Thanx: Thanks to "Minako/Setsuna" and Omi for helping me with this fic.

Hotaru felt the tears run down her cheek as she jogged off, away from her classmates; she could still hear their laughter ringing in her ears.  Why do I have to be this way?  Why am I the one stuck with the power of healing?  Sailor Saturn stopped running because of exhaustion.  She panted after only running a few blocks from school.  She brushed a strand of her shoulder-length black hair out of her face and wiped some sweat from her brow.  

Having this strange power, Hotaru was always alienated and made fun of by her peers.  But this year had been the worst.  People gave her cold stares instead of frightened glances;  they purposefully sat in groups away from her at lunch, leaving her to eat her lunch alone.  She'd tried several times to sit with others, but before she'd even sit down, they'd get up and leave.  After awhile she'd gotten used to being alone.  

Although she had Haruka, Sailor Uranus; Michuru, Sailor Neptune; and Setsuna, Sailor Pluto; her friends that had taken care of her while her father was recuperating from being possessed by a demon. She had also been possessed by a demon and the Sailor Solders had killed her. She'd been reborn and the three of the Outer Senshi had been surrogate parents and she became closest to Setsuna.  

Thinking of the Sailor Senshi of Time, she looked up and saw Setsuna sitting on a bench.  "Hotaru, come sit with me."

Sailor Saturn was slightly surprised to see Setsuna.  Sailor Pluto was supposed to be teaching a class at the high school, but instead she was sitting on a bench.  Hotaru knew not to ask why Setsuna was there. Setsuna would always know.  She was the Guardian of Time; she knows all the past and future and she always did what she had to do, to ensure that time ran its course. So she would know what had happed to Hotaru.  She knew what they had done.  She'd also known when Hotaru would run out of school, searching for an escape.  

"Setsuna, was your class canceled?"

"No, Hotaru.  I had a substitute fill in for me."

"Why are you sitting here?"

"Waiting for you."

Hotaru gasped.  "Why are you here for me?  I've been made fun of hundreds of times. You've never done this before."

"Hotaru, do you know that the people who make fun of you are afraid?"

"No, they're not."

"They're afraid because you're different."

"Well, I guess."

"Did you know that at first the other Sailor Solders were afraid of me, because I too, am different?"

"No, I didn't know that," Hotaru said shaking her head.

"I'm feared because of my knowledge---I know their futures and I can't tell them or it would alter time.  You are feared because of your power. You can do things others can't."

"That makes sense."

"So if they repel you for something you can do, then don't worry about them.  If they can't see past your power then they'll sorely miss the chance to befriend a wonderful person."

"Thanks, Setsuna."

"You're welcome."  

"Hey, how'd you guys get here so fast?"  Chibi Usa called, as she ran toward them.  

"Small Lady, why are you running?  Where are you going?"  Setsuna asked.  

"Usagi didn't pick me up from school."

"She must have forgotten."

"She always forgets!  How is she going to be a Moon Queen, if she can't even remember to pick up her own future daughter?"

"She will mature with time."

"Well, I hope time hurries up."

Setsuna smiled at the pink haired girl.  "Be patient."

"Look, Mamoru, Michuru and Haruka are coming this way,"  Hotaru said, pointing.  "And there's Usagi."

"Usagi!"  Chibi Usa yelled, "You didn't pick me up from school."

"Mom told me this morning that she'd pick you up."  

"Oh."  Chibi Usa said.  "I didn't see her."

"See? That's what you get for blaming everything on me!"

"Well, normally you do screw up,"  Rei Hino said as she joined the group.  

"Hey, I'm getting better."

"Well, a little bit more improvement wouldn't hurt."

"Yea, well---"

"Ladies, please."  Michuru said.   

"Fine.  We'll stop arguing," Rei said.

"Hey, Hotaru, where's your bag?"  Minako asked as she, Ami, and Makoto joined them.

"I dropped it over there."  She pointed a few feet away, near a street sign.

"I'll get it,"  Setsuna said and got up.  She walked halfway between her friends and the bag when a wave of nausea overcame her.  She wobbled and grasped her head with both hands.  Setsuna began to see double as she collapsed.  

"Setsuna!"  Haruka yelled.  Everyone ran over to her.  

"Setsuna, what's wrong?"  Hotaru cried.

"We need to get her to the temple," Minako said.  

Haruka, Mamoru and Makoto carried Sailor Pluto all the way to the Shinto Temple on Cherry Blossom Hill.

