New Friends and New Enemies 5

Where Do Your Loyalties Lie?

Disclaimer: I do not own Ronin Warriors or Sailor Moon! I just think they make great crossovers!

Authors Note: There are no spelling errors when Rowen is speaking. I'm just doing my best to get his accent in there because I LOVE his voice!

"What do we do?" Sailor Moon wondered out loud.

"Sailor Moon, try contacted them on your communicator," said Sailor Mars.

"Yeah, all right," she said and took it out. "Sailor Mercury! Venus! Jupiter, can you hear me?"

Sailor Mars looked over Sailor Moon's shoulder as Sailor Moon tried to get them to answer her. "Hey, anyone?" Sailor Mars said. "Jupiter? Venus? Mercury?"

"Please answer me!" Sailor Moon begged.

All Sailor Moon got was static. The picture was fuzzy. She frowned and brought it down. "Sailor Mars, what if-what if they are--?"

"Let's not jump to conclusions, Sailor Moon," Sailor Mars said sternly.

"We've got to show these to Mia," said Rowen, looking over the weapons and tiaras.

"Why don't we go to the Netherworld and save them?" Ryo demanded.

"We don't eve know how, Ryo," Rowen said. "Sailor Moon, Sailor Mars…you ought to come with us."

"Okay," Sailor Mars nodded, picking up Sailor Venus' tiara as Sailor Moon picked up Jupiter's and Mercury's.

Rowen put his bow on his back, took Cye's spear and Sage's sword. Ryo took Kento's staff. "Rowen, we've got to go to the Netherworld and save them!"

"We don't even know how to get thar," Rowen told him. "Let's go talk to Mia."

"Who's Mia?" Sailor Moon asked.

"She's a friend of ours," he replied. "She might be able to help us." He and Ryo went down to their subarmor and Sailor Moon and Sailor Mars looked at them closely.

'No way,' she thought, 'they're the same guys we saw at the diner!'

They walked to Mia's house and when Yuli saw them coming, he went to greet them with White Blaze. "Ryo! Rowen! You're back!"

Instead of going to Rowen and Ryo, White Blaze went straight to Sailor Moon and rubbed against her. She smiled and scratched him behind the ears. "Hello, White Blaze," she said, in a voice that didn't sound quite like her own.

"Whoa-wait a minute, how did you know his name?" Ryo demanded.

"Huh?" Sailor Moon asked. "Oh…White Blaze…I don't know…I just knew. Probably from the dream I had."

"You're the sailor scouts." Yuli said. "You've come to help us?"

"Yeah, that's right," Sailor Mars said.

"Yuli, is Mia inside?" Ryo asked. "We've got to talk."

"Yeah…why are you carrying Kento's staff, Ryo?" Yuli inquired.

"Because Kento, Sage and Cye have been taken to the Netherworld," he answered, "with the other three sailor scouts."

"No!" Yuli exclaimed, rushing inside. "Mia! Rowen and Ryo are back. The others have been captured-they're in trouble!"

They followed Yuli inside and placed down the weapons with the tiaras. Mia stood up and looked at the sailor scouts.

"Ryo, Rowen-how did you find them?" She asked.

"I found Sailor Moon in Amanohashidate," Rowen replied. "She and Sailor Mars are going to help us fight Talpa and Beryl."

"So, you're on our side?" Mia asked.

"Yes," Sailor Moon answered. "The other three scouts, Sailor Mercury, Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Venus went looking for the other three Ronin warriors. We were going to stop Queen Beryl but our Sailor Teleport took us here. After we left, The Ancient appeared to us and told us he brought us here to help the Ronin Warriors. That night we had a dream about the Ronin Warriors so we went out looking for them where their armors drew power."

"You met the Ancient?" Mia inquired, surprised.

"Yeah," Sailor Mars nodded.

"Sage and the others were captured by the Dynasty," Rowen said, he nodded to Sailor Moon and Sailor Mars. "Their friends too."

"Why don't you all go and change," Mia suggested.

"Okay," Rowen said. He and Ryo left. Mia turned to Sailor Moon and Sailor Mars. "Can you tell me more about the Sailor Scouts? I heard about the ancient legend but…"

"Excuse us for a minute, Mia," Sailor Mars said. "I have to talk to Sailor Moon alone."

"Oh, all right," she said as Sailor Mars dragged her out of the room into the next one. Rowen and Ryo came back to the room to tell Mia about Lady Kayura as Sailor Moon and Sailor Mars went back to their other identities to talk about what happened.

"Sailor Mars and Sailor Moon wanted to talk alone for a while," Mia said, pouring htem some tea. "Why don't you tell me what happened?"

--

"Raye why don't' we let them know who we really are?" Serena asked. "They're the same guys from the diner."

"No, too soon for that," Raye said. "I think Ryo's right. We've got to hurry and rescue the other sailor soldies."

"How do we know they're even still alive?" Serena inquired sadly. "No way…it's too risky. We can't do it, Raye."

"We've got to!"

"It's no use. We're not strong enough." Serena frowned. She could hear Ryo and Rowen arguing in the next room. She and Raye stopped to listen.

"Someone has to rescue our friends!" Ryo shouted.

"They're my friends too!" Rowen yelled.

