"Wow! The Amateur League Tokyo Invitational Motorcycle Race. I can't believe we're going!" squealed Serena excitedly.

"Of course we are," replied Rei, "Darien is in the race, meatball head, or did you forget already?"

Mina rolled her eyes. She hoped the two of them weren't going to behave this way all day. She had the sneaking suspicion she was going to be disappointed. Serena and Rei were bound to behave like that. It was the way Rei showed affection. You didn't have to be the princess of Venus to know that.

The three of them were shopping for new outfits to wear at the races the next day. Serena called it 'mall trawling,' Rei called it a 'clothing safari,' but as far as Mina was concerned, it was a great way to kill time with friends on a Friday afternoon. She also really wanted a nice outfit to impress that cutie Benji. He had, as yet, ignored her, however she was determined to change that. He had only expressed interest at Rei who had ignored him, repeatedly. Well, he couldn't play hard to get forever. He was Venus Knight, she reminded herself, not Mars Knight.

Pheobe had explained that this in no way obligated them to have a relationship. Most Knights and Senshi did not have lasting romantic affairs, and if they did, it was generally not with their counterparts. Even so, his position as Venus Knight was at least a place to start. At least he had to stay around her sometimes, although she really didn't need that much protection. Sailor V could take care of herself, and all her friends, solo if necessary.

"It's just not right that the Senshi of love doesn't have a boyfriend," she muttered under her breath.

Rei, who was standing near enough to hear replied, "Well it makes about as much sense as Klutz Queen over there having one."

"Yeah Rei," flounced Serena, "Whatever you say I know you're just jealous."

"Why should I be jealous of someone who can't even pass algebra?" snapped Rei, raspberrying.

"Hey! I'm passing!" protested Serena.

"With a D," shot back Rei.

"Well, that shows I understand at least sixty percent of the material. That's more that half. Besides, D is for 'dandy.' Darien told me that. He's been helping me study. He says all I need is motivation and a good work ethic."

"D is for dummy," volleyed Rei, "And as for work ethic, it's probably equal to your I.Q."

Mina finally put her thoughts of Benj aside and noticed the guy behind the counter was eyeing them nervously.

"Guys," she broke in, "If you guys don't stop they're going to throw us out."

Rei, who glanced past Mina and say the guy at the counter, suddenly grinned.

"What is it?" asked Mina, perplexed.

Serena, who caught up immediately, giggled and then said "Mina, you've had one arm in that jacket you're trying on for about half an hour. Did you get distracted?"

Series Title, Sailor Moon: Knights of the Cosmos

Episode Title (4) Road Warriors

Play Opening Theme "Moonlight Legend."

The air was crisp and fresh at the speedway, with only slight undertones of exhaust and gasoline. Darien didn't mind at all, he was getting to race for the first time in quite a while, and he even had Serena and her friends to cheer him on. The asphalt was warm and slightly sticky under his feet and a light breeze played with his hair. Life was good.

He and his new friends, Terrence, Benj, and David were all in the garage next to the track prepping and checking his motorcycle. David was checking the air pressure in the tires, and Terrence was arguing with Benj about whether the suspension was tight enough or not. Darien sat back on his heels and watched them all for a moment, musing on how he'd come to know them all.

David had been the first. He had suddenly appeared at the library one day, willing to fight to protect their newest senshi, Ceres, despite the fact that he believed he was only an average college student. Destiny corrected him, and after a few rocky days and nights, he realized his history and powers as Ceres Knight only to be kidnapped by an insane General who had been in love with him in the past. He had been rescued only to have his memory blanked of his beloved Terra. Darien could relate. It seemed that David had only come to terms with his past a few days ago when he and Terra's memories had been restored.

Darien liked David. They had a lot in common. David had been the first male Darien could share the secret of Tuxedo Mask with, and it had lifted a heavy weight off of his chest. David liked Andrew too. The three of them had taken to having lunch at the Crown Center Café from time to time. They talked about girls (Andrew periodically called them both pedophiles teasingly), college, books, and the like. It was relaxing for all of them.

Benj and Terrence were a different story however. Darien had only know them for a short while. Benj had appeared in the nick of time and saved he, David, and the senshi from revealing their identities to a large crowd. Darien liked Benj. It seemed impossible not to like the irrepressible young man who always had a bit of humor on the tip of his tongue. Benj's quick wit always livened up any situation.

Terrence, however, was very distant. The only person he seemed close to (save Benj) was Ami. He was always very polite, but there was always a touch of frost in his tacit remarks and replies that drove others into silence. Despite the fact that he fit so naturally with Ami, Darien sensed he felt uncomfortable around her. Darien imagined it was difficult for Terrence to rationalize the fact that he was no longer alone, that he had a sister. It was strained for Ami as well. Ami apparently wanted to rediscover their old relationship, it seemed she was lonely too, but the whole situation was so awkward that neither of them would make a move.

