SailorStar9: You ladies wanted this chapter, so here goes. This is Chapter 2 of this fic; and please be a dear and review.
Disclaimers: I do not own the animes. But I do own the pairing, I hope.
Chapter 2: A Beautiful Boy? The Secret of Tenoh Haruka
Time passes...
"Oh man..." Usagi sighed, walking outside of Crown. "We're studying for entrance exams again at Rei's place today. I can't, I can't." she chided herself, walking past the Game Center. "I have to bear with it until the entrance exams are over. Everyone else is doing their best too. What?" she exclaimed, popping back to the Crown.
"That's right." Minako sat in front of the counter, talking with Motoki as Usagi entered. "And Artemis didn't get the hint and ate another caramel. And of course, the caramel got stuck onto his tooth. And because he's a cat, he couldn't pry off the caramel stuck onto his tooth and he was squirming around so much."
"Ah!" Usagi exploded, knocking Minako off the stool.
"Oh?" Minako turned to the red 'Rabbit'. "Usagi..."
"I was thinking everyone else was doing their best, so I was keeping myself away." Usagi whined. "And yet you're here..."
"No, I lured Minako in here." Motoki protested. "I asked her if she wanted to come in every once in a while because she can get tired from studying too much."
"Motoki!" Usagi scolded. "Don't you think you're being a bit too easy on her?"
"Uh, er, no..." Motoki sweated.
"Usagi!" Minako whined. "We're young only once! "What happens if we fail our entrance exams? Won't you think 'Oh, I wish I had been playing and having fun back then?' And they do say, 'haste makes dancing'."
"I think you should be studying after all." Motoki remarked, unsettled by another one of Minako's butchered phases.
"If that's the case..." Minako pulled Usagi over to a game machine. "Over here."
"I think you should be studying after all." Motoki noted.
"Go!" Minako was clearly winning the racing game.
"I'm a lap behind!" Usagi paled.
"See ya!" Minako winked.
"Stay!" Usagi panicked, her race car spinning wildly as she hit the accelerator. "Stay!"
The bright red words 'Game Over' was then displayed on the screen after her car crashed and the defeated Usagi slid off the chair just as Haruka entered the Crown.
"I'm getting carsick." Usagi muttered.
"Come on now!" Minako chided. "Try again, Usagi!"
"I think we should be getting to Rei's place soon, or otherwise..." Usagi pointed out.
"There's no time for that!" Minako fumed. "If we stop now, who's going to conquer the Formula 1 world in the future?"
"I don't really want to conquer..." Usagi sweatdropped.
"Then, miss." Haruka voiced. "Can I drive alongside of you?"
"You're..." Minako flushed.
"Kidding..." Usagi was red in the face.
He's hot! The chibified blonds' eyes turned into heart.
"Oh, go right ahead!" Minako pushed Usagi off the gaming seat.
"Can you hold my bag?" Haruka handed Usagi her bookbag.
"Please, let her hold as many as you want." Minako squealed. I'm so lucky! She case a glance at the fuming Usagi after she inserted her coin. It's no every day that such a hot guy comes up and talks to you. So, how do you like my wonderful steering?
"Um, the race has begun... already." Usagi reminded as Haruka just sat in the seat.
"I know..." Haruka chuckled. "You see, I have to give her a handicap."
A handicap? Minako fumed, stepping on the accelerator. How dare he say that to me, Aino Minako, who will conquer the Formula 1 world?
"I think it's about time now." Haruka started her race car.
Impossible... Minako twitched as Haruka overtook her. Exactly how fast is he going?
"I see..." Usagi gaped as Haruka maintained her speed at the 310km/hr mark. "Amazing."
"Not even close." Haruka corrected, increasing her speed to 370km/hr.
"I'm a lap back?" Minako squealed in disbelief, crashing her car in the process. "Complete defeat." she slumped against the back of the chair.
"That's not true." Haruka corrected. "You did pretty well. I guess cute girls have good gaming sense as well."
"Really?" Minako blushed. "Well, a lot of people say that to me."
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Haruka." Michiru entered.
You're kidding! Usagi gaped in shock. Oh my, how beautiful! The two blonds were agape.
"Well, see you later." Haruka told the two girls.