"See?" Raye said. "It's not just our friends we've to worry about…it's the Ronin Warriors too. The Ancient told us we have to work together to stop Talpa and Beryl."

"We can't do it," Serena said. "How are we supposed to even get there? How do we know they're still alive? What would Beryl want with them? They don't' have any armors like the guys!"

"I don't know," Raye sighed. "Maybe Beryl is trying to brainwash them like what happened to Darien. All the more reason to go and rescue them! They can still be alive!"

"No way, it's too dangerous!" Serena wailed.

"Serena, you should've known the day you became Sailor Moon, this whole business with the Negaverse would be dangerous!"

"But that was before we knew Queen Beryl decided to become friends with Talpa!"

"Listen to me Serena, if we go to save them we can go back to our old lives." Raye persisted. "The sooner we leave, the sooner we can rescue them. The sooner we can rescue them, the sooner we can stop Beryl and Talpa. The sooner we can stop Beryl and Talpa the sooner we can return home so let's go already!"

"Oh...Raye…" Serena groaned.

"Don't be such a coward, Serena!" Raye hissed.

"I'm not a coward!" she shouted back. "I just don't want to see anyone get hurt!"

"The girls are arguing," Mia said, turning to the noise coming through the wall.

"Why haven't they come to join us yet?" Ryo wondered aloud. "They weren't too shy to come looking for us earlier."

"Let's check on them," said Rowen and the three went to the next room. When Ryo opened the door and they stepped in, Ryo and Rowen froze and Mia looked on curiously.

Serena and Raye turned and stared back at the boys. There was a long, disturbing silence as they just stared at each other until Mia finally spoke up.

"What is it, Ryo?" she asked.

"We know these girls," he answered. "We've seen them."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, we saw them at the restaurant the day we went to find our sprits. They were sitting in the booth right be hind us." Rowen explained to Mia and he looked at Serena. "And your captured fellow sailor scouts…they were with you too that day?"

Serena nodded. "Yeah."

"You were following us?" Ryo inquired.

"No, not really," Serena said. "We met there by chance. We all had dreams about you guys and The Ancient told us to go looking for you where your armors get power. We were talking about our plans when we heard you speaking about The Ancient and the places you'll be going…"

"Our friend Mina thought you could be the Ronin Warriors because she heard one of you call someone 'Kento,' Raye added, "and she remembered Yuli calling one of the Ronin Warriors Kento when we were fighting all the Dynasty Soldiers."

"Why didn't you tell us who you were then?" Rowen asked.

"We can't let anyone know we're the Sailor Scouts," Serena replied. "We have to keep it a secret. No one can know who we really are."

"But why?"

"I don't know. I guess because know one will believe a clumsy junior high school girl like me could actually be Sailor Moon!" Serena laughed, rubbing her head and Raye groaned.

"Serena…" she said.

Rowen smiled. He found Serena to have a cute personality.

"Whoa, junior high?" Ryo gasped. "You girls are still in junior high?"

"Yeah," Raye nodded.

"How old are you?"

"Fourteen," Serena and Raye said together.

"No way," Rowen and Ryo breathed.

"See, we told you," Serena insisted.

"Well, now that we know your real identities," said Rowen, "we might be able to trust each othah a bit more. What ah your real names?"

"Serena."

"Raye."

"Well, Sahenah," Rowen said, taking her hand in a firm but friendly handshake. "I'm Rowen."

"And I'm Ryo," Ryo shook Raye's hand.

"Don't worry." Rowen said with a wink. "We won't tell the whole world who you really are."

"Thanks," Serena tried not to blush. 'He is so cute!'

"It's better that we know who you really are," Mia told them.

"You're probably right," Serena said. "We are all fighting for the same cause, after all."

They stood smiling at each other and they had about five seconds of a friendly filled atmosphere when they heard Yuli scream outside. All the lights in the house flickered on and off. Everyone gasped.

"It's Yuli!" Mia cried.

The two boys and three girls hurried out on the balcony to see what was wrong.

"Yuli, what's the matter?" Ryo inquired.

"Look!" Yuli said, pointing at the sky.

"What is it?" Ryo asked.

Dark clouds began to gather in the sky and lightning scratched the sky.

"Is it the work of the Netherworld?" Rowen queried.

"Maybe the Negaverse?" Raye suggested.

"Come out, demon woman!" Ryo shouted.

"I'm scared," Yuli said, clinging to Ryo.

"I have to agree with you there," Serena said, watching in horror.

A building familiar to Ryo, Rowen, Yuli and Mia appeared in the clouds. Serena and Raye exchanged glances.

"That's not Beryl's castle, is it?" Serena asked Raye.

"No, that's…" Mia began.

"Talpa's castle!" Rowen shouted.

In front of the castle three giant hollow gargoyle mouths were holding Rowen and Ryo's comrades captive.

"It's the other Ronin Warriors!" Raye yelled.

"Sage!" Rowen called.

"Cye!" Ryo said.

"Kento!" said Mia.

"Where…where are the other Sailor Scouts?" Serena wondered nervously. "They can't…they're not…" Serena put her face in her palms. "No!"

Sailor Jupiter, Mercury and Venus were sitting in their hellhole trying not to waste their energy or breath when they began to hear cracking underneath their feet.

"What's going on?" Jupiter asked, looking down.

