~Yay, another chapter! Well, hope you like!

Chapter 2

New Powers

Setsuna woke up, energetic and ready to begin her day. She ran into Ariella's chamber and was ready to start her lessons. Her nurse looked at her with surprise. "Setsuna-hime, what are you doing up so early? I hadn't expected you to begin lessons until this afternoon. After all, you only just had your 14th birthday party last night."

"Oh, I don't know. I'm just so wide awake now," Setsuna said, smiling.

Ariella sighed and began to prepare for the princess' lessons. While Setsuna waited, the princess began a small chatter with her, like she always does when they were embroidering together. "I had the most wonderful dream last night, Ariella-sama."

The nurse frowned. Dreams? But the princess never had dreams before…Ariella shook that thought away and smiled. "What was so happy about it?"

"I dreamt that I had strange powers and I was helping people. I was helping the powerful Neo-Queen of the Moon even! And I was with all the other princesses of the Outer planets, save Jupiter. We were older then, but it looked so real that it made the dream so wonderful!"

At this point, as Ariella heard the whole story of Setsuna's dream, she tried to breathe calmly. Without looking at the princess, she spoke, "Setsuna-hime, maybe you should run along now. No doubt you're filled with energy and it's a waste to use it on your lessons today. I'll leave you to your business. I must talk to your parents."

Setsuna looked on curiously, and brightened with happiness. She hugged her nurse maid and ran out of the room, to begin roving about the palace grounds. Ariella sighed, thinking how quickly the princess grew. Already she's blossoming into a fine young maiden. Then, she remembered that she had to speak with the royal couple.

Ariella headed into the king's palace chambers and was permitted in. She saw his Highness seated with his wife, talking about certain things happening around the kingdom. Atae noticed Ariella and nodded to her husband. Naraku also saw Ariella and looked at her curiously. "Yes, what is it, nurse maid?"

"It involves your daughter, Your Excellency," Ariella fidgeted with her duster, "About her coming of age as a senshi…when do you think her powers will begin to develop?"

The King looked at her, with a blank expression. Atae was less hostile and smiled gently, "Why, at 16, of course. It is, after all, her beginning as a senshi. Why do you ask?"

Naraku also nodded his consent. "To my knowledge, all of a senshi's powers develop by 16. However, there are some cases where their powers are already growing and getting stronger at a very young age. Take that Saturn princess, for example. She's already possessed as much magic as Queen Serenity. Is something the matter with Setsuna?"

"Well, she is beginning to show signs of her heritage. Her powers of time are being expressed in dreams, it seems. Why, just a few minutes ago, she told me about her being a senshi alongside the other Outer Senshi," Ariella explained.

Atae sighed sadly, "Well, Naraku, I'm proud of her, but I don't think she'll be too happy about it."

"Don't talk nonsense, of course she will be excited when she finds out that she's a senshi," Naraku scolded, "But after her excitement dies down and she sees the consequences of her duties, she won't take it so easily as before."

Before Ariella or Atae can respond to Naraku's statement, the princess darted into the room, troubled and thoughtful. The nurse bowed and left the room, followed by Atae, who gently patted her daughter's shoulder and whispered a small word of comfort before leaving. Setsuna looked up to see her father, a towering figure even while he sat. The king motioned for his daughter to take the seat next to her. "You look troubled, Setsuna. What is it?"

The princess sank into her seat and began, "Ariella-sama sent me out and told me I shouldn't have my lessons today. I left and went to the garden to have some room to think. And, then some light flashed and I was seeing a place filled with mist and gray clouds. There was nothing…but a door…and a figure was standing right next to it. I saw her eyes, and they were so sad…"

"Go on, dear," Naraku said after the princess paused. "Did you see the figure's face?"

"I…I saw…me…but I looked older, and I don't know why I was standing there, with no one to be with. It was so lonely, Papa…"

The king shook his head. He forced a smile, "Setsuna, you must know that you're our heir to the throne. The only heir to the throne. And, since you're our only child, you're also inheriting the senshi powers bestowed to the Chosen one in Pluto. The power of time."

Setsuna's eyes widened with wonder. "So that means…these dreams are signs of the future?"

"Not only that, but you also see what will become," Naraku answered.

The princess shook her head, "But, how come you tell me this only now? Why didn't I know sooner?"

Naraku shrugged, "It would have only confused you if we said anything about it when you didn't experience any powers. You were too young then. We planned to tell you when you turned 16, but it seems your powers grew stronger until it reached the point where it couldn't be hidden any longer. Thus, your prophetic visions."

"Does that mean I have to be trained as a senshi now?"

"You've already been trained. You know most of what there is to know. There will be some new lessons you will receive but other than that, since there is no oncoming threat to the Moon Kingdom, or any of the other worlds, you're life will go on as is."

