New Friends and New Enemies 7

Star Struck

The three remaining Dark Warlords talked about Talpa's favoring Kayura in one of the rooms at the castle. "Why does Master Talpa favor Lady Kayura instead of us?" Dais wondered.

"Perhaps he thinks she can fight any better than any of his dark warlords," Sekhmet said.

"We have served Talpa longer and she is just a young girl," Kale added, standing on the balcony looking outside.

"Even if she is," Dais said, "she is still a cunning girl. She made us look like fools."

"I agree, Kayura is a problem," Sekhmet said. "After we destroy the Ronins we will deal with Kayura. She should be forced to pay for her insolence!"

The door opened and Darien walked in.

"What do you want, Prince Darien?" Sekhmet demanded.

"I was just wondering if I can join you," Darien answered. "You don't mind, do you?"

Kale laughed as he walked back in. "So, Queen Beryl has decided she doesn't want you to work for her either?"

Darien cleared his throat. "She will let me serve her when she sees fit."

"Oh, I see," Dais muttered as Darien sat down.

"She thinks that Talpa is right about Lady Kayura being the one to get the armors," Darien said.

"And you believe her?" Sekhmet inquired.

"I never question my queen's commands," Darien answered.

"Why doesn't she send you to get the Sailor Scouts since you know them more?" Dais asked.

"Perhaps she thinks if they get passed Kayura," Darien suggested, "then the four of us will have to finish the job."

"I certainly hope that is the case," Sekhmet muttered, "because I am sick of just sitting here wasting time!"

The four were silent for a while except for muttering under their breath. Finally, Darien laughed and decided to break the silence.

"So, do any of you know any jokes?" Darien asked.

--

Back at the Tokyo the scouts were familiar with, Artemis and Luna sat waiting for them to return at Raye's temple. It was dark and cloudy.

"Artemis, it's taking so long," Luna said, "why haven't they returned yet?"

"I'm not sure," Artemis answered. "I hope nothing happened to them. Luna, I wonder if we haven't trained the Sailor Scouts well enough. You think we sent them to fight Beryl too soon?"

"We did our best, Artemis," said Luna. "It's up to the scouts now. I just have this feeling, they might have gone somewhere else."

"Like where?" Artemis inquired.

"I don't know."

Luna looked up at the darkness circling in the sky. A Nether spirit flew out of the dark circle Artemis yelled in surprise.

"Luna! Did you see that?"

"What is that thing?" Luna inquired.

"I am not liking this one bit," Artemis meowed. "Sailors! Watch yourselves…wherever you are!"

--

Time was passing quickly. The real bad guys did not see through Sailor Moon's and Mars' convincing disguises as Negaverse Monsters. With every Dynasty Soldier or Negaverse Monster they came in contact with, they casually silenced them as if it were an accident. Getting to the castle entrance was a piece of cake. What they did not know was that Ryo and Rowen was not having as much luck.

"I hope Rowen and Ryo will find a safe way through the maze." Sailor Moon said.

"Yeah, let's hurry." They entered the castle and tried to make it look like they were actually bad guys.

"Now which way to the dungeon," Sailor Moon whispered as she turned down the hall. "This place is huge!"

"Let's split up," Sailor Mars suggested. "Contact me on the communicator if you find them, okay?"

"Got it!" Sailor Moon answered.

Sailor Moon went one way and Mars went the other. She stayed in her disguise even though it looked pretty vacant through the halls. 'I wonder if I'll run into Darien while I'm here? Should I search for him? No. I need to find the scouts first.'

--

Sailor Mars walked inside another room and instead of finding her old friends, she found Ryo in trouble with the three Ronin Warriors. "Ryo!"

"Sailor Mars," he winced. "Get out of here!"

"Ah, so that's where you went, Sailor Mars," Dais said, "thought you could infiltrate the castle in a disguise, did you? Seems that I underestimated you!"

Seeing she no longer needed it, Sailor Mars shredded her disguise and ran to Ryo and bent down to him. "Ryo?"

"You will meet the same fate as Wildfire!" Kale exclaimed. "BLACK LIGHTNING SLASH!"

"Ryo, Mars!" Yuli yelled, running to them. The Jewel of Life twirled and began to glow, sending bright light to the warlords' eyes. They screamed and covered their faces.

"It stopped them," Sailor Mars whispered. "But how?"

"Pathetic," said Lady Kayura and a set of doors opened up. She stepped back. The light from the Jewel of Life continued to glow but it wasn't working on her. "That trick won't work on me."

"Let's see if this one will!" Sailor Mars snapped. "MARS FIRE IGNITE!"

--

"When will Sailor Moon come?" Jupiter demanded with a groan. "If she doesn't get here soon, I might forget all how to fight!"

"Be patient, Jupiter," Sailor Mercury chided. "I'm sure she'll be here soon."

"Yeah, she's probably on her way right now."

The hidden door slid open and all the scouts saw was a monster with a Mohawk walk in. "It's a Negaverse goon!" Sailor Jupiter yelled. "Come to gloat, have you?"

"Where's Kento?" Venus demanded.

"Wait a second," the Negaverse creature began and the three scouts dog piled on her.

"Take this! And this!" Sailor Jupiter shouted, pounding the daylights out of the monster and pulling her leg.

"Ouch! That hurts! Stop, Jupiter! It's me! It's me, Sailor Moon! Stop it! That's enough!" the monster shouted. "Let go!"

"Wait until Sailor Moon and Sailor Mars gets here!" Venus cried.

"I am Sailor Moon!" Sailor moon shouted. "Sailor Jupiter, Sailor Venus, it's me! Ow!"

"Huh?" Jupiter mumbled.

