“Michiru, can you hear me?” Setsuna spoke over the hum of the busy train station, the tiny cell phone pressed to her ear. “Setsuna! Is that you?” Came the voice on the other end. “How are you? When did you get back to earth?”
“I arrived in Tokyo a few minutes ago.” Setsuna said, smiling a little at her friend’s excitement. “I apologize for not informing you sooner.” Michiru ask, “But…wait, is something wrong? Do you need our help?”
“No, nothing like that.” Setsuna said, with a lie. “Crystal Tokyo has been peaceful and prosperous. No one has threatened it since Wiseman was destroyed. The Doorway of Time remains secure.” All lies order by the queen.
“Sounds boring.” Michiru said in sympathy. “To be honest with you, I prefer it.” Setsuna said, sighing in exasperation and pushing her way into an alcove hoping to escape the throng of people and the accompanying cacophony of noise. “The silence allows me to think and be at peace. While I treasure the company of Small Lady, and I enjoyed my time with all of you when I was last here…” Setsuna glanced up as a short, bolding man in a business suit passed by on his way to whatever destination he was headed. The man’s eyes were leering at the short skirt Setsuna wore on this summer day, trailing over her large breasts and well sculpted figure. She found herself blushing from the look. “But this city is full of awful people!” Setsuna said, the blush still on her face. “Less than an hour, and I’ve been jostled, bumped into, cursed at… There is too much noise and confusion, the air is so stifling!”
“You don’t like crowds, Setsuna?” Michiru asked, genuinely interested. Setsuna, or Sailor Pluto, rarely ever talked about herself. Or at all, for that matter. “You’ve always been a little withdrawn. I always thought it was a consequence of being so close to Time. I never imagined you were just being shy.”
“I…” Setsuna paused a moment to get her flustered voice under control. “I’d like to talk about something else now.”
“Oh, come on!” Michiru persisted. “Your taking a little vacation to visit us anyway. Do yourself a little favor, and hook up with someone while you’re here! Trust me, that’ll do wonders for you….and maybe it’ll get you to stop being so tightly wound….”
“I have no interest in…’hooking up’ with anyone here.” Setsuna said icily. “These people…they are just one more group in a throng of humanity…one more civilization that’s going to fall. I am the embodiment of Pluto and the guardian of Time. I remain detached from these people as part of my duty.”
“Oh, good god, Pluto! We’re talking about one little love affair! What’s the point of protecting the world if you can’t indulge yourself a little?” Michiru asked. “I am perfectly content, thank you.” Setsuna muttered. “I am well aware of just how many of these brutish people would like me to ‘indulge’ in them. I’ve seen history, Neptune. I’ve seen the very worst parts of these…people play over and over again just beyond my doorstep. How can I find a decent person in this sea of…leering faces?”
“So your just going to hide yourself behind your portal all your life? Setsuna…speaking as a friend who still admires these sorts of things…you’re a beautiful woman! Don’t hide behind your insecurities! Get out there and flaunt what you have! I mean…look, you’ve got more experience with this than I do. I don’t pretend to have a complete handle on destiny and fate, but I notice that we tend to have to face our fears one way or another. Either we confront them ourselves….or life makes us confront them.” Michiru warned. “This isn’t a matter of fear. It is a matter of what duty demands of me, and what I prefer. I have no intention of ever showing these drooling men…or, no offense,women….any more of myself than I am right now. And to be blunt…this is too much already. Do you have a place I can stay?” Setsuna asked. “Of course. Your always welcome at our house. I’m sorry for pressing the issue…” Michiru said. “No. No, I apologize. I have been uneasy for quite sometime.” Setsuna whispered.
“You seem a little on edge. Normally you’re a lot calmer and collected. And less talkative.” Michiru noted. “Are you sure everything is all right? No danger?”
“Mostly certain, yes. I’ve just been feeling…strangely lately. A little emptier, like there was a void in me. But I can’t seem to find a specific threat. Its more like a vague unease…like something fundamental has shifted somehow in a way I’m unaware of.”
“Hmmm…is that what prompted this little visit?” Michiru asked. “Partly…” Setsuna admitted. “I may have….all of you, as well. And this place, a little as well.”
