Chapter 11

Battle of the Flames of Love: Mars Vs. Koan

On the bridge of the Black Moon Warship, Rubeus, Ultimecia, and Hyena stood in silence, when Wiseman appeared on the Holocom.

"Rubeus, your previous failures have upset Prince Demande," he said.

"What, are you sure?" asked Rubeus.

"I'm afraid so, Rubeus. I can sense his disappointment is growing through the flow of time. If your mission isn't fulfilled in time, Wiseman may find another to take your place and kill all four Spectre Sisters to finish the job you've been given," replied Ultimecia.

"Come, come, Ultimecia. You know that Rubeus is fully aware of these consequences," said Hyena.

"Thank you for your input, Hyena," mused Rubeus.

"I foresee that in the afternoon, the Rabbit will appear, releasing a burst of crescent energy," said Wiseman.

"And where might that be, my lord?" asked Hyena.

"At the Hikawa Shrine, which was once a Crystal Point," replied the cloaked figure.

"Yes, not too long ago we contaminated that shrine with the power of darkness," said Rubeus.

"Then I suggest you have Koan take part in this task at once," interjected Ultimecia.

"A word of caution. I'm sensing an ominous aura. Tragedy will likely befall Koan if she goes there," warned Wiseman.

"Well, that doesn't matter. She's merely the simple pawn. What does matter is that we catch the Rabbit," replied Rubeus.

On the streets of Juban, Rei and Axel were walking with a struggling Yuuichirou who was carrying lots of items from their shopping trip.

"Hey guys, would you slow down," he called.

"We're not walking that fast, you need to keep up!" barked Rei.

"But these boxes aren't easy to manage, you know," protested Yuuichirou.

"Dude, give it a rest already. You're a strong man, and you need to be cautious without bonking into someone. Got it memorized?" smirked Axel.

They walked off just as Koan walked out, only to be knocked over by Yuuichirou.

"Oh, what a klutz!" Rei and Axel said.

"I'm so sorry, are you alright?" he asked.

"What's the matter with you!? Watch where you're going!" snapped Koan.

"Hey, give the man a break, will ya!? He just said that he's sorry, lady!" Axel said furiously as he summoned his Keyblade.

"Wait a second Axel, let's help Yuuichirou pick his stuff up," called Rei.

Koan, however, saw something very familiar about him. She knew now that Yuuichirou was from the Protection Aesthetics class. Just then Axel returned Koan's bag to her.

"Here, take your bag, while Miss Hino and I have a talk with this guy," said Axel.

"Okay, fair enough," replied Koan, and she walked off.

Then Axel kicked Yuuichirou down to the ground.

"Yuuichirou, you idiot! What the heck were you thinking!?" he snapped.

"Axel, give it a rest!" said Rei.

"But I think I've seen her somewhere before," replied Yuuichirou.

"Well, well, well… I see you're consumed by anger over something. No, over someone familiar to you," sneered Hyena, when she saw Koan return to the ship.

Koan whirled around in shock.

"Oh, Hyena," she said.

"We've been waiting for you, Koan," said Rubeus.

"Oh, for me?" Koan asked shyly.

"Yes, Koan. who else in this world would Rubeus want to have at his side?" replied Ultimecia.

"But at the moment something has come up, and I need your help for it," said Rubeus.

Koan seemed confused, but saw the smirk on Rubeus' face.

"I want you to go to the Hikawa Shrine," he continued.

"Of course we already know you went there once," added Hyena.

"Yes, that's true. But why that place?" asked Koan.

"Because, the Rabbit will appear there," replied Rubeus.

"The Rabbit?" Koan gasped in surprise.

"Indeed she will. Wiseman said that she'll be there today in the afternoon," said Ultimecia.

"If I know for certain that she'll be there, she's as good as mine now. And for you, even if slaughtering her costs me my heart," replied Koan, a look of evil triumph on her face.

"Now that's what we like to hear, Koan," chuckled Hyena.

"I agree, do not fail me this time," added Rubeus.

"Leave it to me," replied Koan.

Rubeus was about to leave, when Koan called to him, making him turn and glance at her.

