I don't own Sailor Moon...
Enjoy...
„…2…3… Begin!" the male voice was heard in the entire amphitheatre. Immediately, the sound of classic music was heard flowing calmly and beautifully in the silent atmosphere… until… „No! No! No! You've got it wrong again!" the man was about to explode, as each and every student from the orchestra cringed. „From the beginning, again! And this time let me hear you play those instruments and not sound as if you're squeezing a cat to death!" Small groans could be heard here and there, as tension began building up. Everyone, perhaps except the professor, was tired and angry. Of course the entire orchestra wasn't capable of sounding as if should in such conditions. "And… 1…2..."
"Sensei!" a feminine voice suddenly cut off all attention and made the tall conductor glare as whoever had had the guts to interrupt his class.
"Yes…!" From the sea of seats, one of the violinists stood up. In spite of the visible lack of energy and slightly crumpled uniform, she managed to hold her posture with the pride of young musician that managed to win at least two competitions each year.
"Sensei, in this rhythm we'll never be able to reproduce this play according to your standards."
"My standards…?"
"We are all tired sensei…"
"Are you?" he glared at the rest of the players, most of them already shivering. A thick, heavy silence fell for a few seconds. "Thought so too! Miss Kaioh, you have thirty seconds to empty your seat. Takeda, move it in here!" he shouted and a young man, still wearing the obvious signs of puberty, a large pair of eye-glasses and carrying his own violin case appeared from one of the audience seats.
For a moment, the young female student couldn't believe her own eyes and ears. She was being replaced with a second-rate student… and all because the bloody professor was terrorising his pupils.
"Must I repeat myself, Miss Kaioh?" the man's voice grew in strength and she could definitely hear one of her colleagues' whimpers somewhere near.
Without another word, glance or even heartbeat, the girl grabbed her violin case and bag and left the auditorium in a deafening silence. With every step she took towards the doors, she felt her grand future in music being ripped into smaller and smaller shreds, and the moment she closed the door behind her and heard the orchestra beginning its song again, she knew she was closer to tears than ever. No fate had ever seemed as harsh as the blank days she foresaw ahead.
She took several steps down the hallway, feeling everyone's stares on her. She, the famous Michiru Kaioh, had been thrown out of class. As soon as she found herself alone again, she leaned on a wall and gripped the violin case with pale fingers. No! That stupid sensei had just lost one of his most promising students and he will live to regret it.
"Time for a change." She whispered calmly, although a tornado was ravaging her soul. She stood up again, straightened her shoulders, lifted her chin and brought back to her stunning blue eyes the proud glare she was so well-known for. The road to the school gates had been a surprisingly reinvigorating one. Although probably the entire campus now knew what had just occurred, she no longer cared and considered the entire place one that had greater chances of destroying her bright future, rather than helping her reach for it.
"Suoh-sensei… see you at the next competition…"
She carefully eyed the building, after checking for the third time if she had the correct address. She did, no doubt about it… unfortunately…
Although the rumours about this professor were not bad at all… the location he had chosen for a music school was entirely questionable. It was not in a fancy neighbourhood, but in a modest area of the city. And also, the building had nothing special about it, being made of century-old bricks and stained glass.
With a deep sigh of resignation, Suoh-sensei's former pupil entered the five-storage building, only to be met by a rather large group of children with colourful backpacks. Surprisingly enough, she soon learned the fact that the whole five levels contained a kindergarten, a normal school and a music one, for the gifted children.
"Goodbye, Usagi-sempai!" a second group, this one even noisier, made its way through the hallways and to the door. On the first, second and third floors things were calmer, for the student's classes hadn't ended yet. However, when she opened the door leading to the fourth one, she could finally let out a breath of relief. The sounds of a heavy cello soon filled the silence and led the young musician towards a wooden door.
