Serendipity Realized
by Kei aka Splinter Tree

Setsuna, Guardian of the Gates of Time, Senshi of Pluto, and Primary Advisor to the Empress of the Jade Millennium, smiled as she watched the wedding. Lita would have been so proud. Setsuna's smile waned slightly, old hurt that, dull, but it was there, with every breath she took. It was the same pain as the one she felt for Queen Serenity, the pain of a woman who grew close to mortals and who was forced to watch them do what all mortals eventually did, die.She missed them both, keenly, but perhaps one day, as she watched the worlds of the living, she would see them again. Odd her grief for Lita. She and the first Empress had argued until the day Lita died, peacefully of old age, in her sleep, as Nephrite held her. The Emperor of the Jade Millennium had died minutes later. Love like that wasn't long separated, even by such forces as death. Serenity had been something rare for Setsuna. In Queen Serenity Setsuna had found a woman whom she could respect, even look up to. Someone who shared burdens, if not similar, then of equal weight with the Guardian of Time. Setsuna had let the Queen of the Silver Millennium close like she had let few others. And then Serenity had died. Oh how bitter she had been after that! How utterly bitter...

Oh Setsuna had done her duty, had resumed her responsibilities, had aided the senshi of Jupiter, the princess, the rebellious tactless girl who denied fate at every twist and turn but who couldn't bring Serenity back even though in that moment of time Lita had been the future. She had shaped it, changed it, set it on its brilliant course.

And that young follower, that follower and failed protector of the Silver Millennium had sought justice, though not revenge, and had founded the Jade Millennium on the ashes of her past as she became what fate never asked her to be, a leader. Setsuna had granted the young new Empress her due, had found some grudging respect in a heart still reeling with loss, and had been surprised. Lita had been the future once. That was rare. What was rarer was that in her eighty year reign she became the future, made the choice that would shape Time's flow, hundreds of times. And she had chosen well, even without Setsuna's sight, or her advice.

Setsuna had watched her, with unease, envy, and bewilderment as again and again Lita had shouldered burdens not even she and Serenity had dreamed of and demanded from Fate that her voice, her small human voice be heard. It was. There was something deeply touching to the Princess of Pluto about someone who challenged the stars, the powers who ruled the universe, and triumphed. As her bitterness, her anger, eased Setsuna had allowed herself to become close to, not just the Empress, but the people she loved, men and women the guarded Setsuna had come to view as friends, as family. Ami, Rei, and Mina... old senshi who retained their crowns and who devoted their lives to restoring their planets, and their devoted husbands, and the hordes of ill mannered magical children and grandchildren that followed over the years. The planets remembered their senshi, even if the girls didn't retain their powers, and they recognized their children. Each child retained a spark, an inner whisper from their mother's planet. They got their magic from their fathers.

Earthen magic was fickle. It often appeared with no pattern or sense in bloodlines but every descendant of the Generals, to this day, held Earthen magic. The universe had become a much more interesting place when the first generation matured and things began to appear out of thin air from Mercury to Pluto. The three new rulers of, Saturn, Neptune, and Uranus had retained their powers and their crowns. They had pledged their loyalty to Lita early on and devoted themselves to watching for revolts or men who modeled themselves to be the next Sol. Thanks in part to their vigilance the Jade Millennium had jokingly been renamed the Jade Millenniums. It had survived over two thousand years and counting.

A gentle hand on her arm dragged Setsuna away from her thoughts. "Pay attention Suna... Day dreaming?" Setsuna smiled at the current Empress of the Jade Millennium and tried not to let her mind paint Serita with blue eyes, golden hair, and odangos. It was hard sometimes, because she remembered so much about past friends but they remembered so little of their previous lives, of what they had all been through.

"Lost in memories Empress." Serita's green eyes sparkled familiarly as she grinned and tucked a strand of curled sable hair behind an ear.

"Its okay," Empress Serita said softly as happy eyes watched the ceremony before them proceed, "Neymion was actually falling asleep. The councilors kept him up until almost dawn and he hates formal stuff like this, even if it is for best friends."

