Seiya sat behind Serena and watched her closely, there was something about the blonde he couldn't quite put his finger on. There was something so familiar yet so different at the same time and it was driving him insane not knowing what it was or why he found himself so drawn to her.
"Will you stop looking at her like she's something to eat?" Yaten mocked the man from beside him, "you might start scaring the girl."
"She reminds me of the princess," Seiya stated quickly.
"She's not our princess," Yaten answered with a frown, "I'm beginning to think she might not be here."
"We've got that show in town tonight maybe we will find her there," Seiya looked at the girl infront of him once more. "I think we should get to know her."
"Your time should be dedicated to the mission at hand and not some human girl."
"Hey Meatball Head!" Seiya tapped the girl infront of him on the shoulder ignoring Yaten, when she didn't respond he poked her harder with the back of his pen.
"What the hell Seiya!" Serena yelled interrupting the class; the teacher gave her a stern warning before returning back to the board to continue lecturing from her textbook. "What was that for?"
"Join me for lunch today," Seiya told her.
"Do I have a say in this at all?" Serena asked, "Because you've done nothing since you came here but call me names and now you expect me to drop everything and eat my lunch with you?"
"Can we not make amends?" Seiya asked.
"Miss Tsukinio, What do you think the author meant by Ever has it been that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation," the teacher asked interrupting their conversation. "Unless you would like to answer instead Mr Kou?"
"True love holds even through the longest separations, in short separation makes the heart grow fonder?" Serena asked the teacher with a small smile on her face knowing that she understand the meaning completely, the teacher mumbled a response but left the two along once again returning to her lecture.
When the class finished Seiya followed Serena out the door leaving Travis to watch after them. He watched as Yaten walked out with Taiki, the two looked as focused on Seiya and Serena as he had been.
"He's going to blow the whole plan if he gets involved with that girl," Travis heard Yaten tell Taiki. "She's not who we are after."
"You don't sense it about her?" Taiki asked, "He is right, there is something about her." The two men paused when they sensed Travis behind them; Travis quickly moved passed them down the hall unsure of what to make of what he heard.
"Hey you!" Crystal's voice called as she ran up to him wrapping her arms around his waist. "You walked right past me."
"Sorry Crystal," Travis apologised without looking at her, "Did you see where Seiya went?"
"I don't like him," Crystal said quickly. "I know, I know, I was in love with him a few days ago, but he really gives me the creeps. He keeps watching me like he's waiting for something or he knows me."
"What do you mean?" Travis asked grabbing her hand and leading her down the hall where she pointed for Seiya making their way into the main courtyard.
"I had a weird dream last night, some of the Sailor Scouts were there and this weird looking witch who looked like a cat, then these three scouts I'd never seen before," Crystal said honestly, "But that wasn't the weirdest part, it was when I swear I saw him in my room going on about something called a star seed." Crystal felt Travis stiffen next to her and became concerned. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah," Travis pulled her close under one arm and hugged her tight. "I love you."
"I love you too," Crystal looked up at him as he kissed on top of her head. "But why the sudden sweet talk, not that I mind."
"I just wanted to let you know."
It didn't take long from the final bell for everyone to meet at the temple as arranged that morning, the only person missing was Setsuna who had gone back to Crystal Tokyo to check in with Serenity after the previous night's events. Amara watched Serena carefully as she paced back and forth infront of them.
"For Christ's sake Serena, will you just tell them?" Reenie said agitated from her spot beside Helios who was wearing a pair of jeans and a shirt he borrowed from Travis to allow him to blend in a bit more.
"We already know things are serious because Helios is here," Amy pointed out, "so whatever you have to say just say it."
"Darien never made it to Stanford," tears formed in her eyes as she spoke, "I got a call from the University, the airline says he was never on the plane."
"He's got to be okay, Reenie is still here," Mina pointed at the pink haired girl sitting opposite her, "how could he disappear?"
"That's not all," Serena reached her hand into her space pocked and pulled out the golden crystal; it still wasn't glowing as brightly, "his crystal came to me last night, its slowly getting dimmer."
