Without further ado, here's the next installment of The Dark Shall Fall...it's longer than the others, but it's worth the length. Introduction to two new characters (well, new to the season) and re- introduction of one or two you probably didn't remember. Please mail me with any comments, suggestions, concerns, or unashamed adulation at gramarye@rochester.rr.com. Standard disclaimers apply. Sailormoon and all related products belong to Naoko Takeuchi, Kodansha, TOEI animation, and other companies I'm sure I'm forgetting at the moment. Will Stanton and The Dark Is Rising series are copyright of the wonderful Susan Cooper. Susan Cooper and Naoko Takeuchi—I need to build a shrine. Translations for Eyes That See the Wind: Gaijin – foreigner, non-Japanese (may be used as a derogatory epithet) -kyouju – suffix, equal to "Professor" second story – the third floor of a building Mugen Gakuen – "Infinity Academy", the school Michiru, Haruka, and Hotaru attend ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The Dark Shall Fall: A Sailormoon/The Dark Is Rising Crossover By: Gramarye Part the Fourth – Eyes That See the Wind ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Do not wait for the last judgment. It comes every day. -- Albert Camus Holodna hmoora. Eemruchnoh v'doosheh, Kak mohg znat ya shtoh tee oomriosh? (English translation of the Russian) Cold, hard, empty. Light that has left me, How could I know that you would die? -- "Hymn to the Red October", from "The Hunt for Red October" ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Will took his time as he walked to the Hikawa Shrine. The day was perfect for a leisurely stroll, with a slightly crisp breeze but a brightly shining and warming sun. *A gentle peace,* he thought. *It doesn't come often to Tokyo, but when it does, it almost is worth the struggle.* He mounted the many steps, barely feeling the exertion. The grounds of the shrine were immaculately tended as always. Of course, Rei never seemed to be without a broom in her hand. Minako had offered to work at the shrine for the day, and Will thought he would stop by and have a chat with the others. However, by the time he was halfway there, he recalled that Minako was out with Ami and Makoto, and wouldn't be at the shrine for at least a half-hour. It seemed a pity to turn around and go home so near his destination, so he kept walking. The shrine, like any other holy place, produced a pleasantly neutral feeling that Will enjoyed. A place where humans turn their minds to thoughts of the Dark and the Light had to be free from outside influences. With all of the incidents that had taken place at the shrine in the past few years, Will idly wondered why he couldn't feel at least some residue of past battles. But it wasn't a problem to agonize over, and he let the thoughts drift out of his conscious mind. A small, elderly man in simple robes noticed his presence, and approached him with a congenial smile on his round face. "Lovely day, wouldn't you agree?" he said. "It is." The old man peered at Will. "I've seen you around here," he said cheerfully. "You're young Minako's guardian, ne?" "Hai. Her parents asked me to take care of her during her stay in Japan." "Indeed. You know these girls fairly well, I take it?" "Well enough," Will replied cautiously. "I would say you know them very well," Rei's grandfather said conversationally. "So well, in fact, that even though they aren't here at the moment, you could tell me exactly where they are, what they are doing, and perhaps what they are thinking as well." Will said nothing. Rei's grandfather sighed. "I know of your kind. I have heard stories about you, mostly when I was young, but I never truly believed them. And now...you are here, and strange things have been happening. There was that incident with the karate class last year, and a few other things since then that I can't explain." "Hino-san, I——" "No, I don't want to know anything about it. I just don't want anything to happen to my granddaughter. She's the only family I have left, and I don't know what I would do if she...." The old man paused. "Rei thinks I'm just a silly old hentai. We fight a lot, but if she wasn't around I would have given up this shrine long ago. She keeps me alive." Will opened his mouth to reply, but all of a sudden a wave of premonition slammed into him, nearly doubling him over in pain. Almost simultaneously, a girl's frantic scream rang out across the shrine. Rei's grandfather, face white with panic, tried to run toward the cry, but Will caught his arm and held him back. He twisted around to free himself, to no avail. Then, strangely, he stopped struggling and fell limp. Will gently leaned the old man against the wall of the shrine, then sped around the corner. Rei was pinned to the wall of the shrine like a butterfly n a card, screaming in agony. A black beam, emitted from a star in the chest of a girl-like creature, had struck her in the chest. Before Will to move to help her, he heard a familiar speech. "Stop right there! For love and justice, I am the pretty sailor- suited soldier Sailor Moon! I won't forgive you for harming my pure- hearted friend! Tsuki ni kawatte, oshiokyo!" Sailor Moon's rhetoric was cut off as the creature' hair swung at her, knocking her into a tree. The other girls appeared, but the creature was too quick for them. A handful of fortune-telling sticks, flung at them, transformed into ropes and bound them to the nearby trees. The struggle was over shortly. Rei hung limp from her pinned position, with a sparkling crystal hovering in front of her. Will backed away. The last thing he wanted was for the new enemies to sense his presence. Unfortunately, this meant leaving the Senshi at the mercy of their assailants. He returned to find Rei's grandfather slowly regaining consciousness. Will knelt beside him, in a quiet display of concern. "Hino-san, are you feeling better?" he asked. "That...oh, my head..." the old man mumbled. "What just happened?" "Why, we were talking, and you suddenly swayed and pitched forward. Shouldn't we get you to a doctor?" "I...I think I'll be fine. Sometimes...this sun...I'm not as young as I used to be." He allowed Will to pick him up and assist him inside. A young, rather unkempt man in shrine robes noticed their entrance, and leapt to help the older man into a chair. "Sensei, are you all right?" the young man asked, a worried look on his face. He stared at Will suspiciously for a moment, then turned away to get a glass of water. "Don't worry about me, Yuuichirou. It's just a touch of sun, nothing to worry about." He gratefully accepted the glass of water, and drank it slowly. "Now, where is that nice young man who helped me?" They both looked around the room, but Will was nowhere to be found. Will had unobtrusively slipped away, and had returned to the battle scene, only to discover that things had quieted down. The creature was gone, apparently destroyed, and the girls were clustered around the recently-awakened Rei, who was lying across Usagi's knees. "You're awake now!" Makoto cried. "I..." Rei began. "You got better! Thank God!" Usagi sniffled. "Usagi!" Rei said. "Do you have any pains?" "No, I'm fine!" "Do you feel any difficulties in breathing?" "Oh, I'm fine..." Rei tried to sit up, but Usagi, determined to play nurse, held her back. "Do you feel itchy anywhere?" "*No.