Author's Note: Here's the next chapter of the story. To everyone who reviewed or read the story, you have my deepest thanks. I hope that, with time, all your questions will be answered.

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or Dragonball Z. Those shows/manga/etc. belong to their creators.

Silence: it made no sound, and yet its intensity was deafening.

No sooner had Setsuna finished speaking that Rei felt threatened to be consumed by the silence that hung in the air. She felt cold and her legs were numb; her throat was dry and her mouth clenched shut. The silence all around was suffocating her and she wanted to scream.

Her first thought was that she was loosing her mind; her second, that it wasn't fair. It was a childish reaction, that much she knew, and it lead her to wonder with a hint of disbelief whether or not she was overreacting.

She looked at every girl, studied every face. They were all different, and yet they were all the same. The same thoughts were etched into each of their minds, each one wondering how it happened. And yet, no one dared ask the five words they were all thinking.

The silence seemed to last an eternity, and she was surprised to find it broken by her own voice.

"How long have you known?"

All eyes rested on Setsuna as she turned to the senshi of Mars, her gaze studying the girl for a moment before answering.

"I have known for a month."

Usagi looked livid. "And you didn't tell us sooner?"

The senshi turned to the leader of their team, some surprised at her outburst, others agreeing with her. Setsuna sighed and shook her head. "I know all of you are shocked, but you must understand. Telling you sooner would have been pointless. There was nothing that could have been done, and I didn't want to worry everyone."

You certainly don't care about worrying us now. Rei thought with contempt. But as it stood, she had to agree that Setsuna had a point. If she had told them sooner they would have probably overreacted. Just like we're doing now, she thought with a grimace. It would have made things more difficult, and at least now they would hear the whole story instead of a shorter version with important details left out.

Minako raised a shaky hand and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "A new enemy," she said, her voice barely a whisper, as if she had raised a subject that would have been considered taboo. In the end, though, that was exactly what it was: they had all worked so hard, fought for so long, and finally managed to attain peace. And yet no sooner had that peace finally been theirs that it was taken away in a matter of seconds.

"I don't understand." Ami said, keeping her eyes on Setsuna even as all of her friends turned to her. "If there really is an enemy out there, how is it that we haven't been able to sense it yet?"

Setsuna pondered the question, not because she did not know how to reply, but because she was trying to find the best possible way to voice her thoughts. "That is because this new enemy does not exist in this dimension."

"Not in this dimension?" Ami asked, perplexed, as Minako and Makoto exchanged confused glances.

Michiru frowned. "You mean to say that it came from somewhere outside our time? Like Pharaoh 90?"

"Yes and no."

This is getting us nowhere, Rei thought, clenching her hands on her lap. She turned once more to Setsuna. "So what exactly do you mean? Stop beating around the bush and tell us!"

The eyes of both women locked once more, and this time Rei was able to see something that she had missed the first time she had spoken to the older woman. At first glance her eyes seemed even, but upon a closer look she realized that they were too focused.

Too hidden.

And the realization that came with this almost made her cry out.

Setsuna was afraid. She was scared of what she had learned, and she didn't want the other senshi to realize that.

Setsuna continued to stare at Rei as she spoke. "This threat comes from a world that is full of life, much like our own, both on planet Earth and in space." Here she stopped once more, and her eyes seemed to focus on something none of the other senshi could see. They became dull, dark amethyst orbs, and her voice lost its strength. "There are many other worlds than this, after all."

What is that supposed to mean? Rei thought, but decided against asking. It seemed that the more questions they asked, the more mysterious Setsuna became, and it was starting to annoy her. Taking a steadying breath, she spoke once more. "Maybe you should tell us everything from the beginning."

"The beginning…" Setsuna repeated, and for a moment her eyes seemed to come out of a trance. "Very well," she said. "I'll tell you everything from the beginning."

. . .

