He taught me to live for myself. and everything was destroyed for
my moment of happiness, but there is a part of me. that does not regret
it.
Setsuna sat in front of the Gates of Time, her back to the massive decorated door, hugging her knees to herself. Her violet eyes hung low with pain. Extending her arm, she reached forward and drew a circle in the mist that hung over the ground, her fingertips barely touching the mist. The mist parting, revealing a silvery pool of a liquid that resembled quicksilver. At once the silvery colour became clear, and images of wild lore danced around her eyes. The images focused on pictures, memories. Memories of fighting with the Senshi in the designated present, the feeling of victory for their future Queen. The happy smiles on all their faces, images of Rei teasing Usa, Ami, Minako and Makoto gathered around Mako's stove, Huruka and Michiru off in a dark corner, little Hotaru and Small Lady running around. Sadness hung low in her eyes as she remembered her last days of living.
"You know it's not healthy to carrying on in such despair, eh Setsuna?" A voice said, parting the silence. Setsuna lifted her head, a true smile finding its place, the despair vanishing.
"Haruka." She said, her voice solemn as it always ways. Chibi Usa then poked out her head from around Haruka's legs.
"Puu!!!" She squealed as she ran into the arms of the older woman. Setsuna wrapped her arms around Chibi Usa and picked her up, walking towards Haruka.
"What are you two doing here?" She asked. Haruka laughed.
"For as intelligence and wise as you are, you sure don't know a lot. We're here to see you."
"Thank you... How's Michiru? And Hotaru?"
"Fine, they're good. Hey Setsuna, take some time off, eh? Can't you? We all miss you down there, ya know?" Haruka said, not one to waste time with idle chit-chat.
Setsuna smile faintly and put Chibi Usa down. "You know I can't. This is my fate, my duty. I can't abandon it." It hurt her to say that. It hurt her to say that to the two people she cared about most.
"Pu, why don't you come to see us anymore? Michiru's birthday is coming soon; I want you to help me pick out a gift." Chibi Usa said, tugging on the skirt of Setsuna's Senshi fuku.
"I'm sorry Small Lady, there have been more and more youma attacking, I can't leave the Gates unguarded. I would like nothing more than to see you all again. Please understand Small Lady."
Haruka half smiled. "It isn't right. You are a human too, remember? You are a person. Drop by even for an hour or two, okay?"
Setsuna smile. "Yeah. I'll try." Haruka and Chibi Usa then walked away, disappearing into the ever present fog. Setsuna glowered after they left. She hated lying. Returning to the pool of visions she swept her foot through it and it dissipated, glad no one noticed. Sitting down again, she reached out and retrieved her staff. Her hand touched the garnet orb and she remembered.
"I must pay for my sin. This is not only my fate and destiny, but my punishment as well."
Setsuna bit her lip. It hurt to think. For all the million of Time streams, there were millions of the same people, all in different times. But for all the millions of Time streams, there was only one of her. Condemned to solitude, she remembered Princess Serentiy's hatred. The glare in her eyes. and Serena didn't remember it. So sweet and naive, she wouldn't remember it. Darien knew though. He knew the shame, every time he looked into Setsuna's eyes. And he regretted it. Back in the Silver Millennium. when they were found in bed together. So she was paying for her sin.
"A punishment far worse than the crime, I'd say." The taste of copper filled her mouth as Setsuna pulled herself from her thoughts. She gingerly touched the cut on her lip form biting it to hard. Nasty habit it was. Suddenly she sensed something. Something was close, and it was no friend or foe she recognized. Seizing her Staff in an offensive position, she waited for this entity. Slowly, the Gate creaked open to a crack. Then, a head poked out and looked around. It's eyes rested on Setsuna and seemed to change from curious to a look of glee.
"Hey Babe, how are ya?" It said in a bubbly voice. Almost dumbfounded by this new presence, Setsuna then stood tall and stiff, her staff menacingly at her side.
"I am the Guardian of Time! You have entreated entrance upon a forbidden ground. State your name, entity, and take your leave!" She said, her voice echoing sharply through the emptiness. The creature then stepped out of the gateway and onto the misty covered ground. A man, standing about a head taller than Setsuna, looked around with the curiosity of a child in a toy store. His chestnut hair was pulled loosely into a braid, and his bangs hung low, emphasizing the beauty of his violet eyes. Violet eye met Violet eye, and nothing was said. Setsuna glared harshly. She leapt forward at him, twirling her staff over her head, then swinging at his head. Unaware of the danger, the man dodged easily with the grace of water sliding along silk. Frustrated, Setsuna swung her staff at him again. He ducked and side dodged a couple more rounds of Setsuna's attacks, then grabbed the staff. He smirked.
Hey, name's Duo, Duo Maxwell. And yours?" He said a keen look in his eye. His eyes wandered over her body, not missing an inch. When she refused to answer him, he kept talking. "Nice costume, what are you, some cheerleader?"
Setsuna glared at the ignorance of "Duo". She pulled her staff away from him and kept swinging, hoping to catch him flat-footed. Still though, he dodged with the elegance of a shadow. For hours she attacked him, and Duo didn't even seem to notice. Fed up with his presence, she decided to eliminate him. He must be a youma. or something.
"Pluto Dead Scream!" She called out, holding her staff in the air. When the light cleared and her attack was over, there was nothing. Setsuna smiled to herself, out of confidence and relief. Until something tackled her to the ground from behind. She landed on her back quickly, taken down with force. Her eyes glared with anger and horror as Duo was laying on her, pinning her down. Not one to be taken down, Setsuna struggled with him until she was pinning him down. He smirked and winked at her.
"Thought you'd like the top."
Setsuna surged with anger. Duo flipped her over again.
"Tag, you're it. I win." He said. He removed himself from Setsuna and pulled her to her feet. Setsuna took a few seconds to calm down. She had no idea why she got so angry so quickly. It came form no where. Must be stress. Inhaling deeply Setsuna decided to try diplomacy again.
"What is your purpose here?" She demanded, her voice level again. Duo shrugged.
"I dunno, I found this odd door, and it lead me here." He said simply.
"How did you find this door?!" She asked, the calmness in her voice jumping a bit. Not just anyone could see the door to Time. In fact, no mortal could. Duo shrugged again. Setsuna sighed. "Alright, describe your world, where did you come from. I suppose you're not a youma, so I must return you."
"But I don't want to go back." He said, grinning at her.
"Don't play games with me!" She hissed. His grin grew. He walked over to her and stood less that a foot away.
"Why?"
Setsuna swung her staff at him again. So much could go wrong with this. Again, he dodged with ease. Then, he reached forward and took the staff from her. He tossed the Garnet orb carelessly from hand to hand.
"So, what's your name?" He asked. Setsuna took her staff back hastily. She held her penetrating stare on him for a moment. Duo just shrugged it off. Deciding he was just some human, nothing important or dangerous, she lowered her staff.
"I am Setsuna Meiouh, the Guardian of the Gates of Time. The gates that you have violated." She said, straightening her Senshi fuku. Her hair had fallen out of its bun so Setsuna let all her hair down. He walked over to her and lifted her head to his.
"So, what is this place?" He said, suddenly walking away, then circling the Gate. When he returned to the front of the door he opened it and peered into it. He then looked around the door again, seeing a vast land. When he looked back to the open doorway, he saw a corridor of doors. "Oh." He muttered. Setsuna stepped in front of him and shut the door. She remained blocking the door, her back flat to the gate, arms stretched over the door, a menacing look hovering over her eyes.
"That is the hall of time. It contains doorways to other time realms, or dimensions." Her voice hissed, alerting Duo to keep his distance. Or, it was meant to alert him, but it went right over his head. "Speaking of which, where are you from?"
"Not telling." He teased.
.............................................
Setsuna once more sat against the Gate of Time. Only now she had company. Duo sat next to hear, singing loudly and out of key. Unable to take the torture anymore, she jumped to her feet.
