~~SILVERMOON~~
	a Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon fanfiction by Immora

______________________________

Author's Notes:

Rating: PG-13 because younger kids might not be able to handle it.
The story contains mild language, some violence, homosexuality, 
and suggestive commentary. If you can't handle that kind of content, 
don't read this story.

The first part of the story is set about four years after Sailor Stars, 
if you care.

The characters in this story are from the manga and anime Bishoujo 
Senshi Sailormoon, owned by Naoko Takeuchi, Toei Animation, Kodansha, 
and probably more companies whose names I don't know. This story itself 
is mine, but was based upon situations appearing in the manga and anime, 
the original versions, not the dub.

This story was editted from my previously released version of it because
of several errors and some huge plot mistakes I wanted to correct.
Some parts of this document might look better with word wrap if you 
have a smaller monitor. I decided to make notes within the document
as to where a new section of the story began so it would be easier
to read. I have not actually editted the story from the previous
post. This story is _not_ completed yet. I will finish it one day.

I have taken some elements from the manga for my story, but please note
that I paired some of the Inner Senshi with a different Shitenno than in 
the manga; at the time I wrote it like that, I knew they were paired 
with *someone*, and I just picked the Shitenno I thought were the ones 
they had been paired with. I was wrong ^^;;; 

Also, the Shitenno are called "generals" in the story because 1) when I
first started writing, I didn't know they were ever called anything else,
2) hey, they're supposed to be Earth generals; they're Shitenno when Beryl
corrupts them. Yeah, that's it ^^;;;

I'm well aware that there are plenty of mistakes throughout, but really,
I've already done one huge edit to it, I don't want to go through and 
change it again. If you want to point them out, go right ahead, but I
most likely know about them already :)  I don't consider this anywhere
near my finest work; I keep it available only because I put so much time
into it and a lot of people have expressed their love for it.

Don't copy/plagiarize my story. If you wanna base a story on it, TOO BAD! 
Come up with your own idea. Be original. You shouldn't bother writing a 
fanfic if you can't think of your own plot! Sailor Moon's new form 
[Silver Moon] was thought up by yours truly, so you may not use it in 
your own fanfic. I know there's been other Silver Moon's popping up 
around the 'net, but hey, I created her five years ago!
As for my characters, places, and races:
All are copyrighted by myself and no one else, all rights reserved
Sharra is copyrighted 1994-2001
Immora and Necros are copyrighted 1995-2001
Nagera, Lorenada, Curse/Cassandra, and Dageena 1996-2001
Ka'ina and Akeru are copyrighted 1997-2001
E'melok is copyrighted 1998-2001
Quenhol, Quenholtian, the Dragana, and the Katrisa are copyrighted
1997-2001
Elves obviously aren't an original concept, so I don't claim them.
If you couldn't figure it out, the Immora that appears in this story 
is my _character_... not ME. My name is definitely not Immora, my 
alias came from my character [not vice versa] which I created for a 
novel (which I keep telling myself I'll finish) before I even knew
what the Internet was. She isn't meant to be a self-insertion or an
author's avatar. 

You can e-mail me at raziel@angelsanctuary.org
Visit my website at http://raziel.angelsanctuary.org or 
http://come.to/immora

That's about it for now. Enjoy my fic!






					 ________

					
					 PROLOGUE

					 ________



Time: Midday, The Last Day of the Original Time
Place: Tokyo, Japan


It had been a long, tiring day at school for all the Senshi. Several
of them had been given long exams, while the others had spent time
preparing for a school play. After school, while relaxing in the park,
the unexpected happened.

Hotaru was the first to realize something seriously wrong was going to
happen, several of the others also getting bad feelings about this day.

They were completely unprepared when Mistress Nine appeared.

She stood tall above them, in her long navy and white dress with her
flowing black hair. The Senshi didn't think to question why she was 
standing there, they just transformed immediately to fight.

After an hour of fighting, Sailor Saturn was lying unconscious on the 
ground as the other Senshi tried to protect her. Mistress Nine laughed 
as blasts of black energy shocked the other Senshi as she moved forward 
to possess Saturn again.

Mistress Nine wanted Saturn's power, not only to Silence the Earth, but
the rest of the galaxy as well, leaving her to rule over it.  The Senshi 
couldn't let this happen and had rose to the challenge. Pluto, however, 
was against it, claiming it an event not supposed to happen and that they 
shouldn't try anything or risk destroying their timeline. The other Senshi 
ignored her. Mistress Nine, for some reason, couldn't possess Saturn while 
she was unconscious, so they had to defeat her before Saturn woke up.

"You realize that you cannot hope to beat me," Mistress Nine cackled. "You
can't stop me from possessing Hotaru again; nothing can!"

The Senshi were taking blows left and right, barely any hits landing on
Mistress Nine. "Try to combine attacks!" Chibi-Moon shouted to the other
Inner Senshi. The girl, now about fifteen, was standing at the fallen
Saturn's side, trying to protect her.

Venus shouted, "Love and Beauty Shock!" but her attack missed, and Mars
barely managed to shove her out of the way as Mistress Nine repelled the
attack.

In an effort made nearly useless by her broken arm, Uranus shouted, "WORLD...
SHAKING!" Then she tossed a ball of yellow energy at Mistress Nine's
feet.  It caused the evil woman to be thrown back, but she quickly
recovered and sent a rain of blasts at Uranus.

Neptune dove and knocked Uranus over, getting her away from the blasts.
Though in the process she received several injuries, she stood and
shouted, "DEEP... SUBMERGE!" A wave of water rushed at Mistress Nine,
who sidestepped with an evil grin on her face.

"Tsk, tsk, I thought the Senshi would do better!" She sent bursts of
energy towards the Inner Senshi, who tried to counter the attack with
their own.

"SUPREME THUNDER!"

"Crescent... Beam... SHOWER!"

"BURNING MANDALA!"

"Shining Aqua Illusion!"

The attack didn't work. Mistress Nine just absorbed the energy, negated
it, and tossed it back at them. The Inner Senshi fell with screams of pain as
the energy was soaked in by their bodies. They whimpered and shuddered,
falling to the ground. 

Sailor Moon dashed over to them, and sunk to her knees as she realized they
were dead. "No..." she whispered, "They can't be dead..." She sobbed softly.

"Sailor Moon," Pluto warned, "Mistress Nine is preparing to attack you..."

Sailor Moon bit her lip and shouted, "MOON ETERNAL POWER... MAKE-UP!"
She transformed into Eternal Sailor Moon. She rushed forward with her Eternal 
Tier and shouted, "STARLIGHT HONEYMOON THERAPY KISS!"

The attack bounced off a shield around Mistress Nine, became a negative
attack, and rushed back at Sailor Moon. "No!" Moon screamed as the
energy pulsed through her. She slumped to the ground, tears in her eyes,
as she died.

"MAMA!" Chibi-Moon cried, running to her. "Oh please no, don't leave me!! 
I-I can't lose you!"

The Outer Senshi (left standing alone with Chibi-Moon) stared in shock.
Saturn groaned slightly, but remained unconscious.

"MAMA!" Chibi-Moon shouted. She fell to her knees.

Neptune put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "She... she'll be okay...
at least..." she gulped, "as least she didn't have to suffer.

Chibi-Moon whimpered. "But how can we hope to stop Mistress Nine now?"

Her only answer was silence as Neptune stood up tall and held out her
Aqua Mirror. "Aqua Mirror... show me," she whispered, "what will happen
to us..." She gasped, but wouldn't say what it revealed.

"What is it?" Uranus asked.

Neptune didn't answer. "Submarine... DEFLECTOR!" she shouted, holding
out her mirror as blasts of light charged for Mistress Nine. Mistress
Nine gathered the attack into her hands and changed it around to dark
energy, and sent it rushing at Neptune. Neptune could only stare in
horror as it rushed through her veins, causing her to scream loudly.
She fell to the ground as Uranus looked on with a shocked face.

"Michiru ..." was all the tall blond whispered. She gripped the Space
Sword in her trembling hand as she raised her eyes to Mistress Nine.
Shaking slightly, she leapt at the demoness, slashing wildly with the
sword. Mistress Nine sidestepped several swings, a bit surprised when
the blade hit her arm slightly. Uranus yelled incoherently as she
swung again and again.

"Pluto, we have to help her!" Chibi-Moon urged.

"It's her fight," Pluto whispered. "There's nothing we can do to help."

Uranus cut a large gash in Mistress Nine's arm before the woman finally
reached her hand out and grabbed the Senshi by the neck. Uranus gasped
slightly as Mistress Nine drained her energy and threw her body aside.

Chibi-Moon started shaking. "Everyone... but me, and you, and Saturn...
dead..."

"Stand back," Pluto ordered.

"But--"

"Do it."

Chibi-Moon nodded meekly and backed away as Pluto gripped her Time Staff in 
hand and prepared to attack. "Be careful," she whispered, as Pluto slowly 
walked forward.

Raising her Time Staff, she grimly pressed her lips together and tightened 
her grip on the staff. Raising it, she whispered, "Dead Scream!" Expecting the
attack to be countered, she quickly whirled her staff in a circle as
Mistress Nine deflected it, but this motion caused the attack to fly
back at Mistress Nine again. Mistress Nine did not expect this and was
momentarily incapacitated.

Pluto was ready to send out another attack when Mistress Nine sent a
rain of blasts around Pluto in a circle around her feet. Pluto quickly 
leapt up into the air, flipped, and swung her staff out, landing a blow 
to Mistress Nine's chin. Her head snapped back and she fell to the ground.
Pluto did not revel in her momentary victory, she knew that Mistress
Nine would soon recover. However, she was incredibly surprised to hear
Saturn's weak voice shout out, "Setsuna-san!" Pluto whipped around as
Saturn continued, "Please... just go! Or I swear I will cut you down
where you stand!"

Saturn's hand found her Silence Glaive, and she stood up shakily,
holding it. She pointed it an inch from Pluto's neck. "Go, now, or I
will kill you." A look of cold determination hardened her face.

Pluto stared into those cold purple eyes for a moment, her blood
chilled.  "Saturn, Hotaru, you must step aside..."

Saturn grimly set her jaw, and swung her glaive to the side, as if to
whirl it around again to cut Pluto's head off. Pluto took a step back.
"Saturn, please!" she pleaded.

Saturn moved quickly for someone of such small size, and was behind
Pluto with the blade of her glaive pointed at her throat before the
taller woman knew what Saturn was doing. In a cold, expressionless
voice, Saturn said quietly, "Leave and take Chibi-Usa with you or I will be
the one to kill you."

Saturn pressed the blade closer, emphasizing her point. Pluto swallowed
hard. "Fine then. Let me go and we will leave."

Saturn frowned, but removed the glaive and pushed Pluto forward. Pluto
narrowed her eyes and a wave of purple light enveloped her and Chibi-Moon. 
Saturn turned to face Mistress Nine, assuming they had left.

Pluto was, in reality, hiding them from other people in the time stream, so 
they could observe without anyone knowing they were there. I hate lying like this,
she thought to herself, but I have to do this.

Mistress Nine picked herself off the ground and laughed. "All alone now,
Hotaru! Your planet is doomed!"

Saturn glanced at the bodies around her. "No..." an idea dawning on her.
"We aren't." It was risky, but she forced herself to believe, There's
no other way, these people will die anyway... She drew a shuddered
breath and raised her glaive. "DEATH... REBORN..."

"No, WAIT!" Mistress Nine cried, leaping at Saturn, her fingernails
turned to long, deadly claws.

"REVOLUTION!!!" Saturn fought for purchase with her feet as enormous
winds poured from her glaive. She had to hold onto it or she'd be sucked
away too. It seemed she would be the only one left, until Mistress Nine
knocked it out of her hands. A purple tinged white glow emanated, slowly
soaking everything in its wake into its depths.

"YOU FOOL!" Mistress Nine screamed, first to be pulled in.

Saturn watched the effects of her most destructive power soak in
everything, tears running from her purple eyes. "This is why I sent you
away, Setsuna," she thought to herself during her last moments before
the glow took her too. "So you would go on to tell our future selves
what happened to us..."

Saturn sighed as she was enveloped by a light that killed her and spread
to destroy everything else resting on the surface of Earth.



Pluto and Chibi-Moon stood side by side, the only two beings left on the
Silenced Earth. "Why didn't we die?" Chibi-Moon said in a choked voice
as she looked out at the bodies of all the Senshi lying there.

"We were protected from the flow of time," Pluto whispered. Tears gathered
in her eyes but she forced herself not to cry. "You have to go to the future,
quickly, before time catches up and destroys Crystal Tokyo too."

"I will," Chibi-Moon said, gripping the key Pluto had given her long ago and
saying the phrase that shortly took her to the future.

Pluto opened the doors to the Gate of Time and returned to her post. She looked 
out over the world as the attack completed itself. The Earth was enveloped in
fire and disappeared.

"And so it ends," Pluto whispered as tears flowed down her dark cheeks. "And so
it begins again."



					________

					
					  ONE	
					
					________



Time: When Chibi-Usa returns to Crystal Tokyo
Place: the Royal Palace in Crystal Tokyo



Chibi-Usa frantically ran through the halls of the palace, searching for
someone... anyone... to warn. She ran for a long time before she bumped
into Senshi Neptune. "N-Neptune! *gasp* My mother, where is she?!"

Senshi Neptune sighed. "Very busy, as am I! I need to get something for
her. Do you really need to speak with her?"

"It's urgent! VERY urgent!"

Senshi Neptune sighed and took Chibi-Usa's hand and ran through the hall
with her, to a room several people were in... King Endymion, Senshi
Venus, Senshi Mars, Senshi Jupiter, Senshi Uranus, Senshi Saturn,
Pluto-sensei, and Neo-Queen Serenity. They seemed tired, and very busy,
as Senshi Neptune had said.

"Mama!" Chibi-Usa practically screamed.

All turned to look at her. Uranus snorted. "We are in the middle of a
very important meeting, Princess."

Chibi-Usa gulped. "Well... where I was, there was a battle, a fight. We
were all dying! And, and Pluto told me to go, so I came to warn you..."

"We know," Senshi Mars said. "I had a premonition about it, and so did
Saturn. We are trying to decide what to do."

Senshi Saturn said softly. "Not long before it happens."

Chibi-Usa's eyes widened. "Before it happens here too?!"

Senshi Mercury entered the room and sat down by Senshi Jupiter, and the
Neptune took a seat next to Uranus. King Endymion squeezed Neo-Queen
Serenity's hand. "Well, daughter," she said, "she's right. Pluto came here
and told us that it would happen, confirming what Mars and Saturn already
predicted. There's no way to avoid it. We don't know why the past Saturn
did it though. Have any ideas, Pluto?"

Pluto sighed and tried to explain. "By doing that, the world would start
over. Certain people, like myself, who resided in a separate dimension
would survive it, however... the rest wouldn't." She grasped her staff
and continued, "Your essences... your spirits... will be reborn later
in the new world, but it will take awhile for the Silver Millennium to
come around again. I am afraid the only one of you I can save is
Chibi-Usa. The rest of you, I will see you in several tens of millions
of years."

Pluto paused, and caused a hologram to form. It was of the entire solar
system, mainly the planets. "This will show you what happened to
everything,"

Suddenly the holographic Earth glowed white and exploded. A huge ring of
purple tinged light raced out, destroying all the planets it touched,
the sun, moons, and asteroids along with it. Everyone but Pluto gasped
in horror. "Apparently, Saturn did not realize her own power, and
destroyed our entire system. I will leave you with this image... " she
gestured to the black hologram, "and, several minutes to say good-byes."

Pluto grabbed Chibi-Usa's hand and stood up.

"Hang on a second!" Venus shouted, and everyone stood up with her. "Why
can't you save us?!"

Pluto sighed and closed her dark red eyes. "One, you are guaranteed to
be reborn, so if I were to save you here, two of you will exist in the
new time. That would be a paradox and is not permitted. Second, Chibi-Usa 
is not guaranteed to come back, so I need to make sure she does."

"It's still stupid," Uranus muttered dryly under her breath. "I mean,
she's just a girl... we've been around awhile now. And I am sure that
Serenity and Endymion will, ah, end up having her." The other older
Senshi chuckled a bit while Serenity and Endymion blushed.

Neptune slapped Uranus' arm lightly. "Pluto knows what she is doing,"
she said. "If we are not allowed to be 'saved,' then we cannot be
saved."

"I still don't think... "

Neptune laughed lightly at Uranus. "Haruka," she said softly, using
Senshi Uranus' former name. "Setsuna knows what she's doing! Let her do
her job, she'll take care of everything." She reached out and gave
Uranus' hand a reassuring squeeze.

Mercury said, "Well, how did we die back then anyway?"

Saturn was quiet. "I... was unconscious most of the time."

Pluto-sensei tapped her foot. "I'll make this quick... Mistress Nine
blasted all the Inner Senshi after they attack. "Moon used her Starlight 
Honeymoon Therapy Kiss, but Mistress Nine deflected it in its negative form, 
causing Moon to die. Neptune used her Submarine Deflector, and again Mistress 
Nine turned it into negative energy and deflected it. Uranus went balistic
and wildly attack her, but Mistress Nine drained all her energy. Saturn
was killed when she used her Death Reborn Revolution and Mistress Nine
knocked her glaive away. If Saturn had been able to hold onto it she
would have probably lived."

Pluto stood up. "I'm really sorry, but we're almost out of time. We have
to leave _now_ if we are going to return to the Gate of Time.

Pluto unexpectedly grabbed Chibi-Usa's hand and shouted, "Dark Dome
Open!" She pulled the girl in with her, and the portal closed behind
her. While the others stared in shock at her sudden departure.

"I can't believe she just left like that!" Uranus snarled, pounding the
table. "No 'good-bye' or 'I'll make sure you're reborn' or anything!"

Senshi Mars shrugged. "She is the Guardian of Time. She is under a lot
of pressure. Still, she could have said SOMETHING else before she left."

The Senshi and what remained of the Royal Family sat in silence.

"How long now?" Jupiter asked.

"Three minutes," Saturn answered, curled up in a ball in her chair.

The King and Queen said, "Good-bye" to everyone and walked out to spend
their last minutes alone. Neptune gave Uranus a sad look, and they both
said "bye" and walked away, holding hands.

The other Senshi sat alone and in silence, then Mars left to say a prayer.
Jupiter watched the sky, while Mercury stared at her hands. Venus was sitting
with wide eyes, unmoving. Saturn whispering quiet words to herself, trying 
to convince herself what she had done was right.

Serenity sat with Endymion quietly, before she whispered, "I love you." He 
put his arm around her, and she leaned her head on his shoulder, tears streaming
down her cheeks. "I love you."

He gave her a gentle kiss as the glow passed over them.

The Original Time on Earth ended.



Time: unknown
Place: The Gateway of Time



Chibi-Usa sat off to the side, wearing pale pink robes and a silver rope
belt around her waist. Pluto stood in front of the Gateway, watching for
the flash that would indicate the end had come.

"You do know you are immortal now, Chibi-Usa. Since we are outside of
time, you will not age but slightly."

"I don't care," Chibi-Usa muttered. "You LET my mother and father die
there! And my best friend! And all the other Senshi! How could you DO
that?!"

Pluto was silent for a moment. "Chibi-Usa, the world will start over...
the dinosaurs, the first continents, the Silver Millennium. It will take
awhile, but as soon as the latter arrives, they will be reborn."

Chibi-Usa made a "hmph!" Wiping away a tear, she shouted, "YOU DON'T
CARE, DO YOU?!"

Pluto whirled around, trying to remain calm. "Of COURSE I care! Your
parents were my King and Queen! The Outer Senshi were my best... my
ONLY real friends! All the other Senshi were also important to me too! But I
couldn't take them because that would effect time even worse than it
already has been effected! Don't YOU care about my feelings too? It was
very hard for me to just let them go, but you are being a selfish
little... a-a... "

Pluto leaned over against a wall and started crying.

Chibi-Usa stared in shock. She had NEVER seen Pluto cry. "Puu?" she
whispered. "Oh God, I'm sorry." She hugged Luna-P and cried too as
the bright white flash came.



Time: during the new Jurassic Era
Place: same as previous



Chibi-Usa pressed her hands against a mirror that allowed people inside 
the Gate of Time to look outside and stared out at the dinosaurs. "Wow, 
look at them!" she exclaimed. 

Chibi-Usa was an adult now, appearing to be about twenty. Pluto had been
surprised when the teen had aged this much in such a short (at least to
her) amount of time, but she said that she was sure that Chibi-Usa
wouldn't age anymore. Chibi-Usa now insisted on being called her real
name, Usagi.  She walked away from the window to brush her long pink
hair, which reached to her knees now, that she didn't wear in her
odangos anymore. She saw Pluto sitting in the corner, flipping through a
photo album, a gentle smile on her face.

"Those are the Senshi..." Usagi whispered... "I miss them so much still.
Especially Mama..."

Usagi walked off to play with Luna-P, and Pluto returned to looking through
her book.



Time: Millions of years later
Place: same as previous 



Pluto was woken up from a long rest to see Usagi there, shaking her to wake her
up. "Pluto! Pluto!"

Pluto closed her eyes tight and moaned slightly. "I was sleeping... what is it?"

"You said there would be a big flash of white light when the Silver Millennium
starts?"

"Yes, why?"

"Welllll.... come see."

Pluto stood up and ran to the mirror and saw... "My God! It HAS started!"


					 ________

					
					   TWO

					 ________



Time: the new Silver Millennium
Place: Princess Serenity's room, the Palace, the Moon Kingdom



Princess Serenity sat alone in her room, struggling with her long white
dress. "It just... doesn't... fit right!" she shouted to herself.

Her mother walked in, an imposing woman wearing a simple yet elegant
white dress. "Daughter," Queen Serenity said in her soft voice, "maybe
you just need a new dress."

Princess Serenity shook her head. "I adore this dress, Mother! I've
worn it many times and it hasn't ever done this before!" Her dress was a
replica of her mother's.

Queen Serenity pulled out a piece of paper and showed it to her
daughter. "The tailor has shown me this design several times, and he
would be thrilled if you would try it."

Princess Serenity gently took the paper and examined the dress. Poufy
sleeves covering only the shoulders, gold lining, pearls, long skirt,
bow in the back, "Oh wow, it's perfect!"

The Queen smiled. "I will have it made before the other princesses
arrive."

"They're coming here?!"

The Queen sighed. "I have told you before, you are not the only princess
in the universe! They are Senshi and they are coming to protect you."

The Princess protested, "But Mother! I do not have to share a room,
do I?! I don't _really_ need protection from them, right?!"

"Yes you do! So you better be polite to them!"

The Princess grumbled, "Yes, Mother."



Time: several days later
Place: Out in space, on a space transport



The transport carrying the other princesses was late arriving. A few of
the princesses had not been waiting in the area they were told to wait,
namely Uranus, Jupiter, and Venus. Not only that, but the transport was
a slow one, and had to travel to all the planets (minus Earth) before returning
to the moon.

The Princesses sat in a separate room from the other passengers to keep from 
being exposed to diseases, fights, drinking, etc.; over-protectiveness on the 
part of the Queen. Each had their symbol on their forehead in their aura color, 
their eyes their aura color, and their hair was of the same color (with the 
exception of one). 

The Princess of Venus, a pretty young woman with long golden blonde
hair, golden eyes, and a gold toned dress on, whispered in the ear of a
beautiful young woman next to her that had long, straight crimson hair,
red eyes, and a red dress. "Isn't the one with white hair the tallest
woman you've ever seen?" She had a light, gentle sounding voice.

The other princess smiled. "She sure is! I am the Princess of Mars, by
the way." She spoke softly, in a musical voice.

"And I, Venus. What was your real name, if you do not mind?"

"Rei, and you?"

"Minako. Nice to meet you."

The others, seeing the two introducing themselves, also introduced
themselves, after the two said their names to everyone else.

A delicate-featured young woman with short blue hair, blue eyes, and a cerulean 
dress spoke first. "I am called Ami, the Princess of Mercury. It is a
pleasure to meet you all," she said with a small bow of her head.
She spoke in light, soft tones.

A beautiful woman with long blue green hair that fell in large waves, blue 
green eyes, and a turquoise dress smiled and she said, "I am Michiru. I am 
the Princess of Neptune." Her voice was gentle and elegant.

A pretty young woman with wavy green hair, green eyes, wearing an emerald
toned dress said simply, "Makoto; Jupiter." Her voice was rich and pleasing
to hear.

A woman who was both beautiful and handsome, with short white hair, deep blue 
eyes, wearing an indigo dress said, "Haruka, from Uranus." Her voice was very 
deep and throaty, but feminine.

The others nodded to each other.

One pale princess sat aside, staring out the window. It was hard to tell
how old she was, for she was short for her age and had no marks on her
face at all, save for her symbol. She had rich purple, shoulder length
hair, skin much paler than the others, and a royal purple dress. She
really was more cute than pretty. Seeing the others looking at her, she 
said in a soft, weak voice, "I am Hotaru, from Saturn."

She continued to gaze out the window.

Unexpectedly, a beautiful, older looking woman from the pilot's bay, with
long, blackish-purple hair and eyes, darker skin than the others, and a very dark
purple dress. "Excuse me, my name is Setsuna, from Pluto. You may call
me Pluto. I am the Guardian of Time." She spoke in strong, confidant
tones.

Neptune raised an eyebrow. "I remember you from some of the lore I have
read regarding the Original Time."

Pluto smiled. "I am sure you have, Mi... um, Neptune."

"It is alright if you call me by my real name. It seems silly to call us
names from our planets."

Uranus yawned and stretched. "So, Guardian, your from the Original Time?
What was it like? Were we there?"

Pluto gave the taller woman a crafty smile. "I could tell you, but I
think you should find out on your own."

"Gonna be difficult, huh? That's okay."

Pluto smiled and took a seat. A pretty young woman came and sat next to
her. She had long pink hair, crimson eyes, and a pastel pink dress on.
No symbol marked her forehead. A floating black ball, with cat's ears,
an antenna, a caricature of a cat's face, and a crescent moon on the
"forehead," followed her in.

"This is my friend Usagi. She is traveling with me for awhile."

The others nodded. Saturn's purple eyes suddenly went blank, and she
stared at the wall with wide eyes.

"Ma'am? Are you alright?" Mars asked. "She must get visions," she said
to the others. "I've seen this happen before."

Saturn blinked and shook her head to clear it. "I... had a strange
vision, we were all in our Senshi uniforms, there was this weird
woman with long black hair... "

Usagi cocked her head. "Maybe you, uh, should get some rest."

Venus said cheerfully, "I can't wait to see the Moon! Let's play some
games to make the time fly!"

Uranus muttered, "Like what? Patty-cake?"

"That was not nice, Uranus," Mercury said to the tall woman.

"That was not nice," Uranus mimicked in mocking tones. "Look," she said
in a normal voice, "I don't know about the rest of you, but we need to
take this seriously! There are wars on Earth and on Mercury right now. 
We should be helping there instead of wandering around the Palace playing 
games!"

Mars glared at her. "The Queen must have a reason that's more important
than playing games!"

Venus, still upset from the patty-cake comment, said, "I am sure the wars
will end peacefully. I heard the Queen sent troops out to break things
up.  Besides, the Queen might just want us over there to, well, get to
know the place. We will have to live their the rest of our lives."

Uranus snorted, "I don't even KNOW you people! Why should I listen to
that woman?!"

"Well, she is our queen, and she's above our parents in power." Neptune said. 
"And Queen Serenity did order us to go out to the Moon."

"Queen or no queen, I don't like it!" Uranus sat down hard with a grunt. "I 
never have listened to my mother or father anyways! They don't care at all!"
She sighed hard. "I never wanted to be a princess," she grumbled softly in hurt 
tones.

The others looked at her sympathetically. "Uranus," Venus started, "why
didn't you just tell her you didn't want to go there?"

"I had to go!" Uranus said with a sigh. "Going to the Moon isn't nearly as bad
as staying home."

Jupiter shrugged. "Well, being a princess means we get to be a Senshi,
so if there ARE any wars, we getta fight in 'em!"

Neptune scowled at Jupiter. "Is that all you care about?! Fighting? That
isn't what is important. What is important is having friends and family
with you, and loved ones to spend time with, and things to be happy for.
Not punching the brains out of some mind-wiped people!"

Neptune stood up and walked out of the room, into a connecting one where
the commoners, peasants, and criminals stayed.

"Hey!" Uranus called. "Someone might try to hurt you out there! Get back
in here!" She grumbled and hurried after the other princess. "You're
gonna get hurt! There's criminals out there! Hold up, already!"

"Neptune is right," Mercury said after the woman was out of the room.
"Friends, family, loved ones, and happiness are what is important, not
hurting other people."

The others (except for Jupiter) nodded in agreement.

They sat in silence until Uranus came back a few minutes later, leading
Neptune by the arm. Their clothing was slightly torn and their hair
ruffled.

"What happened?" Pluto asked.

"Just what I thought... someone tried to beat her up, so I had to beat
them up, and then the pilot told me to come back here."

Neptune had a very haughty look on her face. "I could have handled him!"

"Maybe that's why you were lying on the ground in a heap while he kicked
you, huh?" Uranus scowled. "Don't try to be tough unless you are. Next
time someone might not come to help you out." Uranus flopped into a
seat.

Neptune shouted, "I could have taken care of myself!"

Uranus snorted. "You aren't the fighting type. Shouldn't get into them.
So next time, don't go out there with those barbarians!"

"You didn't have to crack his skull for what he did! You could have just
turned him in!"

The other princesses were going to add something, when Uranus shouted in
hurt tones, "Well, 'scuse me for caring, Michiru!" Uranus stormed out of
the room, towards the same place they just got back from.

"Hey, where are you going?" Neptune called to her, actually sounding
worried. "Get back here!" She started to go after her.

Uranus kept walking. "Why should I?"

Usagi suddenly threw her floating ball at the back of Uranus' head.
There was a soft "crack!" and Uranus slumped over. Neptune ran over to
make sure she was okay. "Hope I didn't hurt her bad," Usagi muttered.

Mercury came over to the tall woman. "She'll be okay. She's just
stunned."

Neptune sighed. "Look, sorry I got mad, but my brothers always treated
me like I was helpless, and you made me feel like I was when you did
that. Uh, thanks for helping me. You okay?" She helped Uranus sit up.

Uranus sat up and rubbed her head. "You got a good arm, Usagi," she said
to the pink haired woman with a grin. "Took me by surprise."

Pluto smiled. "The transport is arriving soon. Better get seated
everyone."

Everyone got into their seats quietly. While the captain rambled on
about weather conditions on the moon's surface and other unimportant
stuff, Uranus whispered to Neptune, "Sorry I got mad."

"Me too," the turquoise haired woman said with a smile. "Friends?" She
held out her hand.

Uranus squeezed it with a grin. "Friends," she said.

"What are things like on your home, anyways?" Mars asked Mercury. "I've
heard stories, but I've never been there... hell, I've never gone anywhere
outside of Mars! Most of the other planets are so much colder I can't
tolerate it!"

Mercury laughed. "There's not much to say about it. Burning hot in the
summer, freezing in the winter. No plants grow there except for a few
that can handle the harsh conditions."

"It's always too hot on Mars," the red haired princess continued.
"But we're used to it. This space transport, for example, is too cold
for me."

"I can handle any temperature now!" Mercury laughed.

"Yeah, but what would you do if you went to Pluto? It's as cold as 
Queen Beryl's heart there!"

Both princesses laughed hard as the other Senshi watched them.

"I guess some people make friends pretty quick," Jupiter commented.

"I guess so," Venus returned.



Time: after the transport arrives
Place: a gathering hall in the Palace



The younger Serenity waited impatiently with her much more patient
mother for the other princesses to come in. She was wearing her new
dress and wanted to be sure that she looked better than the other
princesses.

Her silvery hair was pulled into two odango shaped balls with hair
trailing out of them, the same style her mother wore. The crescent on
her forehead and her eyes were also silver, but more like real silver
than the white color of her hair. She wore some pearls in her hair, to
show off, mainly.  Her new dress was also white, and several young men
had told her it looked beautiful on her.

Her fiance, Prince Endymion from Earth, was with her, wearing a black
tuxedo, white dress shirt, and a red rose tucked into one of the
pockets.  So they stood, waiting, for the others to come downstairs.

The first to come down was Mercury, wearing a blue crushed velvet dress
with a modest neckline, no sleeves, and skirt to just past her ankles, 
with a sapphire necklace and earrings to match. She wore almost no makeup 
and had fluffed her hair slightly. Her forehead symbol glowed faintly. 
She curtsied to the Prince and Princess. "I am Ami, Princess of Mercury."

The younger Serenity smiled. "Nice to meet you."

Endymion whispered in her ear, "She has an intelligent look to her, doesn't
she?"

Venus came down right after, wearing a golden dress that was very
shiny.  It had a high waistline, with thin straps for sleeves,
held with tiny gold clasps. She wore gold jewelry and brown toned
makeup. Her hair was very straight and shiny, and she had let it hang
down instead of in the usual bow. Her symbol shone bright. "Minako, 
Princess of Venus, pleased to meet you." She curtsied once and stood by Mercury.

"Now, she's a very pretty young lady," Endymion commented, then quickly
added, "but you're much prettier." Serenity grinned.

The next to come down was Mars. She wore red silk, with a small train,
off shoulder sleeves, and a slightly drooping neckline. She wore ruby
jewelry and dark red lipstick. Her red hair was worn very straight, and
was shiny. Mars' symbol glowed bright.

Princess Serenity recognized a precog when she saw one, and this
definitely was one. "I am Rei, Mars' Princess." The woman curtsied once
to Princess Serenity, once to Endymion, once to the older Serenity, then
went to stand by Venus. Endymion indicated with a glance at Serenity
that he thought Mars was very attractive. Serenity suddenly felt the urge
to pinch his arm hard.

Next was Jupiter. She wore a dark green dress that looked like it was
made of velvet. It flared at the ankles and had a low neckline with off
shoulder sleeves. She wore emerald jewelry and light red lipstick. Her
wavy green hair was pulled back high with a dark green ribbon. Her symbol
glowed bright.  "I'm Makoto, from Jupiter." She gave a quick curtsy and
went to stand by Mars. Endymion nodded about her too.

Saturn came down slowly. She wore a purple satin dress, modest neckline,
thick straps for sleeves, the skirt ending at her ankles. She wore amethyst 
jewelry with light purple lipstick and a little eyeshadow. Her purple hair 
was worn dead straight, and her symbol was hard to look at. "I am Hotaru, 
from Saturn." She curtsied and went to stand by Jupiter.

Princess Serenity whispered to Endymion, "Maybe the glow indicates how
much power they have as Senshi."

He nodded. "Probably. Look at Saturn's!" He then grinned. "She's very
cute, but it really hides how powerful she is, don't you think?" Serenity 
nodded in agreement.

Uranus came down, and unlike the others, didn't bother with the handrail.  
She wore an indigo dress made of a simple material, not very
fancy like the others, but it accented her extreme height. It stopped at
her ankles and had a slightly sloping neckline, with small straps for sleeves. 
She wore a necklace with a dark blue sapphire on it, and small gold hoop earrings. 
The only makeup she wore was a little lipgloss. Her white hair was worn in her
usual style. Her symbol was a brighter than all but Saturn's. "Haruka, Princess 
of Uranus." She gave an awkward, stiff curtsy, probably just because the Queen was
present. She just nodded her head to the younger Serenity before she went to stand 
by Saturn.

Endymion was staring with a strange look. "What?" the Moon Princess
whispered.

"She's taller than me!" he said in shock. "I mean, she's pretty, but
look at how tall she is!" Endymion suddenly felt short.

Serenity laughed and clasped his hand.

Neptune came down next. Neptune was wearing an aquamarine dress made of a 
clearly expensive material. It was very billowy and had a train slightly longer 
than Mars' had been. She had off shoulder, gauzy sleeves made of transparent 
material and a low neckline. She wore aquamarine jewelry with dark lipstick. 
Her blue green hair was pulled back in a stylized twist near the top of her head, 
with tendrils framing her face. Her symbol was very bright, slightly dimmer than 
Uranus'. She curtsied gracefully before introducing herself and said, "I am 
Michiru, the Princess of Neptune. It is nice to finally meet you, Princess Serenity,
Queen Serenity." She smiled and walked over to stand by Uranus.

Serenity smiled and squeezed Endymion's hand tighter.

The last was Pluto. She wore a deep purple satin dress, long but straight. 
The dress fit tight, with a fitted skirt and low neckline. She wore
silver jewelry, and very plain, but grownup makeup. Her extremely dark
purple hair had the top layer pulled into a bun, the rest hanging out.
Her symbol glowed brighter than Uranus', almost as bright as Saturn's. "I am 
Setsuna, Princess of Pluto, and the Guardian of Time." She
curtsied low and went to stand by Neptune.

Princess Serenity's eyes widened. "You are... you're HER?!"

Pluto smiled. "Yes, I am, Princess. I have been for millions of years
now.  Would you like to meet a friend of mine?"

Princess Serenity nodded, still stupefied.

A young woman came down, her eyes closed. She was wearing a pastel pink
dress that had a modest neckline, short sleeves, and a skirt came to her
knees. She wore rose quartz jewelry and pink toned makeup. Her long pink
hair was worn in a braid that came to her waist. No symbol shone on her
forehead. A black ball in the caricature of a cat's head, with a gold
crescent moon on the "forehead" and an antenna coming from the top of
its head, floated down after her.

Pluto smiled. "This is Usagi Tsukino. She is from the Original time."

The young woman opened her eyes. They were a bright crimson color, and
at first, Princess Serenity was very shocked by the color.

"H-hello," she said to the young woman. My, she looks a bit like me!
Well, except for the hair and the eyes, she thought to herself.

Queen Serenity finally chose to speak. "It is good to meet all of you. I
hope you do not mind, but you will have to share rooms since we don't
have many open."

Queen Serenity racked off a list. "Jupiter, you are with Mercury. Mars,
you are with Venus. Saturn, you are with Pluto. Uranus, you are with
Neptune." She looked up. "Oh, and our young friend Usagi, you are with
my daughter."

All nodded. Queen Serenity continued, "I wanted you to dress nice since
we will be introducing you to other members of the Court. Representatives
from your home planets will be there waiting to see you."

"They won't even recognize me. They haven't seen me in years," Uranus muttered.

"Watch your mouth," Queen Serenity said, while Uranus appeared taken aback.

The Queen kept talking, "In several months, the annual Silver Ball will
be held. I expect you all to have dates by then. You need to make a 
nice impression."

Princess Serenity squeezed Endymion's hand. Mars, Jupiter, Venus, and Mercury 
had hearts in their eyes. "Oh boy!" Jupiter said. "An excuse to be with 
Nephrite! Yay!"

"You need an excuse?" Venus joked.

The others laughed.

Pluto and Saturn both said at the same time, "Do we have to have a
date?"

The Queen smiled. "Well, if at the last minute you don't have one and
someone asks you, you had better take the offer."

They sighed disappointedly.

Uranus kicked her foot on the floor nervously. "Uh, what if no one wants
to go with us. I mean, I'm sure someone would actually ASK Saturn and
Pluto. I don't think anyone will ask me."

The Queen was silent for a moment. "Why do you say that, Uranus?"

She shrugged. "I mean, I am not exactly pretty, and I'm taller than most
of the guys in your kingdom... I scare more guys than I attract!"

The Queen chuckled. "I am sure that I can arrange a date for you."

Uranus grumbled and crossed her arms. "Why can't I just go stag?"

Neptune laughed. "Practically everyone with any wealth at all in the
system is coming. You have to appear to be well liked; make a good
impression." She then chuckled and nudged Uranus in the ribs with her
elbow. "Besides, you are pretty when you get right down to it! I'm sure
someone will ask you!"

Uranus snorted, "You don't have a problem getting a date! Practically
every guy who sees ya will ask you to go with him!"

Neptune blushed. "Oh REALLY? Why do you say that?"

Uranus turned red. "Uh, you, um...  uh... "

Venus giggled. "Well, Neptune, I think she means to say you are very
pretty."

Neptune smiled. "Thank you for actually speaking," she said, giving
Uranus a look.

Uranus turned redder. "I, uh, Queen Serenity?! I, um, heard you have
two, uh, rather unique advisors?"

The Queen chuckled. "Yes, I do. I'll ask them to come down." She went
upstairs and was gone a few minutes.

As soon as she was gone, all the Princesses except Uranus burst out
laughing. Usagi and Endymion laughed too, and Endymion gave a playful
punch to the Princess' arm. "Well, you sure have a way with words,
Uranus."

Uranus was fuming. "Ooooo... .just... shut-up! I haven't exactly
gotten to talk to other people besides my father in years so of
course I won't be a good speaker, okay?!" She raced up the stairs to 
where the Queen had said her room was.

The Princesses stopped laughing. "I think we hurt her feelings," Mercury
said softly.

"I guess we shouldn't have laughed," Jupiter said, looking down at her
feet. "I mean, she seems a bit... disturbed. Not mentallly, but something's
obviously wrong back home. I noticed a bad bruise on her back earlier."

It was quiet for a little while. Usagi broke the silence by saying,
"Maybe someone should go check on her."

Neptune went upstairs, clutching her skirts to keep from tripping over
them.

Queen Serenity came down, noting the absence of the two. She didn't
mention it, but presented two cats, one a black female with orange-gold
eyes, the other a white male with blue eyes, both with gold crescent
moons on their foreheads. "This is Luna," she said pointing to the black
one, "and this is Artemis. These are my advisors."

"Advisors? But they are...  cats?!" Jupiter started laughing.

"Excuse me, I have very good advise to share, young lady." The voice
came from around Serenity's feet.

Jupiter stared in shock at the black cat. "You...  talk?"

"So do I!" the white one said in hurt tones.

Usagi giggled, and her ball floated over to Luna. "Luna, meet Luna-P.
Luna-P, Luna."

Luna stared at the ball. "It-it-it...  what is the meaning of this?!"

Artemis laughed, "It looks kinda like you!" He swiped at the ball, which
bounced on his head and caused him to topple backwards, paws up.

Venus picked up the cat. "Aw...  what a cute kitty!" she said in a
teasing voice, squeezing him tight. "Maybe we can play tea time later!"

Artemis scrambled from her arms, wailing, "Not tea time! Anything...
well, almost anything but tea time!"

Luna sniffed. "How childish of you, Artemis." She sat back on her hind
legs, cleaning her front paws daintily. "Show some manners. Decline
politely."

He said in sarcastic tones to Venus, eyes closed, an over-exaggerated
look of dignity on his face, "I am dreadfully sorry, dear Princess, but
I am afraid that the cat over there has decided I shan't go to your
lovely tea party. Do forgive me." He gave a mock bow.

The Princesses giggled. "Oh, quite alright, my friend," Venus said. "I
shall hold it another time then." She gave a joking, exaggerated sigh.

Neptune and Uranus came back downstairs, Uranus' face slightly tear
streaked. Princess Serenity cocked her head and asked if she was okay,
but the tall princess just muttered, "I'm alright, I'm alright! Why does
everyone ask me that?"

Neptune rolled her eyes. "Ever considered that we might be concerned
about you? We all have to live together, we'll have to be like sisters.
And we are going to look after you whether you like it or not!"

Uranus grunted and flopped into a chair. "I just wanna be left alone. I don't
like it here. Every sound you make echoes, and everywhere you go you see
these guys in fancy suits standing by the doors. I hate it!" She crossed
her arms and refused to say another word.

Venus, meanwhile, was forming a fast friendship with the younger
Serenity.  They talked and giggled the whole time the group of
princesses was together. Most of the others were quiet and didn't say
much... Saturn didn't say a word.

Serenity suddenly realized that she never really introduced Endymion.
"Oh yeah, hey everybody!" she called out. The Princesses turned to look 
at her. She squeezed Endymion's hand and said, "I forgot to introduce Prince
Endymion of Earth.  I'm engaged to him."

"Whoo-hoo!" Venus said, nudging her in the ribs. "You go girl!"

Endymion chuckled and Serenity turned red. "I think we're a cute
couple," he said, as he dipped her low in his arms and kissed her.

The Princesses (except Saturn) all simultaneously went, "Whooooo!"

Endymion stood up straight again, and Serenity straightened her hair, as
blush staining her cheeks.

Queen Serenity finally said, "Well, it's time for you to make an
appearance. Come on." She led them out to a balcony over looking the
large garden. Hundreds of representatives from each of the planets were
there.

"Whoa," Mars said, eyes wide. "That is a lot of people."

Queen Serenity smiled. "I suggest you go in planet order. Just say your
name, what planet you are from, and line up after."

Mercury walked out nervously. "I am Ami, Princess of Mercury." She
quickly moved to the side.

Venus walked out, curtsied lady-like, and said, "I am Minako, Princess
of Venus." She waved to someone she knew before she moved over next to
Mercury.

Mars also curtsied. "I am Rei of Mars." She moved next to Venus.

Jupiter waved and and said, "I'm Makoto from Jupiter." She walked next 
to Mars.

Saturn came out and said as loud as she could (which wasn't that loud),
"Hotaru of Saturn." She moved over by Jupiter.

Uranus walked out and simply said, "Haruka from Uranus," and moved over
by Saturn.

Neptune came out and curtsied. "I am Michiru, Princess of Neptune," she
said before rising to stand by Uranus.

Pluto walked out, nodded to someone she knew, and said as the Queen had
told her, "I am Setsuna, Pluto's Princess, called the Guardian of Time."
As she went to stand by Neptune, she heard a few gasps in the crowd.

Princess Serenity was last, and she curtsied prettily and said,
"Princess Serenity, the Moon Princess."

The Queen came out and gave a speech while the Princesses stood, trying
not to fidget under the stares of the crowd.

Uranus cracked a few jokes, and the others had to hold their laughs in.
They couldn't resist when she slyly knocked the wig off one of the
guards.  As it was, most of the crowd laughed, and the guard turned red
in the face. Jupiter joined in on the antics, standing behind the queen
and waving her arms around in exagerated mimics of her hand gestures.

Princess Serenity barely managed (with much difficulty since she was
laughing too) to calm everyone down. Queen Serenity gave Uranus and Jupiter 
an unamused look, then continued her speech.


					 ________

					
					  THREE

					 ________



Time: Two months later
Place: Venus and Mars' room, the Palace

Venus woke up and yawned. Mars was already up, and was whispering some
strange prayer to herself. They had become good friends, as most of the
Princesses had with each other.

The Queen was proud to notice improvements in the Princesses' behavior
when they had been around each other awhile. Mercury tried to be more
sure of herself when she spoke. Venus didn't giggle as much. Princess
Serenity was learning good manners from Venus and Neptune, and also was
showing much more grace than before. Mars was learning to control her
temper. Jupiter was trying to be more princess like. Saturn actually spoke 
up and went outside with the others, putting some color in her cheeks.
Uranus was getting used to being around other people. Neptune wasn't 
getting as mad at people as she had been when she first got there. Pluto...  
no one seemed to be able to tell about Pluto. She had disappeared for the first 
month with her friend Usagi, who never spoke unless she had to. They
came back after several weeks, acting as if they'd never left. Pluto's purple
hair had turned green though.

The Queen had also noticed groups form between the women. Mars, Venus,
Jupiter, and Serenity always were together. They liked to joke and laugh
and eat food that Jupiter would cook. Mercury was usually alone
studying, and Saturn was always staring into space. Pluto stayed with
Usagi most of the time, whenever they were actually at the Palace.
Neptune always hung around Uranus. They had finally stopped arguing so
much and were now extremely close friends. 

Everyone had gotten together for a "cookout" in the gardens, among the pink, 
white, and (the extremely rare) red roses.  Serenity adored the flowers, 
talking on and on about how they reminded her of Endymion. Uranus not too 
subtly gagged. Neptune poked her arm, a sly smile on her face.

Serenity continued to talk in a swoon while Mars, Venus, and Jupiter
discussed the latest gossip. Mercury was doing some obscure writing in
the Mercurian language. Saturn stared at the sky. Pluto was chatting
with Uranus and Neptune, and Usagi actually joined in.

Mars laughed loudly at something Jupiter said, then reached over and
plucked a red rose off a bush. Serenity scowled at her, but Mars just
put it behind one ear. "I think it goes perfectly with my hair," she
said with a smile.

The others except her (and Serenity and Saturn) laughed. Uranus reached
over and plucked a white one off, and handed a pink one to Usagi. They
also slipped them behind their ears, giving silly model poses as the
others laughed.

The others also snapped off roses for their hair, and everyone, even
Saturn, began to talk happily with each other. "They all seem to be
happy here," Pluto whispered to Usagi. Usagi smiled and nodded in agreement.

The girls continued chatting and Jupiter skipped off excitedly off to
check on the food. Uranus grinned and said softly to the others, "Maybe
Nephrite is hiding in the kitchen!"

They all laughed and tried to quiet down when Jupiter walked back, but
most of them were still giggling. "What's so funny?" Jupiter demanded.

Uranus took a long drink of her lemonade. "Oh, nothing," she said,
wiping off her mouth before she brought the glass back to her lips.

Mars grinned. "Actually, she told us she thinks maybe Nephrite was in
the kitchen..."

Jupiter turned red. "No, he was not!"

The other princesses started laughing loudly. "C'mon, Makoto," Mars said,
"everyone knows how close the two of you are!"

"Oh yeah, what about you and Jadeite, hmmm?"

Mars blushed while everyone else laughed harder.

"When's the wedding, Serenity?" Neptune asked.

"What?!" Serenity gasped with shock.

"Well, you two _are_ engaged..."

"Actually... we haven't decided yet."

The princesses nearly fell out of their chairs. "Oh... well..."

"They are happy here, alright," Usagi commented to Pluto.

Uranus turned and grinned at Mercury. "So how's your boyyyyyyfriend,
Mercury? Have you seen your little Kunzite lately?"

Mercury blushed brightly. "N-not really..."

"But you sure do miss him alot, hmmm?"

"Yeahhhh..."

"It's funny to think that _you_ have a boyfriend, what with all that
time you spend reading and studying," Uranus teased.

Mercury looked at her with an amused look. "Well, at least I have one.
What about you? You don't have anyone."

Uranus seemed taken aback. "Well, I... er..."

The other princesses laughed. "Why is it that none of the Outer Senshi
are attached to anyone?" Mars commented her.

Saturn looked at and said, "Well, I probably speak only for Setsuna and
myself, but we just don't feel like letting anyone into our lives."

"Why only for you and Setsuna? Perhaps *gasp* Uranus has a secret crush!"

She started laughing while Uranus glared at her. "Well, I sure won't tell 
_you_ who I--" Uranus stopped in midsentence.

"Oh you do, don't you?!" Mars laughed harder.

"What about you, Neptune? Are you interested in anyone?" Jupiter asked.

Neptune blinked rapidly several times. "Well... yes..."

"That's all you have to tell us," Jupiter told her. "No point in _teasing_
people."

Mars stopped laughing. "Oooops. Sorry, Uranus."

Uranus crossed her arms. "Hmph!"

"Ooooo!" Venus suddenly gasped, dashing off towards a group of trees. 
"There's a cuuuute bunny over there!!!!"

"Bunny?!" Serenity squealed, running off after her.

"What's so great about a rabbit?" Jupiter asked quizzically. "They're
everywhere back home."

"Rabbit?" Neptune asked in a puzzled voice. "I've never seen a rabbit..."

"I haven't seen one either," Mars commented, "but I wouldn't jump to--"
She suddenly stopped and turned around. "What the-- I thought I sensed
someone... but no one's around."

"Aw, don't worry too much about it," Uranus told her. "If there was someone
there, we'd see them..." Unless they're hidden with magic, she silently 
added.

Mars had been right though. The hidden figure was Kunzite, who was busy 
observing the Princesses with a wary eye. "Mars almost noticed me. I'll 
have to be more careful," he thought to himself. Kunzite looked around 
some more. "Beryl wants me to discover the princess's weaknesses, but I 
can't see any that would be helpful in a battle. Us Generals know the 
weaknesses of Mars, Venus, and Mercury, but not the others. Nephrite 
hasn't been filled with enough dark energy to turn to our side yet, and 
Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, and Saturn are almost entirely unknown to us." 
He checked the sky, noting where the sun was. "I've been here too long 
already... I should leave."

Mars, who was busy talking with Serenity and Venus (they'd returned after
an unsuccessful search for the rabbit) stopped talking again when the
foreboding feeling left. "Now that person, whoever it was, is gone!" she
growled. "What's going on?!"

Saturn looked at her and said, "I felt it too. You don't think it was 
a Dark Kingdom spy, do you?"

Mars bit her lip. "I don't know... I'm worried though..."

A young woman with green eyes and wavy shoulder length, auburn hair came 
running up the garden path, waving a paper in hand excitedly. "Hey! Hey
there! There's a scavenger hunt going on soon! Do any of you want to join?!"
She stopped short when she approached. "Oh! You're the princesses, aren't you?"

The princesses looked at her with surprised faces. "Yes, we are," Jupiter 
said. "What is this 'scavenger hunt'?"

The young woman talked excitedly, "Well, you see, we form teams, and we're
given either a paper or crystal with items listed on it, and we have to
go around the palace grounds and find the items! The first team back will
win a really neat prize..." she then stopped and seemed to think hard. "They
won't say what it is though... Anyways, I need a team of at least ten people,
so I saw all of you sitting over here and wanted to know if you would want
to join me. I haven't gotten a team yet."

"Sounds like fun!" Jupiter said. "What does everyone think... ?" The others
nodded in agreement. "Waitaminute!" she suddenly exclaimed. "What about all
that food I made?!"

The young woman laughed. "It doesn't start for another hour! Hey, I'll sign you 
up on my team. Meet me in front of the palace in fourty-five minutes to tell
the people running the contest that you're on my team, okay? The name's Naru.
See ya later!"

She waved and ran off.

"This should be interesting..." Mercury commented.

"Yeah... interesting..." Usagi drew out slowly.

The others all laughed.



Time: Forty-five minutes later
Place: The front of the palace



The princesses were prompt and arrived exactly when Naru had told them to.
The only one missing was Usagi, who'd declined at the last minute for unknown 
reasons.

The chirpy red head waved quickly, shouting at them to come over to where
she was. "Hey hey hey!!! Come over and sign in!!!"

The princesses received several confused, skeptical looks as they filled out
the papers. "Why are all those people staring?" Venus asked Naru.

Naru looked at her in disbelief. "You're the _princesses_. I mean, to have
people as famous as you guys are participate in something like this is... is...
well, it doesn't happen often."

"So what do we get if we win?" Mars asked.

Naru looked around blankly. "Er... well... I don't know. They didn't say when
we signed up."

The princesses promptly fell over with large sweatdrops on their heads.

A man came around and handed out sheets with the items listed on them.

"What the-- Ureshii flowers?! Where are we supposed to find those?!"

"How are we supposed to get 5 Tenshi crystal made on Venus?!"

"A frozen salmon?"

"No one said it'd be easy," Naru told them. "Look, why don't we split into groups
of two, to cover more ground? If everyone takes a communications crystal with them,
we'll be able to tell each other when we've found something so we can mark it off."

Serenity sighed. "They better give out good prizes!"

"Well, every team gets something..."

An announcer started shouting, "Remember, there's only two hours to find everything!
Come back here when done! Ready... set... go!"

"Eeeeeek!!" Serenity shrieked. "Let's get started!"

After some chaos with picking groups, the girls finally set off in search of the
wacky items.



Naru and Serenity were wandering around a forest near the palace. "I know Kon-iro
birds live here... but how are we going to get one of their feathers?" Serenity
asked Naru.

"Hmmm... I dunno..." She then tripped over the root of a tree. "Ow! What the--"
as she bent over to inspect her ankle, her eyes widened. "Hey... I think this's it!"
She grabbed the crystal out of her pocket. "Hey everybody! Mark off Kon-iro bird 
feather!"

"Yay!" Serenity cheered, jumping up and down. "We were the first to find something!"

She turned around to walk out of the forest and was surprised to see the path
they'd taken had disappeared. "Uh... oh...."

Naru started shrieking in anger, "How the heck will we get out of here now!"

Serenity started pulling her long hair and cried out, "I don't know! I don't know! 
I don't--" she suddenly stopped and sweatdropped. "Naru... you're Martian, right?"

"Yeah, why?"

"So, you're good at telekinesis, right?"

"Yeah..."

"Well... I can fly... so..."

Naru repressed the urge to bop her on the head. "So you're saying I should just float
myself out? I guess that would work... eh... eh heh heh..."

Both girls continued sweatdropping as the floated out of the forest.

"So... um, how'd you know I was Martian?"

