Setsuna quickened her pace; there were abnormal changes in the time-space continuum. But what were they caused by? The enemy had no way of traveling through time, and the passage of time had been closed for at least a year now. A mental image of the time warp entered her mind. What was it then?

"Meiou Setsuna."

She halted and turned, shaken from the mental image of the time warp. A few strands of her dark hair blowing into her face. An angry expression crossed her face.

DarkStar smirked; now back in her normal, black, fuku. "You know, I've always wanted to meet Sailor Pluto when she's in her most helpless state."

Setsuna inhaled, keeping her emotions in control. More of keeping her emotions hidden. She shook her head, "I'm not Sailor Pluto."

DarkStar raised an eyebrow in annoyance – real or fake Setsuna couldn't tell. "So you can tell me who I am but I can't do the same to you?"

Setsuna didn't respond, she turned sharply on her heels and broke into a run, removing a black, star shaped brooch from her pocket and clutching it tightly in one hand as she did so.

DarkStar narrowed her eyes, which were hidden behind the mask. So she wants to play tough, does she? She thought. Perfect.

Her breaths shortened and became heavier as she continued to run, rounding a corner she realized she had hit a dead end and held the brooch up to the sky. "Pluto Crystal Power, Make UP!"

Sailor Pluto turned, her hands clenched tightly around the time staff and her dark crimson eyes narrowed into a fierce glare. She was ready to face her opponent.

DarkStar cocked her head. "I thought you said you weren't Sailor Pluto."

"I'm not anymore," Pluto answered carefully. "I'm Star Sailor Pluto."

"So your fuku's more tacky," DarkStar said with annoyance. "Does that change anything?"

Pluto ignored her. Closing her eyes, she spun on herself, pointing the time staff in DarkStar's direction. "Dead Scream."

Black figures appeared on either side of Pluto, stopping her attack from hitting DarkStar.

Pluto reacted quickly; she turned quickly hitting the staff into the figures. It caused no damage. She leapt into the air, bringing the staff down heavily on one of them. Still no damage. She glanced at DarkStar out of the corner of her eye as she continued to attack.

DarkStar smirked. "So," She murmured to herself. "The baka actually did something right this time." She frowned. "That's kind of sad."

She watched with amusement for a few more seconds. "GET THE TIME STAFF! Shimatta!" She finally ordered them as damage was caused this time. "It's where her power is contained!"

The time staff was yanked form Pluto's hands. The senshi of time eyed them for a moment but then smiled, the garnet orb still hovered in her hands. "You think so, Shiko?" She asked sarcastically. She stretched her arms out in front of her. "Chronos Typhoon!" She yelled as a beam of energy shot out from the orb, hitting the figure with the staff.

Pluto bent down, retrieving the staff, but DarkStar snatched it up quicker than she. She slowly stood, a section of her long hair blowing in front of her shoulders. "DarkStar…"

DarkStar eyed the fallen figures on the ground, then looked back up at Pluto. "So you beat them, no big deal." She swung Pluto's staff quickly.

The staff hit Pluto with no time for her to react. She screamed in pain as she was slammed into the wall heavily. She slid to the ground as her eyes clouded over and closed.

The first thing she felt was the bite of an icy wind against the back of her neck. Slowly she raised her head, doing her best to look around as the second thing came into awareness. She attempted to stand. Some cold, metal, object seemed to cut into the skin on her wrist. Turning her head she noticed a chain wrapped tightly around her wrist, holding it up painfully and secured to the wall at two different points.

There was a window behind her, shattered, and only a few shards of glass remained on the edges. The faintly glowing full moon seemed to be a depressing sight knowing that she was now a captive of the enemy. As Setsuna began to become more aware of her surroundings, the throbbing pain in the back of her head returned and she remembered the blow earlier.

The moon…the moon was the sign that she was still on earth, if she wasn't it wouldn't be visible at all.

Just then, DarkStar entered the room. She smiled, crossing her arms. "Not so powerful now, are you Pluto?"

Setsuna strained her head to look at her. She didn't say a word, just stared at DarkStar with determined, strong eyes.

"Your friends will never find you here." DarkStar stated. "When they notice you're missing, the first place they'll check would be Star Zero." She turned to leave the room and glanced over shoulder. "You may have the most endurance, but it's already apparent you can't handle this for long." She left the room.

Setsuna felt a few warm tears leak out of her eyes. DarkStar was right, there was no denying it. She couldn't.

Hotaru knocked softly on Haruka and Michiru's door. "Haruka-otau, Michiru-okaa?" She asked as they opened their door, Haruka's arm wrapped around Michiru's waist. "Where's Setsuna-okaa?"