Without knocking, the young woman slowly opened the door and entered a small chamber, scantily furnished, but tidy and well sustained. In the middle of the room was a sole chair, currently occupied by a very young girl, who would've normally appeared to have barely managed to hold the large instrument, but play it as well. However, in spite of her young age and small figure, she managed to perform the chosen play quite beautifully. Further inside, next to one of the room's large windows, a tall woman leaned on the dark-green coloured wall, with her eyes closed.
A bit surprised by the familiar atmosphere, the new student decided to remain silent and enjoy the youngster's song as well. Few minutes later, when the cello ended the melody with a low note, the woman seemed to have exited her trance and return to life.
"Very good, Hotaru! I think this play will be perfect for the competition."
"Thank you, sensei… Oh, good morning…" The small girl behind the heavy instrument spoke sheepishly, finally having noticed the intruder.
"Please, forgive my presence, but I came for an audience and… well, since there was no one else around…"
"Michiru Kaioh?" the older woman approached her and she noticed her strange eyes… looking almost as if the iris had the colour of blood itself.
"I was told to ask for a Mr. Meioh…"
"Mister?" The crimson eyes widened in surprise.
"Yes. Setsuna Meioh…"
"I'm sorry to disappoint you, but there isn't any Mr. Meioh…"
"Oh…"
"But there is a Miss…"
"You are Setsuna Meioh?" Michiru could simply not believe her ears.
"In the flesh! Now, will you follow me to one of the auditoriums, so I can listen to your play?"
"Yes!"
"Hotaru, keep practicing. I'll be back in half an hour!" she spoke, right before leaving the girl-child alone.
"Sensei… please forgive me…"
"What for?" Michiru followed her up the stairs and through the hallways of the fifth floor, until they reached a large set of doors.
"For mistaken you…" The young student couldn't believe her luck. After nearly destroying her reputation by refusing to apologize to Suoh and remain at his famous school, now she began horribly by mistaking her future professor's gender… that if she still had a chance at attending this school's classes.
"Nonsense! I know that there aren't many music female teachers left and I'm definitely not going to lower your changes for a small mistake that 90 of my current students have made the first time we met as well." She smiled and opened the doors, leading her into a small, but perfect hall. "Now get on that stage and show me that you've truly earned all those titles you pride yourself with!"
For the next twenty minutes, only the clear sounds of a violin filled the once silent chamber. Just as always, Michiru closed her eyes and moved the fiddle bow above the strings, letting out the most beautiful sounds her hands and heart were capable of. Just as always, it was only her and her violin… trapped within a magical world, far faraway from the cold and harsh universe called "reality"…
"I'll be as sincere as possible." Although Setsuna's smile was genuine, her words seemed far too serious. "You have an amazing talent and I truly understand your eagerness when it comes to learning something new that will help you improve your skills. I do respect that… however… From what I just saw and heard, you prefer having the stage all to yourself. I'm not saying that's a bad thing, especially considering the fact that you can sustain a solo performance… but, as you will see, I usually group all my students in teams for auditions and competitions and I am not sure if I will either manage to find you a capable partner… or if you will accept one to begin with. Now, I'm not saying that I won't accept you; I just want you to understand that I may not be able to offer you the same assistance as I do for some of my other students… "
"Teams? Orchestras?"
"Actually, I'd rather consider that a last option for my pupils. Take Hotaru, for example. I've managed to build up a quartet with her and three more, and here they are, ready to attend their first competition in less than two months. I don't want to destroy my students' imagination when it comes to playing music in a personal style. I am aware of the fact that their skills could even be forgotten within an orchestra, and therefore I particularly choose the teams so that their different personalities would sustain one another and make them work out their best."
"And will there be a problem if I wish to remain without a partner?"
"No. Not as long as you understand my requirements."
"So, did I pass the examination?"
"As of several minutes ago, yes." Setsuna offered yet another warm smile, which was almost immediately welcomed with a serious bow.
"Thank you for accepting me as your student, sensei!"
A young female student walked on the crowded streets, the colours of her uniform disappearing from time to time in the sea of people. Her blue eyes held strength and determination, her shoulders and neck stood as straight as ever and her chin offered her the proud posture she was so famous for. Her aquamarine wavy hair was neatly brushed, held back from her forehead with two clips and let down to her mid-back. She seemed fallen from another world, a presence which constantly refused to blend in.
