Chapter 22: The Final Battle

Sol formed the Sun Staff and walked to the center of the room, taking a defensive stance.

"I'm ready."

Scorpios removed his jacket and flung it across the room, leaving him in a white shirt and black pants. He bowed mockingly to her and took his position. Then, he sprang at her.

Sol turned, striking with the Sun Staff at his back. Scorpios blocked the blow with his forearm. He tried to land a punch but missed.

Sol pivoted and managed a kick to his ribs but she took a blow to her shoulder. She stepped back, but her next strike was effectively blocked. Using the Sun Staff to fend off the furious attacks, she tried to find some opening or weakness to use against him

She stepped back again. Seeing an opportunity, Scorpios threw an energy ball. Unable to dodge in time, Sol was hit in the same shoulder, injuring the joint further.

"Giving up?" Scorpios asked.

"Never," she replied.

She blocked a punch to the ribs and managed a strike on his back. Cursing her, he sent another energy ball. She deflected it with the Sun Staff.

The battle progressed. Neither of the combatants was able to land many blows, but the attacks that did land counted. Scorpios was proving to be a formidable enemy.

Sol realized that she was beginning to tire. While Scorpios was beginning to show signs of fatigue, he didn't appear as winded as the Sailor Soldier. She blocked another blow with her Sun Staff.

'I have to win,' she told herself. 'I have to win this battle.'

"Tiring already?" Scorpios asked, landing a kick.

Moaning slightly, she stepped back. Using the Sun Staff, she swept his feet out from under him. Scorpios landed on his back with a thud. Sol held one of the razor-sharp edges against his chest and stared down at him.

Suddenly, his face softened. "Ten-chan?" he whispered.

Sol recoiled slightly, loosening her grip on the staff. "Charon?"

Scorpios laughed and the energy ball sent her flying. She hit a wall and slid down, fighting to keep conscious. Scorpios slowly approached her. Rising to her knees, Sol realized that the Sun Staff had landed a few feet away.

She rolled and dodged a kick to the ribs. Blocking a fury of blows, Sol tried to move toward the Sun Staff. However, Scorpios always drove her back, enjoying her frustration.

In a desperate move, she ducked a punch and rolled to the staff. Yet, before she could grab it, Scorpios kicked it away, laughing. Sol rose to her feet and realized that Scorpios was slowly backing her into a corner.

Yet, without her staff, she was only left with two attacks. Her Celestial Wind attack would not be strong enough to stop Scorpios. That left her with only one option, but she didn't want to take it.

Scorpios blows were getting stronger, while she was landing fewer and fewer strikes. Something had to give soon. Unfortunately, it appeared that it would be her.

'I have no choice,' she realized with a sinking feeling. 'I'm sorry, Jonathan.'

Sol managed to get some distance between her and Scorpios. "Sol Celestial Wind!"

The attack found its mark, but it disappeared too quickly. Scorpios glared at her, gingerly cradling his injured arm. He started to close the distance between them, forming a large energy ball.

"Is that all you have left?" he demanded.

"No," Sol replied, shaking her head. "I still have a few surprises left." She closed her eyes and prepared for her final attack.

* * * * *

Sailor Moon surveyed the area around them. The shadowy corridors around them were creepy. "Where are we?" she asked.

"We are on a planet just beyond our solar system," Sailor Pluto explained. "This is where Charon died."

"So, where's Celeste-chan?" Sailor Venus asked after an awkward pause.

"They should be in the main chamber," Sailor Pluto replied. Ignoring the quizzical looks, she headed down one of the hallways. The others followed wordlessly, each glancing around as they walked.

'I hope we find Celeste-chan soon,' Sailor Moon thought, glancing at Sailor Pluto's composed face. 'I hope we are in time to help.'

* * * * *

"Is that all you have left?" he demanded.

"No," Sol replied, shaking her head. "I still have a few surprises left." She closed her eyes and prepared for her final attack.

