Hi, all!
Well, here it is. Ronin No More, part six of my series. I just want to ask
everybody to send me any C&C or comments you have. If you liked it, loved
it, hated it, read it, or heard someone else talking about it, LET ME KNOW!
^_^
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-- Attached file included as plaintext by Listar --
LEGAL DISCLAIMER : None of the characters here belong to me. Sailor
Moon belongs to DIC, and Graz Entertainment is the owner of the
Yoroiden in North America. Don't sue me : I'm a student, and
too broke to be worth it.
SAILOR MOON / YOROIDEN SAMURAI TROOPERS X-OVER
RONIN SUMMER
by Morgan Hudson (dataraven_659@excite.com)
PART 6 : RONIN NO MORE
The rental van slowly meandered its way through the twisted
mountain paths. At the wheel, Seiji Date was trying very hard to keep
from turning around and going home.
"He's pushing me!"
"I'm TIRED!"
"Seiji, Usagi took my chocalate bar! Make her give it back!"
"I'm thirsty!"
"Are we THERE yet?"
"I have to go to the bathroom!"
"Are we there NOW?"
Seiji grit his teeth. It had all started out so well : Touma,
Shin and himself had all used their yoroi crystals to track the
crystal of their captured teammate Shuu Rei Fuan. Usagi's disguise pen
combined with Seiji's bank account had rented them a van, and they had
been off to battle yet another personification of evil and darkness.
Well actually, Seiji corrected himself, first they had needed
to drop off the two cats, Artemis and Luna. Then Usagi had wanted to
stop for ice cream, and Makoto had wanted a soda, and Shin remembered
he had to feed his fish, and THEN they had been off to battle yet
another personification of evil and darkness.
Now, four hours, sixty miles, and two thousand, eight hundred
and thirty-six bottles of beer on the wall later, they were all a
little too close to finishing each other off and saving the evil
forces a great deal of trouble. He turned and looked at Touma, who was
technically the navigator. This job apparently consisted of holding a
map upside down and occasionally scratching his head while shrugging.
"I think we need to reorient on Shuu." With a squealing of
brakes, the van skidded to a halt. The doors squeaked open, and all
three Yoroiden hopped out. Touma reached into his shirt and fished out
a small glowing blue orb, with the kanji for "CHI" burning in its
centre. Seiji followed suit, lifting a green crystal marked with the
glowing symbol of "WISDOM". Shin was last, reaching into his shirt
pocket and revealing a lighter blue crystal marked "TRUTH".
"Shin, why are you keeping your yoroi in your pocket?"
The brown haired teen smiled self-consciously. "Well, the
chain I was using to hang it around my neck kind of broke a few miles
back. I... actually had a hard time finding it... it sort of rolled
under the seat."
Touma groaned. "I can't believe this! We're practically on the
doorstep of a great and powerful evil, and you nearly LOSE your armor!
Are you TRYING to get us all killed?"
Shin decided not to answer, and the three Yoroiden placed their
crystal yoroi together. The glow intensified, and a beam of light shot
out from the trio of orbs, pointing further up the road. A small
reddish orange light glimmered in the distance.
"Well, that's Shuu all right... looks like he's being kept..."
Seiji paused as his eyebrow nearly reached his hairline. "...in the
Pinnacles!"
**********
The Pinnacles were a natural phenomenon in Japan, a series of
caverns and catacombs where nothing had ever seen the light. Here, in
this craggy maze of rock, the man known as Kauso had forged the yoroi
of Korin. Seiji Date, Ronin of Halo, knew the Pinnacles the way that
a baby knows the womb.
The rental van stopped several feet away, and pulled over. By
unspoken agreement, the seven teens got out and looked around. There
was a good chance, they suddenly realised, that not everybody in their
little group would ever see that van again. The four Sailor Senshi
seemed to need a few moments to steel themselves for the coming
battle. With a series of gestures, Touma told the other two Yoroiden
to back off and start hiking without them. After about six steps, Rei
Hino joined them. Three steps later, Makoto Kino was walking next to
Touma, and two steps after that, Minako Aino had caught up. Usagi,
to everybody's surprise, actually wound up ahead of them.