"Silence! There is no food here! I cannot give you any, no matter how badly you sing! You can't possibly be hungry, there is no time here!"
"So how do you eat?" He asked, standing with her.
"You don't." She said firmly.
"Not at all?"
"No."
"Oh. So what do you do then?" He asked sitting back down, a sudden sense of boredom entering his voice.
"I prevent people from tempering with the time line and changing the past present or future." She said dully.
"Sounds fun, how do you do that?"
"Stop asking questions, you won't understand the mechanics of it anyways." She said.
"Won't I? you don't know me, you can't make that assumption. For your information, I am a mechanic, not to mention the Shinigami. I might know a bit more than you think." Duo said walking over to her. Stepping away from him Setsuna gave him a disdainful stare.
"The God of Death? What would you be doing in a mortal world then?"
Again, Duo shrugged his shoulders. "I like their world better." Setsuna then suddenly turned to the east. Duo was about to say more but she held up a hand to silence him and for once it worked. Slowly, in the distance, a dark shadow emerged from the fog. Setsuna bowed low, not moving, and advised Duo to do the same. Duo put his hands behind his head relaxed.
The shadow began to take form as King Endymion. He nodded to Setsuna and she straightened up. Immediately Duo's presence was noticed, as that was Endymion's purpose of his visit.
"Who is that? Do I need to even bother telling you the regulations, or shall you remove him immediately?" He said, not making eye contact. Setsuna scowled.
"He isn't the easiest to remove, Highness. I-"
"Can't remove him?" Endymion said, almost challenging her. Duo suddenly became interested.
"Maybe I don't wanna be removed, eh? Who put the stick up your ass anyway? Treat the lady with respect, didn't your mum teach you anything?" Duo said stepping between the two, getting up in Endymion's face. Glaring, Endymion turned to Setsuna, still not looking her in the eye.
"See to it that this nuisance is removed." He then turned and began walking away, faded into the mists.
"Alright, who's the bastard?" Duo asked, losing the edge he had used to speak to Endymion with, returning to his carefree attitude.
"My King, Duo." Setsuna retorted sharply. Her eyes then saddened. "You're not going to leave per chance, are you?" Duo shrugged in response. "And leave such a pretty face like yours all alone?" When she didn't respond, Duo continued to talk.
"Aight', so what's your deal with him? He didn't seem to comfortable, what's up with that?"
"My king is ashamed of me. I do not care to elaborate." She said stiffly. Remembering. Tight pain griped her heart like a vice. Setsuna lowered her head to hide her tears. Duo walked over to her, seeing her shoulders tremble. Duo looked at her sympathetically. He reached out and wiped away a tear from his her eyes.
"Want to tell me about it?" His voice had changed. It floated to her ears as soft as an angel's voice and comforted her. After all these years of solitude, all these years of keeping her pain and despair locked away in herself. who could turn away the temptation of companionship? She closed her eyes and pushed him away.
"If you must stay, keep away from me and keep out of sight. I will figure out where you came from soon."
Duo looked around. "Kay, where am I to hide? It's gonna be hard to keep out of sight in a place like this." Setsuna said nothing.
............................................
Endless hours passed as Duo tried to make idle chat. Setsuna tried to be cold to Duo, but something about him lured her to trust him. Hours passed by and he still didn't leave.
Duo yawned. "Don't you ever get tired?"
"I used to, but then my body adjusted to this realm. I cannot sleep now. Any moment of rest could let a youma or evil through the gates."
Duo seemed to think for a moment. "How about. you sleep and I guard the Gates? Eh? Takes some time off to rest, you look stressed." He said, purposely using a bad sales pitch. She smiled slightly.
"And what are you going to do to the youma? Talk them away?"
"You mock, but I'll have you remember I am Shinigami. Haven't you wanted to rest? To slip away and dream?"
Setsuna fell silent. She had forgotten the need for sleep. it seemed very welcoming, her distant memory. Sure that her instincts would wake her up before anything wrong would happen, Setsuna smiled and accepted her offer.
Duo smiled softly at her as she lay on the ground, inhaling the sweet mist. Almost instantly, given the chance, her body succumbed to a blissful sleep.
.............................................
Slowly Setsuna lifted her eyelids. Warm. Her body was embedded in warmth. The scent of sweetness with an underlying metallic danger filled her lungs. Setsuna felt blanketed in warmth, a feeling that she hadn't felt in an ageless time. She closed her eyes again, for a moment, absorbed in comfort. When she opened them again a hand gently touched her face. When she looked up she saw Duo's face, smiling down at her. She was lying in his arms as he sat by the Time Gate.
"He was the warmth and comfort." She thought. Quickly sitting up Setsuna felt a rushed of cold air sweep over her body and envelope her. She shivered, the cold air rushing straight through her, and retreated back to Duo's arms with out thought, shying away from the sudden cold.
"I knew you couldn't resist me." Duo said, stroking her long green hair. Scowling, Setsuna stood up, bearing the cold for her stubbornness.
She looked around, taking in her surroundings with a new gaze. "I had forgotten how cold this place was. and how empty." She thought, her eyes saddening. Duo stood up and walked up behind her.
"Cold?" He asked simply. Duo placed his arms around her shoulders and across her chest. Closing her eyes and trying to resist Setsuna pulled away from him.
"Maybe. but that doesn't matter. I had gotten used to it before, I am sure I can do it again."
"But why would you want to?" He asked, his voice becoming soft.
"Because I have to."
"Not anymore. Now I'm here, now you don't have to be alone." His finger tips gently brushed stray bangs from her eyes and stroked her cheek. Setsuna sat on the ground, defeated. Plopping down next to her Duo ended the silence.
"So, you and Endy-baka have a deep dark secret together, eh? What's between you two?"
"An. affair." Setsuna said quietly and bitterly. Wincing, things began to piece together in Duo's mind.
"So. you two were caught? Why were you the only one who was punished? After all. it does take two to have sex."
"Because Serena loved him. I mean, Princess Serenity pardoned him."
"Rough. Why do you deal with him then? Did he try to save you, or lighten your sentence?" Duo asked. Seeing her expression sadden, Duo could figure out the answer. "You know. This place. this barren wasteland is cold to you now because now you remember warmth, something you had long forgotten. Everything is empty to you now. because now I'm here and you have something to compare your loneliness to."
Thinking of nothing to say, Setsuna glared at the misty ground, not meeting his eye. He smiled lightly.
"Look. what do I know, eh?" Duo said. Placing an arm around her, Duo pulled her closer to him. Again, she breathed in his sweet metallic scent and was cascaded in an inviting warmth.
"It's okay now; you don't have to be alone anymore." He whispered to her. Setsuna, indulging in a weakness long forgotten, cuddled against Duo.
"But you won't be here for eternity. and I'll have to learn to live with out you-I mean, with out company. With out company again. You will not want to be here for the rest of eternity. You won't want to waste your life here. You are easily distracted anyway, your mind will tire of here and you'll leave me-you'll leave." Setsuna said, closing her eyes, thinking of the loneliness and the pain it brought. Thinking of Duo leaving. Setsuna's grip on Duo's shirt tightened. Duo smiled, not missing her slip up.
"Who's to say I won't stay? You don't know me well enough to say I'm easily distracted."
"It's a common mortal flaw, and-" Setsuna suddenly stopped speaking and picked up a rock from the mist, throwing it as hard as she could off to the distance. Duo's head quickly turned and watched the sudden motion. A dawning then came to his face.
"That's not fair! I'm aware, not distracted!" He protested. They both laughed for a moment; it was true, she had baited him. Gathering Setsuna on his lap, Duo began stroking her cheek as she laid her head against his chest. She listened to his heart beat, alive.
