Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Jewel Senshi Saga ❯ Sleeping Beauty Revisited ( Chapter 8 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Bishojo Senshi Sailor Moon
Jewel Senshi
By Sakura
Part Eight: Sleeping Beauty Revisited

Meanwhile Mara Jade was not having a good night. Hoping to forget her dreams, she had gone to bed early when Deana failed to return in time for dinner.
"Mara! I'm home!" said De's voice as she walked into the kitchen. There was no sign of her friend though she had left dishes in the sink. "Typical. She eats without me and leaves the work for me. Oh well, guess I'll have to settle for pot luck." She went over to the fridge. On it was a note stuck with a piece of tape.
De-
Sorry 'bout today. I never could stand anyone being a better trickster than me. Can you forgive me?
Leftover pizza in fridge. Use mic. Set for about 30 sec's. Use your own judgment if it's not hot enough.
Gone to bed early. See you in the morning.
-Mara

"Guess I'll let her sleep. Wonder what's bothering her. She's been acting weird ever since Raist told us about himself." As if to answer her thoughts she noticed a postscript on the paper. "Hey what's this? 'P.S. We've gotta do some girl talk. Urgent. -Mara.' Gee, I hope it's nothing serious. Guess I'll have to wait till morning to find out what it is."
She cooked the leftover pizza and waited for Chang-O to return. When he didn't, she decided to go to bed and leave the dishes for the morning.

Mara tossed and turned in her bed from a dream that had been troubling her off and on since her memories had been restored. She moaned in her sleep.

She was in a courtyard of some sort fighting against an endless army of youma soldiers. A mist covered the battlefield and the soldiers vanished.
The mist parted and a figure in a grey uniform with red trim stood before her. He had short blond hair and piercing blue eyes.
"Jadeite! Thank Chronos you're all right! I was so worried, darling." She thrust her arms around her lost love failing to see him pull out a hidden dagger. As she hugged and kissed him, there was a sharp pain in her back. She felt the blood run down her back and stain her senshi uniform causing it to stick to the wound.
"Why Jed? Why?" she gasped then slumped against him, dead.
The figure laughed and laughed.

She woke up screaming as she did so many times before. She had never remembered the dream before, but now she did. Mention of Jadeite's name had caused her to think about her dream somehow and now she was able to remember it. Though vaguely.
After a couple hours of reading and trying to forget the nightmare, she managed to fall asleep, albeit a restless one.
There was a shimmering of light and a ghostly figure of Jadeite appeared in Mara's room. He crossed over to her bed and stood beside her.
"Marrrra..." the 'ghost' said trying to wake her.
She stirred then wet back to her dreaming.
"Marrraaaa... wake up my love." he said laying a hand on her shoulder. A bone freezing chill went through her arm and it went numb. That caused her to wake up with a start.
"Who's there? Who are you?" she said staring at Jadeite's ghost.
"'My time is short my darling. I haven't much strength left. Please help me Mara. You're my only hope," he pleaded.
"But who are you?" He turned on the lamp next to the bed and then she recognized who he was. "You! The man from my nightmare!"
"Yes. I did kill you once, but I also loved you a long time ago. But please, I beg of you. Help me."
"Why should I?"
"If you don't, I will truly sleep forever without ever atoning for what I did to you. Hurry, Beryl's spell is growing stronger."
He began to fade "Wait don't go!" she sat and thought silently asking herself if he was telling the truth. She could sense no evil in him, so decided to help this strange man who she barely knew. "I'll help. What do I have to do?"
"I knew you would, my love. You must free me from my crystal prison. Come to the base at the North Pole. I will try my best not to give in till you arrive. Farewell Mara. Till we meet again, my darling." He vanished as quickly and silently as he came.
"Wait! Tell me who you are!" It was too late. Her mystery lover had completely vanished.
She could only sleep for a few hours at a time, so impatient she was for the morning to come. When she saw it was finally morning, she leapt out of bed, grabbed a robe then dashed out of the house toward Nephrite's.

