Title: Just as planned
Author: Ree
Theme: Setsuna (celebration)
Genre: General
Version: Anime/Manga - Crystal Tokyo
Rating: G

Setsuna and her friends all belong to Takeuchi Naoko. I just asked them very nicely if they wanted to play. They agreed, and quietly snuck out without Takeuchi-sensei's knowledge.

Just as planned

Usagi look at the calendar. 'Today is the day.' She glanced over at the small, pink bag sitting beside her desk. The light blue tissue paper hide what was inside. Smiling, she stacked the last of her papers into the out tray. She could see Minako's puzzled expression still. 'She never did understand why I still prefer paper instead of computer. Ami understood. I just feel like I've accomplished something when it is in paper.'

Standing up, she stretched, grabbed the bag, and then walked out of her office. Makoto looked up as she passed her office. Their eyes meet briefly. Usa asked her question silently, and Makoto nodded an affirmative answer. As Usa rounded the corner, she spotted Minako in the conference room talking to the English ambassador. Being careful not to be spotted by the ambassador, Usa caught Minako's attention. With the smallest of gestures, Minako confirmed all was ready. She then passed Ami in the communication room, and with the barest of gestures, all she wanted to know was confirmed. Satisfied that all was prepared, she made her way back to the living area of the Crystal Palace.

Usagi walked into her sitting room, and looked around. When she didn't spot her pink haired, daughter, she went to the playroom. There she was, curled up on the rug playing with her dolls. Usa called to her softly. "Small Lady."

The small girl spun quickly around, her face lighting up. Sounding hopeful, Small Lady asked. "Is it time?" Usa nodded her head. Small Lady jumped up, dropping her dolls on the floor, and ran out the door. Usa looked at the dolls for a moment, and then turned to follow her daughter out of the room. 'She can pick them up later.' Walking across the hall, she opened the door to Mamoru's study. When he caught sight of her, he marked his place in his book and came out of the room.

Pluto stood by the Gates of Time, carefully watching all that was moving in the time stream. Then she heard a quiet, but welcomed sound of small feet walking down her hallway. Smiling, she stepped back through the doors, and faced the direction Small Lady was coming from. Her smile faded as the pace of the footsteps picked up, and were now ringing with urgency. By the time Small Lady made it to the doors she was practically running, and Pluto was watching for her pursuers.

Small Lady stopped in front of Pluto, almost out of breath. "Puu, Mama needs to see you! She sent me to tell you to meet in the small conference room in the next hallway."

Pluto glanced back at the doors behind her. This was her post, her duty. She was not supposed to leave them unguarded. 'But the Queen needs me.' She felt herself being pulled in two. She felt the need to go both ways.

Pluto looked down into the pink eyes gazing up into hers. They were insistent, but not frantic. A small movement behind Small Lady caught her eye as a little grey cat wound its way around her mistress. Diana looked up at Pluto. "Can I watch the doors for you?"

Pluto looked at the small cat, trying to determine her abilities. 'She can sense the time stream. She can do it.'

"Yes, you can. You know where we will be?" She tried not to sound relieved. Diana nodded. "If there is trouble, come get me."

Diana walked over to the door. "I will."

Pluto looked at Small Lady. "Let's go!" She turned and quickly followed Small Lady down the hall. As they were just leaving her hallway, she thought she felt a familiar power surge. 'Can't be them. If there is something going on, they wouldn't come here.' She entered the conference room one step behind her princess. She came to sudden stop, and stared around her. The conference room table had a elegant lace table cloth, and was set for twelve. In the center of the table was a large birthday cake, with a couple of candles on it. On the side table was a pile of presents. Small Lady rushed to her mother's side. Usagi looked calmly at Pluto with a gentle smile on her face. When Pluto finally focused on the royal family, she knew she looked stunned. Then she heard it. All her friends voices rang out as they called "Surprise!!!! Happy Birthday!"

Tearing her eyes away from Usagi's, she watched everyone else come out of hiding. 'It really was them I felt. I can't believe Uranus, Neptune, and Saturn are all here.' A gentle touch on her arm pulled her out of her thoughts. Looking down, she saw Small Lady smiling up at her. "Can we eat the cake now? Mama said we had to wait until you said it was okay, and Makoto worked really hard on it."

Pluto looked into her Queen's eyes once again. She noticed there was not an ounce of remorse for tricking her, or worrying her in them. But there was a silent plea that she accept and enjoy her birthday party. 'Diana will let me know if there is a problem, and I can still sense the doors from here. That's probably why she planned it to be in this room, close enough for me to still monitor, but far enough away for me not to sense the surprise.' She closed her eyes briefly and let her transformation dissolve. When she opened her eyes again, she saw that Usagi had received her message.

Setsuna smiled down at Small Lady. "If Makoto worked really hard on that cake, then it has to be really good. So lets go cut it."

As she walked to the table, she heard everyone start singing happy birthday to her. And at that moment she felt the loneliness slip away.