Silvermoon

by Immora

The Senshi are reborn into a new Silver Millennium after the earth is destroyed.

4. Remembrance

~~SILVERMOON~~
Remembrance
Nine through Ten
a Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon fanfiction by Immora

_________________________________________________________________

Please see the author's notes in Resurrection for all copyright
information.

I apologize for the awful line-wrapping.

________


NINE

________



Time: about eight months later
Place: the medical facilities, the Palace



The Senshi and Generals had gathered to check up on Saturn's condition. The frail
girl lay in the bed, looking tiny and paler than ever. She hadn't been allowed to wake up
yet. "Poor thing," Jupiter whispered. She clasped Nephrite's hand tightly with the one she
wore the wedding ring he'd given her. Princess Serenity leaned against Endymion for support.
"She's missed so much... our wedding, the Prince and Princess's wedding... "

Mars quietly turned on a viewing crystal, selecting a signal that delivered news.
She turned the volume low and paid scant attention to it.

"--and in other news today, Queen Serenity signed a treaty with Earth. The two will
provide military support to other planets--"

"They don't dare let her wake up," Jupiter commented, then turned to look over at
Immora, where a doctor was monitoring her. "And Immora, she won't wake up because of
using that attack... she saved us all and look at what she got in return!"

Akeru silently entered the room, combing her fingers through her black hair that had
grown to just past her cheekbones. "Anything happen yet?" she murmured. Her question was
met with sad no's. The Senshi slowly walked out of the room with sad eyes as Akeru sat
down on the chair next to Immora's bed and watched the viewing crystal.

"--Princess Hotaru of Saturn remains in a coma to prevent Mistress Nine from taking
control. Immora is also in a coma still. Well, it's that time of year again! The annual
harvest on Jupiter has been a success so far..."



... I hear their voices, but I cannot speak. My mind is working a bit, but they don't seem
to notice. What is going on? My memories are fluctuating... who am I? I see a face in my
mind... long blond hair and blue eyes, that's me... and another woman... short black hair and
brown eyes... my lover... the names escape me though. The details are missing. What is my
past? What is my present? Why can't I escape this empty void, alone with my dreary thoughts.
I want to open my eyes, and call out to these people, but I can't feel my body to make it
move.

Everything is blank again, then I see... faces... memories of faces actually... people I
can remember but cannot place... my parents, a brother, other relatives... friends, teachers,
rivals... then stranger memories... a man with long white hair and a sneer, a woman with
chin-length auburn hair and a smug face, a sea of pale, sad faces, then a dark skinned elf
maiden with long purple hair. Who are these people, these faces? Really... I know what they
stand for but what are their names, how did I meet these people, just what _do_ they mean
to me? Then I see Her face again... always it goes back to hers, her smile, her laugh, her
voice, her touch, everything about her replays itself in my mind.

How long has it been like this? Me alone in this black void, with only these strange
fragmented memories? When can I finally return to the blue skies and green land again? When
will I feel the magic course through my blood, or the joy of just being alive, or the
gentle touch of her kiss? ...



... Akeru brushed a strand of hair away from Immora's face and wiped away a tear,
surprised to see tiny tears gathering at the corners of Immora's eyes. What the---she
glanced at a monitor near by. Hmmm... some brain activity, at least there was some thought
going on, but she hadn't so much as twitched in the past several months.

Akeru sat back and hugged her knees to her chest, as the lights were shut off for
the night. The only light now was from the medical equipment around the patients, and the
dull sparkle of tears in the darkness.



Time: the next morning
Place: the medical facilities, the palace



Pluto gently shook Akeru awake. She'd fallen asleep in the chair next to Immora's
bed again. Akeru groaned and blinked several times, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Pluto
noted the streaks on her face, perhaps from crying?

She turned to look at the monitor readouts. Hmmm... "She definitely has brain activity
going on... it doesn't seem to be conscious thought, it's more like... as if her mind is merely
playing out images and thoughts for her that she has no control over." She rested her chin
in her hand as she studied the data some more. "She still isn't conscious, hasn't been
conscious... have you noticed anything unusual?"

Akeru stretched and smoothed the front of her shirt. "Before I fell asleep I noticed
_tears_ gathering around her eyes. I have no idea why that would happen or how."

Pluto nodded and pulled a chair up, glancing over to the chairs against the walls
where the other Senshi had fallen asleep after the Generals left.

Pluto got up to read Saturn's monitor. No brain activity what-so-ever. That wasn't
permitted. Brain activity could mean Mistress Nine was trying to regain control again. No
one had any idea how to remove Mistress Nine from Saturn's body without some form of
magical help, and the only mage with that power lay unconscious in this room.

Poor Saturn... she never wanted to get involved like this... no one sane would want to
be possessed by Mistress Nine! She's so innocent... powerful, yes, but she doesn't like to
use that power.

Queen Serenity walked in. "Hello, your highness," Pluto said with a nod of her head.

Serenity nodded slightly to her. "How are things going with them?"

"Saturn hasn't been allowed any brain activity. Immora is starting to show some
subconscious activity though."

"Is there any way to bring her out of her coma?" Akeru asked.

The other Senshi started waking up then, stretching and muttering in confused tones. They'd
also fallen asleep in their chairs.

Pluto thought hard, while Serenity summoned a doctor. The doctor came quickly and
started checking all the machines, adjusting some knobs and making notes on a notepad.
"She might wake up sooner than we expected, perhaps only a few more months..." she told them.
She made some marks on a form, then looked up at them. "I'd like to get her a dosage of a
particular medication that can stimulate her brain activity more and help her with this.
She can't heal herself right now so we have to do it for her."

"Are you sure it will really help her and not make things worse?" Akeru asked with a
concerned look.

The doctor adjusted the flow on the IV. "I am positive this will work. Junolistine
is a very commonly used medication, so far it hasn't failed anyone."

Akeru growled at her, "And how do you know it will help someone who relies _completely_
on magic?! Nothing but her own magic can heal her, and she doesn't have that option now,
does she?!"

The doctor cocked an eyebrow and pushed her glasses higher up on her nose. "It is
possible that this will work. Just because she--"

"Please don't fight about this," Queen Serenity said in a soft, serious voice. "Let
us try this, Akeru. It might work. After all--"

Pluto interupted, "Akeru has a point. Immora's mental and physical stability seem to
rely on her magic, with she sorely lacks now. Modern medicine probably won't--"

A faint groan drew their attention to Immora's bedside. Their eyes widened as Immora
slowly grimaced and her eyes opened partially. The doctor froze in shock. "How could _this_
happen?!" she whispered, glancing at the monitors next to Immora's bed that were reading
normal brain activity on them. "And so suddenly!"

Akeru wasted no time in racing to Immora's side. "Immora, are you okay?! How do you
feel?"

Immora blinked twice, then rolled her head in Akeru's direction. Her lips parted but
no words came out. The doctor quickly came over and took the archmage's wrist, checking her
pulse. "Normal pulse... her breathing is okay... this is a very unusual and sudden recovery.
I have no explanation for it."

Immora groaned and tried to sit up but she could barely move. Serenity came over and watched
her movements. "I do believe she is unable to perform actions such as speech and movement.
Without her magic she's completely helpless."

The doctor started to scribble on her notepad what had occured, when a soft purple
glow filled the room.

"Oh shit--" Uranus murmured.

Saturn was sitting up in bed, arms dangling at her sides and head tilted far back,
with the sigil on her forehead glowing faintly. Her eyes were closed with a strange red
glow coming from beneath her lids. Mars, the closest to her, screeched, "Someone put her
back under again!"

The doctor grabbed a needle and filled it with a sedative as quickly as she could
while Saturn slowly floated above the bed. Immora watched with wide eyes at what was
happening. Saturn slowly opened her glowing red eyes, the sigil on her forehead changing
into a black star as she did so.

Without warning, there was a bright flash of red light and Hotaru dropped to the bed again,
breathing hard. The sigil on her forehead returned to normal, the red in her eyes disappearing.
A black shadowed form appeared briefly around her then dissipated. She lay there, completely
still, for several moments, before giving a small choked sob and curling into a ball.

The Senshi present raced over from their beds to Saturn's side. Immora slowly sat
up, her mouth moving as if silently uttering words. Queen Serenity came up and gathered
the sobbing girl in her arms. "Shhh... it's okay... everything will be alright, Hotaru..."

Saturn sniffled and gave a choked cry. "It was so... so terrible... she *cough* she
controlled everything and *sob* I-I couldn't do a thing about it... and-and then suddenly
she was gone and--" She went into a coughing fit. The doctor set the sedative down and let
the room briefly, returning with a glass of water. Saturn drank it slowly, taking deep
breaths to get her breathing back to normal. She wiped her eyes and drew a shuddered breath.
"I don't know why she left so suddenly... but God I am so happy..."

Serenity helped Saturn shakily stand. "Pluto," she called, "please help me to our room...
I have some questions to ask you... about what happened."

Pluto nodded and carefully led the girl out the door. The doctor cried after them, "She's in
no condition to be leaving!!!" Her call went ignored. The doctor sighed. "Fine then... ignore
me..."

Akeru ahemed loudly. "I believe you have a patient right here that needs you... ?"
She glared at the doctor hard. "NOW would be a good time to help her."

The doctor sighed. "Why me?"



Time: An hour later
Place: A lake on the moon, just outside the palace grounds



Uranus, Neptune, Mars, and Mercury had gone down to a lake to sit and talk.
Several people sat along the shore opposite them and many people bathed in the waters.

"It's highly unusual for someone to recover so suddenly... and it's even more
unusual that they recovered within seconds of each other," Mercury said in concerned tones.

"I agree," Neptune said. "I mean, how could it have happened? Just moments before
Immora was completely comatose with no brain activity whatsoever."

Mars opened her mouth to speak, when she heard footsteps coming up behind them. Everyone
turned around, and was surprised to see Saturn walking up, wearing a black dress. "Hotaru!"
Mars said in a shocked voice. "What are you--"

Saturn sat down on a rock, her eyes closed tight. The symbol on her forehead gleamed
dully. "Pluto and I... had a talk. Mistress Nine has left me... but I've been having strange
premotions ever since I woke up. I sense... oh God, I can't even speak of it!"

"Premonitions of what?" Mars asked. "I can't see how anything else can go wrong. I mean,
look around us!" She swept her arm around, her gesture encompassing the Moon Kingdom and the rest
of the planets. "Look at all this wonder here! Sure, some bad things have happened lately, but
things will always turn out for the better! Besides, if something bad was going to happen, I
would feel it too."

Saturn opened her eyes, the cold, sad look that marred their beauty made Mars doubt her words.
"Pluto told me... everything. About why this universe is here. Why we are in these lives now. She
told me..." Saturn started shaking. "Oh God! It's so horrible! I can't--" Saturn leapt from the
rock and bolted, taking off flying into the sky.

"Oh great," Mercury groaned. "None of us has great experience with flying--"

"--I'll get her," Uranus said as she took off after Saturn.

Saturn was quick as she darted through the air. Uranus had a hard time keeping up. What
terrible things had Pluto told her?

Saturn suddenly stopped. Uranus barely managed to stop before hitting her. "Hotaru, you
have to tell us what she said! Please!"

Saturn whirled around. "No." Her lips compressed in a thin line. "I cannot... I cannot say
what she has told me. No one would understand... no on could ever..." Her body racked with sobs.
"It's just so terrible! Everything was so wonderful in the old world-- and-and then Mistress Nine
came... and... oh God, I destroyed it all! _I_ destroyed _everything_!"

Uranus was stunned into silence. She felt an odd sensation go through her, as if a memory
was trying to surface. She shuddered and slowly landed on the ground, followed shortly by
Saturn.

"Saturn, I had no idea--"

Saturn just whirled to face her and bitterly rasped, "Well, it happened! And you know what
else happened, I--"

"ENOUGH!!!" A voice shouted.

The two women turned to see Pluto standing several yards from them, her Time Key in hand,
wearing her Senshi fuku. Her face was drawn in a dark scowl. "You'd said enough, Saturn. You've
told her enough."

Saturn started shaking, then cried out, "Why did you hide this from us?! We have a _right_
to know!!!"

Pluto flinched slightly. "You... have... no idea... what pain I've had to live with... all
these eons. How could I hope for any of you to understand?!"

There was a flash of light, and all the other Senshi appeared around them. They seemed
terribly stunned; Pluto had pulled them from wherever they were and brought them here.

"What's going on here?!" Jupiter demanded.

Pluto bit her lip and bowed her head. "It's time that you knew... what happened... to the
old Silver Millennium... and the life that followed... and why you are here now."

Her forehead sigla flared with light as images formed in their minds to accompany the events
she started to describe to them. They saw the old Silver Millennium, then the new Earth that
followed, their old lives, and finally, the destruction of their world and the rebirth of the
galaxy. The memories weren't complete, they were from Pluto's point of view, but they were
enough for now.

None of them could tell exactly how long it all took. But when they opened their eyes, they
felt an immense sense of powerlessness come over them. "I can't believe it," Princess Serenity
whispered. "You've had to live with this knowledge all this time... you and Usagi..."

Pluto nodded sadly.

"It's all so hard to accept," Mars whispered. "All of this coming to us at once... you mean,
this place... the lives we live now... were never supposed to be?"

Pluto nodded again.

The Senshi all stood there, trying to accept what had just been revealed to them, wondering
if they ever would be able to.



Time: A few hours lately; roughly dinnertime
Place: A meeting room inside the palace



Queen Serenity sat silently listening as her advisors, Luna and Artemis, argued over whether
or not their message was the most important to deliver first. Luna seemed about to win the debate,
when Princess Serenity burst into the meeting room in tears. Luna and Artemis fell off the marble
table they'd been sitting on, while the queen rushed over to see what was wrong with her daughter.
Luna and Artemis quickly raced from the room as the princess fell into her mother's arms, sobbing
loudly.

"Oh mother, Pluto showed us w-what happened in the Or-Original Time... o-our old lives... how
it all ended..." Princess Serenity drew a shuddered breath as her mother stroked her long, silvery
white hair.

"A terrible burden for someone so young," the queen murmured.

"I saw this time-- or rather, the first Silver Millennium-- end. It was horrible! So many died,
so many--" the princess broke off as she coughed hard.

The queen saw a man hovering near the door... it was Endymion. "Go get a glass of water for the
her," she told her son-in-law.

Endymion nodded and obediently left the room.

The queen listened to her daughter for a long time, wondering, "What did she see? What went
wrong?"



Time: Roughly the same
Place: A dining hall



Mars, Venus, and Mercury sat in stunned silence, not even noticing when their lovers arrived.
Jadeite took his seat by Mars, not taking much notice of her trance-like state. After all, she was
probably just having a premonition, right? Kunzite and Zoisite showed more concern, but didn't try
to prod the two princesses out of their state.

Jadeite reached over and clasped Mars's hand, and was surprised when she flinched and jerked her
hand back.

Will that time ever come to pass? she wondered. In that time, Jadeite tried to kill me. He
was evil. Did it really happen, or was Pluto making up images? Mars almost cried from the
frustration she felt. She looked up and saw Jadeite there, and gave a weak smile before retreating
into her dreary thoughts again.

Zoisite and Kunzite waiting in patient silence. Slowly, Venus and Mercury's eyes came back into
focus. They seemed surprised to see the two men there, almost scared. Kunzite looked over at Zoisite
as if to say, "What the heck is wrong with them?"

Jupiter soon entered the room, followed by Nephrite. She seemed a bit less cheerful than usual, but
tried not to show it. I wonder what he was like in the Original Time, she wondered. As far as those
memories show, he died before I became a senshi.

Usagi walked in, with her hair braided and a pink robe on. Luna-P trailed behind her at a short
distance. Usagi seemed no less different from usual, but as her red eyes darted nervously to each
Senshi in the room, they could tell she was upset that they'd been told about the Original Time.

After everyone had sat down, Saturn trailed in. She seemed almost trancelike, walking lightly
as if she would take to the sky any moment now. Her face quivered slightly with tension as her mind
kept repeating the image of her using her Death Reborn Revolution. She almost missed the chair when
she sat down, and never looked at her plate as she ate.

Neptune and Uranus came in separetely for once. Neptune didn't seem at all phased by the memories
they'd received earlier. She immediately starting eating and struck up a conversation with Kunzite.
Uranus appeared deeply disturbed as she sat down. She barely ate and her eyes remained focused on her
hands during the whole meal.

It wasn't until after everyone had eaten and regained their senses that Pluto walked in. The four
Generals were surprised to see the faces of all but Usagi harden at the arrival of the mysterious
woman. "Leave us," Pluto said softly to them.

The Generals looked at her quizzically, before they rose and left. Pluto pulled up a chair at
the head of the table, then waited for someone to acknowledge her. Uranus looked up at her and
sneered, "Do you expect thanks for what you did? Do you think we enjoyed that?"

Pluto's eyes narrowed. "I did it because you deserve to know what happened. I did _not_ do it
out of meanness or cruelty." She slammed her fist hard on the marble table. "I gave you all what
you wanted and now you shun me for it?!?" She sat with her shoulders shaking as the other Senshi
watched her with narrowed eyes.

"She's... right... you know..." a low, forced whisper said, coming from the doors to the room.

The Senshi looked to see Immora, leaning heavily against the door frame with a thin sky blue
dress clinging to her thin frame. "You... should thank... her... not... hate her..." She closed her
eyes as if tired and slumped slightly. Akeru came up behind her and helped her into a chair. Immora
soon slumped down over the table in exhaustion.

Jupiter clenched her fist tightly. "I think the real problem is that you should have told us
sooner. By holding out on us, you made it worse."

Pluto gritted her teeth. "I did what was right."

Mars stood up quickly, her chair falling back behind her as she shouted, "Maybe _you_ thought
it was right, but to us it was cruel and... and terrible!"

Venus grabbed Mars's arm and pulled her back into her seat as Pluto stood up. "I don't have to
sit her and listen to this! I came to explain why I did what I did, and now you all leap down my
throat!" She held up her Time Staff and said, "Dark Dome-- Open!"

A shimmering purple light formed, then the doors to the Time Gate opened behind her. Pluto started
to step through when Immora's voice warned her, "If you leave... now... you'll do even more... harm."

Pluto turned, her red eyes glaring hard at the archmage. "You woke up only today. You already start to
judge me. I thought you to be a friend. I see I was wrong. You are weak, pathetic, and evil. I should
be ashamed I ever thought of you as a good person."

Immora's blue eyes widened slightly in shock, while Akeru leapt from her seat, attempting to attack
Pluto. Pluto's staff blocked her path. "Just leave me alone," Pluto muttered as she stepped through
the doors. They started to shut behind her as Immora stood up. She held out her hand, and there was a
bright glow. The doors ceased their closing motion. "What are you trying to do now?" Pluto murmured.

Immora narrowed her eyes slightly in consideration, then shrugged. The doors closed tight, then
shimmered away again.

"Good riddance," Mars whispered halfheartedly.



Time: An hour later
Place: The Gate of Time



Pluto stood staring into a tall mirror. Images danced across its surface. She watched things happen.
She had no effect on them. She couldn't do anything. Pluto narrowed her eyes in frustration, then balled
her fist and punched the mirror. Shards of glass flew from it, stinging her skin. Pluto whirled around
angrily and smashed another mirror. "Why can't I do anything right?!?!" she cried. "Ever since this time
started, it's been one failure after another!" Pluto slumped to her knees, then shouted to the sky, "Why
can't I do my job right?! Why can't everything just go back to the way it was before Saturn destroyed
everything?!"

With a sob, Pluto curled into a ball and cried.



________


TEN

________



Setsuna Meiou had always been a quiet, thoughtful, and reserved person.
She had few friends by choice, made excellent grades in school, and was
far more intelligent than any other person her age. She was the princess
of a freezing cold planet populated by warm hearted people. She was
well-known, admired, and respected. And then it all changed.

She was about twenty-three at the time, when the mark of Pluto suddenly
flared into life on her forehead, and she knew that she would become
Sailor Pluto. Her parents thought it was wonderful. Her siblings thought
she was amazing. The people loved her even more, for now she was their
protector as well as their future ruler. She hated it. She hated knowing
that one day she'd be responsible for the safety of all these people.
She hated being given powers she couldn't understand. She hated the men
and women that had selected her for this job.

She went to the Moon Kingdom, as she'd been ordered. She met the other
First Senshi there. They were given a mission-- to go to Jupiter and
prevent an attack on the capital. And so they all went.

The Dark Kingdom had sent three dozen soldiers to kill the king and queen.
The Senshi arrived in time to stop the murder of the king, but the queen
was killed. The soldiers turned and opened fire on the Senshi. Pluto
suddenly screamed a phrase that would later become one of the things her
duties prevented her from doing.

She stopped time.

The bullets of energy froze.

Her companions all turned and looked at her in shock and horror.

Pluto dropped to her knees in shock.

And then a man suddenly appeared, holding a staff formed to look like a
key in his hands. He told her about the Gate of Time, and how she'd now
be responsible for _that_ too.

Time started again. The Senshi were able to avoid the physical blows, but
when the man returned for Pluto, the anguish was overwhelming. Sailor
Pluto was now spending her time watching over the Gate of Time, only
emerging to help the Senshi in battle. The first twenty years weren't
so bad though. There wasn't much to watch over.

But then another, larger battle came. The Senshi were pushed to the
limit, trying as hard as they could to battle the hundreds of Dark
Kingdom forces. It was a long, excruciating fight, but eventually, the
Senshi won. The Senshi went back to normal lives while Pluto returned
to her Gate. That's when things started to get taxing.

Those First Senshi died off, except for Pluto. As she watched them
slowly age and die, she remained youthful, stronger than ever. It
appalled her and terrified her, having to lose her friends while she
stayed the same. For a long, long stretch of years, no more Senshi
arrived. But then new Senshi appeared, but no Pluto was among these.
Setsuna would always be the only one. The Senshi fought a long hard
battle, barely winning, but they managed to push back the Dark Kingdom
again. And again, she watched as her friends' lives ended.

For centuries, Senshi came and went. Time flowed while Pluto
nonchalantly watched. Time didn't pass like it did for other people.
Most people spent their lives fighting against time, trying to cheat
death. Pluto didn't have to. Her power was time, and she wouldn't die as
long as time was around.

Then came the final Senshi. Ami, Minako, Rei, and Makoto were brought to
protect Princess Serenity from the Dark Kingdom. Haruka and Michiru
would protect the Silver Millennium, with Setsuna's assistance. Hotaru
was held in reserve for her enormous power was unchecked. They fought
many battles, and won most of them. Setsuna was confident in them. But
time decided to play games. She couldn't see into the possibilities
in time. When she finally saw what would happen, there was nothing she
could do. The Dark Kingdom attacked. Countless people were killed. Ami
and Rei were the first of the Senshi to be killed in the onslaught. Minako
died fending off an attack on Serenity. Makoto was largely outnumbered.
Michiru and Haruka died in each other's arms. Then the dear Princess
Serenity died.

She stood watching their deaths, unable to take part in the battle. The
Silver Millennium was over. She watched the Queen use her last strength
to send the Senshi into the future. Hotaru and Setsuna were left behind.
Setsuna gave her a last order, then returned to the Gate of Time. Hotaru
used her power to destroy the palace and life on the other planets. Only
Earth was habitable now. Once prosperous planets became wastelands that
no one could survive on. A few of them even turned into gas planets from
the might of her attack. Then Hotaru died, and was gone for many millennia,
just like the others.

Setsuna was overjoyed when finally they were reborn. Slowly, she became
a part of their lives again. Her friends were back. They faced many foes,
and for the first time, Setsuna faced death when she died in the battle
against Galaxia. But she returned to life. They all returned.

Their lives were peaceful for several years. Chibi-Usa was no longer a
little girl. Hotaru had returned to her original state. Mamoru and Usagi
were engaged to be married. Then things went very wrong again. Again,
Pluto couldn't see the possibilities. The consequences were dire. Mistress
Nine attacked unexpectedly. They were all returning from a concert. There
was barely enough time to henshin before Saturn was knocked unconscious.
The battle dragged on for a long time, then finally, they were defeated.
All but Pluto, Saturn, and Chibi-Moon were killed. Pluto was terrified.
It was too late. After a short battle with Mistress Nine, Saturn woke up.
At glaive point, Pluto was forced to hide herself and Chibi-Moon from her
eyes. Saturn ended the galaxy. Pluto watched with Chibi-Moon, went to
Crystal Tokyo briefly, watched it all end, and waited with her for many
millennia as the galaxy slowly reformed. Time was starting to get to her.
Pluto became emotional, tired, and irritable. She was tired of the endless
duty. Chibi-Usa took on her mother's name. Finally, the Silver Millennium
arrived. No Pluto was born-- again, she was the only one. After so many
years, her friends were reborn. But she had lost touch with time. She
couldn't understand it anymore. She could sense it, and affect it to some
extent, control it and stop it, but her precognitive abilities were awry.
Her knowledge was disrupted. She knew fear. She hid all knowledge of the
Original Time from her friends.

When was it that Immora had come to her, offering to take the duties
from her? Immora was prepared for the burden. She was already immortal,
and was willing to take the task. She had nothing to live for, after all,
why not have some purpose in her life? Why had Setsuna refused?

Fear. Fear that time wouldn't go on without her. She had become too
wrapped up in her duties. She had shouted at Immora, appalled at her for
suggesting such a thing. Immora sadly shrugged and left.

Was that where their friendship had fallen apart? After all, they didn't
get along anymore. She really didn't know Immora that well. Her past was
hidden from time. Her memories were shot. She couldn't remember her name,
or certain people in her life anymore. She seemed to have lived enough to
make up for the loss. But Pluto couldn't leave the duty. After countless
years, it had become a part of her. She wanted to cast them aside, give
them up, but time wouldn't let her. So she didn't.

When did Immora change for the worse? Pluto didn't know. Immora had been
through alot, and the change was so gradual that Pluto didn't notice at
first. The carefree, kind archmage had slowly become bitter, resentful,
and obsessed with power. She'd forgotten about friends and become wrapped
up in her magic. No wonder Necros's memory-wipe spell had worked so well.
She couldn't remember her friends, her enemies, or her lover. She couldn't
remember Pluto. So Pluto forgot about her. She didn't want a friend who had
turned to evil.

Her friends, the Senshi, went about their lives. Pluto spent less and
less time at the Gate of Time. Things were going wonderful. There was
only an occasional battle, and they had defeated Queen Beryl and
Mistress Nine. Life looked good now. Then Immora appeared again. Things
started going terribly wrong. Immora tried to destroy the Moon Kingdom.
Uranus's mother died, leaving her without any family. Mistress Nine
returned and finally took possession of Hotaru again. Hotaru and Immora
were caught in a brief, terrible battle, that ended in an eight month
coma for both. When they awakened, Pluto was ready to finally return the
knowledge of the Original Millennium to her friends. So she did. But for
some reason, they didn't seem to want it. They hated her now. They
yelled at her. Stunned and appalled, Pluto fled to her Gate again.

Which is where she is now.



Time: Several hours after the end of the last chapter
Place: The Gate of Time



Pluto groggily woke up from a fitful sleep full of confusing dreams.
In them, she'd relived most of her life up to this point. It was a
startling thing for her, and she had not enjoyed the experience. Why
_had_ she relived them? She looked around her, and thought she noticed
a silhouette dart into the shadows. She sensed a power... was it magic?
No... she thought about it harder... it was sorcery. She could at least
rule out Immora as the one who'd done it, but who would come here and
place a spell like that on her?

She grabbed her staff as she stood up and looked around her. Everything
else was normal, it seemed. The tall mirrors still hung in the empty
void. The Gate still loomed before her as always. Nothing had changed,
and probably nothing ever would.

She stretched and walked over to a mirror, pressing her hand to it. An
image flickered across the surface. Saturn. She was sitting at a large
dining table. Pluto narrowed her eyes slightly. The image spread to
reveal the other Senshi sitting with her too. Pluto could hear their
words faintly and her lips tightened. She walked away from the mirror.
She didn't feel like ever returning. Maybe she wouldn't.

Hmmm... she always loved Shakespeare's writings... why not reread them all?
Pluto sat down in a chair, picked up a book, and began to read.



Time: About the same
Place: A dining hall, the Palace



"Pluto has been gone for several hours now," Saturn said bitterly. "It
doesn't look like she's coming back anytime soon."

"Maybe we should look at this differently," Serenity said. "Instead of
thinking of how 'terrible' things are, we need to realize that Pluto
gave us these memories to help us. We need to know about the Original
Time and what went wrong in the Silver Millennium so we can avoid the
mistakes."

"How will we ever determine the mistakes though? We could barely remember
them in the Original Time, so how will we now?"


"I don't know," Serenity moaned in miserable tones. "We need _someone_
here who remembers it, other than Pluto! But who does?!"

"_I_ can remember it. I could help you remember it..." a voice said.

"Oh no," Mars groaned.

They turned to see Immora standing there. "I can remember parts of it.
In fact, I could go there. Or I could place a spell on you that would
cause your memories to surface. That is, if you want my help."

"Why would we want _your_ help?" Jupiter spat bitterly. "After all the
pain you've caused us?"

"I also saved your lives, and that of this galaxy," Immora cried out.
"And I paid for it! For eight months, I did! What kind of thanks is this?!"

"Thanks?!" Mars shrieked. "You think we should _thank_ you?!"

"After all I've done--"

"After all you've done wrong?! Ha!"

"What the hell do you mean?!"

"You've done so many terrible things! I feel sorry for anyone that has
to be near you anytime. Too bad people can't pick who they love,
because Akeru sure wouldn't pick you if she had a choice in the matter,
would she?!"

"ENOUGH!!!" A voice shouted.

The senshi and Immora all turned to see Queen Serenity standing in the
doorway, an angry, disappointed look on her face. "Q-Queen Serenity!"
Mars stuttered.

"I could hear you shouting all the way down the hall. I will not
tolerate this kind of behavior. Tell me what's going on, NOW."

"What's to say," Neptune said, "other than that Immora offered to help
us understand our memories and now they're getting mad at her."

"Why is that? Mars? I heard you yelling loudest, tell me why."

Mars gritted her teeth. "She thinks we owe her thanks for what she's
done. Why should we thank her?"

Immora coldly snapped, "You wouldn't even be alive if it wasn't for me!
No one in this galaxy would be!"

Queen Serenity sighed. "Immora, you can't expect thanks for your help.
The negative things you've done outweigh the positive by far."

"How can you say that?!" Immora cried out. "You don't know what all I've
lived through! For many centuries, I've tried to do what I can to help.
I teach others how to use their magic, I've saved many planets and
galaxies from destruction, I've helped the needy, I've done so many
things! I've made so many sacrifices trying to do what I can to help!
I've lost so much and barely gotten a word of thanks. I think I deserve
that much!"

Queen Serenity took a seat and gestured for Immora to do so, but Immora
remained standing. "Look, everyone, I don't know who all was involved in
this argument, but we need to look past the differences. If someone
offers to help you, you should accept."

"She probably can offer alot of help," Neptune commented. "If she's
been to that time, as she claims, she could help us understand it
better."

"Help twist our views to match _hers_!" Mars argued.

Immora narrowed her eyes. "Why do you hold such a strong grudge against
me?"

"You want to know why?! Fine. I'll tell you why. Several months ago, you
just suddenly popped up, didn't even explain who you were, and tried to
destroy this place. Saturn barely managed to stop you. You never even
apologized to us! You go around acting so haughty and superior to us.
You act like having power gives you the right to do what you want. You
only help when it benefits _you_." Mars sat back in her chair angrily.
"_That's_ why."

Queen Serenity looked to Immora. "What do you have to say about that?"

Immora was staring at Mars with wavering eyes, her hands shaking
slightly. "You want an apology? Fine. Fine. I'll give you one. I'm sorry
that my former teacher put those spells on me that made me lose most of
my memories. I'm sorry his spells made me immortal. I'm sorry his spells
caused me to lose control over my actions. I'm sorry that I have seen so
much more than you and know so much more. I'm sorry that I couldn't
control my own actions when 'I' attacked Saturn. I'm sorry for saving
this damn galaxy when no one but Akeru cares that I was comatose for
eight months and that I had a very large chance of never waking up
because I used so much magic to save everyone. Are you _happy_ Mars?
Are you happy that I've so little control over my life because of Necros?
Are you happy that I can't even remember my own family?! Are you happy
that I had to lose Akeru for so many centuries because I was manipulated
by my own best friend who I _thought_ I could trust?! ARE YOU?!" Immora
fled the room, the sounds of her sobbing echoing down the halls as she ran.

Everyone sat in stunned silence as they waited for the shock to pass. "I
had no idea..." Princess Serenity murmured. "I had no idea she felt that
way."

"I never cared," Mars grumbled. "Who can honestly say they do?"



Time: several minutes later
Place: Immora's guest quarters, the Palace



"None of them understand! They just criticize me and hate me and--"
Immora started coughing in between sobs. "They won't listen to me.
They don't care that I risked so much to save this place and--" she
broke into a fit of coughs and stopped talking. Akeru held her tightly
in her arms, trying to calm her down.

"You can't expect them to understand," she said quietly. "They're so
young. They have alot to learn."

