THE SECRET POWER
 A Sailor Moon Sekkushiaru Roman

by Sailor Mac
	"No, no, no! Serena. . .you're just not *trying!*"
	Raye slammed the box to the table in frustration. She and Darien were
trying to get Serena to work on developing and controlling her psychic
powers again. . .without sucess.
	"But Raye. . .I *am* trying! I just can't see what's in the box!"
	"If you'd concentrate half as hard on this as you do on mastering video
games. . ."
	"Serena. . ." Darien came up behind her and hugged her. "Maybe it's not
working because you're tense. You're worried about having the experiment
fail. . ."
	"I'm NOT tense!" she said in a tone of voice that betrayed her tension.
	"Look." He started to gently rub her shoulders. "Just take a deep breath.
. .relax. . .try to think of nothing. . ."
	Serena let her head fall back on his shoulder, closing her eyes.
	"Now come on, honey, you *can* do it. . .remember, you saw where my Golden
Crystal was hidden. . .and then, last weekend, you had the vision of the
Sailor Scouts we haven't met. . ."
	Raye gave a start when she heard that. They've seen them too? she thought.
Then it must be a legitimate vision. . .there really *are* others out
there!
	"Now just relax. . .that's it. . .and open your mind. . ."
	He felt her muscles tense under his hands again.
	"I'm sorry," she said, starting to cry. "It just doesn't come easily to me
like it does to the two of you. . .I can't do it!"
	Darien drew her into his arms. "It's okay, honey, it's okay. . ." To Raye,
he said, "Maybe we'd better knock off for today."
	Raye gave a deep sigh. Almost every session ended like this. And it was
aggravating the hell out of her, because she knew that Serena *did* have
the potential to be a very powerful psychic, more powerful than herself or
Darien. All she needed was the confidence in her own ability. . .
	"All right," she said. "We'll have to work on it again tomorrow."
	They said their goodnights, and Serena and Darien left the temple. Raye
watched them go, deep in thought.
	They'd used every method her grandfather had used to train her own psychic
ability. They'd used the methods Darien had to get control of his own.
Nothing was working. Yet sometimes, Serena had these spontaneous bursts of
such incredible psychic power. . . .
	I'd better straighten this place up, she thought. And then, when Chad
comes home, we can have tea and I can pour out all my frustrations to him.
. .
	As she began to take the contents out of the box, she had no idea that she
was being watched.
* * *
	Supreme General Hematite of the Dark Kingdom was ready for his final move.
He'd finally zeroed in on the Sailor Scouts' secret. He was going to
capture Sailor Mars, the one with the close connection to the Gods. He'd
use her as bait to lure the other Sailor Scouts into his trap - without
their little priestess to give them divine guidence they'd be powerless,
easy to defeat. And then, he'd have the pleasure of making sure they all
died slowly and painfully.
	You've been a thorn in my side for too long, Sailor Brats, he thought. You
eluded me at every turn. Now, it's payback time. . .for myself, for Wotite,
for Scarpiite, for Zoicite and Malachite and Queen Beryl. . .
	He turned to his youma, rubbery creatures with arms that nearly reached
the floor. "Bring me back that girl," he said, "and I want her alive."
* * *
	Darien drove Serena back to his apartment. She felt depressed. Why, oh why
can't I do it? she thought. Why can't I look into the future or the past or
Far-See like Darien and Raye, even though they keep telling me I can do it?
	When they walked through the door, she just flopped down on the couch. He
sat beside her, rubbing her back.
	"Hey, Meatball Head," he said. "Wanna talk about it?"
	"Oh, Darien. . .I want to do it, I just. . .I can't turn it on and off
like a faucet! You and Raye tell me to open my mind, but when I go to do
it. . .it just won't happen!" She started to cry again. He drew her into
his embrace.
	"It's okay, honey," he said. "It's frustrating, I know. I was frustrated
too, when I tried to get control of my own abilities. . .and I had nobody
to help me. I was going purely on what I read in books. But Serena. . .you
*do* have a great gift. You just have to believe in that gift."
	"But. . .but if I have such a great gift. . .why can't I use it?"
	"You're what's called a wild talent. The ability is there. . .it just has
to be tamed. You just have to learn relaxation techniques. Come here. . ."
He stood up, took some big, overstuffed cushions from the couch, and put
them on the floor. "Now lie down. . .and I want you to visualize the ocean.
Just hold the picture in your mind of the sound of the waves. . .the sight
of the whitecaps rolling in. . .the smell of the sea air. . ."
