Title: If Dreams Came True: Chapter 1
Author: Lady Hesperide
Address: ladyhesp@hotmail.com
Rated: PG-13
Disclaimer: Sailor Moon and all its characters belong to Naoko Takeuchi, not me, I don't have any claim to them. Also, this work of fanfiction is written purely for my own pleasure and that of others, I'm making no money here, so no one should have a problem. The story is fully mine, and the rights to that are mine as well, use the story for anything but enjoyment without my permission, I'll hunt you down and...... You get the idea, it will not be pretty.
Note: Think of this as an alternate universe story, so events have been rewritten and personalities have been slightly altered, some added, you know the kind (: This is pretty much just my version of how it began for Michiru and Haruka.
And, also, I'd like to now beg forgiveness for the way it looked before, I know it's not the best now, but I think I'm starting to get the fang of converting all my files into the right format. ::Sheepish shrug::
Hope you enjoy!
Lady Hesperide
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If Dreams Came True
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She was running again. She heard someone call for her to run
faster, "We are going to be too late!", the voice called. Streets she
had never seen before passed by in her side vision as fast as if she
would have been in a car, but she knew that she was on foot. She
could feel the ground beneath her feet, it felt as though she was
running on heels, why would she do that? There was no time to think,
a voice screamed inside her head, she had to hurry. And so she ran
faster and faster. The houses that were in her way disappeared, the
people did not exist to her.
Ahead she could now see the bright flashes of energy as attacks
were thrown back and forth. The fight had already started, before
they could get there to help. She took a second to look at the person
running with her, they were going at such a speed that she could
decipher nothing but blond and blue. They ran on. The energy blasts
were getting closer, she now could feel their impact shake the
pavement she was running on.
All of a sudden they were in a clearing. She skidded to a short
stop, green hair obscuring her vision for a minute. What she saw when
her vision cleared was horrifying. Before them raged a battle of
will, energy, and brute force combined. She saw clearly five girls
standing back to back, at times they would break up to jump from a
blast or to physically attack their opponents. Fire and ice came
together by their will. Thunder raged as it met with light to become
a fearsome force. Pure white energy came in blasts to dispel the
shadows advancing.
But the efforts of these fighters did not seem to have any affect
on their enemy. Dark creatures with no definite shape threw
themselves at the girls. Black bolts of energy flew from their
appendages, bypassing the bright attacks and hitting the girls square
in the middle, forcing them to back up into each other. Above them
all floated a woman with black hair and an evil mark on her forehead.
The woman summoned a great force to a vessel she held in her hands
and threw it in the midst of the defenders. The energy blasted them.
They had no chance against such a great attack. All five were on
their knees, blood was slowly seeping from their eyes, noses, and
ears, as well as numerous wounds. One, a blond with pigtails, pushed
herself up again refusing to be defeated.
She became aware of her companion running to the girls, to join the
battle. The pig-tailed girl called for her to help as well. But she
couldn't, she did not know what to do. How to help them?
The woman summoned her power again, the girl got ready by calling
to a power of her own, the one who had run with her pulled together
strength. The woman released her power. It sped towards the two
standing worriers. Their energy rushed to meet the darkness coming.
The two forces clashed and raged at the point where they met.
She knew that she should help. Oh gods! How she wanted to help, if
only she knew how! The darkness grew and finally engulfed the bright
energy of the defenders. As it came at them she heard her name being
called in agony. The darkness came at them, and they were no more.
When the air had cleared of debris a little she was able to see the
mangled bodies of the worrier girls and her companion. They were
spread over the ground in a bloody mess of tangled limbs, hair, and
tatters of clothes.
The woman above laughed at the sight of her obliterated enemies.
She raised her hands once more and, looking straight at her released
a tempest of unimaginable proportions.
She stood, paralyzed by fear, terror freezing the blood in her
veins. About her the city was collapsing in on itself, skyscrapers
and cottages alike crashed to the streets. People ran around her like
lost, disoriented children. But there was nowhere for them to run,
everything was being destroyed, transportation routs, communication
lines, all of it. In the end nothing would be left of the world they
knew.
