Haruka went over the grass, suddenly feeling the wind that rushed through the cherry trees. Or was it a wind that arose from the shadow land? She didn't know; she didn't care. All that seemed to exist in the two worlds they were straddling was the young woman on the ground. She smiled and held the tiny pyjamas over her swollen belly.
-Michiru-chan gave it to me; it's a gift from New York.- laughed the young woman and her blond plaits jumped when she turned her head and looked over to her husband who swung a big fork around with which he had turned over the steaks only a minute ago.
-Do you really want to dress our daughter in what looks like the Statue of Liberty's clothes?- Indeed, those tiny pyjamas were green and had a big heart in the front. English letters spelled the motto I love NY.
-Why not? I'm sure she'll look cute in them.-
-She'll look cute in any clothes, because she's your daughter.-
The young woman blushed and smiled happily at his compliment. She put the clothes away and wanted to get up, but froze when she raised her head and stared in the air. Wind appeared out of the blue, dragged at her long hair and at her white dress, showing her big belly even more clearly. Her deep blue eyes sparkled and a golden sign suddenly glowed on her forehead. It had the form of a crescent.
"She's the earth princess." Said Kakyuu, who had felt the blonde's power before but had never been able to touch her, no matter how hard she had tried, and crouched when Haruka went on her knees in front of young woman. Yes, she had seen all the pictures in the house, but she had never met the blonde before, had never felt the strong aura.
"Yes, she's Sailor Moon." There was no doubt in Haruka's voice. Even though the young woman didn't wear her costume, she was sure that the pregnant woman was the Sailor Senshi's princess.
She used to be my princess, too.
"Give up! You won't escape me!"
Haruka heard the angry voice behind her, felt the shadow approaching quickly. She knew that this was their only chance. If she failed now, there'd be no way to return to the real world. Once they'd be trapped in the shadow land, they'd never be able to see the others again. To see the Three Lights again. To see Michiru again…
Michi-chan!
"Please, give me strength." Haruka raised her free hand and concentrated on an object she had held before and thrown away so often. An object she had never wanted to use again. To be the person she had stopped being when she decided to take care of her little brother instead. What meant her powers if she couldn't use them to save one life? How could she save millions if she wasn't able to rescue him? If she wasn't able to rescue Princess Kakyuu right now?
"Come to me." And sure enough, there was the golden staff hanging in the air right before her. Haruka gulped and stretched her trembling hand towards her henshin.
"This is your end!"
Haruka took the staff and felt the power floating through her body, giving her a strength she thought she had used up during the past weeks when she had run through the shadow land.
"She's almost here." Whispered Kakyuu and tried to stand up. No, she wouldn't go under without a fight, but her powers were consumed and she was weak. The princess had struggled for long years. Now it was time that someone took over.
"I need your help, Princess." Said Haruka and acknowledged Sailor Moon's position for the first time. She had never called her by her title, not even during the short time she had fought with the young woman and her team. The blonde leaned forward and was actually able to take Usagi's right hand. The pregnant woman blinked and her eyes grew wide as she saw the blonde kneeling in front of her.
"Sailor Uranus?" she whispered, recognizing her immediately, even though the blonde hadn't transformed, still wore her dark clothes. However, there was only Senshi who was able to hold that golden henshin.
"You won't escape!"
"She's here, Haruka-san!"
"You have to take care of Kakyuu-san." Haruka pushed the two hands together. "Don't let her go or she'll disappear forever." Usagi's confused face grew serious and she nodded. Then she intertwined Kakyuu's cold fingers with her warm ones, once again proving just how powerful she truly was.
"Come here." Usagi gently pulled the red haired woman whom she had heard about so much from the three brothers towards her blanket and blue eyes grew wide when Kakyuu felt how she actually left the shadow land. The pregnant woman's voice sounded strange in her ears and yet so right. As if they were in the same world.
"Whatever happens, don't let her go!" Haruka sprung to her feet and spun around, holding the golden henshin in front of her like the weapon it was. A weapon she had refused so often to use. Today, she hoped that she would be powerful enough to free the Three Light's princess. Just this one time she wanted to be strong enough to achieve something. To actually save a dear person.
-Uranus?-
She could hear Usagi's voice behind her, knowing that there was still a world separating them. However, it didn't matter.
"You will not be able to run away!"
"Who said that I want to run away!" Haruka held the henshin higher and felt its power soaring through her. A golden light escaped from the staff, even though she hadn't even shouted her battle cry; the words she had once thought sounding so stupid. A small planet emerged and hit the approaching shadow which was slowed down for a moment.
-Kaki-chan?-
Haruka glanced over her shoulder and saw Tahiki running towards them. He looked different and he wore a strange dark leather costume, but she recognized his voice immediately. True, she had already known from Kakyuu that the Three Lights were her Sailor Senshi, but it was still another thing to actually see them in their fighting form. Tahiki stumbled and almost fell down when he saw his princess really sitting next to Usagi. The young man didn't look around. He didn't see Haruka nor the dangerous shadow. He only saw his girlfriend.
-Kaki-chan…- was all he muttered before he went on his knees next to her and embraced her passionately, holding her tightly and looking like he wouldn't let her go again. Kakyuu's fingers were still in Usagi's hand, but she managed to wrap her free arm around her boyfriend's trembling form. There were still tears in blue eyes, but they were tears of joy now, not of sadness. Haruka wanted them to stay this way. Forever.
-My Tahiki…-
They haven't seen each other for over five years…
Haruka gulped and watched two other Star Senshi running through the glass door and over the terrace.
