She flicked on the bathroom light and winced. The sudden brightness was almost painful. In the mirror, blood shot eyes stared back at her from a haggard face. She looked and felt exhausted. Sighing she shut the door and quickly turned on the shower. Beside the mirror, spelled out in glowing red digits on a clock radio was the time: 3:00 AM.
The water was already pleasantly warm when she stepped into the shower but she turned the heat up anyway. Steam filled the room as she stood with her eyes closed beneath the stream of water, water that was now almost painfully hot. It had been a long, long time since she'd dreamed of before, a very long time.
It was only when the hot water finally ran out that she stepped out of the shower. The clock now read 3:30 AM. She'd been in the shower for half an hour. Absurdly the thought occurred to her that Michiru would not be pleased. The aqua-haired woman had been doing her best to curb their water usage. Of course, it wasn't about the money. They had plenty of that. It was about the environment.
After changing into a fresh pair of pyjamas, she made her way down the stairs into the kitchen. Standing there in the dark, the fridge humming quietly beside her, she poured herself a glass of ice-cold water and gulped it down. The absolute last thing she wanted to do was sleep. Every time she closed her eyes she was back in the cave, back in the still silence. What she wanted, what she needed, was coffee.
Several minutes later she drew a chair up to the kitchen counter and sat with a cup of coffee in one hand, and a freshly made pot beside her. The rich, heady scent of the coffee filled the air and she took a long sip. She sighed with pleasure and savoured the faintly bitter, yet decidedly sweet taste of the coffee. Slowly, she let her head come to a rest on her arms. Weariness washed over her and her eyes drifted shut.
She slept.
The next thing Setsuna was aware of was someone poking her. "Setsuna… Setsuna…" Muffled laughter. "Wake up, Setsuna."
With a groan she dragged herself up into a sitting position. Pins and needles danced up her spine as her neck and back made their displeasure at the sudden movement known. Unable to stop herself, she winced and rubbed furiously at her sore neck. That only provoked fresh mirth from the person beside her.
"You nearly gave me the shock of my life," Hotaru said, violet eyes twinkling. "I came down here to make some hot chocolate and there you were at the kitchen counter with some," she wrinkled her nose in disgust, "Coffee."
Setsuna looked around. The time on the microwave was 7:00 AM. Had she really just spent the night slumped over the kitchen counter? That would have to be a first. "What are you doing up so early, Hotaru?"
"Early?" The younger woman now looked more concerned than worried and she leant over to place one palm on Setsuna's forehead. "It's Friday, I have school. Are you sure you're all right?"
"I'm fine, just… tired." Setsuna brushed Hotaru's hand off her forehead.
"I can see that." Hotaru pulled a chair up beside Setsuna's and sat. "Bad dream?" Her lips curved into a wry smile at Setsuna's look of surprise. "I've had my fair share of those, so I know how troublesome they can be." What she didn't say was just what those dreams were about. There were some things her erstwhile parents would be better off not knowing. "So, do you want to talk about it?"
How strange it was to be having this conversation with Hotaru, Setsuna thought. It seemed like only yesterday Hotaru had been a little girl, all shy smiles and nervous laughter. Now the girl was a young woman of seventeen, a young woman who had become very, very good at reading others.
"I had a dream," Setsuna said at last. "About before."
"Before?" It took a moment for Hotaru to understand. However when she did, the change was immediate. Her posture straightened. Her eyes narrowed. Her mouth tightened into a grim line. She couldn't possibly know just how much like Saturn she looked at that moment. "What about before?"
Fleetingly, Setsuna considered lying but just as quickly she discarded the idea. Hotaru's eyes seemed to see right through her, to cut past all the flesh and blood, and bone to the soul beneath. They were a predator's eyes, filled with carefully controlled lethality. Being the absolute centre of Hotaru's attention was at once almost frightening, yet oddly thrilling as well.
"I dreamt of Saturn," Setsuna said at last. "Or rather, the last incarnation of Saturn."
"I see." Hotaru struggled to keep her expression neutral, but she couldn't quite keep the quaver from her voice. "So what was she… I… what was she like?" In her lap, she clenched her hands into fists. "Or would I be better off not knowing?"
"Hotaru…" Setsuna began, not sure of what to say, not sure, really, of what she could say. Somehow she didn't think that Hotaru would be happy to know that Saturn had terrified her the first time they'd met.
"You two are up early." Setsuna breathed a sigh of relief as Michiru walked into the kitchen. The aqua-haired woman slanted them both curious looks and did a double take at Setsuna's dishevelled appearance. "You're looking well this morning, Setsuna."
"I'm fine." Setsuna's replied curtly. Her tone signalled that the matter was closed to further discussion. It was a tone she'd never been able to take with Hotaru, but she had no problems turning it on the other two members of her dysfunctional family.
"I… see." Michiru's eyes wandered from the pot of congealed coffee to the look of carefully schooled neutrality on Hotaru's face. What was going on? "You should probably clean that out." She pointed to the pot of coffee. "Otherwise it's going to be impossible to clean up later."
As she washed the pot of coffee, Setsuna kept an ear tuned to Michiru and Hotaru's conversation. For the most part it was small talk, chatter about Hotaru's schoolwork, friends and plans for the weekend. She was both impressed and saddened by just how well Hotaru disguised her unease behind a mask of good cheer.
Hotaru looked at the microwave clock. It was almost time to leave. "Where's Haruka-papa? I need someone to drive me to school."