"When I was out shopping, I got you a little gift. It has a wonderful fragrance. I hope you will wear it my love," she said.

Rubeus then felt a small bottle be placed into his hand.

"How nice, I gratefully accept your gift," he said.

But then Koan heard the sound of glass shattering, and the dripping of the contents within it, frightening her immensely.

"Oh my, apparently I'm not aware of my own strength. I should be more careful," said Rubeus, as he walked off, leaving Hyena snickering malevolently.

Koan was worried, but she knew the mission had to come first. Soon she teleported down to the Hikawa Shrine, to await Chibiusa's arrival.

"Master Rubeus said that she'd be here this afternoon, but I don't see her yet," she said to herself.

Koan was conflicted about Rubeus' feelings for her, and how he wasn't himself at the time, but she brushed those thoughts aside when Yuuichirou approached her.

"Welcome to the Hikawa Shrine. I'm at your service. How can I help you today?" he asked.

Koan was a bit surprised, until Axel clonked him on the head with his Liberating Flame Keyblade.

"Give it a rest, Yuuichirou, the lady's not interested in those things," he said.

"Thank you, Axel, was it?" said Koan.

"Yolo!" grinned Axel.

He then turned towards Yuuichirou.

"Just read her fortune, before you make Hikawa Shrine's reputation spiral down to zero or below," he hissed.

"Okay, okay, just take it easy, Axel," replied Yuuichirou.

Sometime later, Koan received her fortune, and walked off, with a look of excitement in her eyes. But what she didn't know was that Hyena was watching from the shadows, his eyes etched with wicked anticipation.

"OH, this means I have nothing to worry about. What a big relief, he must have been really hard-hearted and cold just to motivate me, so that I wouldn't fail him in this afternoon's mission. Well, Master Rubeus, I'll make myself even more beautiful for you," she said, and pulled out her compact.

But when she opened it, Rubeus' image appeared on the mirror as if it were a screen, making her flinch.

"Koan, has the rabbit shown up yet?" he demanded impatiently.

"N-no there's been no sign of her, master," she replied.

"Even so, you shouldn't be standing around wasting time, preening yourself," warned Rubeus.

"I'm very sorry, Master," Koan said quickly, surprised at how he was able to find out.

"Waiting around for the rabbit to appear is not going to get your job done. Get rid of any young girl who could potentially be the rabbit," barked Rubeus.

"I will," shivered Koan.

"See that you do, and don't disappoint me again, my love," said Rubeus, and clicked off the transmitter.

"I won't, you can count on me," replied Koan, even though the comlink had been shut off.

"Well now, I must say I'm beginning to like how you think, Rubeus," whispered Hyena, who was watching from the shadows.

But the two of them soon heard an angry Rei berating Yuuichirou for not feeding the chickens, as she chased him up and down the shrine grounds.

"You know, Rei and Yuuichirou don't see eye to eye very often," said Axel.

"Yeah, those two are worlds apart from the love I share with someone special to me," replied Koan, who was cautious about her cover.

Meanwhile, Minako and Makoto sat at a table, unsure of which guys would be perfect for them.

"The sight of two teenage girls having parfaits together with cats…" sighed Minako.

"Is pretty pathetic," moaned Makoto.

"Come to think of it, what are the rest of our friends up to today, Luna?" she asked.

"She went over to Rei's place to return one of her mangas and hasn't come back yet," replied Luna.

"And as usual, Ami's busy attending Cram School," groaned Minako.

"You're the only ones with nothing to do, you're stuck with cats," chuckled Atremis.

"Artemis," Sora said ominously, when he arrived.

"Okay, geez, sorry about that!" cried the white cat, making Minako turn and look flirtatiously at him.

Back at the shrine, Usagi was laughing her head off, when Rei stormed in, followed by Axel.

"That Yuuichirou is so useless," she huffed over Usagi's laughter.

"Guys, this manga is so funny," she guffawed at them.

"What's the matter with you!? Can't you see that Rei needs a bit of peace and quiet in her shrine!?" shouted Axel, accidentally sending Usagi flying towards the wall.

"Ow, why'd you have to go and do that?" groaned Usagi, until Axel grabbed her by the front of her blouse and slammed her against the wall.

