The Point of No Return
The next thing Setsuna was aware of was her
mother's voice coming through the darkness. For one ghastly moment she
was sure that Lady Moira had been killed by her display of power, and was
now speaking to her through the Voices of the Dead, but no. Her mother's
voice was that of a woman standing in the room with her, safe within her
physical body, not of a free soul speaking inside her head. Without letting
her eyes open, Setsuna listened just to be sure her mother was really alive,
and had not joined the Voices.
"I should have seen it coming." Moira was
saying. "I should have known what was happening to her long before then.
Gods above me, I should have seen!" Well, at least she could be sure her
mother was alive—and Setsuna was fairly certain it was she Moira was speaking
of. But whom could she be speaking to?
"Moira, you mustn't be so hard on yourself."
Setsuna heard her father say soothingly, trying to calm his shaken wife.
"There would have been nothing you could have done had you known."
"I might have warned her!" Moira countered
sharply. "I might have told her that her awakening was nigh!"
"It would only have frightened her when there
was no need to. Not even you could have known what would happen when Setsuna
reached her awakening." Hades told her gently. "Do not worry yourself,
my love." At the sound of her name, the girl's eyes fluttered open just
in time to see him take her mother in his arms and kiss her mouth sweetly.
The princess smiled at this. She knew that it had not been her mother's
own choice to marry Hades, but it was obvious to her—and to all others
who laid eyes on the pair—that they had grown to love one another deeply.
"Mother?" she murmured to let her parents
know she was awake. "Father?" Her voice was weak and exhausted, but it
was enough to get their attention. Moira freed herself from her husband's
arms, and taking a seat upon Setsuna's bed, wordlessly gathered the child
into her own. Setsuna's fear lifted. Not even the sound of Lady Moira's
voice had truly assured her that the Queen of Pluto lived. Well, at least
there was no doubt in her mind now. Her mother was really and truly alive.
Then, could her show of power have been nothing more than a horrible nightmare?
Setsuna hid her face against Moira's neck, taking comfort in the familiar
scent of her perfume as her mother rocked her gently back and forth for
a long moment. At last, Moira released her daughter, carefully seating
her against the pillow Hades had propped up behind her. The King of Pluto
smiled down at his child.
"How are you, daughter?" he asked, stroking
her silky green head. Setsuna craned her neck to look at him.
"Father? What are you doing here?" she asked.
"I missed seeing you on your birthday," he
replied, "but it seemed to me that an event such as this was reason enough
to leave Pluto in your grandfather's hands and come to see you. Happy Birthday,
my girl."
"My birthday?" she asked numbly. Was today
not her birthday? She thought carefully for a moment. Yes, it had indeed
been yesterday the Voices had been wishing her a happy birthday. Moira
nodded at her question.
"Yes, Setsuna, your birthday. Although it
is actually three days past." Three days! Setsuna's jaw dropped.
"What happened?" she managed to inquire.
"Your awakening," said her mother. Hades flashed
his daughter a wry little smile.
"I congratulate you, my little one," said
he. "Your mother tells me that you put on quite a display the day before
your birthday." Setsuna sighed, feeling her heart sink. So, the events
of the other day had been real after all. The painful chorus of screams,
the terrible rush of power, its eerie purple glow as it left her body and
hurtled towards her mother…it had all been real. Miserably, she glanced
up at Lady Moira.
"Did I leave a hole in the wall?" she mumbled,
quite certain she had. Her mother laughed.
"No, dearest. Do not worry. Everything and
everyone is safe." Quite suddenly, Setsuna felt her heart squeeze, and
her lips began to tremble. A few tears slipped down her cheeks and landed
in her lap.
"Oh, Mother!" she cried, throwing her arms
around Moira's neck. "I was so afraid I had hurt you! However did you escape?"
"I used my own power to dissolve yours. Because
we both draw our power from the Voices, I was able to call your power back
by opening myself to them." Pulling back then, Moira gripped her child's
shoulders, and looked her squarely in the eye. "You must promise me, Setsuna,
that you will never attempt to unleash your attack outside of my presence
until you have mastered it, alright?" Setsuna was thoroughly confused.
