Well, I'm back with a new fanfic. (Don't you all run away at once….) And I don't think anyone's tried THIS yet. (Everyone: because no one else is that stupid.) . Of course, Hotaru's still playing lead character, so I haven't changed THAT much.

Like I said, I'm going boldly where no idiot has ever gone before… and now, I think I actually have a good idea for once. If you have any ideas past this chapter, run 'em by me, and I just might use them (and credit you too).

If you read the summary, then you should have a general idea on where I plan to take this fic. No actual Hotaru/Haruka here, because I have no means of justifying THAT by even the thinnest thread of actual canon. It will probably be one sided under the condition that Hotaru thinks Haruka is male. (Note that by the pronouns in this fic she isn't. Haruka + male icky).

Disclaimer: I'm flat broke, and have no money to own cool-ass anime like Sailormoon. Therefore this story is my creation, but the characters belong to Naoko Takeuchi, TOEI, and whoever else had a hand in it.

So, get your popcorn (or flamethrower) and prepare yourself for chapter one.

First reviewer gets a gingerbread cookie. ;)

Chapter One: Tenshi

It was a cold and windy day, so much so that even the most daring of 6th grade boys could not be found in their usual spot in the playground behind the school. No, that privilege was given to the junior high school students, who had adopted a motto similar to the US postal service.

The other grades filed out of the school slowly, their pace quickening as the rain pattered against their umbrellas. Girls chattered with one another animatedly and boys challenged one another to great feats of strength such as "Let's see who can throw mud the furthest". Even in one Tokyo's most elite schools, kids were still kids.

One girl, close to the back of the line, walked the slowest, causing several other students behind her to jump in front of her and keep walking. What reason had she to go home? The only thing she would have to look forward was to be being under the tyranny of Kaori and more homework now that the new school year had begun. She stepped carefully over puddles, knowing that if she fell, people would point and laugh.

Through violet eyes, she looked at the students in her homeroom walking out of school, and the carefree grins on their faces. Nothing mattered now. Midyears and other big tests were not going to happen until September at the earliest. And who would think of giving a large test at the beginning of the school year. Besides, they were in seventh grade. There weren't any entrance exams to worry about for two years!

She buttoned her sweater all the way up to her neck. Why was she so cold all of a sudden? As she crossed the slippery street, she became aware of the cars that had just stopped short of her. She looked up at the sign, and saw that she had the light. She felt dizzy, the headlights on cars spinning around her like lights on a carousel. Her throat was dry and tight.

"No." she whispered "Not here, please…."

Her pleas were to no avail. Students had passed her already, no one noticing the girl stumbling in the middle of the street. She threw her hands in front of her to break her fall, as her foot got caught in a grating. Down she went, landing with a wet slap upon the slick pavement. She tried to rise, and in horror realized that she couldn't move.

She raised her head a few inches, and saw, with even more fear that the light had turned from red to green.

"Kami-sama, no" she murmured as she felt the hot breath of awaiting cars upon her back.

Around the same time as Hotaru had walked out of the school, another girl, sat in a café, casually sipping coffee and otherwise trying to avoid the unusually cold April day. Next to her, absentmindedly writing in her notebook, sat her companion, who also had a steaming beverage beside her, on the table.

"Michi, can I have a sip of your coffee?" the girl asked. The other girl closed her notebook and covered the top of her cup with her hand, making it clear to the other one that she was not getting within ten feet of it.

"What's wrong with yours, Haruka?" she chided lightly. In response, Haruka made a face of disdain at the light brown liquid swirling in the china cup.

"Too much sugar…" she complained, stretching her arms, and inadvertently, causing the table to shift. The other girl's coffee shifted with the table, forcing some of the dark liquid out of the cup, and onto the black cover of her notebook. She looked at Haruka with a sigh, and sought a napkin to wipe the dark splotch from the cover.

"Haruka! Honestly…" she began slightly dismayed. Her protests ceased, however, when she found herself being hugged by the person next to her. She felt her cheeks go slightly pink.

"Why d'you bring that thing with you?" Haruka asked, her eyes on the notebook. "We're in 10th grade, so there's no entrance exams to be studying for, or any large tests in the near future. Nerd."

