Something had been bothering Michiru for a long time now. I knew something was wrong, but whenever I asked her about it, she would only smile briefly at me and quickly make some comment as to how she was feeling just fine. Of course, that didn't fool me for a moment; but since she wasn't ready to open up, I bided my time. But that particular day, Setsuna was out, taking Hotaru and Chibi-Usa out to a movie. Michiru preferred to stay behind and practice her violin; I made up some excuse about waiting for a phone call. We were alone in the mansion.

I didn't say anything; I just stood in the doorway, leaning against the frame, with my arms crossed. The music hesitated for just a moment when Michiru noticed the look on my face, but she recovered herself in an instant, continuing the song as though I was not present. It came to an end, and she stood up, as though to leave. But I blocked her way.

"All right, Michi-chan. Tell me what's going on." Despite the agressive exterior, I couldn't keep the affectionate "-chan" suffix from slipping out.

Michiru laughed, although it lacked mirth. "You don't give up, now, do you?" But she said it affectionately.

I smiled at her. "You, of all people, should know the answer to that one."

"All right," she said, and I relaxed my stance. "You're not going to give me any peace until I tell you, so I'll go ahead and say it. But I want you to know, I think you're an awful bully, Ruka-chan."

I grinned. "I know it."

She sat down on the couch and patted a spot next to her. She gazed out our window, with its view of trees and lawn-- a rare thing inTokyo-- as she collected her thoughts. I couldn't help but think how beautiful Michiru was...her lovely, wavy hair, the color of the sea. Her bright, beautiful aqua eyes. She was Kaioh Michiru: painter, violinist, and at one with the ocean. And it was this last which troubled her. "It's the sea," she began. "It's getting stormier and stormier every day."

This was not meant to be taken literally; for the last several weeks, Tokyo had had beautiful weather. It meant that something bad was about to happen.

I grinned widely. "A new enemy, h'm? It's like they're lining up, each waiting their turn." Michiru didn't seem amused, to I switched to a more serious approach. "There has to be more," I suggested. "After all, Michi-chan, it's nothing we can't handle. Remember who we are!"

She smiled at me faintly. "Yes. But I've never felt the ocean like this before... And I have this sense of forboding. Something dangerous is going to happen, and it's bigger than both of us."

"Then we'll just drag Hotaru-chan and Setsuna-san into it to help us," I replied cheerfully. "We won't even bother Usagi and the others. We can take care of it, the four of us, together."

Michiru shook her head solemnly. "No. I'm not even sure if all ten of us-- and Mamo-san, too-- combined our powers... I'm telling you, it's something big."

I placed my hand gently on her shoulder. "Usagi and her friends defeated Queen Beryl a long time ago, all on their own, and it was she who had destroyed the Silver Milennium. They also defeated the Dark Moon, without our help. With us, we all managed to save the world from Mistress 9 and Pharaoh 90. If we can handle Mistress 9 and Pharaoh 90, then we can take on any youma or daimon or whatever, that decides to mess with Tokyo." I couldn't help but laugh. "Think about it. Setsuna-san has the power to stop time, and little Hotaru-chan can destroy the world with one hand tied behind her back. I'm sure if there are any evil fiends lurking around, they've learned from the examples we've set with their predecessors. No one with half a brain is going to mess with our planet as long as the Sailor Senshi are around."

She looked at me and leaned back, staring at the ceiling. "If you felt what I felt, you wouldn't be saying such things."

"Don't worry," I told her cheerfully. "We always have a happy ending. It always seems like our enemy is just as strong as we are--- and then we find some extra energy with the help of Sailor Moon's ginzousho and blast them to bits."

Michiru shook her head. "Well, I'll keep you updated. But be on the lookout for a new enemy approaching."

"All right, Michi-chan." I smiled affectionately at her. "But don't go out of your way to find a new enemy, okay?"

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