Through it all the evil one laughed. She laughed at the broken
bodies littering the ground and painting the ruins of the city red
with blood. She laughed at the now dead worriers who had tried to
stand in her way and had failed so miserably. She laughed at all who
ever tried to oppose her, for now they would be wiped out. And she
laughed at her, standing so helpless and afraid, knowing that they
had failed and not being able to do anything about it. Yes, she
hovered in the air and laughed because everyone but her had failed.
They all had failed.
Armageddon had come, because she, Worrier of the Sea had failed.
She remained now to witness what would become of her world, as she
had been made to witness what happened to her friends. She remained
for she had failed to aid in their hour of greatest need. But mostly
she had failed before. It should never have come to this. She should
have been able to prevent it. If only she had not tarried in her
quest this would not have happened, they all would not be dead with
the witch laughing over their bodies.
The guilt washed over her once again and she could no longer take
it. She had tried, she had done everything in her power. Followed all
of the instructions, sacrificed all that she could, there was nothing
she hadn't done. Except for finding the most important thing of all,
whispered a soft voice in her head. You had done everything but what
you needed to. You concentrated on yourself when you should have been
searching.
No! No! No, no, no, no!!!! I did everything I could!
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Michiru woke up from her own screams.
She sat bolt upright in her bed, hair covered her face, plastered
in place with cold sweat. It seemed that she didn't move for hours,
trying desperately to catch her breath. When she finally was able to
breathe normally she collapsed back onto her pillows.
What was happening to her? She had not been able to sleep for the
last two months, plagued each night by nightmares like never before.
And they got worst with each passing day. The horrifying images from
her sleep became clearer and clearer. She had found that they
sometimes invaded even her waking moments.
Slowly she rolled out of bed and made her way to the bathroom.
Michiru knew that there was no way for her to get back to sleep now,
so she might as well start her day early. As it was becoming usual.
She took a long hot shower, trying to wash some of the tension out
of her muscles. Once done she put on a sea green terry robe with
matching slippers and went across the hall to her kitchen.
She fumbled by the wall for the switch and flipped it on. The
overhead lights illuminated her tidy white kitchen and the woman
sitting comfortably at the breakfast table. The green-head sitting
comfortably at the breakfast table? Michiru's sleep deprived mind
took a moment to process that. Once the moment had passed Michiru let
out a scream so high pitched that not even her violin could have gone
higher.
The woman at her table waited patiently for Michiru to stop
screaming. Once she did the dark green-haired intruder turned in her
seat to fully face the frightened girl.
"There is no need to wake up all the neighbors." She said in a very
calm and rational voice.
"Who... who are you?" Michiru asked shakily, "What do you want here?"
her fear was starting to mix in with a good dose of anger, how dare
this stranger break into her home and give her such a fright!
"Now, Kaiou Michiru, I think you know who I am, and what I came
for." She looked Michiru straight in the eye, as if measuring the
other's strength of heart.
The feel of that look... the patient voice... "The voice in my dreams!"
It suddenly became so obvious that she even laughed. "You are the one
who has been plaguing my dreams. You want me to fight..." she ended in
a whisper. Yes, it was now becoming clearer, awfully clearer, yet not
clear enough to understand.
"I am Sailor Pluto, the Guardian of the Gates of Time. I've come
because it is time for you to face your destiny. And in order for you
to do that you will need this." She stretched out to her a grayish
stick with a green round crescent encircled with one ring, on top of
the crescent was a five pointed star. Inside the star was a triton
like symbol, Michiru recognized it as the symbol of Neptune. "And the
information that I am about to give you."
"Wait. Wait, please." Michiru begged as she turned the stick over
and over in her hand. "I haven't slept much this week," an
understatement if there ever was one, she thought, "let me at least
get some coffee."
"Go ahead. Get some breakfast too, this might take a while." Sailor
Pluto leaned her staff against the side of the kitchen counter and
made herself more comfortable in her seat.
"Would you care for something?" Michiru asked, her manners kicking
in now that she did not feel quite so threatened.
"Yes please, I'll have some green tea if you have any." Sailor
Pluto said with a small smile that did wonders to soften her
otherwise stony face.
Michiru put the teapot to boil and fussed with her coffee, all the
while stealing sideways glances at the woman who called herself
Sailor Pluto.
"What do you expect to accomplish by sending me those dreams,
Sailor Pluto?" she asked as a way to break the silence, plus she
really did want to know.