"So. tell me about it. about him" Duo said softly, hesitant to bring up anything that would turn her away from him. Anything that would cause her to mistrust him, close off to him. But his curiosity always won the battles of restraint. Setsuna remained silent for a moment. As she thought pain filled her eyes and a cold darkness swept through her heart. A tear slipped from her eye as she remembered.
"Endless years ago. I lived in the Universe of the Nine Senshi. The Universe's worlds were bound by a treaty that called the time period the "Silver Millennium". This was at the end of the Silver Millennium, when a group of planets were falling mistrustful of the alliance, so the Moon, the center of the alliance, arranged a marriage between the Prince of the Earth and the youngest daughter of the Moon to strengthen what alliance the Moon had left. The Nine Senshi are planetary guardians. One comes from each planet and assembles at the moon. Their purpose is to protect the peace and people from evil entities like the Senshi of Earth, who ended up destroying that era after being banished. Queen Selenity feared for the future of her peaceful world slipping away. After the Senshi of Earth was banished for plans to take over the Silver Millennium, Queen Selenity showed her loyalty by planning to wed hey youngest to the prince of Earth. Serenity, the Queen's youngest daughter, fell instantly in love with the Prince of Earth. my Kind Endymion. He didn't love her the way she did him, but did love her like a younger sister. I suppose the age difference between them caused these feelings, but Serenity didn't see that.
I came to the palace for the celebration of the new alliance between the Moon and the Earth. I was not told of the conditions of their alliance until much later. I kept Pluto distant from the Moon's tidings, so I only knew Pluto was invited to the celebration. I didn't know.
{"Setsuna danced elegantly with a tall man with green hair and dark blue eyes, absorbed completely in him, unaware of the watchful eye of Prince Darien.
"You've grown so much, dear Setsuna. It will bring a great loss to Pluto when Selenity will call you to the Moon for your permanent duty. We will be losing a great pillar of Pluto's foundations.
I have been your attendant since you were three years old, and I have watched you grow. I will never have a greater pride or pleasure than my memories of your shining eyes looking up at mine. Dear Setsuna, please do not forget us, home on Pluto."
The music stopped and Setsuna and her partner stopped dancing. Her eyes shimmered with tears. She lowered her head to hide her tears and hugged him tightly, smiling.
"Danath. I could never forget you. You are more to me than anything I have ever held dear to me." She said, holding on tightly. He smiled warmly and kissed the top of her head. Silently they departed, Danath going to the side of the King of Pluto, Setsuna to the open balcony.
Leaning on the balcony's railing Setsuna's eyes traced the stars. Endymion's presence went almost unnoticed until he stood beside her and cleared his throat to announce his presence. When both people were acknowledged, Setsuna and Endymion bowed.
"I saw you dancing with that man. was he a love of yours?" Endymion asked. Setsuna smiled, thinking of the grace, the feel of Danath. Endymion cocked his head to the side, examining the ecstasy emanating from Setsuna. Something inside her was glowing, a thought inside her. She then turned her head to him, prepared with an answer.
"No, Danath is not my love, he's been my guard from my earliest memories." She said, still smiling, still thinking of Danath's words. Endymion nodded, smiling a little more.
"You are quite the graceful dancer, your movements were like a shadows. Absolutely graceful." He commented. Setsuna's smile didn't change. She still seemed to be thinking of something out there. Setsuna thanked him, and when nothing more was said Endymion kept talking.
"Princess Serenity is quite different. Though she is a swan on the ice, she is worse than a feeble piece of wire in high heels."
"You shouldn't speak offensively of the Heir to the Silver Millennium. I am sure the new alliance wouldn't treasure your remarks quite as well as you seem to." She said absent mindedly, still smiling. Endymion smirked.
"Ah, but I have the bruises to prove it." He retorted. Setsuna raised her hand to her mouth, trying to stifle her giggles. Mayhaps she had a bit too much wine? Endymion reasoned, trying to understand her distant smile.
"Thank you, Endymion. It's been a pleasure speaking with you. I hope you enjoy your time here." Bowing, Setsuna turned to leave. Endymion quickly grabbed her arm and turned her around, holding her body tightly to his.
"Why leave so soon? Stay with me, your presence makes me smile. Please?" He asked her quietly. Setsuna's smile and brain stopped as she watched the Earth and dazzling night sky frame Endymion from behind as a gentle wind tasseled his in front of his eyes.
Hesitantly, she allowed him to kiss her.
Quickly the two departed, each heading for Endymion's chambers. When she stepped through the door he was waiting for her. Falling backwards onto his bed, Endymion quickly followed her down.
{"I'll come to him in the night; meet him on his balcony."} Princess Serenity thought as she raced towards Endymion's chambers, and excited, romantic smile of eagerness on her face and a twinkle in her eyes. Stopping to straighten her dress and hair, she caught her breath. Then, she creaked the door open and slipped into the room, where, Endymion and Lady Setsuna lay sleeping, nude together. Hatred burned in Serenity's eyes and pierced the two when her scream awoke them.
..
"Setsuna! This is inexcusable! You are a Senshi, how dare you conduct yourself in such a manner! How dare you disgrace us!? And Endymion! Have you broken your vow to my Daughter?! You shall be banished from this kingdom!" Queen Selenity hollered as Setsuna and Endymion knelt in front of her. Princess Serenity, who had been sitting beside Queen Selenity, then moved and knelt beside her love.
"Mother. I love him, please don't banish him." Serenity said quietly. Queen Selenity immediately yielded her anger for her daughter. Her eyes eased and then filled with stress. Her most respected Senshi had slept wither daughter's betrothed. "How pleasant." She thought. Queen Selenity then sighed.
"Come back here tomorrow, five sharp, and I will give you my revised decision."
..
"My Queen! The Gates of Time!?" Setsuna burst out as she knelt before the Queen, Endymion somber at her side.
"Yes, the seal of the Gates of Time has been broken, so it must be guarded now. And you, Endymion, there is no punishment great enough fro hurting my daughter, breaking your vow. But, as a true blood royal to your mother, Queen Gaea of Earth, and as a promise to my daughter, you are no longer banished; however, if, and only if, you renounce any feelings or emotions towards Setsuna, will you be pardoned."
Endymion stood up and turned to Setsuna, looking her straight in the eye. "I never felt anything for her, My Queen. I have absolutely nothing to renounce."
The Queen nodded in acceptance to his claims, then turned to Setsuna. "Guards, escort her to the Gates of Time. {"Now."}
As Setsuna left the Palace rounds, a voice called after her. The guards paused to let the person catch up to her. Setsuna knew the voice. She kept her back to Danath as he stood behind her, to ashamed to look at him. He smiled as he panted, waiting for his breath. {"Danath. I'm sorry."} She thought. Danath turned her around and lifted her chin with his index finger, his indigo eyes staring softly into her violet eyes.
"Lady Setsuna, I don't care what you've done! I love you, please, I know I have no right nor do I deserve to do this, but." He said quickly, trying to regain his breath. Setsuna opened her mouth to apologize, but Danath quickly sealed it with a kiss. When he stepped away from her, tears freely poured down her cheeks. A single tear fell from Danath's eye as he took a step backwards. The guards then began to push Setsuna through the now open portal that would take her to the Time Gates. Then She suddenly began to struggle, thrashing until she freed an arm. Her hand shot forward, trying to grab Danath, pull him close to her.
"DANATH! I-" Setsuna screamed out. The portal sealed around her before she could tell him.
Danath remained before the closed portal, his head hung and shadow's over his eyes, shoulders and arms stiff. His knuckles were white as he clenched them, blood pouring from his palms. He knew what she was going to say to him.
{"I love you.."}
.......................................
Setsuna buried her face in Duo's shirt, her shoulders trembling. She somehow choked back her tears. He placed a hand on her head, staring straight forward. Duo, afraid of asking anything that would make Setsuna say anything more that would hurt her, kept stroking her hair, fighting back his curiosity. Again, he lost.
"So. what happened to Danath?" He asked quietly when Setsuna had clamed down. She held her breath for a moment, then answered.