"Guys, it's Sailor Moon in a disguise!" Mercury exclaimed, using her visor and computer to do the calculations. "Stop!"

"Sailor Moon?" Venus inquired. "Is that really you?"

"Yes, it's me!" Sailor Moon groaned, revealing her true self. "I used my disguise power to get in the castle."

"Oh, sorry, Sailor Moon!" Jupiter said, turning red. "We didn't recognize you."

Sailor Moon rubbed her head. "Let's get going. Mars and I split up looking for you."

"What about the two other warriors, are they all right?" Sailor Mercury inquired.

"Ryo and Rowen were okay the last time I saw them," she answered. "Come on, let's go."

"Have you found Sage and the others?" Sailor Jupiter asked.

"No."

"We've go to rescue them too!" Venus exclaimed. "They drained all their power!"

"I found them already," said a familiar voice behind them. "Looks like you found your friends, too, Saylah Moon."

"Rowen?" Sailor Moon turned around. "Rowen! Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I ended up getting captured but it turned out just fine because it led me to Cye, Sage and Kento," Rowen answered, stepping aside.

"Sage!"

"Cye!"

"Kento!"

The three scouts pushed Sailor Moon out of the way so they could meet up with the once captured ronins. "Sage, are you all right?" Sailor Jupiter asked.

"I heard you guys scream a couple of times," said Mercury.

"We would've helped you if we could," Venus added.

"Thanks," Kento grinned. "But we're all right. Nothing a Ronin Warrior couldn't handle!"

"I sense that Ryo's in trouble," said Rowen. "We kept running into Kayura."

"Sailor Mars is probably with him now," Sailor Venus said. "Let's go!"

--

The water began to bubble and the four Ronin Warriors jumped out with the other four Sailor Scouts. They landed on the ground and announced their names.

"KENTO OF HARDROCK!"

"SAILOR VENUS!"

"CYE OF THE TORRENT!"

"SAILOR MERCURY!"

"SAGE OF HALO!"

"SAILOR JUPITER!"

"ROWEN OF STRATA!"

"SAILOR MOON!"

"I found them before you did, Sailor Mars," Sailor Moon bragged. "I should've known you'd be looking for Ryo!"

"Oh, shut up," Sailor Mars muttered.

"Sorry we're late," said Rowen. "We missed the exit on the freeway!"

"Yay! Ronin Warriors!" Yuli sang, jumping and throwing his arms in the air.

"Watch Yuli, you haven't seen my power lately, huh?" Kento asked.

"Kento," said Cye, "don't get so excited that you mess up."

"Kayura, this time we wont' fall for your tricks," Sage said.

"Now that we are united with the scouts," Rowen exclaimed, "we will show you what we can do!"

"You can bet on it!" Sailor Moon cried.

"Careful," Ryo warned. "She's nothing like we fought against before."

"Then you're up against me!" Kento ran after her and Kayura stayed where she stood. He threw many attacks to her and she dodged each one easily. "Sneaky one, huh?" She jumped over his head.

"Watch out, Kento!" Sailor Venus yelled. "VENUS CRESCENT BEAM SMASH!"

Kayura avoided the beam just as easily. "You'll have to do better than that if you want to defeat me."

"Our enemies are Talpa and Beryl," Sailor Moon muttered. "Move aside, Kayura. We don't have time to play with you anymore."

"If you want Talpa and Beryl," Kayura said, "You'll need to come through me. Even with all of you here, I still have the advantage."

"What?" Mercury asked.

"Kayura is right."

The group of scouts and ronins turned around as the water began to bubble. The three warlords came out of the water, hovering in midair at each end of the platforms.

"Lady Kayura, you should not get all the credit," Kale said. "We were the first to serve Talpa."

"Fine," she put her swords back in her sheaths.

Kento jumped toward Dais and Sailor Venus followed him. "Your mine, Dais!"

"Wait for me!" Sailor Venus exclaimed.

Ryo, Cye and Kento both picked a warlord to fight with and Sailor Mars, Mercury and Venus went to them.

"Hold on, Cye," Sailor Mercury said, scanning the room. "It could be a trap."

"Right you are, Mercury," said Sekhmet.

"Huh?" all six of them demanded and they fell through trap doors under their feet. Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Moon were left with Rowen and Sage.

"Hey! Cheaters!" Sailor Jupiter shouted.

"That was low," Sage muttered.

"We'll leave the last four for you, Kayura," said Kale and the three warlords vanished.

--

The Ronin Warriors slid down the water pipes first and the scouts fell right on top of them. "Thanks for the soft landing, Kento." Sailor Venus said.

"Uh, any time, babe." He groaned.

Cye fell out of the final pipe followed by Mercury. "Of all the tricks to pull," Cye muttered.

"I had a feeling something like this would happen," Sailor Mars said.

"Careful," Ryo warned. "They could still be here."

Kento turned to the slide he just came out of. "Hey, warlords. Come out and fight!" He chuckled and turned to Venus. "They're too scared to come out."

"Mercury can you find a way back to Sailor Moon and Sailor Jupiter?" Venus asked.

"Let me try," she took out her computer and began to do the coordinates. "This might take a while. The Netherworld energy seems to interfere with my computer."

"We don't have time!" Sailor Mars exclaimed.

The water above them began to swirl and they felt a rumble. "Oh…Oh no," Kento said, turning around. "I-I can't swim!" Water gushed out of the opening Kento and Sailor Venus fell out of and pushed them further down.

"Cye! Do something!" Ryo yelled.

Sailor Mercury and Cye tried to swim through the fast currents as the others grabbed onto something.

"I'm going to help Cye find a way out of here," Sailor Mercury said. "You four just hang on."

"Hey, don't leave us hanging!" Kento shouted after them as they swam away.

