Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon or Gundam Wing. All I own is a bunch of plot ideas and the desire to write a story that appeals to people. That and a ton of anime stuff that keeps the old imagination fired up. ~_^
Dedication: To RubyRedDragon05 for writing me a Rei/Heero story and reviewing so faithfully. Lady Kakiyu, who is my twin, sounding board and world domination accomplice. A-chan, my imouto, co-writer on Passion's Rhythm and inspiration. Chibi-chan for writing kick butt fics and helping me to get out of my writer's block. Duckie, my beta reader who makes sure I don't go off the edge with my writing and gave me the coolest hand drawn picture of Rei and Heero about to kiss to keep me inspired. Also to Li Ying Fa, marzy001, skyprincess, Mars_goddess, piscesangel, monoxide child, Icyfire, The Firey (sorry, no Duo/Hotaru in this fic but I'll try to have cute scenes with them. Maybe you can inspire me to do a Duo/Hotaru for next time?), AceofSpade (Thank you for making the sacrifice for taking time off from FFX!), Raven Grimwulf (I promise you that I had this idea long before I knew about your love life!), Joanna, Fleur de Lys (Manga fans unite!), DarkSmile, and Marsbab9 because you guys really make me feel like writing every time I see your reviews. Thanks for being so supportive!
A/N: Sorry for the cliffhanger last chapter, minna! Also, I'm very sorry for the lateness of this chapter too. I had most of it written and then decided I hated it, so I re-wrote the whole thing twice! Not to mention that life has a way of getting in the way of the stuff I really want to do. Please don't kill me! I'll try to be better, I swear!
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"What about your dimension? What if you have to return now when your other friends finally come down? Will you deny your leader," Heero asked huskily, his voice still heavy with sensuality from their kiss.
"That is something that doesn't have to be considered. We are going nowhere," stated the firm tones of Setsuna, Sailor Pluto. She stood at the top of the steps; a regal figure seemingly made of stone. Flanking her were Michiru and Haruka to one side, both uncommonly uncertain, and Mamoru on the other, his face stoic, yet his eyes were dazed.
"Nani? What do you mean by that, Setsuna-san? We have to go home, Artemis and Luna will go crazy, not to mention our families and friends," exclaimed Makoto, her cheeks still flushed with the embarrassment of seeing Rei kiss Heero so thoroughly. 'And I thought I was the bold one,' ran through her mind fleetingly. She shook her head abruptly, clearing her mind and concentrating on the enigmatic Senshi of Time and her response to her question.
"Perhaps the better statement would be that we cannot go home just yet. We are not staying because Rei-chan wishes it though or because of the events happening here. This is something completely beyond our control," Setsuna stated, her unflappable calm firmly in place.
"What are you talking about? Does Usagi-chan know about this," Rei demanded, her sixth sense flaring with alarm. She knew deep down inside that something was dreadfully wrong for Setsuna to be so eerily calm. She normally reserved that expression for doomsday proclamations that heralded the end of the universe as they knew it. Her heart had leapt in her chest when she had heard Setsuna declare they weren't going home, the hope she felt so strong she nearly passed out from relief. However, she didn't want her friends to be stranded if they were set on going home.
"Serenity-hime definitely knows that we are not going home anytime soon," Setsuna stated with certainty. "I just left her room."
Minako looked at the other younger Senshi and she could read the questions that were rioting in their expressions. Unease was ripe in the air and Ami shifted uncomfortably as it seemed to rub her the wrong way. Makoto frowned at Setsuna and her frown deepened even more when the older woman returned her gaze unflinchingly. Hotaru looked pensive and then spoke up, "This has something to do with Usagi-san, doesn't it? You never address her as Serenity-hime unless whatever has happened concerns her and is vitally important."
"Perhaps it would be better if you saw for yourself," Setsuna suggested mildly, her expression still not giving even the barest hint of what might be happening. Inside, however, her thoughts were chaotic and panicked. 'I never foresaw this happening. This never happened in any of the future timelines I've seen. I have no idea of what is going to happen next and the thought of acting blindly with so much at stake is enough to make my stomach churn. Has the chance meeting between the Senshi and their past lovers caused all of this? Should I have done something more drastic to keep them apart?'
The Senshi nodded at Pluto's suggestion and they began to climb the stairs with a feeling of dread in their hearts. The vagueness of Pluto's answers and her general evasiveness was driving them all crazy with worry. Haruka, Michiru and Mamoru watched as they ascended the steps and then turned to head down the western corridor when they had all joined them on the top step. They were about to start down the long hallway when Setsuna spoke up suddenly, directing her words to the five young men who had stayed on the bottom floor, "You might as well join us and see why we cannot go home to our own dimension just yet. This will affect you as much as it does us."
Heero nodded abruptly and took the steps two at a time, followed closely by the other pilots. The younger women looked on in confusion as the pilots joined them, the wheels in their head turning over every new piece of information Setsuna doled out. They walked en masse until they reached the room that had been assigned to Usagi. Mamoru gripped the doorknob firmly and swung open the door, standing to one side to allow the others to see clearly into the room. Setsuna, Michiru and Haruka hung back as well, having already seen the sight in the room.
Gasps filled the air and a soft cry of "Usagi!" broke from Rei's parted lips as they saw her suspended in a crystal structure in her Eternal Sailor Moon uniform. (A/N: Think Crystal Tokyo when Chibiusa stole the Ginzuishou.) The sunlight filtering through the lacy curtains at the window caused a prismatic effect, myriad rainbows reflecting off the facets of the crystal. Usagi's form seemingly floated in the middle, her face peaceful yet somber, a small smile lurking at the corner of her mouth. Her hands were clasped protectively over her broach and the wing attachments at her back hung downward, as did her long golden hair.
The younger women all rushed forward, panic etched across their pretty faces as they espied the predicament their beloved princess was currently in. They gathered wordlessly, their voices robbed of all speech as thoughts rushed through their minds at incredible speeds, each more chaotic and worried than the previous one. They gathered around the crystal, each placing a hand on the cool, solid surface as if trying to communicate with the sleeping princess or to assure themselves that the crystal encasing her was real.
"What the hell is that and how did you guys get it in here," exclaimed Duo, his shock apparent in the widening of his eyes. "While you're at it, tell me how it hasn't broken the bed since a crystal or rock that size has got to weigh a ton. Also, why you're burying your dead people here? She seemed fine yesterday until she started heaving her insides out the docking bay." He scratched his head in puzzlement and continued to study the strange new object that had taken residence in one of Quatre's hundreds of guestrooms. He ventured deeper into the room, allowing the other pilots to also walk in and observe from various points in the room.
"Duo no baka! Usagi-chan is NOT dead! Don't ever say that around me again," Rei yelled, pivoting on her heel and smacking Duo upside his head, the panic in her flaring uncontrollably at his words. Struggling for calmness, Rei spoke again, "Gomen, Duo-kun, but I'm just a little bit touchy over the thought of Usagi-chan's death. I reacted without thinking." She mentally shivered, as the thought that loomed largest in her mind was the idea that Usagi had died using the Ginzuishou to find her. 'Baka! Don't you know that I'm supposed to die for you? You're not supposed to be hurt as long as I live and while you are under my care.'
"Daijoubu, Rei-chan," said Duo, waving his hands as if brushing off the earlier offense. "I can understand being a little sensitive over that kind of thing. My head is a lot harder than you think. It can take a whack or two with no harm done. Seriously though, what is with that thing in the guest bed?" He ignored Wufei, who had snorted in derision and muttered, "Hard-headed and thick-skulled. What a combination!"
