Lunar Painting  -  A Sailor Moon / Castlevania Crossover

By Kane Magus -- aplummer@netmcr.com


Disclaimers:  The Sailor Moon universe and all characters in it was 
              created by Naoko Takeuchi and is copyrighted by Naoko
              Takeuchi, Kodansha, Toei, DiC and probably a lot more.

              The Castlevania universe and all characters in it was
              created by and is copyrighted by the nice folks at 
              Konami.

              Both are being used without permission or consent by this 
              author.  This author hopes they don't mind as this fan 
              fic was written purely for fun.

              And for the sake of this author's ego, which has swelled
              exponentially since he finally finished this blasted 
              thing (^_^), feel free to distribute this fic to anybody 
              and everybody you want.  But please, try not to make any 
              money off of it, because I sure know *I'm* not.


Chapter Five
------------

Sailor Moon stared up at the huge open archway that bid them enter the
evil Castlevania.  It was hard to believe that earlier that day, this
had been a museum.

"It's as if they are expecting us or something," she said.

"I'd be very surprised if they weren't," replied Grant.

She regarded the door for a moment more before turning to face the rest
of them.  "Ok, now that we are here, what do we do now?  We have to 
find Rei as quickly as we can."

"To that end I believe we should split into groups," said Alucard.  "We
will be able to cover more ground that way."

"Is that wise?" asked Sailor Neptune.

"I don't know," said Jan, "but if my ancestors were able to brave this
place single-handedly, I wouldn't think that we'd have that much 
trouble if we did split up.  Like Alucard said, we'd be able to find 
Rei that much more quickly."

"All right then," said Sailor Moon.  "Let's split up."

"No more than four groups," said Alucard.  "We do not want to spread
ourselves too thin.  We are only parting ways as a necessity.  And one 
of us," he pointed to himself, Jan, Kara, and Grant at this, "should 
be in each group as we have the most experience with Castlevania 
itself."

"Sounds good," said Sailor Venus, "so who goes with who?"

With that, they split themselves off.  Sailor Moon, Sailor Mercury, and 
Tuxedo Kamen went with Alucard.  Sailor Jupiter, Sailor Uranus, and 
Sailor Neptune joined Jan.  Kara's group consisted of Sailor Star 
Fighter, Sailor Star Healer, and Sailor Star Maker.  And lastly, Sailor 
Venus, Sailor Pluto and Sailor Saturn went with Grant.

Before heading off on their separate ways, Sailor Moon said, "All right
guys, this is it.  If you find anything at all, call the rest of us. 
Well, I guess that's all.  Let's go."

The four groups set out in search of Rei.

**********

"They are here, my master."

"Yes."

"Shall I go kill them?"

"Not just yet.  I have a few surprises in store for them."

"What about this one?"

"Hmm."

"You think she will be able to actually attack her own friends?"

"Probably not.  Still, it matters not.  She will be destroyed with the 
rest of them in the end anyway."

"What would you have me do in the mean time?"

"I have already sent Death and the others.  However, I want to take our 
young friend here down to the dungeon.  Chain her up, then come back up 
here.  I have something I want you to handle when the time arises."

"Very good, my master."

**********

"Look out!" yelled Sailor Venus as she leapt to the side, just missing 
being fried by a fireball that suddenly erupted from the far wall.  As 
she regained her feet, she noticed that the others were also picking 
themselves up of the floor.

"That was a bit too close for comfort," said Grant, adjusting his 
bandanna.  He stuck his hand out toward the middle of the hallway and, 
as he expected, another fireball roared down the hallway.

"It seems to be motion sensitive," said Sailor Pluto.

"Yeah," replied Grant, pointing to a large pair of crocodile skulls 
that were sitting at the far end of the hallway.  "Old Vlad usually has 
lots of delightful little traps like this one scattered all over the 
place.  Keep your eyes peeled."

With that, the four continued down the hallway.  In order to avoid 
having yet another fireball flung at them, they tried to stay as close 
to the wall as possible.  After walking for what seemed like almost an 
hour, they came upon a large burgundy colored door.

"Hmm," said Grant as he listened at the door for any activity beyond.
"Seems we should go this way."

With that, he reached out and opened the door.

**********

So far, Kara and the Sailor Star Lights had made their way through the
castle without any difficulty.  Kara knew that their luck was sure to
change for the worse before it was all over, but she intended to take
advantage of the lull in activity.  She noticed that Star Maker and 
Star Healer had moved a bit further ahead, leaving her alone with Star 
Fighter.

"Hey, um, Star Fighter?" she said uncertainly.

"Yeah?" said Star Fighter.

"Well, um, I didn't mention it before because I didn't recognize you
guys right off... but, well, I was a big fan of the Three Lights before 
you guys broke up," she said, smiling shyly.

"Well, we didn't really break up," replied Star Fighter, "we just 
stopped being a band.  Though don't get me wrong, it was fun and all 
but it got to be a hassle at times.  What with all the girls chasing us 
around all the time and such."  At this, she grinned and Kara blushed.

She smirked and looked down at herself.  "Heh, I wonder what our fans
would think if they could see us now?"

Kara blushed again, then smiled herself.  "Well, I don't know about all 
that, but I still..."

Just then, Sailor Star Maker called from where she and Star Healer had
moved further on.

"Hey, Kara?  Come look at this," she said.  Kara noticed that they were
standing near a dead end in the hallway.  They had been on this hallway
for a long while without seeing any branches leading elsewhere, and 
Kara was loathe to have to turn back after going so far.

When Kara and Star Fighter reached them, Star Healer and Star Maker 
both took a step back to let them examine the wall.

"What's with this weird symbol here?" asked Star Healer.

Kara looked up at the rather large, circular symbol that covered most 
of the wall.

"I think I've seen this before," she said, as she began to dig around 
in her satchel that she always kept at her side.  She pulled out some 
notes that her ancestor Carrie Fernandez had scribbled down during her 
and Reinhardt's own trek through this very same castle, though the 
layout of the castle itself changed each time it reappeared.

"I thought so," said Kara.  "It seems that this symbol is a magical 
ward to prevent the destruction of this wall."

"Hmm," said Sailor Star Maker, "There must be something very important
on the other side if they want to keep us from blowing it up.  So, how
do we go about blowing it up?"

