Michiru and Mina moved into an official building of Oceania as the castle had been long time destroyed and burned down. It was in the center of a town, up on a cliff, stretching over the sea. The building was guarded by the rebel fleet who had taken over the domination of the city. Michiru met Mina and other commanders of that fleet in order to discuss. There were three of them.
"First of all I would like to know who the leader is" she asked.
"This rebel organization doesn't have a leader as we have always searched for her. The leader is you. We have entitled ourselves 'The vow of the crown' and have searched for you since forever. Of course until we found you, Mina was the one to conduct all our missions. We have been sure you would step in once you would notice Oceania was attacked" one of them explained.
"I see" Michiru nodded.
"You've ended Governor Ovid and we imprisoned all other remaining generals, commanders. We have the support of the people; they all want you back as their ruler".
Michiru stood up and walked to the window.
"I wonder if having a monarchy again, would be as good as you think".
"How come, princess?"
"Well, people should be able to elect their own ruler. I truly think democracy would fit Oceania much better".
"Elect? You lived on Caelum until now…they don't elect their ruler there".
"No, they don't. But royalty of Caelum is different…they are born under the soul of Caelum, they have power to rule the planet. The ruler herself can bend metal and I am sure her power stretch widely . Moreover these powers are given by the planet itself".
"But, princess…you killed the governor by using…a power of a sort".
"This is because I have Oceania in me. The heart of Oceania. I have been capable of using its power as the heart was sealed in me. Now…as Mina asked me…what will happen when I die as an elder? Supposing I live until then".
"We…"
None had an answer.
"Oceania will end with me? This shouldn't happen and for that I have to find a way of giving back Oceania's heart. Does anyone have an idea how I do that?"
Silence took over the room.
"Very well, we will figure it out in time. Until then we have to raise the life quality of this planet, bring peace back and make Oceania the powerful soul it once was" Michiru said.
"Oceania is producing now as much as it did in the past. Just that under Ovid, the products were used for the military force. The rest of it was kept as a fortune of the governor".
"We will start paying people again for what they produce, exchanging our resources for food and rebuild the fishing industry. We have to make sure we won't starve before anything else".
Days passed one by one as all Oceania was fighting to rebuild what had been destroyed. Michiru was keeping everything under observation and was also impressed by Mina's eager eye and brain. The woman was hard working, a people lover possessing a strong, clear mind. She knew Oceania much better than Michiru had ever known it. She helped out Michiru on many decisions and occasions which made Michiru reconsider her position.
Those weeks spent there, without seeing Haruka at all, made Michiru realize that she had gotten to know Caelum much more than she will ever understand Oceania. And, as much as she loved her mother planet, she felt connected to Caelum. She missed Caelum.
Even if Oceania had the best pilots and perfect training grounds, Caelum was much more skilled in constructing flying objects. In her alternative future, where Caelum had been destroyed, the whole galaxy had suffered a loss in technology and had experienced a stop in technological evolution. And, not only being a pilot, Michiru was an engineer, her skills only improving what she had to offer for the construction of piloting machines.
"Michiru?" Mina approached her.
The woman was looking outside the window absent minded. From that side of the room, she could see Caelum. Michiru turned to Mina.
Now Mina on the other hand knew Oceania inside out. Mina was skilled in communicating with people and made herself very easy understood and loved. She had a certain warmth that people of Oceania desperately needed.
"You look…gloomy" Mina continued.
"No…I am actually happy. We have achieved a lot for Oceania and for its people. But not because of me".
"What do you mean not because of you? Your strategic skills have turned the faith for this planet around".
"Strategic skills may be good for the population, but you always need someone to apply them. And that's where you came in: it was you who managed making Oceania the planet it once was. Unfortunately my place isn't here; it never was to begin with. I lived few years on this planet and it were my childhood years, I can hardly recall anything. I grew up thinking I will never return".
"About that…where have you disappeared? 'The vow of the Crown' has been searching for you for years, but they never got even the slightest clue where you could be. And then you appear as Haruka's pair…"
"It's hard to explain" the woman looked outside again. "Let's say I lived in a parallel world. Until they day Harula brought me back I didn't exist in this world".
"I don't understand…"
"It doesn't matter, the past is past. What we have to concentrate on, is the future. I will give up my throne".
"Have you gone insane?" Mina laughed and sat down.
"Yes, I will. I will give it up for you. We will have an election and the people will choose you".
"Very funny, but I won't agree" Mina said, nit taking Michiru very serious.
"Yes, you will. The election will be between you and me. Let the people say who they want as ruler".
"They will choose their princess".
"They will choose their heart" she smiled at Mina.
Mina remained silent staring at Michiru long.
"Councils, the princess has gone mad!" Mina screamed so loud the whole room shattered. The other men rushed inside fearing Michiru's life.
