And so we all shall learn -- only one person can do Pluto's job. Meiou Setsuna.

This story is dedicated, oddly enough, to the dear and wonderful Jillian, because she, as always, is partly responsible for the creation of this story. If it wasn't for her, I would have given up this hobby two seconds before I started. Arigatoo, Jill-chan!

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Demando smiled oddly, looking over the darkened city. The smile played about his thin lips, his eyes sparkled with dark fire as he gazed upon the monstrosity he and Black Lady had created so easily through the power of the jakokuzuishou.

Black Lady looked to the east, her breath hissing through her teeth. Demando gave her an odd look, one pale eyebrow raised. "What is it?"

"I can sense intruders," she replied, and suddenly, she smiled widely. "Shall I deal with them, your highness?"

Demando waved a hand in dismissal. "By all means... but if it is the Senshi, I must insist that you bring Sailor Moon back... in one, living piece, please."

Black Lady inclined her head. "It would be my pleasure, Prince."

She vanished but a second later in a plume of smoke that enveloped her long, lithe body.

Demando, the Prince of the moon called Nemesis, turned back to the large crystal structure he had erected in downtown Tokyo. Not exactly the height of architectural beauty, but it would serve its purpose well enough. Even though he wasn't as practical as his mathematician brother, Demando being much more fond of collecting objets d'art, occasionally he had to be more pragmatic about things.

He smiled thinly. Things were proceeding rather well, as it was. Even though Esmeraude had been lost, things were going just fine. She had been a worthy ally, but sacrifices had to be made in the name of justice and revenge.

Demando smiled a sad little smile. It may sound awful, but he had been glad it had been Esmeraude to die, and not someone who mattered... it hadn't been his little brother.

And for that he was eternally grateful.

The pale-haired man then turned to disappear in a teleport, to go inside his nearby, personal UFO, as the humans of the twentieth century had dubbed the constructions.

However, he was stopped by a voice that sounded eerily familiar.

"Matte --"

ù Ç ™

When I saw myself about to move through a gateway into the jakokuzuishou's creation, my control snapped. I had meant to try and break it to him in a more seemly manner, but time... it was short! It was too damned short!

Demando turned to look at me, and his violet eyes narrowed. "Who are you?"

"Why, Demando, I'm insulted," I replied, somehow managing to keep my voice from trembling. My, did I really look at everyone like that? Like they were merely annoyances I had to resist from wiping from the face of the earth because they didn't suit my tastes? "Don't you recognise me?"

"Maybe I would recognise you if you took off my face and replaced it with your own," he replied, cocking his head to one side. Those violet eyes -- identical to my own -- narrowed further as a patronising smile seeped onto those exsanguine features. "I must say, I'm flattered you chose my face to hide behind, but if you're meaning to frighten or unnerve me, it doesn't really appear to be working."

Sudden anger at myself burned through my veins. "Oh, shut up!" I almost shouted.

Demando looked taken aback, and I almost laughed. I knew why he was so shocked -- I have never been told to shut up in my life. Most especially not by myself.

A low growl escaped Demando's throat as his hand raised to his throat, the crystal located there beginning to refract and reflect black light with unnerving clarity. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't kill you where you stand," he hissed. I noted the way his Black Moon insignia was beginning to warp slightly, and I almost sighed out loud. Usually I could keep my temper in check -- why was he so easily antagonised?

Then I realised it -- he was so close to world domination, so close to capturing the affections of Neo-Queen Serenity... or so he thought. That had been the reason behind so many of his/my actions lately, this desperation to get to the finish line that was torturously close.

I gave myself an even stare. "Prince Demando -- killing me at this point in time would be very unwise, let me assure you."

He shook his head, almost as if pitying me. "I think I know what is wise and what isn't, my dear fool."

"The if you're so wise, why do you listen to the Wiseman?" I asked craftily, causing Demando to start suddenly.

He then glared at me. "Are you implying that I listen to my advisors not for assistance, but because of my own stupidity?"

"Oh no, I'm not implying that," I replied mildly. "Because if I did, dear Demando, I would be insulting my own intelligence too."

