The following story includes characters from BishoujoSenshi 
Sailor Moon, copyright Takeuchi Naoko,
Kodansha and Toei, all rights reserved. All other characters 
and situations are copyright E. Friedman, 1999.
Author's notes follow the final chapter of this story.


Warp and Weft

E.L.F.
e.l.f.@ix.netcom.com

Rated R

Chapter 1


Sailor Pluto looked up from the screen, turning her head to identify the 
computer console that had beeped. She had been back in Charon Castle for 
a few weeks now, but there seemed a never-ending stream of temporal 
anomalies, erratum, and conundrums to deal with. Enough to keep her busy 
for years, it seemed. Which was a problem, as she had every intention of 
returning to Crystal Tokyo tonight.

She huffed in annoyance as she read the monitor. Another anomaly.  Sailor 
Pluto rolled her head gently from side to side to release the tension gathering 
in her shoulders. Another anomaly, nothing there, just shadows.

"I really despise temporal anomalies." her voice echoed in the empty 
chamber and bounced back to her, ghost-like. 

"Princess Pluto," a deep, sonorous voice responded. "Please allow me the 
opportunity of serving you. I will investigate the anomaly if it would please 
you."

Sailor Pluto looked over her shoulder at the unkempt, bearded and wizened 
figure that stood behind her. She smiled at him. "Thank you Charon, but I'll 
check this one out myself."

"Please, Princess, you have been working too hard since you returned. Allow 
me to do this for you. After all...," if Charon had been human, his voice might 
have been described as obliging, "that is my function."

Turning, Sailor Pluto confronted the holographic personification of her 
computer system. He looked exactly as if he would be likely to leap on you, 
steal your purse and run away, cackling. On a recent visit, Usagi had labeled 
Charon "creepy," while Minako had called her "morbid." Sailor Pluto smiled 
inwardly at her little joke. She had insisted that Charon look the part of the 
infernal ferryman. Despite his appearance, Charon was as good a partner to 
her as she could have wished for. Better perhaps, as his existence gave her 
the freedom to spend time with her family and friends in Crystal Tokyo.


She inclined her head towards Charon. "But please, Charon. Call me 
Setsuna."

"Yes, Mistress. Although," his voice now became slightly petulant, "I cannot 
understand why you prefer the name you used in the 20th century. It is a 
human name..."

Setsuna turned back to the computers and entered a few corrections. "You 
can never have enough humanity, Charon."

"Yes, Mistress." He clearly did not agree.

Setsuna laughed at his discomfiture. "And Charon, before you go...can you 
find me that black gown? I want to wear it for the ball tonight."

"Then you are planning to return to Crystal Tokyo?"

"Yes, for a little while."

"You have just returned to Pluto..." Charon sounded more than a little whiny 
and Setsuna had a few uncharitable  thoughts about the personality algorithm 
she had Ami create for the castle's computer.

"Missed me, Charon?" 

"No, of course not, Mistress. I am only a computer program." 

"Of course." You old faker. "There are some people I am planning on visiting, 
as well. I may be gone for a few days."

"Yes, Mistress."

"Setsuna." Setsuna prodded.

"Setsuna-sama." Charon's voice made it plain that no future concessions 
would be  forthcoming. Setsuna smiled to herself as the program faded from 
the room. Her smile softened as she thought of those she would be visiting 
tonight. All the Senshi were gathering for the party at the Palace. This would 
be the first time they had all been together in Crystal Tokyo since 
immediately after the defeat of Nemesis, and the return of peace to the 
Crystal Millenium.

"Haruka, Michiru, Hotaru...it will be good to see you again." she whispered, 
and turned to another computer that beeped insistently.

Her fingers moved rapidly over the keyboard, calling up data from both 
spatial and temporal sources.

"Damn!" Setsuna muttered as she took in the reports. "Idiots!" Paradox.  She 
moved quickly around the room, trying to get a fix on the information. 
Paradox never works. The energy signature looked vaguely familiar, though. 
An old enemy? No, the signature was a new one, it matched none of the 
computer's records. A new enemy, then, one more attempt at a temporal 
attack. But paradox...really, when would their enemies realize the futility of a 
paradox?

Setsuna thought of calling Charon to assist her, but he was busy with the 
earlier anomaly. It wasn't fair to make him bear the brunt of her duty. Taking 
one last look at the report, Setsuna grabbed her Staff, and marched out of 
the control room. As she walked down the corridors of Charon Castle, she 
thought about the readings she had received. If  they were not incorrect, 
someone was attempting to create a paradox in the past - attempting to 
change the time-stream. 

I have never understood why so many people find the idea of a temporal 
paradox appealing. Setsuna admitted silently. Paradox can never work, it is 
like  a self-fulfilling prophecy, destined to cancel itself out. But so many of 
our enemies have tried to change what was.... Time cannot change, it has 
already happened. Setsuna laughed grimly as she headed for her personal 
chamber, it seemed so obvious - on this side of Time. Her laughter faded as 
she thought back to  many of the battles she had fought to protect the Moon 
Kingdom. So many of them were victories, but when would one end in 
defeat? Sailor Pluto gripped her Staff firmly, as she thought of the few 
opponents that had challenged her solitary abilities. She remembered then, 
the one enemy who had nearly defeated her. The energy signature had been 
similar...could it be? No, its impossible, she thought.

Sailor Pluto turned the corner, and headed for the teleport chamber. This had 
been installed for the convenience of the other Senshi. Her castle was very 
far away from the center of the kingdom, and it was a hard trip, for the Inner 
Senshi particularly, unless they were accompanied by the Queen.  And she 
had wanted them to visit, especially after her first return to her castle, a 
thousand years ago. Minako and she had become quite close after their 
battle with Neherenia's clones and Setsuna had wanted to see all she could 
of the girl. 

This chamber had become a favorite method of communicating with Charon, 
as well. By routing herself through it, Setsuna found that there was always a 
record of when and where she had been headed. Charon could quietly keep 
tabs on her without nagging, and she could save energy that might be 
needed later. It was an unorthodox partnership she had with Charon, she'd 
admit, nothing like that between Michiru and Haruka, but it worked for her. 
Setsuna smiled at the thought of her teammates and programmed the 
chamber to the coordinates that the readouts had given her.

"Setsuna." The voice, soft, almost sad, came from immediately behind her. 
Setsuna whirled around, the Staff moving up to protect her, but it was too 
late.

All she saw was a single blurred motion, heard herself grunt in pain, then 
blackness engulfed her.


Chapter 2

The alarm rang, piercing the thick veil of sleep that wrapped itself about her. 
Setsuna reached out groggily and hit the button. Without moving from the 
bed, or even opening her eyes, she did a mental appraisal of her situation. 
Alarm clock...electricity...that means the twentieth century - late twentieth 
century. She cracked one eye opened and ran it reluctantly around the room. 
She shut it again with a groan. The furnishings and patterns of the room were 
horrendous. She cringed at the sight that had greeted her. 

"1978. Ugh," she moaned, "I hated the 70's. The clothes alone will kill me." 
With a sudden thought, she sprang out of bed and looked desperately for a 
mirror, as if merely existing in the 1970s would have given her bad hair. She 
fell backwards as excruciating pain pounded into her eyes. She felt as if she 
had an incredible hangover. But that was impossible - she had never made it 
to the party.

"Idiot!" she grunted, as another needle pierced her left eye. She laid down 
quickly, willing herself to relax. She knew very well that in her Senshi form she 
did not get headaches, or other symptoms of excess. Therefore, she 
concluded, she was currently in her human form. It was hard to think around 
the pain. I was forcibly detransformed...what happened? 

Setsuna briefly thought of transforming to get rid of the headache, but passed 
that off as a weak moment. She remembered a blur, a voice....

"Who was it?" she thought, and lapsed into a miserable silence. Almost 
immediately, she fell asleep once more.

When she awoke for the second time, her head no longer ached, but she 
wouldn't be operating any heavy machinery any time soon, either. Setsuna 
indulged in a long, luxurious stretch and felt for the alarm clock at the 
bedside. Nearly noon. That meant nothing, of course. The concept of time 
had so little to do with clocks that she almost giggled. The sun coming in 
through the window was cheery, casting shadows and lines all over the 
apartment. 