And there she was, finally standing in front of the same old building as a day before. The difference was that this time her mind no longer felt uncertainty and her body was clad in a brand new uniform that clearly pointed her as Setsuna Meioh's student.
"Haruka-sempai! Wait for me!" a voice she recognized from the other day interrupted her moment. Turning to her right, she saw the girl-child named Hotaru, currently running with all her might behind a tall silhouette. Running her eyes over the stranger's appearance, Michiru noticed that he wore the same type of uniform… and that he was also carrying on his back what appeared to be young Hotaru's heavy cello. "Haruka-sempai, I can carry it too!" in spite of her words, the dark-haired girl seemed almost out of breath and ready to fall on the sidewalk. However, the tall young man did not seem to even listen to her words, for he simply walked inside the building and disappeared in the shadows one moment later. "Ah, good morning, Kaioh-sempai!" the words flew by her, as the young cello-player ran up the stairs with her last bit of strength, pointlessly trying to catch up with the stranger.
"Good morning…" Michiru answered, a bit too late, for there was no one else to listen.
"Ah, Miss Kaioh, this way please!" as soon as she reached the fourth floor, an old teacher welcomed her and guided them past several doorways, towards one of the simple room, where she was apparently going to hold her classes. Through the walls, music from the other halls could barely be heard. A surprising feature, for such an old building.
"Good isolation was the first thing I thought too." The sensei spoke, having noticed her surprised look.
"Will you be my sensei?"
"For now, yes. But worry not, Miss Meioh, will be joining us for a while. She does it daily with everyone. Oh, and the weekly audiences will be on Saturday, so make sure you check the message board outside and keep your programme clear. And now, may we begin?"
The atmosphere amazed Michiru entirely. She had hoped she wouldn't find another Suoh in this school, but her teacher, as well as Miss Meioh, had such different attitudes.
"You act so calm, sensei…" she couldn't help herself from speaking out loud during a ten-minute break, two hours later.
"I am usually a calm person and, well, you are a very good student." The man smiled and took another gulp of coffee from his cup.
"I'm sorry, but I'm just not used to take a break until at least noon."
"Yes, indeed. I noticed your stamina. Unfortunately, there are many teachers out there who push their students too far. I, unlike them, believe that a break in really necessary from time to time. Otherwise, your neck will start hurting and your stomach might begin its own music." At the last remark, Michiru couldn't help but blush, while munching down some muffins. "Pupils must be rested in order to perform music… not trained to use instruments as automatic devices like soldiers." The old sensei shook his head sadly and returned to his coffee. Michiru, after having listened carefully, now finished her own brunch as well.
Curiously enough, all classes seemed to have ceased, for the music had stopped… or at least, all classes but one… Somewhere inside the building, the beautiful sounds of a piano where the only ones keeping the atmosphere awake and holding complete silence away. The melody was perfectly interpreted… until…
"He missed a key…" Michiru suddenly opened her eyes and met the teacher's surprised look.
"Have you studied piano as well?"
"No… but I did listen lots of concerts… including this one…" she confessed with a blush. "If I had not loved the violin as much as I do, I would've probably been a piano player right now. I did not know Meioh-sensei holds piano lessons as well."
"She doesn't. Haruka is the only exception." The name did seem somehow familiar to her ears, but she paid no mind to it.
"I can't help but notice the personal notes within the play." Michiru muttered, appearing to disapprove the subtle changes.
"Indeed, Haruka has always played with her heart. She usually changes the chosen songs in competitions in accordance with her emotions."
"If she were at my former school, she'd have been severely punished by now."
"The creative spirit must not be destroyed, but encouraged. The world's best performers can only become those who feel the music and don't simply reproduce the sounds like machines. We have CD players for that and we most certainly don't require humans to fulfil that duty as well."
