Chapter Fourteen

A Sour Trust! Can Tansei Forgive?

Author's Note: I can't get the formatting to appear correctly here. Readers might be better off visiting my website to see the proper formatting for this chapter. I hope this doesn't cause confusion when the narrative shifts locations! Azura

Usagi sat silently, her head bowed and tears streaming down her cheeks. The weight of Minako's death dragged her down, adding to her already overburdened shoulders. An untouched ice cream sundae sat in front of her, the desert dripping down the edge of the glass as it melted in the morning sun.

Across the table, two worried faces exchanged glances. Rei sighed heavily and absently stirred the icy fruit drink she had bought, her purple eyes never leaving Usagi's lowered head. Michiru propped her elbow on the edge of the table and leaned her head onto her hand, trying to peek under the blonde hair and find Usagi's eyes. She also carried her share of sorrow – not only with the deaths of the inner senshi, but also that of her beloved Haruka.

"Hey, Usagi-chan," Rei spoke up suddenly, "there's a midnight fair at the temple near my shrine. We should go! You can wear your pink kimono and win a goldfish for Luna!"

"That's a great idea," Michiru added. "Perhaps Kami-san and the others will join us. I bet Eitai-san would look stunning in one of Setsuna's old kimonos."

"No thanks," Usagi murmured. "I think I'll just go home."

Rei frowned. "Cheer up, Usagi. It's your greatest strength."

Usagi raised her head and Rei was shocked at how sad her friend was. After all they had been through, all the evil they had faced, she had never seen Usagi this low.

"I have no strength," Usagi muttered. "Not without my friends."

"We're still here," Michiru reminded her gently.

Usagi turned her sad eyes to stare at the aquamarine-haired girl. A cheerless smile spread across her lips. "For how long, Michiru-san? How long before Hodur takes you from me, too?"

Michiru said nothing, but pursed her lips and sat back. She could not answer the question. If Haruka had fallen, the other senshi stood little chance of surviving, she knew. It was only a matter of time before they were all gone.

"I'll be with you until you defeat Hodur," Rei promised.

For a moment, Usagi's face brightened. She reached across the table to grasp Rei's hand and held it tightly.

"I'm holding you to that promise," Usagi said. "Promise you won't leave too."

"I promise," Rei said.

Michiru shook her head and sighed softly. Should Rei be taken next, Usagi would be inconsolable. It was foolish to be making such promises, ones that you knew you could never keep. But she did make one promise, silently in the depths of her heart. She promised Haruka that they would be reunited soon, but before that, she would give Hodur the fight of his life.

Akumu stepped into the shabby apartment and looked around, a frown growing on her face. The place was bare, with chipped white walls and linoleum floors. Light bulbs swung on exposed wires from the ceiling, flickering as she turned them on. There were two small, dark bedrooms. Akumu peeked into one and saw two thin mattresses lying on the floor. The kitchen contained a small fridge, dirty counters, and a leaky sink. The dining room had a rickety card table that held a dying potted plant, a deck of cards, and an old alarm clock. She took a deep breath and sighed, turning to the four girls who followed her into the apartment.

"You live like this?" she asked.

Yume shrugged. "I'm not here that often."

Michi pushed past her friend and headed straight for the window. Her face was lit up with excitement as she pushed her face against the glass and raised her eyes. Almost immediately, her face dropped.

"I thought the ceiling would look different up here," she said sadly.

The red-haired Sei rolled her eyes and sat primly on the only chair. Her green eyes moved about the apartment with a look of extreme distaste, but she said nothing. Keishu straightened the black jacket she wore and left the kitchen, exploring the other rooms. Yume walked up to Michi and put her hand on the lilac haired girl's back.

"The ceiling is called 'the sky' in the Upper World," Yume said gently. "And it will look different when the sun comes up. It's night time now."

"Sun?" Michi repeated the foreign word. Her face wrinkled in concentration as she tried to think of its meaning. Suddenly, her face brightened. "Oh! The ball of fire that is suspended from the ceiling – um, the sky, right?"

Sei snickered into her hand and Yume shot her a dirty look. Akumu watched the four strange senshi moving about the apartment. It had not taken long to persuade them to leave the Lower World once she had sealed the Gate, especially since Vali had managed to steal a fair number of souls from the prison Orcus. The Erebus Senshi, as they were often called, decided it was their responsibility to reclaim those missing and dangerous souls.

Keishu came out of the second bedroom and gestured towards it with her thumb while looking at Yume. "There's a body in there."

Yume gasped and ran to the room. "I completely forgot about him!"

"A body?" Akumu repeated, following the silver haired girl.

"Nothing to worry about, my Lady," Yume assured her. "Just a mortal I met earlier. I thought he was a wandering soul, but I was mistaken. I had to keep him here since he insisted – "
"Tansei!" Akumu exclaimed as she caught sight of the man on the bed.

Tansei lay as if dead on the small cot in the room. His skin was white and cold as Akumu picked up his hand and held it in hers. He did not move or make a sound. Akumu faced Yume accusingly, and the senshi of sleep shrugged. The other three Erebus senshi scrambled into the room to see what the commotion was about.

"He's not dead, if that's what you're worried about," Yume said. "How do you know him, anyway?"

"He's someone special to my sister," Akumu replied. "Can you wake him up?"

