As chaos rained down upon the city, Saturn, Nephrite and 
Jadeite rushed outside to the front of the palace. They could see 
lights fast approaching, one disappearing behind the palace while 
another lodged itself deep within the city. The other seemed to be 
coming straight for them and quickly they retreated to the palace as 
energy surged down and enveloped Katrina’s monument in a brilliant 
terrifying embrace. Hands quickly shielded their eyes from the intense 
glare as a forceful shockwave threatened to push them over. 

	“What’s happening?” Jadeite questioned, and as he did, the 
light faded to reveal someone they weren’t expecting to see for the 
longest time. They found the four Ayakashi Sisters waiting for them,
sitting upon Katarina’s monument with a dozen droids surrounding them 
like a colony of angry bees. The ground beneath their feet singed, but 
the tomb remained flawless and unscathed in defiance.

	“Such a wonderful tomb for one so common,” Berthier said 
contemptuously.

	“Save your taunts, they won’t work with any of us here,” 
Saturn said, pointing her long scythe in their direction. 

	Gently, Nephrite tapped his blonde friend on the shoulder with 
his own weapon. It was a long, sharp spear, ancient and intricate with
symbols of Elysian etched into the shaft. “Clearly she doesn’t know you,” 
he whispered to Jadeite.

	“Well then, I guess there’s no need for further pleasantries. 
Get them.” Cooan motioned to the droids who swarmed towards the three 
obediently.

	Saturn stepped forward. “Allow me -- Silence Wall!”

	The droids clashed against the dome, surrounding it completely
as they tried to scrape their way to the delights inside with mouths 
open wide, issuing angry bellows. Saturn let them attempt their futile 
attack long enough for Jadeite to raise a questioning brow.

	“Now what…?” he said.

	To answer, the Silence Wall exploded outward, pushing the 
droids far enough away so Saturn could utter her next attack. “Silence
Plague,” she whispered, and the deadly vapors took hold, spreading from
droid to droid and destroying them in a purple haze within a matter of
seconds.

	“Oh well, I guess that works,” Jadeite muttered, reaching to 
his side to pull his slim katana from its sheath. “But we still have a 
few problems.”

	“You infuriating Senshi,” Calaveras growled. “Petz, let’s get 
the girl — Berthier, Cooan, take your pick.”

	“I prefer blondes,” Berthier snickered, racing towards Jadeite
with her pendulum swinging fast above her head. Water was sprouting 
from each rotation, hurtling toward him at lightning speed. He avoided 
the hazardous rainfall as much as he could, but one passed close to the
skin of his arm, tearing his uniform effortlessly. 

	Jadeite, now  growling, sighing, “Now, I just got this pressed,” 
before advancing towards his enemy with sword at the ready.

	Cooan wasn’t far behind her sister, but decided to take a much 
slower approach. She landed before Nephrite with a sly smirk and a 
haughty expression. “With Beryl gone, you no longer have any power; 
you’re all just simple, pathetic men again…how tragic.”

	“There’s still some left within us, the ancient power Elysian 
gave us to protect Endymion, and everything we once learned from the 
Senshi,” he replied.

	“Oh to be sure,” she giggled, and the sound carried over into 
his mind. ‘But is it enough now…?’ she uttered to his conscience.

	Nephrite shook his head to be rid of her. “Stay out, Cooan.”

	“You don’t seem to have a problem with another fire sprite 
invading it,” she laughed, holding out her hand. A dark, purple flame 
appeared above her palm, flashing dangerously in the night. She pushed
her hand forward quickly, sending forth a stream of flame from the 
burning arsenal in his direction. Then more came forth from her hands, 
only to be batted away by the tip of his obsidian colored spear. 

	“You’re going to have to do better than that,” he challenged. 
“I’ve been burned before.”

	Meanwhile, Saturn stared down the two elder sisters, her weapon
now held tightly in both hands. Silently they sized each other up, 
every bone and muscle ready to move at the slightest cause. The two 
sisters circled around her slowly, simpering mockingly at the petite 
soldier in lavender.

	“How can you even hold that thing? It’s much too big for 
someone like you,” Calaveras said, indicating  the Silence Glaive in 
Saturn’s hands. 

	“It reminds me that death is no toy,” Saturn revealed 
cryptically. “It is something you should learn, as well.”

	“Death wasn’t so strong last time. Let’s see if anything has 
changed,” Petz shot back, and together the two sisters moved in for the 
kill. They struck and kicked at her, but Saturn stepped out of the way, 
her movements fluid and graceful with all the poise of a dancer. Her 
glaive swung effortlessly in her grip, blocking all attacks she could 
not physically avoid. The sisters soon grew frustrated and tired with 
her and Petz stepped back, forming something swirling and dangerous
between her palms. 

	“Move Calaveras!” she commanded, and let the attack loose. It 
grew into a dark cyclone, angry and quick as it approached Saturn. Yet 
the young warrior only held out her weapon, and around its sharp edges 
a Silence Wall began to form. Instead of absorbing the attack, it 
reflected it with great speed, much faster than the two Black Moons 
were prepared for. They got caught in their own attack, screaming as 
the tornado lifted them off the ground.

	Close by, Nephrite was having similar success. Cooan’s mind 
powers were not nearly as strong as Rei’s, so Nephrite could easily 
deny her access and prevent her tampering with his thoughts as they 
battled. Both had long-range weapons at their disposal, but unlike 
Cooan, Nephrite had more skill than simply relying on using his spear
alone. Gripping it tightly, he took aim at her and let it fly. He knew 
it would not hit its target, but a moment was all he needed. Cooan was
momentarily distracted as she avoided the spear and watched it zoom 
passed her, snickering at his failed attempt. Yet she was not laughing 
when she turned around to find Nephrite’s shadow floating a foot away 
from her. She could only gasp before it grabbed her, digging its knee 
into her ribs with enough force to knock the wind from her lungs. It 
threw her to the ground below before disappearing, and she landed with 
a hard thud as dust puffed up around her. 

	Jadeite was not so lucky, however. Berthier was faster than 
were her sisters, moving around him quicker than he could lash out 
with his katana. She was playing with him, making him attack blindly 
and draining his strength. It was a tactic he knew well, but he could 
do nothing but react to her every move. It was all he could do not to 
scream in annoyance and anger. 

	“The new age shouldn’t belong to washed up people like you. It
should be ours,” Berthier snarled, her voice everywhere as she moved. 

	“Shut up and hold still!” he yelled.

	He suddenly felt a pressure on his sword, and watched as her 
pendulum wrapped itself around its blade. The sword was yanked from his
grip and Berthier finally stopped before him, chuckling. “Well that was
easier than I thought. Now please die as easily.”

	She twirled her weapon, readying herself to deliver a fatal 
blow straight through his heart when something metallic flashed 
in-between them. Berthier gasped as the Silence Glaive sliced through 
her chain, sending her pendulum skidding across the yard harmlessly. 
Saturn brought her staff to Berthier’s throat, staring down the shaft 
with cool, amethyst eyes.

	“Surrender, or else I will return the favor you so willingly 
gave to me,” she threatened, pushing the glaive further into her skin.

	“Wait, stop!” Across the yard Petz and Calaveras were picking 
themselves up, their clothes disheveled from the violent vortex. “Don’t
hurt her!” Calaveras continued.