Sejya-kun.
Yaten-chan.
The blonde didn't know their Sailor names, but she knew that Kakyuu would be safe with them. As long as she was able to defeat Sailor Galactica, the princess would be reunited with her family. Finally.
"I will get her back! She's mine!"
Haruka shook her head and wanted to face again the shadow in front of her. However, her eyes caught a movement at the terrace, right behind the two brothers still dashing through the garden towards their princess. Towards a young woman they considered to be like their older sister.
What?
Haruka shivered when she saw the young man in his dark tuxedo. He wore a mask and held one of those silly roses in his hands, but the blonde recognized him immediately. Sailor Moon's husband, their future king. The father of little Chibiusa. Usagi's love. Next to him, there was a young woman wearing the typical Sailor fuku. The air seemed to crackle around her and tiny flashes danced around her worried looking face.
Tuxedo Kamen?
Sailor Jupiter?
Haruka frowned, although it should have been clear to her. Sailor Moon was here, therefore it was only normal that her Senshi were here, as well. Probably, the other young women Haruka only knew from all those funny photos were the rest of the team.
Does Michi-chan know all this?
Haruka's eyes grew wide as she saw the person emerging from the living room right behind Sailor Jupiter. She wore a green Sailor costume and held a golden henshin in her right hand.
Sailor Neptune.
Haruka recognized her immediately. The girl who tried so desperately to be her friend when she didn't want to have a friend. The girl she probably hurt the most when she decided for her little brother instead and followed her parents to America to sit at his bed in a hospital in Chicago, praying for a miracle that never happened.
Sailor Neptune wasn't a girl any longer. She grew into a woman. A beautiful woman Haruka had seen sad and happy during the past months. A kind woman who was able to play the most wonderful music. A funny woman who had made her laugh even though she wanted to cry.
Michi-chan…
Sailor Neptune was the woman Haruka fell in love with while listening to her violin play, while swimming with her in the hotels' swimming pools, while watching her sleep, while embracing her and finding comfort, peace and love in her tender arms.
Ruka?
The Senshi of the Ocean stopped when she saw the blonde standing in front of Sailor Moon and the three Star Lights. While Tahiki embraced who seemed to be Kakyuu, because Neptune had seen the photo so often to see the resemblance between the young woman and the girl immediately, did his younger brothers stand in front of the blanket, holding their stars high in the air as if to fight against an enemy only they could see. Certainly Sailor Galactica, although Neptune couldn't see her. All she could see was Haruka standing in front of them, even though she didn't face the brothers directly. No, she looked straight ahead, staring at something only she could see.
Ruka?
Neptune gasped for breath as the blonde turned her head and she was able to see the golden sign glowing on her forehead.
No! That's not true!
However, Neptune saw the henshin in Haruka's hands and knew that it was true.
Impossible!
"She's mine !"
"You won't get her." Haruka banned every other thought from her mind as she concentrated again on the shadow right in front of her. She saw the red light emerging from those menacing eyes, saw the connection between Kakyuu and the shadow and suddenly realized that all she had to do was to cut that connection. Then Kakyuu would be free and could live happily with her family.
"She's always been mine and I'll take her back!"
"Over my dead body!" Haruka swung her henshin around and another golden planet emerged from it. It hit the shadow again who didn't seem to be as surprised as it had been when the first planet hit it. Instead it laughed and that noise made Haruka shiver in disgust.
"That can be arranged."
The blonde nodded and ran towards the shadow.
"Take care of her, Sailor Moon, I'm counting on you!"
-No, Haruka-san! Don't do that! Stay!-
-Sailor Uranus!-
Maybe this was the end. Maybe she was destined to die in the shadow land, by the hand of an enemy called Sailor Galactica. As long as she managed to free Kakyuu, it would be worth it.
"This will be your death!"
The laughter grew louder as the darkness surrounded her. Haruka closed her eyes for a moment and gripped her henshin a little bit tighter.
So be it.
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"Do you really think you'll be able to defeat me?"
The voice seemed to fill her entire world, as did the darkness. Haruka took a deep breath and concentrated on the red light coming from the shadow she couldn't distinguish any longer from the darkness. Probably, Sailor Galactica was near; maybe she was everywhere around her; it didn't matter. All that mattered was the red light in front of her. The silver edge grew stronger and Haruka knew instinctively that this was the link that had connected the Three Lights to their princess. It had been strong all those long years in which the brothers searched for Kakyuu, allowing her to return to the real world, even though her family couldn't see her. It had grown weaker after Tahiki's decision to no longer search for Kakyuu, therefore almost losing her forever. Haruka knew why the young man had decided to quit the Three Light business or at least to no longer perform on the stage, but his brave behaviour had almost destroyed the silver connection and with it all hopes of ever seeing his fiancée again.
I have to cut the red light.
"You will never defeat me, because I'm stronger than you!"
I have to set her free.
Haruka held her henshin into the red light and felt its resistance. It looked like a light, but seemed to be more like a threat in reality. Or a string to pull Kakyuu back from the real world and to hold her captive in the shadow land like a weak-willed puppet.
I couldn't rescue Aki-chan, but I'll rescue her!
"Earth Shaking." She only whispered the stupid attack, remembering that it had never made a difference if she'd shouted it or not. Their costumes, their spells had only been for show. Their true powers were deep in their hearts. Probably, they didn't even need their henshin to make the spells work, however, Haruka didn't want to test that out today.