For the first time since she had left Suoh's class, Michiru finally found peace of mind, and for the first time she understood what being a musician really meant. It wasn't just about competition… but of an entire lifestyle…
"Alright, Tenoh-san. We're done for today."
The tall student stretched out after getting up from the leather seat and passed a hand through short golden strands.
"You missed a key…" the one named Haruka Tenoh turned around slowly, dug her hands inside her trousers' pockets and stared lazily at entrant.
"And you would know how exactly?" strikingly green eyes stared at the violin case in her hands and then travelled up again, only to clash with her own blue ones.
"Such plays were written by truly gifted men. Who do you think you are, twisting the notes of a true work of art?" incredibly enough, her famous frozen glare did not seem to bother the blonde.
"For all of your concern, I might just be another wannabe rich kid who chose a music school, instead of a normal one. So, why this reaction?"
"A wannabe would have made a tone of mistakes… and I do not believe that Meioh-sensei would make an exception for a poorly gifted student!" A playful and triumphant smirk appeared on Haruka's lips. "That is, if I don't mention your chaotic style." Michiru ended her judgement and noticed victoriously that the smirk had died.
"You haven't touched a piano in your entire life… and yet, you claim to know this kind of music better than me… Hmm, you must be that new student…Indeed, you are pretty, but too noisy. At the next audience, you might want to bite your tongue…" the blonde's tone had turned dangerous, while he walked right past her and out the door. "See you on Saturday."
"Haruka-sempai!" a shout was heard from the hallway, and Michiru turned just in time to see the blonde scoop the heavy cello case off the girl-child's shoulders again, forcing her to cry out in protest… again… "Haruka-sempai! Oh, hello Kaioh-sempai!" she smiled at the sight of the older student in the piano chamber, but returned serious at hearing the hallway door opening. "Wait for me!" she ran away before Michiru could even salute her back… again…
"Call me Michiru…" she pointlessly tried, but there was no one left to hear her.
"Well? Isn't your little lamb here yet?" Haruka smirked from her seat, while glancing around the auditorium for the aquamarine-haired violinist.
"I swear… sometimes, I don't even know why I accepted you in my school." Setsuna shook her head in disbelief, from the next seat.
"Because I'm on the verge of becoming one of the best piano players in this country?"
"Maybe… but if you've chased away one of my best violin students I'll make sure that this time you'll see and feel on your own skin exactly how angry I can be." Haruka actually felt a shiver the moment a pair of crimson eyes glared at her. She had only seen once in her life the older woman truly angry… and it had not been a nice view… at all…
Suddenly, the doors to the auditorium opened widely and a set of determined steps were heard through the hall. Nearly all the students turned around in curiosity, while a heavy silence fell in the hall. With a frown, the entrant stepped closer to the stage, having a bad feeling about the entire day. The last time she had witnessed such an uncomfortable silence, she had dropped out of Suoh's class.
"Kaioh-sempai!" a yell made Michiru stop, while looking at a small shadow running to her. It was none other than the cheerful Hotaru, who had made sure to at least salute her every day.
"Hello, Hotaru-chan…" she smiled for the first time that day, as the silence was chased away from the auditorium by the already common rumours.
"Are you feeling ok, Kaioh-sempai? Don't feel bad about what Haruka-sempai said to you. She only did that in order to make you angry. She's actually a great person." Hotaru's purple eyes sent her an adorable puppy look.
"I'm sure she is… After all, she is carrying you cello case every day."
"It's not fair being taller and stronger. I always tell her I can do that myself, but she never listens to me…" she girl-child crossed her arms over her chest and pouted adorably. Michiru could only smile at the incredibly sight. A week before, she had no idea what her future was holding and now, she was already enjoying her time with one of Setsuna Meioh's dearest students and was involved in a continuous challenge with the school's sole piano player. And speaking of her nemesis…
"Hmm, I see you've come after all…" the smirk playing on the blonde's face made her smile fade away and her serene look be replaced by a serious one.
