Disclaimers: I don't own Weiss, I only own the bad guys and other assorted original made-for-this-story characters.

Thank you:

Larania – Thanks for being the first to leave a review. I love reading your comments as they make me want to post the next chapter quickly. But as they love to say, "good things come to those who wait." *ducks from the few smelly fish thrown at her* Heh, heh!

Kaisynaya – Glad you loved the reunion scene! Worked hard on it so I like the approvals you and several others have given it. I'm waiting for *your* HP fic to continue.

Kenneth – Wai! Wai! Wai! You're still following the story! *big watery Kaoru marble eyes* So the sentimental reunion got to you too, huh? Ureshi! I understand your meaning about the oddly fuzzy feeling at the end. Hah! Glad to know I managed to pull it off! Keep a-hanging on for the next arc! And no, I still can't seem to work any mecha battles into it. But I am open to suggestions… ;p

GeneWeiss – Gosh! Me writing a novel? What could I write about? Hmm, I may write an original side-story on Huo Long's past but I don't want to over-commit myself. But thanks for the compliment! I'm still blushing…

Yue no Miko – I'm just so mean to Ran-san, aren't I? Ah well, we suffer for our art – but it helps when we allow the characters to do it on our behalf, eh? *lol* I'm still following your Hellsing fic – love to know how it'll continue!

Aeris – A Crawford x Aya-chan pairing? Interesting… Well, we'll have to see how it goes. After all, I don't want to spoil the anticipation for you all.

Faerie_X – Your review is very insightful and I love reading it. I do try to keep the characters as much in focus as possible without too much angst. I'd like to keep things a little light-hearted now and then. As for pairings – I've not given it a lot of thought. I suppose you could say that everyone has some kind of feeling for Aya-chan given their proximity. But it is something to give more thought to in future chapters.

RaTt - You're back! Glad to hear from you. No, it's still not over. After all, the bad guys are still out there… Stay in touch for the sequel!

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Epilogue

Sakura's Apartment, Tokyo

After midnight

Michiko watched Tomoe Sakura get ready for bed from her perch on the roof of the building opposite and smiled. The girl had finished her papers for the course she was currently taking at Tokyo University and was now indulging in a little daydream before slipping off to sleep. Holding a small mirror up, Michiko focused her powers and peeked in at the girl's secret fantasies. Watching it, she couldn't help chuckling at the picture it conjured up.

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Sakura was sitting beneath a flowering cherry tree, not unlike that of her name, running her small hands through the silky hair of the man whose head was lying contentedly in her lap. The man had a small, contented smile on his face when he turned to look up into her eyes. As Michiko watched, she saw his hand reach up to gently stroke the girl's blushing cheek before sliding it sensuously behind her neck.

Sakura's eyes closed as she felt the lightly demanding pressure of his hand lead her downwards to his waiting lips. As the deepened into something more, she felt the tension drain out only to be replaced by a strange heat that began to engulf her entire body. Gasping, she woke up and stared at the ceiling in surprise and hot embarrassment. But what she felt most, was the strange warmth that continued to flow through her senses.

Sighing heavily as she turned over, she couldn't help but wonder if the reality she'd hoped for would ever match up to the dream she'd just had. It had felt so real and the emotions from the dream still coursed through her. It now no longer seemed like a wishful dream but a very possible reality. Squeezing her eyes shut, Sakura sent her prayer winging up to the heavens in the hope that it would soon be answered.

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As Kanta pulled up to the curb, Michiko simply let herself into the front seat without waiting for him to open the door. Majel was still sprawled unconscious in the backseat with the Baron's arms protectively cradling her. Smiling into the rear view mirror, she acknowledged the Baron's presence. As for Majel, Michiko could sense the power of the nether realm exuding from the witch's body in waves. Soaking in the energy that flowed through her, she snuggled back into the rich leather of the car's seat.

"We missed you at the little gathering, my dear."

"Forgive me, Baron. I had a little something to take care of," Michiko replied lazily. "I'm sure you would understand if I were to say that it was all to make the Summoning more successful."

"Ah," the response came from behind, "I take it that it has something to do with the other girl who had been involved in the disrupted one?"

