Hi y'all! It's great to think people are actually reading this far
into my story! [blushes] If I remember right, a lot of these chapters
are pretty small, so, although there may be a total of, like, fifty
chapters, they're so small it hardly matters. I had wanted to go back
over some of these chapters and 'enhance' them...but then I decided not
to--I got pressured by school and then I got sick on top of that. But
don't worry. I won't let my two essay's and oral report, not to mention
my two tests next week for which I have to read six boring text book
chapters for each one, get in the way of getting out Part 4 - Relation-
ships. Of course, it helps that I'm almost finished with it, too...
Okay, so I know a lot of people were probably severly pissed off with
Serena's Dad...don't worry too much. All things work out in the end...
They have to, I'm too much of a romantic for them not.
Till next week! Keep writing!
Andrea ^.^

I'll Be There For You
Part 3 - The Past Reborn

Eons ago, our Solar System was Empty: A vast void of nothingness.

Another System came and crashed into our sun and tiny fragments were
spewed out into the emptiness. The sun took pleasure in the tiny
pieces of itself. But this pleasure was short lived when no life
formed on these pieces. The sun cried out for life, and the planets,
upon hearing this cry rejoiced and filled their wombs with life. And
the sun and the planets rejoiced in their children.

But the galaxy was a violent place. Other Solar Systems were jealous
of our sun's children and the life that thrived within her womb.
They fought viciously and several of our sun's children were lost.
Eventually, our Galaxy got fed up with the warring Solar Systems and
let all her children (Solar Systems) have children (Planets). The
Solar Systems were pleased and in return, they allowed their children
(the Planets) to have children (you got me there!). And the Galaxy
beamed with life.

The Universe was quick to see and understand the problems her child
(the Galaxy) had endured. She passed life onto the other Galaxies who
shared her womb, who in return passed life down to their children
(Solar Systems), who passed life down to their children (Planets),
who passed life down to their children (confused yet? Hold on there!).

And so the universe beamed with life and was very happy.

But Peace is only so longed lived.

A sister of our universe seethed with jealousy and hate for the life
that thrived in our Universe's womb. She began to seed her own womb
with life--but the seed was tainted by her jealousy and hate and her
children grew up evil. When she passed by her sister, she was sly
and abandoned several of her children into her sister's womb. Our
Universe was too busy to notice the children of her sister playing
with her own children.

And the foreign Solar Systems prospered, moving about our Universe,
making their homes where ever they seemed fit. And they in turn
abandoned their children among their cousin Solar Systems. And these
Planets and Moons flourished.

And for a long time no one noticed these foreign children and
grandchildren of the Negaverse...

And when they did, it was too late...

So it came to pass that the small moon that entered Earth's
atmosphere was not questioned and when the Silver Millennium began
it's reign, Nemesis was allied to the Earth and Earth's true moon,
Luna (Serenity's home, the same moon we all know and love!)

*****************************************************************

She played in the Shadows, watching him...his every move. She
studied his body, every gesture he made. She hung on every word he
spoke, and dreamed up words he might speak had he spoken to her. His
image invaded her thoughts during the day when the sun shined brightly
upon their two worlds. His image seduced her in the dark of night
when their sister, the moon, shadowed their worlds. She was convinced
her lust for the beautiful man was true love...and she delusioned her-
self into believing the young man felt the same way for her.

When she heard the rumor of Earth's impending acceptance into the
Silver Millennium she begged her father to petition for acceptance
too. When she learned of the four Sailor Senshi's visit to Earth she
was quick to visit the Kingdom of Earth. When she discovered the plan
to visit the moon, she begged her father to let her go too.

And so, she followed her love to the Moon Palace in bliss. And
there she hoped to tell him of her feelings. She was sure he would
drop everything he was doing and run off to be with her for always.

It ended all too soon.

He had slipped away one night after dinner with out her being aware
of it. In a panic she raced throughout the palace, searching for her
lost love. Flying by one of the many windows she happened to glance
out and see the gardens. Remembering her love's passion for flowers
she dashed out into the Moon Gardens.

And froze when she heard the childish-like laughter float up on a
breeze.

"It's beautiful," a girl was saying.

She peaked around the bush and saw her love handing a beautiful red
red rose out to a blond maiden.

"It does little to compare to your beauty, Princess," he said on a
husky whisper. She blushed. "A rose to match the color of my loves
cheeks." And he handed the girl the rose.

She seethed.

Her love leaned forward and kissed the other girl

She felt her blood boil.

"Serenity! Serenity, where are you?" another girl's voice called
out.

The girl looked up, startled.

"I'm in the gardens Mars!" the pale vision called out.

The girl looked over to the man she was with. "You must go now,"
she said, a hand resting on his chest.

"When will I see you again?"

The girl thought and then answered, "Tomorrow, at the ball."

He smiled and then kissed her hand. "Till then, my only love."

She ran away from the two lovers. She ran away from her humiliation.

She ran away from her love, and away from her love's love. She ran
home to her mother.

