HARUKA: A BORN RUNNER

She was running down the beach. The cold breeze air was hitting her hair. She was breathing smoothly and rhythmically. Her steps were light; it was like she was flying. Determined to reach her goal. What goal? Did she know where she was going?

An hour had passed but nothing changed. She was still there running. How many times she ran from one point of the beach to another? What was moving her?

'Haruka why do you keep running?' she asked herself in despair.

Deep inside her she knew the answer. There was no need for answer, only silence.

'Just keep running Haruka. When you reach the finish line you will see.'

She was afraid of her destiny. Future threatened her. She wasn't afraid of heights or snakes, or death or the fear itself. It was her destiny. Funny thing to think about, but it was the truth. And she knew it. Something was waiting for her, right along the road. She would do anything to escape it.

This was the last day of summer and then school shall start. Haruka had to cope with that. No that Haruka was a bad student, on the contrary she was pretty good, but it was routine she couldn't possibly escape. She needed to know that there was a backdoor and anytime she wanted she could run off and find herself again. Hopefully…

Now she was enjoying her last summer run. A run without an end. A run that would finish only with death. Her destiny.

She had transferred to a new school. For a change. She didn't remember how many times she 'run off' again. Now she entered her class silently and was introduced to her new class.

-'Haruka Tenoh shall be your new classmate. Give her a nice warm welcome.'

She looked in everyone's eyes but in the reality she saw the destiny in all of them. They were her prison. After that she had a seat in the last row and made herself comfortable. The students scanned her quickly. Some girls were really excited and boys started commenting her appearance.

Soon enough they started circling her and constantly following her. They wanted to know who that mysterious girl was. And why did she keep avoiding them. At first they thought she was shy or anti-social. However, they were wrong and they understood it a long time after.

It was a school track tournament and she was one of the contestants. She had a vision of a falling Tokyo, of the falling Earth. 'The vision of ruin had cast a shadow over my mind. The silence is approaching. We must find the Messiah quickly! Only you and I can do this' said a praying girl in her vision.

It wasn't the first time she saw that vision.

-'Again…'

-'I heard you're fast but I'm not going to lose!' said one of the best runners, Elza, to Haruka.

'Run Haruka, run!' she thought in despair and started running like wild when the signal was given. Her legs were heavy and she was afraid to turn around. Her breath was heavy too. She had never felt destiny so close to her.

'No, it won't get me!'

And she speeded up. That day Haruka Tenoh won the race. Relieved that she had made her escape and not that she had won she was getting dressed up when the girl from the track approached her.

-'Haruka Tenoh! I've heard of your reputation. You're really great! There's someone I'd like you to meet. Come on Michiru!' That was the same girl that she had seen in her vision of the Armageddon.

-'This is Michiru Kaiou. She is extremely intelligent and a brilliant painter.' and a girl with blue marine hair appeared behind her 'She really wants to meet you' she added.

Michiru approached her saying:

-'You didn't break a sweat. I think you were holding back. Right?'

-'What do you mean?' asked Haruka after a pause.

-'You can hear the wind rustling can't you?' said Michiru.

Haruka was surprised and scared. 'At that moment, I knew that she was that person. And she knew about my real figure! I was born a soldier, it was destiny. I was not ready to accept that fact. Probably because I knew that once I did, everything would change.' Michiru smiled gently. Haruka then understood that she wasn't the only fighter. She had mistaken. And that frightened her.

-'How was it possible? Was she for real? Who is she and what does she want from me?'

-'You're strange. So, what do you want of me?' asked Haruka trying to hide her concerns.

-'Would you be a model for my painting?' asked Michiru and Haruka became even more surprised.

-'Pass! I don't like that kind of things' she replied. She pretended that everything was cool but inside her she was screaming.

Silence fell between them. Haruka went off and Michiru just stood there obviously saddened.

Next week was quite tiring for Haruka. Her classmates, after she had won the tournament, started following her again. She didn't talk at all, just listened mechanically, but her mind was racing and playing the scene with that mysterious girl over and over again.

Finally, the school day finished and she took her car. Running off didn't only help her to escape but gives her a chance to think about things better. She had to make a decision.

'That girl might be destiny' and she speeded up.

A month later there was a cruise on the river next to Tokyo. Haruka was not the cruise-type person but something really magnetized her to go there. Destiny or not she would go. No running away this time. Besides, what could possibly happen?

