Alrighty, must apologize here, it seems that my cp has finally won one of our "No, I know that that is the way you really spell that name!" battles. Somehow, Elsa's name had become Esra, so sorry, i'm aware of it now, I'll fix the other chapters some time in the future.
Chapter 9
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Mistress9 stirred restlessly, it was time to act at last. She reached forth to find the Professor. He was at his usual office, down in the basement of the grand house.
"It is time, send the daimon now." She whispered into his overworked mind.
The Professor jumped slightly from the unexpected intrusion. Then, realizing who it was he eased back into his chair. "As you say, Mistress" He made a last notation on the papers before him and got up. On his way out of the office door he grabbed up a key chain marked 'cages'. Tomoe went through the back door into a room of pure darkness. Not a ray or particle of light could have been found in the space.
He searched for no light switch, but with a sure step went on, turning left and then left again. The path sloped gently under his feet as the temperature dropped a good ten degrees. It was obvious that he had now descended to an underground facility, yet still there was no light. The Professor kept on walking in the total back.
Finally he came to a stop, a tiny red beacon signifying that he had reached the door to the underground laboratory. Tomoe fumbled with the keys for a moment, letting his fingers find the right card. He felt the unmistakable razor edge of the key and inserted it into the automatic lock by the small light. A numerical keypad now became illuminated by internal lights, he quickly punched in a code. A portal of phosphorous light opened up to let him into the facility.
"Volture is ready now, Mistress." Professor Tomoe said walking past a row of titanium cages until he stopped by one marked 'Volture'. "He was designed specifically for this mission. His wings will allow him to travel over great distances much faster, while the advanced sensory system build into his skin will totally mask him from observation." At this point he had already opened the cage, letting a tall, mostly gray creature come forth from it.
"Volture, you will now be sent to accomplish your task. You will be successful."
The bird-like thing hissed in response and rose a foot up in the air, extending its gigantic wings full length. Wicked talons graced his feet, muscle corded every body-part.
"Yes," Mistress9 said into Tomoe's mind, "he'll suit my purpose well. Release him."
Tomoe opened a hatch in the far off wall. Volture raced towards it, and out into the bright afternoon sun.
Mistress9 followed him out with a part of her mind, once he was a good two miles away she entered his primitive mind. No need to change things here too much, but a little touch up was needed.
"Do you know who I am, Volture?" she asked him gently, not wanting to break his slight intellect.
"Yes, Mistress." His mind answered, but from his mouth only came another screech.
"Good..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Michiru breathed a long sigh of relief as she settled the receiver down. It was done, and the man did not sound as one who begrudged aid. If only he could truly help her.
"Hello, anyone home!?"
It was Elsa, she'd obviously come in without making a sound. The girl had a way of being silent that completely surprised Michiru at every turn, after all Elsa was overflowing with energy.
"I'm over here Elsa." Michiru said getting up to see the girl. "Daniel fell asleep in the den. He spent all of last night howling at the moon- not literally- so he was drained by early afternoon."
"Oh, I'm not surprised. But he'll have to make tracks if he wants to make the flight. It's already six." She dropped her bag into the corner and carefully hung up her coat.
"You knew he was leaving?" Michiru asked letting a small portion of her surprise to color her voice.
"Of course, for one thing he never visits long, for another he's been too long away from the pack." She spoke in a matter of fact tone, but the merry sparkle in her eye warned Michiru that the girl was only playing with her.
A smile tingled the corners of her mouth. She suddenly decided that she liked Elsa, a lot. The runner possessed a sense of humor and a heart pure as gold. The first rivalry Elsa had exhibited had quickly vanished, and now Michiru saw the possibilities of friendship.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Daniel brooded as he boarded the plane. He had done what the dreams had required of him. Sea and wind were brought together. Then why did he feel that everything was so wrong? The hair at the back of his neck was standing on end, the smell of danger choked in his throat.
Michiru and Elsa- both of whom were tuned to such changes in atmosphere- had not been affected in any visible way. If anything was amiss, one of them should at least have been uneasy at such a strong presence. Perhaps it was just his nerves, he'd been through a wringer this past week and a half, some down time was past due.
Settling into his seat he prepared to sleep through the coming hours of flight. A nice shot of scotch, he knew well, would soothe his paranoia and let him rest in piece.