"Who could be knocking at this hour?" grumbled Neffy as he pulled on a robe. He went downstairs and opened his front door.
"Mara? What's wrong? You look terrible," he said looking at the dishevelled girl at his doorstep. She was wearing a black bathrobe and black slippers. Her hair was mussed and her eyes were lackluster.
"Nephrite, can I come in?"
"Sure. I'll fix us some coffee."
A few moments later, they were sitting in the kitchen. Neither of them had touched their coffee.
"So what's so important that you had to come here in your pajamas at eight in the morning?" he asked.
"I don't know if you believe in ghosts or not, but I saw one last night. In my bedroom. I'm not imagining things. I really did see him."
"I believe you Mara. So who was it?"
"I don't know. He wouldn't say. He claimed to know me and that he loved me. Pretty weird huh? Anyway, I think he's got something to do with this Jadeite guy of yours."
"Jadeite? Mara, what did this ghost of yours look like?"
"He had short blond hair. Blue eyes. A real looker."
Neffy's eyes widened. <Could it be? Is he still alive?> he preid his friend was alive and not a ghost. "Anything else?"
"He was wearing a uniform similar to your old one, only it had dark red trim."
His heart stopped right there. "My God! It has to be him!"
"Who?"
"Mara, the ghost you saw was Jadeite."
"Jadeite? Well that explains it. If he was a ghost then I guess he's really dead. I'm sorry, Nephrite."
"Did Jed say anything?" he said, tears streaming down his cheeks.
"Yeah, in addition to professing his love for me, he begged me to help him."
"How?"
"By freeing him from his prison."
"My God! He's alive! Opal was right then. She did say 'Eternal Sleep' and not death."
"Nephrite, what are you babbling about?"
"Jadeite was encased in an ice crystal doomed to sleep forever because he failed to destroy Sailor Moon, Mars and Mercury."
"But how can he be alive if he's a ghost?"
"Because he isn't. He must have used what little mind power he had left to send you-"
"an astral projection of himself! My god, Nephrite! I've got to help him!" she shot up off her chair and began to dash out of the house.
"Hold on Mara! You can't free him without help. You don't know how to reach him." "But we've got to hurry. He said he didn't have much longer."
"Mara, call the others. Have them come here. We're all going together."
"Right. I'll be right back." She ran from the house to her house. She got dressed then went to wake up De.
"Deana! Wake up!"
"(Yawn) Wassa matter Mara?" she said stretching and trying her best not to fall asleep again.
"Get dressed. I'll explain on the way to Nephrite's." She tossed the nearest outfit, the shorts and t-shirt she wore yesterday, at her then went to make a fast breakfast.
"C'mon Chang. We've got senshi business," she said dragging the cat off her bed.
"All right. All right. I'm up. What's up De?"
"Don't know. Mara said she'd explain on the way."

"Whoah! Jadeite's ghost wants you to help him?!" De asked as the girls ran toward Neffy's.
"Yeah, we've got to go to the North Pole and get him out of some iceburg." Mara touched her Sailor Saturn pin and a faint beep sounded.
"Naru, Opal, come in."
"(Yawn) Hi Mara. What's up?" said a rather sleepy Naru.
"Jadeite, Naru. I'll explain in a bit. How soon can you get to Nephrite's?"
"I can't."
"Why not? Sneak out if you have to."
"Why should I do that if I'm already there?" she giggled.
"Nani?! You spent the night there?"
"You'd better believe it sister!" another giggle.
"Naru you sly fox you!" teased Mara.
"Nothing happened! I'll see you soon. Amber out."
"What's wrong Mara?" It was Opal.
"I'll explain when De and I get to Nephrite's. Just wait with Naru for us ok? Onyx out." She touched her pin again and there was another beep. "I only hope we're not too late."
"Don't worry, Mara. I'm sure he's ok."
"If only I had your optimism, De."

