Disclaimer: I do not own anyone from "CardCaptor Sakura". They are all owned by the ladies of CLAMP who are much more talented than I. (smile) I also do not own anyone from "Sailor Moon". They are all owned by Takeuchi Naoko whose vision will live eternally. (smile) (Much to Elflina's dismay...) All other characters are my own. Feel free to steal them.
I do not hold chapters ransom for reviews, but I sure appreciate compliments, constructive criticism, and grammatical corrections. So if you feel like it, please press that little review button, and let me know what you think.
Wow! Four reviews this time! Including one new reviewer! Thanks, yaoifanboy! And greetings to Taeniaea, aserene, and Miss Takin. (smile) I hope this one will move a little faster for you. As for how big a part Helios will play... (wink) You'll have to wait and see. And now, will it be Pluto or Diana... Or someone else entirely... Enjoy, everyone! - Raya
Moonlit Sakura
Chapter 24 - Broken Watch
Standing watch at the Doors of Time, Super Sailor Pluto looked sadly across the hall. Once again, her thoughts were with her fallen comrades and her missing Queen. A slight movement out of the corner of her eye, however, quickly pulled her attention to the present. Tightening her hands on her Staff, she scanned the hall, and then turned to look in the direction of the movement.
"Luna?" she asked in surprise as she relaxed. "What brings you here?"
"Good afternoon, Pluto," the small, black cat replied softly, coming out of the shadows. "I didn't mean to distract you. I was just looking for somewhere to curl up for a while."
"A place to curl up?" Super Sailor Pluto asked a little confused.
"Mm… Small Lady is studying in her room, and I seem to be distracting her. I don't feel like going outside, and I can't… I just can't go in Serenity's rooms..," the despondent adviser replied. She bowed her head and sank lower to the ground as her loss overwhelmed her once more.
Quickly, Super Sailor Pluto stepped over to her, knelt down, and ran a comforting hand from her head to her tail. "Of course," she said with a voice full of understanding. "And I bet Small Lady is making all sorts of noise and commotion to avoid studying, so you can't even get in a nap," she continued with a small smile.
Luna leaned into the caress, and then looked up with a matching smile at the last comment. "She's just as bad as… as Usagi when it comes to studying these days," she said allowing herself to be distracted. "She did so much better back in the 20th century… I wonder what changed?"
"She's not trying to be perfect anymore," Super Sailor Pluto replied as she stood up to return to her preferred post. "And it brings her a little closer to her mother."
"Hmph. Closer? Seems to me, all it does is make them fight," Luna replied as she walked over to curl up in the shadows by the Doors.
"Mm-hmm," Super Sailor Pluto agreed, looking around the hall once again. "Just like the old days. I think she misses that."
"Maybe…" Luna said doubtfully. A long, comfortable silence fell between the two as Luna settled in for a nap and Super Sailor Pluto continued to watch both the Mists of Time and the entry hall.
Ami looked up as the Palace alarm rang once again. Turning to the central display, she saw a split screen showing two different scenes. She blinked in confusion as she saw Diana walk back into the Palace from the garden, but no sign of danger or concern. The scene on the other half of the screen quickly distracted her, however.
With a smile, she reached out and pressed the button to open the doors for Pallas and Helios. "At last," she said softly as she watched them enter the main entry hall. "But… How did Pallas-chan know?" she wondered.
When she saw Celeste approaching the couple, she quickly reached out and turned on the local microphone.
"How do you do? My name is Celeste d'Nuit. It's very nice to meet you," the pink-haired girl said softly as she bowed.
"Vital Ensoleillé," Vital replied politely with a bow. "It's nice to meet you also."
"Vital-san can understand the language that creep is using," Pallas interrupted excitedly. "He says it's some tribal dialect in Brazil!"
'Ah,' Ami thought with a nod. 'So, she didn't know. That makes more sense.' She stiffened as she fully realized what Pallas had actually said. 'He knows it? He can understand it?' She heard Celeste echo her surprise.
"If you don't mind me asking, how did you learn it?" Celeste asked trying to sound nonchalant.
Ami turned to look at Vital eager for his answer. 'Maybe he remembers something from his previous life after all?'
Vital gave his questioner a look, but replied politely. "My grandmother used to speak it. I haven't heard it in years, but I recognized it right off when Pallas-san's headphones started spouting it at me."
'And then again, maybe not,' Ami sighed to herself.
