The Scouts gave a little girl the night of her life, making her popular for a day at any rate. Now for everyone who is wondering about that stupidly conceived Molly/Melvin romance - well, the next two chapters should answer some of your questions.

Sailor Moon is copyright (c) 1992 Naoko Takeuchi/Kodansha, TOEI Animation. English Language Adaptation (c) 1995 DiC Entertainment

A few nights later, Luna called an emergency meeting at the temple after a call from Central Control. A half dozing Serena yawningly complained, "Why can't we have emergency meetings during school? Luna's got no respect for sleep."

"Evening, girls. Now, listen up. Central Control's discovered another Sailor." Luna tried desperately to control the excitement in her voice.

The news certainly woke all of the girls in an instant. There was another Scout! Raye found her voice first. “So what else did Central tell you?”

Luna looked around to make certain she had all of their attentions. “We. Need. Those. Other. Crystals.”

Lita turned to Amy. “Could your microcomputer home in on them?”

“Well, I’ve tried to make a program for that - but it didn’t work.”

“Amy, don’t worry. You'll figure it out. In the meantime, you guys have got to stick together and be on total alert. Understand?" Luna said.

All of them nodded at this. Lita spoke up, and seemed to be half talking to herself. "I wonder what the sixth Scout is like. I sure hope she'll be able to help us out."

"Well, don't count on her showing up anytime soon. It's still up to you six to stop the Negaverse," Luna countered.

“We’ve done pretty well so far,” Molly added in.

Serena stretched. “Yeah, but the fight is getting harder.”

Neflyte let Molly relax back against him. “We will manage fine until the sixth Scout arrives.”

* * * * * * * *

As a way of celebrating Serena jumping up another letter grade in the harder class, Neflyte took all of the girls out to lunch the next day.

Melvin noticed all of them leaving the school, and was more jealous than ever as he saw Mr. Stanton holding Molly close during the walk to his hot red car. “I’ll get Molly away from him. Serena has a thing for that Tuxedo Mask guy, and Molly is as romantic-headed as Serena. That’s it! Watch out, Maxfield Stanton … cause Tuxedo Melvin is about to swoon Molly away from your dirty old embrace!”

After school let out for the day, Molly and Serena started heading for Jessica’s shop to work on their homework. Not far from the school, Molly started to get a funny feeling. "Don't look, but I think someone's following us."

"Hmm?" Serena got worried.

Sure, they had the youmas around to care for them when changing into their Scout uniforms was not a good idea, but who would be following them around? Did someone know their secret identities? And was that someone from the Negaverse?

Inconspicuously, Monlou and Roghen transformed into their human shapes and took defensive positions near Serena and Molly. Could it be that new Scout that Luna was talking about?

All four turned around to see that it was only a woman and her dog walking their way. Both of them let the breaths out in relief. "Fifi, come. You don't know these girls. Fifi . . .”

When the dog suddenly jumped at them, barking, both Molly and Serena screamed while the youma glared murderously at the pooch.

The woman didn’t like them doing that. "You two stop yelling. You're scaring my Fifi. And you two had better stay away if you know what is good for you."

Before the youmas could intercede, Melvin showed up - looking like … Tuxedo Mask? Neither girl nor youma knew what to make of it.

Melvin shouted at the woman. "Call off your crazed canine! I am Tuxedo Melvin, defender of helpless babesters and . . .”

The woman got in his face and shouted, "YOU'RE WACKO, KID!"

Both girls had to hold their breaths to keep from busting out laughing when the old woman took the toy hammer he was carrying and bonked him over his head! Monlou and Roghen simply shook their heads in understated joy that they were not acquainted with (and especially happy that they were not assigned to guard) this human.

Then the woman turned to the dog, "Come, Fifi. Mommy'll buy you an ice cream."

"I'm afraid to ask, Melvin," Molly moaned. What was the nerd up to?

After a beat, Melvin acted as if he’d fought off the last two Negaverse Generals all by himself. "Ha, ha, ha, ha. I sure showed her, didn't I? Don't worry, Molly. You're safe with Tuxedo Melvin around. Remember that. Mr. Stanton is nowhere to be found. Not too good of a boyfriend if he lets his girl out and about in the dangerous city."