"My attack? Mother, I do not understand. What
really happened? What is my awakening really? Moira cleared her throat.
"Well, my daughter, when you reach your awakening,
it means that your powers can no longer resist your call. It is in that
moment that a Sailor Soldier forms her attack," she explained. Setsuna
nodded her understanding. So, in whispering the words "Dead Scream," she
had loosed her attack. She frowned. Well, it certainly had an appropriate
name. Even in her memory's ear, the Voices' terrible cries were enough
to send chills down her spine.
"The time after a Sailor Soldier's awakening
is a dangerous time." Lord Hades warned when it seemed his wife would say
no more. "She has no control over her power. You must be careful, my girl,
lest your unbridled powers should fly into chaos." Moira vehemently expressed
her agreement.
"Thank the gods I recognized that you had
reached your awakening before you actually let loose your attack. Had I
not been prepared for it, I might really have been hurt, if not killed.
You have an immense power, Setsuna. We must be very careful, and make certain
it is never accidentally unleashed upon one you would not want to hurt.
That is why I want you to promise me you will never attempt your attack
outside my presence. Do you promise?" Setsuna nodded, an icy feeling in
the pit of her stomach. Forming her attack had not tamed her power at all.
She could still kill with it. Then again, she supposed that was the whole
idea. It would be her sworn duty to serve Serenity by protecting this kingdom
from invasions. Perhaps someday, she would find herself backed into a corner,
where her only option would be to kill or allow the kingdom she called
home to fall into enemy hands. Surely the gods would not punish her for
killing if she did it to save the lives of the innocent ones, and only
did so at all when she could find no other option.
"I promise, Mother." Setsuna agreed. Moira
sighed with much relief, as if she had actually expected Setsuna to refuse.
"Good girl," Moira said, kissing the girl's
brow. "Now, you really must try to sleep."
"Sleep!" Setsuna exclaimed in surprise. "Mother,
have I not been asleep for the past four days?" Her mother chuckled.
"That you have," she admitted, "but there
is no purpose in you getting up now. Why, Haruka and Michiru will be preparing
to retire in less than an hour." Was it so late already? Setsuna sighed
in annoyance. This all felt so odd! In forming her attack, she had been
put four days behind the world.
"Oh, all right," she consented, obligingly
lying down once more. "Good night, Mother. Good night, Father." Both her
parents kissed her goodnight, and Setsuna yawned widely. Before she could
even be surprised at her own weariness, the princess was sound asleep.
In a vast and lonely dimension, a realm neither
mortal nor divine, a worthy being will find the Gates of Time. They serve
as the doorway to all time and space, but they, as well as the realm in
which they stand, are touched by neither. The desolate and timeless dimension
between mortal and godly worlds was Chronos's place in the universe, and
it was there that his soul led him on that dull, quiet evening three days
after his only grandchild's ninth birthday.
Standing before the Gates of Time, Chronos
watched the events transpiring in Setsuna's chambers as they were shown
to him through the Window of the Present. So, it was true. Setsuna had
reached her awakening. Well, of course she had! He had known the moment
was at hand almost a week before it had happened. Why should such a thing
prompt him to pay a visit to the Gates? Chronos sighed as he watched Moira
kiss her little one's blessed brow. Not for the first time, Chronos thought
of his passing, and found he was dreading it.
Chronos was one with this timeless bridge-between-worlds
where the Gates stood. When he stood before the sacred Gates, he too was
untouched by time. Some would think it a fantastic advantage to his position,
his ability to delay his Passing simply by entering another dimension,
but Chronos knew better. He could never give himself more than the standard
thousand years among the mortals. He could only stop them from progressing,
and only until he left the Gates. His Passing would come upon him eventually,
and when it did, he would not be returned to the Realm of Gods as all other
immortals were. Chronos, instead, was destined to spend eternity at the
Gates of Time. A thought came upon him unbidden. No. It does not have
to be that way.