	“We’ll surrender, just please…” Petz collapsed to the ground 
again, digging her fingers deep into the Earth. She seemed to be 
crying in misery, and slowly Saturn lowered her glaive. “We just wanted
somewhere beautiful to live. Every home we’ve ever known has been 
destroyed. We thought Beryl could help us, and Wiseman too, but they’ve
only brought destruction.”

	“We’ve…we’ve been so foolish,” Cooan added, lifting herself 
off the ground with dirt smeared across her usually prim features.

	“There’s only been one person that could ever help all of us. 
You should have had more faith,” Saturn chastised. 

	“We know…would she ever forgive us?” Petz asked, getting a 
small nod from Saturn as a reply.

	A great light suddenly issued forth from the back of the 
palace, gold and white combine as one beautiful entity. It made the 
whole palace dance in colors like a prism as it ascended into the dark 
heavens. They watched as it struck Wiseman high overhead, caught in 
the wave of power as it quickly washed over the city. It comforted 
Saturn, Nephrite and Jadeite as it passed, and circled around their 
enemy. Its power wrapped itself around them like white smoke, caressing
their arms and legs gently. The sisters could feel the purity in the 
warmth of it and closed their eyes, welcoming the release.

+++++

	Down in the city, Mars, Uranus and Neptune stood opposite the 
remaining members of the Black Moon Clan. Esmeraude, Rubeus and Saphir 
had no droids or turned Lunarians about them, though this did not make
them any less dangerous. They were more powerful and sinister than were
the sisters. The group had landed in the middle of the housing area, 
obliterating a few homes carelessly in the process. The street was 
deserted, but in the distance, they could hear citizens screaming in 
fear as something massive and evil appeared, looming in the sky above.

	“So this is who they send to fight us. How’s your back feeling,
Neptune?” Esmeraude questioned, laughing loudly. 

	“What are they doing here?” Uranus questioned. 

	“Something has gone wrong…” Mars voiced. 

	“Why the confusion, Mars…is something amiss?” Esmeraude 
continued to taunt. “You can’t expect us to have repeated the same 
mistakes. That would be foolish.” 

	“Enough talking, same dance partners, Esmeraude?” Rubeus asked 
dryly.

	“Yes, I think so,” she answered, and both charged at Uranus 
and Neptune.

	Once more Uranus found herself battling Rubeus’ curved sword, 
yet it did not feel so difficult to spar with him now. She was not 
tired from fighting Beryl’s hordes, nor was she at the same level she 
had been once. It was true that they had reached their last form, but 
everyday she felt stronger, and realized that even though they would 
not evolve as Soldiers again. Their powers continued to grow. 

	She met every one of his advances, which seemed to annoy him 
no end. “You’re different from before. It will not save you, though. 
Wiseman will come, and he’ll destroy this place!”

	“I’d like to see him try. World Shaking!” She channeled her 
powerful attack through her sword, slashing out at Rubeus as the blade 
glowed orange. He tried to block it, but much like Demando, his sword 
was shattered, and Rubeus was sent flying across the street as the 
shockwave hit him hard.

	Not far away, Neptune was keeping Esmeraude in front of her at 
all times. She would not make the same mistake of turning her back on 
someone so foul again. They moved around each other, striking out 
tentatively. Neptune was trying to gauge her enemy’s power, while 
Esmeraude seemed to be just toying with her. 

	“You seem tense, Neptune,” she said. “Have you ever tried 
acupuncture?” She swatted her fan and from its folds four sharp 
crystals came hurtling at Neptune. The sea senshi dodged them expertly,
noticing how deep these lodged themselves in the ground and the nearby 
houses. Neptune was fast enough, but she knew she could not keep up 
this pace forever. As Esmeraude continued to fan the flames of her ego,
in her arrogance she seemingly did not notice her opponent growing 
closer as she avoided the crystals. 

	“Deep Submerge!” Neptune shouted, sending a wave at Esmeraude. 
The Black Moon became distracted just long enough for Neptune to race 
forward and grab the hand holding Esmeraude’s blasted fan. For a few 
moments, they struggled against each other, both matched in physical 
strength. 

	“I’m not going to let that moon princess come between Demando 
and me anymore. When I’m done with you, she’ll be next. I promise you 
that,” Esmeraude practically growled.

	“You’re as delusional as him,” Neptune replied, and in her 
other hand her, mirror materialized out of thin air. “Look at the real 
truth, Esmeraude.”

	Esmeraude turned, finding a repulsive sight in its reflection. 
Her nose had become twisted and gnarled, her porcelain skin destroyed 
by warts and ugly blisters. Esmeraude all but screeched, pushing 
herself away from Neptune and grasped at her own face. Neptune took 
advantage of the situation, hitting Esmeraude with another wall of 
water that knocked her against the shattered foundation of a house. 

	Meanwhile, Mars and Saphir were locked in a heated battle. 
Saphir was meticulous in his attacks and every move Mars made was 
countered efficiently. He lashed out with gloved hands, silent and
precise in his form. He did not taunt or ridicule like with the rest 
of his family. He was completely focused, and Mars found him a 
dangerous opponent for it. He was moving fast, faster than her fiery 
arrows could even follow. In her frustration, she did not notice he 
had suddenly removed his gloves. Black hands reached for her, wrapping 
tightly around her neck. They seemed to paralyze her, making it easy 
for Saphir to lift her off the ground. Pain shot through Mars’ body, 
but she could not scream, could nor could she breathe.

	“I’m sorry,” he said, his only utterance, as her world became 
hazy. 

	“Mars!” she heard Uranus yell from somewhere far away, but all 
she could really hear was her heart pounding in her ears. It was 
slowing with every passing second and the edges of her vision were fast
becoming dark. Yet there was something stronger than Saphir’s power 
lurking inside her. She opened her eyes, and Saphir’s breath hitched 
at the sight of seeing them burning red and hot. She reached for him, 
grasping his phantom hands tightly. Mars’ own hands ignited, setting 
her opponent on fire. Saphir recoiled, trying to put out the flames. 

	“Are you all right, Mars?” Neptune asked as the senshi of fire 
rubbed her neck gingerly.

	“Yes, I’ll be okay.” 

	The Black Moons had found their feet once more and joined up 
with a smoldering Saphir. Their eyes were full of anger and hate, but 
beneath it, Mars could sense their fear. She knew they weren’t 
expecting a united front so much more powerful than before. 

	“Your surprise attack doesn’t seem to be much of an advantage 
now, does it?” Mars stated evenly, getting an evil look from Esmeraude.

	“What do you know!” she yelled, charging at the senshi.

	“Esmeraude!” Saphir called out, but it was too late.

	Gracefully, Neptune held out her hands. “Hurricane Collision!”

	The water and wind encircled the Black Moon, trapping her 
inside a storm she could not escape. She floated inside, suspended 
weightlessly with her hair pluming around her like a peacock’s tail. 

	“Promethean Wave!” Fire and heat blasted into the sphere of 
water, evaporating everything inside. Above the explosion of heat and 
water, they could hear Esmeraude’s scream as all her evil plans were 
destroyed. Once the display was over, all that remained was a cloud of 
steam floating in the air. 