Once he left, both girls started at one another in shock - subconsciously holding back both youmas who were poised to destroy the weakling who dared to disrespect their master. Molly finally shrugged her shoulders. "Brain-dead."

They walked on and got to the Crown Arcade without any more episodes like the dog, but both youmas hadn’t risked any more episodes. They remained in their human forms, walking quite close to their mistresses.

Molly nodded her head towards the arcade. "Hey, wanna play a few games, gals?"

"Cool." Serena was always up for a few hours in the arcade. And since they had upped her school and homework amounts, she hadn’t had a lot of time to go on her own.

Both youma smiled when Molly whispered, “Even youma need to play now and then.”

She liked having the extra protection, but she always treated the youmas as friends and allies rather than slaves. This was one facet of personality that their mistress shared with their master, Lord Neflyte. It was this facet that made him so popular with the youmas even before he returned to the Armies of the old Moon Kingdom, and made Molly just as popular for the same reason.

The doors opened to reveal Melvin, still in that stupid tuxedo. "Do not venture into this den of dangers, ladies. You'll just waste your time and your money. I cannot let you pass."

He went face down on the sidewalk. "If you wanna go through that door, it'll be over my prone body." The girls had no idea what game he was playing, but they all agreed that the guy was taking things too far. "Um . . . if you insist . . .”

They stepped on top of him as they finally entered the arcade. Serena rubbed it in as she stepped. "Crrr-UNCH! Ho, ho!"

"And they say chivalry is dead. HA! I’ll wager that Mr. Stanton wouldn’t do that for you, Molly!"

Molly muttered loud enough for only Serena and the youma to hear. “He’d never have to. What do you think Melvin’s up to?”

Serena shrugged as they went off to play some games and relax. But the youma were focusing more on the crowd around their mistresses (Melvin in particular) than the games they sat before - beside their mistresses.

"Serena, what's going on?" Andrew asked as he walked up to them.

Serena still had a bad crush on the arcade manager, almost as bad as her crush on Tuxedo Mask. Now he was a pleasant sight for her Melvin-sore eyes. The girls all got up and walked over to talk to him. "Uh, same ol' same ol'."

Andrew pulled two tickets out of his pocket. "Wanna go see the Wacky World Wrestlers?"

Seriously, Andrew was asking Serena out on a date? Way too dreamy! "Really? Of course!" In her mind Serena was thinking. 'Oh, Andrew wants to take me out. Oh, he sure got over his girlfriend fast. Oh, this is wicked cool.'

"Here you are. I'm glad they won't go to waste. I can't make it." Oh well.

Both girls spoke in unison. "You're not going?"

"Uh unh. Rita's supposed to be calling me from Africa that afternoon."

Serena was way hurt by that one. So what if she’s supposed to act more mature, this hurt double bad. "Well, I don't want 'em."

That one shocked Molly. "Huh? What gives, girl?"

“Nothing. Maybe you should give them to Melvin. He’s acting all weird, and that’s not too far from wacky.”

Hearing his name, Melvin jumped at the hope that he’d beaten out Maxfield Stanton for Molly’s heart. "Someone called me? Better than 9-1-1."

"Must've been dropped on his head as a child," Molly muttered. Roghen couldn't help but chuckle at that, which made Molly smile.

Melvin took the tickets and turned around with a hopeful smile on his face. “Wanna go with me, Molly? I can protect you from any rowdy wrestlers that might try to sway you from me. Maybe . . . I'll even challenge them to take on . . . Tuxedo Melvin!”

“Maxfield and I are spending that day together. With all of my studies, and him running our business, we’ve barely had any time together alone.” Molly liked how it sounded when she mentioned that his business had become hers as well.

Melvin, however, couldn’t see a hint to back off, even if it bit his nose and did a hokey-pokey in the same spot. “Just wait. You’ll see that he isn’t all that wonderful. Tuxedo Melvin will put that ragamuffin in his place! Until later, sweet ladies!”

