Long Ago in Days Untold...
a Sailor Moon/Ranma 1/2 Fanfic
by SoftRogue
whiteb100@hotmail.com

Disclaimer:
They're coming to take me away,
Ho ho, He he, Ha ha

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Prolog
**********

She looked around slowly, taking in the landscape before her. What was once a beautiful countryside; filled with rolling hills and trees; was now blackened and utterly destroyed. She closed her eyes and; trying to ignore the building sensation within her; reached out with her senses for a clue, any clue, for the object of her search.

Her eyes snapped open and she took off like a shot; pushing her body to its limits and beyond. Time was an issue here, and she didn't have much of it. Things like human frailties were a luxury that she couldn't afford right now. She could worry about such things later once she found the object of her search.

After she found...Him.

She stumbled and fell, leaving a mile long trench behind her. Lying there, she slowly rose to her knees and threw all her strength against the building pressure within her. After a minute, she unsteadily rose to her feet and began running again, knowing full well that she might not be able to resist it a second time. It was strong, almost too strong; and it's sweet sirens song was almost impossible to resist.

The Silence. It called to her.

Finally; finally, she found him. He stood on top of what must have once been a picturesque knoll next to the skeletal remains of a giant tree. His armor was dented and cracked and one of his shoulder plates was missing. The long crimson robe that covered the lower part of his armor was ripped and shredded. But he was alive.

He was Alive.

She slowly walked towards him from behind, relief filling her very being. In her hand, the Silence Glaive seemed to grow lighter and lighter still as the Silence once again slowly began its call. When she was several yards away he spoke softly; his quite words filling the still air.

"I knew you would come."

Panic set in at the sound of his voice. "Please! You have to leave! I...I don't know how much longer I can hold the Silence back!"

He shifted ever so slightly and she felt her heart shatter. Cascading over his right arm was a mane of flowing red hair. Red hair that normally shimmered and burned brightly like lava but was now a dull red, almost black, in color.

"Is...is she..." she choked, not able to bring herself to say the word.

"Dead? No. Not yet, anyway. But she soon will be. Because of me."

"No! Don't say that!" she cried, wanting to hold him tight and banish the demons that must now be haunting him. "You had no choice!"

An errant gust of wind blowing a small swirl of soot between was the only sound to be heard. Then he spoke, his voice going back to a happier time.

"When we were younger; be for she was selected; she would bring me here whenever she could. And she would sit right here, underneath the shade of this tree, and she would watch as I would laugh and play. She would just...sit there and watch; and smile. Oh her smile; it was like watching the sun rise. It was so beautiful." He stopped for a moment, lost in his memories. When he spoke again, his voice was as clod and hard as diamond. "I can't explain it, but it wasn't her. It...Wasn't...Her..."

She was about to speak again; to tell him to run, to flee; but he spoke once again, softly. "I think...I think that she would approve of this being our final resting place."

"No..." She whispered as his words sunk in, "No! You Can't! What about the Queen! What about the others! What about..." 'What about me?!' she wanted to cry out.

"It's too late for me."

"No It's Not!!" She yelled out as she blinked away her tears. "I can..."

"No." He stated with absolute certainty. "I'm already dead. Only my will and desire to hear your voice one last time has kept me going."

"No..." She whimpered, grasping the Silence Glaive in both hands to support herself.

"Please..." He begged softly.

"I can't..." She wailed as, of their own violation, her arms began to raise the Glaive above her head.

"You must..." He said quietly.

"No..." She protested weakly as, tears streaming down her face, the Glaive stopped it's upward movement and paused for a second.

"Thank you." He whispered.

"Death..................
......Reborn...........
.............Revolution."

**********

"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!"

Michiru was a half a second behind her lover as the two of them bolted out of their bed. She didn't know how their bedroom door opened, but she clearly saw Haruka slam hard into Hotaru's door as she opened it; nearly taking it off it's hinges in the processes.

"Why!!!!!" Hotaru wailed as she sat in her bead clutching her blanket and staring at nothing as tears rolled down her face.

"Hotaru-chan?" Michiru said softly to her sobbing 12-year old 'daughter'.

"Hotaru, are you alright?" Haruka asked with concern as she approached the bed, only to stop as once again Hotaru cried out.

"I could have saved him! Why did I have to kill him! Why!!"

The two lovers looked at each other, eyes wide and filled with shock. Haruka turned back to the bed and sat down on it.

"It's alright, Hotaru-chan. It's ok. It was just a dream, that's all." the blond said tenderly as she wrapped her arms around the girl; or tried to that is.

"Leave! Me! Alone!" Hotaru screamed as she shook Haruka off of her, at least that might've been her intent; the result however was rather more...dramatic.

