"TO EVERY SEASON": by Alina Rated: PG PROLOGUE & CHAPTER ONE: TIME FOR HISTORY {{Author's Note: 1. Disclaimers: I don't own Sailormoon, characters etc, and like other fanfic writers are doing this only out of love for the story of SailorMoon and no desire for personal gain. .....Also, the usual disclaimers apply (Sailor Moon is copyrighted by Noako Takeuchi/Kodansha, Toei Animation (licensed).! 2. This fanfic is focussed mainly on Setsuna (who I call Susannah mainly because I otherwise use the D.I.C. Name translations.) It is set after the end of the anime/manga. 3. This is my first fanfic. If you read this, and feel like commenting on it (good or bad)--alinasan@yahoo.com is my email. Please! I'd love you for it!;). 4. This is the first chapter and prologue combined. }}} ___PROLOGUE: TIME FOR HISTORY__ In the future, in Crystal Tokyo: Another wonderful nightly ball had ended, but this one was more wonderful than usual as it celebrated the downfall of the Black Moon Kingdom's attempts, as well as celebrated the anniversary of Eternal Sailor Moon's defeat of SailorGalaxia. Queen Reenie, having lived through herself these events in her more recent memories, found the celebrations especially poignant... to her mother Neo-Queen Serenity, shortly after the defeat of Galaxia (and the Glacia ice disaster) was the start of her tenure as Serenity rather than just plain old dumpling head serena. It was the end of pure innocence, and the dawning of the creation of Crystal Tokyo--though it would be a millenium before the empire was actually as strong as it was today. Her mother and her father had long since disappeared from the scenes of CrystalTokyo...as Reenie herself would one day,..and then ultimately dissappeared into the power of her crystal as had all the sailor senshi's before her. Yet what would not fade , could not evaporate were the stories, the memories of what these beloved warriors of justice had done... She looked at her small granddaughter, Selena, (funny how the moon kingdom women always managed to have a daughter), as the little one blinked to keep her eyes open. "Bunny, you must sleep now, it has been a long enough night." "GranMomma, I don't wanna sleep--I want a story." The ususally cheerful voice was petulant. "Please?" Reenie, remembering when she had been that age, four, assented The problem was, even if her deaerst granddaughter was not tired, she was. This holiday always seemed to wrench her emotionally, as she remembered what had happened- for most people they were stories, but for her, they were memories of a time and of people long past gone...that was a heavy burden to bear alone--but suddelnly, a thought hit her. She didn't bear it alone. Nor did she even bear the worst of it--for that, she well knew, fell to her friend, her teacher, and the sole remaining active gaurdian protector of both her mother and her grandmother---SailorPluto, Susannah. She pushed her communicator (a small ring, looking remarkably like the "luna P" which she had played with as a child) and a holographic image of Sailorpluto appeared. A calm, young ageless voice (though the voice had always seemed so old to her before) spoke "Yes, is something amiss?" (At Reenie's graceful head shake, the voice continued) " Well, Small Lady, the celebrations were a delight to all, and have surpassed anything I remember from the Silver Millenium. Your grandmot her and mother would have been very proud....as am I. But I must return to the gates" Reenie sighed "I'm glad you were pleased, Puu...but I called you here for a specific reason. I need you to tell Bunny a story...and not just any story. I think it is time she knew what you know--that it is time we relate to her the period of Darkness--between the Silver Millenium and the founding of Crystal Tokyo" She sensed the hestitation, and preemptively added " It is time for you to pause in gaurding the gates of time...time loses meaning, when we forget our history" Susannah smiled, softening her usual serious expression. "My gaurdiaun duties, though grave, do allow for this role as the preserver of history--indeed, I remember how it was in that capacity that I came to befriend you, my ruler. So, Small Lady, stand the gates of time for me, and I'll take over for you..." Though she always hesitated to leave the gates for frivolous reasons (such as the ball), Susannah truly did love spending time with Reenie and Bunny...she cherised those moments. Susanna appeared in the room, her dark hair swinging around her like a cloak. She brought with her an odd sense of calm- as she tenderly cradled the small form and rocked, she began to speak of the original senshi's and how and when they were called. "thus each Planetary Advisor in turn chose a successor--those who fought and protected your Grandmother and your mother, until your mother's court was chosen. And one day, we will choose your court." "Except you Puu...why except you?" The small voice was very sleepy, but the question was anything but stupid. Puu smiled unlike her mother, this little one was very a quick study. She took after her greatgrandmother.... "That is a story for another night. You're almost asleep now. " Indeed, the little button eyes had crinkled shut. Sighing Puu transferred the little bunny-slippered girl into her bed Afffectionaly she rumpled the hair, and then stepped into the timestream, to stand wtih her Queen. "Why is that Puu?" Reenie, who had been listening to her gran dauther's conversation "Why is it that I had my own inner court, for all planets but yours? Even when my mother rememebered the appointing of her gaurd, she did not remember your transformation....though I suppose the Outer Planets were* appointed at a different time." Puu heaved antoher large sigh...."My Small Lady,all but myself were appointed two years before, but ..."She broke off abrudtly... Suddenly her aura flared around her, and the symbol on her forehead flashed, and faded almost to a faint trace...and she shook---And began to laugh uncharacterisic hysterics. "Its happened--I'm born...oh...I didn't know it would happen so soon...though its been a 1000 years or more, I think..but! Oh dear, and I'm still here? " Reenie frowned, she'd never seen Susannah quite this flustered before, and she'd known her a long time. "What is it?" She moved forward to brace the slowly sinking mistress of time, to stop her from flopping onto the ground, Susannah smiled " Perhaps it is more than a coincidence that you should ask about the original transformations...for the appointment of the Outer Gaurdians whom you remember from your mother's time were the original appointments....except, for one planet...mine and one gaurdian, me. You see, the original sailorpluto is me....and It is finally time to appoint a new sailor senshi of time...or rather, it will be in 14 years. You see, I'd forgottne today was my birthday...my very first. .." She smiled, and waived away the curious look in Reenie's eyes. "Even when I was reborn, I was recreated at the age at which I'd come in the timestream...and, unlike the other sailorscourts, who have aged naturally, I have hovered here in the gates of time, aging minimally. It has been hard, to be a friend to them, and see them age....and to see the ravages of time...But I've always known my duty. To you the future was a nebulous thing--but to me, it had already happened...