Disclaimer:
I don't own Sailor Moon. Naoko Takeuchi-sama does. Toei Animation made the series, DiC abused it and ViZ Media owns the N.A. Rights to it now. That said, this is a labor of love not of profit. All I ask is for feedback.

Hotaru's Date Part 9
Explanations

by
Lance The Flamesniper

Athena woke up and stretched as the door opened. The sound of several feet told her that James was not alone. When the group arrived at the top floor it turned out to be four women and James. Immediately, Athena decided to just play as a normal cat. At least that was the plan.

"Okay everyone this is my guardian Athena. She probably is going to try
to play off as being a normal cat, but she isn't."

"So she's a talking cat?" Hotaru asked as if it was the most normal concept in the world.

"Most likely one from the Moon kingdom," Setsuna replied.

"Actually, I'm from the future," The cat replied. "James who are these people and why did you tell them about me?"

"Michiru was attacked by one of Somnius's nightmares. Turns out my Hotaru is a Sailor senshi and so are Setsuna, Haruka and Michiru."

"And now, we want some answers!" Haruka hissed.

"Okay! Time for some background information. First my name is James Everwolf. I'm an artist by trade, but for the last six years, since Athena found me, I've been battling Somnius and his nightmares," James began.

"So what are they after?" Haruka asked.

"They're after Crystal Dreams," Athena intoned.

"And those are?" Michiru asked.

"They're five crystals that form the literal Heart of Crystal Tokyo," answered Athena.

"I thought the neo-queen's palace was the heart of Crystal Tokyo," Hotaru said. "And what is your purpose here?"

"My darling, she was sent back to find me and the other Guardians and Senshi, only with all of them together can Somnius be defeated." James answered and got a glare from Haruka.

"So there's eight other Guardians out there?" the blonde racer asked.

"No, in total there's only six, that is if you count their leader, the king of Crystal Tokyo," Athena cut in.

"Why only six?" Haruka asked.

"I can answer that," Setsuna stated. "And I can tell you which Senshi won't have Guardians."

"Enlighten us please," Haruka growled.

"In the Silver Millennium the Moon Princess had her eight member court made up of the Inner and Outer Senshi. In order to be fair to the Golden Kingdom's prince an eight person court was to be made for him. Before the Final Night of the Moon kingdom, only four princes and one knight had been put into the court. Those were from Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto. The representatives from Venus, Neptune and Uranus never made it to the Moon Kingdom and were therefore not sent forward with the rest of us," the timeless senshi informed.

"Why is it, that you never mentioned these guardians before?" Haruka
asked. At least then I could have had a chance to keep James from meeting our
princess!

"Did you ever ask?"

"No. Would you have told me if I had?" Haruka shot back.

"Of course not!"

"Why is that?"

"Because I couldn't."

"Oh," Haruka said as she sighed. She'd learned a long time ago not to waste time when Setsuna said she couldn't tell a person something. All it ever ended in was a migraine.

"So, James, can you tell us more about what Somnius is after?" Michiru asked.

"Well as near as I can tell these Crystal Dream things look kinda like this," James said as he drew a three dimensional four sided diamond on a piece of paper. "I've never seen one myself. All I've seen are round dream orbs."

"What happens to a person when their dream orb is removed?" Haruka asked as she remembered Michiru writhing in agony.

"As near as I can tell, dream orbs hold what a person dreams to become in life, when it is removed, it's causes the person to die slowly and in agony," James said, his violet eyes saying there was more to it but that it would be painful for him to tell them it.

"We saw James fight tonight. He used the silence wall and an attack I'd never seen before. Does he have any other powers?" Setsuna asked. She had a suspicion that he did, and if she was right it was both powerful and terrifying.

There was an uncomfortable silence in the room as James and Athena exchanged a nervous glance.

"I do have one other power," James said as he looked to Hotaru as if trying
to gain strength from her presence. "But it's one that scares me to even think
about. And I do not really like to talk about it."

Hotaru's eyes widened as she realized what the attack must be. It was one she knew she could use and knew it scared her to think of it too. The others didn't seem to catch on.

"Well what is it?" Haruka growled.

"It's the power to shatter a planet, the Death Reborn Revolution," James said ominously. "I've promised myself I'd never use it, unless things go so dire, so hopeless, that I have no choice."

Suddenly, Haruka didn't think it wise to put such strict punishments on James
for kissing Hotaru. Or to upset him in any way. They have the power between them to
kill this planet off twice! Perhaps I should be a little more cautious around him.

"So, what's the plan?"

"I need to meet with the other Senshi and find the other Guardians. Soon. Or Somnius
will destroy the future," James said.