	At such a display, Rubeus and Saphir seemed suddenly timid, 
the fiery redhead most of all. He seemed to have no problem abandoning 
his partner as he abruptly turned and attempted to flee the scene.

	“Oh no you don’t! Super Nova Strike!” Uranus shouted and 
quickly her powerful attack caught up with their opponent. The 
brilliant ball of coalesced stars engulfed him, utterly obliterating 
everything that he was in a matter of seconds.

	The lone Black Moon stood, bravely or foolishly holding his 
ground. Everything seemed far to still, as if it was the final seconds 
before the clock struck noon in a dramatic draw.

	“It doesn’t have to be this way, Saphir. I remember you from 
the Silver Millennium. We’ve worked together before, I’m sure we can do
it again. Please, just surrender and let us help you,” Mars said, 
genuinely giving him a supportive smile. Such kindness caught him off 
guard for a moment, but he did not yield.

	He held up his dark hands and they grew larger, a huge force of
darkness that seemed to draw in the light. His power came towards them,
and Mars knew there was no other choice.

	United, they shouted their respective powers and watched as
they combined to form a sparkling wave of destruction. Saphir’s power 
stood little chance as they connected, and seemingly, without effort 
his hands were pushed back. Their power burned the nearby sky as fire, 
water, and wind exploded against him. As everything became calm again, 
the Senshi found themselves alone.

	“We should get to the palace, Usagi might need us,” Mars urged 
and off they ran towards the palace. They ran through the halls, passed
the frightened citizens hiding within the strong fortress. Artemis and 
Luna were there, running up to them with mouths open to ask questions, 
but they could not stop. Outside, Usagi and Mamoru were bathing the 
world in power, and by the time they reached the gardens, a voice was 
whispering something they never thought they’d hear again.

	“Dead Scream.”

+++++

	"Small Lady," says the sailor-suited woman. She holds an 
ornate staff. Her dark hair flows back over her dark skin. "The highway
of time isn't allowed. Using it, or even knowing about it, is strongly 
forbidden."

                                   +

	"Pluto," Queen Serenity says. "You watch the space-time door. 
You are the soldier who controls time and space. There are three things
you must not do. First, you may not cross time. Second, you can never 
leave the door you must protect. And third..."

                                   +

	"Wait," says Usagi. "What about you, Sailor Pluto?"  

	"I cannot leave here," she says. 

                                   +

	Sailor Pluto's garnet rod glows. "I feel uneasy..." she says, 
"Such anxiety... What's happening on the other side of that door? I can
only wait here, alone. Small Lady... Are you safe? King...! Sailor 
Moon!"

                                   +

	"The third thing you must not do: You mustn't stop time. You 
and the garnet rod you carry are endowed with the power to move time. 
But no matter what happens, you must never stop time. If you ever 
violate that law...You will give up your life."

                                   +

	"King..." she says, "I committed the crime by myself... I must 
atone for it...I...carried out my mission with honor...King... Your 
face is so close... Don't look so sad...Your lavender suit...The 
beautiful violet of sunset...King...”

                                   +

	"Super Sailor Moon, Chibi-Moon," Setsuna says. "As you know, 
you have a future. The ruin can't happen here, now. This is an 
accident. Saturn's soul was reincarnated. Somewhere the wheels of fate
have gone wrong."

                                   +

	"It must be all alone," Michiru says. "Let's raise it ourselves."

	"The three of us are parents."

                                   +

	"Every day is like a dream," says Haruka.

	"Yes," thinks Setsuna. "Every day is really just like I'm 
dreaming."

                                   +

	"Setsuna-mama?" Hotaru says.

                                   +


                         The Dawn of Serenity

                               Epilogue


	“Setsuna…” Uranus breathed out, finding Sailor Pluto above, 
standing effortlessly on one of the beams of the patio’s latticed 
pergola. The soldier of time existed in light and shadow, her face 
hidden by the night, but her staff shone in the dusk. It was held 
loosely in one hand, a tendril of smoke twirling off the Garnet Orb 
from its recent use. 

	“Setsuna! I’m so glad you’re okay,” Usagi said, smiling. Yet 
Pluto made no move to step into the light or to join them below. Such 
silence made Usagi’s grin waver. “Setsuna…?”

	A fog collected at Pluto’s feet, building up and swallowing 
the mysterious warrior. Her figure was becoming lost in the mist, 
vanishing, as it grew thicker and darker. 

	“Wait…!” Mamoru called out, but the fog was gone as soon as it
appeared, and so was she, disappearing to wherever she had been for the
last thousand years. They stood there, confused and unsure, until 
Hotaru, Nephrite and Jadeite came to the gardens with an interesting 
entourage following them. At first glance, Venus instantly became 
alert, the disappearing Senshi forgotten.

	“Enemies!” she shouted.

	“Use those pretty eyes, Venus,” Jadeite countered, getting a 
not so pleased glare from the Senshi in gold. When she looked again, 
however, she found four Ayakashi Sisters with golden moons shimmering 
upon their brows. Gone was the dark influence, and they stood there 
meek and contrite in front of the powerful group of men and women of 
the new Silver Millennium. 

	“We’re…we’re sorry, your highness,” Petz spoke up for her 
sisters, her head bowed submissively. “We should never have been 
tempted by their promises, never should have believed that you weren’t 
strong enough to set things right. I...we’re sorry.”

	The Senshi turned to their leader, silently wondering what she
would do, but knowing Usagi’s gentle nature would likely once more be 
her guide. Calmly, she glided toward Petz, placing her hands on the 
woman’s slumping shoulders. 

	“It’s okay, we’re all together again,” she said, smiling as 
Petz looked up hopefully. Gently, Usagi ran her thumb over the crescent
moon on her long lost sister’s forehead. “You’re free now; you don’t 
have to be sorry any longer.”

	“Thank you, Serenity,” Petz replied, a wide grin upon her 
pretty face. 

	At that moment, Luna and Artemis joined them, running from the 
palace with concerned looks on their faces. “Is everything okay?” 
Artemis asked, looking at them each in turn for wounds or worse, but 
stayed focused on his personal princess the longest. Luna was busy 
being shocked by the amount of crescent wearing people in the crowd, 
the four Ayakashi Sisters and Usagi giggling at her perplexed 
expression.

	“You’re a little late, Artemis,” Venus said, rolling her eyes.

	“Well I, the people were…I just did-” Venus interrupted his 
stuttering by pouncing on him, and wrapped long arms around his neck 
tightly.

	“It’s okay,” she whispered, sighing happily. “Everything’s 
okay.”

	“What happened?” asked Luna as the two old friends had their 
quiet moment. Usagi slowly retold the tale of their battle with Demando
and explained where the throng of people around them came from. The 
Senshi and their new friends were beginning to mingle with one another,
even though the former seemed to be disoriented and afraid of what had 
happened to them. 

	“And then Pluto showed up,” Jupiter added to the end of Usagi’s
story.

	“What…! Setsuna?” Saturn spoke up. 

	“Pluto…?” Artemis echoed.

	“She rescued Mamoru and Usagi from Demando and then just 
disappeared without a word,” Jupiter continued. 

	“I don’t understand what happened,” Usagi added bemusedly. “We 
have to find her!”