The henshin changed its shape. It wasn't a golden staff any longer, but a sword. A sabre hopefully sharp enough to cut the threat at last, forever. The golden planet emerged for the third time, now from her sabre, and bounced off the red light. It seemed like it wasn't that easy to break, however, Haruka could see a small crack from where the golden planet had hit it. If she tried long enough, she'd be able to break it. Damn, she had to break it!
"What do you think you're doing?"
A bright beam came out of the darkness and hit her, catapulted her backwards for a few metres. She gasped for breath when her back made contact with the hard ground. Her world was filled with that mean laughter again, but she didn't care. All that mattered was the red light she had to cut. Somehow.
"Do you really thinkt hat you'll be able to destroy it?"
The laughter rose to an uncomfortable height as Haruka came to her feet and staggered over to the red light, raising her sabre. However, she couldn't bring it down, couldn't throw her golden planet, couldn't try to cut the threat, because there was an invisible barrier holding her back. She tried to break forcefully through the wall, but there was sudden pain in her right arm that made her hesitate, at least for a second. Sailor Galactica seemed to have noticed for her laughter got even louder and Haruka wondered briefly if the woman who had caused all this pain to Kakyuu and the Three Lights ever breathed. She had to stop her shrill laughter at one point in order to breathe, hadn't she?
"If you try to get through, I'll break your arm !"
It wasn't so much the threat that puzzled Haruka but more the fact that the mad laughter didn't stop, even though Sailor Galactica spoke to her.
Did she tape her voice in order to impress me now?
Haruka shook her head. Right now there was no time for silly questions, even though she was suddenly quite interested in the answers. Maybe Sailor Galactica wasn't even so powerful but only tried to intimidate them with cheap tricks.
The blonde tried to break through the invisible wall and bit on her lower lip as the pain grew instantly to a degree she could hardly bear. She gulped the scream raising in her throat, because she didn't want to give Sailor Galactica that satisfaction, as well. Someone who had held Kakyuu captive for over five years, only letting her see a shadow of the real world, was pervert enough to gloat over her distress.
"That hurts, doesn't it?"
Sailor Galactica seemed to have noticed, nonetheless. The pressure on Haruka's right arm grew stronger, but she didn't let go of her sabre nor did she back away. The red light was right in front of her and she had to cut it, no matter what!
"Do you feel that pain, you little worm? It'll be worse in a minute and then you'll be screaming!"
Indeed, the pain grew fiercer and Haruka's mouth slowly filled with something that tasted salty. It was warm and ran over her chin. The blonde needed some moments to realize that it was blood, her blood; she had unconsciously bit her lip so hard that it started to bleed. Her body trembled and sweat ran down her temples and her back.
I have to cut that damn threat!
"That's real pain, isn't it?"
Real pain?
Haruka pressed harder against the barrier and her vision blurred slightly as the dizziness in her head grew.
Real pain?!
"Do you know what real pain is?" she gasped and leaned harder against the invisible wall, ignoring the ache searing through her right arm. Haruka only grabbed the henshin tighter, prepared herself to use it. To throw the golden planet, even if it would be the last time she'd do so.
"Do you think that this is real pain? Believe me, that's nothing!" Haruka shook her head and put her entire weight on her arm.
"But it hurts! I know it hurts! Therefore it's pain!"
"You think this is pain?" Haruka snorted in an attempt of a laughter. "I also used to think that this was pain. Then I thought it was the diagnose. It's only a few words, spoken from a damn friendly smiling doctor in that fucking calming voice. It was only one word, but it hurt like hell." The blonde shook her head. "The injections were terribly painful, but the therapies were even worse. I thought real pain was the moment when he begged me to stop it; to end this poison being injected into his small body."
"Isn't what you experience right now…"
"Shut up, you know nothing, you idiot!" Haruka interrupted Sailor Galactica rudely. "You might think that his relapse was painful or the moment when Bill had to tell me that there was no hope, that Akito-chan wouldn't survive the following night."
"How dare you…"
"But all that wasn't real pain. Not his illness, not the therapies, not the relapse. No, not even his death." Haruka didn't listen to Sailor Galactica's angry screams. She pulled the sabre back for mere centimetres to hit the invisible wall with all her strength. "Real pain is to stand helplessly aside, watching all this fucking shit while you can't do nothing!" Haruka finally broke through the barrier. She heard the soft crack and hot pain flashed through her right arm, but she didn't even flinch. She only raised her sabre and threw the golden planet.
"Earth Shaking." The words came automatically from her red lips and she watched the small planet growing bigger and bigger.
Help me, Uranus, just this once.
She begged silently, hoping that she wouldn't fail this time. At least not this time. The planet reached its full size and she could see its rings before it hit the red light. For a moment the red and the golden beams seemed to fight until the red connection finally disappeared into the darkness.
Thanks!
"No!"
"It's the helplessness that's the real pain." Haruka lowered her right arm and gasped for breath as thousand little needles seemed to pierce right through her skin. "This is nothing."
"You're just a little Senshi! How dare you thwart my plans!"
Sailor Galactica's words told Haruka that she indeed did free Kakyuu. She felt the shadow land shake, but it didn't matter any longer. As long as the princess could return to the brothers, to her family, it was alike to the blonde what would follow. As long as she had been able to save at least this life.
I didn't fail this time.
Haruka smiled weakly and brought her broken arm closer to her trembling body, tried to shield it with her healthy arm when she felt Sailor Galactica's power surrounding her. However, she didn't let go of her sabre that returned to its henshin form in order to be not so heavy for her exhausted body.