"All your crystals stay with the bearer until death," Helios explained, "Sailor Aluminium Siren attacked me at Elysian not long after it returned to me. I cannot explain why it came back if the prince is alive."
"They are after star seeds; do you know who is after these things?" Lita asked.
"Luna and Artemis might be better at explaining this than I could," Helios started, Luna jumped up on the ledge next to him.
"You start, I'll let you know what I remember," Luna added, everyone moved closer to listen to the priest's story with Amara and Michelle standing in the back with Hotaru.
"You all remember the Silver Millennium," Helios started with everyone nodding in response they understood; "Neptune, Uranus, Pluto and Saturn were guardians of the outer planets but also the overall security for this universe. Queen Serenity gave them the responsibility of defending all the planets from visitors and ensuring the safety of each planets inhabitant."
"So you mean like a fancy customs each country has here?" Amy asked, "Only on a larger scale?"
"Right on Amy," Artemis congratulated, "When Beryl attacked it wasn't a surprise attack as you were led to believe."
"Queen Serenity was in regular communications with Neptune, Uranus, Saturn and Pluto, all entries to the universe were made known to each kingdom in the universe."
"You girls were all rescued when your home planets were destroyed at the hands of Galaxia, that is why you were all living on the moon palace," Luna explained knowing that these memories were not going to be pleasant.
"How did our planets get destroyed?" Raye asked trying not to show her distress at the news.
"I don't remember Amara and Michelle being on the Moon during the final battle," Lita said softly, "Is it possible we've not regained that memory completely?"
"Pluto, Neptune, Uranus, Saturn, Jupiter and Venus had been destroyed, you girls were brought to the Moon for your own safety," Artemis continued. "Helios was deeply involved in the security process put in place by the Earth Kingdom at this point to ensure you were all protected."
"When Beryl led the attack on the moon she wasn't alone, she was controlled by an evil we assume was Galaxia. When Queen Serenity sent you all to the future, she banished Galaxia from this universe," Luna jumped up and got closer to Serena. "She didn't know Galaxia would come back, her power was supposed to heal her; it's clear now that it didn't work. Serena, I'm sorry that it has come to this right now."
"It's not your fault Luna," Serena answered gently, "No one could have known that Galaxia would still be around or that she would return to finish what she started. All we can do is prepare ourselves as best as possible." She turned to Amara and Michelle. "When Setsuna gets back from Crystal Tokyo I want her to come see me, I want answers and she will give them to me."
"Anyone would think she was our leader," Raye sneered.
"Give her a break Raye," Mina defended, "She's really trying here, and you know how she gets when things start affecting her family."
"What about the Sailor Starlight's?" Amy asked as Hotaru narrowed her eyes. "Do you recall them?"
"The Sailor Starlight's," Hotaru recited as if a book she'd learnt a long time ago. "Three powerful women that were chosen to defend princess Fireball on the planet Kinmoku in another galaxy."
"Sailor Star Fighter, Star Maker and Star Healer," Amara finished for the scout of destruction. "I remember them, but only very briefly on a visit with Queen Serenity."
"They came to the moon?" Travis asked, "What else do you remember of them?"
"They kept to themselves and never stayed in our universe long, they were always just passing through but Fireball was on good terms with the earth kingdom." Michelle smiled at the group now intrigued at the conversation they were involved in. "Are the Starlight's here?"
"We've fought with them twice," Mina answered, "they are strong."
"We should concern ourselves with Tin Nyanko though; she seems to be the direct threat right now and Aluminium Siren who we met in Elysian." Amara spoke, "we need to kick up our training."
"Alright," Serena cut in, "Let's be on the lookout for anything strange, we need everyone to be on guard with their eyes open we need to figure out what star seeds they are after. It's not a solution but at least it is a start."