She was wearing a tuxedo that suited her well. That was her style. The boyish style. Still she had something really charming on her. When the cruise finally began a soft music started to play. Haruka was bored and started wondering what she was doing there after all. Suddenly, someone started playing violin. She seemed to recognize it and instantly turned to see who was playing that music. It was Michiru.

As the hours passed in complete boredom Haruka took a small walk round the cruise ship. While she was going down some stairs she noticed a giant painting on the wall. It was named 'The end of the world'. Haruka smiled as she sensed Michiru's presence. Indeed, she was sitting on some stairs and looked straight on Haruka.

-'You're very famous. In our school there is a girl who wants to go on a drive with you in your car.' said Michiru.

There was a painting on the wall called End of the World. It was painted by Michiru.

-'It is strange that a nice gentle girl like you can draw something like that'

-'It's not mine imagination' said Michiru 'I can see it my destiny, like you.'

-'I want to race. I don't want to deal with it. Why don't you do it and just stop investigating me?

-'I don't want to do it either, because I want to play violin' she replied silently.

Haruka couldn't sleep after that talk.

'What does she know about destiny? She left her dreams for it.'

She didn't go to school that day. It wasn't possible. She just spent the whole day riding her sport motorbike. That's what she does. That's what she is. Nothing can change her. Her life shall be a constant race. A simple road.

Some months had passed after that talk. Haruka found her old self again and continued her 'running off' life. There was a sports car race and that's something she can't miss. For once again she shall escape destiny or not?

As she was returning from her race she heard some screams for help. She rushed inside the building from where the screams had come and saw a man.

-'Help…'

Haruka tried to understand what was going wrong when suddenly the man transformed into a monster. She grabbed a tool immediately and was ready to attack when she saw the man's vision screaming for help inside the monster. She couldn't hurt him. The monster, however, didn't hesitate at all and attacked her. She fell down and was about to be killed by the monster when a transforming pen appeared. Her fingers reached slowly the pen and almost touched it when transformed Michiru appeared.

'Don't! Don't grab that. If you grab that you won't be able to return to normal life!' shouted Michiru who had transformed into Sailor Neptune.

The transforming pen fell on the ground.

Then Michiru attacked the monster. When she was about to finish it off Haruka said:

-'Stop! That monster is a human!'

-'If I don't, there will be more victims'

-'So you're not going to choose your methods'

-'Yes, I am not going to choose'

And then the monster recovered and attacked. Haruka was sure to die that day, but Michiru protected her. She took the blow on herself and got hurt. Then she used her 'Deep submerge' attack to finish off the monster. Then she fell on the ground tired and wounded. Haruka went near her and took her into her arms with care.

-'I might have killed him. Next time I'll kill them. It's not all right, but since I'm a senshi I chose this' said Michiru.

-'Then why did you protect me? If you injure your hand, you won't be able to become a violinist' and Haruka raised Michiru's hand a bit blaming herself of what had happened.

-'I didn't investigate you because you were the other senshi. It was before I knew. I was watching you when you raced. I wanted to ride in a car with you along the sea shore. I knew more about you that yourself. I've been watching you all the time. I didn't want you to take the same road as me. But I was happy when I found out that you were the other person' Michiru said silently.

Haruka looked in her eyes and for the first time what she saw wasn't destiny, but herself.

Haruka still astonished and speechless turned around and took a look on the transforming pen.

-'So that's destiny' she thought.

Now, Haruka is running down the beach again. Her steps are light and rhythmic. Still, something's different. Her face isn't the same. It wasn't that scared and dark face but a smiling one. She didn't fear the heights or snakes, or death or the fear itself. It wasn't even destiny. Now, the only thing she feared was if someday she lost Michiru.

She finally understood that destiny isn't something to fear of, but something to improve. Now there's a goal, now there's a finish line for her. Now, it wasn't Haruka Tenoh who was running, but Sailor Uranus. And a bright future is waiting for her.

A car was passing a long bridge. It was a nice sports car. The driver had a dirty-blond hair and green eyes. Another girl was sitting right next to her. Haruka and Michiru were going on a ride. Michiru's wish came true and shall be not the last time that will happen. Haruka was happy; she was really enjoying the ride.

-'Michiru I'm glad I met you' she said.

-'What did you say?' asked Michiru turning towards Haruka.

-'Let's just keep driving together. I won't let you go tonight' she replied smiling and then speeded up once again for a brand new destination.