"Yes," mused Demando thoughtfully. "They do say that insulting someone says more about the antagonist's intelligence than that of the insulted."

"That's not the reason I said it," I replied softly, and Demando gave me the oddest look.

He seemed on the verge of demanding that I leave his presence, when suddenly, his eyes bore the depth of his confusion. "Who are you?"

I lowered my head. "You know who I am."

"Why are you here?" he went on softly. I didn't know at that moment if he was genuine, or simply trying to pump me for precious information.

I raised my pained violet eyes to meet with his own. "Because of Saffir-otootochan," I replied laboriously, with great difficulty.

I caught the flash in his eyes -- this was the only way I had touched him, I realised. The mention of Saffir had broken him enough to make him curious.

It depressed me to think that the mention of Serenity probably would have done the same thing.

"What about him?" he asked, misgiving obvious in those orbs that regarded me as if I were a serpent about to strike. "If you have touched my brother..."

"There is nothing wrong with him," I replied, and I saw his face melt into a confused mask as my voice cracked on the next words. "No, there is nothing wrong with your brother... yet."

"What do you mean-"

"Shut up and listen to me!" I shouted in a strangled voice, and he looked shocked. "Demando, listen! You never listened to anyone you should have before now, but it's time you just kept your mouth shut and stopped being so blind."

He opened his mouth to protest, looking somewhat peeved. However, I swept on. "Demando, itâs Saffir-otootochan... he's in danger! He knows that the Wiseman is plotting against you, and if you don't listen to him when he comes to you, he will die." I couldn't help myself then, I let my withheld tears finally break free to slip down my cheeks. "He will die -- I have seen him die, Demando!"

Demando's voice, quite uncharacteristically, began to tremble on his next words. "You're a liar."

"I wish I was," I replied bitterly. "I wish I was."

Demando shook his head, stepping backward from me in an involuntary manner. "Get out of my sight. I don't know who or what you are, but you're a damned liar, and if you don't leave me this very moment, I'm going to blast you from here to kingdom come!"

"Why don't you do it?" I dared him, my anger resurfacing. "Then at least I could tell Saffir that I'm sorry I was too stupid to listen to him! That I am sorry for labelling him a traitor! I could tell him that-"

"Get out of here," Demando snarled, stopping my own anger dead in its tracks. Hopelessness flared through my veins to replace it, as I stood stock-still, staring at myself. He was breathing hard, his face flushed with anger and -- what was that? Murderous intent?

"I guess my brother never had a hope then, did he?" I suddenly asked, very bitterly. "Not with an older brother like me."

ù Ç ™

Demando stared at the crazy doppelganger for a moment after he said that. Then his third eye warped further, and finally dilated, filling with the energy of the jakokuzuishou.

The double laughed, the sound harsh and rough against Demando's ears. "Don't bother -- I know my own way home."

And with that, he warped and vanished, leaving the Prince of Nemesis alone on the building top before the jakokuzuishou's latest creation.

Shaking his head slightly, he tried to push the thoughts of the strange image from his mind, and he warped to the inside of his UFO.

I must be working too hard, he thought wryly, but the warning seemed to stay with him. So much so, that within ten minutes of coming inside, he invoked a time transcendent holo-link to the jakokuzuishou's reactor chamber, in the palace of the future Nemesis.

Saffir looked up from leaning on the balcony railing before the suspended crystal, turning to face his brother's image. "Oniisan?"

Demando, for the first time in his life, found himself quite tongue-tied. There was just something -- wonderful about being able to look down on his otootochan from this vantage point, and have him stare up at him with those dusky, trusting eyes.

"... oniisan? Is there something wrong?"

He shook his head, as if in a daze. "No... no, there's nothing wrong, Saffir-kun... I'm just happy to see you again. You're... doing a good job."

A bemused smile crossed the younger man's face. "Arigatoo, oniisan... but surely you have a real reason for calling?"

Demando shook his head. "Saffir-kun, do I need a reason to want to talk to my brother other than the fact that I love him very much?"

Saffir smiled, slightly wryly. "I suppose not, oniisan. I appreciate it, though."

