Assassin's Tango
Chapter 11
You had never been on the Moon, despite it practically being the center of all activity on the solar system. There had been opportunities yes and you had always had this inexplicable attraction to it, but it never felt quite right to step on the immaculate land and stain the streets with blood. There was little to no record whatsoever of murders on the Moon, and you did not want to be known for killing someone there. So you stayed in Neptune and did your job there, occasionally traveling to the other Planets, never thinking that it would lead to such a situation that would create a need for you to escape the Planet and travel practically the whole length of the solar system to find safety.
Usagi's face light up as soon as she stepped foot on the ground, looking like she once did years back before anything happened. This was her home, you realized and, despite everything, she had greatly missed it. Her eyes fixed on the overpowering sight that is the Moon Palace and her whole demeanor changed, almost as if she was reminded of some long forgotten memory. You look around, noticing that your other three companions are all watching the blonde curiously, though there is a hint of concern in both Setsuna's and Endymion's eyes.
"It is fortunate that we arrived during night. It will be easier to move around undetected this way." The Black Hand sighed, starting to walk north in the direction of the Palace, a tinge of tiredness in her voice after the long trip. "We must hurry."
"Usagi…" Mamoru murmurs, reaching a gentle hand to her arm and holding her back. "We do not have to do this. We can find somewhere else to stay at. We can go to Earth, if you want."
"And risk facing Beryl?" she counters, frowning, and you force back the urge to do the same. She seems worried about a person. But who the hell is Beryl? "No, Mamoru. The Moon is the safest place for us to be in at the moment." She looks away longingly to the Palace. "And also… I miss my Mother."
He sighs. "All right. If you are sure."
And so she leads you through the streets, being careful to evade the rare guards that cross your path. She knows what she's doing, almost as if she had done this sneaking around multiple times before and, once you see Endymion lace his fingers with hers, you know that she probably has. But, as you walk silently next to Michiru, paying more attention to where she stands instead of the road itself, you can't help but feel majorly confused.
"Where are we going?" you question, frowning at your surroundings.
"We are going to the Palace." Usagi doesn't slow down or turn to face you when she answers, instead starting to apparently walk with bigger urgency. "I have business to discuss with my Mother, despite it not being planned."
"So we are just going to drop by unannounced, in the middle of the night, some of us looking like they are about ready to drop to side with exhaustion?" your tone is as sarcastic as ever. "Oh yes, I trust that this will bode well with the Queen."
"I will have you know, Tenoh Haruka, that my Mother does not care about such things." She snaps, annoyance clearly audible in her voice. "If you wish to stay outside, then so be it. No one is forcing you to come along."
Your insides burn with her answer and you open your mouth to give her a suitable response. But a firm hand squeezes your forearm in warning. "Enough, Haruka." Michiru whispers harshly and you swallow down your retort. "What worries you so much?"
You turn to her, not making a move to release your arm, incredulous. "What worries me? What worries me is that we have probably become wanted criminals in Neptune and the most certain is that news have already traveled all throughout the solar system about what happened. I don't like this. I don't like whatever plan she has brewing in her head."
Blue eyes fix on yours seriously. "At least, she has a plan." The message behind her words is clear. You should either shut up or find a better alternative.
So you keep to yourself for the duration of the walk, not having any alternate suggestions to give.
It doesn't take long before your path is blocked by bushes that seem to surround the whole length of the Palace grounds. A sentinel stands watch a few meters ahead, but Usagi merely smiles, not alarmed at all. She closes her eyes and her brow furrows in concentration, keeping you all from moving any further. You are confused yet again, feeling slightly ignorant as the others look at her in complete understanding. A few moments pass by in silent before a soft glow starts coming from her forehead and you find yourself completely fascinated as a half-crescent moon suddenly appears on her skin. How stupid of you, you think. You had already forgotten about the mystical sign that marked the Royals of the Moon. But still.
"Won't that make it harder for us to slip by undetected?" you ask once she seems to come back to herself.
"Do not worry." She smiles softly, her voice suddenly far more relaxed and gentle, and you realize that in that instant you are not facing Usagi, the Black Hand. No, right now you are face to face with Princess Serenity, and a sudden, nearly overwhelming wave of protectiveness and warmth and submissiveness shakes your foundations. "I know what I am doing."
