The night was cool and pitch black, sending occasional breezes through the resting trees. The princess of Neptune displayed a smile on her rosy lips, leaning her head back and stretching her arms wide to let her whole body feel the cleansing effects. Her glossy, aquamarine hair was lifted effortlessly, swaying in motion with the trees. She imagined that she was floating in the sea, letting the water caress her body. The palace garden would always be so much nicer to her than inside the crowded palace. It was not often that Queen Serenity called a meeting of all the planet rulers; it was, in fact, many years since she had been to the Moon.

Suddenly, that ominous feeling of eyes upon her back set in, and she turned to confirm these feelings. Upon viewing the other individual, Michiru-ohi's breath was taken away. It was a tall, gracefully masculine individual with penetrating dark blue eyes and a seductive smirk lining her mouth. Her hair was almost the shimmering color of the moon, reflecting the same intensity.

"Forgive me for startling you, my lady. I, too, admire the gardens and would rather sit among them than in my restricting room," the stranger apologized, softly kissing Michiru-ohi's hand in a gentlemanly fashion. The princess noted, however, that the stranger displayed an intense blue gown, almost the color of her eyes. Discovering the confused look in Michiru-ohi's sea-green eyes, the stranger bowed low and then said,

"Haruka-ohi, princess of Uranus."

"Michiru-ohi, princess of Neptune." Michiru-ohi could not believe that she did not recognize this person, as she had seen the princess of Uranus before. They had never actually talked because the only occasions that the Outer princesses came together was when Serenity called a meeting. And even then, they could not speak to each other because more pressing matters were usually at hand.

"Gomen nasai, I should not be out here...Queen Serenity will be wondering where I am," Michiru-ohi stuttered, starting to gather together her elegant dress, when she noticed that Haruka-ohi was offering her hand. Blushing, Michiru-ohi placed her own palm into it and was surprised by the other princess' firm grip on her. Haruka-ohi's deep eyes seemed to draw Michiru-ohi's soul from her body, but she could not look away. What was it about this person that made her feel so... strange?

"Ah, there you are. Neptune, Uranus, these are very distressing times. I fear that the Earth is planning a rebellion against the moon and, to be honest, I do not know how well we will fare," Queen Serenity said worriedly, her high heels clicking on the marble floors as she walked towards the princesses.

"Good will prevail. Evil will never win," was Michiru-ohi's firm statement, causing a chuckle from Haruka-ohi. Michiru-ohi turned with an annoyed glance at Haruka-ohi, as if to say "what's so funny?".

"Whoever is more versed in the ways of battle will win. Do not let childish fantasies blur the truth," was her mocking answer. To her surprise, Michiru-ohi just lowered her head and stalked off towards the guest quarters. Haruka-ohi's expression did not change, but for some reason, her heart felt like it was squeezing in her chest.

"Excuse me, your Majesty," Haruka-ohi apologized, following Michiru-ohi. Queen Serenity sighed. Her feelings had already told her what would happen once the battle was over. She thought of her own daughter, Princess Serenity, and her love for the Prince of Earth, Endymion. Her heart ached with remorse.

"This shall be the most tragic event the world has ever known. Lovers will be forced to separate, but somehow, they must prevail. I will do everything in my power to help them know the love they once knew in this time gone by. I swear it," Queen Serenity whispered, a tear trickling from her eye.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Michiru-ohi lay on her bed, her long hair sprawled across the pillow in waves. Her mind was in a turmoil; what if Haruka-ohi turned out to be right? She closed her eyes and brought her palms to her temples. At that moment, she heard a soft knocking at the door.

"Enter!"

"Michiru-ohi?" asked a tentative yet strong voice. "I didn't mean to disprove your statement earlier, I was only voicing what I know. It is what I have always known."

"Haruka-ohi, do not blame yourself. I have begun to realize that perhaps what you say is true," Michiru-ohi stated thoughtfully, bringing herself to a sitting position and staring out of the curtained balcony. She rose and walked out to the edge of the balcony, leaning her arms on the railing. Her eyes wandered along the night sky, taking in all of the beauty that she might be seeing for the last time. She became so absorbed in the sights that she did not notice that the princess of Uranus had joined her at the balcony.

