Chapter 2 - The enemy introduces himself

---------

Seiya watched Setsuna start to walk off, determination showing on her face. There was something he didn't mention; everyone on his planet thought that Pluto was the one responsible for opening the gate.

To Seiya, the thought and idea of her being here in the present time and away from the timegate did not prove her innocence. It really only proved her guilt. Why would Setsuna be here in this time when things are happening than at the gate of time? Her story seemed a little out of whack, but Seiya shrugged it off for the moment. She had taken the gun that he was going to use to kill himself. And what was this about that she DID care what happened to him? She forbade him to be with Usagi, the thing he wanted the most in his life, how dare she say she CARED!!

His face flustered with anger at her statements to him. Not able to go to sleep, he decided to walk around the city. He wandered for a little while when he came up on Usagi's house once again. For the longest time, he had dreamed of seeing her again, meeting her parents and being the one that she had been so in love with.

Tears began to sting the corners of his eyes when he turned around and started to walk away.

*Seiya...where are you now?* A familiar voice filled his head.

*Alright, Taiki, I'm coming.* He said, starting to head back to the apartment.

MEANWHILE

Setsuna was angry about the argument between her and Seiya. She was trying to find the outers, so she went to Haruka and Michiru's penthouse apartment. When she knocked, a weary Michiru came to the door.

"Setsuna-chan." She said, surprised to see her at such a late hour.

"Michiru-chan...may I come in?" Setsuna asked, her voice sounding weary and tired.

"Yes, of course you can...I thought you would be at the timegate guarding it." Michiru said, her hair a bit dissheveled from laying in the bed.

"I was...but there is a problem...." Setsuna started. Something stopped her when she heard another yawn from the doorway. She looked up to see Haruka standing there. Setsuna could never miss the golden blonde hair and sleekness of Haruka. Even in the darkest circumstances, Setsuna could always make out the forms of her two closest comrades.

"What's going on?" Haruka said in a sleepy voice.

"Well, Setsuna left the gate of time to come here." Michiru said, her voice now awake and full of worry.

"Neo-Queen Serenity came to me at the gate." Setsuna said, grabbing the girl's attention.

"She did? That's unlike her.." Haruka said, now fully awake and ready to listen.

"She was dying." Setsuna said grimly. She sat down on the couch, letting the velvet feel and softness caress her olive skin. She was comforted by the couch, but still awake and alert...for the time being.

"WHAT???" Both of the other girls said in unison. "How could that be?" Michiru said, breaking the silence.

"I don't know, Michiru-chan...but she said that someone had been able to go through the gate of time." Setsuna said, her voice now full of worry as well. Her mind was racing, having to relive everything that had happened not even 24 hours ago.

"I thought only you could do that." Haruka said harshly.

"I thought that was true as well, Haruka-chan." Setsuna retorted back quickly, sensing the accusatory tone of Haruka's voice.

Michiru looked at Haruka. "Then someone else figured out how to do it...Setsuna...how do you open the gate?" Michiru asked.

"I use my timestaff." She said. She stood up and pulled it from the air. "See here, it is shaped like a key. That is the only thing that can open it."

"Maybe someone stole it from you in the future." Haruka suggested.

"No...I thought of that too...however, my ancestor, Chronos, made sure that no one could open it but the royal family of Pluto. I am what is left...all of my other family was destroyed long ago, when Queen Beryl came to the throne of evil." Setsuna said, putting her timestaff away and sitting back on the couch.

"I thought something strange was going on." Haruka said quickly. "Hotaru has come back strangely. She usually doesn't come to our time unless there is trouble."

"Where is Hotaru?" Setsuna asked.

"She's asleep in the bedroom over there." Haruka said.

"Small Lady said that Neo-Queen Serenity sent her back to this time, but she doesn't know why. She said that the Queen wouldn't tell her. So somehow, Neo-Queen Serenity must have known that something bad was about to happen..I just don't think she counted on the magnitude, or maybe she didn't know exactly what." Setsuna said, her voice full of wonder.

