CHAPTER 3: THE MAN BEHIND THE MASK
They arrived at the ball on the Moon. Pluto was amazed, she had not been on the Moon or let alone out of the dimension in eras, and to her surprise the Moon Kingdom had been completely remodeled.
Of course, her first impulse when they entered the ballroom was," Oh, I have to find the other scouts! They will be so surprised when they see me here!"
Rubeus's plan was working perfectly, so perfectly that he snickered to himself.
Pluto heard this and said," What was that all about?"
" Oh, I," Rubeus fibbed," I was just clearing my throat."
"Oh." She replied.
Rubeus began to feel bad about what he was doing. Setsuna was so beautiful, so innocent, he didn't want to deceive her anymore, but he had no choice, he had to go through with the plan.
In the meantime, four figures noticed the couple in the ballroom and eagerly kept an eye on them. It was the four sisters; Cooan, Petz, Calaveras, and Beruche.
They watched them as they walked through the center of the ballroom and then began to speak about themselves.
"Rubeus and Sailor Pluto?" Petz said," What is going on here?"
"I don't get it," said Beruche, "Rubeus is dead, and has been for over 1000 years."
" Was this that special assignment Prince Dimando sent him on that one time?"
Calaveras said," To come to a ball in the future? But why?"
" He's spying on the scouts, that's why." Cooan said grimly," I know, he told me. And her." She said, gesturing to Pluto, " I can't believe she has the nerve to even be here after what she did, the whore! Taking Rubeus away from me, I'll show her."
" What are you talking about, Cooan?" Calaveras asked.
" You know very well, Calaveras." Cooan said, walking away from the group, Calaveras nodded.
Beruche rubbed her forehead where her DarkMoon symbol once was. These were the four women accompanying Rubeus in the timeless dimension. The scout had managed to draw the dark energy out from within them in the past and made them good.
In the distance, Rubeus and Pluto were hand and hand talking in the center of the room.
" Don't go anywhere," Setsuna said to Rubeus, "I'll be right back."
She walked away from Rubeus and headed for the powder room. But on her way, she bumped into a semi-familiar face.
" You!" it was Cooan," How dare you show your face here, after what you did to me long ago. I'll still haven't forgiven you, even over 1000 years!"
" I beg your pardon, but I know not of what you are talking about." Said Pluto, who was rather confused by this woman's gibberish, "Wait, I know you, you were in the timeless dimension with Rubeus and the other three women."
"Ah...what difference does it make, but... never mind it probably hasn't happened yet, oh well, you can't change the past." Cooan said, walking away from Sailor Pluto.
" What a strange woman." Pluto said to herself, entering the powder room. She looked at herself in the mirror and said to herself," What am I doing here? Look at me, just look at me, I have been dying to wear this dress all my life, but it seems so wrong, almost like I broke a promise."
She snapped her fingers and a compact appeared in her hand. She continued to powder her face when she said, " Too late now, too late."
" Too late for what?" Said a very pregnant woman beside her.
Pluto looked at the woman, she recognized her immediately, "Oh my goodness, Ami, is that you?"
Ami was Sailor Mercury," Sailor Pluto? W-what are you doing here? I thought..oh never mind that, It's so wonderful to see you! Wow look at you! I love your dress!"
Pluto replied," Oh thank you, I designed it myself, and please, call me Setsuna."
" Wait until the others see you here, they will all just die!" Ami said, " Come on, let's go!"
" Whoa, easy Ami," Setsuna laughed, " It looks as if you're bursting with joy as it is!"
" Oh," giggled Ami," Well it should be any day now."
Setsuna and Ami left the powder room and began to walk in the direction opposite of Rubeus. Rubeus then caught up to the two.
"Hey," Rubeus said," Forgetting about me?"
" Oh how silly of me," Setsuna said, " Ami, this is my date, Rubeus."
Ami's smile faded and her eyes widened," Rubeus?" She repeated, startled by the name that came out of Setsuna's mouth.