Pushing the thrown room doors opened she was enclosed in the dark
room.

"Yes, what is it?" the cold woman questioned without looking away
from the large crystal ball that floated before her.

"Mother-" she said stepping into the room and falling to one knee.
"We have been betrayed!"

Queen Beryl looked up and stared at her daughter, fire lit by the
frenzy of revenge clouded her eyes.

Alicia woke up with a start, her eyes wide, her body drenched in
sweat. The image of an evil witch hung before her in the dark.

"Mother," she whispered. "We have been betrayed."

And then she fell back into the bed and the blessedness of uncon-
sciousness.

********************************************************************

The mist swirled about his form as he walked to the center of the
Temple of Gaea , deep within the heart of Illusion. There he ap-
proached the lone relic within the four walls of mated stone and
earth: the Alter of Gaea, the mother of Earth's sacred table. In
honor and respect he placed several offerings upon the stone slab,
praying over each plate and blessing them.

And then he raised his arms to the invisible ceiling above his
head. His dark cloak fell free, his naked head tilted back to wel-
come the Spirit of Life entrance into this domain.

"Oh great and wise and loving Mother of Earth, wonderful she that
supports the lives of her children upon her breast, it is I, Elios,
servant of Earth, ruler of Illusion, who calls to you. Please, answer
me!"

The air was silent for several seconds...

And then a small breeze began to stir the fallen leaves at his feet.
The breeze grew stronger until a steady wind circled round and round
the altar and Elios. Dark clouds billowed in the sky above his head.
Lightening flashed across the black blankets and rain poured down.
The huge, fat drops smacked his face with delight. Soon he was
drenched.

Lightening flashed again, and this time the bolt struck the altar.
Fire danced upon the stone slab, hissing indemnufiantly (fancy way of
saying defiantly-it's in the dictionary!) against the falling rain.
The fire grew larger, stronger, more defined. And then it became
solid.

A beautiful woman stood upon the altar. Her long golden brown hair
fell down her back in rivers and pooled upon the stone at her feet.
Her slim but well-rounded body was encased in a delicate green gauze.
Aqua silk clenched her waist. Brilliant blue eyes stared out of a
face that, upon looking at, was easily understood to be supernatural,
although, she was the most natural thing upon this world. She looked
down at the young man and he immediately fell to one knee.

"Mother," he said.

"Elios," she replied, nodding her head. "Why have you summoned me
to this ancient place?"

"I have missed you too," he said, standing up with a mischievous
smile.

"Imp!" she cried and then she held out a hand. "Help me down from
this small plateau you have forced me on."

"And how have you been?" he questioned when her feet touched the
ground.

"Busy." Was her short reply. She looked at him and then smiled.
"I have missed you too, my child. I have always favored you above
all," she whispered, brushing back a trendil of pale hair.

"Above Endymion?"

Her hand dropped and a light flickered from her eyes.

"My son is dead," she replied. "And none can replace his lose."
She walked away from him then, but did not pass through the walls.

"He walks once more," Elios said softly. Her saw her body stiffen.
After a moment she turned to face him.

"Why do you cut at me with such lies?" she questioned, tears choking
her lovely voice.

"They are not lies," he whispered. "The Prince of Earth walks its
trails once more. His love, the Princess Serenity, by his side, along
with her guardians."

"But surely I would have known--"

He smiled. "Mother, would you?"

She bit her lip. "So much has been happening..." She shook her
head. "I would have known," she repeated more forcefully this time.

"See for yourself," he said. "He walks the streets of Tokyo even on
this day."

"Tokyo?" She bit her lip and gave him a hard look...but then she
relaxed and closed her eyes. A moment later a cry escaped her lips.
"Endymion!" Hands flew to her breast and clenched at her heart.
"How could I not have known?"

"As you said, you have been quite busy." He hopped up onto the table
and sat. "How fares the New World?"

But Gaea would hear nothing of it. "How fares he?" she asked,
turning her brilliant eyes upon the young man.

Elios shrugged. "As well as can be expected," he said. "Without
his four guardians to protect him."

"Wha--" she turned away and then turned back. "What has happened
to his guard? Surely Serenity would not have left my son unprotected
when she guards her daughter so well?"

Elios shook his head.

"It was not Serenity's choice, Mother," he said hopping off the
table now. "The witch stole Endymion's protectors before Serenity
could help them. They have been poisoned, tainted by evil." He
stopped and stared at her. "And they have been punished for their
failures."

The words hung in the air around them. Gaea swallowed hard. She
closed her eyes. When she opened them again, he could tell he had
gained his request.

Gaea raised her arms to the clouded sky. Four beautiful stones
materialized above them. Elios looked up and smiled with relief.
Lowering her arms, the stones lowered also.

"You have my blessing, Elios," she said staring at him. "Make sure
your children do not fail my son again." And with that she vanished
with the air, and fire, and rain, and earth that had brought her.

"It shall be so," Elios said, tears running down his face.

***********************************************************************

He was tall and dark and handsome. Everything she thought she could
ever want in a lover.