Molly looked at Serena with a stunned look on her face. “When I said he must have been dropped on his head … I meant multiple times - and hard each time. Do you think that he’s jealous of Neflyte?”

“Sure seems that way. I think we’d better get the girls to ask Neflyte to pick you up here. That way we can tell him, and then he may not get that mad about it,” Serena muttered as the two of them sat back down to play some games.

Out of the corner of her eye, Molly noticed the youmas nod and bow just slightly to them before moving towards an unassuming corner and disappearing. “They heard you, and left.”

An hour later, Neflyte laughed as he leaned against his car - which confused both of the girls. “So, Melvin sees me as his rival for your heart, Molly? Poor kid will be crushed when he realizes otherwise. All want to see is my Molly blissfully happy, no matter what she decides in the future.”

“Then I hope you don’t plan on having a life without me in it. Because I intend on spending every day of mine as yours.” Molly smiled as she settled into her love’s embrace. Serena got all starry eyed and sighed.

But before she could start rambling, Neflyte shook his head. “How about I drop you girls off wherever you were headed when Melvin started?”

“I’ll just walk on home so you two can have some time on your own,” Serena grinned as she started to walk away.

Neflyte shook his head in disbelief. “Monlou, once you two are in a secluded area I want you to transport Serena to wherever you two go for privacy near her house. That way Melvin won’t intercede with her again, and know that Molly’s with me.”

“I hear and obey, Lord Neflyte.” Monlou then rushed to catch up with Serena and tell the Scout leader about the plan.

“And why don’t you want Melvin to find out that I’m with you instead of Serena? Are you jealous that he has a crush on me?” Molly giggled.

Neflyte had to admit it. He was scared that the twerp might steal Molly from his side. After suffering so long to regain her at his side, Neflyte was terrified of living without her. “I’d rather not turn around and find him interrupting us with his little act. And I think that I have very good reason to be a little nervous. After all, you are the most beautiful woman on this planet. And could have any man under the sun.”

“But the only man I have ever wanted and will ever want at my side as my husband is you. Besides, I’m not that pretty.” Molly relaxed in his arms, scared that he’d ever find someone who was better looking than her.

Neflyte held her tight in his arms for a moment. “You are the most beautiful woman in the world, Molly. Never forget that. I know that I am lucky to have you with me as your husband.”

Molly sighed contentedly, breathing in his scent. His musk mixed with the cologne she had recently bought him. “And I’m lucky to be your wife. Let’s call mom and tell her we’re spending the night at the mansion tonight.”

“Let’s just head up there until dinner and then teleport to mom’s a few minutes before she yells.” Neflyte didn’t really need to go back to work. He was just fidgeting around to wait for Molly’s call so that he could teleport to help with her and Serena’s homework if they needed it (and spend time near Molly).

* * * * * * * *

Later, after dinner that night, Neflyte had a bad feeling of trouble beginning to brew. Instead of going home, he decided to help Molly with the last of her math - which ended up being him giving her neck a much-needed massage.

Jessica was in the kitchen, fixing up a special treat that she knew neither had tasted since the days of the Moon Kingdom. Then she too got the strange feeling of danger.

None of them knew that Zoicite had altered the Star Crystal so that it would turn any human it empowers into a Negaverse youma. And she decided that Molly would be her first target. She appeared at the foot of the staircase that led to Molly, Neflyte, and Jessica’s home above the jewelry store.

Zoicite grinned as she worked out the logic of her plan to herself. "Soon as Sailor Moon hears her friend’s in trouble, she'll come running and surrender those crystals."

Then she noticed that someone was already at the girl’s door. And that someone was wearing a tuxedo! "Tuxedo Mask? How'd he have known that I'd be here?"

The doorbell rang, and the lights came on. It could mean trouble if she continued with her plan. Zoicite quietly watched for a moment, to be certain that he didn’t know that she was there. 'Could he have set a trap for me? This is no good. I'll wait. Another opportunity will present itself.'

She disappeared before the tux-wearing guy’s eyes. It was Melvin, and he was still in his tuxedo! He couldn’t believe that he had just seen a woman vanish before his eyes. It spooked him. "Where'd she go? This is too w-weird."

