Chapter 4
Come Together... Right Now
Aino Minako had what is probably the most unique experience of all the
Senshi since she was awake when her other self found it's way into her
head. She was sitting on a plane bound for Japan, reading an English
teen-modeling magazine when it hit her.
It was kind of like having a large person squeeze into a telephone booth
with you. Unpleasant at first, but not too bad once you were both
settled, though a bit cramped.
Woozily she reached for an airsickness bag in case things were going to
get messy.
After a few minutes, however, the vertigo stopped and she was merely
left with a feeling of... fullness. Shortly, however, the things got
stranger.
//ACK, who turned on the lights?//
Minako jumped a bit, startled by the voice inside her head. "Wh-what?"
//I said, W-H-O T-U-R-N-E-D O-N T-H-E L-I-G-H-T-S?//
"Okay, that's it. Those airline peanuts have something dangerous in
them," Minako muttered to herself.
//Hey, wait a minute, what am I doing on a plane, anyway? Last thing I
remember was being in a hotel room with Mako-chan.//
"Mako-chan?" Minako asked quietly, mindful of the person dozing lightly
beside her.
//Yeah, and what are you doing in my body, anyway?//
"You are the one that just landed in my body. I was trying to read a
magazine and then you barged into my head like you own the place."
Minako spent a couple of moments trying to decide whether this was all
just a weird dream or if she was going crazy. Either way, panicking
would get her nowhere. Besides, she was kind of curious about the type
of person that would pick her head to invade. "Hey, who are you,
anyway?"
//Aino Minako, the beautiful and talented goddess of love.//
"Err... pleased to meet you, I'm Aino Minako the apparently insane."
The voice in her head heaved a mental sigh. //I don't suppose that this
is some crazy dream, is it?//
"Well, that's what I'm hoping."
//If we're both hoping it's a dream, then it probably isn't. Say, where
are we, anyway?//
"On a plane, I'm moving to Japan this week."
//From England?//
"Yeah, how'd you know?"
//I've been through this before. Looks like I'm trapped in one of those
kooky time travel things.// Another mental sigh. //Hey, Artemis might
know what's going on.//
"Artemis? My cat?"
//Yeah, your cat. Where is he, anyway?//
"He's in the cargo hold in his pet carrier. But why would he know
what's going on, he's just a cat."
//Yeah, right. You mean he hasn't talked to you yet?//
"He's a cat..."
//He's a Moon cat. But that's strange, he's the one who told me how to
turn into Sailor V, and that was well before I ever moved to Japan...//
"Sailor V?"
//You don't know who Sailor V is?// the voice sounded appalled. //Maybe
this isn't time travel, after all.//
"Yeah, it's just me going insane."
//You're not going insane. If anyone's going insane, it's me. I hope I
don't bite Mako-chan if I start foaming at the mouth.//
"Who's Mako-chan? Your boyfriend?"
//Heh, well, not exactly... She's my best friend.//
"Oh, but how can you be the one going insane? You're just a disembodied
voice."
//Well, I had a body when I went to bed last night.// There was a
thoughtful pause. //Say, what's the date, anyway?//
Minako told her.
//Strange, I thought I moved to Japan last month. Well, when I did it,
at least.//
Minako shrugged. "Dad's transfer got delayed because of some new
immigration laws or something."
//Hmm... strange... are you registered in a school yet? When I did
this, I didn't pick till I got there.//
"Nope, but mom's been looking at-"
//Get her to register you at Juuban Junior High. Believe me, it'll make
life a lot simpler.//
"If you say so. I wonder if they accept people who hear voices..."
//Oh, I think just about anyone can get into Juuban. Well, unless your
tentacles are too obvious...//
"Tentacles? Ick!"
//You get used to them. Besides, you can just think of me as your
Guardian Angel.//
"Guardian Angel? So, what are you going to do for me?"
//Well, for starters, get you a date with someone gorgeous. If you're
me, I won't have you dating anything less than the best!//
Minako giggled. "I wonder if all insane people have voices like you."
//They can only wish. Now, refresh my memory on what kind of guys I
liked at your age. The Goddess of Love is ready to go to work.//
***
Rei and Serenity were sipping tea in the shrine, quietly discussing what
they knew about recent events. Both were trapped in the bodies of their
past selves, who were not enjoying sharing the facilities with
themselves, either.