He had the most gorgeous blue eyes she had ever seen.

He made her shiver and ache with longing.

What would he taste like, she wondered.

How would his arms feel as they wrapped around her...

What would the weight of his body feel like as it pushed into hers...

These were the thoughts that crowed her mind. These and many others.

Still, she was determined to find him. Determined to tell him how
she felt.

Tonight. Surely tonight would be the night all her dreams came true.

The garden! The tiny shells cracked under her feet as she ran
through the garden.

A laugh.

Her eyes narrowed and her heart quickened.

She looked around the hedge.

He was kissing her!

Betrayed betrayed betrayed betrayed.

The word repeated itself in her mind.

The cold emptiness of the thrown room spread out before her.

The demon.

The witch.

She sat at the far end of the room.

Betrayed betrayed betrayed betrayed.

She stumbled forward, towards the witch.

Betrayed betrayed betrayed betrayed.

"Mother, we have been betrayed!"

*****

Alicia turned over in bed, trying to erase the memories of the night-
mare from her mind. It refused to ebb from thought. She had had the
nightmare several times before...always the same dream, always in the
same detail.

She got up out of bed and looked in the mirror. The witch stared
back at her. Alicia screamed.

"What!"

Julie burst through the door and looked around crazily. "What?" she
repeated. "What's wrong?"

Alicia looked at her best friend and then back at the mirror. Her
own face stared back at her.

"I--" she blinked her eyes and then looked back at her friend. "I--
I thought I saw a roach," she lied lamely. Julie seemed to buy it
though because she muttered an 'Oh, brother!' and then walked out the
door.

Alicia rubbed her hands over her face and then looked back into the
mirror. It was normal. She shook her head and walked into the bath-
room to splash some water on her face. She looked up in the mirror to
look into her reflection...

And looked at the witch.

She cut the scream off in her throat. Her teeth cut her lip and
she tasted her own blood.

"Daughter," the reflection said. "Revenge is ours."

A hand with long black nails reached out of them mirror and grabbed
her.

Alicia did scream this time.

Sharp nails sliced her skin as she was dragged forcibly into the
mirror.

"What is it this time?" Julie said stomping into the room...but the
room was empty. "Alicia?"

Julie walked across the room and looked into the closet. "Alicia?"
She checked under the bed, cautious of the roach that was supposablly
in the room.

"Alicia, this isn't funny," Julie called angrily. She walked over to
the bathroom...and screamed.

The tile floor was covered in broken glass...and blood.

*************************************************************************

"Zoicite..."
"Jedite..."
"Nephrite..."
"Kunzite..."

He called out the four names, called them out to the night wind to
pick up and carry, across the plains, across the waters, across space,
across time....

Four names to live life once again.

Four names to walk the face of Earth once again.

Four names to love and serve again.

"Hear me and come," he prayed.

It was cold, very cold...and very dark. He wandered, lost, knowing
he belonged somewhere...but not knowing where. His drifting spirit
wandered across the universe with no direction. Only a hope. A hope
that somewhere, somehow, someway, he would find his way back home...
back to her...

"Zoicite..."

The voice rang out in his ears. He looked up, staring unseeingly
into the empty space.

That voice...it was so familiar. That name...it was...

'Elios!' he cried out with his mind.

His spirit raced through the void of space...racing towards...home.

He was trapped. Locked within his own coffin. How or why he was
there escaped his memory...except for to lone words...Betrayal...
and Failure. They danced through his mind, driving him crazy. He'd
long since given up hope of dying, though he prayed for it every day
and night. There was a crack. The crystal, which held him prisoner,
fractured. Through its imperfections a voice called out to him.

"Jedite..."

It flooded his enclosed space and the crystal shattered around him.
He was falling. For a moment he panicked... but then he embraced the
fall. Anything was better than that crystal coffin. He looked down
and saw the wonderful blue and green Earth rushing forward to embrace
him.

He floated in limbo, beyond life and death. Beyond reality and
surality. A realm of eternal emptiness created for possessors of weak
wills. He studied the stars that surrounded him. They were so
beautiful. There was something important about those tiny pinpoints
of light...but he could not remember what it was.

"Nephrite..."

Excitement poured through his veins. He knew that voice! He knew
that name! He sped through the darkness, eyes fixed steadily upon
one certain pinpoint of light.

'Elios,' he cried without making a sound. 'I am coming!'

He sat beneath the tall tree and watched her. He wasn't sure why,
but he could never pull himself away. He knew he should know her...
but he didn't...or couldn't. He knew he had done something wrong, he
had hurt her somehow...but he couldn't remember. He had vowed to stay
by her, even though he knew she didn't know of his existence...

"Kunzite..."

He looked up, searching for the voice. An invisible hand pulled at
his spirit...pulled him away from her.

'No!' he cried. The girl looked up just before he vanished.

The four stones Gaea had given him rose from the table and began to
shine. They began to pulse, like beating hearts. Slowly, they began
to spin, faster and faster, growing larger and larger...until the four
crystals formed human beings. The bodies dropped ten feet to the
ground.

