Drum rolls please! At last here it is … the long awaited and requested return of General Jedite! Want to thank me? Then please review me! HINT, HINT! LOL!

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

Beryl was not pleased with her replacement Generals in the least. She glared down at the three whining, beaten, miserable excuse for leaders.

“Why is it that valuable energy has been wasted and yet none of you have been able to recover the Imperium Silver Crystal nor rid us of the Sailor Scouts? Jet, you had assured me that there was no way Solaris could regain her powers, and yet now she is even more powerful than ever! And Jasper, you idiot! If you hadn’t interfered Prince Darien would have brought the crystal to our presence! I am severely disappointed with all three of you.”

Jet hated being reminded of how she had lost her hold on the brat. “Queen Beryl, I will make that bitch pay for causing Rudy and myself pain!”

“Save it for someone who cares, Jet! Your only mission is to retrieve the Silver Crystal! Between the three of you do you think it might be possible to complete that simple of a task?” Beryl was nearing her breaking point with the vampire and her lover. Both being sealed in Eternal Sleep was looking like a very good option.

Ever since her turncoat Generals left her plans had began to fall apart. The four were … wait … she still had one under her control. Jedite.

He was still trapped in his crystal, and had no idea what had been going on in the months since his banishment. And she had all four at one another’s throats, so he would be easily manipulated and it would be unlikely that the traitors could turn him against her. It was too perfect.

“Leave me, all of you! Now!” Within a moment the throne room was empty except for her (AN: Which does make it completely empty in my book. LOL ^_^).

Focusing her powers through the globe that was always before her, Beryl opened a portal in the floor. Out of it came a huge, clear crystal with Jedite’s body trapped within it. Contrary to her subject’s belief, it was a simple task to get out of her sleep crystals - someone on the outside had to shatter it. Even with the slightest crack in the crystal’s surface, whoever was within would be able to break free. She was accomplished in instilling fear of being trapped into her strongest spell. That was all that protected her place on the throne. If her secret were to ever leak out … she shuddered to imagine what could possibly happen to her.

A soft blast of dark energy cracked the crystal enough for the General within it to break free of his imprisonment. He finished his cry of fear and then collapsed to the floor panting. Though Beryl called it Eternal Sleep, Jedite had been awake and aware throughout his long sentence. His mind was near slipping when his body felt the impact it had with the floor.

One of his fingers was slit by a shard of the crystal, causing him to wince in pain. Pain? Did he really feel pain? Lifting his hand, he saw the green blood slowly beginning to flow from the wound. He was alive and free! How? Why?

It didn’t take much for him to sense that he was still within the Negaverse. He was in the throne room, sprawled on the floor before Beryl. Inside he loathed her more than he ever had. Jedite swore to himself that he’d repay her for his solitude.

“Stand before us, Jedite!” Beryl growled.

With great pain to both his pride and his body Jedite did as he was ordered, and even bowed before the bitch on the throne. For now he had to bide his time until his strength returned.

Beryl grinned. “Welcome back, General Jedite. You are going to have to supervise Jet, Rudolph, and Jasper. They are nowhere near what I need in my replacement Generals.”

“What has happened to …” Jedite gasped with a rusty voice that was unaccustomed to being used.

“That is no concern of yours! You will make certain the three of them will not interfere with our objective of gaining the Imperium Silver Crystal. You will report directly to my lead General, Prince Darien. You might remember him as Tuxedo Mask, now he is to be my consort - that is, once we take over the Universe.” As Beryl spoke his name, Darien came into the room.

Jedite gasped. He couldn’t believe his ears and eyes. He had to have gone mad in that crystal! Prince Darien was still alive? His Prince was Tuxedo Mask all along? He would be Beryl’s consort?

If Prince Darien was still alive, could Jedite’s beloved cousin be alive as well?

Beryl’s hated voice broke into his contemplation. “Both of you plan out how to keep the imbeciles from ruining our plans. I want the crystal by the end of the month at latest.”

“Yes, my Queen.” Darien bowed deeply and reverently.

Knowing that he could get away with it, Jedite’s bow was slightly more rigid and nowhere near the depth of his Prince. How was he going to save his Prince and get them both out of there?

It was obvious as they left the throne room that Darien had been brainwashed by Beryl. No way would he have come of his own free will. But still, Jedite refused to believe that was how it would always be. He had too because to think otherwise would mean giving up all hope of being free of Beryl himself. “Queen Beryl doubtlessly forgot to feed you any energy when she woke you. We’ll go dine at my rooms. There we can begin making plans.” Darien’s voice left no room for questioning, but still revealed the kind Prince Jedite was beginning to remember.

