Setsuna knocked on the door to the suite shared by Haruka and Michiru. Michiru opened the door and immediately ushered her in with a smile. "What brings you by Setsuna?" The dark haired woman indicated the bottle she had cradled in her arm. "It's difficult to appreciate how hard it is to find a good wine these days," she commented wryly. "It would be a shame to drink it alone." Michiru chuckled. "Haruka will be back in a few minutes. Please have a seat." She pulled out three glasses, setting them out on the table central to the sitting room. While the world was frozen, some things had faced a greater rate of decay then others. Many of the finer vintages are one of them. Of course, vintners were working to resolve this lack, but none of the vintages would be anything special for several years to come. "And where did this bottle come from?" Michiru asked teasingly. She didn't expect an answer. Setsuna smiled mysteriously. "One misplaced bottle in the time stream won't hurt anything," she winked. "Setsuna, it's good to see you," Haruka greeted as she strolled into the sitting room. She sat besides Michiru on a nearby couch. "What can we do for you today?" "Drink with me." Haruka raised an eyebrow as Setsuna pulled the cork on the bottle. She poured three glasses before saying anything. Each took a glass, waiting for Setsuna to propose a toast. "To the Outer Senshi and the future." "It's funny you should bring that up," Haruka commented after taking a sip of her drink. "Michiru and I have been having some... difficulties as Uranus and Neptune." Michiru nodded her confirmation. "Yes, we can't seem to call our attacks. We can't *feel* the power within us like we used to. I can't hear the oceans like I used to..." her voice trailed off. The palace was kilometers away from the nearest sea front, but it was not the physical ocean she was referring to. It was the currents and tides of emotions that she had always been aware of. Discovering that Michiru could no longer hear these things did not surprise her. She had half expected it after hearing Ami's conclusions on the matter. "Sisters, there are matters we need to discuss." ----- [Flashback to British Colombia in 2002] Rei and Minako had left her alone with the bodies of her two friends. It was ironic how cruel the passing of time could be. The sleep spell the Princess and Prince had placed on Uranus and Neptune was not strong enough to last the millennia. She lifted the lid off of the casket that held Neptune. The woman looked to be at peace with her arms at her sides. She knelt down besides her head. There wasn't much time to work before the girls outside would become suspicious. Placing a hand on the Senshi's forehead, she focused her power into sending the woman into a deeper sleep, one that would carry her through to the time to be awakened. That done, she shouldered the body of the smaller woman to a nearby bed. She then repeated the routine for Uranus. Focusing her power she pushed Uranus's consciousness further down. The exercise exhausted her. She didn't have the strength to push it down any further, she had spent too much on getting Neptune's buried. Was it enough? There was nothing more she could do. She placed Uranus next to Neptune on the bed. Carefully she arranged it so that they were physically close to each other. It's the way they would have wanted it. ----- She hadn't been strong enough. Uranus had been caught in a waking sleep for all those long years while they waited for a cure to be found. It was a fate worse than hers was, at least being the guardian of time, she could *live*. Uranus didn't have that luxury, she endured the same nightmare over and over with it seemingly never ending. Even after she was reawakened... This transgression was not discussed, nor even brought to light. They were accepting that they would never be the warriors that they were again. Setsuna had only seen Michiru cry on occasion, usually for the sake of her partner. The silent tears that slipped down her cheeks now were on her own behalf. Haruka held Michiru close to her, nuzzling her face in her soft sea green hair. She felt deeply for her friends. To no longer be the guardian of time would the lifting a great burden, but it was also a defining part of her character. She would be loosing a part of herself if she did not have her duty. Like her friends were. She didn't offer a word of apology, for what good would it do? Nor did she offer them false hope. She simple watched them as they worked though the loss and anger. "What role will we play in Crystal Tokyo if we can no longer be her defenders?" Haruka deep tone betrayed a touch of the venerability she must surely be feeling. Setsuna took up a hard from each of them into her own. "What a silly question to ask," she admonished lightly. She squeezed firmly. "You are more than just fighters. You are valuable advisors. Our Queen is a young one in need of those with knowledge and wisdom. You have much to offer this kingdom, skills and talents yet undiscovered. Don't despair that you cannot do the things you always have in the past. With each day a person needs to learn new things, take on new challenges. If one does not do this, they risk becoming stagnant. I know you, sisters, you are like me, preferring to live each day as a challenge than as a stale repetition of yesterday. This is your new life." Haruka looked away from her. She could see a tear in the corner of her eye. The blonde was the one that was going to have the most trouble adjusting to this new life. She had never accepted change easily. It had been an effort for her to accept the part of her that was Uranus, to have that part of her ripped away unexpectedly must be a terrible shock. "Thank you, Setsuna," Michiru