CHAPTER 53

"So..you failed?" Dr. Richter asked.

"I had to leave sir," Axseon said. "I was not ready to fight Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask."

"Maybe you are correct, but you didn't collect any energy," Dr. Richter said.

"No, I had only managed to incapacitate the people, but before I could drain the energy...."

"Perhaps we should employ a new strategy...drain some of their energy at first....that should cause them to slow down and make them easier targets. Then if the Sailor Scouts show up, we'll have something to work with."

"Yes sir," Axseon said.

"Do not bring me failure this time though....we're still learning to harness the power of this negaenergy, but I need results and quickly."

"Of course sir."

"We're leaving now!" Mike's mother said, as she, his father, and his sister walked out the door of the house.

"Uh...bye!" Mike shouted back. He heard the car rev up and back out of the driveway, and then move down the street. He picked up the phone and dialed quickly.

"I'll get it!" Mina shouted leaping off of a couch, doing a handspring and landing next to the phone sitting on a table. She picked it up.

"Hello?" she said.

"Mina, it's Mike."

"Mike....where have you been?"

"Mina....I'm sorry. It's my sister...she's back," Mike said.

"What?" Mina said in shock.

"Yes, it's true...that's why..I haven't been able to talk to you till now."

"Your sister...then that means...."

"I'm afraid I won't be able to see you for a while."

"No...I won't let her get in the way!" Mina said with determination.

"What?"

"I've had enough of this, she can't hold you back like this," Mina said. "I will not allow my pursuit of love to be stopped!"

"Mina...don't...please," Mike said.

"I'm coming over there and I'm going to wait and then I'm going to have a little talk with your sister."

"No...Mina...I don't think you understand what you're saying."

"Just try and stop me Mike," Mina said and hung up the phone.

"I'm going to give her the bawling out of a lifetime. How dare she stand between the forces of love," Mina said and stormed out the door.

"I hope she isn't going to do something crazy," Artemas muttered looking up from the window sill he was sleeping on.

Meanwhile in a field far away from Raye's temple.

"Yaaahhh!" Chad shouted kicking quickly. Rick ducked under it and swung around low on his feet. Chad jumped out of the way and the two stood up, each then shot forward flinging out their hands, blocking and thrusting intermittently, as quickly as they could. Then they stopped.

"This just isn't working," Chad said.

"We'll never settle it this way," Rick said.

"We'd better tell Raye then," Chad said.

Minutes later they were arriving at Raye's temple.

The two slid the door open to Raye's room.

"Raye! It's time to make your decision," they said in unison. The room was empty. They glanced at each other.

"That's annoying," Rick said.

Chad nodded.

A few blocks away at a restaurant.

"So what do I do?" Raye asked.

"Hmm....that's a tough one....I don't know," Lita said.

"You shouldn't have gotten yourself into this mess in the first place," Serena said.

"Ya think?" Raye muttered sarcastically. "But it's love. And love is blind or something...or.."

"Raye, it's really up to you. You have to decide yourself. We don't have the answers," Lita said.

"Yep, it's your problem," Serena said.

"I'm surprised, I thought you two would love the chance to give me advice," Raye said.

"Not when the stakes are this high," Lita said.

"Yeah....I'm not touching this one," Serena said.

"What do you know? I like both of them. If I had dumped one of them earlier, they still would have been hurt," Raye said.

"Probably....but now..it'll hurt more," Lita said.

"Uh huh," Serena said.

"I know," Raye admitted. "That's why it's so hard for me. I'll see you later," she said and walked out.

"Hmm.....I'd never want to be in her shoes," Serena said.

"Me neither," Lita said.

"So...when's your date with Steve?" Serena said.

"Six....he's taking me to this French restaurant," Lita said.

"Really? Steve is?"

"Yeah," Lita said. "Don't try and sound so surprised. We'll figure this relationship out yet."

"Uh huh....I'm sure you will," Serena said skeptically.

"So when are you and Darrien going to the mall?"

"Five....I can't wait....I am determined the spend the whole summer with him," Serena said.

"When you're not fighting off our latest enemy of course, right?" Lita asked.

"Uh..right," Serena said. "Of course you know..Lita..maybe this is your chance to really take charge."

"What?"

