Between a Void and a Hard Place
Neo-Queen Serenity comes running into the palace looking for Pluto and Jupiter. Things have been so hectic since Void was defeated they haven’t gotten much done but this is something Usagi feels needs to be done.
“Setsuna! There you are... Have you seen Mako-chan? I want you two to help me with something.”
The tall, dark warrior looks to her Queen with a questioning look, “My Queen, is something wrong?”
“No, nothing is wrong. I just feel so bad about something and I want to correct it.”
Setsuna just looks at her Queen even more puzzled.
“Just come on, we gotta find Makoto.” Usagi turns to go around the corner in the hallway and runs smack into Makoto. “OI!”
Setsuna reaches to steady Usagi from the collision as Makoto looks at her. “Heard you were lookin’ for me Usagi-chan.”
Usagi gets an embarrassed look on her face as she realizes she has been asking everybody all over the palace if they had seen either of the two.
“Well, I need your help. Setsuna-chan, I need you to make a wedding dress. And Mako-chan, I need you to make a wedding cake.”
The two Warriors look at Usagi as if she has completely lost her mind. Then look at each other and feel a breeze pass by them. As the look down the hall they see Heion. Both look down and shake their heads.
“It is so hard to realize she is only 3 weeks old and looks the age of a 6 year old. And her power. I do hope Kodia and Chenoa are working with her. She will be a force to be reckoned with. “ Setsuna comments. Thinking she remembers her appointment in the palace tower. “My Queen if you will excuse me. I have some duties to tend to. We will talk more about the dress this evening.”
“Ok. I will talk with Mako-chan then. This evening come to my chambers.”
Setsuna leaves headed down the long corridor and realizes little Heion is following her. “Well, hello sweetie. You know what I am doing don’t you? Well... you need to run on back to your mom and dad so nobody else knows. Although that is one thing we did not think about when the two were sent to the past. You and your parents will know the truth. But you must keep quiet and be your namesake.” She then tells the child to hurry along and waits until she is gone.
As Setsuna continues on down the corridor to meet her arrivals, she gets lost in thought over what has happened in the past three weeks since Void was destroyed.
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After the battle with Void, Chenoa’s labor intensified and the child was on the way. Kodia, Goddess Selene and Eternal Warrior Moon took her into the Castle of the Ancients to take care of her. After the child was born Lady Serenity and Neo-Queen Serenity returned to the castle in high spirits. Both had been completely restored in all their strength.
It was about a week before Chenoa and Kodia left the Castle and little Heion wasn’t so little. The first look most of the Senshi got of the little one she appeared to be about 5 and her intelligence was remarkable. Lady Serenity remarked about Chenoa being a warrior of Saturn and possibly that was why the child aged as she did. Kodia didn’t seem to agree.
That same week, it was hard to keep Rei and Haruka settled to recover from injury. Both were anxious to get back to Alcatraz and find Samantha and Sarah. Setsuna and Hotaru insisted that they wait till they recovered more. Seemed that even though Void was defeated there were still resident energies where he had been that they thought maybe be some of his shadows.
The senshi that were in good health were able to keep Haruka and Rei settled to heal but it's been three weeks now and the both of them want to find their daughters.
As Setsuna thinks, "Now this plan that Usagi is planning... what is going on around here? We should not be this vulnerable... things could still happen and with the two young ones..." she gets to the tower where two young senshi are. A male and a female.
The tower room's door swung open and in walked Setsuna.
"To say goodbye? Well, I'm sorry, but you'll return to your own time soon enough," Aunt Suna turned to Ichijin and frowned at this point, "You made a mistake-or perhaps will make a mistake when using the Crystal Key, but I suppose it turned out for the better. You needed to be more specific about what time you wanted the Key to take you to. But by saying "when our training must take place," you ensured that the Key would take the time most appropriate for your training."
Hito stared with her mouth wide open and Ichijin smiled awkwardly and said, "Well, I'm glad you're here to greet us, Aunt Suna, we would've-"
"From now on, I'm just plain Setsuna. No one can guess your identities, so you have to be meticulously careful in keeping them concealed."
Hito sighed and snapped, "I guess I may as well resign myself to this, but be forwarned, I don't like it. This is the most ridiculous and least justified thing that has ever been done to me, and I have never been so insulted," her mouth shut into a firm, stubborn line and she turned to glare out the window.
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Heion runs up the corridor to the room Chenoa and Kodia are using at the Palace.
"Mommy! Daddy!" Heion, runs straight to her parents.
The two ancients look to each other and seem to be thinking the same thing, "There goes any alone time."
"Setsuna knows about the warriors daddy..."
Kodia looks intently at Heion. "Now Heion, do not talk about them. Nobody is suppose to know."
"Kodia, surely Heion will not say a word. And neither shall we. The future Neo-Queen Serenity has reason to keep it quiet. And I'm sure the reason will most likely be justified with that energy we have both been feeling from the outer system."
Kodia just looks to Chenoa with a worried glance.
"Mommy! Let's go to the gardens!" Heion rushes out the door not even waiting for Chenoa to get up from her seat.
As she gets up her hand rubs her armband where her power crystal once was. She looks towards Kodia with tears welling up in her eyes.
"I pray nothing harmful comes."
Kodia goes to reach for Chenoa, but is too late as she walks out the door.
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"I AM NOT WAITING ANY MORE!!!" an irate but still bruised Haruka comes out the door of the infirmary. "I WANT TO GET MY DAUGHTER AND I WANT TO GET HER NOW!!!"
Rei, not too far behind Haruka is echoing the plea but in a much calmer tone.
"We have waited far too long. Sarah and Samantha may be hurt or something down there. We have got to go and get them."
"Rei, Haruka, you are not strong enough yet. At least take some of the others with you." Hotaru is exasperated that the two are being so stubborn.
