Sailor Moon Millennium – The Rise of the Stellar Scouts
Chapter # 37 – Final Good-byes : Tales of Family Trouble –
Created August 6th, 2001
By K.W. Isenor (sailor_sun_@hotmail.com)
Notes: Thank-you Jason for all the help with the family tree thing of Shi-ryuu and Kurai-ki!

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Running down the dark dank corridors they neared to where Emperor Valico sat in wait. Coming to a stop in a large circular room, the warriors looked around. Squinting you could see the doomed roof above them, along the walls were torches then back in the shadows was a large throne like chair.

They heard shuffling of feet then from the shadows emerged a figure. Gasping at the site they instantly knew who stood before them. It was Emperor Valico. All grasping their weapons tighter then quickly got into a fighting stance.

Sailor Sun held her head high and took two steps forward. “Show yourself Emperor Valico! We will no longer let you harm people and steal their Heart Stones for your own dark reasons!” Sailor Sun said angrily.

The only response Sailor Sun received was a deep rumbling coming from Emperor Valico. The rumbling grew into a dark laughter, which made the hairs on the senshi’s necks stand up and for them to get a shiver like a cold breeze swept over them.

The laughing came to an abrupt stop. “Do you _really_ think that you six can destroy me?” He laughed a little more. “You had better think again! Because I am going to get out of the prison that I have been locked in for so long! And there is nothing you can do to stop me, only help me.” He said smirking an unseen smile.

“Not if I can do anything about it!” Sailor Pollux yelled angrily.

“Come on Sailor Scouts, do you think you can really do anything about me? Like I said you will be helping me not stopping me! Once I have your Heart Stones I will at last figure out what the true powers of the Star Pendulum is as well as break free and cover this pathetic dimension you call earth into a land of Eternal Darkness!”

His laughing echoed coldly though the room bouncing off the walls, making him sound like he was standing right behind the senshi. Sailor Sun stepped forward again, this time her fellow senshi and Daystar Knight followed on her flanks.

"I am the sailor scout of the red star the sun, fighting for all within the sol system! With the flames of the sun, and the power of fire, prepare to burn because I will punish you!"

"I am the protector of the sailor scout of the red star the sun, fighting for the sol system and searching for my lost love!  So prepare yourselves because I will penalize you!"

"I am the sailor scout of the storm planet, Pollux, fighting with an un-stop able rage like a hurricane! With the power of the air so beware of the air around you, for I control the north, east, south and west winds!"

"I am the sailor scout of the planet of nature and life, Capella. I fight for all the living beings, which are pure! With the power of the natural world, prepare to suffer my earthshaking power because I will avenge all of those souls, which you have hurt! In the name of Capella!"

"I am the sailor scout of the water star, Shaula. I can control the ocean tides, the rain clouds above and the cold ice, so watch out. You have found a way to disturb the balance of earth's water, and for that I will do away with the evil that you are!"

"I am the sailor scout of the molten rock star, Spica, fighting with the powers that lie beneath the earths crust just waiting to be awakened. Well I am the one who will stir earth's core and direct the scorching power at you!"

Emperor Valico snickered to himself then clapped his hands together loudly. “Nice show Scouts! But what do you really think those words will do? Scare me?” He laughed again. “Think again!” He snapped his fingers, which echoed, through the room and the torches along the wall flickered then turned a deep blood red color.

The chrisom flames flickered and began to take the shapes of demons screaming out. The six warriors walked in so that they were closer to one another and further away from the screaming flame demons.

Emperor Valico laughed to himself to see the looks on the senshi’s faces. “Oh come off it! They won’t hurt you . . . yet.” He said with another unseen smirk.

“Are we going to fight or are we not?” Sailor Sun called angrily. “Enough of your tricks and fight us! Let us put an end to this meaningless life of yours! Or maybe we will lock you again for another thousand years!” Sailor Sun called her voice coming out a lot more bravely then she felt.

“Oh don’t e so hasty Sailor Sun.” The Stellar Senshi turned towards the darkness and the shadows, which the voice had just come from. Emperor Valico turned around to see Shi-ryuu walking towards him.

“What do you want? Can you not see that I am going to finish these Senshi once and for all?” Emperor Valico hissed.

“Oh yes I can see that but you can not destroy them, they need to be alive in order for you to unlock the Star Pendulum and complete the Eternal Darkness which will soon cover Earth.” Shi-ryuu smirked.

“I know that you stupid demon! Be off with you! I don not need your help.” Emperor Valico said angrily.