Yume nodded thoughtfully. "He did say he knew the senshi. I had no idea he was talking about Lucis. He should have said something."

"How long has he been like this?"

"A few days, I think."

Akumu shook her head, wondering how her sister must feel. She bet Kami was worried about Tansei, wondering where he was. Michi had crept into the room and was poking the sleeping man's cheek with one finger, a curious expression on her face.

"Are all mortals like this?" she asked.

"Don't be stupid, Michi-san," Keishu snapped. "Yume-san put a spell on him."

Michi stepped back, an embarrassed tinge to her cheeks. Placing one finger on his forehead, Yume reversed the sleeping spell she had cast, and the five senshi sat back to wait for him to revive. Tansei took a deep, gasping breath, as if he had been underwater and suddenly returned to land. His skin took on a rosier appearance and his opened his brown eyes slowly. He first saw Akumu, and he smiled lazily at her as his brain slowly worked out the fogginess of slumber.

"Akumu-chan," he mumbled. "What are you doing here? I had the strangest – "

Suddenly, his eyes snapped fully open and he sat up on the cot. The four Erebus senshi jumped back in surprise as Tansei pointed to Yume, his face growing angrier by the moment.

"She's a senshi, working for Hodur!" Tansei exclaimed. "She kidnapped me and did something to me…"

"I extracted his soul," Yume explained.

"His soul?" Akumu repeated in a shocked voice.

Yume looked slightly ashamed. "I had to, my Lady, to make sure it was his."

Tansei glanced from Akumu to Yume and back again. "My Lady?"
"It's a long story," Akumu told him. "Are you okay now, Tansei-san? I bet Kami-chan is worried sick about you."

He averted his eyes. "I doubt it."

"Kami-chan is Lady Lucis, right?" Michi whispered loudly to Keishu.

The pink haired girl looked thoroughly annoyed as she nodded. Sei laughed and sat down on the cot next to Tansei, running her finger up his arm and resting her hand on his shoulder.

"Forgive my sisters," Sei said. "They can be so crass sometimes."

Tansei shrugged her hand from his shoulder and stood up, moving to the other side of the room, away from the senshi and towards the door. Akumu watched him with a concerned expression.

"Akumu-chan, be careful with these four," he warned her as he slipped from the room.

The girls waited in silence until they heard the door slam behind him, then Akumu sighed. She rose to her feet and looked at each of the Erebus senshi in turn.

"You four will be okay here tonight, right?" she asked. "I'd better go home, but I'll come back to get you tomorrow morning, and you can meet the others."

Keishu shook her head. "We fight alone."

"Not this time," Akumu said firmly. "Hodur is too much for any of us to handle on our own. We need to stick together. Not many of us remain, but Kami, Eitai-san, Kiki, Usagi-chan, and the others will want to meet you. I'm afraid we're running out of time."

"What about Tansei-san and Lady Lucis?" Michi spoke up. "It doesn't sound like they're getting along very well."

Akumu lowered her eyes. "No, it doesn't."

"We don't have time to play Cupid," Keishu snorted. "There are missing souls to find."

"But – " Michi began to protest.

"No questions," Keishu snapped. "Our duty is to recover the souls as quickly as possible."

Humbled by her leader's sudden outburst, Michi lowered her eyes and nodded. Yume peered out of the window, her purple eyes sweeping over the slumbering city, as if she were searching for something only she could see. Akumu blinked in confusion.

"How will you find the missing souls?" she asked.

"Leave that to us!" Michi exclaimed, winking at the blue haired girl.

"We work best at night," Yume added, her voice taking on a preoccupied tone. "We'll scout the city."

"In the meantime," Keishu said, stepping aside so there was a clear path to the door, "you should head home, my Lady. We'll see you when the sun rises."

"Maybe a little after that," Akumu warned, heading for the door. "I'm not as early a riser at my sister."

Eitai raised her head when she heard the sound of a timid knock at her door. A smile passed over her face as Kiki stuck her head into the room and looked around with wide eyes. She was trying her best not to look concerned, gazing around as if this was the first time she had ever seen the room. Kiki was, however, notoriously bad at masking her true emotions from her face.

"Come in," Eitai invited.

Kiki slipped into the room and closed the door behind her. She remained where she stood, the door firmly at her back and her eyes fastened on the carpet.

"I just wanted to make sure you were okay," Kiki muttered, scuffing her foot on the floor.

"Much better, thank you," Eitai replied, closing the book she had been reading.

Truthfully, Eitai's wounds were all but gone, thanks to three days of rest and no immediate threats from Hodur or his minions. Ever the dutiful nursemaid, Kiki had made sure Eitai had not left the apartment until she was her old self again.

Eitai waited patiently as Kiki stood with her back to the door, both hands grasping the doorknob behind her.

"Kiki," Eitai began.

Suddenly, the blonde haired girl flew across the room and threw herself on the bed where Eitai was sitting. She buried her face in Eitai's lap, wrapping her arms around the elder woman's waist. Tears streamed freely down her face, and Eitai could only stare in shock as the normally carefree girl was overcome by emotion.

"I was worried," Kiki admitted. "Very worried. I saw the whole thing, but I didn't do anything. You were trapped, and I – "

"You did what you believed was right," Eitai said soothingly, stroking the other girl's hair. "Minako told me how you appeared out of the blue when Vali started attacking them."

