Sunlight Halation: Oh, maybe it was. Maybe it was.

Taeniaea: Glad you like it. Enjoy the chapter.

maryyorke: Glad you think so! Well, you'll find out eventually.

Puffgirl1952 the 2nd: Perhaps they did, or maybe it was influence from within?

Enjoy the story.


Super Sailor Pluto let her transformation fade away in a dulled glow once she and Super Sailor Saturn were in a secluded area, and the dark green-haired woman straightened her grey business jacket and pencil skirt, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as the oldest of the Solar System Senshi walked back towards her shared home with Saturn, now dressed in a civilian outfit comprising of a simple white and purple dress, in tow.

The dark-haired girl had her long hair pinned into a much less conspicuous braided ponytail instead of the bun and twin-tail style that was Usagi's signature eye-catching style, and the traditional regal hairstyle of the Lunar Monarchy, leaving her less noticeable than the bright and cheery blonde, and a good thing at that too, because the Guardian of the Time Gates was certain that the four Guardian Senshi would come looking for that distinct hairstyle after licking their wounds.

Saturn's youthful face was incredibly grim at this point, the soft, gentle-looking features of Usagi affixed with a stern, stoic glance that was almost identical to Hotaru's. Her purple eyes were distant, thoughtful as the slender girl walked after the darker-skinned woman. A grim frown marred her features, leaving Setsuna rather worried as to what the young girl was thinking. A dark look entered her irises, and the woman found herself worrying even more.

She knew that look.

It was the same one that Sailor Satrun had sported only minutes before she had dropped her deadly and devastating weapon, the Silence Glaive, and ended the once peaceful Silver Millennium once the Silver Alliance fell at the hands of Beryl's forces.

It was the same one that Hotaru has sported only seconds before she had given her life to save Usagi's own, following the betrayal of the traitorous Guardian Senshi and her near death only minutes later.

Both had been disastrous in their consequences. The first had killed off an entire galaxy's life for years, the second had killed a valuable and precious life to save another equally important ally and friend. Had either been worth it? Perhaps, perhaps it was, and yet... the cost had been so dear to them...

Setsuna shook off her musings as she reached the house, unlocking it and heading inside as Saturn followed.

Only seconds later, Uranus and Neptune dropped onto the pavement without a sound and walked inside as well, turning back to Haruka and Michiru. Haruka ran a hand through her messy blonde hair, growling roughly and sneering in anger. "Those damn traitors!" she roared, slamming a clenched fist into the palm of her open hand, the sound of flesh hitting flesh loud and startling.

Haruka was angry, that much was obvious. Setsuna wouldn't be surprised if a storm was brewing outside.

Michiru didn't even move to quell her anger. The violinist's movements were with a precise, sharp grace, though unlike how she was usually, her body language was incredibly tense, her jaw set as she strode into the room, sinking into the sofa as she tossed her wavy aquamarine hair over her shoulder. "Calm down, Ruka-chan," she said, stern. "Let's not waste our time raging about them."

But the woman's eyes spoke another story. A maelstrom was about to devastate the world, and if the tides didn't turn rough and unforgiving, Setsuna had clearly made a mistake somewhere, because that wasn't Michiru.

"I desire an explanation." Saturn's soft voice was hard, icy, demanding answers as the slender girl stood up, radiating a menacing aura and scaring Haruka into submission, staring the older woman down and making her quickly sit beside Michiru, Setsuna also following the unworded order as the youngest yet most powerful of the four Senshi stood in front of the sofa.

"I want answers. What have the Guardian Senshi done to the Princess? Where is Her Highness? Tell me, now."

Setsuna's garnet gaze met Haruka and Michiru's for a short second, a silent agreement going between the trio before the Guardian of the Gates spoke up. "Yes... we haven't been entirely truthful. We had found the Princess shortly before you awakened. We had fought back Beryl's forces and other dangers, but we never anticipated the greatest threat to her life wouldn't come from the outside." The woman lowered her head.

"The Guardian Senshi turned on her. Her own protectors, suddenly attacked her," Michiru continued quietly. "We only barely arrived in time to save her from a fiery death."

Saturn's hands curled into fists, digging into her pale skin. A dangerous look crossed her eyes as she listened. "Continue," she all but ordered through grit teeth, her purple eyes slowly closing.

"For the most part, we managed to keep her safe. They got in a lucky hit, injured her and cracked the Crystal," Haruka picked up, voice grim. We tried to save her, all of us, including you. We channeled power from our crystals into hers, trying to mend it. We didn't succeed. The princess... she lost her life, and you nearly lost yours trying to heal her."

The girl's nails drew blood from her palms as she raised her head, eyes snapping open, cold, hard, angry. "I will deliver those Guardians unto a fate worse than death," she hissed, a hand reaching out to summon her fearsome Silence Glaive. "I will make them beg for mercy," the Senshi of Death and Destruction listed coldly, continuing, "I will not stop until they beg for death, and then, I will not deliver. They dare to betray the Princess? I will see to it they are broken."

The raven-haired girl spun on her heel, her ponytail lashing out to catch Sestuna across the forehead, intending to head out and hunt down the Senshi that had been accused and proven of treason in the highest degree all but formally. The Silence Glaive gleamed as it appeared in her bare hands, promising incredible pain to the ones on the receiving end of the blade.