"They'll find a way out, don't worry." Sailor Venus insisted. "We can always count on Mercury to get us out of jams."

"Yeah," Mars added.

Mercury's visor showed her an exit under water. She pointed the vent out to Cye and he used his attack to smash it through. The four hanging up on the surface felt the water come down.

"See, I knew Sailor Mercury wouldn't let us down!" Venus cried.

"But could they have found another way?" Kento inquired as they went down another slide, taking them further down under the castle. They fall out of the opening and grab onto the roots of a giant rotten tree.

"Everyone all right?" Kento inquired.

"What a rush," Sailor Mars muttered.

"Actually, Mars, I thought it was pretty fun!" Venus laughed.

"Where're Cye and Sailor Mercury?" Kento asked.

"Sailor Mercury?" Sailor Mars called.

"Down here!" Cye cried, hanging at the bottom of the tree with his trident and holding Sailor Mercury.

"Mercury, are you two okay?" Venus questioned.

"Yeah," she answered.

The root Cye's trident was hanging on started to give. Sailor Mercury gasped.

"This tree's rotten," Cye said.

"Oh no!" The root broke off and Sailor Mercury and Cye fell down in the dark pit underneath them.

"Cye! Cye!" Kento cried out.

"No, Mercury!" Sailor Mars shouted.

"Care to join your friends?" Sekhmet appeared in front of them.

"Sekhmet!" Ryo shouted.

Sekhmet pushed Sailor Mars and Ryo off the tree.

"Sailor Mars!" Sailor Venus exclaimed.

"Ryo!"

"Your turn, Hardrock!" Dais appeared and knocked him off with Sailor Venus.

--

"Come and get me boys," Lady Kayura challenged.

"You've forgotten about us, Lady Kayura?" Jupiter demanded.

"Oh, of course not," Lady Kayura answered. "I have a friend I'd like to introduce to you. You probably already know him."

The doors opened again and who should enter the room but Prince Darien.

"Darien!" Sailor Moon exclaimed.

"Ah, you do know each other," Lady Kayura said.

Jupiter stepped in front of Sailor Moon. "You're after the crystal, aren't you Darien? Well, if you think we're just going to give it to you then guess again, traitor!"

"Jupiter, I thought you'd remember the last time you went up against me," Darien muttered. "Even if you are the toughest of the Sailor Soldiers, you can't stop me!

"I won't easy on you this time, pal!" Sailor Jupiter snapped. "I learned a thing or two since I met Sage!"

"Jupiter, be careful!" Sailor Moon exclaimed.

Sage and Rowen teamed up against Lady Kayura while Jupiter fought with Darien. Sailor Moon could only stand and watch the whole thing happen.

"Queen Beryl wants the crystal and I will get it!" Darien exclaimed, withdrawing his sword and swinging in front of Jupiter. Jupiter backed up as he thrust his sword toward her to prevent from getting cut, but she wasn't fast enough and she got slashed on her side. She gasped and put her hand to her wound.

"You traitor!" she hissed, "oh…"

"No, Sailor Jupiter!" Sage gasped, pausing from attacking Lady Kayura.

"You should worry about yourself, Halo!" Lady Kayura snapped.

"I'm okay," Sailor Jupiter winced, limping out of the side. "Nice one, Darien. You traitor…" She fell to her knees and Sailor Moon bent down to her.

"Jupiter!" she cried. "Please, are you all right?"

"It's nothing," Sailor Jupiter insisted. "Really. I'll be all right…augh!"

"Darien, how could you?" Sailor Moon questioned. "You're supposed to be on our side. You came to help us many times-how could you betray us after everything we've been through?"

"I'd do the same thing to you without hesitating, Sailor Moon," Darien said, pointing his word at her. "Anything to get that crystal. Now give it to me now!"

"Don't listen to him, Sailor Moon!" Sailor Jupiter grimaced. "He's a traitor now!"

"Please, Darien, don't do this," Sailor Moon begged as she backed away.

"The crystal, now!" Darien brought his sword up ready to strike her. "If you wont' give it to me then I will just have to take it from you!"

"No!"

Sailor Moon heard something whiz past her ear and land between her and Darien. "Huh?" she looked down and for one crazy moment, hoped that Tuxedo Mask had come and she'll find a rose. Instead, the object that prevented Darien from hurting her was nothing like a rose.

"An arrow?" Sailor Moon asked.

--

"Cye, where are we?" Sailor Mercury asked.

"I don't know," he answered. "But I know we've fallen in another trap."

"Welcome, Torrent."

"Kale, Warlord of Corruption!" Cye exclaimed.

Sailor Mercury turned on her visor. "I hear him, but I can't see him anywhere in this pitch blackness."

Behind her, she heard Cye shout as Kale cut all over his armor. She gasped and turned. "Cye!"

"I see him!" Cye cried. He jumped toward him to get him and he vanished out of thin air. "He's gone?"

"I'll try to pinpoint his location," Sailor Mercury said, pressing the buttons on her mini computer.

"Try as much as you like," said Kale. "But you won't find me!"

--

Sailor Venus and Kento were fighting against Dais in another part of the castle. "I'll finish you off with my hands!" Kento growled.

"Enough of your bluster!" Dais exclaimed. "Don't' forget you are in the Netherworld."

"IT doesn't matter, tough guy," Sailor Venus said. "We'll stop you anyway! VENUS CRESCENT BEAM SMASH!"

"IRON ROCK CRUSHER!"

The combined powers of Venus and Kento got rid of Dais.

"Yeah, we did it, Kento!" Sailor Venus exclaimed. "Let's meet up with the others."

"I'm with ya," said Kento.

"Was that it?" Dais demanded.

"Huh?" Kento inquired. "How in the?"

