Hello! If you are seeing this you either the title caught your eye, or you just sneezed and accidently clicked the mouse key. Either way, you're very welcome here! This is story is a total revision of my earlier version. I have taken all the comments I have recieved on this story into consideration, (hint, hint), and have exbounded, (big word, ne?), on them. A few words of warning: This entire story is PG, strong words, strong violence, and adult situations, (of course, what isn't?). I use the NA names for everyone, even the ones beyond the Deeeek! dubs. I know, I know, I'll wait a few seconds for you to groan. . . . . . . Okay, you can stop groaning now. No really, stop groaning. Any comments can be sent to bastion@ix.netcom.com, where I'll give them a warm bed to sleep in and a roof over their heads. Let's see, what else. . . Oh, I would like to dedicate this part to Helm and Razorclaw X. ------------------------------------------------------- Terrible Things to Waste Prologue: Intrusion Concealed within the oppressing fog, a lone figure stood guard over a vast darkness. Only the radiating red orb atop the figure's staff chased away the darkness, revealing the contours of her feminine figure. The light displayed the elegance of the woman's face, an elegance offset by her resolved expression hardened by eternity. This woman cared not for elegance, she only cared for her duty. She considered such a concept as elegance as something simple, linear, because Time transended the linear in this realm. She had to focus on things of more importance, like understanding the workings of Destiny and Fate. At least, it distracted her from the linear things. Her lips frowned, ever-so-slightly, as her grip tightened around her staff. Her staff was the key to this dark corridor of Time that simultaneously connected the past, the future, and the present. Her duty was to protect this corridor from intruders who try and disturb the balance that Destiny created. The last thing she needed was emotion to get in the way. At first, she did envy the people who lived linear, uncomplicated lives, living and dying, caring and loving. After experiencing an eternity of isolation in the Time Tunnel, such emotions became dulled and useless to her. Eventually, she did not even feel longing for another's touch or heart. This duty bestowed to her by the Serenity royal line who created the corridor, gave her the satisfaction she could ever need from a lover. At least, that's what she kept telling herself everytime Fate tried to deviate Destiny in the timestream. Because of her apparent appearing and disappearing in the timestream, she had to establish herself in order to take care of the linear things that came with a linear life. Using her knowledge of history, she took care of all of her financial needs in the timestream. >From wars to financial depressions, she amassed the currency. Of course, she needed several aliases throughout the ages to have access to the great mass of wealth she had accumulated. Her aliases ranged from Setsuna and Sarai, to Sharon and Susan, etc, each pretaining to certain times and certain places in history. With these identities, she could easily roam the linear realm having taken care of all the minor details. Yet, dealing with such trivialities within the timestream interested her so much more than guarding this lonely abyss. Living in the linear realm aroused her desires and longings she tried so hard to ignore over the span of her near eternal life in the Tunnel. In the end, she would have to return to the Time Tunnel, and she would again rely upon the satisfaction of her duty to fill that longing. Fortunately, she was not destined to be completely alone in the Tunnel, the third generation of the royals line frequently pasted through the gates into the corridor. This little girl was one of the few she permitted to pass through the Time Gate because Fate foretold it to happen, and who was she to argue? The girl travelled the Gate so frequently, they eventually developed cute nicknames for each other. The little girl became known as Small Lady, and she became simply known as Puu. The girl did bring some relief from her longings, but still befriending the girl was destined. Just as her destiny to always be the Time Guardian, destined to guard it alone. Destiny always had its way. The Guardian became conscious that she somehow had closed her eyes. Upon opening them, a chill went up her spine signaling her that a presence was approaching. The fog shifted and twisted, indicating it sensed this presence as well. Her gut twisted and turned in apprehension, a benefit of being mentally connected to the corridor. She waited a moment longer as the shift continued, seeing if Small Lady was returning. She waited for a few arduious moments before determining that wasn't Small Lady, she would haven't taken so long making her presence known. Only something big, unexpected, and foreign could disturb the darkness of time making it realign this way. A realignment that caused a get many sensations in her, very painful sensations. In experiencing this spectacle, she came to the same conclusion when things of this manner happened: she DID NOT like Fate. "What's doing this?" The woman whispered hoarsely under her breath. The Guardian nearly doubled-over as she felt two, no three things passed fluidly through the Tunnel. Relief came for a short moment before a fourth one finally passed through. As she recovered, she resoluted to herself that no one would intrude into this timestream. Her eyes darted around in the fog looking for the perpetrators with her staff held ready to repel them. No intruders appeared. They had bypassed the Time Gate entirely. . . . but how? "It can't be. . . they don't. . . unless. . ." the guardian became acutely aware that something was going to happen. Something that threaten the balance of Destiny. Something she had no control over. Hastily, she took her staff and opened the Time Gate, departing the infinite darkness to the last location of the shift, Tokyo of 1999. -End of Prologue- Sailor Moon is owned by Naoko Takeuchi and in America by DIC. BTW, a great big thanks goes out to Helen Szeto & Paul Arezina for convincing me this story needed some work. Thanks for reading, and please come again. Bastion bastion@ix.netcom.com