Raden watched as the Sailor Solders hurried to help their hurt comrade.  He clenched his fists in anger.  Why am I just standing here, looking through the Cylinder Gateway, instead of doing something to help them?

But he knew the real question he wanted to ask his Master.  Why was he here instead of helping her?  

"Setsuna, I'm so sorry.  I can't help you.  My master won't let me pass through.  He says I have to be patient."

"And you must continue to be patient,"  said a man dressed in blue robes.  "You will be able to help her soon enough."

"I've been waiting for her for ten thousand years!"

"You must be ready to help her when she'll need it most.  Now is not the time to waste your energy."

"When will she be in grave danger?"

"Hadria is attempting to break through the fabric of time. And  if she succeeds to rupture it so heavily that the hole cannot be closed then their world will come into ours."

"Not even all of us Clockstoppers combined can hold her back in Beyond Time.  If Setsuna tries she'll die."

"It is not our job to fight fate.  We hold time together when there are warps within Time itself.  When someone thinks a moment is an eternity, when time seems to flow in slow motion, that is when we go through the Gateway.  We balance the warp to make sure time does not collapse and then we come back here, to wait."

"Some life!"  Raden said shaking his head.  "I can't believe I was banished here!"

"Your betrayers did you a favor, without even realizing it.  You're now immortal.  You  have a longevity to match Setsuna's."  

"I'd rather die than have an eternity with out her."

"Who says you will be without her much longer?  Have faith in her, Raden."

He nodded and wiped a tear from his cheek.

Setsuna heard faint voices and she felt herself being placed on a mat.  She barely felt her head as it tossed back and forth.  The images started clouding her consciousness.  She tried to wake up but a power held her there, beckoning her to see these visions.  She let herself go and the visions started playing, like a movie,  in her mind.  

Setsuna saw herself, wearing a black dress, and she saw a the red and gold headband on her forehead; it symbolized her status as Princess of Pluto and her future occupation as the Guardian of Time.  I remember this.  I was eighteen and it was a month before I was sent to Queen Serenity's Moon Kingdom to be in her court.

Then a tall man with dark brown hair and purple eyes entered the room.  Setsuna saw herself run to him and kiss him.  I don't remember this. Who is this man?  Why was I kissing him?  

Once they stopped kissing, the man said,"You're parents don't want us to get married."  

Setsuna stared in horror as her mother barged into the room, holding the Garnet Orb.  "Prince Raden, I banish you!  Go to Beyond Time!"  A blast of energy struck the prince and he disappeared.  Then her mom pointed the Orb at her.  "Setsuna Meiou, I trap your memories of Raden in the Garnet Orb of Time!"  

A flash of red light blinded her for a second and then she passed out.  

No wonder I don't remember him.  My memories of him are stored in my talisman, which is attached to time itself.

Then she felt a power within her explode.  Her memories started flooding back.  She'd grown up with him and later they'd fallen in love.  Her parents had never approved of her relationship with him.  So they'd banished him.  

That's not all of it. They hadn't wanted him to distract me from my duty as a TimeKeeper.

Setsuna felt hot tears on her cheeks.  She felt in her heart the bitterness of betrayal.  They'd kept her true love from her.  They'd denied her the first decision she'd ever made without Time or her mother's consent.  She'd made her own choice; her giving of love.  

Then something else occurred to her.  Where was Beyond Time?

"Setsuna!"  Chibi Usa yelled trying to wake up one of her closest friends.  

"Uhhh....."  Setsuna's dark red eyes fluttered open.  "Small Lady?"

"Setsuna!  Hey, everyone!  She's awake!"

Everyone rushed into the room.  "Setsuna, are you alright?"  the cat called Luna asked.

"Yes."  She rubbed her head.  "I saw visions.  We need to go to intercept the tear through time."

"Oh, no you're not.  You're staying right here and resting,"  Usagi said.  

"I can't, Moon Princess."  Setsuna slowly got up.

"I'm the leader of the Sailor Soldiers and the Moon Princess and I order you to stay and rest,"  Usagi said.  Everyone stared at their leader.  "What? I can be tough when I need to."  

"And I'm the Princess of Pluto, and the Guardian of Time and I am leaving."  She calmed down for a moment.  "I'm sorry, but this must be done."

"You're not going. I have your stick,"  said Usagi holding up Setsuna's purple Transformation Pen.  

"Then you give me no choice."  She closed her eyes and concentrated on her power.  Her eyes began to glow light red.  The power illuminated her body.  "PLUTO!"   Her pen glowed and floated to her hand.  She held it up and summoned her power.  "Pluto Planet Power!"  