"Well, judging from your hair color, you could only be from Mars, Earth, or Pluto, and
your skin is too light for a Plutonian and your accent is different from most Terrans..."

"Oh..." Naru looked around at the area where they'd landed. She started walking around,
before she stopped short and looked hard at the ground. "Is it just me, or does it feel
like we're really lost?"

"Actually," Serenity said, "I have the same feeling."

The two sighed as they wandered around aimlessly, hoping to find some way out of the forest.



"Man, it's hard to find these things," Jupiter griped as she pocketed a glowing round
crystal. "I mean, hardly anyone has them anymore. And we had to spend some of our
own money to get it."

Mercury sighed as she finished pocketing the communications crystal. "It was only
a little bit. It wasn't even Tenshi crystal. Besides, it'll be worth it when we get 
the prize."

"I hope it's a good one. Shelling out thirty gil just for a tensai gem. I could've
bought myself five good meals at the Kai-mono plaza for that much. And by the way,
gil is worth more than Tenshi crystal! Far more than the Mercos you use back home.
The Outer planets all use gil, you know."

"I know, I know!" Mercury said.

"Just checking," Jupiter said.

"Maybe they'll let you keep the gem after the scavenger hunt is over," Mercury suggested.
"They're supposed to bring good luck and increase mental capibilities."

Jupiter glared at her as she weaved through the crowd of people in the shopping area.
"Are you saying I need it?"

"No! No, I was just saying that since you paid for it, you should get to keep it."

"Good." Jupiter shoved her away through until they reached an alley way. She looked
over the list of items. "We still have alot more to go. Let's hope everyone else
finds more things than us. At this rate--"

"Hey, Serenity and Naru already found the feather. Venus and Mars just checked in, and
they found 5 Venusian Tenshi crystal. Neptune said that she and Uranus are almost to
the spot where the Ureshii flowers grow. Pluto and Saturn already found a frozen salmon
and a piece of red clay."

Jupiter nodded. "Well, that's good. What should we look for now?"

"Hmmm... how about... a scrap of blue silk?"

Jupiter grinned. "Go to your closet and cut off a piece from one of your dresses. Simple
as that."

"They want a receipt for it..."

Jupiter's green eyes widened in surprise. "A RECEIPT? I suppose they need a receipt for the
salmon too."

Mercury laughed. "No, just this one. C'mon, the dressmaker's shop should be just around
the corner."

The two princesses wormed their way through the crowd again, Jupiter following the blue
haired woman until they reached a small shop.

"Closed?" Mercury said with disbelief. "But it's the only dressmaker for several miles!"

"Howsabout bringing some scissors to your closet now?" Jupiter said with a grin.

Mercury sighed.



Mars stamped her foot on the ground and shrieked, "Just what do you think you're doing,
Minako!?!?"

Venus sweatdropped and turned around. "It says we need an ofuda..."

"Well, who said we'd use one of mine? Let's just go to the charm shop and buy one."

"But this is easier," Venus whined.

Mars sighed. "Look, I don't want to waste one of my ofuda on a scavenger hunt, okay?!"

Venus pouted. "Fine then. Let's walk five miles until we get to the nearest charm shop..."

"And on the way we can find other items," Mars cut in.

Venus sweatdropped again. "Oh yeah."

Mars sighed as she arranged her red skirts. "Really, Minako, it isn't that hard." Mars
started to lead the way as they walked through the streets in the direction of the charm
shop. She was momentarily distracted when a flier caught her eye. "Wha-- a party? Tonight!
Ooo! And it's at that new club too!"

"Where?!" Venus was suddenly standing next to Mars as they excitedly read it. "Only 3 Tenshi
for admission! What a deal!"

Mars suddenly pulled the list out of her pocket. "Hey, it says we need to bring a flier--"

"--and we'll need this one anyways to show everyone!" Venus chirped as she ripped it off
the sign post.

Mars laughed as they continued along the trail. "I guess we really shouldn't take this
thing too seriously. It's just a game after all."

"Yup!" Venus said, twirling around as she called everyone on the crystal. "Hey everybody,
we found a flier and guess what? It's for a party! Whee!" She put the crystal away and
started skipping.

Mars laughed at her. "You're acting nuts."

Venus just giggled. "Maybe I am!" She bent down and pulled a flower out of the ground.
"Hmmm... wonder where Zoisite is off at? Haven't spoken with him in awhile..."

"Really? I haven't heard from Jadeite in awhile..."

They both sighed. "Oh well..."

"Hey, you _are_ going to go to the party, right?" Venus asked.

"Of course!"

The two laughed and walked off, searching for more items as they went.



"Ah, this is where it is!" Neptune led Uranus through a thick forest until they reached 
large field of grass whose blades were just barely shorter than Uranus. "Can you still 
see the lake?"

"Just a little," Uranus said. "It's hard to see around all this grass."

Neptune laughed. "Come on, it's hard to find the entrance... ah! Here we are!"

Neptune pushed across the grass, revealing a hole about three feet in diameter.

Uranus was shocked and stooped down to look at it. "You wouldn't even know it was here
unless you fell into it!"

"Well... I sorta did!" The two women laughed. "C'mon, we better get in. It's a long way
down."

"Er, a long drop?"

"No, no, no, that's not what I meant! It's not a big drop, but it'll take us awhile to
get down to the cave where the flowers are."

Neptune slid into the hole, dropping several feet before she landed on hard stone. Uranus
followed right after.

"Ughh... this cave sure is damp," Uranus complained.

"Well, Ureshii flowers are only grown here, unless you want to go to Neptune,"
Neptune commented. "C'mon, let's get going."

Uranus sighed as they climbed down a steep trail of rocks. "I hope it is lighter
and drier where these flowers grow."

Neptune laughed. "It's very pretty. I've been down here before."

Uranus slipped on a rock and barely caught herself before tumbling down. "God, do
we have to climb these to get out?!"

"No," Neptune said, shaking her head. "We do have to take a hard route though."

"We had better get a good prize for this," Uranus grumbled.

"Almost there," Neptune commented, as they were plunged into pitch black. "Be
careful as we turn this corner."

"I can't see where I'm--" Uranus cut off as blinding light pierced her eyes. "Ow!
Are we there?"

"You can open your eyes," Neptune teased, pulling Uranus's hands away from her face.
"Look."

Uranus was speechless with awe. The high ceiling of the cave was multihued and glowed
with bright light. Tiny crystals encrusted the shimmering walls, with several larger
ones embedded in the surface. The floor was covered with thin, silver grass, with
several large patches of bright flowers scattered around. A tiny waterfall fell into
a pool of water in the center, partially surrounded with tall, blue rocks.

"It's... wonderful..." Uranus breathed.

Neptune smiled. "It reminds me of a place I used to go to back home."

Uranus knelt by a patch of flowers. "I'm guessing these are the Ureshii flowers?"

Neptune nodded, pulling the crystal out to tell everyone they'd found them.
She then walked over to where Uranus sat, looking around at their surroundings.

"I've never seen anything like this!" Uranus said. "Uranus is so dismal... and the
Palace is so... different..."

Neptune smiled to her and sat down. "I know. That's why I told the others we'd look 
for the flowers... I wanted you to see this. I don't think anyone else has ever 
come here. When I first found it, everything was undisturbed. There was no evidence 
that anyone had come. When we came here, I only saw the marks my feet had made last
time."

Uranus looked over to her. "So it's sort of like your own special place, just for
you?"

Neptune nodded.

"Why'd you want _me_ to come here then?"

Neptune shrugged, blushing faintly. "I don't know. I wanted to keep it to myself at
first, but then I thought you'd like it."

"I do," Uranus said, scooting over close to her. "It's beautiful..." she said softly. 
"You know... I, um, I think _you_ are very beautiful, Michiru..."

Neptune looked over at her with a surprised face. "Why do you say th--"

Uranus pressed a finger to her lips, before she leaned close and wrapped her arms
around Neptune, then kissed her lips gently. Neptune sat still in shock, then 
relaxed into Uranus's embrace, wrapping her arms around the other woman's neck and
pulling them deeper into the kiss. Uranus pulled back very slightly, then kissed
her again with more passion than before. After several seconds, she pulled away and
sat still holding the other in a loose embrace. Neptune looked at her with a shocked 
face, unsure of what to do.

"H-Haruka... I... I lo..." Neptune fumbled for words, stuttering with confusion.

Uranus quickly stood up, clasping her hands to her mouth as if shocked by what she'd 
done. She ran in the direction they'd entered from. "Haruka, wait!" Neptune cried, 
stopping only long enough to tuck a flower into a bag she carried before running off 
after the distraught Uranus.



Pluto and Saturn weren't very thrilled to be in the scavenger hunt, but nevertheless,
they kept an eye out for any items that were on the list.

"I don't know why, but it feels cold here," Pluto commented. She looked around them
suspiciosly. "It feels foreboding..."

"Hmmm... I know what you mean," Saturn said, her purple eyes scanning the trees
around them. "I've been getting bad feelings all day... and during the picnic,
I sensed someone there, and so did Mars. I'm not sure who it was though."

Pluto's dark red eyes widened. "Really? Hmmm..." She thought hard for several minutes
with her brow furrowed. "That's strange... I've tried over and over, but I can't
scan time. It's been like this ever since..." her voice trailed off.

"Ever since when?" Saturn asked. After a moment of silence, she added, "Since
the Original Time, hasn't it?"

Pluto nodded. "I don't know why though..."

Saturn looked around them. "There's a tree over there with white bark. That's on
the list, right?"

Pluto nodded.

Saturn turned around to her. "Try not to worry so hard about it. You should feel
lucky that your powers aren't as strong. What if you did know your destiny? What
would you have to live for if you already knew what would happen? Maybe you are 
unconsciously supressing your abilities. I have to do that with mine. I'm so
sensitive to life and death..." she shuddered slightly, "that if I didn't keep
my sensitivity towards them buried, I'd go insane. I can feel everyone's life energy,
slowing dwindling... weakening... coming closer to death..." she clasped her head 
tightly, her fingers knotting in her purple locks. "AHhhHh! I'm losing control again!"

As Saturn fell to her knees, Pluto rushed over to her. "Hotaru! Control it! Hotaru!"

Saturn shook slightly and wiped sweat away from her forehead. "I-I'm sorry... it
happens sometimes..."

Pluto stared at her hard. "Listen to me, Saturn. No matter what you do, you can
_never_ lose control completely. Never do that. You hear me? The consequences would
be too great."

Saturn nodded. "I know... I try..."

"I don't mean to be too harsh, but trying isn't always enough." Pluto helped the tiny
woman stand. "To protect the universe, you _must_."



After the two hours were up, all the groups had returned to the meeting place to
see who had won. Serenity and Naru seemed a bit tired and explained how they'd
wandered around for so long and only got one time. Mercury and Jupiter had several 
items and were in good spirits. Mars and Venus had the most by far, and for some
reason couldn't stop laughing. Uranus was standing unusually far away from Neptune,
and seemed afraid to look at her, while Neptune held the bag of items with a faraway
look on her face. Pluto and Saturn had a few items, and seemed serious despite the
fact that it was only for fun.

A man came by and collected all the items to total up. "Wow, that was fun, except
for the getting lost part," Naru told them. "I mean, Serenity and I chatted for
awhile and stuff. Maybe we should do stuff like this more often, everyone!"

Mercury groaned. "I had to cut one of my dresses--"

"--and I spent thirty gil to get that gem!" Jupiter finished.

Mars laughed a bit. "Don't worry, Mako, they should let you keep it."

"Hope so. It cost me enough."

Venus giggled a bit, then turned to Uranus. "Hey, something wrong? You seem a bit
... well, different than usual."

"I-I'm fine. Just ignore me..."

Venus looked at her with concerned eyes. "Stop by my room later and talk to me."

"Why should I?"

"Just do it," Venus told her.

Naru started squeeling, "He's gonna announce the winner!"

The man looked over a sheet and announced, "The first place winner is... Osaka Naru
and the princesses."

"Yayyyy!" Serenity cheered.

A woman with lavender hair came over to them. "Congratulations, you all receive
an amount of money equal to 200 Tenshi crystal. So if you prefer gil, we'll give
you the equivalent. You each receive a free ticket for a round trip on a space
transport."

"Um, great!" Jupiter said, trying to sound excited.

The woman gave them each their prize and left.

"A ticket?" Mercury said. "And 1000 Mercos... not bad."

"1000?! No way!" Naru cried.

Meercury covered her mouth and tried not to laugh. "Naru... Mercos aren't worth
alot... it takes five just to equal one Tenshi crystal."

"Oh..."

"How much gil did you get?" Venus asked Saturn.

"Hmmm... I don't know..." Saturn was staring off in to space. "Not much..."

Pluto laughed. "Gil is worth alot though!"

"Oh!" Mars pulled out the flier. "Hey everyone, we found a flier for a party.
Why don't we go?" She passed it around for everyone to see. "We don't get out
of the palace much. Let's go have some fun for once."

"That's a good idea," Jupiter said. "Let's do it."

"I'm afraid not," Pluto said. "The queen wanted us to meet tonight. Besides,
did you read that flier carefully? That club is in a bad neighborhood, one of
the very few on the Moon where there's actually crime."

"Awwwww...." several of the princesses said in unision.

"Well, our duties are more important than fun... I guess..." Serenity said,
but she still seemed upset.

"We better get back if we want to be on time," Mercury said. "The queen will
hate it if we're late. Nice meeting you, Naru."

The other princesses said similar things to Naru before they left.

"See ya later!" Naru said with a wave.

"See ya!" Serenity said as the princesses walked off into the palace.



Time: an hour and a half later.
Place: Venus and Mars' room, the Palace



Mars sat painting her nails while Venus looked out the window with a
bored look. "That meeting was so dull. I almost fell asleep."

Mars blew her nails and commented, "We had to be there. Like Serenity.
said, our duties are more important than fun."

Venus flopped back on the window seat. "Yeah, but we spend too much time
here in the palace. We need to _do_ something for once."

"Speaking of that, where are Usagi and Pluto going off to? They mentioned
in the meeting they'd be leaving for a couple of weeks."

"Who knows," Venus moaned. "At least _they_ get to leave."

Mars pointed a scolding finger at her and said, "Stop moping around and
feeling sorry for yourself. Some of the others are happier here than
they were at home. And besides, we're Senshi. That's got to count for
something."

"Yeah, but it really isn't like we were picked specially or anything. 
They didn't care who we were. We just happened to have the mark and
were picked. What about Mercury and Uranus? Mercury is an only child
and Uranus had no sisters. They're only senshi because they're girls and
royalty. I'm not saying they aren't qualified, but when you think about it,
we were just born into this. Anyone else could do this, but we were picked
by fate."

Mars narrowed her eyes. "Yes, but fate probably arranged it so we would
be picked. Just because it wasn't a person that selected us doesn't mean
that we weren't specially selected."

Venus paused for several moments, before grudgingly commenting, "I guess you're
right."

"I am, aren't I?"


					 ________

					
					   FOUR

					 ________



Time: a couple weeks later
Place: a breakfast hall, the Palace



Everyone had gone downstairs for breakfast, still wearing their
nightgowns/pajamas, all except Pluto and Usagi (who just got back) 
were very tired. Jupiter had cooked it herself. Everyone complimented 
her on the dish. As they ate, Pluto noticed a silence in the air, as if 
everyone was somehow... afraid of something. She noted this with a frown. 
"Is something wrong?" She pushed her sausage around on her plate.  
"Everyone is so quiet..."

Uranus smiled. "Pluto, you weren't at the meetings recently! You
wouldn't understand."

Pluto raised an eyebrow. "Oh, I wouldn't?"

Uranus nodded. "I don't think you'd be able to... follow...  what is
going on since you haven't been here..."

"So you are saying I'm stupid and wouldn't comprehend?"

Uranus turned red. Neptune touched her friend's hand, then turned to
Pluto.  "I think what she means is that since we've had so many
meetings, covering so many things... she isn't sure if you would be able
to... follow... what is going on since you weren't here for the whole
story."

Pluto folded her fingers together. "The rebellion on the Inner Planet
space platform? I knew about it. The question is, what will we do about
it?"

Mercury shook her head and said softly, "We could fight them... but we
cannot do that..."

The space platform was sort of huge, flat floating platform located
between Earth and its moon. It had man-made structures on it and was the
hub of travel between the Inner Planets. It had tons of space docks,
shops, convention centers, and many places for living. The Outer Planets
shared one between Uranus and Neptune, and then their was another
between the Inner and Outer Planets.

"What if we are forced to?" Jupiter snapped. "I don't mean to jump to
conclusions, but the Dark Kingdom could be involved."

"Well, that's possi--"

Saturn and Mars suddenly snapped up, their eyes blank. The first to
recover, Saturn whispered forcefully, "I... sense an evil presence...
at the Inner Planet space platform!"

"Who is it?!"

Mars searched. "The Dark Kingdom sent someone... they-they've corrupted
the people there! They-they've been turned into youma! The Dark Kingdom
plans to use them to take over the system... you were right..." She
rested her head in her hands. "Why didn't we sense this sooner? They're
building troops up fast... it won't take long for them to be ready to
attack... maybe an hour..."

Serenity bit her lip. "I better contact Mother!"

She closed her eyes and the Moon symbol on her forehead glowed. All the
princesses possessed telepathy, telekinesis, and flight, but the Lunar
were also naturally strong in telepathy.

In only a few seconds, Serenity opened her eyes. "M-mother says that the 
Senshi... need to go there and stop this... ."

Jupiter and Uranus eagerly leapt to their feet. "What are we waiting for?"
Uranus asked.

They all cried out their transformation phrases simultaneously.

"Mercury Senshi Make-up!"

"Venus Senshi Make-up!"

"Mars Senshi Make-up!"

"Jupiter Senshi Make-up!"

"Saturn Senshi Make-up!"

"Uranus Senshi Make-up!"

"Neptune Senshi Make-up!"

"Pluto Senshi Make-up!"

Their nightclothes became their fuku and their symbols turned into their tiaras.

Uranus took charge, issuing orders. "Venus, Mercury, go down to space
dock seven and get a transport ready. Mars, alert the rest of the Palace
of this attack. Neptune, Pluto, Saturn, and I will meet you all down at
the transport in five minutes. We have just enough time to get their and
stop the attack."

The Senshi raced out to comply with Uranus' orders, except Pluto,
Saturn, and Neptune. Usagi still sat there, and suddenly said, "I was a
Senshi too, in the Original Time..."

"Well, transform. You could be a big help..."

Usagi nodded and shouted, "Moon Prism Power, Make-up!"

She transformed into a Senshi with pink and red fuku. "I am Sailor
Neo-Moon!" she cried.

Uranus, Saturn, and Neptune didn't comment on her name. Pluto tapped her
foot. "Why did you want us to wait?"

Uranus sighed. "Well, we four are the most powerful of the Senshi,
right?" They nodded. "I think that we should each try to keep a telepathic
link with one of the other senshi in case they get in trouble."

Neo-Moon nodded. "Yes, in the Original Time, you four were more powerful than
the others. I think the same would hold true now."

Neptune chuckled. "We still don't know how powerful you are, Usagi."

Saturn said softly, "Let's go then!"

Neo-Moon, Pluto, and Saturn started to rush off and soon were ahead, but
Uranus grabbed Neptune's arm, holding her back. "What is it?" she asked
her friend.

"Michiru, I want you to keep a telepathic link with me also. I... want
to make sure nothing happens to you."

Neptune looked at her sadly. "Haruka... does this have anything to do
with why you... kissed me... in the cave?"

Uranus lowered her eyes. "Maybe."

They stood in silence for a moment, before they gave each other a tight
hug.

Neptune smiled almost sadly, then unexpectedly stood up on her toes and
gave Uranus a long, sweet kiss on the lips. "Don't do anything foolish, 
Haruka. I don't want you to get hurt."

Uranus blushed, her eyes wide. "I... I won't." She hugged Neptune again,
then they ran to join the others.



Place: The shuttle



The Senshi nervously waited for the transport to arrive at the platform.
While they sat, they decided who would link with who.

Mercury and Neptune agreed they should, since they had similar powers.
Venus would link with Pluto, and Neo-Moon also. Uranus and Jupiter would
since they were the strongest physically. Saturn and Mars would since they 
both had strong telepathic abilities.

The Inners nervously started talking with each other. Pluto and Saturn
were silent. Neo-Moon muttered a few things under her breath, but that
was all she contributed. Uranus and Neptune sat holding hands, quietly
whispering to each other.

It was quiet for the next ten minutes, before Venus whispered, "Hotaru,
you are the most powerful of us. If... if the rest of us fall...
promise me you will destroy the whole platform."

Saturn bit her lip. "I-I promise."



Place: The space platform



When they arrived, they quickly spread out to the areas Uranus decided
they should go to, pairing up with their link partners.


Venus, Pluto, and Neo-Moon were the first to encounter the youma. There
was no time to heal them, so they had to destroy them.

"Love Arrows Strike!" Venus cried out, firing golden arrows into the
enemy lines.

"Dead Scream," Pluto whispered, firing a ball of powerful energy.

"Moonlight Laser!" Neo-Moon shouted, shooting out a beam of destructive light.

The combined attack ripped through the first wave. "That was easy,"
Venus commented, prepared to head back to the shuttle. She turned
around, and was face to face with several dozen youma. "Uh... oh..."



Saturn and Mars were having a tough time and were being surrounded on all sides. 
"Blazing Inferno... Engulf!" Mars shouted at the same time Saturn shouted, "Death 
Ribbon Revolution!"

The fiery wave and countless metal ribbons ripped through the youma, and the two
senshi whirled around to face the rest. "Mars Flame Sniper!" An arrow shaped flame
launched at them.

"Saturn Silence Shot!" Discs of energy raced at the youma.

The attacks destroyed almost all of the rest. Mars took a hit to the arm, Saturn
to the leg. But they continued fighting.

Soon, the numbers were overwhelming. "Get right behind me and don't ask
questions," Saturn ordered. Mars quickly complied.

"Silence... Glaive...  APPLY!!" She brought her Silence Glaive down, but
stopped it before it could touch the platform. It was a good thing she
did. A huge ripple of energy demolished many surrounding buildings, all
the youma within several thousand feet, and shook the platform roughly.

They heard screams of some of the other Senshi as the ripples passed.
They could hear Uranus shout, "DON'T DO THAT AGAIN OR WE'LL BE KNOCKED
INTO SPACE!!!" Saturn smirked and made a mental note to keep that in mind.


_____



Uranus and Jupiter were having a relatively easy time fighting. They
barely had to use their attacks, preferring punching, kicking, and
jabbing.

It seemed that nothing would go wrong, when suddenly Uranus cried out
and dropped to her knees.

"What's wrong?" Jupiter asked, then she shouted in pain as a force
rippled through her mind, disrupting the mental link and overwhelming
her mind.

Uranus fumbled for her sword. "Makoto! I can't concentrate... you
try to attack..."

Jupiter clutched her head and didn't respond. She couldn't think straight;
the pain was too much.

She was relieved when the pain lifted suddenly, and she turned to see
that Uranus had stabbed a youma with her sword, apparently the one
that had been using the mental attack.

"C'mon, we gotta get rid of these things before another one tries it!"
Uranus shouted.

Jupiter nodded. "Lightning eletrocute!" Several bolts of lightning struck
the youma, then a second wave of electricity from the antenna on her tiara
shocked most of the others.

"Heaven fury!" Uranus shouted, and a large beam of starlight finished
off the rest.

"Not bad for our first time, eh?" Jupiter said, wiping her brow off.

Uranus just grinned in agreement.


_____



"Aqua Possessor!" Neptune shouted, sending a wave of water to
liquify several opponents.

"Ice Wave Freeze!" Mercury shouted, sending a wave of ice to crush
the others.

Neptune attacked the rest with jabs and kicks while Mercury used
her attack several more times.

Mercury stood breathing hard and commented, "Are we really done? It
didn't seem to take long at all."

Neptune sank to the ground. "I guess so..."

"You alright?"

"All those people weren't really in control of their actions. It's
really unfair that they had to die."

"I know, but it had to be done," Mercury said.

They walked off towards the shuttle, where the others soon arrived. Neptune
ran over to hug Uranus immediately while Neo-Moon ran around leaping into the air.
Running over excitedly, Venus hugged everyone and cheered, "We won! We won!"

Jupiter whooped, "We beat 'em!"

"Yeah!" Mercury cheered, "We were great!"

They all went back into the shuttle happily, and Pluto hung behind slightly,
smiling to herself. They really are as good as they were in the Original Time,
she thought to herself, if not better.



Time: About 45 minutes later
Place: the entrance hall, The Palace



Princess Serenity rushed to hug everyone when they got back. "Oh, I was 
so worried about you all!" she cried. "But look at you! None of you
are really hurt!"

The Queen smiled proudly. "I am very impressed with how well you all
did. You didn't take long at all. I can see that you are more than
qualified for your positions."

The senshi all beamed at the compliment.

"Why don't we all go and get some dinner? I'm sure the battle worked
up quite an appetite."

"Oh boy, I'm starved!" Mars said. 

"Yeah, let's eat!" Princess Serenity agreed. 

Everyone was chatting loudly at dinner, trying to make their
voices heard over everyone else's. The queen also sat there, and
cringed slightly each time someone let out a loud laugh or shrill
giggle. After several minutes of constant noise, she calmly tapped her
glass with a spoon. The princesses fell quiet and turned to look at her.
"Sorry, but it was getting awfully loud. Care to try talking a bit
softer?"

"Ooooops..." Venus said.

Mars turned to Usagi and said, "Hey, I've been wondering, why are you
named 'Neo'-Sailor Moon?"

"It comes from my mother's senshi name Sailor Moon--" Usagi's hands flew 
to her mouth. Pluto rolled her eyes as if to say "good move".

The Queen raised an eyebrow. "And who is that?"

Usagi was silent. Pluto sighed after several moments, and chided, "Just 
TELL them."

Usagi stuttered, "Uh, um, uh, she is... um... Princess Serenity."

The Princess in question's eyes went wide. "Wha---?! Me?! A senshi? Your
MOTHER?!"

Usagi looked away. "In the Original Time, yes, but technically I don't
exist here--"

Serenity suddenly ran over and hugged the young woman. Surprised, Usagi 
hugged her back.  "Wow!" the princess exclaimed. "I can't believe this!"

The Queen gave a sly smile. "And who was your father?"

Usagi grinned. "You know him as... Endymion," she said his name in a
sing-song voice.

"Aaaahhh..." the princesses (except Serenity) said in unision, before
they burst out giggling.

"Well, they are engaged..." Uranus said between laughs.

"Yeah, they're involved... ha ha ha!... so it makes sense..." Mars
chuckled.

After several minutes, they finally calmed down and went back to
eating, before Serenity mentioned, "So, is everyone planning to go to
that huge ball coming up?"

Jupiter had hearts in her eyes. "Yeah! I can't wait! I haven't seen Nephrite 
in months!"

Mars had hearts in her eyes too. "I wanna see Jadeite!"

Mercury sighed. "I would go, but Kunzite... hasn't talked to me in so long."

"Why?" Venus asked.

"I don't even know! He hasn't even tried contacting me! I think he might
be busy working on rebuilding that military base on Earth with, oh, what's
his name again?"

"You mean with Zoisite? Yeah, he just left and didn't really tell me
why!" Venus shrieked.

"Why don't you try to contact _him_?" Neptune asked.

"I tried, but he never returns my messages..."

"Neptune, who are _you_ going with?" Mars suddenly blurted out.

"Wha-- I haven't made any plans to go to it."

"Neither have I," Saturn said.

"Or me... or Pluto," Uranus said with a grin. "I guess the older senshi just
don't know how to have fun, eh?"

"Ugh, it would look awful if any of us went stag," Venus said. "C'mon, at
least _try_ to find someone to go with!"

"Why bother?"

The princesses started up the loud conversation again, while the queen sighed.
"I tried..."

After the meal was finally finished, the exhausted princesses headed back to
their rooms for some much needed rest.



Time: several minutes later
Place: Mercury and Jupiter's room, the Palace










Jupiter lay in her bed, staring at the ceiling as she tried to get to sleep,
while Mercury persistantly was working on a writing something down. Jupiter 
rolled on her side, and tried covering her ears with a pillow, but the constant 
sound of ink on paper prevented her from sleeping. After gritting her teeth,
she grumbled, "Could you _please_ do that later?!"

Mercury looked over to a small, blue, handheld device resting on the desk 
next to her that Pluto had called a "computer". "No, I can't..." she furiously 
moved the pen across the paper before Jupiter walked over, poked her arm, and 
glared at her.

"I really would like to get some sleep, Ami."

"You will... hold on... There, I'm done," Mercury said, setting down the pen.

"What were you writing anyways?"

"A letter to the Mercurian advisory council, officially giving them ruling power."

"What?!"

Mercury held her head in her hands and sighed. "Technically, _I_ am the ruler of
Mercury since my parents are dead... dad was killed in battle when I was very young,
and not long after that my mother died. I can't rule the planet from here, so they 
have to do it for me."

"Um... I really don't know what to say... I'm shocked, to say the least. Mars said
you ruled Mercury, but I never thought you had the authority to do something like
this."

"I do... I hate it. I never wanted to be ruler, especially being this young. There
have been younger rulers than me on other planets though... an eighteen year old
became king of Saturn a hundred years ago, Uranus's dad took power when he was
nineteen, and there have been others, if you want to research them."

"Ugh, I'd hate trying to be queen. There's _so_ many people on Jupiter!"

Mercury laughed slightly. "There's not many on Mercury, but it's hard to try to
get your ideas across since long distance communication is difficult."

Jupiter picked up Mercury's computer and looked at it. "What's this stuff on the
screen for?"

"Those are recent statistics of our economical state." Mercury sealed the letter
in an envelope. "If you hit the key-- that one right there-- you'll see some
readings I took during the battle today."

Jupiter hit the key and looked at the words on the screen. "What does this stuff
mean?"

"It's a readout of power levels, how powerful some people's attacks were, some
other facts... I need to show Serenity it though. I found out some interesting
information about everyone's abilities." Mercury took back her computer and
turned it off.

"Oh really? What about mine?"

"It seems that you have an affinity for trees."

"Eh?"

"Trees can talk with you."

Jupiter lay back down on her bed as Mercury lay down on hers. "That's weird... I
never would have known that."

"It's odd to know, isn't it? I found out some other things... *YAWN* I'll tell you
later."

"Sleepy?"

"Yes... I'm going to sleep. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

Jupiter fell asleep long after that, while Mercury remained awake. "Why?" Mercury
whispered softly. "Why did you have to die, mother? Why did you have to take your
own life?"



Time: around the same
Place: Uranus and Neptune's room



Uranus stared into the flames of the candles sitting on the nightstand next
to her bed. It was strange, trying to adjust to living here. It had been a few
months since the senshi had been called here, but it had felt like longer. It
was almost enough to make her forget home... 

She sighed and looked over at the bed next to her where Neptune was trying to
get to sleep. She smiled a bit wistfully. Neptune had been the first friend she'd
ever had. Until she came to the moon, she'd been alone, with no one to talk to,
no one who would understand her. She sighed softly. If only she had the courage...

Neptune rolled over and looked over at her. "Something wrong, Haruka?" she asked.

Uranus blinked in surprise. "N-nothing. Sorry, I... can't get to sleep..." she 
finished lamely. Damnit, she was supposed to be the strongest senshi, but
when it came to being around people, saying what she felt, she felt stupid.

"I can't get to sleep either. I keep getting these weird premonitions. I don't


know what they are."

"What do you see?"

Neptune tucked her knees under her chin. "I see... people, fighting, a strange
woman... it's hard to put it into words..." 

"Why not try that mirror of yours? Maybe you'd get a better picture with it."

Neptune laughed.

"What?"

She pulled out her mirror. "Sorry... that's a good idea... I can't believe I
didn't think of it... Guess I just have my mind on other things."

"Like what?"

Neptune was silent and just gazed into the mirror. "This is the image... come
see."

Uranus walked over to her bed and looked into the mirror Neptune held. "That's
odd... it doesn't make sense."

"I don't understand what it means either," Neptune said. "I think it might be
important, but I can't figure out what the images mean. It's so frustrating! If
I could figure it out--"

Uranus took the mirror from her and placed it on the nightstand. "Stop worrying
about it, you'll figure it out eventually. Nothing to lose sleep over."

"I suppose."

They were silent several moments, then Neptune asked, "Haruka, what was it like
growing up on Uranus? I heard that it's very different from Neptune."

Uranus sat still, slightly shocked. "D-Do you mean, what Uranus is like, or what
my life was like?"

"Both."

Uranus felt like their was a noose around her neck. Could she tell her, could she
really tell _anyone_ about it? "Ummm... Uranus is alright, I suppose... weather's
alright, everyone's got a pretty nice amount of money... the schools are supposedly
good too. The people are a bit ignorant though."

"Supposedly good? Didn't you go to school?"

Uranus was quiet a bit. "No. I grew up in the palace."

"Did you like living there?"

"No! Um... no, I hated it."

"Nobody to talk to, huh? Just your parents? That would get old. I heard you had a
brother... what happened to him?"

Uranus had that same feeling again. "He... He ran away."

"Why did he do that? Weren't your parents nice to him?"

Neptune sat and waited, but Uranus was completely quiet. "Haruka? What's wrong?
Is it about your parents?" She frowned. "What is it?"

Uranus turned away. "I can't... I can't..." She lowered her head. "Michiru, you
have to promise me... you won't tell _anyone_. I don't care who they are."

"I promise."

Uranus turned away from her and shuddered slightly, then unfastened the clasps
on her dress and pulled the top down around her waist to bare her back.

Neptune gasped in shock. "W-What the-- where did you get all those scars?!"

Uranus pulled her dress up, fastened it, and turned to face her again. "My father."

Neptune sat in shock. "He... he did that to you? Oh god..."

Uranus fought back tears. "Why do you think I was so happy to come here?
To get away from..." she wiped her eyes off and fell silent.

Neptune slowly came forward and hugged her. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have
asked you to tell..."

"I-It's alright... I-I needed to t-tell... someone..." Uranus stopped trying
to hold back her tears and cried on Neptune's shoulder. "It's not fair! It's
not fair! My brother was able to get away, b-but I had to stay... so many
years... my mother didn't do anything... she was too busy drinking... it's
so unfair! I never had anyone... no one cared..."

Neptune stroked her short hair back. "I know it isn't fair, Haruka, but you're
safe now... no one's going to hurt you..." She gently kissed her forehead. "You
have people here who care for you deeply, never forget that. You will never be 
alone again."

"Y-You mean that?" Uranus sniffled and wiped her eyes again. "Y-You'll be here
for me, right?"

"Of course I will," she whispered softly. "Haruka..." she paused before raising
her voice slightly. "I love you. Never forget that."

Uranus looked up at her with surprised eyes. "You... you do?" she lowered
her head to hide the slight blush on her cheeks. "Michiru... I... I love
you too."

Neptune smiled softly at her. "That wasn't so hard, was it?"

Uranus managed a weak smile. "Not really..." She laughed slightly. "Well...
I guess we both know why we kissed each other then..."

Neptune laughed. "I guess so! Why don't we try to get some sleep now? You've 
made enough confessions today."

Uranus stood up to walk back to her bed, then turned around with a quizzical
look on her face. "Michiru... you just admitted your feelings for me... and
now you want me to go to sleep?"

Neptune blushed. "We can worry about it later..."

"You're just nervous," Uranus teased.

"I am not," Neptune retorted. "I'm just sleepy."

Uranus came over and knelt next to her bed. "Goodnight," she whispered.
"Sleep well."

"You too," Neptune whispered back.

Uranus leaned forward slightly, paused, then slowly moved forward and gently
kissed Neptune's lips. Neptune returned the kiss, running her fingers through
the other girl's short hair as their mouths pressed together. After several 
seconds Uranus pulled away and stood up. "Hope you have sweet dreams."

Neptune looked up at her and smiled. "Oh, I definitely will."

Uranus blew out the candles and started to lie down.

"Haruka?"

"Yeah?"

"Ummm... oh, nothing."

"Well, why don't you just tell me anyways and I'll decide if it's 'nothing'?"

There was a pause.

"Don't take this the wrong way... but I think I'd sleep better... in your
arms..."

For a few moments, neither said a thing, then Uranus came over and lay down
next to her. They wrapped their arms around each other, and Neptune smiled
slightly. "That's much better," she said softly as she drifted off to sleep.


					 ________

					
					   FIVE

					 ________



Time: the next morning
Place: a breakfast hall, the Palace



Queen Serenity woke up with a start after a frighteningly realistic nightmare.
She sat trying to calm herself down and realized that the nightmare was a
premonition. "I have to wake up the Senshi..." she mumbled. She threw her
clothes on and ran to the hall where the senshi's quarters were. She knocked
on the room her daughter shared with Usagi. 

"Uhn... who is it?" came a sleepy call.

"Your mother," she said as she pushed open the unlocked door.

She couldn't help but laugh at the sight. Both her daugther and her grandchild
were lying in their beds in pretty much the same position. Like mother like
daughter, she thought to herself. "Get up," she told them. "Go to the breakfast
hall. I need all the senshi there."

She went to Mercury and Jupiter's next. Upon opening the door, she was surprised
to see the two already awake and dressed, sitting and talking. "Oh, Queen Serenity,
hello," Mercury said. "Do you need something?"

"Yes, go down to the breakfast hall. I'll be their shortly."

The two women looked a bit confused but obeyed.

Queen Serenity, while walking to Mars and Venus's room, suddenly wondered why no
one bothered to lock their door anymore. Shrugging, she walked in. It took a few
minutes to wake them both up, but she finally got them going. They didn't look
too happy about being woken up though.

Saturn and Pluto were also already awake when she arrived, and seemed a bit curious
as to just why they had to go, but didn't ask questions and went downstairs 
immediately.

The queen was quite a bit shocked when she walked into Uranus and Neptune's room
and found them cuddled in the same bed. She shook them awake. "Oh! Serenity, um,
hi..." Neptune blushed deeply when she saw her there.

"Just... go down to the breakfast hall as soon as you get dressed," she told
them before walking out. _That_ was a surprise she wasn't expecting.

After everyone had gathered, she told them about the premonition of the 
Dark Kingdom massing on Uranus to prepare for an assault. She told them 
the senshi would most certainly be needed. When Venus questioned her, Mars, 
Saturn, and Neptune all mentioned having premonitions of fighting, which
confirmed the queen's decision.

"Mother, if the Dark Kingdom is there, how can just the nine of them stand
up to them?" Princess Serenity asked.

"Hey, we can handle it!" Jupiter scoffed.

"Just in case, we _should_ have extra support," Mercury commented. "Maybe if
we could get the Uranian army to work alongside us... ? Uranus, do you think
they would?"


She shrugged. "Dunno. You could try. You'll have to talk with General Toren and
see if he's willing to."

"Well, if there are no further questions, transform," the queen said.

The senshi nodded and did so.

"I still don't think it's enough..." Princess Serenity said softly.
"Mother? I want to help them, but what can I do?"

"There's not much you _can_ do..."

Pluto interrupts, "In the Original Time, Serenity was Sailor Moon. She
was a powerful Senshi and she was a good ally. Serenity should still
have that power. I think that if you give her the ginzuishou she can
regain that power."

Queen Serenity was doubtful. "Pluto, I trust in your wisdom, but you must be
mistaken.  These ARE all the Senshi. There are no more."

Pluto's crimson eyes narrowed. "Give her the ginzuishou."

Queen Serenity sighed and handed the ginzuishou to her daughter.

Princess Serenity stood with it and watched in shock as she was enveloped in 
a beam of light. A sailor fuku formed on her. Her collar and choker were baby 
blue, the bow on her chest carnation pink. She had three layers of skirt, the 
top baby blue, the next lavender, and the one underneath carnation pink. Her 
sleeves were petal shaped like Saturn's were. The bow in the back was silvery 
with long tails. The piping on her gloves was carnation pink. She had thin ribbons
of baby blue, lavender, and carnation pink lining the top of her skirt instead of
piping like the other senshi. The ginzuishou lay in the center of her bow, with 
a thin band of silver around it. Her tiara was thin and silvery. Pink discs were
attached to her odango and she had pearl decorations in her hair. Her high-heeled
boots were pale-blue and laced-up. She had a silver crescent moon on her choker, 
and dangling silver crescents for earrings. 

All but Pluto and Neo-Moon stared at her in disbelief. "Technically, this form is
called 'Sailor Silver Moon'," Pluto commented.

"Nice fuku," Mars commented.

Silver Moon teased, "Much cooler than yours, isn't it?"

Mars fumed at her. "Serenity!"

"Silver Moon, you are the leader of the Senshi," Pluto told her. The Senshi 
seemed a bit surprised-- Serenity, their leader? Pluto continued, "It is your 
duty and your responsibility to lead us into battle. Do you fully accept the
responsibility, as well as the risk that follows?"

"I-I accept," Serenity said in a wavering voice.

She was about to ask Pluto what to do next when Saturn let out a terrified
shriek.  She almost collapsed, but Jupiter caught her before she hit the 
floor.  "Powerful... presence..." the small girl whispered, "from another
galaxy... far... great evil... great danger..." she coughed hard and closed
her eyes tight.

"Senshi!" Silver Moon shouted to them. They all snapped to attention, surprised. 
"Here's the plan... we head to the transport the MOMENT I finish telling you 
this. We are going straight to Uranus. We don't have time to worry about 
alerting anyone, so Mother, swear to me that you will do this for us. We fight
when we get there. I don't expect anyone to do anymore than they have to, I 
don't expect anyone to push themselves to the limit, but damn it, people are 
counting on us so you give it what you can without killing yourself! I don't 
want to lose anyone! We all go and we all come back, you hear! We're going
to WIN too! So let's win this war, people! The whole system is counting on us! 
Let's move!"

We can win, I know we will, Silver Moon thought to herself as they raced for the
transport.

Queen Serenity sadly watched them go. A black-clothed figure joined her. "So,
they're off to battle?"

Serenity turned in surprised. "What the-- oh. It's you."

"Yes, it's me."

Serenity turned away again. "What are you doing here?"

"Things are changing. I decided to visit."

"You should be here... don't you have students to attend to?"

"They can manage without me. They've gone hundreds of years without me before.
I'm sure several minutes won't matter."

"And that brown-haired lady that's usually with you?"


"I don't trust her anymore."

"Oh."

The two stood in silence for a moment. "Whatever happened to that Oriental woman?"

"Who? I don't know who you mean."

"Has that memory wipe spell kicked in again? I can't believe you would have forgotten
_her_."

"Hmm... I suppose it has. Now that I think about it, I can't remember the last few
years all that well." The figure turned and started to walk away, then stopped. "You
do realize that your senshi will face a very dangerous foe on Uranus?"

"Yes, I do."

"Pray that they win."

With that, she disappeared.



Time: about ten minutes later
Place: the shuttle



The Senshi sat gathered around a large piece of paper where Uranus was
furiously sketching a map of the Palace on her home planet. She made
scant conversation as she talked, but would occasionally comment
something like, "I don't think my father would have changed anything
since I was last there; he likes things to stay the same.", "The troops
will be easier to convince that Beryl is the enemy than it will to
convince my father.", and "We have to make sure that we avoid direct
confrontation with the Dark Kingdom until it is necessary." Pluto stood 
behind the others as everyone squeezed in trying to get a good view,
Saturn and Neo-Moon sitting on the ground with Neptune kneeling next to 
Uranus.

Uranus finally finished the map and handed it to Silver Moon. She glanced over
it. "Thanks, this is really thorough... hmmm... Uranus, I just thought of
something. Is it possible that..." she coughed slightly. "Well, maybe your
father is _letting_ the Dark Kingdom come here, if he accepted a bribe...
do you think he'd do something like that?"

"Yes," Uranus answered firmly. "Without a doubt."

"Somebody's going to need to try and reason with him then. I think you should
do it."

Uranus froze. "You can't expect me to do that!"

"Why not? I'm the leader, and the lives of everyone in this galaxy is more
important to me than your own personal agenda. Unless you have a really good
reason not to, you're going to do it."

Uranus hung her head. "Neptune, please go with me," she said softly.

Neptune nodded to her.

"The rest of us will try to get the Uranian army on our side and, if necessary,
take care of any Dark Kingdom troops."

Neo-Moon curled up on the cushioned bench and tried to rest up for the
battle, but she found that she was too nervous. What was it that Saturn
had sensed? Silver Moon was next to her, thinking of Endymion, worried
about what might happen to her daughter in the battle ahead. Pluto was 
quietly discussing the vision with Saturn. She was careful not to reveal 
anything that might lead her to learn what happened to the Original Time, 
but she couldn't help but worry. Could it be Mistress Nine? Venus, Jupiter,
and Mercury all sat talking with each other, trying to calm each other's
nerves. Neptune and Uranus sat to the side, holding hands, whispering softly
to each other.

Saturn and Mars both got a startling realization at the same time.
Without explaining what was going on, Mars cried, "Mars Flame Sniper!"
and Saturn shouted, "Saturn Silence Shot!"

The fire arrow and the flat, circular purple disc rammed into an
apparently invisible object. The moment they struck, the man standing
there became visible.  "Kunzite!" Mercury cried.

Kunzite sneered, "Took you people long enough to find me. I've spied on you
many times these past several months. I know all your plans... there's nothing 
you can do to stop us." 

"Correction," Uranus said calmly, unsheathing her sword. "There's a lot
we can do!" She leapt at him in one fluid motion and cried, "Space Sword
Blaster!"

The attack ripped through Kunzite, causing him to weaken. "I didn't
think... the Senshi had so much strength in them..." he said as he
dropped to his knees and spat out blood.

Uranus narrowed her eyes and raised her sword to slice through him.
Neptune grabbed her arm and pulled her back. "We can get information
from him!" she hissed.

Uranus nodded and sheathed her sword, but struck Kunzite on the side of
the head with the hilt, knocking him unconscious. "Mars, enter his
mind."

Mars nodded and pressed her hands to either side of his face. She closed
her eyes in concentration and reeled as the swarm of images came to her.
"He and the other four Generals were corrupted and brainwashed. They
have more abilities now, as he demonstrated, and they are loyal to
Beryl."

"So what is their plan?" Silver Moon asked her.

Mars explained carefully what Beryl's plans of attack were. The other Senshi
visibly paled. "I see," Silver Moon whispered. "Well, there's no way we
are going to let that happen! Let's put a stop to this!"

"Right!" they all responded.

"We'll send the Dark Kingdom to Hell and back if we have to in order to
teach them not to mess with the Sailor Senshi! They are going to pay for
attacking us!"



Time: two hours later
Place: Uranus



The rest of the trip was fairly uneventful, except for the fact that
upon awakening, Kunzite teleported away.

The Senshi split up and quickly moved to their posts. Silver Moon,
Jupiter, and Mars quickly went to where the troops supposedly resided,
Uranus and Neptune headed for the Throne Room, and Pluto led the rest
to circle the Palace. According to Kunzite's information, about half
and hour from now is when the Dark Kingdom would strike.

Silver Moon got lucky and ran into the General of the Uranian Army. She
recognized him from meetings at the Palace he'd attended. "General
Toren!" she exclaimed.

"Eh?" The man didn't recognize her at all. "Who are you? A new Sailor
Senshi?"

"It's me... Princess Serenity. Sailor Silver Moon. Look, I need to talk
with your troops. Beryl plans to buy out the army from the King and turn
them into Dark Kingdom slaves."

"That's crazy! Our king would never to that!"

Jupiter cut in rudely, "Obviously you don't know him as well as his
daughter does."

Toren paled. "The Princess is _here_? She came _back_?!"

"Just for the battle," Mars assured him.

Toren let out a sigh of relief. The Senshi glanced at each other and
shrugged. "Look, can we talk with your troops?" Silver Moon asked.

Toren thought for a moment. "Give me five minutes to round them up.
They'll listen to you, I guarantee it."

Mars nodded as he led the way.


___



Pluto, Saturn, Venus, Mercury, and Neo-Moon were all circling the
Palace, separate from each other, but wary of the danger. If one of them
got a surprise attack, who knew if they could send out a telepathic
warning quickly enough?

Mercury carefully scanned the starry skies with her minicomputer. On
this planet, the sky was always black and starry, making it nearly
impossible for them to know what time of day it was. Neo-Moon searched
with her eyes only.  Pluto was carefully allowing her mind to access the
information her abilities provided. Venus used her Love senses to search
for a lack of it. After all, the only feeling the Dark Kingdom seemed to
feel was hatred. Saturn was allowing her mental powers to do the searching, 
hovering slightly over the ground.

About five minutes later, Mercury's computer picked up the attackers. She
alerted everyone to join her.

At that moment, Silver Moon finished her talk, and the troops were just
in time to see the threat and help out.

Uranus and Neptune had finally tracked down the King and barely noticed
the warning.

"Silence Glaive Apply!" The silent attack was able to knock several
troops out of the way.

This section of the Dark Kingdom's army, led by Zoisite himself, was
skilled in battle. They carefully avoided the attacks launched at them
and responded with their own. The Uranian Army possessed very skilled
fighting prowess as well, but lacked any special magical talents.

Pluto was the first to notice this setback. "Time Threads Encircle!" she
shouted. A large section of this part of the Army found themselves
entangled in the millions of black threads and disappeared from the
timeline. Pluto ignored the fact that this was against her duties as the
Keeper of Time to remove anyone from the timestream.

"Ginzuishou Cleansing!" Silver Moon shouted. A burst of white light was
able to heal some of the Dark Kingdom's troops and restore them, but Silver 
Moon promptly sank to her knees.

Mars ran over to protect her. "Blazing Inferno Engulf!" she shouted, and
a large wave of fire appeared around the army, burning many.

Zoisite was seething with rage. He lifted a long black sword up and
shouted, "Powers of darkness, charge this sword with energy!" The sword 
was glowing a black color now as he lifted it over his head and leapt at 
Neo-Moon.

Neo-Moon was barely able to shout, "Moonlight Laser!" before Zoisite was
too close, and as it was the sword clipped her arm and charged her body
with dark energy.

Saturn quickly rushed to her side and thrust her glaive point neatly
through Zoisite's body.

Suddenly, everything seemed to stop and hush. Zoisite trembled and slid
off the glaive, landing on the ground at Saturn's feet. Saturn's face
was cold and devoid of emotion as she gazed down at the shuddering form
at her feet. "How... could... you..." Zoisite rasped, coughing blood.

"I am the Silent Messiah, Sailor Saturn. I will defend the life of my
comrades at all cost. You, pitiful man, made a mistake in attacking
Princess Serenity's heiress."

Zoisite shuddered one last time and died.  

Venus watched on with eyes wide with horror. She mouthed "no", tears welling
up in her eyes, but didn't have time to cry.

Seemingly out of nowhere, Kunzite appeared again, Nephrite and Jadeite at 
his side. They all unleashed their own attacks at the present Senshi.


___



Uranus finally found her father seated at a dinner table, feet dangling
over one side of the large chair he sat in. She shivered slightly, afraid
to approach, then Neptune sent a telepathic message to her. "Don't be afraid,
he can't hurt you. I won't let him. Let's get this over with, alright?" 

Uranus nodded slightly and the two walked into the throne room. The King, 
startled, quickly sat up. "What are YOU doing here?!" he demanded.

"Stopping you from making a mistake," Uranus said coolly, trying to control
the wavering in her voice.

"The only mistake I've ever made was not killing you before you could grow
up enough to run off," he sneered.

"She's talking about Beryl," Neptune snapped.

"Touchy, aren't you?" he said sarcastically. "What're you, her plaything?
Besides, Beryl and I have finished the deal already. In exchange for a
healthy sum of money, she gets to keep troops here."

Uranus clenched her fists. "Why did you ever agree to do _that_?! You're 
dooming our people by letting that demon stay here!"

"Maybe I am, maybe I am not. They're my subjects to do what I want with.
I'm the king. I control all their lives." He stood up and glared at her.
"And I still control yours."

Uranus took an involuntary step back. Neptune placed a hand on her shoulder
to steady her. "Don't listen to him," she warned. "He's just trying to bait
you."

"Do you still have the scars?" he taunted. "I hope so. I'm looking to add
a few more. You're a very disobedient child. I might just have to take out
my gun again." He reached into his robes and pulled out a pistol.

Uranus started shaking. "Leave me alone!" she whispered.

He laughed as he lifted it and tighted his finger around the trigger.

Uranus dashed forward and slapped the gun from his hands before he could
use it. His foot connected with her ribs a moment later. She gasped
and clutched her stomach, sinking to her knees. He raised his hand to strike
her.

Neptune was quicker though. She grabbed him and surprised even herself with
her strength as she threw him onto the table. She helped the shuddering Uranus 
to her feet in time to here a chilled voice say, "Did I miss anything?"

Neptune and Uranus whirled around to see a crimson-haired woman in a
purple dress standing there. Beryl. Without thinking, Uranus quickly
unsheathed her sword and leapt at her. "Wait, DON'T!" Neptune shrieked.

Beryl's hastily thrown up forcefield threw Uranus back, and the
navy-clad Senshi skidded across the floor from the impact.

"Aqua Possessor!"

The attack that should have liquefied Beryl was repelled, and Neptune
had to throw herself onto the ground to avoid her own attack. She sent out
to the other senshi. "Uranus and I are fighting Beryl here! We need help!"

"There's no time!" someone responded. "We have our hands full with three
of the Generals here!" The signal was cut off.

Neptune was relieved when Saturn showed up though. "The other Senshi
didn't want me to leave, but you need help," was her reason.

A second figure emerged from the shadows. Her long black hair cascaded
over the floor, her purple eyes narrowed, the pearl-lined navy top worn
with a long white skirt seeming to flow from her, the black star on her 
forehead glowing faintly. "Who are YOU?" Uranus gasped.

The woman gave a light laugh. "I am known as Mistress Nine, from Tau
Ceti." Without further explanation, her hair shot out and wrapped around
Uranus' neck.  Uranus gasped and tried to pull away as the hair wrapped
tighter.

"Harukaaaa!" Neptune screamed, running at the woman.

Saturn remained frozen as her eyes locked with Mistress Nine's. Neptune
stopped in her tracks as she noticed their gaze and Uranus gave a sigh
of relief as the hair unwound from her neck. "Y-you! It's you!" Saturn
whispered, stepping back.

Mistress Nine's eyes flickered with a seeming recognition. "Ah! Hotaru,
my puppet!" Her hair raced at the small woman, wrapping her arms and
legs. "Come to me... I need your abilities..."

"No!!" Saturn cried.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Beryl slipped behind Uranus and
Neptune and started to draw out their energy.

"Stop right there!" a voice shouted loudly.

Seven figures clad in Sailor fuku immediately appeared. In the center,
clad in pastel and silver tones, was Sailor Silver Moon. "Agent of love 
and justice, I am the beautiful sailor suited soldier... Sailor Silver 
Moon! In the name of the Moon, I will punish you!"

Before either of the evil women could respond, Jupiter shouted,
"Lightning Electrocute!"

Beryl was hit by the attack, but she quickly recovered to fire a blast
of red light at Jupiter. Silver Moon shoved Jupiter away and took the
hit.

"Love Arrows Strike!" Venus launched her arrows at Mistress Nine,
forcing her to release her hold on Saturn momentarily, giving her enough
time to strike.

"Death... Ribbon... Revolution!" Sharp, metallic ribbons appeared and
shot at Mistress Nine, but before they hit, she repelled them. 

The Senshi quickly combined attacks at the two women. "Ice Wave Freeze!"

"Love Arrows Strike!"

"Flaming Inferno Engulf!"

"Moonlight Laser!"

"Ginzuishou Cleansing!"

"Lightning Electrocute!"

"Silent Scream!" [note: this is Saturn's attack; not the same as Pluto's
dead scream]

"Heaven Fury!"

"Aqua Possessor!"

"Time Threads Encircle!"

An enormous explosion occurred as the attacks combined, rocking the
Palace and collapsing the ceiling. The Senshi were thrown to the floor
with the force.  After the dust settled, Beryl's form was visible under
a pile of rock, a huge pool of blood around her, the King of Uranus was
also bleeding, obviously dead... but Mistress Nine...

Her form rose from the dust, her dress torn and her eyes burning red.
"You DARE to attack ME?!" Her hair billowed around her as she raised her
arms over her head, and a huge black electric ball coalesced with white
lightning over her head. "I shall kill you all!"

The attack rushed at them. In a last-ditch effort, Saturn shouted,
"Silence Block!" just as Pluto shouted the forbidden, "Time Stop!"

The ball of energy froze. The world froze. The people standing in the
Throne Room, however, were still able to move. "What is this!?" Mistress
Nine gasped, her shock clearly apparent. She paled in fright. "You
cannot be... no! This is not possible!"