"I wonder if Hotaru may know something." Setsuna suggested.

"I doubt that." Michiru cut in.

"Why?" Setsuna asked.

"Because, she would have said something already if she knew. And she has not said anything." Michiru said, looking to Haruka for her support. Haruka nodded in agreement.

"Well, I don't know.." Setsuna said, a bit frustrated with having no answers.

"Where is Neo-Queen Serenity now?" Haruka asked.

"At the gate of time." Setsuna answered. "She is safe. No one will ever find her there. Even if they go there, she is under protection and will not be seen." Setsuna said.

"Even if someone could open the gate of time..how could they navigate through it?" Michiru asked.

"I don't know...they should be lost and wandering through different worlds and dimensions." Setsuna answered, still frustrated about having to say she did not know.

"I just don't know..." Setsuna pondered.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

A darkened figure sits on a throne in a faraway place. He is slender, but muscular. His hair is black as midnight. His complexion is tanned, but not too dark. He stands tall and looks menacing. His hair comes down just beyond his broad shoulders and is free flowing.

He wears a dark red cape with black pants and a long sleeved black shirt. Around his shoulder, there is a dark red jewel, a garnet, keeping the cape around his broad shoulders. His eyes are the darkest shade of green.

If he wasn't evil, he would be very handsome indeed. He watched the Earth, Moon and surrounding planets like a hawk eyeing it's prey.

"Master...?" A voice is heard from down somewhere lower.

The man opens his eyes and looks down.

"What is it?" He says, his voice deep and frightening.

"We have destroyed Crystal Tokyo...but we have found no sign of the Queen. The King and the Court is destroyed...but we don't know where the Princess or the Queen is."

"You stupid fool." The man said harshly, making the other figure cringe.

"They went to HER!" He said with disgust.

"They've either been sent back through time to an earlier period, or they are still at the gate of time." The man said.

"I will go check it, Master." The other figure said.

"No, I have to do it myself." The man said, disgust rousing in his dark eyes.

"What shall I do?" The other creature asked fearfully.

"Go to the present day earth when I open the gate. I have a message for you to give to the senshi of that time." the man said, a smile creeping up on his dark face.

"What message is that, my Lord?" The creature asked.

"Tell them that Taron is going to destroy every world they run to!" Taron said, a small laugh starting to show in his voice.

"They will destroy me upon sight, Master." The creature squeaked out.

"No, they are much too weak." Taron assured his minion. "Now GO! I will open the gate for you." He said. He went to the middle of an altar. From it, he pulled out a staff that looked just like Pluto's. He looked to his other minions. "I will have to go there myself for this one." He said, smiling.

He went himself to the gate of time to find his creature awaiting his time to go.

Taron searched the gate. "Hmm..no sign of her here, I will have to go back a bit further." He said. He brought up the timestaff and opened the gate of time. The creature went through, looking around warily.

"Go!" He said again, pointing to the Earth. "Just follow that path and you will get there." Taron said in a disgusted voice.

"Yes, Master." The creature said, jumping off.

"Hmm..." Taron started, looking over at a blank space. He went over to it and with a wave of his hand, he discovered Neo-Queen Serenity surrounded by a field of energy.

"There you are..." He said, a smile on his face now. "You are as beautiful as the legends tell you to be....I remember seeing you standing on the balcony of the Moon Kingdom. I remember watching you and wanting you for myself...but because of who I was...I could not be with you. Now, things are different...I am not going to be your toy like all of the others..." He said to her, touching her arm and the softness of her dress. He touched her hair, the shininess in it in his hands. "...I know your senshi of the present day are more than enough to beat my crawler, but at least he will get my message delivered...and they will never know what hit them when the full blast of the force becomes apparent. Now.." He said, letting her hair and dress fall off of his hands. He reached into his belt and pulled a very long, slender dagger.

He could still feel her heart beat tenderly as she lay still. He brought the dagger up above his head. The light shone on the dagger splendidly.

"Goodbye, Your Highness.." Taron said with a sarcasm and a smile.

END, CHAPTER 2