"Father, may I speak with you?" Vlan was currently reading in his room when his daughter interrupted his study.

"Yes, Vlantea, you may come in."

The raven-haired girl sat cross-legged on the wooden mat of the floor and bowed. "Sir, I wish to begin practicing Tenshou ni Bara."

"This soon? But you've just recovered from your illness." Vlan spoke with visible concern in his face.

Vlantea looked at him firmly. "I have already made up my mind."

"I see. Rise, Vlantea. Tomorrow, your training will start."

"Shiselea tu, father."

----

Michiru like mornings and always woke up early, except on particular days when the wind is cold and her bed seem to be the only source of heat. But on that day, her mind appeared to be foggy for she was not even mildly surprised when she felt someone's hand on her waist and whisper "Rise and shine, koi," in her ears.

"Hmm…it's cold, and I want to sleep more."

"I can make you warm."

The green-haired turned around and saw a naked Haruka smiling seductively at her.

"Haru..ka?"

It was then, that Michiru realized just what the hell is happening in her bedroom.

"ARAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

She gasped out loud and bolted from her bed, only to find out that there was no Haruka in it.

She checked her body from any sign if her dream was real. "That was…" She shivered from fear and from…what? Desire? "No, no, no…it's not true! It's just a dream!" Kaioh shook her head, trying to clear her head from the bad image.

"Michiru-san! Are you alright?" She heard the real Haruka knock furiously on the door.

Michiru released a sigh of relief, before walking towards the door to tell Haruka not to worry about her. But it was a mistake though, since when Kaioh opened the door, Tenoh was about to give it a push. And it did not result in anything nice, to say the least.

They ended up sprawled on the floor, with Haruka on top of Michiru. And since the blonde was taller than the other, the green-haired girl's face met Haruka's chest.

"Ow!" Michiru cried out. Both from pain and surprise. She used her hands to shield herself from Haruka's weight.

Why is his chest soft?

"Michiru-san, are you alright?"

"…yes…" Kaioh was still dizzy from the fall that she failed to realize their positions. "I am…fine…" but not really. If she was, then she would've jumped three feet in the air. The samurai was practically straddling her. Haruka had her arms and legs covering the green-haired girl in a very suggestive position.

And this is the scene where Makoto came in carrying Michiru's breakfast.

"Oh…my…"

CRASH.

The tray met the ground in a loud clatter. Which in turn caught the attention of Setsuna whose jaw suddenly gaped open wide, a rather interesting feat for the always serious general.

"Michiru…Haruka…"

It was only then that the two involved in the accident came to their senses. Haruka quickly stood up, dragging Kaioh with her, then vanished in a cloud of white smoke without a word.

Only poor Michiru was left to entertain the questions of her two curious friends.

----

She teleported outside the village, at the place where she first met Hotaru. The sun was high above, the heat almost unbearable. Her sweat mixed with the few stray tears she allowed to slip.

"Umi…forgive me…"

She once again recall mental images of Michiru—no, Umi, her wife. Her dead wife. The only girl she will love for the rest of eternity.

They may look the same, but Michiru is not Umi. She was the only one who loved me for who I am.

She opened up her gi and placed a hand over her chest. The scar felt rough against her skin, reminding her of the painful past.

Suddenly, she felt tired. Haruka dropped down on her knees. Her world was spinning. Her body glowed red without her realizing it.

Soon, I shall be free!

"So I see you still haven't found the cure." A speck of black came out from nowhere. Two hooded figures came out of it, each clasping the other's hand.

"Who are you? What do…you want…?" Tenoh struggled to remain conscious. There was something about the two that sent shivers down her spine.

"Oh, don't mind us! We're just trying to look after you. And we see that you're not, so we need to remind you to take care of yourself!"

"Beloved, why must you always be so cheerful?"

"Why, is there anything wrong with it? At least I'm not grumpy!"

"You shouldn't be a klutz!"

"Old hag!"

"Whatever, you blonde bimbo!"

"Excuse me…" Haruka coughed hard to gain back their attention. She was having trouble breathing, much more talk. "Who…are…you?"

"Oh, sorry about that. Let us introduce ourselves."

"I am Raven, the only surviving member of Hyugrito tribe."

"And I am Selene, her fiancée, the runaway princess of Alkira. We have come to ask you a favor—"

"No," the other interrupted. "We are demanding you a ransom."

"For what…?" Tenoh used her sword to support her. Selene came over to her side and helped her up.

Raven summoned a flicker of flames from thin air. From its leaves, Haruka saw an image of a sword, along with a black-haired man. "For the Chikyuutou. It was the prized possession of the Tsukino clan. Long before, Queen Serenity was the ruler of Alkira. When she was giving birth to her daughter, a group of mercenaries raided the kingdom. They were aided by a general named Chiba Mamoru, who turned his back on his fellow countrymen. He used Serenity's status to gain distraction and stole the Chikyuutou, along with the Azraul, a magic crystal ball that gains control over the hearts of Alkira people.

"With the Chikyuutou, he became powerful. In order to claim the throne for himself, he killed the royal family…or so he thought."

Selene then took over. "After I was born, my mother instructed the nurse to leave the kingdom, along with the baby. Ikuko, the nurse, became a merchant in Agora and raised me as her own. It was only after I fell in love with Raven that I learned about my past."

"I assume you are familiar with the prowess of the Hyugrito clan?" The samurai nodded. "I saw what happed to Alkira, and bowed to have revenge."

"But…" Haruka wheezed. "…why should I help you? Are you aware of my…history with your tribe?"

"I am."

"Then why do you seek my assistance?"

"We don't. I reiterate, Amakuni Kaze, I am demanding you to give us the Chikyuutou. In return, I shall aid you in your quest. I would even strengthen the bonds tying the demon lord."

"Wouldn't you be a traitor like Chiba?"

"I will not be a scum like that!" Raven's eyes filled with anger. "Chiba Mamoru killed his own relatives. While I—my family was cast away from the tribe by the witch herself, Kaho!"

The force of her voice knocked Haruka backwards. Lucky for her, Selene was able to calm down Raven by hugging her.

"Hush, love."

"Forgive me, Selene." Raven then walked to where Haruka was lying. The samurai was blinking back grogginess.

"Kyo Sou ni Ha!" Black flame burst through Raven's hands, enveloping the fallen warrior. But instead of burning her, the fire mixed with the red aura before fading away.

Haruka felt the weight of the world being lifted from her shoulders. She could now breathe normally, her senses returning to normal. Again, Selene offered her hand to help her up.

"You will be fine now. For the meantime." Even though her whole face was unseen, her blue eyes twinkled with warmth and compassion. Tenoh felt her heart melt when the smaller woman hugged her. "Please avenge my family, I ask of you dear samurai."

She couldn't form words, she was speechless. Her nod was the only confirmation.

"But don't kill Chiba. He's mine." Raven joined them and took Haruka's hand. "Take this amulet, it will help you control Karetoka."

The moment she wore the charm, she felt energized, more powerful than before. Then a bright flash blinded her eyes.

The next moment, the two hooded figures were gone.

----

Author's note:

After almost a year…

Disclaimer:

Haruka, Michiru, and the rest of the BSSM gang belong to Naoko Takeuchi. I'm just borrowing them for a little while.