	“If I may, there are other matters that need attending to, such
as these people will need our help finding a place to live,” Kunzite 
said, indicating those around them with a wave of the hand. 

	“You don’t know she doesn’t need us!” countered Uranus.

	“We have tried to reach her and failed. What makes you certain 
we will succeed this time? It seems to me the only way to reach Sailor 
Pluto is to let her come to us. We will have to wait, and until then, 
there are necessities not to be neglected.”  

	“Kunzite is right; we need to do what we can,” Mamoru agreed, 
motioning to the large group to follow him into the palace. “Let’s find
a place for our new friends...” 

	One by one, everyone started to enter the palace as he smiled 
pleasantly. He gave the Lunarians kind words of support as they 
shuffled indoors slowly. He waited until everyone was inside before he 
let his smile falter. He glanced back up to where Pluto recently stood,
his eyes narrowing suspiciously. ‘But let us not forget about the old.’

+++++

	They set to work, reassuring their shaken citizens and finding 
homes for their newest friends. The populace was doubtful at the 
prospect of accepting the Ayakashi Sisters, much as had been the case
with the Shitennou, so the four women were given rooms in the palace 
until things settled down once more. The work kept them busy throughout
the night and into the early morning, and even though they were tired, 
they knew they would find no rest. In their minds, a dark, foggy figure
was plaguing them all. 

	One at a time, they returned to the gardens as the sun brought 
out all the wonderful colors therein. It seemed the only logical place 
to go. This area had become a landmark now within their minds, the 
retreat it had always been. Ami and Makoto on their knees as they 
planted fresh flowers near the patio. The Senshi of wood had explored 
her green roots lately in the past years as Ami and Zoicite created the
plants around them. It was easy to get lost in the process of managing 
the gardens when the days got rough. 

	The Shitennou kept to themselves close to Mamoru, while the 
Outers were as far removed from everyone as was possible. They were 
only conversing with each other, which made their queen concerned.

	“They’re frightening me,” she admitted reluctantly. 

	“There are a few things I find frightening too,” Rei spoke up 
as she stood beside Usagi. 

	“And what’s that…?” Minako asked.

	“We woke up 100 years later than we were supposed to. The Black
Moons attacked Crystal Tokyo during the Twenty-ninth century, not the 
Thirtieth, which it is now. And Chibi-Usa was 900 when she came back 
in time -- she’s only five! We weren’t supposed to beat them here, but 
further back in time. Nothing has happened like it was supposed to.”

	“Perhaps Pluto’s disappearance has something to do with it,” 
Nephrite suggested.

	“We won’t know until she shows herself again, and maybe not 
even then,” Jadeite added.

	Usagi rested her head on Mamoru’s shoulder, letting out a long 
sigh. “I could use an ice cream sundae.”

	“Chocolate?” Mamoru inquired. 

	“Of course…with a cherry and whipped cream.”

	He chuckled. “Of course, so you could get it all over your 
nose.”

	“Mamo-chan,” she whined.

	“Something’s change, Usako, but I’m glad you haven’t.” He 
smiled, kissing the top of her head lovingly. A dark cloud was hanging 
over him still, but he knew he should not dwell on it. Kunzite was 
right; she would show herself again in her own time, for she had enough
of it to burn.

	“Don’t worry; you’re not so lucky,” she giggled, winking at 
him. “You’re stuck with me forever.”

	“A forever unchanged by time.” 

	Startled by the familiar, deep voice, the garden’s occupants 
halted their conversations and actions to turn and found the mysterious
Princess of Pluto standing aloft where she had once been last they saw 
her. 

	“Setsuna!”

	This time she did not disappear at the sound of her name, but 
joined them below with a graceful leap. Her Garnet Rod clicked against 
the warm stone as she landed gently and stood before the stunned group.
The others did not know what to do, but Usagi was not one to be fazed
by awkwardness.

	“Setsuna!” she exclaimed, running up to the tall woman and 
threw her arms around her. 

	Pluto looked as shocked as had the others moments before, 
smiling. “My Queen.”

	“I was so worried about you these passed years. What 
happened…where were you…?”

	“Where I was destined to keep vigil.”

	“Why didn’t you let us know then? Was there something wrong?”

	“Why didn’t you help us?” Haruka asked.

	“What’s going on?” questioned Rei.

	“There is much to explain, I know.” For a moment, she paused, 
taking in a deep breath. “Perhaps, I should start from the very 
beginning.”

	The Garnet Orb burst to life and the world around them became 
hazy, as its shine grew ever brighter.  The gardens faded as if a 
curtain had been drawn, and from the corners of their eyes, they could 
see shapes moving, but the light from her staff snuffed out all 
comprehension of their surroundings. It grew brighter and brighter 
until all at once it seemed to disappear completely, leaving them 
grasping for anything as their eyes adjusted. A hallway materialized 
before them, dimly lit by gothic, golden sconces on the walls. Dark 
statues lined the hall with monumental portraits of strong men 
in-between the candles and gargoyles. 

	A man stood next to the last of these doors and looked as if 
he had jumped out of the giant gilded frame beside him. He was broad 
shouldered and tall, and wore the same scowl as his portrait. His dark 
hair was slicked back in a serious manner, while his cold eyes followed
people as they ran in and out of the room to which he was parallel. 
There was a large commotion coming from the shadowy threshold beyond 
and only when everything became silent did the man’s expression change.
He waited impatiently until a woman appeared with blood on her apron 
and a small bundle in her arms.

	‘Sir, you have a daughter,’ she announced, showing him a mop 
of olive hair.

	‘And my wife?’ he asked with a voice sharply defined and 
demanding.

	‘She…she did not have the strength, my lord.’

	The man’s jaw set sternly and something dangerous flashed in 
his cold eyes. ‘Very well,’ he muttered and turned on his heel.

	‘My lord! What about your daughter?’ He only paused for a 
moment before continuing out of sight.

	The world around them disintegrated, taking them to a place 
where time and space did not exist. They stood in one of Pluto’s many 
dimensions; a black void with a billion tiny stars sparkling on some 
distant plain. Minako yelped as she saw blackness beneath her feet and 
unconsciously gripped Rei’s arm.

	“Ouch, Minako! Let go of me!” she protested.

	“Was…was that you, Setsuna?” Usagi asked.

	Pluto nodded. “My father was a very serious man. He was cold 
and calculating, and the only thing that ever made him smile or laugh 
was my mother. He was a different person when he was with her, and my 
birth destroyed all that. He shunned me, loathed me -- he wished to 
have nothing to do with the person that took his happiness away. I grew
up alone, thinking no one cared for me, until…”

	A scene opened before them of a small girl and her distant 
father. A hooded figure flanked by two men in white robes stood before 
them, a graceful hand resting atop a growing stomach. ‘Your daughter 
will come with us, and become a soldier for justice. She will protect 
the future.’

	‘Do as you please,’ he answered coolly, and left his offspring 
as he had so many times before. The woman pushed back her blue hood, 
letting her alabaster hair shine. Slowly, she knelt before the girl 
with magenta eyes. She reached out and brushed her thumb over the 
youth’s forehead, and the symbol of Pluto sparkled.

	‘You’re very beautiful, my Senshi of Time. I can feel it…the 
purity of your heart. You are going to accomplish great things.’

