* * * * * * * *
Molly sat on the ground, no longer crying but in a trance. She had her knees cuddled to her chest, and was rocking back and forth. The three Sailor Scouts didn't know what to do. They watched helplessly as the girl went from crying to a trance. Sailor Moon wanted to comfort her friend but Molly would push her aside when she got near. Finally Sailor Mercury indicated to her leader that it was no use and suggested that the girls stand back a bit to allow Molly to grieve.
As she sat there, she was aware that the scouts were close but had distanced themselves from her. Molly's limbs were numb and heavy from her crying. *If only they showed up five minutes sooner. What if Neflite had given those creatures that crystal? What if things were different? What if, what if. Everything is what if?*
-Don't blame yourself or anyone else- A voice whispered in her head
Molly looked up to the stars like she knew they were talking to her. *What do you mean?*
-We are the stars, in which you see-
-He will always be with you-
-In fact, in the last few moments of his life, he transferred some of his power to you-
-You now have the power to communicate with us as he once did-
-Follow your heart. Wait and you will have a visitor-
-Now go home and rest. You will know when that day comes-
The voices faded away. Molly jumped to her feet and the Sailor Scouts rushed over.
"Molly, are you ok?" Sailor Moon asked.
"Yes. Please take me home."
As they were about to leave the area, Molly remembered Neflite's jacket. He had taken it off when she attended to his wound.
"Wait. I forgot something." Molly ran back to the tree to find the bandage where it fell. Neflite's jacket wasn't too far; it was right against the tree, as were his gloves. She moved to pick them up. When she had them in her hands, she placed the jacket around her shoulders, and began to cry once again. She held the gloves and bandage in her hands, close against her heart. She didn't think she had enough energy to cry again. The Sailor Scouts came rushing to her, catching her before she fell.
It was difficult to get her home. When they did reach the apartment the sun was just starting to rise. At that time Molly was all worn out. A few times she almost fell from exhaustion. As the girls entered the apartment, Molly's mother came rushing over.
"Molly, where have you been? I heard you scream last night and when I came to check on you, you were gone," she said, with more relief than anger.
Molly ignored her mother's words and went straight to her room. Meanwhile, Mrs. Baker was about to follow when Sailor Mars stopped her.
"Mrs. Baker, Molly is going through an ordeal. A little while ago she witnessed a disaster."
"Yes. Last night our enemies, the Negaverse, kidnapped her. She was bait for a man who was a traitor to them. He rescued her but later they were in the park talking when the same people who kidnapped Molly attacked them again. He was killed saving her life. He died in her arms," Sailor Moon explained. "Molly was in love with him."
"Oh my."
"Please let her be alone. She is safe. The Negaverse didn't harm her," Sailor Mercury said.
"But her pajamas?"
"She tore them herself. The man, Neflite, was injured when he rescued her. She did the best she could tending to the wound."
"Well, if you'll excuse us, we have to be going." Sailor Moon replied. With that, the three girls in Sailor fukus left, leaving Molly to her grief.
* * * * * * * *
For three days, Molly never came out of her room except for the occasional bathroom break. Her mother brought in all her meals, and anything else she wanted. She didn't even go to school. Molly didn't say very much, just always wore Nelfite's jacket. At one point, when Molly's mother went into her room to get laundry, Molly was not in the room. She saw the jacket and was about to put it in the basket when Molly came back in the room.
"Mom, what are doing?"
"I was just going to wash it."
"NO!" she cried. "I mean no, please. I want it left just the way it is."
"I'm sorry. Serena called earlier. She and Melvin will be coming over after school to see how you are doing." Molly's mother gave back the jacket and left the room.
Later, Serena and Melvin came over. Melvin was about to go on about how Maxfield Stanton had disappeared, but Serena stopped him. Molly decided at that moment to get out of the house. She kept hearing in her mind that it was time.
The trio went for a walk; they passed a graveyard and Molly saw a priest. She wanted to talk to him so she and Melvin went over. Molly told the priest about her grieving, and the priest was able to give her a little comfort. Suddenly, a man wearing a gray uniform holding a black crystal, identical to Nelfite's, appeared, took a crystal from the priest's chest, and turned him into a monster. Molly recognized him as the person who had Neflite killed. She went to attack him, but he threw her down, knowing full well it was the girl Neflite liked. The priest turned into a monster with vulture-wings and boxing gloves and blasted at Molly. Melvin threw himself at her, knocking her down out of the way of the attack. Melvin lost consciousness. Sailor Moon showed up with three other scouts, defeated the monster, and turned him back to the priest. Tuxedo Mask took the crystal that was removed from the priest before he was into a monster. Zoisite was furious that Tuxedo Mask got the crystal and left before anything else could happen.
