Chapter 14: The Wind and the Sea

February 12, 8983 – February 13, 8983

The main dining hall in the palace was large enough to seat hundreds, but the Queen's table sat on a raised dais overlooking the whole room. Two heralds sounded trumpets as the procession of princesses entered the room, Queen Serenity standing from her ornate chair to greet them. Princess Serenity led the group, clad in a flowing petal pink gown, pink flowers threaded through her long hair. Minako followed on her heels, her dress a few shades darker than Serenity's and edged in white lace, strings of pink topazes in her loose hair. Rei walked behind her soul mate, crimson hair hanging down her back in a series of intricate braids, the rich purple of her gown a match for the dark gems threaded through her hair. Ami followed the Martian, her dark blue dress just reaching her knees, a jeweled blue topaz flower in her short hair. Makoto brought up the rear of the group, eyes alert for any enemy, her curled emerald hair flirting with the straps of her black gown as she walked.

Haruka followed a few steps behind Makoto, her dark boots ringing on the white marble floor as she entered the hall. Her gold suit was trimmed in navy, white patterns running down the sides of her jacket and her pants. It was a more extravagant suit than she had worn to visit Ono Hikari, one befitting a prince, and she felt like she could finally enjoy herself as a royal in Serenity's palace. One her arm, every step elegant and every breath the epitome of grace, Michiru marveled at the huge hall. Her dress was colored in sea green, a perfect match for her hair, with sapphire accents to match the shine in her teal eyes. She let her hair hang loosely around her shoulder, the wavy strands dancing over her shoulders and reaching for Haruka with every step the pair took. Queen Serenity watched the group approach, curious eyes trying to decide what relationship the princess of Neptune shared with the Uranian noble man.

The princesses took their seats, a flock of servants delivering the appetizers as Queen Serenity waved a hand. "Please, enjoy."

"It looks wonderful, Mother."

"I had them make your favorite today in celebration of your friends' visit." Something in Serenity's tone indicated that her daughter should introduce the new additions to the palace, and the blonde princess obeyed.

"Mother, this is the same Kazemaru who was training my senshi weeks ago, and this is Princess Michiru of Neptune."

"Kazemaru . . . I didn't remember the first time I met you, since I was so busy, but that is a title, isn't it? Kazeko had that title when I first met her, years ago."

Haruka started at the mention of her mother, covering her emotional reaction with a sip of wine. "Yes, it is a title. And calling myself a child of the High Duke of Umbriel is just a fancy way of saying that I come from the royal lineage. I am Rukaze, and my mother is Ono Hikari, Fourth War Queen of Uranus."

"Oh, you're Hikari's son. I remember her from the day Princess Haruka was born. She's Kazeko's cousin, if I remember correctly, and quite a powerful warrior herself."

Haruka nodded. "She carries many titles, including Kazemaru."

"Why did you decide to visit the Moon, Rukaze?"

Haruka shrugged, watching Michiru sample her appetizers from the corner of one eye. "It is common for a Uranian to wander away from home when he or she turns twenty-one. I needed to find myself and my future. I cannot live under my mother's name and titles for the rest of my life."

"How many titles do you have?"

"Seven; five war titles including Kazemaru and two artistic ones."

Serenity nodded and sipped her wine thoughtfully. The other princesses were watching the blonde discreetly, curious about Uranian culture and wondering how long Haruka could lie to the Queen. "Then you certainly have enough to request a wife."

Michiru giggled and placed her glass back on the table, hands folded politely in her lap. "Actually, Ruka didn't need any titles to ask for a wife. My mother was impressed enough with Ruka's devotion to me while I was sick that she ordered us to wed."

"Sick? I had not heard anything about an illness, Michiru."

"It was nothing, Your Majesty, just the normal pre-transformation premonitions that every Sailor Neptune experiences. I have my henshin stick now, so I am fine. Ruka helped me through some pretty terrible days, and Mother was impressed."

"So, you two are getting married? When?"

"Soon," Michiru evaded, waving one hand at the gathered princesses. "I thought that I should meet my princess and fellow warriors before the wedding. I've never left my world until now, and I didn't want to keep living that isolated life."

Queen Serenity smiled at the Neptunian, a distant light in her lavender eyes. "You will make a beautiful bride, Michiru. You look so much like your mother did at your age. Back then she spent every waking moment with Kazeko, before Setsuna introduced Tsuyu to her. I'm glad you've found a suitable mate."

"So am I."

"So, wedding tomorrow?"

Haruka raised one eyebrow at the excited princess, shaking her head at the Lunarian clinging to her free arm. After the meal, they had all retired to the huge senshi suite, collapsing on the couches and comparing their childhoods. Serenity's question caught them all off guard. "I suppose. I hadn't thought much beyond getting the priest and getting back here, but we can wed tomorrow if that's okay with Michiru."