Kara looked through the notes from her long dead ancestor and said, 
"Well, Reinhardt and Carrie used a combination of Magical Nitro and 
Mandragora on the wall itself after finding a way to dispel the ward.  
I'm pretty sure I can dispel the ward myself, but I don't have the 
ability to destroy the wall.  I personally don't care to go searching 
the castle for Magical Nitro or Mandragora, especially since the Nitro 
explodes at the slightest bump."

"Well, once you get the ward down, do you think our combined powers 
would be enough to do the trick?" asked Star Healer.

"Perhaps," Kara said, "but first, I have to dispel the ward."  She took 
a step back and prepared to start the incantation.  Glancing at the 
Star Lights, she said, "This could take a while."

**********

"Grant was right," said Sailor Uranus glumly.

"Pardon?" said a distracted Jan as he looked out over the many large 
and spinning gears and shafts that extended both upward and downward as 
far as the eye could see.  The sounds of metal striking metal sounded 
intermittently but in the background was a steady ticking sound.

"When he and Alucard were telling us about the history of Castlevania,"
explained Sailor Neptune, "he made some offhand comment about there 
always being a clock tower.  It seems he was right."

"Hmm," Jan grimaced, "This does not look fun at all."  He looked up and
down again, confirming that neither a ceiling nor a floor was visible
from their vantage point.  One slip and the consequences would not be 
pleasant at all.  Jan frowned again.

"Look up there," said Sailor Jupiter, pointing upward.  "I think 
there's a door there."

Jan squinted and said, "You're right.  But it is way up there.  Still, 
I don't see any other alternatives do you?  I guess we'll just have to
climb up there somehow."

Jupiter looked at the gears for several long seconds, glanced at Jan,
then turned back to the gears.  "You're serious aren't you?" she asked.

Jan shrugged.  "Unless you want to go back..."

"Nooo thank you," said Jupiter.  To get to where they were now, they 
had had to pass through a veritable obstacle course of spike filled 
pits, and spike covered sections of ceiling that fell without warning, 
all the while being constantly attacked by zombies and axe-throwing 
suits of armor.

"Heads up!" shouted Neptune suddenly.

"Oh yeah," said Jan darkly when he saw what Neptune was referring to, 
"I'd forgotten about those.  If clock towers are a constant in 
Castlevania, then those damned Medusa heads are a constant in the clock 
towers.  Things just got even more interesting, ladies."  He flicked 
his wrist and the Vampire Killer shot upward, knocking the nearest 
couple of Medusa heads from the air.

"Well, we're not accomplishing anything by standing around here," said
Uranus, calling her Space Sword to hand.  "Let's go."

All further conversation ceased, as they were too busy trying to avoid
falling and avoid the detestable Medusa heads at the same time on their
way upward toward the distant door.

**********

"Eeeep," said Sailor Moon as she rounded a corner and saw several dozen
machete wielding zombies advancing toward her.

"What is... oh dear," said Sailor Mercury, who was just behind her.

"Get ready," said Tuxedo Kamen as he readied his cane in one hand and a 
couple of roses in the other.

"Stay back," said Alucard.  "I'll handle this."  He sheathed his sword
and stood staring at the oncoming assailants.  While the senshi watched
him quizzically, he merely dropped his hands to his sides and took a 
deep breath.  Then, bringing his arms up to his chest, he yelled, "SOUL
STEAL!!"  With those words, many mystic orbs similar to those usually
surrounding Shaft were sucked from each of the zombies.  The orbs flew
to Alucard and were absorbed into him.  The zombies staggered forward
one final step before falling over like so much dead wood.

Looking at the senshi, Alucard said simply, "It's been a while since I
last fed."  Then he turned again and continued forward, stepping over 
the corpses.

Sailor Moon glanced at Tuxedo Kamen who looked from her to Sailor 
Mercury.  All three of them looked at Alucard, shrugged, and followed 
him.

After several more minutes of walking, they came upon a large, 
barricaded door with a barred window in the top half of it.  Several 
more just like it lined the hallway on either side.

From one of the doors further down, Sailor Moon thought she heard 
someone.  It sounded like someone crying.  It sounded like a girl 
crying.

With no concern for her own safety, Sailor Moon took off down the hall.  
The others followed her.

Arriving at the door, Sailor Moon looked inside.  Sure enough, she saw 
Rei chained to the wall and sobbing softly.

"REI!!" she yelled.  "We're here to save you!"

Rei, hearing a familiar voice, looked up at her.  Though Sailor Moon 
wasn't sure in the darkness of the dungeon, Rei looked a bit different 
than usual.  Somewhat paler.

"No," said Rei weakly, "Get away..."

"What?  I'm not leaving here without you."  Sailor Moon took a step 
back.  However, before she could bring her power to bear to blast the 
door off of its hinges, Alucard put his hand on her shoulder.

"Sailor Moon," said Sailor Mercury slowly, after looking up from her 
mini computer, "Rei... she is... no longer human."

"What are you..." said Sailor Moon.  Then, her eyes brimming with 
tears, she turned to Alucard and said, "But I thought you said..."

Alucard looked down at the floor briefly then back into Sailor Moon's 
eyes.  "I have underestimated my father.  I am sorry."

"No!" said Sailor Moon.  "If she's a... vampire... then, well... that's
all the more reason to get her out of here as soon as we can, isn't it?  
There has to be a way to save her, right?"

Alucard said nothing.

Sailor Moon's eyes hardened.  "There has to be a way, and I'm going to
find it!  Now get out of the way of the door unless you want me to 
blast you too!"

Again Alucard said nothing, but he did step back out of the way.

Sailor Moon then unleashed her power on the door, pretty much 
vaporizing it.  Then she rushed into the room, though she stopped short 
of Rei when she saw just how *much* she'd changed.

Rei's skin was the color of chalk.  Her eyes were bloodshot from crying 
though she had them closed now.

"Sailor Moon..." she said, and when she opened her mouth to speak, 
Sailor Moon could see her fangs, "...leave me here.  It's a trap..."

"What are you talking about?" said Sailor Moon, who had already begun
undoing Rei's manacles.  "I'm not leaving this castle without you!  
That's the whole reason we came here you know!"

When she finally got her loose, Sailor Moon sat Rei down on the bunk in
the dungeon.  Then she knelt down in front of Rei and took Rei's head 
in her hands.  Rei opened her eyes and looked at her.

"Oh Rei, what have they done to you," said Sailor Moon softly.

"No," said Rei again, "...you have to leave me here... before..."

