Author's note: This has not been a good month for me. First of all, my computer crashed and I haven't been able to use it for the longest time. Second, fanfiction.net wouldn't let me log-in until today. I have no idea why. Apologies to the readers.
***
Wednesday Evening
Point of view shift - Haruka
Here I am, sitting in my yellow convertible. Every few seconds I look over at the passenger's seat and wonder where you are. I've stopped at the beach to watch the moon shine over the ocean. It's just like we planned except that you're not here too.
There's no wind tonight, and I'm glad. The wind always makes me feel better and I don't want to feel better, not while you lay so still, while you can't see the beautiful night.
Today seems like a surreal dream. I woke up with you in my arms and now when I go to bed I will be alone. I don't think that I want to go to bed. Whenever I travel to races I know you hate the feeling of sleeping alone, and whenever you leave for a concert in a distant city, you know I miss the warmth of your skin. What are we going to do now?
I know where you are, but I cannot touch you, and that's why I'm here tonight, staring at the ocean like a romantic fool. I can't help but wonder where are you, Michiru?
***
Time shift - Wednesday Afternoon
"When was the last time we were in this situation?" Sailorneptune asked me. She stood atop a torii gate looking down at me as I stood on a set of stairs below the gate. Dark clouds moved behind her like waves on the ocean. On the shrine grounds, Pluto and a creature with the appearance of an over-sized black panther were facing off.
"When we had first met." I replied, also smiling. My body was in a relaxed position, but my hand was curled tightly around my transformation pen in my front pocket. Part of the shrine was destroyed as Pluto dodged a blast from the creature and then sent a Dead Scream at it in return.
"No, it was in that hotel, before we met Seiya and other others." Neptune corrected. She looked back at the action behind her momentarily and sent a well-aimed Deep Submerge at the panther monster. The attack caught the monster off-guard and sent it spiraling into a tree covered in fortunes.
"Do you want me to transform?" I calmly pulled her transformation wand out of my front pocket. I used my wand to motion in the direction of the panther monster.
No, Pluto and I can take care of this. You should go back to your parents. They're probably wondering where you went off to so fast." Neptune urged and she hopped down from the torii gate onto the stairs above me.
"This isn't the beginning of a new enemy, is it?" I placed the transformation wand back into my pocket and watched Pluto fend the creature off with her rod.
"No, this is merely a spirit gone bad." Neptune responded. "Any of us could handle it alone, but Pluto and I were together when attacked, so we decided to make life easier on ourselves." She explained. Neptune turned away from Haruka with a gentle smile on her face. "I should go help Pluto."
"Be careful," I called.
"Of course," Neptune said softly before walking into battle. I watched her elegantly walk up the pale stone steps and onto the shrine grounds. I had always admired that about her, the ability to go into battle so beautifully despite any terrors haunting her.
I turned to leave. I had my hands in my front pockets as I began to stroll down the steps, away from the shrine and back to my parents. I purposely made my gait slower than normal. Although I did plan to come out to my parents, I was nervous about it and thus wanted to take my time about getting back.
I was probably about ten yards away from the steps leading up to the shrine grounds when I heard both Pluto and Neptune scream and heard the sound of wood breaking. Pluto began to send Dead Scream after Dead Scream bounding into existence, and I knew that I could no longer simply go back to my parents.
I pulled my wand from my pocket and thrust it into the air while yelling my transformation phrase. Hopefully, no one was watching nearby; I was in such a hurry that I forgot to check. My transformation seemed to take longer than normal, and I remember counting the seconds of the sequence for the very first time.
As soon as the part of me known as Haruka had been replaced by Sailoruranus I ran back toward the shrine. I took the stairs two at time and arrived at the top of the steps to find a pile of black dust disappearing thanks to the wind.
"Neptune? Pluto?" I called, desperately worried.
"Uranus, over here!" Pluto returned. I saw her waving from where she stood in a bush below a tree. Pluto knelt down, and I noticed the tree's broken branches swinging as gravity tried to pull them to the ground below. I instantly remembered hearing the sound of wood breaking earlier and looked around for Neptune although instinctively I knew where she was.
Seconds later, I found myself sprinting toward the bushes and I crashed through them not caring that the branches were cutting my bare legs. Pluto stood up and looked at me desperately.
