Aloha people! This is the first Sailor Moon fanfic that I have posted on Fanfiction.net. It's not the first that I've written, just the only one I'm currently proud enough of to post. I'm currently re-writing a few parts in another story that deals with Haruka's thoughts before they fight Eugeal for the last time, that'll come next. Anyway, enough blather, on with the story.



This is basically a brief interlude after the outer scouts and the inner scouts discover who each other are, but before the unveiling of Super Sailor Moon. The main characters are Haruka and Makoto because those two are such great characters who have so much potential.



Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect of Sailor Moon explored in this story, and Naoko Takeuchi is a goddess whose decrees must not be permanently tampered with.



Understanding



Haruka stood, staring out at the city. Such a pretty place at night, but it hid so much evil. Even in the daytime, evil lurked. None of them knew just when a youma would show up. Haruka sighed, the weight of two worlds resting on her shoulders. Three if you counted her original planet. Her home that she so longed for at times like this. The summer vacations at Miranda Castle and winter sojourns in the snow on the planet itself were long gone. Destroyed. Haruka smiled as she remembered her secret nightlife of those days. Planet hopping to Triton whenever the orbit permitted, just to see Michiru. That had been fun.

Haruka turned suddenly when she felt someone touch her arm. She was surprised to find Makoto at her side, smiling friendly, as if nothing had happened to their friendship.

"Evening. I see I'm not the only one who finds solace at great heights." She said, still smiling.

"No, I suppose you're not." Haruka answered cautiously. Makoto kept on smiling, but she took her hand off Haruka's arm and moved closer to the window.

"I should have guessed that it wouldn't be long before you found this place. We both tend to keep with our namesakes in habit at least." She told her, glancing her way before returning her attention to the window. She wasn't the least bit concerned about what had transpired earlier in the week. Or what might happen in the future. This was confusing Haruka to no end.

"I'm not sure I get your drift." Haruka said. Makoto glanced at her again and raised her eyebrows.

"Oh come on. I would've thought you of all people could have figured it out." She exclaimed.

"Figured what out?"
"Jupiter, otherwise known as Zeus, a thunder god. Hence, Jupiter Thunder Crash. Yours is a little more subtle, but the meaning is there. Uranus, the first God, the Sky God, what have you. The Ultimate God of the world. Therefore, Uranus World Shaking." Makoto paused for breath, then giggled girlishly at Haruka's dumfounded expression. "It's Greek Mythology Haruka-san. Nothing to be afraid of."

"I'm not afraid." Haruka huffed indignantly. Makoto's eyes lost their laughter.

"No, of course you're not. You're not afraid of anything." She turned back to the window. "Anyway, what I meant was, we two are sky people. We feel at home in great heights." She murmured. Haruka wondered, just how much did she have in common with this usually brazen amazon? Makoto laughed suddenly.

"I once thought I might bring Usagi up here, to see how she would like it. I never did, but in retrospect, it would have been a bad idea." Haruka's guard came up at the mention of the smaller blonde's name, but when Makoto finished her sentence, it became apparent that it was only a thought in passing, not a topic for discussion. At least, not from her end of it. Haruka had other ideas. She walked closer to the window, leaning on the railing about a foot from Makoto.

"A question?" She asked.

"Shoot." Makoto answered.

"Why are you so loyal to her?" Makoto didn't even blink. If she was surprised or offended at all, she didn't show it. She just continued staring out the window.

"I know she can be a pain. But she's the one constantly true friend I've ever had. She's my best friend. And I don't mind that I have to share her with four other people. On the outside she may appear to be a total flake, but on the inside, she sees us all as we are, and loves us for it. She loves us for being different."

"That only explains your friendship. I still don't understand your loyalty." Makoto smiled, and continued as if explaining something simple to a small child.

"Our friendship is part of what makes us so loyal to her. We all understand each other on a level that no one else can contemplate. That's how we can seem so unbalanced, yet get along just great. I guess that's what comes from knowing and remembering each other in previous lifetimes." She said.

"The Moon Kingdom you mean." Makoto nodded. "Do you stick together because of that?"

"No. Sure, we all had different lives before meeting her, and we all know that we are part of the same destiny, but I know for certain we would still be friends even if we knew nothing of our pasts." She concluded. "I guess we are so loyal to her, because she is so loyal to us. Do you know what it's like to watch your best friend die to save you? To see her dead three separate times because she was determined to succeed where the rest of us couldn't?" Makoto snapped suddenly, turning to face Haruka with a fire burning deep in her eyes. Haruka took a step back.

"I..."

"It's torture." Makoto went back to staring.

"Three times?" Haruka asked, now asking for facts. Makoto sighed.

