A knock on the door of her room in the backstage area of the L'Olympia in Paris let the musician, tonight's star, turn around from her make-up table.

Of course she could have played at, and fully sell out, the Philharmonie de Paris as well but she loved the L'Olympia for it's history and found it to be more intimate. Not that almost two thousand seats were a living room concert but here she definitely felt more in touch with her audience. It was her birthday concert after all. And the last concert before she would leave Earth again, before she would go back to the War.

"S'il vous plait entrez." She said and the door opened halfway to reveal one of the bear-like-shaped security guards.

"Madame Kaiou, une visiteuse pour vous. Il dit qu'il est le donneur anonyme." The security member asked.

"Très bien, s'il vous plaît laissez-le entrer." The musician replied in a joyful tone and with a content smile and then turned around to her mirror again to finish her makeup.

"Oui, Madame."

The door opened and the guard motioned a man in a turquoise three piece suit with black buttons, a white shirt with a black tie, matching black pocketkerchief and black Gucci loafers on into the room.

While the guard closed the door, the guest put a bouquet of flowers into an empty vase at a table near the door and then walked to the makeup table where Michiru sat in front of and was applying her lipstick right now.

He stopped behind her chair and leaned down, bringing his face next to her.

Michiru's cheek moved next to his.

"Mhm, a different perfume. You almost smell as good as Haruka, cherie."

"Happy Birthday mon amour. You look stunning." The man's lips gently met her cheeks and Michiru's lips curled up.

"I did know that you were the one who donated the one million credits from the start."

"Really? What gave me away?"

SunTzu saw her smile as she looked at him in the mirror while she grabbed her Deep Aqua Mirror and held it up to show him.

Michiru held in for a moment to gave herself a last look. Content with her makeup she got up and SunTzu walked a step back to make room for her to do so.

As soon as she was up she hugged her friend and comrade.

"I'm so happy you came. I heard you were busy in the New Frontier."

"Your birthday was more important than flying endless patrol missions while the enemy already had retreated again, waiting for the next opening in our lines."

They ended their hug but kept standing in front of each other, Michiru still had her hands on SunTzu's arms.

"We're moving out in a few days as well, the Far Side is fully repaired. But let's not talk about the War. You are here, I am here, our friends are here."

"And you're giving a charity concert on your birthday. This is such a great thing to do."

"With backers like you. But there's one thing that I don't understand. Why you donated anonymously? It would have been a great way to show the Galaxy that you're a better guy than some people would like to make it believe." She was referring to anyone who still thought SunTzu should had been sentenced to death in the trial after the destruction of Linta.

"I decided to work on my redemption where it counts the most, on the battlefield and for the troops out there. And honestly? I was afraid that my name with such a high donation would even lead to negative feedback and a backslash for you."

Michiru shook her head, partly amused. After all he was her dear friend, she would always defend him. And she had to admit, that he was on the right way, not only on his path to redemption but for the Prophecy as well. The right way to become more than the Personification of War in it's destructive way. Rather the one who looks out for anyone of his comrades.

With a smile she walked up to the flowers he had brought her.

"They're beautiful." She said after taking a close look at them, turning around to him again after.

SunTzu just shrugged with an infectious grin. Michiru had to smile again as well, his shrug and his facial expression gave away that he meant beautiful flowers for a beautiful person.

"I reserved a seat for you in the first row. Between Haruka and Hotaru." She told him.

"Do they know that I'm coming?"

"It's a surprise. I suppose you're not staying for the afterparty?"

"Wish I could, but you know…"

"The War. I know. So much for not talking about it."

SunTzu forced a bitter smile. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault. And I appreciate it that you are here. And the donation is amazing. Thank you so much."

"It's for a good cause. And hey, I get to finally listen to your violin play again."

Michiru shot him a honest smile in answer of his big grin. "You should get to your seat then. The concert will begin soon."

"I will, good luck out there, Michiru-Chan."

A pair of kisses on each other's cheek later, SunTzu was out of the door and on his way to the concert hall.

SunTzu was lead out of the backstage area, on his way he greeted a few Royal Guards he knew, where their Majesties here as well?