**beacuse it had**...She transformed into her rGaurdian of Time form...her ultimate sailor pluto form. .. " I cannot appear in crystal Tokyo henceforth...as Sailorpluto or myself. Reenie, I'm Sorry, my friend, but you must leave the timestream now. Today begins the training of the next Senshi of Time...so I will see you in 14 years...." Her voice brooked no argument. Reenie, who'd seen enough of the dangers of time travel to understand that when Susannah said something, she usually had a reason, nodded...and returned to Crystal Tokyo. For 14 years, Crystal Tokyo's ruler ceased to have access to the time stream...though, the era of peace negated any reason for such travel...Reenie sorely missed Pu, the departure had been so abrudt. She had been her last tie with her mother's world... and the original Silver Millenium...but a ruler comes to accept dissapointments... Chapter One: Time for a new gaurdian (14 years later)... Queen Reenie felt stiff, the ball the night before had run much later than was good for her...And she wasn't that old...yet. There were those who advocated using the power of the crystal to slow the aging process...but Reenie knew (from observing Sussanhna) that the flow of time was best kept unruffled... Even when her daughter and Reennie's own husband had died while visiting the newest colony on Pluto at she'd resisted reversing the accident...it was hard to let others go past you but with the relative peace, there was no need,no real justi- fication to avoid doing so. Life was not always easy, and she knew now that she could not waste the Crystal Power for her own selfishness...how many of her subject's children died as had her daughter? She could not so favor her own daughter...they were already so favored. Death was as natural as birth--and aging. So she chose not to abuse the crystal. Yet dark threats appeared to be on the rise again--and thus, she felt it necessary to annoint new gaurdains for her granddaughter--just as many many years before her, her grandmother had done. With one exception. She would appoint a gaurdian of time...something no one before her had ever done at least, as Puu had said that day she'd shut the time stream... Reenie tugged the silver key around her neck. Puu truly was the best friend she'd ever had...and her lonliness as a rule r was heigtened by the loss of that connection. She would in some ways welcome her graanddaughters ascension to power in 10 years...for that would mean she could retire. She was of course close to her own court...but the peace of her reign had not forged the same quality of fierce loyalty that she had with Holly (Hotaru), the original Saturn....from the tales Pu had told her, Reenie's advisors were in fact similar in power /closeness as her grandmother's advisors had been. Each had spent the majority of her tenure recolonizing the Outer Planets ...rather than supporting Reenie just as friends...giggling, playing, that sort of thing...part of this was because her court was not appointed until she was 18, as her parent's sailor senshi's had felt more than capable of protecting her- and, as Chibi-Moon, then Sailor "Neo" Moon herself, she'd been able to take care of herself. She puzzled over the apparent paradox, as she created for the frist time a wand she'd seen a dozen or so times,and then created a staff--again, something she'd seen dozens of times She wondered how her grandmother and her advisors had created the sailors...from where had she gotten the idea? Had it been handed down as tradition? Then when and where did it start? Did it grow slowly over time, with each successive generation improving and enhancing the powers? She remembered that when her own court took over their posts, that those chosen had in some ways grown stronger than those they'd replaced. She was sure, that the girls she chose would also be stronger in their powers than the scouts they replaced... a slow ramping up of power...She'd never even, until 14 years ago, wondered why, during her own court's appointments, nor for her mother's, wondered who appointed the gaurdian of time. The girls were all carefully chosen by the Senshi themselves, either the grandchildren of the original senshi, children of the current ones, or selected from families who had lovingly raised their children...some might say indocrinated them with the correctness of the Moon Family Rule, and the necessity of Royalty...occasionaly advocates of other political systems sprung up--vestiges of desires for democracy or socialism, or some other system. To have a supporter of such things would destabalize the Moon Kingdom's ruling power. Indeed, the system designed by Ami, Princes of Mercury, was an ingenious one...Power and ultimate responsibility rested with Reenie, but basic economic decisions fell to advisors who were carefully trained for the task, and somewhat picked from the populace at large. The Royal gaurd ensured challenges did not occur in other, more violent, fashions. One problem tugged at Reenie's mind . The date was fast approaching--she'd selected the celebration ball as an approriate day for the ceremony--just a few days after her granddaugther Selena's 18th birthday. Yet she still had not decided upon the replacement for Pluto. That the chosen girl would need to be mature was obvious. The transfer of roles occured when those chosen reached 18. Though her mother became a sailor at 14 , and Venus even younger, this age was (in the abscense of immediate threats) too young for such a serious duty. Especially for Pluto... for the girl would need to understand physics, history, and be capable of spendingvast amounts of time by herself (unless , somewhere in the timestream, Puu was standing there ready to train her?)