"I never take my word back. Once I've attended this school, I would never skip a class or an audience… no matter the company…" She glared back at Haruka's green eyes. Having prepared another remark, the blonde was forced to swallow her words, as one of their teachers announced loudly.
"Alright, everyone back to your seats. We're starting in five minutes. Everyone will climb up that stage when they hear they name. First, we start with the cello and contrabass quartet. The following are asked to come up: Tomoe Hotaru…" The voice faded away from the violinist's attention, as she only focused on the beautiful play she had particularly chosen for her first audience. Looking to her right, she saw Haruka's blonde head, right next to Setsuna Meioh's long dark tresses.
"Strange girl…" she whispered to herself, right before looking towards the stage again and listening to Hotaru's performance.
In the end, she did not know when the three hours had passed, just that, at some point she heard her name as she was called on the stage. Still entranced by the young musicians' sounds, she stepped towards the enlightened scene, the most trusted fiddle bow in one hand and her precious violin in the other. As she reached her designated place, she simply stared at the dark auditorium for several seconds, suddenly understanding that this meeting was not a competition… but a mere exchange of experience between generations and musicians.
"Michiru-sempai!" for the first time, Hotaru had actually listened to her request and called her by her name. She glanced at the girl-child and saw her giving a proud thumbs-up from the middle of her quartet. She simply smiled back, placed the violin on her shoulder and let go of all of her emotions.
Several long minutes later, when she ended her play, she took a deep breath and waited for the judges' response. No, not Setsuna's or some other sensei's… but her own colleagues' reaction. Right then and there, she wished she could see their faces and their eyes and not be stuck in the centre of light, trying to break through the darkness beyond. But soon enough she did not even have to, for the entire auditorium broke out into applauds and cheers. For the first time, Michiru let out a completely sincere smile, not like the cold ones she always posted when performing in competitions. Holding the violin to her heart, she thanked the audience with a deep bow, right before running away from the light and nearly jumping off the stage. Had anyone from her former school seen her that moment, they would've definitely said that she had gone crazy.
"Well?" Setsuna turned to the student sitting next to her. But Haruka didn't hear her. Her green eyes were still fixed on the spot the violinist had filled during her play and her ears still heard the flawless melody. However, when her left arm was severely pinched, she couldn't help but exit her trance. "Wake up, sleepy-head… It's your turn…" the female professor pointed towards the stage and Haruka mechanically got up and walked towards the place where her piano was already prepared without a single word and glance towards those around her.
In a matter of moments, the already charmed audience was about to witness one of the best piano performances in the school's history. Although, technically speaking, Haruka's play was as chaotic as ever, every moment her fingers touched the white piano's keys, the instrument let out the exact sound she wanted. She was changing she song's notes in order to keep it the same.
'Haruka is the only one who can play a song exactly how its composer wanted it to be.' One of her old professor's had once told Setsuna Meioh that, right before she accepted the young rebellious blonde as a sole exception in her school. And not even once, had she regretted her decision. Just like she was probably never going to regret having accepted Michiru Kaioh either.
"Well?" her question was barely heard through the second wave of infernal cheers inside the auditorium, right after Haruka ended her own play. Setsuna turned to her left, this time, where two identical figures sat.
"You were right… Those two would be a great match." The closer one spoke with an optimist smile.
"I thought so too, Minako. Usagi, what do you think?" she asked the other one. In response, she only grinned and gave her a thumbs-up. "It's settled then!" the musician nodded and turned her crimson eyes to where her two best students were swallowed by a crowd of enthusiastic youths.
"What is she doing here?" Haruka eyed the violinist with a frown the moment she was pushed inside the piano hall. Michiru's own blue eyes were shut, her face contorted in a mask of displeasure, and her fingers holding the case's handle as they would a life thread.
"Well, after the show you two put up on Saturday, I couldn't possibly let you two wonder through this school on your own!" Setsuna nearly waltzed into the room, winning two stunned stares from her students. "Until today, I have never given you two enough attention, aware of the fact that you did not need it. You are already above the average students and you seemed doing pretty good on your own. However, on Saturday I finally made a choice concerning your status in this school… "
"Sensei…?" the two spoke in the same time.