Terrence and Benj behaved like an old married couple most of the time. It amazed Darien. Terrence was generally silent unless correcting Benj, arguing with Benj, or disagreeing with Benj. Benj never seemed to mind, though. He could tell that it was good for Terrence apparently. Darien approved. Terrence needed better people skills.

Casting one last look at his pit crew, Darien grimaced. None of them knew a thing about motorcycles. When Benj had volunteered them all (the quirky fellow had apparently appointed himself as spokesperson of their group), Darien had been skeptical. He knew that David knew nothing except the basics. He was safe checking the tire pressure, but that was a bout it. He was not sure about the other two. Now it seemed clear that all Benj knew about motorcycle racing was what he learned in the arcade. Terrence seemed like he knew. The man exuded a feeling of general knowledge about everything, however Darien had yet to see him do anything to back up his supposed knowledge.

Darien sighed as he stood. Terrence and Benj were still arguing. David was still poking the tires. This was going to be a long day.

Maximillion Burnford was going to win the race. It was as simple as that. Max -- as he would have been known to his friends, had he had any -- knew he was the best motorcycle racer in Tokyo. It shocked him when he discovered that not every one agreed with him.

He was also the most attractive and charming man on the planet. He was irresistible. If a woman did not immediately fall over herself in an attempt to get a date with him, she was either a lesbian or frigid. It was as simple as that, or at least Max though so. It seemed to him that more and more women were deciding they were lesbians everyday. That really didn't bother him too much. His charms were so great he could bring a woman back to the straight and narrow. This was his theory. Although tested on several occasions, it had yet to be proven.

Besides being the best motorcyclist in Tokyo, Max was also a test pilot for Tenshi Industries. He had managed to make his way through high school, although just barely. He also had a two-year degree in something. He generally had a hard time remembering what. He knew it was written on a piece of paper somewhere at his house.

An alcoholic and sublime haze surrounded his time in college. No matter, whenever Max had to fill out paperwork he just listed himself as a liberal studies major. This was basically true, Max reasoned, his studies had been liberal enough.

Not that he had to fill out much paperwork. He had a fun job that paid extremely well. There was a large risk factor involved, but Max had good company coverage. Heck, they'd even thrown in a dental plan for free. He'd had the job for a year and a half now and he enjoyed every waking moment of it, not that he got to sleep much on the job.

He'd started flying when he was fourteen. He had a relatively well-to-do uncle that considered flying a nice relaxing hobby. It wasn't exactly the same for Max. He was addicted to the speed, the thrill, and the danger of it. He was a terrible hotdog, although he showed so much natural skill that his uncle couldn't bear to ground him. No matter what crazy stunts Max pulled he always managed to get out of it. After all, he was the best.

His parents hadn't approved of his hobby. They were simple people and enjoyed simple pleasures. Most of the time Max had trouble believing he was related to them. They were so bland to him. When he took up motorcycle racing his parents had complained of his low grades. Max didn't care about his grades, as long as he could fly and race. After he nearly flunked his senior year his parents forbid both of his hobbies. However he was soon living in a dorm so they had no control over his activities. They had threatened to cut off his money supply several times, but whenever they did, Max just visited his doting uncle for a few days. The man got a vicarious thrill out of Max and was always willing to finance his efforts.

Now Max was completely financially independent, although his uncle occasionally presented him with extravagant gifts. His uncle had made a fortune in the stock exchange while Max was in college and he now had so much money that he didn't know what to do with it. This resulted in things like the Cherry Bomb.

That's what Max had named his new motorcycle. His uncle had given it to him on a whim. Max had begun to appreciated his bizarre uncle's whims, and even cater to them. It was bright red and small, not generally the kind of bike Max rode. Max was a tall man of large bulk that was 'all muscle.' However despite its small size the Cherry Bomb could carry him at high speeds. It had a twin engine and a custom suspension that he'd tinkered with for days until it was just right. Coupled with the high grip tires it was just the thing to take advantage of the momentum Max could incur.

He'd even purchased a new jumpsuit and helmet just for this race. He had to look good in the winner's circle. After all, there were always girls in bathing suits that presented the trophies. His new jumpsuit was a dark flame red, something that would make him stand out. 'Too hot to handle' was stenciled on the back. He hoped the camera crews would take special notice of that. The race was televised on one of the sports channels, and Max wanted to make sure he would be noticed not only when he won but also when he was racing. His helmet matched his jumpsuit and had flames stenciled on it. His racing handle 'Red Death' was also stenciled on the helmet. He was a stylish racer.