Kiki raised her head. "I should have stopped Vali before he triggered the landslide. I had been following him all day, all the way to the hot spring until I saw you."

A blush spread up Kiki's face, and she sat up quickly and turned away. She slid away so her feet dangled off the bed and her back was to Eitai, but her shoulders shook with unshed sobs. Carefully, Eitai put her hand on Kiki's shoulder.

"I failed you," Kiki whispered. "First Odin, then Usagi, and now you."

"You didn't fail me," Eitai assured her. "You saved me. I thought everyone had left me alone in the cave until I heard your voice. Your face was the first one I saw, and I had never felt so happy."

Kiki turned, her eyes wide with surprise. "Really?"

Eitai nodded. "Really."

A smile spread across Kiki's face, instantly erasing any trace of tears she had once had. Eitai was once again astonished at how quickly this girl could move from one emotion to another, when suddenly she felt Kiki's lips against hers. The blonde girl kissed her gently, tenderly, and Eitai closed her eyes as she relaxed into the kiss. As abruptly as it had come, Kiki pulled away, her face bright red.

"I – I'm sorry," she stammered as she moved out of the bedroom.

As the door closed behind her, Eitai ran her tongue over her lips and smiled to herself.

Tansei stumbled into the street, surprised to find that it was night. His head was pounding from whatever the silver haired girl had done to him, and his mind was reeling at finding Akumu in their company. He wondered how long he had lain on that cot in that small apartment, completely forgotten by the outside world. As he passed a newsstand, his eye caught a glimpse of the day's date and widened. Three days? He had been gone for three whole days?

His first thoughts were of Kami, and how she must think that he hated her. He regretted the last harsh words he had said to her, spoken out of anger, but necessary.

"You're already gone, aren't you? You never were, were you? Just here to play and flirt and then you disappear without a trace."

He winced as the words reverberated through his mind. Hadn't Kami warned him at the start that they could never be together? He thought he had known her back then, once he had realized she was a senshi, and that the senshi were being hunted and killed, he thought that was what she had meant. She would die as a senshi, and that would be the end. Then he had learned the truth, not through her, but through an old obituary record in the university library. She could not die now, she was already dead.

The old anger flared up inside him, mixed with the raw painful feeling of being lied to. She could have told him from the start, could have stopped him from falling in love with her. She knew they could never be, but she did nothing to dissuade him from pursuing her. He had been made the play the fool.

He moved dizzily down the street until he collided with someone, who caught him before he fell.

"Easy there, buddy," the man said, helping Tansei straighten. "Are you all right?"

"Fine," Tansei replied briskly, pushing his way past the man.

The stranger held his arm firmly. "A little too much to drink tonight, buddy? Maybe I should help you find your way home."

Tansei looked up at the other man. He was tall and fit, with long brown hair and eye so dark, they appeared almost black. He smiled pleasantly at Tansei and, still holding him by the arm, began to lead him down the street.

"I'm Katakushi," the man introduced himself.

"Sukaino Tansei."

"Well, Sukaino-san, where are you headed?"

Tansei stopped moving and look at the man. Katakushi paused and glanced over his shoulder at his new friend, a questioning look on his face. Tansei shook his head, dismissing the weird feeling he was getting from this man. Clearly whatever Yume had done to him was still affecting him.

"Not home, not yet," Tansei said. "Do you want to get a coffee?"

Katakushi grinned broadly and slapped Tansei on the shoulder. "You bet. There's a great little café around the corner. Come on, my treat. Maybe you can tell me what's on your mind."

"Eitai-san? Kiki? Kami?" Akumu called as she entered the apartment.

She paused in the entrance hall as the door closed quietly behind her and took a deep breath. The lingering scent of jasmine hung in the air, reminding her of Jun. The fragrance had been all over Elysium, so much that she had grown used to it, but here it brought back many memories of their short time together.

"Akumu-chan?" Eitai said in surprise, peeking out from her bedroom.

Akumu smiled. "I'm home."

Kami and Kiki came out of the family room, and Kami raced forward to embrace her sister. Akumu felt tears in her eyes as she found herself in the comfort and security of Kami's arms, and all the horrors she had experienced at the Gates of Hades seemed to melt away.

"Nice to see you, kid," Kiki said gruffly. "How was the dream world?"

Akumu grinned and hugged Kiki. The blonde girl's eyes widened and her body went stiff as she tried to figure out what to do with the blue haired girl at her waist. She blushed and glanced over at Eitai, who only smiled warmly as Kami laughed.

"I have so much to tell you," Akumu said, heading for the family room. "I can control my powers now, and I went to Erebus and fought with the senshi down there. Vali attacked the Gates of Hades and we had to fight him off!"

She outlined everything that had happened since she had first entered Elysium, including everything Elios had told her. The others listened intently, until Akumu finished off with the arrival of herself and the Erebus senshi to Earth.

"You brought them to Earth?" Kami repeated in an astonished voice.

Akumu nodded. "We need them to track down the souls Vali took."

"Then who's guarding the Underworld?" Eitai asked.

"I sealed the Gate tightly," Akumu assured them. "Nothing will be able to get past it without me knowing. And Hades said it was okay."

"Who are these people?" Kiki asked plainly.

"Senshi from the Lower World," Kami replied. "Noctis placed them there as helpers to Hades and Elios."