"And today I'm announcing you two that I have just signed us up for a competition…"
"Competition?" Haruka asked, her eyes widening in surprise, while Michiru was quietly preparing herself for the other shoe to drop.
"For a piano-violin duet!" The older woman announced proudly… right before hell broke loose.
"Are you kidding? No way! Not with her!" green eyes glared.
"Sensei! Please!" blue ones nearly begged.
"It's my final word. Starting today, we will all be working for this competition and no, I will not accept any drop-outs!"
"I refuse to play with someone who refuses to see beyond a script's boundaries." Haruka slammed one of her books on her white piano.
"And I cannot form a team with an unpredictable player who can't decide on her own keys until the last moment. Any duet with her as a pianist is doomed to failure from the first moment!"
"You two have just proved that you are the best students this school has to offer and I refuse to let you two walk away from this challenge." At the hearing of that blasted word, the two youngsters turned pale and continued their glaring battle in silence. "Now, will you accept this project willingly or must I lock you two in this room until you sort out all of your issues?"
"Willingly?!" Haruka burst out, but was immediately stopped by a pair of deadly crimson eyes.
"Considering I cannot possibly get a normal answer from my favourite student, I'm going to ask you for your opinion. Well, Michiru?" the tall woman turned to the other side of the room, where her violin student seemed to have built up a wall around her. Her hands clutched onto the case's handle.
"If I accept, then can you consider a request, sensei?"
"Hmm?"
"If we go through this and it proves to be a complete disaster… could we stop this "collaboration" there?" the girl seemed almost embarrassed for a second, surprising both her "rival" and her professor.
"That's a promise." Setsuna finally nodded.
"In that case… I accept…" Michiru bowed shortly, right after recomposing her normal posture and returning that cold look to her blue eyes.
"Now that's being mature! Haruka, you should really start reconsidering your behaviour if you actually want a career in music." Setsuna scolded her other student, who barely even bothered to throw her another look. "Well?"
"Fine!" the blonde only shouted and turned to her white piano. "Now can we possibly get on with it? I'm not sure if I'm going to last until the competition in these conditions…" she muttered the last part, but still got hit in the back side of her head with a heavy stack of paper sheets by the music professor herself.
And this was how three months had passed. Every day the three would be the firsts to come in the morning and the lasts to leave the building. And every day, young Hotaru would come just as early, sit with them during lunch and leave just as late in the evening, usually asleep on Haruka's shoulders.
"Isn't this hard for you? Taking her home every evening? And shouldn't she be home already?" Michiru had wondered one day, while walking next to the blonde who appeared to have absolutely no problem in carrying both the girl-child and her "bag pack".
"She's almost as heavy as her cello case and no, it's not hard at all. Her home is on my way… and I guess I can consider myself a sort of older brother." Haruka just shrugged.
"Or sister." The aquamarine-haired girl couldn't help herself.
"Hmm… If I were a sister, I would be able to go shopping for clothes or gossip every breathing minute. But like this, I can help and protect her… So, no, I'm not a sister because I simply can't act like one." Her green eyes turned to her "partner" for the first time that day, although they had just ended almost 8 hours of rehearsing. A deep silence surrounded them for several minutes.
"Tenoh-san… Why did you accept this?"
"Hmm?" Green eyes turned to the shorter girl once again.
"Why did you accept this project?" she repeated, while staring at the pavement below her feet.
"Hmm… because Setsuna gave me no choice… and because I wanted to see what is was like…"
"What?"
"Having a partner… and who better than the school's best violin player? Your former sensei probably had no idea what he lost, did he?"
"Actually… I could've stayed behind…"
"Why didn't you? I mean, switching schools at this time of the year can't be a joy…"
"I refused to apologize for a stupidity."
"Ah… I see pride wins after all…" Haruka let out a sly smile.
