The door in front of Kira flew open, nearly breaking off it's hinges as it slammed into the opposite wall. In that split second, Kira went from poised to almost annoyed and let out a heavy sigh relaxing her position slightly. On the other side of her now demolished door and frame, the remaining Sailor Senshi stood, looking just as ready for a fight. Sailor Moon regarded Kira coolly and Kira only put on a small smile. "Nice of you drop in." She quipped and Sailor Moon made a face at her, shooting reassuring smiles at Mercury and Mars who were now at Kira's side. Kira tried to remain calm as the whole squad walked into her living room. Venus and Jupiter's gazes were locked onto the girls at her side, paying the vampire absolutely no attention. A fact which irked Kira slightly. As Uranus entered she glared angrily at Kira, and Neptune was staring at her just as furiously. Kira resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Granted they had the right to be protective of Saturn who now stood between and behind them, but it wasn't like she had actually hurt the child or anything. It wasn't a big surprise that the senshi as a whole didn't like her. They had no idea what she and Ami and Rei had been up to, and no idea of how Kira would take their 'visit'. As for Pluto... Kira couldn't help the deep breath she took when Pluto walked in the room, her red eyes were calm even now. Knowing who Pluto really was, Kira couldn't believe she hadn't known the identity of the senshi in the first second she'd seen her. The look, the walk, the presence. It all screamed... Setsuna... She thought sadly and hardened as Pluto went and stood directly beside Sailor Moon. Glancing down at the blonde briefly before meeting Kira's eyes once more, her soft eyes now hard, she regarded Kira with no emotion. No, not Setsuna. Pluto. She's Pluto now. Kira straightened her back slightly and did her best to chase any stray emotions from her thoughts and she and Pluto stared one another down. Hearing an exhale of breath Kira broke the stare and looked down at Mars and Mercury who were still standing at her side, their own eyes locked with those of Jupiter and Venus. She could see in the eyes of the brunette and the blonde the same look that Mercury and Mars held and smiled to herself. At least they get a happy ending She laughed quietly, almost remorsefully, and though Jupiter and Venus both glared at her, Mars and Mercury looked up in confusion. "Well? What are you standing beside me for? I know you don't like me that much." Their eyes widened and Kira grinned wider, turning her back to the scouts and facing the two girls at her side.. "I did say I'd let you go if you gave me chance and you still wanted to leave didn't I?" Seeing their uncertainty she smirked at them and winked. "Don't worry, I think you've definitely given me a chance enough to count." They both flushed lightly and the other scouts just looked amongst themselves, curious. Kira nodded her head in their direction and after returning brilliant smiles, Mercury and Mars walked past her hesitantly and up to their respective partners. They didn't say anything, just stood, fidgeting quietly and Kira let the smile fall from her face. Sailor Moon tore her gaze away from the happy reunion to look at Pluto. Though her face was calm, she could very clearly sense the sadness coming off of the tall senshi. Her head was focused on the meeting, but her eyes kept flicking to Kira and back again. She spared a glance at the vampire to see that she wasn't even trying to hide her sadness. The taller girl was watching the couples with a dark gaze, her lips squeezed tight as she watched the senshi smile softly at each other. Sailor Moon watched as Kira looked to Pluto and squeezed her eyes shut, taking a deep breath before turning back to the other girls. Deciding to ease the tension Sailor Moon opened her mouth to thank Kira for giving them their friends back without a fight, but was interrupted as a harsh laugh sounded behind her. She spun in place, tensing as did the group to see Akio walk into the room, a fairly large group of vicious looking demons trailing behind him. Tuxedo Mask stepped in front of Sailor Moon and began backing her up as the rest of the group followed suit. Akio advanced and the senshi scooted back until Kira was at the front of the pack, the same defensive stance she'd taken when he had last visited having wiped all her sadness away. Akio was none to happy to see the Sailor senshi back together being headed by Kira of all people. This had to end now. He smirked as his laughter subsided and he approached, stopping a few feet from Kira. "It's good that you've all gathered in one place. It will save me the trouble of tracking you all down later." He gave a mock bow. "Princess." He said with a wink as the demons chuckled behind him. Kira clenched her fists but made no sound. "Come now Kira-chan. Your silly tantrum has run its course. We will rid ourselves of the senshi once and for all. On this day we will claim the ultimate victory." He opened his arms invitingly to her. "Join us Kira-chan, join me. These fellows behind me can easily take the senshi out without the power of their Queen. But