Kiwikiwa looked at Neptune hanging by chains in her throne room.
"Well Neptune, where's your partner now? She's not coming, and if she does, she'll never get you from here!"
Neptune just hung her head. She couldn't bare the thought that Uranus might not find her in time. Neptune was getting weaker.
"Guard!"
"Yes ma'am!"
"Watch her carefully!"
"Yes ma'am!"
"If she does anything call for me."
"Yes ma'am!"
Kiwikiwa left with a flash of dark light. Neptune still hung her head. The guard walked up to her.
"You're one of the Sailor Senshi, ne?" The guard said with a sly smile on his face. Neptune looked up at him coldly. "Poor thing, won't live for much longer though. You'll be dead by tomorrow!"
"SHUT UP!" Neptune said coldly.
"Oooooo… Miss nasty are we?"
"DEEP SUBMERGE!"
"Nani!?" cried the guard just before he was turned into dust.
Neptune collapsed onto the floor. The chains were busted when her attack left her hands. Uranus felt her hit the floor.
*Nani? Neptune!*
*Hurry Uranus, I don't have much longer…*
*Neptune!* Uranus got an image just before Neptune fell unconscious. Neptune was in the throne room.
"General Carla! I call thee to ask for help!"
"Mistress? Nani!?"
"I can not take the Sailor Senshi all by myself, I need your help."
"Hai!, Mistress, I'll help you. I'll be right over."
"Arigatou, Carla."
"Hai!"
Carla transported to the throne room. She turned to face the throne and gasped.
"A Senshi!" Just as Carla said that, the doors flew open and guards came flying through the door. Carla stopped short and turned around. She gasped again.
"Another Senshi!?"
"Stay away from her!" Uranus said running like the wind towards Neptune, who was still unconscious on the floor. As Uranus approached the top steps, Kiwikiwa appeared in front of Neptune.
"Nani!?"
"Ah, you must be Uranus, you actually found her. Good for you, but you're too late!"
Kiwikiwa laughed evilly. "Now you'll both die!"
Uranus got pissed. She ran up to Kiwikiwa.
"WORLD SHAKING!" Uranus threw a ball of energy at Kiwikiwa.
"You think your petty tricks can stop me? I think not!" Kiwikiwa said almost laughing. She held her hand up and absorbed the energy. Uranus looked surprised at what she just saw. Kiwikiwa lifted her hand into the sky and lightning formed a dark purple staff with a green orb on top. It also had little orbs like the ones in her hair on each side of the green orb.
"WORLD SHAKING!" Kiwikiwa said pointing the Midnight staff at Uranus.
"Nani!?" Uranus said confused. Neptune started to return to consciousness. She saw what was going on. The ball of energy flew towards Uranus.
"URANUS! MOVE!" Neptune said getting to her feet. She ran towards Uranus and pushed her out of the way. They fell on to the floor and Uranus looked at Neptune's arm. She had been hit by the energy.
"Neptune! Your arm!"
"It's ok…just a scratch."
"Bullshit! We have to get you out of here!"
"Not so fast, I'm not through with you two yet!"
"DEAD SCREAM!"
"SILENCE GALIVE!"
The two attacks hit Kiwikiwa and stunned her. She looked up and saw Saturn and Pluto above.
"Well, if it isn't Saturn. Did I take over your home? Well, too bad!" Kiwikiwa laughed.
Saturn stared at her with cold eyes. Pluto and Saturn returned to the ground by Neptune and Uranus. Uranus was holding Neptune who was losing consciousness again.
*We need to get her out of here Pluto.*
*I know Uranus. We'll have to teleport outside of the castle, then I'll open the gate time gate for you and her.*
*But what about you two?*
*We'll stay here and make sure you two get through safely, then we'll come through the gate after you two.*
*I can't just let you do that! What if she follows you?*
*Don't worry about it, just go! Here's the key ready?*
*Hai!*
*Now!*
Just then the time gate opened and Uranus ran through it with Neptune. Pluto and Saturn watched Kiwikiwa to make sure she didn't try anything. They were so into making sure she stayed put, they forgot about Carla, who had snuck past them and went through the time gate.
Uranus ran for all its worth back to the present time to get Neptune back home. She was already detransforming when Uranus reached their apartment.
"Hang in there Michiru! We're almost home."
Uranus laid Michiru down on the bed and quickly detransformed. Haruka put Michiru in some pajamas and placed her in bed. She quietly sat down on a chair next to the bed. She watched Michiru carefully, to make sure she was doing all right. Just then Setsuna and Hotaru appeared.
"How is she Haruka?" Setsuna asked sounding concerned.
