A lazy day, which was mostly spent together with the other Senshi that had joined them on their hungover day in the Tenoh-Kaiou household followed. Makoto nourished them with a delicious and healthy meal and Setsuna made sure to help them fight their hangover with her medical knowledge, while Ami and Hotaru tried to lift their moods with just being nice.
One time the oldest of the Senshi vanished to help in the kitchen when the other Senshi suddenly pulled their heads together.
"Ami, did you take care of the flight to the resort?"
"Sorry, i couldn't. Flights are fully booked out and even Luna couldn't achieve anything over Artemis. Each of our ship is either at a maneuver or in maintenance"
"Bollocks, guess we have to cancel it then. Anyone got another idea what we could gift her instead? Little one, she told anything?"
Hotaru shook her head.
SunTzu had listened for a while and then walked up to the lot of magical women.
"What's the matter?"
"Shhhh!"
"Pipe down, TopGun. We're talking about Setsuna's birthday gift, as it's her birthday tomorrow."
"And apparently we still don't have a gift. Merde."
"We wanted to gift her a relaxing short trip to her favorite spa but we can't get her there in time and we don't know when we can ever make it happen again with what's going on."
"Where's that spa, and does it has to be this one?"
"We could look for another one but it's not the same, Setsuna has been going to this one for hun… a long, long time. It's in Greece."
"Greece? Oh, that's no problem, I can bring her there in between exercises. Why didn't you girls ask me?"
The girls looked at each other, why they haven't thought about this on their own?
"I owe the Doctor something for always patching me up anyway. And after our last mission I'm sure she could use a break, so I'd like to help."
"TopGun and his Sky Uber, our savior."
"Just doing my job as the Guardian of Guardians."
The next day came and in the morning Setsuna had been navigated by the other Outers into the Royal Quarters, where there had been a surprise birthday breakfast set up for the Senshi of Time and Space.
SunTzu thought that it might have been a bit too much for the usually quiet and content doctor but apparently she was very happy and positively moved.
SunTzu didn't know that there was a dinning room with a festive round table inside the Royal Quarters but it wasn't like that he had scooped around the place before.
It reminded him of the tales of the Round Table of King Arthur.
He was sitting between Hotaru and Rei and enjoyed some of the fine food the Senshi and Luna all had prepared for the breakfast, and followed the conversation the Senshi had.
"So c'mon Sets, now tell us your exact age. Please. After all these years of asking." Minako, a glass of Mimosa in one hand and a croissant in the other, asked.
Setsuna just sat in silence, a small but friendly grin in her face.
"Yeah, Setsuna. It get's old to ask every year and still get no answer." Michiru chimed in.
"Maybe Hotaru knows something." Usagi pressed out and looked at the raven haired teenager.
"Not even I know that." The girl said, putting her hands up. "Mom, how old are you exactly?"
The emerald haired woman just shrugged with a grin. SunTzu was happy to see that Setsuna was better than the last days, the surprise had worked perfectly, but he also wondered what this was about. Setsuna was at most in her early thirties, giving that she was a bit older than the other.
"Ami, when was Pluto, the Planet, discovered?" Minako asked the Blunette Genius.
"Dwarf Planet!" Haruka chimed in, the degradation of Pluto to a Dwarf Planet was her running gag to mock her good friend and fellow Outer from time to time. For her it was especially funny, because Pluto was the tallest of all Senshi. Setsuna didn't even cared for the joke anymore, it had grown old very fast. Which didn't mean that she wouldn't be happy if the planet would have gotten his status back again and fiercely supported the cause to make her patron dwarf planet a planet again. Just for the statistics of course, not for her ego.
"Uhm, that was… 1930. Yes, 18th of February 1930. By Clyde Tombaugh, and it was by accident."
"Hey Pluto, tell us your age or we just agree with you being 89 years old." Minako stated after Ami's detailed answer.
Setsuna sighed.
"First of all it wasn't by accident. I had a letter written to Tombaugh because I knew he continued Percival Lowell's work. And it would have been earlier if Lowell, that lump, wouldn't have lost his records."
