A Window in Time The Guardsman Chronicles, Chapter One by Rick Federle "Wow oh wow, major sugar rush." Serena babbled enthusiastically as she plopped down, nearly spilling the contents of her arms all over the table and it's occupants. The others at the table were in various states of quasi-bored relaxed positions. They had not yet gone shopping, so there were no shopping bags for Serena to trip over, which would have guaranteed she'd spill it. "Is it really necessary for you to eat all that?" Raye glared across the table at Serena as she looked over. "Oh, come on, Raye." Serena said around a mouthful of double fudge chocolate ice cream. "I'm busy. I've got to eat." "Yeah, but you eat enough for all five of us." Raye criticized. "Oh, come on, Raye." Mina interrupted from where she was sitting next to Serena. "You're just jealous because Serena never seems to gain a pound whereas you look at food and you gain weight." Raye shot to her feet. "I do not." "Oh, sit down, Raye. Mina was just teasing you." Lita put in from Raye's right, leaning back in her chair. She waited until Raye sat back down before continuing with a twinkle in her right eye. "Even if you are gaining a few pounds." "Ooh." Raye growled, covering her annoyance with a drink of soda. "I give up." "You keep saying that and you keep doing it anyway." Amy reminded her from Serena's left. "I can if I want to." Raye huffed jokingly. "Hunk alert, three o'clock." Lita interrupted and four heads turned to look where Lita had indicated. A well muscled and tanned man about twenty walked through the tables. "He's not bad." Serena commented. "But he's not Darien." "Somehow I expected you to say that." Amy remarked, her eyes casually measuring the man. "Hey, Mina, what do you think? Major hunk, huh?" Lita asked. "He's ok, I guess." Mina remarked absently, returning her attention to her drink on the table in front of her. Four sets of eyes snapped around and locked onto her. "Our boy crazy Mina not interested?" Amy observed. "Yeah," Lita added. "Are you ok, girlfriend?" "I'm just not interested." Mina fastened her eyes on her drink. "What?" She asked looking up and around the table at them. "If I don't drool over every guy I see you think something's wrong?" "More or less, yes." Serena mumbled around a hot fudge sundae. "Thanks a lot." Mina commented, dropping her eyes back to her drink. The only sound at the table for a few minutes was the various munching and slurping sounds given off by Serena as she ate, the others contented themselves with polishing off their drinks. Serena looked up at them, wiping her ice cream-covered mouth with a napkin. "Finished." She informed them. "Let's go shopping." The five gathered up the various empty containers and deposited them in a nearby garbage receptacle. "All right, where are we going first?" Serena asked from the middle of the group as the five left the foot court. Mina and Lita trailed a step or so behind the other three as they walked. Lita would occasionally elbow her blond friend gently and discretely pointed out guys to her. Mina would glance at them and just shrug. "Well, I need to go to the bookstore." Amy told them. "More books? Amy don't you ever do anything but study?" Serena asked in that half whiny tone she adopted several years earlier. "Of course I do more than study." Amy reminded her. "You, on the other hand, won't graduate next year if you don't start studying more." "But you're such a great tutor, Amy." Serena told her. "If I study more, I won't be able to see you as much." Amy shook her blue haired head in dismay. "If you don't graduate, what will Darien think?" Serena's eyes took on that special twinkle they got whenever Darien's name came up. "He'll love me anyway." Raye rolled her eyes but said nothing. "Well, I want to get a new dress." "Oh, right Raye." Serena agreed as Raye changed the subject. "I could use one, too." "Say, didn't you get one last week?" Mina asked. "Yes, Mina." Serena admitted. "But that was last week. I got to stay in fashion." The others rolled their eyes at that comment, for they knew Serena could wear burlap and Darien wouldn't care. "We need to have Mina checked out." Lita suggested. "She hasn't shown the slightest interest in one of the hunky guys here." "There's nothing wrong with me." Mina snapped, drawing to a halt. The others stopped and turned to her in surprise. "Just because I'm not interested today, you want to have me examined." The others sweat dropped their surprise. "Uh, no Mina." Serena put in lamely. "Lita was just kidding, weren't you Lita." Serena gave several small and rather fake sounding chuckles. "Humph." Mina disagreed, crossing her arms, closing her eyes, and turning her head away from them, angling it up slightly. "All right, I'm sorry." Lita blurted out after a moment. "I wasn't serious." Mina opened one eye to look at