"Then there was a bright flash of light, and that was it. Next thing I
remember, I was in this body in bed here," Rei finished. The real Rei,
meanwhile, was twiddling her mental thumbs in boredom.
Serenity nodded. "I remember going to bed with Endy-chan and then
waking up to my mother trying shake me to death."
Rei grinned bitterly. "You had it easy. I've been out of the shrine
maiden business for far too long to be getting up at five in the morning
to tend the fire." She sighed softly. "Yuuichirou isn't even around
yet to keep me company."
Serenity gently took Rei's hand. "Don't worry, we'll find our way back
home."
Rei nodded and then became thoughtful. "Serenity-sama? Do we really
need to go back? I mean, it's not like the Kingdom really needs us
anymore and everyone has at least one successor trained and ready to
take over..."
"And he's alive here?" Serenity asked gently. She knew that Rei had
been nursing wounds from the death of her husband, Yuuichirou, in a
shuttle accident a scant twenty years after they had married, almost a
thousand years ago. She wanted to make sure that she wasn't going to do
anything for the wrong reasons.
"Yeah, and that..." Rei looked even sadder.
"Well, having a bit of a vacation would certainly be nice, but I'm not
sure that we'd want to do that without our own bodies," she replied.
"I'm not sure how much longer we're going to be able to live like this
without getting on our own nerves, if you know what I mean."
Rei smiled sadly. "Yeah, I know exactly what you mean. I did a fire
reading on it, but nothing makes any sense. All I get are flashes of a
red crab and wood that flies. Something tells me that there is
something evil coming, though."
Serenity nodded. "Do you think we should see about finding the others
and start training these bodies?"
Rei perked up a bit. "That sound great, but are we going to need to
find Luna before we can get the Transformation wands?"
Serenity thought for a few minutes. "No, I think we can create our own.
It'll be tough, but certainly a lot better than waiting around for Luna
to show up, if she does at all. Besides, I know how she does it,
anyway." She grinned mischievously. "She just liked to make us think
it was hard."
Serenity held out her hand, palm upward. "The wands and the brooch are
just manifestations of your soul, like the talismans were. It takes a
lot of power to generate them, but I'm certain that it'll be no problem
for us." She closed her eyes and concentrated, trying to remember what
her original transformation brooch had looked like.
Rei watched intently as a swirling pillar of golden sparks formed in
Serenity's hand. They danced and darted for a moment before settling
into the familiar form.
Serenity sighed in relief as she felt the weight settle into her hand.
"Your turn," she said as she pinned the talisman to the bow of her fuku.
Rei nodded and put out her hand. After a few minutes of concentration,
a spark formed in the center of her palm and then rushed upward until it
formed a gout of flame over a foot long. After a few seconds, it died
away until the Transformation Wand with the sigil of Mars could be seen.
Rei exhaled heavily and slumped a bit. "That's harder than it looks."
Serenity nodded. "We should also return their memories, but that can
wait till tomorrow. I'm not sure that I can do much more tonight."
With a flick of her wrist, Rei vanquished the wand and it returned to
rest within her soul and wait to be summoned once more. "Yeah, we've
still got some chores to finish before bed."
As Serenity moved to get up, she had one last thought. "Say, do you
remember where Minako is supposed to be right now? As far as I can
tell, Sailor V isn't around yet."
Rei shook her head sadly. "I have no idea, but maybe England. What
about Makoto and Ami?"
"Makoto should be getting transferred to Juban in the next couple of
weeks or so and I think I spotted Ami today at lunch. Mako-chan might
even show up sooner if she's having the same problems we are. I'm not
sure about our Ami being here, though. Last I heard, she was out near
the Core watching that black hole forming. She didn't show any
recognition when I saw her this morning, and whatever brought us here
might not have reached her."
"Yeah, but I hate to think about the trouble we're going to go through
getting back if she's not around. I don't exactly have a working
knowledge of time travel or whatever it was that we went through."
Rei's face went through a bit of turmoil. "Okay, party's over. The
young one is going to start screaming if I don't let her have her body
back soon."
Serenity grinned. "You always were a temperamental one at that age,
Rei-chan. Usagi's asleep and I won't wake her till we get to the
house... It's nice to be home again, even if I've got to live with
myself to do it."
Rei nodded sagely and the sighed as she relinquished control. Her face
set itself into a slight frown. "Serenity-san, shall I show you out?"