"So that's the whole story. We've got to get Jadeite out of there before his mind goes into a coma or something." said Mara.
"Are you girls up to it?" asked Nephrite.
"You bet!" they all said.
"I'm with you too." said Raistlin who had insisted in joining them.
"All right then gang, transform!" said Chang.
"Onyx Power... Amber Power... Moon Power... Opal Power... Sailor Jewel Power!" said the girls.
(Insert typical Sailor Senshi henshin sequence)
While they transformed, Nephrite's clothes changed to a brown version of his Dark Kingdom uniform with dark green trim and Raistlin transformed into the Diamond Knight.
"Now girls form a circle around me, Chang, and the guys. Good now join hands," said Hecate.
"Concentrate on Nephrite. He knows exactly where to go," said Chang.
"Now call on your powers," said Hecate.
"Amber Power... Onyx Power... Moon Power... Opal Power... Jewel Power!"
There was a blinding flash of orange, black, light blue, and white light and the Jewel Senshi and Co. were gone.
Moments later, they materialized in the heart of what looked like a gallery of some sort.
"I wanna go home," said Sailor Moonstone.
"Not now, De! We gotta find Jadeite so we can get out of here!" said Sailor Amber.
"This place gives me the creeps. Where the heck are we?" said Sailor Onyx. She looked around and saw countless crystals lining the walls. Each one had a figure in it.
"The Hall of the Sleepers," murmured Sailor Opal. She remembered the tales of how telepaths went mad from being around those sleeping in the crystals and how others swore they saw the figures inside move.
"Let's get moving. The sooner we find him, the sooner we can get back home," said Amber.
"Right. any ideas which one's Jed's?" said Onyx. glancing at several of the crystals.
"I have no idea," said Neffy.
"Great. Ok ladies and gents. Looks like we split up."
"Wait. Why not try contacting him?" suggested Opal.
"How? He's in a god damned coffin!"
"Use your mind."
"Duh," said Amber.
"Don't you start, Naru. All right everybody, I need quiet. So don't say anything." She closed her eyes and concentrated.
<Jadeite, can you hear me? If you can give me a sign.> she said over and over in her mind. Finally a voice answered her.
<Mara?! Is that you?>
<Yes. Where are you? There's so many crystals here.>
<Follow my voice, beloved.>
She began to move as if in a trance down to the far end of the hall.
"Follow her! Don't let her out of your sight!" said Hecate.
They followed her till she stopped in front of a crystal in a small alcove almost invisible to the eye. Inside the crystal was a man with short blond hair wearing a uniform with red trim. Mara opened her eyes as she came out of her trance.
"This is it! It's him!" she said staring at the crystal. "Stay back! I'm going to blast him out of there. Onyx Beam... FIRE!" The black beam bounced off harmlessly not even denting the crystal.
"OH NO! My power doesn't work!" she said hitting the alcove wall.
"Let me try," said Diamond Knight. He reached inside his shirt and pulled out a rose made of diamond and threw it at the crystal.
It struck the crystal with a loud ping near Jadeite's chest. The crystal began to crack a little.
"Whoa. That's some flower," said Amber.
"Moonstone try your discus," said the Diamond Knight.
"Sure." She grasped the jewel in her skirt and pulled it off. "Moon Discus... MAGIC!" The jewel grew and flattened till it resembled a frisbee then she threw it where the rose had hit. The cracks widened and were now all over the crystal.
"Sailor Onyx, try your beam again," said Neffy.
"All right I'll try, but I can't guarantee anything. Here goes. Onyx Beam... FIRE!!!" This time the beam struck the crystal and widened the cracks even further.
<One more hit, and I should be free Mara.> said Jadeite's voice in her head. She prepared for another beam while Sailor Opal was preparing her attack.
"Onyx Beam..."
"Opal..."
"FIRE!!!"
"TSUNAMI!!!"
The two attacks combined to form a wave of black water and hit the crystal with such force that it shattered completely letting its prisoner fall to the floor.
"You did it Mara! You did it!" said Amber.
Onyx and Neffy ran to help Jadeite.
"He's still unconscious, but at least he's alive," said Neffy.
"I think I know how to wake him," said Onyx giggling. She gently turned him over and kissed the sleeping general.
"Oh wow! Just like Sleeping Beauty but in reverse. That's sooo romantic!" said Moonstone with stars in her eyes.
Jadeite stirred and opened his eyes. "Mara?" She smiled at him glad to save a life.
"I've missed you Jed," said Neffy.
"It's good to see you too, Nephrite." he said staggering to his feet. Onyx helped him to stand and led him back to the others.
"I'll explain when we get home," she whispered in his ear.
They teleported back to Neffy's house.

