Moonlight fell softly upon her aqua curls as we strolled along the dimly lit street. Her entire body seemed radiant.

I felt so lucky as her soft hand reached out for mine. I knew this was the right time.

�Michiru, �I said softly, stopping.

�What is it Haruka?�, she asked, looking deeply into my eyes.

I reached into my coat pocket and produced a small black box, which I handed to her.

�I wanted to give you this.�

She took it and opened it ever-so-gently.

�Arigato!�, she exclaimed, gazing in awe at the sapphire necklace. �What did I do deserve such a beautiful gift?�

�Ashiteru, �I whispered, kissing her neck. What more reason do I need?�

I undid the clasp for her and slipped it gently around her neck.

She was speechless for a moment, then pulled me closer to her for a long, passionate kiss. Then she grabbed my hand and started practically dragging me down the street to our apartment, but I didn�t mind.

At the door of our apartment, she paused.

�Michiru, what�s wrong?�, I asked , confused.

She gave a whimper of pain in response, and I just managed to catch her as she collapsed.

�Michiru!�, I cried out, but she did not awaken.

I rushed inside the apartment and laid her gently on the bed. She looked disturbingly beautiful, lying there motionless except for her breathing.

�Michiru,� I called again, stroking her hand. �Come back to me, love.�

Finally, she stirred and opened her eyes.

�Are you okay?�, I asked, concerned.

�Nani? I�m fine,� she said dreamily.

�Are you sure?�, I asked, unconvinced. �Can I get you anything?�

�I said I�m fine!�, she yelled. �I don�t want to talk about it. I don�t need you. You�re good for nothing!�

Her shouting faded suddenly into tears, and my worries disappeared for the time being. As I held her close, I hoped that she would be back to normal in the morning.

I awoke the next morning to find Michiru snuggled up to me, resting her head on my chest. Sunlight kissed her soft skin and made her more beautiful than ever.

�Morning, love,� I said, kissing the top of her head.

She sighed and stretched, then put her arms around my neck. I gasped as her hold suddenly tightened around me.

�Michiru,� I choked. �Matte! I can�t breathe.�

�Nani?�, she murmured, as if just waking up. �Oh Haruka! Gomen. I don�t know what I was doing,� she apologized, releasing her grip.

�It�s okay,� I assured her, massaging my neck. �You left that thing on all night?�, I asked, noticing the necklace.

�It�s so lovely, I hate to take it off,� she replied on her way to the washroom to dress.

I wasn�t angry with her, but I was troubled by the way she had been acting. Her usual gentle manner had seemed to fade away for a moment. What was causing this change in her? The answer did not come to me as we washed and dressed.

By lunch I couldn�t contain my concern and I had to ask.

�Michiru, love, are you okay?�

The moment the question was out of my mouth, I knew I shouldn�t have asked it. I remembered how strangely Michiru had reacted the night before.

Yet she only smiled prettily and whispered, �As long as I�m with you.�

Now that was my Michiru talking. I stopped worrying.

I leaned in for a kiss, but was interrupted by the shrill call of a childish voice.

�Michiru-san! Haruka-san!�

It was Tsukino Usagi, the person I least wanted to see.

She sat down next to me and stared openmouthed at the food on our table.

�Wow! Look at all this great stuff!�, she exclaimed.

�Usagi-chan! Remember we�re here on business,� Ami scolded, dashing to catch up. �Haruka-san, Michiru-san, may we sit with you? We have important matters to discuss,� she asked politely, though a little too late.

�Of course,� Michiru said, motioning Ami to the seat beside her.

�So, what�s up?�, I inquired casually.

�My scanner readings have shown an evil presence close to this area,� she replied. �I think there is a possessed object nearby. Michiru-san, have you sensed anything?�.

�No. Nani? Do I always have to know everything? You�re little Miss Braniac, remember?�, Michiru snapped.

�Gomen. I just-�, Ami began tearfully

�Haruka!,� Michiru yelled at me.

She dragged me out of the restaurant by my arm, leaving a depressed Ami and a thoroughly confused Usagi with the bill.

�Michiru, what�s going on?�, I asked, exasperated, outside of the restaurant.

�Nothing dear,� she said, the intense expression again in her eyes. �I just realized that I never properly thanked you for my wonderful necklace. I�ve wanted to give you this!�, she cried, pulling a kitchen knife from her purse.

The necklace! She�d been acting strangely ever since I put it on her. I had to get it off of her.

She flew at me with the knife, but I caught her hand, the knife inches from my chest. I grabbed the necklace with my free hand and tugged as hard as I could, but she pulled with remarkable strength in the opposite direction.

