I don't own Sailor Moon.
1.2.3.4………1.2.3.4………1.2.3.4………………
The woman's voice was strong enough to be heard inside the entire hall… and below the water filling a tremendous pool, right in the middle of the large chamber, thus forcing several giggling girls to come up and begin their dancing lesson once again. This time it was the Cry Of Mermaids… one of the most beautiful dances from Neptune and the entire Silver Alliance. Everyone from the system knew and loved this dance… everyone except for one girl who presently hated it… and was currently tortured by having to learn the entire ritual for the annual ball on the Moon.
At less than twelve years of life, this was going to be her first official appearance in the Capital, as the princess of Neptune… and probably future Senshi of her homeworld as well. Although she could barely hold her emotions and hardly awaited for the ball, she hated the fact that she now had to learn all the formalities surrounding the annual meeting. Of course, as any other heir of Neptune, she adored music and dance… but she adored them in normal dosage… not when they were forced down her neck.
Her small legs hurt, her back was painted by several bruises and her eyes were red from the lack of sleep in the past few days. She was aware that yawning in public was not a very lady-like thing to do… especially when you were the future Queen of your planet… but she just couldn't help herself anymore.
"Princess!" an exhasperated shout forced her to nearly slap herself over the face and search with wide opened eyes, the teacher's silhouette. When her big ocean-green eyes found her, they immediately took notice of her hidden amusement, partly regret and forced anger. The woman had been her private professor from the first day she could walk freely and they had spent many hours in the palace's water gardens practicing either singing, playing various instruments or dancing. From many points of view, she was the princess' best, if not only, friend. However, now they had to work almost non-stop due to the upcoming event. And as her parents wished for their daughter to appeare in all her might at the ball, the situation had radically changed.
Michiru nodded her head and muttered a silent "I'm sorry", smiling sadly one moment later. She had not meant to be disobedient… but she was just so tired! Rearranging the tail at the back of her head, formed by long wavy hair which held the colour of the oceans that embraced lovingly her planet's lands, and the suit fitting her like a second skin, she proceeded again with the exercise, following precisely the melody's notes. However, here and there could be noticed movements that did not belong to the classic dance… movements that she chose to produce, consindering them a better choice for the song's tones.
"Why must I go through this anyway? Officially I am not a true heir until I become of age… so why must I be presented to the others at this age?" her childish voice asked as she thankfully accepted a towel from her professor and proceeded in drying her hair.
"It is a sign of respect… and friendship among the lords and ladies from the Alliance." The teacher, a woman not yet in her thirties, answered. "You must be presented at such an early age so that your parents' allies may know what they can expect from you once you become of age and resume the King and Queen's heritage. That is why you must be very careful with you words… and gestures!" she winked at her young student and watched the child blush and hide her face inside the fluffy towel.
"I didn't mean to yawn…" she spoke back as the woman tried to hold back yet another giggle. The serious princess could be extremely sweet at times, reverting to a childhood she sometimes appeared to have missed.
"Princess! Princess!" a group of girls suddenly appeared and took hold of their attention. However, in spite of their blast of energy, they were only rewarded with a blank look from the heir. "Princess, you were amazing!" their small voices united in one loud explosion of sounds, that could only be stopped after the once calm professor ordered another set of laps around the pool… not a very pleasant thing for a normal child, but simply annoying for a tired neptunian one.
Only the thought of disappointing her parents and her favourite professor back home stopped Michiru from gasping at the sight of the Moon Palace. It was indeed as beautiful as the bed-time stories described it… beyong any imagination… The only reaction she allowed her body to have was a slight increase of her eyes. It was as if she still could not believe it to be real, even if it was right there, only several miles away from her tiny body.
Its size scared her, but its walls were like a magnet for a young neptunian who searched for beauty in everything. The gardens around the main building seemed almost infinite and were filled with blooming roses, the alleys to and from the tall construction were as white as the palace itself… everything was just perfect… almost impossible to be real…
"Don't worry, honey. We'll be there soon and, in a few days, you won't think it to be this big and scary anymore." Her father's voice came out as a gentle whisper meant for soothing… but soothing was not needed. She didn't consider the Moon Kingdom scary… on the contrary… she thought it to be perhaps the best possible place in the Universe…
Although her thoughts were screaming, her voice was quiet. The only reactions she let out at her father's words were a slight nod and a tighter hold on his hand. Right now she had to be as careful as ever. She was, after all, Neptune's future Queen and she had to prove herself more than worthy of her title.
So, in the next hours, she chose to remain quiet and allow her parents to go through whatever procedure was necessary. Anyway, it was better to be left alone in that madness and, therefor, be allowed to notice every detail on the masterpiece called Moon. Anyway, it wasn't like anyone was going to hurry up and meet her, of all people. So, as usual when she was walking on foreign grounds, she kept herself mute and held as sole connection with reality, her eyes.
