Ronin Warriors Fan Fiction / Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ New Friends and New Enemies ❯ Loyal Sacrifice ( Chapter 8 )

New Friends and New Enemies 8

Loyal Sacrifice

The Sailor Soldiers groaned as they began to regain consciousness. "Oh, my head," Sailor Mercury whispered.

"We're going to need a ton of aspirin when we're done with this fight," Sailor Venus added.

"Hey, everyone all right?" Sailor Jupiter asked.

"Yeah," Sailor Mars answered, looking around the small room. The walls have been ripped from the room and the only thing still standing was the door that had Sailor Mars' charm. "It worked!" She looked around the floor and it had been cut but the important thing was, all the girls were all right.

Sailor Moon sat up and rubbed her head. "Why do I feel like we've been in a typhoon, a tornado, a hurricane, a thunderstorm, an earthquake and a volcano eruption all at the same time?" she demanded in her usual fast-paced voice whenever she got angry. "Oooh!"

"Yeah, that pretty much sums up what just happened," Sailor Mercury said.

Sailor Jupiter walked up to the door, tapped on it and it fell down with a loud crash. She jumped in surprise. "Whoa, we were really lucky."

"The guys weren't," Sailor Moon said, turning. "Look!"

The five Ronin Warriors were standing in dark energy lightning balls and Anubis was fighting against Kayura and the three warlords all on his own.

"It's Anubis!" Sailor Mars exclaimed.

"Hey, the guys are all right," Sailor Jupiter said, except for the dark energy balls they're in."

The Nether Spirits were hovering in the air next to the towers and with dark power, created barges they planned to capture the Ronin Warrior's armors in. "I wonder what those barges are for," Sailor Mercury said.

"It's obvious, isn't it?" Sailor Moon demanded. "It's to capture the boys! We've got to help them!"

"But Sailor Moon," Sailor Venus began. "There's no…"

"Oh come on!" Sailor Moon yelled, clenching her fist. "We came to this world to help the Ronin Warriors, not desert them! We cannot go in the castle to fight Beryl unless we are sure the Ronin Warriors are all right to fight Talpa! I couldn't stand it if anything happened to them."

"I know," Sailor Jupiter said. "But you're the Moon Princess, we've got to protect you."

"I'm not just the Moon Princess anymore, am I, Jupiter?" Sailor Moon snapped. "I'm the daughter of the Ancient One too! It's time I start acting like it. My father did not create those armors so Talpa could get his evil hands on them again and I've got to do something!"

"What?" Sailor Mars asked.

"You four destroy those barges!" Sailor Moon commanded, "and see if you can help the Ronin Warriors out of those spheres draining their energy."

"What are you going to do?" Sailor Mercury asked.

"I'm going to help Anubis," she answered, "the three warlords still don't know the truth that Talpa is only using them. Anubis is outnumbered against them and Kayura!""

"Wow, Sailor Moon, I like how you are suddenly taking charge of things!" Sailor Mars grinned, folding her arms.

"Yeah, it's nice, isn't it?" Sailor Moon inquired, taking a moment to let it sink it. "Suddenly, I don't mind so much now that I'm The Ancient's daughter, 'cause now I finally know who my father is, but let's talk about that later, right now, there are five cute guys that need our help!"

"Well, actually nine if you count the Warlords!" Sailor Venus added with a laugh as the four scouts separated to stop the barges and Sailor Moon went to Anubis.

"All right guys, you heard Sailor Moon," Sailor Mars told the others. "Let's sink those ships!"

"MARS FIRE IGNITE!"

Mars' fire ignite made one of the barges catch fire and fall from the sky. "Yes!" she cried.

"It's the Sailor Scouts!" Ryo exclaimed.

"Don't look too excited to see me, Ryo," Sailor Mars said, flipping her hair.

"We'll free you guys as soon as we get these barges," Sailor Venus told them. "VENUS CRESCENT BEAM SMASH!"

Her attack cut the second barge in half. She made her V for Victory sign with her fingers high enough for Kento to see.

"Yeah, you go girl!" Kento exclaimed.

"Watch this, Sage!" Sailor Jupiter yelled. "! JUPITER THUNDER CRASH!"

Her attack knocked the barge out of commission and it fell to the ground in pieces.

"Not bad, Sailor Jupiter!" Sage yelled.

"Your turn, love!" Cye called to Sailor Mercury.

Sailor Mercury nodded. "MERCURY ICE BUBBLES FREEZE!"

The ice from her bubbles froze the barge and made stop moving. They continued to destroy the barges and Sailor Mars used her charms to clear out the Nether Sprits creating them.

"You cannot fight me alone, Anubis," Lady Kayura said.

"Who says he's alone?" Sailor Moon demanded, walking up behind Anubis.

Anubis turned. "Sailor Moon, you're all right!"

"Foolish girl, you will die and bring me the crystal!" Lady Kayura exclaimed.

"No!" Sailor Moon yelled, rushing next to Anubis' side. "I will do no such thing. You don't understand the power of the Sailor Scouts and the Ronin Warriors combined! Anubis, I understand everything now. You are right and I'm ready to prove to Talpa's dynasty I am the Ancient's daughter!"

"What?" Kayura gasped. "Ancient's daughter?"

"Badamon, you have possessed the last of my father's people," Sailor Moon said, taking out her wand, "and for that, I will make you pay!"