He followed through with that excellent plan just fifteen minutes later when a stewardess prompted with a polite "What would you like sir?". Half an hour later Daniel St. John, pack leader of the southern London werewolves, was as unaware of the evil occupying the space next to his as anyone else on the flight. Anyone having the heightened-to- extreme senses needed to detect Volture's well masked presence signed it off as a preoccupation of flying and paid no attention to the prickling at their necks.
Volture, on the other hand, was very well aware of each and every human on board. Especially the shape-shifter who sat next to him. Oh yes, they had forgotten to warn him of the target's capabilities, but he could smell the wolf under human skin. He had been told that the last daimon had died trying to take the lycanthrope's heart. Now it was up to him to take the creature in alive.
The professor had not really wanted to disclose too much, he thought Volture just a brainless machine to do his dirty work for him. But he was wrong. The Mistress had touched his mind, giving him both knowledge and understanding, letting him instantly develop the brain capacity to fulfill his errand. This mission was too important for her to not send a higher form to accomplish it.
The daimon did not truly think that it was given so difficult a task. All he had to do was follow the one called St. John to a private place where he would sedate him and fly back to the Mistress. She could take care of the prisoner from then on. As a way to show just how much she wanted him- and to further instill the fear of her Power- the Mistress had been generous enough to show Volture her plans. The werewolf had proven to be more important then the energy of his pure heart would have been.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sailor Pluto frowned as she watched St. John drive away from the airport. This could not have been meant at first. She had known from the start that Michiru's involvement with another was inadvisable, but this... This could cause complications down the line, and not just in the time line either.
Well, there was nothing she could do about it now. She had seen the changes ripple through the whole stream of events and her interference would only change things to the worst at this point on.
"You have chosen a difficult path for yourself, Senshi of the Sea." She said sympathetically.
"Her choice was only partially her own, Time Keeper. You and I both know what had to happen." A deep voice reverberated through the endless halls.
"She has a path, as does Uranus. It could have been easier for her if she would only allow her old self to take more control. I am afraid that Uranus will do the same, she fights for control but only losses it more by doing so." Sailor Pluto turned away from the live pools to face the beyond from which the voice had come.
"They are more set in their ways then the others. No matter, this stubbornness will allow both to follow through with their tasks." The voice said philosophically drawing out the words.
"I don't like to see those two suffer so. There will always be problems for the two, and their souls had seen enough pain the last time around-"
"You worry too much, Time Keeper." The voice rumbled fondly, almost teasing now.
"You should be one to talk, no action of humans will ever affect you." She shook her head gently, how could she ever make him understand?
"Nor you, Time Keeper." Just short of sounding hurt. "But I feel their pain!" She exclaimed, exasperated with this age old argument. "Cease. I'll not argue with you again. If you have no consolation for them, then leave me be. Unlike you I have work to do."
She opened a light portal and stepped into the private chambers of her palace. Even He would not follow her here, a speck of propriety was left in him yet.
"The centuries have made you harsh, dear Setsuna, Princess of Dead Pluto." The voice whispered through the now deserted- but never empty- halls. "Harsher perhaps, then I will ever be, for like your comrades of the Outer Planets, you do not let destiny take you along but try to control the paths of Time." The last echoed sadly to silence, his consciousness returning back into Abyss of Time.
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Chapter 10
Michiru arrived at the art gallery a good half an hour before her scheduled meeting with Mr. Sakoturo. She needed to know the lay of the land - so to speak. There was always an advantage to knowing your surroundings, even here there could have been untold surprises.
She greatly enjoyed a few minutes of piece as she walked through the spacious halls of the gallery. It was not a collection of masters, but upstart modern artists such as herself. She had no doubt that this was a fact taken into account by the crafty little man.
Michiru smiled conspirationally, she had not been idle either. A little bit of digging on the net with a few pointed questions to Elsa, and she knew as much about Mr. Sakoturo as anyone did. Probably more then most.
She had not yet decided if she would agree to the usual arrangement he proposed. It was too inflexible for her purposes. But then there were no guarantees, only his usual tactic. At least she knew who she was dealing with now.
Checking her watch for time remaining she turned to retrace her steps.
Sakoturo walked in through the main doors just as she came into the large corridor. She picked him out of the crowd without difficulty regardless of his small stature. The pictures she had seen obviously depicted his more young self, but the compact figure and piercing black eyes were the same. He carried no Power such as would count with spirits, but plenty of the human kind.
"Mr. Sakoturo, it is a pleasure to finally meet you." She said coming up to him.
