Author:  Greg

=============  The shadow: Pt. 2

	Trailblaze lead Sailor Mars, Sailor Venus, Sailor Mercury,
and Sailor Jupiter through the portal.  As each Scout
stepped through it, they felt an electrical surge of energy
that raised the hair on their necks.  Then they were in
blackness.  This wasn't your ordinary blackness, like that
in a dark room.  They entered a deep, oppressive, evil;
comparable to a shadow of the soul.  They felt separated
from everything they had ever known in that moment.  Lita
stumbled from the shock of the mental blow, she would have
fallen if Amy hadn't caught her and lifted her back to her
feet.  The moment they were through the portal, however, the
feelings vanished.
	The four Sailor Scouts lined up next to each other,
Trailblaze standing to the fore and facing them.
	"We have arrived."
	Each of the four girls ripped her gaze away from the
fire-creature to gaze around at the negaverse.  They had
been there only once before, during their fight with Beryl. 
They had been understandably distracted and thus were unable
to take in the sights around them at that time.  Now,
however, they were alone with trusted comrades.  They soaked
in the view.
	The sky of the negaverse was dark.  It wasn't black or a
deep violet.  In fact, they knew no name for it.  The only
way their minds could comprehend it was shadows.  A pale
shadow of their own, already sorely missed, universe.
	The silence could have been cut with a knife.
	The surrounding area seemed empty, an endless landscape of
blacks and greys.  It was, however, oddly alluring.  Each
Scout felt a faint [desire] to go out and explore- alone. 
The feeling suggested that this would be the only way fully
experience life.  Fortunately for them, they had been
trained well and were able to resist the pull.
	Trailblaze kept his expression neutral as the 4 Scouts took
in the sights, or lack thereof, around them.  Finally he
broke the silence.  He turned around, thus facing away from
them.
	"Come."
	Mina was the first to move, followed by the other three. 
Amy whipped out her computer immediately after the spell was
broken to take readings.  Trailblaze found this to be an
opportune time to tell them what was going to happen.
	"We are currently in the Negaverse.  This is an outer
region, about as close to your universe as possible without
actually going there.  We will have to travel much further
into the very depths of the negaverse to rescue your
friends.  They are being held near the center of the
negaverse.  The creature, who is known only as the Shadow,
is holding them in a prison there."
	"What's the prison like?"
	"The prison is, to them, like an endless, blank, black
plain.  It's totally featureless.  However, they are held,
not physically as you probably suspect, but mentally.  It's
much easier for It to prevent any uprising or resistance
that they may come up with."
	"How can we free them from that?"
	"You must enter the prison and bring them out."
	"But how?"
	"That's for you to figure out, for only you know the
answer."
	The short conversation left the Scouts with plenty to
reflect on.  Trailblaze continued, "There is only one way I
know that may make it possible to enter the prison against
the will of the Shadow.  You know of the Silver Imperium
Crystal, correct?  Of course, but you don't have it.  It was
with your leader when she was abducted.  Only something with
the power of that Crystal can force its way into the prison. 
There is, fortunately, another way.  There is an article of
the Dark, just as the Crystal is an article of the light,
that rivals the power of the Silver Imperium Crystal.  It
is, however, totally different in nature.  Where the
Imperium Crystal has straight-forward Power, this Crystal is
subtle in its workings.  It's not quite as powerful as the
Silver Imperium Crystal, but if wielded correctly, the
victor would be anyone's guess.  You must find this Crystal,
for its dark subtlety should prove able to penetrate the
shields It has placed around the prison.  Do you
understand?"
	Trailblaze didn't bother to look back at the Scouts for an
answer, instead he continued on the trail in silence.  He
finally stopped and inscribed an odd shape on the ground. 
He motioned the Scouts to stand around it, making a circle
of five.  He made an intricate gesture with his fingers.  A
portal, similar to the one that had transported them to the
negaverse, appeared.
	"We've spoken enough.  Follow."
----------
	Darien listened to the fire-creature's explanations with a
grain of salt.  They sounded good, but what had this thing
done to prove its trustworthiness?  When he saw it open
another portal, he ran to get close enough so that it
wouldn't close before he had a chance to go through it.
----------
	The shadow watched once again as TrailBlaze opened another
portal.  He again watched the energy spikes that accounted
for each Scout.  He once again missed Darien's passing.
----------
	Luna approached Serena.  Serena had woken up on her own, to
the sound of snoring from Artemis.
	"Where are we?" inquired Serena of Luna.
	"You've decided to trust me?"
	"Who else is there to trust?"
	"Good girl," Luna smiled, "I think we're in the
nega-verse."
	"Huh?  What's that?"
	"It'd take too long to explain now.  I need to ask you to
do something."
	"Like what?"
	"I want you to take your broach and hold it up.  Then I
would like you to shout, 'Moon Crystal Power!'"
	"Um, I hate to tell you this, but that sounds kinda silly."
	"I know, but who else is going to see you?  Artemis over
there would sleep through anything right now.  Anyways, I
think it may help you recover your memory."
	"Really?  That would be kinda cool.  Ok, I'll try it."
	Serena lifted her broach from the bow on her uniform.  She
lifted it in her hand, shouting-
	"Moon Crystal Power!!"
----------
	The shadow jerked his head toward the monitors watching
energy concentrations in his prison.
	"What the- !"
	It gathered its own power into a strong concentration.  The
built-in safe-guards had taken care of that small,
concentrated energy flow from earlier.  This explosion of
positive energy, though, had overloaded them.  It'd have to
try to interfere directly...
----------
	The five stepped out of the portal into another dark plain
of the negaverse.
	"I feel something..." whispered Rei.
	"We are in the negaverse, Rei." responded Mina.
	"No, more than that.  Some-THING is coming, prepare."
	Trailblaze looked back at the four who were supposed to be
following him.  He saw them gathered in a circle, facing
outward.
	"What's this foolishness?"
	"You call it foolishness, we call it self-preservation!"
retorted Lita.
	"Ah, I feel it too, now.  I shall return for I have no
abilities to fight with.  My strength is the unknown, not
violence.  Call me back when the battle is over."
	"NO!" Rei shouted, "I mean, stick around, you'll get to see
a real show before we're done with this beastie."
	"Who're you calling a beastie?"