...and she would need to be unquestioningly loyal Too much power would be at her disposal. And unlike the girl chosen for Saturn's post, or that of any other scout (ex cept possibly her own daughter), this power had a hidden pot- tential for disaster. Alterations in the timeline could cause disaster--or at least, what we migh perceive as disaster given a fixed view of history. A knock at the door brought the quick step of her son.. Reenie wondered that she was the only one in the Royal Moon family to bear a son...though he'd been born so many years after her daughter Mika, that she thought it was fated that only women children could be born...... From his grandfather he had inherited various powers, relating to the earth, and he was as some said "the spitting image" of him...except that his eyes were an amber gold. (Once when he was young, to torture him, his sister had placed two buns on his head, so that he too could be a dumpling head!). Since he could not inherit the " Sailor" power, and be ruler, he'd spent his time pursuing charity. Somehow he'd developed into the Royal Historian, and had recently been touring the different colonies to estab- lish libraries and museusms to ensure cultural development. He wasn't sure how to start with what was on his mind....so he said the first random thing: "Mother, the ceremonial plan is a little different than what I've determined your grandmother actually did..." Reenie sighed, he could be too serious and well, overly meticulous sometimes.. "Any variations are completely intentional." Sometimes she wondered how he was *her* child! Ion paused. He hated sometimes that she was not only his mother, but the queen. It made arguing with her a little hard That's partly why he'd retreated into history, as it was his domain... Especially after the gaurdian of time disaapeared, cultural preservation had become a necessity. He'd only been 14 when that had happened, and though most people didn't really remember the Gaurdian since she'd never appeared much, her face almost haunted him...But then, he'd more or less (he could now admit it) had a major crush on her...so everything concerning her had mattered to him.....perhaps that had started his fascination with history...He'd been about 18 or so when he'd realized that people were beginning to grumble about "Hey, why do we have this queen ruling us? What makes her so special?" It was then he'd realized his role in life , and what had once been a vehicle for spending time with the target of his youthful fancies, became his new passion. Memoreis for good deeds were pretty short! He would see to it that people respected the order of his families rule because of what had happened, and he would leave it to his grandmother and eventually his niece to live up to their predecessors. He'd encouraged the schools to make history a special project , and had generally taken over handling the diplomatic functions of cultural celbrations. Sometimes, he was troubled by the traditions and the lack of understanding. Lately though, he'd had a new problem....a young girl with a crush. "What I meant to say is that the variations may relate to the age...that is, I think you've limited your search too much for Sailorpluto by only considering those born within a year of Selenity. " Reenie raised an eyebrow..."We've all but scoured the kingdom for an 18 yearold woman who is sensible, sensitive and smart ....there has been a major objection to all we've seen...and the crystal has not reacted to any of them.." She didn't doubt her son's judgement, but she found it hard to believe they'd overlooked someone. "This search was extremely time consuming .how far apart in age would you have us go?" "I was thinking younger...in fact, I was thinking you should test girls like Anna." "Your Anna? But she's only a little girl!" "Well, she's the same age as when Grandmother became Sailormoon, and older than when you first transformed..." Two years ago,Anna had come into life at the palace, and had spent her time mostly as Ion's assitant, though not because he'd asked for someone to help him with the Archives. Anna was.a young girl from the Pluto Colony...Anna was a delightful kid, serious and hardworking....though young, she was very intelligent and studied hard. And, Ion felt some bond with her, since her father had been the shuttle pilot that had been driving the shuttle that killed his father and sister. When his mother learned the girl was then an orphan, she had given her a home at the Royal Palace out of compassion (Well , more at the insistence of the original Sailor Jupiter, Lita who had been orphaned herself (at least in her reborn form). Lita had said that through this tragedy, they could reach out to help this girl...Apparently, the girl's mother had died a few years earlier, a victim of a disease produced by rapidly mutuating plutonian cockroaches...outerspace colonies were dAngerous places. Ion was not a man of many words (though he could occasionally throw out a speech with the best of them). While he'd grown fond of the little girl, truth be told the intensity of her gaze, the blush on her cheek as she averted her gaze on him At times was making their interactions a little awkward...He was 23 years old, and he couldn't deal with a schoolgirl's Crush. Sending her off on this would be the ideal way of getting rid of her wihout hurting her feelings...."This would be perfect for her--you know she's more grounded than most girls her age...she's ready for a greater challenge than bother er , assiting me." Reenie smiled, she was quite fond of Anna. The dark haired, serious girl was nothing like herself, and was more like Ami. But she was still a girl. She'd noticed Anna's stares after her son, and remembering being 14 herself (and observing her mother's friends at that age), she knew how easily a crush felt like so much more. Well, considering her mother and father--sometimes it was. Still, the notion made her pause.. .she thought, picturing Anna...a sailor? It hadn't occured to her til now, what else might become of the girl. Surely she couldn't stay at the palace forever. Yet it was a ridiculous idea to consider her for the sailor post. However, she looked at her son (no matter how old he got, there were some things he still left to mom!)...a slight blush was lying just underneath the surface of his skin. " You've been spending a lot of time with her son..." "Yes, and I judge her capable of handling this post. If not, at least...Mother, she follows me around. I catch her staring at me--and at the last few dances, every time I turned a corner she was there...I tried to dance with a woman, and I felt that gaze burning through me..." Reenie laughed..."Son, you shouldn't dismiss her so easily, you know the story of how your grandfather and mother met." "And the legend says they originally met when their ages were not so disparate. I don't think I was fated to love Anna... and without destiny to blame, I could only blame myself if... .Mother, this is hard to say to anyone and especially you. Yet it is not proper I think, the older Anna gets for her to spend so much time aroud me. Lena was kidding me that I had a girlfriend! If I were not an honorable sort, well, this fascination could get Anna in trouble with some men...but instead, it is getting me in trouble with women!" "Well, I'll speak to her then. Maybe she could assist me in the searches for the next sailor...but she is too young for this post..." "Thank you." He said, relieved that at last something would be done about his shadow...