SailorStar9: After uploading Chapter 16, I present Chapter 17 of this fic and I've changed my mind about the ending. I intend to keep Aria alive and instead of Filia raising baby Valgarv, it'll be Aria who does. For everyone who put this fic on your favorited and followed lists and/or story alerts, thank you, but remember everyone, a lot of authors (myself included) sustain on readers' reviews.

Disclaimers: I own nothing, except for the plot bunny. Heck, even the pairings aren't mine.

Chapter 17: There's No Use in Arguing! Head for the Showdown!

"Lybrim!" Amelia cast the ice spell over the corpses of the Golden Dragons.

"This is the only burial we can give them now." Zelgadis looked over the frozen coffins.

"Rest in peace, all of you." Amelia prayed.

Elsewhere, Lina and Gourry had also laid Armace to rest.

"He was one of them." Amelia stated. "To do that to someone from their own world."

"He must have disagreed with their plans." Zelgadis realized. "Armace didn't want to do anything to needlessly harm this world.

"While Erulogos would do anything to accomplish his goal." Lina added. "He doesn't care about this world as long as his world is saved."

Filia looked on as Aria cast a forlorn look at the Ancient Dragon graveyard.

"During the Kōma War, if I hadn't forbidden the Ancient Dragons from joining the war, would all this have been prevented?" Aria wondered outloud. "I will never forget all of you." she grasped the Ancient Dragon gem to her chest. "About your solidity and your sacrifices."

"We have no time to grief." the Supreme Elder stepped in. "They may be summoning Darkstar as we speak, with our world facing imminent destruction."

"I wouldn't be trying to give orders here, old man." Lina glared. "We know what you tried here. You were using the army of Golden Dragons to cover everything up. You tried to kill us, the Overworlders, even sacrifice Filia. Am I wrong?"

"From this day on, I will never return to the temple." Filia handed her Golden Dragon gem back to the Supreme Elder. "I will no longer serve as a priestess."

"As you wish." the Supreme Elder accepted her resignation.

"In that case," Lina led the group off. "Let's get geared up and on our way."

In Armace's spaceship...

"Walk faster." Lina urged, alerting Jiras of the group's arrival.

"This place is really falling apart." Gourry noted. "But where have I seen it before?"

"This is Valgarv's hideout." Lina snapped. "You haven't just seen it before. You've been here before."

"But, Lina-san, I know we came here to get to the Pillar of Light." Amelia pointed out. "But the last time we came, we couldn't figure out how to make the system work."

"It's our only chance." Zelgadis reminded. "Who knows how many days it would take to fly there."

"Quit talking!" Lina barked. "Let's get to the control room fast."

A sudden explosion rattled through the cave, revealing Jiras and his newly-made tank.

"It's a weapon I build specially for sending you all to hell." Jiras bragged.

"Someone has been reading the 'Steel Beasts' instruction manual a little too many times." Aria sweatdropped.

"You red foxes should know when to quit." Lina moaned.

"You all waltzing in here when I still have to avenge the boss is really lucky for me." Jiras grinned. "Now I can join Valgarv-sama."

"Jiras-san, you have it all wrong." Filia pleaded.

"I can spare some time to fight this loser." Lina snorted. "Fireball! No way!" she exclaimed when the fireball dissipated against the tank's armor. "What happened?"

"This tank's armored with Orihalcon." Jiras boasted. "Your magic won't work against it at all." "Go ahead and try fighting me. Stupid sorceress. No talent hack magician." he dived into the tank's cockpit.

"I'm not gonna take that from stupid Jiras!" Lina fumed.

"This one is for the boss." Jiras took aim. "Fire."

"That guy's starting to impress me." Zelgadis admitted, Aria barely managed to swat the cannonball away into a wall. "What do we do, Lina?"

"Darkness beyond twilight, crimson beyond blood that flows," Lina started the 'Dragon Slave' incantation.

"Lina-san, what are you thinking?" Amelia panicked. "If you fire a 'Dragon Slave' in here, you'll destroy that magical transporter machine." she and Aria forced Lina to cut off her attack.

"If magic can't work against it, then that's our cue." both Gourry and Zelgadis stepped up, swords drawn.

"He's just that one big cannon." Zelgadis remarked, both swordsmen charging in. "But he can't move as fast as we can."

"You guys are the idiots." Jiras snapped, both swordsmen jumping up and revealed the multiple cannons he had installed on the sides of the tank. Said cannons' combined blast knocked both men out of the air.

"Same old pattern, huh?" Aria deathpanned, the tank's front wall opened to reveal a large bomb in the shape of a spiked ball.

"Is he going to self-destruct?" Filia gasped.

"I'll take you with me." Jiras swore. "As long as I avenge the boss, I don't need to live."

"Jiras, you don't need the situation to get more complicated." Lina shouted.

"That's right." Amelia agreed. "You're going to get yourself killed, Jiras-san."

"That's beside the point." Jiras snapped. "I'll have vengeance on everyone. That's my job. I don't care what happens next."

"Filia?" Aria blinked when the Golden Dragon leapt up face-to-face with Jiras.

"I'm sick of vengeance." Filia told the beastman sternly. "Stop this foolishness now. Nobody wants you to do this."

"How could you know how Valgarv-sama felt?" Jiras snarled. "Now, out of my way. What are you?" he was shocked when Filia pressed the barrel of his pistol against her chest.

"Valgarv hated the Golden Dragons." Filia started. "There was no one in the world he hated more. That hatred, as a Golden Dragon, I accept all of it. Just please, let Lina and the others go. It's to save the world."

"I hit the self-destruct button." Jiras exclaimed in horror, his hand accidentally pushing the lever.

Filia gave Jiras a tight hug to shield him from the eventual explosion.

"Well, that was anti-climatic..." Aria blinked as fireworks exploded around them.

"But why did this happen?" Amelia was puzzled.

"Because that little idiot stuffed his self-destruct bomb with fireworks instead of regular gunpowder." Lina moaned.

"So much for the Orihalcon armor." Aria sighed, looking at the utterly destroyed tank.

"What do you mean 'I accept all his hatred'?" Lina chided Filia. "I'll say this: I hate heroines who go for that big, sad martyr stuff. Besides," she rested a hand on Filia's shoulder. "You have a responsibility to keep going to the very end, because you belong in this world. Anyway, Jiras." she grinned evilly at the beastman. "You really had some fun with me, didn't you? What was it you said? Stupid sorceress? Hack magician? For all the trouble you've caused me, I should kick your ass, you little creep." now then, how shall I exact my punishment?"

"Lina, can you please cut it out with the evil laugh?" Aria sighed. "All of us know you won't go through with it."

"I think he did this, and then..." Jiras walked over to the teleportation device and started adjusting the gears.

"May I help?" Filia inquired.

"It's all right." Jiras assured. "I owe you my life. It's my duty to help someone who saved my life."

"He sure changed gears real quick." Aria remarked.

"Am I the only one getting the feeling Jiras-san is getting attached to Filia-san now?" Amelia wondered.

"Who cares." Gourry shrugged. "He's not bothering us now."

"Got it." Jiras turned the last key. "This will take us to the Pillar of Light."

"You don't have to come." Zelgadis told the beastman.

"I will protect my savior." Jiras declared. "That's common sense. Right, ane-san?"

"Whatever." Aria shook her head. "Let's be on our way then."

A beam of light shot out from the generator, transporting the group towards the Pillar of Light.

Above the ocean...

Midway, the light stopped and Filia transformed into her Golden Dragon form to catch the others before they fell into the ocean.

"Jiras-san, did you set the controls right?" Amelia fumed.

"It's not my fault." Jiras protested.

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