Chronos turned back to the Window. His granddaughter
was sleeping now, her dear little face soft and peaceful. It was funny
how much younger than her nine years she looked when she slept. Chronos
shook his head, passing a hand over the Window to darken it. No. He simply
could not consider it. He could never place such a burden upon Setsuna's
shoulders. It would be entirely too much for any mortal to bear, and to
place the load upon his own granddaughter was simply unthinkable. But if
it were her destiny…
No, it was not. He knew that already. The
Gates of Time were his place, not hers. He was the god of time. She was
the Ruler of the Afterlife. Her place was with the Sea and Sky Soldiers
upon a battlefield where magic was one's greatest weapon. Her fate was
to become a celestial warrior, protecting her people from the forces of
evil. That was enough of a burden for any mortal girl to carry.
Chronos made up his mind. He had less than
two decades left among the mortals. Just as he had done for the past nine
years, ever since his granddaughter's birth, he would keep silent his suspicions.
They could haunt him for eternity, but he would not let them win. Setsuna
would not be steered from her path. Chronos lifted his eyes, as if in prayer.
"Selene and Lady Pluto! Hear me, my sisters!"
he called, for all gods and goddesses are brothers and sisters in their
hearts. "I swear it as your brother god! I shall not breathe a word of
this to any worldly being. In the name of the White Moon Kingdom, you shall
have your warrior!" Having spoken thus, Chronos turned away from the Gates
of Time, and quietly reentered the world of men.
The following morning, Setsuna was relieved to find
that being left four day behind the world was not so hindering as she had
thought it would be. The only oddity she had to adjust to was the fact
that she had turned nine years of age without being aware of it, which
was not too different from having to get used to her new age after a normal
birthday. Of course, Haruka and Michiru immediately began bombarding her
with questions about her awakening, for neither had reached her own yet.
Setsuna answered them as best she could, and shared with them what she
had decided about killing. Both agreed that it was sometimes necessary,
and that the gods would not punish them for it if it were the only way
to prevent the loss of innocent lives. Still, they should avoid it whenever
possible. The three girls were quickly beginning to understand that being
Sailor Soldiers was not all honor and glory, but they looked towards their
common destiny with confidence and resolve.
Several mornings later, the first of the girls'
daily lessons was interrupted when Luna came to fetch them.
"Come to the throne room, Highnesses," the
royal advisor told them. "There are some people Her Majesty wishes you
to meet." Always eager to escape their schooling, the girls followed Luna
to the throne room, their mothers close behind.
They were a little surprised to find the High
Queen seated not upon her throne, but upon the floor with her billowing
silver-white skirt spread elegantly around her, holding the three-year-old
princess on her lap. Little Serenity, holding her mother's slender hand,
and studying it with celestial blue eyes, looked quite like a baby angel
in her own moon-colored gown. Her sun-gold hair, now long enough for her
mother to twist into the bun-topped pony's tails that were customary for
the women of the moon's royal line, shone like a halo, and the Mark of
Selene gleamed against her brow.
Queen Serenity, absently stroking her daughter's
hair with one hand, conversed quietly with four women in flowing royal
gowns. They, too, sat upon the floor, and each had her lap full with a
child the princess' age. Setsuna knew immediately who the women and their
daughters were.
"Mother, are the Inner Princesses going to
begin their training so early?" Lady Moira nodded.
"The Sailor Guardians begin their training
earlier in life," she explained. "Because their duty is to protect the
princess, it is crucial that they establish a bond with her as soon as
possible." Princess Serenity suddenly became aware of their presence. Beaming
a great, toothy smile, she lifted her tiny hand, and flapped it in greeting.
"Hi-hi, 'Suna!" the princess called. "Hi-hi,
'Wuka! Hi-hi, 'Shoowu!" The High Queen glanced up and smiled. Rising to
her feet, she lifted Little Serenity off her lap, taking her hand when
she demanded to be held again. The Inner Queens followed suit.
"I am glad you are here." Serenity told the
girls. "My ladies, I would like you to meet the Outer Princesses, Setsuna
of Pluto, Haruka of Uranus, and Michiru of Neptune. Girls, may I introduce
the Queens of the Inner Planets." She then proceeded to do just that. Dressed
all in gold was the leader of the Sailor Guardians, Lady Cliodna of Venus.