He left through a small door side of the stage, coming out at the front row of seats, very close to the stage.

Haruka had her head turned to her left, looking up to the balcony where the Royal Couple was seated. Ami, Makoto and their husbands were with them, as were Motoki, Reika and a whole lot of Royal Guards and Commandos in civil or dress uniform attire.

Also both Haruka's and Michiru's parents were seated up there as well, Minako was sitting behind Haruka's father, the Earl, and was chatting with him about the family. Only Rei and Yuichiro were on Coruscant, Rei was busy doing the important work to further promote the bill to reinforce the Fleet with the Local Security Forces she had brought in.

Haruka's mother, a former Japanese track runner, very successful in her time, was sitting next to her father, looking even more noble than him, secretly shooting her daughter a wink only Haruka noticed and which the blonde answered with a wide grin.

Haruka wouldn't say but she was overfilled with joy that everybody that was important for Michiru and her was here. Except maybe a certain damn Kraut Starfighter Pilot.

Haruka also wondered who would be the one sitting next to her in the middle of the front row, right between her and Hotaru.

Hotaru had Chibiusa and Setsuna next to her and Haruka was already mentally prepared to put whoever the person would be sitting in between them into his place if he would be annoying or, God and Crown forbid, even try to hit on some of them.

One could never know with these rich people and the only thing Michiru had told her girlfriend about the person coming, was that said person donated a million credits for her charity this night, even declassifying the very generous donations of the Tenoh-Earl of Sommersby-household, the Kaiou's, of Minako and even going as far as to donate as twice as much as the second-highest sponsors, the Royal Family of Crystal Tokyo. This was also the reason he was sitting there In the middle next to Haruka.

Haruka was still looking up at the balcony, checking if the Royals and the families of Michiru and hers were properly guarded when someone dropped down on the seat next to her.

"Damn, if it wasn't for Michiru I'd complain this place doesn't sell beer. It's not often we both link up lately."

Haruka froze in her motion, she recognized that voice.

"Wha… what the bloody hell are you doing here? I thought you were in the New Frontier!" She yelled out in surprise.

Setsuna, Hotaru, Chibiusa and Helios, who had been sitting behind Chibiusa, turned around when they had heard Haruka's voice yelling out so loud all in a sudden. Even the Mayor of Paris, who was sitting left to Haruka jolted up.

"SunTzu!?" Hotaru let out as well now as she took a look at the man next to her.

"That's the name I gave myself. Hello Firefly." He smiled at her and then turned to Haruka.

"Is that a way to say hello to a friend?" He replied to her earlier question and stretched out his hand for their special greeting.

"Seventh Cav put up a solid defensive line up in the Frontier so I thought it would be alright to come over for Michiru's birthday." Both friends smiled at each other after the greeting.

"Hello SunTzu." Chibiusa now greeted him.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry your Majesty. Messing with Captain Tenoh made me totally forget about protocol." He got up and bowed down formally and overdramatic, towards the pink-haired heiress making her and Hotaru laugh. "I hope you don't mind, your young highness." He continued and Princess Serenity the III. answered with shaking her head still laughing.

"Guess I should greet you parents as well." SunTzu then said and turned around, looking up to the balcony where the Royal Family and part of the Senshi were seated.

He bowed down as well while a broad grinning Queen greeted him with happy waving, definitely falling out of protocol as well. SunTzu turned around and sat down again, nodding to Helios to greet the young fleet officer too.

And then his gaze could finally fall fully onto her, this divine being of timeless beauty, and although SunTzu had been thinking about how to greet her all the time since he saw her the first time he had left the backstage area all he could do was stare at her, mouth open but not able to properly form words.

So much for thinking a little bit of situational humor would relax me enough to be able to greet her with something intelligent.

Setsuna looked at him, even a hint of a smile on her lips but apparently she was awaiting a proper greeting.

"H-hi… Setsuna." Was all that SunTzu brought out.

"Hello SunTzu." Setsuna replied, her face giving away that she was asking herself what had happened to him and his speech center.

What the hell? I never had problems talking with her, why do I have them now?

Before it could get more awkward, the light in the concert hall dimmed down and all heads turned towards the stage, saving SunTzu.