The gentleman turned at the sound of her moderated voice and smiled after a second. "Same here I assure you, Ms. Kaiou." His smile was purely political, giving away nothing. With this man she'd have to fully rely on her sixth sense, Michiru thought as she mentally readjusted her hearing to pick the softer voice fluctuations.
"I trust you did not wait long? You are punctual, that is good. Now I thought we'll have a bite in the diner," he went on without waiting for her reply. "You'll be able to show me your artwork. We'll discuss the future while viewing the works in this lovely little gallery." He took her by the elbow and led the way.
Michiru did not need her finer senses to know that she should not argue. She followed meekly for now, saving her strengths for later. And it was not a bad idea to have some lunch or refreshment now either. This way there would not be a time later when her stomach might give her away.
In the little restaurant adjacent to the gallery they were escorted to a corner table. Michiru surveyed the atmosphere. It was elegant- after all it stood by a prestigious gallery- soft classical music blended smoothly with the hum of voices to form a warm background. She appreciatively scanned the menu, wondering if Sakoturo would pick up the check with a mental chuckle.
When the waiter came around she only asked for a mocha, Sakoturo did not order much more then a light desert himself.
"So then, Miss Kaiou, let us see what you have brought for me." The portly man said leaning across the table toward Michiru.
She opened up her portfolio and carefully slid out the three sketches and a canvas she had brought with her. The sketches were taken at one of the parks she used to visit regularly. Two of them were views of a lake with passer-byes and boats floating out. The third was of an elderly couple holding hands and feeding birds. The image had struck a deep note in her, these two people who could share a love so deep it followed them to their dotage. She had added pastel chalk shades to the image, but could never bring herself to paint it on canvas, she felt it would somehow cheapen the ideal.
The last she passed to the other end of the table was a small unsettled oil on canvas. It was one of the latest of her destruction scenes. This one was a dark forest engulfed in scarlet flames with storm blowing black smoke off toward the violent horizon. Within the woods animals- shadows on shadow- could be discerned as they fled for dear life. The branches twisted upon them, becoming corrupted death traps for those they would normally shelter. Birds rose up above in the polluted sky, they beaks open in cries of terror. And in the very midst of it all, in the heart of the fire one could see- if they looked very carefully- a shape like that of a woman. A mere darkening of red with wisps of smoke, forming the most foreboding, and foretelling form of the one who would cause all this mayhem.
She had done the painting upon waking from her vision dream about a month ago, the picture had been so clear in her mind that her eyes had tiered from imagined smoke. The work was perhaps one of her best from the point of view of an art critic, yet it was gloriously horrible. Michiru had wavered about bringing it, but common sense had won out, anyone could appreciate the talent in it, if not necessarily the subject matter.
Sakoturo spent the time until their coffee arrived studying the sketches. Not a muscle moved to show what he thought, even the old couple did not elicit a reaction. as he continued studying the pastel shading the little man took a sip of his drink.
"These are impressive, but sketches still. Did you have anything else?" His voice assumed the intonation of a grandfather speaking to his small grandchild who could not quite understand what he wanted even though she tried real hard. Condescending, that was it. He was humoring her or something.
Michiru wondered if he was doing this on purpose, to see how she would act if irritated, for surely anyone would find this quite annoying. well one way or another this was not a good test, Michiru simply pushed the canvas closer to his hand. Let him try to remain calm at the sight of that one, she though indulging her ire.
He took it up. And instantly refocused his glasses. The drink obviously stuck in his throat and his eyes opened wider then seemed possible. Michiru almost smiled at the picture he presented, but she knew what he saw, and she knew the effect such visions had on the human psyche.
Sakoturo cleared his throat self-consciously, all too aware of the fact that he had lost control of his reactions. "Well, I must say... this is.. very vivid." He spoke slowly, choosing his words, trying not to say 'I feel like I've seen the face of death.'
Michiru nodded, this was the time to speak up, he was shaken enough to hear her. "Most of my work is not as detailed or as destructive. As you see from the sketches, I prefer to draw from live subjects, not from the mind's eye. However at times the mood hits to create a piece such as that.
"My art is very important to me, but more so is my music. I am sure that by now you have had a chance to hear a recording. I do not ask you to give me anything for nothing in return, I'll work for you. But right now I need help both with finding a job and with entering a school. I was told you could help me. My question is simple, will you?" Michiru looked straight at the startled man. with all her senses she tried to understand what he was thinking and feeling. Unfortunately he had been able to compose himself by now. Sakoturo might as well have been made of rock.
