Setsuna tried to get her fingers around her henshin wand. If only she'd been more willing to reveal herself--now it was probably too late for all of them...but she couldn't give up! Not yet! Not while there was still some fight left in her...she strained her muscles as Jedite began laughing in the background. Setsuna flung her gaze toward him. He was walking toward the prone figure of Sailor Moon. Was it all ov--
"Crescent BEAM!"
Venus? Setsuna redoubled her efforts to free herself, and was rewarded with success as the mind-controlled people around her slumped to the floor, every last one of them inert. Setsuna pulled herself to her knees as Venus turned from the disintegrating youma toward Jedite. He took an angry step toward her, then halted as Jupiter, Mercury, and Tuxedo-Kamen all began to get up with very determined looks in their eyes. Venus took a frightened step back from the Dark Kingdom general, then she took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and took a step forward to stand even with Jupiter. Setsuna sensed motion near her and turned her head to watch Hito pull himself slowly to his feet. Jedite's eyes turned in the direction of the motion too, and his eyes widened as he centered his gaze on the herself and boy.
"YOU! What's going on here! You're our ally! I don't know what your game is, but Beryl--"
"Supreme Thunder!"
"Crescent Beam!"
A lightning encased beam of energy shot at Jedite, hitting him full in the chest. He staggered back, coughing, then lifted his head up with an angry glare. His fists slowly gathered a glow of blue power around them. Mercury took an angry step forward. "That didn't stop him! I'll just use my pow--" Setsuna reached out quickly and grabbed Mercury before she could do something stupid. Again.
"No, Mercury. Only Sailor Moon's strong enough to kill him, and she's out right now. I've got no choice--I have to do this." She didn't wait for Mercury to start protesting--she reached into her dimensional pocket and pulled out her henshin wand. "Pluto Crystal Power...Make Up!"
She could feel three shocked pair of eyes center on her as she bean her transformation. Hito was even so indelicate as to let his mouth drop open in surprise. She expected the astonishment on Tuxedo Kamen's face as well, since he'd never heard of her before, but Jedite's reaction took her by surprise.
"You bitch! You're both playing both sides!" With an angry yell he raised his fists, but Pluto had already leveled her Garnet Rod with deadly purpose.
"Dead Scream."
She planted the butt of her staff down on the ground and watched her attack shock through Jedite's body. With a short, cut-off scream he disappeared.
*****
Hito looked at her with horror. She was just like the black lady--she'd killed another general! Was she really the black lady, testing him? He began to back away fearfully. She was looking over at Tuxedo Kamen with a strange look on her face, but Hito decided he really wasn't curious enough about her expression to stick around. He had to get out of here, now that everybody had survived.
"Hey!" Something grabbed his arm and held on so hard he whipped around in a tight circle. "Where do you think you're going?" Mercury had a tight grip on his arm and a superior look on her face. "You seem awfully eager to get out of here. And Pluto seemed to know you. I don't think you should be leaving just yet."
Hito tried to pry her fingers off. These senshi were strong! "Please, I saved your life! Can't you let me go?"
Mercury reached out with her hand to grab his other arm. "No."
The black lady--Pluto--looked over at the two with surprise on her face. "Good job, Mercury. Whatever you do, don't let him go. He's involved with this somehow."
Mercury rolled her eyes. "I figured that much out on my own, Pluto."
"I have to go talk to Tuxedo Kamen-sama."
Mercury looked toward the tall man in a tuxedo, who was kneeling next to Sailor Moon. "I wanna meet him too. C'mon." She yanked on his arm, but Hito dug in his heels. "C'mon! We're going that way!" She tugged harder, and Hito resisted more stubbornly, scowling darkly at Mercury.
He'd definitely liked the other Mercurys more.