Sailor Moon gasped as Rei's eyes suddenly took on the most evil 
expression she had ever seen in her life.  Before she could react, Rei 
grabbed her arms, stood up with her, and bodily hurled her across the 
small cell.  Sailor Moon crashed into the wall and sank to the floor, 
moaning softly.

"Sailor Moon!!" yelled both Tuxedo Kamen and Sailor Mercury.  They, 
along with Alucard, were still standing just outside of the cell.  Rei 
whipped her head around and glared at them.  Raising her hand, she let 
loose with a large stream of fire that engulfed the entire doorway, 
barring them from entering it.  That taken care of, she turned back to 
Sailor Moon.

"You should have listened to me," she said in a voice that, while still
her own, was strangely different somehow.  It was much darker and had a 
much more evil sound to it.  "When have my instincts in matters such as 
this ever been wrong?"

"Rei...?  Why are you doing this?" said Sailor Moon, struggling to get
back to her feet.  Rei walked over and delivered a vicious spinning
punch that sent Sailor Moon flying into the adjacent wall.

"Why?  Why do you think?  I am now much more powerful than I have ever
been.  I'm no longer confined to those rather restricting senshi 
powers.  And, in sharing blood with the master, I've gained a new 
perspective on life.  The way I was living before... just doesn't suit 
me anymore."

"Rei..." moaned Sailor Moon as she tried again to rise to her feet.  
Rei tried to hit her again, but Sailor Moon blocked it.  Rei merely 
shrugged, switched directions, and caught her with a powerful reverse 
roundhouse kick.  Sailor Moon again connected with the wall.

As Rei stood over her triumphantly, Sailor Moon looked up at her weakly 
and groaned her name again.  Rei withdrew a wavey-bladed dagger from a 
place in the wall where it had been hidden before.  Kneeling down next 
to her former friend, she smiled.  After making absolutely sure that 
Sailor Moon had seen the dagger, Rei grabbed her by the pony tails and 
jerked her to her feet.

Suddenly, with a muffled shout, a black figure careened through the 
fire wall at the door and slammed into her.  The dagger slipped from 
her hand and clattered to the floor.  Tuxedo Kamen kicked it out of her 
reach before she could even think to pick it up again.

"Ah, my dear Mamoru, so you want some to, eh?" she snarled as she fired 
a low kick at him.  He sidestepped it, came around behind her, and then 
grabbed her in a powerful bearhug.  Tuxedo Kamen found that it was all 
he could do to hold her.  Rei strength seemed to have almost tripled.

Quickly following Tuxedo Kamen, Alucard came through the fire wall as
well.  Seconds later, a voice yelled "MERCURY AQUA RHAPSODY!!"  The
fire wall promptly vanished and Sailor Mercury rushed through the 
door.

"You traitor!" spat Rei when she saw Alucard.  Alucard said nothing.
Instead, he reached into his coat and produced a pair of glasses. He 
put them on and examined Rei for a moment.  He smiled grimly, then took 
them off and put them away.

Again, without saying a word, he drew his sword.  He drew back and, 
before anyone could think to try to restrain him, swung it in a high 
arc toward Rei.  However, his target was not Rei herself, but an area 
above her head that, to the rest of them, looked like empty air.

Rei shrieked in rage as the sword fell toward her.

When the sword struck, however, there was a suddenly explosion of power
that knocked all but Alucard to the ground.

Dazed, Tuxedo Kamen got back to his feet.  Suddenly he realized he was 
no longer restraining Rei.  

Rei, though, was making no move to attack them.  Instead she lay 
moaning on the floor with her head in her hands.  She looked up at 
them.  Then she looked over at Sailor Moon, who was now lying 
unconscious against the wall.  Suddenly bursting into tears, Rei rushed 
to Sailor Moon's side and put her arms around her.  "I'm so sorry," she 
sobbed softly.

Sailor Moon began to regain consciousness.  "Huh?" she muttered.  "Is 
it time to go to school already?"  Rei laughed through her tears at 
this and merely hugged her more tightly.

Then Sailor Moon remembered where she was.  She saw that Rei was no 
longer acting evil.  That being the case, she started crying herself 
and returned the hug.

"Oh Rei, are you all right?" she said between sniffles.  They both 
looked up at the others.  While Tuxedo Kamen and Sailor Mercury had 
their backs to them and were studiously examining an area of the far 
wall, Alucard gazed at them with a grim expression on his face.

"What's... wrong?" said Sailor Moon slowly.  Tuxedo Kamen and Sailor
Mercury turned to face them.

Alucard closed his eyes and said, "I have broken the control that Shaft
had over her.  However... she is still a vampire."

Sailor Moon was shocked and looked at Rei.  Rei returned her gaze 
sadly.

"But... I thought..." said Sailor Moon before breaking down again.

"However," said Alucard.  He paused to make sure they were listening, 
then continued, "There might still be a way.  The only way that I know 
of is for the afflicted to deal the killing blow to the vampire that 
cursed them to begin with."

"But that means..." began Tuxedo Kamen.

"Yes," said Alucard, "it means that Rei must inflict the final blow 
upon my father.  Otherwise..."

The others looked at Rei.  She nodded slightly and said, "I 
understand."  She got to her feet, as did Sailor Moon.

"Rei, can you still transform?" asked Sailor Mercury.

"Hmm, I don't know," replied Rei, "but I can always try."  She took a
step away from them and help out her hand.  "MARS CRYSTAL POWER, MAKE
UP!!"

And then there stood Sailor Mars.  Vampire or not, she was still Sailor
Mars.

"How do you feel?" asked Sailor Moon in concern.

"I feel a bit ill, but I believe I can still fight with you guys," she 
said.  She looked at Alucard, who nodded.

Sailor Moon looked her up and down once, then said, "All right then, 
I'm ready to go show Dracula what I do to people who mess with my 
friends.  Let's go, you guys!"

**********

"DAMN THEM ALL TO HELL!!"

"You have failed once again, Shaft."

"....."

"But it was to be expected.  I knew that would be one of the first 
things my son would look for.  There was no way to avoid it."

"I am sorry, my master.  I was unable to stop him from seeing through 
my control over her.  I will personally kill them with my own hands."

"We shall see when the time comes, won't we now?  And that time shall 
be soon.  Make ready, for the enemy draws nigh."

"Yes, my master."