Sailor Venus looked down and saw Dais' helmet pop out of the ground. "Kento!"

Kento turned and pushed her out of the way. "I'm sick of your tricks, Dais!"

Dais grew to the size of a giant. Sailor Venus backed away. "Unbelievable!"

"This is just an illusion," Kento told her, and himself so he would remember he was against the Warlord of Illusion. "It's not real! Can't be."

Let's see how real!" Dais shouted, bringing his now enormous fist to Kento and Sailor Venus. Kento pushed Sailor Venus down and took the hit.

"Kento!"

Dais smashed him into a rock. "Does the pain you feel real, Kento or is it just an illusion?"

--

Sailor Mars backed up against Ryo and looked around. "What's going on here?"

"I don't' think I wanna know," Ryo said.

"Allow me to show you, Wildfire and Mars," said Sekhmet and the ground around them lifted up in a large purple wall of poison. Sailor Mars heard a loud hiss as it started to eat the heels off her shoes.

"Acid!" she cried, jumping on top of Ryo.

"Ah, Sailor Mars!" Ryo grunted. "Watch it!"

"I don't have armor, okay?" she demanded, climbing onto his shoulders.

"Well we should ask The Ancient to make you one!" Ryo sneered. "Or maybe some boots…how are you supposed to fight in those high heels anyway?"

"If you didn't run off to enter this place the hard way we wouldn't be in this mess right now!" Sailor Mars muttered as she sat on the square of his shoulders locked her legs around his neck and held onto the horns of his helmet.

"Well, I'm sorry, Miss Hothead, but I can't disguise myself into a bad guy whenever I want to!" Ryo snapped.

"Just shut up and stand still!" she snapped.

Sekhmet laughed. "If it will help, Wildfire, you can push her off and stand on her to buy you some time!"

"Oh shut up!" Sailor Mars yelled, nearly losing her balance. "Ah!" she held so tight on Ryo's neck that she nearly choked him.

"Mars…Mars you're choking me!"

"My venom will eat away your armor and sink into your flesh," Sekhmet said. "It wont' be long now."

"This is bad, this is bad," Sailor Mars chanted. "Ryo! Do something!"

"Like what?" he demanded.

"I don't know!" she yelled, looking down. "Oh no, the acid is getting higher!"

"You're a sailor scout, let's see you try something!"

"Fine!" she hissed. "MARS FIRE IGNITE!"

Her blast of fire didn't do a single thing except almost made her lose her balance.

"Oh no, I don't believe it!" she cried.

"There is nothing you can do to my venom, girl," Sekhmet said.

A hole began to burn away the acid behind them from the Ancient One's staff and Sekhmet disappeared. The acid began to lower itself and disappear. Sailor Mars couldn't keep her legs in the air anymore and she fell off Ryo in surprise.

"The acid is disappearing!" she exclaimed, "Whoa!"

"Aren't you a graceful one," Ryo muttered.

"Shut up, Ryo!" she snapped.

"Looks like I made it in time," said Anubis. "Hurry, Wildfire."

"Come on, Sailor Mars, hurry up!" Ryo ordered.

"Wait!" Sailor Mars called.

--

"That it?" Dais demanded. "Let me end it for you!"

"No!" Sailor Venus cried. She put her arms in front of herself and just as Dais was about to finish her and Kento off, the light from the staff chased Dais away.

"It's been a long time, Hardrock," said Anubis.

"You're Anubis, Warlord of Cruelty," Kento said.

"Oh no, not another!" Sailor Venus groaned.

"Kento," said Ryo. "Anubis is on our side now!"

"Our side?" Kento mumbled.

"Well that's good news," Sailor Venus said.

--

"MERCURY BUBBLES BLAST!"

To add the darkness that was already there, thick fog surrounded Cye and Sailor Mercury.

"Since we can't see him," Sailor Mercury said, "I'll make it so he won't see us either."

"Good thinking," Cye said.

"Think again, Sailor!" Kale yelled, cutting through the fog.

"Watch out!" Cye shouted.

Anubis threw the staff down in front of them and made Kale go away. Kento went to Cye. "You all right Cye?"

"Well I had to fight for my life from a dark warlord, but it wasn't anything I couldn't handle."

"How about you, Mercury?" Sailor Venus asked.

"I'm fine." She answered. "Who's he?"

"Anubis." Mars answered for her. "He used to be a Dark Warlord but now he's a good guy."

"We could always use more of those," Sailor Mercury said.

--

"Get away from her!" Rowen shouted, rushing to Sailor Moon. "You're becoming to be a royal pain and I've only just met you! But Sailor Moon has told me more than I need to know about what happened."

"Out of my way, Strata," Darien muttered, bringing his sword down to Rowen's bow and Rowen blocked it.

"Not a chance," Rowen said. "I know how you always showed up when Sailor Moon needed you, but since you are so damn blind, I'm going to have to do it for you! I'm not going to let you harm Sailor Moon!"

"Rowen," Sailor Moon whispered.

"You can't stop me." Darien said.

"Don't undahestamate the powah of the armor Strata!" Rowen barked. "If you really loved Saylah Moon like you did a million years ago, you wouldn't be trying to destroy her. Yah not going to hurt Sailor Moon and I won't let you take the crystal either!" He pushed Darien away and loaded an arrow onto his bow. "I'm warning you, Mr. Top Hat, one step closer and I'll shoot. I'll do it!"

"Rowen, don't, please!" Sailor Moon pleaded. "Don't hurt him. You can't!"

"Saylah Moon, I know you have feelings for this guy," Rowen said, "but it looks like he's not returning any of them."

"He's been brainwashed, that's why," Sailor Moon insisted. "Don't shoot, please."

