A/N: This takes place in Sailor Moon S after everyone's identities are revealed and before the talismans appear.

That diamon was rough. Everyone escaped injury except for Uranus who had a gash across her stomach. It was minor. With all of her senshi powers, by the time she transformed there would barely be a trace of it, if that. They were all leaving after their transformations disappeared, they all had exposed their identities the fight before, when Mamoru turned to see Haruka and Michiru going their separate ways.

"Hey!" he yelled to make Michiru turn around.

"What is it with you two?" He usually minded his own business, but he was starting to get as frustrated as Usagi with those two acting all high and mighty.

"What do you mean?"

"When you two are just normal Haruka and Michiru, you two are inseparable, but as Neptune and Uranus you don't care what happens to each other"

That hit a nerve "How dare you say we don't care."
I know if Usagi was hurt like that, I would at the very least make sure she got home ok."

"She will be fine. I'm sure your senshi have the same kind of healing powers. Besides, she has a race to get to and I have a concert to play."

"So that is more important?"

"It's what keeps us sane. What is important is finding the talismans."

Mamoru looked at her. "Again with these talismans. Why do you insist on killing innocent people?"

"It's our mission. Our burden. If we don't kill the bearers of the talismans then everyone die."

"If we work together, we could find a way to save everyone without these talismans."

Michiru was always so in control of her emotions, but that didn't stop her from tearing up thinking of these lucid nightmares. It was bad enough reliving them every night. "You don't know how it is to see the end of the world, not dream, but see it. Having nightmares every night that you can see, feel, smell, touch, even taste all the destruction going on around you. It's what woke me up as a senshi and led me to Haruka."

He thought of his own dreams before he knew of his destiny, a princess asking for a silver crystal. "I know Usagi is a bit overwhelming, but none of us wants to see anyone innocent die."

She wanted to scream. "You think we want to? If I had my way, if we could choose our destinies, I would be a world class violinist. Haruka would probably be racing full time." Her voice softened a bit. "If it wasn't for having to put one hundred percent into our mission, Haruka and I could…" She stopped. She wasn't much for going into personal details with someone she didn't really know.

"None of us want any of this either! We all had our plans," He stopped. "After the first major battle we fought," He stopped himself remembering all that happened with Beryl. He couldn't believe it was so long ago. "The first major battle, they fought, Usagi wished to the silver crystal that she could be a regular girl, that they all could lead regular lives. It granted her wish and all our memories were wiped. Eventually, our memories had to come back to fight another enemy." His voice matched her softness. "If Usagi and I waited until it was safe to have a life, we would never live." He would see Haruka and Michiru out together. He knew Usagi was naïve to it, but that is the ways she was. "Even if after this mission, there will be another one.

Silver crystal? Usagi had to be the princess. Michiru had some memories of protecting a princess, no a kingdom from a far. She didn't talk about them much. Not even Haruka. Things that happened in the past didn't matter anymore. She and Haruka had to protect the here and now. Especially since they couldn't count on the other senshi who wanted them to fight with them so much. They apparently would do whatever it took. She even made a promise to Haruka that she would not protect her if something happened. She wondered if she could keep it. She wondered if Haruka could keep it. She wondered that when all was said and done, after the mission was over if she could have something with Haruka and not just live in the same apartment.

She pretended to be jealous when Haruka flirted. She knew Haruka was just letting off energy that she couldn't let off with Michiru, at least for the time being. She could also tell that when it was the other way around, Haruka was actually jealous. It was cute. She finally snapped out of her thoughts. "If there is another mission, there is another mission. What is the point of living, if it is at the cost of the planet?" It was getting annoying now. "Don't get in our way. We will get the talismans no matter the cost." Mamoru watched her leave and she turned her head and said, "You tell the others that as well. We don't want trouble with you, but nothing will stop us." She thought to herself that she better let Haruka know of this incident. Usagi might need a warning too. They were getting closer to the talismans. She could feel it, and she was sure her partner could as well.