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- Circles of Time: A Sailormoon Fanfic Series -                                           
- http://www.geocities.com/tokyo/9897/ct.htm  -
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	Konnichi wa, minna-san!  I’m back with a brand spankin’ new story
for the (in)famous Circles of Time Series.  This story wasn’t expected 
to be written.  At least not by me.  I was only going to have one 
background story, and that was “The Sorcerer’s Daughter.”  This story
is a background story for the second main character of the up-coming 
story, “The Letter.”  You do not have to read “The Sorcerer’s Daughter”
to understand this story.  But if you would like to, just look it up at
the CoT Homepage or on ASMR.  Both web sites should have it.

	Update on “Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon: The Legacy”: I still 
haven’t worked on it.  To all the readers of this story, I give all the
apologies inside of me to you.  It’s my fault that I have not worked on
this story or have even thought about it.  I’ve put other stories as my
top priority and have completely shunned BSSM away.  I promise to one
day finish it.  However, it probably won’t be until December until I 
even work on it.  Again, I am never sorry and I hope you all can 
forgive me.  You must remember that I do this for the enjoyment, but I
should also realize that you read these stories for the enjoyment as 
well.  So I will try to finish this story.  I won’t promise, but I will
do my best.

	And now, with the disclaimers just below, you may begin reading 
the newest chapter to Circles of Time.  “Finding Grace”

	Sailormoon and the characters of “Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon” were
created and belong to Takeuchi Naoko-sama.  The show also belongs to the
companies Kodansha, Toei Animation, Bandai, Mixx Entertainment, DiC,
and others that are left unmentioned.  The stories and characters I 
create belong to me and only me.  (What can I say!  I’m a bit protective
over my Hitori! ^^;;)

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wanna know what death feels like?  Well, have your wife, the most 
beautiful and wonderful person in your life, murdered before your own 
eyes.  Worst of all, she was protecting you, when you were there to 
protect her.  And then have her die in your arms, her blood upon your 
skin and clothes.  And have her stare at you one last time, and hear her 
whisper, "I love you."  Finally, watch the last breath dwindle from her 
body.  That's what death is like.  Living without her, though, is hell.

I long to have my Grace back.  I cannot live one more day without her 
with me.  Having her back will be my redemption from this hell, and 
heaven will be at my reach once again.  So tonight I will ride to the 
countryside and visit the old lady sorceress who lives there. 

Many of the townsmen say she has done wonders for the sick and those 
living in poverty.  Perhaps she can mend my heart.

Do I believe in magic?  Heavens, no.  But I'll do anything, everything I 
have to, to have Grace back.

			Saul Hernandez
			October 13, 1699


"So these three things continue forever: faith, hope, and love.  And the 
greatest of these is love." 

Corinthians 13:13 


Circles of Time: Finding Grace
By: Masked Maiden

	She looked at him precociously for a couple of long seconds, 
scratching her chin.  She appeared to be thinking, when she was really 
trying to decipher if this young man with the dark hair and dark eyes 
was actually serious.

	"Are you sure you are serious about this?" she asked him finally.

	Saul answered with timid confidence.  "Yes, ma'am," he said.  "I 
would like you to bring my wife back to me."

	"And she is dead.  Correct?"

	"Yes.  I know you probably don't get these kind of requests, but 
I've heard great things about you, so..." He stopped when he could no 
longer stand talking to the razor sharps eyes staring at him.

	The sorceress was old and wise beyond her years.  It could be seen 
in her dark, wrinkled face, her bulging black eyes, and her white, 
thinning hair.  She had seen many cases of the helpless and the needy, 
and she used her powers as assistance to them.  That was the only "good" 
reason to study spells and enchantments.  It helped people.  And that 
was good.

	But death and time were the only two things that were not to be 
tampered with, even by a person that could raise Lazarus from the grave 
for a second time.  This very young man was telling her to tamper with 
both. 

	To raise someone from the dead meant changing time.  That was 
nothing but forbidden.

	So, the old sorceress had to tell him it wasn't possible.  "I'm 
sorry, my son.  I cannot help you."

	Saul looked at the old lady with fluttering, lucid almond eyes.  
"What do you mean 'no'?" he asked.  He became stern.  "Now look, 
Granny..."

	"Listen to me, young man!  Firstly, I am not your grandmother.  
That is an insult if I have ever heard one.  And secondly, I do not have 
the conscious to do what you are asking me to do.  Asking me to bring 
your wife back from the heavens is strictly against my ethics.  I do not 
wish to do something that could possible change the course of time.  
Your wife has died and now is at peace.  You should accept that so you 
might have peace as well.  And though I know this will sound terrible, I 
am sure you will find someone else to spend your life with.  It is not 
the end of the world."

	"It is to me!"  Saul banged his fist on the table and startled the 
old lady.  She withdrew her hands from the table and crossed her arms 
just as there was one slight feeling of a vibration coming from the fist 
hitting the wood.  He pressed his palms down on the table and leaned 
forward so that he was looking at the sorceress eye to eye.

	"There is no way that I can live without Grace.  She means 
everything to me.  You have no idea what I am going through.  When I 
lost her, how I lost her..." He remembered the bullet going through her 
that was supposed to be for him.  He remembered that it was entirely his 
fault.  It was the man that was to protect the woman, not the other way 
around.  "I... I've lost a part of me as well, and I can't get it back 
unless you help me.  I can't live one more day without her.  Please... 
help me..."