Sailor Pluto held her staff.  The Garnet Orb glowed as she commanded,"Take me to the tear through time!"  She vanished.

"Mercury, see if you can get a lock on her,"  Minako said.  

Ami raised her pen,"Mercury Star Power!"  The lowered the visor from her headband. "Sorry, guys.  I can't track her.  But I'm guessing she's not on earth."

"I've never seen Pluto act that way before," said Usagi.

"She must've done it for a good reason," said Michuru.

"She is the Guardian of Time," said Haruka,"She wouldn't do something without a valid reason."

"Wrong, Uranus,"  Artemis said as he joined them.  The white cat leapt into Minako's arms.  "I just got word from Central Command.  After she passed out, Setsuna can't predict the future.  She doesn't know everything, anymore."  

"Isn't that impossible?"  Mamoru asked.  

"Wait, there's more.  Only for today, she isn't capable."

"We have just got to find out where she went!"  Luna said.

"I'll consult the fire," Rei said.  She waved the necessary sacred tools in front of the fire.  "Oh, great fire, show us where Sailor Pluto went!"  The fire showed her an asteroid and a black hole in front of it.  

"That doesn't look good,"  Makoto said.  "Jupiter Star Power!"

"Mars Star Power!"

"Moon Prism Power!"

"Uranus Planet Power!"

"Neptune Planet Power!"

"Chibi Moon!'

"Saturn Planet Power!"

"Venus Star Power!"

Tuxedo Kamen transformed.

Beams of light teleported them to the asteroid.

Sailor Pluto landed on the asteroid.  She saw the woman with long blue hair and dark green eyes come through the tear in time.  She hid behind a hill of rocks.  She started calculating the size of the warp and how much power it would take to close it.

She felt in the pit of her stomach the fear of not knowing.  She'd only lived nineteen years without the Knowledge of the TimeKeepers.  Not having that knowledge terrified her.  Time normally instructed her on what to do at what time.  Now she didn't have directions.  All she had was herself.  Well, she thought,I'll do the best I can.  It's what anyone else does.

"Stop right there! We fight for love and justice."  Setsuna jerked her head at the sound of Sailor Moon's voice. "We're the Sailor Solders and by all the planets in the solar system, we're going to punish you!"  

"You do not know the power of Hadria. Come my Vylla warriors!  Destroy the Sailor Soldiers!"

Sailor Uranus cried,"Space Sword Blaster!"  The sword appeared in her hands and it glowed with power.  She started slashing the Vyllas.  

"Submarine Reflection!"  Sailor Neptune pulled out her Aquamirror and energy blasted out of the glass.  

"Aqua Rhapsody!" Sailor Mercury played the water harp and water sprayed out of it, hitting the enemies.  

Sailor Venus  pointed her finger, yelling,"Crescent Beam!"  Orange power shot out and zapped them.

"Supreme Thunder!"  Sailor Jupiter yelled.  Green lightning tore the Vyllas apart.  

Sailor Mars cried,"Fire Soul!"  Fire swirled and blasted out of her hands.  

"Silence Glaive Surprise!"  Sailor Saturn yelled.

Sailor Pluto joined the battle as she blocked a fist with her staff.  Then she whispered,"Dead Scream."  A gray mist swirled around her staff.  She held the weapon in her hands.  Her Garnet Orb pulsated with energy and blasted her enemies.  

Tuxedo Kamen fought with his cane, slashing them whenever he could.  He saw Chibi Usa was about to get shot with a blast of energy by one of the Vyllas.  He threw one of his red roses, like an arrow, to protect his future daughter.  It succeeded.

When all of the warriors had been dealt with, the brave fighters turned to face Hadria.  "While you've been fighting, I've been gathering energy. See?  I also have a little magic trick."  The woman's hands glowed with power. "Time Freeze!"

Setsuna stared at her friends.  Then she realized they were frozen within time.  Now she was truly alone.  

"So, you're the TimeKeeper?"  Hadria sneered.  "This should be easy.  I've killed so many of you."  

"What do you mean? How can Time exist if you've killed the Keepers of Time?"

"Because once a TimeKeeper dies, their power and knowledge goes to an heir.  Only people from your family can become TimeKeepers."  She raised her hand.  "Enough of this chitchat.  How do you want to die?"  Then she laughed.  "Take your time, after all, this is the only decision you'll ever make on your own."  

Sailor Pluto's eyes narrowed into tiny slits.  "What makes you so sure I will lose?"

