(12) When the darkness starts to flood your eyes

Michiru had always wondered how she could take care of so many little details when the important things slipped from her numb mind. She did not remember how they reached the hospital, but she could tell that the church's clock tower rang midnight and that the big calendar on the Tokyo Tower showed a number and the slogan: Halftime to Christmas.

There were no nurses around and Michiru could not see a single doctor, not even Dr. Tomoe. She wondered briefly if Sailor Moon or the other senshi did something to prevent them from entering this wing, but she quickly forgot her questions as she saw Hotaru's room at the other end of the corridor. It was illuminated in a golden light.

"There you are. Finally!" welcomed Sailor Mercury them. She looked exhausted. "She's not able to hold it any longer."

Mamoru nodded and put on the mask. It was merely a symbol for he owned the earth's power and did not have to transform as the senshi of the other planets. But apparently he felt more self-confident in doing so. He stepped into the room, right behind his girlfriend, closed his eyes and let himself be surrounded by the golden light filling the room. Sailor Moon was standing in its middle and there was a direct link between her and Hotaru laying still unconscious in her bed. The tubes were gone and the machines mute. Michiru needed a moment to see that they were broken. Someone had cut the wires and smashed the glass. Nevertheless, the little girl still breathed, although Michiru could feel that she was only alive, because Sailor Moon's power gave her enough strength not to die. But it was not enough strength. Sailor Moon was powerful, but she was also young. Very young. She would not make it alone.

Michiru glanced around, saw Mars, Mercury, Venus, Jupiter and even Chibi Sailor Moon standing next to their future queen. The sea beauty did not hesitate any moment longer. She pulled her henshin out of her bathrobe's pockets and raised it into the air.

"Sailor Neptune… make up!"

It was a silly motto. She had always been ashamed of her, an almost grown up girl, shouting such a stupid sentence, but today she could not have cared less. It was for Hotaru's sake. And for Hotaru she would have even worn a dress like Chibiusa's.

Michiru felt herself transforming. Willingly she gave her power into the golden light – and had to see that it was still not enough to fight against Mistress 9. A blood red light slowly but constantly emerged from the little girl's body. A shadow was sitting next on the bed, laughing madly at them. It, or better, she directed the red light against the golden glow, growing stronger and stronger. It was only a matter of time until Sailor Moon would lose, no matter how hard, how bravely she fought.

We need more power.

We need strength.

Neptune looked desperately around until her eyes found a well known staff laying on the ground. She bowed and picked up Uranus' henshin.

It's possible with her power.

"I'll be right back!" The other senshi held their eyes closed, nevertheless Michiru felt the need to reassure them. She was not running away, she was merely searching for help. She did not break the contact to the golden light, however, and dragged a shimmering beam behind her.

She had not known Haruka for a long time, only for a couple of months, nevertheless she found her immediately. Maybe it was her instinct, her good luck or simply the henshin in her hand guiding her to its owner, but she saw the blonde at once sitting on the ground of the guest toilet. She crouched between the two washbasins, staring with empty eyes at the doors opposite.

"Take your henshin and transform!" Michiru did not care about hurting herself as she went on her knees. The tiles were cold and hard, but all she knew was that Sailor Moon needed their help. Little Hotaru needed them.

Haruka did not reply anything. She watched as Neptune pushed the golden staff in her slippery hands, but it went right through her fingers. She did not even try to hold it tight and to transform.

"Transform! There's not much time!" Michiru picked up the henshin and gasped as she saw the blood on it. She looked closer at her partner in crime and saw that Haruka's palms were cut and bleeding.

The cut wires.

The smashed glass.

Michiru gulped, then she pushed the henshin again into Haruka's bleeding hands, but held them tight so that she could not lose the staff again.

"Ruka!" She whispered and bowed forward to look into expressionless eyes. Dark green eyes looked back at her but it seemed that the blonde did not notice her, that she was looking right through her into a world only she did know the entrance to.

"Ruka, please! Sailor Moon needs you now." Michiru did not even notice the tears running over her cheeks. She held the hands tighter and leaned her forehead against her best friend's. "Hime-chan needs you." Some tears were dripping on the blonde's pale face. "I need you, Ruka."

Haruka blinked and her fixed stare returned from her world beyond back to the now and here. She looked around searchingly and her eyes grew wide as she saw her partner's tearful face. At that moment she remembered what she had done.

"I… no…"

"Transform." Urged Michiru and raised their hands until Haruka could see the golden henshin, noticed that her best friend already wore her sailor fuku. "We need your power to defeat Mistress 9 and to rescue Hotaru."

"But…"

"Our Hime-chan needs us, Ruka!"

The blonde gulped. Then she nodded slowly and closed her eyes. She did not shout the stupid motto, she merely whispered it. However, it was loud enough. Soon another light flashed through the empty corridor, met with the golden shine in the small room.

There was even more mad laughter.

There was a scream.

There was a dazzling white flash filling the hospital, Tokyo, the world.

Purple eyes opened and looked sleepily around while Chibi Sailor Moon ran with an excited squeal over to her best friend's bed to take her in her arms. Mercury, Mars, Venus and Jupiter went on their knees, gasping hard for breath. Tuxedo Mask touched reassuringly his girlfriend's arm. Sailor Moon only nodded and smiled broadly. Happily.

I was right to trust her.

Neptune was busy to catch her partner as Uranus fainted.