"He didn't live long. he eventually drank boiled hemlock leaves and slashed his wrists. he bled for me. in hope that we would see each other in the afterlife."
"How do you know?" Duo asked faintly. Setsuna gently smiled.
"I watched him everyday. there is an ability here to watch the past, present and future. My eyes never left him. The last time I cried was when he died.
How I never told him I loved him.
How it was too late when I realized what I felt for him was love.
Danath knew I was always watching over him, his last words were said. to me."
{"I love you Setsuna. My every thought were of you. You never left my sight. Good bye my love."}
"That's what he said to me, as I watched him die." Setsuna said, her voice trembling. Again a silence passed between the two of them. Duo held her closely and Setsuna hung onto him. Her shoulders trembled and Duo knew she wanted to cry.
"It's okay to cry."
"I have already cried for his death."
"But have you cried for yourself? For your loss? Because you never got to finish telling him that you loved him?"
Setsuna buried her face in his shirt and cried. After what felt like hours she cried herself to sleep. Duo held her closely, regretting making a strong warrior cry so hard. Regretting that his presence brought her pain. {"Maybe I should leave.."} Duo thought.
"I'm sorry. what kind of man am I to make such a beautiful woman cry?" He whispered, raising his head to the grey sky.
..........................................
"Something wicked this way comes.." A voice whispered in the depths of Setsuna's mind. "Wake up. Something wicked this way comes." Setsuna opened her eyes. Her vision was bleary with old tears. Exhausted Setsuna stood up using her staff to support her. She felt weak from all the crying. She had forgotten how stressing emotions could be. Hearing nothing but the empty wind howling through her, she looked around. Emptiness.
Duo was gone.
She winced, immediately feeling the pain of loneliness as tight a s a vice of steel and ice gripping her heart. The air around her smelled musty and stale, old, like something that had already been breathed before. Not like Duo's sweet metallic scent. Everything was bleak and cold. The stale wind, freezing air, the mist hovering over and coating the ground. She immediately missed Duo, immediately noticed his absence. Duo's warmth, his sweet smell, how he brought life to everything dead.
Duo was gone.
"Something wicked this way comes" the voice rasped at her ear again. Like a whisper in the wind, Setsuna could sense something evil near. Her eyes strained forward, trying to see through the mist. Her head pounded from crying so hard, and she felt exhausted.
The mist off in the distance began to take a slouching, gangly form. Slowly it began to come closer, taking a more detailed shape. Setsuna's eyes widened with horror and disgust at the youma that straggled forth from the mist. It's left eye was hanging from it's eye socket, left fore arm was missing, and it's flesh had been burned away. Blood was dripping from it's missing arm and hanging eye. It's arms were longer than most humans, and in it's slouched stance it's hand dragged along the ground. It turned it's head to her, not ten feet away.
"Who. who are you?" She called out to it, not making the first move. The demons hanging eye swiveled and looked at her.
"I have no name. if you must call me something, call me Nanashi. where am I? is this hell?"
"You are at the Gate's of Time, Youma, take your leave now, or I shall be forced to destroy you." Setsuna said, trying not to show her fatigue. The Youma's eye looked her over, then turned furious. The demon howled in rage, and began sputtering and screeching in it's native tongue. Recognizing it, Setsuna was only able to under stand a few sentences.
"You're one of those damn Senshi! You people burned my flesh and electrocuted my bones! Bastards! I'll kill every one of you!" The demon then ran at her, charging. It lifted its hand from the mist, revealing long thick claws. Setsuna yelled out in surprise as the Youma tackled her. She hit the ground hard, her staff flying from her hand. She grabbed the demon by the shoulders and tried to throw it off of her, but it slammed her back into the ground.
"I'll kill you all! Stupid bitch! I'll taint you! I'll rape you!" It screamed at her in a blinded furry.
Her eyes widened as she realized what it was going to do to her. It was going to rape her, then kill her. It began slashing away at her Senshi fuku, cutting her skin deeply. She screamed out in pain as it slashed her again. She opened her panicked eyes to look into one hanging eyeball, hatefully glaring into her own. She knew what it was going to do next, horror filled her eyes. She closed her eyes. Suddenly, the youma limply fell on top her, and then was lifted off of her completely. She opened her eyes to see Duo leaning over her, worried violet eyes staring into her panicked violet eyes. He reached down and pulled her up into his arms. She smiled faintly, hearing his voice say something to her before her vision blacked out.
.......................................
Slowly vision flooded back to Setsuna. She was lying on the ground, her head propped up on something. Her gaze looked up and she saw Duo again, smiling meekly down at her, worry still hiding in his eyes. She smiled at him.
"Duo, I'd thought you left me." She said, her vice sounding much weaker than she wanted.
He shook his head and touched her cheek. "I would never leave. I just. kinda. went exploring while you slept. I was feelin kinda guilty for making you cry. so I went to look for something to bring you back. uh, I couldn't find anything. This place really is barren. oh, I heard you scream, so I ran back. How do you feel?"
"Duo. that's so sweet.I'm glad you didn't leave. How bad do I look?"
"I've seen better." He said trying to give a smile. She smiled up at him.
"I think I feel as bad as I look." She said, trying to sit up. She winced at the pain of the deep gashes on her abdomen, and lowered herself back down. Duo's expression changed, and Setsuna could tell he was trying to bring some humor to the situation. It didn't matter what he would say next; she would smile at it.
"Nice out fit, Babe." He said, smirking at her. Setsuna then remembered the garb she was wearing was slashed to almost nothing. She laughed, and forced herself to standup. Duo immediately stood by her side as well. Her legs unwounded Setsuna, found she could stand if she leaned against her staff. But her staff was lying on the ground to her left; She was leaning against Duo, who smiled over to her.
"Here, I am going to de-transform out of my fuku, close your eyes."
"Why?" he pondered.
"So I can re-transform into a new fuku."
"I could figure that out Holmes, but why close my eyes?" He asked, smirking.
"I think you know damn well, Watson." She said, trying not to laugh as he raised his eyebrows. Duo sighed, then closed his eyes. Setsuna de- transformed, losing her clothing. Her body shivered in the cold, and Setsuna briefly wrapped her arms around herself. She winced, remembering her body was covered in scars.
"Cold, eh?" Duo's voice then suddenly piped up. Setsuna thwapped Duo on his head and then re transformed into a new fuku. She tried to glare at his innocent face.
"C'mon, I couldn't help but to peep, you should have known that!" He laughed. The two then sat down again.
"How come you aren't bleeding anymore?" he asked, suddenly noticing that her wounds weren't open.
"My wounds heal with time, and time passes very quickly here."
"Is that why you have so many scars?" He said, his voice changing to a softer tone. She nodded.
"But I've never had someone like you here with me to distract me from the pain. "Thank you. Hey, how did you kill the Youma?" Setsuna asked, suddenly remembering before she had passed out. Duo laughed in response.
"Well, first, you must remember that I am Shinigami. Kay, got that?" Setsuna nodded, humoring him.
"Well, I touched it, I absorbed his life. Hey! Stop laughing! Look! The body's right over there!" Duo said indignantly, pointing to their left. Setsuna looked at him skeptically, then moved over to where the skinless {dead} youma was lying. After examining the body she found a black hand print on it's back. Setsuna turned back to Duo, eyes wide.
"You are the real Shinigami?!"
A.N: Okies all, first chapter done! Many more to come, well, maybe three or four, and I don't guarantee that they will all be this long. You guys like it? I love it. Tell me, EVERYTHING YOU THOUGHT ABUOT THIS STORY. EVERYTHING I SAY!!!!!!!!!!!!! *Ahem*, thank you. I love this story and have so much planned for it! I love Duo.... *drools on herself*.. I think he would be good in bed too.. Lots of experience^^.
Well, later all, I gotta a lot of stuff to write, no time for idle chit chat!