"Yes. Three. Once in the Silver Millenium, once fighting Beryl, and once fighting Fiore. Each time, we had failed, and she was determined to succeed and avenge us. The first time she had no idea what she was doing though. She knew more the second time. And by the time Fiore came around, dying was old hat. A miracle brought her back each time."

"Miracles huh? I've never believed in them."

"Well, you'd better start. They're everywhere, where she's concerned. Her mother brought us all back the first time. And she did it herself the second. We didn't actually die the third, but she was willing to sacrifice herself to save us all anyway. If Fiore hadn't regained his senses...we would be in a lot of trouble right now. So, to really answer your question, I'm loyal to her because she is Usagi. The same goes for the rest of us Inners. Just as she is loyal to every last one of her Senshi. And that includes you."

"Me. And Michiru and Setsuna too. Even Hotaru."

"That's right. That's why she won't let you kill her. She feels that it is her duty to protect us all. And that's probably what will get her killed. Again." Makoto was still staring out the window, her face hadn't changed it's expression since her slight outburst just minutes before. Haruka also stared out the window.

"I had an allegiance like yours once too. I think I know how you feel now. It's long gone, but I can still feel it's pull. You know, my home planet used to be just like earth. They all were. And they were all so beautiful. I would have done anything to protect it. But, it was destroyed anyway, along with everything I ever cared about, when Beryl appeared. I miss it Makoto-san. I miss it very much."

"Haruka-san..."

"When Beryl came, I thought I was prepared to fight her. We all did. So when the Inner planets fell, we were dumbstruck. I know I felt something in me die. We lost all hope when the Princess was killed. Surely if she could do nothing, we were doomed." Haruka paused, staring intently at the same nothing that Makoto was. That nothing was what was left of their shared past.

"You couldn't stop her. None of us could by ourselves." Makoto said.

"I know that. But, I wasn't able to see Usagi as anything but a small girl. Someone who had no idea what she was doing. Until now. I understand her a little more now."
"Her exterior only hides what she truly is. It's her way of coping. We figured that out a while ago. I'm glad that you have too." Haruka nodded. Makoto asked her own question.

"How much do you remember of the Silver Millenium Haruka-san? We only know what Queen Serenity wanted us to know." Haruka smiled.

"Our memories aren't as foggy as yours. We remember almost everything, which when you think about it, is more of a curse than a blessing."

"I see. Still, I wish I knew more."

"No you don't. What you do know is more than enough, believe me." Haruka spoke sharply. "Makoto, why are you talking to me now? We've either been avoiding you, or ignoring you, or insulting you. I don't think I deserve to have you still be nice to me." By the word you she meant the whole inner group. Makoto smiled.

"Because we never hold grudges. And besides, when I'm up here the past, present and future don't have any meaning." She said.

"You know that tomorrow it will all be as before."

"Yep."

Haruka nodded, still impressed at the other girl's impassive manner. She then turned to leave, but as a second thought, she briefly looked back at the door.

"You're wrong about me Makoto-san. I am afraid of something." She said. Makoto turned, but said nothing. "I'm afraid of losing everything I care about, again." With that, she turned and left. Makoto, left in silence, smiled.



Outside, Haruka found Michiru waiting for her.

"How long have you been here?" She asked her.

"Not long. Do you feel better now?" Michiru asked.

"Yes. I think, better than I have for a long time. Michi, do you remember the days on Miranda and Triton?"

"Of course I do. No one could forget such an adventurous youth." Michiru said softly.

"Do you know what I want to do more than anything?" Haruka asked.

"What?"

"I want to go back to Uranus and bury my parents remains at the ruins of Miranda Castle. We always loved it there." She said. Michiru stopped walking and faced her.

"This is the first time you've ever mentioned that time in our history. Are you sure you're alright?" She asked, worried. Haruka laughed, and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"I'm fine. I just got a much needed dose of therapy, that's all. Come on, time waits for no one, and Setsuna gets very annoyed when we're not punctual." Haruka said, leading Michiru away, pausing only to wave at the brown-haired girl she had just left. Even though she couldn't see Makoto, and Makoto probably couldn't see her, she knew that she had waved back anyway.



"Mako-chan, who are you waving at?" A soft voice asked. Makoto turned to find the subject of her previous conversation standing at her elbow.

"Just someone who understands." She said simply. "What are you doing here Usa-chan? You're the last person I thought I'd find this high up." She asked in turn.

"Me? I can see the moon better from here. I come up here to think. To remember. What about you?"

"I come up here to forget."

"Forgetting is sometimes just as good as remembering isn't it? Do think that the Outers will ever understand?" Usagi asked, staring out at the city, just like Makoto. Makoto stretched her arm across her friend's shoulders.

"I think, they already do."



End.





AN: URANUS KICKS ASS!!