"As you all know, I am to remain stationed in the gates of time and guard it form being used." She looked around the room, and when she saw each senshi nodding, she continued. "Some time ago I received what you might call a vision." Here she stopped and turned to Rei. "You see things when you meditate in your temple, do you not?"

"Yes." Rei said. "I meditate by the fire, and sometimes I see things. Like moments in time, or future events. It's like a déjà vu, but of things that are bound to happen."

"Not 'bound to happen'," Setsuna said, shaking her head. "What you are seeing is just a possible future, one out of a million, if not more. The future cannot be known, it can only be guessed. That is why your vision of the destruction of our world never came to be. Do you understand?"

Rei nodded, and Ami said: "You mean you see a future that can be good or bad, but just because you can see it doesn't mean it will happen."

"That is correct." Setsuna said. "The vision I had was a really bad one. It was not about the destruction of Crystal Tokyo," she added quickly when some of the girls shifted uneasily. "No, it was something far worse."

"If that's your way of reassuring us, you're doing a great job, Setsuna." Haruka said. Setsuna ignored her while Michiru grabbed the girl's hand and Haruka turned to her, smiling and giving her a nod in silent thanks for the small gesture of comfort.

"How bad is it if it's worse than the destruction of Crystal Tokyo?" Rei asked.

"I cannot be sure," Setsuna said. "As I said, the future isn't set in stone. Every day thousands of possible outcomes are being created and destroyed. All I can be sure of is that it affects us greatly."

"Hold on." Makoto said, raising her hands to her temple as if she had a headache. "First you say there's a new enemy, and then you tell us it's not from our dimension. You say it doesn't concern us, but at the same time you say it does. You say it's something really bad but that you can't be sure. But you have an idea, don't you?" Her eyes focused on Setsuna and she stared at her, not accusingly, but pleading. "You can guess how bad this thing is."

"Yes." Setsuna said. "If I had to guess, and I'm pretty sure of it, this new enemy could be a threat to every dimension in existence."

Rei felt her heart stop. Beside her she heard a sharp intake of breath as Usagi drew back. Every dimension in existence; that was what Setsuna had said. What in the world could be so powerful that it could be a threat to so many worlds?

"But you're not completely sure, are you?" Minako asked. Her eyes were wide and she was laughing slightly, as though struggling to accept a difficult truth. "This new enemy…It may not be as bad as you make it out to be, right?"

"No." Setsuna said. "It could be less dangerous than I believe, but you always prepare for the worst possible scenario." Her gaze slowly drifted to her lap. "Don't assume I haven't thought this through. Even if it's not as big a threat as I make it out to be, at the very least it still represents a danger to us."

"But if this threat is from another dimension, why does it concern us?"

Makoto turned to Minako, looking shocked, as Ami and Usagi gaped at the blonde-haired girl. Haruka frowned. Setsuna simply gazed at Minako, her eyebrows slightly cocked. Overwhelmed by the stares of the other girls, Minako raised her hands. "Don't get me wrong," she said. "It's not like I don't believe you, Setsuna. But even if this enemy is so dangerous, why are you telling us about it? I mean, doesn't that world have people that can take care of it?"

"You know, she has a point, Setsuna."

All eyes turned to Usagi as she spoke. "Are the people of that world too weak to deal with this evil? And why is it only surfacing just now?" She stared at the older girl. "Or is there more to it than what you're telling us?"

It made sense, and in spite of the seriousness of the situation, Rei couldn't help but smile. Who knew Usagi could be smart when she tried? No, she thought, you know how smart she can be. She has great intuition, even if she doesn't realize it.

"I agree". Michiru said, nodding at Usagi. She turned to Setsuna, eyeing her suspiciously. "You said earlier that telling us any sooner would have been pointless. Define 'pointless'."