"The last time we saw something like this, the Ginzuishou was taken by Chibiusa-chan, but that's impossible now. No one could have taken the Ginzuishou, could they," asked Ami, her blue eyes scanning the crystal edifice carefully, as if trying to find cracks or flaws in it.
"What's a ginzy-who-ze-whats-it? And what's a Chibiusa? It sounds like a small animal or something," Duo muttered to his fellow pilots but was shushed by Quatre, who was observing everything with sharp eyes. He quieted down, sulking slightly at being ignored.
"The Ginzuishou is indeed safe and there is no way Small Lady could have taken it again," replied Pluto, her maroon eyes dimming with sadness as the memory of the little princess being killed before her very eyes flashed in her mind's eye again. She and the others had filed into the room as well, ranging slightly behind the younger women clustered around the immobile Sailor Moon.
"Who's the small lady? Trowa's circus has a midget woman. I guess you could call her a small lady, but I don't think she could lug around a huge hunk of rock like that…" Duo began again, only to be muffled by Trowa's hand clamping over his mouth securely. He glared at Trowa, but was met by an unblinking green stare that warned him to not speak again. Duo sighed behind the hand and nodded his head resignedly before Trowa released his hold on him.
"Then why is this happening? Is something threatening her? We deserve to know, Pluto," Minako bit out, her hands splayed across the surface of the crystal. She was deathly afraid, but was struggling to keep calm though her eyes betrayed her turmoil. She was determined to not break down in front of the rest of the Senshi. She felt she owed it to them as the leader of the Inners.
"The crystal is protecting her. It feels warm to the touch and there's a feeling of peace emanating from it," said Rei, who had turned back to the crystal after her little altercation with Duo. Her hand rested against the crystal structure and her eyes closed. The long lashes fluttered against her cheeks minutely as her spiritual senses told her more than what was visible to the naked eye. After a long minute, a small smile curved her ruby stained lips and her lids lifted to reveal amethyst eyes filled with reassurance.
At this, the tension seemed to ease a bit and the stiff set of several pairs of shoulders relaxed noticeably. The pilots watched as looks of relief flashed across their faces and pent-up sighs were released suddenly. They exchanged looks across the room at each other, wondering what was so important about this one girl.
"Well, if Rei-san says the crystal is protecting her, then we know it's the truth. She's always been more in tune with the mystical and spiritual aspects of all things so it doesn't surprise me that the Ginzuishou is trying to communicate to her that it is acting in preservation of Usagi-san. Setsuna-mama, is it possible that the Ginzuishou is trying to replenish Usagi-san's energy," Hotaru asked, her wide violet eyes turning towards one of the women who had raised her back from a child after her miraculous rebirth.
"Hai. The energy needed to teleport here was massive and the Ginzuishou was needed to give us enough power to break through the veils of space and time. We all poured our power into the Ginzuishou, but Serenity-hime was the one who had to wield it," Setsuna stated calmly, her voice as monotone as if she were teaching a lesson to a class of students.
"You guys can teleport? No wonder you guys got to the last Ravager battle before us. And you say that ginzy-whatchamacallit is protecting her? And did you just say she's a princess," Duo said, trying once again to get information from the young women who were so wrapped up in the matter before them that they had outright ignored the brash American pilot.
"Demo, there shouldn't have been such a drain on Usagi-chan's energy. We calculated everything and there was a full circle of us, excepting Rei-chan of course," Ami mused thoughtfully, talking as if she didn't hear Duo's comments. In all actuality, none of them really heard Duo at all, for they were engrossed in trying to discover what had happened to Usagi. Her eyes lit up with understanding moments later. "Ara! We forgot to calculate in the effect of having to teleport twice. Our stop on the Moon must have drained more energy from Usagi-chan since it was an unexpected occurrence. Still, I had recalculated the energy needed and we should have been fine. The chances of Usagi-chan feeling this way were only calculated at .0002%."
"You teleported to the Moon," asked Rei, her face mirroring her shock. "How did that happen? Senshi Teleports are almost unfailingly accurate!"
"It's a long story, but basically, I messed up," confessed Minako shamefacedly. "I wasn't concentrating the way I should have so I threw everyone off course."
"We already spoke about that, Minako-chan. There is no need for you to feel guilty about it. It happened and I'm not about to go back in time so we can fix it. Time's muddled enough already," Pluto said gently, laying one hand on Minako's shoulder and squeezing it softly in reassurance.
Mamoru sighed softly and walked over to the crystal, his eyes concentrating on the young woman inside of it. 'Usako, come out of this thing soon. I miss you already,' he thought wistfully. It had come as a major shock when Setsuna had burst into his room, her eyes wild with panic and urging him to come with her quickly for Usagi's sake. He had no real recollection of how he had gotten into Usagi's room, everything a blur when he had thought she might be in trouble. He had felt his heart stop beating when he had seen the crystal structure and had only felt it renew its steady beat when he realized that she was still alive through the bond they shared. His musings were abruptly cut off as he heard the other Senshi discuss what to do now that their princess was out of commission.
"What to do we do now? Obviously we can't go home yet, but we can't just sit here and do nothing all day long. Ami-chan, is there some way of knowing when Usagi-chan will come out of that thing," Minako questioned, her tone businesslike and calm. Rei had assured them that the crystal was benign as had Setsuna and Mamoru hadn't panicked so Minako was certain that Usagi wasn't in any danger.
"Unfortunately, there is no way of knowing when Usagi-chan will wake up and disperse the crystal around her. Something about the crystal has always kept my computer from getting proper readings on it," Ami responded automatically, her brain already racing for answers. She ran her hand through her short blue hair, the hand coming to rest on her shoulder as she tilted her head, studying the crystalline prison with frustration.
"Hello, excuse me, but no one has really answered my question yet and the stuff I am getting from you guys doesn't make any sense," Duo exclaimed, his lavender eyes sparking with irritation. Duo was very unused to be being ignored and he was set on rectifying the situation immediately. "Right, guys?"
"They'll tell us when they're ready, Duo. Obviously, they're still figuring some things out," Trowa responded, his mellow voice never betraying that he too was confused as to the situation around him. He flicked his hair back with a toss of his head, his eyes meeting the emerald gaze of Makoto momentarily. He sent her a small reassuring smile when he observed how afraid she looked and was rewarded with a tremulous smile in return and a slight relaxing of her stiff features.
"Mou, fine lot of help you are, Trowa. I'm still trying to get answers. Heero will back me up, right, Heero? The Perfect Soldier always gets to the bottom of things. I bet if it was Heero asking, everyone would be falling all over themselves with the answer," Duo pouted cutely. He swung his braid forward and fiddled with the end of it before blowing out a huge gusty sigh that ruffled his bangs slightly. He turned to Heero and was about to ask him to find out what was going on when he noticed that Heero's attention wasn't fixated on the girl in the crystal, but on Rei's profile, which was lit up with the soft reflected light from the crystal. 'Oh ho! So that's how it is! Who knew Mr. Perfect would crumble like a year old cookie when a certain dark-haired hottie in every sense of the word laid one on him! How the mighty have fallen,' Duo thought gleefully. 'And he was denying feeling anything for her. You can't fool me, Heero. I saw how you acted around Relena and knew that she would never mean anything to you. When Rei-chan showed up, it was like you had finally met your match. Your icy wall can't stand against the heat she's putting out. She'll stand toe to toe with you and I'm placing all my bets on her.'