**********
"I don't believe it!" Touma carefully pushed the bushes down
and peered over them. Seiji and Makoto were crouching next to him, and
the rest of the group was a few feet behind.
"What?" Makoto looked through the thick underbrush, and
gasped. "A TIGER! Do you suppose it could be some kind of youma? A
guard, maybe?" Sure enough, a giant white tiger was lying in the grass
near the cave's entrance and grooming itself.
"Don't be stupid," said Seiji, "it's just Byakuen." Gently, he
rustled the bushes, and the tiger immediately snapped its head up and
began looking around with its sharp and unnatural brown eyes. "Hey!
Psst! Byakuen! We're over here!"
"Are you INSANE?" Makoto hissed, grabbing at Seiji's arm.
"Byakuen isn't a youma, Makoto. He's Ryo's pet tiger." Touma
stopped and realised what he was saying. "And if he's here..."
"Oh my God! Ryo must be here too! HE'S ALIVE!" Shin had
crawled forward as Byakuen poked his massive head through the bushes
to see what was causing such a fuss. The big cat purred like a motor
as Shin chuckled and petted its head. "He is, isn't he, Byakuen?"
It may have been Makoto's imagination, but she thought she saw
the tiger nod. "So then... Sailor Mercury might still be alive, too?"
**********
Ami Mizuno fell forward on the 'ground'of the Astral Plane.
Ryo Sanada, Yoroiden of Rekka, caught her and gently kneeled down,
placing her head in his lap.
"Oh, Ryo... I'm afraid I don't feel at all well..." That was
an understatement, he was sure. Ami was starting to blur around the
outlines, and she looked... washed out, somehow. Ryo tried to smile
down at her.
"Really? You look great to me." Now that he thought about it,
Ryo noticed that it was getting harder to 'breathe' here. He was so
tired : he just wanted to close his eyes, and go to sleep.
Well, he admitted as he looked at the beautiful young woman
lying in his lap, there WAS one other thing he wanted to do...
No fantasies, he told himself as he leaned down and brought
his face closer to hers. No delusions, no mistaken identities. Just one
little kiss...
"Ryo?" The voice jarred him, and the black haired warrior
quickly and guilty lifted his head and looked around. There, in the
distance, was a somewhat stocky Chinese boy with thick sideburns and
a confused look on his face. "Ryo, is that YOU?"
"Shuu? How the hell did..." Ryo shrugged. It didn't matter, he
decided as he staggered to his feet and stumbled over to the man in
the orange undergear. This was SHUU! They had beaten Arago, for
heaven's sake! This was someone he could plan with, escape with!
He tripped, and Shuu caught him in a bear hug. "RYO! Man, we
all thought you were a goner! How did you get here? And where IS here?"
"Hey, relax buddy! I'm okay!" Ryo felt his friend set him
back down, and he nearly fell. "I'm... okay..." He wondered idly who
he was trying to convince. "We gotta get out of here, Shuu. Ami's not
doing so... AMI!" With a shocked gasp, Ryo tore himself out of his
friend's grip and stumbled over to the place where Sailor Mercury had
lain.
There was nothing but fog, just waist high fog! Oh Kami, Ryo
sobbed to himself, why did I let go of her? I should have held on, I
should have done something! He dropped to his knees and began
frantically running his hands through the mist. Finally, after a
heart-stopping minute, his questing fingers found a wrist.
"Hey... you weren't going to check out on me, were you, Ami
Mizuno?" Gently, Ryo lifted the girl up and held her against his
chest. "We were just starting to have fun..."
Ami's eyelids fluttered open. "Ryo...?" She looked past him,
where Shuu stood looking down at her with a solemn expression on his
face. "Pleased... to make... your acquaintance," she said, and
stretched one hand out to him. Shuu accepted it and smiled sadly.
"Charmed." Shuu looked over at Ryo, who was about to cry.
"I take it this is Sailor Mercury?"
"Yes," choked Ryo as her eyelids closed and he kissed them
tenderly, "she was."