"What are you waiting for, Strata?" Darien demanded. "Afraid to fight Prince Darien of the Negaverse?"

"I'm not going to shoot you because out of respect of the Moon Princess wishes," Rowen insisted. "But if you do try to hurt her, Darien, I will fire!"

"Rowen, don't!" Sailor Moon pleaded.

Darien laughed and charged toward Rowen. Rowen pulled back on his arrow and let go.

"No!" Sailor Moon screamed, turning around and covering her eyes and waited for the sound of the arrow to strike Darien's armor and Darien to let out a shout of pain. Never. Never did Sailor Moon ever have to think she would have to be protected from Darien, who once used to protect her! 'This cannot be happening!' she told herself silently. 'Darien, please, wake up!'

Darien put his hand to his arm where Rowen shot him. "You…" He grunted and pulled the arrow out of his arm.

"That was a warning, Prince Darien." Rowen said, reaching for another arrow. "Don't make me use my Arrow Shockwave on you!"

Sailor Moon grabbed his arm. "Rowen, that's enough! You don't have to protect me from him!"

"Saylah Moon, I promised you I would protect you," Rowen said.

"But not this way, Rowen," Sailor Moon insisted. "He can still be freed by Beryl's spell. I must try. Let me see if my crystal can change him back."

"Fine. But I'm going to keep a good watch just in case."

"Thank you," Sailor Moon said and looked to Darien. "Darien, I'm going to bring you back to me. MOON HEALING ACTIVATION!"

Darien stood and looked right in the light and nothing was happening. He didn't change to Tuxedo Mask, or the old Darien. He just stood there as if he was in a trance.

"What's going on?" Sailor Moon inquired. "It's not working!"

"Beryl took all his memories for good this time, Sailor Moon," Kayura laughed. "Not even your crystal can change him back."

"No!" Sailor Moon yelled. "Darien!" She fell down to her knees and began to cry. "I don't know what else to do!"

"Darien, your Queen wants the crystal!" Kayura shouted. "If you give it to her she and Talpa will award you!"

Darien continued to walk to Sailor Moon but Rowen stayed between them.

"Rowen, what are you doing?" Sage demanded. "We have to stop Talpa!"

"Jupiter's too injured to fight." Rowen said.

"No I'm not!" Jupiter insisted, trying to get up, "oh, man!"

"And If I allow Darien to kill her and take the crystal," Rowen said, "Talpa can still win!" He looked down at Sailor Moon crying. 'Could I really kill the man Saylah Moon loves? Do I have to kill him to stop him?'

"Strata, out of my way!" Darien commanded.

"You just don't get it, do you, Daheean?" Rowen snapped. "I'm not going to let you take her crystal and I don't need to use the whole powah of my ahmah to take care of the likes of you!"

Rowen put his bow behind his back and changed down to his subarmor so he could still fight Darien without the use of his arrows of life force. Darien brought his sword down to Rowen's arms but he blocked him.

"Ha, you call yourself a warrior?" Rowen demanded, knocking the sword from his hand. He punched him in the stomach and in the face. Winded, Darien backed away and Rowen dropkicked him.

"Wow, this guy knows how to fight," Sailor Jupiter said, impressed.

"Rowen, Rowen, what are you doing?" Sailor Moon questioned. "That's enough, you'll hurt him!"

"I made a promise to you, Saylah Moon!" Rowen yelled. "I know how you feel about this guy and that's why I won't fight him with my full armor of strata! I'm not going to let him hurt you, even at the cost of my life!"

Sailor Moon could not believe what she was hearing. Could Rowen have fallen in love with her or something?

Darien tried to throw a punch at Rowen and he grabbed his fist, punched him in the stomach once again and threw him right over his shoulder into the wall, where Darien fell unconscious. Sailor Moon got up and ran to him but Rowen held his arm in front of her.

"No, Saylah Moon," he said. "Don't go near him."

"Why, Rowen?" she inquired.

"We started this togethah, didn't we?" Rowen questioned. "Don't worry, he's only knocked out."

"Oh…Darien."

"Hey, guys!" Ryo shouted from a large pipe over them. "We have to fight Lady Kayura in the Inferno."

"Rowen, why aren't you in your armor?" Kento inquired.

"Never mind," said Rowen and the three Ronin Warriors jumped down with the other sailor scouts. Mars gasped when she saw Darien.

"It's Darien!" she exclaimed. "What happened to him?"

"He tried to take the crystal," Sailor Jupiter answered, trying to get up, "but Rowen wasn't going to stand for it. He stopped fighting Lady Kayura and fought Darien instead!'

"Sailor Jupiter, you're hurt," Sailor Mercury went toward her.

"Hey, I'm fine really," she insisted. "It only hurts when…"

Sailor Mercury applied pressure to it and Jupiter let out a whelp.

Rowen closed his eyes and armored up so he could create the Inferno. "I was just doing a favor for Sailor Moon. Let's make the Inferno!"

"Prepare yourself, Kayura!" Ryo shouted.

The scouts watched in awe as the Ronin Warriors sent the power of their armors straight to Ryo to make the Inferno Armor.

"Wow, that is amazing," Sailor Venus breathed.

"She won't stand a chance now," Jupiter muttered.

"RAGE OF INFERNO!" The fire knocked Lady Kayura back and she used her starlight swords to protect herself.

"I can't bear this light!" she cried.

Sailor Mercury picked something up on her visor. "Sailor Moon! Her amulet. You have to cut it. It's a controlling device."

"Exactly, she's one of Talpa's puppets!" Mars exclaimed.

"Got it! COSMIC MOON POWER!"

"No!" Lady Kayura shouted and the light from Sailor Moon's crystal broke and her amulet. She fell down and looked around the room. "Where am I?" she wondered out loud.