"You're mistaken again. I'm not a Senshi."
Not since the day I decided for Akito-chan instead.
"I don't care who you are! You've just let that damn princess escape. For that you'll die. Here and right now."
Haruka closed her eyes and lowered her head.
"Do what you have to do."
I could save Kakyuu-san. At least once I could make a change.
What happened now wasn't important.
Or so she thought.
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"What's going on?"
Sailor Mercury and Sailor Venus jumped from the trees to take position behind their princess, just in case that someone tried to ambush her. Two cherries still hang over the Love Senshi's left ear and green leaves stuck in blue hair.
"It's Sailor Galactica." Answered Sailor Pluto who seemed to have appeared out of thin air, or better, behind the raspberry bush behind which she had knelt only minutes before to change her daughter's nappies. Hotaru was only one year old, but you could see the tiny sign glowing on her small forehead, nonetheless. Elza held the little girl tightly in her arms, but followed her girlfriend determinedly. The times when she had stayed out of the action were over. It was her family, after all, and she didn't see why she should wait at home, worrying herself crazy. As long as Hotaru was with her, nothing could happen to her, anyway. Sailor Saturn was still a toddler, but her powers were already extraordinarily strong. No youma would manage to break through the shield the little girl was able to erect around herself and her second mommy who was holding her right now.
"Sailor Galactica? Great!" sighed Sailor Mars and fell on her knees beside Sailor Moon to gasp hard for breath. It was obvious that she had felt the looming danger and ran all the way from her grandfather's temple to Usagi's house. "Where is that asshole?"
"She's in her own world." Whispered Kakyuu and they all turned to stare at her in surprise. "She's fighting with her right now."
"Princess Kakyuu?" Both, Mercury and Venus, opened her eyes wide and stepped hesitatingly over to the red haired woman to touch her. They winced back when they felt Sailor Galactica's aura surrounding the young woman.
"You're still in her hands, aren't you?" panted Mars and raised her henshin in order to kick Sailor Galactica's ass if she dared to get too close to her pregnant princess.
"Hai." Whispered Kakyuu and smiled as the blonde held her hand tighter at the same time when Tahiki's embrace got stronger.
"Against whom is Sailor Galactica fighting?" Pluto looked around, but they were all here, standing or sitting around Sailor Moon who held her henshin, as well. However, the blonde hadn't transformed, probably because she didn't fit in her Sailor fuku any longer.
"She fights against her."
Pluto raised one eyebrow, because Kakyuu's statement didn't help her one bit. However, she had to lean on her staff of time in surprise when she heard Sailor Moon's next words.
"She fights against Uranus."
"That bitch's here?" The Senshi of Time frowned and looked around, but there was no other Senshi around, but if she concentrated hard enough she could believe to feel her, weakly beside Galactica's strong presence.
"What the hell is she doing here? Didn't she leave over five years ago?" Mars shook her head and glanced to where she could feel Sailor Galactica's power to be most powerful. It was right in front of them under two cherry trees Ami and Minako had wanted to reap next to beg Makoto to make her delicious cherry juice for them.
"She had her reasons to leave then as she has her reasons to come back now." Declared Sailor Moon who had always defended the Outer Senshi who had gone astray. While Pluto and Mars had called the traitor bitch and Neptune decided to never talk about her again, did Sailor Moon still believe in her.
"What does she think who she is? Going and coming like that? We don't need her, she can fuck off again!" Pluto crossed her arms and ignored her girlfriend's criticizing look for having used the f-word in front of their daughter.
"She brought back Princess Kakyuu." Said Sailor Moon and gave Pluto a look that rivalled Elza's. She knew that Uranus had hurt them all a lot, especially Neptune, but she also knew that the Outer Senshi didn't have another choice back then.
"Nani?"
Both, Star Fighter and Star Healer stepped closer to their princess when the air was suddenly filled with a bright red light. For a moment they could hear Sailor Galactica's well known, completely insane laughter and heard a scream the Senshi team hadn't heard in a long time.
-Earth Shaking!-
Sailor Galactica's laughter turned into a scream of disbelieve and agony. The red light's intensity grew until they had to close their eyes for a second. When they opened them again, it was gone.
"What the hell was that?" choked Mercury and rubbed her burning eyes. Her vision was blurred and filled with dancing lights that slowly faded again.
"She cut my shackles." Kakyuu raised her free hand and turned it, but she couldn't see the red light any longer that had covered her like a blanket for the past five, almost six years. That had held her back from the real world like bars, keeping her in a prison from which there hadn't been an escape. Until now…
"Kakyuu-chan?"
"Kakyuu-neechan?"
Fighter and Healer knelt before their princess and winced when a strong wind came from the two cherry trees, although the leaves didn't so much as shake.
"I'm free." Whispered the red haired princess and glanced up at her boys, feeling the tears of happiness welling up in her blue eyes. "She's freed me."
"And she needs our help." Said Sailor Moon determinedly and wanted to rose. However, she couldn't get up. This time it wasn't her huge belly that held her back but her best friend and her husband.
"You shouldn't fight while being pregnant." Tuxedo Kamen was clearly concerned about his wife's and his unborn daughter's health while Sailor Mars was simply pissed off.
"Why should we help that bitch? She didn't care about us, therefore we aren't obliged to help her. If she wants to fight against Sailor Galactica on her own, fine; I won't hinder that bitch!"
"Mars!" Sailor Moon clearly wasn't amused by her best friend's reaction. "She's still a Sailor Senshi!"