She stretched her arms out and raised them until they were shoulder level.

"Sol . . ."

A fiery orange aura surrounded her, growing quickly in intensity.

". . . Celestial . . ."

She began to levitate as the aura began to take the form of a screaming bird.

". . . Phoenix!"

She suddenly opened her eyes. A high-pitch screech echoed in the chamber as the fiery bird flew at Scorpios. He cried out briefly and then the room soon became silent.

* * * * *

"What's that noise?" Sailor Venus shouted, covering her ears.

"No!" Sailor Pluto cried. "We can't be too late!"

She ran down the corridor, deaf to the pleas of the others to wait. They followed the Time Guardian as she raced down passage after passage. Soon, the only ones not panting were Sailors Uranus and Pluto.

They finally came to a large, metal door. Sailor Pluto pulled on the door. Yet, it didn't move.

"Pluto Dead Scream!"

The door crumpled and fell off its hinges into the room. Sailor Pluto made a choking sound and ran into the room. The others followed and gasped when they found Sailor Sol collapsed in the middle of the room.

"Sol?" Sailor Pluto said, gently picking her up and wiping the hair out of her face. "Sol, open your eyes!"

Sol slowly opened her eyes and smiled weakly at Sailor Pluto. "Setsuna, please take care of Jonathan for me."

Sailor Pluto shook her head. "No, you're going to take care of him yourself."

"I'm too weak," she replied. "Scorpios is dead. Maybe we have peace at last, Setsuna."

Sailor Moon knelt beside the pair and motioned for the others to check on Jonathan. "Come on, Celeste-chan. Get up."

There was a flash of white light. Sol's eyes widened at the sight of Neo-Queen Serenity kneeling beside her. She tried to sit up but collapsed back into Sailor Pluto's arms.

"Your Majesty," she whispered.

"You deserve some happiness in your life, Sailor Sol," the future queen said softly.

Sol closed her eyes peacefully as the warm light surrounded her. She gave a contented sigh. Then she drifted off into oblivion.