"Why won't they at least try?" Immora whispered hoarsely.

"Maybe they don't want to try. They're stubborn. They don't know the
real you."

Immora took in deep breaths and wiped her cheeks off. "I just wish that
I didn't have to deal with this stuff. It's not fair! I never wanted to
be immortal. I never wanted to live this long. If it weren't for you,
I'd probably do everything I could to remove the spell. You're all I
have... but I love you so much... I keep on living so that I can be with
you... you're the only reason I keep going on..."

Akeru was silent for a moment. "Do you really mean that?" she asked as
gently as she could. "You have alot of things. You have students who need
you. You have gained so much knowledge. You have friends."

"They're not important! None of that's important!" Immora cried. "I'd give
it all up in a heart beat if it meant being with you forever. If something
ever happened... if you died... I'd go back to Quenhol. I'd have the
sorceresses there do everything in their power to remove the spell and let
me die."

Akeru cupped Immora's in her hands and quietly asked, "Do I really mean
that much to you? Am I really the only person that you really need?"

"Yes," Immora whispered, wiping another tear away from her cheek. "Yes,
you are."

She closed her eyes as her lips brushed against Akeru's, before they
pressed together in a long, soft kiss. They hesitated before pulling
away from each other's touch. "I love you, Immora," Akeru breathed. "I
will love you forever. I would do anything for you."

Immora relaxed against her and sighed softly. "I love you too...
always... thank you..." Her breathing slowed and she drew in slow,
shuddered breaths, trying to ease her frayed nerves. Akeru's fingers
gently stroked her hair, soothing her until Immora was calm.

Both were surprised when someone started knocking on the door. Immora
paused, then called, "Who is it?"

"Princess Venus."

Immora's eyes widened in surprise, but she allowed Venus to open the
door. The princess slowly walked in, her eyes on the floor. "Immora,
we all had a talk after you left. Um, Mars said she's sorry for yelling
at you."

"Does she really mean that or is she just trying to keep the queen from
getting mad at her again?"

Venus's head snapped up. "What??? Mars means it, really she does. She
just... well, uh, she doesn't understand why you've done the things
you've done. She would apologize in person, but... um, she thinks you
would try to attack her or something..."

"There's good enough reason for me to... but no, I wouldn't." Immora
pulled away from Akeru and stood up. "Are the senshi willing to accept
my help or not?"

Venus sighed. "Yes. We agreed that we need your help with this."

"Very well." She grabbed her cloak, which she'd thrown onto a chair,
and fastened it around her shoulders loosely. "Do you want to come,
Akeru?"

Akeru shook her head slightly. "No, I think they wouldn't appreciate
that. I'll wait here."

Immora nodded and smiled slightly. "I'll be back a bit later." She
shut the door behind her and followed Venus down the hall. "Where are
we going, anyways?" she asked as they started walking.

"There's a large room for mages on the other side of the palace. The
mages here like using it to perform spells, so we thought maybe you
would too."

Immora looked around the hallway and commented, "You do realize my
magic is still very weak? I might not be able to make the memories
surface yet since my powers are so low now."

Venus stopped short and turned around to look at her. "Immora, it was
hard enough to convince everyone to agree to this... if it doesn't
work..."

Immora sighed and looked down at the floor. "Look, I can't expect them
to understand... they don't know what it's like to have this type of
power. I may need to call a friend for help though."

"Who?"

"A student of mine named Sharra... you remember her, right? Elf, long
purple hair... besides, it would be good for her to meet the queen.
Sharra is the queen of a world called Quenhol, which lies beyond Pluto.
Maybe this could be a good opportunity to open up negotiations between
the Moon Kingdom and Quenhol."

"I remember Sharra vaguely... another world, huh? I heard some babble
about another planet being out there, but I never really believed it..."
Venus started walking down the hall again.

"Quenhol is real, you know. I lived there for a very long time, and my
all students live there. It's very beautiful. You'd probably like it,
Venus."

"Really? Maybe I'll have to-- oh, here it is."

Venus led Immora into the room and shut the door behind them. Immora
looked around the room, shocked at the similarities between it and the
rooms in the building where she taught her students. The circular room
was very large, with marble floors and a high domed ceiling, also made
of marble. The walls were made of polished wood, with a couple dozen
candle holders set in them. The candles in them were lit and shone bright,
their light reflecting off several communications crystals resting in
special holders and a large mirror standing against the wall. Magical
symbols were etched into the walls and on some of the marble pieces. A
model of the solar system was suspended in the air under the domed
ceiling, complete with each of the planets that were in the Moon
Kingdom, their moons, and light shining from the model sun. The senshi,
minus Pluto and Usagi, were standing in the center of the room, where
dozens of cushions were scattered. Immora very slowly approached them,
still gazing around the room.

"Are you ready, Immora?" Saturn asked. "We are."

Immora looked over to her. "I am... but I don't know if I have enough
magic in me right now... may I call a friend here?"

The purple haired woman nodded after exchanging glances with the other
senshi. "Please make it quick. We'd like to get this over with as soon
as possible."

Immora walked over to the communications crystal and pressed her slender
hand against it. A woman appeared on the screen. "I'm sorry, but if you
are trying to make a connection from this room, you need permission
from one of the mages--"

"I don't need permission," Immora said coolly. "I am an archmage."

The woman seemed to be unimpressed. "Unless you have proof of that--"

"I am Immora," the archmage hissed. "Doesn't that mean a thing to you?"

The woman sighed. "Ma'am, I don't care who you are, I'm required to
check with someone before I can allow anyone to make a connection."

"Whose idea was it to give crystal transmitters operators?" Immora
grumbled. "Fine, but hurry up!"

The screen went black for a few minutes. While she waited, Immora
turned to the senshi. "Sorry about that," Princess Serenity said. "We
didn't know that they would have someone on the other end to monitor
calls."

"I can't believe she didn't recognize my name..." Immora grumbled. "If
she's around mages alot, she should know it well..."

The woman appeared on the screen again. "You have permission to make a
call. Please limit it to five minutes. Your words will be monitored."

Immora finally was able to contact Sharra. "Immora, good to see you,
what do you want?" Sharra asked.

"I have a favor to ask. The senshi wish to have some memories restored,
but I don't have the energy to do it yet. Could you cast the spell for
me?"

"Yes, but why not one of the mages there?"

Immora laughed. "I don't know them! I trust you though. You are going
to have to link with my mind to do it right though, since the time we're
focusing on for them hasn't been visited by you. Come here now, they're
limiting this call and monitoring it."

"Very well, let me assign someone to assume my duties. I will be there
shortly."

Immora nodded. The screen went dark again. "Sharra is on her way and will
be here soon," she told the senshi.

"Where is she, anyways?" Mercury asked.


"Quenhol. It is just past Pluto. For some reason, the people here
haven't discovered it yet."

Mercury frowned. "It will take a long time to get here... we don't
want to wait that many hours."

"Hours? No, no, Sharra is using magic--or sorcery! She'll be here--"
Immora looked over her shoulder at the mirror. "Ah, here she comes now."

A spiraling blue light shone on the surface of the mirror, and Sharra
stepped through it. The light disappeared once she was through. The
senshi looked on with mild shock at her unusual appearance and attire.
Her eyes were slanted and ice blue, their gaze sharp and unrevealing.
Her eyebrows were slanted diagonally. Her smooth brown skin complemented
them well. Her ears went out to the sides and came to points. Her neck
was unusually long and slender. Her hair was rich purple in color and
fell to her waist. She was very tall and slender. She was clothed in
typical Quenholtian fashion. Her faded fuschia dress bared her arms
completely and reached past her knees, but the skirt was slit to bare
the sides of her legs. A thin line of gold circled under the bottom of
each breast. Her skirt was trimmed in gold, as was the armholes and the
tall collar of her dress and the small slit in the fabric that went down
the length of her neck. The faded fuschia gloves reached to her elbows
were also trimmed in gold, and the matching boots that came to her knees
also. An oval shaped white crystal was affixed to the center of her
forehead, and a string of tiny pearls kept it in place, the piece of
jewelry being a simple of royalty. Her full, pouty lips were painted dark
purple.

Princess Serenity was the first to speak, "Hello, welcome to the moon.
I'm Princess Serenity."

Sharra smiled slightly. "Queen Clorianostriana, of Quenhol."

Princess Serenity was surprised by her thick accent and name. "Nice to
meet you, Cl-Clor-- uh..."

"Just call me Sharra."

"Right, Sharra, these are my friends..." she introduced the present
senshi one by one.

"Tell me, why do you need this spell cast? Immora didn't exactly
explain it to me..."

"Um... I'll explain later... it's a long story."

"Very well. I'd like to here it later. Are you all ready?"

The senshi nodded their agreement.

Sharra went over to where Immora was. "I'm ready," she said. Immora
nodded to her as the queen placed her gloved fingers against Immora's
temples. Her lips moved slightly as she whispered the words of a spell.
As soon as she finished, she turned to the senshi. "Sit down," she said.
"You too, Immora. This spell will fill the room, and I can't prevent it
from revealing all the memories of not only the senshi but us as well.
You will all see the Silver Millennium as it was in the Original Time,
but the spell will also cause your mind to relive any other memories that
you cannot recall." As Immora and the senshi sat down, Sharra whispered
the last few words. The candles in the room dimmed slightly. The symbols
on the foreheads of the senshi began to glow, as well as Immora and
Sharra's eyes. Slowly, they began to remember. It took nearly an hour for
the spell to complete.

Their childhoods flashed before them, then their training as senshi,
their lovers, their enemies, good and bad times, then the attack on the
moon, their lives in Japan, then Mistress Nine's attack...

"NO!!!" Serenity cried. "No!"

The senshi broke free of the memories, sitting and gasping. Sharra opened
her ice blue eyes. "Did you see all that you needed to see?"

"Oh God," Serenity whispered, shaking hard. The other senshi had similar
reactions. "I saw... Beryl... the moon... death... oh god... oh god how
did it happen? And then Mistress Nine... she killed us too..." Tears
streamed down her cheeks. The senshi came over to her, all forming a
tight group hug, each wiping away tears as they whispered to one another,
trying to shake away the awful images they had seen mixed in with the good.

As they talked, Sharra looked over to Immora, and was about to ask her
what happened when her eyes widened in shock. "Senshi!" she cried.

They broke away and looked at Immora as Sharra ran over to her and
started shaking her by the shoulders. Immora's eyes were closed, her
face pale. She didn't respond at all. "Damn!" Sharra swore. "I should have
known-- the spell that is already on her-- someone get Akeru, now! Immora
isn't coming out of it!"

Uranus came over and also started shaking her. "Damnit, Immora, wake up!"
She slapped Immora's cheek, trying to get her to react, but the archmage
didn't even flinch. "What the hell's happening, Sharra?!"

"The spell I spoke... it isn't reacting well with that memory wipe
spell on her. My spell is trying to break through that spell and make
those memories surface again... I should have been more careful! There's
nothing I can do to stop it without causing damage to her mind! I'm not
skilled enough yet!"

Jupiter came running back into the room with Akeru. Akeru immediately
came over to where Sharra was. "What's happening?! Why won't she wake
up?!"

Sharra explained to her what happened. Akeru's lips compressed into a
thin line. "Sharra, you've done a very dangerous thing. Who knows if
she'll ever come out of this..." Akeru held her head in her hands.

"All we can do is wait now," Sharra said. "Until the spell breaks
through, she won't wake up."

"I'll wait with her," Akeru said.

"I will too. It's my fault," Sharra said. "I should have waited to cast
the spell... damn!" She hit her fist against the floor. "Immora taught
me to know better! I should have remembered what she said..."

"Maybe it's for the best," Mars whispered.

"What did you say?" Sharra said, looking up at her.

Mars looked down at the floor and said softly, "Immora... she seemed to
be so upset today... about how she couldn't remember so many things...
maybe now she will... that's what she wants, right?"

"You might be right," Akeru said in awe. "Mars... yes, you are right...
Immora always told me she hated not remembering... if this spell _does_
work..."

"Maybe we should go--" Mercury started.

"No," Venus said. "We insisted that she help us, so we should stay and
make sure she is alright."

And so they waited.

And waited.

And waited.



Time: unknown
Place: in a memory



As she talked with her friends in the hallway at school, she couldn't
help but feel a strange chill run down her spine. She had a bad feeling
about today, and she wasn't sure why. It was almost time for homeroom to
begin, and she was sure they'd be late if they continued talking. "C'mon,
let's get going, I don't want to be counted tardy!" she told them.

They shrugged. "Alright, let's get going."

"I think you just want to go to class today," one of her other friends
said.

She shrugged back. "I never do, I just don't want to be late! I hope
that teachers' meeting is over so we don't have to stand around waiting."

They walked to the door and were surprised to see how dark the room was.
None of the other kids appeared to be there yet. "That's odd..." she
commented as she opened the door and stepped in.

She stepped back in shock as a man suddenly walked up to her. "Who're
you?!" she gasped.

"Necros. Come with me." He reached his hand toward her and she shrieked
and threw her textbook at him.

"Get away from me!" she cried as she turned to run. Her friends started
shouting for help as the man came forward.

She gasped in shock as a piercing sound entered her mind. She dropped to
her knees, clutching her head as she tried to block out the sound. She
couldn't hear anything but that sound. The man grabbed her wrists and she
was aware of a bright light filling her vision, then suddenly, it went
black.

She shuddered and opened her eyes. Looking around, she was terrified to
see that she wasn't even in her school anymore. The walls, ceiling, and
floor around her were made of cold stone. Some furniture was strewn around,
but it was otherwise barren. The man stood there, smirking at her. "It
took awhile to finally locate you, but once we did, we knew it would be
easy to bring you here."

"Where am I?! How did I get here?!"

"I teleported you with my magic. It's quite simple actually, as you
will learn."

"What do you mean, I'll learn?!"

He grabbed a bottle of wine and poured himself a glass. After sipping
it, he responded. "I've brought you here to teach you to hone your
magical abilities."

"Magic?"

"Yes, we-- that is, my wife and I-- have determined that you have quite
a potential as a mage. It would be dangerous to let you run loose with
these unchecked abilities."

She stood up and started backing away. "Leave me alone!" she whispered
fiercely. "Let me go home!" She forced herself not to cry as he walked
towards her.

"That would be foolish. Come with me. Nagera will give you a robe to
wear and you'll start your studies."

"I don't want to! I want to go HOME!!! LET ME GO!!!"

He narrowed his eyes and suddenly she was thrown to the ground. "I
don't care what you want!" he snapped. "You won't get it! You'll listen
to me, and Nagera too, from now on, you understand that?!"

"I will NOT--"

She was cut off when he slapped her hard. A tear slid down her cheek as
she curled herself into a ball.

"This way," he said coldly as he grabbed her arm and made her stand up,
leading the way down the hall. "You better learn not to talk back, or
your next punishment will be _far_ worse than just a slap."



"Shut up!" Necros snapped at the defiant young Earth-born girl. His
firm hand connected with her cheek as he slapped her. "I won't have you
telling me that this spell goes against your beliefs! _I_ decide what
you believe in!"

The young woman hung her head, shielding her face with her hair. The
other students, clad in the black robes that everyone had to wear,
looked on, too afraid to say anything. This was a event that had
occurred rather frequently in the last few months, one which none of them
had to courage to try to stop.

The man's red eyes glowed with anger as he whipped around, causing his
long white hair to fly up. He wasn't old in appearance, but he had lived
for several centuries. "I'll send for Nagera if this keeps up!"

"She can't hurt me," the young woman mumbled. "She's hurt me alot, but
I don't even feel her slaps anymore. Or yours. You can't make me do
anything." She lifted her head proudly, her dark blue eyes piercing
his red ones.

"I can make you do anything I want," he hissed. "Nagera!"

A tall woman with chin length red hair and deep crimson eyes came in.
"What is it now?"

"She's refusing to cooperate again."

Nagera went over to the young student. "You know what I will do if you
do not obey. Aren't you tired of being hit? Why don't you just apologize
and obey?!"

"I have a right to speak my mind. He's trying to force me to learn spells
I will never use, and trying to make me do whatever he tells me." The girl
lifted her eyes and hissed, "I am tired of it!"

Nagera slapped her. "Apologize!"

"No."

She slapped her again, harder this time.

"Apologize!!"

"No!"

Nagera slapped her so hard that the young student was knocked from her
chair onto the floor. The other students murmured in surprise. "You
stupid bitch," Nagera hissed. "You think you're better than all the other
students... you don't even have a name..."

"I have a name," she gasped as she spit out blood. "You just don't
deserve to know it." She leapt at the older woman, trying to knock her
to the ground, but was surprised when her chin was struck by Nagera's
knee. She stumbled backward, clutching her bruised chin in her hand.

"You will obey us," Nagera said coldly, as she kicked the girl's ribs
hard. A crack echoed through the chamber, barely heard over the loud
scream. "Recite the demon summon spell. Now."

Tears of pain flowed down the girl's pale cheeks as she gasped out the
words, not putting in the magical energy needed to truly cast it. She
collapsed on the ground as Nagera walked away, casting Necros a disgusted
glance as if to say "she isn't worth the effort."

Necros grabbed her by the back of her robe and shoved her into a chair.
He slid a book in front of her and opened a page. "Read. Memorize.
Now." He walked away.

The girl coughed hard, sobbed, clutched her cracked ribs, and tried to
study the page. Another student came over to her. He was an elf, probably
from Quenhol, and had been here longer than the girl. "Why don't you just
give in and do what they tell you? They wouldn't have to hurt you if you
obeyed."

"They took everything from me!" she cried. "They're forcing me to do
this and I don't know why! They said I have some 'immortal magic' or
something dumb like that and that I have to listen to whatever they
tell me from now on! I don't want to!"

"Immora..." the elf murmured.

"What did you say?"

"Immora... in the Quenholtian tongue, it means 'immortal magic'. That's
what you have. That's what you are."

"I'm not magic," she gasped, laying her head on the table and groaning
in pain. "And I'm not immortal."

"Let me heal that," a human girl said, coming over to her. She gazed at
the other with eyes swirled with green, silver, and blue, her long brown
hair fell around her shoulders.

"I think not, Ka'ina," the elf hissed. "You know that when you cast a
spell with good intentions it always causes someone to fall under your
influence.."

"I'm just trying to help..." Ka'ina muttered. "It's not my fault my magic
is so screwed up." She walked back to her seat as the elf healed the young
human girl.

"You know, Immora, if they told you this you must truly be powerful.
Maybe you will become an archmage. Who knows?"

She groaned as her bones slowly healed. "I doubt it... and stop calling
me that!"

The elf sighed and stepped away. "Finished... and you should know, they
have been working on casting a spell on you when you aren't paying
attention..."

"What kind of a spell?"

"Well... it's the type that takes several exposures to take full
effect--"

"_What_ _kind_ _of_ _spell_?!"

He looked down at the floor. "Forgive me," he murmured. "Memory
suppression... you probably won't even remember this conversation..."
Her eyes widened in shock as he continued, "At certain intervals of time,
your memories will be wiped-- not fully, but you won't be able to,
well, access them. Anything important to you will be forgotten. Then,
you will continue your life, but of course, the spell will reactivate
and hide the memories that you have accumulated... and it will keep
going for who knows how long. It might not even wipe _all_ your memories,
but only select ones."

"Why?" she whispered to herself. "Why would they do this? They took me
from my home... them hit me and hit me without any real reason... I
haven't eaten or rested in weeks... why do they keep doing these things?"


"Fear," he said. "You have so much power... I can feel it. You have so
much..."

Necros came back in before he could finish. He stalked over to where
the girl and elf were. "That's enough!" he hissed, grabbing the elf's
arm and twisting it. "You have told her too much!"

"Master, please let me--" he begged.

Necros's eyes flared with red light and flames consumed the elf.

"Nooooooooo!!" she cried, trying to stop the fire. "No," she sobbed,
falling to her knees by the pile of ashes, a look of horror on her face.

"What did he call you? Tell me," Necros demanded.

"I-Immora..." she whispered. "That's what he called me."

"You are that. And so much more. He told you more than you need to know,
and you will be punished for it." He grabbed a spellbook off a shelf,
quickly read over a spell, and turned to her. "But first, there's
something else that needs to be done."

She lowered her head as he chanted the words of a spell. She felt her
blood boil with magical fire as the spell overtook her. She felt
lightheaded and dizzy, and sank down on the marble floor.

"That spell is an immortality spell. You will never age from now on.
You will live on, and feel pain, and suffer, but you will never have
death's release. I will bring Nagera here soon to punish you." He turned
and walked away. "I am tired of your constant disobedience."

She lifted her eyes to him with a sneer, "If I really am immortal now,
I'll make sure you die for what you've done to me!"

"Well then, you shouldn't be allowed control over your actions. Maybe
an insanity spell that will emerge every few years..." he said the words
before she had a chance to guard against them. She shrieked with rage as
the spell overtook her.

She sat still for a moment, shaking with anger. "No more." She stood
up, her pupils narrowing to slits. "No more. I will not take this
anymore!"

His sharp laughter stung her ears. "And what do you plan to do--"

She cried out with rage and leapt at him, a dagger magically appearing
in her hand. His eyes widened in horror as the blade dug deeply into
his chest, piercing his heart. The other students raced over, trying to
get her to stop as she repeatedly struck him, tears pouring down her
cheeks as she did so. Nagera ran in and saw her, then her husband dead
on the ground. She stood stock still in fright as the young woman's eyes
turned to her.

"You're next, Nagera!" she shouted. She started running towards the
auburn-haired woman.

Nagera could see what was coming a mile away, and hastily spoke the last
phrase of the spell to destroy the mage's memory. As the last word left
Nagera's lips, the young woman threw the dagger aside. Flames consumed
Nagera's body, burning her to death. The young woman stood, the flames
reflecting in her tear filled eyes, watching the last of the people that
had tormented her for four years finally die.

The students stood, shaking, before Ka'ina whispered, "What have you
done?"

The other clenched her fist. "What had to be done." She turned to face
them. "You saw what they did to me. You know what they did. I've done
all of us a favor."

Her head was pounding, she could feel her memories slipping away already.
Her name, her true name, she had already lost. "I'm leaving. I'm going to
Quenhol." She sighed. "The elf called me Immora," she murmured. "That's
the only name I have left anymore..."

Immora turned and walked away to the portal leading to Quenhol, to try and
build a new life.

The mages watched as she left. "You'll be back," Ka'ina said to herself.
"I will bring you back. You were a friend to me whenever those two
wretched beings would give everyone a chance to speak to each other.
I am not going to lose you. I am _not_ going to lose you!"



Time: Back to the present
Place: The mage room, the palace



Akeru had fallen asleep on a makeshift bed in the large room. Sharra
stood by the mirror, gazing into space. Serenity was the only senshi
that had stayed. She sat near Immora, watching the reflection of the
candle flames dancing in the marble. "Any reaction yet?" Sharra asked
softly.

Serenity considered her answer. "She's still asleep... but her cheeks
have some color in them finally. I think the spell broke through, so
maybe she's remembering now, and sometimes she'll twitch, so maybe it'll
be over soon. It didn't take us long to wake up."

Sharra came over and sat down by her. "Serenity... how old are you?"

"19..."

"How old were you in the Original Time?"

"When it ended, I was almost 20."

"And the Silver Millennium?"

"18... why are you asking me all this?"

"The spell was sorcery, not magic. Humans are gifted with magic, while
Elves are given sorcery, so our separate groups react different to a
spell depending on what type it is. It took me that whole hour to see
my 2,500 plus years of life, since the spell was of the type I am
attuned to, but since you are given magic, it took you an hour to see
around 60 years. That's about a year a minute. Immora has almost
3,000 years to see."

Serenity's eyes widened in shock. "Three THOUSAND?!?! She's THAT old?!"

"Yes, she is. Didn't you realize that?"

Serenity sat there for a long time. "But Akeru... she's around 20
something, right? I mean, they seem to really love each other, but
they're so far apart in age..."

Sharra chuckled slightly. "Not really... Immora stopped aging when she
was around 19. Not just physically either. Immora can gain knowledge,
but unlike the elderly, her mind stays perfectly clear, and she still
has a more youthful outlook and sharp memory of the things that haven't
been wiped out by the spell as opposed to the more senile view and
fuzzy memory. Akeru stopped aging who knows when. I don't know how old
she is, but she isn't nearly as young in years as she looks."

Serenity puzzled over that for a moment. "So how long will it take for
Immora to see all her memories?"

Sharra closed her eyes and calculated. "About 2 days, if she's able to
see all of her memories, when she does start seeing them."

"But she just woke up from her coma! Now she's missing out _again_!"
Serenity protested.

Akeru stirred and woke up. "uhhhn... what's going on?" she mumbled,
rubbing her eyes.

"Sharra says it will take 2 days for Immora to see all those memories,
whenever she does start seeing them!"

Akeru's eyes widened. "Are you serious, Cloria?!?!"

Sharra looked at her. "Yes, I am. And don't call me that."

"Sorry... but it's just..." Akeru sighed loudly. "When I came here for
that ball, it had been... let's see, thirty, maybe forty years since
I'd last seen her. Not even ten minutes later, she battled Mistress Nine
and was thrown into that eight month coma. Ever since she woke up
several hours ago, she's been working on recovering. I barely have had
the chance to talk to her. Now she's unconscious _again_..."

Serenity came over to Akeru and gave her a hug. "C'mon... it's okay...
I kinda know how you feel. Endymion's back on Earth for some military
training and I can't see or talk to him for the next few months. I know
where he is, but I can't be with him. I know this is hard on you, but
you're going to have to accept it... but you have to realize that she
_will_ wake up. She _will_."

"Thank you," Akeru said. "Really, I mean it."

Serenity grinned. "Hey, being nice is what I do. And if it makes you
feel happier, then I'm glad."

Akeru laughed slightly. "How long are you planning to stay here?"

"How long are _you_ planning to stay here?"

Akeru blinked in surprise. "Um, until she wakes up... but why--"

"Then that's how long I will stay. You'll probably need the company."
Serenity settled down further into the cushions. "So, Akeru, tell me how
you met Immora. I've always wondered about that."



Time: in a memory, over four thousand years ago
Place: in a memory, on Quenhol



She looked around the market with a smile on her face. Quenhol was such
a beautiful world. She'd been here for the past-- she didn't know. She
kept forgetting things. This world was so much pretty than the world
she had vague memories of-- what was it, Earth? She was in the capital
city, Immonu, or "Eternal City" in that language that she could remember.
The people here talked so different. This place was so different. The
sky was always bright blue unless it was night, and then the stars and
moons were so bright that you could easily see where you walked. Even
when it rained, the sky was still blue. Trees were enormous, hundreds
of feet tall, with huge, wide trunks. Houses were formed in the holes
in the trunk. Rivers flowed across the branches. Trees of every color
dotted the land. The lakes were always clean and sparkling, the air always
fresh to breathe. Even the rich green grass was beautiful. Immora walked
and listened, enjoying the sights and sounds of the place she'd come to
call home.

"Yoyta te! Crystali nomi etu! Esarul nors clo en ana aerto!"

"Aa justiel! Ka'irana kultari ju sayat..."

"Moapo shar belihty e'me..."

"Hey, let go of that! It's mine!"

Immora looked around in surprise. Had she really heard someone talk in that
language? Not Quenholtian?

"Justiel," she apologized as she pushed her way through the crowd, looking
for the source of the voice. "Gamani ye..." She stopped short when she saw
a thin young woman chasing after a boy that had apparently stolen something
from her. The woman had short, pure black hair, fair, gold tinged skin, and
dark brown eyes that were slanted like the Elves's eyes, even though she was
clearly human. She drew in a breath sharply; the woman was very beautiful,
and there was something about her that seemed familiar. Immora had the
strangest feeling when she saw her and was sure that this was the one who
spoke in the language of Earth, for she could vaguely remember some people
on Earth having eyes like that.

She started running after the woman and the boy. The woman kept
screaming stop, but of course the boy didn't understand. Immora shouted,
"Yoyta kanta!" then, "Please stop!"

Both the boy and the woman stopped. Immora slowed down and stopped when
she came close to them, gasping for air. She was never used to physical
exertion. "Please... tell me... what happened," she breathed.

"He stole my necklace!" the woman said, glaring at the boy who didn't
understand her words.

"You want it back, I assume?" Immora pushed her hair out of her face,
pulling the sleeves of her thick black dress away from her arms to
cool herself down.

"Yeah," the woman said, brushing her bangs back from her face. "Why'd
you come after us?"

"I heard you speak in this language, so I realized you must be from...
that world... what's it called?"

"Earth? Yeah, I am, but I have no idea how I got here..."

Immora laughed slightly. "Yeah, that's it... and all you have to do is
ask and he'll return the necklace."

"I can't speak that language."

Immora laughed. "I'll translate. Tell me what to tell him."

"Um... please give me back the necklace?"

Immora turned to the boy. "Yoyta sayat neresu ju pekala lanada."

The boy shyly handed her the necklace. "Tok pekala lanada Aa justiel."

Immora smiled and handed the necklace back to the woman as the boy ran
off. "Here you go. You really need to learn the language..."

As she fastened it around her neck, the woman said, "I heard both of
you say a phrase... what was it? Peh-kah-lah lah-nah-dah? What did the
two of you say anyways?"

Immora covered her mouth and giggled. "I told him 'Please give the
necklace to the pretty lady,' and he said 'tell the pretty lady I'm
sorry'."

The woman colored slightly. " 'Pretty lady', eh? Well, thanks for
getting my necklace back."

She turned to walk away, but Immora grabbed her arm and said, "Please
wait! Look, you don't know this place well, and you don't know the
language, so you'll need some help getting around... I'm willing to help
you."

"Um, I guess... thanks... what's your name?"

"I'm... well, people call me Immora, because I can't remember my real
name. You?"

"I go by Akeru. My real name is a secret." she said, holding out her hand.
Immora took it to shake, and was surprised when Akeru bent over and kissed
her hand gently. "But maybe I'll tell you someday," she added.

Immora blushed slightly. "Um, my house is... this way..." She turned and
stumbled slightly.

Akeru laughed. "What's wrong? Not used to having that happen?"

Immora nodded. "People never really make gestures like kissing on the
hands around here. Things are quite different here than they are on
Earth, if I remember Earth correctly. It's been a long time since I
lived there."

Akeru cocked her eyebrow. "You don't seem old enough to start forgetting
things easily. You look to be eighteen, but you act more mature than
that."

Immora clutched her head. Why couldn't she remember... "Actually I'm--"

She felt dizzy suddenly, and could feel herself falling but she couldn't
stop it. Her head pounded, her eyes couldn't see quite right. Her magical
senses were out of control, and she was sensing every bit of energy
that flowed around her. She couldn't regain control of her senses. Then
strong arms were around her to stop her from falling.

"Hey, are you okay? Tell me where your house is and I'll bring you there."

Immora mumbled directions and Akeru carried her in her arms to the house.
She pushed the door open with her foot, then brought Immora over to the
couch and gently laid her down. She searched for a kitchen, and was
surprised when she found a small pond in a room. She dipped a cloth in
it, then brought it over and set it on Immora's head. Brushing the blond
hair from the mage's face, she asked her, "Are you alright? You almost
passed out."

Immora closed her eyes, trying to ease the throbbing in her head. "It's
just a little bit of dizziness that I get once in awhile..."

"Maybe I should go get help--"

"No! I mean... no, please stay here... I really don't like being left
alone when these things happen... ow... my head..."

"That dress you're wearing is a really thick material, you might have
a heat stroke. Take it off, I'll go find you something a bit more
lightweight."

Akeru walked off into what looked to be Immora's room and looked for a
closet. Immora held her head in her hands to steady herself, then
slipped off her dress and wrapped a blanket around herself. Akeru
returned, tossed her a thin white dress, and turned around to wait for
Immora to change.

"could i have a glass of water?" Immora asked weakly as she lay back
down.

"Sure, where are the glasses?"

"in the cabinet near the water drip."

Akeru returned, but didn't give Immora the glass. She brought the
glass to the mage's lips and told her to drink. "You might drop it if
you try holding it," she said.

Immora nodded and gently pushed the glass away when she was done. "I'm
really sorry to trouble you like this... we just met and all..."

"It's alright. You're the only one here that can understand what I
say, so I had better keep near you. So, you were saying something
about your age?"

Immora smiled. "Yeah, I'm not really 18. I'm 1,000."

Akeru's eyes widened. "No... way... you look too young... and you act
like..."

Immora laughed. "I know, I know, I don't age physically or mentally...
and I don't act my age either... but I don't _feel_ like I'm that old,
so why act like I am?"

Akeru smiled. "That makes perfect sense. But how is it that you're this
old?"

"Well, I--" Immora stopped. Images flashed through her mind, of Necros
and Nagera... blood... fire... Immora closed her eyes tight and tried
to shut out the images flooding into her... she was surprised when
suddenly she felt hands close around her arms, trying to steady her it
seemed, from the way the clutched her.

"W-What?"

"You were screaming and shaking! What's wrong?"

Immora blinked. "I... was... I don't... I can't..." Immora pressed her
hand to her forehead. "What's wrong with me?" she whispered in a choked

voice. "What did they do to me?" she sobbed.