you and I are one of a kind Kira-chan. Born from the same sire, the oldest and most powerful demons that exist. Stand with me Kira-chan. Once we have obliterated the senshi from existence you and I can rule this world unchallenged, side by side." Kira relaxed from her stance and smirked at her once closest friend. "You're dumber than I gave you credit for Akio-san, if you think I would ever join you." He snarled at her response and let his eyes begin to glow. "Who is it that you think you're protecting Kira-chan? Why would you ever side with the likes of them?" She only gave a small smile and a quiet laugh. "Because I would take the likes of them, the rule of their Queen, over a demon like you any day." She said and his eyes widened in shock. To say that she wanted the Queen, in front of everyone. He shook his head at her, pinching the bridge of his nose lightly. "Well, now you've done it. I've tried to help you Kira-chan. Tried to stand up for you against all the others, tried to defend you despite your denial of your heritage. But to tell these fine young demons that'd you'd rather support their captor, their prison master instead of ruling with your own brethren?" He shook his head again and spoke to his followers. "Be sure to take the 'Princess' alive." He growled out. "She should pay slowly for the crimes of her family." He took some pleasure in the way she shrunk back. His eyes caught the tall green haired senshi and the recognition that had evaded Kira flooded him. He snarled in Pluto's direction, identifying Setsuna. "Take that one alive as well." He commanded and Kira looked swiftly to who he was gesturing at before turning back to Akio, her own body re-tensing and beginning to glow. Akio met Kira's eyes and he grinned. "I want to see for myself just what's so great about her that would turn you traitor." He waggled his eyebrows and Kira hissed, crouching a bit. "As for the others, do as you please. Have fun with them in whatever way you see fit." A final snarl to the senshi and he charged forward, the demons behind him flying forward as well. Akio caught Kira around the waist and flung her to the side of the room, separating her from the group. He lunged at her, using his speed but she was just as fast and they ended up colliding and dodging around each other, bouncing of the walls and ricocheting off the ceiling, moving almost to fast for the others to see. He slammed into her, forcing her to spin to the side where she leapt and landed on the wall before using her momentum to push off at him. He moved at the last second, jumping up and she hit the other wall, grabbing onto it with her powers. She crouched then sprang up, rebounding off the ceiling to crash into him before he had landed. They rolled on the floor before he jumped away from her springing onto a wall just as she had. When she stood to follow he pushed off, catching her in the arm as he passed. They continued to dodge and chase each other, springing around the room until Kira caught sight of the senshi. Outnumbered and easily outdone by the experienced vampires Akio had brought with him, they were getting whipped. Neptune and Uranus were back to back, fending off at least five lightning fast demons. Uranus had her sword out, flashing it at a demon who jumped at her. He just laughed and dodged it as another vampire took advantage of her after-swing off-balanced position to slam his fist into her side. She swung in, clipping the vampire on the arm and was struck by another vampire who had come from the ceiling. Kira saw the vampire's arm heal as he lunged again. Neptune was being protected by Uranus and powered up her Deep Submerge, sending it into the midst of the attacking group. It caught one dead on, slamming him across the room and through a wall in an exposion of wood and powder. It knocked two others over completely and she and Uranus turned to help the others when a loud crash sounded and the vampire sprang back through the wall that he had just been put through. He cracked his neck slightly and moved forward at them again, the two on the floor picking themselves up and following. So startled was she that Neptune didn't even see the demon at her back. Making a split second decision Kira skidded to a halt by digging her heels into the ground. Bunching up her momentum in her legs she shot across the room, catching the approaching vampire by the neck and slamming his head through the wall. Neptune spun in time to see and just managed to block another attacker. No sooner had Kira released her hold than Akio kicked her side hard, catching her off guard and sending her across the room. She stood shakily but noticed another vampire in mid air above Mars. She slammed her foot down hard and flipped up, her fist connecting with his temple. She hadn't even landed when Akio swung hard and caught her in the solar plexus. Caught off-guard he was able to get in several lightening fast punches before she could spring away. Laughing he followed her. With her getting off track trying to help the senshi like this, she didn't stand a chance against him. "Venus Love-me Chain!" Came a voice and he watched out of the corner of his eyes as Venus whipped at a fast approaching