» one step [closer] one step [back], tag: pluto

[Small Lady]

Small Lady was in her room just staring across to her empty wall. She had just finished taking down a picture of her mother and father at their coronation ceremony. It wasn't usually in her room- she had asked for it a while ago if she could had it. It just awed the pink haired girl. It amazed her even more that one day she would become queen. 'But who would be my prince?' she thought. That was something she didn't find out. She was 900 years old and she hadn't decided on her true love yet. Sure, she was in a body of an eight year old. The young looking girl thought that her mind would of grown up by now- to her it did. She sighed and leaned against her bed, staring at the blank wall. She had taken the picture down to polish its frame; she felt like she had to do something. At the boredom on the earlier moment that something was to make her room look neat. The problem at hand now was she was afraid to get it back up without somehow breaking it. The painting, portrait more like, was huge.

Deciding to leave it on the bed, Small Lady got up and walked over to her door. Her white formal dress flowed behind her. She wasn't one to wear it unless on formal occasions. Now she was wearing it simply because she felt like it. Everything was so stressful lately wearing the dress made her feel more comfortable and authoritative. Did that make any sense? She sighed and walked out into the hall. As she made her way down the flights at Crystal Palace she decided she would visit Pluto. It had been a while since she visited the Time Guardian and even if her parent's were against it at times she still felt like she should.

She walked down one of the lowest halls her red-brown eyes spotting the Space-Time gate. Her pace slowed as she reached the door. With her small hand she touched the door lightly. She remembered the first time she did it. Pluto said it was because she had the blood of the Silver Millennium in her and heir to the throne. Letting it open slowly she slipped inside, hoping the Time Guardian wouldn't mind her visiting. Usually she didn't but the young princess didn't know if any stress from outside had effected the lone Senshi. Truthfully she doubted it, she always looked so calm.

"Puu...?" she said a little uneasily as she stepped fully into the misty 4th dimension area.

[Pluto Adrasteia]

The faint thrum that passed through her bones whenever the door was open alerted the senshi to the fact that she had company; instinctively, she tensed, and her grip tightened on her staff as dark eyes searched the void for the intruder. Visitors to the gate were not common—rarer still was the person, or creature, that found their way in for non-malevolent purposes. Even those whose innocent curiosity—by some miracle—lead them to the gates of space and time were not welcome, and often required more… aggressive persuasion to leave. Her first thought after the fact was that she needn’t have bothered, but for this she quickly admonished herself, knowing that to let her guard down was risk her post—and her life. Still, she thought wryly, shaking her head, how often to I really see anyone else?

Her most commonly-used nickname carried by a familiar young voice relaxed her significantly, though her grip did not lessen any—it was better to be too cautious than not cautious enough. Sure enough, it was moments before the pink-haired princess came into view, and her grip on her staff lessened fractionally. One of the few people that the guard could honestly say she enjoyed seeing, the child was a frequent enough visitor of the space-time gate—despite the fact that, technically, she should be nowhere near it. While initially the senshi had forbade the princess’s presence, eventually Chibiusa had worn her down; now, the arrangement was that the girl may come and keep her company, but was to leave immediately if instructed, and was not to touch anything. Granted, there was not much to touch in such a void, however one could not be too careful when it came to children.

Especially curious princesses of Crystal Tokyo.

“Why, Small Lady, this is a surprise!” Pluto Adrasteia greeted with what could only be considered ‘calm enthusiasm’, an authentic smile quirking onto her face. “I would have thought,” she explained, raising an eyebrow slightly, “that the sole princess of Crystal Tokyo would have something… constructive to do with her time, rather than dash between dimensions.”

Though her words could easily have been interoperated as scolding, Sailor Pluto had laughter in her eyes as she looked the child over. While she was not the sort to seek out the attentions of others, Chibiusa’s company was never unwelcome—if anything, the child’s presence made a timeless existence more entertaining, for the princess was anything but dull to be around. From time to time, however, Plu could not help but wonder if anyone knew where the princess ventured off to at such times; curious as she might have been on the subject, she was not one to inquire this of the girl’s parents, keeping to herself even when she left the gate in favor of Crystal Tokyo.

