Usagi looked up from arranging her hair as a time portal appeared in the center of the room. Setsuna and Serenity/Ailan stepped out of the portal, both dressed for the wedding, arms linked, and all activity in the room ceased. Usagi smiled as she realized that the two women had come to peace with the time separating them. "I was wondering if you two were ever coming back, Mother." Only Rei caught the expression of pain that crossed Setsuna's features as she realized that that word was never going to mean her, and Ailan squeezed her arm reassuringly before smiling at her daughter. Minako giggled at the sudden reappearance of the queens. "What were you two doing that took so long?" The women blushed, and Minako laughed harder while Ami and Makoto exchanged a knowing look. Hotaru jumped into her green-haired mother's arms, and Setsuna smiled. "You almost missed the wedding, Setsuna-mama! It's today!" She looked at Ailan and raised an eyebrow, remembering more about their doomed love from the Silver Millennium than any of the older senshi. "You don't want to miss Haruka-papa and Michiru-mama's wedding this time. Why don't you take one of the empty seats in the family row?" Ailan bowed. "Thank-you, Hotaru-chan. As always, so kind." She slipped out of the room and Rei followed a second behind, offering to lead the silver haired woman to her seat. Ailan stopped just outside the shrine, out of earshot of the senshi and the guests, and crossed her arms over her chest. "I don't believe that excuse. Why did you really want to talk to me?" Rei sighed and pushed her long black hair over her shoulder. "Ailan-san, I know all about you and Setsuna-san in the Silver Millennium. I know that she was Usagi's father, the Moon King, and that she left to insure that her daughter would have a future and her claim to the throne would not be threatened." Ailan stared at the Princess of Mars, seeing Rikuriko's strength in those purple eyes. "Back then you would never have figured it out. I had enough power back then to block even the sight of the Aqua Mirror. But now I have no power and your power of premonition can break through. I want to tell her, Rei-chan, she deserves to know, but Setsu doesn't want that." "Oh, she wants it, but she won't endanger her daughter like that. Ailan-san, you don't have to worry about anyone else discovering your secret; they don't remember their previous lives. If Haruka-san and Michiru-san did, they would have figured it out by now. So, until Setsuna-san returns our memories—and I'm not even sure I want that burden—you have nothing to fear. Now, the seat there beside the Tsukino family is free. Those are Usagi's parents in this life, and you should meet them. They don't know anything about Usagi's soul mother—just tell them that you're the designer for this wedding and Setsuna's girlfriend." With that warning, Rei returned to the dressing room. Ailan took her seat, wondering why Setsuna had chosen not to let the senshi remember their previous lives, and why was Rei so determined to keep it that way? *~*~*~*~*~*~* Setsuna followed Hotaru to the room where Michiru was preparing for her wedding. She had opted for an outdoors ceremony so her beloved could feel the wind around her. Though Haruka would never have asked for such a consideration, she was grateful. Only Michiru understood that the blonde was more nervous than her bride; the senshi of Uranus would need the comfort of the wind if she was to keep from breaking down during the ceremony. "Michiru-mama?" "Hai?" "Setsuna-mama is here." "Come in, Setsuna-san!" Setsuna entered Michiru's dressing room, smiling when Hotaru settled down to wait outside. Michiru, her aqua and white dress whispering against the floor, embraced Setsuna. "Where have you been? We were afraid you wouldn't be back in time!" "I've been at the Gates of Time, working out my problems with Ailan." "And?" Setsuna sighed as she walked away from the woman who had become like a beloved daughter to her, a partner in the difficult life of the senshi. "She'll stay for a little while, but she doesn't want to stay in my life. She's not a queen anymore, and she's not a senshi, protected by the soul of a planet. She's mortal and she'll die before Crystal Tokyo is ever formed. And I'll be alone again. She's afraid that if she stays too long I'll let my shields down, let her in again, and I won't be able to survive her death a second time. It's not fair, Michiru-san. Your lover, your soulmate, is an immortal senshi, same as you. But mine had the bad luck to love her daughter so much that she gave up the only crystal that could keep her alive. Ailan is