(as people were wont to call the girl) ___Chapter Two: "To Every Season" (PG)___ by Alina alinasan@yahoo.com (Write to me!) <> Anna was dreamily designing a costume (on paper) for the newest sailor scout...everyone was talking of the search. It seemed the palace was abuzz with little else. The girls chosen were already warily interacting, trying to bond, and get to know Princess Selene ....Well, Lena (as she was known) was a wonderful girl and full of love. It was hard not to like her...and Anna wished she could be more like her. To be her gaurdian! That would be such an honor...and it would insure her a place permanently at the palace....She'd been noticing that in her two years here at the palace that many people came and went...Advisors were changed (other than the scouts) in order to keep the palace alive witht he views of the people. Thus Royal decree had charged that such separation was not good...so otherwise (short of being a servant) how could she stay? Oh, she could try to be the Royal Seamstress, or work in the Archives but what good would that do, because unless she was in the inner circles she wouldn't see....him. She blushed, as she looked over at the small window, which led down to the yard...She'd often just stare at him as he practiced archry, or played his moon flute... hoping he wouldn't notice her (or that he'd stare back and *really* notice her). How could she tell him what was in her heart? She shook her head, and tried to push away her fantasies. She returned to studying her physics book. A knock at the door rattled her, as the Queen came in. She was shocked. She loved the Queen--for the woman had been very kind to her, mothering her in her grief, at a time when she had much on her own mind. When she first arrived at the palace, they had often run into each other late at night, staring at the moon in the gardens...As their grief had waned, so had the nightly talks...she had at first missed the Queen's talks intensely, but as with everything she grew used to being lonely. Yet the Queen did not visit people! People visted the queen after begging for an audience, or were summoned if they were needed. Her time was too important for such a casual visit...Anna was happy everytime the Queen spent time with her, which was infrequent at best. She'd never come to her little tower room before. "Your majesty! I..." She hastily looked about the room, cursing herself for being lazy and not tidying up more (though the room was not at all untidy, especially to a woman who'd been even more of a scatter shot herself). "Apologize, I didn't expect..." "Anna, relax...I'm not here as your Queen...but as your friend. At least, I hope that you consider me as such (a shaky nod)... Anna, the kingdom needs to find a new sailor scout...but we must be careful in who we select. " Anna's heart began to thump...was it possible? Was she being selected.....She'd mentioned dreamily to Prince Ion that ultimately she could think of no greater part she could play than to be a sailor scout...had he passed this on to his mother? Her eyes began to shine... "I've noticed though, that such selectivity is not a good strategy for everything...you've been spending far too much time assiting my son's projects, and I think it is time for you to work on matters of more importance." Anna felt a little dizzy, and weakly sat down "I don't know if I'm ready..." Her a sailor scout--a picture flashed before her eyes...She'd never seen the original scout of time, but she'd oftened stared at pictures of her, and the other scouts...she even had her own idol book to them... "Of course you are...selecting a Sailor Scout is very important work, and I'm sure you will be a great help to me in choosing the right girl." "Oh.." Anna's eyes looked a little perplexed..."Selecting' She whispered...internally she felt a crushing weight sink over her soul..."of course...selecting" Reenie smiled. She thought to herself "She's touched...she didn't expect such an honor...Yes this was quite the right thing to do. " Out loud, she continued brightly "I'll send Diana around to coach you on the particulars..." Reenie glided out of the room, feeling realtively secure that she had solved her son's problem. Poor thing she thought, that girl is so alone, and I really ought to spend more time with her . Oh well, she'll have way too much to do now than to bother Ion! **** Diana smiled (as far as a cat can smile), and nodded. "You see, its very simple, we just need to assess whether the girl has the right characteristics in order to justify using the crystal test....it was easier to find the rest of the sailors...as each current scout seemed to intuitvely know who her replacement would be. Yet for the Time Scout..well, the current one is unavailable , and also, we never knew that much about her anyway." "So I'm to give the candidates these forms, and if they get enough correct, then I send them into you?" Anna was eying the forms skeptically. "Precisely." "But what do these questions have to do with anything?--I mean what sort of thing is this question "Do you prefer to work alone or in a team?" or "I would let my queen die if I knew history had fortold this" or asking if they agree that "The world in which I live is the best of all possible worlds" or that "Destiny rules everything--" "SailorPluto, the original left these with Queen Serenity....they are guides to help choose the next person." "But they are *silly*..." Anna said, "And what if the right girl doesn't respond the way you expect?" Diana sighed, and mumbled something about patience..."That's how we *know* she's the right person...only the right person would answer as we expect. Now women are waiting, go distribute these forms and explain the procedures" Anna frowned, she doubted these questionares were anything but a waste of time...Why she ws sure that the girls answered randomly she would. All the questions seemed to be variations on a theme ...and there were so many of them. Watching everyone fill out the forms on their own was boring... she missed working with Ion. She hadn't seen him for days now. She tapped her heel on the ground, until one girl's evil glare made her stop. "Sorry", she whispered....She had already finnished her book, and she didn't know what else to do...She frowned, and fished out a blank form. Absentmindedly, she began to fill it in as the girls filled theirs in. Though she started trying to honestly asnwer, after awhile, the questions made her head hurt, and she instead just made it form a picture of the planet symbol of pluto. After all, the first couple of questions seemed as if they were almost creating that picture. That ended up taking up the rest of the time,, and space on her paper... Arms loaded with the forms, she walked along back towards the room where Diana awaited her. Suddenly, out of the corner of he r eye she caught a glimpse of Ion tuning his moon lyre..Though h e'd play the flute more publicly, she'd never heard him play the lyre....she started to go say hi, when she realized he was not alone...He was playing for a young woman, who's