**********
"Ah, the Pinnacles! Underground rivers, needle-sharp
stalactites, bottomless chasms, and so dark you can't even see your
own hand in front of your face!" Seiji sighed and grinned as he rested
his shoulder on one armoured shoulder. "Ladies, welcome to flavour
country."
Makoto tightened her gloves. "Let's just try to get this over
with, okay? I have a cake in the oven." Touma chuckled, and even
Byakuen seemed to snort a little.
"Traitors," Seiji hissed at them, and the group slowly and
carefully entered the catacombs.
**********
In the darkness of the Pinnacles, nobody was exactly sure when
the Desert Knight rejoined them. He was simply there, sword gleaming
coldly in the last shreds of sunlight from outside.
"The Dark One lairs in the heart of these caverns," he had
explained to them. "Even as we speak, he is waiting for you all. You
must beware : he has captured your friends, and by now has surely
drained their power into himself."
"So?" whispered Makoto. "We'll just take him out and give it
back!" Byakuen growled agreement, and all three Yoroiden nodded coldly.
**********
"Ryo?" Shuu paused, unsure how to breach the subject. "Ryo...
you don't look so hot, buddy."
Ryo Sanada smiled weakly as he stretched out next to the
rapidly fading form of Sailor Mercury. "Hey... Wildfire is still plenty
hot enough to handle some loudmouth... like you..."
"Ryo, I'm serious. I can see through you, man!" Shuu tried not
to sound too distraught. "Don't do this to me, Ryo! Don't you leave me
here alone!"
Ryo coughed weakly. "Looks like it can't be helped, Shuu. I...
guess this is... good-bye, old friend." He carefully wrapped his arms
around Mercury's waist. "At least... I'm going out with company..."
"Hang ON, Ryo! Our friends are coming for us! They'll be here
any second, man : you just have to hang on..."
**********
"It's so dark in here : I can barely see my own hands!" Sailor
Mars wasn't kidding, Usagi decided. She actually had to blink just to
make sure her eyes weren't shut already. It was cold, wet, and slimy,
too. Why couldn't these creatures hide out in nice, comfortable
hotel rooms?
"Just keep your hands on my yoroi, Sailor Mars." Touma no
Tenku didn't even bother turning around to speak to her. With the
echoes of the caverns, he could have been a thousand feet away and it
would have sounded the same. "If you get lost down here, you STAY lost
down here."
"But not for long," added Seiji from his position in the lead,
"because if you don't fall to your death, or drown, or starve, or
suffocate, the youma will probably get you..." Sailor Venus, who was
positioned between the two Yoroiden, smacked him upside the head.
"WHAT? What'd I do?"
Suddenly Byakuen began to growl deeply. Seiji felt the neck
muscles of the tiger tighten like steel cables under his hand, and
stopped the troop. "Hang on! I think Byakuen smells something."
Reaching behind him with his free hand, the Yoroiden of Korin pulled
free the massive blade known as the Korin Ken. "What is it, boy? You
smell a yauja?"
The tiger snarled in affirmation. Seiji cursed under his breath
and whispered to Shin. "Hey, boy-chama! Are you still bringing up the
rear?"
"I believe so... let me check..."
"Listen, we got a little situation up here. I don't want to
break us up, but there's a youma or something ahead. Can you handle it
for us? Just run ahead and take it out."
Shin released his hold on Sailor Jupiter's waist and hoisted
his Suiko Yari. "Just point the way, Seiji!"
**********
Shin Mouri didn't have any problems with the dark. He had
plumbed the ocean depths, dove in the blackest and most dangerous
waters in the sea. With no air tank, he had explored the undersea
trench where he first found Suiko, and swam with whales and sharks
alike.
This was different, though. Here, he felt like... he almost
hated himself for thinking it... a fish out of water. The stone floor
was uneven, and covered in cracks, and all he could hear was his
own breath rasping in his mask. His footsteps sounded like gunshots :
how could any youma be caught off guard by such noise?
"Shin Mouri, Yoroiden of Suiko. How fitting that you should
meet your death here, as far from your home element as you can be."
The voice was sickening, and the worst part was that Shin knew who it
had to be. Touma and Shuu had told him that there was a youma
impersonating Naara...
