Title: No More Running
Author: Kamel
Theme: Reason for Living/Favorite episode
Genre: General
Rating: PG

Words: 690

Notes: Written for the emptybackpack's drabble war/smmonthly

Summary: Haruka comes to realize she does not have to run from her destiny anymore.

The life of Tenoh Haruka had been a simpler one merely a couple of years before now in a time where nothing truly mattered, a time where her life was her own and that was it. It was a time in her life where the only reason she had for being in existence is to reach a long term goal of hers – to become one with the wind, to gain almost inhuman-able speed, to actually fly.

Haruka would spend countless of hours toning her body, training to push herself forward, almost anything to gain more and more speed in an attempt to achieve what she wanted. She wanted to be the fastest, she had to keep running. To stop was not an option for her. There was an underlining problem with this goal of hers, a sense of impending doom that had been following her. Haruka had convinced herself she would be able to out run the feeling, that it would simply disappear into the dust her feet were kicking up with every stride she took, every step, and every burst of energy.

But she could not out run it. The feeling had continued to haunt over here, it only caused more determination; Haruka continued to push herself in her training, striding to become faster than any other racer whether it would be on foot or behind the wheel of her racecar. If she was faster than everyone else, maybe the impending doom would get lost in the crowd she would leave behind – that damn nagging feeling.

It was never the case.

Haruka was winning the races, the track meets, but the feeling had remained, lurking behind her, waiting for the perfect time to strike. She could sense it had been coming closer despite all her hard work. It was mocking her, mocking the fact that no matter how hard she tried, she would not be able to get rid of it, but that still was not enough to deter Tenoh Haruka. No, it would take a lot more.

She had begun to push others away to achieve her goal. Her other attempts had not work; now she had to rid herself of the baggage that was keeping her from being where she needed to be. The training on the track grew more intense. Now more than ever she wanted to become one with the wind, wanted to escape into the sky and leave this all behind her. When she ran, when she traveled at high speeds, she almost felt free.

Almost.

Then she met her.

Kaioh Michiru, the talented art student.

The student that had been apparently watching her from a distance.

The hanging feeling of impending doom had lightened slightly, had been slightly lifted from her shoulders upon their meeting because Michiru came with a sense of reassurance, guidance almost. Michiru lead her to a fork in the middle of the road in her life – to either ignore her destiny or live it to its fullest with the young woman by her side. She had chosen the second course of action and learned what the nagging feeling way, the rapidly approaching silence they had to prevent from taking over the earth.

But with Michiru by her side, the nagging feeling, she did not want to run away from it anymore, she wanted to tackle it head on because suddenly… the world seemed more important and it was not only due to the fact that they were guardians of the outer sol system. No, it was because a world with Michiru was worth protecting, was worth saving. Michiru showed her that she did not have to run anymore, at least, not from her destiny.

It was still Haruka's goal to be as fast as the wind, a goal that she would one day achieve due to sheer determination; she lived for the speed, exhilaration.

And for Michiru.

End