*" Rei was growing exasperated. Will decided that this would be as good a time as any to speak up. "Rei will be fine." "Stanton-ojisama!" Minako cried. "How long have you been here?" "Long enough, Minako." "You mean to tell me that you were watching all this time and didn't do anything?!" Usagi was furious, her eyes shooting sparks. "Rei-chan could have been killed! You saw what happened!" "Usagi-chan...." Minako whispered, casting a furtive, apologetic glance at Will. "You have every reason to be angry at me, Usagi. But that isn't important right now." Will hated being this cold, but he didn't want a hysterical Usagi going for his throat. "I think I should leave you alone for the moment. I have a few things to do. Minako, I will see you at home." With that, he turned on his heel and left. Minako gently steered a fuming Usagi away from the others, and pushed her over to Mamoru, who had shed his Tuxedo Kamen guise and was staring into the tree the two mysterious Senshi had vacated. "Usagi-chan, you have to listen to me," Minako said firmly. "Stanton-ojisama knows what he is doing." "'Knows what he's doing'? Standing by and watching Rei-chan being attacked by that...that THING?!" "Usako," Mamoru said, "I know that Stanton-san may act strangely, but don't you think we should trust his judgment? He hasn't been wrong yet." Usagi put her head in her hands. "There are few things I can't forgive, Mamo-chan. Watching others suffer is one of them." "He has suffered too, Usagi-chan." Minako looked hurt. "More than I think any of us will ever know." "But Minako-chan...." "Usako, let's go inside." Mamoru put a hand on her shoulder. Usagi nodded, and took his hand. * * * Will had just pulled his car up to Mamoru's apartment, air- conditioning on full blast to counteract the hot summer day. As he got out of the car, he saw a tall gray-haired Caucasian man in a light beige summer suit come down the steps. "Dr. Stanton?" the man asked in English. "Y-yes?" Will said, quickly switching back to his native language. "My name is Edwards. I don't know if you remember me, but we met at a literary dinner some time ago in Oxford." "Ah, yes! It's nice to see you again, Mr. Edwards," Will replied, shaking hands. "Do you live here?" "No. I'm here to pick up——ah, there she is!" Will watched Minako jump down the steps. "Oh! Hello again, Mr. Edwards," Minako said in carefully enunciated English. "I had invited this charming young lady and her friends to a party I'm hosting for college students. Now that I think of it, would you be interested in attending?" Edwards asked. "I don't know...." Will hesitated. "Onegai, Stanton-ojisama?" Minako begged, a pleading, puppy-dog look invading her eyes. "All right, Minako, if you insist. Now get in the car before you melt and I get a ticket." The blonde dashed down the steps and jumped into the car, turning the radio on full blast. "'Stanton-ojisama'?" Williams repeated with a slight smile. "A name," Will said simply. "One of many." "You do know where my house is?" "How could I miss it? I've heard it's the finest example of 'British Colonial Grotesque' in the city." Both men laughed. "Nice to see you again, Dr. Stanton." "Until tonight, Mr. Edwards." Will returned to the car, and snapped the radio off. "Hey! What's the big deal?" Minako cried indignantly. "I'm going to be keeping a close eye on you tonight, Minako," Will said. "But you aren't going unless your schoolwork is done." Ignoring Minako's wails of protest, he pulled the car away from the building. * * * The party was in full swing by the time Will arrived. Mamoru had taken the girls beforehand, so Will walked alone up the driveway to the gentle strains of a classical arrangement for violin and piano. He briefly scanned the room. The girls were clustered nervously in one corner, Usagi looking petrified and clinging to Mamoru. He watched Edwards escort two young men toward their little group, and laughed quietly when Usagi's high-pitched squeaks of dismay reached his ears. He could have eavesdropped on their conversation quite easily, but he had no wish to use his powers tonight. The music ended, and Will made his way toward the two musicians. "Boccherini, Minuet for String Quintet in E Major, Opus 11, Number 5," he said. "An excellent arrangement, performed by two superb musicians." "Domo arigatou," the aqua-haired violinist replied with a bow. Her companion, the pianist, bowed as well. "Are you a musician?" the pianist asked, adjusting the lapels of her tuxedo. "Iie, but I do enjoy classical music and opera." "If you will pardon us," the violinist said, "we must speak to some friends of ours." "Not at all." Will inclined his head graciously over the violinist's hand, drawing an irritated grunt from her companion. He strode away, out to the balcony, stopping only to take a glass of wine from the table. Looking out over the lights of the city, Will lost himself in random thoughts. The new enemies, the new Senshi, and most of all the disturbing sensations that were coming from this house. His mind was confused, and he wasn't pleased. He was so deep in thought that he didn't notice a man walk past him, then stop. "Will?" the man asked in a curious voice. Will lifted his head. That voice...that familiar voice.... "Will Stanton?" The man took a step closer. "Do you remember me?" His head was whirling. Certainly not...of all people...in all places.... "It's Simon. Simon Drew." Will nearly dropped his glass. *Simon.* The nondescript boy he remembered had grown to be a slightly balding, nondescript man. His expensive-looking suit was worn with immaculate taste and attention to detail. There was still the air of self-conscious authority that he recalled from their first meeting, but it had developed into a pleasant complacency. It was less than thirty years ago that he and his sister and younger brother had been a major part of Will's life. Pity that none of them remembered anything about it. "Yes," he said, trying to keep the tension out of his voice. "Simon Drew. It's been some time, hasn't it." "I can't believe you're here!" Simon said happily. "How long has it been...must be thirty years now?" "I'm surprised you recognized me," Will said, setting his glass down on the railing. He didn't trust his fingers——he could have broken the fragile crystal stem far too easily. Simon shrugged. "I don't know. I was on my way back to the house to talk to Mr. Edwards, and I walked past you, and something just stopped me. What a coincidence!" Will, at that moment, was finding it rather difficult to dismiss it as coincidence. The foreboding in the pit of his stomach had turned into a thick, churning mass of pain. He bit his lip, and a fine bead of sweat broke out on his forehead. Simon didn't seem to notice. "Edwards and I have been good friends for some time now. I like to come to his little functions, when I can sneak away from the hospital." "Of course," Will said absently. "Being a doctor has its problems." "I'm working on an exchange at the moment," Simon prattled on, completely oblivious to Will's remarks. "My counterpart, Tanaka- sensei, is apparently having the time of his life in London. Though I can't imagine why, with the NHS in such a shambles. How long have you been over here?" "About a year and a half, now. Teaching at the university." Will had very little desire to discuss trivialities, but he had to keep the conversation as normal as possible. Above all, anything to keep Simon away from the house. "So how is your family? Jane, and Barney?" "Barney? Oh, he's off somewhere in the wilds of Nepal. He's convinced that he won't find spiritual fulfillment until he paints Everest or something." Simon dug a jovial elbow into Will's chest, and Will winced. "Jane, on the other hand, is——" They were cut short by the sound of coughing and shouts of alarm from the party inside. A purplish fog spewed from the open door onto the balcony. "What's going on?" Simon said sharply. He ran toward the open door, medical instincts ready for action. Will followed behind him, more slowly. He briefly considered putting a spell of protection on Simon, but all his knowledge told him that Simon wasn't the intended target...and as such, would be better off unconscious. Sure enough, Simon had collapsed by the time Will had arrived at the door, along with most of the other party-goers. Edwards was prone on the floor, his pure heart clutched in the hands of Sailor Uranus. Eudial, however, seemed to be having some trouble with her unwieldy daimon. "Oh, I've got a headache!" she moaned. "I want to go home!" With characteristic perfect timing, Sailor Moon piped up, "I can't let you go! Hey you, don't say you want to go home before the clock strikes midnight!" Mercury chimed in. "Though you don't look like Cinderella...." "You're not invited, Miss Annoyance!" Mars finished. "The witch in Sleeping Beauty and the demon in Swan Lake were both defeated...when the bad guys crashed a party!" Jupiter added. "Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Princess Odette...." Venus began, waiting for Sailor Moon to complete the thought. "In the name of these people, I'll punish you!" her Will sighed inwardly. His box tickets to the ballet might have helped increase the Senshi's level of culture, but nothing would change the nature