Chapter 12: A Night at the Concerto
Michiru went rushing around the bedroom, trying to make herself look better than she had. She splashed some cold water on her face for a quick, impromptu face washing. She patted her skin dry, slapped some concealer under her eyes in order to hide the deep circles and then pinned her hair back to make it look a bit done up. She painted her eyes with a little bit of shimmer, some eyeliner, and mascara and then plopped some blush on to the apples of her cheeks.
Growling at her own tardiness, she ran into the closet and stripped out of her wrinkled clothing and slipped into a cream colored silk blouse. She zipped up a high waisted black skirt clinging to her body and then opened up one of her drawers. She searched fervently for a pair of earrings that she loved to wear, but couldn't seem to find them in any of her jewelry compartments. After a few minutes of searching, Michiru stopped trying to look for them and slipped into her high heels. She stumbled out of her closet, making it over to her nightstand in hopes to find her earrings in there.
"What's with all the banging around?" Makoto grumbled as she stepped in the room.
"Sorry Makoto, I should have left ten minutes ago." Michiru apologized.
"To go where?"
"I'm going to the violin concerto with Hotaru and Haruka." She responded. With a small cry of victory at locating her ear rings, she tilted her head to both sides and slipped them on.
"You're going on a date?" Makoto's eyes widened.
"It's not a date." She dismissed.
Makoto gave her a knowing look and crossed her arms over her chest. "You're going to a violin concerto with a little girl. Most likely she will fall asleep so you'll have to take her home either in the middle of the performance or immediately after. Which means you'll most likely end up at Haruka's house by roughly 9 o'clock. You won't end your night there. It's a date." She concluded.
"It's an outing with friends." Michiru insisted. She grabbed her purse off of the bed before turning and sliding many contents off of her dresser and into the bag with a swoop of her arm.
"Since when did you become friends?"
"I was assigned to Haruka two months ago." Michiru answered with an impatient sigh. She glanced at her watch and inwardly groaned. "Since we are now in the same classes and I'm giving Hotaru violin lessons
"And staying for dinner." The brunette added.
"…And staying for dinner, we've just gotten to know each other better." Michiru slipped the purse over her shoulder and faced her friend. "So how do I look?" she questioned.
"For a person not going on a date, too dressed up. For a person going on a date, hot." Makoto answered. "Have a great night." She called over her shoulder.
"Haruka-papa stop looking at your watch. Michiru will be here." Hotaru instructed as she pulled the dirty blonds arm back down. "Stop worrying."
"Its just that they're seating soon and she has the tickets." Haruka grumbled. She sent a glare at couple as the brushed past her on their way to the recital hall without so much as an apology or a look back.
"Haven't you ever heard of being fashionable late?" Hotaru questioned. She was kneeling down to see her reflection in the side of water fountain. She reached up and moved her bow a few inches before standing up and smoothing her dress down with her hands.
"I don't think keeping people waiting is-" Haruka looked at her watch again. Hotaru sighed impatiently before placing her hand in the taller woman's.
"She's here." Hotaru pointed out. She let go of Haruka's hand and ran up to Michiru. She grabbed her around the knees and gave her a big hg.
"I'm so sorry I'm late." Michiru panted lightly. She slipped her purse off of her shoulder before kneeling down and giving Hotaru a proper hug.
"Let me guess, you couldn't find your earrings?" Haruka snapped.
"Um, yes." Michiru straightened back up. "That's exactly right." She admitted. Michiru then popped her purse open and started to dig around. It was then Haruka noticed how nicely she was dressed.
'There's no way she thinks this is a date.' Haruka thought to herself. 'But everything she's wearing matches.'
"You look really pretty." Hotaru's voice broke Haruka's thoughts. "Like a fairy, or a goddess. Ooo no, an angel." She said excitedly.
"Thank you sweetie." Michiru smiled down at her and rubbed the smaller girls cheek with her thumb.
"Yes, you're lovely." Haruka said dryly. "Now can we go in?" with a harsh grab to her arm, Haruka pushed Michiru ahead of her towards the doors of the recital hall. She then grabbed Hotaru's small hand and followed. "And I meant that, by the way. You look great tonight." Haruka said low enough that Michiru still heard her.
Michiru smiled and silent claimed that her fluttering heart was for the excitement of the recital.
"When do I clap?" Hotaru asked as she took her seat. Michiru giggled to herself when she noticed that her feet were sticking straight out. They weren't even close to touching the floor.
"You'll know. The performer will stop playing and the note will waft into the air for a few seconds. When he puts his hands down, you start clapping." She explained.
"So how long is this shindig?" Haruka questioned as she took her seat. She rested her right ankle on her left knee. She propped her elbow up on the arm rest and placed her chin in her hand.