"Sure..." Minako flushed.
"You with the buns..." Haruka stated. "We should race together next time."
"Sure..." Usagi blushed.
"You sure got to know them well." Michiru remarked, the pair exiting the Crown.
"What..." Haruka chided. "Are you jealous?"
"Maybe." Michiru chuckled.
"They still seem so childish." Haruka added. "They're really cute."
"They're both so beautiful..." Usagi gushed.
"So, that man's name is Haruka." Minako noted.
"Come to think of it, I've been seeing the two of them around here a lot." Motoki pointed out.
"Oh, were you here, Motoki?" Minako asked.
"Well, I do work here." Motoki reminded.
Outside Crown...
"You're a tease, you know that, Ruka-nee-chan?" Ami joked, as the two Outer Senshi exited the Game Center. "God knows what would have happened if Michi-nee-chan hadn't appeared." she prodded.
"Perhaps." Haruka grinned at the Neptune Senshi's younger cousin.
"Come with us, imouto-chan?" Michiru offered. "We've lots to discuss."
In a tea cafe...
"You feel it." Ami voiced, after the three ordered their drinks.
"Yes." Michiru nodded. "The sea is about to get stormy again. We really have to be careful in this town."
"Seems so." Haruka agreed, the trio not noticing Usagi and Minako peering at them.
"Minako, I think those two are lovers." Usagi whispered.
"But how does Ami know them?" Minako was puzzled.
"Then explain to us what happened?" Haruka asked the younger Senshi. "You were a lot more powerful; you were at your 'Aeon' level when we last saw each other, right?" At Ami's nod, she pressed, "Then why are you still in third-stage?"
"Fourth-stage, currently." Ami corrected. "Moon upgraded our powers during the last battle."
"Then why the downgrade?" Michiru asked. "You could have defeated the Daimons very easily. Why let Moon take the glory?"
"Pluto's orders." Ami shrugged and refused to elaborate.
Later, along a canal...
"They really are lovers after all." Usagi noted, as she and Minako hid behind a corner, the pair spying on the two older women who had dropped Ami at Rei's place earlier.
"Usagi, you don't have to come with me anymore." Minako chided. "I'll do the rest myself."
"No way!" Usagi whined. "I'm curious about that handsome guy too."
"But, you have Mamoru, Usagi!" Minako reminded.
That's true, but... Usagi sweatdropped. "How about Hitoshi?"
"See?" Minako smiled after Haruka and Michiru split off. "They separated already. They weren't lovers at all."
"Kameda-san." Haruka voiced, interrupting the mechanic's work. "Hello."
"Hey, you're here again?" Kameda came up from under the car he was fixing.
"I'm sorry." Haruka chuckled.
"Can you wait a while?" Kameda requested. "I'm almost done with this."
"Sure." Haruka nodded.
In his laboratory...
"Kaorinite." Tomoe droned, heating up a test tube.
"Yes, I am here." Kaorinite replied.
"Did you find it?" Tomoe asked. "A human with the chosen 'Pure Heart'."
"Yes, I have a good idea already." Kaorinite replied.
"I see..." Tomoe noted, pouring the incubating Daimon Egg into the beaker. "Good, good..." he held the fully formed Egg between his hands. "Good girl... Go, Egg of Daimon, take a 'Pure Heart' and bring it to me." At his command, the Egg went off to find its target, settling itself within the vehicle Kameda was repairing.
Outside the car repair store...
"Now, you go ahead and hurry over to Rei's place." Minako prodded, the two peering into the shop.
"No, I don't want to." Usagi whined. "I'm curious about that handsome guy as well."
Inside the car repair store...
"Little kittens." Haruka chuckled, leaning against wall and noticing Usagi's school skirt. "How long are you going to hide there?"
"So, you knew about us?" Minako poked her head in.
Outside the car repair store...
"Tenoh Haruka." Haruka introduced herself. "Tenth grade." At their confused gasps, she added, "You wanted to know, right? About me."
"Yes!" both girls beamed.
"That's right." Minako replied.
"Right!" Usagi repeated.
"The other things that you have been wanting to know." Haruka mused.
"Yes!" Minako raised her hand. "The person who you were with a few minutes ago, how is she related to you?"