"Oh? I thought she didn't want to be one of us and that she's left us because of that."
"She had her reasons to go." It was the first time that Neptune added something to their discussion. The Senshi of the Sea faced the place from where the strange wind was coming, didn't turn back to her fellow Senshi when she said those words with a soft voice. "Very good reasons."
"You should be the last one to forgive that bitch!" hissed Mars, still struggling against a surprisingly strong princess who was far advanced in pregnancy.
"How come you know her reasons?" asked Pluto and held the time staff again tighter in her hands.
"Because she's Haruka." Neptune raised her henshin a little bit and slowly stepped over to the place where she had seen the other Outer Senshi disappear only minutes ago. "She's my Ruka…"
"Nani?"
"That Haruka?"
"The one you wrote so much about in your letters?"
"The blonde on your funny pictures from America?"
"She's Sailor Uranus?"
All Senshi, except Sailor Moon, stared at Neptune in disbelieve.
"Impossible! We would've noticed her powers if she were Uranus!" Pluto shook her head and stepped closer to her best friend. "I've met Haruka and she was like any other normal woman."
"Maybe it was because she really didn't want to be a Senshi, or maybe it was because we weren't searching for her any longer." Neptune wanted to walk straight over to the cherry trees, but Pluto held her back.
"You've just said it; she doesn't want to be a Senshi any longer, no matter if she's really Haruka or if you're mistaken. I won't risk my life for someone who didn't give a damn about us when we had to fight against Mistress Nine and almost died!"
"She's my Ruka and at least I'll help her!" Neptune broke away from the Senshi of Time and stepped backwards towards what she assumed to be the entrance to Sailor Galactica's world. "I'll fight with her!"
"Why? She's hurt you the most, Michi-chan."
"Because she only did what she had to do. She's an Onee-chan in the first place and had only been a Senshi in the second." The Senshi of the Ocean looked at Elza with little Hotaru in her arms, then back at her best friend. "Your family would come first, too, Sets."
"No, because you're all my family."
However, Neptune didn't hear Pluto's soft words, because the Outer Senshi had already turned around and vanished between the cherry trees. The strange wind increased for a moment before it got weaker again. Sailor Pluto sighed annoyed and shook her head.
"I don't care for that fucking bitch, but I guess we'll have to help Michi-chan."
Sailor Moon was finally able to rose from her blanket. She looked at her Senshi team and nodded an agreement.
And smiled, happy that the lost Senshi had finally returned.
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Sailor Maker felt them disappear into Sailor Galactica's world one after another. First there was Sailor Pluto to go, Sailor Moon and the others followed until only Elza, little Hotaru and his brothers remained. And Kakyuu. His fiancée who he hadn't let go during the conversation. Who felt so great in his arms. So real.
"We should help them." Whispered Fighter and put his left hand on his older brother's shoulder. For a moment, blue eyes met before Maker glanced at Kakyuu who smiled at him. It was the same smile he had seen on the old picture during the past years, but at the same it was completely different.
"Don't worry, we'll take care of her." Elza sat down next to the princess and took the hand Sailor Moon had held only minutes before. Little Hotaru blinked at the red haired woman and giggled happily. She sat up clumsily on her mother's lap and reached for long red strands to hold them in her small hands.
"They need you now." Kakyuu smiled at her boyfriend and put her free hand's forefinger over his soft lips when he tried to protest. "I'll still be here when you return."
He didn't have to voice his question; she understood him without any words.
"I promise, love."
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"I will kill you!"
Haruka swayed in the wind that suddenly seemed to fill the shadow land. She opened her eyes again and blinked when the darkness parted in front of her and a young woman emerged. Certainly, it was Sailor Galactica, because the blonde couldn't think of anyone else to meet in this strange world. Her enemy wore a golden costume that seemed to dazzle her in its brightness. A kind of a golden crown covered her head and her hair completely and her eyes seemed to sparkle in an unhealthy red.
Contact lenses?
The blonde looked for a micro on the golden Sailor fuku, but her vision was already too blurred to actually recognize details on the uniform. However, it wouldn't have surprised her to find a technical device changing Sailor Galactica's normal voice into that loud echo that filled the shadow land whenever she spoke. At the same time as her shrill laughter of which Haruka grew quickly annoyed.
"Then stop talking so much and get it over with." Haruka looked at her wrist, only to see that her watch had stopped to tick. "I don't have all day."
"Oh, so you try to act cool?"
Sailor Galactica raised both eyebrows and crossed her arms before her chest.
"Don't worry, in the end you'll beg for your life."
"I won't." Haruka sighed deeply, worn out.
"Everyone begs in the end."
"I won't." Haruka's legs wouldn't support her any longer and she went on her knees, hissing when she had to move her broken arm. However, she still wouldn't let go of the golden staff in her right hand, knowing that this movement would have hurt too much to bear. She didn't want to scream in front of Sailor Galactica and it didn't really matter if she'd hold on to it until the bitter end.
"Everyone does!"
"I won't."
"Don't repeat yourself!"
Sailor Galactica's voice grew shriller and she was clearly pissed off with the stubborn woman kneeling in front of her.
"I should have died one year ago. It doesn't matter if I do now. I guess I should even thank you." Haruka smiled a cruel smile and stared directly at her enemy, showing no fear. "I could at least achieve something in my life by rescuing Kakyuu-san from your clutches."
"You don't mean that! Everyone wants to live!"