	“Queen Serenity took care of me, believed in me,” Pluto said 
as the act ended before them, taking them back to the sparkling, 
starry world. “But she also gave me this destiny to be alone. It wasn’t
something I minded at first. My past trained me to be independent and 
Queen Serenity visited me often. Then the Silver Millennium fell and
for a long time, I was alone. I was not reincarnated like the rest of 
you. I was sent to my eternal post, to watch and guard while the world
restarted itself. And I watched. I watched for a long time as you 
fought together, died together. I was destined to remain at my post, 
and never interfere. That was, until a clever little girl found a door 
she was never supposed to.”

	They felt themselves traveling quickly, as if the elevator 
cables broke upon their time travel excursion sending them plummeting 
to the depths below. They found themselves at the location where they 
first met the Senshi of Time. A fog blocked their view, save for one 
hole in which the Time Gate could be seen. It seemed empty and cold 
just before a splash of pink caught their eyes. As it grew closer, it
materialized into a very well known person from their past, present 
and future.

	“Chibi-Usa…” Mamoru gasped.	The little girl was lost and 
seemed afraid, dark eyes darting around the mysterious landscape. 

	‘Stop!’ a voice boomed, startling Chibi-Usa. ‘You may come no 
further!’

	‘Who…who’s there?’ she asked.

	‘Usage of this place, even knowledge of it, is strictly 
forbidden. I cannot allow you to enter or leave!’ A tall figure 
appeared in the fog, an amethyst glow originating from what was held 
firmly in its hand. ‘Dead Scream!’

	The massive attack advanced upon the small girl who yelled in 
shock. Instinct had even made Usagi take a step forward to protect her 
daughter, but it was not necessary. The moon upon Chibi-Usa’s forehead 
reacted to the oncoming power, encompassing the child in light. Pluto’s
Dead Scream attack harmlessly bounced off, disappearing somewhere in 
the mist. 

	‘Oh…! Forgive me, Your Highness.’ Pluto appeared out of the 
haze and bowed before the small princess. ‘I did not know it was you.’

	‘Who are you…?’

	‘I am Sailor Pluto, guardian of time,’ answered Pluto.

	‘A Sailor Senshi! Like Sailor Moon?’

	Pluto smiled faintly. ‘Somewhat.’

	‘Are you here by yourself?’

	‘Yes.’

	‘It must be lonely.’

	‘Sometimes, yes. But I get to watch many people living their 
lives, like a television show.’ Pluto waved her staff and large bubbles
formed in the mist. People flashed across their surfaces, walking down 
streets or studying in class. Chibi-Usa watched with eyes that suddenly
became sad.

	‘I watch a lot, too. Kids don’t like me much…I’m different from
them.’

	“Chibi-Usa,” Usagi whispered from the almost incorporeal 
audience.

	‘Maybe we can be friends!’ continued Chibi-Usa, surprising 
Pluto.

	‘No one is supposed to enter here.’

	‘Then why is there a door?’

	‘Well, I…’

	When Pluto could not answer immediately, Chibi-Usa smiled in 
victory. ‘Great! The other Senshi don’t have much time for me. We’ll 
be good friends, I know it.’

	‘You should be getting back before someone starts to worry. I 
will take you to the door so you don’t get lost.’

	‘Can I come back tomorrow?’

	‘You need to ask your parents. There may be a door, but that 
doesn’t mean you should open it.’

	Chibi-Usa blushed. ‘Well, then it shouldn’t be unlocked!’

	The fog closed in around them once more, and Pluto continued
her tale. “I’ve watched people’s lives for millennia, but Chibi-Usa 
taught me how to live. She became a much-needed friend, and led me to 
meet all of you. The Sailor Senshi of the future came to visit me to 
find out about this mysterious soldier, and Neo-Queen Serenity and King
Endymion visited me often. I was never permitted to leave, however, 
and this place is not desirable for entertaining. Yet I was more 
content than I ever had been…and then the Black Moon Clan attacked. I 
could only watch as everything I was coming to love was destroyed. 
Chibi-Usa came to me because there was nowhere else to go. And I…”

	“What, Setsuna?” asked Usagi. 

	“Do you think the only thing that has changed about your future
was this battle? Much has changed. Events leading to this point were 
different the first time around.”

	“What do you mean?”

	“In the original timeline, the Black Moon Clan never came back 
in time. There was no enemy between Beryl, Mistress 9 and Pharaoh 90, 
and that battle did not happen the way you remember it. The details are
irrelevant, but what was important was that Sailor Saturn had never 
awoken. I was not there to bring all the talismans together, for I 
could not leave my post. Our enemies were nonetheless defeated by our 
princess and the Grail was created. It was not as strong as it is now, 
but it was enough.”

	“Saturn never woke?” Hotaru repeated. “But if, that means I 
would have…”

	“Saturn was not reincarnated in the previous timeline, and no 
one even knew of Tomoe Hotaru’s existence, only that Mistress 9 
appeared one day, seemingly out of the blue. Tomoe Hotaru was destroyed
along with the demon that took her over.”

	“No!” Michiru cried.

	“Our next enemy, Nehelenia, was not easily defeated. That war
lasted a lot longer than the previous encounter, for you did not learn 
of the connection between Endymion and Elysian until near the end of 
that sojourn. It was a hard battle indeed. Then…”

	The world around them shook, and the stars seemed to fall into 
oblivion. Fire exploded around them, and they shielded themselves from 
the frightening heat. Once extinguished, a horrible scene presented 
itself before their eyes. It was a land scorched and destroyed. Tall, 
proud towers now lay in piles of rubble on the ground, their steel 
foundations exposed like dry bones across the ground. The sky seemed 
burnt as well, angry red clouds swarming above them. The wind was hot 
and smelled of death. Usagi shivered violently.

	“Instead of a world of ice, Galaxia brought us fire. After that
long war, this would have been  the world you would come home to. 
Everything was ruined, including our forces. We weren’t as powerful, 
for every time an enemy appeared, Sailor Moon grew stronger, and 
through her so did her Senshi. We lost two of the Sailor Senshi, who 
gave up everything they were to save this planet, to save this 
universe.”

	“It was us,” Haruka realized. “That’s why…that’s why we weren’t
in the future.”

	Grimly, Pluto nodded. “Uranus and Neptune no longer existed, 
and the Earth fell into a deep, frozen sleep to douse the fire of 
Galaxia and Chaos’ wrath. When you were strong enough again, Crystal 
Tokyo was finally established, and the timeline you are familiar with 
from traveling to the future occurred.”

	“Unbelievable…” Rei said, awestruck.

	“But…that’s not what happened to us…!” Makoto argued.

	“No…I once told King Endymion that time is like a river, and 
it is true. There are many branches, but there can only be one main 
vein, much greater and stronger than any of the others, there are other
endless possibilities, but only one true timeline. The river of time, 
during our current timeline had become divided, broken and unstable, 
and slowly repaired itself, but as a result, it was changed. Things 
happened differently; Hotaru was not killed, the Black Moons crossed 
time, Wiseman appeared early in Tokyo, and Beryl was awoken again. Not 
all of these things happened in the previous time stream. Something 
occurred that divided the timeline, changed the course of history for 
everyone, and led you to this point.” Pluto turned to Mamoru, her deep 
eyes gazing into his intently, urging him to find the answer.