She covered her face with her hands as she started crying, then Akeru's
arms encircled her and pulled her close, her warm voice speaking soothing
words to calm her down. "I-I'm sorry," Immora said. "I get these...

visions... sometimes..."

"It's perfectly alright," Akeru said. "Just calm down... relax...
everything's going to be okay."

Immora closed her eyes tight and cried against her, sobbing until she
was almost too weak to move. "I... I think I should go... go to bed..."
Immora pulled away and stumbled towards her room. "You can use the
guest room... go ahead..." she fell against her bed, falling asleep
almost immediately despite the swarm of thoughts running through her
mind.



Time: in a memory, three months later
Place: in a memory, on Quenhol



What season was equivalent to summer was starting to set in on Quenhol,
and the heat was starting to be unbearable. Immora irritably noted that
this was the hottest day she'd felt in the hundreds of years she'd lived
on the planet. Today she was supposed to go to the palace, a long trek
despite the fact it was in this city. She was supposed to meet the new
queen, who was very young to rise to this position, and to place a spell
of protection on her during her coronation ceremony. Immora had heard the
queen was only 26, but since it was based on popular vote, she figure she
couldn't really complain.

She was busy studying the spell when she heard a yawn from behind her.
She turned around and smiled to Akeru, who'd just woken up. The woman
had been living here with her several months and had adjusted fairly
well to the new surroundings, but still had trouble trying to talk to
anyone since very few people knew Earth language. "It feels really hot
out," she commented. "Does it normally get this hot here?"

"No, this is the hottest it's been in the past... oh, 900 something
years," Immora turned back to the book and wrinkled her nose. "This
spell is so annoying to learn! The book doesn't give any indication of
how to pronounce it, and I am not good at all with sorcery."

Akeru laughed. "You'll figure it out, you're a very intelligent woman.
I'll be right back, I'm going over to your neighbors' for a moment."

Immora nodded and wistfully watched her walk outside. Akeru was such a
kind, thoughtful person, and in the past several months, Immora had grown
very close to her. She had told her all about her life-- what she could
still remember of it-- and was always honest with her. She wasn't sure
yet just how much this woman meant to her, but she already felt as if
she couldn't live without her friendship.

Immora's eyes drifted to the pages again, trying to memorize the words.
She almost had it, if she just repeated it several more times... she
whispered the phrases softly to herself, not putting any magical energy
in them for fear the spell would form prematurely, or if she
mispronounced it, one she didn't mean to cast would happen. She knew
from experience that when she did finally get it correct, there would
be a rush of magic in her that would indicate that this was indeed the
right pronunciation.

She was so busy studying the words she didn't notice Akeru come back
in. Akeru sat down beside her and looked at her quizzically, but before
she could ask what Immora was doing, Immora warned her to be quiet. She
continued to mouth the words.

She was trying them for the eleventh try when a touch on the back of
her neck made her jump in surprise. Akeru gently brushed her long hair
off her neck and began to gather it into a ponytail. She coughed
slightly. "Sorry, but you looked very warm so I thought you might want
to get the hair off your neck."

"Um... that's okay..." Immora said softly. She almost forgot about the
spell as she sat trembling slightly at the feeling of Akeru's fingers
brushing against her neck. She cursed herself for being so embarrassed
at the simple gesture of kindness.

"There, is that better?"

Immora blinked slightly. "Oh, um, yes, thanks... I... I need to finish
this spell..."

"Why don't you ask that lady... what's her name? to help you with it.
She seems to know alot about magic and sorcery and things."

"What lady? There's alot of people around here who use magic and sorcery."

"That one purple Elf lady."

Immora frowned. "Oh yeah, her. I can never remember her name. I can't keep
track of everyone's names. There's too many people in this city!"

Akeru laughed. "You're right about that. When do you have to leave for
the palace?"

Immora looked out the window at the sun. "In an hour... damnit, I need to
learn that spell!"

"Well, like I said, ask her for help so you can learn it before we
leave for the palace."

" 'We'? I didn't know you were coming too," Immora teased.

Akeru grinned. "Of course I am. If you go off to the palace, I'll be
lost. No one would understand what I said. Besides, I'd miss you.
You'll probably have to stay a few days for the ceremonies and all."

Immora nodded slightly. "I guess we should go to her now."

"Yup. Have you packed at all for the trip?"

Immora nodded again. "I- We'll come get the things before it's time
to leave. You should probably pack too--oh! I forgot! We'll need some
food for the trip... Get some paper and write this down."

Akeru grabbed a paper and pen, then wrote down the words Immora said.
"This is all Quenholtian isn't it?" she asked. "I don't understand any
of what you told me."

"The first two lines are how you ask to purchase something. Then tell
him the other items. That last one--yeah, the one you're pointing to--
you say that to let him know that I'll pay him later for it. He should
know you don't speak the language."

"Okay, see you soon?"

"Yeah."

Immora walked outside with Akeru, then walked in the other direction
while Akeru went to get the food. She felt nervous going to the
sorceress's house. The woman was at least five thousand years her
senior, incredibly skilled in sorcery. Immora was worried that the
woman would frown upon her asking for help with a spell like this. She
was about to turn around and go back home when it struck her-- the
spell really wasn't magic, it was sorcery, something that humans could
almost never learn without an Elf's help, which Immora would need to
learn the spell. Had Akeru realized this when she made the suggestion?
She _was_ incredibly bright, but did she really know anything about
sorcery and magic? Immora had sometimes sensed an unusual energy within
her, but could never pinpoint what it was. Could she have abilities in
those fields?

Immora continued on and was surprised when the sorceress opened the
door before she knocked. "Come in," she said. "Welcome."

Immora stood frozen in shock a moment. "How did you know that la--"

"I study it some. Try to learn what I can. Not easy. Odd way of speak.
I not very good at it yet, will get better."

Immora slowly nodded her head. Well, if I can learn hers, she can learn
mine, she reasoned. Still, it was unnerving to hear a Quenholtian
speak an Earth tongue though.

"Something wrong?"

"No," she lied, "I was just trying to remember your name."

"Lorenada. No stand there more, come in."

Immora walked in after the woman, taking awhile to look over her to etch
her appearance and name in her mind. She'd have to check the records
back at the mage study to see if she was listed, so she'd need to remember
them. Lorenada was one of the Pure Elves, she noted. The Elf's ears rose
to points, unlike Forest Elves, who's pointed ears slanted out to the
sides. Lorenada had lavender skin, long purple hair with a slight
magenta tinge, and royal purple eyes that had a definite slant to them
similar to Akeru's, with a small mole under the inside corner of her
right eye. She was tall and thin, even for an Elf. She wore a silky
magenta dress with several arcane markings on it. Six silver earrings
decorated her left ear, each shaped like a sharp tooth, while the other
ear had a chain attached to her lobe and then to a cuff higher on her ear.

"Ellae..." Immora breathed when she entered the woman's study. In typical
Quenholtian fashion, she lived in a house formed by a hollow in a tree,
but she'd taken extra care to polish the wood on the walls and ceiling,
and to add marble to her floors. Rich tapestries decorated the walls,
along with dark blue and crimson rugs, curtains, and furniture. Crystal
balls for communications were resting in silver stands, along with
several long shelves filled with books.

"[It is beautiful!]" Immora said in the Quenholtian language.

"[Ah, good, you are speaking _our_ language. I find yours cumbersome
and irritating.]"

"[I've spoken Quenholtian far longer than 'my' language. I'm quite fluent.]"

"[What about the young woman that's been with you these past few months?
Does she know any?]"

Immora stopped short, shocked by the sudden question. "[You've seen her
with me?]"

"[Yes, I watch over all that happens in this city. What was her name?
I could never pronounce it.]"

"Akeru."

"[Eh? What does that mean?]"

Immora sat down in a chair across from Lorenada and considered her answer.
"[I am not entirely sure. I don't really know the language, but I remember
some words. I believe it means 'sunrise', if I _do_ remember correctly.]"

"[Don't all Terrans speak the same language?]"

"[Not entirely. She doesn't realize it, I don't think, that Quenhol runs
on a different sort of time than Earth. Did you know that we can live
thousands of years here, then go to Earth in the same time we left?
Earth, while we're on this world, will age, but we can always travel
back to where we started. Right now, though, Earth is farther into the
future. The time she came from is the same one I did-- a thousand years
ago, to us. Everyone speaks one tongue on Earth now, but she isn't from
that Earth, she's from mine. I speak with her in a language called
English.]"

"[You didn't tell her about the time flow?]"

"[No... I forgot to... I have never really found time for it anyways.]"

Lorenada sighed. "[You need to find time... or bring the Guardian of
Time in to explain... I believe she doesn't like how our planet is
separate from the time she's used to controlling... What did you come
here for anyways?]"

"[I'm trying to learn a protection spell to place on the new queen,
but it's sorcery--]"

"[I understand. She'll probably need it... either that or one of us
would have to teach her magic or sorcery so she can protect herself.]"

"[Why me though? Why am I the one who should place the spell on her?]"

"[They would have picked me--a sorceress-- to do it, but a mage has
never been in a royal ceremony before. They wanted a wellknown mage
to do it. You are the oldest mage alive, don't you know that?]"

Immora shook her head. "[I didn't. What is the queen's name anyways?]"

"[Clorianostriana.]"

"[What a name!]"

"[I know, she goes by Sharra more commonly though.]"

Not long after that, Lorenada explained the spell to her and how to
speak it, and Immora left and went back to her house, telling Lorenada
thank you as she left. She returned to see Akeru sitting on the couch,
all the items they'd packed sitting around her. She smiled sheepishly
at Immora. "I got the things... but I think I made a fool of myself in
front of the man at the store."

"Why do you say that?"

"Well, I got the groceries okay, but then when I was trying to get
these I had some difficulty, and I tried to say the word but I guess
I said the wrong thing and it took me awhile to get it right--"

"What are you referring to, that you were trying to say?"

"Close your eyes."

Immora raised her eyebrow, but complied. "Okay, open them."

Immora was surprised to see Akeru now standing in front of her, holding
several flowers of a type Immora had never seen before in her hand.
"Akeru, what did you get these for?" Akeru handed them to her and Immora
stood staring at her.


"I thought you'd like them. Do you?"

"Yes, I do..." Immora looked down at them. These are very rare... she
thought to herself. Waitaminute, I told her to tell them I'd pay for
everything--

"In case you're wondering, I've been saving some money I earned
helping our neighbors in their garden. Took me two months, but--"

Akeru stopped as Immora hugged her tightly. "Thank you," she whispered.
"I really appreciate it."

Akeru blushed slightly. "Um, you're welcome."

Immora placed them in a stasis crystal in her room, then came back
into the main room. "Well, I guess we should go. We're going to have to
walk, so we should bring some packs."

Immora got the packs from her room, and was putting items in them when
Akeru told her, "You're going to have a heat stroke again, wearing those
thick black dresses of yours. Especially on a day like this, you should
really wear something more lightweight."

Immora considered it a moment. She was right, after all. Immora often
had dizzy spells and the heat only made them worse... Akeru was prepared
for it, unlike her. She'd worn lightweight cotton pants and a thin white
shirt, while Immora was standing there like a fool in a long, thick dress.

"Can you finish my packing while I go change?"

"No problem."

Immora came back wearing a pale blue cotton dress. "Okay, I'm ready to go."
She picked up her packs and strapped them onto her back. "By the way,
Lorenada told me how to say the spell."

"Oh really? That's good. One less thing to worry about, eh?"

Immora laughed as they left her house. "Yes, it is. And once she told
me it, it was so easy to remember. I felt silly asking her."

Akeru laughed with her as they entered the forest that led to the
castle. "I hate trying to talk to people around here; no one understands
me!"

"How did the neighbors know you wanted to help then?"

Akeru shrugged. "She was working in the garden, so I came over and
started helping. She tried to talk but she could tell I didn't
understand. When we were done, she gave me some money. The next day,
I came back. She paid me again. It kept going on until I had enough
money to buy the flowers. I never asked for pay, but since she was
giving me money, I decided I should buy you something with it."

Immora's eyes widened in surprise as they crossed a stream. "That was
very nice of you to do that for me... I want to thank you, but I don't
know how... I know! The protection spell I learned... after the
ceremony, I'll put it on you."

"What is that spell for anyways?" she asked.

Immora lowered her head as they continued walking. "It's supposed to
keep you from receiving extensive physical harm... it only works to a
certain extent, but it's very helpful... I don't want you to be hurt, ever,
that's why I want you to give it to you. I know it's not really much--"

Akeru walked over closer to where she was. "It means alot to me...
what you just said. Thank you."

Immora felt oddly nervous after that. "Um, you're welcome." She watched
the ground as she walked, aware of Akeru walking next to her. It was
silent, with only the sounds of the animals living in the forest to hear.
She felt like she had to say something, do something, anything to break
the silence. She slowly reached her hand over to Akeru's and gently
clasped in. She felt Akeru tense up at first, as if startled, then
after a few moments she squeezed Immora's hand back.

"You alright?" Akeru asked, looking around in the trees as they walked.

"I'm fine..." Immora said slowly, even more nervous than before. Her
hand almost slipped from Akeru's, and she looked up at her face slowly.
Akeru looked calm at first glance, but as Immora studied her face she
noticed a faint blush on her cheeks. "You're blushing," she whispered
softly, barely enough to be heard.

Akeru looked over to her. "Am I?" she asked with a faint smile.

"Yes, you are." Immora turned away, looking at anything that caught her
eye... the waterfall dropping off the ledge next to them, the shadows
in the trees, silhouettes of animals in the distance. "Why are you?"

"Huh?"

"Why're you blushing? I'm guessing it's because I'm holding your hand...
why does that make you blush?"

Akeru's pace slowed to a stop. "Immora... I..." Her fingers slid away
from Immora's as she turned away, clutching her arms in her hands. "I
think I--"

Before she could finish, Immora heard a noise and whirled around. That
noise she heard behind them, it sounded like a knife being unsheathed--

She gasped in shock as a woman leapt from the trees and knocked Akeru
to the ground. She twirled around and kicked Immora's legs, painfully
dropping her to the ground too. Her knife was at Immora's throat,
keeping her from moving.

"Let her go!" Akeru shouted in a horrified voice.

"I think not," the woman said, surprisingly speaking the Earth tongue
fluently. "I've been told to kill both of you."

Immora trembled, too afraid to try to cast a spell. The woman looked to
be half human, half Forest Elf, and would undoubtedly know she was
trying to use her magic. She had bright red hair which she wore in an
unusual style--it was pushed back from her face, except for a small
section falling across her right temple, then parted in the center,
with the sections of hair that probably normally reached her chin
rising up in the air. Her skin was pale green, like many Forest Elves'
skin, but her ears had only small points to them, not long enough to be a
true Forest Elf. Her dark emerald eyes lined with thick forest green
liner had a slight slant, her eyebrows also slanting, but the shape of
her face, the low cheekbones and downturned nose, along with the thin,
dark green painted lips were distinctly human. She was thin, but also
muscular, the nearly black leather tinged green she wore clinging to her
like a second skin, with a light brown trench coat that was very long in the
back with the sleeves rolled up to her elbows worn over her bodysuit.
A second bodysuit, this one light brown, covered her chest partially in
an "m" shape, was tight around her torso but baggy in the legs where
she tucked it into her tall dark boots. The small green circles that
went down the front of her dark bodysuit along with the sides of her arms
and legs marked her as an assassin. Immora closed her eyes tightly and
tried not to scream. She tried to remind herself that she couldn't be
killed... but then she could imagine just how painful it would be, to
be wounded so horribly and to not be granted death.

"Please, let her go! Don't do this!" Akeru pleaded in a voice dripping
with fear. "You can't kill her, so please don't try!"

The assassin only laughed. "Whether she will die or not, it is my job
to at least try."

Immora gasped in pain as the woman drew her knife across the side of
her neck, not deep enough to cause major bleeding, but the stinging
sensation was terrible.

"Leave her alone!" Akeru screamed. Immora looked to her and saw she was
close to tears. Akeru fumbled in her pack and pulled out a metal object
... a gun. "Let her go or I'll KILL YOU!!"

The woman chuckled and pressed the knife near the front of Immora's
throat. Immora gulped, and felt sweat drip down her forehead. Akeru's
hands trembled, barely managing to keep a grip on her weapon that she
was aiming at the assassin's head. Her face was drawn tight with fear,
the beads of sweat obvious as she bit her lip. "I-I'm warning you--
don't try anything else--"

"Drop the gun," the assassin hissed. "If you don't, I'll kill her
right now."

Akeru stood still in fright, then she lowered the gun and dropped it on
her ground. She buried her head in her hands and sobbed.

Immora felt a dull ache go through her. She wanted to run over to Akeru
and hold her tight and comfort her. She only vaguely heard a voice say
to the assassin, "Hurry up and do it, E'melok," before she realized that
she was drawing in her magic. She fearfully stopped as the knife pressed
into her skin slightly.


"You just sit right there and don't move," E'melok hissed as she walked
over to Akeru.

"Don't hurt her!" Immora cried. "She hasn't done anything to harm you!"

E'melok laughed and kicked Akeru in the side. Akeru cried out in pain
and tried to pull away as E'melok grabbed her arm. "Don't struggle too
much, there's a river next to you that leads to a very long waterfall,
and I am sure you wouldn't want to go off it."

E'melok kicked Akeru again, then slapped her across the face. Immora
trembled hard, trying not to cry as she watched. Finally, she had seen
enough. She couldn't take it anymore. E'melok continued to hit Akeru,
not noticing that Immora was quickly drawing in her magic. Immora leapt
at E'melok, fire blazing around her. E'melok screamed as the flames bit
into her skin, but managed to shove Akeru into the river as she tried
to fight off Immora.

Immediately, Immora turned to dive into the river after her, not
noticing that E'melok had slashed her across the back with her knife.
She dove into the river, trying to swim to Akeru, but her skirt was
dragging her and she couldn't swim in the fast current. Akeru barely
kept above the water, gasping for air as she kicked her legs to remain
above the surface. Immora felt herself being dragged under and couldn't
do anything to stop it. Her neck and back burned with pain as the cold
water bit into her wounds. She was thrown against a rock by the current,
and couldn't work up the strength to keep herself above the surface.
She was pulled under the water, her lungs feeling like they'd burst
from lack of oxygen. She tried to push herself up but was too weak.
She felt herself brush against something underwater-- was it Akeru?--
as she plummeted down the waterfall to the water below.



It felt like hours later when she opened her eyes. She'd washed up on
the shore. The sun was beating down on her, and had already dried her.
Waves gently lapped at her feet. She was aware of someone beside her,
breathing deeply. She closed her eyes, trying to block out the light.
Her magical senses felt like they were on fire, and she couldn't help
but feel the energy running through everything around her-- the water,
the forests, herself... when she could feel the energy coming from the
person next to her, she realized it was Akeru. There was something
distinctive about her energy, Immora noticed, a certain note in it that
was unique to her.

"I-Immora?" came a cracked whisper.

Immora rolled over on her side to see her friend was also exhausted.
"Are you alright?"

"I don't know," Immora admitted in a soft whisper. "I feel awful..."

She lay there, gazing into Akeru's beautiful eyes, aware of Akeru's
gaze on her at the same time. She felt a slight ache go through her,
but it wasn't the one of pain she'd felt earlier. "Akeru..." she
whispered. "I..."

She stopped, her voice leaving her as Akeru sat up, pulling her against
her as she wrapped her arms around her. Immora returned her embrace,
burying her head against her as she fought tears, pressing her cheek to
hers. Akeru whispered soothing words to her as she stroked her knotted
hair. Immora whispered in a choked voice, "I didn't want you to be
hurt... I didn't want her to kill you... and look what happened... you
could have drowned or something in that waterfall..."

She felt Akeru's tears against her cheek. "I didn't want you to be hurt
either... Immora, I don't want you to ever be hurt, not by anyone, not
in any way... you mean too much to me."

They lay staring at each other for a little bit, neither wanting to speak
for the moment.

"I love you," Akeru said after a few moments. "I was too afraid to tell
you any sooner, but I love you, fully and completely..."

"I love you too," Immora returned. "I wasn't sure for a long time...
I've never loved anyone before... but ... oh god... Akeru, you're
everything to me..."

Akeru kissed her forehead gently. "And you're everything to me... thank
you... for being here for me..."


Immora felt a blush rise through her cheeks. "Thank you... for all that
you've done for me..." Immora shut her eyes, wrapping her arms tighter
around Akeru. Akeru stopped stroking her hair and pressed her hand to
the back of Immora's head. Then her soft, warm lips were against
Immora's, kissing her gently as Immora slid her arms around Akeru's
neck and returned the kiss with deep passion. Her tongue darted into
Akeru's mouth as the other woman pulled her closer to her. She closed
her eyes tight, wishing for the kiss to never end. Finally, they pulled
away from each other and rested their heads against each other.

Akeru smiled at her and Immora shyly smiled back. They lay there, holding
each other, until they drifted away into sleep.



"[Immora? Wake up. *ahem* Please wake up, Immora.]"

"Huh?" Immora stirred and woke up to see three of the Royal Guards
standing over her and Akeru. The two human males, accompanied by an
female Forest Elf, watched her as she sat up further. She winced in
pain, her hand trailing to her neck where she'd been cut, noting the
numbness in her back from the cut she hadn't felt earlier. Akeru
remained cuddled against her, still asleep, as Immora looked up at the
guards. She looked around and noticed it was almost dusk--how long had
they been asleep? "[What are _you_ here for?]" she asked coldly.

"[Well, you were supposed to have arrived a few hours ago for the
coronation ceremony, so we'll probably have to wait until much later or
tomorrow to have it. Please stand up and wake up your friend.]"

Immora gently nudged Akeru until she woke up. "Hmmm? What's going on?
It's almost sunset???"

"Three of the Royal Guards are here since we were late. Stand up."

They both stood up and the Forest Elf guard looked them over. Immora's
wounds had scabbed lightly, and bruises stood out on Akeru's skin.
"[You've been attacked, I see. By whom?]"

"[An assassin by the name of E'melok.]"

The Forest Elf looked immediately to the other two guards. "[I am
surprised you survived the attack! She is a very dangerous woman,
quickly rising in the ranks of the Assassins' Guild. We'd heard they
might try to kill someone before the ceremony, but we never thought
they really would.]"

Immora's eyes flickered slightly and she raised an eyebrow, almost in
amusement. "[And _why_ would they send her to kill me? Why would they
involve Akeru?]"

"[They probably felt that if you were killed, the queen would be left
vulnerable and they'd be able to move in easily to kill you. I don't
know why they would attack this woman who's with you though. You need
to come with us now, the ceremony's been delayed long enough already...
and you both need healing.]"

As the guards turned to lead them, Akeru asked Immora, "What just
happened?"

Immora laughed slightly, "They told me that E'melok tried to kill us to
sabotage the ceremony, and that they came to find us because we're so late.
We to go with them to the palace for the ceremony and to receive healing."

"I _really_ need to learn this language," Akeru mumbled irritably as
they started to walk behind the guards.

Immora laughed again and took her hand. "I could ask someone to make a
translation crystal for you. I would make one if I knew how, but they
are difficult to make. They could translate people's words in your mind
for you, and whatever you say will come out sounding to others as being
their own language. It only works when you want it to."

"Sounds like a handy thing to have."

"It is. I had one when I first came here, but not long after I finished
learning the language, it broke."

"Huh, that's odd... Hey, if we were so late, how come they aren't more
upset about it? It _is_ important, right?"

Immora grinned at her. "Quenholtians are funny about things like time.
They try hard to be punctual, but if you end up being late, it's really
no big deal. We could have turned up three days late and they would have
waited the whole time for us."

"That's unusual... I guess it worked in our favor though."

"Well, the Quenholtians do tend to think in ways that work to the
advantage of everyone. Quite nice, if you ask me."

They continued to follow the guards, talking quietly with each other,
until Immora asked them to stop. "[Is something wrong?]" one of the
guards asked.

"[Ahhh... my back... ow... sorry, the cuts sting bad...] Akeru, you
still have your pack, did you happen to bring any medicine with you?"

"No, sorry," Akeru said. "I didn't think we'd need any."

"[I know a bit of sorcery,]" the Forest Elf said. "[Would you like me
to heal them? You might have been poisoned you know. Your friend can
wait, but you can't if you are.]"

Immora nodded as the woman came over and said the words of the spell.
The wounds healed slowly. "[I'm surprised that spell took so long. Where do
you draw energy from?]"

"[I tend to align my magic with the forests, and one type of tree in
particular has healing properties. I drew on the power of those trees.]"

"[Who was your teacher?]"

"[Lorenada, why?]"

Immora frowned. "[A powerful sorceress like her shouldn't waste her time
teaching, and I would expect her to do a better job. She should have told
you that using trees for healing energy is absurd.]"

"[Er, do you know her?]" the Elf asked.

"[It doesn't concern you, now does it?]"

"[Oh. We should continue on.]"

They continued to walk through the woods until they reached the palace.
Akeru's eyes widened in shock at the sprawling grounds. "What do you
think?" Immora asked her.

"It's wonderful!" Akeru said in awe.

The palace itself covered a few miles of space and was made of marble
and crystal, with tall spires stretching towards the sky and domed
roofs, several murals decorating the walls. The grounds around the
palace were filled with gardens and small shops, some temporary huts
while others were more permanent. All types of Quenholtians-- Humans,
Pure Elves, Forest Elves, Katrisa, and even a few Dragana-- walked
among the buildings, talking, doing business, and preparing for the
ceremony. The palace had stood for thousands of years, and was open
to all but a few. People turned to watch them as they entered the
grounds through a gate in front, for the ground were surrounded by a
high wall. Several people dropped to their knees, others trying to push
their way over, while the rest ignored them.

"[We'll be entering through the east doors,]" one of the guards said
as he led them to a large wooden door with carvings on it. "[Then
proceed down the hall until you reach the ninth door on the right.]"

"[You can leave us,]" Immora said as she walked down the hall with Akeru
following her.

"I'm assuming we are going to a room somewhere?" Akeru asked.

"Yep. I have to prepare for the ceremony. A guard told me while we were
walking here that they would announce our arrival and the ceremony would
start a few hours following. I need to change and they'll probably give us
some food."

"Oh... hey, Immora? Why were all those people trying to get over to
where we were, and some of those people started kneeling and all when
we walked in? Are they really so surprised to see people?"

Immora tightened her lips as they approached the door. "No, not
surprised to see people, surprised to see me."

"Why would they be?"

Immora sighed and opened the door. "Akeru... I haven't really told you
this... I'm quite well known on this world, for many things both good

and bad. Everyone except for the newborns and those who have lost their
memories know who I am. I have been a sort of ambassador between the
mages and the government. Some people even have started some strange
sort of worshipping towards me. I rarely go into heavily populated areas
to avoid the attention, and that's why I live out in the woods. They
are surprised to see me because of that."

They entered the room in silence. Five women sat in there, three humans,
a Pure Elf, and a Forest Elf. Immora didn't recognize either of the Elves,
but could tell by their clothing that they were assistants to whoever would
be at the palace as a guest, two of the humans seemed to be dressmakers
of some sort, but the other human... she didn't look Quenholtian at all.
Her hair was long and dark green, pulled back in a bun with the loose
ends hanging down to her waist, with deeply tanned skin and crimson eyes.
She wore a long black dress with several pieces of silver jewelry, and in
one hand she held a long silver staff that resembled a key, with a
decoration on top shaped like a heart with a magenta gem set into it. Immora
suddenly felt a chill go down her spine, and a strange prickling
sensation on the back of her neck. She had a feeling she should know
this woman, but she wasn't sure where from.

Akeru, however, looked at the green haired woman, almost in horror. "You!"
she gasped.

The woman narrowed her eyes. "Yes?"

"Akeru, who is that?" Immora asked in a slightly choked voice. Her
magical senses were flaring out of control and she couldn't prevent
herself from drawing in magical energy.

Akeru was frozen in place with shock and didn't answer. "[Is something
wrong?]" one of the Elves asked. "[Oh, just ignore that lady over there.
We don't know why she's here. Says her name is 'Setsuna']."

Setsuna... where had she heard that name before? Immora took an
involuntary step back. What was this strange sensation? It was as if she
recognized the woman, but she'd never seen her before! "Who are you?!"
she demanded, slipping into the Earth tongue in her confusion. "What do
you want?!"

Setsuna answered calmly, "I'm just here to observe. I won't interfere
with you."

"The hell you won't!" Akeru shouted.

Immora turned to her. "Do you know this woman?!"

Akeru shuddered slightly. "She's the one who brought me here... she
just suddenly appeared and took me away from my home..."

Immora narrowed her eyes. "Look, 'Setsuna', I don't exactly feel
comfortable having you here. If you don't tell us who you are and why
you're here--"

"Yes, you'll use your magic, won't you?" Setsuna cut in. "I told you
already, I am here to observe. Don't worry about it."

Immora clenched her fist. "There's more to you than that, isn't there?
You really expect us to believe that you're only here to watch things?"

"It is my duty as the Guardian of Time."

Immora felt like she'd been frozen in place. The Guardian of Time...
here??? What would she be doing here? Why had she taken Akeru here?
"What's going on?" she whispered to herself.

"[Um, excuse me? Immora? We need to begin fitting you, if you could come
over here please.]"

Immora nodded weakly and walked over. She didn't notice the dressmakers
as they started measuring her, and could only wonder about the presence
of the Guardian of Time. She'd always been told that she never, EVER left
her post, except for rare occasions when she went to Earth to assume her
role as a "Sailor Senshi". But here she was, on Quenhol of all places,
acting as if she'd lived here all her life and ignoring Akeru's accusations.

Akeru, however, watched Setsuna with narrowed eyes. She was incredibly
upset to see this woman here. Immora looked over to her, her eyes more
than anything warning her to not try to attack the Guardian. Akeru
stifled a sigh.

"[Hmmm... blue or purple?]"

Immora blinked in surprised. "[What?]"

"[Blue or purple. Which one would you prefer for your dress?]"

"[Blue.]" She turned to an assistant. "[You there, get my friend a
translations crystal.]"

"[Yes, m'lady, I'll go get one for her.]"

The assistant left the room to find the crystal and Immora told Akeru
where she was going to. Akeru just nodded, then her eyes widened in shock.
"Immora-- Setsuna isn't here anymore!"

"What?!" Immora whirled around and saw that the woman had indeed
disappeared. "Where could she have gone to?" she murmured. "And without
anyone noticing her?"

"[Ma'am, if you don't mind me saying so, your friend might like a healing
spell, some new clothes, a bath perhaps? You seem to have had a rough
journey.]"

"[Excuse me, my friend still needs a translations crystal. I will not do
anything until the assistant is able to return with it.]"

"[Alright.]"

The assistant soon returned and handed the crystal on a thin gold chain
to Akeru. She put it on and her eyes widened in amazement. "It feels...
different..."

"That's just the sorcery taking effect," Immora commented. "Don't worry,
it won't take long to work. In fact, I'm speaking in Quenholtian now.
Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Akeru nodded in awe. "This will be a handy thing to have."

"Excuse me?" one of the dressmakers said. "Excuse me, umm..."

"Akeru."

"Yes, Akeru, we were just saying that you might like us to heal those
bruises, then you'll probably want to wash up and get some clothes made.
This _is_ an important ceremony, after all."

Akeru nodded her agreement. One of the assistants came forward and cast
the healing spell on her. The bruises faded almost immediately. "There
you go, the bath houses are that way. Oh, Miss Immora, you might want to
consider bathing also."

"I will when I feel like it," Immora said coldly. "Stop making suggestions
and do your job."

The dressmakers took a quick measurement of Akeru before telling them
they could go. Immora sighed and took Akeru's arm in hers. "It'll take
awhile for them to finish our clothes. Might as well go down to the bath
houses."

"Um, if you don't mind me asking, but are they, well--"

"Public baths? Pretty much. You get used to them after awhile. Besides,
it's a nice change from the river behind my house. These baths are
heated."

Immora opened the door and Akeru followed her in. There were two giant
pools of water inside, a large amount of steam rising off one of them.
Towels were neatly folded on tables and chairs all around the room.
Several closed doors led to where the showers were. The bath houses
were empty at this time of night. "That one steaming over there would
probably come close to burning our skin. The Elves have a much higher
tolerance for temperature than humans and wouldn't notice." She pulled
her hair up and pinned it to keep from getting it wet, then she started
slipping out of her dress and stopped when Akeru emitted a slightly
choked sound. "Something wrong?" she asked.

"Sorry... it's just... ummm..." Akeru turned away quickly.

Immora giggled slightly and set her clothes on a chair. "I think I
understand. The first time I came here there was already five people
using the baths and I nearly had a heart attack when one of my
Quenhol-born students told me it would be rude to just stand there.
The Quenholtians are far different from Earth people, remember?
Nudity isn't that big of a deal to them."

Immora slipped into the bath and cocked an eyebrow at Akeru, who was
adamantly avoiding looking her way. "Akeru, come on," she prodded. "If
you're _that_ nervous, I promise I won't look. You have to get in
eventually, you know. After being on the trail, we both got pretty
dirty. Besides, if you want, I _can_ put a spell on the water so that
you can't see through it-- quite useless spell in most cases, actually,
but it would make you feel better, wouldn't it?"

