Yuusuke, Kuwabara, Hiei and Kurama were at the door of the Shiseiju Castle. Kuwabara grumbled as he looked at the place where the four of them all met for the first time.

"You'll excuse me if I don't have any nostalgia looking at this place," grumbled Kuwabara. "And they replenished the welcoming parties inside, too..."

"Yeah, they didn't want us to be bored while going to this place," snorted Yuusuke. "They want us to use as much energy as we can before the main event."

"Then, let's get a move on and be weary," snapped Hiei. Kuwabara and Yuusuke looked at him, blinking. Kurama shrugged to keep the charade, but he felt Hiei's concern for Makoto.

The Koorime was scanning the area in front of them. They better not use the same traps as they did the first time we came, thought Hiei, we would get out of them easily... Hiei blinked he smelled something, something familiar. He entered a room, and saw the entire room was filled with plants. It smelled like honey and the blossoms were purple.

Kurama was advancing with the other two when he smelled it. First, the aroma was nice, then he felt dizzy. Yuusuke and Kuwabara gasped when they saw Kurama shift into his Youko form. He started to run towards the corridor Hiei disappeared into.

Hiei blinked and remembered the plant, Fox lotus. Its aroma was impossible for a fox spirit to ignore. When a fox spirit would find a patch of that plant they would roll into it and eat it. Fox lotus had the same effects on fox spirits as catnip on a cat, only the narcotic effect was much more severe. The ingestion of the plant was a strong drug and would leave the fox spirit quite incapacitated. Hiei shuddered. There was a roomful of that stuff.

Hiei heard fleeting footsteps coming at high speed towards him. Kurama... he thought. Sorry, Kitsune, you might hate me for doing this but now is not the time to get wasted. You'll thank me when your mind will be free of the pull of Fox lotus. It's a good thing I got here first.

Hiei extended his hand and the plants started to catch fire. Hiei turned around and braced himself to stop Youko Kurama who was blind to everything except the call of the Fox lotus.

"RRRHHHHHIIIIEEEEIIII!" called Kurama, enraged. Hiei stood his ground. That plant sure had a pull on Youko. Those who had put it there knew that Kurama wouldn't be able to resist. And sure enough, Hiei felt Kurama trying to bypass him.

"SNAP OUT OF IT! KURAMA!" yelled Hiei as he tried to stop his friend from jumping in the pyre he created.

"GRRRRRR... OUT OF MY WAY!!!!" growled back the Youko.

"BAKA KITSUNE!" gasped Hiei. "YUUSUKE!! KUWABARA!!! GET YOUR BUTTS IN GEAR! I NEED HELP!"

Yuusuke and Kuwabara saw Hiei battling the much bigger Youko and trying to keep him from jumping into a flaming room. The two boys grabbed Kurama and pulled him away. Yuusuke didn't like the glint in Kurama's eyes. He looked like a madman. Him and Kuwabara were having difficulties holding on to him.

"WHAT'S HIS PROBLEM?" yelled Kuwabara.

"YOU ARRRRRE!" yelled back Kurama. "GET OUT OF MY WAAAAY!"

"FOX LOTUS! HE'S GETTING HIGH ON IT!!!" yelled back Hiei. He took a step back and gave Kurama such a slap in the face. Kurama's head jerked in the opposite direction. Kurama shook his head and glared murderously at Hiei. Hiei hit him again and again. Hiei was about to strike him again when Kurama's head jerked out of the way.

"It's okay, Hiei... I'm myself again..."

"Prove it, transform into Shuuichi." warned Hiei. He wanted to be sure that Kurama had shaken the plants' effect. They saw the form shrink and the hair become red again. Kurama shivered.

"Are they all burned out?" he asked, his voice harsh and sharp.

"Hai..." replied Hiei. "Come let's get a move on... Let's get away from here." The others nodded and helped Kurama cross the room.

Botan entered the portal first, followed by the other senshi. She hovered over them until all those who were supposed to come had transferred.

"I cannot stay with you," she informed them. "My presence would jeopardize your mission. You must wait here until the one who will guide you arrives..." And with that, she vanished as the portal closed.

"So that's the Makai?" said Minako as she surveyed the area. "Sounds like an... 'interesting' place to visit but I wouldn't want to live here..."

Mamoru noticed Rei was shivering. Concerned, he went to her. "Hey, Firecracker. You okay?" Mamoru only used that nickname to relax the atmosphere. Rei turned around and faced both he and Usagi.

"I'll be okay..." she told them. "It's just that, well, since this is the demon world... I'm afraid that with my Shinto training, I feel the evil presence on this plane and it's kind of putting me on edge."

"I agree." said Taiki. "There are some peaceful places in the Makai. But somehow I doubt this is one of them."

"Yes, be careful Minna..." added Seiya. "As for you Rei-chan, maybe you should keep some Ofudas handy. You never know..." Rei nodded and took some out, but because they were in the Makai... The Demon world, she hoped they would work.

"Who is that person we have to meet anyway?" asked Ami looking at the trees around her.

"That... would be me!" said a deep voice behind them. Rei started her litany. The stranger stopped her. "Hey! I'm here to help you. Don't throw things at me!"

"In that case identify and show yourself..." said Mamoru.

A dark figure dropped from one of the many trees of the area. They gasped when they saw him fold his black wings. He had long black hair held in a ponytail, what looked like the remains of a hat, a brown leather sleeveless jerkin. He also had leather straps bound around each arms, A gray long robe that was split in the front and some dark leather pants and boots.

"Geeze..." whispered Minako. "Does everyone around here dress so tacky?"

"The name is Kuronue..." said the winged stranger.

Haruka was looking over Kiku in the park while the others had gone either to the Makai or to get some drinks. She looked on as the little kitsune fished something out of one of his pockets and was looking at it intently. Haruka was intrigued as the kitsune looked left and right, just like he was afraid of being caught.

When he looked back down to what he was holding, Haruka got up and walked to him, silently. Without making any noise on the rocks of the pathway, she tiptoed until she could peer over his shoulder. She gasped.

"YOU LITTLE THIEF!" She growled, scaring the child who yelped and bolted away from her. He had clasped his hands on what he was holding and ran, Haruka in hot pursuit. Redi, Setsuna and Michiru were coming into the park while Haruka was grabbing the little kitsune who was crying and wailing.

"GIVE ME THAT, YOU LITTLE THIEF!!!" yelled Haruka trying to pry his hand open.

"Nooooo... Leave me alone you're mean! BWAAAAAA!" cried Kiku pitifully.

"Listen, kid, the sweet and innocent act stops here..." warned the tall woman still trying to open the kit's fingers.

"RUKA! STOP THIS INSTANT!" a voice that was ordinary so soothing yelled at her. Haruka cringed. Michiru wasn't pleased at all. She let Kiku go and as she expected the little kit went to run to Michiru, crying. Michiru glared at Haruka and took the little kitsune in her arms.

"Haruka! What possessed you to do that? You frightened Kiku-chan. There, there..." Her voice softened as she talked to the kitsune. "Don't be scared. It's all right..." She saw that Kiku was holding his hands together as if to hide something from her.

"Michiru... " started Haruka, calming down. "Do you remember this morning when we came to the park? Shuuichi-san asked us if we saw his ring, the one Taiki and Seiya gave him." Michiru nodded. She remembered. "Well Kiku-chan has that ring... as well as an identical one, Yaten's most likely. He stole them!"

Redi cast a wondering gaze to Setsuna. The older woman gestured her to stay silent. Redi bit her lip and returned her attention to the scene that was playing out.

Michiru looked down at Kiku. "Kiku-chan, what do you have in your hand?"

Kiku lowered his gaze and looked away. "Nothing..." Michiru wasn't duped. She knew that look. Hotaru, when she was small, had given her that look when she caught her doing something she shouldn't have.

"Please, won't you let me see? I promise I won't get mad." smiled Michiru.

"... no."

Michiru frowned slightly. That's when she felt something in her back. Giggling, Chibi-chibi swung over Michiru's shoulder. Mo! thought Michiru, how did she manage that?

"Chibi-chibi..." giggled the girl. "I wanna see!"

"NO! GO AWAY!" warned Kiku. "LEAVE ME A..." As Kiku was yelling at her, Chibi-chibi woke up at Kiku's hand and the toddler succeeded in making the small kitsune release the viselike grip hold he held. "NO!" He screamed as two rings flew out of his hands.

Haruka dove and caught the rings before they even hit the ground. She opened her hand and, sure enough, in her hand she had both Yaten and Kurama's ring. Their design were unmistakable, entwined roses with stars. Each star was a small diamond, except for the big one that was amidst the roses in the middle of the ring, a light green Peridot.

Kiku twisted out of Michiru's grasp and ran to Haruka. She gave Kiku-chan a glare that would have frightened any small child. But Kiku, undaunted, kicked her in the shin.

"OW!" yelled out Haruka as she held on to the rings with one hand and tried to keep Kiku from hitting her again with the other.

"Give them back! They are not yours!" said the little kitsune hotly, as he successfully hit Haruka again.

"OW! Those aren't yours either! They belong to Yaten and Shuuichi," replied Haruka.

"I need them..." said Kiku, jumping to get the rings to no avail. Haruka was too tall for him. "The rings don't belong to them, anyway!"

"Listen, Kiku-chan... I was there when Seiya and Taiki gave them the rings. If the rings don't below to them, to whom then?" asked Haruka, while Michiru reached into her bag and took her mirror out. She wanted to check if Kiku's story held. She pointed her mirror in his direction and hoped she would see something.

"The rings belong to Kaasan and Tousan..." said the kitsune adamantly. "I need to bring the rings back to them, so they will be happy again!"

Michiru peered into the mirror. She saw Kiku appear on it, also next to him appeared 3 other little kitsune, with silver hair and green eyes. Then behind the small band of kitsune, two figures appeared. Michiru gasped.

"MO! KAMI-SAMA!"

"Che... What's wrong?... Never saw a guy with wings before?" asked Kuronue, a little annoyed by the way the senshi were looking at him.

"Well yeah... I mean no... ara... Never mind!" blurted out Minako.

Kuronue shrugged. Kids! he thought, they are sending kids... Mpht! I hope the Reikai knows what they are doing... How did Kurama hook up with these kids anyway...? He must have changed a lot this past hundred year.

"Well... Are you coming?" asked Kuronue. Taiki coughed.

"How do we know you're the one that we were asked to wait for...? For all we know this might be a trap..." next to Taiki, Ami nodded and frowned.

Kuronue turned his head with a slight smile on his features. Well, what do you know?... Some of them do have brains after all... he thought. "I was told of your presence here by Botan, special envoy and ferry maiden of the souls of the departed..."

The senshi looked at him suspiciously. "Listen..." he added. "If I was the enemy, you guys would be dead by now..." He saw that his little speech didn't convince them. "Have it your way... I know how to get in that castle without having to take the long way in (unlike the Reikai Tantei). But if you don't want my help... I'll just go."

Kuronue opened his wings and was about to fly away when Seiya told him to wait. Kuronue folded back his wings and looked at him.

"Why do you wish to go there?"

"My brother and our friends have been kidnapped... The Shiseiju kidnapped them in order to get back to the Tantei, for something they did in the past." replied Seiya.

"Oh, so that was your brother I saw... And let me guess, he's Kurama's boyfriend?" asked Kuronue. Che, he thought, knowing Kurama, that's a sure bet.

Seiya blinked. "You know Kurama?"

"Hai... He's an old partner of mine... Enough talk! Ikkimasho!" replied Kuronue as he started toward the Castle. "We are wasting valuable time in chit-chat and if you wish to rescue your friends and the Reikai Tantei..."

Seiya was intrigued by the fact that this guy knew about Kurama, but like the others he followed Kuronue for now. His questions would have to wait.

Kurama was fighting the effects of the Fox lotus when they arrived in a long corridor. They gasped when they heard yells and shrieks as well as growls.

"What the?..." said Kuwabara. "YUKINA-SAN!"

