Again, sorry for the delay! I will try to update at least one chap on weekends, but since I started class again, plus the new job… well, I don't have that much free time.
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All SM characters belong to Naoko Takeuchi, but the OC's and the story belongs to me. Do not steal!
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37
"Stay still!" came the grunting order. "It's bad enough I can't work with this… how do you work with this?"
"I don't," she replied, easily. "I just let it be. Why do you think I keep it short?"
"Because you have the right face and cheekbones for that hairstyle? And no curls. I'm not sure curls would work with that hairstyle…"
Wide green eyes looked into darker ones through the mirror at that. One blonde eyebrow going up and an incredulous look all over her face.
"What?"
"Who are you and what did you do to my friend?"
"I take it you're not interested in some dear old makeup, then?"
"Hell no!" she practically yelled, turning around in her seat and glaring at her. Forcing herself to calm down before she could jump up and strangle her friend, she took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as she massaged her temples. "Look," she started, a bit calmer now. But only a little. "I took the damned bath, I let you comb my hair…"
"But I didn't do anything!" the other argued. "You won't let me!"
"I'm already wearing the robe," she continued, ignoring the protest. "I'm all done and ready. So can we please, please, leave now?"
"Ok, fine!" the other said, raising her hands up in the air in a surrendering, yet annoyed manner. "See if I ever help you out again!"
"You're not helping me out, you're torturing me!" she corrected her. "You're the worst maiden ever!"
Dark green eyes blinked, once, before the woman arched an eyebrow at her, eying her up and down to then shove her nose up in the air. "It's not my fault you don't know how to just take a damn bath and actually relax."
She was trying not to answer to that in any way that could be considered as physical aggression -though, honestly, that was the only answer her brain could come up with right now-, when a knock on the door got their attention, making them both turn towards it.
"Are you guys ready or what?" Mamoru's voice, though muffled, reached them from the other side.
She all but jumped to the door, making it fly open and surprising the black haired man standing in the hallway, as his blinking blue eyes looked into her wide opened green ones. She probably looked somewhere in between mad and just pathetic, and she knew it, but she didn't really care right now, and didn't even bother on trying to hide the begging look off her eyes, as she pointed one long, accusing finger to the woman still standing next to the vanity, blinking rather dumbly at her.
"Get her away from me!"
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She stepped out of the bathtub letting out a content, relaxed sigh. The bubbles and special smelling salts that had been added to the warm water let out a soft, enchanting scent; a mix of lavender, herbal green, sage and chypre that now lingered in her skin and emanated from her long, wet curls, even after drying her body and covering her nakedness with the black robe that had been placed over a small wooden bench, neatly fold and ready for her once she was done with her bath.
Deciding to leave her hair dry naturally, loving the way it smelt, wet and soaked in that soft scent, she turned to look at her own image in the full length mirror as she put the robe on. It looked exactly like the ones she had seen the others wearing the day before; the long wide sleeves covered her hands almost entirely while the material slid against her skin softly, gently hugging her breasts and marking her waist as she tied the belt around, to then fall down to the floor in a cascade of silky black.
After the meeting with the Council and a small tour around the grand cabin, Setsuna had taken her there, saying something about traditions. And with no further explanation that just that, the green haired woman had guided her to one of the single bathing rooms; the aroma emanating from the water had been enough for her to leave all and any questions for later, deciding to enjoy the offered bath instead. And even now, out of the tub and clothed, the smelling salts were still numbing her mind and senses in the most relaxing kind of way, and she let out a soft, content sigh; the entire experience was making her feel like a princess from some fairytale.
Stepping out of the bathing room to walk into the adjacent room, with a vanity and a red velvet stool set in the middle, a full length mirror right next to it, she found Setsuna standing there as well. With her back to her and her long, dark green hair cascading down her back, her magenta eyes were lost somewhere in the darkening sky as she stood next to a window, gazing outside. But before her toes could even touch the soft red carpet, the woman turned around to look at her, with a soft, small smile playing on her lips.
"I hope you've found everything to your liking," she said, walking up to the vanity and gesturing for Michiru to take a seat on the stool. "I can only imagine how overwhelming everything must be for you right now," she said, taking the brush from the vanity and proceeding to brush her wet, long curls.
