Lost Kingdom
Sora Kazeno
Prompt 1 for Rare Pair Week "Magic/Mundane". Today's prompt features an extra scene with Sailor Pluto when she travels to the future that was hinted at in Acts 61 – 66 of Chaos Theory. Many of you have already guessed how part of it will turn out; let's see if those predictions were correct!
Eternal Sailor Pluto can't wait anymore. Was any harm done to the future of this timeline by her actions when she attempted to reset the timeline to prevent Usagi from awakening as Sailor Cosmos and choosing Seiya?
The garnet orb on her staff flashes brightly as two pale purple doors appear in the space in front of her; she has to know. It is her duty as a senshi. The doors open for her as she steps forward. This will be a very brief visit as long as the future is peaceful, that is all she needs to verify.
After walking past the doors, they slam shut behind her. She waits a minute or so for her eyes to adjust to the darkness and the mists around her. She begins to walk straight forward toward a new door that has appeared. She estimates she is arriving at least ten years in the future. She would rather not know the exact year. She slowly pushes the door open.
She is back in Tokyo. The last time she came to the future of this time, citizens were confused why she was on Earth and not on the Moon. But that journey was taken before she used the Crystal Key.
She looks around Tokyo from the roof of Midtown Tower. This large skyscraper does not exist in Tokyo from the time she just left. Surveying her surroundings she realizes she is still in the Minato Ward as Tokyo Tower is nearby.
Sailor Pluto inhales sharply when she sees it. She covers her mouth with her left hand. Her eyes widen. A kingdom stands were Crystal Tokyo once did. But this one is different; it is made of stone near the Tokyo Bay. How did it appear? Why is it there? Who…? With so many questions racing through her head she realizes she will be staying a little longer to investigate. Her plan to stay briefly is abandoned as she makes her way forward.
The senshi can hear whispers around her. They are surprised to see her walking among the masses unescorted. She ignores the comments, but questions why would she need an escort? She is one of the more powerful senshi, surly she can protect herself.
As she moves closer to the bay, more details of the kingdom can be seen. It has a large courtyard in front and further back is a long rectangular palace full of balconies on the third floor and large windows everywhere. It reminds her of the some ancient kingdoms that once stood on this planet. When the light hits the wall just right it appears golden. She had seen a kingdom very similar to this one in France, the Palace of Versailles. Her heart races as she realizes why this kingdom looks familiar. It is the other way around, the Palace of Versailles was modeled after this by a dream the architect had.
A lump forms in her throat as she reaches the end of the bay. She'll teleport the rest of the way. It's an identical image of a place she had long forgotten. A place lost to the ages that the world didn't remember existed, the Golden Kingdom. If this new kingdom is standing, then that means Usagi-chan… she must have changed her mind! She tells herself as soon as she can confirm Usagi is the Queen, she will leave and patiently wait for the events to play out that will lead to her return to Mamoru.
Her staff flashes brightly as power surges throughout her. It provides the necessary burst of energy to allow her to fly across the water with her small feathered wings and reach her destination within seconds. She reappears outside of the large iron gates and is greeted by a few guards. The guards immediately bow to her and let her pass without question.
She doesn't think twice of this behavior. This happened to her at times in Crystal Tokyo. She may not be the Queen but she is still the Crown Princess of Pluto. Her boots click on the stones beneath her feet. Of course this kingdom would be made out of stone, stone comes from the Earth. Crystal Tokyo was created from the Ginzuishou which accounts for the crystal structure of the city. This must have been formed by the Golden Crystal. She smiles. This must be why they didn't see Crystal Tokyo. Perhaps Chibi Usa… or a girl like Chibi Usa is here.
As she closes the distance to the front entrance, she beams. Crystal Tokyo isn't lost; it has evolved like everything and everyone else. For a few fleeting moments she considers turning around and leaving but then the door opens before her. She's already come this far, a little further surely can't hurt?
She enters and is greeted by a dozen attendants bowed low to the floor. The sight makes her uneasy; to be that formal one would think they were before the Queen of the Kingdom. She dismisses the thought. The customs here must be different than what she is used to and brushes the gesture off. She nods her head slightly to acknowledge their presence.
"There you are!"
Sailor Pluto turns around to find Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune standing a short distance away. "We were starting to think you wouldn't make it in time to the meeting. We were just about to update the King about our recent visit." Sailor Uranus explains as she starts to lead them down the hallway.