**********

Grant, Venus, Saturn, and Pluto entered a large chamber which was 
covered from floor to ceiling with red velvet.  They walked to the 
center of the room, to face a large throne that was on the opposite 
side of the room from which they had entered.

"Ah, welcome to my chamber," came a British-accented female voice from 
somewhere near the throne.

"Damn," muttered Grant, "it's that... that... hussy."

"Why Grant, you flatter me," came the voice again.  On the throne the 
figure of a woman shimmered into existence.  She wore a long, low cut, 
blood red dress.  Contrasting sharply with the red of the dress, her 
green hair flowed down her back.  She flashed them a smile, the red of 
her lips, though matching the dress, stood out against her white skin.  
Long, razor sharp fangs glistened in the faint light.  "I didn't 
know you thought so highly of me," said the woman.

"Well, I couldn't say what I really wanted to since there are children
present," Grant said, motioning to Sailor Saturn, who looked at him 
with her brow furrowed.

"Um, excuse me Grant," said Sailor Venus, "but who is this?"

"Grant!  Where oh where have your manners gone?  Oh silly me, you never
had any to begin with," said the woman, still smiling.  "Well, pretend 
to be a gentleman for just a moment and introduce me to your friends."

Grant silently fumed as he faced the woman.  "I present to you," he 
said with a theatrical bow, "Sailor Venus, the Senshi of Love, Sailor 
Pluto, the Senshi of Time, and Sailor Saturn, the Senshi of Death and 
Rebirth."

He turned to the senshi.  "And I present to you the Countess Elizabeth
Bartley, niece of old Vlad, and the vilest, most despicable thing on 
two legs after Shaft and old Vlad himself."

"Oh ho ho," said Elizabeth Bartley, "the things you say to win a 
woman's heart!"  She looked at the senshi.  "Pleased to meet you.  It's 
almost a shame that I'm going to have to kill you all.  But it's almost 
tea time, and I do hate to miss tea time.  I have a fine young man in 
the back who is just... dying to join me."  She stood up and began to 
float.

Grant and the senshi took up defensive positions and prepared to fight.

Bartley summoned several glowing orbs to circle around her as she flew
around the room.

Grant snorted, "You and Shaft with your orbs.  What is your obsession
with orbs?"

Bartley ignored him and said, "I'd like to say it's been fun but, 
well...  I'd be lying.  Especially you, Grant, you uncouth beast you!  
Now, be good little children and die nice and quickly for me, would 
you?"  With that, she began to launch multiple fireballs in their 
direction.

Saturn looked at Pluto, who nodded.  Saturn sighed, held up the Silence
Glaive, and yelled, "SILENCE WALL!"  Of course, all of the fireballs 
were absorbed into the field.

"Hey hey!" shrieked Bartley, "you guys don't play fair at all, do you?
Well, that's just fine and dandy because I can play hard ball too, you
know?"  At this, her form began to change.  Her hair melted into 
hissing vipers, and from the waist down, her body changed to that of a 
snake.

Grant was ready for this, however.  Before the change was complete, he
leapt up into the air, attached himself to the ceiling directly above
the Countess, and dropped as many axes and daggers on her as he could.

Bartley/Medusa screamed in pain as the weapons struck home.

"Quick!" shouted Grant from his perch, "Finish her!"

The senshi nodded once to each other.

"VENUS LOVE AND BEAUTY SHOCK!!"

"SILENCE GLAIVE SURPRISE!!"

"Dead Scream."

The twisted from of Bartley/Medusa screamed one final time before 
melting into the floor.  In her place, was a single glowing orb.

Grant released his grip and landed deftly on the floor, which was about
one hundred feet below.  He walked up and gave the orb a swift kick.  
It sailed into the throne and shattered.

"Fatality," he muttered under his breath.  At the glances and smirks he
got from the senshi, he shrugged and said, "I've always wanted to say
that, so sue me."

Grant, Venus, Saturn, and Pluto exited the room through a door next to
the ill-fated Bartley's throne.  On their way out, they found the young
man that Bartley had referred to.  Unfortunately, he was too far gone
for them to be any help to him, so they had no choice but to leave him.

**********

The light was blinding and the screeching roar was deafening.  The Star 
Lights alternated between shielding their eyes and covering their ears 
as Kara attempted to dispel the ward on the door.

After several minutes of this, the light and sound finally dimmed.  
When they could finally see again, they looked to see the results of 
Kara's attempt.

Not only had the ward been dispelled, but a hole large enough to drive 
a semi through had been made in the wall.

Sailor Star Fighter grinned as she said, "Don't you think you overdid 
it a bit?"

Kara blushed as Star Healer said, "Yeah, you didn't leave anything for 
us to do."

Before Kara could reply, a voice called from the other side of the 
wall, "Oh, don't worry.  I'm sure you'll find plenty to do in the next 
few minutes.

"Who's there?" said the Star Lights simultaneously.  They joined Kara 
as she waded across the rubble that used to be the wall.

They entered a room that was covered from floor to ceiling in something
bluish in color.  The sudden chill and slippery floor told them that it
was ice that was covering everything.

"Actrise!" Kara shouted venomously.

"Yes, my dear?  You have something you wish to say to me?" came the 
dark reply.  The source of the voice sounded from somewhere near the 
center of the large cavern.  There stood a woman wearing a fancy gray 
coat-dress with red trim.  On her chest, overtop of her white blouse 
was a large red brooch.  Covering her shoulder-length pale blue hair 
was a jewel-studded wide-brimmed gray hat with a large blue feather 
sticking out of it.

"Well?" said Actrise again, when Kara said nothing.

Instead of replying with words, Kara launched a large fireball at the
witch.  Actrise grimaced and called up a red crystal pillar to block
the fireball.  All around her various colored pillars of crystal sprang
up.

The Star Lights needed no prompting to join in the battle.  However, 
each time they would destroy a crystal, another would spring up in its 
place before they could strike the witch herself.  Meanwhile, Actrise 
was summoning pillars of crystal near them, which they had to dodge or 
else become impaled upon them.  If they ever did successfully hit her, 
she would quickly teleport to a different location, resummon her 
crystal barriers and begin her attack anew.

"This is getting us nowhere fast," yelled Star Healer as she leapt over
yet another of the crystal pillars which had sprang up in the position
she had just been occupying.

"Kara!" yelled Star Fighter over the din.  "We'll handle the barriers!
I want you to blast her with that same thing that you used to blow down
the wall!"