Heero was, for the first time in his life, completely unaware of everything around him. He had tried to keep up with the events occurring before his eyes, but had quickly become disoriented with all of the unfamiliar terms being flung around. Normally, he would have asserted himself in that way he had and gotten to the bottom of everything, exactly as Duo had described, but he had quickly become fixated on the young woman who had nearly boiled the blood in his veins with one kiss. It took all of his control to not bring his fingers up to his lips and feel for the burning sensation that lingered upon them. The feel of her warm, slim hands on his face, the soft touch of her lips on his deepening into the promise of something eternal; they were the only things on his mind right now. His mind had blanked at the first brush of her lips against his, the inner part of him screaming in ecstasy as he revisited the passion he had too briefly allowed himself to revel in. He had allowed himself the gift of feeling her essence wrap around him, making him feel as if he had come home after a long, desolate journey. 'That's ridiculous! I don't have a home. I've never had a home. Even now, Quatre's home is just that, his. I could walk away from it all and not feel anything, but she is different. I don't know what she is to me just yet. All I know is that she is different and it makes me want to discover all of her secrets, no matter how long it takes,' he thought ruefully. 'There's a part of me that is thrilled with the thought that she is staying here, but there's that other part of me, the part that doesn't believe in happy endings, that wonders what I'll do when she does have to go back. Eventually, her leader will wake up and she'll order Rei to follow. Can I really expect her to stay here for someone like me; someone bathed in the blood of innocent lives? I can offer her nothing, not even the surety of my feelings, since I have no idea of what I'm feeling. Odin never prepared me for anything like this.' (A/N: Odin Lowe is Heero's father supposedly. He taught Heero most of all he knows. This was covered in the Episode Zero comics.) He was surprised when Rei suddenly turned from her observation of the crystal and looked straight at him, her mysterious violet eyes capturing his attention immediately. She smiled slowly, her full red lips curving softly, before turning her attention to Setsuna, who was currently speaking.
"I suggest that you all find something to do until she does come out. She could wake within minutes or it could take days before she comes out of stasis. No plans can be made without Serenity-hime, so there is no point in arguing over whether we should go home or not. It's useless and all it's really doing is causing a strain on what should be a happy reunion between all of us," the green-haired woman replied. Inside, her thoughts conflicted with each other, the turmoil building to an excruciating degree. 'I hope I am doing the right thing. The longer we stay here, the better the chances are that the lovers will find some way to reawaken their memories and reunite and I have no idea of what kind of repercussions could happen. It could be the best thing to happen to all of us or it could doom life as we know it for both universes. I hope I'm just being overly dramatic.'
"Well, I hate to waste time and if everyone is sure that Usagi-chan will be okay then maybe we should think of something to do. Does anyone have any ideas," mused Makoto, her green eyes thoughtful and relieved as she looked at her princess resting peacefully. She also glanced at Trowa briefly, blushing lightly as she studied his classically handsome features. He had made her feel so safe with that one glance he had thrown her earlier.
"We could join Rei-chan and the Gundam pilots in their fight against these Ravagers," Minako suggested tentatively, her teeth worrying her bottom lips as nearly every eye in the room swung toward her. 'Yeah, no one's going to notice your ulterior motive in wanting to be closer to Quatre-san and getting to know him better. It won't hurt anyone though and it helps Rei-chan with Heero-san,' she battled mentally, trying to convince herself that what she was doing was the right thing. She could practically envision a small angel on her right shoulder and a small devil on her left shoulder, both prodding her with their reasoning.
Haruka and Michiru exchanged wary glances at Minako's suggestion before looking at Rei closely. They had walked in just as the kiss had ended and they had seen the pull between Heero and Rei, an almost tangible thing that had made their own throats run dry at the evident passion between the two of them. Haruka stifled the urge to get into Heero's face and lay down the law about messing with Rei, but was held back by the thought that Rei wouldn't appreciate it and Heero would probably react very badly to any "suggestions" she made. Michiru had to hide a smile when she realized Haruka's thoughts and also when she remembered the look in Rei's eyes as she had let go of Heero, slightly misty yet with a fire banked deep in their depths. Haruka grunted noncommittally, signifying she didn't care one way or the other and Michiru tilted her head slightly in agreement.
Ami's royal blue eyes sparkled with excitement and she nodded her shorthaired head eagerly, anxious to stay and research the Gundams as much as possible. "It's only right for us to help out if we're going to stay here and impose on Quatre-san's hospitality and if our magical abilities are so very effective against these Ravagers, then it only makes sense to do our best," she pointed out logically.
"Do you think we can really make that big of a difference, Rei-san," asked Hotaru, her eyes fixated on her fiery friend. She had been worried when she had seen Usagi frozen in crystal, but had gradually relaxed when she realized the others had also seen the situation as non-threatening. She and the other Outers, except for Setsuna, didn't know much about the Silver Millennium or Crystal Tokyo, having only heard bits and pieces from the others. She, however, had heard about the events that had happened after Chibiusa had stolen the Ginzuishou in an effort to help her mother, Neo-Queen Serenity, from Chibiusa herself.
"I think that if the rest of you were to join in the battle and were trained to take them on, the Ravagers wouldn't know what hit them. Don't you agree, Quatre-san," asked Rei, turning toward the unofficial leader of the Gundam pilots. She was deliriously happy inside, hope blooming inside of her like a flower. She darted a quick look at Heero from the corner of her eye, noting that he was watching her speculatively. She hoped he was giving her challenge some real thought, for the need to develop their relationship was burning inside of her. Everything seemed to be falling into place for her, her feelings for Heero, her friends staying with her and possibly fighting by her side again. She was afraid to ask for more, knowing that the blessings could be taken away from her as fast as they were given.
"I agree with you completely, Rei-chan. In fact, if everyone agrees, I can contact HQ right now and arrange for a meeting with the Alliance so that everyone can be informed of what is at stake. All of you need to be aware of what exactly we're facing with the Ravagers and their history with us and our scientists will want to know more about your powers so they can predict how effective they will be against our foe. Do you agree to this," Quatre asked seriously, his business face on and all traces of his normal affability gone. There were few things that could make him this grim, but the Ravagers were one of the foremost things that could. His face softened and he smiled softly when the others all nodded after a small moment of hesitation. He quickly flicked on his gel-comm and began communicating with an unknown person on the other end.
Wufei snorted belligerently and crossed his arms over his chest, scowling as he was reminded of how Heero had ripped his shirt in the library when he had made a scathing remark about Rei. He plucked at one of the jagged rips and his frown darkened. He was extremely against Rei's friends staying with them. He had heard all of the conversation around him, but had paid it little heed; convinced it was just stupid prattling. The important thing that had snared his attention was the mention of these weak women possibly fighting by his side. He knew he could count on Rei to fight with honor and not ask for help like some weak, puling infant but he wasn't so sure of these comrades of hers. They had seemed okay during their first taste of a Ravager battle, but he knew they weren't conditioned to fight as hard and brutally as they would have to if they were going to survive and he was not going to help them if they fell in battle. Rei was an exception, stubborn enough to come back from almost crippling attacks to fight again and aggressive enough to do real battle with no qualms. These other women looked too weak to do much more than crumble at the lightest touch of a Ravager. He had seen them fight, little light shows appearing from their fingertips, but he knew power had nothing to do with the heart controlling it. He kept silent though, convinced the Senshi would back down once they saw the full scope of what they were facing.