The King? Sailor Pluto questions for a moment and then realizes this is perfect, if there is a meeting than the Queen, Neo Queen Serenity would be present. She smiles, happy to have this quickly resolved.
Sailor Neptune exchanges a glance with Sailor Uranus when she sees Sailor Pluto's smile. "Still acting like newlyweds."
Sailor Pluto follows them quietly behind taking in some of the décor. This hallway is full of paintings. She can't help but wonder if some of them were created by Michiru.
They stop in front of a door. Sailor Uranus places her palm on a reader near the door and it quickly opens. The trio walks inside. They are the first ones present.
She finds a plush chair with her planetary symbol carved on it. She assumes it is her seat and sits down. Uranus and Neptune sit to her right.
The door opens behind them, the King arrived. King Endymion sits in the seat directly next to Sailor Pluto.
He turns to smile at her. "I'm glad you're back. I was starting to worry you were gone so long."
Sailor Pluto's cheeks flush. She can't help but the notice the twinkle in his eyes when he looks at her. She turns her attention to Uranus and Neptune, this whole experience is odd. "Where are the others?" She keeps her wording vague on purpose.
"Hotaru is playing with the little Princess," Sailor Neptune immediately responds.
Sailor Pluto is about to ask about the other senshi or where Neo Queen Serenity is but stops. She is the one out of time and assumes they will be along any minute. She can't let them know she is from another time.
"Kitten is doing well," Sailor Uranus begins. "She seems to be adjusting to the Silver Millennium considering how recently she began living there with the Inner senshi."
Pluto can feel her heart hammering in her chest. Why is Neo Queen Serenity at the Silver Millennium and not besides her husband? She tries to push those thoughts to the side; she can't miss any critical information.
"We also spoke with the Moon Senshi minus Charon of course, since she was with you; everything seems to be peaceful from here… to far as Kinmoku as we understand," Sailor Neptune continues.
Her heart is ready to burst out of her chest. What does Kinmoku have to do with any of this? Suddenly it hits her. The Queen is on the Moon and not Earth. Neo Queen Serenity is not with King Endymion in this timeline after all. But then who…
The door slowly opens behind them and Sailor Saturn enters with a small bundle in her arms. She approaches Sailor Pluto. "Someone missed you but was too tired to wait up any longer." She stands next to Sailor Pluto and slowly lowers a sleeping baby into her arms.
Sailor Pluto stares at this small child for a moment, trying to comprehend what is happening.
Her eyes widen when she feels an arm around her shoulders. King Endymion leans over by Sailor Pluto whispering, "She looks so happy in your arms." He has never been this close to her in all the years and timelines she has seen him in. Her cheeks are flushing, she wills herself to not look at him.
"I'm so happy everything worked out," Sailor Saturn smiles at the woman that has been a mother figure to her.
Sailor Uranus chuckles, "who would have thought you have become such a beloved Queen by all the people of Earth?"
"Haruka!" Sailor Neptune looks at her partner crossly.
"You know I was just teasing Setsuna-san, it fun to see her flustered for once, it is such a rare sight!" Sailor Uranus counters back and she reaches for Neptune's hand.
The room is spinning around her. Sailor Pluto stands up, passing the small child back to Sailor Saturn. "I'm sorry I'm still not quite rested yet." Before anything else can happen or she sees anything else she moves into the hallway Sailor Saturn had appeared from. She can't be seen by her future self that could return any moment.
Her garnet rod flashes and within seconds she disappears into the Time Streams. Once she is back in the safety of her realm, she collapses to her knees. Her eyes are shut tight while her mind races. She is the Queen of Earth. That is why everyone was bowing to her. She has a newborn child. She is married to King Endymion. She inhales sharply. Never in her wildest dreams did she picture this. Endymion only had eyes for Serenity, the Queen she is worn to protect. This is too much for her process at the moment. She exits the Time Streams to return to her time, distancing herself from what she just witnessed. She reminds herself this is a possible future. She will have to wait and see how everything will play out. A faint smile forms across her lips at the possibility of her happy ending.
Midtown Tower was built in 2007 for reference.
The Palace of Versailles dream reference was made up for this story.
So this is what Sailor Pluto seen when she traveled to future, defiantly not what she was expecting! Now the question is… will this future she has seen…. be her future or will something happen to change this outcome? I couldn't picture the Outer Senshi separated from Pluto so this arrangement seems to work well.
See you tomorrow for a silly story featuring Minako and Yaten!