features she cou ld not make out, but who as far as she could tell was very beaut iful. The music was very romantic, and the woman had an incredi bly tender expression on her face as she looked at Ion...He was so engrossed in the music, he didn't seem to be aware of anythin gbut the notes...but somehow, to Anna, she felt as if she had in terrupted the most intimate scene. She turned and fled, acciden tly tripping over Diana, who'd come to see why she was taking so long....The papers flew everywhere, and Anna landed with a thum p on her backside. Diana squealed, and her furr ruffled. "Wha t' s the commotion" Ion's voice preceeded his quick footstep dow n the corridor..."Oh, Anna, its you." She blushed (internally w incing at doing so)" I tripped." "So I see...well, no harm done ...I'm just going to go back to practicing..." He said "hope the new search is working out" He turned and had almost vannished. "Ion, wait, you sounded wonderful, ..." Absentmindedly, she handed the sheaf of papers to Diana (who of course, with limited paw capacity couldn't hold them, and stumbled over trying to grab them)...and started to follow Ion..a stary stare on her face... "I never play for anyone" , He said curtly, and then noticing her expression, he softly added "Except my grandmother...really. I'd appreciate it if you didn't listen" He then turned and almost ran down the corridor. She sighed...he could be so nice sometimes...but sometimes... "What a jerk." She floated back over to Diana, does that run in his family?" Absently, she reached up to pull her hair back...it was still quite short, though it had grown out somewhat from the severe style favored on colonies. Her hair had grown kind of slowly, over the two years..and her bangs really needed to be cut as they were in her eyes. Right now that was good, because she could feel she was about to cry.... Diana meowed... "As far as I've ever noticed, most men are entirely far behind females in comprehension." She then imitated Ian's run "He acted like he was afraid of you." Anna giggled ..feeling better. "So is that why *you've* never married...." Diana threw her a rather fie rce "none of your business" glance, and tail in the air, stalked off , muttering "Isnt a career good enough for a cat these days ? No, it's "when are you going to find a nice cat and settle" this and, "Aren't you going tohave a litter" that, never mind that *I* help this kingdom, this empire run...crystal tokyo would shatter without me...posi *** It was some hours later that Diana startled a very sleepy Anna-- "I've found it...we've found her...this girl, she's answered in exactly the right manner." Diana was very happy--the ceremony was only a day away, and would otherwise have been pushed bck. Diana arched hapily, and tapped her communicator badge (worn around her neck) "My Queen, I have wonderful news....a girl has answered the test in the correct form...Prince Ion's suggestion appears to have worked wonders." Reenie smiled. "Excellent, then go find the girl, and bring her to meet me." Her image vanished. Anna frowned, as bleary eyed,she noticed which paper Diana was marking....Diana was frowning..."The girl didn't put her name here...how are we going to find her? Do you remember which girl this was? I did tell you to put them in neat rows, in case this happened..so she was seated between... " Diana trailed off, noticing Anna's expression. Anna looked as if she'd swallowed a fish, raw and whole (and not prepared as sushi either). She felt her face flush....She was staring transfixed at the sheet she'd doodled in..."I um, I did that..." Diana stared at her... "You? But...how could..." She began to eye her warrily, as she circled.."Push your hair back..." Anna frowned...she'd always worn it over her forhead as long as possible, to hide the scar her as her mother had told her. She'd long since forgotten it was there....She felt a kind of heat on her forehead underneath the glare of Diana's stare.... Some weird purplish glow was lightig Diana's eyes, and was reflected in the cats face.... "Diana, what's going on?" Anna was kind of scared....the moon symbol on Diana was starting to glow... "Anna, I dont' believe it, but I think *you* are the next Sailor Pluto..." Diana said... Anna turned to face the mirror, as she could see her face and the symbol shining on her forehead... "To every Season": Part Three "To Every Season" Chapter 3 (PG) by Alina alinasan@yahoo.com Author's Notes: Welcome back, if you're reading this! Thanks! Like every fanfic author--The usual disclaimers apply, so don't come after me! I'm writing this purely for noncommercial purposes and would never seek to profit from it. (I.e. "Sailor Moon belongs to a lot of people and companies, none of which include me--Takeuchi Naoko, Nakayoshi, Kodansha, Bandai, Toei Co. Ltd., Copyrighted 1992.) ***Anna stood, cold and confused before the large palace audience. The Senshis's swirled around her, and before her, rose a large key, and eternity stretched before her. "Think, this staff will ruin your life...run while you can..." a voice was chanting at her..."do you want to submit to your destiny? " A hauntingly familiar voice was saying "This power you'll take will take your life...resist..." "You cannot control time" whispered another... Time will control you...You cannot stop time, but it can stop you...." And finally, a voice screaming " Not Again! I can't let it happen again..."****@---->----> She woke up in a cold sweat...the thoughts torturing her. What did this dream mean? She felt a wave of uneasiness sweep over her...she needed to do something. That had led her to wander into the gardens, hoping she would run into Queen Serenity...but instead she had literally run into Ion. She'd been walking along, peacefully, when she'd heard a noise, which made her start to walk faster, and then, as her tensions built up, she began to run. He'd been out for a night time run--he sometimes found the cool of the morning to be the best, when he could sometimes see the moon "set", and the sun rise...As a historian, he didn't need to be up at any particular time. Royalty did have its privledges he sighed... The moonlight gave everything an eerie glow, and in it, Anna's usually darker features appeared almost pale. Her eyes were luminous, but terrified in there intense garnet like glow... Ion grabbed her, to steady her--"Anna, what's wrong?" He said...She was shaking....tears were forming in her eyes... "I dont' know if I"m ready for this..." Her voice was but a whisper..." I mean its been a dream, but...my mother, before she died, used to tell me that I was to keep hidden my forehead, that one day the mark would bring my doom. She was fanatical about it--she often said that the Gaurdian of Time had told her herself. I....maybe I"m not ready for this..." Ion frowned, and gently sat her down on a bench. "Anna, you just are worried, and that is natural. My grandmother, believe it