Alina ************************** GOM: SOS CHAPTER SIX : AMBUSH! Email alinasan@yahoo.com I love feedback. Please write!!! ********* Present ********** Lita dropped her poles, but the man quickly caught them. She snatched them out of his hand, and raised one hand as if to hit him, but then thought better of it. "Just leave me alone." She said, her eyes narrowing to emerald slits. "I told you I had nothing to say to you." She turned her head avoiding him. "Look, Lita--I swear this is a coincidence, I didn't plan this." Field paused, gathering his thoughts. "But I'm glad it happened, I'll admit that. It's a chance for us to talk." She turned her body away then, staring out into the mountains and mist. She let her body languange tell him to go to hell. As far as she could, she edged away from him on the small chair. Too bad the ground was too far, or she could have shoved him out, she thought. "Lita? Look at me!" he swore under his breath, as she turned her head, looking over her shoulder. "I'm SORRY. OK? SORRY. I never should have..." "Broken my heart?" She said looking up at him. All the pain came back then, into her eyes. How he'd left her in the gazebo. How Ken had found her there, shaking in the rain. How she cried on Ken's shoulder, too stunned to be strong. "Lita, I never meant to do that. " She could see the pain register in his stormy dark blue eyes. His voice softened, and for a second his hand rested on hers. "I did what I thought was best at the time, but things are different now." Violently she shrugged his hand off. "Oh? Am I old enough for you now? Is that why you suddenly waltz back into my life? What makes you think --"She broke it off, too angry to finnish. She looked away from those eyes that saw into her soul. "And you lied to me. You said you loved me and you said we'd be friends ." "Lita, I didn't lie. I meant it." He looked down at the mist covering the ground. It was as if the entire world didn't exist--just the two of them, stuck on this chair to nowhere. "Then why didn't you ever call me back? I called you when my parents died, and if you were my "Friend" you'd have--"She broke off, closing her eyes in memory and grief. She'd gone back with Ken, dried her tears and went to the airport to greet a plane that never came. She knew that wasn't his fault, but somehow looking at him dredged up the pain of that moment. After a moment, she regained her composure. "Ken said that was just a way people break up. But it hurt me. It hurt me so much more, than if you'd just said you never wanted to see me again." Her words hung in the quiet of the snow covered hills. For a a long silent moment he said nothing, just watched as her hands clenched and unclenched on the poles. He searched for the right words, knowing she was prepared to condemn already. How could he explain what had happened to him? Why would she believe something even he couldn't, though he had lived it? "Lita, I didn't say that, because that would have been a lie."He said finally, relying on the plain truth and holding the rest back. "I wanted to see you-- but I felt I couldn't." "Why not?" The mist was starting to clear a little, but her eyes were clouded with unshed tears. She held them back by sheer force of will. "What stopped you? I needed you back then and you weren't there...how would being my friend have hurt me?" "Because I didn't--don't-- want to be just a friend to you Lita. I've always wanted more from you. And once I knew you were too young for that, everything changed." "So now I'm just supposed to welcome you back, as if nothing happened!? As if you didn't just dissappear on me?!" "Of course not Lita. I never meant to vanish, but the night I left you my life changed forever." Again, he contemplated how to explain that. "So did mine!" She rasped out. The tears flowed then with the memories. In her mind, she saw Ken holding his umbrella. as a shield against the rain. Inadequate protection from her emotions and the searing pain she felt. And all she'd wanted to do was crawl into her mother's arms and have her rock away the pain. Just as she'd always done when Lita had bruised herself. That caring salve of sympathy would work on a heart, she was sure. And just when she thought the worst was over, the cure almost at hand, she'd been struck again much deeper than before. Struck by the silence of a plane never landing, by the emptiness of a goodbye never said, of forgiveness never granted. Ken had to hold her again. But at least by then she was too numb to cry. She felt him pull her to him, as he whispered "Not like mine--" He stopped as a scream from below cut through the fog. A sudden patch of clear air allowed them to see the bright red of Raye's jacket as she struggled with two metallic looking figures. They appeared to be grabbing her, as if to tie her down. "RAYE!" Lita screamed. Because they were almost up the hill, the ground was not far below. "I'm coming." Without thinking, Lita shoved her poles into her skis, releasing the bindings, shoved the safety bar back, stuck her pole in the seats, slid down,and jumped landing in a crouched positions in a snow hill. She grabbed a fallen ski and ran down towards the robots (for that's what they were) that were circling around Raye. "HEY--Pick on someone your own size!" She called, at a loss for a more original line, as she swung the ski at the midsection of the robot closer to her. The robot swivelled around, extended a hand in a strike, which she tried to block, but found herself pushed to the grown. She ignored the explosion of pain, and stood back up. She charged down, grabbed the Robot and somehow pushed it down the hill, into the other one. "Thanks Lita" Raye said "What were those things?" "I don't know--but they're coming back!" Raye said crouching defensively. "Is anyone around?" Lita looked back--all she could see was the mist. She shook her head. "Good--MARS CRYSTAL POWER" Raye shouted, and Lita did the same. "Jupiter Crystal Power" The pain disappeared inthe warm green light that bathed her and left her standing in high-heeled ankle-length boots, rather than the thick clumsy ski boots. The Robots paused, looking somewhat baffled. Then suddenly they seemed to orient on the two girls, and forged forward. "Mars firebird strike" Mars called, as Lita shouted "Jupiter Thunder Dragon" the two creatures soared into the snow and came up right under and through the Robots. The one hit by fire toppled, but the other seemed to short circuit, collapsing and laying helplessly on the ground. Jupiter crossed her arms again "Jupiter Thunderclap Zap!