Second-in-command to the former Sailor Venus was the Queen of Mars, Lady
Morrigan, a dark-haired beauty draped in gowns of red. Clad in an elegant
shade of forest green was Lady Aye of Jupiter, and Lady Caer of Mercury,
the Soldier of Ice, wore a garment of pale blue silk that flowed about
her like a river.
As each of the former Sailor Guardians was
introduced, the three Outer Princesses each dropped a curtsey, respectful
of the women who had protected the High Queen in her youth. Their own mothers
merely smiled and politely inclined their heads, for they knew the Inner
Queens from their own childhood. Serenity did not formally introduce the
younger princesses; they were far too little to understand such things.
Instead, the four women urged their daughters forward to speak with the
older girls. The Princess of Mercury immediately darted behind Lady Caer,
but Lady Cliodna's daughter trotted boldly up to the girls, grinned widely.
Like the reigning princess, she was blue-eyed with yellow hair, which she
wore tied back with a golden ribbon.
"Hi!" she said brightly. "My name is Minako!"
"But we all call her Mina," put in the Princess
of Jupiter, "because that's easier." The Princess of Mars giggled.
"Just like she is called Mako, but her name
is Makoto!" she observed. Mina laughed as well.
"And your name is Rei, and that is what you
are called because that is already so easy!" Setsuna chuckled, studying
the pair. Like her mother, Rei was black-haired and violet-eyed, beautiful
to boot. Mako, too, was a very pretty girl, and with her auburn hair and
verdant eyes, looked especially nice in her forest green gown.
Michiru had approached Lady Caer, and was
now smiling encouragingly at the little girl hidden behind her, leaning
over in order to look her in the eye.
"Hello," Michiru said gently. "What is your
name?" Large, timid blue eyes peered up at the older girl from behind her
mother's skirt.
"Ami," the girl replied softly.
"My name is Michiru. I am from Neptune. Where
are you from?"
"Mercury," was the shy answer. Michiru extended
a hand.
"Would you like to meet my friends?" At first,
there was no reply, but Michiru continued to coax the girl with friendly
smiles and trivial questions spoken in a gentle voice. Eventually, Ami
accepted the offered hand, and allowed Michiru to lead her out where she
could be seen. Setsuna smiled to herself, for she saw immediately that
Michiru had just made a friend for life.
Ami was a slim, fragile-looking child, an
appearance accented by her obviously introverted nature. Short blue-black
hair framed a pale, delicate face, which was very pretty, but somewhat
difficult to see, for she kept her eyes lowered as she approached the other
two Outer Princesses. Following Michiru's example, Setsuna and Haruka greeted
her with warm smiles and introduced themselves in quiet voices. Their efforts
earned them a shy grin.
"Oh, Mina!" Lady Cliodna's exasperated exclamation
distracted the girls from their introductions. Looking toward the Princess
of Venus, they found that she had worked the ribbon from her golden hair,
and was dangling it over Artemis's head, shaking her hand to make it dance
about. Artemis, his tail lashing in agitation, leapt at the ribbon, trying
to grab it with his paws and missing repeatedly. Every unsuccessful attempt
resulted in a fresh burst of giggles from Mina.
"Why Mina!" Queen Serenity exclaimed. "Why
ever did you take out your lovely ribbon?" Mina grinned at the High Queen.
"I am playing a game with the kitty!" she
explained. Artemis stopped jumping and gave Serenity a pained look.
"She is teasing me with that thing, and she
believes it is funny!" he complained. Luna haughtily licked her silky black
paw.
"Artemis, you are acting like a kitten!" she
sniffed. "You know perfectly well that it is only a harmless hair ribbon."
A mischievous gleam appeared in Haruka's eye.
"Princess Mina, may I see that ribbon of yours?"
she asked. Mina generously handed it over. While Luna continued washing,
Haruka flicked the ribbon in her direction, just close enough to her face
to catch her attention. Luna instinctively pounced, and Mina erupted into
giggles. The little black cat glared up at a smugly grinning Haruka.