"Kayura, I-I mean, Badamon, this girl is talking nonsense," Kale said, pulling his sword close to him. "Allow us to kill her for you!"

"Kale, you are using your virtue of obedience for the wrong reasons!" Sailor Moon exclaimed. "You have the armor of the season winter and you have used it to put the world in a place of coldness and darkness instead of a winter wonderland! Please try to see the evil hold Talpa has on you!"

"Shut up!" Sekhmet hissed.

"It's true," Sailor Moon insisted, "Sekhmet, your armor of venom can be used to heal sick people instead of killing them. That is the trueness of your armor. You have the armor of the season autumn and your virtue is piety."

"You do not know what you are talking about!" Dais exclaimed.

"You must believe me, Dais!" Sailor Moon cried, turning to him. She gasped as she saw a vision in her head. "What's this?"

--

The Ancient held the weakened Queen Serenity in his arms as he showed her the nine armors he created from Talpa's armor. He was currently showing the armor of summer.

"So this would be the armor that governs over the season of summer?" Queen Serenity inquired.

"Yes."

"What virtue have you tied with it?"

"Serenity."

"What?" she asked, raising her eyebrow thinking he was calling on her.

"I've used your name," he replied. "Do you remember when Serena was born in the summer?"

"I do."

"It was the most peaceful day of my life," The Ancient explained. "I never remembered when I had a moment of such serenity, such tranquility. The day was so warm and peaceful and the birds were singing. Serena was beautiful. Since Serena was born in the summer, I've decided to tie this armor with the feeling I had when she was born."

"It's perfect, my dear," Serenity smiled, touching the armor with her hand. "This man who will wear the armor would be like her brother."

"He will have the power to give moments of peace to those with troubled minds," The Ancient told her. "This man can grant visions for other people."

"Illusions?" she asked.

"Yes, but it is up to him which kind of illusions to make."

--

"Help me, Serena," Dais' voice seemed to linger in her head. Could he have sent her a vision, some kind of illusion as a cry for help? He still seemed to be under the control of Talpa but maybe it was his subconscious' mind--his heart--that sent her the vision. Sailor Moon had a spirit brother and with Dais' white hair, he might as well be her brother because her father's hair was white too. Maybe they weren't flesh and blood, his virtue was the same as her mother's name and that was good enough for her!

"Dais!" Sailor Moon shouted. "My brother!"

"What?" Dais demanded, outraged and confused. The other Warlords didn't know what to say or do.

"You are my brother!" Sailor Moon cried. "The virtue that is inside your armor is my mother's name! Serenity! You have serenity in your heart, Dais! Your heart sent me the vision as a cry for help, Dais!"

"You speak lies!"

"It's true," she insisted, hot tears burning her eyes. "You may not be my true blood brother, but you are my brother in spirit. You've used your special ability to make illusions for the wrong reasons, Dais. You can make visions of tranquility for people with problems. You can make them feel better, but instead, you've decided to confuse them! Dais, you're living in an illusion all yourself, don't you see, Dais? Don't you see? Why can't you see?"

"Your words are meaningless, Sailor Moon," Kayura snapped.

"My father did not create the armors of the seasons so that these men would serve him for eternity!" Sailor Moon hissed, "I'm going to set them free, you just watch me!"

"Let's see then," Kayura said.

"Warlords, Dais, Sekhmet, Kale---open your hearts!" Sailor Moon cried. "Open your hearts and free the evil Talpa had corrupted you with! MOON HEALING ACTIVIATION!"

The three warlords covered their faces and screamed, as the light got stronger and stronger. "This light, what is this light?" Kale inquired.

"Try absorbing this light, Kale and let it clean your heart! You are not the warlord of darkness and corruption. You are the warlord of winter! Warlords, think back to the time before you came to Talpa. Please, try to remember!"

Anubis watched in amazement, "I think it's working!"

--

The warlords closed their eyes and they began to see things from their childhood and things that led up to why they became warlords serving as Talpa. For Dais, he had always been a happy young boy with an ability to give people visions. Some people appreciated this gift and thought it was from God, when most people thought it was evil sorcery and tried to banish him from the city.

"That boy has a curse," many people said. "You can't believe anything you see. He messes with your mind!"

His spirit of serenity began to fade away and he was no longer happy or peaceful. He began to hate his gift so he took off and ran away from his home, until he had the unfortunate meeting with Talpa.

"Dais, do not listen to the people," he said, "They are jealous of your gift. They do not appreciate what you can do. Come join me and I will make you powerful. You can become my Warlord of Illusion, Dais!"

When he was set in his armor of the spider for the first time, he set out to use his special power to confuse people instead of helping them, like he used to.

--

No one would've thought that Sekhmet used to be a righteous person before he became the Warlord of Venom. He was a fisherman and he and his family was religious. He also had a special gift. He was immune to snake bites and he was taught not to go near any snakes. However, Sekhmet liked to play with snakes because he was immune to him and many people thought it was an abomination. It continued to when he became a teenager.

Then one day, a boy died by snakebite and everyone blamed it on Sekhmet. They believed that Sekhmet set a snake loose on the boy when the truth was; the boy had angered the snake.

"It was him! The snake boy."

"Doesn't he know that he must stay away from all snakes and serpents? He is a snake too!"

