Lunar Succession

Author: ~Heartless Spirit~

Disclaimer: I don't own SM or GW. I DO own Dederi, so no stealin'! AND IBAREN TOO!!! NOVA BELONGS TO JESS-CHAN!!!
(Youhko's my own character too, if you haven't realized that by now...) BTW, HAKAI BELONGS TO DIANE, MY TALENTED COUSIN.
If you want to read Diane's fics, her pen name on ff.net is SNAPdragon! All other villains are mine as well..yes, it is
a lot of characters. DEAL WITH IT.

AN: Oi, minna! [Translation: Hey, Everyone!] Just to tell you, if you really haven't noticed, I've decided to make my
chapters longer, because I don't want a fanfiction with 40-something chapters. But don't worry, those of you who actually
enjoy reading this fic, because there will be a sequel to Lunar Succession. COUNT ON IT. And for those of you who read
this fic but don't like it or don't review, please tell me of ways you think would improve this fic and PLEASE REVIEW.
Otherwise I won't be posting for another year or so... [exaggerating 'year' thing but still..please review.] I'm feeling
discouraged...my mind is screaming 'What do these readers think of my fic?! Is it too...OUT THERE for them?!?'

(Note: #...# = Memories or Visions)
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Lunar Succession
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Chapter 12-A Birthday To Remember
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It had been about ten minutes since they had arrived at Peacecraft Square. The pilots, senshi, Ibaren, Nova, and Dederi
watched blissfully as dozens of people danced lively about the large dance floor next to them. Even the fireflies, which
flew quietly above the large net of small lights, seemed to dance around in musical bliss. It was a perfect night to
be out. The sky was miraculously clear, a dark, relaxing shade of royal blue, and the stars looked to be diamonds,
shimmering etherially with a mysterious firefly-like glow.

Everyone, pilots, senshi, Ibaren, Dederi, and Nova, was seated at the two white tables closest to the outdoor gazebo-like
ballroom. The tables were rather large, so there was enough space for everyone to be seated. In one table, there were
the gundam pilots, Ibaren, Minako, Ami, and Rei. At the other table Dederi, Nova, Setsuna, Haruka, Michiru, Chibiusa,
Hotaru, and Makoto. Quatre, though, had set off for the bandstands a few minutes ago, his violin case in hand.
The waiter, after visiting other nearby tables, finally came to them, holding a white restaurant notepad and a black
pen with the Peacecraft Square's insignia. He had on, like the other workers, a pressed, white cotton shirt, black
pants, and a dark blue vest, along with a black ribbon on his collar. "Can I get you something to drink?"
"Iced tea, please." A few said, holding up their menus to look at the fine selection of dishes and delicacies.
"Just water, thanks."
"I'll have some English tea."
"Water, if I may."

After jotting down numerous orders from the group, the busybody waiter turned to the last person to take her order.
"And what will you have, miss?"
"Shochu, onegai."
The waiter jot down the order of the black-haired teenager, although decided to warn her of the decision she had just
made. "I must warn you, miss, that shochu is a rather strong drink and I don't think someone of your-"
"I've drank shochu before. I'm not so easily wavered." Dederi closed her eyes and crossed her arms defiantly, her dark
hair wafting in the evening breeze.
The waiter's voice seemed to waver. "Alright ma'am." As he walked away, Dederi heard him make a remark, which sort of
puzzled Dederi. "Strange..this is the second time I've been ordered to get that drink..No one in Sanq would drink such
a drink.."
Well, Dederi thought about what the departing waiter had just murmured, and she agreed. [That's true..normally Sanq
Kingdom's pacifists would be against alchohol..so why would..] Her contemplation was suddenly interrupted by the Jovian,
who had a really stupid question to ask.
"Dederi? What's a shochu?"
[Stupid!] "A shochu is a very powerful colorless spirit." Seeing Makoto still confused, she sighed again. "A highly
alchoholic drink, in lamen's terms."
"But aren't you a minor?" Ami asked.
"Don't mind Dederi, Mercury. She almost always drinks alchohol. Dederi has a strange inability to get drunk." Nova
chided.

"I drink what I like." She said in an aggravated tone. After the health lecture from the Mercurian, everyone settled
into their own conversations. Most of which pertained to what to eat or how wonderfully decorated the Square was.
Dederi though, was lost in her own thought. In the Tsurideragon dimension, she _was_ considerate to other people,
although kept a significant amount of social distance away from most people other than her friends. It was then that,
she realized, she really did miss her comrads from her home dimension. She missed how they would go to teenage clubs
and hang out, how her male friends always got into trouble and she and her other friends would have to get them out
of it. Sure, her friends got into trouble quite often, but not being able to keep in contact with her friends for
over four years caused a slight sense of homesickness in her. She knew that Nova, despite her high attaction to the
osage-baka, and Ibaren felt the same way. She also felt quite bored. There was nothing to do except sit around, wait
for the drinks and then order some food, some of the senshi would probably dance, then they'd all go home. She even
kept wondering how the little pink-haired girl managed to convince her to come along, in a dress, much to Dederi's
hate for them.

[I wonder what they're doing now..probably having fun, no doubt.] She wondered as she sighed softly. [Unlike me.
I wish something interesting would happen. For kami-sama's sake, isn't there anything to do in this forsaken place?]

And, by the heaven's crude sense of irony, Dederi got her prayers answered.

"HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEROOO!!!" A high-pitched female voice yelled towards their tables.
Dederi growled. [Aw, shit. How ironic. I want something interesting to happen, and this is what I get. The fake
sovreign of the Peacecraft Monarchy.] Yes, folks, it was Relena Peacecraft. The 'high and mighty' princess of
Earth had donned her white and purple Sanq Kingdom business uniform (AN: Endless Waltz) and had just glomped Heero
Yuy, Dederi's rival for the true title of Perfect Soldier. "Oh Heero, why didn't you visit me in the hospital?" She
asked with a sickeningly sweet voice. "That terrible assassin had shot me. Did you manage to get him? I wouldn't
want some kamikaze mercenary running around Sanq."

Dederi couldn't help but mutter under her breath. "Bakarayo. What a clueless human."

