Chapter 25: Dark Pluto

Sailor Pluto woke up and as she eyes adjusted slowly she realized she did not know where she was. She knew where she was not. Pluto could tell that she was neither on Pluto nor with Kankaku, the first Senshi of Pluto. At first glance she thought maybe she was still in the Space-Time Corridor but the mist surrounding her. Pluto could feel the negative energy radiating from the mist. The Senshi of Time rested her head in her hands trying to remember what had happened. She remembered leaving Kankaku and walking down the Space-Time Corridor to take her back to her time to claim the throne as the Queen of Pluto. Suddenly the memories came back when she saw a shadow in the mist. Images of the black door and the phantom like hands grabbing her flashed in her mind. Jumping to her feet Sailor Pluto called for her Garnet Orb.

"Who are you," demanded Pluto. "What do you want and why have you brought me here?" Her questions were only met with laughter then erry silence.

Coming closer to Pluto she saw that the figure was dressed in a purple cloak. By the way the figure walked and the way the cloak hung around the body Sailor Pluto figured the person in front of her was a man. The cloaked figure stood before her and removed the hood of the cloak revealing that yes the person was a man.

The man's clothes seem to be black under his purple cloak which seemed to float around his body and Pluto noticed that his feet did not touch the floor. His skin was so pale and thin that his bones seem to show through. His jet black hair appeared to reach to the floor but Pluto could not be sure as she assumed most of his hair could be hiding under the cloak. When he reached in his cloak and produced a crystal ball the Senshi of Time saw that the inside of the cloak appeared devoid of light as if she was staring into a black hole. As he moved his bony hands back and forth over the crystal ball black mist began to pour from the ball.

"Young one I brought you here to help me. I am older than I appear to be," he said as the mist began to cover her body. "I know you are the Senshi of Time and time is what you will help me with. You will help me break out of this prison and then you will help me get revenge on the one who put me here."

"I will never help you," spat Pluto.

"In a few minutes you will not argue with me," he said as more black mist poured out of the crystal ball and dark energy began to crackle around Sailor Pluto.

The sigil of Pluto burned bright grey lavender in place of where her tiara should be. As the dark energy crackled around her the light of the sigil on her brow began to pulse strangely. The tendrils of dark energy swirled around Sailor Pluto faster and faster as she was unable to move or speak. The dark energy concentrated above the sigil of Pluto and then descended on the glowing sign. The black mist still surrounded Sailor Pluto but the dark energy was gone and the glowing sign of Pluto was now glowing black instead of the normal grey lavender. The black mist encased her body merging with the fabric of her fuku turning her gloves and body suit black. The bands on her gloves became a light maroon. The choker and front bow became a dark maroon while her skirt became two layers. The top layer of her skirt was maroon while the second layer was black. Opening her eyes Pluto stared at the man before her.

"What is your name and who do you serve?" the cloaked man asked her.

Pluto kneeled to him and said, "I am Dark Pluto and I serve you."

"Good," he replied with a grim evident in his voice. With a wave of his hand the door in which he had pulled the Time Senshi through appeared behind Dark Pluto. "Go through the door behind you. Claim the throne that is rightfully yours. Together we can rule time and space. You rule your planet and I will guard this gateway."

"As you wish," said Dark Pluto with a bow and then turned and walked out the black door into the Space-time Corridor. Dark Pluto came upon a purple door bearing the sign of Pluto. The doors opened her to engulfing her in a maroon light.

Dark Pluto appeared on Pluto in the throne room. The room was empty as Dark Pluto released her transformation dissolving her Sailor fuku into the dress of Princess Pluto.

"Your highness," Dark Pluto heard a voice exclaim. "The King will be so glad that you have returned safely."

Dark Pluto put on a fake smiled and turned to face the servant girl. "I am sure he will. Can you please take me to my brother?"

"Yes. Please follow me," said the maid as she opened the door for the princess.

"Sister," said Kokugen with a smile as he hugged her. "How are you? How was the training? When shall we have the ceremony for your crowning?"

"So many questions so fast," Dark Pluto said with a laugh. "As soon as possible. I want to lead our people."

"Are you okay?" he asked seeing the far away look on her face.

She shook her head. "I am fine, just tired."

"Well let's get you to your room and you can rest," the King said with a smile as he called a guard to escort his sister to her room.

"Thank you," Dark Pluto said to the guard. As she stepped into the room the orb the cloaked man gave her appeared and his ghostly image appeared above it.