A giant hand came out of the floor, grasped them in one hard grip and pulled them out of the ground close to where the other Ronin Warriors were hanging.

"What's that?" Sage said weakly, looking at the closed giant hand. A ball of energy kept them from escaping.

The hand opened to reveal the three captured sailor scouts. Jupiter looked around.

"Sage!" she called. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah," he replied.

"You girls okay?" Cye inquired.

"Yeah," Mercury answered weakly.

"Serena, Serena, they're alive!" Raye yelled, pulling her hands from her face. "They're all right, look!"

Serena pulled her hands away from her face. "Sailor Jupiter! Sailor Mercury!"

"Sailor Venus!" Raye shouted.

"Oh thank goodness," Serena said.

But the captured six would not be all right for long. Dynasty spirits were hovering in the air. They hit them with a large dose of evil energy and they scream in pain.

"No!" Serena shouted. "That's enough!"

"Stop it, you're killing them!" Ryo yelled.

"I can't stand this," Raye said.

Kayura walked onto the water, Blaze and Azure not too far behind her. They could all see her clearly now, human hair, face, body and all. Ryo and Rowen could not believe she was human.

"You're human!" Rowen exclaimed.

"A human female?" Ryo inquired.

"She might be," Raye said, "but the two Negatwits aren't!"

Lady Kayura lifted her pretty human girl head. "During the thousand year grudge my master Talpa had, there were countless humans who have sworn allegiance to Master Talpa in order to gain a greater power. Out of them the four warlords were chosen and given the power of the Netherworld. And I, who was the object of much affection...have been given the duty to take you to the Netherworld. Let's go."

"No way!" Serena hissed. "You let our friends go!"

"Prepare yourself!" Ryo threatened.

"MOON PRISM POWER!"

"MARS POWER!"

"ARMOR OF WILDFIRE TAO JIN!"

"ARMOR OF STRATA TAO INOCHI!"

The two Sailor Scouts and two Ronin Warriors landed in front of Kayura. Kayura laughed.

"My power is pure. Unlike you, I am not bound by those human virtues that The Ancient had sealed into your armors."

"You're not bound by a human virtue," Sailor Moon muttered, "because you haven't got one, witch!"

Kayura sneered at her and Sailor Moon sneered right back. "I will show you," she took out her sword, "the beautiful and cleansing power of one who has given her spirit to the Netherworld. Prepare yourselves!"

"Careful, Ryo," Rowen warned. "She's not like the others."

"Right," Ryo said.

"Blaze, Azure," Kayura said, "stand ready. I'll get the ronins…the scouts are yours!"

"Yes ma'am!" they chorused.

"I guess we know which one to fight then," Ryo said. "Get those demon witches, scouts!"

"You don't have to tell us twice, Ryo!" Sailor Mars insisted.

Kayura ran toward Ryo and Rowen and sent sparkling dust at their armors. Ryo shook it off. "Piece of cake!"

He slashed at her and Rowen fired his arrows.

"She's fast!" Ryo gasped.

"Ryo!" Sailor Mars called.

"Rowen!" Sailor Moon shouted.

"Worry about yourselves, sailor brats!" Azure hissed, throwing an energy blast at them. Sailor Moon and Sailor Mars gasped as they jumped to avoid it.

"MOON TIARA MAGIC!"

Laughing, Azure and Blaze ducked underneath Sailor Moon's tiara. "Is that your best, Sailor Moon?" Blaze demanded. "Afraid to use the crystal?"

"I'm not going to waste my crystal on you!" Sailor Moon yelled.

"Oh? But it is being wasted in your hands, fool!" Azure shouted. "If Queen Beryl gets it she can use it for what it was created for. Give it up!"

"You're not going to get my crystal!" Sailor Moon snapped.

"You have to get through us first, Negatoad!" Sailor Mars threatened. "MARS FIRE IGNITE!" She sent her fire ignite at Blaze and it grazed her shoulder. "Hot, isn't it?"

Kayura held out her starlight swords, sending petals and starlight to Ryo and Rowen. They gasped as they were sent back from their power.

"Ryo!"

"Rowen!"

"I'm not going to fall for some trick of yours!" Ryo muttered, getting to his feet and putting his swords together. "FLARE UP NOW!"

"I can see right through that technique," Kayura said as his attack flew toward her. She laughed as she held her swords in front of her.

"How can that be?" Ryo demanded.

"Incredible!" Rowen said.

"Your Ronin pals are no match for our friend Lady Kayura here," Azure told Sailor Moon and Sailor Mars.

"Next it's my turn," Kayura said. "Cry, my stardust! Roar, my starlight sword!"

"Young lady, stars only shine in the sky and stars that fall to Earth never shine again," Sailor Moon said, her voice like The Ancient.

"What'd you say, Sailor Moon?" Sailor Mars asked, confused.

"What?" Sailor Moon flinched and her voice returned back to normal. "I…I don't know."

"Say goodbye to your sweethearts, Sailor Scouts!" Azure hissed. "Kayura is going to destroy them with her starlight swords!"

"Ryo, Rowen, no!" Sailor Moon called.

"STAR STORM SCREAM!"

The stars shined in the sky, sending many pink glowing energy beams tracing the ground. They circled around Ryo and Rowen.

"Oh no!" Ryo gasped.

