Riven-del: Thank you for the reviews! Enjoy this fluffy chapter until I get more time to write (if college assignments and work allow).
"That's odd," said Dr. Barcas looking at a live video feed from the Dead Sea Base. The feed was of a laboratory, and the focus was on the giant organic object that took up the entire center of the frame. "What is that?"
"About six months ago we observed a magnetic anomaly in the Rocky Mountains," explained Lord Amniculus. "The team sent to investigate found this object."
"I appreciate the explanation, but what is it?"
"I'm afraid we haven't been able to determine that just yet, but some theorize that part of the Relic became distorted in space and that this is a remnant of it since its organic make up is similar to the Relic from Mt. Minakami."
"You think part of the Relic survived?"
"I had the object transported to the Dead Sea at once. Aside from the optimization, your analysis of this would be highly valuable."
Rhiannon had taken over the command post for the afternoon for Lord Purgstall. Currently it was raining outside, almost lulling her to sleep. Knowing her duties to Cronos, she managed to keep herself awake for several hours despite having fought a particularly tough youma earlier before she filled in for the Overlord of Japan.
"Rhia?" she heard her mentor when she began to doze off again. Purgstall knelt before her, his hand on her right shoulder. "Are you alright?"
"Yes," she reassured him. "Just a little tired is all."
"You fought a youma earlier," he stated knowing his apprentice was Sailor Gaea, the Senshi that tended to spread herself too thin between her two lives. "Why didn't you say anything? You can't keep overworking yourself like this."
"Because when I join the Council of Twelve in the future I won't have the luxury of relying on you to look after the Section while I'm off fighting random monsters. I can't keep relying on you to constantly help me balance the needs of Cronos with the needs of the people." She couldn't afford to rely on him constantly; she needed to be able to function on her own when needed, sleep deprived or not.
"Rhia, do you honestly think Alkanphel will chain you to a Section when you are optimized?" Purgstall asked seriously. "He knows your duties as Sailor Gaea; he won't assign you a Section so long as you are needed as Sailor Gaea."
"Which won't be for much longer," she told him. "The four Inner Senshi are regaining their honor as we speak. When they've redeemed themselves, I won't be needed as much."
"Titania," he said softly, catching Rhia by surprise. In fact, he sounded exactly like the Jovian Lord in her dreams.
"What did you call me?"
What he said apparently just registered to him when he saw the shock and recognition in Rhia's eyes. His eyes widened when he realized he had called her by the name he had said in his reoccurring dreams.
"Rhia, what is going on?" he demanded, confused now. It couldn't be possible, could it? She couldn't be the girl from his dreams, right?
After a moment, she took a deep breath and said, "All of us Sailor Senshi have memories of a past life from a time called the Silver Millennium. Each Senshi was a princess of their respective planet; even Sailor Moon was a princess back then. As for me, I was also a princess, but I was raised on Titan, one of Saturn's moons. Back then, my name was Titania."
"I don't understand," said Purgstall. "What does this have to do with us now?"
"When we Senshi awoke to our powers in this era, we each began to remember our past lives because we were needed to protect this galaxy and we needed to remember the past mistakes made so they would not occur again. If you are remembering something from that time, then you must be important…" She trailed off as it finally dawned on her who Lord Purgstall had been in the past. He apparently realized it too because his eyes widened in shock and he let go of her shoulder.
"We were married," he whispered. "We were married in the Silver Millennium…"
"I need to talk to Pluto," she stood up and hurriedly stood away from him.
"Wait," he tried to stop her. "Rhia, wait!" She transformed and in a flash of light she was gone.
Sailor Pluto was not surprised when Sailor Gaea appeared at the Time Gate. She had expected the younger woman to come when she began to remember her time as Titania.
"Pluto," the confused and distressed Senshi began, but was cut off.
"I know, Lady Rhiannon," the Keeper of Time said gently. "You are remembering your life as Titania, and Fred'rich is remembering his life as a Jovian Lord. You are afraid this will conflict with your duties to your father as a future general." She took the Garnet Orb out of its resting place and held it out to Rhia. "Close your eyes and let me show you a piece of your past and your future."
"My future? But, isn't that taboo to show even a piece of the future?"
"It will be fine, now close your eyes."
Rhia hesitated, but obeyed the elder Senshi.
Titania stood with her husband on their bedroom balcony. Both were gazing at Jupiter, unable to sleep with their worries about the evil stirring on Earth and Titania nearing her due date. Fred'rich's hand was placed protectively over his wife's pregnant belly, feeling his unborn children trying to kick their mother's innards out.
"I hope Saturn is not needed," said Titania.
"I hope so as well," replied her husband. She had confided in him that she had felt the approaching doom, and that Sailor Saturn would soon awaken…
Rhia was asleep in the bed she shared with her husband. Fred'rich laid next to her, though he was wide awake listening to her steady breath and heartbeat. Next to her side of the bed were two cribs with two little infants sleeping peacefully.
One of the twins began to fuss and Fred'rich got up as quietly as possible so he wouldn't wake Rhia. He went over to the cribs and picked up the fussing child.
