Chapter 12 - A Senshi's Flight

Sailor Pluto lie on the ground, sobbing. She had lost everything even her will to live. She could feel the world around her crumble. Kaiyo is dead and it was all her fault. And now, the whole world will suffer and the princess whom she swore to protect will be the next one to leave her. Determined to end her life, Pluto heavily got up and walked towards the door to the time dimension. She gently opens it and stared at the black hole of time.

"This is it...This is my destiny." she uttered. She spreads her arms and closed her eyes.

As she was about to jump through the portal, her garnet rod gave out a bright shine that pulled her back in. Pluto looked at her rod which is now floating. The garnet stone gave out another light that was so blinding that made Pluto cover her eyes with her arm.

"This is not your destiny." a strong-deep voice said.

"W...Who are you?" Pluto asked.

"I am he who guards time and space." the voice replied.

Pluto's eyes widened as she realized who was talking to her, "Chronos."

"My child, I've heard your cry. Why are you giving up?" he asked.

"I've killed everyone. I can't save this world. I can't save her." Pluto cried.

"We cannot change our past, no matter how much we want to but it doesn't mean we can't save our future. There is still time. This is not your destiny, my child. This is just a journey that you must take. Obstacles will come your way and you must overcome them." Chronos remarked.

"How? How could I live with what I've done?" she asked.

"It will be hard, I've tried to hide from you...I made it so that you remember nothing about this memory but no matter how much we run, we can't hide from our past. You can rise up from this turmoil. You are a child of revolution. Take your place in history." he answered.

With that, the light was gone. The garnet rod remained afloat. Pluto wiped her tears and stood up. "I am the soldier of revolution...I will take my place in history." she uttered strongly. She grabbed her rod and was transported out of that portal and into a grave yard.

oo00oo

Seiya runs through the streets of a city in ruin. Every corner seems to be another long block. He's been running around for hours and still couldn't find his way out. It seemed like no matter how fast he runs, he won't be able to leave. As he ran through an alley, he bumps into a familiar blonde.

"Uranus!" Seiya exclaimed but Uranus kept on walking. The once proud soldier walked away like there was a huge boulder on her shoulders. Seiya chased the zombie-like soldier and blocked her way.

"Uranus...What happened? Where are the others?" he asked. Uranus looked at him, her eyes were emotionless. Tired and annoyed, Seiya slapped the soldier of the sky.

"Snap out of it!" he exclaimed.

"Leave me alone!" Uranus pushed him away but the starlight just grabbed her and pinned her on the wall.

"If you don't snap out of it, I swear to God I'm going to hurt you!" he implored.

Uranus just gave a smirk, "You wouldn't understand."

"Then make me." Seiya retorted.

Uranus pushed the starlight off her. Her hands were balled into a tight fist. Her jaws tightened in anger.

"No one understood me. I wanted to runaway...to be free. I was mad at the world for no reason at all. I was lost. And now here I am, destined and everything. Trying to save the world...the world I tried so hard to runaway from." Uranus explained.

"Underneath it all, you're just a pitiful soul." Seiya shook his head as he looked at the Sailor scout who was powerful that him.

Uranus glared at him, "What?"

"Running away...that really is your talent, huh? Look at me I'm miserable...you don't even know what misery is." he answered.

Uranus ran towards him and tried to beat him but Seiya blocked every move. "Look at yourself...You can't even hit me." he taunted.

Uranus cried out in anger and attacked him again. At the last punch, Seiya grabbed her arm and twisted it and pinned her on the wall.

"You wanna know what misery is? Misery is going back to your world only to find out that whatever you do, you can't get over the one person you love. Misery is knowing that, that person chose someone else. Misery is finding out that she was betrayed by the person who claimed to love her." he lets Uranus go. "That's what misery is. God, you're lucky you have Neptune. I have nobody."

"That's not true." Uranus gained her composure and stared at the starlight. "You still have your friends...and you still have me." Uranus offered her hand. Seiya smirked and accepted it. Right then, the once enemies are now allies.

