What's that you say? The series can't be over? Well, there are only four Asteroid Senshi and there is such a thing as pushing my luck. Thanks as usual to my editors, Blazej, Beans, and Chaos. And to Mark Page, who knows more ways of killing a Senshi than any other SM fan. Comments can, of course, go to cadz0001@algonquinc.on.ca - - - - Vampire Princess Michiru (Part 4) by Nightbreak - - - - <<<<>>>> Flashback <<<<>>>> In the dimness, Michiru leaned her head on Haruka's shoulder. "You know, I never went to the circus as a child. You?" Her silent partner shook her head and offered a bag of popcorn. Michiru chuckled. "No, thank you." Then she gestured toward the centre ring. "There she is. And she looks quite elegant tonight." Far below them, JunJun had stepped into the spotlight. Her long green hair was back in its triple tail braid and her costume sparkled with sequins. Nodding at the applause, she gestured to her fellow acrobats, suggesting the crowd include them. The small group clustered together for a few seconds, then boosted JunJun up onto their hands. From there, she leapt onto the trampoline and bounced a couple of times as her partners moved into place. Once she was sure of their positions, she began her routine in earnest, her body flipping up and around in the air. The awed murmurings of the crowd grew louder as she gained height with each jump. The braids of her hair flew around her during her spins and rolls, winding close to her body, then flying out again. Bending her knees, JunJun came to a halt and steadied herself while the audience cheered. Then they stilled as she held up a hand. Leaning over to a male acrobat, she motioned for him to ascend another trampoline beside hers. She looked to the audience and grinned wickedly as she stood back up and centred herself. Raising her hand, she counted down to one, then she and her partner began bouncing in synch. Awe gave way to astonishment in the crowd as the two of them mirrored each other's tricks, twisting and tumbling together in a nearly flawless pattern. Then, in the space of a heartbeat, they hit their trampolines simultaneously, soared into the air, and arced across the space that separated them. JunJun twisted her body agilely, matched by her partner, and they landed on each other's trampolines. Both snapped their heads around and raised their hands to the crowd in triumph. Michiru made a small noise of admiration as, all around her, people shouted their approval. "Impressive, ne Haruka?" Haruka nodded, somehow able to hear her over all the noise. "She seems to quite enjoy her work. Just like we used to." Haruka turned her head. The steel mask hid all her features, but her blue eyes held a trace of wistfulness. "I miss it sometimes, too. But sacrifices had to be made." Another nod. "We changed, didn't we? We gave up our lives to save this world, then we couldn't go back to them." Haruka produced her pad and wrote something down, then passed it over. *You don't believe that, do you?* Michiru sighed and tucked the paper away in her kimono. "I don't know, but I desperately want to prove it wrong." Her eyes followed the tumbling JunJun as she and her partners executed many more daredevil tricks. <<<<>>>> ----- Michiru leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. Her fingers massaged her temples and forehead as she considered the problem that lay in front of her. With Juno returned, Ceres was the last Asteroid Senshi left. But something had happened, that she knew. The pain on Juno's face as she was going back to the darkness confirmed that Ceres had run into trouble. The desperation in the green-haired Asteroid Senshi as Setsuna hauled her away, preventing her from breaking loose and going after her sister. Looking back on it, Michiru was regretting her order to remove Juno to the darkness. Her help would have been invaluable in finding Ceres. Now, nearly two days later, she and Haruka had searched for their last target with no success. Michiru lifted her head and let her breath out slowly. She was so close to being finished, so close to having her curse lifted and her rest in the darkness confirmed. Just one more girl to bring home . . . one more girl that seemed to have vanished off the face of the earth. There had been no word from Sister Mary Therese, either. Michiru had stopped by the convent earlier in the night, but had been told that Therese wasn't in. The other Sister she had talked with had been extremely pleasant and caring, which had only made Michiru more anxious to leave. The last thing she wanted or needed was another person to become attached to. She glanced over her shoulder at the front window, then started as she saw the sky beginning to pale. Dawn was coming and it was time for her to sleep. With all the time she and Haruka spent at night searching the city, they had to sleep during the day. Haruka had gone to bed a little while earlier, leaving Michiru sitting up and thinking. Slipping into the dark bedroom, she unbelted her kimono and shrugged it off, carefully folding it away. Slowly, so as not to wake her partner, she slid beneath the covers and cuddled her front deeply into Haruka's back, wrapping her arms around