The Neptunian smiled, leaning her head on Haruka's shoulder. "That will be fine."

"In that case, I suppose some arrangements must be made. Serenity, can you send a message to your prince and ask him to be ready for visitors tomorrow afternoon? I'll get our priest to meet us in the abandoned wing of the palace and we can all transport down together." She paused, her gaze meeting Rei's across the room. "There's only one thing that truly worries me about this plan."

"What?"

"Pluto," Rei and Michiru answered at the same time.

"Oh," Minako replied, furrowing her eyebrows. "What can we do to keep her away? She would never approve."

Serenity stood from her seat on the couch beside Haruka, a slow smile spreading across her face. "I know a way to keep her occupied. Michiru, tell us about that vision that you had. Was it really bad?"

"It was the end of the Silver Millennium, if we can't prevent it."

Serenity nodded, her gaze meeting each of her guardians in turn. "I trust all of you to prevent this coming destruction, but my mother doesn't know you like I do. If Michiru shows her that vision with her mirror, she will freak out and contact Pluto immediately."

"Pluto? Why?"

"She always has. Whenever something worries her, Mother calls Setsuna. That should keep them both distracted long enough for your wedding."

"Let's hope it works. An angry Sailor Pluto is a sight I am not ready to see."

Haruka watched Michiru dress for bed, her emerald eyes dark with lust. She couldn't help it. She had promised herself that she wouldn't get into a relationship with Michiru for the sake of their mission, but the Neptunian's near-death experience had changed something between them. She wanted Michiru more than she had ever wanted anything in her life, and there was a part of her that didn't care if the whole universe burned as long she could be with her lithe siren.

"You don't mean that." Haruka started at Michiru's gentle reprimand, trying to remember if she had spoken out loud. The Neptunian turned to her partner, having chosen to wear a simple green shift to bed, her eyes almost sapphire in the dim light. "You didn't say it out loud, but I could feel what you were thinking. Maybe it has something to do with my talisman."

"Or something to do with our bond." Haruka stood from her seat, taking a step forward and pulling the smaller woman into her arms. "I do mean it."

"Haruka, we can't sacrifice the entire Silver Millennium just to be together. We have a duty as soldiers to protect everything, no matter our feelings."

Haruka smiled at Michiru, closing her eyes briefly. "It's too late for that, Michi."

"I know," she whispered, resting her head on the Uranian's chest. "I thought I should try to give you one last chance to back out of this. Our marriage could bring about the end of the Silver Millennium."

"Or it could save it. Either way, I'm marrying you tomorrow."

Michiru nodded and walked away from her partner, slipping into the large bed in the center of the room. She raised one eyebrow as Haruka stripped out of her suit and dropped it haphazardly on the floor, the blonde slipping under the covers beside her partner, naked. "Shouldn't you slip into something?"

"I'd like to slip into you."

"Haruka!"

"Shh," the blonde admonished, amazed at what she had been able to say without blushing. Michiru, however, had not learned to control that impulse yet. "You don't want the others to think that we've started our honeymoon early."

Michiru shook her head and curled up against Haruka's side, letting her hands dance across her partner's soft skin. She couldn't resist cupping Haruka's breast in her palm, keeping her touches feathery light in an attempt not to arouse her partner more than she already was. Michiru knew how uncontrollable a lust-crazy Uranian could be. "It's not like they could hear us over Rei and Minako."

As if she had heard the Neptunian's words, Minako's piercing scream echoed through the apartment, followed by more of the Martian's moans that had been leaking from their room for almost an hour. "She has more stamina than I would have expected from a Venusian," Haruka commented distractedly, rolling over and pinning Michiru to their bed. She leaned down and kissed the smaller woman on her cheek, having decided to save their first real kiss for their wedding. "Goodnight, my Michiru."

"Goodnight, my Ruka."

"Your Majesty?"

"Michiru?" Serenity turned from her advisors as the aqua-haired princess entered the room, the Deep Aqua Mirror clutched tightly in her hands. Queen Serenity had learned long ago that nothing good ever came of an Outer Senshi bearing her talisman. Without even bothering to offer an excuse, she dismissed her advisors, the two women staring at each other across the low table in the queen's small conference room.

"I came alone. This is something I thought you should see first."

"First?"

Michiru waved a hand vaguely over her shoulder, her posture stiff and her eyes worried. Serenity had never seen a Neptunian woman so off-balance. "The others will all know eventually, but maybe there is something you can do to help. I told you that I was having pre-transformation premonitions, but that is not the whole truth. The visions were getting worse, but I could never really see them, so I began to push. First I had headaches, then seizures, and finally I slipped into a coma. Ruka called my mother home to give me the Neptune henshin stick, and I finally saw the vision of destruction that has been plaguing me for months."

