The End of the Millennium A Xian Shade Production Author's Note: Sorry this chapter took so long, to all my wonderful readers! Unfortunately, sometime during early December, my hard drive gasped its last breath, and with it, took my only copy of chapters 10 and 11. I've since had to re-write it from memory. It's not easy. I'm also moving out to a college dorm, so the workload may be overbearing to the point where I will not be able to write as often. Fun. Oh, for those that don't already know, I plan to draw manga for this fanfic once I have some time, and I'm also going to be doing a sprite comic as well. If ANYONE has sprite sheets for Sailor Moon: Another Story, or knows where to find them, please give me a buzz. This includes character sprites, backgrounds, whatever you think will help. This is really hurtin' me not having them to make the sprite comic. Flame Ivy Moon, would you mind emailing me? Not that I mind the reviews, but they seem to be lacking in the 'review' department. All you're doing is asking for more, and that will easily come if you've been reading the author's notes. This story is already complete, I'm just taking my sweet time posting it again. An actual review would help. Heck, even saying WHAT you like/expect from the story would be nice. Disclaimer: I don't own any aspects of Sailor Moon or Phantasy Star. If I did, this would be animated or a manga or both and you wouldn't be reading it right now. Thanatos is © Xian Shade, and may not be used without my permission. People failing to follow this rule have broken Xian's Law #849, paragraph 3, line 2: Don't fuck with my shit. Guardian's Return, Chapter 9: 'Moment of truth...' Thanatos thought, his gloved hand outstretched to the five girls. 'I have no doubt that they have misgivings about me, but they have to trust me if they're going to survive.' "What others?" Usagi asked, with her arms crossed. "Is Mamo-chan there?" "Yes. He, along with the other four are where we're headed... training under my brother Ares and defending the time gate with Chronos. We revealed the truth to the others, though they were quite stubborn to accept it..." Thanatos' scythe shot out once more from the elongated cane, and the sound of ripping fabric could be heard when he swung it behind him. Pulling reality away like a drapery, he revealed a misty area to the scouts, who looked on as he retracted his weapon. "That looks like the area before the time gate." Rei pointed out. "How can death use an ability of time?" "I require the use of Chronos' abilities to complete my job. We four require each other. If the concepts we stand for did not exist, then neither could life. Just as time passes to make a person old enough to die, death requires time's abilities to be able to handle all beings everywhere that require its assistance at that moment. But enough prattle! I implore you, sailor senshi, we need your assistance!" "Why do you need us?" Makoto asked. "You guys are more powerful than we are, right? So what good could we be?" "The reason we ask for your assistance is not just for our benefit, but for yours. Beings of light are a dying race. Around a millennia ago this galaxy was literally filled with beings of light. In a mere day, those numbers dwindled to a handful, and only a few were sent to be reborn. Unfortunately, not everyone made it." the jade eyes disappeared for a moment, but then re-opened. "Some were sent right out of the galaxy... some are still travelling, because they've encountered no mass to be reborn on... some became scouts of these new worlds... and some could not be reborn. You ten were fortunate that you were able to land on this world, as-intended." "We know all this!" Minako pointed her finger against the 'nose' area of the mask he wore. "What do you mean for our benefit too?" "They're coming. They came for you last night, and they'll come again." Thanatos remained calm, easing the finger from his mask. "The darkness is systematically wiping out all existence of the creatures of light, and destroying the cauldrons they spawn from. If you stay here, you won't stand a chance. You saw how little you were able to do against Zio and the Dark Force. They are mere underlings for what we face." Silence was a jagged razor at the edge of his words. "If you will not join us in this battle, then so be it. I understand if you wish to remain." Makoto was the first to step forward. "Anyone who can trash monsters with their bare hands is ok in my book!" and she slapped her hand on his metal one, wincing slightly from the sting. Usagi was the next to step forward, and place her hand atop Makoto's. "I need to make sure Mamo-chan is fine... and it's my duty as a sailor senshi to defend not just my world, but everything from evil!" Rei's hand settled on Usagi's. "Our enemies are the same, and now they've found a way to hide from me, I need to know what's going on... especially since they tried to even get us to join them!" Minako's tone shifted from frustration to mirth, and her hand alit upon Rei's. "Who would listen to the enemy anyway?" All eyes fell on Ami. She hadn't said a word since she dismissed her mother. Minako's words stung, but no worse than the look Thanatos had given her before he'd collapsed. 'He must have felt so betrayed when I was speaking with the enemy... speaking as though HE were the enemy... but what choice did I have?' her mind rushed with inner turmoil, when she felt a warm hand on her shoulder. She looked up to see Thanatos, looking back down to her. Suddenly, she heard something. It was faint, but it was there. It was her memories of her nightmare encounters with Thanatos. But some weren't from her dreams. Some came as real memories. Conversations that were once blurred as she ran to the battlefield and beyond were clear as crystal. '...we were once close...' '...my first real friend...' '...shouldn't be able to see me...' '...they won't let me see you again...' '...politics keeps us apart, maybe it can bring us together...' '...Ares tells me his second sight for battles is diminishing...' '...a war is brewing under our noses...' '...Pluto's become a dead world...' '...I'll be back...I promise...' ...promise... ...promise... "Still only fragments, aren't they?" Thanatos' voice interrupted the last memory. Every memory, in one way or another, held Thanatos in the past. "Ami-san... we trusted each other long ago. I ask that we honor that trust again..." he released his grip on her shoulder and offered his real hand. A smile lurked under his hood somewhere, and his eyes no longer held sorrow. She reached out her hand, teary-eyed and smiling, when she blinked back the tears, removed her smile, and hesitated. "What about my mother? We can't just leave! There will be a search out for you if you disappear, and we'll be asked questions, since we're the last ones to have been with you!" "Noah will take care of that... he's quite good at changing things. Once he does, none of us will have been here in anyone else's mind." he assured her. His hand beckoned once more, and being somewhat unsure, she took it. "Thank you all... we must go now, to visit Chronos will be our first stop." He glided through the rift, followed by the scouts, which promptly sealed behind them as they passed through. The misty entrance to the time gates made it difficult to see as always. The scouts transformed to be recognized as worthy to pass, and they followed in Thanatos' wake, only to stop short in front of the gate. The scouts peered around the black cloak. The door was open. A body lay on the ground before the entrance. "PLUTO?!" ----------------------------------------------------------------- Heh heh... TBC, punks.