Setsuna sat up. She knew this apartment well enough. It was one of her own, 
one of the several she rented in various places and times, under assumed 
names, through agents, managers and lawyers. This was a nice place in 
Central Tokyo, small, just enough space for herself and a few meager 
belongings. She winced at the wallpaper, a cacophony of color and 
remembered her earlier assessment.

"1978." She repeated to the empty apartment. "Why am I here?" First things 
first. Setsuna rose, not resisting the temptation to complete an earlier motion. 
Her hand touching her hair, she looked into the mirror and smiled. 
"Timeless," she quipped, then stopped. Her hair style was intact.

Which was odd. She usually released it from its tight bun before going to 
sleep. The smile faded from her lips. 

Reaching her arm forward, the Time Staff appeared in her grasp, its heft comforting 
as always. Setsuna thumbed a small panel, sliding it aside to reveal a set of buttons. 
She keyed in a code and spoke to the air.  "Charon, come in."

Silence.

Frowning, she programmed in a new code and called to her Castle once more. No 
answer was forthcoming. 

While it was true that Charon was looking into that anomaly, he should have 
been present to answer her. Either communications had been cut off on her 
end..or his. She needed to think this through, and her head still felt as if, well 
as if she had been hit with the obligatory blunt instrument. A bath would settle 
her nerves and soothe her body, she decided, as she willed the Staff away.


Efficiently, she moved around the small apartment, gathering
accouterments for a bath. There was a public bath just down the block, one of 
the selling points of the apartment. Her head, while no longer pounding, did 
not feel right, and there was a distinct stiffness in her shoulders and back. A 
bath would give her time to think, and reflect on exactly why she was here, in 
the twentieth century...against her will.

*

The attendant at the bath looked askance at the tall, stately woman with dark green 
hair that entered. It was so rare to see a young person here at midday, especially 
one so striking. She nodded to Setsuna, who smiled pleasantly and greeted her 
politely, but refused any assistance. 

After washing, Setsuna lowered herself into the hot water with a sigh of relief. She 
closed her eyes and pretended not to notice the old women who were not quite 
openly staring at her. She had other things on her mind at the moment, let them talk.  
She let the women's gossip waft over her as she relaxed her body, then allowed her 
mind to worry at the problem that faced her.

When she had punched in the code to contact Charon, she had also activated an 
internal alarm. It would register where  and when the message had been received 
from. If she did not deactivate the alarm, in 48 hours it would contact the Queen...she 
paused.

Contact the Queen! If she could find Usagi now...suddenly the significance of the 
year hit her. The calendar in her apartment had read March 1978. Tsukino Usagi 
would not be born for another 3 months. She was completely alone here. Yes, the 
Prince, and Haruka and Michiru were alive, but what were they, 2, 3, 4 years old? 
No, she'd have to figure this out on her own.

She wiped the sweat off of her face with a towel. Now she knew why she had been 
sent to this time. But was it a decoy, or was she here for some other purpose? Was 
she here to fight an enemy, or for an enemy?

Setsuna thought about the last readings she had gotten from the computer before 
leaving the control room. They had indicated a paradox coming from somewhere 
near her planet, in the immediate present. Had she been shanghaied to the past to 
keep her away from a closer threat?

And that energy signature still bothered her, as well. It was so like his...but that could 
not be possible. She shook her head angrily, drawing attention to herself once 
more. The old women smiled toothlessly at her as she rose and left the bath.

She had to get back to the future...something was about to happen and she needed 
to be there. She left the bathhouse, and with a purposeful step headed back to her 
apartment.

From across the street, a figure clad in jeans and a leather jacket watched casually 
as Setsuna walked past him and up the street. When she turned the corner, the 
figure stepped up to a motorcycle parked at the curb, started it, kicked it into gear 
and pulled away. He headed around the same corner at a slow pace, keeping her 
just within sight.


Chapter 3

Standing in her small apartment, Setsuna called to her hand the henshin wand that 
she had held so many times. She gazed at it, marveling at its still-bright color, the 
shine that had never faded. Filled with anticipation, she held it over her head and 
called upon her guardian planet to once again make her Sailor Pluto.

The rush of adrenaline was fantastic, as it always was. She felt alive, her nerves 
thrumming, her hearing and eyesight sharpened. Each heartbeat seemed pregnant 
with possibility and she spent one single moment simply reveling in the feeling. For 
thousands of years she had been doing this, and it never once felt boring or wrong. 
Sailor Pluto called her Staff to her hands, marshaled her power and focused on her 
home, on the loneliest planet in the far-distant future. Power coalesced around her, 
the very air glowed with it. Her hair rose in the cosmic wind and in a sudden rush, 
the power exploded outwards...and dissipated, leaving her standing alone in her 
apartment. 

"Well, that solves that." Setsuna said philosophically, as she willed her Staff away, 
and detransformed. "I had better come up with  a plan 'B.'" 

Meioh Setsuna grabbed her purse off the chair, and walked briskly out the door.

*

She sat in the hotel bar, sipping a glass of white wine, surrounded by leisure-suited 
salarymen. None of them had yet dared approach her, and she willed them away 
until she finished her drink. One lushly garrulous man at the end of the bar, joked with 
his friends loudly, and was encouraged to try and chat with her, but she intensified 
the aura of coldness about her, and he did not come over.

Why she had come here, she could not say. It had been a bad choice, and she knew 
it. There were too many memories here and so few of them good ones. Time heals 
all wounds, she thought bitterly. How much time is needed to heal this one?

Time passed, as it does in places like hotel bars, and Setsuna was nearly done with 
her wine. She contemplated dinner and found it held no appeal for her. She was 
feeling frustrated and confused and wished she could figure out why she was here. 
What was she here to do - or not do? For every moment she wasted here, a plot of 
some kind was being formed against her Queen, her home, her family. Setsuna was 
beginning to lose her temper.

"Hello, Pu." the voice, soft and a little sad came from immediately behind her. 
Setsuna managed not to jump, not to cry out, not to scream. In tones as smooth and 
cold as a glacier she responded, without turning.

"Hello, Margaret."

A pause for just one beat then, "I wish you wouldn't call me that."

She paused for a beat more, then, just as evenly, not stressing any of the syllables, 
"Mar-ga-rite, then. And please do not call me Pu."

"Pluto then."

Setsuna had still not turned around. Her heart sank everytimehe spoke to her. All the 
clues had been there, she hadn't wanted to see them. With every ounce of discipline 
she could muster she simply said, "Setsuna."

"Marcas." Pause. "Aren't you going to ask me to sit?" His voice was plaintive.

She whirled on him, anger darkening her face, her voice now raised just a bit, just 
enough to draw the attention of those around her. "Ask you to sit? Are you kidding? 
You're dead! I killed you!" she stood, her fists clenched, her body shaking with 
emotion. She gritted her teeth and hissed, "What are you doing here, Margarite?"

He did not speak for a time, until the short attention spans of their audience forced 
them to turn away from the tableau. Setsuna took the opportunity to regain her 
composure and measure up her companion. He had not changed at all, he was 
exactly as she remembered him on the day she had killed him. His hair was 
shoulder length, medium brown, pulled back into a pony tail. He wore, of course, 
twentieth century clothing, a brown leather jacket over a T-shirt, jeans, boots. His 
brown eyes were solemn, and he had grown a bushy mustache. She found it hard 
not to stare at him, so she dropped her eyes.

Margarite spent a moment sizing Setsuna up, but found that it hurt to look at her. 
She was exactly the same as he remembered her, cold, remote and beautiful. Her 
hair shimmered, even in the poorly lit bar. There was a place in his chest that would 
not stop aching as he watched her drop her eyes and unclench her hands.

"Why are you here?" she repeated, her eyes closed.

"I need your help, Pu...Pl...Setsuna."

She raised her head, incredulous. "You have got to be kidding."

"I'm serious...Setsuna, I want, I need your help."

Setsuna wasn't sure whether to cry or to laugh. This ghost from the past had come 
to her, the man she had killed, the man she had loved...she felt light-headed. "Come 
on...Marcas, I need some fresh air and food." She grabbed her purse and without 
turning to see if he followed, left the bar.