The Final Battle Sol formed the Sun Staff and walked to the center of the room, taking a defensive stance. "I'm ready." Scorpios removed his jacket and flung it across the room, leaving him in a white shirt and black pants. He bowed mockingly to her and took his position. Then, he sprang at her. Sol turned, striking with the Sun Staff at his back. Scorpios blocked the blow with his forearm. He tried to land a punch but missed. Sol pivoted and managed a kick to his ribs but she took a blow to her shoulder. She stepped back, but her next strike was effectively blocked. Using the Sun Staff to fend off the furious attacks, she tried to find some opening or weakness to use against him She stepped back again. Seeing an opportunity, Scorpios threw an energy ball. Unable to dodge in time, Sol was hit in the same shoulder, injuring the joint further. "Giving up?" Scorpios asked. "Never," she replied. She blocked a punch to the ribs and managed a strike on his back. Cursing her, he sent another energy ball. She deflected it with the Sun Staff. The battle progressed. Neither of the combatants was able to land many blows, but the attacks that did land counted. Scorpios was proving to be a formidable enemy. Sol realized that she was beginning to tire. While Scorpios was beginning to show signs of fatigue, he didn't appear as winded as the Sailor Soldier. She blocked another blow with her Sun Staff. 'I have to win,' she told herself. 'I have to win this battle.' "Tiring already?" Scorpios asked, landing a kick. Moaning slightly, she stepped back. Using the Sun Staff, she swept his feet out from under him. Scorpios landed on his back with a thud. Sol held one of the razor-sharp edges against his chest and stared down at him. Suddenly, his face softened. "Ten-chan?" he whispered. Sol recoiled slightly, loosening her grip on the staff. "Charon?" Scorpios laughed and the energy ball sent her flying. She hit a wall and slid down, fighting to keep conscious. Scorpios slowly approached her. Rising to her knees, Sol realized that the Sun Staff had landed a few feet away. She rolled and dodged a kick to the ribs. Blocking a fury of blows, Sol tried to move toward the Sun Staff. However, Scorpios always drove her back, enjoying her frustration. In a desperate move, she ducked a punch and rolled to the staff. Yet, before she could grab it, Scorpios kicked it away, laughing. Sol rose to her feet and realized that Scorpios was slowly backing her into a corner. Yet, without her staff, she was only left with two attacks. Her Celestial Wind attack would not be strong enough to stop Scorpios. That left her with only one option, but she didn't want to take it. Scorpios blows were getting stronger, while she was landing fewer and fewer strikes. Something had to give soon. Unfortunately, it appeared that it would be her. 'I have no choice,' she realized with a sinking feeling. 'I'm sorry, Jonathan.' Sol managed to get some distance between her and Scorpios. "Sol Celestial Wind!" The attack found its mark, but it disappeared too quickly. Scorpios glared at her, gingerly cradling his injured arm. He started to close the distance between them, forming a large energy ball. "Is that all you have left?" he demanded. "No," Sol replied, shaking her head. "I still have a few surprises left." She closed her eyes and prepared for her final attack. * * * * * Sailor Moon surveyed the area around them. The shadowy corridors around them were creepy. "Where are we?" she asked. "We are on a planet just beyond our solar system," Sailor Pluto explained. "This is where Charon died." "So, where's Celeste-chan?" Sailor Venus asked after an awkward pause. "They should be in the main chamber," Sailor Pluto replied. Ignoring the quizzical looks, she headed down one of the hallways. The others followed wordlessly, each glancing around as they walked. 'I hope we find Celeste-chan soon,' Sailor Moon thought, glancing at Sailor Pluto's composed face. 'I hope we are in time to help.' * * * * * "Is that all you have left?" he demanded. "No," Sol replied, shaking her head. "I still have a few surprises left." She closed her eyes and prepared for her final attack. She stretched her arms out and raised them until they were shoulder level. "Sol . . ." A fiery orange aura surrounded her, growing quickly in intensity. ". . . Celestial . . ." She began to levitate as the aura began to take the form of a screaming bird. ". . . Phoenix!" She suddenly opened her eyes. A high-pitch screech echoed in the chamber as the fiery bird flew at Scorpios. He cried out briefly and then the room soon became silent. * * * * * "What's that noise?" Sailor Venus shouted, covering her ears. "No!" Sailor Pluto cried. "We can't be too late!" She ran down the corridor, deaf to the pleas of the others to wait. They followed the Time Guardian as she raced down passage after passage. Soon, the only ones not panting were Sailors Uranus and Pluto. They finally came to a large, metal door. Sailor Pluto pulled on the door. Yet, it didn't move. "Pluto Dead Scream!" The door crumpled and fell off its hinges into the room. Sailor Pluto made a choking sound and ran into the room. The others followed and gasped when they found Sailor Sol collapsed in the middle of the room. "Sol?" Sailor Pluto said, gently picking her up and wiping the hair out of her face. "Sol, open your eyes!" Sol slowly opened her eyes and smiled weakly at Sailor Pluto. "Setsuna, please take care of Jonathan for me." Sailor Pluto shook her head. "No, you're going to take care of him yourself." "I'm too weak," she replied. "Scorpios is dead. Maybe we have peace at last, Setsuna." Sailor Moon knelt beside the pair and motioned for the others to check on Jonathan. "Come on, Celeste-chan. Get up." There was a flash of white light. Sol's eyes widened at the sight of Neo-Queen Serenity kneeling beside her. She tried to sit up but collapsed back into Sailor Pluto's arms. "Your Majesty," she whispered. "You deserve some happiness in your life, Sailor Sol," the future queen said softly. Sol closed her eyes peacefully as the warm light surrounded her. She gave a contented sigh. Then she drifted off into oblivion.


Chapter 23: Awakening Resurrection: Sailor Sol Sarah's Sanctuary