Something whistled in the dark, and Shin moved on instinct.
The distinctive clang of metal on metal told him he had managed to
block one of Naara's swords.
"SNAKE BITE STRIKE!" Shin cursed, and threw himself backwards.
Of course, Naara still had five more swords, and each was as lethally
venomous as the one before. He gagged as one screeched against the
beak of his helmet : it had nearly cut open his face! He could smell
the sickly sweet poison as it oozed off of the sword and flowed over
his face. Another Yoroiden would have been in serious trouble, but
Shin no Suiko's facemask was airtight.
With a grunt of effort, Shin wrapped his hands around the fake
Masho's arm and threw the youma over his shoulder. The youma Naara
hit a stalagmite with a satisfying crack. Shin began to step back, to
give himself more fighting room...
...and very nearly fell, as his left foot slipped off the edge
of the cliff he was standing on. He remembered Touma's words : 'if you
get lost down here, you STAY lost down here...' With Herculean effort,
he managed to get his balance back and drove his trident into the
stone floor to secure it. He paid for this, as the false Naara had
apparently gotten its wind back, and kicked him in the head.
Shin lost his grip on the trident, but managed to get a firmer
grip on the youma. "I never lost... to the REAL Naara," he panted as
they teetered on the edge of the precipice, "and I'll be damned... if
I lose to YOU!" They fell, punching and kicking all the way down. Shin
had to smile as he felt the cold water of an underground river breaking
their fall. WATER! With renewed strength, he grasped the youma by its
neck and continued his struggle, mindless of the current which swept
him away...
**********
Seiji cursed when he heard the splash. Running as fast as he
dared, with five other people and one tiger depending on him to make
it through these caverns, he rounded the corner and looked around.
There was the Suiko Yari, still embedded by the edge of the precipice.
"Kami, no..."
"Seiji... it's okay. Shin knew what he was doing." Touma
reached past Sailor Venus and patted his shoulder. "We can always use
our yoroi to find him later, right? Or he'll find us. It takes more
than some youma to get rid of OUR boy-chama!"
"Yeah... he'll probably be waiting by the van and wondering
what took us so long." Seiji smiled wryly and stroked Byakuen between
the ears. "We'd better keep going, group. There's still the Dark One
to face."
**********
Five minutes later, Usagi moved forward through the line to
ask Seiji a question.
"Are you sure you know where we are?"
"Of course I know." Seiji chuckled. "We're somewhere under the
rest of Japan. Tokyo is up, and New York is down."
Usagi moaned. "That wasn't what I wanted to hear..."
Seiji shrugged, then stiffened. "Usagi... could you take
Byakuen for a second? I... have to go check something out."
Sailor Moon shrugged. "Uhm... I guess... nice tiger, NICE
tiger! PLEASE don't eat me, tiger..." Kneeling, she stretched out a
trembling hand and placed it on the tiger's head. Byakuen purred, and
licked her face. "Heeey! You're nothing but a big, sweet kitty, aren't
you?" She laughed, and wrapped her arms around its neck.
**********
Seiji sighed and walked over to Sailor Venus. "It looks like
our turn just came up, Minako. Stay close to me, and DON'T GET LOST,
got it?" The startled girl nodded, and grasped his hand.
"What's going on, Seiji?" Minako tried not to sound scared.
After all, Sailor V could and would fight every youma in the Dark
Kingdom! It was just... in the dark...
"Remember that youma that attacked us at the party? Thornzz,
or whatever he was called?"
"Yeah..."
"He's here. DUCK!" Minako ducked, and Seiji swung over her
head. Something screamed, and she felt a rush of air from above
her.
"A lucky ssssstrike, Sssssseji no Korin." The blackness
hissed, and Minako screamed as a hail of darts tore through the inky
darkness. Seiji pushed her down, and she had the wind knowcked out of
her. She could hear him breathing, and she could hear the sounds of
a struggle, but who was winning? She couldn't even fire a Crescent
Beam, for risk of hitting Seiji.
All she could do now was sit in the dark and try not to die.