Chapter 4

Setsuna faced Marcas across and linen draped table. Food sat on plates in front of 
them, untouched. Scraps of bread and glasses of wine seemed to be the only 
casualties on this battlefield.

"Tell me again why you need my help?" Setsuna refused to believe what she had 
heard. "Wait, first, tell me how you came to be alive."

Marcas stared out the window on a twilit Tokyo. "Beryl resurrected me, almost 
immediately after you killed me. She renamed me Marcasite, so if rumor came to 
you, you would not recognize that it was me. I did not want to return, Setsuna, I swear 
it. It was a relief when you killed me in the battle over the Moon Kingdom. I thought I 
would have peace at last, but Beryl wanted control over Time and she brought me 
back. When Queen Serenity sealed Beryl away and sent her to the future, I was 
sealed away with her."

It was a relief when you killed me. Setsuna thought of that final battle in front of the 
Doors of Time. Margarite, one of the Generals of the Dark Kingdom, her nemesis 
and her lover of many years, had finally fallen to her. She could feel herself slipping 
quietly into insanity.

She saw him, a general of Earth, accompanying his Prince to the Moon Kingdom on 
a visit...

Pluto stood, along with other Senshi, arrayed behind their Queen and Princess. 
The younger Senshi were dressed in finery, as befitted princesses of their 
respective planets and giggled and flirted with the handsome soldiers of the Earth. 
Princess Serenity, of course, had eyes for no one but her beloved Endymion. 
Pluto smiled to see the two so in love.

Pluto, Uranus and Neptune stood at attention, arrayed in their fuku, as they had 
agreed earlier. It would not do to be completely unprotected, even if this was a 
friendly visit. In a spirit of friendship none of them held their Talisman, although 
Pluto felt somewhat at a loss without it. She began to fidget with her hands and 
Neptune had smiled reassuringly at her. Pluto smiled back and turned to see the 
ranks of Earth nobility walk by. Later that evening would be a party, but now the 
formalities had to be seen to.

Eventually Endymion came to collect his beloved, accompanied by 8 of his 
closest counselors and generals. Each asked one of the Senshi to accompany 
him into the Palace. Setsuna, as the oldest, and representative of the most distant 
planet, was last. The young man who took her arm was her own height, his warm, 
brown eyes regarding her in a friendly, but not overly familiar fashion. Margarite, 
he said his name was, and he was extremely interested in Time. He had, he told 
her, actually requested the position of her escort, having heard so much about 
her. But not, he hastened to add, how beautiful she was...

Pluto had laughed at him, then. And together they had smiled at the couples that 
preceded them, Uranus and Neptune had been paired with Kunzite and Zoisite, 
respectively, a fitting pairing, as the latter were are well know as lovers as the 
former. It amused them all to escort each other, and they were bantering and 
flirting between themselves. Pluto and Margarite joined in the banter as they 
entered the palace....


He had been so gallant, so charming. She had danced with him all night then, and 
walked with him, talking until the dawn broke. A tear broke free of her eye and slid 
down her face. She wiped it away impatiently. Marcas was still talking.

"And she wants me to fight you again. She told me to attack you in your time, where 
you wouldn't expect it. I told her it was foolish, that Serenity and the other Senshi are 
stronger than they've ever been...so she told me to do whatever seemed best...." 
Marcas stopped.

"She?" Setsuna asked, confused.

"Queen Opal."

"Who is she?"

"We don't know, but she is marshaling the forces of the Dark Kingdom again - and 
she's unlikely to make the same mistakes Beryl did. She's much smarter."

"Marcas? Why are you telling me this? Why did you bring me here?" Setsuna stared 
him directly in the eyes for the first time since she had seen him. He did not look 
away, his eyes softened and he reached across the table to touch her hand with his 
own.

"She wants me to prevent Queen Serenity from ever being born. Setsuna, I want out, 
I want to leave...and we both know there is only one way. You have to defeat me. 
Please, in the name of what we had together, please defeat me once again." He 
was pleading, and she thought her heart would break at the sadness in his voice.

"In the name of what we had? The betrayal? The bitterness?" She couldn't help 
herself, the words slipped out before she had a chance to supress them. Marcas 
lowered his head and did not respond. She felt anger again. "You betrayed your 
planet, your Prince and me, Margarite. Why should I help you?"

He lifted his head and met her gaze. His eyes became hard and dark. "Because if 
you don't defeat me, Sailor Moon will never be born." The word sat between them, 
hovering, filling the space around them....paradox. 

Chapter 5

If anyone had been able to see past the lights shining out from Tokyo Tower, they 
probably would still not have been able to see the figure who now stood upon it, her 
long hair blowing free in the wind that buffeted the tall structure. She leaned heavily 
upon an ornate staff, her face outwards, feeling the night air on her face, listening to 
the sounds of the city, sounds so familiar and yet made foreign by distance of time.

She thought of the sad face with soft brown hair, the voice that had whispered in her 
ear and she shivered, but not from the wind. Her eyes closed as she remembered 
his hands on her body, his lips on her neck, mouth, breasts. A small whimper forced 
its way past her lips and she clamped them shut against the emotion that threatened 
to choke her. The wind grew fiercer, echoing her mood. The Tower began to sway 
and moan in the wind, keening as she could not have, mourning for a love so old, so 
powerful and, once, so bitter.

Sailor Pluto thought of the rest of their conversation, aborted as it had been. Marcas 
had admitted to hitting her over the head and bringing her physically back to this 
time to deceive Queen Opal. Twice a traitor, she had screamed at him as she threw 
her wine in his face, running out of the restaurant, running away from him, running 
anywhere but near where he was. Sailor Pluto threw her arms wide and head back 
as the wind took on a shriller note, filling her ears with its banshee wail.

She knew what she had had to do. He had brought her here for a purpose and until 
that was completed, she could not leave. Her powers appeared to be intact, but she 
could not leave the 20th century. She had tried, more than once, the last time just a 
few minutes ago. She had tried to contact Charon, her Queen, any of the Senshi, but 
she was blocked, once again leaving a coded message, if only it could be seen. 
Marcas had brought her here to fight him? He'd get the fight he wanted. She grinned 
ferally, lips pulling back from her teeth and she leered into the city.

"Marcas." she spoke without rancor. "I'll do what you want me to do."

She put both hands on her Staff and slowly, still unseen by any lifeform or 
surveillance device, she faded from the top of Tokyo Tower.

*

A young couple sat at dinner. They looked impossibly happy. The woman was 
clearly several months pregnant, the bulge of her belly very visible on her slight 
frame. The man's eyes shone as they sat and talked and laughed. They each had a 
book in their hands, and they clearly were trying to pick a name for the child.

Setsuna watched them from a distance. She sat alone at a table, hidden from the 
couple's sight by a pillar, but a mirror on the opposite wall gave her a clear view of 
them. It was a prudent idea to be aware of the location of Tsukino Kenji and Ikuko at 
this point in Time. 

Setsuna took another bite of her meal, chewing and swallowing automatically, trying 
not to taste the food. Once again she thought of the idiotic paradox Margarite had 
propelled her into. To fool Opal into believing she was fighting his shadow paradox, 
Margarite had actually knocked her unconscious and brought her back, so Opal 
would not be able to trace her energy signature. Her records all pointed to the 
shadow paradox, so cleverly set up as a blind. In the meantime she was stuck here, 
in her least favorite decade of all Time, eating mediocre food in a not very posh 
restaurant. She smiled inwardly at her own petulance.

And now her lover, her ex-lover, a man she still missed every day of her long life, 
wanted her to kill him...again. Her thoughts wandered to their final confrontation 
during the original Queen Serenity's reign...during the last days of the Silver 
Millenium.

Pluto was standing before the Gates of Time, her Staff held ready, fighting off an 
advance attack of Beryl's. She knew the Dark Queen had not yet attacked the 
Moon Kingdom - if only she could beat off this attack, she could get there, assist 
the other Senshi...another wave of Dark Kingdom warriors threw themselves at her 
and were forced back by the power of her Dead Scream. The attacks were fewer 
now, and she thought she might be able to get back to the Queen's side, if they 
would only retreat.