" Nice to meet you Ami." Rubeus shook her hand.
" Yeah, the same." Ami said, still in shock, but then her warm smile again appeared on her face,
"Well, shall we move on? I know the others are waiting for me." She said.
They walked to a large table at the rear of the room, and there they all were, the other three Sailor Soldiers of the inner planets: Minako, Sailor Venus; Rei, Sailor Mars; and Makoto, Sailor Jupiter; the guardians of Neo Queen Serenity and Crystal Tokyo. With them were their dates; Minako's boyfriend Julius, Endymion's little brother; Rei's husband, Chad; Makoto's fiancé Andrew; and Ami's husband Greg, who got up and walked toward Ami.
" Hello my dear," he said," I missed you. I got worried there for a minute or so, well you know."
" Oh quit the acting," Ami laughed," You remember Sailor Pluto, also known as Setsuna , right?"
"Wow! Hi Setsuna, definitely didn't expect to see you here." Greg said.
"Well, it was a suprise for me also." Setsuna said.
Then the other scouts seemed to notice the unusual guest and went over to see what was going on. They flooded Setsuna compliments and questions all at once, and overwhelmed her so much that she stumbled back into Rubeus's arms.
Then Minako said," So Setsuna, aren't you going to introduce us to your date?"
" Yeah, come on, who is he?" Rei implied.
" Oh, how rude of me," Setsuna said, " Ladies, this is my date, Rubeus."
The scouts' faces changed so rapidly that it seemed an atomic bomb just hit.
" Nice to meet you all." Rubeus said and nodded his head toward the scouts.
Then all of a sudden the silence was broken by a child's cry of joy, " Aunt Poo!" Chibi-Usa came running toward the group at warp speed and pounced on Sailor Pluto.
" Ha, Chibi-Usa, my dear! How are you?" Setsuna said, hugging Chibi-Usa really tight.
" Ah, let go! You're suffocating me!" Chibi-Usa yelped.
" Oh, sorry my Small Lady." Setsuna said, letting her go, "Where is your mommy and daddy?"
" They were trying to get me to bed abut I didn't want to so I think they were chasing me." Chibi-Usa said," I thought you weren't coming to come to the party, how come you are here?"
" Well, uh, I..." Setsuna trailed off in another voice.
" There you are!" Said King Endymion, who came and scooped up Chibi-Usa.
" But Daddy, look who's here!" Chibi-Usa said, pointing to Sailor Pluto. Endymion's mouth opened in suprise and he almost dropped Chibi-Usa.
"Setsuna, what on Earth are you doing here?" He said.
" Well, uh..." Setsuna started again but was then cut off by another voice.
" Endymion, oh good, you got Chibi-Usa." Neo Queen Serenity said coming up behind Endymion.
"Serenity, look who's come to the ball." Endymion said.
" Who?" Serenity said as she looked around the group until her eyes fell on Sailor Pluto.
" Setsuna! Wow! I never thought in a million years you could make it!" She skittered over to Setsuna and through her arms around her.
" Well, I'm going to try to get this one to bed." Endymion said, hoisting Chibi-Usa on his shoulders.
"Bye, everyone!" Chibi-Usa shouted as Endymion carried her out of the ballroom.
" So, Setsuna, how did you get out of your job guarding the Door of Time?" Serenity asked.
" Yeah, how?" Makoto asked.
" I guess you can say I got a bye, I guess." Setsuna tried to whip something up as an excuse.
" But the Door, who's guarding it?" Rei asked.
" I locked it." Setsuna said, not sure of what to say," Yeah, I locked it, so no one can get in or out."
" You know what, " Rei said," I think it's time for some girl talk, don't you think? Let's go outside."
The scouts walked outside the ballroom into the enclosed bubble of the Moon Kingdom. In the distance they can see the planet Earth in the distance brightly shining. For the people of Earth, tonight is a Lunar eclipse.
Rei then said, " First, what are you doing here with Rubeus?"