"Well...sure....maybe you should be the leader for a while," Serena said.

"Serena..you're just trying to get rid of the workload?" Lita said.

"Yes, and I intend to put a lot of effort into doing so," Serena said.

Lita laughed. Serena did too.

Several more blocks away at Amy's studying apartment.

"Advanced Physics Volume Five?" Greg asked reading the side of a book sitting on a bookcase.

"Yes, I've been moving right along," Amy said.

"Uh...I may have been at the top of my class, but even I didn't go that far," Greg said.

"I guess I just like to do the work," Amy said.

"Yeah..well that's fine," Greg said. "Um...Amy....you know..I like you a lot."

"That was pretty obvious," Amy said. "You know I feel the same way."

"Well..um..yeah...that's great...but are we sure..we should...be together?"

"What do you mean?" Amy asked.

"Well..think about it. When we first met, I had just transferred in, was doing pretty well on tests because of my telepathic cheating...and...well...then...the negaverse showed up...did you like me then?"

"Of course I did Greg. I like you more now, especially since you're proven yourself to be a hard worker, and your willingness for self sacrifice meant a lot," Amy said.

"Uh...I guess that's good...but...I can't help wondering what would have happened if the negaverse was never involved," Greg said. "I probably would have never...I mean..we wouldn't...have..you know.."

"Maybe, maybe not..." Amy said. "The important thing I guess is that we're together now."

"But is it that way things are supposed to happen?" Greg asked.

"I'm sure it's not the normal way people get together....but..it worked," Amy said.

"You're pretty sure of that," Greg observed.

"Yes, that's odd isn't it?" Amy said.

Greg nodded.

"Of course maybe it's because destiny has brought us together and kept us together so many times, it must mean something," Amy said.

"Amy....I.....wish we didn't have to rely on fate," Greg said. Amy blushed.

"So do I," Amy said. "Maybe we won't have to anymore."

"I hope so," Greg said. But I still don't have the real answer to my question. He thought.

When Raye reached the top of the temple steps and saw Rick and Chad sitting there, she stopped a second and thought about whether she should turn and run for it, but then she kept going and soon stood in front of them.

"Uh...hi," she said.

"Raye...it's time for you to make a decision," Rick said.

"Yeah...we can't keep going this way..it's either him or me," Chad said.

"Uh..." Raye said and tensed.

"Well?" the two said.

"Don't pressure me," Raye said. "I need more time. Give me a day."

Chad and Rick glanced at each other.

"Fine," Rick said.

"You got it," Chad said.

"One day," The two said in unison. "That's it."

"Now leave me alone," Raye said and walked into her room.

"Uh..Mina...please...this isn't the way to do this," Mike said as Mina sat in his room.

"Mike..we have to confront her," Mina said.

"But Mina..she's strong and dangerous...she's practically insane."

"I don't care...your the only boyfriend I ever had and I'm not about to lose you," Mina said a teardrop forming in one of her eyes.

"Uh...but..Mina..I'm only doing this for your own good, my sister could..."

"Mike...I'll be fine," Mina said.

"I don't think so," Mike said.

"You underestimate the ability of a girl who has felt the arrow of cupid and now has liquid love flowing through her bloodstream," Mina said.

"Liquid love?" Mike asked.

"No, I wouldn't expect you to understand," Mina said with some indignance.

"Ehh...I'm glad I don't," Mike said.

There was the sound of a car pulling into the driveway.

"They're back," Mike said.

"It's about time," Mina said and headed for the door.

"I can't let you do that Mina," Mike said sorrowfully.

"We're home!" Mike's mother shouted as she opened the door.

"Mike! Where are you? You louse!" Mike's father shouted.

"Uh...I'm right here," Mike said appearing at the top of the stairs.

"Anything happen while we were gone?" Mike's mother asked.

"Yeah..." Mike's sister asked with a sinister grin she quickly got rid of before her parents could see.

"No...no...nothing at all...nothing you need to know about..." Mike said nervously.

Meanwhile, Mina, now bound and gagged on Mike's floor was more than annoyed.

When I get free I'm going to kick some serious Leslie butt, the only question is whether I beat up Mike or his sister first. She thought and struggled.

Several minutes later.