"Forgive me." You mumble, not fully in control of yourself at the moment and not quite knowing what is making you react the way you are. It's something deeper than your will, and the only satisfaction that you have is that the others seem to be feeling exactly what you are.
Her hand comes to rest against your face, almost like a breeze, and she smiles again. "You need not ask." And with one last look at Endymion, she moves towards the guard.
The four of you watch with baited breath as the man turns to face her, eyes widening in alarm once he recognizes her. His mouth opens to surely yell out an alarm but her lips move before he can and to your surprise he immediately relaxes, a rather mellow look taking over his face as he nods and grins stupidly. She turns back to where you are standing and waves you over and you hesitantly move, bypassing the man who only mutters a greeting as if nothing out of the ordinary was happening.
"Well played, Princess." Says Setsuna as the blonde leads you through a not so dense part of the bushes, and you suddenly find yourself directly in front of the back part of the Palace. You're impressed.
"I know the Moon like the back of my hand, Setsuna." Usagi says in a sly voice. "My knowledge expands to it's people as well." You follow behind her as she again leads the way and you have always thought that the Palace of Neptune was beautiful but compared to the Moon Palace, it obviously lacks something. "Now we must hurry. The man was kind enough to say that the guards were taking a ten minutes break so we must take advantage of this opportunity." How she managed to get that information completely eludes you. But you shake your head and stay quiet as you are led through the back doors.
Sometimes, it's better not to know.
You had been rather amazed when you had first walked into the grand Palace of Neptune but the sight in front of you puts it to shame. Considering both, the Moon Palace is far simpler in terms of decoration, with the occasional sculpture of painting in some corners, but its simplicity is plainly marvelous. The walls themselves seem to glow, the stark white material used for the building giving the rooms that you pass through this ethereal pure quality that makes you feel automatically at home.
It's slightly unnerving.
Usagi comes to an abrupt stop, turning to face you while her gaze remained fixed on a closed door. "You wait here while I go search for my…" her voice keeps growing more and more faint until it dies out in a whisper, her sentence not completed, eyes widening in alarm with each passing second.
You follow the direction of her gaze, wondering if perhaps a guard had found you and was ready to yell out for others, ready to fight if the need arose. But instead of a man, your eyes are met with a small, dark-furred cat that is staring at the blonde girl in surprise. You nearly laugh at yourself – a cat staring in surprise and dawning comprehension? Simply not possible. Except that it is. The feline takes a hesitant step forward, tail wiggling in warning, and you inhale sharply once it is hit with a small beam of light. A crescent moon, just like Usagi's, is present on it's forehead.
"Princess Serenity?" the cat says and you wonder if you've gone mad. It would quite possibly explain all that had happened in the past few months – all of your reactions, all of the mess that you had winded up creating, simply everything. But that idea evaporates as soon as it comes to be.
"Luna…" the Black Hand murmurs, dropping to her knees and opening her arms wide. "Luna!"
A few tension filled moments pass by before the cat suddenly bursts out in a run, throwing her small body at the blonde, the momentum making her fall back on the floor. "Usagi!" the cat cries out, licking her face in excitement.
"Oh Luna! I have missed you!" the girl cups the cat's little head carefully, stroking behind her ears, smiling wide while her eyes fill with tears. "It has been so long."
"I missed you too, Usagi!" a soft purring sound fills the room for a few moments, the apparently long lost friends reuniting, before Luna seems to remember herself. "What happened, Princess? Who are these people?" sharp orange eyes fix on the four of you and a hiss escapes the cat once she sees Endymion. "What is he doing here? An Earthling on the Moon?"
"Luna please!" Usagi pleads. "He is with me. He is my-"
"Luna? What is happening?" another talking cat, this one a male with white fur and blue eyes, appears in a corner. The crescent moon is also present on his forehead.
"Artemis…" Luna jumps from Usagi's lap. "Look! The Princess has returned!"
"What?" the cat stares at the girl with wide eyes. "Princess!" he says before having the same reaction that Luna had before him. The trio stays on the floor, huddled close together in silence, basking in each other's company.
