Michiru's fingers traced along the outline of her arms, the goosebumps tickling the pads of her fingers. The fabric of her windbreaker was starting to cling to her skin in the cool air. She was silently cursing herself that she left so quickly that she grabbed the thinnest outer layer she owned. A misty night like this usually wouldn't bother her. Hell, she would get damper at her usual ocean vantage point. The shoreline was her first stop, but she quickly abandoned it as the seas sang songs she wasn't ready to hear.
Her path turned inland, unwillingly taking her to a more heavily wooded area where the air carried more of a chill as she was shielded from the evening sun. Her skin began to prick at this point, and she started trying to generate heat with her hands. She could have considered going home or even stopping by the nearby Shrine to borrow a sweater if she wasn't lost in her thoughts. Unfortunately, no heed was paid to the outside world as she desperately tried to escape her own world.
What had happened to her partner was as clear as a cloudless sky. And as she debated her ability to forgive and start walking their path together, she was pulled deeper into the depths of her enmity. How could Haruka choose to stay with the Starlights and not seek her true destiny? Would she choose to stay with the Starlights now that there is a choice in her fate, or did she make that decision long ago? Was Haruka even her real name?
As she spiraled further, she grew bitter. Disregarding all conditions in which her solitude was not a punishment from Uranus for her crimes in the past. The cold-hearted warrior of the sky had trusted the protection of the Silver Millennium to her while on a mission, and she failed.
With these thoughts, she found her silence comforting, refusing to voice aloud the known identity of Uranus. Not to herself or any of the others. She could carry the burden of her judgment alone, as the fates clearly wanted.
As her feet stopped wandering, she looked around to determine where she was, finally spotting the familiar Shrine on the hill. A small smile made her think of dropping by for a cup of tea. The raven haired miko was usually able to liven her spirits over tea from time to time. A reflective surface caught her vision as she debated, coaxing her toward the Shrine. The deep ocean stare washed over the area as she looked for the cause, guessing it could have been a vehicle that had left the area. Reaching the bottom of the stairs, she felt a force hit her from the side, knocking her to the ground before she could look at what struck her.
A blue shawl wrapped itself around her torso, sneaking up her neck to silence her as it wrapped once around her mouth. A figure clad in a dark hoop skirt stepped out as she waved the blue fabric on, commanding it with her hands.
"Well, would you look at what the fox dragged in," the figure smiled as Michiru noticed the silver ears peaking out from the top of her head.
Haruka allowed her head to fall back until it bounced on the door frame her lean figure rested against. She stared up at the ceiling of the room, the hint of the architecture of the Shrine that surrounded them showing in the curved wood of the roof. The girls wanted to determine the next move Galaxia would make and even started planning how they could get back to the dimensional plane they thought she was hiding on. As the details grew, the blonde slinked closer to the room's edges as a silent acknowledgment that when the battle plan was agreed to, she likely would not be part of it. Not that she didn't want to help, to fight, but they didn't need to worry about her safety as they focused on Galaxia.
"Aren't you hungry?" A teasing voice caught her attention as a sandwich was suddenly thrust under her nose. "These girls have tons of food for dinner. Here I got you one," Seiya offered as she produced a second sandwich.
Haruka sighed as she turned her head to the side, Seiya understanding the silent stymie from the tall blonde. She would see this occasionally, particularly when Haruka was bested in battle and at a loss of what to do with herself. As Senshi, they rarely had to deal with defeat, but sometimes they lost the upper hand. It was one of the reasons she spared with the lithe warrior so often. They were relatively balanced in their skill and stubbornness. Although their battles were well known, they respected each other as opponents, someone who sometimes would have a vantage they capitalized on. It made them special, continuing to improve each other not just on the battlefield but when they had to learn to deal with defeat.
"You're not over here thinking you're no longer one of us?" Seiya flatly asked, causing teal eyes to blink in surprise.
"What? No," the blonde was quick to retort.
"Good, 'cause I don't want to get stuck with your chores," the singer was quick to tease as Haruka gave an apathetic eye roll before she turned her head away.
"I'm just waiting for them to figure out where to find the bitch," Haruka smiled. "And then I can sweep the floor with her," a sly smile coming to her lips. "Thanks," she mumbled as she nodded to the singer before sliding the rest of the way out of the door. Seiya watched the figure fade from the room. She gave her some space to brood, knowing the blonde wasn't as lost as before.