Setsuna uttered a loud, unlady-like curse, shooting to her feet. "Saturn, wait!" the dark green-haired Senshi called out, rushing to catch up with the infuriated princess of Saturn before she transformed and wrecked havoc upon the Guardian Senshi for their act of treason, which the Guardian of the Gates still did not truly believe was their fault alone.

But that was a matter for another time. Right now, stopping Saturn before she transformed to inflict pain beyond pain on those she deemed unworthy of enjoying a peaceful life was the top priority.

Summoning her Garnet Rod to her hands just like Saturn had done to her powerful Glaive, the oldest of the Solar System Senshi slammed her key-shaped staff onto the ground with a loud crash. "Stop, now, Saturn!" the Senshi of Time and Space commanded, radiating authority that had come with her position and her age. "This is an order, Saturn, halt!"

In the blink of an eye, the Silence Glaive's tip was pointed in her face, the blade leading down to the very angry girl. "Do not even presume for a moment that you have authority over me, Pluto," she barked, voice icy and cold, the tip of the weapon being forcefully shoved closer to the taller woman's face, just between her eyes. The cold edge of the glaive rested against the bridge of Setsuna's nose, a warning to the older Senshi to stay where she was.

"Peace, Saturn," the garnet-eyed woman told calmly, unaffected by the clear intimidation tactic to stop her in her tracks. "Lower your weapon. It is no proper way to treat a comrade."

Saturn glared up at her, usually calm violet eyes burning brightly with anger and rage.

"Saturn, Pluto is right," Michiru interjected, standing and walking over. "Calm down." The painter's voice was calm and steady once more, soft and gentle, not a hint of the hardness that had been present only minutes previous. "Please," she added, taking a wary step forwards, "understand, Saturn, that they will get their comeuppance in time."

Saturn's Glaive was redirected to point at Michiru threateningly. "You wish for me to forgive this treasonous transgression?" she demanded in a similarly frosty tone, brow furrowed together as if struggling to form her sentences. "Do you, Neptune? Answer me!" the sable-haired girl demanded angrily.

Haruka stepped up once she saw Michiru ending up on the receiving end of the sharp and deadly blade. "Whoa, Saturn," the sandy blonde cut in, "you need to calm down. Just slow down and think of what you're doing right now. We're not asking you to forgive them, but we need them, traitors or not, to fight back this new enemy successfully. Once we defeat this enemy, and once the princess is found and safe, I'm sure judgement will be passed, but for now, stand back and let them lie in their own grave."

Saturn didn't move. After a pause, she finally lowered her glaive and let it vanish from her hands. "Fine," she hissed darkly. "This once, I will not purse them for their transgressions. If they dare to make any accusations or to show their faces in front of me again, I will not show them any mercy," the dark-haired girl spat, disgust and revulsion clear in her tone.

"That's all we ask," Setsuna hurriedly said. "Nothing more, nothing less, Saturn." Quickly, she shared a glance with Haruka and Michiru, the silent agreement between the trio quickly becoming evident as their eyes made contact — the enraged Senshi of Saturn was to be kept away from the four Guardian Senshi and the reincarnated prince of Earth until further notice.

There was a series of hurried knocks on the door, and Setsuna got up to answer it. The door opened to reveal two people — Artemis and Luna in their human form. The two Lunar advisors looked frazzled and disgruntled, like they had run through thorny bushes, ending up with torn clothes, scratches, and tangled hair. "Luna, Artemis?" the Guardian of the Time-Space Gates asked, eyebrows rising to her hairline in surprise. "What are you two doing here?"

Luna gasped for breath, leaning heavily on Artemis as she tried to force out her words. She pushed back her long dark hair from her face to reveal her bloodied and cut-up face as her dark blue eyes warily glanced around. "We were — were," she panted.

"We got attacked," Artemis interjected, wincing as he slowly pushing his red-stained white hair out of his face. The white cat-turned-human sucked in breath sharply through his clenched teeth. "Some... chimaera monster tried to attack us, but it left after a while."

"Where are the Guardian Senshi?" Setsuna asked, now more concerned about the two than anything else. "Weren't you with them?"

"We ran after the fight," Artemis explained, grimacing in pain. "Told them off for what they did and then ran to find you guys, but we got preoccupied with the chimaeras." He winced at the memory. "Where's Usagi-chan?"

Setsuna winced. "Oh, well... that's... um..." She moved aside, letting the two Lunar felines catch sight of the sable-haired Senshi of Saturn who was currently being talked to by Haruka and Michiru.

Luna's blue eyes widened. "That's... impossible," the black cat breathed, shock on her face. "Is that...?"

"Yes," the Senshi of Pluto said grimly.

"B-but how?" Artemis spluttered. "That should be impossible! What's happened to her?"

Setsuna lowered her head. "Unfortunately... I don't know either. But... Princess Saturn has returned. Usagi-hime, Hotaru-chan... they've been lost."

"I'm feeling faint," Luna suddenly whispered, and the transformed black feline suddenly crumpled onto the ground outside of the house.

"Luna!"


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