Serenity looked at Rei thoughtfully for a moment. "Please, call me
Usagi. That's my real name, Tsukino Usagi. Serenity is a title I took
up... later in life, but I'm certain that your other self is way too set
in her ways to return to calling me Usagi anytime soon."
"You will be returning tomorrow, Usagi-san? I listened to much of your
conversation with my... roommate."
"Yes," Serenity nodded. "We're going to awaken your sleeping memories.
I hate to push any of you into accepting the kind of responsibility that
you will have, but it is far better for you to have them restored
carefully in a calm atmosphere and have time to adjust before you are
thrust into the fray. We didn't have that luxury and it made things
very confusing for several years."
With a bow, Serenity made to excuse herself. Then she turned to give
Rei a benevolent look over her shoulder, "Rei-san, can I ask a favor of
you?"
"Yes, Ser.. Usagi-san?"
"Be patient with Usagi-chan for me. She's young and immature, but she
will have to grow up fast. I know that the support of my Rei-chan meant
a lot to me when I was her."
"I will try, Usagi-san."
"That is all that I ask. Good night, Rei-san."
***
Serenity guided Usagi's body through the long walk from the Hikawa
shrine to her old house, spending a good deal of time wondering about
the others, particularly Minako and Hotaru. Something was going to have
to be done to help the younger Senshi if she was in the same kind of
situation in this world as in the other. Especially if her older mind
had entered her body.
Serenity had every confidence in Hotaru. She had proven time and again
that she was more than a match for her darker side, but that was without
Master Pharaoh 90 to worry about.
Who knows what kind of trouble she could be in if her darker half proved
to be stronger than her or took her by surprise? It was far too early
to have to face Mistress 9.
"I wish Pluto would show up," she muttered. "It'll take me too long to
track down Haruka and Michiru on my own, and we need to get a hold of
the Rainbow Crystals, as well."
There was still a good half hour of daylight left by the time she made
it home. She slipped inside and followed her nose to the kitchen where
her mother was baking.
"Welcome home, dear," her mother greeted broadly. "Dinner will be ready
soon, why don't you go and wash up?"
Serenity bowed, smiling broadly at the prospect of getting to eat her
mother's cooking again. "Yes, mother." She turned and was halfway up
the stairs before her mother's call brought her to a halt.
"Oh! A Mr. Chiba called for you just a few minutes ago. He said that
you'd dropped a notebook when you ran into him the other day, and he
wants to return it. His number is beside the phone in the living room."
Serenity was at the phone in a flash. If Mamoru had called her, that
meant that Endymion was probably here, as well. She found the
scribbled note and dialed the number.
On the fourth ring, he picked up. "Chiba residence, this is Mamoru."
"Excuse me, Mr. Chiba, but I'm wondering if you're been hearing voices?"
she asked with a grin.
"Serenity? That you?"
"Endy-chan! You're here, too? That makes at least three of us."
"Who's the third?"
"Mars," she pondered just spilling everything that she knew, but it
probably wouldn't help matters. "Listen, we should meet and talk about
things tomorrow sometime. I've got school, but Rei and I were planning
on attempting the Mind Meld trick that Luna used on us. Can you be at
the shrine at, let's say, five?"
"Sure, I'll be there." There was a pause. "I'm just so glad that I'm
not going insane."
"Afraid that your roses were going to turn white again, dear?"
"Very funny."
***
Usagi managed to finish her homework in record time that night. Of
course, having someone take control of your body every time you try to
sneak away to read a manga does wonders for study habits, but it's not
much fun.
As she finished the last problem, Serenity gently took control of the
body again. "I don't know why you're complaining, it's a lot more fun
to do the work than be punished for not doing it."
She put the materials into her book bag and set it beside the desk in
its customary place.
"Ah, since that's done," she sighed and stretched her aching shoulders.
"Setsuna, you can come out now."
Usagi jumped in surprise at the voice that replied, "How did you know I
was here?" Well, she would have jumped in surprise if she'd had control
of her body, but it's the thought that counts.
Serenity swiveled the chair around with a broad grin on her face. "I
didn't. I just like saying that to empty rooms at dramatically
appropriate times. This is the first time it's worked, though..." She
was on the verge of giggling, but maintained her iron control.
Over the years she had developed a sort of friendship with the Senshi of
Time. Pluto tended to manipulate others into doing whatever she wanted,
but Serenity could usually out do her in these conversations, though it
was a great challenge.
For one of the few times in her extremely long existence, Pluto was at a
loss for words.
