Michiru embraced each of the younger senshi as they entered her house, overflowing with a joy she couldn't quite understand. Haruka kept telling her that she was just incredibly excited about their upcoming wedding, but Michiru kept getting a sense from the Aqua Mirror that she had done some of this before, that there was another reason for her unexplainable happiness. She'd figure it out eventually. She herded them all into the living room, gesturing for them to find a seat. Makoto caught Ami and pulled her onto the floor at the base of the couch that Usagi and Mamoru chose, Rei and Minako squeezing in beside the prince and princess, and Michiru stood in the middle of the room, grinning. Setsuna entered the room from the hallway that led to the den, long green hair hanging down her back, dressed in a form-fitting black tuxedo. "Wow," Usagi whispered; "kirei." Her blue-eyed boyfriend, wisely enough, remained silent, thinking about anything and everything except the Senshi of Time. Setsuna smiled. "Thank you, Usagi. Haruka-san has asked me to be 'father of the bride' and, against my better judgment, I have agreed." Her eyes sparkled at Usagi's comment, a hidden fire in those garnet depths. There was someone she could be 'father of the bride' to. The little Moon Princess had grown so much . . . She caught Rei's attentive eyes on her and looked away, desperate to preserve this secret, at least. Rei didn't know, she only suspected, and as long as Setsuna didn't do anything overtly suspicious, she'd be fine. Haruka cleared her throat, and all eyes turned toward the den. "Haruka," Michiru breathed. Haruka grumpily crossed her arms over her chest, pulling at the gold-embroidered dark blue tuxedo jacket. "This thing is ridiculously uncomfortable," the blonde growled as two of the fashion designers from the company Setsuna had found to do the wedding clothes flitted in behind her, the two women whispering to each other, adjusting, and measuring. "And these guys," Haruka hissed, raising her arms and glancing at the pests by her sides, "could get on someone's nerves very quickly." Michiru floated up to Haruka and placed her small hands on her lover's chest. "I like it Haruka; you look very handsome. I love those colors on you. But if you would rather wear a dress . . ." "Hmph. When have you ever known me to wear a dress?" Setsuna laughed, one particular image from the Silver Millennium flashing through her mind of a young blonde princess wearing a golden dress to please her aqua-haired lover. She covered her mouth quickly, knowing that none of the younger senshi would understand. Luckily for her and the secrets of the Silver Millennium, the only two men in the group of designers entered the room, gesturing at Mamoru. "Sumimasen, Chiba-kun?" "Hai?" "Please come with us to be fitted for your tuxedo." Usagi laughed at that, multiple images of Tuxedo Kamen filling her mind. One thing her boyfriend did not need was another tuxedo. The black-haired Earth Prince glared at his fiancée before following the designers into one of the empty guest rooms. Hotaru rushed into the living room as Setsuna and Haruka returned to the bedrooms so their tuxedos could be finished. "When did I wear a dress? Setsuna-san?" Michiru laughed as she closed the door behind her lover, knowing that the garnet-eyed Senshi of Time would never speak. She secretly suspected that something very traumatic happened to Setsuna in the Silver Millennium, something more tragic than losing the younger Senshi, something that she never wanted to remember. The Outer Senshi had agreed to respect her privacy. "Are you guys ready? The head of this designer business will soon arrive with her closest assistants." Usagi giggled, hastily covering her mouth with her hands. "I love new dresses! Are they good designers, Michiru-san?" "Setsuna-san says so. She never actually met the head designer, but this company is renowned throughout Japan for their good work. Their fame is even spreading to America and they're going to open a branch there soon." A knock at the door announced the arrival of the rest of the team. They hadn't been able to come with the tuxedo makers due to an earlier engagement, but they arrived as quickly as possible. Michiru rushed to the door, and a virtual army of women laden with cloth and supplies, including small, handheld sewing machines, entered. The younger ones spread out their supplies in the room, each grabbing measuring tapes and heading for the younger six senshi waiting on the couches. The silver-haired leader, her hair pulled back in an intricate braid to keep it out of her work, bowed to her host, her violet eyes widening in alarm and recognition, emotions hidden so fast that Michiru wasn't sure what she had seen. Michiru almost recognized the slender woman. "Forgive their enthusiasm, Kaiou-san, but they are very eager to work on this project. We haven't done such a non-traditional wedding in a long time." "How did you know my name?" "Easy, the other owners of this house wanted tuxedos. I don't remember their names, but you're that famous artist and violinist. I've been a fan of your work for a long time. I hear you have a partner now, in music and art, and I assume it's the person you're marrying. I am Hikarino Ailan, owner, founder, and head designer of Moonlight Fashions." "Kaiou Michiru, though the introduction seems so useless now." Michiru smiled as she pointed at the women scattered through her living room, each