"Please, call me Setsuna, Meiou Setsuna. And I was not the one to
send you those dreams. You did that yourself, it's your true self
trying to awaked and be set free." Seeing the look that Michiru was
giving her Setsuna shook her head taking the preferred cup of tea.
"But I am getting ahead of myself. Let us start at the beginning of
the story."
She stopped to make sure that she had Michiru's full attention.
"Well go on, I have until 7 before I have to be anywhere." Michiru
said, slightly intimidated by the stare.
"It all began 2000 and some years ago, when we all lived in piece
with each other, and the universe was ruled by the Queen of the White
Moon........."
The time slipped by without either one of the women noticing.
Michiru had purred more coffee and tea, Setsuna had talked
uninterrupted. After the second pot was put on to boil she brought
out some pound cake that had been sitting in the fridge. Nothing
disturbed the two, no one would have thought that they had only met
that night by the way they sat companionably together.
"It is very important that we find the Grail before our enemies.
The fate of the world will depend on the outcome of our search. The
inner Senshi will not condone your methods, and at some time might
work against you, but you must not hurt them, our goals are the same,
to defeat the rising evil and save Earth." Setsuna punctuated her
words by firmly setting down her now empty cup on the polished table.
"So that's it? You want me to save the world?" Michiru asked with
amusement. She shook her head lightly and looked up at Setsuna's
ageless face. "Do you truly expect me to believe all of that? You
break into my house in the middle of the night with some wild story
of a... Moon Kingdom, of all things, and I'm now supposed to abandon
everything and go search for a Grail?" Michiru's laugh was hysterical
now. She did not want to believe what this woman told her, she would
not believe it! She wished with everything she had that she could
just dismiss Meiou Setsuna as some nut who had somehow found out
about her nightmares, but she could not. That was what now had her so
panicked. Inn the back of her mind, in the deepest region of her
heart, she felt that Setsuna told the truth. That before her indeed
sat the Guardian of Time, and that she herself was Sailor Neptune.
She did not live so far away from Tokyo that she had not heard of
the Sailor Senshi. She simply never believed the stories about the
girls in too short skirts. Now she was being told that they did not
only exist but that she was one of them... to an extent. Everything in
Michiru screamed out not to except what was being told to her.
Setsuna just sat and stared at Michiru for a long moment. She could
understand that the girl did not want to believe her. That right now
the young musician was fighting an inner battle with herself over
believing the truth. But she did not have the time to let Michiru
figure it all out on her own. As it was she was afraid that she had
waited too long, that even now it was too late. She had waited all
this time in hopes that Sailor Neptune And Uranus would meet, like
the inner Senshi, and come to trust each other as they should. This
did not happen. She had pushed her time limits and was now paying for
it. Setsuna just hoped that the rest of the world would not be forced
to pay as well.
"Michiru, I know that you are confused. Look deep within yourself,
the answers are there in your subconscious." She nudged the stick
that she had earlier given to Michiru, "Take the stick, and call out
'Neptune planet power!' see what happens." When Michiru hesitated for
a moment she pushed the stick closer to the other's hand. "Go ahead,
prove me wrong."
Michiru alternately at the stick and then back at Pluto. What would
happen when she said the words? Would anything happen at all? Of
course not! Said the part of her that wanted for things to remain as
they were. The problem was that the other part, the one that was
nudging her from within insisted that she do as she was told. In the
end there was only one way to find out.
Michiru grabbed the stick in her right hand and raising it over her
head yelled "Neptune planet power!". She suddenly found herself
surrounded by columns of sea water. She felt her robe and slippers
disappear from her, to be replaced by the water-turned-material. When
the water was gone from around her Michiru stood fully dressed, with
Setsuna presenting her a mirror to inspect the replacements for her
robe and slippers. Her outfit was like that of the Senshi on TV,
fuku, tiara, and all. Except that her skirt was a dark green, as well
as her collar and the trim of her gloves. Her bows were a dark green-
blue that matched perfectly to the jewel in the middle of her tiara.
And she were high-heel green shoes that laced like a ballerinas up to
her ankles. To finish the effect, at her neck was green velvet choker
with a small round green stone that had four gold pieces of some sort
attached to it.