"I'm taking him to the blue music room," Pallas said looking from one to the other and chewing on her lower lip. "I figured Ami-san could join us there, and it has a lot of the equipment that we would need."
Ami nodded at this sensible suggestion. Quickly, she turned around and began to gather up her discs and papers.
"That's a real good idea. Let me call the others, and we'll all go together," she heard Celeste say. "June-chan? Bessa-chan? Meeting in the blue music room in five minutes."
Diana paused and looked behind her uneasily as she threaded her way though the Palace. She took a couple of deep breaths, but didn't smell anything unusual. She listened intently, but heard only her own breathing. Still, she couldn't shake off the hair-raising feeling that she was being followed.
'It must be my imagination,' she thought as she slowly turned to continue her walk. Even to herself, she didn't sound convinced. 'Pallas and the others are good, but they aren't that good. And no-one who wasn't born into the Silver Millennium can come into this section.'
As she spotted Super Sailor Pluto standing beside the Doors of Time, she sped up. "Pluto!" she called, trotting into the hall.
"Just my luck," King Necro mumbled with a grimace. "Not the Princess after all." Beside him, still held by the shoulder, King Wisp nodded with a matching grimace. As they approached the hall, however, they spotted the door that the senshi appeared to be guarding. King Necro looked down at his partner with a raised eyebrow and an evil smile. King Wisp grinned back up at him.
"We just have to wait for her to open that door," the boy said softly. "Then, we slip in and get her right in her own chambers. Perfect. Maybe take out a guard on the way, too." The two of them picked up their pace, trying to close the gap to make it easier for them to slip in behind the cat.
King Necro shook his head. "No, no guards. They have this nasty habit of getting in the way and foiling the mission. Just concentrate on the Princess."
"And the kitty," King Wisp added, eyes drifting back to the little grey cat.
King Necro sighed and rolled his eyes. "Yes, and the kitty…" They watched eagerly as the cat hurried towards the door.
Suddenly, Super Sailor Pluto stiffened. "Stop!" she called out, bringing her Staff around defensively.
Diana skidded to a halt in surprise. "Pluto?" she called out uncertainly.
"Blast," King Necro said coming to a halt and clenching his free had as the senshi stared directly at him.
As Ami walked towards the door, the alarm sounded again. Puzzled, she turned back to look towards the monitor. Her eyes widened as she saw Super Sailor Pluto swing her Staff around defensively, and Diana skid to a halt. Ami watched in shock as the Guardian of Time threw a Dead Scream attack over Diana's head. When it appeared to bounce off of thin air, her eyes narrowed again in sudden comprehension. Quickly, she reached for the all call alert on her communicator.
"Enemy detected at Pluto's post! Everyone hurry!"
Celeste, June, Bessa, and Pallas all jumped as Ami's voice came loudly out of their communicators. They all glanced nervously at Vital, and then huddled up together.
"What do we do?" Pallas whispered fidgeting uncertainly.
For a few seconds, they stood looking at each other silently. Finally, Celeste nodded. "No choice," she said resolutely. "He's too strong. They'll need us all." She looked over towards their guest. Vital was politely studying the craftsmanship of a nearby table.
"Vital-san," she called. He turned to face her. "Please stay here. We… We're in the support group, and we might be needed."
Vital held back a snort at this blatant lie. "Of course," he told her blandly. "I'm sure I can find plenty to look at. Good luck."
The girls nodded, relieved, and took off towards Pluto's secluded hall.
As Vital turned back towards the table, he felt a strong tug on his spirit.
'No… Puu…'
Quickly, he spun around looking for the woman who had cried out. As usual, there was no one around.
'She is here,' he thought to himself in amazement. Unthinkingly, he began to race after his four escorts. 'Where is she?'
"Ceres Power!" "Juno Power!" "Vesta Power!" "Pallas Power!" "Make-UP!"
Vital blinked in surprise and nearly stumbled as bright lights and loud noises filled the hallway. For a moment, he imagined he was sitting by the window in his grandmother's kitchen once more listening to a storm roll through the jungle. His eyes widened again when the lights died down and he saw four young senshi where the four girls had once been.
'Support team. Yeah, right,' he thought to himself, oddly amused and unsurprised. He frowned, however, when he realized that they were beginning to leave him in the dust. He ran as fast as he could, but he was unable to keep up. Fortunately, the tug on his spirit seemed to be coming from the same direction.