the older girl's stomach before fully relaxing. "Oh, Haruka," she whispered, feeling her fangs brush against her own lips, "It can't be much longer. Fate can't be so cruel as to hide Ceres from us forever." The masked figure stirred in her sleep and her hands slid over Michiru's, comforting her. Closing her eyes and heaving a soft sigh, Michiru nestled her face against Haruka's neck one last time before letting her partner go and rolling over to her side of the bed. ----- Elsewhere, in another bed, another figure lay unmoving. Her pink hair framed her pale face and her breathing was short and full of pain. Her eyes stared out the window at the sunrise, searching for some relief from her suffering. Around her, machines clicked and beeped as they monitored her body, doing their best to keep it from shutting down. The girl closed her eyes as a spasm of pain shook her, then her bandaged hand slid out from beneath the covers. Weakly, she raised her fingers and gestured into the slowly dissipating blackness of her room. From beyond her bed came the warm scent of flowers, bathing her in their fragrance. Her eyes closed in silent rapture as her body's tension eased, the pain vanishing for a short while. Her breathing deepened as she inhaled the aroma. Fingers curled slightly, as if she was holding a stem in her hand. "Where are all of you?" she whispered, her voice rough. "I can't feel any of you. Oneechan, help me . . . " She turned her head away from the window and blinked tiredly at the tubes piercing her body. "I don't know how much longer I can last, either. Wherever you are, I need your strength now." The silence was matched only by the heaviness of her soul. "Where . .?" ----- " . . . am I?" Michiru asked, spinning around, kimono flaring loosely around her body. She was standing in the aisle of a church, centred in the pattern from a giant stained-glass window over the altar. As she looked about her, she recognized the sanctuary as the same one where she met Therese. So this was how the place looked in the light of day. Idly, Michiru swung her hand out through the beams of light, her palm becoming green, then red, then yellow. She looked up the stone wall to the high window, the only source of light in the place, and marvelled at the brilliant floral pattern. "It is beautiful, isn't it?" someone behind her asked, "Flowers are her favourite, Neptune." Michiru turned, expecting to see Therese standing there. Instead, the stern features of VesVes confronted her. "Vesta? What's happening?" "She's in terrible pain, Neptune. Even through our sleep, we could feel her call for our help, but we can't answer it. You can, and must do so in our places." The Senshi of Neptune moved closer to the first Asteroid she had returned to the darkness. "Where is Ceres, Vesta? I can't help her if I can't find her!" "That nun of yours will find her before you will, Neptune. Follow her." With the second voice in her ears, Michiru spun again to see PalaPala sitting on the steps that led to the altar. "Pallas, I don't understand." "Of course you don't. You're not an Asteroid Senshi." "My job is to return her to the darkness, nothing more!" "It's become more than that now. Queen Serenity didn't anticipate this, you know." VesVes took over, coming up to lay a warm hand on Michiru's shoulder. "Show her the same compassion you showed me that night," she said quietly. "She's hurt, scared, and in need of a Guardian Senshi. It's time to stop hiding behind duty and order and think for yourself, Neptune." "And become like you?" Michiru demanded. PalaPala tossed her long blue hair to one side. "Perhaps it would do you more good than you think to take a different look," she said, "Blind obedience can only go so far, as we all found out." "That's why we became the radicals that you so despise some days," came a third voice. "You had the strength to think like I did a little while ago. Surely you haven't forgotten how?" Clenching her teeth, Michiru saw JunJun sit up from a nearby pew. "Are you saying that I must disobey Queen Serenity to bring Ceres home?" "Not just bring her home, Neptune, but perhaps save her life. Right now, you worry about her location, not her health. You worry about your life, not hers, when hers is the more fragile. She may not survive much longer." Michiru moved away from VesVes, out of the light of the stained glass. "What will I have to do?" PalaPala leaned forward, resting her arms on her knees. "Don't be too hasty in your decisions, for a start." JunJun nodded. "Remember what your illness was like, Neptune. Remember being near death, just like our sister is." "And," VesVes added, "The words of your friend, Therese, will become very important to you through all this. Listen to her. She may not know much about the world, but she knows about suffering." Slowly, Michiru nodded. "Is that all?" "Don't harden your heart to her, Neptune," VesVes told her, "We know you want to go home, but don't make CereCere pay the price for your selfishness." "Strange words coming from one who didn't want to go back when she was supposed to," Michiru retorted, taking a step forward. "I had paid the price already for your release and you wanted