"Setsuna, what happened there?" Ami asked, finding it difficult to keep the question down any longer.

Pluto sighed and lowered her staff. "The Queen and The Small Lady have disappeared. The King does not even know anything about them, as if the had never existed. The barrier around the royal city has fallen as well, and is vulnerable to attack. I know you can bring her back. You're strong, I know you are. We may not have Uranus and Neptune now, but I know we can do it."

Ami nodded and wiped at her eyes one more time.

"Make sure you focus on Haruka and Michiru, and don't let go," Pluto reminded.

She formed a circle, holding Mercury and Jupiter's hands. Pluto's staff hovered in the air above them and formed a circle over the five. A moment later, there was nobody where they had stood.


Michiru felt the first pains only momentarily after she sent Haruka away. The room was filled with attendants the moment she uttered a cry of pain. Michiru clutched at her belly in an attempt to stop the burning that was consuming her body. Her entire body felt as if it were aflame. Even the attendants began to back away as Michiru's body fell to the floor in an image of absolute agony. Blood began to pour from all of her orifices until it seemed as there could be none left. A monstrous sound escaped Michiru's body, not from her lips, but from somewhere within.

At that point, the only one in the ruby room was a horror-struck Malus. He knelt down in the pool of blood and took his unconscious mate in his arms. It wasn't supposed to go like this, and she was early as well. The woman's skin was cold and colorless. With another glance, he noticed that she was barely breathing. He had never seen such a violent rejection of the host, but after all, he had heard the call of birth. A strange mixture of overwhelming excitement and sadness fell upon Malus as he realized that his child was about to come and that the woman that was about to give her to him was going to die.

Malus had known that a proper birth was not possible in a human of Earth. There was simply no way that his child would be able to exit as the human babies did from such a small opening. But yet, he had promised the woman than she wouldn't experience any pain. He could only watch as her body was torn apart from the inside out. He silently apologized as he carried Michiru to the bedroom. At least she wouldn't have to die there on the floor.

Malus could feel Michiru steadily gaining in weight as he carried her. As he looked down, he could see that her belly had at least doubled in size. As he laid Michiru on the bed, the child cried out again to let all know that she was coming. Michiru's eyes opened, giving him an accusing, glassy stare as Beryl's foot finally emerged from her body. Her eyes bulged as the leg of a girl of at least ten years forced its way out of her, shortly followed by its twin. Michiru didn't make a sound as the torso came, but Malus turned away so that he wouldn't have to see her expressions any longer.

Beryl was born a horrific sight. She was covered in blood from head to toe with Michiru's innards tangled around arms and in her long hair. Yet Malus saw her as the most beautiful thing imaginable. She was finally here after so many ages. He instantly forgot about Michiru and quickly released the girl from her mother's intestines and lifted her from the bed. Malus then bowed before her, realizing his position compared to her. Beryl placed her hand upon Malus' head.

"Father, what are you doing? Where am I?" she asked in a small, but surprisingly mature voice.

"Beryl, you are home." Malus smiled and took his daughter in his arms


Haruka awoke exhausted, sweaty, and never needing to urinate more. She pulled off the covers and waddled to the bathroom. She awkwardly squatted down on the seat and then released her bladder. Haruka looked at herself in the mirror as she washed her hands. At first everything seemed normal. Then Haruka snapped into full consciousness and realized that she had either gained twenty-five pounds in a few hours or that she was pregnant.

"This can't be happening," Haruka uttered disbelievingly

As if to tell her wrong, whatever was inside of her changed position, causing Haruka further panic. Haruka backed into the wall, knocking her toothbrush and a bottle of Michiru's lotion onto the floor. At this time, Haruka was completely drenched with sweat. She was about to break down into a fit when a strange white light filled the room. A beam shot out directly from her stomach and the small dots of light began to concentrate before her in the form of a small child.

Before Haruka could pass, out, the girl had fully formed. She was staring at Haruka with a solemnity she had never seen on a child's face.

"Sailor Uranus," the golden-haired child addressed her. "I am going to need your help."

"W-What are you?" Haruka gasped, backing further against the wall.

The girl gave her a small smile. "I suppose it has been a good while since we last met."

As the golden symbol of the moon appeared on the girl's forehead, Haruka regained her stature and bowed so that her head was nearly below the five- year- old's ankles.

"Your Majesty," Haruka uttered.

Haruka had only seen her queen once, but hers was a face that she would never forget.

"Queen Serenity, I await your orders."