"Any senshi that is willing to fight Hodur is a welcome ally," Eitai said. "And we are definitely running short on allies."

Kiki shrugged and left the room, grabbing an apple from the kitchen as she left. Kami glanced out the window at the city cloaked in night and sighed, wondering where Tansei could be. Eitai rubbed her arm absently where the rocks had crushed it as she listened to Akumu's stories of Elysium.

"So, anything interesting happen while I was gone?" Akumu asked cheerfully.

Katakushi nodded sympathetically as he wrapped his hands around the steaming mug of coffee. Tansei found that, once he started telling this man about his problems, he could not contain himself. He told Katakushi as much as he could, embellishing some details here and there to protect the secret identities of the senshi. Katakushi was a perfect listener, attentive and understanding as Tansei told his tale.

"So, this Kami, the one you're in love with, she's dying?" Katakushi asked.

Tansei winced inwardly and nodded.

"But she didn't tell you, you fell in love with her, and now you're mad because she lied?"

"It sounds foolish when you put it that way," Tansei muttered.

"On the contrary," Katakushi disagreed, "I think you have every right to be angry. I know you can't help who you fall in love with, but you need to be honest from the start."

Tansei looked up at his new friend and frowned.

"Think about it this way," Katakushi said, leaning forward. "You meet this girl and think, 'Hey, I want to spend the rest of my life with her'. Fantastic. But what you don't know is that your life will be a lot longer than hers. It's just selfish, if you ask me, to have this girl make you waste your heart on her when she knows she'll be gone."

"Selfish of her?" Tansei repeated.

"You'll have to live with this love for the rest of your life," Katakushi continued. "Your heart will ache every day. You'll meet other people, but they won't compare. You'll be miserable, and it will be all her fault. But what will she care? She'll be dead."

"You're right," Tansei agreed. "That is selfish. I'll spend the rest of my life suffering while she rests in peace."

Katakushi sat back and nodded. "And the other girl? The one who disappeared? Sounds to me like she was just looking for someone to carry her emotional baggage. Really Sukaino-san, you shouldn't be a bag boy for any girl."

Tansei nodded in determination. Katakushi made it so clear. All this time, he had been agonizing over Kami, worried she would vanish, worried that she was already dead, when the answer had been staring him in the face all along. She was being selfish, expecting him to hang on her like a puppy. He shouldn't have to put his life on hold so she can have one last fling in the mortal world.

"Look at the time," Katakushi said, glancing at his watch. "Sorry, Sukaino-san, but I've got to go. You need to find this girl and tell her to get lost."

Tansei sighed. "I can't. As soon as I see her, I'll loose my nerve."

Katakushi winked. "I'll come with you, for morale support. I know we've only just met, but I feel like I know you, Sukaino-san. How about in the park tomorrow, around sunset? That should give you enough time to get her there."

Tansei nodded and smiled. "That would be great. Thank you, Katakushi-san. I'm so glad I bumped into you."

Katakushi laughed as he rose to his feet. "Plenty of fish in the sea, my friend. I'll see you tomorrow evening."

As the door closed behind the tall dark stranger, Tansei stared into the bottom of his coffee cup. He would call Kami tomorrow, ask her to meet him in the park, and with Katakushi to back him up, he'll demand the truth.

Akumu rang the doorbell outside the apartment bright and early the next morning. As the last of the chime died, she stepped back to wait, an excited smile on her face. Today would be the first day most of the Erebus senshi had ever seen, and Akumu couldn't wait to see their reactions. She ran the bell again, and heard a commotion on the other side of the door. Someone was yelling, and there was a loud crash like something falling down, followed by more shouts. Growing concerned, Akumu tried the door knob but found it locked tight. Closing her hand on her henshin pen in her pocket, she took a step back to kick the door down, when suddenly it flew open. Sei stood there, a surprised expression on her face. She was dressed in jeans and a fuzzy white sweater, as elegant as a model who had stepped from a magazine.

"Akumu-sama," she said. "We were expecting you earlier."

Akumu ignored the sarcasm and stepped into the apartment. She tried to crane her neck around Sei but the girl remained firmly in her way, blocking the hallway that led to the rest of the apartment. Akumu could hear voices from the kitchen.

"What's going on?" she asked.

Sei rolled her eyes. "Michi-chan tried to climb out the window."

"What?" Akumu exclaimed, her concern resurfacing as she shoved past Sei and came into the kitchen.

Keishu was leaning against the wall, shaking her head. Yume knelt on the ground next to Michi, who was seated on the floor under the window, rubbing her eyes. Sei quietly followed Akumu into the room and raised her hand to her mouth to hide her laughter.

"Are you okay?" Akumu asked, crouching in front of Michi.

"The sun is so bright," Michi said, blinking rapidly. "I was trying to see how it hangs from the ceiling when my eyes started to hurt."

"And that's when she almost fell out the window," Keishu finished impatiently. "We should move. We're wasting time here."

Akumu stood and dug into the bag she carried. "I thought the sun might give you trouble, so I brought these."

She held out four pairs of sunglasses and gave one to each of the Erebus senshi. Sei took a pair and glanced at her clothing in disgust.

"Now I have to change," she said, disappearing into one of the bedrooms.

Michi took a pair and put them on her nose, smiling brightly. "Just like back home!"