Groans rose from the pile of bodies.

Elios grinned and began to laugh.

"It's good to see you too, Elios."

**********************************************************************

The portal opened and the senshi of Time stepped through. The
portal closed behind her and she opened her eyes...

"You are here," she said, and then she smiled.

Setsuna nodded, not smiling.

"Then there were no problems," Sailor Pluto said, crossing the space
between the two woman.

Setsuna did smile then. "But you knew that," she said staring at
her future self.

"True," Sailor Pluto said turning away from her younger self to look
within the Time Gate. "And you have acquired all the necessities they
will need?"

Setsuna nodded, even though Pluto was not looking at her.

"Then it is time to more on." Pluto turned around swiftly. "Elios
shall handled the retrieval of the Earth Generals," she said stepping
closer to herself. "You must return to the Moon Kingdom," she said
softly.

Setsuna frowned and was about to speak when Pluto cut her off.

"There you will find Queen Serenity and tell her that the four Moon
Generals are needed on Earth," Pluto said. "You will return to your
time with the four Moon Generals."

Setsuna's frown deepened. "If I take the Generals away from the
Moon Kingdom they will not be there to fight in the battle against
Beryl," she said, clearly against the idea.

"They never were," Pluto stated, turning back to the Time Gate.
"They were not with the others when the Kingdom fell."

"But then--"

The older woman shook her head. "They were never on the moon when
the attack came," she said softly and then paused. "And they never
will be."

The warning hung in the air around them like a sour odor.

Setsuna wanted to protest, wanted to suggest that if the generals
had been on the moon, then perhaps the moon would not have fallen to
the evil queen and their past lives would have ended much differently.
But the older scout knew her mind, for it had once been her own and she
answered the unspoken words.

"If they had remained, they would have died with everyone else,"
Pluto said sadly. "And they would not have been reborn."

She let those words sink in...and they hit their mark.

Tears framed the younger woman's eyes. "I understand," she said
hoarsely.

"No," the older woman replied. "You do not...but you will."

A portal opened between the two senshi.

"Be careful," warned Sailor Pluto.

Setsuna nodded, but she could not trust her voice.

There were tears in the older woman's eyes as well.

"Never forget your duty," the older woman warned. "The princess
must be protected...not matter the consequences."

Setsuna nodded again, and then she stepped through the portal that
would take her a thousand years into the past. The portal that would
take her to the Silver Millennium.

Sailor Pluto stood motionless, sad in her lonely thoughts.

"I am sorry for your fate," she whispered after a long moment. "And
mine."

Another portal opened and she walked through it.

*************************************************************************

"What is Illusion...and what is reality?" Nephrite asked eyeing
the man who looked much younger than his actual age.

Elios smiled at him. "Ah, Nephrite," he said smiling. "Is not
Illusion everything that is reality...and more?"

"Why are we here?" cut in Jedite a scowl on his face.

Elios pouted. "Jedite, really! I free you from the crystal hell
you found yourself trapped in and this is the thanks you give me?"
He snorted.

Jedite flushed red--from anger or embarrassment it was hard to tell.

"I think it is a good question," Kunzite said, stepping forward.

Elios stuck his lip out in a sulk.

"I agree," Zoicite said softly. He looked from side to side, his
eyes analyzing the world that surrounded him. "This place looks
familiar, but I do not know why?" he turned his gaze upon the priest.

Elios laughed again. "Ah, Zoicite," he said shaking his head.
"Always trying to pick things apart. Try to find out how things
work."

"Why are we here?" Kunzite repeated more forcefully.

Elios frowned.

"How much do you remember?" he asked sharply.

The four men looked at each other and shook their heads. They
looked back at Elios.

"Nothing."

Elios sighed loudly. "Very well," he said turning away from them
to look out upon his world. "Sit down."

"Everybody," he added when Kunzite remained standing. Grudgingly
the general sat.

Elios went through the whole story (which I am in no way shape or
form about to do here because it takes much too much time). He told
them about how they had been specially picked when they were children
to protect their world's son, Prince Endymion. He told them of how he
had trained them each since they were toddlers. He told them of the
escapades and 'lovely' little adventures the boys had followed their
prince into when they were children. He told them of the many con-
quests the young men had shared with the ladies (they were very much
sought after, don't you know, and why not? They're fine in case you
haven't noticed).

After a time he began to talk about the Moon Kingdom and the Moon
Princess. And now, as Elios wove the story of their past, the bar-
ricades to their memories began to melt away and they joined him in
the tales. He told them then about Queen Beryl and her attack upon
the Moon Kingdom and each man turned pale with sickness as they
relieved the attack...the loss of their loves...the loss of their own
souls...to a witch.

Elios then told them of the sacrifice of Queen Serenity and how she
had sent the 'children' into Earth's future to be reborn...

He began to tell them the efforts of Sailor Moon and the of Sailor
Senshi--the Inner Scouts who protected her...

But the four men had begun crying.

They remembered.