[Small Lady]

Small Lady's red-brown eyes quickly spotted the Time Guardian after they adjusted to the slightly eerie fog. "Puu!" she said happily walking over to the lone guardian. She was glad to see she was pleased to see her. Both her mother and father loved spending time with her, but lately they were to busy with the current 'crisis' (if it could be called that yet). That and Puu was one of her only friends, hence the reason she gave the Sailor her nickname when she didn't have any others to the one's that protected her most of the time.

She put a fake frown on and said in a slightly hurt voice, "But its fun, and I like coming to visit you." Of' course she was kidding on the hurt part of the face. She just liked to tease the Senshi; if that was possible with the calm unwavering of the ageless and patient guardian. She spun around waving her arms, "Besides you don't let me do anything, just come to see you." The slight annoyance in her voice this time was real, but a playful glint in her eye. Really she didn't think of doing anything, she was told time travel was breaking a taboo, she knew it wasn't just her it would effect. She had not thought of any of that- at least not yet. No reason to at the moment.

The pink-haired girl tugged on one of her pigtails. "Besides, I didn't really have anything else to do. I was busy cleaning a picture- I was bored and I decided coming here was more fun." She offered her playful smile her eyes bright. Here she didn't have to worry about any 'Black Moon Clan.' She did not have to feel the effects of any of that in Crystal Tokyo in the timeless area of space with one of her closest friends.

[Pluto Adrasteia]

The senshi sighed, and resisted the urge to roll her eyes. If the princess found sitting idly about at the gate more fun than engaging in any of the myriad activities available to her at the palace, then she clearly had not fully grasped the concept of ‘fun’. Were it not for the fact that Chibiusa had acknowledged that Pluto rarely allowed her to actually do anything, the woman might have thought the small child rather… strange. The princess’ attention span, however, tended to seem oddly appeased by sitting with her, and so Plu elected not to delve into it too deeply—after all, why question a system that worked just fine, and provided her some company as an added bonus?

Giving the girl a small, but warm, smile, she responded, “Well in that case, Princess, I’m honored.”

Casting out her senses to make sure no one was pushing on the fringes of her dimension, attempting to find a way in as Chibiusa had just moments before, she allowed herself to lean on… well, nothing, really. Empty matter had a habit of hardening when she had the need for it, saving her the annoyance of forever having to stand. As at ease as she was able to be—though with sight, hearing, and other senses still pealed, as always, for trouble—the senshi turned her attentions almost fully to the child who so seemed to want some level of entertainment. “You know I’m not much in the way of a playmate though, Small Lady,” she reminded the girl firmly, ensuring—as always—that the pink-haired princess had no illusions: Pluto was, as always, ‘working’ for all intents and purposes, and Chibiusa, even her safety, came second to that.

Not, of course, that Sailor Pluto would dream of letting any harm befall the young princess. If she were to be honest, she would admit that she doubted she would place the child after the gate in her priorities, however avoided thinking such thoughts for the most part, as it was not an attitude that should be had. The thought of the chaos that would result from such an action was enough to make the woman shudder, though she did not do so now.

With an excess of reluctance, enough so that it was obvious she was simply teasing about her lack of interest, Plu continued, “But, if you insist I occupy you somehow, I would be quite happy to hear how you have been and what you have been up to since your last visit.”

[Small Lady]

A wide cheerful grin appeared on the princess's face. She was glad that Puu was happy with her visiting. Sometimes she wasn't sure if the Time Guardian liked the fact that the loud and bubbly princess came to visit her. It made her feel welcomed, as long as it wasn't denied the pink-haired girl was more then happy. Small Lady felt a small blush appear on her cheeks when she heard that Puu felt honored on her visit. Really it wasn't much, it was fun getting to visit the usually lone soldier. Especially if she could squeeze a story out of her friend, some that even her mother won't be able to tell. "No I should be honored that I can visit," she said.

She ran her hand through her pink hair making a small face. "Your fine to be with, Puu." she said reassuringly. She often felt that the senshi was lonely. Even though Small Lady could tell that happiness showed in the guardians voice she seemed blank and not letting anything phase her. She knew if she was in Puu's place she wouldn't be able to be in this timeless dimension while not being able to leave, without anybody seeing her. She didn't know how she could handle it. It would break the small princess apart. So with that in mind she made it her own duty to bring some happiness to her friend. It wasn't that it was hard. She had the uncanny ability to help bring out lonely souls she seeked out and help pry open. That was something that partly came from her mother. Though she would like to say she was more mature sometimes then her playful mother that was the queen. Still her mother knew when to be serious, something Small Lady wasn't sure on yet.