Haruka's expression grew serious. "Setsuna's not home?"

Hotaru shook her head. "I haven't seen her since we were at the Game Arcade."

Michiru took Hotaru's hand and led her down the hall. "Goshinpainaku Hota-chan, I'm sure Setsuna is fine." She put Hotaru to bed and headed back to talk with Haruka. "I am really worried." She said sitting next to the other.

Haruka nodded. "Me too, Michi."

*A few weeks later *

This was nearly as bad as the isolation at the time gates. There was no one, she was alone and unable to escape in any sort of way. But yet, she was still determined. She knew that she would get out of this dreadful place someday. Just as she had gotten away from the doors of time.

There was a sharp kick in her mid-section and she jerked back into complete conscious immediately. Glancing up weakly she saw DarkStar standing above her.

"Maybe they won't come at all." DarkStar tortured Setsuna with the words.

"Deep Submerge!"

DarkStar turned. "Nani?"

In the doorway stood Sailor Uranus, Sailor Neptune and Sailor Saturn. "We can't let you have your way, any longer!" Uranus shouted, her arms crossed in front of her chest.

"We can't let you hurt Setsuna!" Saturn added, holding her silence glaive in front of her.

"Shimatta…" DarkStar muttered under her breath, then out loud, "Sure took you long enough."

Uranus made a quick gesture with her hand. "Urasia!" The space sword appeared in her hands and she was prepared to use it.

DarkStar sighed, feeling Kaosu summoning her. Not again… . "Another time." She said shortly, quickly teleporting.

Uranus walked over to Setsuna. She raised the space sword and then brought it down heavily and it sliced easily through the metal, letting it fall off Setsuna's wrist. Making her space sword disappear, Uranus bent over and lifted Setsuna.

"DarkStar, I give you another chance, but you, nearly all the time, end up failing me."

"It's not like you make orders very clear…" DarkStar muttered.

Nemesis shot her a look.

"But," Kaosu added. "There is another way to get Sailor Pluto out of the way."

This caught their attention.

"But I thought Setsuna-okaa had a lot of endurance." Hotaru questioned, looking up at Michiru as she buttoned up Hotaru's jacket.

"She does." Michiru answered as she straightened, finished buttoning Hotaru's jacket. "But, Hotaru, you have to understand. She was there for awhile and it took its toll on her." She pushed Hotaru to the door. "Now get to school."

Hotaru smiled as she grabbed her book bag off the ground and ran out the door.

Michiru watched Hotaru run out the door and shut it once the young girl was out of sight. She walked up the stairs and knocked softly on Setsuna's door.

"Michiru, come in." Came a short response.

"Setsuna?" Michiru asked as she entered. "Are you feeling okay?"

Setsuna lay on her bed, her dark emerald hair spread out behind her, as her eyes remained closed. "I'm fine, Michiru…" She answered, slowly opening her eyes.

There was a sudden thud downstairs.

Michiru sighed. "I better go see what that is," she whispered to herself as she left the room and headed down stairs once again. "Chibi-usa?" She asked surprised when she saw the future princess on the ground rubbing her arm.

Chibi-usa looked up and smiled. "Ohayo, Michiru! Is Puu here?"

Michiru nodded and tilted her head one direction. "Upstairs."

"PUU!" Chibi-usa cried, jumping on the bed with no previous warning that she had entered the room at all.

Setsuna smiled. "Small Lady…" She winced. "It's good to see you."

Chibi-usa got on her knees, looking down at Setsuna. "Mama wants to talk to you." She seemed said bringing this subject up. "You know, about the passage of time."

Setsuna closed her eyes, disappointed. "Alright, tell your mother…I'll see her as soon as I can…"

Chibi-usa nodded. "Okay Puu." She hugged the woman and slid of the bed. "Ja matta."

"Ja ne, Small Lady."

Her heeled boots clicked softly through the deserted halls of the Crystal Palace as she walked away from the gates of time. The passage of time may have been closed, but she was still able to travel through time by using the gates because she was the guardian.

Her gloved hand wrapped around the handle, pulling the door open easily. "Neo-Queen Selenity-sama, King Endyimon-sama." Pluto got on one knee, her head bowed as she awaited her ruler's reply.

Neo-Queen Selenity smiled. "Pluto-san, Endyimon and I wish to talk to you about the passage of time, in which I'm sure Small Lady already told you."

Pluto glanced up at her beautiful queen and nodded. "Hai, your highness, Small Lady has."

Selenity nodded. "Good. We would like you to open the passage once again."

Endyimon stood, walking over to Sailor Pluto. "We understand that it may make it easier for the enemy to attack." He said as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "But it will also make it easier for us."