Setsuna bowed, having a great burden lifted off her chest. "Thank you, Papa. You've made me feel better. I should leave you now."

The king smiled, "Please let your nurse know I've finished talking to you. Oh, and bring your mother to me, I need a word with her."

The princess bowed and hurriedly left the room. Naraku watched her go. Then, without warning, an image of Queen Serenity appeared in his room. She looked alarmed and pale. The king looked at her with concern. "What is it, Serenity? Is there something the matter?"

"Chaos has begun to move. Now, he's gone through the outer rim barriers of the Milky Way. Your planetary soldiers have already fallen. We need to send the second line of defense quickly! I've already called all of the ruling planets and you're the last one. Please hurry!"

Serenity's holographic figure vanished and left Naraku tense. He knew what he must do. Atae came back, enlightened, but he saw the serious expression of her husband. She lost her laughter. "What is it, Naraku?"

The king stood up and walked to his armory. "Our first line of defense has failed to keep Chaos out. It seems he's decided to attack now. The war's beginning, Atae. Serenity's sent for me. I have to leave."

"Leave?" the queen paled. "And what about me? Didn't she ask for the second line? That includes the both of us, husband."

Naraku looked at her, "No, you are to stay here. We can't leave Setsuna to learn her abilities by herself. She needs someone to look after her. Ariella can't give her everything.."

"No! I won't let you die alone in that cold space!" Atae cried out, frustrated, "You will return?"

Her husband smiled sadly, "Chaos isn't a force to be taken lightly. We both know that even Queen Serenity will be unable to thwart the dark attacks of Chaos. And…we won't be able to, either."

"The universe will fall and all the planets will rely on their last defense, the powerful senshi…" Atae muttered under her breath, as she remembered her own visions of the past. "But why did it have to happen at our time?"

Naraku took his queen by her shoulder and gave her a kiss, then pulled away, face stern and sad. "Because the powers of our senshi are growing, and it was the time Chaos had been waiting for. He wants to strike right before the senshi grew into full power. Like I said, traditionally, senshi's powers develop when they turn 16. Now, it seems that the senshi's powers grew even stronger than before. Our enemy does not want this to be so."

Atae nodded silently, tears falling from her eyes. "You better tell your daughter where you're going. She won't take lightly to your comfort. Leave me be."

The king left his wife inside the chamber and sought out Setsuna. She was designing garlands to place in her mother's hair. When she saw her father, she laughed and waved to him. He waved back, smiling. Then he came to her, and he went back to his seriousness. Setsuna sensed that something was wrong and stopped smiling.

"Setsuna, I have to go," her father said.

The princess stood up and questioned, "Go where?"

"To the Moon Kingdom."

"Oh, I'll go with you then!" Setsuna said, suggesting.

Naraku shook his head. "This is military business, if you don't mind me saying so. Take care of your mother for me. I…don't know when I'll be coming back."

Setsuna's red eyes flashed and she saw a vision of her father in a dark battlefield, with an army behind him. She saw him charge against the opposing side, which had horrible creatures at the front. Then, as the huge swirl of darkness took over Naraku's army, a blast was heard, echoing in the vast area that the darkness possessed. Setsuna's father rammed on, lifting a staff in the air, glowing red with power. The jewel in the middle of his staff managed to protect him and destroy some of Chaos' armies. Her visions stopped there, and Setsuna shivered. She threw herself at her father. "No! You can't go! It's too dangerous!"

"Setsuna, you must understand," her father tried to comfort her, "As a ruler, one has the responsibility to protect his world, even if it means to risk his life. I know my place, and you shouldn't let that keep you from your happiness."

"Papa, you lied to me! You said that nothing was going to change! You told me that there was no oncoming threat to the Moon Kingdom!"

Naraku sighed, "And, there isn't. But, if I don't go, there is a greater chance of the threat to approach the Moon Kingdom. I don't want anyone to get hurt, Setsuna. Please understand."

The princess sank to the ground, sobbing, "Why can't I go with you? I'd rather fight with you than stay here and find out that you have been killed!"

"You aren't ready yet, daughter of mine. Your mother will help you. She's a very formidable warrior as well, and she won't leave you alone. Please keep yourself happy, and keep your mother happy."

With that, the king left his daughter with a kiss on the forehead. Setsuna would never be able to speak with her father again.

A tear rolled off the senshi's eyes when she remembered that sad goodbye her father had left her with. Up until now, she never fully understood her father's duty to the universe. Now she knew, and it pained her to remember that she didn't make his departing Pluto an easy venture. She should have given him a smile so that when he thought of her, he would remember his daughter's smile. Now, it was too late. But at least she knew he was proud of the daughter he left crying in Pluto.