Sailor Moon Millennium – Dark Sun Rising
Chapter # 18 – A Date at the Sea : A Walk Down Memory Lane –
Created November 11th, 2002
By K.W. Isenor (sailor_sun_@hotmail.com) & Jason (Omartin6@home.com)

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Rayden knelt beside Sailor Sun's unconscious body and sighed before he raised his hand over her body a strange blinding flash focusing around her body, the light grew stronger and stronger before it faded and he waited for her to open her eyes.

Sailor Sun's eyes slowly crept open, everything was a blur, and there was a particularly dark blur right above her. Blinking a couple of times forced her eyes into focus.

She was in a spotless white room, with small ferns hanging from baskets overhead, birds cawed and a fountain inside the room she was in flowed and standing before her was ... Rayden.

"Where?" She asked, her voice was in a mere whisper, she felt very weak, yet completely revitalized.

"You are here yet there everywhere yet nowhere" he joked before he handed her a small cup filled with cool water, "shhhh drink this slowly,” he said as he sat down on the white bed she was laying on and held the drink to her lips.

She let the cool water into her mouth and began to drink with a great thrust from the little cup. It did not seem to run out of water until she had quenched her thrust.

Slowly he placed the cup on a brilliant white nightstand beside the bed. "Rest Princess you were nearly killed" he told her as he looked at her and smiled kindly.

"You . . . you saved me?" She asked as she lay down. The bed was so soft, and warm, everything about where she was made her feel so relaxed.

He nodded once, "your time hasn't come and will not come for a very long time."

"But I thought you couldn't interfere with such things?" she questioned as she looked at him with a warm heart.

"I can yet I cannot" he began in a cautious tone. "Sadly however things are changing for the worst. Skorr, and Takai murdered more then half of the other elder gods (they and I keep the earth in check). They and Sailor Eclipse, Sailor Malice and Sailor Scourge also killed several other warriors before they could arrive to help you against Akujun and his forces."

"So they have an increased power over you then?" Sailor Sun asked, making sure that she followed with what Rayden was telling her.

"To a certain extent - they don't have the two remaining Apocalypse Scouts nor have they reawakened Cherris or Seraphym. Akujun has also not arrived here which is a good sign since he will take as many warriors with him in order to invade while he merges this realm with the Neatherealm."

"I won't let him!" Sailor Sun said as she struggled to sit up but couldn't find the energy, and the bed was so very inviting.

Rayden gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "You aren't strong enough yet Sailor Sun - I wasn't strong enough at first and an entire sentient species paid for that with their very lives" he warned slowly.

"Well what can we do, where can we get enough strength to overcome them? They just continue to keep coming, it is like there is no end."

"You and your team have bested one of their generals, and Baraka can be defeated easily - if you understand what his weaknesses are."

"Do you know?" Sailor Sun asked hopefully.

Rayden nodded, "but I can't tell you outright Princess. I can only guide you and your friends unless Akujun enters and the rules are broken which they haven't been. Hence why I have not interfered." He said sadly before he smiled, "but it doesn't mean I can't give you some hints" he said kindly.

"That is good to know." Sailor Sun said with a smile. "We owe you a lot Rayden!"

"You do not owe me anything Sailor Sun. If anything I owe you and your friends. You are putting your lives on the line for the world as we all know it,” he said as he returned her smile. "What have you noticed about Baraka?" he asked her.

"He is a bit stupid." She suggested. "And driven by anger." She shrugged her shoulders.

Rayden nodded, "especially concerning another,” he said calmly. "Think back Princess who did you nearly defeat before he attacked?"

"Mileena." Was her reply.

Rayden nodded a small smile breaking the calm of his face. "Bingo" he said slowly. "Baraka has loved her for a long time and she loves him just as much, that fuelled by his anger and stupidity is the key."

"That should be easy enough to use to our advantage." Sailor Sun said as the wheels began to turn in her head.

Rayden nodded slowly. "Your friends are worried about you,” he said slowly. "And you need to reach your cousin. Her soul is on the line. If she chooses darkness then she will be cursed to the Neatherealm once her body dies."

“How do I reach her? I have tried everything, or at least I thought I have." Sailor Sun said as she looked at Rayden with searching eyes. Hoping deep down inside that he would have the answer to all of her problems and questions that haunted her mind, body and soul.

"What have you noticed about her? What is it about your cousin that has made her the way she is?" he asked her.

Sailor Sun looked down at her lap. "That is what I have been trying to think about for sometime and my thoughts keep turning back to Skorr."

He nodded; "she loves him" he began slowly. "My question has always been why though, Skorr if nothing else is insane and sadistic."

"But there has to be something about him. Or why would she give up everything that she used to have? She used to be . . . "normal" at least I think she was."

"I wish I knew," he said thoughtfully. "How your mother managed to imprison him in the heart of darkness I will never know."

