The End of a Long Road, and A New Beginning to Another

Sailor Venus was the first to stir after she, Hoshi, and Artemis had been transported to a grassy-green field. There was a low rumbling sound a distance away from where the three of them were, but Venus paid no attention to it. The field did not seem as though it was anywhere remotely close to the Dark Realm because it looked too serene and beautiful to be associated with something so dark and threatening. A light breeze played with the blades of grass, and Venus still found no way that the plain was on the same Constellation as the Dark Realm.

Sailor Venus turned as she heard Sailor Gemini and Artemis both beginning to wake up. "Where are we?" Artemis asked as he tried to use his four legs to support him in order to stand. Sailor Venus did not know the answer to the cat's question, so she just shook her head. Sailor Gemini got up, and she rubbed her eyes as she realized just what was going on. Sailor Venus waited for Sailor Gemini to fully wake up before she started to ask more questions.

"We're so close to the Dark Realm, it's not even funny," Sailor Gemini said as she pulled herself together, and she also began to realize where they were. Sailor Venus looked at Gemini as though she could not comprehend what had just been said. How could they be so close to the Dark Realm if the grassy plain looked so peaceful, and there was no trace of anything negative as far as she could tell?

"How can that be?" Sailor Venus said as she raised an eyebrow in Gemini's direction. She diverted her gaze to Artemis, who was busy sniffing the air. Somehow, that confirmed Venus's worst fear that they were, in fact, near the Dark Realm. Yet there was still another part of here that did not want to believe what she knew was the truth.

"Appearances can be deceiving," Artemis said as he finished smelling the air. "There's something wrong with us being here right now." Gemini and Venus both looked at the guardian puzzled, but they knew that they should listen to him because he was a guardian for a reason. The low rumbling grew steadily louder, but the three of them continued to ignore it.

"I guess this means we have to go back to the Dark Realm," Sailor Gemini pointed out. Sailor Venus and Artemis both nodded in agreement, and the group began to set off in the direction that they believed led them toward the fortress. The rumbling sound still continued to grow deeper and louder.

"Are either of you getting the feeling that we're not alone? I don't mean to say that we're being watched, but I don't think that we're alone," Gemini pointed out after the three of them had been walking for quite some time. The low rumbling still grew louder.

"No," Venus said; she was completely unaware that Gemini was referring to the sound as it began to swell.

"I think you should rethink that," Artemis said as he also began to pick up on what Gemini had been referring to. Gemini glanced at Artemis as she realized that Artemis was getting the picture, and she smiled at him. Before any of them could say anything, a pack of wild animals could be seen racing toward the group, and the deep rumbling sound had now reached its loudest point.

It took a few seconds for Sailor Gemini to recognize the creatures, but when she did, her eyes went open in shock, and she turned around to run away from them along with Artemis. Sailor Venus did not need to ask what the creatures were as her instincts just told her to run. It didn't even matter to her that they could be running in the wrong direction and away from the Dark Realm; right now they just wanted to save themselves from getting killed. One of the creatures, the leader of the pack, drew so close to the group that they were forced to run even faster than they knew possible.

Just as Sailor Gemini realized that they were actually going to make it, she tripped over a small rock on the ground, and she fell straight on her stomach. The creatures behind her tried to jump over her, but one of them was unable to jump over her, and she felt a sharp pain on her hand as it pressed one of its legs there. "Gemini!" Venus yelled as she noticed that the other senshi had fallen. She and Artemis turned around, knowing that in order to get back alive they were going to need all of them together. More animals came running in their direction, and Venus was hit in the chest as one tried to jump over her. Venus was thrown a few meters back, and she landed on her back. Artemis, who had a very small body, crouched down, and none of the animals hit him.

Gemini got up after a few moments in order to let the pain ease away. "Come on, Venus!" she yelled over the loud roar that the animals were creating as their feet made contact with the ground. She noticed that Venus had the wind knocked out of her, but no matter what they were going to have to keep going. Artemis also tried to get to the senshi, but he had to duck as another creature tried to jump, and it almost hit the cat.