Keishu took hers and tucked them into her jacket pocket, barely even acknowledging their existence. Yume bowed gratefully to Akumu as she took the last pair. Sei came flying out of the bedroom, dressed in black pants and a dark red shirt that accented her red hair and the dark sunglasses. She twirled for the benefit of the others.

"Are you ready?" Keishu asked in a bored voice.

Sei looked at herself. "This will have to do."

"The others are expecting us at the Hikawa Shrine," Akumu told them as she headed for the door. The others followed, with Michi and Yume bringing up the rear.

"Shrine?" Michi repeated. "Like in that book you gave me, Yume-chan? The one about the girl who lives at her family shrine and fights monsters?"

Yume nodded. "Akumu-sama told me earlier that Sailor Mars is a shrine-maiden."

"Will Ami-chan be there too?" Michi asked. "I met her a while ago, when she game into Erebus. Sei-chan met her too, remember Sei-chan?"
The red haired girl ignored her friend. Akumu said nothing as she led them down the street. She couldn't bring herself to tell the cheerful senshi that Ami had been taken by Hodur, as had most of her friends. Swallowing the tears that were rising in her eyes, Akumu plastered a smile on her face and kept moving.

Kami made her way slowly to the Hikawa Shrine. The sun strengthened her, but she could not enjoy its warmth; her mind was too consumed with worry. In spite of her best efforts, the senshi were dropping like flies. Makoto, Minako, Ami, Mamoru, Chibiusa, Haruka, Jun … She took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

Then, there was Tansei. Akumu had told her privately what had happened to him. He had been missing for three days and she hadn't even noticed. She hadn't gone looking for him, hadn't saved him when he needed her the most. He must hate her.

Maybe it was better this way, she thought, surprising herself. If Tansei hated her, it would be easier for him to forget her. Once Hodur was defeated, her time on this world would be over, as would the time of most of her allies. Eitai would return to the Void, Akumu to Crystal Tokyo, and Kiki to Parallel Earth. All that would remain would be the few senshi who had not fallen to Hodur. It was a sobering thought, but Tansei would be able to start fresh. He would forget about the senshi and this war, and find a new love who could make him happy. A love who was truly alive.

Kami was so preoccupied with her thoughts, she didn't see the person she walked in to. As they collided, papers and books went flying, and Kami dropped to the ground to gather them up, apologizing as she did so.

"Kami-chan?"

She raised her eyes, her heart pounding and a lump forming in her stomach.

"Tansei-kun," she said softly. "I – I'm sorry."

She bowed her head to keep him from seeing the tears in her eyes. She stacked the books she had collected on top of one another, when a title caught her eyes. It was the obituaries for the year she had died. She gasped, but said nothing, wondering why Tansei would have this book in his possession.

"Are you okay?" Tansei was asking, offering a hand to help her to her feet.

She accepted his help gratefully, clutching the books to her chest as she rose to her feet. She knew she was blushing furiously, but she couldn't find her voice to speak. Instead, she held out the papers for him to take. She wanted to ask him about the book of obituaries, she wanted to explain everything to him, but all she could do when she met his eye was stare. Finally, he looked away from her.

"I have to go," he said.

Kami cleared her throat. "Me too."

"Can you meet me in the park at sunset? There's something I have to talk to you about."

Kami blinked in surprise. "Sure. I'll be there."

"Thanks."

Hesitating only a moment longer, Tansei moved past Kami. She remained frozen in place as she listened to his retreating footsteps. Her mind was racing, and she decided to turn around and call out to him, but when she turned, she quietly closed her mouth and continued to walk in the direction she had been going.

Behind her, Tansei stopped to look back, but Kami was already moving away from him. He clenched his hand into a fist. Katakushi has been right, she didn't even care that he had been missing. Sighing deeply, he kept walking, every step taking him farther from the woman he loved.

Kami rounded a corner and stopped abruptly. Something was wrong. The sun was heightening her senses, and she concentrated on the emotion of wrongness as she scanned her surroundings. On the other side of the street, she caught a glimpse of a young man with a dark shadow looming over him. The man was staggering forward, a sinister smile on his face, and he grabbed the woman walking in front of him. Clamping his hand over her mouth to stifle her scream, he pulled her down a small alley. In an instant, Kami was across the street and in pursuit of the kidnapper.

Yume cocked her head to one side and raised a finger to silence the others. Keishu stepped towards her, nodding slightly. Michi pushed up her dark glasses and glanced at Akumu, who was wondering what the two senshi were doing. Sei was admiring her reflection in a store window.

"Can you sense it?" Keishu asked quietly.

Yume nodded. "Close by. One of the escaped souls. I'm sure of it."

Akumu raised her eyebrows in surprise. "You can sense them?"

Yume winked. "How else do you think we can find them? Come on, it's this way."

She took off down an alley, one hand already going to her henshin pen. Her teammates and Akumu followed close behind.

"God, no! Please, help!" the woman cried.

The man advanced on her, his face contorted into a vicious smile and a long knife in his hand. The woman pressed herself against the brick wall behind her, wishing with all her strength that she could pass through the bricks and escape this place.

"Only a moment," the man said.

"Stop right there!"

Turning, the man shielded his eyes from the nearly blinding light that emanated from the entrance to the alley. Standing in silhouette against the light was a figure with large white angel wings. She wore a yellow gown and choker, and had a sun symbol on her forehead. The man laughed to himself and turned held up the knife towards his newest attacker.