After making sure everything was in working order, her glanced over at the crew hard at work in the stall beside him. They were a motley crew at best. There was a brown haired man examining one of the bolts he'd accidentally pried off the hubcap. He seemed to be most occupied by attempting to put them back on. There was also a small blonde man who was waving a wrench and a taller blue-haired man sporadically, as if to punctuate his sentences. The two of them seemed to be in some sort of argument. The taller man remarked to the smaller one in a voice that dripped with dry, dark, and satiric humor. Max could tell that he had to be the social life of the party.

The only man who seemed to know what he was doing was the tall dark haired man doing the safety check on the maroon motorcycle that the other three seemed to be attempting to destroy. Of course the man had no chance of defeating him, Max had no worries there, but he did seem to have some potential. Maybe he would give Max a good challenge. He was always up to a challenge. He relished them and thrived on them. They drove him to be that much better, that much faster. His mother sometimes remarked that they were going to drive him into a wall one day, but Max didn't care. He lived for the thrill of it. Carpe diem. You only live once. Don't be a speed bump on the road of life. Only the good die young. He had all the bumper stickers in the back window of his car. It was also small, fast, and red. He even had a custom license plate that labeled him 'HAZARD.'

Max regarded the sorry pit crew one last time before a smirk over took his features. He always seemed to be smirking, these days. He was sure why but he felt it had something to do with the degradation of male superiority. The guys in the stall next to him were all wusses that was obvious. Except maybe for the one with the dark hair, but even he was a pretty sorry comparison to the raw, untainted, hunk of masculinity that Max was.

He decided that their team's chances against him were so slim that it was funny. He actually snickered out loud as he turned away from them and strode off to get a drink from the complimentary fruit bar. The only one who heard him was Darien, the others were too engrossed in what they were doing, but by the time he glanced up, Max was gone.

~*~

Image had learned from her mistakes and had corrected the flaws in her senshi. It was bothersome. She had no static pictures to work from, so she had to rely on her memory entirely, something she was not altogether fond of doing when the stakes were this high. However she was thoroughly pleased with the results of her modifications. She hated resorting to brute force, but these senshi had proven to be her enemies. They were heartless and cruel and they ignored her desperate pleas. In a way, they had brought this upon themselves.

Image was suddenly startled by a familiar presence in her mind. It was him! He had found her. She was not quite sure how, but she was overjoyed. She hadn't been able to speak with him for a very long time, it seemed to her. At least since she had arrived in this strange place. Their last meeting seemed so distant in her mind.

"Image," he had murmured to her softly, during their last few moments alone together, "You know I do not approve of you going."

She had only stared at the ground in response.

"I want you to know that I love you Image," he was still getting used to their new titles. He knew it would hurt her too much if he called her by his pet name for her. She was being forced to leave that all behind in a last ditch attempt to save their world and he had no great desire to remind her of that. The poet in her would not take it well. "No matter what happen Image. I will love you."

It was difficult for him to say out loud, and he had never said it in front of anyone else but her. It was not in his nature. He was a concealer by nature and habit. Even the clothing he chose to wear masked his body shape and stance. She was the only one he'd ever met who's attention to detail was acute enough to pick up his mood changes when he did not wish to have them know. It was one of the major traits that had attracted him at first. She did so often that he'd begun to take it for granted.

He did not have the luxury of taking her for granted any longer. Shadow had grave doubts about even having the chance to see Image again. As much as he loved her he would not let it cloud his logic. That was the worst thing he could do to help her.

She just kept standing there, staring at the floor. She would not meet his gaze. Her emotions were overwhelming her and she could not think of any viable outlet for them. She could not let herself express them. For once she thought like Shadow. It would hurt him too much if she were to openly admit possession of his heart and them march off to be killed. That's the way he put it

He had debated the Sorceress's choice vehemently. Image often wondered if he had finally let emotion cloud his judgement. It was true. She was his prized possession. She did not mind him thinking of her that way because she knew that she held his heart in her hands. And yet Shadow had never been swayed by emotional attachment before, which is why he made such a good advisor to the Empress.

Still he had to be wrong this time. Image was quite capable of handling this problem. She was the most gifted creator in all of their world after all. However there was the off chance that something might go wrong and she might not return. That chance, however small, was one she could not take when dealing with Shadow's feelings. So she stood, bottling her emotion and staring at the ground.

Shadow realized what she was trying to do and a tiny smile crept over his lips. He loved her so much! He crossed the distance between them silently and then enfolded her in his dark velvet robes.

Image was startled. She'd never imagined he'd expose himself this much to her. Her heart beat fast. He was so warm. She could stay close to him like this for the rest of eternity, and not mind at all. She slowly brought her chin up and then looked at him with uncertain eyes. He always seemed to know just what to do. He was the rock of reality she strapped herself to before venturing into the wild tempest like storms of her creativity. He was so much of her world.