Pluto stared into his blue eyes. "I understand, King Endyimon." Slowly, she stood, keeping her head down in the presence of royalty. Even if she was royalty herself sometimes she hardly remembered that she was the princess of Pluto.

Haruka glared at Setsuna. "It's too dangerous, opening the passage of time!"

Setsuna turned around, holding a cup of warm tea in her hands. "It's' already open, Haruka. Besides, our rulers told me to do it."

Haruka scoffed. "Future rulers." She corrected, "You are the guardian of time, you should be the one to decide."

"We'll I can't, and that's that Haruka. Would you please drop the subject?"

"You know this means that you'll need to be at the gates a little more?" Haruka questioned.

Setsuna nodded. "Hai, I realize that." She lifted the cup of tea to her dark lips but immediately set it down. "Someone's penetrating time, I need to leave. Tell Hotaru I'm sorry, I wont be able to take her shopping."

Haruka sighed. "Alright, we'll see you Setsuna."

Pluto shivered against the heavy winds of the fourth dimension as she stood guard at the time gates. She hated being here, she was proud of her duty. But she hated it. Yet, someone was here and she would stay till she took care of this matter.

Something hit her from behind and she stumbled forward, falling on to her knees as the time staff clattered to the ground in front of her.

DarkStar came around to the front of Pluto and stared down at her for a moment. Not saying a word, she kicked Pluto sharply in her stomach.

Pluto groaned as her hands wrapped around herself, trying to hide the pain in someway.

"Can't bear to fall to me?" DarkStar asked sarcastically as she kicked her again.

"Iie…" Pluto murmured quietly as she reached out for the time staff.

DarkStar narrowed her eyes and stepped on the staff, pulling it away from her reach. She smirked at Pluto's now helpless attempt as she released a ball of dark energy.

Pluto screamed as the blast of energy threw her against the time gates. She could feel something warm run down the side of her face. Raising a gloved hand she touched the substance. The fingertips of her gloves were now tainted red, it was blood.

"Pluto," DarkStar started, the tone of voice at first soft and gentle as if she was someone else. Then it immediately got harsh. "I have a surprise for you."

Sailor Pluto glanced up just as DarkStar pushed forward a small girl. "…Small Lady!" She cried. "Small Lady!"

"Puu!" Chibi-Usa whimpered as DarkStar held her back.

"Let her go…" Pluto began to get to her feet, letting the blood run down the side of her face. "Let Small Lady go….she doesn't deserve this…"

"PUU, IIE!" Chibi-usa wailed.

DarkStar glanced down at Chibi-usa, then looked at Pluto. "Very well." She released Small Lady and started for Pluto.

The planetary symbol of Pluto, which rested on, her forehead shined brilliantly suddenly.

DarkStar was taken aback and all she did was stand there and watch. Along with Chibi-usa.

Sailor Pluto's second skirt, which was a dull gray, became a sparkling, beautiful, silver. Her gloves shortened, cutting off barely above the wrist in a 'V'. Her sleeves and collar remained the same and her boots and chocker only had one small change, the sign of Pluto resting on the joining part of the 'V' on each. The Pluto sign rested on her forehead still and she was holding the staff once again.

"I can not let you harm anyone I care about." Pluto said, drawing the staff close and level to her body. "Pluto…" The symbol on her forehead began to glow gently as her body was surrounded in a dark magenta aura. "Death…" The garnet orb began to blink furiously many times; she slowly held the staff outwards and traced some sort of image of DarkStar's fate. Raising it and bringing it down heavily she shattered it with the staff. "Frames!" A large beam of energy headed for DarkStar.

DarkStar, surprised, stepped backwards involuntary. "Another time, Pluto." She whispered as she teleported away.

Sailor Pluto lowered the staff, looking at Chibi-usa.

The young girl stared at her with, wide, scarlet eyes. "Puu?"

Pluto dropped on to her knees, wrapping her arms around the frightened girl. "Small Lady…"

{Authors Note: Puu: Why do your favorites always seem the most fun to torture? Why? I'm not violent at all…. Kakyuu: Really? Puu: Anyways, I told you we were going to have a longer chapter. Kakyuu: No you didn't. You said 'sorry about the short chapter. We'll have some longer ones.' Or something like that. Puu: * shrugs * oh well, same definition. Just to clear things up, Pluto is now Eternal Sailor Pluto. Kakyuu: *not listening* ….*.*… ' you can close your eyes…and tell me…that you are a visionary…and maybe you're a little scare'- Puu: STOP IT! We're moving on… Kakyuu: *still not listening* -'y…but you take my breath away'… *keeps singing…turns volume up on music*}