"I'm warning you, bun-bun. If you don't control yourself right now, Rei might have no alternative but to dish out some unforeseen consequences on your person," he said ominously, as he held the Liberating Flame Keyblade dangerously near her neck.

"Axel, STOP IT!" shouted Rei.

Axel turned and saw a firm glare on Rei's face, making him let go of Usagi, who was cowering in fear, but then scrambled to Rei's side.

"Thanks Rei, I guess I'll just leave the shrine and leave you alone for a while," said Usagi.

"Come on, Usagi. I know Axel didn't mean to threaten you like that. And besides, we still have Hakuna Matata in our hearts," replied Rei.

The flurry of dancing flames sighed, then turned and walked away so that he'd clear his head.

"Hello, is anyone here?" asked a voice.

Rei turned and walked towards the entrance, just as Axel hid behind a wall and so he could observe the disguised Koan from a distance.

"Hi, can I help you?" she asked.

"I came here to show you some new cosmetic products I'm prepping," replied Koan, who was wearing a different disguise.

Axel however, seemed suspicious about her, as he watched from the shadows.

"Are you models by any chance?" Koan asked, making Usagi surprised.

"Oh, do you really think we look like models, ma'am?" replied Rei.

Koan was somewhat rattled, but she took the items out of her bag, and placed them before Usagi and Rei, just as Sora showed up, while she explained about the many products she had, which made Usagi and Rei curious.

"If you use this product, I guarantee that you'll find boyfriends in no time at all. Or do you already have that special someone?" Koan said to them.

"Well, I wouldn't really call him a special someone," replied Rei.

"Hey, I do, sort of, but he more than qualified in the special someone sense," interrupted Usagi.

"Oh really? He's not even a sort of boyfriend, Mamoru dumped you," sneered Rei, making Usagi upset.

"Cut it out, Rei. Just because Mamoru said it was over between him and Usagi, doesn't mean they can't see each other anymore, but I can tell you this. When I first met Kairi, she and I became friends, along with everyone else I met on my adventures. But that friendship soon evolved as we learned more about each other. Until, I met several other girls like Twily, Ruby, Weiss, Blake, and Yang. They not only became my friends, but they also became part of my family, just as you, Usagi, and everyone else did here in this world. So I swear to you, I'll still stand by Usagi's side, not just as her friend, but as someone who acknowledges the bonds she forged with the people she met. I know that Usagi can sense the good in Mamoru's heart, just as he can, no matter how much he tries to deny it," explained Sora.

"Do you really believe that?" Usagi asked Sora.

"You know I do. So don't give up on Mamoru, no matter what. I know he'll see the error of his ways and want to stay by your side forever, no matter what," replied Sora.

"I have to disagree," interjected Koan, making the three of them turn and face her.

"It's not about believing in him, it's about him believing in you. You're because he sees how beautiful you are, and that he can't live without you. But to continue to love him when he treats you coldly is frankly just pathetic," she continued.

"So you're saying…" said Usagi.

"I'm saying forget about him," replied Koan.

"Never, ever, ever," cried Usagi.

"You must, and then pamper yourself with beauty to make yourself so desirable that guys would never dare treat you coldly again. Wear fabulous make up with the best features that dazzles any guy who dares come near you. That is what love is all about," grinned the dark fire mage.

"You gotta be kidding us," replied Sora, causing Koan to panic.

"You know, I think I'll pass on the make up," said Rei.

"Oh well, by the way, are there any little girls who hang out in this area?" Koan asked curiously.

"If you're talking about Chibiusa, then no. She's not here at the moment. But uh, why're you asking about her?" replied Sora.

"Oh, I have cosmetics for little girls who can never start too early," Koan said hurriedly.

"Sorry, no little girls here," replied Rei.

"Well, thank you for your time," said the disguised Koan, as she packed her belongings and stepped out of the shrine.

She had just barely left, when she heard Usagi, Rei, and Sora talking about how strange Koan was, but what they didn't know was that she had covered up her agenda to try and capture Chibiusa and eliminate her, once she arrived.

"Gotta go, see you later," Usagi said as she left.