**********
Byakuen moaned, and began to pull Usagi along the path. "Woah!
Wait a minute! I can't see where we're going! Maybe we should wait for
Seiji..."
A scream echoed throughout the caves, followed by the sound of
blades clanging against each other. "Well, okay, maybe we CAN'T wait,
but could we at least catch our breath or something?"
SNARL.
"Geez! How come I always get stuck with the bossy cats?" Usagi
sighed, and turned behind her. "Hey, Touma! Rei! I think we're moving
out now!"
"No, Sailor Moon." Rei's voice was pinched with pain, and
Usagi fought the urge to whine. "I... fell. My ankle's twisted pretty
badly... looks like I'm stuck here for a while."
"Oh, no! Rei, you CAN'T be hurt! You're the only one left!"
Touma spoke softly in her ear. "Sailor Mars cannot possibly
survive here alone, Usagi. I could carry her..."
"No." Usagi sighed deeply. "Stay here, Touma. Guard Rei in
case some youma attacks her. I'll... I'll go on alone."
**********
Usagi Tsukino, sometimes known as Sailor Moon, tried VERY hard
not to be afraid. She was the last one left, she thought to herself,
the only hero who could stop the Dark One and save her friends. That
meant no crying, and no being afraid.
Byakuen continued to pull, and Usagi let him lead her deeper
into the catacombs. How she was going to get back out was a matter
of some comcern...
"Fear not, Sailor Moon." The deep and strong voice almost
seemed to reach out and hold her up, as its owner floated alongside
her. "The Desert Knight will always be here for you, should you have
need of me."
"Well, you could have been here for me a few minutes ago!
Where were you?"
"He was helping me, Usagi." Sailor Moon blinked in the
darkness as she recognised another voice.
"Makoto? Sailor Jupiter? Where have you been?"
"I... got lost." Makoto sounded miserable. "I lost my grip on
Rei when Shin left, and I must have gotten turned around somehow. The
Desert Knight led me back here to you."
Despite herself, Usagi began to feel better. "All RIGHT! With
you, me, and the Desert Knight after him, this Dark One doesn't stand
a chance!"
**********
Slowly, light began to filter back into the caverns, and
Usagi took a guilty pleasure in being able to see her friends again.
It had been kind of eerie, walking in the dark with nothing but voices
for company. The three people and one tiger inched their way into a
huge cave, filled only with two crystals and a giant figure.
It was these crystals that were providing the light, as they
glowed and bobbed in mid-air. Encased in one was Shuu Rei Fuan, and
Usagi could just barely make out Ami and someone she assumed was
Ryo Sanada in the other one.
"Release our friends, you... you SCUM!" Usagi strode forward
and placed her hands on her hips. "I am Sailor Moon, champion of
love and justice, and on behalf of the Moon, I will right wrongs and
triumph over evil!"
"Will you now." The Dark One still had his massive back turned
to her. "How very... boring. Go away, before I crush you!" A slight
glint of crimson cut through the dim lighting as he looked over his
shoulder at her. After realising she wasn't planning to go anywhere,
he sighed and stood up.
He was HUGE. Standing, his horned head nearly brushed the
ceiling of the cave, and his body was gnarled with muscles that looked
more like giant steel cables than flesh. Shards of ebony bone jutted
from his forearms and shoulders haphazardly, as if someone had been
called away in the middle of making him. His feet were more like a
bird's than a man's, and his hands ended in fierce, sword-like claws,
twisted and useless for any peaceful purpose. A thick, long tail, like
that of a dinosaur, slowly waved from side to side, and the high fin
on his head ran straight down his spine. There were another, smaller
pair of arms under the massive ones, ending in nimble digits.
He was the scariest thing Usagi had ever seen. And he didn't
look like he had EVER had a happy thought in his life. "Do you," he
asked calmly, in a voice that sounded more like a bass rumble than
actual words, "have any IDEA how much trouble you've caused me? Can
you even comprehend how you have ruined my plans?"
"Well, no..." Usagi squeaked.
"Eleven thousand years I waited down here. Eleven thousand
years, since that thrice-cursed Arago cast me out of the Dynasty!"