doomed to live and die the mortal life she spared her daughter." Michiru laid her head on Setsuna's shoulder, tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry, Setsuna. You know that we all love you like our mother, especially Usagi. We'll take care of you, I promise." Setsuna wiped the tears out of her eyes and smiled at the bride. "I'm going to make you late for your wedding!" "Setsu-chan . . ." The Senshi of Time flinched. "Please don't call me that," she whispered. "She calls me that, and all of the old queens called me that. Everyone I loved and lost used that name, and I just can't . . ." "I understand, my friend. Let me get my veil." Michiru's silver veil was ringed by aqua-colored flowers and had a dark sapphire bow in the back, reminiscent of her sailor fuku. In the front was a slender golden tiara with an aquamarine in the center, sparkling in the light. Her long white gloves ended in aqua rings, and her silver shoes were studded with aquamarines. Setsuna stuck her head out the door and whispered something to Hotaru, watching as her adopted daughter dashed away. *~*~*~*~*~*~* Haruka stood in the sun, letting the whisper of the winds calm her. She would never admit it to anyone, especially her beloved, but she was scared to death. She knew that something would go wrong; she wasn't meant to be happy. If Setsuna didn't come back soon, the wedding would be short one father-of-the-bride. In her mind, among other tiny snippets of her life in the Silver Millennium that sometimes leaked through Setsuna's block, Haruka could see the final dance, Queen Serenity safe in Setsuna's arms. Those two loved each other desperately, and they certainly deserved to be together, but Haruka didn't want their lover's spat to ruin Michiru's perfect wedding. "Haruka-papa!" Haruka turned to face Hotaru, smiling slightly. "Yes, Hime-chan?" "Setsuna-mama's back and Michiru-mama's almost ready!" "Finally," Haruka smiled. "Go tell the girls to come out here so we can start." As Hotaru dashed away and Haruka walked to the front of the shrine, she noticed a familiar silver-haired woman in the front row with the senshi's families, talking and laughing with Tsukino Ikuko. She smiled as the two mothers of the Moon Princess conversed excitedly. Ailan was gorgeous! Setsuna sure had elegant and refined tastes. Usagi exited the shrine, Rei, Minako, Ami, and Makoto behind her, all seemingly floating down the aisle between the rows of seats. Haruka sensed Mamoru stiffen behind her, and she groaned silently. That prince needed to learn to control his reactions. You would think he was the one getting married! Rei's grandfather in the front row stared at the women as they passed, and Rei bopped him on the head as she passed. "Grandpa," she hissed in warning. The priest behind Haruka watched, smiling, as the women took their places. He was an old friend of Haruka's, and she wondered why that seemed so familiar. An old priest friend performing her marriage to Michiru. She let that thought fade as all eyes turned to the shrine. Haruka could feel everyone lean forward as Michiru slowly descended the stairs on Setsuna's arm, a few steps behind the ring-bearer Shingo and the flower girl Hotaru—who, though a teenager, still looked young and delicate. Haruka could feel her eyes widen at her lover's beauty, and she knew that she had seen this before. She and Michiru had been married in the Silver Millennium, but she just couldn't remember. "Haruka?" Michiru's musical voice jolted Haruka out of her thoughts, and she smiled as the smaller woman took her hands in her own. She could see her own excitement and worry in her lover's deep sapphire eyes, and she relaxed. She took comfort in the fact that Michiru was not as calm as she seemed, and she could hear her partner's laugh in the back of her mind. Haruka never could remember much of the ceremony. Lost in Michiru's veiled blue eyes, she soared higher than ever before, higher than they had gone with their music, finding themselves on the surface of a scarred moon, a crooked blue-green planet in the sky. "Is that . . . Uranus?" "Yes, Haruka. Look behind you." Haruka turned around, which only required a thought as non-corporeal spirits, and she gasped at the formation jutting out of the sand. She floated over them, touching the weather-scarred formations. "This was my castle," she whispered. "I was born here." She touched the point of what had once been a spire, floating lower and looking through a huge hole, careful of the shards of glass scattered everywhere. "This was my room," she realized. "I lived here for most of my life during the Silver