Demando smiled affectionately, suddenly wishing he was right beside his little brother so he could tousle his hair, as he used to do when Saffir was almost a full foot shorter than him -- or more. Now, only two inches separated them, but he would always see Saffir as that little boy who used to tag along with him, with his wide, innocent eyes and that smile, that wide, trusting grin...

"It's good to see you too, oniisan," Saffir suddenly said, with feeling. "I miss you when you're gone."

"I'll be home soon," Demando promised, and he wondered why tears burnt at the back of his eyes as he spoke the next words. "And I'll bring you some of those flowers you fell in love with, too."

The smile that crossed his face was almost enough to break Demando's heart -- and he had no idea why. "I'll be waiting for you, oniisan."

"Sayonara," Demando whispered, as he terminated the transmission. He then retreated to his throne, burying his face in his hands as he did so. He couldn't understand, but somehow, talking to his younger brother after the incident with his doppelganger... it had touched him in a way that he couldn't define.

ù Ç ™

Demando tapped his fingers on the side of his throne, half thinking, half day-dreaming. The thinking revolved mainly around how he was going to crush the Sailor Senshi, the dreaming world was populated by one woman only.

With a sigh, he went back to his gazing through the window over Tokyo of the twentieth century. Finally he stood, moving through the room quietly. Black Lady watched him curiously from the other side of the room -- until he had moved, she had been immersed in her own reflection. "Is there a problem, most serene highness?"

"Yeah -- your prince is losing his mind," he muttered quietly, not loud enough for the grown rabbit to hear him. She looked perplexed by his lack of response, and he sighed, raising his voice so she could hear. "I'm just... wondering what Saffir-kun is up to, back on Nemesis..."

"Funny you should mention your brother," remarked a dark voice from behind the pair, and they both spun to see the sitting Wiseman staring at them. At least, Demando assumed he was staring at them -- it was hard to tell, what with his cowl pulled low over his face.

As the next few moments passed, Demando listened with growing disbelief to the Wiseman's tale of betrayal -- the betrayal of Saffir, second in line to the throne of Nemesis, younger brother to the reigning prince, mathematician and physicist extraordinare, the only real member of the Family left, besides Demando himself...

He could only watch helplessly as first the Black Lady vanished to Îdeal withâ Saffir, and the Wiseman followed but a moment later, leaving Demando alone. Alone with his own fears and personal demons.

ù Ç ™

Demando's hands worked nervously about the crystal at his throat as he tried to think straight. He discovered that this task was less than simple, however -- he couldn't bring his thoughts away from the younger prince of the Nemesian hierarchy. His brother.

And then, there was the 'angel' of intervention, the one who had come to him, yelled at him, cried before him, and had told him that his brother was in danger.

Saffir had taken the control card of the jakokuzuishou, and according to the Wiseman, had returned to the past, to here, where his brother was...

It didn't make any sense -- and if Saffir were here, then where would he go? He had never professed any dislike for the twentieth century world, but the truth was, Saffir knew next to nothing about this place. Why would he run here, unless he was going to see someone..?

That was it! He came here to find someone... and who else, but the last people that successfully betrayed the Family... he must he here to find the Ayakashi Sisters!

Still, there was a painful ache in his heart -- even though he had been deemed traitorous to the Clan, Demando still wanted to see his brother, to ask him why, to demand explanations, to force an apology and a promise to never do such a stupid thing again... he just wanted everything back the way it was again...

He found himself blinking back tears -- this was ridiculous! Absolutely ludricous! Why had he done this?

"Saffir," he whispered painfully, and suddenly, he remembered the vision. The man who had come to him to warn him that Saffir was in mortal danger. What had he meant?

Demando shuddered at the memory -- but it also had a profound effect on him. This... doppelganger had labelled Saffir a traitor..? Why would he do..?

Overtaken by emotion and confusion, Demando wound a transport around himself, homing in on what he sincerely hoped was the weakened auras of the Ayakashi Sisters.

ù Ç ™

Beruche watched her sister stand on the apartment balcony from within the sliding doors, one hand absently pulling at a loose strand of her white-blonde hair. "Is there nothing we can do?" she asked finally in a hushed voice, turning to Calaveras. The brunette was also watching their silent sister while concern radiated from her eyes, her arms crossed protectively over her chest.