"Do you still doubt yourself, Sailor Neptune?" Setsuna asked
emphasizing the title.
Michiru stood transfixed. It was true, she really was Sailor
Neptune. She could feel the power of Neptune, power of the sea,
within her being. It was there, just waiting to be summoned to her
palms. If this part of the story was true, her mind sped on, then
chances were that the rest of Setsuna's story was true as well. Her
dreams, combined with what she was just told, all pointed to one
thing-she had too do what was necessary to save this planet from
annihilation.
"So..." she began as she brought her gaze up to Setsuna's, "This
means that I have to leave immediately?"
Setsuna smiled sadly. She had known that in the end Sailor Neptune
would come through for her, but she felt bad about making the girl
leave all that she knew and travel to Tokyo.
"Yes. You should be on your way as soon as possible. We cannot wait
for the Silence to come." She stood up, preparing to leave, but
stopped short in the kitchen doorway. "I almost forgot. There is
another who will join you in your quest. She will be Sailor Uranus,
you will know her on sight. Give her this," Setsuna produced another
stick this one had two rings around the ball on top and the sight of
Uranus on it. "tell her of the mission. Don't let anything stop you
from finding the Talismans." With that she turned into the living
room and disappeared in a bright flash of light. Leaving Michiru,
still dressed as Sailor Neptune, in her kitchen, very confused.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For the rest of the day Michiru was in a daze. She went to school
where she had to get all her records. The move to Tokyo must seem a
well and long planed for affair. No one should be surprised or
suspicious of her leaving. Of course that was impossible, everyone
was surprised by her decision to leave. After much explaining, and a
good deal of lying,
Michiru was able to receive her transcripts, collect her belongings
and leave. Leave forever, she knew that now. There will be no coming
back, no matter what happened.
Back at her apartment, Michiru took care to pack only what was
needed. Any extra baggage would only slow her down at this point. All
of her things went into two bags, and there was her violin case.
Everything else would go to the next owner of the apartment, they'd
be happy to get a fully furnished place.
She had decided to travel by metro, giving herself a better chance
to find Sailor Uranus. For now that was a higher priority then the
talismans. The search for those magical hearts would go faster once
she got help. There was always Setsuna, but she could not depend on
the Keeper of the Gates of Time. It was made quite clear to her that
Sailor Pluto would intervene only if there was no other way, she did
not want to leave the Gates unguarded.
Michiru lay down and savored the familiar feeling of her bed, her
room, for the last time. As she drifted off to sleep a picture of her
parents smiling down at her played before her eyes. They were
smiling, they said, because they knew that she had made the choice
to follow the right path even though it would be a hard one.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In the deep darkness of her chamber the Professor kneeled before
her thrown. She sat surrounded by her toys, her face in constant
shadow.
"Have you found a way to the talismans?" she asked, her quite
voice ringing with demand and authority.
"Yes Mistress, I have designed the perfect tool for capturing pure
hearts." The Professor answered not picking up his head.
"Good, I want those hearts, their energy will sustain me until you
find the talismans." She gave a small laugh. Seeing that the
professor had not yet moved she stopped. "Why are you still here? Go!
Bring me those hearts!"
While the Professor scurried away and out of her chamber the dark
figure started laughing again. Soon, very soon, she will have the
talismans, and with them the power to destroy this pathetic planet.
Nothing would stand in the way of Mistress9!
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Chapter 2
Michiru watched everything familiar roll by in her small window.
Slowly but surely it was sinking in that she'll never be back. Never
see her old friends or walk in the park where her parents used to
take her. She had chosen her way, the way of a soldier, a way that
required her to remain aloof and in solitude. A rush of loneliness
so intense came over her that for a moment she could not even take a
breath. Tears welled up in her eyes and Michiru had to fight to
prevent them from spilling down her cheeks.
On impulse she reached down for her violin- which was never far
from her. Opening the lacquered wood casing Michiru could already
hear the music in her head, in her heart. It had always been that
way, the music came and went like the tide of the sea, except that
this tide was of her emotions. Her hands caressed the dark polished
violin as she took it out.
She did not need her music sheets to play this time. The soft,
mournful sounds that came from her instrument mirrored on what was
only in her soul, not that of the one who wrote music for public.