The girls all went their separate ways after the meeting, Raye, Mina and Hotaru caught a movie while Lita went back to her apartment to do some baking. Reenie went with Helios to the park much to Serena's dismay but Travis' insistence. Amy, Amara and Michelle decided to compile their knowledge together to see if they could come up with anything plausible for the issue at hand. Serena decided to go to the arcade for a bit which left Travis with the guardian cats.
"No plans Travis?" Luna teased, "I thought you of all people would be in a rush to get out of here and to Crystal."
"Have you sensed anything weird about those new guys at school?" Travis asked changing the subject.
"You mean that band that Mina has been going crazy over?" Artemis asked with a smirk, "If I have to hear one more song I'll scratch out my own ears."
"I have a weird feeling about them; do you think you guys could get Apollo and scope them out for a bit? See if you spot anything abnormal?"
"You're serious?" Luna asked looking at the young man, for a moment she saw resemblance from his father, King of the Sun. "Alright, we will see what we can come up with, regroup and go from there."
"They have a show at the arena, all the girls are going so it should be easy to stakeout," Travis suggested.
"Meatball head," Seiya asked stepping away from the video game he had been playing. "What brings you here?"
"Hi Seiya, Taiki, Yaten," Serena greeted each man politely trying to ignore their little fan base that was growing bigger just outside the windows. "I should be asking you the same question. Don't you have celebrity things to do?"
"Not for another hour or so," Yaten answered with a smile, at Seiya's insistence Yaten and Taiki had decided to play nice with Serena; they couldn't help but agree that they had felt something strange about her too.
"Then its hair and make-up before sound check," Taiki smirked at the blonde girl, "you should tag along."
"I wouldn't be in the way?" Serena asked signalling to Andrew for her usual order.
"You'd never be in the way meatball head, now; do you want to challenge me to Sailor V?" Seiya asked and Serena's eyes went big. "These two wimps can't seem to keep up."
"Game on!" Serena said cheerfully racing to the other side where the control sticks were. The two were caught in a close match after ten minutes when Serena found herself merely inches from the screen not wanting to give up her leading point score. 'Come on Serena, you can do this.' she thought to herself.
"Yes!" Seiya shouted victoriously as Serena dropped her head to the control panel the moment her sprite fell and died losing her last life.
Serena hit the console with her fist in frustration. "What the hell?"
Seiya was about to say something when a scream was heard from the kitchen of the arcade. Serena's head shot up and she got to her feet moving to the kitchen where she knew Andrew was working - hopefully on her milkshake. She screamed when she found him on the floor in a heap with Sailor Iron Mouse standing over him.
"Rat hair, get away from him," Serena shouted causing the white scout to turn around.
"It doesn't matter, I'm all done, and Phage come forth!" Sailor Iron Mouse shouted, "Take care of these humans and get all the star seeds you can so we can move on."
Rising out of the ground a figure stood infront of them, the body resembled Andrews but was bright red with blue dress pants and a purple shirt. "Sailor Service reporting for duty!" the phage shouted.
"Andrew!"
Sailor Service quickly moved its arm forward like it was about to hold a disc. "FLYING PLATE ATTACK!" A series of glass plates flew towards Serena, reacting quickly she ducked to avoid the glass smashing on her. Sailor Service moved quickly to attack her again. Another series of plates flew for her, this time faster, Serena felt a pressure to her side and her body rolled out of the way almost hitting into the solid of the wall.
"Are you okay?" a feminine voice asked, Serena looked up to find Sailor Star Fighter cradling her. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah I'm fine," Serena confessed, "Look out!" Sailor Service had started powering up for another attack.
"STAR SERIOUS LASER!" Sailor Star Fighter was up and readying her laser attack towards Sailor Service which was then followed by "STAR GENTLE UTERUS!" and "STAR SENSITIVE INFERNO!"
Serena used this as her opportunity to escape and call the others; she flicked the button on her watch.
"All scouts to the arcade now!" A series of 'on my ways' and 'right' were heard before she reached for the broach on her bow grabbing it and thrusting her hand in the air.
