By : Lily
Rated : G !!!
P.S : If you're wondering, this -is- a Sailormoon fanfic. Keep guessing.
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PROLOUGE --------
A small young child, barely topping five years looked around, afraid. To it's young and innocent mind, the darkness was terrifiying. There were noises and clamorings up front of partying people.
Her dirty clothes were in rags and her hair messy tangles covered with dust and an occasional stray cobweb. She walked through the dirty alleys chasing away rats as if they were kittens. For a child that young, she didn't seemed afraid of the harsh surroundings.
She half stumbled up on the steps to her ramshackled second floor apartment where she lived with her parents and a brood of four sisters and three brothers, with one more on the way.
Her mother, still nursing her infant sister smiled weakly at her. There was no sign of her father, as usual. He was a typical addicted poor gambler who'd demand money from his equally poor wife. Besides that, he was also a heavy drinker, buying cheap booze with the little money he had left after a particular dissapointing day at the gambling den.
Occasionally, he would vent his anger out on his wife, which bore it well. But unfortunately, he would abuse his children too, when he lost a big fortune and was filled with alcohol to the brim. The mother, a passionate woman, would flung herself protectively over her brood and then would console them lovingly after her husband slipped into unconsiousness.
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One forlorn girl strode down with a little measure of pride and confidence down the corridors of Juuban JuniorHigh School. She dreaded first day of school every year. Starting with when she would suprisingly wake up late, by her standards, and then rushing about for her breakfast. It was a crazy "First Day Syndrome" she couldn't understand.
She was happy. It was the year she was officially and finally a teenager. She had been looking forward to a little extra freedom from the stories of her brothers and sisters of their magical teens when she was younger. They would eagerly fill her up with their amusing and wonderful escapades of their teen-hood.
"Hey, look, there's the witch girl I told you about." came a voice behind her.
"Yeah, see the colour of her eyes. And her hair. No one has colours like that." replied the other.
"I heard that she had a crazy father."
"Who knows she might be as crazy as him ?"
"Why is she in our school ?"
Without looking up, she knew they were talking about her. Her mind demanded an answer from her siblings. How could they have such fantastic teens when even on her first day of school she was been snubbed like an unwanted outcast ?
'Because you had always been the useless one. You're nothing, worthless.' she poked an invisible finger at herself.
She slumped her shoulders. The little bit of confidence she had had earlier oozed out. She felt she didn't belonged at all. Her bubbling excitement of a new life perspective, dimmed.
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A young lady, in her mid-twenties, stood staring out her balcony, letting the light breeze waft pleasantly around her. She sighed deeply. Her problems were never ending, like an irritating water leak that never gets fixed. She turned back towards her dark apartment.
"The past is the past, don't let it confuse you. It was long ago, let it go." she spoke to herself.
It was true. At 26, she realized the true meaning of happiness. Her siblings stories were nothing more than runaway imagination used just to elicit an awed expression from their younger sibs. She now knew better.
With a lighter burden, she switched on the lights, flooding the room with a little warmness. How she yearned to be fully apreciated and cared for. Someone who understands her, loves her, who won't let her down, or mind her bleak past.
A heavier sigh escaped her lips as she turned back to the nerve-wrecking task off grading her pupils books.
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"Sensei !"
"Good morning, sensei."
"How was your weekend, teacher ?"
Surrounded by excited laughter and chatter, Haruna Sakaruda felt so at home. She was needed here. At first, the thought of returning to teach at the place she was shunned out one of life's greatest joys ; growing up, scared her. It still hurt her to think of the place, but now, the hurt had eased slowly.
She was protective, kind and loving, virtues she had inherited from her late mother. Haruna swore to herself that, no matter what, her students...no, her "adopted" family of kids, would never ever go through what she had did, in the same school.
"Good morning, Miss Haruna," rang a tinkling voice.
Recognising it, Haruna almost had a shock. Turning she smiled widely at the grining girl.
"Good morning, Usagi-chan. Nice to see you at 7.15 a.m. That's fifteen minutes before the bell rings. New record." announced Haruna solemnly.
The blond in question, Usagi, blushed highly.