"To you?" Usagi echoed.
"What kind of relationship do you have?" Minako pressed.
"Have?" Usagi repeated.
"She's not your lover, right?" Minako insisted.
"Right?" Usagi echoed.
"Lovers?" Haruka blinked. "Michiru and me?"
"Michiru..." Minako squealed. "So you guys are close enough to not use honorifics?"
"Not to use them..." Usagi mock-wailed.
"Let's see..." Haruka replied. "You could say we're closer than that." and breaking two hearts in the process. "But, don't give up. You two still have a chance."
"Okay..." Minako flushed.
"Don't be fooled." Michiru chided.
"Michiru." Haruka protested.
"This person always says things like that when cute girls are spotted." Michiru replied.
"Isn't that a bit much to say?" Haruka scolded.
"Oh, is it alright to say that to me?" Michiru reminded. "I'll just take what I brought for you and go home."
"Come on..." Haruka protested.
"Question!" Minako raised her hand. "Are you Haruka's lover?"
"Please answer yes or no." Usagi pressed.
"No." Michiru replied.
"Alright!" Minako remarked. "This romance is mine!"
"It's mine." Usagi corrected.
"You have Mamoru, Usagi!" Minako reminded.
Today's Minako is snappier than usual. She's acting just like Rei. Usagi sweatdropped. "You have Hitoshi, don't you?"
At Rei's Shrine...
The Martian Senshi sneezed, "Oh no, I wonder if it's pollen."
"You have to be careful during this session." Ami advised.
"In any case, Usagi and Minako sure are late." Makoto pointed out. "What are the both of them doing?"
"I'm worried that it's both of them." Ami remarked. "I wonder if something happened.
"In any case, knowing the two of them," Rei sniffled. "Don't you think they probably found a cute boy, and followed him?"
"Impossible..." Ami chuckled. "Even they..." Cutting off her chuckle, the three girls sighed.
Outside the car repair store...
"Kameda-san over there is trying to become a mechanic who can tune up cars to international racing standards." Haruka supplied. "That's why I like coming here. I think I can see a racing circuit beyond here, swaying in the haze from the mirage. The wind that blows across a circuit carries a wonderful scent."
"Um, Haruka, you're..." Minako started.
"Haruka's dream is to become the top race car driver." Michiru replied.
"No, that's not true." Haruka corrected. "It's not a dream. It was a dream."
"It was a dream?" Minako echoed.
"Then what is your dream now?" Usagi asked.
"To do something that only I can do." Haruka replied. "And to do that, I will make any sacrifice. No matter what I lose, I won't regret it."
"He really is awesome." Minako flushed.
"Yeah, he loses to Mamo-chan, but still..." Usagi nodded.
Inside the car repair store...
"Alright." Kameda slammed down the hood. "I think that about does it." and reached over to the steering wheel, activating the hidden Daimon.
Outside the car repair store...
"What is it?" Minako gaped.
"Kameda-san!" Haruka was about to dash in when Michiru stopped her
"Haruka." Michiru reminded.
"I know." Haruka growled.
Inside the car repair store...
"Steering!" the Daimon manifested.
"What is this?" Kameda was taken aback.
"I will take that 'Pure Heart' which rides on your dreams." Steering declared. "Jack Up!"
"Hey!" Minako ran into the store as the Daimon held the mechanic immobile.
"Stop it!" Usagi shouted, the two girls skidding into a pile of oil cans after Minako slipped onto a puddle of oil.
"Stop it." Kameda remarked, the Daimon winding down the windscreen to reveal the black star, before proceeded to extract the 'Heart Crystal'.
"I'll now have this crystal checked by Kaorinite-sama to see if it's a talisman." Steering extracted the 'Heart Crystal'.
"Oh no!" Usagi exclaimed after the Daimon drove off. "We have to hurry and get his 'Heart Crystal' back."
"Haruka!" Minako burst out of the oil cans. "He's gone." she whined.
"Minako, it's not the time to be saying such things." Usagi reminded.
"I know." Minako sweatdropped. "Venus Cosmic Power!"
"Moon Cosmic Power!"
"Make Up!" the two blonds chorused.
In the canal...