"I don't want to hurt you," Sailor NeoSun said, "but I will if you don't release that woman."

The man continued to laugh as he advanced towards NeoSun. The dark shadow that lingered over him grew larger, a pair of white eyes and mouth appearing. Whatever it was, it was clear that the shadow was manipulating the man. Folding her wings close to her body, NeoSun lunged at the man and knocked him aside.

"Run!" she called to the woman.

Too terrified to object, the woman darted down the alley and into the street. The man growled in anger and shoved NeoSun, slashing with his knife as he did so. She avoided the clumsy blow and stood facing him once more, wondering how to separate the shadow from the man.

"Sailor NeoSun!"

From the other side of the alley, five figure appeared. NeoSun smiled gratefully as she recognized Sailor Nyx. The four black senshi behind her she assumed were the Erebus senshi Akumu had mentioned.

"We'll handle this," Sailor Orcus said, leaping over Nyx to place herself between NeoSun and the man. "Sailor Hypnos!"

Yume nodded and closed her eyes, holding her index finger to her face. Her purple eyes flashed open as she stared at the black shadow above the man.

"Hypnos Soul Reveal!" she called, pointing to the shadow.

The man screamed as the shadow detached itself from him. He collapsed to the ground as the shadow hovered above him, looking for a new host.

"Sailor Acheron!" Orcus called.

"You got it!" the lavender haired senshi exclaimed, jumping forward.

She stared at the black shadow until her eyes met its. Acheron's pink eyes flashed red. "Acheron Dead Eyes!"

The shadow squealed in terror as it found itself unable to move. Acheron's eyes narrowed, but she did not blink as the shadow fought against her power. Sailor Nyx stood with her gloved hands close to her face, wondering what will happen next.

"Hurry, Sailor Dis," Acheron called. "It's strong."

Dis rolled her eyes and reached towards the shadow with one hand. "Dis Spirit Ensare!" she called, making a grabbing motion with the final word of her attack.

The shadow struggled harder as Acheron closed her eyes and moved back, but it could not break free of the net in which Sailor Dis had it caught. The redheaded senshi kept her arm extended as if holding onto a fishing line that had snared a particularly strong fish. Sailor Orcus took step forward.

"Orcus Troubled Soul Seal!" she cried as she pointed to the shadow.

A black portal materialized behind the soul, sucking everything it could into itself. Papers and bits of garbage flew past NeoSun as she watched the shadow try in vain to remain in this world. With a final howl of rage, the shadow was engulfed by the portal, and the blackness sealed itself.

"Woo hoo!" Acheron cheered, jumping up and down. "We got one!"

"There are many more still free," Orcus reminded her.

"That was terrific," Sailor Nyx said.

"Thank you, my Lady," Sailor Hypnos replied.

Sailor NeoSun cleared her throat and smiled. Five sets of eyes snapped towards her and a few narrowed instantly. Sailor NeoSun was taken aback at the sudden wave of hostility that coursed towards her, until Sailor Nyx separated herself from the group and moved to where NeoSun stood.

"Sister!" Nyx exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

"I saw this man attacking a woman, so I followed him," NeoSun replied.

"Sister?" Sailor Orcus repeated.

Sailor Hypnos bowed. "Lady Lucis, nice to see you again."

"Hypnos," NeoSun said. "Glad to see you took my advice."

"This is my sister, Lucis," Nyx said to the Erebus senshi. "Her mortal form is Kami, and this form is Sailor NeoSun."

"Don't all those forms get confusing?" Acheron questioned.

NeoSun laughed. "You have no idea."

Usagi, Rei, and Michiru were already at the Shrine when Kami and Akumu appeared with four sullen looking strangers, all wearing sunglasses. Kami noticed at once how sad Usagi looked, realizing that the full weight of the senshi's deaths was on her shoulders. She was sitting protectively close to Rei, nearly touching the dark haired girl until Rei rose to greet her new guests.

"What took you so long?" Rei asked.

"We ran into some trouble on the way," Kami replied. "Seems we have yet another problem to worry about."

Michiru shot a look at the four girls standing with Akumu, and then looked back to Kami. Kami raised her hands to reassure the other senshi and smiled.

"Don't worry. These are the Erebus senshi, from the Underworld."

"Underworld?" Usagi repeated. "Did you, um, well – "

"Where's Ami-chan?" the lilac haired girl spoke up, looking back and forth across the courtyard. "Akumu-sama, didn't you say she would be here?"

Akumu bit her lip and lowered her gaze to the ground.

"Akumu-sama?" Michiru repeated with a smile on her lips. "When did you become nobility?"

"She is the Mistress of our Master," the pink haired girl spoke up. "Show respect."

"Usagi-chan, Rei-san, Michiru-san," Akumu said, "I'd like to introduce you to Keishu, Sei, Yume, and Michi. Sailors Orcus, Dis, Hypnos, and Acheron of Erebus."

"Hi!" Michi said brightly.

Quickly, Akumu outlined everything that had happened during her journey to the Underworld, including the battle at the Gates and how Vali had managed to steal some of the most dangerous spirits of Erebus. At this, Keishu looked away, almost as if she was ashamed of what had happened.

"So Hodur's got an army of spirits, possessing mortals?" Rei summarized.

"It's not your concern," Yume said calmly. "We will find the missing souls. Akumu-sama wanted only to make you aware of our presence, so you know we are not your enemies."