	The words seemed to echo in the heads of Sailors Venus,
Mercury, Mars, and Jupiter.
	Trailblaze, realizing the time to make an escape had come
and gone, quickly teleported into the middle of the small
circle of Scouts.
	Mercury decided to take the first move a defensive one,
because she wanted readings on what was coming.
	"Mercury Bubbles- BLAST!"
	Ami took advantage of the deep fog that surrounded the
Scouts, she pulled out her computer and activated her visor. 
Ami scanned the surrounding area for any source of dark
energy, though it was difficult.  The negaverse was so full
of evil energy, that everything she scanned set off alarms
on her computer.  Suddenly a large concentration of dark
appeared on her scanner.
	"Everyone!  Over there!"
	Lita immediately sent a shaft of lightning into the dark,
followed by a blind blast of fire from Rei.  Ami saw the
effects.
	"Wait-!  Now it's over there!"
	Rei and Lita began spinning to the new location of the
threat, but Mina had been waiting for just what it had done
to happen.
	"Venus Crescent Beam!  [Gotcha'!]"
	Ami saw the dark concentration disintegrate on her scanner,
but that's not all she saw.  She thought she had caught a
glimpse of something in Mina's beam, as though it wasn't as
bright as it used to be.  She rationalized this to herself
by saying that it was only natural for their powers to be
weakened in the negaverse, but why hadn't the same thing
happened to Rei and Lita?  She ignored the oddity and
instead was caught up in the celebration of victory.
	"Wow!  That was a great shot, Venus!"
	"Aw, come on, Lita, it was nothing-"
	"Nothing!  You toasted that nega-being!"
	"Rei, you toast them just as often as I do!"
	"Nonetheless-"
	"Stop the party, girls.  You may have defeated the first
creature the negaverse has sent against you, but there will
be more.  You'll all have a chance to take some glory by the
time this is through."
	"Trailblaze is right everyone.  Come on, every minute we
talk here is a minute closer to the destruction of the
Earth.  Let's go shadow-hunting, OK?"
	The party of five continued on their trek in a notably
lightened mood.

----------
	Light seemed to gather around Serena.  Light that had not
even been in existence a second before repelled all the
efforts of the surrounding black to implode on the source of
light.
	"It's working," whispered Luna.
	Suddenly a threatening presence descended around Serena. 
The darkness engulfed her and her efforts at transformation.
	"Noooo!!  Serena!!"

----------
	The shadow laughed at the pitiful beings in his prison. 
They thought to break out, but he had shown them.  He had
done nothing in retribution, it my discourage further
entertainment.  He had merely snuffed the small attempt at
gathering positive energy in this stronghold of darkness. 
He'd found it humorous, though the feline had seemed rather
distraught.

----------
	"Serena!?  Are you okay?  Speak to me!"
	"Stop shouting, Luna.  I can hear you fine and yes I'm
okay.  Why wouldn't I be?"
	Serena lowered her hand with the broach in it.
	"I told you nothing would happen."
	Luna turned away from Serena and walked toward the still
soundly sleeping Artemis.  She didn't want Serena to see the
tears that were forming in her eyes.  They had been so
close... so close...