"Mmm…" was the only reply he received. Knowing it was now best to leave his sultry witch to her own private thoughts, Rothschild turned his attention away as he continued to stroke the pale hair of the witch he held.

Sakura – the name of the girl touched by the Great Demon as it tried to enter this world. For someone who hosted the Demon even if for a few moments, she would even now still held some of It's power within her. But Rothschild did not want that so-called residual power she carried. The only thing Rothschild wanted of Sakura was her body to channel the Great Demon within once more. After that, she would serve her purpose and be eliminated.

After all, there can be only one supreme entity in this world and the Baron was not a man willing to share.

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Author's Notes: Now, who is that hot guy Sakura-chan's dreaming about? I'm not saying anything. As to Michiko's interest in her, that is another secret. Yeah, I'm just so full of crap sometimes…. ::chuckles:: The Baron is starting to show his true colours too.

I intend for this fic to be a multi-arc series so please bear with me. Like I said in one of my earlier chapter Notes, I build characters and their relationships as opposed to shoving the plot down a steep-gradient slope. I've actually found a few promising fics that have very good plot lines. Unfortunately, their writers copped out by forcing the story to move along too quickly and not allowing the reader to get a 'feel' of the characters in relation to the story or vice-versa. I don't want to do the same with my story. I think that's why I write the way I do – I tend to enjoy reading fics that follow a similar pattern to mine. But I read anything I like, so there. ^__^v

I'm a fan of novels that go for a good combination of story plus characterisation. Of course, humour helps in the equation as well as some action and excitement [either gratuitous sex or violence – but in moderate doses, please]. I like reading fanfics but I'm also a stickler for grammar and spelling. English may not be a first language for some, but I believe it should not be made an excuse for bad spelling and corrupted grammar. Why not take a little time out to sit with your own work and try to fix it up before posting it online? I swear that a little proofreading on your part can make a big difference to someone reading your fic for the first time. Besides, I believe that there is such a function as Spell Check within the programme.

Well, I'd better stop here before I make enemies online. I am very aware that some people can be very sensitive and be easily offended if they feel that this message is directed personally at them. Please don't be. I'm merely offering good-natured advice for all those who wish to do better in their work. I write for fun rather than profit. I don't believe in that Great [insert name of country] Novel. I also realised that the Harry Potter books sell not because of incredibly sophisticated writing but through the love of story-telling. If nothing else, I want mine to be like that.

I hope you have enjoyed my 'story-telling' with regards to Weiss Kreuz. It has certainly stretched my writing skills. If I were to actually sit back and look on it, I believe that I would actually pat myself on the back and give a big thumbs-up for perseverance. Now, all I have to do is to work out the story for the next arc. Really, sometimes I wonder why I torture myself over this. *lol* I just hope that the next arc will be just as good or [hopefully] better.

So please tell me what you think. I'm actually one of the nice ones who don't blackmail their readers with demands for reviews before posting the next chapter. Honestly speaking, I don't like such an attitude. It seriously puts a damper on the fic as a whole and makes it a lot less pleasurable to continue reading. So I usually just post my whining at the end of the page where people can easily ignore it. Anyway, this arc has officially ended and I will start posting the next one once I get a couple of chapters done. So keep in touch and stay tuned!

Till then,

~ Bern.

©2003.

Basic Facts about Dark Moon Ascendant

 Why Aya-chan of all people? What on earth possessed you to even consider her?

Aya-chan is an interesting character in my opinion simply because she's very poorly developed. What do we really know about her anyway? All we see of her are flashbacks through Ran's mind and the various 'coma' shots before her finally waking up and wondering what's going on. We know more of Sakura as she is given more screen time but we should also be careful not to make Sakura into Aya-chan and vice-versa. Is Aya-chan really all that sweet and loving or could she be a more female version of her oniisan Ran?