" Rubeus? You are here with Rubeus?" Serenity's whole attitude changed toward Setsuna, "Are you nuts?"
"What are you guys talking about?" Setsuna said, rather confused.
"He's evil. A total dud!" Makoto said.
"He attacked us in the past, when we were young scouts." Ami said.
"I don't understand, Rubeus is not like that at all." Setsuna said.
"Does he have a DarkMoon tattoo on his forehead?" Serenity asked.
"Uh, I don't know I wasn't looking for it, I didn't notice, why?" Setsuna said.
"Did he have a DarkMoon you guys?" Serenity asked the other scouts.
"I didn't see it, it was covered by the mask." Rei said.
The other scouts nodded.
Serenity moaned and sat down on a bench. She then said,"He's probably spying on us. Damn!"
"You must have him mistaken for someone else." Setsuna said in denial.
"Now listen to me Setsuna," Minako said, "I know this must be difficult for you to handle, but Rubeus attacked us in the past. He tried to kidnap Chibi-Usa and steal the Silver Crystal. Please trust us."
"I don't know who to believe anymore." Setsuna said, "I have always trusted you in the past, but I trust Rubeus as well."
" Let's get off the subject of Rubeus," Rei said," How did you manage to get here?"
" I told you, I locked the Door, no one can get through." Setsuna said.
" I don't know about that." Ami said," I seems so illogical that you have been there for so many years and never left and now all of a sudden you do. I just don't know."
" Fine don't believe me, I just wanted to come here and see everyone but when I do you question me like I committed some crime." Setsuna declared.
" We just care about you Setsuna." Serenity said," You are all alone up in that dimension. It's so lonely there."
" Yeah, don't you ever get bored?" Makoto said jokingly, trying to raise Pluto's spirits.
Sailor Pluto just sighed and sat down." You know, I have always dreamed of my freedom, and when I finally do become free, people ask to many questions. This was just a bad idea." she said, standing up," I'm leaving."
" No, don't leave, we're sorry, we really are," Serenity said, " We were just looking out for you that's all."
" Well thank you for ruining my evening." Pluto walked inside, took Rubeus, who was talking to Chad and Greg, by the arm, and walked out of the ballroom.
" I'm worried about her." Ami said.
" Yeah, me too." said Serenity," but we must get down to business. You are all probably wondering why I had the ball on the Moon instead of in Crystal Tokyo as usual..."
* * * *
Setsuna and Rubeus exited the ballroom and began to speak to each other again.
" Why are we leaving so soon?" Rubeus implied, upset because he had failed his mission.
" They were giving me a hard time about everything." Setsuna said.
" Oh," Rubeus said, taking off his mask and wiping what appeared to be makeup off his forehead, revealing an inverted black crescent moon.
Setsuna gasped. " They were right." She said under her breath, but apparently Rubeus heard her.
" What was that?" He said.
" Oh nothing, I was just saying to myself that I have to get back. That's all." She said.
" Well, let's go then." Rubeus said, raising his hand to open the portal to the timeless dimension. The sky opened and a beam of light shot down and lifted Sailor Pluto and Rubeus into oblivion.
They arrived in the dimension to face the false Sailor Pluto.
" I've has a wonderful time tonight Rubeus, considering how they treated me," Setsuna said," I'm sorry I has to end."
" It doesn't have to if you don't want it to." Rubeus said, and looked deep into Setsuna's dark garnet eyes with his bright ruby eyes. She felt as if he could peer into her soul and knew exactly what she was thinking. He leaned over and passionately kissed her. He beckoned to the droid and she opened the Door of Time for them. They stepped into the void and floated off into the Time Warp.
" Where are we going?" Setsuna asked Rubeus.
" We are going to my ship orbiting the Earth of the past." Rubeus said.
In no time they reached their destination.
Rubeus took Setsuna into an iridescent rotating chamber.
" From here I can see anywhere on Earth at anytime." He said, and illuMinakoted a panel on the wall.