Relena, with her large ego slightly wavered, heard the remark that the female assassin just said. "You should pay
sympathy to someone who was just shot. It isn't nice to make remarks like that." Everyone knew that Relena didn't
understand what 'bakarayo' meant, and all chuckled inwardly as she attempted to actually look intelligent. "You
seem to act strong, you hussy, but I know that you're actually just a weakling. Your character is weak as well
as your strength!" She said triumphanty, causing Dederi to scowl and was about to stand up when Nova shook her head,
pushing her back down. Relena growled and continued. "I, for one, am stronger. My sense of pacifism shall always prevail
over the weakminded and war-driven. I am physically strong, for I have healed from my shot wound a mere two weeks after
I was attacked!"

"Oh?" Dederi mocked, with a vicious grin replacing her expression of malice. "And how exactly did you get shot,
Peacecraft? I didn't see anything in the newspaper, nor the internet. Could you just be attempting to get sympathy
for your own ego?" Dederi grinned even more when she saw that Relena's face was beginning to turn red. "And by the way,
I've been shot numerous times since I've been in Sanq. It only takes me a few minutes to recover from such a wound, pain
permitting."

Relena growled as she tightened her fist, and turned to Heero. "Heero, are you just going to let her treat me like that?!"

Heero did nothing but shrugg. "..."

"HEERO..!" She said his name angrily. [What's wrong with Heero?!] "HEERO, reprimand that girl!"

"..."

She growled (again?) and looked at Heero with intense eyes. [Doesn't he love me?! How can I get his attention?!] She
scanned the area, acknowledging her surroundings and the people as well. [What can I do...what can I do..I know!] Her
usually dimwitted pacifist brain actually came up with something devious. [If I get myself to kiss another guy, Heero
will definitely react!] She used her pale blue eyes to look for any unsuspecting male who wouldn't mind getting kissed
by 'the most beautiful girl in all of Sanq' (AN: In Relena-baka's dreams! AARGH!). She turned to the second closest
handsome guy next to her. Trowa Barton.

[Bingo. He may not be as handsome as Heero, but he'll have to do.] Relena gulped as she hopped off from Heero's lap and
slowly stood next to Trowa, who idly sat in his own cushioned seat a few inches away. [This will work..this will work..
I WILL get Heero's attention!]

(AN: -_-; You keep telling yourself that, Relena-baka..)

Relena placed her thin hands on Trowa's shoulders, causing the Latin pilot to look at her in confusion. Relena gulped
and put her face in front of Trowa's. She felt like she was betraying Heero, and her stomach suddenly felt weak as she
closed the space between her and the silent pilot. Then..full contact.

Trowa was in shock as Relena's lips were pushed onto his. [What the..] Although, suprising himself, he was too shocked
to actually move. Trowa hoped that he would quickly get back his sanity and push her off him, but to no avail. Relena,
to her own suprise, was actually enjoying her fake kiss, seeing that it really WAS her first kiss. She let a moan
escape her mouth as she deepened the kiss, causing everyone to hang their mouths open even further.

Heero made no move to pry the two away from each other. He didn't like Relena one bit, and he knew that Trowa was
definitely much stronger than the 'princess of Earth'. Trowa could just push her off without any exertion. He merely
crossed his arms and looked blankly in front of him. His eyes, though, unconsciously wandered to the girl wearing
the floral print dress. He chuckled inwardly as he looked at her emerald-eyed look of shock as she watched Relena
push herself against Trowa. Her dark almond brown hair wafted carelessly behind her, moving to the motion of the
evening breeze. [She really is cute..] He thought, then cursed himself. This was the same thing he had thought of
when he first looked at Dederi, although his 'crush' of her had evaporated since. [Makoto..]

Ibaren looked at the awkward spectacle across from him. [How fickle human emotions can be. Dederi's anger will prevail,
for that I am sure. I wonder how she is taking this..] His eyes wandered to the table at the right of him. He looked
to the seat which had contained Dederi, only to find that her form was not there. [She disappears once again.] He sighed.
[Kami-sama, why do you torment her soul so much?] He cursed the heavens above him. [Even if she is not of pure blood,
you have no right to torment my friend so. Is this a part of your ultimate plan to bring about peace? For it does not
bode well with me. Nor does it with Seito.] He then looked to his comrad, Nova, and found that he had been right. She
also looked to be cursing the heavens for their cruel judgement of fate.

Dederi now leaned on the railing of the small, white wood gazebo, on the other side of the outdoor ballroom and across
where everyone else sat. The smell of the large orange trees surrounding the gazebo didn't seem to help her find comfort,
for the smell of them intoxicated her. After seeing the blond idiot kiss Trowa, she had stood up and walked slowly to
the gazebo across from where she sat. She looked out the white arch, which served as the door, and saw that she was
far away from them. And that Trowa and Relena still kissed. She walked over to the far railing of the gazebo and sat
down on it, not caring if her stupid white dress got torn or not. Dederi looked up at the moon, and realized that
tears had begun to roll down her cheeks. [Damnit. I've never cried this much when I was home.] She even got more
homesick. [I'm a fool. I'm a fool to think that someone could ever care for me..A fool. Who cares about that baka anyway..]
She was fooling herself once more. Dederi had once promised herself that she would never display any human emotion ever
again. Unfortunately, she broke that self-promise. Dederi choked back a sob as crystalline tears continued to cascade
down her pale, smooth cheek and onto the moonlight-white fabric of her dress.

"Alone again?" A calm, masculine voice chided.

Dederi's dark eyes widened as she turned around. "Yukio, damnit what the hell are you doing here?!" [He's here to make
it worse, I bet. Well, damnit! Who cares!] Her fists shook as she stood up, not bothering to wipe her tears from her
eyes and cheeks.

Yukio's sterile ice blue eyes softened at the sight of Dederi's emotionally shaken form. He didn't know that she had been
crying. "Kuroi..." He walked towards her and put his pale hand to her cheeks, wiping the tears from each of her
eyes. "Your eyes..they are filled with sorrow..it is not like you, tenshi.." Dederi's eyes widened once again. She ceased
crying, even if she didn't mean to when she began. Yukio's face was filled with concern. "What's wrong, Kuro-chan..?"