(Sparkeling Wide Pressure)" She yelled, throwing the ball of energy directly at the other one. It too sizzled, jerked and crashed. "Electrocuted!" She grinned--as a metallic fist swiped into her knocking her to the ground. She rolled over--there were six more. A torrent of flame bought her the time to maneuver closer to Mars. "What are we going to do?" Jupiter asked. "I don't know--my flames and charms have no effect..." "I can't hit them all!" Jupiter said. Suddenly two of the creatures went down-- one briefly recovering from the blast of a tiara, the other a little longer as it was hit by a sword wielded by a man hovering above it. "Jaedite!" Mars called. "Duck!" He shimmered and reappeared next to Mars as one of the creatures hurled the arm of the downed robot at the air where he'd been. "Let's get out of here." Jaedite said, preparing to grab Mars and teleport. "I can take you one at a time." "We can't leave Jupiter and Sailor Moon!" She said. "I can hold them off." Jupiter said determinedly-- "I'm not running away from the fight." She zapped one as it neared the hastily rising Sailor Moon--she'd tripped over a hill in the snow. Another Robot tried to grab her--but a rose cut through it. "Skiing is a dangerous enough sport without you, attacking in an unsportsmanlike manner!." He lectured. swooping down and leaping with Sailor Moon to the safety of the passing lift. "We can't go--Jupiter! Mars!" She called struggling to look down. Jupiter zapped another--while Mars covered her. @)-->-------> Maxfield "Freddy" Stanton panicked when Lita Jumped off the lift. He realized they were near the top, so rather than following her, he skied off, and down towards where they'd seen the attack. The sight baffled him--who were these women? Where did they come from with these attacks even stranger than the metallic robots? He frowned. Powerful as they were, they seemed to be in trouble. He looked around for someway to help-- and that was when he saw her. Nothing about her looked threatening, red bobbed hair, serious expression. But she was bent over a control panel of a device he recognized, and was recording the fight. She seemed to be nominally controlling the monsters. Instinctively he knew she was analyzing what was going on... He looked at the battle. The monsters weren't trying to kill--they were toying with the women. They were trying to put them through their paces. He'd seen that sort of style used in his martial arts classes. That was why, he realized, the monsters were ignoring him--and why this woman was too. He wasn't a threat or interesting enough. He charged straight at her. Surprise and momentum enabled him to knock her over--though he realized she was heavier than her frame suggested. He felt his skin break against the rough bark of a tree. The computer she carried went flying. Rather than attacking him, she went after the small device. He got to it first, crushing it with his ski boot.He picked up his loose pole, and sword fashion, began to threaten her---"What were you doing?" He demanded. "Just stay calm, and nothing will happen." She said. "Hand me that device." "I smashed it." He said. "Now tell me, what's going on here?" "I'm afraid I cannot do that." She grabbed the pole he held, pushed him into a tree, stepped into her skis, and took off down the mountain past the still fighting figures. He scrambled up, to watch Jupiter zap the last Robot. Weakly, she kneeled on the ground. "What do you suppose that was?" She asked. "Where's Mercury when you need her?" Moon called as she was carried to the ground. "Too bad all this fog wasn't hers." Jupiter said. "I'm ready to call it a day." Mars held out her hand-- "Wait...we've got company." The group swivelled around. "Freddy!" Jupiter said involuntarily. He staggered from the trees, bleeding a little from where he'd knocked into the trees. He held his arm to stop the flow, making his walk a little less steady. "Neflite!?" Jaedite called, running to embrace the friend he remembered. Freddy looked at the blonde, oddly dressed man running at him, and crouched, wary of attack. "Who the hell are you?" Jaedite paused, as Sailor Moon's voice chirped out "See--I told you they had to be the same person!!!" "Who are you people?" He demanded "Where's Lita?" "She's safe" The blonde woman with the weird hairstyle assured him cheerfully "Are you ok? You look a little dazed?" "I'm fine. What do you mean she's safe? Where'd they go? She and her friend were right here!" He said perplexed. Suddenly Jupiter moved forward as if to say something, and he focussed on her. "Why did you call me Freddy? Only Lita calls me that!" He stared intensely at her. She stumbled then, exhausted from the power drain . As she hit the snow, her uniform faded away, and her clothes returned. "Lita?!" Field said as he knelt to cradle her head.... "I don't understand. What are you?" Impulsively, Sailor Moon dropped to her knees. Beside him, and raised up his chin in her hands. "We are warriors of love and justice, defenders of the Earth" She smiled. "And you're one of us. You just don't know it yet." **************************** Neflite waited in the gardens, uneasy and pacing. He tried to study the patterns in the sky--but the view from the moon disoriented him. Why hadn't he said he'd escort her from her rooms? Why had he put himself in the position of waiting for her? Then he saw her, and felt a bolt of electricity crackle through his blood. She was looking for him directly in front of the doors that led to the Ballroom. His pacing had led him out of her line of sight. Reasserting control, he called her name. She looked up, their eyes meeting as she greeted him casually. His questions fell away from him as did everything except her. Sounding more confident than he felt he complimented her--he wasn't sure what he was saying, but she blushed and inched closer to him. He took her hand, as she nervously explained she preferred ice skating to dancing. He smiled, amused at how she could seem so afraid of a thing like dancing, when she seemed otherwise so bold. He wished again that he could cast his own fortune to see what she held for him--but he knew that was forbidden. Instead, he'd cast hers-- but the stars had been unusually quiet. That worried him. ***********Lita's Past************* Despite the clear weather of the night before, the sky clouded over and a heavy rain began