Sorry for no updates yesterday, but I was out with my Dad.

Elphie Muse: That's no excuse...well...maybe it is since you had no access to a computer...

Yes. He took me shooting and my belief that anyone can use a gun has been reaffirmed.

Elphie Muse: Well if you can do it...

Watch it. What I mean is, it doesn't take much skill to point and aim a firearm...unless it's a sniper rifle. That does take skill but a regular hand gun? No skill.

Elphie Muse: You like fighting styles and weapons that must have skill, don't you?

Yeah...I find them more honorable...um...we're getting off topic here...

Elphie Muse: Oh yeah...

Getting on with it before everyone maims me. Here's today's chapter! Hope you enjoy it! We'll have more at the end.

All characters in this story are purely fictional. Any relations to persons, living or dead, are purely coincidental. As for the characters that appear in this story, I only own one and he's in this chapter. The rest aren't mine...yet...but they will be...in my dreams...

Haruka stared at Usagi's unconscious form hooked up to numerous machines and equipment. Several weeks had passed and she had encountered the man several times again since their first meeting. In each encounter he had won and laughed at her weakness, saying how she should have stayed evil. Haruka bowed her head, words coming to her mind… No matter how hard you try, you will never be able to wash the blood from your hands. You are evil…

"I'm not evil…" she whispered, staring at her hands. "I did what I had to against Galaxia…it was the best way to fight her…it was…" she insisted. "But the blood will never be washed from my hands…I've known that for the past year. I'm sorry Princess." She set a bag on the bed addressed to Usagi and Luna and walked out of the room.

Haruka walked down the hallway of the hospital, looking in at the others who were in slightly better shape than Usagi. The blonde stopped at a private room and looked in. Hooked up to more machines than Usagi was Michiru, the heart monitor beeping every few seconds as the breathing machine helped the violinist breathe.

Haruka silently walked in and kissed Michiru gently on the forehead. "Gomen koi…gomen…" (Sorry love...sorry...)

Haruka turned and left the room and walked out of the hospital. She walked to her yellow sports car and hopped in. She started the engine and drove away. Several minutes later the city of Tokyo was behind her and growing more distant as she increased pressure on the gas pedal.

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Haruka hefted her pack onto her shoulders and headed into the woods. She stayed on the main trail for a few hours, but once she had gone in deep enough, she stepped off the path and went into the forest. She trekked for hours, sweat eventually sliding down her face. She ignored it, unable to get the images of her friends and lover lying near death in the hospital out of her mind.

Snow soon began to fall and she paused long enough to pull on a warmer jacket. She then went on her way and shoved her way through the thick brush. The snow began falling heavier and drifts began to form, slowly at first, but it grew quicker at alarming speed. Within minutes a full blizzard was going.

Haruka struggled to keep going and find a suitable shelter, but the elements proved to be the victor. The blonde stumbled forward several more feet before collapsing to the ground. She closed her eyes and gave into the sleep that her body craved. Snow began covering her tall lithe form.

Several minutes passed and a figure in dark navy midnight blue appeared. He saw the shape of Haruka's body and carefully picked her up, pack and all, as if she weighed nothing. He carefully wrapped a thick, warm cloak around her body and rose to his feet. He began walking, the snow swirling around him. He made his way to a decent size building and walked through the gates.

The man walked through the deserted, torch lit halls and came to a halt in front of a decent size room. He went in and gently placed Haruka on the bed after he removed the large pack. He pulled a blanket over her and lit a lone candle. His work done, the man left the room, his cloak over his shoulder.

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Haruka groaned and opened her eyes. She looked around the room she was in, weird shadows being cast on the walls and ceiling due to the candle on the bedside table. She rose to her feet and picked up the candle. She began wandering around the room, determined to get her bearings and find out where she was.

Once she was familiar with the room she cracked open the door and listened for voices. Hearing none, she crept out and walked down the hall, surprised that she had not run into anyone thus far. She rounded a corner and found herself outside. She immediately shut her eyes against the glare of the sun off of the snow. She opened her eyes and grew accustomed to the light. She looked around the grounds and was surprised to see that they were well maintained.

"Nice to see you awake," a warm, kind voice said.

She turned and saw a man about her age standing in front of her wearing a heavy dark navy midnight blue robe. Several gold hoop earrings glinted in the sun, more in his left than in his right. "Who are you? Where am I?" she demanded.

"I found you outside last night asleep in the blizzard," he said. "I brought you to this old abandoned temple…my home."

"You're a priest?"

"No."

"Monk?"

He smiled wider and laughed a little. "I'm no holy man. I'm known as Raijuu Seiten," he said. "Most people call me Rai though."

"Haruka," she said.

"Nice to meet you," he said.

"This is a nice place you have here…secluded though."

He nodded. "These past few years I've preferred to be alone. Had some things I needed to sort out and I didn't want to be disturbed. But now I think I'm ready to go back to the city." He looked intently at her, green eyes staring straight into her own. "What brings you out here?"

Haruka looked away. "I did some questionable things about a year ago. My friends forgave me for what I did but…" she trailed off.

"You can't forgive yourself," he finished.

Haruka nodded. "They forgave me so easily too. Even after they…" she stopped and shook her head. "It doesn't matter."