"Everything is settled. We'll meet up in about an hour in the transport bay and leave for HQ to have a conference with the Preventers and the Scientists. The Preventers are the major military force, consisting of members of both the colonial forces and the Earth forces from the war united to safeguard our entire universe. Please don't think that we are binding you to anything. You may leave or choose not to participate at anytime you so choose. We will not force you or hold you to anything. Of course, you are welcome to stay here for as long as you want or need to. Please don't hesitate to let me or any of us know if there's something you need," Quatre offered, the gel-comm receding slowly and revealing his soft blue eyes once again. The Senshi were amazed at this sign of generosity, many of them expecting to have to be self-sufficient after all the uproar earlier when they had debated staying or leaving.
Everyone nodded, immersed in their own thoughts before Minako spoke up, saying, "At your HQ, we will discuss everything, including the questions you must have about Usagi-chan and the crystal she's resting in. Please don't feel we were ignoring you, though it may have seemed so. It's just that we needed to conclude for ourselves what the answers are before we can give a qualified explanation. I feel that it will be better this way so we won't have to repeat anything. Thank you, Quatre-san, for your hospitality once again. We won't forget your wonderful spirit. We'd better get ready," Minako bowed, blushing softly before straightening, turning away and walking out of the room after touching a hand to the crystal encasing her princess. The rest, each touching or stroking the crystal before filing out of the room followed her, until only Rei and the pilots were left.
Rei turned to her Gundam comrades and smiled, her happiness evident in her eyes. "Arigatou, minna, for giving them a chance. They won't let you down. Once they have committed to something, their hearts won't let them back away," Rei said, conviction lacing her voice. She sighed softly and brushed a long lock of violet-tinted hair away from her face before looking back at her future queen.
"Will you be revealing everything else you have kept hidden now, Rei-chan," asked Trowa, his green eyes filled with concern as he watched myriad emotions flit across Rei's face: sadness, wistfulness, hope, happiness, love, concern.
"Hai. I can finally tell you everything because they're here. I couldn't tell you everything because it wasn't just my secret to share. Even though I thought they were dead, I couldn't break their confidence like that. I hope you understand," Rei offered softly as she turned back towards them, her eyes lowered with the guilt of keeping secrets from her teammates.
"Don't worry, Rei-chan. We know you kept things from us not out of distrust but because of loyalty. I hope your friends understand how much you love them. You kept their secrets, not only believing them dead but also believing they had turned against you. You didn't let bitterness poison your soul. How could we fault you for that," Quatre asked, his empathy flaring sympathetically. He came forward and patted her shoulder gently, offering comfort as only he knew how and raising her chin with one finger so she could see the sincerity in his eyes.
"It shows honor on your part, not betraying their secrets, no matter how far away they were from you in heart and time," Wufei grudgingly offered, his arms still crossed against his chest. He shifted uneasily as Rei lifted her violet eyes to smile at him, her eyes full of understanding of the importance of the words coming from him. She knew that there was more behind his words, an acceptance that few would get from him.
"Well, we're getting too mushy here. Why don't we go ahead and get ready for our meeting with the bigwigs and leave the mushy stuff to Hee-man ad Rei-chan. As I figure it, they should have at least half an hour of make out time before we have to go," Duo said impishly, a smile curling the corners of his mouth and anticipation gleaming in his eyes. His excitement was cut short at the shriek of outrage from Rei and the growl of anger from Heero. He backed away slowly, his hands held palm out in front of him in a gesture of peace before bolting away hurriedly as both Heero and Rei pounced at him.
Wufei, Trowa and Quatre just watched and listened as they heard the yells disappear down the hall before shaking their heads on disbelief at how Duo had just wrecked another beautiful moment before heading out of the bedroom assigned to Usagi without a backward glance. Maybe if they had turned back they would have noticed that the crystal glowed a little more brightly and the soft smile on Usagi's face had widened just a bit more.
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Several hours later, the Senshi and Mamoru stood silently next to the Gundam pilots in a large conference room in the Preventer headquarters, their bodies adjusting to the fact that they had traveled several million light years within hours onboard a spacecraft. Rei had explained that technology was so advanced in this dimension that travel of several million light years was done through warp gates, bypassing conventional space in the blink of an eye. They watched as several scientific looking men in white lab coats filed in, followed by several officials wearing uniforms. The last person to enter was a tall, handsome young man with long pale hair, dressed in the uniform of a Preventer who closed the door behind him. After several moments of being seated, the Senshi and pilots were arrayed down one side of a long conference table while the scientists and officials were located down the other side. The handsome man sat at the head of the table, drawing the notice of Minako and Makoto, their eyes lighting up at the sight of such manliness. Introductions were made, the names of the scientists raising the eyebrows of the Senshi as they all inwardly wondered if scientists were only given initials for surnames for a reason. When it came to the man seated at the head of the table, he simply said, "Zechs Marquise, acting head of the Preventers in Lady Une's absence. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance in these trying times."
"Zechs, I'm glad you could make it here. I was afraid your duties would preclude you from coming today to meet our guests and possible allies," Quatre said, his face businesslike and serene. He was completely unintimidated by the gathered politicians and scientists ranged around the table.
"Nothing could keep me away from meeting the people who could possibly be our chance at ending this forsaken struggle. As is, I'm sorry I haven't been able to meet Hino-san sooner. I've heard a lot about you and your dedication to our cause, Hino-san," Zechs' smooth voice intoned. His pale blue eyes stared directly at Rei, causing her to sit up straighter under his gaze because of the sheer magnitude behind his words.
"There is no need to apologize, Zechs-san. I understand your burden at this time and I am happy to help out when I can," Rei replied, her violet eyes calm and accepting. She sent a warm smile in his direction, her demeanor relaxing under his gaze.
"We're here to discuss the others who have joined us, not make idle chit-chat," bit out Heero, not liking the interested gleam in Zechs' eye when he looked at Rei. He hadn't made up his mind yet as to what would be his response to Rei's challenge, but he would be damned if he would let Zechs capture her attention. The Lightning Count had quite the reputation as a womanizer even if he was involved with Noin. He ignored the snicker that came from Duo's direction and met Zechs' gaze head on, unflinching.
"True. Have they been briefed about when the Ravagers appeared and what they have been doing so far in our universe," asked Zechs, slipping into his no-nonsense attitude easily. He wanted to make sure their possible allies knew everything before committing fully for he did not want to be responsible for seeing people die under his command again.
"Hai. They have been fully informed as to the Ravagers' first appearance and their apparent goals and methods of reaching those goals," Quatre replied. He sent an apologetic smile towards the Senshi as he remembered the shock and dismay that had covered their features at the brutality and gruesomeness of the Ravagers. The Senshi had been shown footage of actual Ravager attacks taken from surveillance satellites and the recorders in the Gundams during their journey to HQ. Ami and Makoto had excused themselves and returned pasty-faced and shaking after the footage had run.