"Pity that, with him being Emperor and all." Serita bit back a laugh at Setsuna's wryness and Neymion, on the other side of the aisle glared at his wife as he shifted posistion, uncomfortable in his tux and role as best man. Setsuna blinked to remove the double image of the Emperor's face, of blue serious blue eyes and black hair. That hardly fit the care free Endymion of the present. It was almost as if Neymion was making up for opportunities missed in his past life. He was happiest in pajamas, light blue eyes dancing, dark brown hair tousseled. Actually, he was happier when his wife was in pajamas as well but...

Setsuna gathered her thoughts and allowed the unguarded smile of pleasure to creep back onto her face as she watched Rosalind and Kennith formally become one, though they had been of one heart since... since they had brought the greatest love of their time together, their ex lovers, thousands of years ago. Nephrite and Lita had found happiness, now it was Rose and Ken's turn. It was long in coming but... but so richly deserved. New lives, a fresh start. But it didn't mean the past was entirely forgotten.

Setsuna's burgundy gaze flickered from Rosalind and Kennith to the famous portrait that had hung in the main hall of the Earth Palace since early in Empress Lita's reign. It was a splendid oil painting of Empress Lita, Emperor Nephrite, their eight year old daughter Hope, and her best friend and unbenost to any of them at the time, future husband, Chancery. Chancery, nicknamed Chance, laughingly called Last Chance, the most watched yet kindest man Setsuna had ever had the blessing to meet, Sol and Beryl's son. He had not ruled as Emperor, the people would never have allowed that, but he had stood by his wife with a steadfastness and loyalty that, even today, was legendary. Their daughter had inherited the throne though, she and her husband, one of Ami and Zoicite's grandchildren. And the line had stretched, unbroken, until even this day, a myriad of generations that each maintained some of the spirit, the heart, that had made Lita's reign so great.

Rosalind and Kennith had asked to be married here, under this portrait, at night. Setsuna's wandering gaze found one of the grand windows that surrounded the hall, and studied the stars. They didn't speak to her, they rarely did, but they radiated peace tonight and the thought warmed her. In all ways the past was honored. Rosalind and Kennith embraced and the ceremony broke up and flowed into the reception. Serita grabbed Setsuna's arm.

"Come on, time to party..." Setsuna shook her head.

"Empress I must be going... The Gates..." Serita sighed but didn't argue as guests swept past them, the bridesmaids, and in that she was more mature than Princess Serena ever was.

"Go on then Suna, but don't be a stranger." Setsuna nodded.

"Empress." She left then, with a hello for Neymion, but didn't journey back to the Gates of Time quite yet. The senshi of Pluto joined the stream of people heading toward the banquet hall and waited until Rosalind was momentarily alone. She slipped up the bride's side.

"Congratulations Rosalind. I'm so happy for you..." Rosalind turned and embraced her, momentarily surprising Setsuna.

"Thank you Suna, thank you. Will you be staying?" She shook her head and smiled. It was easier to talk to her and Kennith sometimes, than Serita or Neymion. She hadn't known and cared for them as she had Serena and Endymion. It was simpler to talk to them as they were now, instead of constantly seeing shadows from the past.

"No, but I wanted to give you something before I left."

Setsuna unclipped the precious heirlooms from a safe place inside her gown. She gave them one last hard look and passed them to Rosalind. Rosalind stared at the rose earrings, face caught somewhere between recognition and surprise.

"What... what are these?" Rosalind turned them over in her palms, brow furrowed. "They seem so familiar..." Setsuna fought back unexpected tears and was proud that when she answered her voice was steady. Rosalind never noticed the tears, she was too fixed on the earrings.

"A wedding gift and the fulfillment of a promise I made long, long ago. They belong to you Rosalind. They've been waiting for you for two thousand years..."

"They... they seem old. I can feel the age in them. They have a history but... They know me. How?"

"Accept them," she urged softly, "Without question or reservations. They'll bring you luck." Rosalind looked up and met Setsuna's grave, grieving eyes and hugged the older woman tightly.

"I... I know there's so much I don't know Suna. I can see it in your face sometimes, that there's so much to this world that I'm missing, that we're missing. And sometimes when I see Serita and Neymion and even when I met Kennith, there's a spark, and I wonder... I always wonder." Setsuna sighed as the bride released her.