Pluto stood slightly apart from the other Senshi, her eyes narrow
crimson slits. "I am Sailor Pluto, the Guardian of Time, and believe me,
it IS possible."

She lifted the Time Key. "This is a timeline caused due to a time
fracture... Saturn caused it, but YOU are the direct reason. And now you
have the gall to interfere with our lives again." The Garnet Orb glowed
a bright magenta, and the Talismans of Uranus and Neptune appeared. A
triangle of light formed, and the Holy Grail was formed. It floated
above her hand, as Sailor Pluto sneered, "Well, Mistress Nine, there is
no more reason for me to allow you to exist."

The grail hovered over to Silver Moon. "Take it," Pluto said coolly,
gesturing to the other woman.

Silver Moon grasped it in her hands.

"And now," Pluto said simply, "I think it is time that Mistress Nine
leaves this universe FOREVER."

"Puu--wait!" Neo-Moon cried. "You can't just destroy her!"

Mistress Nine cackled, "Yes... listen to the child... there is something to 
her words!"

The Inner Senshi held their ground with determined looks on their 
faces, the two Moons trying to decide what to do, and the other Outer 
Senshi were trying to decide if they should let Pluto continue with 
this.

Mistress Nine was about to strike again when she was knocked away by 
Uranus. Her eyes flashed red, and as she moved to strike Uranus, Silver 
Moon launched an attack at her. A bright burst of silver light knocked 
the woman off her target, giving Uranus time to scramble away.

Mistress Nine shrieked as the beam stuck her. She swiped her arm out, 
her nails extended as claws, and struck Silver Moon's cheek, making a 
deep gash. The Moon Princess cried out and clamped her palm to her 
bleeding wound, knocked to the ground by the momentum of the swipe.

"Mars Flame--"

"JUPITER OAK--"

Mistress Nine recognized the voices, and with a snarl, sent discs of 
energy towards Mars and Jupiter. The two held their screams in, managing 
to keep their footing under the blast. Pluto had an angry look on her 
face, the likes of which Neo-Moon had never seen cross the immortal 
woman's face. Pluto's Garnet Orb burst into light, and she screamed, 
"TIME THREADS ENCIRCLE!!!"

Millions of tiny black threads rushed at Mistress Nine, designed to 
remove the object they surrounded from existence.

Which is why Pluto was very shocked to see Mercury hurl the body of 
Uranus's father into the threads. Instead of removing their intended 
target, the corpse was removed instead. Pluto quickly recovered from the 
shock, and was about to call upon her powers again, when Venus hurled 
her body against the older woman, knocking her to the ground. The heart 
shaped object with the Garnet Orb upon it was jostled from the Time 
Staff, and time resumed.

Beryl moaned from underneath the rubble, alive despite her injuries. 
Mistress Nine cast her a furious glance at her weakness in battle. 
Beryl's form slowly rose, her crown having been knocked from her 
forehead and her dress torn. With her glowing eyes and slightly wild 
auburn hair, it was obvious she was planning to make up for her previous 
downfall.

Mistress Nine whipped around to face the Senshi again, hands glowing. 
Beryl had her claws ready. "It was fun to play around," Mistress Nine 
taunted, "but the real battle begins now!"

She called several dozen daimons to aid her. As they approached, the 
Senshi took no notice, being too busy dueling with the evil women. 
Saturn sensed them coming but didn't have time to warn the others... 
except... "Mercury! Don't ask questions, just step aside and scan the sky 
with your visor!"

Mercury immediately obeyed. To her dismay, quite a lot of daimons were 
detected. But maybe... these seemed to be based upon computers. She 
quickly glanced to her fellows as she furiously typed in the code for a 
virus into her computer, directing it at the daimons. She hid it as a 
simple Camish program [a Silver Millennium game similar to Solitaire]. 
They never knew the difference and simply absorbed it. Mercury smiled 
and continued to battle.

Just when the daimons burst in, the virus took effect. Their bodies 
twisted and soon were infected beyond repair. They disappeared with a 
final scream of, "Lovely!" Saturn shouted to Mercury that she did a good 
job.

Neptune called Mercury over to help her and Uranus fight Beryl. Beryl 
was swiping with her claws at the two, releasing bursts of deadly energy 
every now and then. Uranus was able to hold her claws off with her Space 
Sword, but the energy bursts were fast weakening her. Mercury cried, 
"Ice Wave FREEZE!" at the same time that Neptune screamed, "AQUA 
POSSESSOR!!!"

Due to the nature of Neptune's attack, one which absorbed the target and 
thus liquefying it, combined with the wave of ice, formed a formidable 
attack that would paralyze Beryl before she could negate the effects. As 
it rushed at her, Mistress Nine planted herself in front of it with a 
chuckle. The ice soaked into her body, but strangely, to no effect. As 
Neptune's attack spread through her, she seemed to absorb it instead of 
the other way around.

The two Senshi were startled by this, and were about to counterattack 
when Uranus cried her attack, "Heaven Fury!" The beam struck Mistress 
Nine, and since her body was now absorbing anything thrown at it, the 
beam was soaked in. Mistress Nine trembled slightly as the pure energy 
mixed with the dark energy within her, but she soon recovered.

Silver Moon pulled out her ginzuishou and released her own beam at 
Beryl. The evil queen screamed in pain and moved to strike back. Silver 
Moon reached outs and grasped the Holy Grail tightly.

Suddenly, it was still. The combatants stopped their fighting. As Silver 
Moon held the Holy Grail tightly, Mistress Nine bit her lip and glanced 
around. Unlike the other people reincarnated into this galaxy, she knew 
about the previous time. This Grail had enabled Super Sailor Moon to 
destroy her master, the entity known as Master Pharaoh Ninety. Mistress 
Nine was not stupid; this thing was powerful! She coolly narrowed her eyes. 
"Well, you have it, what will you do with it?"

"I will not destroy you," Silver Moon whispered through pale, cold lips. 
She was terribly afraid though. She didn't want to destroy this invader, 
but Pluto... should she listen to her?

Mistress Nine gave a crooked, bitter smile. "Pity, I wouldn't think 
twice about harming you! Here, let me share what I can do!"

Mistress Nine invaded their minds then, drawing out their most 
emotionally painful memories. As she did so, their fuku dissolved, 
leaving them clad in strange ribbons of their aura color that seemed to 
billow around them but cover them at the same time. Their symbols burst 
into light on their foreheads as they screamed in unison.

Mistress Nine smirked as the Senshi lay on the ground, ribbons flailing 
around them, as they cried with the agony of their previous experiences. 
"An ingenious plan," Beryl commented to her. "Leave them unable to think 
straight, and kill them whenever you feel ready."

"As soon as this is finished, Saturn will be mine to possess," she murmured.

Beryl shrugged at watched the Senshi writhe.

Suddenly, for a brief moment, it seemed that Mistress Nine wavered. 
Their minds slowly awakened again.

They stood up, the ribbons that clad them billowing around them as they
lifted their weapons.

"P-P-Perhaps you made a mistake," Beryl stuttered. Mistress Nine glared 
at her at fired several sharp ribbons (similar to Saturn's) at Beryl. 
The ribbons tore through her painfully, and as Beryl gasped and dizzily 
fought the pain, she slipped to the ground on all fours, coughing hard. 
Her vision dimmed. "N-no! You can't do this!" she gasped, wiping blood 
from her mouth. She spit out some blood and moaned, weakly falling 
against the floor in a pool of her own blood.

Mistress Nine pulled her head up by the hair. "I don't appreciate being 
talked back to, Beryl. Apologize and I'll consider healing you."

Beryl moaned and summoned her remaining Generals. Jadeite and Kunzite 
appeared with smirks on their faces, Nephrite with an unsure expression.

Mistress Nine didn't pay any attention to them and sharply kicked Beryl 
in the side. "I take it back!" she cried. "I'm sorry, Mistress--" she 
shuddered slightly.

Mistress Nine healed the woman, but Beryl remained dazed. "So, Sailor 
Senshi," the woman from Tau Ceti said, coolly watching the Senshi. "Do 
you really think you can defeat me?"

Pluto narrowed her eyes. "We have more than enough power, Mistress 
Nine." She gave the Senshi a slight gesture.

Serenity paled slightly, but nodded. She lifted the ginzuishou high. 
"Silver Moon Power!" A burst of silver light coalesced with a streak of 
pink in front of her.

At the exact same time, Neo-Moon lifted her own ginzuishou high. "Neo 
Moon Power!" A burst of pink light with a streak of silver merged with 
the silver one.

The Senshi went in to action simultaneously, all the motions being done 
and the words spoken at the same time. Mercury lifted her Aqua Harp 
above her head. "Mercury Ice Power!" A burst of soft blue light merged 
with the others, forming a ball of light.

Venus lifted her Love Chain up. "Venus Love Power!" A beam of gold light 
merged with the ball.

Mars lifted her Flame Bow in one hand. "Mars Fire Power!" A beam of 
bright red light merged with the ball.

Jupiter lifted her lightning bolt triumphantly. "Jupiter Storm Power!" A 
beam of  rich green light merged with the ball.

Saturn slowly lifted her Silence Glaive. "Saturn Silence Power!" A beam 
of royal purple light merged with the ball.

Uranus raised her Space Sword high. "Uranus Heavens Power!" A beam of 
indigo light merged with the ball.

Neptune held her Aqua Mirror over her head. "Neptune Ocean Power!" A 
beam of turquoise light merged with the ball.

Pluto simply held the Time Staff at arms length and whispered, "Pluto 
Time Power." A beam of nearly black light merged with the ball.

"What the--"

Mistress Nine didn't have time to speak as the ball slammed into her. 
She gave a shriek as her body seemed to stretch and rip apart into 
nothingness. A burst of dark light appeared; the essence of her.

Serenity lifted the Holy Grail and shouted an unintelligible phrase. The 
dark form was sucked in and destroyed. Serenity then collapsed, Jupiter 
catching her before she hit the floor. The Senshi's stares moved to 
Beryl now, but Beryl had seen what happend to Mistress Nine and she
teleported away.

The Outer Senshi were about to direct it for the three Generals when 
Jupiter shouted, "STOP!!!!" Everyone turned to stare at her now. "Um... 
Neo-Moon, Serenity, one of you just _heal_ them."

Neo-Moon nodded. A warm pink light ran over them, and they slumped 
slightly. For a moment, it wasn't apparent whether or not they were 
truly healed. Then, Nephrite whispered softly, "Mako-chan?" The pain was 
clear in his eyes as he held his arms out to her.

With a sob, Jupiter flung herself into his arms. He stroked her hair and 
kissed her gently, tears shimmering in his own dark eyes. Kunzite 
blinked slightly as he lifted his head. Mercury shyly walked up to him. 
"Hi," she whispered. He hugged her gently as her tears trickled down her 
cheeks. Jadeite and Mars ran to each other, hugging tight and kissing, 
apologizing for all that they'd done in the months Jadeite was 
possessed.

Serenity smiled and hugged Neo-Moon tightly. Venus smiled at the 
reunions taking place and danced around a bit. Saturn gave a sigh of 
relief and leaned against her Silence Glaive thankfully. Uranus held 
Neptune tight, making soft jokes about the couples in front of them. 
Pluto just stood.

'This isn't the end, not yet,' she thought to herself. 'There's 
something else we have to do before I can repair time for good. But what 
is it?'


					 ________

					
					   SIX

					 ________



Time: a little while later
Place: the shuttle heading back to the Moon of Earth



Everyone packed into the shuttle, thankful that they'd finally stopped Beryl.
Mars handed out bottles of water to the other nine Senshi and three Generals
present. They all quickly drank them down. Pluto hung on the fringes of the
group, gazing out the window with a strangely angry look on her face.

"I'm sorry about Zoisite," Saturn apologized to Venus. "But I had to ki--" She
suddenly broke down crying.

Venus came over and hugged her. "Hotaru, it's not your fault," she whispered. 
"I was there. He tried to kill Usagi. Serenity would've been devastated. You did
what you had to."

Saturn sniffled and wiped her nose on a handkerchief Kunzite handed her. "I
guess I should apologize to you too, Kunzite. You were good friends, weren't
you?"

The pale-haired general laughed. "Not that close. We were on-and-off friends,
but he got on my nerves sometimes. Still," he said, his voice dropping a bit.
"it is a shame he had to die."

"I recovered his body," Jupiter said softly. "I think the mages can bring him 
back."

"I think that would be best," Jadeite said, holding Mars's hand. "He told me
before the attack, 'I don't think I'm ready for this. I don't want to die'."

"No one ever _truly_ wants to die," Pluto murmured from her corner.

"While everyone is in a sorry fest," Mercury said lightly, "Um, sorry about
throwing your dad's corpse into Pluto's attack, Uranus," she said meekly. "I
mean, we could've reincarnated him if I hadn't done that."

Uranus chuckled. "No, no, it's not a problem! Really."

"You sure?"

Uranus gave a nervous laugh. "I think... it is for the best... um, I really didn't
like him...."

Neptune changed the subject, seeing Uranus's discomfort. "Serenity, did you tell
your mother we were coming back?"

Serenity nodded weakly, lying on a bench. The fight had taken more out of her
than had been apparent earlier. "I sent a transmission a few minutes ago."

Everyone except Pluto nodded in response. She still was gazing out the window.

"Hey, I think you look at Pluto, everyone!" Mercury cried.

And everyone did. A telltale glow was forming from the sigil on her forehead.
Her brow was furrowed in concentration.

Mars softly said to the others, "She is trying to communicate with someone. I am
not sure who, or where they are, but she seems to be trying pretty hard. The
person is in another time and reality, actually, according to my computer."

Some of their eyes widened. "That is beyond the rest of the Senshi's abilities,
if I am correct," Nephrite said from his position next to Jupiter. "How is it
that she can?"

"I... I just...  I really don't know," Mars finished lamely, sinking back into
Jadeite's arms.

A flash from Pluto's forehead lit up the cabin they were in, before settling
into a lighter, softer beacon. "She got through," Mars whispered.

'Are you there?' Pluto sent out.

'I _just_ got back from your reality and I was about to start a lesson,' a stubborn, 
soft female voice snapped. 'This had better be important!'

'Would I have attempted to contact you from this far if it wasn't, old friend?
This takes a lot to communicate from this far with this sort of power.'

'My my, not for me, Setsuna,' the woman remarked dryly. 'You should practice
more. I can handle another apprentice in magic.'

'Even your apprentices have apprentices! That's a bit odd, mage.'

Silence for a moment. 'Sorry, I had to answer a question. A teacher's work is
never done,' a soft chuckle was heard. 'Particularly when they can think clearly
again.'

'The spell has been removed from you?'

'Yes, Guardian, now stop wasting your energy and get to the point. Something's
happened over there, I can sense it. I feel something gathering there, a great
power. What is going on?'

Pluto related the battle to her.

The woman seemed to pause to think. 'Do you want me to come there? I can manage
it. It'll be easier on your mind. You're going to be terribly weak when you
finish this communication.'

'Fine, we'll discuss this when you get here,' Pluto said. As soon as she broke
her transmit off, she sank against the wall with a flash of light, breathing
hard and feeling terribly weak like the woman had predicted.

A few of the Senshi quickly hurried to her, helping her up and trying to ease
her. She couldn't focus on the faces, but she saw flashes of red, aqua, and
purple, and knew which Senshi were helping her. Saturn was chanting a soft
mantra to heal her mind, while Mars was scanning her for any damage. Neptune
helped her sit up and passed a glass of wine to her. Pluto sipped the wine
before pushing it aside. The rest of the Senshi hovered around her too.

The doors slid open, and no one noticed for a moment. Kunzite was the first to
realize someone was there. A figure wrapped in a black hooded cloak, with the
hood pulled low, stood there. Apparently a woman, he realized, glancing over her
black dress with the low v-neckline. She remained in the shadows, observing the
swarm of people around Pluto. "Hello there," she said softly.

They turned. "Who the he--" Uranus started before Neptune nudged her ribs with
her elbow.

The black-clothed woman didn't reply and slipped next to Pluto, dropping to her
knees beside her. She pressed her hands to the other woman's temples and a soft
white glow formed, lighting up the mage's pale-skinned face and dark blue eyes
with narrow slits like a cat's or a reptile's for pupils, eyes which were
glowing a bright blue. The light faded from her hands and eyes and the mage drew
back. Pluto sighed. "That's much better. You are getting quite good, you know.
Don't need to speak the words anymore?"

The mage shrugged. "It isn't necessary anymore for someone of my power to say
the words when they are able to concentrate and make it happen. I know I got
here quicker than usual, but I used a portal this time. It's easier since
teleportation magic can sometimes mess up my fragile sanity," she said with a
wry smile. "After all, who knows when something will go wrong for my mind to
slip back into the spell?"

The Senshi continued to eye her skeptically. "Does she have a name?" Uranus said
dryly.

"Not important yet," the mage said with a chill to her tone. "I don't plan to be
here longer than is needed." She sat down on the bench and crossed her legs. "Of
course," she mused, "I do not know what I am needed _for_, or how long it shall
take..." She puzzled over this a second before shrugging her narrow shoulders.

"Are you a mage or something?" Venus asked, confused. "What did you do?"

The woman in question chuckled. "An archmage, if you want to be exact. Much higher
up than just a regular mage. We don't need to use special words for spells and have
access to a wider variety. I personally don't have as much power in healing arts as 
defense and offense-type spells though."

"A mage is a type of sorceress, right?" Usagi asked.

The archmage seemed almost offended for a moment. "Oh no, no Usagi! There is a
difference between magic and sorcery--subtle though, not worth explaining right not."

"How can we believe what you've said?" Serenity said, struggling to sit up. "And how 
did you know Usagi's name?"

"Don't bother her," Pluto said, her voice strong again. "We don't need her
identity revealed in this timeline yet. I have enough trouble trying to fix it
as it is."

The archmage chuckled again. "Pluto, I've been dropping in wherever I want for
years now--"

"And wrecking havoc with the timeline!"

The archmage shrugged with a light laugh and her eyes seemed to flash. "Pluto,
Guardian of Time, never ceasing to meddle with the affairs of mortals or
immortals. I think that I deserve to do as it pleases me..." her voice dropped
lower and colder, "and besides, Pluto, for all you know, this reality is
_supposed_ to go this way! Have you noticed that your precognitive abilities are
not working correctly? You don't see time right! You cannot read the future
correctly, and unless you have the information already, you can't scan the
timeline to learn about someone! You're so wrapped up in your precious time
even though, and you refuse to let anyone take over the responsibilities
even if they are better qualified--"

"SHUT UP!!!" Pluto suddenly shrieked, and everything fell silent. There was a
larger light from the archmage's eyes than before. "I am sick of your little
manipulations and trivial games! Don't you get tired of tormenting me?!"

The archmage narrowed her eyes to slits. "Wasn't the last realty all a result of
your manipulating, your little cosmic game to make the universe perfect? Isn't it
true that you are too afraid to let someone else take over the Time Gate. I offered
to and you refused. I think you've grown to be insane, Setsuna."

Pluto lifted her Time Key and swung it hard at the archmage.

It passed through her.

Saturn suddenly stood and lifted her Silence Glaive. It whirled around and
stopped inches from Pluto's neck. Uranus was directly behind the archmage, her
Space Sword pressed close to the archmage's throat. "You can remove that now,
Uranus," she said coldly. "I won't attack."

Pluto lowered her Time Key, and Saturn lowered her Silence Glaive afterward. "If
you EVER push me like that again, I swear that I will find some way to make your
life a living Hell, or at least send you there!"

"Been there before. Quite warm there, and if you don't belong there, the people 
don't bother you. I think you'd like it there, once you get on Lucifer's good side,
which could take a bit of time--"

The door slammed shut hard as Pluto left the cabin.

The Senshi and the three remaining Generals fixed their eyes on the archmage.
"Hmmm... I seem to have made her angry," she murmured.

The shuttle docked, and Pluto was the first off, storming to her room.

Queen Serenity came up and hugged her daughter and granddaughter tightly,
before briefly embracing the Senshi and Generals. Endymion came running up the
path with Luna-P trailing after, and he quickly lifted Princess Serenity into
his arms and kissed her. The Senshi all giggled while the moon princess blushed.
Luna-P bobbed around Usagi, and the two cat advisors came, darting between the
Senshi's legs and voicing their greetings.

The archmage hung behind during the reunion, observing in silence with the
slightest hint of a warm smile on her face. 

"Hello there," a voice said to her out of nowhere.

She gave a start, then turned to see Saturn standing beside her. "Oh, hello,
Saturn. Do you remember me?" Saturn nodded. "Good. Don't tell the others yet
please. It is important that you don't." Saturn nodded.

Queen Serenity walked up and appeared surprised and a bit fearful. "Why, hello
there, my old friend. I haven't seen you since my childhood and you still look
the same."

The archmage smiled and gave her a brief, awkward hug. "May I stay awhile,
please? I seem to have some business to attend to here and--"

"Of course, of course, there's an empty room next to Saturn's. Go right ahead."

The archmage bowed and walked off towards the palace, and paused to call over
her shoulder to the Senshi, "Since I will be staying here for a bit, I think you
should know my name. It's Immora." With that, Immora headed off to her room.



Time: a few hours later
Place: the dining hall, the Palace



Mars ate her food in silence, as did Pluto. The other Senshi were all talking
eagerly, the Generals also talking. Zoisite would be brought back later that
evening. Queen Serenity sipped her tea as she talked with some members of her
army. The table was very long, so it held many people. Mars glanced to Saturn,
chattering away with Usagi. Saturn seemed happier than usual, and her pink-haired 
friend seemed to be too. Mars squeezed Jadeite's hand, who was sitting next to her. 
He seemed surprised at the sudden gesture, for he'd been in the middle of talking 
with Mercury, sitting across from him. He smiled down at Mars and kissed her 
forehead before going back to his conversation. The Inner Senshi were all talking 
across the table to each other and the Generals. Princess Serenity was talking with 
anyone willing to listen. Uranus and Neptune ignored everyone else as they talked, 
but Mars noticed Uranus would sometimes cast a cold glance in Immora's direction. 
Uranus didn't trust the archmage, and neither did Mars. She noted Pluto, sitting 
in silence, was studying Immora seemingly, as if trying to figure something out 
about her. Immora was laughing and smiling, talking with Kunzite about some obscure 
things Mars didn't follow, probably magic-related. Kunzite seemed to have a talent for
magic, and Immora seemed to be trying to help him with it.

Mars didn't feel safe in here. She could sense the power radiating from each of
her fellow Senshi, which was a familiar thing to her. Saturn and Pluto gave off
the greatest amounts, along with Princess Serenity. Saturn and Serenity seemed
pretty evenly matched in power, but Mars could feel that Saturn's was a bit
stronger. Then she could sense the power from the Generals, pretty strong too.
What was unnerving her was the amount that Immora gave off. Her power levels
were very high, almost smothering to Mars's senses. Immora seemed perfectly at
ease with this power, and didn't flaunt it, but Mars still didn't feel right
about the archmage. She listened to Kunzite's conversation with her. "--yes, but
how do you form the object? I can create energy projectiles, shields, light, et
cetera... but how do you make a _solid_ object?! It doesn't seem possible!"

Immora laughed. Her laughter seems a bit odd, Mars thought. I don't think she
laughs a lot. She seems almost sad. I'd probe her mind further, but she'd
undoubtedly be able to wipe my mind clean as a slate if I do!

"Kunzite, you are limiting yourself," Immora chuckled. "With energy, you can form it, 
shape it, control it how you will. There is no real limit with energy-related objects. 
_Solid_ objects have to be formed with the mind more so than the energy. With the 
energy, it springs forth at your command, you shape it with your thoughts, simple as 
that. With a solid object, you must form the image in your mind first, then construct 
it in the physical world. You have to bind all the pieces together with your power. 
You can't just call upon an object, you have to _make_ the object. After you form it, 
you must keep your thoughts on it or else it will collapse. If you wish for it to remain, 
ou have to use the proper incantation to make it a true part of the physical world, or
else it simply _exists_ in this world, but it resides in your mind still."

A few of the Senshi had tuned in to the conversation and were listening with
some confusion at her words. Pluto, Saturn, Jupiter, and Mercury had all taken
interest in it, along with the queen and her daughter, and Endymion.

Kunzite puzzled over Immora's words. "Could you demonstrate for me?"

"Ah... I could, but may I finish eating first? I don't eat much, but this food is
simply wonderful!"

Kunzite chuckled. "Go right ahead."

As soon as Immora finished wiping her mouth after eating, she nodded to Kunzite. 
She then stood and called to the table, "Excuse me, I'll be casting a spell in
a moment... those of you who might be mages aligned with the afterlifes might have 
an unusual reaction to my energy."

Several people left the room. Mars sat and wondered what she could have meant by
that.

She didn't have time to consider. Immora's eyes glowed with bright blue light.
A sphere of white light appeared in front of her, and winds seemed to blow from
it for her hair blew back as did her cloak. "This, Kunzite, is a simple energy
construct, like the ones you use." Immora's eyes widened slightly and Mars saw
that she was concentrating hard on the light. It started to take the shape of a
bouquet of roses. They started to color green and red, and soon a glowing
bouquet was floating in front of her. Kunzite reached for it and his hand passed
through it. "They aren't solid yet. I formed it much slower than is needed so
you could see the process." She then narrowed her eyes a bit. Shadows and
highlights appeared on the rose petals and leaves. Their scent could be smelled
around the table. They flashed, then the light was gone and they dropped onto
the table. Immora sat down.

Kunzite grabbed the bouquet and examined them with surprise. "This is amazing!
You just created them from light!"

Immora laughed. "You can look at it that way, if you will. That took much
longer than I would have liked. I wanted you to see them form. I can do it much
quicker though..." There was a brief flash, and a bouquet appeared right in Queen
Serenity's lap.

The queen started, then laughed and breathed in their scent. "Why thank you,
old friend. They are quite lovely."

Immora smiled. Mars suddenly wanted to pull her hair out. How the heck did the
queen know Immora?! And Pluto---how did they meet?

Immora looked over at Mars now. Her voice came to Mars's mind. 'Is something
troubling you, Senshi of fire? I noticed you observing my spell with some
unease.'

'How do you know the queen and Pluto?'

Immora just looked away and went back to talking with Kunzite.

Mars fumed. I'm gonna wheedle it out of her if I have to delve into her
subconscience to find it out!!! 

Immora stood and walked over to stand in a dark corner. What a wacko! Mars
thought to herself.

Everyone was chattering again, and someone asked Serenity, "Are you and Endymion
_ever_ going to get married?"

The two in question laughed. "Eventually! We just can't decide what the best day
would be!"

Nephrite teased Endymion, "C'mon, why don't you two just run off and elope so
you don't have to worry about it?"

"It's not as romantic though," Serenity said. "Besides, I want all my friends there.
It wouldn't be the same."

"Do you guys think you'll ever marry?" Endymion asked the generals.

"I hope so," Nephrite said and he and Jupiter smiled to each other. "I think it'd
be nice."

"It would be, wouldn't it?" Jupiter said with a smile.

"Hey, do you think you'll _ever_ hook up with anyone?" Venus asked Uranus and Neptune.

All the senshi and the generals turned to look at them. "Yeah, Haruka," Neptune teased. 
"Do you consider yourself to be in a relationship right now?"

Uranus coughed. "Do _you_?"

"I do. You?"

"Yup."

The others looked at them quizzically. "Well, who are these guys?" Serenity asked. "Do
we know them?"

The two women laughed. "Oh yes, you do!" they chuckled.

"Well, who are they?"

The two pointed at each other and smiled.

"Oh... my..." Mars breathed. "I had no idea that you two were le--" she turned bright 
red. "NevermindwhatIwasjustabouttosay!"

They both laughed again.

"I don't see anything wrong with it," Jupiter commented. "I think you two look
cute together."

"'Cute'?" Uranus grimaced. "I hate that word... makes me think of those little
puppy dogs..."

Neptune poked her in the arm. "I see nothing wrong with the word... even if it
is innaccurate."

"Oh really? Well then, what am I, hmmm?"

"She's gotcha there," Venus teased. "Now what do you do?"

"I think you're incredibly beautiful," Neptune said.

"I am, aren't I?"

Neptune bopped her on the head.

"I think the correct response," Mercury said, "is 'so are you'."

"Ah well, I know she is, she knows she is, everybody knows she is, so why
reiterate it?"

The group continued talking for the next several minutes.

When everyone was finished eating, Queen Serenity stood and read a letter that
she'd received. The government of Uranus conveyed their thanks for solving the
problem of the Dark Kingdom on their planet. However, with the king dead, the
queen an alcoholic, and the prince missing for over a decade, they had no ruler.
They asked for Princess Uranus to return and take the throne. Queen Serenity
looked up from the letter to judge Uranus's reaction. Uranus paled with anger.
"How long will it take to establish communications with them?"

"Hmmm... I am not sure. Many of their communications systems are down..."

Immora suddenly piped up, "You do use crystals for communications, correct?"

Uranus cocked an eyebrow. "Yes, but my planet has an unusual rotation and sometimes
the signals cannot be aligned correctly--"

"I can establish a link for you. We use crystal spheres for communicating in my
school too. I can get through even if your crystals can't."

She opened her closed fist and a ball of glass about as big around as her head
appeared. She handed it to Uranus, who carefully held it. "Can you get me
through to General Toren?" she asked. "He is in charge of the army and knows me
well."

Immora nodded. A face appeared in the ball; Toren. "Who the hell is using
this---huh? Princess?"

Uranus narrowed her eyes. "Yes, it is. What _idiot_ decided that _I_ had to come
back and take the throne?"

Toren turned an angry red. "It was I. Look, we don't have a ruler and the people
are panicking. They think we're going to be attacked again. We need someone here
to restore order. Things are too chaotic to vote on a ruler, so we need a member
of the royal family to take over."

"Why don't you track down my _brother_ then?!"

"He's been gone forever! We tried to, but we couldn't find him. Must've changed
his name or something."

Uranus gave an exasperated sigh. "Why not get my mom sober for once and give it to 
_her_!"

Toren rolled his eyes. "You don't seem to understand, Princess. She can't
possibly lead. She's too weak and we're probably going to lose her any day now.
Too much alcohol in her system. How the heck did she get started on that?!"

"Don't ask. Look, I don't want to rule! Why not _you_? You lead the armed
forces, you should be capable of it."

Toren was fuming. "Haruka!! I explained this to you already! You get your ass
over here and take the throne! Your mother is dying so you should be here with
her! If you don't get over here, I have full authority to arrest you--"

"Fine!" Uranus snapped, and she hurled the ball at the wall. It shattered into
millions of tiny shards. A few glanced off her but she didn't seem to notice.

Immora sadly walked over and made the shards float in the air, and they 
shimmered into nonexistence. The other Senshi were frozen in shock. "How long
will she have to stay there?" Neptune whispered.

Queen Serenity kept her eyes facing the floor. "I don't know. It could be days,
it could be months. I have no way of telling."

A healer walked in and said softly, "Zoisite is awake now. He'll be very weak
from now on, but he's alive."

The Senshi and Generals silently walked into the healer's room. Immora,
unnoticed, went out into the gardens.



Time: a few minutes later
Place: the healer's room



Zoisite struggled a bit, but he managed to sit up. "Well hello," he said
weakly. "Minako?"

Venus walked over and gave him a tight hug. Zoisite kissed her forehead and 
smiled up at her. "Do you forgive me for what happened? I sorry if I hurt
you, but I _was_ under their control."

She nodded. "Of course I forgive you."

Saturn was standing motionless. They could barely tell she was breathing, and
she wasn't blinking. Jupiter waved a hand in front of her face. "Are you okay,
Saturn?" she asked in concerned tones.

Saturn blinked once. "I... that Immora... something's happening!" She suddenly
rushed out and headed in the direction of the gardens.

The Generals stayed behind as the Senshi rushed after her in surprise. She was
moving quite fast and didn't seem to be about to tire.

They were shocked and quickly stopped in the gardens. Saturn was several feet
in front of them, a look of horror in her eyes. "Saturn Senshi Make-up," she
said softly, transforming into Sailor Saturn. She held her glaive in front of
her, not moving. The other Senshi transformed, but stood behind.

Immora was in the very center of the gardens, which lay in the center of the
palace grounds, tears trailing down her face. Her eyes were glowing bright
white; her irises and pupils couldn't be seen. She hovered above the grass,
wearing a strange black outfit that appeared to be all one-piece, covering her
from neck to fingertips to feet, wearing black leather boots over that. Her hair
billowed around her as she floated. The sky went red and suddenly a chill gale
blew through the palace grounds. The Senshi shivered and quickly huddled
together to share body heat. Immora's eyes flashed red a moment, and the debris
swirling around didn't even touch her. "I'm so sorry," she said in a choked
voice, to herself. "I have to destroy it all. I-I never wanted to, but I have
to!" She crossed her arms over her chest, her hands resting on their opposite
shoulders. A bright flash started to spread through the Palace.

"NOOOOO!!!!!!!" Saturn screamed. She dove forward with the Silence Glaive and
plunged the blade into Immora's chest. Immora stood stock still, her feet
touching the ground. Blood trickled down her and she gave a little gasp. Saturn
slid the blade out.

Immora stood shaking a moment, the awful wound plainly visible. She closed her
eyes, still shaking. The wound slowly closed up, the only sign it was there was
the blood still on her skin and the tear in her clothing that bared some of her
pale skin. "W-why?" she whispered. She lifted her hands and a burst of energy
pulsed through the air, forcing Saturn's footing back. "LEAVE ME ALONE!!!"
Immora shouted, increasing the energy.

"SILENCE GLAIVE... APPLY!!!" Saturn shouted. She didn't use enough power to
destroy the grounds around her, but the resulting energy caused Immora to slide
across the ground on her back, crying out in pain.

Silver Moon was about to rush to help, when Pluto held her back. "We can't hope
to beat her. She's most powerful archmage in existence. Saturn could possibly 
stand a chance on her own though."

"Wouldn't she have a better chance if we helped?"

"No, not really. It has to do with magic. I'll explain later."

Immora held her hands out again, and a burst of metal shards appeared, racing
for Saturn.

"SILENCE BLOCK!!!" she shouted just in time to block them from hitting her. Her
eyes went red and a burst of black energy appeared, rushing to Immora. Immora
crossed her arms over her chest again, and the energy swirled around her. She
flinched slightly, and it slowly disappeared.

"Amazing," Pluto said in awe. "Mistress Nine's abilities were transferred to
Saturn when she was possessed in the Original Time. Somehow, she forced them to
be dormant, but a latent ability has given her access to them again."

"Anta shurru jasida kariman!" Immora shouted. A large fire swirled around here,
spreading through the grass quickly. Saturn screamed in pain and tried to douse
the flames.

Suddenly the Generals appeared with Uranus and Neptune by their side. The
flames died down as Neptune sent a wave of water skimming across the flames. The
Generals stood by the Senshi, not offering any more help.

"She's weakening!" Pluto called. "She's using incantations now; she can't
concentrate enough to use her magic without them!"

"Arrrggghhh!!" Saturn's eyes glowed with red light as she sent another wave of
energy at Immora. Immora flinched and was forced back. "What do I have to do to
stop you?!" Saturn shouted as a burst of energy from her Silence Glaive knocked
Immora onto her back.

She stood, blood trickling down her lip. Her eyes were blazing in light, and
she looked frighteningly powerful as she stood, clothed in black, with an amazingly 
calm look on her face. An aura of blue and silver swirled around her. "Spirit of 
death," she started, "come to me. Aid me in my battle. Spirit of death, go to her!" 
A small black form appeared near her, surrounded in smoke. It suddenly shot at Saturn, 
then stopped. "I am your master, why do you stop?!" Immora snarled. The spirit 
disappeared.

Saturn smirked. "I am the Dark Messiah, whether possessed or not. I am aligned
with creation, destruction, death... It cannot harm me because _I_ am the master."

Immora sneered, "You cannot defeat me! You _will_ not!" A burst of light around 
her surrounded both her and Saturn. Saturn screamed in pain, and sweat trickled 
down Immora's forehead. "Nanu ast sheira killisa!" Saturn was forced to her knees 
screaming as the sky blackened and she was writhing in pain.

Suddenly she reached out with her glaive, glowing white now, and slammed it
against Immora's side. The light connected with Immora and her eyes lost their
bright glow, her wide eyes with their strange pupils appeared. "No!!!" she
shrieked. "Manna tarra carnasonu shiva!" Saturn fell to her side, unconscious,
her face twisted in pain. Immora moaned and fell over on her belly, face
sideways. Her face was white as a sheet and her breathing ragged.

The sky turned it's regular color. "Saturn!!!" Silver Moon shouted, quickly
rushing forward. She gather Saturn up in her arms and started to heal her.

Pluto went over to check on Immora. She was bloodied less than Saturn, but
Saturn had burn wounds also. Pluto carefully lifted Immora. Her breathing was
too shallow and her heartbeat low. "Poor thing," Pluto whispered. "She can't
die, and unless she is healed, she will remain in pain forever. She doesn't even
have the comfort of death's release to look forward too."

Immora coughed, blood trickling down her face. She slowly opened her eyes. Dark
circles lined them, and she flinched at the bright light of the sun. "pl-pluto?
please... call sharra here... i need her help..."

Pluto nodded.

Saturn opened her eyes, healed. "Why did you fight her?!" Neo-Moon shouted.

"She was going to destroy the entire palace... destroy the moon... kill us all... I
don't know why she would, but I had to stop her."

A woman suddenly appeared in a flash of light. An elf. She had brown skin, long
purple hair, and slanted ice blue eyes. Her pointed ears went out to the sides
[think Ail and Ann]. She wore a simple purple dress. She came forward and lifted
Immora into her arms carefully. "I am terribly sorry this happened. This should
never have occurred. I am very sorry and apologize for anything she's done. We
should have never let her come." She disappeared with Immora.

Jupiter helped Saturn to her feet. "Uhnnnn... I ache all over," she moaned.
"She's pretty powerful! I'm gonna go take a hot bath." She stumbled off to her
room.

"That was awful," Mercury whispered, face pale. "She could have been killed!"

"She apparently knew what she was doing," Uranus said, clothed in her princess
dress. She was carrying some bags with her. She looked down sadly. "I have to
leave for my home planet in half an hour. I guess I should go ahead and say
goodbye to you guys."

"Not yet," Venus chirped. "We're gonna go to the shuttle with you and see ya
off!"

The Generals went back to their rooms as the Senshi followed Uranus to the
docking bay to wait for her shuttle. She didn't say much, but she told them,
"I'll try to come back in a couple of weeks. Don't wanna miss the ball," she
said with a wink. 

The Senshi smiled and hugged her. The shuttle landed and called for passengers
to get aboard. Uranus handed her bags to a man there who put them away. "Well,
see you later," she said with a sad smile to them. "Hope I don't cause the
economy to crash or anything. I'm not good at leading a bunch of people unless
it's a battle."

They smiled, a couple wiping tears away. Neptune came forward and gave her a
long hug, then they kissed briefly. "Bye," she whispered. "I love you."

"I love you too," Uranus said with a smile as she walked up the ramp. The door
closed and the shuttle left.

"This sucks," Usagi commented dryly.



Time: a bit later
Place: somewhere in another reality



"OWW!!! THAT HURTS!!!!" The scream echoed through the whole building.

"Well stop moving!" Another voice shouted.

Immora winced as Ka'ina, poured hot water over her and rubbed balm over her arms. 
Immora was in one of the large baths [public bath style]. Ka'ina brushed her long 
dark hair behind her ear as her eyes, a swirl of silver, green, and blue, fixed on 
Immora's. "You shouldn't have gotten into that fight. Now you're magic is going to 
be weakened for awhile."

Immora snarled, "You could at least heal me with yours!"

Ka'ina cupped her chin and forced Immora to look at her. "Look, the way I see
it, you got into this fight and got hurt, you deserve this. You shouldn't have
tried to destroy the palace. Why the hell were you going to anyways?!"

"I don't know," Immora moaned. "I don't know! That insanity spell is coming back I
think! Argh! Too many spells are on me, I can't tell which spells are active or
not!"

Ka'ina sighed and scrubbed Immora's back. "Did you _ever_ apologize to Pluto
for that little incident several hundred years ago?"

"I only cracked a _tiny_ part of the Time Gate when she refused to let me take control! 
Not enough to mess anything up!"

Ka'ina sighed and walked out, leaving Immora to seethe in the water. "Doesn't
anyone believe me anymore?" Immora whined.

"Don't whine," Ka'ina scolded her. "You are much too old for that!"

"I am not! I might be old in years, but I sure don't FEEL LIKE IT!!!"

Ka'ina sighed as she shut the door. 'I feel awful, using this spell on
her... she doesn't even know about this one...' Tying a robe around
her waist, she started to walk to her room. 'I used my magic in the
wrong way. She _forbid_ me from using this type of magic... but I
still did it. I hate myself sometimes...' She walked into her room
and flopped down on the bed. 'But I love her. And this spell makes
her return that and forget about that Akeru person. She's mine now,
and unless she breaks my spell, she'll STAY mine!'


					 ________

					
					  SEVEN

					 ________



Time: the next day
Place: the palace on Uranus



Uranus sat on a throne in her indigo princess dress, her face a
mixture of bored and exasperated. Her head rested on her hand,
elbow propped on the armrest as Toren read a report off to her.
Uranus fidgeted in her seat. Damn throne! she thought to
herself. Why the hell does it have to be so uncomfortable?! She
looked around at her (boring) surroundings. Ooo, yay. Her throne
was on a pedestal with several steps leading up to it, a red
carpet leading from the base of the throne to the large wooden
double doors at the entrance to the throne room. Candles and
tall windows lined the walls. The floor was marble. Uranus hated
it.

"--the Vidiava family requests an audience with you," Toren was
reading. "They said--"

"Why?" Uranus interrupted. "Why do they want to talk to me?"

Toren was seething. That woman _had_ to learn to stop
interrupting! "They want to talk about some ideas they had for
improving our economy. Their son has offered to take your place
when you're gone--"

"What are his qualifications for that?" she murmured. She'd
heard basically the same thing all morning. So-and-so family has
idea for improvement, son/daughter wants to rule, a number of
marriage proposals she promptly refused.

"--and he is quite good with the people..."

Uranus blinked. She'd missed everything Toren had just said.
"No more marriage proposals, I hope."

"None this time. I still don't see why you turned down Ranfa,
he's a perfectly decent young man and a woman of your position
should have a spouse, and besides, you've known him awhile and
he's quite smitten with you--"

Uranus let out a loud laugh and sat up in her throne. "Oh, he
is, is he? Tell him, like the others, that _I_ _am_ _not_
_interested_! We should make an announcement that all marriage
proposals should cease because I won't except them!"

Toren raised an eyebrow and sighed. "Really, he's a great young
man, quite popular with the other ladies--"

Uranus hopped down from her seat, kicked off her heels (she
really hated wearing high heels) and walked over to Toren.
"Toren, I don't care. I _really_ don't care. I'm already in a
relationship and I am QUITE happy with it. I don't want to run
off and marry some guy I barely know. I don't want to marry some
_guy_, if you get right down to it!" She laughed and turned to
walk back to the (uncomfortable) throne.

"What are you saying?" Toren asked in surprise, adjusting his
reading glasses. He smoothed his (fast graying) brown hair down.
"I mean, about the marriage issue?"

She turned and glared at him. What a dense fool! "Toren, why
don't you make a general announcement to the families that seem
to be intent on getting me wed that I will not marry their sons
because I am just not interested, okay?"

"Not interested in getting married to a _man_ or--"

"I am _homosexual_ you fool!!!" she shrieked at him. "I am not
about to marry a man! I already have a lover, and I am QUITE
CONTENT to continue my relationship with her, okay?! Now go put
out a communication through those weird crystal-thingies we're
using now to tell those dumbasses I am NOT marrying any of their
sons, okay?!"

Toren was frozen in place with shock.

"WELL?!!?!"

"Yes, princess," he murmured, dazed, and walked off to send the
message.

"And get ME a crystal while you're at it! I need to talk with
Michiru, she'll want to make sure I'm okay!"

"The princess of Neptune?"

"YES the princess of Neptune! She's the only Michiru I know!!!"
Uranus was seething. Toren quickly ran out, retrieved a crystal
ball for her, and shakily handed it to her. He promptly left
after that. Uranus sighed and moved her hand a few inches over
the ball in a circular motion. "Patch me through to Princess
Michiru of Neptune please. Tell her it's Haruka."

The mage on the other in answered, "Hold on a couple minutes.
It'll take awhile to get through the magical field around the
Earth moon. Some strange residue--" The man cut off as he started
the spell.

Damn that Immora; she just _had_ to get into that battle with
Saturn! Who knows how long this'll take!? Uranus impatiently
slid down in her seat to wait.



Time: several minutes later
Place: Pluto's room, the Palace, the Moon Kingdom



Pluto sat on her bed, Saturn on hers, talking with Neptune, who
was resting in an easy chair across from them. They weren't
really discussing anything in particular. Pluto was still a bit
upset about some of Immora's comments to her, Saturn weak from
her battle yesterday. Neptune was a bit saddened by Uranus's
temporary departure, since it was still uncertain when she'd
return. Pluto was in the middle of saying something when she gla
nced over to the communications crystal on her dresser. "Hmmm?
It's glowing? Who'd be calling in--" Pluto ran her hand over the
top of it. "Hello there, who's calling?"

"Hello," a mage on the other end said. "A call for Princess
Michiru of Neptune, from... ah, Haruka... ?"

Apparently a fairly powerful mage, Pluto thought, to find Neptune
here. "Put it through. Oh, sorry about the magic field; Saturn
got in a battle with an archmage yesterday."

"I can guess who..." the mage murmured.

"Excuse me?" Neptune said, waving her arms. "I believe there's
a call from Haruka to me, not that mage to you. I'd like to talk
to her..."

"Oh, sorry!" Pluto said with a laugh. She handed the ball,
about the size of her head, to Neptune.

Neptune pressed her hand to it. Uranus's face appeared.
"Hello!" she said cheerfully.

"Hi there!" Neptune giggled. "How's it going over there?
Anything interesting happening?"

"Well... hey, go into our room. HEY PLUTO, TAKE THE BALL!!!
Redirect the call to our room, 'kay Setsuna? THANKS!!"

Pluto winced and whispered to Neptune, "Doesn't she know I can hear
her just fine?"

Neptune handed the ball to Pluto and went into the room she and
Uranus shared. She sat down on their bed near the window (the
other closer to the door went unused now that the two were
sleeping in the same bed) and picked up her own ball. Uranus's
face appeared in one half, Pluto's in the other half. "Okay, go
away Pluto!"

Pluto laughed and her face disappeared, leaving Uranus's the
only one their. "Toren went to send out a message for me, so I'm
alone now," Uranus commented.



"So, what's going on?" Neptune inquired, lying back on the
large pillows.

"Well, lots of people have offered to take the throne, I've
received a few marriage proposals from guys I've never met,
Toren knows about my, ah, 'interests' now. I kinda screamed it
at him when he kept pushing me to marry some Ran-something-or-other guy."

Neptune laughed. "Oh okay. Did you visit your mother yet?"

"Yup. I don't think she's going to make it much longer. She's
pretty weak. They sobered her up, but she's still in no
condition to even get out of her bed. She was surprised to see
me; she really only had vague memories of me since she was
usually wallowing in alcohol when I lived here. Ah well, if she
_had_ been able to think for herself, she probably would've 
tried to help me out when I was a kid, and then Dad would've
beat _her_ too."

Neptune gave a weak, sad smile. "It's a real shame your dad had
to be like that. You deserve so much better, love."

Uranus smiled and blushed. "Thanks for the compliment," she
said, then dropped her voice lower with a sweet smile, "but I
have all I need now that I'm with you."

Neptune smiled. "Thanks, I could say the same for you..." Uranus
laughed. 

They continued to talk for the next few hours.



Time: roughly the same
Place: Serenity and Usagi's room.



Mars was visiting Serenity and helping her brush her long silvery 
hair. She'd taken it down from her odango to brush out, and it was 
a tangled mess. "How can you stand having hair this long?!" Mars asked 
in an awed tone.

Serenity giggled. "Family tradition. The girls always have long hair tied 
up in odango. It's just a trademark."

Mars smiled and glanced at the communications crystal. The
image was scrambled and kept switching between images. For some
reason it kept picking up only other people's transmissions and
not the ones meant for them, and then the image and sound kept
switching at random, never matching. It was so annoying! The
constant garbled voices got on your nerves after awhile...

Serenity looked over to watch too. She briefly saw some Mercurian 
baron's face, Uranus's face (must be talking with Neptune), Jadeite, 
a duchess from Saturn, a young giggling girl, a peasant man, Naru, 
Immora... Immora?!?! "Did you see that?!" Serenity gasped.

Mars just groaned. Would that archmage just GO AWAY?!!!

"Let me finish brushing your hair and we'll go see. She might
just be talking with Pluto or something..." She better not be here
she had better not be here... I swear I will hurt her as badly as
I can if we see her!!!

Mars finished one half of Serenity's hair, and Serenity pulled
it up, twisted the top part into an odango, pinned it, and let
the rest hang down. By the time she was done, Mars was almost
finished. Serenity pulled the rest of her hair up. "Well, let's
go see if she's here."

They wandered around through the halls and bumped into a woman
going the opposite way. "Oh, sorry about that!" she apologized. "I
was lost in thought, I should have been paying attention."

"It's alright," Mars said with a smile. She noted the woman had
unusual eyes, the pupils were white and her irises were a swirl
of emerald, cerulean, and silver that constantly shifted. Her
hair was dead straight, reached to her waist, and was very dark,
her skin tanned and smooth except for a small, pale mole under the 
right corner of her mouth. She had very delicate features and
was taller than Mars. She wore a cerulean dress that was in a
style like Immora's, with a hoodless cloak fastened around her
shoulders with a flat gray stone. "A mage?" Mars asked before
she realized what she was saying.

"Yes," the woman answered. "My name is Ka'ina. I am a student
of Immora's. You know her, I assume. Your friend Sailor Saturn
gave her quite a beating."

Mars laughed. "I'd say she gave one to Saturn! That woman is
powerful!" And boy is she a bitch!

Ka'ina chuckled. "Immora gets carried away in battles. She
would undoubtedly return to grovel at Saturn's feet begging for
forgiveness. Her mind is starting to slip again and it's all
Sharra and I can do to keep it from going completely."

Serenity remarked, "She was a nice person on the inside, I
could sense."

Ka'ina nodded. "She really is; she is very kind, but she does
have a cruel streak. She's very dependent and hates being alone.
All she really needs is someone that loves her..." Ka'ina trailed
off.

"Who'd love _her_? You'd have to be as crazy as her!" Mars said
bitterly.

Ka'ina flinched slightly. "Ah... I am her lover..." Ka'ina said
slowly.

Mars turned near the color of her hair. "Omigosh I'm sorry! I
didn't mean it... I... um..." Mars turned around and fumed. Great, I
just insulted this woman that I barely know. She'll probably
turn me into dust or something. Strange... I get a really bad
feeling about her though. Something seems wrong...

"It's alright," Ka'ina said softly. "I guess I am a bit...
insane... for falling for someone like her... well, I better go
now, goodbye."

Serenity smiled at her. "Bye!"

Mars didn't say anything. That woman had a strange spell around
her, but she couldn't tell what it was. It seemed like she was
controlling someone...

She and Serenity walked off.

"What was it we left our room to do?" Serenity asked.

Mars suddenly realized she'd completely forgotten too.
Shrugging, they walked off to go visit the Generals. We might as
well, Mars thought as they wandered through the palace.

Ka'ina sadly looked at the watch she held. Immora was supposed
to show up over three hours ago. She was never late and would
have contacted Ka'ina if something went wrong. Did she not want
to see her anymore? Or maybe... could she have broken the spell?!

Ka'ina sighed and walked through the wall, outside to the
gardens, never once caring that she'd passed through solid rock.


___



Uranus laughed as she finished filing her nails, tossing the
file aside. She didn't like fixing her own nails herself, but
she didn't feel like asking someone to do it for her. Plus, she
was too busy talking to Neptune through the crystal to wander
away from the crystal.

Neptune kept chattering away when the door opened behind her.
She held up a finger to signal "wait a second", then turned to
talk with the person. Uranus saw it was Naru. She draped her legs 
over the armrest as she sat to wait, glancing into her mirror with 
mild amusement. She always used to have cuts and bruises on her face 
as a kid, but she had healed up nicely. No scars on her face, a few 
on her back, and of course a mark on her ribs from the bullet wound 
her father inflicted. Uranus flipped her pale bangs out of her deep blue
eyes and noted that she needed to get them trimmed. She was growing 
her hair out slightly, still keeping it short, but a more feminine 
style than she used to wear. Neptune said it looked nice on her, so 
Uranus decided she might as well keep the style. She half-heartedly 
studied her face, then turned back to the crystal.

Neptune waved Naru away. "I am so sorry, Haruka! I have to go to a meeting!"

Uranus sighed. "Oh okay... call later, alright?"

Neptune giggled. "Of course I will! Talk to you later," she
said softly, giving Uranus her sweetest smile. "I love you,
Haruka."

Uranus smiled back. "I love you, Michiru."

Neptune blew her a kiss, and Uranus giggled as she waved at
her. The crystal went dark. Uranus sighed sadly. The hall was
silent now. It was boring again.

Toren walked in slowly, his face deathly pale, as if with fear.
Uranus looked up with confusion; What the hell is he so scared
about? "Y-You have a vis-visitor," he stuttered. "Sh-she
requests to--see you n-now..."

"Who is it?" Uranus demanded irritably.

Toren opened his mouth to speak, and his voice failed him. He
quickly darted back into the other room. Uranus rolled her eyes
and sat back in her throne correctly, watching with annoyance as
a shadow behind the curtains moved into the hall. Uranus then
stared in shock and considered summoning the guards or transforming 
on the spot.

The woman's pale face looked eerie with her crimson lipstick
and dark lined eyes, combined with dark clothing. She wore a
black hoodless cloak that trailed behind her, fastened with a
silver clasp. Her dress was a dark reddish brown, low-cut, the
right side slit up to mid-thigh. She wore soft black leather
boots that covered up to her knees, making her steps silent
except for the sounds of her faded brownish-black cloak dragging
on the carpet. Three small black leather cords were tied around
her waist, one drooping down on the left of her waist, the other
two dipping on the right. Crimson beads were laced into this.
She had black gloves pulled to her elbows, made of soft fabric
but obviously good protection. A small dagger was strapped with
brown leather cords to each glove, a larger dagger tied to her
waist with the leather cords. The cords around her gloves made
slight bulges appear between each twist of cord. She wore
dangling blood colored jewels on her ears, though her blond hair
covered one ear slightly. She had a serious expression on her
face, but strangely emotionless also. She stopped several yards
from the throne to bow her head in acknowledgment, then raised
her piercing dark blue eyes with reptilian slits to Uranus's
face.

"Immora..." Uranus hissed.

Immora's lip twitched. "Correct."

"Unusual outfit," Uranus remarked coolly.

Immora cocked an eyebrow. She walked over to a cart resting
near the wall and poured herself a glass of a cold, non-alcoholic 
fruit drink. She sipped it lightly, silent. "You probably wonder 
why I am here," Immora started, seemingly searching for the right 
words. "I was going to go straight to the Moon Kingdom, but there 
is undoubtedly some sort of price on my head now... so I think I will 
avoid it for awhile. Anyways... I need to apologize to the Senshi and 
the Moon Kingdom for my... irrational behavior yesterday. I have a... 
condition... that seemed to have resurfaced yesterday."

"What, are you insane?" Uranus sneered.

"Precisely," Immora said simply.

Uranus blinked in surprise.

"My former teacher, Necros, placed a spell on me that gradually
caused my sanity to lessen more and more. Eventually, I went
insane. A sorceress, Lorenada, healed me... seemingly. The spell 
isn't completely removed and sometimes my mind will slip and I 
will have no control over my actions. That happened to me yesterday, 
when I suddenly took it into my mind to attack the Palace. I sincerely 
apologize for that, and for harming Saturn like that. I would heal 
her myself... but she probably wouldn't trust me to do that... and... my 
magic has grown very weak since that battle. It will take me a couple 
more days until I have full control of my magic again. I am limited to 
telepathy, telekinesis, and simple spells for now. I only wear these
daggers so if someone attacks me I'll have some protection. The
slit in my skirt is so I can kick easier if someone attacks me.
I know that will eventually happen... I-I have been attacked here before." 

Immora started getting nervous, it seemed, Uranus judged from her biting 
her lip and glancing around the room. "I've always defended myself with
magic though, so I don't know if I can defend myself without it..."