Makoto remembered the absolute horror she had felt at the sight of a Ravager ripping into an innocent woman, and felt her bile rise again. She controlled herself with some effort and the determination that she would not embarrass herself again. She silently vowed to make sure that something like that would never happen again. 'Is this what Rei-chan has been having to deal with while she has been here? I know Rei-chan's fortitude is legendary; she can get through some of the worst things, through sheer willpower alone that have deterred some of us completely, like those exorcisms she had to do last year at the temple. Youmas I can deal with, but the evil spirits that haunt people are completely out of my realm of expertise. If I can't beat it up, forget about it. At least these Ravagers can be physically hurt so I can deal with that. They better say their last good-byes because I am going to visit a world of hurt on them,' Makoto seethed. Her fists were clenching and unclenching on top of the smooth oak table, a Ravager neck imagined between them.
Trowa was seated next to Makoto and watched silently as her face tightened and her green eyes sparkled with suppressed anger. She was rigid with determination and Trowa briefly worried that she would snap under the pressure of her evidently very strong feelings. Even her hair seemed to bristle with indignation and anger. He lightly laid his hand on top of hers and squeezed, wanting her to realize that she was not alone and did not have to feel that she was responsible for eradicating every Ravager in the universe.
Makoto felt the soft pressure on her hand, startling her out of her silent reverie. She looked up and blushed when she saw the reassuring smile and the soft green eyes looking deeply into hers. 'He's much cuter than my old sempai,' she thought dreamily until she heard the soft snort from Minako further down the table. She snapped out of it quickly and smiled brightly back at Trowa, watching him blink at the sheer radiance of it, her gratefulness for his kindness etched across her face. He nodded once before letting go of her hand and redirecting his attention back to the head of the table. She felt the absence of his hand and wished he would return it before shaking out of her stupor.
Haruka's thoughts were almost a mirror reflection of Makoto's. The thought that creatures like the Ravagers were roaming free sickened her and made her nearly shake with rage. Only Michiru's calming influence kept her from wanting to jet off immediately in search of the nearest Ravager and beat it into a pulp. 'Those monsters are going to be sorry they ever came to this galaxy. This has gone far beyond the mere thought of why don't we do something useful while waiting for Usagi-chan to wake up. This has just become personal,' Haruka mentally growled.
Next to her, Michiru could feel the waves of anger pouring off her companion and was hard pressed to not join her, bound only by the fact that if she let her disgust and horror escalate unchecked, it would send Haruka off the deep end. She struggled to keep up her calm façade and was breathing in soft, deep intakes of air to keep her focused on her sense of inner peace. Her teal hued eyes were narrowed in concentration and only someone looking closely at her would notice the struggle. 'It all makes sense to me now. We were meant to come here. Setsuna talked about how having us here could change things, but I feel as if there is a purpose for our being here and it's not just about the others finding their Silver Millennium lovers. As an Outer Senshi, I am entrusted with protecting the universe from outward threats and since this universe is so similar to our own, I feel that my duty means as much, if not more, here since there are no Senshi in this dimension. Rei-chan, you have my support in this now,' Michiru silently promised, nodding her head slightly.
Ami was deep in thought, her mini-computer in front of her. She was steadily typing away on the machine, her fingers flying over the keys in graceful precision. She was entering all the data on the Ravagers that she heard or could remember, focused solely on finding some weakness to exploit. She was doing all of this in the hopes that the work would keep her from recalling the horrible scenes she had witnessed on board the space cruiser. She was still shaky and pale over the atrocities she had seen and she knew it would be a long time before she ever truly forgot them. 'There just has to be something besides their weakness to magic that we can use to defeat them. It'll take us forever if we have to destroy these things one by one since we have no idea of how many of them there are. We have to destroy them though! I completely understand Rei-chan's insistence now. Those poor people who suffered at those things' hands, they need to have justice sought for them,' Ami thought agonizingly. Her fingers sped up their typing in response. She never noticed the chestnut-haired young man who was staring at her so concernedly.
Duo was amazed at the speed that Ami typed. He had been attracted to the cute girl who responded with blushes to his flirting, but this was a side of her he hadn't seen before and it intrigued him. 'I should have known that Rei-chan wouldn't have any boring friends. I kinda figured out that she was the smart one during the battle, but this kind of concentration on her work kind of reminds me of Heero. I hope she doesn't think that everything has to be solved by her. That's too heavy of a burden to place on her shoulders. I'll have to make sure she doesn't take on too much by herself,' Duo mentally reminded himself as he continued to watch the blue-haired genius by his side.
Hotaru was having a hard time fighting her desire to Silence the entire universe she was currently in. The rampant evil in the Ravagers called to her darker side, the part of her that was created to destroy and she bit her lip with the effort it was costing her. Small beads of perspiration dotted her upper lip as she struggled to keep from transforming and dropping her Glaive, but the remembrance of the brutality she had witnessed was making it harder and harder. 'I always thought that Chaos was the worst evil we could ever face, but I'm horrified to discover that there are worse things out in the universe. These Ravagers have no redeeming qualities whatsoever. It will be a pleasure to eradicate them completely. They are a blight upon this galaxy, a cancer slowly eating away at the goodness that is still present here in the people,' Hotaru agonized, her large violet eyes shifting from light to dark and back again, reflecting the struggle within her.
Wufei was seated next to Hotaru and he frowned at the frail girl shuddering by his side. A corner of his lip lifted in a sneer as he contemplated her waxy complexion and what he thought were the signs of fear across her face. 'Feh, they haven't even joined us yet and they're already afraid. What can I expect from a bunch of onnas? I remember that this one didn't do much except heal Rei when that one Ravager threw her across the battlefield. At least she's somewhat useful, though I don't know how effective she'll be if she's shaking like a leaf in a storm. I don't care if they do join us. I won't be risking my neck to save their weak selves. This is a war and there is no room in it for onnas,' he silently humphed, leaning back against his chair and presenting everyone with a disdainful glare. He respected the military presence in this room as much as he respected women, and he found them to be too caught up in politics to be effective.
Mamoru was still as a statue and his face seemed to be carved in granite as he went over the information given to them earlier in the briefing on board the space cruiser they had arrived on. He was abhorred by the senseless violence of the Ravagers and their flesh-eating ways but he struggled with the distraction of knowing that his beloved Usagi was completely catatonic for the time being. 'What if Quatre's house is attacked while we're not there? She'll be defenseless! I know I have to be here to learn and to share what I know, but I would much rather prefer to be by my Usako's side even if I cannot touch her right now. I know the longer we are here, the closer Rei-chan and the others will get to their past lovers, regardless of what Setsuna says about them being different from their past selves. She seems to forget that the Senshi are different as well. Maybe it's a reflection of how the men changed. I can't help but feel that there will be massive heartbreak in our future, either through the relationships not working out or just the opposite and having to face the reality that we do not share the same dimension. Which ones of these girls will want to stay here and which ones will go back? I can't in all honesty even ask them to forsake their chance at love so that Usako and I will be happy. They've given so much already,' Mamoru despaired as he covertly looked at each of the members of the Senshi.
Setsuna was seated next to Mamoru and her thoughts were unsettled as was her heart. Her garnet eyes reflected nothing, their opaque surface showing not a glimpse of the shock that was reverberating through her very being. She had recalled some very key information about the Ravagers and it was killing her to keep it from the others but she knew she could not reveal what she had discovered without jeopardizing the timeline even more. Sorrow and guilt swamped her, leaving her feeling wrung out. The weight of all of her years of existence had never seemed so heavy as in this moment. 'How could this have happened? When these events were set in place so long ago, I never thought it would actually come to this. I had actually forgotten about them all, the lovers of the younger Senshi. I knew there were loves they had known and cared deeply for. What made me push them from my mind and bury the memories? If the others knew of this, they would never trust me again and I wouldn't blame them a bit. How I wish I had someone to confide in and to advise me on how to proceed,' she mentally cried out, the only sign that something was going on being the slight downturn to her burgundy glossed lips.