Setsuna looked down at what appeared to be the city of Tokyo at night.
" It's beautiful." She said softly.
" Come, let me show you something else." Rubeus said, and led her into his chamber, pointing at a large window. Setsuna went over to the window and gaped at the looming planet of Earth below.
" I've never seen it this close before." she said, placing her hands on the glass as if she tried to touch the planet itself, " I've also never been there."
Setsuna seemed to be entranced by the bright blue orb rotating in front of her, until she was pulled away from it and pushed into a kiss with Rubeus. She proceeded to lie on the bed in the center of the room and he followed. Rubeus took off he jacket and began to undo his tie. He leaned over Setsuna and kissed her and continued to unbutton his shirt.
But amid the pleasure this couple was experiencing, a set of tear-filled eyes watched through a crack in the door. It was Cooan, who had believed Rubeus had loved her all this time. She walked away from the door sadly and entered her and Calaveras's room sobbing softly.
" Why Cooan, what's wrong?" Calaveras asked, suprised to see her older sister so upset all of a sudden.
Cooan tried to speak considering her voice breaking up in the sobs," R-Rubeus is w-with another w-woman."
" What are you sure?" Calaveras asked, who also believed that Rubeus loved Cooan," Oh, you poor thing! " She said," Come here." Cooan walked over to Calaveras and Calaveras put her arm around her," Shhh, it'll be okay." She said.
" No, it's not okay," Cooan said, pushing Calaveras away and sitting on her bed," I think that was the woman from the Door of Time."
" Sailor Pluto?" Calaveras asked.
Cooan nodded," I'll get her, I'll get her!!"
" That's the spirit." Calaveras said," Now try and get some rest, and act completely legitimate tomorrow about it."
* * * *
It was a bright morning, and the Sun shot right into Setsuna's eyes. She winced and turned her back on it, but she was already awake. She had not yet opened her eyes, but just laid there on her back, thinking to herself;" It was all a dream. I am not the Guardian of the Door of Time, Queen Beryl did not destroy the universe, Queen Serenity and Princess Usagi are still alive as well as all of the planetary princesses, and Prince Endymion is going to marry Usagi next week."
She stretched out and opened her eyes, only to find that the room she beheld was not familiar to her and that Rubeus was still lying asleep next to her.
" Damn, she thought," So that's how long it's been since I slept in a bed."
Setsuna removed a sheet from the bed to cover herself and she got up and walked to the window.
The sun was peeking around the planet and nearly blinded Setsuna. She looked away and put her hand up to block it.
Rubeus moaned and sat up behind her. He then put on his robe and joined her by the window.
" Good morning." He said in the middle of a yawn.
"Hmm." Setsuna said, still gazing down at Earth.
" It's hypnotizing isn't it." Rubeus said.
" Yes it is." Setsuna said sadly.
" What is the matter?" Rubeus asked.
" Nothing. I'm just a little depressed. You know, thinking about someone long ago." She said.
Rubeus leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. He then walked over to his bed and pulled a neatly folded pile of clothes out from under it that he continued to put on: a pair of green pants, a brown vest, calf-high black boots that he laced up over his pants, and a silver medallion on a long chain. He then again joined Setsuna by the window. She turned to face him and his necklace caught her eye.
"Strange, but beautiful." She said, flipping it around in her hand.
" Oh, yes it is." Rubeus explained," It was given to me by my mother when I was just a child, right before I was exiled to Nemesis by Neo Queen Serenity. My mother died in the war."
" I'm sorry to hear that." Setsuna said, laying the medallion back down on Rubeus's chest," I really must be getting back." She said, walking from the window.
" I wish you could stay." Rubeus said.
"Well duty calls." Setsuna said, raising her hand," Pluto Planet Power, Makeup!" She shouted, and then transformed into Sailor Pluto. A light surrounded her and she began to phase out.
" I love you!" Rubeus shouted after her.
" I know." She said back, as she disappeared into thin air.