Haruka only shrugged her healthy shoulder and stared at her knees. The wind around her grew and she winced when she felt invisible fingers tugging at her hair. They were cold when they forced their way into her head. When they searched her mind. She wanted to fight against them, but she couldn't when they brutally pulled a thought from the depth of her memory.
"You also have a reason to live!"
Sailor Galactica sneered as she stepped closer to the kneeling Senshi of the Wind. A picture formed between them as if there was a projector somewhere in the dark, projecting the memory onto an invisible wall right in front of Haruka. The young woman raised her head and her dark green eyes grew wide when she saw a transparent Michiru standing in front of her. She held her violin in her left hand and stretched her right one towards her, smiling happily.
"You'd never see her again if you were to die here."
I can play your dirty tricks, too!
Haruka concentrated and the scene changed before her eyes. At first it showed an open grave. Two white coffins were slowly lowered into the contrasting dark earth. It was raining heavily and a blond girl, almost an adult but yet still a child, stood at the rim, looking down with an expressionless face, watching the white objects disappear. Her dark clothes were soaked, but the little boy she held under her jacket was dry and warm. He slept deep and tight, not noticing the funeral around him.
"I'd never see that again!"
The picture changed again, this time showing Haruka in a rocking chair. She was hardly younger, but looked a lot different: Her hair was shorter, her body thinner, her entire being more tired. Tired of life. She gently rocked back and forth. Back and forth. She held a bundle in her arms and whispered sweet words Sailor Galactica couldn't understand and Haruka didn't dare to remember.
"That's the past, but the future could be so much brighter!"
There was another picture of Michiru. This time, she sat at a big table and waved at Haruka to come over. The Three Lights were sitting there, too. Sejya ate what looked like a huge steak while Yaten read in his old book. Tahiki stroked through Kakyuu's red hair. They all were smiling at her.
"Do you really think so?"
Haruka inclined her head and the sunny summer day before her grew lighter until all that remained was a dazzling brightness. It darkened a little bit and revealed a hospital room. The walls were white as was the blanket that was softly pulled over a small form in a typical hospital bed. The doctor turned to a crying Sejya, shaking his head while a nurse walked from one machine to the next to switch them off. They went out, together with the flat line they showed. Tahiki simply stood next to his mourning brother, seemingly not knowing what to say or do.
"Everything can end so quickly."
The hospital room disappeared, was replaced by what looked like a park at the first moment. There were many trees whose golden leaves covered the grass beneath. However, the stones didn't fit into the happy picture, as well as the silence. There were no laughing children running around, no pensioners walking their little dogs, no young mothers pushing their prams around proudly. There was an old weather-beaten gravestone beneath a very tall tree. A shadow stepped closer to it and knelt down to wipe away the leaves from its surface. The inscription appeared and Haruka gulped while Sailor Galactica frowned deeply, finally understanding that these were not memories, but the wind Senshi's visualized fears.
Kaioh Michiru.
Another Angel
"Well, we'll see if you'll still be so calm on the verge of death!"
Sailor Galactica raised her arms and the wind grew noticeably. She winked with her right hand and Haruka gasped for breath as she felt an invisible fist being rammed into her stomach. She doubled over, but didn't hit the ground as those hands returned and pushed her off the ground. The blonde wanted to scream as they touched her broken arm and the pain grew again, tearing her apart from the inside. However, she was thrown through the air before she could even open her mouth. She landed hard on the ground and needed some moments to struggle back on her knees, supporting her body with her healthy hand while her broken arm hang strangely disconnected by her side. Haruka breathed stertorously and noticed the blood running from her left shoulder over her trembling upper arm. Her vision blurred, but she didn't have enough strength left to wipe away the tears of agony, as well as to stroke her bangs out of her sweaty face.
"Do you still wish to die?"
Sailor Galactica's shrill laughter filled the shadow land and Haruka closed her eyes in exhaustion, gasping hard for breath.
Do I want to die?
The answer had been an easy one only a year ago; when she had to watch her ill brother die; when she had to bury him. When she had to realize that she was all alone on this world; that she had been left behind by all the people she had loved so dearly.
Another picture formed before her inner eye and she was sure that this wasn't Sailor Galactica's doing. It showed Michiru who had embraced her when she felt so down in Chicago after having visited Akito-chan's grave. Who had shown her that she wasn't all alone in this damn cold world. Who had loved her. Deeply. The scene changed and now Michiru was lying under her, kissing her passionately. The next moment, the young violinist stood on the stage, playing Haruka's parents' wedding song with so much feeling, with all her heart, with all her love. She broke the soft melody and lowered her violin. Then, she turned around and smiled at Haruka, tenderly.
-I love you, Ruka.-
Do I want to die?
Suddenly, Yaten stood next to Michiru. He wore one of those funny Micky Mouse caps, trying to convince Sejya into holding at least the torch of the Statue of Liberty. Tahiki laughed at them before he opened a book of sheet music he had bought in New Orleans. Michiru used her chance and exchanged her violin quickly with her beloved reflex camera. She looked around and frowned when she looked in Haruka's direction.
-Come over! I want you to be on that photo, as well.-
The young woman smiled brightly and reached out for her, although the blonde knew that she wouldn't be able to touch her.
-Because you belong to us, Ruka.-
Do I want to die?
- Because you belong to me, Ruka.-
Haruka opened her tired eyes and saw Sailor Galactica waving her hands to create another attack. She saw the air flicker when invisible hands shot out to her.
No!