"Now, stop that!" she exclaimed angrily as
Mina squealed with laughter. Lady Cliodna sighed.
"Come here, Mina," she said tiredly, "and
let me put your ribbon back in." Still giggling, Mina retrieved the ribbon
from Haruka and obediently returned to her mother. Haruka then turned to
face Luna, who was sulking in Little Serenity's lap. When she noticed Haruka
watching her, the royal advisor turned her back on the girl, and stuck
her little pink nose in the air. Haruka was scornful.
"Oh, come off it, Luna!" she exclaimed.
"I think Luna is mad at you." Ami said seriously,
and Setsuna silently noted that it was the first sentence she had spoken
that consisted of more than one word. Sighing heavily, Haruka knelt beside
Luna.
"Do not be angry, Luna. I meant nothing by
it." She extended her hand in an offering of peace. "I am sorry. Truce?"
Luna faced Haruka then, scowling darkly. After a moment, she sighed, and
rubbed her head against the girl's hand.
"Truce," she agreed. "That is, if you scratch me
behind my ears." Chuckling, Haruka complied. Setsuna suddenly became aware
of how used to the Silver Palace the girls had become. Now that she had
reached her awakening, she knew it was only a matter of time before they
left it, and were introduced to the world as Sailor Soldiers. It was only
a matter of time before they left behind their world of peace and comfort
to embrace one of battles against evils unknown.
How long will it be? Setsuna wondered.
How long before destiny finds us?
She prayed for time to slow itself.
To give her more than what she had.
Immortal Time made no reply,
But flowed as it always had.
For we within the hourglass
Are all but grains of sand.
No mortal life is favored
Within the Time God's hand.
The tears upon the mother's cheeks
Are bright in the candle's shine.
The child she once knew is gone.
Forever lost to time.
Without pausing to give the matter a moment's
thought, Princess Setsuna called upon her power. The Voices of the Dead
screamed within the twelve-year-old's mind, but she paid them no heed.
She had grown used to hearing their cries. The instant she called for it,
her power gathered around her in purple clouds.
"Dead Scream," she whispered, for though the
Voices no longer overwhelmed her, she still whispered her attack phrase
purely out of habit. Her power was let loose upon her target. In a most
impressive display, the stone figure was destroyed. From where they were
watching her, Haruka and Michiru burst into applause. This was the first
time either had seen their friend's attack, and they were as awed by her
power as she had been by theirs.
"Amazing, Setsuna!" Michiru breathed. "Simply
amazing!"
"Incredible!" Haruka agreed. Setsuna grinned.
"Thank you," she replied. "I have worked hard
to perfect it."
"That much is clear of all three of you."
Serenity remarked, eyeing the three piles of rubble, which was all that
remained of their false targets. She nodded approvingly. "Yes, I do believe
you girls are ready."
Standing off on her own behind the High Queen,
Lady Moira's lips curved into a smile tinged with loss.
Weep not, O dearest mother
'Tis in joy the Heavens shine.
In your stolen child's place now stands
A soldier left by time.
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Yes! I've finally made it to the first big time break! (WHAT?! IT'S
ONLY THE FIRST?! @#$%!!) Okay, I'm cool now. Now, people, tell me honestly.
You didn't really think I was gonna kill off Lady Moira, did you? I still
need her for a few chapters! Setsuna can kill her mother later. Nah, just
kiddding. Oh, and I wasn't going to reveal this yet, but since someone
already mentioned it, I guess I'll tell you now. I have long been planning
to expand this into a series, featuring Silver Millennium stories for each
of the senshi, plus Princess and Queen Serenity. I doubt any of them will
go as much into the training as Sailor Soldiers as this one did, but they
should still be good. The next one is going to be Saturn's story, because
it ties in best with this one. How? You'll see. Oh, boy will you see! Okay,
I'm scaring you. For now, all I'll say is pay attention to details, and
look for foreshadowing. I'd like to thank everyone who has reviewed so
far, but I can never get enough reviews. C'mon, people, don't make me beg.
OH PLEASE OH PLEASE OH PLEASE REVIEW!!