Michiru let out a gasp of surprise as she saw the blond thrown across the room and slam into the wall; her head leaving a dent in the plaster. Hotaru then leaped from her bed and ran out the door, nearly knocking Setsuna off her feet.

As the teal-haired woman helped Haruka to her feet the sound of a door slamming shut was heard. The three women headed down the hall, listening at each closed door.

"What happened?" Setsuna asked as she held her bathrobe closed; looking very much the picture of a person who doesn't like being woken up.

"Arriving at the bathroom door, they heard the sounds of weeping; which was periodically broken by the sounds of retching. Knocking on the door Michiru said, "Hotaru-chan? Are you alright?"

"We don't know." Haruka replied to her roommate's question as she held a hand to her head. "We heard her screaming and we rushed to her room. You saw what happened next."

Michiru was about to open the door when Setsuna placed a hand on her shoulder. "Did she say anything?"

"It was just a bad dream, Setsuna. She said something about...Ah!" Haruka paused as a lance of pain racked her head. "She said something about hurting someone."

"No." Michiru corrected. "She said 'She could have saved him so why did she have to kill him'. But it was just a dream, right?" the teal-haired woman asked, concern creeping into her voice. "I mean this is Hotaru we're talking about."

Setsuna's hand slipped off of Michiru's shoulder as she stood with a stunned look on her face. Then she uttered a single word that was laced with any meanings.

"Fuck."

The two lovers looked at the older woman with utter shock; they had never heard her curse before. For her part, Setsuna ran a hand through her long dark green hair with a sight scowl on her face. Her crimson eyes looked...old; very old; with a hint of pain and anguish which the two lovers couldn't hope to (or want to a small thought came unbidden) ever understand.

For a moment, all that was heard was the racking sobs of Hotaru; occasionally broken by the sound of her retching. Finally Setsuna sighed and gently pushed Michiru away from the bathroom door and towards Haruka. She moved in front of the door and put a hand on the knob. Looking over her shoulder at her roommates she spoke in a hard voice.

"The two of you go down stairs and wait for me; I'll look after Hotaru. Do Not come up here until I tell you. Understand?" After receiving a somewhat confused nod from the other woman, Setsuna turned and opened the door a little ways before pausing and looking back at them with a mint of a mischievous smile. "Oh, Haruka? You should have Michiru look at that bump on your head. I know that the two of you like your little...games; but really, you shouldn't hurt each other in the processes."

And with that, Setsuna swiftly entered the bathroom, locking it behind her.

The two woman stared blankly at the closed door for a moment before Haruka; still holding a hand to the back of her head; turned and stomped towards the stairs...muttering darkly the entire time. After a while, Haruka sat on the floor of the living room with her back against Michiru's legs. Michiru, sitting on one of the couches in the room, gingerly looked at the bump on the blondes' head with a first aid kit by her side. It didn't look too bad, in Michiru's opinion, and she saw that it had bled only a little before stopping. Carefully she touched the knot on Haruka's head.

"Ah!" Haruka exclaimed. "Damn it! That hurt!"

"Sorry." Michiru apologized, reaching for the cotton swabs and alcohol.

Before Michiru could begin cleaning the wound, the phone began ringing. "Should I...?"

"It's two thirty in the morning." Haruka said somewhat wearily, "If I wasn't already up, I'd reach through the phone and strangle whoever's calling. Leave it, they can call back in the morning."

After a few minutes, the phone stopped ringing. Michiru began to carefully clean Haruka's wound. She did a very through job of it too, spending nearly ten minutes making sure that the bump wasn't more serious than it appeared; electing winces and curses from Haruka in the process. Michiru was about to bandage the blondes' head when the phone began to ring again.

"Forget it." Haruka snapped angrily.

Michiru sighed resignedly before placing the bandage on Haruka's head. Once done, Haruka moved herself onto the couch; scowling in the direction of the phone. Finely, after almost five minutes the phone stopped ringing. With a sigh, the blonde relaxed back into the couch. Michiru snuggled against her lover and the two sat there in silence for a few minutes before the teal-haired woman broached the question that was on both their minds.

"What...what do you think is happening?" she asked softly.

"I don't know." Haruka replied, her voice heavy with concern. "All I know is that Setsuna had better have a good explanation. Especially after that last crack."

"You don't think that this has something to do with Mistress 9, do you?"

The blonde stiffened slightly before relaxing. "No. For all her faults; Usagi would have sacrificed herself if she had too in order to free Hotaru from Her. No, whatever's going on, it has nothing to do with that."