But Michiru just remained amused by the window.
"What happened?" one of the asked.
"Sit, please" Michiru asked.
They did as told and she turned to them, remaining standing.
"I never believed I would see Oceania again as it is today. I never believed the planet could be freed from its tyrants. I never believed life could blossom again here as it did the last weeks. We all did a good job. But, for Oceania to evolve I decided to change from Monarchy to Democracy. This is a change you can't deny as it is still my right to do so. As princess of Oceania I have this right".
"Princess this is…" one man said, but he stopped.
"To trust again in their rulers, people need to choose them. They wanted me back as a ruler because I was the lesser bad option. They don't know how I am. I can be a worse tyrant than Ovid to begin with. I want to organize an election. And the chosen one, who will be named governor".
"Election? With whom?"
"Mina and I. Let the people chose".
"You are running against Mina?"
"No, I am as sure as can be that they will choose Mina. Trust me on this".
None could find reasons to contradict her.
"And if they don't? Will you remain as ruler?"
"I promise I will. But yoi will see I am right".
So it was decided that Oceania will have an election.
That evening Mina went to visit Michiru in her room. The woman was talking with Rei via the communicator of Arometra. For a reason unknown to her, Rei felt very close to Michiru. And Hotaru had always insisted it was normal, but Rei shouldn't ask her why. Somehow the dark haired had gotten used to Hotaru's strange way and wasn't questioning the woman's ideas anymore.
"May I talk to you?" Mina asked.
"Sure. Rei I have to go. Talk to you later".
Michiru turned off the communicator and Mina sat on a couch.
"Are you doing this because of Haruka?" the blonde asked.
"Giving up my throne?"
"Yes. Are you in love with Haruka?"
"Mina…I was so blinded that I didn't even think about that possibility. And now…I find she is such a big part of me. That she is present in me no matter what I do. It took me such a long time to realize I fell in love with Haruka that very night of our unification. But I was so absorbed with my…with thinking I was in love with someone dear I had lost long ago and thought I would never find again, that I just…couldn't see it".
"Michiru…Haruka is not the woman to fall in love with" Mina looked at her. "As easy as she is to fall in love with, Haruka… Haruka is a flirt. She is attracted to every beautiful woman she meets and isn't stable in her emotion at all. In fact I don't think she has that kind of emotions: she is concentrated only on her work and the good of the planet. I've seen how she looks at you and you definitely are very dear to her…but I am not sure she loves you as you do love her. I don't think she would ever give up her throne for you".
"I would never ask it of her. In fact I don't even ask of her to love me. I have…I have tormented her enough with my stupid feelings for someone else to ever be able to ask her to love me. I am glad she didn't pull away from me. No, Haruka's presence is enough for me. But, yes, I intend going back on Caelum, even if only to work at the Flying Ships Factory there. That's where my place is".
"Your land needs you".
"My land needs YOU! And it's not like I am leaving it for good. I will come back and will always be present for anything you or Oceania need. I will remain a council for Oceania".
Mina sighted.
"Never in my life did I think, I will end up ruling a planet".
"You did so since the minute Ovid died and we started rebuilding Oceania. You just didn't realize it".
"Do you always have to be right?" Mina said half annoyed, half amused.
"Only when I am right" Michiru winked.
The two smiled looking long at each other.
"Mina…how close are you to Haruka?"
"We have been friends as I said, close friends and…at some point lovers" Mina said sincere. "I won't lie to you, we have a past".
"She seems to feel very good when you are around her".
"My love story with Haruka ended long ago, Michiru. We remained friends as that was much stronger than that nonsense between us".
"Have you suffered?"
"I didn't let myself; I still think what I said to you about Haruka".
Michiru nodded.
"How are we going to get Oceania's heart out of you?" Mina asked. "I mean it's something above our power of understanding…as time or death is and…"
"Mina, you are a genius!" Michiru stood up.
"I am?"
"I know just the persons to help us. We will board on Arometra after the election and ask the Ambassadors for help".
"I guess it's a good place to start" Mina shrugged.
"What? Oceania will have an election?" Haruka jumped up.
"Yes, a few days from now" Amy said through the display of the comunicator. "We want to ask you to rush there to see what happened and, if needed, call us as well. Right now we are at the other end of the galaxy so I am asking you for this favor".
"Yes, I will leave immediately".
"I am a little surprised you haven't been to Oceania since the fight".
"I had my reasons, Amy. I will report back to you later".
She had her bag packed and boarded a Single Flying Spaceship.
"Single Flying, approaching from Caelum" the voice of the computer announced in the Official Room of Oceania.
"Where is Michiru?" Mina asked.
"Visiting the hospital" a man replied.
"Go and great our guest I have a feeling who is coming".
Haruka was greeted by two officials and brought back to the main building of the town. She met Mina at once.