As soon as he said that, Yuusuke and Hiei saw Yukina, followed by Keiko and Makoto running away from 3 mean looking demons. Yuusuke didn't hesitate and used his Reigun to kill the one that was running after Keiko. Kuwabara called forth his Reiken and slashed the creature as though it was nothing. Hiei jumped in front of the one that was rushing Makoto and slashed him into bits. Hum... he thought, that was almost too easy.

Keiko jumped into Yuusuke's arms. Yukina did the same and jumped in Kuwabara's arms.

"Oh! Kazuma-san! You are so strong and powerful. I am so happy you came to rescue me."

Kuwabara took a proud pose as Yukina cooed. "But of course, Yukina-san. I am as always at your service, my beautiful Ice maiden! You don't have anything to worry about when Kuwabara Kazuma, your knight in shining armor is there..."

OH, PUH-LEASE! Thought Hiei he glared at Kuwabara's bravado.

Kurama blinked and went to Makoto. She seemed to be surprised he was there. "Mako-chan, where is Yaten? Isn't he with you?"

"Hum... aaa.. you see..." started Makoto.

Keiko and Yuusuke were about to kiss when Keiko replied for Makoto. "He's dead..."

"WHAT?" gasped Yuusuke, he looked at Kurama. The red haired boy had just collapsed to his knees, his face devoid of all colors, his green eyes dull and filling with tears.

"No... no... It can't be true... Yaten can't be dead..." Kurama's tears started to flow as he yelled like a wounded creature. "I failed you Koibito, noooo...." Kurama collapsed to the ground, his hands over his face, his body wracked with sobs.

"Kurama..." breathed Yuusuke, sensing all too well his friend's despair.

"That Man Tiger killed him... Yaten jumped him when he wasn't looking. His sacrifice enabled us to escape..." said Makoto.

"It was horrible. We saw him being... ripped to shreds..." added Keiko.

"Kami-sama... Kurama... I'm so sorry..." said Kuwabara.

Kurama had put his hands over his ears to block the horrible story of Yaten's death. Already he felt the bitter bile in his mouth. He was about to be sick. Hiei looked at the scene, strangely calm.

"Yes, it was horrible..." said Makoto as she walked to Hiei.

"Oh, Kuzama-san, I'm so scared. Please take me in your arms and kiss me..." Yukina batted her eyes.

"Hold me Yuusuke..." said Keiko, getting closer in a kiss. Yuusuke sidestepped and went to Kurama. He couldn't let his friend down like this. He couldn't kiss Keiko in front of Kurama. If Yaten was dead, he just couldn't. Keiko flashed an angered glare at Yuusuke. Makoto was almost near Hiei when Yukina spoke again.

"Onegai, Kazuma... I need your strength. I feel so faint... Please kiss me..."

Kuwabara blinked and, seeing Yukina in his arms asking so sweetly to be kissed, Kuwabara couldn't say no to her. As he was starting to bend to kiss her, he saw a blur of black behind Yukina.

Kuwabara yelled. He saw Hiei's katana pierce Yukina's body and blue blood gushed out of her. An inhuman shriek tore from her throat.

"KAMI-SAMA! HIEI! YOU KILLED HER!" growled Kuwabara. He would kill Hiei for what he just did.

"HIEI! KISAMA!!!!!!" yelled Kuwabara. "For that you will die! REIKI NO KEN!"

"Hn... Baka! Look at her!" replied Hiei. Kuwabara looked at Yukina's body. Already it was changing: she had fangs and turning into an ugly purple creature. Kuwabara looked up just in time to see the false Makoto sink her teeth into Hiei's neck. Kuwabara lunged his sword at the monster as Hiei disappeared, confusing the creature. It fell under Kuwabara's attack.

Hiei was just in time to stop the false Keiko from sinking its teeth into Yuusuke's neck. Kurama snapped out of his sadness just in time to take Yuusuke out of the path of the Reiki vampire. It shrieked when it met its demise at Hiei's sword.

"MY GOD! WHAT ARE THOSE?" yelled Kuwabara.

"Reiki Vampires..." replied Kurama, wiping his tears away. "They can suck blood as well as spiritual energy..."

"Hn! Clever... But not clever enough..." spat Hiei.

"How did you know, Hiei?" asked Yuusuke.

"They were far too eager to kiss you..." started Hiei. "And they didn't show any emotions or sadness when they told Kurama Yaten was supposed to be dead. I found that odd, especially for Mako-chan..."

Yuusuke nodded and helped Kurama up. "That means Yaten is still alive." He smiled at Kurama. The red haired boy nodded.

"Then, let's go get those losers who sent us those pathetic tricks, to get at us!!!" said Kuwabara as he advanced into the corridor.But he couldn't help but wonder how Hiei would know that Makoto wouldn't have reacted that way. Unless... He blinked and slapped himself mentally. NAAAAAAAHHHH! he thought, that couldn't possibly happen in a thousand years.

Kuronue arrived at the edge of the forest and motioned for the group to wait. He peered under the bush and saw a couple of zombies guarding the crack in the wall.

"Oh great! They saw it..." grumbled Kuronue.

"Don't you have another way in?" asked Seiya.

"It's a stronghold... not swiss cheese you know, kid!" replied Kuronue while Seiya grumbled.

"What are those anyway?" asked Usagi.

"They look like zombies..." said Mamoru.

"That's because they are..." replied Kuronue.

"ZOMBIES!!!!" cried out Usagi, everyone rushed to cover her mouth, sweat dropping.

"Maaaa! Usagi-chan! Can you be a little louder and make them rush us?" whispered loudly Rei.

"Muhumpt..mmm..mpht!" replied Usagi still muffled by the others.

"Well I'll transform and blast them... piece of cake!" Seiya was about to transform when Kuronue stopped him.

"Are you crazy? If you transform now... We'll lose the element of surprise!"

"He's right, Seiya..." added Taiki to calm Seiya down. He seemed to begin to find Kuronue annoying. "We'll have to find another more quieter way to get in..." Kuronue nodded.

"Anybody got any bright ideas?" Kuronue asked.

"Actually, I do..." said Rei as she took out two ofudas. Kuronue seemed unimpressed.

"What are you planning to give them with those... paper cuts?"

"Watch and learn..." replied Rei. "Rin, pyou, sha, kai, jin, retsu, sai, zen... Akuryou taisan!" She threw the ofudas and they stamped themselves on the brow of the two zombies. They dropped like flies, without making a single sound.

Kuronue blinked. "Hey, nice trick..." he smiled then realized something. "Hey! you were about to throw me one of those!"

"Well, are you just standing there?... Let's go!" replied Rei.

Kuronue shook his head unbelieving and took the lead. "Follow me!" Rei giggled softly.

Meanwhile, in the human world, Michiru was holding her mirror in front of her, gasping at the images that were forming. Already, she saw Kiku and his siblings, and on the side, two figures were forming. As those two were becoming clearer, two other forms were beginning to show, too.

The ones that were clearer made her gasp. She saw a young woman about Yaten's age when she first came to Earth. She was dressed in the Sailor Star Healer fuku. She would have thought it was Yaten except that this green eyed girl had bright red hair. Next to her stood a slightly younger version of Kurama, except he had silver hair. Then the two last figures were easily seen. Michiru blinked.

"It's... It's..." she hiccuped. She felt Setsuna come next to her. Next to her, Hotaru peered into the mirror.

"It seems you found out Kiku-chan's little secret..." said Setsuna, her expression as unreadable as ever. Next to her, Hotaru gasped.

"It's Yaten and Kurama... but... why is Kurama as a Youko?" asked Hotaru.

"That's something Redi-chan will be able to tell us..." Said Setsuna.

Haruka, puzzled, lowered her guard as she gazed into the mirror. Michiru had turned around for her benefit. Unconsciously, she lowered her hand, the ones that held the rings, low enough for Kiku to leap. He jumped and took the rings away from a dazzled Haruka and took off.

"KIKU-CHAN!" called Redi. Haruka was about to chase after him when Setsuna prevented her to do it.

"Let him go..." said the Senshi of Time.

"Demo... He's just a little kid..." started Redi.

"It's okay, he'll be all right and he'll come back here..." replied Setsuna.

"You knew about Kiku-chan, Redi-chan?" asked Michiru.

Redi nodded, knowing all too well that for some odd reason now, Setsuna wanted her to tell them what she knew.

While their captors were busy with the preparations, Makoto was slowly breaking her bonds. Yaten was on the look out for any suspicious actions from their jailers. They seemed to have forgotten about them, so Yaten signaled with his head for Makoto to continue. Keiko realized that Makoto was almost free.

That girl has an incredible strength, thought Keiko, it's almost inhuman. But why did she lie about her strength earlier? She looked at Yaten closely. He seemed to know of this girl's strength. All these coincidences were too much. There had to be something that connected Makoto and Yaten together and Yaten to Kurama. One thing for sure, they were hiding something to her and Yukina.

"Listen, guys..." whispered Keiko. "We are all in the same boat. I think you better add us into the game if we want to get out of here. You two seem to have a plan... so let's hear it."

Yaten and Makoto looked at each other. They didn't want to say their secret out loud. Just in case, someone might be hearing them.

"Keiko-chan..." whispered back Yaten. "I'm sorry, but you will have to trust us on that one. We can't afford to be found out. Too much is at stake. I for one, hope that we won't have to come to the extreme measure we think of using... But if what Yukina told us is true, I'm afraid we won't have a choice..."

"You won't have a choice for what?..." Asked Keiko. Yaten bit his lips but kept silent and resumed his watch while Makoto was working on freeing him.

Keiko looked to Yukina. The ice maiden shook her head. She knew no more than Keiko. The brunette sighed. She wished she knew what was going on and at the same time she wished she didn't.

Kiku ran into the street. He didn't know the faces before him. He wished his mother or his father were there, or Ya-chan or even Ku-chan would do. That mean woman wanted to take his rings away. Sure, he felt bad taking them away from Ya-chan and Ku-chan but he needed those rings. He hoped they could understand.

"Tousan, Kaasan... If I hadn't lost my key, I could go back and give you back your ring. I'm sorry I lost yours..." Kiku started to cry softly as he entered a small street. "I didn't mean to make you mad at each other... I lost your special rings and then you started to yell at each other. It's my fault, I know..."

Kiku sat down on a box that was lying in that street. He looked down at the rings. Tears were forming into his eyes. He needed to bring back the rings to his parents. But he didn't like the fact that he had to take them from Ya-chan and Ku-chan. He loved them very much, especially Ya-chan; he looked so much like his Kaasan. Ku-chan didn't look a thing like his Tousan, but when he slept next to him last night, it felt so much like him. Kiku had felt protected in his presence. They will be mad at me, Kiku thought, when they find out I took their rings. Kiku hid his face into his hands, crying. What could he do?

"Kiku-chan..." a familiar voice said softly. Kiku blinked. It couldn't be...

"Hey... Chiisai-chan... Don't cry..." said another as familiar voice. There only two people who called Kiku like that. He wiped his tears and sure enough, there they were.

"Shiroi-chan... Shiro-kun..." said Kiku.

"I think you better tell us what you know, Redi-chan..." started Haruka. "And why didn't you speak before now?" Redi didn't reply and only looked at Setsuna. The Outers understood perfectly.

"First of all, Kiku-chan lied about his age... He's five years old, not three. He was the smallest when he was born and his growth got affected a little. Ami-san told Yaten he should start growing at a more normal rate." started Redi.

"So Kiku-chan is Yaten's son?" asked Hotaru.

"Hai, and Kurama's... Why is he a fox spirit? You guys heard of the attack of the Black Moon that occurred in Crystal Tokyo?" asked Redi.