"So, do you know what's going on? We're not from this time line, are
we?"
The older Senshi recovered quickly, "No, you're not from this world."
"What took you so long to appear, anyway? I'd have thought you'd be
here to greet us when we showed up so you could yell at us about not
revealing anything about the future."
Pluto frowned. "As far as I can tell, your actions are not a danger to
the time stream."
That was a big surprise for Serenity. "Listen, we don't have time to
play games. We need the Silver Crystal. I'm certain that Mars and I
can handle it if we're the only Inner Senshi who made the trip, but
there is another task that has to be done." She gazed at Pluto
meaningfully.
"I take it you speak of Saturn."
"Yes. If our Hotaru is here, she may need help summoning Saturn's power
or breaking the hold of Master Pharaoh 90. I need you, Michiru and
Haruka to handle that while we gather the Rainbow Crystals."
Pluto nodded. "I've already seen to it that Michiru and Haruka are
scouting out the area. We'll make our move soon."
"Don't wait too long. I can't stop her if she goes out of control
without the Silver Crystal, but I'm certain that Hotaru has more than
enough control to break the evil ones' hold as long as nothing
intervenes. Just make sure that nothing stops her from getting her
chance."
"Is that all?"
"That's all I can think of at the moment. Do you know what the status
on the Dark Kingdom is?"
"It's breaking through slowly. The first scouts should be through the
gateways within a few days."
Serenity nodded. "That's more than enough time. This time, we're going
to fight this war right."
"If I may make a suggestion?"
"Always."
"Let the young ones fight for themselves. This is their world, and thus
their battle."
Serenity nodded again. "I know. But I'm not going to let them do this
alone."
"Is that all, my queen?"
"You always know more than you tell, don't you my dear Setsuna?"
"Not always, but telling too much can be just and dangerous as not
telling enough."
"Well, anything I should know?"
"Yes, be sure to be at the shrine tomorrow and you might want to take a
little vacation this weekend."
"Vacation? I assume you have arranged something?"
"Of course. There is a friend of mine who will be able to help you with
your problem."
"Problem?" Serenity asked. The Senshi of Time, however, was already
gone.
"Worse than Batman," Serenity mumbled to herself, though there was no
one around to hear it.
Come Together... Right Now
Aino Minako had what is probably the most unique experience of all the
Senshi since she was awake when her other self found it's way into her
head. She was sitting on a plane bound for Japan, reading an English
teen-modeling magazine when it hit her.
It was kind of like having a large person squeeze into a telephone booth
with you. Unpleasant at first, but not too bad once you were both
settled, though a bit cramped.
Woozily she reached for an airsickness bag in case things were going to
get messy.
After a few minutes, however, the vertigo stopped and she was merely
left with a feeling of... fullness. Shortly, however, the things got
stranger.
//ACK, who turned on the lights?//
Minako jumped a bit, startled by the voice inside her head. "Wh-what?"
//I said, W-H-O T-U-R-N-E-D O-N T-H-E L-I-G-H-T-S?//
"Okay, that's it. Those airline peanuts have something dangerous in
them," Minako muttered to herself.
//Hey, wait a minute, what am I doing on a plane, anyway? Last thing I
remember was being in a hotel room with Mako-chan.//
"Mako-chan?" Minako asked quietly, mindful of the person dozing lightly
beside her.
//Yeah, and what are you doing in my body, anyway?//
"You are the one that just landed in my body. I was trying to read a
magazine and then you barged into my head like you own the place."
Minako spent a couple of moments trying to decide whether this was all
just a weird dream or if she was going crazy. Either way, panicking
would get her nowhere. Besides, she was kind of curious about the type
of person that would pick her head to invade. "Hey, who are you,
anyway?"
//Aino Minako, the beautiful and talented goddess of love.//
"Err... pleased to meet you, I'm Aino Minako the apparently insane."
The voice in her head heaved a mental sigh. //I don't suppose that this
is some crazy dream, is it?//
"Well, that's what I'm hoping."
//If we're both hoping it's a dream, then it probably isn't. Say, where
are we, anyway?//
"On a plane, I'm moving to Japan this week."
//From England?//
"Yeah, how'd you know?"
//I've been through this before. Looks like I'm trapped in one of those
kooky time travel things.// Another mental sigh. //Hey, Artemis might
know what's going on.//
"Artemis? My cat?"