Kara was floating above the battlefield and thus able to avoid the 
crystal pillars, but she was having problems enough of her own with 
multiple bolts of energy that the powerful witch was launching at her.  
Her own fireballs and lightning bolts were being absorbed into the 
crystal pillars.  She nodded once, and began to concentrate on dodging 
rather than trying to attack, while she stored up her energy for one 
final blow.

"All right," shouted Star Maker, "all we have to do now is keep her 
busy long enough for Kara to get ready, then we blow a hole in her
defenses long enough for Kara to get her shot through!"

"Maker!  Look out!" yelled Star Healer.  Before Star Maker could do
anything, one of the energy bolts that had been heading for Kara
arched and struck her in the back.

Star Healer rushed to her side, picked her up, and lurched to the side 
just as a trio of crystal pillars appeared right where Star Maker had 
been lying.

"I'm all right," said Star Maker, "but... thanks for the save."

"Don't mention it," grinned Star Healer.

"NOW!" yelled Star Fighter from the opposite side of the room.

"Wow.  Kara's quick when she has to be," quipped Star Healer.

"Let's go, Healer," said Star Maker.  "STAR GENTLE UTERUS!!"

Star Healer nodded, "STAR SENSITIVE INFERNO!!"

And from her position, Star Fighter yelled, "STAR SERIOUS LASER!!"

Three pillars exploded at the same time, leaving Actrise open for a
split second.  But a split second was all that Kara needed.  She let 
loose with a gargantuan blast of pure energy.  It was enough to cause
Kara herself to be flung backwards into the wall.  Again, a blinding 
light and deafening roar filled the cavern.  

Several minutes later, when the chaos finally died down, Actrise was no
where to be seen.  Only her hat remained, lying still on the ice in the
center of the room.

"Well, I guess that's that," said Star Healer.  Star Maker nodded.

Across the room, Star Fighter ran to Kara side.  Kara was just getting
back to her feet and was still weak.

"You ok?" asked Star Fighter.

"Yeah, I guess so," said Kara.

Star Fighter looked over at the hat that was all that was left of the
evil witch.  She turned back to Kara and said, "You want to talk about
it?"

"No, not really," said Kara.  "It's just that she is to blame for all 
the troubles that my family has experienced for the past century or so.  
I'm glad I was finally able to pay her back for it all."

"Hmmm," said Star Fighter.  After a few seconds of silence, they were
joined by Star Healer and Star Maker.

"Where to now guys?" said Star Healer.

"How about through that huge door that just opened up over there,"
said Star Maker, pointing at the huge door that had just opened up
on the far side of the room, opposite of the one they'd entered
through.

Star Healer blushed and said, "Sounds good to me."

**********

"If I see just *one* more of those Medusa heads I am going to..." fumed 
Sailor Uranus as they entered the door they had worked so hard to get 
to.

She stopped in mid sentence when she saw their next adversary.  Death
floated in the middle of the room and stared silently down at them.

"Ohhh crap," muttered Jan.

"So, shall you make this easy on all of us and allow me take your souls
now," said Death, "or are you going to complicate things by trying to
resist first?"

Sailor Uranus slitted her eyes and said, "What's the fun if we don't
resist?"

Death shrugged expansively and replied, "If that's the way it has to 
be, then that's the way it has to be.  Actually, I believe I'm going to 
rather enjoy this.  It's been so long since my last good fight.  I may 
even toy with you a while before I end it."

He held his scythe out in front of him.  Several scores of flying and
quickly spinning sickles appeared around him.  He let them float there
while he said, "It is not too late to change your minds, you know.  It
will be infinitely more pleasant for you if you just submit now."

"No dice, cummerbund," said Jan.  The senshi looked at him oddly, but 
he just shrugged.

Death sighed a deep sigh and said, "Don't say I didn't try."  With 
that, all of the sickles flew at Jan and the senshi.

"I really wish Hotaru were here," said Neptune as she contorted her 
body in many strange and unusual shapes while trying to dodge all of 
the deadly projectiles.

"WORLD SHAKING!!" yelled Uranus.  While the attack had about as much
effect on Death this time as it did first time she tried it, it did 
give him enough pause that the sickle assault let up... slightly.

"Hmm, think I'll give it a shot myself," said Jupiter.  "JUPITER OAK
EVOLUTION!!"  The effect of her attack was as nil as that of Uranus
except that it kept Death distracted enough that his sickles lessened
again in intensity.

"DEEP SUBMERGE!!" yelled Sailor Neptune.  Same effect:  none except for 
mere distraction.

"HIIIYAA!!" screamed Jan as he did a full seven hundred and twenty
degree spin over and behind Death.  The Vampire Killer flicked out,
covered in white hot holy fire.

Death grunted in momentary shock as he lurched forward.  The attack of
sickles let up completely for a full second or two before starting up 
again in full force.

"Not bad, Belmont," said Death as he watched his soon-to-be victims 
dodge his sickles.  "And you too, girls.  Though your powers are 
worthless, I have to give you points for flexibility.  Though I'd 
rather expected you two to be quite... flexible."  At this he leered at 
Uranus and Neptune.  Uranus and Neptune, for their part, had the good 
grace to blush.  Jupiter put her hand to her mouth and turned her head 
to the side.

"More fight, less chat!" yelled a completely oblivious Jan as he leapt 
at Death's back again.

"Whatever you say, my boy," said Death, who then spun around and hurled
his scythe at the onrushing vampire slayer.

"Gyaah," said Jan as the mere wind from the scythe knocked him flat on
his back.

"Well, you said more fight," said Death.

"JUPITER..."

"WORLD..."

"DEEP..."

"...OAK EVOLUTION!!"

"...SHAKING!!"

"...SUBMERGE!!"

"You know, I'd come this close to forgetting about you back there," 
said Death as he turned to face the senshi once again.  He caught his 
scythe as he returned to him like a boomerang.  Then, lowering it like 
a broom, he swooped downed toward them, intending to cleave them all in 
half with one sweeping movement.

Both Jupiter and Uranus jumped and unleashed flying roundhouse kicks to 
Death, while Neptune ducked and rolled underneath the scythe.  Death, 
for his part, performed an involuntary back flip toward his original 
position at the center of the room.

Regaining his composure, he said, "That was a rather... interesting
experience.  However, I'm quickly growing tired of this."