"How are things going my dear?" the ghostly figure asked.

"Wonderful. No one suspects anything," said Dark Pluto with a grin.

"Soon the throne will be yours," the ghostly figure replied.

"Yes," smiled Dark Pluto as the orb faded to black and disappeared. "Then I will get rid of you," she thought.

Unknown to Dark Pluto she was being watched. The cloaked watched her movements through his crystal ball. "My dear," said the man. "You may have the intension of getting rid of me but once I have control of the time stream I shall go back in time and make it so the first Senshi never appeared."

The next day Dark Pluto stood in the throne room looking around. "Soon this shall be mine," she whispered.

"Yes sister as it rightfully should be," Kokugen said coming up behind her. "Your people have missed you. I was right in my decision before. Ruling our people suits you much better than I. Strategy I can plan but the day to day things do not come naturally to me."

"Then why take the throne from me after you stepped down," she hissed with anger seeping into her voice.

"What?" asked Kokugen. "You know that is not so."

"Sorry you are right," she gave a half hearted smiled. "I just feel like something is trying to fight against me taking the throne"

"Are you okay? You aura seems different," Kokugen replied with a concerned look on his face.

"I guess I could not fool you 'dear' brother," she said with a sneer.

"Dark Pluto Power, Make-Up!"

After Dark Pluto transformed Kokugen stared at her. She looks like Sailor Pluto instead of a white body suit and gloves they were black. Also instead of a maroon one layer skirt has a two layer skirt with one layer maroon and the other layer black.

"You look like my sister yet you do not," yelled Kokugen. "Who are you and where is my sister?"

"Your sister is safe but not that it matters because you will not live much longer," answered Dark Pluto

Kokugen and Dark Pluto stood and stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity. Suddenly Kokugen broke eye contact and ran to the case on the far wall. Opening the metal case the contents were revealed to be the staff of the royal family and two swords. One sword was a rapier and the other sword was boarder and heavier. Kokugen thought to pick up the rapier first but decided on the boarder sword. Taking the sword out of the metal case he turned and faced Dark Pluto was still only staring at him and who had not moved at all.

"I do not know who you are imposter or what you have done with my sister but if you have hurt her I will not let you leave here alive," he growled as he charged her.

"It is you who shall not leave here alive," replied Dark Pluto. "Oh and I am your sister." Dark Pluto raised her hand above her head. "Dark Scream," she whispered throwing the planet shaped attack toward King Kokugen who dodged the attack a little too easily.

"She is playing with me. That attack missed me on purpose," he thought. "What has happened to Jikku?"

Dark Pluto threw a few more punches at Kokugen as he swung his sword at her. She smiled at him, "You are a very good swordsman and had your opponent not been a Sailor Senshi you would have won this battle," punching him in the stomach.

"What have you done with Jikku," he yelled coughing up blood.

Kokugen stared at the blood in his hand. "I have to save Jikku and protect our people he thought," he thought. Using his sword to lean on he stood up ready to face her again.

"You just do not know when to quit do you?" she asked with a sneer.

"I will quit when I am dead," yelled Kokugen as he rushed the dark Senshi of Time.

"Then die!" Dark Pluto screamed as she ran toward Kokugen. As she got near him she waved her hand in front of her and whispered, "Time Warp," as she moved from in front of him to the side of him.

Kokugen fell forward unbalanced as his sword disappeared from his hands. As the sword reappeared in Dark Pluto's left hand Princess Pluto cried out her brother's name as she realized now what her vision had tried to tell her earlier. As Dark Pluto ran Kokugen's own sword through his chest Princess Pluto screamed within Dark Pluto's mind. Suddenly a maroon light engulfed Dark Pluto and Kokugen. The Garnet Orb appeared glowing brightly as the top maroon jewel separated from the orb.

"Finally," Dark Pluto yelled as she saw the Maroon Crystal within her grasp. As she reached for the crystal it flew toward her and vanished. "Where did it go," she screamed. "So close," Dark Pluto cried before she faded out as Princess Pluto took control over her body again.

"My body is no longer yours," Dark Pluto heard Princess Pluto's voice say from inside her head and yet all around her too.

When Dark Pluto opened her eyes Princess Pluto was standing before her and they were surrounded by a dark maroon light. "This ends now," yelled Princess Pluto as she raised her hand above her head as lavender light enveloped her. "Pluto Planet Power, Make-Up!" Once Princess Pluto had transformed into Sailor Pluto she held her Garnet Orb in front of her. "You will not take over my body or my people."