Jedite only nodded and followed behind his Prince. What had happened while he was trapped in the Sleep Crystal?

Taking a seat, Jedite was happy to be outside of Beryl’s influence. Maybe he could make the Prince see the truth. But it would take some time, and he had to be ginger about his approach and movement. If he went too far too quickly he’d see the inside of another Sleep Crystal before he could blink. “Could you please help me come up to date on what has been happening while I was imprisoned?” Jedite forced through his sore throat.

The sound made Darien visibly wince. That benevolent Prince Jedite had always looked up to was still there. “Of course I will. After you were put aside, Neflyte was assigned next to gather energy. He was successful for a time, until he began falling for a human that turned out to be his lost wife, Princess Drusilla.”

Jedite steadied his body, but was near tears on the inside. His sweet cousin had been brought back, and was with her true love! Yet another reason for him to get out of the Negaverse.

“Neflyte began attacking our own troops until we believed that Zoicite’s youmas called the Delta Girls killed him. Then Sailor Moon and her Scouts destroyed them, so we could not get an accurate report at the time. Neflyte was saved by the human Molly Baker and the Scouts. Then three new Scouts joined in.”

Jedite held out a hand in a respectful gesture. Molly Baker … why did that name sound so familiar? The letter … when he was using the radio program to gather energy. And when he used the gym … Molly was drained there too! Oh Gods, he had used his own beloved cousin’s energy to help release the Negaforce! Jedite had never felt more ashamed than he did at that moment.

Darien, on the other hand, took it as disbelief of another kind. “I know. How could Neflyte betray us for a weak human? But he has. He is allied with the Sailor Scouts and is intending to marry that Molly. That isn’t the worse of it. Zoicite was ordered to use the Dark Crystal Neflyte made before his desertion to change his precious Molly into a warrior for the Negaverse, but she gave the assignment to a weak youma and faked being too ill to fight. Beryl nearly killed that coward, but Malachite took her to the Scouts and they saved her life. Now all three of them are protecting the Scouts.”

Jedite sighed as he relaxed back into his chair. With all three of the other Generals protecting her, Molly was safe. And there were three other Scouts on top of that.

Darien took Jedite’s reaction the wrong way … thankfully. “I know it seems that everything is against us, but you and I will turn it all around. After the three Generals left, Beryl chose Jet, Rudolph, and Jasper to take their places.”

Jedite couldn’t hide the disbelief on his face, and Darien nodded. “Agreed, not the wisest of choices. Thankfully she brought you back. Maybe now things will get back under control.”

For two hours the two men went over what had happened, and in that time they grew closer. As the time passed without having to worry about his back, Darien began to remember their combined past. “We fought as friends before … didn’t we?”

Jedite nodded, his voice was still sore. So long without speaking and then screaming had wrecked it. “I know that here no one can be trusted. But, somehow I know I can trust you. You cover my back, and I’ll cover yours. Agreed?”

Jedite smiled with a tear in his eye as he shook hands with his leader, nodding as his answer. He knew that he couldn’t leave the Negaverse until he made sure the Prince was pulled out as well. But, how long would the pair be trapped?

* * * * * * * *

The Scouts were meeting at the Cherry Hill Temple. Serena seemed so excited as she showed them all a flyer. "Hey, you guys have gotta check this out. The Miss Moon Princess contest at the Pinecone Ski Resort. I gotta enter this for sure, don't you think?"

"You wanna enter some ski bunny contest?" Mina asked.

"I was hoping you'd wanna make a ski weekend out of it with me." Serena smiled.

Raye took the flyer from Serena. "Let me see that. Hey! Winner gets two weeks free. Sounds like a blast."

"I don't think Luna and Artemis will be very happy knowing we're going off to play," Lita warned.

Mina may like to play, but she agreed with Lita. "Yeah. We're supposed to be fighting the Negaverse, right? Besides, we'll never get a room there at the last minute."

"Couldn't we just see what happens when we get there? People always cancel," Serena chirped.

Neflyte knew that the Negaverse had been quiet lately, but he also knew that the girls all could use the time off. The Scouts were not only working through their school breaks against the Negaverse but on their accelerated classes as well. Even Molly was feeling bogged down in the strain. It was time to let them have a break. “There are also those who will sell their reservations.”

"You guys can stay at my place," Chad cheerfully offered. He was once a broke rock star, before he fell for Raye and begged to become Grandpa’s assistant. Then he pieced together most of the Scout’s secret, bringing him into their circle.

That stunned Raye. "Oh, you have a place there?"

"Actually, it belongs to my parents, but I go up all the time." He chuckled.

Serena was sold. "Co-OOL! Oh, you're gonna come with us, right?"

"Yah. I always go up this time of year to practice my drumming, bang up some new songs . . .” Chad grinned.