----------
	Darien had remained out of sight during the fight with the
small concentration of nega-energy.  He saw the big deal
they made about it, but he knew, and suspected that Ami did
too, that the small concentration had hardly been worth the
effort.  Darien had a bad feeling about this.  He felt that
the battle had been more of a test to discover the strength
of each of the Sailors than a true offensive sent by the
Shadow.  He knew he needed to keep watching.

----------
	The four girls conversed quietly behind Trailblaze's back. 
They'd done everything in their power that made it difficult
to overhear them.  Rei wanted to talk privately with the
others.
	"I feel something's wrong with this Trailblaze guy.  It's
not that I think his story is bad, but something about him. 
I think we should split before it's too late."
	"My computer doesn't help us at all with this one.  He
emits a totally unique form of energy.  I can't define it as
positive or negative.  All I can do is keep a positive
outlook and hope for the best right now."
	"I'm really not sure about him, though I think I tend to
agree with Rei.  I think we can find our way around well
enough without him, and what help is he really?  What proof
do we have that he's our friend?  For all we know, he could
be leading us around in circles!" was Lita's response.
	"I think he's for real.  After all, what proof have we got
that he isn't?  He's gotten us this far, right?  I don't
know how long it would have taken us to get here, but it
would certainly have taken a lot longer than he has!  Let's
stick with him for a while."
	"Mina, are you sure?"
	"Definitely.  He's the best chance we have right now."
	"OK, but remember this conversation.  We may need another
one just like later on, only with a different ending. 
Understand, everyone?"
	The muggers of assent were Rei's responses.
	As the four girls turned their attention back to
Trailblaze, they nearly jumped.  Trailblaze was turned
around and looking back, but he wasn't looking at them.  Rei
suddenly received a HUGE sense of negative energy, as if
something horribly evil had been shielding itself and had
just now decided to reveal its presence.  They slowly turned
around.
	Ami's computer and visor were out within a second.  Rei and
Lita immediately let loose a barrage of attacks, followed
very closely by Mina's.  The huge mass of negative energy
merely absorbed the attacks from Rei and Lita, though Mina's
seemed to have some damaging effects on it.
	The enemy they were facing had no intelligence, simply
instinct.  If it could be called that.  The basest urge of
destruction emanated from the ball of negative energy.  It
seemed to feed off negative emotions.  Not anger, for anger
itself is not negative, but off emotions such as distrust. 
It grew larger with every attack from Mars and Jupiter. 
Finally they stopped and started to back away.  Mina stood
frozen in place after her first attack.  She was mesmerized
by this mass of energy.  Ami finally managed to shake her
out of her reverie by shouting in her ear.
	"Venus!  GET AWAY FROM THERE!"
	Mina shook her head, took one last glance at that which had
hypnotized her, and turned around fleeing with her friends. 
Trailblaze was ahead of them all.  When he had seen Mars and
Jupiter turn tail, he was running already.
	"Ami!  What is that thing?!"
	"I'm trying to figure that out for myself!  My readings
indicate it's a huge mass of negative energy.  It feeds off
negative emotions.  That's why Jupiter and Mars couldn't
harm it.  They still felt distrust of Tra- they still felt
distrust.  Venus didn't so her attack harmed it, just not
enough."
	"So what can we do about it?"
	"Trailblaze!" called Mina, "What do we do about that
thing?"
	"Run!  You defeated an intelligent one with little trouble,
but that's because it was a small one.  This one seems to
have gorged itself on many passers-by.  It has no brain,
merely a driving urge to feed.  We'll be lucky if we escape
it!"
	"Thanks for the good news."
	"Only the truth."
	"That didn't help very much.  Ami, what do you think we can
do?"
	"The easiest thing is to run, but that will leave an enemy
at our backs.  My theory is this.  We are strong
concentrations of Positive energy, that's a strong
concentration of negative energy.  We will attract it to us
just by being here.  The only thing we can do is to destroy
it.  Mina, you've been the most effective.  Try it!"
	All four Scouts turned around to face the glowing black
ball that was slowly approaching them,
	"Venus Love Me Chain!"
	With all the attention focused forward, none of the Sailors
noticed an identical ball of energy approaching from behind
them.  Ami chanced a glance at her computer, which now read
two instead of one.
	"Look Out!  REI!!  LITA!!"
	Rei and Lita spun around just in time to see the globe of
energy engulf them.
	"NNOOOOO!!!!"
	Mina's concentration was focused forward until she heard
Ami's anguished cry.  She spun around, her attack forgotten. 
The second globe continued to advance on her, then a light
seemed to appear from the middle.  It slowly grew outward
and in brilliance.
	Ami shouted a warning to Mina and fell to the ground.  Mina
ignored her.
	The explosion would have blown any human in normal
circumstances off their feet, but not Mina.  Mina stood
there, facing into the explosion, a rock in the storm.  Her
hair billowing out behind her, she formed a perfect
silhouette against the brilliance of the explosion.
	"Can't be." she whispered, "they can't both be gone."
	The explosion finally died down.  Ami glanced behind Mina
and saw that her attack had been successful.  Both orbs had
been destroyed, but at what cost?  Rei and Lita were gone...