When Gemini, Artemis, and Venus were able to all stay up, they began to run with the pack of animals; now everything seemed so much safer. "They seem to think we're one of them," Artemis said as he and the two girls raced along with the creatures.

"That's fine just as long as they don't attack us," Sailor Venus said as she began to get winded from the constant sprinting pace. "But we should just slow down and let them pass us." Hoshi looked behind her shoulder to see if that was a possibility, but the line of creatures was just too long that they wouldn't be able to make it.

* * *

Luna, Sailor Moon, and Sailor Mercury slowly began to open their eyes as they began to realize where they were. However, unlike the other senshi, they had not been sent anywhere; they had just been merely knocked out. However, Kyuuteki had returned the other senshi to the Dark Realm when he was satisfied that they had suffered enough. Sailor Moon, Mercury, and Luna turned to see the other senshi and the guardians also beginning to wake up, but they did not say anything because the evil that hung in the room was unbearable. Deep down, the girls knew that this was it. It was up to them if they were going to save the world that they loved, knew, and cared for or if that same world would perish under Kyuuteki's wrath.

Sailor Mercury looked up as she was surprised to see Sailor Phoenix also there on the floor by the senshi, and she was also beginning to stir. All of the senshi, both the planets and the constellations, began to wake up, and Sailor Moon noticed that Kyuuteki was waiting for all of them; it was as though he was savoring the feeling of having collected all of the senshi at last.

Sailor Aquaria's eyes grew wide as she saw her partner still on the floor, and she could make out the bruises on her body where Kaboku had been able to hit her. Sailor Aquaria got up and stepped forward in an effort to go to her friend, but she nearly froze when she saw that Kyuuteki had come down from his throne in a single step, and he was walking up to her with a look of anger on his face.

Sailor Aquaria knew that she should have been looking up at Kyuuteki with the fear of a newborn animal as it saw reality and its own life looking at it in the face. "And what do you plan to do?" Kyuuteki asked as he took one step toward the silver senshi. However, Aquaria's determination still began to rise, and she reflected upon past events. There was no way that she was going to let her partner down. With her smaller body, Aquaria was able to run past Kyuuteki because he was much too large to be quick enough to stop her.

Kyuuteki watched the act of friendship curiously as Aquaria helped Phoenix to her feet, and they both kept an eye on Kyuuteki as they went over to help the other senshi. Kyuuteki looked from one senshi to another slowly, as if he was trying to detect something from them that he would be able to use to his advantage. However, the bond of friendship between all of the girls was too strong, and he was unable to find a weakness in the girls' stone-like wall of determination.

"You may have gotten us," Sailor Moon said; her determination was also beginning to rise, "but you'll be sorry you messed with the senshi as a group." Kyuuteki took one look at the Moon Princess, and he silently made a promise to himself that he was going to break the iron chains of friendship.

"Can I quote you?" Kyuuteki mocked as he raised an eyebrow at the senshi.

"Go right ahead," Sailor Phoenix said as she raised her voice at Kyuuteki. As he turned to look at her, he saw a sight that made his confidence and determination rise faster than anything the senshi could do; Sailor Phoenix's eyes were now half red.

"She's too strong for the Dark Realm," Sailor Gemini said as she walked up to the senshi of flames, and she stared at Kyuuteki. "So don't even get your hopes up."

"Hopes?" Kyuuteki asked as though he did not know what the concept was. "I have more than hopes, dear senshi." At those words, all of the senshi drew closer together, and they all formed an extremely tight-knit group.

"You may not have hopes and dreams, but we will never let you harm those of innocent people," Sailor Moon began what she hoped would not be her last speech as a senshi. "And as a fighter of hope, love, and justice, I will not allow you to ruin the hopes and determination of others."

"Friendship and truth are what keep people functioning, and as sailors of justice, we will fight to the death in order to insure that those things are always alive," Sailor Virgas said in a tone of determination so great that no one else had heard it from her before. Before the planetary senshi could ask what Sailor Virgas meant by "fight to the death," the Constellations and the dragons drew together even more.

