Richforce: Here's the next chapter. Hope you enjoy it.

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Chapter 4: As time goes by

Most of the scouts and knights were back at the hospital, the girls were improving but they still weren't considered well enough to see visitors. Serena was pacing back and forth. "What are we gonna tell Madelyn? Her future parents have been taken prisoner by the same guy who put her here; I don't know how she may take that."

"We have to tell her." said Darien. "She deserves to know the truth."

"That she may cease to exist!?"

"She seems fine for now, whatever they want Hotaru and Anthony for, they want them alive."

Everyone else came out. "Wait, where's Trista and Gary?"

"They never showed up." said Mina.

"I thought we all agreed that we'd always be close enough to each other to help in case Draco attacks again." said Lita.

"They looked like they wanted to sort some things out on their own for a little while." said Miguel.

"Normally I'd leave them alone but their timing is defiantly not good." said Amy.

"Especially now that the Soulshields have left Earth in order to find other Senshi to help us." said Raye.

"I just hope they come back soon." said Ken.

---

Back at the Blackstar fortress Draco entered Merlor's lab. "And who am I to corner like a mouse today?"

"The guardians of Pluto are going to vulnerable, now is the time to attack them." said Merlor.

"I'd rather fight them all at once and be done with it."

"That is foolishness. We must not underestimate them."

"I need a challenge! What good is power and strength unless you can push their limits?!"

"You may be the leader of the Black Vanguard, but we can't take any chances. Vega has probably arrived at Romna by now, if Dolean has told him about Astra, then it's all over as soon as he gets back. We must quickly and carefully defeat the ones we need to and then release Astra."

"Very well, I'll do things your way." For now!

---

Trista sat on the same park bench she did the day Gary first awakened as a knight. "You ok?" Gary asked.

"It's almost time for me to take my place at the gates." Trista said. "Soon I'll forsake any semblance of a normal life so I can stand guard at my eternal post."

"And I with you remember?"

"I couldn't go to the hospital today. We may have no choice but to prevent Maggie's birth."

"No, there was to be a way we can save her as well."

"I believe that too."

Just then they heard clapping and turned to see the same black man in a trench coat that helped Trista before. "So you refuse to give up on your own dreams, good you both passed the test." He said.

"You again?!" said Trista. "You found out who we are?"

"I knew who you both were since the day you were born."

"Who are you?"

"People have called me your father, but the truth is I'm more like a father figure to you and your people."

"You're Cronos?!"

"Not exactly what you expected, I take this form when I want to keep a low profile."

"You said we passed a test, what test?" asked Gary.

"You've both been told that if time was to protected you'd both have to sacrifice your dreams and at some times the life or existence of another person. You opened your minds to the possibility that it might not be necessary to give up on someone, that you might be able to have your cake and eat it too." He then pulled out a small seed. "This is now yours."

"A seed."

"Before the fall of the Silver Millennium the guardians of the gates planted a tree at the Gates of Time; a tree that was sensitive to the ebb and flow of time. They were connected to this tree, it kept a continuous watch on time and if it sensed something was wrong it reached to guardians and they in turn responded. This seed is all that's left of that tree, plant it and you can fulfill your duties while living your own lives."

"You mean..." Trista started.

"You can chase your dreams and have a family."

"Let's plant it as soon as possible!" said Trista.

---

Vega was summoned to the Emperor's bedchambers; even before he first learned of his previous life he never considered Dolean his father, until now. He was never scolded or embraced by his father as a child; it seemed that the Emperor always put the affairs of state before his family; Vega believed that was what drove his present mother to an early grave. But now that Dolean was not expected to live much longer he felt as if he should make peace with him. Vega knelt next to Dolean's bed with only a nurse and a minister of the empire nearby. "Hello...Father."

"Vega, my son." Dolean said in a rasping voice. "It's as if only now, as I approach death's door, that I see the wrongs I have done to the people, to your mother and to you. I was blinded by ambition and swayed by words of flattery and poison to make such a mad grab at power. I never truly appreciated what you and your mother meant to me."

"It's ok; she forgave you long ago, as I do now."

"Vega, as you take the throne you must seek that ideal of yours, that kingdom of peace you told me about so many times."

"I'm so close father; Merlor has helped me find the Vault of Astra. As soon as..."

"No!" Dolean yelled surprising Vega.

"Father..."

"He has deceived you as well, Merlor that snake!"

"I don't understand."

"Vega, whatever happens, you must not let Merlor release Astra." It was then that Vega remembered feeling a presence from within the vault. "He must be mad with power lust to even consider such a plan."

"Father, who is Astra?"

"The second great evil."

"Another Chaos!"

"Similar, but different. Chaos sought destruction, Astra seeks control. If she is released the galaxy, perhaps even the universe will fall into unending bondage."

Vega took his father's hand. "I swear he will pay."

"I leave the Empire to you now. I... love... you...m...y...s...on..." Vega felt his father's grip slip away.

The minister then took a small crown and placed it on Vega's head. "Dolean has died, long live Vega, Emperor of Romna and its empire."

Vega looked at himself in mirror as he promised to himself that he would make sure that the next time he would see Merlor would be the last.

---

"Ready?" Trista asked.

"I think so." Gary said.

"Then let's do this."

"PLUTO ASTRAL POWER!"

"PLUTO NOBLE POWER!"

Sailor Pluto then raised her staff. "Open now Gates of time!"

They were transported to the gates. "I'll wait here." said Cronos. "Just in case somebody tries to use the gates."

"Ok." said Pluto Knight.

They went in and found a circle of soil. "Guess that's where we plant it."

Sailor Pluto planted the seed and suddenly a tree sprouted as soon as they stepped away from the soil.

"That was fast." said Pluto Knight.

"Let's see if Maggie is ready to hear the good news."

As they left Cronos landed at their feet with a thud. "Cronos!"

"I'm sorry, I couldn't stop him." said Cronos.

They looked up and saw Draco. "I hope you will provide more of a challenge than the old man did."

"We won't let you use the gates!" said Sailor Pluto.

"I'm not interested in the gates, just the gatekeepers."

"DANCING SWORD!"

Draco launched his attack which they narrowly escaped.

"PLUTO FURIOUS CYCLONE!"

"PLUTO TYPHOON BOOMERANG!"

"DARK REFLECTOR!"

Draco turned their attacks back at them. "And I haven't even warmed up yet."

"You won't win." said Sailor Pluto gasping for breath.

"I think I already have."

"DANCING SWORD!"

His attack left them unconscious; he then took out their starseeds and formed them into a dark green crystal orb with the symbol of Pluto hanging inside it. After he left the time gates while Cronos was starting to get up he was stopped by Sailor Moon. "Hold it."

"Sorry, but I must be going." He then teleported away.

"Come back and fight Draco!"

---

Merlor placed the Pluto orb in its slot. "This is taking too long, Dolean has died and Vega will be crowned soon. We have to get more orbs at once."

"I told you I should take them all on." said Draco

"That's still too risky."

"Actually I have a plan, the next time I take some of their comrades I'll start luring the rest into my trap."

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Richforce: What is Draco's trap and who will he be after next find out next time! Please review!