"There has to be something we can do, to get Skorr out of the picture, and make Tasha see the truth."

He shrugged again. "Your friends are searching for you,” he told her.

"Alright then, perhaps I should get back to them."

"Hold out your hand" he instructed. Sailor Sun did as instructed. A brilliant white light then surrounded them, thunder flashing as lightning was heard and then she was at her house ... alone but at her home.

Sailor Sun looked around in hopes of seeing Rayden, but there was no sign of the God. Deciding that he was nowhere to be around she whispered a thank-you to nowhere in particular before de-transforming.

That was when she saw two people sitting near the porch, upon further inspection she saw that it was Tasha and Skorr, the latter holding her cousin close, his tail wrapped around her waist as the two of them kissed as if there was no tomorrow.

She tried to make her entrance to the porch a little noisier then usual. Hoping that the distraction would pry the two part for a moment.

Nothing however seemed to work, the couple was too wrapped up in each other to do anything else, Skorr's nightmarish yet handsome face meeting hers before he pulled away and held her close ... then he bit into her neck.

"Oh, I'm sorry I didn't see you two." Jessica said as she looked down at the floor.

Tasha shrugged then moaned a little as he licked the wound clean before she giggled. "Skorry! Stop that tickles!" she said.

"Your point?" Skorr asked mischievously before he tackled her and began to tickle her.

"NO! NONONONONONONONO!!!" Tasha screamed laughing as Skorr tickled her.

Jessica looked at the couple oddly for a minute. How could such a monster show such loved and affection towards another? She could see it in his eyes as he tickled her and Tasha tried to squirm away. It was almost . . . cute.

"STOPPIT!! JESSY HELP!!" Tasha pleaded as she tried to get away from her boyfriend who kept tickling her.

Jessica didn't know what to do so she went over and began to help with the tickling of her cousin. "Don't you remember, Tasha? I never showed mercy when it came to tickling you!"

"NOOOOO SLAGGIT STOP!!" Tasha pleaded as they both tickled her. The red head actually found it odd to be having fun with her cousin, the enemy.

Finally Tasha managed to get away teleporting away from them both. "Awwwwwwww" Skorr said with a mock pout. "Spoil all my fun."

"Ain't fair that yer only ticklish in one spot an' I'm not!" Tasha said with a flirty wink as she reappeared. Skorr grinned though he was blushing just a bit.

Jessica sat back a bit and watched the couple. They truly did love one another. It was so weird to sit there and watch them. "An' as fer Jessy" Tasha said before she and Skorr grinned then tackled her and began to tickle her. She began to kick and scream as the attacked her sides with their fingers, hitting all of the ticklish spots. She squirmed and screamed as she tried to get away from them, but it was all in vane. Just then Kevin burst through the door with a worried look on his face, which was quickly washed over with confusion.

After a little while the couple stopped then Skorr leaned over and kissed Tasha on the lips. "Be back soon lover" he said before he vanished. Jessica sat up, her face was red and she was gasping for air.

Tasha watched as the portal closed before she turned to go.

"I was worried, I heard screaming and thumping, I didn't know what was going on." Kevin said as he bent down to help Jessica to her feet.

"No worries sweetie." Jessica said with a smile, she watched her cousin begin to leave. 'Hey Tasha, what are you doing today?"

"Racin'," Tasha, said with a shrug, "after dat I'll be gone fer a few hours" she replied with a big grin on her face before walking upstairs in a very happy mood.

Jessica and Kevin exchanged glances. "What is up with her?" Kevin asked. Jessica just shrugged her shoulders.

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Brooke knocked lightly on Takai's door. Hoping that he was in, she hadn't had a chance to see him much and maybe he had an idea where Jessica was, after all she did sort of just disappear.

"Door's open" he said.

Brooke opened it and walked in to find Takai sitting slouched over on the couch. "Hey." She said with a forced smile.

"What's wrong?" he asked her.

"I don't know where Jessica is and if she is alright. She just sort of disappeared."

Takai watched her before he closed his eyes and for a few moments his body glowed a brilliant red hue before the light faded. "She's at her home, Kevin is with her."

"Good." She let out a sigh of relief.

"How are you doing?" he asked her.

"Better now that I know she is safe. But I was starting to miss you." She said as she walked around the couch and sat down beside Takai, cuddling into his chest.

He blinked then smiled a bit, "I ... missed you too" he admitted as he held her in his arms drowning out everything else save for her heartbeat which always seemed to soothe him. He smiled then kissed her. "Want to go to the beach? I understand that the night makes it more enjoyable."

"Really? I would love to! But where will be go, it would be too far to go around here." She said her face lighting up at the thought of going to the beach.

"I could teleport us anywhere" he suggested.

Her smiled widened. "Oh I would love it!" She hugged him. "Please beam us there." She couldn't resist the little pun.