Ryo went toward her and Anubis held the staff in front of him. "No, Wildfire."

"Anubis-what are you--," Ryo began.

"You're going to be all right now, Lady Kayura," Sailor Moon said softly. "You're free from Talpa's evil."

Lady Kayura looked up at Sailor Moon and gasped. "Moon Princess!"

"What?" Sailor Moon mumbled

Lady Kayura threw her arms around Sailor Moon's ankles, almost making her lose her balance. "I have met you at last!"

"Hey, how do you know who I am?"

Darien tried to push himself back up. "Damn Rowen of the Strata…"

"Darien, bring Lady Kayura back!" Beryl's voice ordered.

"But what about the Crystal?" he asked her.

"Do as I say!"

"Yes, my queen," Darien got up. "Lady Kayura, Master Talpa asks for our return."

"What?" Lady Kayura inquired and both of them were lifted in the air from dark energy and taken away from the group.

"Darien!" Sailor Moon exclaimed.

"What's going on?" Rowen demanded.

"I lost him again," Sailor Moon frowned. "When I thought…."

"Sailor Moon, how did Lady Kayura know you were the Moon Princess?" Sailor Mars inquired. "She acted as if she knew who you were."

"I know," Sailor Moon said. "It doesn't make any sense."

--

Sailor Moon watched Anubis meditate while all the other Sailor Soldiers were talking to the Ronin Warriors and training up for the next battle. She could hear Jupiter yelling at everyone trying to check her wound.

"Will you all stop fussing over me?" she demanded. "I'm fine, really. I've had worse."

"It looks awfully serious, Jupiter," Sage said. "If we were still in the mortal world, I could heal you with my sword."

"Thanks Sage, but you don't have to." Sailor Jupiter smiled. But I'm fine, really I am."

"No matter how small you think it is," Mercury said as she put bandages on the wound, "we still need to take care of it."

"Mercury, you ought to ask Luna for a first aid kit to go with your computer and visor," Venus joked, making everyone laugh.

"Anubis has been meditating for a while," said Mia. "I wonder what's taking him."

"Yeah, why did he stop me from attacking Kayura?" Ryo wondered.

"We'll find out soon enough," Rowen said.

"Rowen, that was really big of you to help Sailor Moon back there," Jupiter said. "Why'd you do it?"

"I just made Saylah Moon a promise," Rowen answered stiffly, "that's all."

Jupiter exchanged glances with the other scouts as if she knew something was up.

Sailor Moon waited for Anubis to get up when he was done meditating. He got up and went to Sailor Moon. "Sailor Moon."

"Yes, Anubis?" she inquired. "What is it? Did The Ancient tell you anything?"

"Yes," Anubis answered.

"Why did you stop Ryo from attacking Kayura?" she asked. "How did she know who I was?"

"The Ancient One did not answer that for me yet," Anubis answered. "But he tell me something."

"What was that?" she inquired.

"This may come as a shock," he began, "but believe me what I am about to tell you is the truth."

"What is it, Anubis?" Sailor Moon asked impatiently. "What is it?"

"Sailor Moon," he said, "The Ancient One is your father."

"The Ancient One is my father?!" she demanded so loudly that everyone outside heard this. "No! Impossible! It's got to be!" she backed up.

"It is true."

Everyone came to the steps. "What's going on here?" Sailor Mars demanded.

"Anubis said my father is The Ancient One!" Sailor Moon cried, pointing at him as if Anubis had become the warlord of cruelty again.

"Anubis, are you serious?" Ryo inquired. "Sailor Moon is the Ancient's daughter?"

"Yes." He answered.

"How?" Rowen asked.

"I don't believe this," Sailor Moon said."

"The Ancient met Queen Serenity before Talpa tried to destroy the world. Sailor Moon, you were born on earth and you lived with your father for six years." Anubis explained. "You adored your father and everything he taught you. But then, Earth was attacked and it was a sign that a great evil was coming so your father told you and your mother to return to the Moon Kingdom."

"I…I can't believe this," Sailor Moon whispered. "I spent the first six years of my childhood on Earth instead of the Moon Kingdom? But I don't remember any of it! How could I be The Ancient's daughter? I keep learning I'm someone else that I don't' know who I am anymore!" Sailor Moon sobbed. "First it was Sailor Moon, then the Moon Princess and now I'm The Ancient's daughter? What is next? Queen of Tokyo?"

"I think he's right, Sailor Moon," Sailor Mars said. "Why else would the Ancient bring us here?"

"But why didn't The Ancient just tell me who he was?" Sailor Moon demanded. "When we first got here?"

"He wanted you to know who he was to the Ronin Warriors before letting you know who he was to you," Anubis answered. "But is the truth. You have showed signs of it. Wildfire and Strata told me how you seem to know White Blaze, how you fought against Dala. The Ancient owned White Blaze had him as a cub when he was growing up. White Blaze was your guardian while you were living on Earth. You fought with new abilities that you learned from watching your father fight. Only one from the Ancient Clan could fight like that."

"This, this is unbelievable," Sailor Moon whispered. "My father…is the Ancient One? Then, I will have to fight Talpa too, won't I Anubis? He is also my enemy as much as Beryl's?"

"Yes," Anubis answered.

"I don't think I can do it," Sailor Moon answered.

"You must have faith, Sailor Moon," he insisted. "Remember the words your father taught you. The words you loved to hear. It's because of him you were able to get this far. It will take all of our efforts to save the entire universe."

"Please tell me this is a bad dream," Sailor Moon mumbled. "Someone…"

"It will be all right, Sailor Moon," Anubis smiled. "I believe in your strength. You can do this."

"Listen, we'll fight Talpa so you won't have to, okay?" Rowen inquired Sailor Moon.