"Luna, Artemis." Usagi whispers after a while. "I have something I must ask of you." The two move away slightly, heads still leaning on the blonde's stroking hands. "I need you to go get my Mother but you cannot warn anyone of our presence here. It is imperative that no one besides her sees us. Can I count on you, my dear friends?"
The felines hesitate, obviously wondering what her reasons could be, but they eventually acquiesce. "If that is your wish, then so shall be Princess." Artemis speaks in a low voice and the two hop of her arms, quickly disappearing from sight.
Mamoru moves next to Usagi and extends his hand, helping her to her feet and pulling her into his arms. He says her name and she leads him to a window, the quiet sounds of a conversation too low for you to be able to tell what is being said.
"So, talking cats… Didn't know they existed," you turn to the other two women, nodding slightly. They did not seem one bit surprised about what had happened.
"They do." Setsuna responds, one hand gingerly pressing against her stomach. You figure it must be still sore but you knew that the wound had closed long ago.
"Who are they?"
"They are Queen Serenity's councilors." Michiru answers this time. "I have seen them only once before in a passing, hurried moment, but her Highness made sure to introduce them both. At the time my reaction was quite the same as yours, Haruka."
"You found yourself wanting one too?" you joke, but the lack of reaction from them sobers you up. "The Queen takes advice from cats?"
"Don't underestimate them, Haruka." Setsuna says, quickly detecting the small hint of disdain in your voice. "They are far wiser than you might think."
The sound of footsteps interrupts your conversation and you notice Usagi flinging herself away from Mamoru, wringing her hands nervously as a soft, calming voice reaches your ears. "Are you certain of what you are saying, Luna?"
"Yes, my Queen." Answers the little cat. "She is waiting right around the corner."
And then all movement ceases as the Queen of the Moon appears before you.
An eerie silence falls over the room, no sound, not even that of breathing, daring to interrupt the intense concentration that appears on the woman's face as she stares fixedly at Usagi. There are no doubts that the two are mother and daughter – hell, if it weren't for the silver color of the Queen's hair you would dare say that they are twins. The Queen's sharp blue eyes soften and a nearly relieved smile curves her lips as she walks closer to Usagi.
"Serenity?" she asks in a calm voice, and you find it rather strange – shouldn't she sound surprised and confused to see her daughter well and alive? "My sweet Serenity." She continues, one pale hand moving to stroke the blonde's cheek affectionately, before pulling her into a strong embrace. "My little Usagi." The young woman trembles visibly as her mother's arms pull her close and you know that she's crying by the sounds that escape her, though her face is buried in the Queen's shoulder, hidden from sight.
Long moments pass before the Black Hand manages to compose herself, pulling away from the other woman's embrace albeit reluctantly. "I have missed you, Mother."
A soft smile curves the older woman's lips. "And I you, child. Where have you been? With whom have you been with?" Usagi shifts nervously, risking a glance at Mamoru who is standing stoically by her side, and comprehension dawns on the Queen's eyes once she notices him. "I see. Welcome to the Moon, Prince Endymion."
He swallows and bows to her. "Thank you, my Queen."
A flash of surprise crosses Serenity's eyes but it quickly disappears. You understand immediately – despite you not being particularly aware of what happened in other areas of the solar system, it was no secret that a feud existed between the people of the Earth and the people of the Moon. A bow and such acknowledgment from the Crown Prince of the Blue Planet spoke promises for the future, for anyone who was willing to see it. She inclines her head slightly and her attention is again diverted to her daughter. "Are you happy, little one?"
Usagi grins, eyes shining, and nods. "I am."
"That is all I need to know then." The Queen smiles gently.
Usagi's eyes travel over to where you are standing with Michiru and Setsuna, and the Queen follows the direction of her gaze. Her glance passes Michiru fleetingly, apparently not finding the sight of the unannounced Princess of Neptune in her Palace at such a time of the night strange at all, but they do not move past Setsuna.
Surprise quickly takes hold of the Queen's expression, eyebrows arching slightly. "Pluto?"
The green haired woman drops to her knees, head bowed in respect, and you force back a gasp of shock. "My Queen."
A small chuckle escapes Serenity and she moves to where the kneeling woman is. "None of that, Setsuna. Rise. You know I am not particularly fond of people kneeling in front of me."