	The sorceress gave ragged sigh, making her shoulders sag.  She 
couldn't believe she was doing this.  "All right. I will help you. 
Follow me."

	He followed her to a dark room lighted by thousands of candles 
that were placed wherever there was space for them.  Some were even 
placed upon mounds of books, with the wax running down onto the leather 
surface and binding of each book.  Most were on the book-filled shelves 
and the clustered desks, ruining the wood.  Few were actually in 
candleholders.  It was a wonder one could find something in such a 
displeasing and eerie atmosphere.

	She took a thick book from the middle shelf and placed it on top 
of another book on a stool.  She opened it near to the middle, and with 
a few turns of the pages, she found the spell she was looking.

	"Some think this is a love spell," she said, "but this is actually 
a rebirth spell.  If you can keep your thoughts entirely on your wife, 
then perhaps it will work."

	"And I'll have Grace back?"

	"If it works.  I have never used this spell.  But I feel it will 
work."

	The sorceress rolled her sleeves up, as if out of habit, and 
placed a finger upon the first line of the spell.  She turned to Saul, 
who nodded.  He was ready.  And why wouldn't he be?  He was going to see 
his wife again.  This time, in the flesh.  The sorceress faintly smiled 
and chanted the incantation in his native tongue, a language from the 
Far East...

	Turn world. 
	Fast! 
	To the pace I want to go. 
	Let me be loved, 
	The way I want to be loved! 
	Breath new life into me. 
	And let me start over! 

	When she was finished, there was nothing but the silence that was 
already there. 

	Saul was not pleased.  He wanted quick results.  Results like 
everyone else got that asked for her assistance.  If this spell didn't 
work, if his wife wasn't alive, he had no idea what he was going to do.

	Then he saw something.  There was a white light coming from 
outside the window, and it went through the windows and engulfed the 
whole of the small wooden house.  It was so bright he has to hide his 
eyes from the light with his arms.  The brightness grew even more, and 
soon he couldn't even see himself.

	Moments later, the light was gone.  The only thing different 
inside the house was the young man.  He was gone as well.

	The sorceress sighed and released all the magic inside her body.  
Her old age wore away and her beauty was released.  The wrinkles faded 
away, leaving her dark olive skin to be soft and smooth.  Her white grew 
tremendous lengths and transformed to a dark green.  Her back 
straightened.  Her legs grew longer and thinner and, yes, her breasts no 
longer sagged.  And finally, the black color of her eyes melted away 
until they were back to the deep magenta they once were.

	Setsuna hated being so insidious with that young man.  All he 
wanted was his old life back.  She did the complete opposite by giving 
him a new one. 

	That stupid destiny ordeal!  Why did destiny have to so permanent?

	Setsuna looked at the shadows; she almost believed there was some 
movement in them.  She narrowed her eyes and hissed at the shadows. "I 
hope you're happy!"

	One of the shadows laughed. She was, indeed, happy.

------
May of 1970
Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo

	"What's your favorite flower?"

	"Mine?  It's a tie with roses and orchids.  Crazy, I know, but 
I've always liked them equally."

	His smiled broadened.  "Orchids and roses, ne?  All right.  I'll 
buy three of each."

	She excused herself and went to the back room.  When she came back 
she was holding a bouquet of orchids and red roses, wrapped in white 
tissue paper and tied together with a light purple ribbon, matching the 
flowers.  He thanked her and paid for them.  Then he just stood there, 
and she wondered if something was wrong with the flowers, or if he had 
changed his mind.

	"Something wrong?" she asked.
	
	He shook his head.  "Nope.  See, I have these flowers, and there's 
a very pretty lady standing in front of me.  Would you care to go out 
with me tonight?"  He handed her the orchids, which she hesitantly 
accepted.

	She felt her cheeks flush.  "Me?" she asked.  "Well, uh . . ." She 
smiled, not knowing why she was smiling.  "I don't even know your name."

	He extended his hand out in a gesture of hello, waiting for her to 
place her hand into his.  "The name's Chiba Hitori. And you are?"

	She smiled as she shook his hand.  "Meiou Megumi."

	Megumi.

	Grace.

------

Dear Diary:

One-san told me to choose two people that I thought would be fit to be 
soul mates.  I asked how I would I know who to pick.  She laughed at me 
and simply told me I would know.  What that woman does to me!  Some 
nights I lie awake with knots in my stomach over what she tells me.  As 
much as I hate her at times, I feel a loyalty towards her.  I do not 
want to let her let down.  And I wear myself out to do everything 
correctly, even when I do clue of what to do.  (What does she expect out 
of me, anyway? I am not a matchmaker!)

Well, I did as One-san commanded.  I feel I have done a poor job.  The 
couple has a great difference in their ages, come from different times 
and social statures; they're even from different countries!  I feel I 
have picked their names out of a hat and did not give a second thought.  
What was I thinking?  How are these two ever going to find one another 
if they are to be soul mates? 

I firmly believe in reincarnation.  I have witnessed it many times over.  
A moon princess and an earth prince are on Earth together; they found 
each other.  So perhaps these two will.  If it all works out, I will be 
greatly surprised. 

Of course, I still do not know the reason behind such a pairing.  
Perhaps someday I will understand One-san and her commands.  But for now 
I will do my job as timekeeper and allow being lead by something I am 
unable able to see.

			Meiou Setsuna
			Oblivion