He leaned down and kissed her forehead gently, "I bless you Image. Remember, keep your head. You must return to me safely."

Those were the last words he'd said to her. They had stayed like that in silence until the attendants had come to escort her to her translation ceremony. He had not attended. It was his own private protest on the matter.

Now given the chance to speak with him again she immediately called out, "Shadow I love you!"

She momentarily forgot to concentrate her mind on their link, and so her declaration was appreciated only by the open air in the room. She immediately realized her mistake and adjusted her brainwave patterns to match his. It was a technique he'd taught her so their link could never be totally severed. She called it a soul bond.

"Shadow darling, I love you. I want you to know that. Whatever happens to me I will love you forever."

Shadow Knight was not pleased by the tone of her voice, despite its melodic quality. Nor was he pleased by the almost frantic way she broke her sentences. There was something gravely wrong with her. She sounded as if she was about to do something desperate. Why did she feel compelled to burst out with her feelings now after all she had done to spare his feelings? She had either drastically changed the way she looked at their relationship, or she was planning on a mission that she was not sure of returning from.

How had she changed so much in such a short time? The Image he'd known before had never put her duty before her life. She was sworn to her duty, it was true, and she served with honor, but to her, life was sacred above all else. Yet here she was planning a mission that apparently risked her life dangerously. She had to be desperate. Shadow could not imagine his Image behaving in such a manner unless she had been defeated several times before. Perhaps she felt this was the only way to save their wold in the current circumstances. It might explain her new philosophy. The needs of the many out weigh the needs of the few. In this case, she was the few.

He had inferred all this from both the way she was resonating in his mind and t he simple was she had said 'I love you.' Shadow was extremely good at reading people and his intimacy with Image amplified these abilities.

He knew he had to find some way to calm her down. It was an order from the Empress herself, not that that had any great sway over what he did. His whims, or in this case his actual feelings, carried infinitely more weight that what Elyus wanted. Shadow wanted Image back. She belonged to him.

"Image, how have you been doing?" he asked her delicately, through their mind connection.

She was quiet for a moment, but then she answered softly, "I haven't been close to getting any one of the five. Every time I think I might have a chance of getting one of them, the carriers repel me. They are fearsome warriors. I feel I may not be up to this task, Shadow. They have killed many of my children already."

The sadness in her voice stung him to the quick. He had been afraid that the deaths of her creatures would affect her adversely. She was no longer stable enough to conduct her mission. There was only one solution. She had to be recalled, no matter what the Sorceress said. Another could be sent in her place. If the Empress did not have enough power left to do it then Shadow would lend her some of his.

"Image, it is all right. I will have the Empress bring you back. You are no t suited to be a warrior, as I have said."

"No!" she cried out in his mind. She was terrified of failing the Empress, of the shame it might bring on her family, on Shadow. This was her chance to prove her worth as something other than a poet. Besides, the Empress herself had said the she was the only one fit for the job. If she had such a difficult time, how could the others even hope to win? There was no one she could trust with their mission anymore. She had to be the one.

Shadow read her fears and slim hope. This cemented his opinion that she had to be removed from duty. She had too many things cluttering her judgement to make valid decisions.

"Peace child," he soothed, "The others have been training while you have been gone. The Empress agrees with me. They are ready. You have done your duty well, but it is now time for you to come home."

Shadow could always soothe her. He had an almost hypnotic control of his voice, when he cared to use it. Still, the seed of doubt was buried so deeply with in her that he could not completely sway her.

"Give me one more chance, Shadow," she begged, "It will take that long to ready the ceremony to bring he home. I have a plan. What can it possibly hurt if I bring back one of the crystals? It will make the others jobs that much easier."

At least she was reasoning rationally now. Her voice was even and steady, as it had always been. He knew the truth in her statement and he also knew that she had made up her mind. She was going to try one last time, whether he gave her permission or not. He didn't even think a direct order from the Empress herself would deter Image, not that the Sorceress would issue such an order. It was going to be difficult enough for him to convince her as it was. Perhaps if Image gathered one of the crystals, then another could be sent in her place to gather the other four, and then the one. Deciding this was the best course of action, he relented.

"All right Image. You may try one last time. I am going to remain in constant communication with you. If you do not manage to get the crystal, then retreat at once. Do not put yourself in danger. You are too valuable to us."

Image nodded, sending tremors of assent to Shadow. "I promise. I'll be careful."

"Good. I must speak with the Sorceress now. I will be constantly monitoring you."

"I know. I love you."

"I love you too. Take care of yourself."

