly giggled and apologized.  Matt silently nodded in appreciation, stroked Luna’s head lightly where the cupcake hit her, and then took a small bite.

 “It was okay, I suppose.  The class is nice.”  Matt smiled up to Mina.  “Not used to the uniforms, though.”

 “Don’t worry, you’ll break in.”  Mina smiled and glanced over to Rei, who was still a bit steamy.

 “Yeah, I suppose so.”  Matt took another bite of cupcake and smiled down at Luna.  “It’s nice to know I have friends in the school, too.”

 Rei glanced over and snapped.  “Not here.”

 Mina and Matt raised an eyebrow to Rei.  “Pardon?”

 “No friend of mine, Negatrash.”  Rei said quietly.

 “Still upset about that mild shock, eh?”  Matt watched Rei for a moment.

 “Mild shock, you nearly killed us!”  Rei shouted.  Her anger attracted the others into the fight, and Luna woke from her sleep from to noise.

 “Believe me, if I wanted to kill you I would have done it right then and there.”  Matt defended.  “I’m with you, one hundred percent.”

 “How can we be so sure?  You could be a spy for the Negaverse.”  Rei accused nastily.

 “Rei, that’s preposterous.”  Luna said defensively.  “You know that we’d both be feeling bad vibes from him if he was a spy.”

 “Yeah, no kidding, lighten up!”  Artemis joined in.

 Rei growled lightly and stomped off into her house.  Serena watched her leave.  “What got HER panties in a wad?”

 Matt sighed.  “I better go.  Seems I’m causing a bit of hostility here.”  He stood and turned away from the group, Luna being forced to quickly leap from his lap to the ground to avoid landing on her side.

 “No, you’re not!  Rei’s always like that!”  Serena giggled at her joke and finished off the last cupcake.  Lita and Amy briefly glanced towards Matt, then returned to their conversation.

 “Still, it may be best that I book it for now.  Ms. Haruna gave me a bit of homework for not paying attention, so I better get it done before my evening shower.  See ya!”  Matt smiled and resumed his walk home.

 Mina then raised her hand and shouted.  “Wait, Matt!”

 Matt turned and saw the girl racing towards him. She stopped short and looked up at him.  “You’re back’s all dusty.”

 He blushed and promptly wiped his rear with his hands, getting as much dust off as possible.  Matt then nodded in thanks.  “Good bye…” He turned and resumed his course.

 Mina smiled and returned to Artemis.  Rei emerged from her house and sat down in her spot.  Serena gave her a nasty look but said nothing.

 “I have to go, guys, okay?”  Amy waved to her friends and started to head home.  The girls followed suit and Artemis leapt from Mina’s lap.

 “We better go, too, your mom may start to become worried.”  The white kitty smiled and turned to head home.

 “Oh, all right.  See you guys later!”  Mina gathered her things and took off for home after Artemis.  Lita took her basket and nodded to the remaining girls, then started off for her home as well.

 Only Luna, Serena, and Rei remained.  Luna was becoming very tired and begged Serena to go home with her.

 “Oh, all right.”  Serena smiled and put her backpack on.  “See ya, dweeb!”

 Rei growled and watched the ditz run with Luna to their home.  One of these days, she swore, one of these days…

* * * *

 Queen Beryl growled at Malachite’s lousy presentation.  “You’re saying that Thanatos was a Sailor all along?”

 “I am afraid so, m’queen.”  Malachite struggled to say the words; his chest scar was still burning from where Thanatos had hit him.

 “How could you have been so blind, Malachite?  I expected more of you.”  Queen Beryl’s hands were waving over her crystal ball, attempting to locate the traitor.

 “Forgive me, m’queen.  I will not rest until I have properly disposed of him.”  Malachite swore.

 Beryl paused.  “Do you really think you can destroy him, Malachite?  You still feel pain from the wound he inflicted.  If you are to go after him, you will need someone to assist.”

 “Like who?”