"MOON ETERNAL, MAKE UP!" With a burst of light and pink ribbon Sailor Moon stood proudly, she found the Starlight's dragging the Phage out of the main service area and away from the innocent people in the arcade who had all cowered in fear. She found the Starlight's cornered against a wall where Service had them trapped between giant cutlery pinning them in place.
"STARLIGHT HONEYMOON THERAPY KISS!" Her attack went flying for Sailor service knocking it straight to the ground.
"VENUS LOVE & BEAUTY SHOCK!"
"CRESCENT MOONBEAM STRIKE!"
The two attacks flew towards Sailor Service again while Sailor Mercury and Jupiter jumped down to help free the starlight's. "Quick Sailor Moon, while it's down." Mercury instructed.
"SILVER MOON CRYSTAL POWER KISS!"
The phage disappeared and Andrew's star seed regained a sparkle before sinking back into his body. The Sailor Starlight's stood up quickly next to Mercury and Jupiter muttering quick words of gratitude. Sailor Moon joined Crescent Moon and Sailor Venus to stand infront of the three. She held out her hand directly to Star Maker who stood infront of her. The three women just looked at her open hand with confusion.
"Let's have a truce?" Moon suggested, "I understand you want to do things your own way, but we need to know if it comes down to it that we have your back and vice versa. What do you say?"
Star Fighter looked between each woman on each side of her. Slowly she shook hands with the girl, "this doesn't mean we are going to be friends, but it seems we both have something to protect."
"We do," Moon said with a smile as Crescent Moon stood closer to her.
"Isn't Candy Hair a little too young to be fighting?" Star Fighter teased, "Shouldn't she be in day care?"
"I'll have you know I'm very mature for my age!" Crescent Moon shouted in her defence not appreciating the tone the scout had used.
"Til next time Sailor Scouts," Star Healer said as the three left them alone.
Travis was adjusting to living with his sister; his guardian Darien Jacobson had been supportive of the Travis house sitting with Serena. But it was still times like this when he was alone and able to think that he enjoyed. His thoughts went mostly to the battles they've fought in the last week and his interest was piqued with all the talk of star seeds. The air started to warm up on the balcony making the teenager go inside and put on the air conditioning before making his way to the kitchen to make dinner.
"I remember living here, was for a bit longer than expected," a deep voice boomed, Travis turned around quickly and paused. Standing infront of him was none other than his future self, King Tranquility. "Of course it's nothing like the Sun Kingdom, but our brother always did like things simple."
"Just help yourself in, it's okay," Travis teased glancing at the older man infront of him in a similar outfit to what he was wearing. "So my dress sense still hasn't changed then?"
"Did you really expect it to?" Tranquility asked with a laugh.
Travis narrowed his eyes at his future self. "What are you doing here in this time? Isn't it something negative on the timeline or something?"
"I'm after Setsuna," Tranquility said his face firm, "She's" he paused thinking of the right words, "taken something from me that she shouldn't have."
"Serena sent her to Crystal Tokyo to speak to Serenity a few days ago," Travis informed; Tranquility narrowed his eyes much like his younger self had earlier. "She didn't go to Crystal Tokyo did she?"
"Can I borrow your phone please?" Tranquility was agitated, that much was evident. Travis reached for the phone and handed it to him before moving to the fridge and pulling out some extra food to begin dinner. The action was a little weird in itself as he wondered what his older part would possibly do with a phone in this time. Tranquility was on the phone for a few minutes when the front door opened and Reenie raced in stopping when she saw her future Uncle in the apartment.
"Uncle Tranq!" Reenie shouted throwing herself at the man as he put the phone back on the counter, "What are you doing here?!"
"Hi Rabbit!" Tranquility teased happily, relief poured across his features at seeing his niece. "Look at you; you've grown while you've been here. You're becoming quite a beautiful young lady, no doubt largely due to having an amazing uncle in your life."
Reenie giggled at him, his comment reminding her how long she had been in the past for. Serena walked in behind her stopping in shock at the man holding her future daughter.
"Tranquillity," Serena said surprised, "What are you doing here?"
"I'm looking for Setsuna have you-?"