or not, apparently did not calmy accept her fate as leader of the world...and your role is a much lesser one. Remember Anna, that in our kingdom, if you are capable of a lot, then a lot will be asked of you. I've seen you come a long way, from an intensely shy girl, to an intelligent, able ...assitant.." He caught himself before he said woman...she did seem more mature than her 14 years, but she was still very young. "That's a natural feeling...and at least you are not alone--its a sentiment that my little niece feels, and maybe you should talk to her.....I've never really felt trapped by my own destiny...so I can't quite relate." "Thats' because you make your own destiny--no one has fortold anything about what the role of the prince must be...." "And what has been foretold about the Sailor of Time? We don't know much about the *last* one, but we don't know anything about you...she was a troubled person they say, but that does not mean you need to be. " "What was she like?" Anna's voice was soft...and she was staring at the sky. "I didnt' know her well...the only person who did was perhaps my mother...They had a special bond, but I found her was fascinating...she had an iron control...she said she was ruled by destiny, yet I felt..." He paused, his thoughts glazing in his mind...he knew he felt a lot of things, most of which he could not discuss with Anna. "You felt what, don't stop..." Anna prompted, entranced by the sound of his voice... "I felt that nothing controlled her but herself, even if she felt fate was guiding her....but as I said, I nver really got to know her." Anna breathed in the cool night air, in which the scent of the roses and Ion blended together in a heady mix.. ..."I feel a little better about it..I know I have really nothing to fear by taking this on but..." She turned her face upward to his....his nearness was overwhelming, and she couldn't help but say what she was thinking. "I..I will miss you. I don't want to not see you." The moonlight softened the usual wariness he'd developed towards her..he pulled her into a hug, but somehow it didnt feel as fatherly/employerish the way that he felt it ought. He looked down and their gazes locked..some force almost drew their heads together...He held for a second longer than he realized it, but then gaining control he shifted away from her..."I'll miss you too, kid, but this is your path..and some things we get used to missing." Anna frowned...he didn't understnad. All her feelings, everything she thought about..."Ion, you mean a lot to me..." How did she tell him she loved him? That she couldn't take this job without feeling certain of...what? Could she continue to hide these feelings, rather than have them shatter against reality? She didnt know much about SailorPluto's life, but it was clear that she never seemed to exist in the normal timestream... How could she do that if she didn't tell him her heart now? For though she loved her Queen, and would loyally serve her Princess, it was for her prince that she would willingly assume what she could only imagine to be an arudous and lonely job. She wanted him to know that what would make her life worthwhile was her memories of their times together, and the hope for more time with him...She tried to say these things with her eyes... He didn't seem to understand what she was saying... He looked extremely uncomfortable..."Look, its late, and I really need to go. I'd wait til morning, then I'd talk to Lena...ok?" He stood up, and backed away." Well, I'll just be going...I probably won't see you before the ceremony but I"m glad we talked....take care.." He said almost stumbling in his haste to get away. But maybe he understood all too well.... He wanted to say "Hey its just a crush, you'll get over it, well mostly, as that happened to me.." But he couldn't quite get the words out. And the more troubling thing was, that he was not so casually disdainful of what she was saying...had she been older... All he could do was get out of her vicinity himself. "What's wrong with me..." He thought to himself. I almost kissed her! She's just a child!" He was having way too strong of a reaction...He headed off to a necessary swim in the cold garden pool. **** "And in the name of the Peace of the Crystal Millenium, I charge you...." Queen Serenity was practicing the speech she would use in the actual transformation. "Diana, what's Anna's whole name? I don't believe I know that, and I think it would sound better if I didn't use a nick name or anyhing like that..." The grey cat twined around..."Hm...we must have a record somewhere....ah yes! Meyer, S....Susannah....is that a coincidence or what?" The Queen frowned...Something was tickling her conciousness..." I have a feeling about this, but I'm not sure what it means." Diana nodded. "I think the similarities are astounding, I wonder why we never noticed it before..." Then again, her mother had not noticed Princess Serenity was the Sailormoon...so, she didn't feel too bad. Here at least she had the excuse that no one would have expected that someone who they thought had existed from the time of the Silver Mllenium (well, sans one rebirth) was actually just growing up now! "I suppose Puu always seemed so *old* to me, its hard to imagine her young, immature...and awkward! She was always stately, calm, and wise....harsh at times..."And suffering from a major crush on my son!" "We can't escape this though---it appears as if Anna *is* the original sailor of time...or will become so!" " Hm...Puu always told me that the future was capapble of changing...that was a dnager of time travel, yet she still believed there was a destiny, a path we followed loosely...that spacee/time could degrade...I always thought she had some special knowledge or pregonitive ability...I never quite realized that maybe she knew what would happen because she *actually* was from the future..." "yet if she becomes the Reformation Warriror...well, we'll still need help here in this time frame...our travel portals, and the new threats...how are we to deal with those? That was the reason we wanted a time sailor anyway... " She paused...and pawed.."I suppose we just need to complete destiny..."Diana frowned...she too had travelled through time, and knew all the inconsistencies that defied logic in doing so..."Sometimes, my Queen, we rely on our faith and hope..." This was one sentiment with which the Queen of the Empire of Hope (as some called the Crystal World) could agree. Destiny often took strange turns, as well she knew. * * * Reenie sighed....she knew there were several things that she could tell Pluto...