The large beam hit them and knocked them unconscious. Sailor Moon and Sailor Mars ran to check on them.

"Are you guys all right?" Sailor Moon asked.

"I think so," Rowen said. "Ryo?"

"Yeah…damn!" Ryo cursed. "If I could transform in the white armor we'd have a chance!"

"That was cheap, Kayura!" Sailor Moon shouted, taking out her wand. She looked up at the tree where Lady Kayura was standing with the Doom and Gloom girls, laughing.

"Let's see if your starlight swords can match up with the power of the moon! You want to see what the Imperial Crystal can do? Well, don't say I didn't warn you!"

"Do your worst, Sailor Moon," Kayura prompted.

"COSMIC MOON POWER!"

Ryo and Rowen watched in awe as the power of the crystal sent a powerful blast toward Kayura and the Doom and Gloom Girls. Kayura gasped as she had her swords in front of her in a cross, trying to block her attack.

"What…how can you match my starlight swords?" she asked. The power of the crystal blew her off the tree branch and destroyed Azure and Blaze.

"Sailor Moon, how did you do that?" Rowen asked.

"Our armors did nothing," Ryo said.

"It's my crystal," Sailor Moon explained. "It's very powerful. Probably about as powerful as all your armors combined."

Lady Kayura, though very injured, was not ready to give up yet. She had marks from where the blast grazed her. "You may have killed Azure and Blaze, Sailor Moon but I'm not going down that easily!" Grimacing, she pushed herself up. "You will come with me to the Netherworld." She held her sword out in front of them. "Now!"

"We're not going anywhere," Mars muttered.

"I summon the gate!" Lady Kayura cried.

A wind hit the four and a gate appeared behind them.

"A dynasty gate!" Ryo gasped.

Anubis threw the staff of the ancient in front of Kayura. Sailor Moon, Mars, Ryo and Rowen looked at it.

"It's The Ancient's staff!" Ryo exclaimed.

Sailor Moon looked at it closely. "Is he nearby?"

"NO, it can't be," Kayura said.

A dark blue sphere went around Rowen. "What's going on?"

An energy bolt connected to the Ancient's staff from the sphere connected Ryo and connected to Sailor Moon's wand. She stared in surprise as she held it out and watched it connect to Ryo. Ryo grunted and arched his back.

"Ryo, what's happening to you?" Sailor Mars asked.

"What is that noise?" Kayura said, covering her ears.

In amazement, Sailor Mars and Sailor Moon witnessed Ryo transform in the white armor of Inferno. Kayura tried to make sense of it. "No. The Ancient is dead. Master Talpa saw to it himself!"

"Ryo is in a new armor," Sailor Moon said. "But how?"

"RAGE OF INFERNO!"

A whirlwind of fire went soaring to Lady Kayura. "What is this overwhelming power?" She jumped out of the way just in time and appeared in the sky. "There is no way that monk can still be alive. I must make sure."

--

After the battle Ryo, Raye, Rowen and Serena stood in the balcony, looking the lake over.

"You guys were excellent," Serena said.

"You fought well too," Ryo told her.

"So, the Ancient is still alive?" Rowen inquired.

"Yeah, in spirit at least," Ryo replied.

--

The next morning, the four talked about their plans to rescue their friends. Ryo and Raye wanted to hurry and raid the Netherworld but Rowen and Serena felt differently. Mia placed teacups around the table for them.

"Thanks, Mia," Serena whispered, sipping her tea.

"Take it easy, Ryo," Rowen said.

"While we're sitting here Sage and the others are getting tortured!" Ryo snapped.

"I'm with you on this," said Rowen.

"We've got to go before it's too late!" Ryo insisted.

"He's right," Raye agreed.

"But that's exactly what they want us to do," Rowen said.

"Then let's give them what they want," Ryo told him.

"Charging in there half-cocked is exactly what Talpa wants you to do," Mia said.

Ryo grunted. "I can't stand this!"

"If The Ancient one is still alive he'll help you," Mia told him.

"I hope you're right, Mia." Ryo said. "Something did save us back there, but I can't explain it. What do you think Rowen?"

"Well, it blew me away that we've created the white ahmah without the othah guys," Rowen replied. "The staf was there so it had to be The Ancient One. No way we could've created the White Ahmah without the othahs."

"But The Ancient sacrificed himself a long time ago," Ryo insisted.

"Yeah, that's true, but he's the only one we know who's more powerful than Talpa." Rowen explained. "So come on, Ryo, who else could it have been?"

Oh, if only if they knew that the daughter of The Ancient One was sitting right with them! Serena set down her teacup.

"What if someone is working in his place?" she suggested.

"What do you mean?" Ryo asked.

"We saw the spirit of the Ancient One in the camp fire the day when we first saw each other," Serena explained, "he didn't look like a real person. But when I went looking for Rowen I couldn't find him. I asked Queen Serenity to lead my tiara to him and when that didn't work, I asked for help from Ancient One."

"He led you to me?" Rowen inquired.

"Yeah. I could've sworn I saw him before my tiara took off, and again after we had that fallout with Lady Kayura," Serena went on. "Remember when I told you I saw something? I know I saw him watching us, but it wasn't like before when he was in the fire. It wasn't a spirit. It was a real person. I think he had red hair, not white like the real Ancient One you told us about. Could he probably have a younger brother we don't know about?"