AuF Wiederzehen!
Setsuna sat in front of the Gates of Time, her back to the massive decorated door, hugging her knees to herself. Her violet eyes hung low with pain. Extending her arm, she reached forward and drew a circle in the mist that hung over the ground, her fingertips barely touching the mist. The mist parting, revealing a silvery pool of a liquid that resembled quicksilver. At once the silvery colour became clear, and images of wild lore danced around her eyes. The images focused on pictures, memories. Memories of fighting with the Senshi in the designated present, the feeling of victory for their future Queen. The happy smiles on all their faces, images of Rei teasing Usa, Ami, Minako and Makoto gathered around Mako's stove, Huruka and Michiru off in a dark corner, little Hotaru and Small Lady running around. Sadness hung low in her eyes as she remembered her last days of living.
"You know it's not healthy to carrying on in such despair, eh Setsuna?" A voice said, parting the silence. Setsuna lifted her head, a true smile finding its place, the despair vanishing.
"Haruka." She said, her voice solemn as it always ways. Chibi Usa then poked out her head from around Haruka's legs.
"Puu!!!" She squealed as she ran into the arms of the older woman. Setsuna wrapped her arms around Chibi Usa and picked her up, walking towards Haruka.
"What are you two doing here?" She asked. Haruka laughed.
"For as intelligence and wise as you are, you sure don't know a lot. We're here to see you."
"Thank you... How's Michiru? And Hotaru?"
"Fine, they're good. Hey Setsuna, take some time off, eh? Can't you? We all miss you down there, ya know?" Haruka said, not one to waste time with idle chit-chat.
Setsuna smile faintly and put Chibi Usa down. "You know I can't. This is my fate, my duty. I can't abandon it." It hurt her to say that. It hurt her to say that to the two people she cared about most.
"Pu, why don't you come to see us anymore? Michiru's birthday is coming soon; I want you to help me pick out a gift." Chibi Usa said, tugging on the skirt of Setsuna's Senshi fuku.
"I'm sorry Small Lady, there have been more and more youma attacking, I can't leave the Gates unguarded. I would like nothing more than to see you all again. Please understand Small Lady."
Haruka half smiled. "It isn't right. You are a human too, remember? You are a person. Drop by even for an hour or two, okay?"
Setsuna smile. "Yeah. I'll try." Haruka and Chibi Usa then walked away, disappearing into the ever present fog. Setsuna glowered after they left. She hated lying. Returning to the pool of visions she swept her foot through it and it dissipated, glad no one noticed. Sitting down again, she reached out and retrieved her staff. Her hand touched the garnet orb and she remembered.
"I must pay for my sin. This is not only my fate and destiny, but my punishment as well."
Setsuna bit her lip. It hurt to think. For all the million of Time streams, there were millions of the same people, all in different times. But for all the millions of Time streams, there was only one of her. Condemned to solitude, she remembered Princess Serentiy's hatred. The glare in her eyes. and Serena didn't remember it. So sweet and naive, she wouldn't remember it. Darien knew though. He knew the shame, every time he looked into Setsuna's eyes. And he regretted it. Back in the Silver Millennium. when they were found in bed together. So she was paying for her sin.
"A punishment far worse than the crime, I'd say." The taste of copper filled her mouth as Setsuna pulled herself from her thoughts. She gingerly touched the cut on her lip form biting it to hard. Nasty habit it was. Suddenly she sensed something. Something was close, and it was no friend or foe she recognized. Seizing her Staff in an offensive position, she waited for this entity. Slowly, the Gate creaked open to a crack. Then, a head poked out and looked around. It's eyes rested on Setsuna and seemed to change from curious to a look of glee.
"Hey Babe, how are ya?" It said in a bubbly voice. Almost dumbfounded by this new presence, Setsuna then stood tall and stiff, her staff menacingly at her side.
"I am the Guardian of Time! You have entreated entrance upon a forbidden ground. State your name, entity, and take your leave!" She said, her voice echoing sharply through the emptiness. The creature then stepped out of the gateway and onto the misty covered ground. A man, standing about a head taller than Setsuna, looked around with the curiosity of a child in a toy store. His chestnut hair was pulled loosely into a braid, and his bangs hung low, emphasizing the beauty of his violet eyes. Violet eye met Violet eye, and nothing was said. Setsuna glared harshly. She leapt forward at him, twirling her staff over her head, then swinging at his head. Unaware of the danger, the man dodged easily with the grace of water sliding along silk. Frustrated, Setsuna swung her staff at him again. He ducked and side dodged a couple more rounds of Setsuna's attacks, then grabbed the staff. He smirked.
Hey, name's Duo, Duo Maxwell. And yours?" He said a keen look in his eye. His eyes wandered over her body, not missing an inch. When she refused to answer him, he kept talking. "Nice costume, what are you, some cheerleader?"
Setsuna glared at the ignorance of "Duo". She pulled her staff away from him and kept swinging, hoping to catch him flat-footed. Still though, he dodged with the elegance of a shadow. For hours she attacked him, and Duo didn't even seem to notice. Fed up with his presence, she decided to eliminate him. He must be a youma. or something.
"Pluto Dead Scream!" She called out, holding her staff in the air. When the light cleared and her attack was over, there was nothing. Setsuna smiled to herself, out of confidence and relief. Until something tackled her to the ground from behind. She landed on her back quickly, taken down with force. Her eyes glared with anger and horror as Duo was laying on her, pinning her down. Not one to be taken down, Setsuna struggled with him until she was pinning him down. He smirked and winked at her.
"Thought you'd like the top."
Setsuna surged with anger. Duo flipped her over again.
"Tag, you're it. I win." He said. He removed himself from Setsuna and pulled her to her feet. Setsuna took a few seconds to calm down. She had no idea why she got so angry so quickly. It came form no where. Must be stress. Inhaling deeply Setsuna decided to try diplomacy again.
"What is your purpose here?" She demanded, her voice level again. Duo shrugged.
"I dunno, I found this odd door, and it lead me here." He said simply.
"How did you find this door?!" She asked, the calmness in her voice jumping a bit. Not just anyone could see the door to Time. In fact, no mortal could. Duo shrugged again. Setsuna sighed. "Alright, describe your world, where did you come from. I suppose you're not a youma, so I must return you."
"But I don't want to go back." He said, grinning at her.
"Don't play games with me!" She hissed. His grin grew. He walked over to her and stood less that a foot away.
"Why?"
Setsuna swung her staff at him again. So much could go wrong with this. Again, he dodged with ease. Then, he reached forward and took the staff from her. He tossed the Garnet orb carelessly from hand to hand.
"So, what's your name?" He asked. Setsuna took her staff back hastily. She held her penetrating stare on him for a moment. Duo just shrugged it off. Deciding he was just some human, nothing important or dangerous, she lowered her staff.
"I am Setsuna Meiouh, the Guardian of the Gates of Time. The gates that you have violated." She said, straightening her Senshi fuku. Her hair had fallen out of its bun so Setsuna let all her hair down. He walked over to her and lifted her head to his.
"So, what is this place?" He said, suddenly walking away, then circling the Gate. When he returned to the front of the door he opened it and peered into it. He then looked around the door again, seeing a vast land. When he looked back to the open doorway, he saw a corridor of doors. "Oh." He muttered. Setsuna stepped in front of him and shut the door. She remained blocking the door, her back flat to the gate, arms stretched over the door, a menacing look hovering over her eyes.
"That is the hall of time. It contains doorways to other time realms, or dimensions." Her voice hissed, alerting Duo to keep his distance. Or, it was meant to alert him, but it went right over his head. "Speaking of which, where are you from?"
"Not telling." He teased.
.............................................
Setsuna once more sat against the Gate of Time. Only now she had company. Duo sat next to hear, singing loudly and out of key. Unable to take the torture anymore, she jumped to her feet.