*****
"Sailor Moon? Sailor Moon!" Pluto knelt down next to Tuxedo Kamen and Sailor Moon. She reached out. "She should be all right, Tuxedo Kamen-sama." Mamoru lifted his blue eyes up to her face at the interruption. She smiled at him. That intense look in his eyes whenever Usagi was involved in danger hadn't changed. She hoped he hadn't changed too much. "He was immobilizing them--he didn't have enough power to put any of them out of commission." She reached down and pulled Usagi's head to her lap. "I know what your quest is--" she looked around. Mercury and Hito were still squabbling and Venus and Jupiter were helping Mars. "--Chiba Mamoru-san. I know how you can't help but come to the rescue of the senshi when you sense them in trouble." He still had iron control over most of his emotions. Only a slight jerk of his fingers over Usagi's signaled his surprise. "I'm Sailor Pluto, the senshi of time. I know many things. I think it's safe to tell you that your quest for Ginzuishou coincides with the senshis' search for it. We both have the same final goal in mind. If you'll help us search, you'll find what you're searching for."
He cocked his head. "What am I searching for, other than Ginzuishou?"
"The solution to the strange dreams you've been having about a princess calling for your help."
He stood up, his muscles tense. "How do you know all this?"
"Oooooh," Sailor Moon's eyelids fluttered and she raised a hesitant hand to the bruise on her head.
"I told you, I'm the senshi of time. I see many things. Will you help us?"
He looked at her for a second. "I'll think about it."
Sailor Moon's eyes finished opening. "Tuxedo Kamen-sama!" She sat up. "When did you get here?"
He leaned down with a faint smile on his face. "Too late to do much good. I'm glad to see you're all right, Sailor Moon." Tuxedo Kamen straightened. "Until later." In a swirl of midnight cloth he disappeared.
"Tuxedo Kamen-sama," Sailors Moon and Pluto breathed softly as he disappeared. Sailor Moon looked up at Pluto.
"Do you know him?"
Pluto turned sad red eyes upon her and opened her mouth to say something, but all that emerged was a pained groan as she suddenly doubled over, clutching her hands to her stomach. Sailor Moon leaned over her, wrapping her arms around her in worry. "Pluto? Are you all right? Pluto?"
*****
Hito knew his face was turning red, but he couldn't stop the tide of anger that was overwhelming him. "Let me go!"
Mercury was scowling at him with almost as much ire on her face. "No. Pluto says she wants to question you. I'm not going to screw up again today." She lowered her head and Hito heard her low muttering. "I'll show them I'm a real senshi, whatever they may think of me!"
"What's going on here? What are you doing to this boy, Mercury?" Hito looked behind Mercury and up. It was that tall girl, Sailor Jupiter. Mercury whipped her head around angrily to pin Jupiter down with a glare.
"I'm just keeping him from getting away."
"Why?"
Hito winced as Mercury's hands clenched tighter around his wrists. Her nails were sharp, even behind the gloves. "Because Pluto told me to! Is that all right with you?!?" Jupiter just shrugged and turned her back. "Hey! Answer me!! Don't just turn your back on me!" Mercury tried to pull Hito around so she could continue her argument with Jupiter, but he resisted. He didn't want to be around when Mercury succeeded in starting a fight with the tall senshi.
"Oh, shut up, Mercury." Venus?!? Had that been her? The girl scared of her own shadow during that entire fight? Hito gaped at the blonde girl in surprise. Mars was leaning on her shoulder, rubbing a large bump on the back of her head. Venus helped her over to a nearby pillar and left Mars holding onto it to keep to her feet while she continued toward Mercury. Hito snuck a glance at the blue senshi's face and snickered. She was in full temper now! Served her right for being such a bi-
"Shut UP?!? Fine words from the 'senshi' that almost let us all die! Since when have you been able to speak?"
Hito saw Venus' eyes spark with emotion. "I've found my strength, Mercury. I saved us. You're the one that almost got us killed with that stunt." Venus was too angry to even smile at the hurt look that crossed Mercury's face.
"Well, I may not be the best fighter yet, but it's only my second battle. At least I tried to do something. You've been nothing but a coward for years!"
Venus' fist clenched. "Stop it."
"Or what? You'll cry?"
