Chapter 2: Trials & Separation
First Millennia of Queen Selene Serenity I's Reign 2478
Estoduin, Capital city of Pluto
Athena Castle, the Time Senshi's Permanent Residence
Senshi Training
The night was cold and frost covered the land as subzero temperatures engulfed it. Pluto, by its position as the last of the Outer planets, had naturally a very cold climate and the temperatures during the day were barely above freezing while the temperatures at night time were so cold they were almost unbearable. No snow fell, for the still more frigid winter months were not upon them.
The season was instead, spring and at a mere few degrees above zero, it was one of Pluto's warmest springs yet. The surface of Pluto was windswept and barren while the planet's intense gravity pressed hard priorities upon all who tread upon its roads.
The planet's gravity, depending on where you traveled, was at least anywhere from ten to one hundred times that of any other planet in the galaxy. There was no ice as the red seas of Pluto were prone to it, but only frequent frost which grazed over the land at almost every hour as time passed slowly by.
Pluto was quite unique for how its day and year system conformed to the time stream as oppose to how those of other planets might. The time planet's years are equivalent to precisely one earth day, and time passes slowly there, for there is no need to rush in such a place. Pluto's people live lives of longevity and prosperity, but they are somewhat lonely for they tend to live their lives in solitude and not by their own choice, but by a condemnation by fate alone. It truly took an adamant observer to realize the Plutonian population for what they truly are: timeless.
Three figures marched through the still cold wrapped securely in their traveling cloaks. Michiru shivered lightly as she clutched her heavy marine blue traveling cloak tightly around her body. She had never experienced weather this extreme on Neptune. Not even in the northern part of Neptune where the sea drowns all land and every building is either situated above water or beneath the ice caped deep waves were the temperatures this drastic.
Michiru's skin began to turn a light shade of blue as a short gust of breeze hit her. Being an inhabitant of one of the water planets who was traveling in a frigid climate ensured you one thing: that you would freeze to death faster than your companions.
Sensing this, Pluto fell behind a little to walk beside Michiru who was now turning a shade of blue befitting her hair. Setsuna reached her had out from the comfort of her warm cloak and felt the Neptunian princess's forehead. It was warmer than should be allowed for a Neptunian, but not warm enough to give cause for alarm.
Although the Neptunian princess did not have a fever yet, Setsuna guessed that if she spent less than five minutes more in the cold and froze into another shade of blue, that she soon would have one. So Setsuna removed her garnet cloak which had been specially made to face the cold temperatures of her native planet and wrapped it around Michiru's shoulders tightly.
"Come, the faster we move the faster you will regain your warmth back." Setsuna replied as she stepped away from the Neptunian princess who quickened her stride considerably to keep up with her patron.
Haruka was leading the group. Setsuna found this surprising, for Uranus is a planet which sports a scolding desert climate, but the Uranian princess seemed undaunted by the cold as she took step after step forward on the path to Athena Castle.
Haruka looked back from her post a few meters ahead of Michiru and Setsuna and watched as Setsuna walked from the Neptunian princess's side and up to not a few inches behind her not wearing her traveling cloak, but her sailor uniform instead. Haruka's eyes went as wide as saucers at this sight. Had Setsuna gone mad? It was cold enough here to kill most Uranians in minutes and yet her patron was walking out here in nothing but her sailor uniform.
"I am quite used to the cold temperatures and so they no longer bother me, please remember I grew up on this planet." Setsuna answered Haruka's mental question as she walked past her, "Quickly now, we must make haste. Athena Castle is but a few miles ahead of us. Do not loose face because of the cold, press on and ignore it instead."
Easier said than accomplished. The two princesses of the twin planets stopped and exchanged glances before then hurrying off after Setsuna whom was now traveling a fair distance ahead of them.
Half of an hour later the three weary travelers arrived at jagged castle gates. The iron reinforced stone walls were so cold that if one touched its surface without gloves, one's hand would freeze off in a matter of seconds before being removed from the icy textured surface.
The Jagged castle gates opened slowly and soundlessly upon their hinges. As the gates opened, a great castle of crystal and marble met the eyes of the two young princesses and their patron. The castle's architecture was such that it sent a shiver of awe up the spine of an unsuspecting traveler, but in the same moment, sent a flash of fear through the travelers' hearts with the impression that this was a cold and unforgiving place they had stumbled upon.
The two children followed closely behind Setsuna as she walked through the gates and stood as if searching for something or someone. When finally, her eyes set on a stoic figure clad in a richly embroidered Saturnarian style amethyst cloak embossed with silver thread, the head hooded in garnet and the face shielded by a black scarf. Marian leather boots came up to the stranger's knees while his lower half was clad in the green trousers worn by Jupiterean bowmen and the orange high collared tunic of the Venian swordsmen completed the odd ensemble, covering its torso shrouded by its amethyst cloak. A simple saber stuck out from the stranger's black belt from which it hung, the sword of a Venian duelist.