"We're hooome," said Zoisite. "Hey anyone up yet?"
"I think you should let them sleep, Zoey. We can tell them later." said Kunzite.
"But it's almost noon Kunzy. I think they've had enough sleep already. If Neffy's not getting up, I'm going to get a nice bucket of cold water and -"
"ZOEY! No pranks. We still not sure about that place. Once we've found a place, you can bother Nephrite all you want but now."
"All right, Kunzy. But I still think he should get up."
"HEY NEFFY! GET UP!"
"We're in here Zoisite!" came Naru's voice from the living room.
In the room were Neffy, Naru, Mara and Deana, Opal, Raistlin, and Jadeite. They had just returned from freeing Jadeite from the ice crystal and were exhausted from using so much power.
"I don't believe it. I turn my back on you Neffy and you go on a trip and you didn't bring back me a souvenir," said Zoisite.
"Jadeite, is that really you?" asked Kunzite.
"Glad to see you too, Zoisite. Malachite, how long have I been in that damn crystal? I don't remember there being so many Sailor Senshi," said Jadeite still groggy from his long imprisonment.
"Quite a long time I'm afraid," said Kunzite.
"I think it's time we've filled him in don't you?" said Hecate.
"Yeah you're right. We can't leave poor Jed in the dark now can we," said Mara.
"Well for starters Jed, Queen Beryl had a sort of accident with Sailor Moon's Ginzuishou," said Zoisite.
"What are you talking about, Zoisite? Sailor Moon doesn't have a crystal."
"She does now. How else could you have remembered Mara, Jadeite?" said Naru.
"I don't know. Everything's still blurred. I remember killing her during the attack on the Moon Kingdom but that's all."
"It's ok, Jadeite. We'll help you somehow," said Deana.
"I guess it's history class time again," said Chang-O.

(A history lesson later)
"So Queen Beryl is gone for good," said Jadeite still trying to process the information he received from the senshi and cats.
"It certainly looks that way Jed," said Zoisite secretly glad she was gone. He never really could stand her.
"I can't believe I killed the two people I loved most. I'm so sorry Mara," said Jadeite.
"You're still alive and I'm alive. That's what counts Jed," she said sitting next to him. "Just one more thing tho, who's the other woman?!" she said glaring at him.
"It's not what you think Mara. Really. I loved no one else but you and -"
"And."
"My sister. Rei."
"Rei? Rei's your sister?" said Naru.
"Yes. You know her?"
"Of course I know her, she's Sailor Mars."
"Sailor Mars?! Of course why didn't I realize it before? I should have known that Rei Hino was really my sister."
"Wow! Wait till Rei hears she's got a brother. She's totally going to freak out," giggled De.
"Mara, do you think I can call her, I'd like to let her know I'm all right and that I'm sorry."
"Sure Jed. I'll get the phone."
"Wait. I have something for you that might be useful," said Hecate.
"What is it Hec?" asked Opal. The cat did a flip and several watches fell on to the table.
"These are your new communicators. They will allow you to contact the other senshi plus Nephrite, Zoisite, Kunzite and Jadeite, should you need them."
"Cool. Now I don't have to call Usagi on the phone so much. Thanks Hec," said Naru.
"Thank you, Hecate. Do you think I can try this out and call Rei?" asked Jed.
"I don't see why not. Your return should classify as senshi business."
He nodded his thanks and flipped open the watch's cover. "Rei, can you hear me? Come in Rei." he said into the device.
"Jadeite! What have you done with the others and what are you doing back?! You've got some nerve coming-" said a very surprised and very angry Rei.
"Rei, please listen to me. Usagi and Ami are all right. So are your other two friends. You call them if you don't believe me. I want you to come to Nephrite's mansion. I need to see you. Bring the others if you want."
"I don't know what you're up to, but I'm not going to let you mess with Naru's life like your pal Zoisite did. I'm coming over there to finish you off once and for all negascum!" She signed off.
"Hey, I resent that!" said Zoisite.
"She's worse than I was with Zoisite. By the way Zoi, I'm sorry I didn't trust you yesterday."
"It's all right kid. I probably wouldn't trust me either if I were you."
"All right! Zoisite and Mara are friends again!" said De.