of their introductions. Eudial evidently felt the same way. "Another source for my headache!" she said. Neptune raised her voice to be heard over the din. "This is not a Talisman!" "Did you hear that?" Uranus taunted. "It was a waste of time, Eudial!" In a split second, Eudial decided that the only way to make the best of a bad situation was to bail. Which she did, leaving the daimon behind. Will backed away from the door. With their job done, Uranus and Neptune would certainly not wait around for the Senshi to finish the job. He quickly concealed himself, and in a few moments had the good fortune to see them dash out of the party. Instead of running off, as he had predicted, they scaled a high tree and paused, looking back at the mansion. In less that a minute, the triumphant cry of "Moon Spiral Heart...ATTACK!" was followed by an agonized "Lovely!". The daimon was destroyed. The party guests made a remarkably speedy recovery. Will watched as Simon picked himself up and dusted his suit jacket off. The memories of the attack were fading fast, whether by some natural effect of the gas or by other means. Simon, however, looked troubled. He turned around; peering up and down the balcony to see where Will had gone. Before Simon had taken another step, Will lifted his hand with all five fingers extended and pointed it at the confused man. "Forgive me," he whispered, and said a single word. Simon froze. Will studied his face carefully, and saw the perplexed frown melt away, leaving his face blank and expressionless. He turned around and walked back into the party. Will released his held breath. Suddenly, he heard Neptune's voice as her words drifted down from the top of the tree. "Believing in a rosy bright future, he passes his dream to the next generation," she said, dangling her legs over a branch. "It's another way of life, isn't it?" Her partner gave her a quizzical look. "But we don't have much time left, the Silence is approaching...." Uranus drummed her fingers against the trunk of the tree. "In order to stop it, we have to find the Talismans without wasting a day!" They leapt from the tree, into the night beyond. Will followed them at a distance suitable for his clandestine purposes. He had to wait until they returned to their civilian forms. He lost sight of them for a moment, but soon caught up again. They turned down an alley, and almost immediately Neptune spoke in a nagging whisper. "Why did you attack the daimon? You knew it wasn't a pure heart, why bother to stick around?" "I don't know," Uranus replied. "It just didn't seem right to leave them." "It wasn't necessary." "Give it a rest, can't you?" Uranus said, aggravation edging her words. "I don't want to be out here all night. We can talk about this later." "What, you mean tonight?" Neptune sneered. She seemed ready to continue, but suddenly gasped. "What's the problem?" "My violin! It's still at the mansion!" Will heard her curse quietly. "So go back and get it." "You aren't helping, Haruka." Neptune detransformed. "You don't know what that violin means to me. I'll be back in a minute." Uranus watched her leave, then detransformed as well. She leaned against the wall of the alley; not caring that dirt was smudging the creamy fabric of her tuxedo. She didn't really know why she had helped Sailor Moon. Sure, the blonde had been injured by the rose the daimon threw, but that was certainly no reason to risk her own safety, even for an easy shot at a distracted enemy. It was easy to brush it off with a snide remark, but there was no real reason for her actions. And to try and explain it to Michiru, who seemed to be growing more and more fanatical about finding the Talismans.... "Tenoh-san," she heard a deep voice say. She looked back to see a tall man in a long dark overcoat standing a few paces away from her. His face was obscured by her shadow, which stretched long and thin under the bright streetlights. "I prefer not to give autographs, if you don't mind." She made her voice as cold as possible——it often halted the most rabid of her fans. She wasn't afraid of the man, but even so, she wouldn't enjoy striking up a conversation with a complete stranger in a deserted street on a cloudy night. "That's not what I've come to speak to you about, Tenoh-san. I have to speak to you about the Silence." "NANI?" she hissed, and backed away a few steps. "If Kaioh-san is nearby, please find her and meet me in fifteen minutes at the waterfront." The strange man turned away, and disappeared into the street. Haruka was completely at a loss. She was still standing in the middle of the alley when Michiru returned ten minutes later. "I thought I'd never get out of there! Fortunately, I didn't run into Usagi-chan or any of her friends. But we really should...Haruka?" she paused, peering at her partner. "What's the matter? Haruka?" "Eh?" Haruka blinked and snapped out of her dream-like state. "What's your problem?" "Michiru, we have a...*situation* to deal with. And we have to go to the waterfront." "Why?" Haruka hesitated, then frowned. "I'm not entirely sure. But we have to be there in five minutes." "In Senshi form?" Michiru asked, fingering the lock on her violin case. "Iie. Not this time." Without further discussion, the two women broke into a run down the empty street. Michiru was having a hard time keeping up, and eventually she grabbed Haruka by her jacket and pulled her to a halt. "I can't...run...in these...shoes," she gasped, massaging her aching feet. "So take them off," Haruka said unsympathetically. "We aren't that far away." With one thing and another, they arrived at the waterfront a few minutes late. Haruka looked around, searching for movement in the shadows. "You are late." Haruka spun around. The dark figure was standing atop a pile of rickety wooden crates. "I don't talk with people who keep themselves hidden. If you have anything to say to me, say it in the open." Haruka tried to sound nonchalant. "If you insist," the figure said. With a smooth, fluid motion, he leapt off the pile of crates and landed neatly on the concrete of the dock. He had landed in a pool of light cast by one of the many floodlights positioned around the waterfront. Haruka finally got a clear look at him. The man was tall, with neatly cut and slightly ruffled brown hair. He wore a dark overcoat that nearly brushed the ground, and it was open slightly at the top to reveal a crisp white shirtfront and white tie. He was staring at the both of them with turbulent blue-gray eyes that seemed to pierce through everything. Strangely enough, he was Caucasian——she wouldn't have guessed it, since his Japanese was flawless and almost accentless. Suddenly, she realized that he was the same man who had spoken to them at the party. A barely controlled gasp at her side told her that Michiru had made the connection as well. "Now to business," he said. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Will Stanton, and I have been following your actions for some time now. I know that you are both Sailor Senshi, searching for the Talismans located in the heart crystals of three pure-hearted individuals. And I know that you will stop at nothing to find the Talismans." "If you know so much, then why are you here talking to us? What use would there be in discussing our search for the Talismans?" Michiru asked. "Because Sailor Moon and her Senshi are also involved in your quest——more than you could ever know. And I am not pleased with the way you dismiss them as children, as inexperienced and inept warriors. They have fought long and hard to protect this world and the people in it, and deserve more credit than you give them." "Their problems are not our concern," Haruka said harshly. "Our quest is far more important than destroying a few petty daimon thrown at us by Eudial. There is no reason for us to stay when there is no chance of finding a Talisman." "Are you so sure that finding the Talismans will solve all problems?" "What are you trying to say?" Haruka asked, fists clenching. Will spoke softly, in quiet and patient tones. "I know what you are going through. When I was young, younger than you are, even younger than Sailor Moon and her Senshi, I had to fight to protect this world from the forces of evil known as the Dark. The battle was as dangerous as your current struggle, with much