(was it really the same person?) But since Puu had claimed not to know other things, or had found them out by others telling them (such as her Dark Dome Close) power...other than her....Then again, Puu was a stickler for not letting things slip about the future...maybe she often knew things and just pretended she didn't... Yet, it didn't make sense to do that...she might corrupt the time stream...or had she already done so? That was what was so weird to her. Had she already sent Pluto on her way over a millenia or more...or was she just about to do it? She'd never been the brightest student....so she shook her head...And prepared to enter the throne room... Before her, all the other sailors were standing in a semi circle, before them, drssed very simply in a deep red dress (so dark it was almost black), stood Anna...She was staring at the floor, but every so often her eyes darted up towards Ion...Who seemed not to notice her (or trying not to look at her)... "Today we appoint a new power, a gaurdian of the planet Pluto, to protect time and space, and our Crystal Empire....In the name of the peace of this empire, through the power of the moon's silver crystal, I will transform you!..." She cried out the words as she lifted her moon staff...all the other Scouts raised their wands, and a beam shot out from each converging on Anna...She could hear a voice cry out through the unbelievably powerful light "Say Pluto Planet Power makeup" Which she repeated...the searing heat became bearable, then comforting, and then exhiliertaing andd all consuming...The whole world seem to shift and lose cohesion before her, only to reformulate in a strange pattern. Then it stopped, and she stood, feeling different, holding a long staff, shaped vaguely like a key...Despite the short dress, she didn't feel cold, nor awkard standing in her long boots... Before her, she glimpsed the other sailors..and suddenly, moving in between time so that only she could perceive it, a figure appeared... "Dark Dome Open..." The voice said..." A whorl of energy formed in a porta Susannah...we start your training today...." Time resumed, with out any perceptible break...and before the court stood a girl of about 14 with dark black/brown hair, hanging loosely, except for the sides which were pulled back and braided into two buns on the back of her head. Her eyes were an intense amber gold, which struck Selena as familiar, but even more familiar was that she was wearing the exact outfit they had but glimpsed on Anna. Someone gasped out "Who are you?" The girl swivelled to observe the speaker, Princess Selena... "I'm the Senshi of time...!" She said Her gaze didn't even shift.. "And time's up!" This horrofic statement was punctuated by a giggle, but then resuming her composure, she whispered something, and then fired point blank at the Princess. * * * In the flow of TimeSpace...in a place that is and is not, stood a young girl, before a figure... "Pluto, today I begin your training...here there is no history, no yesterday and no today...time has no meaning, so do not be alarmed. Do not speak of anything as before or in the future...Your future is my past, my future is your past...in this world...at least...." The figures lines blurred a little.....to reveal a woman who was tall, with her Lime green hair braided in an infinity symbol on the back of her head.... Who are you...she thought.. "I am SailorPluto, came the reply, and so are you..." "To every Season..." Chapter Four: (PG) by Alina alinasan@yahoo.com (comments welcomed) same disclaimers as before Mika frowned.... she had expected the shot to be deflected away from the Princess. She hadn't expected it to hit the target....Numbly, she stepped through time...to speak with her trainer... It didnt work...she's supposed to still be alive." She was still numb and shaking... Her teacher was staring transfixed at the portal...Her sandy hair was feathered around her..." WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?" "I just ...I was thinking that if destiny drives things, then nothing I do makes a difference"Mika, though mischevious, was not evil, and she hadn't quite grapsed what she had done."It drives me crazy to think I cant change things! I just wanted to break the cycles of things..I..I .don't know." Now the older woman's eyes flashed. She was furious "At what cost? Why were you willing to wreck the happiness of the world!" Mika sniffed back a sob, shaking her head..."They just don't seem real to me...it's cant really be them.....I didn't mean to do anything...it's like they're pictures out of a history book." The glare burned through her "You cannot do that...and when I tell you things are forbidden, understand there are consequences to your actions.....grave consequences...I'm not sure what you've just done...but be assured, you have somehow *wrecked* the timeline..." "Am I in trouble again?" Mika's voice was small... "The entire Kingdom is in trouble..." SailorPluto's voice was barely percepitble... "Not just this ancient one, but your world...you've just killed *your* Queen's mother, and therefore, your Queen." Mika wailed....."But I can fix it, can't I?" "You cannot now stop yourself, or go back and warn them...its done...the only way to stop this is for someone else to change the time line..." "Can't you?" "No, I cannot do anything...Oh why did I tell her that rubber band story...? " Though she second guessed herself now, she knew why she had done so...Mika was so uninteresed in history..she even refused to honor the tradition of calling each other Sailorpluto. SailorPluto remembered that she too had had problems... But Mika kept insisting that she was Mika...and she'd prefer to be called that. SailorPluto moved her hand and a door opened...."These things are not supposed to happen in this way...but maybe we can salvage things.." Pluto sighed..."You must go through alone. Things are confused enough, without me contributing to the disaster." "I hope you still exist" she said, as Mika paused...hestitating. One quick nudge from the elder Pluto's staff, and she found herself in between. Mika frowned and finnished stepping through. The portal closed..her senses focussed, and she found herself looking at a stern, surprised and not too happy about it, older woman with lime green hair. "Um, I'm here to get some...help..." The woman's expression did not change. " SailorPluto sent me here...." Like the clouds before the sun, the glare vannished. The woman smiled..."Hello "little" SailorPluto....of course she did. Well, you weren't kidding that your past was my future...hm....So, I suppose you've come for that personal favor you said you would need?" Mika wrinkled her brow..how did this woman know about that? "Well...you didn't reveal everything....and you were trained too well for that...but I'm currently engrossed in *my* own training..." She rolled her eyes.."I am swimming in paradox here!" She paused..."But you trained me well enough to handle it...whooops, I guess not *that* well, I wasn't supposed to say that was I? I just find it hard to take it that this is actually happening--and I've been doing this for quite awhile now too..." Mika frowned..."How did you know I'd wrecked the time line?" "Well, my dear SailorPluto, to