A Rainy Day
By Sailor Pixie
Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon or Dragon Ball Z or Tamora Pierce from whom I got the names of the Council.
A/N: Hey minna, sorry it's been so long since the last chapter! I am very, very sorry and nothing I can say is good enough. I always said I wouldn't be a cliffhanger writer. Looks like I suck. Well I just want to keep this short, but before you continue I would like to thank Trickster's-Lulaby and Spirt of Death for reminding me about this story.
Chapter Eight:
BalanceSetsuna was sitting at the top of a tree in the middle of the forest. She was looking at the stars, or more specifically she was looking for her planet. When Hotaru had woken up yesterday she had explained her transformation to everyone. She had shown everyone her bloodstone as proof, not that the scouts hadn't believed her but the Z-fighters had needed some convincing. The whole thing had gotten her thinking; she was the only scout who really remembered what life had been like before the attack on the moon. As the Guardian of Time she had knowledge of the past that none of the other scouts had.
She knew what the true consequences of becoming a goddess were. She remembered what was sacrificed to become a Goddess. She knew that once all of the Outers had become goddess, then Usagi would become Empress but there hadn't been an Empress of the Stars since the last Empress had founded the Silver Empire over twenty millennia ago. There hadn't been a need for one. Setsuna sighed and closed her eyes.
"Why must I be the only one? Why can't I tell them?" She asked the stars. But the stars had long since refused to answer her pointless questions. Setsuna knew why she couldn't tell anyone, they had to make the decision to become Goddesses and anything that might dissuade them from accepting that responsibility couldn't be brought to light. If they didn't then Usagi would be captured and her power would be harnessed by the Sun prince.
"Damn it. It isn't fair." Setsuna stood on the branch, balancing easily. She clenched her fists at her side and screamed to the stars. "Do you hear me?! It isn't far!!"
"I too have screamed at the stars. Life is unfair. But then you knew that before today." Setsuna looked down in surprise. Standing underneath her tree was a man with white hair staring straight ahead.
"Who are you?" Setsuna flipped out of the tree landing on her feet. The man looked at her and she took a step back in fear. "What are you doing here? You're imprisoned."
The man's black eyes glowed gold for a moment, "You should know that I am not bound by mortal constraints I can travel through time as I wish."
"You were stripped of your powers by the Council and sealed in the Gate of Time. How did you get out, Chronis?"
"I walked out. It seems the balance is shifting." Chronis grabbed her by the throat. "I want my powers back. I want my staff."
"I don't have your staff, Chronis, the Council does."
Chronis gripped her throat till she couldn't breathe, "What!" Chronis slammed her against the tree. "What did you do to loose my staff?" He released her throat enough to allow her to gasp out an answer.
"It is MY staff now. I am the Guardian of Time not you. You lost the privilege when you…" Chronis squeezed her throat.
"Shut up. I don't care what you think you know. I was the first and I will be the last." He looked over his shoulder and snarled showing sharp fangs. "You and I will meet again. Do not expect to leave the encounter alive." Chronis slammed her against the tree before dropping her and disappearing. Setsuna gasped and massaged her throat. She was on the verge of passing out when she saw Haruka and Michiru running towards her.
"Setsuna!" Yelled Ruka reaching her first. "Are you all right?" Setsuna stood up using the tree for help. She had to bend over gasping before she could answer.
"I'll be fine." She said in a whisper.
Michi put a hand on Setsuna's shoulder, "What happened?"
Setsuna grimaced when she tried to walk, her entire back and her legs were aching. "An old acquaintance was paying me a visit."
"Who was it?" exclaimed Ruka.
"The man I received my Guardian powers from. He seems to want his staff back." Setsuna grimaced as she continued to walk towards CC.
"Ruka she's hurt!"
Setsuna waved away Ruka's helping hand, "It's not that bad." She took another step and collapsed to one knee. "Or maybe it is." Ruka picked Setsuna up carefully in her arms.
"Hold on I'll get us there in a snap." Ruka breathed in slowly before running towards CC. She ran as fast and as smooth as the wind. They reached CC quickly and Ruka took Setsuna to the medical room that Bulma had set up at CC. Ruka set Setsuna on the table gently. "So what did you mean this man wants his staff back? I thought it was your staff?"
Setsuna sighed, "It is mine now, but he was the first Guardian of Time and he vows to be the last." She was going to say more but Bulma walked in, having been alerted that someone had entered the medical room.
"So, what's wrong?"
Ruka started to say, "She was…" But Setsuna interrupted her. "I fell out of a tree while I was admiring the stars."
"All right remove your shirt and let me take look." Setsuna removed her shirt gingerly to reveal her back. It was one giant bruise, starting at the base of her neck and disappearing down her pants. "You better take the pants off as well." Bulma pressed a button on the wall that locked all of the doors into room. Setsuna removed her pants as gingerly as she ha removed her shirt. The back of her legs were as bad as her back. "That must have been some fall." Setsuna blushed at the obvious doubt in Bulma's voice. "I have just the thing to relieve the pain and speed the healing." She walked over to a large cabinet on the wall. She took out a small green bottle. "Lay on your stomach and I'll rub this salve into the bruises." Setsuna lay down on the table. "If you don't mind I'll have Ruka help me?"