surrounded by designers and already being measured for their dresses. "These are Tsukino Usagi, my Maid of Honor, and the Bridesmaids Aino Minako, Hino Rei, Kino Makoto, and Mizuno Ami. And this is Hotaru-chan, my adopted daughter and the flower girl." "Dozo yoroshiku," the girls called together, bowing automatically. "Dozo yoroshiku," Ailan smiled, bowing. "Then let's get started, ne?" She waved her hands majestically, and the assistants swarmed—there was no other word for it—over the women as Ailan pulled Michiru to one side. "Okay, young bride, what kind of dress were you thinking about?" *~*~*~*~*~*~* Setsuna listened to the wind, wondering what subtle messages Haruka could hear in the insistent howling. Ignoring the sound and the answering turmoil in her heart, she let the cool air wash over her. "Setsuna-san?" The Senshi of Time, taking a break from the constant fitting and sewing, smiled as the young Senshi of Fire joined her. The tuxedos were all finished, and the dresses were nearly complete, including the one Rei was wearing. "Yes?" "Setsuna-san, I wanted to apologize. I didn't mean to upset you earlier; I was just angry and very confused. I wanted so much to remember the Silver Millennium that I didn't realize that there must be very good reasons for you to hold back out memories. I would probably make the same choice if I was in your shoes back then—err, boots," she amended, referring to the boots Setsuna wore as Sailor Pluto. They laughed lightly, the tension of the moment broken by Rei's words. Setsuna sighed as the two let the wind pull at their long, silky hair. "There are many things I should let myself remember, Rei-chan. I've buried everything because of a few things I can't bear to relive. As old as I am, I served three Moon Princesses, and lived alone at the Time Gate from the end of the Silver Millennium until only a few years ago. The Silver Millennium was a wonderful age, full of power and love and most of it was good. But there was pain in the final battle and I lost everyone I've ever known and loved. She wouldn't let me die for her. She sent me to the Time Gate, ordered me not to fight, because she loved me and she wanted her daughter to have a future." "Queen Serenity sent you away? She wouldn't let you fight?" Setsuna shook her head. "Everyone else was allowed to fight and die with their lovers, but I was not. I held her as she died, and I was the only one left. You don't know what it's like to be the only one left. I loved you girls so much, and I don't ever want to lose any of you ever again." "Especially your daughter." Setsuna gasped, eyes wide, her entire focus on the black-haired woman before her. "What?" "I was right, then. You were the King of the Moon, and that's why Usagi can't ever remember her father. He wasn't a man. And that's where most of your pain comes from; you had to watch your lover and your daughter die, and the Laws of Balance wouldn't let you intervene." "We went through so much to give her a normal life," Setsuna whispered, unable to hold back any longer. "We lied to the kingdom, our fellow senshi, our families . . . we gave up our love for her, but in the end it wasn't enough." She felt tears run down her cheeks, a very unfamiliar sensation, and Rei reached a concerned hand up to wipe them away. "You don't know what it's like to kill your own secret identity to protect your only daughter and then being forced to watch her grow up from planets away, never able to hold her, or kiss her, or tell her stories. I missed everything the first time, and most of it this time." "That's why you latched onto Chibiusa so. She's just little Usagi." Setsuna nodded, drying her tears, then she looked up at Rei, garnet eyes dark. "Please don't tell her, Rei-chan. She's happier not knowing." "Why?" "Rei-chan, I would have given up everything for Serenity—my kingdom, my senshi powers, my very life—but I couldn't even sacrifice my pride for her, for my daughter. At the first sign of pregnancy, we made plans to kill the Moon King. I only saw little Serenity the day she was born and the day of her reception—after that, I stayed away from the Moon until the last ball, just before the end." "You should tell her one day. You loved her enough to sacrifice your love and give her up to protect her future and her reputation. I respect your decision, and your choice not to release our memories. You're a stronger woman than I, Setsuna-san." Rei put her arms around the lonely woman, lending her strength to face the world calmly. "I won't tell anyone, Setsuna-san; that's your secret and your burden." "How did you know, Rei-chan?" "Fire-reading, as usual. You have a lot of candles in the living room, and I lit a few when they gave me a break. It took a little concentration, but I managed an image of the Moon King when I was thinking about you. I wasn't sure until we spoke." "Is that why you came out here?" Setsuna smiled tolerantly, in a much better mood now that she had been able to tell her greatest secret to someone. That secret had been known to only two people in the entire Silver Millennium, including herself and Serenity. "No, I really did come to apologize, but why waste the opportunity." Rei took Setsuna's arm, glad that the older senshi was feeling better, and turned to return to the living room and the dress fitting. "You should come meet this designer, Hikarino Ailan. She's fabulous!" "Perhaps I will."
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