"Oh alright," she grumbled. Immora turned away and spoke the spell as
waited for her to finish undressing. She felt the water ripple as
Akeru slid in. "There, I'm in. Happy?"

Immora laughed slightly. "You're rather touchy about this. It's not
_that_ bad, is it?"

"It's embarrassing," she murmured. "And it makes me really nervous."

Immora chuckled and pointed a finger at herself. "It's just _me_,
Akeru! It's not like it's someone you don't even know..." She moved
over near Akeru and whispered teasingly, "We'll probably end up seeing
each other without clothes one day anyways, so you should just get used
to it."

"Immora!" Akeru gasped in shock, staring at her with wide eyes. "How
can you say something like that?!"

She shrugged slightly and looked up at the skylight above them. "When
you've been around as long as I have, you tend to be a little blunt
with your words."


Akeru still seemed a bit shocked. "That was _blunt_ alright..."

"Well, it's true, isn't it?"

Akeru coughed. "Well, I... ummm..." she turned away to hide her face.

Immora smiled slightly. "I'm just trying to lighten you up. You seemed
so upset when Setsuna was there. Try to enjoy yourself and loosen up,
alright?"

Akeru sighed and leaned back against the side of the pool. "I'll try...
my nerves are still strung pretty tight though... I was really scared
when I first saw her there. I thought she'd take me away again. I really
don't want to leave Quenhol, especially since this is where you live."

"I'd go with you, you know, so it's nothing to worry about."

Akeru smiled slightly. "I know... Immora?" Her smile turned to a frown.
"Doesn't it bother you at all... knowing that you'll outlive me by
far? I'll be dead sooner than you realize."

Immora froze in place and her heart felt like it slowed. She'd never
considered that... Akeru was mortal, and here she was, over a thousand
already... "Oh my God... I never thought..." She buried her face against
her knees. She'd live so much longer than Akeru... she'd have to live
on knowing that Akeru was dead... "I don't think I'd be able to live
with myself if you died," she whispered. "Maybe... there's some way..."

"That I can live longer? I hope so. I want to spend my life with you...
and if you feel the same, well... since your life is going to be pretty
long, I'm going to _have_ to extend mine somehow..."

Immora nodded slowly. "I could ask someone... to..." She bit her lip
hard as she considered her words. "I... Akeru, it's not that I don't
want to be with you... but I don't know if you really should do this...
I mean, I love you, and I want to spend my life with you, but being
immortal, having a longer life... it's awful. I hate it. I don't think
you'd want to have the same kind of immortality that I have."

"Maybe there's a way to arrange it so I live as long as I feel like
living?"

"I think so..." Immora sighed softly. "I wish _I_ could choose... I've
nearly been killed three times, and only because of that spell I
survived. But I still had to feel all the pain... until I could heal
myself..." She shuddered and wiped a tear from her eye. "I would hate
to see you live with that kind of suffering. If you ever, _ever_ get
hurt like that, don't make yourself suffer unless there's someone there
to heal you, because believe me, you WILL feel the pain for as long as
the wound remains, and it'll stay for a long, long time if you can't
get healing..."

Akeru slid over beside her and (almost shyly) slipped her arms around
Immora. Immora blushed very faintly, but returned the gesture and hugged
her. "Immora, I can endure it, I will endure it willingly, because it'll
mean that I can stay with you."

"Are you sure?"

She gently kissed her forehead and whispered softly, "Of course, my love.
You're worth it, whether you believe you are or not."

"I'm not," she faintly returned as tears streamed down her cheeks. "I
most certainly am not."



The dressmakers smiled at them warmly as they came back into the room.
"We've finished your garments, would you like to get them on now?"

"Yes, bring them in," Immora told her. The dressmaker handed Akeru her
clothes and then Akeru left the room to change, then the woman handed
Immora a dress and she slipped it on, then nodded her approval to the
dressmakers. "Good job, thank you." She looked over her dress. It was
midnight blue in color, with thin straps for sleeves, and it fell to
her knees with a long slit up the right side. The straps were lined in
silver, along with the trim of her low-cut top, and the hem and slit of
her skirt.

"If you'd like, we also found accessories that would match nicely," the
other dressmaker said, handing them to her.

Immora slipped on the long white gloves and fastened on the snowy white
cape with the inside lined deep red. She put the silver hoops in her ears,
then sat down at the vanity to brush her hair and to put on her makeup.
Akeru soon came back wearing a rich red shirt that buttoned up the front
with a v-neckline. The collar, sleeves, and hem were trimmed thinly in
black. With it she wore loose white pants with a black line going down
the side of each leg, a shiny brown boots. She wore a faint brownish red
lipstick and had combed her black hair so it was soft and shiny. Immora
looked over to her and smiled broadly. "You look simply amazing," she
breathed.

Akeru grinned. "Why thank you, m'love. So do you." She took Immora's
hand and helped her up from her seat.

One of the guards came in and told them that as soon as they were
ready, the ceremony would begin. Immora told him they were ready, then
told Akeru to go with him and find a seat since she'd have to be in the
procession.

As soon stood in line with the other people who'd be walking in, she
felt terribly nervous. This was a very important ceremony that they
were having her participate in. She wasn't sure if she was ready to
do this. Several dozen other sorcerers, sorceresses, and mages were
standing there, not actually a part of the ceremony, but as
representatives of their respective groups. Dozens of humans, Pure
Elves, Forest Elves, Katrisa, and Dragana stood with them, also as
representatives. Immora looked over to them. She didn't have much
contact with the Katrisa and Dragana. The Katrisa were a group of
people that could take the appearance of a cat, human, or a form
in-between, which was what they usually went about as. In that form,
their eyes had slit pupils like a cat's, their ears cat's ears on top
of their head, their hair and skin colored in a way that a cat's fur
would be, and a tail curled around in back of them. Their nails were
long, sharp claws, and their teeth were also particularly sharp. The
Dragana were a very unusual group, having the appearance of being
something between Elf and Dragon. They all had brown hair with black
bangs, red eyes, green skin that was both pale and bright, and wings
sprouting from their back like dragons have, with two talons pointing
from each. Their ears were similar to the Pure Elves' in their
appearance, and they were all known for being tall, lanky, with
vicious fangs and claws. Both races were seldom seen by the others,
so it was an unusual sight to see them here.

Immora sighed and took a deep breath. She had to get this over with...
it wouldn't be THAT difficult... walk down the aisle, stand still for a
bit, then cast the spell and leave... God, there were so many people
here! She took a deep breath, then looked around again and saw Akeru
sitting in the rows of seats. Akeru waved to her and winked. Immora
smiled back, suddenly feeling not so nervous. She then glanced around
and saw that Setsuna had returned; she was sitting in a row not that
far from Akeru. Akeru hadn't noticed her yet, from what Immora could tell.
Immora frowned to herself. Why was Setsuna here, what was she here to
observe?

When the orchestra started up, the groups of people started marching
down the aisle towards the throne, where Sharra sat waiting. When they
reached it, they bowed, and turned to walk to their seats. Immora was
the only one who was supposed to stay, and she did so. A man started
reading aloud from a book some things that had to do with the ceremony.
Immora let her mind wander as she waited for her time to come.

Eventually, the man stopped speaking and looked to her and said her cue.
Immora nodded, then walked over to the young, soon-to-be queen. Sharra
raised her ice blue eyes to her, her shoulder length purple hair falling
away from her face. Sharra lowered her head slightly in a gesture of
respect, and Immora did the same. The mage placed her fingertips to
Sharra's temples and slowly said the words of the spell.

The crowd fell completely silent and Immora shut her eyes tightly as the
flow of sorcery rushed through her, spreading to her fingertips and sending
the spell into Sharra. It felt like her blood was on fire; the sensation
of the sorcery flowing through her was almost painful, unlike the pleasant,
comforting sensation that magic usually gave her. She gritted her teeth,
hoping the spell would take effect quickly.

Sharra soon sat back, indicating the spell was done. Immora stumbled
backward as the crowd starting cheering wildly, and Sharra placed the string
of pearls that would mark her as queen onto her forehead. They were too
busy cheering and congratulating to notice Immora as she fled the throne,
running towards the back of the large hall. Akeru got up from her seat and
ran after her, crying out her name.

Immora stumbled to a stop, leaning against a wall as she breathed hard,
almost sobbing as she tried drawing in magical energy to get the sensation
of the sorcery out of her system. Where was some that she could draw in?
She clenched her head in her hands as she squeezed her eyes shut and fought
a scream of pain. She was surprised when two hands grabbed hers in theirs.
Opening her eyes, she saw Akeru standing there, trying to calm her down.
She was speaking to her, but Immora couldn't hear what she said. A warm
flow of energy, starting in her hands, started to spread through her. She
closed her eyes and sighed in relief, then collapsed in Akeru's arms.

"Are you alright?" she heard Akeru say.

"I'm alright now," she whispered. "The sorcery... those types of energies
are given to the Elves, not to Humans. I didn't realize that using sorcery
would be so painful. The two energies aren't very compatible. I don't know
how, but when you touched my hands, I was able to flush out the sorcery with
magical energy."

Akeru wrapped her arms tightly around her, pulling her close. "I don't know
either, but I'm glad you're alright."

Immora breathed deeply to calm her nerves, letting her magical senses dart
around to keep herself calm, then pulled away from Akeru with a gasp of
shock. Was that energy she sensed-- it couldn't be, could it?

"What is it?" Akeru asked, fighting to be heard over the crowd growing
louder.

Immora took a step away from Akeru, trying to get her senses correctly in
line and confirm what she'd sensed. "I thought I sensed... an energy coming
from you..."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

Immora narrowed her eyes as the nature of the energy became clear to her.
She opened her mouth to speak, when suddenly a loud, piercing scream
covered up the crowd. Immora and Akeru whirled around to see the crowd
pushing each other, trying to get out of the way. Looking to the throne,
they gasped in shock to see E'melok there, standing over Sharra, who was
on her knees, clutching her arm. Her arm was bleeding, and she was screaming
wildly, shouting for help. Immora's students were running over, trying to
find the right spells to use to protect the queen.

"Damnit!" Immora cried as she shoved her way through the crowd. This
couldn't be happening, not now! These students were not experienced in
battle, they would only make things worse. She shouted at them to stay back.
The crowd of gatherers was trying to part to let her through, but they
weren't getting far. Immora looked around and was horrified to see the whole
of the Assassins' Guild surrounding them, each holding wicked weapons in
their hands, not afraid to use them, as Immora could see by some people
crying and trying to stay away.

E'melok grinned and shouted, "Everyone shut up right now!" Everyone
immediately hushed, with the exceptions of some whimpers and cries from
young children. "Alright, as you may have noticed, our guild is here, and
we're here to kill you, Sharra! I want everyone to stay back, and stay very,
very still. We won't hesitate to injure or kill anyone who tries to
interfere, is that clear?"

Immora swore under her breath as E'melok came towards the crying Sharra with
a sword raised high. "I'll teach you to try to tell us what to do," she
said through tightly clenched teeth.

She was about to lower the sword, when a clear voice rang out in the Earth
tongue, "Pluto Planet Power... Make up!" followed by a whispered phrase,
"Dead Scream!"

A large ball of purple energy and wind slammed into E'melok, who cried out
in pain. There was a flash of light followed by darkness, and when it was
gone, E'melok lay on the ground, groaning, with Setsuna standing over her,
dressed in an unusual outfit and holding her staff in hand. Her outfit
looked like a ballerina's uniform crossed with a sailor's garb. She wore
with it tall gloves and boots, a choker, and a tiara on her forehead. She
raised her staff and shouted, "I am Sailor Pluto, the Guardian of Time! The
next attempt at violence will be met with equal, if not, greater force!"

E'melok groaned as she raised her eyes up, and the Assassins' Guild seemed
to draw back slightly, before someone dove forward and grabbed Sharra,
pressing a knife to her throat before Pluto could react. Sharra groaned
as his fingers closed tightly around her arm, slit all the way down her
forearm. "Nobody moves!" He shouted. "Nobody try anything or she gets it!"

Immora tried to think up a spell to stop him, but her mind was a blank, the
words of magic hidden under her jumble of confusion. She still hadn't
recovered from her use of sorcery. What could they do? Sharra would be dead
before anyone could--

A horribly loud sound cut the stillness, and suddenly, to their surprise,
the assassin now lay on the ground, dead, his head bleeding from a wound
now in his skull. People quickly ran to Sharra to protect her, while
everyone else looked around to see what had happened. Immora was shocked to
see Akeru standing there, a gun held in her slightly shaking hands, as she
looked down in shock and confusion at the man she'd just killed. An Elf
was able to send a spell simultaneously to all the assassins to knock them
unconscious, as Immora ran towards Akeru.

Akeru put the gun away and dropped to her knees, shaking as she looked at
the man's body in horror. Immora was soon at her side, and she tried to pull
Akeru towards her to embrace and comfort her, but Akeru gently pushed her
away. "Please... just... don't touch me right now..." she whispered. She
slowly stood up, then turned to Immora. Her eyes looked almost haunted. "I
just... I..."

Ignoring what she'd said, Immora tightly hugged her, stroking her hair back
and murmuring, "It's alright, it's alright," to her. Akeru shuddered as
she closed her eyes and rested her head on Immora's shoulder. "Akeru, you
did what had to be done. You saved a life in the process. What you did
wasn't wrong. You did it to protect someone else."

"Immora," she whispered, "it isn't that... I can handle that I killed him,
but..." she shook slightly. "Immora, I didn't pull the trigger at all! I
just lifted it and concentrated on wanting him dead and... and suddenly the
bullet shot out and struck him! I didn't have to pull it... How did that
happen?! How could it?!"

"Akeru... please... let's just go somewhere else... I'll tell you, but not
here, not now."

Akeru trembled slightly as she nodded. Immora took her hand in hers and led
her out of the room as the other people also left. Assistants and workers
were already starting to clean up, healers were attending to the wounded,
and the assassins were being carried away to the prison. Pluto had
disappeared shortly after Akeru had killed the assassin.

Immora led Akeru to the gardens in the palace. As she expected, there were
actually some people there this late at night, couples mainly, but they
were far enough away that they wouldn't here what they were talking about or
even notice they were there.

Immora stepped away from Akeru, hugging her arms around herself as she
considered what to say. "Akeru... in the past few months, I've felt a
magical energy emanating from you. I was never sure what it was, until
today. When you came over to me after the ceremony and touched my hands, I
suddenly realized what the energy was. I suppose that at that moment, the
energy finally developed into what it was meant to be..." Immora trailed
off into silence for the time being.

"Immora," Akeru asked softly. "Could you please... tell me what it became?"

Immora looked down at the ground. She could see her reflection in a puddle
of water left from the last rain shower. Her blond hair fell around her pale
face, her cat's pupils focused dully on her reflection. She hated her eyes.
They made her look like some type of demon. She was already treated as if
she was some sort of weirdo, but these made it worse. She started shaking
slightly. Why did they have to put that stupid immortality spell on her?
Or that insanity spell? A few dozen years ago, it had activated, and she
ended up destroying a village, killing many. How could put Akeru at risk
like this? If the spell became active again in her presence, Akeru could
be hurt. A tear slid down Immora's cheek.

"Immora? Is something wrong?" Akeru came up behind her, wrapping her arms
around her waist and pulling her up against her. She kissed her shoulder
gently and whispered in her ear. "If you don't want to tell me, I
understand. It's alright."

"It has nothing to do with that," she murmured. "I'm sorry, I was just
thinking... nevermind... I'll tell you... about the energies."

She sat down on a small hill of grass, patting the ground next to her to
indicate that she wanted Akeru to sit by her. "Akeru, the energies you
possess are magical, but in a different sense than someone like mine's.
Most mages, and even sorcerers and sorceresses, have powers that mainly
deal with... well, bringing things into being. We create weather,
teleportation devices, blasts of energy, etc. We control the things we
create, and we can destroy them as we choose. Our studies are focused on
harnessing power to create the things we need. Most of us don't bother with
what is already provided for us. If you need a garment, a weapon, food, or
anything else, create it for yourself! Even when manipulating things, we
usually create the object to manipulate. Our energies go to these things,
and only occasionally will we bother with the already existing, or with
things like communication. It's not that we can't do anything else, but
the nature of our powers doesn't leave us much choice. There aren't many
spells that involve the existing.

"Your energies, your abilities, from what I've seen, are quite different.
Your skills lie solely in what is already present. Yours are in controlling
and communicating, not creation. But your powers aren't in everything. What
happened with the gun..." Immora paused for a moment to consider her words.
"Akeru... many of your abilities deal in the mechanical, or the
technologically developed. Guns, computers, vehicles, doors, things like
that, are yours to command. You can make them act, make them do whatever you
choose, as long as they are capable of it. And you only need to want for it
to happen. But you also have abilities in the elements-- things like air,
fire, stone, water, weather... Right now, you can only communicate with them,
sense them, maybe even control them to some small extent. But that is all,
as far as elements go. You have potential for much greater though. There is
an object that mages have developed, called an amplifier ring, for lack of
better term. Several dozen exist right now, more are being made. Each one
is designed to be attuned with a specific element or object. By wearing them,
the user can increase their abilities in that thing to whatever they have
the potential to achieve. If you were to wear them, you would also be able
to control the elements, bend them to your will, make them appear where you
choose. If you need a fire, some will be taken from somewhere else and
given to you. If you want a drink, the glaciers will provide pure water for
you. If you wanted to attack someone with lightning, the storm clouds would
give up their electricity for you. You could bend them to your will and make
them do whatever you choose.

"You have a great amount of power, Akeru, and a great responsibility to go
along with it. I don't know if you want that, but now you have it."

Akeru thought about it for a bit, then responded softly, "I think I can
handle it, if you help me. If these things are magical in nature, you could
teach me about them."

Immora shook her head. "I would, but your powers are so different from the
spells we mages cast. To cast a spell, we draw in energy from an outside
source and channel it through us, and make the spell happen by releasing the
energy with the specific words that will make it do what we need it to do.
Your abilities, however, deal with the energy already in something. You
don't need to draw the energy in, you just make the energy already in the
object do what you want. I don't know how to do that, so I couldn't teach
you... I'm sorry. If I were an archmage, it would be possible. An archmage
doesn't use the words of a spell to make something happen. They have
developed their abilities to the point that they can merely will it to
happen and the energy will follow what they choose it to do. I still need
to use the words though."

Akeru sighed. "I guess if I experiment, I could make these powers work out
right. But make sure you are there with me, alright? I don't understand
magic that well, and I need you to help me understand what it is I am
doing."

"I'll do that," Immora said softly. She looked up into the sky at the moons.
"Akeru, I know this isn't something I should be asking, but how can you love
_me_? I'm a horrible person. I've killed many people--willingly--made many
people suffer. I'm cold to everyone, except for you. I don't like letting
anyone see inside me. The only way any breaks those boundaries is by using
a spell against me, with I believe Lorenada inadvertently did to me. I am
hated and feared by so many people. How can you love me, knowing what I've
done? You're so much better than me. You're kind, caring, loyal, everything
I can't be. You're a wonderful person. I don't deserve someone like you."

Akeru looked over at her, then reached over and cupped her chin in her hand.
"Immora, you might have done some wrong things, but you've also done a lot
of good. You've helped many people, healed many people, and you've been an
overall good influence to many. I understand that you might feel bad for
all the pain you've caused, but you have to consider, what was your reason
behind it? You told me it was alright to kill that man because I was saving
someone else in the process--is that why you killed others? You are cold to
many people, but that isn't wrong or evil. You've been hurt emotionally and
physically, particularly by Necros and Nagera, and I don't know that you can
ever forget what happened, but it's made you strong. It's better to not let
people know about you than to give them the chance to take advantage of what
they know. I don't see for the things you say are wrong, I see you for all
the good things you are. You were nice to me, even though you'd never met
me before. You've been here for me, listened to me, given me someone to
trust. You've always been kind to me. You can make me laugh, and feel happy,
like no one has been able to do. You are a wonderful person, Immora, that's
why I love you."

Immora's eyes shimmered with tears as she whispered, "I don't deserve you...
I don't... I can't even respect myself... I love you so much, but I can't
help but doubt myself still. Every time I look at you, I feel happier, and I
want you to be so happy, but are you sure you can be happy with someone
like me?"

"Yes, of course I can! Immora," Akeru grabbed her hands and stared her in
the eye, "stop being so negative about yourself. I know that it's hard for
you to believe that anyone could love you, but I do, I truly do. Never doubt
that, because even if you don't believe that I could, I do, and I always
will."

Immora lowered her face and started sobbing. "Akeru," she whispered in a
choked voice, "please... just hold me..." Akeru hugged her tightly, stroking
her hair. "Thank you," Immora whispered. "Thank you, for being here for me."

Akeru gently pressed her lips to Immora's forehead. "You're welcome, m'love.
C'mon, why don't we go inside? You need some rest."

"Not yet," Immora said softly. She brushed away her tears, standing up.
"Come down to the lake with me, just for a little while."

Akeru nodded and followed her. As soon as they arrived, Immora told her to
stop, then stood by the lake, her back to it as she faced Akeru. "You
wanted immortality, correct? And I was going to put the protection spell
on you too... I looked into someone's mind earlier and discovered the ones
I wanted. I want to give those to you, but please be ready... please give
me a bit of energy when I am done. Sorcery is very painful, and I couldn't
find the magical equivalent. Alright?"

"Immora, don't hurt yourself for me."

"I'd give anything for you," Immora whispered faintly. "I'd suffer anything,
give up anything, I'd die... for you..."

She said the spell softly, and as soon as it was done, she felt the pain
again. Akeru was soon there next to her, grabbing her hands, whispering to
her as she gave some energy to soothe her. Immora shivered slightly and then
smiled faintly. "Thank you... the pain is gone now..."

Akeru nodded and whispered a thank you. She then hugged her tightly. "Now
we really are together forever, hmm?"

Immora laughed slightly. "We are, we certainly are."

Akeru suddenly scooped Immora up in her arms and carried her back towards
the palace. "C'mon, we're going back to our room. You need to rest. You've
had a very long day. They're having a celebration party for the new queen,
I heard, but we don't need to bother with that, now do we?"

When they got back to their room, Akeru set Immora gently down on the bed,
then lit the candles, which filled the room with soft, dim light, just
enough to see by. "I'm going to bring you some pajamas, then go change into
mine, alright?" Immora nodded as Akeru handed her the long silk nightgown
she usually wore. Akeru went into the bathroom to change into her robe.
Immora sighed softly to herself, brushing her hair quickly before sliding
under the covers again. Akeru soon came out and lay down beside her. "You
should get some sleep," Akeru told her. "You need your rest."

"I'm not tired in the sleepy sense though. I'd rather stay awake."

"Hmm, well, if you want to, go ahead. I'm not sleepy either." They both
smiled slightly. Akeru looked over Immora slightly, then commented softly,
"You're very beautiful, you know that?"

Immora blushed faintly. "Thank you, um, you are too."

Akeru smiled and put her arm around Immora's shoulders. "Hmm, shouldn't we
be considered lovers now? I mean, after all, we are in love, and this is
kinda a relationship now."

"I suppose so," Immora said with a slight shrug, then she kissed Akeru's
cheek. "I like the sound of that, actually."

Akeru grinned and kissed her lips gently. "Same here." She hugged Immora
close to her, then gently pressed her lips to her shoulders and her neck.
"Are you certain you aren't at all sleepy?"

"Yes..." Immora responded with whisper. She pressed her slightly open mouth
to Akeru's, who returned the kiss with fond passion. They held the kiss as
they pressed closer to each other, wrapping their arms around each other's
necks. She gently trailed kisses down Akeru's neck as Akeru ran her fingers
through her hair. Akeru tipped her face up to kiss her lips again, then
kissed her shoulders while she slid the straps of Immora's nightgown down.
With a whispered word, Immora made most of the candles go out as she bent
to kiss her love again. "I love you," she murmured to Akeru.

"And I love you," Akeru responded softly as Immora untied her robe before
they kissed again.

Setsuna, standing at her Time Gate, smiled to herself as she turned away
respectfully from the images on the mirror she had been watching.



Time: In a memory, the next morning
Place: In a memory, the royal palace in Immonu, Quenhol



Loud pounding on their door woke Immora and Akeru from their sleep. Immora
groaned as she opened her eyes. Bright sunlight was streaming in the window,
piercing her eyes. She looked over briefly to Akeru, trying to hide her eyes
from the sun too. She flung the rumpled covers off of her, almost tripping
as she stepped on her nightgown. She yawned and searched through the closet
for some clothes. The pounding on the door continued. "Who is it?!"

"Ka'ina, hurry up!"

"I'll get it," Akeru said. She stared hard at the door, concentrating, and
not long afterwards, it swung open, almost hitting the astonished Ka'ina,
who walked in. Akeru shut the door with her powers as Ka'ina stared at it.

"Good job, Akeru! Ka'ina, I'll be out in a bit, I need to get some clothes
on."

"What do you mean, get some clothes on?"

"Nevermind." Immora continued to look through the clothes, pausing to note
the tangles in her long hair. "Oh man, these will take so long to comb out!"

Ka'ina was observing her surroundings, looking around the large room, which
actually branched into a few parts; the entrance hall, the bathroom, and the
bedroom, the closet Immora was in being in the bathroom. "Akeru, aren't
you going to get dressed?" she called.

Akeru groaned. "I'm still sleepy! Let me sleep!"

"Who's that?" Ka'ina called from the entrance hall. "Where are you,
anyways?"

"In the closet in the bathroom that adjoins the bedroom. There's some chairs
in there, go ahead and sit down to wait, if you want."

Ka'ina walked in and stared in visible shock at Akeru. "What the--"

Akeru smiled sheepishly and pulled the covers up higher. "Um, hi, just
ignore me for now... say, aren't you that student of Immora's, about the
same age as her, right?"

"Yes, I am," Ka'ina said in an ice cold voice.

"Oh, well, nice to meet you. Immora's mentioned you before."

"I'm sure."

Akeru frowned a bit. "Is something wrong?"

"Nothing at all," Ka'ina said in a voice that indicated she was hiding
something.

"Oh... well... say, where'd my robe go? Immora, where'd you put my robe?!"

"It's _somewhere_ on the floor, I guess!"

Ka'ina picked it up and handed it to Akeru. "Thanks," Akeru said, slipping
it back on.

Immora came back in, brushing her hair vigorously. "Hi, Ka'ina, it's been
awhile since I've seen you. What are you here for?"

"I was here for the coronation, and I saw you at it, but I didn't see you at
the celebration afterwards and was wondering if everything was alright."

"Oh, I'm just fine, you?" Immora grimaced as the brush got stuck in a
tangle. Akeru took it from her and started brushing it for her.

"I'm alright, I suppose," Ka'ina said, turning to look at a painting hanging
on the wall. "Everyone is wondering when you will come back. We haven't
heard from you in months."

"Oh, well, Akeru--this is Akeru, by the way--showed up, and she needed
someone to help her get around Quenhol, so she's been staying with me, and
it just never occurred to me to check up on everyone. Sorry 'bout that."

Ka'ina narrowed her eyes. "You're unusually cheerful. Has anything _else_
happened since I last saw you?"

Immora smiled sheepishly. "Well, yes." She took the brush from Akeru, and
simply said the words of a spell that would undo the tangles. "Akeru and
I... that is... we..." She hit herself on the forehead. "Crap, how do I
explain this?"

Akeru grinned slightly. "I have an idea." She whisked Immora into her arms,
dipped her low, kissed her passionately, then raised the flustered mage back
to her feet. "Catch the drift?" she asked Ka'ina.

"Quite," Ka'ina said between clenched teeth. "I supposed this explains why
I came in to find nightclothes strewn on the floor and you lying naked in
the bed."

Immora and Akeru both blushed brightly. "Ehehehe... yeahhhhh... ummm... hey,
I'm kinda hungry, let's get some breakfast, okay?" Immora shoved Akeru in

the general direction of the closet. "Put something else on, alright?"

"If I'm not mistaken, I'd say Ka'ina's jealous," Akeru muttered to herself.

"How have you been?" Immora asked Ka'ina. "It's been awhile since we've
talked. I need to catch up."

"Not much has happened," Ka'ina said quietly. "Things are calm. Everyone's
been studying, but that's about it."

"Oh, that's nice," Immora said, looking up towards the ceiling. Had Ka'ina
changed at all over these past several months? Hmmm.. no, she still had that
jealous streak, and she still seemed to be--

"Ready!" Akeru came out and grinned. She grabbed her translation crystal
and put it around her neck. "Let's get something to eat, shall we?"

Immora smiled to her and took her hand as they walked to the dining hall.
Ka'ina trailed behind them, sulking. She was about to comment on something
when a kid bumped into her. "Ooof! Hey, what was tha-- oh, sorry about that,
are you alright?" She helped the kid up, while Immora and Akeru turned to
see what happened.

The small Elf boy with green colored skin nodded. "What's yer name?" he
asked, looking up at her with wide eyes.

"My name is Ka'ina. What's yours?"

" 'Kah-ee-nuh'? My name is Radagee."

Ka'ina frowned. "Well, run along, Radagee."

Immora also frowned. "Odd name for a child. I wonder why his parents would
choose a name like that?"

"What's it mean?" Akeru asked.

"It means 'magic dragon'. That's an odd name for an Elf. 'Dagee' is usually
only given to those with Dragana background."

Ka'ina's eyes widened slightly. "You don't think he could be the child of a
Dragana, do you?!"

Immora laughed. "Of course not! Everyone knows that Dragana only give birth
to females!"

"Waitaminute," Akeru broke in. "If they only have girls, how can they
continue to reproduce?"

Immora blinked in surprise. "It's rather unusual, actually. What happens in
most cases is that a male dragon will form a magical bond with a female,
usually Elf, and if the bond is kept long enough, she will actually become
pregnant. Know one knows why, but it happens. The child will be born as a
Dragana. However, some Dragana will take on lovers that are Elfin or Human,
and if they have a child, it's usually going to have very few dragonish
traits. I know of one Dragana that actually had a dragon and a Dragana as
parents. She's almost entirely dragon. Quite nice though. I'll introduce you
to her sometime."

"So, what you're saying is that when the woman becomes pregnant, it's almost
guaranteed to be female?"

"Well, yes, it will always be, unless the father is Human or Elf, then it's
possible to have a boy."

"That's odd," Akeru commented. "It must be really unusual to be a Dragana."

Immora shrugged. "They're an unusual group of people."

They entered the dining hall and found a table to sit at. A plump Human
woman soon came over. "Hello, hello! I hope you are all doing alright.
Here's the menu, just holler when you're ready!"

"Excuse me," Immora asked, "but do you know how to make 'scrambled eggs'?"

"Well, if you tell us how to make it, we sure can! In fact we-- *gasp* Say!
You're Immora, aren't you?"

Immora nodded to her. "Yes, I am."

The woman grabbed her hand and started shaking it hard. "Ma'am, my son,
Kulju, is a member of your school, and he's been telling me about how great
it is! It's an honor to meet you!"

Immora practically fell out of her seat from the energy of the handshake.
"Thank you, I, ow, that hurts, um, Kulju is a very bright pupil, actually,
the last time I was there he was doing quite well."

"Excuse me," Ka'ina cut in, "I study with your son quite often. He's
expressed a wish to learn more about the healing arts, I don't know if he
mentioned it to you. He's been telling me he misses his family alot."

"Aw, my Kulju's always been a sweet boy," the woman grinned. She nudged
Ka'ina in the ribs. "Isn't he a handsome fellow?"

"I... suppose."

The lady chuckled. "Aw, you're just shy aren't you-- now what do we have
here? A girl with the eyes of an Elf! What's your name, Elf-eyes?"

Akeru blushed slightly. "My name is Akeru, um, it basically means sunrise
or dawn."

"Hmmm... I saw you at the coronation, aren't you the one that used that
strange contraption to kill the assassin threatening Sharra?"

Akeru paled and nodded.

"I must say, I admired you when I saw that. You saved a good life, someone
who means alot to many people."

"Um, thank you, I guess."

The woman laughed loud. "Well, anyways, what's with those eyes, hmm? Look
like an Elf's, and the translation crystal... you aren't from Quenhol, are
you? Earth, I'll bet."

"That's right! How'd you guess?"

Immora smiled to her and said, "Pretty much anyone who has some unexplained
attribute or feature is from Earth."

The lady nodded. "Yup, it sure holds true. I'd like to go there someday, but
I know nothing about Earth culture! Ah well. So, Akeru, what brings you to
the palace?"

"I just came with Immora, that's all."

"Ah, tagging along I see." The lady grinned, then turned serious and looked
at Immora. "You know, deary, you've been around quite awhile, you ever gonna
hook up with someone? A lady needs someone there for her, you know."

Immora giggled slightly. "Akeru's my lover, actually."

The woman looked at her in surprise. "Goodness gracious, I can't believe it!
The great Immora finally found someone! We've always heard tales about how
'cold' and 'unfeeling' you were, but boy, you sure proved them wrong! Well,
congratulations, girls! Now, what does everybody want for breakfast?"