"What are you doing here.." She began, her normally calm voice trembling with anger and anxiety.

Yukio, for the evening, had worn a black-silk dress shirt and black jeans, along with black leather shoes. It was
just like a demon to wear completely black, so Dederi wasn't so suprised. Yukio answered her question with a reply that
caused Dederi to stare through her tear-stained eyes. "I came to give you your birthday present."

"W..what?" She said with a strange, weak voice.

Yukio smiled. "In this dimension, tonight is the night of your birthday, November 13." Dederi realized that Yukio had
his left hand behind him the whole time. He pulled his hand out and showed her a small box wrapped in black tissue
paper, and a dark red ribbon tied the package together. "Here.." He held it out to her. Dederi looked into his mirth-filled
eyes. She saw that it wasn't a trick. Dederi slowly took the package.

"Go ahead and open it.." He encouraged, keeping his kind smile on his face.

Dederi nodded and pulled the long end of the ribbon. As the ribbon unfurled, so did the tissue paper. It was like a newly
budded flower. And that's what it looked like. The black tissue paper looked like the petals of a rose, and the scarlet
ribbon looked to be the leaves. There was the small box in the center. She pulled off the lid. "Yukio..." She dropped the
white cardboard lid and took out her actual present. It was a necklace. The chain was made from a demonic metal, and it
had the color of black and silver. The metal was called Demovalra, which was created when mixing the blood of a valkyrie
and the bones of an old feral dragon, mixed in a boiling cauldron until shaped into armor or equipment. A small 'trinket'
hung from the chain. It was a dark blood red gem, and its outer rim was bordered by a small dragon, shaped from Demovalra.
The small dragon encircled the gem, its head meeting its tail. The dragon was also black and silver, and the 'trinket'
was the size of her thumb. The chainlinks were small squares.

"How did you.."

"Make it? I simply went to the battalion armory and created it by bribing the mastersmith." Yukio answered. His leader's
demonic monstrosity of a battalion had a sort of 'headquarters', one that could be moved wherever they pleased by using
evil energy. The castle-like headquarters had an armory for creating weapons and other items, used for any evil purpose
they so desired. "Put it on, Kuro-chan.."

Dederi slowly unlinked the necklace and put it around her neck. The square links were flexible inbetween, so there was no
need to fear of it breaking if she bended the chain too much. She linked the ends of the necklace once again. It had
fit perfectly.

"You look nice." Yukio complimented.

Dederi blushed. "But why would you-"

"Everyone deserves a present on their birthday, Kuro-chan. Especially you." He chuckled at her blush. [It's been so long
since I've seen her blush..] He suddenly placed his arms around her, her back facing his chest. Dederi dropped the box,
along with the ribbon and black tissue paper. "You're still the same girl I fell in love with all those years ago.." He
smiled.

Dederi looked blankly at the ground then. "Demons don't know love, Yukio." She had constantly reminded herself that as well,
since she was, of course, one-third demon. Dederi was caught between her past emotions and present ones. She thought her
past was buried, but came to realize that they were still partially unearthed by his sudden appearance. "It's probably
just your lust for my death."

Yukio merely smiled. "It wouldn't be lust if I've felt this way since Tsurideragon first began."
"Yukio..." She was basically at a lost for words. [He can't love me..demons have no hearts..but..]

The renegade demon kissed her hair, the smell of lavender going into his lungs. He felt her steady breathing against his
own. Yukio heard the lively beat of Latin music begin once again, after the twenty minutes of slow Latin jazz had ended.
"In the honor of your birthday, would you care to dance?" He asked with a sly grin.

Dederi shrugged. "You know I can't dance."

"But Seito taught you how to dance. And I saw you at Relena's birthday dancing with-" He stopped when he felt Dederi's
body stiffen. He didn't understand at that point, as to why she was crying before, nor why she stiffened at that
sentence that had just escaped his lips. Yukio then noticed that Dederi had looked to the side of herself, and downward
towards the cold stone ground. It was as if she was looking away from something that had caused her so much pain. He looked
up and saw, through the crowds and across, towards the tables where Nova and the others sat, and realized what she was
hiding from. He looked up, and noticed that Relena and Trowa were kissing. [Stupid human.] He cursed the Latin pilot
harshly. [He will rue the day he hurt you, Kuroi..I will make sure of that.] "Gomen nasai, Kuro-chan. I-"

"It's alright." She put up a fake grin. "Let's dance."

Yukio returned the grin with one of his own. "Hai."

Trowa, after gaining enough of his sanity and getting enough of his brain to work, harshly pushed Relena off him. Relena
stumbled onto the ground, gasping for air. Trowa had kept his mouth closed the whole time, so he had no trouble breathing.
Nova got up, her anger rising, and walked in front of Relena, who was dusting off her white skirt. Nova narrowed her eyes..
and slapped her.

Relena stumbled back onto the ground, but strangely enough the surrounding people other than the senshi and pilots didn't
notice. Relena held her cheek, which had turned from a cream color to an excruciatingly painful-looking red. "H-How dare
you?! How *dare* you?!"

Nova put her hand back down after slapping the blond faker. "You bitch. You think you're goddamn high and mighty and
everyone loves you. You make me sick. You're lower than scum, Peacecraft." Relena was shocked. No one had ever slapped
her or yelled at her in such a way that would make her feel humiliated.

"Seito."

Nova turned to her spiky-haired comrad. "What?!" She snapped coldly. *~Surely you would have done the same thing, magi!~*

"Dederi's with Yukio." He said emotionlessly. Nova looked towards him in confusion, and saw that Ibaren was looking
at the outdoor ballroom. Or rather, the two people that were in the middle of it. *~Peacecraft is a mere mortal. There
is no need to become so upset.~*

"WHAT?!" Nova looked around furiously for her partner. Her violet skirt flared slightly as she made the sudden movement.
She finally caught them amidst the dance floor, inbetween other couples, who danced as well. "Damnit..." [Yukio's
probably going to pull something..] Strange thing was, though, Dederi was actually smiling. And there was something
around her neck, also.

