PART 7A: Final Confrontation - Sailor Senshi United

Usagi painfully opened her eyes, but could only see darkness. She couldn't move a single muscle, as if her whole body was pinned down. Her ears were ringing as well and on top of everything she was cold.

"Rei-chan...Minako-chan? Anyone? Where is everybody,?" Usagi called out. What was going on? Her voice sounded muffled, as if it were being blocked by something. A slight breeze finally reached her, very humid. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, the Moon Princess could now see that, in fact, her whole body was pinned down. Surrounding her on all sides was what looked like rubble from buildings. She whimpered as she remembered what had happened. The last thing she remembered was the demon posing as a boy attacking them and then she blacked out. She had to escape and make sure the others where okay. Then...

"Usagi-chan, where are you!?," it was Rei's voice.

"Here, right here!," Usagi shouted as loudly as she could.

"Are you injured, Highness?," now Sirius's voice.

"I-I don't think so. But I can't move."

"Please remain calm. I will remove this wall. Don't move I don't want to make a mistake." I few seconds pass before the rubble around her was shifting, letting in fresh air and what little light there was available. Rei kneeled down and reached in to pull Usagi out from underneath. Aside from a few bruises and cuts she seemed fine.

"Rei-chan!," the pig-tailed blonde hugged her best friend around her neck.

"Hey, come on now. You're fine so pull yourself together," the Shinto priestess replied. Sirius leaped a few feet ahead, perching atop the jumbled mess of a cabinet.

"Scouts, this way! We have to find the others quickly before we're caught off-guard by the enemy."

"Tessha-chan...I hope she's okay," Usagi nibbled on her fingernails. She felt terrible about dragging the young girl into this...then she gasped and looked frantically around her.

"ChibiUsa! We have to find her..."

"I'm sure she's fine, Usagi-chan. We have to find the others," Rei pulled out one of her spell scrolls. Sirius floated above their heads and urged them to continue.

"Sailor Senshi Mars, there is no need for such measures. I can sense where the others are located...however..."

"However?..."

"It would seem that they have all been scattered throughout this region. Mystical Senshi Io did her best to try and shield us from the worst parts of the blast. Her magic is still protecting you, but I must warn you to remain diligent. The boy mentioned his minions were around. There is nothing we can do about theses other poor people as of now. Destroying the two demons is our only option to bring back the souls of the departed. Io can assist in opening the gate." Sailor Mars and Sailor Moon kept up the best they could, having to occasionally step over a still body. The devastation was immense, crumbled buildings and other debris as far as the eye could see. How they had managed to survive even with Yomi's barrier was beyond her. She wondered if Yomi tried to save some of the other people that lived in the building. Were her powers that great? If a Sailor Senshi with the power to open and close the gates of hell could revive the souls of these poor dead people, then she must be extremely powerful. And where was she anyway? Had she suffered the worst of it trying to save the others?

"Ah, how lovely. It would seem that my brother failed to destroy you. That's just like him, toying with his prey." The two scouts and fox spirit stopped short to see a young girl with green hair sitting lightly on the remains of a public bus. She grinned evilly and tossed her wavy hair.

"Who are you!?," Rei demaned jumping in front of Usagi.

"Gemini, my brother is Vega. Hmm, a shame really. I was hoping to find the silver-haired one. Tell me were I may find her if you'd be so kind," the Demoness replied.

"What, are you kidding!? Do you think we'll actually tell you that. You've got some nerve," the Mars Princess growled.

"Please stop! Don't hurt any more people. You don't have to do this," Usagi whimpered. Gemini cocked her head and turned to look around her, shrugging her shoulders and displaying an innocent look.

"Well, there aren't anymore people left to hurt, my little blonde pig-tailed friend." The Demoness leapt from her perch and stood before them, brushing herself off. Sirius growled, the fur on her tail fluffed out and her ears fell flat against her head. This demon was emiting massive amounts of demonic auras. The sooner the other scouts arrived, the better, Things were getting worse by the second.

"...STOP RIGHT THERE!!" Gemini looked skyward towards one of the few buildings that remained standing. And there, standing proudly was the transformed form of Sailor Senshi Chibi Moon.

"ChibiUsa!"

Tessha groaned as she felt something warm touch her face. She opened her eyes to see Michiru, Haruka and Minako kneeling over her. And by their feet were the two cats Luna and Artemis.

"Are you feeling all right, kid?," Artemis asked. Tessha hoisted herself up, reaching up to rub her forehead. That's when the sharp searing pain hit her. Her shoulder...

"Ugh. I can run the 200k and still not feel as bad as I do right know. Well...', Tessha tested out her legs, both seeming to feel fine, '...as long as I can walk and run away that's all that matters. I can deal with a busted shoulder," the young athlete replied. She stood on wobbly legs and looked around at the destruction before her.

"We're still trying to find the others…and your sister. We don't know why but we've all been separated," Minako informed.

"Then get to it. Don't you guys have some sort of power you can use in situations like this?"

"Sorry, but it doesn't work that way." Tessha stared at Minako for a minute, then sighed and began to walk off.