The smoke and mist seemed to close in for a moment, blinding Pluto. She saw a 
figure approach and her heart froze in her chest. She knew that figure too well. 
Pluto could feel bile in her throat as she beheld Margarite, clad in the livery of the 
Dark Kingdom, approaching her openly. The gray cloak billowed out behind him, 
the neat, gray uniform trimmed with dark green, his hair bound as always.  Pluto 
gripped her Staff until her knuckles whitened, but stood firm. He faced her and 
bowed formally. She did not return the courtesy.

"Why?" was all she said, hissing through a clenched jaw.

"Because I believe that this is for the best." He didn't believe it, she could see that, 
at least not any more. Maybe he had, before Beryl had given herself to Metallia 
and called the Darkness down onto them, but now, she could see that he hated 
what he had become. She remembered the two of them, walking through the 
gardens, hand in hand, speaking of the future they would share...

"Coward!" she cried and lifted her Staff. He sidestepped and threw an attack at her, 
which she parried neatly, deflecting it into his own troops, who scattered. They 
circled for a few, each trying not to look at their opponent, or admit who it was that 
they now attempted to defeat, trying not to remember the feel of each other in 
passion, the sight of other in repose and peace.

Margarite lifted a hand and Pluto swung her weapon once again. As he reeled 
from the blow, Pluto let go of her Staff, commanded it to come to attack position 
and in a cold, unemotional voice, declared her attack....

"Dead Scream...."

His cries were short, ending abruptly, as he faded from the field, dissipating like 
the mist that now closed in upon her. His troops ran, then, and in a moment, she 
was alone.

Setsuna shuddered with the memory and turned her attention back to the couple at 
the center table. They were getting ready to leave, so she signaled to her waitress. 
She paid her bill and almost invisibly, followed them out of the building. As she 
turned to look down the block, she could see a dark figure, cloaked and booted, turn 
the corner in the opposite direction. She had been right - he would make his attack 
tonight.

The Tsukinos were headed for the park and Setsuna could feel a slight headache 
beginning behind her left eye. Didn't these people ever watch horror or monster 
movies?  They were just *asking* to be attacked by a supernatural phenomenon! 
She sighed with exasperation and followed them at a distance.


Chapter 6

Setsuna did not yet transform. It might be that Margarite was not going to attack if he 
knew she was here. Why press his luck? They both knew she was capable of 
defeating him....

Setsuna strolled through the park, as lost in her thoughts as the couple she 
shadowed were lost in each other. Their voices occasionally drifted back to her and 
she smiled to hear them talk of their "little bunny." It is no wonder the Queen is so 
warm-hearted and loving, with parents like these, she thought.

Setsuna sat on a bench, while the couple fed crumbs to the carp in the pond. She 
thought of their conversation, when she had asked Marcas, just before she had run 
out on him. "Why don't you just leave then - just tell Opal "no?" " and he had 
answered "Because I am still a coward, Setsuna. Because I am afraid."

They were walking again. She felt a chill run up her spine and stood behind a tree, 
waiting for a moment. A dark shadow passed her, booted feet making no sound on 
the ground, cloak drifting lazily behind him. She shook her head sadly and called her 
henshin wand to her hand. Once again she held her hand high as she called to her 
guardian planet.

"Pluto Planet Power make-up!"

Her Staff came to her hand as naturally as an instrument to a musician's. She 
stepped out from the tree and called sharply.

"Margarite! I will not let you hurt them."

The figure turned slowly. "I wasn't sure you'd come." he said. There was no sadness 
now in his voice, only harshness and purpose. "I'm sorry Pluto. I was wrong to have 
brought you here."

"No." she interrupted. "You were more right than you knew. What you are trying to do 
is *so* wrong, Hell alone is not good enough for you. I *will* stop you Margarite, and 
then I will stop your Queen."

"No, you were right, Pluto. I am a coward and a traitor. I don't deserve to live, but at 
least once in my life I will carry something through to the end before I die." and he 
spun around to follow the couple who had now passed beyond hearing.

"Not this, you won't." Sailor Pluto said and leveled the Staff at Margarite. "Dead 
Scream." Her voice echoed coldly in the night, the Staff moved into position and she 
whirled, launching the ringed, violet sphere at Margarite. He turned, waved a hand 
and the light simply...vanished. 

He smiled at Sailor Pluto. "I'm sorry Pluto. You can't stop me now." and he turned 
away, leaving her, for a moment stunned into paralysis.

"My god, that attack never even reached him..." she hissed. It didn't matter. If she 
died for it, she would stop him. Her face became resolute and she took off after him, 
her feet pounding the turfed path.

Sailor Pluto accelerated, running to catch up to the couple, now far ahead and in 
grave danger. There was no help for it, they had to be warned. Just then she heard a 
scream. 

"Dammit!" she cursed and picked up the pace. She came around a bend in the path 
and could see Margarite, his cloak thrown back, his hands held out towards the 
cowering couple before him. Sailor Pluto threw herself at him, turning and shouting 
to the man and woman as she dove, "Run! Don't look back and don't stop! Run!"

Apparently they *had* seen enough horror movies, because they took her advice 
and ran as fast as they could, while she rolled on the ground, trying not to let 
Margarite get a grip on her throat. She elbowed him in the ribs and struck at his 
face. A gash began to bleed on his cheek, where her nails raked him.

Sailor Pluto heard him curse and her head snapped back as he struck her in the 
jaw.  She hit the ground hard with his weight upon her and he pulled back for another 
strike. A voice cried out "Over here!" and Sailor Pluto could hear footsteps on the 
pathway. Margarite stood up quickly and looked down at her, his face unreadable. 
He turned and walked into the darkness, silent and ghost-like, fading from sight.

Laying back in the grass, Sailor Pluto detransformed, allowing Meioh Setsuna to be 
found, dazed and breathless, helped to stand, and taken to a bench to rest. Her 
head still rung from the blow Margarite had given her, but aside from a few cuts and 
bruises, she was fine. She declined to be taken to the hospital or police station, 
insisting she could make her way back home. As soon as her rescuers left her, she 
transformed once again, the cuts and bruises disappearing immediately. Sailor 
Pluto called her Staff into her hand, and she disappeared from the park, praying 
fervently that the Tsukinos had made it home safely.


Chapter 7


Setsuna stood naked in front of a mirror, regarding herself objectively. She was 
unscathed, all signs of the earlier battle gone with her transformation. Satisfied that 
she had no wounds that needed treatment, she stared openly into her own eyes, 
which regarded her seriously in return, but gave away no secrets.

A door clicked open softly and Setsuna turned to glance over her shoulder, as 
Marcas came out the bathroom towards her. He shed a robe onto the floor as he 
walked, his body as naked as her own, his hair loose, wet from the shower. He 
stood behind her, wrapped his arms around her and pressed his face into her hair, 
breathing in her scent.

She could feel him, muscled and strong, press his body against hers and she 
sighed, leaning back into him. Marcas kissed her neck through her hair and rumbled 
his pleasure at the contact.. Setsuna closed her eyes, just feeling the warmth of him 
flow through her. At last, reluctantly, he broke their embrace and sat on the bed. She 
turned, running her fingers through his dampened hair.

"Do you think it worked?" she asked him quietly, as she kneeled before him. "Were 
you followed?"

Marcas took her face in his hands, kissed her gently and smiled softly at her. "I was 
being followed, yes. As for our idea working...I can't say. Opal isn't stupid, Setsuna, 
but some of her lieutenants are. I wasn't followed here, if that's what you mean. But 
then" he paused for a moment, "I didn't think they'd figure out that I was the one who 
brought you back. Opal doesn't trust me and she is going to trust me less, now."

Setsuna said nothing, but pulled him to her, crushing their lips together.

When they pulled reluctantly away from each other, Setsuna laid his hand against 
her cheek. "I don't want to lose you again, Marcas."

Marcas said nothing, but leaned into her, kissing her firmly.