A few moments later the stage's curtain opened up and revealed Michiru in her wonderful white dress, her Stradivarius in her hands.

Applause surged up, especially from the first row and the balcony on the left side, closest to the stage.

Michiru bowed down politely, as graceful as ever.

And then she readied her violin and a speaker announced that Madame Kaiou would now begin the concert with Bach's Violin Partita No. 2 in D-Minor.

The concert had been magnificent, wonderful, beautiful. Michiru's play had been even more magical and mesmerizing than usual and for fifty minutes everyone attending was completely spellbound by the music the teal-haired and her violin produced.

Even SunTzu could just lay back and relax and take his mind off of everything and for once not think about the War. Listening to Michiru's music was like diving deep into the calm, quiet sea, calming one down immediately.

The only thing that from time to time sneaked into his mind was Setsuna, he hadn't been this close to her since weeks, yet she still seemed so far away. Everytime when Michiru made a small break after receiving applause after finishing a song, SunTzu glanced secretly over to her. The only one who noticed that was the young raven-haired to his right. But she kept it to herself, smiling happily into herself.

When the concert ended the hall erupted in loud applauding and cheering and pretty much everyone of the almost two thousand people inside the L'Olympia gave standing ovations.

All her graceful self Michiru bowed down politely and gave away small smiles.

While the curtain fell, the friends were still up, Haruka and SunTzu were praising Michiru's performance. Haruka told SunTzu that they would wait a few moments and then go to the backstage area to congratulate her to her performance.

SunTzu was still applauding, looking forward to at least spent a few minutes with his friends again, telling Michiru how great she was and maybe even conversing a bit with Setsuna, when suddenly something vibrated in his suit's jacket.

He froze, his phone was on flight mode, and he only knew of one thing that was able to bypass the flight mode.

"What's wrong?" Haruka asked perplex when she saw his reaction. The look on his face had told her that something was wrong.

SunTzu grabbed into his jacket and pulled his mobile phone out.

There was message from AICA on it.

I'm on my way, get outside ASAP. We are needed on the frontlines.

For a second SunTzu just stared at the message before his gaze turned back to Haruka.

Before he could complain, or tell at all, or excuse himself, she already nodded, she had understood. Heck, she had been there as well, being needed somewhere to fight evil. Back then when they were still teenagers and she always had to drop everything and leave.

SunTzu on the other side wasn't sure if he should leave. He turned around and looked at Hotaru who was chatting with Chibiusa and Helios. She was laughing with them, joyfully and it warmed his heart to see her in this rare moments where she just could be a happy teenager, enjoying herself. Standing next to her was her mother, her usual stoic face on, scanning the surroundings. The silent guardian.

Setsuna was wearing an ochreous dress with light brown highlights, nothing flashy, rather something that highlighted her beauty in a frugal way, complimenting her beige colored skin. Not that this woman couldn't wear anything and not look like a goddess in it. SunTzu would have loved to stay here with his two closest friends, the teenage girl he cared for so much and the woman he had fallen for, but apart from being needed there was something else.

Setsuna and his eyes met for the fracture of a second and while he turned away, her gaze turned into a questioning one, what was that she had just seen in his eyes? SunTzu took a look at the Royals and the Senshi up on the balcony, chatting with each other full of joy, after this great concert.

Yes, he needed to go. This people were all too important to him and if the enemy was on the move again, he probably would make them a target. Just like he had done with Gistess. And Marvin. Yumeko. Hell, probably even Anniten would still be alive and not haven fallen to the enemy without him.

He leaned in to Haruka while he laid a hand on her shoulder and squeezed gently.

"Tell Michiru she was playing like an angel tonight."

Haruka replied with a half grin, a hint of sadness in her eyes.

"You guys know." SunTzu added.

The blonde woman nodded and SunTzu turned around.

He tousled Hotaru's hair and gave the hint of a bow to Chibiusa.

"I'll see you around." While he said that he looked over to Setsuna who still glanced at him, and for once not even necessarily sported her signature gaze. Both adults nodded at each other and then SunTzu left. On his way out he gave the people on the balcony a two finger salute.

Thirty seconds later he already had left the concert hall.