	Suddenly, he knew. “Chibi-Usa.”

	“Without Chibi-Usa, you would never have received the Moon Rod
Neo-Queen Serenity created for you. Without Chibi-Usa, you never would 
have known about your future, or questioned your past, resulting 
ultimately in Beryl’s resurrection. Without Chibi-Usa, you would never 
have known about Hotaru or known so much about Elysian in the end. 
Without Chibi-Usa, your timeline would have remained the same and some 
of you would not be standing here today. And without me…Chibi-Usa 
would never have done any of those things.”

	“What…?”  

	The grey mist parted, opening up the scene for Pluto’s last 
act. Chibi-Usa appeared once more, though her steps were quicker and 
more frantic than the last time she appeared. ‘Puu!’ she shouted as 
she ran with tears streaming from her vermilion eyes. ‘Puu!’

	‘Small Lady!’ Pluto appeared, kneeling down as Chibi-Usa 
crashed into her. The little princess cried into her chest while all 
the guardian of time could do was gaze down at her cotton candy colored
head sadly. 

	‘They’re all dead! Everyone is…Daddy’s missing and Mommy’s 
stuck in this crystal....I don’t know what to do! The Sailor Senshi 
can’t help me. They’re protecting the palace. I’m all alone…What am I 
going to do?’

	Pluto raised her hand, gently placing it between Chibi-Usa’s 
ponytails. A cloudy look came to her eyes, one filled with desperation 
and hurt—filled with more emotions than ever seen in those dark pools 
by her friends. A battle was taking place within her, one that would 
change their destinies forever. She struggled for a few minutes before
the choice was made.

	Letting out a tremulous sigh, she said, ‘If only Sailor Moon 
were here…’

	At that Chibi-Usa stopped crying and pulled away, looking up 
at Pluto with wide eyes. ‘Sailor Moon! She could help me…I have to go 
back in time and find her!’

	‘Small Lady, time travel is dangerous and forbidden.’

	‘I don’t care! I need to help everyone…please Puu, help me 
travel back in time…!’

	Pluto stood up and slowly unclasped a shining key from around 
her waist. She gave it to the time-traveling mini-Senshi, and 
everything suddenly exploded in white light, sending them back to the 
sun-kissed gardens once more. Silently they assimilated the things 
Pluto had shared with them and all felt a sense of unease, even though 
they did not quite understand it yet. 

	“It was not entirely Small Lady’s decision to venture into the 
past. Without my influence, she would not have come to such a 
conclusion. I…am also responsible for allowing the Black Moon Clan to 
chase after her. Wiseman had the ability to transverse the plains of 
existence and reached my domain without a Time Key, but to open the 
Time Gate and pass through time, he did not. I…I let them pass and 
follow Chibi-Usa.”

	“What…!” most of the Senshi shouted.

	“I saw alternate timelines fly passed for hundreds of thousands
of years, knowing there were other ways, but I was unable to do 
anything about it. I saw a timeline where we could all be together. I 
saw a glimpse of the Sailor Senshi united and stronger than ever before
if I let Chibi-Usa venture into the past,” she paused, glancing at the
Outer Senshi. “And I saw a chance to have a family that I never had -- 
a chance to escape this destiny and have a life of my own. It was for 
personal reasons, but also, I knew we would have a better chance of 
confronting our future if we were together.”

	“This is not like you, Setsuna,” Haruka said, shaking her head.

	 “We have all done seemingly ridiculous things in the name of 
love, to save those that we care about, I knew I was not permitted to 
change time, and when Chibi-Usa came to the gate I knew I would have 
no better opportunity to make things right. Yet, I knew I had to 
protect Chibi-Usa because of it and I did; I gave my life to make sure 
we would have a future together and she would be safe. The future 
seemed bleak for everyone with our queen imprisoned and our king 
injured. I had no choice but to act.”

	“We would have found a way to survive. We would not have given 
up. You should have given us that chance before changing our futures 
without consulting us. You manipulated my daughter and sent her on a 
dangerous mission,” Mamoru said, his eyes cold. “Who knows what you 
have done, what you have changed…! Chibi-Usa might not have been born 
at all!”

	The dark haired woman smiled ruefully. “Some things are set in
stone, no matter what happens. I made a choice long ago, and I will pay
accordingly for the consequences. I will understand if you do not 
forgive me, but know I did it with the best intentions in mind.” From 
around her waist she disengaged a shimmering key and placed it in the 
palm of Usagi’s hand. The Queen gazed at it strangely. “Goodbye,” the 
Senshi in black whispered before bowing and letting her mysterious mist
envelope her. She disappeared once more, leaving everything and 
everyone in her overwhelming wake.

+++++

	The elegant timepiece took months to make. It was created from 
various segments of scrap metal found in Zoicite’s museum. Painstakingly, 
it was welded together to form a flying eagle relishing in an invisible
wind. It was a testament to the past, and the hope of the future. She 
was proud of the work she’d done, but right now, Haruka wanted to throw
it across the room. Time passed loudly as they  silently listened to 
each moment pass by, harshly reminding them of its guardian. They 
congregated in Haruka’s apartment, seated dazed in her sitting room. 
After Pluto’s disappearance, everyone went their separate ways, 
marching into the palace as if sleep walking in an unbelievable dream. 
For a while, they could only sit and stare, disappearing into their 
thoughts. 

	“I understand now,” Hotaru spoke up, breaking the plain of 
quietness.

	“Understand what, Hotaru?” Michiru questioned.

	“Before we went to the Moon to make our final decision so long 
ago, I asked Setsuna if this was the beginning of Crystal Tokyo. She 
told me life was a mystery, and that she could not take that gift away 
from me. She had fought and planned too hard to do so. Something 
happened after that, I cannot truly remember. I think Saturn took hold 
before we were completely joined again, but I cannot recall the 
conversation. The Senshi in me knew something was amiss, but it was too
late,” Hotaru revealed.

	“She’s lied to us this whole time. When we were fighting for 
the pure heart crystals...she knew all a long about the talismans, 
about Usagi being the Messiah. She’s known everything and just let us 
run around like idiots,” Haruka said stormily.

	“But if it weren’t for her, none of us would be sitting here,” 
Michiru countered smartly. “She’s not the only one that wished for a 
family either…”

	Haruka sighed, her eyes growing soft. “Hotaru would have died…I
can’t believe I wanted that once.”

	“That was a lifetime ago,” Michiru, responded.

	“A life where we weren’t together, a life without Chibi-Usa…” 
Hotaru reflected quietly. “She did something illogical, but can we 
blame her? In the end, can we sit here and pretend we are truly 
unthankful for what she has given us?”

	“And what’s that?” asked Haruka.

	Softly, the senshi of destruction smiled. “A future.”

+++++

	Down the hall, the Inner Senshi was having a meeting as well.
Makoto was pacing the length of Ami’s parlor while the others sat 
uncomfortably on her couches. Daylight was pouring through the floor 
length windows, catching the dust on fire as the particles swirled 
around in Makoto’s wake. 

	“This is…this is…!” she voiced, yet was unable to finish her 
thoughts.