"The past is the past Rosalind. But, if you live this life with all you have, with all you are, that's all anyone can ask. Treasure the earrings but live for the moment. Almost everyone gets a second chance but a third, a fourth?" Rosalind's eyes widened at Setsuna's words.

"Suna..." The senshi of Pluto stepped away as her staff materialized in her hand.

"Live Rosalind, and be happy, you deserve it." The gown melted away and was replaced by a uniform as old as time itself. The other guests, while used to magic, gave her room. The senshi were not as well known as they had been before, before Lita had taken the power of four planets into herself. Now there was only four senshi, including herself, and they did not live at the Earthen Palace. Lita's line had kept the power she had taken upon herself to save the universe but of those, those direct descendants of the ones who had lost their power, honorary senshi, guardians, were chosen from every generation.

Those who heard their planets best, those who's planet's spirit talked to the inner most depths of their soul, were chosen by the planets to be Guardians of Spirit. They were often women, though not always now, and were charged with protecting the spirits of their planets and maintaining peace throughout the universe.

The Guardians of Spirit lived at the Earthen Palace and ensured that their world's best interests were protected, while also serving as advisors to the Empress and Emperor. For the planets had become rather involved in the lives of their 'children' over the centuries and most had enough acquired wisdom that they were willing to share that the Guardians of the Spirit had become an integral part of the Jade ruling system. Rosalind was Guardian of Jupiter and one of the Empress's closest personal friends. Kennith was Guardian of Venus. They were ambassadors of a kind, but so much more.


Setsuna allowed the mists of her domain to claim her as she waved good bye to Rosalind. She stood an eye blink later in front of the Gates of Time. She sighed and with small effort called up the reception in the time stream. The Princess of Pluto bit her lip and angrily wiped away more unexpected tears as she watched Serita and Neymion toast their friends as the entire kingdom cheered. She laughed when later Serita stole Rosalind from an amused Kennith and proceeded to dance the tango as Neymion watched on, indulgent in a properly mortified way as other guests roared with laughter. Newly clipped on rose earrings glittered in the candle light and magic globes used to light the event. The Princess of Pluto's throat restricted.

Setsuna looked away and, after a moment of hesitation, called up the past. The images were still, like the frames of a movie, because the past was set, unmovable. She called up an image of Queen Serenity and the Moon Kingdom, and then one of Empress Lita and the Jade Millennium. She sighed again, deeper this time, and allowed the mists to clear and reveal the vaulted sky above her.

The stars watched her as she grieved in that place that wasn't heaven or earth, wasn't this reality or the next, was a place removed from the stream that dictated all life, and death. She wondered for amoment, if they would speak to her, but they were still silent, peaceful, tranquil. They calmed her though and Setsuna smiled as the constellations reshaped themselves before her eyes, just for her all seeing eyes, and revealed Queen Serenity, at peace with those lost with her, and Lita, Princess, Empress, who was surrounded by the men and women who had devoted their lives to her and had been so richly rewarded for their efforts. And followed by her was a line of flickering, half formed constellations of the rulers, small and great, who ruled after the first Empress of the Jade Millennium. Serita's face flashed by and was momentarily drowned out by the many possible rulers of the future. She started when the stars spoke softly to her.

'You helped to build this, shape this...' Setsuna shook her head ruefully.

"No... I watched it happen," she answered.

'Then you guarded those who made it happen...'

"No," she replied softly, "I watched others guard them. And once in a long while I entered the stream and made friends with the fishes and watched my heart break as their memory was swept away."

'Then what have you done Setsuna?' She raised olive brows as she turned her pale face upwards and allowed it to soak up the starlight.

"I've watched. I've watched all the leaders as they've lived and died. I've watched for millenniums, I'll watch still longer."

The stars paused for a moment and continued.'Why?' Setsuna blinked at that. It was like asking why do birds fly?

"Because... I don't know. The stars are all seeing, why must I watch? Why must I?" She felt amusement and then...

'Looking into the future, as far as you can Setsuna, and tell us what you see.' She was quiet for a moment as she contemplated their command and then, with strange hesitancy, carried it out. She was quieter when she read the hazy far flung future. Her heart beat quickened.

"I'm not a leader." Laughter met that comment.