"I refused to let them turn me into trash! And if that makes me proud, then so be it!" Michiru lifted her eyes from the ground and sent the blonde a deadly glare. Indeed, even months later, the "Suoh" matter was still bothering her. Green and blue clashed and, one second later, the violinist turned around, trying to run away. However, when a much stronger hand stopped her from even taking one step, she found herself with no way out… unless…
"I'm sorry… I didn't mean it to sound like that…" For the first time in three months, Michiru noticed her "partner" could actually be serious about something.
"Apologies accepted…" she mumbled quietly and relaxed her body, in spite of Haruka's hand not yet leaving her arm.
"Setsuna said we still have to work on today's play. She didn't like the ending." The blonde spoke calmly and finally let go of her.
"One hour early?" Michiru inquired, somehow not believing her own words.
"Half an hour should be enough. She needs her sleep…" she pointed at the girl-child dozing off on her shoulders. "And we're good enough to make it in time. See you tomorrow morning, Michiru." She spoke and walked away, into the busy streets. For a moment, the violinist simply stood there, watching the tall girl's back… wondering if what their professor had felt was really true. Could they really be that good as a duet?
The elevator's doors closed with a soft chime. Although it was not that large, the walls made of mirrors gave the impression that it was nearly double its normal size.
Next to her, she kept hearing Haruka's clothes rustling in the silence. She did not even need to look up at her to understand that she was rearranging her suit for one last time. What had surprised Michiru was not the fact that she had chosen a male suit for this important occasion… but the suit's colour: white. Just as her favourite piano. Pure white, without a single coloured spot.
On the other hand… she was wearing a completely black dress, which brought out her feminine complexion. The dark material embraced her body like a second skin, uncovering her right shoulder and side of the neck, while completely hiding the left part. Also, a black bow held her hair high, keeping it away from her forehead and eyes. She was beautiful and she knew it… but tonight… that didn't matter at all.
"Are you sure you're not going to trip on your dress or shoes?" Haruka asked, partly as a joke, while eyeing her hidden feet.
"You're that nervous, huh?" The question was supposed to come out in a cheerful way, but sounded as though she was melting. The blonde's green eyes widened, nearly in horror, and she did something completely unexpected: she walked to the button panel and blocked the elevator, one floor away from their destination.
"Haruka, what are you doing?" Indeed, the formal naming had disappeared during their training.
"What am I doing? You sound and look as if you're going to faint on that stage and not play your best!" she sounded outraged.
"What are you talking about?" once again, the tone had been the completely wrong one. In response, the blonde only glared… almost as dark as she used to, during their first days as a duet.
"What's going on?"
"Nothing!"
"You are so full of it! You know, Hotaru can be a better liar than you, right now. So spill!" she ordered.
"This whole "tough girl" speech doesn't really suit your current appearance!" Michiru pointed out and received a growl for an answer. "Ok, fine! I found out that my previous sensei is going to be here tonight."
"So?"
"He has a group competing as well."
"So?"
"Haruka, please understand my feelings! It will be the first time I'll see him since I left his school."
"Do I really have to ask the same question the third time?"
Stamping her feet, the violinist walked to the panel and unlocked the elevator, right before Haruka re-blocked it again.
"You're exasperating!"
"And you're acting like a kid! Look, I don't know about you, but I came here to prove that I didn't lose my time during these last months. And if that means knocking you out cold until it's time to play our part, than yes, I will do it!"
"Then maybe you should just do that…" Melting again…
"Where is Michiru? Because there's no way in hell that you're the same stubborn girl I've been practicing with!"
"Haruka!"
"No, hear me out! Michiru would not stand in front of me looking like a piece of butter in the middle of Sahara! No, she would stand tall with that frozen glare of hers. Why? Because I'm the enemy! So why do you treat me, you own partner, like that, and you turn into this frightened kitten when it comes to your real adversary?" Her voice grew in intensity, as her green eyes would never cease their angry stare. "If you didn't think you could do this, then you should have said so from the beginning…" she only muttered, while turning around and hitting the panel once again. Ten seconds later, the same chime was heard as the doors opened.