This was her private longing for understanding and for home. Here
surrounded by eternal notes she felt safe, as if nothing could touch
her. Not even the grave warnings of Sailor Pluto. She relaxed and let
everything flow from her. The tears dried in her closed eyes, and her
purpose came into clear focus.
Michiru was not aware of how long she had been playing when her
concentration was broken by the insistent knocking at her door. She
had asked for a private 'room' on the metro as a precaution should
Setsuna appear or she have another dream. Obviously she had forgotten
that even though she had her privacy, she was far from alone.
She put the violin down reverently, and went to open the door. She
had probably disturbed some poor traveler's rest with her little
emotional outburst.
Putting on her most apologetic smile, Michiru opened the door. "I
am terribly sorry if I disturbed you. I'm afraid I forgot where I
was."
She had spoken even before she had a chance to see who it was at
the door, so she was surprised when a rich voice answered "I was not
bothered at all miss. I come on behalf of the passengers to ask if
you would like to play in the dining cart for all of us."
Michiru focused on the owner of that surprising voice. Before her
stood a young man in his mid to late twenties. He was built well
enough, and stood a good few inches taller then her. His light brown
hair was brushed back from his prominent forehead and was probably
tied in the back of his neck, around which hung a small loft pendant
on a black shoe lace.
But it was not his physic or clothes (which were not exactly
standard issue) that drew her attention the most, it was his eyes.
They were a soft hazel, welcoming and worm. Eyes that could belong to
an elderly grandfather or a young child easily. Those eyes did
wonders for the strangers somewhat rugged face. Somehow she got the
feeling that they were more guarded then anyone ever knew.
"I'm sorry, what was that?" she was not at all sure what she had
heard, so mesmerized she felt.
The man smiled down at her. "I asked if you would please play in
the dinning cart tonight." She now noticed that his Japanese was
heavily accented, obviously not his first language.
"You want me to perform for the diners?" Michiru asked, in English
this time, she just had the feeling that he would be more comfortable
with that.
"That bad am I?" he asked with a self-conscious laugh, "But I'm
pretty sure that that was what I asked."
Michiru stared at him in amazement. Sure she had played at a few
recitals, some of them were quite large and grand, but this was just...
strange.
"You're Kaiou Michiru, no?" the young man asked, when she did not
answer. His captivating eyes dancing at her confused nod. "I thought
I saw your name at a table." He stretched his hand out in greeting
"I'm Daniel St. John."
"The architect?" Michiru asked giving him her hand. She only then
realized that they were still standing on opposite sides of the
threshold. Embarrassed by her inconsideration - this was starting to
be a habit- she stood aside and invited him in with a sweep of her
hand.
He stepped in with a broad smile showing off his perfect white
teeth. "One and the same." Daniel waited for Michiru to settle down
before sitting himself. "I'm a fan of your work Ms. Kaiou, and I
simply couldn't believe my luck when I realized that you were on the
same train as i. I hope I don't seem too forward by asking you to
play for us, but it will give myself and the other passengers great
pleasure."
Michiru flushed at the praise. To think that such a famous and
prestigious architect as St. John even knew her name was great
praise. The fact that the enigmatic Englishman was sitting across
from her made her feel nervous and shy. Something she had grown out
of when she first started to play at black tie events.
"I... don't know, Mr. St. John," even her English sounded flawed and
hesitant to her, "I'm unprepared, not all of the diners might
appreciate the music." She stammered to a halt when he took her hand
in both of his. As she looked down at their hands hers seemed all the
more fragile, sandwiched as it was between his two tanned work
roughened hands.
"I took the liberty of asking if anyone would mind. They are
ecstatic to be privileged to hear you play. If only you will? Please
Ms. Kaiou, it would mean so much to me."
It was the personal request that did her in. For some untold reason
Michiru could not refuse him now.
In the short half hour that it took Michiru to prepare for a public
performance St. John -with the help of some from the train staff- had
set up a makeshift stage in the dinning cart. She noticed that he had
also exchanged his jeans and T-shirt for a pair of black slacks and a
blue dress shirt. For that matter, everyone who had gathered for the
mini concert had dressed in a casual-Friday style. Amazing that
people actually have so much clothes in easy access. She wondered
half seriously. Still, it made her feel as if she should have worn
one of her performing gowns, not the prim Sunday dress she now had
on. She knew well enough that the light green and sunflower print
brought out the best of her unconventional coloring, but it was still
a simple cut. Definitely not made for a formal event.