"Oh, you're leaving so soon, Usagi?" Asked Yuuichirou.

"Yeah, I'll be back again. Bye-bye," she replied.

But as she headed down the steps, Usagi noticed Chibiusa and Riku climbing the steps to the shrine.

"Hey you two, don't tell me you're heading to Rei's place just to read her manga again," she said to them.

"Not from where we're standing, Usagi. But, you might want to hurry up and catch your bus before it leaves," replied Riku, which made Chibiusa surprised, but happy to know that her big brother was more reserved and respectful.

Usagi shrieked in surprise and chased after the bus. But when Chibiusa reached the top, Koan leaped down at them, startling the little girl, making everyone turn to face the dark fire mage, while Riku readied his Keyblade for battle.

"I was getting tired of waiting Rabbit," she said with evil triumph.

"Let her go!" shouted Sora.

"Yeah, leave Chibiusa alone, or you will regret it!" added Yuuichirou.

"Sora Lucis Caelum, you shouldn't have interfered in my objectives! And now you will perish by my hands!" snapped Koan.

"Yeah, sure! And what makes you think that your precious trinkets would make Usagi and her friends more beautiful!? But you're not gonna make Kairi, Namine, Xion, and Aqua look like you and your sisters!" Sora snapped back.

"That does it, I'm gonna make you eat those words!" shouted Koan.

She soon unleashed a burst of dark flames from her hands, which missed Sora, and struck Yuuichirou who tried to run, causing him to sprawl onto the ground.

"What's going on?" called Rei.

"It's Koan! And she's after Chibiusa!" Sora called back to her.

"Oh no!" gasped Rei.

Koan stalked towards Yuuichirou, and was about to blast him, when Rei flung a rock at her, forcing her to dodge it.

"Get up Yuuichirou! Run!" Rei and Sora said together.

Yuuichirou did as he was told, but it made Koan even more angry

"Meddlesome blights, I'll destroy you all!" she hissed.

This time she began blasting them with rapid precision, causing them to dodge. But when Koan was about to blast Rei to bits, Yuuichirou jumped in the way of the attack, and was sent flying back. He landed on the ground in a crumpled heap, which enraged Rei and Sora, but surprised Koan.

"How dare you. HOW DARE YOU!" screamed Sora.

"Why would you protect her, when all she does is treat you badly?" demanded Koan, as Rei tried to wake him up.

"All that matters to me, is that I love her," remarked Yuuichirou.

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard! Why would you love someone who treats you coldly!?" demanded Koan.

"I can't stop the way I feel, and I don't want to!" Yuuichirou said bravely.

But as he passed out, Rei cried out in desperation, begging him not to die, which surprised Koan, but made Sora's rage slowly increase even more.

"You monster," she said.

"We're going to make you pay for what you've done," added Sora, his tone dark and foreboding.

In a burst of red light, and roaring flames, Rei had now turned into Sailor Mars.

"You! You were a Sailor Guardian all along?" gasped Koan.

"That's right, Koan! And now, you shall feel her fury!" replied Sora.

Taking each other's hands, Sora and Sailor Mars channeled their power into each other, as a red light appeared on the tip of Sora's Keyblade.

"MEGA FLARE!" they shouted.

Teleporting out of the way, Koan evaded the attack by hiding on the roof, but Sora let go of Sailor Mars' hand and charged furiously at her.

"This may have shocked you once, and might work in your favor, but hurting someone that Sailor Mars cares about is punishable by death!" shouted Sora.

Koan jumped clear of Sora's attack, then retaliated with dark fire forcing him to cut through it with his weapon. Not wanting to see Sora get hurt, Sailor Mars rushed to his side, and unleashed a burst of fire against Koan's attack. The resulting explosion gave Koan the edge, as she teleported behind Rei, and struck her head on.

"THAT'S IT!" screamed Sora.

He lunged at Koan in a frenzy, but the dark fire mage jumped out of the way and blasted Rei with Dark Mega Flare. Quickly grabbing Yuuichirou, Sailor Mars barely dodged the attack, but her leg suffered some severe burns as she landed on the ground.

"Fools, if you had abandoned him, you could have escaped!" snapped Koan.