"What's going on? Why are you having an election on Oceania?" the blonde ruler asked.
"It was Michiru's wish. She will dissolve the monarchy and install democracy" Mina replied.
"And who is running up?"
"Her and me".
"You? Mina…"
"It was Michiru's request. She wants to remain as council for Oceania, but she won't leave here anymore. And she truly believes people of Oceania need to choose their ruler".
"Leave Oceania? For? Arometra?"
"No…" Mina said confused. "Why would she leave…for Arometra? She wants to return on Caelum".
"She wants to…" Haruka asked surprised.
"But she and I will board the Arometra a few days from now and I suggest you do the same. We want to find a way to get Oceania's Heart out of her".
"Why so?"
"To have Oceania live even after Michiru dies? And I mean, I hope by that, dies as an elder in her bed at home on Caelum".
"Right…how stupid of me to have never thought about it".
"Well, you can are always selfish and think only of Caelum" Mina joked.
"Thank you for you trust Mina" the blonde smiled amused.
"Always a pleasure my dear Haruka. Now give me a hug".
The two embraced.
"I should have made you my pair, if only I wouldn't have to unite out of political reasons. Maybe I wouldn't have been this lonely".
"I never heard you speaking so sentimental" Mina laughed.
"Ahm…council" a man who had been completely ignored until then said from a corner of the room. "We have the princess on display".
"Since when?" Mina asked, turning around scared.
"A while now" Michiru said with a polite smile. "Haruka, welcome to Oceania. I called to ask you, Mina, to come down here, people are asking about the election. I need you to make an official statement with me".
"R…Right away" the woman said, red as a tomato.
Michiru bowed her head and turned off the monitor. She sighted and crooked her face and covered her face as she felt her eyes water.
"I have hurt you so much, Haruka" Michiru whispered to herself.
Moments later Mina arrived in front of the hospital, together with Haruka and the other council men. She and Michiru stepped on a podium that had been placed there minutes before.
"People of Oceania, our times of war are over, our times of hunger and poverty are finished. But it's time for us to step into a new era and a Monarchy isn't what I wish to offer you. So I am giving it up and passing to Democracy. In order to start a democracy I wish you to choose your ruler. I wish you to choose by heart, who to have leading this planet into a new era. To be completely sincere of you, I am not that person. But counselor Mina is. I would happily retreat to have her ascend this new era, but that isn't democracy. So, as we don't have anyone else wishing to take up the place of the ruler, we are going to have an election between her and me. But, I can say it right now: Counselor Mina will have my vote".
The crowed was speechless. But, one by one they started clapping enthusiastic.
"Mina…" Michiru stepped away to let Mina say a few words.
"Right…this comes as a surprise for me as well as you well know I have fought my whole life to bring the princess back. And, even if she won't be elected, I will ask her to remain as a member of the Council and always be helping us with wise thoughts. The election will take place two days from now after we get the approval of the Ambassadors of 'The United Flying Forces'. The "Vow of the Crown' won't be dissolved, but will stand up as the army of the people, swearing to always fight for the good of Oceania. Other than that I won't make promises, but I will try to bring our work to an end and start this new era for Oceania. Thank you".
The crowd cheered for Mina.
"May I speak with a moment?" Michiru asked Haruka.
"Of course".
The two went behind the hospital.
"I know you have heard what I said to Mina. I would like to…"
"Haruka" Michiru placed her finger on the woman's lips. "I wish to ask you to have me back on Caelum, by your side or only as an inhabitant of the planet. I belong there. If you do so I promise to be at your side no matter what, as your friend and advisor or as whatever you wish me for. I vow my loyalty to you no matter what the future will bring. If you don't agree with this, let me at least live there and work in one of the factories".
"Michiru" Haruka rubbed her eyes, laughing. "You are my pair no matter what; you have your place on Caelum no matter what. I would be nothing else than thrilled to have you back. We all have missed you there".
Haruka embraced the woman, hiding her face in Michiru's hair.
"I won't ever leave you" Michiru whispered. "I hope there isn't any other planet in this universe whom princess and heart I am".
Haruka laughed softly.
"I understood you will board the Arometra soon to find a way to get the heart out of you".
"Yes, I think Setsuna and Hotaru can help".
"Hotaru?"
"Hotaru understands more of this world than the usual eye. I hope she can".
"I will board with you as well. But I have to return to Caelum".
"You are not staying? At least for the night?"
"I can't…get that election finished and come back to me".
"I will" she smiled.
Haruka kissed the top of Michiru's head.
"Maybe one day I can make you feel as less lonely as you do now" Michiru whispered as she looked after the woman.
As expected, Mina won the election with 78 %.
Sorry for updating 100 years later! The fun begins after this chapter. Thank you for your reviews and for the ones that follow my story. Don't forget: Keep reading!