Haruka turned down the dim hall, trying to recall the path the older man showed them through the Shrine. Then, feeling the tickle of the cold air starts to reach the tips of her hair, she made it to the front as a soft breeze fully embraced her. She enjoyed the new shorter locks and how much the wind moved through them, leaving her feeling as if she was running free.
Closing her eyes to enjoy the sensation, a swipe of teal light slashed across the darkness under her eyelids. Snapping her eyes open, she narrowed her stare as she looked around the area for the source of the strange light. Unfortunately, nothing was sufficient to explain the origin, so she slowly moved one foot in front of the other as she slinked around the building like a cat.
The visitors had departed the Shrine for the day, leaving the grounds still except for the wind rustling the leaves. Reaching the front, she scanned the empty area, the sensation that someone else was there, never leaving her. As the leaves got caught up in the suddenly agitated breeze, her gaze followed them as they spilled over the edge of the stairs leading away from the temple. Glancing again towards the grounds to confirm nothing was left to explore, she headed for the aperture, pausing at the top.
She wasn't ready for what awaited her, the unmistakable teal locks peeking out from some covering. The other figure was a bright silver that made the pointed ears visible. Her face twisted as she could guess what was happening. Pressing her body to the edge of the arch, she began to climb down the grassy side of the slope, avoiding the streetlights that illuminated the steps and the surrounding garden.
"I knew I sensed Star Seeds here," Pewter Fox sneered as she pulled back her disguise, revealing her silver colored fuku. Michiru muttered something from under her binding, but Fox only smiled as she guessed what the teal haired woman was attempting.
"You know the hard part wasn't destroying all those planets or even battling the Senshi," Fox sighed as she waved to pull the scarf binding further down the artist's body. "It was finding their power source and getting to it before they could. Sometimes it was their loved ones, and sometimes it was the safety of their princess." Continuing her monologue as she stepped closer to Michiru.
The artist furrowed her brows as she watched the silver-clad senshi move around her, the tips of her fingers scratching at the surface of her henshin, trying desperately to call out her transformation phrase. Her mind drifted carelessly to whether this was Haruka's struggle when they came upon her in the park and how they knew how to separate her from the Henshin she had found.
"Sometimes it's just showing how weak they are without their Senshi ability," Fox continued as she stooped down, picking up the wand that had fallen from Michiru's pocket. "If they are undeserving of the power, sometimes they hand it over freely," she tauntingly waved the wand in front of the artist. Michiru groaned loudly as her body lurched forward as far as she could with the fabric snaked around her. "That wasn't very nice to say," Fox pouted for a moment before she raised her bracelets. "This will teach you!"
Haruka's eyes fell wide as she saw Fox raise her gauntlets, knowing what was to follow. The thought never even crossed her mind of how to match the power of the Shadow Galactic as she leaped from the railing. Her lissom form crashed on top of Pewter Fox with as much force as possible. The two slammed to the ground, the blonde lowering her shoulder as she rammed into the smaller Fox to push her closer to the ground. She continued to ram the Senshi without much thought other than preventing her from raising her primary weapon.
Michiru violently trashed her limbs from the binds, closing her eyes as she strained to free herself. A scream followed by a snarl she hadn't heard sounded before her, sapphire eyes snapping open. She saw a blonde she didn't quite recognize wrestling on the ground with Sailor Pewter Fox, slamming their body into the smaller senshi. As the hits seemed to take their effect on Fox's concentration, Michiru noticed that the scarf was starting to loosen, using the extra space to begin to free herself. She was gaining some movement but just not enough. The continued grunts of the blonde rescuer echoed in the air, communicating that they were putting up enough of a fight for Fox but not enough to pin her. Michiru wished her helper would know enough to try to free her while keeping the other at bay so that she could finish the member of the Shadow Galactic. She thought the other person heard her plea momentarily as she felt a sudden pull at the ends of her binds, loosening them further.
"What the hell?" A different voice echoed through the air.
"Some fire will burn your ambition!" A second called. Michiru finally recognized the voice just as she freed her head from the prison. "Mars Snake Fire!" As the fireball flew down the stairs at the silver-clad Senshi.
Michiru reacted, freeing enough of herself as she reached for the brave blonde defender, rolling with them as Mars' blast hit Sailor Pewter Fox. Turning to look at the wreckage the attack caused Fox, her features dropping as she saw the bruised soldier rise to her feet. Then, instinctively, she raised her hand to transform and finish her.