Sekhmet tried to explain that he had nothing to do with but they did not believe him. Sekhmet would never harm another person but when they did not believe him, he had no choice but to run away and that was when Talpa, the lord of all serpents, decided to sink his fangs into him.

--

As for Kale, he was always obedient to his parents and elders. He did everything they asked him to do when they told him to do it and when he had nothing, he would plead with his parents for service.

"Mother, let me do the dishes for you. Mother, let me clean the house. Father, allow me to go hunting for you. I am old enough to do it and it is too dark. The blizzard has made you ill. I will get out supper tonight."

That was how it went for all of Kale's years. His father got very sick during the wintertime so he would go hunting for his family.

Kale was the only one people knew with an ability to see perfectly during the dark. Many people wouldn't dare go out in a dark blizzard for anything, but Kale always loved the winter. One time his younger cousin was lost in the blizzard and because Kale was the only who could see in pitch darkness, Kale volunteered to do, though he was but a boy himself.

"I will do it!" he said. "Let me do it. I'll go find him!"

The townspeople will tell him to leave it the adults with their aids of torches, but Kale always went anyway and as time went on and when a child was lost in a blizzard, they always depended on Kale to go and find them. Kale got hurt once when a jackal scratched him over the eye but even then he did not give up and continued to save the children.

Everyone loved Kale's obedient nature, but there was someone out there who loved it more. Talpa decided to abuse it.

"Kale, you waste your time saving children in blizzards! With me, you can cause the blizzards for everyone to get lost in. You have an ability to see in the dark, use that to your advantage in my dynasty! Become my warlord of Corruption and Darkness, Kale!"

--

The three warlords brought their arms down, removed their helmets and rubbed their heads.

"My head hurts!" Sekhmet growled. "What did she do to me?"

Sailor Moon lowered her wand and her knees gave out.

"Sailor Moon!" Anubis cried out, catching her.

"Please tell me it worked," she said. "I gave it my all."

"The warlords have and will always serve our Master Talpa!" Lady Kayura yelled. "Your pitiful effort did nothing. Now I will use the body of the last of the ancients to destroy another!"

"No!" Anubis muttered. "Kayura, why don't you see the hold Badamon has on you?"

"Kale, Dais, Sekhmet, please you must see what Talpa has done to you," Sailor Moon exclaimed. "You have to fight against Talpa!"

"Kayura, I mean, Badamon, stop!" Kale hissed.

The eye patch fell from Dais' face as he tried to massage the pain from his head. Now that he could use both eyes, he could see things much clearly now. The eye patch was merely a device to make people afraid of Dais and believe he had only one eye.

"I see the truth," he said. "I can see the whole picture now!"

"Hey, you really do have both your eyes," Sailor Moon gasped. "Good because that eye patch gave me the creeps!"

"Talpa used me," Sekhmet said, "I'll never forgive him for that!"

"You fools," Kayura muttered, "even if you tried you know you couldn't stop me. Talpa will have all the nine armors back but first I will take care of the Moon Princess here!"

"Get away from my sister!" Dais yelled. "WEB OF DECEPTION!"

"Watch out!" Anubis warned as he picked Sailor Moon and jumped to give them room to battle.

Kayura laughed and cut the spider strings. "Was that all, Dais? We know your tricks. I'm going to enjoy watching you squirm! Hee-yaah!" She sent a burst of starlight toward him and he crashed into a tower.

"Dais!" Sailor Moon gasped.

"BLACK LIGHTNING SLASH!"

Lady Kayura dodged Kale's lightning and hit him with her starlight. He went spinning into the ground. Sailor Moon screamed and turned to Anubis.

"Anubis, help them!"

"SNAKE FANG STRIKE!"

"STAR STORM SCREAM!"

"No! Sekhmet! Kale!" Sailor Moon cried.

"I will send your armors to Talpa if I have to tear them from your bodies!" Lady Kayura snarled as she approached the unconscious Dais, Kale and Sekhmet.

"I won't let you take them!" Sailor Moon yelled. "COSMIC MOON POWER!"

"What?" Kayura turned and crossed her swords. She grimaced and Badamon flashed inside her body. "Sailor Moon…you pathetic girl!"

"Badamon, you are pure evil!" Sailor Moon snapped. "I will not allow you to inhabit Kayura's body anymore. Her body does not belong to you. Leave her now!"

"She is mine now," Badamon's voice came out of Kayura's mouth. "There is nothing you can do! STAR STORM SCREAM!"

"Sailor Moon!" Anubis threw himself in front of her.

"Anubis! Why you!"

"I will drive you out," Anubis muttered, rising to his feet, the pink energy from Kayura's swords swirling around him, drawing all his strength away. "Even if it kills me!"

"Anubis," Sailor Moon mumbled.

"Anubis, have you lost your mind?" Badamon demanded.

"My ultimate, QUAKE WITH FEAR!"

Anubis jumped to Kayura and embraced her. "I'll get you out even if we both have to die, Badamon!"

"This will kill you, Anubis!"

"I don't' care!"

"Anubis, Anubis, no!" Sailor Moon yelled. "I can't let you die!"

They rose up in the air and the black and red light was getting too much for Sailor Moon to bear. She shielded her eyes. "Anubis?"

Beams forced Kayura and Anubis apart. Sailor Moon ran to the bridge. "Anubis! Kayura!"

