This is an A/U fic

I don't own Sailor Moon, I'm just a fan.

Sean.

Interlude

            The world around her exploded in a multitude of brilliantly coloured lights and once again she had the sensation of falling rapidly through the open skies. Garnet eyes stared unblinking as a thousands of years rushed past in and unless stream of life and death for all existence within the cosmos. It was all the same, from the brightest stars to lowest organism, nothing every changed, life began and life would and the universe would continue and it one day came to a halt.

A hundred life times she had lived in this solitary place, aging without growing old. Becoming wiser, stronger and more confident that she was before. But it did not make her arrogant. She knew that with great wisdom came a stronger responsibility. All she had seen and learned, a weaker Guardian would have surrendered into the temptation and sought to change what had been made by the three sisters who watched over all life would have broken a weaker person.

            She raised her staff to end her visions. She would not go so far, the Laws of Cronus would only allow her to know so much before that God intervened himself. The world around her was once more that pale slate with the Mists of Time rolling about her. She rapped the butt of her staff upon the floor thrice and Gates of the Futures were closed from all eyes once more.

She felt another in her realm and she slipped into a defensive stance. The person was neither her sister nor one of her servants. She sensed darkness about it, something so evil that it shunned the very light with its presence.

   "Halt," she called out in a ringing voice. "In the name of Queen Serenity, I command you to go no further."

The being did hold. She could sense that it was mocking her yet she refused to be baited. If she were to lash out, she could miss all that her visitor had to say.

   "You are the one chosen by the Moirai to stand as their champion." Her strange guest stated in a cool voice that was almost serpentine in its pitch.

  "I am she." Pluto replied, there was a note of challenge in her voice as she watched the person in the shadows move.

The dark head bowed slightly in acknowledgment. "But you are not a true daughter of Cronus. You were terran born in the life before this one."

Pluto silently began to summon her attack. "State your business shadow but do not stay long for you very presence does corrupt this sacred place or die here." She ordered.

Her visitor laughed, "Bold words from a traitor, Scathach."

She smiled grimly at the use of her ancient name. "It's been a long time since we last met." She lowered her guard, somewhat. "Why have you come here?"

She ignored the question in favor of her own. "I am put to wonder, does Gaia's heir know of you past deceptions, dear sister?" she asked innocently.

Pluto glared, "I never lied to anyone." She said coldly. "You were the one who sold her soul to the darkness and it was you who dared to challenge Gaia de Danaan for Terra's throne. Not I, Nephrenia of Melind. It was you who stormed Valhalla and desecrated the tomb of the Mother Goddess. Gaia de Danaan would have never let me into Atlantis had it been other wise."

Nephrenia smiled, her teeth gleaming wolfishly in the shadows. "You were my most fearsome warrior, Scathach. " She moved forward a step. "But you betrayed me and mine when you allowed Gaia's bastard arrest my daughter."

   "Gaia de Danaan was the High Queen and your Overlord." Pluto yelled at her. "My loyalty was to Terra and it's chosen, it was never to any of the lesser kings."

   "You are a traitor to Tuatha De Danaan." Nephrenia shouted back angrily. "You still deny what you had done when that mongrel stood before the Tuatha De Danaan and branded my daughter a witch."

   "The kings of old knew what Beryl had done." Pluto shot back, "She denounce Gaia and tried to slay the Prince." She glared at the woman embraced by the shadows, "Your daughter was just as mad as you and more crazed for power. She could have lived the rest of days in peace and happiness, but her obsession for Endymion and his throne destroyed her reasoning. She, like you, embraced the darkness and gave up her soul. Endymion, for he once cared for her, did spare your daughter's life…"

               "You were my knight." Nephrenia hissed, "It was you who should have protected my daughter and you should have done all to serve her. She was born for greatness. She was a princess."

            Pluto shook her head sadly. "You abandoned you daughter and let the darkness steal upon her." She told her. "We never knew what happened to your daughter, but now, I understand and pity Beryl—"

               "My daughter does not need you pity." Nephrenia spat.

               "She needed to be protected." She told her. "You gave your daughter to the Accursed One. You condemned Beryl to eternity of hell and for what purpose, Nephrenia?"