	“Makoto please, calm down,” Ami soothed. The Senshi of wisdom 
held her small computer and kept her eyes pinned to the screen. “We 
need to keep cool heads.”

	“Setsuna should have done the same,” Makoto grumbled.

	“From what she told us, our future now seems much brighter than
the original. We don’t seem to have much cause to be angry,” Ami 
rationalized.     

	“She did it without our permission!” Makoto stopped, throwing 
her hands down at her sides. “She changed our lives completely. We 
don’t have any guarantee that this future will be better, or that 
something worse may happen. If she can go back in time, why can’t we?
We could even go all the way back, prevent the Silver Millennium from 
falling in the first place, or go back to Tokyo and make sure we have 
normal lives.”

	Ami stopped typing, glancing up to find Makoto had finally run 
out of steam. The righteous anger in her eyes became muted. The other 
girls, who had remained wordless since their return to the palace, 
took notice as well. They thought about all that was gone, the 
lifetimes they had lived and lost, the families they never got to say
goodbye to. They could also remember the painful fall of their once 
sparkling empire, how everything came crashing painfully down around 
them.

	“It stands to reason, every time, time is tampered with it 
becomes more unstable. The more we alter it, the more disastrous the 
effects could be. I do not think Pluto made her decision lightly, and 
I do not think we should further mess with something we cannot possibly
ever completely understand,” Ami deduced. 

	“Ami is right. Look at the future we have now. We are all 
united, closer and stronger than ever. We have been through a lot, but
we chose this. We chose not to be normal anymore. That life is gone, 
and we should not defile it by destroying what beautiful memories we 
have,” Rei added.

	“I know,” Makoto, sighed, plopping down into a comfy chair. “I 
have no regrets for what we’ve chosen, but all this talk of changing 
the past has just got me thinking. Could life be better than this? Is
something awful that we can’t handle going to be a consequence for 
altering time? What’s going to happen now?”

	“Everything,” Minako said quietly, speaking for the first time.
She held a glass of red wine in her hand, idly swishing the liquid from 
side to side. She took a long sip, polishing off the glass before 
setting it down. “Nothing. Whatever we want to happen. For so long 
we’ve been living in the shadow of the Silver Millennium, caught up in 
the destiny we couldn’t understand. And then we had the future looming 
over us, this future we couldn’t escape to which we were being drawn. 
All of that is behind us now. We’re at peace with our past and the 
future we feared has come and gone.  We’ve made it and now, the choices
are ours. We’ve been given a new, whole life. We’re together, inside 
and out…isn’t that all we need?”

	For a moment the other girls could only sit there, stunned, 
before gentle smiles took hold of their faces. “You’re right,” Makoto 
admitted. Setsuna did something crazy, but we can’t let it get to us. 
We’ve got to make the most of it!”

	“Right!” Ami agreed. 

	“Of course Minako wouldn’t argue, she’s got a boyfriend out of 
it!” Rei said mischievously and Minako’s cheeks flushed as the other 
girls laughed.

	“Rei, that’s not true! How dare you!” The golden Senshi grabbed
a pillow and threw it at the dark priestess and with that, the tension
in the room seemed to disappear as they laughed and smiled once more.

+++++

	For their leaders, however, the situation would take more than 
a joke to crack the dark mood. Usagi had followed Mamoru as he raced 
back to their bedroom and slammed the door. It woke the sleeping 
Chibi-Usa, which made him that much more shaken. For ten minutes, Usagi
coaxed her daughter back to sleep as her husband brooded by the window.
	
	Usagi could understand how he felt. Setsuna did not change only
her life; all of them had been affected without their permission as 
well. It hurt that Setsuna would not consult them on this issue, not 
trust in them, but Usagi could understand why the lonely Senshi had 
done it. She knew she would never have been able to stand being alone 
for such a long time. Without her friends, her family, life was not 
worth living. In the past, she did everything she could to make sure 
they would all be together in the end. Setsuna simply did what she 
couldn’t, what she didn’t have the power to do.

	She knew Mamoru didn’t like being alone as much as she did, 
but there was more to this. “I spent a thousand years being Beryl’s…I 
did horrible things that I’ll never be able to change. All this time 
I’ve been living with that guilt and now…knowing all of it didn’t 
happen, didn’t have to happen-” He slammed his fist against the wall, 
causing Usagi to jump. He looked towards her, shaking his head. “I’m 
sorry, Usako.”

	Lovingly, she held out her hand. “Mamo-chan…”

	Slowly, he crossed the room and cautiously sat next to her, 
careful not to wake Chibi-Usa again. 

	“It’s not just that, Usako. Chibi-Usa will never come back in 
time; she’ll never know us like we know her. All that time we spent 
together, it won’t exist. If we let her go back in time, everything 
will be changed again. Who knows what future we’ll have.”

	“I, I think that’s for the best,” Usagi admitted.

	“Usako…!”

	“Don’t get me wrong, I loved getting to know her as a friend. 
As much as she bugged me, I missed her when she wasn’t there. But…how 
many times did she come back in time, Mamo-chan? How many times did our
future selves let our young daughter leave them for months at a time? 
I don’t think…we understood how lonely she was, and I don’t think 
letting her escape into the past was a good decision. I can’t imagine 
letting her go that long, after all these years of getting to know her 
and loving her. And now we know how she’ll feel, being the princess of 
a new millennium, being different. And maybe we can give our daughter 
a future where she doesn’t have to fight. Maybe we can give her the 
peace we didn’t have.”

	“Usako…” Mamoru sighed, realizing she was right.

	She reached for his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Would 
you really want to trade the dark future Setsuna told us about, for 
all the time we spent together as a family and friends all those years?”

	Mamoru gave a quivering smile, shaking his head. “You’re right.
I wouldn’t want to change that past with her, with you, for anything.”

	Usagi grinned back brightly. “We’re finally all completely 
together, the way my mother hoped. I’m happy Mamo-chan, even with all 
the hard times we’ve gone through -- all the time, I was in pain and 
didn’t think anything could be worse -- I’m happy because it was worth 
it to be like this. Don’t you think so?”

	Mamoru had a flashback to the time Setsuna and he had shared a 
drink in the warm sun, ages and ages ago, and finally understood her 
cryptic words: ‘Would you do anything to ensure that the princess was 
happy? Even, if for a moment in time, it made her unhappy?’

	“Yes, Usako, it was worth it,” he answered honestly.

	She practically jumped into him, and with a light chuckle, he 
held her close. Instantly he felt better with her cheek touching his, 
with her warm body giving him the comfort he always needed. He glanced 
down at his sleeping daughter, her pink hair in short ponytails almost 
resembling the puffs of hair he was accustomed to seeing. His family 
was together; what more did he truly need?

	“This is what she meant.”

	“What…?”

	“This is what Setsuna meant when she said you’d be enemies 
when you next met. She knew we might possibly never forgive her for 
the things that have happened, but she did it anyway. Are we really 
going to let that happen, Mamo-chan?” she pulled away, placing his face
between her hands as her blue eyes scanned his intensely. “Can you 
never forgive her?”