"Immora, why don't you get help?" Uranus asked as gently as she
could. No matter what this woman claimed, Uranus was... afraid... of
her. She didn't want to have to fight her. This was a powerful
archmage and could probably kill her easily. She wasn't going to
chance it.

Immora pushed her hair behind her ear, then pulled her hair out
from behind her ears again. Must be a nervous habit, Uranus
noted. She had sat down in a chair now, and was drumming the 
long fingernails of her left hand on the armrest while her right
hand rested under her chin. "I have tried to... find a cure... but
so far there really isn't anything I can do. No one is powerful
enough to fully cure me. Since I am the most powerful magical
force that currently exists--other than pure magic, of course--it
is hard for someone to use their magic in... well, to combine
their magic with mine to heal me. If someone tried to use magic
against me, depending on the nature, my own would either work
automatically with it or against it. To heal me, because of the
direct root of the spell, they would have to tap into energies
that reside in Hell, where the man that put this spell on me is
now. My magic automatically counters magic from nether regions
and that involving death." She then smirked slightly. "Probably
the reason Saturn could hurt me as bad as she did was that my
magic, which is directly connected with my own mental and
physical well-being, was so stressed to counter her own death-
related forces that it just sapped my strength to the point that 
I couldn't work the magic anymore. The reason none of the others 
could attack me was that I could easily defend myself against 
fire-based power, love, water, etc... which is what the other Senshi 
use. There would be no strain and therefore, I would have easily won. 
The Senshi would have tired out, and in using my magic to negate 
theirs, I could actually become stronger  from the effects of their 
powers against me. Silver Moon's powers, no matter what, have a basis 
of goodness and healing to them. That could easily have helped me 
defeat Saturn by tapping into that once Silver Moon's energies had 
been directed at me. That is why Pluto wanted no one else to attack---
she knew my energy would be depleted by attacking Saturn."

Uranus had listened with fascination at her entire explanation.
"That's really amazing," she said, "but wouldn't my powers have
had some strange effect on you? I am linked with Heaven, the
wind, the earth, etc... since you are sensitive to the more
Hellish powers, wouldn't you also be harmed by more Heavenly
energies?"

Immora thought about it. "That is likely..."she murmured. "I
wouldn't try though," she warned. "I tend to have strange...
bonds... with people linked to either Heaven or Hell. I don't know
why, it seems our souls are connected. I have no idea why.
Welllll... Mages draw their energies from all around. Our powers
are based on the energies around us, the two strongest obviously
being the two-afterworlds, the first places to exist. Since we
draw so much more energy from these than the other areas, we
have strong spiritual connections with those aligned with them."

"Like a soul-sister," Uranus murmured to herself. This was her
first interesting visitor all day, and she found she was actually 
gaining an understanding of this unusual woman through this 
conversation.

Immora laughed softly. "I guess you could say that. Very few
people are aligned with those places, so yes, in a sense, the
group of mages combined are all a bunch of soul-sisters and
soul-brothers. Then those aligned with Heaven or Hell are also
included."

Uranus's eyes widened in surprise. "But I am--hmmm?! So... _you_
are my soul-sister?" Uranus laughed. "That seems crazy."

Immora's eyes were narrow slits of concentration. "Well, yes...
that could explain this unusual understanding between us... a
soul-sibling, in the case of these energies, simply refers to
the connection with the Heavens that my soul taps into and that
yours does. If you get right down to it, we are only
'soul-siblings' in the sense that the energies in our souls have
origins in the Heavens, though mine also tap into the Hellish
realms too. So it's not like our destinies are fused or
anything, that's what soulmates have, and besides, a
soul-sibling and a soulmate are different. We all have a
soulmate somewhere, we just have to find them. Our soulmate is
the one we are destined to be with, forever. One that we will
always love and be loved by in return. Most people never meet
there's, or if they do, they don't realize it. If the bond is
exceptionally strong, it is very easy to recognize and
therefore, probably much deeper than others."

Uranus put both legs over her armrest and relaxed. "Hmmm... I
think I have found my soulmate already," she said softly. "It
sure does seem like it..."

"If you mean Michiru," Immora said with an amused tone, "I _do_

know of a spell that can determine things like that... relatively
simple spell..." She closed her eyes and whispered a few words.
A soft glow formed around both her and Uranus. She opened her
eyes with a grin. "Well, what do you know, the two of you _are_
soulmates."

"Wow," Uranus said in awe. I guess we really are meant to be
together, she thought happily. If our souls are linked like
this, we have to be! "I am so glad to have someone like her...
that loves me like this... I love her so much... I wish everyone
could have a love as deep as ours." She sighed softly and asked
suddenly, "Are you in love with someone?"

Immora suddenly dropped her glass on the carpet, amazingly it
didn't crack. She smoothed her skirt as she stood up. "I do hope
the other Senshi will accept my apology. I never wanted to be
enemies."

Uranus grinned over at her, though was puzzled by the sudden
change in subject. "Hey, they can learn to get used to you
'sister'."

Immora laughed. "I am not your sister in blood, but in spirit.
Not a true sister then," she commented. "But close enough. I
don't have a family, so I might as well call you mine."

Uranus looked at her with an amused look. "If all you mages are
soul-siblings, then could you actually be soulmates too? Or
would it be 'incest' for soul-siblings to be together?"

Immora shrugged. "Not really. We aren't _truly_ relatives.
Besides," she said, dropping her voice, "relationships between
mages are usually very brief unless the two are soulmates... I... I
should know," she said sadly. "Some mages... they actually will
use certain spells to _make_ the person they love fall in love with
them... Ka'ina did that to me. I broke the spell just today," she 
sighed. "That's the problem with getting involved with another mage... 
you never know if the attraction to them is real or if it's the result 
of a spell. I was supposed to meet her at the Moon Kingdom today... 
but I didn't. The meeting was supposed to be for us to... go out to 
dinner, become closer... but I don't want to do that with her. I wish 
I had someone... like... well, I wish I had someone as close to me as you
and Michiru are. I used to have someone... if my fragmented memories are
correct... but Ka'ina wiped those memories and..."

"Let me guess, she sent this person away so you couldn't fall in love
again?"

"Yes..."

Uranus gave her a wry smile. "You'll meet again one day," she said softly.

Immora smiled sadly and stood up. "I hope so. I wish we could talk more,
but I need to be going. I have to help Sharra with a spell--"

"Was she that dark-skinned Elfin lady that appeared to retrieve
you yesterday?"

Immora nodded, then bowed at the waist. "Goodbye, Haruka, I
shall see you some other time... ?"

Uranus rose and walked her to the door. Just as Immora placed
her delicate hand on the door handle, the door swung open.
Immora stepped back as a tall, lanky man with dark hair and dark
colored robes entered. "Princess, I--" He blinked in surprise as
he met Immora's gaze. He then bowed at the waist, an awed
expression on his face. "Immora. A pleasure to meet you."

Immora nodded and bowed politely. "And you are?"

"Zatuur. I have studied you for years, it is an honor to meet
you face to face."

Immora cocked and eyebrow and chuckled. "I didn't know there
was any written material about me. I'm not really that
interesting!"

Zatuur smiled and traced a strange symbol in the air. Immora
did the same, her finger leaving a blue glowing trail behind it,
so the symbol shone in the air briefly before fading. She smiled
back at Uranus again before leaving the room, to go rest in some
guest quarters.

"What just happened?" Uranus asked in confusion.

Zatuur laughed and handed her a scroll. "It was a gesture of welcome.
Here. This is from the Titaaun family. Their son--"

"Let me guess, offers to take the throne, wants to know if I'll
marry him?!"

"Ah... yes. I'll just tell him no." Zatuur smiled slightly.
"Maybe you should make a general announcement that you are
already... ah, in a relationship... and are not interested in
committing to another one."

Uranus shrugged and headed off to her room. What a weird day.



Time: about two hours later
Place: a library, the Palace, the Moon Kingdom



Mercury, Neptune, and Venus had gotten together to study. It
was pretty late at night and they only had candles to read by.
Mercury skimmed over some science notes, Neptune glanced at her
math before becoming lost in a complicated daydream, while Venus
struggled with her studies of the Uranian culture. "Too bad
Haruka isn't here," she muttered. "She could probably help me
with this."

"I just plain wish she was here," Neptune said with a little
sigh. Her hand trailed to a necklace around her neck with a rich
blue stone on it. Mercury looked up at her and noted the
necklace. It looked to be expensive, and she had no idea what
the stone was, but it was obviously real and extremely rare.

"Where'd you get that necklace? It's beautiful," Mercury
commented. Venus promptly looked up to view the necklace.

Neptune blushed faintly. "Ah... Haruka gave it to me... about three
days ago..." She cleared her throat and opened up a book.

Venus and Mercury both smiled slightly. Venus combed her golden
hair back, then irritably scratched the skin around the symbol
on her forehead. "Are you okay?" Mercury asked with a puzzled
look.

Venus nodded and continued scratching her forehead. "It just
itches like crazy... I don't know why..."

She glanced around the library and noted a dark-haired woman
sitting alone in a corner with a haunted look on her face. The
door to the library slowly opened. The woman that entered was...
Immora? She was wearing a light blue, satin silk dress that hung
to her ankles. No makeup adorned her face, making her look
strangely innocent and weak. A small silver necklace hung from
her neck along with a few bracelets on her wrists. Her feet were
bare. Several candles went out around the room as she gestured
with her hand. The corner the dark-haired woman sat in had only
one candle glowing, while the three Senshi had about five. They
watched with interest as Immora sat down across from the other
woman and took a deep breath. "Hello, Ka'ina," she said. Her
voice was soft and sad, unlike how'd they remembered it.

"Hello, Immora," Ka'ina said bitterly.

"Ka'ina, I... I am sorry I didn't show up... I just..." Immora looked
away. "I'm sorry. I just don't think that... Ka'ina, I broke through
your spell... I'm sorry, but I don't love you. We can't stay together.
I'm sorry."

Ka'ina just looked at the floor and a single tear trailed down her face. 
"I still love you," she whispered. "I only put the spell on your because
of that." She fled the room before Immora could say anything else.

Immora sighed and sat back farther in her chair. She then
glanced in the Senshi's direction. "Michiru?" she called softly.

Neptune was surprised that Immora was using her real name. "Ah...
yes?"

"I was on Uranus today. I spoke with Haruka... before I left the
planet..." she walked over to her and held out a scroll. "She told
me to give this to you if I saw you."

Neptune put it in her bag. "Thank you..." she trailed off. Immora
looked so weak and tired standing there in that pale slip dress,
with her blond hair falling down her back and around her
shoulders. She was so pale, with very delicate, frail features,
the light of the candles dancing on her eyes...

Neptune's eyes widened. Her pupils... they were round? Weren't
they slits before? What did it mean?

As she watched, Immora's pupils slowly formed slits again. "Sleep 
well," she whispered to the three before walking out the door slowly 
and silently. She gently closed the door behind her.

"Poor woman," Venus whispered. "She's so confused, she has so
much pain to live with..."

Neptune sighed and pulled open the scroll and read it aloud to
the other girls.

" 'Dear Michiru',... that's all she can say? Dear?"

"Keep going," Venus prodded. "Worry about it later."

" 'Hello! I've been incredibly bored here on Uranus. Not much
has happened since I last talked with you. Immora dropped by to
chat and since she mentioned going back to the Moon Kingdom, I
told her to give this to you.' Well, obviously, I mean, we just
saw her," Neptune chuckled.

" 'My mom isn't doing well. The doctor said she probably won't
make it another day. She seems happy enough though. I visited
her, and she said that she was happy that she wouldn't have to
feel the pain anymore. She said there was nothing left for her,
so she was happy to be going on to a better place. I will miss
her a lot. I never really got to know her. I wish she could meet
you. She told me she thinks you sound like a "very nice young
lady, the type you wish your daughters could be just like". She
hopes we'll be happy together, and she said that she'll send her
blessings from above when... if we get married.' Hmmm... I wonder..."
Neptune giggled and kept reading. " 'I miss you already! It
really hasn't been that long or anything, but I miss spending
time with you. I _hate_ being cooped up in the palace all day. I
wish I could see you again. I'll probably be here over a month,
but I'll come back the day of the ball and stay the night before
I have to go back. It'll be nice to spend the whole night together 
again, won't it? Just like old times, staying up late talking,
getting barely any sleep because we spend so much time making
love...' " Neptune coughed and blushed deeply while Mercury and 
Venus just giggled.

"Well, well, Michiru," Venus teased. "I didn't know that you
two were going that far!"

Neptune blushed deeper and cleared her throat. "Minako... we are deeply
in love and... we just... we are old enough to be... engaging in those
type of, um, activities..."

"Why don't you keep reading?" Mercury suggested to spare Neptune more 
embarrassment.

Neptune opened her mouth to speak, then turned around and
started looking around the room with a puzzled look on her face.

"Are you okay?" Venus asked her, brow furrowed with concern.

"I thought I sensed..." Neptune shuddered and pushed the thought
out of her head. Get a grip, Michiru! She's dead! We destroyed her!
She can't be here... right?



"And you want _me_ to do this?"

The shadowy form standing in her room nodded. "Yes. You are the
only one I know of with the power to--"

"What if I refuse?!" the woman snapped. "Just because I _have_
the ability, doesn't mean I will agree to this... this
_madness_!!"

The form seemed to coalesce into the shape of a woman with
long, flowing hair, but still remained a shadow. "You tried to
kill all the people here yesterday. You could do it again."

"No!" the woman shouted hoarsely. "I am tired of it! I am too
weak! My magic is still weakened!"

"When you regain your power--"

"NO!!!" the woman screamed. A burst of blue light shot at the
shadowed form but only passed through her. The woman then
crumpled on the floor sobbing. "I don't want to hurt them,
really I don't.... I..."

"You really _are_ weak, Immora. You are stupid and powerless,
aren't you?" The form shimmered into nothing.

Immora lay in a crumpled heap, sobbing to herself until she was
gasping for air. "I will never answer to you, Mistress Nine...
never..." she closed her eyes and slowly fell asleep. "Never."


					 ________

					
					  EIGHT

					 ________



Time: the next morning
Place: the Palace, the Moon Kingdom



Neptune stirred, and immediately upon awakening had the strangest sensation
that something was very wrong in the Palace. She just couldn't figure what it
was.

She tied her bathrobe around her and went downstairs for breakfast. It was
early in the morning, and only ten people were in the huge breakfast hall. A few
people in the Earth military, a man she recognized as a doctor from Uranus (why
was he _here_?), a giggling couple sitting off to the side, a Mercurian
translator, and Immora, who never noticed Neptune.

Neptune grabbed several food items and casually walked over to the Uranian
doctor. He was busily typing into a keypad, a small communications crystal in
front of him. The ball showed a screen of writing, that was all that was there
at the moment. He seemed frustrated and busy, Neptune didn't say anything in
case she might disturb him.

"Damn!" he swore. A face appeared in the ball. "I'm sorry," he told the woman
that had appeared. "I can't do anything with these figures. Near as I can tell,
she's dying and we can't stop it. Tell her daughter." He broke off the
communications and rested his forehead against his head, looking tired and
guilty.

"Who is it? The woman that's..."

"The queen," the doctor said. "The queen of Uranus is dying, and we'll probably
lose her in the next ten minutes."



Time: roughly the same
Place: the palace on Uranus



Uranus had been shaken awake, and after hastily throwing on some clothes, led
to her mother's bedside, where the woman lay in her final minutes.

"Mom!" she cried in a choked voice. She dropped to her knees next to the bed
and clasped her mother's hand. "Mom... I am sorry... I couldn't do anything..."

Her mother coughed and made a choked sound. "Darling, there isn't anything you
could do to stop it. Let it go. We all die someday... some of us sooner than
others. Wipe your tears away, daughter, and stand proud! You have your whole
life ahead of you! I've lived mine! I am going on to a greater place, you don't
need to stop that." She paused to cough softly.

Uranus smiled through her tears. "I love you, Mom. I really didn't get to spend
much time with you... but you were always special to me... in those times I
remembered..."

Her mother smiled weakly. "Child, just be happy for me. I have lived in pain
too long, I've needed a release. Now I have it. Your life is so good for you
now! Think about it dear. You have a woman that loves you dearly, that you also
love, and you have friends that will stand by you. You have many things,
Haruka..." she coughed again. "Haruka, please, just be happy. Stay true to your
friends, stay strong in your faith, and of course in your love."

Uranus nodded, fighting back tears. "Farewell..."

Her mother closed her eyes and leaned back farther in her pillows. "Goodbye,
Haruka... I love you daughter..." She gave a soft sigh and gave her last breath.

Uranus pushed the bangs back from her mother's face and kissed her forehead.
She knelt down and said a small prayer, then opened the door where many people
gathered, waiting. "There is no more to be done here. The queen is dead." She
turned and walked back to her room, then flung her windows opened and looked at
the sky. "If you can hear me now, Mother... thank you. For listening, for loving
me... even if you couldn't be there in my childhood." She smiled up at the sky
sadly, then turned to the crystal to tell Queen Serenity what had happened.



Time: an hour later
Place: the breakfast hall, the Palace, the Moon Kingdom



The Inner Senshi, Saturn, Pluto, and Princess Serenity sat eating breakfast. A
lot of people were in the hall now, many still there from earlier. The young,
giggling couple was still there, Immora still sat there, not really eating, but
she was sorting through papers, writing a report it seemed.

Saturn had just opened her mouth to speak, when Queen Serenity opened the doors
and clapped her hands loudly. The hall fell silent. "I ask, please, for a moment
of quiet reflection. A life has been lost, the queen of Uranus, just an hour
ago."

The gatherers obliged and lowered their heads, thinking about what they'd
heard. Several people from Uranus were there, all remained in shock, silently
praying for their late queen.

Queen Serenity looked up. "You may continue," she said softly.

Many people stayed quiet, the rest murmuring softly. Immora walked over to
Queen Serenity and handed her the sheets of paper. "Please read this," she said
softly, before walking out of the hallway in a strange sort of trance. 

Neptune raced to her room and grabbed her communications crystal. "Get me
through to the palace on Uranus--"

The woman on the other end responded, "The princess has asked not to be 
disturbed--"

"Put me through to her!!!"

"Ma'am, I am afraid that--"

"I am her LOVER!!! Put me through to her!!"

"Ah... yes, m-ma'am... hold on a moment..."

Neptune sat impatiently waiting as the lady seemed to be searching for which
signal would reach Uranus's room. Finally Uranus's face appeared. She smiled
weakly, sadly. "Hi Michiru..."

"Hi Haruka... I... heard what happened. Do you want me to come over there? I
figured you probably want someone to talk to..."

"My shuttle leaves in three hours to return to the Moon Kingdom for the ball. I
can only stay until tomorrow afternoon though; I will need to get back to my
duties... Mom's funeral is in five days..."

Neptune wiped a tear from her eye. "Haruka... I..."

Uranus smiled sadly at her. "There was nothing anyone could do for her... maybe
some mage could've helped, but Mom wouldn't have wanted that. She wanted it to
end..." Uranus drew in a shuddered breath, the type you breathe after you've been
crying hard for a long time. "I'm gonna miss her... she was the last family I had...
Lord knows where my brother is!" She smiled more genuinely then. "Well, at least 
Mom is happy now... she always had a very strong faith... Her life wasn't so great 
so she wanted it to be over. I just have to accept that."

Neptune blew her a small kiss. "I'm going back to Uranus with you, okay? I miss
you too much, and besides, it's easier to rule a planet with someone by your
side."

Uranus laughed. "Thanks! Well, gotta get my dress from the cleaning lady... I
hope you'll like it. I picked it out for the ball, it's dark blue..."

"Don't tell me yet! I wanna be surprised!"

"Suit yourself," Uranus chuckled. "Well... I should go... if I am lucky, maybe I
can catch an earlier shuttle."

"Yeah, okay... Hey wait!" Neptune suddenly remembered... "Haruka... I've been getting
these strange feelings lately... like there is some evil presence in the palace...
I'm scared, I really am. I don't know who to talk to..."

Uranus thought about it. "Why not go to Mars? She is good with this type of
stuff..." there was a burst of static briefly on the screen and some garbled
sounds, then Uranus appeared again. "Sorry! This thing isn't working quite
right... see ya later okay? I love you..."

Neptune giggled as Uranus blew her a kiss and winked. "I love you too" Blowing 
her a kiss, she broke of the communications, then flopped back on their bed and 
pondered the strange premonitions she'd been having lately.



Time: about seven minutes after previous scene
Place: a guest room, the Palace



"No!!! I told you NO!!!" Immora started throwing vases and various strange
objects, magic trinkets, and books at the shadowy form, before stumbling to the
ground when she lost her footing. She looked back up at the form of Mistress
Nine with a sneer. "I won't ever serve you. I am not STUPID, unlike what you
might think." She spat at the form. "Look at you, you don't even have a body
anymore! You're just a shadow, a mere presence!"

Mistress Nine's black form was only a shadow of her former self. It had the
shape, but the solid black shadow didn't betray any features. A strange purple
glow formed around her, and her eyes became visible as piercing white slits on
her face, her irises only showing as a dark circle in the white. A red glow
formed from the eyes. "I will regain Hotaru, Immora, and then you can't do
anything to stop me. You _will_ help me whether you wish it or not."

Immora climbed to her feet again. "You don't get it, do you? I will NOT serve
you, no matter _what_ happens!!! And how the HELL are you able to exist after
all the power the Senshi threw at you!?!"

Mistress Nine laughed lightly. "You fool! I am tied with many powers in the

universe, linked to darkness. As long as there is evil in this world, I can
return."

Immora snorted. "Whatever. I really don't care anymore." Without any semblance
of modesty, she cast her clothing aside and pulled on a pale violet dress, slit
up one side, with thin straps and a low neckline. "Now, I am going to ENJOY
myself and have fun. Don't interfere with that!"

Mistress Nine shimmered into a purple glow. "I go where I choose." She d
isappeared after that.

Immora shrugged and applied rosy brown lipstick to her lips. I hate that woman,
she thought to herself, pulling her hair into a twist and sticking pins in it, a
few pieces left out to frame her delicate-featured face. She won't control me, I
will never let _anyone_ control me again, after what Necros did... Immora
shuddered slightly, then turned around in front of the mirror to examine her
dress. She slipped her feet into pale violet high heels, then put silver hoops
in her ears, a silver bracelet near her bicep (it's one of those Egyptian style
ones) and fastened a necklace around her neck. It had a rich blue gem, the
variety unknown, but clearly rare [note: this is just like what Neptune was said
to have in the previous chapter; this was not given to her by Uranus though!]
fastened on a silver chain. She held the jewel up in front of her face with a
wistful look, her pupils rounded. I will find you... one day we will be reunited,
my love. I am sorry that Ka'ina removed the memories and I couldn't remember a 
single thing about you, but I remember now... I know who you are now. I miss you 
so much! I don't know when, but we will be together again... my soulmate. I have 
a strong feeling it will be soon...

A single tear trickled down her cheek, and Immora irritably dabbed her cheek
with a cloth to get rid of the smear her eye makeup left behind it. I will find
you one day... we will be together... forever...



Time: half an hour later
Place: a meeting room in the Palace



Queen Serenity was discussing the report Immora had given her with several
generals, Kunzite, Jadeite, Zoisite, and Nephrite among them. She had made it
clear that Mistress Nine was still in existence and was trying to utilize
Immora's powers, and to regain possession of Hotaru.

Kunzite paced the floor while Nephrite spoke with the other two, the other
generals present murmuring amongst themselves. "I think that if she plans to
attack," a general from Jupiter spoke, "we need to build up everyone's defenses
in preparation."

A voice spoke out, "That is just what she is waiting for." A person materialized 
from the shadows. Immora. She was dressed for the ball, it seemed. "Look, she will 
wait until she knows we are ready for her to attack. She is strange in that sense... 
she wants to wait until... until my powers are built up again. She seems to think 
I will assist her."

A Martian commander narrowed his eyes in her direction. "Will you assist her,
archmage? You tried to attack us two days ago! Why not now?!"

A typically fiery-tempered Martian, Immora thought to herself. "No, I will not.
Oh, General, if you were paying attention to the broadcasts lately, I did _not_
attack of my own free will. I believe you can study that report in detail if you
wish to understand my unique mental condition fully."

She then curtsied slightly. "If you will excuse me, the ball is in two hours,
and I need to speak with some people. Farewell Queen, gentlemen."

"She has a strange charm to her," Zoisite murmured.

"If you have a heart of ice," Jadeite chuckled.



Time: an hour and a half later
Place: the docking bay, outside the Palace



The Senshi stood waiting for Uranus's shuttle to arrive, along with a few dozen
Uranian citizens that wanted a glimpse of their princess. Some of the guests had
filed outside to see who all would get off the shuttle--it held about a hundred
people--along with the well-known gossipers, fishing for stories to broadcast
over a general channel the next morning.

Neptune stood with the Inner Senshi, the four Generals, and Endymion. The
Generals and Endymion had their arms wrapped around the shoulders of their
respective lovers, while Neptune stood off to the side. Pluto and Saturn were
talking with an old friend of theirs several yards away. Neptune smoothed the
front of her dress, a silvery aqua in color. The dress hugged her upper body
while the skirt billowed around her, the low dip of the neckline and the loose,
transparent sleeves complimented her shapely figure well. Her heels matched the
color of her dress, and she wore simple droplet earrings, the ring and necklace
Uranus had given her, and a thin silver chain bracelet around her left wrist.
She only wore a bit of rosy lipstick as her makeup. Like the other Princesses,
she wore a thin ribbon tied in the back around her neck. Her wavy hair was worn
down, curling around her shoulders slightly.

The Inners were dressed with equal elegance. Princess Serenity had her usual,
beautiful white dress, white heels, the engagement ring Endymion had given her,
and some simple silver jewelry, with pale pink lipstick as her only makeup. She
was a vision of angelic beauty in her soft white and silver tones. She had tied
a silvery white ribbon around her neck which complimented her eyes and hair
well. A few small white flowers were tucked into her hair near her odango.

Mercury had on a short blue-toned dress, the color shifting from rich blues to aqua
tones depending on the angle you looked at it. The neckline dipped but was
modest at the same time, her sleeves thin spaghetti straps. Her dress was
flowing like water, her silver jewelry seeming to reflect the watery hues. The
ribbon around her neck shifted colors with her dress, her silver hoop earrings
and bracelets appearing blue toned in comparison, her lips glossed to a delicate
shine.

Venus had a yellow dress on that had a gold tinge to it. Her v-neckline didn't
dip very low, the slit up one side of her skirt showed her legs, the skirt and 
top clinging to her lithe form. Her shiny hair was worn loose instead of in its 
usual ribbon, matching her gold droplet earrings and bracelets well. The ribbon 
was the same color as her dress, though she tied it at the side of her neck instead 
of the back, her bronzy lips completing the color scheme.

Mars wore a rich red dress so as not to match her bright hair color exactly.
Her dress clung to her before flaring around her knees, her thin straps worn low
on her shoulders with her plunging neckline showing her tanned skin. Her hair
was pinned up in a twist, with several pieces dangling loose. Her ruby jewelry
was set in gold, the ribbon around her neck had a slight curl in the tails. She
smiled briefly in Serenity's direction as her rosy lips kissed Jadeite's cheek
briefly.

Jupiter wore an emerald-toned dress, loose and billowing around her, with a low
neckline and transparent sleeves like the one's on Neptune's dress. Her wavy
locks were pulled back in a low ponytail with a ribbon like the one around her
neck. She wore only rose earrings for jewelry, but they were so polished and
bright that it didn't seem necessary for her to wear any more. Her lips were a
glossy pink, going well with the rose earrings.

Pluto wore a black dress with a plunging neckline and thin straps. It clung to
her body, flaring only at her ankles, her dark hair pulled up in a high ponytail
held with a silver hair-ring. Dark jewels sparkled from her ears, a dark ribbon
tied around her neck seeming a bit out of place, but she looked strangely
imposing nevertheless. A bracelet made of silver wrapped here upper arm (again
one of those Egyptian ones, you know, those snake bracelets?) She didn't smile
but only briefly, a slight twitching of her deep chocolate-colored lips.

Saturn wore a purple dress with a modest neckline and off-shoulder sleeves. The
dress was loose around her tiny frame and she seemed uncomfortable standing
around in it. She wore tiny silver hoops for earrings, her only jewelry, her
lips glossed slightly, and the ribbon tied around her neck matching her dress in
color. She seemed a bit nervous though. I have a terrible feeling about tonight,
Saturn thought to herself. Something is terribly wrong, I know it...

Usagi stood to the side of Saturn, wearing a silvery pink dress that was simple
in design; low neckline, strappy sleeves, tight on the top while becoming looser
and flared towards the bottom. She wore her hair down, flowing in soft waves,
with some small white flowers tucked behind her left ear. She wore tiny silver
droplets for earrings, with a silvery pink ribbon tied around her neck, and a
small silver chain around her wrist with a heart dangling from it. Pluto was
surprised at how much more mature she was than in the Original Time, and was
pleased that she had grown into such an intelligent, calm woman.

The Generals wore black tuxedos with flowing cloaks, the inside lining of Kunzite's 
being an icy blue, Jadeite's a dark red, Nephrite's a rich green, and Zoisite's a 
deep golden orange. Endymion wore his usual black tuxedo with a flowing black cloak, 
the inside lined with a rich red velvet.

As the group stood, Pluto and Saturn rejoined them. The shuttle finally landed,
about ten minutes late, but that was to be expected with the strange magical
waves that Immora and Saturn's battle had caused. Passengers started filing off
the shuttle, side-by-side, in a long trail of people. Several well-known
families exited the plane, their arrivals announced as the left the ramp.

Uranus was near the back of the group and seemed a bit upset about being so far
behind everyone. A big fuss was made by the announcer at her arrival, the group
waiting for her ignoring what they said.

"Haruka!" Neptune called out, waving her hand over the large crowd of people.

Uranus waved back and started pushing people aside to get through, "'Scuse me,
pardon me, hey! Watch where you're going!" She finally got through the crowd.
"Jeez, it's a zoo out here!" she chuckled.

Neptune smiled and ran into her open arms, hugging her tightly. "How was the
trip?" Jupiter asked.

Uranus nodded, "It was okay, some rough space, but it was a pretty smooth
trip--oof! You're squishing my ribs, Michiru!"

Neptune giggled and kissed her lips lightly. She pulled back from the embrace
and breathed, "You look gorgeous."

Uranus blushed slightly. "Thanks, you do too." Uranus wore an indigo dress that
fitted her slender body tightly. It had a dipping neckline with two tiny straps
on each sides for sleeves. The skirt was slit to just above her knee on each
side. She wore a gold chain with a tiny globe-shaped gem on it, a rich dark blue
with flecks of aquamarine swirling in it. It was a gift from Neptune. She wore a
small gold hoop on each ear, her lips colored in a rosy brown. The ribbon
matching her dress tied around her neck had very short tails on it. She kissed
Neptune on the forehead. "Like the dress?"

"Yes, it's very nice," Neptune said with a smile.

"C'mon, let's get away from the crowds, the ball starts in twenty minutes... it's
going to be tough getting inside," Mars told them all.

"We better get inside then," Endymion said with a smile. "After all, the 'royal
couples' have to be announced." The couples all groaned. "Pluto, Saturn, and
Usagi, you three will each get separate introductions..."

"Why do we have to be announced?" Serenity said with a sigh.

"We are royalty, important people, rulers, Senshi..." Mercury shrugged. "We have
to get used to it. These people look to us for protection and leadership. They
expect us to be announced and talked about--" she laughed, "I'll stop rattling
on... probably is a rather boring topic, right?"

The couples joined hands as they walked to the front of a line of important
people that would be introduced, the three singles also coming in behind them.

"Oh, sorry! I didn't mean to bump you--" Saturn started to someone she'd
jostled.

"It's okay I wasn't--Saturn?!" The woman's eyes widened in surprise.

"Immora?!" Saturn was completely shocked, but she tried not to make too big a
deal about it.

Immora cringed. "Er, hi... I... Saturn, I am so sorry for... attacking like 
that... I..."

Saturn's shocked face changed to a wide smile. "Uranus explained it in a
transmission to me last night. I understand. I... forgive you."

Immora breathed a sigh of relief. "Y'know... I _hate_ waiting in this stupid
line!" She laughed lightly. "I don't consider myself important, so why should I
be here?! I mean, tons of mages look up to me and everything, but I'm really
just some simple woman who wishes she had a _normal_ life! I'm sure you can
understand that, being a senshi and all, can't you? Being popular really _sucks_
sometimes."

She laughed with Saturn, then they exchanged several words, complimented their
choice of dress, and stood talking as they waited to be introduced.

"Welcome to the annual Silver Millennium Ball! I hope the trip was okay--" the
usual speech by the announcer followed. "First, we have our dear queen, the
beautiful Serenity!" There was an uproarious applause after that, Queen Serenity
entering the room with her usual grace, smiling as she took her seat at a large
table reserved for the Senshi and the Generals (Endymion too!)

"Princess Serenity of the moon and her fiancé, Prince Endymion of Earth!" The
young engaged couple walked it with Serenity's hand around Endymion's arm. They
politely nodded and took their seats.

"Princess Mercury and her boyfriend, General Kunzite!" The two entered and
smiled to everyone, Kunzite returning several salutes he received from various
members of his forces.

"Princess Venus and her boyfriend, General Zoisite!" There were several 
whistles, just who they were directed to was not apparent. They waved before
taking their seats.

"Princess Mars and her boyfriend, General Jadeite!" They walked in and briefly
waved before slipping into their seats.

The announcer paused slightly. "Princess Jupiter and her _fiancé_ General
Nephrite!" They hurried to their seats as scattered shouts and whistles flew at
them, the Senshi all staring in astonishment at them. 

"When did THIS happen!?" Serenity squealed.

"Hush, last night, now be quiet," Jupiter hissed.

"Princess Uranus and... *ahem* her girlfriend Princess Neptune!" They walked in
holding hands and smiling widely, receiving various responses as they took their
seats.

"Princess Pluto, Princess Saturn, and the beautiful, kind, and mysterious woman
known as Usagi!" The three women entered, curtsied, then took their seats.

"Um..." the announcer was uncertain about announcing the next person on the list.
"The most powerful archmage in known existence, Immora!" Immora entered with a
tiny forced smile, the only true applause being from some mages clustered
together, the rest was out of politeness. She sat down at a large table where
most of the mages sat, a strangely crestfallen look on her face.

The introductions continued for a bit as some other important persons and
families were announced.  "General Toren of Uranus with his wife..." Uranus held
back a loud laugh as his name was called.

"The King and Queen of Neptune, with their daughters and sons..." the announcer
racked off several names as Neptune paled slightly.

The announcer continued announcing the royal families of the various planets,
the kings and queens receiving less applause than their sons and daughters
however.

"... one who has been known to us as one of the fastest runners and best shuttle
pilot around, Akeru!"

A loud crack of glass was heard from one of the tables and most of the guests
fell silent and turned to see Immora, shards of glass held in her trembling,
bleeding hand. The eyes went back to the woman introduced as Akeru, shrugging as
they clapped for her.

Akeru had average skin-tone, short, boyish-cut black hair, and almond-shaped,
chocolate brown eyes. She was average height, slender, and carried herself with
confidence. Like most of the men present and only a couple women, she wore a
tuxedo, pale in color but not quite white, looking strangely right in it. She
wore a silver chain around her neck, with a rich blue gem attached [notice a
pattern here?] She took her seat at the table filled with mages, choosing an
empty spot next to Immora.

The introductions finished shortly after that. Uranus nudged Jupiter with her
elbow. "Hey, you have any idea what is going on over there? I don't know what to
make of it..."

Jupiter followed her gaze to where the mages sat, the other Senshi also 
starting to take interest. Immora sat, wide-eyed, and said nothing as she gazed
at Akeru, tightly clasping the jewel around her neck. Akeru looked over at her
with a bemused look. The Senshi used their magical abilities to hear what they
said.

"Do you remember me, Immora?" she spoke in sweet tones.

Immora nodded slowly. "I think so..." Akeru cupped Immora's chin with her hand.
Immora colored slightly. "I've missed you... I am so sorry for what happened..."

Akeru just smiled and kissed her cheek gently. "It isn't your fault... Ka'ina
made you forget and sent me here..."

A tiny tear trickled down Immora's cheek. Akeru brushed it away, Immora 
catching Akeru's hand in hers when she pulled it back, and gently kissed the
other woman's hand. Akeru smiled at her and Immora smiled shyly back.

"Poor Ka'ina," Venus said softly, gesturing to the crestfallen woman sitting a
several seats away from Immora and Akeru. "It's kind of obvious what Akeru and
Immora feel for each other... Immora has a love for Akeru that she never had for
Ka'ina..."

Music started playing and couples started to file out to the dance floor.

"May I have this dance?" Endymion teased Serenity, pulling her to her feet as
the two began twirling and moving across the dance floor with practiced skill.

Uranus smiled to Neptune and they stood, also moving to the dance floor.
"Remember that day in the cave?"

Neptune blushed faintly, then gently pressed her lips to Uranus's. "How could I
forget... my first kiss, or should I say two, ever. And they were _quite_ good,
Haruka."

Uranus laughed with her, holding her close as they moved in time with the
music.

The Generals helped their respective lovers to their feet as they moved out to
the floor also. Venus kept hissing questions in Jupiter's direction, as did
Zoisite, demanding an explanation as to just how their engagement came about.

Queen Serenity sat at the table with Pluto, Saturn, and Usagi. "They all make
such beautiful couples," she commented.

Pluto nodded in agreement. "They do all go well together... hmmm, what _is_ our
friend Immora up to?"

They looked over in her direction. She was talking softly with Akeru, nervously
clasping her hand. Akeru then asked her something and they stood up. Akeru
started to lead her in the dance, moving among the dancers a bit awkwardly, as
if not used to dancing much. Immora's cheeks were flushed slightly as they held
each other tightly.

"Akeru, I ... I love you. I am sorry that Ka'ina... you know..."

"Hush, my love..." Akeru whispered, pressing her finger to Immora's soft lips.
"I love you too..." They leaned closer, meeting each other's lips in a tender, yet
passionate kiss. A few murmurs escaped some of the people dancing near them, the
couple never even noticing in their embrace. Akeru pulled back slowly. "I missed
you," she told Immora softly.

Immora blushed slightly and said shyly, "I really missed you too... once I 
remembered you..."

Serenity chuckled, "Despite having lived for technically hundreds, maybe thousands 
of years, she still is young at heart."

The various couples continued to whirl around the dance floor as the band
shifted to a slower song. Endymion held Princess Serenity tighter to him as he
talked softly with her. "When do you want our wedding to be? We've been engaged
for awhile now..."

"Hmmm... let's think about that later and just enjoy the party for now..."

Pluto smiled to Saturn. "They are a lovely couple aren't th--" her words cut off
as her eyes went blank.

"Pluto, wha--" Saturn gasped for air, her eyes blanking out. Her world seemed to
swirl around her, she felt light-headed like she was floating, yet strangely
heavy... everything was spinning, she was numbed, but a sharp pain ached through
her body... everything seemed so silent, but a voice throbbed in her mind... her
thoughts were mixing, jumbling, hers and someone else's, she could feel part of
her body clearly while the other seemed to be feeling what another person felt...

Queen Serenity dashed to Saturn's side, the Senshi quickly breaking away from
their dances to run over to here. Saturn had collapsed on the ground shrieking, a
black shadow shaped like a woman hovering over her, but seeming to overlap her...

The crowd started screaming and panicking, shoving aside their peers in a dash
for the exits. Guards swarmed around trying to get things under control. Queen
Serenity started shouting at the Senshi, "Transform! It's Mistress Nine, you
must stop her!"

The Senshi all clutched their heads simultaneously as a pulsing sensation went
through their minds. "I am afraid NOT," Mistress Nine cackled. Saturn's body
raised, eyes still blank. About half of Mistress Nine's form was merged with
Saturn's. Saturn's body seemed like a puppet, suspended in the air, unable to
control her own actions. Mistress Nine sent out a wave of energy that rippled
the air and slammed into the Senshi, it didn't knock them back or hurt them
physically, but had another effect...

"I-I can't henshin--" Mercury moaned. "My head..."

"That power.. it's too strong, stop fighting it!" Uranus called hoarsely to
them. "The harder you try the more it AHHHH!!!" she slumped to her knees
clutching her throbbing head in her hands.

Purple lighting crackled in the air as Mistress Nine slowly merged with 
Hotaru's body. "STOP HER!!!" someone else screamed.

A burst of light hit Mistress Nine's shadowy form and she was forced back a
bit. "What the--"

Immora stood their with a terrified look on her face. "D-Don't do it please!
You told me you wouldn't... You don't know what--" a burst of black energy from
Mistress Nine slammed Immora back against the wall. A crack split the wall as
the crunch of bones was heard. Immora still remained pinned to the wall as
Mistress Nine continued to pour black energy from her, slamming into the
screaming archmage's form. Finally the onslaught stopped. Immora dropped to the
ground with a sickening thump. Akeru screamed loudly and ran over to her
crumpled, bloodied figure.

"The ginzuishou! Give it to me!" Queen Serenity shouted, fighting against the
pain of the black energy crackling around her. The guests had cleared the hall,
leaving the queen, the Senshi, Immora, Akeru, and Mistress Nine the only ones
present.

The younger Serenity painfully lobbed it to her mother, who clasped it in her
hand with fierce determination. A strong wind blew outwards from Mistress Nine,
pushing them back away from her as she continued to merge with Hotaru's body.

Uranus painfully crawled over to Akeru, who was slumped over the form of Immora.
Immora's breathing was ragged and her healing was going painfully slow. "You
have to help us!" Uranus shrieked. "Get up! Get up and fight!"

"I can't!" she sobbed, clutching her broken ribs. Sobs racked her body, making
the pain worse. "I-I-I wish I c-could but... ahhhh!" she screamed as a glow rushed
through her. Blood stained her hands as she held them in front of her face,
shudders racking her. "I can't d-do anything against her... I-I..."

"Don't push her!" Akeru whispered hoarsely. A burst of light caused the Senshi
to slide across the floor towards the walls.

Pluto finally came to, weakened and in terrible pain. She couldn't access her
time abilities. She watched in horror as Mistress Nine started to complete her
possession.

"Immora!" Queen Serenity screamed.

"Use the gin-ginzui--" Immora started to say. She coughed hard and spat out some
blood.

Queen Serenity held it up and a bright white light began to glow. "Ginzuishou
Clen--" she never finished her words. A bright purple flash suddenly appeared,
and everything was colored red as a red glow formed, finally turning black. They
couldn't see what was happening...

A dull purple light, shaped light a small star, appeared. Then red glowing
eyes. Everything lit up again. "NoOOOoooOOOooOOOoooooOOO!!!" Immora shrieked.

Loud maniacal laughter filled the hallway. Standing tall, wearing a low-cut
navy dress with long black hair, yet the same frail form they knew, was Mistress
Nine. "I knew I would have this body again... nothing can ever stop me..."

"Pluto Senshi MAKE-UP!!!" Pluto shrieked, ignoring the fire in her mind. She
stood up, clothed in her fuku. The pain in her head made her want to pass out,
but she had to keep going...

"Mars Senshi MAKE-UP!!!"

"Uranus Senshi MAKE-UP!!!"

"Jupiter Senshi MAKE-UP!!!""

"Venus Senshi MAKE-UP!!!"

"Neptune Senshi MAKE-UP!!!"

"Mercury Senshi MAKE-UP!!!"

"Moon Prism Power, Make-UP!!!!!"

The Senshi transformed and stood up, clutching their respective weapons in
hand. Mistress Nine laughed loudly. The two Serenities clung together, trying to
power the ginzuishou, which refused to answer their summons. 

"Blazing --" Mars started her attack, when Mistress Nine sent another ripple of
energy out. The Senshi screamed as they slid across the marble floor to collide
with the wall. Mars moaned and started to try again, when a burst of energy hit
her hard, knocking her unconscious before she could cry out.

"Try something else, summon your elements or something!" Akeru cried to them.
She held Immora against her, her pale tuxedo dotted with Immora's crimson blood.

Immora moaned and rasped, "Just summon them! Don't worry about the words *cough
cough* just do it!!"

Neptune nervously started, "I summon the spirits of the sea--" Mistress Nine's
form seemed to waver and glowed brightly. Neptune cried out and screamed,
knocked unconscious like Mars.

"Damnit, it isn't responding!" Princess Serenity cried. The ginzuishou remained
dull and lifeless.

"I summon the guardians of the heavens--" Uranus also screamed was also knocked
out by a blast.

"We are never going to win this," Neo-Moon sobbed. "Everytime we try she just--"

"Wait!" Akeru cried. "Immora... give me the rings..."

"What?!" Immora gasped. "Akeru, you can't--"

"Do it!"

Immora handed over several rings to her, each having a different colored gem set
in them. Akeru grimaced slightly at the flow of energy that went through her,
then turned to face Mistress Nine. Several bolts of lightning, followed by a flow
of fire and ice, launched at the other woman. Mistress Nine sidestepped them,
then lashed out, knocking the rings from her fingers.

"Damn!" Akeru swore. "I can't use those abilities without the amplifier rings--"

"Death... " Mistress Nine started in a chill voice.

Pluto's eyes widened to their fullest. "no, No, NO SOMEONE STOP HER!!!!"

Immora cried out hastily, "I Summon the energy of the Cosmos to me--"

"Reborn..."

"--and call you to fill me with your power!!!"

"Revo--"

"Katanu shali tai Na!!!!" Immora shrieked.

"--LUTION!!!"

A bright white burst of light formed, matched by a burst of black light. The
two smashed together, the sound of a gigantic thunderclap shattered the air as a
blinding light formed. Screams echoed in the air as a rush of intense cold
poured from the blast, seeming about to freeze everything in the bright glow,
when suddenly it all ceased.

The Senshi that were still conscious huddled together as they sobbed with fear, 
then sniffled slightly and looked around.

Saturn lay on the ground, her skin almost deathly white. Her body had returned
to normal. Immora lay, not breathing, on the ground next to her. Their dresses
were torn and clung in pathetic scraps to them, scratches and small burns
marking their pale skin.

The scream from Akeru brought them to their senses.

They stumbled over their feet, moving as quickly as they could to Saturn and
Immora's side. "Oh God no please no oh my God..." Mercury was murmuring to
herself. She lay her head to Saturn's chest, fearing the worst. "Oh thank God,
her heart is beating... faintly though... she's not breathing..."

She inwardly grimaced. If she had to resort to mouth-to-mouth... Akeru handed her
a vial of smelling salts. "It might work... get her breathing first..."

Neo-Moon stumbled forward and said some strange phrase under her breath. A pink
light glowed around Saturn and she drew in a shuddered breath, then another.
Mercury briefly waved the vial under Saturn's nose. She coughed and her eyes
fluttered open. She started to sit up, but Jupiter held her shoulders, keeping
her in place, then gently gathered her into her arms, cradling the frail
princess. Saturn started sobbing. "Oh God I hurt all over... I feel so horrible...
check on her..." she whispered, then passed out, but she breathed regularly.
Jupiter gently handed her limp form to Pluto.

Akeru was frantically trying to rouse Immora. Immora lay still on the ground,
still not breathing. Mercury checked her. "She barely has a pulse... we might
loose her..."

"She's IMMORTAL damnit!" Akeru screamed. "She won't die! It's not possible for her
to! Just wake her up please!!!!" She drew in a shuddered breath. "I-I... I'm sorry, 
I just..." She calmed down a bit and started taking deep breaths.

"We have to get her breathing again... give her mouth-to-mouth please," Mercury
said. "I don't think anyone else is willing to."

Akeru nodded and pinched Immora's nose tightly shut, held her jaw firmly and
covered her mouth with her own. She breathed in several times, then pulled back
and pressed her hands to her torso, pushing in a few times.

The waited several moments. "Damn!" Akeru repeated the procedure. She then
repeated again... Finally Immora started to breathe again.

"She's still unconscious," Venus murmured wearily. "And Mars, Nep--"

"Call the doctors," Queen Serenity murmured to them, slumped against the wall.
"Summon them, someone..."

A few minutes later, the doctors showed up, putting the five patients on
stretchers and carefully teleporting them to the medical facilities.



Time: two hours later
Place: the medical facilities, the Palace



The Senshi, Akeru, and Queen Serenity waited outside the door nervously until
the doctor let them come in.

Mars, Uranus, and Neptune lay on small beds pushed near each other. "They
should be okay in a few days," the doctor told them. "Conscious by tomorrow, but
they will need to rest a few days. Calling upon their elements like that and
having the link so suddenly severed... it may damage their abilities for a couple
of weeks. But they will be physically and mentally well within three days at the
most."

The doctor handed some medical reports to Mercury, who scanned through them
briefly, planning to read through them later. "Saturn... I am afraid I do not know
when she will be well. There is no way to tell yet if Mistress Nine is still
within her. I am afraid we will have to keep her in unconscious until we are
able to determine if Mistress Nine still possesses her. Also, she might be
damaged mentally by the attack... I will explain more momentarily.. We have been
able to cure most of her wounds already, so when we are able to wake her up, she
should be in full health."

The Senshi nodded to him. Queen Serenity sadly gazed upon Saturn, lying with
the sheets pulled up to her neck. They had removed the shreds of her dress, as
they'd done with Immora, because they had gotten in the way during the surgery.
Though they had appeared to be not seriously injured on the outside, there had
been some internal bleeding in both that the doctors had to stop.

The doctor handed the medical documents on Saturn to Mercury, then drew their
attention to Immora. "I am afraid she has fallen into a coma. We tried to...ah,
jump-start her usual magical healing process with a small dose of this," he held
up a vial of a strange liquid, "but we got no response--"

"What do you mean?!" Akeru interrupted. "If her magic abilities are working
they would have started to heal... oh no..." her hand flew to her mouth.

The doctor nodded. "As you all might recall, her abilities were weakened by her
battle with Saturn--not permanently, but they probably would not have raised back
to full potential for a number of days. What Immora did earlier today..." he
cleared his throat. "Mistress Nine called upon a power that would have ultimately 
destroyed _everything_. I don't mean just this planet, this solar system... the 
power she called upon would have reached across possibly hundreds or thousands of 
galaxies. Immora did a very... _stupid_ thing... she basically called upon a power 
that would have basically done the exact opposite of that. When the two energies 
collided, that huge explosion you felt was formed. It did not just burst and 
disappear. That same explosion is still traveling... it's probably left out solar 
system by now... What I am getting at is that Immora used a power, a very great 
power, that she should not have attempted even in her full power, much less her 
weakened state. She is lucky she is immortal or she would undoubtedly be dead 
already. Using that much power would kill anyone _except_ for an immortal, and as
it is she probably will be in a coma for a long time."

Akeru seemed to be frozen in place. "How long until she can be woken up?"

"At the least... " the doctor sighed deeply. "It could be several months before
she wakes up, and maybe even more time after that before she is able to even 
_think_ on her own again."

Jupiter steadied Akeru as she slumped over towards the ground, crying hard. 

"oh God!" Pluto whispered. "If it had this effect on her, how could Saturn... ?"

"Saturn is a unique case, she already had the potential for that kind of attack
in her. Immora did not have that ability. The chant she cried out, the summon
she made... she drew in power from _everything_, and then suddenly released it in
that one burst. Normally, if she were to attempt that, she would have to build
up the energy for months... but to do it in a matter of seconds..."

Pluto leaned wearily on her Time Staff. Saturn and Immora... comatose... Saturn
likely to still be possessed, they didn't dare risk waking her... Immora in a coma
for who knows how long.... Mistress Nine could escape anytime and attack.

A small tear escaped her eye. All I've tried to do in my duty is to keep the
natural balance of this reality. I failed in the last one, and this new reality
was formed. This one has plunged into a chaos that I can't do anything to
prevent. Things are happening that shouldn't happen, and I can't do anything to
stop it. 

I have failed.


					 ________

					
					   NINE

					 ________



Time: about eight months later
Place: the medical facilities, the Palace



The Senshi and Generals had gathered to check up on Saturn's condition. The frail 
girl lay in the bed, looking tiny and paler than ever. She hadn't been allowed to wake up 
yet. "Poor thing," Jupiter whispered. She clasped Nephrite's hand tightly with the one she
wore the wedding ring he'd given her. Princess Serenity leaned against Endymion for support.
"She's missed so much... our wedding, the Prince and Princess's wedding... "

Mars quietly turned on a viewing crystal, selecting a signal that delivered news.
She turned the volume low and paid scant attention to it.

"--and in other news today, Queen Serenity signed a treaty with Earth. The two will
provide military support to other planets--"

"They don't dare let her wake up," Jupiter commented, then turned to look over at 
Immora, where a doctor was monitoring her. "And Immora, she won't wake up because of 
using that attack... she saved us all and look at what she got in return!" 

Akeru silently entered the room, combing her fingers through her black hair that had 
grown to just past her cheekbones. "Anything happen yet?" she murmured. Her question was
met with sad no's. The Senshi slowly walked out of the room with sad eyes as Akeru sat
down on the chair next to Immora's bed and watched the viewing crystal.

"--Princess Hotaru of Saturn remains in a coma to prevent Mistress Nine from taking 
control. Immora is also in a coma still. Well, it's that time of year again! The annual 
harvest on Jupiter has been a success so far..."



... I hear their voices, but I cannot speak. My mind is working a bit, but they don't seem 
to notice. What is going on? My memories are fluctuating... who am I? I see a face in my 
mind... long blond hair and blue eyes, that's me... and another woman... short black hair and 
brown eyes... my lover... the names escape me though. The details are missing. What is my 
past? What is my present? Why can't I escape this empty void, alone with my dreary thoughts.
I want to open my eyes, and call out to these people, but I can't feel my body to make it 
move. 

Everything is blank again, then I see... faces... memories of faces actually... people I 
can remember but cannot place... my parents, a brother, other relatives... friends, teachers, 
rivals... then stranger memories... a man with long white hair and a sneer, a woman with 
chin-length auburn hair and a smug face, a sea of pale, sad faces, then a dark skinned elf 
maiden with long purple hair. Who are these people, these faces? Really... I know what they 
stand for but what are their names, how did I meet these people, just what _do_ they mean 
to me? Then I see Her face again... always it goes back to hers, her smile, her laugh, her 
voice, her touch, everything about her replays itself in my mind.

How long has it been like this? Me alone in this black void, with only these strange 
fragmented memories? When can I finally return to the blue skies and green land again? When
will I feel the magic course through my blood, or the joy of just being alive, or the 
gentle touch of her kiss? ...



... Akeru brushed a strand of hair away from Immora's face and wiped away a tear, 
surprised to see tiny tears gathering at the corners of Immora's eyes. What the---she 
glanced at a monitor near by. Hmmm... some brain activity, at least there was some thought 
going on, but she hadn't so much as twitched in the past several months.

Akeru sat back and hugged her knees to her chest, as the lights were shut off for 
the night. The only light now was from the medical equipment around the patients, and the 
dull sparkle of tears in the darkness.



Time: the next morning
Place: the medical facilities, the palace



Pluto gently shook Akeru awake. She'd fallen asleep in the chair next to Immora's 
bed again. Akeru groaned and blinked several times, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Pluto 
noted the streaks on her face, perhaps from crying?

She turned to look at the monitor readouts. Hmmm... "She definitely has brain activity 
going on... it doesn't seem to be conscious thought, it's more like... as if her mind is merely 
playing out images and thoughts for her that she has no control over." She rested her chin 
in her hand as she studied the data some more. "She still isn't conscious, hasn't been 
conscious... have you noticed anything unusual?"

Akeru stretched and smoothed the front of her shirt. "Before I fell asleep I noticed 
_tears_ gathering around her eyes. I have no idea why that would happen or how."

Pluto nodded and pulled a chair up, glancing over to the chairs against the walls 
where the other Senshi had fallen asleep after the Generals left.

Pluto got up to read Saturn's monitor. No brain activity what-so-ever. That wasn't 
permitted. Brain activity could mean Mistress Nine was trying to regain control again. No 
one had any idea how to remove Mistress Nine from Saturn's body without some form of 
magical help, and the only mage with that power lay unconscious in this room.

Poor Saturn... she never wanted to get involved like this... no one sane would want to 
be possessed by Mistress Nine! She's so innocent... powerful, yes, but she doesn't like to 
use that power. 

Queen Serenity walked in. "Hello, your highness," Pluto said with a nod of her head.

Serenity nodded slightly to her. "How are things going with them?"

"Saturn hasn't been allowed any brain activity. Immora is starting to show some 
subconscious activity though."