"If Hodur is involved, it is our concern," Usagi said softly. "Hodur has already done so much, taken so much from us. We will do whatever we can to make sure he doesn't hurt anyone else."

Michiru stared at Usagi as her voice grew more passionate. Then, Michiru's face relaxed back into a smile. It seemed that the blonde girl had strength in her yet, in spite of what she claimed.

"Well, bun head," Sei said in an arrogant tone, "it's nice that you want to help, but I doubt you or your little senshi could do anything if they wanted to. Unless you're not above killing an innocent mortal to release the soul inside?"

Usagi blanched at the thought and Akumu shot Sei a dirty look. The redhead shrugged and began to wander disinterestedly around the courtyard of the Shrine.

"Enough chitchat," Keishu declared. "We have work to do. Come on."

Turning on her heel, she headed back the way she had come, towards the long flight of stairs that would bring them to the street. The other Erebus senshi followed wordlessly, and Akumu shrugged in apology to her friends before running after them.

"Well," Michiru said when they had left, "at least we don't have to fight them. I just hope Akumu-sama can control them."

Kami smiled to herself at a private joke she couldn't share with her friends.

As the sun began to set, Kami found herself standing in the park where she had first met Tansei, not so long ago. She sighed as she leaned against the railing that separated land from water and stared out across the lake. How had things gone so wrong? Chibiusa had told her she had been given a second chance at love, but she was blundering it so badly. How could she explain everything to Tansei so he would understand, and still love her?

"Kami-chan."

Turning, she saw Tansei standing in the fading light of the sun. She smiled and stepped away from the railing, moving towards him, wanting with every inch of her being to be folded in his arms. She stopped a few feet away from him and waited.

"I'm glad you came," Tansei continued.

"I'm glad you asked," Kami told him sincerely. "I've got to apologize to you for not being entirely truthful."

Tansei blinked in surprise and glanced over his shoulder into the darkness. Kami followed his gaze and saw the outline of a figure standing there. She frowned.

"It's too late for apologies," Tansei said. "You're being selfish, and I don't want to live the rest of my life longing for you once you're gone."

Kami blinked in surprise. This hardly sounded like the Tansei she knew.

"I know you're going to leave soon, and that you're not really here to begin with. I can't chase after shadows, and that's what you are, isn't it? You're just a shadow on this world."

"Tansei, what are you saying?" Kami asked in a shaky voice, not liking where this conversation was going.

"I don't love you."

The words echoed through the park as the last rays of the sun vanished into the night. Kami fell to her knees in shock, staring at Tansei with hurt eyes. She had thought that whatever the problems, they could work through them together. Even if it was for a short time, she relied on his love to sustain her during this war. Without him…

Tansei had turned away from her, and was facing the figure in the darkness. His head was bowed, but he made no motion to comfort Kami or explain himself. All he could do was repeat those hated words.

"I don't love you. I can't love you. You're already dead."

"See?" the voice in the shadows said. "Don't you feel better, Sukaino-san?"

A man stepped into the lamplight and put his hand on Tansei's shoulder. Tansei looked up at him and shook his head.

"Are you sure this was the right think to do, Katakushi-san?" he asked.

The man nodded and patted Tansei reassuringly. "Things will look better in the morning. Believe me. Why don't you go home and rest?"

Tansei nodded and began to walk away, without a backwards glance at Kami. Kami curled into a ball on the paved path, tears pouring from her eyes. Her heart felt like it had been torn from her body, more painful than when Hodur had taken her Star Seed, or when she had been killed at the hands of a friend. Loosing Tansei was the worst feeling she could ever have felt, and she hated herself for her part in making it happen.

"There, there," Katakushi said, kneeling next to her. "Don't you see this was all for the best? Tansei will live a happy life without you – at least, until Hodur completes his collection."

Kami's eye widened and she raised her head. The man who had befriended Tansei was glowing with a black energy she had failed to notice earlier. Struggling to her feet, she pushed herself away from the man.

"Poor senshi," Katakushi uttered. "Alone and without any light to help her. Whatever will become of you?"

He raised his hand and pointed to Kami. A single beam of dark energy leapt from his finger and struck her in the chest, sending her flying over the railing and into the lake.

"Kami-chan!"

"Hypnos Soul Reveal!"

Katakushi cried out in surprise as a bolt of pearly white energy struck him, causing the dark soul that had possessed his body to separate. The man crumbled to the ground and lay motionless as the soul spun angrily around the prone body.

Sailor Nyx leapt from the forest and dove into the lake where Kami had disappeared. The Erebus senshi formed a circle around the delinquent soul as it hovered helplessly above them.

"Acheron Dead Eyes!" the lilac haired senshi called, her eyes flashing red and locking onto the eyes of the spirit.

Suddenly, a massive sphere of darkness came hurling from the sky and struck Acheron, breaking the spell she had over the spirit. It settled back into the body of Katakushi, and the man rose to his feet, rubbing his head with one hand. Acheron was tossed into the bushes, and lay motionless.

"Not so fast," Vali said as he materialized out of thin air.

"You!" Sailor Orcus growled. "You're the one who attacked the Gates."

"And what a feeble defense you senshi put up," Vali added. "If my Lady Noctis hadn't shown up, you'd all be serving me dinner in Hades' hall right now."