Trowa and the rest looked towards the outdoor ballroom and sure enough, with no reasonable doubt, that Dederi was on the
dancefloor. Laughing. The Latin pilot merely stared, this time not in shock but in mere confusion. He then frowned.
[Dederi...] Who was that guy? Why are they dancing? Trowa's head seemed to whirl in confusion...or was it jealousy? In
any form emotion, though, Trowa thought one thing. They were too close to one another as they danced.

Dederi grinned as Yukio smiled. "See? I told you that you could dance, Kuro-chan." Yes, she could dance. Quite well,
actually. Yukio and Dederi had just begun dancing to the Latin music. Lively steps and flexibility had been no problem
for her, or Yukio, since she had been taught by Nova, who was currently one of the best dancers in all the forms of
dance, human or not.
"Not as well as Nova."
"Nova? Who's Nova?" Yukio asked strangely.
"Nova is Seito's name in the Silver Millenium, Yukio." Dederi informed as Yukio spun her around.
"Ohh.." He acknowledged the information. "Now I understand. It was to cover up her true identity, then?"
"Hai." Dederi answered. Having one more question in her troubled mind, she asked, "Yukio, my birthday can't be the only
reason why you came. Why are you really here?" Yukio looked over Dederi's shoulder and saw that there was a young woman
staring at them. "Looks like your overprotective sorceress is watching over you, Kuro-chan."

Dederi blinked. Yukio closed the space between him and Dederi, causing her to blush, and spun both of them around so Dederi
could see who he was talking aboout. Dederi looked past his shoulder and saw that what he said was true. "Hakai..."
From the shadow of the first pillar that held up the ballroom, Dederi saw the ningyo. Her black hair was up in its usual
large odango, tied by gold beads and ribbon, with two long bangs framing the sides of her face. She wore a hand-sewn
jade turtleneck with white cotton pants, along with jade-green shin-length boots. She was frowning deeply and her arms
were crossed. Dederi and Yukio then saw that her lilac ki was surrounding her entire body. Hakai Saku, the ningyo
sorceress, was definitely pissed.

"And knowing her, she'd probably kill me before letting me near you any further."

"Then why are you still here?" Dederi asked, turning her eyes back to her dancing partner.

"I'll take my chances if I get to be with you, Kuro-chan."

Dederi blushed. "..."

Yukio laughed at Dederi's pale blush. It was definitely nice to see her this way. But, once again, his laughter died
down as they twirled again. He saw a group of people staring at them as well. All of which were in Rommefeller uniforms.
"Kuso." Yukio slowly drew him and Dederi further into the dancing crowd. Dederi looked at him. His eyes were filled with
worry and cautious anxiety. He continued to step backwards, attempting to lose the group's set gaze on them. He then
stopped when he reached the center of the ballroom.

"Nani desuka? What's wrong..?"

The demon shook his head and drew her closer to him. He whispered into her ear, his soft breath warming her skin.
"Sentinels are right behind you."

"How many.." Dederi's expression turned grim. Everyone who danced, including Dederi and Yukio, slowly made their
transition to traditional slow dancing as the performing band began to play a soothing, mellow Latin song.

"Six sentinels. They're in their human forms. Led by Inabikari, farthest to the right. Two are youma, the last three
are youkai." Yukio whispered further. "Gomen. I'm not even supposed to be here. They tracked me. You get yourself out of
here. I'll distract them once they make their move. They're probably also going to attempt to capture you." What he
had said was true, for Yukio had indicated that all of their auras were sickly tainted with malice and hatred for all
things human.

"I'm not leaving you here for a noble sacrifice, Yukio." Dederi grinned. "I haven't been in a good fight in a while.
My spirit yearns for blood, as much as I hate to say it. And besides," She spun them around so she could look at them
herself, "Demons don't have valor."

Yukio grinned. "Glad to see you're back to your old self." [But they do, Kuroi. Haven't you seen what I've done so far?]
His thoughts were slightly interrupted as he watched the Rommefeller 'soldiers' get up. They left their beers and whiskey
glasses on the circular table as they moved away from it. They then walked in a group towards the Northwest pillar, away
from Yukio's sight. "Damnit." He hastily looked back at Dederi who was scowling at the Rommefeller's movements as well.
"Dederi, Youhko's planning to take you back. He wants your power again. I came to warn you about it." Dederi's unwavered
stare caused him to stop. She motioned him to continue. "I overheard that if you come willingly, they won't have to destroy
you or anyone else who doesn't deserve to suffer." That last sentence caused the assassin to shiver slightly. She had
heard of this plan before. In her own sacrifice, millions of people will be saved, but only for a short period of time.
At a terrible price, not only of her soul and power, but the increasing probability that the demons using her power
would be able to amplify their own strengths and annihilate all hope for humanity. Yukio put his mouth to her ear, his
voice softening as his distempered breath contacted with Dederi's pale skin. "All of humanity will be destroyed if you
heed to Youhko's words. You know that that plan of his is only sustained until you can be successfully killed or held
captive. Even brainwashed. If you don't defeat him and his battalion, I wouldn't-"

"Why do you care if humanity is wiped out of universal existence..?" Dederi interrupted. "You would be saved, wouldn't
you? You are a demon. Youhko's blood lust is limited to that of humans and all things weak. I know you'd be spared."

Yukio looked into her eyes, iceberg blue meeting blackened-red. "Because then I would have nothing to remain in
existence for. Before we first met, I grew a form of hatred for humans, for they wretched and feared our demonic existence.
I felt that if humans were annihilated, the universe would be fit for demons and other beings. I agreed to be hired by
that bastard demon king, for I agreed with his ideals. So when I first met you, my ideals changed. I can't explain why.
At first I hated you for being a traitor to him, then we became rivals for power. You made me realize that humans aren't
just weak life forms that can be discarded without reason. I still agree, though, that demons are much more superior in
strength and power than humans, but if they were wiped out of existence, that would make you sad, would it not?"