"Ha," Fox huffed as she struggled to stand, "more Star Seeds," Fox breathed out as she raised her bracelets. "Galactica Mir—"
Haruka saw the bright teal light, registering that Neptune was transforming. Seeing Sailor Pewter Fox aiming at Mars and Venus, she knew she had to do something in that split second. So she pushed herself off the ground with the speed she was habitual to and kicked Fox's legs out from under her, the silver-clad senshi stumbling to the ground.
Haruka's face paled as a golden colored burst still managed to escape the gauntlets, landing close enough to the two Senshi at the top of the stairs. She lowered her head, fearing that she was too late.
"Neptune Violin Tide!"
Neptune saw the light hit close enough to Mars and Venus, and her anger focused on Sailor Pewter Fox as she blasted the short girl with her powerful attack. Fox released a yell as she faded into a blank space just as Kero had before. Neptune snapped her gaze to where Venus and Mars lay, seeing the others arriving and attending to them. Her whole body snapped around to the blonde still on the ground as if she suddenly remembered they were there. The blonde lay on their stomach, holding their torso up on their elbows, although their head was lowered, their blonde fringe falling into their face.
"Who—"Neptune started as she lowered a hand to the altruist, stopping at the blonde who looked up at her, the striking teal eyes meeting hers with all the pain they carried.
"Are they alright?" She muttered as she looked up the stairs.
"Haruka?" Neptune gasped as she studied the nearly collapsed blonde on the ground, unsure what to think.
"They'll be fine," Setsuna nodded as she closed the door to the clinic room. She looked at those waiting in the command center, her eyes stopping at a teary eye odango blonde. "They weren't hit directly with the galactic bracelets. It seems somehow, Pewter Fox missed. With that much power released near them, their energy spike, and they just need to rest." She emphasized the last words to Usagi, hoping that would be enough to get the gentle heart not to fret over her friends. Usagi nodded, seemingly agreeing to the spoken and silent instructions from the older guardian.
"Let me look at your injuries," Setsuna signed as she sat beside Michiru. The artist glared at the green haired woman, holding her arms up with the palms facing her.
"I'm fine," she groaned as she twisted her wrists to show the older woman she had no marks.
"I wasn't talking about the wounds on the outside," garnet eyes narrowed at her as she pulled Michiru's hands down. Then, taking hold of them in her lap, she waited until blue eyes rose to meet hers finally. "You don't need to explain what happened," Setsuna nodded. "But I have one question," she smiled as Michiru nodded. "Why did you save Haruka?"
Michiru winced at the unspoken 'instead of stopping the enemy' that she left off. She knew it wasn't the best move and questioned if Minako and Rei would have been hurt if she had reacted quicker. Transforming first, instead of saving Haruka from Mars' blast, she couldn't answer why she decided.
"I see you don't know either," Setsuna hummed, taking in the teal-haired woman's silence. "Another thing I do not know is how Pewter Fox missed," she probed the musician, Michiru shrugging as that answer also escaped her. "You see, I have a theory," she leaned closer to Michiru as blue eyes observed. "My theory is that you helped Haruka for the same reason she stopped Fox from hitting those two straight on."
"How did she manage that? She has no powers," Michiru soured as she considered the thought. "Wouldn't it better to ask her what happened?" The teal hair scanned around the room, only now noticing that the blonde was absent. "Where did she go now? To get captured again?"
"She didn't want any medical attention until we took care of Minako and Rei," Ami sighed from the side of the room. "While we were in the clinic, she left with the other Starlights."
"Well, they will give her medical attention if she needs it. They must be used to bandaging her by now," Michiru yawned as she began to busy herself with some of the displays on the command board.
"Odango, this is a surprise," Seiya smiled as she opened the door to reveal the short blonde.
"I came to check on Haruka," she wryly smiled as she entered the apartment.
"She's up and moving around, almost completely fine," Seiya explained as she began to look around the room for something.
"Can I speak with her?" Usagi asked.
"Umm, well," Seiya sighed as she rubbed the back of her neck, unsure.
"She's not here," Yaten groaned as she looked up from the sofa. "She wasn't physically hurt, but her ego took a hit."
"And you just let her leave?"
"I know you think of us as big and strong, but we can't keep Haruka someplace she doesn't want to be. When she is ready, she will come back," Seiya shrugged. Usagi nodded, thanking them for taking her visit so late before excusing herself.
She stepped onto the sidewalk and lifted her gaze to the sky as the soft breeze danced through her hair. She wasn't sure why, but she knew she needed to find Haruka tonight.