With that, he was no longer active on their mental connection, although she could sense him in the background of her thought. She smiled softly. He cared so much about her . . . but she could not let such things distract her now. Gathering her things, she called her five warriors. They clustered in front of her with a grave determination. She reminded them all of their duty before she complimented each one on their devotion to the cause. This sent tremors of excitement throughout the group. Image was please morale was good. The needed that. The time had come.

~*~

"Serena! Give me those binoculars! You've been hogging them all day!" Rei cried out angrily, grabbing them from Serena.

"No fair! I have not been hogging them all day. We've only been here for twenty minutes!" retorted Serena, grabbing them back.

"Uh, guys," Lita interceded, "Maybe you should let Ami look. After all, they are her binoculars."

"That's all right. I don't mind. The race hasn't even started yet. I just wish they'd share," sweatdropped Ami.

"Well, it's nothing out of the ordinary if they don't," giggled Terra. She and Mina were sharing a contained of nachos.

The six girls were seated in the eighteenth row of the stands beside the Tokyo Motor Speedway. It had been crowded when they had arrived. The amateur race was a popular event. The only seats they could find together had been right next to a maintenance stairwell. Serena didn't mind. The stairwell put her that much closer to Darien when he won. She planned to march down and give him a congratulatory kiss, hopefully on camera.

Suddenly the loud speakers came on and a booming voice echoed through the grandstand.

"Hello and welcome to the twenty-fifth annual Amateur League Tokyo Invitational! Our race will be starting momentarily, but first, a word from our sponsor . . ."

Serena was so excited. Darien was an excellent motorcycle racer. He was going to win. He had to! She knew that racing was one of the hobbies he'd had before he'd met her or become Tuxedo Mask. Between his duties as protector of his princess and his college studies, he'd had little time to continue it. This was the first time he'd race in two years. Serena hoped he wasn't rusty. Darien had told her it was something you couldn't forget. It was learned muscle movements. It was like riding a bicycle.

She knew this race meant a lot to him. He was using it to measure himself by. If he did well, he'd race again. If he did not do well, he might retire permanently. She hoped he won. She knew how much he enjoyed it. It was impossible to miss the way his eyes sparkled whenever he told racing stories. She closed her eyes and clasped her hands.

"Good luck Darien," she wished.

Blaring music startled her and she opened her eyes. The motorcyclists were lined up in their positions. The pace motorcycle was already beginning its circuit of the course. The other motorcyclists started their machines up and followed it on their practice lap. She could see Darien out near the front on his maroon motorcycle. He was the only racer wearing total black, so he was pretty easy to spot. Serena cheered when he passed in front of her. The other five girls were not silent either. They all shouted encouragement. Unfortunately, the motorcyclist beside Darien thought it was for him. He was wearing dark red and riding a bright red motorcycle. He turned and waved to them, showing off a bit.

Rei was not amused, "What a total dork. We were all shouting 'Go Darien' how could he think it was for him?"

Ami shrugged, "Well we are pretty high up, and he is wearing a helmet. It's possible he didn't hear us."

"So we could have been shouting obscenities at him and he wouldn't have known the difference?" giggled Lita.

"Exactly," confirmed Ami.

"I think we should do that next time," Rei smiled evilly, "Just to test out the theory."

Mina stuck her tongue out, "I don't think that's a theory we really need to test."

Rei shrugged, "It was only an idea . . . "

She looked like she was about to add something when Serena suddenly shouted "Look, they've started!" right in her ear. She going to make some snide comment about Serena's vocal capacity, but the high whines of the now speeding motorcycle engines distracted her, and she focused on the race.

Rei smiled as she watched the motorcycles speed around the track. Darien was doing well, out near the front. That made Rei happy. She was by no means still infatuated with him. He was a nice guy, but he was very happy with Serena, and had been for some time. Rei was not that desperate. After all, there was always at least one would be suitor calling the temple everyday. Chad sometimes redirected the calls, as if he thought she didn't see his motives. She rolled her eyes. That boy would never learn.

No, she was not romantically attached to Darien, but she still cared for him. He was one of her closest friends, after Serena the bunny princess herself. It was certainly bizarre how it all worked out, but Rei bore no grudges. It wasn't worth it, no matter how wonderful Darien might be. Still, she hoped he won. It would be good for him.

Darien was in second place and gaining on the leader. His bike was doing remarkably well, despite whatever damage his pit crew had done to it. They were all three really nice guys, but as mechanics they left something to be desired. At least he was sure they could change a tire and gas him up efficiently.

The rider in third place was clothed completely in red, even down to his small red motorcycle. As Darien was gaining on the leader, so was this man in red gaining on him. The rest of the pack was further back from the three of them, but not so far back as they could not overtake him if he made a mistake.