	He knelt next to her, rubbing her arms and shoulders. He could feel the
muscles relax as the image began to take hold in her mind. . .
	"Now keep holding on to that picture. . .and open your mind."
	Still concentrating on the sea image, she cautiously pushed her mind
forward. . .and then, suddenly, another picture was filling her head. A
strange one indeed. . .The quick flash was gone almost as soon as it came,
but it left its impact.
	She sat bolt upright. "Serena. . .did you see something?"
	"I. . .I saw. . .three boys. I couldn't quite make out their faces, but
they were definitely boys' bodies. . .and then, they changed to girls. I
think they might be. . .something like Sailor Scouts. . ."
	He hugged her. "Darling! That's wonderful! You see. . .you *can* do it!"
	She returned his embrace. "Who do you think they were, Darien? Have you
ever seen them?"
	"No. But they must be important people to us in the future. . ." He kissed
her cheeks, her eyes, her temples. "Sweet one, you see. . .all you needed
to do was relax. Now, next time, when you're called upon to do that, just
hold the ocean image in your head. . ."
	She drew him closer, relief flooding her body. I *can* do it, she thought.
I really can! She felt like a huge burden had been lifted from her
shoulders. . .
	And then, she was becoming aware of other feelings. Darien's warm skin
beneath her hands and lips, the sound of his breathing, his clean, spicy
scent.. . .Her lips sought out his, her hands reaching for the buttons of
his shirt.
	They kissed, soft and deep, their tongues caressing, her lips traveling
down his neck, then back up to his. . .
	"Mmm," she said between kisses. "I hope I develop the power of telekinesis."
	"And why is that?"
	"So I can undress you without lifting a finger."
	"Minx."
	"But for now, I'll just have to do it the old-fashioned way. . ."
	She flipped him onto his back and quickly finished unbuttoning his shirt,
stripping the garment off and letting it fall. She kissed down his neck to
his chest, pausing to lick and suck his nipples, before moving lower,
lower. . .
	She moved down below his waist, to his most sensitive place, and began
kissing him through the pants and underwear. He could barely feel the touch
of her lips through all that fabric. . .but what he could feel was
unbelivably tantalizing.
	Slowly, she undid the snap, eased down the zipper and pushed his pants
down, then ran her lips along the surface of his boxer shorts, laying
kisses just where she knew it would give him the most pleasure. "Ahh,
baby," he moaned. "Take them off, please. . .
	"Not yet, my love," she said. She backed away from him, stripping off her
own clothes quick as a flash. When she was naked, she brought her mouth to
his again, then took her lips away and replaced them with a nipple.
Eagerly, he started to suck, as she reached up and undid her "meatballs,"
the long, long hair cascading over her shoulders and back.
	"Oooohhh, Darien, yes, that's it, like that. . .the other, please, honey.
. .oh, yes, mmmm. . ."
	As he moved from one nipple to the other, she moved her body in position
so she was straddling him, her naked womanhood rubbing against his
still-covered manhood. She began to thrust, feeling the soft cotton fabric
rubbing against her nether lips and pearl, and the delicious hardness
beneath. . .
	"Ohhh, Serena, oh, Gods, you're driving me crazy. . ."
	"Mmmm. . ."
	"Please, honey. . .oh, *please*. . .let me take them off. . .I want to be inside you. . ."
	"All right. . .but only if I can put the rubber on you."
	"Yes! Please do. . ."
	She got up and rid him of the rest of his clothes. Reaching into the
pocket of his discarded pants, she retrieved a condom. Popping it into her
mouth, she leaned over and used her lips and tongue to push it on, using
her fingers to finish the job. He moaned her name as she straddled him,
giving a big thrust to drive him deep, deep into her.
	"Aaahhh!" she gasped as she felt the intimate contact. She grabbed his
hands and brought them to her breasts, and his thumbs rubbed her nipples
over and over as she moved up and down, faster and faster.
	"Serena. . .ohhh. . ."
	"Yes. . .yes, like that. . .oh, baby, I love you, I love you so much. . .
	"I love you too. . .oh, yesss. . ."
	She gasped as the first climax shot through her. She collapsed atop him,
and their lips came together, a gentle kiss at first, then more fiery. .
.He rolled them both over so that he was on top, and then started to
thrust, rapidly accelerating the pace, determined that they both experience
fulfillment together. "OHHH!" she shouted as she began to orgasm again, and
he felt her sweet, hot sheath throb and tighten all around him, and it sent
him over the edge. He cried out her name as ecstacy overwhelmed him and
white heat seared his very soul.