Molly opened the door until the security chain caught. The look on her face said that she didn’t like the fact that Melvin was standing there on her doorstep in the middle of the night. "Melvin, what are you doing?"

"Molly, I just diverted an intruder." He wasn’t about to tell her the truth about how the woman vanished into thin air. If he did, he’d have no chance with Molly!

Molly on the other hand was getting more annoyed by this act. "Melvin, aren't you taking this a bit too far?"

Maybe the truth would make his chances better. "Molly, it's true! She disappeared into thin air just before you got here!"

Molly just shook her head and headed back inside, shutting the door behind her.

Melvin knew that he had to try and change her mind quick. "No! Don't go yet!"

He knocked on the door in desperation. "Molly, open up! You have to believe me! Come on. Open up. Tuxedo Melvin would never tell a lie. Molly . . .”

"Go home. It's way late." Molly shut off the light as Neflyte came up behind her. She had enough of this Tuxedo Melvin guy, and wished that nerdy Melvin would take the hint and leave her and Neflyte in peace!

Melvin however took it the wrong way. "Oh, lowering the lights. Time for a little romance, I see. Don't worry, Molly. I'm gonna camp out here on your doorstep all night long and protect you."

Neflyte opened the door all the way. He too had his fill of this, and wanted Melvin to see the truth. “Melvin, go home. Molly has me here to protect her, and that’s all she needs.”

“I’ll win her yet, Mr. Stanton! Just you wait and see!” With that Melvin stormed off, but he planned on coming back once he thought that Maxfield Stanton had left.

Shutting the door and locking it, Neflyte barely kept his growl low. How dare that punk kid show up at his love’s home?

Seeing the look of shock in her eyes, Neflyte pulled Molly close after he had made certain that every lock in the apartment was sealed magically. “I’m sorry. But, he was becoming annoying. And, I want him to see that I do take care of the lady that I love.”

“The girls told you about that, huh? You’re not mad at me, are you?”

“Why would I be mad at you, Molly? It’s Melvin. He thinks that he can steal you away from me by putting me down. Me, I’d rather that you choose your own way in life.” Neflyte kissed Molly on her head.

Molly giggled as she looked him square in the eye. “My choice is to be your wife again.”

“I love you Molly Baker.” Neflyte wondered what it was that he did to deserve this wonderful woman’s love.

“Neflyte, my name is Molly Stanton. And it will be for the rest of my life.”

* * * * * * * *

The next day, Molly and Neflyte were inseparable. He got them up and out before the sun rose. He wanted to begin and end their day with a view. Tokyo Tower was wonderful and beautiful with the sunrise.

Somehow he got them into the Imperial Palace, a place that is only open to the public twice a year! He told Molly about all the times that he and the Prince would go there to visit. It was one of the few places the future Neo-King Endymion was able to be himself.

Molly loved walking through the East Gardens. It was peaceful, especially since they were allowed in before the general public.

They left and ended up spending much of the morning into the early afternoon at Ueno Park.

Molly adored the zoo, just as she had enjoyed the refuge Serenity had created within the Moon Kingdom a thousand years before, in hopes of saving endangered species of animal life that were native to the Moon. Neflyte ended up buying her a stuffed panda, as she had enjoyed that sight most of all. They visited the Toshugo Shrine and its path of giant stone lanterns.

Molly left a doll at the Kiyomizu-Dokannon Temple for the Goddess of Mercy, in the hopes that their daughter would return to them soon. While she prayed, Neflyte remembered how Queen Serenity told him that their daughter would be further down his path - though not by long. He wondered how much longer he and Molly had until they’d hold their little girl at last.

When she came back to his side, Neflyte could see that the visit had made Molly happy by the peaceful look in her eyes. She’d never tell him that Queen Serenity had paid her a visit before she was able to offer the doll they had chosen to represent their lost daughter. No, it would not be long before the little girl would return to them.

As they walked they noticed Serena and Luna sneaking behind someone in the amusement park. What was the pair up to, and why did Molly have a bad feeling about it?