He leaned into the upcoming curve, taking it smoothly, but so did the leader, and the rider behind him. Darien didn't recognize either of them. They were both young talent that had sprung up while he was absent from the racing circuit. And they were very good at what they did. He leaned down, closer to his bike. He would have to take the next corner closer. The dog leg was coming up. Perhaps he could pass the leader in that. His bike was best in the corners, not necessarily in the straight stretches.

His mind was racing with strategies when he rounded the next corner, but he was not oblivious enough to miss the figure clothed in blue that was standing in the center of the track. The leader, so shocked by this occurrence, lost control of his bike and ate pavement. Darien hoped he was ok. He skidded to a stop and jumped off his bike to face this new problem.

The warning flag had been raised and all around the track bikes were going back into the pit for their own safety. Usually the flag was raised only when conditions were to dangerous to race in, or when there was a large wreck. Darien was fairly sure that having an ice senshi on the track was cause for alarm. Even the hotdog that'd been tailing him had stopped. He was now checking the fallen leader. After a minute he gave Darien an ok sign and helped the rider to his feet. Having lost that weight on his mind, Darien turned his full attention to the false senshi.

She was a very good copy this time. In fact, if he didn't already know it was a copy he'd be hard-pressed to realize it. She posed and then shouted,

"I am Sailor Mercury, the sailor warrior of the planet mercury. In the name of all that is sacred, I will punish you!"

She was pointing at him. This was not a good development. He could not transform in the middle of the track. Nor could he run off and then immediately return as Tuxedo Mask. He wasn't sure where all the cameras were, and if he were caught on film then it would not be terribly difficult to discover the other senshi's identities either. What he needed was a distraction. He got one.

The man in red had taken off his helmet. Darien was surprised to see that he matched under the helmet as well. He had very ruddy rust colored hair that was trimmed in a crew cut. His eyes also appeared to be ruddy brown. However, the most amusing thing about his appearance was the fact that he was smirking at the false Sailor Mercury. After staring at her for about a minute total, the man in red let out a long wolf whistle.

Darien almost could not contain himself. The man in red was so absurd! He was whistling at a youma that had stopped a motorcycle race and that had panicked the crowd in the stands. Although most of the crowd and the racing officials probably thought it was the real Sailor Mercury, Tokyo was accustomed to their sailor suited super heroines and knew that they caused a lot of property damage when they fought the Dark Kingdom, or whoever else they had to face. The city government had finally decided that it was a small price to pay in return for the safety of the city. This clown was apparently very appreciative of the city statutes, because they allowed him to meet a pretty girl in a very short skirt.

While Darien was contemplating this newest oddity, the rest of his distraction arrived in the form of three Knights of the Cosmos.

"Where evil dwells in the hearts of men and beasts, so to shall stalk the agent of justice! I am Venus Knight!"

"Bound by will and desire to protect the both the young and the weak, I am Ceres Knight!"

"And from the isolated fields of ice and snow come the solitary warrior, Mercury Knight!"

While the attention of the remaining spectators and the camera crew was riveted the three new warriors, Darien took the opportunity to sneak off to transform.

The false Mercury seemed a bit put off by having to fight three Knights at one time, so she put two gloved fingers in her mouth and whistled shrilly. Five more false Sailor Senshi strode purposefully onto the track from the sidelines. They too turned to face the three Knights and Max who was contemplating going up to ask the blue senshi for her phone number. They all struck poses and called out together,

"The Senshi of the Solar System! Mars, Venus, Jupiter, Ceres, and the Moon! In the name of all that is sacred, we'll punish you!"

Venus Knight was not pleased. There were twice as many false Sailor Senshi as their were Knights. Even he could do that math. The only way the three of them had a chance to take down all six of them was through a coordinated effort. He glanced over at his two comrades, who were both on guard.

"Do you have any ideas, oh wise leader?" asked Mercury Knight, studying the faces of their adversaries, "Besides waiting for the real senshi to come and kick their butts?"

Venus shook his head, "We are not waiting for them. It's time the Knights proved that we can actually function as a team."

"I thought Phoebe told us that we weren't meant to function as a team, and that you were only appointed leader in cases of emergency."

"Mercury, we do not have time for this now. Whether or not we were meant to be a team or not we have to be one right now! Mercury, put some ice under their feet. I'll tie them up. Ceres, you lay 'em low with whatever attack you have. Got it?"

The other two men nodded. They were about to comply when suddenly, Mercury piped up, "Venus, don't you think we should move that idiot out of the way first?"

He was pointing to the man in red who was directly in their line of fire. He was very close to the false Mercury. So close in fact that there was no way Mercury Knight could manage a glacier's wake without including him in the nexus of damage. The man in red appeared to be talking to the false Mercury. Venus had the sneaking suspiscion he was making a pass at her.