He let his hands drop to her shoulders and she returned his kisses, giving him her 
neck and moaning softly, as his lips brushed the soft skin of her throat. His hands 
slid down, and cupping her breasts, began to knead them gently. Setsuna held him 
to her, kissing him hard, opening her mouth to lick at him, draw his tongue into her. 
She grabbed onto his soft hair holding him firm, while one hand scratched softly at 
his chest, parting the brown curls on it.

Setsuna smiled as they kissed, and her body fell into old patterns, so long forgotten. 
She stroked his chest, feeling the muscles tense and relax. She laid one hand over 
his heart, and felt for the reassuring rhythm. Her eyes closed as Marcas moved his 
head lower, kissing her softly between her breasts.

"Marcas," Setsuna whispered, as his tongue traveled in lazy circles around her 
nipples.

"Mmmm?" He did not break contact with her skin.

"Promise me one thing." 

"Mmmmm." he closed his mouth on her nipple, drawing it in, sucking at it, flicking it 
with his tongue. Setsuna lost all power of speech for a few moments.

He pulled his mouth away and watched her, his eyes twinkling with humor. "You were 
asking me to promise you something?"

Setsuna opened her eyes and looked at him, his hair spilling softly around his 
shoulders, his mouth soft and inviting.

"Later." she said firmly and drew him in for a long kiss.

When they broke apart she could see his excitement and she was overwhelmed 
with the need to feel it. Her hand slipped softly down his chest, running through the 
thinning fur of his stomach, and down further, until she could feel him, hard and warm 
in her hand. Now he drew close to her, nibbling on her earlobe and she laughed, his 
mustache tickling her.

Setsuna pushed him away, laughing, and kissed her way down his chest, pausing to 
lick his nipples, while he moaned almost piteously. Smiling, she continued her way 
down, kissing, licking, teasing, until her mouth joined her hand on his hardness. His 
moans became more urgent then, while her tongue made light of his need, licking 
him in slow, firm strokes that forced even more desperate moans from him.

She could feel him tensing and he pulled her away from him, stood, bringing her to 
her feet. Kissing her, he laid her back on the bed. Marcas could no longer hold 
himself back and she did not try to stop him. Her body ached for him to fill her and 
she told him so, which made him groan with desire. Her hands in his hair, she pulled 
him close and he entered her, his thighs pressed against her own, her moans joined 
to his, creating one rhythm, one purpose.

It had been too long since she had felt another's touch, since she had been intimate 
with anyone and her body was all too ready. Setsuna arched her back as she came, 
holding him in her, wrapping her long legs around him. Marcas pressed his lips into 
her neck and joined her in climax. She did not feel him come, so lost was she in her 
own sensations.

The lay there, still entwined, as their breathing steadied and deepened, as their 
eyes and ears returned to their normal functioning. She ran her hands though 
Marcas's fine hair, spreading it over his shoulders, combing it. He lay with his head 
on her chest, eyes half-closed, a small smile on his lips.

She pushed at him and he rolled over reluctantly, groaning at the unfairness of her 
action. She covered him with a blanket, and then herself, laying her head on his 
chest, listening to his heartbeat.

His arm crossed his chest and, meeting with her lips, was kissed quickly and 
quietly. The kiss captured, the hand rose to her nose, and with a small, playful 
gesture, he rubbed the tip lightly, as if to tell her how cute it was, then a quick "kiss" 
from the hand, and it dropped to his side. He fell asleep almost immediately, while 
Setsuna lay there, listening to him breathe.

Softly, so she would not wake him she looked up at his face and spoke. "Promise 
me, that when we defeat Opal and free you, you'll shave off that mustache." And 
smiling to herself, she closed her eyes and slept.

Chapter 8

Setsuna felt Margarite leave the bed, but she did not open her eyes. 
There were to be no good-byes this time, as there were none the last. 
They each knew what they had to do, there was nothing left to discuss.

She lay in the growing silence, feeling the bed cool, trying to 
remember how she lived without him in her life. She refused to shed 
tears for him, or herself. None of this was even happening, she knew, 
it was all a paradox. Tsukino Usagi would be born, and would defeat 
Beryl, Nemesis, Neherenia, Galaxia and yes, even Opal. A beautiful 
new world would be created, and all she had to do was to return to 
that world and live the life she had chosen.
Setsuna sighed and pushed the covers back. 

Her body felt light, translucent, as it had after her rebirth when Galaxia 
had taken her star seed. When this was all over, with the reformation 
of Margarite, she could have a life she had never before allowed 
herself to contemplate. Family, friends and a lover. A normal life, she 
admitted, reluctant to even think the words, lest she jinx herself. She 
glanced at herself in the mirror and blushed. Her normally impeccable 
hair was a mess, her skin flushed and her crimson eyes sparkled. 
There was no mistaking that look - and that thought heightened the 
blush in her cheeks.

Turning away from the mirror, she considered the plans she and 
Margarite had formed to draw out Opal's lieutenants. If he was to 
escape Opal's influence, his watchers would have to be destroyed. 
Margarite would attack the Tsukino household, and she would defend 
it, forcing him back. Margarite would have to call on reinforcements. 
Together they would defeat these minions of the new Dark Kingdom, 
then released from immediate surveillance, they would make their 
escape together and return to the 30th century, where they could join 
the other Senshi and defeat Opal.

It sounded so simple. And if anyone knows that life was not simple, it 
would have to be me. She did not smile, not now. She showered, and 
dressed, knowing that it would not matter what she wore. Nothing 
except her strength mattered now. If she could not defeat these new, 
stronger enemies, she would never see any of her family again. Nor 
would she redeem Margarite. 

Life without Margarite, now that she had once again felt his touch, 
heard his voice.... she shivered although the apartment was warm.
She ate breakfast, not tasting the food, and straightened the 
apartment. It wouldn't do to leave a mess. 

She arranged the tastelessly decorated coverlet, smoothing it and at 
that, smiled. Whatever came this day, she would not miss this 
decade. The thought made her laugh, and laughing, she transformed 
one last time into Sailor Pluto.
*
On the roof of the building overlooking the Tsukino house, unseen by 
any watchers, Sailor Pluto took up her position. She could keep watch 
from here, and join the fight when it became necessary. 

The afternoon was passing quickly, it would soon be evening, time for 
an aspiring journalist to return home to his wife. If Margarite would 
attack, it would have to be soon. Sailor Pluto watched the passage of 
cars, trucks and pedestrians, with the look of one who had seen them 
all pass this way before, and would again.

A small inconsistency was all it took to gain her attention, just one 
thing out of the ordinary. She watched the yard around the house, but 
could not see what had caught her eye. She scanned the streets 
around it and suddenly saw what she had instinctively known to be 
there. A field of energy, visible only at an oblique angle, had been 
drawn around the Tsukino house. Was it to keep something in, or out?

Sailor Pluto left her lookout, and floated above the field, feeling it 
stress and heat the air around it. She tested the field with the Staff, but 
it resisted both slow and fast motion attacks, and no energy could 
penetrate. It was meant to keep her out, then. She surveyed it, looking 
for flaws, or any sign of weakness, but found none. If Margarite had 
put the barrier up, he had done it too well.

She floated towards the ground, not wanting to commit to any course 
of action, but she knew that confrontation was inevitable. Her boot 
touched the ground almost gingerly. Nothing happened and she 
lowered her second foot, until she stood before the Tsukino 
residence, tense and alert.

A second passed, and another one, the air was heavy with 
anticipation - even the birdsong was quieted. Sailor Pluto, her Staff 
held tightly, moved forward, one step, then two. Her foot lifted for the 
third step, when suddenly the ground beneath her erupted and two 
hands tore free their earthly moorings and grabbed at her. Sailor Pluto 
tried to pull away, but the hands clung to her, followed by another and 
another, which rent her fuku and tried to pry the Staff from her hand. 
Stabbing downward, Sailor Pluto forced her way free and loosened 
the Staff to strike. Her monotone "Dead Scream" was followed by the 
piercing screams of the hands' owners, as they burnt away into mist. 

Behind her, Sailor Pluto heard a rumbling noise, as the ground 
shrieked with pain and ripped open. She whirled in time to behold one 
large, clawed hand appear, followed by another. They sunk into the 
ground and flexed, pulling up a not quite human body. The monster's 
eyes were not visible, nor were ears, but the gaping maw spoke 
eloquently. Fangs glittered, but its voice was smooth and cultured.