However, when the clear sound of a far away violin reached her ears, she stopped her small pace and stood still, almost not even breathing, carefully going through every single note the instrument let out rooms and hallways away. Soon enough, she came to understand that whomever was playing, was a very good performer. So good that she, soon enough, found herself charmed by the sounds, drowned in a never-ending fairy-tale.
A single touch made her exit rather sadly her inner world. Looking up, she met her mother's warm sight and, as always, she understood exactly what she meant without a single word. A blink away and she was gone. Never before had she ever reacted this "madly". She refused to run even inside her own palace, back home, considering such a reaction childish and highly inappropriate. However, the sound of that violin called out to her stronger than any other she had ever heard… so she ran… she ran in the crowdy hallways… she ran as fast as her small legs could carry her… she ran without any care for her social status… she ran…
With her heart beating madly, she stopped in the middle of the chamber's doorway. She did not care if she was gasping out loud, nor if her cheeks were of fire from the effort… all she wanted was to see that person who could let out such amazing sounds. So she looked in front of her and, among the ones gathered to listen, she spotted none other than her own professor, with her simple, yet amazing, violin settled on her shoulder and her eyes closed. She could only smile at the sight.
"Haaaaa… what can be so interesting? It's only a violin, after all…" a bored voice forced her to turn her head and glare at whomever had decided to rudely interrupt her thoughts. However, when her eyes met a set of dark blue orbs partly hidden by ravled strands of light blonde hair, she felt a sudden change of position: instead of revealing her anger, she reverted to an intimidated state. Could the reason be the fact that she had never socialized with many boys until then or was just the other youth's bored and amused air that had managed to turn her upside-down? Well, whatever it was, it was getting on the princess' nerves.
"Hm, that's why persons like you will never be able to understand the true meaning of music…" she muttered and refused to cast the blonde another look.
"Really? And why don't you explain it to me… milady?" the other one's voice was heard and Michiru turned around just in time to see a mocking bow made in front of her. She tried to answer back with just as much strength, but the stranger took her by surprise once again. Getting up, the blonde boy clearly towered over her, with almost a head difference between them.
The neptunian princess fisted her hands, clentched her jaws and prepared herself for a winning strike.
"Music is an entire language! Only you don't learn to speak and understand it through simple music lessons… you learn it yourself during hard years of practice. You learn to use every sound in your benefit, either by expressing an emotion or trying to reach the person standing next to you… that, of course, if the person doesn't happen to be deaf or immune to anything that contains beauty and also decides to spoil it for others!" she let everything out in one long breath, managing not to gasp at the end of her speech.
"Wow…" the blonde's eyes widened in surprise and Michiru was almost expecting to receive applauses. "You didn't trip at all and you managed it entirely in one breath." The second part came out as a severe hit to the aquarian's pride.
"Neptunian lungs…" she barely let her words out, this time trying not to look even more embarrassed than she already was. How could he say that?
"Ahaaa! I thought you might be from one of those planets…" the boy mused and received a curious glare several moments later. "The hair kinda' spoiled the surprise for you!" he grinned and pointed a rude finger at her wavy bangs.
"Is there something wrong with my hair?" she growled in the most ladylike way possible.
"Hmm… well, where I come from aquarians are considered stiff people… and the hair is one of the reasons." The blonde shrugged, obviously aware of the damage he was causing.
"Excuse me?"
"Yeah… well, they must always look at their best and nothing is good enough for them… I mean, they always have way too high expectations and, therefor, always get to be disappointed." He raised his shoulders and enjoyed watching her fume. She simply stopped listening and was now desperately trying to catch the last part of her professor's part. However, when she felt a presence closing in behind her, she knew that all ther plans were shattered. "You know…" he started after having bent over her shoulder, just a hair away from the light blue dress she wore. "I never said my people also consider aquarians very attractive…" he let the words linger in the air, curious if she was going to hit him or let him get away… and when she didn't react, he let out the ending. "Must be from all that swimming." It was barely then that she couldn't take anymore. So she simply got up, sent the rude stranger a hateful look and commanded on a tone that not many twelve year-olds can use.
"Never speak to me before. Your behaviour has clearly pointed out the fact that we cannot sustain a normal conversation. Please leave." Her last words were rather an order than a request.
"Aww, but the concert is so much fun." He leaned into the closest wall, a teasing smug spread on his lips. Without a word she turned around and silently walked away, just as her teacher ended the last piece and received a tremendous wave of applauses afterwards.
