Charlie Charme belongs to LillianDuncan
It was evening at Oniyuri temple and Maria was out on the roof stargazing. Or at least she was attempting to. Her vision was quite poor after all. In fact it was so bad she didn't even notice the mysterious man sleeping on the stairs below her.

"It's too bad Cinder didn't want to come out here," Maria thought, "it's such a nice evening."

Suddenly, a strange whirlwind blew around and Neo appeared in front of the old woman, laughing.

"What in the-who are you."

Neo held up her dark crystal, just moments earlier she had seen that Maria was a carrier of a rainbow crystal.

Maria stumbled forward as her heart pulsed with light, "I don't...feel so good..."

Neo smirked as the indigo crystal tried to force its way out of Maria's heart, "That's it just a little more..."

Maria panted and shakily grabbed her cane before using it to swat at the negaverse general causing her to lose her concentration.

"Hey! Crazy old fool!" Neo cursed as Maria was able to shake off the spell. "Well I guess you're not such a weakling after all."

She used her telekinesis to push Maria off the edge of the roof.

Inside, Cinder felt a bad premonition come over her, "Grandmother!"

She quickly ran outside to find Maria laying motionless on the ground!

"Grandma!" She cried out before going to the woman's side, "can you hear me?! What happened?!"

Neo scoffed as she saw Cinder come outside, "I'll have to come back when this girl isn't around." With that she teleported away.

Cinder helped her grandmother sit up, "are you ok?! What happened did you lose your balance?"

Maria shuddered as the last effects of Neo's spell vanished.

"Come on let's get you inside," Cinder said.

But just then she heard a noise that sounded like someone was groaning. She looked over to see a man who had been sleeping on the temple steps sit up and rub his eyes as he was woken by all the commotion.

"Man I thought temple life was supposed to be peaceful. I guess not," the man said.

"What? Who are you?" Cinder asked.

The man turned to look at Cinder and he couldn't help but notice how beautiful she was.

"Oh um...my name is Charlie Charme I heard a lot about this place and how it helps people. Please can I stay here?! I'll do whatever you need for me to earn my keep I promise." He said.

Maria and Cinder were stunned, this was definitely not what they were expecting.

——————————————————————

Back in the negaverse Neo was consulting her dark crystal to try and see if there was another way to retrieve the rainbow crystal in Maria's heart.

"That old woman can resist as much as she wants but it won't do any good. She's one of us she won't be able to fight it forever. It's just a matter of time."

—————————————————————

A few days later the four sailor scouts were hanging out at the Oniyuri temple and Cinder was telling them what had happened to her grandmother.

"Do you think maybe you should take her to see a doctor?" Ruby asked.

Cinder sighed, "I tried but she won't go."

Speaking of the older woman she was currently taking Charlie through a "training exercise" which involved climbing a tree and swinging on several ropes. She cackled manically as she did a couple flips and landed perfectly on her feet. "Ok Charlie just like that."

"Um ok..." Charlie said before jumping from the tree and grabbing a rope. Unfortunately he only managed to wrap one hand around it before it snapped sending him falling to the ground.

"That was pathetic!" Maria said, "you need to try harder!"

"Grandmother what are you doing?! I've never seen you do anything like that before," Cinder said, running up to the twosome.

Ruby snickered, "hey Cinder I like that cape Maria is wearing."

Cinder rolled her eyes, "that's just an old tablecloth. But seriously what's going on?" Turning to Charlie she added, "are you ok?"

Charlie nodded, "yeah."

"And this is?" Blake asked.

Cinder looked at her friends, "oh this is Charlie. He said he wanted to learn how to connect with spirits like we do here at the temple."

"That's right! And at least he listens to me! Not like you," Maria snapped, then she burst into tears and clung to Cinder's blouse, "I just want someone to take care of you and the temple when I'm gone."

Cinder looked at her friends as she hugged her grandmother, "see I don't know what's wrong with her."

"Hey Cinder-" Charlie began.

"Not now Charlie."

"I was just gonna say she's just kidding around with me. Really it's ok,"

The raven haired woman shook her head, "no it's not ok. Grandma I'm taking you to a doctor. Ever since you fell off the roof you've been acting completely nuts."

"Cinder I really think she's fine," Ruby tried to reason.

"No I said butt out of this! I know what my grandmother needs!" Cinder snapped.

"Well you don't have to be so rude," Ruby scoffed.

Blake rolled her eyes, "really you two? You're always fighting it's getting annoying. Look maybe we should come back later when we've all calmed down a bit.

"I agree," Nora said.

"Fine! Leave! I don't care!" Cinder said before taking Maria inside.

The other three girls walked away leaving Charlie alone outside.

