HARUKA

I smile as Michiru comes out of her class. She sees me and waves as she heads towards me. We quickly head to the locker we share, and I take out the jeans and t-shirt I always keep in there. I despise the school uniform. It's a blouse and skirt… I HATE skirts!! I quickly go to the washroom and change.

"Where's your car, Haruka?" Michiru asks as we walk into the parking lot.

"I'm fixing it up a bit…it's in the garage," I say with a smile. My first love is cars. I look at Michiru… ok… so cars are my SECOND love!

Michiru rolls her eyes, "You're working on it AGAIN?" she asks.

I nod, "Yes, again! I'm putting another racing stripe on it!" I reply, "It has to look good for my race tomorrow, you know! It's the final!" I smile. My dream is to be a famous speed racer. I want to be in the Indy 500!!

I sigh, and look down sadly. At least, that WAS my dream… my dream before destiny took over. Destiny and fate are cruel things. They forced me to kill my dream. I remember it so clearly! The day when my life changed forever:

* * *

It was after a race. I heard a scream in the garage. I ran in to find a crying child.. then in a flash the child became a monster! Then I saw it. A glowing wand in front of me. Floating. I reached towards it... "Don't touch it! Once you do, your life will never be the same!" I heard a voice call out. I turned to the source of the voice. A beautiful woman in a sailor fuku. "I am Sailor Neptune. I know who you are, Ten'ou Haruka. Please… stay back..." She said as she attacked the monster.

I didn't know what was going on. All I could do was watch. "Deep submerge!" she shouted, and a giant tidal wave hit the creature, knocking it off it's feet. She ran towards it, and tried to finish it off… but it was too fast. It stood up and attacked her in return.

I had never seen this woman before… yet I had a feeling I knew her -- from long ago.

She screamed as the creature threw her against a wall. The creature then threw a powerful energy blast at her… knocking her to the floor. She was semi-conscious.

"Neptune!!!" I shouted as I ran to the fallen girl. Something filled me… a sudden fierce urge to fight this creature. I had to do something!

Sailor Neptune was bleeding. I ran to her and held her. She was in bad shape, "This is what I've chosen to do..." She began, "You do not have to do the same. All your hopes… and… dreams… will… die… and be replaced… by … something else… something… you didn't ask for…. A mission…. A mission you cannot turn away from… a destiny you cannot escape…"

Suddenly, the monster ran for Neptune again. With a sudden burst of energy, she attacked it once more. In a flash of blue, the monster was human once again.

I looked at the glowing object a few feet away from me, and took it in my hand. Five simple words echoed in my head. Five words that changed my life forever, "Uranus… Planet Power… MAKE UP!!"

* * *

"HEY!! MICHIRU TO HARUKA!! WAKE UP!!"

"What??!!" I snap out of my flashback. And look beside me.

Michiru looks at me and smiles. "You were staring off into space… what were you thinking about???"

I smile back, "The day we started our mission… not exactly under the best circumstances, ne?" I say.

She laughs, "You followed your destiny, even if it meant changing your life..."

I sigh, "It is my destiny. I am a sailor soldier. I was a sailor soldier during the Silver Millennium, and I will always BE a sailor soldier. You can't escape fate. It would have happened sooner or later…"

"True…" Michiru replies. I know her dreams died as well the day she became Sailor Neptune -- her dreams of being a musician and artist. Michiru is very talented. She can play violin, and paint the most beautiful pictures. I have been lucky enough to hear her musical talent, and see her artistic talent. She could have been famous.

"Come on… let's go grab some ice cream, ok?" I say.

She nods happily, "I want mint chocolate chip!" She says.

I smile. Anything green she likes. "I know…" I reply.

After a short walk, we get to the ice cream parlour. She takes a seat, and I go to the counter. I see, in the mirror behind the counter, the reflection of a man sitting down beside her. I can hear their conversation. After all, they're only a few feet away.

"Hi… my name's Akira… what's yours?" He asks her. I'm appalled at his ego. He is blatantly trying to pick her up! But, I have to admit.. he's not bad looking (though he's not my type..).