"Fight him, Kayura!" Anubis yelled, sending her his own armor of cruelty.

The armor came to Kayura's body and Badamon was no longer able to possess her anymore. Anubis fell to the bridge and clasped the railing for balance. Sailor Moon wrapped her arms around a weakened Anubis, helping to support his weight

"Anubis, are you all right?" she asked.

"I can't stand," he mumbled.

"You're going to be all right," she insisted.

Lady Kayura blinked and looked up at Anubis. "Anubis?"

Anubis smiled, "you're free now, Kayura. You have come back to us." His legs failed him, "oh."

"Anubis!" Sailor Moon shouted, falling down with him. "Anubis, hang on. You just need some rest and you'll be okay!"

"You've fought well, Sailor Moon," Anubis said bleakly, "your father would be proud."

"Oh, Anubis," she whispered, tears beginning to fill her eyes.

"But the fight is not over. You need to stop Talpa and Beryl."

"Yeah, but you're going to fight with us, right?" she asked hopefully. "Anubis, we can't do this with out you!"

"Sailor Moon, it's all right. I have fought many battles in my life time." Anubis explained. "I wanted to fight a real glorious battle after the meaningless fights I've fought in for decades. I've finally had that battle. It can't get any more glorious than this." Though Anubis was near death, he did not lose that handsome, happy smile of his.

"Anubis, please," Sailor Moon coaxed, "stay with us. Don't talk like that. You're strong, you really are. Please, please, Anubis, don'' leave me! The Ronin Warriors need you. You brought them this far, you can't leave them now! Stay with me, Anubis." She got an idea how to keep him alive. "Tell me more about my father, okay? Tell me everything. Tell me when he saved your life. Anubis, you knew him very well, didn't you? I'm sure you knew him more than anyone else! Tell me all you know, please!"

"I wish I could," said Anubis. "But you'll have to let the Ronin Warriors do that for you."

"No, don't go!" she pleaded. "I need you! I can't do this on my own. I can't!"

"You have to believe in yourself, Sailor Moon." Anubis said reaching his hand to her face. "This is your path, make it a journey." With that last sentence, his hand fell away and he perished in Sailor Moon's arms. Sailor Moon's tears fell freely down her cheeks.

"Don't die on me, Anubis! You remind me too much of my father!" She wailed. "Don't go! I can't do this on my own. Please, Anubis!" she tightened harms around him and sobbed into his red hair. The other sailor scouts and Ronin Warriors walked up. They have succeeded in destroying the barges and with help of Sailor Mars' charms, send the nether spirits packing. The only one left was Lord Badamon.

"It's Anubis!" Sailor Mars exclaimed, "He's gone!"

"He gave his life for us," Sailor Venus whispered.

"I don't believe it," said Rowen.

"Anubis," Sailor Moon sobbed. "Why? Anubis, no!"

Sailor Moon must've cried at least a whole five minutes over Anubis' death until the Sailor Scouts and Ronin Warriors came to try and calm her down.

"Sailor Moon?" Mercury put her hand on her shoulder.

"He died for us," Sailor Moon mumbled, wiping her tears away. "We cannot waste his sacrifice!" She stood up did an about face, her sad, heartbroken face replaced with such anger and hatred the scouts have never witnessed before. She balled her hands into fists and looked up at Talpa's castle. Sailor Moon took in a deep breath and yelled to Talpa.

"Talpa! Talpa, do you hear me, you dark demon lord?" she demanded. "Do you see what you've done? Are you satisfied now? I will not waste Anubis' death, you hear me? The same goes with you, Queen Beryl! You're going down. I am going to finish what my parents started a thousand years ago! Do you hear me, Talpa, Beryl? Heh? Do you hear me? It's the end of you two! Prepare yourselves"

"Sailor Moon," Sailor Mars reached toward her and she slapped her hand away.

"No, Sailor Mars, not now!" Sailor Moon hissed. "Anubis is dead and there is nothing we can do but stop Talpa and Beryl."

The three warlords regained consciousness and took a knee and crossed their arms before their chests in front of Sailor Moon. It confused the heck out of the Ronin Warriors.

"What's going on?" Cye inquired.

"I don't believe it," Sage said, "They're bowing to Sailor Moon."

Sailor Moon stepped toward them. "Warlords, you no longer serve Talpa. From this day forward, you are free."

"We are in your debt, Sailor Moon," Sekhmet said.

"Please, allow us to stop Talpa for you," Kale volunteered.

"It is the least we can do after what we've done," Dais added, "my sister."

"Sister?" Kento inquired. "Please tell me this is a dream or Dais has made another illusion!"

"My father has made your armors to protect humanity," Sailor Moon informed, "I will give you that chance now. My scouts and I will take care of Queen Beryl, meanwhile, I want you to go to Talpa and fight him. Give him the battle he will never forget to show him he has made a mistake in making you his puppets. Will you do that for me, warlords? Ronins?"

"Consider it done," Kale answered.

"That's the way you should use your virtue of obedience, dear Kale," Sailor Moon smiled.

"Yeah," Ryo agreed. "We'll get Talpa for you, Sailor Moon."

"What happened?" Lady Kayura questioned, walking up to the group.

"Lady Kayura doesn't understand what happened," Mia said.

