Got nothing to say except for ENJOY! (Because I sure did! WHEE!)

Disclaimer: Naruto, Sailor Moon, and Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicles, their characters, settings, etc., belong to their respective creators. All original characters belong to ME!

Chapter 27: Return

She was crazy…Absolutely crazy.

When Haruka heard Selene had gone to save Lady Michiru, Haruka should have been livid but she was more worried than anything else. She had this odd sense to rush to the Land of Water, grab the princess AND Lady Michiru and run away. Why the hell did they affect her so much!?

It must be that name Selene had once called her. What was it again? Sailor Uranus…That name seemed to resonate through Haruka straight to her heart. It caused her heart to beat wildly, strongly, with a sense of deep protection that was stronger than her love for her nation. Haruku first believed it was because Selene was marrying the Kazekage that she felt so protective of the princess, now she had no idea what to think. The feeling got so strong that she just couldn't stop herself from doing what she was doing now…

Kidnapping a princess on the night of her wedding.

It had been simple at best. Makoto had gone with the Kazekage to be with Selene; Selene was after all her princess and she wasn't about to miss the wedding. As a Suna ninja, Haruka had been ordered to stay in the land of Wind but she just couldn't stay. Something much greater than the Kazekage's command was guiding her out the gates and towards the Land of Water. In a mad rush she hadn't stopped for days or nights until she reached the village in which the ceremony was being held, the hidden village of Mist. She had barely made it to the manor an hour before the ceremony; her instincts kicking in, she quickly located the bridal suite. Makoto and Lady Michiru were there, getting Selene ready for the ceremony with a servant of Lord Mizu. Haruka didn't have the heart to hurt them thus she threw a smoke bomb and using it as cover stole Princess Selene from her very own bridal suite.

Why the HELL did she do that!?

The full moon was bright that night, brighter than Haruka ever thought it could be. She felt as though it were guiding her through the darkness. Selene hadn't spoken a word since the kidnapping, probably because the Moon's pull was affecting her at the moment. That was fine with Haruka because she didn't want to talk right now.

She took to the rooftops, the quickest way to get as far away as possible. However Haruka knew she couldn't keep this up, not with the precious cargo in her hands. Deep in thought, she had wished she could take Lady Michiru away as well but the pull to save Selene was still far greater than anything.

Haruka managed to reach the gates but she knew there would be people there waiting for her. Fine, she was itching to fight someone, anyone for that matter.

"Sailor Uranus…" Selene's gentle voice brought Haruka out of her musings. "Stop…Put me down."

As if being commanded by the Lord Hokage herself, Haruka found herself coming to a complete halt a block away from the Mist gates. She set the princess on her feet, those pools of blues staring right at her.

Selene was smiling.

"I knew you would come to save me…"

That threw Haruka off balance. Selene knew Haruka would come for her!?

"You were always like that…and always will be…" Her eyes went to the moon high in the sky. "I wish…I wish we all could be happy…But this world will not allow it…"

The Suna ninja didn't like where this was going. Was Selene going to go back and marry that idiot of a lord?

"You need to stop this, right now."

Why had those words come out of her mouth? That wasn't what she wanted to say. Did she really want to say anything in the first place? For the first time since all these strange occurrences began, Haruka decided to let them happen. Whatever words that wanted to come out, she would let them.

"You belong with him…With the Kazekage."

She saw the tears developing in Selene's eyes. That hit a nerve.

"I know…But…Michiru…Sailor Neptune…" Selene covered her eyes as the tears fell. "I just…want her to be happy…I want all of you to be happy…"

Believing Selene's words came from the Moon, Haruka decided to ignore them. She wasn't herself when the Full Moon came. All the more reason why she shouldn't marry Lord Mizu, not when she wasn't in her right state of mind.

"Princess…" Forgetting her manners, Haruka gently pulled away Selene's hands, dried her eyes. "Seeing you happy makes us all happy. That is all that matters to—" She stopped herself. What was she doing? She shouldn't be doing this really. She was going against her land, her kage…all for this princess! Why?

She stared into Selene's eyes and knew the answer instantly, well…her heart knew it anyway. This princess was unlike anyone anywhere. She was pure of thought, of heart, and of spirit.

Who wouldn't want to protect such beauty from the horrible world? Who wouldn't want to see such a person's happiness?

Haruka was at a crossroads now, at least it felt like it to her. She knew that if she returned to Suna she would be imprisoned for going against the Kazekage then be charged for kidnapping in the land of Mist. She couldn't protect her precious people behind bars. Selene…the princess in front of her…surely was one of those people. Now, only one more question remained…Was Haruka willing to give everything up for this princess of another land? This one she just met not but a few months ago?

Without a doubt in her heart and mind, Haruka reached for her ninja headband, the very object that signified her status in the world. She stared at it hard before giving it a good toss. The discarded headband rose towards the buildings, disappearing into the night.

Yes…She would give it all up…Including her live if necessary…for Selene.

"Haruka…No…Please…" Selene's family symbol was glowing gently under the moon. It was a good thing her wings had been sealed, otherwise there would be more trouble than Haruka believe she could deal with right now.

"Princess...The moment I saw you for the first time…I knew my path in life was going in the wrong direction." Haruka chuckled. "Guess it didn't hit me until now…I just feel that…I don't need a home, or a family…" She smiled at Selene. "I just…need you…" She took Selene's hand, and like a knight from long ago, took a knee in her presence. "Princess…Let me protect your happiness…" Then she kissed the top of Selene's hand, completing the vow under the light of the full Moon.

That's when it happened…

Haruka couldn't explain it, but it felt like her entire body was pulsing with something...A beating of sorts…Something that should be foreign to her but it was oh so familiar. It got so loud that she couldn't hear Makoto's shout or notice that she and Selene had been found by those looking for them. Haruka tore herself away from Selene, her hands going to her ears. The sound, the sound was getting to be unbearable! Faster and faster the beat became, her entire body was convulsing! Was she about to die!?

Look towards the glow of our ancient home…And awaken…

There was a voice calling her behind the beating pulses. Unconsciously, Haruka raised her eyes towards the lone object in the sky, the bright and shining full Moon.

The pulsing suddenly stopped and behind it…came memories…Faster and faster they came, lifetimes she once led…the people she once knew...The battles she lost and won…

I wish we could be just Haruka and Usagi…

I just wanted to protect her once! Once with my own power!

The shining moon reminded us of your smile…the person we wished to protect with all our being…You are our hope.

"Usagi…"

The name rolled off her tongue as though she worshipped the bearer of the name. It practically caused tears to form in her hard warrior eyes.

There is but one way we can protect her…You know what it must be…What we must do…

Haruka realized the voice was her inner person…Her inner strength. She had been right all along…She was not destined to protect Suna…Rather her whole being revolved around one person and one person alone.

In the darkness of her mind, she reached for something…Something small that fit in her hand so perfectly. It glowed with an unnatural light…The light of her true home…

Raising the object in the air, Haruka spoke words she hadn't spoken in lifetimes. They felt as natural to her as breathing.

They would help her protect her princess.

"Uranus Planet Power, Make Up!"

Next Time: Sailor Guardian

Fan girl squeal moment! WHEEE! Got to say, I enjoyed writing this chapter! :D For a brief moment, I got into the mind of Haruka Tennou and boy did it feel good! Of all the Sailor Senshi, I fell as though she is the one who is the strongest in her need to protect her princess. I think I portrayed her inner thoughts perfectly! :D Get ready guys…the game changes NOW!