SunTzu's eyebrow shot up, how could she have written a letter to someone almost ninety years ago. Slowly he moved his head in her direction, a frown in his face, which she noticed.
"SunTzu? Are you okay? Why are you looking at me like that."
"Uhm, I'm not gonna ask a lady about her age, but how… did you just say, you sent a letter to someone ninety years ago?"
Setsuna looked into the round, an incredulous look in her face.
"Wait. Nobody told him? Still not?"
A moment of silence and an even more dumbfounded look on SunTzu's face later, Rei rose to speak.
"Well, I thought you wanted to tell him on your own. He can a bit overwhelmed…" Rei looked to the Mau on the table for a moment, "with the more… unusual powers and abilities that some of us have."
SunTzu looked at his girlfriend, brows furrowing.
Not that throwing fire was something normal to begin with, my love…
Setsuna sighed.
"Now, how do I put this then… See SunTzu, as you know, I am the Senshi of Space and Time and therefore have to power to controll both of them. But this isn't purely because my Senshi Powers but also because my heritage."
SunTzu looked at her with complete aghast now, what did she mean?
"See, as Minako, or rather Sailor Venus, is the reincarnation of the Goddess of Love I am not a regular human as well."
"Yeah you're a Sailor Senshi, a Mahō Shōjo, I get that." SunTzu said, that part he understood.
"Yes, but what I'm trying to say is…"
"She's a Demigoddess. Setsuna is the daughter of a God, the God of Time." Rei chimed in, trying to enlight her boyfriend although his behavior, because he just didn't get it, was somehow adorable.
"Rei is right. I am the Daughter of Kronos, the God of Time, and a regular mortal woman, making me a Demigoddess."
"You guys are mocking me again? Right?" A dumbfounded SunTzu asked.
"No, actually not at all. I've been around for thousands of years. Ask me about a great event In history, I've probably been there or even was somehow involved."
SunTzu still thought they were mocking him, but he wasn't dumb either.
"Okay… my namesake."
"Great Leader and Strategic Mastermind. He was brilliant and yes, he really existed as a person and wasn't made up out of several people. Unfortunately he had to flee Wu, he could have become emperor otherwise. I wish he had been around in the Jin-Song-Wars. But that was like over 1500 years after his death."
Setsuna said, completely casual and without any big pauses she would have needed, if she would have to think about it first.
Okay, she reads a lot, maybe she just knew about it from history books. This was too easy.
"What about the battery of Baghdad? If you ever heard about it."
"Heard? Who do you think built it? Can you imagine how hard it was to get the parts? And nobody ever talks about that I had built more batteries, for example to power the lights in the Pharos of Alexandria."
Yeah, right.
"I see you're still not convinced. So, this table, i saw you looking at it before. Let me guess it reminded you of King Arthur's Round Table. And you're actually right with it, I had it made as wedding gift for the Royal Couple, after my memory of the Round Table."
SunTzu nodded, hiding a grin.
"Still not convinced? Shlm, minjo ischmuch?"
SunTzu frowned, what language was that?
"I just asked for your name in Aramaean. Noyi pan ney Setsuna, Ane Kemet oyos Pluto. That was coptic now."
SunTzu still didn't believe it but now Rei chimed in.
"TopGun, I swear on my Grandpa, she's right."
"She is, Mate. And every year on her birthday we try to find out, how old she really is."
Setsuna shrugged again, her grin even wider now.
"You girls should take an example in the Captain. Never ask a lady for her age."
In the end no matter how hard they tried, the other Senshi couldn't get Setsuna to tell her age, yet again.
At least everyone had fun trying to get Setsuna there.
After the breakfast the group told the dark green haired doctor that they had a gift for her and while Chibiusa and Hotaru fetched the suitcase with clothes of Setsuna they had packed with the help of Michiru yesterday in secret and SunTzu had left the Crystal Tower to met up with AICA at the Palace Landing Spot and get her ready, they put a blindfold on Setsuna and slowly lead her out of the Tower and to the Landing Spot.