"This new threat should have never existed." Setsuna said, turning from one girl to the other as she spoke. "Some time before I received the vision I sensed this enemy slowly fading out of existence. I was sure that it would simply vanish and the world would be spared another crisis." She smirked bitterly, and it made Rei shudder. "Fate, it seems, has a twisted sense of humor. Not only did this evil not fade away, but its presence felt stronger than ever. That world does indeed have heroes, but I'm not completely sure that they can handle this enemy. And like I said-"

"You like to be prepared." Makoto finished for the older girl. Setsuna nodded. Clearly they were all still absorbing this new threat to their world. But they did not have much time to wonder why things had happened the way they did. The time had come to act, whether or not the girls were ready, and they had to come to a decision fast.

Turning to the group of girls, she continued:

"I waited to tell you because I was sure we would not have to make a choice in the matter. I thought that, left alone, this threat would cease on its own. I was wrong, and for that, I apologize. Now things are different, and we cannot simply choose to ignore it." She turned to Minako, who lowered her gaze, her cheeks slightly flushed. She smiled at the girl, but as she turned to the group, her features were set once more. "I have asked you here today to tell you all this as well as to finally come to a decision. As we speak, the enemy is heading towards Earth on the other dimension, were we will finally be able to face it…for better or worse." She stopped, closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and opened them once more, a somber look replacing her hardened gaze. "I do not know what will happen to us. I do not even know if we will be able to win. That is why I am leaving the choice to each one of you. In two days I will depart for that world using the gates of time to face this enemy. All of you who wish to fight should be ready by then."

"Hold on," Ami said, frowning slightly. "You say you're going to depart for that world, but didn't you say it was forbidden to use the gates of time?"

"I did" Setsuna admitted. "The use of the gates has always been denied to every being who ever sought them. However, this time we are dealing with a threat that endangers the dimensional existence as a whole. Because of this, we have no choice but to forego that rule. If it means the ensured safety of the Universe, we have no choice."

Silence once again filled the room once she finished speaking. Every girl was lost in thought, each struggling to absorb the same truth. There was no guarantee that they would succeed. Should they choose to go, there was a good chance that they would die. There had always been a good chance that they would perish when facing a foe, but this time it felt different. Regardless of what Setsuna said, they would still be defending another world. It was for the greater good, yes, but it was not their planet.

It was not their home.

Setsuna looked at each girl, only able to wonder what was going through each mind. Each girl was separated from the next, too lost in their own thoughts to even recognize the person sitting next to them. For a moment she felt the link between them weaken, and what once had been a chain that held the group together had now been reduced to a thread, threatening to snap under the pressure of their uncertainty.

They won't go, she realized, and she was surprised to find that she had known it all along. She was asking for too much, and it was not fair to place such a burden on them alone. The Universe was in peril, yes, but they were not responsible for the fate of all the worlds. They wanted to be selfish, to say no, and to just live a normal life. And after everything they had been through - after all the fights, all the pain and tears and long nights of uncertainty, of wondering if they would live to see another sunrise, or if they could finally have peace and live, just live, and not have to flinch whenever their communicators went off, dreading that they would once more be thrust into battle, and not have to always carry their transformation pens on them like scars to hide from the world, just in case they would need them - Setsuna could not find it in her to hate them for it. She had only been living as a normal human for a short time, while the others had been living on Earth their whole lives. She had always been a soldier of solitude, and she knew what her duty was. Even if she went alone, she would not hold contempt for the others.

Just as she was about to dismiss them, a quiet but steady voice spoke.

"I'm going with you."

Her eyes shot up, and she gaped at the girl with overflowing hair that was tied up in buns. All other eyes turned to her as well, but Usagi's gaze did not waver. Her eyes were strong and defiant, and, for a moment, Setsuna saw not Usagi, nor Sailor Moon, but a different person entirely. It was a face from long ago, destined to a tragic end along with everyone she knew. The girl before her was not clothed in royal garments, nor was her emblem engraved on her brow, but there was no mistaking the eyes that now gazed at every person in the room.

They were the eyes of Princess Serenity.

