The sky grew darker as the night approached. Word of another attack had reached the other senshi, but so had word that the attack was stopped, the only victim being the arcade. A relief yet another worry that the rogues were back to no good.
"Don't look so worried, Haruka~" Michiru teased.
"Me? Worried?" Haruka scoffed. She folded her arms stubbornly. "Certainly not. The others can handle the situation. I have faith in them."
"I hope everything's okay," Fumiko, their manager interjected, glancing between the two. They both looked smashing in their concert best, Michiru with a long seafoam green gown and Haruka in a matching tuxedo. Fumiko had picked the outfits for both of them so they'd match.
"Of course it is, Fumiko-san," Michiru smiled brightly. "I know you have everything under control as aways. Even if Haruka here's a bit of a worry wart." She reached over and pinched Haruka playfully in the butt. The blond stiffened up, causing Fumiko to giggle and brighten up.
Fumiko tapped the earphone on her headset. "It looks like your backstage guests have arrived."
The stage door swung open, allowing the special guests to arrive. Akiko entered first, dragging a nervous Judai by the wrist. Hotaru held onto Akiko's other hand. And Minako arrived with her on-and-off boyfriend, Saitou Kun. All had dressed in their best concert wear.
"Fumiko-san, I'd like you to meet our dear friends," Michiru introduced, indicated each one and stating their names. "And everyone, this is Tanimura Fumiko-san, our manager."
"Ohoho, it's such a pleasure to finally meet you in person, Fumiko-shi~" Akiko stepped forward, politely offering a slight bow in greeting. "I've heard so much about you and your excellent tastes."
Fumiko smiled. So this was Akiko, the woman Michiru referred to as her twin. Fumiko could definitely see it now. "I've heard so much about you too. It's truly a pleasure." She wasn't as traditional as Akiko, offering a hand in a western greeting.
Akiko tittered, offering her hand in return for a delicate shake, pausing for a brief second in response to a feeling. Fumiko was putting off an interesting aura, much like Emi had though in a much weaker form. She'd guessed Emi was one before, learning she was indeed an Eclipse but from another team. Was it possible that Fumiko was one of the missing Eclipse?
Fumiko jumped suddenly, tapping a finger on the headset. "I need to take care of some last minute changes," she withdrew her hand, stepping backwards. "Don't worry, I'll take care of everything." She offered a confident nod to Haruka and Michiru before disappearing between the curtains.
"You felt it too, didn't you?" Haruka inquired, glancing up at Akiko.
"We've felt that aura since the first day we met her centuries ago," Michiru added. "I've considered she's a soldier who simply never awoke."
Akiko glanced back at the curtains where Fumiko had disappeared. "That may be something we'll never know." With so many senshi surfacing in a time of need, it was hard to determine. Akiko had once learned of the names of the three fallen people, victim to Doxite's master plan, but no one was truly clear if they all were the three missing Eclipse or not. Sasami was convinced they were, but as their crystals were now gone, there was no longer a way to tell.
Minako paused her fawning over Saito for a moment, watching Fumiko disappear as well. "If she is, she might be in danger. You've heard what happened this afternoon, right?"
Michiru shook her head. "Only that the attack was thwarted. We've been here since this morning." They'd arrived that morning to practice and handle any last minute things. Fumiko had a handle on most everything, tending to any changes or adjustments to the set or costumes. Michiru and Haruka had spent the better part of the morning chatting with Shana about the song they'd composed for her upcoming movie based on her books. They were debuting one of the main songs tonight at the concert.
"Saturnalius found a former Eclipse that was attacked by a rogue," Minako explained.
"Former?" Michiru inquired. "As in, one of those lost during the previous battle?"
Minako nodded. "I don't have all the details, yet, but it's best we take precautions."
Both Haruka and Michiru could sense the seriousness in her words. Minako was often whimsical but when it came to sailor business, she was dead serious when people's lives were in danger. "We'll keep an eye on her," Haruka nodded.
