Setsuna sighed and looked deeply at her reflection. The ripples in the dark tea played the emotions across her face that none other but she could possibly read. She soon lost sight of herself, seeing past the dark mirrors in the tea and began to search the mind of her reflection, to think…to dream. Garnet eyes clouded over and three silver tears fell quietly into the drink, tainting the perfect mixture with salt. She glanced out the café window onto the crowded streets of Japan. Through the masses of people, a young girl with pigtailed blonde hair clung happily to a handsome man, who looked at her with nothing short of everlasting love. Setsuna looked at the two enviously. She supposed that Mamoru was taking Usagi out for a treat before the fireworks that night. How good it must be, to know that your love would be eternal, that you could hold each other, forever. It was no good to be alone…she quickly blinked back the tears the threatened to taint her drink further.
"Setsuna…" the husky voice drew her from her thoughts, back to the two young women that sat across from her.
"Yes? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be rude." The teal-haired woman reached across the table and gently took Setsuna's hand.
"Setsuna, you seem so sad…what's troubling you?" Her friend's aqua eyes glimmered with compassion.
"Yes, the only time we see you smile now is when you're with Hotaru-chan." The blonde woman stretched out across the table. "Are you sick of us then?" Setsuna looked across at the two, a mixture of hurt and horror on her face.
"Oh no. I didn't mean for you to take it that way…" the one with teal hair smiled.
"We know that Setsuna. Haruka didn't mean it that way." She smiled again. The blonde woman quirked an eyebrow and gave a small, rare, lopsided smile.
"Yes Setsuna, I only meant it as a joke."
"Thank you, Michiru, Haruka." Setsuna smiled fondly at her two housemates. The three sat in silence; the only sounds in the little café were the low murmuring of other customers and the soft jazz playing over the speakers.
"The sea has been restless." Michiru broke the silence with her soft, unsettling words.
"A new enemy then?" Haruka kept her voice low against the noise beyond their booth. "Or perhaps…" the two looked at Setsuna, who had a small smile on her lips.
"Has she returned at last?"
***
"Miss Zutto! Wake up, Miss Zutto, or I shall have you sent to the guidance counselor." The teacher glared angrily down at the sleeping girl. Her head rested gently in her arms, a cascade of long lavender hair fell over her face.
"No mommy, not the toaster…." She mumbled sleepily. With a loud smack, the teacher brought his ruler down across her desk, jerking her painfully from a blissful slumber.
"Well I'm so glad you decided to join us today Miss Zutto." The teacher said dryly, not bothering to disguise his sarcasm. "Now, if you will be so kind as to stay with us I would be much obliged." Yume Zutto's cheeks flared an uncomfortable red as her classmates laughed.
"I'm so sorry…" she quickly stood and bowed her apology. The teacher crossed his arms and harumphed slightly.
"I expect more from you Miss Zutto. You may get decent marks, but that doesn't mean you should refrain from applying yourself in class. Now please get out your notebook."
"Yes sir." Yume bowed once more and sat down, her face flushed with embarrassment. As the teacher continued with his lecture, Yume smoothed out the plaits on her forest green skirt and picked up her well-worn pencil to take notes.
"Not the toaster?" her best friend, Hinako, leaned across the aisle and whispered. "What were you dreaming about Yume?" Before she could answer, a large shadow fell across the two.
"Girls! Pay attention. Miss Zutto, may I suggest that you cease further conversation and save yourself from further embarrassment today."
"Yes sir!" the girls snapped to attention. Hinako looked once more at her friend and mouthed 'talk to you at lunch'. A small folded note landed on Yume's desk. She slipped it under the table and quickly scanned it. Twisting her head slightly, she looked pleadingly at the boy a few rows back. He returned her look with an apologetic smile, and Yume turned back to the front. It was going to be a long morning.
***
At long last the dismissal bell rang, and the students of Minatoku High School filed out onto the green lawn to eat lunch. Hinako and Yume took up their usual place beneath a large cheery tree on top of a nearby hill. From there, they could see the streets outside the school gate; as well as watch the soccer games on the field below.
"Say Yume, where's Seiji?" Hinako asked, looking around for Yume's boyfriend. "He was bringing lunch today!" Yume sighed and leaned back against the tree and pulled out a large lunch basket.
"He sent me a note, he has a special practice today. Don't worry though, he still made lunch! Or rather, his mother did…" the two laughed heartily and opened the basket.
"Wow…" Hinako's eyes widened slightly as masses of beautifully made food were slowly revealed. Yume laughed.
"You always get so worked up about food Hinako!!" Her friend shrugged sheepishly.