The orange senshi's shoulders clenched with anger. Hito made shushing noises toward Mercury. This was looking ugly! "Stop it! Before something happens."
Mercury snickered. "Yeah? Like what?"
Venus didn't even bother to say anything. Her hand whipped out with a snap and Mercury stumbled back, falling to the ground. Mars stared at the two girls with wide eyes, her mouth wide open. Hito felt his mouth hanging open as well and hastily pulled it shut. Jupiter chuckled appreciatively, then leaned over. "You should watch that mouth of yours, Mercury. It keeps getting you in trouble." She reached down to pull Mercury up, but the girl slapped her help away.
"Leave me alone! I hate you all!"
Venus stared steadily down on Mercury. Tears were forming in her eyes, but she ignored them. "I'm just sick of all the garbage that comes out of your mouth, Mercury. I-I know I've been a coward, but...I just can't listen to you say things like that anymore!" With a toss of her hair she turned around and walked back over to Mars. Mercury didn't respond. She just stared down at the floor, her eyes hard and her hands in tight fists.
Hito looked around. In all the excitement he'd forgotten that he should really be leaving while everyone else was distracted. He looked. There. The exit. Just a few yards. He took off at a run.
"Oh no you don't!" Hito heard feet pounding behind him and tried to make himself run faster, but that had sounded like--
A hand grabbed him by the back of his shirt, bringing him up short. "I don't know who you are, or why Pluto wanted Mercury to keep a hold on you, but I don't think I'm going to let you get away that easily. " He was pulled around to face his new captor and sighed with resignation. Jupiter. Great. Like he could get away from her. If he couldn't pull away from Mercury, there was no way he'd be able to escape her grasp. He let his legs collapse under him. Jupiter let him slump to the floor but stood between him and the door. He was too tired of it all to even care. He just wished whatever was going on would hurry up and end. It would be so nice to go home. Even his upcoming exams back at home looked relaxing when compared to all this. He looked over toward the other black lady--the one Mercury had called Pluto. She and that Tuxedo Kamen guy were talking to Sailor Moon. His eyes followed Tuxedo Kamen's black form as he suddenly swept his cape around himself and walked out of the store. If only it was that easy for him to lea-
"Well, boy, are you going to sit there on the floor all day?" Hito's eyes widened. That voice, that tone. What was she doing here? He turned to face her. Jupiter just stared down at him, silent and still. Her expression hadn't changed a hair.
"What-"
"I don't have time for your stupid questions. Get up. We have to go, now! There may be another me here to cushion the effect, but stopping time is dangerous! I don't have any time!"
"But that makes no sense! If you've stopped time, how can you not have-"
"NOW!" Hito scrambled to his feet so hurriedly he lost his balance and lurched into Jupiter. She didn't budge an inch. She didn't even feel human. He touched her hand--it was stiff as stone.! What was going on? He looked over to the black lady and opened his mouth, then stopped. The look on her face was something new--something he'd never thought to see on her face. Pain. And fear. "I said now. I can't hold on much longer, whether there's two of me here or not!" He mutely took her hand, and the world suddenly swirled around him.
*****
"Mmmmm..."
"Pluto? Pluto? Are you waking up?"
Setsuna swatted at whatever was making all that noise. "Mmph. Stop it. Leave me alone..."
"Pluto? What's wrong? What's happening?"
She tiredly opened her eyes and began to sit up. Before she'd even risen to an elbow she fell back with a stifled groan as pain shot through every muscle in her body. She whimpered and curled up into a fetal position, wrapping her arms around herself.
"Pluto? Pluto. . ."
She closed her eyes tight again as the noise receded and oblivion covered her once again.
*****
Hito looked down at the lady, at a complete loss as to what he should do. She was still lying on the ground, where she'd fallen after getting them both to her strange, misty home by the door. He'd tried to bring her to the bed she'd brought here for him, but when he moved her she always moaned or cried out in pain, so he finally gave up that idea. He'd had to settle for putting a blanket over her. So now he sat here. And waited. And was hungry.
*****