Molly used Nelfite's bandage to attend to Melvin's wound. Afterwards, she wanted to take a walk alone, so she and Melvin left each other. Molly walked for a while and ended up where the fatal disaster took place.
She sat against the tree where they sat and had their little conversion.
-Welcome back-
She heard the stars talking to her.
-You will soon see why we escorted you here-
*But how can you talk to me when it is not even night* She sat up.
-We can communicate at anytime of day-
For a while Molly sat there, hoping the stars would say something more. For an hour she waited, but there was nothing. She stood up to go home when she heard a voice behind her.
"Hello," the voice said. Molly turned to see a beautiful woman in a white gown. Her hair was silver and styled with meatballs like Serena's. Her voice was kind and gentle.
"Who are you?" Molly asked
"I am Serenity. I have been looking for you. Here, I want you to have this." She showed out an object that looked old and was shaped like a kettle. It seemed to have appeared out of thin air. "This is a very old lamp. It's been in my family for centuries. There is something written on it but I was never able to find out what it said." She handed the lamp to Molly.
When Molly had it in her hands, she went searching for a little bit of money she always carried in her pocket. When Molly looked up, the woman was gone. So many people were coming and going in the park, she didn't think anything of it, just that the woman didn't want anything in return.
Molly sat back down when she heard voices in her head again.
-We told you to wait-
*What is this? *
-It is your salvation-
-It looks to us there is something on it-
Looking at it once again, she started to rub at it. Suddenly, a noise came from the lamp and a creature came out from it. It had a body like a man, but no legs. The genie was a green color. Below the waist was tail that you were able to see through.
"What is your wish?"
"My wish?" Molly was really scared. She had no idea what to do.
"I am a Genie, and I will grant you three wishes."
"I don't think you can help me," Molly said sadly. She lowered her head. "Not unless you can bring back the dead."
"Oh, but I can."
"What?" Molly looked up. Tears were threatening to fall.
"I can bring back the dead. Who did you lose?"
"A man who was evil, but was changing. His name was Nelfite."
"Ah, Neflite. A warrior from the Negaverse."
"How did you know?"
"I know everything," the genie responded. He sat down beside Molly. "Just say the words."
"I...I wish," Molly closed her eyes as she said the final words, "for Neflite to be alive."
"Your wish is my command." He clapped his hands together and in moments, Neflite lay in front of her, moaning.
"Neflite!" Molly cried. She bent down to the ground, dropping the lamp. She cradled him in her arms. He couldn't understand why he was alive. The last thing he remembered was seeing Molly cry as his eyesight faded.
She held him in her arms for a while. Finally, he was able to grasp that there was magic involved in this return.
"Molly. What happened?" he croaked.
"You died. For the last three days now, I've been grieving," she whispered quietly stroking his hair.
He looked into her face, which was full of tears of joy. A radiant smile was spread across her face. Raising his hand, he placed it at the nape of her neck. Bringing her head closer to his, he kissed her. He was the first person to ever kiss her.
"You realize there was Moon magic involved," he said when he pulled away.
She looked confused. Suddenly she remembered the magic lamp and the genie. The genie sat in the tree, not even looking at the two lovebirds. "A woman with silver hair gave the lamp to me."
"The woman with silver hair is the spirit of the Moon queen. Queen Serenity. She was the one woman Queen Beryl feared until she found a way to destroy the Moon Kingdom."
"The Moon Kingdom?"
"It is a place that no longer exists." Neflite pulled away from Molly. Instead of her holding him, he turned around and pulled her to him. "Molly, I have something to tell you. I love you."
She looked at him as he lowered his head down to her again for another kiss. This time the kiss was longer and deeper than the last. When they pulled away the genie decided to let himself be noticed again.
"Excuse me. I don't really want to interrupt, but it is night and I think the young lady's family will be worried."
"Oh my gosh, I forgot," Molly gasped, putting her hand on her head. "Mom will be furious with me."