me to continue paying while you lived on." VesVes lowered her head. "Touche." PalaPala moved between the two of them. "Again, you blame us for your mistakes," she snapped, "When will you admit that your curse was not our fault, but the result of your partner's careless actions?" Smarting, Michiru clenched her fists and spun away from the two Asteroids, only to come face-to-face with the green haired JunJun. "And what are you going to say to me?" Michiru growled. "Just that I know you'll do almost anything to restore yourself, both in your own eyes and those of Queen Serenity. Only this time, look beyond your actions and see what is really needed. You may be surprised." Then the ringing of a bell interrupted their conversation. JunJun smiled and nodded toward the front of the church. "It's for you, I believe." Turning, Michiru saw a telephone sitting on the altar. As it rang again, she stepped forward, then hesitated, looking back to the three Asteroids. But the sanctuary behind her was empty. ----- Michiru sat up as the continued ringing of the phone woke her. Reaching over to her bedside table, she quickly lifted the receiver. "Moshi moshi, Sister?" "Hello, Kaioh-san. I think you can guess why I'm calling." "You found Ceres, didn't you? How badly is she hurt?" Surprise registered in Therese's voice. "How did you . . . never mind, I don't believe I would understand. Sister Mary Catherine was visiting a hospital and thought she saw a girl that looked familiar. Ceres is in the intensive care unit, but Catherine is no doctor. She has no idea of your friend's condition." Closing her eyes, Michiru took a deep breath. "We'll be down when we can. Which hospital?" She listened as Therese told her the specifics. "All right, Sister, thank you." She put the phone down and leaned over her partner's still-sleeping form. "Haruka? We've found her." ----- Although she kept her face expressionless, Michiru was frowning inside as she and Haruka stepped out of the elevator. Hospitals were not her most favourite of places. Doctors she could stand, but the sterile environment, smelling and feeling so different from true air, bothered her. Still, seeing all the people who were ill or dying stirred her kinder instincts, ones that she knew she hadn't been using for a long while. Moving away from Haruka's side, Michiru touched the shoulder of an old woman who was shuffling down the hall with a cane. "You have great strength," she whispered, smiling softly. The lady smiled back and lifted her own hand to frailly squeeze Michiru's. Then she resumed her slow, but determined journey. Haruka stood against a nearby doorframe, tapping her foot as her partner rejoined her. The aqua-haired Senshi blushed slightly. "Yes, I am trying to put myself in a kinder mood for Ceres. Her life is weak right now and if she dies before we can return her to the care of the Moon Kingdom. . . . " She glanced up at the number over the door. "I take it this is it?" Turning the knob, Haruka pushed the door open and guided Michiru through, then followed her in. The room was white, with cold metal machines whirring and a small fan spinning away in one corner of the room. The window was closed and the blind partway drawn to keep out the bright sunlight. Bending down, Haruka picked a rose petal up off the floor and looked around. There were no bouquets in the room but a scent was in the air . . . the fullness of a greenhouse stuffed with blooming flowers. "You smell it, too?" Michiru murmured, "That's the source of Ceres' power, Haruka. She's the magician of flowers." Quietly, she moved closer to the girl's bedside. CereCere lay with her eyes closed, long pink hair cushioning her head on the pillows. An oxygen mask was over her nose and mouth and various tubes protruded from her arms. Michiru looked over at Haruka, who was reading the chart at the foot of the bed. "Well? What's wrong with her?" She was handed the folder silently. "Incredible. With these kinds of injuries, it's a miracle she's still alive." "Do you . . . have any idea how . . . often I've heard that?" Michiru smiled as she sat on the bed and stroked CereCere's hair. "Hello, Ceres. I would ask you how you're feeling, but considering the circumstances. . . . " A coughing chuckle came from CereCere. "Cute, Neptune. Why are you here?" "Queen Serenity sent me to you," Michiru told her, "When you're better, Haruka and I have to take you back to the darkness. There is no danger to the Earth, merely Haruka's impulsiveness. She woke you four by accident." CereCere blinked slowly. "Ah, so you found the others already?" "They're all safe at home, waiting for you to join them," the elder Senshi said cheerfully. "Curse you, Neptune. All this time I've been calling for my sisters and you've been taking them away from me!" Recoiling from the smaller girl's quiet, but fiery, anger, Michiru tried her best to hold CereCere's gaze. "Queen Serenity asked me to return you. And you'll be with them all again soon enough, Ceres." CereCere tried to sigh, but a wracking cough shook her body. Just as quick as her outburst had been, it was gone again. Her eyes shifted away from both Outers to stare at the window and her hands shook