She thought of how to answer the question. How was things since she last came? Anything that different. The Black Moon was slowly taking a more offensive tactic. Did she want to bring that up? She wanted to be on a more cheerful note. One of the reasons she came down here was that she wouldn't have to worry or think about the problems on the outside. The pink-haired girl wasn't sure if she should mention it, it was a dark thought when all 900 years of her life she had a long lasting peace. Seriously she was only physically eight, and mentally on some parts as well. "Um... well." she began working out words in her mind. "Nothing much is going on... mama is setting up a meeting soon, that is taking a lot of time." That was true, her mother was a very social person. With an urgency or not she would set any meeting up for a chance for the social bunny.

Something irked in her that she should mention the Black Moon. The princess didn't feel like she should ignore it when asked what has been going on. Was it even possible to hide something from the Time Guardian? She doubted that. Her red-brown eyes stared down at the misty ground below her. She took a deep breath, tugging lightly on the bow. She suddenly looked up, "The Black Moon is making everything stressful, it is supposed to be peaceful! I can't stand it!" She said it more loudly and stressed then she would like but she couldn't help it. "I want them to go away, just go away so everything can be peaceful about it. I don't know what to do about it!" It took her a moment to realize how desperate her voice most of seemed to the calm senshi. She felt her face go pink, just a shade lower then her vibrant pink hair.

[Pluto Adrasteia]

With genuine interest, Sailor Pluto listened to the child speak, almost missing the hint of confusion and impatience in the girl’s tone. This, however, became more pronounced as Chibiusa spoke, and clearly the situation in Crystal Tokyo—at least from the princess’ perspective—was not nearly as ideal as anyone would have liked. Then again, one had to take into account that she was a princess, and that her parents were hardly free to occupy her as she might wish; expecting anything else was a bit of a folly, though one that could be forgiven in one so young.

At the news of the Black Moon Clan, she looked up in obvious surprise. Clearly, she had been paying too little attention to the affairs of chronological time; she would have thought they would be little more than a simple annoyance, a suggestion of threat by now. Then again, children were rather prone to responding negatively to even tiny stresses—and Chibiusa was also one to exaggerate from time to time. Perhaps another visit to Crystal Tokyo is in order, Pluto mused. Being so out-of-time sometimes left her feeling out-of-place as well; a reestablishment of what precisely was going on would probably do her mind a bit of good, not to mention she had not stepped out in a while.

“Then, Small Lady, you should be glad,” the senshi spoke, placing a reassuring hand on the princess’ head, “that you don’t have to do anything about it. Leave the concerns and the worries to your parents and the other adults; your distress serves no one but those who created it.”

It was lucky for Plu that the girl seemed often to responded to suggestion more so than she did logic—anyone who would give the guardian’s words any thought would point out that it was one thing to tell oneself not to be worried, another entirely to actually do so. The woman hoped that the princess asked no such questions, though feared curiosity might get the better of the child. It was one thing to come across as being wise in the girl’s eyes, but Pluto neither had all the answers, nor could reveal all of those she did have. Not only that, but, from a psychological perspective, the senshi knew little more than the lowliest of the palace’s kitchen staff and—were she to be truthful—she quite liked that she was thought of as ‘wise’.

She certainly didn’t feel that way, most of the time.

[Small Lady]

Small Lady made a small face and the pink hair girl stared down at her feet. "Ok..." she said softly. She squinted her eyes, opening and closing her hand a few times. "I just don't like to feel I'm being useless you know." She really was thrilled that Puu said she didn't need to worry about doing anything. The weight of that she put on her shoulders lifted a little. Yes, she just needed to relax some. Not worry about it, be a little kid and watch her parents work so one day she'll know how to save the world from evil. Wacky evil as she thought of it. She thought of how it would work, doing everyday matters and saving the world. Really she didn't know how it went. Her mother seemed to do it so maturely.. so much that the princess wasn't sure if she could do it one day. Some expectations just seemed impossible. No... just out of reach. One of these days, hopefully, she could be a good queen.

