Disclaimer: Naruto, Sailor Moon, and Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicles, their characters, settings, etc., belong to their respective creators. All original characters, settings, etc. belong to me!

A Brief Interlude: The Call

Far away, a faired-haired noblewoman was brushing her golden locks when the bejeweled brush fell from her hand, crashing to the floor. She rushed to her bedroom window, stared out into the open land.

"Minako hime-sama?" Her attendant was bothered by her mistress' behavior. Minako hated the outside, claimed it was too dirty for her precious skin to walk upon.

"I have to go…" Princess Minako looked towards her attendant. "Alert my father. I am going on a journey. Hurry!"

The attendant jumped up in surprise. "Wh…Where should I say you are going, my lady?"

Minako gave her a glare. "Just go! Ready the carriage! The horses! I want to leave immediately!"

In a lab deep underground, where no one would bother sensitive expriements, a blue haired scientis watched the beaker fall from her hands and crash to the dirt floor at her feet.

"Oi…Ami-chan?" Suigetsu frowned. "You okay?"

Ami-chan pushed up her glasses, threw off her lab coat…and proceeded to make a hasty retreat out of the room.

"Hey!" He followed her out the door and into the hallway. She was rushing, almost running; Ami-chan NEVER ran! She was always so polite and proper.

"Where the hell are you goin'? Orochimaru hasn't-"He stopped when she turned around to gaze at him. He had never seen such sterness from her.

"Kindly tell Orochimaru that I officially quit."

Suigetsu gave a look. "I don't think he's into desertion ya know…"

"I do not care." Then she was gone.

He scratched his head. "What the hell is up her butt?"

Outside the village of Rain, a figure and her companions were looking out into the far distance.

"So…It's starting…" She smiled. "About time too…" She then looked upon a high shelf in her once childhood home. There sitting silently where no child could ever reach was the only family heirloom Setsuna had…a garnet orb encircled by metal in the shape of a heart.

"I wonder what the world will think of us…Ne, Usagi-chan?"

In another ninja land, White Ninja quickly gathered around their collapsed Odoroko, Ampris. The kage she had been speaking to was greatly concerned; he was about to send for a doctor when Ampris abruptly stood.

"Are you alright, Odoroko?" A White Ninja asked.

The woman was shaking as if in fright.

"I…Forgive me…I need to leave imediatley." She looked towards the White Ninja. "We return to Suna." She gave a light bow to the kage and rushed out of the meeting room.

"Odoroko!" A White Ninja rushed to catch up to her. "Is there something wrong?" The White Ninja were instantly surrounding her, deeply concerned for their future leader.

The black haired woman stopped.

"You should not call me that anymore." Her words were laced with determination. "I need to see the princes…"

Confusion hit her guardian. "Odoroko?"

The woman stared at the confused eyes around her.

"I cannot be your Odoroko…Not when my destiny demands another path." She stared at her hand. "I have always wondered why I felt such joy in seeing Princess Selene…More than a typical person should. Why I felt this…Fire within burning silently…"

The White Ninja watched in sheer awe as blazing fire flickered from her fingertips, forming into a ball which floated above her outstretched palm.

"I am Mars…" Ampris stared at the fire. "One of the four Inner Guardians of the Neo-Queen…" The fire diminished instantly. "You must alert the Emperor of Crystal…The Return…Has begun."

In Konoha, Sakura awoke to movement in her home. Like the jounin she was, she hid in the shadows, followed the sound to the front door. There standing in her pjs, was Sarada.

"Sarada…" The young girl was staring at the front door, neither moving nor talking. It was an odd occurance for Sarada to act that way. "Sarada? It's late! Go back to bed!"

"Mother…" Sakura froze…She was always 'mom' to her daughter. "It begins…"

On high alert, Sakura went to her daughter's side. "Sarada? What are you talking about?"

The young girl didn't budge. "I need to go mother…I can hear her…She is calling me."

A frown. "Who's calling you?" The young Uchiha's eyes looked distant…the only conclusion was that she was under a jutsu.

A smile from her daughter. "Usagi-chan needs me." Usagi must be the one to cast the jutsu. "Goodbye mother."

The child was surrounded in an unnatural violet energy. Like a hurricane it swirled around Sarada's young form preventing Sakura from going to her daughter.

When it faded, Sarada was no longer. In her place was a young girl in odd clothing, a wicket looking staff in her hand.

"The Return has begun…" The young woman looked over her shoulder at Sakura. Her stare caused Sakura to freeze in place. Whoever this girl was…she was powerful…too powerful.

Still though Sakura broke through the fear and glared at the girl. "Where is my daughter!?"

"Sarada Uchiha was a shell." She poke like an old woman though she looked twelve or maybe thirteen. "A seal that encased me…Her true self." The young woman walked out of the door.

"True peace has begun to take fold…She will be the instigator…"

A mad Sakura followed her down the street. "Who?"

The woman stopped.

"My reason for existing..." A light smile crossed her face. "Even now I can hear her call. The others' shall gather at her side as well. As is meant to be."

"The Golden Milennia has begun…Be prepared, mother…For this world shall change…For the better."

Next Time: The Return of the King