Personally, I wouldn't put it too far as to say that the siblings' personalities are a lot closer than we may give them credit for. Ran was not as cold back then before the accident, and it was only later that he developed the 'Iceman' persona. The only thing that'll I'll use to 'link' the siblings' personalities are that Aya-chan is equally stubborn and determined to prove herself [traits not unlike her brother's, don't you think?] Given Aya-chan's unique physical characteristics that Crawford mentioned during the course of the TV series about her lack of ageing, it seemed only plausible to take it a step further and to develop the reasoning behind it. I had also briefly considered Sakura as taking on the lead role given her brush with the demon possession until I hit a brick wall with the plot.

Aside from Aya-chan, the other female cast members are too 'ordinary' in various respects. So why not the one person who'd have the 'honour' of being in the arms of several of the hottest guys in the series? *laughs* Besides, I've noticed that a lot of the fics online do not like Sakura and dismissive of Aya-chan [except for a very few]. Rather unfair but then again, I take it as the author's personal storytelling to present the character in the way they choose. I, on the other hand, hope to balance out the largely negative view of Sakura [and to a certain extent Aya-chan] with my 'interpretation' of their characters post TV and OVA. So let's give them a break, okay?

Why no yaoi? Surely it would add to a whole lot of 'interesting' situations?

Ah, the ever famous question. Why no yaoi? Because every other fic out there is yaoi or shonen-ai in some way, shape or form. I don't slam it but then again I don't outrightly embrace it. I suppose something tastefully written has its merits in my view but frankly speaking, they are few and far between. Some yaoi fics make me cringe if not make me want to jump into the nearest scalding hot shower with a bristle brush to scrub myself down. I know I'm gonna get some flack from some hard-core yaoists out there about my so-called lack of taste but really people, give it a break – it's my choice.

Personally, I have found NO indication of Weiss Kreuz being yaoi in nature. Unless I'm rather retarded in reading between the lines, I am willing to bet that the show is straighter than a precision-ruler in a science lab. Heck, I've seen real-life straight guys behave with a more touchy-feely attitude than the resident bishounen onscreen. So what do I do with regards to this? I 'play' with them by giving very lightly implied situations just to add a little humour to the situation. Maybe you can consider it my small tribute to the predominant yaoi genre devoted in WK fandom. [But I dedicate this most to you Ken-Chan! ^___^v]

What is the deal with Aya-chan's powers? Isn't it a rip-off from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and possibly Dark Angel?

I'll confess that Aya-chan's abilities are a kind of rip-off from Buffy and Dark Angel. But before you slam me for it, I want to be clear on this. I've never watched these two shows with more than a passing interest. I like the shows but I had little patience in sticking with it during the season(s) run. Yeah, I know that they have enhanced speed, strength and senses [the Superhuman Triple-S syndrome as I dubbed them] but I have very little knowledge on anything else about them.

For the Buffy case, I just liked the idea of the monsters vanishing in a puff of dust – nice, neat and convenient. I was really too lazy to think of how to explain a trail of dead monsters strewn about the place. I think it's forgivable considering that I'm devoting my intellectual resources to the actual storytelling as opposed to monster clean-up. *lol* As for the Dark Angel aspect, I like the outfit and the whole angst thing about not finding a place to fit in society. But with regards to these two series, don't quote me on anything more than the glamour and really cool idea of girls kicking butt.

As to the possible limitations of Aya-chan… Well, she's still coming to terms with her role and abilities. She's strong but still lacks the necessary 'instincts' that separates her from the rest of the Guardians. It is these 'instincts' that determine who walks away from the battlefield. Sure, Aya-chan can kill the nasty monsters but they are essentially the drones that serve little more than props to the whole villains' arsenal. It is for this reason that I'll be devoting future chapters to her 'growing up' and maturing in order to face the Baron and his posse.

What's the deal with the Baron and his posse? Do you have any pictures of them to give us an idea of what they look like?

The Baron just evolved after some heavy-duty thinking about the ending of the WK series. The Three Elders' role was vaguely described although it did allow me some leeway in manipulating the storyline. I wasn't aware of it at first but the first OP credits formed a large backbone to the fic's direction and general intents. I've always wanted Aya-chan to take the lead role but I also wanted Weiss and Schwarz in the picture as well. Momoe-san was the best candidate for the 'soothsayer' role while an original character [heavily influenced by Ernst from the Angelique game – now THAT's a major bishonen-fest!] named Seki [a tribute to both Seki Tomokazu (Ken, Kyo – Fruits Basket) and Seki Toshihiko (Genjo Sanzo, Duo from Gundam Wing).