"Michiru…" she says, then looks at me in the mirror and smiles.

"Michiru is a pretty name…" he continues.

"Thank you," she replies politely. Michiru is not one to be rude.

"Would you like an ice cream?" Akira asks her.

"No… thank you…" she replies.

"Well.. then how about dinner?" He asks. Now, I am getting annoyed. Forgetting the ice cream for the moment, I head over to the table quickly. Yes… I'm jealous!

"Excuse me…" I say coldly.

Akira looks at me, "Sorry, buddy… I'm busy having a conversation with this lovely young lady here,"

I look at him. He thinks I'm a boy! That's understandable. I look and sound like a male. "Well… this lovely young lady is MY girlfriend… if you don't mind!" I tell him angrily.

He stands, and puts his hands up defensively, "Ok.. sorry man! Calm down!"

I glare at him, "I AM calm… and I'm NOT a man!!" I shout.

He looks at me, then at Michiru, "Oh…" he starts, somewhat confused… then the realization comes to him, "OH!! I see!! Well… I'll just leave you two then!" He says snidely, and walks out.

"Baka!" I mutter angrily, and stare after him.

"Um… ice cream?" Michiru says. I look at her.

"Huh…? OH!!" I quickly head back to the counter. Our ice creams are waiting. I pay for them, and bring them back to the table. "Gomen…" I say, "It's just that that guy was REALLY bugging me…"

"You got jealous…" Michiru says, and smiles. Then she looks at the door the man went out of, "He was REALLY nice though… very cute!" She says.

"Nani?!!!" I say loudly.

Michiru laughs, "Well… he WAS cute!!" Michiru has always preferred boys, but, as I soon found out after we met, you can't help who you fall in love with. The person she fell in love with just happened to be me. And I just happened to be a girl.

Before we joined with the other Sailor Soldiers, Michiru and I had our own mission -- a very DANGEROUS mission. And when you've been in umpteen life and death situations with someone, a strong bond forms. That is the curse and blessing of being a sailor soldier.

Sure… ALL of us Sailor Soldiers have strong bonds with one another… but nothing like Michiru and I. Usagi and her friends have the strongest bond of friendship between each other that NO ONE else could equal... but they each have their own romantic relationships.

Everyone knows Usagi has Mamoru. And Rei has a boy named Yurrichiro. Mako has a very close male friend named Shinozaki whom, I believe, will end up with her as a girlfriend. Ami… well… I fear her and Taiki may end up together… as well as Minako and Yaten. Of course, this does NOT make me happy… since I don't trust the Starlights. But it's their choice. As for Setsuna, and Hotaru… well, Setsuna is the guardian of time – and that doesn't leave much room for a love life. Hotaru… now THERE is a mystery! She is a very solitary girl… and that can be somewhat scary. Hotaru knows things… things that frighten even me! And I know she no longer considers herself Hotaru. She is only Sailor Saturn – the soldier of death and rebirth! Somehow, I don't think she would be very interested in having a relationship with ANYONE.

"Haruka-chan… you're spacing out a lot today…." Michiru says, drawing me away from my thoughts.

"Huh? Oh… just thinking…" I reply.

"About what?" Michiru asks.

I sigh, "About everyone…" Then a wave of sadness comes over me. Yes… they each have hopes and dreams of love. But… those hopes and dreams may never come to pass. "We have a major battle ahead. We have Galaxia… and her anima-mates. It could possibly be a battle we may lose," I say out loud.

Michiru takes my hand, "Don't talk like that…" she says softly, "You have to believe that we'll win! You CAN'T give up hope!"

I look at her. Michiru is my spirit. Without her, I would have sunk into a depression. She's the only light in my life now. My dreams used to give me hope… but I can't have those dreams anymore. If I lose Michiru in this battle, then I'll die MYSELF.

I shake my head and sigh. Sometimes, I wish we could just fly away and leave the world behind. Sometimes, I wish I was the wind!

NEXT: Usagi