After Cinder got Maria into her room she saw Charlie waiting for her.

"Hey Cinder can we talk?" He asked.

The young woman sighed, "look I'm sorry Grandmother put you through all that. I really don't know what's wrong with her. If you want to leave I understand."

Charlie rubbed the back of his neck, "well no actually I want to stay and learn all about your temple."

Cinder was stunned, "really?"

He nodded, "look where I'm from my father is a big political figure and he wants me to follow in his footsteps. But making speeches scares me. I get the worst stage fright. I was hoping maybe being here would teach me to be calm."

"If you survive your 'training.'"

"Honestly Maria has already taught me a lot about facing my fears. Flying through the trees? That's ten times worse then giving a speech."

Cinder began giggling causing Charlie to become confused.

"What's so funny?"

"Well it's just that spirit training doesn't usually involve wearing tablecloths like superhero capes," Cinder laughed.

Charlie blushed slightly, "well I figured as much."

The woman's smile faded and she sat down on the ground, "I really am worried though I think something might be seriously wrong with her. The night when you first came here, she fell off the roof and hasn't been the same since. I'm worried she might be losing her mind."

Charlie sighed and took a seat beside her, "I'm sure she's going to be fine. Don't worry."

——————————————————————

That evening Charlie was outside 'training' again while Cinder was watching.

"Alright face my fear. Face my fear," Charlie stood at the top of a tree and gripped a rope in his hands. "Face my fear!" He leaped off the branch and swung forward.

Cinder giggled as she watched, "he's such a dork. Kinda cute though I'll admit..."

"Yes I'm doing it!" Charlie exclaimed.

"Charlie watch out!"

Charlie turned to the sound of Cinder's voice only to smack face first into another tree.

"Ow..."

Cinder raced to his side, "are you ok?!"

Charlie shakily gave her a thumbs up, "yeah...I'm gonna try again."

"You're sure?"

He nodded.

Cinder shook her head, "alright. I'm going to go check on Grandma I'll be right back."

With that she headed inside.

Meanwhile Maria was in the meditation chamber. She lit a fire in the pit in front of her before kneeling before it and clasping her hands together.

"Spirits I ask for you help. Help me fight this evil in my heart."

She got a strange feeling and turned over shoulder, "I know you're there! Come and face me witch!"

Neo appeared before her in a swirl of pink, brown, and white flower petals.

"So you're finally ready to accept your fate," she spoke into the old woman's mind.

"You won't take me! Not this time!" Maria shouted before running outside.

Neo chased after her, "I want that crystal!"

Cinder was making her way down the hall when she felt a dark wave of energy wash over her, "something's wrong I can feel it. I feel negaverse energy."

She quickened her pace and headed to her grandmother's room.

Maria tried to ward Neo off with a wooden rod that she had tied several paper charms intended to keep evil away but the villainess simply grabbed it out of her hands and tossed it aside

"We're on the same side you know. It's ok that you don't remember, you will soon. Come to me rainbow crystal!" Neo said as she held out the dark crystal.

Maria's chest once more pulsated with light as the indigo rainbow crystal was pulled from her heart.

The villainess reached her hand out to grab the crystal. But before she could it was snatched out of the air by none other then Tuxedo Mask!

"You're not getting away from me this time Neo!" Tuxedo Mask said.

Neo looked over at Maria, "Hmm we'll see about that."

Tuxedo Mask followed her gaze and watched as Maria turned into an oni demon.

"Oh no. Not her too," Tuxedo Mask said.

Neo picked up the indigo crystal, "well this has been fun but I have to go,"

She began jumping through the trees with Tuxedo Mask close behind her.

Soon the masked hero had lost her.

"Where are you?!" He snapped.

"It doesn't matter," Neo spoke into his mind, "I already have the crystal. Just know that my next target is you! Until next time."

With that everything was silent.

——————————————————————

Maria sniffed around the temple grounds before growling to see Charlie next to her.

"Uh..."

The oni started chasing him.

Charlie yelled and began running, "Cinder!!"

He ran inside to find Cinder roaming the halls looking for Maria.

"Charlie! Have you seen my grandmother?!"

Charlie skidded to a stop, "no, but we have bigger problems on our hands!"

"Like what?"

"That!"

Cinder turned and saw the oni creature running at them from down the hall.

"Crap! Run!"

The two young adults took off running with Maria hot on their heels.

The monster exhaled a blast of compressed air at the twosome knocking them off their feet.

"Uh oh," Cinder said and she reached into her robe for a paper charm.

"Cinder stay back," Charlie said before putting his arms out in front of Cinder to protect her.

"But Charlie it's-"

"No! It's like your grandma said I gotta use my fear! I won't let this thing hurt you."