"I have been promised a fine meal, Sailor Pluto." The creature spoke 
directly to her, its muscles rippling unnaturally. "Would you prefer to be 
the appetizer, or the main course?"

Sailor Pluto did not respond. She wished Sailor Mercury stood beside 
her, with her computer, to let her know where the creature's weak 
point was. Or her beloved friends, Sailors Uranus and Neptune, with 
their strong attacks and stronger faith. Her jaw clenched as she 
thought of them.

"This is for you, all of you." she whispered and closed her eyes for a 
brief second. When they opened her face was calm, almost peaceful.

"Dead Scream." her voice echoed in the small yard. She released the 
Staff, it spun into attack position, the violet light forming at its end. 
After a minute pause she whirled and launched her deadly sphere. It 
hit the monster, which fell back gasping and croaking almost 
comically before it collapsed where it stood.

"It seems that my pet is fighting above his station." Sailor Pluto spun 
around at the words. Margarite stood a small distance behind her, 
floating slightly in the air. His arms were crossed and his cape swum 
gracefully around him, every inch a General of the Dark Kingdom. She 
found her eyes smarting at the sight of him, her body aching for his 
touch. But there was a charade to be played out....

"You'll have to do better than that, Margarite." She pointed her Staff at 
him and he pointed his hand at her. She managed to get an attack off 
just before he did, and his body wavered where it stood, then flew 
backwards, landing hard on the ground. He got up shakily, hands 
clenched.

"Damn you, Pluto." Margarite's voice was tight. "Chikaro! Ueru! 
Come to me!"

The monstrous form, that had until now, lain still, stirred, lifting itself to 
its legs. It shuffled forward, and was joined by another figure, pliant, 
hard to see, that made a clanking, jangling sound. It was like a living 
chain, slinking along the ground, its arms lengthening, surrounding 
her, and cutting off movement. This was what had attacked her at first. 
Now the same creature, or another like it, slithered closer, trying to cut 
off her retreat.

For Pluto, this was the crucial moment. She could not fail to destroy 
these creatures, for her own sake and for his. Her movements took on 
a dream-like quality. She breathed deeply, and drawing on the calm 
only experience and time gives a soldier she attacked. The chain 
creature sought to inhibit her movement, while the ungainly mouth 
simply thought to crush her, or bite her. She launched attack after 
attack at them, beating them back, denying them the delight of her 
capture and defeat.

At last she saw an opening and launched the strongest possible 
attack at Chikaro, cutting its very links at several places. As the 
creature tried to reconnect itself, she threw the pieces at the 
embodied mouth. Automatically, it began to devour the object in its 
maw. As the chain reconnected, it began to squeeze and bind Ueru, 
who destroyed it with his sharp teeth. In morbid fascination, Sailor 
Pluto watched as they turned on each other, each destroying one 
another, until all that was left was the ruined carcasses of two 
wretched entities, that shriveled up, and disappeared on the breeze.

Pluto leaned heavily on her Staff, catching her breath. She whirled 
around looking for Margarite, her eyes a bit wild, her face full of 
concern that he might have been wounded. Anxiety that she had hurt 
him in her attack was plainly visible on her usually placid countenance.

She found him leaning against a tree, arms still crossed, that sad look 
once again on his face. He stood upright and brought his hands to his 
side. She looked at him and it was equally apparent that she now 
comprehended what his true plan had been. Understanding of his 
second betrayal was legible in her tensed mouth, her narrowed eyes. 

Unshed tears stung her, but she did not acknowledge them. Sailor 
Pluto stood, torn fuku skirt moving gently in the breeze, her hair stirred 
by the same force. She stood erect and strong. Her Staff came once 
again to her hand and she faced Margarite, ready for whatever 
treachery he would bring to her this day.

"I'm sorry, Pluto. I really am. But I needed to rid myself of those two 
and this was the only way to do it."

Sailor Pluto did not answer, but simply stood balanced lightly on both 
feet, ready for what he would throw at her.

"Please don't resist me. You don't have the strength for it. Your Dead 
Scream can't hurt me now." He stepped forward, one hand open, 
palm facing up, the offer unspoken. She did not even look at his hand, 
but stared, hard and cold as stone, at the man she had once, no, twice 
loved.

"I want to remember you, Pluto, the way I left you this morning." She 
felt her color rise in her face, betraying her thoughts to him. His voice 
was soft and cruel now, the more so as he was being entirely sincere. 
"If you join me, we need never be parted again."

Sailor Pluto continued to watch him, her body betraying her with every 
breath she took, desire for him in very heartbeat. She longed to go to 
him, but stayed firm.

Margarite faced his palms towards her, still hesitating, still offering. 
She did not move.

Margarite closed his eyes and nodded. A beam of odious dark green 
light shot out from his hands towards Pluto, who simply stood and let it 
hit her. For a moment she stood firm, then the beam lifted her off her 
feet. She fell heavily, her body slamming into the ground with a loud 
thud. Margarite let the beam decrease, then die off.

Slowly, Sailor Pluto stood, Staff still in hand.

"Please, Setsuna. Don't make me do this." Margarite said, walking 
towards her.

Still she said nothing, but the Staff began to move, it floated in a 
curved trajectory, then settled into her hands comfortably. Power 
began to build within it. A violet sphere, bright and piercing, appeared 
at its end.

Margarite held both hands forward towards Sailor Pluto, dark energy 
building in his palms.

Sailor Pluto spun around and her voice, cold and deadly came

"Dead..."

Margarite slapped his hands together, his voice victorious, cried

"Lodestone..."

"...Scream!"

"....Paralysis!"

Green energy hurled itself at the ringed sphere. For a moment they 
crackled together, each holding fast, then suddenly the violet light 
gave way and exploded, allowing the green energy to penetrate. 
Sailor Pluto was immediately lifted off of her feet and thrown across 
the yard, where she lay motionless, her body lying draped across 
gnarled roots that had broken through the soft turf.

The sizzling energy dissipated and Margarite gazed at his lover with a 
calm countenance.

"I really am sorry Pluto." He walked towards the motionless body, 
crossing over the broken Time Staff, kicking the pieces away with his 
booted feet. Sailor Pluto, her fuku torn, her body battered, and at least 
one leg broken, lay there breathing shallowly. Her eyes rolled towards 
the shards of her Staff. Margarite followed her gaze. 

"I know you have no other attack, Pluto. If you join me now, I can 
convince Opal to let you live. Please, Pluto, it would be so easy to let 
you live..."

Whether to gloat, or to apologize, Margarite himself did not know, but 
he moved closer to Sailor Pluto, touching her gently on the face. "I 
tried to warn you, you know. I told you I was a coward and a traitor. 
And I told you, Opal is much smarter than Beryl. She gives her 
generals far more power than Beryl ever did. More even than the 
Senshi."

"I can't let you kill Sailor Mo...." Sailor Pluto's voice was faint, and 
Margarite cut her off with a short, barking laugh.

"After all this, still thinking of your Queen? Don't you understand? This 
was never about Sailor Moon. I was sent here to kill *you.*" 

His voice was colder than space. She closed her eyes, her face tight 
with hopelessness. Twice betrayed by the same man, she had lost. 
There was only one thing left to do.

Sailor Pluto's eyes opened, fluttered, then fixed on his. He leaned in to 
her as her mouth moved, sound forcing its way past cracked lips. She 
gripped his collar in one hand and pulled him close. 

Looking into his face Sailor Pluto gathered what energy she could and 
rasped, "I could let you live too, but it's easier just to kill you." Her free 
hand forced its way upward, directly into Margarite's solar plexus, 
releasing a direct beam of energy into his body as she cried out 
"Stygian Tide!"

With a look of shock and confusion, Margarite released his grip on 
her. His cry was swallowed by the sound of his destruction. The force 
lifted him off the ground into the air and then, as if he had been sucked 
into space, he seemed to implode with a final gasp.
Sailor Pluto fell back against the tree, then slipped downwards, onto 
the ground and into unconsciousness.