Dederi attempted to speak, but found that she couldn't. [He..he's doing this..he's doing this for me? Because..I'd be..
sad? I..I don't understand...demons don't have..demons don't have emotions..] She found that even her thoughts were
filled with confusion. "Why..." She began, attempting once more to talk. She whispered with an uncharacteristically weak
voice. Dederi was right in front of Yukio's face. Their somewhat intense stare seemed to blot out the surrounding music,
and it was as if all of the civilians around them had 'blurred'. "Why do you care so much about me? Do you not care for
your own well being..?"

Yukio's mouth was opened slightly, as if about to say something. His eyes seemed to waver slowly as he drew closer to her
face. "Because I-"

"THAT'S ENOUGH!"

The demon suddenly jerked away from Dederi's face, opening his eyes in the process. Dederi and Yukio looked simultaneously
towards the left, at a pillar where the angry, restless voice had came from. Everyone did so, as well. It was the
ningyo sorceress who stood in front of the pillar, her lilac aura intensifying as she stared them down. She brandished
a white curved sword, made directly from white magic. Her aura had gone to her sword as well. Hakai then began to vanish,
then suddenly reappeared inbetween Dederi and Yukio. The thin, sharp blade was directly at Yukio's throat, and her deep
almond eyes staring at Yukio with hatred. "You will not come any closer to Kuroi, demon. And if by doing so, you will
feel your blood flow down the broad of my sword."

The Gundam pilots, sailor senshi, half-youkai, and magi, along with the 'sovreign', looked at the life-threatning spectacle
before them. Rei did not seem to feel evil eminating from the newcomer, although did not trust her fully. She then realized
who it was. "That..that's the sorceress!" The commoners had quickly fled as the sorceress's threat was made clear.

Ibaren and Nova nodded in compliance, but kept their attention to the outdoor ballroom, as everyone else did. Ibaren stood
up, followed by Nova.

"Hakai, matte." Dederi ordered in a monotone voice. "There is no need for such things."
Hakai's eyes wandered to the girl that she 'protected'. "Kuroi, he's only going to kill you! Don't you-"
"Matte." At that word, along with Dederi's scowl, Hakai withdrew her sword, hesitantly. She sheathed the white blade.
*~Why do you trust this demon, Kuro-chan? He's with the enemy! You can't trust him again! After the first war-~*
*~The past has nothing to do with this Hakai.~* Dederi answered telepathically.

A shrill laugh entered the conversation, although it was not from a human. It was female, though more demonic. Everyone
turned around at the direction of which the sound eminated from, and found that the laugh had come from Inabikari,
followed by her small 'team' of youkai and youma. The first sister of Arashi wore her black pantsuit and white silk
blouse, along with her black shoes. Her cherrywood brown hair was up in its usual bun, with thick bangs framing the
sides of her face. Her red-violet eyes held amusement and malice as she laughed mockingly. The five non-human soldiers
were all wearing standard compulsory Rommefeller soldier attire. Inabikari stood mockingly in front of the five soldiers,
in front of the Northwest pillar that they had presumably hid behing before. Her grin sent a small shiver down Hakai's
and Dederi's spine. "Well, well...It seems that the right-hand man has disobeyed orders once again."

"Inabikari, what the hell are you doing here?!" Yukio scowled. "If you harm her you will truly pay!"

Ignoring Yukio's gruff scowl, she looked towards Dederi, who glared at her in return. "My, my, Kuroi, you haven't
changed one bit." She smiled mercilessly. "Oh wait, yes you have. Your heart has softened. You've yielded to humanity's
temptation of-"

"SNAP DRAGON!" The female demon was cut off when an attack in the form of an aquamarine dragon engulfed her. The attack
swallowed her whole, and Inabikari lowered herself to her knees, one of her arms draped over her chest and held onto
her shoulder. She grit her teeth, groaning in pain as the flames scorched her human skin. Suddenly the aquamarine
dragon withdrew backwards, then dissolved back into the sorceress's right palm. Inabikari groaned in pain, then chuckled,
ignoring the black blood that flowed down from her shoulder and onto her hand. She stood up then, still holding her
shoulder, and stared down the sorceress. "This ends now, Inabikari."

"You think you can defeat me with that attack?"

"You're bleeding, aren't you?" Hakai growled. The senshi and pilots stared at the scorched marble floor of the outdoor
ballroom. The senshi had never seen such a large amount of energy released like that. It had taken all of them to release
even half of what the sorceress had just done, and they also realized that that was only the beginning of Hakai's spiritual
power.

"Hey, We've seen this before..." Duo stared wide-eyed at the crumbling floor.
"What?!" Rei exclaimed. "How in kami's name would you see such a large amount of energy dispersed like that?!"
Wufei stared at Hakai's glowing form. Hakai was getting angrier at Inabikari, who in turn grinned maliciously at the
sorceress's presence. "Bakarayo Maxwell. We've seen a much larger blast than what we just saw. After you senshi left
Relena's west ballroom, Dederi released a large attack with corrosive energy. It killed all of the soldiers, but Dederi
somehow managed to shield the civilians."
"NANI?!" Nova swerved around, confronting Wufei. "What attack did she use?!"
"I do not know..something dark red and black.."
"Think, damnit!" Nova uncharacteristically yelled, her eyes shining with worry and aggravation. "All of her attacks
are black and red-oriented! Be more specific!"
Heero grunted. "It was something very powerful, that I admit. She seemed to mumble 'black death', or something of the sort.
It was translated into 'shi kuroi', I presume."
[Damnit.] Nova thought. "Shi Kuroi is a very powerful attack, as you have permitted to say. She only uses that attack at
full blast when much evil has been foreseen."
"So?" Duo said questioningly.
"And if much evil has been foreseen..." She added everything together. "Oh no..." Nova looked directly back at Inabikari,
then jumped several yards up from the ground. She growled, then put her hands together and began to gather energy for an
attack. "Damn you, demon! You'll never learn! YOAKENO KAJIDA!" She then released a devastating blast of
blue and purple fire from the palms of her hands. The blue and purple fire swirled together and broke through the roof
of the ballroom, chunks of it falling down onto the marble floor, causing several cracks to appear. The nearby civilians
had run far away by this time, so there was no need to hold back. The blast was aimed directly at Inabikari, and had
made direct contact. She writhed in pain once again, engulfed in the direct attack made by the half-youkai. As the
massive attack had slowly dispersed, Nova allowed gravity to control her movements and she quickly stepped back onto
solid ground. Duo and the other gundam pilots acknowledged her increasing scowl. Nova reached up and hastily grabbed the
white ribbon which held her elegant ponytail, and harshly pulled it out of her tresses. Her hair flowed freely past her
shoulders, and gave off a sort of mystic feeling. But that feeling diminished as Nova grew angrier. She curtly looked
at the senshi, who looked at her in shock. "Have you no clue of what is taking place?! Henshin or you shall truly perish!"
She then left them, jumping into the fray. The senshi looked at each other, and nodded. They would vanquish the evil that
has appeared. No matter what the cost. And after brilliant multi-colored lights flashed around them, consuming their
fair bodies in etherial energy, they ,too, entered the fray, leaving the gundam pilots to load their guns. Quatre stood
behind the elevated bandstand, a .45 rifle in his grasp, which he had previously stored in his violin case.