"The world as we know it may come to an end, but it will begin anew, and we will be reborn. Do not be frightened," Haruka-ohi told her companion in a gentle tone. For some reason, she felt like she had to protect this seemingly fragile princess. Michiru-ohi turned in surprise to the other woman, her insides churning at the earnest look in Haruka-ohi's eyes.

"Why do I feel so...safe around you? Is this how our princess feels when she thinks of her beloved prince? If so, perhaps I understand why she will not stop running away to be with him. And now, it is too late."

"I think I have begun to understand it. I think that perhaps we are soul-mates, those who have one soul divided into two bodies. It is a relationship more than love, and it is based on the need to protect and cherish the other. I have felt a longing for such a person, but when I saw you tonight, you answered that call for me." Haruka-ohi's graceful fingers gently ran through Michiru-ohi's hair, and Michiru instinctively placed her own palm on top of Haruka's.

"If only I had found you sooner," she whispered, as their gaze locked on one another, neither being able to pull away even if she wanted to. Slowly, Michiru-ohi felt her body being pulled towards the other, and she closed her eyes...

All of a sudden, the guest room door banged open and a guard stepped through the threshold.

"Hime-sama, the moon is under attack!" he shouted in a panicky voice, leaving almost as soon as he had come to bang on the next door in the wing.

"Shimatta...I must get back to Uranus. And you...you must return to Neptune," Haruka-ohi regretfully stated, waiting for Michiru-ohi to say something. She was astonished to see how much pain reflected through Michiru-ohi's eyes.

"Yes, we must. Even if we never see each other again, we will always remember this night." With that, she stood on the tips of her toes and flung her arms around Haruka-ohi's neck, feeling the other's arms tightly around her waist.

"Arigatou," she whispered.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The Moon Kingdom fought bravely, but there were many forces against them, and Queen Serenity had predited correctly. It would eventually fall. From the Outer Planets, Uranus and Neptune, Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune watched from their talismans the destruction that was taking place. Each wanted to help, to delay the destruction of life as they knew it, but that was not the mission of the Outer Senshi. So, completely helpless, the Moon Kingdom was destroyed. Each watched tearfully as Princess Serenity committed suicide with her love. Each of the Inner Senshi fell in much the same way. Soon, the Space Sword began resonating with the Submarine Mirror and the Garnet Orb. They had awakened the most fatal senshi in the universe: Sailor Saturn.

"Sayounara, soshite, arigatou," were Uranus' last words as her planet was the first outer planet to fall. Hot tears fell from Neptune's tightly closed eyes. Her fingers clung so tightly to her talisman that they began to lose feeling.

"Even though we shall both die, we will be reborn. We will find each other and then...we will fall in love again. I swear to it!" Neptune whispered. And at last...Saturn arrived.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Summertime in Tokyo made Ten'ou Haruka wish that she could move to Alaska. She wiped her brow with the rag she kept in her pocket and surveyed her handiwork. The car was no longer the beat-up old piece of junk that it once was. It would run. She decided that it was lunch break, so she rose from her chair and waved goodbye to her co-worker in the garage. The cafe across the street was one of her favorite hangouts.

After ordering curried rice, Haruka took a seat outside on the wall bordering the sidewalk from the road. She loved to survey all of the cars that drove by, as well as their owners. Because of this activity, at first she didn't notice the young and pretty girl crossing the street dreamily. What she did notice was the yellow honda streaking at an alarming rate through the road.

"Shimatta!" Haruka swore, realizing that an accident was about to happen. She leaped gracefully off of the wall and raced like the wind to the now aware young woman. With Haruka pulling her, the two made it narrowly out of danger.

"Domo arigatou gozaimasu!" the young woman bowed, her aquamarine locks falling over her face.

"Okagesama deshita," Haruka grinned, kissing the lady's hand. "Ten'ou Haruka."

"I know you, I've been a fan of yours for a long time. I'm Kaiou Michiru." Then, taking another look at Haruka's features, she frowned. "Have we..met?"

"Hmm, I don't know. Maybe once... a long time ago."

The End