Chapter 24

The beginning of the end

Usagi, Rei, Ami, Makoto, Minako, Inuyasha, Sesshomaru and the others were on aboard of Chibi-usa's ship which was really a black moon ship. The ship was fast approaching the moon as Inuyasha and the whole group prepared themselves for anything that could happen when they land. Everyone aboard the ship expect Sesshomaru and Koga were nervous as a bunch of leaves. Everyone was silent most of the journey expect when Kilala, Kohaku and Diana introduced themselves.

Meanwhile inside another part of the ship Minako was standing by a window looking at the moon as the ship was drawing nearer and nearer to it. Sailor Venus had a worried expression on her face. Suddenly some had placed their hand on Minako's shoulder. Minako turned her head to see it was Sailor Mars.

"What's wrong Minako?" Rei asked her friend.

"I am worried about the final battle we will be having against Naraku. I don't think we will be able to survive." Minako replied.

"You shouldn't worry. Remember all of those times when all seemed lost we had always managed to pull through no matter bad the situation was?" Rei said with a smile trying to reassure Minako that they would be victorious.

"I guess you have a point. Maybe I was wrong to be worried. After all...good always triumphs over evil right?" Minako said with a bright smile.

"That is very true." Rei replied with a smile.

Sometime later the ship landed on the moon and with it all of the Sailor Senshi departed from the ship along with all of their allies. Everyone stood looking at the outskirts of the Moon Palace and the buildings and the other ruins that sat around the palace itself. Usagi noticed that most of her friends were worried about what might happen. They all knew perfectly well that they were on Naraku's turf now and from here on out anything could happen.

"Everyone I know that some of you are scarred of what might happen, but for the sake of our love ones and the earth we must push on and defeat Naraku." Usagi said as a tear fell from her eye.

"I don't care if I make it or not, but I will make certain that Naraku will pay for what he did to me and our village." Kohaku said as his eyes burned with determination. Sango nodded her head to agree with her little brother.

"Naraku's evil will end here once and for all." Inuyasha said as he cracked his knuckles.

"We must be carefully we don't know what Naraku has planned for us." Luna warned.

"I think we should break up into groups. We will take a different route and eventually meet at the castle." Ami suggested.

"Alright then." Princess Kakyuu said as everyone else agreed with Ami's suggestion.

Everyone broke up into fourteen groups. "Ok Kagura and Kohaku will take the south pathway to the castle. Sailor Mars and Sailor Venus will go around and approach the castle from the east through the ruins of the city. Sailor Saturn and Sailor Pluto will take the underground tunnels. Inuyasha, Kagome and Sesshomaru will head straight through the city to the castle. Sailor Kakyuu and the Sailor Starlights will enter the city, but will take the scenic route which is along the edge of the city which should bring them to the castle gates. Shippo, Jaken, Rin and Kilala will go through the city, but I suggest you guys stay out of sight as often as possible. The rest of you break up into your own groups and take a different route to the castle. We will all rendezvous there." Usagi said to everyone.

"Be careful everyone." Seiya said to the group.

"You better keep a good eye on her." Koga said as he looked at Inuyasha.

"You can count on it." Inuyasha answered back.

"See you all in a little bit." Ami said as she and Koga ran off.

"Everyone...remember to keep your eyes open for Naraku and his minions. They are expecting us after all." Haruka warned everyone as she and Michiru ran off taking their own route to the castle.

"See you later everyone." Sailor Moon said as she and Sailor Chibi Moon walked down on of the near by pathways that would lead them to the castle.

Everyone split up into their respective groups and went to take their own route to reach Naraku's castle. Sometime later while walking along their route Sailor Mercury and Koga ran into some kind of odd pink fog. Koga stopped and began smelling the air around him. "Ami stop right there. Something is not right here." Koga cautioned.