As Raye looked at the flyer again, Neflyte voiced his opinion. “I think that the rest would be good for all of you. All of you have skipped your last two vacations. I’m certain Luna and Artemis will understand that.”

“Princess, you were adamant for Zoicite and I to rest when we were worn. Now I am so about all of you relaxing.” Malachite could see in Neflyte’s eyes that the Leader of the Generals agreed.

Molly liked the idea of getting out of work for any amount of time. She and Neflyte were again starting to only have time for together time as they were settling into bed, and then they were too tired to do anything but fall asleep.

Amy was used to working so hard, but she knew the others weren’t. “I’m inclined to agree. We are all further ahead in our studies than any of the school officials ever expected us to be. And skiing is something I’ve never tried before.”

“So it’s settled!” Serena declared punching her fist into the air above her head.

* * * * * * * *

"Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha. This contest's an excellent idea. Those silly Scouts will be lured into it for sure," Jasper chuckled as he looked at that same flyer.

Jet was moisturizing her arms in an attempt to speeding up her supernatural healing properties and minimizing the scars that were already setting thanks to Solaris. “My bitch of a stepdaughter had better be there, is all I have to say about it.”

“I want a chance to break into her before you scare her, dearest,” Rudolph growled as he worked on his mate’s back. He had already finished his own body, and planned out what he was going to do to his daughter.

"They're not idiots, you three knuckleheads. It'd behoove you to quit underestimating their powers," Darien sneered as he and Jedite appeared in the room.

Jedite was still weak and hadn’t yet regained his voice. But his presence visibly shook the three before him and Darien … just not in fear.

Jasper hated both men before him. "I know this plan'll work!"

Jet grinned as she undressed the Prince with her eyes, to Rudolph’s dislike. “At least we know not to associate with the weakest General. Moon is pathetic, Solaris is targeted for fun by my mate, and the rest will fall afterwards.”

Solaris was Molly Baker … his cousin. Jedite tapped Darien’s shoulder for the Prince’s attention. Gesturing sunshine and then brushing his hand before him in a finalizing gesture, Jedite hoped for the Prince to understand his meaning.

Thankfully the Prince did know, and was in agreement. “Agreed. Solaris is not the focus of your mission, Jet. You are to recover the Imperium Silver Crystal for Beryl. Attack Solaris and you threaten to bring all three Generals down on us. You three together couldn’t take on any one of the Guardian Generals, much less all three at once.”

“Now hear this, your highness! I am in charge of this plan!” Jasper growled.

Darien wasn’t worried. He knew that he had an ally he could always count on. "And we are in charge of making sure you three don’t screw up! Sailor Moon may seem like a clumsy crybaby, but when push comes to shove, she's tougher than any she-lion."

"Right," Rudolph jeered.

"And you're such an expert, Darien. You know the only reason I tolerate you is because of Queen Beryl's orders, so I suggest you learn to keep your mouth shut! Got it?! I know what I'm doing. I'm gonna get the Imperium Crystal if it's the last thing I do!" Jasper got up and stomped over to the Prince, but couldn’t get close enough to touch Darien.

Jedite stood between the two men. He would protect the Prince as long as there was a breath in his body. Darien chuckled at the sight. He knew he had done well by allying himself to this soldier. "You will never get me so long as my friend is here to support me, and I him. If you ask me, Jasper, the only way you're gonna get that Crystal is to lure Sailor Moon here."

“I will not take neither suggestion nor order from you!” Jasper’s eyes flared with the hate he felt. He should be in the lead … not Beryl’s bed partner!

“You will do as you are told. Drop this stupid scheme and focus on luring Moon here!” Darien nodded to Jedite who knew it meant they would leave.

* * * * * * * *

The next morning the Scouts, the Generals, and Chad arrived at the Pinecone Ski Resort. They had left the youmas at home, giving the valued group of minions a vacation as well.

Serena chuckled as she spun around taking in everything. "Wow! It's gorgeous!"

“You got that right, Serena. One of your better ideas for sure!” Molly giggled as she mimicked the Scout leader.

Lita smiled as she took a deep breath of air. "This weekend's gonna be so fun."

Amy still felt a little guilty. "You're sure Luna and Artemis weren't too mad, Mina?"

"Oh no. They said it would give them a chance to catch up on all their work."

Neflyte was mostly focusing on his love. He hadn’t seen her so carefree in so long. It was good to see her smiling in such joy. “And their rest undoubtedly as well.”

That made everyone chuckle.

* * * * * * * *

While in Serena’s bedroom …

"So, Artemis, what do you think's the best way to beat Queen Beryl?"