"You're right, Mercury. There's no way we can pull this off while that idiot is in the way. It's a good thing he has distracted them, otherwise they would have probably nailed us by now. Anybody got any ideas on how to get him out of the way?"

As if in response, a figure cloaked in black swooped down and grabbed Max. When safely out of the way, he threw his cloak back and left Max, standing stupefied. Max had the sudden urge to go to the bathroom, and in hope of not wetting himself in public, he ran off to find a rest room. The cloaked figure jumped to the top of one of the light that illuminated the track at night and then spoke.

"This racing track is a place for men and women to prove their skill and have fun, not a place for battles. I, Tuxedo Mask will punish you for the wrong you have committed in ruining this day of fun!"

Venus rolled his eyes. His lines were cornier every time he fought. He didn't linger too long on the horrible consistency of Tuxedo Mask's lines for long though. He knew that this was his cue to put their plan into action.

"Now Mercury!" he cried.

Mercury Knight nodded with a determined look on his face. Without waiting for a further command he charged the false senshi. Just before he was about to collide with the false Mars he yelled "MERCURY GLACIER'S WAKE!" and brought the butt of his spear down to the ground. He used the force it produced to vault out of the danger zone and the he took up a defensive position, waiting for further orders.

From the dimple he'd caused in the asphalt, a thick sheet of ice spread. It covered the entire area where the false senshi were standing and stopped just short of the positions of the three Knights. The ice made is difficult for the false senshi to stand, and one by one they lost they balance and landed on the ground. This was what Venus had hoped for.

"VENUS PLATINUM COIL!"

He managed to get two volleys of the hot molten metal off before the false Mercury, who had no trouble standing on the ice retaliated.

"MERCURY ICE STORM BLAST!"

Venus dropped flat to the ground to avoid the attack. He did narrowly miss it, although the force of it left his back very cold. He rolled over and bounced back to his feet, ready to cue Ceres to attack while he could.

Ceres Knight had taken his chance when the ice senshi had been distracted by Venus. He gathered his energy and then threw it at the two senshi that Venus had caught with his metal web.

"CERES NEGATIVE VACCUUM!"

The attack was powerful enough to vaporize both of the false senshi, although it left a decided ly unpleasant aroma in the area. Venus Knight crinkled his nose. Ceres Knight shrugged. Dismissing the terrible stench from his mind, Venus reassessed the situation.

They had taken out two of the false senshi, which was pretty good for their first attempt as a team. However the remaining three false senshi were wise to their moves now. The false Mercury helped the false Moon, Venus, and Ceres to their feet. They were still out-numbered, but at least not so badly now. Venus turned his attention to Ceres and Mercury.

"Okay guys. They odds are a bit more even now. Let's see if we can take the rest of these imposters out!"

"VENUS CRESCENT SMASH!"

Venus Knight's crescent boomerang flew at the false Ceres. She leveled a "Ceres Lifeblood Vegetate!" at him and dodged it by jumping nimbly to the side. It was all Venus Knight could do to dodge this attack. He knew he had to or he would be left with a rather permanent green thumb.

The Ceres Senshi prepared to blast him again when suddenly she stopped in mid-attack and was thrown forward a bit. He was very puzzled until his boomerang suddenly flew back to his hand. As he watched the false Ceres fall he realized that it had cut her in two.

Meanwhile Ceres Knight and the false Mercury were going toe to toe. He had to keep reminding himself that they were not the real senshi. They looked so much like the originals it was difficult though. Suddenly a scream interrupted his thoughts and he looked over to see Sailor Ceres being cut in half. He froze, devastated before he realized that it was only the copy. He was still long enough for the false Mercury to get an attack in. Ceres Knight never saw it coming. He was knocked out cold by the ice senshi's attack.

With his spear as his only offensive weapon, Mercury Knight was determined to take out the copy of his counterpart. He had watched Ceres Knight get taken down, unable to assist from the distance he was. He would have to be fast to get Mercury into hand-to-hand combat. He knew that was her weakness, and he was sure that the copy knew it too.

Once again he charged the false Mercury, but this time he didn't jump out of the way. She was surprised by this, apparently expecting him to do exactly what he did before. As soon as she realized that he planned to carry out an attack, she immediately started to jump clear. He was too fast for her, he swung his spear swiftly and truly and knocked the ice senshi's legs out from under her. Before she could roll out of the way he brought the butt of his spear down on her ribcage where it met surprising resistance. He didn't wait to ponder this development but instead yelled out his attack again.

"MERCURY GLACIER'S WAKE!"

The false Mercury was encased in a solid block of ice.