Michiru walked to the table, placing her mirror on the smooth white surface so Serenity could see the reflection. She closed her worried teal eyes, one hand on the mirror's handle as she channeled her vision once more. Lavender eyes filling with shock and fear, Serenity watched the scene unfold.

Darkness spreading across the Solar System, engulfing every planet and leaving behind nothing but death. Screams filling the empty air. The Moon covered in ruins, bodies everywhere, some of them senshi. They have failed in their duty. The Queen is dead, the princess is dead, and there is nothing left of the Silver Millennium. The darkness reaches for the Earth, but a brilliant golden light drives it back, protecting that one last planet of hope. The silver light of the ginzuishou cleanses the Moon, followed by the vibrant purple light of a scythe that buries the ruins. The bodies are gone, the souls released to be reborn, and Time screams into the emptiness.

Serenity fell out of her chair, wide eyes staring at the mirror in disbelief. The image of Sailor Pluto leaning over her stiff form was burned into her memory, tears in the corners of her lavender eyes. "The end . . . everything is going to be destroyed."

"Not if we can find a way to stop it," Michiru replied softly.

"I have to . . . I have to call someone. Thank you, for showing me your vision."

"Do you know how to prevent this from coming to pass?" Michiru knew that her question was pointless. The Queen would not have the slightest idea how to identify and neutralize a threat so great that Sailor Saturn was stirring, but she had to make sure that Serenity's conversation with Setsuna lasted long enough for her wedding to proceed as planned. This would be their only chance.

"I'll find out," Serenity promised.

"You look lovely, Michiru."

The Neptunian smiled at Minako, staring at herself in the full-length mirror and running one hand appreciatively over the shimmering fabric of her dress. Each planet had its own traditions and superstitions regarding marriage, but Uranus had none at all. As long as both parties were attired in something decent, and as long as the officiating priest was of the Silent Wind Temple, nothing else mattered. On Neptune, the color blue was usually preferred for brides as the color of the sea and their guardian planet. On Venus, the brides wore gold and pink to honor their patron goddess, while Martians preferred red and black (and often leather) for their brides. Makoto mentioned something about leather and furs while Ami told Michiru that her planet preferred neutral colored suits.

Michiru had decided not to follow any of the planetary traditions. Her dress was white with powder blue and silver accents, the corset tight and heavy with intricate embroidery and the loose skirt covered in lace and ruffles. It was modeled after one of Princess Serenity's formal gowns, the princess's seamstresses altering the gown overnight with a speed that Michiru appreciated. Minako, Serenity, and Ami helped the other princess with her dress and makeup, the Venusian glaring at Michiru's aqua locks before dropping her comb in annoyance.

"I hate to say it—actually, it's rather embarrassing for the princess of a planet of beauty to admit—but I have never been very good at doing my own hair, let alone someone else's. The only princess I know with talent in that area is Haruka."

"Haruka?" Michiru was as genuinely surprised as the other three princesses. "She has less hair than any of us; why would she know how to take care of it?"

Minako chuckled as she walked to the door to summon the other half of their group into Michiru's bedroom. "She says that pleasing women is her specialty."

Haruka entered the large room a moment later, her stance as cocky as ever despite the trepidation in her emerald eyes. She had chosen a dark navy suit for the wedding, one styled by a Venusian and therefore perfectly form-fitting. Her shirt was gold and the accents white, her hair somewhat tamed for her big day. Michiru couldn't help but notice that Haruka had foregone the tight bindings she used to hide her gender, and the slightest swell of her breasts was accented by the feminine cut of the suit, the jacket tapered to hug her slim waist and hide all pretenses of masculinity. Even her boots were feminine, almost a perfect match for the ones she wore as Sailor Uranus.

"You look beautiful," Michiru managed, blushing at her own choice of words. "I think that you have finally found your perfect balance between sajink and saliis."

Haruka shrugged, the gesture revealing that she had found a new inner peace since her visit to Neptune. She was no longer afraid to flaunt her femininity, even though her strength was still obvious. "I don't have to worry about anyone seeing me anymore. As long as I am with you, your beauty will shine brightly enough to blind any observer."

Michiru blushed at the compliment as her partner joined her at the dressing table. Rei and Makoto entered the bedroom behind the blonde, joining Minako and Ami while Serenity stepped forward to help Haruka. The Uranian glanced at the array of pins, gems, flowers, and hair ornaments arrayed before her, grabbing the comb Minako had dropped while she pondered. She eventually decided to pile all of Michiru's hair on top of her head in an elegant twist with a few strands left loose to frame her face. Making use of the strings of gems that Minako covered half of the table with, she decorated the styled hair with pale blue topazes, stepping back and pondering for a moment.

