THE PRINCE'S PREMONITION
Sailor Uranus' breaths were slow and ragged. Usagi was on her hands and knees, feeling helpless. The other Senshi had just arrived, but were far too late.
"Please..Haruka-san, please tell me how to return these Talismans to your bodies."
Uranus's eyes were unseeing. "I don't care what happens to us. Please…take care of the Talismans. Use them to find the Holy Grail. I'm counting on you…Odango…Setsuna…"
Her eyes widened, and Usagi once again blended into a vision of a nude fae woman. Her wings were as brilliant and colourful as a butterfly's, and her expression was both loving and powerful.
"Hand the Grail to the Legendary Messiah…"
"Legendary Messiah?" Venus asked with confusion.
"Who is that?" Mars demanded.
Uranus knew that passing on the knowledge of her premonitory dreams was crucial. Someone had to carry on the mission, and she wasn't going to leave it solely on Setsuna's shoulders.
"Our saviour, who can rescue us from the time of destruction…The horrible world of the Silence. There is a woman known as the Messiah of Silence, who will turn this world into an empty shell of nothingness. Michiru, Setsuna and I…we've seen it. Everyone will die in agonizing pain. We…have to prevent it. There are Messiahs for both good and evil. The Legendary Messiah is the only one who can prevent the Silence. Give the Legendary Messiah the Grail. When the Legendary Messiah gets hold of the Grail, the world will be saved. If the Messiah of Silence takes it…all is lost."
Her eyes closed and her head lolled to the side.
Usagi's grief was so powerful that she practically twisted from the pain of it. Her shrieks of anguish echoed throughout the Cathedral.
She sobbed hysterically until Jupiter wrapped her arms around her Princess. Usagi continued sobbing, but her cries were much more subdued.
"I don't even know where to begin to find this 'Legendary Messiah'," Venus said with frustration.
"Or what to do about these Talismans. Or…their bodies," Mercury said softly.
Pluto's mind, which had temporarily become numb with shock, snapped back into place as she recalled her medical training.
She knelt down and lifted up Neptune's wrist.
"What are—" Mars began, but she quickly understood.
Pluto pressed down on Neptune's wrist, silently counting the seconds in her head. Without saying a word, she then did the same on Uranus' wrist.
The Senshi looked at her expectantly.
"They're alive. Their pulses are slow, but…they're alive."
Jupiter punched her hand with both relief and frustration. "Then…let's return those Talismans! Put their Pure Heart Crystals back inside them!"
The next thing all of the Senshi knew was a sensation of searing, unbearable pain. Eudial had fired an enormous column of flame directly at the Senshi, and, taking advantage of the confusion her attack had caused, snatched the Talismans from midair.
She cackled with triumph. "As was inevitable, I have taken the two Talismans."
Usagi was furious. "You can't do that! MOON COSMIC POWER, MAKE UP!" She transformed into Sailor Moon. "Those Talismans are the Heart Crystals of Haruka and Michiru! GIVE THEM BACK!" she shrieked, as she moved to attack Eudial.
Eudial was too fast for her though, and hit her with a direct shot from her Fire Buster. As Sailor Moon fell backwards from the impact, the flames then surrounded the Senshi. They gasped with horror at the increased abilities of Eudial's attack.
Eudial smirked and bragged, "How do you like the power of the Fire Buster II, Patent Pending? It now has even more firepower than before! I'm quite the genius, aren't I?" she cackled.
"SHINE AQUA ILLUSION!"
It was a practical idea, but Mercury's attack had no effect on the flames. Mars made the heat of the flames even worse, as she failed to realize that "Fight fire with fire" was just an expression.
"Your attacks will not be able to extinguish my flames. You'll all burn to a crisp, into cute little piles of ash!" She winked at them. "Then I'll just loot that lovely little jewel from Sailor Pluto's corpse. See ya later." She then hopped off, with the Talismans in tow.
"If we don't think of something, we'll die!" Jupiter said in desperation.
"Sailor Pluto…please, do something!" Sailor Venus begged.
Pluto was trying to fight off the flames with her Garnet Rod, which only served to heat its metal base. "I'm sorry, I don't know what to do!"
I'm so sorry, Uranus and Neptune!