"That's not true! I may still have a lot to learn about love, but I know what it means to share my heart with others. And it will take more than you to break a bond like that," protested Sora.

"And what does a boy like you know about the heart?" demanded Koan.

"Because Sora's seen more of this world than even you could believe. I may care about Yuuichirou, but I also care about Sora. It's because of me that you hurt Yuuichirou. He was always protecting me, and I can always trust him to be there for me," replied Rei.

Koan huffed furiously.

"I remember you said that trust was always important in any kind of relationship," she said.

"You're that saleswoman, aren't you?" gasped Rei.

"What do you see in this guy that you have to protect him?" Koan asked furiously.

"It's not what she sees him, it's what he doesn't see in her! And what Yuuichirou doesn't see in Rei, is an obsessive monster like you! Rei's not like you at all, Koan! I don't think it's impossible for her to be with someone she cherishes. And even though we're friends, I will also fight for them!" remarked Sora.

Axel quickly rushed to Rei's side, his Keyblade also held at the ready.

"I think he's a loser without a loser without any qualities you boss around like a lost puppy!" argued Koan.

"The good qualities that you missed are that he's sincere and caring!" Rei argued back, as she struggled to her feet.

"If that's it, then you can't win against the love that Master Rubeus and I share," scoffed Koan.

"That's a lie, Koan! All you've ever loved is yourself! You have no idea how anyone else feels, because you choose to shackle your heart with darkness! That isn't true love, it's pure hatred!" yelled Sora.

"What would you know about love!? We're very, very close and he calls me his love," protested Koan.

"Yeah, but what do his actions tell you?" Rei asked, her breathing heavy.

Koan was aghast, but she brushed the memories aside, and grew even more angry.

"No, that's not how it is! I'm not gonna listen! Just shut up!" she cried.

Rei and Sora were aghast.

"I've heard enough of your foolishness, I'll be back to take care of you as soon as I eliminate the rabbit," she said.

Desperately, Rei tried to stop her, but Tuxedo Mask soon came to Chibiusa's rescue, just as Riku readied himself for battle.

"Nice timing, Tuxedo Mask," he said.

"The image of love shimmering in the darkness. Come you sad lost soul, listen to the sound of a loving heart," said the caped crusader.

Confused to a degree, Koan watched as Tuxedo Mask scooped Chibiusa into his arms, and raced off. This was the signal for Sora and Sailor Mars to strike Koan with a combined force of Burning Mandala and Firaga, forcing her to her knees.

"It's over now! You lost!" he said.

"That's right, Koan! this fight is over!" added Rei.

Koan was just about to strike back, when she heard Rubeus calling to her.

"Master Rubeus!" she gasped.

"So, have you taken care of the rabbit yet?" he asked.

"Sorry, Rubeus. But Tuxedo Mask had to get her to safety," Riku answered for her.

"Then Koan has failed me, for the last time," mused Rubeus.

He then glared angrily at her.

"You've worked with me for a long time, but you've never had much success. That being said, let me add that we won't be seeing each other anymore," he said disappointedly.

"I agree with Rubeus, you are a perfect example of a failure. Your actions have cost him so much time and effort, that it's time for you to say goodbye," added Hyena.

"Give me one more chance, you guys! I'm in the middle of a battle with Sora and Sailor Mars. I'll kill them to make up for my failures," pleaded Koan.

Hyena chuckled mockingly at her.

"Sorry Koan, but you've let their words get to you," he said.

"You no longer have the power necessary to fight them," added Rubeus.

"Then you could help me. As a couple we could fight them together," replied Koan.

"And where would someone like you believe that you and Rubeus loved each other, Koan? You were always his pawn, and pawns must always be sacrificed for the benefit of their king, in a simple game of chess," sneered Ultimecia.

"Ultimecia's correct. You're just a lonely, incompetent subordinate," agreed Rubeus.

"How can you say that? I've loved you for so long, and you've loved me!" cried Koan.

"Love you say? Ha, what foolishness, I've never loved you! In truth there's no such thing as love in the Black Moon Clan!" replied Rubeus.

Now Koan was truly distraught, but Rei could sense the distress eating away at her heart.