She nodded her head, softly not to disturb the woman's task. "Yes, everything is… amazing, actually," she said, giggling softly.
"I have to say, you're taking this incredibly well," the olive skinned woman pointed, looking at her through the reflexion of the mirror.
"Am I?" she asked, frowning lightly and shrinking her shoulders. "Well, I… to be honest, I still feel like this is all just a dream," she said, admittedly.
Setsuna smiled, nodding her head. "I'm sure you are. But still. None of us was sure of how you would react," she said. "And we all fear what we don't know."
She nodded her head, vaguely.
Yes, she had been afraid. When those men first took her, injecting something on Haruka and knocking her out, she had been terrified to death. But what had started as a terrible nightmare it had now turned into a fantastic, amazing dream. Finding out the truth about her dreams and visions, seeing her father again, being Haruka's mate; it was all part of it.
For the first time in years, she was not scared anymore. She could now stop judging, questioning and doubting herself, and just be, knowing those around her accepted her and cared for her just the way she was, regardless of outside beauty, social status or her natural musical talent. And it just felt like a beautiful dream to her.
Yes, there were many things she still didn't know, questions to be answered and things to be learnt. But at every new turn, with every new discovery, she felt as if walking even deeper into her dream instead of waking up. And she was sure she would need a serious reality check soon enough. But in the meantime, she was willing to let things be, absorbing everything like a greedy, happy sponge, and enjoying every single second of it.
"I still think it's amazing," she murmured, smiling softly.
Setsuna chuckled softly. "I'm sure you do," she whispered back, gently tapping her shoulder and making her look up at her through the mirror. "And I'm sure you'd be more comfortable if Haruka were to be here with you right now," she guessed, smiling knowingly when Michiru nodded her head, blushing lightly, "but it's tradition for mates to be apart before the run."
A frown made it to her features at that. She remembered Luna saying something about a run, but no one had really offered an explanation of what that was exactly or what did it mean, and she was starting to get really curious about it.
"It's only a silly tradition," Setsuna said, as if guessing her thoughts. "You will be formally introduced to the coven, like all the newborns," she explained. "Only, normally that happens when they're little cubs…" she trailed off, smiling in amusement and complicity.
Michiru giggled again, feeling both excited and nervous, as she let the dark green haired woman work with her hair, gently brushing her long curls.
"But this would be a very special run," the olive skinned woman continued. "You're not only being introduced, but claimed as well."
"Claimed?" she repeated, frowning again.
"As someone's mate," Setsuna answered, with that never fading, gentle, kind of mysterious smile of hers never leaving her features. "When a member of the coven is finally mated, we all gather at the woods, and a blood exchanged is performed in ceremony."
Her frown deepened with the explanation, as a blush came rushing to her cheeks. Blue eyes blinking a couple of times as Setsuna's smile only widened and, placing both hands on her shoulders, she gently made her turn around on the stool, facing her.
"Just a small cut," she said, taking one of Michiru's hands in hers and running a single, slender finger across her palm. "You will be asked if you truly desire to spend the rest of your life with your mate," she explained, now lightly tapping the back of her hand and then nesting it in between hers, "and you'll join hands in promise of a lifetime together in front of the coven," she finished, smiling softly again.
She nodded her head in understanding, as a soft, smile, anxious smile made it to her lips when a flash of short, wild blonde hair and soft green eyes came to her mind. She couldn't help but think the tradition Setsuna had just explained resembled a sacred union ceremony performed in some old, long forgotten culture. And it probably was, too.
Although she already knew, with all her heart, no doubts and no second guessing that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with the tall blonde, she couldn't help but feel nervous about the upcoming ceremony. She knew it was probably -surely- one of the most important moments in the life of a Shapeshifter, and it made her anxious, excited, and yes, nervous.
"Why the bath?" she asked, curiously.
"It's symbolic," Setsuna answered. "To enter this new phase in life with a clean, clear mind," she explained. "Like I said, is just a silly tradition, and all you have to do is accept."
She giggled softly, lightly nodding her head. The thought of refusing, of denying the blonde never even crossed her mind, and was completely out of question.
But, curiously, another thought did cross her mind. "Has anyone ever refused?"
