Inner Crisis, Outer Conflict (part 4 of 9)

a Sailor Moon fanfiction by Erica Friedman

Back to Part 3
Haruka opened her eyes. It was dark, but not blindingly so. The stars 
glowed brightly above her, casting slight shadows around her. She sat 
up and looked around. The landscape was eerie, with glowing fogs of 
blue and green moving silently around her. She put a hand down to the 
planet below her and felt a rush of information and strength and 
something else flow through her. This was her planet. This was Uranus. 

She stood, then squatted down. Placing her hands on the ground again, 
this time she listened. She could hear the planet, hear its strength, 
enduring through time, and also hear its cry for help. Something on 
her planet was not right, something was killing Uranus. And only she 
could save it. 

She stood, getting a feel for the planet beneath her. She thought back 
to the nightmares she had been having. The dreams had increased in 
intensity every night, until she could no longer ignore them. Then the 
waking visions. She *had* ignored them until last night. Every time 
she closed her eyes she could see them, two women and a man, crying 
out her name, begging for help. Then last night, the vision came. And 
one of the women was gone. The man and woman cried then, mourning the 
other woman. They called out to her in suffering and asked for her to 
come home. 

"I can no longer ignore you!" Haruka yelled to the sky. "I'm here!" 
She held a hand up, calling up her talisman. "Space Sword Blaster!" 
and a beam of light broke through the fogs and disappeared into the 
eternal night. 

Haruka lowered her hand, still clutching the sword. "I'm home." she 
whispered. "Michiru, I'm sorry." 

********** 

Silver Millenium prospered and, more and more frequently, Uranus found 
an excuse to meet with Neptune. They would separate, each to their own 
planet, but as time would go by Uranus would feel a desire to see her 
lover. Just as the desire would become unbearable and another minute 
without Neptune unthinkable, there she would be, green hair floating 
in the cosmic winds. Uranus did not feel so alone anymore, even when 
she was alone on her planet. 

She called to herself the spirits of the planet and its moons. Titania 
was the first to heed the call, a spirit almost as strong as Uranus 
herself. Then Oberon, Titania's lover, then Miranda and at last Ariel. 
She set them tasks, to watch and defend and if need be, call on her 
when she was not there. For Uranus knew that she would not exist 
forever. 

Uranus left her planet upon a time, to visit the outermost of the 
Senshi, Pluto. They had communicated little since their first meeting, 
but Pluto was eternal, guarding the doors of time, and she had a great 
deal of information. 

Pluto greeted Uranus with enthusiasm. "I'm sorry we did not meet, when 
we were all gathered together by the Queen." Pluto said, an amused 
look on her face. 

"Yes, well," Uranus responded. "I was...otherwise occupied." Pluto 
grinned. 

"So the Queen said." 

Uranus looked surprised. "She did?" 

Pluto turned away, so Uranus could not see her smile. "She called all 
the Senshi together, to talk to us of a threat she could forsee. You 
and Neptune were notable by your absence. When Princess Serenity asked 
about you, the Queen said you were otherwise occupied." 

Uranus choked. 

They talked then, of the threat that the Queen forsaw. Of what they 
could do from their isolated posts. But Pluto grew serious and warned 
Uranus. 

"There is a greater threat for you and sooner too. It will change the 
destiny of the Silver Millenium." 

"What is it?" Uranus asked, alarmed. 

"I can't tell you. I don't see the future, I just know that there is 
something close to you you should watch." 

Uranus asked for more detail, but Pluto could not give any. Their time 
for meeting ended and Uranus returned to her planet, unease growing 
within her. But she could not feel any threats entering the solar 
system. So she waited and watched. 

Onwards to Part 5


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