“Oh I know I am not here to help you, just to have my own fun.” An evil smirk spread across Shi-ryuu’s lips as he summoned a sword of fire and flames. It flickered evil.

Emperor Valico had turned back to the senshi. “Now to finish you six once and for all.” Emperor Valico let out a deep laugh, which was quickly cut off by a gasp.

Emperor Valico looked down there was a sword right though his chest. He clasped it and tried to pull it free. His blue eyes swung around on each of the Senshi who still held their weapons then to Shi-ryuu.

The tall demon held the sword in Emperor Valico and began to laugh loudly. This sent a chill up the senshi’s back, the flames in the torches began to flicker and went out, leaving them in darkness except for the flame which pulsed from he sword.

“See I told you I was going to have my fun!” Shi-ryuu said as he pulled the sword out of Emperor Valico’s chest. “How?” He asked as he fell to the floor trying to cover the hole, which poured out a dark sticky blood staining his cloak, and the floor around him.

“Oh rather easily, I knew that it would take too long for these senshi to do any real harm to you. Mortal weapons can not kill a demon, especially not a demi-demon.” Shi-ryuu said as he laughed.

“So I summoned from the dark reaches of the Neatherealm and beyond for this weapon. Its blade is made of the waters of the Neatherealm itself and was forged into a powerful blade, a blade which could only be wielded by a demon with the only intent to betray and kill.”

Sailor Sun was looking from the collapsed Emperor Valico to Shi-ryuu. “But that alone couldn’t do damage to me.” Emperor Valico said slowly.

“Ah yes the flames are the tormented souls of the beings which have been killed both humans and demons. Try to get free, with every life taken the sword grows strong and stronger.”

Emperor Valico’s eyes flashed. “You shall pay for this Shi-ryuu, mark my words, you will get yours in the end and even you won’t be allowed to come to the Neatherealm or even the sprit realm, your soul will wander forever if you even have one, if not then you will be even worse off!” Emperor Valico said with his last ounce of strength as he fell to the wet puddle of blood, which surrounded him.

The cloak fell off his head to reveal his face at long last. The senshi let out a gasp of surprise while Shi-ryuu laughed coldly. Instead of looking at a demon face which they had expected to be worse then anything they had ever laid eyes on they were looking down at a humans face.

“I see not even you stupid senshi picked up on the fact that Emperor Valico was not true demon, but a demi-demon like I said before! He is the offspring of a retched demon and the human women he feel in love with many years ago.” Shi-ryuu said with utter delight.

“Normally this would be forbidden but since his father was the ruler of the Neatherealm alongside my father he hid the child and mad stories about how his son was too horrid to lay eyes upon, which was very true.”

“If anyone did look upon him the demons would get frightened and call him a blasphemy, the last thing which they wanted to see. We used to fear humans because they locked us up in the Neatherealm a long time ago. Your mother.” Shi-ryuu hissed as he turned to Sailor Sun. “Was one of the women to lock us in there never letting us leave, but we found a way around that in short time.”

“So yes he looks very much human except for his red skin and his tail, he could never return to the human world with his mother because there too he would be feared. So he stayed with his father where he could be protected from anyone daring to harm the boy and destroy him. His powers soon grew beyond that of his fathers.”

Shi-ryuu kicked the dead body of Emperor Valico causing his red skinned head to roll over to the other side. Facing the senshi blankly. When Valico over threw his father he was then imprisoned in the Neatherealm, and defeated by Akujun’s armies.” Shi-ryuu explained. “Valico became one of Akujun’s stooges, although he was planning a rebellion. “Valico looked for hundreds of ways to overthrow Akujun, but none of them ever panned out because Akujun and his family were united.”

The senshi were all intently listening as Shi-ryuu walked over and pulled the large throne like chair for him to sit upon as he played with the sword in his fingers. “Kasumi's family rose up against Akujun, and were exterminated for trying to rebel. Valico took Kasumi in, knowing that he had found a weapon that would defeat Akujun‘s family. Her family was wiped out soon after.”

Sailor Sun remembered to the day when she destroyed Kasumi, the poor girl had gotten mixed p in something beyond her control. “Because of her powers, and because one of Valico’s “Seer’s” came to him and informed him of a vision where Akujun‘s family would fall.”

“Reikon Tou introduced Kasumi to Akujun‘s family as his apprentice, Kurai-ki and they both fell in love. Skorr one of Akujun’s son’s, and my brother as well as the others didn't really trust Reikon Tou or Kasumi, and we tried everything to break Kurai-ki and Kasumi up, but our attempts were in vain.” With that Shi-ryuu slammed his fist hard on the chair’s arm and snapped off a piece in tiny little splinters.