demon. The chain struck him several times before he caught it, even though it burned his hand. He yanked it hard, sending her sprawling forward and tossed it to the side, leaping forward with a feral smile. His hand healed even before he used it to throw her into Mars. Mars hissed and shot a fire arrow straight at him. It struck dead center and he fell back, a steaming hole in his chest. Others jumped over him, moving around the senshi so they faced away from him, lunging forward and back. After a few seconds, the vampire slowly got to his feet, the hole in his chest not even fully closed as he bared his fangs, making for Mars' neck. Akio watched Kira spring up and yank him away at the last second, Venus watching the scene as if in slow motion. Akio grinned and used the distraction to catch Kira in the ribs, hearing them crack satisfactorily after a few swift kicks. Even that didn't deter her as she managed to get away from him only to break the neck of a vampire who had just survived an 'Oak evolution' from Jupiter. "It's me you should be worried about Kira-chan. Your little friends are already as good as dead!" He shouted, slamming her through a wall. The senshi meanwhile had been rounded up and were now in a small group, the Princess in the middle. The attacks they were sending off weren't doing anything. Even Sailor Moon's most powerful attack had only leveled a few of them for a minute at the most. "They just won't die!" Jupiter hissed, sending a barrage of lightening strikes into the surrounding demons. "We don't stand a chance like this. What can we do?" Tuxedo Mask demanded, wincing as yet another one of his roses was simply pulled out of the demon it had struck. Kira saw their predicament and delivered an especially hard blow to Akio, giving her enough time to flip over the group of demons and hang from the ceiling above Mercury. "Your normal attacks won't work on demons and vampires like these." She said, barely managing to spin as Akio flew beside her. She dropped from the ceiling, spinning in place to swing at him. He dodged as she hit the ground, but she pushed up flipping over him and slamming both feet into his back sprawling him forward. She looked back at the desperate senshi. "You have to try something else!" She hissed desperately. "Most of them are immortal like I am!" She could say no more as Akio grabbed her around the waist and flung her against the nearest wall. It exploded into dust with the impact and she wobbled for a second, opening her eyes just in time to duck as his fist connected with the cement just above her head. She used her arm like a piston, connecting with his abdomen hard enough to push him back. The scouts watched as they continued to strike at each other. Mercury was thinking hard. "'like me'... 'like me'..." She chanted and Jupiter turned to her. "What?" She asked and Mercury looked up, all business. "I have an idea!" She yelled before concentrating hard. Spinning she fired a freezing blast at the dinner table that still miraculously stood behind them. The wood table froze solid within seconds and she turned to Jupiter as the demons charged into their midst. "Break it!" She commanded and Jupiter wasted no time, kicking it with enough force to send shards everywhere. One long wooden shard slid across the ground and bumped into Rei who had just been thrown on her back. The vampire that had thrown her leapt up, coming down directly above her. Mars had little time to react and grabbed the only weapon she could reach. She held the shard up as the vampire landed squarely on top of her. "Mars!" Venus screamed and the room came to a standstill. Akio smirked at Kira as the vampire started to move again. But it was Kira who smiled with pride as Mars shoved the vampire's body off of her, sitting up shakily. The wooded shard was implanted right in his heart and before Mars had stood up fully his body had reduced to ash. The senshi exchanged glances and almost collectively smirked as they all bent to pick up shards, facing the now unsteady vampire attackers. Kira smirked too but Akio was getting pissed. It was supposed to have been easy. It was supposed to have been over already. Furious he charged Kira, surprising her with his speed, his punches and kicks colliding more frequently, and more accurately. Kira could barely move before he would be on her, striking her multiple times and sending her flying. He'd be on her again before she could stand, and he started to smile. Who cared that his people were losing? Kira was the only one that mattered. "I told you I would win Kira-chan!" He shouted, slamming her across the room and striking her again before she had even hit the ground. "I told you I would take out you and the senshi!" He picked her up and threw her hard, watching as she slid down the wall she had hit. His snarled at her and grinned evilly. "And once this is over my Dearest, once you are in my custody, I'll string you up next to your precious senshi." She looked up at him, her chest heaving. "I'll be nice enough to let you watch me take her Kira-chan. I'll let you watch me satisfy her like you never could. I'm sure she'll enjoy it Dearest. I'll make sure that we all take her good and