Suddenly, from one side of the room, Kara and the Sailor Star Lights
burst into the room.  And at the same time, from the opposite side of
the room, in ran Grant, Sailor Venus, Sailor Pluto, and Sailor Saturn.

"Hmm, seems the odds just dipped a bit out of my favor," said Death.  
He looked at Sailor Saturn.  "Ah, if it isn't the Senshi of Death 
herself.  In your time, you've sent many to my realm.  I've been 
wanting to see if you could live up to your name against the real thing 
ever since I first saw you in action."  

Then he noticed Kara waving her hands, a small globe of purple energy 
floating between them.

"Ah, so the little Belnades finally comes into her own," said Death.  
"Now you'd really do Sypha and Carrie proud."

"Isn't he a bit more... um... chipper than when we last saw him?"
asked Sailor Venus as she took up a position behind Sailor Star
Healer.

Grant said, "The blowhard always gets that way during a fight.  I just
started ignoring him after the first hour or so of our last fight, but
Trevor couldn't let any of it get by without a snappy comeback of his
own.  I could have just sat back and listened to them two bicker..."

"First... *hour*...?" said several less than thrilled voices.

Grant flushed, "Well, I doubt it'll take that long with all of us at
once, but you never can tell with the old Reaper there.  He almost 
always has some new trick up his sleeve."

"If you only knew the power... of the dark side," said Death in a deep,
yet oddly familiar, voice.

"O..K.." said Sailor Venus.  She'd taken a position next to Jan and was
unconsciously holding her chain in the same manner that he was holding 
the Vampire Killer.  In unspoken agreement, she leapt with Jan and 
yelled, "VENUS LOVE-ME CHAIN!!" at the same time that he flicked out 
with the Vampire Killer.  The others chose to attack at the same time 
as well.

Death was left spinning in the center of the room.  When he finally got
a hold of himself, he spun around once more of his own accord and 
looked at each of the gathered warriors.

"Impressive.  Most impressive," he said in the same voice as before.
Then he held out his hands to either side.  Suddenly, a powerful ring
of energy emanated from Death and blasted all of them against the 
walls.

"You are beaten.  It is useless to resist," said Death.

"If you knew how annoying that was getting..." said Grant.

"Grant... I am your fath..."

"WOULD YOU SHADDAP WITH THE LAME DARTH VADER IMPERSONATION ALREADY!!"
yelled Grant, interrupting the Grim Reaper.

"Fine," said Death.  "You don't seem to appreciate true humor anyway.
Well, it has been most entertaining, but I am afraid I have business
elsewhere.  Don't worry, despite the fact that you resisted I'll still 
make this quick since you all did put on quite a show."

With that said, Death began to change.  He grew to double his original
size.  His black cloak was replaced with a shiny metallic exoskeleton.
Each of his hands were replaced with ten foot long scythe blades.  And
as he floated above them, sickles the size of his original scythe began
to spin around him.

Looking directly at Sailor Saturn, he launched all of the sickles 
directly at her.  The others gathered around her, while she called up a 
Silence Wall.  Though it stopped the vast majority of they deadly 
sickles, a few dozen of them got through.  These errant sickles were 
easily batted down by Jan's Alcarde Spear and Grant's well placed 
dagger throws.  Saturn dropped to her knees as a result of the 
exertion.  Finally, the Silence Wall dropped.

"Any last words?" he said in a new voice that sounded mechanized.

"Yeah," muttered Jan, "see you in hell."  He called forth both the 
holy water talisman and the agunea talisman.

Grant saw what he planned to do and yelled, "Everyone!  Get down!"

"HYDRO STORM!!" yelled Jan as he tossed the holy water talisman high 
into the air.  Quickly following that, he also tossed the agunea 
talisman with it.

A glowing white cloud appeared directly above Death as he stared upward 
in amusement.  Holy water began to pour from the cloud, leaving scorch 
marks on Death's new metallic body.

Death snorted and said, "Is this all you can do, Belmont?  Why this
is... ARRRRRGGGGGHHH!!"  He was stopped in mid-sentence when suddenly
a blindingly powerful bolt of blue lightning crashed down from the
cloud and struck Death dead center.

"Now!" yelled Sailor Venus.  At that, the others got up and lent aid to 
Jan's powerful attack.

When the fireworks finally ended, Death's original form lay prone on 
the ground.  He rose to his feet and regarded all of them.  The room 
began to quake violently and the senshi and their friends were hard 
pressed to stay on their feet.

A red portal appeared beneath the Grim Reaper and he began to slowly 
sink into it.

"Looks like the joke was on me after all," he said.  "Very well.  I'll 
give you this fight.  But just know that while you have been wasting 
your time here with me, your friends are walking right into a trap laid 
by Shaft and the Count.  Why I wouldn't be surprised if they were there 
even now."

Finally, the portal closed as the Death's head disappeared into it.

Sailor Venus looked around the room and saw that the others were as
worried as she felt herself.  "Come on, guys," she said and started for
a new door that had opened.  "There's no time to lose!"

**********

"He is very close," said both Alucard and Sailor Mars simultaneously.
They glanced at each other.

"So you sense him too?" said Alucard.

"Yes..." replied Sailor Mars.  She shivered suddenly.  "Unfortunately."

"It's quiet," said Sailor Mercury as they were walking down a long 
hallway.  There were candles at systematic intervals on either side of 
the hallway, but since none of them were lit, it was very dark in the 
hall.

"Yeah, a little too..." started Sailor Moon, but closed her mouth at 
the glares she received from the others.

Suddenly, the two candles immediately to either side of them burst into 
flame, causing Sailor Moon to jump back in fright.

As they made their way down the hallway, the candles lit up of their 
own accord each time they passed a pair.

"This place is really giving me the creeps," said Sailor Moon.

At the end of the hallway, a large oak door slowly yawned open.  

"I don't like this at all," said Tuxedo Kamen.

"Welcome, interlopers," came a deep voice from within the darkness
inside the new room.

"Shaft," said Alucard under his breath.

"Why yes, Alucard," said Shaft.  "I do hope you have prepared 
yourselves to die.  That, my friends, is what you all shall do very 
shortly."

Alucard drew his sword and Tuxedo Kamen readied his cane.  They moved 
slowly into the darkened room.

The lights came on suddenly.  Shaft stood at the far end of the room.
Sitting on a large throne next to him, was Count Dracula himself.  This
was the first time any of the senshi, other than Sailor Mars, had seen
him.

