Author's notes: I don't own them. Never have. Never will. Sadly.
Haruka exchanged her phone for her transformation pen, taking mental inventory of her colleagues. Pluto had been warned and Saturn was thankfully still nothing more than hinted at in Hotaru's personality. Neptune was on her way to distract Kunzite, and while Uranus knew it was a calculated risk, she still wanted to rush after her. Neither of them went into battle alone if they could help it. Unfortunately, in this, Neptune had it pegged perfectly. Uranus was needed to protect the princess. It had pained Haruka not to let Michiru know she was forgiven, but Uranus had countered that Neptune understood. That she'd responded. They could figure out everything else later. Hopefully.
"Everything all right?"
The blonde turned to face her roommate. In all the years they'd known each other, Haruka had never once imagined Minako to be a leader. Still, she had always been attracted to the younger woman. She simply had mistaken camaraderie for romance. No, she'd never really been romantically interested in Minako. Of that, she was certain, if she was being honest. Still, their shared past did explain the seeming control over her nightmares the petite woman had once had. Her soldier self had recognized a fellow Senshi and had reacted to it. In some ways, she missed the days when they didn't know who they were. There had been a comfort level, an intimacy that was missing now. That it was displaced intimacy, a confidence she should have been placing in Michiru was a thought Haruka rejected as quickly as it had formed.
"Suit up." She stood up, twirling her pen. "The princess is in danger. We're heading over to Neptune's." While Haruka hadn't forgotten Michiru lived with Ami, until she knew the other girl knew she was a soldier, she was just another obstacle, a civilian. The hardening almost lecturing look that moved over the younger woman's face was exactly the wrong thing for Haruka to see. She narrowed her eyes. "Got a problem with that?"
Minako pulled out her own pen. "What's the princess doing there?"
"Mizuno-san is with her. It seems she and the prince broke up, so I hope you brushed up on your sword fighting skills." The paled, wide-eyed expression was gratifying. Minako might be sweet, but Venus tended toward bossy and no part of Haruka's or Uranus's personality ever did well with being told what to do. Especially by someone with less than half her experience. If Venus wanted to pretend the Guardian Senshi were any match for the Outers, Uranus would be all too happy to prove otherwise. The moment she'd transformed, her sword was in her hand and Uranus was leaping out the window and off the balcony.
Leaving Venus behind had always been the plan. She had only ever worked well with one partner and she had no desire to wait on someone who was only going to slow her down. Distantly, she knew she was being harsh on the young blonde. Venus was a good soldier, she just wasn't on par with Uranus. She was slower, weaker, and didn't have any respect for necessary sacrifices. Uranus gripped her sword tightly, feeling the fabric of her gloves digging into her fingers through the pressure she was exerting. Venus had written Neptune off. She had no respect for undercover work. Oh, Uranus was furious, but at least she could finally understand what it was Neptune was trying to get at. The fact it took her that long was something she'd think about after this crisis. She couldn't afford to think about it until then.
Pluto was already on top of Michiru's apartment building when Uranus got there. Venus wouldn't be far behind. "What's the plan?" Pluto asked.
Uranus was relieved to be treated as the leader again. She took a moment and smiled cockily at her friend. "Plan? What plan?" It was a tease, and they both were well aware of it. However, it had allowed time for Venus to come up behind her and think Pluto was addressing her.
"We head down the stairwell as civilians―"
Uranus held up her hand. "Not your call, Venus. And not strategic. We need to split up. One of you needs to go down as a civilian. The other should come up from the ground as a civilian, in case we've misjudged things and we're already late. I'm going to head directly to their balcony and hope Neptune thought to leave a window open for me."
"Why you?"
She barely managed not to roll her eyes. "Because both of you in civilian form could have potential excuses for showing up. Unless you haven't tried to make friends with Mizuno-san? I, however, have no excuse to offer. Now, if you'd like to waste time, you can do so on your own."