After a few seconds of hesitation, Setsuna slowly rises to her feet, keeping her head down. "I apologize. Old habits are hard to break."
Serenity smiles and Setsuna is the one who is being pulled into the Queen's arms this time. "It has been many years since we have last met, my friend. Ever since the fall of Uranus…"
"Yes, Highness."
"Have you done what I asked of you? Oh Setsuna, what I practically demanded of you…" guilt consumes the Queen's features and her eyes fill with tears.
"Do not worry yourself over that, Serenity." Setsuna whispers pulling away from her and steadying her with her hands on her shoulders. "I will not lie to you and say that it was easy because it was not. The lifestyle I have led these past few years was not what I was accustomed to but in the end…" she pauses and looks at you. "It was worth it."
The silver haired woman gazes at you directly for the first time. A shiver runs down your spine as she approaches you, eyes wide in wonder. "Then this must be little Haruka." You blink and force back a scoff – you are anything but little. Her hand moves towards your forehead and brushes you hair away from your skin and surprisingly, you don't flinch away. A sigh escapes her, eyes glazing as if lost in memories of times past. "Oh my…" she murmurs. "You look so much like your mother."
A sound of surprise manages to escape you this time and you stumble away from her. "What?"
The Queen frowns and her eyes fill with sorrow. "You look like you are your mother's twin. Except for your eyes… your eyes are your father's."
"You knew my parents?" your hands are shaking slightly with the effort of containing yourself.
"I did." She nods. "I am sorry, Haruka."
You barely manage to shoot a look at Setsuna before you take of running.
The sight of blood dripping down your hand is oddly relaxing.
A destroyed boulder lays nearby and you can still feel the big rock giving way beneath your hand and crumbling to pieces. It probably wasn't the smartest thing to do but your usual way of releasing your frustration isn't exactly available – there's no one at the ready for a fight or for a kill. So you resigned yourself to punching a solid, hard rock. It hadn't given you much of a chance to relax since it had fallen apart with a single touch, but it had been enough to take off the immediate edge that urged you to simply disappear.
"Haruka…" a soft voice interrupts your musings.
Your eyes don't leave your fingers. "What?"
Her hand takes hold of your own, holding it in a gentle grip while cleaning of the blood with a handkerchief, and you don't fight her. "What did you do?"
"I killed a boulder." You say flatly, refusing to look at her. "Why are you here, Michiru? Are you gaining the habit of following me? I am not a child you have to look after. I can take care of myself."
"Stop that." She sits next to you, shifting to accommodate her clothing. "Do not close yourself to me, Haruka."
You scoff. "That's part of who I am, haven't you realized? I'm not exactly the most sociable person, I don't like letting others in." you glance at her sideways. "And I like being alone." Your hidden jab doesn't seem to affect her so you get up and move away, ambling through the corridors of the Moon Palace carelessly, not being concerned as to whether you'll be found or not.
"Sometimes, it is good to be alone." Of course, stubborn as she is, she follows you. "Others, not so much."
A tired sigh escapes you. "Why must you follow me, Michiru?"
"Because you seem upset."
"Well, I am." You confirm, stopping once you realize that you are back outside where you had first arrived. You breathe in deeply, the cool night air refreshing you, before you move to sit in a nearby marble bench.
This time she doesn't move to sit next to you, choosing instead to stand still in front of you. "Why are you upset?" you don't answer her, keeping your gaze on the floor. She sighs and to your surprise drops to her knees in front of you, bracing her hands in your knees to steady herself. "Why did what the Queen told you upset you?"
"I don't like it when my parents are mentioned."
She frowns in confusion. "She was only letting you know that she met them. What is so wrong with that?"
You raise your head and lock gazes with her, clenching your teeth tightly so your voice won't sound as harsh as it does in your mind. "Because I didn't meet them, Michiru." She swallows, eyes wide, obviously regretting having spoken the question. You shake your head. "Well, that's not exactly accurate. I must have met them… I simply don't remember them."
Michiru sighs. "What happened, Haruka?"
