Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon or any of the characters found in Sailor Moon.

Author Note:

SilentKing: Thank you for the quite long review let me try to clarify a few things. I believe Haruka freaking out over Michiru more so than losing her children is because she saw it happen directly in front of her. When the children were kidnapped she was quite upset but wasn't directly there she was able to be more level headed about it. I'm quite sure that if she was there she would have reacted the same way as she did when Michiru died. Watching your soul mate die right in front of you can be rather traumatic. Not to mention when she found out about the twins she had Michiru there to keep her level headed and the concerns for her third daughter Hotaru. Don't get me wrong though Haruka does care greatly for her children. And had the situation been reversed she would have behaved the same way.

I've tried to include both personalities into the twins yet at the same time giving them their own personalities. I personally believe that many traits are passed from parent to child especially at such a young age. At the age the children are they are quite impressible. Haruko and Michiyo do possess a special bond between each other that I will get into in later chapters when they are forced to fight against each other so no need to worry about that.

I had never intended to have Michiyo turn bad she is somewhat the perpetual good guy in the story. As for Kimi being the next choice the folder Katsumi has is detailed descriptions of each of the senshi's children. What their personal traits are, general facts about them who they get along with and don't get along with. At the age Kimi and Haruko are at the romantic bond is yet to develop but there is a close friendship between the two. Think of Kimi as Haruko's best friend. I've only been slightly hinting at it but Katsumi isn't only bribing the children by giving them what they want and being motherly. It's only a backup device used to reinforce the charm or spell she has put on them. Haruko fell easily under her spell because she has more of a darker side to her than Michiyo, Haruko in the future often being referred to as the bad child hinted at with her relation to Ami. Meanwhile Kimi was easy to fall because of her friendship with Haruko and the underlying fact that they are soul mates though at the age they are now they don't realize it. Young Haruko is already completely under Katsumi's spell and being such close friends Kimi is more inclined to fall under the spell because she trust Haruko and Haruko trusts Katsumi.

Kimi was chosen over the other senshi children because her traits were more compatible with Haruko's traits. As stated Makoto's child Iyona is very loyal to a fault converting her probably won't be possible like with Michiyo, Chibi-Usa too young and Mar's child Reiko doesn't get along with Haruko so that leaves Kimi as the most likely choice.

Hope this explains a bit to you and once again thanks for the review constructive criticism is always welcome. If you want to discuss this further my e-mail is my pen name at hotmail and my AIM is also my pen name.

Auraluna7: Time paradoxes can be tricky and I'm going to quote Captain Katherine Janeway of the Starship Voyager (yes I'm a trekie) because she has the best explanation of time paradoxes I have ever heard, "My advice on understanding temporal paradoxes? Don't try."

Though in a brief attempt let me put it this way when Haruko and Michiyo saved Haruka and Michiru they created a new time line a time line where they would not have to travel back in time. Therefore when the timeline was drastically changed their younger selves grew up never time traveling to save their parents. In a sense there are three Haruko and Michiyos right now. The young ones that are still children, the future ones that never time traveled and the two that have been displaced by the changes in time.

(Ten'ou / Kaiou Manor, Haruka and Michiru's room the next morning)

Haruka stood in front of a tall mirror buttoning up her shirt, Michiru sat a short ways from her at the vanity brushing her hair. "Michi I want you to take Michiyo and leave the house for a while." Haruka said.

"Ruka, if Haruko and Kimi really are working for Katsumi they will attack you if you are alone." Michiru said turning to face her lover.

"That's what I am counting on. They will wait until I am alone then attack me." Haruka said. "While you are still here they won't so I need you to leave for a while."

"I won't leave you alone to fight them." Michiru said standing and walking over to Haruka wrapping her arms around Haruka's waist, "What if something happened to you?"

"Haruko won't harm me." Haruka said placing her hands on top of Michiru's hands. "I'm sure of it. Whatever Katsumi has done to her I know our Haruko is still in there."

"I won't go far and promise me you will use your communicator if anything happens." Michiru said.

"I will love and don't worry if I am right she won't be able to attack me." Haruka said.

"I'm worried about if you are wrong it's bad enough this has happened to Haruko I couldn't bear losing you as well." Michiru said.

(Downstairs in the kitchen a short while later)

Haruka sat at the table reading a newspaper, Michiru and Michiyo had left a short while before saying they were going to go see if Setsuna had more information. Haruka saw two senshi step into the kitchen out of the corner of her eye but didn't make movement show she saw them. "Papa." Neo Uranus said.

Haruka looked up setting the paper down on the table. "So it is true you have been converted to her side."

"Converted to her side? I have always served the queen you could say I've just finally realized the truth." Neo Uranus said.

"The truth?" Haruka asked still sitting at the table.

"Yes the truth about your princess how she stole this solar system from the queen and tricked her senshi into serving her." Neo Uranus said. "But that's not important. What is important is I'm here to take your henshin stick and give it to its rightful owner."

Haruka called her henshin stick and set it on the table across from her easily within Neo Uranus' reach. "If this is what you are here for then take it."

"You are just giving it to us? " Neo Uranus asked a little confused. "Just like that?"

"Yes just like that. If that is what you want so badly take it." Haruka said.