"Virgas Constellation Power, Make up!" Sailor Virgas yelled. The senshi were confused as to why she did this if she was already transformed, but they gasped when they saw a gray ball of light emerge from the left side of her chest. Soon, the other senshi followed, and the dragons closed their eyes as they knew just was about to happen. Athena held on to her husband, and Pele grabbed on to Hades as well.

"Gemini Constellation Power, Make up!"

"Phoenix Constellation Power, Make up!"

"Aquaria Constellation Power, Make up!"

"Dracas Constellation Power, Make up!"

Once the five balls of light had left their owner's body, they all began to float slowly to the center of the circle, which the girls had formed, and they formed together in a larger, white ball of light. The dragons also let out a black ball, and it joined the large white one in the middle of the circle. Kyuuteki stared at the light, it felt like a pure energy he himself had once felt, but at the same time it was not as pure as it should have been.

The giant ball of light rose into the air, and it split off into five parts, and they went to each of the planetary senshi. Just as the last ray of pure light was absorbed into the senshi's bodies, the Constellations and dragons closed their eyes, and they fell to the ground without another sound aside from the light thud from hitting the ground.

"They're…" Sailor Mars began as she noticed just what had happened. The Constellation had given up their lives in order to make the others stronger; now it was up to them to get rid of Kyuuteki.

"Burning Mandala!" Sailor Mars yelled as she grabbed hold of the two nearest senshi's hands.

"Sparkling Wide Pressure!" Sailor Jupiter said as she did the same.

"Venus Crescent Beam!"

"Shine Aqua Illusion!"

"Moon Healing Escalation!"

The five girls closed their eyes as they could feel the power of their attack rising slowly within them. They were all giving it their all, which meant that if this did not work than they would not be strong enough to launch another attack against Kyuuteki. Kyuuteki, meanwhile, stood with his shoulders squared ready to take on whatever attack the senshi were going to launch at him.

The attacks suddenly formed together, and they moved toward Kyuuteki. Although Kyuuteki was not small, the size of the attack made it seem so, and it looked as though nothing he could do could stop him. Kyuuteki tried to summon all of the collected negative energy within him, but it was too late as the massive attack overtook him, and he was soon surrounded in nothing but purity. The extreme purity ate away at his flesh, and as the attack began to clear, there was nothing left of Kyuuteki, and Kaboku and Tuxedo Kamen were on the floor in his place.

All of the senshi and the cats breathed a sigh of relief as their realized that Kyuuteki was gone, and he would no longer bother them or the people of the earth that they loved. They knew then, that if it hadn't been for the Constellations and their loyalty in their friendship, they might not have won the way that they just had.

The senshi jumped from their relief as they heard Sailor Moon let out a scream of joy. They saw her rush forward, and they too were grateful when they saw that Sailor Moon was running to Tuxedo Kamen, who had not been returned to the Dark Realm earlier as they had. The couple looked into each other's eyes, and they held the affectionate gaze as they both confirmed that they had gotten through the battle, and they were still alive.

However, Sailor Jupiter noticed that Tuxedo Kamen had not arrived alone. Kaboku had also come, and he was beginning to stir. As he got up slowly, the first thing he did was look around to see if he could make sure that Aquaria was all right. Jupiter left the other senshi to tell Kaboku just what had happened, and for some reason, she was not afraid of him.

"Aquaria?" Kaboku said as he searched in vain to find the one he loved.

"Kaboku," Sailor Jupiter said as she approached the Dark Realm minion. Kaboku gazed up at her, and he looked as though the only thing he wanted to know was where Aquaria was. "She's dead," Jupiter answered Kaboku's unspoken question. Kaboku's eyes widened as he took in just what Jupiter said, and indeed he found Aquaria's body lying on the floor next to Phoenix's and Dracas's own bodies. For the first time that Kaboku could remember, he felt true sadness as his mind filled with the image of Aquaria's lifeless body on the floor; her silver hair was stained with the yajuu's oil base, and her skin was also stained from the battle that she had to endure.

"Kaboku," Tuxedo Kamen said as he walked up Kaboku. Kaboku got to his knees, as he was ready to accept whatever judgment they would pass on him for his actions. "What you did was very noble, and for that you will be rewarded," Kamen finished. All of the other senshi looked stunned, but they respected their Prince's decision. After all, there must be some reason why he was their Prince.