"We've died together I think I can take her rubbing some salve into my back." Bulma uncorked the bottle and dripped the salve onto Setsuna's back and legs. Together Bulma and Ruka rubbed the salve in gently. Setsuna bit her lip as the salve went from cool to hot. "It feels very nice."
"In about five minutes it's going to get much hotter so be prepared."
The two finished with their ministrations and stepped back.
"We're done, but I want you to stay on your stomach until the next stage of the medicine takes affect." Setsuna nodded. They waited in silence until Setsuna gasped at the heat.
"It certainly is hot." Setsuna said as she bit her lip to keep from groaning.
"I haven't been able to come up with a salve that isn't painful. Sorry."
"No it's fine. It's cooling off now anyway."
"Good. I'll leave you two now, but if you experience any major pain come find me and I'll apply some more salve."
"Thank you, Bulma." Bulma snorted and waked out of the room.
"So are you going to tell me about the man who did this to you?"
"I don't know if I should. I need to talk to Dende before I say anything." Setsuna stood up and grabbed her clothes.
"Why Dende?"
"Because he's the only connection I have to the Council in this dimension." She eased her clothes back on with a wince.
"All right, but you can't fly there yourself. Not while you're still hurt. Let me fly you there. I won't interfere and I won't eavesdrop."
Setsuna nodded, "OK." Ruka picked Setsuna up in her arms and walked outside.
"Are you sure you want to talk to the Council again so soon after they punished you?"
"Positive." Ruka sighed softly before taking off for the Lookout. They reached it quickly and found Dende waiting for them.
"I sensed you coming." He said in explanation. "Why are you here?"
Ruka set Setsuna on her feet and stepped back, "I'll be waiting in the garden." She walked towards the back of the Lookout where Dende kept a garden.
"I need to talk to the Council."
"That's impossible. You're not allowed at any meetings until you rejoin us as a Guardian."
"Chronis is back. He came to see me today." She rubbed her throat where a bruise was already forming. "He left me this gift."
"That's…" He searched for the right words.
"Impossible. He told me the balance was shifting. I need to talk to the Council. You can take me there or I can force my way in."
"You couldn't do that. You're not strong enough any more."
"I'm not but Pluto is."
"You would throw things even more out of balance by becoming a Goddess before your time."
"I would do anything to protect my friends, anything."
Dende sighed, "Very well, I will take you to them. Follow me." He led her into the building and then to a room covered in mirrors. He griped his staff with both hands and slammed it on the mirror floor. The opening they had entered through was covered by a mirror. Dende began chanting in an ancient language that shook the mirrors. Slowly one of the mirrors began to ripple like a pond. Dende gestured for Setsuna to go through the mirror, "Enter if that is your choice." Setsuna walked slowly through the mirror without looking back and Dende walked in after her.
Setsuna walked on nothing as she worked her way through nothing. The way to Council if you were not a Guardian was guarded by three tests. The first was a Test of Trust; she had to walk through an area of nothingness and trust she would make it to the other side unscathed. The area was bright light that had no form or structure. She felt no fear as she walked forward and she could feel the area around her start to solidify. She smiled as she watched a garden form around her, "After living in the Mists of Time I am used to nothingness." She waked along the path in front of her and prepared herself for the Test of Courage. She quickly came to a canyon so wide you could barely see the other side. She laughed, took several steps back and ran straight towards the cliff. She leaped as she came to the edge and the cliff moved closer together. It moved just close enough that she could grab the edge of the cliff on her way down. She pulled herself up with a grunt, "You could have moved it a little closer you know." She got on her feet and continued walking.
The last test was a Test of Conviction. She would have to a seemingly impossible task to reach her goal and prove her conviction. "If you could hurry up the last task it would be much appreciated." In response an inferno of fire roared to life in front of her. Setsuna squinted at the bright light and smiled when she saw the group of five at the center of the inferno, each one held a staff except for one who held two. "A little overboard don't you think?"
The tallest man, the only one with two staffs, laughed, "No, it is necessary."
Setsuna shrugged, "Whatever." And walked straight into the fire. She could feel heat but it was actually very pleasant, not unlike sunbathing. She walked to the center of the inferno and stopped when she was toe-to-toe with the tallest figure.
"Hello, Balim. It's always pleasure to see you." She said calmly as flame roared around her.
"I wish I could say the same about you. Why have you defied our judgment and come here?" Balim asked, his red eyes flashing in anger.
"I have come through the Tests unscathed. I have earned the right to state my case."
The flames around her flared. "The Tests are not an accurate telling. You were a Guardian and thus knew the rules involving the Tests."
"It's not my fault the Tests were not created to task a Guardian. If you recall I am not an original member of the Council. If you would banish the flames and stop being childish."