The ball was beautiful. In the middle of the Moon Palace, a huge stage had been placed, surrounded by numerous tables and almost completely covered with red roses. The entire place was simply incredible.
"Sere, stop eating!" a sharp voice filled Michiru's ears and forced her to turn to a somewhat disturbing sight: a girl with very long black hair and beautiful, but always angry eyes, was currently robbing food away from the moon princess, probably the youngest of them, and putting it back on the large plates. The results of her actions were a loud wail and the ignition of a terrible fight.
In the past hour or so, the neptunian had met almost the entire court, including the royal families forming the Silver Alliance and their heirs, all of them girls destined to become Senshis and leaders further in life. But, until then, they were all manifesting in odd ways, either quietly scanning small books, staring at the rich ball room or simply fighting loudly.
"Alright girls. Please stop." A calm voice finally managed to calm down the two, a fiery martian and a blonde lunarian. The duo, along with the rest of the girls at the table turned towards a tall woman, with dark hair. Instinctively, they all turned a moment later towards the young child holding the woman's hand. Although the two carried enough similar traits to pass as family, the child wore an unusual look that made her appear older than the rest of the girls… perhaps even older than the woman herself. "Girls, I would like you to meet Hotaru." The woman smiled and gave the child a small nudge towards the table and the closest empty seat. "She is the princess of Pluto and the youngest of you, so please, look after her a bit." She helped the quiet child up and stepped back, looking at each and every one of the girls in the following minute. However, when her eyes fell on the last empty seat, her sight became worried. "Where is Haruka?"
"She took off before the ball started." The second blonde from the group, a girl who might've been the lunarian's identycal twin if it weren't for the slight age difference, spoke.
"Do you know where she is?" the woman asked further, but the blonde just shrugged.
"Don't worry, Setsuna, I'm sure she's alright." A tall girl with brown hair smiled widely and help up the "victory" sign. "She's Haruka after all."
"Indeed, Haruka always came back unharmed. I'm sure she'll appear after the ball, saying how she hates music and dance." A blue-haired princess, resembling Michiru herself, spoke confidently and made the neptunian remember a certain someone who had bullied her not even two hours before that moment.
"Alright then…" the one called Setsuna ended and, after casting a last look to Michiru, she turned around and left the girls alone.
Entire minutes passed and the neptunian was starting to get accustomed with the silence around the table. Another course had been served and everyone, except for those on the dance floor, was now enjoying the food, even the two princesses from her right now eating quietly.
Michiru took another bite from the plate in front of her and chewed thoroughly. However, exactly when tried to swallow her piece, the food remained stuck in her neck as several violin notes hung in the atmosphere. Her hands trembled on the fork and knife as she barely managed to swallow without coughing in the process. Bits of sweat covered her flawless skin and her heart pumped fater inside her chest, almost ready to leave her body. Her eyes flashed brightly as she let go of a napkin and her perfect fingers started touching the table gently, in the music's exact rhythm. It was the Cry of Mermaids… the most beautiful song from the entire Universe.
The first one to notice her strange behaviour was the very young princess of Saturn. Having stared at her strangely at first, the purple-haired child was now happily clapping at her gestures. Michiru looked at her, her lips stratched in a calm and mature smile, while her hands continued their skilful movements. However, when Hotaru let out a giggle and pointed a hand at something behind her, the neptunian stopped in the middle of her virtual play and followed her sight.
Turning, she met the sight of her bully, now standing tall in a bright uniform of Uranus, his ravled blonde strands somewhat arranged and his skin flushed, probably from the embarrassment. Meeting her curious eyes, he clentched his jaws and extended a gloved hand towards her, attracting stares from the entire hall.
"Given the fact that I do not have any brothers and that we are old enough to perform this tradition… I must ask for you to accept my invitation and to… join me in this dance…" the blonde ended clearly unhappy with his current position.
After returning from her initial shock, Michiru placed a hand in front of her mouth, trying to hide the fact that she was giggling, almost laughing out loud at the entire scene. She knew it wasn't ladylike and definitely not polite, but she just couldn't stop herself. Her emotions had taken over for the time being.
"Suits you well." She muttered, after calming down.
"Look, the invitation isn't opened for an eternity. Take it or leave it!" he nearly bit every word.
"Alright, alright." She finally accepted, more out of curiosity rather than respect, and took his hands, allowing him to lead her to the dance floor, under the stares and appalauses of nearly everyone in the ball room.
Carefully listening to the sounds of her favourite song and remembering everything her dear professor had taught her, Michiru took the blonde's unsure hand in hers and started their perfect representation. After the short prologue, the music gained more and more power, soon enough filling the entire hall and practically forcing many others to join the young couple on stage and try out their own version of this almost sacred dance.