"Yeah well…" She took a pair of chopsticks and began to eat. Down on the soccer field, a young blonde-haired boy watched the two girls. He waved cheerfully, making Yume blush slightly as she waved back. Hinako grinned and waved her chopsticks in the air. "Hey Seiji! Tell your mom thanks!!" He nodded in understanding, and then jogged back onto the field to his teammates. Yume sighed and watched him go. Hinako laughed merrily. "Oh Yume, you two have been an item for three years now and you still get giddy whenever he looks your way! What am I going to do with you?"
"I dunno, but you'd better do it quick before I tickle you!!" Yume lunged at her friend, who shrieked and pulled away. The two girls laughed as Hinako struggled to fend off Yume's merciless attacks. Something caught Yume's eye and she abruptly cut off her attack. The food Hinako had been trying to protect fell from her hands onto the ground.
Just outside the school gate stood a stranger. Her dark green hair drifted gently in the breeze, framing her elegant body. She laid a hand on the school gate, her eyes scanning the different groups of students. Finally, her eyes met Yume's. Deep garnet looked intently into emerald green with such intensity that Yume began to shake. Her body felt paralyzed as this woman continued to look at her with the same intensity, as if asking silent questions that no one could possibly answer. Yume broke the gaze and turned back to where Hinako was desperately trying to salvage the spilled food.
"What was that all about Yume?" her friend asked, pouting her lower lip slightly. Yume smiled.
"Sorry, I just thought I saw someone I knew…" she looked back at the gate, but the strange woman was gone. "I'm sorry Hinako…but there's still plenty of food left! You can have some of mine if you want."
***
Setsuna closed the door of the large mansion quietly. "I'm home." She called out softly. Michiru looked up from her painting as Setsuna's quiet voice carried through the walls of the great house. She laid down her brush and went downstairs to find Setsuna still standing in the doorway, leaning against the heavy wood and deep in thought.
"Did you have a pleasant walk?" Michiru asked. Setsuna gave her a small smile.
"Yes, it was yet another lovely day." She replied. Michiru smiled back.
"Yes it was, wasn't it." The teal-haired woman turned to go back to her studio, but Setsuna placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Michiru…" Michiru turned to her companion.
"Yes?"
"Do you really think that she…" Setsuna sighed. "Could she really be back? It's been so long…" Michiru nodded, her face full of consideration.
"Perhaps. We can't be sure of anything until she decides to show herself." Michiru wrapped her arms around her older friend in a kind hug. "Don't worry about it Setsuna, you already have so much to take care of as it is. Why do you ask?"
"While I was walking, I felt…there was someone…" Setsuna couldn't seem to find the right words to describe just what it was she felt when she had locked eyes with that girl. It was gone moments afterward, but it was a familiarity…something she hadn't felt in over 1,000 years.
"I see. Rest, we should talk more when Haruka returns." Michiru left the room, leaving Setsuna with her thoughts.
***
Rei sat down in front of the temple fire, fingers extended in silent prayer. She could sense it…a power greater than any she had ever felt before. Rei sighed. The only trouble was, she couldn't tell if this strange force was good or evil. The fire had given her no answers in the previous days, and it was giving her no answers now. Frustrated, she twirled to her feet.
"Come on, tell me something!" she called into the flames. The feeling had been nagging her for a little over a week, and its constant appearance was starting to fray her already worn temper.
"Yoo hoo, Rei!!" Usagi bounded up the temple steps, successfully tripping on the top stair and failing to regain her balance, twisting to land directly on her rear. "Ouchies, that hurt…" she mumbled, rubbing her backside. Rei sighed again.
"What is it that you want now Usagi?" Rei asked rather impatiently. Makoto popped her head up over the edge of the staircase.
"The meeting Rei…or did you forget?" Mako grinned and lifted Usagi to her feet in one fluid motion as Ami and Minako appeared behind them.
"Oh, right." Rei cast a wary glance at her watch. "Is it time already?" The group sat down in Rei's bedroom and retrieved their books. Makoto produced a large batch of chocolate chip cookies and the meeting began.
"Ok, we know that if a side of a polygon is ¾ of the hypotenuse of the isosceles triangle…" Ami leaned over and pointed to some diagrams in Minako's book.
"I'm lost!" Minako cried sadly. "Can you start over Ami-chan?" Ami let out a small giggle and started her lecture again. Rei fiddled with her pencil absent-mindedly.
Rei, what's wrong?" Usagi asked suddenly. The study session momentarily forgotten, all eyes focused on Rei.
"What makes you think anything is wrong, Usagi?" Rei snapped, a little harder than she had intended.
"Well, you're usually not so quiet, and you haven't once chastised Usagi for eating so many sweets today." Minako interjected.