//Yeah, your cat. Where is he, anyway?//
"He's in the cargo hold in his pet carrier. But why would he know
what's going on, he's just a cat."
//Yeah, right. You mean he hasn't talked to you yet?//
"He's a cat..."
//He's a Moon cat. But that's strange, he's the one who told me how to
turn into Sailor V, and that was well before I ever moved to Japan...//
"Sailor V?"
//You don't know who Sailor V is?// the voice sounded appalled. //Maybe
this isn't time travel, after all.//
"Yeah, it's just me going insane."
//You're not going insane. If anyone's going insane, it's me. I hope I
don't bite Mako-chan if I start foaming at the mouth.//
"Who's Mako-chan? Your boyfriend?"
//Heh, well, not exactly... She's my best friend.//
"Oh, but how can you be the one going insane? You're just a disembodied
voice."
//Well, I had a body when I went to bed last night.// There was a
thoughtful pause. //Say, what's the date, anyway?//
Minako told her.
//Strange, I thought I moved to Japan last month. Well, when I did it,
at least.//
Minako shrugged. "Dad's transfer got delayed because of some new
immigration laws or something."
//Hmm... strange... are you registered in a school yet? When I did
this, I didn't pick till I got there.//
"Nope, but mom's been looking at-"
//Get her to register you at Juuban Junior High. Believe me, it'll make
life a lot simpler.//
"If you say so. I wonder if they accept people who hear voices..."
//Oh, I think just about anyone can get into Juuban. Well, unless your
tentacles are too obvious...//
"Tentacles? Ick!"
//You get used to them. Besides, you can just think of me as your
Guardian Angel.//
"Guardian Angel? So, what are you going to do for me?"
//Well, for starters, get you a date with someone gorgeous. If you're
me, I won't have you dating anything less than the best!//
Minako giggled. "I wonder if all insane people have voices like you."
//They can only wish. Now, refresh my memory on what kind of guys I
liked at your age. The Goddess of Love is ready to go to work.//
***
Rei and Serenity were sipping tea in the shrine, quietly discussing what
they knew about recent events. Both were trapped in the bodies of their
past selves, who were not enjoying sharing the facilities with
themselves, either.
"Then there was a bright flash of light, and that was it. Next thing I
remember, I was in this body in bed here," Rei finished. The real Rei,
meanwhile, was twiddling her mental thumbs in boredom.
Serenity nodded. "I remember going to bed with Endy-chan and then
waking up to my mother trying shake me to death."
Rei grinned bitterly. "You had it easy. I've been out of the shrine
maiden business for far too long to be getting up at five in the morning
to tend the fire." She sighed softly. "Yuuichirou isn't even around
yet to keep me company."
Serenity gently took Rei's hand. "Don't worry, we'll find our way back
home."
Rei nodded and then became thoughtful. "Serenity-sama? Do we really
need to go back? I mean, it's not like the Kingdom really needs us
anymore and everyone has at least one successor trained and ready to
take over..."
"And he's alive here?" Serenity asked gently. She knew that Rei had
been nursing wounds from the death of her husband, Yuuichirou, in a
shuttle accident a scant twenty years after they had married, almost a
thousand years ago. She wanted to make sure that she wasn't going to do
anything for the wrong reasons.
"Yeah, and that..." Rei looked even sadder.
"Well, having a bit of a vacation would certainly be nice, but I'm not
sure that we'd want to do that without our own bodies," she replied.
"I'm not sure how much longer we're going to be able to live like this
without getting on our own nerves, if you know what I mean."
Rei smiled sadly. "Yeah, I know exactly what you mean. I did a fire
reading on it, but nothing makes any sense. All I get are flashes of a
red crab and wood that flies. Something tells me that there is
something evil coming, though."
Serenity nodded. "Do you think we should see about finding the others
and start training these bodies?"
Rei perked up a bit. "That sound great, but are we going to need to
find Luna before we can get the Transformation wands?"
Serenity thought for a few minutes. "No, I think we can create our own.
It'll be tough, but certainly a lot better than waiting around for Luna
to show up, if she does at all. Besides, I know how she does it,
anyway." She grinned mischievously. "She just liked to make us think
it was hard."
Serenity held out her hand, palm upward. "The wands and the brooch are
just manifestations of your soul, like the talismans were. It takes a
lot of power to generate them, but I'm certain that it'll be no problem
for us." She closed her eyes and concentrated, trying to remember what
her original transformation brooch had looked like.