Haruka groaned as the pain flashed through her right arm. She raised it, nonetheless, together with her henshin to defend herself. Sailor Galactica's superior sneer made her even more ugly.
I want to live with them.
I want to live with my Michi-chan.
"So you want to live? What a pity, because now it's too late to beg for it!"
Haruka's dark green eyes widened and she prepared herself for the impact that would be even more painful than her broken arm. She tried to at least shield her face with her healthy arm while she held Uranus' henshin towards her enemy. Her throat was sore and her mouth dry. Therefore, she couldn't yell her spell, not even whisper it.
Earth Shaking.
Her henshin started to glow, but that was all. Haruka didn't have enough strength left to create another planet. This would come to a bad end.
I don't want to die.
Haruka took a deep breath and tried to prepare herself for Sailor Galactica's attack.
I want to be together with my Michi-chan!
Always.
However, the impact never came.
"Deep Submerge!"
"What?!"
Sailor Galactica was clearly pissed off, as was Sailor Neptune who stood right in front of a kneeling Haruka, shielding her with her own body, warding off the invisible attack.
"You want to hurt my partner? Over my dead body!" Neptune's voice was dangerously quiet and her face was covered in shadows. Haruka stared at her in surprise, not knowing how to react, what to reply.
Her partner?
"Do you think that you can achieve anything all alone, you weakling?"
Sailor Galactica laughed again in a shrill way while Sailor Neptune crouched slightly, getting ready to throw some more of her water planets to hopefully drown that damn woman, together with her ridiculous laughter.
"She's not all alone."
Haruka turned her head when she heard her voice. Her princess' tender voice. And there she was: Sailor Moon, followed by her husband and her Senshi. Followed by the three brothers.
"This time we'll surely kick your ass." Mars smirked while Pluto swung her big staff without warning.
Haruka gulped as she realized that they had come to rescue her.
Thank you.
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She was too tired to follow the battle. All she knew was that Sailor Galactica was indeed pretty strong and that she wasn't all words, but could throw some heavy attacks, as well. However, the fight to hold Princess Kakyuu back in the shadow land had weakened Sailor Galactica and the other Senshi were able to drive her away with their united powers. They all felt that she wasn't defeated yet, but at least she wouldn't return the next days, weeks, maybe even months.
Haruka panted for breath when Sailor Galactica finally disappeared with a scream of rage and agony. She wanted to stand up and run away when Michiru turned back to her. The young violinist still wore her Sailor fuku, but Haruka recognized her immediately. She wondered why she hadn't seen it immediately, why she hadn't felt the connection between them when they went out to that okonomiyaki restaurant in Kyoto. Or better, when she had heard her violin play for the first time during that special evening in Tokyo.
She's rescued my life. Again.
"That looks painful."
A young woman knelt down next to her and she blinked when wet strands were stroked out of her sweaty face. Haruka needed some moments to realize that they were soaked in blood.
"Sailor Galactica did her worst."
Haruka didn't turn her head, but she knew instinctively that it was Sailor Mercury who examined her. The young woman had always told her that she wanted to become a doctor when she grew up. Probably, she had started her studies during the last five years and was now a junior doctor, knowing what to do with her injuries.
"She always wanted to fight on her own; suits her right."
Haruka grinned tiredly when she recognized Setsuna's saucy sounding voice. Oh, how she had disliked this woman back then, and how much she liked Hime-chan's mother now.
"You're cruel, Pluto!"
"What, Venus? It's only the truth."
Obviously, they hadn't forgotten what she had done to them. Haruka couldn't blame them for their distrust.
"She deserves a second chance."
"You're too nice, Sailor Moon. I'd prefer to kick her ass."
"She's not our enemy, Mars!"
"So who's she then, Healer?"
Does she dislike me, too?
It was alike to her what the other Senshi thought of her. However, Michiru's opinion did matter. Haruka hadn't looked away from her during the discussion of the others. The blonde thought back to the evening when she had decided to leave them. When she had said those two words, turned around and left. She gulped as she realized that she would do the same again. Even if she were able to turn back time, she'd still go with her parents to America and fight for her little brother's life.
"She's one of us."
"Oh, spare me your sermon, Maker. You don't know her!"
"I know her very well, Pluto, as you should know her, too."
"Hai, because she's Haruka-neechan!"
"But she's no Sailor Senshi. She's not one of us, no matter what you say!"
"Hai, because she did… what did she call it, Pluto?"
"She quit."
Yes, she quit. Haruka glanced at her henshin and gathered what was left of her powers. No, she didn't want to be a Sailor Senshi. They didn't need such a weak fighter who couldn't defeat Sailor Galactica. Who couldn't save her own family. However, she wanted to be their friend. She wanted to take care of Yaten and Sejya again, wanted to go on another tour with the Three Lights, maybe together with Kakyuu this time.
Haruka looked back at Michiru and gulped.
I want so badly to be with my Michi-chan.
Haruka took a deep breath and forced her muscles to move, ignoring the pain screaming through her trembling body.
Because I love you.
"Don't do that!" cried Mercury in surprise and wanted to hold her back. "You shouldn't move your arm! It's broken!"
Haruka didn't listen to her. She only stared at Michiru, offering her Uranus' henshin. She could take it away from her if she wanted to, for she had never wanted to hold it. Neptune could decide to reject her as an Outer Senshi. As long as she didn't reject her as a friend. As her girlfriend.
"Ruka?"
The blonde bit on her lower lip as she turned her shaking hand and forced her cold fingers to open so that the golden staff laid open on her blood covered palm.