'If he refuses me now,' Michiru thought, 'I'll be back at square one. No, that's not totally correct, I'll have Uranus, I'll now who she is. Nothing will change that now.'
Still, she waited breathlessly for his answer.
"Why don't we take a walk through the gallery?" Sakoturo said by way of reply. He got up and politely waited for her to gather up the work scattered over the table. While she did a waiter came over wondering about the check. Sakoturo told him to put it on his tab. 'So he does come here often enough to have a tab.' Went through Michiru's mind as she gathered herself both physically and mentally.
"Look around you, Ms. Kaiou," He said as they walked down a wide hall, paintings lined both walls. "Here are the works of artists such as yourself, all talented, all with great aspirations for the future. And yet you are different from them, for you do not want to concentrate on your talent, as good- and perhaps- better then theirs.
"Do not, misunderstand me, I will help you. As we speak I have an agent researching which halls would be best for your music and art.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Haruka slowed down as she reached the finish line. There was no longer a need to spend all her energy at once. She crossed the finish line almost at a trot heading instantly heading for her gym bag and water.
"You should be more careful, you're slipping." Haruka almost choked on her water at the unexpected voice right next to her ear. Assuming it was one of the coaches she turned with an outraged retort. That instantly died on her lips.
Behind her- well now in front of her- stood a tall young woman. Nearly as tall as Haruka herself, with long dark hair that looked suspiciously green. She was no coach, that's for sure, and no one in their right mind would run the last stretch in that suit either.
"You should not assume that your position is so secure that you could lax in attention before the finish. One of the others could have been saving their strength for those last few meters. With you slowing down so much that person could have won easily." The woman went on as if she had every right to correct Haruka in her training.
"But that did not happen. I won without question." she said, doing an admirable job at restraining her more caustic responses.
"This time, Ten'ou, but what about the next? If you are negligent in training it will affect your performance in a competition." The other remained calm and logical, which only s4erved to make Haruka more pissed off then before.
"Listen lady, I don't know who you are, and personally I don't give a damn. I still have a lot to do, so why don't you just go and preach someone who cares." Thinking the stranger properly dismissed Haruka turned back to fiddling with her belongings.
"Just remember, even the wind bends to other forces of nature. Be sure to follow the right force." She turned to face the track, looking over the other athletes going through their routines. "I hear your next race is in two weeks, you'll be facing some of your previous opponents." She faced Haruka in profile, sun catching on dove's heart rubies in her ears. "Good luck." And the woman walked off toward the main complex of the school.
Haruka watched her strange hair swish back and forth as she walked away. Strange hair, strange eyes, strange words, just strange. Who was she, what did she want? Haruka felt a prickling certainty that she knew the answers, or at least should know them.
There was something ghostly familiar about the dark skinned woman. A fluctuation to her voice, an accent almost, that she had never heard before, yet she knew it. Also she got a feeling that there was more to the woman's words then unwanted advice about training. It was as if the stranger knew a secret about her that Haruka herself was not aware of.
'You know what she was talking about, liar.' A little voice in her head taunted. 'You can deny it as much as you want, but you fool no one. Not even yourself.'
'Oh, shut the fuck up!' Haruka yelled in her head, mentally shutting a door to that part of her consciousness. The day had only just began, she would not let the ghosts of the night leak into reality of day.
With a huff and a little puff to dilute her anger- at herself and the woman- Haruka slung her bag over one shoulder and headed for the shower rooms.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Leaving the school complex she looked up at the darkening sky. The evening was beautiful. She had not expected to be stuck for so long doing her report, but it was hard to keep track of time in the windowless library.
Now, as she watched a cloud drift over the setting sun Haruka longed to feel the cool evening wind whipping at her face. Making up her mind on the spot to skip the night's session with the mechanic, she ran to where her bike was parked. Within minutes she was racing along narrow streets, relentlessly headed for the ocean highway.
She drove all thought from her mind. Leaving nothing but the road and the machine beneath her. Yet the dream found it's way in. 'Enjoy the road while you can.' It seemed to snicker. 'This won't last much longer.'
"GO TO HELL!" Haruka shouted to the wind and accelerated after a bend in the road.
But the feeling of imprisonment only grew, as if it was pulling her along. She was already on the highway, mountain face on one side, ocean on the other. Haruka was compelled to slow down, watch the steep shores.