The two children cast weary glances toward one another. Whoever this masked stranger was, they hoped that they would not have to endure his company for very long.
"Stay here." Setsuna said to the children as she walked away from them towards the cloaked figure. The figure pushed itself off from the wall from which it had been leaning and acknowledged Setsuna with a nod of its head as she approached. Setsuna came to stand proudly before the stranger just as rivals stand before one another as equals not inferiors. The two sized each other up for a long moment before the silence was broken.
"How long will you disguise yourself from me, Jade?" Setsuna asked raising an elegant eyebrow as her garnet eyes met her brother's deep brown ones.
"I cannot fool you can I?" Jade asked removing his black scarf and garnet hood revealing the childish grin Setsuna had loved so much as a child.
It was surprising that although the times had changed greatly, Jade the Plutonian prince, had changed little. He, in appearance, was still the young and vigorous prince he had always while his spirit had not lost its zeal for adventure and life.
"I heard of Nathaniel's death…I mourned him. I had tried to get in touch with you, but you had left the palace and Serenity said that you had volunteered to help her reform what had happened into a new and better system to help protect the kingdom. You've really changed, I mean look at you. You've grown up." Jade said sheepishly trying to erase the guilt he felt for not being at his sister's side when she had needed him the most.
"That is what happens after twenty years." Setsuna said through a slightly bitter smile. "But that is not why I called you home. Serenity has a job for you. She requests that you help me train the two senshi of the Outer courts, since you have so much battle experience in the old ways." Setsuna then made a gesture to the two children whom stood in the distance watching them speak.
"But they're so young." Jade said looking at them, "Each one no older than six summers old. Setsuna, they are only children, leave off the training for a few years and allow them to enjoy their childhood. After all you only live once."
Setsuna nodded at the familiar statement her brother used to use so often, "But the kingdom is defenseless without the knights. The age of old when peace was attainable through soldiers of age and refinement is over. We live in a time when all that we are depends on the new generation and their ability to protect and defend. I am afraid whether we agree or not, we have no other choice but to train them."
"Yes." Jade agreed softly, "Which one will I be training?"
"Michiru, the Neptunian princess." Setsuna answered, "We will stay here tonight, then tomorrow morning you will take Michiru with you when you depart for Saturn. She will then stay with you at your home with your wife and children. Besides, maybe with another presence in the house your wife may be on speaking terms with you again."
"I doubt it. Ever since I left for Jupiter she's been really sore with me." Jade said rubbing the back of his dark haired head with one of his hands.
"Jade, maybe she was angry with you for leaving her for an exploration adventure on another planet while she remained six months pregnant at home with your son. I would say that definitely deserves a bit of vengeance on her behalf." Setsuna laughed softly at the bemused child like grin that spread over her brother's face as his eye brows furrowed in confusion.
Then a grin full of childlike hope spread across Jade's face as he got down on his knees and waved his hands up in the air.
"I bet, if I ask really nicely and bring her back a big fish for dinner she will have mercy on me." Jade said his face full of child-like hope as he stood up from his kneeling position on the ground. "How could she refuse that?"
"Your poor wife. I just do not know how your wife cannot refuse to punch you right in the nose. You act more childish than your own children and Michael is only three while Jiaston is still an infant." Setsuna smiled at the grin that earned her as her brother leaned against the stone of the castle.
"What do you think they are saying to one another?" Haruka asked watching as the oddly dressed stranger knelt on the ground and raised his hands to the sky.
"Maybe he is praying." Michiru offered with the raising of one perfectly shaped aqua eyebrow.
"Looks like he is begging. I bet he is begging Setsuna not to murder him for trespassing." Haruka said smiling slightly, leaning back to look up at the purplish sky.
"What is your name?" Michiru asked softly.
Haruka looked over at Michiru questioningly, surprised by the unexpected question. The aqua haired beauty was looking at her tenderly, patiently awaiting the answer to her question.
"Haruka, princess of Uranus. I do not yet know your name either, although I am pretty sure I heard the Queen of Neptune refer to you as Michiru." Haruka said starring down at her shorter friend.
"My name is Michiru, yes. What is the meaning of your name?" Michiru asked curiously.
"What?" Haruka asked surprised.
"My mother says that all words in the Uranian language mean something, names included. Your name, what does it mean?" Michiru explained and repeated patiently.
"Whirlwind." Haruka whispered softly, so softly that she had thought Michiru had missed it, but the Neptunian princess had not missed the meaning and smiled.
"That name seems fitting for a princess of the windy Uranian landscape." Michiru replied.