"Despite how different we all are, we are a team" Usagi stated, her voice strong, turning to each girl in the room. It was the same voice she had used so many times before when she commanded the senshi in battle. "Individually, we are limited." She turned to Haruka and Michiru, the girls who mostly resembled the individual facet of their team. Both girls nodded to her and she continued: "But together, we are stronger than any evil that has come our way. All we have accomplished, all our victories, were only because we worked as a team. As sailor senshi, we are one made out of many. If the world is truly in danger, it is my duty, not only as Sailor Moon, nor as the Moon Princess, but as Usagi Tsukino, a girl who has things worth fighting for, to do what I can to protect that which I love."

Silence remained in the room, but it was different: it was less dense, less palpable, less intimidating. Rei, who had once felt herself being suffocated, realized that, for the first time since their meeting began, she felt different. It was as though a weight had been removed from her shoulders. Usagi was right: they were a team, and each one of them brought different strengths to cover up for each other's weaknesses. None of them had to feel more responsible than the other, for they acted as one. Together they had triumphed time and time again, and together they could overcome any obstacle, no mater how impossible it seemed.

Turning to Usagi, a playful smile on her lips, she rolled her eyes. "Well, after a speech like that, I guess I have no choice but to go as well. Besides, who in their right minds would think of sending only Usagi? I'll have to go and make sure meatball-head here doesn't screw things up."

Usagi turned to Rei, and the senshi of Mars was surprised to see the other girl smiling. She knew that Rei's words were only playful jabs, and she would never tell the other girl, but she was grateful that she had replied that way. In the face of such a big change it reminded her that some things still remained the same. It was their way of bonding, of letting each other know that they cared for one another.

And she wouldn't have changed it for anything in the world.

One by one, the other girls voiced their agreement. "Either we all go or none of us go" was what Makoto had said, Ami nodding in agreement.

Minako had laughed before consenting. "Besides," she said, "it's not like Sailor Galaxia was a cakewalk, either. If we could handle her, this new enemy should be a piece of cake."

"This is probably going to cut into our alone time." Haruka said to Michiru, grinning as she released the grip on the other girl's hand and stretched her fingers so that her palm lay against Michiru's. "You sure you can live with that?"

"I'm sure I'll be able to manage as long as I'm with you." Michiru said, her eyes flashing mischievously as she leaned closer to Haruka. "Besides, it'll just make the return trip and what comes after that much sweeter."

Everyone laughed as Haruka blushed slightly, Michiru giggling at her success. Usagi turned to Setsuna, her smile as wide as ever. "It looks like we're all aboard, Setsuna."

Setsuna closed her eyes, a soft smile tugging at her lips. "Together," she said, feeling tears forming on the corner of her eyes, and when she opened them, it was to find each senshi smiling at her. The bond between them was as strong as ever. She wiped at her eyes, her smile growing as she realized that, for the first time, she felt like a true member of the group. Not as Sailor Pluto to the senshi, but as Setsuna Meioh, a human being who had friends that cared about her as much as they possibly could.

And for her, that was enough.

. . .

Morning had come all too soon for Gohan, who felt as though he had barely slept the night before. The last thing he remembered was closing the door, which now lay broken in the middle of his room, and the next thing he knew his mother was calling him for breakfast, saying that his tutor was already on his way over. He showered and dressed quickly enough and proceeded to the kitchen, where his mother was already setting the table with food.

"Good morning, Gohan." Chi-Chi greeted him with a smile. "Did you sleep well last night?"

No, he thought. I slept terrible. What, with having another day with my favorite instructor to look forward to, how could I not? But he would never tell her that, and he settled for a simple grunt of affirmation as he sat down and began to eat.

Chi-Chi sat down opposite of him and began her meal. "Mr. Shu spoke to me last night before he left," she said, and Gohan, who was about to take another bite of his meal, lowered his fork and let it rest on his plate. He kept his gaze locked over his food, but eating was the last thing on his mind at the moment.

His mother smiled at him. "He says that you're making great progress on your work. He thinks you'll be able to start advanced lessons soon. I'm so proud of you, Gohan!"