"I'll drive you." Setsuna's knew for a fact that Haruka would not be up to driving. She also knew, or rather she could guess from the steadily growing grin on Michiru's face that Haruka would not be the most pleasant person to be around in the near future.
"Is something wrong with Haruka-papa?" Hotaru was genuinely puzzled. Haruka never missed a chance to drive.
"Haruka is feeling a little under the weather today," Michiru said. "She thought it would be a good idea to have a few drinks after the race yesterday."
"Oh." Hotaru couldn't help but smile at Michiru's tone. Haruka had obviously had more than a few drinks.
"Of course, she still has work today, and it would be a shame for her to be late." Michiru brandished a jug full of icy cold water.
Setsuna turned to Hotaru. "Let's go."
Hotaru nodded quickly and followed Setsuna to the garage. She didn't want to be around when Michiru put the water to use. They had just gotten to the car when she heard a piercing shriek followed by raucous laughter. Moments later, Michiru burst into the garage.
"Let me in!" she shouted as Setsuna started the car. "Let me in!"
Setsuna simply locked the car doors and put the car into gear. Then drove off. As they turned out of the driveway she glanced at her rear view mirror. Haruka had crash tackled Michiru and was busy emptying several glasses of cold water over the other woman's head.
"I don't think Haruka-papa will get to work on time today."
Setsuna looked over at Hotaru. The lavender haired woman was smiling, a real smile, and seeing that Setsuna couldn't help but smile as well. "I think you're right, Hotaru."
The trip to school took the better part of half an hour and for most of it Hotaru was content to study Setsuna out of the corner of her eye. Back in the kitchen, for just a few moments, she'd seen a crack in the emerald-haired woman's usually impeccably calm demeanour. What could have shaken Setsuna up that badly?
"How are your classes going?"
The sudden break in the silence caught Hotaru off guard. "Pardon?"
"How are your classes going?" As always, Setsuna's eyes remained on the road. "Didn't you have some assignments due in soon?"
Hotaru shrugged inelegantly. "I'm not Ami, but I think I doing all right." She frowned. "I have a sculpture due in for art class at the end of term but it's taking me a little longer to finish than I expected."
"Oh?" Hotaru's talent for sculpture had taken them all a little off guard, although perhaps it shouldn't have been surprising considering who'd raised her. "What's the problem?"
Happy to be talking about something more mundane, Hotaru replied, "It's silly, really. I had this dream and I woke up with a really clear image of what I wanted to make, only I just can't seem to get it quite right." An idea came to her and she smiled. "You should come in and have a look at it. I've got a key to the studio and I'm sure Yamada-sensei won't mind."
"I'd like that."
Fifteen minutes later and Hotaru was leading Setsuna into the studio. The studio itself was larger and better equipped than Setsuna had expected and she made a mental note to pay closer attention to the school's facilities in the future. Paintings took up the front half of the studio. Some hung off the walls, while others were still on easels.
"What do you think of the paintings?" Hotaru asked as she led Setsuna down the back to where the kept the unfinished sculptures.
"They're good." And she meant it. While not of a professional standard, some of the artists were definitely very talented. "Your sensei must be very proud."
"She is," Hotaru replied. The sculptures were on a long table at the back of the room, each one covered with cloth. "Come on, my one is the one at the end."
Setsuna smiled as Hotaru dragged her over to her sculpture. The younger woman's enthusiasm was infectious. Halfway there she stopped, her eyes drawn to one of the few uncovered sculptures. "What's this?"
Hotaru beamed. "Oh… that. I made it last term. I'm sure you recognise it."
And Setsuna did. Carved in white marble was an amazingly accurate rendition of the Moon Palace. Unable to stop herself, she ran her hands over the sculpture. The level of detail was incredible. "Hotaru," she said softly as she wondered at the time, effort and skill such a sculpture must have taken. "This is exquisite."
A light blush coloured Hotaru's cheeks. "Thanks." She grabbed Setsuna's arm and tugged her over to the end of the table. "Now here's what I'm working on." She pulled the cover back with a flourish. "What do you think?"
For a moment Setsuna wasn't sure what to say. However the rest of her reaction said it all. Her eyes widened and her hands flew to her mouth in shock.
"Setsuna…" Hotaru began uncertaintly. "Setsuna…"
But Setsuna didn't hear her. Instead she stood, riveted, by the sculpture before her. It was done out of black marble: a raven its wings unfurled with a glaive clutched in its claws. Its feathers seemed almost real, tousled by some unseen breeze. And the glaive, she'd know that weapon anywhere. Wrought out of black marble it seemed almost sinister. It had to be blunt and yet, in the light it seemed to shine with wicked sharpness.
"Is this what you saw in your dream?" Setsuna whispered.
"Yes…"
It was a symbol Setsuna knew all to well. It was the crest of arguably the most blood soaked and unfortunate of the royal houses of the Moon Kingdom. In time it had become synonymous with the most famous of that house's representatives and the power that she wielded. Following the single greatest disaster in the Moon Kingdom's history until the attack of the Negaverse, it had also been banned.
It was the crest of the Royal House of Saturn and throughout the Moon Kingdom it had become inexplicably tied to the Senshi of that unfortunate planet and what she stood for: the end of all things.
XXX
Author's notes:
Again, I don't make any money off this…
The plot thickens… or am I just losing the plot? Please review and tell me what you think.