"You would understand it better than I could!"Mercury ran to Solaria, and pointed at the paragraph, gesturing for her to read it. "One of your specialties is language, isn't it?"
Reluctantly, Solaria took the book from Mercury's hands. Trying not to show the revulsion she unconsciously felt at touching an object which had been touched by another, she held it away from her face, and touched it only with her fingertips.
"Does it say anything?"asked Mars, eagerly.
Solaria was uncomfortable aware that everyone's attention was focused on her. Even Jadeite's attention wasn't on the weather.
"Uh,"she tried to ignore the eyes on her. Clearing her throat, she took her handkerchief, and held the book so she wouldn't have to touch it, holding it in front of her face.
It took just about everyone's self control to be patient. Mercury watched Solaria apprehensively. Mars tapped the table. Pluto looked anxious. Venus closed and open her fan nervously. Jupiter kept shrugging Nephrite's hand off her shoulder, irritably. Kunzite's attention was focused on Solaria. Jadeite was biting his fingernails. Zoicite stroked Mercury's hand. King Endymion kept glancing out the window, as though expecting it to rain, snow, or some other change in the weather. Queen Serenity's knuckles almost turned white as she held her scepter.
"Well?"asked the queen.
Solaria's eyes were wide open, and she'd forgotten all about not touching the book. Her handkerchief fell on the ground. She looked like she was about to faint. Slowly, she set the book down, and turned her eyes to face the others in the room.
"Well?"demanded Kunzite, in a harsh tone.
"Don't speak to her like that!"Venus snapped angrily at him.
Solaria's attention was diverted to them. She stared at them, for what seemed like a long time, then looked at her hands.
"Did you find anything?"asked Jupiter.
Everyone was obviously running out of patience. Solaria cleared her throat, and began to speak.
"Would Chronos be immortal?"she asked, looking slightly sick.
Everyone stared.
"What do you mean?"asked Zoicite. "Immortal? Do you mean that he's still alive?"
"Oh, no! At least not that I can tell from this."Solaria gestured at the book.
"A Sailor Crystal?"suggested Mars.
Solaria looked up, a surprised look on her face.
"Uh, no. I don't think that's likely."Solaria said, slowly, shaking her head. "Is it?"she looked toward Luna and Artemis, who shook their heads.
"Can't you just say?"asked Nephrite.
She took a deep breath, and decided to tell them.
"Let's see, I'm not sure where to start. Well, Chronos was the god of time, right? As to whether or not he was immortal, I don't think he was. At least, he couldn't have been, from what it says here. I don't think many would be able to guard the gates of time. It's a difficult task. Apparently, Chronos himself found it quite a challenging. That was why he went to Solaria. He knew that his successor had to be…much stronger. That's why he didn't want to be cloned. If he was cloned, his successor would face the same challenges he did. He wanted his successor to learn to live the Solarian way. Apparently, he thought that was best for her. As we live away from each other, and that was what was required of the guardian of time.
Yes,"she looked at the book, nodding. "His successor would be raised on Solaria. Firstly, all the genes governing any…need for gregariousness, those had to be removed. And that way, it will at least make it easier to adjust to such a way of life. Of course, there isn't any instinct that won't give way to a good, persistent education."she stopped, thinking hard, remembering. "We all had to sleep along from the very first. Sometimes we were allowed to,"she looked uncomfortable. "mingle. Though, that happened less and less as time went by. And everyone had their alone time, which increased over the years. Of course, we were accustomed to the best luxuries, as everyone is, on Solaria."she finished.
"I've never seen any luxuries in the fourth dimension. Or have you?"Jupiter looked at everyone.
Those who had been there, shook their heads. Upon hearing Solaria remember her childhood, Pluto closed her eyes, as memories flooded her mind. She remembered her own childhood on the same estate. Some of the things Solaria said, she could identify with, like the trees, even the ornamental pond. Some of the things, she couldn't remember at all. Certainly not a big room, or any of the comforts Solaria spoke about. What she did remember was the Solarian night sky, and the long, lonely hours, interrupted only by someone viewing her, at times, as she listened to Solaria, and the memories flooding her mind.
"Do you feel well?"asked Mercury, as she saw Pluto lost her balance.