Gohan tightened his grip on the fork, nodding silently and continuing with his meal. He did not have to wonder what his tutor had said, nor did he feel like talking about it. He mentally prepared himself for what the day would have in store for him, but he thanked the heavens that at the moment he could just relax and eat his meal.

No sooner had the thought crossed his mind that a knock was heard on the front door. Groaning inwardly, Gohan grabbed his plate and began to force his food down his throat. He would have preferred to savor his meal instead of swallowing it whole, but he would rather have the food in him than not be able to eat at all. Tutor or not, he needed food, but he wouldn't put it past Mr. Shu to make him begin his lessons on an empty stomach.

"Slow down, Gohan." Chi-Chi said as she stood up and answered the door. His mother blocked the doorway, but he managed to catch a glimpse of jumbled hair over her shoulder. "Good morning, Mr. Shu."

"Good morning, madam." The tutor walked inside, his expression blank, and it didn't surprise Gohan to see him wearing the same outfit from the day before. Mr. Shu seemed like a man of strict order, and apparently that rule also applied to his set of clothing.

"Gohan's finishing his breakfast, and then he'll be all yours." Chi-Chi nodded towards the table, where her son was almost finished eating. Mr. Shu turned to Gohan, and for a brief moment his left eye seemed to twitch slightly and his lips curled back in a snarl. But when Gohan turned to the man again he had once more slipped behind his monotone features. Blinking confusedly, Gohan lowered his plate. Had he just imagined that, or did it really happen?

"Very well, madam." Mr. Shu said. "I will be waiting in your son's room while he finishes. I shall be expecting him there in less than ten minutes." With that the man proceeded to drift towards the back of the house and out of sight. Gohan watched him for only a moment before returning to his meal, the only seeming bright spot in the long and winding day to come.

. . .

"You'd better hurry up, Gohan." Chi-Chi said as her son stood from the table. "Leave the dishes to me; go wash up quickly." She gently pushed him away from the table and towards the bathroom.

"Right, mom," he said. "Thanks."

Washing himself again, he toweled off and looked at his reflection. He gazed hard at it, studying himself, but seeing beyond his mirror image. The face in the mirror slowly changed until it only slightly resembled him. It became that of an older man whose eyes were the same dark color, but whose gaze was more intense, a warmness that seemed to pierce into him at the same time. The man had higher cheekbones and a firmer jaw, and a smile that seemed lopsided adorned his features.

It was the smile of a father who was proud of his son.

"Dad," Gohan whispered, reaching out for the mirror, only to touch the fingertips of his own reflection. Tears rolled down the cheeks of the boy in the mirror, and Gohan felt their wetness against his own. Rubbing against is eyes, he washed his face and turned to leave the room. His eyes rested on the mirror and he sighed.

Where are you dad? When are you finally coming home?

. . .

Entering his room, he found Mr. Shu sitting by the corner, his arms crossed and his eyes closed. Not in a hurry to begin his lessons, Gohan took a moment to put the door back on the doorframe, slightly tilting it so it wouldn't fall again. Once he was done, he pulled the chair away from his desk and sat down. The sound seemed to break Mr. Shu out of his train of thought.

"So you're finally here." He said, pulling a small watch from his pocket and looking at the time. "Seven minutes," he mused, putting the watch back in his pocket. "Well, it's good to know you can follow some orders without showing attitude."

The man stood and moved away from the desk, and Gohan rolled his eyes. What a wonderful way to start his morning. As he began to write another essay he wondered what would have happened if he had locked Mr. Shu in a room with Frieza. He had no doubts that both of them would kick it off nicely.

The burning sensation that emerged on his back a moment later caught him by surprise, the force of the blow shoving him against his desk as the second blow landed on his shoulders. Blow after blow fell onto him, and twenty blows later the man was breathing heavily, the whip lying dully by his side. "Tomorrow I will expect you on your desk by the time I arrive." Mr. Shu said, removing his glasses and cleaning them against his shirt. "Tardiness will not be excused. Even a dimwitted brat such as you can understand the importance of being on time." Placing his glasses back on, he turned to Gohan with a sneer. "Consider this a warning for future insubordinations."