"Serenity, could you grab me one of those rare blue roses you picked from the garden this morning?" The princess nodded and dashed into the main room, glad to be able to help. She returned an instant later with the pale flower, having chosen one that was already in full bloom, and Haruka took it carefully. Staring at the thorns for a moment, she drew her Space Sword and carefully sliced them off, cutting the stem in half before slipping it into Michiru's twisted hair. She settled the flower just above her partner's ear, stepping back and smiling. "Beautiful."

The other princesses nodded in agreement, Michiru blushing as she carefully rose to her feet. Reaching out with one hand, she grabbed Haruka's ear and pulled her down to face level. The blonde grunted in surprise, emerald eyes wide as she tried to decide what she had done to upset her partner. "That is a talisman, Haruka, not something you use to trim flowers. I thought we talked about this." Her voice was stern, but her eyes sparkled with mirth at the fake pain on Haruka's face.

"Sorry, but I don't carry any other knife." The blonde grinned as she stepped closer to the aquanette, knowing that Michiru was not in the least bit angry with her. "You're being so rough, Michi; I want you to touch me gently."

Michiru turned crimson at the words and the insinuation in Haruka's husky tone, releasing the blonde's ear and taking a step back. Rei snorted in amusement as the Neptunian smiled demurely. "Maybe later, when we're alone," she replied sweetly, echoing Haruka's words from Neptune. "You wouldn't want to scar these young women with your rough manner."

"Hey!"

Minako giggled as she shooed the princesses out of the bedroom, taking Rei's hand and gesturing for the brides to lead. "You two are made for each other, that's for sure. Let's get you married, shall we?"

Haruka turned as Minako moved to pass her in the suite, wrapping her long fingers gently around the other blonde's slender wrist. "Are you sure you don't want some bracelets or something to hide these?" Her fingers brushed the red chain-shaped marks on Minako's pale wrist, having seen similar ones on the Venusian's ankles and neck before she dressed. Minako's dress and jeweled choker hid the other ones, but the marks on her wrists were still very visible.

Minako blushed and shook her head as Rei slipped an arm around her waist. "No, they're fine as they are."

Haruka nodded and led her bride and friends out of the suite, smiling at the tall Uranian man who waited for them. The priest bowed to his princess and fell into step behind her group as Serenity led them all to the abandoned wing of the palace and the transporter hidden there.

"Endymion!" Serenity glanced up at Haruka, her blue eyes begging for permission, and the Uranian nodded, smiling warmly. With a childlike squeal of joy, the blonde princess dashed through the garden and leaped into her waiting prince's arms. The rest of the princesses followed her more slowly, the Inners taking time to admire the roses and smell the air of the only planet in the system to have a natural atmosphere. The sun sat in a cloudless sky, warming them more than any of their planets' artificial lights ever could, giving life to the outcast planet.

"This place is beautiful," Minako breathed, staring up into a cloudless blue sky. "It's so full of life and light. Even my own world isn't so lovely. I'd like to live here someday."

"Says the Crown Princess of Venus," Rei chuckled, letting her fingers caress the petals of the roses they walked past. "It is very peaceful here. The Earthlings may be primitive, without all of our technology and power, but they have the most wonderful home."

"Welcome to my planet, Princesses of the Silver Millennium." Endymion managed to detach Serenity from his body for a moment and offered the group a low bow, smiling as his eyes met Haruka's. "I see you found someone worth loving."

"I did. This is Michiru, High Princess of Neptune."

Endymion bowed to the elegant woman, glancing at the Inner Senshi who were standing in a semi-circle around him. "I am glad that all of Serenity's guardians are here at last."

Haruka introduced the rest of the senshi before calling her priest forward. "This is Kiyoshi, a priest of the Silent Wind Temple of Uranus. He will be performing our ceremony today."

The priest bowed his head at the introduction. "Shall we begin?"

Serenity emptied the communications room, setting her guards at the door with orders to repulse anyone seeking entry. The call that she needed to make to Setsuna was far too important to risk someone overhearing her. With shaking hands, she typed in Pluto's personal code, calling her directly at Charon Palace.

Setsuna's face appeared on the screen moments later, her garnet eyes confused. She tilted her head at the worry in her queen's lavender eyes. "Serenity, why are you calling me? I did not expect to hear from you today."

"I'm sorry, Se, but I had to call." Setsuna started at the name, having grown unused to mortals calling her that. Serenity had learned the truth of her Setsuna's divinity decades earlier, and she had always used the dark queen's true name when they were in private since. "Michiru showed me her vision today. Sailor Saturn is really going to awaken."