Rei watched intently as a swirling pillar of golden sparks formed in
Serenity's hand. They danced and darted for a moment before settling
into the familiar form.
Serenity sighed in relief as she felt the weight settle into her hand.
"Your turn," she said as she pinned the talisman to the bow of her fuku.
Rei nodded and put out her hand. After a few minutes of concentration,
a spark formed in the center of her palm and then rushed upward until it
formed a gout of flame over a foot long. After a few seconds, it died
away until the Transformation Wand with the sigil of Mars could be seen.
Rei exhaled heavily and slumped a bit. "That's harder than it looks."
Serenity nodded. "We should also return their memories, but that can
wait till tomorrow. I'm not sure that I can do much more tonight."
With a flick of her wrist, Rei vanquished the wand and it returned to
rest within her soul and wait to be summoned once more. "Yeah, we've
still got some chores to finish before bed."
As Serenity moved to get up, she had one last thought. "Say, do you
remember where Minako is supposed to be right now? As far as I can
tell, Sailor V isn't around yet."
Rei shook her head sadly. "I have no idea, but maybe England. What
about Makoto and Ami?"
"Makoto should be getting transferred to Juban in the next couple of
weeks or so and I think I spotted Ami today at lunch. Mako-chan might
even show up sooner if she's having the same problems we are. I'm not
sure about our Ami being here, though. Last I heard, she was out near
the Core watching that black hole forming. She didn't show any
recognition when I saw her this morning, and whatever brought us here
might not have reached her."
"Yeah, but I hate to think about the trouble we're going to go through
getting back if she's not around. I don't exactly have a working
knowledge of time travel or whatever it was that we went through."
Rei's face went through a bit of turmoil. "Okay, party's over. The
young one is going to start screaming if I don't let her have her body
back soon."
Serenity grinned. "You always were a temperamental one at that age,
Rei-chan. Usagi's asleep and I won't wake her till we get to the
house... It's nice to be home again, even if I've got to live with
myself to do it."
Rei nodded sagely and the sighed as she relinquished control. Her face
set itself into a slight frown. "Serenity-san, shall I show you out?"
Serenity looked at Rei thoughtfully for a moment. "Please, call me
Usagi. That's my real name, Tsukino Usagi. Serenity is a title I took
up... later in life, but I'm certain that your other self is way too set
in her ways to return to calling me Usagi anytime soon."
"You will be returning tomorrow, Usagi-san? I listened to much of your
conversation with my... roommate."
"Yes," Serenity nodded. "We're going to awaken your sleeping memories.
I hate to push any of you into accepting the kind of responsibility that
you will have, but it is far better for you to have them restored
carefully in a calm atmosphere and have time to adjust before you are
thrust into the fray. We didn't have that luxury and it made things
very confusing for several years."
With a bow, Serenity made to excuse herself. Then she turned to give
Rei a benevolent look over her shoulder, "Rei-san, can I ask a favor of
you?"
"Yes, Ser.. Usagi-san?"
"Be patient with Usagi-chan for me. She's young and immature, but she
will have to grow up fast. I know that the support of my Rei-chan meant
a lot to me when I was her."
"I will try, Usagi-san."
"That is all that I ask. Good night, Rei-san."
***
Serenity guided Usagi's body through the long walk from the Hikawa
shrine to her old house, spending a good deal of time wondering about
the others, particularly Minako and Hotaru. Something was going to have
to be done to help the younger Senshi if she was in the same kind of
situation in this world as in the other. Especially if her older mind
had entered her body.
Serenity had every confidence in Hotaru. She had proven time and again
that she was more than a match for her darker side, but that was without
Master Pharaoh 90 to worry about.
Who knows what kind of trouble she could be in if her darker half proved
to be stronger than her or took her by surprise? It was far too early
to have to face Mistress 9.
"I wish Pluto would show up," she muttered. "It'll take me too long to
track down Haruka and Michiru on my own, and we need to get a hold of
the Rainbow Crystals, as well."
There was still a good half hour of daylight left by the time she made
it home. She slipped inside and followed her nose to the kitchen where
her mother was baking.
"Welcome home, dear," her mother greeted broadly. "Dinner will be ready
soon, why don't you go and wash up?"
Serenity bowed, smiling broadly at the prospect of getting to eat her
mother's cooking again. "Yes, mother." She turned and was halfway up
the stairs before her mother's call brought her to a halt.