"I don't know." You rise and give her your hand, helping her up too. "I remember waking in a dark room and Setsuna was the first person that I saw. She told me she found me in the streets and had decided to take me in and so I lived with her. She raised me as her own, fed me and clothed me, and never asked anything in return. I knew that she ventured into the realm of killing and I was so filled with anger, anger that I didn't know where it came from, that I asked her to become an assassin. I wanted it, badly, and there must have been something in my eyes that told her that I was serious and would not give up until I had what I wanted because the next day she took me to meet the best assassin that lived in Neptune so that he would train me." You pause and look at her, smiling slightly and squeezing the hand that you still gripped. "You might have met him. He was Tanaka Kunio."
Her eyes widen in shock. "Him?"
"Yes." You nod and chuckle. "He taught me most of what I know and eventually I grew better than him. His methods were, to put it kindly, harsh. I remember that I could hardly move after the first time I met him without bleeding." You sigh and shrug, remembering the look on his face as he died. "I got my revenge, I suppose."
"How old were you when you first started training?"
"Eight, I think." You tug at her hand gently and she follows you as you start walking aimlessly through the grounds, as you had done many times before in Neptune.
"You think?" she repeats, easily keeping step with you.
"Yes." You nod, gazing at the Earth that twinkles right before you. "I don't remember… Setsuna told me that I looked to be around six or seven when she first saw me and I celebrate my birthday on the day she found me." You stop and move to stand right in front of her. "I don't remember a thing prior to meeting Setsuna, Michiru. Not my childhood, not my parents, not my age… where I came from, what I was doing in the streets… The only thing that I remember was my name and as such, I have never lied about it, no matter how dangerous it might end up being. It is one of the few things about me that I know is true."
"I am sorry to have doubted you, Haruka." She says, but you know that her words extend to your childhood also. She doesn't say it straightforwardly but sorrow shines in her eyes for you and what you have been through. You are thankful that she doesn't mention it – you don't like being pitied and she seems to know it.
"It's alright. It could be worse."
"How?" she arches an eyebrow.
"I don't know, but I choose to believe that it could be." You laugh and so does she and a few, blissful moments pass before you grow serious again, coming to a subtle realization as Michiru's blue eyes fix on you. "This is the first time that I've talked with anyone about my parents or my early years."
"And what of Setsuna?"
You shake your head. "Setsuna never asked about it after she realized I didn't remember, nor have I mentioned anything about them afterward."
"I am glad you trust me with it then." She smiles at you and her left hand, the one that you are not holding, raises and her fingers brush softly across your skin. "Still, I wonder what happened to you, Haruka."
You lean against her touch slowly. "As do I."
"Then I believe that I can answer your questions, Haruka." Says Queen Serenity in a firm voice. You were so lost in your conversation with Michiru you didn't notice her arrival.
You step back reluctantly from your former protégé, putting a respectable distance between you, and turn your eyes to the Queen. Still, you do not releasing her hand from your hold. "You daughter also said that she knew things that could provide me some answers, your Highness."
She smiles. "I believe what I have to tell you is the same that she was going to tell you. My daughter and I think very alike, Haruka."
Really, you want to ask. Could it be that such a calm, pacific looking woman could have a cold edge like her daughter? You chuckle mentally. Everyone has a hidden side, why should this woman be any different? "Very well then, Highness. Tell me what happened. Answer my questions."
She nods and sighs, turning away from you and walking back inside. "Then follow me." You move after her but you again sense reluctance from the woman behind you. "You as well, Michiru."
"I do not want to intr-" she starts with the same that she had told Usagi, but you turn to look at her seriously, cutting her off.
"I just revealed thing to you that no else has ever heard about. You will not be intruding." And with that you start walking after Serenity and this time Michiru doesn't resist, instead tightening her grip on your hand.
As you walk through the dark halls again you frown, wondering when had it become so easy for you to reveal so much of yourself to another person.
AN
Hey guys!
Hope you enjoyed this chapter!
I know I said I was going to be revealing Haruka's secret but alas, her past just wanted to reveal itself to Michiru first. Hope you are not too frustrated there, he he. I will try to update quickly again and this time I am pretty sure that it will be approached, since Queen Serenity already established that so shall be done, and who am I to deny her? xD
(cough cough… That is, if nothing unpredicted happens again… cough cough)
Well, thanks for reading and thanks for your lovely reviews, as always!
Until next time,
LostWyrda