'Either was Lita, or don't you remember?' Setsuna shivered at the memory, and at the terrifying future. The stars, uncaring, blithely continued. They were teachers after all, they rarely spared their students, Nephrite had often enough told her that. 'Why do you think that you've witnessed all that you have, carried all the burdens that you do? Because one day, Setsuna, student of the Cosmos, of Time, you will be a leader, the leader. The greatest leader the universe has ever seen. And on that day, at that time, serendipity will be more of a half realized dream, it will become a reality.

'It might be millenniums from now but one day Setsuna you will no longer guard the Gates of Time. One day you will become one of the fish who swims so blindly in the stream of Time but you won't be alone.' Setsuna snorted.

"I'm always alone. That's lesson I've learned very well. That in the end I'm always alone."

'No Setsuna. In the beginning, and this is still the beginning, you've been alone. But in the end... in the end you'll find the people you thought lost to you forever. You said it yourself, almost everyone gets a second chance.

'In the end, ghosts, people only you remember, will be reborn, those deserving people who will have helped make your reign possible. They will be your advisors, your friends, and you will no longer be alone.'

"Why are you telling me this? Why now? Why ever? We're not supposed to know our future."

'Because your road is longer and harder than any power dreamed of when you were set on your course. You are not mortal but you are human Setsuna and humans need hope. You miss those long gone but knowing, knowing that all the sacrifice, all the pain, is going towards something, some grand plan, will ease your mind, your burdens, and ensure that you continue to do what you have done for so long, help in a thousand little ways for light to triumph.'

The Princess of Pluto swallowed and looked once more to the past, to the frozen images of Queen Serenity and Empress Lita... To those who had fallen or lived with them... To people she had faithfully watched for with all her heart but whom she had never met again in life.

'They're waiting for you Setsuna,' the stars continued gently. 'You're right, almost everyone gets a second chance but a third, a fourth?' She turned her face to the blanket of night, let her features be bathed in pale starlight, and asked the question most troubling her soul.

"The future... The future is not a sure thing, not set, and the river of Time has the tendency to change course. What if, what if what you told me does not come to pass? What if the light fails?" The air around her grew cold and brittle silence, meaningful silence met her question.

"That's cruel," she whispered. The stars flared as they mocked her.

'That's life Setsuna, life at its harshest. Life at its most painful. You've seen the future, make it happen. All the people you have ever loved or cared for depend on it.'

"I.... I can't shoulder that kind of burden." The stars flickered, reproachful, and answered.

'You can, you will, you must. There's no one else. Lead well little leader, lead well.' She shivered at the echo of her own so bitter words and closed troubled burgundy eyes tightly, refusing to let the tears fall. Setsuna heard light laughter she had almost forgotten and felt a breeze touch her cheek.

'Strength Suna, strength...'

A memory, unbidden, came to her...'You are the key to the future of this galaxy. Lead well Lita, Princess of Jupiter, senshi of Jupiter. Lead well little follower. Lead well. It's all up to you, salvation or the suffocation of the waves... Can you learn how to swim fast enough?'

'Strength Suna...' Setsuna whirled to the past, stared, and felt her fists tighten until ruby nails bit deeply into her palms.

"I'll try Lita, Serenity, Haruka, Michiru, Horatu, Ami, Rei, Mina, Nephrite, Zoicite, Jadeite, Kunzite, all the others. Even if I die I'll die fighting for you, for us. For the time when serendipity is realized. I doubt I can win, I don't think I'm strong enough but I..." her smile faded and was replaced by something darker, a twist of the lips that by no means conveyed happiness. "But I can't just do nothing, can I Lita? Even if I was able to so long ago. Wish me luck, all of you, we're going to need it." Sesuna felt more than heard more laughter and, almost against her will, felt her spirit lift.

"You know this isn't funny, don't you?" she snapped good naturedly to the air around her. There was a flash of sable hair and green, green eyes that had a tendency to shift color to gold, violet, and aqua.

"Lita?" Setsuna called, but she didn't receive an answer. She wouldn't, not for millenniums, for longer. Because this was still the beginning, but every beginning had an end and in the end, in the end, if Setsuna did her job, serendipity would finally be realized.