Comments, criticism, flames, etc. welcomed (and, in fact, requested) at Ultrace@aol.com.

Amy, Rei and Mina were in the coffee shop when the light hit.

"Wh-what's happening?" Rei asked in a worried tone.

"Is it an attack?" Mina asked.

The single beam shot around the room, reflecting and splitting into more beams until all they could see was the light. Then it disappeared as quickly as it had come.

Things got stranger. Everything in the coffee shop started floating--including the three girls. Amy quickly scrambled to keep her schoolwork from scattering.

"What a totally... Weird feeling," Rei said. She couldn't control where she was going, and her head went up Mina's dress.

"Uh, do you mind??" Mina snapped.

"This is an incomprehensible phenomenon," Amy started. "It's like the Earth suddenly lost its gravitational center, but things aren't affected outside. It's just us floating."

`Aren't we special,' Mina thought. "Amy, this is no time to talk like a textbook."

Hovering between Amy and Mina, Rei had flipped upside down and looked a little less than comfortable. "I wish I could go right side up!" she growled.

Whatever force had been supporting them began to wane. They were drifting down. "Uh-oh," Mina said.

The drift became faster, much faster--they fell straight to the floor in a jumbled heap.

"Ooh! That hurt!"

"Sure did..."

There was someone standing in the doorway of the coffee shop. They noticed her there for the first time. She was carrying a long staff and wearing an outfit that seemed very familiar.

"Sailor Scouts," she said, "I need your help."

"Well, you sure got our attention," Rei said.

* * * * * * * *

Setsuna knew what would happen next. After Rini had returned, she had told Setsuna all about the troubles she had faced in the past.

Rini came running into the room, right on schedule. "Help me!"

For the moment, Rei, Amy and Mina forgot about Setsuna standing there, as they all focused on Rini. Rini had not seen Setsuna.

Behind Rini came the monster that was chasing after her. It didn't have a name, but Rini had called it the Thunder Monster. It was silly, pathetic and dangerous all at once.

The Thunder Monster was banging on a drum that was sending out sparks and small bolts of lightning. It was grunting with each beat.

Setsuna had not come to watch the Sailors fight the Thunder Monster, though. Her business with them was much more important; there wasn't the time to waste watching them primp and deliver speeches before defeating it.

She spoke very quietly, but no one could miss hearing her voice, even above the beating drum.

"Dead Scream."

Setsuna whipped the staff around, dark winds entwining it and sending out a huge ball of energy which completely and immediately disintegrated the Thunder Monster. It barely had time to let out a pitiful screeching wail.

"Wow," Rei said.

"Pu!" Rini cried, running forward. She was delighted.

"All right, you negafiend," Sailor Moon said, running into the room, "now you're going to--get it?"

"Sailor Moon. Hooray. We are saved," Rei said, with obvious sarcasm.

"Um, what's going on here?" Serena asked. Nobody answered her, which was something she was becoming used to.

"Who are you? Are you a Sailor Scout?" Amy asked.

"We have little time for explanations, Amy," Setsuna told her. Before Amy could ask how she knew her name, Setsuna went on. "My name is Setsuna Meiou. I am also known as Sailor Pluto, a Sailor Warrior of the outer planets. My mission is different than that of you, of the inner planets. I do not help to guard the Moon Princess, but instead to protect the element of Time."

Rei and Mina looked at each other and shrugged. Their best bet was to leave this to Amy.

"You know her, Rini?" Amy asked.

Rini was leaning up against Setsuna. "Uh-huh." She looked up at Setsuna, and received a confirming nod. "She's the one who made it so I could come here."

"I had a little help," Setsuna said. "The necklace around Rini's neck is actually a Time Key that allowed her to come here from the future."

There was really no point in holding back any details, she realized. Convincing them of her sincerity was the most important thing. If they succeeded, they would forget almost everything she told them. If they failed, nothing she said would matter anyway.

"The future?" Serena asked, unbelieving.

"No wonder you wouldn't tell us where you came from," Mina said.

"In the future--as it should have been--we have all known each other. That is how I know who each of you are, Serena, Amy, Rei, Mina.

"Rini was sent back to this time using the Time Key--which you helped me create, Amy--to retrieve the Silver Crystal. She tried to go back without it, and when I prevented her, something went wrong with the Key. The energy it released has altered the past and is causing more damage than you can possibly imagine."

"That's funny," Serena said, "I don't remember anything changing."