"Silence! There is no food here! I cannot give you any, no matter how badly you sing! You can't possibly be hungry, there is no time here!"
"So how do you eat?" He asked, standing with her.
"You don't." She said firmly.
"Not at all?"
"No."
"Oh. So what do you do then?" He asked sitting back down, a sudden sense of boredom entering his voice.
"I prevent people from tempering with the time line and changing the past present or future." She said dully.
"Sounds fun, how do you do that?"
"Stop asking questions, you won't understand the mechanics of it anyways." She said.
"Won't I? you don't know me, you can't make that assumption. For your information, I am a mechanic, not to mention the Shinigami. I might know a bit more than you think." Duo said walking over to her. Stepping away from him Setsuna gave him a disdainful stare.
"The God of Death? What would you be doing in a mortal world then?"
Again, Duo shrugged his shoulders. "I like their world better." Setsuna then suddenly turned to the east. Duo was about to say more but she held up a hand to silence him and for once it worked. Slowly, in the distance, a dark shadow emerged from the fog. Setsuna bowed low, not moving, and advised Duo to do the same. Duo put his hands behind his head relaxed.
The shadow began to take form as King Endymion. He nodded to Setsuna and she straightened up. Immediately Duo's presence was noticed, as that was Endymion's purpose of his visit.
"Who is that? Do I need to even bother telling you the regulations, or shall you remove him immediately?" He said, not making eye contact. Setsuna scowled.
"He isn't the easiest to remove, Highness. I-"
"Can't remove him?" Endymion said, almost challenging her. Duo suddenly became interested.
"Maybe I don't wanna be removed, eh? Who put the stick up your ass anyway? Treat the lady with respect, didn't your mum teach you anything?" Duo said stepping between the two, getting up in Endymion's face. Glaring, Endymion turned to Setsuna, still not looking her in the eye.
"See to it that this nuisance is removed." He then turned and began walking away, faded into the mists.
"Alright, who's the bastard?" Duo asked, losing the edge he had used to speak to Endymion with, returning to his carefree attitude.
"My King, Duo." Setsuna retorted sharply. Her eyes then saddened. "You're not going to leave per chance, are you?" Duo shrugged in response. "And leave such a pretty face like yours all alone?" When she didn't respond, Duo continued to talk.
"Aight', so what's your deal with him? He didn't seem to comfortable, what's up with that?"
"My king is ashamed of me. I do not care to elaborate." She said stiffly. Remembering. Tight pain griped her heart like a vice. Setsuna lowered her head to hide her tears. Duo walked over to her, seeing her shoulders tremble. Duo looked at her sympathetically. He reached out and wiped away a tear from his her eyes.
"Want to tell me about it?" His voice had changed. It floated to her ears as soft as an angel's voice and comforted her. After all these years of solitude, all these years of keeping her pain and despair locked away in herself. who could turn away the temptation of companionship? She closed her eyes and pushed him away.
"If you must stay, keep away from me and keep out of sight. I will figure out where you came from soon."
Duo looked around. "Kay, where am I to hide? It's gonna be hard to keep out of sight in a place like this." Setsuna said nothing.
............................................
Endless hours passed as Duo tried to make idle chat. Setsuna tried to be cold to Duo, but something about him lured her to trust him. Hours passed by and he still didn't leave.
Duo yawned. "Don't you ever get tired?"
"I used to, but then my body adjusted to this realm. I cannot sleep now. Any moment of rest could let a youma or evil through the gates."
Duo seemed to think for a moment. "How about. you sleep and I guard the Gates? Eh? Takes some time off to rest, you look stressed." He said, purposely using a bad sales pitch. She smiled slightly.
"And what are you going to do to the youma? Talk them away?"
"You mock, but I'll have you remember I am Shinigami. Haven't you wanted to rest? To slip away and dream?"
Setsuna fell silent. She had forgotten the need for sleep. it seemed very welcoming, her distant memory. Sure that her instincts would wake her up before anything wrong would happen, Setsuna smiled and accepted her offer.
Duo smiled softly at her as she lay on the ground, inhaling the sweet mist. Almost instantly, given the chance, her body succumbed to a blissful sleep.
.............................................
Slowly Setsuna lifted her eyelids. Warm. Her body was embedded in warmth. The scent of sweetness with an underlying metallic danger filled her lungs. Setsuna felt blanketed in warmth, a feeling that she hadn't felt in an ageless time. She closed her eyes again, for a moment, absorbed in comfort. When she opened them again a hand gently touched her face. When she looked up she saw Duo's face, smiling down at her. She was lying in his arms as he sat by the Time Gate.
"He was the warmth and comfort." She thought. Quickly sitting up Setsuna felt a rushed of cold air sweep over her body and envelope her. She shivered, the cold air rushing straight through her, and retreated back to Duo's arms with out thought, shying away from the sudden cold.
"I knew you couldn't resist me." Duo said, stroking her long green hair. Scowling, Setsuna stood up, bearing the cold for her stubbornness.
She looked around, taking in her surroundings with a new gaze. "I had forgotten how cold this place was. and how empty." She thought, her eyes saddening. Duo stood up and walked up behind her.
"Cold?" He asked simply. Duo placed his arms around her shoulders and across her chest. Closing her eyes and trying to resist Setsuna pulled away from him.
"Maybe. but that doesn't matter. I had gotten used to it before, I am sure I can do it again."
"But why would you want to?" He asked, his voice becoming soft.
"Because I have to."
"Not anymore. Now I'm here, now you don't have to be alone." His finger tips gently brushed stray bangs from her eyes and stroked her cheek. Setsuna sat on the ground, defeated. Plopping down next to her Duo ended the silence.
"So, you and Endy-baka have a deep dark secret together, eh? What's between you two?"
"An. affair." Setsuna said quietly and bitterly. Wincing, things began to piece together in Duo's mind.
"So. you two were caught? Why were you the only one who was punished? After all. it does take two to have sex."
"Because Serena loved him. I mean, Princess Serenity pardoned him."
"Rough. Why do you deal with him then? Did he try to save you, or lighten your sentence?" Duo asked. Seeing her expression sadden, Duo could figure out the answer. "You know. This place. this barren wasteland is cold to you now because now you remember warmth, something you had long forgotten. Everything is empty to you now. because now I'm here and you have something to compare your loneliness to."
Thinking of nothing to say, Setsuna glared at the misty ground, not meeting his eye. He smiled lightly.
"Look. what do I know, eh?" Duo said. Placing an arm around her, Duo pulled her closer to him. Again, she breathed in his sweet metallic scent and was cascaded in an inviting warmth.
"It's okay now; you don't have to be alone anymore." He whispered to her. Setsuna, indulging in a weakness long forgotten, cuddled against Duo.
"But you won't be here for eternity. and I'll have to learn to live with out you-I mean, with out company. With out company again. You will not want to be here for the rest of eternity. You won't want to waste your life here. You are easily distracted anyway, your mind will tire of here and you'll leave me-you'll leave." Setsuna said, closing her eyes, thinking of the loneliness and the pain it brought. Thinking of Duo leaving. Setsuna's grip on Duo's shirt tightened. Duo smiled, not missing her slip up.
"Who's to say I won't stay? You don't know me well enough to say I'm easily distracted."
"It's a common mortal flaw, and-" Setsuna suddenly stopped speaking and picked up a rock from the mist, throwing it as hard as she could off to the distance. Duo's head quickly turned and watched the sudden motion. A dawning then came to his face.
"That's not fair! I'm aware, not distracted!" He protested. They both laughed for a moment; it was true, she had baited him. Gathering Setsuna on his lap, Duo began stroking her cheek as she laid her head against his chest. She listened to his heart beat, alive.
"So. tell me about it. about him" Duo said softly, hesitant to bring up anything that would turn her away from him. Anything that would cause her to mistrust him, close off to him. But his curiosity always won the battles of restraint. Setsuna remained silent for a moment. As she thought pain filled her eyes and a cold darkness swept through her heart. A tear slipped from her eye as she remembered.