She decided to find out her friend's thought on this. She would think with so much alone time, that she herself wouldn't manage, that Puu would have figured out her own opinions. "Say, Puu how do all you adults do it?" She waved her arms once for added, yet probably exaggerated and childish, effect. "How can you guys be so mature and handle some stuff so calmly?" Small Lady had a good set of friends. She considered all the senshi and her parents to be her close friends. All were older then her. She didn't know how they can handle everything. It gave Small Lady a headache to when she tried. It stressed her out and led her to do things like polish up a picture in her room. What child would do that unless they were bored or honestly insane?

She sat down on the floor, wanting to rest her tired legs for a minute. The misty atmosphere was kind of eerie, though she won't say that to her friend. It gave her the impression that she wasn't sure exactly what she was standing on. As she waited for a reply she ran her hand through the mist like substance, hoping that she was not seen as childish or bored. Really, she was listening intently on what the time guardian had to say. She was a good listener when it came down to it... or when she wanted to be.

O'well, she guessed she'll always be a child at heart.

[Pluto Adrasteia]

She couldn’t help but feel a bit bad for the little girl; being a princess in a time of military strife couldn’t be an easy cross to bear, especially when one was too young to really be of use in the conflict. Not only that, but feeling the need—even if it was a self-created pressure—to actually do something, but being completely unable to actually do so, must have been maddening for the princess. It’s because she is so caring, the guardian rationalized. This was unfortunate, as it was a personality that neither could, nor should, change. Were she even marginally more self-involved, surely Small Lady wouldn’t have any reservations about sitting back and letting trained warriors handle the matter entirely, whilst she played in the gardens or some such.

The child’s question, thankfully, was an easy one to answer. “We handle as we do because that is our job,” Pluto answered simply. “To do otherwise would be a great failing on our parts—and for we adults, who have so many depending on us, a failing could be disastrous. You are lucky, Small Lady, in that you have quite some time before any such expectations are weighted on your shoulders.” Perhaps it was not the most comforting explanation, but it was truthful, and the senshi hoped that it would ease at least some of the anxiousness that was burdening the child.

“I suspect, though,” she continued ruefully, “You’ll not be appeased until you find some way to contribute. Am I wrong?” the guardian teased.

In fairness to Chibiusa, Plu would have been much the same way in similar circumstances. Perhaps the need for purpose—and so something to physically do in a crisis—was ingrained into the minds of anyone with even the barest hint of senshi in them. True, the child was not a warrior in her own right, but the blood surely ran true, and with no explanation for such needs, the princess was left fumbling about to find her own answers. In emotional contrast, Pluto almost had it easy; she had her purpose, and while it sounded easier when spoken aloud (guard the gate) than it was in actual practice, she was not left seeking for some sort of reason or falling victim to the feeling of uselessness.

A light prodding at the edge of her senses caused Sailor Pluto’s eyes to dart up, searching, but the action was so quick that she doubted the young girl would notice. Something would require her attentions shortly, she was sure of it, but the senshi believed she had a bit more time for the princess before the pink-haired child would have to be sent away.

[Small Lady]

Small Lady listened to her friends answer, making a small face as she thought about it. She guessed that made sense. She really shouldn't worry about it that much. No pressure was put on her besides what she thought she should. The responsibility wasn't her's so she could just sit back and relax on it. Could she do that? No, something was still there on telling her to do something. She'll figure it out eventually. Not that soon she would imagine. At the moment the small plan that was forming in her head was just to help out with chores and simple stuff (was she supposed to do that anyway?) to take off some pressure on her parents so they could be at more ease with bigger problems. That would work for right now, right?

"Yeah I would like to do anything, but I haven't really decided what yet." She answered to the question. She waved her hand through the mist like substance again, still in deep thought. For right now she wanted to get her mind off all her problems. That was one of the reasons she decided to come down here. Also to see her friend, Puu was always a help at calming her down. At least somewhat. Trying to think of where to bring the conversation she played with one of her pink pig tails. She put it in the same odango style as her mother did. Small Lady had decided to put it as pointed. Why exactly she wasn't sure but it was more unique and had her own touch.