"Don't worry." Neflite stood up, taking Molly with him. Pulling her close, he said, "Genie, I think you better enter."
When the genie was back in the lamp, Neflite teleported Molly to her room. When they were safe in the room. Neflite released Molly.
"You do have two wishes left," Neflite said.
"I already have the wish I wanted," she said. Molly went back over to Neflite and hugged him. They fit like they were glued together.
At one point Molly went and told her mother she was home and had been home for a while. It being Friday night, Molly and Neflite sat up most of the night talking. He told her everything about the Moon Kingdom and the Negaverse. She told him of her family, and how she didn't go to school for the last three days. She fell asleep in Neflite's arms.
* * * * * * * *
The next morning, Molly woke to see Neflite was still there. His arms were wrapped around her. That day was a brand new day for her. The man of her dreams was alive. As a celebration, he took her to the beach, where they spent all day. Before going to the beach, Neflite allowed himself to be known to Molly's mother but told her not to tell anyone that Maxfield Stanton was back.
Upon reaching the beach, Molly went to put suntan lotion on. Since she couldn't reach her back, Neflite helped her. She was amazed at how gentle his hands were on her back. His hands were strong and comforting. When he reached her shoulders and neck, she had to hold in her giggles. His fingers were tickling her. Then she helped Neflite put lotion on himself. She had to move his hair over one shoulder to apply the lotion. He could feel her hands tremble, but pretended not to notice that she was nervous. Her smooth hands were cool against his skin. Molly wore a simple navy blue one-piece bathing suit with a "U" shape back and Neflite a simple green pair of boxing trunks with pockets. As they were at the beach they went swimming, made sand castles, had a picnic, which Molly and her mother made. Neflite was surprised at how much fun they were sharing. They were so happy together; nothing could describe their feelings for each other. Some people gave them odd looks, but neither one cared. They didn't care about anything but each together.
Throughout the whole day they shared many longing, passionate kisses. Never once did Neflite overstep the boundary with Molly. He knew she was innocent, and he would do everything he could to keep her that way.
Early in the evening, on their way back to Molly's home, they went by a café. The café sold chocolate parfaits and, just as he promised her, he treated her to a chocolate parfait. They were so content in each other's company that they did not know that evil was near by. When the evil became aware that Molly was once again happy, it had to find out what was going on.
Zoisite had one of his henchmen follow her. The two lovebirds were walking in an alleyway when Zoisite came out of the shadows.
"So you are alive, Neflite," he snarled.
"Zoisite," Neflite snarled back. He grabbed Molly and made her get behind him.
"Soon, you won't be able to protect her."
Zoisite was about to attack Neflite when the genie appeared. Molly rubbed the lamp for help.
"What is thy bidding?"
"Get him away from us and make him not think of us again," Molly commanded.
"Your wish is my command." The genie clapped his hands together and Zoisite was gone.
Zoisite landed in the Negaverse with no memory of what had just happened. He had to get his lover Malachite to find out what went wrong. Malachite was not able to report anything. Between the two, they were able to keep Queen Beryl in the dark.
Meanwhile up in the city of Tokyo...
"Thank you, genie."
"That is two." The genie left in a flash.
The two young lovers left the alleyway and walked back to Molly's home. Upon reaching home, Molly decided to use her last wish.
"What is your final wish?" The genie asked.
"This last wish is a bit of many."
"That is?"
Cuddling up to Neflite, Molly said, "I want to give a gift." She reached up and kissed him very passionately. When she released him he was a little disoriented from her being so bold.
"I wish for Neflite to have a home, and an estate. With a tennis court and even a pool. An indoor and outdoor pool. The home is to be surrounded by a lake. The only way to get to it is by a bridge going across. He can start a new life, without any of Maxfield Stanton's worries."
Neflite looked at Molly, surprised. He was about to protest, but it was too late.
"Your wish is my command." The Genie clapped his hands for the last time.
Neflite stood tall, then bent down. He pulled Molly as close as he could to her and gave her a hug and a long passionate kiss. When they parted the genie continued.
"Your final wish is complete. You will be able to find the estate outside the city. It is surrounded by a lake, with a bridge going to the gates at the entrance. Enjoy!" After that, he and the lamp disappeared back into the possession of the spirit of Queen Serenity.
The End
* * * * * * * *
return to The Library