After giving their orders, Ka'ina questioned Immora, "How could you tell
that woman so much about you? You don't even know her!"

"I've decided to try being nice to people for a change, what's wrong with
that?"

"She was a complete stranger!"

Immora glared at her. "Everyone is, the first time you meet them."

Ka'ina gritted her teeth. "You've changed, Immora, for the worse. I don't
know you anymore." She stood up abruptly. "Excuse me, I'm going to go
outside a moment."

After Ka'ina stormed out, Akeru turned to Immora, who was holding her head
in her hands. "What's wrong with her? And why did she seem so... jealous of
me earlier?"

Immora sighed. "When Necros brought me here, Ka'ina went to the school
already, not by choice. He had done magical experiments with her, which gave
any spells she cast with positive intentions the result of placing the
person under her influence, and he also changed her eyes to look like that.
Ka'ina was my first friend at the school, and I've known her since then.
We've been good friends since then but..." Immora sighed again and looked
away. "Somewhere, in the last few hundred years, she fell in love with me.
She tried to convince me to be with her, but I refused. One of the reasons
I avoid the school now is that she would try to pressure me."

"That explains the jealously... I have with you what she couldn't have."

Immora nodded. "Don't take it personally if she is rude to you. She's a
very determined person, and she is really quick to anger. Just ignore it if
she says anything offensive, alright?"

"I will, don't worry."

Ka'ina came back not long after that. She refused to look at Akeru and
remarked snidely, "I hope you two enjoy _flaunting_ your relationship."

"We aren't trying to," Immora said, "but there's no reason to deny it."

Ka'ina slammed her fist on the table and raised her multihued eyes to Akeru.
"Tell me," she asked sarcastically, "how does it feel, Akeru, to know that
you are apparently more worthy than me, hmmm? Don't you just feel proud to
know that you succeeded where I failed?"

Akeru narrowed her eyes and said softly, "This isn't a matter of worth or
pride. It's a matter of feelings, maybe even destiny. Maybe Immora just
isn't meant to be with you. You'll find someone someday."

"She's MINE!" Ka'ina shouted. "If I can't have her, NOBODY can!"

"I am not some object you can claim!" Immora snapped. "If you trully cared,
you would realize that!"

"I don't have to take this crap!" Ka'ina said. "I finally find you again and
you've cast aside our friendship for someone that you've only know a few
months!"

"I am not casting it aside! I will still be your friend, but you can't just
sit here and accuse Akeru like that. She hasn't done anything to you, how
could she, she just met you today?"

"She stole you from--"

Immora screamed at her, "Why don't you just accept that I don't share your
feelings?! Stop trying to claim me!" Her voice had raised to a shriek, her
eyes were glowing white. "LEAVE ME ALONE!"

Shivering, she felt herself losing control as the world went white. She
couldn't see or feel anything, but she could hear voices... what was going
on? Suddenly, it went black as she passed out...



Immora woke up with a start as a splash of cold water washed over her
face. She sat up in the bed she lay in, gasping and coughing, peering
around to see where she was. Her vision was blurred and she could barely
make out a thing; it was almost as if... before, before she was taken by
Necros, she could remember being nearsighted, needing visual aids to see
clear; after being exposed to magic she could see perfectly clear though...

Her arms and legs were marked with bruises, and they, along with her torso,
were stinging with cuts and scrapes. Her body felt as if it had been in
a battle, but her magic would have healed these wounds, surely it would
have automatically, these weren't terribly difficult things to cure...
A white bathrobe was tied around her, she assumed that the clothes she'd
worn earlier must have been too bloodied or stuck to her cuts... what was
going on?

She shivered and trembled, wincing from the pain as she tried to make out
her surroundings. Why couldn't she see right? As long as the magic was
there--

Her eyes widened in shock. Her magic... she couldn't feel it... what
was going on?! She almost screamed in horror, but then she could hear
Akeru's soothing voice speaking, "It's alright, love, I'm here, it's
going to be okay..."

"I can't see clear... things are blurred..." Immora whispered as Akeru
hugged her. "Wh-what happened? I remember... arguing with Ka'ina, then
everything went white and silent, and I was numb and I could hear things
but didn't know what was being said... then it went black..."

Akeru tensed up and sighed. "Immora, I don't think I really can explain
what happened... you'd have to have seen it, been there..."

Immora lowered her head as she gently pushed Akeru away from her. "The
insanity spell, that was it, wasn't it? This is what usually happens...
I'll get angry and suddenly I don't know what's going on and I wake up
not remembering... but this time is different... I can't feel the magic
in me, and things that should be affected because of my magic--my sight,
my wounds--aren't. Please, love, try to tell me what happened..."

"I could let you see," Akeru whispered softly. "You know, in my mind, what
happened... you don't have your magic now, but you should soon. Just
relax and wait for it to come back, then you can see what happened."

Immora nodded, but still twisted her mouth in a quizzical expression. She
felt tired without her magic, the energetic feeling it gave was almost
addictive; without it, she craved it, and with it, it was wonderful, but
she always felt like she needed more... She hated that feeling, the feeling
she knew all mages experienced, that they had to continue, no matter what,
in their studies, because they had to satisfy this urge to gain more power,
and with it, greater abilities and even more magical energy flowing in
them. She was feeling strangely aware of how physically weak she really was
without the power, and she felt the weight of the thousand years of
accumulated experiences she had.

Reaching a trembling hand towards Akeru, she choked out, "I'm scared, I'm
so scared... I feel so weak..."

Akeru clasped her hand tightly. "Hush, just relax, it'll go away soon."

Immora sighed softly and glanced to her right, noticing what appeared to be
a hand mirror there. Squinting to attempt to focus on it, she reached out
and grabbed it, holding it in front of her where it wasn't blurred in her
vision. She was so much paler than before, probably a result of her
injuries, her eyes looked so haunted and lifeless, the sparkle that usually
shone in them was gone, leaving her eyes dull. The slits of pupils she had
didn't usually seem so unusual or frightening, after all, they were
symbolic of her mage status, something to be proud of more than anything,
but now... she looked horrendous, like some sort of demon. She threw the
mirror aside, breaking the glass, and clutched the blankets tight. She
fought back a sob, a shudder racking her thin frame as she tried to relax.
Her mind felt almost clear, with the magic gone, the fog around her
memories was disipating, but what would she find--

She gasped in shock as her vision went into sharp, crisp focus, and her
skin shone with bright light as magic rushed inside her. She screamed
loudly at the rush of adrenaline, the sudden energetic, comforting feeling
that the magic gave. Her wounds healed themselves almost immediately, she
felt alive again... she smiled broadly as the amount of stored magical
energy within her filled to the brim, her eyes glowing with life and power.

Opening her eyes she saw Akeru watching her with a look of shock and awe.
The light had gone away now, and she was whole again. She hadn't realized
just how much she'd come to count on her magic, and now...

She gasped and her eyes widened as she noticed Akeru had several bruises
and scrapes. "What h--"

"Hush, you'll see, just look in my mind. My wounds can wait."

Immora sighed softly and quietly weaved the spell, her mind joining with
her lover's as she saw the events that she couldn't remember experiencing...



"LEAVE ME ALONE!"

A burst of bright light almost blinded Akeru and Ka'ina as Immora's eyes
lit up. Ka'ina screamed loudly and turned away, shouting to the other
people in the room to get out immediately, which they did in a hurry. Immora
hunched over, clutching her arms tightly as she shrieked. Akeru rushed over
to her when the light dimmed, and was shocked when Immora suddenly lashed
out at her with a tightly clenched fist. Akeru barely managed to avoid
being hit and took a step back, confused by Immora's actions.

"What's wrong?! What's going on?!" she asked frantically. Something wasn't
right, she could feel it.

"Get away from her! It's too dangerous!" Ka'ina shouted.

Akeru ignored her and moved towards Immora again. "Immora, what are y--"

Immora aimed a fierce kick right into her stomach, winding her for a bit.
Akeru gasped in shock as a sword whizzed by her face, narrowly avoiding
hitting her, and she was thrown back against the wall when she sidestepped
it. The blade embedded itself in the wall, and Akeru looked with wide eyes
to see a snarling Immora holding the sword in her hand. She brought her
knee up swiftly, catching Akeru in the stomach. Akeru lurched forward and
fell to the ground, looking up with wide eyes and the mage standing over
her, gathering in magical energy with a determined look on her face. Not
knowing what else to do, Akeru scrambled away and shouted to Ka'ina,
"What the hell's going on?! She's trying to _hurt_ me!"

"I-I think it's the insanity spell, it sure does seem like it," Ka'ina said
as she also began drawing in energy, her eyes flashing first silver, then
blue, finally green, then cycling again, shifting so rapidly it was hard to
tell what was happening. "She's not going to pay attention to the fact that
we're her friends, she'll just attack at random no matter who we are. If
you have that gun of yours with you or any abilities I don't know about, use
them!"

Akeru looked at her in horror. "I can't shoot _her_--"

"Well, she's going to kill us if we don't do something!" Ka'ina snapped,
shooting a bolt of lightning at Immora, who quickly countered with a burst
of ice. "You have to put aside your feelings so we can stop her! If we don't,
who knows what she'll do!"

Akeru trembled all over, then closed her eyes and silently said, If you
can hear me, elements, don't let Immora draw energy from you... we can't
let her use her magic now. Please don't give her energy.

She felt an odd surge, and she was given a response--not words, really,
more like sensations--and she knew that they had agreed to do as she asked.
She sighed in relief and opened her eyes to see Ka'ina running to subdue
Immora.

Immora stopped midspell when her source of energy was cut off. It looked as
if she had frozen in place; having a spell cut off in the middle of casting
it could have unusual repercussions. Ka'ina had an odd vial in her hand; it
wasn't shaped normally, it appeared to curve and twist. It was filled with a
bright purple liquid that glowed slightly. Grabbing Immora's shoulder, she
attempted to pour it down Immora's throat.

"I think not," Immora said in a chilled voice. A dagger shot out from her
hand and dug into Ka'ina's shoulder. Ka'ina cried out in pain and doubled
over, giving Immora the chance to shove her away hard, knocking the vial to
the ground where it shattered. Turning to face Akeru, she sent a rain of
tiny metal shards at her.

Barely managing to shield herself, Akeru dove under a table covered in a
cloth and sat breathing hard, her thoughts racing. She's out to kill us,
she doesn't know friend from foe... if it comes to our life or death though,
what can we do? I can't bring myself to hurt her, even if she isn't in
control of herself right now... Trembling, Akeru slowly took her gun out.
She looked down at it, fumbling to keep a grip on it as it slipped from her
sweaty palms. Calm down, focus... you don't have to hit her, just aim above
her to startle her... Akeru peered from under the table and saw Immora had
started fighting with Ka'ina, both raining blows against each other. Immora
tried attacking her with a dagger, but Ka'ina knocked it from her hands and
sent the blade skimming across Immora's skin instead. Noting where she was,
Akeru closed her eyes and held the gun out. Just concentrate, she told
herself, and it will do the rest... The bullet fired without her needing to
pull the trigger, shooting just above Immora's head.

As she anticipated, Akeru saw Immora duck down for cover, and look around
in surprise, distracted long enough for Ka'ina to get away from her. The
look of sheer anger on her face made Akeru's pale as she started crawling
out from under the table. Immora leapt through the air towards her,
attempting to land on her and knock her over. Akeru rolled to the side,
sending Immora crashing to the ground. She quickly moved to pin Immora down,
holding her wrists tightly in her hands and digging her knees into the
mage's legs to keep her from kicking her. Immora snarled and spat at her,
but Akeru kept her hold on her. "You alright?" she asked Ka'ina.

"Oh... I'm just... fine," Ka'ina gasped, another vial in her hand. Rushing
over, she grabbed Immora's chin, prying her jaw open, and poured the
contents of the liquid down the other's throat. She snapped Immora's jaw
shut. The mage writhed and refused to swallow. Ka'ina held a sharp knife to
her throat and hissed, "Swallow it all, you hear me, or this knife cuts
deep."

Immora grimaced and swallowed, then coughed hard. Ka'ina whispered the
words of a spell.

"What is that stuff supposed to do?" Akeru asked.

"It will temporarily remove her ability to use magic, long enough for us
to render her unconscious at least."

Immora surprised her by suddenly curling her body in such a way that Akeru's
grip was weakened and she was able to pull away. She skittered across the
floor, trying to escape, kicking hard at them when they tried to get near
her. Stumbling to her feet, she shouted, "You won't stop me, nothing can
stop me, NOTHING!"

"Distract her," Ka'ina mumbled lightly to Akeru. "I have an idea. Just keep
her busy long enough for me to knock her out."

Akeru inclined her head slightly to acknowledge her agreement. "Oh, is that
so, Immora? Why do you think that?" She started walking towards her, gun
in hand; she didn't plan on actually using it, but she hoped it would at
least keep Immora from trying anything. Ka'ina disappeared.

"I'm Immora! I'm the most powerful mage in existence! Nothing can stop my
power, I'm practically an archmage now!" Nevertheless, she was backing away
as Akeru advanced.

"Mmm hmmm, and that means _what_ when that stuff we gave you takes full
effect, not to mention that the elements aren't going to be listening to you
until I tell them it's alright?"

"I don't need it to beat the likes of you two! You're pathetic, weak, and
not fit to lick my boots. I could destroy you without a second thought."

"That's interesting," Akeru murmured. "What about friends? Do they mean
anything to you, do you even have any? Can you even remember a thing?!"

"I..." Immora faltered. "That doesn't matter!"

"Oh, but it does. What if I told you that having friends, family, love,
things like that, are more important than your power. After all, they will
always be there, just something a simple as a drink can take away your
magic. This isn't how you really are, you know. You're under the influence
of a spell. Why not try to break it? Or are you not powerful enough? I'll
let you draw in the type of energy to do it."

Immora snorted. "Hmph! Those things aren't important, and I most certainly
am not under any influence."

"Oh really? If you used a spell on someone, would they notice what changes
it did to them? After all, you are so _powerful_ and all. Wouldn't you react
the same if someone placed a spell on you?"

"... I suppose... but that's beside the point!"

Akeru chuckled as Immora backed up into a wall and jumped in surprise.
Immora was letting her guard down, or at least was too confused by what was
being said to think about attacking. "I think not. The whole point of this
is that you aren't thinking like your usual self, and if you were, you
wouldn't be doing this."

"Oh really? Well then, what would my 'usual' self do in this case?" Immora
taunted her. "I probably would have destroyed you on sight, bitch."

Akeru couldn't help but flinch at the remark. "No, you would never do
something like that. In this situation-- well, we wouldn't even _be_ in this
situation."

Immora snorted. "Oh sure, I believe _you_. Then tell me, what kind of
situation would we be in?"

Akeru was standing right in front of her now. A strange sort of prickling
formed on the back of her neck, and she heard Ka'ina's voice in her mind.
"I'm right here, I'm just... a sort of invisible state, but not quite. I
need her more occupied than this. Do something so she won't notice what's
going on around her, much less me."

"And what do your propose I do?"

Ka'ina sounded bitter as she told her, "Right now, I couldn't care less
whether you put on a puppet show or rip her cloak off and tie it around her
head, I just need her attention completely focused on you, got it?"

Akeru sighed inwardly and turned her attention back to Immora.

"Excuse me, I believe you have a question to answer," Immora taunted. "Or
do I have to hurt you again?"

Akeru smiled softly. "For one, you'd never hurt me. To answer your question,
it depends on what mood you're in, as to what the situation would be."

"Uh huh, I'd never hurt _you_. _Sure_. I don't even know you! Tell me then,
if I _do_ know you, what would I do?"

Have to distract her, this way will work plenty well, as awkward as it may
be in this case, Akeru thought to herself. "You'd probably return this
gesture."

"What g--"

Akeru swiftly moved forward and kissed her fiercely, not shutting her eyes
so she could make sure Immora was distracted by it. Immora tensed with
shock and disbelief, staring back at her in confusion, her fingers digging
into Akeru's shoulders in an attempt to push her back. Akeru was surprised
however, when she closed her eyes and seemed to soften under the embrace and
kiss back. Before she could worry any more about it, Ka'ina drew away the
invisibility and knocked her unconscious with a tap to the side of her head.
When Immora collapsed in her arms, Akeru looked at Ka'ina in surprise. "How
did you do that just by hitting her?"

"It happens," Ka'ina said coldly.

Akeru trembled a bit. Now that Immora had been taken care of, she could
think about other things... and she could fully see just how much hatred and
jealously Ka'ina felt towards her. "We should probably take her to a bed
or something to rest."

"I'm sure you love taking her to a bed whenever you get the chance," Ka'ina
snapped, clenching the shoulder where Immora had stabbed her.

Akeru lowered her eyelids at Ka'ina. "Why don't we just set aside personal
differences and concentrate on Immora's well-being right now, ok? If you
want to make rude remarks and bicker with me, save it for when Immora is
alright. Understood?"

Ka'ina snorted. "Fine then."

Akeru lifted Immora in her arms and walked out of the dining hall to take
her back to their room. Ka'ina followed at a distance, looking up and down
the hall for signs of any other people. The halls were deserted, however.
Ka'ina had to open the door for her since her arms were occupied already.
Shutting the door behind them, Ka'ina followed her into the bedroom, where
Akeru laid Immora down on the bed.

"I'm going to get some medicines and things to shut out the insanity,"
Ka'ina told her. "Make sure she stays asleep and clean her up."

Akeru nodded at her, and Ka'ina left the room. Akeru looked down at Immora,
and noted with some horror the amount of gashes and bruises on her. Her
dress clung to her wounds, and would probably only irritate them. Akeru went
into the bathroom and brought back a bowl of warm water, a washcloth, some
ointment, and a white bathrobe. She carefully pulled Immora's dress off,
then started to clean her cuts and rub ointment on them to help them heal
better. Once finished, she tied the bathrobe around Immora's waist and
pulled the sheets around her. She looks so vulnerable and weak, Akeru
thought to herself. I hate seeing her hurt like this. I hope Ka'ina gets
back soon to help her.

Akeru sighed as she sat waiting. Ka'ina eventually arrived with all sorts
of vials, herbs, and jars of solutions, along with a few spellbooks. "I've
never really done this before," Ka'ina murmured, "and I don't want to resort
to magic to help her. I'll try out all these medicines and things and we'll
see if it worked once she wakes up."

Akeru couldn't really follow just what it was Ka'ina was doing. From what
she could see, Ka'ina was tossing herbs and spices around, making the room
smell unusual, rubbing liquids against Immora's temples, chanting, and some
other things she didn't understand the meaning of. It wasn't really herb
lore, she could tell that, and definitely not magic. What was it?

Whatever it was, it took Ka'ina awhile to finish, and she was tired when
she finally completed it. "Well, that should work. I'm going to leave now.
Get me once she wakes up. If she still is under the effects of the insanity
spell when she wakes up, knock her out with this." Ka'ina handed her a vial
of some sort of smelling salts. "Just open it up; the scent will fill the
room quickly and react with something else I gave her to make her pass out,
alright?"

"Got it," Akeru said with a nod. "Wait-- one question... During that whole
fight, Immora kept producing weapons, firing ice, etc., but she never said
anything to make it happen. How could she do that? She's not an archmage
yet..."

"The insanity spell..." Ka'ina thought a moment, then continued again, "it's
been known to temporarily increase her power status to that of an archmage.
There is a drink that exists --she didn't take it though-- that can be taken
by a mage to temporarily give them the ability to cast spells without the
words like an archmage can, but it's dangerous to use and can only be taken
once. Any more usage would mean death."

"Oh... thank you."

Ka'ina left her then.

Akeru lay down on the bed next to Immora and waited patiently. She
occasionally reached over to gently stroke her soft hair, gazing at her
pale face as she watched for some sign that she was awake.

After an hour, she was still unconscious. Akeru sighed to herself, resting
her head on a pillow. She blinked slightly with surprise as a tear slid down
her cheek, followed by another. "Please be okay," she whispered. "I'll give
anything if you will just be alright." She cried for several minutes, then
wiped her eyes and sniffled. Going into the bathroom, she splashed her face
with water then got a glass of cold water to drink. She walked back over to
Immora, still brushing tears away. As she sipped it, an idea formed in her
head. Maybe... it could work, if she tried it. After all, she'd seen it
work before. And if it doesn't work, oh well, she'll wake up eventually.

Leaning down, Akeru tossed the water onto Immora's face, hoping for it to
wake her up. She practically screamed with happiness as it did and Immora
shot awake with a great deal of gasping and coughing.



Akeru broke away then, and Immora reeled slightly, lying back against the
pillows. It was so odd to experience memories from someone else's point of
view, especially when she could see herself in them. Not to mention seeing
just what she'd done.

Immora shuddered and surpressed a sob. How could she have attacked Akeru
like that? Akeru hugged her tightly, and Immora felt a powerful sensation
engulf her as she remembered a feeling she'd received from those memories,
the feeling of overwhelming love towards her that Akeru felt. Immora buried
her face against her shoulder and cried. "I'm so sorry... I'm so sorry..."
she whispered over and over.

Akeru stroked her hair and gently hushed her. "It's not your fault that it
happened... don't apologize for it..."

Ka'ina burst into the room at that moment, a furious look on her face.
"Akeru! I told you to tell me when she woke up! I wouldn't have known except
for when I sensed her energy!"

Akeru snapped automatically, "Well, excuse me, I was taking care of her. I
think that's more important than informing you!"

Ka'ina was about to retort when Immora whispered, "Please don't fight...
Ka'ina, if it's something important, get it over with, otherwise just leave.
Got it?"

Ka'ina lowered her head, then stepped forward and handed her a vial. "I had
someone make this for you... it's supposed to keep you from losing your
memory if you go insane again, that way you'll know what happened. It won't
do anything for this time, but--"

"That's alright, I know what happened thanks to Akeru. I appreciate this,
but I think you need to leave now."

Ka'ina turned and left as soon as she'd been told to.

"It must be hard for you to deal with two people loving you like this,"
Akeru murmured.

Immora couldn't help but laugh. "No, it isn't. Ka'ina is smothering and
possessive; I don't appreciate her feeling this way towards me, and if she
ever tried to express it, I'd just ignore her. There's no conflict of
emotions there. You, however," Immora said, cupping her chin in her hand,
"I will always be with you, and I want you to stay with me forever. I want
your love, I don't want hers." Immora leaned against her and sighed. "I
could feel your love for me in those memories... I can't believe you can
feel so strongly for me..."

"Well, I do," Akeru whispered.

Immora touched her cheek and softly spoke a spell. Akeru gasped and blinked.
"W-what was that?"

"I wanted you to feel my love... you aren't upset, are you?"

Akeru colored slightly. "Sorry, it's just... I didn't expect you to do that,
and to feel something so deep so suddenly..." she sighed and held her
closer, fighting tears back. "Well, I suppose you know already what I'm
trying to say."

"Yep..."

"Hmm... thank you... for sharing that with me."

"You're welcome... and thank you..." Immora sighed wearily, "I'm really
tired still, I'm going to sleep, alright?"

"Mmmhmm..."

"You're tired too, aren't you? C'mon, lie down and rest."

"Mmkay..."

Immora sighed softly as lay back on the bed, holding Akeru in her arms. "I
love you."

"love ya too..."

Soon, they were both asleep, dreaming of each other.



Time: In a memory, approximately 500 years later
Place: In a memory, the Gate of Time



Setsuna was sitting in a wooden chair, calmly studying, when someone
suddenly teleported themselves into her realm. Without thinking, she quickly
transformed into Sailor Pluto, her staff clenched tightly in her hand, and
raised it into the air to bring down onto the intruder. She didn't expect
to be met with a roar of laughter.

"Oh... heh heh... ha ha ha ha!... oh Setsuna, you should have seen the look
on your face! Ahahaha! *whew*, That was funny!"

Pluto's eyes widened in astonishment. "Immora?"

Immora grinned broadly at her. "Yup! It's been a long time since we first
ran into each other on Quenhol, hasn't it? Well, most of my students are
gone for the time being; I gave them some time off to relax, so I decided,
hey, why not drop in on the Guardian of Time?"

Pluto blinked several times in surprise.

"I know, I know, you're probably sitting there thinking, 'why didn't I sense
her coming? How come I didn't know any of these things were going on?' Well,
to tell you the truth, I hid them! Ha ha ha ha! Yep, I hid them from you!
I can do that, y'know, with my magic and all..."

Pluto cocked her head slightly and said in a slightly puzzled voice, "Are
you alright, Immora? You sound... rather excited, full of energy, almost
drunk. I've noticed you aren't usually like this... is everything okay?"

Immora laughed again. "Oh yes, everything's alright and--by the way, like my
dress?" Immora gestured to the long lavender dress she wore. "One of my
students made it for me... anyways, things are fine, why do you ask?"

"Well, if your students are gone and you have free time, why aren't you...
well, I expected you to be spending your time with Akeru, not here."

Immora giggled a bit. "I _was_ spending time with her, and boy, was it fun,
but she told me she wanted to get some things ready and that I should go
somewhere and have fun because it would take awhile to get everything
together. So, here I am, waiting for her to finish--"

"Were you drinking?" Pluto asked rather bluntly.

"_No_, I was not _drinking_. Alcohol disgusts me, don't worry; about the
only thing I could get 'drunk' on is magic... But that's beside the point,
I'm just so excited and nervous wondering what she had planned...
*siiiighhhhh*... Sorry, where was I?"

Pluto looked upwards and whispered to herself, "Why me?"

"I HEARD THAT!"

"Sorry."

"If you don't want my company, I'll just leave-- _but_, I do have to ask,
Akeru has always wondered why you took her from Earth and wanted me to ask
you if you'd be willing to talk to her about it sometime."

"I wouldn't mind at all."

"Thank you!" Immora chirped. She started walking all around, looking in the
mirrors and at the tall gate. "Hmmm... you see everything here, don't you?
I wonder if you know anything about my past?" she mused. "I sure don't..."

Pluto didn't answer her and sat back down.

"Hmmm, well, I'm going to go now and she if she's ready, bye bye! Have a
nice 'time' watching time! Heh heh... oooo, that was a lame joke wasn't it?"

"Well... yes... Goodbye."

Immora teleported away just before Pluto buried her face in her hands and
laughed hard. "Oh my God... I have never seen something so..." She threw
back her head and continued to laugh, then wiped away a bit of moisture that
had gathered around her eyes from laughing so hard. "Thank you God for
finally giving me a bit of humor in this long life..."



"Akeeerrrrrruuuu!!! Are you ready yet?" Immora called from the hall.

"Almost, just give me another minute! Why don't you change into something
more comfortable?"

Immora giggled slightly. "Comfortable as in casual? Because some people
actually mean to put on something--"

"IMMORA!" Akeru shouted in a shocked voice.

Immora laughed loudly. "I think I'll just wear a robe then," Immora
commented as she magically changed clothes.

"That's alright... okay, I'm done, you can come in now."

Immora opened the door to their room, her dark blue eyes widening in awe.
Lit candles were placed everywhere, giving the room a soft, beautiful glow.
A meal had been set on the table, all the clutter was cleaned up, and there
was a delightful vanilla smell lingering in the air. Lying on what looked to
be a recently made bed was Akeru. She grinned broadly at Immora. "Come here,
I have some things to show you."

"Hmmm... What kind of things?" Immora asked teasingly as she came over to
her and crawled up the bed till she was leaning over her.

Akeru laughed and answered, "Not like _that_."

"Aww..."

"Later, love, don't worry... Here, look at this."

Immora took the object from her hands and frowned slightly, sitting back
on her heels. "It's a photograph of someone."

"Yep... When Setsuna brought me to this world, that was with me. I wasn't
really sure who it was for awhile. Something Setsuna did sort of... I don't
know how to put it, but it basically scrambled my head a bit. I wasn't sure
what things were real memories or dreams. I had no idea who that person in
the picture was, and forgot about it."

"And do you remember now?"

"I think so, but I to tell you some things, about my, actually, _our_ past,
back on Earth."

Immora looked up at her in surprise. "Our? You know something about my old
life?! But how--"

Akeru pressed a finger to her lips. "Don't ask, I don't think I could
explain it." Akeru carefully took the picture from her hands and set it
aside, then handed her several dozen sheets of paper covered front to back
in typing. "Don't read that yet, alright? Ok... how to start... Well, you
know you are from Earth, right? And the country?"

Immora nodded. "America."

"Yeah, I lived there, wasn't born there though... Do you know how you got
here?"

"Well... Necros kidnapped me."

"Do you remember _what_ happened though, the actual event?"

Immora strained her thoughts hard, and responded, "Only very vaguely... I
see myself walking down a hallway with a few other people... and then I open
a door and he's there, then we're at his school..." She gripped her head in
her hands. "I really don't remember the details that well."

"What about when you arrived at his school, do you remember things like, I
don't know, your name, what you were wearing..."

"I have no idea what my name was, believe me. I've tried for a long time to
find it out. What I wore..." she tapped her chin in her hand. "Actually, I
do, strangely enough. Everything after I arrived at his school is fairly
clear, conversations during his classes are blurred a bit... I was wearing
those blue pants, jeans are what they are called, right? Hmmm, a black
shirt, black shoes..."

"Any jewelry? Happen to have anything in your pockets?"

"Well, yes, actually... a silver cross and a few rings, and I had in my
pockets, let's see... lip balm, some tissues, drops for my... 'contacts'?...
and a photo... why?"

Akeru snapped her fingers and grinned. "You have a mark around your left
thumb, don't you, a very slightly shiny mark from wearing a ring on it all
the time."

Immora blinked in surprise. "I really don't know," she said slowly, looking
down at her thumb. "Well, what do you know... I do... Akeru, is this leading
somewhere? I'm sorry, but I don't see how this all connects."

"You'll see, don't worry..." Akeru told her. "Immora, you are from the same
Earth as I am, you realize that? And in fact, if I am correct about all this
stuff, we knew each other, _very_ well. I couldn't piece this all together
before, but... Sorry, trailing off. When I was a teenager, a girl and I
were very much in love with each other. That picture is of her."

Immora felt her cheeks burn with jealousy. "Oh _really_?" she drawled in
slightly cold tones.

"Please don't get upset!" Akeru quickly threw in. "Just hear everything I
have to say. Okay, this girl and I were together for a few years. We had
given each other rings... a sort of symbol of our love, if you will. I loved
her deeply, and we were ready to spend the rest of our lives together. One
day, I found out she'd been kidnapped."

Immora's eyes widened slightly. "Kidnapped..."

"Some of her friends had been there when it happened, and said the abductor
was a tall man with long white hair, red eyes, dressed all in black. He was
waiting for her in a classroom, and they disappeared suddenly in a flash of
light. I didn't believe the story about the sudden disappearance but... I
knew she'd been taken away," Akeru's voice tightened with sadness.

Immora looked down and murmured, "White hair and red eyes... like Necros..."

"After I found out, I was devestated. I practically killed myself a number
of times, and I guess I lost it. I pretty much shut out all my memories and
ran away, and was pretty much moping around feeling sorry for myself when
Setsuna took me away. All those memories were blurred, so I didn't remember
these things for awhile, but if I'm right, that girl--"

"Akeru, sorry to interrupt, I still have the rings I was wearing then, and
the photo from in my pocket, do you want to see them?"

"Yeah... If I see them, they'll probably confirm what I believe."

Immora produced them, and Akeru's face drained of all color. "Oh my God... I
was right!" she whispered hoarsely. "Immora, look at that photo I showed you
earlier carefully, and look at the one you had with you. Tell me what you
see in them."

Immora frowned, and looked down at them. "Mine is a girl, looks to be
Oriental, black hair, brown eyes, yours is a girl with blond hair, pale
skin, dark blue ey--" Immora's eyes widened and she gasped, the photo
sliding from her slackened grip. "She looks like me! She looks like me...
only younger, b-but..." She clasped her hands over her mouth, her mind
reeling. "And mine... my God, she looks like _you_... I never noticed
before... but... if that is you... why would I have had a picture of you?"

"Those _are_ pictures of us," Akeru whispered. "As soon as those memories
became clear, I realized it..."

"Ohmigod..." Immora sat trembling with shock. "You mean to say... we were...
we... before I was taken here...?"

Akeru nodded. "Look at those papers now, if you want... those are some
letters... I know I wrote some because my name is on them, and I believe
that you are the one who wrote the rest, but the name is different."

"But... how can you be sure that I'm really this girl from all those
centuries ago? And if I'm not, who is the girl in the picture I have?"

Akeru couldn't help but smile. "It would just be too much of a coincidence
if you weren't... you have the rings I gave her, the kidnapping, how we just
happen to look exactly the same as the people in the pictures--well, we're
obviously a bit older looking now, but still... you have the same mark on
your thumb that I remember her having..."

Immora looked down at the letters and quickly wiped away a tear that had
just escaped her eye. "It's just so... I mean, to find out that we actually
knew each other before, loved each other..."

"I know, it's hard to believe at first," Akeru whispered, "but believe me,
it's true..." Akeru hugged her tight and whispered a name softly.

"Was that my name?" Immora asked as she closed her eyes.

"Yes, it was..."