"Serenity, I already told you about that possibility in our future, but we senshi will prevent it. Why are you so worried now?"

"Because she showed me our deaths in her mirror. I saw you standing over my body, Se. There's a difference between your vague warning that Saturn is stirring and this vision clearly showing my death and the destruction of everything I love."

Setsuna's eyes darkened at Serenity's words and the fear behind them. "You've never been afraid before, despite some of the hardships we had to endure."

"Well I'm afraid now."

Setsuna sighed and closed her eyes, vanishing from her seat in front of the screen and appearing by Serenity's side a moment later. The queen stood, facing her oldest and most loyal senshi, tears in her lavender eyes. Setsuna pulled the distraught queen into her arms, whispering a soothing prayer in Plutonian as the silver-haired woman struggled not to cry. "What did you see in her mirror? You understand that it's quite possible you misunderstood the image, since this Sailor Neptune is brand new and her premonitions might still be shaky."

"The surface of the Moon was covered in bodies. Every building was destroyed and every senshi was dead. I saw Serenity's body at the stairs to the palace and a dark cloud settling over everything. I saw a scythe come down and erase everything, then I saw you leaning over my body. There was a golden light from the Earth just before the vision ended, but I'm almost sure I saw a dark figure behind you. Se . . ."

"I know. It's bad. Even if Neptune's vision is not entirely accurate, I am worried. Where is she now?"

Serenity shrugged slightly, letting her head rest on Setsuna's shoulder for the first time in fourteen years. The dark queen's strength comforted the silver-haired woman, and she was in no hurry to leave Setsuna's arms. "I think she went to show her vision to the other senshi. Let them process it in their own way. You'll have time to discuss it at your meeting next week."

Setsuna leaned her head down and kissed Serenity's forehead, knowing better than to allow herself the luxury but unable to resist. As a child of darkness, she had always been addicted to the light, and now that she had her queen in her arms she never wanted to let her go. "The time knot is changing daily now. I can barely keep up, even with the help of Tranquility's cupid army, but I don't want to go to the meeting without at least some good news. I haven't even identified the threat yet, which is unusual. Without Uranus and Neptune at their posts, I might not be able to catch the coming enemy before Saturn is forced to awaken. In ten thousand years, this kingdom has never been in such danger."

"I trust you to save everyone, Setsuna."

I wish I trusted me to do that, the Queen of Pluto whispered in the privacy of her own mind. I want nothing more than to save you.

Kiyoshi stood before the two women, a small dagger in one hand and a strip of golden cloth in the other. His dark grey eyes were devoid of any emotion as he began his intonation, his words intoned in the Uranian High Mirandan dialect used for marriage ceremonies. Endymion watched silently, unable to understand but willing to be a witness for the woman who protected Serenity on her trips to the Moon. Ami fiddled with her computer for a moment while Kiyoshi recited an ancient tale of destined lovers, placing it on the ground and smiling as a projection appeared in the air before her. The princesses and prince watched, amazed, as the machine projected a Sol Standard translation of Kiyoshi's words into the air before them, letting them understand the ceremony.

Michiru and Haruka did not need the same technological crutch that most of their friends required. Haruka spoke every Uranian dialect as the princess of her planet should, and Michiru had taken time to learn as many as she could after meeting a certain wild, blonde princess on the Moon fourteen years earlier. As Kiyoshi finished his story, Rei moved into her assigned position at Haruka's left elbow, Minako flanking Michiru on the opposite side. Many of the planets' marriage ceremony included assistants to stand beside the bride and groom, but on Uranus the two were expected to be warriors of highest regard and as noble as possible. Rei's official role was described as sword bearer, and as such she would receive the knife when Kiyoshi had finished with it. Minako, stationed beside the ch'kuri, had the title ribbon bearer.

"Marriage is not a concept native to our world," Kiyoshi began; having finished the ancient tale he now spoke in a more natural voice, even allowing a hint of emotion to enter his eyes. "We learned from others how to bind ourselves to one person for all of eternity, but very few women ever find a single person worth such devotion. In the case of Uranus Haruka, I can see that her heart chose Neptune Michiru more than a dozen years ago, as is proper with soul mates. Their souls have been together before, and they will be together again, but today we will bind their bodies." He held out his left hand, the golden cloth hanging from his fingers, and waited for Haruka and Michiru to hold out their hands, too. With surgical precision, he made a small incision in Haruka's right palm, a simple wavy line commonly used in ancient and modern Uranian art to represent the wind. Coincidentally, Neptunians used the same symbol to represent the sea.