"Shh," he whispered gently rocking the child. "Why the fuss, little one? Do you just want to be held?" The baby calmed down and snuggled closer to his father. Fred'rich walked over to his sleeping wife and laid the baby next to her chest in her arms. Rhia's eyes fluttered open and she smiled pulling her son into a loving embrace.
She opened her eyes and Pluto said, "In every time line I gazed into, you two have always found each other and fallen in love. Your father knew of the bond you shared with Fred'rich, so he brought you two together knowing you would be happy finally."
"Father…Father knew I would fall in love with one of his generals?"
"He knew you wouldn't be truly happy until you found your soul mate and your soul mate is Fred'rich von Purgstall."
"But won't this relationship between me and him cause problems among the Council? Especially when I become the mother of his children?"
"Alkanphel is aware of what might come out of this union, but he would sooner shatter his own Zoacrystals than see his own child forever drowning in sorrow." Pluto gave the younger Senshi a rare sincere smile. "He loves you very much, Rhiannon. You will always be his baby girl in his eyes."
Minako felt the cry of a person's heart, waking her up from her nap during the rain. She made sure to make as little noise as possible while slipping out of her bedroom window.
"Venus Crystal Power! Make up!" she said quietly and transformed into Sailor Venus. Homing in on to the cry, she soon found herself at Usagi's house. Usagi was talking to someone at the front gate and she looked worried.
"Lord Purgstall, if Rhia's really gone to see Pluto, then she's beyond our reach," Usagi said to the man in front of her. "Even I can't get there without a Time Key."
"I see," the older man looked downcast. "Then I will have to wait for her to come back…"
Venus saw the aura glowing around the man looking for this Rhia girl. It was his heart that was crying out, and the Goddess of Love could not ignore his cry for help.
"Don't worry," said Usagi. "I'm sure she'll come back."
Venus stepped out of her hiding place and said, "In the meantime, I can probably help you out."
Both Usagi and the man nearly jumped out of their skin when she suddenly appeared.
"Sailor Venus? What are you doing here?" asked a wide eyed Usagi.
"Doing my job as Guardian of Love," she gave them her 'V' sign. "I'm here because I heard this poor man's heart crying out for this Rhia you were talking about."
"Venus can see love bonds between people," explained Usagi, "and she can also determine what kind of love those bonds are."
"And you sir have a bond of true love with this Rhia."
"What?!" both he and Usagi exclaimed at the same time.
"Can we go inside? It would be much better to explain this over a cup of tea," suggested Venus and the other two agreed. Soon they were settled down in the living room of Usagi's home, and they were lucky the rest of the Tskino family were out for the week. "So—"
"I know Rhiannon is Sailor Gaea," said Purgstall shocking Venus. "I also know Usagi is Sailor Moon and Princess Serenity of the Moon Kingdom."
"He is also from the Silver Millennium, the Lord of Ganymede and Rhia's husband from then," added Usagi.
"Are you serious?!" asked Venus. "Now that I think of it, I do remember you and Rhia's past self. At your wedding, Venus gave you two her blessing, which was rare since patrons rarely interact with us humans at all. You two were also fast workers; you got her knocked up three months later after your honeymoon."
Purgstall nearly choked on his tea. "W-What?!"
"Uh, Venus," Usagi was sweat dropping at this point, "I don't think that last part was needed."
"Oops, sorry about that." Venus patted his back reassuringly. "I get carried away sometimes. Don't mind that last part. Anyway, what happened between you two? That made her go see Pluto I mean?"
"Well," he was still blushing, but had managed to regain his composure, "I called her by her past name, Titania, and she explained how each Senshi had been alive during this Silver Millennium. She even said that I had been someone important back then and that was when we both realized that we had been married in that era. After that she transformed and teleported to see Pluto."
"Ah, so she is in a dilemma here," said Venus. "She's probably worried that if you two became all romantic and lovey dovey again that it would cause problems with Cronos and in extension with the rest of the world. That or she's worried that you will love her because your past self loved Titania and she doesn't want that."
"I think the former idea explains her actions better," said Purgstall. "She is the daughter of my master, the Supreme Commander. It would be somewhat inappropriate for me and her to see each other in that light. She isn't Titania, I know; they are two completely different people."
"Why not the second idea? I mean look at what happened to Usagi: her relationship with that cock head was based on their past relationship and that didn't last at all. What if she's worried of that happening to the two of you?" The thought apparently hadn't occurred to him because he was silent after she asked that question. "Don't forget she's also getting over a recent heart break too. That Scott idiot hurt her really bad; give her time to heal. Start by being her friend."
"Her friend?"
"Yeah, if you want to build a relationship with her, start by being her friend," the Goddess of Love explained. "That way, she can trust you and feel safe around you. Just take it slow with her."
Purgstall looked down at his tea, thinking about what Sailor Venus had advised him. She hoped he would nurture the bond between him and Rhia; they would make a cute couple if they got together.
Sin had noticed the absence of Purgstall and Rhiannon both. When he had voiced his concerns with Hamilcar, the elder Zoalord chuckled.
"I wouldn't be surprised if he had taken her out somewhere," the elder said.
"I guess their feelings for each other are that obvious, eh?" asked Sin.
"I can see why Alkanphel made Fred'rich her mentor, even though there really wasn't anything for her to learn. He will make a fine companion for Rhia."