Time of Corruption by DarkPluto4 DarkPluto4@aol.com Chapter 7 - Where's Setsuna? Rating: PG-13 Author's note: Yeah, I know I said this story would be from Setsuna/Sailor Pluto's point of view, and for the most part, it is! But this is going to be one of the few parts where it's *NOT* going to be from her point of view. You'll see why. Serenity was trying to fix her one of her odangoes. It JUST wasn't turning out right. Her silky strands of her blonde hair kept coming loose. Chibi-Usa came dashing in. "Mom!" she shouted urgently, breathless and panting, her pink her so blowsy. Serenity whirled around. "Good Lord, what's the matter?" she asked curiously. "Setsuna's gone!" Chibi-Usa told her, horrified. "WHAT? SETSUNA?? As in Setsuna, like the Scout that guards the Gates of Time??" Serenity's eyes grew huge with terror. "Yes! Her! Oh, Mom!" Chibi-Usa ran to her mother and buried her face in her mother's shoulder. She hadn't done that in years, but she had to this time. Setsuna's comforting embrace was no where to be found. "When did this happen??" asked Serenity. "I don't know. I saw her the day before yesterday in the morning when I went to lunch with her. I was busy yesterday, so I didn't go to visit. And today, I thought I'd visit her again?and I went. And she wasn't in the house. She wasn't at the Gates. She wasn't anywhere near there! I asked Daddy, but he said she should be at the Gates. Oh, I'm so worried! I can feel it?something's gone wrong. I can feel it. Setsuna's?something's not right!" Chibi-Usa sniffled. "Let's asked some of the other scouts. Perhaps they know," she told Chibi-Usa. "Don't worry. Setsuna can take care of herself. She's strong." Serenity said, trying to convince herself, too, that all was fine. Walking as fast as she could, she summoned a servant. "Call the Scouts in to me as fast as possible, now," she ordered. The servant ran off. "I'm sure one of them might have an idea about where Setsuna is," she told Chibi-Usa. The servant arrived and whispered that Sailor Pluto, Setsuna, could not be found, and opened the door. Ami, Minako, Rei, Makoto, Hotaru, Michiru, and Haruka came in, looking at Serenity curiously. Hotaru was the first to speak. "Your Highness, just why are all of us assembled with the exception of Setsuna? What emergency is this?" "Serenity, please. Or anything you would like to call me," Serenity smiled. Returning to her serious face, she announced solemnly, "The reason Setsuna is the only one not assembled is the root of the matter. She cannot be found. She was not at the Gates, nor in her house. My servant has not been able to find her either. Do any of you know what is going on?" Hotaru was stunned. "I could feel it though. I could feel something was wrong. I just had no idea it was Setsuna who was in danger!" "She's in danger?" gasped Serenity. "No, but I could feel something was wrong. And I have a horrendous suspicion that it's Setsuna's who is the victim of this evil," said Hotaru gravely. "Why don't we go check Setsuna's house? Rei can check for evil vibes and Ami can scan the place with her computer," suggested Michiru calmly. One who was not looking at her eyes might have thought this news didn't trouble her in the least. Yet, her beautiful green eyes glistened with tears that threatened to spill over any moment and fear and concern. "Let's go then," said Chibi-Usa dejectedly. She couldn't get rid of the nervous pangs wracking her. Slowly, the nine walked out of the palace and headed toward Setsuna's home. Upon arriving, Rei closed her eyes and stopped for a moment. "I feel the remainder of the negative vibes. They're more evil - even more evil then Galaxia's vibes when she was on the Dark Side," she sighed. The other eight turned to look at her, even Ami who stopped punching in things in her computer for a moment. Ami quickly resumed and scanned the room with her visor. She continued to work on her computer. "Rei's right. Something terribly evil had come here. The negative energy it gives off is enormous. Some scraps of highly concentrated negative energy have been left here," confirmed Ami. "What about Setsuna??" asked Chibi-Usa impatiently. "I don't know?we just know something so evil was here. Take a wild guess," said Minako. "Wait! I'm getting something else!" Ami dashed out the house. The rest followed her to a spot near Setsuna's garden. "A dark portal was opened here," she announced triumphantly. "And where does this portal lead to?" asked Serenity. "I don't know?" answered Ami. "My computer can't find out." "Then there's only one way to find out," said Haruka, her eyes gleaming adventurously. "We follow it." Serenity nodded. "Emporium Ultimate Moon Power!" she shouted, holding her transformation locket high up. A golden crown settled upon her head. Her choker had a diamond moon on it. Her