"I will sum up," Sailor Moon told them. "Lady Kayura, listen careful because I do not have time to explain everything. You are the last of my father's people: the Ancient Clan. The Dynasty kidnapped you when you were a child and that is why you have been serving under Talpa. Talpa and Badamon feared you regaining your memories and turning against them so Badamon possessed your body. In the end, Anubis saw no other way," she looked at the sad vision of the dead Anubis on the bridge, "but to sacrifice himself to save you. Please do not waste his loyal sacrifice. He was loyal to us to the end."

"What do you ask me, Sailor Moon?"

"Follow the will of Anubis and The Ancient," Sailor Moon commanded. "Stop Talpa before he takes over the mortal world." She looked at the warlords. "My dear warlords, protect Lady Kayura with your lives."

"Very well," Sekhmet said.

"Let's go then," Sailor Moon said firmly.

--

The group went towards the castle and Talpa seeing this as a threat, jumped out of the roof to them. "You dare defile me?"

"We'll hold him off," Rowen cried, "go to Beryl!"

"Thanks!" Jupiter said and they fought through the dynasty soldiers and Negaverse monsters in search of the throne room.

"Queen Beryl, where are you?" Sailor Moon demanded. "Come out and face me!"

"Yeah, your sweetie decided to show his ugly face to the Ronin Warriors and fight!" Sailor Mars exclaimed.

"We're ready to de-throne you, Beryl!" Sailor Jupiter threatened.

"You can't hide from the Sailor Scouts no matter where you go," Sailor Venus added.

"Or who you team up with!" Sailor Mercury finished as the sailor scouts ran throughout the castle, fighting every minion that dared to stop them.

The scouts stopped and Sailor Mercury got something on her computer. "Guys, she's this way!"

"Right!"

They came to large dark double doors. Sailor Mercury pointed. "She's behind these doors."

"Yeah, I remember these doors when we were captured," Jupiter said.

Sailor Moon walked to the doors and shoved them open. "Beryl, we've come for you!"

They stepped into the room and looked up the front where Queen Beryl was sitting and waiting for them. Darien was kissing her hand.

"You shouldn't kiss her hand, Darien," Mars said, "You don't know where it's been!"

"I see you have made it inside," she said.

"Talpa has bad taste in decoration!" Jupiter snapped as they walked in closer.

Sailor Moon strutted up the aisle toward Queen Beryl. "Well isn't the evil and ugly snake Queen Beryl full of bitterness with nothing to go except back the void from where you came!"

"Don't give your hopes up, Sailor Moon," Queen Beryl muttered. "Talpa are on our way to victory!"

"Wrong-oh!" Mars yelled. "The Ronin Warriors and the warlords are going to make scrap metal out of him!"

"Including Lady Kayura!" Mercury added. "Talpa does not have hold over them anymore!"

Queen Beryl laughed, "Not when I can still get the silver crystal, that reminds me. Darien! I want that crystal right now!"

"Consider it done, my queen," Darien got up and turned around. "It's been sweet, Sailor Moon."

The four sailor soldiers stepped in front of Sailor Moon protectively.

"You're going to have to get through us first!" Sailor Venus exclaimed.

"Yeah!" Mercury agreed.

"So there!" Mars added.

"Traitor!" Jupiter hissed.

"It will be much easier if you just hand it over," Darien said as he pulled out his sword.

"MERCURY BUBBLES BLAST!"

Darien cut through the fog, trying to clear it away. "Mercury, don't make me laugh at your pathetic bubbles!" he grabbed her by the arm and pushed her viciously to the wall.

"Mercury!" Sailor Moon cried.

"Who you calling pathetic, pal?" Sailor Jupiter demanded.

"You're the one who was pathetic and weak enough to fall for the other side," Sailor Venus yelled. "VENES CRESCENT BEAM SMASH!"

Prince Darien held his sword out in front of him and her attack reflected off the blade, hitting Sailor Venus and throwing her backward.

"No, Sailor Venus!"

"You jerk!" Sailor Jupiter snarled, rushing toward him.

"You are already wounded, Jupiter," Darien said, "don't make it worse!"

"JUPITER THUNDER CRASH!"

He easily dodged her lightning and he cut her again on the other side. Sailor Jupiter gasped.

"Oh, damn! I keep getting hurt!"

"I warned you," said Darien as he walked past her. "Out of my way, Sailor Mars."

"Forget it, Darien!" Sailor Mars spat. "Even if did used to like you!"

"You are so stubborn."

"Yeah, so are you! MARS FIRE IGNITE!"

Darien blocked her fire with his sword and sent it back to Sailor Mars and Sailor Moon. Fire marks all over her fuku and smoking as if she were a roasted marshmallow, Sailor Mars fell down.

"No!" Sailor Moon shouted in disbelief. "The Ancient said we wouldn't' die if we fought with the Ronins together!"

"Hey, who says we're dead?" Sailor Jupiter demanded, holding her cut. "We're just weakened, that's all…damn…where's a first aid kit when you need one?"

"You know you can't use your wand to heal him, Sailor Moon," Queen Beryl said, "he is mine forever!"

"Did you have a Nether sprit to possess him like Lady Kayura too?" Sailor Moon questioned.

"I didn't' need to," Queen Beryl said, "because unlike Lady Kayura, Darien proved loyal to me since he came to the Negaverse and I erased his memories of you permanently."