"This shindig" Michiru rolled her eyes "will have an intermission in about 5 minutes which will last about 15. The rest of the concert should be about 45 minutes." She answered.
"So roughly an hour?" Haruka asked.
"Exactly."
"Great, an hour nap will get me refreshed to do my homework tonight."
Michiru elbowed her in the side. Haruka bit her lip and kept the scream of pain in as the lights dimmed and the violinist stepped on stage. The man looked out at the audience for about a minute before lowering his head and beginning to play.
As he played his violin on the stage, the notes flew over, around and through the audience, as well as Michiru, in a haunting melody that leaves anyone who listens to it at a loss for words. It is in these moments that Michiru is able to completely herself in the music and not have to worry about the hand that fate has dealt her.
"He's not as bad as I thought." Haruka whispered in Michiru's ear.
Michiru smiled softly before turning to face her. "I'm glad you could make it. Maybe now you'll listen to something decent in your car." She commented. Haruka chuckled.
A comfortable silent fell between the two of them. Haruka reached her hand out and placed it lightly on Michiru's. Michiru looked down for a brief second before locking eyes with Haruka's again.
A high note from the violinist brought their attention back to the stage.
The beautiful sounds that the instrument produced could not drown out the thoughts that entered Michiru's mind.
'Maybe Makoto's right. Maybe this is date.'
Her train of thought broke for a few moments as the song ended. Haruka slowly pulled her hand away before standing up to clap. With a bow from the musician and a standing ovation from the audience, one new thought entered Michiru's mind:
'Is this world worth saving?'
Michiru frowned at the strange thought. But before she could wonder where it had come from, a thousand others invaded her mind, and she was almost overwhelmed with the intensity of emotions that she did not recognize, with the gravity of thoughts she did not conjure.
Saving…is this what will have to be done? Who? Who will do it? How? How can I help, why should I help, why not? Why now? Where? Where do I find it? What will it take, the saving of the world? What will I do…we? What will we do…?
Where are you…?
"Michiru."
Michiru's eyes sprang open, and she scuttled out of her seat. She started clapping. She clapped until her hands hurt.
"Is that it?" Hotaru questioned. Michiru turned and noticed the young girl standing up on her seat.
"No, its just intermission." She explained. "There's another part coming up in a few minutes."
"Haruka-papa, may we get some ice cream while we wait?" Hotaru widened her eyes and formed her lips to a slight pout.
"Alright, I know that look." Haruka chuckled and grabbed the small girls hand. "Let's go." Hotaru jumped down from her seat. She then turned, grabbed a hold of Michiru's hand and pulled her with them.
"So what flavor would you like?" Michiru questioned as they made their way out of the recital hall and across the street to the small ice cream stand.
"All of them." Hotaru cried happily as she walked in between Haruka and Michiru.
"Excuse me." An eldery man stopped them and reached out for Michiru's hand. "My name is Yashashi. You're Michiru Kaioh right? The famous violinist and painter?" he questioned.
Michiru felt heat race up her neck and settle into her cheeks. "Yes, that's me." She nodded politely.
"I just wanted to say that I enjoy your work. It's a shame you aren't up there gracing us with your gifts." Yashashi commented.
She nodded her thanks. The man's face was earnest, his voice sincere. She looked him in the eye, and the same irrational fear shot through her. His strong grip still held her hand.
"The violinist tonight is who we're here to see. So you should enjoy him as well." Michiru scolded softly. "Yashashi-san…could you please let go…?"
But the man suddenly squeezed tighter, causing her to gasp in pain. He bent towards her, his dark hair covering his eyes. He stumbled to the wall, pulling her forcefully along—and when he doubled over, he brought her down with him.
"I—what—don't—"
His truncated words were spoken in a hoarse tone, so unlike his usual, gentle one. Every muscle in his body seemed to tense. His fingers dug hard into the skin of her palm.
"Let go!" Michiru yelled, pulling with all her strength to break free. "Let me go!"
And suddenly, a guttural whisper came from deep within the convulsing man.
"Destiny doesn't let go…"
Under her terrified looks, he was shaken by a violent shiver…and changed. Where there had been limbs, thick, rough tentacles emerged, and his torso grew into an amorphous fleshy mass. For one tortured moment, the man's face gave her a horrified look, before disappearing in the shapeless mound that his body had become.
A scream pierced the air, and the monster turned its attention to a stunned Hotaru, momentarily forgetting Michiru.
The world reduced to slow motion. For an eternity, Michiru tried to break free of the unyielding grip, as the man who held her shook and wheezed as if attacked by some unseen force. For an eternity, she tried to clear her chaotic thoughts, to reign in the panic, the regret, the horror, the pity, for him and for her and for a world doomed.