as she tried to lace them together. "There's only one miracle here, Neptune: that I've lasted this long. I'm almost out of time." Michiru frowned. "Then we should try and return you to the care of the Moon Kingdom right away. There might still be a chance. . . . " "For you to get me back before Serenity comes down on you for letting me out in the first place?" Letting her breath out in frustration, Michiru raised her hands into the air. "Ceres, you're not normally like this. Why are you arguing with me? I'm trying to do what's best for you!" "I'm sorry, Neptune," came the quiet reply, "How about I make it clearer? I heard about Galaxia, you know. I don't have time for traitors like you or Uranus. And I'd rather die alone here than save your necks from Serenity." Michiru went white. She turned slowly and walked out of the room, brushing past the nun who had been standing in the doorway. Once in the hallway, her slow tread quickly became a full run. ----- Therese watched Michiru move past her. To her, the girl looked as if she was in a state of shock, so distant were her eyes. And judging from the conversation she had heard, Therese knew she had just found the key to Michiru's soul. She felt the other one, Haruka, moving toward the door. Turning, she faced the masked figure, seeing extreme anger and worry in the blue eyes. "And just what are you going to say to her?" Haruka's head snapped up and her hands gestured aimlessly for a few seconds. Then she subsided and rested her hidden face in her hands, shaking her head slowly. Therese nodded. "You love her too much to *not* do anything. I understand." Moving forward, she rested her hands on the sandy blond hair. "But I've been placed with the two of you for a reason, and I think that reason has just made itself known. Will you trust me with her heart for a short while? If I break it, then you can use whatever powers you have against me in revenge." Lifting her own hands, Haruka gently grasped Therese's, removing them from her head. Then she nodded back and let the nun go. "Thank you, Ten'oh-san. I know the wait will be agonizing for you, but this is where trust is most important. Have faith." With that, Therese left the room. Haruka turned again and stalked silently toward the bed, eyes narrowed. ----- The door flew open, banging against the tiled wall and echoing loudly. As it swung closed again, it bounced off Michiru's shoulder, but she ignored the pain. Chest heaving, she leaned over a sink, hot tears pouring down her cheeks. Her head rested against the cold glass of the mirror as she choked out her sobs. Then, slowly, she looked up at her reflection, gazing into her own golden eyes. In their depths, she thought she could see a pair of starseeds glimmering, mocking her. Behind her reflection, though, stretched the long aisle of the church sanctuary, complete with stained glass window. Frightened, Michiru glanced over her shoulder at the interior of the bathroom, which was as normal as it should be, then looked back again. In the mirror, VesVes had appeared just behind her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Neptune. We didn't tell you that CereCere never quite . . . understood what you did." Michiru closed her eyes as her body shuddered. "Why should I help her now?" she asked through clenched teeth. "I can't bring her back without having her die on me. Then I'll never get rid of this curse . . . " She paused as she looked up, realization dawning. VesVes nodded. "You're hardening your heart, Neptune. I know CereCere just slammed a hammer into it, but she can see right through people's little illusions about themselves. That's why she did that. Normally, she would be a great deal calmer about this . . . but she is dying. So. . . . " "Who is Galaxia, Kaioh-san?" In a blur of vampiric speed, Michiru spun around, fangs wide and eyes glowing. Hissing in fear and anger, she confronted the calm figure of Therese, whose arms were folded serenely inside her habit. To her credit, Therese didn't react. "Enough, Kaioh-san, in the name of God," she said, stepping forward and placing her palms on Michiru's head. "I know you aren't feeling too well right now but Ten'oh-san was kind enough to let me come after you. So you will talk to me." Michiru felt the power within herself dwindle and she slumped back against the porcelain. As she tried to compose herself, she cast a glance over her shoulder at the mirror, which was reflecting normally again. "I . . ." she began, then shook her head. "What did you do?" Therese merely shrugged. "Whatever spirit you possess inside is still under authority. And it will obey when commanded. Now, who is Galaxia and why does that name haunt you so?" "Galaxia: A Senshi like us, yet the most powerful," Michiru said, sitting back against the wall. "She fought the great entity known as Chaos, finally absorbing it into her own body to save millions of lives. As the years went on, it warped her to its will, turning her against the universe. She became determined to rule this galaxy, but had to get past its defenders first. We fought youma after youma until Galaxia herself dared to come down and face us herself. The battle was ugly." "As