How can I make this decision? Raye thought sitting in front of the sacred fires again.

"Please sacred fires...give me the answer I am searching for...I need to know," she said.

The flames scattered back and forth and once again she was filled with a vision. Rick lying on the ground. She stood over him and Chad was walking away.

"What does this mean?" Raye thought and sighed. "It could mean either of them!" she shouted.

"Raye? Are you all right?" her grandfather asked poking his head in the door.

"Just fine Grandpa," Raye said.

"Okay," he said and closed the door.

Maybe the fires can't give me guidance....I should stop trying to let someone else give me the answer. She thought. But how do I choose?

"Isn't this place wonderful?" Serena asked as she and Darrien wandered through the hallways of one of Tokyo's many malls.

"Sure it is," Darrien said.

"There are just so many places to go, I could spend days here," Serena said.

"Let's just keep it to a few hours okay?" Darrien said.

"Sure..Darrien," Serena said.

"Hmm..." Steve said looking over the menu.

"What?" Lita asked.

"Well...I just...don't know...I've never had this kind of food before," he said.

"To be honest, I haven't either. My last boyfriend was nice to me, until he dumped me....that pompous jerk, but...he didn't take me anywhere like this," Lita said.

"Oh..." Steve said.

"I think I'll have the filet mignon," Lita said.

"Uh...I'll eat it too, that way if it get's us sick at least we can share the hospital experience," Steve said and began to laugh.

"I assure you sir, the food here will not get you sick," A waiter said arrogantly appearing out of nowhere.

"Uh....sorry..I was just joking around," Steve said.

"Yes sir, you were," the waiter said and walked off.

"That's a little spooky," Steve said.

"Uh..yeah," Lita said. Hopefully that's the only problems we'll have tonight. I so hope this works out.

"Mina, I'm sorry, I'll let you go in a minute..but you have to promise me you won't go after my sister," Mike said.

Mina shook her head.

"Come on Mina...there's nothing I can do about this," Mike said.

Mina just glared at him.

The door swung open.

"Hey Mike..wanna...what's this...you've got your girlfriend tied up on the floor? That's interesting," his father said.

"Oh...uh we were just....acting out a scene in this play we were in...." Mike said nervously.

"Oh....you mean at school?"

"Uh yeah..we didn't do it right the first time we practiced...so we just wanted to see if we could now...ahem..." Mike said.

"Right, I gotcha," Mike's father said. "Why don't you untie her now and take her down to meet your sister...I'm sure they'd like to meet each other."

"Uh....yeah.....right," Mike said and practically feinted as his father closed the door.

Kids these days. Kidnaping his own girlfriend?

"Okay...that's the last of them," Mike said untying the ropes. Mina slapped him.

"I...know..I deserved that," Mike said.

"You're right about that!" Mina shouted.

"Dinner is served," the waiter said and laid a plate in front of both Steve and Lita.

"This looks good," Steve said.

"Smells good too," Lita said. Steve moved to dig in and then stopped abruptly.

"Hmm..I guess I'm supposed to show some edicate here aren't I?" he asked.

"Fraid so," Lita said. Steve took his knife and began to cut the filet mignon into sections...he then stuck a fork into the first section, it didn't come out easily..

"Hey..it's not totally cut..stinking thing," Steve said. He stuck the knife into the rest of the filet and pulled with his fork, a small piece of mignon bounced up, over Lita's head and bounced off the head of a man sitting behind them.

"Who did that?" The man said whirling around and standing.

"Hey...calm down.." Lita said.

"Did you do that?" he said angrily.

"No," Lita said.

"Hmm...you're probably lying. I'll have you all know I'm a very important man! Now! Admit it! Who did it!" the guy said.

"He did!" someone said and pointed at Steve.

"Yeah," Several more said.

"Hey..lay off, he's only a kid," someone else said.

"Yeah...."

"I'm not going to lay off...how dare he assault me with his food," the man said.

"Throw him out!" someone shouted.

"Leave him alone!" Someone else shouted, and to Lita and Steve's shock, a bunch of well dressed businessmen, soon were all standing, on either side of their restaurant angrily shouting at each other. Then a punch was thrown, then another, and soon the entire restaurant was filled with civilized society duking it out. Lita and Steve just continued to watch in complete surprise.