+++++

	Grouped outside the Royal Apartments, the Shitennou sat on 
couches lining the crystal walls as they waited for their monarchs to 
emerge. They could think of nothing better to do in the wake of Pluto’s
epic tale. The whole palace seemed affected, even if they had no idea 
why their royals returned with confused faces in the aftermath of a 
victorious battle. It seemed even worse when they returned the second 
time with solemn angry faces. The whole city seemed to be leery of 
bothering their obviously troubled heroes. 

	“I wonder how this is going to turn out,” Zoicite ventured. “I 
hope everything gets worked out.”

	“Of course you do, Zoicite,” Jadeite muttered. “You want 
everyone to get a long all the time.”

	“Sailor Pluto committed a serious act. They need time to come 
to grips with it. If it takes awhile, I would not blame them,” Nephrite
added.

	“I know,” Zoicite, sighed, slumping back against the wall. 
“What do you think about the whole thing?”

	“I think we all feel the same way. We’ve been given another 
chance because of this. If not for Sailor Pluto, we probably would’ve 
been forgotten and lost,” Nephrite answered. “I’m sure even Jadeite 
couldn’t disagree.”

	When the blonde shrugged noncommittally, the remaining 
Shitennou quietly laughed. With the atmosphere lightened, they began to
speak of old, happy memories and of battles won. Jadeite retold the 
story of a sea voyage, getting up to show how Zoicite huddled against 
the mast in his fear of water. 

	It wasn’t long before they found themselves in company with the
Inner Senshi, who giggled at Jadeite’s antics. Sunlight poured in as 
they offered tales of their own, recalling how they first thought of 
the barbaric Shitennou coming from Earth. The issues of the last 
twenty-four hours seemed forgotten as a peace settled over the group. 
It was a much-needed change. Laughter and voices filled the hall, 
seemingly attracting the attention of the Outer Senshi. They watched 
and listened with bemused expressions until the door creaked open, and 
all movement and noise stopped in the hall. 

	Usagi and Mamoru appeared in their regal attire. Mamoru held a 
still sleeping Chibi-Usa in his arms, and Usagi carried a beautiful 
smile on her happy face. Seeing her friends together made that 
expression impossibly bigger. As always, it was infectious, spreading 
through the group like Saturn’s power, except it united them, and all 
at once knew what they had to do. Usagi nodded, and held up her hand 
as something twinkled within its grasp. 

+++++

	Early on, she had learned to ignore the things she saw in the 
mist. It can play with the mind, showing images that weren’t truly 
there. It took a lot of willpower and sense to cope with the 
overwhelming mass of it and all the emptiness that lay entrenched in 
it. She clenched her staff firmly, the only tangible proof that 
something existed here at all. But of course, that wasn’t the complete 
truth. Idly, she turned around, finding the Time Gate looming above 
her. It was cold and not comforting in this dark hour. It only reminded
her of her long, lonely past, of the decision she’d made that 
unknowingly changed everyone’s lives. 

	She looked back into the mist, sighing forlornly. What had once
been her eternal duty was now her eternal punishment. They would leave 
her to remain here alone, and justly so. She had altered time, changed 
everything for a few years of happiness and abandonment. She deserved 
it for being so selfish, yet she could not bring herself to regret the 
choice she had made. They would be happier now, she knew they would 
and stronger, more complete. They would be together.

	The mist was growing distorted, and soon she realized tears 
were interfering with her sight. She wiped them away with the back of 
her hand and closed her eyes tightly. She could not be weak. She was 
the Sailor Senshi of Time, a force stronger than life or death. She 
shook her long, locks, the tendrils caressing her back and arms softly. 
She would endure, as always.

	Resolutely, she opened her eyes. She saw something in the mist,
but didn’t give it a second thought. She felt no presence enter her 
domain; it was just another illusion created by the fantastical fog.
Yet it did not seem to waver or disappear as it normally would. It 
seemed to be growing larger, closer. Had she been too distracted by her
thoughts to feel something pass onto this plain? She held her staff in 
both hands and advanced forward. It was a familiar sight, but…it 
couldn’t be. As the mist parted obediently, she soon realized that it 
was no hallucination, that the oasis was indeed real. 

	Small legs carried the Princess of Crystal Tokyo as she walked 
through time. At seeing another person finally, those bright eyes lit 
up, but she was not alone. As Shitennou, Senshi and saviors melted out
of the mist, Pluto’s hold on her emotions seemed to disappear. With 
Usagi smiling at her, she could not stop her joyful tears from coming. 
The beautiful queen wasted no time in running to embrace her eldest 
Senshi and long lost friend, happy tears flowing from her own eyes. 
The others congregated around them, smiling and laughing. 

	“Let’s all be together, okay Setsuna?” Usagi whispered in her 
ear. “I would like that very much.”

	Pluto couldn’t help the relieved smile that took over her 
countenance. “Yes, I would too.”

	As Usagi let go, Pluto found the faces of her uncommon family, 
finding understanding and acceptance. Haruka nodded, conveying in that 
simple gesture all that needed to be said while Michiru’s elegant smile
brought her comfort. Yet it was Hotaru’s gentle laugh that calmed her 
the most. The Inner Senshi relayed how happy they were to see her, and 
even the Shitennou wore smiles for the mysterious soldier in black. 

	“Chibi-Usa, Chibi-Usa, come here.” As Usagi searched for her 
daughter around the group, Pluto finally found the eyes of her king. 
She was afraid to know what she might find there, yet had to seek the 
answer nonetheless. His expression was stoic as their deep eyes locked 
together. For a heart pounding moment, she thought she had lost one of 
her closest friends and her king, before a small grin tugged at his 
lips. A silent understanding past between them, one that would never 
need to be spoken of again. Relieved, she could only smile with all 
the overwhelming emotions around and within her. 

	“Here we go!” Usagi successfully returned with her bounty and 
presented the little princess before Pluto. “Chibi-Usa, I’d like you 
to meet Setsuna. She is one of mommy’s guardians and friend. Setsuna, 
this is Chibi-Usa.”

	Pluto laughed for a moment before bowing. “Pleased to meet you,
Princess.”

	“Hello. Are you alone here?” Chibi-Usa asked. 

	“No my darling,” Usagi answered for her. “Not anymore. Come on;
let’s go back to the palace. I’m starving!”

	“Of course you are, Usagi.”

	“Rei…!”

	“Come to think of it, I’m hungry to,” Minako mentioned by the 
by.

	“I could cook us up something! Something yummy to celebrate!” 
Makoto offered.

	“I’m sort of in the mood for pancakes,” Hotaru said, smacking 
her lips at the thought.

	“Pancakes in the evening, Hotaru?” questioned Setsuna, who had 
dropped her transformation all too happily.

	“As long as Jadeite stays away from the kitchen, I’ll eat 
anything,” Nephrite said roguishly.

	“He’d probably go straight for the alcohol anyway,” Zoicite 
mumbled, getting a swift slap to the back of the head. “Ouch!”

	With a broad grin, Usagi listened as her friends joked and 
laughed once again. She didn’t know what the future held, what had 
changed or what awaited them. She would always have the same doubts 
and fears about their destiny as she did a thousand years ago. There 
would be hard times to come, when the silver lining of their decision 
would seem to disappear. She knew that they would make it through, 
however. They were finally all together again. They could do anything.

                                    +
  
	My name is, well...I have so many names now, but my favorite 
                          will always be Usako.
                          And I’m finally happy.


+++++