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Chapter 12
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From all around them, the four outer Senshi could once again hear Nanako’s voice, though it was barely a whisper. “Over the next few weeks, we got accustomed to our new role, and the duties we had to perform. Nokaru and I grew closer then we could ever have
imagined. The crystal deepened our existing bond, which we can still feel to this day. Nokaru is unaware of what that bond is though, and has learned to ignore it.”
“We were very happy and contented with our lives. Few quarrels occurred that required our intervention, and peace was all our planets knew.”
Images from her memory flashed around them. Scenes of friends and family, many of whom they could recognize from their own lives, happy together.
“This was to change, however. Our second anniversary as guardians, or keepers as you may, of the crystal marked the beginning of a colossal battle. An enemy simply came from nowhere and started
attacking Pluto. It’s power was immense, and the destruction it caused, horrific. With troops from the remaining planets, Nokaru and I set off to confront this foe. It would not talk to us, and the images it sent us were of pure hatred, pure destruction. It had no other goal then to destroy all life in the universe. It infected some of our former allies, and sent them out as a front line. We had no choice but to defeat them.”
Images of the battle flashed before them. Countless numbers of individuals could be seen fighting. An enormous shadow could be seen striking down those around it.
“We then attacked the being itself. It destroyed many of our troops. Nokaru and I fought with all the power we had, but even with our crystal, the others from all the planets, and the countless
individuals to aid us, we didn’t appear to cause much damage to it at all.”
“One of my friends who stood guard over us, to protect us from harm, got badly injured. My attention was drawn to her. I had to go to her side, to see if I could help. The enemy came after me then, but Nokaru intercepted it before it reached me.”
They could feel her sadness, her despair, as they watch the scene before them. Soft crying sounds filled their ears, and nearly broke their hearts.
“He died trying to protect me. In my despair, I used all the energy at my disposal to drive back the enemy, and I thought I had destroyed it. No one else had survived the battle, for they gave me their energy, their life force to destroy what threatened their loved
ones. Though near death myself, I used what I thought to be the last of my own energy to gather up all the lost souls and send them to the future. I knew that I was not permitted to use the crystal in that way, but it allowed me to regardless of the rules it had given us early on. I closed my eyes, content in the knowledge that they would all be able to live their lives out again, especially my dear Nokaru.”
“When I next opened them, I found myself in this place. I was extremely weak, and drifted in and out of consciousness for some time. When I could finally get up, the Fates came to me. By sending
the souls of those I had knew, and cared for into the future, I left the possibility open for others to do so in the future. I had altered the destiny of everyone living in our system. This was to be my punishment. For all of time, I would guard the gates of Destiny, never allowing another to do what I had done, to change the destiny of the earth, nor of any of the planets in our system.”
The next thing they knew, they were back in Nanako’s realm. She stood before them, weakened and teary eyed.
“Here I have watched over Destiny, and my friends for the last 6000 years. Now I ask for your help. The enemy has returned to threaten us all once again. Somehow, it managed to get through the gates of time, where it attacked Pluto. We don’t know where it is now, and I do not have enough energy to find it on my own. So I have come to you, asking for your help. Please, lend me your strength so that I may find this foe, and erect a barrier to buy us more time to prepare for its attack.” Her eyes were pleading them to help.
“We understand. I’ll do all I can to help you.” Hotaru stepped forward, and looked back at the others.
“You know you already have my cooperation in everything Nanako.” Setsuna quietly answered, and turned to Michiru and Haruka to hear their reply.
“Haruka. We should help her. Our futures may depend on this.” Her voice pleading, she gently touched Haruka’s arm.
“I still have many questions I want answered. But I will help you, at least for this.”
“Thank you. We must hurry though. Please, transform so wecan precede.”
With an affirmative nod, the outers looked at one another, and pulled out their transformation sticks.
“URANUS CRYSTAL POWER MAKE-UP”
“NEPTUNE CRYSTAL POWER MAKE-UP”
“PLUTO CRYSTAL POWER MAKE-UP”
“SATURN CRYSTAL POWER MAKE-UP”
“So what do we do now?” Haruka’s distrust of her was still apparent in her tone of voice, and in the look she gave Nanako.
“Stand in a circle around me, and give me your power. You have all done it before, when Sailor Moon needed your help. It will be the same now.”
The stones on their headbands stared to glow, and Nanako could feel their energy run through her. She quickly used it to locate the enemy, and place a barrier around it, stopping it in its tracks. Task completed, she could feel that her own energy had been
drained as well. She felt dizzy and could feel darkness closing in on her again, and this time she knew she could not keep it away.
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