The Senshi nodded, Redi continued. "Pluto was at the Portal of Time and couldn't interfere. As the attack unfurled Kurama was able to open a portal to the Makai and push Taiki, Seiya, Hiei and Yaten inside, unfortunately he took the brunt of the explosion that occurred when The Black Moon family breached the castle. He fell into the Makai mortally wounded, he was at Death's Door and Botan had come for him. But he cheated death once again, Botan was real glad he did that, and transformed himself into his Youko form. Minamino Shuuichi ceased to exist from that day on. Since he was away from my mother she couldn't cure him and since he wasn't a Senshi. Mother couldn't recall his old body..."

"When they heard that Sailor Moon had come from the past to save Crystal Tokyo, Kurama reopened a portal and Taiki, Seiya and Hiei were reunited with their loved ones. Kurama told Yaten he would stay behind in the Makai, since he was now a Youko. Yaten was heartbroken and cried for many days, nothing could cheer her. In the Makai, Kurama didn't fare much better and Neo-Queen Serenity appeared to him in the Makai. Kurama had rejoined Yomi for whom he had already worked in the past. When Neo-Queen Serenity appeared asking to Kurama to come back to Crystal Tokyo with her, Yomi interceded when he saw that Kurama didn't want to go back because he had no longer a human body."

"Yomi proposed to my mother that Kurama be sent to Crystal Tokyo as a goodwill ambassador. Indeed, by working together, Yomi and Mukuro had achieved a Golden Age in the Makai. Both of them thought it would be a good idea to extend a hand of Peace to Crystal Tokyo. Kurama was a natural choice and he accepted his new role as Ambassador. Mother made him also an official citizen of Crystal Tokyo, just like she had done for Hiei."

"When Kurama came back everyone was very happy to see him. None were more happy than Yaten and they went away for 2 years before all the paperwork could be finished before Kurama would perform his new functions. I learned that it could have been done in a couple of days but Mother lied so they could pass some time together. When Kurama was sworn in as Ambassador, Yaten announced that she was pregnant again, surprising everyone, because Sailor Senshi only gave birth to one descendant. Yaten had already broken that tradition by having twins earlier, Shiro and Shiroi." Redi paused to point to them in the mirror. "Imagine our surprise when Ami-san told us she was carrying quadruplets. After a year, (*) Ran, Bara, Sakura and Kiku were born, two boys and two girls." finished Redi.

"So the other twins are human, because Yaten had them before Kurama's human body was killed?" asked Hotaru, Setsuna nodded.

"But why tell us that now?" asked Haruka.

"Because you would feel less startled when you would see us..." said a soft male voice behind them. They all turned around to see Kiku held by silver haired young man, slightly younger than Kurama, but his spitting image if not for the silver hair. Next to him, standing slightly taller than Yaten was a bright red hair girl with green eyes.

"Are... are those?" stuttered Haruka.

"Hai, Uncle Haruka, we are Yaten and Kurama's twins I am Shiroi and this is my brother Shiro. You already know about our younger brother Kiku..." Said softly Shiroi.

Yuusuke and the others stood ready. They were approaching the battle ground and had managed to pass through all the palace defenses and that without using much of their spiritual energy. Kurama thought that those who kidnapped their friends and loved ones (Hiei shot a quick glance at the others when Kurama said that) probably were connected with the original Shiseiju. They probably displayed the same powers but not necessary the same levels, if they needed to use all these traps in the hope they would use up their spiritual energies.

"When we battled their predecessor, we all encountered them individually. Since we didn't encounter a single one, there is much to bet that they plan to attack us as a group..." said Kurama.

"Unless..." cut Yuusuke. "Unless they want us to surrender and they will let go of their hostage."

"Hn... Somehow, I doubt it." replied Hiei.

"I have to agree..." added Kurama. "If they kidnapped them, I really don't think they will surrender their bargaining chip so fast."

"Then we have no choice, we'll have to take them down like the dogs they are so that me, Yuusuke and Kurama may save our damsels in distress..." said pompously Kuwabara.

"Yaten is a boy right, now!" said Hiei dryly.

"You know damn well what I mean!" countered Kuwabara. Hiei scorned him and walked away.

"Hiei!" Said Yuusuke. "We need a plan!"

"That's not going to happen if that idiot," he paused to point Kuwabara, "continues to make a fool of himself. We don't need a plan! We can battle those losers who are too cowards to fight their own battles... Now let's get this over with!" Hiei stormed out.

"I'd never thought I'd say this but the shrimp has a point." said Kuwabara as he followed the Koorime. The other two followed also but Yuusuke asked before they stood outside to meet their adversaries.

"I expected Kuwabara to act like this... But, what's eating Hiei? Ever since yesterday he's been on edge. You know him better than any of us, Kurama. I really don't understand, ever since Yaten and Makoto were kidnapped he's been tense. Well, not that I don't understand, his sister got kidnapped too. Is it that he wants?... To rescue his sister before Kuwabara?"

Kurama blinked, he couldn't tell Yuusuke that Hiei had feelings for Makoto. He couldn't, not until he knew that Hiei had told Makoto, and knowing Hiei... that could take a while. But Kurama still wondered why Hiei was feeling so restless. Did he? Did he tell Makoto he loved her? He shook his head. Now wasn't the time to speculate. Their enemies were there waiting for them.

Kurama, Yuusuke, Kuwabara and Hiei stood in line on one side of the battleground. In front of them stood three figures, a Man-tiger that looked a lot like Biakko, a young man who looked very much like Suzaku and finally a woman.

"Welcome Reikai Tantei..." started the young man. "And welcome to your doom. I am Muraku, younger brother of Sukaku that you have bested in battle Urameshi Yuusuke. I will extract my revenge upon you!"

The Man-Tiger said: "I am Tiakko, nephew of Biakko. I will make you pay for what you have done to my Godfather. You shall suffer greatly before you die..."

Lastly the woman talked. "I am Kooriryu, daughter of Seiryu." She eyed intently Hiei. "I will avenge my father's death." Hiei looked back at her his face devoid of any emotions. "And I know just how to extract my vengeance..." She disappeared only to reappear next to Makoto holding a knife to her neck. Hiei gasped, how could they have known?

"Hey! You said the hostages wouldn't be harmed..." yelled Yuusuke. Kooriryu laughed.

"Oh, but that is the only vengeance I want from Hiei, the traitor, Hiei the Koorime, Hiei, great wielder of the Black Dragon. He killed my father, a man I loved. Isn't it fair play that I kill the one HE loves?..."

Yuusuke and Kuwabara blinked and looked at Hiei, then looked at Makoto, then back at Hiei. Chained to their chair Keiko and Yukina were doing the exact same thing.

"No friggin' way..." said Kuwabara.

"So that's why she was kidnapped, too!" said Yukina. In her chair, Makoto was starting to fume. That woman had a knife to her neck but she didn't seem to view her as a threat.

"I hope you like the irony of this Hiei..." Kooriryu flashed a dangerous smile. "Your speed is legendary, but do you really think you can stop me before I end her life?..."

Hiei tensed ready to pounce on her. He could see a good fifteen ways he could kill her. The only thing he wasn't sure was if he was fast enough to prevent Makoto's death. Maybe, she was just bluffing and she couldn't match his speed. If she wasn't, he couldn't put Makoto's life on the line.

Yuusuke blinked. He never saw Hiei hesitate before. He had half expected Hiei to jump on her the moment she touched the ground. He saw a small sweat bead trickle down Hiei's brow. He really did love her, Yuusuke thought. How come we never saw it? Was this recent?

Hiei, thought Kurama, I know exactly what you feel. I wish I knew what to do to help you, my old friend. They still hold Yaten and he's vulnerable because of his sickness.

Kuwabara thought, Hiei and Makoto?... I don't believe it...

"So Hiei, what will it be? Will you just stand there as I kill her or will you try and stop me from killing your beloved?" asked Kooriryu.

"I have another option..." said a voice. Kooriryu looked down surprised as Makoto took the knife away from her throat and threw her aggressor on the ground. She held the woman in an arm lock and made her drop her hold on her blade.

"Your mama never told you it's not polite to kiss and tell?" said Makoto, exercising more pressure on her hold. Next to Makoto there was a blur of black and Yaten, Yukina and Keiko's bonds were shattered by Hiei's blade.

Kooriryu was about to throw Makoto from her back when Makoto gave her a knock behind the head, knocking her unconscious. Hiei smiled at her. He felt weird though; he felt weaker. On the battle field, Tiakko and Muraku were closing in on the rest of the Tantei.

"Are you all okay?" he asked Yukina, Keiko and Yaten nodded. Then in a blur he jumped away and rejoined his friends on the battlefield. As he went away, Makoto felt something soft and warm on her lips. She blushed. As he went away Hiei had stolen a kiss from her. Her heart warmed up at that little touch and her eyes had a far away look.

"Ara?... Makoto-san?... Are you okay?" asked Keiko. Obviously, Hiei had moved too fast for her to see the kiss.

Makoto facevaulted. "Errr... yes.. ah... no..." She blushed furiously.

Yukina gasped. "Hiei-san! Come back! You are in great danger!!!" But it was too little too late, Hiei couldn't hear them any more.

"Quickly! said Yaten. "We have to find a way to go down there and warn them!" The girls nodded and they rushed to the door and tried to find their way down.

They found a stairway that headed down and as they ran down the stairs they heard guards running after them.

"Mako-chan!" yelled Yaten. "We have company!!!"

"Shimatta!" cursed Makoto under her breath as she ran faster. Unfortunately she heard guards coming up to meet with them. They were trapped. "Yaten!!! HENSHIN YO!"

"NANNI????" said Keiko and Yukina.

"JUPITER STAR POWER MAKE UP!" yelled Makoto.

"HEALER STAR POWER, MAKE UP!" yelled Yaten.

"WHAT????" yelled Keiko.

"Oh my..." said Yukina.

Keiko and Yukina watched in amazement the quick transformation of Makoto and Yaten into Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Star Healer. Yaten was delightfully surprised that she could have transformed. The Youkai were rushing them from all side.

"I'll take the front," yelled Jupiter. "Cover our rear! SPARKLING WIDE PRESSURE!" She let fly a couple of lightning balls to the Youkai rushing them. She had the feeling of a job well done when she heard the Youkai falling down the stairway.

"STAR CORE FUSION... FLARE!" yelled Healer. She blasted the Youkai in one clean sweep. Since she didn't know if she had enough power for another attack, she had preferred not to take chance. Not a Youkai was left standing, Healer felt woozy and her legs shook a little.

Yukina and Keiko started at them. "You... you're one of those Sailor Senshi..." said Yukina.

Keiko stared at Healer, because of her fuku, she couldn't be mistaken by Yaten's gender.

"YOU... YOU'RE A WOMAN?????"

End of part 12

(*) The quadruplets were given flower names: Ran is for Orchid, Bara, Rose, Sakura, Cherry blossom and Kiku, Chrysanthemum. And for those who want to know ^^ Ran and Kiku are boys and Bara and Sakura are girls.

"Finally we are in our new home!" Hikoku said, happily. She gave a look to her roommate and long-time friend Yuukana. "You still have that headache, ne?"

"Hai..." Yuukana said. "It's one of my worst migraine attacks to date..." She slumped on the small sofa. Luckily, she thought, the apartment was furnished.

"We have some groceries to do..." started Hikoku. "But you look so terrible. I'll go and you go lie down for a while..." She half expected her friend to tell her that no, she was okay and that she would go with her. But she didn't. Wow, she must really feel bad, thought Hikoku, I better let her rest. "Well I'm off!..." She said simply as she left.

Yuukana stayed about ten minutes looking down on the floor hoping the lack of movement would stop the throbbing pain of her head. It didn't. She felt bad. She got up. Bad move, she thought, and she rushed to the bathroom, where she had nausea. After been sick, she slowly made her way to her bed.

Oh! This is getting worse, she thought. I started to have these migraines about two years ago. The doctors never found the cause of this sudden ailment and they were at a loss to find out what caused her sudden attacks. There wasn't much she could do but wait for the wave to pass. It eventually did.

"I'm so tired..." she said in a weak voice before falling into a deep slumber.