"Loyalty," Sailor Moon muttered, "you don't know the meaning of loyalty, Beryl! I've witness real loyalty in Anubis and he used to work for Talpa. He gave up his life so Lady Kayura could be free and we'd stop you! He was the most loyal being I've ever met and I won't let his death in vain!" she closed her eyes and remembered Anubis' brave act. "My friends are also loyal and they'd give their lives for me! Darien isn't really loyal to you because if he was, you wouldn't have to erase his memories and brainwash him to do it! Loyalty is something between friends who love each other and that's something you don't understand either, Queen Beryl!"

"You want to see how loyal I've made Darien, girl?" Queen Beryl demanded. "Get the crystal, Darien. Kill her if you have to!"

Darien swung his sword around and Sailor Moon dodged each swipe. "Darien, how could you be so blind? Have you really forgotten everything?"

"Give me the crystal!" he shouted.

"Sorry, Darien, but too many lives are at stake!" Sailor Moon reached her hand to her tiara and remembered what Rowen had done recently. He was willing to risk his life for her so she would not lose the crystal. They hadn't even known each other that well and he already knew how important the crystal was. Now she understood. She understood why he was doing it.

"Darien, can't you see we are in love? That we are friends? How could you hurt my sailor scouts? You used to help us!"

"Shut up!"

"Darien, it's true!" Sailor Jupiter yelled and winced as the shouting hurt her side. "Ow!"

"We are friends, Darien! We are all your friends. And only a real friend would this! If I can't free you, Darien," Sailor Moon said, "then I have no choice but to stop you! Goodbye, my love! MOON TIARA MAGIC!"

The four other scouts looked up just in time to see Sailor Moons' tiara smash into Darien's chest. He screamed in pain.

"Sailor Moon, why?" Mars asked weakly.

"Trust me, Mars," she said, tear trickling down her cheek. "It's better this way. Darien would rather die at my hand, than live as Queen Beryl's slave forever!"

Darien grunted and fell to his knees, gasping and holding his ruined armored chest. "Sailor Moon…give me the crystal."

Sailor Moon sighed. "Darien, your mind may belong to Queen Beryl, but your heart belongs to me." She pulled out her locket. "You've got to remember this, Darien. Don't you remember? It's our star locket."

"I remember," he said weakly.

"Oh, all you have to do is touch it!" she said.

Darien reached for the locket and he was overwhelmed by the memories. He gasped and glowed by the light. Sailor Venus pushed herself up.

"Darien! He remembers!"

"Oh, Darien," Sailor Moon moaned, "you remember us now."

"I'll find a way back to you," he said, "some way."

"Hey, you can call me Meatball Head," she suggested. "Or…Princess maybe?"

Sailor Mars laughed. "Yeah, welcome back, Darien."

"That's so sweet," Beryl muttered, creating a large ice crystal, "I'm getting cavities! How dare you betray me, Darien?"

"Sailor Moon, Darien, watch out!" Sailor Mercury cried.

Darien got up in front of Sailor Moon and tossed a rose toward Queen Beryl, breaking the ice crystal in half and it made it way through her heart but she caught it. But the two ice shards flew right in his chest because he didn't move quickly enough.

"Why, thank you for the gift, Darien," Beryl said, sniffing in and crushing it under her foot.

"Darien?" Sailor Moon inquired.

"The ice shards went right through his lungs," Sailor Mercury noted, "he cant' breath!"

"Darien, no!" Sailor Mars shouted.

"First Anubis and now you?" Sailor Moon demanded unbelievably. "How many people am I going to lose?"

"See that, Beryl?" said Venus. "He was really loyal to us the whole time!"

"We're going to get you for that, Beryl," Sailor Moon said, rising to her feet. "Hear me? You've destroyed my old home the Moon Kingdom, tried to get my crystal, joined forces with Talpa and turned my prince against me! I will make you pay!"

"Ooh, I'm so scared," said Beryl.

"You should be!" Sailor Mars shouted. "MARS FIRE IGNITE!"

The fire went right to Queen Beryl and she put it out with an ice shard. "It's no use, sailor scouts. Since I have joined Talpa I have become stronger."

"You," Sailor Jupiter picked up a table and tossed it at Queen Beryl. It smacked into her ground and she lay flat, unmoving. "Wow, that was easy."

Queen Beryl laughed. "You fools. Don't you see? I am invincible!" she pushed herself up and turned to them. "I've become stronger since I've come to the Netherrealm! Be sure to say hello to Darien for me!"

She sent a powerful energy blast to them and they were smashed out of the roof of Talpa's castle. The Ronin Warriors paused from fighting Talpa to take a look.

"It's the Sailor Soldiers!" Ryo called out. "They're in trouble!"

Talpa laughed and pointed at the moon. "Soon the Netherrealm will become part of the mortal world, Ronin Warriors."

"Hey, what's going on here?" Kento demanded.

They felt a strong energy pull them out of the Netherworld and back on Earth and Kayura and the Warlords were left behind. The Sailor Soldiers were taken far into the fields of the Netherworld.

"Don't give up hope everybody," Sailor Moon said, pushing herself up. "We can still win!"

"You are wrong," Queen Beryl insisted and she began to get larger. Her hair turned green and her dress changed. "Prepare yourselves for death, Sailor Brats!"