Inabikari had knelt on one knee after Nova had succeeded in attacking her, her scarred hand covering her face while the
other maintained her balance on the ground. Black fluid cascaded down her forehead, arms, chest, and legs, weakening her
as her eyes stung from contacting with the blood that poured from her forehead. Her eyes held hate and the need for
vengeance for herself and her pride. She held her face up then, and growled at the half-youkai. Her left hand, which
supported her against the ground, secretely held a bronze ki-sphere, which Nova was at shock to as Inabikari forced
her hand up and threw the ki sphere at the unknowing halfling. Nova was hit square on her abdomen, and was sent crashing
into the southeast pillar. Nova screamed in pain, and after connecting with the pillar, gravity slowly dragged her downward,
a river of blood following her from where her back had hit the pillar. She fell onto the ground, groaning as she felt her
back burn ferociously, her stomach feeling as if it had exploded. Inabikari began to chuckle insanely as she stood up
on her two feet. "You seriously think you can beat a demon of my rank?!" Her chuckle turned to an outright laugh.

Dederi looked at Nova's bloody form. [Nearly unconscious.] "Inabikari." She said her name with such malice and in such
a deep voice that Darth Vader would've been proud of it. "Leave before I must destroy you." Her eyes held firm at her
enemy's form, narrowed with much determination. "I will not fight unless need it be."

"Kuroi..." Hakai said her name hesitantly. [I now understand. She is holding back from fighting. Kuroi, you have changed
so much. But why? Why are you suddenly valuing life like this? Why? You are so different now...what has changed you? Could
it be those senshi from the other dimension? Or perhaps...]

Ibaren shouted at Dederi in a form of language that no one, save Dederi, Nova, Inabikari, the demons, Sailor Pluto, and
Ibaren himself, understood. Dederi shook her head in response to the cryptic language. "Not until he is needed."

"Pluto, what language was that?" Sailor Mercury asked, dazed. "I have never heard of such an etherial language."
The Guardian of Time gripped her Time Key. "I do not know of its origin, Mercury. It is a definite language of the
ancients, created in the beginning of all worlds' creations. I have heard it before, but only once." She said not a word
more then.