SunTzu had AICA ready, Setsuna's luggage, that the two teenagers had brought over, packed and had already put the navigational data put in AICA's navigational system, as the girls brought Setsuna over and removed her blindfold, showing her a picture of the spa and wishing her a Happy Birthday again.
Setsuna was giddy with pleasure and thanked them all multiple times.
After thanking every single one of her friends and making sure that Hotaru was taken care of, she would stay with the other Outers, she boarded AICA and within minutes they were on their way. Of course the Artificial Intelligence congratulated the Doctor to her birthday as well and Setsuna thanked her friendly.
Their destination was Aidipsos, a city famous for it's historical thermae, located in Greece.
Soon AICA was up in space, shortening the traveling time immensely by using the planet's own spinning.
Setsuna had been quiet so far and SunTzu felt that he should converse with her before she began to find the flight unpleasant. Strange, she seemed to had been warmer towards him already, but when he looked in the rear mirror she was looking out the window, seemingly uneasy.
"So, Rei said that that place is your favorite spa and you've been going there for a long time."
"It is. It's a small family lead business. And I've been going to Aidipsos for over two thousand years now. Of course not every year or century that is."
SunTzu's eyes widened and he turned around to look at her in disbelief.
"Yes, I know that this sounds hard to believe, the girls had their problems believing it at first as well."
"I…It is, when I'm being honest. No offense tho."
"None taken. It's something I like about you Bavarians, you guys are so honest."
SunTzu turned around again, surprised to hear that.
"Was ist denn Hauptmann? Glaubst du mir nicht das ich schon mal in Bayern war? Was glaubst du wer Georg Elsner mit seiner Bombe geholfen hat?" The Doctor replied in perfect German, although with a slight accent he couldn't tell where from exactly, to SunTzu, who was still looking dumbfounded. "Ich kann sogar einige Worte bayerisch verstehen, wenn du mal Hei… Heim…Heimweh nach deiner Sprache hast." She said, although she almost had forgotten the word for home sickness.
"Mi leckst am Arsch. Jetzt sprichts au no bayrisch." It slipped out of SunTzu's mouth and he shook his head after hearing this, surprised with her and the sudden outlet of Bavarian from himself. Nonetheless it made both of them laugh before SunTzu had to turn around again and concentrate on the reentry. And he really had to concentrate, the things he learned today wasn't any less crazy than crows and cats morphing into humans.
A few minutes later they were shooting over the Mediterranean Sea towards the Greek Island of Euboea. Here it was the middle of the night.
"The Mare Meditarreneum is my favorite. And it's still quite the nice weather this time of the year. Perfect for a few relaxed days, not too hot but still warm enough to not get cold. Maybe I can jump from the hot springs directly into the sea."
"Sounds nice. I hope you have a great time here."
"Oh, I always have. Always had. Sulla, that old fox, introduced me to a young Iulius Caesar here." She zoned out for a moment and smiled. "When you don't really age, you get to hear how you remind someone of someone quite a lot." She said lost in thoughts after a moment. "Oh, there's Aidipsos!" She yelled out as the coast and the village came into view.
"Aren't we a bit too early? It's the middle of the night here."
"Oh, don't worry. The grandfather is always up until late at night and will attend me. And I'll have an excuse to get back to sleep again, while it's the middle of the day in Tokyo right now." She giggled and SunTzu smiled, which she saw through the rear mirror.
"It's my birthday, even a woman like me is allowed to take it easy on her birthday."
"You earned it." SunTzu said, his voice more stern, than he wanted it to be, while he slowed AICA down to not wake up the whole village and took course towards the small Spa Hotel, where the Senshi would stay, located a bit outside the village but directly at the sea.
"Maybe, but that doesn't mean I can allow myself to get caught slacking." Her voice now stern as well. "But it doesn't help anyone if my mind is broken." She paused for a moment. "This is really the perfect gift to the perfect moment. I thank you all. And I thank you in particular for bringing me here, I heard that it basically is impossible to get here right now."
"No. I thank you. For always patching me up and trusting me with Hotaru."