The Dark One growled, and Usagi got ready to be squished like a bug.
"The time was FINALLY right. Arago was dead, Metallia dead. The
Dynasty was ruled by a child, and the Dark Kingdom had no ruler at all!
I could have conquered both realms without even trying! But there had
to be YOU. You're destined to destroy me, you know. Hades, you're
probably destined to destroy any NUMBER of us demons! That is why the
gods favour you so, Sailor Moon. You're the only person who can
destroy me before I destroy them."
"But not," he added as an afterthought, "if I destroy you
first." He gestured, and a blast of energy streaked towards Usagi.
Sailor Jupiter leapt in front of it, and flew screaming across the
cave to slam into the far wall. She bounced off and fell to the
ground in a way that just COULDN'T be healthy.
"MAKOTO!" Usagi screamed.
**********
The Desert Knight swallowed his surprise and leapt at the
creature, launching a volley of white roses. The demon roared, and
fired a blast at the wraith, but in a flurry of white petals, the
Knight had disappeared. Seconds later, he reappeared on the other
side of the creature, and threw another volley.
"Sailor Moon!" The Desert Knight cried, flying in
circles to avoid the Dark One's optic blasts and grasping claws. "His
power! It's tied to the crystals! We have to destroy them!"
The Dark One snarled, and caught the Desert Knight off guard.
Cape fluttering behind him, the hero soared straight into the ground,
head first. Usagi screamed, and grabbed her Moon Sceptre.
"MOON... SCEPTRE... ELIMINATION!"
The Dark One roared, again... with laughter. "Is that all you
have to offer, little one? Hardly a worthy attack for Queen Serenity's
daughter..."
Woozy, the Desert Knight rose to his feet and hurled another
rose. Spinning through the air, it hit the giant crystal containing
Ryo no Rekka and Sailor Mercury. There was a sound that reminded
Usagi of when her parent's window had come into contact with her
baseball bat, and, in a rain of crystalline shards, Ami Mizuno and
Ryo Sanada dropped to the ground. A second rose flew, and Shuu no
Kongo fell to join his friends.
"Pathetic FOOL! I have already drained them of their power!
Your friends cannot help you now!" The Dark One lifted his hands, and
a great ball of black flame formed between them. "Prepare to die,
little Queen. The Daughter of Serenity shall be NO MORE!"
Usagi whimpered slightly and grasped the brooch holding her
bow together. "Mother..." she cried, and the brooch began to glow...
**********
Whatever sadness someone has
Alone, he can go through it and become happy...
**********
"She's right," wheezed Ryo Sanada, as he flopped helplessly on
the ground, "I can't even stand, let alone fight... I just don't have
the power..."
"You want power, Ryo?" Shuu looked down at his friend and let
the yoroi crystal of Kongo fall into his hand. "We'll give you all the
power you need! BUSSO... KONGO... KIKOUTEN!" A blast of orange energy
leapt from the jewel and enveloped Ryo in brilliance, as the armor of
Kongo burned off of Shuu.
*** JUSTICE!!! ***
**********
Such nights I'm not lost
Please call for me,
Because I'll come right away...
**********
From the depths of an underground river, a blue armoured hand
broke through the surface of the water.
"BUSSO... SUIKO... KIKOUTEN!"
*** TRUTH! ***
**********
Touma rose to his feet.
"What's wrong?" asked Rei.
"BUSSO... TENKU... KIKOUTEN!" he answered.
*** CHI! ***
**********
Seiji Date kicked the youma in the throat, and watched as it
tried to gasp through a crushed windpipe.
"Seiji! You did it!" Minako smiled into the darkness.
"BUSSO... KORIN... KIKOUTEN!" he shouted.
*** WISDOM! ***
**********
The night will soon end,
So raise your face :
Morning radiance is waiting for you...
**********
Ryo Sanada writhed in sheer ecstasy as blue, green, and orange
energy crawled over his body. "BUSSO... REKKA... KIKOUTEN!"
There was a brilliant flare of energy, first red, and then...
white. Ryo Sanada stood in the centre of it, swirling flames of every
color writhing up and down his body. The undergear armour he wore
became first red, then black as night. Crouching, he began to glide
towards the Dark One, who was watching in surprise.