Haruka watched blood well up from the cut as Kiyoshi copied the symbol on the skin of Michiru's left palm, the aqua-haired princess still holding her hand steady despite the pain that a non-warrior race would not be accustomed to dealing with. Handing the stained knife to Haruka's sword bearer, Kiyoshi took Michiru's bloodied palm and placed it against Haruka's, letting their blood mingle as he wrapped the golden cloth around their joined hands. "As their blood becomes one, the sa'rikhj will speak."

Haruka nodded and turned to face Michiru, ignoring the tingling itch in her hand as her senshi healing took care of the small cut Kiyoshi had made. She had intended to speak in Uranian, but something in Michiru's teal eyes changed her mind. Smiling, she decided to say her vows in Venusian. "Cold . . . in little light, my planet of isolation makes even myself freeze over. Before I met you, I was a pirate, taking for my own everything I liked in the world that I could see. I was a queen, leading all those around me." She felt Rei's eyes on her back, burning into her, as her dark loneliness washed over everyone. Born a princess, living a life of solitude, she had everything she thought she wanted, including a plethora of women to share her bed. Rei and Minako remembered her confident words to them on the Moon about the women she had slept with, but her words now showed them how lonely she had been even then.

"Archery, racing, hang gliding, fencing. Whatever I did, no one was a match for me. I went along, satisfied with that life. I spent the time convincing myself that I was satisfied. But . . . but then . . . I felt I was really about to break apart. I felt I was going to be crushed by irritation. After I tore off the mask of the daytime, every night in bed I cried out without a voice." Michiru's eyes widened at the desperation in Haruka's words, feelings she could not hide in the language she had chosen. From the tears in the corners of her partner's emerald eyes, the Uranian was ready to let everyone see into her heart. "No . . . this me is not me. It's not the real me! I was but a child, trying to escape my own destiny. Wrapped in a thin blanket, I was a naked child crying."

Haruka's next words sent joy through her observers, even Endymion who had to read the translations on Ami's screen. "And then, when I met you, I understood at once. You were that person. You were that person I searched for, and at the same time was afraid of." Afraid? Michiru tilted her head to the side, wondering why the blonde had feared her. "You, elegant but having wild eyes . . . never turning your eyes from reality, fighting against everything. You taught me that destiny is something you choose yourself." Her hope tinged with something else warm touched the group as she prepared herself to finish her vows. Michiru could sense Haruka begin to truly struggle with her words; a woman whose language had no word for love trying to describe what she felt.

"Like the larva dies and is reborn a butterfly, at that time the cowardly me was killed by you. You, strong and able to keep fighting." Michiru remembered the pain she felt, lying in her bed as her body failed her, but she had still been able to feel Haruka by her side, even in the darkest depths of her coma. The blonde's brilliant strength as much as her own henshin stick had brought her back to the world, but Haruka still seemed to think that Michiru was the strong one. "And yet . . . when I'm thinking of you . . . for some reason . . . gentle feelings . . . fill my heart." It was all she could manage, but it was enough. Michiru felt tears in her own eyes as Haruka's love washed over her, and she knew that she could never stand to be separated from this woman. "For everything, thank you, Michiru."

The Neptunian raised their joined hands to her lips and kissed the back of Haruka's palm, knowing without a doubt that her blonde loved her. To hear her say the words would have cheapened their bond, but feeling the words brought tears of joy to her teal eyes. Kiyoshi nodded as Haruka finished, waving his free hand at Michiru. "The ch'kuri will now speak."

Michiru decided to speak her own vows in Venusian, as well, even though she was perfectly capable of expressing her own feelings in words. "What I dream of is a beach house where I live together with you. A white house on the promontory, where we can always hear the sounds of the waves surging back and forth. What a thought!" To just live as normal women, without their kingdoms to rule and the Laws to obey would be wonderful, but Michiru knew that it could never happen in this life. "But it would have been better if you were a more boring, ordinary person." Haruka couldn't help but chuckle at the words, and Michiru smiled gently as she continued. "So then I would live without wanting you. Even if we did happen to meet, I would live without wanting you." She took a shallow breath before continuing, knowing that her words had the chance to hurt Haruka but hoping that the blonde would sense the love behind them. "Even when you're with a lot of friends, you're always still alone. I knew about you since I was a child. I've known since I was little that I'd be able to meet my destined one. But that's not the reason I wanted you." Haruka tilted her head to the side, curious. She would have thought that Michiru, as a Neptunian, would be obsessed with destiny and a pre-written future, but she was beginning to understand that her partner was by no means a normal Neptunian. "Destiny is meaningless to me. I'm not the type to worry about that sort of thing."