But the Baron's posse developed more slowly. The Wyrd Twins - Majel and Michiko - came about when I pondered upon the classic anime villain having a couple or harem of pretty women helping him. But I don't like portraying my female characters as brainless bimbos so I gave the two of them mystical powers that can be considered more advanced than that of Schwarz. I just hope that I don't fall into the pit of having my villains way too powerful and the heroes succeed simply because of them being heroes. I want some PAIN, ANGST and TRAUMA in my fic so as to give it a sense of realism, even if it's a fic about 2-D characters from an anime.

The other members of the Baron's posse came about as the story developed. Kanta was initially supposed to be Kruger – an exceptionally strong brute with no conscience and a body to put the Incredible Hulk to shame. But I then modified him into the mild-mannered Kanta who is the part-time butler and chauffeur. But he's still big and strong, for good reason. To balance against Kanta, I developed my favourite bad guy Huo Long to play the role of bodyguard and general mayhem. I also gave him the power of manipulating fire but it is a gift he rarely uses. I can't give too much info on him although I would love to write a side-story on his past. One day, I hope it will come to past – the guy is just way too cool (if I say so myself) to ignore!

As to what the Baron and his posse look like – you'll have to wait a little longer I'm afraid. I've commissioned a friend, Xrystal, to do the artwork and portraits of the characters and she's still in the process of completing them. It's partially my fault because I'm one of those design-challenged individuals who can't think about the type of clothing her characters are wearing. I can't help it! I swear that if you were to go through the fic, there's very little description even for Seki, Michiko, the Baron and Huo Long. Thankfully another buddy of mine, Lynn, contributed ideas to the outfits' designs. Thank you to the two of you for everything!

A website to house the story and other works of mine is also in the making. Xrystal has provided the basic codes but it still needs the navigational links to be operational. I, on my part, am slowly but surely preparing the story pages that are to be viewed online. I hope that things will be up and running before June. The fact is both Xrystal and I have work commitments [she more than me] so things are taking their time… but thankfully, it picked up again. Now, all I need is a website to host the entire lot… and to think of a domain name… Argh! So many itty, bitty things to think of! I don't know how some people can actually do it without wanting to scream and tear their hair out in frustration. *huffs*

How did you come up with this story? Do you intend to finish it or just lead us poor suckers along until you give up?

Hmm, it happened when I watched the first few episodes of Dark Angel and Buffy [the second to final season]. I had also got my hands on the Weiss Kreuz TV series and OVA so put the two together and weird things happen. This was around May last year so that'll make this fic about a year old. It progressed rather fast with me managing to turn out about a chapter every 10 days or so. It was only after Chapter 7 [the first big fight scene] that things slowed down considerably. I was also preparing to travel to the UK and had little inspiration to continue. I did manage to churn out Chapter 8 but Chapter 9 was only completed while sitting about 10,000 km from home in my aunt's kitchen on a rented laptop. Heh.

As to whether I can finish this story… Let's just say I can only work in spurts of creativity. I have a general idea but I still need to fine-tune each chapter's content before actually finding the words to type out. I used to write on paper but after a while, I decided to type it into my computer immediately. I guess I wanted to get the ideas out quickly and to improve my typing speed. I have rather stiff fingers so this is a good exercise as well. But I need you, my dear readers, to keep the fires of inspiration going. I'm really glad to have your support and will continue to write not so much for my own self as for those of you out there who've told me that this story is worth reading. Thank you all so much!

Just to reiterate, this IS the end of the first arc of Dark Moon Ascendant. It's been a real pleasure making friends with those of you who've been kind enough to leave a review. The next arc Dark Moon Ascendant : The Summoning is to be dedicated to all of you who've made my writing such a delightful exercise in imagination and creativity [even if I may bitch about it at times!]. Here's looking at you, minna! Ja mata ne!

~ Bern.

(Arc One completed : April 2003)

©Dark Moon Ascendant Productions ^___^v