"She seems better, but I'm not quite sure." Haruka said uneasily.
"Hotaru and I will go downstairs and be back in a little while, ok?"
"Hai." Haruka said closing her eyes. Setsuna and Hotaru left the two alone so Haruka could look after her Michiru.
Haruka watched over Michiru over the next two days. She wasn't getting much better and Haruka was seriously getting worried. Picking up Michiru's hand and cupping her face Haruka whispered softly to Michiru.
"You look like an angel when you're sleeping, but you can't leave me Michiru. I love you dearly and life wouldn't be worth living without you."
Haruka began to cry. This was the first real time she told Michiru she loved her. Haruka put her head in her hands while she cried. Michiru stirred softly, but Haruka didn't notice. She placed her hands lightly over Haruka's. Haruka looked up suddenly with a tear-stained face.
"Why are you crying Haruka?"
"I-I thought you were going to leave me."
"Haruka…" Michiru said while taking Haruka in her arms.
"This should be you holding me!" Michiru said while Haruka pulled away and chuckled to herself.
"Michiru."
"Nani?"
"You won't leave me will you?"
"Never."
Haruka smiled and took Michiru into her arms.
"Ara, Haruka?"
"Nani?"
"I love you too." Michiru said smiling. Haruka took Michiru into her arms and passionately kissed her. There was a knock at the door.
"Hai?"
"Haruka I brought you some food and tea…Michiru!" Setsuna said while cracking the door.
"Michiru-mama!" Hotaru said running to the bedside almost knocking the tray out of Setsuna's hands.
"Come here Hotaru-chan." She said hugging her tightly. "It's good to see you again Hotaru-chan."
All Hotaru could do was hug Michiru and smile. Haruka got up and left the room quietly and went to get her jacket and helmet. Michiru got a worried look on her face, but she knew where Haruka was going.
" I need time to think." Haruka said calmly. She got on her bike and put on her helmet. "Riding always seems to calm me down." She thought to herself. Haruka rode to the park in the Tenth District. She always went here to sit under the great oaks to listen to the wind. It always seemed to ease her nerves. Haruka also went here a lot with Michiru when they wanted some peace and quiet.
Haruka folded her hands behind her head and leaned against the oak. She closed her eyes so she could concentrate on the wind. Oh how she loved the wind. Blowing through the leaves, rustling her hair. She loved it all. Haruka always knew she had some connection to the wind. Oh how she wanted to be the wind! To fly freely amongst the trees and sky. To travel everywhere without a worry.
"No. I can't be the wind, I can't leave Michiru all alone." Haruka sighed and closed her eyes again. Pretty soon Haruka was sleeping. She hadn't been asleep long when she felt a pair of small hands wrapped around her waist. She was startled and almost hit Michiru in the face.
"Michi-…"
"Shh…," she placed her finger over Haruka's lips to silence her. Michiru leaned in toward Haruka and kissed her. She placed her head on Haruka's shoulder. They sat there under the oak for a long time when they heard a scream from across the park.
"Nani?" Haruka said startled.
"It must be Kiwikiwa again!"
"Hai! Let's do it."
"Hai!"
"URANUS PLANET POWER, MAKE UP!"
"NEPTUNE PLANET POWER, MAKE UP!"
Neptune and Uranus ran to where they heard the screams.
"Don't over do yourself Neptune."
"I won't. Dijoubu."
They stopped dead in their tracks.
"That's not Kiwikiwa!" Cried Neptune with a fearful tone.
"What the…"
"Ah, I see you came to visit me. How thoughtful of you. Let me see, what should I give you as a thank you?" The woman said with a slight sarcastic tone. "Ah yes, lets see now. DARK FOG!"
A cloud of black fog surrounded the two senshi.
"Nani? Uranus? Where are you?"
"Right here Neptune!"
"Oww!" "Oww!"
They had bumped heads.
"You ok? Let me see."
"Uranus!? What's that?" Neptune's eyes grew wide and she grew paler than she normally was. This scared Uranus and she turned around to face a purple light quickly coming closer.
"Neptune!" Uranus threw herself on top of Neptune to save her. The light went over them and they realized they were flames.
"Gommen nasi. I never introduced myself. I'm Carla, General of the darkness." Carla gave a quick laugh and disappeared.
"Uranus! Are you ok?"
"Hai, just a scratch…iie."
"Let's go home."
"Hai."
Neptune helped Uranus up and let her lean on her.
"Let's find a place where we can detransform, ne?"
"Hai." Uranus said laughingly. They ducked behind a tree and detransformed.