Mercury had no time to catch his breath because just as he'd disposed of the false Mercury Venus Knight yelled out, "Mercury Knight, look out! Venus is behind you!"

Mercury instinctively jumped out of the way, but he was not fast enough and found himself caught in a very painful Love Chain. The more he struggled to get free, the more the chain stung him. Finally, he stopped struggling and looked to Venus Knight for assistance.

Venus Knight was faced with his own problems. After defeating the false Ceres, the false moon had taken an interest in him and was now chasing him around waving her moon scepter at him. Venus had the sinking sensation that if he stopped long enough to attack then she'd nail him with an 'elimination'. He had no desire to be eliminated.

While struggling to stay mobile enough so that the false Moon could not hit him, Venus Knight suddenly found himself on the ice field that Mercury Knight had created earlier. Unable to remain on his feet on the slippery ice, he fell flat on his face. Realizing his situation, he immediately began scrabbling for purchase, but the smooth ice afforded none. He rolled on his side and was startled to see the false moon directly behind him halfway through her moon scepter prep.

As he could think of no other alternative, Venus simply took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and waited. Then he waited some more. He was thinking about what a wonderful place the world was and how much nicer it would be if he were not eliminated, when suddenly a scream startled him out of it. He opened his eyes to find the moon scepter right in front of him. The false moon was clutching a wound on her hand. A large long stem rose protruded from it. Venus Knight looked up to the top of the light post and Tuxedo Mask waved at him cheerfully. Venus returned the waved and the picked up the scepter. With a bit of concentration he managed to get to his feet.

Seeing the false Sailor Moon in such pain he felt guilty. Then again, she had tried to kill him. Seeing no alternative for it, Venus Knight knocked her out cold, using her own scepter as a club. He then turned his attention to the false Sailor Venus who was still holding Mercury Knight captive.

He brought out his boomerang again, unsure of how much damage it would do to the love chain. Well, no matter, he had to try anyway. He prepared to fling it, when suddenly a new voice broke in.

"For love and justice I am Sailor Moon! In the name of the moon, I'll punish you!"

Venus whirled around and flung the boomerang at whom he assumed was the false moon, recovered from her knock on the head. However it was no the false moon, but the actual Sailor Moon and the rest of her Sailor Senshi. She ducked and narrowly missed having her head taken off by the platinum boomerang.

"Hey! That's the second time you've almost killed me with that thing! Learn to aim it!" she yelled angrily.

Venus Knight sweatdropped as he called his boomerang back to his hand.

"Sorry. It took you long enough to get here!"

"We had a hard time finding a place to transform that was private," shot back Sailor Moon.

The false Venus looked at the six senshi, Knight, and Tuxedo Mask who had jumped down from the pole. She was definitely out-numbered now. Even her comrade at arms, Sailor Moon was down for the count. Terrified of being destroyed, she released Mercury Knight and called out fretfully, "Image! Please help me!"

Image could not ignore her pleas for help, despite what Shadow had told her. Steeling her courage, she marched purposefully out of the shadows and stood beside her last remaining senshi.

"So you're the one who's behind all this!" Moon indicated her with her scepter.

Image did not answer but instead said, "You must give us your crystals."

"No way creep!" yelled out Sailor Jupiter angrily.

their position and held her hands up and called, "VENUS CRESCENT!"

She did not have time to finish. Sailor Moon was not going to see her friends hurt, she angrily called out, "MOON SCEPTER ELIMINATION!"

"Venus! No!" cried out Image desperately. She grabbed the false Venus and attempted to push her out of the way. Unfortunately she was not fast enough or strong enough to do it. The blast of pink energy consumed them both, leaving the senshi, Knights, and Tuxedo Mask silent. One by one, the turned and left.

~*~

"Empress it is clear. We must . . ." Shadow stopped in mid-sentence and clutched his head. He sat down involuntarily and began rocking back and forth in an attempt to dull the pain. The Sorceress was astonished to hear him whimpering softly.

"Shadow, What is it?" she asked concerned. She knelt beside him.

He was silent for a long time, rocking. After a few moments he stopped whimpering, but the pain seemed to be too much for him. Finally he seemed to master his pain, and he turned to her with icy black eyes that glittered with malice.

"I hope you are quite satisfied now, your Excellency," he snapped at her frigidly, "Image is dead."

End episode.

Roll credits and play ending song, I always will

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Well there's episode 4 minna! I hope you like it. It ran a bit long, but that's all right. I got done what I needed to do. Please note that the opinions of Max Burnford are not my own. Don not flame me about my close-mindedness. Flame Max. He says those things as character development. If you don't like his character, take it up with him.

See ya' soon!

~Lady Ceres

sailorgabriel@yahoo.com

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