"I hate it when you call us that!" Sailor Jupiter snarled.

"COSMIC MOON POWER!"

Queen Beryl sent a more powerful force toward the sailor soldiers, creating the ground to give in around them. Sailor Moon's outfit changed to the Moon Princess' gown.

"Pathetic Moon Princess Serena?"

"Let's just show you how pathetic, shall we?" Sailor Venus demanded.

"Lend me your power, Sailor Soldiers."

The scouts each put a hand on the wand and Princess Serena could feel the strength in the crystal.

--

"What's taking them so long?" Artemis inquired.

"I hope nothing has happened to them," Luna said. "It's just taking so long though."

"I'm starting to wonder if Queen Beryl joined forces with another evil person," Artemis said. "What do you think, Luna?"

"That makes sense," Luna answered. "And they have to stop that enemy too.. Don't give up, Sailor Moon! Everyone's counting on you!"

--

'I hear you, Luna and I'm not afraid.'

"You should be!" Queen Beryl snarled. "You can't defeat me and the Ronin Warriors won't stop Talpa!"

"Don't underestimate our power, Beryl," Sailor Mercury said.

The two energy blasts try to push each other away and neither party let up one bit.

"We will stop you!" Sailor Mars shouted.

"You should've known this would happen, Beryl," Sailor Jupiter muttered.

"This battle is over!" Venus hissed.

"Queen Beryl, it's back to the Negaverse with you!" Princess Serena yelled.

Lady Kayura and the warlords came running to see if they were all right. They gasped when they saw that they were still alive. "There they are!" Lady Kayura exclaimed.

"We must help them," Dais said. "WEB OF DECEPTION!"

The stickiness from Dais' web made Beryl unable to use her arms. "Dais, you traitor! Talpa will kill you for this!"

"BLACK LIGHTNING SLASH!"

"SNAKE FANG STRIKE!"

"MERCURY POWER!"

"MARS POWER!"

"JUPITER POWER!"

"VENUS POWER!"

"COSMIC MOON POWER UNITE!"

"What…No!"

Queen Beryl screamed as the crystal overwhelmed her attack, blew her back to the Negaverse where she belonged and the sailor scouts fell down weakened from energy withdrawal.

"We did it," Princess Serena breathed, "Oh."

"Are you all right?" Dais questioned them hopefully.

"Yeah," Sailor Jupiter answered bleakly.

"Thanks for the help, my warlords," Princess Serena whispered. "Where are the Ronin Warriors?"

"Talpa took them to the Mortal Realm to fight," Kayura explained.

"What, no!" Princess Serena exclaimed. "We must help them!"

"But Princess, you've used too much power," Mars protested. "There is only enough power in the crystal to sustain you so you can walk!"

"My father sent us here to help the Ronin Warriors," Princess Serena insisted, trying to get to her feet, "and that's what I'm going to do!"

"We are all weakened," Sailor Jupiter admitted, "as much as I hate to admit it but I really want something for these cuts and something to eat and some rest!"

"Moon Princess, we will go and help them instead!" Kale suggested.

"Stay and recover your strength," said Sekhmet.

"Yes, we should be the ones to do it," Dais said. "He had toyed with us long enough."

"You are very sweet," Princess Serena smiled, "but I have to do this for my father. You all stay here and protect the Netherworld. Destroy any Negaverse Monsters and Netherworld minions we have missed."

"If you are that determined to go and fight," Lady Kayura sighed, "then I will not stop you."

"Thank you."

"But please, don't use the crystal," she told her, dropping to her knees and holding the staff out in front of her, "take your father's staff, Moon Princess and fight Talpa. We will take care of everything here."

"Very well," the Moon Princess took it and she was clothed in an ancient pink and silver garb with crescent moons allover it. The same thing went for the rest of the scouts for they had used too much of their energy to fight and they were all wearing ancient kimonos in the colors of their power.

"Wow, Princess Serena!" Sailor Venus breathed.

"Call me Serene One," she told them. "Let's go, my ladies!"

"Good luck," Lady Kayura nodded and Serene One held the staff over her head. A pink sphere went around her and the Sailor Soldiers and they took off to the mortal world.

It was a mess. People were being fooled by Talpa's treasury thinking he was offering them wealth and power. He was trying to find more puppets. The Ronin Warriors were trying to take Talpa but it was difficult now that Queen Beryl has given him some of her power. The Lord of the Netherspirits, Badamon, was floating in the air and giving the Ronin Warriors a dose of his energy.

"Give in to the power of the Netherworld, Ronin Warriors!"

Suddenly, top of the Ancient's staff went right through his chest and tore his body apart with golden beams.

"How…no!"

"That was for Anubis!" Serene One hissed as he was vaporized. She landed on the roof with the Ronin Warriors. "Ronin Warriors, we have come to help you!"

"Sailor Moon, you've got The Ancient's staff!" Rowen exclaimed.

"Hey, Cye, I'll help you with this assignment if you just trust me!" Lady Mercury offered.

"All right," Cye said, bringing down his trident.

"You are so stubborn, Ryo," Lady Mars muttered, folding her arms, "or I'll never talk to you again!"

"Hey!" Ryo shouted.

"Yeah, let us give you a hand Sage," Lady Jupiter winked, "There are still too many things I want to cook for you!"