hard, just for you! I'll guarantee she won't be leaving me!" Kira started to shiver and closed her eyes and Akio stepped closer, expecting Kira to have given up. But her eyes shot open and they glowed with the determination he'd seen the other day. He didn't even have time to step back before she seemed to fly from her position, punching him in the stomach hard enough to double him over. Her elbow connected with the side of his head and he went to drop to the ground but her knee came up and slammed into his nose and head hard enough to make him fly backwards. He tried to raise up a hand to cover his broken nose and looked up to see her hard eyes as she picked him up and threw him into the ceiling, jumping up above him as he fell and striking him so he landed with the ground to his back and her fist in his gut. She tossed him across the room and this time he had time to look around before she caught him again. The senshi had taken out many of the demons he had brought and were quickly finishing off the others. Kira was coming at him fast and for the first time in a long time, Akio started to panic. Standing and leaping back quickly to avoid her fists he thought fast. "What good will come of this Kira-chan?" He asked hurriedly, trying to change tactics. "Why are you fighting for them? No matter what you do Kira-chan, you will always be just a demon to them, and she will always be a senshi." A single tear slipped out of Kira's eye but she kept coming. Akio had seen her falter slightly though and kept shouting. "Do you really think that doing this will strengthen your chances with her? She left you once because you were a demon and she'll do it again!" Kira stumbled and Akio took the opportunity to strike her down. Pluto watched as the last vampire turned to dust under Uranus and turned to watch what already held the attention of Mars and Mercury. Kira and Akio were now standing across from each other, Kira shaking her head violently. "No, no, no! That's not true...it's not..." Akio smirked at her and stepped forward. "Join me Kira-chan! Join us! She wasn't worth the thousand years you spent mourning her. You gave up everything, everything for her! You suffered for so long and she doesn't even care! You're a demon Kira-chan! And a senshi will never love a demon. She will never love you!" he hissed. At that Kira broke. What little control she had slipped and she stumbled back against the wall behind her, crying hard, unable to shove his words from her head. She slid to the floor, shaking hard and Akio regarded Kira sadly before turning suddenly on the now amassed senshi. "So you've beaten off those little pests. None of them were anywhere close to me in power!" He hissed, his cape flowing about him, the air around him glowing red. "I'm strong enough to take you on myself! And Kira-chan, Kira-chan's good enough to do it one handed. You're nothing!" He focused on Pluto who tore her gaze from Kira's crumpled form. "I'll make you pay for what you did to her! For how badly you hurt her. You ruined my Kira-chan! " He seemed to grow in power as he ranted, his eyes turning more crazed and the aura around him growing by the second. "She was so promising, so perfect and fun before you! Since you I can count the number of lovers she's had on one hand. She should be ruling this planet! She could have anyone, anyone she wanted! The rest of you can just die quietly for all I care. The only other one of you I want in your pathetic little 'Princess'." He taunted and snarled at her. "It's your Mother's fault that she had to leave in the first place. I'll finish you both!" He cried. "Enough!" Kira yelled from behind him and he spun to watch her stand up straight and glare at him through the tears in her eyes, her body still shaking. "Shut-up Akio-san! Just shut-up! I don't care anymore!" She shivered a little and closed her eyes, breathing deeply. "I don't care about any of it. I don't care if she leaves today and I don't see her for another thousand years. I don't care if I don't ever see her again." Closing her eyes she took a another deep breath and held out a stake in her hand. His eyes widened and he bent to pick up one too, not sure of what she was saying. Her eyes opened and he was met with the most deadly look he had ever seen on her. "I don't care what happens after this Akio-san. But I will not let you rule." Her voice was calm but it was deadly and icy cold. Akio growled at her, his chest heaving. He bared his fangs and the air around him exploded with wild energy. His inner demon took over and wings sprung from his back. His eyes turned pure red and he raised the stake in his hand, the last of his consciousness gone. Kira had also started to glow blue and stood perfectly still as he charged up. With a final feral snarl he pushed off and flew at her. Kira turned her head and for a second met Pluto's eyes. The emotion behind the vampires gaze nearly leveled Pluto and she watched as Kira ripped her gaze away and rushed forward. A split second later they collided against each other with a sickening thud and powerful explosion as their energies merged. They light around them faded slowly and Mercury whimpered as she watched them both lean against