SailorStar9: Chapter 6 goes up and no review. You guys don't love me anymore. *Wails*
Disclaimers: I don't own Sailor Moon and Flame of Recca since if I did own them both, the Planetary Senshi will have equal footing as Sailor Moon and the Domon/Fuuko pairing would be canon. But you don't see that happening do you? However, I do own the pairing, I hope.
Chapter 7: Cursed Fire. Kurenai's Past!
In the stands...
"Hey, what did she say?" a member of the audience stammered.
"Blow away the arena?" his companion echoed.
"No way!" another member of the audience exclaimed.
At the commentary table...
"Guest commenter Kagerō-san, what does she mean?" Nemi asked.
"Her Fukyou Woan can store an unlimited amount of sound energy." Kagerō explained. "When that energy is released, the immediate area will probably be..."
In the ring...
Neon had powered up her ultimate attack.
"I'm not gotta let you!" Recca promised as Neon was encased in a green aura. Jumping up,. He was about to punch through the aura bubble when Neon's energy shot out, barely missing him.
In the stands...
"Is this her Requiem technique?" Fujimaru inquired.
"No." Kukai replied. "I don't think she's used the technique yet."
"The energy she can't control is just leaking off." Saichō added.
"Just leaking?" Fujimaru echoed. "Can it really be that powerful? If we stay here, no matter how many lives we have, it won't be enough."
"Let's escape!" one member of the audience suggested, the crowd panicking as they tried to find the exit.
"Get out of my way!" another member of the audience pushed an aged man aside.
"No, you get out!" another retorted, the crowd rushing towards the exit.
On the ring side...
"What morons!" Kondo remarked as Neon's out-of-control energy destroyed the gateway the audience was planning to escape from. "You just want to save yourselves?"
"So you're planning on running away by yourself too?" Domon stopped the fox from fleeing.
"You little coward." Ganko chided.
In the ring....
Neon's energy continued rampaging as the energy shots clashed into one of the walls, sending the stone slabs crashing onto the ground.
"Please stop, onee-sama!" Aki pleaded.
"Not that technique!" Miki gasped.
"A barrier?" she blinked when Neon surrounded the two each with an energy bubble.
"You two must survive." Neon told them.
"I don't want to." Aki protested.
"If you're going to die, then we want to go with you." Miki added. "Remove the barrier, please!"
"You cannot." Neon replied. "You two must survive to protect Kurei-sama. You must understand. Everything we do here today... is all for Kurei-sama."
"Neon-sama!" Miki screamed.
"Onee-sama!" Aki exclaimed.
At the commentary table...
"All exits leading out of the arena have been completely closed off." Nemi declared. "There's no way to get out now. What will become of us that remain?"
On the ring side...
"You do know, if we stay, we'll be blown away too." Domon remarked.
"We gotta trust in them." Fuuko insisted. "I know they can pull this off."
In the ring...
"Recca..." Neon started. "I will admit that you're definitely Kurei-sama's brother. you've forced me to use this. But I won't let you hurt Kurei-sama."
With that, she expanded her energy, forcing the two males back.
"Why?" Recca asked. "Why would you help that jerk? He's caused so much pain. And he has killed so many too! How can you protect someone with that with your life?"
"What would you know?" Neon hollered. "You've never worked close to him! What do you really know about Kurei-sama?"
"That's..." Recca started.
"You don't understand anything about him." Neon retorted. "You know nothing about his kindness... his sadness... and his suffering."
"Four years ago..." she begun. "We had no family nor any reason to live. Yet, Kurei-sama tok us in at his mansion as maids."
Flashback
"What do you want?" Kurei asked the three young women at his door.
"Yes..." Neon replied.
"I understood immediately that he was involved with the Underworld." Neon continued. "It was better for him to hire people like us with no family or relatives. But we were so happy to have someone treat us like humans for the first time. Kurei-sama never outwardly expressed his emotions. Except to one woman... Kurenai-sama. However..."