 In a small swirl of dark light, Prince Darien appeared at Beryl’s side.

 “It is about time that we test his loyalties.  Bring him on your hunt for Thanatos, and return him if he shows the slightest amount of disloyalty to me, understand?”  Beryl commanded.

 “Consider it done, m’queen.”  Malachite bowed a little and glanced at Darien.  The prince smiled and disappeared in a mist of black.  Malachite departed with a pink shower.

 They both reappeared in the same spot, a street corner that was quiet at that time of night.  Darien glanced back and forth around the area until he spotted someone approaching them.

 It was Andrew, the guy that worked at the local arcade.  He had worked late after a few kids had some fun with gum and, needless to say, left a mess.  He was so intent on getting home quickly that he did not even notice the two shadowed figures aside the crosswalk.

 Malachite grinned.  “He’ll do.”  He raised his fingers and sent a shock wave down Andrew’s spine, slowly transforming him.

 The monster that was created was incredibly tall and thin, with multiple thorns protruding from its back and head.  His skeletal structure was increased in density, and his eyes grew to about double their normal size.  He wasn’t the most powerful monster ever created, but that wasn’t what Malachite was aiming for.

 “That’s the best you can do?”  Darien objected sternly.  Malachite just smiled.

 “He’ll do for what we need him for.”  He pointed towards a local building, the arcade, and grinned.  “Have fun, Cricket!”

 The Cricket grinned menacingly and pranced towards the arcade, planning to do just as his master wished.

* * * *

 Mina heard a siren from downtown and rose from her not-so-sound slumber, waking Artemis in the process.  The cat shrugged and snapped his ears.  “What’s that?”

 “It’s a police siren!  Something’s up downtown!”  Mina replied.  “I have a bad feeling about this.”

 “Yeah, me too, we better go check it out.”  Artemis agreed.  “Get your communicator, call the other scouts.  There’s more sirens on the way.”

 Mina nodded and promptly sent a message to the scouts to wake them, then grabbed her henshin wand.  She quickly shouted “Venus, Power!”  Soon after, she transformed into Sailor Venus after a brief but flashy display.

 “You go check it out, Artemis!  I have to go somewhere first…” Venus ordered.  Artemis nodded and took off for the area of the public disturbance.

 Venus had someplace to go, first.

* * * *

 Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, and Moon were the first to arrive on the scene, to see a tall little monster wrecking havoc across downtown.  Overhead were Malachite and Darien, laughing at the immense fun.  Sailor Moon nearly fainted.

 “That’s Darien up there!  What’s he doing with that Negasleeze?” She shouted.

 Jupiter’s eyes narrowed on the prince.  “That’s Darien, but that’s not Darien…”

 “They must have brainwashed him!  He’s with the Negaverse now!”  Mercury cried out.  Mars growled.

 “No way they’re taking him…”

 Malachite noticed some commotion and turned his head ever so slightly to see the scouts.  “We have company, but Thanatos is not with them.”

 “No problem, this way we can capture the sailors and force them to turn Thanatos over to us for their safety.”  Darien suggested smiling.

 Malachite smiled.  “So far, so good.”

 “Hey, you!”  Sailor Moon shouted and pointed right at Malachite.  “Give him back!”

 Malachite laughed a little.  “Cricket!”

 The monster stopped his rampage and grinned at Malachite.

 “Get them.”

 The Cricket grinned and fired a stream of needles from his back right at the scouts.  They were all quickly snuffed by a shot of Mars’s Fire Soul.

 “Darien, I believe it is time that we combined our efforts and started to round up some sailors, agreed?”

 The prince nodded with approval and darted quickly to the battle scene, where the cricket had just received a taste of Jupiter’s Supreme Thunder and was downed in a flash.

 “Darien!  What are you doing?”  Mars shouted loudly.  “Why are you with this jerk?”

 Malachite appeared right beside Darien.  “He’s with the Negaverse now.  The old Darien is no more.”