There was a flat opening coming up ahead. An outcropping in the sheer drop. It was there that she was being pulled. Haruka slowed even more, riding now some ten kilometers below the limit. She was able to spot a car parked above the outcropping on the road. Coming closer she saw a figure- very small- on the piece of land.
As she finally came upon it time itself seemed to slow to a drag, letting her see the imperceptible details.
A woman stood on the outcropping, easel and brush in hand, a canvas before her. Her hand was poised for another stroke of the brush. Molten rays passed through waves of gleaming hair. The awareness of... something grew to a peak and crashed over her. A momentary loss of control. The bike swiveled precariously to the left, then right. The moment was broken as Haruka struggled desperately to right herself.
'That was too close.' She thought not daring to look back at the scene she left behind. 'Time to go home.' Moderating her speed to just above the speed limit for the area and concentrating on nothing but the road, she took the first exit off the highway. She already knew what the night would bring. There was no point in trying to elude the inevitable.
The irony of that thought did not come to Haruka until almost a month later.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Michiru looked after the rider, Ten'ou. It had to have been her, the time was close at hand for her to awaken to her true self. This encounter could not have been for naught.
She looked back at the skyline she had been painting. The light had shifted. She would not get any farther with this canvas- it could not yet classify as a painting.
Folding her tripod and gently packing the canvas, Michiru gathered her things to leave.
Michiru got into the car she'd borrowed from Elsa, starting it up. She did not really like to drive but it came in handy at times like this one. Since her interview with Sakoturo she had wanted to be alone with the dreams, and art, and nature. All the things that had brought her here and for which she would fight. The breeze had smelt of promise and she was powerless to resist.
Now she knew why she had to out. Uranus needed a reminder of what she could not escape. Michiru almost felt sorry for the other girl. She must be very strong of will. after all, to lead such a life she would have to be very independent. And she had indeed felt that moment of awareness, when Ten'ou had lost control as she passed by. That must have been jarring.
Michiru looked out at the park gently rolling by. It was so peaceful, who would think that all the ugly things existed in a world of such green and shades of violet.
A sudden scream pierced through the hazy evening. Michiru slammed down on the breaks as an evil, high pitched laugh followed the initial scream. Nearly jumping out of the car- a true feat in her long pleated skirt- she ran for the woods of the park. Still on the move Michiru fumbled for her transformation stick. Without stopping she transformed, jumping over a log she called 'Neptune Planet Power, make up!" and Sailor Neptune was the one to land.
She ran blindly toward the screams, letting her ears and inner sight guide her. Sailor Neptune came over a hedge of bushes to find a leafy, gnarled daimon leaning over an unconscious human form, extracting the pure heart crystal.
"Deep Submerge!" She summoned the power of Neptune without conscious thought. Sending the tidal wave at the daimon while it was still surprised. The first torrent of water rolled over it, knocking the thing down and away from it's victim- who turned out to be a middle aged woman. Sailor Neptune ran over to where her heart crystal lay in a small puddle.
Carefully picking up the sharp-edged crystal Sailor Neptune looked into it's depths, trying to divine weather or not it contained a talisman. She had only time to register it's blank center, for something heavy and big hit her between the shoulder blades. Neptune stumbled forward, landing on her hands and knees with a loud whoosh as air rushed from her lungs. The crystal went flying from her gloved fingers to roll over in the tall grass.
"No!" the daimon rumbled as it clumsily went after the crystal. Sailor Neptune used it's inattention to pull herself up for another attack. This time she concentrated all her power on the crash of water. The great green wave came up to consume both daimon and crystal, dissolving the two to dust.
Once the water settled down to be absorbed by the earth what remained in the clearing were a dead body and a shattered crystal.
Sailor Neptune walked over to the victim's body. 'I couldn't save her.' The thought numbed her to the core, she failed in saving this woman. Already she was failing.
Squatting down beside her, Sailor Neptune took a closer look. She was not very pretty. Lines of age showed on her face and neck, her hair was peppered with gray. But there was a quality to the weathered face, a kindness undiminished by death. This woman had been the holder of a pure heart, she deserved to live; or at least die in a more dignified way. Guilt swept through Sailor Neptune.
