Time of Corruption by DarkPluto4 DarkPluto4@aol.com You know the drill Rating: PG-13 Chapter 3 - The Man in the Night Authors Note: Well, read the first two chapters, or you won't get it at all. But for those of you who need a little bit of refreshing, Setsuna's just come back from the ball and had just finished crying. "Life isn't fair, is it?" a voice asked her gently. "Who's there?" Setsuna cried. Her hands gripped her transformation locket. "No need to transform. I come in peace," laughed the voice. Setsuna froze, "How did you know I was going to transform?" "Oh, I can tell these things. But if it will make you feel better and safer, go ahead and transform. I'll step away," footsteps were heard leaving her bedroom and entering the parlor. Setsuna sighed and held her locket above her head, shouting "PLUTO UNIVERSAL POWER!" the tenth transformation she had, floating in her head. Spinning and covered with her aura of dark purple, she glistened and became Ultimate Sailor Pluto. Neo-Queen Serenity promised that it was unlikely they'd need a stronger transformation ever again. Her fuku now was white with a dark blue skirt trimmed with silken stars, and her black choker had a golden star upon it. Her heels were also dark blue she had a single. Her center button and bow were also a midnight blue. She did like dark blue, black, and green, though her favorite was scarlet red, but she never understood why her aura was the dark purple. And her official royal dress was black, not dark purple. Dark purple never appeared in her life or held any significance. Yet, it was her aura. The footsteps came and entered her room. She rapidly turned on the lights and gripped her time staff, ready to fight. "My, my, defensive, I see," laughed the man who appeared. Enraged, Sailor Pluto demanded, "WHAT are you doing in *MY* house? I DEMAND that you leave this instant before I am compelled to FORCIBLY remove you. Do we have an understanding or not?" "I do not come to harm you. I've been sent to help," explained the man. He had silvery hair and was deathly white. He was dressed in a blue suit. She glared at him. "Right, I believe you," she sneered, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I know you're lonely, and I've come to help you out of it," He told her soothingly. "I'm NOT lonely. I've perfectly fine and happy. And I certainly don't need your help. If I DID need help, I wouldn't come ask you either!" she retorted. "Come, come, let us not be so hostile. Ask you friends? What friends? Let's see, Neo-Queen Serenity or whatever you want to call her, Usagi, Sailor Moon, whatever is the very woman that deprived you of a real life beyond the Gates of Time and stole the man you love! Some friend SHE is." "She didn't deprive me of life. Firstly, her mother put me in this station. Secondly, it's an honor and a privilege and MY duty and destiny. Thirdly, it was her destiny to be with King Endymion, and I'm happy they have such a blissful marriage. Their child is an absolute dear," countered Sailor Pluto. "She could have relieved you of your duties. If she were truly your friend, she would never keep you at a job you hated so much. Don't say you're happy. I know you're unhappy. Anyone who cared enough about you can read the depth of sadness in your eyes. And you were crying right before I came. You're NOT happy about their marriage. They're enjoying their marriage at your expense! Why did you leave the ball so soon without even bidding your friends good-bye? Because you were hurt and did not want to suffer watching the royal couple together any longer! And the child you love so much and call a dear? Why, she puts you into a craze trying to find if you love or hate her! Some friend SHE is. Besides, you know you think she is a bratty and whines far too much," replied the man. Pluto stared at him open-mouthed. "How do you know all this?" "You mean I'm right?" "Not all of it, but some is," She admitted. "I have my ways," the man smiled satisfactorily. "Still, I have other friends, even assuming that I did not like my Queen, whom I actually DO love very much," she asserted. "Right, of course you love her," the man replied back sarcastically. "And as for your other friends, they leave you out all the time! They always find among themselves one partner, and none ever come to you. They leave you here alone and rarely come visit you. They don't even KNOW how unhappy you are! That shows a lot about what kind of friends they are! The only reason they even like you is because they know you indeed possess so much power and could be needed were this system ever attacked!" "That's a lie! My friends the Sailors adore me! Hotaru is so grateful towards me for everything I've done, and she always greets me at balls and shows me such kindness. Michiru and Haruka are so kind and sweet and considerate towards me! If you ever saw how they treated me, there would be no doubt in your mind that they were the best friends I could hope for!" exclaimed Pluto. "Hah! All an act! Your Michiru and Haruka are far too into themselves and oblivious to the world to notice much else! They just feel it's a duty to show some civilities to you since you ARE an Outer Scout. And they're such practical and conniving people. If they alienated you, they'd lose a powerful ally. They want you for your power! As for Hotaru, hah, notice how fast she ditches you for that pink-haired daughter of Serenity. And she never comes and visits you. And she's only nice to you because she feels she ought to show *SOME* kindness for all the kindness you've shown here! But she's not your friend. She's just respecting you. What troubles has SHE helped you out of? Why, she never comes to even keep you company in your lonely home here!! None of them do! And CERTAINLY not the Inners!" argued the mysterious man. "The Outers AND the Inner love me. The Inner just never show it and prefer to interact with themselves rather than us, just as we Outers never showed much love for them and keep to ourselves. But they all would give their lives to protect me or any other Scout!" cried Pluto. "Hah! Give their lives?? Unlikely! Do not forget, Michiru and Haruka KILLED you and Hotaru in the battle against Galaxia, though you nearly killed yourself when you stopped time to save them in the battle against Mistress Nine and Pharaoh 90!" said the man. "They killed me because they knew Galaxia would kill me and Hotaru first! And then they turned AGAINST Galaxia!" retorted Pluto. "How would you have known? You died before you saw that! All you have is Neo-Queen Serenity's word and their words. And it's unlikely they'd admit to killing you because they wanted to! If they had been true friends, they'd rather die with you than kill you!" snickered the man. Pluto no longer could find any arguments. "They ARE my friends! They are all I have in the world. I know they love me as much as I love them!" "Them? Love you? Love you for what? Your powers?? You being the only person willing to take the horrible job of watching the gates? They don't love you! They just love the self control you possess to be able to do the tedious act of guarding the Gates always and the power you possess!" Pluto was silent. She did not notice the man stepping forward and touching her. Somehow, his touch did not repulse her. Memories came to her. Her last birthday, she spent silently at her house watching the Gates. Her friends never came to visit her. She stood alone, cooking her own special dinner and praying somehow her friends would remember. None of them did. And the last birthday before that, the same thing. And the party thrown a few years before on the anniversary of Neo-Queen Serenity and King Endymion, everyone was invited to. Except her. While the ball and party raged on, she stood silently at the Gates, watching and watching, feeling abandoned and deserted. No one ever thanked her or admired her for the sacrifice she had made to perform her duty. Not a single word of gratitude or praise. Never. As long as she could remember, she was alone in the silence? the silence that was shrieking with pain and agony. Author's Note: Ok. Does it suck? Tell me whether you hate it or not. Send comments to DarkPluto4@aol.com. Be kind. Remember: I have no experience writing fan/fics. If it's good, tell me. If it's bad, just say "It's horrible" and the reasons. And if it's because it's too emotional and not enough action, then don't e-mail me and complain about that because I believe in putting a lot of emotion in what I write and the action WILL come. Just be patient, for pity's sake! I need to get the plot developed enough first!