"What's your name, your real name?"

Akeru quietly told her, and Immora smiled. "Strange, I actually feel like I
remember it somehow... hmmm... I'm too used to calling you 'Akeru' though to
call you anything else." She closed her eyes as she leaned her cheek against
Akeru's. "mmm... I guess we really are meant to be together, aren't we, if
we were together even before all this crazy stuff happened?"

"I never doubted it," Akeru whispered.

"Hmmm... it's funny... we both couldn't--well, I still can't--remember being
together so long ago, and we happened to meet and fall in love again..."

"I think it's wonderful... if I had remembered all those things and hadn't
met you again, I would have been crushed to know I'd lost you because Necros
kidnapped you..."

They both sighed and held each other tighter for several long moments.

"I think we should save the reminiscing for a bit later; that dinner you
prepared is going to go cold," Immora commented softly.

"Sorry," Akeru said, pulling back. She helped Immora up and smiled sweetly
at her. "I could tell you so much about your life that you don't remember,
if you want to hear it."

"After that big revelation, I think I'll keel over if I hear anything
else today!"

Akeru grinned at her and helped her up. "I'll definitely wait then... I
don't think I'd like it if you keeled over."

Immora laughed and walked over to the table with her. "Mmm... that smells
good," she said, sitting down and starting to eat.

After they finished, Akeru walked out with her to the porch adjoining their
room. It was night out, but the moons shone brightly, lighting the
surroundings. The stars twinkled and sparkled in their bed of indigo,
occasionally hidden behind the patches of clouds that slowly moved across
the sky. "I can never get over how high up this is..." Akeru breathed.

The building where Immora taught her students was high up on a terribly
steep mountain, and clung to the side of it, supported by magical spells to
keep it from falling off. Their room and porch were on the side that
dropped off the most, so they could look down over the valley far below.
Even the tall trees barely reached this height, and they could only faintly
make out the tiny dots of people walking around. The porch itself actually
jutted out from the side, supported from underneath by beams.

"I like it though," Immora said. "It's a beautiful view, and no one could
just climb up to it and get in, unlike most of the other rooms here."

"Yeah, it is nice... Hmmm... it's starting to snow."

"Where? I don't see any snow flakes."

"Oh, sorry, you can't see it yet, I just felt it starting."

Immora chuckled. "My own private weather forecaster," she teased.

Akeru stuck her tongue out. "You're just jealous."

"Oh _really_?" Immora stood up on the stone railing. "*sniff* You're hurting
my feelings; I'd take that back if I were you."

"Why should I? You _are_ jealous that I have these elemental powers and you
don't."

Immora tested the wind with her finger. "Oh good, it's blowing west, that
should carry me well..."

"You're not going to jump, are you?" Akeru asked in a panicky voice.

"Why not?" Immora leapt from the side.

Akeru let out a startled cry, and ran to the side where Immora was
plummeting downward. "Oh damnit..." She dove over the side, frantically
contacting the wind guardians, asking them to buffer her fall.

Immora looked up at her, the speed of her fall blowing her hair in her face.
"Decided to follow?" she shouted up at her lover. She laughed, and a blue
glow formed around her, slowing her to a stop in midair.

Akeru swore under her breath as she continued to fall. Immora reached out
her hands and grabbed Akeru's, pulling her up close against her in a tight
hug to hold her up. "Couldn't stop, could you?"

"Wind is rather stubborn sometimes, it didn't listen when I asked it to
help out."

"I'm the only thing holding you up then... wow, we're pretty high up."

Akeru looked down at the valley, then up at their porch. "Y-yeah... we
are... can we please go back up to our room now?"

"You don't like it out here, just floating in the air? I love it... flying
is one of the most fun things, better than just standing in the air, but
it's still kind of thrilling, isn't it?"

"Immora, please..."

Immora frowned. "There's nothing to worry about. I won't let you go."

Akeru wrapped her arms tightly around her neck. "You better not... I really
don't like this..."

Immora hugged her closer to her. "We'll go back up in a moment, let me draw
in some more energy first so I don't drain myself." She felt around with her
mind for a good energy source. "Hmmm... I need an air source... damn,
they're all ignoring me! That's odd... I've never been refused like this
before..."

Akeru shivered against her. "It's cold... can you please just bring us back
up?"

"If I don't get more energy, we won't make it very far." Immora searched
around again. "Talk to those crazy wind elements. They are actually keeping
me from drawing in energy!"

"I'll try to get them to listen..." Akeru closed her eyes. "Ahhh, there we
go."

Immora's eyes glowed faintly as she drew in the energy she needed. "Going
up," she commented as they started to rise. "We'll be back to the porch in
a little bit. Don't want to go to fast or it'll jostle us. I'm really just
using the magic to lift _me_, and you're going up since I'm holding on to
you. I would cast a separate spell on you so I wouldn't have to hold on to
you, but I think you like it better in my arms, right?"

"Y-yes... but... Just don't let go," Akeru said between clenched teeth. "I
don't care how we get up as long as I don't have to do it alone."

When they were level with the porch but still several feet away from it,
Immora asked her, "You're afraid of falling, aren't you?"

"Yes, is there something wrong with that?"

"Not at all, I was just wondering... you jumped after me despite it?"

"I didn't think it through at all, actually, just instinct. I mean, you're
immortal, so the fall wouldn't kill you, not that you'd let yourself get
that far, but my instincts just took over... I saw you falling and wanted
to rescue you."

"My hero," Immora drawled teasingly.

"Can we just go back to the porch now?"

"Don't you trust me not to let you go?"

"Yes, but I would really feel more comfortable back on the porch than in
midair..."

"Alright," Immora said, as they landed on the porch. "Better?"

"Much better..." Akeru breathed. She then shook her finger accusingly at
Immora, "Don't _ever_ do that to me again!"

"Sorry! I was just kidding around, I really was, I didn't mean to upset
you," Immora looked at her with concerned eyes.

Akeru sighed and hugged her. "It's alright, you just really gave me a
scare."

Immora hugged her back. "Sorry again..." She looked up at the sky and
exclaimed, "Oh, wow! I can see the snow! There it is!"

They turned to look at the flakes slowly falling from the night sky. "It's
pretty, isn't it..." Akeru murmured.

"Mmmm, yes, I like watching the snow..." Immora reached up and cupped
Akeru's chin. "But I can think of other things I enjoy looking at more."

Akeru smiled down at her. "Oh really? And that would be...?"

"You, of course," Immora murmured, leaning up to kiss her lips.

Akeru bent down and returned her kiss, then pulled back slightly and
whispered, "Let's go inside, much warmer in there..."

Immora followed her back in, closing the door behind them. She wrapped her
arms around Akeru's neck as they kissed each other again. Akeru drew her
back away from the door, still wrapped in the embrace. Immora whispered
softly, "I love you, I will love you forever."

"And I love you eternally as well." Akeru gently lifted her into her arms
and carried her back to their bed. Smiling sweetly, she set Immora down,
bending to kiss her again, but was stopped when Immora pressed her finger
to her lover's lips. "What?"

"Sorry..." Immora replied, "It's just..." she blushed faintly and turned
her eyes away. "You look really beautiful when you smile like that..."

"You always look beautiful," Akeru whispered.

Immora blushed faintly. "I-I'm wasn't saying that you aren't any other
time, but--"

"I know what you meant," Akeru broke in with a small grin. "Thank you."

Immora smiled and kissed her cheek. "You always do. You know me better than
I know myself!"

"I do, don't I?" Akeru replied as she kissed her neck and shoulders.

"mmmmmm... Be careful, you almost knocked that candle over with your foot."

"Sorry, I'll put it out." Akeru blew it out, then started to go back over
to Immora.

"Might as well just put all the ones around here out. It's warm enough in
here without a fire going too; you don't want us to sweat from the heat, do
you?"

Akeru chuckled as she put the other candles out. "Actually, yes... Well, not
as a result of the temperature of the room but from other things..." she
trailed off with a sly smile.

Immora grinned at her and embraced her tightly when she'd finished putting
out the candles. "I definitely agree with that." They kissed again, and
Immora looked over her lover's shoulder towards the door. "Lock the door
too," she whispered. "Don't want us to be interrupted, after all."

With a thought, Akeru turned the key in the lock, then she chuckled as she
looked down at Immora, who'd slid under the blankets, pulling them up to
cover her bare skin as she tossed her robe on the floor. "Have I finally
taken care of everything?" Akeru asked.

"Not really. You're still dressed, aren't you?"

Akeru blushed. "Oh... that."

"Yes, that," Immora laughed. When Akeru finished undressing, Immora wrapped
her arms around her neck again, kissing her lips passionately, then bending
to kiss the side of her neck. Akeru moaned faintly and lay down next to
Immora, kissing her shoulders in return. Immora giggled slightly and gently
nibbled her earlobe, running her fingers through Akeru's short hair. Akeru
cupped her chin and pressed her open mouth against Immora's and they slipped
their tongues into each other's mouths. After Akeru pulled back, Immora held
the blankets up for Akeru to slip under as well, and laughed when Akeru
immediately moved to kiss her again.

A figure, leaning against the door outside their room, slowly slid to the
floor, crying. "It's not fair," she whispered to herself hoarsely. She
clamped her hands over her ears as she heard laughter coming from inside,
followed by the sound of sheets being ruffled, and voices whispering to
each other. "It has to end... one day, I'll stop it." She clenched her
hands into fists, pulling her hair tightly. Her eyes started glowing from
her rage.

"Oh Akeru! OH!!"

The figure lay her head on her knees, her lips tightening in anger.

"What are you doing here, Ka'ina?" someone walking down the halls asked.

"Nothing, Kulju," she murmured.

"You're blocking my way, you know. I wanted to ask the master something."
He combed his hand through his short brown hair and gazed at her with his
puzzled, pale green eyes.

"She's very busy, can't you hear?" Ka'ina muttered as Akeru's muffled cries
could be heard.

He blushed deeply. "Err... oh... I see... Well, I'll just wait until, umm,
morning, during class. Uhhh, I guess I'll see you tomorrow..." he trailed
off.

"Leave me alone," Ka'ina muttered.

"Ka'ina, why don't you just come with me to the dining hall, get some
dinner... I mean, you never get out and try to enjoy yourself. Stop
following Immora around and feeling sorry for yourself. You know she's not
going to leave Akeru for you."

Ka'ina lowered her eyes and murmured, "Is it _that_ obvious?"

Kulju sighed. "Ka'ina, you've been my classmate for centuries now. After
awhile, you pick up on these things--" He winced as Immora's scream broke
the air. "Uhhh... look, at least come with me and talk. You're just going
to make yourself miserable if you sit here listening to them h-- uh, you
know. It's not like I expect you to fall for me or anything, I just want to
help out as a friend, ok? Please?"

"Fine," Ka'ina sighed, standing up and straightening her blue dress. She
followed Kulju down to the dining hall.

"A-Akeru... I thought I heard voices..."

"mmm... I didn't hear a thing... then again I wasn't exactly concentrating
on that... *chuckle*..."

"_Akeru_!"

"*giggle* Sorry, love..."



Time: In a memory, about 300 years later
Place: In a memory, the mage school, Quenhol



Reading reading reading reading... it sure did get dull after awhile. Immora
was searching through a thick book for a spell, and had been for the past
few hours. Damnit, where was it?! She had to finish before dinner, Sharra
was coming to dine with her and all her students. Search search search...
oh no. God... why me?

Immora carefully closed the book, rubbing her temples with her index fingers
to alleviate the pounding sensation in her head. All that reading to find
that spell, and what happened? It was ripped out. She sighed and lay her
head on her arms, her hair spilling out onto the table in front of her. The
bench she sat on wasn't quite comfortable, but right now, anything would do.
She almost went to sleep, then was startled when two hands covered her eyes.

"Boo. Guess who?"

Immora giggled and reached up to stroke the hands. "Hmmm... could it be
Akeru?"

Akeru grinned as she leaned over Immora's shoulder to rest her cheek against
hers. "However did you figure that out?"

"Who else would sneak up on me like that? Besides, you did a poor job
disguising your voice, and I know the feel of your hands very well."

Akeru laughed a bit, hugging her from behind. "I should think so!"

Immora smiled up at her and pressed her palm against her cheek. "So, what
are you up to?"

"Just wanted to check up on you. You've been locked up in here for hours.
Did you find the spell?"

Immora sadly shook her head, reaching to put out the candles she'd used for
light. "No, it had been ripped out--" Her voice cut off in a gasp of
surprise as she accidentally knocked a candle over onto the book and it
started to catch fire.

Akeru reacted much quicker than she did, her eyes shimmering for a moment
as the fire disappeared. "There, no harm done."

Immora let out the breath she'd been holding. "Thank goodness! There's still
some things in that book we could use... You stopped it pretty quickly."

"I've been getting better at controlling this stuff. I practice when you're
busy with this." Akeru sat down next to her on the bench. "I'm not trying
to be rude... but do you really need to spend so much time on these spells?
You're already so good at magic."

Immora sighed and clasped her hand. "I wish I didn't... but I have to. It's
just... I don't know, it's hard to explain to someone who isn't a mage...
you feel forced to keep working and working to get more powerful whether
you want to or not... In a way, it's a responsibility. If we didn't learn
to control our powers, things would be pretty chaotic..."

"I just wish it took less time," Akeru grumbled. "I haven't seen you much
these past few months."

Immora kissed her cheek. "I know, I'm sorry... Don't worry too much, we have
eternity to spend with each other. I just need to keep studying for now...
once I make archmage rank, I won't have to do this so much."

"How long will it be till that happens?"

Immora thought about it a long time. "I don't know. There's no real way to
judge it. I wish I knew."

Akeru sighed and rested her head on Immora's shoulder. "Oh well..." She then
sniffed a bit and raised her head again. "Immora, you're all dusty from
these books and you smell like the wax..."

Immora blushed a bit and laughed, embarrassed. "Ooops. I better go take care
of that before dinner. I don't think that it would make a terribly good
impression on Sharra to show up like this."

Akeru helped her up and they walked back to their room, locking the door
behind them. As Immora was turning on the water, she commented to Akeru,
"You know, it never hurts to take a shower..."

"Hmm, I suppose I should take one too..." Akeru grinned a bit. "But don't
we have to meet your students in an hour? It takes you awhile to wash your
hair."

Immora smiled and took her hand, pulling her in behind her. "Well, we better
save time then. C'mon, you can help me get all the tangles out."

Akeru laughed and shut the shower door. "Fine with me..."



Tap tap tap. Tap tap tap-tap-tap tap tap tap. Tap tap. Tap-tap-tap-tap-tap.
Ta--

"Excuse me."

Kulju looked up at Sharra, watching him with irritated eyes. "Ah, my queen?"

"Would you please stop tapping your fork on your plate? It's bad enough
that she is running late, but it doesn't pass time any quicker when you do
that."

"Sorry."

Sharra looked away and started talking again. Kulju sighed heavily. The
queen had been ten minutes early, and where was Immora? Twenty minutes late.
It figures... The ruler of the world comes for a rare visit and the one
that she came to see isn't there for the arrival. Great.

Kulju picked up his fork and resumed his tapping.

Sharra glanced over at him once, but he was oblivious. She sighed in
resignation and fiddled with the chain of pearls she wore on her forehead.
Someone burped loudly. He had to pass the potatoes to the girl sitting next
to him. A man left in a hurry for the bathroom. Yep, very exciting, waiting
for the master to arrive. And where was Akeru? They could all hear the
sound of the pipes carrying water to a shower, but--

Oh. Kulju coughed to himself at the realization. Well, that answered _that_
question. He hoped they would finish soon and finally join everyone. Sharra
was looking rather bored.

Kulju stopped tapping his fork to his glass when the dining hall door
opened. His fellow students all looked up as well, falling silent. Immora
and Akeru quickly took their seats, both blushing a bit.

"My, my, twenty five minutes late," one of the older students commented with
a knowing smile. "Were you busy?"

The others laughed a bit and smiled, and the conversations resumed while
they started pausing around the dishes to the couple's end of the table.

"Sharra," Immora greeted the queen weakly, giving her a quick curtsy and
a hug. "It's been centuries. You're looking well."

"You too, Immora. I was beginning to wonder if I'd ever get to see you.
You sure did take your time getting here."

Immora cast a quick glance at Akeru. "Ahhh... yeah. Um, sorry about that...
completely lost track of time."

Sharra smiled faintly, looking over to Akeru as well, who now had a confused
look on her face. "It's alright, I think I can understand why you would."

Immora colored slightly and whispered to her, "Cloria, please, I'm already
embarrassed enough as it is!"

"Sorry. I don't get to talk to people often about anything other than things
involving my rulership, so any chance I get to have fun and have a _real_
discussion, I take, no matter how... well, embarrassing it may seem."

"In the future, try not to!"

Sharra laughed slightly and turned away while Immora started eating,
listening to everyone else.

"You know, Dacon, that wasn't very nice," Kulju said in a soft voice to the
woman next to him that had been teasing Immora and Akeru.

Dacon shrugged, flipping her red hair over her shoulder. "Oh well. We _all_
know what they were up to anyways. Besides, as long as they don't get upset
over it, why not have a little fun by poking fun at them?"

Kulju was about to comment but fell silent when he felt Ka'ina's icy glare.
Geez, what was she mad about now?

"I suggest you stop harassing the master," Ka'ina hissed to Dacon, her eyes
still fixed on Kulju, however. "There's no reason to make those rude
remarks."

Dacon wasn't the slightest bit intimidated. "Calm down, Ka'ina. They're not
'rude,' and I was just teasing. Everyone knows that the master and Akeru are
rather heavily involved and have been the past few centuries, so it's not
like we're spilling their secrets or anything. Besides, they make all sorts
of innuendoes to each other when the rest of us are around. If they're
going to do that, we have a right to joke about it when they go through with
them."

Ka'ina seemed about to say something when Immora called out, "Dacon, could
you pass the syrup?"

Dacon answered warmly, "Of course, master," and passed it down the row,
glaring at Ka'ina as she did so.

Kulju whispered to Dacon, "Do you think she heard us?"

"She's Immora, anything's possible!"

Someone else was calling out to Immora, "You missed seeing Kreesh's antics
earlier. He had made the wine for us, and brought it in to present it,
but tripped and spilled it all over Ralore!"

Someone else piped up, "Yeah, poor thing, she just finished sewing that new
robe too, and Kreesh had to ruin it. You should have seen the lightning bolt
she threw at him!"

"It missed me though," the man in question said, "but man, if she'd hit--
Yowch! That thing was pretty powerful! Too bad you two were too busy with
each other to see it happen."

"Oh, I'm sure they don't mind missing it after what they were busy with when
it happened!"

The two started laughing while Immora slid back in her seat, red in the
face, but she was still grinning widely. Akeru hid her face in her hands,
but she was laughing a bit.

"Ok, ok, enough of that," Immora said, "You've had your fun for tonight,
give it a rest till tomorrow."

"Oh, so something will have happened between now and then, eh? Geez, Akeru,
you must be pretty g--"

"_Kreesh_!!"

"Ooo, you're in trouble now!" someone called out.

Immora stood up, wiped her mouth carefully with a napkin, and pulled a
startled Akeru to her feet. "We should leave these _immature_ students
behind," she sniffed. "Sorry, Sharra, perhaps another time?"

"That's fine, we have all the time in the world, after all."

"Awww... we were just kidding around!"

Dacon nudged Kulju, then piped up, "You're just using this as an excuse to
run off with her, aren't you? *Tch, tch* Setting a bad example for the
younger students..."

Akeru quickly replied to her, "We're in love! And we're old enough to do
whatever we feel like!"

"I'm not saying you can't," Dacon shrugged, "but my, my, so often!"

"Eeek!" Immora squealed a bit, then quickly stammered a spell, sending a
brief rainshower at Dacon. Dacon stood up, shouting and cursing as she
tried to keep from getting wet. Pretty soon, spells were flying everywhere,
none harmful, but all thoroughly irritating.

"This is worse than a food fight," Kulju groaned as a rabbit hopped across
his dinner. He randomly dropped a head of lettuce on someone just as he
was knocked out of his chair by a large pillow. Dacon helped him up, then
shouted out in surprise as Sharra joined in and tossed a huge bundle of
papers at her.

Akeru grabbed Immora's arm, laughing hard, trying to fend off the spells.
"This was supposed to be a formal dinner, maybe you should put a stop to
this--"

Immora interrupted, "No way! We need a chance to have fun with our magic
for once, this is the perfect opportunity to relieve stress!" She threw
a ball of yarn at someone right before ducking to avoid loudly quacking
duck. "Besides, even Sharra is joining in. This is going to be great!"

Akeru sighed in a "why me?" gesture, and started sending tiny bursts of
wind around the room, mussing people's hair and sending things in the wrong
direction. A cloud of pink smoke ended up in her face, making her cough
a bit as she countered with a big rose bush popping out of the wall.

"This is nuts..."

"It's fun!" Immora insisted, avoiding a streak of color that would have
turned her blue dress a hideously cute shade of pink.

"_This_ is what you call fun..." Akeru said in a sarcastic tone.

Immora grabbed her arm and pulled her startled lover up against her. "Well,
mildly amusing I suppose... there are other things I'd find _much_ more
entertaining..."

"... There's a giant marshmallow flying at us."

The two dove to the floor, the marshmallow smashing into a sticky lump on
the wall, then Immora tossed a plate up in the air, turning it into a
bird, and sent it out at her students.

"That sure did come at a bad time, didn't it?" Akeru commented.

Immora grumbled a bit, "It sure did..."

Sharra suddenly ran by, chased by a much shorter Elf, who was waving a
foam bat in the air while Sharra's hair kept changing colors. Kulju fell
from the ceiling to land on a camel. Someone was singing an old Earth song
loudly, with abrupt halts to shout out "Hello!"

"Okay, now it's getting insane," Immora commented.

"Maybe you should try to stop them."

"If that's possible!" Immora stood up and started to speak, and was pushed
back against the wall again by a gust of wind.

"Whoops, sorry! I should have been more specific in telling it where to go."
Akeru went over to help her to her feet again. Immora just stared at her,
looking as if she was trying to hold back a loud laugh. "What? Do I have
something on my shirt or some... thing?" Akeru turned bright red. "Oh my...
gimmeyourcloakrightnow!"

Immora burst out laughing then as she handed Akeru her cloak to wrap around
her torso. "Whoever made it disappear is going to get it..." Akeru growled.

"Heh heh... Hey, I didn't mind it!"

"_Immora_!"

Ka'ina suddenly fell by Akeru's feet with a familiar cloth wrapped around
her ankle. Akeru pulled her shirt away and quickly pulled it back on. Ka'ina
looked dazed, and her hair was soaked in wine. Someone dragged her away,
then there was a loud explosion as the chandelier shattered with a bright
glow of light.

"STOP!!!"

Everyone turned to see Immora standing in the center of the room, her eyes
blazing brightly and sending blue highlights dancing across her hair and
her clenched fists. "It was fun at first, but you are getting _way_ too
wild now. I want this mess cleaned up _immediately_. Sharra, come with me
please."

The students rushed to pick up things and tidy up. Immora placed her hand
wearily to her forehead and started walking out of the room, trailed by
Akeru and Sharra. Akeru quickly raced to her side, catching her just as she
stumbled and lost her footing.

"Are you alright?!"

Immora nodded slowly. "Sorry... I just... I didn't mean to do that... the
thing with the chandelier... I never thought it would wear me out so much
... um, I'm very sorry about all this... geez, I was late getting there,
then my students got out of hand..."

"It's alright, there'll be other times," Sharra replied.

"If you still want to talk, we could go into the study in our private wing
... Akeru, could you come too?"

Akeru nodded and helped her as they entered their private section of the
complex. It held their bedroom, Immora's study, their observatory, things
that they didn't want just anyone to barge into whenever they felt like it.
The doors only opened when they approached, or to someone they had entered
into the system to allow access.

Sharra sat down in a chair while Immora curled up against Akeru on the couch
across from it.

"How have things been, as far as the world situation?" Immora asked. "We
don't hear much here."

"Hmmm... well, the Assassins' Guild seems to be neutralized for the time
being. The Dragana have gone deeper into hiding, and the Dragons with them.
The Katrisa have been seen more, however." She paused a moment. "There
have been reports of... I don't know how to describe it, but they say that
someone destroyed everything in the galaxy. We are unaffected here, of
course, but they say that everything has started over out there."

Immora sat up quickly. "Who did it? Where did this happen?"

Sharra produced a paper with a list on it, and quickly read over it. "It
is believed that one called 'Sailor Saturn' is responsible. She was trying
to prevent a demoness from possessing her and taking her abilities. It
happened on Earth." Sharra looked up at her. "You know of this girl?"

Immora blinked a bit. "You could tell, eh? Well..." She rested her head on
her chin. "I know Sailor Pluto... the Guardian of Time... a teammate of
hers. It just seems so strange to hear that... I can't believe it could
happen."

"You never know what will happen when Earth is involved."

"Earth's not _that_ bad," Akeru commented. "Not at all like here, of course,
but it's still got good traits. Don't be so quick to judge it and its
citizens."

Sharra raised an eyebrow. "I apologize... but you have to understand, our
information on other worlds is limited, and if we make judgements based on
what we hear, well..."

"Why don't you tell us what else is going on?" Immora quickly threw in, not
wanting to listen to an argument.

"Well, um, here's something you might be interested in. It's a rather silly
survey if you ask me, but the council decided they want to get an idea of
what kind of people are living here."

She handed the paper to Immora, who held it so Akeru could read it too.
"Hmmm... I guess we should take it; it would help out when it comes time to
making decisions," Immora said quietly.

"Thank you... just send it back when you finish... um, well, I better be
leaving now. Goodbye."

"Goodbye. Talk to you later."

Sharra closed the door quietly behind her, and they could hear the loud
click of the wing's doors seal after she left.

Immora carefully set the paper on the floor, lying back on the couch, then
looked up at Akeru. "Maybe we should go back to the palace sometime, to
take a break from things."

Akeru tucked a piece of hair behind Immora's hair as she crawled over to
lean over her. "I'd like that. We need a break from this place."

"Something wrong with it?"

"I would just like to be alone with you sometime. The palace is nice, great
accomodations, and we could reserve a spot far away from anyone else." She
kissed her forehead and whispered, "It's been awhile since we could simply
enjoy each other's company for weeks on end."

Immora smiled slightly and gently caressed her cheek. "Well then, give me
tomorrow to tell my students that I'll be leaving temporarily, then we can
be off, alright?"

Akeru nuzzled her face against Immora's neck, making her giggle a bit. "The
sooner the better... I can't wait to be alone with you."

"We're alone right now, love..."

Akeru bent to kiss her lips delicately. "Yes, but there's always the chance
that something could come up and you'd have to go off and teach, or someone
would have a problem with a spell... that nut Ka'ina could bother you..."

Immora quickly hushed her. "Akeru, don't worry about her, I don't want her
around me either. I only let her stay because it's... oh, it's another
stupid mage thing, I'm really the only one qualified to teach other mages,
and if someone goes untrained, it could be horrible for everyone else."

"I still hate her."

Immora kissed her cheek and hugged her. "Please, let's not think about that,
okay? I don't want to worry about anything else right now, I want to
concentrate on _you_."

"Fine with me." Akeru slipped her arms around to Immora's back, holding
her close while she kissed her.

"... let's just stay here, I'm too tired to move."

"If you want," Akeru replied, laying her head on Immora's chest. "Anything
for you."

Immora smiled, running her fingers through Akeru's black hair. "If you are
uncomfortable--"

Akeru grinned and rubbed her cheek up against her. "This is quite
comfortable, don't worry."

"... oh."

"You're blushing again."

"You're the one who made me."

Akeru laughed and sat up. "You always seem to get flustered when I say
things like that to you. Even after all this time, you still blush."

Immora shrugged and sighed. "Can't help it... I just get easily affected
by what you say. And of course, that's because I love you."

Akeru smiled and held her hand. "I love you too."

Immora reached up and pulled Akeru down onto her again. "We should get
some rest. I'm too tired to stay awake anymore."

"Sleep well," Akeru whispered as she bent towards Immora.

"Sleep well," Immora murmured as she gently kissed her lips.



Time: In a memory, about 1,500 years later
Place: In a memory, the mage school, Quenhol



Immora looked up from the text she was explaining to her students as Akeru
walked into the room. A smile lit her face immediately and she set the book
down, running over to her. Akeru laughed and pulled her into a tight hug.
"Miss me?"

"Of course I did! You sure must have asked Setsuna alot of questions during
your visit, you were gone two weeks!"

"Two weeks, I know, such a _long_ time compared to the thousands of years
together, right?" They laughed together. "Yeah, we talked alot, and she was
able to answer all my questions. I shouldn't have waited so long to do it!"

Akeru followed Immora over to sit by her at the long table where her
students had gathered. Several younger students were giggling and whispering
to each other, while the older ones cast them dark looks.

"Well, back to the projectile fire spell," Immora began. "You said here,
Dacon, that you didn't understand the inflection needed?"

Dacon nodded. "I used a hard 'g' like you told me, but there's still
something not working right."

"Why don't you try it for me, ok?" The student spoke the spell, and Immora
winced. "Okay... you reaaaally need to watch those 'r's, okay? They're not
so much of an "eruh" sound as they are an "arah", so this word here would
be..."

She continued to explain as the other students were looking over other
spells, trying to work them out. Akeru yawned and lay her head on the
shorter woman's shoulder. Immora paused in midsentence when she did so, then
started talking again.

"Excuse me, master," her eldest student, a male Pure Elf, spoke up. "I was
wondering, as we've been studying under you, have you been working on your
own to progress your abilities?"

Immora grinned and looked down at Akeru. "Actually, I wanted to wait until
Akeru got back to mention this, but since she is..." she looked up with a
wide grin, "I've finally done it! I've attained archmage status!"

There were gasps all around the table, several cheers, and stunned silence
from some. "B-B-But how can you be sure?!" Ka'ina gasped. "That places you
even higher above us than before! Are you certain?!"

Immora narrowed her eyes in puzzlement. "Of course I am! I don't have to say
anything to cast a spell anymore. That's the mark of an archmage. It's not
that hard to notice unless you're ignorant."

Ka'ina blushed with shame and refused to say anything else.

Immora looked down at Akeru and chuckled. "Aren't you proud of me, love? I
just became probably the first archmage in who knows how long, and you
haven't said a thing. Aren't you going to congratulate me?"

Akeru's eyes twinkled as she lifted them to gaze into Immora's, and she said
softly with a grin, "Oh yes, definitely... but wait till we're alone..."

Immora blushed and looked back up to her students, who were all chuckling
and giggling, except for Ka'ina. "Um... er... well, any more questions?"

Someone piped up, "You're just eager to go back to your room for that
congratulations, aren't you?"

"About the spells!!!" Immora said, her face turning fiery red.

"Yeah, about this invisibility spell, what would be the best source to draw
energy from? I can't figure it out."

"Hmmm, I usually draw from the air for that one, since it's mainly the air
around you that obscures you from si-IIiiiGhT! AKERU!! I'm trying to
teach!!!"

Her students stared at them with wide-eyes as Immora pushed the grinning
Akeru off of her. "What just happened? What did she do?" Kulju asked.

"You don't want to know," someone told him.

"Wh-why don't we just stop f-for today, alright?" Immora stuttered.

Akeru pulled her to her feet and swept her up in her arms. They left with a
collective shout of, "Goodbye, master, have FUN!" following them.

"You've just embarrassed me in front of them again, you know," Immora
griped.

"They've been doing that for centuries..." Akeru commented, shifting her
voice to a sultry purr, "and I'll make it worth your while."

"Oh, I know you will, I just feel like teasing you, that's all."

"Save it for later, m'love, we'll have time to talk afterwards..."

After entering the room, Akeru shut off the lights so it was pitch black.
Immora was about to create a light when Akeru called from somewhere, "Before
I 'congratulate' you, I have another surprise for you!"

The light came on again and Immora looked around to find where Akeru had
gone to. Her gaze went upward and she sat up in shock. "WHAT are you doing
on the CEILING?!"

Akeru was sitting quite calmly upside down on the ceiling. She grinned and
lowered her hand to Immora, and she saw that the amplifier rings were
glowing. "Guess what?"

"W-What?" Immora was still quite startled by Akeru's sudden appearance up
over her head.

"I've gotten great control of these things now, and..." she put her hands
on the ceiling, pushed herself so the rest of her body was hanging off, and
dropped gently down onto the bed, "I'd like to give you a present."

As Akeru was pulling her into a hug, Immora asked, "Oh? What kind of
present?"

"My soul... at least, part of it."

Immora pushed her away, blinking rapidly from surprise. "What do you mean,
your soul?"

Akeru smiled at her and held up two identical necklaces. They both had a
smooth, dark blue gem hanging from a silver chain. "Well--" she started.

"Wait, those are..."

"I know, the typical necklace one Quenholtian gives to another as a sign
of love. I thought it would be cute. They've caught on in the other planets,
actually... but may I finish?"

Immora colored slightly and nodded. "Sorry."

"It's alright. Anyways, I've been doing some research with my little friends
the elements--" Akeru suddenly winced as if pinched. "Sorry, fire sometimes
gets a bit angry when I use nicknames-- OW!"