Michiru's words darkened as she remembered the first time she sensed her premonition of destruction, long before she received her mirror. "Since the darkened sky stole the sun, I can't just leave myself to the current. That's revealed by human nature, I know. Just . . ." What could she say? How could she express why she wanted to be with Haruka, why she needed the blonde in her life? She paused for a second, her gaze dancing across Haruka's feminine form before she continued.

"Oh, you're so attractive anyway!" Minako chuckled at the Neptunian's spontaneous words and the tiny sigh that followed. Everyone could feel Michiru's desire mixed with a bit of trepidation as she began to realize that she was accepting destiny by marrying her soul mate. For the first time in a life fraught with constant battles against the future laid before her, Michiru was preparing to embrace her destiny, literally and figuratively. "I wish we hadn't met. I plan to break up with you even now, if you become a boring person. But I know. You won't depend on anyone. You'll always be obedient to your own feelings. And you'll be like that until you die." Haruka nodded her encouragement as Michiru's grip on her hand tightened, sensing that the Neptunian was finally ready. Shousha might have been the one to order Michiru to wed Haruka, but the princess had finally accepted in her heart that it was the right decision.

"So fine! I've decided myself! I'm just running toward what I want. To always be with you, who knows isolation . . . I've decided that . . . in my heart." Haruka could feel warmth wash over her, echoing what she felt when she thought of Michiru, that feeling called love. Unlike her, Michiru could say it. She was ready to say it. "Haruka, you and I are forever, no matter what else happens. I love you."

Kiyoshi raised his hand to touch the golden strip of cloth holding the two hands together, freezing as both women began to glow with their senshi power. Rei, Minako, Makoto, and Ami felt their own powers begin to respond as wind gusted fitfully around the group. Haruka stared at her hand and the golden glow that had begun to reach for Michiru. Her partner's own aqua glow began to pulse in time with hers, the colors reaching for each other as a storm formed suddenly overhead.

"Do you feel better now?"

Serenity nodded, reluctantly pulling away from Setsuna. "I'm sorry I called you like that. Michiru frightened me."

"She has more power than her mother ever imagined if she can show you a vision that detailed immediately after receiving her henshin stick."

Serenity reached up and touched Setsuna's cheek, smiling at the dark woman. "Will you stay for a while?"

"I can't."

"Se—"

"Ser, you know why I can't. Would you sacrifice your daughter because of your love for me? We have protected her this long by staying apart and I will not jeopardize her life now." The silver-haired queen let her hand drop as reality crashed down around them again and she accepted Setsuna's words.

"It's been fourteen years since we were last together."

"I know. I suffer every day without you, but we aren't like the other queens. We can't have our monthly trysts and enjoy our love behind the backs of our courts. You and I . . . we would destroy everything if we were together." Setsuna turned her head away, her hands clenching into fists despite her best efforts. When she was around Serenity, she always skated just on the edge of losing control, something that the daughter of Hades could never, ever allow to happen. "We agreed to this the day she was born, my love. You agreed to this."

"I know." She took a deep breath and pulled herself up to her full height, letting the mantle of her royal duties settle on her shoulders once more. "Forgive my weakness."

Setsuna smiled and summoned her Time Staff. "Only if you can forgive mine. I'm the one who came here just to hold you." Setsuna narrowed her garnet eyes as something indistinct whispered along the edge of her consciousness and blinded her subconscious connection to the Time Streams, her planet desperately screaming at her through that haze. "Something . . . the planets are stirring?" She pulled her garnet orb into her hands, staring into its dark depths as an image began to form. Before she could see any details other than a group of silhouettes, the power of Pluto filled her frame, forcing her to her knees with the suddenness of it. She felt herself transform—for the first time in her life without her control—as a brilliant golden light exploded from her orb, washing away any chance she had of a vision.

The four Inner Senshi moved into action. Makoto moved to stand in front of Kiyoshi, Ami taking position on the opposite side of Haruka and Michiru as they formed their first ever barrier. With Minako's golden-orange power leading, they used the power they drew from their planets to control the growing strength of Uranus and Neptune. The golden glow met the aqua one, but something was missing and the planets were unable to do whatever they were attempting. Haruka was able to force the power of Uranus away through the strength of her will alone, sighing in relief as the warm burn of her power faded. Opening her eyes—not having realized that she had closed them from the force required to subdue her planet—Haruka noticed that Michiru was able to gain control over her own world, as well. As soon as the danger was past and the clouds overhead had dissipated, the Inner Senshi let their barrier fall.

"What was that?"