are most." "You have never seen a fight for the fate of your world, let alone your galaxy, have you, Sister? This isn't the same kind of war that humans wage, but a war that reaches right through into your heart. To those we fought, victory was the same as destruction of this world. They were content to rule a wasteland, gaining nothing but power. What they would have used it on, I have no clue, since nothing would have remained had they won." "We're still here, so I'm assuming you won," Therese said. Michiru heaved a deep, shuddering, sigh. "Our side won, yes." "However . . . ?" "The Inner Senshi were dead. We didn't know if we could trust the Starlights. And we four Outer Senshi were facing Galaxia head-on. She offered us the chance to join her in exchange for our starseeds, which are the source of our life. We would become her servants, able to live on, and she would have no opposition. Setsuna and Hotaru refused, naturally. However . . ." Therese didn't say anything. Instead, she reached into her robes and clutched her rosary beads tightly. Michiru's voice caught in her throat. "Har . . . Haruka and I joined her, under the pretense that we would be her servants. The betrayal was a ruse, of course. We intended to destroy her from the inside. Yet, to convince her of our "intentions", we had to kill our friends in front of her." "Kaioh-san . . ." "We did so. We did it to save this world and all its people. Then, when we had her trust, we attacked her directly . . . and failed." Michiru wrapped her kimono around her body more tightly. "She took the bracelets she had given us, forcing us to die slowly in the middle of the battlefield. We had just enough strength to touch one last time. . . . " "Then how are you here, if you died?" Therese asked. "After Usagi, our leader, defeated Galaxia, our starseeds were released and we were returned to life. Setsuna and Hotaru knew why we had done what we did and were forgiving, as were all the others. But I don't know if I've ever been able to forgive myself. And, as you've seen, Ceres certainly hasn't. She and her sisters weren't part of the battle, which is why she can lecture me like that." Therese shook her head slowly. "Five years ago, I would not have believed a word of this. I've seen too much since then, I'm afraid." She looked down at Michiru and crouched in front of her. "Kaioh-san, I can't even begin to understand the things you may have done in your life, but there is no guilt for your actions. Those whom you betrayed forgave you long ago. As for the young woman in that bed; she's extremely frightened of dying, which is why she lashed out at you like that." She reached out and took Michiru's limp hands in her own. "Look at me, Kaioh Michiru." Therese waited until the younger woman had raised her head, showing a tear-streaked face. "Your pain will be removed, if you have faith. But first, I believe that you have another's pain to remove. Will you help her like you helped her sisters?" Wiping her eyes, Michiru smiled wanly and nodded, then let Therese help her to her feet. ----- Upon stepping back into CereCere's room, Michiru was surprised to see the pieces of paper that littered the bedsheets. "Haruka?" Her partner looked up in the middle of scrawling a response on her pad, eyes wide. Michiru blushed as she came up to the side of the bed. "Yes, I'm fine. Ceres, I see you're finally listening to one of us. Are you willing to talk to me?" The girl, still beautiful despite the machines invading her body, drew a shallow breath and looked up. "It seems I was wrong about you, Neptune. Uranus has been explaining it all to me. I've said things I shouldn't have and I'm sorry." Bowing her head, Michiru smiled. "I've been close to death before, Ceres. I should have been more understanding, as well. And I apologize for earlier. Your sisters charged me with choosing your life over your safety in the Moon Kingdom and I ignored them." She shook her head slowly, chuckling. "Juno told me I have to start thinking like her if I'm to bring you back." CereCere stiffened as pain shot through her body. "It's no good, Neptune. I'm dying, and I don't want to be lying alone in that darkness when I go. You can't take me back, no matter how many notes Uranus writes." "Ceres, whatever you want, whatever it takes, I promise you I'll do my best." She leaned in, her mouth brushing the edge of CereCere's ear. "Just like an Asteroid Senshi," she whispered. A smile flickered across the girl's pained features. "[Arigato], Neptune." ----- Therese nodded to the two Outer Senshi as they stepped out of CereCere's room. "Did it go well?" Michiru smiled. "Haruka and I have some things to discuss, Sister. Would you mind keeping Ceres company?" "Not at all." Going in, Therese gathered her robes around her and moved to sit beside the bed. "I believe I've had the pleasure of meeting one or two of your sisters," she told the girl. "Could you answer something for me?" As dim as CereCere's eyes were, they forced themselves open. "I could try," she murmured. "Juno, the one with green hair, mentioned that many of you Senshi had left your humanity behind. What did she mean?" "Simple, really . . . we've fought . . . we've killed . . . we have even destroyed worlds . . . all to keep our Queen safe." CereCere's breathing was still shallow, but she forced the words out. "To Senshi like me . . . rules meant nothing. Only the end mattered, no matter . . . what the means. And for all that . . . this is my own end . . . and I regret it." Therese clasped the girl's hand in her own. "Many people have regrets when they approach Death's door. Tell yours to me, Ceres, and allow me to give you the peace you've sought for so long. Let yourself become human again." ----- Michiru embraced both Haruka and Therese. "Best of luck, you two." Haruka looked at the ground, shaking her head slowly. "Yes, Haruka. Queen Serenity will probably have our heads for this, but I don't think I could live with myself otherwise." "Such a change from our first encounter," Therese broke in, "You seem to have found a bit of that compassion you were so reluctant to use before." Bowing her head in acknowledgement, Michiru smiled. "I have been near death before, Sister. I just had to be reminded of that fact." She turned to the bed. "Ceres, are you sure that you want Therese to stay with us?" "Quite sure, Neptune," came the reply. "Then we'll be off," Therese said, moving toward the door. "I hope you know the way, Ten'oh-san. Oh, and please let me try to keep up with you." She lightly swatted the masked Senshi on the shoulder as she moved past. On her way out, Haruka had already begun to furiously write a response down on her pad. Chuckling softly, Michiru sat back down beside CereCere. "I think the two of them are beginning to get along quite well, don't you?" She patted the back of the girl's hand. "It won't be long now." "I know," CereCere said, letting her head fall back against her pillow. "And, Neptune, whatever happens with Serenity and your punishments, I want to thank you again. I never knew you had it in you." "You can thank your sisters for that," Michiru told her. "I had to learn a few things in dealing with them during the last two weeks. They taught me that maybe, just maybe, that my redemption in Queen Serenity's eyes wasn't as important as I had thought. What Haruka and I are about to do could well seal our fate in the Moon Kingdom, but it doesn't matter anymore. I just may decide to become an Asteroid Senshi like you." CereCere laughed at that, then groaned as pain kicked in. "Neptune, can I ask you one more favour before we leave?" "Of course." The Asteroid Senshi turned her head to one side. "I can't dull the pain with my magic anymore. I just don't have anything left in me. If you could use your own powers?" Michiru nodded. "All right." Leaning in, she brushed the long pink hair away from the far side of CereCere's slender neck. Michiru then bared her fangs and sank them into the pale skin a little below the girl's ear. CereCere moaned softly and went limp as her blood flowed out of her body. For the first time in days, her breathing became full and easy and the pain began to diminish. She could feel Michiru's warm breath on her neck and the tickle of the aquamarine hair against her throat. It was so comfortable, too. . CereCere's eyes slowly closed. She felt so peaceful and relaxed . . . She awoke to being gently nudged. "Mmmmph . . . Neptune?" "Right here, Ceres. It's time for us to go." Hands touched her face and neck softly, slipping the oxygen mask off her head. "Are you feeling better?" "A little," she sighed, feeling an arm slide behind her back and helping her sit up. "How long was I out?" she asked, wincing at the soreness of her body. "Long enough," was Michiru's enigmatic reply, "Let's just say that the hospital staff was glad to see you in a painless sleep for once." CereCere reached down and yanked a tube out of the back of her hand. "We should get out of here as quickly as possible, then. Odd thing about hospitals around here. They don't like you leaving if they haven't charged you enough. Of course, since I haven't paid them yet . . . " "I'll have Queen Serenity send them the bill," Michiru deadpanned, gently pulling the rest of the tubes and wires out of CereCere's body. "Now, let's get you changed so they won't raise the alarm." From inside her red and white kimono, she produced a second kimono, this one black and red. "I think this is more your colour scheme than mine, ne?" CereCere had barely enough strength to put the robe on. Michiru had to help her slip her arms in and belt it up. Then, putting the younger girl's arm over her shoulders, Michiru eased her out of the bed. "Good," she encouraged, "Now, I know you're tired, but you may have to walk a little bit until we're out of sight. Can you manage that?" "Hai," came the weak reply. With Michiru half-supporting, half-carrying her, CereCere stumbled out of the room and down the hallway. ----- At the edge of the trees, Michiru knelt and slid the Asteroid Senshi off her back to the ground. CereCere's strength had given out right near the beginning, so Michiru had carried her the rest of the way. "How are you feeling?" CereCere coughed weakly. "Not too good, Neptune." Feeling a pang of fear at what she was doing, Michiru peered into the younger girl's eyes. "We still have