Flashback
Koran was beating the stuffing out of Kurei.
"Listen Kurei." Koran told him. "Haven't we been over this? Emotions are not necessary for you."
"Please stop, Koran-sama!" Kurenai cried as Koran stepped on Kurei's head.
"What are you talking about?" Kurei asked. "I rid myself of my emotions a long time ago."
"Don't you lie to me!" Koran hollered.
"Kurei, Kurei!" Kurenai broke free of the men restraining her as she ran to her lover when Koran proceeded to beat him mercilessly.
"You thought I didn't know of your meager love fir this girl?" Koran demanded. "And do you know why I let it go on for so long? It was a litmus test. A test to see you truly had rid yourself of your emotions. I adopted this girl and kept her close to you."
"I don't have any... emotions." Kurei insisted.
"Liar!" Koran hollered.
"Please sto..." Kurenai stopped Koran from torturing Kurei.
"And if the answer was 'no,..." Koran smirked. "I was going to use her as a tool to retrain you. I'll make sure that you don't forget your loyalty to me in your heart."
"You know what this remote controls, right?" he added, revealing a remote control from his coat.
"Yes." he smirked. "It's the reason you can never disobey me. She has one implanted inside her as well. This should prove that I'm serious."
With that, he pressed the red button, triggering the bomb he had hidden inside Kurenai, killing her in an instant.
"Kurenai!" Kurei gasped, kneeling beside his dead lover.
"Kurei..." Kurenai muttered. "I wanted to... stay with you... forever..."
"KURENAI!" Kurei finally snapped as the girl passed away on the floor.
"Listen." Koran smirked. "Until you can shed all of your emotions and become my loyal machine, anything you hold dear shall share the same fate. There will be no exceptions."
"What the?" his laughter was cut short when Kurei's aura flared.
Kurenai... Kurei swore, invoking his power. Your final wish... I shall make it true. We will be together forever.
Reaching out his hand, he summoned the Phoenix flame, turning Kurenai into his fire sprite.
"He changed that corpse into his flame?" Koran was stunned. "I didn't know he has such a power.
"I don't mind." Kurei replied, as Kurenai gave him his trademark mark on his face. "The face that put you to death... burn it with your flame.
Kurei-sama... Neon mused as she watched from behind a wall. Kurenai-sama...
"After that, I volunteered to become a member of the Uruha." Neon continued. "And became one of the Jyushinshu who fought for Kurei-sama. Because I thought that was the duty of anyone who knew of the suffering he had experienced."
In the stands...
"I didn't know that..." Koganei remarked. "That such a horrible thing happened before Kurei found me..."
In the ring...
"I won't forgive anyone who tries to injure Kurei-sama." Neon declared. "I'll protect him, even at the cost of my life!"
"Neon-sama!" Miki cried.
"Onee-sama!" Aki screamed.
"Stop!" Recca retorted.
To stop this, I must destroy her madōgu... he realized. But... is it possible to break only that?
"Don't be so ignorant as to think you can target just her madōgu." Mikagami pointed out, another one of Neon's energy forcing Recca back. "She's made up her mind to throw her life away. We must kill Neon or we'll... no, everybody in this arena will die."
"But..." Recca protested.
"Do you sympathize with her after hearing that story?" Mikagami barked. "Kurei's treatment of Yanagi-san... I won't forgive anyone who is connected with Kurei!"
"It's too late." Neon declared. "I have now sealed all my energy. You shall all pray that you may go to heaven!"
"STOP IT!" Recca hollered.
"Requiem..." Neon proceeded. "Invoke!"
On the ring side...
"This is the end!" Kondo gasped as Neon was about to release her attack the broken rocks having blown off the ring by the energy wave.
Kukai jumped in to punch away the boulder heading towards Yanagi and Ganko.
"Kukai-san..." the healer beamed.
"Please keep close to us." Saichō requested, the rest of the Ku Team coming in.
"Saichō-san." Yanagi looked at Saichō.