Sailor Moon nodded. "All right."

"Anubis, we cannot wait any longer," said Sage. "We're going to go after Talpa now."

"Are you coming with us?" Sailor Jupiter asked.

"I must stay here until I receive more word from The Ancient," Anubis said.

"Anubis, if we run into Kayura," Sage said, "we won't hold back."

"It doesn't matter who she is," Rowen added.

"Go to Talpa," said Anubis.

"Be careful, guys," said Mia.

"Don't worry," said Cye. "I'll look after Kento."

"What does that supposed to mean?" Kento demanded, surprising Cye.

The Ronin Warriors walked out with the scouts and as Sailor Moon began to leave, she stopped and looked back to look at Anubis.

"Sailor Moon, aren't you coming?" Sailor Venus inquired.

"Let's give Beryl the fight of her life!" Sailor Jupiter exclaimed.

"Just a second, guys," Sailor Moon said. "I just want to see Anubis. I'll be right with you." She ran to Anubis and he looked at her questionably.

"What?" he asked.

Sailor Moon tried to find something to say to Anubis. She wanted to thank him for helping her. She wanted to tell him how cool she thought he was. How she appreciated him believing in her strength. There were so many things she wanted to tell Anubis that she just did not know where to begin.

"Sailor Moon, come on!" Sailor Mars cried.

"Anubis, I," Sailor Moon mumbled, "I just want…"

"Yes?"

When she could not find the words, Sailor Moon sighed and threw her arms around him in a warm embrace.

"Oh!" Anubis gasped. Sailor Moon felt a tear trickle in her eye as she released him.

"What was that for?" Anubis asked.

"You…I…well," she mumbled, "I just, think you're wicked cool, Anubis."

Anubis smiled and put his hand on her shoulder. "Thank you, Sailor Moon. Good luck."

Sailor Moon grinned, "yeah…I'll see you later then. Be careful, Anubis."

--

Kayura was sitting in her quarters, wearing her broken amulet. She began to remember her past when she was kidnapped and taken to the Dynasty. She had a flashback when her father was throwing her in the air and her mother speaking.

"Our clan has a mission was granted to us from God to protect humanity from evil," she remembered her mother say.

"You're going to train too and become like The Ancient as well." Said her father."

Kayura could remember so clearly the first time she saw The Ancient.

"Who's that man?" she asked in her father's arms.

"That's the Ancient," her mother replied.

"Leader of our clan," her father added.

"Does he have a child?" Young Kayura inquired. "So that we could play together?"

Her parents laughed at her innocent question. "Well, he did have a young girl." Her mother replied. "Princess Serena, of the Moon Kingdom."

"Moon Kingdom?" Kayura said.

"Yes, but sadly she was killed. Queen Serenity sent her and the children room to a new future on Earth."

"So, maybe I'll still meet her?"

"Maybe, my child." Her father said. "Maybe."

--

"What should we do now that Kayura's amulet has been broken?" Beryl inquired. "Should I send Darien to get the crystal?"

"No need, Beryl," Badamon said. "I have a plan. She will remember her memories from the staff. Nether spirits are the only ones that can erase that memory."

"Don't impress me!" Talpa snapped. "Tell us your plan!"

"You do have one." Beryl said, raising her eyebrow in anger. "Don't you, Badamon?"

"Yes, I do my majesties. I will possess Kayura and use the power of the Netherworld through her. That will overwhelm the power of inferno."

"Good," said Beryl.

"Do it!" Talpa ordered.

"Yes."

--

The Sailor Soldiers and Ronin Warriors took off toward the castle, attacking bands of Dynasty Soldiers and Negaverse Monsters on the way.

"They're everywhere," Sailor Mars said.

"Now would be a good time to put on your armor," Sailor Moon said.

"Let's finish them!" Ryo shouted.

"ARMOR OF WILDFIRE, TAO JIN!"

"ARMOR OF STRATA, TAO INOCHI!"

"ARMOR OF HARDROCK, TAO GI!"

"ARMOR OF TORRET, TAO SHIN!"

"ARMOR OF HALO, TAO CHI!"

They continue to fight their way through. Sailor Moon got a feeling.

"Have you seen Kayura or the warlords yet?" she asked.

"No," Kento replied. "Nothing."

"Something isn't right here," Sailor Moon whispered. "Where are they?"

--

Kayura was sitting in her room and she heard Badamon calling to her.

"Kayura. Kayura. Kayura."

"Who's there?" she asked. "What do you want?"

The doors slid open and he hovered in front of her like in a horror movie. "You will serve the Dynasty. Do not resist me, Kayura!"

"No, please…I beg you!"

He took over her body and she let out a piteous scream that Sailor Moon heard. She stopped and turned.

"Guys!" she shouted. "Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Sailor Venus asked.

"It sounded like," Sailor Moon said, "Sounded like Lady Kayura!"

--

Mia and Yuli stayed with Anubis as he continued to meditate. Yuli looked at Mia. "Mia, you think the Ronin Warriors and the Sailor Soldiers will be all right?"

Mia did not reply. Yuli made an angry face.

"Hey, Mia!" he said more loudly.

She jerked as if she had been meditating too. "Oh, yes, don't you worry Yuli."

The rings began to jingle on The Ancient's staff. Anubis looked at it. "Something has happened to Kayura!"

"What does this mean, Anubis?" Mia inquired.

"She's in danger," Anubis answered. "She's the last of The Ancient One's clan."

"But I thought Sailor Moon…she being his daughter," Mia said.

"Yes, believe so too," Anubis said, "but I must free Kayura from Talpa's evil." He sensed danger and grabbed Yuli and Mia, jumping out of the building just as Dais' scythe's burst through the walls.