"Is there any way to bring her out of her coma?" Akeru asked.

The other Senshi started waking up then, stretching and muttering in confused tones. They'd
also fallen asleep in their chairs.

Pluto thought hard, while Serenity summoned a doctor. The doctor came quickly and 
started checking all the machines, adjusting some knobs and making notes on a notepad. 
"She might wake up sooner than we expected, perhaps only a few more months..." she told them. 
She made some marks on a form, then looked up at them. "I'd like to get her a dosage of a 
particular medication that can stimulate her brain activity more and help her with this. 
She can't heal herself right now so we have to do it for her."

"Are you sure it will really help her and not make things worse?" Akeru asked with a 
concerned look.

The doctor adjusted the flow on the IV. "I am positive this will work. Junolistine 
is a very commonly used medication, so far it hasn't failed anyone."

Akeru growled at her, "And how do you know it will help someone who relies _completely_ 
on magic?! Nothing but her own magic can heal her, and she doesn't have that option now, 
does she?!"

The doctor cocked an eyebrow and pushed her glasses higher up on her nose. "It is 
possible that this will work. Just because she--"

"Please don't fight about this," Queen Serenity said in a soft, serious voice. "Let
us try this, Akeru. It might work. After all--"

Pluto interupted, "Akeru has a point. Immora's mental and physical stability seem to
rely on her magic, with she sorely lacks now. Modern medicine probably won't--"

A faint groan drew their attention to Immora's bedside. Their eyes widened as Immora
slowly grimaced and her eyes opened partially. The doctor froze in shock. "How could _this_
happen?!" she whispered, glancing at the monitors next to Immora's bed that were reading 
normal brain activity on them. "And so suddenly!"

Akeru wasted no time in racing to Immora's side. "Immora, are you okay?! How do you
feel?"

Immora blinked twice, then rolled her head in Akeru's direction. Her lips parted but 
no words came out. The doctor quickly came over and took the archmage's wrist, checking her 
pulse. "Normal pulse... her breathing is okay... this is a very unusual and sudden recovery.
I have no explanation for it."

Immora groaned and tried to sit up but she could barely move. Serenity came over and watched 
her movements. "I do believe she is unable to perform actions such as speech and movement. 
Without her magic she's completely helpless."

The doctor started to scribble on her notepad what had occured, when a soft purple
glow filled the room.

"Oh shit--" Uranus murmured.

Saturn was sitting up in bed, arms dangling at her sides and head tilted far back,
with the sigil on her forehead glowing faintly. Her eyes were closed with a strange red
glow coming from beneath her lids. Mars, the closest to her, screeched, "Someone put her
back under again!"

The doctor grabbed a needle and filled it with a sedative as quickly as she could
while Saturn slowly floated above the bed. Immora watched with wide eyes at what was
happening. Saturn slowly opened her glowing red eyes, the sigil on her forehead changing
into a black star as she did so. 

Without warning, there was a bright flash of red light and Hotaru dropped to the bed again, 
breathing hard. The sigil on her forehead returned to normal, the red in her eyes disappearing. 
A black shadowed form appeared briefly around her then dissipated. She lay there, completely 
still, for several moments, before giving a small choked sob and curling into a ball.

The Senshi present raced over from their beds to Saturn's side. Immora slowly sat
up, her mouth moving as if silently uttering words. Queen Serenity came up and gathered
the sobbing girl in her arms. "Shhh... it's okay... everything will be alright, Hotaru..."

Saturn sniffled and gave a choked cry. "It was so... so terrible... she *cough* she
controlled everything and *sob* I-I couldn't do a thing about it... and-and then suddenly
she was gone and--" She went into a coughing fit. The doctor set the sedative down and let
the room briefly, returning with a glass of water. Saturn drank it slowly, taking deep 
breaths to get her breathing back to normal. She wiped her eyes and drew a shuddered breath.
"I don't know why she left so suddenly... but God I am so happy..."

Serenity helped Saturn shakily stand. "Pluto," she called, "please help me to our room... 
I have some questions to ask you... about what happened."

Pluto nodded and carefully led the girl out the door. The doctor cried after them, "She's in 
no condition to be leaving!!!" Her call went ignored. The doctor sighed. "Fine then... ignore 
me..."

Akeru ahemed loudly. "I believe you have a patient right here that needs you... ?"
She glared at the doctor hard. "NOW would be a good time to help her."

The doctor sighed. "Why me?"



Time: An hour later
Place: A lake on the moon, just outside the palace grounds



Uranus, Neptune, Mars, and Mercury had gone down to a lake to sit and talk.
Several people sat along the shore opposite them and many people bathed in the waters.

"It's highly unusual for someone to recover so suddenly... and it's even more 
unusual that they recovered within seconds of each other," Mercury said in concerned tones.

"I agree," Neptune said. "I mean, how could it have happened? Just moments before
Immora was completely comatose with no brain activity whatsoever."

Mars opened her mouth to speak, when she heard footsteps coming up behind them. Everyone
turned around, and was surprised to see Saturn walking up, wearing a black dress. "Hotaru!" 
Mars said in a shocked voice. "What are you--"

Saturn sat down on a rock, her eyes closed tight. The symbol on her forehead gleamed
dully. "Pluto and I... had a talk. Mistress Nine has left me... but I've been having strange
premotions ever since I woke up. I sense... oh God, I can't even speak of it!"

"Premonitions of what?" Mars asked. "I can't see how anything else can go wrong. I mean,
look around us!" She swept her arm around, her gesture encompassing the Moon Kingdom and the rest
of the planets. "Look at all this wonder here! Sure, some bad things have happened lately, but
things will always turn out for the better! Besides, if something bad was going to happen, I 
would feel it too."

Saturn opened her eyes, the cold, sad look that marred their beauty made Mars doubt her words.
"Pluto told me... everything. About why this universe is here. Why we are in these lives now. She
told me..." Saturn started shaking. "Oh God! It's so horrible! I can't--" Saturn leapt from the 
rock and bolted, taking off flying into the sky.

"Oh great," Mercury groaned. "None of us has great experience with flying--"

"--I'll get her," Uranus said as she took off after Saturn.

Saturn was quick as she darted through the air. Uranus had a hard time keeping up. What
terrible things had Pluto told her?

Saturn suddenly stopped. Uranus barely managed to stop before hitting her. "Hotaru, you
have to tell us what she said! Please!"

Saturn whirled around. "No." Her lips compressed in a thin line. "I cannot... I cannot say
what she has told me. No one would understand... no on could ever..." Her body racked with sobs.
"It's just so terrible! Everything was so wonderful in the old world-- and-and then Mistress Nine
came... and... oh God, I destroyed it all! _I_ destroyed _everything_!"

Uranus was stunned into silence. She felt an odd sensation go through her, as if a memory
was trying to surface. She shuddered and slowly landed on the ground, followed shortly by 
Saturn.

"Saturn, I had no idea--"

Saturn just whirled to face her and bitterly rasped, "Well, it happened! And you know what
else happened, I--"

"ENOUGH!!!" A voice shouted.

The two women turned to see Pluto standing several yards from them, her Time Key in hand,
wearing her Senshi fuku. Her face was drawn in a dark scowl. "You'd said enough, Saturn. You've
told her enough."

Saturn started shaking, then cried out, "Why did you hide this from us?! We have a _right_
to know!!!"

Pluto flinched slightly. "You... have... no idea... what pain I've had to live with... all
these eons. How could I hope for any of you to understand?!"

There was a flash of light, and all the other Senshi appeared around them. They seemed 
terribly stunned; Pluto had pulled them from wherever they were and brought them here.

"What's going on here?!" Jupiter demanded.

Pluto bit her lip and bowed her head. "It's time that you knew... what happened... to the
old Silver Millennium... and the life that followed... and why you are here now."

Her forehead sigla flared with light as images formed in their minds to accompany the events
she started to describe to them. They saw the old Silver Millennium, then the new Earth that 
followed, their old lives, and finally, the destruction of their world and the rebirth of the 
galaxy. The memories weren't complete, they were from Pluto's point of view, but they were
enough for now.

None of them could tell exactly how long it all took. But when they opened their eyes, they
felt an immense sense of powerlessness come over them. "I can't believe it," Princess Serenity
whispered. "You've had to live with this knowledge all this time... you and Usagi..."

Pluto nodded sadly.

"It's all so hard to accept," Mars whispered. "All of this coming to us at once... you mean,
this place... the lives we live now... were never supposed to be?"

Pluto nodded again.

The Senshi all stood there, trying to accept what had just been revealed to them, wondering 
if they ever would be able to.



Time: A few hours lately; roughly dinnertime
Place: A meeting room inside the palace



Queen Serenity sat silently listening as her advisors, Luna and Artemis, argued over whether
or not their message was the most important to deliver first. Luna seemed about to win the debate,
when Princess Serenity burst into the meeting room in tears. Luna and Artemis fell off the marble 
table they'd been sitting on, while the queen rushed over to see what was wrong with her daughter.
Luna and Artemis quickly raced from the room as the princess fell into her mother's arms, sobbing 
loudly.

"Oh mother, Pluto showed us w-what happened in the Or-Original Time... o-our old lives... how
it all ended..." Princess Serenity drew a shuddered breath as her mother stroked her long, silvery
white hair.

"A terrible burden for someone so young," the queen murmured.

"I saw this time-- or rather, the first Silver Millennium-- end. It was horrible! So many died,
so many--" the princess broke off as she coughed hard. 

The queen saw a man hovering near the door... it was Endymion. "Go get a glass of water for the 
her," she told her son-in-law.

Endymion nodded and obediently left the room.

The queen listened to her daughter for a long time, wondering, "What did she see? What went
wrong?"



Time: Roughly the same
Place: A dining hall



Mars, Venus, and Mercury sat in stunned silence, not even noticing when their lovers arrived.
Jadeite took his seat by Mars, not taking much notice of her trance-like state. After all, she was
probably just having a premonition, right? Kunzite and Zoisite showed more concern, but didn't try
to prod the two princesses out of their state.

Jadeite reached over and clasped Mars's hand, and was surprised when she flinched and jerked her
hand back.

Will that time ever come to pass? she wondered. In that time, Jadeite tried to kill me. He
was evil. Did it really happen, or was Pluto making up images? Mars almost cried from the 
frustration she felt. She looked up and saw Jadeite there, and gave a weak smile before retreating
into her dreary thoughts again. 

Zoisite and Kunzite waiting in patient silence. Slowly, Venus and Mercury's eyes came back into
focus. They seemed surprised to see the two men there, almost scared. Kunzite looked over at Zoisite
as if to say, "What the heck is wrong with them?"

Jupiter soon entered the room, followed by Nephrite. She seemed a bit less cheerful than usual, but 
tried not to show it. I wonder what he was like in the Original Time, she wondered. As far as those 
memories show, he died before I became a senshi.

Usagi walked in, with her hair braided and a pink robe on. Luna-P trailed behind her at a short
distance. Usagi seemed no less different from usual, but as her red eyes darted nervously to each
Senshi in the room, they could tell she was upset that they'd been told about the Original Time.

After everyone had sat down, Saturn trailed in. She seemed almost trancelike, walking lightly
as if she would take to the sky any moment now. Her face quivered slightly with tension as her mind
kept repeating the image of her using her Death Reborn Revolution. She almost missed the chair when 
she sat down, and never looked at her plate as she ate.

Neptune and Uranus came in separetely for once. Neptune didn't seem at all phased by the memories
they'd received earlier. She immediately starting eating and struck up a conversation with Kunzite.
Uranus appeared deeply disturbed as she sat down. She barely ate and her eyes remained focused on her
hands during the whole meal.

It wasn't until after everyone had eaten and regained their senses that Pluto walked in. The four 
Generals were surprised to see the faces of all but Usagi harden at the arrival of the mysterious
woman. "Leave us," Pluto said softly to them.

The Generals looked at her quizzically, before they rose and left. Pluto pulled up a chair at 
the head of the table, then waited for someone to acknowledge her. Uranus looked up at her and 
sneered, "Do you expect thanks for what you did? Do you think we enjoyed that?"

Pluto's eyes narrowed. "I did it because you deserve to know what happened. I did _not_ do it
out of meanness or cruelty." She slammed her fist hard on the marble table. "I gave you all what
you wanted and now you shun me for it?!?" She sat with her shoulders shaking as the other Senshi
watched her with narrowed eyes.

"She's... right... you know..." a low, forced whisper said, coming from the doors to the room.

The Senshi looked to see Immora, leaning heavily against the door frame with a thin sky blue 
dress clinging to her thin frame. "You... should thank... her... not... hate her..." She closed her
eyes as if tired and slumped slightly. Akeru came up behind her and helped her into a chair. Immora
soon slumped down over the table in exhaustion.

Jupiter clenched her fist tightly. "I think the real problem is that you should have told us
sooner. By holding out on us, you made it worse."

Pluto gritted her teeth. "I did what was right."

Mars stood up quickly, her chair falling back behind her as she shouted, "Maybe _you_ thought
it was right, but to us it was cruel and... and terrible!"

Venus grabbed Mars's arm and pulled her back into her seat as Pluto stood up. "I don't have to
sit her and listen to this! I came to explain why I did what I did, and now you all leap down my 
throat!" She held up her Time Staff and said, "Dark Dome-- Open!"

A shimmering purple light formed, then the doors to the Time Gate opened behind her. Pluto started 
to step through when Immora's voice warned her, "If you leave... now... you'll do even more... harm." 

Pluto turned, her red eyes glaring hard at the archmage. "You woke up only today. You already start to 
judge me. I thought you to be a friend. I see I was wrong. You are weak, pathetic, and evil. I should 
be ashamed I ever thought of you as a good person."

Immora's blue eyes widened slightly in shock, while Akeru leapt from her seat, attempting to attack 
Pluto. Pluto's staff blocked her path. "Just leave me alone," Pluto muttered as she stepped through 
the doors. They started to shut behind her as Immora stood up. She held out her hand, and there was a 
bright glow. The doors ceased their closing motion. "What are you trying to do now?" Pluto murmured.

Immora narrowed her eyes slightly in consideration, then shrugged. The doors closed tight, then
shimmered away again.

"Good riddance," Mars whispered halfheartedly.



Time: An hour later
Place: The Gate of Time



Pluto stood staring into a tall mirror. Images danced across its surface. She watched things happen. 
She had no effect on them. She couldn't do anything. Pluto narrowed her eyes in frustration, then balled 
her fist and punched the mirror. Shards of glass flew from it, stinging her skin. Pluto whirled around 
angrily and smashed another mirror. "Why can't I do anything right?!?!" she cried. "Ever since this time 
started, it's been one failure after another!" Pluto slumped to her knees, then shouted to the sky, "Why 
can't I do my job right?! Why can't everything just go back to the way it was before Saturn destroyed 
everything?!"

With a sob, Pluto curled into a ball and cried. 



					 ________

					
					   TEN

					 ________



Setsuna Meiou had always been a quiet, thoughtful, and reserved person. 
She had few friends by choice, made excellent grades in school, and was 
far more intelligent than any other person her age. She was the princess 
of a freezing cold planet populated by warm hearted people. She was 
well-known, admired, and respected. And then it all changed.

She was about twenty-three at the time, when the mark of Pluto suddenly 
flared into life on her forehead, and she knew that she would become 
Sailor Pluto. Her parents thought it was wonderful. Her siblings thought 
she was amazing. The people loved her even more, for now she was their 
protector as well as their future ruler. She hated it. She hated knowing 
that one day she'd be responsible for the safety of all these people. 
She hated being given powers she couldn't understand. She hated the men 
and women that had selected her for this job.

She went to the Moon Kingdom, as she'd been ordered. She met the other 
First Senshi there. They were given a mission-- to go to Jupiter and 
prevent an attack on the capital. And so they all went. 

The Dark Kingdom had sent three dozen soldiers to kill the king and queen. 
The Senshi arrived in time to stop the murder of the king, but the queen 
was killed. The soldiers turned and opened fire on the Senshi. Pluto 
suddenly screamed a phrase that would later become one of the things her 
duties prevented her from doing. 

She stopped time. 

The bullets of energy froze. 

Her companions all turned and looked at her in shock and horror. 

Pluto dropped to her knees in shock. 

And then a man suddenly appeared, holding a staff formed to look like a 
key in his hands. He told her about the Gate of Time, and how she'd now 
be responsible for _that_ too. 

Time started again. The Senshi were able to avoid the physical blows, but 
when the man returned for Pluto, the anguish was overwhelming. Sailor 
Pluto was now spending her time watching over the Gate of Time, only 
emerging to help the Senshi in battle. The first twenty years weren't 
so bad though. There wasn't much to watch over. 

But then another, larger battle came. The Senshi were pushed to the 
limit, trying as hard as they could to battle the hundreds of Dark 
Kingdom forces. It was a long, excruciating fight, but eventually, the 
Senshi won. The Senshi went back to normal lives while Pluto returned 
to her Gate. That's when things started to get taxing.

Those First Senshi died off, except for Pluto. As she watched them 
slowly age and die, she remained youthful, stronger than ever. It 
appalled her and terrified her, having to lose her friends while she 
stayed the same. For a long, long stretch of years, no more Senshi 
arrived. But then new Senshi appeared, but no Pluto was among these. 
Setsuna would always be the only one. The Senshi fought a long hard 
battle, barely winning, but they managed to push back the Dark Kingdom 
again. And again, she watched as her friends' lives ended.

For centuries, Senshi came and went. Time flowed while Pluto 
nonchalantly watched. Time didn't pass like it did for other people. 
Most people spent their lives fighting against time, trying to cheat 
death. Pluto didn't have to. Her power was time, and she wouldn't die as 
long as time was around.

Then came the final Senshi. Ami, Minako, Rei, and Makoto were brought to 
protect Princess Serenity from the Dark Kingdom. Haruka and Michiru 
would protect the Silver Millennium, with Setsuna's assistance. Hotaru 
was held in reserve for her enormous power was unchecked. They fought 
many battles, and won most of them. Setsuna was confident in them. But 
time decided to play games. She couldn't see into the possibilities 
in time. When she finally saw what would happen, there was nothing she 
could do. The Dark Kingdom attacked. Countless people were killed. Ami 
and Rei were the first of the Senshi to be killed in the onslaught. Minako
died fending off an attack on Serenity. Makoto was largely outnumbered. 
Michiru and Haruka died in each other's arms. Then the dear Princess 
Serenity died.

She stood watching their deaths, unable to take part in the battle. The 
Silver Millennium was over. She watched the Queen use her last strength 
to send the Senshi into the future. Hotaru and Setsuna were left behind. 
Setsuna gave her a last order, then returned to the Gate of Time. Hotaru 
used her power to destroy the palace and life on the other planets. Only 
Earth was habitable now. Once prosperous planets became wastelands that 
no one could survive on. A few of them even turned into gas planets from 
the might of her attack. Then Hotaru died, and was gone for many millennia, 
just like the others.

Setsuna was overjoyed when finally they were reborn. Slowly, she became 
a part of their lives again. Her friends were back. They faced many foes, 
and for the first time, Setsuna faced death when she died in the battle 
against Galaxia. But she returned to life. They all returned. 

Their lives were peaceful for several years. Chibi-Usa was no longer a 
little girl. Hotaru had returned to her original state. Mamoru and Usagi 
were engaged to be married. Then things went very wrong again. Again, 
Pluto couldn't see the possibilities. The consequences were dire. Mistress 
Nine attacked unexpectedly. They were all returning from a concert. There 
was barely enough time to henshin before Saturn was knocked unconscious. 
The battle dragged on for a long time, then finally, they were defeated. 
All but Pluto, Saturn, and Chibi-Moon were killed. Pluto was terrified. 
It was too late. After a short battle with Mistress Nine, Saturn woke up. 
At glaive point, Pluto was forced to hide herself and Chibi-Moon from her 
eyes. Saturn ended the galaxy. Pluto watched with Chibi-Moon, went to 
Crystal Tokyo briefly, watched it all end, and waited with her for many 
millennia as the galaxy slowly reformed. Time was starting to get to her. 
Pluto became emotional, tired, and irritable. She was tired of the endless 
duty. Chibi-Usa took on her mother's name. Finally, the Silver Millennium 
arrived. No Pluto was born-- again, she was the only one. After so many 
years, her friends were reborn. But she had lost touch with time. She 
couldn't understand it anymore. She could sense it, and affect it to some 
extent, control it and stop it, but her precognitive abilities were awry. 
Her knowledge was disrupted. She knew fear. She hid all knowledge of the 
Original Time from her friends.

When was it that Immora had come to her, offering to take the duties 
from her? Immora was prepared for the burden. She was already immortal, 
and was willing to take the task. She had nothing to live for, after all,
why not have some purpose in her life? Why had Setsuna refused? 

Fear. Fear that time wouldn't go on without her. She had become too 
wrapped up in her duties. She had shouted at Immora, appalled at her for 
suggesting such a thing. Immora sadly shrugged and left. 

Was that where their friendship had fallen apart? After all, they didn't 
get along anymore. She really didn't know Immora that well. Her past was 
hidden from time. Her memories were shot. She couldn't remember her name, 
or certain people in her life anymore. She seemed to have lived enough to 
make up for the loss. But Pluto couldn't leave the duty. After countless 
years, it had become a part of her. She wanted to cast them aside, give 
them up, but time wouldn't let her. So she didn't. 

When did Immora change for the worse? Pluto didn't know. Immora had been 
through alot, and the change was so gradual that Pluto didn't notice at 
first. The carefree, kind archmage had slowly become bitter, resentful, 
and obsessed with power. She'd forgotten about friends and become wrapped 
up in her magic. No wonder Necros's memory-wipe spell had worked so well. 
She couldn't remember her friends, her enemies, or her lover. She couldn't 
remember Pluto. So Pluto forgot about her. She didn't want a friend who had 
turned to evil.

Her friends, the Senshi, went about their lives. Pluto spent less and 
less time at the Gate of Time. Things were going wonderful. There was 
only an occasional battle, and they had defeated Queen Beryl and 
Mistress Nine. Life looked good now. Then Immora appeared again. Things 
started going terribly wrong. Immora tried to destroy the Moon Kingdom. 
Uranus's mother died, leaving her without any family. Mistress Nine 
returned and finally took possession of Hotaru again. Hotaru and Immora 
were caught in a brief, terrible battle, that ended in an eight month 
coma for both. When they awakened, Pluto was ready to finally return the 
knowledge of the Original Millennium to her friends. So she did. But for 
some reason, they didn't seem to want it. They hated her now. They 
yelled at her. Stunned and appalled, Pluto fled to her Gate again.

Which is where she is now.



Time: Several hours after the end of the last chapter
Place: The Gate of Time



Pluto groggily woke up from a fitful sleep full of confusing dreams. 
In them, she'd relived most of her life up to this point. It was a 
startling thing for her, and she had not enjoyed the experience. Why 
_had_ she relived them? She looked around her, and thought she noticed 
a silhouette dart into the shadows. She sensed a power... was it magic? 
No... she thought about it harder... it was sorcery. She could at least 
rule out Immora as the one who'd done it, but who would come here and 
place a spell like that on her?

She grabbed her staff as she stood up and looked around her. Everything 
else was normal, it seemed. The tall mirrors still hung in the empty 
void. The Gate still loomed before her as always. Nothing had changed, 
and probably nothing ever would.

She stretched and walked over to a mirror, pressing her hand to it. An 
image flickered across the surface. Saturn. She was sitting at a large 
dining table. Pluto narrowed her eyes slightly. The image spread to 
reveal the other Senshi sitting with her too. Pluto could hear their 
words faintly and her lips tightened. She walked away from the mirror. 
She didn't feel like ever returning. Maybe she wouldn't.

Hmmm... she always loved Shakespeare's writings... why not reread them all? 
Pluto sat down in a chair, picked up a book, and began to read.



Time: About the same
Place: A dining hall, the Palace



"Pluto has been gone for several hours now," Saturn said bitterly. "It 
doesn't look like she's coming back anytime soon."

"Maybe we should look at this differently," Serenity said. "Instead of 
thinking of how 'terrible' things are, we need to realize that Pluto 
gave us these memories to help us. We need to know about the Original 
Time and what went wrong in the Silver Millennium so we can avoid the 
mistakes."

"How will we ever determine the mistakes though? We could barely remember 
them in the Original Time, so how will we now?"


"I don't know," Serenity moaned in miserable tones. "We need _someone_ 
here who remembers it, other than Pluto! But who does?!" 

"_I_ can remember it. I could help you remember it..." a voice said.

"Oh no," Mars groaned.

They turned to see Immora standing there. "I can remember parts of it. 
In fact, I could go there. Or I could place a spell on you that would 
cause your memories to surface. That is, if you want my help."

"Why would we want _your_ help?" Jupiter spat bitterly. "After all the 
pain you've caused us?"

"I also saved your lives, and that of this galaxy," Immora cried out. 
"And I paid for it! For eight months, I did! What kind of thanks is this?!" 

"Thanks?!" Mars shrieked. "You think we should _thank_ you?!"

"After all I've done--"

"After all you've done wrong?! Ha!"

"What the hell do you mean?!"

"You've done so many terrible things! I feel sorry for anyone that has 
to be near you anytime. Too bad people can't pick who they love, 
because Akeru sure wouldn't pick you if she had a choice in the matter, 
would she?!"

"ENOUGH!!!" A voice shouted.

The senshi and Immora all turned to see Queen Serenity standing in the 
doorway, an angry, disappointed look on her face. "Q-Queen Serenity!" 
Mars stuttered.

"I could hear you shouting all the way down the hall. I will not 
tolerate this kind of behavior. Tell me what's going on, NOW."

"What's to say," Neptune said, "other than that Immora offered to help 
us understand our memories and now they're getting mad at her."

"Why is that? Mars? I heard you yelling loudest, tell me why."

Mars gritted her teeth. "She thinks we owe her thanks for what she's 
done. Why should we thank her?"

Immora coldly snapped, "You wouldn't even be alive if it wasn't for me! 
No one in this galaxy would be!"

Queen Serenity sighed. "Immora, you can't expect thanks for your help. 
The negative things you've done outweigh the positive by far."

"How can you say that?!" Immora cried out. "You don't know what all I've 
lived through! For many centuries, I've tried to do what I can to help. 
I teach others how to use their magic, I've saved many planets and 
galaxies from destruction, I've helped the needy, I've done so many 
things! I've made so many sacrifices trying to do what I can to help! 
I've lost so much and barely gotten a word of thanks. I think I deserve 
that much!"

Queen Serenity took a seat and gestured for Immora to do so, but Immora 
remained standing. "Look, everyone, I don't know who all was involved in 
this argument, but we need to look past the differences. If someone 
offers to help you, you should accept."

"She probably can offer alot of help," Neptune commented. "If she's 
been to that time, as she claims, she could help us understand it 
better."

"Help twist our views to match _hers_!" Mars argued.

Immora narrowed her eyes. "Why do you hold such a strong grudge against 
me?"

"You want to know why?! Fine. I'll tell you why. Several months ago, you 
just suddenly popped up, didn't even explain who you were, and tried to 
destroy this place. Saturn barely managed to stop you. You never even 
apologized to us! You go around acting so haughty and superior to us. 
You act like having power gives you the right to do what you want. You 
only help when it benefits _you_." Mars sat back in her chair angrily. 
"_That's_ why."

Queen Serenity looked to Immora. "What do you have to say about that?"

Immora was staring at Mars with wavering eyes, her hands shaking 
slightly. "You want an apology? Fine. Fine. I'll give you one. I'm sorry 
that my former teacher put those spells on me that made me lose most of 
my memories. I'm sorry his spells made me immortal. I'm sorry his spells 
caused me to lose control over my actions. I'm sorry that I have seen so 
much more than you and know so much more. I'm sorry that I couldn't 
control my own actions when 'I' attacked Saturn. I'm sorry for saving 
this damn galaxy when no one but Akeru cares that I was comatose for 
eight months and that I had a very large chance of never waking up 
because I used so much magic to save everyone. Are you _happy_ Mars? 
Are you happy that I've so little control over my life because of Necros? 
Are you happy that I can't even remember my own family?! Are you happy 
that I had to lose Akeru for so many centuries because I was manipulated 
by my own best friend who I _thought_ I could trust?! ARE YOU?!" Immora 
fled the room, the sounds of her sobbing echoing down the halls as she ran.

Everyone sat in stunned silence as they waited for the shock to pass. "I 
had no idea..." Princess Serenity murmured. "I had no idea she felt that 
way."

"I never cared," Mars grumbled. "Who can honestly say they do?"



Time: several minutes later
Place: Immora's guest quarters, the Palace



"None of them understand! They just criticize me and hate me and--" 
Immora started coughing in between sobs. "They won't listen to me. 
They don't care that I risked so much to save this place and--" she 
broke into a fit of coughs and stopped talking. Akeru held her tightly 
in her arms, trying to calm her down.

"You can't expect them to understand," she said quietly. "They're so 
young. They have alot to learn."

"Why won't they at least try?" Immora whispered hoarsely.

"Maybe they don't want to try. They're stubborn. They don't know the 
real you."

Immora took in deep breaths and wiped her cheeks off. "I just wish that 
I didn't have to deal with this stuff. It's not fair! I never wanted to 
be immortal. I never wanted to live this long. If it weren't for you,
I'd probably do everything I could to remove the spell. You're all I 
have... but I love you so much... I keep on living so that I can be with 
you... you're the only reason I keep going on..."

Akeru was silent for a moment. "Do you really mean that?" she asked as 
gently as she could. "You have alot of things. You have students who need 
you. You have gained so much knowledge. You have friends."

"They're not important! None of that's important!" Immora cried. "I'd give 
it all up in a heart beat if it meant being with you forever. If something 
ever happened... if you died... I'd go back to Quenhol. I'd have the 
sorceresses there do everything in their power to remove the spell and let 
me die."

Akeru cupped Immora's in her hands and quietly asked, "Do I really mean 
that much to you? Am I really the only person that you really need?"

"Yes," Immora whispered, wiping another tear away from her cheek. "Yes, 
you are."

She closed her eyes as her lips brushed against Akeru's, before they 
pressed together in a long, soft kiss. They hesitated before pulling 
away from each other's touch. "I love you, Immora," Akeru breathed. "I
will love you forever. I would do anything for you."

Immora relaxed against her and sighed softly. "I love you too... 
always... thank you..." Her breathing slowed and she drew in slow, 
shuddered breaths, trying to ease her frayed nerves. Akeru's fingers 
gently stroked her hair, soothing her until Immora was calm.

Both were surprised when someone started knocking on the door. Immora 
paused, then called, "Who is it?"

"Princess Venus."

Immora's eyes widened in surprise, but she allowed Venus to open the 
door. The princess slowly walked in, her eyes on the floor. "Immora, 
we all had a talk after you left. Um, Mars said she's sorry for yelling
at you."

"Does she really mean that or is she just trying to keep the queen from 
getting mad at her again?"

Venus's head snapped up. "What??? Mars means it, really she does. She 
just... well, uh, she doesn't understand why you've done the things 
you've done. She would apologize in person, but... um, she thinks you
would try to attack her or something..."

"There's good enough reason for me to... but no, I wouldn't." Immora 
pulled away from Akeru and stood up. "Are the senshi willing to accept 
my help or not?"

Venus sighed. "Yes. We agreed that we need your help with this."

"Very well." She grabbed her cloak, which she'd thrown onto a chair, 
and fastened it around her shoulders loosely. "Do you want to come, 
Akeru?"

Akeru shook her head slightly. "No, I think they wouldn't appreciate 
that. I'll wait here."

Immora nodded and smiled slightly. "I'll be back a bit later." She 
shut the door behind her and followed Venus down the hall. "Where are 
we going, anyways?" she asked as they started walking.

"There's a large room for mages on the other side of the palace. The 
mages here like using it to perform spells, so we thought maybe you 
would too."

Immora looked around the hallway and commented, "You do realize my 
magic is still very weak? I might not be able to make the memories 
surface yet since my powers are so low now."

Venus stopped short and turned around to look at her. "Immora, it was 
hard enough to convince everyone to agree to this... if it doesn't 
work..."

Immora sighed and looked down at the floor. "Look, I can't expect them 
to understand... they don't know what it's like to have this type of 
power. I may need to call a friend for help though."

"Who?"

"A student of mine named Sharra... you remember her, right? Elf, long 
purple hair... besides, it would be good for her to meet the queen. 
Sharra is the queen of a world called Quenhol, which lies beyond Pluto.
Maybe this could be a good opportunity to open up negotiations between 
the Moon Kingdom and Quenhol."

"I remember Sharra vaguely... another world, huh? I heard some babble 
about another planet being out there, but I never really believed it..." 
Venus started walking down the hall again.

"Quenhol is real, you know. I lived there for a very long time, and my 
all students live there. It's very beautiful. You'd probably like it, 
Venus."

"Really? Maybe I'll have to-- oh, here it is."

Venus led Immora into the room and shut the door behind them. Immora 
looked around the room, shocked at the similarities between it and the 
rooms in the building where she taught her students. The circular room 
was very large, with marble floors and a high domed ceiling, also made 
of marble. The walls were made of polished wood, with a couple dozen 
candle holders set in them. The candles in them were lit and shone bright, 
their light reflecting off several communications crystals resting in 
special holders and a large mirror standing against the wall. Magical 
symbols were etched into the walls and on some of the marble pieces. A 
model of the solar system was suspended in the air under the domed 
ceiling, complete with each of the planets that were in the Moon 
Kingdom, their moons, and light shining from the model sun. The senshi, 
minus Pluto and Usagi, were standing in the center of the room, where 
dozens of cushions were scattered. Immora very slowly approached them, 
still gazing around the room.

"Are you ready, Immora?" Saturn asked. "We are."

Immora looked over to her. "I am... but I don't know if I have enough 
magic in me right now... may I call a friend here?"

The purple haired woman nodded after exchanging glances with the other 
senshi. "Please make it quick. We'd like to get this over with as soon 
as possible."

Immora walked over to the communications crystal and pressed her slender 
hand against it. A woman appeared on the screen. "I'm sorry, but if you 
are trying to make a connection from this room, you need permission 
from one of the mages--"

"I don't need permission," Immora said coolly. "I am an archmage."

The woman seemed to be unimpressed. "Unless you have proof of that--"

"I am Immora," the archmage hissed. "Doesn't that mean a thing to you?"

The woman sighed. "Ma'am, I don't care who you are, I'm required to 
check with someone before I can allow anyone to make a connection."

"Whose idea was it to give crystal transmitters operators?" Immora 
grumbled. "Fine, but hurry up!"

The screen went black for a few minutes. While she waited, Immora 
turned to the senshi. "Sorry about that," Princess Serenity said. "We 
didn't know that they would have someone on the other end to monitor
calls."

"I can't believe she didn't recognize my name..." Immora grumbled. "If 
she's around mages alot, she should know it well..."

The woman appeared on the screen again. "You have permission to make a 
call. Please limit it to five minutes. Your words will be monitored."

Immora finally was able to contact Sharra. "Immora, good to see you, 
what do you want?" Sharra asked.

"I have a favor to ask. The senshi wish to have some memories restored, 
but I don't have the energy to do it yet. Could you cast the spell for 
me?"

"Yes, but why not one of the mages there?"

Immora laughed. "I don't know them! I trust you though. You are going 
to have to link with my mind to do it right though, since the time we're 
focusing on for them hasn't been visited by you. Come here now, they're 
limiting this call and monitoring it."

"Very well, let me assign someone to assume my duties. I will be there 
shortly."

Immora nodded. The screen went dark again. "Sharra is on her way and will 
be here soon," she told the senshi.

"Where is she, anyways?" Mercury asked.


"Quenhol. It is just past Pluto. For some reason, the people here 
haven't discovered it yet."

Mercury frowned. "It will take a long time to get here... we don't 
want to wait that many hours."

"Hours? No, no, Sharra is using magic--or sorcery! She'll be here--" 
Immora looked over her shoulder at the mirror. "Ah, here she comes now."

A spiraling blue light shone on the surface of the mirror, and Sharra 
stepped through it. The light disappeared once she was through. The 
senshi looked on with mild shock at her unusual appearance and attire.
Her eyes were slanted and ice blue, their gaze sharp and unrevealing. 
Her eyebrows were slanted diagonally. Her smooth brown skin complemented 
them well. Her ears went out to the sides and came to points. Her neck 
was unusually long and slender. Her hair was rich purple in color and 
fell to her waist. She was very tall and slender. She was clothed in 
typical Quenholtian fashion. Her faded fuschia dress bared her arms 
completely and reached past her knees, but the skirt was slit to bare 
the sides of her legs. A thin line of gold circled under the bottom of 
each breast. Her skirt was trimmed in gold, as was the armholes and the 
tall collar of her dress and the small slit in the fabric that went down 
the length of her neck. The faded fuschia gloves reached to her elbows 
were also trimmed in gold, and the matching boots that came to her knees 
also. An oval shaped white crystal was affixed to the center of her 
forehead, and a string of tiny pearls kept it in place, the piece of 
jewelry being a simple of royalty. Her full, pouty lips were painted dark 
purple. 

Princess Serenity was the first to speak, "Hello, welcome to the moon. 
I'm Princess Serenity."

Sharra smiled slightly. "Queen Clorianostriana, of Quenhol."

Princess Serenity was surprised by her thick accent and name. "Nice to 
meet you, Cl-Clor-- uh..."

"Just call me Sharra."

"Right, Sharra, these are my friends..." she introduced the present 
senshi one by one.

"Tell me, why do you need this spell cast? Immora didn't exactly 
explain it to me..."

"Um... I'll explain later... it's a long story."

"Very well. I'd like to here it later. Are you all ready?"

The senshi nodded their agreement.

Sharra went over to where Immora was. "I'm ready," she said. Immora 
nodded to her as the queen placed her gloved fingers against Immora's 
temples. Her lips moved slightly as she whispered the words of a spell.
As soon as she finished, she turned to the senshi. "Sit down," she said. 
"You too, Immora. This spell will fill the room, and I can't prevent it 
from revealing all the memories of not only the senshi but us as well.
You will all see the Silver Millennium as it was in the Original Time, 
but the spell will also cause your mind to relive any other memories that 
you cannot recall." As Immora and the senshi sat down, Sharra whispered 
the last few words. The candles in the room dimmed slightly. The symbols 
on the foreheads of the senshi began to glow, as well as Immora and 
Sharra's eyes. Slowly, they began to remember. It took nearly an hour for 
the spell to complete.

Their childhoods flashed before them, then their training as senshi, 
their lovers, their enemies, good and bad times, then the attack on the 
moon, their lives in Japan, then Mistress Nine's attack...

"NO!!!" Serenity cried. "No!"

The senshi broke free of the memories, sitting and gasping. Sharra opened 
her ice blue eyes. "Did you see all that you needed to see?"

"Oh God," Serenity whispered, shaking hard. The other senshi had similar 
reactions. "I saw... Beryl... the moon... death... oh god... oh god how 
did it happen? And then Mistress Nine... she killed us too..." Tears 
streamed down her cheeks. The senshi came over to her, all forming a 
tight group hug, each wiping away tears as they whispered to one another, 
trying to shake away the awful images they had seen mixed in with the good.

As they talked, Sharra looked over to Immora, and was about to ask her 
what happened when her eyes widened in shock. "Senshi!" she cried.

They broke away and looked at Immora as Sharra ran over to her and 
started shaking her by the shoulders. Immora's eyes were closed, her 
face pale. She didn't respond at all. "Damn!" Sharra swore. "I should have
known-- the spell that is already on her-- someone get Akeru, now! Immora 
isn't coming out of it!"

Uranus came over and also started shaking her. "Damnit, Immora, wake up!" 
She slapped Immora's cheek, trying to get her to react, but the archmage 
didn't even flinch. "What the hell's happening, Sharra?!"

"The spell I spoke... it isn't reacting well with that memory wipe 
spell on her. My spell is trying to break through that spell and make 
those memories surface again... I should have been more careful! There's 
nothing I can do to stop it without causing damage to her mind! I'm not 
skilled enough yet!"

Jupiter came running back into the room with Akeru. Akeru immediately 
came over to where Sharra was. "What's happening?! Why won't she wake 
up?!"

Sharra explained to her what happened. Akeru's lips compressed into a 
thin line. "Sharra, you've done a very dangerous thing. Who knows if 
she'll ever come out of this..." Akeru held her head in her hands. 

"All we can do is wait now," Sharra said. "Until the spell breaks 
through, she won't wake up."

"I'll wait with her," Akeru said.

"I will too. It's my fault," Sharra said. "I should have waited to cast 
the spell... damn!" She hit her fist against the floor. "Immora taught 
me to know better! I should have remembered what she said..."

"Maybe it's for the best," Mars whispered.

"What did you say?" Sharra said, looking up at her.

Mars looked down at the floor and said softly, "Immora... she seemed to 
be so upset today... about how she couldn't remember so many things... 
maybe now she will... that's what she wants, right?"

"You might be right," Akeru said in awe. "Mars... yes, you are right... 
Immora always told me she hated not remembering... if this spell _does_ 
work..."

"Maybe we should go--" Mercury started.

"No," Venus said. "We insisted that she help us, so we should stay and 
make sure she is alright."

And so they waited.

And waited.

And waited.



Time: unknown
Place: in a memory



As she talked with her friends in the hallway at school, she couldn't 
help but feel a strange chill run down her spine. She had a bad feeling 
about today, and she wasn't sure why. It was almost time for homeroom to
begin, and she was sure they'd be late if they continued talking. "C'mon, 
let's get going, I don't want to be counted tardy!" she told them.

They shrugged. "Alright, let's get going."

"I think you just want to go to class today," one of her other friends 
said.

She shrugged back. "I never do, I just don't want to be late! I hope 
that teachers' meeting is over so we don't have to stand around waiting."

They walked to the door and were surprised to see how dark the room was. 
None of the other kids appeared to be there yet. "That's odd..." she 
commented as she opened the door and stepped in.

She stepped back in shock as a man suddenly walked up to her. "Who're 
you?!" she gasped.

"Necros. Come with me." He reached his hand toward her and she shrieked 
and threw her textbook at him.

"Get away from me!" she cried as she turned to run. Her friends started 
shouting for help as the man came forward.

She gasped in shock as a piercing sound entered her mind. She dropped to 
her knees, clutching her head as she tried to block out the sound. She 
couldn't hear anything but that sound. The man grabbed her wrists and she
was aware of a bright light filling her vision, then suddenly, it went 
black.

She shuddered and opened her eyes. Looking around, she was terrified to 
see that she wasn't even in her school anymore. The walls, ceiling, and 
floor around her were made of cold stone. Some furniture was strewn around,
but it was otherwise barren. The man stood there, smirking at her. "It 
took awhile to finally locate you, but once we did, we knew it would be 
easy to bring you here."

"Where am I?! How did I get here?!"

"I teleported you with my magic. It's quite simple actually, as you 
will learn."

"What do you mean, I'll learn?!"

He grabbed a bottle of wine and poured himself a glass. After sipping 
it, he responded. "I've brought you here to teach you to hone your 
magical abilities."

"Magic?"

"Yes, we-- that is, my wife and I-- have determined that you have quite
a potential as a mage. It would be dangerous to let you run loose with 
these unchecked abilities."

She stood up and started backing away. "Leave me alone!" she whispered 
fiercely. "Let me go home!" She forced herself not to cry as he walked 
towards her.

"That would be foolish. Come with me. Nagera will give you a robe to 
wear and you'll start your studies."

"I don't want to! I want to go HOME!!! LET ME GO!!!"

He narrowed his eyes and suddenly she was thrown to the ground. "I 
don't care what you want!" he snapped. "You won't get it! You'll listen 
to me, and Nagera too, from now on, you understand that?!"

"I will NOT--"

She was cut off when he slapped her hard. A tear slid down her cheek as 
she curled herself into a ball.

"This way," he said coldly as he grabbed her arm and made her stand up, 
leading the way down the hall. "You better learn not to talk back, or 
your next punishment will be _far_ worse than just a slap."



"Shut up!" Necros snapped at the defiant young Earth-born girl. His 
firm hand connected with her cheek as he slapped her. "I won't have you 
telling me that this spell goes against your beliefs! _I_ decide what 
you believe in!"

The young woman hung her head, shielding her face with her hair. The 
other students, clad in the black robes that everyone had to wear, 
looked on, too afraid to say anything. This was a event that had 
occurred rather frequently in the last few months, one which none of them 
had to courage to try to stop.

The man's red eyes glowed with anger as he whipped around, causing his 
long white hair to fly up. He wasn't old in appearance, but he had lived 
for several centuries. "I'll send for Nagera if this keeps up!"

"She can't hurt me," the young woman mumbled. "She's hurt me alot, but 
I don't even feel her slaps anymore. Or yours. You can't make me do 
anything." She lifted her head proudly, her dark blue eyes piercing 
his red ones.

"I can make you do anything I want," he hissed. "Nagera!"

A tall woman with chin length red hair and deep crimson eyes came in. 
"What is it now?"

"She's refusing to cooperate again."

Nagera went over to the young student. "You know what I will do if you 
do not obey. Aren't you tired of being hit? Why don't you just apologize 
and obey?!"

"I have a right to speak my mind. He's trying to force me to learn spells 
I will never use, and trying to make me do whatever he tells me." The girl 
lifted her eyes and hissed, "I am tired of it!"

Nagera slapped her. "Apologize!"

"No."

She slapped her again, harder this time.

"Apologize!!"

"No!"

Nagera slapped her so hard that the young student was knocked from her 
chair onto the floor. The other students murmured in surprise. "You 
stupid bitch," Nagera hissed. "You think you're better than all the other
students... you don't even have a name..."

"I have a name," she gasped as she spit out blood. "You just don't 
deserve to know it." She leapt at the older woman, trying to knock her 
to the ground, but was surprised when her chin was struck by Nagera's
knee. She stumbled backward, clutching her bruised chin in her hand.

"You will obey us," Nagera said coldly, as she kicked the girl's ribs 
hard. A crack echoed through the chamber, barely heard over the loud 
scream. "Recite the demon summon spell. Now."

Tears of pain flowed down the girl's pale cheeks as she gasped out the 
words, not putting in the magical energy needed to truly cast it. She 
collapsed on the ground as Nagera walked away, casting Necros a disgusted 
glance as if to say "she isn't worth the effort."

Necros grabbed her by the back of her robe and shoved her into a chair. 
He slid a book in front of her and opened a page. "Read. Memorize. 
Now." He walked away.

The girl coughed hard, sobbed, clutched her cracked ribs, and tried to 
study the page. Another student came over to her. He was an elf, probably 
from Quenhol, and had been here longer than the girl. "Why don't you just 
give in and do what they tell you? They wouldn't have to hurt you if you 
obeyed."

"They took everything from me!" she cried. "They're forcing me to do 
this and I don't know why! They said I have some 'immortal magic' or 
something dumb like that and that I have to listen to whatever they
tell me from now on! I don't want to!"

"Immora..." the elf murmured.

"What did you say?"

"Immora... in the Quenholtian tongue, it means 'immortal magic'. That's 
what you have. That's what you are."

"I'm not magic," she gasped, laying her head on the table and groaning 
in pain. "And I'm not immortal."

"Let me heal that," a human girl said, coming over to her. She gazed at 
the other with eyes swirled with green, silver, and blue, her long brown 
hair fell around her shoulders.

"I think not, Ka'ina," the elf hissed. "You know that when you cast a 
spell with good intentions it always causes someone to fall under your 
influence.."

"I'm just trying to help..." Ka'ina muttered. "It's not my fault my magic 
is so screwed up." She walked back to her seat as the elf healed the young 
human girl.

"You know, Immora, if they told you this you must truly be powerful. 
Maybe you will become an archmage. Who knows?"

She groaned as her bones slowly healed. "I doubt it... and stop calling 
me that!"

The elf sighed and stepped away. "Finished... and you should know, they 
have been working on casting a spell on you when you aren't paying 
attention..."

"What kind of a spell?"

"Well... it's the type that takes several exposures to take full 
effect--"

"_What_ _kind_ _of_ _spell_?!"

He looked down at the floor. "Forgive me," he murmured. "Memory 
suppression... you probably won't even remember this conversation..." 
Her eyes widened in shock as he continued, "At certain intervals of time, 
your memories will be wiped-- not fully, but you won't be able to, 
well, access them. Anything important to you will be forgotten. Then, 
you will continue your life, but of course, the spell will reactivate 
and hide the memories that you have accumulated... and it will keep 
going for who knows how long. It might not even wipe _all_ your memories,
but only select ones."

"Why?" she whispered to herself. "Why would they do this? They took me 
from my home... them hit me and hit me without any real reason... I 
haven't eaten or rested in weeks... why do they keep doing these things?"


"Fear," he said. "You have so much power... I can feel it. You have so 
much..."

Necros came back in before he could finish. He stalked over to where 
the girl and elf were. "That's enough!" he hissed, grabbing the elf's 
arm and twisting it. "You have told her too much!"

"Master, please let me--" he begged.

Necros's eyes flared with red light and flames consumed the elf. 

"Nooooooooo!!" she cried, trying to stop the fire. "No," she sobbed, 
falling to her knees by the pile of ashes, a look of horror on her face.

"What did he call you? Tell me," Necros demanded.

"I-Immora..." she whispered. "That's what he called me."

"You are that. And so much more. He told you more than you need to know, 
and you will be punished for it." He grabbed a spellbook off a shelf, 
quickly read over a spell, and turned to her. "But first, there's 
something else that needs to be done."

She lowered her head as he chanted the words of a spell. She felt her 
blood boil with magical fire as the spell overtook her. She felt 
lightheaded and dizzy, and sank down on the marble floor.

"That spell is an immortality spell. You will never age from now on. 
You will live on, and feel pain, and suffer, but you will never have 
death's release. I will bring Nagera here soon to punish you." He turned 
and walked away. "I am tired of your constant disobedience."

She lifted her eyes to him with a sneer, "If I really am immortal now, 
I'll make sure you die for what you've done to me!"

"Well then, you shouldn't be allowed control over your actions. Maybe 
an insanity spell that will emerge every few years..." he said the words 
before she had a chance to guard against them. She shrieked with rage as 
the spell overtook her.

She sat still for a moment, shaking with anger. "No more." She stood 
up, her pupils narrowing to slits. "No more. I will not take this 
anymore!"

His sharp laughter stung her ears. "And what do you plan to do--"

She cried out with rage and leapt at him, a dagger magically appearing 
in her hand. His eyes widened in horror as the blade dug deeply into 
his chest, piercing his heart. The other students raced over, trying to 
get her to stop as she repeatedly struck him, tears pouring down her 
cheeks as she did so. Nagera ran in and saw her, then her husband dead 
on the ground. She stood stock still in fright as the young woman's eyes 
turned to her. 

"You're next, Nagera!" she shouted. She started running towards the 
auburn-haired woman.

Nagera could see what was coming a mile away, and hastily spoke the last 
phrase of the spell to destroy the mage's memory. As the last word left 
Nagera's lips, the young woman threw the dagger aside. Flames consumed 
Nagera's body, burning her to death. The young woman stood, the flames 
reflecting in her tear filled eyes, watching the last of the people that 
had tormented her for four years finally die.

The students stood, shaking, before Ka'ina whispered, "What have you 
done?"

The other clenched her fist. "What had to be done." She turned to face 
them. "You saw what they did to me. You know what they did. I've done 
all of us a favor."

Her head was pounding, she could feel her memories slipping away already. 
Her name, her true name, she had already lost. "I'm leaving. I'm going to 
Quenhol." She sighed. "The elf called me Immora," she murmured. "That's
the only name I have left anymore..."

Immora turned and walked away to the portal leading to Quenhol, to try and 
build a new life.

The mages watched as she left. "You'll be back," Ka'ina said to herself. 
"I will bring you back. You were a friend to me whenever those two 
wretched beings would give everyone a chance to speak to each other. 
I am not going to lose you. I am _not_ going to lose you!"



Time: Back to the present
Place: The mage room, the palace



Akeru had fallen asleep on a makeshift bed in the large room. Sharra 
stood by the mirror, gazing into space. Serenity was the only senshi 
that had stayed. She sat near Immora, watching the reflection of the 
candle flames dancing in the marble. "Any reaction yet?" Sharra asked 
softly.

Serenity considered her answer. "She's still asleep... but her cheeks 
have some color in them finally. I think the spell broke through, so 
maybe she's remembering now, and sometimes she'll twitch, so maybe it'll 
be over soon. It didn't take us long to wake up."

Sharra came over and sat down by her. "Serenity... how old are you?"

"19..."

"How old were you in the Original Time?"

"When it ended, I was almost 20."

"And the Silver Millennium?"

"18... why are you asking me all this?"

"The spell was sorcery, not magic. Humans are gifted with magic, while
Elves are given sorcery, so our separate groups react different to a
spell depending on what type it is. It took me that whole hour to see 
my 2,500 plus years of life, since the spell was of the type I am 
attuned to, but since you are given magic, it took you an hour to see 
around 60 years. That's about a year a minute. Immora has almost 
3,000 years to see."

Serenity's eyes widened in shock. "Three THOUSAND?!?! She's THAT old?!"

"Yes, she is. Didn't you realize that?"

Serenity sat there for a long time. "But Akeru... she's around 20 
something, right? I mean, they seem to really love each other, but 
they're so far apart in age..."

Sharra chuckled slightly. "Not really... Immora stopped aging when she 
was around 19. Not just physically either. Immora can gain knowledge,
but unlike the elderly, her mind stays perfectly clear, and she still
has a more youthful outlook and sharp memory of the things that haven't
been wiped out by the spell as opposed to the more senile view and
fuzzy memory. Akeru stopped aging who knows when. I don't know how old 
she is, but she isn't nearly as young in years as she looks."

Serenity puzzled over that for a moment. "So how long will it take for 
Immora to see all her memories?"

Sharra closed her eyes and calculated. "About 2 days, if she's able to 
see all of her memories, when she does start seeing them."

"But she just woke up from her coma! Now she's missing out _again_!" 
Serenity protested.

Akeru stirred and woke up. "uhhhn... what's going on?" she mumbled, 
rubbing her eyes.

"Sharra says it will take 2 days for Immora to see all those memories, 
whenever she does start seeing them!"

Akeru's eyes widened. "Are you serious, Cloria?!?!"

Sharra looked at her. "Yes, I am. And don't call me that."

"Sorry... but it's just..." Akeru sighed loudly. "When I came here for 
that ball, it had been... let's see, thirty, maybe forty years since 
I'd last seen her. Not even ten minutes later, she battled Mistress Nine 
and was thrown into that eight month coma. Ever since she woke up 
several hours ago, she's been working on recovering. I barely have had 
the chance to talk to her. Now she's unconscious _again_..."

Serenity came over to Akeru and gave her a hug. "C'mon... it's okay... 
I kinda know how you feel. Endymion's back on Earth for some military 
training and I can't see or talk to him for the next few months. I know 
where he is, but I can't be with him. I know this is hard on you, but 
you're going to have to accept it... but you have to realize that she 
_will_ wake up. She _will_."

"Thank you," Akeru said. "Really, I mean it."

Serenity grinned. "Hey, being nice is what I do. And if it makes you 
feel happier, then I'm glad."

Akeru laughed slightly. "How long are you planning to stay here?"

"How long are _you_ planning to stay here?"

Akeru blinked in surprise. "Um, until she wakes up... but why--"

"Then that's how long I will stay. You'll probably need the company." 
Serenity settled down further into the cushions. "So, Akeru, tell me how 
you met Immora. I've always wondered about that."



Time: in a memory, over four thousand years ago
Place: in a memory, on Quenhol



She looked around the market with a smile on her face. Quenhol was such 
a beautiful world. She'd been here for the past-- she didn't know. She 
kept forgetting things. This world was so much pretty than the world 
she had vague memories of-- what was it, Earth? She was in the capital 
city, Immonu, or "Eternal City" in that language that she could remember. 
The people here talked so different. This place was so different. The 
sky was always bright blue unless it was night, and then the stars and 
moons were so bright that you could easily see where you walked. Even 
when it rained, the sky was still blue. Trees were enormous, hundreds
of feet tall, with huge, wide trunks. Houses were formed in the holes 
in the trunk. Rivers flowed across the branches. Trees of every color 
dotted the land. The lakes were always clean and sparkling, the air always
fresh to breathe. Even the rich green grass was beautiful. Immora walked 
and listened, enjoying the sights and sounds of the place she'd come to 
call home.

"Yoyta te! Crystali nomi etu! Esarul nors clo en ana aerto!"

"Aa justiel! Ka'irana kultari ju sayat..."

"Moapo shar belihty e'me..."

"Hey, let go of that! It's mine!"