the same outcome if I had failed." He paused, then said slowly, "And I think you could use my advice." Haruka's lip curled in scorn. "You work with Sailor Moon, though. Have they sent you to beg us to join them? I thought that even they could find a better way of convincing us then to send a *gaijin* as an emissary." "Haruka!" Michiru was aghast. "I am not an emissary of anyone, *child*." Will stressed the last word, flicking it like a whip. "And if you planned to insult me, you could have done far better than that. You must indeed be desperate," a wry smile twisted his mouth, "to use the tricks of idiots. Now, are you going to listen to what I have to say or do you plan to be tiresome and obstinate, as usual?" Snarling, Haruka whipped out her henshin rod. "URANUS PLANET POWER, MAKE UP!" Michiru looked on in dismay as the colored lights faded to reveal a very angry Sailor Uranus. "WORLD SHAKING!" Sailor Uranus aimed directly at Will, putting the force of her anger behind the blast. Michiru shrieked as the attack exploded, destroying the pile of empty crates behind Will. When the smoke cleared, she expected to see a pile of rubble where the gaijin had been. To their astonishment, Will was standing exactly where he had been before. His overcoat had subtly changed to a long, dark cloak, which seemed to move under the influence of a non-existent wind. He extended his right arm with all five fingers outstretched, and said a single quiet word. Sailor Uranus quickly raised her arms to shield herself from the blast she thought would come, but nothing happened. She turned to Michiru, and gave a strangled cry of horror at what she saw. Michiru was frozen inside a column of cold white light, her eyes glazed over and unseeing. Her body was rigidly upright, caught out of Time in frightening immobility. Sailor Uranus ran to her companion and threw herself at the barrier, but could not penetrate the column of light that held her captive. "What did you do to her? And why?" Sailor Uranus barely managed to get the words past her lips. "It was simple, effective, and painless." Will created a carefully bored tone in his voice. "Plus, you would be slightly more attentive to what I need to say. Are you going to listen?" Sailor Uranus, with an anguished glance at Michiru, bowed her head in acceptance. Will nodded curtly, then whispered a few short phrases. Instantly, the cage of light faded, and Michiru shook her head abruptly, like a person trying to clear her ears of a ringing noise. "N...nani?" she said, a bewildered look in her gentle eyes. Sailor Uranus grabbed Michiru's hand and squeezed it. "Don't worry, Michiru." She turned to Will. "Who are you and what do you have to say?" Her voice was quiet, with only a hint of urgency betraying her demand. "I do not come from the Senshi, on behalf of the Senshi, or as a friend of the Senshi. I speak to you as a person who knows the importance of a quest such as yours." Will spoke smootly, letting his words reassure the two women, one confused and the other suspicious. "When I was young, I gave up all chance of a normal life to prevent the rising of the Dark, much as you had to relinquish your innocence to battle the approaching Silence." He heard the sharp intake of breath from both of them, but ignored it and continued. "May I offer you my advice?" Neither replied, so Will decided to finish. "You don't need to fight this war alone. There are those who can give you aid, myself included. I merely say this: the next time the Senshi appear, do not take them lightly. They may not have as much raw power as you, but there will come a time when brute force shall not be what prevents the Silence." "But that can't be true!" cried Michiru. "Three people have to die, surrender the Talismans to bring forth the Messiah. The Senshi claim that they can save the world without the Talismans, but what if they are wrong?" "And what if *you* are wrong?" Will shook his head. "Sumimasen. I shouldn't have said that." "I want to be wrong," Michiru snapped. "You don't know what I'd *give* to be wrong. But if we aren't wrong, then what?" "Then three people will die to save this world. History has taken more lives then that. But you are staring into a blinding light, and groping in the darkness beyond to find its source. What will you do when you find the source? And by that time, will you be too blind to know what to do with it?" A fierce wind suddenly rose up around them; filling their eyes with tears and making them lift their arms to cover their faces. When the wind had died down, they looked at where the dark-cloaked stranger had been, ready to continue the argument. But he had vanished. * * * "Minako, come in here for a moment, please." "Hai, Stanton-ojisama?" Minako said, her head poking around the door to Will's study. "Sit down," Will said, pointing to an empty chair. After Minako had arranged herself on the chair, Will fixed her with a very stern, parental glare. "Now, what's this I hear about you donating blood every day?" Minako gulped. "I haven't been donating blood, Stanton-ojisama," she said innocently. "I'm not eighteen, so I can't donate blood." "Don't lie to me, child." "But I didn't—" "Roll up your sleeve," Will ordered coldly. "Nani?" "You heard me. *Now*." Slowly, Minako pushed up her sleeve. Will traced the line of collapsed veins and bruises, and touched the wad of cotton wool pressed in the crook of her elbow. With a gentle but unrelenting grip, he lifted her chin, and held her gaze solemnly. "Why are you doing this to yourself, my dear?" he said softly. Minako tried to jerk her face away, but Will held her firm. "You wouldn't understand," she mumbled. "What wouldn't I understand?" he asked sadly. "That you don't think you have a pure heart?" He nodded slowly as Minako's eyes widened. "That's it. Of course, that would be it." "Everyone else has been attacked for their pure hearts!" Minako shouted, her lower lip trembling. "Do they think I'm not good enough? Do they think I don't have a pure heart? What is *wrong* with me?" She started to cry, not in full-blown wails but in quiet tears that were more pitiful than screams would have been. "Minako...." "I don't have a pure heart, do I?" she said through her tears. "That's why they don't want me." "Minako...." "I'm not good enough. I'm not good enough. I'm not——" "*Enough.*" The tone of Will's voice startled the crying girl into silence. Sniffling, pathos-filled silence, but silence. "Minako, do you think that I have a pure heart?" Minako stared at him. "Of course you do, Stanton-ojisama," she managed to say after a moment's stunned pause. "Then why haven't they attacked me?" "B-because...because...." Minako couldn't finish the sentence. "Artemis told you a long time ago that I wasn't properly human, ne? Well, he was right. Just as you lack some of the feelings and perceptions that I possess, I lack a few things that you humans have." Will smiled. "And one of those things is a heart crystal." Minako stood. "But why don't you have one?" she asked. "I wish I knew," Will replied, not without a trace of sadness. "But the fact that I don't have a heart crystal doesn't make me a bad person. And," he said, lightly touching one of the purple blotches on her lower arm, "donating all of my blood won't change that fact." "I'm supposed to give blood again today," Minako said, not raising her eyes to look at him. "I can't stop you from doing what you think you must do. But just remember that you haven't felt the pain of having your pure heart forcibly removed from your body. I don't want you to experience that pain, Minako. I...I wouldn't want anything to happen to you if I was there to prevent it." Minako smiled. "I understand," she said. "Good." "Can I still donate today?" Will sighed. "Haven't you heard a single thing I've said?" "Just this last time." Will felt a gnawing sense of foreboding making the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. He was about to shake his head, but something stopped him. "If you want to, it's your decision." Minako grinned, and walked out of the room. "And I hope that your pain will be brief, Minako," he whispered. * * * Usagi stared up into the sky, her eyes following the bright speck of a helicopter that had just lifted off the roof——with Sailor Uranus, Sailor Neptune, and her henshin brooch inside. She