	He collapsed atop her, and they held each other, whispering sweet words of
love. He disposed of the condom as fast as he could, then kissed her again,
their lips speaking silent volumes to each other.
	They snuggled together and started to fall asleep, their minds in a
pleasantly hazy, super-relaxed afterglow. . .
* * *
	Raye had finished straightening the temple and tending to the garden. She
checked her watch. Fifteen minutes before Chad was due home from band
practice. Her grandfather had retired for the evening a half hour ago.
	I can still get in some quiet time in front of the fire, she thought. . .
	She entered the main room of the temple, preparing to throw some more wood
on the sacred fire. . .
	And that's when they grabbed her. She struggled and struggled, but the
rubbery arms held her tight, binding her arms to her sides. . .When she
tried to call for help, a rubbery flipper was clamped tightly over her nose
and mouth. She was losing consciousness. . .
* * *
	Darien and Serena both sat bolt upright, the horrifying vision filling
both of their heads at the same time. "RAYE!" they screamed.
	"They got her!" Serena cried. "They're taking her to the Negaverse. . ."
She frantically pawed through her discarded clothes until she found her
purse, pulling out her communicator. "Everyone. . .to the temple, NOW! The
Negaverse just got Raye!"
	Darien handed her her brooch. "Oh, Gods, honey," she said, "I'd hoped I'd
never actually have to go *into* the Negaverse again. . ."
	"I have a feeling," he said, "that this is our final showdown with them.
Once and for all. . ."
	She nodded. It was destiny. . .Raising her brooch, she shouted,
"MOON CRYSTAL POWER!"
* * *
	Fortunately, they didn't have to teleport to the North Pole again. Amy's
computer detected a small Negaverse portal right on the edge of town, one
which seemed to have been established sometime during the reign of Wotite.
A "Moon Scepter Elimination" blew it open just long enough for the five to
slip through.
	"Even though it's not the North Pole," Amy whispered, "it's so cold in
here. . .it's a cold that goes right down to your soul."
	Serena put her hand on Darien's arm. "Are you all right, Muffin?" Last
time he was in the Negaverse, he'd been a brainwashed prisoner of Queen
Beryl who'd suffered inhuman torture. Even though Serena had wiped the
memories from his mind, there was no guarantee that some dark shadow of the
event wasn't lurking in a hidden corner of his subconscious. . .
	"I'll be fine."
	They slowly made their way through the stone corridor, until they came to
a fork in their path.
	"Now where do we go?" said Mina.
	"We'll split up," Serena said. "You, Amy and Lita go this way, Darien and I will go that way. . ."
	"And if we find something?" said Amy.
	"If we find Hematite," said Lita, "I know what *I'm* gonna do."
	"Don't confront him directly until we're *all* together. Get in touch with
us and let us know where you are. . ."
	She reached over and hugged each of the girls in turn. . .they knew that
Raye's life depended on the success of their mission.
	Amy, Lita and Mina turned to go down the right path. Amy got out her
computer, put on her visor and did a scan of the area.
	"There seems to be a strong pulse of energy coming from a cavern at the
rear right of this corridor. . ."
	They drew closer to the area, and Amy continued to take readings. "It
seems to be. . .a device of some kind. . .giving off a high-pitched
frequency. . ."
	"You don't think. . .it's that Dark Orb thing that Wotite had, do you?"
said Mina.
	"That. . .or something like it," Amy said.
	"Then that must be where they're holding Raye! They'd have to neutralize
her powers. . ." Mina started to take off at a run. Amy and Lita held her
back.
	"Mina. . .think!" Lita said. "If it can neutralize Raye's powers, wouldn't
it do a number on us, too?"
	"I wasn't going to run right in there! I was going to stand outside and
blast it from a safe distance. . ."
	"We'll *all* blast it," Amy said. "A combined attack has a much better
chance of taking the thing out. . ."
	They cautiously approached the cavern. As they drew closer, they could see
a figure strapped to the wall. . .
	"Raye," Amy whispered, fighting back tears.
	"I think I see the thing," Lita said. "It's hanging from the ceiling, just
above her. . .it's the same type of device that Siegmite used on me.
Everyone still functional?"
	Amy pointed at the wall and released a few small bubbles to test her
power. Mina released a small beam of light, and Lita a few sparks.
	"Okay," said Amy. "Ready. . .aim. . .fire!"
	"MERCURY ICE BUBBLES. . .FREEZE!"