Immora looked around in surprise. Had she really heard someone talk in that 
language? Not Quenholtian?

"Justiel," she apologized as she pushed her way through the crowd, looking 
for the source of the voice. "Gamani ye..." She stopped short when she saw 
a thin young woman chasing after a boy that had apparently stolen something 
from her. The woman had short, pure black hair, fair, gold tinged skin, and 
dark brown eyes that were slanted like the Elves's eyes, even though she was 
clearly human. She drew in a breath sharply; the woman was very beautiful, 
and there was something about her that seemed familiar. Immora had the 
strangest feeling when she saw her and was sure that this was the one who 
spoke in the language of Earth, for she could vaguely remember some people 
on Earth having eyes like that.

She started running after the woman and the boy. The woman kept 
screaming stop, but of course the boy didn't understand. Immora shouted, 
"Yoyta kanta!" then, "Please stop!"

Both the boy and the woman stopped. Immora slowed down and stopped when 
she came close to them, gasping for air. She was never used to physical 
exertion. "Please... tell me... what happened," she breathed.

"He stole my necklace!" the woman said, glaring at the boy who didn't 
understand her words.

"You want it back, I assume?" Immora pushed her hair out of her face, 
pulling the sleeves of her thick black dress away from her arms to 
cool herself down.

"Yeah," the woman said, brushing her bangs back from her face. "Why'd 
you come after us?"

"I heard you speak in this language, so I realized you must be from... 
that world... what's it called?"

"Earth? Yeah, I am, but I have no idea how I got here..."

Immora laughed slightly. "Yeah, that's it... and all you have to do is 
ask and he'll return the necklace."

"I can't speak that language."

Immora laughed. "I'll translate. Tell me what to tell him."

"Um... please give me back the necklace?"

Immora turned to the boy. "Yoyta sayat neresu ju pekala lanada."

The boy shyly handed her the necklace. "Tok pekala lanada Aa justiel."

Immora smiled and handed the necklace back to the woman as the boy ran 
off. "Here you go. You really need to learn the language..."

As she fastened it around her neck, the woman said, "I heard both of 
you say a phrase... what was it? Peh-kah-lah lah-nah-dah? What did the 
two of you say anyways?"

Immora covered her mouth and giggled. "I told him 'Please give the 
necklace to the pretty lady,' and he said 'tell the pretty lady I'm 
sorry'."

The woman colored slightly. " 'Pretty lady', eh? Well, thanks for 
getting my necklace back."

She turned to walk away, but Immora grabbed her arm and said, "Please 
wait! Look, you don't know this place well, and you don't know the 
language, so you'll need some help getting around... I'm willing to help
you."

"Um, I guess... thanks... what's your name?"

"I'm... well, people call me Immora, because I can't remember my real 
name. You?"

"I go by Akeru. My real name is a secret." she said, holding out her hand. 
Immora took it to shake, and was surprised when Akeru bent over and kissed 
her hand gently. "But maybe I'll tell you someday," she added.

Immora blushed slightly. "Um, my house is... this way..." She turned and 
stumbled slightly.

Akeru laughed. "What's wrong? Not used to having that happen?"

Immora nodded. "People never really make gestures like kissing on the 
hands around here. Things are quite different here than they are on 
Earth, if I remember Earth correctly. It's been a long time since I
lived there."

Akeru cocked her eyebrow. "You don't seem old enough to start forgetting 
things easily. You look to be eighteen, but you act more mature than 
that."

Immora clutched her head. Why couldn't she remember... "Actually I'm--"

She felt dizzy suddenly, and could feel herself falling but she couldn't 
stop it. Her head pounded, her eyes couldn't see quite right. Her magical
senses were out of control, and she was sensing every bit of energy
that flowed around her. She couldn't regain control of her senses. Then 
strong arms were around her to stop her from falling.

"Hey, are you okay? Tell me where your house is and I'll bring you there."

Immora mumbled directions and Akeru carried her in her arms to the house. 
She pushed the door open with her foot, then brought Immora over to the 
couch and gently laid her down. She searched for a kitchen, and was 
surprised when she found a small pond in a room. She dipped a cloth in 
it, then brought it over and set it on Immora's head. Brushing the blond 
hair from the mage's face, she asked her, "Are you alright? You almost 
passed out."

Immora closed her eyes, trying to ease the throbbing in her head. "It's 
just a little bit of dizziness that I get once in awhile..."

"Maybe I should go get help--"

"No! I mean... no, please stay here... I really don't like being left 
alone when these things happen... ow... my head..."

"That dress you're wearing is a really thick material, you might have
a heat stroke. Take it off, I'll go find you something a bit more 
lightweight."

Akeru walked off into what looked to be Immora's room and looked for a 
closet. Immora held her head in her hands to steady herself, then 
slipped off her dress and wrapped a blanket around herself. Akeru 
returned, tossed her a thin white dress, and turned around to wait for 
Immora to change.

"could i have a glass of water?" Immora asked weakly as she lay back 
down.

"Sure, where are the glasses?"

"in the cabinet near the water drip."

Akeru returned, but didn't give Immora the glass. She brought the 
glass to the mage's lips and told her to drink. "You might drop it if 
you try holding it," she said.

Immora nodded and gently pushed the glass away when she was done. "I'm 
really sorry to trouble you like this... we just met and all..."

"It's alright. You're the only one here that can understand what I 
say, so I had better keep near you. So, you were saying something 
about your age?"

Immora smiled. "Yeah, I'm not really 18. I'm 1,000."

Akeru's eyes widened. "No... way... you look too young... and you act 
like..."

Immora laughed. "I know, I know, I don't age physically or mentally... 
and I don't act my age either... but I don't _feel_ like I'm that old, 
so why act like I am?"

Akeru smiled. "That makes perfect sense. But how is it that you're this 
old?"

"Well, I--" Immora stopped. Images flashed through her mind, of Necros 
and Nagera... blood... fire... Immora closed her eyes tight and tried 
to shut out the images flooding into her... she was surprised when
suddenly she felt hands close around her arms, trying to steady her it
seemed, from the way the clutched her.

"W-What?"

"You were screaming and shaking! What's wrong?"

Immora blinked. "I... was... I don't... I can't..." Immora pressed her 
hand to her forehead. "What's wrong with me?" she whispered in a choked 

voice. "What did they do to me?" she sobbed.

She covered her face with her hands as she started crying, then Akeru's 
arms encircled her and pulled her close, her warm voice speaking soothing 
words to calm her down. "I-I'm sorry," Immora said. "I get these... 

visions... sometimes..."

"It's perfectly alright," Akeru said. "Just calm down... relax... 
everything's going to be okay."

Immora closed her eyes tight and cried against her, sobbing until she 
was almost too weak to move. "I... I think I should go... go to bed..." 
Immora pulled away and stumbled towards her room. "You can use the 
guest room... go ahead..." she fell against her bed, falling asleep 
almost immediately despite the swarm of thoughts running through her 
mind.



Time: in a memory, three months later
Place: in a memory, on Quenhol



What season was equivalent to summer was starting to set in on Quenhol, 
and the heat was starting to be unbearable. Immora irritably noted that 
this was the hottest day she'd felt in the hundreds of years she'd lived
on the planet. Today she was supposed to go to the palace, a long trek 
despite the fact it was in this city. She was supposed to meet the new 
queen, who was very young to rise to this position, and to place a spell 
of protection on her during her coronation ceremony. Immora had heard the 
queen was only 26, but since it was based on popular vote, she figure she 
couldn't really complain.

She was busy studying the spell when she heard a yawn from behind her. 
She turned around and smiled to Akeru, who'd just woken up. The woman 
had been living here with her several months and had adjusted fairly 
well to the new surroundings, but still had trouble trying to talk to 
anyone since very few people knew Earth language. "It feels really hot 
out," she commented. "Does it normally get this hot here?"

"No, this is the hottest it's been in the past... oh, 900 something 
years," Immora turned back to the book and wrinkled her nose. "This 
spell is so annoying to learn! The book doesn't give any indication of 
how to pronounce it, and I am not good at all with sorcery."

Akeru laughed. "You'll figure it out, you're a very intelligent woman. 
I'll be right back, I'm going over to your neighbors' for a moment."

Immora nodded and wistfully watched her walk outside. Akeru was such a 
kind, thoughtful person, and in the past several months, Immora had grown 
very close to her. She had told her all about her life-- what she could 
still remember of it-- and was always honest with her. She wasn't sure 
yet just how much this woman meant to her, but she already felt as if 
she couldn't live without her friendship.

Immora's eyes drifted to the pages again, trying to memorize the words. 
She almost had it, if she just repeated it several more times... she 
whispered the phrases softly to herself, not putting any magical energy 
in them for fear the spell would form prematurely, or if she 
mispronounced it, one she didn't mean to cast would happen. She knew 
from experience that when she did finally get it correct, there would 
be a rush of magic in her that would indicate that this was indeed the 
right pronunciation.

She was so busy studying the words she didn't notice Akeru come back 
in. Akeru sat down beside her and looked at her quizzically, but before 
she could ask what Immora was doing, Immora warned her to be quiet. She 
continued to mouth the words.

She was trying them for the eleventh try when a touch on the back of 
her neck made her jump in surprise. Akeru gently brushed her long hair 
off her neck and began to gather it into a ponytail. She coughed 
slightly. "Sorry, but you looked very warm so I thought you might want 
to get the hair off your neck."

"Um... that's okay..." Immora said softly. She almost forgot about the 
spell as she sat trembling slightly at the feeling of Akeru's fingers 
brushing against her neck. She cursed herself for being so embarrassed 
at the simple gesture of kindness.

"There, is that better?"

Immora blinked slightly. "Oh, um, yes, thanks... I... I need to finish 
this spell..."

"Why don't you ask that lady... what's her name? to help you with it. 
She seems to know alot about magic and sorcery and things."

"What lady? There's alot of people around here who use magic and sorcery."

"That one purple Elf lady."

Immora frowned. "Oh yeah, her. I can never remember her name. I can't keep 
track of everyone's names. There's too many people in this city!"

Akeru laughed. "You're right about that. When do you have to leave for 
the palace?"

Immora looked out the window at the sun. "In an hour... damnit, I need to 
learn that spell!"

"Well, like I said, ask her for help so you can learn it before we 
leave for the palace."

" 'We'? I didn't know you were coming too," Immora teased.

Akeru grinned. "Of course I am. If you go off to the palace, I'll be 
lost. No one would understand what I said. Besides, I'd miss you. 
You'll probably have to stay a few days for the ceremonies and all."

Immora nodded slightly. "I guess we should go to her now."

"Yup. Have you packed at all for the trip?"

Immora nodded again. "I- We'll come get the things before it's time 
to leave. You should probably pack too--oh! I forgot! We'll need some 
food for the trip... Get some paper and write this down."

Akeru grabbed a paper and pen, then wrote down the words Immora said. 
"This is all Quenholtian isn't it?" she asked. "I don't understand any 
of what you told me."

"The first two lines are how you ask to purchase something. Then tell 
him the other items. That last one--yeah, the one you're pointing to-- 
you say that to let him know that I'll pay him later for it. He should 
know you don't speak the language."

"Okay, see you soon?"

"Yeah."

Immora walked outside with Akeru, then walked in the other direction 
while Akeru went to get the food. She felt nervous going to the 
sorceress's house. The woman was at least five thousand years her 
senior, incredibly skilled in sorcery. Immora was worried that the 
woman would frown upon her asking for help with a spell like this. She 
was about to turn around and go back home when it struck her-- the 
spell really wasn't magic, it was sorcery, something that humans could 
almost never learn without an Elf's help, which Immora would need to 
learn the spell. Had Akeru realized this when she made the suggestion? 
She _was_ incredibly bright, but did she really know anything about 
sorcery and magic? Immora had sometimes sensed an unusual energy within 
her, but could never pinpoint what it was. Could she have abilities in 
those fields?

Immora continued on and was surprised when the sorceress opened the 
door before she knocked. "Come in," she said. "Welcome."

Immora stood frozen in shock a moment. "How did you know that la--"

"I study it some. Try to learn what I can. Not easy. Odd way of speak. 
I not very good at it yet, will get better."

Immora slowly nodded her head. Well, if I can learn hers, she can learn 
mine, she reasoned. Still, it was unnerving to hear a Quenholtian 
speak an Earth tongue though.

"Something wrong?"

"No," she lied, "I was just trying to remember your name."

"Lorenada. No stand there more, come in."

Immora walked in after the woman, taking awhile to look over her to etch 
her appearance and name in her mind. She'd have to check the records 
back at the mage study to see if she was listed, so she'd need to remember 
them. Lorenada was one of the Pure Elves, she noted. The Elf's ears rose 
to points, unlike Forest Elves, who's pointed ears slanted out to the 
sides. Lorenada had lavender skin, long purple hair with a slight 
magenta tinge, and royal purple eyes that had a definite slant to them 
similar to Akeru's, with a small mole under the inside corner of her
right eye. She was tall and thin, even for an Elf. She wore a silky 
magenta dress with several arcane markings on it. Six silver earrings 
decorated her left ear, each shaped like a sharp tooth, while the other 
ear had a chain attached to her lobe and then to a cuff higher on her ear.

"Ellae..." Immora breathed when she entered the woman's study. In typical 
Quenholtian fashion, she lived in a house formed by a hollow in a tree, 
but she'd taken extra care to polish the wood on the walls and ceiling, 
and to add marble to her floors. Rich tapestries decorated the walls, 
along with dark blue and crimson rugs, curtains, and furniture. Crystal 
balls for communications were resting in silver stands, along with 
several long shelves filled with books.

"<It is beautiful!>" Immora said in the Quenholtian language.

"<Ah, good, you are speaking _our_ language. I find yours cumbersome 
and irritating.>"

"<I've spoken Quenholtian far longer than 'my' language. I'm quite fluent.>"

"<What about the young woman that's been with you these past few months? 
Does she know any?>"

Immora stopped short, shocked by the sudden question. "<You've seen her 
with me?>"

"<Yes, I watch over all that happens in this city. What was her name? 
I could never pronounce it.>"

"Akeru."

"<Eh? What does that mean?>"

Immora sat down in a chair across from Lorenada and considered her answer. 
"<I am not entirely sure. I don't really know the language, but I remember 
some words. I believe it means 'sunrise', if I _do_ remember correctly.>"

"<Don't all Terrans speak the same language?>"

"<Not entirely. She doesn't realize it, I don't think, that Quenhol runs 
on a different sort of time than Earth. Did you know that we can live 
thousands of years here, then go to Earth in the same time we left? 
Earth, while we're on this world, will age, but we can always travel 
back to where we started. Right now, though, Earth is farther into the 
future. The time she came from is the same one I did-- a thousand years 
ago, to us. Everyone speaks one tongue on Earth now, but she isn't from 
that Earth, she's from mine. I speak with her in a language called 
English.>"

"<You didn't tell her about the time flow?>"

"<No... I forgot to... I have never really found time for it anyways.>"

Lorenada sighed. "<You need to find time... or bring the Guardian of 
Time in to explain... I believe she doesn't like how our planet is 
separate from the time she's used to controlling... What did you come 
here for anyways?>"

"<I'm trying to learn a protection spell to place on the new queen, 
but it's sorcery-->"

"<I understand. She'll probably need it... either that or one of us 
would have to teach her magic or sorcery so she can protect herself.>"

"<Why me though? Why am I the one who should place the spell on her?>"

"<They would have picked me--a sorceress-- to do it, but a mage has 
never been in a royal ceremony before. They wanted a wellknown mage 
to do it. You are the oldest mage alive, don't you know that?>"

Immora shook her head. "<I didn't. What is the queen's name anyways?>"

"<Clorianostriana.>"

"<What a name!>"

"<I know, she goes by Sharra more commonly though.>"

Not long after that, Lorenada explained the spell to her and how to 
speak it, and Immora left and went back to her house, telling Lorenada 
thank you as she left. She returned to see Akeru sitting on the couch, 
all the items they'd packed sitting around her. She smiled sheepishly 
at Immora. "I got the things... but I think I made a fool of myself in 
front of the man at the store."

"Why do you say that?"

"Well, I got the groceries okay, but then when I was trying to get 
these I had some difficulty, and I tried to say the word but I guess 
I said the wrong thing and it took me awhile to get it right--"

"What are you referring to, that you were trying to say?"

"Close your eyes."

Immora raised her eyebrow, but complied. "Okay, open them."

Immora was surprised to see Akeru now standing in front of her, holding 
several flowers of a type Immora had never seen before in her hand. 
"Akeru, what did you get these for?" Akeru handed them to her and Immora 
stood staring at her.


"I thought you'd like them. Do you?"

"Yes, I do..." Immora looked down at them. These are very rare... she 
thought to herself. Waitaminute, I told her to tell them I'd pay for 
everything--

"In case you're wondering, I've been saving some money I earned 
helping our neighbors in their garden. Took me two months, but--"

Akeru stopped as Immora hugged her tightly. "Thank you," she whispered. 
"I really appreciate it."

Akeru blushed slightly. "Um, you're welcome."

Immora placed them in a stasis crystal in her room, then came back 
into the main room. "Well, I guess we should go. We're going to have to 
walk, so we should bring some packs."

Immora got the packs from her room, and was putting items in them when 
Akeru told her, "You're going to have a heat stroke again, wearing those 
thick black dresses of yours. Especially on a day like this, you should 
really wear something more lightweight."

Immora considered it a moment. She was right, after all. Immora often 
had dizzy spells and the heat only made them worse... Akeru was prepared 
for it, unlike her. She'd worn lightweight cotton pants and a thin white 
shirt, while Immora was standing there like a fool in a long, thick dress.

"Can you finish my packing while I go change?"

"No problem."

Immora came back wearing a pale blue cotton dress. "Okay, I'm ready to go." 
She picked up her packs and strapped them onto her back. "By the way, 
Lorenada told me how to say the spell."

"Oh really? That's good. One less thing to worry about, eh?"

Immora laughed as they left her house. "Yes, it is. And once she told 
me it, it was so easy to remember. I felt silly asking her."

Akeru laughed with her as they entered the forest that led to the 
castle. "I hate trying to talk to people around here; no one understands 
me!"

"How did the neighbors know you wanted to help then?"

Akeru shrugged. "She was working in the garden, so I came over and 
started helping. She tried to talk but she could tell I didn't 
understand. When we were done, she gave me some money. The next day, 
I came back. She paid me again. It kept going on until I had enough 
money to buy the flowers. I never asked for pay, but since she was
giving me money, I decided I should buy you something with it."

Immora's eyes widened in surprise as they crossed a stream. "That was 
very nice of you to do that for me... I want to thank you, but I don't 
know how... I know! The protection spell I learned... after the 
ceremony, I'll put it on you."

"What is that spell for anyways?" she asked.

Immora lowered her head as they continued walking. "It's supposed to 
keep you from receiving extensive physical harm... it only works to a 
certain extent, but it's very helpful... I don't want you to be hurt, ever,
that's why I want you to give it to you. I know it's not really much--"

Akeru walked over closer to where she was. "It means alot to me... 
what you just said. Thank you."

Immora felt oddly nervous after that. "Um, you're welcome." She watched 
the ground as she walked, aware of Akeru walking next to her. It was 
silent, with only the sounds of the animals living in the forest to hear. 
She felt like she had to say something, do something, anything to break 
the silence. She slowly reached her hand over to Akeru's and gently 
clasped in. She felt Akeru tense up at first, as if startled, then 
after a few moments she squeezed Immora's hand back.

"You alright?" Akeru asked, looking around in the trees as they walked.

"I'm fine..." Immora said slowly, even more nervous than before. Her 
hand almost slipped from Akeru's, and she looked up at her face slowly. 
Akeru looked calm at first glance, but as Immora studied her face she 
noticed a faint blush on her cheeks. "You're blushing," she whispered 
softly, barely enough to be heard.

Akeru looked over to her. "Am I?" she asked with a faint smile.

"Yes, you are." Immora turned away, looking at anything that caught her 
eye... the waterfall dropping off the ledge next to them, the shadows 
in the trees, silhouettes of animals in the distance. "Why are you?"

"Huh?"

"Why're you blushing? I'm guessing it's because I'm holding your hand... 
why does that make you blush?"

Akeru's pace slowed to a stop. "Immora... I..." Her fingers slid away 
from Immora's as she turned away, clutching her arms in her hands. "I 
think I--"

Before she could finish, Immora heard a noise and whirled around. That 
noise she heard behind them, it sounded like a knife being unsheathed--

She gasped in shock as a woman leapt from the trees and knocked Akeru 
to the ground. She twirled around and kicked Immora's legs, painfully 
dropping her to the ground too. Her knife was at Immora's throat, 
keeping her from moving.

"Let her go!" Akeru shouted in a horrified voice.

"I think not," the woman said, surprisingly speaking the Earth tongue 
fluently. "I've been told to kill both of you."

Immora trembled, too afraid to try to cast a spell. The woman looked to 
be half human, half Forest Elf, and would undoubtedly know she was 
trying to use her magic. She had bright red hair which she wore in an 
unusual style--it was pushed back from her face, except for a small 
section falling across her right temple, then parted in the center, 
with the sections of hair that probably normally reached her chin 
rising up in the air. Her skin was pale green, like many Forest Elves'
skin, but her ears had only small points to them, not long enough to be a 
true Forest Elf. Her dark emerald eyes lined with thick forest green 
liner had a slight slant, her eyebrows also slanting, but the shape of 
her face, the low cheekbones and downturned nose, along with the thin, 
dark green painted lips were distinctly human. She was thin, but also 
muscular, the nearly black leather tinged green she wore clinging to her 
like a second skin, with a light brown trench coat that was very long in the 
back with the sleeves rolled up to her elbows worn over her bodysuit. 
A second bodysuit, this one light brown, covered her chest partially in 
an "m" shape, was tight around her torso but baggy in the legs where 
she tucked it into her tall dark boots. The small green circles that 
went down the front of her dark bodysuit along with the sides of her arms 
and legs marked her as an assassin. Immora closed her eyes tightly and 
tried not to scream. She tried to remind herself that she couldn't be 
killed... but then she could imagine just how painful it would be, to 
be wounded so horribly and to not be granted death.

"Please, let her go! Don't do this!" Akeru pleaded in a voice dripping 
with fear. "You can't kill her, so please don't try!"

The assassin only laughed. "Whether she will die or not, it is my job 
to at least try."

Immora gasped in pain as the woman drew her knife across the side of 
her neck, not deep enough to cause major bleeding, but the stinging 
sensation was terrible.

"Leave her alone!" Akeru screamed. Immora looked to her and saw she was 
close to tears. Akeru fumbled in her pack and pulled out a metal object
... a gun. "Let her go or I'll KILL YOU!!"

The woman chuckled and pressed the knife near the front of Immora's 
throat. Immora gulped, and felt sweat drip down her forehead. Akeru's 
hands trembled, barely managing to keep a grip on her weapon that she 
was aiming at the assassin's head. Her face was drawn tight with fear, 
the beads of sweat obvious as she bit her lip. "I-I'm warning you-- 
don't try anything else--"

"Drop the gun," the assassin hissed. "If you don't, I'll kill her 
right now."

Akeru stood still in fright, then she lowered the gun and dropped it on 
her ground. She buried her head in her hands and sobbed.

Immora felt a dull ache go through her. She wanted to run over to Akeru 
and hold her tight and comfort her. She only vaguely heard a voice say 
to the assassin, "Hurry up and do it, E'melok," before she realized that 
she was drawing in her magic. She fearfully stopped as the knife pressed 
into her skin slightly.


"You just sit right there and don't move," E'melok hissed as she walked 
over to Akeru.

"Don't hurt her!" Immora cried. "She hasn't done anything to harm you!"

E'melok laughed and kicked Akeru in the side. Akeru cried out in pain 
and tried to pull away as E'melok grabbed her arm. "Don't struggle too 
much, there's a river next to you that leads to a very long waterfall, 
and I am sure you wouldn't want to go off it."

E'melok kicked Akeru again, then slapped her across the face. Immora 
trembled hard, trying not to cry as she watched. Finally, she had seen 
enough. She couldn't take it anymore. E'melok continued to hit Akeru, 
not noticing that Immora was quickly drawing in her magic. Immora leapt 
at E'melok, fire blazing around her. E'melok screamed as the flames bit 
into her skin, but managed to shove Akeru into the river as she tried 
to fight off Immora.

Immediately, Immora turned to dive into the river after her, not 
noticing that E'melok had slashed her across the back with her knife. 
She dove into the river, trying to swim to Akeru, but her skirt was 
dragging her and she couldn't swim in the fast current. Akeru barely 
kept above the water, gasping for air as she kicked her legs to remain 
above the surface. Immora felt herself being dragged under and couldn't 
do anything to stop it. Her neck and back burned with pain as the cold 
water bit into her wounds. She was thrown against a rock by the current, 
and couldn't work up the strength to keep herself above the surface. 
She was pulled under the water, her lungs feeling like they'd burst 
from lack of oxygen. She tried to push herself up but was too weak. 
She felt herself brush against something underwater-- was it Akeru?-- 
as she plummeted down the waterfall to the water below.



It felt like hours later when she opened her eyes. She'd washed up on 
the shore. The sun was beating down on her, and had already dried her. 
Waves gently lapped at her feet. She was aware of someone beside her, 
breathing deeply. She closed her eyes, trying to block out the light. 
Her magical senses felt like they were on fire, and she couldn't help 
but feel the energy running through everything around her-- the water, 
the forests, herself... when she could feel the energy coming from the 
person next to her, she realized it was Akeru. There was something
distinctive about her energy, Immora noticed, a certain note in it that
was unique to her.

"I-Immora?" came a cracked whisper.

Immora rolled over on her side to see her friend was also exhausted. 
"Are you alright?"

"I don't know," Immora admitted in a soft whisper. "I feel awful..."

She lay there, gazing into Akeru's beautiful eyes, aware of Akeru's 
gaze on her at the same time. She felt a slight ache go through her, 
but it wasn't the one of pain she'd felt earlier. "Akeru..." she 
whispered. "I..."

She stopped, her voice leaving her as Akeru sat up, pulling her against 
her as she wrapped her arms around her. Immora returned her embrace, 
burying her head against her as she fought tears, pressing her cheek to 
hers. Akeru whispered soothing words to her as she stroked her knotted 
hair. Immora whispered in a choked voice, "I didn't want you to be 
hurt... I didn't want her to kill you... and look what happened... you 
could have drowned or something in that waterfall..."

She felt Akeru's tears against her cheek. "I didn't want you to be hurt 
either... Immora, I don't want you to ever be hurt, not by anyone, not 
in any way... you mean too much to me."

They lay staring at each other for a little bit, neither wanting to speak 
for the moment.

"I love you," Akeru said after a few moments. "I was too afraid to tell 
you any sooner, but I love you, fully and completely..."

"I love you too," Immora returned. "I wasn't sure for a long time... 
I've never loved anyone before... but ... oh god... Akeru, you're 
everything to me..."

Akeru kissed her forehead gently. "And you're everything to me... thank 
you... for being here for me..."


Immora felt a blush rise through her cheeks. "Thank you... for all that 
you've done for me..." Immora shut her eyes, wrapping her arms tighter 
around Akeru. Akeru stopped stroking her hair and pressed her hand to 
the back of Immora's head. Then her soft, warm lips were against 
Immora's, kissing her gently as Immora slid her arms around Akeru's 
neck and returned the kiss with deep passion. Her tongue darted into 
Akeru's mouth as the other woman pulled her closer to her. She closed 
her eyes tight, wishing for the kiss to never end. Finally, they pulled
away from each other and rested their heads against each other. 

Akeru smiled at her and Immora shyly smiled back. They lay there, holding 
each other, until they drifted away into sleep.



"<Immora? Wake up. *ahem* Please wake up, Immora.>"

"Huh?" Immora stirred and woke up to see three of the Royal Guards 
standing over her and Akeru. The two human males, accompanied by an 
female Forest Elf, watched her as she sat up further. She winced in 
pain, her hand trailing to her neck where she'd been cut, noting the 
numbness in her back from the cut she hadn't felt earlier. Akeru 
remained cuddled against her, still asleep, as Immora looked up at the 
guards. She looked around and noticed it was almost dusk--how long had 
they been asleep? "<What are _you_ here for?>" she asked coldly.

"<Well, you were supposed to have arrived a few hours ago for the 
coronation ceremony, so we'll probably have to wait until much later or 
tomorrow to have it. Please stand up and wake up your friend.>"

Immora gently nudged Akeru until she woke up. "Hmmm? What's going on? 
It's almost sunset???"

"Three of the Royal Guards are here since we were late. Stand up."

They both stood up and the Forest Elf guard looked them over. Immora's 
wounds had scabbed lightly, and bruises stood out on Akeru's skin. 
"<You've been attacked, I see. By whom?>"

"<An assassin by the name of E'melok.>"

The Forest Elf looked immediately to the other two guards. "<I am 
surprised you survived the attack! She is a very dangerous woman, 
quickly rising in the ranks of the Assassins' Guild. We'd heard they 
might try to kill someone before the ceremony, but we never thought 
they really would.>"

Immora's eyes flickered slightly and she raised an eyebrow, almost in 
amusement. "<And _why_ would they send her to kill me? Why would they 
involve Akeru?>"

"<They probably felt that if you were killed, the queen would be left 
vulnerable and they'd be able to move in easily to kill you. I don't 
know why they would attack this woman who's with you though. You need 
to come with us now, the ceremony's been delayed long enough already... 
and you both need healing.>"

As the guards turned to lead them, Akeru asked Immora, "What just 
happened?"

Immora laughed slightly, "They told me that E'melok tried to kill us to 
sabotage the ceremony, and that they came to find us because we're so late. 
We to go with them to the palace for the ceremony and to receive healing."

"I _really_ need to learn this language," Akeru mumbled irritably as 
they started to walk behind the guards.

Immora laughed again and took her hand. "I could ask someone to make a 
translation crystal for you. I would make one if I knew how, but they 
are difficult to make. They could translate people's words in your mind 
for you, and whatever you say will come out sounding to others as being 
their own language. It only works when you want it to."

"Sounds like a handy thing to have."

"It is. I had one when I first came here, but not long after I finished 
learning the language, it broke."

"Huh, that's odd... Hey, if we were so late, how come they aren't more 
upset about it? It _is_ important, right?"

Immora grinned at her. "Quenholtians are funny about things like time. 
They try hard to be punctual, but if you end up being late, it's really 
no big deal. We could have turned up three days late and they would have 
waited the whole time for us."

"That's unusual... I guess it worked in our favor though."

"Well, the Quenholtians do tend to think in ways that work to the 
advantage of everyone. Quite nice, if you ask me." 

They continued to follow the guards, talking quietly with each other, 
until Immora asked them to stop. "<Is something wrong?>" one of the 
guards asked.

"<Ahhh... my back... ow... sorry, the cuts sting bad...> Akeru, you 
still have your pack, did you happen to bring any medicine with you?"

"No, sorry," Akeru said. "I didn't think we'd need any."

"<I know a bit of sorcery,>" the Forest Elf said. "<Would you like me 
to heal them? You might have been poisoned you know. Your friend can 
wait, but you can't if you are.>"

Immora nodded as the woman came over and said the words of the spell. 
The wounds healed slowly. "<I'm surprised that spell took so long. Where do 
you draw energy from?>"

"<I tend to align my magic with the forests, and one type of tree in 
particular has healing properties. I drew on the power of those trees.>"

"<Who was your teacher?>"

"<Lorenada, why?>"

Immora frowned. "<A powerful sorceress like her shouldn't waste her time 
teaching, and I would expect her to do a better job. She should have told
you that using trees for healing energy is absurd.>"

"<Er, do you know her?>" the Elf asked.

"<It doesn't concern you, now does it?>"

"<Oh. We should continue on.>"

They continued to walk through the woods until they reached the palace. 
Akeru's eyes widened in shock at the sprawling grounds. "What do you 
think?" Immora asked her.

"It's wonderful!" Akeru said in awe.

The palace itself covered a few miles of space and was made of marble 
and crystal, with tall spires stretching towards the sky and domed 
roofs, several murals decorating the walls. The grounds around the 
palace were filled with gardens and small shops, some temporary huts 
while others were more permanent. All types of Quenholtians-- Humans, 
Pure Elves, Forest Elves, Katrisa, and even a few Dragana-- walked 
among the buildings, talking, doing business, and preparing for the 
ceremony. The palace had stood for thousands of years, and was open 
to all but a few. People turned to watch them as they entered the 
grounds through a gate in front, for the ground were surrounded by a 
high wall. Several people dropped to their knees, others trying to push 
their way over, while the rest ignored them.

"<We'll be entering through the east doors,>" one of the guards said 
as he led them to a large wooden door with carvings on it. "<Then 
proceed down the hall until you reach the ninth door on the right.>"

"<You can leave us,>" Immora said as she walked down the hall with Akeru 
following her. 

"I'm assuming we are going to a room somewhere?" Akeru asked.

"Yep. I have to prepare for the ceremony. A guard told me while we were 
walking here that they would announce our arrival and the ceremony would 
start a few hours following. I need to change and they'll probably give us 
some food."

"Oh... hey, Immora? Why were all those people trying to get over to 
where we were, and some of those people started kneeling and all when 
we walked in? Are they really so surprised to see people?"

Immora tightened her lips as they approached the door. "No, not 
surprised to see people, surprised to see me."

"Why would they be?"

Immora sighed and opened the door. "Akeru... I haven't really told you 
this... I'm quite well known on this world, for many things both good 

and bad. Everyone except for the newborns and those who have lost their 
memories know who I am. I have been a sort of ambassador between the 
mages and the government. Some people even have started some strange 
sort of worshipping towards me. I rarely go into heavily populated areas 
to avoid the attention, and that's why I live out in the woods. They 
are surprised to see me because of that."

They entered the room in silence. Five women sat in there, three humans, 
a Pure Elf, and a Forest Elf. Immora didn't recognize either of the Elves, 
but could tell by their clothing that they were assistants to whoever would
be at the palace as a guest, two of the humans seemed to be dressmakers 
of some sort, but the other human... she didn't look Quenholtian at all. 
Her hair was long and dark green, pulled back in a bun with the loose 
ends hanging down to her waist, with deeply tanned skin and crimson eyes. 
She wore a long black dress with several pieces of silver jewelry, and in 
one hand she held a long silver staff that resembled a key, with a 
decoration on top shaped like a heart with a magenta gem set into it. Immora 
suddenly felt a chill go down her spine, and a strange prickling 
sensation on the back of her neck. She had a feeling she should know 
this woman, but she wasn't sure where from.

Akeru, however, looked at the green haired woman, almost in horror. "You!" 
she gasped.

The woman narrowed her eyes. "Yes?"

"Akeru, who is that?" Immora asked in a slightly choked voice. Her 
magical senses were flaring out of control and she couldn't prevent 
herself from drawing in magical energy.

Akeru was frozen in place with shock and didn't answer. "<Is something 
wrong?>" one of the Elves asked. "<Oh, just ignore that lady over there. 
We don't know why she's here. Says her name is 'Setsuna'>."

Setsuna... where had she heard that name before? Immora took an 
involuntary step back. What was this strange sensation? It was as if she 
recognized the woman, but she'd never seen her before! "Who are you?!" 
she demanded, slipping into the Earth tongue in her confusion. "What do 
you want?!"

Setsuna answered calmly, "I'm just here to observe. I won't interfere 
with you."

"The hell you won't!" Akeru shouted.

Immora turned to her. "Do you know this woman?!"

Akeru shuddered slightly. "She's the one who brought me here... she 
just suddenly appeared and took me away from my home..."

Immora narrowed her eyes. "Look, 'Setsuna', I don't exactly feel 
comfortable having you here. If you don't tell us who you are and why 
you're here--"

"Yes, you'll use your magic, won't you?" Setsuna cut in. "I told you 
already, I am here to observe. Don't worry about it."

Immora clenched her fist. "There's more to you than that, isn't there? 
You really expect us to believe that you're only here to watch things?"

"It is my duty as the Guardian of Time."

Immora felt like she'd been frozen in place. The Guardian of Time... 
here??? What would she be doing here? Why had she taken Akeru here? 
"What's going on?" she whispered to herself.

"<Um, excuse me? Immora? We need to begin fitting you, if you could come 
over here please.>"

Immora nodded weakly and walked over. She didn't notice the dressmakers 
as they started measuring her, and could only wonder about the presence 
of the Guardian of Time. She'd always been told that she never, EVER left
her post, except for rare occasions when she went to Earth to assume her 
role as a "Sailor Senshi". But here she was, on Quenhol of all places, 
acting as if she'd lived here all her life and ignoring Akeru's accusations.

Akeru, however, watched Setsuna with narrowed eyes. She was incredibly 
upset to see this woman here. Immora looked over to her, her eyes more 
than anything warning her to not try to attack the Guardian. Akeru 
stifled a sigh.

"<Hmmm... blue or purple?>"

Immora blinked in surprised. "<What?>"

"<Blue or purple. Which one would you prefer for your dress?>"

"<Blue.>" She turned to an assistant. "<You there, get my friend a 
translations crystal.>"

"<Yes, m'lady, I'll go get one for her.>"

The assistant left the room to find the crystal and Immora told Akeru 
where she was going to. Akeru just nodded, then her eyes widened in shock. 
"Immora-- Setsuna isn't here anymore!"

"What?!" Immora whirled around and saw that the woman had indeed 
disappeared. "Where could she have gone to?" she murmured. "And without 
anyone noticing her?"

"<Ma'am, if you don't mind me saying so, your friend might like a healing 
spell, some new clothes, a bath perhaps? You seem to have had a rough 
journey.>"

"<Excuse me, my friend still needs a translations crystal. I will not do
anything until the assistant is able to return with it.>"

"<Alright.>"

The assistant soon returned and handed the crystal on a thin gold chain 
to Akeru. She put it on and her eyes widened in amazement. "It feels... 
different..."

"That's just the sorcery taking effect," Immora commented. "Don't worry, 
it won't take long to work. In fact, I'm speaking in Quenholtian now. 
Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Akeru nodded in awe. "This will be a handy thing to have."

"Excuse me?" one of the dressmakers said. "Excuse me, umm..."

"Akeru."

"Yes, Akeru, we were just saying that you might like us to heal those 
bruises, then you'll probably want to wash up and get some clothes made. 
This _is_ an important ceremony, after all."

Akeru nodded her agreement. One of the assistants came forward and cast 
the healing spell on her. The bruises faded almost immediately. "There 
you go, the bath houses are that way. Oh, Miss Immora, you might want to 
consider bathing also."

"I will when I feel like it," Immora said coldly. "Stop making suggestions
and do your job."

The dressmakers took a quick measurement of Akeru before telling them 
they could go. Immora sighed and took Akeru's arm in hers. "It'll take 
awhile for them to finish our clothes. Might as well go down to the bath 
houses."

"Um, if you don't mind me asking, but are they, well--"

"Public baths? Pretty much. You get used to them after awhile. Besides, 
it's a nice change from the river behind my house. These baths are 
heated."

Immora opened the door and Akeru followed her in. There were two giant 
pools of water inside, a large amount of steam rising off one of them. 
Towels were neatly folded on tables and chairs all around the room. 
Several closed doors led to where the showers were. The bath houses 
were empty at this time of night. "That one steaming over there would 
probably come close to burning our skin. The Elves have a much higher 
tolerance for temperature than humans and wouldn't notice." She pulled 
her hair up and pinned it to keep from getting it wet, then she started 
slipping out of her dress and stopped when Akeru emitted a slightly 
choked sound. "Something wrong?" she asked.

"Sorry... it's just... ummm..." Akeru turned away quickly.

Immora giggled slightly and set her clothes on a chair. "I think I 
understand. The first time I came here there was already five people 
using the baths and I nearly had a heart attack when one of my 
Quenhol-born students told me it would be rude to just stand there. 
The Quenholtians are far different from Earth people, remember? 
Nudity isn't that big of a deal to them."

Immora slipped into the bath and cocked an eyebrow at Akeru, who was 
adamantly avoiding looking her way. "Akeru, come on," she prodded. "If 
you're _that_ nervous, I promise I won't look. You have to get in 
eventually, you know. After being on the trail, we both got pretty 
dirty. Besides, if you want, I _can_ put a spell on the water so that 
you can't see through it-- quite useless spell in most cases, actually, 
but it would make you feel better, wouldn't it?"

"Oh alright," she grumbled. Immora turned away and spoke the spell as 
waited for her to finish undressing. She felt the water ripple as 
Akeru slid in. "There, I'm in. Happy?"

Immora laughed slightly. "You're rather touchy about this. It's not 
_that_ bad, is it?"

"It's embarrassing," she murmured. "And it makes me really nervous."

Immora chuckled and pointed a finger at herself. "It's just _me_, 
Akeru! It's not like it's someone you don't even know..." She moved 
over near Akeru and whispered teasingly, "We'll probably end up seeing 
each other without clothes one day anyways, so you should just get used 
to it."

"Immora!" Akeru gasped in shock, staring at her with wide eyes. "How 
can you say something like that?!"

She shrugged slightly and looked up at the skylight above them. "When 
you've been around as long as I have, you tend to be a little blunt 
with your words."


Akeru still seemed a bit shocked. "That was _blunt_ alright..."

"Well, it's true, isn't it?"

Akeru coughed. "Well, I... ummm..." she turned away to hide her face.

Immora smiled slightly. "I'm just trying to lighten you up. You seemed 
so upset when Setsuna was there. Try to enjoy yourself and loosen up, 
alright?"

Akeru sighed and leaned back against the side of the pool. "I'll try... 
my nerves are still strung pretty tight though... I was really scared 
when I first saw her there. I thought she'd take me away again. I really 
don't want to leave Quenhol, especially since this is where you live."

"I'd go with you, you know, so it's nothing to worry about."

Akeru smiled slightly. "I know... Immora?" Her smile turned to a frown. 
"Doesn't it bother you at all... knowing that you'll outlive me by 
far? I'll be dead sooner than you realize."

Immora froze in place and her heart felt like it slowed. She'd never 
considered that... Akeru was mortal, and here she was, over a thousand 
already... "Oh my God... I never thought..." She buried her face against 
her knees. She'd live so much longer than Akeru... she'd have to live 
on knowing that Akeru was dead... "I don't think I'd be able to live 
with myself if you died," she whispered. "Maybe... there's some way..."

"That I can live longer? I hope so. I want to spend my life with you... 
and if you feel the same, well... since your life is going to be pretty 
long, I'm going to _have_ to extend mine somehow..."

Immora nodded slowly. "I could ask someone... to..." She bit her lip 
hard as she considered her words. "I... Akeru, it's not that I don't 
want to be with you... but I don't know if you really should do this... 
I mean, I love you, and I want to spend my life with you, but being 
immortal, having a longer life... it's awful. I hate it. I don't think 
you'd want to have the same kind of immortality that I have."

"Maybe there's a way to arrange it so I live as long as I feel like 
living?"

"I think so..." Immora sighed softly. "I wish _I_ could choose... I've 
nearly been killed three times, and only because of that spell I 
survived. But I still had to feel all the pain... until I could heal 
myself..." She shuddered and wiped a tear from her eye. "I would hate 
to see you live with that kind of suffering. If you ever, _ever_ get 
hurt like that, don't make yourself suffer unless there's someone there 
to heal you, because believe me, you WILL feel the pain for as long as 
the wound remains, and it'll stay for a long, long time if you can't 
get healing..."

Akeru slid over beside her and (almost shyly) slipped her arms around 
Immora. Immora blushed very faintly, but returned the gesture and hugged 
her. "Immora, I can endure it, I will endure it willingly, because it'll 
mean that I can stay with you."

"Are you sure?"

She gently kissed her forehead and whispered softly, "Of course, my love. 
You're worth it, whether you believe you are or not."

"I'm not," she faintly returned as tears streamed down her cheeks. "I 
most certainly am not."



The dressmakers smiled at them warmly as they came back into the room. 
"We've finished your garments, would you like to get them on now?"

"Yes, bring them in," Immora told her. The dressmaker handed Akeru her 
clothes and then Akeru left the room to change, then the woman handed 
Immora a dress and she slipped it on, then nodded her approval to the 
dressmakers. "Good job, thank you." She looked over her dress. It was 
midnight blue in color, with thin straps for sleeves, and it fell to 
her knees with a long slit up the right side. The straps were lined in 
silver, along with the trim of her low-cut top, and the hem and slit of 
her skirt. 

"If you'd like, we also found accessories that would match nicely," the 
other dressmaker said, handing them to her.

Immora slipped on the long white gloves and fastened on the snowy white 
cape with the inside lined deep red. She put the silver hoops in her ears, 
then sat down at the vanity to brush her hair and to put on her makeup. 
Akeru soon came back wearing a rich red shirt that buttoned up the front 
with a v-neckline. The collar, sleeves, and hem were trimmed thinly in 
black. With it she wore loose white pants with a black line going down 
the side of each leg, a shiny brown boots. She wore a faint brownish red 
lipstick and had combed her black hair so it was soft and shiny. Immora 
looked over to her and smiled broadly. "You look simply amazing," she 
breathed. 

Akeru grinned. "Why thank you, m'love. So do you." She took Immora's 
hand and helped her up from her seat.

One of the guards came in and told them that as soon as they were 
ready, the ceremony would begin. Immora told him they were ready, then 
told Akeru to go with him and find a seat since she'd have to be in the 
procession.

As soon stood in line with the other people who'd be walking in, she 
felt terribly nervous. This was a very important ceremony that they 
were having her participate in. She wasn't sure if she was ready to 
do this. Several dozen other sorcerers, sorceresses, and mages were 
standing there, not actually a part of the ceremony, but as 
representatives of their respective groups. Dozens of humans, Pure 
Elves, Forest Elves, Katrisa, and Dragana stood with them, also as 
representatives. Immora looked over to them. She didn't have much 
contact with the Katrisa and Dragana. The Katrisa were a group of 
people that could take the appearance of a cat, human, or a form 
in-between, which was what they usually went about as. In that form, 
their eyes had slit pupils like a cat's, their ears cat's ears on top 
of their head, their hair and skin colored in a way that a cat's fur 
would be, and a tail curled around in back of them. Their nails were 
long, sharp claws, and their teeth were also particularly sharp. The 
Dragana were a very unusual group, having the appearance of being 
something between Elf and Dragon. They all had brown hair with black 
bangs, red eyes, green skin that was both pale and bright, and wings 
sprouting from their back like dragons have, with two talons pointing 
from each. Their ears were similar to the Pure Elves' in their 
appearance, and they were all known for being tall, lanky, with 
vicious fangs and claws. Both races were seldom seen by the others,
so it was an unusual sight to see them here.

Immora sighed and took a deep breath. She had to get this over with...
it wouldn't be THAT difficult... walk down the aisle, stand still for a
bit, then cast the spell and leave... God, there were so many people
here! She took a deep breath, then looked around again and saw Akeru
sitting in the rows of seats. Akeru waved to her and winked. Immora
smiled back, suddenly feeling not so nervous. She then glanced around
and saw that Setsuna had returned; she was sitting in a row not that
far from Akeru. Akeru hadn't noticed her yet, from what Immora could tell.
Immora frowned to herself. Why was Setsuna here, what was she here to
observe?

When the orchestra started up, the groups of people started marching
down the aisle towards the throne, where Sharra sat waiting. When they
reached it, they bowed, and turned to walk to their seats. Immora was
the only one who was supposed to stay, and she did so. A man started
reading aloud from a book some things that had to do with the ceremony.
Immora let her mind wander as she waited for her time to come.

Eventually, the man stopped speaking and looked to her and said her cue.
Immora nodded, then walked over to the young, soon-to-be queen. Sharra
raised her ice blue eyes to her, her shoulder length purple hair falling
away from her face. Sharra lowered her head slightly in a gesture of 
respect, and Immora did the same. The mage placed her fingertips to 
Sharra's temples and slowly said the words of the spell.

The crowd fell completely silent and Immora shut her eyes tightly as the
flow of sorcery rushed through her, spreading to her fingertips and sending
the spell into Sharra. It felt like her blood was on fire; the sensation
of the sorcery flowing through her was almost painful, unlike the pleasant,
comforting sensation that magic usually gave her. She gritted her teeth,
hoping the spell would take effect quickly.

Sharra soon sat back, indicating the spell was done. Immora stumbled 
backward as the crowd starting cheering wildly, and Sharra placed the string
of pearls that would mark her as queen onto her forehead. They were too
busy cheering and congratulating to notice Immora as she fled the throne,
running towards the back of the large hall. Akeru got up from her seat and
ran after her, crying out her name.

Immora stumbled to a stop, leaning against a wall as she breathed hard,
almost sobbing as she tried drawing in magical energy to get the sensation
of the sorcery out of her system. Where was some that she could draw in?
She clenched her head in her hands as she squeezed her eyes shut and fought 
a scream of pain. She was surprised when two hands grabbed hers in theirs. 
Opening her eyes, she saw Akeru standing there, trying to calm her down.
She was speaking to her, but Immora couldn't hear what she said. A warm
flow of energy, starting in her hands, started to spread through her. She
closed her eyes and sighed in relief, then collapsed in Akeru's arms.

"Are you alright?" she heard Akeru say.

"I'm alright now," she whispered. "The sorcery... those types of energies
are given to the Elves, not to Humans. I didn't realize that using sorcery
would be so painful. The two energies aren't very compatible. I don't know
how, but when you touched my hands, I was able to flush out the sorcery with
magical energy."

Akeru wrapped her arms tightly around her, pulling her close. "I don't know
either, but I'm glad you're alright."

Immora breathed deeply to calm her nerves, letting her magical senses dart
around to keep herself calm, then pulled away from Akeru with a gasp of 
shock. Was that energy she sensed-- it couldn't be, could it?

"What is it?" Akeru asked, fighting to be heard over the crowd growing 
louder.

Immora took a step away from Akeru, trying to get her senses correctly in
line and confirm what she'd sensed. "I thought I sensed... an energy coming
from you..."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

Immora narrowed her eyes as the nature of the energy became clear to her.
She opened her mouth to speak, when suddenly a loud, piercing scream 
covered up the crowd. Immora and Akeru whirled around to see the crowd
pushing each other, trying to get out of the way. Looking to the throne,
they gasped in shock to see E'melok there, standing over Sharra, who was
on her knees, clutching her arm. Her arm was bleeding, and she was screaming
wildly, shouting for help. Immora's students were running over, trying to
find the right spells to use to protect the queen.

"Damnit!" Immora cried as she shoved her way through the crowd. This 
couldn't be happening, not now! These students were not experienced in 
battle, they would only make things worse. She shouted at them to stay back.
The crowd of gatherers was trying to part to let her through, but they 
weren't getting far. Immora looked around and was horrified to see the whole
of the Assassins' Guild surrounding them, each holding wicked weapons in 
their hands, not afraid to use them, as Immora could see by some people 
crying and trying to stay away.

E'melok grinned and shouted, "Everyone shut up right now!" Everyone 
immediately hushed, with the exceptions of some whimpers and cries from
young children. "Alright, as you may have noticed, our guild is here, and
we're here to kill you, Sharra! I want everyone to stay back, and stay very,
very still. We won't hesitate to injure or kill anyone who tries to 
interfere, is that clear?"

Immora swore under her breath as E'melok came towards the crying Sharra with
a sword raised high. "I'll teach you to try to tell us what to do," she
said through tightly clenched teeth.

She was about to lower the sword, when a clear voice rang out in the Earth
tongue, "Pluto Planet Power... Make up!" followed by a whispered phrase,
"Dead Scream!"

A large ball of purple energy and wind slammed into E'melok, who cried out
in pain. There was a flash of light followed by darkness, and when it was
gone, E'melok lay on the ground, groaning, with Setsuna standing over her,
dressed in an unusual outfit and holding her staff in hand. Her outfit 
looked like a ballerina's uniform crossed with a sailor's garb. She wore
with it tall gloves and boots, a choker, and a tiara on her forehead. She
raised her staff and shouted, "I am Sailor Pluto, the Guardian of Time! The 
next attempt at violence will be met with equal, if not, greater force!"

E'melok groaned as she raised her eyes up, and the Assassins' Guild seemed
to draw back slightly, before someone dove forward and grabbed Sharra, 
pressing a knife to her throat before Pluto could react. Sharra groaned
as his fingers closed tightly around her arm, slit all the way down her 
forearm. "Nobody moves!" He shouted. "Nobody try anything or she gets it!"

Immora tried to think up a spell to stop him, but her mind was a blank, the
words of magic hidden under her jumble of confusion. She still hadn't 
recovered from her use of sorcery. What could they do? Sharra would be dead
before anyone could--

A horribly loud sound cut the stillness, and suddenly, to their surprise,
the assassin now lay on the ground, dead, his head bleeding from a wound
now in his skull. People quickly ran to Sharra to protect her, while 
everyone else looked around to see what had happened. Immora was shocked to
see Akeru standing there, a gun held in her slightly shaking hands, as she
looked down in shock and confusion at the man she'd just killed. An Elf
was able to send a spell simultaneously to all the assassins to knock them
unconscious, as Immora ran towards Akeru.

Akeru put the gun away and dropped to her knees, shaking as she looked at 
the man's body in horror. Immora was soon at her side, and she tried to pull
Akeru towards her to embrace and comfort her, but Akeru gently pushed her 
away. "Please... just... don't touch me right now..." she whispered. She
slowly stood up, then turned to Immora. Her eyes looked almost haunted. "I
just... I..."

Ignoring what she'd said, Immora tightly hugged her, stroking her hair back
and murmuring, "It's alright, it's alright," to her. Akeru shuddered as
she closed her eyes and rested her head on Immora's shoulder. "Akeru, you
did what had to be done. You saved a life in the process. What you did 
wasn't wrong. You did it to protect someone else."

"Immora," she whispered, "it isn't that... I can handle that I killed him,
but..." she shook slightly. "Immora, I didn't pull the trigger at all! I
just lifted it and concentrated on wanting him dead and... and suddenly the
bullet shot out and struck him! I didn't have to pull it... How did that 
happen?! How could it?!"

"Akeru... please... let's just go somewhere else... I'll tell you, but not
here, not now."

Akeru trembled slightly as she nodded. Immora took her hand in hers and led
her out of the room as the other people also left. Assistants and workers
were already starting to clean up, healers were attending to the wounded,
and the assassins were being carried away to the prison. Pluto had 
disappeared shortly after Akeru had killed the assassin.

Immora led Akeru to the gardens in the palace. As she expected, there were
actually some people there this late at night, couples mainly, but they
were far enough away that they wouldn't here what they were talking about or
even notice they were there.

Immora stepped away from Akeru, hugging her arms around herself as she 
considered what to say. "Akeru... in the past few months, I've felt a 
magical energy emanating from you. I was never sure what it was, until 
today. When you came over to me after the ceremony and touched my hands, I
suddenly realized what the energy was. I suppose that at that moment, the
energy finally developed into what it was meant to be..." Immora trailed
off into silence for the time being.

"Immora," Akeru asked softly. "Could you please... tell me what it became?"

Immora looked down at the ground. She could see her reflection in a puddle
of water left from the last rain shower. Her blond hair fell around her pale
face, her cat's pupils focused dully on her reflection. She hated her eyes.
They made her look like some type of demon. She was already treated as if
she was some sort of weirdo, but these made it worse. She started shaking
slightly. Why did they have to put that stupid immortality spell on her?
Or that insanity spell? A few dozen years ago, it had activated, and she
ended up destroying a village, killing many. How could put Akeru at risk
like this? If the spell became active again in her presence, Akeru could
be hurt. A tear slid down Immora's cheek.

"Immora? Is something wrong?" Akeru came up behind her, wrapping her arms
around her waist and pulling her up against her. She kissed her shoulder
gently and whispered in her ear. "If you don't want to tell me, I 
understand. It's alright."

"It has nothing to do with that," she murmured. "I'm sorry, I was just 
thinking... nevermind... I'll tell you... about the energies."

She sat down on a small hill of grass, patting the ground next to her to
indicate that she wanted Akeru to sit by her. "Akeru, the energies you
possess are magical, but in a different sense than someone like mine's. 
Most mages, and even sorcerers and sorceresses, have powers that mainly
deal with... well, bringing things into being. We create weather, 
teleportation devices, blasts of energy, etc. We control the things we
create, and we can destroy them as we choose. Our studies are focused on
harnessing power to create the things we need. Most of us don't bother with
what is already provided for us. If you need a garment, a weapon, food, or
anything else, create it for yourself! Even when manipulating things, we
usually create the object to manipulate. Our energies go to these things,
and only occasionally will we bother with the already existing, or with
things like communication. It's not that we can't do anything else, but
the nature of our powers doesn't leave us much choice. There aren't many
spells that involve the existing.