"So, what was with that introduction?" the neptunian asked in the middle of the dance as she got close to her partner. She was truly curious about him: although he was from Uranus and he had clearly stated the fact that he hated music, his dance was just as good as hers. Perhaps it had taken him a lot longer to learn the steps, but the practice was now showing. He was very good… surprisingly enough, good enough to match her.
"Every word I said was true." Came his dry reply the next step they got close enough to hear each other.
"You said you didn't have any brothers…" she started at the next step and stopped when they went away. "Why was that so important?" Michiru ended with the next movement.
"This dance is meant for a pair from our planets." The uranusian said as he went on with his dance. "Preferably the prince of Uranus… and princess of Neptune."
"I understand that… so… what's the problem now?" she wondered out loud while the music closely came to its end. Suddenly, the blonde took her in his arms and raised her high in the air, as a sacrifice to the sky he was supposingly leading. He slowly let her back down, along with a series of gasps surrounding them, and answered her question.
"This time… there is no prince…"
"So… you're a girl?" Michiru asked with her face getting brighter by the minute. Around them stood all the princess, including the tall woman named Setsuna and Hotaru, who was carefully tucked in her arms.
"Kind of… Yeah, I know… I didn't like this situation either… but the dance is legendary… and, well, someone had to perform it…" the short-haired blonde, the Haruka everyone talked about earlier, spoke uneasy. "Wait… you didn't think I was a boy, did you?" SHE asked suddenly.
"Well, you do an amazing job at disguising yourself…" Michiru muttered, very unhappy with her condition and, when Haruka burst out laughing next to her, she raised her eyes to sent her a deadly glare. "What?" she nearly growled.
"You know… for a neptunian, and a princess on top, you can surely bring out your emotions in the worst way possible." The blonde teased her as merciless as ever. However, unlike the first time, when she escaped, this time Michiru stood still and accepted the childish "insults". She was never going to run away again. At least not from the princess of Uranus.
The Cry of Mermaids was an amazing song, meant to be performed only by those strong enough to carry the burdain of a thousands sins and the pain of a million deaths. The story behind this song belonged to a mermaid from Neptune who had fallen in love with an angel from Uranus. The pair went through everything in order to be together, but their love story tragically ended when they were taught by God to accept their true origins and not to ask for impossible things… that day the two sacrificed each other for their realms: one for the deep ocean and the other for the infinite sky.
"Indeed… sad, but incredibly beautiful in the same time…" a beautiful young woman with shoulder-length wavy hair and ocean-green eyes stared out the window, thinking about a day nearly lost in the vortex of memories. She unconsciously arranged her long blue silk gown and placed the violin she had been holding on a table in front of her, her sight still kidnapped by the landscape outside.
"Hmm, makes me remember a certain day…" an amused voice came from behind her and her mind returned to reality as a set of arms surrounded her body. Short strands of ravled blonde hair tickled her naked shoulder as a pair of sky-blue orbs stared at her.
"I am still not sure what you are doing at my concerts…" she teased the blonde and felt one moment later as she untangled her arms and stepped in front of the young violinist.
"My, my… you know me for a thousand years, if not more, and you still don't understand how much you managed to change me…" Haruka shook her head sadly.
"Same goes for you." Michiru answered calmly, a wonderful smile spread on her lips.
"I never thought I'd enjoy music so much… especially not yours." She sent the neptunian a dark stare and made her teasing self present once again. Some things would evolve, while others would never change… and Haruka was stubborn enough to keep some bad habits around forever.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Michiru asked somewhat annoyed, as she slowly took off one of her long gloves, made from the same material as the dress.
"You were horrible at first… No one will ever understand the pain my ears went through, while I had to cheer for you at every violin lesson." Haruka made a desperate wannabe look.
"Hmm, I wasn't worse than you at that white piano. God, I wanted to throw cats at you at some points." She answered back calmly, aware of how much she managed to annoy the blonde herself.
"Well… that was a long time ago…"
"Perhaps too long."
"Michiru…" the uranusian pointed out carefully.
"Haruka." The neptunain answered calmly, this time a teasing smirk existent on her features.
"Eh… nevermind…" she sighed out loud and allowed herself to fall on a white couch one moemnt later.
"Hmm… and I thought that you were going to assume your part as a prince again…" Michiru brought out the worst of every temptation, forcing Haruka to stare at her while she took off the second glove and allowed it to fall on the floor, right in front of an adjacent bedroom.
"And I thought mermaids were supposed to be better than angels…" the blonde watched the violinist walk to her.
"My dear… you were so wrong…" she replied and extended a hand which the Senshi of Heavens took one moment later in her own.
First Haruka/Michiru fanfic written at a friend's request, so don't kill the author :D R&R please