Immora couldn't help but giggle a bit. "Why don't you just keep talking and
ignore them for now?"

Akeru rubbed her head. "Yeah... _Anyways_, a love guardian gave me an
interesting idea... it goes beyond these simple necklaces." She fastened
one around the skeptical Immora's neck, then the other around her own. "It
said that there's a way to actually infuse something such as this with a
bit of your own soul, as much as you can and still remain the same, that is.
It's a bit... well, you have to completely trust the other person, I mean,
the necklace won't just break or anything unless the person is injured or
dies, and if injured it repairs itself later... but you become quite close,
your thoughts can be heard always, your life is pretty much in their hands
... because if you really want to, you could destroy it, and thus destroy
them. Not just anyone could, mind you, only the one that it was given to...
but as you can tell, it's..."

Immora hugged her before she could say more. "Oh Akeru... I... I love you...
I'll only let you give this to me if... if you'll take mine as well."

Akeru tilted her chin towards her and gently kissed her. "Of course... I
love you..." She took all her rings off except two. "Now, let's summon a
love guardian, shall we? And a life guardian as well..."

Immora was startled to see two strange wispy images appear before them. One
was entirely colored in pink tones, the other in a bright silver. "W-what?!"

"They're manifestations of the elements, as close to being physical as they
can be." Akeru took her hand and smiled sweetly at her. "This is going to
sound funny to say, but for this to work..." she hugged her tightly, making
Immora almost lose her breath, "well, we have to get as close together as
we can."

"--I can't breathe--"

Akeru loosened her grip and blushed a bit. "Okay, maybe that was too close!"

She turned to the guardians and nodded, then surprised Immora by swiftly
moving to kiss her mouth. Immora wrapped her arms around her neck as a
strange energy started enveloping them. It felt strange... what was...

Oh, it was incredible! Their thoughts... she could know both of theirs at
once, communicate without words... it was so incredible... She opened her
eyes to see Akeru now standing on the other side of the room, but she still
felt as if they were holding each other, the feeling of having her soul with
her...

Akeru's thoughts were echoing her own. Immora cried with joy, running to
hug her again. Why didn't they do this sooner, it was so wonderful...

She knew what would happen before it did, because, after all, she knew what
her lover was thinking. It was a perfect kiss...

"Thank you," they both said at the same time, then laughed in unison.

Immora didn't bother to speak, she knew Akeru could feel her happiness.

The guardians disappeared with a command from Akeru. "I still need to
congratulate you," she murmured.

"You realize you don't even have to speak anymore..."

"I know how you love hearing my voice."

"... True."

They kissed again, and Immora drew her towards the bed. The lay back, still
holding each other tightly. She could feel Akeru's excitement, and kissed
her passionately. "Do we have to keep the necklaces on to... I don't know
how to describe this sensation..."

"Uh, yes..."

"Hmph. They're going to get in the way some... oh well, it'll be worth it,
won't it?"

Akeru's answer was a warm kiss as she slipped her dress off, followed by
her own clothes. Immora was overwhelmed by the feeling of love she was
receiving, and sensed Akeru feeling the same. She kissed her again, gently
caressing her bare back, her thoughts speaking to tell Akeru how much she
loved her. Akeru pushed her back onto the bed and kissed her way down her
neck and chest, making Immora shiver as she could sense what Akeru had
planned.

Yes, it was _definitely_ perfect.



Immora stirred and slowly opened her eyes. "Mmmph... ugh, wake up, Akeru,
it's dark out now." She shook the other woman's shoulder.

"Huh? Wha..."

"It's dark out. We should go get something to eat; I'm starving. Are you not
registering my thoughts or something?"

Akeru sat up groggily. "In a minute... boy, are you hungry, I don't want
to feel that!... I can't concentrate on my own thoughts much less yours...
wow, my head has this weird pounding feeling..."

"Probably because you hit it on the head of the bed earlier, remember?"

"Oh yeah... Sorry, I'm not quite awake yet..."

Immora smiled and kissed her lips. Akeru grinned up at her. Immora could
feel a rush of thoughts going through both their heads, then they laughed.
"I definitely agree... that certainly was _incredible_..."

"... the best," Akeru murmured softly, wrapping her arms around her.

Immora blushed a bit, then ran her index finger along her soft lips before
kissing them gently. It certainly was... she didn't care how embarrassed
Akeru was going to feel as she started thinking about just how great it
had been. Akeru turned a bright shade of red from her lover's thoughts.
Immora laughed a bit, blushing as well as Akeru got to remembering, then
settled back into her arms for another tight hug. "It's great having this
bond, isn't it?" she murmured. "I never thought it would be as amazing as
this just by being able to feel each other and our thoughts, but it really
makes things... just so perfect, to be able to know what you're feeling as
it happens, to feel your love each time you touch me..."

Akeru's thoughts echoed her own. Immora smiled and pulled away to get
dressed. She stood up and stretched, and was starting to light the candles
when she noticed someone huddled in the corner. "Huh? Who's there?" she
grabbed a sheet from the bed and wrapped it around herself. "How'd you get
in here? C'mon, answer or--" Immora let out a startled gasp. "Ka'ina, what
are you doing here?"

Ka'ina looked up at her and rose shakily to her feet. "I am sick... and
tired... of this."

"What are you talking about?" Immora asked, magically altering the sheet
into a dress. She looked back at Akeru, who nodded and quickly dressed, her
hand slipping into a drawer of the nightstand for her gun. Her hand
involuntarily went to clutch her necklace, and she could sense Akeru's
nervousness matching her own. Akeru wanted to kill... Immora had to keep
both of them calm somehow, keep them from starting a fight... Akeru's anger
abated slightly, not feeling so murderous. Her apologetic thoughts calmed
them both somewhat.

"All this... you don't care about us, do you?" Ka'ina started walking
towards her, and Immora started backing up. "Teach us a little magic, then
run off again with _her_... you deserve better than her, Immora. She's just
a heap of trash out of the gutter. You need an equal, like me."

"Ka'ina, you're just babbling, you know. I _do_ care about my students. And
your remark about Akeru was _very_ rude. If anyone here is undeserving, it's
me; she's much more wonderful than someone like me deserves to have."

"What type of garbage has she been telling you then?! Leave her, Immora."

"No," Immora said firmly, moving to stand by Akeru. "I love her dearly, and
I won't leave her for any reason, especially not for _you_."

Ka'ina's multihued eyes narrowed. "Oh _really_?" There was a flash of light
as the room disappeared from around them, and they found themselves standing
in the midst of an empty realm.

"What the--" Akeru's gaze darted quickly back and forth. "Where are we?"

"You're on _my_ turf now," Ka'ina sneered. She clenched her fist and a sword
appeared in her hand.

Immora's heartbeat was pounding fast. What was going on? How was Ka'ina
managing these spells without saying a thing? Her own sword appeared in
her hand as Akeru raised her gun. Neither were going to hold back now...

"Oh yes, the spells... I took a little something before I came to your room
so I'd temporarily have archmage-like status... should come in handy... heh
heh, You know what? I still have that odd little curse on me... everytime
I try to cast a helpful spell on someone, it gives me the chance to
influence them, control them, etc... I've been practicing it, just for you."

"Ka'ina, cut this out. We don't want a fight," Immora warned.

"That's just too bad, because I'm looking to hurt someone, namely Akeru!"

Ka'ina broke into a run, her sword raised high over her head to strike Akeru.
Akeru's eyes widened and she started rapidly firing her gun at Ka'ina. The
bullets struck over and over, but Ka'ina was somehow healing them before
they could do any real damage. Immora tried to cast a spell, block Ka'ina,
something, but she couldn't budge, and her mind couldn't lock onto any
energy. Frantically trying to summon energy and move, she screamed in her
mind to Akeru, Run! Run, quickly! She's made it so I can't do _anything_!
No magic, no movement, no speech... Get away from her!

She was terrified, could feel Akeru's fear... she tried to calm Akeru, but
what could she do? A madwoman was out to destroy them...

Akeru dashed quickly away from Ka'ina, twisting her arm back to continue
firing bullets. Immora looked on after her as Ka'ina started gaining,
picking up speed, then leapt off the ground to soar high into the air. As
she started to descend almost faster than their eyes could track, Akeru
looked around in horror. Wherever she ran to escape, Ka'ina was going there.
She broke into a dead run in Immora's direction, her face flushed with
exhaustion from running and from fear. Ka'ina cackled and shouted a
triumphant, "Yes!" as she teleported.

For a few long moments, Akeru and Immora stood, side by side, nervously
wondering where she was. Oh God, I was so scared, Akeru was thinking. The
elements weren't responding... I know you gave me the protection spell and
all, but it's been getting weaker lately and--

Her words broke off into a horrified scream as Ka'ina appeared right in
front of her. She laughed widely as she slashed her sword downward in a
long arc. Her sword tore deep into Akeru's chest, the blade slicing through
to emerge sickeningly from her back and splash blood across the ground.
Ka'ina drew her sword out, kicking the screaming Akeru to the ground.

Immora screamed her lover's name loudly, her voice filled with horror as she
finally was able to move. The necklace around her neck burst into tiny
shards. Dropping down immediately to Akeru's side, she clutched her torn
form to her. "No no no no," she sobbed, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Akeru!" she screamed again. She desperately tried to heal her, but the
energy refused to come to her, and she frantically tore off pieces of her
dress to try and stop the bleeding. "Please don't die oh please..." Akeru
was losing strength quickly... she was so scared... Immora tried soothing
her, tried to keep her from leaving... how could this happen? Akeru was
trying to keep Immora calm as well, but only her thoughts were doing
anything, her body couldn't help.

Akeru's face was deathly white and contorted with pain, and she couldn't
speak a word. Ka'ina stood over them, laughing wildly. "It won't work,
Immora! Try as you may, it won't work!" She lifted the sword and struck
the back of Immora's head hard with the handle, knocking her to the ground.
She could feel Akeru's anger at that action immediately, wishing to move.
Dazed and in both physical and emotional pain, Immora looked up at Ka'ina
and tried to speak, her voice coming out as an inaudible, choked whisper.
"I don't know what you just said," Ka'ina murmured. "If you want to know
why I struck you, well, it gives me something to heal, and something to
heal," she grinned, "means a chance to control you!"

She lifted her hand, her palm facing Immora, and started the spell, and
stopped in shock when Akeru managed to reach out and tightly grip the hem of
her dress. Akeru slowly lifted her eyes to her, grimacing with pain, and
managed to whisper, "I... hate... you... You... will... pay... for...
hurting... Immora!"

"Mmm hmm... and _you_ will be the one to punish me, I'm _sure_." Ka'ina
pushed her away and started the spell again.

Immora dizzily crawled to Akeru, grabbing her hand tightly in her own. "Oh
Akeru," she sobbed, "please, please be alright... I love you, I don't know
what Ka'ina's going to do to me, but no matter what, I want you to live, and
be happy, and remember that I love you and somehow we'll be together..."

Akeru shakily opened her eyes, and whispered in a trembling voice, "i love
you..." before closing her eyes tightly.

Immora felt her heart skip a beat from fright, but saw that Akeru was still
breathing, if very faintly and painfully. Her thoughts were a blank, she was
unconscious, but she could still feel the remnants of her last thoughts
before blacking out, her intense love... She almost sighed with relief that
Akeru was still alive, but it was changed to a loud cry as Ka'ina's magic
washed over her. A searing pain filled her mind, and she screamed out as
she tried to block it out and failed, her mind being claimed in a wave of
blackness as she fell unconscious.



"unhhhhnn... where... am I?" Immora slowly opened her eyes. She was lying
in a bed in a medical facility, and the faint feeling of magical healing
lingered over her. "who..."

She looked over and saw Ka'ina there, smiling at her; curiously enough, the
sensation of healing coming from her as well. "Are you alright? That
Dragana was pretty vicious when she attacked you. The doctors say you may
have some memory damage, some things a little blurred, but you'll otherwise
be ok."

Immora tried to sit up, but found that she couldn't. She was simply too
weak. "I don't remember what happened," she whispered.

"She swooped down before you had the chance to react and jabbed her claws
into the back of your head. I barely made it out as well. One of the
students happened to be walking by and rescued us."

"huhhh..." Immora shut her eyes. "Ka'ina... how old am I?"

"??? 3,000 something, why?"

"I can't remember hardly anything. I can see you and my students, but almost
everything is a blur."

"An unfortunate result of the attack, I'm afraid."

"Oh." Immora stared up at the ceiling, an empty feeling going through her.
What's going on? Something isn't right here, but what? Something was wrong,
something missing... her neck felt like she should be wearing something
there, but where was it? She felt empty, alone... She looked over at the
room next to her. She caught a faint glimpse of black hair and the sound of
someone trying to talk before the door shut hard. "Who was that?"

"No one!" Ka'ina immediately responsed in a fearful voice.

Immora eyed her quizzically. "Oh alright."

Ka'ina smiled at her. "Sorry, I-I've just been so nervous worrying about you,
m'love." She bent down and kissed Immora on the forehead.

Immora tried not to show it, but inwardly she was frowning. Strange... her
memories seemed to show that Ka'ina was her lover but... it didn't seem
right, fabricated almost... she didn't feel any emotion go through her when
Ka'ina kissed her. Weird... She smiled up at Ka'ina to hide her discomfort.
"Sorry, I was just thinking to myself. So, when can we leave?"

Ka'ina grinned. "Don't worry, it'll be soon."

Not soon enough... Immora thought to herself. I need to get answers, and
fast. What's really going on here?



Time: In a memory, about three weeks later
Place: In a memory, the mage school, Quenhol



Immora was very surprised when she received a transmission from the queen
in her communications globe. She quickly ran over and placed her hands on
the globe to accept the signal.

"Immora, you're looking well," Sharra remarked.

"As are you, Sharra. What can I do for you?"

"I'm interested in joining your school, actually. I have pretty much honed
my sorcery, but I am curious about magic. If you are willing to have me as
your student..."

Immora tapped her finger to the side of her cheek. "My queen, you do realize
that it could be painful to use magic... I know it was extremely painful for
me whenever I used sorcery, so now I avoid it whenever possible."

"I understand the risks involved, but I wish to learn anyways."

"... Alright. Come here tomorrow and I'll assign you quarters and you will
begin to learn the basics of magic."

"Why tomorrow?"

Immora laughed slightly. "You need time to organize things, don't you? If
you're here, who will run the world, hmmm?"

"Ah, I see... Well, tomorrow then. Thank you, Immora. Goodbye."

"You're welcome, Sharra, farewell."



Sharra arrived the next day by a teleportal formed by sorcery. Sharra
closed the teleportal behind her and smoothed her long purple hair. The
dress she wore was a faded sky blue, circling her throat but baring the
arms and shoulders, the sides of the skirt slit, falling to her knees, with
the usual trimmings done in silver instead of gold. She'd painted her lips
a pale, silvery purple, her eyelids dusted with white, setting off the
string of pearls on her forehead. The sandles she wore for shoes were
silver, the soles thin with a slender strap across her toe area, then up
above her heel, with long laces tied near her knees.

Immora wore a dress more befitting of a villager than an archmage. The
top was a dull fuschia, the curving v-neckline trimmed thickly in a darker
version of the shirt color, and the sleeves had cloth clasping them every
few inches leaving poofed portions of cloth extending from her arms. The
skirt portion was purple and fell to the floor. She wore no makeup, and her
hair was worn down, parted slightly off-center.

"My queen, it's been such a long time," Immora said as she walked up to
Sharra. "I don't quite remember when we met!"

"Well, it's been awhile, hasn't it?" Sharra responded. She was about to say
more, when her eyes unfocused slightly, then focused again. "Yes, it has."

Immora looked at her quizzically. "You alright?"

"Yes, I... can't seem to say what I want to say. hmmm... Oh well."

Sharra followed Immora as the archmage led her to her room, allowing her to
transport her things into the quarters. She then followed her into a large
study hall.

"Here's where the beginners start out," Immora told her, gesturing to five
students pouring over the books. "Right now, they're reading to learn about
the elements commonly drawn upon, so they will have an idea of what to draw
on when casting a spell. Take a seat anywhere you'd like."

Sharra sat down while Immora pulled a book off a shelf, then brought it over
with her as she sat down at the table. She opened up to a page, and set the
book in front of Sharra, but held up a warding hand to tell her not to read
it yet.

"I haven't made studying sorcery a big chore, so I don't know all the
differences between our two forms of spellcasting. I'm going to teach you
things the way I teach to everyone else, and if I happen to be going over
things that apply to sorcery as well and therefore seem repetitious, oh
well. Any questions so far?"

"Not really," Sharra chuckled, "except... you seem to be in a hurry of some
sort. You started immediately on this."

Immora shrugged. "The sooner we finish, the better, right? Since you already
know one form of spellcasting, it'll be easy to pick up on another. It'll
be much quicker for you than these other students who've had no experience
whatsoever in spellcasting. Now, let's start with the idea of what magic
is and work from there."

Sharra suddenly wondered if this was really a good idea.



Ka'ina closed the door to her room with a sigh of relief. She'd caught
Sharra with the spell just in time. Sharra wouldn't remember ever having
known Akeru, just like how Immora's students wouldn't either. A necessary
precaution, if she was going to keep Immora from breaking free of her
control. The spell on everyone would last as long as Immora's, and once
hers was broken, _if_ it was broken, they'd all remember Akeru as well.

She lifted a wine bottle and took a long drink. She was tired from casting
these spells so often. Everyone that came in contact with Immora had to
have that spell put on them, which meant hovering around every instant to
prevent a slipup.

She dropped the now-empty bottle and flopped onto her bed with a sigh. The
things I do for love...



Time: In a memory, about five years later
Place: The palace, The Moon Kingdom



It was strange to walk around this place... The Moon was so different from
Quenhol, the palace's architecture unusual, but pretty. Immora hadn't
been here for years, when she had introduced some of her students to this
place to spread the training of magic. The queen's young daughter, Serenity,
had taken an immediate liking to her, quickly becoming her friend of sorts.
Immora felt strange about the friendship, but had to admit to herself that
at least this little girl listened to her when others wouldn't.

She approached the palace cautiously, slowly opening the door. The guards
didn't seem surprised by her abrupt entrance. She walked down the halls to
Serenity's room and silently slipped through the partially open the door.

Serenity sat on her bed, brushing her long silvery hair. She was perhaps
ten now, judging from her appearance. She looked up at Immora when she
finally noticed she was here. "Immora, good to see you again," she greeted
formally.

"Princess," Immora said, curtsying slightly. "Good to see you as well. How
may I be of service?"

Serenity laughed softly. "You're silly sometimes, you know?"

"You started it with that ridiculous greeting."

"I have to act like a lady. Mother is getting ill, and I may have to take
her place in a few years. My marriage is already arranged." Serenity's
voice grew bitter on the statement. "When I'm fifteen, it will be carried
out, and by the time I'm twenty-one, I'm supposed to have a child. It'll
be named after me if it's a girl, who knows what it'd be if it's a boy."

"That must be terrible," Immora murmured, looking out the window. "I can't
imagine what it must be like to be in your position."

"It's rather bothersome. The boy I'm supposed to marry is from the family
that built this palace. He's very dull."

"Not mature enough for you, I suppose?" Immora shifted her weight and
watched the clouds with an uncomfortable look.

"That about sums it up... I'd rather marry Zore, he's must nicer and smarter
than-- Immora, are you alright?"

Immora jumped a bit. "Fine, Serenity!"

Serenity frowned at set her brush down, walking over to the much older
archmage. "Are you sure? You always get so... I don't know, you just seem
a bit nervous when I try to talk to you about boys."

Oh great, Immora thought, I do _not_ want to explain this!

"Immora?"

"What?"

Serenity looked away a moment, then asked quietly, "Mom says some people
like people their own gender. I don't think there's anything wrong with
that. Do you...?"

"... Yes..."

Serenity just giggled a tiny bit. "Oh Immora, I'm sorry!"

"Huh?"

"I've been trying to tell you about all these guys and you could care less!
No wonder you never want to talk to me about them!"

Immora kept blinking and staring with a confused look. "Huh?"

"As old as you are, I'd think you'd have a wider vocabulary than 'huh'."
Serenity started brushing her hair again. "And really, it's fine with me.
So, how long can you stay?"

Immora was silent a few more moments. "I... I can't stay long at all. I...
came to say goodbye."

Serenity stood up immediately. "WHAT?!"

Immora sighed and turned towards the door. "Your world and mine are very
different, and to stay here... it could... Look, I don't know how else to
put it, but it isn't possible for me to visit anymore, not for awhile."

"B-but... you're my friend! You can't just go!"

Immora looked over her shoulder at the princess, her hands clasped in a
pleading expression. "I wish I didn't have to leave, but it's not my
decision to make. Just... *sigh* You've been a good friend to me. I won't
forget you. We'll see each other again sometime, you'll see."

Serenity still looked downcast. "... Al-alright... Goodbye, for now." She
ran over and hugged Immora around the waist.

Immora gently removed her and walked out the door.

"Goodbye."



Time: In a memory, about twenty years later
Place: In a memory, the mage school, Quenhol



Immora was eagerly reading a thick tome when Ka'ina walked into the study.
She called out to her, but Immora didn't seem to hear her. Immora just sat
there, her "villager's dress" clinging to her thin form and her cat-like
eyes almost glowing as she scanned over the pages.

Ka'ina growled a bit, pushing her long brown hair behind her shoulder.
Immora smirked slightly, hiding it from Ka'ina. Oh, she knew Ka'ina was
there. She was deliberately ignoring her, hoping she'd leave. Ka'ina was
quite obviously getting irritated, and seemed ready to leave.

Immora turned the page, a faint smile curling her lips as she found the
section she'd been searching for. She read over it carefully, committing
the words to memory. _This_ was what she enjoyed; learning more about the
magical arts and sorcery, gaining a better understanding the nature of it
so she could wield it with far more skill and power than anyone else could.
She knew that she was far above anyone else in her power and knowledge of
magic, and was fast developing her sorcery. It no longer hurt for her to
use sorcery, she felt only a mild bit of resistance when she used it. If
she could just completely understand all the aspects, then she would be
unlimited in her abilities.

Her eyes widened as she read across the next passage: '--In order to have
full control of the abilities and be able to use them without needing to
first draw upon a source, the mage must--"

She screamed in horror when the book burst into flames. "Noooo!" she wailed.
She shot a spell at it, trying to quench the flames and rebuild the book
as it had been. It wasn't working... why wasn't it...

She whirled around, wild with anger, and saw Ka'ina there with her hand
outstretched. _She_'d done it... how could she... "What the hell did you
do that for?! I should KILL you for that!!!" She sobbed at the loss, turning
back to the book, trying to reconstruct it. Damnit, it was the only copy
of it, written by the first mages that had ever come into existence. It
was a well of knowledge, if it was destroyed forever... She flipped to the
page she'd just been reading, and her eyes narrowed and glowed in fury.
Gone. It was all gone. The book had been created with the idea firmly in
mind that in the wrong hands, it could become dangerous, and therefore was
created in such a way that reconstruction was impossible; if it had to be
destroyed to prevent a tragedy from happening, it would stay destroyed so
that the information could never again be misused. And Ka'ina had destroyed

it, all because she was too desperate for attention to consider that she'd
just destroyed a piece of history that could never be reclaimed.

"Do you have any idea what you've just done?!" she hissed at Ka'ina. She
shook the ruined book at her and shouted, "This was irreplacable, and you
just destroyed it! How selfish can you get?!"

"You don't need what was in that book, Immora," Ka'ina retorted. "Magic
isn't everything, you know."

"Damnit, Ka'ina, it's all I have!" She turned away, refusing to let Ka'ina
see her tears, to show any weakness to her. "I don't know what happened,
but I know that a large part of my life was taken away from me in that
little 'Dragana incident'." She emphasised the phrase with a chill
undertone. "Tell me, Ka'ina, what _really_ happened? It's obvious that magic
was used to wipe my memory, I want to know who did it and why! I can tell
that whatever was taken away was the most important thing in my life. Now
that it's gone, I just have my magic. WHY, Ka'ina, WHY?!?! You just ruined
THAT, you know! I just came across the information I've been searching for
all this time, and you destroyed it before I could read it!"

She knew she wasn't rational right now. Hell, the insanity spell had
probably kicked in. She didn't care. She didn't have anything left anymore,
after all. She formed a sword in her hand, whirled around and released it,
pinning the stunned Ka'ina to the wall by her sleeve. Before she could free
herself, Immora was standing right by her, hissing at her, "You just get in
the way, you always do. I hate you. I HATE YOU!!! I don't know what's been
done to me to make me think that I _love_ you because I most certainly
DON'T, but whatever it is, it had better go away soon. I want you out of
my life, bitch! I know this stupid insanity spell is making me this mad,
but I swear, I promise you, I MEAN what I am saying! I just can't seem to
express it when the spell isn't effecting me, but I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!!!"

Her mind whirled and she fell to her knees, her mind in a daze. What the...
what had just happened? She had no idea what she'd just been saying, or
doing... She looked up and saw Ka'ina pulling a sword from the wall that
had pinned her sleeve. Ka'ina's eyes showed signs that the glow of magic
had just left them...

"The insanity spell," she said simply, reaching a hand to help Immora up.
Immora felt dizzy... she looked over and saw the precious tome lying burnt
on the table. She remembered reading it, then it burst into flames, but...
Why couldn't she remember what happened when the insanity spell had kicked
in? Ka'ina must have wiped the memory... but why?

"You should get some rest," Ka'ina said in a shaky voice. She turned the
room and left quickly. Immora frowned... she had seen the tears in her eyes
... had she said something cruel to her when the spell kicked in? She
sighed sadly as she looked at the tome. A waste... a terrible waste...



Time: In a memory, a few weeks later
Place: In a memory, Immonu, Quenhol



Immora nervously knocked on the door to Lorenada's dwelling. Her students
had all pressured her to come here seeking a cure for the insanity spell,
and she was worried as to how Lorenada would react. Ka'ina stood there
with her, having insisted on coming along.

The Elf opened the door slowly, raising her eyebrow when she saw who it
was. She had added a couple more earrings to her ear but otherwise remained
unchanged. "Immora. It's been a long time."

"I know, I apologize. I've been rather busy."

Lorenada opened her mouth to speak, paused, then glared at Ka'ina. "I know
what you just did," she warned. "And you should know that it only affected
my ability to discuss it, rather than actually forget it."

Ka'ina looked very stunned, and Immora looked back and forth from her to
Lorenada with a puzzled expression. "Ahhh... whatever. I'm here because...
I need some help. This insanity spell--"

"--Needs to be removed. Come on in, I'll get prepared."

"That was quick!" Ka'ina murmured, her voice shaking slightly.

They followed her in, sitting in the chairs the Elf indicated. "I just need
to get a few things, then I can cast the spell. I predicted this would
happen and already have the energy needed."

"Oh... Thank you, thank you so much, Lorenada. I can't express how thankful
I am for this."

Lorenada smiled at her as she was coming back into the room. "You're welcome,
and it really is no problem. I haven't cast a spell in so long, I needed
this!"

She walked over to Immora. "Close your eyes and relax. This won't take long,
but you'll go to sleep when it's done."

Immora closed her eyes as Lorenada spoke, then started drifting away into
slumber. Thank you... thank you so much...



Time: In a memory, about fifteen years later
Place: In a memory, not definite



She felt a chill go down her spine as the portal opened in front of her to
reveal the surroundings she would soon be entering. She felt more terrified
than she could remember ever having felt. She didn't want to have the
discussion she'd be having, but she felt that she had to do it. She looked
out across the dry, enormous, red-tinged caverns stretching beyond the
portal, the pools of lava and tongues of fire dancing around almost every-
where. Groups of bedraggled people were walking around the rocks, dirty,
tired, appearing to be starving. Immora felt no sympathy towards them
though; after all, they were getting what they'd deserved for their evil
deeds they'd performed in life. It was fitting punishment for them once they
cross the brink of death. She trembled as she entered the portal and stepped
out into the realm she'd been viewing. She silently mouthed a prayer to the
ruler of the realm that was the opposite of this one, and shivered as she
started walking.

"Welcome to Hell, can I help you? My Earth name was Cassandra but I go by
Curse now."

Immora turned with a start at the voice she'd heard behind her. Her black
dress and cloak were already unbearably warm, but she couldn't help but feel
cold and afraid. The woman standing behind her seemed unusually cheerful,
considering where she was. Immora then noticed her markings and extra
appendages and concluded that the woman must be a servant or perhaps a
concubine to Lucifer. The woman had the thin red diamond marking on her
forehead and long, skinny triangle on the edge of her jaw extending to her
cheeks, with sharp, gleaming horns on either side of her head, and a long,
pointed Devil's tail. She must have been a recent arrival, the length of
the horns was short, and they grew considerably with time. The woman had
dark brown skin and long, silky, red hair, with crimson eyes, thick but
well-groomed eyebrows, and features suggesting she was of African descent,
despite the hair and eye coloring.

"I'm... looking for two people..."

"Why don't you come have a talk with the Master?!" Curse exclaimed,
clapping her hands together. "I'm sure He can find them for you! He _is_
the ruler of this realm, after all!"

Immora shuddered at the thought. "I don't think that would be a good idea...
I'm from the living world, and I don't exactly agree with him too well..."

"Oooohhhh," Curse drawled bitterly, "you're _alive_ still!... how'd you
get here then?!"

"I'm Immora, an archmage. Work it out."

Her red eyes widened considerably. "You... you're the archmage?!" she
sputtered. "I've heard about you from Nagera--"

Immora grabbed her by the front of her short dress. "What do you know about
Nagera?!"

"Er... ow, that hurts... Well, she works alongside me, sort of my teacher,
y'know... erk, you're going to bend my tail!"

Immora dropped her and frantically looked around, pulling her hood up
tight around her face. "I need to speak with her, and with her husband."

"Husband? Why, Lucifer's her husband. He's everyone's husband, that is, all
the straight women..."

"Her husband when they were living," Immora growled.

"Oh... Necros. He's burning right now, but I his time for the day will be
over soon."

Immora stared at her blankly.

"It's something we do here, y'know, 'go burn in Hell!' and all that crap.
We sit in the fire awhile, and if you were reaaaally bad, you feel it
pretty good. Some of us though, we're still too bad to notice, y'know, this
is like a big party for us, so it doesn't matter. Necros... heh heh... he
really hates the fire. You should hear him howl and beg for mercy! It's
very funny. He's a wimp."

Immora couldn't help but feel a bit cheerful at the thought of Necros
sufferring. "Well, could you take me to Nagera then?"

"Sure, just follow me."

Immora kept her eyes fixed on the back of Curse's head as they walked.
She didn't particularly want to see anyone simmering in the flames. She
felt the hair on the back of her neck rise as she heard a pitiful cry call
out to her, "Immora! You bitch, what are you doing here?!"

Immora couldn't help but turn to see where the voice was coming from, and
was shocked to see Necros climbing out of the lava, sweating mightily from
the heat. Some strange creatures were trying to hold him back as he tried
to run towards her. He was shrieking almost incoherently, trying to escape
from the creatures. "I hate you!" she could hear him saying. "It's your
fault --- here because of you --- should have killed you! --- "

She could only make out those words. Wearing a mask of calm while she
inwardly shivered a bit, she walked forward towards him. The woman tried
to warn her of something, but she ignored her. "Necros. You look terrible."

He sneered at her, throwing his head back to flip his long, stringy white
hair from his burning red eyes. They seemed almost on fire, in fact. He
had burns in several places, and the black pants which were the only things
he wore had ashes clinging to them. "I'm going to kill you, drag you down
here too, if I get the chance! It's all your fault... all this pain..."

"No, it isn't," she shook her head. "You were the one who committed the
crimes and doomed yourself to this. I merely killed you."

"If you hadn't killed me, I would most likely still be alive, and I wouldn't
have to face this!!!"

"Oh well," Immora said with a shrug. "You deserve it anyways. I'm quite glad
that you ended up here though. It's a bit of a confidence boost to know that
you and Nagera did in fact end up here, especially after what you two did
to me. You brought it on yourself. I just came to tell you that I'm an
archmage now. I did it all by myself. I never needed you to teach me." She
then grinned at him and hissed, "And I wanted to give you _this_."

She held out a pendant, shaped like a stylized flame. One of the creatures
let his left arm go so he could grab it, then it latched onto him again.
"What is this thing for?"

"You'll see," she said cheerfully as she walked away with Curse to find
Nagera.

"What was that pendant for?" Curse asked her.

"A bit of gloating, in a fashion," Immora commented. "I more than surpassed
him, and Nagera as well. That will give him a taste of what the power I have
feels like, what he didn't get to have. A crushing blow to his ego, I'll
imagine." She grinned a bit as she heard his scream of rage. "That would
probably be him," she noted. "It must have worked."

"Are you going to give one to Nagera? Because I think it might make things
difficult on me when I'm trying to learn from her."

"I could care less," Immora said coldly. "Do you think I care whether you
people here get enjoyment or not? You're obviously here because you were
an evil person, it's only fair that you suffer."