"Your energies, your abilities, from what I've seen, are quite different.
Your skills lie solely in what is already present. Yours are in controlling 
and communicating, not creation. But your powers aren't in everything. What 
happened with the gun..." Immora paused for a moment to consider her words. 
"Akeru... many of your abilities deal in the mechanical, or the 
technologically developed. Guns, computers, vehicles, doors, things like 
that, are yours to command. You can make them act, make them do whatever you 
choose, as long as they are capable of it. And you only need to want for it 
to happen. But you also have abilities in the elements-- things like air,
fire, stone, water, weather... Right now, you can only communicate with them,
sense them, maybe even control them to some small extent. But that is all,
as far as elements go. You have potential for much greater though. There is 
an object that mages have developed, called an amplifier ring, for lack of 
better term. Several dozen exist right now, more are being made. Each one
is designed to be attuned with a specific element or object. By wearing them,
the user can increase their abilities in that thing to whatever they have 
the potential to achieve. If you were to wear them, you would also be able
to control the elements, bend them to your will, make them appear where you
choose. If you need a fire, some will be taken from somewhere else and
given to you. If you want a drink, the glaciers will provide pure water for
you. If you wanted to attack someone with lightning, the storm clouds would
give up their electricity for you. You could bend them to your will and make
them do whatever you choose.

"You have a great amount of power, Akeru, and a great responsibility to go
along with it. I don't know if you want that, but now you have it."

Akeru thought about it for a bit, then responded softly, "I think I can
handle it, if you help me. If these things are magical in nature, you could
teach me about them."

Immora shook her head. "I would, but your powers are so different from the
spells we mages cast. To cast a spell, we draw in energy from an outside
source and channel it through us, and make the spell happen by releasing the
energy with the specific words that will make it do what we need it to do. 
Your abilities, however, deal with the energy already in something. You 
don't need to draw the energy in, you just make the energy already in the 
object do what you want. I don't know how to do that, so I couldn't teach 
you... I'm sorry. If I were an archmage, it would be possible. An archmage 
doesn't use the words of a spell to make something happen. They have 
developed their abilities to the point that they can merely will it to 
happen and the energy will follow what they choose it to do. I still need
to use the words though."

Akeru sighed. "I guess if I experiment, I could make these powers work out
right. But make sure you are there with me, alright? I don't understand 
magic that well, and I need you to help me understand what it is I am
doing."

"I'll do that," Immora said softly. She looked up into the sky at the moons.
"Akeru, I know this isn't something I should be asking, but how can you love
_me_? I'm a horrible person. I've killed many people--willingly--made many
people suffer. I'm cold to everyone, except for you. I don't like letting
anyone see inside me. The only way any breaks those boundaries is by using
a spell against me, with I believe Lorenada inadvertently did to me. I am
hated and feared by so many people. How can you love me, knowing what I've
done? You're so much better than me. You're kind, caring, loyal, everything
I can't be. You're a wonderful person. I don't deserve someone like you."

Akeru looked over at her, then reached over and cupped her chin in her hand.
"Immora, you might have done some wrong things, but you've also done a lot
of good. You've helped many people, healed many people, and you've been an
overall good influence to many. I understand that you might feel bad for
all the pain you've caused, but you have to consider, what was your reason
behind it? You told me it was alright to kill that man because I was saving
someone else in the process--is that why you killed others? You are cold to
many people, but that isn't wrong or evil. You've been hurt emotionally and
physically, particularly by Necros and Nagera, and I don't know that you can
ever forget what happened, but it's made you strong. It's better to not let
people know about you than to give them the chance to take advantage of what
they know. I don't see for the things you say are wrong, I see you for all 
the good things you are. You were nice to me, even though you'd never met
me before. You've been here for me, listened to me, given me someone to
trust. You've always been kind to me. You can make me laugh, and feel happy,
like no one has been able to do. You are a wonderful person, Immora, that's
why I love you."

Immora's eyes shimmered with tears as she whispered, "I don't deserve you...
I don't... I can't even respect myself... I love you so much, but I can't
help but doubt myself still. Every time I look at you, I feel happier, and I
want you to be so happy, but are you sure you can be happy with someone
like me?"

"Yes, of course I can! Immora," Akeru grabbed her hands and stared her in
the eye, "stop being so negative about yourself. I know that it's hard for
you to believe that anyone could love you, but I do, I truly do. Never doubt
that, because even if you don't believe that I could, I do, and I always
will."

Immora lowered her face and started sobbing. "Akeru," she whispered in a
choked voice, "please... just hold me..." Akeru hugged her tightly, stroking 
her hair. "Thank you," Immora whispered. "Thank you, for being here for me."

Akeru gently pressed her lips to Immora's forehead. "You're welcome, m'love.
C'mon, why don't we go inside? You need some rest."

"Not yet," Immora said softly. She brushed away her tears, standing up.
"Come down to the lake with me, just for a little while."

Akeru nodded and followed her. As soon as they arrived, Immora told her to
stop, then stood by the lake, her back to it as she faced Akeru. "You
wanted immortality, correct? And I was going to put the protection spell
on you too... I looked into someone's mind earlier and discovered the ones
I wanted. I want to give those to you, but please be ready... please give
me a bit of energy when I am done. Sorcery is very painful, and I couldn't
find the magical equivalent. Alright?"

"Immora, don't hurt yourself for me."

"I'd give anything for you," Immora whispered faintly. "I'd suffer anything,
give up anything, I'd die... for you..."

She said the spell softly, and as soon as it was done, she felt the pain
again. Akeru was soon there next to her, grabbing her hands, whispering to
her as she gave some energy to soothe her. Immora shivered slightly and then
smiled faintly. "Thank you... the pain is gone now..."

Akeru nodded and whispered a thank you. She then hugged her tightly. "Now
we really are together forever, hmm?"

Immora laughed slightly. "We are, we certainly are."

Akeru suddenly scooped Immora up in her arms and carried her back towards
the palace. "C'mon, we're going back to our room. You need to rest. You've
had a very long day. They're having a celebration party for the new queen,
I heard, but we don't need to bother with that, now do we?"

When they got back to their room, Akeru set Immora gently down on the bed,
then lit the candles, which filled the room with soft, dim light, just 
enough to see by. "I'm going to bring you some pajamas, then go change into 
mine, alright?" Immora nodded as Akeru handed her the long silk nightgown 
she usually wore. Akeru went into the bathroom to change into her robe. 
Immora sighed softly to herself, brushing her hair quickly before sliding 
under the covers again. Akeru soon came out and lay down beside her. "You 
should get some sleep," Akeru told her. "You need your rest."

"I'm not tired in the sleepy sense though. I'd rather stay awake."

"Hmm, well, if you want to, go ahead. I'm not sleepy either." They both
smiled slightly. Akeru looked over Immora slightly, then commented softly,
"You're very beautiful, you know that?"

Immora blushed faintly. "Thank you, um, you are too."

Akeru smiled and put her arm around Immora's shoulders. "Hmm, shouldn't we
be considered lovers now? I mean, after all, we are in love, and this is
kinda a relationship now."

"I suppose so," Immora said with a slight shrug, then she kissed Akeru's
cheek. "I like the sound of that, actually."

Akeru grinned and kissed her lips gently. "Same here." She hugged Immora 
close to her, then gently pressed her lips to her shoulders and her neck.
"Are you certain you aren't at all sleepy?"

"Yes..." Immora responded with whisper. She pressed her slightly open mouth
to Akeru's, who returned the kiss with fond passion. They held the kiss as
they pressed closer to each other, wrapping their arms around each other's
necks. She gently trailed kisses down Akeru's neck as Akeru ran her fingers
through her hair. Akeru tipped her face up to kiss her lips again, then 
kissed her shoulders while she slid the straps of Immora's nightgown down.
With a whispered word, Immora made most of the candles go out as she bent
to kiss her love again. "I love you," she murmured to Akeru.

"And I love you," Akeru responded softly as Immora untied her robe before
they kissed again.

Setsuna, standing at her Time Gate, smiled to herself as she turned away
respectfully from the images on the mirror she had been watching.



Time: In a memory, the next morning
Place: In a memory, the royal palace in Immonu, Quenhol



Loud pounding on their door woke Immora and Akeru from their sleep. Immora
groaned as she opened her eyes. Bright sunlight was streaming in the window,
piercing her eyes. She looked over briefly to Akeru, trying to hide her eyes
from the sun too. She flung the rumpled covers off of her, almost tripping 
as she stepped on her nightgown. She yawned and searched through the closet 
for some clothes. The pounding on the door continued. "Who is it?!"

"Ka'ina, hurry up!"

"I'll get it," Akeru said. She stared hard at the door, concentrating, and
not long afterwards, it swung open, almost hitting the astonished Ka'ina,
who walked in. Akeru shut the door with her powers as Ka'ina stared at it.

"Good job, Akeru! Ka'ina, I'll be out in a bit, I need to get some clothes
on."

"What do you mean, get some clothes on?"

"Nevermind." Immora continued to look through the clothes, pausing to note
the tangles in her long hair. "Oh man, these will take so long to comb out!"

Ka'ina was observing her surroundings, looking around the large room, which
actually branched into a few parts; the entrance hall, the bathroom, and the 
bedroom, the closet Immora was in being in the bathroom. "Akeru, aren't 
you going to get dressed?" she called.

Akeru groaned. "I'm still sleepy! Let me sleep!"

"Who's that?" Ka'ina called from the entrance hall. "Where are you,
anyways?"

"In the closet in the bathroom that adjoins the bedroom. There's some chairs
in there, go ahead and sit down to wait, if you want."

Ka'ina walked in and stared in visible shock at Akeru. "What the--"

Akeru smiled sheepishly and pulled the covers up higher. "Um, hi, just 
ignore me for now... say, aren't you that student of Immora's, about the
same age as her, right?"

"Yes, I am," Ka'ina said in an ice cold voice.

"Oh, well, nice to meet you. Immora's mentioned you before."

"I'm sure."

Akeru frowned a bit. "Is something wrong?"

"Nothing at all," Ka'ina said in a voice that indicated she was hiding 
something.

"Oh... well... say, where'd my robe go? Immora, where'd you put my robe?!"

"It's _somewhere_ on the floor, I guess!"

Ka'ina picked it up and handed it to Akeru. "Thanks," Akeru said, slipping
it back on. 

Immora came back in, brushing her hair vigorously. "Hi, Ka'ina, it's been
awhile since I've seen you. What are you here for?"

"I was here for the coronation, and I saw you at it, but I didn't see you at
the celebration afterwards and was wondering if everything was alright."

"Oh, I'm just fine, you?" Immora grimaced as the brush got stuck in a 
tangle. Akeru took it from her and started brushing it for her.

"I'm alright, I suppose," Ka'ina said, turning to look at a painting hanging
on the wall. "Everyone is wondering when you will come back. We haven't
heard from you in months."

"Oh, well, Akeru--this is Akeru, by the way--showed up, and she needed 
someone to help her get around Quenhol, so she's been staying with me, and
it just never occurred to me to check up on everyone. Sorry 'bout that."

Ka'ina narrowed her eyes. "You're unusually cheerful. Has anything _else_
happened since I last saw you?"

Immora smiled sheepishly. "Well, yes." She took the brush from Akeru, and
simply said the words of a spell that would undo the tangles. "Akeru and
I... that is... we..." She hit herself on the forehead. "Crap, how do I
explain this?"

Akeru grinned slightly. "I have an idea." She whisked Immora into her arms,
dipped her low, kissed her passionately, then raised the flustered mage back
to her feet. "Catch the drift?" she asked Ka'ina.

"Quite," Ka'ina said between clenched teeth. "I supposed this explains why
I came in to find nightclothes strewn on the floor and you lying naked in 
the bed."

Immora and Akeru both blushed brightly. "Ehehehe... yeahhhhh... ummm... hey,
I'm kinda hungry, let's get some breakfast, okay?" Immora shoved Akeru in 

the general direction of the closet. "Put something else on, alright?"

"If I'm not mistaken, I'd say Ka'ina's jealous," Akeru muttered to herself.

"How have you been?" Immora asked Ka'ina. "It's been awhile since we've 
talked. I need to catch up."

"Not much has happened," Ka'ina said quietly. "Things are calm. Everyone's
been studying, but that's about it."

"Oh, that's nice," Immora said, looking up towards the ceiling. Had Ka'ina
changed at all over these past several months? Hmmm.. no, she still had that
jealous streak, and she still seemed to be--

"Ready!" Akeru came out and grinned. She grabbed her translation crystal
and put it around her neck. "Let's get something to eat, shall we?"

Immora smiled to her and took her hand as they walked to the dining hall.
Ka'ina trailed behind them, sulking. She was about to comment on something
when a kid bumped into her. "Ooof! Hey, what was tha-- oh, sorry about that,
are you alright?" She helped the kid up, while Immora and Akeru turned to
see what happened.

The small Elf boy with green colored skin nodded. "What's yer name?" he 
asked, looking up at her with wide eyes.

"My name is Ka'ina. What's yours?"

" 'Kah-ee-nuh'? My name is Radagee."

Ka'ina frowned. "Well, run along, Radagee."

Immora also frowned. "Odd name for a child. I wonder why his parents would
choose a name like that?"

"What's it mean?" Akeru asked. 

"It means 'magic dragon'. That's an odd name for an Elf. 'Dagee' is usually
only given to those with Dragana background."

Ka'ina's eyes widened slightly. "You don't think he could be the child of a
Dragana, do you?!"

Immora laughed. "Of course not! Everyone knows that Dragana only give birth
to females!"

"Waitaminute," Akeru broke in. "If they only have girls, how can they 
continue to reproduce?"

Immora blinked in surprise. "It's rather unusual, actually. What happens in
most cases is that a male dragon will form a magical bond with a female,
usually Elf, and if the bond is kept long enough, she will actually become
pregnant. Know one knows why, but it happens. The child will be born as a 
Dragana. However, some Dragana will take on lovers that are Elfin or Human, 
and if they have a child, it's usually going to have very few dragonish 
traits. I know of one Dragana that actually had a dragon and a Dragana as
parents. She's almost entirely dragon. Quite nice though. I'll introduce you
to her sometime."

"So, what you're saying is that when the woman becomes pregnant, it's almost
guaranteed to be female?"

"Well, yes, it will always be, unless the father is Human or Elf, then it's
possible to have a boy."

"That's odd," Akeru commented. "It must be really unusual to be a Dragana."

Immora shrugged. "They're an unusual group of people."

They entered the dining hall and found a table to sit at. A plump Human 
woman soon came over. "Hello, hello! I hope you are all doing alright. 
Here's the menu, just holler when you're ready!"

"Excuse me," Immora asked, "but do you know how to make 'scrambled eggs'?"

"Well, if you tell us how to make it, we sure can! In fact we-- *gasp* Say!
You're Immora, aren't you?"

Immora nodded to her. "Yes, I am."

The woman grabbed her hand and started shaking it hard. "Ma'am, my son, 
Kulju, is a member of your school, and he's been telling me about how great
it is! It's an honor to meet you!"

Immora practically fell out of her seat from the energy of the handshake.
"Thank you, I, ow, that hurts, um, Kulju is a very bright pupil, actually,
the last time I was there he was doing quite well."

"Excuse me," Ka'ina cut in, "I study with your son quite often. He's 
expressed a wish to learn more about the healing arts, I don't know if he
mentioned it to you. He's been telling me he misses his family alot."

"Aw, my Kulju's always been a sweet boy," the woman grinned. She nudged
Ka'ina in the ribs. "Isn't he a handsome fellow?"

"I... suppose."

The lady chuckled. "Aw, you're just shy aren't you-- now what do we have 
here? A girl with the eyes of an Elf! What's your name, Elf-eyes?"

Akeru blushed slightly. "My name is Akeru, um, it basically means sunrise
or dawn."

"Hmmm... I saw you at the coronation, aren't you the one that used that
strange contraption to kill the assassin threatening Sharra?"

Akeru paled and nodded.

"I must say, I admired you when I saw that. You saved a good life, someone
who means alot to many people."

"Um, thank you, I guess."

The woman laughed loud. "Well, anyways, what's with those eyes, hmm? Look
like an Elf's, and the translation crystal... you aren't from Quenhol, are
you? Earth, I'll bet."

"That's right! How'd you guess?"

Immora smiled to her and said, "Pretty much anyone who has some unexplained
attribute or feature is from Earth."

The lady nodded. "Yup, it sure holds true. I'd like to go there someday, but
I know nothing about Earth culture! Ah well. So, Akeru, what brings you to
the palace?"

"I just came with Immora, that's all."

"Ah, tagging along I see." The lady grinned, then turned serious and looked
at Immora. "You know, deary, you've been around quite awhile, you ever gonna
hook up with someone? A lady needs someone there for her, you know."

Immora giggled slightly. "Akeru's my lover, actually."

The woman looked at her in surprise. "Goodness gracious, I can't believe it!
The great Immora finally found someone! We've always heard tales about how
'cold' and 'unfeeling' you were, but boy, you sure proved them wrong! Well,
congratulations, girls! Now, what does everybody want for breakfast?"

After giving their orders, Ka'ina questioned Immora, "How could you tell
that woman so much about you? You don't even know her!"

"I've decided to try being nice to people for a change, what's wrong with
that?"

"She was a complete stranger!"

Immora glared at her. "Everyone is, the first time you meet them."

Ka'ina gritted her teeth. "You've changed, Immora, for the worse. I don't
know you anymore." She stood up abruptly. "Excuse me, I'm going to go 
outside a moment."

After Ka'ina stormed out, Akeru turned to Immora, who was holding her head
in her hands. "What's wrong with her? And why did she seem so... jealous of
me earlier?"

Immora sighed. "When Necros brought me here, Ka'ina went to the school 
already, not by choice. He had done magical experiments with her, which gave
any spells she cast with positive intentions the result of placing the
person under her influence, and he also changed her eyes to look like that.
Ka'ina was my first friend at the school, and I've known her since then.
We've been good friends since then but..." Immora sighed again and looked
away. "Somewhere, in the last few hundred years, she fell in love with me.
She tried to convince me to be with her, but I refused. One of the reasons
I avoid the school now is that she would try to pressure me."

"That explains the jealously... I have with you what she couldn't have."

Immora nodded. "Don't take it personally if she is rude to you. She's a
very determined person, and she is really quick to anger. Just ignore it if
she says anything offensive, alright?"

"I will, don't worry."

Ka'ina came back not long after that. She refused to look at Akeru and
remarked snidely, "I hope you two enjoy _flaunting_ your relationship."

"We aren't trying to," Immora said, "but there's no reason to deny it."

Ka'ina slammed her fist on the table and raised her multihued eyes to Akeru.
"Tell me," she asked sarcastically, "how does it feel, Akeru, to know that
you are apparently more worthy than me, hmmm? Don't you just feel proud to
know that you succeeded where I failed?"

Akeru narrowed her eyes and said softly, "This isn't a matter of worth or
pride. It's a matter of feelings, maybe even destiny. Maybe Immora just
isn't meant to be with you. You'll find someone someday."

"She's MINE!" Ka'ina shouted. "If I can't have her, NOBODY can!"

"I am not some object you can claim!" Immora snapped. "If you trully cared,
you would realize that!"

"I don't have to take this crap!" Ka'ina said. "I finally find you again and
you've cast aside our friendship for someone that you've only know a few
months!"

"I am not casting it aside! I will still be your friend, but you can't just
sit here and accuse Akeru like that. She hasn't done anything to you, how
could she, she just met you today?"

"She stole you from--"

Immora screamed at her, "Why don't you just accept that I don't share your
feelings?! Stop trying to claim me!" Her voice had raised to a shriek, her
eyes were glowing white. "LEAVE ME ALONE!"

Shivering, she felt herself losing control as the world went white. She
couldn't see or feel anything, but she could hear voices... what was going
on? Suddenly, it went black as she passed out...



Immora woke up with a start as a splash of cold water washed over her 
face. She sat up in the bed she lay in, gasping and coughing, peering 
around to see where she was. Her vision was blurred and she could barely 
make out a thing; it was almost as if... before, before she was taken by 
Necros, she could remember being nearsighted, needing visual aids to see 
clear; after being exposed to magic she could see perfectly clear though...

Her arms and legs were marked with bruises, and they, along with her torso,
were stinging with cuts and scrapes. Her body felt as if it had been in
a battle, but her magic would have healed these wounds, surely it would
have automatically, these weren't terribly difficult things to cure...
A white bathrobe was tied around her, she assumed that the clothes she'd 
worn earlier must have been too bloodied or stuck to her cuts... what was 
going on?

She shivered and trembled, wincing from the pain as she tried to make out 
her surroundings. Why couldn't she see right? As long as the magic was 
there--

Her eyes widened in shock. Her magic... she couldn't feel it... what
was going on?! She almost screamed in horror, but then she could hear
Akeru's soothing voice speaking, "It's alright, love, I'm here, it's
going to be okay..."

"I can't see clear... things are blurred..." Immora whispered as Akeru
hugged her. "Wh-what happened? I remember... arguing with Ka'ina, then
everything went white and silent, and I was numb and I could hear things
but didn't know what was being said... then it went black..."

Akeru tensed up and sighed. "Immora, I don't think I really can explain
what happened... you'd have to have seen it, been there..."

Immora lowered her head as she gently pushed Akeru away from her. "The
insanity spell, that was it, wasn't it? This is what usually happens...
I'll get angry and suddenly I don't know what's going on and I wake up
not remembering... but this time is different... I can't feel the magic
in me, and things that should be affected because of my magic--my sight,
my wounds--aren't. Please, love, try to tell me what happened..."

"I could let you see," Akeru whispered softly. "You know, in my mind, what
happened... you don't have your magic now, but you should soon. Just
relax and wait for it to come back, then you can see what happened."

Immora nodded, but still twisted her mouth in a quizzical expression. She
felt tired without her magic, the energetic feeling it gave was almost
addictive; without it, she craved it, and with it, it was wonderful, but
she always felt like she needed more... She hated that feeling, the feeling
she knew all mages experienced, that they had to continue, no matter what,
in their studies, because they had to satisfy this urge to gain more power,
and with it, greater abilities and even more magical energy flowing in 
them. She was feeling strangely aware of how physically weak she really was
without the power, and she felt the weight of the thousand years of 
accumulated experiences she had.

Reaching a trembling hand towards Akeru, she choked out, "I'm scared, I'm
so scared... I feel so weak..."

Akeru clasped her hand tightly. "Hush, just relax, it'll go away soon."

Immora sighed softly and glanced to her right, noticing what appeared to be
a hand mirror there. Squinting to attempt to focus on it, she reached out
and grabbed it, holding it in front of her where it wasn't blurred in her
vision. She was so much paler than before, probably a result of her 
injuries, her eyes looked so haunted and lifeless, the sparkle that usually
shone in them was gone, leaving her eyes dull. The slits of pupils she had
didn't usually seem so unusual or frightening, after all, they were 
symbolic of her mage status, something to be proud of more than anything, 
but now... she looked horrendous, like some sort of demon. She threw the 
mirror aside, breaking the glass, and clutched the blankets tight. She 
fought back a sob, a shudder racking her thin frame as she tried to relax. 
Her mind felt almost clear, with the magic gone, the fog around her 
memories was disipating, but what would she find--

She gasped in shock as her vision went into sharp, crisp focus, and her 
skin shone with bright light as magic rushed inside her. She screamed 
loudly at the rush of adrenaline, the sudden energetic, comforting feeling 
that the magic gave. Her wounds healed themselves almost immediately, she 
felt alive again... she smiled broadly as the amount of stored magical 
energy within her filled to the brim, her eyes glowing with life and power.

Opening her eyes she saw Akeru watching her with a look of shock and awe.
The light had gone away now, and she was whole again. She hadn't realized
just how much she'd come to count on her magic, and now...

She gasped and her eyes widened as she noticed Akeru had several bruises
and scrapes. "What h--"

"Hush, you'll see, just look in my mind. My wounds can wait."

Immora sighed softly and quietly weaved the spell, her mind joining with 
her lover's as she saw the events that she couldn't remember experiencing...



"LEAVE ME ALONE!"

A burst of bright light almost blinded Akeru and Ka'ina as Immora's eyes
lit up. Ka'ina screamed loudly and turned away, shouting to the other
people in the room to get out immediately, which they did in a hurry. Immora
hunched over, clutching her arms tightly as she shrieked. Akeru rushed over 
to her when the light dimmed, and was shocked when Immora suddenly lashed 
out at her with a tightly clenched fist. Akeru barely managed to avoid 
being hit and took a step back, confused by Immora's actions.

"What's wrong?! What's going on?!" she asked frantically. Something wasn't
right, she could feel it.

"Get away from her! It's too dangerous!" Ka'ina shouted.

Akeru ignored her and moved towards Immora again. "Immora, what are y--"

Immora aimed a fierce kick right into her stomach, winding her for a bit.
Akeru gasped in shock as a sword whizzed by her face, narrowly avoiding 
hitting her, and she was thrown back against the wall when she sidestepped
it. The blade embedded itself in the wall, and Akeru looked with wide eyes
to see a snarling Immora holding the sword in her hand. She brought her 
knee up swiftly, catching Akeru in the stomach. Akeru lurched forward and 
fell to the ground, looking up with wide eyes and the mage standing over 
her, gathering in magical energy with a determined look on her face. Not 
knowing what else to do, Akeru scrambled away and shouted to Ka'ina, 
"What the hell's going on?! She's trying to _hurt_ me!"

"I-I think it's the insanity spell, it sure does seem like it," Ka'ina said
as she also began drawing in energy, her eyes flashing first silver, then
blue, finally green, then cycling again, shifting so rapidly it was hard to
tell what was happening. "She's not going to pay attention to the fact that 
we're her friends, she'll just attack at random no matter who we are. If 
you have that gun of yours with you or any abilities I don't know about, use
them!"

Akeru looked at her in horror. "I can't shoot _her_--"

"Well, she's going to kill us if we don't do something!" Ka'ina snapped,
shooting a bolt of lightning at Immora, who quickly countered with a burst
of ice. "You have to put aside your feelings so we can stop her! If we don't,
who knows what she'll do!"

Akeru trembled all over, then closed her eyes and silently said, If you
can hear me, elements, don't let Immora draw energy from you... we can't 
let her use her magic now. Please don't give her energy.

She felt an odd surge, and she was given a response--not words, really, 
more like sensations--and she knew that they had agreed to do as she asked.
She sighed in relief and opened her eyes to see Ka'ina running to subdue 
Immora.

Immora stopped midspell when her source of energy was cut off. It looked as 
if she had frozen in place; having a spell cut off in the middle of casting 
it could have unusual repercussions. Ka'ina had an odd vial in her hand; it 
wasn't shaped normally, it appeared to curve and twist. It was filled with a
bright purple liquid that glowed slightly. Grabbing Immora's shoulder, she 
attempted to pour it down Immora's throat.

"I think not," Immora said in a chilled voice. A dagger shot out from her
hand and dug into Ka'ina's shoulder. Ka'ina cried out in pain and doubled
over, giving Immora the chance to shove her away hard, knocking the vial to
the ground where it shattered. Turning to face Akeru, she sent a rain of 
tiny metal shards at her.

Barely managing to shield herself, Akeru dove under a table covered in a
cloth and sat breathing hard, her thoughts racing. She's out to kill us,
she doesn't know friend from foe... if it comes to our life or death though,
what can we do? I can't bring myself to hurt her, even if she isn't in
control of herself right now... Trembling, Akeru slowly took her gun out.
She looked down at it, fumbling to keep a grip on it as it slipped from her
sweaty palms. Calm down, focus... you don't have to hit her, just aim above
her to startle her... Akeru peered from under the table and saw Immora had
started fighting with Ka'ina, both raining blows against each other. Immora
tried attacking her with a dagger, but Ka'ina knocked it from her hands and
sent the blade skimming across Immora's skin instead. Noting where she was, 
Akeru closed her eyes and held the gun out. Just concentrate, she told 
herself, and it will do the rest... The bullet fired without her needing to 
pull the trigger, shooting just above Immora's head.

As she anticipated, Akeru saw Immora duck down for cover, and look around
in surprise, distracted long enough for Ka'ina to get away from her. The
look of sheer anger on her face made Akeru's pale as she started crawling
out from under the table. Immora leapt through the air towards her, 
attempting to land on her and knock her over. Akeru rolled to the side, 
sending Immora crashing to the ground. She quickly moved to pin Immora down,
holding her wrists tightly in her hands and digging her knees into the 
mage's legs to keep her from kicking her. Immora snarled and spat at her, 
but Akeru kept her hold on her. "You alright?" she asked Ka'ina.

"Oh... I'm just... fine," Ka'ina gasped, another vial in her hand. Rushing 
over, she grabbed Immora's chin, prying her jaw open, and poured the 
contents of the liquid down the other's throat. She snapped Immora's jaw 
shut. The mage writhed and refused to swallow. Ka'ina held a sharp knife to 
her throat and hissed, "Swallow it all, you hear me, or this knife cuts 
deep."

Immora grimaced and swallowed, then coughed hard. Ka'ina whispered the 
words of a spell.

"What is that stuff supposed to do?" Akeru asked.

"It will temporarily remove her ability to use magic, long enough for us
to render her unconscious at least."

Immora surprised her by suddenly curling her body in such a way that Akeru's
grip was weakened and she was able to pull away. She skittered across the
floor, trying to escape, kicking hard at them when they tried to get near
her. Stumbling to her feet, she shouted, "You won't stop me, nothing can
stop me, NOTHING!"

"Distract her," Ka'ina mumbled lightly to Akeru. "I have an idea. Just keep
her busy long enough for me to knock her out."

Akeru inclined her head slightly to acknowledge her agreement. "Oh, is that
so, Immora? Why do you think that?" She started walking towards her, gun
in hand; she didn't plan on actually using it, but she hoped it would at
least keep Immora from trying anything. Ka'ina disappeared.

"I'm Immora! I'm the most powerful mage in existence! Nothing can stop my
power, I'm practically an archmage now!" Nevertheless, she was backing away
as Akeru advanced.

"Mmm hmmm, and that means _what_ when that stuff we gave you takes full 
effect, not to mention that the elements aren't going to be listening to you
until I tell them it's alright?"

"I don't need it to beat the likes of you two! You're pathetic, weak, and
not fit to lick my boots. I could destroy you without a second thought."

"That's interesting," Akeru murmured. "What about friends? Do they mean 
anything to you, do you even have any? Can you even remember a thing?!"

"I..." Immora faltered. "That doesn't matter!"

"Oh, but it does. What if I told you that having friends, family, love, 
things like that, are more important than your power. After all, they will 
always be there, just something a simple as a drink can take away your 
magic. This isn't how you really are, you know. You're under the influence 
of a spell. Why not try to break it? Or are you not powerful enough? I'll 
let you draw in the type of energy to do it."

Immora snorted. "Hmph! Those things aren't important, and I most certainly
am not under any influence."

"Oh really? If you used a spell on someone, would they notice what changes
it did to them? After all, you are so _powerful_ and all. Wouldn't you react
the same if someone placed a spell on you?"

"... I suppose... but that's beside the point!"

Akeru chuckled as Immora backed up into a wall and jumped in surprise. 
Immora was letting her guard down, or at least was too confused by what was
being said to think about attacking. "I think not. The whole point of this 
is that you aren't thinking like your usual self, and if you were, you 
wouldn't be doing this."

"Oh really? Well then, what would my 'usual' self do in this case?" Immora
taunted her. "I probably would have destroyed you on sight, bitch."

Akeru couldn't help but flinch at the remark. "No, you would never do 
something like that. In this situation-- well, we wouldn't even _be_ in this
situation."

Immora snorted. "Oh sure, I believe _you_. Then tell me, what kind of 
situation would we be in?"

Akeru was standing right in front of her now. A strange sort of prickling
formed on the back of her neck, and she heard Ka'ina's voice in her mind.
"I'm right here, I'm just... a sort of invisible state, but not quite. I
need her more occupied than this. Do something so she won't notice what's
going on around her, much less me."

"And what do your propose I do?"

Ka'ina sounded bitter as she told her, "Right now, I couldn't care less 
whether you put on a puppet show or rip her cloak off and tie it around her
head, I just need her attention completely focused on you, got it?"

Akeru sighed inwardly and turned her attention back to Immora.

"Excuse me, I believe you have a question to answer," Immora taunted. "Or
do I have to hurt you again?"

Akeru smiled softly. "For one, you'd never hurt me. To answer your question,
it depends on what mood you're in, as to what the situation would be."

"Uh huh, I'd never hurt _you_. _Sure_. I don't even know you! Tell me then, 
if I _do_ know you, what would I do?"

Have to distract her, this way will work plenty well, as awkward as it may
be in this case, Akeru thought to herself. "You'd probably return this
gesture."

"What g--"

Akeru swiftly moved forward and kissed her fiercely, not shutting her eyes
so she could make sure Immora was distracted by it. Immora tensed with
shock and disbelief, staring back at her in confusion, her fingers digging 
into Akeru's shoulders in an attempt to push her back. Akeru was surprised 
however, when she closed her eyes and seemed to soften under the embrace and
kiss back. Before she could worry any more about it, Ka'ina drew away the 
invisibility and knocked her unconscious with a tap to the side of her head. 
When Immora collapsed in her arms, Akeru looked at Ka'ina in surprise. "How 
did you do that just by hitting her?"

"It happens," Ka'ina said coldly.

Akeru trembled a bit. Now that Immora had been taken care of, she could
think about other things... and she could fully see just how much hatred and 
jealously Ka'ina felt towards her. "We should probably take her to a bed
or something to rest."

"I'm sure you love taking her to a bed whenever you get the chance," Ka'ina 
snapped, clenching the shoulder where Immora had stabbed her.

Akeru lowered her eyelids at Ka'ina. "Why don't we just set aside personal
differences and concentrate on Immora's well-being right now, ok? If you
want to make rude remarks and bicker with me, save it for when Immora is 
alright. Understood?"

Ka'ina snorted. "Fine then."

Akeru lifted Immora in her arms and walked out of the dining hall to take
her back to their room. Ka'ina followed at a distance, looking up and down
the hall for signs of any other people. The halls were deserted, however.
Ka'ina had to open the door for her since her arms were occupied already.
Shutting the door behind them, Ka'ina followed her into the bedroom, where
Akeru laid Immora down on the bed.

"I'm going to get some medicines and things to shut out the insanity," 
Ka'ina told her. "Make sure she stays asleep and clean her up."

Akeru nodded at her, and Ka'ina left the room. Akeru looked down at Immora,
and noted with some horror the amount of gashes and bruises on her. Her 
dress clung to her wounds, and would probably only irritate them. Akeru went
into the bathroom and brought back a bowl of warm water, a washcloth, some
ointment, and a white bathrobe. She carefully pulled Immora's dress off,
then started to clean her cuts and rub ointment on them to help them heal
better. Once finished, she tied the bathrobe around Immora's waist and 
pulled the sheets around her. She looks so vulnerable and weak, Akeru 
thought to herself. I hate seeing her hurt like this. I hope Ka'ina gets 
back soon to help her.

Akeru sighed as she sat waiting. Ka'ina eventually arrived with all sorts
of vials, herbs, and jars of solutions, along with a few spellbooks. "I've
never really done this before," Ka'ina murmured, "and I don't want to resort
to magic to help her. I'll try out all these medicines and things and we'll
see if it worked once she wakes up."

Akeru couldn't really follow just what it was Ka'ina was doing. From what 
she could see, Ka'ina was tossing herbs and spices around, making the room
smell unusual, rubbing liquids against Immora's temples, chanting, and some
other things she didn't understand the meaning of. It wasn't really herb
lore, she could tell that, and definitely not magic. What was it?

Whatever it was, it took Ka'ina awhile to finish, and she was tired when
she finally completed it. "Well, that should work. I'm going to leave now.
Get me once she wakes up. If she still is under the effects of the insanity
spell when she wakes up, knock her out with this." Ka'ina handed her a vial 
of some sort of smelling salts. "Just open it up; the scent will fill the
room quickly and react with something else I gave her to make her pass out,
alright?"

"Got it," Akeru said with a nod. "Wait-- one question... During that whole
fight, Immora kept producing weapons, firing ice, etc., but she never said
anything to make it happen. How could she do that? She's not an archmage
yet..."

"The insanity spell..." Ka'ina thought a moment, then continued again, "it's
been known to temporarily increase her power status to that of an archmage.
There is a drink that exists --she didn't take it though-- that can be taken
by a mage to temporarily give them the ability to cast spells without the
words like an archmage can, but it's dangerous to use and can only be taken
once. Any more usage would mean death."

"Oh... thank you."

Ka'ina left her then.

Akeru lay down on the bed next to Immora and waited patiently. She 
occasionally reached over to gently stroke her soft hair, gazing at her
pale face as she watched for some sign that she was awake.

After an hour, she was still unconscious. Akeru sighed to herself, resting
her head on a pillow. She blinked slightly with surprise as a tear slid down
her cheek, followed by another. "Please be okay," she whispered. "I'll give
anything if you will just be alright." She cried for several minutes, then
wiped her eyes and sniffled. Going into the bathroom, she splashed her face
with water then got a glass of cold water to drink. She walked back over to
Immora, still brushing tears away. As she sipped it, an idea formed in her 
head. Maybe... it could work, if she tried it. After all, she'd seen it 
work before. And if it doesn't work, oh well, she'll wake up eventually.

Leaning down, Akeru tossed the water onto Immora's face, hoping for it to
wake her up. She practically screamed with happiness as it did and Immora 
shot awake with a great deal of gasping and coughing.



Akeru broke away then, and Immora reeled slightly, lying back against the
pillows. It was so odd to experience memories from someone else's point of
view, especially when she could see herself in them. Not to mention seeing
just what she'd done.

Immora shuddered and surpressed a sob. How could she have attacked Akeru 
like that? Akeru hugged her tightly, and Immora felt a powerful sensation 
engulf her as she remembered a feeling she'd received from those memories, 
the feeling of overwhelming love towards her that Akeru felt. Immora buried 
her face against her shoulder and cried. "I'm so sorry... I'm so sorry..." 
she whispered over and over.

Akeru stroked her hair and gently hushed her. "It's not your fault that it
happened... don't apologize for it..."

Ka'ina burst into the room at that moment, a furious look on her face. 
"Akeru! I told you to tell me when she woke up! I wouldn't have known except
for when I sensed her energy!"

Akeru snapped automatically, "Well, excuse me, I was taking care of her. I
think that's more important than informing you!"

Ka'ina was about to retort when Immora whispered, "Please don't fight...
Ka'ina, if it's something important, get it over with, otherwise just leave.
Got it?"

Ka'ina lowered her head, then stepped forward and handed her a vial. "I had
someone make this for you... it's supposed to keep you from losing your
memory if you go insane again, that way you'll know what happened. It won't
do anything for this time, but--"

"That's alright, I know what happened thanks to Akeru. I appreciate this,
but I think you need to leave now."

Ka'ina turned and left as soon as she'd been told to.

"It must be hard for you to deal with two people loving you like this,"
Akeru murmured.

Immora couldn't help but laugh. "No, it isn't. Ka'ina is smothering and
possessive; I don't appreciate her feeling this way towards me, and if she 
ever tried to express it, I'd just ignore her. There's no conflict of 
emotions there. You, however," Immora said, cupping her chin in her hand, 
"I will always be with you, and I want you to stay with me forever. I want 
your love, I don't want hers." Immora leaned against her and sighed. "I 
could feel your love for me in those memories... I can't believe you can 
feel so strongly for me..."

"Well, I do," Akeru whispered.

Immora touched her cheek and softly spoke a spell. Akeru gasped and blinked.
"W-what was that?"

"I wanted you to feel my love... you aren't upset, are you?"

Akeru colored slightly. "Sorry, it's just... I didn't expect you to do that,
and to feel something so deep so suddenly..." she sighed and held her 
closer, fighting tears back. "Well, I suppose you know already what I'm 
trying to say."

"Yep..."

"Hmm... thank you... for sharing that with me."

"You're welcome... and thank you..." Immora sighed wearily, "I'm really 
tired still, I'm going to sleep, alright?"

"Mmmhmm..."

"You're tired too, aren't you? C'mon, lie down and rest."

"Mmkay..."

Immora sighed softly as lay back on the bed, holding Akeru in her arms. "I
love you."

"love ya too..."

Soon, they were both asleep, dreaming of each other.



Time: In a memory, approximately 500 years later
Place: In a memory, the Gate of Time



Setsuna was sitting in a wooden chair, calmly studying, when someone 
suddenly teleported themselves into her realm. Without thinking, she quickly
transformed into Sailor Pluto, her staff clenched tightly in her hand, and
raised it into the air to bring down onto the intruder. She didn't expect
to be met with a roar of laughter.

"Oh... heh heh... ha ha ha ha!... oh Setsuna, you should have seen the look
on your face! Ahahaha! *whew*, That was funny!"

Pluto's eyes widened in astonishment. "Immora?"

Immora grinned broadly at her. "Yup! It's been a long time since we first
ran into each other on Quenhol, hasn't it? Well, most of my students are 
gone for the time being; I gave them some time off to relax, so I decided,
hey, why not drop in on the Guardian of Time?"

Pluto blinked several times in surprise. 

"I know, I know, you're probably sitting there thinking, 'why didn't I sense
her coming? How come I didn't know any of these things were going on?' Well,
to tell you the truth, I hid them! Ha ha ha ha! Yep, I hid them from you!
I can do that, y'know, with my magic and all..."

Pluto cocked her head slightly and said in a slightly puzzled voice, "Are
you alright, Immora? You sound... rather excited, full of energy, almost
drunk. I've noticed you aren't usually like this... is everything okay?"

Immora laughed again. "Oh yes, everything's alright and--by the way, like my
dress?" Immora gestured to the long lavender dress she wore. "One of my
students made it for me... anyways, things are fine, why do you ask?"

"Well, if your students are gone and you have free time, why aren't you...
well, I expected you to be spending your time with Akeru, not here."

Immora giggled a bit. "I _was_ spending time with her, and boy, was it fun,
but she told me she wanted to get some things ready and that I should go 
somewhere and have fun because it would take awhile to get everything 
together. So, here I am, waiting for her to finish--"

"Were you drinking?" Pluto asked rather bluntly.

"_No_, I was not _drinking_. Alcohol disgusts me, don't worry; about the
only thing I could get 'drunk' on is magic... But that's beside the point, 
I'm just so excited and nervous wondering what she had planned... 
*siiiighhhhh*... Sorry, where was I?"

Pluto looked upwards and whispered to herself, "Why me?"

"I HEARD THAT!"

"Sorry."

"If you don't want my company, I'll just leave-- _but_, I do have to ask,
Akeru has always wondered why you took her from Earth and wanted me to ask
you if you'd be willing to talk to her about it sometime."

"I wouldn't mind at all."

"Thank you!" Immora chirped. She started walking all around, looking in the
mirrors and at the tall gate. "Hmmm... you see everything here, don't you?
I wonder if you know anything about my past?" she mused. "I sure don't..."

Pluto didn't answer her and sat back down.

"Hmmm, well, I'm going to go now and she if she's ready, bye bye! Have a 
nice 'time' watching time! Heh heh... oooo, that was a lame joke wasn't it?"

"Well... yes... Goodbye."

Immora teleported away just before Pluto buried her face in her hands and
laughed hard. "Oh my God... I have never seen something so..." She threw 
back her head and continued to laugh, then wiped away a bit of moisture that
had gathered around her eyes from laughing so hard. "Thank you God for 
finally giving me a bit of humor in this long life..."



"Akeeerrrrrruuuu!!! Are you ready yet?" Immora called from the hall.

"Almost, just give me another minute! Why don't you change into something
more comfortable?"

Immora giggled slightly. "Comfortable as in casual? Because some people
actually mean to put on something--"

"IMMORA!" Akeru shouted in a shocked voice.

Immora laughed loudly. "I think I'll just wear a robe then," Immora
commented as she magically changed clothes.

"That's alright... okay, I'm done, you can come in now."

Immora opened the door to their room, her dark blue eyes widening in awe. 
Lit candles were placed everywhere, giving the room a soft, beautiful glow.
A meal had been set on the table, all the clutter was cleaned up, and there
was a delightful vanilla smell lingering in the air. Lying on what looked to
be a recently made bed was Akeru. She grinned broadly at Immora. "Come here,
I have some things to show you."

"Hmmm... What kind of things?" Immora asked teasingly as she came over to 
her and crawled up the bed till she was leaning over her.

Akeru laughed and answered, "Not like _that_."

"Aww..."

"Later, love, don't worry... Here, look at this."

Immora took the object from her hands and frowned slightly, sitting back
on her heels. "It's a photograph of someone."

"Yep... When Setsuna brought me to this world, that was with me. I wasn't 
really sure who it was for awhile. Something Setsuna did sort of... I don't 
know how to put it, but it basically scrambled my head a bit. I wasn't sure 
what things were real memories or dreams. I had no idea who that person in 
the picture was, and forgot about it."

"And do you remember now?"

"I think so, but I to tell you some things, about my, actually, _our_ past,
back on Earth."

Immora looked up at her in surprise. "Our? You know something about my old
life?! But how--"

Akeru pressed a finger to her lips. "Don't ask, I don't think I could 
explain it." Akeru carefully took the picture from her hands and set it 
aside, then handed her several dozen sheets of paper covered front to back 
in typing. "Don't read that yet, alright? Ok... how to start... Well, you 
know you are from Earth, right? And the country?"

Immora nodded. "America."

"Yeah, I lived there, wasn't born there though... Do you know how you got 
here?"

"Well... Necros kidnapped me."

"Do you remember _what_ happened though, the actual event?"

Immora strained her thoughts hard, and responded, "Only very vaguely... I
see myself walking down a hallway with a few other people... and then I open
a door and he's there, then we're at his school..." She gripped her head in
her hands. "I really don't remember the details that well."

"What about when you arrived at his school, do you remember things like, I
don't know, your name, what you were wearing..."

"I have no idea what my name was, believe me. I've tried for a long time to
find it out. What I wore..." she tapped her chin in her hand. "Actually, I
do, strangely enough. Everything after I arrived at his school is fairly 
clear, conversations during his classes are blurred a bit... I was wearing 
those blue pants, jeans are what they are called, right? Hmmm, a black 
shirt, black shoes..."

"Any jewelry? Happen to have anything in your pockets?"

"Well, yes, actually... a silver cross and a few rings, and I had in my
pockets, let's see... lip balm, some tissues, drops for my... 'contacts'?...
and a photo... why?"

Akeru snapped her fingers and grinned. "You have a mark around your left 
thumb, don't you, a very slightly shiny mark from wearing a ring on it all
the time."

Immora blinked in surprise. "I really don't know," she said slowly, looking
down at her thumb. "Well, what do you know... I do... Akeru, is this leading
somewhere? I'm sorry, but I don't see how this all connects."

"You'll see, don't worry..." Akeru told her. "Immora, you are from the same
Earth as I am, you realize that? And in fact, if I am correct about all this
stuff, we knew each other, _very_ well. I couldn't piece this all together
before, but... Sorry, trailing off. When I was a teenager, a girl and I
were very much in love with each other. That picture is of her."

Immora felt her cheeks burn with jealousy. "Oh _really_?" she drawled in
slightly cold tones.

"Please don't get upset!" Akeru quickly threw in. "Just hear everything I
have to say. Okay, this girl and I were together for a few years. We had
given each other rings... a sort of symbol of our love, if you will. I loved 
her deeply, and we were ready to spend the rest of our lives together. One 
day, I found out she'd been kidnapped."

Immora's eyes widened slightly. "Kidnapped..."

"Some of her friends had been there when it happened, and said the abductor 
was a tall man with long white hair, red eyes, dressed all in black. He was 
waiting for her in a classroom, and they disappeared suddenly in a flash of
light. I didn't believe the story about the sudden disappearance but... I 
knew she'd been taken away," Akeru's voice tightened with sadness.

Immora looked down and murmured, "White hair and red eyes... like Necros..."

"After I found out, I was devestated. I practically killed myself a number
of times, and I guess I lost it. I pretty much shut out all my memories and
ran away, and was pretty much moping around feeling sorry for myself when 
Setsuna took me away. All those memories were blurred, so I didn't remember 
these things for awhile, but if I'm right, that girl--"

"Akeru, sorry to interrupt, I still have the rings I was wearing then, and 
the photo from in my pocket, do you want to see them?"

"Yeah... If I see them, they'll probably confirm what I believe."

Immora produced them, and Akeru's face drained of all color. "Oh my God... I 
was right!" she whispered hoarsely. "Immora, look at that photo I showed you 
earlier carefully, and look at the one you had with you. Tell me what you 
see in them."

Immora frowned, and looked down at them. "Mine is a girl, looks to be 
Oriental, black hair, brown eyes, yours is a girl with blond hair, pale
skin, dark blue ey--" Immora's eyes widened and she gasped, the photo
sliding from her slackened grip. "She looks like me! She looks like me...
only younger, b-but..." She clasped her hands over her mouth, her mind
reeling. "And mine... my God, she looks like _you_... I never noticed 
before... but... if that is you... why would I have had a picture of you?"

"Those _are_ pictures of us," Akeru whispered. "As soon as those memories 
became clear, I realized it..."

"Ohmigod..." Immora sat trembling with shock. "You mean to say... we were... 
we... before I was taken here...?"

Akeru nodded. "Look at those papers now, if you want... those are some 
letters... I know I wrote some because my name is on them, and I believe
that you are the one who wrote the rest, but the name is different."

"But... how can you be sure that I'm really this girl from all those 
centuries ago? And if I'm not, who is the girl in the picture I have?"

Akeru couldn't help but smile. "It would just be too much of a coincidence
if you weren't... you have the rings I gave her, the kidnapping, how we just
happen to look exactly the same as the people in the pictures--well, we're 
obviously a bit older looking now, but still... you have the same mark on 
your thumb that I remember her having..."

Immora looked down at the letters and quickly wiped away a tear that had
just escaped her eye. "It's just so... I mean, to find out that we actually
knew each other before, loved each other..."

"I know, it's hard to believe at first," Akeru whispered, "but believe me,
it's true..." Akeru hugged her tight and whispered a name softly.

"Was that my name?" Immora asked as she closed her eyes.

"Yes, it was..."

"What's your name, your real name?"

Akeru quietly told her, and Immora smiled. "Strange, I actually feel like I
remember it somehow... hmmm... I'm too used to calling you 'Akeru' though to
call you anything else." She closed her eyes as she leaned her cheek against 
Akeru's. "mmm... I guess we really are meant to be together, aren't we, if
we were together even before all this crazy stuff happened?" 

"I never doubted it," Akeru whispered.

"Hmmm... it's funny... we both couldn't--well, I still can't--remember being 
together so long ago, and we happened to meet and fall in love again..."

"I think it's wonderful... if I had remembered all those things and hadn't
met you again, I would have been crushed to know I'd lost you because Necros
kidnapped you..."

They both sighed and held each other tighter for several long moments.

"I think we should save the reminiscing for a bit later; that dinner you 
prepared is going to go cold," Immora commented softly.

"Sorry," Akeru said, pulling back. She helped Immora up and smiled sweetly
at her. "I could tell you so much about your life that you don't remember,
if you want to hear it."

"After that big revelation, I think I'll keel over if I hear anything
else today!"

Akeru grinned at her and helped her up. "I'll definitely wait then... I 
don't think I'd like it if you keeled over."

Immora laughed and walked over to the table with her. "Mmm... that smells
good," she said, sitting down and starting to eat.

After they finished, Akeru walked out with her to the porch adjoining their
room. It was night out, but the moons shone brightly, lighting the 
surroundings. The stars twinkled and sparkled in their bed of indigo, 
occasionally hidden behind the patches of clouds that slowly moved across 
the sky. "I can never get over how high up this is..." Akeru breathed.

The building where Immora taught her students was high up on a terribly 
steep mountain, and clung to the side of it, supported by magical spells to
keep it from falling off. Their room and porch were on the side that 
dropped off the most, so they could look down over the valley far below. 
Even the tall trees barely reached this height, and they could only faintly 
make out the tiny dots of people walking around. The porch itself actually 
jutted out from the side, supported from underneath by beams.

"I like it though," Immora said. "It's a beautiful view, and no one could 
just climb up to it and get in, unlike most of the other rooms here."

"Yeah, it is nice... Hmmm... it's starting to snow."

"Where? I don't see any snow flakes."

"Oh, sorry, you can't see it yet, I just felt it starting."

Immora chuckled. "My own private weather forecaster," she teased.

Akeru stuck her tongue out. "You're just jealous."

"Oh _really_?" Immora stood up on the stone railing. "*sniff* You're hurting
my feelings; I'd take that back if I were you."

"Why should I? You _are_ jealous that I have these elemental powers and you
don't."

Immora tested the wind with her finger. "Oh good, it's blowing west, that
should carry me well..."

"You're not going to jump, are you?" Akeru asked in a panicky voice.

"Why not?" Immora leapt from the side.

Akeru let out a startled cry, and ran to the side where Immora was 
plummeting downward. "Oh damnit..." She dove over the side, frantically 
contacting the wind guardians, asking them to buffer her fall.

Immora looked up at her, the speed of her fall blowing her hair in her face.
"Decided to follow?" she shouted up at her lover. She laughed, and a blue
glow formed around her, slowing her to a stop in midair.

Akeru swore under her breath as she continued to fall. Immora reached out 
her hands and grabbed Akeru's, pulling her up close against her in a tight
hug to hold her up. "Couldn't stop, could you?"

"Wind is rather stubborn sometimes, it didn't listen when I asked it to 
help out."

"I'm the only thing holding you up then... wow, we're pretty high up."

Akeru looked down at the valley, then up at their porch. "Y-yeah... we 
are... can we please go back up to our room now?"

"You don't like it out here, just floating in the air? I love it... flying
is one of the most fun things, better than just standing in the air, but 
it's still kind of thrilling, isn't it?"

"Immora, please..."

Immora frowned. "There's nothing to worry about. I won't let you go."

Akeru wrapped her arms tightly around her neck. "You better not... I really
don't like this..."

Immora hugged her closer to her. "We'll go back up in a moment, let me draw
in some more energy first so I don't drain myself." She felt around with her
mind for a good energy source. "Hmmm... I need an air source... damn, 
they're all ignoring me! That's odd... I've never been refused like this 
before..."

Akeru shivered against her. "It's cold... can you please just bring us back 
up?"

"If I don't get more energy, we won't make it very far." Immora searched 
around again. "Talk to those crazy wind elements. They are actually keeping
me from drawing in energy!"

"I'll try to get them to listen..." Akeru closed her eyes. "Ahhh, there we 
go."

Immora's eyes glowed faintly as she drew in the energy she needed. "Going 
up," she commented as they started to rise. "We'll be back to the porch in 
a little bit. Don't want to go to fast or it'll jostle us. I'm really just 
using the magic to lift _me_, and you're going up since I'm holding on to 
you. I would cast a separate spell on you so I wouldn't have to hold on to 
you, but I think you like it better in my arms, right?"

"Y-yes... but... Just don't let go," Akeru said between clenched teeth. "I 
don't care how we get up as long as I don't have to do it alone."

When they were level with the porch but still several feet away from it, 
Immora asked her, "You're afraid of falling, aren't you?"

"Yes, is there something wrong with that?"

"Not at all, I was just wondering... you jumped after me despite it?"

"I didn't think it through at all, actually, just instinct. I mean, you're 
immortal, so the fall wouldn't kill you, not that you'd let yourself get 
that far, but my instincts just took over... I saw you falling and wanted 
to rescue you."

"My hero," Immora drawled teasingly.

"Can we just go back to the porch now?"

"Don't you trust me not to let you go?"

"Yes, but I would really feel more comfortable back on the porch than in
midair..."

"Alright," Immora said, as they landed on the porch. "Better?"

"Much better..." Akeru breathed. She then shook her finger accusingly at 
Immora, "Don't _ever_ do that to me again!"

"Sorry! I was just kidding around, I really was, I didn't mean to upset 
you," Immora looked at her with concerned eyes.

Akeru sighed and hugged her. "It's alright, you just really gave me a 
scare."

Immora hugged her back. "Sorry again..." She looked up at the sky and
exclaimed, "Oh, wow! I can see the snow! There it is!"

They turned to look at the flakes slowly falling from the night sky. "It's 
pretty, isn't it..." Akeru murmured.

"Mmmm, yes, I like watching the snow..." Immora reached up and cupped 
Akeru's chin. "But I can think of other things I enjoy looking at more."

Akeru smiled down at her. "Oh really? And that would be...?"