"That would explain things a bit more," Mia said, sitting down. "Serena, I have some questions to ask you."

"Okay, shoot," Serena said, taking a sip of her tea.

"Well, I'm not too familiar with the Sailor Scouts, Moon Kingdom and all that," Mia said. "Could you shed some light on it? All I know is that a thousand years ago there was a kingdom on the moon but the Negaverse destroyed it. A friend of mine told me about the legend and that's all I thought it was at first."

"Well," Serena said, "it's much more than just a legend, because the Moon Kingdom used to be my old home."

"What?" Mia, Rowen and Ryo demanded.

"Serena, you shouldn't tell them all that," Raye said. "It's old news. We have go and save the others!"

"Before we do that, they have to know the whole story," Serena said. "We don't even know why Beryl is holding them hostage. The Sailor Scouts are strong and I know the other Ronin Warriors are too. Now, I was living as the Moon Princess back at the Moon Kingdom and the other sailor soldiers were part of my court. We were living in peace until Queen Beryl came to destroy that peace. She wanted to rule the whole unverive but in order to do that she had to start with the Moon Kingdom. My mother was able to stop her and send us all her to the future. My cat Luna is one of the advisors-Artemis belongs to Mina-they came to train us if the Negaverse was going to try to finish what they started a thousand years ago."

"So, you're the Moon Princess?" Rowen asked.

"Yeah," Serena replied, "but it's not something I like to brag about. I'd rather be a normal teenager."

"I see," Mia said. "That was the same time when The Ancient made the nine armors. I wonder if there's a connection."

"Might be," Serena shrugged.

"My friend Constance told me about the legend," Mia said. "She thinks she might be one of the children of the moon…you don't happen to remember her, do you?"

"It's possible. My mother sent everyone to the future. I don't remember a girl named Constance-it was a thousand years ago of course, but if she really thinks it's real, maybe she is from the Moon Kingdom."

"Why would they want your friends?" Ryo inquired. "They don't have any armors."

"That's a good question," Serena said. "I'm not sure. Maybe…maybe oh no…"

"What?" Raye inquired.

"The Crystal!" Serena shouted, rising to her feet. "Beryl is going to ransom them for the Crystal! I'd have to choose between my friends or the Crystal!"

"Then we've got to save them, Serena!" Raye cried. "Right now!" She got up.

"No, Raye. I could lose you too and I couldn't bare that!" Serena sobbed.

"We have to, Serena!" Raye shouted. "They are our friends. The whole universe depends on us. We have to go and save them, as we would do for you! Even if we knew it would be risky."

"But," Serena mumbled. "If we just give Beryl the crystal."

"You can't do that! You know she won't give Mercury and the others back. We have to stop the Negaverse at any cost!"

"Exactly!" Ryo stood up next to her. "We are wasting time talking about it! We have two of the sailor soldiers here with us, one of them happens to be the Moon Princess…how could we lose?"

"You want to go after him?" Rowen inquired.

"Hell yes!" Ryo and Raye shouted together, almost shocking each other.

"You know Talpa has a trap with your name on it and he's just waiting for you to walk in to it."

"Queen Beryl too," Serena added.

"But since I can't talk ya out of it," Rowen said. "I'll go with ya and help ya find a way in."

"Well then, let's go for it!" Ryo exclaimed.

"Yeah!" Raye said.

Rowen got up and clasped hands with Ryo. "Ya comin' with us?" Rowen asked Serena and Raye. "It'll be tough without ya."

"Come on, Serena," Raye urged, placing her hand over the guys', "The sooner we go the sooner we can finish this and go home!"

Ryo grinned and looked at her. "You want to leave already?" he asked. "I thought you said I was hot!"

Blushing, Raye narrowed her eyes and stomped on his foot, "I was talking about your armor!"

Serena laughed and put her hand over Raye's. "Okay, Rowen, Ryo, you have our help. Let's go save our friends and stop Beryl and Talpa…together!"

--

Everyone went outside to leave for the city.

"We haven't been to the city for a long time," Yuli said as Rowen packed the trunk.

"This isn't exactly a trip, Yuli," Rowen told him, closing the trunk door.

"I know," Yuli stated.

"Hey, where's White Blaze?" Ryo asked.

"Serena's not here either," Raye noticed. "That meatball heads, she's never around when there's something important!"

"I think she's in the back yahd," Rowen guessed. "I'll go and talk to her."

"Tell her to hurry up!" Raye exclaimed as Rowen walked to the back yard.

As Rowen excepted, Serena was standing in the back yard next to the lake with White Blaze. White Blaze rubbed his magnificent head against her leg and she petted him. Tears were trailing down her cheeks.

"Hold on guys," Serena said. "We're coming for you." She bit her lip and sobbed loudly. "Oh White Blaze, I'm so afraid for them!" She bent down on her knees and stroked his black and white fur. "What am I going to do?"

The white tiger made a deep purring noise as if he were comforting her. Serena forced a laugh through her tears.

"Oh, White Blaze…it's strange, I feel like we've known each other for years," she said.