Haruka nodded her head and turned her attention back to where Setsuna was speaking with the stranger. Michiru kept her gaze on Haruka. There was something in her being that urged her to strive to understand the Uranian princess better. She truly was a curiosity, a princess whom dressed like a prince and on first impression, whom Michiru had mistaken for a prince. The proud features, the wind swept blond hair, the respectable teal eye, they were all features that the Neptunian queen had told Michiru outlined the Tenoh house.
'They were a proud line,' Michiru's mother had told her, 'One of the two ruling houses of Uranus and the strongest willed of the two. Regelle was of this house and her descendants are forever held to her bloodline and its legacy. Be respectable towards them, Michiru, for they are not the cold hearted warriors which our diplomats have made them out to be, but the cultured descendants of a warrior nation.'
But it was not just the looks or reputation that made Michiru wish to understand Haruka better. There was a uniqueness to the Uranian child which Michiru had never seen in anyone else before and she was determined to find out what this was and why it effected her so.
"They're coming back." Haruka's voice broke Michiru out of her revere.
Indeed, the stranger and Setsuna were walking towards them. Jade walked ahead of Setsuna and stopped in front of Michiru who starred up at him, bewildered. Haruka scowled and reached out for Michiru's hand, pulling her back from the scary stranger.
"No need to fear, little one." Jade said smiling as he ruffled the Uranian child's short hair. "I will not harm her. Your patron has ordered that I stay the night here to get to know the two of your better as well."
Haruka scowled more and was about to protest when Setsuna cleared her throat loudly and spoke.
"This is my brother Prince Jade of Pluto." Setsuna introduced. "And he will be training you, Michiru. You will both stay the night here and then in the morning Michiru and Jade will leave for Saturn."
"So soon?" Michiru whispered softly to herself as she rested her chin on her hand idly in thought.
"Wait, if Michiru is to be training under the prince then under whom shall I be training?" Haruka asked gazing up at Jade, "Will I be training under your too?"
"No, I am afraid not." Setsuna answered, "You will stay here and train with me."
Haruka nodded and then looked over at the Neptunian princess who was still deep in thought. She had only just met the Neptunian princess and yet she was sure there was something about her that Haruka could not simply grasp and understand fully just in the meeting. She had only known her companion for not much less a day and already she felt somehow enlightened by her new friend. There was something about her time spent with Michiru, it just felt…natural to be in her presence.
At that moment Michiru was drawn out of her revere by a strange and distressed feeling surfacing from the back of her mind that she had never felt before. She looked up into two very worried and grieved teal eyes. A look of concern crossed her features as she regarded her blonde companion.
Haruka appeared distressed about something, so greatly so that it crossed her features and shown on her face. What could it be? Then Michiru knew and reached for the Uranian child's hand and held it gently in comforting understanding. Haruka was afraid of being left all alone. With all of her family ties severed until she came of age, Haruka would be pretty much on her own and without the Michiru's companionship, she would feel as if she had been left truly alone.
Michiru smiled and held Haruka's hand up to their face level and then gazed reassuringly into frightened teal eyes.
"Do not worry I can always find you, I am always with you." Michiru whispered so that only the Uranian's ears could hear.
Jade watched this parting exchange between the two companions and then gazed back at his sister to gauge her reaction. She was to one side slightly and watching the two of them with sad eyes. To one who knows the future, fate is not kind nor subtle in its advances and it possesses cruelty enough to impress upon one their own destiny with no rhythm or warning.
"Setsuna, is it in a child's best interest to be severed from all whom they know and love at such a young age? Think of the children, is this what they deserve?" Jade asked his sister in a voice no louder than an embellished whisper.
"No, but it is what they will need to survive in these times." Setsuna answered, "Our future, my brother, rests on the senshis' shoulders. If we allow they to return to their childhood now, then the kingdom will be parted forever. We cannot afford to do that to all the innocent people of this galaxy whom are unable to fight for themselves and relay on the kingdom for their protection. They are our last hope. We lost the knights to the Dark Kingdom." Setsuna said as one silver tear slid down her cheek at the memory before she wiped it away, "Let us not lose them too."
Jade nodded his head in determined agreement and closed his eyes while leaning his head back, allowing the cold evening air bring peace to his throbbing head. This was to be a long ordeal and he would have to remain sturdy and strong to persist through it alive. He brought his head back down and his gaze fell upon the senshi potential he would be training.
He could see that she was a gentle soul and probably did not enjoy bringing harm to others. Unfortunately her kindness and sincerity would have to be the first things compromised in the line of combat if she was going to survive life on the battlefield. But there was great strength in the delicate child he could see it already and if anyone could make a difference as a warrior of the Outer court, Jade was convinced it would be her. He closed his eyes once more, this was to be a long night.
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