A story set in "A Dance Set to the Music of Time" sequence

Disclaimer: Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon belongs to Takeuchi Naoko, Koudansha, TV Asahi, and Toei Douga, and DIC. This is used without permission.

This disclaimer also applies to several intellectual properties referred to in the text. Please be guided accordingly.

1992:

She looked up from her tea as a stunning young woman sat at the chair across her table. The Eiffel Tower was an amusing backdrop to the elegantly beautiful face that greeted her.

Amusing because both had a steely look.

Puns, the Guardian of Time thought to herself with a quirky smile. I have been in Paris too long. This city is too good to me. Soon, I'll be thinking Jerry Lewis is a god.

But to business.

"Michiru Kai'ou, I presume?"

Sea-green eyes flashed a momentary grey in the afternoon light. Old blood breeds true after all. Time to play my trump.

"Or would you prefer Michelle Clayton?"

Such anger on such a beautiful face is unsightly. Now that she's off balance, another lance.

"No worries, my dear. I'm actually here to help."

Suspicion. Deep as an ocean. Something that I am not unfamiliar with. She will ask what the photos mean, if I'm trying to help.

"If you're going to help, then what do these mean?" She drops the envelope on the table in the same exact manner that she will be doing it. I will set down my tea. And. Focus. On. The. Present.

"What do they mean? You're the one in them. What do they mean, Miss Kai'ou or Miss Clayton or Miss Jade Fox? I believe that you have far too many names; I need to be sure who I'm talking to first."

A smile to set her at ease. A bit of a joke. She will toss her hair in a defiant manner and would have me call her Kai'ou.

"Use Kai'ou. It's my proper name, after all." A smile on those elegant lips and a flash of sea-green in her eyes.

A bit of a tease is most appropriate. "Then what of Clayton?"

"Miss Clayton is technically unofficial."

"But there are records."

"My mother is eccentric, as you might know. I have two separate records, one for Kai'ou and another for Clayton." She will bring up the teacup in the appropriate manner. Well-trained in etiquette.

"So you are legally two separate people in one single person. The joys of modern law. Quite useful in your current occupation, Miss Jade Fox. I believe a Wolf is quite miffed you stole something from him."

A flash of teeth. A predator's smile. "Then Monsieur Lupin III should go about the business of making a Lupin IV. He is, after all, getting too old for this line of work. Besides, Miss Fujiko always does it to him. He should be used to being outwitted by women by now."

I laugh, and she will laugh, too. A fast friendship in the strangest manner possible. Maybe, not friendship, but the seed is there. Now to water it.

"The photographs are yours, by the way. You were a bit careless and I indulged myself a little. Think of it as my sign of good faith."

She will arch an eyebrow as I knew she would, and curiosity gets the better of her.

"A sign of good faith for what?"

I smile a secret smile, my Mona Lisa smile, and put another envelope on the table.

"A job and a gift, Countess Greystoke."

It is comical to see such a ladylike creature with eyes actually bugging out. I let out a light laugh and push across the table the large brown envelope that has everything she needs… minus one.

"B-but my mother was told—"

Smile and make light of it. "I have a few connections and a few friends. Plus, you are technically the last surviving Greystoke."

"Technically. I am also illegitimate."

"A fact glossed over by your mother's bit of insanity with your birth records. You are Michelle Clayton, and thus the estate falls to you. Your mother, however—"

"I am not leaving my mother." A statement. Hard and unyielding. I see a future, bleak and hard. Betrayal down that path.

"You are not leaving your mother. She will be a dependent on your estate and will be treated to the best possible care." And dying happily in her old age, her only regret was not seeing a grandchild.

Suspicion once again. "This is not free, is it?"

"Oh, reasonably so. You will have to do a few dangerous things here and there. You know; saving-the-world sort of things."

An arched eyebrow. "Don't tell me, you're not part of some super secret spy agency…"

I chuckle. "Not exactly. The situation is a lot stranger than that. I'll tell all of it to you when you come back."

"Come back?"

"After you take care of things at Greystoke Manor and check on all of your estates: Africa, Brazil, America, the Caribbean."

"I didn't know the Greystoke properties were that extensive."

"Oh, it's not just Greystoke. By some truly amazing spot of genealogical luck, you also have claim to the Blakeney, Hornblower and several other estates. Not bad for a wandering violinist-slash-cat burglar."

Hooded sea-green eyes with a tinge of grey look back at me. "I am really going to pay for this all in some horrible manner, am I not?"

I smile. "Oh, it won't be all that horrible. You might even meet your one true love."

An unladylike snort and rolling of eyeballs. "Yes, and the fairies will take me off to Never-Never Land. I assume you've arranged everything for me?"

"All in the envelope."

"Thank you." She stood up, and I act as if I've suddenly remembered something.

"Before I forget. Here. Have this."

"What's this?"

"A lucky charm. You might need it."

She inspects the small rod and notices the sigil.

"Neptune? Rather appropriate."

"Yes. I thought so, too. I'll be waiting for you. Here."

Then I smile my Mona Lisa smile.

Author's Notes: And so a fair flower of England joins the Dance. ^_^

This is both an experimental piece of work and another bit of world-building for Dances. The grammar errors are in there for a reason. Just me trying to get into the Guardian's head.

As for the strict ERBians who insist on Kavuru tablets, take a peek into Jeffrey Miles' and Christine Davies' post-Crystal Millennium piece "The Great Work: The Guardians of Time and the Secret History of Humanity":

"During the tenth to the eleventh century, after their encounter with the horrifying Bloody Worm cultists of Leng, the Guardians of Time instituted a purge of all means of artificial life extension on the planet. Locations were destroyed, men and women murdered, species totally made extinct under the supervision of the Key and the Gate. Subsequent purges were done every hundred years to ensure that only natural immortals would survive to the time of the Grand Return. We were assured by the Historian that the Guardians did this in the most expedient and painless ways as possible.

At the end, only Kor's Pillar of White Fire would remain, and this under the stubborn guardianship of Ayesha, the future Mistress of Aggartha, the Key's own daughter."

-p. 235 paragraphs 4-5. 1341 A.Y. edition

So, there. Hopefully that answers your question.

Anyway, ja mata!

Michiru Kai'ou a.k.a. Michelle Clayton, Countess Greystoke will return to the Dance in…

The Iron Crown

The Guardian of Time will return to the Dance in…

From The Depths

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Last revision: May 21, 2007