fingered the empty spot on the front of her uniform where the brooch had been torn off. It felt a little ragged, with some frayed threads and torn cloth. Without the brooch on, her chest felt lighter, but it also felt strangely empty. There was nothing she could do. The two of them would head out into battle, to take more pure hearts, and there was nothing she could do to stop them—— "Are you going to save them?" Usagi jumped. "The two of them headed for battle as ordered by destiny..." a woman's voice said matter-of-factly. "But today, they are in danger!" She spun around, and saw a tall, regal-looking woman with long green hair gazing at her with a thoughtful expression. They stared at each other, two figures motionless on the deserted rooftop. "Who are you?" Usagi asked. The woman looked familiar, but she couldn't quite place her. "Meioh Setsuna," the woman answered. "I am...yes...an old friend of theirs." "Both of them are in danger, then?" Usagi said, half-question and half-statement. "Are you going to save them?" Setsuna asked. Seeing the determined look on Usagi's face, she added hesitantly, "But if you cannot transform, you might be in more danger than them!" "Please!" Usagi cried. "If you know where they're going, please tell me!" Setsuna looked as if she was about to speak, but shook her head. "I can't. Not with so much at stake." Usagi was ready to explode, but something caught her attention. The air next to Setsuna had started to shimmer, rippling like the air above a hot patch of sand on a blistering summer day. She lifted her head, trying to catch a soft thread of music that breezed past her on the wind. When she returned her attention to the ground, Will was standing next to Setsuna. "Stanton-san?" Usagi said. "What are you doing here?" "Princess," Will said, his voice so deadly serious that Setsuna turned to look at him with surprise, "you have to follow them." "Will..." Setsuna began. "If you won't help, I will. It's your choice, Setsuna." Setsuna frowned, and said cruelly, "You don't understand what this entails, Stanton-san." "I understand perfectly. And I tell you that whether or not you agree to this, I will take Usagi to the marine cathedral. If you choose to follow with the rest of the Sailor Senshi, so be it. But regardless, Usagi must go. So what will it be, Setsuna? You, or me?" Setsuna seemed to deflate. "What's going on?" Usagi asked, painfully confused. "I will take you to Uranus and Neptune," Setsuna said wearily, not speaking directly to Usagi. Will nodded. "I will bring the rest of the Senshi." "Would you care to do the honors, Stanton-san?" Setsuna asked, a slightly mocking note entering her words. Will ignored it, and lifted a hand with all five fingers spread and pointing straight ahead. Usagi's head whirled and spun, her heart beating in her ears. The world blurred, colors melting like a wet watercolor. She felt herself lifted up, shooting like a rocket away into the distance, in pursuit of the helicopter. Will and Setsuna watched her vanish. "You must trust me, Setsuna." "Please time the arrival of Senshi well, Stanton-san. I think Usagi should be the sole witness of what is to come." The careful formality in Setsuna's voice depressed Will. "I see," he said. Setsuna closed her eyes and disappeared. Will looked out over the ocean. The tiny black dot on the horizon did not look menacing, but Will turned away from it with horror and loathing rising in his throat. * * * Chibiusa set her backpack down on the bench. "Puu, you haven't come by for a long time. I thought you forgot about me." "Small Lady, my name is Meioh Setsuna in this world," Setsuna said. "Then why do you call me 'Small Lady'?" Chibiusa asked, frowning slightly. "Call me Chibiusa and I'll call you Setsuna." Setsuna laughed. "You haven't changed at all, Small Lady. It sounds like you have many friends." She smiled kindly, looking down at the young girl she adored. "Do you have fun on this Earth?" "Yes! A lot! Everyone is kind to me." "I see." Setsuna said. "I'm sure Neo-Queen Serenity sent you to this world so you'd be able to make many friends, just like an ordinary girl. I'm sure that these experiences will help you when you become queen." Chibiusa looked thoughtful for a moment. "Pu...I can see you anytime, can't I?" "Yes, I promise," Setsuna said. "Okay!" Chibiusa said brightly. "Why, Small Lady, I'm hurt. Did you forget me already?" a voice said right next to Chibiusa. "Stanton-san!" Chibiusa said, turning around. Will grinned. "With that wonderful welcome, I feel much better." He knelt down, and Chibiusa hugged him tightly. "How are you, Will?" Setsuna asked. "Quite well, thank you," Will replied, with a slight bow in her direction. Setsuna nodded gravely in response. Chibiusa giggled. "You're funny, Stanton-san. But how come you're in this time?" "I live in this time at the moment, Small Lady. Just like you and Setsuna. Well, perhaps not *just* like you and Setsuna, but close enough." "I have to go back home now, Puu." Chibiusa slid off the bench and picked up her backpack. "Ikuko-mama will be worried." "Goodbye, then, Small Lady," Setsuna said. "Go well, Small Lady," Will added. "Bye-bye, Pu! Bye-bye, Stanton-san!" The young girl was off and running as fast as her legs could go, Luna-P bobbing along behind. "I should be going, too, Setsuna," Will said, standing up. "Go well, Will." "Go well, Setsuna." * * * Teachers, especially college professors, have difficult jobs. They have the task of making subjects which are often incredibly boring seem exciting and fascinating. Sometimes, it works. Oftentimes, it doesn't. Will had just put his feet up after a long teaching day of the second kind. There was a mountain of research papers to grade, and he wasn't looking forward to it. All he wanted was a cup of tea and a long nap. The door banged open and a blonde whirlwind flew into the room, dragging a pink blur behind it. "I-promised-Usagi-chan-I-would-take-Chibiusa-chan-until-she-got- out-of-detention-but-I-can't-and-I-have-to-run-to-a-volleyball-game-so- would-you-watch-her?" The whirlwhirl zoomed out, and the door slammed shut. Will stared curiously at Chibiusa, who seemed to be suffering from severe shellshock. "Did you want to do something, Small Lady?" he asked. "Hai," she said, blinking furiously. The dazed look slowly left her face. "I promised Hotaru-chan that I'd run over to her house and give her this manga. She liked the other one I gave her, so I think she'll like this one." Chibiusa produced a small manga from her backpack. "I'll come with you," he said, and walked over to the closet to get his overcoat. The unlikely pair of the tall gaijin and the small pink-haired girl progressed slowly down the street, with Chibiusa taking four or five steps to every one of Will's. They stopped in front of an imposing mansion. "This is where Hotaru lives?" Will asked, an uneasy feeling beginning to stir inside him. "Hai. She lives with her father, and their housekeeper Kaori. I don't like Kaori, though." Chibiusa reached up and rang the doorbell. They heard the sharp clicking of high heels on tiled floor, and the door opened. It took all of Will's concentration and stamina not to flinch——for two reasons. First, the sense of evil that exuded from the house was almost overpowering. And second, the woman who answered the door could not have worn a more revealing dress unless it was made from whipped cream. "Is Hotaru-chan home?" Chibiusa asked. "She's not feeling well. She stayed home from school, and I don't think she should have any visitors. The excitement wouldn't be good for her." The red-haired housekeeper stared coldly at Chibiusa, then turned her gaze to Will. "But I promised I would give her this!" Chibiusa was undaunted. "I'm sorry, little girl." Kaori began to close the door, but Will stepped forward. "Forgive my intrusion, but I don't see why you would wish to deprive a sick child of a little company and friendship." Will made his voice as icily polite as he could. Kaori glared at him wordlessly. "Kaori-kun?" inquired a male's voice from inside the house. "What's the problem?" Kaori started, and nervously smoothed her hair. "Nothing, Tomoe- kyouju," she called back. "Hotaru's little friend is here." A white-haired man with strange eyeglasses emerged from the cool darkness of the house. Will stiffened, and