Inabikari grinned maliciously. "My, my, you *have* changed. So you won't fight in your true form, eh?" A bronze ki sphere
appeared at the palm of her uplifted right hand. "You've grown so weak I still can't believe that Youhko wants you." She
continued to taunt the assassin with malice and enjoyment of Dederi's scowl. "Your powers can't possibly be like they
were when the world first began. I bet you have even been poisoned by your own stupid human emotions. Or.." She smirked
as the bronze sphere began to increase in size, "Maybe you were willing to give up your dark powers just to become human.
Well, I *must* tell you, my dear ex-comrad, that you cannot escape your destiny. Humanity shall die by your own hands,
and the power of Chiosu will engulf the entire universe in oblivion. You cannot deny your demonic heritage."
"You have always been the philosophical one, Inabikari." Dederi narrowed her eyes calmly. "But I won't fight you."
"Oh?" Inabikari questioned falsely. "And if your precious beloved was harmed, would you fight?"
"What?" Dederi's eyes widened significantly as she said the word in a raspy, exasperated voice. [T..Trowa..] She then
put that thought to rest. [No...he doesn't care for me at all...Who *would* care for such me, anyway?]
The bronze sphere, now the size of a dodgeball, began to shift its own shape into a sort of energy sword. Inabikari's
hand then grasped the 'hilt', and the energy sword began to stiffen in shape. The energy slowly made its transition from
a bronze light to a sort of metal. The hilt was a deep, copper-bronze shade, and was adorned with dragons teeth and the
bar that she grasped was made from the hard bone of a valkyrie's wing. The sword itself was rather long, that it being
a sort of lengthened fencing sabre, and was in the shade of black onyx. The teeth on the hilt rang softly like bells as
Inabikari expertly twirled the sword around in her right hand.
"Inabikari go back to the base." Yukio gruffily ordered.
"No." Inabikari snorted. "I was sent here to retrieve you from your treasonous acts, Yukio. Bringing Kuroi back is a
bonus of which I must take in compliance."
"Damn you, for once listen to me." The demon growled. "Sentinels fall back. Return to base until further notice." The 'men'
behind Inabikari remained still. One of them replied in a cautious manner, in the same language that the senshi nor pilots
could comprehend. 'He' seemed to talk in an apologetic tone, as if apologizing for their refusing to acknowledge his orders.
Inabikari merely laughed at his attempt. "It is useless, Yukio. They have recieved direct orders to follow only mine for
the time being." Yukio grit his teeth, his silk shirt shifted softly as his gold aura flared outward from his muscular body.
"Yukio." Dederi interrupted. Yukio looked towards her. "Go. They will not reprimand you. This is my battle."
"Kuro-chan, if I leave-"
"Do it..!" She ordered harshly. Yukio still seemed unconvinced.
"Oh how touching this is. Old feelings resurfacing, Kuroi?" Inabikari sneered.
Dederi's gaze upon Inabikari did not budge. "Damare, konorayo! There were no such things, and never will be!"
Inabikari laughed mercilessly. "If what you say is, indeed, true, then prove your hatred." She smoothly tightened her grip
on the bronze hilt of her sabre, then swiftly sliced the blade downward into the ballroom floor, then upward, causing
a curved line to surface onto the floor. "Fight me! SONODAN SNOSHINDA!" At those words, the curved, shallow cut in the
floor erupted in dark bronze light, moving like water upward and downward like a geyser would. The bronze energy 'line'
the began to storm through the already ruined ballroom floor, chunks of wood, marble, and debris erupting outward from
the geyser of energy, of which sped recklessly towards Dederi's disgruntled form.
"Dederi get out of the way!" Sailor Jupiter screamed. Dederi smirked at the worried Jovian.
"You think I'm this weak?" The energy wave was blocked by Dederi's dark red shield. "Try again. I still won't fight."
"You don't remember this attack, do you?" Inabikari smirked. "Sonodan Snoshinda. Dance of the Dead." Suddenly the single
wave split in two, once again ramming against the shield, which held strong against the attack. The two waves then split
into four, moving backwards from Dederi's shield and circling it repeatedly until ramming into it again, then being pushed
back, splitting into eight waves, significantly smaller but nonetheless devastatingly powerful. The waves continued to
circle her, like a herd of sharks surrounding their victim before going in for the kill. Dederi kept up her shield, but
looked around for a way out. Inabikari grinned as she went on. "Circles its target endlessly. Every energy contacted with
itself causes it to split in two. You should remember this attack. After all, you're the one who created it." Dederi's
eyes narrowed at that revelation. Yes, she had created this attack. It was a free-spelled attack; meaning that anyone
of mystic origin could use it. Unfortunately, no one of Dragonn used this attack anymore, therefore Youhko had the
advantage of using this attack against them. Dederi looked around, then realized what Inabikari had intended to do. Her
eyes then closed as she dropped into her fighting stance, ignoring the resistance of movement that her dress had
caused. She concentrated her energy, her black and crimson aura beginning to appear.
*~Count to three, then open fire at the soldiers behind Inabikari.~* She ordered the senshi through telepathy. The
senshi all blinked in suprise. They had not known that she was able to speak through minds. They then recollected their
thoughts, a few of them shaking their heads, and began to charge their planetary energy for an all-out assault towards
their enemies. Dederi then sent her voice towards the Gundam pilots, and reluctantly towards Trowa as well. *~Get out
of here. You will die if you do not leave.~* Dederi's dark aura began to increase in size, her shield not moving an inch.
Her aura soon took the remaining space inside the shield as Inabikari's energy waves increased in number, surrounding
her fully, taunting her. "Yukio, if you're going to be of any use, get Nova out of here. Take her to the mansion. Then
leave." Yukio stared at her as though she was going out of her mind, but put that strange thought to rest as he saw
the determined look in her dark, entrancing eyes.
"Alright." Yukio teleported over to the unconscious half-youkai and picked her up, swinging her up onto her shoulder. He
briefly nodded once more to Dederi. "Take care." He then disappeared in a flash of ice blue light. Ibaren and Hakai did
not trust the demon, but thought it be for the best as they, too, charged up their ki. Ibaren's dark blue aura began
to flare violently, as Hakai's deep lilac aura began to encircle her delicate body.

*~One.~*

The senshi began to glow in their respective colors, they themselves completely in tune with their birth planets'
energies. "Mercury..." "Mars..." "Jupiter..." "Venus..." "Neptune..." "Uranus..." "Pluto..." "Saturn..." "ChibiMoon..."
"No way are we gonna leave you girls!" Duo yelled furiously.
Wufei realized what they were going to do, and also began to glow a mysterious white light. He grit his teeth as he willed
his full spiritual power to come into visible existence. [While the senshi are distracting those soldiers, Dederi will
use her energy to attack that onna..Ibaren and Hakai will cover them..] Duo looked at his Chinese comrad in awe and
fear.

*~Two.~*

"Aqua..." "Fire..." "Oak..." "Love and beauty..." "Submarine..." "Space Sword..." "Dead..." "Death Reborn..." "Sugar Pink.."
"What the hell're you doing, Wufei?!"
Wufei looked towards his braided 'friend' in annoyance. "I'm going to assist them in destroying the enemy."
"What?! And how the hell are you supposed to be able to do that?!"
"You, Heero, and Quatre get out of here! Trowa and I can take care of ourselves!" He ignored the osage-baka's outburst.
Trowa looked on at Dederi's angry, determined form. His mind still whirled in confusion, even as Inabikari began to
laugh at the female assassin as she remained surrounded by the attack that she herself had created. "Wufei's right. You
get yourselves out of here."
"Have you gone mad, Barton?! Get you and the others out of here!" Dederi growled, screaming. As much as she [recently]
hated to admit it, she didn't want the unibang to get hurt. Even if he allowed the blond ditz to kiss him. *~Damn you,
listen to me! Get out of here! You and Wufei's strengths will not stand a chance against that of Inabikari's!~*
Inabikari caught that 'I-don't-want-you-hurt' tone in her ex-comrad's aggravated voice. Her already large grin widened
further as her demonic brain created an idea that would certainly rile Dederi's bloodlust. She charged a bronze gold
ki sphere in her left hand, her right still holding onto her sabre.

*~Three!~*

"Get out of here, now!"
"..Rhapsody!" "..Flame Sniper!" "..Evolution!" "..Shock!" "..Reflection!" "..Blaster!" "..Scream!" "..Revolution!"
"..Heart Attack!" All planetary attacks were instantly directed towards the unmoving, and nontheless suprised, demon
and monster soldiers, glowing lights showering the Peacecraft Square in an array of ice, fire, nature, love, water, and
other forms of etherial energy. The attacks combined and formed a humongous ray of planetary energy, engulfing the
soldiers. Everyone heard their inhumane screams as they were unwillingly bathed in the blast. The rainbow-colored ray
soon disentigrated, leaving only burnt, destroyed, and bloody husks. Sailor Venus, Mercury, Saturn, and Chibimoon resisted
the urge to emotionally break down and regurgitate, for they had never willingly killed anything that looked to be so
human. Dederi took no time to acknowledge the destroyed soldiers as she unleashed her own devastating attack on Inabikari,
as did the legendary magi and sorceress. "SNAPDRAGON!" "MIZUKAIJI!" "SHI KUROI!" The aquamarine dragon once again presented
itself, as did Dederi's black and red projectile attack. Ibaren's attack was similar to that of Dederi's, although it
was a single blast, currently about two square yards wide/tall, and was represented not in ki, but literally in mystic
blue fire. Wufei also emitt a white ki blast from his palms, but even as Heero, Quatre, and Duo shielded their eyes, Trowa
seemingly did nothing but stand. But..that was only to those who were too occupied with the assault. His eyes were wide,
his deep green aura glowing softly. No one noticed that his wide eyes were glazed.