Quatre paid close attention to the assorted scientists and officials on the other side of the table, hoping to hear more information about the Ravagers, especially why they hadn't received prior notice to the attack that had taken so many lives in Stratos City. He felt inexplicably guilty over the lives lost, his soft heart bleeding for the victims and the terror they must have endured in their last moments. 'Did they wonder where the Gundams were; why we weren't protecting and defending them the way we always have? Did they lose faith in us and curse us with their dying breaths? What more could we have done for them,' he asked himself, his heart twisting with sadness. He would have been lost in his sorrow if not for hearing Minako snort softly next to him, her eyes shining as she looked down the length of the table at her friend, Makoto. He observed her carefully, noting the wealth of sunshine blonde hair and the soft blue eyes that seemed to radiate this aura of confidence and understanding. He let himself be momentarily captivated by her beauty before letting his mind drift over the events of the last two days. He recalled her wit and diplomatic abilities with amusement and marveled over her leadership on the battlefield. 'I could be very happy with someone like her by my side, keeping me company. I don't think I could ever be unhappy around her for long,' he thought wistfully, his eyes glazing slightly with the dreamy images he had conjured in his mind. He was abruptly brought out of his self-induced trance when he realized that those blue eyes he had been admiring so intently were currently riveted on his face with the utmost fascination. He flushed red and immediately snapped his head back to the conversation taking place between the political officials about whether or not the Senshi should be allowed to ally themselves with the United Earth Alliance.
Minako almost groaned in disappointment as Quatre turned around so fast that she feared he would suffer from backlash. 'Way to go, Minako, man repellant of the universe! Do I have a sign over my head that says I'm dangerous or leprous or something? I thought I could feel attraction from him, just like I felt Mako-chan being attracted to someone in this room. Maybe it's just my own attraction to him coloring my senses? Nah, I should be able to feel the difference. So why did he just look away from me like I was some hideous beast? Maybe he was embarrassed at being caught. I'll ask Rei-chan later when this meeting is over. I don't know why we're having this conversation right now. I don't think it should even be a question of whether or not we'll help but more a question of how soon can we get out there and blast those uglies back to wherever they came from. There's no doubt in my mind at all about what the right course for us is. I doubted before, but after seeing what these things are capable of, there's no way I'm going to let scum like that live,' Minako thought adamantly, ready to use her position as leader of the Inner Senshi to sway any of those who might oppose her.
Rei sat next to Minako and could feel her best friend practically squirm with all of the thoughts that were swimming in her head. She had to stifle a small smile as she recalled how Minako could jump from topic to topic without hesitation and expect everyone else around her to know exactly when she had changed topics. She had heard all of the information they were going through now beforehand when she had first arrived in this universe so she was slightly bored. She bit her lip and looked at her fellow Senshi, hoping to see some sort of indication of how they were all reacting to the data they were being exposed to. She was almost sure that Minako, Makoto and Haruka would want to stay and fight, but the others were enigmas to her, even Ami and Hotaru. Though she was close to both girls, she knew they preferred to not fight, always looking for ways to solve situations in non-violent ways and only resorting to fighting as a final option. She prayed that her friends would choose to get involved even though she knew it would be very dangerous for them to fight the Ravagers. 'These monsters are unlike anything we have ever seen or fought before. These aren't the same goofy, incompetent youma we've faced hundreds of times, who were only concerned about causing mayhem and getting some quick energy. These Ravagers mean business and if it means killing everyone in sight, they'll do it. The Alliance doesn't even know what the true motives of these things are, much less as to why they chose to make themselves known now. The pure warrior in me doesn't care; it just wants to destroy them and make sure that the innocent are protected in the meanwhile. The part of me that embodies Mars, the God of War, wants to know why, wants to understand their strategy so I can annihilate them more efficiently. Kami-sama, I sound like Heero! Hmmm, I wonder what is going through his head right now? He hasn't said anything since I kissed him in the hallway and there's been plenty of opportunity for him to say something, give me some sort of hint as to whether or not he's interested in pursuing this attraction between us or if he thinks the whole incident last night was a mistake,' she silently fumed. She found herself getting more and more upset as she thought about the many times he could have said something to her onboard the spaceship or before the officials had come in. She scowled slightly, flicking an angry glare at the enigmatic man next to her, who was completely oblivious to her.
Heero had spent the entire time since his contact with Rei muddling over his current predicament. He had originally left the library intent on telling her that he didn't want to get involved with someone who might have to leave at a moment's notice and that he wasn't prepared to get heavily involved with someone other than his Gundam. That had all changed though, when Rei had kissed him with the scorching intensity of a nova star, flooding him with desire and feelings that had left him yearning for more. He knew it was unfair of him to make her wait for his response, but a part of him wanted her to suffer for making him have to come out of his cold, emotionless shell. He had been fine not being able to feel because feelings were weaknesses he couldn't afford, couldn't fully fathom. Now he felt as if he were left to flounder in uncharted territory with no knowledge of the rules or boundaries. He hated feeling as if he had no control over the situation surrounding him and she kept throwing him for a loop with her words and actions. Relena had tried to do the same thing, but she had been unable to pierce his walled-up heart with her silly fumblings of love and grandiose speeches of peace and happiness. More often than not, he had wanted to shake her before slapping her roundly for denigrating what he and his fellow pilots were trying to do. She had no concept of what he and the others had to live through, no realization of what war was really like. Rei, on the other hand, hadn't even tried to capture his attention. She had fought by his side without complaint, understanding the need for sheer intensity and dedication. However, her velvet gaze, silken hair and satiny skin had driven him to distraction on more occasions than even he was willing to admit. He was so aware of her that he knew the precise moment she glared at him because he could feel the heat of her stare. Stealthily, his hand moved under the table and, with unerring precision, found hers. He grasped it lightly in his and traced the word yes with his thumb on the back of her hand before he could try to convince himself to stop. He felt her quick, indrawn breath and almost smiled to realize that he affected her as much as she affected him.
Rei's mind reeled under the impact of Heero's actions. She had been ready to give up, to cut her losses and try to move on with her life before she embarrassed herself further by pushing herself on him any more than she already had. Now, he had changed everything with just one gesture. She felt the steel wall that was ready to be put back into place around her heart fall once more, a victim of her desire to be loved. She turned to Heero and smiled uncertainly, hoping her mind and heart weren't playing tricks on her. 'If this is a joke, I will kill him and then myself,' she chanted in her mind silently, praying that he would return the smile. Her heart leapt in her throat as one corner of his mouth rose slightly, the smallest of smiles. Luckily for Heero, no one saw the smile he bestowed on Rei for he would never have lived it down. The two continued to gaze at each other, a warmth creeping through both of them. Unfortunately, it didn't last as the world around them intruded upon their private moment.
"…what will your decision be," questioned a burly man in an impressively decorated military uniform. Rei remembered him as being General Ogrizovic, head of the ground troops of the northern sector of Earth. He was a gruff, no-nonsense kind of man who just wanted the job done in the most efficient manner possible. She wasn't surprised to hear him spring the question of whether or not the Senshi would cooperate with them.