Anger flared inside Gohan; it had been so long since he felt such anger that it surprised him how quickly it surfaced. Ever since Garlic Jr. had tried to destroy the world over four months ago there had been peace, and he had no need to feel angry, much less unleash his true strength. Now his power threatened to explode, a burning sensation that began on his stomach and seemed to spread to every inch of his body.

Seeing Gohan shaking, Mr. Shu smirked. "I see there's some fight in you, but you're not the first one I've had to deal with who stepped out of line." He held the whip with both hands. "I'll teach you to respect me yet. I'm sure your mother will appreciate the effort."

Gritting his teeth, Gohan returned to his work. He knew it was not fair, but he would bear it; his anger would continue to surface, but he would control it. Mr. Shu was clearly goading him, but he had been trained better than that. Piccolo had taught him more than just how to take a punch.

The long day would continue with the same routine, and for every blow that he received Gohan would push his anger further away. Hour after hour he would focus on his work, his mind blocking everything else, sinking further into the train of thought he would need to block out the man whom had worn out his welcome the moment he had arrived. His hands seemed to move on their own, the material he finished growing higher and higher until it toppled over and snapped him back to reality. Stretching on his chair, he was surprised when he saw that the sky outside his window was dark, an endless sea of stars hung in pitch blackness.

Mr. Shu watched him as he began to pick up the fallen assignments. Checking his watch, he turned away from the young boy. "That will do for today." He said, making his way to the door. "I shall return tomorrow to continue with your schooling. I suggest you go to bed early if you are to be on time tomorrow." Stopping at the door, he turned around, his smile becoming twisted as he looked at the boy, his grip tightening over the instructing tool on his hand. "I'm sure we'll we able to beat your father's rebellious influence out of you, yet."

No sooner had the man left that Gohan felt his control over his anger break. His power began to rise in silent fury, the force of his energy pushing the furniture away from him as the walls cracked open slightly. The sound of all his assignments toppling over again brought him back and he groaned in annoyance, realizing that he would now have to pick them up all over again.

Control your anger, Gohan. Piccolo's voice seemed to say, his words coming from the farthest reaches of his mind, like a forgotten memory from long ago.

I know Piccolo, he thought. But at this rate, I'm not sure how much longer I can hold on.

Leaving his room, he proceeded to the kitchen for a quick meal before bathing and returning to his room. He lay on his bed, the lights turned off, the only sounds coming from the forest creatures that moved in the dead of night. Turning from side to side the young boy was unable to sleep, his thoughts turning to his friends. He wondered about Piccolo, who had declined returning with his people to the new planet Namek. Where was he now, and what was he doing? Training, obviously, was the first idea that came to his mind. Piccolo always believed that he needed to be prepared for the next battle. But Frieza and Garlic Jr. had both been defeated. He had seen to it that Garlic Jr. would never return to threaten the Earth, and his father had taken care of Frieza over a year ago, and he had been considered the greatest evil in the galaxy. Who else would there be left to fight?

His thoughts then drifted to Vegeta. He had left the Earth soon after the fall of Frieza, blasting off into space and leaving everyone to wonder where he was going. He didn't need three guesses to wonder what the man had been doing all those months in space: growing stronger and being the best was Vegeta's only motto in life. No, what he wondered was if he would return to Earth, and once he did, if he would still be their enemy. He felt concerned for only a moment, brushing off his worries in an instant. If he ever does come back, he thought, dad will take care of him easily.

This, in turn, made him think about his father. Where was he, and what was he doing? Why was he taking so long to return to Earth? When would he finally come home?

Closing his eyes, Gohan shifted against his bed as sleep slowly overtook him.

Please come home soon, dad. I miss you too much.