"We--"

"--tried--"

"--to--"

"--kill them."

It was then that Elios felt sorrow for the four men.

"Yes," he told them truthfully. "And several times you all nearly
succeeded."

They were silent then. Their faces were grief-stricken.

"How can we ever--" Kunzite couldn't finish the question. He
stared up at his mentor with pleading eyes.

Elios tried to smile, and he found it surprisingly hard.

"The Inner Senshi have little if any memory of their lives upon the
moon," he told them. "They know nothing of your supposed betrayal.
They only know that in this life," he paused, for effect or not, it
was a dramatic silence either way, "You tried to kill them."

Kunzite nodded, his eyes glazed over with tears. His comrades were
in the same boat.

"This really sucks," Jedite said.

**********************************************************************

Setsuna stepped out of the portal and felt her stomach lurch. It
was exactly as she remembered it. Everything. Everything was the
same.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She a mission to com-
plete. She had to round up the Moon Generals and steal them away from
their home...away from their loved ones...and she was going to have
to tell them that because they left, their loves died.

There was a bitter taste in her mouth as she walked up the pristine
steps that led to the Queen's rooms. She rapped lightly upon the
door and entered when a voice from the other side bid entrance. Set-
suna's heart leapt when she saw her Queen sitting at her vanity pul-
ling a fine tooth-comb through her silken hair.

"Yes," Queen Serenity said looking through the mirror at Setsuna.
The Queen smiled, and Setsuna felt heart-broken.

"Y-your Majesty," she began.

"Yes, Pluto, what is it?" The Queen put her comb down and frowned
at her, concern filled her face. "What is wrong?" she asked turning
from the mirror to look directly at her.

"Your Majesty," she said again. "I need to see the Generals for a
special assignment."

"A special assignment?" Serenity asked, her frown deepening. "Pluto,
what is this about."

"I am afraid, your majesty, that I may not reveal that information
at this time."

Serenity stared at her. And then, after a moment, she sighed. "I
must believe you know what you are doing," she said, turning back to
the mirror. "But please do not keep them long. These are uncertain
times we are in."

Setsuna bit her lip. "As you wish," she said, bowing, hiding the
tears in her eyes.

She left as quickly as possible. Nausea made her weak. Her knees
felt ready to buckle. She took in several very deep breaths. 'Get a
hold of yourself, Setsuna,' she told herself sternly. 'You are the
Senshi of Time. And sometimes you must do things that are not enjoy-
able. Now, go get the generals so you may leave as soon as possible!'

Setsuna grabbed a servant girl passing by with a tray of glasses.
She gave the girl strict orders to ask the four Moon Generals to meet
her in the conference room. The girl nodded, her eyes wide with fright
and awe of the powerful Senshi. Setsuna did not bother with the girl
more but headed straight to the conference room to await her long-ago
friends and comrades.

She had waited a total of fifteen minutes before the door opened.
Four men filed into the room, lead by a tall man with deep blue-green
hair and dark green eyes. Setsuna's eyes devoured him, hungrily. And
she turned around to face to window to hide the rose that had crept
into her cheeks.

"You summoned."

Setsuna turned around, and her heart did a little flip-flop.

"What's this all about, P," the man said walking farther into the
room and moving to embrace her. She stepped back and he gave her a
funny look. "I thought you weren't to return for another fortnight?"

She swallowed hard, trying to regain some of her lost composure.

"Generals," she said weakly and then tried again. "Generals, I have
need of your assistance in a matter of up most urgency."

"You name it, P," the same man who had tried to hug her said.
"We're there."

"Thank you, General Euclase," she said softly.

"'General'?" he looked around him and then stared back at her.
"Since when have you been so formal when we're in private, love?"

Setsuna bit her lip to prevent answering him with the truth.

"We must hurry," she said instead. "General Tellurium, Meliphane,
Sardonyx, if you will please follow me," she said, turning towards a
window that looked out over the gardens so she didn't have to look at
them. So she didn't have to look in their eyes as she betrayed their
trust.

A portal opened, blowing stray papers about the room. Setsuna walked
into it without looking back to see if they had followed her. Euclase
gave her a funny look, but he and the other three Generals all followed
her through the portal without question. Following her to the betrayal
of their Kingdom...

'I am sorry, my queen,' she thought as the portal closed from within
the conference room. 'I am sorry to have betrayed your trust in me.
I pray that one day you will be able to forgive me.'

**********************************************************************

The portal opened to the Gates of Time. She did not have to wait
long before the four men arrived.

The four generals gave out a little sound of surprise and shock
when they saw where they were.

"P?" Euclase began. But before he could say more, another portal
opened, and out stepped, no other than Sailor Pluto. The Moon Generals
were shocked by this. The women smiled sadly at the collective
intake of breath.

"Thank you for coming," Sailor Pluto said, looking over the four
Moon generals.

"How fare's things where I have left?" Setsuna asked.

Pluto frowned. "The child grows." She paused. "You must retrieve
the four Earth Generals before you return," she said, looking at her
younger self. "Together you will all travel to your time."