Cinder's eyes widened and she felt a blush form on her cheeks.

Charlie ran at Maria and head butted her but it seemed to do more harm to him then the oni.

He moaned in pain and gripped his head.

Maria raised her head up to look at Cinder and growled.

Cinder backed up a couple inches. Suddenly though, she realized she was in the mediation chamber.

"Spirits tell me!" She said, "who is behind this evil?"

The oni's face appeared in the fire before it morphed into Maria's.

"Help me...granddaughter....help me," Maria groaned.

"Grandma," Cinder said in shock, "but if she's a monster then she must've been carrying a rainbow crystal. I have to help her."

She reached for her scroll and saw Ruby's contact icon on the screen. She sighed but pressed it, "Ruby it's Cinder, my grandma got turned into a monster by Neo. I need your help to save her."

"I'm on my way," Ruby said on the other end.

Maria leaped up to pounce on Cinder but the raven haired young woman was able to jump to the side causing the attack to miss.

"Grandmother it's me Cinder! Don't you recognize me?! Please let me help you!"

The oni stopped and stared at her.

Cinder held her breath and cautiously took a step forward.

Maria roared and tried to claw at Cinder.

She ducked and quickly ran outside but the demon was close behind her.

Soon Maria was able to back the young woman into a corner. She raised a paw to slice her to ribbons. Suddenly, a rock hit her in the back of the head.

"Hold it right there! Leave my friend alone!"

Both Cinder and Maria turned to see Sailor Moon.

"You don't know how glad I am to see you," Cinder said in relief.

"Well I'm glad. Don't worry I'll take care of this," Sailor Moon removed her tiara causing it to turn into a discus, "moon tiara-"

"Wait stop!" Cinder said grabbing her arm, "that's my grandmother in there remember?"

"Oh right," the other heroine said.

"I'll make an opening for you ok? Just get ready to turn her back,"

Sailor Moon nodded and Cinder took off running causing Maria to chase her.

Once they were a bit further away Cinder pulled a paper charm from her robe, "I call upon the power of Mars! Fireballs charge!"

She winced as she looked at her grandmother, "I'm sorry about this." Cinder slapped the charm on Maria's forehead causing her to be engulfed in flames.

"Sailor Moon now!"

Sailor Moon summoned the crescent moon wand.

She held the wand up before drawing a large circle of moonlight around herself, "moon healing activation!"

The circle of moonlight encased the shadow warrior inside it, destroying it but also returning Maria to her normal self.

Cinder quickly ran to her grandmother's side, "are you ok?!"

Maria seemed to be out cold but other then that she was alright.

"Thank you Ruby," Cinder said

Sailor Moon nodded, "yeah don't mention it."

———————————————————————

Meanwhile, Blake was making her way up the temple steps but she was surprised to see she wasn't alone.

"Nora?"

The other young woman turned, "oh hey Blake heading to the temple?"

Blake nodded, "yeah. I feel kinda bad about earlier. I wanted to apologize to Cinder the last thing we need right now is to be divided."

Nora smiled, "yeah it's what Salem wants. We work much better as a team. C'mon let's go see her."

They headed up the stairs to see Cinder, Ruby, Charlie, and Maria sitting together talking.

"Maria can you please teach me how to do that thing you did wear you turned into a monster?" Charlie asked.

"Where I what?" Maria asked confused.

Both Ruby and Cinder laughed nervously.

"Oh Charlie you must've hit your head harder then you thought," Cinder said.

"Hey you two. Finally make up?" Blake asked as she and Nora walked over to them.

"Yep we sure did," Ruby said before giving Cinder a side hug.

Cinder smiled before turning to Charlie, "and you really faced your fear and saved me back there. Thank you." She gave him a soft kiss on the cheek.

Everyone's mouths dropped open and Charlie blushed heavily.

"Now wait just a second!" Maria shouted, "how dare you try and seduce my granddaughter."

She hit Charlie on the head with her cane.

"Wait that's not what I-" but Maria had begun chasing Charlie around the garden.

The four girls laughed but Ruby couldn't help but feel like she was forgetting something.

"Oh that's right!" She exclaimed.

"What is it?" Nora asked.

"I never saw the rainbow crystal Maria had, that means Neo must've taken it."

"Or Tuxedo Mask," Blake said.

Ruby sighed, "yes or him. But I still don't think he's using them for evil. He's on our side remember."

Zwei shook his head, "Ruby I know what happened before but you have to ask for the crystal he has ok? Next time you see him."

Ruby nodded, "I promise." But she couldn't help but feel strange inside. Just why did the caped hero want the crystals and why was he keeping them from the sailor scouts?