"Oh! A Mr. Chiba called for you just a few minutes ago. He said that
you'd dropped a notebook when you ran into him the other day, and he
wants to return it. His number is beside the phone in the living room."
Serenity was at the phone in a flash. If Mamoru had called her, that
meant that Endymion was probably here, as well. She found the
scribbled note and dialed the number.
On the fourth ring, he picked up. "Chiba residence, this is Mamoru."
"Excuse me, Mr. Chiba, but I'm wondering if you're been hearing voices?"
she asked with a grin.
"Serenity? That you?"
"Endy-chan! You're here, too? That makes at least three of us."
"Who's the third?"
"Mars," she pondered just spilling everything that she knew, but it
probably wouldn't help matters. "Listen, we should meet and talk about
things tomorrow sometime. I've got school, but Rei and I were planning
on attempting the Mind Meld trick that Luna used on us. Can you be at
the shrine at, let's say, five?"
"Sure, I'll be there." There was a pause. "I'm just so glad that I'm
not going insane."
"Afraid that your roses were going to turn white again, dear?"
"Very funny."
***
Usagi managed to finish her homework in record time that night. Of
course, having someone take control of your body every time you try to
sneak away to read a manga does wonders for study habits, but it's not
much fun.
As she finished the last problem, Serenity gently took control of the
body again. "I don't know why you're complaining, it's a lot more fun
to do the work than be punished for not doing it."
She put the materials into her book bag and set it beside the desk in
its customary place.
"Ah, since that's done," she sighed and stretched her aching shoulders.
"Setsuna, you can come out now."
Usagi jumped in surprise at the voice that replied, "How did you know I
was here?" Well, she would have jumped in surprise if she'd had control
of her body, but it's the thought that counts.
Serenity swiveled the chair around with a broad grin on her face. "I
didn't. I just like saying that to empty rooms at dramatically
appropriate times. This is the first time it's worked, though..." She
was on the verge of giggling, but maintained her iron control.
Over the years she had developed a sort of friendship with the Senshi of
Time. Pluto tended to manipulate others into doing whatever she wanted,
but Serenity could usually out do her in these conversations, though it
was a great challenge.
For one of the few times in her extremely long existence, Pluto was at a
loss for words.
"So, do you know what's going on? We're not from this time line, are
we?"
The older Senshi recovered quickly, "No, you're not from this world."
"What took you so long to appear, anyway? I'd have thought you'd be
here to greet us when we showed up so you could yell at us about not
revealing anything about the future."
Pluto frowned. "As far as I can tell, your actions are not a danger to
the time stream."
That was a big surprise for Serenity. "Listen, we don't have time to
play games. We need the Silver Crystal. I'm certain that Mars and I
can handle it if we're the only Inner Senshi who made the trip, but
there is another task that has to be done." She gazed at Pluto
meaningfully.
"I take it you speak of Saturn."
"Yes. If our Hotaru is here, she may need help summoning Saturn's power
or breaking the hold of Master Pharaoh 90. I need you, Michiru and
Haruka to handle that while we gather the Rainbow Crystals."
Pluto nodded. "I've already seen to it that Michiru and Haruka are
scouting out the area. We'll make our move soon."
"Don't wait too long. I can't stop her if she goes out of control
without the Silver Crystal, but I'm certain that Hotaru has more than
enough control to break the evil ones' hold as long as nothing
intervenes. Just make sure that nothing stops her from getting her
chance."
"Is that all?"
"That's all I can think of at the moment. Do you know what the status
on the Dark Kingdom is?"
"It's breaking through slowly. The first scouts should be through the
gateways within a few days."
Serenity nodded. "That's more than enough time. This time, we're going
to fight this war right."
"If I may make a suggestion?"
"Always."
"Let the young ones fight for themselves. This is their world, and thus
their battle."
Serenity nodded again. "I know. But I'm not going to let them do this
alone."
"Is that all, my queen?"
"You always know more than you tell, don't you my dear Setsuna?"
"Not always, but telling too much can be just and dangerous as not
telling enough."
"Well, anything I should know?"
"Yes, be sure to be at the shrine tomorrow and you might want to take a
little vacation this weekend."
"Vacation? I assume you have arranged something?"
"Of course. There is a friend of mine who will be able to help you with
your problem."
"Problem?" Serenity asked. The Senshi of Time, however, was already
gone.
"Worse than Batman," Serenity mumbled to herself, though there was no
one around to hear it.