"Hey, Sahenah, we're leavin'," Rowen stepped through the back yard and stopped when he saw Serena with White Blaze. If Ryo saw how close the tiger was with Serena, he'd probably be jealous and think Serena was trying to steal him. "Sahenah? Whattsamattah?"

"Huh?" Serena turned to look at him, gasped and tried to wipe her tears away. "Rowen, I'm sorry, I didn't know anyone was here."

Rowen walked to her and reached in his back pocket for a handkerchief. "Sahenah, here, dry your eyes." He handed her the handkerchief.

"Thanks," she took it and wiped her tears away nervously. "I'm sorry…now you know I'm a crybaby. Just like Raye always says."

"I wasn't thinkin' that," Rowen insisted. "You're worried about your friends. It's okay."

"I'm worried about yours too," Serena admitted, "I don't even know who they are but I'm as scared for them as I am for mine. I think I should go to the Netherrealm on my own."

"Why?" He asked. "That's moah dangerous than the fouah of us going togethah."

"I know, but, I somehow feel this is all my fault," Serena mumbled.

"That's not true," Rowen said softly. "This isn't your fault. Queen Beryl and Talpa are evil and they started this a thousand years ago. We ah goin' to stop 'em."

"I don't know if I'm strong enough, Rowen," Serena confessed. "Really…I'm not as smart as Mercury, or as tough as Jupiter, or as skilled as Venus…and they were the first to fall in Beryl's clutches. Now it's up to me and Raye and I…I really don't think I can do it!" Serena pressed the handkerchief to her face and sobbed. "Oh, there I go again! I'm such a crybaby!"

Rowen placed his hands on her shoulders. "Sahenah, listen to me. Everything is going to be fine."

"It was bad enough they got Darien," Serena said. "Now they have mercury, Jupiter and Venus!"

Rowen began to pat and rub back sympathetically. "It will be all right. Yah have us on your side."

Not knowing exactly why, Serena immediately threw herself in Rowen's arms. Knowing she needed to be comforted, Rowen didn't push her way. He was surprised at first, but he wrapped his arms around her and let her cry on his shoulder. He rubbed her back and shushed her softly.

Darien was never around to comfort Serena when she was upset and now that he was gone, he may never will. He was serving for Queen Beryl now. Serena started to forget about Darien. Someone was right here holding her when Darien was not there. Why was it that they never saw eye to eye before they got their memories of each other back? And why when their royal parts were freed inside them, they were apart? Serena wished every day that he was there just to hold her at it hurt her that she couldn't see him. But now, that didn't seem to matter any more because now…this very moment, someone was here. It might not be Darien, but it was someone, someone who cared.

'Rowen is so nice to me,' Serena thought. 'So unlike the way Darien was…Oh Darien…Serena…think of Darien.'

'Poor girl,' Rowen thought. 'I wish there was something I could do. Something I could say.'

When Serena's sobs began to subside, Rowen pushed her gently back. Serena used the handkerchief to clea away her tears.

"We will save yaw friends," Rowen said firmly. "We'll see to it."

Serena smiled. "You promise?"

"I promise."

"Thank you, Rowen," she said.

"Your friend Raye told me to come and get you," Rowen stated.

"Oh, I don't want to keep her waiting," Serena said, "she and Ryo might leave without us."

Feeling five times better, Serena let out a sigh and followed Rowen to the front yard where Ryo, Raye, Mia and Yuli were waiting for them. White Blaze stayed close to Serena.

"Sorry I kept you waiting," Serena said. "Let's go."

Anubis walked up the driveway. The others stared.

"Hey, look!" Raye exclaimed and she pointed to a man in robes with a hat. "Could it be?"

"I don't believe it," Mia breathed.

"It's him!" Serena shouted and she ran to him.

"Serena, come back!" Raye cried.

Anubis stopped walking when Serena got a foot away from him. "It's you…you're here. Ancient One, you were watching over me, weren't you?"

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Serena," Anubis said as he took off his hat.

"How'd you know my name?" Serena gasped when she saw his face, "Wait…you're not the real Ancient."

"No, I'm not," he admitted.

Mia got out of her jeep and the others stared at him.

"Anubis, you're alive?" Ryo inquired.

"It's been a long time, Ryo of Wildfire," Anubis stated.

Anubis told them about his foolish past next to the lake. "There were many dark days in my past. If it weren't for the Ancient I would still be serving under Talpa. Now I will fight the darkness that tries to extinguish the light."

"So you were the warlord who left Talpa The Ancient told us about," Raye said.

"That's amazing," Serena whispered, staring at his face.

"So that's the magic staff, huh?" Ryo inquired.

"Yes." He answered. "I'm still learning it's power but my heart is ready."

"How do we know this isn't a trick?" Rowen demanded.

"Yeah," Ryo added.

"I don't blame you for wondering," Anubis said.

"I believe you don't work for Talpa anymore," Serena said quickly.

"Thank you, young one," Anubis said.

"Anubis, you were the one watching me when I went looking for Rowen, weren't you?" She inquired. "You helped me find him?"

"Yes."

Serena smiled. "That's so amazing."

"You must be wary or you'll fall in to Talpa's traps," Anubis warned.

"I know that," said Ryo, "But if we don't' go they'll finish off anyway."

"Yet if you leap without looking the game will be over before you even begin to play."

"Wow!" Serena exclaimed. "That's cool, I'd better write that one down! Anyone got a pen?"