Haruka closed her eyes as she felt the wind dance around her over the car's hood, the cool air mixed in with the mist of the nearby sea. She licked her dry lips taking in the slightly salty taste, silently registering she never knew what the wind tasted like. She had borrowed the rarely used car of the Four Lights, guessing that they wouldn't notice it was gone for some time. She needed to get some distance and desperately wanted to look up at the stars. The more she missed her home and the simple life she once knew, and she desired to look up at them once more, finding it frustratingly hard in the city at times. But out here, it would be clear enough to think she could pluck each diamond from the sky. At least that was the last time she visited, yet this time the fog had another idea.
"The sky is just as cloudy as my mind," she sighed as she sat on the car hood, still determined to gaze at the sky. The taunting words of Pewter Fox rang in her mind, wondering since that night if she was just a pawn of the Shadow Galactic. She didn't belong on either team, although the other Starlights tried to convince her otherwise. She groaned as she turned to her side.
"They are just polite as a family would be. I didn't deserve to be a Starlight," she huffed into the darkness. There was no other explanation she could think of. Otherwise, she wouldn't have lost her powers. But did she steal the star seed she protected all these years?
She approached and was soon close enough to reveal a figure sprawled on the car's hood, staring up at the sky. Then, sensing someone was nearby, the figure sat up sharply and glanced in her direction.
"It's only me, Haruka," Usagi said, moving cautiously towards the arduous woman.
Haruka slithered off the hood of her car, crossing her arms and leaning back against the bumper. "I don't know what I should ask," she commented. "How did you get here, or how did you find me."
"I don't know if I could answer that," Usagi shrugged as she wrapped her hands into the sleeves of her sweater. Teal eyes followed her as the odango blonde gazed skyward, admiring the sky as she took a few tentative steps closer to the car. Curious, Haruka finally turned her gaze from the young girl to the sky, a small gasp escaping at the sparkle of stars that now greeted her. "The sky is pretty out here, though." Usagi shrugged without breaking her awed stare.
"Do you even know where here is?" A teal eyebrow arched at the question as the shorter girl finally blinked in surprise at the older blonde before shaking her head. Haruka couldn't help but release a husky chuckle at the girl's cute antics, momentarily distracting her from her brooding thoughts.
"It was odd, though," Usagi smiled as she raised a covered finger to her chin. "I went to your apartment looking for you, and Seiya said she didn't know where you had gone. So when I left, I found myself looking at the moon," pausing as she looked at the bright shining orb in the sky. "My next steps were past some trees until I saw you in this clearing."
"I am amazed you could see anything out here," Haruka joked, still wondering how the girl had arrived so far out of town.
"That was the easy part," she smiled. "The moon shone on you, glowing almost like a mirror!" Usagi threw her hands up in her recollected excitement before a shiver shook through her at the exposed skin.
"Are you cold?"
"I'm fine," the petite girl lied as her lips shook.
"Come here," Haruka sighed, lifting herself from the bumper when the smaller girl didn't move. She wrapped her long arms around Usagi, pressing the tiny blonde's back to her chest. "Better?" She asked as Usagi nodded at the husky whisper. A comfortable silence fell over them as they continued to watch the sky.
"That blue one there," Usagi pointed with her finger before quickly retreating into the confines of her warm cocoon. "That one is Uranus," she stated with a smile.
"How do you know?" Haruka's position concealed her a puzzled look.
"Ami taught me to identify most guardian planets in the sky. At least those that you can see with the naked eye," she proudly stated. "You may not have noticed, but we are missing Sailor Uranus."
"Missing?"
"Yes, we miss her terribly—some more than others. But I am sure she will come someday, just like the others have found each other. Until then, I keep an eye on the planet for her." Haruka looked up at the bright blue dot in the sky, watching it twinkle more brightly than the other stars.
"I know you have a lot on your mind," Usagi spoke, breaking Haruka's stare at the sky. "But I promise I will help you get home. Then, we will find a way to work as a team and destroy Galaxia."
"Mmmh hmm," Haruka hummed as she rested her chin on the girl's head.
"I mean it!" Usagi stated with more demand in her voice for the older girl to accept her help. Haruka held a little tighter as she felt the petite girl try to turn her head to look up at her from her position. "I am not sure what happened with your powers, but I will find a way to help you."
"I believe you," Haruka breathed, a softer tone than her normal baritone voice. She wasn't sure why, but she knew the younger girl meant her promise.