"Endless years ago. I lived in the Universe of the Nine Senshi. The Universe's worlds were bound by a treaty that called the time period the "Silver Millennium". This was at the end of the Silver Millennium, when a group of planets were falling mistrustful of the alliance, so the Moon, the center of the alliance, arranged a marriage between the Prince of the Earth and the youngest daughter of the Moon to strengthen what alliance the Moon had left. The Nine Senshi are planetary guardians. One comes from each planet and assembles at the moon. Their purpose is to protect the peace and people from evil entities like the Senshi of Earth, who ended up destroying that era after being banished. Queen Selenity feared for the future of her peaceful world slipping away. After the Senshi of Earth was banished for plans to take over the Silver Millennium, Queen Selenity showed her loyalty by planning to wed hey youngest to the prince of Earth. Serenity, the Queen's youngest daughter, fell instantly in love with the Prince of Earth. my Kind Endymion. He didn't love her the way she did him, but did love her like a younger sister. I suppose the age difference between them caused these feelings, but Serenity didn't see that.
I came to the palace for the celebration of the new alliance between the Moon and the Earth. I was not told of the conditions of their alliance until much later. I kept Pluto distant from the Moon's tidings, so I only knew Pluto was invited to the celebration. I didn't know.
{"Setsuna danced elegantly with a tall man with green hair and dark blue eyes, absorbed completely in him, unaware of the watchful eye of Prince Darien.
"You've grown so much, dear Setsuna. It will bring a great loss to Pluto when Selenity will call you to the Moon for your permanent duty. We will be losing a great pillar of Pluto's foundations.
I have been your attendant since you were three years old, and I have watched you grow. I will never have a greater pride or pleasure than my memories of your shining eyes looking up at mine. Dear Setsuna, please do not forget us, home on Pluto."
The music stopped and Setsuna and her partner stopped dancing. Her eyes shimmered with tears. She lowered her head to hide her tears and hugged him tightly, smiling.
"Danath. I could never forget you. You are more to me than anything I have ever held dear to me." She said, holding on tightly. He smiled warmly and kissed the top of her head. Silently they departed, Danath going to the side of the King of Pluto, Setsuna to the open balcony.
Leaning on the balcony's railing Setsuna's eyes traced the stars. Endymion's presence went almost unnoticed until he stood beside her and cleared his throat to announce his presence. When both people were acknowledged, Setsuna and Endymion bowed.
"I saw you dancing with that man. was he a love of yours?" Endymion asked. Setsuna smiled, thinking of the grace, the feel of Danath. Endymion cocked his head to the side, examining the ecstasy emanating from Setsuna. Something inside her was glowing, a thought inside her. She then turned her head to him, prepared with an answer.
"No, Danath is not my love, he's been my guard from my earliest memories." She said, still smiling, still thinking of Danath's words. Endymion nodded, smiling a little more.
"You are quite the graceful dancer, your movements were like a shadows. Absolutely graceful." He commented. Setsuna's smile didn't change. She still seemed to be thinking of something out there. Setsuna thanked him, and when nothing more was said Endymion kept talking.
"Princess Serenity is quite different. Though she is a swan on the ice, she is worse than a feeble piece of wire in high heels."
"You shouldn't speak offensively of the Heir to the Silver Millennium. I am sure the new alliance wouldn't treasure your remarks quite as well as you seem to." She said absent mindedly, still smiling. Endymion smirked.
"Ah, but I have the bruises to prove it." He retorted. Setsuna raised her hand to her mouth, trying to stifle her giggles. Mayhaps she had a bit too much wine? Endymion reasoned, trying to understand her distant smile.
"Thank you, Endymion. It's been a pleasure speaking with you. I hope you enjoy your time here." Bowing, Setsuna turned to leave. Endymion quickly grabbed her arm and turned her around, holding her body tightly to his.
"Why leave so soon? Stay with me, your presence makes me smile. Please?" He asked her quietly. Setsuna's smile and brain stopped as she watched the Earth and dazzling night sky frame Endymion from behind as a gentle wind tasseled his in front of his eyes.
Hesitantly, she allowed him to kiss her.
Quickly the two departed, each heading for Endymion's chambers. When she stepped through the door he was waiting for her. Falling backwards onto his bed, Endymion quickly followed her down.
{"I'll come to him in the night; meet him on his balcony."} Princess Serenity thought as she raced towards Endymion's chambers, and excited, romantic smile of eagerness on her face and a twinkle in her eyes. Stopping to straighten her dress and hair, she caught her breath. Then, she creaked the door open and slipped into the room, where, Endymion and Lady Setsuna lay sleeping, nude together. Hatred burned in Serenity's eyes and pierced the two when her scream awoke them.
..
"Setsuna! This is inexcusable! You are a Senshi, how dare you conduct yourself in such a manner! How dare you disgrace us!? And Endymion! Have you broken your vow to my Daughter?! You shall be banished from this kingdom!" Queen Selenity hollered as Setsuna and Endymion knelt in front of her. Princess Serenity, who had been sitting beside Queen Selenity, then moved and knelt beside her love.
"Mother. I love him, please don't banish him." Serenity said quietly. Queen Selenity immediately yielded her anger for her daughter. Her eyes eased and then filled with stress. Her most respected Senshi had slept wither daughter's betrothed. "How pleasant." She thought. Queen Selenity then sighed.
"Come back here tomorrow, five sharp, and I will give you my revised decision."
..
"My Queen! The Gates of Time!?" Setsuna burst out as she knelt before the Queen, Endymion somber at her side.
"Yes, the seal of the Gates of Time has been broken, so it must be guarded now. And you, Endymion, there is no punishment great enough fro hurting my daughter, breaking your vow. But, as a true blood royal to your mother, Queen Gaea of Earth, and as a promise to my daughter, you are no longer banished; however, if, and only if, you renounce any feelings or emotions towards Setsuna, will you be pardoned."
Endymion stood up and turned to Setsuna, looking her straight in the eye. "I never felt anything for her, My Queen. I have absolutely nothing to renounce."
The Queen nodded in acceptance to his claims, then turned to Setsuna. "Guards, escort her to the Gates of Time. {"Now."}
As Setsuna left the Palace rounds, a voice called after her. The guards paused to let the person catch up to her. Setsuna knew the voice. She kept her back to Danath as he stood behind her, to ashamed to look at him. He smiled as he panted, waiting for his breath. {"Danath. I'm sorry."} She thought. Danath turned her around and lifted her chin with his index finger, his indigo eyes staring softly into her violet eyes.
"Lady Setsuna, I don't care what you've done! I love you, please, I know I have no right nor do I deserve to do this, but." He said quickly, trying to regain his breath. Setsuna opened her mouth to apologize, but Danath quickly sealed it with a kiss. When he stepped away from her, tears freely poured down her cheeks. A single tear fell from Danath's eye as he took a step backwards. The guards then began to push Setsuna through the now open portal that would take her to the Time Gates. Then She suddenly began to struggle, thrashing until she freed an arm. Her hand shot forward, trying to grab Danath, pull him close to her.
"DANATH! I-" Setsuna screamed out. The portal sealed around her before she could tell him.
Danath remained before the closed portal, his head hung and shadow's over his eyes, shoulders and arms stiff. His knuckles were white as he clenched them, blood pouring from his palms. He knew what she was going to say to him.
{"I love you.."}
.......................................
Setsuna buried her face in Duo's shirt, her shoulders trembling. She somehow choked back her tears. He placed a hand on her head, staring straight forward. Duo, afraid of asking anything that would make Setsuna say anything more that would hurt her, kept stroking her hair, fighting back his curiosity. Again, he lost.
"So. what happened to Danath?" He asked quietly when Setsuna had clamed down. She held her breath for a moment, then answered.