He blinked and the flames disappeared. "You forget that there is one more obstacle. A Guardian must endorse your claim." He motioned towards the other four standing behind him.
Setsuna looked at her fellow Guardians. Balim was a strong dark skinned man with hair of fire. His eyes were red and he held a staff of fire and her metal staff of time. The tallest woman was pale skinned and had hair of water. Her eyes were the darkest blue and she held a staff of ice. Dende was there of course and holding his staff of wood. A short man stood beside Dende and was dark skinned with hair of air. His eyes were the clearest amber and he held a staff of hardened clouds. The last woman was ethereal. Her skin was pale but it seemed to glow with an inner light and her hair was made of stars. Her eyes were white and she held a staff of ether, the element of the stars.
Dende stepped forward, "I will endorse her claim and support her right to address the whole Council."
Balim glared at Dende, "Very well, shall we be seated." The other four nodded. "I Balim, Guardian of Fire and Acting Leader of the Council of Six bring this session to order. I ask for the rest of the Council to accept my invitation to join the session." He slammed his flame staff on the ground and a chair appeared behind him in a blaze of fire.
The tall woman with water hair spoke next, "I Fianola, Guardian of Water, accept the invitation." She slammed her own staff on the ground and her chair appeared in a cascade of water.
Dende said, "I Dende, Guardian of Earth, accept the invitation." He slammed his staff on the ground and his chair erupted from the earth.
The short man with air hair spoke, "I Kaddar, Guardian of Air, accept the invitation." He slammed hi staff on the ground and his chair appeared in a tornado of air.
The tall thin woman with hair of stars said, "I Hoshi, Guardian of Ether, accept the invitation." She slammed her staff on the ground and her chair appeared in a bright light, like a supernova.
Balim slammed his staff on the ground one last time and a deep purple mist surrounded his chair. When the mist retreated the Gate of Time was impressed on the base of the chair.
"Well there's no question about who is acting as Guardian of Time."
"Someone was needed and I volunteered."
"Of that I have no doubt, Balim."
Balim sneered at Setsuna before addressing the Council, "If you would be seated we can begin this." The Council sat as one and Balim gestured to Dende. "You sponsored her you may conduct this session."
Dende bowed his head to Balim, "Thank you for the honor. Setsuna, you have endured the Three Tests of Will and thus have earned the right to speak." Dende gestured his staff towards her.
"Thank you, Guardian of Earth, for this privilege. Today I was approached by Chronis." Fianola and Hoshi looked at each other in shock before Fianola turned to Setsuna.
"You are sure it was Chronis and not a dark servant using his image?"
"Yes, a dark servant could not have left such marks on me," Setsuna gestured to her neck and Hoshi stood to look at them closer. "He told me that he wanted his staff back and expressed his anger at my loosing the staff. He told me that the balance was shifting and tat he would be the last Guardian of Time as he was the first. Two of my friends surprised him and he left rather than face all three of us, but before he left h told me h would be back for his staff and that I would not survive the encounter."
Hoshi reached a hand towards Setsuna's neck and asked, "May I touch your bruises? It will not hurt." Setsuna nodded her ascent and Hoshi touched soft fingers to her neck. "These were indeed inflicted by Chronis. He is free, it is as we feared. The balance is shifting and we are on the loosing side. We must return her staff and her powers to her or all is lost."
Balim stood up in rage, "No! She broke our laws and she must be punished."
Hoshi shrugged, "We can prevent her from entering her Gate of Time and from changing dimensions but she will need the extra power her staff will give her. It is the only way to restore as much of the balance as we can. We created the imbalance that allowed Chronis to escape by removing one of the Guardians the only way to restore the balance is to return her staff and her powers."
"It will not restore the balance completely." Grumbled Balim.
Fianola smiled softly, "No only returning Chronis to his prison will do that. And only a Guardian of Time can do that. Only a true Guardian of Time. The strings of time do not trust any but their true Guardian and you are not their Guardian. Only Setsuna has that honor. You must return her staff."
Balim frowned before tossing her the staff of time. Setsuna grabbed it out of the air and gripped it with both hands. As soon as she had it in both hands the staff began to glow and Setsuna glowed with it. A black mist surrounded the fire chair and moved to a position next Hoshi's chair. When the mist dissipated a chair of metal stood in its place.
"Setsuna, Guardian of Time, take your rightful seat at the Council of Six." Hoshi and Balim took their seats before Setsuna walked to her own seat and sat down.
"Well now that the dramatics are over with I have some friends to get back to. Oh, the reason I came here was to ask for the Councils permission to tell them about Chronis. They will most likely be fighting him as well and it is only right that they know who they are fighting."
"Oh very well. But tell them only what is necessary."
Setsuna smiled and slammed her staff on the ground. Her chair disappeared and so did she.
"She always did know how to make an exit."
"Oh shut up, Kaddar."
Kaddar smirked before disappearing himself.