"This... this is IMPOSSIBLE!"
Ryo, who was Ryo no more, smiled broadly. "EVERYTHING is
possible!" Hariel cried, and the transformation continued. Great
swaths of white and gold yoroi flashed into existence on his body,
covering him from head to toe in armour plates studded with spikes and
blades of all variety. The armour gleamed with an inner light, and the
kanji for Justice and Wisdom glowed on each fist. Truth and Chi
glared coldly from each knee, and Virtue glinted crimson between
his eyes as Hariel, Ronin of Inferno, and Yoroiden of Kikoutei, donned
his intricate helmet with its crown of thorns.
**********
Certainly joyful times someone also has
Alone - he can go beyond that and be even more happy.
**********
Usagi Tsukino smiled beautifically as a golden light poured
from her forehead. Where moments before there had been but a simple
tiara, a crescent moon gleamed. Her short navy skirt tore into strips,
somehow lengthening and reforming as it wrapped around her legs
completely and turned silver. She arched her back as she floated in
mid-air, and the bows on her fuku also tore and reformed, covering her
torso with the most brilliant of silver cloth.
Her gloves glowed and lengthened, stretching along her arms
and wrapping tightly around her hands, which clutched the Sceptre. Her
hair as well seemed to change, the long tails growing down past her
feet as a string of pearls appeared on her head. Her hair seemed to
be nearly white as she glowed with an inner light, and she had what
almost looked like a pair of giant gull wings spreading from her
shoulders.
The Dark One squinted in the combined light of the two heroes.
Raising one claw to shield his face, he snarled and hurled the ball
of energy at Hariel, who was blown backwards... and then got back up,
unscratched.
**********
Best Friends! Best Friends!
If you call my name -
I'll quickly return at that time
With friends.
Withered forest in winter...
Opened eyes in spring...
Summer's sunlight shower :
Revived in fall.
**********
Neo Queen Serenity looked down at the form of Hariel, who
gazed back at her. After a long moment, they both nodded
imperceptibly. Byakuen roared as he became enveloped in black flames,
and silver armor formed on his body. The now black tiger growled as
Hariel reached over and slowly drew the Fervor Swords from his
bearer's back.
The Dark One was still in a state of shock. It couldn't BE!
That any two beings of such power could exist was against every law
and rule he had ever learned! Surely, they could not be mortals! He
roared in outrage, and hurled an immense blast of energy at the woman,
who so far seemed the weakest of the two.
**********
Always we feel
The power of dreams...
**********
Serenity barely even blinked as she lifted the Sceptre and
easily blocked the blast with one of her own. The two forces met and
clashed, neither side giving ground. The Dark One began to smile as
he realised that he was NOT overmatched at all.
Then Serenity nodded to Hariel, who snapped to attention.
With a single, smooth motion, he brought his two blades together and
leapt into the air. Spinning the makeshift spear, he soared above the
Dark One, who had no hands free to block him.
Serenity smiled gently. "MOON..."
Hariel began to drop, filled with the power to destroy entire
worlds. "RAGE..."
"SCEPTRE..."
"OF..."
"HALATION !!!!"
"INFERRRNOOOO!!!!!"
And for the first time since the world was created, the
caverns and catacombs of the Pinnacles were filled with brilliant,
blinding light.
**********
Wider than the sky
Very big things have.
Forgiving hearts meet
Discovered friends.
**********
The Pinnacles exploded. A great cloud of smoke and dust
billowed out of the mouth of the caverns like a thick quilt of mist.
As the aftershocks of what would later be called a 2.5 earthquake
began to fade, a black smudge appeared in the greyish smoke. Slowly,
the smudge formed itself into five blurry figures.
The Yoroiden Samurai Troopers walked out into the light of
day, smoke pouring off of their badly damaged armor. Each held in his
arms a precious cargo : one of the Sailor Senshi, who were just now
beginning to regain consciousness. Reverently, each man lowered his
passenger onto the soft green grass.
