Title: Meeting for the first time
Author: Ree
Theme: Setsuna (origins)
Genre: General
Version: Anime or Manga
Rating: G

Setsuna and her friends all belong to Takeuchi Naoko. I just asked them very nicely if they wanted to play. They agreed, and quietly snuck out without Takeuchi-sensei's knowledge.

The dark green starseed floated over in the shadows where she felt she belonged. Looking out over the roiling vastness of the cauldron, Guardian Pluto watched the unborn stars mingle and group together.

"They are forming groups. The leaders are collecting their protectors."

As she watched the strong ones were collecting around them groups of similar starseeds. She longed to be picked, and be part of one of those groups. Looking around she didn't see any others like her.

"I wonder what happens to the ones left? The ones that are not quite like the others."

Pondering that question, she focused on one very bright white starseed. It was floating around, bouncing from one grouping to the next. She felt herself brighten just by watching it bounce.

"The little one appears to be trying to fit into each group."

The white starseed slowly stopped going form one group to another. Pluto felt sorry for it as it dimmed. Then just when she thought the little light would go out, it started glowing again, but a soft, gentle light.

The gently glowing star then approached a softly glowing blue star drifting off by itself. Pluto watched as the blue light joined her. Then they both went to a fiercely glowing red star. In the presence of the white light, the red star's light gentled. Slowly the gentle white star collected a gold star, and then a bright green one. Pluto felt a small hope build in her, hoping that this little one would take her in as well. Then she noticed the similarities of all the stars she had collected. They were all bright lights. None had any darkness in them. When she picked up a soft sea-green and then one slightly darker blue than first one, Pluto was sure about it. The little one was looking for only bright stars.

Mentally sighing, she stop watching the little light, and started looking for others as dark as herself. Finally she spotted a little starseed that was a violet that was almost black. It took her a moment to figure out just how strong she was. Pluto drifted over to her, hoping they could be together. Right before she arrived, she felt a strong light approach. Glancing around, she saw the gentle white star, and as the light fell upon the dark purple star, it glowed all shades of violet. It was darker on the outside, and faded to the palest lavender in the center.

Pluto felt her disappointment rising as the violet starseed also joined the group. As she started to leave, she felt the touch of the gentle, white light she had been watching all this time. The soft light seemed to fill her with a quiet warmth of acceptance. Pluto turned to face the small starseed. There in the middle was a small, blonde headed girl smiling at her.

The blonde girl spoke in a quiet, serene voice. "Would you care to join us? Or have you already found a group of friends to be with?"

Pluto let her gaze travel over the group. In each of the starseeds was a girl, and they were smiling at her. 'I'm wanted. They truly want me to join them.' She smiled back at them. "Yes, I would pleased to join you."

She was pulled into the large circle. The white star seed was in the middle, but Pluto didn't feel like she was forcing them to accept her as leader, unlike some of the other leaders out there. 'No, she is our leader because she brought us all together. She has accepted us even though we are all different from each other.' And they were each very different.

Suddenly she felt a tremor in the cauldron. The whole group looked startled, and slightly fearful. Looking around Pluto saw the other starseeds shooting out of the cauldron. Looking back at her new friends, she could tell they saw it, too. They all drew closer together, trying to hold onto each other. Pluto felt them being pulled apart. She felt like she was being sent far away from them. A sudden energy pulse pushed the group out of the cauldron, splitting them apart. Pluto watched as everyone started drifting apart, aimed for different ends of the universe. 'I guess I was right. I am meant to be alone.'

As she was letting herself drift away, she heard a loud scream. "No-o-o-o-o!!"
And the little white light flared brightly. As she watched she saw little streams of the white light unfurl like ribbons, and streak out to herself and the others. She felt the light ribbon gently wrap around her, holding onto her. Looking back down at the white light, she saw the blonde haired girl holding all the light ribbons tightly in her hands. The girl continued speaking, but not a shriek this time. "I just found all of you! I won't lose any of you!" She lifted her head up and looked at all of them floating above her. Pluto looked down into her eyes. "I won't lose my friends!" Her tone was held a promise, one that Pluto was sure would last forever. She looked over to the rest of the group, each of them gently wrapped in ribbons of light. As all of their eyes met, they reached an agreement. Then as one, they reached out and grabbed onto the ribbon and said "We will always be with you." Together they all held on as they were blown further into the universe.