"So this is the Mina I've heard about," Mike's sister said cordially as the four Leslie's and Mina sat in the living room.

Mina was caught off guard. She must be trying to keep this act up in front of her parents. But if I don't act nice, her parents will think I'm rude.

"Uh...yeah...here I am," Mina said.

"Well...I hope you and Mike are getting along," the sister said.

"Uh....yes, except for a few times here and there," Mina said and shot a glance at Mike. He smiled nervously.

"I wouldn't want anything to happen to break you two up, you're such a cute couple," his sister said.

"Uh...we like to think so," Mina said. She is so evil. Or then again..what if Mike's wrong about her..I mean I've never seen her act like he described it. Maybe's he just exaggerating.

"Do you like this dress?" Serena said emerging from a dressing room. It was bright pink.

"A bit bright isn't it?" Darrien said.

"Well...that's point," Serena said.

"Are you trying to make sure you can be seen in the dark," Darrien said with a grin.

"No, now what do you really think?"

"Uh..it's nice..Serena..it's really not the clothes you wear that I'm attracted to.." Darrien said.

"Now you tell me," Serena snapped.

"What?"

"Do you know how much money I've spent trying to have an appealing outfit?"

"I always thought you looked cutest in your school uniform to be perfectly honest," Darrien said.

"The one I got for free," Serena said and moaned. "I'll be back out in a minute.." she reentered the dressing room and came out in the clothes she was wearing originally.

"I'm buying the dress anyway..maybe Andrew will appreciate it," She said.

Darrien grinned.

"Say..Darrien..that's the first time I've seen you smile tonight. You really haven't been yourself tonight..for that matter...in a while...what's the deal?" Serena said.

"It's nothing Serena," Darrien said.

"There you go again with that nothing...I think it's time..."

They heard a shout, then another one...

"Well..either the buildings on fire or.." Serena said.

"Our services are needed," Darrien said.

"Come on," Serena said and pulled him into the dressing room.

"Serena..I'm not supposed to be in here.."

"It's an emergency.." Serena said.

Fortunately there was no security camera in the room, and the two were able to pull out their transformation items quickly.

"Puny humans!" Axseon said and blasted another with his hands. They scattered, but fell to the ground as their energy was partially drained. Many of them had enough energy to crawl, but little else.

"Yes this is a much easier to do it," he said and continued on, blasting more as he did so.

"I've had enough of you pal!" came a female voice. Axseon looked up to see Sailor Moon standing there.

"Well...if it isn't you again..ready to finish what we started?" Axseon asked.

A rose smashed into the ground. Tuxedo Mask stood next to Sailor Moon.

"Oh...so it's the two of you...no...I will not fight you today," he said and hurried into the crowd.

"After him!" Tuxedo Mask shouted. The two heroes took off at a run. They couldn't jump because of the mall ceiling. The crowd of people still concious and now in a panic, blocked their way. Axseon cleared a path with another blast of energy and soon disappeared.

"Great..he's gone," Sailor Moon said amongst the amazed crowd. "Thanks a lot for getting in the way people!"

"Calm down Sailor Moon," Tuxedo Mask said.

"I don't have to calm down, they were interfering in a Sailor Scout operation, they should get a fine or something."

"I don't think so."

"But I'm angry," Sailor Moon whined.

"Say..I wonder why he didn't just vanish," Tuxedo Mask said.

"It probably takes energy to do it," Sailor Moon said. "But I'm mad, the guy shows up and we can't even fight a battle..and now..look..we've got people with drained energy here..and no way to get it back."

"Hmm..you're right.." Tuxedo Mask said as people were still moaning amidst their loss of energy.

Hours later, D.V. Patterson was standing on the platform that was built on the top of his house leaning against the rail that ran around the platform's perimeter. Artemas sat on the rail next to them.

"So...he's still got their energy..." Patterson said.

"Yes, Patterson...did I ever explain to you what it is that they're actually drawing out?" Artemas said.

"Must have missed that lecture."

"Well...basically..it's what you'd expect..at least in most of the cases..the energy taken is pure body energy..the stuff you get from eating, sleeping. It's a physical substance. People like the negaverse are able to harness this energy in another form, which gives them power. The good news, is that given rest, the humans hit will recover after some rest," Artemas said.