               "I know what you are about." Nephrenia hissed. "Yet it will not work. Gaia de Danaan betrayed us when she looked upon the white moon and saw the Goddess. Her treachery went further when she allowed the Guardian to plant his foul garden in Terra's breast. And she broke the convent by taking that Guardian as her husband and thus giving birth to that mongrel."

               "And what should our Queen have done?" Pluto demanded. "Should she have ignored the Solar System while it was at war? Should Terra have pretended not to see the destruction that plagued the stars as it waited for a fate worst than death fall upon us?"

              "It was not our war." Nephrenia cried. "Helios started it…"

            Pluto held up her left hand to stop her, "The Evil was coming to Terra wither Helios came or not." She reminded her, "It was coming. Fedelma herself saw the evil and warned Gaia of it approach. The Council, led by your own cousin, urged our Queen to make peace with Venus and to join Queen Selene in defending the Universe."

               "Medb was a fool." Nephrenia growled. "And our planet would have survived."

            Pluto shook her head, "Terra would have surly fallen if all the planets fell. We had no Senshi, our Queen was not battle trained on the same scale as the other rulers of the Solar System and she as well as Terra would have been pulled apart by the Accursed One."

               "So you say," Nephrenia said as she turned away from Pluto, her gown rustling slightly. "But what if all you know was a lie, Scathach?" Pluto stance was wary, but Nephrenia sensed her curiosity. "Come to us, my sister and my master will show all that the Selene's heir denies you."

Pluto raised a brow questioningly. "Your master?"

   "My master would like to meet you, Scathach." Nephrenia said. 

Pluto drew in a sharp breath. "The Accursed One." She hissed.

  "Aye, the true master of this Solar System and the one who shall conquer Elysium, Chaos."

Nephrenia nodded slowly. "The one and the same, Scathach."

Pluto raised her staff, "My name is Dirae." She told her. "A blessing from Cronus when he claimed me as his daughter."

   "You are my warrior and sister," Nephrenia cried, "I will forgive you all your past transgression and for the betrayal of my daughter if you will just come to my Master."

               "I will never turn my back on my Queen, Nephrenia," Pluto shouted. "I will not bear the same mark as you, traitor of Terra and Tuatha De Danaan," Pluto said sharply. "You dared to attack our Queen and the heir and abandoned your daughter. And you dare to lay the blame at feet." She yelled at her. "Get thee away, Witch."

            Nephrenia drew back as the planetary symbol of Pluto appeared on the Guardian's brow.   She raised a trembling hand to shield her eyes as Pluto came forward.

Nephrenia hissed, "You are the servant of Death."

   "I am the Guardian of Time." Pluto told her. "I am the servant of all the Gods and I protect Cronus realm."

But Nephrenia was not be discouraged. "And you would be happy in such a low position? A slave to Helios' heir and cruel Cosmos?"

Pluto looked at her coldly. "The answer is no. Scathach is dead and you will too if you do not leave right now."

   "You can't deny Chaos." Nephrenia told her. "When this is over, we shall be in the light and all your paltry Gods will fall at my master's feet."

   "No, Nephrenia," Pluto said gravely. "Cosmos will be the victor. Your master knows this which why you are here."

   "You know nothing," Nephrenia almost screamed at her. "Chaos will make you a God."

Pluto had enough. She leveled her staff at Nephrenia's body. "Dead Scream." She whispered. Before the attack could make contact. Nephrenia disappeared. Leaving a trail of darkness in her wake and it too dissipated like smoke. 

She had now had her first contact with the darkness, which threatens to consume the light of her Universe.

            Dirae, formerly Patricia Haruna, now understood all that was required of her station. She would not be weak and surrender into her worst fears as her sister had done. She would stand strong at Cosmos side and seal away the evil.

            The door to the chamber opened and a bright light flooded inside. She felt a power that would dwarf all others, but there was a love and gentleness that surrounded her and she smiled.

               "Dirae," Cosmos called to her, "You have passed your final test. It is time for your return."

Yes, I know this was short, but I've been hanging on to this for a while now.

Chapter Eleven will be out as soon.

Remember: NO FLAMES, IF YOU DON'T LIKE THIS DON'T READ IT.