Curse turned towards her, her irises and pupils turning white. "That's
amusing," she hissed. Her fingernails turned to claws. "I'm considerate
enough to help you, and you'll just leave me in the red dirt when you're
done. Well, I think we can take care of this problem right now!"

She jabbed her fingers in the direction of Immora's eyes, but they passed
through her. They both seemed a bit surprised at that. Immora hadn't even
finished calling on her magic yet.

"*That's no way to treat a guest,*" a chilly, evil-sounding voice remarked.

Immora shivered and fell to her knees, pure fear racing through her. She
tried to get up... she had to get out of here, if it really was him...

She looked up in horror at the tall form of Lucifer sitting on a huge throne
that had appeared out of nowhere. Her mind didn't register his appearance,
only the terror she felt when she saw him. She made a mad dash for the
portal, then stopped when she heard him call, "*Nagera's right here, if
you want to talk to her. I'm not going to do anything to you, you realize.
None of us here can truly bother the living, even if they enter our realm
by the means you took.*"

"Like I'd trust _you_ to tell the truth," she murmured, not turning around.
She gave a small start when Nagera appeared in front of her, also having
the facial markings, long horns, and tail marking her. Immora didn't even
try to talk to her, she just threw the pendant at her and ran into the
portal, quickly closing it behind her when she returned to the room in her
school she'd entered it from. She destroyed it, and lay shivering on the
floor.

"I heard you come back. Where did you go?" Sharra said as she walked in.
"Are you alright? You look as if you've seen a ghost."

"I saw the face of Lucifer... Oh God, please help me..." Immora started
crying hot tears, ignoring Sharra's attempts to calm her. "I'm sorry, I
don't think I'm going to be alright for awhile..."

She lay there, still shaking, and was surprised when an object materialized
in her hand. She hadn't willed it to... maybe she had inadvertantly
summoned it. She looked down and almost cried with relief, clutching it
tightly and placing a brief kiss on it. Her cross, a small charm on a silver
chain, shaped like a rose, with a bud in the center, the top, and the sides
of the arms, small leaves curling around it. She knew that it was something
that had been hers when she was a normal kid back on Earth, and that it had
been dear to her then, and having it here with it, knowing what it
symbolized, gave her some comfort. After seeing that awful face with that
evil smile, she needed all the reminders she could of the fact that there
was someone as good and pure as that horror was evil and corrupted.

As she clutched it, a chilling thought passed through her mind. Was _she_
evil? She didn't think she was... power hungry, yes; sometimes cruel; unable
to control herself sometimes because of all these spells placed on her...
but evil? After seeing all those terrible sights, she hoped she wasn't...
if somehow she died, and ended up there... Fresh tears poured down her
cheeks as she let out a wail of fear. Sharra just looked at her, puzzled,
not sure what she could do to help. "I'm not entirely familiar with that
person you mentioned... If I'm thinking of who I think you're thinking
of, then I..." She bent down and gave Immora a comforting hug. "I'm sorry,
Immora. Try to calm down. It'll be okay."

"It won't be okay, it won't!" Immora pushed her away and bit her lip. "I...
I'm sorry, I just... I need some time to myself..."

Sharra quietly left the room, shutting the door behind her as she left. She
sadly glanced back as she started walking to her own room. Poor Immora, she
thought to herself. I hope she'll be okay. Who knows what damage seeing that
demon could do to her...



Time: In a memory, a few days later
Place: Uranus



Immora stumbled through the streets of Uranus, gripping any wall she came
across. She still hadn't recovered from that horrible visit, and had come
in search of some sort of church to go to, to try to calm herself down.

It was so dark here... it was so unusual to her for a starry sky to hang
overhead this often. There were so many people walking around, glaring at
her as she passed. Did they recognize her and hate her for it?

She gasped in shock as someone grabbed her arm and she was pulled into an
alley. "What the--"

She was thrown back by a blow to the face, and she stumbled, trying to keep
her footing. She looked over her shoulder to see several people standing
there, both men and women, dressed in black from head to toe. "So, you're
that nutty archmage, aren't you? We don't appreciate having mages around."

Immora stood up tall, her fists clenched. These fools thought they could
fight her and win? They'd caught her by surprise before, but not again. "I
don't appreciate being attacked by the likes of you."

"Trying to talk tough?" one of the women taunted. A dagger was thrown at
her, glancing off her arm but doing no real damage. "Okay, everyone, time
to take this bitch out."

They all rushed at her, some wielding weapons, others prepared for simple
hand-to-hand techniques. Immora stood still, letting them come at her...

They were all thrown back as the alley was filled with a burst of dazzling
white light. Immora's hair settled around her shoulders again from being
blown up into the air, and her eyes resumed their normal color. "Don't even
_try_ to come near me," she murmured.

Someone tried anyways, and was promptly impaled on a long metal pole.

Immora was fed up. These stupid punks tried to attack her? They were going
to pay... She didn't even know what spells she was casting, and all she
could hear was pain-filled screams echoing through the alley. She turned
and walked away, coldly wiping blood off her clothes.

She heard a crowd gather by the entrance as she started to fly away into the
air. "Oh my God, don't look, son!"

"--massacre, horrible--"

"Who would do such a thing?!"

Forget about this, she would just go back to Quenhol and calm down there.



Time: In a memory, about five years later; Silver Millennium time period
Place: In a memory, palace, the Moon Kingdom



Immora sighed as she looked out across the surface of the Moon. It was
almost time for the Senshi to be arriving. She had a bit of time to talk to
Queen Serenity before she'd have to go back to Quenhol. She frowned to
herself. Back to Quenhol... to her students and Ka'ina. She wasn't looking
forward to it. Inside, her mind told her that she should return Ka'ina's
feelings, but her heart told her otherwise. It didn't seem like a real love
that she felt for her. She was afraid about it, still wondering if that
accident with the Dragana really happened or not, or if this was just some
sick magical spell someone put on her. She wasn't taking any chances. She
talked with Ka'ina a lot, but refused to share a room. She'd let Ka'ina hug
her, maybe kiss her a little, but that was as far as she permitted. She
never returned her touch anyways. She wouldn't feel right if she did. Immora
shivered and pulled her black cloak closer around her...

Black... the color of the darkness, of evil things... She never used to wear
it, but somehow, the lighter colors didn't seem to fit her. Especially after
her encounter with Sailor Pluto...

Immora lowered her head with a sigh. She'd gone to the Time Gate after she'd
heard a rumor that the Guardian of Time was growing tired of her post. She
knew from these blurred memories that they had been friends before. Immora
was tired of teaching and pretending to have feelings for Ka'ina. She wanted
power. Power, magic, that was all she wanted now. To have control of time...
oh, what power she would have in her hands then! All she had to do was tell
Pluto that she was doing it out of friendship, concern for her, and she'd
agree!

Wrong.

Pluto went into a furious rage. She shouted incoherent things at Immora, and
Immora had no clue what she meant. Things about amnesia, control, abandoning
love; Immora didn't see what the point was, but when Pluto snapped that
Immora didn't deserve the post, Immora's patience snapped. A burst of energy
knocked Pluto back and cracked a part of the Gate. Immora felt her sanity
starting to slip as it frequently did and immediately stopped, falling to
her knees. The insanity spell... all too often it would take hold of her,
and she could do nothing to stop it. Pluto sent her from the Gate and told
her never to come back, calling her a being of pure evil.

Immora had been terrified of herself after that had happened. Evil... She
trembled. Evil... She tried to block out the memories that word stirred up,
of her trip to 'visit' Necros and Nagera, and seeing... She shivered. To
see the face of true evil, and to then have someone who was supposed to be
a friend call you pure evil...

Immora sighed and looked out across the river at all the people milling
around. They were from all the different planets, some beautiful, others
ugly, adorable children playing in the grass, wise old women smiling at the
younger generation, young men teasing pretty girls... Immora frowned in
irritation and looked away. How could all those people stand to be so close
together like that? Immora preferred being away from crowds, but somewhere
inside, she desperately yearned for a companion, a partner, a lover...
someone to share everything with. She didn't have that now, and she felt
strangely as if she'd had it once and it had been ripped away from her.
Ka'ina considered Immora her lover, but Immora didn't love her. She didn't
enjoy her company. She wanted to shove Ka'ina away, but she couldn't for
some reason. Something compelled her to stay, and she didn't know what it
was, but she hated it. She looked up at the crowd once again and was
surprised to see a beautiful woman with short black hair staring in shock
at her. Immora felt a brush of recognition, then the woman was lost in the
crowd again.

What was that feeling she'd just had... that warm rush in her cheeks as she
made eye contact, that flutter in her heart, that strange aching in her
heart as the woman was blocked from her sight by the crowd? Immora pulled
her cloak tighter around herself and shivered.

"Immora! There you are! How are you?" Immora turned to see Queen Serenity
walking towards her, smiling widely at her. "It's been so long since you've
visited. The mages here are all hoping for the chance to talk to you."

Immora smiled faintly at the queen. "Good to see you again. Oh, I'm doing
fine, you?"

"Everything's just great. My daughter recently became engaged to an Earth
prince, Endymion. She's so happy, and I'm happy for her. I can't wait for
their wedding. Let's go inside; it's warmer and we can get something to
eat."

"Alright," Immora said as she followed the queen. "I am a bit hungry."

Queen Serenity smiled. "We have plenty of food, so help yourself," she said
as they entered the dining hall, and gestured to the table filled with
things to eat.

They sat down and piled their plates, then the queen rasied her eyes to the
archmage. "My friend, is something wrong? You seem a bit troubled."

"Nothing," Immora mummured. "I'm alright." She lowered her gaze to her plate
and started to eat, trying to hide her discomfort. What was really going on?
For the past few decades, Immora had been living a strange sort of lie, and
she wanted answers. She wanted the truth. But how could she get it? Why
was she so reluctant to tell the queen? Immora sighed softly and lifted her
fork again.

"I know something's wrong, Immora, and I would like to help you, but if you
find it uncomfortable to discuss, I won't force the matter."

"Good, because I will not talk about it." Immora stood up with an irritated
look on her face. "I think I will be leaving now. Farewell... I'm sorry."
She quickly sent a spell at the queen to erase her memory of the encounter.
Turning quickly towards the doors, Immora stomped from the room to the
courtyard of the palace. She telepathically contacted one of her students
and told him to make a teleportal to bring her back to the school; for some
reason, whenever she tried to make her own, the insanity spell took hold.

Immora leaned against a wall and sighed, covering her face with her
trembling hands as she tried to hold back tears. Why me? Why can't I
remember? Why can't _I_ be in control of my life? She slid down the wall
into a sitting position, continuing her inward musings. Who was that woman
I saw earlier, and why did she look so familiar? What's going on? She bit
her lip as tears trickled down her cheeks. Why do I have to keep suffering?

Immora quickly wiped away her tears as the teleportal swirled in front of
her. Stepping into it with a sigh of regret, Immora left the Silver
Millennium to return to the school which was now a prison to her.



Time: The present; about 2 days later
Place: The mage room, the palace



Princess Serenity yawned loudly and sat up, blinking hard as she tried to
focus after waking up from a nap. After stretching, she looked over to
where Akeru still hovered over Immora's prone form, then around the room
to see the other senshi [minus Pluto], her mother, and the two advisors
there. Luna and Artemis were looking down at Immora with puzzled looks on
their faces, the senshi's faces reflecting their concern and confusion.
Queen Serenity's face was unreadable. The princess noticed after looking
around a bit more that Sharra was mixing substances in a series of small
clay bowls, and interesting smells, flashes of light, and puffs of colored
smoke accompanied her movements. She'd changed her clothes into a pale
blue and silver garb.

"Anything yet?" the younger Serenity called out to the others.

"Oh, you're awake," Mars spoke up first. "Come look for yourself."

Peering over her friend's shoulder, Serenity saw Immora's eyelids were
fluttering slightly, as if she was in an REM state, and every once in awhile
she'd flinch a bit. "What does this mean?" she asked. "It looks as if she's
just asleep now, normal sleep. Why hasn't anyone woken her up?"

"We're taking a precaution first," Sharra told her quietly. "I'm mixing up
a drink that we will give her as soon as she wakes up. It's in case for some
reason she snaps and the insanity spell clicks in. Lorenada supposedly
removed it, but I've noticed that her spell wasn't as effective as she'd
hoped... Akeru, still can't tell what she's thinking?"

Akeru shook her head, clutching the gem she wore around her neck. "I don't
understand it, I haven't felt _anything_ since... This happened when she
was in the coma, but I could sense again when she woke up... and now... I'm
sorry, I'm just so used to it that when it's gone..."

"Perfectly understandable. Now... to finish this.."

When Sharra poured everything from all but one of the bowls into a larger
one, then mixed it while pouring the last one in, Serenity heard a peculiar
sound; she could hear it in her mind, not with her ears, and it sounded
strangely like flocks of tiny birds chittering on top of the crystalline
sound of the rims of wine glasses being rubbed. Sharra walked over to where
everyone was gathered, the cats and the senshi automatically moving back;
the queen was already back far enough. "Are you ready?" Sharra asked Akeru.

Akeru nodded. "Alright; I wake her up and you give her that immediately,
right?"

"That's right."

Akeru nodded again, then gently shook Immora's shoulders. Immora groaned
and opened her eyes, sitting up immediately. Sharra then grabbed her
shoulder and pressed the bowl to the archmage's lips. Immora instinctively
drank it down; she'd been in enough situations where she'd had to take
various mixtures that it didn't faze her anymore. Immora closed her eyes
after swallowing it, leaning back in Akeru's arms as if dizzy. "Give it
a few seconds," Sharra whispered.

After several awkwardly long moments, Immora's eyes opened again. At first,
she looked around as if she didn't recognize anything, then her eyes
connected with Akeru's and she broke into a grin, throwing her arms around
Akeru's neck. "Oh, Akeru! I can't believe... I saw... I..."

"shhh... just relax. Once you've woken up more, I'll feel everything--"

Immora buried her face against Akeru's shoulder and tears of happiness
flowed freely from her eyes. "I saw everything, Akeru! I saw everything...
I saw me as a little girl, and when I first became a mage... and when..."
Immora paled slightly then hugged her tighter. "I'm just so happy..."

"So it worked?!" Sharra asked with a gasp.

Immora grinned at her. "It worked better than we ever could have predicted
it to have."

Sharra smiled at her. "Well then, I'm glad I didn't make a mistake after
all."

Immora gave her a pretend reprimanding look. "I don't know, I might have to
start training you in basic morals all over again."

Sharra groaned. "Great... trying to run a whole planet in a sane manner
while talking philosophy with _you_?... Quenhol is surely doomed."

Most of the senshi couldn't help but giggle.

"Are you sure everything you saw was real?" Akeru asked her lover in worried
tones. "I mean, you've been given false memories before, are you c-"

Immora pressed her finger to her lips with a smile. "I can honestly say
that I remember it all..." she whispered something faintly and Akeru's eyes
widened.

"You do!" Akeru gasped. "You have to, if you remember _that_!"

Immora laughed and combed her fingers through Akeru's hair. "I can't believe
it; I actually can see everything now... there's no doubts about my past
or uncertainties... maybe now I can start being more normal, wouldn't you
say?"

Akeru teased her, "Oh, so you call being an immortal archmage and _my_
lover _normal_? Sharra, was that an alchoholic drink you gave her?"

Sharra just chuckled and didn't answer.

The senshi came forward to hug and congratulate Immora. Uranus was just
leaning over to embrace her when her eyes widened with shock. "Y-your eyes!"
she gasped out, unable to say more.

Akeru looked at Immora in surprise as well. "My God... they're..."

A mirror appeared in Immora's hands and she raised an eyebrow in amusement.
"Round pupils..." she murmured. She looked at her reflection several more
moments. "And they aren't gone already... I never did understand why they
sometimes shifted... I hope they _stay_ normal, I never liked looking like
a freak."

"Truly an amazing thing, isn't it?" a bitter voice said out of nowhere.

Everyone looked around, but couldn't find the source of the voice. "It
sounded familiar," Immora commented, and Sharra and Akeru nodded their
agreement. "Oh well..."

"Oh! I can sense you again!" Akeru exclaimed excitedly. She quickly moved
to hug Immora tightly again, both squealing with delight.

"What's going on?" Serenity asked in a confused voice.

Sharra opened her mouth to speak, paused, then started again, "Well, they
... they pretty much have each other's souls in a necklace around their
necks."

"HUH?!"

"Seriously, some elements helped them go about it, so with those necklaces,
they can feel every emotion the other experiences, share thoughts, always
be together. They have each other's life. When Immora was under Ka'ina's
spell, Ka'ina had her necklace removed and placed in a safe somewhere, but
Immora retrieved it when she broke the spell. They're, of course, very
happy to have them back again."

"That's... um... actually, it sounds wonderful... confusing though."

"Magic can be like that."

Akeru helped Immora to her feet, and everyone left the room. Akeru and
Immora went into their bedroom, while the Senshi went outside and the Moon
Queen took her advisors to her throne room, followed by the Quenholtian
Queen.

Akeru lay down on the bed while Immora was drawing the curtains shut. "I
haven't gotten any real rest the past forty years," Akeru groaned. "First,
Ka'ina brainwashes you and sends me here, then you fell into that eight-
month coma, and then you were stuck in that memory thing... I think I'll
sleep all day. I feel so overwhelmed right now by all this... hey, stop
mocking me. I know what you're thinking!"

Immora chuckled as she came over beside the bed. She pulled the covers
over Akeru, kissed her lips gently, then sat down on the bed next to her,
stroking her hair. Akeru closed her eyes and sighed deeply. "I love you,"
she whispered.

"I love you," Immora whispered back.

Akeru fell asleep shortly after that, Immora smiling wistfully at her
sleeping form.



Time: Several minutes later
Place: Outside of the palace



The Senshi had gone outside the palace and were following Neptune to the
lake where Pluto had revealed their memories to them. At first, they
weren't certain of whether they wanted to do this or not, but after a bit
of consideration, they decided it was the best course of action. They'd
talked about it ever since Pluto left, and had argued over it while Immora
was in her short coma, and finally agreed that this would be a good thing
to do.

They were going to try to contact Pluto.

While the Senshi had abilities in telepathy, none of them were strong
enough on their own to reach the Time Guardian's realm. They realized,
however, that they could combine their strength and maybe then they would
reach her.

"You sure this will work?" Venus asked the others as they started closing
their eyes.

"Positive," Mercury replied. "At least, positive we will be able to contact
her. I don't think there's any way for us to be certain if she'll actually
consider what we ask or not."

"Why don't we all be quiet now and worry about contacting her?" Uranus said
drily.

They all silenced themselves and closed their eyes tightly, the symbols on
their foreheads glowing as they searched with their minds for Pluto.



Pluto looked up from the book she was reading when she sensed a call--a
group of minds sending out to her telepathically. She irritably searched
with her own mind to identify them and wasn't surprised to discover that
it was her fellow Senshi. 'What do you want?!' she growled with her mind.

'Setsuna, why don't you come back?' Neptune pleaded. 'We miss you; we want
to talk.'

'We're talking right now.'

'But that's not what type of talking we mean,' Jupiter said. 'We want to
see you and talk to you face to face. We had a misunderstanding, that's
all.'

'How could any of you understand what I'm going through?' Pluto snapped.
'You all have abilities far different from mine; you have no idea what
responsibilities are placed on me.'

'I do,' Saturn replied quietly. 'Stop feeling sorry for yourself, Pluto. It
could be worse for you. You have lots of power and responsibility, but your
power isn't that hard to control, is it? You have duties, but you perform
them well. You don't have to constantly keep yourself in check for the sake
of everyone.'

'And you do, I know,' Pluto remarked coldly. 'Maybe the price of your
failure would be death for us all, but the price of _my_ failure would be
_pain_ for everyone, without the release death brings.'

'Oh, stop being so morbid,' Mars told her. 'Come here. We're still your
friends, Pluto, we weren't thinking when we were cruel to you.'

'Mars is right,' Serenity added. 'You were helping us and we didn't even
realize that what you were doing was good for us, not bad.'

'You gave them something special,' Neo-Moon said. 'You gave them the
knowledge they needed to make this time a good one. Maybe you can't repair
it, but what if things are _supposed_ to be this way? Stop worrying about
duty and try to enjoy yourself.'

'Yeah, Setsuna,' Venus threw in. 'You know what they say, happy times come
to lazy people.'

'I think you mean, good things come to those who wait,' Uranus corrected
her.

'Funny, I've been alive who knows how many millennia now. I'm _still_
waiting.'

"Well, it's time you stopped then," a voice came to Pluto from next to her.
Pluto broke off the mental contact and looked with surprise to see Immora
standing there.

"What are _you_ doing here?!" Pluto gasped.

"Akeru went to sleep and I sensed what was happening," the archmage replied.
"I want to help."

"_Everyone_ wants to help, but what can any of you do that would help me?"

Immora chuckled as she leaned against the Gate. "I _tried_ to help you when
I was still under Ka'ina's influence, remember? I offered to take your
duties over. I'm not making that same offer, but I can give you something
no one else probably can."

Pluto grimaced inwardly. That didn't sound right out of context... "What is
that?"

"What do you want?"

Pluto blinked rapidly in surprise. "WHAT?!"

"What do you want? Simple enough question, I would think. Just tell me what
you want and I can make it happen with my magic, if need be with the help
of some of my students. So what is it?"

Pluto narrowed her eyes and lowered her head. How could Immora expect her
to answer that? And how could this woman _actually_ give her what she
wished for above anything else?...

"I want... I want to be rid of this duty. I hate it. I don't want it and
I don't want to have this stupid feeling in me that makes me want to keep
doing it. I want to be like the other Senshi, just having a normal life
except for the fact that we have to fight sometimes. I don't want to deal
with this anymore."

Immora sighed and tilted her head upwards, raising her now-normal eyes
heavenward. "Pluto... I can get rid of that feeling within you... but do
you realize the true nature of your duties? Do you?"

"Of course I do, I watch over the Gate of Time and over everything that
happens, and make sure everything happens the right way and fix it if it
doesn't."

"No."

Pluto stood up abruptly, her chair falling over. "WHAT?! Are you MAD
again?!"

Immora turned her head away and said softly, "You misunderstood when you
were told about your duties. The man simply said you were to watch over the
Gate. He never told you that you had to do all those other things. All you
are obliged to do is to make sure the Gate is in running order and that
nothing disturbs it, and you don't even need to be in this realm to do that.
You assumed that those other tasks were part of your duties when they
really aren't."

Pluto trembled and clutched her Time Key in her hands. "...You're lying. You
have to be. You can't be serious."

"I am dead serious," Immora said, her eyes flashing as she met Pluto's
horrified gaze. "Pluto, I don't know how I came across this knowledge, but
I know it's true. You've been performing a duty you don't need to do. Time
will take care of itself, you just have to make sure the Gate is alright.
It's that simple."

"You're... lying..."

"No, she's quite right," another voice came. Pluto turned to see Akeru was
now standing there, wearing rings on all her fingers. Immora seemed as
shocked as Pluto to see her there. "Time is an element, Setsuna, and I can
talk to it and alter it just like you can, except you're better at it and
more powerful in your abilities. It's told me before that what you are doing
is unnecessary and maybe even more harmful than leaving time alone would be.
It doesn't need you to watch over it, it will tend to itself. I've wanted to
tell you before, but I found this out just after I was sent here by Ka'ina
and I couldn't contact anyone. Pluto, you don't have to do these things,
and if you don't want to watch the Gate, you don't have to do that either,
someone else can."

Pluto shook all over. "You two... just come in here... and try to tell me
I've been wasting my life all this time?"

"I'm sorry, Pluto, but it's the truth."

Pluto started trembling hard. "... I want proof."

"What do you mean?"

"Proof. I want _proof_. You can't expect me to believe this without a sign
of some sort that would indicate it's true. If this _is_ true, you should
be able to prove it."

"Well, if that's what you really want," Akeru murmured. She raised one of
her hands to about eye-level, concetrating on the near-black ring on her
right pinky. Her eyes and the ring glowed a purplish black hue, and an aura
of the same color formed around her. Pluto let out a gasp as something
spoke to her mind, but not with words, rather in sensations, fleeting
images, she couldn't describe how it spoke to her. She knew it to be time
though, it was definitely time speaking to her... she questioned it, argued
with it, and finally gave it her meek agreement.

"A-Are you finished?" Akeru gasped when Pluto sat down with a troubled look
on her face. "'Cuz it's not easy to do this..."

"Y-Yes..."

The glow subsided and Akeru shook her head a bit as if trying to clear it.
"Ugh... I hate doing that... making an element talk to someone... They're
so stubborn sometim--" She stopped when Immora looked over at her with an
expression that clearly but gently told her to be quiet for now.

Immora slowly approached Pluto, a concerned look on her face. Pluto sat in
her righted chair, legs crossed, her pinky pushed between her teeth in a
thoughtful expression, while her deep red eyes were liquidy with held back
tears. Her fuku had melted away into a long black evening gown, her hair
let down, spilling about her shoulders and out the back of her chair, pieces
falling across her face to hide it. "Do you... want to talk about it?"
Immora asked quietly.

"I... I..." Pluto slowly lowered her head. "I don't know... I think I'll
go back to the palace now... but... How can this be? To have gone so
long..."

"Shhh... I understand what you're feeling right now, in a way. Don't say
any more that you can bear to say. We're going to go ahead and leave, you
just come on your own, alright?"

Pluto nodded, and Immora turned to Akeru, taking her hand as they teleported
away. Pluto buried her face in her hands, tears spilling down her cheeks
as her shoulders shook from her sobs. Her long hair fell across her face,
masking it, hiding her from... what? There was no one here to see her, after
all.

"So, it took you this long to finally realize what a silly game your life
has been?"

Pluto looked up with a bitter look in her eyes at the man standing there.
That man... that horrible man that had put her in this position. "I hope
you're happy," she sneered, standing up and drawing herself up to her full
height. "It's your fault, you know. Why don't you just leave? I have nothing
to say to you."

The man shrugged. "I don't feel like leaving." He looked around a bit. "Nice
decor... like the mirrors, but don't you think the fog is a bit overdone?"

He reeled backwards, falling to the floor when Pluto's staff connected with
a loud "crack!" against his jaw. She then drew back her foot and kicked him
hard between the legs. He let out a loud yelp and writhed on the ground,
moaning and gasping.

"Well, _that_ was certainly liberating!" she chuckled, turning away as she
teleported. But what would she do now, now that she was free? What _could_
she do? Her life had been centered around her "duties", and now?

She chuckled a bit. Why not have fun then? What was wrong with that, after
all. She deserved a little fun for once.

"Oh, would you mind doing a little housekeeping once you can walk?" she
called over her shoulder. "You're right about the fog you know, so why
don't you take care of it?" She laughed loudly and teleported away.



Time: Roughly several minutes after the end of the last part
Place: The palace grounds, the Moon Kingdom



"I wonder what happened to make her break off so suddenly?" Mars murmured.
"I didn't sense anything wrong, she just broke off the contact out of
nowhere." She ran her hand through her long red hair and sighed.

"Perhaps someone decided to drop in on her?" Saturn offered in a soft voice.

Uranus shook her head. "I think Setsuna just got fed up and broke off. The
last thing she said was that she was still waiting, and then she was gone.
I think she took it badly."

"Who knows with Setsuna though," Neptune mused, taking Uranus's hand. "We'll
just have to try again later."

They all reversed their transformations and stood there in their dresses.
"Hey, it's starting to get dark," Jupiter commented as she looked up at
the sky. She chuckled a bit as she added, "I don't think I'm ever going to
get used to having a Dark and a Sun cycle."

"Really? I still think it's weird to look up at the sky and not see stars,"
Uranus said. "You can see them all the time on Uranus. Some people hate it;
reminds them that we're not the only ones out there. I like it though."

"Speaking of your home planet, when's your next trip back?" Mercury asked
her.

"I've still got several days. Things are going alright though, so this trip
will only be for a week. I heard a rumor going around about you, Mercury.
People are saying you've been considering taking back the throne. Is that
true?"

Mercury stiffened a bit, then nodded. "I think that I can handle it now,
and since there are no current threats here, the Senshi aren't needed.
Kunzite is going to help me out with some things, and that'll be a big
relief. Mercury needs alot of help right now..."

"Aren't all the Generals studying magic now?"

"Yes, and he's the best so far, by a lot."

"Nephrite's not far behind!" Jupiter quickly cut in. "He would be ahead if
Kunzite wasn't taking extra courses."

Some of them giggled at Jupiter's immediate defense of her husband.

"Sorry," Mercury said, "I wasn't trying to make the others look bad."

"Good," Mars and Venus sniffed in unison, flipping their hair over their
shoulders. They both looked at each other and laughed and their actions.

"Oh brother," Usagi murmured, pressing her hand to her forehead. "It used
to be mama and Minako, now Rei and Minako. What next?"

"Maybe I will become the famous Sailor V again," Minako chuckled, wiggling
her eyebrows. "After all, the crystal globes' programming doesn't compare
to television. We need something exciting in the lineup."

"Uh oh!"

The Senshi laughed and walked back into the palace.



"[Do you have everything you need]?" a woman murmured to the other standing
near her. They were hiding out in a tunnel deep inside the palace. The
tunnel was kept secret to be used as an escape route in wartime. It had
taken quite a large dose of some strange liquids the first woman kept with
her as well as a spell to draw out the information. This section of the
tunnel was set next to a meeting room, which was currently being used. They
kept their voices low to avoid being discovered, and the fact that they
were speaking in another language kept their plans from being found out if
that should somehow happen.

"[This one needs a bit of sharpening,]" the second said, holding up a
dagger, "[but otherwise, yes.]"

"[Good. Remember, make sure you wait for the right moment.]"

"[Listen, mage, I'm the head of the Assassins' Guild; I know how to pull
these off.]"

"[That's funny, I seem to remember a rather poor attempt on Sharra at her
coronation. You screwed up that one and got your guild in prison. You're
lucky you got out.]"

"[That was centuries ago!]" the assassin hissed. "[And it would have worked
out if that bitch Sailor Pluto hadn't gotten in my way, and if Akeru hadn't
killed my friend that had the knife to Sharra's throat!]"

"[Well, this place is crawling with Senshi, so you better have gotten over
your lack of skill around them. I'll take care of Akeru.]"

"[Look, you do what you came here to do, and I'll do what _I_ came here to
do. I don't want you interfering, got it? I'm only cooperating with you
because of our mutual hatred for that Elf-eyed bitch Akeru.]"

"[You really do show that extra blood--]"

The assassin drew another knife and held it near the mage's throat. "[Don't
_ever_ speak of my background, got it?!]"

The mage chuckled, her eyes flashing silver, green, and blue. "[It's not
_that_ bad being what you are, is it? No one would ever know by looking at
you... except for those teeth and nails of course.]"

The assassin growled, the objects in question--sharp fangs on the sides of
the front four teeth on her top and bottom jaw and long, claw-like nails--
bared at the mage. "[Look, just shut your mouth and let me prepare, got
it?]"

"[Hmmm, you must have _some_ special abilities as a result of the blood;
what are they? You've never mentioned them.]"

The assassin narrowed her eyes and peered through a crack in the walls of
the tunnel they were hiding out in. "[A bit of telepathy and telekinesis,
and heightened senses.]"

"[And by heightened...?]"

"[Look through the crack.]"

The mage sighed and looked out.

"[Do you see the man standing on the left fringes of the crowd, with a
snowy white cloak, grey uniform, long white hair, a gem holding each side
of his cloak in place on his shoulders, ice blue eyes, sharp jawline?]"

The mage squinted a bit, looking hard out the crack. "[I think I see him...
How in the world could you pick out all those details?]"

"[Really sharp eyes. He's wearing a cologne that reminds me of the Junoa
trees back home, and he's talking about magic with the blond man next to
him that's dressed in the same uniform but without the cloak. The blond
is wearing a similar cologne, but sharper.]"

The mage whistled and backed away from the crack. "[Well then, that boosts
my confidence in you considerably. That's amazing how you can tell all these
things about people standing so far away.]"

The assassin smirked and then cocked her head to the side. "[They mentioned
Immora... wanting to talk to her about... eh? Pfft... a simple fire spell,
nothing interesting.]"

The mage snorted and brushed her brown hair out of her face. "[Well, ready
to go?]"

"[Do I look sufficiently Human?]" The assassin adjusted her red hair to
cover her ears, smoothing it down from its normal style.

The mage wrinkled her nose. "[You're still green,]" she criticized her. She
thought for a moment, then murmured a spell that made the assassin's skin
appear a normal hue to anyone who didn't know that it really wasn't that
color, then briefly explained what she had done. "[Don't you feel at all
squeamish at this? You're going to kill your father's sister, after all.]"

"[No... why, should I?]"

The mage stared at her in mute shock for a moment, then murmured, "[You
really _are_ a cold blooded killer.]"

"[Of course. All good assassins know that they have to ignore familial,
friendly, and romantic ties if they want to get the job done.]"

"[Riiight... Well, good hunting, E'melok.]"

The assassin grinned. "[And to you, Ka'ina.]"

**********
END REMEMBRANCE ~~~ NEXT: DESTRUCTION