"Gomen ne, Michi-chan." Her voice was hoarse, didn't seem to belong to her any longer. Her vision blurred and she finally gave into the darkness waiting at the rim of her eyes. "I'm so sorry…"
She fell forward and felt two warm arms embracing her before she fainted.
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Darkness surrounded her when she awoke again. For a moment, she feared that she was still in the shadow land; that the others had left her behind in Sailor Galactica's world to punish her for her betrayal.
But after a while her eyes got a accustomed to the twilight and she saw that she was lying in a bed in what she recognized was one of the guest rooms in Usagi's house. Her body was covered by a soft blanket and her right arm didn't hurt too much. At least not as much as she had expected it to ache. She slowly turned her head and saw that it was bandaged. The world blurred for a moment, telling her that they had given her some medicine, probably pain killers.
"Are you awake?"
Haruka frowned as she heard the soft voice next to her. It was then that she noticed the warm body next to her on the comfortable mattress. Two arms were wrapped around her healthy one and she looked directly in Michiru's face when she finally managed to turn her head in the opposite direction. She blinked when a small bedside lamp was switched on.
It was truly Michiru who straightened up on the bed next to her and stroked some curly strands behind her ears. She looked as sleepy as Haruka felt.
"You've slept for over twenty-four hours. I really had a hard time to convince Ami-chan not to call an ambulance. I figured you'd seen enough hospitals in your life." Michiru slipped from the bed and returned one moment later with a glass of water in her hand. Haruka stared at the clear liquid for a second and suddenly noticed how thirsty she was. She struggled and was able to sit up with Michiru's help.
"Take tiny gulps, Ruka."
Haruka didn't dare to nod. She only took the glass in her left hand that was also bandaged and drank in the way Michiru had told her, enjoying the cool water running down her dry throat.
"Why didn't Setsuna-san kick me out?"
Why didn't you kick me out?
Haruka couldn't ask what was on her mind. Her voice still sounded terribly hoarse and she was surprised that Michiru could understand her at all.
"You're under the Three Lights' personal protection." Michiru giggled and took the glass back when Haruka had finished. "You've saved Kakyuu-san. They'll be forever indebted to you."
Haruka looked at her and frowned. Then she lowered her head and stared at her bandaged hands on the white blanket instead.
"They don't need to be." She shook her head and closed her eyes as the dizziness returned abruptly. "That's not the reason why I did it."
"I know."
"She was their family, Michi-chan."
Was she even allowed to still call her by her first name, her nickname even? Michiru didn't object and so she continued to croak her words with much effort.
"I could save her, Michi-san. I could bring her back to her boys. I could see her and make them happy again. That's why I did it. Not to be a hero and surely not to be Sailor Uranus again."
Michiru brought her fingers under her chin and gently forced her to look up to her. Blue eyes sparkled friendly and a tender smile was on those soft lips.
"I know, Ruka." She whispered and leaned forward to plant a gentle kiss on her lips. Haruka winced slightly, but not so much because of her chapped lips. Inquiringly, she looked at Michiru, not having the strength to ask the questions most important to her at that moment.
Am I forgiven?
Do you still want to be with me?
However, Michiru had already rose from the bed and went over to the door.
"Makoto-chan made some broth for you. I'm sure you're hungry." She was out of the door before Haruka could say anything. The blonde stared at the door for a moment, before she sighed and glanced around. She didn't really feel hungry. To be honest, she still felt exhausted and the pain in her arm increased slightly. The blonde sank deeper into the soft pillows and started to yawn, only to make a face when her split lip hurt due to that movement.
She's so nice to me…
Haruka glanced over to the glass still half full with water. Her dark green eyes grew wide when she saw the golden object lying next to it, when she recognized Sailor Uranus' henshin she had thrown away so many times before and that had returned to her as many times, ignoring her unwillingness to hold it. In the end, it had helped her to save the Three Light's princess and to fight against Sailor Galactica. To finally decide to live.
Is she only nice to me because I've been beaten up so badly?
Haruka yawned and closed her burning eyes again. The bed was comfortable and she felt too weak to struggle against her own tiredness any longer.
Does Michi-chan still love me?
Michiru had never said those magic words loud, but Haruka got her answer when the young woman returned some minutes later. The blonde was almost asleep, then, but still she heard how Michiru called out her name softly and set down a tray on the bedside table when she received no answer. The light was switched off and Haruka felt the other woman lying down on the bed and carefully embracing her uninjured arm again.
"Don't worry about Sets' words, Ruka." Whispered Michiru and kissed her left cheek gently. "You're one of us."
She leaned her head against Haruka's shoulder as the blonde fell asleep, feeling safe and secure. Forgiven.
"You belong to me, love."
Finally home.
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Well... that's the last part of the last chapter. However, do not despair, there's still a very last part to come (also called the epilogue in every good novel :)). Therefore, you'll have something to read next Monday, as well. Some hints into the future and all that stuff.
I hope you liked my story and I hope you liked this last climax, as well. I'm still not truly sure about the last scene, though. Should I leave it out? Or is it okay? In the end, I decided FOR it, because it spread such a nice warm feeling through me while I wrote :).
I also thought about an extra scene on how the other Senshi would react, but then I decided against it. There's still the epilogue to come and also there should be some questions unanswered and some things left simply to YOUR imagination :).
Thank you again for your very nice comments and for supporting me during my hectic week. I think I did pretty well in the oral examination (although I won't get to know the results before the end of January / beginning of February OO). Let's have the four written exams on December 13th!