Then, all her erratic feelings converged to one: certainty. And all the thoughts her frenzied mind had created died down, leaving one single idea inside her.
"Destiny doesn't let go…"
Her voice sounded oddly distant. Still kneeled on the floor, Michiru felt strangely detached. With mild fascination she watched the monster—that had been a kind, caring man—advance on Hoatru.
"No! No, stay away from me! Don't!"
The child's horrified screams floated into Michiru's consciousness. She watched, wide-eyed, as the monster closed in on the woman. It raised one tentacle to strike. The petrified child stood still. Haruka picked Hotaru up and leapt the to left.
The tendril came down brutally; bits of paper and cement flew as it tore a hole in the floor, the same place where Haruka had stood only seconds before.
The monster—no, Yashashi-san…no, the monster!—turned on her once more. Michiru tried to move, but her body refused to obey. From a few feet away, Hotaru tried to scream again, but only a strangled croak came out.
"Michiru, get out of there!" Haruka shouted.
The monster loomed above her, and with a deafening howl brought all its tentacles down.
A blinding light filled the air; time seemed to freeze. With one last effort to thwart the destiny that had hunted her down, Michiru tried to keep her eyes closed against the white radiance. But whatever awakened inside her proved stronger—her entire being vibrated with anticipation. She opened her eyes.
A small, blue wand hovered in front of her, emanating the strange light.
Michiru felt old, and she felt child. She hung between innocence and cynicism. She recognized deceit, and wanted to believe it was salvation. The wand floated, bright and warm and harmless…and beyond it, the monster poised to strike…and the heavy load of knowledge that the girl wished she could ignore.
Her fingers reached into the warm light, and half of her sighed with the regret of her lost innocence, and half of her smiled with the contentment of her found purpose.
She closed her hand around the wand, and it felt familiar against her palm.
She almost felt her mind reorganize, her knowledge, her desires, her feelings structure around the one mission that she could not fail. She felt stronger, calmer, more balanced and infinitely determined. Then came the memories.
And she felt the loneliness acutely, and she did not feel it at all because she knew that, somewhere, the missing parts of her puzzle were slowly coming together.
Together…
I'll be waiting for you…
The white light began to fade, and Michiru looked down at outfit was that of a warrior—she knew her heart should follow suit. The monster —Yashashi-san?—stopped for a second to take in her new appearance. She eyed him calmly.
"I am the Warrior of the Seas, Sailor Neptune!" she spoke confidently. "Whatever you are, you will be sorry for attacking my friends!"
With a low growl, the creature attacked again. She dodged his strike with ease, her body moving almost instinctively out of harm's way. Raising her arms against her chest, Sailor Neptune assumed a defensive posture. She would not attack—how could she, when the kind and loyal Yashashi was still inside the monster?
Please, run…run and don't cross my path again…I cannot fight you, and I must…
A tentacle came down hard on her, and she felt the pain of the blow across her ribs. The knot in her stomach tightened.
I can't…why…why should I?
She dodged another attack, and the monster howled in rage. It suddenly turned away from her. In one swift move, it reached Haruka and Hotaru, and wrapped its tendrils around them, lifting them off the floor. The younger child screamed at the top of her lungs.
For one second, Sailor Neptune took in the scene. The creature had only minutes before been Yashashi-san. Hotaru and Haruka struggeled in the monsters grasp. Why would Michiru Kaioh hesitate between the two?
The bitter irony of the situation was not lost on her. But the choice was obvious. She was not Michiru any longer—or at least, not only her…forgive me, Yashashi-san…I would give anything to have another choice…
She frowned, and searched deep within for the words that had once been second nature to her. Power flowed through her, and she found herself knowing how to channel it.
DEEP SUBMERGE
The sphere of energy left her hands, hitting the monster square in the center. The tendrils dissipated into thin air, and Haruka and Hotaru slid to the floor. The warrior directed a tortured gaze towards the monster...and gasped as she saw Yashashi lying on the dusty floor.
Tears flowed down her cheeks, as she kneeled by the man, checking him for injuries. She whispered a silent prayer as she found none. Slowly, she felt the storm inside her ebbed away…
The ocean is settling…?
Looking down at herself, the girl saw her uniform fading away, to be replaced by her usual clothes. Suddenly exhausted, she let out a long sigh before slipping into nothingness.
Michiru groaned as her head pounded. She slowly opened her eyes and found herself in a dark room. She tried to call out but her throat was dry. Turning on her side slowly she tried to read the clock on the night stand but her eyes weren't focusing on it.
They were immediately attracted to the bright light shining around the blue wand, which was resting next to the clock.
"So it was true." Michiru whispered before slipping into nothingness once again.
AN: Michiru's henshin wand scenes come from Myosotis13's story A New Tide. I messaged her and got permission.