"Why? What's the trick?" Neo Uranus asked.

"No trick. If there is anything I've learned from the princess it is that fighting isn't always the answer." Haruka said.

Neo Uranus started laughing then picked up the henshin stick, "You know there are a lot of things I always thought you were hell I even looked up to you. You were my idol my hero the magnificent Sailor Uranus a woman who never backed down from a battle. You surprise me of all the things I thought you were I never thought you were a fucking coward. Makes me wonder how many of the stories you would sit at night and tell me were actually true. I should kill you where you sit." Neo Uranus said drawing her sword out.

"Think what you will but I've never lied to you." Haruka said still sitting there not flinching even with Neo Uranus' sword pressed to her throat. "But let me say this the Haruko I know would never kill a unarmed opponent she would never kill in cold blood. She has honor."

Neo Uranus stood thinking then pulled her sword back pushing Haruka and knocking her down on the ground. Haruka knelt on the ground as Neo Uranus threw her henshin stick at her feet. "Transform."

"What the hell are you doing?" Neo Mercury said drawing out a sword made of ice. (see footnotes in reference to the sword) But Neo Uranus held her back.

"No." Haruka said standing and leaving the henshin on the ground.

"Transform and fight me!" Neo Uranus shouted.

"I won't fight you if you are going to kill me you will have to do it in cold blood." Haruka said crossing her arms across her chest.

"What are you afraid of losing? You are a fucking coward!" Neo Uranus said. "Fight me! Prove me wrong."

"I am no coward I just know which battles to fight. I will not fight you Ruko." Haruka said.

"Don't call me that!" Neo Uranus said lunging across the room tackling Haruka to the ground. She placed her blade firmly to Haruka's neck hard enough to draw a small line of blood across her throat.

"So this is it? With one flick of your wrist you throw away any honor you've ever had?" Haruka asked.

Neo Uranus growled then stood up walking away. "Lets go." Neo Mercury nodded grabbed the henshin stick from the ground and disappeared with Neo Uranus.

(Katsumi's Palace)

Neo Uranus and Neo Mercury appeared in a room where at the end sat Katsumi as if she knew they were coming. Both moved closer then knelt when they were a short distance from her. "My queen" The both said.

"Uranus, Mercury stand." Katsumi said. Both stood and Mercury stepped forward handing the henshin stick to Katsumi. "I assume Uranus is dead then?"

"Not quite." Neo Uranus said.

"What do you mean not quite?" Katsumi said standing.

"She still lives. She refused to fight and handed over her henshin stick." Neo Mercury said.

"Your orders were to kill her." Katsumi said.

"She would not fight I will not shame my honor and kill in cold blood." Neo Uranus said.

"My queen if I may?" Tetsuji said getting a glare from Katsumi but she motioned for him to continue. "Without her henshin stick Uranus no Ten'ou Haruka is nothing more than a mortal woman. She is of no threat to us."

"I suppose you are right." Katsumi said turning back to Neo Uranus and Neo Mercury. "I trust you will have more success with Mercury and follow all your orders?"

"Yes my queen." Neo Mercury said before they both bowed and disappeared.

(Ten'ou / Kaiou manor)

Haruka sat on the ground still staring at the empty space Haruko and Kimi had occupied only minutes before. She began quietly chuckling completely unaware of the blood running down her neck. The door to the kitchen flew open and Michiru and Michiyo ran in. Michiru looked around the table had been knocked over as well as several chairs. She couldn't see Haruka but could hear a noise that she couldn't quite make out. "Haruka?" Michiru called out worry on her face. She had sensed something and come back as soon as she could not really going far she and Michiyo had parked the car several blocks down from their home.

"Over here." Haruka said holding her hand up.

"Kami-sama Haruka what happened?" Michiru said knelling next to her lover finally finding her and seeing the blood. "You're bleeding!" Haruka didn't say anything just sat there laughing more as Michiru grabbed a towel pressing it to Haruka's neck and told Michiyo to go get the first aid kit. "What's so funny?"

"I was right." Haruka said still laughing.

"Care to explain what about?" Michiru said taking the first aid kit from Michiyo then grabbing Haruka's hand and pressing it on the towel. "Hold this."

"About Haruko she's still in there she couldn't kill me." Haruka said.

Michiru laid out several bandages then cut several pieces of tape to hold them on she then moved Haruka's hand and dabbed at the wound before pressing the bandage to it and securing it with the tape. "That's good to hear."

"Bad news is she has my henshin stick." Haruka said as Michiru helped her to her feet.

"What? How did she get it?" Michiyo said.

"I gave it to her." Haruka said.

"You what!" Michiru almost yelled.

"I gave it to her. We've taught both our girls honor and I knew Haruko wouldn't kill me in cold blood. I refused to transform and gave her my henshin stick. She threw it back at me and tired to make me fight. When I still refused she attacked me but as you can see she couldn't kill me. She and Kimi left taking my henshin stick." Haruka said. "On the bright side we don't have to worry about them attacking me."

"Haruka this isn't something to joke about. We need to get to Ami-chan's she will be next." Michiru said.

Footnotes:

In the Live Action version of the series there is a scene where Ami becomes Dark Mercury and uses a sword made of ice that is where I got the sword. It will come into play more in later chapters.