time, you know, to get you into the darkness. You won't feel any pain there, you know." "And just let me die by myself, to be found only when everyone wakes up God-knows-when? No thank you. If I'm going to die, Neptune, it's going to be with my sisters around me." Michiru sighed. "Very well. Hold on tight." Hefting CereCere onto her back once more, she headed off to the cliffs that held the sleeping Moon Kingdom and the other three Asteroid Senshi. It wasn't long before a woman with dark green hair stepped out from behind a tree. "Michiru, what's happening?" she asked, "Haruka came out of nowhere with this nun, then . . . " Setsuna's voice trailed off when she saw the slumped figure of CereCere on her friend's back. "Ohhhh, no. No, no, no. . . . " "We're almost out of time, Setsuna," Michiru told her, shifting the nearly dead weight she was carrying. "Haruka came for the others, to let them see her." Nodding, Setsuna went over and lifted the barely conscious girl in her arms. "Queen Serenity won't be happy." She looked at Michiru and saw the determination in the golden eyes. "You don't care, do you?" "Not anymore," the Senshi of Neptune said quietly, "I didn't bring her back to get my curse lifted or because Queen Serenity commanded, but because it's right." As the two of them came into the clearing where Setsuna kept guard, Michiru saw the dark rift in the rocks. "They went in already?" "Ten'oh-san did." Across the clearing, Therese got to her feet from the base of a tree. "She went down there a little while ago. Ceres?" Michiru shook her head. "Not good, Sister." Setsuna eased CereCere down, cradling the girl's head and shoulders in her lap. "Hang on, Ceres. Just a little while longer. . . . " "CERECERE!" A blue streak erupted from the darkness, turning into PalaPala. "Neptune, what did you do?" she gasped, wide-eyed. "Everything I could, to be honest," she replied, "But it was all too late, Pallas. I've granted Ceres her last wish, which was to see you all again." Dropping to her knees, PalaPala lightly touched her sister's shoulder. "This isn't fair," she muttered, tears forming in her eyes. Michiru looked up to see VesVes and JunJun step out of the tunnel. "I'm sorry . . . " she began, only to be stopped by JunJun, who silently shook her head. CereCere coughed again and her eyes fluttered open. "Neptune . . . ?" she mumbled, "I think . . . oh Kami, I'm so warm . . . " She sighed heavily as Setsuna brushed her pink hair back off her face, then she looked up at her three sisters. "You guys . . . sorry I'm late." Choking back her own tears, VesVes took her sister's hand and held it. "We kept your spot for you, you know." "[Arigato]." CereCere's face crumbled. "I don't want to die, Ves-chan, I really don't." "I know," VesVes murmured, "We can't stop it, though. Be strong, Cere-chan, go out proudly." She embraced her now-shuddering sister, speaking to her in low, soothing tones. Finally, CereCere's shaking eased and her body went slowly limp, her breathing slowing. As VesVes let her sink back into Setsuna's arms, Therese shouldered her way into the group. "If I may?" Recognizing her from their earlier meetings, the three Asteroids nodded. Therese knelt down and touched CereCere's forehead, chest, and shoulders in the sign of the cross. "{Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine. Et lux perpetua luceat eis . . . }" As her voice went on, CereCere's eyes closed and her breathing stopped altogether. PalaPala covered her mouth, her own body racked with sobs. JunJun did what she could to comfort her sister, but she was weeping as well. Michiru felt tears running down her own cheeks and turned away, burying her head in Haruka's shoulder. Then Setsuna looked up and used her Time Staff to pull herself to her feet. "Queen Serenity." At those two words, everyone turned around to face the entrance to the darkness. Queen Serenity stood there, white dress cutting a slash against the blackness of the tunnel. Stepping out, she embraced each of the remaining Asteroid Senshi. "Forgive me," she said softly, "That I, your Queen, could not save your sister." She held PalaPala especially long, stroking her blue hair as the girl continued to cry. "I promise you all that the Moon Kingdom will honour her with the proper ceremonies when the time comes. But that will be discussed later. Right now, I want you three to return below, if you would." VesVes and PalaPala bowed low to Queen Serenity before letting Setsuna guide them back into the tunnel. JunJun hesitated, looking over her shoulder at Michiru. The aqua-haired Senshi stared back, knowing the younger Senshi's still feared for her life and memories. "Juno," came the quiet rebuke. Nodding, JunJun moved forward, allowing Setsuna to take her arm and help her below. Watching them go, Michiru sighed and entwined her fingers with Haruka's. "I love you, you know." she murmured to her partner. She smiled slightly through her tears. "This may be the last chance I get to tell you that for a while." Then she looked over at Therese, who had finished her prayers and joined them. "Sister, I want to thank you for everything you've done for us these last weeks. Both in finding the