"Oh, that's it!" Sailor Dis cried. "Thanatos Embrace!"

As the ghostly specter of Death floated quickly towards Vali, a dark sword materialized in his hand. Before Dis' attack could strike him, he swung out with his sword and sliced it in two.

"Orcus Oath Breaker!" the leader of the Erebus senshi called.

She pointed to Vali and a stream of dark energy sailed towards him. Vali leapt quickly aside as the stream struck a tree behind him, disintegrating it completely. He began to laugh as Katakushi charged at Hypnos, and she was forced to dodge his attacks so she would not hurt him.

"It's the end," Vali declared. "You senshi have no idea what you're getting yourselves in to."

"Neither do you, Vali."

His laughter was suddenly cut short as a figure rose out of the lake. Dressed in a silver gown with large black angel wings on her back, Noctis hovered above them like the Angel of Death, the still form of Kami cradled in her arms. Her eyes were pure white as she raised one hand and gave a negligent flick of her wrist. With that one gesture, the soul that had been inhabiting Katakushi was revealed again and vanished in an instant to the prison of Orcus. The Erebus senshi stared at her in shock.

"My powers may not hurt you, my Lady," Vali said, "but your powers can't hurt me either."

"But mine can."

Vali turned to see the smiling face of Sailor Loki standing behind him. Raising her hand, she touched him on the shoulder.

"Power Steal!"

"Loki! Wait!" Sailor Aion called as she joined the battle.

Loki cried out in pain as the dark energy within Vali flowed into her. Vali only laughed as his adversary defeated herself with little effort from him. Loki pulled herself free and staggered to one side, crashing into Aion, who caught her before she fell.

"Foolish girl," Vali laughed. "You can't possibly contain the power I possess."

Loki raised her head and grinned. "I have held the power of a god, Vali. You can't hold a candle to that."

Pushing herself away from Aion, she raised a hand above her head. "Power of the Beast!" she called, transforming herself into a great white wolf.

As Loki mauled at Vali, Aion hurried over to where Noctis still held Kami. The senshi of light was burned where Katakushi's attack had struck her, but otherwise uninjured. She moaned and opened her eyes, relieved to see her sister and friend staring down at her.

"How touching," Hodur's voice rang out as he appeared on the battlefield.

"You must be Hodur," Orcus said with a laugh. "Our Master sends his regards."

"Hades was always a goody-goody," Hodur replied. "He couldn't see our Mistress' true intentions, not like Chaos and I could."

"Eternity Sweep!" Sailor Aion called, sending her attack flying towards Hodur.

The dark god didn't flinch as her powers struck the shield that surrounded him. He grinned and looked down at Kami.

"Well, Lucis," he said conversationally, "not so powerful now that the sun has set."

"I still have enough power to fight you," Kami replied, struggling to her feet with Noctis' help. "NeoSun Light Power, Make-Up!"

Kami gasped in pain and fell to her knees, unable to transform into NeoSun to help her friends. Noctis knelt with her, trying to make sure she was okay while Hodur laughed. Behind him, there was a sharp yelp of pain as the wolf was sent flying into the air, only to strike the ground and transform back into Loki. The girl lay unmoving as Vali brushed himself off, bleeding from numerous wounds.

"Do what you came here to do," Hodur ordered.

"Ivory Delusion!" Sailor Hypnos called.

Vali paused only for a moment as the attack struck him, before he waved it aside and continued moving forward. Noctis rose to her feet.

"Try shrugging this off," she said. "Nightmare Revelation!"

This time Vali stopped dead, blinking quickly to clear his vision. From the shadows of the park came whispered voices and white figures slowly advancing on him. Vali clutched his head with both hands, squeezing his eyes shut as his deepest nightmares forced their way into reality.

Hodur raised his hand to stop Noctis, shooting a bolt of lightning at her. Before it could strike, Sailor Dis threw herself in its path, absorbing the blow and falling to the ground at Noctis' feet.

Behind Vali, Loki shook herself awake and saw that her enemy was weakened. Grinning, she stood and raised her hand into the air.

"Freyja Feather Cape!"

A cloak made of feathers appeared in her hand, and she threw it over her shoulder, disappearing in an instant.

"Dis!" Noctis cried, breaking off her concentration and kneeling next to the senshi. The redheaded girl didn't move.

Vali shook his head to restore his senses as Noctis' attack disappeared as quickly as it had come. He shivered in spite of himself, when he sensed movement behind him. Glancing over his shoulder, her could feel the presence of a senshi, the same senshi who always turned into that blasted wolf. He stood still, his black sword held in his hand, and waited.

Sailor Aion glanced passed Hodur to where Vali stood, wondering what the demi-god was up to. Suddenly, he turned, the weapon in his hand flashing in the dim lamplight. He stretched out his arm, a look of triumph on his face as he stabbed what appeared to be thin air. For Aion, the world slowed to a crawl. As Vali stood poised with his sword outstretched, the feather cape that hid Loki from the world fell to the ground. Her face was full of shock, her eyes open wide as she stared at the sword that protruded from her breast. Vali pulled the weapon clear and with it came a glittering Star Seed. Loki fell to the ground as if dead, not a trace of injury on her body. Vali held up the Star Seed triumphantly.

"LOKI!" Aion screamed.

In the distance, the sound of a trumpet echoed through the dark sky.