clutched Chibiusa's shoulder so tightly that the young girl squeaked in pain and looked up at him with wide eyes. "Stanton-sensei?" the white-haired man asked. Kaori froze. "You *know* him?" she hissed. "I did not mean to bother you at work, Tomoe-sensei," Will said, the distant formality in his voice taking on a newer, darker tone. "But as I was saying to your housekeeper here, I thought that your daughter might feel better after having a companion to talk to for a time." "Kaori-kun, Stanton-sensei will be giving a series of lectures at Mugen Gakuen next week about his work as an anthropologist." Professor Tomoe dismissed her with a wave of his hand, and reached down to take the manga from Chibiusa's hands. "I will give Hotaru your gift, and I know she will appreciate it. But I really must forbid you to see her. She needs to rest." "Of course. We understand." "Until next week, then, Stanton-sensei?" "Until next week, Tomoe-sensei." The door closed quietly. There was a soft click as a deadbolt was locked in place. Chibiusa stared at Will. He had not moved from the doorstep. "What's wrong, Stanton-san?" she asked. "Nothing, Small Lady." He held out his hand. "I think Usagi will be home by now, so we should probably take you back to her house." "Hai," Chibiusa said, and the two of them left the grounds of the mansion. Out of the corner of his eye, Will noticed a curtain on one of the second story windows fall back into place. * * * The loud knock on the door to his university office startled Will. He looked up at the small clock on the wall. Few of his colleagues were free this hour, most being in classes or tutorials. He set aside his paper, and opened the door. A very irritated Usagi had both feet firmly planted in front of his door. "Usagi?" he said, staring at the angry girl. He stepped aside to let her enter, narrowly missing her shoulders as she stormed into the office. "What are you doing here? How did you find my office?" Usagi didn't bother with the niceties of greeting. "You *knew* that they would try to attack Hotaru-chan, didn't you. You *KNEW*. And you didn't say anything to us." Will returned to his chair, and looked her straight in the eyes. "Have a seat," he said, pointing to one of the two chairs in front of his desk. She sat. "I just want to know why," she said, glaring at him. "Because the Outer Senshi have a duty. Their duty is to prevent the awakening of Saturn, and if it means killing Hotaru to do so, they will." Will's voice was emotionless. "And how do you feel about that?" "My feelings are of no consequence." "So you would stand by and watch Hotaru die?" "I cannot hinder them in their duty." There was silence in the room. Usagi abruptly stood, eyes blazing with an anger that was terrible to see. "I don't believe you. I *cannot* believe you. Of all people, I would have thought that you could understand me. Let me explain it to you now, so I will never have to justify myself again. "First of all, Hotaru is a fellow Senshi. I will defend any of my Senshi from harm, whether it comes from an enemy or even from another Senshi. Second, Hotaru is not evil. I don't care what the Outer Senshi say—she is a victim, not an attacker. And finally," Usagi paused, a different note creeping into her voice, "Hotaru is Chibiusa's friend, and my friend. I won't let my friends get hurt because I did nothing to stop it!" She turned to leave. But before she could open the door, she was stopped short by Will's soft, pleading, "Princess...." She turned around. There was no trace of the stern, mysterious figure that had appeared intermittently in her life for the past few years. Instead, she saw a deeply tired man, drained to the point of exhaustion. In his eyes was a pain that cut her to the core——a heart-wrenching loneliness that was a hair's-breadth away from despair. He was slumped in the chair, unable to move, unable to do anything except look at her with those eyes, those dark and empty eyes.... Usagi quietly knelt next to Will's chair, and picked up one of his limp hands. She waited for him to continue. "You have always acted with your heart, Princess, when others would let the logical sequence of events run its course. I, on the other hand, was never given that choice." The words fell like stones on Usagi's ears. "And I envy you." "But you won your war, Stanton-san. You defeated the Dark, and saved this planet from a greater evil before I was even born." "And for what?" The bitterness in Will's voice cut like acid into the stillness of the room. "So I could be here now, to give you this kiss." Usagi leaned over and kissed Will on the cheek. Two heads bent together, one golden, one dark brown. For a time, nothing disturbed their silence. "I forgot one other reason, Stanton-san," Usagi whispered. She stood up, still holding his hand. "And what would that be, Princess?" Usagi took a deep breath. "Hotaru is alone. And I will fight with all the strength I have, with all the courage I have, if I can be sure that no one will ever be alone again." Will pressed her cool, slim hand to his cheek. "Hotaru is a very fortunate girl to have you for an advocate," he said. "She needs me." "I think we all do." * * * Chibiusa looked very fragile in Mamoru's arms. The tiny link of life force between them barely seemed enough to keep the small girl alive. Will's continual pacing back and forth in the small room began to irritate Mamoru. "Stanton-san, I think you should sit. It won't do any good just walking back and forth like that," he said, pleased at his ability to keep a civil tongue in his head. "Eh?" Will paused. "Have a seat." "Please forgive me, Mamoru. There's something, something that I can't figure out." Mamoru looked more closely at Will. The older man was very pale, obviously agitated. He had been that way ever since Setsuna had left, spurring the Inner Senshi to follow. Mamoru's worry slowly began to increase as Will started to mumble to himself as he paced. Will was speaking in English, but Mamoru managed to catch a few words every so often. "Not this time...but could that be...would she dare? Would she risk that much? Stupid, stupid...not properly thinking...not thinking...not...." Suddenly, Will's head snapped up. His eyes were wild and panicked, his hands clenched into fists. "*Setsuna....*" "Stanton-san? What's the matter?" Mamoru wanted to stand up, but he couldn't move with the unconscious Chibiusa on his lap. Will didn't answer, but darted out of the room, a horrified look on his face. * * * "What's that?" Uranus said over the noise of the motor, staring at the seething mass of daimon enveloping the tall building. "That's no simple barrier," Neptune observed, a faint hint of nervousness betraying her emotions. "I wonder if we can get through that hole?" Uranus said to no one in particular. She swung the helicopter closer. Neither of them looked back at Pluto, who was sitting alone in the backseat, staring bleakly out of the scratched plexi-glass window. The group of daimon surrounding the academy, noticing the intruders, abruptly turned and launched a ferocious attack. Their keening cries cut through the repetitive whop-whop-whop of the helicopter blades. "Damn!" Haruka swore, swerving the helicopter around to try to avoid the onslaught. They were entirely outnumbered, as hundreds of creatures pressed against the helicopter, crushing it with their weight. With a squealing of metal on metal, the helicopter collapsed under the pressure. Uranus and Neptune closed their eyes, preparing for the inevitable. Then without warning, all was silent. "What's this?" Uranus whispered. Nothing moved in the center of the explosion except for the two of them. Flame, smoke, shards of metal were all frozen in position. "Pluto!" Neptune's voice, amplified by a strange echo, sounded foreign in the suspended moment. "What have you done?" "I have stopped time," Pluto said simply. "Now's your chance to get away!" "You hide such power?" Uranus couldn't believe it. Pluto had always been secretive, but this—— "Iie. The power that I used, 'Time Stop', is taboo." "Taboo?" Uranus repeated, trying vainly to pretend that she had heard wrong. "Then, what will happen to you?" Neptune asked in a frightened whisper. Pluto smiled sadly, and a brilliant beam of multi-colored light, like a rainbow, illuminated her face. Her face shone with warmth and kindliness. "If I can meet the true Messiah..." "You..." Uranus breathed. A high-pitched whine sliced across the frozen tableau. "Pluto!" Neptune cried. Uranus and Neptune vanished from the helicopter. It exploded a heart-beat later. * * * The powerful crash resounded off the walls of the silent buildings. Then there was nothing except the wails and moans of the mass of daimon surrounding Mugen Gakuen. Will fell to his knees in the dark and deserted street. His cloak billowed out around him with a soft flutter. Small fragments of metal rained down on the street in a patter of falling shards. They tinkled briefly as they hit the ground, then were still. "No..." he said, his tongue dulled and thick. For a long moment, nothing moved. Suddenly, the dark figure kneeling in the middle of the empty road put back its head, and gave such an inhuman cry of pain and despair and loss that Mamoru, many blocks away, looked around wildly, fear choking his throat. "*SETSUNA!!!