1485 AD

Edo, Japan

Pluto led the Hotaru and Chibiusa through the door. When they emerged, they were in a forest, near a large tree and a small fuedal palace.

They gripped hands, and Hotaru clung to Chibiusa, unsure of her surroundings; and still traumatized.

Hotaru stared up at Pluto and pulled at Chibiusa's arm. "This place...and you! What happened? Why are you so calm?!"

She dissolved, crying.

Pluto gathered Hotaru in her arms. "I see time before...after...during...around. It is an unending mugenzu...a labyrinth we all must find an end to. I cannot interfere, it is taboo. But with the consent of the Queen I crossed time to hide you here, where you can awaken safely, away from the enemy."

Chibiusa looked at Pluto. "Who...who are you?"

"In this time I am called Izayoi of Setsuna. I married InuTaisho and had a son. Please...find Inuyasha for me...tell him...Mother loves him..."

But that doesn't make sense, I thought. Senshi have other lives? Do the star seeds truly reincarnate?

Setsuna set Hotaru down, and as I looked at her, I noticed that the woman looked weak. Incredibly weak. "W-We promise but...but...we can't lose you! O-Onegai..."

"Shh..." Setsuna said softly. "The ginzuisho is in you, Chibiusa. You must find the other senshi. 'Izayoi' no longer has any time left..."

A ball hit the floor and bounced over as a child cried, "OKAA-SAN!"

Inuyasha ran to his dying mother, gripping her tightly. "Okaa-san...Okaa-san!"

There was pain. In that moment Chibiusa just wanted to stop everything...but some damned humans had heard Inuyasha scream. And my shoulder bled as Chibiusa ran in front of an arrow.

"Get the hanyo!" they screamed.

Hotaru ran forward into the fray, screaming with fury as she tried to fight off the advancing mob.

Chibiusa felt blinding sorrow, pain and the need to protect the crying boy. Chibiusa just didnt want them to take another person from me. My heart had suffered enough. Chibiusa couldn't take it.

There was a flash of light and the humans fell to the ground, unconscious. Both Hotaru and Chibiusa stood in senshi form for the first time.

That was the first time they transformed.