her. "I take it back." Lita continued. "Fine." Mina accepted the apology, turning her head and opening her eyes to look at Lita. "Just don't bring it up again." "Geash." Lita remarked. "What's up with you today, girlfriend? You're most definitely not yourself." "Yeah." Raye echoed. "You've been like this since we fought Galaxia." "It's none of your business." Mina growled, glaring at her. "So stay out of it." Raye held up her hands in surrender, taking a surprised step backward. "All right. If you don't want to talk about it, I won't press you." "Don't." Mina warned. "So, uh, how about that clothing store over there." Serena suggested, pointing across the walkway. "Fine by me." Amy said. "I need a new outfit for fall, anyway." "Greg coming in town, huh?" Serena looked sideways at her. The blue haired girl blushed. "What makes you think that?" "That's the only time you go shopping for clothes." Serena told her. "Yeah." Lita agreed. "He just happens to show up a few days after you buy a new outfit." "It's just a coincidence." Amy said hastily. "Sure it is." Raye agreed too casually. "That's why we always see you talking to him." "Yeah, in your new dress." Serena added. Amy lowered her head, the blush fading from her cheeks. "All right, Serena." She looked back up. "You can help me pick something out." "Yes!" Serena declared triumphantly and the five hurried over to the clothing store to get rid of any unwanted attention they had suddenly attracted. "I wonder what he'd think of this?" Mina asked herself quietly, turning slightly to her right so she could see the side of the gown in the full length mirror at the back of the changing booth. It was a white silk gown with elbow length silk gloves. She'd found a pair of brightly polished white low heeled shoes that matched and a long stringed pearl necklace to complement to outfit. "What was that?" Lita asked, poking her head in for a look. "Nothing, Lita." Mina said, her eyes still locked on the mirror. "I was just talking to myself." Lita's eyes bulged slightly as she saw the dress Mina had on. "Who's the guy?" "What?" Mina looked up and over sharply. "With a dress like that you have to have someone in mind." Mina sighed wearily, turning her eyes back to the mirror. "I wish so. One can always dream, I suppose." "Yeah, I suppose." Lita agreed, her puzzlement showing in her eyes. "Amy's almost finished, so whenever you're ready . . . " "I'll be out in a few minutes." Mina agreed and watched as Lita's head disappeared from between the curtains. She listened to her friend's footsteps as she walked back down the aisle. "Oh, William, what would you think?" Mina raised a gloved hand and used the back of the glove to brush away the tear that had begun to roll down her cheek. "No." She shook her head. "I'm not going to cry. Not here. Not now." She gazed back at the image of herself in the mirror. "No matter how much it hurts or how much I miss him." She whispered. With a heavy sigh, she began changing back into the casual dress she'd worn to the mall. She wanted the gown and she'd get it, even if it did cost a small fortune by the standards of her friends. She had the money, more than they ever realized. She'd just have to use some of the money she'd gotten from owning the rights to Sailor V. And no matter what her agent or broker said, she didn't really care. It was her money and she'd do with it what she wanted to. She carried the outfit to the register, finding the rest of her friends there finishing up with Amy's new purchase. "You're going to get that?" Serena asked as the clerk held it up so she could get the price. "Yes. I've got some money saved." Mina told them. "That must be some guy." Raye commented. "You have no idea." Mina thought. "You have no idea." They'd gone back to the garage to lock the outfits in the trunk of Amy's car. The others had insisted that Mina shouldn't be carrying around that kind of outfit and she'd absently agreed with them. Serena eyed the food court as they got back inside. "Oh, no you don't." Raye took one of her elbows to steer her away as she began to veer off. "Not a chance." Lita took the other. "You just ate." "I was just . . . " Serena began. "You were just about to make a pig out of yourself again." Raye said. "I was not." Serena protested. "I was just looking." "Sure you were Serena." Amy agreed blandly. "Then why were you drooling?" Serena slapped the palm of her right hand over her dry chin. "Amy!" "Gotcha." Amy said, smiling slightly and pointing at her. "Good one, Amy." Mina said with a giggle. "She can smile after all." Lita said. "Of course I can." Mina agreed. "It's just more fun to be grumpy and pouty." She thumbed toward Serena. "You know, like Serena." "Thanks a lot." Serena pouted. Their amusement was cut off as a voice shook the air. "Give up your energy for the Negaverse, foolish humans." A