"First of all, I am not Scotty" he teased, "and second of all I don't beam I portal."

"Well whatever you do, lets get going! I can't wait. It has been so long since I had the chance to swim in the ocean." He laughed then kissed her, his arms around her before they both vanished and reappeared at the beach.

Brooke took a deep breath of the sea air; it was rich with salt and the other oceanic smells. "Oh this is so perfect!" She said as she looked around, they were alone of the long stretch of white sandy beach. "Where are we?"

Takai grinned a little. "Mexico" he said with a grin.

She smiled and hugged Takai and kissed him deeply. "You are so sweet!" She said as she looked out to the warm waters. "Don't suppose you could whip me up a bathing suit could you?"

He blushed, "ummmm sure" he said before a blue bathing suit appeared on her.

"Well what are you waiting for?" She asked as she grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the water.

He laughed and followed her, "I can't swim though" he told her.

"Well I'll teach you."

"Very well then" he told her.

They went into the water and Brooke dove under as soon as she was deep enough, when she came up she shot straight out of the water and whipped her hair over her head.

He watched her silently watching the way she whipped her hair over her head. He smiled as he looked at her. "Stunning."

She blushed, but it wasn't easily seen due to the lack of man-made light. "Come on, I’m going to get you swimming." She said as she pulled his hand. "It is simple."

"You say that now but if I drown I'm going to come back and haunt you."

"I'm an expert Swim Instructor." She said proudly. "Now come on it isn't that hard." Brooke went over the basics of swimming and finally got Takai out so he was deep enough to actually swim, she let go of his arm and watched him with a close eye.

He blinked as he began to swim, and minutes later he actually began to enjoy his swim with her. "You are a natural!"

He smiled. "And I owe it all to you" he told her. The pair swam and enjoyed the time together late into the night. A shooting start streaked across the sky. "Make a wish," she whispered into his ear."

He smiled as he looked at her. "I already did" he said before he kissed her deeply.

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Tasha stared into the mirror, she wore a sparkling red dress that was low cut and had a v line around the thigh area, around her neck was a stunning necklace with numerous diamonds and one large emerald in the middle. But it wasn't the dress or the jewel that made her smile, well it was but it wasn't. It was the fact that Skorr had placed them both on the porch for her. She took another few moments to make sure her hair was done then opened the door shyly, this was after all going to be hers and Skorr's first major date.

Jessica looked at Tasha as she opened the door. "You look stunning!" She said with wide eyes. Kevin and Eclipse nodded, they both stood slightly behind Jessica. Tasha blushed bright red, wanting to hide in the bathroom again. "Skorr is going to think you are Goddess." Jessica said as she took her cousin's arm.

"Yeah" Tasha said blushing - hoping that nothing would go wrong.

"I want you to have lots of fun, and enjoy your time together." Jessica said as she walked with Tasha down the Hallway. Her parents waited in the living room, they were glad that Tasha was going out, although they hadn't had the chance to meet the young man Tasha was going out with they supported her completely.

Tasha said nothing, she stared at the floor not wanting to be embarrassed - she wished she had a cigarette, but sadly she was out of smokes at the moment. It was the knock on the door that interrupted her thoughts.

Jessica father, Jeffrey answered the door. While Jessica mother, Harriet smiled with pure joy as she watched her niece come down the stairs in the beautiful dress.

Standing on the doorstep was Skorr; he was dressed all in black with a brilliant tuxedo while inwardly biting his lip and hoping that nothing was going to go wrong.

"Pleased to meet you young man, please come in." Jeffrey took a step back so that he could enter the room. "I am Jeffrey and this is Harriet, my wife." He said as he offered his hand to the young gentleman.

"Jason" Skorr said smiling a little though very uncomfortable, he didn't want them to forbid him from seeing Tasha even though he could kill them and take their souls easily.

"Pleased to meet you son. Now I don't want to keep you two waiting. Go off and enjoy your night. Try not to be out too late." Jeffrey said with a warm smile.

He nodded then blinked as he watched Tasha walk down the stairs, in the red dress he'd given her earlier and were it possible his mouth would have dropped to the floor as he took in the sight of her ... she looked just as she had when they'd first met all those years ago.

Tasha smiled as she looked down at Skorr, he looked as attractive as he had when they'd met in her aunt's palace during the Millennium Ball. "Heys" she said as she linked her left arm with his right one. "Ya look great" she said as the two of them left, Jessica and the others watching, her cousin feeling as if she'd seen something like this before once ... long ago . . .

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Princess Cassandra stood in her cousin’s room, waiting for Ravina to come out from the divider to show her the dress. "Come on, your taking forever. I bet you look stunning!"

"No I don't" Ravina said as she walked out. "I look soooo ... proper" she mumbled.