"WHAT THE?????!!! YOU'RE A WOMAN?" yelled Keiko, looking at Sailor Star Healer.

"Makoto-san... You're a Sailor Senshi also..." said Yukina.

"Listen," said Healer. "I know there is much to discuss but now isn't the time for it. Kurama and the others need our help and we must warn them of the danger."

"I agree. We promise to tell you once we get the boys out of trouble..." said Jupiter.

Yukina and Keiko nodded and they resumed their run. Keiko was more puzzled than before. Then it hit her.

"DON'T TELL ME SEIYA-KUN AND TAIKI-SAN CAN DO THAT, TOO!!!"

"Okay..." mumbled Healer. "I won't..."

Tiakko attacked Kurama and Kuwabara by clawing at them. Kurama easily evaded the attack. Kuwabara scrambled away. Tiakko went for the red haired boy, leaving the orange haired one. Huh? puzzled Kuwabara, I thought that guy would have a beef against me. I'm more responsible for Biakko's death than Kurama. He shrugged, no matter.

Meanwhile on the ledge, the woman Makoto knocked unconscious was coming to. "Shimatta!" she cursed. "She actually managed to get to me. I won't be this careless again." Kooriryu jumped down after materializing a scythe and shield. She helped Muraku who had his hands full with the Ningen called Urameshi and the Koorime, Hiei.

"DIE!" she yelled as she plunged her scythe into the Koorime. Hiei managed to twist away, even though he was surprised by her attack. She still managed to slash at his ample black coat, the ice blade almost etching his skin. "KISAMA! FALL DAMN YOU!" She screamed when she realized she only slashed clothes.

Hiei is a man of few words, that is true also in battle. He usually speaks beforehand or when he is separated from his opponent. He gave a few taunts to lure his adversary into attacking him. But when he is under a barrage of slashing weapons, he doesn't shoot his mouth off. Unlike a certain orange haired baka, he thought.

Kooriryu wanted her revenge by killing the person Hiei cared for. That girl was the only person they had found. He even lived with her. She made a face, a Youkai with a Ningen. "You've been corrupted by the Ningen Hiei, but that's to be expected from a Bastard half-breed like yourself.

Hiei bit down a reply and concentrating in making her regret her words with his swordplay. But something was wrong. Hiei could feel himself getting winded with each pass. What the hell was going on?

Kurama reached for the rose hidden in his hair as Tiakko ran to him. "ROSE WHIP!!!" he yelled as he flicked his wrist to slash at the beast rushing him. But the rose stayed as it was. "Nani? ROSE WHIP!" In horror, Kurama realized he no longer had not Youki enough to call upon his whip. Tiakko lunged at him and slapped him roughly against the face. Kurama was catapulted by the violence of the blow.

Kurama shakily got back up. Something is draining our ki, he thought. Is that why they don't attack using their magic, only by weapons alone? He saw Kuwabara attacking Tiakko. Kurama gasped when he saw the Reiken. Already it was losing it's glow. Kuwabara hadn't realized yet.

"KUWABARA! YUUSUKE! HIEI! IT'S A TRAP!!!! WE MUST <ugh>..." Kurama tried to move away but his feet were stuck to the ground. He looked down to the ground and he saw that it was shimmering in a golden lake that went around him in a five foot radius. Kurama paled, he knew all too well what this was... a ReiWyrms.

Yuusuke was too busy battling with Muraku. He was half expecting Muraku to use the same techniques his brother had used. No, he was only attacking him in hand to hand combat, which suited Yuusuke just fine. They were landing each very good punches that would have fallen normal opponents. But Yuusuke felt his strength waning. He couldn't believe it. "It's almost as though I used up my ki, but that's impossible. I haven't done a single Reigun yet!" he grumbled between his teeth. Something wasn't right. He was puzzling when he heard Kurama cry out.

Kuwabara rushed Tiakko, "Look alive, Kurama!" Man! That's weird, Kurama wasn't able to get his Rose whip out, he thought. What gives? He was slashing with his Reiken at Tiakko. He started to feel winded. "What the hell is wrong with me?" he said to himself. "I just started to fight and already I feel tired..." His Reiken was blocked by Tiakko when he heard Kurama cry out.

Hiei wasn't faring much better; he was already sweating. His enemy was still barring down on him so he didn't have time to puzzle upon it much. But he felt his Youki going down at an alarming rate. He heard Kurama yell something. He was about to jump away when he felt stuck. He looked down to see himself surrounded by a golden disk. His opponent jumped away.

"Oh well, at least I get half my revenge..." she gloated and rejoined Muraku that still battled Urameshi Yuusuke.

Hiei tried to escape but he felt even weaker and to his horror, he saw his right arm glowing. The dragon left his arm, sucked away to whatever was in that. Ever slowly Hiei felt himself sink into the golden disk. He looked toward Kurama, the same thing was happening to him.

"HIEI!!!" screamed Jupiter as she got into the large battlefield. She heard Keiko and Yukina voicing their concern to Yuusuke and Kuwabara. Jupiter dashed forward to Hiei as Healer also got out, her scream pierced the battleground.

"KU-CHAAAAAAAAAN!" she cried horrified and she, too, rushed to him.

"MATTE!" yelled Keiko, but it was too late. She managed to hold on to Yukina. "Yukina-chan... You can't go there, remember!"

Yukina gasped. "But what about Makoto-san and Yaten-san?"

"Mo!" said Michiru surprised, at the news and the fact that Yaten and Kurama's future children were before her, in the present. Well part of the children, if she took into account what Redi had just told them.

Hotaru couldn't help but blush when she saw Shiro. He was as bishonen as his father and his mother (when Yaten was a guy) was. Her heart started to beat a little faster when he looked at her and smiled. She felt her legs start to tremble as though they were now made of Jell-O. He resembled mostly his father and his sister was almost a spitting image of Yaten. But the silver hair gave Shiro a even softer look than his father. I bet, Hotaru thought as she saw him, that girls must be beating a path to him each time he goes out.

"Why are you here?" asked Haruka eyeing the twins suspiciously. Shiroi seemed a little embarrassed by Haruka's gaze, but Haruka shrugged it off.

Shiroi, tossing her red mane, shyly replied. "Kaasan sent us to get our little brother..."

"Before you go, though, there is still the small matter of the rings he's stolen..." said Haruka, the twins looked down at Kiku.

"Kiku-chan! You took some poor peoples' rings..." said Shiro.

"I did not!" spat Kiku back at him. "Those rings belong to Kaasan and Tousan, see?" Kiku opened his hands and showed the rings. There was no questions about it. They were indeed their parents' rings.

"Kiku-chan! You came into the past to steal Kaasan and Tousan's rings? But why?" asked Shiroi. Haruka stepped closer and Kiku cowered into his older sister's arms.

"Because... because..." he started to cry. "Ilostthemandnow KaasanandTousanaremadandit'sallmyfault!"

"Woah! Kiku-chan... Slow down... What did you say?" asked gently Shiro, trying to soothe his younger brother.

"He said..." started Setsuna. "That he lost your parents' ring, that happened while he went into their room. He took the rings and he went to his room, played and forgot about them..." She looked down at Kiku. "Isn't that right Kiku-chan?"

Kiku nodded. "Hai, Setsuna-obansan." he wiped his tears with his sleeves. "And now, Tousan and Kaasan are mad at each other... It's my fault, so I had to fix it..."

Shiroi and Shiro blinked. "Kiku-chan..." started softly Shiro. "If you take the rings into the past... they won't exist in the future."

Kiku blinked. He hadn't thought of that. "But why do Ya-chan and Ku-chan have Kaasan and Tousan's rings?"

"That's because, Kiku-chan..." said Shiroi. "They are Kaasan and Tousan. Ya-chan, it's short for Yaten. That's Kaasan's name and Ku-chan that's short for..."

"Kurama!" beamed Kiku. "That's Tousan's name... But why does he look like that... Tousan looks like me..."

"That's because Tousan still has his Ningen form here. But Tousan was always a Youko. You remember the tales he used to tell us?" Shiro paused until Kiku nodded that he remembered. "His human body passed away before Kassan had you four. This is what he looks like now. Look at me, don't you think I look like Tousan?"

"Yeah, but you got hair the same color as Kaasan..." remarked the little kit.

"And I got Tousan's hair color, when he had still a Ningen body," added Shiroi.

Kiku looked to the ground thinking. It all started to make sense now. Why he felt protected by Ya-chan and always wanted to be with him. Why he smelled like Kaasan so much. Why Ku-chan's scent smelled weird but at the same time familiar. Why he felt so safe sleeping next to him. They were his mother and his father, whom he loved very much. When realization struck him, he started to cry. His sister and brother were there to comfort him.

"Now, Kiku-chan... You have to give back the ring to Setsuna. She will give them back to Kaasan and Tousan." said Shiro, Kiku nodded but he still felt bad.

"But what about their rings?" asked Kiku.

"What? You mean those?" asked Shiro and from one of his pockets he produced the two missing rings. Kiku looked at him wondering where he could have found them. "I found them under your bed. They must have rolled there..." Kiku was so happy, he leaped from Shiroi's to jump at Shiro's throat.

"You could have told me you had those..." said Shiroi, a little annoyed.

"What I don't understand is why Yaten and Kurama sent you to get Kiku-chan? They could have gotten him themselves..." asked Michiru as she took back the rings.

"I'm afraid Kaasan and Tousan were rather occupied..." started Shiro. Kiku's face brightened.

"Is the baby coming out?" asked Kiku.

"Hai, Kiku-chan. Kaasan's baby is coming..." Shiroi turned to the others. "Kaasan was going into labor when she asked us to bring Kiku-chan back..."

Haruka counted how many children Yaten and Kurama now had. "What are they? Rabbits?"

Shiroi chuckled. "That's exactly what Hiei-ojisan said, when Kaasan announced her pregnancy.

"Right! Like he should talk!" said Shiro.

"Oh? I thought you were glad about that fact?" Shiroi counterattacked. Setsuna coughed, signaling to the twins that they were saying too much.

"Well..." blushed Shiro. "I think we better go back..."

"Matte..." said Setsuna. "There is a reason why Yaten asked you to come..." The twins, the rest of the Outers and Kiku looked at her puzzled as she transformed into Sailor Pluto. "It's time for us to go..."

There was a lone figure watching them battle the Reikai Tantei into a pool of murky water. It studied the surface and in the shadows it gloated. His plan was working as he expected it would. Even now, he saw Healer running to her precious Kurama. Oh, how he would enjoy seeing this. How ironic, they thwarted his plans together and now, they would die together.

He continued to look into his divining pool and chuckled about his clever plan. Controlling those twits into thinking they had enough brains to come up with a plan as brilliant as his. And when the time would could, he, himself, would come and finish things off, slowly, and he would enjoy the agony of his prey. The dark figure started a diabolical laugh that rumbled into the bowels of the Makai where he plotted and watched.

"HIEI!" yelled Makoto as she saw the Koorime she loved, slowly sinking into that pool. He looked at her shaking his head.

"Mako!..." he said feebly. "Don't come any closer..." But he watched helpless as Jupiter arrived at the edge, extending her hand to him.

"HIEI! GRAB MY HAND!" yelled Jupiter. Behind her, the battle raged on Kuwabara with his Reiken almost the size of a butter knife was fairing badly. Yuusuke sent a Reigun to Kooriryu who deflected it easily.

"HIEI! I'LL PULL YOU OUT!" pleased Jupiter, when he saw her eyes he knew that if he didn't extend his hand that she would come in with him. He couldn't let her get trapped. His hand flew to her. She grabbed him and started to yank. Hiei's face contorted when the conflicting forces where equally tugging at him.

"HIEI! YOUR OTHER HAND, ONEGAI, GIVE ME YOUR OTHER HAND!!!" Hiei tried to twist his body to give her his other hand, he was already waist deep and still sinking. On his arm the Dragon tattoo had almost completely faded away.

"KU-CHAN! NOOO!" yelled Healer, like Jupiter she tried to reach for her love.