me, you already had a long time ago...which means, that is, that I've since entered the timestream when you made your mistake. Had I remained here, I would have had my original memories, rather than those that resulted from your error. Yet! Things are not so grave, if I am still here and intact. You did ...that is, you will fix it....just remember this, time can be warped significantly, without losing it's shape. Sometimes, I visualize it as a rubber band. You can stretch it, but it snaps back ...and sometimes, that can hurt." Mika blinked before the torrent of words. "Huh?" Chrona smiled... "Why don't you call me Chrona? If all three of us go by "sailorpluto" it will be confusing. And besides, now that I think of it, I don't know *why* I seem to remember feeling that I *had* to use the title...after all, the timeline is apparently in dissarray already." Mika repeated her "Huh?" Chrona waived her wand...."Well, Sailorpluto is now back in the court of the Silver Millenium..."training" before the original court of Queen Serenity. Who, I suppose is very surprised to see her....you must be very careful that no one sees you. Granted that *no one* really knows the history, so you could conceivably have already been there, but I have a feeling that is not the case. Let's avoid as much paradox as possible, ok? " She moved her hands and a portal opened up before her...swirling around. "Well, go on. Go get Anna...um, SailorPluto... "Where am I going?" "Mika, who is training *you?*? Well now, think. Each of us retains memories of the world at the point in which we jumped through time. When we jump back in, we never know what we will find. If you want to find someone who remembers things as you do, then you need to find someone who exited the timestream *before* the change happened...befoe in the sense of your perspective. To realign things...I hope this makes sense. I'm not sure I have it right either. But I suppose Anna, since I sent her to the Silver Millenium, is likely to be the only person who retains her original memories. " "But...but, why not you?" Mika was confused. "Mika...Mika...Mika...we serve backwards through time...*I'm* not even born yet at the point when you started serving.....or I'm just being born...at any rate, when I was growing up, *you* were the SailorPluto I remember... But I think *I* was the one *you* knew...Jumping through time makes it hard to explain. I suppose that is why I'm not supposed to even try. If *I* enter to fix things that you did when you were training, there's a good chance I may enter and cease to exist...ok? Now go." She grumbled "That's what Puu said too....I hate this..." * * * "HOLD" The woman's voice was deep and rough... "How have you appeared here?" She was really tempted to shoot first and ask questions later, but a glance from her partner made her hold. The sea Green eyes were serenly eyeing the intruder...she was dressed like a Senshi...She didn't look very old...Yet everyone knew who all the Senshi were....Or, in the next few days who they would be...Still even little kids could be dangerous... Who ever heard of a Senshi of Time? "But its' true, I *am* SailorPluto" She spoke softly. She wanted to cry...She was surrounded by the three Warriros, each in attack mode. They were newly appointed, and the golden haired one looked as if she was just waiting for someone to try and make her day. "But Pluto is not even settled yet... You are lying" A voice filtered in , a glowing and loving voice. "Harriet (Haruka), I believe her...though I am not yet used to the idea of having a granddaughter, I do not think she is an "alien" threat....there is more than we know to our powers. And time is one element that I have only recently started studying...Please, child, come here." Susannah almost fainted...she was looking at HER...the original, Queen Serenity....who as far as she knew, had been dead for more than two millenia.. * * * She was in a room, in the palace. She knew she was not to stay here long--threats to the time line could occur at any point, and eventually she would need to return to that castle, where Queen Serenity had made a home for her. Her trainer, the myserious woman had dissappeared. She had never come back to tell her what she was to do...Some trainer, she thought, tightening the clip of hair on her head..it wasn't quite long enough to make a bun yet, but she thought that would look rather nice. A time portal opened, and out popped Mika...she stumbled, getting her bearings, and feeling a little light headed...she turned to look at Anna..."Um, hi there, SailorPluto...I'm um...Mi.....SailorPluto too..and I need your help." Anna frowned.. "What?" The girl was dressed exactly like her, except her hair was in two buns on the back of her head. "What's going on?" "I messed up the time line ok, and this is't supposed to happen. It's not a big deal, we'll just fix it, and we'll go back to our duties..." She succeeded in getting's Anna's foot through the whorl. "No...wait, what are you doing with me?" She hissed, trying to push the taller girl away. "I am getting you to fix the time line...now stop fighting me on this..." * * * "She can't be dead." The whole court was silent...Reenie felt a glacial coldness sweep over her body... No one else dared move. Finally, Ion moved forward, and picked up the fallen body of his niece....Both the elder Saturn and the newly appointed one moved forward... "Perhaps we can heal her...." Legends said that the original Saturn had possessed this capability...yet it had neer been needed,exterme a circumstance.... Reenie gripped her crystal wand...Her mind flashed to the feeling she'd had when her daughter died--she'd known it, long before the Sailors came break the news. Was this appropriate? Could this be fate...she didn't think it was supposed to happen this way. Ion felt the other extreme...he was angry..."That traitor...whoever she was...Justice will be mine...With the help of the Moon, I will see her punnished..." He raised a fist in the air...and stopped as a dry voice drawled out "And...just *how* do you intend to do that, princeling?" They all looked up at the speaker. Her lime green hair was whipped around her head like an infinity symbol, and her eyes glittered like hot red coals. She was dressed in a gown of sorts, which floated around her.... "It was so easy to put that impulse in that silly girl...who so carelessy left a door of time open....And here I am, catching the whole moon family, in one sweet surprise...." Reenie knew what to do...She raised the crystal and prepared to attack. The woman was quicker...as if she could move through time... Reenie only felt the blast of energy hit her...Could she preserve everyone as had her grandmother? She desperately tried to invoke the crystal spell....and she knew, as conciousness faded out, that she had failed. * * * (Too dark to stop huh? Well, never fear oh, reader...this will continue...***