to fall, turning the morning almost as dark as night. Lita stared out the window, knowing it was the kind of day she'd have liked to stay in, even if she weren't grounded. She'd come in so late the night before that Mrs. Oshiba had panicked and called the police. She'd guessed that Lita had been on a date, and Ken had confirmed it. She still wasn't speaking to him for that. To make matters worse, her parents had called, and Mrs. Oshiba informed of what Lita had done. Lita still remembered her mother's words. "We'll talk about this later, when we arrive Lita. We're very dissapointed in you!" And Lita had gotten angry, and yelled and told her parents that she didn't care what they thought, she wouldn't let them keep her from Freddy. She wouldn't let anyone do that. So even though she didn't want to go outside, she did because Freddy asked her to meet him. Dspite her mood as awful as the weather, when Freddy called and asked her to meet him, she had to go. So, she left the warm cocoon of the Oshiba's couch. She all but ran through the rain to the park, tryingto keep her umbrella from inverting. Finally, she reached the safety of the gazebo--their gazebo. She was late, but then, so was he. That was odd, she thought, because he was the one that had told her to meet him there. The rain was pouring harder now, and Lita moved her hands up and down her arms to keep warm. Where was he? He should have been here by now. Had something happened? He sounded so serious when he'd called. She'd never heard such hollowness and distance in his voice before. After last night, that didn't make sense. She could barely see the car pull up, through the haze of the rain and seconds later, dripping wet he stood before her in the gazebo where they'd met. He hadn't even bothered to open up the big black umbrella he'd brought with him. Lita held out her green one, but he moved aside and opened his. "So what's up?" She asked, when he said nothing, but just stared at her, as if drinking in the sight. "I don't know where to start. " He ran his hands over his short dark hair "I can't see you anymore." "What?" She hadn't expected that, and she grasped the rail for support. Last night he'd taken her to the charity ball-- "Starlight Serenade"--for his astronomy club...they'd danced all night, and then had fallen asleep together underneath this very gazebo roof. "Why not?" "Lita! You lied to me." He ground out. "Was it some sort of a joke?" "What do you mean?" She said backing away, turning to face the park rather than his angry face. He'd gone to surprise her at her school, a dozen long white orchids splayed across the seat of his car. He'd looked the address up hurridedly--and been shocked to find he was looking at a Junior High School. As luck would have it, a few of his friends were walking by--saw his car and stopped to say hi. Then they'd looked up and saw the girl they'd all coveted the night before--in her uniform carrying her books. He still hadn't heard the end of the jokes he was sure. Then his grandfather had called to say he'd recognized the girl-- "It's simply not appropriate." The old man had said. "I liked her too--but Field, you're a man now, and this is not honorable. What will people say? You're coming with your mother and I tonight on that trip, you need to get away from her." "You're 13 years old!!!!" He didn't shout, but the cold fury in his voice left her in no doubt of his anger. "So?" She turned, and stepped forward holding his gaze. "Does that change who I am?" "It does to me!" He swore, and now he turned to face the park. "Lita, I could get in trouble for seeing you--your parents could have me arrested!" "We haven't done anything wrong!" "You haven't--but your parents might not agree with you--the laws don't. I'm 21, Lita and you're just a little girl." He frowned remembering his step-father's comments about his choice of companions. Even he had somehow found out. "I can't deal with this, Especially not now." "A little girl?" She whispered hoarsely "Is that what you think?" "Just leave me alone." He barked. "Freddy! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to lie to you. "She placed a hand on his shoulder, the contact feeling so good to her. "But you did." He turned and faced her, shrugging her hand away. "You humiliated me! One minute I'm driving to see my girlfriend at college, and the next I'm staring at a junior high girl while my friends laugh at me!" "Then they're the ones that are immature." She threw back. Last night, he'd held her, and they'd talked. She'd felt starlight electricity course through her whole body with every caress--until he'd said--She began to blush, the memory that had seemed so sweet this morning began to ache in her mind. The rain crashed down harder, temporarily distracting her. All day she'd been in a daze from the lack of sleep and the hazy memories of the night before. She was exhausted, and it was hard to focus. "You said you loved me!" She blinked back tears, unable to hold onto her composure any longer. "I do" He swore again. She was so beautiful in her anger. He couldn't stop himself from grabbing her and pulling her close. To hold her the way he had the night before, when he opened his soul to her. "I can't do this," he said backing away again. "Yes you can! Don't worry about what other people think--when I'm with you no one else matters! You told me that last night!" She was willing to stand up to her parents to be with him. Why couldn't he do the same? "Lita, I know I said that but-- You're 13!" He said again. "It's just a number." She said stubbornly. "Fine, even so. There are some things going on in my life right now that are complicated. Things I can't talk about with you." "Why? Because you think I'm too young?" "Yes." He said. "And because I don't ..." She interrputed his last statement, not hearing him. "Well you're wrong, Freddy. I'm not. You didn't think I was too young yesterday to--" She broke off in a furious blush and avoided his eyes. "I would have treated you differently, if I'd known. And that complicates things. We can't go back to yesterday Lita. We need some time--to sort things out." "So that's it? You're saying goodbye?" Her green eyes locked into his. "No!" He shook his head, and swore under his breath. " Lita, I know that's what I should do. I should just walk away before things get more serious between us but I can't." "So I'm still your girlfriend?" She began to smile, her eyes lightening a bit. "I can't think of you