"Yaten! No! You'll get stuck too!" Kurama said with such a weak voice that Healer didn't hesitate. She stretched her body to the maximum she could. But her short body didn't help her. She was too far away. She took a step forward into the pool of light.

There was a flash of light as Healer screamed. Her fuku was dissolving into ribbons. Her energy was been sucked away by the ReiWyrm faster than Kurama's energy.

"YATEN! NOOOOO!" Kurama yelled trying to make her release the vise like grip she had on him. But she held on to him with all the strength she had left, trying to find the strength in her love she bore him.

"YATEN LET GO!!!" Kurama pleaded.

"I can't... I won't... Ku-chan... I won't loose you also!!!" she said. Tears started to flow from her eyes. "I won't LOSE YOU!" She prayed, Mama, Papa, Shanna, Loutus, onegai, give me the strength to hold on to him and save him... I love him, I'll die if he does.

Yaten grasped. She felt arms around her waist. She turned her head around. It was Keiko. She was trying to pull her out along with Kurama. "Keiko-chan..." said softly Yaten.

"I'm getting you two out of this... even if it's the last thing I do!" said Keiko, pulling on Yaten who was sinking slowly in herself, the circle grew to grab both of Yaten's legs.

Yuusuke was knocked back by the blows of Muraku and Kooriryu. He landed in a heap next to Kuwabara who was as badly beaten as he was.

"Man..." kidded Yuusuke, trying to keep his friend's morale up. "This is going to hurt come morning..."

"If you think you'll get out of this alive... hehehehe" said Tiakko. "You have another thing coming... Lunch!"

Tiakko grabbed Kuwabara and lifted him up like a rag doll. "Hum, looks like you're tenderized enough... You look good enough to eat!" Tiakko opened wide his maw.

"I never thought I'd finish as cat food..." Cringed Kuwabara. "What a crappy way to go..."

"STAR FRACTAL REFRACTION!"

Kuwabara felt a beam of energy pass just over his head and go directly into Tiakko's opened mouth. The giant monster let him go as the beam shot out of its head, killing him.

At the top of the natural ridge that enclosed the battlefield, eight figures stood. Six of them wore a fuku of the order of the Sailor Senshi, the soldier of light.

"You dared to kidnap our friend's loved one for your evil design. You wished to fight dishonorably to get at honorable warriors of the Right!" started Sailor Moon. She then went into the motion of her: "In the name of the Moon..." and each senshi called upon her planet, as did Endymion.

"EARTH!"
"MERCURY!"
"MAKER!"
"FIGHTER!"
"MARS!"
"VENUS!"
"uh... Do we have time for this?" asked Kuronue, sweatdropping.

"WE'LL PUNISH YOU!!!!" They all said at the same time.

"WILL YOU CAN THE CORNY SPEECHES? I NEED HELP HERE!!!" yelled Keiko at the top of her lungs.

Fighter and Maker gasped "YATEN!" They both sprang to their sibling's aid.

"JUPITER!" Mars and Venus rushed to her, while the others took care of rest.

Yaten, Kurama and Hiei were chest deep now. Both Keiko and Jupiter were having problems holding on to them.

"Yaten-k...chan... Give me your hand... I can't hold on to you!" screamed Keiko.

"K... Koi..bi..to..." said weakly Kurama. "Please... take Kei... ko's hand.... Let... me go..."

"Never! Ku-chan! I'll never let go... I couldn't bare life without you, my love..." Yaten said, tears flowing from her eyes. "I have and will always love you... I want to be with you... forever..."

"Yaten..." choked by emotions Kurama's own eyes started to tear up. "Ai shiteru... That is why you must live..."

"And that is why... Wherever you go... I will follow..." she replied to him.

Meanwhile, Jupiter groaned. Something was tugging at Hiei. She tried to put all her strength in to get him out. But whatever was pulling him down was exerting the same strength at it as she was.

"Mako... Mako, go while you still can..." said Hiei calmly as though resigned to his fate.

"I can't... I can't Hiei... I love you..." She replied. Looking at his blood red eyes, she felt the love he bore her. He didn't even need to say it. "Hiei, you might as well ask me to rip out my own heart..."

Mars and Venus gasped. They had just heard Jupiter confess that she loved Hiei. They froze for a second, that second was enough for tragedy to unfurl.

Something yanked at Hiei strongly. Jupiter, not wanting to let him go, was dragged into the circle with him. Not caring for herself, she pulled with all her might, successfully raising Hiei higher as she herself sank. There was a flash of light and Makoto cried out as her transformation melted. Hiei looked on horrified as he felt Makoto grow weak. They both started to sink faster.

Horrified, Mars and Venus tried to reach Makoto. Hiei tried to push Makoto towards her friends. Mars had almost Makoto's hand that Hiei was helping to give her. When there was another great pull and they both went under.

"MAKO-CHAAAAAN!" Mars and Venus cried.

"HIEI!!!" sobbed Yukina, rushing to the two senshi.

Fighter and Maker were almost there, when Keiko lost her grip on Yaten, something had tugged at them. Yaten, no longer held up by Keiko, was propelled into Kurama's arm. She kissed him fiercely. Kurama cried as he felt her touch his mind.

<I will be always be with you, my once and only forever love.>

<My love, always and forever> came his own reply as he closed his eyes and surrendered to her kiss.

Fighter was reaching for them, when they both were pulled under. "YAAAATEEEEEEN!!!!! KURAAAMAAAAAAAAA!!!! NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!"

On the ridge were they had just appeared Shiro and Shiroi's anguished cries were stuck in their throats. "No..." they whispered horrified as they saw their future parents swallowed into the earth.

Soft, white, warm... Where am I?... Hiei blinked as he looked down on himself. He had reverted to his green skinned form that was full of eyes everywhere on his body. How long was I out? Am I dead? Is this how the afterlife is? He heard a soft moan and turned around in the ether. He gasped.

Not very far from him, Makoto was floating. She was beautiful, she was wearing some sort of gauzy dress and in her back were a pair of translucent wings. She looks like an angel... thought Hiei, and look at me, I look like something that crawled out the pits of Hell. Maybe, maybe we're too different to be together. I'm from the darkness and she is from the light, I see it now...

As Hiei thought and started to feel moody, Makoto's eyes fluttered open. She was startled at first by Hiei's appearance, the green skin and the eyes over his body. But she recognized him nevertheless, she floated towards him. Nani? she thought, I'm floating?

Hiei looked back at her in panic when he saw her coming to him. He turned around. "Don't look at me!"

"Hiei..." whispered Makoto. "What's wrong?"

Hiei still looked away from her. "What's wrong?... I'm a freak, a demon, a monster... And you're an Angel... the opposite of me..."

"I don't believe that Hiei..." said Makoto. "I don't care what you look like..."

Hiei looked back at her. "But... I'm horrible... I never wanted you to see me like this..."

"Hiei... I was attracted by the way you looked when I first saw you, I admit it. But I always vowed I wouldn't let myself be attracted just with appearance. I got to know you better and found out I felt good next to you... talking to you, being with you. Hiei, I think I'd love even if you looked like a frog..." She got closer to him as she talked, he didn't back away.

"Well... I'm already green..." he pointed out. She giggled as she hugged him. Hiei felt himself tumbling in a sea of emotion, he never felt so much love around him. He realized Makoto was the source and that the love was directed to him. He was stunned and unknowingly the wall he had erected around himself, the one that kept his emotions hidden crumbled like a snow castle in the summer sun.

Makoto was hugging him when she felt it. It started as a small shy admittance but it grew as his arms encircled her. She felt the way he cared for her. His emotions ran over to her like bush fire. She smiled, she knew deep inside, he had strong emotions. Emotions he didn't let out, for fear of rejection, of abandonment. Makoto held him tightly, she understood those emotions all too well. Before meeting Usagi, she was like that afraid to get close to someone. Afraid she would loose them or that they would leave her all of a sudden. But for some reason she couldn't explain, she knew Hiei wouldn't do that to her.

Hiei felt weird, like something in him was changing. He blinked as he realized he was holding on to Makoto. He was about to move his arms away from her when he felt it would make her sad, like he was abandoning her. Instead he held her even closer as she shivered in his arms. Hiei looked back up at her with his ruby eyes and once again they were mesmerized by each other's gaze. They got closer and kissed.

"We have to do something!!!" Fighter shouted, worried at Yaten and Kurama. Maker did the only think she could think of, she switched her visor on and started to use her VR interface to study the phenomenon. As she linked with Mercury, they both set out to find out all they could from these pools. In their mind, it was the only way to set their friends free.

Fighter saw what they both tried to accomplish so she stayed near them. She would protect them and Keiko of those who had attacked the Reikai Tantei.

Keiko looked at Fighter and almost couldn't believe it. But when she saw Yaten transforming into a woman, she couldn't doubt. Before her stood Sailor Star Fighter, Seiya Kou... It could be no other. And behind her with Sailor Mercury, Sailor Star Maker, none other than Taiki Kou. They looked so much like the Idol Singers, there could be no denying it.

Kuronue joined in the fray with Endymion as he battled Kooriryu. He didn't like to gang up but Kurama, his old friend had disappeared into the ReiWyrm's maw. They had to save them but he doubted those who attacked would make the rescue easy.

Venus and Mars grabbed hold of Yukina as she rushed to where Hiei had disappeared. "NOO! HIEI-SAN!" she yelled, she didn't know why but something deep in her made her feel that the loss was too great.

Yaten openned her eyes, she felt warm, protected as strong arms held her. She blinked at the sheer whiteness of the place. She turned her head but she hadn't needed to see to know that it was her love, Kurama that held her so. But instead of the red hair youth, it was the 500 year old Youko that embraced her.

He was beautiful, eyes closed with silver hair, much like her own, flowing down along his strong elvish like face. He now had silver fox ears pocking from his head, she smiled, such cute ears. She felt so tiny in his arms, like she was a child. To him, she thought, I must be; I am so young compared to him. She raised a hand to stroke his sleeping face.

As soon as she touched him, his eyes snapped open and she was scrutinized by golden eyes. She took her hand away, afraid all of a sudden, he looked at her as though he didn't recognized her. "Ku-chan?..." she called in a frightened voice.

The Youko blinked and his face softened, he smiled. "Yat-chan..." he said in a much lower pitch that Shuuichi. He looked down at her, he hadn't recognized her at first, she was dressed in a gauzy dress much like the clothes he wore as a Youko. In her back she had a pair of feathery, gossamer wings, she was breathtaking and her appearance had left him starring. She broke the spell as she talked to him and he focused on her face. She shimmered like a star, no like an angel. He hugged her fiercely against him.

"Gomen, Koibito, I didn't want to startle you." he told her, softly soothing the silky silver hair, kissing her neck.

"Ku-chan..." she softly repeated, all hints of fear gone. She held on to him, it felt so nice to be held by him. "Where are we?"

"I don't know, Koibito... I don't know..." he whispered, holding unto her more closely.

"I don't care, if I'm with you then it's all right. As long as we're together, Ku-chan, I don't fear anything..." she whispered. She tipped her head toward him, they closed their eyes and kissed.

Kurama, Hiei, Yaten, Makoto... no way... NO FRIGGIN' WAY! Even though his body had been battered, Urameshi Yuusuke rose. He was mad, no furious at what had happened. His friends had disappeared, he wasn't fast enough to help them. Anger fueled his power and his aura started to flare up again. My spiritual energy is coming back? he thought. I'm no longer being drained.

He went to Kuwabara, the tall boy was coming to, Yuusuke also felt his Reiki coming back. "My strength... it's returning... but why?" asked Kuwabara.

"I don't know but we must find out, our friends life might depend on it." replied Yuusuke.

Fighter saw Yuusuke and Kuwabara coming to her. From the corner of her eyes she saw something move. She turned and saw a big slug like creature, Keiko saw it too and made a face. From what it seemed, the slug had come from Tiakko. It had pincers in the front of its head, Fighter found the creature peculiar, and turned around to tell Maker.