"You look wonderful." St. John said coming up to take her hand and
lead her through the crowd.
"You don't look bad yourself." The second the words were out
Michiru looked away in shock. Where had that come from?
But Daniel just laughed good naturally. "Would you care to join me
for dinner afterwards?" The request was followed by a smile that
could have melted all the ice in Antarctica.
"It would be my greatest pleasure, Mr. St. John." The worries about
her dress, the embarrassment of her remark, even her nightmares were
forgotten in the light of that one smile.
"Daniel, please call me Daniel, Mr. St. John is my father."
Michiru hesitated for a second, then smiled brightly. "Daniel." She
tested the feel of it. "All right. Daniel it is. And you will call me
Michiru?" she made it into a question just in case.
"I'd like that, Michiru." They just stared at each other for a
moment. Hazel to aqua-marine. Michiru was first to break the moment
by looking away. "I should start now, I think my public is getting
impatient."
Daniel gave her his now familiar smile, "Yes, you should go." He
even gave her a little push as encouragement.
He watched the young woman as she stood up on the covered crates
that for today served as her stage. Remarkable, he thought, she
visibly collected herself in the seconds during which she positioned
her music sheets. Now all the worry was gone from her face. It was as
if she shape shifted, or called on something deep inside.
Once the people saw her at the stage everyone quieted down. The
sudden silence was almost a living thing that enfolded everything.
Michiru touched the bow to her violin and the music came forth. It
started off slow and quite, gaining speed and volume with time, like
an avalanche. There were moments when Daniel, as well as others in
the room, forgot to breathe when a note soared only to plummet lower
then from where it had come.
Later he would wonder at the strong effect this woman and her music
were having on him. He had not lied when he said that he was a fan,
he thought the girl had a rare talent. Especially for someone so
young, he had heard enough professionals to know that very few were
born with their talent so developed. What had never before happened
was this fascination, this need to seek her out. In truth he did not
quite know what made him propose that she play for everybody, he only
knew that he needed an excuse to meet her, to see her, and to get to
know her. She had a powerful aura, it was not the same kind of power
as his, he could tell another of his kind practically by smell, but
power it was.
A power and a mystery to go with it, all wrapped in a beautiful
package with liquid eyes that gave the impression of seeing strait
into your soul. What was there that would not draw any man. Then
again, he was not any man, he had a quest far beyond expanding his
business. The main reason for his coming to Japan...
No, he would not think of that now, it was all too morbid and
disappointing. For this evening he was just going to enjoy the music
that called to his heart, and after the company of the woman who was
responsible for that music. Daniel tried to refocus on the violin's
voice once more. As he pushed all other thoughts from his mind his
eyes changed color. For just a blink of an eye the light brown was
replaced with an intense yellow, very much like that of a wild
animal. Then they were back to normal.
Daniel looked around to make sure that no one noticed the
transformation. Every body was too engrossed in the music to watch
him, and that was just fine by him. He settled down for the rest of
the show, putting the slip of control aside. After all, the moon was
almost full. With that some what comforting thought Daniel
concentrated fully on the music and Michiru.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sailor Pluto was as near to panic as she could allow herself to
come. This was just not working! Michiru was supposed to concentrate
on finding Uranus, not pursuing her career. And who the hell was that
man?! His eyes, she was sure that she saw them change color.
Running the images before her again she confirmed her suspicion
about his eyes. Not only had they changed color, but on closer
inspection, she realized that the pupil changed as well. In that
moment when the iris had turned yellow the pupil had gone from the
normal round of a human to the vertical slit of most animals. Nothing
under homosapien could make its eyes do that, she would stake her
staff on that.
Yet he did not have an evil aura, his was actually that of good,
not even the more common neutral. There was also a trace of some sort
of power in it. That must be responsible for his ability to change
his eyes. But did it stop there? Or was this man, creature, capable
of other, greater, changes. More importantly was he dangerous?