Suddenly a black figure burst through one of the windows of the Cathedral, shattering the stained glass. Tuxedo Mask landed on the Cathedral floor.
"Tuxedo Mask! Help us!" Sailor Moon cried.
"I overheard what Eudial was saying. I think if you use your attacks in a way that she does not expect, you may be able to defeat her flames!" Tuxedo Mask's eyes were steadily resting on Sailor Pluto's face.
"If we don't succeed, Tuxedo Mask, please take Usagi and go!" Mars pleaded as she pushed Sailor Moon forward.
"I won't leave you!" Sailor Moon shrieked.
"You don't have any say in the matter!" Mars said imperiously.
"We don't have time to argue! We need to think!" Mercury interrupted.
Attacks used in a way that Eudial doesn't expect. How do you defeat flame? Water didn't work, more fire certainly didn't work, we can't remove the oxygen from the room, there's no wind…
Wind…
MIST!
The Garnet Orb's maroon glow flickered to life as Sailor Pluto closed her eyes in concentration. She felt the Mists of Time gathering around her, but she did not whisper the Dead Scream attack incantation. She begged her Talisman to do her will. The Mists became thicker, and thicker. She begged the Talisman to help her. The flames were getting closer, and getting hotter.
"What is she doing?" Venus asked in confusion.
Pluto's eyes then flew open, and the Mists dispersed around her in a perfect radius with a sound not unlike a sonic boom, which instantly extinguished the flames.
"Th—that was amazing!" Mercury spluttered.
"Thank you, Sailor Pluto!" Sailor Moon said with admiration.
Pluto held up her Garnet Orb. "It seems my Talisman has secret powers I am yet to discover."
"Hurry, the Talismans…" Tuxedo Mask reminded.
The Inner Senshi nodded and ran in the direction Eudial had escaped to, but Sailor Moon and Pluto had not left yet.
Sailor Moon looked at the unconscious bodies of Uranus and Neptune with earnest eyes. "Wait for me, Uranus…Neptune. I will get the Talismans back! I swear it!" Pluto felt a chill down her back.
Whatever else happens today…my Queen will never give up. She'll save us all.
She then realized she'd lapsed back into referring to Usagi by her royal title. Was it emotional detachment, or was it because her young friend was so extraordinary?
"Sailor Pluto, Tuxedo Mask, can you guard Uranus and Neptune for me?" The two adults nodded as Sailor Moon turned to leave.
Pluto's eyes followed Sailor Moon as she disappeared out of the main room of the Cathedral.
"Setsuna-san," Tuxedo Mask began. "I had a dream last night."
She turned to look at him while trying to hide her concern.
"In the dream, the world was a dark, empty place full of nothing but death. I had never felt more terrified in my life. I had lost what was most important to me. I knew it was all over. …and then I saw you."
Pluto's heart clenched with emotion.
He dreamed…of me?
"You were crying. You were looking at your reflection in a puddle of water, and you looked like you hated yourself. Then you closed your eyes, and leapt up into the sky. You were floating in midair. You lifted your Garnet Rod, it began to glow, and then…everything stopped. I couldn't move. I couldn't think. I was alive, and yet not alive at the same time. I felt like my body was awake but my mind was asleep. And then you…were gone. After that I woke up."
Pluto's eyes widened with surprise, but she tried to recover. "So…you've seen the Silence."
Tuxedo Mask nodded. "But I'm afraid I don't understand most of the dream. If it is a premonition, what was the meaning of your actions at the end? Why did you disappear?"
Pluto folded her arms and sighed. "The Three Taboos."
"Taboos?"
"Yes. Although I am discovering new powers and abilities every day, there are limits to my abilities. When Queen Serenity assigned me the post of guarding the Space-Time Door, she told me that there were three laws I was bound to obey. One, I must not travel through Time. Two, I must not ever abandon my place at the Gates. And Three…I must not stop Time. In your dream, you watched me stop Time. The situation must have been very grave for me to choose to do that, for I will immediately forfeit my life the instant that the flow of Time has stopped."
"But if you are here…haven't you already broken two of the Taboos?"