Setsuna nodded. "Everything has been arranged before I left."

Sailor Pluto nodded and then turned to face the four moon generals.
She could not hide the flash of amusement, nor the tiny smile that
teased the corners of her lips. The four men she had once known so
well upon the moon were now in complete shock. Apparently, although
they knew she was the senshi of time, none of them understood that
also meant she could meet herself...from time to time...

"You must go with Sailor Pluto," the older Sailor said. "She will
escort you to that place where you need be."

"But--"

"All questions will be answered soon," she said. "When everyone is
gathered."

They seemed to think that over. Finally, they nodded and turned to
face the Sailor Pluto who had brought them to the Time Gate. Setsuna
smiled and nodded her head in return.

"Come," she said, stepping towards the Time Gate. "There is no time
to lose."

The men looked at one another again, looked at Sailor Pluto, who nod-
ded and urged them on, and then followed Setsuna through the Time Gate.

Illusion could be a beautiful place...if you had beautiful dreams.
To the walkers of Time, who had lived for thousands of years without
companionship, dreams were seldom beautiful. But as the portal of
time opened onto the fields of Illusion, Setsuna and her four generals
stepped out onto sun-filled green fields where flowers ran riot.

For the second time in a matter of minutes, the moon generals caught
their breath. Setsuna, too, was slightly surprised by this change,
having expected to come out upon the dark, mist filled world she had
visited before.

"Welcome back, Princess," voice called from behind them. They whip-
ped around to see a young man dressed in white robes, smiling at them.

"Elios," Setsuna said and nodded. She held her position.

"You have come for the Earth Generals?"

"Yes."

"They are in the fields," he said with a wave of is hand, "training."

"Thank you," she said and took off for the fields.

"Oh, Sailor Pluto!" Elios called out to her.

Setsuna turned around to look at him.

"Give my love to Endymion and the Princess!" he said with a smile
twisting his lips.

They didn't have far to go before they heard the grunts and groans
of the Earth Generals.

"Inferno Rage!"

Clouds of fire billowed up and out from Jedite's arms and hands and
shot across the field with lightening speed.

"Careful, Jed," Zoicite said, easily somersaulting out of the blaze.
"Elios won't appreciate you setting his world on fire.

"Typhoon Waking!"

A wave of water gushed forward and devoured the flames licking the
green fields.

"Watch out yourself, Zoi!"

Nephrite pulled his arm back and yelled "Avalanche Falling!" His
arm flung forward and it was like a slingshot: a thousand rocks went
hurtling through the air, heading straight for Zoicite.

"Now, Neph, that's not nice." Kunzite smiled and sent a blast of
air their way. "Paralda Wind!" Zoi and Nephrite fell back to the
ground. Jedite hunched over, an arm raised to block his face against
the biting blast if wind.

Setsuna cleared her throat loudly when the wind died down. Four
pairs of eyes flew to where she and the four moon generals stood.
Four pairs of eyes narrowed versus four pairs of narrowed eyes.

"Now gentlemen," Setsuna said, walking between the two groups of men.
"We have work to do. If you will all come with me." As she said
this another portal opened beside her. "We must be on our way."

The eight men were at a stand off. Each standing tall and stiff.
None trusting the group before them.

"We do not have time for this," Setsuna said. "Unless you come with
me now, both the Prince and the Princess will die."

That got their attention and all eight pairs of eyes flew to her
face. She nodded. Her words were truth.

"P," Euclase was saying.

"Sailor Pluto," Kunzite was saying at the same time.

Both men stopped and looked at one another.

"Please," Setsuna said, trying again. "Follow me."

This time they did, two by two. No one trusting the other.

****************************************************************************

Serena tried to roll over in bed, but the large mound of her belly
pushed at her. She yawned and blinked the sleep out of her eyes.

3:30

Damn. She had at least another hour before she was supposed to be
at Raye's. She got out of bed, anyway, padding into the kitchen to
make a cup of tea. She was getting antsy. The year was playing out
and so far, other then her growing pregnancy, nothing had really hap-
pened.

She sat down at the table, hands cupped around the warm mug, staring
into it's brown waters. She leaned her head down on the table. Tears
whose origins she did not know, began to slid down her cheeks. Strong
hands squeezed her shoulders and began massaging the knotted muscles
there.

He leaned over and kissed her cheek. "What's the matter?" he asked,
his hands sliding down her arms.

She shook her head and shrugged. She leaned back in the chair, back
against him. "My mind's all clouded with thoughts that don't want to
go away," she sighed.

"I could make them disappear," he suggested, nibbling at her neck.

"Darien, no," she said softly. "Not right now, please." She closed
her eyes. "I don't feel good."

"What's wrong?" he asked frowning.

"Something's--coming," she said shaking her head. "Something's about
to happen." She paused trying to clarify the thought. In the end all
she said was, "I wish Puu was here now."