group of Negawarriors had materialized in the middle of the walkway. "Negawarriors, here?" Raye asked in astonishment as she and Lita let go of Serena's arms. People began to duck for cover, trying to work their way outside, as energy tendrils lashed out from the Negawarriors and began to draw energy off of them. Serena reached up and touched her locket. "Let's transform and kick their butt." "No." Mina stopped her. "Over there." She thumbed a maintenance doorway. The five girls hurried over and Lita tested the handle. "Unlocked." She remarked and they ducked inside. "Nobody." Mina said after they had closed the door and glanced around. "Moon Eternal Make Up!" "Mercury Crystal Power, Make Up!" "Mars Crystal Power, Make Up!" "Jupiter Crystal Power, Make Up!" "Venus Crystal Power, Make Up!" The five Sailor Scouts burst thru the doorway with Sailor Moon in the lead. They skidded to a halt for a face off with the Negawarriors. "I don't know what you think you're doing, but it stops right now." Sailor Moon declared. "For love and justice, I am Sailor Moon. In the name of the Moon, I will punish you." A tall woman in a general's uniform turned to them. She had a light complexion with short red hair and a sharply angled face. Her nose was sharply triangular and black irised eyes looked disdainfully at them. "Go away, Sailor Scouts. This is none of your concern." She told them. "And you are you to be telling us anything." Sailor Moon asked. "I am Azmaria, general of the Negaverse." The woman told them. "Your interference is neither wanted nor appreciated." "Well, that's just too bad, because we're going to send you back where you came from." Sailor Moon told her. "In pieces." "Just try it." Azmaria offered as the various Negawarriors released their latest set of victims and began to turn toward the Scouts. "Silver Moon Crystal Power Kiss!" "Mercury Aqua Rhapsody!" "Mars Flame Sniper!" "Jupiter Oak Evolution!" "Venus Love and Beauty Shock!" Five of the Negawarriors flew over backwards as energy tore into them. Azmaria's lips pursed as she watched the energy tear into some of her Negawarriors. "Did we make it in time?" Neptune asked as the four materialized. "I think so." Pluto remarked, and they watched as five of the Negawarriors flew backwards, shattered like so many clay pots. "Well, you've improved some since the last time." The red-haired Negageneral said. "In that case, I'm going to have to leave you a little playmate." "What makes you think you get to leave?" Pluto asked, drawing attention to the fact that they were there. "Dead Scream." She commanded, leveling the Time Staff at the Negageneral. "World Shaking!" "Deep Submerge!" Several more Negawarriors died as they interposed themselves between the Scouts and their general. "So sorry I can't stay and play today. Gotta go." Azmaria snapped her fingers and she and her Negawarriors disappeared, to be replaced a heartbeat later by a Negamonster. It was humanoid, about ten feet tall, with thick blue scales. It had small burning red eyes which glared out at them. Large, sharp claws tipped the ends of massive hands. Bone jutted out from the ends of its elbows and spikes appeared from its wrists as it saw them. It had a muzzle like mouth filled with sharp canine teeth, stained a dark black. Three more identical Negamonsters appeared behind the first. "Eew." Sailor Moon commented. "This could be messy." "No kidding." Venus agreed. "Uh, oh. Here they come." They were remarkable fast for their size, they seemed to flow across the terrain as they rushed the Scouts. "Dead Scream." "World Shaking!" "Deep Submerge!" "Silver Moon Crystal Power Kiss!" "Mercury Aqua Rhapsody!" "Mars Flame Sniper!" "Jupiter Oak Evolution!" "Venus Love and Beauty Shock!" The attacks by the Outer tore two of them to shreds while the Inners destroyed the third. Sailor Venus shoved Sailor Moon out of the path of the last as it closed. Venus closed her eyes as she fell, expecting to feel the claws tear her apart any second. She gasped slightly in pain as the Negamonster slammed into her. "Rainbow Beam Shatter!" A spray of beams of rainbow light, each a different color, leaped from the balcony overhead and tore thru the Negamonster's scales. It went flying away from Sailor Venus and crashed to the ground before dissolving away like the others. The Scouts turned with a gasp to see where the unexpected attack had come from. Out of the shadows stepped a white and brown armored figure. His face was grim looking and it was topped by short brownish black hair parted from left to right, with a slight wave in it. He had piercing brown eyes over a fairly non-descript nose and mouth. His skin was fair complexioned and tanned, like one who spent much time outside. His arms looked muscled but not overly so. A yellow crescent moon was displayed prominently on the left breast of the armor