"Congratulations, Yoroiden." A small, cowled figure in
rumpled robes nodded to them, and chuckled as they reached for their
weapons. "Away put your weapons! I mean you no harm!"
Hariel, still carrying Sailor Moon in his arms, glared
suspiciously at the rumpled figure before them. "Who are you, creature?
If you served the Dark One, then know that your foul master is no
more."
"Serve him?" The rumpled figure chuckled. "Well, perhaps he
thought I did. You see, it was I who arranged for this entire event to
occur. Kayura could never have withstood the Dark One's wrath, and
this realm would not have lasted much longer. Only the combined wrath
of Queen Serenity and Hariel no Kikouten could stop his evil."
"But how? And why?" Sailor Mercury, who was beginning to
recover, sat up and looked at the form floating before them.
"The Dark One knew that the Sailor Senshi were a threat, and
had always planned to strike them down before beginning his plans. I
simply convinced him to strike whenever there was a Yoroiden nearby to
protect them." The seer chuckled again.
Shuu snorted. "Well, whoever you are, I'm glad you're pleased
with yourself."
"Whoever I am? Why, Yoroiden!" The rumpled form began to
shimmer and change, growing taller, straighter, his ragged robes
becoming cleaner and whole. "Has it been so long, that you no longer
recognise me?"
**********
The night will soon end
So raise your face!
Morning radiance is waiting for you.
Night is becoming day...
**********
The figure of the Dark One's seer now hovered above all ten
teens. Now, the wizened little gnome was a tall, strong man with long
hair. He dressed in the blue and white robes of a monk, and had a
large straw hat pulled down over his face.
"My God," whispered Touma, "it's Kaoso... the Ancient One!"
"No..." Seiji corrected him, "it's Shutendoji."
The former Masho of Cruelty lifted his head and smiled at the
gathered heroes. "Exactly," he intoned. "My commendations to you,
Sailor Senshi. You have triumphed against forces you even now begin
to comprehend." Then he turned to the Yoroiden. "And to you, my most
heartfelt congratulations. Ronin no more, for you have found your
Queen."
Usagi gulped and clutched the Moon Sceptre to her chest as
she looked at the five Yoroiden Samurai, all of whom dropped on one
knee and bowed to her. "Uhm... I'm not really a queen yet! I don't
HAVE any subjects..."
"Then it pleases us," responded Hariel, "to be the first."
"We, the Yoroiden Samurai Troopers of Korin, Rekka, Tenku,
Kongo, and Suiko do swear upon our honor and lives to serve you,
Queen Serenity. We shall be your champions, your guardians, and
your friends. This do we swear." Seiji bowed even lower after he had
finished his speech, and the entire group of Yoroiden joined him on
the ground.
"Uhm, guys?" Makoto raised her hand. "I hate to interrupt, but
she's not going to be Queen Serenity for a few decades..."
Hariel smiled. "The Yoroiden do not age. She WILL be Queen,
and when that day comes, we shall be her honoured servants and
protectors. That day may be tomorrow, or one thousand years from now."
**********
Two weeks later, the Sailor Senshi and the Yoroiden Samurai
Troopers met on the field of honor. Their opponents would not be
youma, or youja, but each other. There were no weapons, no armor :
this was to be a contest of pure wit and skill.
"So," drawled Touma as he walked up to stand nose to nose with
Usagi Tsukino, "are you ready to lose miserably?"
"You might be surprised, Ryo Sanada."
Seiji Date laughed over to Minako Aino. "Just because we're
dating, don't expect me to go easy on you!"
Minako laughed back at him. "I'll have you know I learned
a few tricks over in Merrie Olde that will make you eat those words!"
Shin looked over at Rei. "You have a lovely face, Hino-san!
It's a shame I shall have to go over it!"
"Are we done talking?" Usagi looked around, and the two teams
quieted down. "We know the stakes, right?"
Touma grinned. "No rules, no fouls, no penalties. And may the
best team win." He dropped the black and white orb under his arm. "Now
come ON!"
"Let's play some SOCCER!"
*********
The night will soon end
So raise your face !
Morning radiance is waiting for you.
Night is becoming day...
**********
THE END