*****

Serena sat on the temple steps, watching as the girls practiced in
the yard below. She was terribly bored. Luna and Artimis sat beside
her, trying to keep her company, but Serena just was not in a friendly
mood and eventually told them to go away and leave her alone.

Luna sulked a bit, but Artimis lead her away finally.

Serena looked at her watch. 7:30. It was Saturday. They'd decided
to work out in the morning so they could have the afternoon off. Mina
had mentioned another sale she wanted to go to, while Amy was talking
about some convention going on down town. Neither sounded great to
Serena, but all the girls insisted so go and do something. Even Darien
insisted that she stayed active somehow.

'Hypocrites,' she thought. 'All of them. They all want me to stay
active yet they refuse to allow me to practice with them.' She twirled
the rose between her palms, staring at its delicate petals. She picked
one and rubbed it against her lips.

She looked up with a start when the portal opened in the center of
the yard. She was standing and running towards it when Setsuna and
then the eight generals walked out. She froze, from surprise as much
as recognition of four of the men accompanying the senshi of time.
The scouts who had abruptly stopped their practice to greet their
friend and fellow scout, now circled the 'intruders' and glared.
The four Inners recognized the Earth Generals immediately. The Outers,
picking up on their fellow senshi's feelings towards the visitors, also
stood on guard.

The Earth Generals had been warned. The senshi had no memory of
their shared connection other than that four years ago, they were
enemies. The Moon Generals, unaware of the 'time shift' made to go
towards their loves but stopped suddenly when they realized their
'girls' were aiming their weapons at them.

"P?" Euclase asked, staring at her now. The question was written
plain within his purple eyes, but he voiced it anyway. "What's going
on here?"

"Puu?" Serena questioned, pushing past Mars and Uranus. Her face
looked fallen, betrayed. "What is this? Who--"

Setsuna smiled at her with a sad little smile. "Serena," she said
nodding. "May I present the Generals of the Earth and Moon Kingdoms."

There was a sharp intake of breath as the girls all looked more
closely at the men they encircled. Eyes narrowed with distrust and
disbelief.

"Sets," Raye said frowning heavily. "These are the four scum we
trashed years ago!"

"Hey, girls! What's shak--" Darien's words cut off abruptly when he
saw the generals. His eyes narrowed and he stared at Kunzite. "I

remember you..."

"My prince," Kunzite said, bowing.

"What's this all about?" he asked, looking around the other girls.
They were all staring at the Generals. His eyes met with Serena, and
together, they both looked towards Setsuna.

"If we might have someplace to talk, I will explain," the senshi
said calmly.

Serena nodded and looked over to Raye. "I believe the temple is
available," she said after Raye nodded. She turned her back and walked
up the steps. Darien was close at her heels. When they'd all filed
into Raye's room, she turned and looked at Setsuna.

And the beautiful dark mistress of Time began to speak.

"A thousand years ago," her voice rang our clearly. "When the Silver
Millennium reigned under the rule of Queen Serenity, the Princess
Serenity had four guardians. These four women were the princesses of
Mercury, Venus, Mars, and Jupiter. These four women swore their lives
to protecting the princess. As you are already aware, they were not
the only senshi in our solar system. The princesses of Saturn, Uranus,
Neptune, and Pluto had also sworn their lives to protecting the
Princess, but above that, to protecting our solar system."

"Yea, we know all that, Sets," Haruka was saying. "What do we have
to do with them." She nodded to the generals. Setsuna ignored her
question and continued speaking.

"You all remember Endymion and Serenity's...courtship," she said
smiling. There were murmurs and nods about the room. But then Set-
suna's smile dropped from her plum lips. "What none of you seem to
remember," she said slowly, "Is that we were not the only protectors
of our worlds."

The words hung like a fog around the room.

"Wha-at?" Amy asked with shock.

Amy was the only one who seemed to recover her voice. Everyone else
was looking bugged eyed at Setsuna. Setsuna smiled at the normally
very composed senshi and smiled.

"No one understood the ties that held the Earth and Moon so closely,"
she continued. "When the Princess fell in love with Endymion, she
was not the only one to fall."

"But--"

"Nor was Serenity the only one with protectors," she said without
stopping.

"Setsuna that's--"

"The Prince was attended by the four Earth Generals who had sworn
their lives to their prince. Generals Kunzite, Nephrite, Jedite, and
Zoicite." Each general nodded his head slightly in recognition.

"But how--"

"When the attack on the moon came--" the Moon generals gasped, "The
Earth Generals were there to help defend their Prince and his love."
She smiled sadly then, and no one interrupted her, anxious to hear
what she was going to say next. "Everyone from the Moon died," there
were cries from the Moon generals now, "But not the Earth Generals."
She wet her lips and stared at the ceiling, looking for...strength,
hope, forgiveness? She closed her eyes and continued.

"Generals Kunzite, Nephrite, Jedite, and Zoicite were captured and
turned into agents of evil for the Negaverse. They were brainwashed
and abused." Frowns populated the room, none more noticeably then
those on the four Earth General's faces.