"We'll protect you, no matter what." Kukai promised. "Be prepared for the next shockwave!"
"Right!' Saichō replied, shielding Yanagi.
In the ring...
Tatsuko panicked and ran out of the ring as Mikagami readied his weapon.
She's too far away to use Saiha. Recca mused. Nadare and Homura will blow up Neon along with the madōgu... shit, what the hell do I do? What if... maybe he will be able to do it.
"Hanabishi?" Mikagami blinked when Recca stopped him.
"Let me handle this." Recca told him.
You, come on out. He told his flame. I know you can help me here. don't act like you don't know. I remember. The kind of technique you use!
Flashback to his training...
Recca had jumped to attack Madoka, only to be reflected by the fire dragon's barrier.
With your power... Recca prayed. Neon... and everybody here will be saved.
I don't feel like helping you. Madoka remarked. Call Nadare or something.
"Please." Recca begged. "You're the only one who can."
"Recca, watch out!" Fuuko shouted a warning.
"Hanabishi, retreat!" Mikagami warned as Neon's energy ball roared towards him.
Do you want to die, Recca? Madoka asked as Recca allowed himself to be engulfed within the energy ball.
"Until you decide to help me..." Recca replied. "I'm no movin'!"
What? Madoka demanded.
On the ring side...
"Recca-kun!" Yanagi shouted.
In the ring...
"Hanabishi, time's up!" Mikagami decided.
"Hyoumon Ken Secret Technique..." he chanted, slamming his blade into the ground. "Tsurara Mai."
At his call, the ring cracked as icicles rushed upwards to the roof.
On the ring side...
"What the? What is that technique?" Kukai was shocked.
"So, he finally decided to use that." Anhara remarked.
In the ring...
"One of Hyoumon Ken's secret techniques, Tsurara Mai." Mikagami explained. "My En Sui uses underground water. And changes into icicles that attack my enemy. The icicles come out of the ground, creating more icicles from the moisture in the air. The icicles will dance in the air until my enemy is defeated. That's why it's called Tsurara Mai."
With that, one of his icicles pierced through Neon's barrier, scratching her leg.
On the ring side...
"Keep it up!" Fujimaru cheered.
In the ring...
"Of course." Mikagami replied. "I was planning on it."
"Nothing will stop me!" Neon declared, the icicles bombarding her shield as she expanded her aura.
At the commentary table...
"Oh no." Kagerō gasped. "Everybody hide!"
At her warning, everybody ducked.
In the ring...
"En Sui." Mikagami placed his hand above his weapon, calling forth another wave of icicles as Neon's energy expanded outwards. One giant icicle burst out of the ground, shattering her madōgu with its tip. As her madōgu broke, so did her flute.
On the ring side...
"What happened?" Domon gaped.
"Tokiya..." Anhara realized what he had done.
At the commentary table...
"His Hyoumon Ken destroyed her madōgu, Fukyou Woan." Kagerō explained. "The Requiem wasn't complete."
In the ring...
I beg your forgiveness, Kurei-sama... Neon mused after her madōgu broke, releasing Aki and Miki from her barriers. I couldn't take them with me...
On the ring side...
Neon-san is... Yanagi gasped as Neon fell back to the ground, Mikagami's icicles still in the ring.
In the ring...
"NEON!" Recca shouted.
We aren't here to kill anyone! He told Madoka as he rushed to save Neon. I won't let anyone die!
She's an enemy who was trying to kill you. Madoka reminded him.
There aren't that many people who are truly evil. Recca told him.
You're so naïve. Madoka replied.
As Recca jumped, the fifth fire dragon's mark burnt on his right arm, Madoka having acknowledged him.
"Ryu no En, Fifth Dragon." the fire caster chanted. "Madoka!"
On the ring side...
"A new dragon..." Fuuko gasped as Madoka appeared.
"Five down, three to go." Anhara remarked.
At the commentary table...
"It's his fifth Dragon." Kagerō noted.