Artemis had seemingly dozed off. Luna had been focusing on something else the whole time. "Artemis? That cat! He's such a lazybones."

It was irritating, but Luna was finding it hard to stay awake herself. She spent many nights helping Serena cope with homework or nightmares about Darien. The cat was bushed. "'Course, I could use a little catnap after all the training and help with schoolwork we've been putting in. Take a snooze. I'll think better."

She settled next to the white cat and relaxed. Sensing that Luna had finally joined him, Artemis rubbed his head gently against hers. “About time we got a rest break too, eh kitten?”

“I suppose so. Sleep well Artemis. I’m glad that you’re back in my life.” Luna yawned as she snuggled closer to him.

Artemis tried to hide back his sob of joy. “Same here beautiful. Same here.”

One step closer to their future.

* * * * * * * *

An hour later the group settled in Chad’s parent’s house. The place was nothing like the group expected. It was classy, and more the size of Neflyte and Molly’s manor house. Once they all took rooms and unpacked they went downstairs to find Chad roasting marshmallows in the fireplace. "Just make yourselves at home, okay? We've got the place to ourselves."

Raye wasn’t sure how to take everything, that Chad was obviously so well-to-do. "I thought you were just a slacker. I mean … I never knew you were loaded. So, why do you work at the temple if you've got all this, I mean?"

"What? Are you gonna kick me out now, Raye?" Chad asked. He was scared of losing any possible chance he could have with the dark haired fireball he loved so much.

"Not as long as you don't sing. Ha, ha, ha." Raye gave off a faux pas. She never knew how to act or what to say in front of Chad. As annoyed as she acted in front of him she couldn’t help but feel a fluttering in her chest whenever she saw him. But that couldn’t really be feelings of love … right? Seeing Raye’s uncomfortable state, Lita decided to act as an intermission. "So, you guys ready? I really wanna hit those slopes."

"Let's go!" The group all shouted.

* * * * * * * *

In an hour many of them had easily taken to it. Serena went by the group. "I'm skiing! WO-HOAH! Look at me, you guys! I'm skiing!"

Lita on the other hand was talking to the rest of the girls. "Wasn't our instructor a hunkster?"

"Yeah, I'll say," Mina chuckled.

Amy was reading a book that was in her right hand while her pole was hanging off her wrist. "And he was very informative, too. I think I can face the Bunny slope alone."

Molly rolled her eyes. “Mina and Lita, that’s what you both say about every guy you meet.”

“Well, this time it happens to be very true.” Mina winked as she and Lita exchanged high-fives.

Raye, Chad and the Generals were all experienced skiers. They were racing down the tougher slopes. Lita grinned as she pointed the group out to the other girls. "Hey, there's Chad and Raye."

"Neflyte, Zoicite, and Malachite are with them. Whoa, they're fast." Mina observed.

Amy gasped as she caught sight of their friends. "I hope I can ski like that someday."

The group came to a stop in front of the group - Neflyte grabbing a kiss off of his lover.

Pulling off her goggles, Raye gaspingly chuckled as a way to fight off the longing building up in her heart due to being so close to Chad. "Hey, you guys gotta go up there. The powder's totally wicked."

"Uh unh. Powder's not my thing." Lita shook her head.

Mina agreed instantly. "Yeah, I end up on my face instead of on my feet."

"I'll just stick to the easy slopes, thanks," Amy said.

“If you’re with me, I’d give it a try, Neflyte,” Molly shyly admitted.

Neflyte smiled as he winked at her. “I’d always be there for you. One call and you’d be stuck with me.”

Molly raised an eyebrow at that. “And how is it I’d be ‘stuck’ when it comes to you?”

Rather than let Neflyte stutter like she usually did, Serena interrupted with her opinion. "Where's the Bunny hill?"

"You know, Serena, if you really, like, wanna be in the Miss Moon Princess contest, you gotta be able to do the toughest run: the Double Black Diamond," Chad pointed out. "You can only qualify for the contest if you finish the run. That's how they narrow down the field every year."

The run was both high and steep. Both points were making Serena feel less interested in the contest. "Way up there?"

"You don't have to force yourself, Serena. I mean, it'd be cool to have all you guys rooting for me. See ya later." Raye grinned as she glided off. She wanted to make sure that the leader of the Sailor Scouts faced her fears rather than run, as Serena would once do.

Serena however didn’t see the comment as that. "WHA-AAT?! Oh, that brat. Who does she think she is?"

“While they fight, how about we go up and see how you do on the powder? I remember you being excellent from your first time out on in our last life together.” Neflyte whispered into Molly’s ear.

Molly still looked up into his eyes with stars in her own. “That was only because I had you teaching me. Think I could do it again?”