----------
	Luna looked up from her nap.  In this prison, there was
little else to do any more.
	"Artemis, did you sense that?"
	"Sense what?"
	"I could have sworn I felt something.  Like a slight
lightening of the darkness.  As though it's not as
oppressive as it was a second ago."
	"Luna, I have no idea what you're talking about."
	"But- Look over there!"
	Artemis looked Luna in the eye and saw the reflection of
what seemed like two comets there.
	"Artemis, we're not alone anymore!"

		Artemis looked Luna in the eye and saw the reflection 
of what seemed like two comets there.
	"Artemis, we're not alone anymore!"
	Artemis spun his head to where Luna was looking.  There he
saw for himself the two bright balls of light falling toward the surface.
	"Come on, Luna!  We have to see what they are!"
	"I'm coming, just let me get Serena first."
	"OK, but hurry!"
	Artemis ran off toward where the lights had fallen, Luna
ran over to where Serena was sleeping.
	"Serena!  Wake up!  Serena!"
	"Oh Luna, do I hafta' go to school today?"
	"Serena, we're not at home in bed, now GET UP!"
	"Huh- wha-? [yawn]  Boy you're grumpy in the morning!"
	"That's nice, now follow me."
	"Aren't you being a -bit- impolite?"
	Luna flexed her claws, "Serena, if you don't stand up right
now, I'll play a game of tic-tac-toe on it with some natural
abilities..."
	Serena stood up.
	"Now that's better.  Artemis and I saw two bright lights
fall in the distance, we have to see what they are."
	"So why'd you wake ME up?"
	"You're to come with us."
	"Why?"
	"Claws - tic-tac-toe - any memories?"
	"Oh, all right.  You're a real grump in the morning, did
you know that Luna?"
	"I've been told as much."

----------

	Ami was worried about Mina.  She just hadn't been the same
since that battle with those balls of negaenergy.  Even now
she looked a pitiful sight.  She was just sitting on her
knees, staring ahead into space.
	"Mina, come on.  We'll get them back, don't worry."
	"Get them back?" Mina's voice was a monotone, "How can we
get them back?  They're gone.  Sucked up by the negaverse."
	"Mina, I don't think they are.  Remember that explosion?  I
think that the concentrated positive energy within them
reacted with the negaenergy surrounding them.  Yes, there
was an explosion, but they weren't in it.  We'd have found-
traces."
	Mina ignored Ami's attempt at comforting her.  Deep down,
she knew that they were gone.  They were all gone.  Only one
thing remained.  She had to find that dark crystal and use
it to break into the prison that Serena was being held in. 
Mina knew that this deep drive was her only reason for
living now.
	That crystal.
	She stood back up.  Trailblaze asked if she was ready to
resume the journey, she looked at him.
	Trailblaze led the way, Mina behind him and Ami her. 
	Mina refused to talk to anyone, but Ami didn't mind too
much.  She had never needed companionship to keep her mind
from being bored.  Ami pondered what had happened.  She was
genuinely worried about Mina.  Not only was this melancholy
she'd fallen into dangerous, but she had again seen
something in Mina's attack.  It may have been her
imagination, but Ami thought that she had seen one black
link in Mina's love chain when she had destroyed that
concentration of negaenergy.  Ami had no idea what to make
of it.  She finally shrugged this of as another side-effect
of the negaverse- against her own better judgement. 
	Then there was the matter of Trailblaze.  Ami's trust in
him was definitely dwindling.  The only reason she followed
him was Mina.  She seemed to have an unwavering trust, and
Ami thought that she must have a good reason for it. 
Trailblaze's attitude seemed to grow happier as Mina drifted
further into the melancholy, though.  To Ami this seemed a
contradiction of the connection that had developed between
Mina and Trialblaze.