*" Somewhere over the ocean, a black-headed gull lifted its head in a sympathetic whooping call. Somewhere on a high rocky cliff, an eagle gazed with piercing eyes into the distance. And somewhere, the great Gates of Time slowly disappeared behind a thick blanket of mist. * * * A thoroughly exhausted Minako half-slipped, half-staggered into the apartment, and immediately knew something was not right. For starters, the door was ajar, the chain latch broken and dangling in two pieces of twisted metal. She fingered the chain thoughtfully, then slowly pushed the door opened and entered. None of the lights were on. Minako was too tired to henshin, but all of her senses were vibrating like a plucked string. She cautiously looked around, searching for any sign that someone was inside the rooms. At first glance, the apartment appeared deserted. But suddenly, she caught sight of a faint light from the direction of Will's study. She crept down the hallway, trying to see through the blinding darkness. She passed by her room, by the bathroom, by the linen closet, until she reached the faint sliver of light under the study door. Before she could touch it, the door opened by itself. The study was dark, without a single lamp switched on. The heavy curtains were drawn over the windows, blocking out any light that would have seeped into the room. Will's large, overstuffed chair was placed in the center of the room, surrounded by scattered papers; almost as if it had been accidentally dropped there and never moved. The chair was positioned in the center of a large ring of blue flame, flame that gave off no smoke and emitted no heat. In the chair.... She couldn't tell what was in the chair. The hunched figure didn't look like Will, and in the eerie half light, the shadows on the wall seemed to coagulate and form a frightening, ominous specter that loomed over her. Minako darted through the door, only to be blocked by an immense wall of resistance. She collided with the barrier, and was flung back, crashing into the wall of the room. A picture of the Tower of London, floodlit in the early evening, tilted on its nail and fell to the floor with a tinkle of broken glass. She shook her head, dazed by the impact, and raised her eyes slowly to the chair inside the ring of fire. "Stanton-ojisama...." she whispered brokenly, ignoring the blood that seeped down her forehead from a nasty cut. "Minako." She gasped. The voice was thick, yet dry as autumn leaves blowing down the street on a windy day. The utter lack of emotion and human qualities chilled her, and she shivered uncontrollably. "Leave this place, Minako. Go somewhere, anywhere but here. You will know when to return." "Onegai...." "This is your final warning, Minako. Leave." Minako stood, and squared her shoulders. She couldn't keep the fear out of her voice, but she controlled it as best she could. "I won't leave you, Stanton-ojisama. I don't know why you are doing this, but there must be some——" She stopped. The sickly blue flames flared high and low, high and low, three times. She was temporarily dazzled by the light. When her eyes and mind cleared, she found herself paralyzed with a blood-freezing horror. The Will-that-was-not-quite-Will had turned its head to look at her. Afterwards, Minako would never, could never completely describe what she had seen. The void in the depths of his eyes, lit only by two cold pinpricks of fire that burned with an inhuman light. Her soul seemed to shrivel up into a tiny ball, crumpled like discarded Cellophane. A demon stared at her out of once-human eyes, eyes that were no longer the gray-blue of a storm-tossed sea, but the pitch black of the crevices in the dead ocean floor. She shrieked, not so much in panic as in disbelief. Instinct took over. Gibbering wildly, she threw herself out of the room, out of the apartment, out of the building, and kept running. She didn't stop until she reached the ruins of Mugen Gakuen. That was where Artemis, Luna, and the Senshi found her in the morning, curled into a fetal postion and rocking back and forth. Her eyes were wild, her blonde hair snarled and filthy. A large open gash ran along her hairline, crusted blood edging the wound. She fought off all of their efforts to help her, then just as abruptly collapsed. * * * It had been several days since the destruction of Mugen Gakugen. Minako and Artemis had been living at Makoto's house since that night. No one had a feasible explanation for Will's behavior. At a meeting held at Makoto's house, the Senshi discussed what could be done. Makoto, seeing Minako's bruises and cuts, was ready to inflict severe pain on her friend's guardian. Minako quickly reprimanded her. "He did nothing to me, Mako-chan. He told me to leave, and I refused. It was my fault," she said quietly, not looking up. "Rei-chan, have you found out anything? Tried anything?" Usagi asked. "Iie, Usagi," Rei said, frowning. "He's far more powerful than I am, and in the state he's in I'd be a fool to try anything." "He wouldn't——" Ami began. Rei shook her head. "I don't know. I simply don't know." "Minna," Chibiusa said, "could I go talk to him?" They all turned to stare at the wide-eyed young girl. Then they all started talking at once. "You must be out of your mind!" Usagi exploded. "Chibiusa-chan, it's not safe," Ami said. "Look what happened to Minako-chan," Rei added, gesturing to Minako's bandaged wrist. "We can't let you do that." Makoto smoothed her hair away from her forehead. Chibiusa's face fell. "But there's something I have to tell him." From his position in the doorway, Mamoru spoke up. "I'll go with you, Chibiusa-chan." "Mamo-chan!" Usagi was horrified. Mamoru smiled at the girls, who stared back at him, not believing their ears. "Mamoru-san, are you sure that's wise?" a dumbfounded Ami asked. "Chibiusa-chan, go get your coat. I'll take you over there in a minute." When the little girl had left the room, Mamoru looked at Minako. The blonde stared blankly at him for a second, then blinked. She looked more like her old self again. "It's all right, minna." Minako's voice was weary, but relieved. "She can go back. Everything is better now." Mamoru nodded. "Wait a minute!" Usagi leapt to her feet and glared at her boyfriend. "Chiba Mamoru, what gives *you* the right to put Chibiusa- chan——our *daughter*, in case you've forgotten——in danger?" "Usako," Mamoru said, a little harshly, "I think Chibiusa-chan knows what she is doing. I would never let anything happen to her." "She will be fine, Usagi-chan," Minako said. "I know." Usagi looked deflated, all the wind gone from her sails. She didn't watch the two of them leave, and didn't listen to the remainder of the discussion. * * * With the help of Minako's key, Mamoru and Chibiusa had gained entry to the apartment. "Stanton-san?" Mamoru called out. "It's Chiba Mamoru." There was no answer. "I've brought Chibiusa with me——she has something to tell you." No answer. Chibiusa clutched Mamoru's hand tightly as the two of them walked down the hall to the study. The door was open, but the room appeared entirely normal. The chair, however, was still in the middle of the room, and the figure was still in the chair. "Stanton-san?" Chibiusa said timidly. The man in the chair didn't move. The young girl detached herself from Mamoru, and walked forward to stand by the