Keiko screamed when she saw the creature recoil and spring in the air. Its aim was true and it lashed on to the back of Fighter's neck. Fighter's eye flew open and she screamed.

"What now?" asked Yuusuke, he and Kuwabara rushed to help Fighter. She was screaming holding on to her head. Keiko was trying to pull the creature off when Fighter pushed her away.

In her sapphire eyes glowed the ember of pure anger. Fighter looked at the two boys rushing her as she trembled with righteous anger. Her voice seemed dipped in blood as she screamed.

"YOU!!! YOU'RE RESPONSIBLE! IT'S YOUR FAULT YATEN DIED!!! IF KURAMA DIED!!! YOU KILLED THEM!!! YOU KILLED KAKYOKU-SAMA!!! YOU! YOU!! YYOOOOOOOOOOOU!!!" She yelled with such venom in her voice that Yuusuke was taken aback, he saw how her eyes were glazed over.

"She's possessed..." Yuusuke whispered to Kuwabara, who, of course, freaked.

"OH MY GOD!!!!!"

"STAAAAAR FRACTAL REF<HUMPT!>"

As Fighter called her attack she was stopped by another black leather clad senshi. Yuusuke gasped, the young girl was Yaten's exact copy, if you don't count the hair which was bright red. Fighter screamed incoherently as she turned her attention to the one who just prevented her attack. Maker and Mercury gasped as they saw Fighter.

Yuusuke was trying to come up with a way to stop Fighter when plants rose up from the ground and surrounded Fighter. She was pinned down and cursed at everyone, demanding she'd be free.

"RELEASE ME!!! YOU'RE DEAD!! YOU'RE ALL DEAD!!!"

Yuusuke spied a silver hair youth that walked towards them, clutching his head. The red hair girl ran to him.

"SHIRO-KUN!!! What's wrong?" asked the red haired Healer.

"Fighter... (ugh) Someone took over her mind... She's trying to break free... I'm trying to help..." said Shiro.

"That bug!" said Keiko. "That must be it!!! It jumped in the back of her neck."

Maker rushed to her sister writhing on the ground. With the help of Yuusuke and Kuwabara, they held Fighter still enough for her to check Fighter's neck. When Maker pushed away the ponytail she fought the nausea she felt.

The pincers of that slug were deep in Fighter's skin. Blood was trickling from the wound and the slug had started to produced a disgusting yellowish brown gel like substance. Fighter started to scream and try to buck out of Maker's grasp. Maker swallowed hard and grabbed the loathsome creature.

Fighter screamed trashing even more, Shiro fell to his knees also yelled. "PULL IT OUT!!! PULL IT OUT!!!" He screamed his face contorting in pain, Shiroi was near him, supporting him.

Maker fought the bile that rose in her throat and pulled at the creature. It started to shriek in unison with Fighter. Maker didn't relent, she saw the pinchers starting to slowly pull out of Fighter's wound. She pulled harder, she would not see defeat from such a loath full creature especially when Fighter's mind was at stake!

The creature finally let go of Fighter's neck and writhed in Maker's hand. She tried to hold on to the slippery slug but it twisted out of her grasp. Maker tried to grab it back and screamed in horror when she saw the slug jump to Mercury.

"REIGUN!!!" Yuusuke blasted the thing to kingdom come. Everyone rushed to Fighter's side.

"It... It tried to..." gasped Fighter.

"Hush... It's okay... It's dead..." said Mercury, tending to the wounds in Fighter's neck.

"What the hell was that?" said Kuwabara. None had an answer.

"I don't know..." started Keiko. "But I know it came from him." She pointed to Tiakko's corpse. They looked on as their friends had subdued Muraku and Kooriryu.

"Look behind their necks," started Maker. "I'm sure you will find one of the creatures we found. I don't think their actions were their own..."

As they broke from their kiss, Makoto and Hiei saw a lone figure standing in front of them. She was a Sailor Senshi, but one Makoto never encountered before, but she seemed familiar. Her fuku looked like the one Eternal Sailor Moon wore except she had no wings. Her collar was navy blue with silver trimmings, her shoulder pads were turquoise. Her three layer skirt was black, turquoise and light blue.

"Who are you?" asked Hiei.

"Someone you knew long ago..." she told them. "I was known unto another name but now I am Sailor Gaia! The Senshi of Rebirth!"

"Sailor Gaia?..." repeated Makoto. "Are we dead? Are we supposed to go into another incarnation?" asked Makoto, holding on to Hiei. She didn't want to loose him, so close after having found each other.

"Iie... You are not dead, nor am I here to give you another incarnation. Rather I am here, to make you remember your old one..." In her hand appeared a golden crystal ball.

"What do you mean, our past lives?" asked Hiei.

"Both of you are old souls that were reborn. You were destined to meet again..." Sailor Gaia's voice trailed off into nothingness as the crystal ball glowed in a blinding light.

Kurama was holding on to Yaten when this Sailor Senshi appeared before them. He asked her who she was and she replied.

"I am Sailor Gaia, the Senshi of Rebirth and I have come to help you relive your last days in the Silver Millennium..."

"Nani? The Silver Millennium?..." as she repeated these words, Yaten had the vague memory of a Castle made of Crystal.

"You are starting to remember Yaten, but Kurama needs more help." Her golden crystal ball glowed again illuminating all.

When they both opened their eyes, Makoto and Hiei were in a bedroom. They were startled by chambermaids that stormed the place. They realized the women couldn't see them, they opened the windows and let the sun in.

"Princess Indra... Indra-sama..." called one of the woman, to the woman sleeping in the bed. Hiei gasped, he had seen that woman before, in a dream. The young woman stirred.

"I'm awake, Innana-san..." replied Indra gruffly.

"My!... Princess, why such a frown?" asked the maid.

"Because today, will be announced to the court my 'official' engagement to Lord Kormac." Indra replied as she was helped out of her nightgown and into her dress. "An arranged marriage, my father, King of Jupiter arranged with the Lord of America, Lord Tuulan."

"But you should be happy, Indra-sama. Your father only thought of your wealth fare..." said a maid as she brushed Indra's Chocolate brown hair.

"HAH! HAPPY???" sneered Indra. "Happy about what? An arranged marriage, for an alliance between Earth and the Silver Millennium. I'm nothing more than a pawn of Court Intrigue... What did my training as a Sailor Senshi gave me if I only end up in an unhappy marriage."

"Will you go against your Father's wishes?" asked another maid.

"No... Father is dead and I am honor bound to his word." said Indra sadly.

"He will arrive shortly, with one of his friends from the Makai. A fledging Lord that fled the Makai as the forces of evil started to consume it."

"The Makai... They were once our allies." whispered Indra. "Now they have cut all bridges, what could have gone wrong?"

"I think your Father and Queen Serenity, wanted to prevent the same thing from happening by arranging your marriage, your Highness." the maid replied.

Makoto and Hiei saw the sadness etched on the woman's face.

"Who is she?" she asked, Hiei was surprised.

"You do not feel her ki... She's you... Your past incarnation, Princess Indra of Jupiter..." Hiei replied in a strange voice as though he was remembering something that had come to pass long ago.

"Me?" whispered Makoto. They were whisked away from the scene and appeared in a rose garden. "My house... on the Moon..." breathed Makoto as she looked around. Princess Indra, wearing the regalia of Jupiter was standing next to an older woman unto which she bore a strong resemblance.

In the garden was a procession of Official and Queen Serenity herself was escorted by Lord Kormac.

Both Makoto and Hiei blinked "Nephrite?" Princess Indra lifted her hand and Kormac kissed it. Her face was blank as if resigning herself to her faith, for the good of the Silver Millennium.

The scene shifted again and they were in was appeared to be a stable, a very huge one. Indra was crying bitterly, he doesn't love me she cried bitterly. He's in love with a Earth Lady, stupid law, we have to get married anyway. I'll never know what true Love is...

"Alloo?" said a deep voice, Indra thinking it was a stable boy, barked an order to be left alone.

"Hn! Where the heck am I going to put my dragon then?" the deep voice replied as the man came into view, he was of normal height black hair, strong build, he wore a black armor and on the breastplate was chiseled a Silver Dragon. Makoto gasped, it was Hiei.

"Ha!... Gomen I was just leaving..." Indra got up fast and was passing when he stopped her.

"Your Highness?... You were here?" he said "Your mother was looking frantically for you."

"Let her worry..." she looked at him and she felt like a thunder bolt had struck her. The man in front of her gasped, falling prey to the same fascination. "Who... who are you?" she finally was able to say.

"My name is Ryu... Ryu Norite, of the Royal Order of the Lunar Dragonet..."

Hiei and Makoto are then fast forwarded into events, they see Indra sneaking off to see Lord Norite. They share passionate kisses in hidden spaces, afraid of being discovered. They ride upon his black dragon, they pass wondrous time together. "And so Princess Indra of Jupiter fell in love with Lord Ryu Norite." they heard Sailor Gaia's voice again. "They were happy but none could know of their relationship. They passed many happy days together, until that fated day were Destiny called..."

Makoto and Hiei were next in the biggest ballroom they had ever seen. Makoto was filled with a sense of dread, she knew about this place. This is where...

Princess Indra was been summoned on a private balcony. There Ryu was waiting for her. As soon as she arrived, they started to dance, alone unseen by anyone, or so they thought. They were still dancing when they shared a kiss. A dark figure hovered over them, it held a shield and a sword.

"So... my 'friend'" Kormac said his voice sounded like it was dipped in poison. "I see that you betrayed our friendship. What else have you shared with my future wife? Have you shared her bed also?" Kormac's voice was dark and accusing.

"KORMAC!" yelled Ryu, already he felt an evil around his long time friend. "I'm sorry, I love her, Kormac..."

"You deceitful little man..." said Kormac enraged. "You shall pay with both your lives for this affront." A dark sphere of dark energy sprang from his fingertip. Ryu pushed Indra away and took the full brunt of the attack. He screamed as Kormac dove with his sword and sunk his blade in his stomach.

"I am needed elsewhere." he said wiping his sword on Ryu's Gala clothes. "I will not kill you Indra... my... 'dear'. I will far more enjoy you watching your lover die of a slow and painfull death." He floated away and Indra heard screams as the Forces of Metalia stormed the Castle.

"In... Indra..." gasped Ryu.

"Hush, don't speak... Keep your strength... I'll fetch a healer." Indra said she was about to rise when Ryu stopped here.

"None can do a thing now... I feel my life draining away..." Ryu told her, he was pale, so pale. "Kormac is a great warrior, there is no cure from this wound <ugh>!"

Indra cried she could do no less, her love was dying, he fell unconscious and she took a resolution.

"JUPITER STAR POWER! MAKE UP!" She yelled and rushed into the fray, she fought valiantly, but Metalia blasted her full power into the Castle and Sailor Jupiter was thrown across the room and crashed into the glass balcony doors. Bloody and broken, deep gashes on her skin she fell like a rag doll next to Ryu.

They both looked at each other and both whispered their love. With their remaining strength, they kissed one last time. There was a great white light as Queen Serenity sealed Metalia and sealed everyone who fell into the future.

Yaten and Kurama opened their eyes they were in a beautiful rose garden. Not every far from it they saw a Palace that seemed to be made of Crystal. Yaten gasped when she saw a man pruning and tending the roses with the utmost care. She glanced to Kurama and then back to the Gardener, they are... he's... Kurama... she thought for herself. They whirled around when they heard a voice.

"I AM NOT MARRYING THAT MOON PALACE COURTIER AND YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!!!!" Screamed a platinum blond maiden, her long hair held in a single braid. She turned to face an older woman who slapped her. Kurama gasped that maiden, he felt, it was Yaten... Yaten in a past life.