She swallowed and breathed deeply. "The moon was not alone in her
love for Earth," she whispered. Her eyes opened and there were tears
there as she stared at the senshi. "As protectors of the Princess,
the Inner Senshi had followed her to Earth."

"I don't think to hear--"Raye began saying, making to stand up.

"There they met and fell in love with Endymion's protectors."

"This..." Raye's legs buckled and she was sitting again. Her face
was grief-stricken.

She wasn't the only one. Amy's eyes were brimmed with tears and her
lower lip trembled violently. Lita looked rebellious, mad, as though
she didn't, couldn't believe Setsuna. Of them all, only Mina, who had
only met Kunzite in battle and then only that one time, seemed to ac-
cept what Setsuna told them as truth. Her heart swelled in her chest
and her throat constricted tight.

Setsuna took a deep breath, looking at the Moon Generals and then
back at the scouts. "There is more," she said and then stopped. She
took another deep breath. Beside her, Euclase reached for and squeezed
her hand. "The Moon had her protectors, her generals too." She
stopped and took another deep breath. "They were Generals Tellurium,
Euclase, Meliphane, and Sardonyx." Each man nodded to the group. She
bit her lip and a tear slid down her cheek. She looked directly at
the Outers and then whispered. "And they were are husbands."

"Wha-what?" demanded Haruka, standing up suddenly.

Setsuna held her tongue, her throat too swollen with tears to allow
speech.

"Even me?" a timid little voice, asked shyly.
All eyes flew to the smallest senshi, Sailor Saturn. She brushed a
flyaway lock of black hair away from her face and stared directly at
Setsuna.

"You were not always so young," she answered softly.

Hotaru stuck out her lip, crossed her arms under her small chest,
and leaned back on her hip. "Well, if you would stop trying to kill
me all the time I might actually make it out of my teens," she said,
sulkily.

A sound from the generals made eyes turn towards Tellurium, who looked
down right agust.

"Sailor Saturn," Setsuna said now, "May I present your husband from
the Moon Kingdom, General Tellurium."

Regaining some of his lost composure, Tellurium bowed to his 'wife'
and shot her and encouraging smile. Hotaru studied the man before
her. 'I married myself a hotty,' she thought to herself as she smiled
back. 'Won't Rini get a kick out of this!'

"Sailor Neptune, may I present your husband from the Moon Kingdom,
General Meliphane."

Michiru starred at the man who bowed before her, her eyes wide.
Beside her, Haruka squeezed her hand. "H-hello," she said shakily to
the pale, blond man before her. He smiled at her gently and moved to
take her hand, but Haruka pulled her back away from him. Meliphane
looked at the other woman with confusion, but stepped back.

"Haruka--" Setsuna began, "Sailor Uranus, may I present General
Sardonyx, your--"

"No."

Everyone looked at her. She shook her head and looked sick with
disgust.

"No," she said again. "I have no husband." And then she turned and
took off running.

"Haruka!" But it was too late. "I should go after her," Setsuna
said softly moving to follow, but Michiru stopped her.

"No," she said softly. "You have done enough already." Her words
stung, and Setsuna's face began to fall. "I will go," Michiru said
and followed after the departed senshi.

"Setsuna--" Serena began, reaching out to touch the older woman.

But she pulled away. "No," she said brokenly. "She is right...I
should have told them...I should have--"

"No." Euclase came up from behind her and place hands on her
shoulders. "As senshi of Time you are--"

Setsuna shook her head, ceasing his words of comfort. "I could have
warned them." She looked over to where a stunned Sardonyx stood.

"You must understand it is not you," she said. "With Haruka it is men
in general."

There were snickers from some of the girls, but looks from both
Setsuna and Serena silenced them.

"So..." Jedite said, rocking up on his toes. "This makes for a fun
little reunion."

"I don't see anything *fun* about it!" Raye almost screamed. She
made to attack him, but Lita and Mina held her back.

"I see Mars' disposition is as wonderful as ever," Nephrite commented
with a smile.

"And just what's *that* supposed to mean?" Lita asked, letting go of
Raye's arm to face him.

His smile dropped as she turned on him.

"Nice one, Neph," Zoicite remarked with a smirk.

Amy's eyes narrowed on him. He looked back at her with a lop-sided
smile.

"I seem to remember you being a girl," she said, still studying his
face.

Zoicite's smile turned into a frown. Kunzite, Nephrite, and Jedite,
however, busted out laughing.

"Yes, well," Zoi replied shooting daggers at his 'friends', "We're
still trying to figure that one out," she, err, he replied.

"I never met *you* two," Lita said, looking at Jedite and Nephrite,
"But distinctly remember getting the impression *you* two," and now she
looked at Zoicite and Kunzite, "were--"

"Impression only," Kunzite rushed to cut her off--much to the delight
of Jed and Neph.

"Face it," Jed said trying not to double over with laughter at the
situation. "We got screwed over *bad*."

*********************************************************************

That's it for Part 3 - The Past Reborn...

So whatcha think? Let me know! Kay? Luv ya, bu-bye!
Andrea Readwolf