“Akujun forbade Kurai-ki from seeing Kasumi, and Skorr as well as myself and the others stood behind his decision. This started the rift between Kurai-Ki and his family. Kasumi recruited Kurai-ki into Valico’s service, and they helped free him from the Neatherealm, that is where the loophole is you see. Because Valico found himself in a limbo area, but was soon trapped by your mother Sailor Sun.”

Sailor Sun went to open her moth but Shi-ryuu quickly went on. “Reikon Tou sold the two demons and Valico out to Akujun for a price, I volunteered to go undercover and kill my brother.”

“How many of you where there?” Sailor Spica asked bravely. Shi-ryuu glared for a moment and decided to tell the senshi about his family as well.

“I am the middle child, and Kurai-Ki was the second youngest, the baby of the family was Takai. The other three loved him very much, and were only looking out for him. When Kurai-ki left he hurt his family very much - especially Skorr the oldest, who considered Kurai-ki to be his best friend.” Shi-ryuu grimaced. “Kurai-Ki then decided to make matters worse and basically helped Rayden imprison his father the evil elder god Akujun in the Neatherealm, myself, Skorr, and Takai hate him because of it.”

“Kurai-ki did lots to tear the family apart, he sided against their own father for both Kasumi and because he sided with Valico, who betrayed Akujun long ago in order to be released, that’s why I joined Valico's forces, in short I’ve gone undercover and was planning on killing Valico for his betrayal.” Shi-ryuu smirked down at the cold body. “Which is now done!”

“I think out of us all Takai was hurt the most, aside from Skorr. He's Kurai-ki’s baby brother. At one point in time Takai and he were very close, heck we were all a very close family. Kasumi changed all that she under orders from Valico was to break up my family, this was while they were fighting the other elder gods.”

“Kurai-ki wasn’t the only one who was running and hiding under Valico, Kasumi had some pretty interesting things up her sleeves, isn’t that right Kurai-ki? Oh wait you did know did you!” Shi-ryuu said as he turned to the shadows to the right of the senshi. The green demon stepped forth.

“Kasumi changed everything by driving a wedge between the entire family, later on she fell in love with Kurai-ki but she was too afraid that he might leave her if he ever found out what she had done. You were her little pawn Kurai-ki, and if she ever betrayed Valico he had threatened to expose her to Kurai-ki, so she kept her mouth shut.”

“You lie!” Kurai-ki yelled angrily.

“No I assure you brother I do not, Kasumi only loved you because she needed to get to our family through you!” Shi-ryuu said with utter delight.

Kurai-ki shook his head. “NO she did love me, after awhile, she did love me! We loved each other, I don’t care what you say!” Kurai-ki said angrily as he shook his head.

Shi-ryuu shrugged his shoulders, “See it your way, but Kurai-ki you have one last chance to come back to the family, your brothers will want a few words with you but everything will be right in the end.” Shi-ryuu said happily.

Kurai-ki didn’t move. “How could I go back with you? After all that you have done? I just wanted to be with Kasumi forever, without father, and mother she was the worse.” Kurai-ki shook at the mention of his mother.

“Oh don’t worry about her, I am sure you will be seeing her soon enough, as for father he is still trapped and we can’t do anything about it for the time being!”

Kurai-ki and Shi-ryuu both got into fighting stances, Shi-ryuu was the first one to make a move, throwing bats of fire at his brother. Kurai-ki counter attacked with thrones, which he threw much like daggers.

Shi-ryuu unfolded his wings from his back and put them over his front much like a shield. The thrones had no chance of piercing the bat like wings, which were strong and thick. Once Kurai-ki’s attack was finished Shi-ryuu returned his wings to his back.

Long tails swishing angrily the demi-demon’s faced each other. Sailor Sun as well as the other senshi looked from one to the other wondering what was going to happen next.

In a single breath there was fire and thorns flying in every direction, the two demons were giving all they had, hoping to destroy one another in the tidal wave of deadly assaults.

Yet to no avail the two brothers stood panting from the amount of energy they gave into the attacks. Both slightly singed or cut from the others attacks they both stood up and faced each other.

“Enough!” Sailor Sun screamed as she ran to stand between the two brothers before anyone could stop her. “I will not stand back and let two brothers destroy each other over something so stupid!” She said glaring from one face to the other.