"USAGI ! You're EARLY !" came several voices shouting in suprise at once. Haruna laughed at the girl's unbelievable red shade.
Sometimes, she envied this young girl. So alive, carefree, happy. Not to mention with drop dead good looks too. But the blond girl's naíveness told her otherwise. Usagi was completely unaware of her looks, grading them ordinary. Altough a crybaby and Mistress of Lateness, Haruna could see the potential in this unassuming girl.
'She would go far, later in life.' she thought. Little did she know, Usagi would go farther than anyone had expected.
Tucking a stray blond curl behind Usagi's ear, she ushered her students towards the classroom.
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The long day had been bone-wearing. Haruna finally had sometime to herself, after grading a stack of books. She curled up on the couch, reading a romance paperback.
How she wished to be one of the heroines, who get swept off their feet by the charming princes or knights in shinning armour.
'If you can't beat them, join them,'
Lost in a world of fantasy, Haruna barely heard the phone ringing. Half grumpily, she picked it up.
"Hello ?"
"Miss Haruna !"
"Yes ?"
"Miss Haruna. Please help. I don't know what to do. There had been a youma attack and Molly is hurt."
"Where ?"
"At the park. Oh, sensei, I'm scared. You've gotta help her. She's unconsious. I don't know what to do..."
"It's okay. Everything would be fine. I'll be there in 3 minutes."
The anxious caller hanged up and Haruna sighed. Even after school hours, a teacher's job never end. She grabbed a coat and hurried out.
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'What a hunk !' her brain screamed at the sight of a tall and well built man. Haruna pulled her coat tighter around her, looking at the guy with interest.
He was approximately 6'5. Tall and lean with carefully slicked back blue-black hair. He wore wire-rimmed glasses that gave him a sophisticated look and carried himself about with ease. A fitting tailored suit that showed of his scuplted figure ended with highly polished shoes.
Haruna could not stop gawking at this refined man. The aura around him was unexplainable. If eyes could really change shapes, then Haruna believed that hers were two huge red hearts, popping out of their sockets.
The man, seeing he caught her undivided attention, smiled at her. Haruna couldn't believe what she saw. The hunk givin' her a heart-melting smile ? WOW ! Yahoo ! She smiled at him demurely, taking the bold step of walking up to him.
"Name's Lades Tskila. Weird, huh ?" he offered a hand.
"Haruna Sakaruda. Yes, a bit." His grasp was neither firm nor gentle but as unexplainable as his aura. Haruna withdrew her hand.
"Well, then, blame my grandfather for that." he smiled.
Haruna felt lost in his smile. Lost in his mysterious violet eyes. It was like they were in a violet void, weird but not threatening. Haruna felt a tad uncomfortable, to be stared at like this.
A sudden shrill bell ring startled her. 'SCHOOL !' She almost jumped out of her skin.
"That's my bell. I gotta go."
"It's okay. I'll see you around. Same time tomorow ?"
"Okay."
For the first time in the history of Haruna Sakaruda's life, she was late for school. She hoped the principal wouldn't catch her sprinting like a frightened animal. Now she knew how Usagi felt.
Speaking of Usagi, she saw the girl juggling her bag in one hand, and breakfast in another, running madly down the hallway. Breathlessly stopping to cram her food down before turning the doorknob of the classroom.
Haruna slowed down, anticipating. She was rewarded with a totally suprised and stupified look when Usagi stood at the opened doorway, jaw hanging down to her pinafore bow. Her prepared usual excuse hanging on the tip of her lips.
"Usagi-chan, must you look like you've seen a ghost ?" asked Haruna.
"Miss Haruna ?" the girl turned in shock.
"Yes ? You've got a problem with me being late ?"
"Er...no..yes..I think..no..."
"Nevermind." she smiled happily. Haruna hope that Mr. Tskila would be out of her mind long enough for her to teach.
'Then I'll go home, and DAYDREAM !' she thought happily.
"Miss Haruna ? Earth to Miss Haruna." called the amused class, enjoying their teacher's sudden dreamy look.
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So what cha think ? Comments wanted and needed. Please and thank you.
Lily Email or ICQ me.... stardazed7@hotmail.com 19112563
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