as well as on the boots. He also had a straight bladed sword strapped to his side. He leaped off of the balcony and landed gracefully near Sailor Moon, facing toward her. Up close he was about as tall as Sailor Jupiter. "A Guardsman?" Pluto blurted out in surprise. "Here?" "Who?" Neptune asked. "He's a member of the Imperial Moon Guard, or so he looks like." Pluto explained as she and the other Outers began walking over to join the others. The Guardsman walked over to where Sailor Venus lay on the ground. With gentle hands, he picked her up off the ground, cradling her in his arms. He brushed a stray strand of her hair back into place. "Just stunned, I think." He said after a moment of silence as he looked up at them. Sailor Venus let out a groan, drawing everyone's attention to her. "You're going to be okay." The Guardsman told her. Venus' eyes flew open in surprise and she reached up and touched his cheek. "Is it really you?" She asked and the other Scouts exchanged looks of confusion. "Yes, it's really me." To everyone else's astonishment, Venus wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his head down to kiss him. "I missed you so much." She whispered, tears gathering in her eyes. "I missed you, too." He murmured to her. "No, don't put me down, not just yet." She pleaded as he began to set her back on her feet. She buried her face in his chest as he cradled her back up against him. "Uh, hello, people." Sailor Moon interrupted. "Someone tell me what's going on here?" "That's what I would like to know." Pluto echoed. "Yeah, who are you, anyway?" The look Jupiter gave him was very hostile. "I'm William of the Imperial Moon Guard." The Guardsman said. "Not good enough pal, try again." Mars snarled, glaring at him. "You can start by explaining why you're so precious to our Sailor Venus." "It's okay. You can tell them." Venus muttered without lifting her head. "Yes, Highness." He agreed rather reluctantly sounding. "Do you plan on explaining today?" Jupiter growled. "He's the man I love." Venus lifted her head. "You've known him for what, two minutes?" Mars declared angrily. "How can you know that?" "Because I loved him on the Moon." Venus leaned her head back against his chest. "Wait a minute." Sailor Moon waved her hands in front of herself. "You loved him on the Moon?" "Yes." Venus stated. "And I would have married him, too." "Serenity wouldn't have allowed it. Put her down at once, Guardsman." Artemis commanded as he and Luna joined them, glaring at the Guardsman. The Guardsman obediently lowered Venus to her feet, and took on a chastised look. Venus glanced at him then turned to Artemis. "And why not?" "If he's a Guardsman, then he's not of noble blood. You couldn't have done it." Artemis stopped in front of her. Venus shook her head slightly. "We're not on the Moon anymore, so it doesn't matter." " 'It doesn't matter'." Artemis glared up at her. "It most certainly does. You're my charge and you'll do what I tell you." "No." Venus declared, raising her voice. "I still love him and you can't change that." "How do you even know it's the same person?" Luna asked, trying to cool things down some. "I know here." Venus touched the spot over her heart. "I knew this would happen." The Guardsman muttered to himself and turned to leave. "Don't go anywhere just yet." Saturn warned, hovering the tip of the Silence Glaive in front of his face and he froze. "Now turn back around." The Guardsman complied quietly. "Oh, great." Jupiter rested her fists on her hips. "Now you're not thinking at all, Venus." "Thanks a lot, Jupiter." Venus raised a fist. "I finally find the man I love and you act like he's from the Negaverse or something." "For all we know he could be." Mercury interrupted, drawing all eyes to her. "How else could he have been alive so long?" "They had me in a 'temporal cell'." The Guardsman stated. "A temporal cell?" Mercury asked. "That's the term they used, yes, Highness." "How big was it?" Pluto asked. "Big enough for me to lie down in, but not much more." "You can sort it out later." Artemis told them. "You." He looked at Venus. "Home." "Not a chance." Venus crossed her arms stubbornly. "NOW!" "NO!" The others drew back in shock at Venus' angry declaration. "I've been looking for him since the day you turned up on my doorstep and I'm not going to loose him again, NO MATTER WHAT YOU SAY!" "Venus. It's okay." The Guardsman touched her elbow to reassure her. "It's not OKAY!" Venus yelled, mainly at Artemis. She turned and threw her arms around the Guardsman and pressed her face into his chest. He placed his hands carefully on the small of her back. "I'm not going to leave you." She sobbed. "Not again." "Shh." He said soothingly as he began to stroke her hair. "Everything will work out." He promised. "Now, could someone tell me what this strange place is and what happened?"