Calaveras remained silent, and Beruche sighed to see the tears in her eyes, threatening to overflow. It was odd, but ever since their healing and subsequent release from the distorting power of the jakokuzuishou, Calaveras and Petz had become amazingly close and protective of one another. And now that Petz hurt so badly after Prince Saffir's departure, Calaveras hurt too.

Cooan finally rejoined them, carrying a tray holding tea and the necessary accessories to imbibe it with. "How is she?" she inquired softly, nodding her head in Petz's direction as she set the tray down.

Beruche sighed. "She hasn't moved an inch -- nor released her death-hold on Prince Saffir-sama's jacket... and I don't know how to get through to her."

Calaveras shook her head slightly. "We just have to leave her be for a little while -- she'll come inside when she's ready."

The dark haired sister made to say something, but Cooan was interrupted by the ringing of the doorbell.

"Who could that be?" wondered Beruche as Cooan hurried to the door. Calaveras simply shook her head.

"Can't be anyone important -- the Sailor Senshi are watching over Saffir-sama, and who else is there that really matters right now?"

There was an almighty crash from the hallway at that moment. The two conversing sisters jumped -- Petz could have been comatose, for all the reaction she showed. After casting her a concerned look, Calaveras ran after Beruche, who had taken off to Cooan's side. If Calaveras was protective of Petz, then Beruche was just as protective of Cooan.

Once she reached the narrow hallway, she saw Beruche with on arm about Cooan, as they stared with alarmed reverence -- and yes, dislike -- at their guest.

She noticed the shattered vase first. It had been the one that had sat on the little spindly table with the telephone, and Cooan had obviously knocked it down as she backed away from the doorway.

Raising her eyes from the broken vase, her heart sank. She could see quite easily why she had done it.

"Prince Demando-sama," she said finally, the first of the trio to speak.

He inclined his head slightly. "Indeed. May I come in?"

Beruche squeaked, digging her long, manicured nails into Cooan's arm. Cooan jumped, but she didn't take her wide eyes from the tall, stately form of the White Prince.

However, he stared more at the calm form of Calaveras more than the younger pair. She smiled tightly, and indicated the interior of the apartment. "Naturally, your highness. Do come in."

Demando swept through, right past Cooan and Beruche without saying a word. Calaveras lead him into the kitchen, not allowing him through into the living room. She didn't think that Petz was in any state to deal with Saffir's revered oniisan.

However, he seemed to have other ideas. "Calaveras -- where is your sister?"

"My sisters are in the hall, Serene Highness," she said, not taking her eyes from Demandoâs piercing violet orbs. "Did you not see them?"

Demando's lips twisted into a sneer, and he put a hand on her chin, forcing her to look at him directly, as his third eye began to warp and twist. "Now, now, dear Calaveras -- let's not play games."

"I wouldn't play games with you, highness," Calaveras said, staring him back evenly, her demeanour cool and collected. "You have a well-deserved reputation for cheating at all you do."

He hissed, his anger growing -- as well as his frustration. "I'll have you know and understand that I can have you executed for high treason at any moment I so choose, lieutenant!"

"I'm not under your control any longer ö Demando," she said, defiantly switching to use of his given name without title nor honorific. "I am not yours to punish -- and neither is my sister."

"Tell me where Petz is, Calaveras -- or I will execute you, whether or not it is within my jurisdiction to do so."

"Then execute me!" she spat out, trying to struggle free from his grasp. "Execute me, execute Petz -- I'm sure Saffir-sama will love you for it!"

That stopped him, and he slowly released the brunette. She lowered her eyes for a second, catching her breath -- she hadn't realised how heavily she had been breathing until now.

Then she looked up again, and her anger melted away in her confusion. Demando was staring at her with a mix of bemusement and sadness, his eyes shadowed and pained. "Calaveras, have you seen my brother?"

"Why should I tell you?!" she retorted sharply, even though she was beyond baffled. She would have assumed that Demando was here to eliminate his brother on charges of treason, given what Saffir-sama had said about the whole situation. However... he seemed almost melancholy as he mentioned the Blue Prince of Nemesis.