"Let's go, Michiru." Haruka told her pavilion rider, the two Outer Senshi chasing the Daimon.
"Fine." Michiru replied as Haruka took the motorbike against the wall.
"They're flying?" Steering squealed. "Look out!" she shrieked, the motorcycle dropping on her. "Kaboom! Kerpow! That is too dangerous." she remarked, having survived the crash. "I'm glad I'm wearing a helmet."
"We finally caught up with you." Moon declared, having arrived with Venus on a bicycle.
"The 'Pure Heart' of a man chasing his dream." Venus added.
"We won't let villains take it away." Moon announced. "For love and justice, the pretty Senshi in a Sailor suit, Sailor Moon. In the name of the moon, I will punish you."
"Wait a minute." Venus complained. "You made me pedal the bike. Don't look so cool all by yourself."
"Today's Venus is snappier than ever." Moon deathpanned.
"I will not allow any more traffic obstructions to block my driving." Steering growled.
"Hold it." Uranus and Neptune chorused.
"Who is it?" Steering demanded.
"Guided by a new era, Sailor Uranus." Uranus declared. "Acts with elegance!"
"Also guided by a new era, Sailor Neptune." Neptune added. "Acts with grace!"
"We have a reason to seek the talismans." Uranus remarked.
"We won't let you have the talismans." Neptune concluded.
"The mysterious Senshi..." Venus gaped.
"Were Sailor Senshi?" Moon echoed.
"Are you trying to obstruct my course as well?" Steering echoed.
"World Shaking!" Uranus released her attack.
"Deep Submerge!" Neptune fired her water sphere.
"Now's your chance, Moon!" Venus shouted.
"I got it!" Moon nodded. "Moon Spiral Heart Attack!"
"Lovely!" Steering shrieked as the heart smashed into her, the Daimon Egg emerging from the steering wheel and breaking into half.
"No, this isn't a talisman either." Neptune inspected the 'Heart Crystal' in Uranus' hand.
"Looks that way." Uranus agreed. "Moon." she tossed the 'Heart Crystal' to the Moon Senshi. "Return that to its rightful owner."
The next day in the Crown...
"And so, that was the last we saw of Haruka." Minako stated.
"So, in other words, both of you really were ditching the study group to chase a cute guy?" Rei growled.
"Everyone, we have to research the new Sailor Senshi before all of this." Ami chided.
"That's fine." Rei replied. "Luna and Artemis are doing the research right now."
"I see..." Makoto noted. "That's why I didn't see either of them."
"Oh." Michiru started.
"Michiru!" Usagi gasped.
"Aren't you with Haruka today?" Minako pressed, not recognizing Haruka who had taken her school jacket off.
"I am." Michiru replied.
"Where?" Rei jumped onto Minako's back. "Where's this cute guy? Where?"
"Where?" Makoto leapt onto Rei. "Where is the guy that looks like the upperclassman we know?"
"Where is he?" Minako asked.
"Michi-nee-chan?" Ami blinked. "So, let me get this straight." she looked at Usagi. "The Haruka you two saw was..." she looked over to the dirty blond beside her Michi-nee-chan and burst out laughing.
"A girl..." Rei blinked.
"Right..." Makoto was disappointed.
"I don't recall ever saying that I was a guy." Haruka pointed out.
"Ruka-nee-chan, you're evil." Ami chuckled, Haruka returning her chuckle with a smirk.
"That can't be..." Minako whined.
"We don't have time for all of this." Ami sighed.
"I thought Mamo-chan was better from the beginning." Usagi nodded. "Yeah, I did."
SailorStar9: Anyone confused about power levels, here's the list: from weaker to stronger: Normal, Star, Crystal, Cosmic, Eternal, Holy and Aeon. Now that's done, read and review. In the next chapter, Usagi begins to feel lousy about herself and tries to make herself into a better person for Mamoru. She asks everyone for help, only for them to not take her seriously. She spots Michiru and is awed at how perfect she is. Michiru invites her and Mamoru to a violin concert, and they agree. Rei, Minako, Makoto, and Ami meet up with her there. At the concert, the violinist's violin is changed to a Daimon named Octave, so the Senshi and the mysterious Senshi work together to stop Octave, and to save the heart.