"TimeKeepers can never adapt to being self reliable. How can you make a choice without Time telling you what to do? Your predecessors tried, but they failed miserably."  

Sailor Pluto held her staff up in front of her.  "Kronos Typhoon!"  A swirl of energy eminated from her staff and shot Hadria.

Hadria laughed, unphased by the blast.  "Ha! Is that the best you can do?"

"Dead Scream."  The power of Pluto did not harm the evil adversary.  

"You see?  You can't win!"  She shot energy out of her hand.  Setsuna dodged and flipped over the attacks.

My power can't hurt her.  This is my decision.  This is what I decide to do.  That's what this is based on.  I must control my own future and not let anyone do that for me.......I can't think about what my mother would have done, or what one of the other TimeKeeprs did.  This has to be me.  Completely me.  

Then Setsuna had an idea.  It might cost her her life, but that was a risk she had to take.  

"By the power of Pluto!  By the power of the TimeKeepers!"  She raised her staff above her head and felt a power explode from within.  "Garnet Pluto Power Attack!"  Her body and staff shone like a bright star.  The power multiplied and intensified.  She hurled the powers at Hadria.  The wicked woman screamed.  

Excruciating pain and agony filled her body as she pressed onward, not allowing the power to stop flowing.  She felt her suit slowly disappear and all that covered her was black ribbon around her torso.  

Soon there was an explosion and the enemy was no more.  

Setsuna collapsed.  

Raden jumped into the Cylinder Gateway.  He appeared near Setsuna's still form.  He cradled her in his arms.  He sobbed for his beloved princess.  

He felt her breath on his cheek and knew she was at least alive, if nothing else.  "Setsuna.....".

Her eyes barely opened.  "Raden?"  she whispered.

"It's me, my heart."

"Did.....it.....work?"

"Yes.  The universe is safe because of you." He brushed some of her long, dark, green hair out of her eyes. "Clockstoppers are controlling the close of the warp."  

"Good."

Then Raden bent down and kissed her lips tenderly.  "For our lost time, my love."

Setsuna felt tears in her eyes.  She let them flow freely.  

He saw a bright, white light shine in the blackness of space.  Then he saw fifty Clockstoppers hover above them.  "By the Power of Beyond Time," they chorused.  

Opposite the white robed people, another light shone, revealing fifty TimeKeepers. "By the Power of Pluto we do summon the power of life itself!"  

He and Setsuna started floating in between the two groups.  Setsuna was as bright as an exploding star. The red and white power infused into her body, healing her wounds.  The black ribbon wrapped around her body forming her entire Sailor Pluto uniform.  Her staff appeared in her hand.  

"Setsuna Meiou, Princess of Pluto, you have done something we could never accomplish.  You destroyed Hadria and were able to take control of yourself and your situation.  We commend you for your bravery and intelligence," the TimeKeepers chorused.  

The Clockstoppers said in unison,"Raden, Prince of Pluto, you've always been faithful to Setsuna.  You even tried to help her when you knew you could do nothing. For this we give you back your life."

Then the Master came forward and said,"Raden, do you wish to live in this time?  Do you wish to stay here with her?"

"Yes."

Setsuna smiled.  

He was bathed in white light and once the energy disintegrated, his robe was yellow, with a small orange sun in the middle of his chest.  "You are now the Sunlight Knight.  Your birthright is now fulfilled

Then the two groups of people disappeared.  Setsuna raised her staff. "Time Dome Resume!"  The Sailor Soldiers slowly became unfrozen.

"Um.....what happened?"  Sailor Uranus asked.

"Wow," Minako sighed,"I can't believe Setsuna finally found her true love."

"See, Minako? You shouldn't give up.  I bet there's a guy out there dying to meet you," said Artemis.  "And look, there they are now."

Minako looked as the two lovebirds stood and watched Hotaru as she ate her lunch.  Two girls came up to Sailor Saturn. "Hey, squirt. This is our table, so why don't you leave?"

"Well, I don't see your name on this table and there are plenty others around.  So why don't you leave?"

"Why you little---"

She turned her head and the two girls saw a flash of purple energy in Hotaru's eyes.

They backed up, afraid.  "We'll just go find another table."

Not far away, Setsuna sighed.  "Well, now she can stick up for herself.  Even though that was very.....dramatic."

"That's how she chose to handle it, my love."  He squeezed her hand.  "Like you did yesterday."

"Thanks."

"To our future, whichever path we choose."  He toasted with the soda can.

Their cans clicked.  "To our future, whatever we choose."