"Because I want to talk to him," he replied softly.

She smiled sarcastically. "Because you want to kill him for betraying you."

Demando shook his head slightly, he felt as if his world were spinning about him. "Calaveras, please -- may I speak with Petz? She knew him better than you, better than any of you..."

It was on the tip of her tongue to say no -- and later, she wondered why she didn't. But there was something genuinely pained about the shiro no oji, and she couldnât help herself. "She's on the balcony of the living room -- just through that door, there," she said, pointing with a trembling finger.

Demando nodded, a small, tortured smile tinging his lips with melancholy. "Arigatoo, Calaveras-sama," he replied huskily. To her surprise, he took her hand and kissed it gently, like a gallant knight to a fair lady. He then bowed deep to her with unexpected reverence, and left the room silently.

Cooan and Beruche then tumbled into the room, their eyes wide. "What happened?" they chorused together, and it would have been funny, save the gravity of the situation.

Calaveras shook her head, slightly dazed. "You know what? I have no idea."

ù Ç ™

"Petz?"

She heard the voice as if it came to her from a million miles away -- and she turned to listen to it, her eyes tightly held closed. It was a voice from a million years ago, a voice that resounded with traces of someone else, someone she had loved and still loved... so long ago... so long before... in another life·

Petz opened her verdant eyes, turning them on the now-silent prince. "Hello, Demando."

Her use of his name was different to the way Calaveras had used it; she had done it with malicious intent. She had meant to be insolent, audacious. Petz's use of his name alone showed that she had no fear of the White Prince, or his power. She was beyond caring.

He nodded slightly. "I'm glad to see you still recognise me."

"How could I not?" she asked softly, her eyes filled with the pain of having lost the one she had loved the most, had held the dearest in her heart. "Not after what you did to your brother."

Demando sighed, clenching his hands about the railing. He did not look at the oldest of the sisters. "Petz, have you seen my brother?"

"No. Have you?"

"Don't do this to me," he said painfully, moving his violet gaze so he now looked at the woman straight. Yes, he had to admit that the dark haired woman was very pretty, he had to admit that his brother's taste was not as lacking as his own. But still... "You're lying, Petz."

She sighed. "Yes, I am. And do you know why?"

"Why?"

"Because I don't want you to hurt him," she said simply. "Demando, he was your brother. He still is. I know you believe that he has betrayed you, but look inside; do you honestly believe that your own brother could break your faith?" She smiled sadly, with a touch of grimness. "If you could believe that he could, then youâre a worse person than I thought you were."

Demando shook his head again, his thoughts tumbling about his head faster than he could correlate them. "Petz, I am not going to hurt him."

She cocked her head, her disbelief evident. "And why is that?"

"I'll tell you something, Petz," he said finally, closing his eyes as he looked again to the sunset. "I had a vision, and my vision told me that Saffir would be labelled a traitor, and that he would be in danger -- and that he would die." Ignoring Petzâs sharp intake of breath, he proceeded on. "Naturally enough, I suppose, I didn't believe him... my brother, a traitor? But I was wrong... and I didn't realise... now my brother is in danger, and I want to go to him." He opened his eyes, turning to Petz. She was honestly touched by the sincerity in those eyes. "I want to listen to him."

"He's... he's gone to the jakokuzuishou's twentieth century construct, to find you," she replied quietly, her verdant eyes wide. Internally, her insides churned. She hoped she wasn't signing his death warrant by doing this.

He nodded slightly, and she noticed how his Adam's apple was bobbing up and down. He's on the verge of tears, she thought suddenly, to her shock.

As he turned to make a transport, he felt a slender hand on his elbow. He turned to see the earnest face of Ayakashi Petz staring up at him. "Protect him for me."

It was not a request, more an order -- but he did not resent it. Instead, he smiled a watery smile.

"That's what I came here to do," he whispered, and he vanished.

Petz bit her lip, and burst into tears. Not even the comforting hands of her sisters could hold back the tears now -- and not even Demando could hold the hands of time.

And there's part one... puh-lease stay tuned for part two! *giggle*