Judai unfolded his arms for a moment, pondering on the idea. He'd heard about the missing Eclipse, how they had either never surfaced or were killed in the previous battle. He got different answers depending on who he asked. If Fumiko were one, he had no doubt that Haruka and Michiru could handle the situation. While he hadn't seen them fight, he knew the senshi could generally handle themselves, even in tense situations like this.
The lights flickered as a sign that the concert would be starting soon. "That's our cue to get our seats!" Hotaru explained excitedly, taking both Akiko and Judai by the hand to guide them out the door. The group had Orchestra Seating, situated relatively near the front of the theater for the best view of the concert.
Judai fiddled with his glasses as the small child had yanked on his arm. "Good luck," he offered the two before being dragged out the door.
"Oh we don't need luck," Haruka bragged, folding her arms. She received another pinch in the butt, courtesy of Michiru, causing her to unfold her arms and bend at the wrist in strange ways.
As the group left, Michiru bent down to open her violin case which protected her custom Stratovarius she called the Marine Cathédrale. It was a good luck charm, in a way, and she never played without it. It was named after a temple of the sea.
Fumiko emerged from the curtains, finishing up some last minute changes. "We had a slight change. The leader of the dance troupe fell ill, but we've got a replacement, the lead's understudy. Her name's Fadia." Fumiko waved the girl out.
"It's my pleasure to dance for your concert," Fadia offered a polite bow. She was a darker girl with brilliant orange hair and red eyes. A golden circlet crossed her forehead beneath her one long strand of hair, swept to one side covering half her face. The rest was pulled back into a bun, then the remaining hair formed a tail which fell nearly to her waist. She wore a loose colorful outfit, gold and deep blue, featuring a tight top with loose sleeves and puffy harem pants. She matched the troupe in style and complimented Haruka and Michiru's outfit in color and theme. Fumiko knew how to coordinate costumes well.
"That's a beautiful necklace you have there, Fadia-san," Michiru complimented, noting the girl's gold star necklace.
"You're so kind," Fadia smiled. "I received it from a very good friend. I hope you wouldn't mind I wore it. I don't like to take it off."
"No trouble at all," Michiru dismissed the notion with a warm smile. "I have some favorite jewelry myself, particularly the ones that Haruka gets for me." She prodded the blond in the side with her elbow.
"I do like to spoil you with shiny jewelry," Haruka laughed.
"And I do enjoy every moment of it," Michiru added, playfully twisting the green jade necklace around her finger. "They look so good on and off stage and anywhere, really."
Fadia glanced between the two, trying to figure out the relationship between the two. Boyfriend and girlfriend? Husband and wife? Was the blond a man or a woman? Tokyo was so strange. Or perhaps it was all of the planet? Things were simpler and more distinct back home. And soon things would return to that simplicity.
"Come, come," Fumiko beckoned the dancer. "I need to get you to the troupe to do last minute warmups. Haruka, Michiru, you'll be on in 5." The manager quickly disappeared through the curtains again, dragging the dancer with her.
"I think my senses are off," Michiru noted, pulling the violin up to her shoulder and resting her chin on it. She pulled the bow across the strings, playing a bit of a melancholy tune. "I felt something off about that dancer but I reason exactly why. I hope that Fumiko will be okay with her."
"I don't think Fumiko will have anything to worry about," Haruka frowned sharply. "However, Minako is right, we can't take too many risks. There are five guardians in the audience if anything happens. It's like when Sailor Iron Mouse attacked our concert with the Three Lights. The senshi, and now the shitennou, will be there to stop another attack."
"You're right, of course," Michiru noted. "We must have faith in one another." She silently hoped the concert would go smoothly, no interference by the rogues.
…
Author's notes
The dancer's name FADIA (فادية), an Arabic name meaning "redeemer".
I wanted to bring out a more playful side of Haruka and Michiru. You see it barely in the manga. I really see Michiru as the type to playfully pinch Haruka (particularly thanks to some fan art of this happening floating around tumblr)