Now Setsuna smiled again.
"Two days with the other two Outers will probably feel like a holiday for her as well."
They arrived at the Hotel and SunTzu slowly sat AICA down at the almost empty parking lot.
"Thank you for flying with us and enjoy your holiday." AICA came over the speaker, making her pilot and her passenger smile.
"Thank you AICA. I'd prefer you over any airline there is." Setsuna replied friendly.
"I'll wait here, for if really nobody will attend you." SunTzu stated after.
"Oh, trust me. I know this place."
The canopy opened and SunTzu got up and jumped out the cockpit.
He gave the woman a hand while embarked and then unloaded her luggage.
In her Chanel Costume, how much of those did she actually have SunTzu asked himself, she waited until he was done with her luggage and they went to the entrance, which was lit by a small billboard and a streetlamp, the only sounds the rolls of the suitcase and the click of Setsuna's high heels. It was a clear night and the temperature was still bearable.
At the entrance Setsuna stopped and turned around to SunTzu.
"I'll take it from here."
"I'll be having a cigarette here, just in case." He actually expected her to tell him, that smoking wasn't good for his health but she just nodded and took the handle of the suitcase, pulling it behind her as she entered the building.
SunTzu leaned against the building while he smoke his cigarette, next to the ashtray at the entrance of the Spa.
Three quarters of a cigarette later, Setsuna came out again, without her luggage.
"As expected, the grandpa was still awake and I already have my room key. Sorry, it took longer but I had to tell the old man that I definitely don't want dinner anymore first." She smiled.
"You better be ready for training when I come back, I'll need to get that great Greek food off of me again. Anyways, I appreciate, that you waited."
"Sure thing. I'll be going back to Crystal Tokyo then. Have a pleasant holiday."
"Don't worry, I will. Give my regards to the rest."
"Will do, I'll pick you up on noon at the thirtieth then."
SunTzu said and extinguished his cigarette.
"Bye Setsuna."
"Goodbye SunTzu."
Hands in his pockets he walked over to AICA who opened her canopy.
"Oh and SunTzu." Setsuna's voice sounded off once again. The light of the street lamp shining onto SunTzu, while he turned around.
"Don't forget that smoking is bad for your health."
He began to grin and gave her a nod before he turned around again and then boarded his ship, AICA already had her canopy opened for him.
Using only repulsors the A-Wing silently descended into the night sky, her departure being observed by Setsuna.
As AICA finally shot away, with her thrusters on, Setsuna closed her eyes and smiled to herself. After a moment she vanished into the Spa.
One and a half days later, this time it was around noon in Greece, SunTzu landed AICA again on the parking lot of the small hotel with Spa.
These two days had been pretty regular for SunTzu, filled with training with Rei, Hotaru and Michiru, Paperwork and getting AICA maintenanced. He was happy that he also find some time for Rei.
He was leaning against the building again, this time without smoking though.
Setsuna had written him a message, telling him, that she would come out exact at noon. After a few minutes a brightly smiling, totally relaxed looking Setsuna appeared in the door.
"Hi, sorry for being late. Please tell me you didn't have lunch, or rather dinner yet."
"Uhm… haven't had yet. Why?"
She came over grabbed his arm and pulled him along, into the door.
"Perfect. I cannot eat all this by my own. Consider yourself as invited to lunch."
She pulled him along to the small restaurant of the hotel where a table in the middle had been set and Retsina, mineral water, fresh, warm bread and Tzatziki were already waiting for them.
She pulled a chair out for him and towed him onto It before she sat down herself.
"Sorry, but the family that runs this place insisted that I have lunch before I go. And this isn't even the starter so I thought that you might want to help me. Be assured the food is fantastic. They made Moussaka today."
A smiling, stubby middle aged man came over and spoke a bit with Setsuna, in what SunTzu assumed was Greek. After she explained something, SunTzu couldn't say what it was, but she was declining something apparently, Setsuna introduced him to the man, the owner of the place and the two Europeans shook hands. The man had quite the firm handshake and a contagious smile.