She looked up at her friend her eyes becoming bright. "I know, Puu. Why don't you tell me a story?" She widened her eyes slightly, putting her hand lightly on her pigtail. The slightest of frowns played on her face. It was her classic innocent 'give me what I want' face. She wouldn't call it begging. No that sounded like it was on the person why she was begging; when in truth it was her own doing. Puu was one of the one's who had better resistance to her ploy. She hoped though that the Time Guardian will oblige to her request.

[Pluto Adrasteia]

To anyone else, in any world, Pluto would have sensibly remarked that there was nothing that could be done, even if minds were made up to do so. Where the princess was concerned, however, the senshi’s soft spot prevented her from any such abrasiveness, and so she held what she wanted to say—that a child could hardly be of use in such a conflict—tightly behind what she hoped seemed a genuine close-lipped smile. Who was she to further the child’s worries, to make the situation seem any bleaker than it was already? Who am I to speak on the matter at all, Plu added, promptly shoving the thought away immediately afterwards. She did not know what the outcome would be for certain—truth be told, she hadn’t even thought to look into the matter—just as she did not know who would actually be bothered by the pair’s occasional conversations. Lack of knowledge was typically something that the woman did not relish, but in such circumstances—when lack of knowledge eradicated all objection—she would happily embrace it.

“A story, Small Lady?” Pluto asked, mildly startled. It was hardly a request that she was accustomed to, even from Chibiusa. “I suppose…”

Quickly, the senshi wracked her brain. What stories had she heard as a child, stories that the princess, too, might like to hear? Duties, she thought, duties, histories, and instructions. What a pleasant, imaginative childhood I had! Not at all conducive to appeasing the unappeasable. If not tales from her own upbringing, then what? She hardly spent enough of her life outside of the time gate to have any interesting anecdotes, nor was Pluto well-versed in the more popular fables and stories. That left her with… life? But, surely, the child could not be kept entertained by stories of actual lives.

In fairness, it really was all she had to go on.

Still very aware of the approaching presence, but fairly confident that it would remain distant for some time, the senshi lapsed into tale-telling mode, her voice as she told her story more expressive even than in every day speech (though the latter was hardly anything to remark upon). “As you’re aware, there have long been nine planets, though only your own is lived upon. This, though, was not always the case—millennia ago, eons before anything you know, each of these planets—and, in fact, the moon!—housed a kingdom of their own, civilizations very similar to those that we experience today.” ‘Today’, perhaps, was not the most specific term she might have used, but Plu had long ago given up maintaining a proper sense of time outside of ‘reality’.

“Each such civilization,” the guardian continued, “boasted a its own royal family, and its own court. In spite of this, however, it was the kingdom housed on the moon that was the central figure—the place of most innovation and prosperity—in the entire solar system.”

Here, she stopped, though only to think. She could hardly regale the events that had lead to the fall of the Moon Kingdom, for that would hardly reassure the princess—too many parallels could be drawn between the Dark Kingdom’s assault and that of the new danger encroaching on the court’s edges. But all that the senshi knew of that time was so closely tied to those events, and to the people ruined by them. A suitable story, she realized, would have to be something she made up as she went along.

[Small Lady]

Tucking her knees close to her chest she rested her head firmly on top. She wrapped her arms around her legs then her reddish-brown eyes stared up at Puu as she started the story. A story on the Silver Millennium. Something far distant even more then her mother's time as Sailor Moon. When even then it all seemed like a legend, The distant past that only a few people remember clearly of. She knew her mother retained quite a few memories and some of the senshi as well. Not that much to go on though. Her father was one for stories, sometimes more willing then her mom. Still he always seemed hesitant on talking about the Silver Millennium. She didn't know why.

Small Lady tilted her head to one side, listening intently. "Go on, Puu." She said simply, her eyes bright. She was interested in how the Time Senshi will put it. She would like to say she knew Pluto well, enough to give a nickname and probably one person that came here frequently. Still she wasn't sure how she would tell her stories.This was one of the first time she asked for a story. Usually she went either to her father or sometimes her mother. Certainly her mother was an energetic and enthusiastic person but wasn't the best with telling stories.