Uranus didn't bother to see how her comments were taken as she turned around and headed toward the edge and hoped she could find Neptune's apartment from this direction. She needn't have worried. A few floors down, Uranus found an open window with a seashell on it. The thoughtful siren had even removed her screen and moved her nightstand away from the window. The scene made Uranus frown. Precisely how much of what was to happen today did Neptune know? She was saved the pain of thinking too hard on the room when she heard raised voices beyond the door. Leaning against it, she tried to determine if her presence was needed just yet or not. As there was no easy way of explaining what Haruka Tenoh was doing in that apartment, she would have to simply wait until she could arrive as Sailor Uranus.
"Stand aside," the male voice commanded. "I don't want to hurt you."
Deciding that was enough, Uranus calmly strode out from Michiru's bedroom. The scene wasn't entirely what she was expecting. There was one of Endymion's generals. She wasn't sure what his name was, but there was no mistaking him in his military uniform. Standing in front of him, hands out as if the movement alone would keep him at bay was Sailor Mercury. So, Venus was holding out on her. Good to know. Who she didn't see was the princess, but given the confrontation before her, at least the general thought her here, which was enough for Uranus.
"Sorry to interrupt, but I didn't realize it was a private party."
"Who are you?" the general burst out as Mercury flicked her visor down and Uranus could practically watch the calculations as her eyes flickered.
"Soldier of flight, Sailor Uranus, and you," she pointed her sword at the general, "Have been asked to leave. She's nicer than I am. I promise." She inclined her head towards Mercury, the only measure of civility she was going to show the man.
"I am Zoicite, head of the European division."
"What are you doing here?"
"I don't have to answer to you."
Uranus smirked. "Wrong answer." She whipped around Mercury to throw a punch at the general. He was too fast for her first, but not her second hit.
"Don't kill him!"
The plea registered and Uranus agreed, but she knew there would be another fight coming up. She would spare his life, but not out of mercy. Despite the cries, she wrestled him into a headlock and forced him unconscious. As he dropped to the floor, she narrowed her eyes at Mercury. "Do you have a plan on where to hold him?"
"I―" Mercury mumbled and pulled up a mini-computer, typing furiously.
Uranus shook her head. "Great." Her apartment wasn't an option. Actually, keeping him on Earth at all might not be the best idea, but where to go was problematic. Anything could be seen as an act of war and until and unless the princess woke, there wasn't anywhere for the Moon Kingdom servants to go.
Mercury jumped when there was a knock at the door.
"Come in," Uranus called out.
The other woman looked at her in shock before turning to the door where Setsuna and Minako came in. The pair closed the door quickly behind them.
"Well that was subtle."
Uranus shot Setsuna a look, not entirely sure if the other woman was sincere or sarcastic. "Well, I didn't think the girls would appreciate having me destroy their apartment, so sorry you didn't get any of the action." She motioned to the unconscious general on the floor. "I'll make it up to you."
"Oh?"
"Yeah, you can figure out where to hold him so we can interrogate him."
"Hold him?" Minako added, coughing slightly.
Uranus shook her head and rolled her eyes.
"Um, pardon me, but―"
Uranus started to look between the three other women. Minako returned the look with an equally uncomfortable one of her own. Setsuna arched an eyebrow at Uranus.
"Why don't the two of you transform in case our guest wakes up?" She pointed to the uniformed man on the floor.
"And the princess?" Setsuna asked as she pulled out her transformation pen. When no one answered, she looked pointedly at Mercury who jumped.
"Oh! She's in my room. She didn't sleep last night, and so I let her curl up and well, Usagi-chan doesn't wake for just about anything." Uranus felt sorry for the girl. It really was unfair of Venus to not explain everything, and if Mercury woke without at least some contact from Venus, then the leader of the Guardian Senshi had truly failed in her duty.
Uranus nodded, "Why don't the two of you stay with her and Pluto and I will take this idiot…somewhere." She watched Mercury mouth the word Pluto before shaking her head.
"I want to go with you. Satoshi-san and I…he deserves for me to be there."