	"VENUS CRESCENT BEAM. . .SMASH!"
	"JUPITER THUNDER. . .CRASH!"
	The combined attack formed a ball of energy which hit the device and blew
it up. Raye stirred and moaned. . .
	"We're coming, Raye!" Mina said as they dashed into the room.
	"We're gonna get you out," Lita added, "and then you can power up and we
can find that bastard Hematite and. . .AAARRRGGGHHH!" She fell to the
ground, wracked with pain. "What's happening?" She looked around, and saw
the other two were on the floor with her. A hideous high-pitched screeching
noise filled the air. . .
	Then, there was an ominous shadow darkening the doorway, and Supreme
General Hematite himself appeared.
	"You didn't think I'd let you take her that easily, did you?" he said.
"That device you blew up was a fake, a decoy. The real neutralizer's well
hidden. . .and right now, very active. You're all powerless now. . .as your
friend Sailor Moon will be when she comes looking for you. Then, I will
give you all what you so richly deserve. . ."
* * *
	Darien cried out and fell to his knees. "Darien!" Serena cried. "What
happened?"
	"Something just went. . .terribly wrong. . ."
	"We have to go after them!" She helped him to his feet and started to
guide him back down the corridor. . .
	"Don't do it, Sailor Moon!" cried a voice that seemed to come out of
nowhere and everywhere at once. Serena and Darien stopped with a start.
	"Who was that?" she said. "Who's there?"
	And then, a form materialized in front of them. . .a very familiar form, a
man with very long, dark hair. When last they'd seen him, he'd been a
Negaverse general. . .but he had turned against evil when he fell in love.
And that rebellion had meant his doom. . .
	"Nephlite," said Darien in a small voice. Long, long ago in the Silver
Millenium, Nephlite had been Prince Endymion's friend and guardian. .
.before he was corrupted and enslaved by Beryl.
	The phantom knelt in front of him. "I am at your service, Your Highness,"
he said. Darien felt himself misting over. That was the tone of voice used
by his friend, not by the ruthless general. . .
	"Get up, Nephlite," he said. "I didn't like that bowing and scraping in
the Silver Millenium and I don't like it now. We grew up together. .
.you're my friend, not my slave."
	The ghost rose to his feet, but not within a bow in Serena's direction.
"Princess Serenity, it is wonderful to see you again. . .I am sorry it is
under such dire circumstances."
	Serena nodded her head at him, awestruck. Had he returned from the dead
just to help them? Once, she wanted nothing more than to destroy this man
whom she was sure was out to hurt Molly. . .but he seemed changed, now. .
.totally purged of evil.
	"Your friends are in deep trouble," Nephlite said. "They are all being
held in a back chamber that has a Scout power neutralizer hidden in it.
Hematite expects you to come marching up to the front entrance of the room
to bust them out. He's got it heavily guarded. . .the youma are under
orders to grab both of you and toss you into the neutralizer's field on
sight."
	"Then how can we get them out?" said Serena.
	"Look above you. . .see that hole? Go in there. . .you'll find a corridor
that leads just above the chamber. You'll see the device. . .it looks like
a big, black orb. Stay a safe distance away and blow it up with your
weapon. Then blow a hole in the floor, jump down, and free your friends.
And then. . .Hematite will be ready for a showdown. Defeat him, and you
will destroy the entire Dark Kingdom, once and for all." A sad look came
into his eyes. "And believe me, nobody wants the Dark Kingdom destroyed
more than me. They robbed me of my life and my heart.  . .and it was only
because of Molly. . .and because of you, Sailor Moon, and your friends. .
.that they didn't also rob me of my immortal soul."
	Serena looked up at the hole. We should be able to get into it with one
super-leap, she thought. . .
	"Thank you ever so much, my friend," Darien said. "I hope, when this is
all over. . .we'll meet again."
	"Oh, don't worry, we will. Sailor Moon. . .tell Molly that I love her with
all my heart, and that we *will* be together. . .someday."
	Serena swallowed the lump in her throat and blinked the tears out of her
eyes. "I will. . ."
	"And now, I must go. . .good luck." The apparition faded from sight.
	Darien and Serena embraced. "Oh, Darien. . ."
	"I know, my sweet. . .if we get out of this, we'll owe him our very
lives." He picked her up in his arms. "Ready?"
	"Yes."
	He gave a super-leap, and they disappeared into the hole.
	But they didn't see the youma that had been hiding behind a rock all
along, listening to their conversation, which now scurried off to give its
master this piece of news. . .