Dark Pluto only laughed at her. "What makes you think you can stop me? I am you and I am stronger."

"Dead Scream," whispered Sailor Pluto.

"Dark Scream," yelled Dark Pluto.

The two attacks speed toward each other and neither Senshi moved. When the attacks collided there was a blinding explosion which threw both Senshi back but neither took much damage. Both Senshi jumped up and ran towards each other. Dark Pluto went for a high kick while Sailor Pluto went for a low kick.

"I have to hurry and get to Kokugen before it is too late," thought Sailor Pluto as she kicked Dark Pluto's feet from under her.

As Dark Pluto tired to recover from having the wind knocked out her she sneered. "I may be down but I am not out."

"And now you are out," Sailor Pluto said holding her hand in front of her. With a voice barely above a whisper she called forth her attack. "Dead Scream."

"Kokugen," Princess Pluto whispered as she hugged her brother.

"You came back," he said weakly. "I saw the orb but it disappeared."

"Kokugen you will be okay," Princess Pluto told him trying not to cry.

"I am glad you are okay but you are a terrible liar," Kokugen coughed. "Take care of our people," was his final breath.

After Kokugen was buried Princess Pluto went to Queen Serenity XX. "The Maroon Crystal has not disappeared but rest inside you within your heart crystal Jikku," Queen Serenity XX told Princess Pluto.

"Jikku is no more. My name is now Adia," Princess Pluto said to the Queen of the Silver Alliance.

"The first Senshi of Pluto came to me and gave this to me," Queen Serenity XX said as she handed Princess Pluto the Time Key. As soon as Princess Pluto gripped the Time Key her princess dress melted into her Sailor fuku. The Garnet Orb appeared on the top of the Time Key. The Garnet Orb now only had two maroon orbs instead of three. Where the Maroon Crystal should be was now a metal ball of the same size which was made up of the same metal and color as the shaft of the Time Key.

"So I do not endanger anymore lives I would like to be given the sole duty of guarding the Time Gates," said Sailor Pluto. "Also I would like my sister to take my place as the Queen of Pluto."

Queen Serenity XX smiled and nodded, "When the time comes you will be called to serve my great-granddaughter as one of her guards."

"As you wish your highness," Sailor Pluto said as she bowed to the silver queen. Sailor Pluto tapped her staff on the ground and the Gates to the Space-Time Corridor appears behind her. She smiled a sad smile before turned and walking through the gates to begin her self imposed solitude.

Sailor Pluto opened her eyes. She was sitting on the cold hard steps to the Time Gate. Dropping her staff she drew her knees up to her chest, buried her head in her arms and just cried. 'Now I know why my memories of the time on my home planet during the Silver Millennium felt empty,' she thought. 'I knew it seemed strange for Kokugen just to one day be there and then one day disappear. As much as it hurts at least I know the truth now. I always seem to be alone no matter what.'

"That is not true," spoke a voice. Pluto looked up to see Queen Serenity XXII standing in front of her. Pluto made a motion to stand but the Queen held her hand out signaling for Pluto to stay where she was. "You are loved, Setsuna. You have my respect and gratitude for doing your part in defending the kingdom them and now. Serenity and her court love you. Don't forget that you helped Neptune and Uranus raise Saturn so that she would know love and not only death and destruction. You are not alone any longer, remember that. Your punishment is over." Pluto stared at the former Queen trying to hold back tears of sadness and tears of joy. Then with a smile the former Queen held a hand out to Pluto, "Go and be with your family and loved ones. My daughter will need your help in the up coming battle. She may have a strong heart and will but she can't win with out the help of everyone. As always things are much bigger than they appear to be."

Pluto stood and bowed to the former Queen. "Thank you your majesty," with a smile she opened a portal and left the time stream. She knew the pain would be there awhile but she also knew she was not alone because all of the other Senshi, her family and friends, were also regaining past memories and had been hurt. 'At least our memories of the Silver Millennium are complete whether they are good or bad,' Pluto thought as she emerged in the living room of the house she had once shared with Haruka and Michiru and undid her transformation. "I am home," she whispered as she looked around.

Dark Senshi by DavisJes

Dark Senshi DavisJes 2006-2007

Sailor Moon Naoko Takeuchi