"Of course not," Rei said, "if the past was changed, then we'd think that's the way it always was. Try taking your brain out of neutral, Serena."

"Can we change whatever it was that caused the problem back?" Mina asked Setsuna.

"It is not that simple. I have twice attempted to correct the imbalance in Time in different ways and failed both times. The first was to try to improve on the Time Key in the future before it was given to Rini. Afterward, I tried to prevent the most important of the changed events in Time."

"What was that?" Serena asked.

Setsuna looked at her. "Your death."

* * * * * * * *

"Wha-a-a-t?" Serena yelped.

"In the future, you will be killed," Setsuna told her. She said it very matter-of-factly, and without any sort of emotion or drama. It was merely the truth; she had seen it herself.

"You will be killed by a woman named Nephrenia, and all of the Sailor Scouts will be imprisoned forever. This will all happen because of a single change in your past."

"Wait a minute," Rei interrupted. "If you're from the future and all the Scouts have been imprisoned, how can you be here?"

"My powers allow me to stand outside the boundaries of Time... for a while. I have escaped my fate long enough to try to correct things. I am growing weaker by the moment, however. I do not think I have enough energy to travel to the past again and still be able to do what needs to be done. That is why I need you Scouts to go back in time and restore the past to what it was, or none of us will have a future."

It appeared that Setsuna was having trouble standing. Rini tried to help hold her up, with limited effectiveness. "It's okay, little one," Setsuna told her.

"What can we do?" Serena asked.

Setsuna brushed some debris off one of the seats and sat down. "A single change is the cause of all this trouble. A henchman of the Negaverse, Neflyte, fell in love with a girl, Molly Baker. He rescued her when she was captured by others from the Negaverse, but they killed him while he was protecting her. That is how it should have been. Instead, Neflyte survived and Molly was hurt. Neflyte went after the person responsible, Zoisite, and killed her."

"I remember that," Serena said.

"Neflyte was supposed to be dead?" Rei asked. "It's hard to imagine..."

Setsuna went on. "Unfortunately, though Zoisite was evil, she was a necessary piece in the mosaic that makes up time. Zoisite should have been the one to battle you for the seven rainbow crystals inside their human hosts. She did not. If she had, Sailor Jupiter would be alive and with you."

At the mention of the name, Serena's hand automatically reached up to touch one of the rose earrings she was wearing.

Setsuna went on. "Because Zoisite was dead, Malachite killed Jupiter in the past. She will not be there to save you from Nephrenia, and I will not be able to. The only way to ensure the safety of the future is to be certain that Neflyte dies."

Everyone was silent for a few moments. Eventually, even Serena figured out what Setsuna meant.

"We have to kill him?" she asked, in horror.

"Not you, princess. You must stay here. We are trying to save your life. If something were to happen to you while you traveled into the past, our problem would only be compounded."

"If it has to be done..." Rei started.

"It does. You must leave immediately--I have spent too long explaining already. With the help of the Time Key, I will send you back to several hours before the time when Neflyte must die so you can make any preparations you need. From then I will give you as long as possible to succeed."

Amy, Rei and Mina looked at each other for a few long moments. Then, speaking for all of them, Rei said, "Let's go."

"Rini, give me the Time Key," Setsuna said. Rini did so. "The Key is specially attuned to you, little one. If you are nearby it might interfere with the travel. Serena, please take Rini across the street for some ice cream." She looked at Serena very sternly.

"Uh... Sure." Serena said. "C'mon, Rini."

"I wanna stay with you, Pu!" Rini said, clinging to Setsuna's leg.

"It's only for a few minutes," Setsuna told her. "Then we can talk about all the fun you've been having."

After Serena managed to separate Rini from the leg and left, Setsuna held the Key and closed her eyes. At first it glowed almost white, but slowly dimmed. Setsuna looked much worse for it.

She gave the Key to Rei. "Put this around your neck. When the three of you have succeeded, it should automatically return you here." She stood up and hefted her staff. "Do not resist the travel."

The Time Key began to glow brighter and a pink column of light shot through the ceiling to the floor.

"Go ahead," Setsuna told them.

Cautiously, Rei stepped into the light first, and simply disappeared. Mina was more apprehensive about it, but she followed. As if she were about to say something, Amy looked to Setsuna, but instead turned back and went to join the others.

The column of light faded. Setsuna, exhausted, collapsed back into the seat.

---

(July, 1996)