"An attitude like that explains your D in chemistry", the other girl retaliated. "It's good to study for tests besides the midyear, once in a while. You wouldn't know about that, though, would you?"

Haruka nodded heartily. There was no arguing with that. Michiru couldn't help but smile slightly at her, despite the fact that her math notebook was soggy.

"I suppose I could take a break…" she murmured, settling further into Haruka's arms. With a quick glance, around, Haruka determined that no one was watching. Now facing Michiru, she tilted her head downward to catch the girl in a kiss, but before she could, she glanced out the window at what appeared to be a girl about to fall in the middle of the street. Her dark maroon shirt that could be seen in the half buttoned sweater indicated that the two attended the same school.

"What in the world…?" she said, alarmed. The girl had fallen in the street, and appeared unable to move. Michiru had caught onto the new emotion in Haruka's voice, and peered out of the rainy window as well.

"Oh my god!" Michiru half yelled, half whispered as she saw the stoplight turn green. "She'll get hit!"

Haruka was out of her seat and out of the café in a flash, barreling down the sidewalk towards the street. As she grew closer to her destination she could see the girl in the street was not unconscious, but appeared to be coughing, and unfortunately oblivious to her surroundings. A bell tinkling behind her alerted her to the fact that Michiru had left the place as well.

A car swerved just to the right of Hotaru.

"GET OUT OF THE STREET!" Haruka yelled frantically, only after saying it, realizing that the girl was unable to comply. She was in the street too now, trying to run through traffic towards her. The saving grace seemed to be that other drivers saw what she was trying to do, and attempted to move out of the way, except one brazen man who gave her the middle finger and narrowly missed hitting her. 'If a daimon came to attack, I'll make sure to leave him.' She thought.

She had reached the middle of the intersection, where the girl lay, paralyzed in a state of fear, as well as unable to get up. She picked her up in one swift motion, and ran across to the other side of the street.

"Are you okay?" Haruka asked the girl in her arms. Nearly unconscious, Hotaru managed a slight nod. Relief broke out on Haruka's face, and she gave her a reassuring smile.

Hotaru looked up at the face of her savior. He appeared to be a boy, no older than 17, and the smile he flashed at her, even in her weak state made her cheeks flush. Anything telling her to get up and run home, was suppressed by her urge to stop moving altogether. The sun had come out, and was shining behind his head. In her mind's eye, his blond hair became a halo that shined with the light of the sun. And he had saved her life. She smiled weakly at him, and passed out before unspoken words could escape her lips.

Someone else now stood at Haruka's side, looking just as concerned for Hotaru.

"Is she….." Michiru tried, worriedly. Haruka shook her head, quelling her dismay.

"No. Not dead. She's out like a light though, and she hit her head. C'mon, let's get her to a hospital." she said, her slight concern for the girl slumped in her arms turning into outright alarm. She was sure Michiru felt the same way she did, but both girls seemed like they were trying to remain calm.

They walked off, Haruka holding Hotaru, the word the small girl was about to say being lost and unspoken. She was dreaming fitfully now, and would not remember to say it for a long time afterward.

"Tenshi."

End of Chapter one.

A/N: Okay, there's a few things I want to clear up. I did a bit of research and found that the section of the part of the materials collection (character design and whatnot) artbook containing information about Sailormoon S indicated Haruka's (and Michiru's for that matter) age to be 16. So, according to the Japanese school system, they would be in 10th grade. Hotaru's was a bit harder to find, but according to my translation of the artbook, she was wearing the junior high school uniform. So, that would put her at 13 at the youngest (first year of JHS, 7th grade). Now if someone finds otherwise, email me and depending on if it was a glaring error I'll revise the fic accordingly.

Also, the Japanese school year starts in April, and I figure it can still be pretty cold even then. After all, Usagi was wearing long sleeves when she started high school (episode 167).

Tenshi is the closest Japanese equivalent to angel. So, it seems fitting that Hotaru would want to call Haruka that.

... Last, but certainly not least, please review the fic. Critiques are fine, and flames will be used to help me bake my Christmas cookies.

Ja ne!

Sailor Prozac