In the ring...
"Get her, Madoka!" Recca hollered.
On the ring side...
Too late... Kukai thought. No matter what he does, it's impossible to save her from the shards.
In the ring...
He will. Recca grinned. Because he's...
Flashback
"I am known as the King of the Flame Barrier." Madoka told the fallen fire wielder during Recca's training.
On the ring side...
"NO!" Yanagi screamed, as Neon was about to be impaled by the icicles.
"ONEE-SAMA!" Aki cried.
"Neon-sama!" Miki shouted.
After a dramatic pause, the tip of one of the icicles broke as Madoka managed to catch Neon within his flame barrier in the nick of time
"That's..." Saichō gasped.
"That's Madoka for you." Anhara remarked.
In the ring...
"What is this?" Neon gasped when she found herself safely in Madoka's barrier.
"We did it! Success!" Recca beamed.
I told you. Madoka told him. There's nothing my barrier can't block.
"Thanks a lot, Madoka." Recca smiled at his new dragon.
You're such a fool. Madoka scolded. You actually wanted to protect your enemy. Saiha and Nadare are idiots for helping you.
And since you're such an idiot, he added at the grinning Recca. I decided i'd grace you with my assistance. I guess I'm one of the idiots now. Nice to meet you!
"Yeah." Recca replied, the fifth dragon having disappeared. "Nice to have some help, Madoka."
On the ring side...
"Madoka is the name of the new Flame Dragon?" Saichō asked.
"Yeah..." Kukai replied. "It defended against En Sui's attack quite a strong barrier it can create."
At the commentary table...
"With Saiha, Nadare, Homura, Setsuna, and Madoka, he can control five Dragons now." Kagerō remarked. "Only three Dragons left."
On the ring side...
"Hey, how long you gonna keep their eyes closed?" one of the audience hollered.
"What happened?" Kondo blinked as he broke free from Ganko's hug.
"Alive? Yes, we're alive!" he whooped.
"Hooray!" the pair cheered.
"You just realized that, you sacredly fox?" Domon joked.
In the ring...
"Why did you save me?" Neon asked. "Do you want me to live with the shame of defeat?"
"You really pissed me off." Recca replied. "And you're Kurei's underling as well. But there are those who would cry if you died."
"Besides, I won't be able to sleep knowing that." he grinned.
"Neon-sama!" Miki rushed to her side.
"Onee-sama!" Aki sobbed, the three women embraced in a hug.
"Miki? Aki?" Neon gasped.
"Oh, thank goodness." Aki wept.
"Thank goodness." Miki sobbed.
"What's wrong with you?" Neon asked. "You don't have to cry."
"Excuse me, but..." Tatsuko peered out of the hole she ducked in. "We're still in the middle of the match."
"This match is over." Neon told her. "When my Fukyou Woan was destroyed, we were defeated. The Hokage win."
At the commentary table...
"Neon has admitted defeat and withdraws." Nemi declared.
In the ring...
"That's it!" Tatsuko announced. "With Neon's and Miki's submission, the winners are the team Hanabishi and Mikagami. Therefore, Team Hokage advances to the quarterfinals!"
In the stands...
"You saved us, Hokage!" the crowd cheered. "You guys are awesome!
On the ring side...
"Recca." Neon started. "I've pledged my loyalty to Kurei-sama for as long as I live. Your saving me today changes nothing. If I am ordered, I will come and kill you again."
"What was that?" Domon demanded.
"Yeah." Recca smirked.
"Onee-sama." Aki gaped.
"But, for now..." Neon added. "I thank you."
"ALRIGHT!" Recca whooped after Neon was out of earshot, everybody else, minus Anhara, rushing towards the two.
"What are you doing?" Mikagami demanded when Recca jumped on him as Anhara snickered in amusement.
"Not funny." Mikagami growled at the female ice wielder.
"You totally deserved that." Anhara sniggered.
SailorStar9: Now that's done, read and review.