“Only one way to find out.” Neflyte grinned as the pair headed off.

* * * * * * * *

Jasper appeared on top of the mountain where his latest drone waited for him. "So, is everything ready?"

The woman bowed respectfully. "Yes, Master."

"Excellent. Once you trap Sailor Moon, she'll have to reveal herself. I'm not leaving here without that Imperium Crystal in my hands and Sailor Solaris at my side. Understand?" Jasper didn’t care what Prince Darien said; he would bring back both stone and Scout. That would show up that pretty boy all right!

The woman nodded. "I understand perfectly."

* * * * * * * *

Three hours later, Neflyte and Molly were cuddling in their own lift behind Serena, Raye, and Chad on the way up for the contest. With an hour and a half practice time, Neflyte convinced Molly to try running the contest slope with Serena and Raye - for support at the least. They heard the group ahead of them, and both felt such pity for Serena.

Serena was still going to try, even if she was scared out of her mind. "It's so high. Uh, you're sure we're supposed to ski down this way?"

"No way. You ski down the other side, where it's way steeper," Chad said.

That made Serena feel even worse for letting her ego make her mind up for her. "Oh . . .”

Once they were atop the mountain, all of the ladies got ready for the contest, Molly barely slipping Neflyte a secreted kiss away from the media cameras.

Serena whimpered in her growing fear. "They all look so professional. It's not fair."

Before Molly or Raye could say a word, the announcer opened the contest. "Hello, ladies. Nice to see all of you out there. Now, I hope you've all had a chance to look over the racecourse we designed for you. By popular demand, we've added a few more jumps and turns this year. And now, to remind you of all the rules, is last year's princess, Miss Stormy Kincaid."

"First, I'd like to wish all of you good luck. Now remember, you must finish the entire course to qualify for the rest of the contest, but speed's important, too, so I hope you're ready to boogie down that hill. The first place gets fifty extra points added to her score." Stormy smiled as she looked over all of the women gathered before her, trying to guess who Sailor Moon and Sailor Solaris were.

It had been Stormy who met Jasper earlier that day.

Serena was starting to get nervous as the lights came to life, and the crowd took their positions at the starting line. "Skiers, are you ready? On your mark, get set, GO!"

Molly barely got Serena too take off with the other skiers as the race began. Raye had already taken an early lead, but Molly was sticking with Serena to help her along.

“Serena keep your legs slightly closer together … that’s it! Now tighten your form. You’re doing great! When you want to slow down remember to use your snowplow,” Molly coached as they speed along. She remembered how Neflyte first taught her to ski a thousand years before, and how stunned she had left him that day when they went to practice on the powder. She hadn’t forgotten a single lesson.

None of them had noticed that Stormy had taken off after them. Quickly into the race Raye had taken the lead, and she held it for a while. Stormy decided to make the path a little more difficult. "Time to narrow the field of competition a little."

Using the power of the Negaverse, Stormy added some moguls midway through the competition.

"Moguls? Where'd those come from?" Raye was startled by them but negotiated them easily. A lot of the other competitors didn’t do as well.

Raye looked back, still shocked, and then focused back on the path before her. "It's weird. Those weren't there before. Maybe that's what the guy meant by new jumps."

After a few more minutes, both Molly and Serena caught up with her. The three pulled close together. Raye liked having her friends with her. “Hey girls! Did ya see those wicked moguls? I swear that they hadn’t been there at first.”

“Yeah, and we barely got around four others on our way here!” Molly panted. It had been a LONG time since she had raced, and she was fighting to keep up.

Serena too was quickly wearing out, but fighting to keep up with her friends. She was thankful that she had Molly with her, doubting if she would have gotten as far as she had alone. “One second they weren’t there and then they just seemed to spring up.”

“I have a bad feeling about this!” Molly groaned. She was beginning to wonder if she’d have the strength to finish the course with the girls.

Behind the group, Stormy got around the mess of fallen skiers. "There are only three skiers left, so one's gotta be the keeper of the Imperium Silver Crystal and undoubtedly one would be Sailor Solaris." Stormy began working up a new obstacle. As the trio got by a ledge, a large snowball flew off and tore down the mountain after the girls. It quickly increased in size and speed. Hearing the roaring that was growing behind them, Raye turned and saw the coming danger.

“GIRLS, HUSTLE! THERE'S AN AVALANCHE COMING!" she screamed and put on the speed. Both Serena and Molly gasped as they followed in Raye’s example. Raye was panting hard by then. "Hurry!"

The girls didn’t know that Chad had been following the course and saw the problem. "That avalanche is right on Raye's trail! She, Molly, and Serena could be in trouble."