“Oh of the way Sailor Sun! This is not your business to step forward between us; it is not your fight! Stand back and let me kill Kurai-ki!” Shi-ryuu snarled angrily as he took a step forward.

“NO!” Sailor Sun said shaking her head. “I am not about to let you two kill one another, this is stupid! You are family!” Sailor Sun pointed out as she swung from one to the other.

“Sailor Sun please.” Kurai-ki begged. “Just let us fight, it is the right thing for us, if you do not let me stand up to this challenge then I can only die in disgrace.” Kurai-ki pointed out sadly.

Looking around Sailor Sun had nothing left to do, as she began o step back she found a warmness building up around her feet. She glanced down and saw flames licking at her boots. The flames quickly surrounded her before she could act herself and before the other senshi could act.

A flaming pillar roared around her angrily, licking at her skin and uniform hungrily. “Now we can fight!” Shi-ryuu said as he looked from the fire pillar to Kurai-ki. “DIE!” He screamed as he ran forth and just when he was in front of his younger brother he disappeared.

Quickly reappearing behind the un-expecting Kurai-ki he stabbed his flaming sword through Kurai-ki’s green back. “NO!” The group of senshi called out at once.

Shi-ryuu stood back with a smug smile on his face. “There!” He said as he pulled the sword from Kurai-ki’s body and threw Kurai-ki’s body to the floor. He was still alive, barely.

The pillar of fire still seared around Sailor Sun, but that wasn’t about to stop her! She jumped through the flames and held back a cry of pain as the flames leapt onto her and burnt her skin and uniform.

Batting out the flames with the other scouts help she turned to face Shi-ryuu who was now laughing happily over his brother’s dieing body. "I call upon the great power's of the star which is the center of the Sol system, bring forth the legendary Sun Fire Sabre!" Her tiara then emitted a blinding light. She stood with her feet apart. Her right ahead of the left slightly.  The Fire Sabre appeared above her head. It hovered there for a few seconds then Sailor Sun reached her hands above her head and the Sabre floated down into her hands. Sailor Sun then closed her eyes and brought the Fire Sabre down in front of her chest. She then cried out the attack phrase. “Sun Fire Sabre . . . . . STAB!” and her body became surrounded by her golden aura, as does the sword.

Sailor Sun jumped into the air and did a flip and swung the Sabre right in front of the target, Shi-ryuu. First she swung to the left then to the right causing the imprint of an "X" in front of Shi-ryuu. Sailor Sun then jumped back and the marks in the air begin to glow and move closer to the target. Once the marks touched Shi-ryuu he became engulfed in bright golden energy. And his scream's could barley be heard because the energy was very strong.

Shi-ryuu stumbled back looking at Sailor Sun with angry eyes, his sword dropped to Kurai-ki’s side and he took an uneasy step backwards. As he raised his hand he was hit by another blow of energy.

It started out with him standing with his legs together. His head was slightly bowed. His eyes were closed and his hands are at his side. He shouted out the phrase “DAYSTAR SABER BLAZE . . . . . STRIKE!” his head snapped up, his eyes opened quickly and he reached for the sword at his side. He pulled the massive sword from its usual place at his side with both hands. He held the sword out in front of his chest. His aura began to glow strongly around him and the sword. He then leaned forward and stabbed the sword into Shi-ryuu. There was no blood. But the blade begins to glow and Shi-ryuu began to glow the golden color of the blade.

Screaming out in pain for a second time Shi-ryuu found himself being flung back up against the closest wall. With a painful sounding thump he slid to the floor where rubble fell to the floor around him. He lay there barely breathing.

“Now Shi-ryuu it is your turn to die, I hope you are haunted by all of the soul’s of the being’s which you killed in the underworld and beyond!” Sailor Sun said angrily as she stepped forward.

“Kill me now Sailor Sun but I promise that I will be back, don’t you worry! And if I don’t get to kill you and your followers be sure that there will be someone always watching and waiting for when the time presents itself in full!” Shi-ryuu said smugly.

“Be that as it may I will destroy you now once and for all.” Sailor Sun said in a clear and steady voice. “But not in the death you might like, I will heal you and this will destroy your body and your corrupted soul because you are to dark to be healed!” Sailor Sun said as she took a step back and took her brooch from the air above her.

“Sun Solaris Healing Illumination!” She spoke softly. A golden light emitted from the Gold Illusion Jewel and washed over Shi-ryuu’s bruised and battered body. His scream was high pitched and ear shattering as his body dissolved and the only thing, which was left, was a black swirling mass where his body once was.

