The portal closed behind her.
Finally, she was home. It felt so right to be here.
Trista did tell her friends this time, and with much understanding, they told her it was okay to go but to return soon, before Christmas, preferably. She didn't tell them she was mostly to going away to see Hades; she omitted that detail from her stories. How odd would it be to tell her friends that she was (possibly) in a relationship with the Lord of the Underworld? Talk about awkward…
Trista, now transformed as Sailor Pluto, strode over towards the castle. She watched Hades as she walked. He was just returning to shore with an empty boat. There was no line of spirits waiting; Hades must have had a slow day. As he landed on shore, he jumped out and tied the boat to the small black dock. "There, now! Short ride for sure," he commented. He turned around, only to jump back at the sudden appearance of Pluto. "Pluto! It is good to see you! You are here much sooner than I expected. You would think Fate would tell me these things…come, let us go to the castle. I'd like to hear about your time away." Hades wrapped his arm around one of Pluto's arms, and together, arm in arm, they walked to the castle together.
"You missed me?" Pluto asked quietly.
"You are asking me that? Of course I missed you my dear. You are a light in the midst of all this darkness. Tell me, how are your friends doing? Is Princess Serena all right?"
Sailor Pluto nodded and together the couple chatted about the scouts while the stone doors of Hades's home opened. As they reached the subject of what had happened as soon as Trista entered the apartment, Hades stopped in his tracks.
"Yes, of course, your birthday! Fate whisked you off before I could even give you your gift!" With that, Hades ran off down a nearby corridor. Pluto blushed and hung her head. What on Earth is Hades up to, she wondered. I can't believe he remembered…after all these years…?
Hades returned, holding a silver helmet in his hands. In the front center of it was a large garnet. The helmet itself had a shield that could slide down. It reminded Pluto of a cross between an old Greek helmet and one from the Dark Ages. Hades held it out to her. "I'm sorry that this is all I have to give. Fate doesn't see the need for me to go to Earth, and Oracle claims that it would be selfish to even consider doing so."
"Oracle?"
"Ah, that's right, I didn't get to introduce the two of you. She does not get out much herself…she came out right after you left, saying…ah well that's for another time. Anyway, this helmet was once mine, given to me by a Cyclops. It is yours now, my dear—use it wisely."
Pluto stared at the shiny helmet in her hands "What does it do?"
"It turns the wearer invisible," Hades answered.
Pluto gasped. "Oh…I remember now…your legendary helmet…it is said you once lent it to Perseus to kill Medusa…"
Hades nodded. "You remember the story. This is no myth though—it is yours to keep.
Pluto shook her head. "But—I couldn't, it's yours."
Hades chuckled. "You already stole my heart, what's a helmet?"
Pluto's cheeks turned red.