SETSUNA

I smile to myself as I watch Hotaru go off with Usagi, and the others. They do not know I am here – except, perhaps, with the exception of Hotaru. She knows many things.

These girls are my friends, though I am much older then they are. For even though I have the appearance of a 20 year old, I am as old as time itself. I am the immortal guardian of the space/time gates. I am Sailor Pluto.

I was here when this Universe was created – and shall remain here until the Universe dies.

I am content to stay in the background, for anything I do may radically alter the time line. My job is to prevent such a thing. It is a lonely job. I do not have much time for my friends, or to find love – not that it would matter anyway, for my one love I cannot have.

Prince Endymion is destined to be with Princess Serenity. To interfere in their lives would mean to interfere in the future – and to interfere in their future would be to cause the destruction of our world… for it is directly due to Endymion and Serenity that the future exists.

Unfortunately, although Endymion and Serenity know their destiny (due to a visit from the future by a young child known as Chibi-Usa), they do not quite understand the implications of their actions here in the present. The actions that will create Crystal Tokyo can only be understood by me… for I have been there. I have watched the great battle… and the great re-birth… with my own eyes.

I watch the young soldiers before me. Their happiness I cannot share, for soon I must return to my post – and watch everything begin again. Once more the battle will be fought, once more my heart will break as Endymion and Serenity marry. Once more, they will give birth to a girl by the name of Chibi-usa… and once more, this child will travel into the past and confront a 14 year old girl named Usagi -- her future mother.

And so it will continue, time forever repeating itself – and me forever at my post. I will watch, from a distance, a life I can only dream of having. But then, being the guardian of the gates, I do not have the precious time that I protect to dream.

I look away from my friends, and shed a small tear. For I know something they do not. I know Mamoru never made it to the American University he wished to attend. His plane was captured by Galaxia. He fought her bravely, but to no avail. She ripped the Star Seed from his body, and left him to die. I know when Usagi finds this out, she will be devastated!

But Usagi needs to gather her strength. We will not be able to help her in this battle. And when we are gone, it will be a perilous time for our universe. Everything will rely on Usagi and her inner strength. Many things will happen, and without the other senshi and myself to guide her, she may give up hope! If she does, then all is lost, for it will be this moment, when she is battling Galaxia, that the fate of the Universe is decided! I can only hope that when Usagi is on her own, she will have the strength to carry on.

It is only Usagi that can bring back Mamoru… and this she MUST do! Or else the future will never exist!

I close my eyes, and soon I am back in the mists of time - guarding the gates once more. I see around me everything that is happening… everywhere… at any time. It would be enough to drive one insane, but I am used to it. I am used to being helpless to prevent tragedies, deaths, or other unspeakable horrors. As I said before, it is not my place to interfere. The world must go on as if I was not watching it. Everything that happens, MUST happen. There is a reason for all things, though many would disagree. Many who have lost loves, children, relatives, would say "it didn't have to happen," But I can only give one response – for the future to exist, sacrifices must be made. Everything happens for a reason.

NEXT: Galaxia