The blonde soldier pursed her lips. The sentiments of the Guardian Senshi were certainly not shared by her. He was an enemy. When she thought Neptune an enemy, she offered her no quarter and there was no way what Mercury felt for this Terran could compare with what the two Outers shared. Still, she could feel Pluto's gaze. With barely a passing wordless apology to trumping Venus's authority again, she shook her head, forcing herself to sound far more tender than she felt. "No, Mercury. Two of us need to go and you need to be here for the princess. Get her home. This place isn't safe any longer."
"I'm coming with you." Venus was already unhooking her chain from her waist, the item extending in her hands as she knelt down, binding Zoicite's hands. "You need to be able to contain him. Besides, I barely know the princess here."
The two Outer Senshi exchanged a look before they both nodded. "All right. You go with Uranus. I'll hide and cover you, Mercury."
With that, Uranus grabbed the man who groaned as she lifted him. Rolling her eyes, she hit him again, grumbling under her breath about faster metabolisms. "Right then, Pluto, guess we're taking him to Venus's and my place at least temporarily. Let us know when you get the princess home safely." She nodded to Mercury and headed toward the balcony, pointedly ignoring Venus's assurances to Mercury of the man's safety. His relative safety was more dependent upon Uranus not wanting to create a mess in her apartment.
Pluto watched Uranus and Venus head off before focusing on Mercury. The girl was frantically typing away on her computer, a habit no doubt as useful as it was comforting. "You'll need to change back to Mizuno-san," she offered quietly, tensing as the other soldier froze mid-stream.
"You know who I am."
She nodded. "I'm sure you have many questions for me at this point, as I have several for you. However, I'm afraid we don't have the time to explain everything." While generally she enjoyed watching the egotistical falter, this soldier was modest and Pluto felt sorry for her.
"Can you promise they won't hurt him?" Ami stood before her now, computer still in hand, but the remaining uniform was gone.
Pluto frowned. "Uranus is a warrior, Mizuno-san. So long as he's cooperative, she has no reason to hurt him." She shook her head gently. "I cannot and will not promise that, but she won't hurt him unnecessarily."
"That's not precisely comforting." The blue-haired woman stashed her computer before looking sadly toward the bedrooms before facing Pluto again. "You should go. I need to get her home so I can talk to Satoshi-san."
"His name is Zoicite, Mizuno-san."
The younger woman shook her head, "He's more than his station. We all are."
Pluto sighed and inclined her head briefly. "We should get moving. I don't think they'll come right away, but I don't want to wait until they realize Zoicite's not returning. I'm going to scout out her house. I'll be back by the time you get her ready." She waited for Ami to nod before heading off. She needed to make sure they weren't going to have a general waiting for the princess when Ami got Usagi home.
She made it to Usagi's house without incident. Pausing outside the house, she watched the yard and street before noticing an open window. Frowning, she leapt over to the tree nearest and shimmied to the window. Inside was a room she could only presume was Usagi's. The entire room was decorated in pinks and bunnies. The house seemed quiet, but she had never trusted in appearances. Clearing the house took less than a minute and Pluto was back in Usagi's room. Everything was perfectly in place, except for the mirror on the bed.
Pluto approached the bed slowly, reaching for the mirror. She knew that mirror, which meant that Neptune had been here. Neptune had been here and was obviously not intending to have her mirror on her wherever she was going. Before she could reach the mirror, she stopped and pulled her hand back. There was a note next to it. Both hands on her time staff, she leaned forward to read it.
When you're in doubt, look inside yourself to see who you really are.
The tall soldier straightened back up. "I hope you know what you're doing, Neptune." Being a meddler herself, she easily recognized it in others and this was bordering on garish. They all just needed to hope it didn't backfire on them. Of course, at this point, the risk of something backfiring was higher than the risk of success. It changed nothing of their intended paths.
She focused on her own task, racing back to Ami and the princess so that they could get her home without one of the Earth generals finding the pair.