Adjusting her wait to be more comfortable she looked up at her friend with eager eyes. One would say she looked like a eager school girl that finally found something she liked in school. Her knees tucked in, arms fastened securely under around her legs and a slight tilt of her head. Yes, that wouldn't be a far fetched statement. She blinked once, reddish-brown eyes staring up at the now self proclaimed (at least by the young looking child) storyteller, Sailor Pluto.

This post has been edited by Small Lady on Jun 26 2009, 02:23 PM

[Pluto Adrasteia]

Creativity and imagination had never been the senshi’s strong suits.

One would think, given the amount of time the woman was required to spend on her own, some level of imagination would flourish in order to occupy her time. Surely, they might assume, solitude was a cause for a greater imagination? It seemed in this respect, though, Pluto failed almost entirely. Yes, the concept of imagination was there, and the woman assumed she did, in face, have some, but putting it to a practical use—and coming up with some sort of entertaining children’s story in doing so—seemed too far beyond her grasp for Plu to ever reach. If she didn’t expect it to draw unnecessary attention, she might have sighed. …children, wandering into alternate dimensions and asking for a story, of all things! When I was young… well, I can’t remember. But it certainly wasn’t dimension-hopping!

Agreeing to guard the space-time gate certainly did not equate to agreeing to being creative.

Agreeing to telling a story, unfortunately, did.

“One of the moon’s residents,” Pluto went on, entirely aware that she was simply grabbing the first words that came to mind, “Was a young girl. She was not royalty, like you are, though her family was quite wealthy. They lived within a small manor along the water’s edge, where the girl—Sarah,” she added the name hurriedly, realizing that a character did, in fact, need one, “—would skate each time it froze over. She was quite skillful, and won many a competition.”

Her story, she was well aware, was going nowhere at a reasonably brisk pace. Later, though, the senshi would be uncertain as to whether she would have preferred continuing such a train wreck or for events to unfold as they did, however routine they might have been. It was true that there had been no risk to the princess in the long run, but the guardian hated the thought that there was even the potential for risk. For the moment, though, the growing, nearing tug on the woman’s senses was enough to shift her from fumbling storyteller to warrior on alert, and it was with a no-nonsense tone that she next spoke to the girl.

“You need to leave. Now.”

There was no hint of remorse, nor of reassurance, in her words, Pluto’s mind almost unfalteringly focused on the task at hand. Though she doubted the child would try to argue, ask to stay longer—anyone raised in a royal household could differentiate between request and order—there was little doubt in the senshi’s mind that she would, quite forcibly, send her back to her own time if the situation required it of her.

[Small Lady]

Small Lady had been listening to her friend's story, a story on a skater. She knew skating to be a popular sport way back in the Silver Millinium- from the little she did know back then. The small princess had always wanted to try gliding on the ice herself. When she asked her mother if she could during the winter months her mother denied it every time. "You'll probably fall on your face, dear. It is a dangerous sport." The queen would reply the near same identical answer every single time. Whatever the wording was the meaning stayed the same- no.

"But I'm not a klutz like you were when you were a kid!"

"Who said I was a klutz?"

"Mars, but that isn't what I'm asking."

"The answer is still no, maybe when you get older."

That had been around when she was physically and actually six years old. Now she was over 900. Yes the answer was still no. "I'm not actually eight!" she told her mother last time she tried. Nope, still no luck.The pink-haired princess was pulled out of her her memories of bickering with her mother when she noticed a stricter and less stumbling tone in Puu's voice. She blinked once and stared up at the time guardian, mild curiosity in her reddish-brown eyes. Being asked to leave dampened the girl's mood but she knew from the sudden change of tone knew that she was serious on it. Standing up slowly she stretched out her arms and legs before heading back to the door. "Bye, Puu. I'll drop by later. Thank you for answering my questions." She was sincere on that, even though her friend was not the best storyteller she had helped sooth the worries she had when she first came down here. Her visits were short especially for being in the place outside- in between?- whatever. "I'll pop by sometime later," she said, not knowing when that was going to be. Her visits anywhere were getting stricter and stricter and that included the Time Gate. With that Small Lady went through back to Crystal Palace, thinking she'll talk to her mom again about ice skating this time around.

This post has been edited by Small Lady on Jul 14 2009, 10:11 PM