The two sat quietly in each others arms as their minds filled with worry. Time passed in the silence; then, the phone once again began to ring. This time, instead of ignoring it, Haruka stood up angrily and walked over to the offending object. She practically ripped the handset off the receiver and placed it to her ear.

"Who ever this is you had better have a very good reason for calling this late or, if you're lucky, you'll live to regret it." Haruka said angrily.

"Haruka! Thank the Kami's I've finally gotten a hold of you!" A familiar voice said from the other end of the line, one filled with relief. "I've tried calling you several times already with no answer. I've already contacted the others and we were about to head over there."

"Hold on, Ami. Slow down. What's wrong?"

"What's wrong? I should be asking you that." Haruka heard Ami take a deep breath to compose herself before continuing in her usual calm and composed voice. "I was up late doing research when the Mercury Computer went crazy. It was a massive energy surge that it identified as originating from Hotaru. I've tried calling three times before I contacted Usagi and the others. I thought Id give you the benefit of doubt and call one last time before I suggested we head over there."

"We must have missed the first call; and as for the other two..." Haruka trailed off, not wanting to admit to ignoring the phone. "As to what's going on; Michiru and I don't have a clue." She was about to say more when a voice spoke from behind her.

"Is that Ami?" Setsuna asked.

"Yea, it is." Haruka replied and turned to look at her roommate with annoyance; annoyance that quickly turned to surprise.

Setsuna stood there dressed in a pair of jeans and a T-shirt; both of which were wrinkled. In the time they all had lived together, Haruka had never seen Setsuna dressed so...casual. It was rather disconcerting that the red-eyed woman who had always taken the time (even if that time was outside the normal flow of time) to make sure she was dressed immaculately had apparently thrown on whatever was handy.

Setsuna waited a moment with her hand outstretched. "Well, is it Ami?"

Haruka nodded and handed Setsuna the phone. She took the phone and began to speak as Michiru stood and moved next to her lover in order to listen in. "Ami? This is Setsuna...Yes...Yes...No...That's not necessary...Yes I'm sure...No...There is nothing for you to worry about...No, I don't want any of you coming here...Yes, I'm sure about that...Goodnight, Ami." And with that, she hung up the phone.

"Alright, Setsuna. What's going on?" Haruka asked, her voice mixed with concern and anger.

Ignoring Haruka, Setsuna walked over to the window and drew the drapes to one side. Looking out at the night's sky for a few moments before letting the drapes fall back into place.

"I hate new moons. They're always so depressing." The red-eyed woman said as she sunk into a plush armchair and took a long drink from a bottle of scotch that the two lovers hadn't noticed that she was carrying.

"Setsuna, please..." Michiru pleaded, taking a seat back on the couch. "What's wrong with Hotaru."

"And don't you can get away with brushing us off like you did with Ami." Haruka said as she sat down next Michiru.

Taking another drink from the bottle she held, Setsuna looked at the far wall; her eyes far away. "Hotaru...Remembered."

Haruka and Michiru looked at each other for a moment before the blond said "You mean that she remembered something that happened during the Silver Millennium?"

Seeing Setsuna nod slightly, Michiru said slowly "You mean...you mean that she killed someone?"

"It's...complicated."

"Then UNcomplicate." Haruka said angrily, not wanting to believe what her roommate was implying about her 'daughter'.

Taking another drink, Setsuna slowly said as she ran a hand through her long dark green hair. "I hoped beyond hope that she would never remember what happened back then."

Haruka was about to say something when Michiru placed a restraining hand on the blondes' knee. "What happened?" The teal-haired woman asked.

Setsuna was silent for a moment before she began slowly, her voice emotionless in a way that spoke volumes in what she was holding back. "It was one of the darkest days in the history of the Silver Millennium; eclipsed only by its fall. There were once ten, not nine, planets in our Solar System; and each save Earth had it's own Senshi."

Michiru quietly asked a question, not wanting break the mood. "What happened? And why haven't we heard about any of this before? Does this mean that there is another Senshi?"

Taking another long drink, Setsuna replied. "It was my hope that none of you would ever remember what occurred; some of the things that happened back then were not pleasant. As to if there is another Senshi? No, there's not; not any more."

"Why not? And what happened to the other planet?" Haruka asked, her temper having faded on seeing how severe the situation was affection Setsuna.

"Hotaru, or Sailor Saturn; that is; was forced to bring down her Glaive on Vulcan."

The two lovers sat in shock; knowing that one of the few things they remembered about their past lives was that the possibility of the Silence being brought down onto a planet was one of their worst fears.

"Why?" Michiru asked, her mouth dry.

"Because she had no choice." Setsuna replied, taking another pull from her bottle.

"Wait a minute." Haruka said in confusion. "You mean to say that there was a MALE Senshi?"