----------

	Darien had watched the battle with the balls of energy with
apprehension.  He had desperately wanted to go in and help,
but something held him back.  It was as though an inner
voice was telling him to bide his time.  He had managed to
remain undetected thus far, he could manage a little longer. 
The only question was, could the Scouts?
	He had seen something disturbing in Mina's attack also.  He
didn't know if Ami had seen it, but he had seen a black link
in Mina's chain.  It had sent shivers down his spine.  It
was a feeling similar to that one gets when trying to wash
one's hands, but the water has a layer of oil on top of it. 
No matter how much scrubbing, the hands won't get clean. 
Darien suspected something was seriously wrong with Mina,
but he had no idea how to fix it.
	Darien had also started to feel a tugging at him.  Not
nlike that which he felt when Serena was in danger.  He had
a feeling it was something to do with her, though why it
wasn't stronger he had no idea.  He had overheard the talk
of the prison that the prisoners were kept in though.  He
thought that if he somehow managed to get into it, he'd be
able to break out.  He vowed to himself that the next chance
he got, he'd go into it.

----------

	Luna and Serena finally caught up with Artemis where he was
sitting.  In front of him were two Sailor Scouts, Jupiter
and Mars.  They were both unconscious.  Luna walked up
behind Artemis.
	"So are you just going to sit there?"
	"They seem so peaceful when they're asleep."
	"Right now, peaceful is the last thing we want."
	Artemis sighed, "I suppose."
	As Artemis walked up to the two Scouts Serena stepped in
front of him.
	"What do you think you're doing?!  Do you even know these
people?", she dropped her voice to a conspiratorial whisper,
"They could be from the negaverse!"
	Luna walked up to Serena to explain.
	"Serena, these girls are most definitely NOT from the
negaverse.  They are your best friends!  These are two of
the girls who helped you fight the negaverse!"
	"Really?  In those clothes?  Aren't they cold?"
	"Serena, if you don't stop asking foolish questions I'll-"
	"Yeah, yeah, yeah.  I remember, tic-tac-toe.  You should be
thankful you have those claws, Luna!"
	"I am.  Now let's wake these two up.  Artemis?"
	Artemis walked up to Jupiter and Mars, waking Jupiter
first, Mars after.
	"Mmmm.  Huh?  Artemis?!  Where am I?"
	"Jupiter!  Oh I'm so glad you remember who I am!"
	"Wha'?  Hey, is that you, Luna?"
	"Mars!  Are you alright?"
	Rei and Lita stood up together, both with confused looks on
their faces.  They had not yet noticed Serena standing off a
ways.
	Rei ventured the first question.
	"So, how's it going?"
----------
	Trailblaze led Ami and Mina up to tower in the flat,
otherwise featureless, landscape.
	"This is where the dark crystal is held."
	Mina remained silent, taking his word at face value.  Ami,
on the other hand, questioned.
	"How do you know this is where it's kept?  Why haven't any
people from the negaverse claimed it yet?"
	"As I've told you before, I specialize in the unknown, not
violence.  I know this place because none other does.  Does
hat answer your question?"
	Silence was his answer.
	"That's what I thought.  Come now.  We must retrieve this
crystal to rescue your friends, no?"
	"Aren't there any traps or safeguards?"
	"Why should there be?  I'm the only one who knows where it
is.  If I brought you back to where we started, could you
return here?  Of course not.  Now follow me."
	Mina followed Trailblaze, Ami followed Mina.  At the top of
the obsidian tower's stairs, they entered a chamber.  In the
center of it hovered a crystal that seemed to suck light
into it.  The dark crystal.  All three stood by the door. 
Trialblaze motioned to Mina.
	"Go.  The crystal's yours to take."
	Mina stepped forward.  She hesitated once, as though
walking through a force-field of some sort.  Then she was
through.  She reached forward and grasped the crystal in her
left hand.  Light that wasn't light shone through her
fingers.  She stood in a reverie.
	Ami turned her head from Mina to Trailblaze.  He was
smiling, now chuckling, now laughing.  That was when Ami
realized the mistake.
	"NOO!  Mina!  Let it go!  LEAVE I-"
Ami's voice was choked off before she could say anything
more.  Her silence may have been the result of being frozen
with fear, though the hand of Trailblaze over her mouth
contributed also.
	"At long last, the crystal is ours.  Ami, my need for you
is gone.  Go join your friends."
	He grasped her around  her waist as well as her mouth now. 
Negaenergy flowed from into Ami, Ami started to phase out.
	"Mina!"
	She got one last glance of Mina before she blacked out. 
Mina had turned her head toward Ami with a sad look.  Her
eyes were no longer the trademark brilliant blue of Mina. 
Mina's eyes had instead clouded over with an emotionless
grey.  The last thing Ami heard was laughter from the evil
Trailblaze.

Part 3