Sailor Moon stepped forward, and she looked down at Kaboku, who was still on his knees. "You deserve a second chance," was all she could say. Before Kaboku knew what was happening, he felt himself being taken along with the senshi and the cats to a new place that he was ready to accept as home.

Kyuuteki had known the meaning of love, determination, and friendship, but now Kaboku knew something even more, and it was the ability to act upon those emotions. Kyuuteki's refusal to use that skill had led to the senshi's ability to destroy him easily, and Kaboku promised himself that he would learn how to listen and use the emotions for the benefit of himself and others as well. Kaboku's heart was filled with something other than hatred and violence at that point, and he now knew why the senshi were so strong.

Friendship had kept the senshi together, and it was the fact that the Constellations had passed the ultimate test of friendship that let the planetary senshi get out alive. No matter how hard Kyuuteki had tried to deny it, friendship was the only key to a success this large, and Kaboku knew now that having loved and then lost was better than not ever having love at all.

* * *

Mamoru, Usagi, Ami, Makoto, Rei, and Minako all took slow steps through the park two days after Kyuuteki's destruction. The fact that the Constellations were now gone was still going through their minds, and they all walked in silence. No matter how hard the girls tried to believe that the Constellations were bound to die serving their duty, the reality of the situation was still settling in their mind.

"It was really something," Minako finally spoke up. The others looked at her, and she smiled weakly. "It was really something for them just to die like that," Minako continued. "I don't know if I would have been able to do it." All of the other senshi nodded, but the group continued to walk in silence. It was strange because there was no grave for them to go to, but they constantly thought of doing something to show their gratitude to the senshi. Where would their be now if the Constellations had not been there?

Their silent reverie was interrupted when a loud splat was heard, and Minako made a disgusted and confused face as she looked at the back of her leg, where there was a large slop of mud trailing down her leg. What kind of unkind person would have thrown it at her? But before Minako could answer her own question, she and the others turned to see another ball of mud being flung in their general direction. Minako and the others looked up to see Shakaku, Dorei, Hoshi, and Enzeru standing a few meters away from them as though they had never died.

None of the senshi wanted to believe that the senshi were just standing right there with them like no one's business. "How?" Rei suddenly spoke, although she was almost certain that she was not seeing the truth.

"We're not that easy to kill," Hoshi said as she picked up a ball of mud to get ready to throw at the girls. "You're Mom seemed very happy to see us," she pointed out as she looked at Usagi. There was an awkward silence between the two groups before the planetary senshi truly believed that the others were back.

"So, where's Kaichuu?" Ami asked as she noticed that one of the senshi was missing. Dorei let out a mischievous smile as she looked at the group, and they all began to catch on. Shakaku, however, remained silent, and it was clear that she was not happy about what Dorei, Mamoru, and the rest of the girls were smiling about.

* * *

Kaichuu gave a slight glance to her left as she and Kaboku both walked on the other side of the park from where the other senshi were. Kaboku glanced at Kaichuu almost every other second; it was as though he could not believe that the two of them were taking a civilized walk through the park without uttering words of hatred to one another.

"I guess she was right," Kaichuu finally spoke up as she stopped walking, and she turned to face Kaboku. Kaboku stopped walking, and he looked directly down into the shorter girl's eyes.

"I knew I loved you," Kaboku said, "even though I've never really experienced it before." Kaichuu looked at Kaboku, and she knew that it took a rare person to be able to fight their way into something that had been taken from them before he or she could even have a chance to make a decision on his or her own.

Kaichuu and Kaboku looked into each others eyes for a moment before Kaboku reached out, and he touched her face gently with his fingertips, as though making sure that she was really there with him. The two drew closer together, and after a few moments, their lips met. They both knew just then that Kaboku had felt real love, and Kaichuu could feel that his love had not been covered by the Dark Realm's influence.

As they parted, Kaboku and Kaichuu held hands, and they continued to walk through the park as the sun began to set in order to draw a close to what had been a very long and eventful journey for the senshi, the guardians, and Kaboku as well.