"That is the idea, now come out from behind there so I can se what you look like." Cassandra pleaded with the other girl.

Finally Ravina opened the door and sighed, she was dressed in a brilliant red dress - one that sparkled brightly only she was nervous half expecting someone to laugh at her.

"You look stunning, just like I said you would." Cassandra walked over to her cousin. "Now to finish it off, what do you want done with your hair?"

"I .. umm I .. don't know" Ravina said as she looked down at the floor.

"Hum, how about a pretty braid?" She asked as she collected her cousin’s hair. "I can do two strands here and bring them around the back of your head and then braid them together?" Cassandra suggested.

"Okay" Ravina said looking at the floor still.

The Sol Princess quickly got to work and did her cousins hair. "There, now for the last thing." She walked over to Ravina's dresser. "Mother wanted me to give you this." She handed the box to her cousin.

"What is it?" she asked.

"You have to open it up to find out." Cassandra teased. Ravina smiled a little then opened the box.

Ravina's eyes widened as she saw the corsage, "it’s . . . beautiful," she said with a small smile on her face.

"I'm glad that you like it, now are you ready to go?" She asked with a warm smile. Princess Cassandra was already dressed, wearing a beautiful golden gown that flowed down to the floor. It went from a pale yellow to a more golden yellow at the bottom.

Ravina nodded following her cousin out into the courtyard - she hoped that no one would pay any attention to her. But that wasn't going to happen, upon the two girls entrance all of the guests turned to look upon them with warm and approving faces. "Smile, they are all happy to se us." Cassandra whispered. Ravina smiled still very shy.

It was then that she saw a young and handsome man about her age standing in the middle of the room; she blinked as he winked at her and she blushed. Cassandra didn't catch the exchange; she was too busy scanning the crowd for the handsome Prince and Heir of the Daystar Kingdom.

Ravina watched the man before she started walking over to him, feeling as if she had to and when she did the man whose brilliant green eyes gleamed as he extended a hand to her and the two of them began to dance. Finding Sol Daystar the handsome, blond Prince. Princess Cassandra spun around the dance floor in his arms. It wasn't until the first dance was over that she spotted her cousin dancing with an unfamiliar face.

The man danced with a grace and poise that suggested he was nobility yet the way he looked at her cousin.

"Do you know him?" Cassandra asked Sol.

Sol looked towards the man that Ravina danced with. "His face is not familiar, I’m not sure who he may be. Perhaps it is best if you ask your mother?"

As the two of them danced Ravina looked into his eyes, a smile on her face as he danced with her ... then he leaned forward and kissed her on the lips.

The Princess was very shocked at this; they had only met hadn't they? Or maybe they didn't, maybe Ravina knew this young man already and just didn't care to tell her cousin about him. Cassandra spun around the dance floor, being sure to keep a close eye on her cousin. Not wanting anything to happen to Ravina, whom she considered to be like a sister to her.

Ravina blinked and pulled away before she promptly slapped the man, "don't do that again,” she said before she stormed off. The man blinked then walked the other way a small smile on his face.

Well that little episode helped to clear things up for Cassandra who ended the dance with Sol and went to follow her cousin. She followed Ravina out to the balcony; no one was out there except for Ravina herself.

She was just staring out at the stars when Cassandra came and although she'd slapped the stranger she couldn't help but think how good of a kisser he was. "Hey there." Princess Cassandra said as she walked over to stand beside her cousin.

"Heys" was all Ravina said.

”Did you know that guy?"

"No" she said hiding the fact that she'd sensed the man's presence several times before ... whenever she was conjuring

"Would you like me to have he removed from the Ball?" Cassandra asked as she tried to see her cousin’s face.

Ravina shook her head, "no it's alright"

"Alright then, are you going to come back in? Another set of dances will be starting up, and soon after that, dinner."

"I'll join you for dinner Cass."

"Alright then, I'll see you around then." With that Cassandra turned and left, making her way back out to the dance floor where she was instantly swept off into another dance by Sol.

"You can come out now,” Ravina said as she looked around before seeing the figure in the shadows. "I ... I know what you are." she began.

"Do you? Do you really?" the figure asked calmly. "I find that hard to believe when you don't even understand yourself."

Ravina blinked. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that ... you do not even understand yourself anymore Princess Ravina, not after your mother abandoned you and you've felt drawn to the darkness."

"Yo . . . y . . . you know?" she asked feeling a chill run up her spine before she saw him and her eyes widened. "You" she said slowly remembering the figure in her dreams.

The demon nodded then moved beside her and in surprise he took her hand gently. "So much pain, no one as stunning and breathtaking as you deserves that pain" he said before he looked at her then kissed her again.

This time she kissed him back.

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© 1999-2002. Sailor Moon Millennium: Dark Sun Rising is copyright material of K.W.Isenor also known as Sunrose and Jason 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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