side of the chair. "I came over here," she began, "because I thought you might like to know something. When I was in the park yesterday, I...I...I saw Puu." The figure in the chair suddenly stiffened. "What did you say?" Will whispered. "I-I w-was riding my bike, and the w-wind blew my hat away," she stammered. "I r-ran to get it, and I saw Puu." "What did she say?" Will's voice was husky, and Chibiusa heard a barely-controlled urgency in its tone. "Please, Small Lady, what did she say?" "She didn't say much, Stanton-san. She told me that she wanted to hug me, but that her body didn't exist in this worldjust told me that Mistress 9 had been destroyed, and Hotaru-chan was starting a new life. She said that Hotaru-chan and been reborn on this world." Will leaned back in his chair, shadow obscuring his face. "Ah," he said softly. "And then, after she had gone, I actually *saw* Hotaru-chan." "With her father?" "Y-yes! How did you...." "Small Lady, you have nothing to fear. Sailor Pluto will return, in time, and so will Sailor Saturn." Will reached out and tugged gently on a stray strand of Chibiusa's hair, making her giggle. "Stanton-san," Mamoru said, "I think that someone else is here to see you." Will turned around. Minako was standing in front of Mamoru, a small sheepish smile on her face. Instantly, Will was out of his chair and the two of them were locked in a tender hug. Mamoru touched Chibiusa on the shoulder, and guided her out of the apartment. "Stanton-ojisama," Minako said, her face muffled in Will's shirtfront. "Minako, my child, I cannot begin to tell you how sorry I am." "It wasn't your fault, Stanton-ojisama." "Then what about these?" Will brushed his fingers along the jagged cut on Minako's scalp, and touched a yellowing bruise on her shoulder. "I can heal them, if you want me to." Without waiting for a response, he picked her up as easily as if she had been a child and carried her to her bedroom. He set her down on the bed, and held one of her hands between both of his. Minako gasped as a warm, tingling feeling ran through her body, gentle as a relaxing hot shower. All of her aches were washed away. She could feel the cut on her forehead heal itself and the edges smooth out into a small scar, barely noticeable. All she wanted to do was sleep...sleep.... Will watched with satisfaction as Minako drifted away into a peaceful slumber. It would give him plenty of time to take care of a very important matter. He pulled the covers over the sleeping girl, and gently kissed her forehead. * * * In a time yet to come, a crucial turning point had arrived. Will bowed before the sparkling crystal throne. "Your Majesty." "I know why you are here, Stanton-san," she said coldly. "You have come to speak in Sailor Pluto's defense, ne?" "That is correct, madam," he said neutrally. "Indeed. You may begin. But first you shall hear her full charges." Will let out the breath he had been holding, and collected his thoughts. Serenity continued. "She stopped time, a forbidden act which went deliberately against one of the three commandments that I gave her." "She did so to save the lives of two fellow Senshi, who would have certainly been killed if she had not acted," Will countered. "To do what? She teleported them inside Mugen Gakuen to complete their mission——kill Mistress 9. Which would have meant, as was discovered, killing Tomoe Hotaru and Sailor Saturn in the bargain." "The Outer Planet Senshi were given a mission by your illustrious mother, Queen Serenity, to defend the solar system against outside invaders. Pharoah 90 and Mistress 9 certainly counted as invaders, and Pluto stopped time to let Uranus and Neptune fulfill their mission." "But they would have destroyed the body that was harboring the heart crystal of my child!" Serenity snarled. Will blinked. "Your Majesty, Uranus and Neptune were well aware of that fact. Pluto, however, was not. She was with Tuxedo Kamen when Sailor Chibi-moon was captured, but she did not know for sure that Small Lady's heart crystal was used to awaken the Silent Messiah." "That is right," Serenity said thoughtfully. "She also informed the Inner Senshi that she, Neptune, and Uranus would be heading for the academy to destroy the enemy. It was her information that brought the Inner Senshi to Mugen Gakuen in the first place, when she could have gone there without telling the other Senshi anything. This shows a deliberate attempt to get Sailor Moon and the others involved." "Indeed," Serenity replied. Will pressed his advantage. "And I swear to you that Pluto would never put Small Lady in danger." "So," Serenity said, "that is your full defense?" "Two more points, if it please your Majesty." "Yes?" "Pluto teleported Uranus and Neptune inside the barrier, knowing full well that they planned to destroy the invaders. However, she also knew that Sailor Moon would do everything possible to prevent any innocent from being hurt——and in this case, the innocent happened to be Tomoe Hotaru." "True," Serenity said, her eyes clouding in memory. "And finally...." "Yes?" "Her final words, before the explosion, were 'If I can meet the true Messiah....'" Serenity's hard expression softened. She rose from her throne. There was a flash of red, resolving itself into the deep burgundy color of the Garnet Orb. Will stepped aside as Pluto approached the throne, dropping to one knee in front of her queen. "Sailor Pluto, known as Meioh Setsuna, Guardian of the Gate of Time, you have been summoned to hear your fate." "Your Majesty, I willingly accept whatever punishment you deem just. I neither ask for nor expect mercy." Pluto did not look up, but kept her eyes fixed on the ground. "The sentence for high treason is death." Pluto flinched, unable to stop herself. Serenity saw this. "However, since Stanton-san has spoken in your defense, and since your actions were based on what you thought best at the time, it is on my order that the sentence of death is to be commuted." Pluto's head shot up, and she gazed at Serenity with disbelieving eyes. She cast a quick glance at Will, who was staring at some far point only he could see, his face entirely without expression. "Your Majesty, I...." "Nevertheless," Serenity cut her off, "your actions cannot go without some punishment. It is my judgment that you shall be returned to the Gate of Time, without outside contact, until I instruct otherwise. No one will be allowed to see you." The last was said with a pointed glare at Will, who inclined his head in acceptance. "I shall be in my chambers. Sailor Pluto, I will see you in a few moments——there is another matter I must discuss with you." With a rustle of silk, Serenity departed. Pluto did not rise from the floor. "You spoke in my defense." Said in a half-daze, it was a statement, not a question. "I did." "Why?" "Call it a repayment of an old debt." Will looked around the crystal hall. "I seem to recall another place, much like this one, falling to pieces under a ferocious onslaught. There was a young boy, alone and without protection, cornered by an attacking soldier with a sword." "I remember this as well," Setsuna said softly. "The boy could have freed himself, but panic had taken control of his mind and he was powerless. A whisper later, the attacker was destroyed and the boy was safe." Will's eyes were far away, looking back into a time long past. "Will——" "I think you should go now. Not even I could allay the wrath of a Serenity who has been kept waiting." Will turned on his heel and strode out of the great hall. Pluto silently watched him leave. "Domo arigatou," she whispered, before standing and walking away toward Neo-Queen Serenity's chambers. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- This part could not have been written without the help of two excellent sites. First, Castle in the Sky Sailormoon provided me with the illustrated episodes summaries I needed to shape the plot——it is located at www.geocities.com/Tokyo/5976/. Second, the Script Crypt houses VKLL's scripts of all the seasons of Sailormoon, many of which I used verbatim to write the scenes. They can all be found at http://gsoft.smu.edu/ScriptCrypt/crypt.html. Thanks to all who have written with encouraging words. Your support keeps me going, especially after marathon writing sessions. Gramarye gramarye@rochester.rr.com January 27, 2000