Setsuna's face expression changed at that. It became serious and somber, as her magenta eyes seemed to gaze into nothing while her mind was being taken somewhere far. It only lasted a few seconds, and the dark green haired woman was fast to shake herself off, getting back to her task and gently gesturing for Michiru to turn back around so she could get back to brushing her curls.
"Once, centuries ago," she finally answered after a pause. "A male named Jirou took advantage of a female's awakening into her estrous cycle, knowing she was not his mate to take, but either unable or unwilling to wait for the one for him."
Michiru frowned, looking at the woman through the mirror. "What happened?"
"He committed treason, and it was decided that he had to take her as his mate after tainting her, to somehow redeem himself," Setsuna explained. "But during the ceremony, he refused. He ran away after that, and died years later by the hand of a human while he was attacking a small town."
She gasped at the story, understanding it was probably a dark chapter in the history of the coven. And the way Setsuna just tilted her head to a side, lightly shaking a shoulder as if trying to dismiss its seriousness only proved that.
"The female, Risa was her name, took her own life soon after he disappeared, unable to face the shame of Jirou refusing her and the guilt after she had refused her mate herself by ever being with Jirou in the first place," the olive skinned woman continued. "So did Jirou's real mate, refused and ashamed by him in front of the entire coven."
"Oh God…" Michiru whispered, saddened by such tragic story, and now feeling bad for even asking such question in the first place.
Setsuna tilted her head again, letting out a sigh. "It's because of Shapeshifters like him that our race has such a bad reputation among humans," she said. But then a small, amused smile made it to her lips. "Of course, nowadays, humans think we're nothing but characters in novels and movies."
She chuckled softly at the last remark, before looking into magenta eyes. "So what happened to Risa's true mate?" she asked, feeling bad for continuing with the subject at all, but unable to fight off her own curiosity. Specially considering how Setsuna had failed to mention him at all.
The woman gave one of those smalls, enigmatic smiles of hers Michiru was soon getting used to.
"He decided to live on, in solitude," she answered. "He spent many years traveling around the world. Visiting cities and small towns alike, he created bonds with the covens spread all over the globe while nurturing himself and learning from humans, their history, their mistakes, their societies as they entered the modern era," she explained, with a hint of admiration to her voice as she smiled down to her, gently combing aquamarine curls around Michiru's face with her hands. "Out of all of us, he's the one with the better knowledge and understanding of the human race," she said. "I guess that's why I was not that surprised when he finally came clean and told us about you."
Blue eyes blinked a few times at that. And as understanding and realization finally hit her, she blinked again; a silent, small 'o' forming in her lips, while Setsuna simply smiled at her, walking around and taking Michiru's hands in hers, helping her up.
"I've come to understand everything happens for a reason," the woman said. "Even if we cannot see it at times."
"May we come in?" a soft, female voice coming from the doorway got their attention, making them both turn around to look at the petite blonde woman that had just entered the room. Her hair was tied up in her traditional, unique two buns, with the long pigtails trailing behind her, brushing against the material of her black robe as she walked smiling up to them.
Rei stepped in right behind her, wearing the same outfit with her long raven hair cascading down her back.
Michiru smiled up to them and Setsuna nodded her head, silently letting them know they were done and it was ok for the women to step in. And at that, the petite woman jumped up, happily clapping her hands and with a wide bright smile upon her face.
"This is so exciting!" she exclaimed.
Rei rolled her eyes at the blonde, shaking her head before turning to look into Michiru's blue eyes. "Don't mind her," she said. "She's been up here indulging herself with stupid novels for way too long, and they kind of messed up her mind a little…"
"Rei!" the blonde complained, frowning and pouting, as she hit the floor with her bare foot. "Why do you have to be so mean to me?" she asked, indignant. "And why can't you just be happy for Haru?" she then asked, raising her hands up in the air in an exasperated manner.
"I am happy for Haruka!" the raven haired woman defended herself, narrowing her purple eyes to the blonde. "I'm just not inclined on bouncing all over the place like you do!"
"Girls," Setsuna put in, before the blonde could answer that last comment, gently putting a hand on her shoulder and tapping it softly.
"Right!" the blonde exclaimed, nodding her head, smiling widely again.
Rei smiled, walking up to Michiru and taking her hands in hers. "It's time."