Sage blushed, "oh, well, thanks."

"Let us help," Lady Venus implored, "we haven't known each other long enough for it to all end yet."

"We don't want it to end either, do we guys?" Kento asked the guys with a grin. "Feel free to start helping any time!"

"I have my father's staff, Talpa," Serene One said firmly, "and I will destroy you with it. Feel my wrath!"

"I will bury you!" Talpa shouted, bringing down his humongous sword. But Serene One pushed it away with the magic staff and broke it with a beam of light. She twirled it around her head, held it in front of her with her other hand making symbols.

--

"You remember my old armor I used to defeat Talpa?" The Ancient asked Queen Serenity as he walked her to the piece of armor.

"I do, my love."

"I'm going to send it to our daughter," he said. "So she will fight Talpa if he were to come back again. Then she will know I am still with her."

"Dear Alden," Serenity breathed, "how thoughtful."

The Ancient, then known as Alden, put his hand in front of his face and whispered, "Peace."

Silver and pink beams swirled around his old armor, morphing into a more feminine piece of armor in pink and silver but it stayed the same usual ancient make.

"Fight him in your new armor, my dear with your spirit."

--

Serene One felt the silver kanji symbol of peace glow upon her forehead and she held the staff up by the top, turned it around in the next second, it was a long golden sword. The same sword The Ancient used to destroy Talpa and she was now wearing his old armor only it was pink in silver instead of gray and blue. The helmet that had flaps to cover his eyes were missing and it had a crescent moon upon it.

"Hey, that looks like the kind of armor the Ancient wore when he killed Talpa!" Ryo exclaimed.

"Ryo, I need you to be in your armor of Inferno," Serena of the Moon Kingdom said. "I'll hold him off while the others give you their power!" She ran to Talpa with more speed than she ever had before in her life, without tripping either. She jumped and hit Talpa all over.

"Annoying insect!" Talpa growled.

"Talpa, I will tear you apart so that you will never put yourself together again!" Serena shouted.

"Oh you really think so?"

Once Ryo was in the Inferno, he walked up next to Serena. Talpa took out another sword and they broke it. Serena ran over his back and destroyed the remaining weapons he had so he could not fight back.

"I want your armor, Ryo of Wildfire!" Talpa yelled.

"No way! RAGE OF INFERNO!"

Serena flipped off Talpa and he backed away, laughing. "The armors were mine to begin with."

"Forget it, Talpa," Serena said, "my father placed virtues in those armors. Nine virtues you never had! Only the people with loyalty, obedience, piety, serenity, virtue, trust, life, justice, and wisdom can wear these armors now!"

"Shut your face!" He threw his palm down to crush Serena and she ran up his arm.

"I'll slice you from the inside out!" she hissed, jumping down his throat.

"Serena!" Lady Mars cried.

"Don't worry about me!" her voice rang out. "Ryo, I have an idea. If Talpa was the armor so bad, why don't you give it to him?"

"Yeah, why not, Talpa?" Ryo asked, "Go ahead and try it on for size! I'll join Serena inside you and see if we can find any virtue inside your black soul!"

Ryo gave the armor of Inferno up and he was inside Talpa's body with Serena. The White armor flashed and Talpa's on armor would come back. The kanji of virtue was keeping him from moving as it glowed on his forehead.

"What is this?" he demanded.

"It's working, Ryo," Serena said.

"The virtue is corrupting his mind," Ryo shouted through Talpa. "Hurry up and slash him!"

"Ryo, what about you?" Kento inquired.

"And Serena?" Venus asked.

"Listen to me guys, if you don't, Talpa can still take over the world," Serena continued, "and we would lose. Forget about Ryo and me. This is your only chance. Amy, Raye, Lita, Mina, give energy to the guys so they can cut Talpa apart. It's the only way!"

"Do it!" Ryo shouted "Do it now!"

The eight hesitated, looked at each other and decided they really had no other choice. Amy, Raye, Lita and Mina clasped hands and focused on their energy and sent it to Rowen, Sage, Cye and Kento.

"Get Talpa, guys," Raye said. "Make mince meat out of him!"

"Go!" they shouted.

The four Ronin Warriors ran yelling toward Talpa, tears in their eyes and they slashed him all over his body. Talpa was cut apart like paper. Then the eight stood standing, waiting for Ryo and Serena to come back to them. The smoke hanging around Talpa's remains was too thick for them to see through.

"Serena?"

"Ryo?"

--

It was dark except for the petals floating around them. It was nice and warm. Ryo was all right, but Serena…

"Yeah, we did it, Serena!" Ryo shouted. "We did it…Serena?"

He looked to her but she was floating in the air, unconscious. She wasn't in her armor, or her kimono or and she wasn't the Moon Princess, but she appeared to look like a defeated Sailor Moon. Her fuku was ripped, a ruby from her hair was missing, her tiara was split in half across her forehead and her locket was broken. The Ancient's staff was beside her.

"Sailor Moon!" Ryo exclaimed, trying to swim through the darkness to get to her. "Sailor Moon!" He took her in his arms and tried to get her to wake up. "Sailor Moon, can you hear me? Please, you can't die. The scouts need you…oh this is my fault…we never should've gotten you involved with Talpa! Sailor Moon, wake up. Wake up!"

To Be Concluded