The maiden held her reddened cheek as the woman told her in a cold voice. "I have it up to here with your childish tantrums, Wren. It's about time you acted like a Princess and not like a spoiled brat. You have to marry him and it is your duty as heir to Healer to make sure this alliance with the Moon Kingdom is a success. You will have to learn to control your emotions, and stop acting like a baby but like the Crown Princess of Healer."

"YOU NEVER ASKED ME MY OPINION!!!" Wren yelled back.

"You have no choice, daughter..." and with that the woman turned and left her.

"I HATE YOU! I WISH I WAS NEVER BORN A PRINCESS..." Wren ran in the opposite direction, the Gardener saw the older woman's head hung low.

"Forgive me, my daughter..." she whispered, but the Gardener was able to hear. "But I have no choice, we must gain the Silver Millennium alliance or else we are doomed..." She cried bitter tears as she walked away.

The gardener heard whacking sobs, he tried to ignore them. He was after all only a lowly servant, he used to work in the Gardens of the King of Earth but when Princess Serenity's passion for roses grew, he was sent here to tend them. Roses grew with great difficulty on the Moon.

The wails of the girl intensified, she was crying her heart out and the gardener found her couldn't let her cry like that. It pinched something deep in his heart to hear her cry so. He got up and went to her, if only to see if she was all right.

Wren cried, nothing was making sense anymore. Her mother and father had sent a marriage for her with some fat, boorish old man. The man looked like an Hentai, the way he had looked at her as though she was a slab of meat. He scared her, she didn't want to be married to such a man. She blinked when she saw a rose bud in front of her face.

"Do you know what make roses bloom? It's when a lovely Princess smiles at them..." said the gardener.

Wren looked at the gardener with her eyes still blurred with tears. "Bullshit!" she spat in a very unladylike manner. The gardener blinked, then laughed, taken aback by the Princess's blunt honesty. She glared at him and he stopped laughing.

"Gomen, gomen..." he started. "I just never thought you'd give me an answer like that... You are right it sounded like bullshit, but hey you never know have you ever tried to smile at a rose to see what would happen?"

She looked at him, she didn't know what it was but she couldn't keep the frown. She didn't feel like crying anymore also. What wrong with me? she asked herself and in spite of herself, she smiled.

What happened next made her eyes bulge. The rose was blossoming right before her eyes and she was the first to smell the delicate perfume. "How did you do that?" She asked, and she looked into his handsome face clearly for the first time. Her heart started to beat faster, her hand were getting sweaty and her eyes were drawn to his lips.

"It's my gift." he told her. "But all it needs is a smile from you to work so easily..." What am I saying? I'm flirting with a girl who is half my age. He looked down on her, but by the Gods, she is beautiful... and a Princess, I cannot... But passion rode away with his reason and they shared a kiss that soon multiplied into many.

My first kiss, Wren thought as she felt tears of joy gather in her eyes. I love him, I know it now, I could never love another. They broke the kiss when they heard another of the court princess search for Princess Wren by calling her name. She rose blushing and started to run toward the call, she stopped and turned around.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"Silvanus..." came his reply, already his heart stung from being separated from her.

Yaten and Kurama held each other tightly they now understood why their love was so deeply rooted. As they kissed, the scene became a blur. "Princess Wren saw her lover Silvanus anytime she could." Sailor Gaia's voice was heard. "Always hidden and feared of being discovered." They saw images where Wren and Silvanus were almost discovered. Then they saw Wren disguise herself as a young boy and going to a party where all the servants of the Moon attended. "Needless to say this gave Silvanus quite a reputation, but he didn't care." They saw Wren kiss Silvanus as she was dressed as a stable boy, people gave them outraged glances. "Unfortunately, fate would separate them forever... until they would be reborn..."

The scene opened once more in the Rose Garden near the Castle. Silvanus looked at his Princess in regal dress dancing with courtiers, she was smiling but her knew it was just a facade as she looked in his direction with sad eyes. Oh, I wish... I wish I could go there and dance just but one dance, he looked down. Alas, that was not to be.

Silvanus spied movement in his garden and curious he investigated. It was the man Wren was supposed to marry, he was speaking with dubious looking persons.

"Her mother wants to call off the wedding!" the fat man said. "If I pledge loyalty to Metalia, will she give me Wren? I don't care what happens to the rest, I only want her."

"But of course..." said one of the man. "All you have to do is make sure all the defenses of the Palace are down when we attack."

"It's already done..." replied the fat man.

Silvanus was shocked. We are been betrayed, I must tell the Queen! He rushed out of his hiding place and ran to the Castle, Wren saw him running in the steps when she saw men raising a crossbow in his back.

"NOOOOOOOOO!" she screamed as she rushed to him. Silvanus was almost at the top of the step when the crossbow bolt struck him in the back. He collapsed and was rejoined by the two Royal Cats.

"Oh MY! Please don't move!" said Luna. "We'll get help!"

"N... No time!" Silvanus coughed blood. "We are under attack, warn the Queen before it is too late! Don't worry about me... GO!"

Luna and Artemis ran as fast as they could to warn Queen Serenity. Unfortunately, even with Silvanus' sacrifice, destruction wasn't averted.

"SILVANUS!!!!" yelled Wren, crying. She reached him as he tried to smile to her.

"Don't cry... don't cry..." He told her soothingly as she turned his body around. "Or else the roses won't bloom..."

She looked outside and saw the rose bushes start to wither and die. Rose petals flew in the wind as a eulogy to the one who took such good care of them.

"My only regret..." he told her in a whisper. "Is that I'll never be able to look into your eyes of touch your soft hair..." His eyes closed, he was drifting towards the Great Sleep.

Wren with tears in her eyes, took the dagger he used to prune the rose bushes. With one hand holding her braid, she cut it off. Her cut hair settled near her face like a crooked square cut. She took her braid and lovingly placed it on him like a funeral shroud. She bend over and kissed his lips, he was still breathing but death wasn't far she knew.

"THERE SHE IS... DON'T HARM HER!" said the man who betrayed the Moon Kingdom. "SHE'S MINE!"

"I'll never leave you my love..." she whispered. She looked at the man at the bottom of the stair with a glassy look. "You cannot have what you do not own..."

She kissed the blade that she used to cut her hair and turned the blade on herself. She hear the man yell down the stairs. It didn't hurt, she was surprised as she floated down on the body of her beloved.

"I will be always be with you, my once and only forever love." she whispered with her last breath.

"My love, always and forever..." he whispered back. Just then Queen Serenity unleashed the ultimate power of the Ginzousho and all went white.

Makoto, Hiei, Yaten and Kurama blinked away tears. Each man was holding unto the one he loved. They had all just been told and had witnessed their last days in the Silver Millennium. I had no idea... they all thought at one point or another. Yaten could feel it was the truth that she had known Kurama before in a previous life. But still the truth was almost unreal.

Both Hiei and Kurama blinked when they saw each other holding on to their respective love. They gasped and the girls turned around. Upon lifting her head she saw that Hiei's form was once again as she had known him.

"Mako-chan... Hiei..." said Yaten.

"What are we doing here?" asked Makoto, looking around. They were all surprised to see themselves floating in space. Around them were blocks of rocks, asteroids.

"Where are we?" Hiei asked the question that burned everyone's lips.

"No news of Yaten and the others?" asked Fighter as Mercury was tending her wounds. They shook her head. She closed her fist and her eyes, frowning. "There must be something we can do..."

"There might be something..." said Kuronue.

Pluto blinked. "Who are you?" Mercury and Maker looked at each other, Pluto didn't know Kuronue? Pluto knew the future, or was she just continuing her charade.

"The name's Kuronue..." He gave a quick bow. "I was sent here to help my friend and once partner Kurama."

Pluto frowned, something was wrong, from what she remembered from the future. They should have saved all those who disappeared at the last minute. When they arrived it was already too late. Is it because of him? Has he disturbed something in the continuity of Time? Pluto frowned, she didn't like this at all.

"What do you think there might be something?" asked Sailor Moon.

"I would like to point out to everyone that we are not being drained." started Kuronue. "When those two Sailor Senshi entered the circle they were almost drained immediately. ReiWyrms don't usually work so fast..."

"Hey!" said Yuusuke. "How come those who attacked us weren't affected?"

"See that ring?" Kuronue showed the object on Tiakko's corpse. "This ring prevents the wearer from being drained and become weaker but it also prevents them from using their Rei based attack."

"That's all very nice..." said Rei. "But how can this help our friends?"

"Well..." started Kuronue. "It's like this... There is a legend that a very powerful overlord of the Makai was once tricked into a ReiWyrm pool. As any Youkai that Lord was drained and was swallowed whole by the pool. Enma-sama, Ruler of the Reikai was informed of that threat to that Makai Lord. If he died, there would ensue total anarchy in the Makai..."

"Oh? Because things are better now?..." flatly asked Kuwabara.

Kuronue coughed and ignored him. "As I was saying... Enma-sama could not let that happen. So he himself went to rescue him by giving the Reiwyrm his own energy. Enma-sama fell because the ReiWyrm was draining him faster than it had done the Makai Lord. But all of a sudden the ReiWyrm spewed out the Lord and Enma regain his Energy. It is also said that both Enma and that Makai Lord became even more powerful than before..."

Maker closed her eyes and via her VR link she asked Mercury. <<Angel... I think there might be a way to get them out...>>

<<Hai!>> Mercury replied. <<I've continued to monitor the pools when you were trying to help Seiya and I think Kuronue's story might be the key... Use your attack in Yaten's hole and I will use mine in the hole that swallowed Makoto.>>

The brunette mentally agree. "Minna! Mercury and I will try something... STAR GENTLE YUTERUS!" Maker let her attack fly directly to the pool.

"MERCURY, AQUA RHAPSODY!" Her attack flew true and as she and Maker expected both attacks were absorbed rapidly. Both girls analyzed the situation as the others looked at them. Via their VR Link Maker and Mercury came to a common result.

"We may have a chance to help them Minna!" said Mercury.

"I think I see how..." said Endymion.

"How?" asked Sailor Moon.

"It absorbs our attack more rapidly than Rei energy." started Mercury. "But since it doesn't absorb any Rei energy, Maker and I came to a conclusion."

"It absorbs our energy faster but it can't metabolize it as fast. It's gorging itself on our powers..."

"And if we feed it more energy that it can't digest..." continued Neptune.

"Nani? Nani, nani? What will happen?" asked Sailor Moon. Almost everyone developed sweatdrops, Sailor Moon kept looking at them, not understanding.

"Yeah... What will happen?" asked Kuwabara, Yuusuke bonked him on the head.

"Pay attention!" grumbled Yuusuke.

"Sailor Moon, what happens when you eat too many sweet Taroman?" asked Fighter.

Sailor Moon blinked at her. "You get fat?" Everyone feel backward with huge sweatdrops.

"Ara..." whispered Shiroi to her brother. "Are you sure that person is the future Queen Serenity?"

"Well that's what we know..." replied Shiro.

Shiroi raised an eyebrow. "I guess she changed a lot in 900 years... Neo-Queen Serenity isn't nearly this clue less..."

"BAKA USAGI!!!" screamed Rei when she recovered. "You get an indigestion, you Moron!"

"I never get an indigestion when I eat..." replied Usagi.

"That's because you have a endless pit instead of a stomach!" replied Rei.

"I am a growing girl..." pouted Sailor Moon.

"MATTE!" Maker had elevated her voice because a fight was about to break between Sailor Moon and Mars. "We have no time for bickering! Yaten, Mako-chan, Hiei and Kurama are counting on us!"

"Hai Minna! We must combine our power and send it to those creatures." said Mercury. "If we use enough power we'll be able to get our friends out."

"WE'LL HELP!" said Yuusuke. "Me and Kuwabara will help you, Hiei and Kurama are part of our team."

"Hai! You'll need all the help you can especially to get that stubborn Hiei out." said Kuwabara. They all started to make a circle in the middle stood Eternal Sailor Moon and Endymion.

Endymion contacted Kunzite. ::: We're going to try something. You take care of Yukina-san and Keiko-san as well as Yaten's..::: Endymion broke the contact when he saw Yaten's children take their place in the circle.

