SailorStar9: This is Chapter 20 of this fic. (Sighs) Guys and girls, is it too hard for you to leave a review, instead of just putting this fic up on your favorited list and story alerts?

Disclaimers: I own nothing, except for the plot bunny.

Chapter 20: Into the Underverse We Go

"And what is the Underverse?" Makoto inquired as the three Zate Guardians in training were prepared to enter the alternative universe that doubled as their training grounds.

"It is a world parallel with this one where demons and humans live side by side." Ami explained. "It is a step down from Heaven and Hell as far as the rumours goes. Not even the demon lords such as Hakumei's leader know for certain as they all fear to cross that barrier. Remember when we reach the other side, don't wander off. Underverse is different and innocent looking things can be fiends in disguise."

"Fiends?" Minako echoed.

"Humans and demons live in relative peace." Ami explained. "But there are fiends or monsters that are like wild animals, and they attack the unwary or unprepared."

Two runes had been carved into the dirt and Chiriku was chanting as an orb hovered in the air before him; it pulsed with power and glowed an eerie red with sparks of green. Chiriku finished chanting and his hands flashed through over two hundred hand signs before he touched the orb hovering in front of him. A crackle of energy and the three girls watched as a white bolt of lightning laced out and struck the first rune on the ground, and then a bolt leapt from that rune to the other one. The orb moved to hover in the air between them and it formed a pyramid shaped rift that seemed to shimmer like water in the air. "Better go girls." He gestured. "And be careful."

"Will do, godfather." Ami waved and the three stepped into the portal.

Minako sighed as she put away the last of her gear. She had been amazed that the guards at the gates had allowed them thru. Ami had summoned Hakumei who then gave them a brief tour; the female vulpine pointing out the aerodrome and the three females had stood transfixed as airships lifted off and flew in the sky.

"Lodestones." Hakumei explained. "They along with stones with wind stones give the ships the ability of flight."

Makoto had been amazed at the various species that lived in Solet Anu. There were humans, demons in animal form, half breeds and more of all shapes and sizes.

"Demons when in town have size restrictions." Hakumei supplied. "It's all a part of the Treaty signed about ten thousand years ago."

The bazaar was a sight to see as vendors sold everything from weapons and food to scrolls and clothes and jewellery.

Minako had stopped watching children playing a strange game with a ball in a huge orb of water. "How are they breathing underwater?" she asked.

"Gravity Ball." Ami noted. "See the chokers each player is wearing?" she pointed. "They are spelled to give them the ability to breath underwater. I'm sure we'll pick that up as well in our free time."

"Some of the players have gills and can breathe in and out of water." Hakumei added. "Some of the Mer-people live in the lake to the north."

The tour around Solet Anu had lasted hours, eventually Hakumei turned towards an alley and stopped outside a small stone building that looked like it would be one room only. "These are portal rooms. Now you need a travel pass to reach the floating city, but you can take them to Lowtown with no problems." She explained.

"What about… the Down Zone?" Minako asked.

"There is only one portal and that is under guard in Lowtown." Hakumei said. "Now, three of you come on. Quarters are waiting in Lowtown."

"And how do you know?" Ami looked at her summon.

"Simple." The fox shrugged. "I maintain residence here since I was younger than you both. And trust me, everyone knows that a section of Lowtown belongs to the vulpine clan. Now come on. The Fox Den should be moderately busy this time of day. You store your gear and we'll get some real food, and I mean steak and sauce."

After the group entered the building, the pentagram in a circle surprised them. Ami looked up and saw a matching one on the ceiling.

A guard stood to the side a bored look on his face. Makoto looked at him and saw he was a man-dog. He wore leather armour with a helm of metal. A long spear was against the wall next to him.

Once in the circle, Hakumei smirked as they vanished in a flash of light.

The Fox Den was a bar in Lowtown. Ami nearly jumped out of her skin when they entered and saw it was busy, kitsunes off all sizes were in there.

They damn near stampeded in greeting Hakumei and asked what the happened to her. The fox summon spent time explaining to her brethren what had happened and re-introduced Ami as the reincarnation of their original summoner and Makoto and Minako as the re-embodiments of the primary summoners of the Dragon and Tiger clans respectively.

The younger foxes literally dog-piled their summoner, nuzzling her neck.

The training area behind the bar had Makoto looking on in envy.

Minako too had a glazed look while Hakumei laughed. "You think you're excited now, wait till the pain starts." The fox warned them. She had them go get changed and said they would begin with light meditation, then workout, then more meditation.

"And after that, I'm going to have you spar against each other in CQC and kenjutsu." Kyuubi added, having taken over from Hakumei

"But we don't have swords." Ami reminded her.

The nine-tailed fox motioned and three black wooden bokken floated into the air from a rack and floated to the three girls. "Till I tell you otherwise you will be using these. They are similar to what Chiriku had you using, the shock will be greater and will leave illusionary marks indicating cuts. They are both indestructible and you will be carrying them and using them around Solet Anu." Kyuubi warned. Using a telekinetic push, she knocked the three Guardians off their feet, while she summoned up three more bokken and they hovered in the air before her. "Prepare yourselves…here comes the pain." She laughed at the look on both their faces as they used their hard earned teamwork to fight off the three blades.

SailorStar9: Now that's done, read and review.