The need for speed

by

Lance the Flamesniper

I sit in the seat of my ferrari. She's sitting next to me. I smile she smiles back. Could two people be more opposite?

She's feather soft on the outside with steel hidden underneath; an elegant woman hiding a warrior, while I'm hard as steel

outside hiding my femine qualities away always. She and I had normal lives before the heartsnatchers came. At least, I'd like

to tell myself that.

The motor roars to life and now I'm in my element. I press down the accelerator watching the tachometer twitch as the

engine builds up RPMs. The machine is like me. Well tuned and very quick. I look to her and she nods. Now it's time for me to

play. The car blasts out the garage and down the straight away that leads to the freeway.

I feel the thrill now. It pulls at the very core of my being. I feel the wind, no, I AM the wind. Just as she is the sea.

As I shift the gears, the engine protests, the RPMs build higher and my mind drifts back to our princess. I had doubted,

mistrusted. I'd been wrong and we'd nearly paid for it. Now I couldn't imagine life without her around. That darling meatball

tressed woman could do that to you though. She nibbles through your defenses with her unlimited caring and kindness until next

thing you know you find yourself happy to be around her. Part of me envies that, but not too much. The engine still isn't at it's limit

yet. I can't have that so I shift gears again, the Tac builds more and the odometer climbs.

My mind shifts also. To another person I was wrong about. How could I have misjudged Hotaru? I guess it's my own fault.

She showed up and was mysterious and acted strangely, my first instinct was to mistrust. I'd been half right. We did have to fear

her, only somehow we got past that and she's now back at the summer house doing her best to give Setsuna grey hairs. That almost

makes my smile bigger, thinking of that eternal diva chasing a child who will one day grow up to be a person who will possess the

power to wipe out the Earth. Setsuna's not that bad, hell she could be a real looker if she ever dropped the whole concervative routine.

The woman next to me can tell what I'm thinking about an smacks my shoulder playfully. We're so different, yet so alike....

I shift gears once more, the engine is really roaring now and I'm more at ease. My thought turn to the softer side of my life. I

love Michelle, but sometimes I envy her. All she needs to be off in her own world is a swimming pool, her favorite bathing suit and a

conch shell to listen to. She goes off into a world of peace and calm then. I could never stand the eternal calm of that world, it's not for

me, but it's enough for her. She's the soft elegant side of my life, ultrafeminine when allowed to be. She completes me like no man could

ever dream. I still remember the days when I was sure our mission had painted my hands red with the blood of innocents hurt. One gentle

touch some kind words and my heart and mind were hers again....

I shift the gears one more time and the engine redlines. The tires squeal as the we hit the off ramp at 300kph. Now I'm in my happy

place. I hear Michelle's exhillerated squeal as we blast past turns and can see her hanging on for dear life. All the while she's smiling. She

understands my need for speed. It matches my need for her. All my life speed has been something I craved. It's why I ran track, it's why I

race bikes and cars. At the time I didn't know why I needed to be faster. I still don't, really. Am I running to something? Or from it? We arrive

back home and shut down the engine. Michelle goes in to check on Hotaru while I let the last of the vibrations from the engines die down in

me. I need the speed, I need the feeling of being the wind, I need Michelle in my life. I am Amara Ten'ou and those things are who I am.