"We better look for the others." Seiya suggested. Uranus nodded her head and they both ran towards the dark palace when Uranus stopped dead on her tracks. A wave of fear overwhelemed her body, her heart pounded so fast that it hurt.

"What now?" Seiya asked, looking annoyed.

"Michiru...we have to find her." Uranus replied. Seiya looked at her, understanding that something bad has happened to Michiru. The streets of the city disappeared and they were back in the dark hallway and on the corner, a single door.

oo00oo

They open the door. It was the bedroom that Uranus was in earlier. Where she saw Michiru with another guy. She shook the images off her head. She knows that Michiru had a past before her and she couldn't change that. All she knows is that they have a deep connection and nothing will ever break them apart...not even death.

Seiya looked around and saw the green-haired girl lying on the floor near the bed. "Michiru!" he called out.

Uranus rushed to her side. "Michiru...Michiru."

"Is she...?" Seiya's voice trailed off at the thought of her dead.

Uranus, with a solemn look on her face, cradled her lover and genlty shook her to wake up. "Michiru, please wake up."

Seiya, feeling defeated, sat on the bed. His hand ran over his face is exasperation.

"Michiru...wake up...please. Michiru, I need you...I want you here because...because I'm afraid." Tears began to fall from her eyes and into Michiru's face. She hugs her lovers' lifeless body. "I'm sorry...I'm sorry, I didn't mean to run."

"Uranus...we-we have to go." Seiya whispered as he placed his hand on her shoulder.

Uranus picked her lover up and placed her on the bed. She takes Michiru's hand, "Wait for me. I'll see you again." she kissed her lover for the last time and left the room before it totally closed behind them.

oo00oo

"Uranus! Seiya!" Pluto called out as she makes her way to them.

"Pluto? What are we doing here?" Seiya asked. He looked around and sees grave markers and mausoleums.

"I don't know. Something brought us here." Pluto replied.

Uranus began to look around when a strange noise caught her ear. She followed the noise to a newly covered grave.

"What's that?" Pluto asked.

"I don't know but someone's under there." Uranus replied.

"Buried alive?" Seiya questioned. He's not liking any of this. Uranus looked around and saw a couple of shovels near another grave marker. As she takes the shovels, she noticed the name in the marker - Yanagi Tomoe, Beloved wife and mother. Her eyes widened in realization. She rushed to where Pluto and Seiya is and began to dig like crazy.

"Uranus...what is it?" Pluto asked.

"It's Hotaru." she replied.

"What?" Seiya asked.

"It's Hotaru...she's down there!" Uranus exclaimed. Seiya and Pluto grabbed the other shovels and began to dig ferociously. After digging their hearts out, they reach the coffin. Uranus opened the coffin and sees Hotaru inside, scared. Uranus carried Hotaru out of the coffin and handed her to Seiya.

"Hotaru...are you ok?" Seiya asked.

"I-It's not my fault. I didn't kill her." Hotaru sobbed.

"Who?" Pluto asked.

"My mother...I didn't kill her." Hotaru cried. In Seiya's arms, she was like a baby. Shivering and scared.

"You didn't kill her Hotaru. It's not your fault." Seiya said.

"Don't blame yourself for this, Hotaru. Whatever happens, we'll always be here for you." Uranus smiled slightly. She needs to put on a brave face for Hotaru. Seiya uses his shirt and wipes the tears off Hotaru's face.

"We better go." Pluto suggested. They helped Hotaru up and walked out of the portal. They're back in the dark hallway and Hotaru transformed into Sailor Saturn.

"Now, we have to find Michiru." Pluto said. Seiya looked at Uranus.

"She's..." Seiya started.

"She's resting. Let's not get her." Uranus finished. Seiya looked away.

"We have to get her. We need her..." Pluto was interrupted when Seiya placed his hand on her shoulder and shook his head. Pluto realized what has happened and nodded.

Uranus looked down, she could feel tears forming in her eyes. Suddenly, she feels someone holding her hand. It was Sailor Saturn. Uranus smiled and nods. The three outer senshi and the fallen starlight, ran through the hallway, hoping to get out and save the world and their princess. They're determined, more than ever, to defeat this new darkenss.