"You have our utmost dedication to your cause. We will do whatever is necessary to assist you in every way we can," Mamoru stated firmly, his voice hoarse with conviction. He had battled internally, his desires versus his duties, but had known what the outcome would be from the very start. He could not, in good faith, abandon anyone who had need of their services. If he had, he would not have been the man Usagi had fallen in love with so many lifetimes ago. More to the point, he could not have lived with himself if he had turned his back on a universe full of nearly defenseless people. He silently apologized to his unborn daughter, hoping that he had not irrevocably denied her existence. He straightened his shoulders, stood from his chair and looked at the Senshi, all of whom had nodded when he had made his statement. They were behind their prince 110% in this matter and had let him know that they would follow his wishes completely. They too all stood and brought their right arms up and over their chests, their hands fisted and laid atop their hearts.
Rei sucked in a sharp breath as she saw this demonstration of dedication. It was rarely seen from the Senshi, especially the Senshi as a whole group. She felt tears prick her eyes as she saw the unwavering looks of courage on their faces and stood slowly and copied the gesture, immensely grateful and proud. She watched as Mamoru nodded, accepting the tribute and the oath silently given by all of the Senshi, an oath that could only be broken by death and not given lightly. The oath was one of pure trust, a placing of their lives in his hands, and consequently, in the hands of these men and officers now facing them. The last time such a gesture had been made was during the Silver Millennium, right before Queen Beryl and Metallia had launched an all-out assault on the Moon.
"What's going on? This isn't the normal way of agreement for you guys, is it," questioned Duo as he observed the ramrod straight posture and proud tilt of their heads. He shook his head slightly at the thought that the stance seemed to be somehow familiar to him and it struck him that he had seen it done before somewhere else.
"Iie. This is a sacred pledge on our part, that as long as your cause is just, we will offer our all with no qualms," answered Ami, looking down at Duo, who was still seated. Her gaze was serene with the knowledge that what they were doing was right.
"Arigatou gozaimasu, minna. You don't know how much this will mean to the people, though they do not know of you, just as they do not really know of the Gundam pilots," Zechs responded, deeply touched by the courage he was seeing in their faces. He studied the man and young women facing him, seeing their eyes glint with purpose and faith. It uncannily reminded him of how the Gundam pilots' faces had been when he had first seen them, and truly looked at them and not at their mechs. 'Has it been that long since I first laid eyes upon these young men, since we fought against each other in the war, instead of fighting beside each other? It seems like only yesterday that I was trying to shoot Heero down before he could make it into Earth's atmosphere with his Gundam. Who ever thought that we would ever fight for the same side,' he briefly wondered, his pale blue eyes hooded with remembrances of the past and comrades long gone. (A/N: Treize-sama!)
Dr. Q was rubbing his hands in glee at the thought of the new data he would get on magic from so many new sources. He was nearly delirious with rapture at the thought of the breakthroughs that could possibly happen and grinned at the other scientists in the room, their joy like a beacon. "This is wonderful! We should start immediately with gathering the new information on what your capabilities are since we don't know if your powers are as suitable to combating these Ravagers. They may not be as effective as Hino-san's," the bespectacled man reasoned. The others looked to Rei, who nodded her head in assurance that this seemingly over-excited man was indeed a scientist to be trusted. Seeing the looks of resignation on the Senshi's faces, Dr. Q immediately motioned at them. "Please transform so we can begin on our research," he said, whipping out a palm-sized device with a thick antenna protruding from the top. The other scientists followed suit, whipping out similar devices and pointing them in the direction of the Senshi.
After another hesitant glance at Rei, the Senshi transformed, as did Mamoru. As the effects faded, revealing their new forms, the Senshi were mildly surprised to see that Rei had transformed as well.
"I couldn't let you guys do this on your own, could I? I thought you might be more comfortable if I henshined with you," Rei offered, her smile whimsical in its sweetness. She felt deeply grateful that her friends had chosen to stay and fight, even if it had been brought about by Usagi's inability to help them teleport back to their home dimension.
The remaining people watched as the scientists swarmed over the Senshi, taking blood samples and DNA tests with the lasers attached to the handheld devices they had. It was all painless and very precise, much to the surprise of the Senshi and the fascination of one particular blue-haired Senshi. The gathered Senshi fidgeted slightly, unused to being so open and forthright with information on themselves. Normally, Ami had to hack into medical databases to change or erase any information on them that might have been gathered from them during regular check-ups or physicals. They watched as the scientists buzzed with excitement, volleying back and forth from each other like over-excited puppies and making exclamations of "Amazing!", "Wonderful!", or "Incredible!" from time to time. They were also all led down to another lab and made to demonstrate their different attacks, even Rei, in front of the different generals and Preventer Wind. After much deliberation, Dr. Q turned back to the Senshi and said, "We can pinpoint most of your attacks to a particular element but some of them seem a little out of the ordinary or don't follow the element we connected with you. Could you please enlighten us as to exactly which element you belong to?"
The Senshi smirked slightly at that remark, used to being slightly out of the ordinary, even for Senshi. Minako stood forward first and introduced herself.
"I am Sailor Venus. My guardian is the planet Venus, the planet of love, and my attacks are light and love based with a little beauty thrown in," Minako said, winking and blowing kisses while the other Senshi groaned and rolled their eyes.
"I thought we were through with the cheesy opening lines, but obviously we're not, so here goes mine. I am Sailor Jupiter. My guardian is the planet Jupiter, the planet of protection, and my attacks are lightning and tree based and I don't throw anything else in," Makoto said dryly to the appreciative laughter of Haruka and Michiru while dodging the playful punch of Minako.
"I am Sailor Mercury. The planet Mercury is my guardian and it rules over intelligence. My attacks are ice and fog based and are more defensive in nature," Ami said calmly, her blue eyes shielded behind the glass of her visor.
"I am Sailor Uranus and the leader of the Outer Senshi while Venus is the leader of the Inner Senshi. My planet is Uranus, the planet of the heavens. (A/N: Uranus governs the field of astronomy, not wind, even though I am making Haruka's attacks wind based because of her World Shaking attack.) My powers are based on the power of the wind," Haruka said seriously, her earlier mirth fading.
"I am Sailor Neptune and my planet is Neptune, which rules over water. My attacks are water based, most specifically ocean based," Michiru said gracefully, her voice lulling and soothing in its softness.
"I thought we only had to say these silly things when fighting youma! I am Sailor Saturn. My planet, Saturn, rules over Time. (A/N: Another fun fact for you! Saturn was also known as Father Time and the Greek name is Chronos. I have no idea of why she is the Senshi of Death and rebirth though.) However, my attacks are based on death and rebirth. I can heal as well as destroy," Hotaru stated matter-of-factly, her nerves settled after she had made her pledge to protect this dimension. She gripped her Silence Glaive with steady hands.
"I am Sailor Pluto. My guardian planet is Pluto, the ruler of the dead, but all of my attacks are time and space based," Setsuna explained, her Time Staff held in her hands loosely.
"And I am Sailor Mars, though most of you know this already. My guardian is the planet Mars, which reigns over all things associated with war. My attacks are purely fire based though," Rei said proudly, flipping her hair over her shoulder in a smooth motion.
"I am Prince Endymion, the prince of Earth," Mamoru said simply, his armor gleaming under the artificial light. (A/N: I HATE Tuxedo Mask. I think he's goofy beyond all imaginings so I'm making it that that was a phase he was going through and he no longer transforms into that inane poetry babbling, goofy dressed freak. Ah! The power of being an author!)
