The pain that wracked Hotaru's body was suddenly released and blackness overwhelmed her. After what felt like many hours, she opened her eyes to find herself still in the underworld. This was not the same blackness where she had been with Lord Sesshomaru and Kohaku. This was a place where only guards and guardians could tread. Around her were many of the same beings she had known so long ago; Hades and Persephone, Cerberus, Mors, Shikome, Charon, Yama, Aqen, Lucifer, Osiris, and too many others to count. Gods and goddesses from every pantheon surrounded her. Beings from every realm of the underworld stood by to watch. In front of all of them stood Queen Dione.
Hotaru sat up. She stared at the woman who had once been her mother.
"Welcome back, my love." Dione said. She smiled at Hotaru. "It's been so long."
"Two lifetimes..." was all Hotaru could manage to say.
Hotaru remembered her past life better than any of the other senshi. This visit to the underworld had brought all of those memories to the forefront of her mind, but the fact remained that she hadn't been Princess Rhea in a very long time. Part of her wanted to run forward and embrace this woman. Another part of her warned against confusing Rhea's desires with Hotaru's instincts. Rhea was dead. Hotaru was someone else entirely.
"Even now your presence isn't right." Said a beautiful woman behind Dione. She was dark skinned with deep red eyes. Her resemblance to Setsuna was so strong Hotaru immediately recognized her as the previous Sailor Pluto, Setsuna's mother, Kore. "The Sailor Guardians who fell to your silence shouldn't have been reborn for another five hundred years, yet here you are. Time has warped around you."
"Yes, Pluto's garnet orb transported me here."
"Have you realized why?" Kore asked. Hotaru shook her head, she hadn't even realized there was a reason. She assumed it was a random accident. "Time is damaged. Events that are unfolding now should have never happened in the earth's natural timeline. If left unchecked, the future you know may never come to pass. It's not a coincidence that you were brought to this time. You were brought here to set time right once more."
"Does this have anything to do with the Shikon Jewel?" Hotaru asked.
"Yes." Dione answered. "A relic that should have never existed."
"Am I supposed to destroy it?"
"Not by yourself." Dione replied. "But your abilities will become vital in its destruction."
"How will I know when time is on track again? How will I know when I've done it? What if I go home too soon?"
"Will not be returning to your home." replied Kore.
"What?" Hotaru said.
"Your destiny..."
"Kore..." warned Dione.
"She must know, Dione. You agreed." a voice behind them said.
"I know, Sedna. But I should be the one to tell her." Dione replied. She took Hotaru's hand. "My darling..."
"I'm going to die." Hotaru said, quickly realizing there was only one way this conversation could go.
"You've always been so perceptive." Dione said. She looked at her daughter with sorrowful eyes.
"There wouldn't be any other reason for you to bring me here." Her heart was beating very fast and she felt a lump rising in her throat. She had to struggle to remain calm. "How?"
"We cannot tell you that."
"When?"
"Before spring's end."
Hotaru couldn't respond. It was February when she left home, though it could be March by now, it was hard for her to keep track. Either way that didn't give her much longer than three months.
She was never going to make it home. She would never see Setsuna, Haruka, or Michiru again. Her parents were lost to her forever. She would never even get to say goodbye. They would never know what happened to her. Pain hit her like a physical blow. It took all of her will-power to stay standing. She clenched her fists and jaw to keep herself from allowing her emotions to overwhelm her.
"We know that you are young." Kore said, "We would not ask this of you if we had another option, but we cannot leave the fate of the world up to chance."
Hotaru nodded.
"I am Sailor Saturn." She said quietly. "I've understood what that meant since I was eight-years-old."
"Our strength goes with you, my love." Dione told her. "You will not walk alone."
Author's Note: Hello, again, I really hope you're enjoying. We're starting to get to the parts of this story that I'd written years ago and have just been sitting around on my computer. I honestly think I wrote this chapter back in 2015 or something. Some of the chapters coming up might be a little bit older. As always I hope you're all still healthy. Please Review.