Stormy stopped and transformed into Blizzard the ice monster! "Let's up the stakes a little." Without warning, towering blocks of ice grew from the slope, forming a frozen ravine in the middle of the run. The girls had no choice but ski into it.

Serena whimpered in her fear. "Now what's that?! Oh, I'm gonna crash and burn!"

“No you’re not! We just have to stick together!” Raye growled in frustration and partly in fear. They hoped the snow would be slowed and stopped by the chasm, but it was still speeding behind them. Chad fought to get ahead of the avalanche on top of the canyon. He shouted out with all he had. "RAYE, DON'T LOOK BACK! You just keep skiing! I'll block that snowball for ya!"

Then he jumped into the rift and stopped right in front of the coming snowball and shouted at the rushing snow. "Stop where you are! STAY THERE!"

But he was trapped into the ball as it rolled over him. Raye hadn’t noticed him, only heard a muffled voice. "Sounded like someone was yelling at me."

“Forget about that, Raye! You’re falling behind!” Serena cried out in panic.

In that split second, Blizzard continued her attack. "Got you now, Sailor brats. You won't escape from Blizzard's ice trap."

The rooms began to move. Ahead of the group two walls ahead of the trio slammed into each other - forming a dead end. Serena flaked fast. "AAAAAH! I'M TOAST! HEEELLLLP!"

“Serena! Calm down and use your snowplow now!” Molly shouted as she and Raye reminded their leader what the red head was talking about.

All three stopped in front of the walls before them, but then noticed the walls surrounding them were shutting fast. The walls crushed the snowball before the girls were crushed or trapped in the ball. However, they were trapped in that pit of ice.

At first the girls tried to climb out. Serena gave up on it fast, and after a few tries Molly took a seat next to the Scout leader. Raye was stubborn as ever.

Serena moaned. "Give it up, Raye. It's way too slippery. We're never gonna get out that way."

Raye got about half way, only to loose her grip and fall to the bottom next to the girls - a pile of snow following and landing on her. Serena sighed. "Told ya so. You never listen."

"I don't know about you, Miss Giver-Uppers, but I'm not gonna stay and turn into a Popsicle!" Raye snapped as she repeated her last attempt and her last failure as well.

"You're so stubborn. Just be patient. I'm sure someone'll find us." Serena moaned.

"YEAH, LIKE SOME NEGAVERSE CREEPAZOID AFTER YOUR CRYSTAL, OR HAVEN'T YOU FIGURED OUT THAT THEY'RE THE ONES BEHIND THIS?!" Raye snapped before trying again.

Serena pulled out her Star Locket and opened to get it to play its music. She began thinking about Darien, inside hoping that Tuxedo Mask would show up to protect them. A moment later Raye sat beside them. Serena noticed before a tear fell from her eye.

"Hey, I thought you were gone."

Raye sighed. "It's not worth breaking my neck over. We'll wait together."

"Hope you girls don't mind me playing this, but it really cheers me up when I get bummed out," Serena explained as she wiped away the tear.

"Hmm . . .” Raye answered as she sat back to listen to the music. Molly too enjoyed the tune.

Then Serena remembered how Raye had once been Darien’s girlfriend, and felt like a horrid friend. She gasped and shut the locket. "Oh, I'm such a total meatball head, Raye. I'm sorry. I didn't even think about your feelings. Oh, it must be the pits to be reminded of Darien right now."

"Actually, it's nice to think about him, but I know it wasn't meant to be." Raye said as she relaxed.

"No way. He's your boyfriend," Serena answered. She wasn’t going to force Darien to be with her just because of their past.

Raye shook her head. "Nah, it was just a silly crush. I-I mean, I always knew Darien wasn't interested in me, but I didn't care. It was still fun believing he was really my guy, you know? Wasn't like YOU and Darien. THAT'S solid."

"Not anymore." Serena felt even lower than before. She began to doubt that she’d ever get her guy back - her only love.

"That's because he's been brainwashed and those Negadweebs are trying to turn him against us, but we'll get him back, just like we got that Crystal. I promise ya!" Raye insisted on it. "But you know what I wish? I wish we could just go blasting into the Negaverse and dust 'em off!"

"Sailor ambush," Serena chuckled.

Molly shouted out. “Why didn’t I think of this before? Neflyte can hear my thoughts! I’m calling in back up!”

“Do it! We’ll need all the help we can get!” Serena agreed.

‘NEFLYTE! WE’RE IN DANGER! THERE’S AN AVALANCHE THAT HAS TRAPPED US IN A RIFT OF ICE! IT COULD BE A NEGAVERSE TRAP!’ Molly sent hard and scared. What if he didn’t get the message in time?

“While we’re waiting, we can transform and meet up with them somewhere. MARS . . .” But before she could finish crumbling snow caught her and the girls’ attentions.