"You'll have to forgive Shaft," said Dracula.  "You see, he's not quite 
been himself lately.  He thinks of nothing but revenge.  Not that I can 
blame him really, considering what you all did to him not too long 
ago."

Dracula stood up.  "However, Shaft's affairs are none of my concern.
I do intend to give him ample opportunity to kill these others.  
However, my son, you are mine and mine alone."  He strode down the 
steps toward them.

"Father!" said Alucard, gripping his sword tightly.  Dracula observed
this subtle action.

"Son, you amuse me.  Who, pray tell, do you think taught you to use a 
sword in the first place, hmm?"  

Dracula held out his hand.  In it, a huge two-handed greatsword 
appeared.  Dracula, though, was able to hold it effortlessly in just 
one hand.

Shaft walked over next to his master.  "Her!" he yelled, pointing to
Sailor Mars.  "I want her!"

"No!" yelled Sailor Moon, Mercury, and Tuxedo Kamen forming a 
protective ring around Mars.  Tuxedo Kamen took several steps forward 
and held his cane out threateningly.

"Hmm," said Dracula.  "Seems as if they don't want you to have her."

"I don't care!" screamed Shaft.  "I intend to kill them all one-by-one
anyway.  Maybe it's better to save her for last."  He eyed Tuxedo Kamen 
angrily.

"One-by-one, sounds good," said Dracula.  He turned to the other 
senshi.  "We can't have you interfering in a fair, one-on-one battle 
now can we?"

He held up his other hand.  Suddenly, a large wall slammed into place,
effectively cutting Sailor Moon, Mars, and Mercury off from the rest
of them.  Tuxedo Kamen spun around, then turned back to face his
opponent.

"Don't worry," said Dracula to Shaft, "They're not going anywhere.
And they won't be able to interfere at all.  Kill him at your whim."

Shaft didn't say another word.  He drew a scimitar from his belt and
rushed at Tuxedo Kamen.  He brought it down in a move calculated to
split Tuxedo Kamen from head to toe.  However, Tuxedo Kamen brought
up his cane and blocked the scimitar, then swung the cane in a low
arc that swept Shaft off his feet.  Shaft howled in rage as he leapt
back to his feet.  Tuxedo Kamen merely took a step back and prepared
to intercept the next attack.

Dracula frowned in disapproval, then turned to face Alucard.  "So, my
son.  Shall we begin?"

"Very well, father" said Alucard.  They suddenly rushed each other and 
metal clashed on metal.  The battle was joined.

-----

"Tuxedo Kamen's in there by himself!!" wailed Sailor Moon, "We have
to get in there and help him!"

"Sailor Moon, please calm down!" said Sailor Mercury.  She had her mini 
computer out and was scanning the wall for any sort of weakness.  They 
had already tried attacking the wall, but some sort of magical shield 
had absorbed their powers.

"Okay okay!  I'm calming down," said Sailor Moon.  She went over and 
sat down next to Sailor Mars, who was quietly meditating.  "How are you 
feeling?"

"I'm getting worse," said Sailor Mars without opening her eyes.  At
Sailor Moon's worried silence, Mars looked at her and said, "Alucard 
may have broken Shaft's control, but he didn't break Dracula's control.  
While more subtle, it is far more pervasive.  I've been able to resist 
it so far, but I'm losing.  I just know it.  We're going to have to end 
this soon."

-----

"This way!" said Grant.  He had been chosen to lead the way as he had
the most experience with Castlevania.  Also, due to his strong bond 
with Alucard, they were being led in the right direction.

"They're in trouble," said Sailor Pluto, who was right behind Grant.  
It wasn't a question, it was a statement.

"Yes," said Grant.  "I don't know about the rest of them, but Alucard 
is in full-blown fight mode.  That is never a good sign, I'm afraid."

"The sooner we get there, the happier I'll be," said Sailor Venus.

The others voiced varying degrees of affirmation as they continued
onward.

-----

Alucard picked himself up off the floor.  The deep gash he had received
on his sword arm was not helping matters at all.  He looked at his 
father, who stood in a traditional fencer's stance and smiled at him.  
He did not know how long he would be able to continue battling with his 
father before... no, that way of thinking was sure to defeat him long 
before his father's sword would.

He glanced over to see if Tuxedo Kamen was faring any better than he 
was.  The exact instant he averted his eyes was when Dracula decided to 
renew his attack.  Once again, Alucard found himself fighting the 
toughest fight of his long life.

-----

"Arrrgh!" yelled Shaft as he parried Tuxedo Kamen's cane yet again.  
Though he had not yet been able to inflict any damage, neither had
Tuxedo Kamen done any real harm with his cane.

Suddenly, he found himself face down on the floor again.  He leapt back 
to his feet and snarled, "You may be very skilled with that cane, but 
it is still just a cane and no match for a real sword.  It's only a 
matter of time before you slip up and then I'll have you!"

"You're right," said Tuxedo Kamen.  Though Shaft had been taunting him
relentlessly, these was the first words Tuxedo Kamen had spoken since 
they had begun fighting.

"Huh?" said Shaft, not expecting this.

"About the cane, I mean," said Tuxedo Kamen.  Tuxedo Kamen lunged 
forward and caught Shaft in the abdomen with the cane, doubling him 
over.  Then he spun around and sent Shaft flying head over heels 
backwards over Dracula's throne.

While Shaft lay on his back staring up at the ceiling, Tuxedo Kamen 
kept talking, "It's no substitute for a real sword at all."

Shaft leapt to his feet again and was about to attack again, when he 
saw that Tuxedo Kamen was no longer there.  In his place stood a regal 
figure in full battle armor.  His cape fluttered in the slight wind as 
he watched Shaft.

"So, how do you like it?" said Prince Endymion, glancing at the 
broadsword in his hand before returning his gaze to Shaft.

"AAARRRGGH!!" screamed Shaft in nearly mindless rage as he threw 
himself at the Prince of Earth.  Endymion easily sidestepped and 
slammed him in the back with the flat of his sword, knocking him to the 
ground yet again.

Shaft stood up slowly, and turned to face Endymion.  "It seems I am no
match for you in swordplay," he said.  "Therefore I will resort to what
I *am* good at."  With that, he took to the air, summoning a half dozen
floating orbs to his side.

Endymion said nothing.  He merely waited.