Millennium." "It's sad to see your castle reduced to rubble," Michiru whispered, touching the edge of the glass. "Why are we here?" "I don't know. If I remembered more of our past, I would know why." "Setsuna doesn't want us to remember for a reason." Michiru took Haruka's hand and smiled, pointing at a single unflickering point of light in the night sky. "That's Neptune; shall we go?" They arrived on Neptune's moon moments later, easily finding the ruins of her castle by the side of an empty sea. Tall, jagged rocks sat below the ruins, at the edge of what had once been a raging sea. Michiru knelt by the dry, dark sand, and tears ran down her cheeks. "My sea is gone, Haruka. My castle is in ruins, and all the people are dead. I remember parties and swimming and picnics in green lawns, but all of that is gone now." She floated up to the one room that was still intact, though now rested only a few feet above ground level, and she sighed. "My room." Haruka touched the wall beside the shattered window, and she gasped as desire flooded her. She sensed Michiru respond to the feelings, and she pulled away. "Our first night together," she gasped. "We spent our first night together in this room, Michiru." "I know, love. We should return to the earth and our wedding." Michiru pulled Haruka into her arms, smiling as she felt the blonde's love fill her, and they returned to Earth as easily as they left. Mere seconds had passed. The priest was actually still on the same word. Haruka glanced at Setsuna without actually moving her head, and her eyes widened when she noticed that Setsuna's red eyes were glowing slightly. The Senshi of Time and Space nodded slightly, and Haruka returned her attention to her bride. She never remembered much of the ceremony, leaving her body on autopilot, repeating after the priest when she was supposed to, answering his questions when expected. When it came to exchange the rings, Haruka took the slim golden band studded with tiny aquamarines she had chosen for her lover onto Michiru's delicate finger, thankful that those white gloves were skintight. She briefly wondered if they were from Neptune's fuku. When Michiru slipped the simple golden band onto Haruka's long finger, the blonde felt power fill her as the wind began to gust faster, surprising the guests. The senshi didn't even blink. She could see in Michiru's sapphire eyes that her lover could feel the wild energy, and she shivered, just noticeably. Something was going to happen. The feeling faded when the priest pronounced them married and paused for dramatic effect. "You may kiss the bride." Haruka never heard the priest's words. In her mind, Michiru's laughter sounded at her frozen state. "I think I love you," Michiru purred in her mind. "Kiss me you fool, and make it snappy!" Haruka was ready and willing to obey. *~*~*~*~*~*~* Michiru felt power surge through her body as Haruka's lips touched hers. She could hear the sea crash against the shore, reaching for the winds that swirled around the pair. The wind began to sing as the lovers kissed, and the senshi smiled. They knew. Usagi glanced past the kissing pair at Mamoru, smiling in anticipation of their coming wedding. Her boyfriend smiled back, blue eyes sparkling, wondering if his wedding with the Moon Princess would be so beautiful and so perfect. Setsuna reached over and took Ailan's hand, knowing that old queen could feel the powers of Uranus and Neptune combining. They both remembered the night Princess Uranus and Princess Neptune took their stones and combined their powers. Setsuna placed her free hand on her flat belly and remembered carrying the tiny babe Helios. Haruka and Michiru's child. They didn't even remember conceiving him. Setsuna squeezed Ailan's hand without realizing it as she watched the destined lovers kiss, an obvious display of affection they would not have permitted a few years earlier. They didn't remember conceiving their son, they didn't remember any of the Silver Millennium. Was that right? Didn't they—didn't all of the senshi—deserve to remember their past lives, their past loves? Despite what Rei said, even the Senshi of Fire wanted to know. Her brave front was just to protect her form the reality that she would probably never remember her lover or her royal family. Did Setsuna have the right to deny the younger senshi that joy? *~*~*~*~*~*~* Haruka pulled away from Michiru, her arms wrapped around the smaller woman. They were married. For better or worse, until death and beyond, they were one. She could see her joy mirrored in Michiru's sapphire eyes, and Haruka felt a sudden sharp pang of trepidation and . . . anticipation. She looked over Michiru's shoulder at Setsuna, and she could see in those garnet eyes that the Senshi of Time knew what she was thinking. Haruka got the feeling that she and Michiru had married in the Silver Millennium over Setsuna's objections. Michiru, sensing the path her wife's thoughts were taking, glanced over her shoulder at the father-of-the-bride and frowned slightly. Before they could say anything, a cheer sounded and the married couple was surrounded. A talk could wait. Haruka cried out in annoyance as she and her wife were lifted onto willing shoulders and paraded around the yard. Michiru laughed at the excitement of their friends and family. *~*~*~*~*~*~* Haruka and Michiru were in the center of the crowd of dancing couples. They stared into each other's eyes, utterly content for the first time in their lives. Michiru laid her head on Haruka's breast and sighed. "Aishiteru, Uranus, King of the Winds." "Aishiteru, Neptune, Queen of the Seas," Haruka whispered back. "I think maybe this time we can be together forever." "Honto? Shinjiteru no?" "Hai, Michiru, shinjiteru." Mamoru twirled Usagi across the dance floor, as always amazed by his partner's new mature grace. "You dance well, Usako." Usagi blushed. "It's all in the partner, Mamo-chan." She turned her head to look at the couple in the center of the dance floor, waiting for her boyfriend to follow her gaze. "Do you think we'll be that happy, Mamo-chan?" "I promise we will." Ailan watched her daughter in the arms of the former prince of Earth and she smiled. "They're so beautiful together, Setsu-chan." "Who now?" Pluto smiled as she followed her lover's gaze. "All of them. Serenity and Endymion. Haruka and Michiru. They belong together, though I couldn't see it when I was Queen of the Moon. This reminds me of the last dance, except . . ." Setsuna pointed at a table two down from theirs where Hotaru and Shingo had gone to laugh about something with the Inner Senshi. Makoto looked at Ami and whispered something to Mercury. The blue-haired girl blushed and nodded, following the brunette onto the dance floor. "You must have faith, Ailan. Their love is still there, just a little hidden. It will come back, and they will be happy again." *~*~*~*~*~*~* Makoto listened to Hotaru talk about the wedding, a smile on her face, green eyes distant. It seemed that she had attended a wedding similar to this one, but it hadn't ended quite so well. She looked at the couples on the dance floor and realized that she was no longer excluded from the festivities. She turned to her girlfriend. "Ami," she whispered while the teens were busy with Minako and Rei. The blue-haired girl turned, and Makoto almost lost herself in those sapphire eyes. "Ami, would you . . . would you dance with me?" Ami smiled, tears sparkling in her eyes. "Mochiron, Mako-chan." She took Makoto's hand, her mind flying to a dance years earlier when she had been the one to ask and to lead the tall woman onto the floor. A blush spread across her face as she stood and followed her girlfriend and partner onto the floor. Shingo cleared his throat and stepped back from the table, bowing deeply. "Hotaru-chan, would you do me the honor of dancing with me?" Hotaru laughed as she took Shingo's hand. "Mochiron, Shingo-kun." The two went out onto the dance floor, leaving Venus and Mars alone. Minako looked away, her light blue eyes dark with tears. She looked back, shocked, as Rei took her hand. "Minako-chan," Rei began timidly, "I hate to see my best friend upset. I'm really not sure what's been going on between us since Haruka and Michiru's engagement, but I fear that I have hurt you, have lost our friendship." "Rei, no . . ." "Then, as my friend, will you dance with me?" Minako blushed and tried to pull away, but the miko was far stronger than her and would have none of it. She smiled as she pulled Minako onto the dance floor and into her arms. Whatever was building the wall between them could wait until after the dance. *~*~*~*~*~*~* Setsuna caught Ailan's hand and pointed at Rei and Minako as they joined the couples on the floor. "It looks like everyone's dancing. Even Rei and Minako, though they have had troubles recently." "I'd hate to be the only ones left behind," Ailan whispered, pulling Setsuna to her feet. "Dance with me, my king?" Setsuna laughed, easily taking the lead. "I thought you would never ask." Smiling, truly happy for the first time in centuries, the Queen of Pluto, the former King of the Moon, led the last Queen of the Moon and the Silver Millennium onto the dance floor.
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