Asteroids and helping us find ourselves." Therese nodded. "It was my duty, Kaioh-san, and my pleasure to do it. And my offer is still open to you, too, if you remain here." Michiru bowed slightly in acknowledgement, then saw Serenity kneel beside CereCere's body. "Excuse me, Sister." Queen Serenity looked up as Michiru knelt across from her. "Well done, Neptune. You brought the Asteroids back, just as I commanded you." "It hardly feels like "well done," my Queen," she replied, "And bringing Ceres back here to die was not your command." Serenity looked back down and cupped her hand against CereCere's cheek. "I can see how you would feel that way. Now, about you breaking the darkness once again. . . ." Michiru didn't bother staying silent. "I did what was right, even if you don't approve, my Queen. I promised Ceres she would not die alone and I kept that promise to her." "You're quite right that I don't approve of your actions, Neptune. Do you honestly think you are able to second-guess my decisions or consider that another person's wishes should take precedence over my orders? Despite that, you showed the compassion I expect of my followers. Well done." Then her expression grew more serious. "I see the Asteroids have been having an influence on you as well, which also concerns me. They are wild and unpredictable, Neptune. I don't hope to see you learning their ways, as the role of an Asteroid Senshi is not for everyone." Flinching slightly beneath Serenity's gaze, Michiru nodded. "I understand, my Queen." "Good." Serenity looked less stern. "Leave the workings of the Asteroid Senshi to the ones who were trained for it, Neptune. As for you, I feel it would be better if you, Uranus, and Pluto came home. That way, I know where you are at all times." Michiru looked over her shoulder at Haruka, still masked and silent. "There's nothing we've wanted more, my Queen, than to hear you say that. Only . . . ." She hesitated. "Is there something wrong, Neptune?" "I just wish our good fortune didn't have to come at the expense of Ceres' life." Queen Serenity didn't blink. "Would you choose one over the other, as if that is even your right to choose? You would choose her life, wouldn't you? And if Ceres ever learned about it, she would demand the curses I placed on you be lifted in place of her life. I will only do one, Neptune, and I have made my choice. Three of you are worth more than the one, even if the one is an Asteroid." Lifting the Ginzuishou, she raised her face to the heavens. With the brilliant flash of light, Michiru felt a terrible pain in her mouth. Liquid welled up and she found herself spitting red as two sharp, bloodied fangs fell into her lap. Probing with her tongue, she felt no spaces, only her normal teeth. Feeling a touch on her shoulder, she looked up to see a still-masked Haruka standing over her. In one smooth motion, Michiru was on her feet and reaching up to her lover's face. "Hold still," she whispered, "I'll do it." Her fingers gently traced the edges of the steel mask, then dug in and slowly pulled the metal away, revealing a face she hadn't seen in weeks. The mask hit the ground with a dull thud as Michiru embraced her partner. "How's your voice?" she asked, smiling. Then her eyes closed as Haruka leaned in and kissed her passionately. "Mmmmm. Then again, you don't need to say anything," she murmured, breaking apart and nestling her head into Haruka's neck. Queen Serenity cleared her throat. "I do, though. Uranus, the next time you breach the darkness, you had better be returning for your rest. Otherwise, your punishment will be more than a simple mask. I hope I'm making myself clear." With her arm around Michiru's shoulders, Haruka bowed her head in acknowledgement. "My Queen, I understand. Thank you for your kindness in releasing us." Her voice was rough from days of being unused, but was still steady. "Both of you should prepare for your rest, as well. How soon can you be ready?" Michiru looked down at the ground. "There is . . . one bit of business left for us to do here, my Queen." ----- As the voice of the choir quietly faded away, the first few notes of a piano echoed in the warmth. The violin wove its own notes in and out, blending into the prayer that had become a song. The audience was silent before the two musicians, letting their ears and their souls be refreshed by the melody that washed out from the front of the sanctuary. To them, emotions in the music were evident. But rather than the troubled souls and aching hearts of the previous time, the musicians held the feeling of hope and redemption, and not just for the living. When the last note had faded away into the echoes of the sanctuary, the two stood and acknowledged the applause. They exchanged a glance, then together turned and looked up at the floral pattern of the stained-glass window. ----- ~Breathe life into this feeble heart, Lift this mortal veil of fear, Take these crumbled hopes, edged with tears, We'll rise above these earthly cares . . . Cast your eyes on the ocean, Cast your soul to the sea, When the dark night seems endless, Please remember me . . . ~ "Dante's Prayer", Loreena McKennitt, "Book of Secrets" album, 1997