 Sailor Moon gasped.  “No… you…” She sneered and clenched her crescent moon wand at her side.

 Darien grinned and rose his sword.  Malachite’s arms flared with energy, ready to strike.

 Jupiter rose her arms to attack, but Sailor Moon jumped and dropped them quickly.  “Don’t hurt him!”

 “What gives, he’s with them, you heard Malachite!  We have to strike him down so you can heal him with your wand!”  Jupiter explained quickly.

 “Unlikely.”  Darien snickered a minute then leapt high and appeared behind the sailors.  Malachite released a large wave of energy to surround the sailors quickly and Darien intercepted the energy to close in the gap, trapping the sailors inside.

 Mars had other plans.  She ducked and rolled under the energy blots as they were fired from Malachite, escaping from the trap as easily as it was cast.  She growled and launched her Fire Soul attack at the busy Malachite, hoping to nail him while he was busy.

 Her plan backfired.  Malachite’s energy acted as a barrier, which repelled the fire right back.  She fell to the ground, her skin charred and black in some areas, and her clothing had been seared to near rags.  She lied there, groaning in pain.

 “Sailor Mars, no!”  Mercury shouted.  Sailor Moon looked at Darien, her eyes full of tears.  “No…”

 Darien chuckled.  “Poor Mars, she had it coming.”

 Malachite’s face turned from one of happiness to one of anger.  “Where’s Thanatos?”

 “What do you want with him?”  Jupiter asked sternly.  “Want your old comrade back?”

 “I don’t call traitors comrades!  Now where is he, before I crush you all!”  Malachite snapped.  He then kneeled and yelped in pain.  Artemis had swiped at his legs and forced his energy to drop for a split second, enough for Sailor Jupiter to roll out of the barrier.  Malachite growled and kicked the cat away quickly, then restored the barrier.

 “Damn, Jupiter’s out…” Darien muttered.

 “No matter.  She can’t hit either me or you thanks to our barrier.”  Malachite restored his faith and demanded again, “Where’s Thanatos?”

 As in response to his question, a voice called out and a roaring beam of black light and energy shot out and smashed into Malachite’s energy beams, disabling the energy and searing his hands.  Almost immediately after, another voice called and a shining beam of light smashed into Darien’s shoulder, spilling a little blood onto the pavement.   The two sailors inside were released and the protection around Malachite and Prince Darien were gone.

 Sailor Mars weakly glanced up and saw Sailors Venus and Thanatos drop from the sky into the battlefield.  Darien growled and raised his sword in defense while Malachite just backed off.

 “Looking for me, Malachite?”  Thanatos said mockingly.

 Malachite just growled.  “Damn you…”

 “I suggest you take your leave.  Quickly.”  Venus demanded sweetly and with a smile.

 Both Negaverse servants sneered and disappeared.

 Thanatos glanced towards the fallen Cricket, which had not moved.  He glanced to Sailor Moon.  “Heal the monster.  I’ll take care of Mars.”

 The girl nodded, trusting Thanatos would restore her.

 Thanatos knelt to Sailor Mars and held her around the stomach lightly so as to cause minimum pain.  Mars squirmed a little, both in pain and in anger over Thanatos, but she sighed in relief once Thanatos performed his regeneration magic.  Her burns started to lightly return to normal while even her clothes were becoming mended.  Soon she was restored to full strength.

 “Are you okay?”  Thanatos asked after the magic was completed.  Sailor Mars looked up at him bewildered.  He’s Negatrash, why would he…

 “Thanks again!”  Sailor Moon called out after her healing power was cast.  “Andrew’ll be fine, just unconscious.  I’ll get him home, okey doke?”

 Thanatos nodded and turned to Mars, then stood once he saw that she could sit upright.  He looked at Mercury, then Jupiter, and then disappeared in a brief but bright black and blue flash.

 Mars sighed.  Perhaps he ISN’T a spy… but we’ll see.