"Blasted, irritating guards!" King Necro fumed as he dropped the cloaking spell and upped the power on the shielding spell. "You're always in my way!"
Super Sailor Pluto ignored his grumbling, and quickly drew up another attack. "Chronos TYPHOON!" she yelled, using her staff to aim the Garnet Orb at the enemy. A swirling, garnet purple light flew across the hall and hit King Necro's shield. Diana crouched as close to the floor as she could, ears flat, too shocked to move.
"Useless," he sneered as the attack bounced off harmlessly. "When are you ladies going to learn that your attacks have no effect on me? Just stand aside, and I will let you live."
"Never," Super Sailor Pluto responded quietly, but firmly. "It is my duty to guard these Doors through all eternity. I'll never surrender them."
"Is she worth it?" King Wisp asked curiously, catching her gaze. "Is she really worth your life?"
Super Sailor Pluto gave him a puzzled look, but did not relax her stance. "She?"
King Wisp began to glow softly. "The Princess," he said softly, looking innocently curious. "Isn't your life as valuable as hers? More so? After all, you're a senshi. She's just a princess. A spoiled little brat, born into wealth and privilege. She never had to earn her position."
Super Sailor Pluto's eyes began to glaze over, but she did not relax her defensive stance. "Just a princess...? ... Spoiled... little...? ... Never...?"
King Wisp nodded, still holding her gaze. Stealthily, King Necro took out his wand. "Just a spoiled little princess who isn't worth a valuable life like yours. You should just step aside. Maybe go check on your fellow soldiers?"
Super Sailor Pluto slowly shook her head. "A spoiled little princess? Who never earned... Not worth...?" she asked again unable to take her eyes off the glowing child.
"Well, isn't she?" he asked encouragingly.
"Not in this millennium, or any other," the Senshi of Revolution replied, raising her staff. King Wisp blinked in shock as she shook off his attack. "Pluto Phantom SHOCKWAVE!" A half-circle of garnet purple light swept between the senshi and her attackers.
"DIANA!" Luna yelled as her daughter huddled down and put her paws over her head. "Diana, MOVE!"
Diana screeched as the shock wave lifted her up and tossed her unconscious to the floor a little to one side. King Necro's shield buckled, but held.
"Hey!" King Wisp yelled. "My cat!"
"No..." several voices wailed at the same time. Super Sailor Moon skidded to a halt, staring in shock at her wounded friend. Across the hall, her guardian senshi and Super Sailor Mercury also stopped and stared.
Luna raced across the hall, her eyes fixed on the man who had single-handedly ruined her life. "Why you..." she growled lowly. As she leapt into the air, claws outstretched to blind him and ruin his face, he raised his wand and threw his freeze spell at Super Sailor Pluto who stood directly behind her. Instantly, the little black cat was frozen mid-leap, and fell to the floor.
"You should have let us have the Princess," King Necro said tauntingly. "Now you will have to take her place." He began to wave his wand and chant the banishment spell.
"No!" screamed Super Sailor Moon, pulling out her Moon Rod.
"Vesta Dream BEAST!" Sailor Vesta yelled. Instantly, a flock of crows began to fly around the edge of his shield, cawing, pecking, and clawing.
"Juno Slashing VINES!" Sailor Juno yelled. Her vines began to attack the base of his shield.
"Pallas Torrential DOWNPOUR!" Sailor Pallas cried, attacking the top of his shield and attempting to wear it down.
"Ceres Flower ILLUSION!" Sailor Ceres cried, tossing her hands towards the open hall between Luna and Super Sailor Pluto. She frowned as her illusion failed to appear. Super Sailor Pluto was still quite obviously standing in front of the Doors. "What?" she asked in shock.
"Mercury Melodic SPRAY!" A spray of chiming ice crystals flew from Super Sailor Mercury's hands towards the middle of his shield, concentrating on a two foot diameter circle on the right side.
King Wisp looked curiously at the crows, then the ice crystals, and then turned his disappointed eyes back to the unconscious grey cat. King Necro ignored the attacks all together.
Feeling as if she were moving against a strong force field, Super Sailor Pluto moved her staff back to it's defensive position. Glancing at her beloved friend, she took a deep breath. "Pluto Time LOOP!" she called as loudly as she could.
From the Garnet Orb on the top of her staff, a thick ribbon of black light edged with glowing garnet began to unwind. Slowly, it bobbed and wove its way across the hall towards the orange-haired man. It dodged around the unconscious Diana and bounced over the frozen Luna.