"I said nothing is wrong." Rei grumbled, pulling her books closer to her on the table. "We should get back to studying." The others nodded in silent agreement, though in every pair of eyes there was a look of concern. Rei bit her pencil irritably. Thoughts, memories, perhaps even visions clouded her mind and kept her from concentrating. "I'm going to go get a bit of fresh air." She finally stated, standing up as the words left her mouth.
She turned and opened the screen door and closed it quickly behind her, walking along the wooden porch of the temple and around the corner. The girls watched her leave in silence, exchanging looks of worry and sympathy. No one stood to follow her, it was a pointless effort that they had learned from long ago. The moments ticked by in silence as the girls continued their studies, casting quick glances at the door in hopes of seeing their friend's returning face. The sun was beginning to set, and the faint pinks and purples shone dimly through the thin paper walls. Usagi cast another look at the door.
"I'll be back in a moment." Usagi set her books aside. Ami looked at her with pleading blue eyes.
"Usagi, don't bother Rei. She'll tell us when she's ready." Usagi smiled warmly at her friend.
"Don't worry. I'm just going to go to the bathroom." With that she opened the sliding door and shut it behind her. Her slippers padded softly across the wooden deck and she walked quietly to where she thought Rei might be sitting. Sure enough, the ebony hair of her friend came into view as she rounded the corner. Rei sat on the side of the porch, her legs dangling aimlessly over the edge. At her feet were two ravens, pecking at the seed the girl had thrown them. Usagi watched as Rei took some seeds from her hand and tossed them to Pheobos and Deminos, stoking the ravens' feather breasts when they came up for more. Usagi used her hands as support as she lowered herself onto the deck next to Rei. The two girls sat for a few moments, Usagi took some seed in her hands and fed the hungry animals.
"It'll be alright. Whatever happens, we're a team." Usagi stated firmly under her breath, just loud enough so that Rei could hear her. Rei turned her head to look at Usagi, an anxious look on her face. Usagi closed her eyes and smiled. "We'll always come through, because we're soldiers of love." She turned to face Rei, a cheerful smile on her face.
"Usagi…" Rei faltered. Usagi wrapped her arm around her friend's shoulders.
"Don't worry about it." Rei nodded, and the two looked up into the sky, the just rising moon colored with the last clouds of sunset.
***
Haruka perched on the windowsill staring out at the trees slowly swaying in the wind. Her work clothes were tossed aimlessly on the bed, for she had quickly changed into a more comfortable outfit of a loose fitting white cotton shirt and blue jeans. Her eyes focused on the tree, watching the leaves rustle in a dance of green. Haruka sighed heavily. The wind spoke to her of change, and she didn't like it. A mass of short blonde hair pressed against the glass as her head rested gently on the pane. Her eyes searched through the tree, silently seeking a way to stop the inevitable change. So lost in though was she that she didn't notice the sound of the door slowly opening and delicate slender bare feet gracefully stepping across the soft carpet towards her. As the figure approached, the faint scent of flowers drifted into Haruka's sense of awareness. Dainty fingers slowly massaged her tense shoulders and a smile played itself into Haruka's thoughtful features. She reached up and rested her hand on the hands laid on her shoulders, not bothering to turn to the figure behind her. There was no need. They spoke to each other past words, past gestures and past even thoughts. They spoke through the soul, which reached far beyond the bonds of words.
"Setsuna's worried." Michiru finally spoke. Haruka nodded and closed her eyes in thought.
"She has reason to be." She murmured. "The wind is speaking to me…and you say the seas are becoming restless…and still, we don't know what the cause is."
"It might be her. That would certainly make Setsuna happy." Michiru stopped her massaging as Haruka's hands clasped hers tightly.
"Would it? We can't be sure, remember the pain of last time? Perhaps it would be better if she never returned."
"Don't talk like that." Michiru scolded her lover. "We can handle pain, we have before. Besides, it would be better to find out the truth now than to wait until it happens." Haruka chuckled.
"You're right." She stood up and grabbed her wallet from the dresser. "Come on, get Hotaru and Setsuna. I'll take everyone to dinner tonight. I got my paycheck today." Michiru laughed and left the room. Haruka followed shortly, casting one final glance out the window into the windy trees. Sighing, she shut the door behind her.
~~~
Well, there you have it, chapter 1 of Future Couple. To be honest, I'm not sure what exactly I'm going to do with this piece. It needs a new title, a little more explanations, and above all, it needs it's author to remember what the hell she was thinking when she began this piece! X_X I've forgotten much of what I was going to do with this, but maybe as I write it'll come back to me. Review, if you please, because your reviews motivate me to continue the story ^_^ 3 Willow