"He didn't live long. he eventually drank boiled hemlock leaves and slashed his wrists. he bled for me. in hope that we would see each other in the afterlife."
"How do you know?" Duo asked faintly. Setsuna gently smiled.
"I watched him everyday. there is an ability here to watch the past, present and future. My eyes never left him. The last time I cried was when he died.
How I never told him I loved him.
How it was too late when I realized what I felt for him was love.
Danath knew I was always watching over him, his last words were said. to me."
{"I love you Setsuna. My every thought were of you. You never left my sight. Good bye my love."}
"That's what he said to me, as I watched him die." Setsuna said, her voice trembling. Again a silence passed between the two of them. Duo held her closely and Setsuna hung onto him. Her shoulders trembled and Duo knew she wanted to cry.
"It's okay to cry."
"I have already cried for his death."
"But have you cried for yourself? For your loss? Because you never got to finish telling him that you loved him?"
Setsuna buried her face in his shirt and cried. After what felt like hours she cried herself to sleep. Duo held her closely, regretting making a strong warrior cry so hard. Regretting that his presence brought her pain. {"Maybe I should leave.."} Duo thought.
"I'm sorry. what kind of man am I to make such a beautiful woman cry?" He whispered, raising his head to the grey sky.
..........................................
"Something wicked this way comes.." A voice whispered in the depths of Setsuna's mind. "Wake up. Something wicked this way comes." Setsuna opened her eyes. Her vision was bleary with old tears. Exhausted Setsuna stood up using her staff to support her. She felt weak from all the crying. She had forgotten how stressing emotions could be. Hearing nothing but the empty wind howling through her, she looked around. Emptiness.
Duo was gone.
She winced, immediately feeling the pain of loneliness as tight a s a vice of steel and ice gripping her heart. The air around her smelled musty and stale, old, like something that had already been breathed before. Not like Duo's sweet metallic scent. Everything was bleak and cold. The stale wind, freezing air, the mist hovering over and coating the ground. She immediately missed Duo, immediately noticed his absence. Duo's warmth, his sweet smell, how he brought life to everything dead.
Duo was gone.
"Something wicked this way comes" the voice rasped at her ear again. Like a whisper in the wind, Setsuna could sense something evil near. Her eyes strained forward, trying to see through the mist. Her head pounded from crying so hard, and she felt exhausted.
The mist off in the distance began to take a slouching, gangly form. Slowly it began to come closer, taking a more detailed shape. Setsuna's eyes widened with horror and disgust at the youma that straggled forth from the mist. It's left eye was hanging from it's eye socket, left fore arm was missing, and it's flesh had been burned away. Blood was dripping from it's missing arm and hanging eye. It's arms were longer than most humans, and in it's slouched stance it's hand dragged along the ground. It turned it's head to her, not ten feet away.
"Who. who are you?" She called out to it, not making the first move. The demons hanging eye swiveled and looked at her.
"I have no name. if you must call me something, call me Nanashi. where am I? is this hell?"
"You are at the Gate's of Time, Youma, take your leave now, or I shall be forced to destroy you." Setsuna said, trying not to show her fatigue. The Youma's eye looked her over, then turned furious. The demon howled in rage, and began sputtering and screeching in it's native tongue. Recognizing it, Setsuna was only able to under stand a few sentences.
"You're one of those damn Senshi! You people burned my flesh and electrocuted my bones! Bastards! I'll kill every one of you!" The demon then ran at her, charging. It lifted its hand from the mist, revealing long thick claws. Setsuna yelled out in surprise as the Youma tackled her. She hit the ground hard, her staff flying from her hand. She grabbed the demon by the shoulders and tried to throw it off of her, but it slammed her back into the ground.
"I'll kill you all! Stupid bitch! I'll taint you! I'll rape you!" It screamed at her in a blinded furry.
Her eyes widened as she realized what it was going to do to her. It was going to rape her, then kill her. It began slashing away at her Senshi fuku, cutting her skin deeply. She screamed out in pain as it slashed her again. She opened her panicked eyes to look into one hanging eyeball, hatefully glaring into her own. She knew what it was going to do next, horror filled her eyes. She closed her eyes. Suddenly, the youma limply fell on top her, and then was lifted off of her completely. She opened her eyes to see Duo leaning over her, worried violet eyes staring into her panicked violet eyes. He reached down and pulled her up into his arms. She smiled faintly, hearing his voice say something to her before her vision blacked out.
.......................................
Slowly vision flooded back to Setsuna. She was lying on the ground, her head propped up on something. Her gaze looked up and she saw Duo again, smiling meekly down at her, worry still hiding in his eyes. She smiled at him.
"Duo, I'd thought you left me." She said, her vice sounding much weaker than she wanted.
He shook his head and touched her cheek. "I would never leave. I just. kinda. went exploring while you slept. I was feelin kinda guilty for making you cry. so I went to look for something to bring you back. uh, I couldn't find anything. This place really is barren. oh, I heard you scream, so I ran back. How do you feel?"
"Duo. that's so sweet.I'm glad you didn't leave. How bad do I look?"
"I've seen better." He said trying to give a smile. She smiled up at him.
"I think I feel as bad as I look." She said, trying to sit up. She winced at the pain of the deep gashes on her abdomen, and lowered herself back down. Duo's expression changed, and Setsuna could tell he was trying to bring some humor to the situation. It didn't matter what he would say next; she would smile at it.
"Nice out fit, Babe." He said, smirking at her. Setsuna then remembered the garb she was wearing was slashed to almost nothing. She laughed, and forced herself to standup. Duo immediately stood by her side as well. Her legs unwounded Setsuna, found she could stand if she leaned against her staff. But her staff was lying on the ground to her left; She was leaning against Duo, who smiled over to her.
"Here, I am going to de-transform out of my fuku, close your eyes."
"Why?" he pondered.
"So I can re-transform into a new fuku."
"I could figure that out Holmes, but why close my eyes?" He asked, smirking.
"I think you know damn well, Watson." She said, trying not to laugh as he raised his eyebrows. Duo sighed, then closed his eyes. Setsuna de- transformed, losing her clothing. Her body shivered in the cold, and Setsuna briefly wrapped her arms around herself. She winced, remembering her body was covered in scars.
"Cold, eh?" Duo's voice then suddenly piped up. Setsuna thwapped Duo on his head and then re transformed into a new fuku. She tried to glare at his innocent face.
"C'mon, I couldn't help but to peep, you should have known that!" He laughed. The two then sat down again.
"How come you aren't bleeding anymore?" he asked, suddenly noticing that her wounds weren't open.
"My wounds heal with time, and time passes very quickly here."
"Is that why you have so many scars?" He said, his voice changing to a softer tone. She nodded.
"But I've never had someone like you here with me to distract me from the pain. "Thank you. Hey, how did you kill the Youma?" Setsuna asked, suddenly remembering before she had passed out. Duo laughed in response.
"Well, first, you must remember that I am Shinigami. Kay, got that?" Setsuna nodded, humoring him.
"Well, I touched it, I absorbed his life. Hey! Stop laughing! Look! The body's right over there!" Duo said indignantly, pointing to their left. Setsuna looked at him skeptically, then moved over to where the skinless {dead} youma was lying. After examining the body she found a black hand print on it's back. Setsuna turned back to Duo, eyes wide.
"You are the real Shinigami?!"
A.N: Okies all, first chapter done! Many more to come, well, maybe three or four, and I don't guarantee that they will all be this long. You guys like it? I love it. Tell me, EVERYTHING YOU THOUGHT ABUOT THIS STORY. EVERYTHING I SAY!!!!!!!!!!!!! *Ahem*, thank you. I love this story and have so much planned for it! I love Duo.... *drools on herself*.. I think he would be good in bed too.. Lots of experience^^.
Well, later all, I gotta a lot of stuff to write, no time for idle chit chat!
AuF Wiederzehen!