as a girlfriend. It's wrong." He said. "To who?" She whispered. "I can't imagine my life without you. I love you!" "I know but you can't. "He said. "We need to let these feelings die down." "So I'll never see you again?" She choked out. "That's it? I love you and Good bye?" "No. I'll call you." He responded "I just need some time to sort this out--to learn to think of you differenlty for now " He wanted to careess her face, wipe the tears trickling down. "But I can't be more than a friend to you. " "But you are!" She reached out to him, but he pulled back. "Not anymore, Lita." He lied. "Not anymore." He couldn't stand this. He used all his will to look away, and before he could hear the pain in her voice,before he made the mistake of turning back to her and saying he didn't really mean it, before her sobs called him back, he ran to his car and out of her life. He got in the car and slammed the accelerator down. The car responded like lightening, and in a red blur he'd left the park. But not his pain. Driving aimlessly, he eventually stopped the car in some forgotten corner of the city. He sat, hoping the pattern of the wipers on the rain and the blaring music would erase the image of heartbreak on Lita's face. He could still see her trembling slightly inside the gazebo, her umbrella falling uselessly to the ground. He couldn't stand it anymore. "Everyone else can go to hell." He said. He turned the car around,and drove back to the park, but she was gone. The only sign that she'd been there was a long green umbrella. "END OF CHAPTER SIX" GOM: Storm of Stars Chapter 7: Explanations Last Time: 1. Present; Raye gets attacked, the Assistant gets away. Freddy, or should we say "Maxfield" meets the scouts. 2. Past: Freddy breaks up with Lita. (sniff sniff) 3. Ancient History: small scene at the ball. Author's Notes at end. . PRESENT: @)--------------> The fire crackled, in the small cabin to which Field had led them. The cabin, though neat, looked a little run down. "It's not much, but its warm and private--and we can talk there." He set Lita down on the couch. Gently, he covered her with a blanket. Everyone sat down around the small table, or stood. He set the small kettle on the antique stove and turned around to face the group. He stared at all of them in turn--only the small blonde with the strange hairstyle held his gaze. Her eyes were soft and understanding. "So. What did you mean about me being one of you--what are you?" He said at last. She leaned forward. "Hi I'm Serena...hm, This may be harder to explain then the scene you witnessed earlier." "I suppose." he shook his head. "Why don't you start with what happened to her?" He looked at Lita, still collapsed on the light green, threadbare couch. "She's just tired. She overused her powers." Serena explained. "Got anything to eat? I'm *so* hungry!!" "Powers?" Field said, trying to pull the girl back to the topic. He began to fish around for some snacks. Eventually, he found some crackers behind a bottle of red wine, both of which he set on the table. "She controls lightening. " Serena continued between mouthfuls of crackers. "These are good! Thanks!" The dark haired girl started at that. "Do you think you should be telling him all this? How can we trust him!?" She interjected. Serena ignored her friend, and gulped the tea Field served. "She transforms into the pretty sailor-suited soldier Jupiter." She paused, swivelled, and added " She's Sailor Mars and also Raye Hino." pointing to the dark haired, angry girl who sat with folded arms, in front of the blond man. "I"m their leader, Sailor Moon." She grinned. Raye moved forward as if to hit Serena, but the blond man put his hand on Raye's shoulder, stopping her. Her forward momentum caused her to rebound backwards and she ended up in the man's lap. She looked annoyed, but the man seemed rather amused by it. "Jed! Stop playing around." She muttered. "Hey, you're the one who sat in my lap." He returned, as she stood up, blushing. "Not that I didn't want you to." Ignoring the side show, Serena faced Maxfield again and continued. "A long time ago-- a lifetime ago really, all of us lived in another kingdom, one filled with Magic. My Darien was your Prince, and you and Jed, here, served him-- fought with him--until something happened. We were reborn in this time--to fight the enemies and evil of the world! " She paused. "Got that?" He stared at her blankly. Jed moved forward a little. "It's a lot to take in--I know. Magic right? Who could believe in it? I'm struggling to integrate these past life memories in my life. I know what you're feeling--" "No you don't. I've seen stranger things." Maxfield replied, rebuffing the hand Jed would have laid on his shoulder. "And I don't care about it now. I've got other things to worry about." He said He sat down next to Lita, stroking her forehead. He stared at her, wishing he could be the one hurt instead of her. Serena blinked. Nervously, she looked to Darrien. "Muffin, he doesn't remember *any* of it " she whined. "What are we gonna do? I don't think he even believes me!" "Are you sure it's him?" Raye pushed. "Jed, how could you be so sure? I mean, he looks like Neflite but " "It's him." Jed said. "Then why didn't Lita recognize him?!" She demanded. Lita blinked awake slowly, hearing her name and feeling the touch on her temple. She was wondering the same thing. How could she not have realized that Neflite and Freddy were the same? Of course, when she'd met Freddy, she didn't remember her past life. And when she saw the picture drawn by Greg, it was sort of blurry and black and white. The features weren't distinct, just long dark hair, dark eyes. Not having seen Neflite in this lifetime, nor remembering him from before, that picture was her first glance at him. Her mental picture of Freddy was frozen with him in his tuxedo suit and slacks, darker hair cut short but still covering his face as he smiled at her. She almost smiled at that memory, how they'd been lying next to each other, arms entwined and staring into each other's eyes. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Flashback :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: "Will this rain ever stop?!" Lita asked Freddy as they ran soaked to the gazebo. "So much for dancing under the stars!" He laughed, "You're cold." He said, seeing her shiver in the thin dress she wore. He took his jacket off and gave it to her. "Everyone couldn't take their eyes off you! I felt like the luckiest man at that ball." She blushed, lowered her eyes. She looked up when she felt him pull her in to his arms. "Are you warmer?" He asked. "OH! Yes." She said. She was still feeling very tipsy from all the wine she'd had. She wasn't used to drinking. She didn't know why he thought she was cold when she felt so warm. She didn't want to move. "The wall would block the wind." He said, lowering them to sit on the ground. "And I think we left --there it is, a blanket here." And then they were lying down, holding each other. "I have something to tell you." He said in a low voice . "A confession of sorts to make." "WHAT?" She asked worried. "Two actually. I lied to you about my name." "What? Why?" She asked perplexed, as she snuggled closer not really caring what he was saying. "I suppose I never lied, I just never mentioned my real name." "I thought it was Freddy Sinheart..."She said confused. "Sinheart is my step-father.Let's not even talk about him. My name is Field Stanton" He smiled. "Hi." She grinned back. "Field?" She frowned.. "I like Freddy better." "That's because you're used to it now." "But why did you tell me your name was--" "I wanted you to like*me* not my parent's money..." "STANTON?" She said, the pieces suddenly clicking in "You mean!?"She stiffened a little. "My Dad works at your!?" "Yes." He frowned. "Now I wish I hadn't told you. You're going to be different." She hugged him tighter. "No. I won't. You're still the same guy I like." "And you're the girl I love." "What?" She whispered. "Are you serious!?" "That was my second confession. I love you Lita." He said, moving closer to kiss her-- nervously, she drew back... "And I know this may be too early to say it but I want to spend the rest of my life with you. When I'm with you, nothing else matters." She could feel his heart beating next to her head. "I'm sorry Lita. I shouldn't rush you like this." He pulled something out of his pocket, fumbling with the velvet box. "I feel the same way." She murmured, holding him tighter. "I'm glad you didn't wait to tell me how you feel." "What's that!?" She asked, noticing the object. Her pulse trippled. He grinned. "It's not a ring but, I saw them and thought of you." Eagerly she pulled back the lid--in the dim light they were nothing but red sparkles. "They're roses. I forgot what stone they're made out of, some kind of quartz I think." He whispered. "If you don't like them, I can take them back." "Don't you dare. I'm going to wear them always." She said, inserting them into her ears, glad that she'd had them pierced. "Do you promise?" He asked pulling her back against him. "Do you swear!?" She giggled, remembering how she'd used those words to ensure he'd go to her tournament. She met his smile with her own, poking him with a finger. "On the stars above." She said recalling his odd phrase. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::End Flashback::::::::: The memory should have made her smile, but for the image of the rain, the gazebo and the other memory that overpowered the previous one. The day that he'd broken her heart. When this man had shouted her name in the mall, all she thought of was Freddy. Neflite wasn't a real person to her. She still couldn't think of them as the same person. No Freddy was, he was... --she paused. He was stroking her hair. Rapidly, she sat up. "Get *away* from me!" She spat, as she shifted away, shoving him with what little strength she had. "Lita?"He said, not moving. His arms grabbed her and held her tight. "Listen to me--" She was too weak to protest farther, except by steadfastly looking anywhere but at him. "I'm sorry I never called, but I had a good reason. I hope you believe me. "He barely paused and said in a rush "The night I left you, I was in some sort of explosion, and then the next thing I remember I'm in a prison in France." Everyone stared, hanging on his words though he meant them only for Lita. Now that he was telling her his impossible story, he felt better. Maybe it would make sense to her, given what Serena had said. A superheroine had to understand magic right? Because magic was the only way he could account for what had happened to him. " I've lost six years. I don't even remember five of them. I'd been arrested for trespassing in some mineral mine,nephrite, I think, but I don't know how I got there." He paused. "I tried to contact home--but all my step-father's assitants would say was that I was dead or should be... Considering what happened the last time I saw him I should have expected that cold greeting." He smiled darkly, remembering his step-father's chilling gaze. "I was smart enough not to push the point. So I've been keeping a low profile, studying my step-father and Stanton Corporation." He gestured around the rooms, at the boxes of files on the grounds. "I've also been trying to reclaim my life. I've been hiding here, planning how I could prove my identity, and get back my company from my step-father. It's not been easy, living off odd jobs, and the few family assets that Sineheart didn't know about. " "Company?" Serena asked, as unable to take in his story as he had been to take in her's. But then again, she thought, he wasn't explaining this very well. Besides, her attention span wasn't that long. This was as bad as history class, she thought getting up to hunt for more food. "Step-father? What are you *talking* about! Don't ramble on like that! Just tell her you're sorry, you were a jerk, and you love her!!!" She whispered, but so loudly everyone, including Lita, heard. She blushed, and snuggled closer to Darien. Field looked up at his audience then. "Lita told you my name was Freddy, but its really Maxfield Stanton, jr." He paused, and Serena's voice sang out. "SEE! RAYE!" She said. "He is Neflite." "I'm what? " Field said perplexed. She started to explain but he held up a hand. "Look, there *is* a reason I've told you all my history. I think our problems are related--that woman who attacked, and those robots. They're products of Stanton Electronics, which means my step-father is involved somehow." "That's a strange coincidence. " Darien said. "Why would your step-father attack Raye?" "Wait, Stanton Electronics that's the company that bought out Chad's father's company's loans..." Raye added. "And it's also the company that weirdo in the warehouse mentioned..." She'd forgotten all about investigating that, since everything had turned out fine. She'd had other things on her mind. She