Haruka and Michiru slowly walked home with Haruka leaning on Michiru.
"You sure you're ok?" Michiru said concerned.
"Hai, I'm fine. Don't worry." Haruka said while lightly kissing Michiru's forehead. The wind blew past bringing the smell of the sea. They both stopped for a moment to look at the beach from on top of the bridge. How beautiful it looked. Michiru wished she could just be the sea.
"But I couldn't leave Haruka all alone. She wouldn't know what to do with herself. She'd probably…" Michiru shook the thought from her head.
"Nani onai?" Haruka asked concerned.
"Iie, I'm fine. Just thinking." Michiru said dazed.
"Follow me Michiru."
"Why, shouldn't we go home so Setsuna doesn't get worried?" Michiru asked.
"Iie, she'll know we're fine." Haruka reassured her.
"Ok. Where are we going?" She asked closing her eyes and placing her head on Haruka's shoulder.
"You'll see."
Michiru just smiled and sighed. She trusted Haruka with her life and Haruka knew it.
"Almost there." The air started to smell like the sea and Michiru just smiled because the smell relaxed her. Haruka opened a door quietly and led Michiru into the place. She took her to another door and opened it quietly.
"Ok, open them."
Michiru slowly opened her eyes to the beautiful site of a balcony overlooking the beach and ocean. The sun was just setting and made the sky and waters a pale pinkish red.
"It's so beautiful Haruka! Arigatou!" Michiru wrapped her arms around Haruka's neck gently and gently kissed her.
"Douitashimate, Michiru." Haruka said lovingly while staring down into those beautiful blue eyes. "Just like the ocean."
Michiru smiled and sighed.
"Nani?"
"Iie, just thinking."
"You do a lot of that. Is something bothering you?"
"Iie, well…I have this feeling…"
"Trouble?" Haruka said looking up into the sky.
"Hai." Michiru said bowing her head and resting it on Haruka's shoulder.
"The woman in the park today is not as powerful as Kiwikiwa, but she's still strong."
"Hai, but let's not worry ourselves over that tonight, ne?"
"Ok." Michiru said smiling. Haruka led Michiru back into the beach house.
"This place is beautiful!"
"It was a friend's old house. Until he moved into a bigger place."
"Urano-kun?"
"Hai. It's been ages since I've seen him."
"Well, like you said, let's not worry about it tonight." Michiru said smiling. "Come on, this way." She pulled Haruka to a room that had a lot of space. She flipped on the lights to find a large Jacuzzi in it.
"Sugoi! I've always wanted a hot tub!" Michiru said in a child's voice. Haruka just looked on and sighed.
"Shall we?"
"But Haruka, we don't have any suits!"
"We're both females, there's no harm in it is there? We're not going to do anything."
Michiru sort of thought as whether or not to do it. Haruka had already turned on the water and was stripping. Michiru blushed and turned away. Haruka noticed, but didn't say anything. She got into the tub and relaxed so that the water was just above her shoulders.
"Well, you going to join me princess of the ocean?"
Michiru turned around and finally gave a nod.
"Only if you close your eyes until I get in the tub."
Haruka sighed, but finally gave her approval.
Michiru striped and got in the tub. She sighed as she got in the tub. The water was still cold, but it felt good. Haruka accidentally hit the button and the hot water started to replace the cold water.
"Ouch!" Haruka yelled as she grabbed her leg.
"Your leg! Here, let me see." Michiru leaned over and picked Haruka's leg up out of the water so she could see.
"Looks bad, I'll have to wrap this when we get out." Michiru gently touched Haruka's leg.
"Arigatou, Michiru." Haruka said as she slowly put her leg back into water and wincing slightly as the hot water hit her burn. They both relaxed and sat together quietly for a long time. Haruka finally decided it was long enough.
"It's getting late. We should probably go get ready for bed."
"Hai, but we only have clothes from earlier, no night clothes."
"That's not a problem." Haruka said getting out of the tub carefully so as not to hit her leg again. She dried off and wrapped the towel around her. Michiru was not for behind. They picked up their clothes and headed for the bedroom. Haruka opened one of the drawers in the dresser.
"Here," She said handing Michiru a shirt, "Urano didn't take all of his clothes cause he knew somehow, that someone would need them in the future."
"Arigatou, Haruka." Michiru said putting on the shirt. Haruka pulled out another and put it on. Michiru found a clean cloth and wrapped Haruka's leg. They both got into bed and curled up together in the warm fluffy blankets.
"Oyasumi nasi Haruka."
"Oyasumi nasi Michiru." Haruka said kissing the aqua haired girl's head. They both fell into a deep sleep right away.