"I will scan the area with my computer and see what I can find." Ami said as she pulled out her computer, bur before she could use it she saw something a few feet in front of her. It was a boy lying in the middle of the path. The boy was covered in blood, but Ami recognized the boy very easily...it was Urawa. "Oh no... Urawa!" Ami screamed as she ran to pick up the boy, but she discovered that Urawa was dead. Soon people from Ami's class appeared around her.

"Look everyone it's the big phony cheater." One of the students mocked.

"Ha her friend tried to defend her but we showed him." Another of the students said.

"Let's kill her for all of those times she cheated." A third student said as the mob of students was beginning to close in on Ami. Ami was so shocked by seeing Urawa's dead body that she couldn't even think...all she could do was scream. Koga heard Ami's scream, but the Wolf demon was having an encounter of his own. In his arms Ayame had suddenly appeared. Ayame had a serious stomach wound that left her covered in blood. Ayame was about to die due to the seriousness of her wounds.

"Koga." Ayame said weakly with a smile on her face.

"Ayame! I-I-I." Koga was trying to mutter, but Ayame at that moment died in his arms right before Koga could tell that he loved her. Now overwhelmed with guilt Koga dropped to his knees hold Ayame's lifeless body as he screamed "I am sorry Ayame. I should have told you sooner that I love you."

While Koga and Ami were dealing with their own problems someone was sitting on a rock at the center of the pink fog holding a large basket of what appeared to be smoke bombs. "Those fools have already fallen victim to my nightmarish hallucinations thanks to my powder. Soon they will be so traumatized by their fears and nightmares that taking their Star Seeds will be no effort at all." Mukotsu with a dark smile on his face.

Elsewhere Kagura and Kohaku were walking though what appeared to the remains of a large garden, but sadly all of the vegetation and flowers have long since died. Suddenly a gust of wind picked up and right before Kagura and Kohaku appeared Kanna and Hakudoshi. Hakudoshi stood right next to Kanna holding his Halberd.

"What brings you two out here?" Hakudoshi mocked as he pointed the blade of his weapon at Kagura.

"You know why we are here, so don't even bother asking us that question Hakudoshi." Kagura spat back.

"Still as defiant as ever aren't we sister. I will enjoy presenting your head to Naraku after I cut if off from the rest of you." Hakudoshi threatened.

"Go ahead and try, but I like my head where it is." Kagura replied as she unfolded her fan.

"If you want to fight Kagura you have me to deal with as well." Kohaku said as he prepared his weapon for battle.

"Then let this duel begin." Hakudoshi said as he took up an offensive pose and Kanna's mirror began to glow.

At the same time elsewhere inside the ruins of the old city Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune were walking down the street heading towards the palace, but on the way Sailor Neptune couldn't help but notice the once beautiful buildings and clean streets of the city. It was almost a sad sight. Suddenly Haruka stopped walked and looked over her shoulder. Michiru noticed her friend's concern, so she asked "What is it?"

"We're not alone." Haruka said as she assumed a defense pose while keeping an eye out for anything suspicious.

Suddenly two figured jumped out from the shadows and were standing before the two Sailor Senshi. It was Sailor Aluminum Siren and Sailor Lead Crow. Both of them seemed like they were looking for a fight. "What do we have here?" Sailor Lead Crow asked with a intuitive glare.

"I believe those two are with the enemies of Lord Naraku I am not mistaking?" Siren replied.

"You're right Siren." Lead Crow said with a grin.

"If you two are looking for a fight. Then you found one!" Haruka shouted.

"We will be more than happy to oblige." Siren said as she and Lead Crow went forward to charge their foes as an another battle was about to take place.

At that very moment Luna, Artemis and Diana were walking through the city streets on the far side of the ruins. Everything was going fine until Sailor Iron mouse appeared before them. She was looking down at the cats with a menacing glaze as she said "Well now look what I found. I guess it is time for the mouse will finally have his revenge against his predator, the cat. I will enjoy destroying you three very much."

"Don't count on it lady." Artemis shouted as he and Luna underwent a rather surprising transformation. Before Sailor Iron Mouse's eyes Luna and Artemis changed from cats into humans wearing old Sliver Millennium age armor.