In the crowded hallway on the other side, Haruka immediately spotted Setsuna and Hotaru, both of them smiling widely over their dialogue subject. Stuffing her hands in the white suit's pockets and lowering her straight shoulders, Haruka prepared herself for the hit. However, when a flash of black and aquamarine surrounded her and stopped not even one step away, she came to a sudden halt.
"Thank you." Michiru spoke softly, but with rekindled blue eyes. One moment later, she applied a short kiss on her partner's left cheek and pulled the black strand of material out of her hair, letting it free.
"Now this was the Michiru I was talking about." The piano player spoke, pride in her voice, as she took the black strand away and tucked it carefully in her suit's chest pocket. The only different spot on her white outfit. Arm in arm, the two of them walked to their sensei and young admirer… and inside the auditorium, only moments later.
"What?!?" the two blondes screamed in unison. Needless to say, the two appeared to be completely outraged by the competition's ending. "What do you mean second place?"
"Yeah… well, apparently the best duet tonight was a foreign one…" Setsuna sweat-dropped at the hearing of her friends' fit, occurring on the other side of the line, and thanked God that she wasn't in the same room as them. "Ok, look at the time, got to go and meet them at the entrance. I'll call you two as soon as I get home, ok? Bye!" She shut the phone just in time to save her ear from another attack coming from the two mad blondes.
"Michiru-sempai… Haruka-sempai…" the girl-child looked as if she was going to burst in tears, at any moment.
"What happened, Hotaru-chan?" the aquamarine-haired violinist hugged the much younger student tightly.
"Second… place…" she only managed to mumble.
"Don't worry… There's always the next competition for that." Haruka ruffled her hair playfully and, with a single movement, grabbed the girl and placed her on her shoulders.
"Next competition? I am hearing right?" Setsuna stared at her duet completely lost, particularly waiting for Michiru's reaction.
"Apparently you are." The violinist just smiled.
"But… we didn't get the first prize." 'Nor did Suoh…'
"We got the second… and just as Haruka said… we're good enough to get the following ones." She spoke and held onto the blonde's right arm.
"What's going on?" The crimson-eyed professor demanded from her other student.
"Beats me… She's been acting weird for some time now. It must be a cold or somethin'…" she shrugged and began walking away. "Come on, It's my turn to treat you." She shouted over her shoulder, while nearly pulling her partner and sensei towards the nearest restaurant. "And plus, we have some celebrating to do."
"So… what did happen to you last night?" a sleepy young person, who looked like a man, rather than a woman, asked while walking on empty streets, early in the morning, next to the one appeared to be her colleague.
"Before the show or after?" the long-haired girl asked.
"Both." A decisive nod accompanied the answer.
"Well, before the show, I had the most horrible feeling. I kept imagining us playing horrible and the entire auditorium filled with this sadistic laughter… including my former sensei's… especially his… But, during our performance… something happened… I heard your piano…" The young student suddenly stopped, in the middle of the empty street.
"Of course you heard me… I was playing right next to you…"
"No… That's not it… You see, every time I play… I see and hear myself inside this beautiful place… and every time I was inside an orchestra, I still heard myself and no one else… But last night… I actually heard you…" she spoke and her blue eyes stared, not glared, but stared into the other's green ones. Noticing that Haruka was about to say something back, Michiru suddenly raised her hand and silenced her mouth with a raised palm, before a single word was spoken. "I just told you that because of you said in the elevator, when I thought I wasn't going to make it through. So don't ruin it!" The glare finally returned, as the blonde only smiled.
"At the next competition… they'll really see what we can do!" Haruka promised and grabbed her partner's hand in her own.
"What about last night?"
"That? Oh, my little girl, that was barely an unworthy preview of what is yet to come." The canny smile returned as well, just as a shout was heard behind them… one that probably had something to do with the heavy cello case, comfortably hanging on Haruka's back… just as usual.
"Haruka-sempai!"
Written on a friend's request, just like my other Michiru/Haruka fic.
Please review!