"That's it? You're the prince of Earth? Don't you have more names and stuff like the girls do? A guardian thing and what-not? It sounds like you got the royal shaft, Your Highness," exclaimed Duo, his eyes wide at the list the Senshi had just gone through. "Who knew that you babes had this much power! Ravagers, say good-bye to your monster butts and say hello to a whole new reality of pain coming your way. It's absolutely amazing what those mini-skirts conceal," he murmured in surprise. He sent a goofy grin to Haruka and Rei who were frowning disapprovingly at him for his remark.
"I am the Prince of Earth in my dimension and as such, can tap into the power of the earth itself to do my bidding. I am not a Senshi like the others, just as Usako is not a Senshi either. She is the Princess of the Moon," Mamoru replied, his blue eyes deep and enigmatic. He knew this day would come sooner or later, but he had never envisioned revealing his news in this kind of situation.
"If Usagi-san is not a Senshi like the others, then why is she dressed similar to them," Quatre asked among the slight babble of confusion that arose after Mamoru's statement. The other Senshi were staring at Mamoru oddly, except for Setsuna who was completely composed.
"There was a…mistake when Serenity-hime was awakened. She was never meant to be a Senshi," stated Setsuna, glad they had at least mentioned Usagi to the scientists and military officials during the blood tests and other research.
The Senshi gaped at Setsuna for they had never heard this information before. They knew Usagi had not been a Senshi before, but they had never questioned as to why she was one in the present. They had assumed it was a new way for her power to manifest.
Seeing the looks of puzzlement and disbelief on her fellow Senshis' faces, Setsuna sighed before continuing her explanation. "Serenity-hime or Usagi has no real powers of her own. They all derive from the Ginzuishou and the power you give her. In fact, the crystal was originally empowered by you pooling your powers when it was created on the planet Mars. Haven't you ever wondered why she doesn't power up like you do? You all power up and gain new transformations and abilities when your spirit, will, and heart all act together to grant you new ones. Sailor Moon has always powered up when she receives a new wand or when you pour power into her, as evidenced by the many wands she has gone through already. The Grail would never have given her the Super transformation if you had not sent your power into the Grail and consequently, into her. Her power is completely dependent upon the feelings you have for her. If you were not willing to give your power to her, she would be powerless," concluded Setsuna.
"The Ginzuishou was created on Mars, my home planet? I always thought that the crystal was an heirloom passed down through generations of Queen Serenitys," Rei said, shaking her head in disbelief, as her whole concept of the Silver Millennium seemed to dissolve in front of her very eyes. She rocked back lightly on her heels as the ramifications of what Setsuna had just said sank fully into her mind.
"Iie. In fact, it was the eight of us who formed the crystal. We chose Mars to form it on because the intense heat of your planet's inner core would bind and meld our powers completely. We gave it to Queen Serenity before Princess Serenity was even born so that the crystal would have time to bond with Queen Serenity's body. That way, her heir, Princess Serenity could handle the power of the crystal, when she was born. (A/N: The Senshi were all born before Serenity and were already Senshi by the time Serenity was born. This is in the Sailor Moon manga for the SuperS season. I have it in my story that all of the Senshi are kind of like Chibiusa in that they age exceedingly slow, therefore for them to look 18 at the end of the Silver Millennium, they are actually several thousand years old.) Do you have any other questions," asked Setsuna patiently, tilting her head to one side as she watched the girls struggle to make sense of something they had never thought of as being possible.
"Yeah, I have a question! Exactly how powerful are you guys anyway," Duo said, eager to get the burning question in his mind out in the open.
"Extremely powerful. Under certain circumstances, we could become even more powerful than we already are. The others do not remember all of their memories from the Silver Millennium, a kingdom from our ancient past and where we originally lived before they were killed and reborn into our present time. When they do, they will realize that they haven't tapped into some of their more awe-inspiring abilities yet," Setsuna stated, hoping that the information she had given them wouldn't bring up memories or questions that she could not answer just yet. She had deliberately glossed over the details of the Silver Millennium in hope that it would not trigger any remembrances.
"You guys have been reincarnated," Duo questioned, his eyes wide with the continuing stream of surprises he was getting. "How did that happen?"
"The others were reborn as the last dying wish of our Queen Serenity, Serenity-hime's mother, and sent into the future as safeguards against a possible evil. She used the power of the Ginzuishou to make her wish come true but died as a result of using that power, since the crystal has power that cannot be fully controlled by one person. After all, it is composed of the powers of the 8 guardians of our solar system," Pluto said neutrally, careful to not give away any more information.
"You say the others don't remember their memories, but you obviously do. Why haven't you powered up then," asked Heero suspiciously, his eyes narrowed as he studied Setsuna for any signs of lying.
"I cannot power up until the others do, for fear of destroying the timeline by rushing transformations that should not take place yet. I did not die when the others did, but lived on the guard the Gates of Time until I was needed again," Setsuna said calmly in reaction to Heero's tone of voice. 'You always were the quick one, weren't you, Heero? I'll have to remember to be extra careful around you. It's so hard to pull anything past you,' the time guardian thought fondly, inwardly smiling.
"The crystal that is currently around Usagi-san is this Ginzuishou you've mentioned. It's like a power battery of some sort then and it allows you to teleport," questioned Trowa, his green eyes thoughtful as organized all the new information in his mind.
"Hai, though the ginzuishou is not needed for a regular teleport. We can teleport just about anywhere within reasonable distance as long as we have enough members to power it, which is usually at least five if we want to go off planet. Even less are needed for short distances," Ami answered as she came to terms with this new perspective on her own powers and those of her princess.
"And what's a chibiusa? Is that another type of crystal or power or something," Duo asked, happy to be finally getting the answers he had wanted from earlier in the day.
The girls all chuckled and Mamoru looked pained upon hearing this question. "Chibiusa is mine and Usako's daughter from the future. She is not an animal, vegetable or mineral," Mamoru said patiently amid another fit of giggles.
"You have a daughter in the future and you already know about her," goggled Duo, his lavender eyes wide with amazement. 'Wow! What a weird life these guys have! It's kind of cool though,' he thought excitedly.
"Let's just say that we've been to times and places we probably shouldn't have been several times now," Setsuna retorted dryly as the others erupted into another fit of laughter and sheepish shrugs.
Things were beginning to die down and Zechs was about to state that all of the Senshi and Mamoru had been accepted as operatives when a messenger rushed in, breathless and frightened. Everyone tensed, expecting the news of another Ravager attack. However, they were shocked to hear the young man proclaim, "Vice Minister Darlian has been found!"
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A/N: Gah! So sorry for the delay again, but I hope the length of the chapter makes up for it again. I had a lot of trouble with this chapter and the story just wouldn't come out the way I wanted it to. I hope I've given you all something to think about with some of the story points because some of the stuff mentioned in this chapter will have huge repercussions on later chapters. There are going to be tons of flashbacks and memories happening for everyone, to Pluto's dismay, and lots more romantic development now that I've started hooking some of my characters in a reasonable fashion. (I hate fics that just throw characters together. I want to see a relationship develop, dang it, not just have them see each other and declare undying love for each other in a heartbeat.) * Duo walking around and chanting: Whoohoo! I'm going to get me some loving! I'm going to get me some loving! *
Next time: Relena's back? How does this affect everyone? Also, relationships start to heat up and some almost get killed before they can begin!