Shaft cackled insanely and launched the orbs at Endymion.  As this was
what he was waiting for, the Prince leapt into motion.  Bounding off of 
one of the orbs, he propelled himself directly at the dark priest.

Shaft screamed in horror as he saw Endymion bring his sword around.  
That was, in fact, the last thing Shaft ever saw.

Endymion landed behind Shaft and turned to face him.  Cleaved cleanly 
in half, what was left of the evil priest dropped to the floor with a 
thud.  His orbs also dropped to the floor, shattering when they hit.

Prince Endymion then turned his focus toward helping Alucard, who was 
on the losing end of his own battle with his father.

-----

"Here!" said Grant as they rushed down a long hallway that was dimly 
lit by candles at intermittent intervals.  Rushing through a large open 
door, they almost trampled Sailor Moon before they saw her standing 
there, waving her arms at them frantically.

"Sailor Moon!" said Sailor Jupiter.  "Did you find Rei?"  Then, she saw 
Sailor Mars sitting in the corner, staring down at the floor.

"Sailor Mars!" said Sailor Venus happily.  She started over to her, but 
Sailor Mercury stopped her with a hand on her shoulder.

"It would be best to leave her be right now," said Sailor Mercury.
"Besides, she is so deep in a trance that I don't think she can hear
you anyway."

"Where's Tuxedo Kamen?" asked Sailor Pluto suddenly.

"And Alucard?" added Kara.

Sailor Mercury motioned to the wall behind her.  "Dracula and Shaft
separated us from them with this wall.  We've been trying to get 
through it, but there is some sort of field that absorbs our powers."

Sailor Star Fighter said, "Hmm, do you think this is another ward,
Kara?"

Kara walked forward and put her hand on the wall.  She nodded.  "This 
one is much stronger than the last one, though," she said.  "I may be 
able to break it, but only with the help of all of you."

"Well," said Sailor Star Healer, "if anyone can break this wall down, 
it'd be you."

"Stand back," said Kara.  She moved to the center of the room and began
speaking in a language none of the others understood.  The wall began 
to glow increasingly brighter.

-----

Alucard looked groggily over at Endymion, who was lying on the ground
next to him.

"You all right?" he asked.

"Yeah, I believe so," replied Endymion, "but I wished he'd have stuck
to plain sword fighting."

"So do I," muttered Alucard, "but it can't be helped."

"What?" laughed Dracula from his position high in the air above them.  
"Am I playing with you too roughly?"

He raised both arms and spread his cape.  Four flaming bats flew from
beneath his cape and toward them.

Alucard and Endymion leapt to their feet and attacked the bats.  While
they were busy with the flaming bats, Dracula lowered himself and 
hurled another wave of energy at them, once again slamming them into 
the wall.

Dracula landed next to them.  Looking down at them with mock pity, he
said, "You really didn't think I was going to let you even pretend you
had some sort of advantage did you?  I'm sorry but that is just not my 
way."  He leaned backwards, levitated toward the center of the room, 
and landed again.

"My son, you should have kept up with your skills.  It is embarrassing
for me to defeat you so handily like this."

Again, Alucard and Endymion stood up.  Though not really ready, but
knowing that they had no choice otherwise, they turned to face the 
Count again.

"My we are persistent, aren't we?" laughed Dracula.  "I haven't had fun
like this in over eighty years.  I think I will..."  Then he stopped.
Frowning, he cocked his head slightly as if listening to something.

Then Alucard and Endymion heard it as well.  A high pitched whining
sound from somewhere nearby.

Before they could speculate much about what it was, the far wall that
Dracula had brought down suddenly exploded toward them.  Dracula,
Alucard, and Endymion shielded themselves as they were assaulted by
flying debris and an intensely bright light.

"What...?" began the Count.

"I will tell you what," came the voice of Sailor Moon from the source 
of the light, "We are the Sailor Senshi and in the name of all that is 
good we intend to send you back to where you came from.  I personally 
cannot forgive you for what you did to my friend.  So, ready or not,
here I go!  SILVER MOON CRYSTAL POWER KISS!!"

Dracula held out a hand, thinking he was going to absorb the blow as
he had all the others that had been sent against him by his son and
Prince Endymion.  Instead, he soon found himself buckling to his knees.

"Such... power," he said.  Then he heard other voices in addition to
that of Sailor Moon.  Following that, he felt still more energy flowing
into him.  Too much energy.

"Noooo!" yelled Dracula, who still could not see because of the 
blinding light.  "Not again!!"

"Now Sailor Mars!" he heard his son yell.

The voice of his fledgling sounded over the cacophony assaulting him 
along with all of the power.

"MARS.... FLAME.... SNIPER!!"

Dracula did not see it, but he surely felt the flaming arrow strike him
in the chest.

"NNNOOOOO!!!" he screamed in a mixture of anger and agony.  Then he 
felt the now familiar sensation of his body beginning to break up.

So... it was to be yet another century before he could take his 
rightful place as ruler of this world.  So be it.  Dracula was a very 
patient man.

"Listen and listen well!" he screamed even as his body was beginning to
fade away.  "You have won once again, my son.  And you, his newfound
allies.  I commend you.  But keep this in mind as you sleep at night
during the next century.  You have to win every single time.  I, 
however, have only... to... win... but... ooonnnnncccee......."  With 
that, the last of Dracula's essence disappeared.

"We'll be here," whispered Sailor Mars, just before collapsing.

-----

Rei opened her eyes to find herself being carried by Alucard as he ran.
Beyond him, she saw all of her friends running as well as the castle 
was disappearing around them.

She started to say something, but stopped.  Something was terribly 
wrong with her.  Then she realized why she felt the way she did.  "Oh 
no," she moaned softly, "it... didn't work."

"We'll worry about that later," said Alucard only loud enough for her 
to hear.

She struggled to speak again, but finally succumbed to unconsciousness
once again as they all fled the disintegrating Castlevania.

**********

A half an hour later, the group watched as the top of the evil castle
finally disappeared beneath the ground.  Turning to Mamoru, Usagi said
softly, "It's finally over, right?"

Mamoru shook his head and motioned to Rei, who was still was still
being carried by Alucard.

Tears that were not quite dry from the last time began to flow down
Usagi's cheeks again as she gazed at her friend silently.  She turned
back to the visage of Castlevania disappearing and rested her head
gently against Mamoru's shoulders.

After a few more minutes, they all turned without a word and left the
roof of the building from which they had observed the spectacle.

***************

TBC...