spoke softly, her voice laden with stirring emotions. "You speak the truth, but it's difficult for us at the moment." "I know, Michiru, I know..." ***** I don't leave the residence unless one of the Senshi accompanying me. That was established early when Uranus had threatened to have Moon THN me if she ever caught me sneaking out. In fact, they had taken me out to lunch recently. The Senshi and myself were seated comfortably around the table when we had gotten onto the topic of ethics and morality. From what I understand of it, the Senshi did not all work together at the beginning. Uranus and Neptune had been working as lone wolves, frustrating the rest of the team. The older two had calmly defended their position. "They aren't nearly as bad as the Death Busters," I chimed in when the girl who was Jupiter compared their attitude to them. ----- ----- "Are you certain about this, Haruka?" Michiru asked hesitantly as she positioned herself in the middle of the open gym floor. Haruka was dressed in a pair of sweatpants and a racing team tee shirt. Michiru stood off to the side out of her way. "You ask me that now?" She teased the woman. "You're the one who said that I had to do this. Then after I decided to, you ask me if I want to?" Michiru looked away from her, eyes cast at the floor. "I'm sorry Haruka, I truly am." Haruka feel uncomfortable with not knowing how to answer that. "I'm sorry as well," she whispered softly, so quietly, she wasn't certain if Michiru had heard her. Louder she asked, "So how do I do this?" Michiru blushed slightly before answering. "You have seen me henshin? Much like that in calling out your planet and then 'planet power, make-up!'. Though, how you specifically henshin will be different from mine. You are the one who knows how to do it," she smiled slightly. "Indeed," Haruka drawled. "Alright then, let's give this a try." "Uranus Planet Power, Make-up!" She caught her henshin stick, since she had expected to fly at her like Michiru's did. The next part caught her off guard. A strong gust of air blew up from the floor, effectively blasting the clothes off of her before replacing them with a body suit. She wasn't in a good position of this having her feet spread at shoulder width when it happened. Her limbs felt like they had been lacerated when the clothes were torn off. She brushed a hand back through her hair to get it back into some semblance of order. A soft sensation crossed her lips at this point. It must be the lipstick like Michiru's. Everything became normal again. She stood shakily in the heeled boots that her fuku had. Her balance didn't hold as she fell to her knees. She lay on the floor in a semi fetal position as Michiru rushed to her side. "Uranus!" Michiru checked her over. Her arms and legs were visibly bruising with small weeping cuts. A few tears welled up at the corners of Uranus's eyes. "That *hurt* Michiru," she whispered. She allowed the tears to slip down her face. Michiru wiped them away carefully. "I know, I could tell things weren't happening as they should when your clothes were being ripped off. Perhaps if you narrowed your body to make it more aerodynamic, that would prevent that from happening." Uranus groaned. "Ara, but not now. Can you walk? Let's get back to your apartment and treated." Michiru helped her to her feet. They took the elevator up to her apartment without anyone seeing them. Michiru unlocked the door before helped Uranus to the bathroom. "How do I get out of this thing?" She asked, only now noticing the lack of zipper or clasp of any kind. It was too snug for her to slip off. "You have to revert," Michiru paused as Uranus had a pained expression on her face. "Do I have to do *that* again?" "No," she chuckled lightly, causing Uranus to smile some. "Just imagine yourself standing in the clothes you were wearing before and you will be." Michiru turned her attention away as she drew a bath for Uranus. The hot waters should help loosen her muscles and clean out the small cuts. "Michiru..." Haruka whispered. She was standing by her side in the now shredded clothes she had been wearing. Her shirt and pants where beyond mending. The sleeves of her shirt hung limply being attached with a few stubborn threads. The three sisters arrived as soon as they could to the scene of the battle. By the time they arrived, it was far too late. Bodies strewn the court of what was once the great Moon Kingdom. Uranus turned on Pluto angrily, demanding why she hadn't warned them before this happened. Pluto could only shake her head in denial, tears streaming down her face. "What can we do?" Neptune asked after surveying the hopeless scene. "We still have our duty," Pluto managed. "The Queen... she disrupt the time stream. I think she sent the people somewhere into time." Uranus shook her head in disbelief. "How?" "I don't know. I need to examine the time stream more to discover exactly what she did." ^^^^^ "We understand," Neptune spoke for Uranus as well. Pluto had located when Serenity had sent her subjects to. The sisters decided that sending Uranus and Neptune to this time as well would be the best option. Uranus had not been pleased when she learned that Pluto would have to remain behind. She insisted that they were a team and should stick together. Pluto appreciated the sentiment, but the simple fact remained that neither of them were as long lived as she was. Soon enough, they would die and she would be alone again. Sending them into the time stream would give them a chance to be reborn and serve as senshi again when the subjects of the Moon Kingdom were reborn. It was an emotional parting, one none of them looked forward to. With a final hug of encouragement, Pluto sent her sisters into the time stream.