"Raye?!" It was Chad! "Are you guys cool here? Got through as fast as I could."

"Chad, how'd you get in here?" Raye gasped in her shock.

Chad chuckled as he blushed. "AVALANCHE SURFIN'! Come on. I dug a tunnel to the top of the cliff. You three can transform up there."

Stormy looked down on them from the top of the trap. "Hold it right there."

"Stormy, you came for us!" Raye smiled.

"Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha. Please call me Blizzard," Stormy chuckled as she turned into the youma she had been empowered bent into by the Negaforce. "Might as well get friendly before you go into the deep freeze."

"I knew the Negaverse was behind this!" Raye growled.

Serena was stunned. "So this whole contest was totally bogus?"

"That's right, Sailor Moon. Hand over that crystal! And you, red, are coming with me!" Blizzard snapped at Raye and Molly.

That shocked all three of the girls. Raye stuttered for a moment. “Are you talking to me?”

"Don't play dumb with me, ya little twit. I know you're the princess. It's written all over ya," Blizzard growled.

Raye took it the wrong way. "Well, I AM kind of a princess at heart. I mean, no point in being humble about it."

“Raye! Will you cut it out?” Molly snapped.

Chad on the other hand didn’t understand it. "What are you talking about?! I thought you were just a fire throwing karate champ."

"I'm Sailor Moon." Serena stepped up to the plate.

Blizzard shook her head. "Stop! I know who I'm after. You just wanna confuse me."

When she shot freezing air at the trio, Chad stupidly jumped in front of the girls … acting as a shield. "I'll protect you."

He turned into an ice statue the second the blast hit him and fell backward.

"He's frozen solid!" Serena gasped.

Raye snapped at that point. She knew that she had some kind of feelings for the brave fool. "Come on, Serena … Molly! Let's put this ice queen back on ice! MARS POWER!"

"Ooh, prepare for meltdown, Snowball Brain! MOON PRISM POWER!" Serena cried out.

Molly too was pissed, as Chad had become a good friend to her as well. And she knew that Neflyte would be drawn to her transformation, bringing him to the faster. “Right! SOLARIS POWER!”

The trio transformed into Sailors Moon, Mars, and Solaris. Blizzard hadn’t seen this coming. "What's going on here? You're ALL Sailor Scouts?"

"That's right! I am Sailor Moon, Champion of Justice and sworn enemy of the Negaverse! On behalf of the Moon . . .”

“. . . and on behalf of Mars, we will right wrongs and triumph over all evil! We are Sailor Scouts . . .” Moon followed up with, “. . . and YOU, Negatrash, are in big trouble . . .”

“. . . 'cause we're gonna chew you up and spit you out! I am Sailor Solaris, and the name of Solaris I will make you wish you had never seen this mountain!"

"Well, I'm not impressed." Blizzard created an ice lance and shot it at the Scouts. "Take that!"

The trio dodged it, and Mars shot back. "MARS FIRE IGNITE!"

Blizzard too dodged the attack and created another ice lance. "So long, Sailor … "

But someone grabbed it. It was Tuxedo Mask! "Hold it, Blizzard!'

"Tuxedo Mask, you came back!" The Scout girls gasped in combined shock. What was going on?

With a smile and a tip of his hat, he acknowledged all three Scouts. "Sailor Moon, Sailor Mars, Sailor Solaris, nice to see all of you again."

Blizzard was irked by his arrival and intervention. "What's going on?"

"You're not following your orders, Blizzard. Queen Beryl wants that Imperium Crystal, you slush-brain, and for that, we need Sailor Moon in one piece." But also, he couldn’t agree to the beautiful Scout leader being harmed. He held up a black rose. "I'll show you how it's done."

He threw it, but missed and it stuck into the wall. "No prob. I've got plenty."

As he pulled out another black rose, Blizzard disappeared. Jedite appeared nearby to watch out for his Prince, but remained hidden as well. Inside he was hoping that he and Prince Darien wouldn’t be returning to the Negaverse.

Sailor Moon had tears in her eyes. "Tuxedo Mask, don't! We're your friends!"

"Don't you remember? We used to fight the Negaverse together. You've always protected us. And Sailor Moon. She's the Moon Princess, the one you were searching for," Mars begged.

Solaris followed in. “Darien, you have to try! You were captured after we regained the Silver Crystal! Please remember!”

Moon felt like breaking down into sobs. "Think of all those long years. You must remember something."

For a moment Jedite and the Scouts saw the rose turn red, but then it faded back to black again. Could it be a sign? How could they all use it to their advantage?

"Please, Tuxedo Mask. You can't betray us now," Mars continued to plead.