"Hey, don't go walking off on your own. Your sister will be fine, she's strong. I think she'd be upset if anything happened to you. You're our responsibility after all," Haruka trotted to catch up to her, the others soon following suit.

"I can take care of myself. I've always been the independent one in the family. Mom says I get that part of my personality from Papa." Up ahead the rubble began to move, and out popped three hideous green monsters with short stubby horns, beady yellow eyes and deadly-looking claws. Then three more appeared, then five behind them...then ten more to the left and fifteen to the right. All seeming to have the same intention...search and destroy.

"What are these things?," Tessha planted her feet firmly and raised her one good arm in a defensive stance.

"Demons. They must be the ones who devoured these people's souls. No doubt that boy sent them to kill us. Stand back, okay? Tessha watched Haruka dash foward, straight towards the demons who were making their own attack. Michiru and Minako followed.

"I'll round them up, you guys shoot 'em down...VENUS LOVE CHAIN!!" Tessh was forced to watch her temporary care-takers battle the monsters. She was impressed at the amount of power they exhibited, and it was clear that the two older Senshi were the strongest. The young athlete was so absorbed by what was happening in front of her that she didn't see the sneak attack from below. It hit her so fast and hard that she didn't have enough time to react. She cried out in pain as she landed on her damaged shoulder. Sharp claws raked her back and she was sure the monster had really cut her open.

"TESSHA-CHAN!!" Minako smashed down the nearest demon monster to get to her in time, but before she could get there Tessha knocked her assailant sideways with a surprisingly powerful double kick. Wincing, the girl got to her feet and charged, reaching down to pick up a steel beam almost as tall as her. The demon roared its anger and flew back at her, mouth agape and ready to chomp down on her. Running off pure adrenaline, the athlete twirled the beam so the sharpest end was facing forward, then let if fly...aiming right down the monster's throat.

"EAT THIS!!!" Tessha hurled the beam at her attacker. It hit its target, easily slicing through the monster's gullet. The demon screamed and tumbled to the ground, spilling blood everywhere. Tessha huffed and reached down to retrieve the beam, shaking it clean. The remaining demons stepped back for a moment, unsure of what to do next.

"Anyone else wanna piece 'o me!?"

"You humans are becoming a nuisance!" Tessha and the Senshi looked above them to see the Demon Prince floating above them. Only now he was spurting horns from his forehead, had elf-like ears and long bright orange hair. His five remaining minions backed off as he settled lightly on the ground.

"What have you done with Yamato-kun you monster!?," Tessha demaned. The pain was starting to come back - her shoulder throbbed and now she was dizzy from the searing pain from her torn back.

"Silence, cur! You speak to the Demon Lord now. And as far as your little boyfriend, his usefulness had expired. His soul was indeed a tasty little snack. As will all of yours be. It was funny thou. Before I killed him he begged me to spare your pathetic little life. I said I would, a lie of course. Anything to shut him up," the young demon laughed at himself only making Tessha angrier. Minako, Michiru and Haruka stood beside her.

"We won't forgive the evil deeds you've done to these poor people. Today, the Sailor Senshi unite to vanquish you!," the blonde shouted.

"That's funny, too. Because right at this moment my sister is dealing with your friends. There may be more of you here, but none of you can match my power...," the Demon Lord jumped aside suddenly as a powerful energy blast landed inches from him.

"You underestimate the might of the Sailor Senshi, Demon Lord." As the dust cleared several figures came into view...three of which wielded staffs. Yomi, Sailor Io stood in front, her triton Staff of Judgment still glowing from the discharge. Flanked on either side were the rest of the Senshi, all ready for battle. The Demon Lord smiled and bowed, smiling mockingly at them as the Senshi all gathered in a large group.

"I assume that my dear sister failed, has she? A pity. She never was as strong as I. It was only a matter of time before she met her comeuppance. Very well, I'll take my vengeance out on your sibling's hide to make it even." Yomi stared him down, then spotted her sister covered in blood. The girl was swooning, but trying her best to stay conscious. The Mystic looked down at her partner Sirius and gestured for her to heal her. Without a word the fox spirit teleported to Tessha's side, enveloping the girl in a protective barrier.

"This is your last chance. Surrender and maybe I'll forgive you for setting your monsters off on my sister, my friends and my queen." Yomi was furious, anxious to put a stop to the evil monster who took the lives of so many, including her mother. If she had any hope of retrieving their lost souls from the spirit realm, she'd have to destroy this demon now.

"You may have defeated my father in the past, but where he failed I will succeed! Behold the power of a true Demon King!!" The Demon Lord laughed as he sent powerful blasts of electrical energy towards the Senshi. They scattered in all directions, not giving him an easy target. Sirius floated above them with Tessha still protected in her healing barrier. The girl could move her shoulder now without too much pain, but her back was taking longer to mend.

"This is it, young one. The final battle. A true test of Princess Io's power. She really surprised me, defeating the demoness in that short amount of time. Things look better than they did millennia ago. They may have a chance in defeating him," the fox spirit replied.

"...And if they don't? If I have to step in?..."

"Let us pray to the Gods of the Moon Kingdom that it does not come to that."