"It matters to you apparently," Rai said. He watched her for several minutes. "You're welcome to stay here for as long as you like till you figure something out. And if you want, I'll help," he offered.

Haruka looked at him and shrugged. "I've nothing better to do."

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Haruka finished tying the belt around her waist and looked at herself in the mirror. She was wearing a heavy brown robe and a pair of black boots. She walked out and looked out of a window at the melting snow. A month had passed since she had arrived at the old temple and she had slowly come to learn peace.

Pushing away the longing for her friends and Michiru she walked down the halls, going a new way she had never gone before. She frowned when she came to a dead end. "Strange…" she murmured. Seeing something on the wall she reached out and brushed some of the dirt away. Confusion appeared on her face when the symbol of Uranus met her eyes. Her eyes widened as the symbol began to glow and the wall slid away.

The blonde carefully walked down the dark corridor, feeling drawn by something. She stepped through a doorway and was suddenly blinded by bright light. As her vision cleared, she saw beautiful white marble floors, walls, ceiling, and columns all around her. As she looked around at her new surroundings, she saw about a dozen different symbols for Uranus. She looked at one wall and saw a huge mural.

The mural was of a large, beautiful kingdom full of smiling, happy people. Upon closer inspection, Haruka recognized several of the people. They were Mars, Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, and Princess Serenity. On the other side of the Moon Princess were Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. Next to Serenity was a man in a mask and a tuxedo.

As Haruka moved down the mural, it began to depict fight scenes and scenes of death as an army invaded from the planet behind the moon: Earth. Haruka turned from the mural and saw another on the opposite wall. She walked over and inspected the other mural as well. This one showed a beautiful kingdom, a large symbol of Uranus behind a pair of thrones.

"What is this place?" she whispered softly, her voice echoing off of the walls.

"A temple dedicated of Uranus from the Silver Millennium," a voice said. Haruka turned and saw Rai step out of the shadows, his face serious. "The passageway you found brought you to this place."

"We're still on Earth though…right?" she asked.

He nodded towards a window and she looked out. Stars filled the night sky, the brightest being sea green in color. "Not so much," he said.

"We're on Uranus…aren't we?" she asked.

"Yes," he said.

Haruka looked at the sea green star. "That's Neptune…right?"

"It is. The Uranusian Princess liked to come to this temple so she could see her lover's planet every night. The two Princesses were deeply in love…in spite of their parents attempts at breaking them up."

"You know a lot about this stuff," Haruka commented.

Rai smiled. "I'm just here to guide you on your path…Sailor Uranus," he said.

"What makes you think I'm Sailor Uranus?" Haruka asked.

"Only she could have gotten here without a guide," he replied. His smile widened. "And you easily picked out Neptune."

"This is crazy…I have to be dreaming," she muttered.

"This is no dream Haruka. You are meant to be here."

"For what?" she demanded.

"To learn about the new power you will soon receive."

She shook her head. "I'm not getting any power," she said. "I gave up being a Senshi." She looked down. "They don't need me," she added softly.

"Yes they do," he said. "You may have left but the enemy didn't. Your fellow Senshi are out of the hospital, but they haven't been fairing too well without you and Sailor Moon," he informed her.

"I failed them. I wasn't strong enough to protect the Princess," Haruka said. She looked at him, her eyes hard. "I'm not worthy of being a Senshi."

"So train to become stronger," he challenged. "I can teach you how to fight like the leader you're meant to be."

She looked at him. "Leader?" she repeated.

"Of all the Senshi, the four Inner and four Outer, you are the strongest of them all," he said.

"Saturn has more power than I do. And Sailor Moon's power is greater than Saturn's," Haruka said.

"Sailor Moon is the Princess and future queen. It stands to reason why she would have such power. But she will not be a Senshi forever. You and the others will be. As for Saturn, she does have great power, but you help her keep it in check," Rai said. "You are one of the greatest Senshi in the galaxy. You've only forgotten that."

She arched a brow at him. "Me? A great Senshi known throughout the galaxy? You've got to be kidding me," she said dismissively.

"I'm not Uranus," he said. "But if you refuse to help your fellow Senshi, then I can't force you." He turned and left.

Haruka shook her head and walked to a basin of water. She looked in and an image of Neptune appeared. The ache in her heart strengthened and she bowed her head. She opened her eyes and looked in the water again. This time she saw her friends being beaten easily by the enemy that had appeared.

"Too bad your lover isn't here," a man sneered at Neptune. "You might have stood a chance then." The man grabbed Neptune's head and viciously twisted her neck.

"NO!" Haruka bellowed, slamming her hand in the water. The scene faded away and was replaced with her reflection. Adrenaline pumped through her system as the scene replayed over and over in her head. "I have to help them…I have to…" she said, her right fist clenched tightly.

Hmm...the plot's beginning to thicken...and so's my pudding!

Elphie Muse: I apologize for the author's extreme lack of sanity.

Why be sane in an insane world I say. As for the lack of reviews, I am disappointed but that's not going to stop me from updating. So you might as well make me a happy author by reviewing the chapters. Just because I have this story done doesn't mean I won't change everything and make it miserable for the Senshi. I control their fate in this story.

Elphie Muse: Um...while the author goes on a rant, just review. It'll shut her up, trust me.