"Rainbow Moon Heart-ACHE!" Super Sailor Moon yelled, spinning her Moon Rod and throwing her attack at King Necro's unprotected left side.
King Necro's eyes widened in shock as he felt his shield collapse yet again. Frantically, he made the last few passes with his wand and spat out the last words to the spell.
King Wisp jumped and wailed as several of Super Sailor Mercury's ice crystals tore into his arm. He yelled again as one of Sailor Juno's vines wrapped around his ankle and pulled him down. He flailed his arms as he fell, knocking into his partner. By chance, he pushed King Necro out of the way of Super Sailor Pluto's attack. The dark ribbon of light caught at his wrist and suddenly pulled tight. His eyes widened as in his mind he began to repeatedly cycle through his entire life.
Dancing to keep on his feet, King Necro somehow managed to complete his spell. Not waiting to see if it were effective, he dodged Sailor Vesta's crows, and teleported himself and King Wisp to safety.
Gritting her teeth against a sudden, tearing pain in her right arm, Super Sailor Pluto ground the staff into the floor of the hall. "Mercury... Quick!..." she gasped holding her staff tightly. "Trace them..."
Super Sailor Mercury was already typing furiously into her computer. The dark black and garnet ribbon continued to spin out from the Garnet Orb.
Super Sailor Moon cast an uncertain glance at Super Sailor Pluto, and then ran quickly to her fallen cat. "Diana. Diana!" she called, gently gathering the limp grey animal up into her arms.
"Di... a... na..." Luna choked, forcing herself to her feet. She collapsed again with a cry as two of her paws disappeared.
Super Sailor Moon quickly looked up. "No! Luna!" she cried, rising quickly to her feet. "Luna! Hold on! Don't go! Luna. Luna!"
Vital's heart leapt with excitement as he heard in real life the voice that had been haunting him the past few weeks. He came to a halt behind the four senshi he had been trying to follow, and then slipped around them into the room. His eyes widened as he saw a beautiful pink-haired senshi dressed in white with a cascade of miniskirts tinted with yellow, green, purple, and navy blue in the middle of the room desperately clutching two cats. "Luna, please..." he heard her sob again.
Gently, she laid the grey cat down, then rose with the black one in her arms and turned to face the senshi with the black miniskirt who held a giant, key-shaped staff. Quickly she crossed the hall to stand in front of her.
"Pluto..." she choked. "Did he...? Are you...?" She gasped as Super Sailor Pluto swallowed a scream, and a portion of her side disappeared. "Oh, Puu..." Super Sailor Moon choked back another sob. "I'm sorry, Puu... I should have gotten here faster. Puu..."
Super Sailor Pluto shook her head gently as tears rolled down her face. "No, Small Lady... It's... It's not your fault... Don't... don't cry..." The green-haired senshi collapsed to her knees, somehow keeping her staff upright.
"Puu!" Quickly, Super Sailor Moon scrubbed her hand across her face. "Pluto, please... Take Luna." Gently, she held out the cat who had already half faded away.
Super Sailor Pluto's eyes widened as she saw the black cat. "Luna?" She slid her hands down her staff, and then crooked an arm to make a nest for her fallen friend.
"She was in the way of the spell," Super Sailor Moon said as she gently laid Luna in the offered spot. "Just like... Just like Artemis."
Super Sailor Pluto's hands clenched tightly on her staff as a portion of her leg disappeared. She choked back another scream, and nodded. "I... I will protect her... She... will be... safe..."
Vital stared helplessly as the girl he had been searching for began to cry once more, and the senshi that she apparently loved dearly began to fade even more.
"The Doors..." Super Sailor Pluto said suddenly, and then screamed. Quickly, she bit it off. "The... Doors... Can't... be left... unguarded..."
"I will watch them for you," he said impulsively, suddenly stepping forward. "I will take up your post, Sailor Pluto."
All of the senshi turned and stared at him in surprise. "Vital-san!" Sailor Pallas breathed in disbelief. "Where did you come from!"
As her four guardians ran across the hall to gather protectively around her, Super Sailor Moon raised her hands to her lips in shock. "He... Helios?"
"At last..." Super Sailor Pluto sighed. Inside, her heart jumped for joy as she recognized both the man and the power that he held. Her young friend's love had finally been found. "At last... you have... come..."