Setsuna gave the blonde a look filled with confusion. "What?"

"Well...You said that Saturn brought the Silence down on; what was it, Vulcan?; and since Hotaru was saying that she killed someone..." Haruka trailed off at the look that her roommate was giving her.

To the surprise of the two lovers, Setsuna started to laugh; a full, rich laugh that hinted that the alcohol was beginning to effect her. "A male Senshi? What a ridiculous idea! That was almost worth everything thing that happened tonight!" Setsuna trailed off before continuing. "Almost." She sighed then said, "No, Sailor Vulcan was female like all other Senshi have been. The person that Hotaru killed...or blames herself for killing, that is, was someone else."

"Setsuna, please. It's late and I know none of us are in the mood for your word games. Just tell us what happened." Haruka said wearily.

Talking a long drink from her bottle, Setsuna sighed then said, "His name was Derik of Vulcan, of the Order of the Crescent Moon, Knight-Commander of her Majesties' Haz Knights; Sister of Shara of Vulcan, de facto Princess of Vulcan, the Senshi of Justice, Sailor Vulcan."

"Haz Knight?" Michiru said surprised.

"You Remembered something?" the blonde said as Setsuna eyes bored holes into Michiru.

"No..." the teal-haired woman said slowly. "It's just that name, Haz Knights, it seems familiar somehow."

Setsuna relaxed back into her chair with a sigh. "Good." Taking another drink she said, "The Haz Knights were a group of warriors who sworn to protect to the Queen and were directly under her authority. And before you ask, the Senshi had many duties and responsibilities and were dedicated to protecting the Kingdom. There's a fine distinction there."

Pausing to take another drink, Setsuna spoke. "As to what happened...there was a bloody battle on Vulcan that both Shara and Derik were involved in. I won't tell you what happened; no matter how many times you ask; all you need to know is as result of that battle, Vulcan was damaged beyond repair."

"Then that's why..." Michiru was interrupted by Setsuna.

"Yes, that's why Saturn was forced to bring the Silence to Vulcan." Setsuna closed her eyes and sighed deeply. "From what we learned later, both Shara and Derik were mortally wounded in the battle. There was apparently nothing that could have saved them and...they were present when Saturn lowered the Glaive on Vulcan."

The two lovers were quiet for a moment; realizing the implications of what Setsuna was saying. Two people who were a part of Queen Serenity's court were dying on Vulcan when the planet was destroyed. Both of them understood exactly why there daughter had reacted so violently to her memories. The fact that she had to 'kill' people she knew (even if they were already dying) must have badly effected her.

"Wait a minute." Haruka said, here eyes narrowing. "Exactly what was Hotaru's relationship with this...guy?"

"What do you mean?" Michiru said with concern as she looked at the blonde.

"When she woke up, Hotaru kept screaming about 'Him'. She didn't mention anyone else."

Michiru's eyes widened slightly before she turned her head to look at the red-eyed woman. Setsuna sat there for a moment before she smiled a genuine smile. "Figures that you would latch onto the least important fact of my story. To answer your question; no, they weren't lovers." Haruka relaxed ,at least until she say the sly smile on Setsuna's face. "Not from lack on trying on Hotaru's part."

Before anyone could say anything else, Setsuna stood up (rather unsteadily) and drained the remaining scotch from her bottle. Looking at the two lovers Setsuna said, "That's all you need to know. Vulcan was destroyed several years before the Silver Millennium; so there is no chance that they might be resurrected. I'll talk to Hotaru in the morning and, hopefully, she won't remember anything. And whatever you do, DO NOT tell Usagi and the others what I've told the two of you; the only reason I told you anything is because you care so much for Hotaru...and because you would continue to pester me about what happened. Now, if you'd excuse me, I'll be watching over Hotaru until she wakes up in the morning."

Setsuna moved away from her chair and mounted the stairs. After she left, Haruka looked at Michiru and said "She hiding something."

"No." Michiru corrected softly. "She just not telling us everything. There's a distinction there, even if it's a small one."

"Ok. Fine." Haruka said resignedly. "What isn't she telling us?"

Michiru shrugged and was about to say something when she was interrupted. "Oh, by the way." Setsuna said, standing half way down the stairs. "Haruka? Michiru? You know I really don't mind the little games the two of you play, but really, you should keep such activities in your bedroom. Not that I mind, but the both of you really shouldn't run around the house without cloths on. What would Hotaru think if she saw you?" And with that, Setsuna was back up the stairs.

Michiru looked down at herself and 'eeped'; realizing that she was completely naked. Haruka also finally noticed the state of her undress, began to mutter darkly as she looked at the space her roommate had just vacated.