Setsuna did not much care if he was a threat to humans in
particular, for now that was not her priority, but she had no know if
he would present a problem to Michiru. So many questions, and no
answers. Setsuna never liked to be without answers, she had grown
very accustomed to knowing everything. That was one of the few
privileges of being outside of Time as people understood it.
Surprises like this one were not to her liking at all, no.
She would have to speak to Michiru about her new friend. She could
understand the others need for companionship at a time like this when
she had to be unsure and confused. More then once Setsuna had wished
that there was someone she could confide in or ask for guidance. But
a confidence such as that would endanger everything that she and the
others worked for, right now, Michiru was in almost the same
position. She must not trust anyone with her secrets, it would be
easier when she finds Uranus. Setsuna only wished that she could tell
all that to the girl now.
That was impossible of course. She could hardly appear out of
nowhere in the middle of a train full of people. Setsuna would have
to wait until Michiru was either completely alone, unlikely on the
train, or at a stop. Well, maybe not literally wait, but the
equivalent of it.
In the mean time she'll settle for finding out about this man,
Daniel St. John. She decided that the most sure way to go about
finding out what he was capable of, without breaking her own rules,
would be to search his past. If she was correct in her suspicion
about him she would not have to look that far back, a lunar month at
most. Sailor Pluto selected a view and began spinning it backwards in
time.
She had only gone past the last week when she felt a summoning.
Leaving her work as it was, Setsuna concentrated on the link. It was
from the Queen! She must have not realized how long she had spent
worrying about Michiru. In her constant watch for the next crisis she
had neglected the currant one.
Opening a ripple in space and time she stepped through, to find
herself in the Crystal Palace under heavy attack.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When Michiru stepped off her little stage Daniel was there waiting
to take her hand.
"I must say that that was a magnificent performance." He said
bringing her hand up for a slight kiss.
Color showed on Michiru's cheeks, "I take it that you enjoyed the
music then?" she asked a little breathlessly.
Daniel did not get a chance to answer for a plumb little lady
pushed herself between them. "My darling!" she exclaimed grabbing on
to Michiru, "that was simply marvelous. I must say, I have not heard
such quality since Carnegy Hall." As she talked the woman walked
Michiru toward the exit from the dining cart. All Michiru could do
was look at Daniel with a face that clearly begged for help and
rescue. Daniel shrugged, what could he do?
"Now if you are ever in Tokyo, and you need a recommendation to
anywhere, school, job, you know what I mean, you go and call this
number." With that the lady reached into her sizable purse and took
out a business card which she shoved into the girl hand. "Tell the
gentleman that Mrs. Rapoport said that you should call. He'll be more
then happy to help you out, a nice talented girl like you."
By this time they had reached the exit. "Now, I see that that
handsome young man from whom I took you is getting impatient with me,
so I shall go. But you remember that number, dear. And have a good
time tonight, after treating all of us to such a pleasure you too
should have some fun, no?" Mrs. Rapoport actually winked at her.
Leaving Michiru quite speechless, the middle-aged woman swept on
down the corridor to where ever her room was.
"Michiru, are you quite all right?" Daniel asked coming up by her,
"You look... stunned. What did that woman say?"
Mentally shaking herself Michiru turned to the man talking to her.
He was handsome, wasn't he?
She smiled, this trip was not turning out as bad as she feared it
would be. "I'm fine, she was very excited, that's all." She folded
the number into her pocket and once more looked up at Daniel.
"So where is that promised dinner? Playing for a crowd is no game."
That was as close to admitting that she was starved as Michiru could
come with a man she only knew for three hours. But for some reason it
seemed that she had known him for much longer than that. She felt
comfortable in his presence after so short a time, while it usually
took her much longer to get accustomed to people.
That brought a chuckle out of Daniel, he really did smile and laugh
a lot. "If you'll follow me my lady." He led her to a far corner
where a small table set for two stood in isolation.
"This is lovely!" Michiru was delighted. The table was already set
with salad, a bottle of wine waited in a cooler.
The evening passed in pleasant conversation accompanied by probably
the best food ever served in a train. At Daniel prompting Michiru
told him about her work, both as a violinist and an artist. He told
her about how he got into architecture. They spoke of the
differences between their two cultures, and which climate was
preferable.
They were down to which is a better pet, a dog or a cat, when the
waiter who had so far been very courteous came over.