frowned, wondering how she'd let that slip her mind. Was she growing careless? Jed caught her eyes as if to tell her not to berate herself for the neglect. "We thought that was over." Jed said to her. "From the information I was able to gather, their last plan was to prevent the merger of their two biggest rivals by kidnapping the young heiress to one of the corporations." Field grabbed a file. "This must be you--unknown forces disrupted that attempt--sailor suited superheroes." He smoothed the newspaper clippings. "For the last six years, Stanton Electronics or I should say, Stanton Industries now, has been slowly and surely gaining commercial power and political force. My grandfather's company has become the vehicle for one man's secret take-over of Tokyo..." "But what are they after now?" Raye asked "Why attack me?" "My stepfather.is undoubtedly after what he's always been after...Power." Field said. He picked up a chart of constellations. "The kind of power that I had no proof existed until this afternoon. Your power." "But how did he know?!" Raye started pacing. "If this attack was no accident--" "When you foiled his last scheme, you must have come to his attention." Field reasoned. "Somehow, he's discovered your secret identity....or enough to try and find out more about you." Suddenly Raye frowned, grabbing the mask she'd won. In a flash she threw a small piece of paper on it, and the side frame split, revealing a small device with an antenna....the device cracked. "That's a sensor of some sort..." Field said, picking it up. "He was studying you, tracking you..." "OH!" Raye paled. "I transformed with that thing on!" Serena frowned. "So?" "IF they were recording information about us--then that must have caught their attention..." "It's a moot point. That woman, whoever she was, saw you transform just as I did. She must know who you all are. How they know is not as important as what they'll do with that information." His voice was grim. "My step-father is ruthless... And dangerous. We have to stop whatever it is that he's trying this time." "This time?" Jed asked, "You said before you've seen stranger things....what did he do the "last" time?" Field marvelled at how Jed had read his mind..."Six years ago my step-father attempted to gather supernatural power." He turned to Lita... "From what I've figured out, he sabotaged the plane that he put my grandfather and mother on, so it crashed into a large jet liner coming into Tokyo. He somehow used the energy of that event for some black magic ritual." No one said anything, so he continued. "He meant for me to be on that plane. But I had to see Lita--and when I heard it crashed, I knew....I knew that somehow *he* was responsible. I followed him to this old cathedral--I don't remember where it was, but that's where he went. My memories are so hazy--but I think I attacked him...and all hell broke lose. The next thing I know, I'm...in a cave. In a country where I don't understand the language....and then, I'm in Prison..." He frowned. "I know that's not very clear but everything I do remember, everything I've learned leads me to believe that Eris Sineheart, my step-father, is attempting dark magic to summon something powerful, so he can rule the world. He tried six years ago, but failed because of my interference. I believe he's going to try again....when he figures out how to use your power to help him." "Why hasn't he tried before? Six years is a long time to wait. Surely if you're right, we'd have crossed his path before. " Darien questioned Field. "Yeah, we've never even heard of him." Raye said. "I don't have an explanation. Maybe he's tried other dark spells, but they didn't work...maybe he was too scared to try again. I don't know exactly what happened the last time. All that matters is that this time he's decided to focus on *your* power. Of that you can be sure." "Oh yeah, how do you know *that*." Lita challenged, speaking at last. "I've seen it in the stars, actually." Field said, perfectly serious. *************PAST******************* Field stood, staring up into the sky. The rain had stopped, but smoky clouds hovered ominously. He'd called Lita's numbers, but no one had answered at either of them. He'd tried to find her, but with no luck. He knew he just had to be patient--she'd go home eventually. After all, she wasn't really old enough to live on her own. That was the one good thing about her youth. It wasn't like she could just pick up and dissappear. He sighed, thinking of travel. He'd already missed the plane he was supposed to take with his grandfather and mother. They wouldn't be too happy about that, especially if they knew he'd done so because of Lita. He dismissed that thought as he entered the gazebo. He put down Lita's umbrella, and waited. He felt so close to her here. And then without really understanding how he saw it, he saw the small Stanton private jet crash into a larger plane. It was as if the air in front of him thickened into a movie screen and that image projected itself onto there. As the images cleared, he saw Sineheart walk past him, away from the Stanton Tower. Sineheart had a sickly self-satisfied smile on his thin, sharply boned face. Instinctively, Field ducked, and then began to trail Sineheart. What was Sineheart up to? Field wondered. Why hadn't he gone to the plane with the rest of his family? Sineheart got into a long black limo, and ordered the driver forward. Field noticed another car pull out and follow. Grabbing his sports car, he too joined the procession. Up winding roads they went,to a church on a forgotten hillside, not too far from the mansion. With his binoculars (which he kept for on-the-spot comet-gazing), he observed the figures. Sineheart didn't seem to be aware of his followers, so engrossed in the small box he held. The followers, a man and a woman with short red hair that made it easy to see her, crept along the ground. Field wished he could hear the conversation. He got out of the car, crouching low to the ground. Carefully he made his way up the rise and onto a rock overlooking the clearing where Sineheart had drawn some kind of circle in chalk. He seemed to be placing small figurines around the perimeter. Field swore, realizing he recognized one of the statues as belonging to his very own collection of Jade. "I'll make him pay for that!" Field thought angrily, seeing the small white figurine of a pony-tailed girl. He'd never noticed it before, but it sort of reminded him of