A rumbling was felt and a portal opened from below, it was too dark to see anything or make out what was down there but a dark hand reached up and pulled Shi-ryuu down, down into the dark depths.

Then as quickly as the portal opened it closed and the floor was back to normal like nothing had just happened. Sailor Sun turned to her fellow senshi. “Now that he is gone we have to find the final powerful energies, there was more then just Shi-ryuu and Emperor Valico.” Sailor Sun said as she turned to where Kurai-ki lay barely breathing.

Running to his side Sailor Sun and the other scouts propped him up to a sitting position. He was bleeding badly from the wound Shi-ryuu had afflicted. “How can we help you Kurai-ki? Even though you aren’t as evil as your brother I can’t use the Golden Illusion Jewel on you because you are half demon, an evil being.” Sailor Sun explained.

Kurai-ki coughed and spat out some blood to the floor. “There is nothing you can really do to help me live anyways.” Kurai-ki said as he spat again. “But you can destroy me and let me return to Kasumi. She is waiting for me, calling my name softly.” The green demon explained.

Sailor Sun nodded, she knew where Kurai-ki was wanted and needed and she wasn’t about to step in front of his destiny. “Alright, how . . . . how do you wish to . . . ?” She couldn’t finish the sentence.

To ask how someone wanted to die just didn’t seem right, it seemed wrong and horrible.

“Oh don’t worry there is nothing which you have to do Sailor Sun, I will visit her now as long as you promise to get ride of the Beast and his Mistress.” He chocked and sputtered again, more blood coming from his mouth.

“Out in the corridor to the right, follow the water until you come to a crossroad, there is one of the directions which looks like a dead end, go through there, walk through the wall it is a illusion. There is a passage there.” Kurai-ki explained in a rush trying to get everything out before he too died.

“I will Kurai-ki I promise, go to Kasumi now and tell her that I am sorry for sending her to where she is now.” Sailor Sun said as a tear slipped down her cheek.

“Don’t cry . . . no need, you were protecting your family . . . she doesn’t mind . . . I will be with her soon . . .” Kurai-ki’s head went limp and it lolled to the side. He breathed his last breath and his body went ridged.

Sailor Sun hung her head and mourned for Kurai-ki’s death, he had helped them, and for what? He got nothing out of it but death. Sailor Sun shook her head and was comforted by a hand on her shoulder.

Turning around and standing up Sailor Sun buried her face in the Daystar Knight’s shoulder crying some more.

Sailor Pollux was crying softly and hugging Sailor Shaula how also had tears slowly drifting down her face. Sailor Spica stood with her arms crossed over her chest, not crying, but she held a very pained look on her face. Sailor Capella just kept shaking her head back in forth in denial.

“May you rest happily with Kasumi.” Sailor Sun said softly as she turned to Sailor Spica and nodded her head. The orange haired scout put out her gloved hand and golden sparkles drifted down to Kurai-ki’s body, then over to Emperor Valico’s. Once the sparkles touched their skin it erupted into a soft crackling fire.

Turning to walk down the corridor in which Kurai-ki had told them about they found their way blocked by a tall black shadow. A soft whining was heard. “Eclipse!” Sailor Sun called as she ran forward to the shadow, which was now lying, on the floor.

She bent down and tried to squint her eyes together to make out the form of the animal on the ground. “Eclipse is that you?” Sailor Sun asked as she bent down and lifted the head.

Jumping back in shock Sailor Sun looked wide eyed at the canine like creature on the floor. It did not have one head, not two but three heads. The canine creature stood up and shook himself off.

The others looked on in horror at the dog like creature before them. Standing much taller then either Eclipse or Nova once on all fours, his head coming up to Sailor Sun’s shoulder. Large paws set with none retractable claws made a soft clinking noise like steal on steal as he walked forward.

On powerful and muscular shoulders were three heads, each snarling and snapping angrily. Blood red eyes gleaming angrily at the group of warriors, teeth dripping with saliva ears pinned back tightly against his skull in anger.

“Who? What . . . What are you?” Sailor Pollux asked as she looked at the large dog like creature, which almost resembled a rottweiler.

“We meet at least!” The tree heads spoke in unison as the snarled sending chills up the senshi’s backs.

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© 1999-2001. Sailor Moon Millennium: Rise of the Stellar Scouts is copyright material of K.W.Isenor also known as Sunrose along with any characters mentioned excluding the original Sailor Moon characters. Pretty Soldier Sailormoon is copyright of Takeuchi Naoko-sensei, TOEI animation, and other companies. This site and its stories are non-profit and are only for free entertainment purposes.

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