"What kind of trick is this?" Sailor Iron Mouse exclaimed with a horrified expression on her face.

"It's a trick I taught my mother and father." Diana said with a smile.

"No matter I will still rip you three apart limb by limb." Iron Mouse roared as she charged Luna and Artemis. While their battle was underway at another part of city of ruins. While the two were passing a large row of stone pillars the two heard the sound of laugher.

"Who's there?" Sango shouted as she looked around trying to find the source of the laughter.

"Only us!" a voice said as the Sailor twins known as Sailor Lethe and Sailor Mnemosyne appeared before the Sango and Miroku. The two twins looked ready to infect some harm on Miroku and Sango.

"Who are you?" Miroku asked the twins.

"I am Sailor Lethe and this is my twin sister Sailor Mnemosyne. We have orders to terminate you two on sight so prepare to lose your star seeds." Sailor Lethe declared as the two twins raised their staff's posed to attack the Demon exterminator and the monk.

"Take this." Sango shouted as she was about to throw her boomerang at the twins, but the twins unleashed a attack of their own before Sango could unleash hers.

"Galactica Musotis Alpastonis!" the twins one of the twins shouted as Miroku and Sango were hit hard by the twins' powerful attack. With Miroku and Sango disorientated from the attack the twins aimed their bracelets and fired a yellow beam at each of them. Sango and Miroku screamed as their Star Seeds were taken from them.

After Miroku and Sango were defeated. Elsewhere Kyokotsu was walking around the ruins looking for a Sailor Senshi or one of Inuyasha's friends or better yet Inuyasha himself to deal with. Suddenly Kyokotsu noticed someone near by. The dangerous member of the Shichinin-Tai jumped over a fallen pillar and found little Chibi-Chibi by herself.

"Well this is quiet unexpected. What is a small little girl like you doing wandering around this place? Well it doesn't matter I am going to kill you just for the hell of it." Kyokotsu said as he raised one of his fists and sent it flying down towards Chibi-Chibi to pulverize her. Suddenly Mouryoumaru appeared out of nowhere and he grabbed Kyokotsu's fist and he flipped him over his shoulder and slammed him into a stone pillar. Kyokotsu was down for only a few moments but he suddenly jumped back up to his feet. Kyokotsu wasn't very happy about what Mouryoumaru had done to him. "You jerk I will kill you and that little girl. Now die!" Kyokotsu shouted as he charged Mouryoumaru as the demon stood ready to project Chibi-Chibi.

Meanwhile at that moment while Sailor Jupiter was walking down some stairs into a what seemed like what was left of a outdoor theater. Makoto walked up onto the stage and looked around. Suddenly she heard people approaching her from behind. Makoto turned her head and saw Sailor Chi and Sailor Phi.

"Who are you two?" Makoto said as she assumed a defensive stance.

"I am Sailor Phi and this is my good friend Sailor Chi. Naraku told us who you are Sailor Jupiter. He will be very happy to have your star seed. It will soon join with the other star seeds inside of the Garden Crystal within Naraku's body" Sailor Phi said coldly.

"I see...then you are just a bunch of Sailor Senshi that have gone bad." Sailor Jupiter said as she prepared to throw one of her thunder attacks at the two evil Sailor Senshi.

"How pitiful." Sailor Chi said as she ran up to Sailor Jupiter spinning her staff in hand. Sailor Jupiter was about to unleash her attack against the two evil Senshi, but Sailor Chi was too quick as the she stuck Sailor Jupiter in the stomach with her staff causing Makoto to fall backwards.

Makoto quickly regained her balance by using one hand to do a cartwheel which allowed her to quickly get back up on her feet and to give Sailor Chi a roundhouse kick to her chin. As Sailor Chi Sailor Jupiter was going to hit her with one of her attack, but Sailor Phi shouted "Galactica Plants Blizzard!" The attack hit Makoto in the back. Makoto fell on her face as a large wound was left on her back thanks to Sailor Phi's attack.