Blizzard had enough. "Give me a break!"

She busted through a high area of the ice wall and dropped down on the Scouts … an ice lance leading her. But then a rose stopped her … a RED rose cut her lance and her concentration! She slammed into the ground. The three Scouts took it as a huge breakthrough as they all cried out in unison. "He saved us!"

"Whose side are you on, anyway?" Blizzard spat.

“Not yours, obviously!” Neflyte growled as he and the other Generals appeared with the Scouts.

Mars looked over at her friend and leader. "Hurry! Now's our chance!"

"Right!" Moon agreed as she called forward the Crescent Moon Wand. "MOON HEALING ACTIVATION!"

The wand turned Blizzard back into the real Stormy Kincaid. Tuxedo Mask spoke up. "Sailor Moon, I saved you this time but that doesn't mean it'll happen again. We're enemies now. 'Til next time. I'll get that crystal.”

He disappeared and the rose that had protected the girls turned black and wilted. But the encounter gave the group more hope that they’d get their friend back from Beryl. Moon sighed as she buckled her tears down for the joy she knew would come once Darien was back. "I'll set you free again, Darien. I promise."

Mars was tending to a thawed Chad, who was still unconscious. "Chad . . . Chad, can you hear me? It's Raye. Wake up, Chad. Come on, guy."

"Is he all right?" Moon softly asked as the others watched out for any further attacks.

"I think so." Mars was shaky inside and kissed his cheek, hoping that Chad would wake up.

Jedite saw the Generals watching and saw a way to get out of the Negaverse with the Prince. Quickly conjuring a note, he carefully hid it in a snowball. With a chuckle he aimed and sent it flying straight at Zoicite. She was hit and fell to the snowy ground. It ticked off Malachite. Neflyte looked up at where the ball had come from.

Seeing a chance to show himself, Jedite walked out where he was seen by the group but not by Beryl. Neflyte was the first to notice. Jedite winked and waved before returning to their Prince.

“That jerk!” Zoicite too had noticed Jedite before he vanished. “He aimed at me on purpose!”

Malachite felt Beryl’s attention leave them. “He couldn’t come to us without grabbing Beryl’s attentions. What’s that by your hand, Zoi?”

She picked up the paper and hid it in her snowsuit as they all de-transformed when they heard Stormy moaning back to consciousness. "Hey, what gives? How did I get here? What happened?"

Neflyte and Molly combined to cook up a story that Stormy accepted. Quickly they all made it up Chad’s tunnel out of the pit and back to his parent’s house. The group left Raye alone with Chad. "Raye?” Chad gasped as he woke finding his head in her lap. “Where are we? Are you and the girls all right?”

Raye choked back a sob as she smiled. “About time you woke up. Yeah, we had a bit of trouble with some wacko piece of Negatrash, but you saved us from being froze and captured."

"I did? How come I don't remember that? I think I would remember that," Chad whispered.

"Grandpa would be so proud. You risked you life for mine … I-I mean us.” Raye blushed.

Chad wondered out loud. "Whoa, never thought I'd be a hero!"

They both chuckled at that. The look in their eyes told that things might have taken a new step, if the rest of the group hadn’t walked in at that moment.

"Finally. So you’re awake Chad." Lita was in a bad mood obviously.

"Don't mind her. She just found out our ski instructor's married," Mina brushed off.

Amy raised an eyebrow. "Yes, well, I didn't see you taking it so calmly either, Mina."

"Hmm . . .” Mina chuckled.

Raye smiled. "Whaddya guys say we get some dinner, then head out for a little night skiing?"

Chad sat up and smiled at Raye, not really talking to the others. “Sounds like a great idea.”

"WHAT?! Haven't we skied enough? Oh . . .” Serena moaned. "Come on, Raye. Let's stay in and have hot fudge sundaes. Hmm?"

Raye was peeved that Serena was flaking again. "Get off me, Serena. I'M WARNING YOU! We'll go to the Bunny slopes just for you, okay?"

"I have to ski more? No, please . . .”

Zoicite cleared her throat. “First, we have been waiting for Chad to wake up to bring this out. Jedite is awake and on our side.”

She read the hurried note Jedite sent in that snowball.

Hey Trio of Trouble

Yeah, I’m awake and free. Beryl thinks that I’m going to keep Jet, Rudolph, and Jasper in line. As if I’d ever listen to that bitch after what she did to me!
Listen, I have to go back and keep watch over the Prince. You saw that he’s at an edge. We’ll return the moment I can turn him back.
Tell Zoi if she’s so pissed at me for how I sent this that she will have a clear, open, and easy shot the first snowball fight we have once I get back. Miss all three of you.

Jedite