Finally, the clasp broke and sent the necklace soaring through the air.

Michiru immediately dropped the knife and sank to her knees, sobbing.

I started to ask if she was okay, but we were both distracted by the all-too-familiar sound of evil laughter.

It was coming from the necklace. I saw it lying a few feet away on the ground, a strange light streaming from its stone.

Suddenly there was a puff of smoke and a strange blue spirit resembling a woman in her early twenties rose from the sapphire. Her eyes held the same strangely intense look that Michiru�s had held only a moment before.

�I have been sent to destroy the senshi of the wind, and any other who stands in my way,� she proclaimed in an icy voice. �I know you�re her, so just make it easy and give up now.�

�I never give up,� I yelled.

�Uranus Planet Power, Make Up!�

�Neptune Planet Power, Make Up!�

�Uranus World Shaking!�, I called.

My attack shoved her back a few yards, but she was still standing.

�Neptune Deep Submerge!�

Neptune�s attack knocked her to her knees, but she didn�t seem upset.

�You see? All of your little powers are no match for me!�, she laughed.

�Wrong! Sparkling Wide Pressure!�, Sailor Jupiter cried.

The attack threw the monster against a nearby tree.

Sailor Moon and Sailor Mercury must have heard the monster�s ravings from inside the restaurant, but the other senshi seemed to have appeared from nowhere.

�You shouldn�t underestimate the Sailor Senshi. We fight for love, truth, and justice, and in the name of the moon we�ll punish you,� Sailor Moon proclaimed.

�Cute,� said the spirit, unimpressed.

The look in her eyes deepened and suddenly Michiru�s knife was flying all on its own at Sailor Moon�s head.

Whoosh! It was intercepted by a solitary, red rose.

�Tuxedo Kamen!�, Sailor Moon cried in admiration and gratitude.

�Forget it villain. You�re no match for the powers of the Sailor Senshi,� he declared. �Sailor Moon!�

�Right,� she said, nodding her agreement. �Moon Spiral Heart Attack!�

The monster gave a faint cry, then faded into nothingness.

�Thank goodness that�s over,� Sailor Moon said, sighing with relief.

�Wait a minute. You guys, look!�, Sailor Venus shouted.

�Nani?�, I asked, annoyed.

I gasped when I saw that another spirit, identical to the first was rising out of the sapphire, with the same demonic laughter.

�How can this be?�, asked Sailor Mercury.

�The necklace must be some type of energy source for the spirit,� explained Sailor Mars. �It will continue to regenerate unless we destroy it.�

�Okay, Sailor Venus, you take care of the spirit. Senshi, you can combine your attacks to destroy the necklace,� instructed Tuxedo Kamen.

�Right,� agreed the inners, nodding in perfect unison.

�Venus Love-Me-Chain!�, cried Sailor Venus, grabbing the spirit and binding it to a nearby tree.

�Now�s your chance, Senshi,� she told us.

I felt pretty dumb attacking a piece of jewelry, but I would do anything to make sure my Michiru was safe.

�Uranus World Shaking!�

�Neptune Deep Submerge!�

�Mercury Bubble Blast!�

�Mars Fire Ignite!�

�Jupiter Supreme Thunder Crash!�

�Moon Spiral Heart Attack!�

Our attacks combined to form a ball of white light which hit the necklace with immeasurable force, shattering the sapphire into a million pieces.

The spirit, still struggling to free herself from the chain of hearts gave a deafening shriek of pain and vanished.

Despite what Rei-chan had said, we all waited a moment to be sure our enemy was really gone before changing back into our regular forms.

�Gomen, Ami-chan,� Michiru apologized, rushing over to her. �That wasn�t me. I would never try to hurt your feelings like that.�

�It�s okay,� Ami replied with an understanding smile. �I know you didn�t mean it.�

�I guess I�ll have to be more careful picking out gifts for you from now on,� I said sheepishly.

�Haruka, it�s not your fault. You couldn�t have known,� she assured me. �Arigato.�

�What for?�

�For stopping me from destroying my only love,� seh whispered so that the other senshi wouldn�t hear as they walked away.

�I still think it was sweet of you to get me such a nice gift,� she added. �You know, I never did get to thank you for it,� she said, her voice suddenly serious and an intense look building in her eyes.

�Nani? Michiru!�, I exclaimed, shocked and frightened.

�Just teasing dear. You look so cute when you�re surprised. I think I have a much better way to thank you,� she said with a seductive smile.

�Ashiteru,� I laughed.

She took my hand and we strolled off into the sunset.