“Well, of course you have!” Michiru said. “And we’ve missed you. I’ll call the others. Its been awhile since we saw usagi and the inners anyway. We’ll have a little party when you get here, okay?”
“That sounds great.” Setsuna said, smiling to herself. Yes, despite all her harsh criticism of humanity, Earth did have its charms. She had missed it a little. A sudden wind picked up, and she felt her flap up a little. Her panties were momentarily exposed. She squeaked a little, and quickly yanked them down. Her eyes looked left and right. Sure enough, she spied a group of young boys pointing and laughing at her from a nearby bench. One even had a cellphone out to capture the event.
She had missed this world. It was just hard to recall why at the moment. The air shifted It was a subtle thing, like static electricity in the air. The shadows seemed to lengthen, and the people seemed to move a little more sluggishly. Setsuna recognized the shift. Something was drawing out energy. Something nearby. “Michiru, something is happening here. Have YOU been having in trouble? I think something is attacking these people.” Setsuna exclaimed. “Ummm…nothing major. Since Galaxia things have settled down significantly. But we occasionally get a refugee from some other part of the Galaxy or crawling up from the Dark Kingdom. They don’t seem to have a specific agenda. They just need energy, and earth happens to have plenty of what they need.” Michiru said.
“Well, its still a parasite, and it needs to be stopped.” Setsuna said. “I realize its not typically our concern, but I believe I’ll take this particular creature out myself. If nothing else, it will allow me to work off some tension.”
“Okay. Let me know if you need any help.” Michiru said. “I will.” Setsuna said, closing the cell phone. “Pluto Power….MAKE UP!” She cried, feeling the familiar cold, grey magic of time embrace her. Her street clothes dissolved around her, to be replaced by the familiar fighting regalia of the senshi. First her fuku, identical to her fellow companions save for the particular dark colors of her small skirt and the scarf like bow all the sailor scouts wore about their necks. A moment later, her feet were clad in a pair of knee high black boots, and her hands in white gloves. The familiar, solid weight of her staff materialized in her hands. Finally, the magic provided the small cosmetic changes of her earrings and crown, finishing with a dark shade of lip gloss across her lips.
This form allowed Setsuna to do many super human feats.She quickly leapt from one train to another, closing in on the source of the dark energy. She saw it then, hidden on a roof top of the train station, near the hub of trains and people. It was black skinned with a reddish, diamond like dress that looked a bit like a revealing clown outfit. The shape approximated a female, but the 6 arms ending in talon claws suggested a more spider-like physiology. This was an underling of the Dark Kingdom, no doubt a refugee from the turbulent place that had been in complete chaos since Queen Beryl had been defeated. Pluto sighed to herself. Not much of a challenge to a veteran like her. As an aside, the fashion of the Negaverse was as gaudy but otherworldly as ever.
Pluto paused a moment, then launched a kick at the creature’s head. The monster went flying into the crowd, squealing in surprise. Although quieter and more withdrawn than the other scouts, Pluto nonetheless took a moment to pose, arms crossed and expression glaring. “I come from a world of ice and darkness. I serve as the guardian of Time and Space on the lonely world called Pluto. You are not from this place, yet you seek to steal the very lifeforce from these people! I am Sailor Pluto, and in the name of Pluto I shall punish you!”
The spider woman hissed and spat ball of darkness that quickly expanded into a web. Pluto sighed and leapt straight at the web. Holding her staff in both hands, Pluto summoned a small amount of power and struck the web with her weapon. The staff tore through the webbing like a knife through butter. The spider woman’s eyes widened as she narrowly ducked out of the way as Pluto finished the downward spiral inches from the thing’s head. “I just want to eat!” The Dark Kingdom monster whined. “I’m hungry, and this is the only place to get any food!”
“This world is under the protection of the sailor senshi. You knew this when you came, and you knew what it would mean if you were discovered.” Pluto said. “Please! Listen, my names Ara. I’m not bad….okay, I am, but not that bad! I just want a little energy! I won’t take enough to hurt anyone! Just enough to keep myself alive. PLEASE!” Ara pleaded. “Who you are and why you are here are irrelevant.” Pluto said, leaping at the poor demon, spinning her staff at the monster’s head. “No!” Ara screamed, dodging desperately. “Please! Leave me alone! Have mercy!”
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