#"Let's see how you react to this!" A woman's voice seemed to yell. Suddenly Trowa saw bronze spheres of light hurled
towards himself.#

Trowa blinked. [What was that?] Was it a vision? He then shook his head. Maybe it was his imagination playing against his
mind..but for some reason, Trowa found it hard to believe that. Meanwhile, Inabikari, as you could have probably envisioned,
was in a deep predicament, even with her strength. She was engulfed with a furiously powerful wave of ancient Dragonn
energy, as well as a not so strong purity wave. She groaned in disgust. Inabikari opened her dark, scarred eyes a little,
fighting against the blinding lights which continued to do their damage, and realized that Dederi was still surrounded
by the Sonodan Snoshinda. Inabikari smirked as she charged up the ki sphere that still laid in her hands, it growing
larger and larger, until stopping when it became the direct size of a basketball. The entrancing glow of the sphere
heavily countered the combined attacks, miraculously for Inabikari, it also healed her previous wounds. Inabikari
smirked violently as the remaining attacks dispersed, for Dederi was still surrounded by the Dance of the Dead wave and
would certainly be difficult for her to escape. She glanced towards the senshi and pilots; the senshi were still standing,
although half of them were showing signs of heavy fatigue, and the human pilots were shaking their heads and blinking
furiously, obviously blinded by the numerous attacks, although Trowa seemed to blink less violently and Wufei was still
glowing a faint white shade. [That purity wave was not accounted for..though weak and in the beginning-state, it made
my demonic spirit painfully reminded me of how much I hate the light. I will destroy them all.] "I must admit that your
attacks are quite admirable, if not for my rapid healing I would surely be dead. But, alas, my dear ex-comrad, that you
and your 'friends' will not be tolerated. If you won't fight, I shall have to take what is dearest from you." Suddenly,
another ki sphere identical to the first one appeared in her right hand, her bronze sabre disappearing in a flash.
"Let's see how you react to THIS!" She yelled in her true demonic voice as she hurled both spheres at the Latin pilot.

[This is the vision..!] Trowa realized as he saw the bronze spheres of light hurled towards him. His acrobatic skills
came reflexively as he backflipped, escaping the blast of the first one. He landed on the ground with ease and put up
his emerald shield, but unfortunately with the lack of experience came his inevitable weakness. The second sphere hit
his shield dead center, and emerald and bronze sparks flew as the sphere pushed Trowa backwards, his heels digging into
the ground, ignoring the bronze smoke which erupted from the first sphere's explosion.
"How could a human dodge my blasts?!" Inabikari growled rather loudly.

[He won't last much longer. But how can I get out of Sonodan?] Dederi thought worriedly. [Damnit. I can only..] Suddenly,
her mind was brought back into the land of the wake as she heard a masculine scream emitted from her left. She looked,
and her eyes widened as she saw Trowa lying on the ground, surrounded by bronze and gold smoke, his clothes red with blood
and his shirt now had a large hole, in front of his extensively bleeding chest. The pilots, including Quatre, immediately
ran over to their now unconscious Latin comrad, yelling his name, attempting to wake him from his unintentional slumber,
as did the senshi. The outsiders from Tsurideragon did nothing but stand still, wrought with anxiety and anger boiling
within them. Dederi's black hair wafted violently over her face, clouding her distrought anger. Her eyes were once again,
glazed into a silouette of blood red and midnight black, no sparkle, nor life eminating from them. Everyone turned as they
sensed an impending darkness, a flow of inevitable evil and dread washing over everyone. Ibaren and Hakai frowned, and stood
beside their despondent friend, as if knowing what was to come. Dederi's eyes seemed to frighten the humans and planetary
warriors, who stood around Trowa, for they looked to be filled with emptiness and sorrow..and bloodlust. Dederi's
despondent form took up her hands, looking at as if inspecting for blood, and to the suprise and fright of everyone her
hands began to glow a deep, bloody red. Her mouth was open, her breath thin and disturbing, as if psychotic. "If you
want to fight me, youkai..." Everyone backed away, save Ibaren, Hakai, and Inabikari, as they heard her voice, which
sounded like there were two voices at once; her voice seemed despondent and filled with wrath...her normal, female, voice
was there, that they recognized...but there was a second voice, almost sounding metallic, almost sounding male. "...you
will fight with all thy strength.." 'Dederi' looked up, her pale complextion terrifying the humans further as they saw
blood dripping from the left crevice from her mouth. "...I am the dark one that your lord has created...of whom he
assimilated his demonic essence with thee.." Her despondent expression remained still, "..Thee will fight thy reincarnation,
Inabikari."

Everyone heard the demoness's evil cackle. "So you have finally shown yourself, dragon."

======
AN: Tra la la la la...It's finally done..tra la la la la..lol anywhoo..for those of you who..er..were told..that something
*specific* was going to happen, once again, I'm really sorry, but that will be in the next chapter..[which is already
halfway done]. I would like to thank my wonderfully-talented cousin, Diane, who gave me 3/4 of the ideas used in this
chapter. Life would be impossible without her, folks. lol I would also like to thank my nonbiological sis, Jochi, and
my friend Ryn, who praise my fics so amiably. ^^ One last thanks to my beloved gundam wing muse: TROWA BARTON! lol I love
the unibang...^_^

Email: ketsekiburade@hotmail.com