Pluto nodded. "However, I am here in this era specifically at Queen Serenity's instruction. As for—"
"Hang on," Tuxedo Mask interrupted. "Do you mean Princess Serenity's mother, or Neo-Queen Serenity?"
"Her mother."
"But isn't she—"
"Dead? Yes. But at the Space-Time Door, there is no Time. What no longer exists in your world, or does not exist yet, does exist in mine. Which is why I have not actually broken the second Taboo at all. In a place without Time, I have never actually left the Gates. I stand there now, observing and occasionally acting."
Pluto suddenly looked confused.
"I…didn't know about my other self until just this moment. How did I…?"
So you have finally caught on, Setsuna Meiou.
Pluto gasped with realization. That voice in her head…that voice which had been giving her guidance and helping her to make crucial decisions…that voice…
Is you.
"Are you all right?" Tuxedo Mask asked.
I am you. Our thoughts are linked across Time. Forgive yourself for concealing this until now. I reveal my presence at last, so I might continue to guide us both towards the glimpses we have seen of the Turning Points. The Turning Point tonight must result in the creation of the Holy Grail.
"The Holy Grail…" Pluto whispered.
I know how to summon it. But in order to do so, I must allow our thoughts to merge. You must allow me to take over.
"But…"
"Who are you talking to?" Tuxedo Mask was utterly perplexed at this point.
"Myself," Pluto replied, knowing that it wasn't much of an answer.
It will be temporary. Although you are alas too human and too loving in this current form, the lessons we have, had, and will learn are essential to our survival. After my task is finished, your thoughts will be your own again. Please prepare yourself now as we shall merge.
Pluto then felt a rush of tingling energy flow from her mind down to her toes. She felt invigorated. She felt dutiful. But she also felt empty. The Pluto at the Space-Time Door did not know her other Senshi. But the Setsuna who had known Earth still existed, the one who wasn't afraid to guard her emotions and to make mistakes. She was still there.
Echoing down the hall was Sailor Moon's screams of pain.
"Usako!" Tuxedo Mask prepared to rush to the source of the screams.
"Hold, Prince," Pluto said. Her voice was suddenly deeper, and more serious.
"But—"
"Your place is here, guarding my partners, Sailors Uranus and Neptune. Part of the mission of the Outer Senshi, my mission and theirs, is to ensure that the Messiah of Silence does not awaken and destroy this world. Do not fear. Tonight, I will reveal the Holy Grail. I have the knowledge to summon it."
"You're…different somehow. What happened?"
Pluto smiled slightly.
"The Setsuna Meiou you know is bound to this era, but Sailor Pluto is not. At any time, my past, present or future self, or all three at the same time…can act, and change the course of the future. For the sake of clarity, you should consider Sailor Pluto and Setsuna Meiou as different people who share the same soul."
"Why are you here tonight?"
"My civilian self unintentionally changed the timeline when she left the Space-Time Door to help protect the Earth. She did not know she had the Garnet Orb Talisman, for example. While I could have given her that information, I know from my observations outside of Time that there are lessons that she…that I…need to learn. That there are some experiences she must have that she cannot know back 'home.' I am here because the Holy Grail must be summoned tonight. She lacks the knowledge of how to do so, so I have temporarily taken over. I have access to knowledge that my 20th Century self does not."
"Tell me, Sailor Pluto. Is the Silence inevitable? Or can you prevent it?" Tuxedo Mask's eyes were pained by the memories of his premonitory dream.
Pluto regarded him seriously. "I have told you before that one should not know too much about their own future. My 20th Century self will do all that is possible to prevent the Silence, but unlike me, she is only human. I cannot reveal to you, or to Setsuna, what will happen, as you or she may make choices that will irrevocably change the future even further. With my powers as guardian of the Space-Time Door, I can nudge the Timeline in the right direction, Endymion-sama, but I am limited by the Three Taboos."
Tuxedo Mask sighed.
"I am telling you this, Endymion-sama, because of my great trust in your judgement, and because you have foreseen my future. But I must ask you not to tell the others, particularly Sailor Moon, that I have come here tonight. They may try to rely too much on my abilities, and after tonight, Setsuna is on her own. For you see," Pluto smiled, "I'm breaking the Second Taboo by being here. Now, I must go. It's Time."