Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Hearts in time ❯ A date with Destiny ( Chapter 6 )

Hearts in Time part six: A Date With Destiny
By
Lance The Flamesniper

Setsuna Meioh, also known as Sailor Pluto; keeper of mysteries and the only person to completely remember the Silver Millennium, was now faced with something she couldn't figure out. Dreams of a sandy haired stranger, the same dream man suddenly appearing, that strange tingling feeling she experienced last time she was near him and how well they worked together. All of it meant something. In her mind she knew until she figured this out she should distance herself from him, that it might be dangerous to her. But she wanted, no needed, to be near him. And that was yet another thing she couldn't explain. She made a note, however, that's she would find out.... soon.

********
Lance Jayd sighed. Today had been eventful. There'd been a Youma attack and that strange feeling just before it on top of lots and lots of chores. Somehow though the chores didn't bother him. As he lay back on the mat that was his bed he realized that for the first time in many years he felt at peace. His mind drifted back to that strange feeling before the attack, remembering the feeling of all his nerves tingling, no more like singing. It was a feeling that he found his body hungering for more of. Just then Lance was jarred out of his sweet memories by a jolt of unspeakable pain.

His body shuddered and jerked as wave after wave of intense, white-hot, pain burned through his system all the while the green lightning caressed his body. His mind screamed out for something anything to help him drown out the pain before he went mad. What can up was the image of Setsuna Meioh. Instinctively his mind clung to that image as he rode out the pain. An eternity later, when the pain had receded into a dull throb, Lance Jayd made a decision. He had a phone call to make in the morning.

*******
Necros glared at Chronos's pieces. A long time ago Chronos had proposed this game. If Necros won, Chronos would allow him to wed his only daughter, the beautiful Setsuna. Necros had used every piece in his arsenal: Metallia, Beryl, the misguided souls that protected the doom tree, the Black moon clan and Wiseman, even Nehelena and his brother Chaos's pawns Galaxia and the Sailor Animates. Maddeningly Chronos's pieces kept winning. No matter what, they kept winning. And now the old pieces in new shells had returned.

He remembered the creature that called itself Lance Jayd. He remembered him oh-so-well. He was competition for the affections of Setsuna. Powerful, handsome and brave...it was quite the coup when Malachite killed him. Now, that powerful rival had returned and was once more becoming a very sharp thorn in his side, one that Chronos seemed to enjoy twisting.

A plan was needed and he would have to have it soon. Fate was dealing her cards and they were not coming up in his favor.

********

Setsuna sighed as she looked down at her sketchpad. Over the centuries she'd worn many masks. It had been a blessing and a burden her lack of aging. It had meant she had had few friends, more because she didn't want to have to try to explain looking nineteen even when those friends began to gray. She'd been over-joyed when she finally found her fellow outer senshi. Soon there after, she found her princess again. Still something was lacking in her life.

Looking back at her pad she found herself looking at a rough sketch of the mysterious Lance Jayd. Where have I seen you before? Who are you Lance Jayd and what do you mean to me? Setsuna thought as she heard the phone begin to ring.

"Hello?" She answered on its third ring.

"Is Setsuna Meioh there?" A rich voice sounded.

Setsuna's heart skipped. She knew that voice, though she'd only heard it twice. "Speaking."

"This is Lance Jayd. I hope you remember giving me your number."

"I do indeed."

"I've been thinking about you lately. A lot really," Lance said sounding very unsure.

"I've been thinking about you a lot too," She admitted while inwardly surprised at what her subconscious would tell others as of late.

"You have? A lovely lady such as you must have many suitors. Far too many for one lowly ronin to hold such esteem," He intoned somehow sounding both surprised and pleased at the same time.

Setsuna could feel the blush creeping up her neck and onto her cheeks. It had been easily an eternity since any man had complimented her in such a way. "Would it surprise you to learn that I'm not exactly that unavailable?"

"I'd say that the world must be filled with blind men."

That did it. She was now definitely blushing. "You're a smooth talker aren't you?"

"More by nature than intent," He replied and she believed him. "I was wondering. If you weren't doing anything this evening...."

"Are you asking me if I'd want to go out with you?" She cut in her whole suddenly tingling with school girlish excitement.

"Well...Yeah!"

"I would be delighted! Though do you mind if my room mates double with us?"

"Not a problem. As long as I get to spend time with you, you could bring the Tokyo Symphony," Lance quipped getting a laugh from her. "I'll see you this evening then..."

"I'll be looking forward to it. We'll be there at seven," Setsuna whispered as she sat the phone back on the receiver. She then blinked for a few moments wondering why she felt so lightheaded.

*********

Lance hung up the phone then blinked. It was noon now and he had to find something to wear. All he had was the clothes he had with him when he got here and a few temple robes. He was almost certain he had nothing even remotely formal and he was definitely certain that, if anything, Setsuna Meioh would be a formal girl.

He frantically searched through the clothes he'd brought with him, cursing Chronos for not giving him more time to pack. He had several light T-shirts, which would be good if he was going somewhere that was informal, like the Crown arcade. He had several equally comfortable jeans of both blue and black. Out of these the picked the best pair to wear then by some miracle found a dark green dress shirt that he didn't even know he owned. With clothes in hand he fled his room toward the bathhouse blasting past Raye in the hallway. Raye Hino did an involuntary, yet still graceful, pirouette landing dizzily on her feet then stomped after the offending breeze.