each other, then slip and fall past one another to hit the ground. Mars watched as slowly Akio turned over and looked down in shock at the stake through his heart. His feet were already beginning to turn to dust but seeing Kira's prone form he laughed. "At least in death we shall be together my Dearest." He said quietly as the ash over took him and he collapsed into nothingness. Mercury and Mars both stepped forward hesitantly, looking at Kira in fear. A second passed and their gazes met, tears forming as they both closed their eyes in disbelief. Pluto hadn't even breathed since Kira's eyes had met her own. The air had been sucked out of her, and now she couldn't seem to fill her lungs again. She barely noticed the burn as she focused solely on Kira's form. She still wasn't moving and Pluto felt the strength leaving her body, her knees going weak. She felt as though her heart was being ripped from her body and there was only one thought in her head. "No, please no." She could walk away from her for the sake of the Princess, but for Kira to die protecting her even after all this time. "No...no..." She whispered quietly and Sailor Moon turned her head to look at her crestfallen senshi. Pluto looked more crushed than even Mercury and Mars who were now slowly approaching the vampire's fallen form. Her body twitched slightly and then she scared the hell out of all of them as she sat back suddenly screaming in pain. She slumped over, still sitting and they could see clearly that the stake had gone completely through her, but was too high to be in her heart. Her chest heaved as she hesitantly touched the stake. Pluto couldn't help take a step forward as relief flooded her body. She stopped herself as Mercury and Mars rushed to her side. They had detransformed on the way and the others followed suit. "Don't move Kira-chan." Ami commanded. "Yeah, we'll help get that out." Rei said, looking the stake curiously. But Kira just shook her head softly and straightened her back, cracking it slightly. Shooting them both a faint, tense smile she breathed deeply and curled up before tightening her grip on the stake and ripping it out of her shoulder. She screamed as it tore out and she threw it across the room in anger, holding her shoulder tightly. Usagi winced at the sickening wet sound of tearing flesh and moved closer to Mamoru. Ami's jaw dropped at the wound and she started to try and get a good look at it but Kira just took her hand and smiled. "Don't worry about it Ami-chan." She said reassuringly, her voice a little hoarse. "My healing will kick in here in a minute and I'll be fine in no time. There are perks to being this old you know." Ami didn't look convinced and Kira smiled as the others approached. "Besides you have other things to worry about now." She motioned up and Makoto helped Ami to her feet with a smile as Minako did with Rei. After a second, Kira stood shakily, the wound in her shoulder having already stopped bleeding. She almost wobbled and Ami and Rei moved to help her again but she waved them off and breathed slowly for a minute. After a bit she straightened and looked over at Usagi with a determined look on her face. "After this, you really won't have much to worry about on Earth anymore. Aside from Akio-san, the only other demons left, besides myself, are really too weak to be much of a problem for you." She motioned about the destroyed room. "Any demons who could've been trouble were here with Akio so you should all be okay for a while." She looked at Ami and Rei fondly and they smiled back at her. With a sigh she turned back to the group and spoke quietly, almost hesitantly." I'll take my leave now. "She said with only a slightly shaky voice. "And I swear that none of you... will ever have to worry about dealing with me again." She refused to look at Setsuna yet and so missed the tall woman's wince. "Good luck you two. Thanks for being such great company." She said forcing a smile and ruffling Ami and Rei's hair. They both gave her soft grins, feeling the pain she was in. Kira then turned and regarded the two who stood at their sides. "And you two, take care of the incredible gift, this second chance that you've been given. Not everyone gets one, so treasure it and recognize what you have." Makoto and Minako both nodded firmly, thinking that if Ami and Rei could smile at her, they could at least respect the girl. "Bye Kira-san." Ami whispered softly and Rei echoed. Kira gave them one last grin and headed for what was left of her door. Kira nodded respectfully to Haruka, Michiru and Hotaru as she passed them noting that even the older senshi nodded in respect for her. Stopping just before she exited she turned her head slowly and struggled to keep the tears out of her eyes as she looked at Setsuna. Setsuna had to work hard to keep a neutral face, feeling the tears threatening to spill out, fighting the urge to run into her arms. She watched Kira as coolly as she could. After a few seconds Kira closed her eyes sadly and ducked her head, turning around. Then, with a deep breath she opened her eyes with determination and walked out of the door, and out of their sight.
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