After a bit of conversation the man left and soon came back and brought the starter, various typical Greek appetizers like filled wine leaves, Taramasolata and more.
Setsuna filled herself a glass of Retsina, the famous greek wine.
"Drinking in the middle of the day? I'm shocked Doctor." SunTzu stated with a smug grin.
"AICA can fly us home, right?" The doctor answered with a counter question.
"I suppose."
"Very good." She stated and filled his glass as well before she handed it to SunTzu.
"And to what do we drink?"
"To my friends, for gifting me these wonderful last two days. And to the Mediterranean Lifestyle and People, which I always begin to miss after spending some time around."
She raised her glass as he did also and they clinged them both together softly, while locking eyes.
She was like a changed woman, no tiredness or sadness in her eyes anymore, just sparks of joy in those cherry red eyes, and SunTzu was glad that the trip did so good to her.
The fresh and homemade food was really fantastic. Setsuna had told SunTzu that the secret was the grandmother in the kitchen, cooking.
She also urged him to drink more of the wine with her.
"We'll be back to training together tomorrow, I already cleared that with your girlfriend. You better should enjoy the easy life while you can." She told him with a grin.
Who is that woman and what did she do to the Ice Queen?
After the lunch, Setsuna fetched her already packed suitcase and said her goodbye to the family running the place.
The oldest daughter of the hotel's owner, she was a few years younger than the two Guardians, had two small girls, they seemed to be twins, and right now they came back from playing outside, happy to see the dark green haired woman.
"Theia Setsuna, Theia Setsuna!" The two girls yelled and ran up to her.
Setsuna kneeled down and hugged the two girls.
"Écho káti gia séna, koritsia." She opened her handbag and pulled out two packages of candy for them.
The girls began to beam and politely thanked her.
Setsuna got up again and continued her goodbye, while SunTzu politely nodded as farewell and a few minutes later the two guardians were sitting in AICA and were ready to go. AICA made a few snarky remarks but of course agreed to fly them home on her own.
The two girls were standing in front of the hotel and waved as AICA lifted up and Setsuna waved back.
"You're doing so good with kids. They love you." SunTzu stated as he watched the two excited children, awed by the Starfighter.
"And I love kids." She paused for her second and then continued with a much more stern voice. "I'd love to have one on my own but you always want what you can't have."
SunTzu's blood ran cold and he straightened up.
Great work once again SunTzu, you put the foot right in…
"Actually Hotaru is not my first foster child but as you might already have heard, Magic comes with a downside. And mine is that I can't have children."
"I am sorry, I really am. I didn't meant to drag you down."
"Oh, don't worry you didn't. I learnt to live with it. And although she's only my adoptive daughter I love Hotaru. And I had Chibiusa and Diana around as well the last years. Over the centuries I had some other great foster children as well, they were mostly orphans." She smiled now, reminiscing the children she took in as her own.
"Shows once more that you have a great heart Setsuna." SunTzu said with a honest smile, sparking one from her as well.
"Just trying to make this world a better place for everybody."
"Do me a favor and stay with it. It's even a better thing than you staying at patching a maniac like me up every time he does something stupid."
"Don't worry, as long as you protect Hotaru and the other Senshi, I won't stop patching you up." She replied and both smiled again.
The trip back to Crystal Tokyo didn't last long, just as it had on the way to Greece already, and soon AICA landed autonomously on the Palace Landing Spot and after helping Setsuna get out, he fetched her luggage.
"Shall I bring it to your quarters?" SunTzu asked.
"That's nice but I'm good."
"Okay, then. I guess I see you tomorrow."
"8am tomorrow, be prepared to get hurt." She said with a giggle. "And thanks to the both of you for flying me."
"You're welcome. I'll see you later, Doc."
"Do me a favor and kick his ass for me tomorrow, Setsuna." AICA replied to Setsuna, sparking a dumbfounded look from SunTzu.
"Oh don't worry AICA, I'll make sure that your pilot knows his place." With a laughter she left the landing spot.
And after a moment her lips curled up into a wide smile. The last days had been great.