"Jayd! Didn't anyone ever tell you to look where you're going!? You nearly made me into a pancake back there!"

Lance looked over his shoulder before he stopped moving. "Sorry, Raye. I kinda let my excitement get the best of me."

"And what, pray tell has got you seeing in tunnel vision?" The Shinto firebrand hissed.

"I kinda have a date tonight...with Setsuna," Lance replied meekly, as if getting caught getting ready had been embarrassing.

"Oh, " Raye replied her temper cooling quickly. "That's something you've been looking forward to for a while now isn't it?"

Lance nodded. "Longer than anyone could imagine."

"I see, " Raye intoned her eyes narrowing slightly. "And what do you mean by that."

Lance had to think quickly. For some reason he was sure a wrong answer would have dire consequences. "She strikes me as the kind of woman I could find myself falling love with. The kind of girl I've been dreaming of meeting all my life."

"I see," Raye said her suspicions abated for now... "I hope things go well for you."

"I hope so too," Lance replied as he bolted for the baths.

*********

Evening came too quickly for Setsuna. She'd still not figured out what to wear. It wasn't like she lacked the right wardrobe for a date, more like she had too many clothes. Strangely none of them seemed right for the occasion. She not only wanted to look good, for some reason she wanted to look great. She wanted to trap and hold her date's attention like she hadn't anyone's in six thousand years. Then her eyes fell on the last dress in her closet.

It was one she'd stuffed into a dark corner, but suddenly it seemed perfect. It was black, low cut in the back with a plunging neckline in the front. She carefully pulled the gown and looked it over. This gown was one that screamed to be worn and she was going to oblige it.

Once the dress was on she began looking for accessories. In her jewelry box, which was a treasure trove of trinkets gathered over six thousand years, she found a pair of silver pearl earrings. Then, as she was putting the earrings in her eyes fell on it. It wasn't anything fancy really, but it was perfect. It was a simple crystal carved to look like a star and it was strung on a fine silver chain. It, like the dress called to her. Normally, she wasn't the kind to answer to such calls, but tonight was different somehow. She carefully put the necklace on.

"Suna are you ready to...WOAH!" Amara said as she came around the corner. She blinked a few times in surprise at what the normally conservative Setsuna Meioh was planning on going out in.

Setsuna smiled into the mirror as she applied a little lip-gloss. "I take it you like my dress Amara?"

Setsuna watched in amusement as Amara tried to speak, her eyes slithering over every curve that the dress nicely showed off. "It's.... nice."

"If Lance reacts like you have I'm in for a marvelous evening," Setsuna smiled as she walked past the stunned senshi.

******
Lance fixed the cuffs on his shirt one more time firmly fastening the garnet stone cuff links. Looking over the shirt had proven to be nothing less than amazing the fabric was indeed dark green but also had metallic silver treads discreetly woven into it so that when it they caught the light, the shirt would look striking. In the pocket he'd found the pair of garnet stone links. Somehow they seemed appropriate. He really wished he had a tie but then again he's always been of the opinion that some sadistic human being, who enjoyed the thought of people being slowly choked, made neckties. He carefully combed his hair until he was sure he looked fine.

He walked out into the evening air and took a deep breathe of the sweetened air. It tasted sweet and pure, all of which added to the peace of the place. Just then the roar of a well-tuned engine, as well as the start of that musical tingle inside his soul broke the peace.

Into sight came a metallic blue formula F512M Street Racer. The driver handled her vehicle like a master idly making Lance wonder with whom he was spending the evening. Out of the driver side came what appeared to the eyes as a man with short blonde hair and sapphire hued eyes. However, the way the person walked gave the distinct impression of a woman. Out of the other side of the car, which looked just barely big enough to fit four people stepped an elegant woman with turquoise hair and a trim, elegant figure. Then came Setsuna Meioh.

Lance's mouth went dry at the sight of her. His eyes roamed up her body from her slight heeled shoes along the curves of her body until his eyes met those sparkling magenta orbs. He liked what he saw; she knew it and was pleased. Likewise she was pleased by his appearance though also both knew the other to be nervous.

"Well? What do you think?" Setsuna ask pivoting from side to side carefully.

"You look.... incredible. Like an angel," Lance gushed.

Setsuna blushed. "Thank you. Oh, before I forget, these are Amara Ten'ou and Michelle Kaioh."

"Pleased to meet you," Lance intoned as he shook each one's hands. Then blinked. "It's strange, but I feel like we've met before."

"It's funny," Michelle replied. "But I get that feeling too."

"Must be just one of those things no one can understand," Amara stated. "We need to get going if we're going to get to Chez Martine in time."

The four people boarded the car with Lance and Setsuna forced to sit in the cramped back seat. The car roared to life and tore into the sylvan night.

TBC

I know I promised some of you that Setsuna and Lance would get some alone time, and they will...just not until chapter seven. A special thanks goes out to...

Matt Blackheart who gave me permission a long time ago to use him in this tale. I promise man your character won't be acting paranoid much longer. PROMISE!
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