He cleared his throat rather loudly, "I'm sorry to disturb you, but
the dinning cart will be closed in five minutes."
Both young people looked at him questioningly. "It's half past
one." He clarified.
Daniel looked down at his watch, "Well I'll be, so it is." He got up
and offered his hand to help Michiru. "It seems that we have lost
track of time. Let me walk you to your room, Michiru."
"Of course." Michiru was glowing, it has been a while since she
enjoyed herself this much.
The waiter watched the two make their way to the exit and shook his
head. If he didn't know better he'd have said that they knew each
other for much longer then a day. He looked down at the table,
everything was gone but the wine. Maybe they were not as trusting of
one another as they seemed.
Daniel and Michiru walked the distance of a cart in companionable
silence. Daniel was loath to end the evening, but he knew better then
to press for more time. After all he did not want her to get the
wrong idea.
They came to her door all too soon for Michiru's liking. She turned
to her escort "Well, I guess that's it then."
"Yes."
A silence fell, neither wanting to end the night, both knowing that
they had to.
"I... thank you, for the evening and dinner..." Michiru started, but
could not quite finish.
"Would you join me for breakfast tomorrow?" Daniel asked on the
spur of the moment.
Michiru brightened visibly, "I'd love to."
"I'll come by at nine." Daniel said quickly, he did not want her to
have time to change her mind. "Good night, Michiru, sleep well." He
leaned in to kiss her lightly on the corner of her mouth and strode
away. If he had taken it too far he wasn't giving her opportunity to
condemn him now.
"Good night." Michiru whispered, watching him leave.
She opened her door and stepped inside, leaning on the door once it
was closed. She did not fully understand her reaction to St. John,
but then, she did not understand a lot of what was happening to her
since she spoke to Setsuna three days ago.
The best thing to do now was to get a good nights sleep, maybe then
she'll be able to think through her behavior in the morning. With
that reassuring though she drifted off to sleep.
But a restful night was not what she was going to have, dreams came
to plague her once more. In her dream she stood in forest of
brilliant green. She was there as Sailor Neptune, and her every sense
screamed danger.
Leaves rustled behind her and she whirled around, assuming a
fighting stance. But what came from the forest was not a monstrous
creature, it was a rather large wolf. The wolf came closer to her and
she was able to see that its fur was a light brown, like nothing she
had ever heard of before. It came to sit a foot away from her,
starring at her with its yellow eyes.
Somehow those eyes were familiar to her. Not so much their color
and shape, she had never before seen a wolf, but their expression.
Welcoming and friendly, yet guarded at the same time.
The sun came out over the tops of the trees, its rays caught on
something around the wolf's neck. Sure enough once Neptune looked
closer she saw a small pendant suspended on the wolf's furry neck.
She was about to reach out her hand to see what the pendant was of
when the wolf stood up and moved away, growling low in its throat.
"No, wait!" she called to the wolf, it was already gone. The forest
went with it, to be replaced with the city that was now a familiar
ghost in her dreams.
Michiru looked around, why was she alone?
"The silence is finally here. Do you like it, Sailor Neptune?" a
voice said from above her. Up in the sky the woman with black hair
floated, smiling with satisfaction.
Michiru woke up. God, it was only getting more confusing.
"Setsuna, where are you? What's happening to me?" The questions
were whispered because she did not expect an answer any time soon.
She was on her own. At least until she could find Sailor Uranus. That
meant that torturing herself now would be no good.
"Think happy thoughts." She told herself, remembering what her
mother used to tell her when she had nightmares as a little girl.
Happy thoughts, Daniel, that could work.
She drifted off again, this time to remain asleep.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"You have done well enough, Tomoe." She said from her thrown,
inspecting the two pure hearts that the professor presented to her.
"They are pure, but no talismans. Go now, find me what I want."
When he left she picked up one of the crystals and crushed it in
her palm. "This is what will happen to this world, and nothing will
stop me. Not even you, keeper of time, we both know that."
She laughed without humor, the strength of the heart she had just
destroyed running through her. Soon enough, all will be in place.
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
End of Chapter 2
so what did you think? Please send me any of your responses
(ladyhesp@hotmail.com), I would really love to know, good or bad. Any
suggestions, corrections, anything at all.