Lita. And that made it all the more precious to him. "What's he up to down there?" He wondered. Sineheart appeared to be chanting something. Field began to sense something, as an explosion occured in the sky. The hairs on his arms swept up, as electricity cackled in the sky. Instinctively he ran forward into the circle to stop Sineheart. Whatever he was doing felt wrong,dangerously wrong to Field. He felt disoriented inside the circle--memories and visions and thoughts that were not his, at least, could not logically be his, swam in his mind. He shoved Sineheart just as the sound of evil laughter emanated from the whorl of energy pulsating darkly above them. He thought he heard a voice with an American accent call out "Freeze--FBI", but he was extremely confused by that point. He felt as if someone had disconnected this space from time. He briefly wondered if he was dead? And then he heard the demon woman's voice from his dream. "OH, no my pretty general, you're not dead...everything is just beginning for you Come, regain your position as a Dark King of the Negaverse!" He stared down as dark green energy surrounded him, draining him of his mind, he slumped to the ground. The last thing he saw was the smashed remains of his little green statue that looked like Lita. ************************************************* SILVER MILLENIUM ****************** Neflite paused, staring up at the stars in the sky. He swore, he could almost see Lita's face in them. Would he ever hold her again? The Moon shone down--so innocent and unreachable...and safe...like his love. He hadn't been able to say the words. Why hadn't he told her? He'd had so many chances, with all those meetings in the gardens. She'd eagerly explored all the flowers, asking constant questions, as they strolled. She pulled him out of his worries with her sparkling eyes and easy laughter. Destiny and fate became unimportant in her presence, in those stolen moments. He wasn't sure when it had happened. When he had fallen in love with her while watching the Prince and Princess do the same. She had to know he loved her. He formed a small crystal in his hands...the same rosy quartz he'd made to form the small crystal earrings he gave her. She pledged to wear them always. Why couldn't' he have given her a betrothal ring? But he knew why. Now that he was not in the magical forrest of her green-eyed gaze, he could remember the pictures in the stars. Destiny was not going to be kind and he felt the less he tied his fate to hers, the safer she would be. Even if he couldn't be with her. Thinking all these things, Neflite stood watching the oceans churn white-grey, as the boats stood guard on the coastal perimeter. The clouds were getting thicker--rain would soon block even his view of the stars...Navigation would be tough, he thought. They would need to stay close to the shore, lest they got lost. He wondered from which direction Beryl's forces would come? He frowned, his body stiff with tension. "General! The Star has gone down.." A man shouted pointing out to sea--though the rain ruined the visibility, he knew he still should have seen it's lights. The scout ship had gone--...Then he could see the reason. A blue-green skinned woman, walking over the water, to the ship next to them, laughing, glowing with an eerie incandescence that made her visible in the rain and night. "Lovely Energy...come humans, let me on your little boat too..." She sang, her voice mesmerizing. "Your companions danced with Siren...Dance with her and have the last dance of your life..." "Don't let her up!" Neflite shouted--the rain drowning his voice. His captain didn't seem to hear. His soldiers lowered a lifeboat, and raised her up. With a wave of her hand, the men fell. "Hold the positions, flank to Diamond" Neflite called...what sort of attack was this? Where were the ships--the cannons? The soldiers? His three remaining ships steered behind his-- as a swarm of similar women appeared in the water, swimming around calling to dance. The men began to jump off the ships, into the water. Neflite swore....what magic was this? He grabbed his lieutenant-- "Pyrite--command the men--hold fast do not let these women on!" He cried. "We've got to attack them!" The men were ordered to release the hot oil and set it aflame in the water. Neflite concentrated, trying to block the songs the women surrounding the ship were singing... How long could he hold out? He counted but a few of his soldiers holding fast to their positions--the result of the shielding spell he'd cast. How did they fight these monsters? He frowned...as a woman boarded and charged arms outstretched "ENERGY!" She cried, her long tentacled fingers sweeping out and grabbing Pyrite-- his body slumped down to the deck as grey as the ocean. He frowned, forming a crystal in his hand and slinging it at the creature. Stabbed and blinded, it went down crumbling into green dust. The body of Pyrite rose up then. His friend had turned a curious black orange color, his features morphing slightly. He began to stalk towards Neflite, his expression threatening. Neflite shot a crystal straight at him. Green blood oozed out onto the deck, as he watched his friend die again, the body disappearing as the monster-woman had. "Green blood?" Neflite barely had time to notice that, before he realized more monsters were being created out of the bodies of his soldiers. He whirled and slung more crystals into the waters around him. Each shard hit the water-demons, and his possessed soldiers. Soon nothing remained in the waters. He grabbed his sword and teleported to the remaining ships--the monsters were all down. So were all his men...bodies littered the ships, limp and lifeless. At his approach, they rose up to attack--their features twisting into inhuman shapes. Again, he noticed the green, slightly luminscent, blood that flowed through them. A warning sign that these were not human beings, but something else, something that only wanted to destroy. He destroyed several, but finally realized the futility of his fight. He couldn't save these men--they'd already been sentenced to a fate worse than death. What was he to tell the Prince? The Royal Navy was destroyed in a matter of minutes by a magical attack of a kind they'd never even imagined. There were too many of these creatures....He concentrated and teleported. He needed to warn Jaedite who was leading the cavalry at the villages which bordered on the water. The people cowered behind