Until the Sun Rises No More
Chapter 3
The Spreading of Wings

An older man with short blackish-green hair with a matching beard walked out of the mists and smiled at Pluto as he pulled his helmet off. He held a tall scepter in one hand. Strangely, he had similar garnet eyes to hers.

"Father?"

He smiled warmly at her before he spoke to her. "Yes, Setsuna," Chronos responded. The tall man continued to walk over to her as she spoke to him.

"What are you doing here?" she murmured. "Why have you come back to me?"

"I've come to tell you something," he added, looking at his flesh and blood.

Setsuna looked questioningly at him, still not believing wholly that it was her father. She hadn't seen or heard from him in centuries.

"Yes?"

"You've suffered too long, my daughter."

"I know not what you speak of, father. Explain."

"I've come to relieve you of your duties," he answered simply, earning a strange look from Setsuna.

"But who will guard the Gate of Time?" she asked.

"I shall take over the duty," he responded with a reassuring smile.

"I cannot lie that upon you, father," she responded morosely. "It is my responsibility, not yours. This duty was given to me, and me only."

"No," he answered. "You're allowed to go live your life now. This is my fate anyhow."

"Are the King and Queen aware of this?"

"Yes, they've been told."

Pluto stood there for several moments, still stunned by what her father had just told her. She was even more surprised when he embraced her warmly. She looked up at him and noticed the small smile spread across his face. She enjoyed the feeling of being with him since she hadn't felt his warmth since she was young. Tears began to fall because she was finally free from her horrific curse. Chronos pulled away and wiped the tears off of her face as he spoke.

"You and your Staff of Time will still be endowed with the powers as the senshi of Pluto," he added. "However, you will never return here, and I shall never see you again. You also will not be cursed with immortality since you shall not stay here any longer."

"Will you be alright?"

"Yes, you can leave now."

She embraced her father once again before speaking gently. "Thank you."

Afterwards, Pluto let her senshi fuku fade away slowly as it was replaced with the dress she was wearing the day she left. It was a white dress with thin straps and it flowed to her knees. She wore a pair of matching shoes. She then turned towards Chronos and smiled softly.

"Good bye, father."

He pulled back and looked at Setsuna one last time. "Good bye, Setsuna." He lifted his scepter in the air and within a few seconds Setsuna was gone from sight and his life.

Setsuna opened her eyes and found herself in a small alleyway where no one would freak out if they saw a young woman appear out of thin air. She looked around sadly, remembering that she would never see her father again yet she was finally freed from her duties and she would never have to see the gates again. She walked out of the alleyway to observe her surroundings. She recognized the area and figured out that the house she shared with Michiru and Haruka was only a few minutes away if she walked. She straightened out her dress and began walking.

She walked up the small walkway leading to the house and stopped outside the door. She knew they would be surprised to see her and they might be alarmed. She raised her hand and knocked gently on the door as she rang the door bell. She waited a minute and heard nothing inside. She rang the doorbell once again and still heard nothing so she walked away slowly. She stopped suddenly and thought that they might be at Hikawa Shrine with the others since they usually went there on Fridays. She sighed knowing that she might alarm everyone before she got a chance to speak.

The girls were all in the Shrine having a good time having conversation with one another as they laughed. Haruka and Michiru simply sat together observing the scene in front of them; Makato was looking in a magazine with Minako who had a huge smile on her face as always, Ami was reading a book with her glasses on and Rei watched Usagi as she stuffed her face with the food that Makoto had brought with her.

"You should stop eating so much," Rei growled. "Otherwise you won't fit into your fuku."

Usagi stopped what she was doing as a piece of what she was eating fell out of mouth. Her eyes became shiny as she began to wail.

"Rei, why do have to be so mean to me!" she whined.

Rei simply rolled her eyes.

"Look, Makoto!" Minako squealed. "This guy's really cute!" she added as she pointed to a picture of a man in her magazine.

"Rei!" a voice yelled. "Someone's here to see you."

"I'm coming grandpa," she mumbled as she stood up. "I'll be right back." She slid the door open to see her grandpa walking towards her.

"Who is it?"

"She didn't give her name, but she's really beautiful," he responded with a weird smile. "She's outside."

"What does she look like?" Rei asked, wanting to know if it was someone she knew.

"Really tall with very long green hair," the old man responded.

'Long green hair?' she thought. She didn't know anyone except Setsuna who looked like that, but it couldn't be her. She thought for a moment before she walked away. She continued to walk slowly until she reached another sliding door and slid it open.

'I wonder who it is?' she thought before she could get a look.

"Setsuna!"

"Hello Rei," she responded.

"What are you doing here, is something wrong?"

"No, nothing's wrong at all."

"Then...why are you here? Are you going to be in trouble since you left the Gate?" Rei asked, worry filling her voice.

"No, I'm not in trouble. I've come back because I've been relieved of my duties." Setsuna said quietly.

"Really?" Rei questioned, smiling. "That's great news." Setsuna gave her answer by nodding her head.

"That's wonderful!" she added as she hugged her tightly. "You have to tell the others."

With that, Rei led her inside where the others were waiting.