"You, of course," Immora murmured, leaning up to kiss her lips. 

Akeru bent down and returned her kiss, then pulled back slightly and 
whispered, "Let's go inside, much warmer in there..."

Immora followed her back in, closing the door behind them. She wrapped her 
arms around Akeru's neck as they kissed each other again. Akeru drew her 
back away from the door, still wrapped in the embrace. Immora whispered 
softly, "I love you, I will love you forever."

"And I love you eternally as well." Akeru gently lifted her into her arms 
and carried her back to their bed. Smiling sweetly, she set Immora down, 
bending to kiss her again, but was stopped when Immora pressed her finger 
to her lover's lips. "What?"

"Sorry..." Immora replied, "It's just..." she blushed faintly and turned 
her eyes away. "You look really beautiful when you smile like that..."

"You always look beautiful," Akeru whispered.

Immora blushed faintly. "I-I'm wasn't saying that you aren't any other 
time, but--"

"I know what you meant," Akeru broke in with a small grin. "Thank you."

Immora smiled and kissed her cheek. "You always do. You know me better than 
I know myself!"

"I do, don't I?" Akeru replied as she kissed her neck and shoulders.

"mmmmmm... Be careful, you almost knocked that candle over with your foot."

"Sorry, I'll put it out." Akeru blew it out, then started to go back over 
to Immora.

"Might as well just put all the ones around here out. It's warm enough in
here without a fire going too; you don't want us to sweat from the heat, do 
you?"

Akeru chuckled as she put the other candles out. "Actually, yes... Well, not
as a result of the temperature of the room but from other things..." she 
trailed off with a sly smile.

Immora grinned at her and embraced her tightly when she'd finished putting
out the candles. "I definitely agree with that." They kissed again, and 
Immora looked over her lover's shoulder towards the door. "Lock the door 
too," she whispered. "Don't want us to be interrupted, after all."

With a thought, Akeru turned the key in the lock, then she chuckled as she 
looked down at Immora, who'd slid under the blankets, pulling them up to 
cover her bare skin as she tossed her robe on the floor. "Have I finally 
taken care of everything?" Akeru asked.

"Not really. You're still dressed, aren't you?"

Akeru blushed. "Oh... that."

"Yes, that," Immora laughed. When Akeru finished undressing, Immora wrapped 
her arms around her neck again, kissing her lips passionately, then bending 
to kiss the side of her neck. Akeru moaned faintly and lay down next to 
Immora, kissing her shoulders in return. Immora giggled slightly and gently 
nibbled her earlobe, running her fingers through Akeru's short hair. Akeru 
cupped her chin and pressed her open mouth against Immora's and they slipped 
their tongues into each other's mouths. After Akeru pulled back, Immora held
the blankets up for Akeru to slip under as well, and laughed when Akeru
immediately moved to kiss her again.

A figure, leaning against the door outside their room, slowly slid to the 
floor, crying. "It's not fair," she whispered to herself hoarsely. She 
clamped her hands over her ears as she heard laughter coming from inside, 
followed by the sound of sheets being ruffled, and voices whispering to 
each other. "It has to end... one day, I'll stop it." She clenched her 
hands into fists, pulling her hair tightly. Her eyes started glowing from
her rage.

"Oh Akeru! OH!!"

The figure lay her head on her knees, her lips tightening in anger.

"What are you doing here, Ka'ina?" someone walking down the halls asked.

"Nothing, Kulju," she murmured.

"You're blocking my way, you know. I wanted to ask the master something."
He combed his hand through his short brown hair and gazed at her with his
puzzled, pale green eyes.

"She's very busy, can't you hear?" Ka'ina muttered as Akeru's muffled cries 
could be heard.

He blushed deeply. "Err... oh... I see... Well, I'll just wait until, umm, 
morning, during class. Uhhh, I guess I'll see you tomorrow..." he trailed 
off.

"Leave me alone," Ka'ina muttered.

"Ka'ina, why don't you just come with me to the dining hall, get some 
dinner... I mean, you never get out and try to enjoy yourself. Stop 
following Immora around and feeling sorry for yourself. You know she's not 
going to leave Akeru for you."

Ka'ina lowered her eyes and murmured, "Is it _that_ obvious?"

Kulju sighed. "Ka'ina, you've been my classmate for centuries now. After 
awhile, you pick up on these things--" He winced as Immora's scream broke 
the air. "Uhhh... look, at least come with me and talk. You're just going 
to make yourself miserable if you sit here listening to them h-- uh, you 
know. It's not like I expect you to fall for me or anything, I just want to
help out as a friend, ok? Please?"

"Fine," Ka'ina sighed, standing up and straightening her blue dress. She
followed Kulju down to the dining hall.

"A-Akeru... I thought I heard voices..."

"mmm... I didn't hear a thing... then again I wasn't exactly concentrating
on that... *chuckle*..."

"_Akeru_!"

"*giggle* Sorry, love..."



Time: In a memory, about 300 years later
Place: In a memory, the mage school, Quenhol



Reading reading reading reading... it sure did get dull after awhile. Immora
was searching through a thick book for a spell, and had been for the past
few hours. Damnit, where was it?! She had to finish before dinner, Sharra
was coming to dine with her and all her students. Search search search...
oh no. God... why me?

Immora carefully closed the book, rubbing her temples with her index fingers
to alleviate the pounding sensation in her head. All that reading to find 
that spell, and what happened? It was ripped out. She sighed and lay her 
head on her arms, her hair spilling out onto the table in front of her. The 
bench she sat on wasn't quite comfortable, but right now, anything would do. 
She almost went to sleep, then was startled when two hands covered her eyes.

"Boo. Guess who?"

Immora giggled and reached up to stroke the hands. "Hmmm... could it be
Akeru?"

Akeru grinned as she leaned over Immora's shoulder to rest her cheek against
hers. "However did you figure that out?"

"Who else would sneak up on me like that? Besides, you did a poor job 
disguising your voice, and I know the feel of your hands very well."

Akeru laughed a bit, hugging her from behind. "I should think so!"

Immora smiled up at her and pressed her palm against her cheek. "So, what
are you up to?"

"Just wanted to check up on you. You've been locked up in here for hours.
Did you find the spell?"

Immora sadly shook her head, reaching to put out the candles she'd used for
light. "No, it had been ripped out--" Her voice cut off in a gasp of 
surprise as she accidentally knocked a candle over onto the book and it
started to catch fire.

Akeru reacted much quicker than she did, her eyes shimmering for a moment
as the fire disappeared. "There, no harm done."

Immora let out the breath she'd been holding. "Thank goodness! There's still
some things in that book we could use... You stopped it pretty quickly."

"I've been getting better at controlling this stuff. I practice when you're
busy with this." Akeru sat down next to her on the bench. "I'm not trying
to be rude... but do you really need to spend so much time on these spells?
You're already so good at magic."

Immora sighed and clasped her hand. "I wish I didn't... but I have to. It's
just... I don't know, it's hard to explain to someone who isn't a mage...
you feel forced to keep working and working to get more powerful whether
you want to or not... In a way, it's a responsibility. If we didn't learn
to control our powers, things would be pretty chaotic..."

"I just wish it took less time," Akeru grumbled. "I haven't seen you much
these past few months."

Immora kissed her cheek. "I know, I'm sorry... Don't worry too much, we have
eternity to spend with each other. I just need to keep studying for now...
once I make archmage rank, I won't have to do this so much."

"How long will it be till that happens?"

Immora thought about it a long time. "I don't know. There's no real way to
judge it. I wish I knew."

Akeru sighed and rested her head on Immora's shoulder. "Oh well..." She then
sniffed a bit and raised her head again. "Immora, you're all dusty from 
these books and you smell like the wax..."

Immora blushed a bit and laughed, embarrassed. "Ooops. I better go take care
of that before dinner. I don't think that it would make a terribly good
impression on Sharra to show up like this."

Akeru helped her up and they walked back to their room, locking the door
behind them. As Immora was turning on the water, she commented to Akeru,
"You know, it never hurts to take a shower..."

"Hmm, I suppose I should take one too..." Akeru grinned a bit. "But don't
we have to meet your students in an hour? It takes you awhile to wash your
hair."

Immora smiled and took her hand, pulling her in behind her. "Well, we better
save time then. C'mon, you can help me get all the tangles out."

Akeru laughed and shut the shower door. "Fine with me..."



Tap tap tap. Tap tap tap-tap-tap tap tap tap. Tap tap. Tap-tap-tap-tap-tap.
Ta--

"Excuse me."

Kulju looked up at Sharra, watching him with irritated eyes. "Ah, my queen?"

"Would you please stop tapping your fork on your plate? It's bad enough
that she is running late, but it doesn't pass time any quicker when you do
that."

"Sorry."

Sharra looked away and started talking again. Kulju sighed heavily. The 
queen had been ten minutes early, and where was Immora? Twenty minutes late.
It figures... The ruler of the world comes for a rare visit and the one
that she came to see isn't there for the arrival. Great.

Kulju picked up his fork and resumed his tapping.

Sharra glanced over at him once, but he was oblivious. She sighed in
resignation and fiddled with the chain of pearls she wore on her forehead.
Someone burped loudly. He had to pass the potatoes to the girl sitting next
to him. A man left in a hurry for the bathroom. Yep, very exciting, waiting
for the master to arrive. And where was Akeru? They could all hear the 
sound of the pipes carrying water to a shower, but--

Oh. Kulju coughed to himself at the realization. Well, that answered _that_
question. He hoped they would finish soon and finally join everyone. Sharra
was looking rather bored.

Kulju stopped tapping his fork to his glass when the dining hall door
opened. His fellow students all looked up as well, falling silent. Immora
and Akeru quickly took their seats, both blushing a bit.

"My, my, twenty five minutes late," one of the older students commented with
a knowing smile. "Were you busy?"

The others laughed a bit and smiled, and the conversations resumed while
they started pausing around the dishes to the couple's end of the table.

"Sharra," Immora greeted the queen weakly, giving her a quick curtsy and
a hug. "It's been centuries. You're looking well."

"You too, Immora. I was beginning to wonder if I'd ever get to see you.
You sure did take your time getting here."

Immora cast a quick glance at Akeru. "Ahhh... yeah. Um, sorry about that...
completely lost track of time."

Sharra smiled faintly, looking over to Akeru as well, who now had a confused
look on her face. "It's alright, I think I can understand why you would."

Immora colored slightly and whispered to her, "Cloria, please, I'm already
embarrassed enough as it is!"

"Sorry. I don't get to talk to people often about anything other than things
involving my rulership, so any chance I get to have fun and have a _real_
discussion, I take, no matter how... well, embarrassing it may seem."

"In the future, try not to!"

Sharra laughed slightly and turned away while Immora started eating, 
listening to everyone else.

"You know, Dacon, that wasn't very nice," Kulju said in a soft voice to the 
woman next to him that had been teasing Immora and Akeru.

Dacon shrugged, flipping her red hair over her shoulder. "Oh well. We _all_
know what they were up to anyways. Besides, as long as they don't get upset
over it, why not have a little fun by poking fun at them?"

Kulju was about to comment but fell silent when he felt Ka'ina's icy glare.
Geez, what was she mad about now?

"I suggest you stop harassing the master," Ka'ina hissed to Dacon, her eyes
still fixed on Kulju, however. "There's no reason to make those rude
remarks."

Dacon wasn't the slightest bit intimidated. "Calm down, Ka'ina. They're not
'rude,' and I was just teasing. Everyone knows that the master and Akeru are
rather heavily involved and have been the past few centuries, so it's not
like we're spilling their secrets or anything. Besides, they make all sorts
of innuendoes to each other when the rest of us are around. If they're
going to do that, we have a right to joke about it when they go through with
them."

Ka'ina seemed about to say something when Immora called out, "Dacon, could
you pass the syrup?"

Dacon answered warmly, "Of course, master," and passed it down the row,
glaring at Ka'ina as she did so.

Kulju whispered to Dacon, "Do you think she heard us?"

"She's Immora, anything's possible!"

Someone else was calling out to Immora, "You missed seeing Kreesh's antics
earlier. He had made the wine for us, and brought it in to present it,
but tripped and spilled it all over Ralore!" 

Someone else piped up, "Yeah, poor thing, she just finished sewing that new
robe too, and Kreesh had to ruin it. You should have seen the lightning bolt
she threw at him!" 

"It missed me though," the man in question said, "but man, if she'd hit-- 
Yowch! That thing was pretty powerful! Too bad you two were too busy with 
each other to see it happen."

"Oh, I'm sure they don't mind missing it after what they were busy with when
it happened!"

The two started laughing while Immora slid back in her seat, red in the
face, but she was still grinning widely. Akeru hid her face in her hands,
but she was laughing a bit.

"Ok, ok, enough of that," Immora said, "You've had your fun for tonight, 
give it a rest till tomorrow."

"Oh, so something will have happened between now and then, eh? Geez, Akeru,
you must be pretty g--"

"_Kreesh_!!"

"Ooo, you're in trouble now!" someone called out.

Immora stood up, wiped her mouth carefully with a napkin, and pulled a 
startled Akeru to her feet. "We should leave these _immature_ students
behind," she sniffed. "Sorry, Sharra, perhaps another time?"

"That's fine, we have all the time in the world, after all."

"Awww... we were just kidding around!"

Dacon nudged Kulju, then piped up, "You're just using this as an excuse to
run off with her, aren't you? *Tch, tch* Setting a bad example for the
younger students..."

Akeru quickly replied to her, "We're in love! And we're old enough to do
whatever we feel like!"

"I'm not saying you can't," Dacon shrugged, "but my, my, so often!"

"Eeek!" Immora squealed a bit, then quickly stammered a spell, sending a
brief rainshower at Dacon. Dacon stood up, shouting and cursing as she
tried to keep from getting wet. Pretty soon, spells were flying everywhere,
none harmful, but all thoroughly irritating.

"This is worse than a food fight," Kulju groaned as a rabbit hopped across
his dinner. He randomly dropped a head of lettuce on someone just as he
was knocked out of his chair by a large pillow. Dacon helped him up, then
shouted out in surprise as Sharra joined in and tossed a huge bundle of
papers at her.

Akeru grabbed Immora's arm, laughing hard, trying to fend off the spells.
"This was supposed to be a formal dinner, maybe you should put a stop to 
this--"

Immora interrupted, "No way! We need a chance to have fun with our magic
for once, this is the perfect opportunity to relieve stress!" She threw 
a ball of yarn at someone right before ducking to avoid loudly quacking
duck. "Besides, even Sharra is joining in. This is going to be great!"

Akeru sighed in a "why me?" gesture, and started sending tiny bursts of
wind around the room, mussing people's hair and sending things in the wrong
direction. A cloud of pink smoke ended up in her face, making her cough
a bit as she countered with a big rose bush popping out of the wall.

"This is nuts..."

"It's fun!" Immora insisted, avoiding a streak of color that would have 
turned her blue dress a hideously cute shade of pink.

"_This_ is what you call fun..." Akeru said in a sarcastic tone.

Immora grabbed her arm and pulled her startled lover up against her. "Well,
mildly amusing I suppose... there are other things I'd find _much_ more 
entertaining..."

"... There's a giant marshmallow flying at us."

The two dove to the floor, the marshmallow smashing into a sticky lump on
the wall, then Immora tossed a plate up in the air, turning it into a 
bird, and sent it out at her students.

"That sure did come at a bad time, didn't it?" Akeru commented.

Immora grumbled a bit, "It sure did..."

Sharra suddenly ran by, chased by a much shorter Elf, who was waving a
foam bat in the air while Sharra's hair kept changing colors. Kulju fell
from the ceiling to land on a camel. Someone was singing an old Earth song
loudly, with abrupt halts to shout out "Hello!"

"Okay, now it's getting insane," Immora commented.

"Maybe you should try to stop them."

"If that's possible!" Immora stood up and started to speak, and was pushed
back against the wall again by a gust of wind.

"Whoops, sorry! I should have been more specific in telling it where to go."
Akeru went over to help her to her feet again. Immora just stared at her,
looking as if she was trying to hold back a loud laugh. "What? Do I have
something on my shirt or some... thing?" Akeru turned bright red. "Oh my...
gimmeyourcloakrightnow!"

Immora burst out laughing then as she handed Akeru her cloak to wrap around
her torso. "Whoever made it disappear is going to get it..." Akeru growled.

"Heh heh... Hey, I didn't mind it!"

"_Immora_!"

Ka'ina suddenly fell by Akeru's feet with a familiar cloth wrapped around
her ankle. Akeru pulled her shirt away and quickly pulled it back on. Ka'ina
looked dazed, and her hair was soaked in wine. Someone dragged her away,
then there was a loud explosion as the chandelier shattered with a bright
glow of light. 

"STOP!!!"

Everyone turned to see Immora standing in the center of the room, her eyes
blazing brightly and sending blue highlights dancing across her hair and
her clenched fists. "It was fun at first, but you are getting _way_ too 
wild now. I want this mess cleaned up _immediately_. Sharra, come with me
please."

The students rushed to pick up things and tidy up. Immora placed her hand
wearily to her forehead and started walking out of the room, trailed by
Akeru and Sharra. Akeru quickly raced to her side, catching her just as she
stumbled and lost her footing.

"Are you alright?!"

Immora nodded slowly. "Sorry... I just... I didn't mean to do that... the
thing with the chandelier... I never thought it would wear me out so much
... um, I'm very sorry about all this... geez, I was late getting there, 
then my students got out of hand..."

"It's alright, there'll be other times," Sharra replied.

"If you still want to talk, we could go into the study in our private wing
... Akeru, could you come too?"

Akeru nodded and helped her as they entered their private section of the
complex. It held their bedroom, Immora's study, their observatory, things
that they didn't want just anyone to barge into whenever they felt like it.
The doors only opened when they approached, or to someone they had entered
into the system to allow access. 

Sharra sat down in a chair while Immora curled up against Akeru on the couch 
across from it. 

"How have things been, as far as the world situation?" Immora asked. "We
don't hear much here."

"Hmmm... well, the Assassins' Guild seems to be neutralized for the time
being. The Dragana have gone deeper into hiding, and the Dragons with them.
The Katrisa have been seen more, however." She paused a moment. "There
have been reports of... I don't know how to describe it, but they say that
someone destroyed everything in the galaxy. We are unaffected here, of 
course, but they say that everything has started over out there."

Immora sat up quickly. "Who did it? Where did this happen?"

Sharra produced a paper with a list on it, and quickly read over it. "It
is believed that one called 'Sailor Saturn' is responsible. She was trying 
to prevent a demoness from possessing her and taking her abilities. It
happened on Earth." Sharra looked up at her. "You know of this girl?"

Immora blinked a bit. "You could tell, eh? Well..." She rested her head on
her chin. "I know Sailor Pluto... the Guardian of Time... a teammate of
hers. It just seems so strange to hear that... I can't believe it could
happen."

"You never know what will happen when Earth is involved."

"Earth's not _that_ bad," Akeru commented. "Not at all like here, of course,
but it's still got good traits. Don't be so quick to judge it and its
citizens."

Sharra raised an eyebrow. "I apologize... but you have to understand, our
information on other worlds is limited, and if we make judgements based on
what we hear, well..."

"Why don't you tell us what else is going on?" Immora quickly threw in, not
wanting to listen to an argument.

"Well, um, here's something you might be interested in. It's a rather silly
survey if you ask me, but the council decided they want to get an idea of
what kind of people are living here."

She handed the paper to Immora, who held it so Akeru could read it too.
"Hmmm... I guess we should take it; it would help out when it comes time to
making decisions," Immora said quietly.

"Thank you... just send it back when you finish... um, well, I better be 
leaving now. Goodbye."

"Goodbye. Talk to you later."

Sharra closed the door quietly behind her, and they could hear the loud
click of the wing's doors seal after she left.

Immora carefully set the paper on the floor, lying back on the couch, then 
looked up at Akeru. "Maybe we should go back to the palace sometime, to 
take a break from things."

Akeru tucked a piece of hair behind Immora's hair as she crawled over to 
lean over her. "I'd like that. We need a break from this place."

"Something wrong with it?"

"I would just like to be alone with you sometime. The palace is nice, great
accomodations, and we could reserve a spot far away from anyone else." She 
kissed her forehead and whispered, "It's been awhile since we could simply 
enjoy each other's company for weeks on end."

Immora smiled slightly and gently caressed her cheek. "Well then, give me
tomorrow to tell my students that I'll be leaving temporarily, then we can
be off, alright?"

Akeru nuzzled her face against Immora's neck, making her giggle a bit. "The
sooner the better... I can't wait to be alone with you."

"We're alone right now, love..."

Akeru bent to kiss her lips delicately. "Yes, but there's always the chance
that something could come up and you'd have to go off and teach, or someone
would have a problem with a spell... that nut Ka'ina could bother you..."

Immora quickly hushed her. "Akeru, don't worry about her, I don't want her
around me either. I only let her stay because it's... oh, it's another
stupid mage thing, I'm really the only one qualified to teach other mages,
and if someone goes untrained, it could be horrible for everyone else."

"I still hate her."

Immora kissed her cheek and hugged her. "Please, let's not think about that,
okay? I don't want to worry about anything else right now, I want to
concentrate on _you_."

"Fine with me." Akeru slipped her arms around to Immora's back, holding
her close while she kissed her.

"... let's just stay here, I'm too tired to move."

"If you want," Akeru replied, laying her head on Immora's chest. "Anything
for you."

Immora smiled, running her fingers through Akeru's black hair. "If you are
uncomfortable--"

Akeru grinned and rubbed her cheek up against her. "This is quite 
comfortable, don't worry."

"... oh."

"You're blushing again."

"You're the one who made me."

Akeru laughed and sat up. "You always seem to get flustered when I say
things like that to you. Even after all this time, you still blush."

Immora shrugged and sighed. "Can't help it... I just get easily affected
by what you say. And of course, that's because I love you."

Akeru smiled and held her hand. "I love you too."

Immora reached up and pulled Akeru down onto her again. "We should get
some rest. I'm too tired to stay awake anymore."

"Sleep well," Akeru whispered as she bent towards Immora.

"Sleep well," Immora murmured as she gently kissed her lips.



Time: In a memory, about 1,500 years later
Place: In a memory, the mage school, Quenhol



Immora looked up from the text she was explaining to her students as Akeru
walked into the room. A smile lit her face immediately and she set the book
down, running over to her. Akeru laughed and pulled her into a tight hug.
"Miss me?"

"Of course I did! You sure must have asked Setsuna alot of questions during
your visit, you were gone two weeks!"

"Two weeks, I know, such a _long_ time compared to the thousands of years 
together, right?" They laughed together. "Yeah, we talked alot, and she was 
able to answer all my questions. I shouldn't have waited so long to do it!"

Akeru followed Immora over to sit by her at the long table where her 
students had gathered. Several younger students were giggling and whispering
to each other, while the older ones cast them dark looks.

"Well, back to the projectile fire spell," Immora began. "You said here, 
Dacon, that you didn't understand the inflection needed?"

Dacon nodded. "I used a hard 'g' like you told me, but there's still 
something not working right."

"Why don't you try it for me, ok?" The student spoke the spell, and Immora 
winced. "Okay... you reaaaally need to watch those 'r's, okay? They're not
so much of an "eruh" sound as they are an "arah", so this word here would 
be..."

She continued to explain as the other students were looking over other 
spells, trying to work them out. Akeru yawned and lay her head on the 
shorter woman's shoulder. Immora paused in midsentence when she did so, then
started talking again.

"Excuse me, master," her eldest student, a male Pure Elf, spoke up. "I was
wondering, as we've been studying under you, have you been working on your
own to progress your abilities?"

Immora grinned and looked down at Akeru. "Actually, I wanted to wait until
Akeru got back to mention this, but since she is..." she looked up with a
wide grin, "I've finally done it! I've attained archmage status!"

There were gasps all around the table, several cheers, and stunned silence 
from some. "B-B-But how can you be sure?!" Ka'ina gasped. "That places you
even higher above us than before! Are you certain?!"

Immora narrowed her eyes in puzzlement. "Of course I am! I don't have to say
anything to cast a spell anymore. That's the mark of an archmage. It's not
that hard to notice unless you're ignorant."

Ka'ina blushed with shame and refused to say anything else.

Immora looked down at Akeru and chuckled. "Aren't you proud of me, love? I
just became probably the first archmage in who knows how long, and you 
haven't said a thing. Aren't you going to congratulate me?"

Akeru's eyes twinkled as she lifted them to gaze into Immora's, and she said 
softly with a grin, "Oh yes, definitely... but wait till we're alone..."

Immora blushed and looked back up to her students, who were all chuckling 
and giggling, except for Ka'ina. "Um... er... well, any more questions?"

Someone piped up, "You're just eager to go back to your room for that
congratulations, aren't you?"

"About the spells!!!" Immora said, her face turning fiery red.

"Yeah, about this invisibility spell, what would be the best source to draw
energy from? I can't figure it out."

"Hmmm, I usually draw from the air for that one, since it's mainly the air
around you that obscures you from si-IIiiiGhT! AKERU!! I'm trying to 
teach!!!"

Her students stared at them with wide-eyes as Immora pushed the grinning
Akeru off of her. "What just happened? What did she do?" Kulju asked.

"You don't want to know," someone told him.

"Wh-why don't we just stop f-for today, alright?" Immora stuttered. 

Akeru pulled her to her feet and swept her up in her arms. They left with a
collective shout of, "Goodbye, master, have FUN!" following them.

"You've just embarrassed me in front of them again, you know," Immora 
griped.

"They've been doing that for centuries..." Akeru commented, shifting her 
voice to a sultry purr, "and I'll make it worth your while."

"Oh, I know you will, I just feel like teasing you, that's all."

"Save it for later, m'love, we'll have time to talk afterwards..."

After entering the room, Akeru shut off the lights so it was pitch black.
Immora was about to create a light when Akeru called from somewhere, "Before
I 'congratulate' you, I have another surprise for you!"

The light came on again and Immora looked around to find where Akeru had
gone to. Her gaze went upward and she sat up in shock. "WHAT are you doing
on the CEILING?!"

Akeru was sitting quite calmly upside down on the ceiling. She grinned and
lowered her hand to Immora, and she saw that the amplifier rings were 
glowing. "Guess what?"

"W-What?" Immora was still quite startled by Akeru's sudden appearance up
over her head.

"I've gotten great control of these things now, and..." she put her hands 
on the ceiling, pushed herself so the rest of her body was hanging off, and
dropped gently down onto the bed, "I'd like to give you a present."

As Akeru was pulling her into a hug, Immora asked, "Oh? What kind of 
present?"

"My soul... at least, part of it."

Immora pushed her away, blinking rapidly from surprise. "What do you mean,
your soul?"

Akeru smiled at her and held up two identical necklaces. They both had a
smooth, dark blue gem hanging from a silver chain. "Well--" she started.

"Wait, those are..."

"I know, the typical necklace one Quenholtian gives to another as a sign
of love. I thought it would be cute. They've caught on in the other planets,
actually... but may I finish?"

Immora colored slightly and nodded. "Sorry."

"It's alright. Anyways, I've been doing some research with my little friends
the elements--" Akeru suddenly winced as if pinched. "Sorry, fire sometimes 
gets a bit angry when I use nicknames-- OW!"

Immora couldn't help but giggle a bit. "Why don't you just keep talking and
ignore them for now?"

Akeru rubbed her head. "Yeah... _Anyways_, a love guardian gave me an 
interesting idea... it goes beyond these simple necklaces." She fastened
one around the skeptical Immora's neck, then the other around her own. "It
said that there's a way to actually infuse something such as this with a 
bit of your own soul, as much as you can and still remain the same, that is.
It's a bit... well, you have to completely trust the other person, I mean,
the necklace won't just break or anything unless the person is injured or 
dies, and if injured it repairs itself later... but you become quite close, 
your thoughts can be heard always, your life is pretty much in their hands
... because if you really want to, you could destroy it, and thus destroy
them. Not just anyone could, mind you, only the one that it was given to...
but as you can tell, it's..."

Immora hugged her before she could say more. "Oh Akeru... I... I love you...
I'll only let you give this to me if... if you'll take mine as well."

Akeru tilted her chin towards her and gently kissed her. "Of course... I
love you..." She took all her rings off except two. "Now, let's summon a
love guardian, shall we? And a life guardian as well..."

Immora was startled to see two strange wispy images appear before them. One
was entirely colored in pink tones, the other in a bright silver. "W-what?!"

"They're manifestations of the elements, as close to being physical as they
can be." Akeru took her hand and smiled sweetly at her. "This is going to
sound funny to say, but for this to work..." she hugged her tightly, making
Immora almost lose her breath, "well, we have to get as close together as 
we can."

"--I can't breathe--"

Akeru loosened her grip and blushed a bit. "Okay, maybe that was too close!"

She turned to the guardians and nodded, then surprised Immora by swiftly
moving to kiss her mouth. Immora wrapped her arms around her neck as a
strange energy started enveloping them. It felt strange... what was... 

Oh, it was incredible! Their thoughts... she could know both of theirs at
once, communicate without words... it was so incredible... She opened her
eyes to see Akeru now standing on the other side of the room, but she still
felt as if they were holding each other, the feeling of having her soul with
her...

Akeru's thoughts were echoing her own. Immora cried with joy, running to 
hug her again. Why didn't they do this sooner, it was so wonderful...

She knew what would happen before it did, because, after all, she knew what
her lover was thinking. It was a perfect kiss...

"Thank you," they both said at the same time, then laughed in unison.

Immora didn't bother to speak, she knew Akeru could feel her happiness. 

The guardians disappeared with a command from Akeru. "I still need to 
congratulate you," she murmured.

"You realize you don't even have to speak anymore..."

"I know how you love hearing my voice."

"... True." 

They kissed again, and Immora drew her towards the bed. The lay back, still
holding each other tightly. She could feel Akeru's excitement, and kissed
her passionately. "Do we have to keep the necklaces on to... I don't know
how to describe this sensation..."

"Uh, yes..."

"Hmph. They're going to get in the way some... oh well, it'll be worth it,
won't it?"

Akeru's answer was a warm kiss as she slipped her dress off, followed by
her own clothes. Immora was overwhelmed by the feeling of love she was
receiving, and sensed Akeru feeling the same. She kissed her again, gently
caressing her bare back, her thoughts speaking to tell Akeru how much she
loved her. Akeru pushed her back onto the bed and kissed her way down her
neck and chest, making Immora shiver as she could sense what Akeru had
planned.

Yes, it was _definitely_ perfect.



Immora stirred and slowly opened her eyes. "Mmmph... ugh, wake up, Akeru, 
it's dark out now." She shook the other woman's shoulder.

"Huh? Wha..."

"It's dark out. We should go get something to eat; I'm starving. Are you not
registering my thoughts or something?"

Akeru sat up groggily. "In a minute... boy, are you hungry, I don't want
to feel that!... I can't concentrate on my own thoughts much less yours... 
wow, my head has this weird pounding feeling..."

"Probably because you hit it on the head of the bed earlier, remember?"

"Oh yeah... Sorry, I'm not quite awake yet..."

Immora smiled and kissed her lips. Akeru grinned up at her. Immora could
feel a rush of thoughts going through both their heads, then they laughed.
"I definitely agree... that certainly was _incredible_..."

"... the best," Akeru murmured softly, wrapping her arms around her. 

Immora blushed a bit, then ran her index finger along her soft lips before 
kissing them gently. It certainly was... she didn't care how embarrassed
Akeru was going to feel as she started thinking about just how great it
had been. Akeru turned a bright shade of red from her lover's thoughts.
Immora laughed a bit, blushing as well as Akeru got to remembering, then 
settled back into her arms for another tight hug. "It's great having this
bond, isn't it?" she murmured. "I never thought it would be as amazing as
this just by being able to feel each other and our thoughts, but it really
makes things... just so perfect, to be able to know what you're feeling as
it happens, to feel your love each time you touch me..."

Akeru's thoughts echoed her own. Immora smiled and pulled away to get 
dressed. She stood up and stretched, and was starting to light the candles 
when she noticed someone huddled in the corner. "Huh? Who's there?" she 
grabbed a sheet from the bed and wrapped it around herself. "How'd you get 
in here? C'mon, answer or--" Immora let out a startled gasp. "Ka'ina, what 
are you doing here?"

Ka'ina looked up at her and rose shakily to her feet. "I am sick... and 
tired... of this."

"What are you talking about?" Immora asked, magically altering the sheet 
into a dress. She looked back at Akeru, who nodded and quickly dressed, her 
hand slipping into a drawer of the nightstand for her gun. Her hand 
involuntarily went to clutch her necklace, and she could sense Akeru's
nervousness matching her own. Akeru wanted to kill... Immora had to keep
both of them calm somehow, keep them from starting a fight... Akeru's anger
abated slightly, not feeling so murderous. Her apologetic thoughts calmed
them both somewhat.

"All this... you don't care about us, do you?" Ka'ina started walking 
towards her, and Immora started backing up. "Teach us a little magic, then 
run off again with _her_... you deserve better than her, Immora. She's just 
a heap of trash out of the gutter. You need an equal, like me."

"Ka'ina, you're just babbling, you know. I _do_ care about my students. And 
your remark about Akeru was _very_ rude. If anyone here is undeserving, it's
me; she's much more wonderful than someone like me deserves to have."

"What type of garbage has she been telling you then?! Leave her, Immora."

"No," Immora said firmly, moving to stand by Akeru. "I love her dearly, and 
I won't leave her for any reason, especially not for _you_."

Ka'ina's multihued eyes narrowed. "Oh _really_?" There was a flash of light 
as the room disappeared from around them, and they found themselves standing
in the midst of an empty realm.

"What the--" Akeru's gaze darted quickly back and forth. "Where are we?"

"You're on _my_ turf now," Ka'ina sneered. She clenched her fist and a sword
appeared in her hand. 

Immora's heartbeat was pounding fast. What was going on? How was Ka'ina 
managing these spells without saying a thing? Her own sword appeared in 
her hand as Akeru raised her gun. Neither were going to hold back now...

"Oh yes, the spells... I took a little something before I came to your room 
so I'd temporarily have archmage-like status... should come in handy... heh
heh, You know what? I still have that odd little curse on me... everytime
I try to cast a helpful spell on someone, it gives me the chance to 
influence them, control them, etc... I've been practicing it, just for you."

"Ka'ina, cut this out. We don't want a fight," Immora warned. 

"That's just too bad, because I'm looking to hurt someone, namely Akeru!"

Ka'ina broke into a run, her sword raised high over her head to strike Akeru.
Akeru's eyes widened and she started rapidly firing her gun at Ka'ina. The
bullets struck over and over, but Ka'ina was somehow healing them before
they could do any real damage. Immora tried to cast a spell, block Ka'ina,
something, but she couldn't budge, and her mind couldn't lock onto any
energy. Frantically trying to summon energy and move, she screamed in her
mind to Akeru, Run! Run, quickly! She's made it so I can't do _anything_! 
No magic, no movement, no speech... Get away from her! 

She was terrified, could feel Akeru's fear... she tried to calm Akeru, but 
what could she do? A madwoman was out to destroy them...

Akeru dashed quickly away from Ka'ina, twisting her arm back to continue 
firing bullets. Immora looked on after her as Ka'ina started gaining, 
picking up speed, then leapt off the ground to soar high into the air. As 
she started to descend almost faster than their eyes could track, Akeru 
looked around in horror. Wherever she ran to escape, Ka'ina was going there.
She broke into a dead run in Immora's direction, her face flushed with 
exhaustion from running and from fear. Ka'ina cackled and shouted a 
triumphant, "Yes!" as she teleported. 

For a few long moments, Akeru and Immora stood, side by side, nervously 
wondering where she was. Oh God, I was so scared, Akeru was thinking. The 
elements weren't responding... I know you gave me the protection spell and 
all, but it's been getting weaker lately and--

Her words broke off into a horrified scream as Ka'ina appeared right in 
front of her. She laughed widely as she slashed her sword downward in a 
long arc. Her sword tore deep into Akeru's chest, the blade slicing through 
to emerge sickeningly from her back and splash blood across the ground. 
Ka'ina drew her sword out, kicking the screaming Akeru to the ground.

Immora screamed her lover's name loudly, her voice filled with horror as she 
finally was able to move. The necklace around her neck burst into tiny 
shards. Dropping down immediately to Akeru's side, she clutched her torn 
form to her. "No no no no," she sobbed, tears streaming down her cheeks. 
"Akeru!" she screamed again. She desperately tried to heal her, but the 
energy refused to come to her, and she frantically tore off pieces of her 
dress to try and stop the bleeding. "Please don't die oh please..." Akeru
was losing strength quickly... she was so scared... Immora tried soothing
her, tried to keep her from leaving... how could this happen? Akeru was
trying to keep Immora calm as well, but only her thoughts were doing 
anything, her body couldn't help.

Akeru's face was deathly white and contorted with pain, and she couldn't
speak a word. Ka'ina stood over them, laughing wildly. "It won't work, 
Immora! Try as you may, it won't work!" She lifted the sword and struck 
the back of Immora's head hard with the handle, knocking her to the ground. 
She could feel Akeru's anger at that action immediately, wishing to move.
Dazed and in both physical and emotional pain, Immora looked up at Ka'ina 
and tried to speak, her voice coming out as an inaudible, choked whisper. 
"I  don't know what you just said," Ka'ina murmured. "If you want to know 
why I struck you, well, it gives me something to heal, and something to 
heal," she grinned, "means a chance to control you!"

She lifted her hand, her palm facing Immora, and started the spell, and
stopped in shock when Akeru managed to reach out and tightly grip the hem of
her dress. Akeru slowly lifted her eyes to her, grimacing with pain, and
managed to whisper, "I... hate... you... You... will... pay... for... 
hurting... Immora!"

"Mmm hmm... and _you_ will be the one to punish me, I'm _sure_." Ka'ina 
pushed her away and started the spell again.

Immora dizzily crawled to Akeru, grabbing her hand tightly in her own. "Oh
Akeru," she sobbed, "please, please be alright... I love you, I don't know
what Ka'ina's going to do to me, but no matter what, I want you to live, and
be happy, and remember that I love you and somehow we'll be together..."

Akeru shakily opened her eyes, and whispered in a trembling voice, "i love
you..." before closing her eyes tightly.

Immora felt her heart skip a beat from fright, but saw that Akeru was still 
breathing, if very faintly and painfully. Her thoughts were a blank, she was
unconscious, but she could still feel the remnants of her last thoughts 
before blacking out, her intense love... She almost sighed with relief that
Akeru was still alive, but it was changed to a loud cry as Ka'ina's magic 
washed over her. A searing pain filled her mind, and she screamed out as 
she tried to block it out and failed, her mind being claimed in a wave of 
blackness as she fell unconscious.



"unhhhhnn... where... am I?" Immora slowly opened her eyes. She was lying
in a bed in a medical facility, and the faint feeling of magical healing
lingered over her. "who..."

She looked over and saw Ka'ina there, smiling at her; curiously enough, the
sensation of healing coming from her as well. "Are you alright? That
Dragana was pretty vicious when she attacked you. The doctors say you may
have some memory damage, some things a little blurred, but you'll otherwise
be ok."

Immora tried to sit up, but found that she couldn't. She was simply too 
weak. "I don't remember what happened," she whispered.

"She swooped down before you had the chance to react and jabbed her claws 
into the back of your head. I barely made it out as well. One of the
students happened to be walking by and rescued us."

"huhhh..." Immora shut her eyes. "Ka'ina... how old am I?"

"??? 3,000 something, why?"

"I can't remember hardly anything. I can see you and my students, but almost
everything is a blur."

"An unfortunate result of the attack, I'm afraid."

"Oh." Immora stared up at the ceiling, an empty feeling going through her.
What's going on? Something isn't right here, but what? Something was wrong,
something missing... her neck felt like she should be wearing something 
there, but where was it? She felt empty, alone... She looked over at the 
room next to her. She caught a faint glimpse of black hair and the sound of 
someone trying to talk before the door shut hard. "Who was that?"

"No one!" Ka'ina immediately responsed in a fearful voice.

Immora eyed her quizzically. "Oh alright."

Ka'ina smiled at her. "Sorry, I-I've just been so nervous worrying about you,
m'love." She bent down and kissed Immora on the forehead.

Immora tried not to show it, but inwardly she was frowning. Strange... her
memories seemed to show that Ka'ina was her lover but... it didn't seem 
right, fabricated almost... she didn't feel any emotion go through her when
Ka'ina kissed her. Weird... She smiled up at Ka'ina to hide her discomfort.
"Sorry, I was just thinking to myself. So, when can we leave?"

Ka'ina grinned. "Don't worry, it'll be soon."

Not soon enough... Immora thought to herself. I need to get answers, and 
fast. What's really going on here?



Time: In a memory, about three weeks later
Place: In a memory, the mage school, Quenhol



Immora was very surprised when she received a transmission from the queen
in her communications globe. She quickly ran over and placed her hands on
the globe to accept the signal.

"Immora, you're looking well," Sharra remarked.

"As are you, Sharra. What can I do for you?"

"I'm interested in joining your school, actually. I have pretty much honed
my sorcery, but I am curious about magic. If you are willing to have me as
your student..."

Immora tapped her finger to the side of her cheek. "My queen, you do realize
that it could be painful to use magic... I know it was extremely painful for
me whenever I used sorcery, so now I avoid it whenever possible."

"I understand the risks involved, but I wish to learn anyways."

"... Alright. Come here tomorrow and I'll assign you quarters and you will
begin to learn the basics of magic."

"Why tomorrow?"

Immora laughed slightly. "You need time to organize things, don't you? If
you're here, who will run the world, hmmm?"

"Ah, I see... Well, tomorrow then. Thank you, Immora. Goodbye."

"You're welcome, Sharra, farewell."



Sharra arrived the next day by a teleportal formed by sorcery. Sharra 
closed the teleportal behind her and smoothed her long purple hair. The 
dress she wore was a faded sky blue, circling her throat but baring the 
arms and shoulders, the sides of the skirt slit, falling to her knees, with 
the usual trimmings done in silver instead of gold. She'd painted her lips 
a pale, silvery purple, her eyelids dusted with white, setting off the 
string of pearls on her forehead. The sandles she wore for shoes were 
silver, the soles thin with a slender strap across her toe area, then up 
above her heel, with long laces tied near her knees.

Immora wore a dress more befitting of a villager than an archmage. The
top was a dull fuschia, the curving v-neckline trimmed thickly in a darker
version of the shirt color, and the sleeves had cloth clasping them every
few inches leaving poofed portions of cloth extending from her arms. The
skirt portion was purple and fell to the floor. She wore no makeup, and her
hair was worn down, parted slightly off-center. 

"My queen, it's been such a long time," Immora said as she walked up to
Sharra. "I don't quite remember when we met!"

"Well, it's been awhile, hasn't it?" Sharra responded. She was about to say 
more, when her eyes unfocused slightly, then focused again. "Yes, it has."

Immora looked at her quizzically. "You alright?"

"Yes, I... can't seem to say what I want to say. hmmm... Oh well."

Sharra followed Immora as the archmage led her to her room, allowing her to
transport her things into the quarters. She then followed her into a large
study hall.

"Here's where the beginners start out," Immora told her, gesturing to five
students pouring over the books. "Right now, they're reading to learn about
the elements commonly drawn upon, so they will have an idea of what to draw
on when casting a spell. Take a seat anywhere you'd like."

Sharra sat down while Immora pulled a book off a shelf, then brought it over
with her as she sat down at the table. She opened up to a page, and set the
book in front of Sharra, but held up a warding hand to tell her not to read
it yet.

"I haven't made studying sorcery a big chore, so I don't know all the 
differences between our two forms of spellcasting. I'm going to teach you
things the way I teach to everyone else, and if I happen to be going over
things that apply to sorcery as well and therefore seem repetitious, oh 
well. Any questions so far?"

"Not really," Sharra chuckled, "except... you seem to be in a hurry of some
sort. You started immediately on this."

Immora shrugged. "The sooner we finish, the better, right? Since you already
know one form of spellcasting, it'll be easy to pick up on another. It'll
be much quicker for you than these other students who've had no experience
whatsoever in spellcasting. Now, let's start with the idea of what magic
is and work from there."

Sharra suddenly wondered if this was really a good idea.



Ka'ina closed the door to her room with a sigh of relief. She'd caught
Sharra with the spell just in time. Sharra wouldn't remember ever having
known Akeru, just like how Immora's students wouldn't either. A necessary
precaution, if she was going to keep Immora from breaking free of her
control. The spell on everyone would last as long as Immora's, and once
hers was broken, _if_ it was broken, they'd all remember Akeru as well.

She lifted a wine bottle and took a long drink. She was tired from casting
these spells so often. Everyone that came in contact with Immora had to 
have that spell put on them, which meant hovering around every instant to
prevent a slipup.

She dropped the now-empty bottle and flopped onto her bed with a sigh. The
things I do for love...



Time: In a memory, about five years later
Place: The palace, The Moon Kingdom



It was strange to walk around this place... The Moon was so different from
Quenhol, the palace's architecture unusual, but pretty. Immora hadn't
been here for years, when she had introduced some of her students to this
place to spread the training of magic. The queen's young daughter, Serenity,
had taken an immediate liking to her, quickly becoming her friend of sorts.
Immora felt strange about the friendship, but had to admit to herself that
at least this little girl listened to her when others wouldn't.

She approached the palace cautiously, slowly opening the door. The guards
didn't seem surprised by her abrupt entrance. She walked down the halls to
Serenity's room and silently slipped through the partially open the door.

Serenity sat on her bed, brushing her long silvery hair. She was perhaps
ten now, judging from her appearance. She looked up at Immora when she
finally noticed she was here. "Immora, good to see you again," she greeted
formally.

"Princess," Immora said, curtsying slightly. "Good to see you as well. How
may I be of service?"

Serenity laughed softly. "You're silly sometimes, you know?"

"You started it with that ridiculous greeting."

"I have to act like a lady. Mother is getting ill, and I may have to take
her place in a few years. My marriage is already arranged." Serenity's
voice grew bitter on the statement. "When I'm fifteen, it will be carried
out, and by the time I'm twenty-one, I'm supposed to have a child. It'll
be named after me if it's a girl, who knows what it'd be if it's a boy."

"That must be terrible," Immora murmured, looking out the window. "I can't
imagine what it must be like to be in your position."

"It's rather bothersome. The boy I'm supposed to marry is from the family
that built this palace. He's very dull."

"Not mature enough for you, I suppose?" Immora shifted her weight and 
watched the clouds with an uncomfortable look.

"That about sums it up... I'd rather marry Zore, he's must nicer and smarter
than-- Immora, are you alright?"

Immora jumped a bit. "Fine, Serenity!"

Serenity frowned at set her brush down, walking over to the much older
archmage. "Are you sure? You always get so... I don't know, you just seem
a bit nervous when I try to talk to you about boys."

Oh great, Immora thought, I do _not_ want to explain this!

"Immora?"

"What?"

Serenity looked away a moment, then asked quietly, "Mom says some people
like people their own gender. I don't think there's anything wrong with
that. Do you...?"

"... Yes..."

Serenity just giggled a tiny bit. "Oh Immora, I'm sorry!"

"Huh?"

"I've been trying to tell you about all these guys and you could care less!
No wonder you never want to talk to me about them!"

Immora kept blinking and staring with a confused look. "Huh?"

"As old as you are, I'd think you'd have a wider vocabulary than 'huh'."
Serenity started brushing her hair again. "And really, it's fine with me.
So, how long can you stay?"

Immora was silent a few more moments. "I... I can't stay long at all. I...
came to say goodbye."

Serenity stood up immediately. "WHAT?!"

Immora sighed and turned towards the door. "Your world and mine are very
different, and to stay here... it could... Look, I don't know how else to
put it, but it isn't possible for me to visit anymore, not for awhile."

"B-but... you're my friend! You can't just go!"

Immora looked over her shoulder at the princess, her hands clasped in a
pleading expression. "I wish I didn't have to leave, but it's not my 
decision to make. Just... *sigh* You've been a good friend to me. I won't
forget you. We'll see each other again sometime, you'll see."

Serenity still looked downcast. "... Al-alright... Goodbye, for now." She
ran over and hugged Immora around the waist.

Immora gently removed her and walked out the door. 

"Goodbye."



Time: In a memory, about twenty years later
Place: In a memory, the mage school, Quenhol



Immora was eagerly reading a thick tome when Ka'ina walked into the study.
She called out to her, but Immora didn't seem to hear her. Immora just sat
there, her "villager's dress" clinging to her thin form and her cat-like 
eyes almost glowing as she scanned over the pages.

Ka'ina growled a bit, pushing her long brown hair behind her shoulder. 
Immora smirked slightly, hiding it from Ka'ina. Oh, she knew Ka'ina was 
there. She was deliberately ignoring her, hoping she'd leave. Ka'ina was
quite obviously getting irritated, and seemed ready to leave.

Immora turned the page, a faint smile curling her lips as she found the
section she'd been searching for. She read over it carefully, committing
the words to memory. _This_ was what she enjoyed; learning more about the
magical arts and sorcery, gaining a better understanding the nature of it
so she could wield it with far more skill and power than anyone else could.
She knew that she was far above anyone else in her power and knowledge of
magic, and was fast developing her sorcery. It no longer hurt for her to
use sorcery, she felt only a mild bit of resistance when she used it. If 
she could just completely understand all the aspects, then she would be
unlimited in her abilities. 

Her eyes widened as she read across the next passage: '--In order to have 
full control of the abilities and be able to use them without needing to
first draw upon a source, the mage must--"

She screamed in horror when the book burst into flames. "Noooo!" she wailed.
She shot a spell at it, trying to quench the flames and rebuild the book
as it had been. It wasn't working... why wasn't it...

She whirled around, wild with anger, and saw Ka'ina there with her hand
outstretched. _She_'d done it... how could she... "What the hell did you
do that for?! I should KILL you for that!!!" She sobbed at the loss, turning
back to the book, trying to reconstruct it. Damnit, it was the only copy
of it, written by the first mages that had ever come into existence. It
was a well of knowledge, if it was destroyed forever... She flipped to the
page she'd just been reading, and her eyes narrowed and glowed in fury.
Gone. It was all gone. The book had been created with the idea firmly in 
mind that in the wrong hands, it could become dangerous, and therefore was
created in such a way that reconstruction was impossible; if it had to be
destroyed to prevent a tragedy from happening, it would stay destroyed so
that the information could never again be misused. And Ka'ina had destroyed

it, all because she was too desperate for attention to consider that she'd
just destroyed a piece of history that could never be reclaimed.

"Do you have any idea what you've just done?!" she hissed at Ka'ina. She
shook the ruined book at her and shouted, "This was irreplacable, and you
just destroyed it! How selfish can you get?!"

"You don't need what was in that book, Immora," Ka'ina retorted. "Magic 
isn't everything, you know."

"Damnit, Ka'ina, it's all I have!" She turned away, refusing to let Ka'ina
see her tears, to show any weakness to her. "I don't know what happened,
but I know that a large part of my life was taken away from me in that
little 'Dragana incident'." She emphasised the phrase with a chill 
undertone. "Tell me, Ka'ina, what _really_ happened? It's obvious that magic
was used to wipe my memory, I want to know who did it and why! I can tell
that whatever was taken away was the most important thing in my life. Now
that it's gone, I just have my magic. WHY, Ka'ina, WHY?!?! You just ruined
THAT, you know! I just came across the information I've been searching for
all this time, and you destroyed it before I could read it!"

She knew she wasn't rational right now. Hell, the insanity spell had 
probably kicked in. She didn't care. She didn't have anything left anymore,
after all. She formed a sword in her hand, whirled around and released it,
pinning the stunned Ka'ina to the wall by her sleeve. Before she could free
herself, Immora was standing right by her, hissing at her, "You just get in
the way, you always do. I hate you. I HATE YOU!!! I don't know what's been
done to me to make me think that I _love_ you because I most certainly
DON'T, but whatever it is, it had better go away soon. I want you out of
my life, bitch! I know this stupid insanity spell is making me this mad,
but I swear, I promise you, I MEAN what I am saying! I just can't seem to
express it when the spell isn't effecting me, but I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!!!"

Her mind whirled and she fell to her knees, her mind in a daze. What the...
what had just happened? She had no idea what she'd just been saying, or
doing... She looked up and saw Ka'ina pulling a sword from the wall that
had pinned her sleeve. Ka'ina's eyes showed signs that the glow of magic
had just left them...

"The insanity spell," she said simply, reaching a hand to help Immora up.
Immora felt dizzy... she looked over and saw the precious tome lying burnt
on the table. She remembered reading it, then it burst into flames, but...
Why couldn't she remember what happened when the insanity spell had kicked 
in? Ka'ina must have wiped the memory... but why?

"You should get some rest," Ka'ina said in a shaky voice. She turned the
room and left quickly. Immora frowned... she had seen the tears in her eyes
... had she said something cruel to her when the spell kicked in? She
sighed sadly as she looked at the tome. A waste... a terrible waste...



Time: In a memory, a few weeks later
Place: In a memory, Immonu, Quenhol



Immora nervously knocked on the door to Lorenada's dwelling. Her students
had all pressured her to come here seeking a cure for the insanity spell,
and she was worried as to how Lorenada would react. Ka'ina stood there
with her, having insisted on coming along.

The Elf opened the door slowly, raising her eyebrow when she saw who it
was. She had added a couple more earrings to her ear but otherwise remained
unchanged. "Immora. It's been a long time."

"I know, I apologize. I've been rather busy."

Lorenada opened her mouth to speak, paused, then glared at Ka'ina. "I know
what you just did," she warned. "And you should know that it only affected
my ability to discuss it, rather than actually forget it."

Ka'ina looked very stunned, and Immora looked back and forth from her to
Lorenada with a puzzled expression. "Ahhh... whatever. I'm here because...
I need some help. This insanity spell--"

"--Needs to be removed. Come on in, I'll get prepared."

"That was quick!" Ka'ina murmured, her voice shaking slightly. 

They followed her in, sitting in the chairs the Elf indicated. "I just need
to get a few things, then I can cast the spell. I predicted this would 
happen and already have the energy needed."

"Oh... Thank you, thank you so much, Lorenada. I can't express how thankful
I am for this."

Lorenada smiled at her as she was coming back into the room. "You're welcome,
and it really is no problem. I haven't cast a spell in so long, I needed
this!"

She walked over to Immora. "Close your eyes and relax. This won't take long,
but you'll go to sleep when it's done."

Immora closed her eyes as Lorenada spoke, then started drifting away into
slumber. Thank you... thank you so much...



Time: In a memory, about fifteen years later
Place: In a memory, not definite



She felt a chill go down her spine as the portal opened in front of her to
reveal the surroundings she would soon be entering. She felt more terrified
than she could remember ever having felt. She didn't want to have the 
discussion she'd be having, but she felt that she had to do it. She looked
out across the dry, enormous, red-tinged caverns stretching beyond the 
portal, the pools of lava and tongues of fire dancing around almost every-
where. Groups of bedraggled people were walking around the rocks, dirty,
tired, appearing to be starving. Immora felt no sympathy towards them 
though; after all, they were getting what they'd deserved for their evil
deeds they'd performed in life. It was fitting punishment for them once they
cross the brink of death. She trembled as she entered the portal and stepped
out into the realm she'd been viewing. She silently mouthed a prayer to the
ruler of the realm that was the opposite of this one, and shivered as she
started walking.

"Welcome to Hell, can I help you? My Earth name was Cassandra but I go by
Curse now."

Immora turned with a start at the voice she'd heard behind her. Her black
dress and cloak were already unbearably warm, but she couldn't help but feel
cold and afraid. The woman standing behind her seemed unusually cheerful,
considering where she was. Immora then noticed her markings and extra 
appendages and concluded that the woman must be a servant or perhaps a
concubine to Lucifer. The woman had the thin red diamond marking on her
forehead and long, skinny triangle on the edge of her jaw extending to her
cheeks, with sharp, gleaming horns on either side of her head, and a long,
pointed Devil's tail. She must have been a recent arrival, the length of 
the horns was short, and they grew considerably with time. The woman had
dark brown skin and long, silky, red hair, with crimson eyes, thick but
well-groomed eyebrows, and features suggesting she was of African descent,
despite the hair and eye coloring.

"I'm... looking for two people..."

"Why don't you come have a talk with the Master?!" Curse exclaimed,
clapping her hands together. "I'm sure He can find them for you! He _is_
the ruler of this realm, after all!"

Immora shuddered at the thought. "I don't think that would be a good idea...
I'm from the living world, and I don't exactly agree with him too well..."

"Oooohhhh," Curse drawled bitterly, "you're _alive_ still!... how'd you
g