"What are you two doing?" asked Uranus.

"Your circle isn't complete..." started Healer.

"You are missing two senshi." continued Shiro. "Shiroi-chan will take Kaasan's place and lend the power of Healer to you... I may not be Jupiter..."

"But since we are twins." said Healer. "Shiro-kun has a star seed, he cannot use it as we can but he can lend energy in emergencies... Please, you have to let us try King Endymion, we must save Kaasan and Tousan..."

"Very well..." replied Endymion. He then whispered to Sailor Moon. "They haven't started to discorporate... So Yaten and Kurama are still relatively safe..."

Sailor Moon nodded. "... But for how long?..." Then louder to the Circle "Minna, let's combine our Powers!"

"MERCURY STAR POWER!"
"MARS STAR POWER!"
"VENUS STAR POWER!"
"URANUS STAR POWER!"
"NEPTUNE STAR POWER!"
"PLUTO STAR POWER!"
"SATURN STAR POWER!"
"FIGHTER STAR POWER!"
"MAKER STAR POWER!"
"HEALER STAR POWER!"

After they all called on their powers, all the senshi's body started to glow with power. The three men who had joined the Senshi also started to glow themselves. The brooches of the Senshi started to twinkle with the color of their planet. On the boy's chest a pure white light glowed.

Zoicite gasped. "Nani? They all have powerful star seeds..."

"Hai..." replied Jadeite. "Except for Yaten's children... They are all old souls..."

From each of the glowing star on their chest burst forth a beam of light. Endymion and Sailor Moon were touched by those beams. They both got out their respective crystal.

"GOLDEN CRYSTAL POWER!"
"SILVER CRYSTAL POWER!"

They were lifted up to the heavens by a pyramid of light. As if on cue all started to yell one last time.

"SILVER MOON PLANET UNITED POWER!"

Twin beams of concentrated energies hit the two Golden pools as Endymion's Generals, Keiko, Yukina and Kuronue looked on.

"Yuuukaaanaaaa-chaaaaaan, I'm home!"

No answer. Hikoku put the groceries on their small counter and went into her friend's room.

"Yuka-chan?" she asked as she poked her head in the doorway. Yuukana wasn't there. "That's odd..." she said, then shrugged. "Maybe she went to take a walk somewhere to clear her head."

"Kiku-chan... We have to go to Hikawa Temple..." said Redi when she saw Kiku stop yet again. He was looking intently at a small shop where a woman was doing some homemade necklace.

Redi kneeled next to Kiku. "Would you like one?" She asked as Chibi-chibi got on her tiptoes to see what was going on.

"Hai... But..." Kiku blushed slightly. "Not for me, but for Mama and Papa... my Kaasan and Tousan, I would like to give them something so they don't get mad at me for taking their rings..."

Redi smiled to him, what a sweet little boy... when he puts his mind to it.

"Where are we?" asked Hiei as they all gazed at the vastness around them.

"You should recognize this place, Yaten..." said Sailor Gaia as she reappeared before them.

"Why are we here?" asked Kurama, in his arms Yaten tried to remember. Why should this place be familiar to me... She looked around and suddenly, it hit her.

"We are in the asteroid field between Jupiter and Mars!" said Yaten. "I remember, we stopped here the first time we came to Earth. Ara... indeed why are we here?"

"Because I am the Senshi of Rebirth. And I need your help..." replied Sailor Gaia.

"Your help? What can we do?" asked Makoto. "We are trapped here."

"I need your help to awaken, I am still dormant on Earth, unaware of my heritage." replied Sailor Gaia. "That is why I couldn't rejoin you, my family of senshi."

"I'm sorry but I don't recall a Sailor Gaia..." said Makoto, a little suspicious of the woman.

"I wasn't called Sailor Gaia... unfortunately I cannot tell you my past identity. Because you might not believe me, for you see I died before the attack on the Silver Millennium and I was absorbed by the Ginzousho. When the Silver Millennium fell I was released like the others to be reborn. As I slept I was told I would be the one who would wake Luna and Artemis from their slumber. I would trigger also, Neptune and Uranus' memory. But my own memories and powers, would remain locked until all the chosen souls would be reunited."

"You mean when we would all fall in love again?" asked Kurama.

Sailor Gaia nodded. "I don't understand why do you need our help? You seem powerful enough..." said Yaten.

"I am still dormant. You need to find and reawaken me, Endymion has already had dreams about me. Although he never spoke of them, thinking I am only that a dream. There is also another of dreamt of me." replied Gaia.

"That's all nice... But what are we doing in the middle of nowhere?" asked Hiei.

"I need the help of your Star seed... The others will soon be sending you energy. I would need of you to redirect the energy to me." said Gaia.

"Why?" asked Makoto.

"You will be the midwives of a planet..." replied mysteriously Gaia. They looked at her incredulous. "The Time is almost here..." She extended a hand and a small star seed floated towards them. Yaten recognized it for what it was.

"It's a Planet Star seed..."

The power of the Senshi poured into Endymion and Sailor Moon. It gathered there and suddenly something weird happened. Endymion took his future King appearance and Sailor Moon transformed into Queen Serenity. As soon as this transformation occurred, all the Senshi took on their Princess form.

"You have to join the circle... You must go at the Cardinal points." said Kuronue.

The General wanted to argue but strangely what Kuronue just said made a lot of sense. They nodded and Kuronue assured them that no harm would come to the maidens. They each teleported at their place, Nephrite to the West, Jadeite to the East, Zoicite in the North and Kunzite the South. As their energies rejoined their Prince, another transformation occur.

Keiko gasped as she saw Yuusuke and Kuwabara surround in light. When the light died down they were dressed in a Silver Armor, into which was carved a dragon, at their side shined a jeweled scabbard. Shiro also underwent a transformation, he himself gasped when he saw his sister in the Princess of Healer dress. But he himself, was dressed in the armor and state tabard of an heir of Healer. The four General's marine blue suits were now rimmed with gold and silver.

There were twin beams of light that burst out of the Ginzousho and the Golden Crystal. They headed for the the two pools of gold and were instantly absorbed.

Gaia then said "Fiat lux!" A portal opened and Hiei, Makoto, Yaten and Kurama were bathe in this light. The light was showing them the way home. But they all saw Gaia look at them, pleading.

"I need your help... Or else I shall never be reborn..."

Yaten and Makoto looked at each other, they could not let this Senshi down. They felt as though they knew her, but the memory was distant and still fuzzy. They felt the hands of their beloved in their own and they knew then, Hiei and Kurama would lend them a hand if it was what they wished. The two Senshi and the two Reikai Detectives closed their eyes and let the power that was sent to them to be channeled into the star seed.

"IT'S NOT WORKING!!!" said Princess Fighter. "WE NEED MORE POWER!"

"HOW? WE DON'T HAVE ANY POWER LEFT!" replied Princess Healer.

"There is still one more calling..." said some soft crystalline voice. In the middle of the circle they appeared eleven little Senshi spirits. "We are the guardians of the Power of the Sailor Princesses... We are here to give you your final gift... Your palace call unto the power of your castles, Princesses..."

Each little spirit floated toward her own Princess and melted with her. Even Princess Healer was visited by one.

"I am the Guardian of your Mother's power, Shiroi, but your mother cannot be there so this power is yours by birthright. Alas, when your mother returns the power will flow back to her. Until, the mantle can truly be given to you. Will you accept the power of the Castle of Healer..." asked the small Healer spirit, who bore a strong resemblance to her mother.

"Hai! If it will save my beloved Kaasan and Tousan, I will do it..." she said determinably. "I love my parents, I will not let such a horrible thing happen to them."

A similar request was asked of Shiro, from the Guardian of Jupiter, if he could act as channeler for Jupiter's Power. Shiro accepted, he felt privileged to be given such an honor.

"MINNA!" Said Queen Serenity. "Lend me your strength!"

"BY THE POWER OF MARINA, PALACE OF MERCURY!"
"BY THE POWER OF PHOBOS AND DIMOS, PALACES OF MARS!"
"BY THE POWER OF IO, PALACE OF JUPITER!"
"BY THE POWER OF MAZERAN, PALACE OF VENUS!"
"BY THE POWER OF MIRANDA, PALACE OF URANUS!"
"BY THE POWER OF TRITON, PALACE OF NEPTUNE!"
"BY THE POWER OF CHARON, PALACE OF PLUTO!"
"BY THE POWER OF TITAN, PALACE OF SATURN!"
"BY THE POWER OF ARIANROD, PALACE OF HEALER!"
"BY THE POWER OF SHAMASH, PALACE OF FIGHTER!"
"BY THE POWER OF OGMA, PALACE OF MAKER!"

Hiei, Makoto, Yaten and Kurama opened their eyes they saw the star seed shine and Sailor Gaia smiling softly at them. She took their hands.

"Thank you my friends... You may now go home..."

"But we used all our powers..." Said Yaten. "We'll never be able to go back now..."

"Fear not... Your friends will save you." said Sailor Gaia as they turned to face the closing portal. Hiei looked around he could swear the rocks were moving closer to them.

"What about the star seed?" asked Kurama.

"Don't worry..." said Gaia. "It's at its rightful place."

Queen Serenity and King Endymion felt the power that was fed to them. As soon as the energy was big enough, they discharged it.

Keiko, Yukina and Kuronue were shaken by an upheaval of the earth. The Reiwyrms were getting overwhelmed by the energy that they had gluttony absorbed. A great scream bellowed, as the Wyrms shook and released the energy they had absorbed.

To the ones trapped, they felt the rush of power propel them forward.

"DON'T BREAK THE CIRCLE!" Yelled Gaia.

In the circle of Senshi the two pool shone brightly. From each of the pool two embracing figures shot out of them. They were propelled so far up that Keiko and Yukina gasped, afraid for their wealth fare. When they burst out a rain of power fell from the sky. Their Princess dress glowed it was time for a new transformation.

"ETERNAL POWER MAKE UP!"

All of them now had a costume that resembled Eternal Sailor Moon, with their respective fuku colors. Even The Starlight had a midnight blue costume which looked like a mix between their old fuku and that of the other Eternal Senshi.

They all looked to the sky smiling, floating down to them with silvery wings. Eternal Sailor Star Healer and Eternal Sailor Jupiter flew with the one they loved hugging her.

"HEALER!" yelled Maker and Fighter.

"JUPITER!" yelled the Inners and Sailor Moon.

"HIEI! KURAMA!" screamed in joy Kuwabara and Yuusuke. Kuronue smiled as Keiko and Yukina laughed and cried, hugging each other, they were safe.

The Outers caught the Twins as they fell to the ground exhausted by the power that was channeled through them. Healer gracefully touched the ground with Kurama. His friends gasped when they a new shining armor on him. Jupiter landed near them and they saw that Hiei's arm was no longer bandaged. Kuwabara screamed thinking that all Hell would break loose. But yuusuke felt it Hiei has complete power over the Black Dragon.

Their friends embraced them and they were all happy to be back among them. But after a small while Healer untransformed and fell unconscious, Makoto followed as well as Kurama and Hiei.

Pluto reassured them, they were all right just exhausted. Pluto openned a portal and they all appeared in Hikawa Temple. Even Kuronue was there along with the ones they had captured. Pluto was surprised by his presence and she began to think of this man as a nuisance.

Uranus and Neptune took the twins to a room so they would recover. Yaten and Kurama were brought to that same room and were let to sleep on a futon.

"Mama! Papa!" said Kiku as he ran to the group. Redi smiled as she looked at the small kitsune who insisted to be with them. Kiku settled down between his parents and closed his eyes.

Hiei and Makoto were lead to another room to rest.

"The fools... Do they really think it's over? That I will let this go by?" asked a voice deep within shadows. "Unknowingly, you have given me allies, I would have never suspected. And potential victims of my wrath... Oh! Rejoice while you can Reikai Tantei and Sailor Senshi... In the end, true victory will be mine...

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