"This will be my first and last gift to you," he said.

An orb of darkness materialized over his hand, and he tossed it to Koan.

"But this is…" Koan said, as tears started to form in her eyes.

"Something to erase those people from this world. I think you'll find it to be quite a useful gift, unlike that stupid cosmetic gift you gave me," replied Rubeus.

Sora clenched his fist in anger, his darkness slowly intensifying in his heart.

"Rubeus. Rubeus! I HATE YOU!" he screamed.

"Settle down, Sora. We will see each other again, if you can survive the blast, or your transformation into Vanitas," replied Rubeus, and he vanished into the darkness.

"A space-time bomb. Oh, he wants me gone for good," Koan said sadly.

"What!? Don't activate it!" cried Rei.

"Koan, get rid of it, now!" she and Sora called out to her in desperation.

"No, too late. You win, you guys. You were right, my love wasn't real," Koan replied sadly.

She was about to accept her death, when Sailors Venus, Jupiter, Mercury, and Moon arrived, tossed the bomb away from Koan with their power, and destroyed it when it was safely away from the shrine.

"Thanks guys," Sora said to them, as he calmed down.

"Surrender yourself, right now, Koan!" shouted Sailor Moon.

"Don't try to run away this time!" added Sailor Mercury.

"Wait!" called Sora.

He then turned to face Koan.

"I have nowhere to run to. I've always been able to run away, and go where I felt where I was beautiful. But now, I have been banished forever. I've lost everything, and it's because of you! It's all your fault!" she cried out.

Rushing blindly at them, Koan attacked with angry tears in her eyes.

"My life is over! I've lost everything! My home! My family! My love! There is no future! I'm not welcome anywhere! It's all your fault!" wailed Koan.

"STOP! LET HER GO!" shouted Sora and Sailor Mars.

With a great leap, Sailor Mars jumped between Sailor Jupiter and Koan, shocking everyone in an instant.

"You protected her," said Makoto.

"Your life isn't over, Koan," they said.

"You see, now you have a chance to start anew," continued Rei.

"I know now why Rubeus viewed you as a pawn waiting to be cast aside. It's because he viewed you as expendable. But to me, you're life isn't something to throw away. So don't throw away this one chance we have for you. Because seeing you die, would only hurt us even more than you realize," added Sora.

"Your future begins, right now. Trust us," Rei and Sora said together.

As Koan cried, she slowly stood up, then ran to Sora and hugged him.

"Thank you, everyone," she said softly.

Sora hugged her back, and Koan could see how gentle his hands felt upon her. Then they pulled back, and Sora and Sailor Mars looked at Usagi.

"Sailor Moon, let's turn her into a normal human woman," he said, as he walked to her side.

"I wish I could, but I don't know if it'll work," replied Sailor Moon.

"Well, if there's one thing that can help Koan, it's your Silver Crystal," said Riku.

"I think Riku's right, see if you can put his theory to the test," added Luna.

"Perhaps it doesn't have the full power it once had, but it may be able to turn her into a normal woman. Since she's in a very fragile state," agreed Artemis.

"I'll help too, Sailor Moon. Because this time, we can be her true friends," said Sora.

Sailor Moon nodded, then pulled off her brooch, as Sora's Keyblade materialized in his hand.

"Okay Koan, it's time for you to face the light!" Sora said.

"Moon Crystal Power!" cried Sailor Moon.

The combined light soon fell upon Koan, and she soon felt herself begin to change from what she was into a normal person. Then, the next day, Yuuichirou was now cleaning the shrine floors, as Rei continued to bark orders at him.

"Yoohoo, is anyone home? I'm here to show you some brand new cosmetic products that I'm repping," Koan called from outside.

"Hey, Koan," greeted Sora.

Koan smiled happily at him, then she hugged Sora again. But this time it was a friendly hug, rather than a comforting hug he received from her.

"Thanks for the hug, Sora. But, these two look like the perfect couple, I'm a little envious," giggled Koan.

"Well, now can you embrace Hakuna Matata," replied Sora, making the two former rivals giggle at him.

But Rei nodded in agreement with him, happy to know that Koan's life could now be her own, even as she hummed that little song in her head.