"I'm here," Setsuna interrupted from behind Reenie. "My king," she began to courtesy to him.
"Don't even bother," Tranquility said with extreme distaste, Travis and Serena looked at him in shock at his tone. "What did you think you were doing Setsuna? At what point did you think I wouldn't notice?"
"I wouldn't have done it if it wasn't necessary," Setsuna explained, "There was no other way."
"Do you have any idea what you have done to us both? We've been so worried," Tranquility tried to remain as calm as possible given the fact Travis and Reenie were in the room as well, but he was livid. "You don't just come into the palace unannounced and help yourself."
"Would someone mind clarifying what exactly is going on here?" Travis asked, "Do you know what's going on Reenie?"
"Don't look at me, I'm as confused as you are," Reenie smirked at her younger Uncle. "Uncle Tranq is making as much sense as Serena usually does."
"I resent that fungus," Serena playfully teased the girl.
"When are you going to learn the timeline isn't everything? How many times do I have to tell you that?" Tranquility demanded his voice raising.
"Somebody needs to explain what is going on?" Travis cut in between the two who were now in each other's faces.
Setsuna was silent as Tranquility glared at her. "It's all for the timeline."
"You know what?" Tranquility asked, Travis pushed him back a little so he wasn't so close to Setsuna. "Screw your timeline, you took my god damn daughter without telling me and you took her to the past. She's eight fucking yearsold Setsuna, at what point was that considered a good idea?"
"Your daughter?" Serena asked looking between Reenie and Travis.
"Lunic's here?" Reenie asked, "Where?!"
Tranquility looked from Reenie back to Setsuna, "you mean to say you brought her into the past and didn't tell anyone or have her protected?"
"She's protected by magic, she's only five in this timeline," Setsuna explained, "and she's not unprotected, Amara, Michelle and Hotaru are guarding her as we speak."
"I have a daughter?" Travis asked confused, "Now I know how you felt about the rabbit here."
"You bring her here now," Tranquility demanded, Serena looked at the older woman and she saw a flash of fear in her eyes. "I don't care about your timeline, you have five minutes to bring her here or Serenity will be finding a new guardian of time."
"That's a little harsh don't you think?" Travis asked his future counterpart. "Reenie's been in the past numerous times."
"Different situation, Reenie had no choice," Tranquility started, "I have a choice and she's not going to put herself in danger to protect the timeline."
"I'll protect her," Travis promised, "I have enough faith in Setsuna to know she wouldn't deliberately put any of us in harm's way intentionally. I will protect your daughter with my life."
Sailor Iron Mouse appeared infront of Sailor Galaxia with a big smile on her face, her comrades Tin Nyanko, Aluminium Siren and Lead Crow each stood beside her.
"Sailor Galaxia, I have some news," Iron Mouse stated strongly, "I have found the identity of Sailor Moon."
"Explain," Galaxia answered not moving from her throne.
"The target I found today, I felt that same energy from the other night and when she thought I was gone I saw her transform," Iron Moused waved her hands in the air to show a hologram of Sailor Moon transforming. Galaxia got to her feet quickly moving closer to the image.
"Interesting, it seems it is time we roll out our secret weapon," Galaxia smirked at the group infront of her. "You four haven't exactly made my decision to spare you worthwhile, Iron Mouse, Tin Nyanko; I'm giving you one more chance to bring me one of the star seeds I seek."
"But," Tin Nyanko complained, "I-I"
"Don't question me," Galaxia answered, "Your services aren't exactly required when I have my new weapon. Come forth!"
"You called Galaxia?" a voice called before the figure appeared, standing infront of the four girls was a man in armour, his cape black and red with a sword on his right hilt. Each wrist held a small golden bracelet that glowed.
"Prince Endymion, your knowledge will prove worthwhile. I want you to get me the star seeds of these measly Sailor Scouts, these four don't seem to be capable of doing their jobs."
"Consider it done."
Authors Notes: Love it? Hate it? Let me know, every review counts and means a lot!
Soundtrack: I Remember - A Day to Remember