"Long time, no see, Anubis," said Dais, putting his weapon on his back.

"Warlords, you still serve under Talpa. I will need to free you too!"

--

The Sailor Soldiers and Ronin Warriors notice the water begin to bubble. Lady Kayura appears over it.

"It's Kayura!" Jupiter shouted.

"You will see the power of the nether spirits," she said, but it did not sound like her usual voice.

Lady Kayura laughed as something large began to rise out where Lady Kayura was standing. The Ronin Warriors gasped they recognized the giant energy bomb.

"It's an energy bomb!" Cye yelled.

"Man, that thing is HUGE!" Jupiter cried.

"This will take all your energy and leave your armor shells," said Lady Kayura. "Energy ball, obliterate them all!"

"Sailor Scouts, get the heck out of here!" Ryo yelled, pushing Sailor Moon and Sailor Mars away.

"No way!" Sailor Moon protested. "We're not going to let that-that thing destroy you!"

"Let us help," Sailor Jupiter added. "Please?"

"If that thing hits all of us it will kill you too," Rowen said. "Our armor will protect us, don't' worry. Just go to Talpa and Beryl. We'll catch up. Don't' worry about us!"

"Ryo," Sailor Mars mumbled, tearing up, "okay. Be careful and hurry." She tugged on Sailor Moon's arm. "Let's go, Sailor Moon."

Reluctantly, Sailor Moon went with the other Sailors. They ran up the hill toward the castle, leaving the Ronin Warriors to deal with the energy bomb themselves.

"We've got to stop that thing," Sage said.

"SUPER WAVE SMASHER!"

"THUNDERBOLT CUT!"

The combined powers of the armors Halo and Torrent didn't even leave a dent on the energy bomb.

"It didn't work!" Sage cried in disbelief.

"Run for it!" Rowen exclaimed.

They had not taken two steps when the energy bomb launched out black energy bolts to the five, preventing them from moving from the spot.

"I can't move!" Cye yelled.

"Ryo, create the Inferno!" Rowen commanded.

"Will it work?" Ryo asked.

"Better than giving up!" Sage muttered.

Rowen, Sage, Kento and Cye sent their armor's power to Ryo and formed the White armor of Inferno. Lady Kayura laughed.

"The Inferno?" she said. "Let's see if it works."

"FLARE UP…RAGE OF INFENRO!"

The force was enough to stop the Energy Bomb from moving for a couple of seconds, but it did not blow up or move its course away from the Ronin Warriors and it continued to smash into them. It hit them with such a force that the area around them began to explode them up to fifty feet. The Sailor Soldiers were nearing the castle when they stopped and looked behind them.

"Ronin Warriors, no!" Sailor Moon cried. "Not even the Inferno worked on it?!"

"The bomb hit them," Sailor Jupiter muttered. "Sage!"

"Blast those evil nether spirits!" Sailor Mars grunted.

"What if they…no…Kento!" Sailor Venus called.

"The force from the bomb is growing," Sailor Mercury said, turning on her visor, "we have to find cover fast!"

"In there!" Sailor Venus yelled, pointing to a small building. They rushed up the ramp, forced open the door and Sailor Moon looked out to see the powerful explosion making its way. She screamed and shut the door.

Sailor Mars took out a charm. "I call upon the power of Mars…protect us from the evil of the Nether spirits!" She chucked the charm on the door.

"Hit the deck!" Sailor Jupiter exclaimed, grabbing onto Sailor Venus and Sailor Mercury as Sailor Moon pulled on Sailor Mars. The five girls lay face down, holding on to each other tightly for their dear lives, screaming with all their voice.

'Ronin Warriors,' Sailor Moon thought as she could hear everything rip out of the ground as if they were in the middle of a typhoon. 'Please, please be all right!'

--

Lady Kayura chuckled, walked to Ryo and stepped on his head. "The Ronin Warriors are finished!"

Anubis made haste to the Ronin Warriors in hopes to help them, only to find them all laying in a depression of the ground, their armors smoking. The Sailor Soldiers were nowhere near the Ronin Warriors

"No, I'm too late!" he gasped. He surveyed the area around them. "Sailor Scouts…where are you? I hope you are all right. It may be up to you now!"

He saw Lady Kayura with them. "Kayura, Kayura wake up!" he shouted. A wave went over him as he sensed another presence with Kayura. "You're…you have become possessed by Badamon!"

"Yes, I am the priest of Darkness," Lady Kayura answered and the face of Badamon appeared in her eyes. "Lord Badamon!"

"I will use the power of the staff to drive you out and free Kayura." Anubis promised

"I wonder if you can," Lord Badamon said.

"Don't underestimate the power of the Ancient One's staff," Anubis ordered.

The remaining dark warlords ran toward Anubis. They weren't done playing with him.

"Anubis!" Dais called. "You can run but you can't hide!"

"So they've come," Lord Badamon muttered. "Useless fools."

"You can't get away, Anubis," said Kale.

"You lose!" Dais yelled.

"Submit and give your neck!" Sekhmet growled.

The staff began to glow. "What's this?" Anubis wondered aloud. The staff lifted in the air and a golden beam shined forth and the helmet from his armor fell to his hands.

"It's the helmet from my armor of cruelty!" he exclaimed. "Ancient one, if you wish for me to fight, then I will become the ogre once again! To arms!"

He put the armor on his head and for the first moment after the first battle with Talpa, Anubis was clad in his old armor cruelty. But now that he had found his spirit, it was his armor loyalty and the armor of spring.

"Prepare yourself, Badamon!" he threatened. "This will be our first and last battle!"

"Come at me then, Anubis!" Badamon taunted.

"QUAKE WITH FEAR!"

To Be Continued