Chapter 9


Sailor Pluto opened her eyes and tentatively moved her limbs. Legs, 
feet, arms, hands, all seemed to be working properly. She looked 
around her room. Crisp white sheets draped her body and were 
pulled tightly into the bed. The light in the room was artificial, clinical 
and thoroughly life draining. She glanced at the arm in front of her and 
made a face at the greenish cast it presented to her vision. Charon's 
been changing the defaults again, she thought with a grimace.

She sat up and swung her legs off the bed, calling out as she did so. 
"Charon! Where are you, you lazy good-for-nothing program!"

Setsuna called her henshin wand to her and transformed as she left 
the room behind her.

"Yes Setsuna-sama?" The voice came, as she had expected, from 
immediately behind her, slightly too close for comfort. She smiled and 
kept walking. He was getting predictable.

"Did you get him?"

"It would be more correct to say that Queen Serenity has got him. I 
simply facilitated his transmission."

"Is he here?" Sailor Pluto's voice was harsher than she had meant it 
to be. "I mean," she softened her tone, "did he get through to this time 
safely?"

"It appears so. But please, Setsuna-sama, before you go rushing off, 
please let me examine you. Your wounds were very severe. You 
shouldn't even be up yet."

"I'm fine Charon - you just want to play dirty old man."

The computer program said nothing, but his silence was 
disapproving. Sailor Pluto laughed and entered the control room.
She stood in front of the communications board and established a link 
with the Palace at Crystal Tokyo. The face that greeted hers was 
Ami's, she noted, with a distinct feeling of relief. The Senshi of 
Mercury was often to be found in the Palace's Communications 
Center when she was not on active duty.

"Pluto!" Ami said, noting the Senshi was in uniform. "We hadn't heard 
that you had regained consciousness. Are you well?"

Sailor Pluto nodded. "I'm fine, thank you, Ami. I've just gotten up."

Ami frowned. "Then you shouldn't be up and about. Why don't I come 
over and examine you?"

Pluto waved her concern away. "I'm fine, Ami. I need to speak to 
Serenity, is she around?"

"She's with our guest right now. Pluto...Setsuna..." Ami hesitated. 
Sailor Pluto waited while the younger Senshi gathered her thoughts, 
"she hasn't told us much of what went on. Who is he? And why did you 
want him brought directly to the Palace?" Her voice dropped, "And is 
he really a Dark Kingdom general?"

There was a silence, then Sailor Pluto spoke, a bit hesitantly. "He 
*was* a general of the Dark Kingdom, yes. And before that, he was 
one of Endymion's advisors. And my lover." She could hear Ami's 
intake of breath. "I killed him in Beryl's attack at the end of the Silver 
Millenium. But now, apparently, there is an heir to Beryl's throne and a 
much stronger opponent than Beryl ever was. She sent him to kill me."

"But, then, why...?" Ami's eyes were clouded with concern for her 
friend and her face paler than usual.

"Because he did not want to do it. We worked out a plan, one so full of 
betrayals and backstabbing that the twisted mind of the new queen 
would never suspect it for a fraud." Sailor Pluto felt herself tiring 
rapidly. She needed to stay on her feet. Her Staff appeared in her 
hand to support her. She didn't wonder at the new Talisman. As long 
as there existed a Sailor Pluto, there existed a Time Staff.

Ami's voice was full of reproach now. "You shouldn't have done this 
alone, Setsuna. You could have been killed."

"I wasn't alone. I knew that Charon was receiving my transmissions 
and forwarding them to the Queen." she ignored the look on Ami's 
face and continued, "And I knew that whatever we did, it had to look 
as real as possible, or Opal would never be fooled."

"Really," Ami said with some peevishness, "that has got to be the 
stupidest idea I have heard in years. After all this time..." Ami cut off 
her lecture abruptly, turning to her right. She looked back at the screen 
quickly. "Serenity's here."

In a moment Pluto found herself facing their Queen, Her hair, now 
white, glowed with an incandescent light, but she was otherwise 
unchanged from the young woman Setsuna had met so long ago. A 
mischievous light still lit her face and her smile was still radiant 
enough to set a room aglow.

Sailor Pluto made a slight curtsey, which was waved off by the Queen 
with a laugh. Her face grew serious almost immediately.
"How are you, Setsuna? Charon told us that you had several broken 
bones and some major internal damage...." There was no need to 
state that everyone in the capital had been worried, her eyes spoke 
so eloquently.

"I am recovering, Serenity-sama." She knew the reaction that name 
would get and was not disappointed. The Queen made a face at her, 
sticking out her tongue briefly. Pluto could just make out Ami's giggle 
in the background.

Sailor Pluto got down to business. "Where you able to find Opal's 
headquarters?"

"Yes. Would you believe, she used the same entry point as Beryl did? 
So much for creativity. She wasn't terribly strong yet, though, and 
Uranus and Neptune made short work of her so-called generals."

Sailor Pluto smiled at the vision of Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune 
cutting down the pompous generals of the self-proclaimed New Dark 
Kingdom.

Serenity continued, "It would have been a good idea, too. Taking us 
out one at a time. Starting with the Senshi most likely to predict an 
attack...Setsuna...?" Serenity's voice was a little teasing. "Why didn't 
you know this was coming?"

Sailor Pluto looked away from the screen for a moment. When she 
looked back, her face held grudging admiration. "That was the genius 
of Opal's plan. While I guard the Doors of Time, my own personal 
timeline lies forever forwards, just as your does. I would never think to 
look into my past for my death. And neither would you."

Serenity sighed heavily. "I still am not clear on temporal physics, I'll 
admit, but I think I understand."

A silence fell.

"Aren't you going to ask about him?" Serenity inquired gently.

Sailor Pluto said nothing.

"He asked about you, you know."

"Is he..." Sailor Pluto hesitated. "Is he alright?"

Serenity smiled beatifically. "He is. And as far as we can tell, 
untainted by any kind of Dark Energy. Endymion is thrilled to have one 
of his generals back. And he gave me a message for you."

"Which is?" Sailor Pluto felt relief wash over her. Margarite would be 
fine.

"He requests the first dance at the party."

Sailor Pluto threw her head back and laughed giddily. "Tell him I'll try 
not to be too late."

Serenity laughed with her. "Go get some sleep - we'll see you later. 
Hotaru says "Hi," by the way." She turned her head and called over 
her shoulder, "Ami, can you turn this thing off? I never can figure out 
which button it is..." her voice trailed away as the transmission cut out.

Feeling light in body and spirit, Sailor Pluto returned to her room, 
recalibrated the defaults in her lighting and detransformed. She fell 
heavily on the bed and was asleep before she even covered herself 
with a blanket.


Chapter 10

Setsuna awoke when the tone announcing "morning" on Pluto chimed. 
She yawned and stretched, grimacing as her muscles complained of 
their recent abuse. She arose, and slipping into a black yukata, 
stepped over to the screen that acted as a window in her bedroom. 
She sat before the screen, staring out into the eternal night, finding the 
Moon's location unerringly, although it was an invisible pinpoint of 
light, lost among the infinite pinpoints of space.

"Would you like some tea, Setsuna-sama?" It was more of a 
statement than a question, and Setsuna gave no more than a nod in 
answer. Charon brought her a tray, a fresh pot of tea and two cups, 
along with a pleasant arrangement of flowers.

Setsuna smiled at this simple touch. "You know me well, old friend."

Charon's smile would have caused a stranger to cringe and worry for 
his own welfare. "I know some things that will please you. Flowers 
always please you."

She nodded and poured tea into both cups.

Charon sat and took one cup between his hands. He would not drink, 
of course, but Setsuna preferred to include him in her daily rituals. 
This was one of them. 

"Are you sure you are well enough to leave again, Setsuna-sama?" 
Charon was solicitous and she was touched.

"I'm really fine, Charon, thank you. And thank you for acting so 
promptly on my messages. It must have been frustrating, knowing your 
messages were not getting through."

Charon nodded. "If you had not set up that flower code years ago, this 
might have turned out quite differently. But then, you always seem to 
have a contingency plan."

Setsuna smiled as she sipped her tea. "One of the advantages of 
having lived for such a long time. Actually," she giggled at some 
memory, "I can't claim the idea as my own. The concept of a flower 
code is almost as old as I am. Someone in Tokugawa Ieyasu's court 
used it, I know." She paused. "Oh, wait, that was me." 