Haruka turned her head toward the Earth Prince, nodding her approval of the princess hidden safely behind his form. "I don't know. My planet activated, but something was missing. It's still asleep, so whatever dreams or nightmares planets have must have bothered it." She wasn't willing to tell Endymion about her interpretation of the Ancient Law nor was she willing to believe that her planet had intentionally tried to combine its power with Neptune's life-force. That was something the six senshi would have to try to determine later, in privacy on the Moon.

Kiyoshi stepped past Makoto, reaching for the golden cloth still wrapped around Haruka and Michiru's joined hands. With the crisis seemingly resolved, the priest was prepared to finish the ceremony. "When two warriors shed blood for each other, they have forged a bond too strong for any mortal to break. Today these two have done just that, proving their eternal bond for the world to see. This ribbon is now a physical representation of the bond between their souls, and no one can ever question their devotion to each other. Princess, I give you your bride." Kiyoshi removed the ribbon and handed it to Minako, watching as Haruka reluctantly released Michiru's hand and glanced at the blood on her palm. Kiyoshi glanced at Minako, motioning for her to remember her assigned role, and the blonde took the gold ribbon and dipped it into a small bowl of water on the ground at her feet. Gently, so as not to disturb the healing wound, she wiped away the blood on Haruka's palm, turning to Michiru to repeat the action. Their senshi healing had already sealed the wounds, but because of the special poison on the tip of the ceremonial knife, both wounds would scar.

Haruka pulled Michiru into her arms, the earlier surge of power forgotten as her emerald eyes met Michiru's sapphire-tinted teal. "Michiru?"

She understood the question, smiling as she nodded. "Yes, Haruka." Grinning, the blonde leaned down and captured her wife's lips with her own, pouring all of her feelings and love into their first kiss. A collective sigh of awe spread through the group, even the Earth Prince appreciating the scene as Serenity stared up at him with dreamy eyes.

When Haruka and Michiru pulled apart for some much-needed air, Kiyoshi's gentle cough caught their attention. "I will leave the knife, ribbon, and documentation in your suite, Highness, and return to my meditations on Oberon."

"Of course. Thank you."

"Anything for my princess." Kiyoshi bowed before gathering the ritual items together and walking away, headed for the transporter in the center of the garden.

"Haruka, do you feel anything strange from your planet now?"

The blonde shook her head, still lost in Michiru's eyes. "No, Minako. We will have to access the archives on the Moon and see if the planets have ever done anything strange like that before. I would ask Pluto, but she might figure out what we did."

"Archives? I have an uplink to the Moon Archives in my palace."

The senshi turned to Endymion in surprise, but the Earth Prince only shrugged. "Even before Serenity first began to visit me, I had been in diplomatic talks with her mother about possibly having Earth join the Silver Millennium. At some point, she offered me access to the public archives so I could learn about your planets and hopefully pick up a couple of languages. Sol Standard is not that different from my native language, but I have recently been learning some Lunarian."

"Not a language to speak lightly," Haruka murmured, her eyes flitting briefly to Serenity. "I would prefer to return to the Moon as soon as possible."

Minako snorted, taking Rei's hand and leading her to stand behind Endymion and Serenity. "We should stay here where I know we can get some research done. You just want to defile that bed in your room with all sorts of unspeakable acts."

"You're one to talk," Haruka replied, waving one hand at the slowly-fading marks on the Venusian's wrists. "And I'll have you know that I am capable of making a decision without consulting my sex drive first."

Michiru giggled, slipping her arm through Haruka's. "Minako's right, we would be wise to remain here. If Sailor Pluto sensed our planets stir, she won't think to look for us here but she would quickly find us on the Moon."

Ami nodded. "True. And I can certainly break into the restricted Moon Royal Archives from Prince Endymion's uplink without a problem, so we won't have to worry about not having enough access."

"It's decided!" Serenity exclaimed, clearly happy to be allowed to spend more time with her prince. "Endymion's palace is beautiful; wait until you see it!"

"I'd rather see my bed," Haruka grumbled, silencing at the warning look in Michiru's dark eyes. "I know, plenty of time later."

"Don't worry Haruka; I'm well worth the wait."

AN: I didn't write the vows; they were Haruka and Michiru's respective scenes from one of the drama CDs. This is now the longest chapter I believe and it was quite a challenge to write. I hope everything came out well and that you enjoyed it. I read all of your reviews, but due to the fact that it's 6am and I've been awake over 24 hours, I'm going to stick to bichapterly review responses.

To everyone who favorites or follows my stories: thank you! I don't have time to list you all but I do love getting that email that someone else is eagerly awaiting my next chapter. I love reviews, especially seeing what you are thinking about where I am going with this story (since it is incredibly dynamic) but I appreciate all of my readers equally. So for everyone who reads in silence, everyone who reads and reviews, and everyone who gets an email alert when I post: Thank You!