the barricades as Jaedite rode his steed surveying the readiness of his troops. "We don't know when or how this will be...but be prepared for anything men...." He said to his warriors. "Attack on my signal..." Then they saw it--out of nowhere a large creature made of stone appeared.... "Energy..." It called. "Must gather...CHARBID WILL GET YOU ALL" The huge beast kept walking straight forward. Cries of "what is that" rumbled through his troops, as a few nervously backed away. "HOLD!" Jaedite pushed his steed forward. "Don't let it near the village." The creature pushed a tree aside, and kept coming. "Arrows!" Jaedite called as a flurry of flaming arrows were launched by the archers. A fair number struck the creature, but it kept coming. "Charge!" He said as the first line swept forward on their horses, swords raised. The creature batted them away like toys, and then slowly, unconcernedly began to walk to each fallen soldier and touch them...Jaedite flinched hearing the screams...then he saw his men began to ride *toward* him, by the side of the creature. "Attack Them" Neflite said in his ear, appearing out of nowhere. "Evil magic has stolen them...." Jaedite hesitated. "Those are my men." "Not any more....give the order! Or I will." Neflite said, pulling rank. "FORWARD CHARGE--THEY ARE NO LONGER OURS!" Jaedite shouted. His men showed even more hesitation and were cut down by their former soldiers... "Fall back!" Jaedite said to his last line. "What manner of fight is this?" "The Dark Arts...This explains the atrocities Zoycite reported. You have to fight with magic." Neflite said forming a crystal in his hand, and throwing it forward. "Starlight Diamond Explosion" He called, as the crystals glowed with energy lines between them as they fanned out in a star pattern, and circled the rock monster. The points of the star then pulled together cutting the creature in half, as the points exploded in the center. Jaedite nodded, raising his fist down to the ground and then up to his chest and up to the sky "Earth-Mineral Power" He called, transforming as well. "Illusion Wall" He called. The line of attacking monsters stopped, as suddenly they saw a huge wooden wall made of clubs in front of them. Baffled, they paused wondering where the soldiers had gone. "Men, escape..Lord Neflite and I shall handle this. Get those villagers to safety! Evacuate" He called. They didn't move. Jaedite swore--and used his mind control powers. As one, the remaining soldiers obeyed. Inadvertently, that pulled the power from the wall, and the monster-men began to charge again. "Diamond Shard Strike" Neflite called, forming the small crystals he'd used before, flinging them out to destroy half the men. "Force Shield" Jaedite called, encasing both he and Neflite. "Club Strike" huge wooden clover leafs sped out and hit the men. "Diamond Shard Strike" Neflite shouted taking down the last one, as Jaedite lowered the shield. "We must warn the others..." Jaedite said A huge spike of dark black energy sliced through his midsection. Eyes wide in shock, he fell down, as Neflite caught him. "Very Impressive....Endymion will miss your abilities, but you're to join me now...I claim your eternal allegiance as is my due!" Beryl Cackled as she appeared floating before them. "You will bow before your Queen and serve the Dark Kingdom of the Negaverse!" "Diamond Constellation Annihilation!" Neflite shouted as shards of star shaped diamond crystals began to form in his hands in the pattern of the 12 zodiac signs, each one coming to life. Beryl laughed contemptuously, and threw another blast of energy at Neflite before the attack could start--but Jaedite stood and took the blast again, saving Neflite. Simultaneously the crystal--creatures launched beams of light/energy at Beryl--the centaur an arrow, the crab pinching, the water maiden pouring a torrent of crushing light at Beryl from above, as the goat and ram headed her from behind. Weakened, Beryl fell to her knees--and suddenly a torrent of heart shaped flower petals appeared, countering Neflite's attack. The remaining signs vanished, as a peal of laughter followed., Neflite swivelled his head up, to see a familiar form sitting in the air. Zoycite--he should have been guarding the skies, Neflite thought wildly as he saw his fellow general hover above Beryl, as she transported away. " Traitor--" He spat, hesitating but briefly, as he put his hands across each other to attack Zoycite but found he couldn't move his arms--golden shackles bound him, preventing his attack. Malachite appeared and austerely as ever responded. "Is one betrayed the traitor?. " His uniform was unbuttoned, the flap covering the spot where the insignia of his station as High General should have been. "Why do you attack your fellow generals?" "What's happened to you?" Neflite challenged, his eyes meeting those of his former Commander. "Have you betrayed Endymion as well?" "He betrayed me." Malachite said. "He doesn't deserve your loyalty." Zoycite laughed eerily. "You don't understand the situation Neflite" He smiled at Malachite. "But you will...Just let Beryl explain it to you." Jaedite groaned weakly. "Zoycite?" He called. He stood up, preparing to hurl his sword at the man he once called friend--Zoycite didn't see the attack coming. Inches from his head, a gold spade knocked the sword away. Malachite barely appeared to have moved. Zoycite's eyes widened in surprise. "Malachite...you saved me..." "What are you doing?"Malachite demanded of Jaedite. "I fight for my kingdom." Jaedite said. "I fight for justice, love and--" "Love? HAH...."Zoycite spat "Pitiful human emotion, and so easily betrayed...better to fight for pleasure and power...." "You've pledged to serve Beryl then?" Jaedite said. "I serve myself...but yes, I work for her...better than that fool Endymion." "Malachite--let me kill the traitor now." Neflite said. "He's sworn off Endymion! He called him a fool!" Malachite frowned. "Endymion *is* a fool. He's not worthy of your sword" He said cryptically. " You three are the only ones I trust now. We should not fight each other." Zoycite winked out. "Where's he gone?" Neflite swore. Malachite looked at Neflite. "To the Negaverse... And so must we." He waved a hand and the three disappeared. **END OF CHAPTER SEVEN** These happy endings are taking awhile... sorry...but I hope you continue to enjoy the story. I have a bunch of twists planned, so hopefully you'll hang in there! One more chapter to go.