Sailor Chi rubbed some blood of her chin and said "Like I said...how pitiful." Sailor Chi walked up to Sailor Jupiter and she stabbed Makoto right through her spine and her stomach. While Makoto was bleeding to death Sailor Chi used one of her bracelets to claim Makoto's star seed.

Elsewhere Sailor Mars and Sailor Venus were walking inside of a large dome shaped room. Judging by the room and the ruins this must have been some kind of observatory or school of some kind. The only light that was seen was from the large cracks in the ceiling above. While the two Sailor Soldiers were walking through the gloomy chamber they heard the sounds of something big coming. The ground was shaking for a few moments then something burst right through a near by wall entering the room.

It was big, purple and it had red eyes...it was Goshinki. But the large demon wasn't alone on his shoulder sat a woman with butterfly wings. It was Sailor Heavy Metal Papillion. Both of the two servants of Naraku looked down at Rei and Minako.

"Sailor Mars we meet again. Allow me to introduce my new friend. Sailor Heavy Metal Papillion." Goshinki said as he turned his head to introduce Sailor Heavy Metal Papillion.

"So you are Sailor Mars and Sailor Venus I presume. Naraku and Goshinki here have told me much about you." Sailor Heavy Metal Papillion said with a grin.

"So Naraku has some new minions huh." Minako said.

"I am the last and final solider! The soul hunter Sailor Heavy Metal Papillon! I shall give both you the a beautiful funeral procession." Sailor Heavy Metal Papillon said as she began to point at two holes in the ground near by. "See those holes...they will be your graves. Once you die we shall take your star seeds and with them I shall extinguish your souls. I wonder what color your butterflies will be." Sailor Heavy Metal Papillon said with a smile. "But we shall make both of you suffer first." Sailor Heavy Metal Papillon said as flaming butterflies appeared in her hands.

Goshinki laughed and said "You I like. You are the kind of person I would rather enjoying hanging around with than my other siblings."

"Ok enough with the chatting. Are we going to talk or are we going to fight?" Sailor Mars said as she and Minako stood ready to fight the demon and the evil Sailor Solider.

"Don't worry we will fight you. But first let's have a look at your minds shall we." Goshinki said as he began scanning Sailor Mars and Sailor Venus's minds.

"Let us being this battle shall we." Sailor Heavy Metal Papillon said as she sent a swarm of flaming butterflies at Rei and Minako.

Meanwhile while Goshinki and Sailor Heavy Metal Papillon were fighting Rei and Minako Setsuna and Hotaru were walking along the underground passageways below the ruins of the city. The two have been traveling for a while now. Hotaru turned her head and asked Setsuna "Are you sure you know where you are going?"

"Yes this path should take us to the lower underground levels of the palace." Setsuna replied as the two Sailor Senshi made a left turn and continued down the dark tunnels.

Eventually the two came across a large metal wall that blocked their path. "I see that Naraku might have anticipated we may come this way." Hotaru said stating out the obvious.

"Then let me remove this barrier." Setsuna said as she used a Dead Scream attack to blast a hole through the wall. Once the smoke from the blast cleared Hotaru and Setsuna stepped through the hole and found themselves inside of Marik's laboratory.

"Welcome step-sister and mother." a voice said. Marik stepped out of the shadows with three of his super soldiers' right behind him. Marik was standing there with a smile on his face and in his hand was his katana. "Mother if you and Hotaru surrender I can promise you that no harm shall be fall you two. I have no wish to fight or harm you, but if you try to stop my father then you will leave me with no choice." Marik warned.

"I am sorry Marik, but I must refuse. Naraku must be stopped and if fighting you is the only way we get through then so be it." Setsuna replied as a tear fell down her cheek.

"I am sorry to hear that." Marik said as he and his men walked forward to fight the Sailor Saturn and Sailor Pluto. The beginning of the end had really come.

A/N: whew...must stop here. Fingers hurt. (Dips hands in a bowl full of ice water.) Next chapter coming soon. A lot more battles are ahead.