"Stop it." She told herself sternly. Sacrifices had to be made for the greater cause, that was the way of the world and of war. Which is exactly what the situation was, War. She had killed the daimon, not allowing it to take the pure heart or go on to kill again. And she had been able to confirm that the crystal held no talisman, before it shattered. All things considered it had been a battle well won, with no personal injury and only slight loss.
As Michiru climbed back into her car, she carried on the reassuring monologue. The conclusion she came to by the time she pulled into Elsa's parking space was that she must expect fatalities. The few had to die to save the many. Those who own the talismans would have to die one way or another, and she had no way of knowing if a heart crystal could even be given back to its owner once extracted. From now on she could not let herself sympathize with the victims, they served a purpose higher then most: they gave their lives for others, even if they did so unconsciously.
If not happy, but at least satisfied, Michiru took out the packet of papers given to her by Sakoturo and went for the elevators. She didn't want to hustle around with her other things, chances were that she would go out tomorrow evening.
Back in the apartment Michiru was surprised to see that Elsa had not yet returned. Then again, the girl had some strange habits. Giving the matter no more thought Michiru went on to the kitchen, taking the phone with her.
Telephone to one side, food to the other, and the papers in front she settled to find herself a place to live. She'd been living off Elsa for nearly a week now and even though she did help out and paid for her own expenses- to Elsa's great displeasure- she did not feel totally comfortable with it.
Looking over the addresses in front of her now, Michiru had to admit that indeed she would not have found these deals on her own. She instantly saw three ideal locations, both close to Sakoturo's offices and the hall in which she would now perform. They were not too far from the High school either, and there were nice parks all over, she noticed referring back to a city map. Yes, these were the apartments she'd start with, the prices were not bad, and would diminish to down right low once she started earning her own money again.
Taking a last, encouraging, sip of coffee, she reached for the phone.
Elsa came in close to nine to be greeted by beautiful, purely celebrational violin notes. There was no mistaking the freedom of the sound, clearvoyancy had nothing to do with the smile that release of joy brought to her lips.
"What's the good news?" she asked from the living room door where she had waited for her temporary roommate to finish.
Michiru lay down her violin in the nearby case, smoothing her hand over the glowing wood. For a moment she remained so, with her head bent toward the instrument, a small mysterious smile playing over her lips. In that minute, that expression, Elsa was able to finally realize just how apart this woman was from others she knew. In that instant her Power was least protected and it shimmered about her in great waves of deep calm insight. She could not fully understand this Power, but she knew it to be different from all she'd seen before. The Powers she was used to noticing always reflected the force which bent to them, but this was somehow not a correct description for Michiru's aura. Hers seemed more of a strong emotional connection to that force.
"I met with Sakoturo today." Michiru's voice jarred Elsa out of her musings, instantly covering the Power flux and whipping away the expression of mystery. "You are now in the presence of a proud employee and perspective apartment owner."
The last of Elsa's contemplative mood flew out the window. "What?!"
"Mhhm." Michiru nodded with a semi-sedate little smile, "The agreement we struck might not have been suitable to someone else, but I found it to be perfect for this coming year." Michiru finished, barely controlling her excitement, waiting for Elsa's response eagerly.
"That's great!" Elsa infused, then more slowly, "But... are you sure you want to move out? I mean, this place is big enough for two." She didn't want Michiru to go. In the short time the other had been living with her she had found out that being alone was really not as much fun as she had originally convinced herself it was. It turned out to be very nice to have someone to talk to over breakfast, or to come home late and have a hot brewing pot waiting for her.
Michiru, sensing the girl's reluctance for her imminent departure, smiled gently, and, infusing her voice with as much warmth as she would permit herself said "We'll visit often." For an instant she considered hugging Elsa, but drew back before the impulse had time to take root. Instead she tried to smooth the moment over with further words. "I'm looking into two apartments at the moment, both not far from here. Besides," she felt compelled to lighten the mood which suddenly weighed down on them, "I still need you to introduce me to Ten'ou, we can't part just yet."
Elsa appreciated the effort, but could not be comforted by it. In the back of her mind rang the idea that this girl, together with Ten'ou, was set apart by destiny. And that no matter how she wished to be a friend it just would be a passing acquaintance. "Yeah, you're right.
"So what exactly was the deal you made with the devil?" She asked over her shoulder, moving farther into the kitchen.
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Well that took an amazingly long time, did it not? I'm sorry, but life keeps on bugging me with the great and mighty responsibilities. Hope you enjoyed, please tell me what you think,
Yours truly,
Lady Hesperide