fuku was pure white. A white central bow was upon her top, which was a three-quarter sleeved shirt. The short skirt fell a few inches above her knee, and her back bow was also white. "Mercury Universal Power!" Ami shouted. A blue light flashed as she spun rapidly mid-air. She landed. Her choker had a blue gem upon it, and her fuku was blue and white. Her central bow was blue with white and gold trim, as was her back bow. In the center of each was a golden moon. Her shirt also had three-quarter sleeves. The trim of her shirt and skirts were golden embroidery. "Venus Universal Power!" Minako shouted. She was engulfed by an orange light. Her fuku was orange, yellow, and white, but otherwise, just like Mercury's. "Mars Universal Power!" Rei shouted. A red light showered her. Her fuku was red and white. "Jupiter Universal Power!" Makoto shouted. She was covered by green. Her fuku was jade and white. "Saturn Universal Power!" Hotaru shouted. Violet surrounded her. Her fuku was violet and white. "Uranus Universal Power!" Haruka shouted. Dark navy blue aura swirled about her. Her fuku was gold, navy blue, and white. "Neptune Universal Power!" Michiru shouted. Aqua blue mist enveloped her. Her fuku was turquoise and white. "Emporium Ultimate Chibi-Moon Power!" shouted Chibi-Usa. A pink light swallowed her. Her fuku was just like that of Ultimate Sailor Moon's, but pink. "Get ready for teleportation!" commanded Ultimate Sailor Moon. The nine stood in a circle. "Ultimate Moon Power - Teleport!" "Mercury Universal Power - Teleport!" "Venus Universal Power - Teleport!" "Mars Universal Power - Teleport!" "Jupiter Universal Power - Teleport!" "Saturn Universal Power - Teleport!" "Uranus Universal Power - Teleport!" "Neptune Universal Power - Teleport!" "Ultimate Chibi-Moon Power - Teleport!" With a blinding flash of the rainbow colors, the Sailors disappeared. "What the ?." "Holy?" "Good Lord up above?" The murmurs of aghast shock streamed forth. The nine looked around. They could barely see in the dark. They remained silent. Picking up a piece of debris wood, Sailor Mars used one of her oldest and weakest attacks "Mars Fire Ignite!" The wood burned like a torch as she held it up. "The place?it's in ruins," exclaimed Sailor Venus. "Thank you for stating the obvious," muttered Sailor Mars. "Look over there!" gasped Sailor Jupiter. The eight head simultaneous looked where Jupiter was pointing. Eight bodies lay, all wounded and mangled. Sailor Venus choked back a shriek of terror. Sailor Moon turned sheet white. "Are?Are those Sailors?" "They are," replied Haruka shortly. "All killed. Probably by the wounds inflicted." Sailor Mercury scanned the computer. "No, the wounds didn't kill them. The wounds would have severely hurt them and knocked them unconscious, but it wouldn't have killed them so quickly. And they died a fast death. Look at the heart crystals beside the bodies." Sure enough, a single heart crystal deprived of all luster lay beside each body. "The heart crystals were first robbed of all energy, and so were the star seeds. These bodies no long contain a star seed. In fact, this place is entirely void of any energy. My computer cannot detect any energy source anywhere near here. Highly unnatural. Whatever the evil is, it's after energy," concluded Mercury. "And just where is this place?" Moon asked quietly. "This is Lestiniel, planet of the sun Bariekaf from galaxy Reyendol," replied Mercury. A stifled moan of anguish startled the two. Sailor Jupiter was standing over one of the bodies. Eight Sailors stood around her. "The hair?look?" Sailor Jupiter said weakly. The body was torn and covered with wounds. In the dark, the face was too difficult to make out, even with the torch. It was burnt, anyhow, and covered with wounds. The hair was charred and burnt black like everything else on the body, but its length was only too obvious. And the height?the body looked only too much like that of Sailor Pluto's. "At least she died valiantly in battle," was all Moon would say before turning away, the tears gliding down. Silently, Haruka lifted the body. "We will bring the body back to the Moon Kingdom. A funeral will be held there," said Moon, trying to keep a calm tone, though failing miserably. Chibi-Moon looked at the body and looked at Sailor Saturn. Their eyes communicated the same message. Somehow, something wasn't right. The body didn't feel like it was Sailor Pluto's. And where was the Time Staff, even if that *WAS* Sailor Pluto's body? No, Sailor Pluto didn't die, or at least not there. But neither said a word. The only proof they had was the feeling inside their hearts. The feeling that Sailor Pluto was alive out there?somewhere? Author's Note: Yeah, this was kind of a boring chapter, but it was necessary, ok? The next chapter will be lots better. Sort of?