"That makes sense," Patterson said. "It also means that the negaverse essentially has an unlimited supply of power if it can harness it."

"If they took over the world and enslaved humanity, they would become more powerful then we could imagine," Artemas said. "But as to other matters..we've got an elusive enemy growing stronger...and now..three of our Sailor Scouts are distracted. It doesn't look good. What do you think our chances are?"

"I have no clue. Love is such a burden isn't it?" Patterson replied.

"It can be, but it does more good than harm."

"Does it really Artemas?" Patterson said.

"How would you know?"

"I don't. That's why I was asking you?"

"Patterson, love is a complex thing."

"Well..duh...that's why I don't get involved....love and war are a dangerous mix."

"In the wrong circumstances...yes...they are..let's just hope that these aren't the wrong circumstances, or the scouts may be in trouble," Artemas said. "But then again Patterson, it's love that keeps those girls going. All of them."

"Point taken," Patterson said.

It midnight. While Raye slept in the room below. Rick crept along the roof top of the temple.

If I appear in her dreams, maybe she'll see it as a sign of good luck. He thought and hung down over a window. He glanced into see Raye fast asleep.

She looks peaceful. He thought.

"Rick Fujimori......" he whispered..quietly. She didn't stir.

"Rick is here for you," he whispered.

"Rick is the only choice," he whispered. She didn't look like she was waking.

This is such a devious and yet great plan.

"Ah hah," came a voice above him, and before he knew it he was flung off the roof, landing in a pile of bushes below Rick looked up to see Chad standing there.

"Heh heh...that was pretty slick Fujimori, in fact, I think I'll try it," Chad said and hung down.

"Chad is the man," he whispered.

"You want Chad," he added.

"Chad is the only one," he whispered again. Then suddenly he was flung off the roof, landing next to where Rick had landed.

"Heh heh.....look at you two idiots..." Raye's grandfather said appearing on the rooftop.

Chad and Rick glanced at each other, still smarting from their falls.

"Who's there?" Raye shouted from her room.

"Nobody!" Rick, Chad, and her grandfather shouted.

"That...was a stupid thing to do," Rick said in realization a second later.

"I will agree with you there," Chad said.

"Ehh...your fault," Raye's grandfather said.

"What's going on?" Raye said appearing in front of them.

"Rick...this calls for desperate measure," Chad whispered.

"Wha.." Rick said.

Chad kissed him on the cheek.

"AHHHHHHHHHHH!" Rick shouted.

"I'm the faerie of the forest," Chad said and began to start dancing around.

"What...the..." Rick said.

"Make her think it's a dream," Chad whispered.

"Oh..." Rick said.

"Hey.....how you doing...I'm the ghost of Christmas past..would you like to apply a credit card?" Rick asked.

Raye looked on in shock.

"Heh heh..this is so..funny..." Grandfather said from the roof.

"Grandpa? What are you doing up there?" Raye asked.

"Um.....feeding the fish!" Grandfather said. "The roof fish!"

"This is all a dream," Chad said.

"Yeah... a dream...go back to bed..." Rick said.

"A dream..yeah," her grandfather said.

"It doesn't feel like a dream," Raye said. "I'm awfully awake for it to be a dream."

"Like we would be acting so weirdly if it wasn't?" Chad asked.

"He kissed me for crying out loud," Rick said.

"Oh..I see...so if I kick you right now, it won't hurt!" Raye said and leapt at Rick.

"Ahh..." Rick said and ducked.

"Heh....good night.......you weirdos, and Grandpa get off the roof!" Raye shouted and headed back to her room.

"Hmm...this is not our finest hour," Rick muttered.

"Men around the world must learn from our mistakes tonight," Chad said.

"Will you two suckers get out of here before we get into any more trouble?" Grandfather muttered.

CHAPTER 51 CHAPTER 52 CHAPTER 53 CHAPTER 54

CHAPTER 55 CHAPTER 56 CHAPTER 57 CHAPTER 58

CHAPTER 59 CHAPTER 60 CHAPTER 61 CHAPTER 62

CHAPTER 63 CHAPTER 64 CHAPTER 65

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