Charon smiled at his creator's humor, but in all honesty, thought her a 
bit childish. "Thankfully, palms are simple enough to find at that time of 
year. I was more concerned that the florist would not be able to deliver 
it promptly."

"Yes, I noticed your response was "victory." And I thought it 
appropriate." She paused, then grinned. "It was a lovely arrangement, 
as well." They sat in silence as Setsuna finished her tea and stared 
out into, very literally, space. She sighed. "What a blessing it was that 
Opal did not jam all communications to 20th century, just those to the 
Time Staff. Margarite was wrong. Opal is, was, no stronger or smarter 
than any of our other enemies. And for that, I am eternally grateful."

Charon rose and began to clear the teacups. As he lifted the tray, he 
paused, a creepy, uncomfortable smile crossing his face. 
"Before I forget, Setsuna-sama, I wanted to remind you that I did get 
the black dress out for you."

Setsuna looked up sharply at Charon. "If it makes you feel better, I 
won't be staying long this time in the capital."

"I think," Charon spoke slowly as he headed towards the door, "That 
you should plan on staying a while. You need to recover and for that, 
you need your family."

The door slid open and he took one step then stopped. "Maybe, if it 
would not be too inconvenient for them, they can return here with you 
and stay for a while."

Setsuna looked at the old man, considering his words. "Charon, if I 
haven't yet told you this, you are a good friend to me. Thank you."
His voice sounded complacent and happy, as the door began to shut, 
"You have told me." The door slid shut with a click.

*

Setsuna was, in fact, late to the party. After Charon had left her, she 
had intended to bathe, dress and travel once again to the capital. 
When an hour had passed without her summons, Charon had 
investigated, only to find Setsuna asleep in the bathtub. He had put 
her back to bed without waking her and had not allowed anything to 
disturb her, even though she later scolded him. He replied that she 
had needed the sleep more and stood firm. Setsuna gave way 
grudgingly and thanked him for his concern. She was now grossly late, 
however.

Her entrance was, therefore, less subtle and more widely noted than 
she would have liked. The rumor of her coming spread out before her 
like a wave, and there were few in the hall who did not await her, when 
her name was finally announced. To her chagrin, applause met the 
pronunciation of her name, and all eyes turned as she entered. She 
squared her shoulders and stepped forward briskly, knowing that she 
would not be embarrassed, whatever passed this evening, with her 
appearance. The dress she wore was her own design, a relic of the 
days when she pretended to have a career as a normal woman of 
Earth. It was long and sleek, black and sleeveless, with delicate 
chains serving as sleeves, belt and ornament. The chains gathered at 
her neck and abdomen in two ornate brooches, each set with stones 
that complemented her eyes. 

Setsuna could hear the whisper follow her into the ballroom and 
through it. She smiled internally, but did no more than acknowledge 
greetings given her by the many denizens of Crystal Tokyo.

Setsuna made her way across the room to a small knot of brightly 
dressed figures. They turned and greeted her with a variety of hails 
and salutations, but none more welcome than two slightly smaller 
figures whom attached themselves to her with near violence. She 
smiled down into the faces of the Princess Small Lady and Hotaru, 
her beloved daughter and fellow Senshi. Setsuna returned their 
embraces with enthusiasm. She was then subjected to the pleasant 
task of greeting the other Senshi and receiving hugs from many of 
them. All were decked out in their finest clothing, and they had, in all 
her years of knowing them, never looked better.

Finally she was freed to greet her Queen and she did so formally, 
making a deep curtsey. She pretended not to see the smirks on the 
faces of the other Senshi as Queen Serenity acknowledged her 
gesture with a formal nod. The Queen of the Crystal Millenium might 
have formal duties, but to the members of this group, she would 
always be Usagi, their friend.

Serenity spoke quickly and softly, for Setsuna's ears only. "He is in my 
office. Shall I have him brought to you or...?" She left the possibilities 
open.

Setsuna flushed. "If it isn't a problem, I'd like to go to him." Setsuna 
heard Haruka snort with suppressed laughter. She shot her friend a 
look and smiled ruefully at Michiru, who was giggling.

"Oh just go to him, already!" Haruka shot back at her.

"Really, Setsuna," Michiru said, "don't delay. I think Minako is already 
trying to figure out a way to sneak in there."

Setsuna laughed at this and she turned away from the room, hearing 
behind her Minako's voice, raised slightly, "Hey - I heard that, 
Michiru!"

Setsuna's footsteps echoed loudly in the empty corridor as she 
approached the Queen's office. The elegantly carved doors stood 
closed, a final barrier between herself and him. 

Pausing, Setsuna faced them and wondered what futures her choices 
now might bring...she could turn away, return to her old life and 
continue as she had been, or she could open this door, both 
figuratively and literally and step boldly into a new life. There really was 
no question of choices, she thought.

Setsuna put her hands to the door, only to find it jerked away from her 
in one hurried motion. Hands reached out for her, pulling her into a 
warm, solid embrace. She felt herself lifted off her feet, spun and 
placed firmly once again upon the floor. Lips, full and inviting, touched 
her own and she melted into Margarite's embrace.

When they parted, Setsuna stood back to admire Margarite, now 
dressed in a uniform of black, with dark green trim. His uniform 
perfectly complemented her dress and, she noted with some 
pleasure, her Senshi fuku. He smiled at her as she sized him up and 
returned her gaze levelly.

"Am I fit for duty?" he asked with a grin.

"You'll do." she replied and placed her hand in his. 

Without another spoken word, they walked back into the main hall, just 
in time for a waltz. They took their places on the dance floor where 
they remained for some time, uninterrupted by talk of war, politics, or 
anything but what the next dance might bring them.

The first intermission brought them once again to the attention of the 
other Senshi. Haruka and Michiru were just leaving the dance floor as 
well, and the four found themselves in a lively conversation about 
Opal's forces and defeat thereof.

Haruka, dressed smartly in a black tuxedo, looked over at Margarite 
and her eyes narrowed. "What do you think about the concentration of 
Dark Energy at..." her mouth was muffled by Michiru's gloved hand. 

The aqua-haired Senshi gave a slight laugh and apologized to 
Margarite. "We don't let her out often enough, I'm afraid." Margarite 
and Setsuna laughed at the look on Haruka's face, and the tall Senshi 
smiled ruefully, apologizing for her lack of tact.

The rest of the evening was uneventful, save for a lively row between 
two minor dignitaries. Setsuna found herself wandering in the gardens 
with Margarite, ending up on a stone bench in one of the private 
gardens in the Palace.

Fatigue set in and Setsuna slumped against an unresisting Margarite. 
He held her to him with one arm, the other holding her hand for 
comfort. The sat like that, lost in each other's presence, for hours.

Finally, Setsuna roused herself and looked at Margarite. His hair 
flamed golden in the torchlight, as he turned to regard her with 
dancing eyes.

"There's so much we should talk about," he began, but she put a 
finger to his lips, punctuating her action with a kiss. Slow and 
lingering, the kiss became more passionate, until the two would have 
missed a war beginning immediately behind them.

When they parted, she put her head on his shoulder and sighed. "We 
have all the time in the world to talk. Tonight, I just want to sit here with 
you and watch the sun rise."

And so they sat, as they had done so long ago, and watched the sun 
rise over the new Millenium.

END

Author's Notes:  I want to thank Adam Jones and Matt Burns and all 
the folks on the hauthor list for their help, advice and spellchecking. 
This story is dedicated, once again, to Elena, because she wanted 
me to write a Sailor Pluto story. I hope you're happy with it, amica mia, 
because it nearly wore me out!

The flower code mentioned in the final chapter is not my creation, 
although it might be Pluto's, you never can tell. There are several 
excellent websites on the "language of flowers", feel free to search 
and learn.

Come visit "The Fanfic Revolution" for more Sailormoon Fanfic that 
doesn't suck at http://come.to/hauthor

http://members.xoom.com/AtheniaG/elf.htm - Erica's Greatest Hits, 
home of "World Shaking" fanfic.