"Oh, Serena," Raye sighed, putting her hand to her head.

Anubis smiled and returned to his serious sate. "I know I can't stop you from entering the Dynasty realm, but remember to be always on your guard. I'll help you all I can." He walked away and Serena stepped toward him, watching him leave.

"Thank you, Anubis!" She cried, looking at him in awe.

"I guess Anubis really has changed," said Rowen.

"Yeah," Ryo smiled.

"I think he's wicked cool!" Serena breathed.

"Serena, must you say that about every guy you meet?" Raye demanded.

"I'm serious," Serena muttered. "Did you hear all those cool things he said? If Luna said stuff like that I'd pay more attention to her! Anubis is on our side. He helped me find Rowen. He really is a good guy."

"I guess so," Raye said.

"I know it sounds strange…but he reminds me of someone." Serena said, watching him leave.

"Who?" Raye inquired.

She shrugged. "I'm not exactly sure. The Ancient maybe, but the Ancient reminded me of someone too." She sighed when Anubis was out of view and she climbed in the car after Raye.

"That was really strange," Mia admitted as she drove into the city. "I'm not sure if he's our friend our enemy."

"No question he's our friend," Serena insisted. "I'm telling you, if it weren't for him I never would've found Rowen. He's on our side."

"He wasn't always on our side, Serena," Rowen told her. "We always knew him as the Warlord of Cruelty."

"Yeah, but people do change. And I don't recall him saying anything cruel just now."

"How do we know he really has?" Raye inquired. "Evil people always stay evil."

"That's not true, Raye," Serena muttered. "Have you forgotten about Nephlyte? He turned good, thanks to Molly."

"Yeah…that's true."

"Anubis wasn't always evil. Talpa made him that way," Serena said. "Talpa used him but now Anubis saw what his real intentions were. There is no question to where his loyalties really lie now."

"I guess you're right," Rowen said.

"His virtue is loyalty," Serena stated. "Now that he knows it he's going to be loyal to us, we just have to give him the chance."

"How do you know about that?" Ryo demanded.

"Because the Ancient told me so," Serena replied. "In a dream. The other three warlords aren't demons…they're men."

"Are you serious?" Rowen inquired.

"I'm very serious." Serena insisted with a nod. "They have virtues too, but they never got the chance to show them. Talpa won't let them. We have to set them free. When you think of it…they're in more danger than the friends we're going over there to save."

Raye looked at Serena as if she had been possessed, "Serena…I never heard you talk like that before!"

"What are you talking about?" Serena inquired.

"I'm so used to hearing you complain about being hungry," Raye explained.

"I can talk about other things besides food, you know!" Serena shouted. She grabbed the back of Mia's seat and moved forward. "Hey…can we stop somewhere? I'm starved!"

"I wonder if you're related to Kento," said Ryo, "he complains about food too!"

Everyone in the car laughed, even Serena. Serena turned to look at the back window and watched Yuli ride White Blaze. 'Weird how White Blaze is with that young boy. it's almost as if White Blaze was raised in a family.' She gasped and turned back to the front. "Hey, Ryo…how long have you had White Blaze?"

"What do you mean?" he turned in his seat to look at her.

"I'm just wondering," she said, "when did you get him? Did you save him from the zoo or something? Was he with you since you were a little kid?"

"No," he answered. "I found him in the Himalayas around the same time I got my armor. It was a couple of years ago."

"Was he a cub?"

He shook his head. "He was a full grown tiger. Why?"

"Well, he's so tame," Serena replied. "I was watching him with Yuli. I don't know many grown tigers that work so well with little kids."

Ryo chuckled. "Well, he's not always that tame. Wait until you see him around the Dynasty."

"Yeah, he's really protective, huh?" Serena looked back out the window.

"Sometimes too protective," Ryo said sadly. "He died a while ago when the others could create this new White Armor for me. There were supposed to be these two soul swords of Fervor that go to it but someone else got to it."

"Who?" Raye inquired.

"Saber Strike," Rowen answered. "He had a tiger too. It was a black tiger and he wore armor too."

"I bet he was a match for White Blaze," Serena said.

"Yeah. White Blaze got mortally wounded in the battle protecting me," Ryo said. "He was able to get one of the swords for me and I stopped Saber Strike but White Blaze died."

"But how can he still be alive now?" Raye inquired.

"Saber Strike did a noble thing and told his tiger to save White Blaze," Ryo explained. "I think Black Blaze is living inside White Blaze…keeping him alive."

"So this evil guy helped you?" Serena inquired. "So bad guys can actually change! And you still think Anubis' loyalties lie with the Dynasty even now?"

"She does have a point there, Ryo," Rowen nodded.

"Yeah," Ryo smiled. "He did save me after all, twice."

It suddenly got too dark and a lightning storm erupted.

"What the?" Ryo said.

All the lights in the city went out and the cars stopped dead. "My car!" Mia cried.

"It's the dynasty," Rowen muttered.

"Or the Negaverse," said Raye.

"I forget who is who now," Serena said. "They're all evil!"

The four climbed out of the jeep and saw Lady Kayura falling down from the building. "Let's go, Rowen," Ryo said.

"Let's transform, Raye," Serena said.

"Right."

"MOON PRISM POWER!"

"MARS POWER!"

The fourteen-year-old junior high students transformed to the super heroines of the Moon Kingdom and Planet Mars. Rowen and Ryo jumped from car to car.

"Look out!" Sailor Moon shouted.

A row of cars exploded and the two guys transformed to their subarmor. Kayura walked through the fire.

"There you are. Are you going to come quietly or do I need to beat you to submission?"

"We'll take our chances with the submission part!" Mars shouted.

"Yeah, we'll find our own way, thank you very much!" Sailor Moon said.

"Very well," Kayura said. "You can check in the Dynasty hotel," Kayura said, "but you can't check out." She raised her hand and hurled the fire at them.

"I'll pack my toothbrush!" Ryo shouted as he and Rowen jumped out of the way.

"Come on, you fools," Kayura muttered. "Why don't you put on your armor?"

"Don't tell them what to do!" Mars yelled. "MARS FIRE IGNITE!"

Laughing, Kayura cut through her attack like butter. "Pathetic, Mars. That was nothing!"

Sailor Mars groaned and clutched her fist.

"We are not going anywhere with you, Kayura!" Sailor Moon shouted.

"Watch it, Rowen," said Ryo. "She's really fast!"

"I know!" Rowen grunted.

"Techniques like that won't get you anyway. So hurry and put on your armor or otherwise feel the sweet devastation of my starlight sword."

"We'll transform when we have to," Ryo muttered.

"You're such fools."

Ryo and Rowen ran toward her and as Rowen tried to do a trip kick on her, Ryo kicked at her at the head but she vanished away.

"She vanished? What?" Ryo said.

"There!" Sailor Mars called, pointing at the sky.

"Feel the shine of my starlight sword!" Kayura swirled her starlight swords and put them in front of her, many beams of light and stardust heading toward the four. Sailor Mars, Ryo and Rowen were thrown back.

"Kayura, have I not already told you your sword is no match for my crystal?" Sailor Moon demanded. "The stars may be many but they're nothing compared to the moon!" She summoned her wand. "You forgotten too soon the power of the Moon! COSMIC MOON POWER!"

The crystal made Kayura's attack stop from harming the others anymore.

"What? She did it again!" Kayura hissed. "How could she do that? Could her wand be the same as the Ancient's staff?"

"We will stop you, Kayura!" Sailor Moon exclaimed.

"I don't think so," she said. She turned to Ryo. "DIE!"

"Ryo!" Sailor Mars shouted.

White Blaze jumped in front of her and scratched her. Kayura gasped and jumped out of the way. "He scratched me!"

"What'd he do?" Ryo inquired.

"Quick, Ryo," said Rowen. "Let's armor up."

"Right!"

"ARMOR OF WILDFIRE, TAO JIN!"

"ARMOR OF STRATA, TAO INOCHI!"

Kayura sat onto of a car fussing over her scratch. "I will make that beast pay for scratching me. Unforgivable!" she stood up and a force of dark energy went around her.

Ryo and Rowen charged toward her and Kayura sent a blast of stardust toward White Blaze and pushed him away.

"White Blaze!" Ryo exclaimed.

"No!" Sailor Moon cried. "You'll pay, Kayura!"

"Oh?" Kayura smiled, but not for long. The light started to come back and she gasped. "What the?"

White Blaze returned as the armored Black Blaze. He let out a mighty roar.

"It's Black Blaze," Sailor Moon exclaimed.

Kayura lifted up her starlight swords and turned them around. "Take the starlight sword!" She jumped in the air and sent her attack.

"Here she comes," said Ryo.

"Look out!" Rowen cried, pulling Sailor Moon to him.

A red sphere went around Sailor Mars and Ryo, dark blue around Rowen and Sailor Moon and white around Black Blaze, protecting them from Kayura's starlight. The attack ricocheted and hit the buildings and cars around them.

Kayura laughed. "Your armors are protecting you, but not for long."

"Huh?" Ryo said and he looked down. "What the?"

All five of them began to sink in the cars they were standing on. They grunted and tried to move.

"You will now come with me to Master Talpa and Queen Beryl," she said.

A bright golden light interrupted her words. She looked up. "You again?"

"Anubis?" Sailor Moon whispered.

"I will not allow this!" Anubis shouted. "Wildfire, Strata, go!" He threw the staff down in front of them and many beams of light appeared in the clouds the bridge The Ancient created came back once again to bring them to the Netherworld. Ryo, Rowen, Sailor Moon and Sailor Mars were pulled in the light with White Blaze as an alternate gateway to the Dynasty.

"No!" Kayura exclaimed. She moved toward the light and Anubis landed in front of her.

"Forget it," he said, lifting up his hat. "Those from the dynasty cannot go to into that pillar of light!"

Kayura looked at him. "You're not Anubis, are you? Doesn't matter, we have as good as captured them anyway." She disappeared and Anubis looked back at the glowing bridge.

"Good luck, Ronin Warriors," he whispered. "Sailor Scouts."

"Anubis helped us with a ticket to the world," said Sailor Moon smiling as she looked down at Anubis. "Still think he's not on our side, guys? What more does he have to do, die for us?"

But to help the Ronin Warriors stop the Dynasty, Anubis would be willing to do it in a heartbeat.

To Be Continued