"Pluto, who's there?" a soft voice asked.
"Uranus," Pluto replied. I worked my way through more of the bushes until I could see the owner's voice, Neptune. She lay tangled among broken branches and bushes, but she managed a tiny smile for me. I barely noticed it. The blood was what caught my attention, dripping off of soaked leaves and barren branches, sliding down her cheek, on Pluto's gloves.
"Neptune," I whispered in a horrified, shaking voice.
"Uranus, detransform and go for help." Pluto said urgently. I wanted to stay by Neptune's side, but Pluto knew more about medical care than I did and I was the faster runner of the two of us. I nodded and detransformed as I turned to run to the shrine to look for a priest, priestess, or even a tourist with a cell phone. Neptune called my name in a quivering voice and I looked back at her.
"Haruka! I...I'm sorry." She said. I didn't say anything. I couldn't say anything; I was too choked up with tears.
"Neptune, detransform." I heard Pluto order before I dashed away, wiping at my eyes. I ran through the shrine grounds looking desperately for anyone. The only sounds I could hear were the gravel crunching beneath my feet and the sound of thunder in the distance. Little droplets of rain began to wet the gravel and slide off the sloped shrine roof.
"Dammit!" I cried in frustration, and ran to the temple steps. I hurried to the street below and nearly slipped because the rain had made the stairs slick. I looked up and down the street for anyone, and my prayers were answered. A young woman on a bike was pedaling through the otherwise empty street. "Please stop!" I shouted and waved my hands in front of my face. "There's been accident! Do you have a cell phone?"
"What's wrong?"
"A woman was hurt terribly on the shrine grounds! Do you have a cell phone?" I asked. The woman reached into her purse and pulled out a hot pink Hello Kitty cell phone. "Thank you!" I said with a smile despite the gravity of the situation and dialed for help.
I don't remember what I said to the dispatcher aside from giving her directions. All I remember was counting the seconds before I could return to Michiru's side and fearing I would be one second too late. The dispatcher promised me that someone would arrive soon, and to go to Michiru because now that they had a location, they needed a description of the wounds.
The woman who had let me borrow her phone, parked her bike and followed me up the steps. My heart had jumped into my throat and made talking hard. I remember hearing my voice crack as I spoke in the little pink phone.
"Setsuna," I called as I ran through the courtyard with the woman behind me. The green-haired woman looked up from the bushes with concern. "Can you describe Michiru's wounds? You know better than I do." I climbed through the bushes and handed the phone to Setsuna who instantly began talking into the receiver.
"Haruka," Michiru whispered. I tried not to focus on Setsuna's report as I moved as close to my lover as the bush would allow.
"What happened?" I asked. I carefully took one of her hands into my own and squeezed. Michiru smiled and I wiped the blood off of her lips with a gentle finger. I tried to keep my face neutral as I listened to Michiru struggle to draw in another breath.
"Haruka," Michiru repeated. She looked content.
"Michiru, what happened?" I tried again.
"The creature simply got in a lucky shot." Michiru explained calmly. Her tone seemed too calm for the gravity of the situation, to match the way she gasped painfully so desperately, to match the way she worked to keep her eyes open. "It used an energy ball to send me crashing into the tree." She murmured in a breathy voice.
"Haruka," I heard Setsuna say from behind me. "The paramedics are here." I nodded and pulled away from Michiru so that paramedics could do their jobs.
***
Time Shift - Wednesday Evening
I didn't want to let go of your hand today. You cried out, sounded so betrayed that I had to turn away. I couldn't watch as the paramedics worked furiously over your body. I rode with you to the hospital and thought about how much faster the wind is.
After the doctors finished with you, I spent the day with you. I talked to you and I stroked uncovered areas on your skin. You never moved aside from being forced to breath by machines. The nurses told me that they thought you could hear me, and I tried my hardest to believe it.
Now, here I am sitting in my yellow convertible staring at the ocean. My parents are probably wondering where I am. I left my parents in midconversation when you and Setsuna transformed; I had to be sure you were okay, and it gave me another excuse to delay telling my parents about us.
Clouds have gathered in the sky, a mixture of our elements, water and air. I should close the convertible so that it's not ruined, but I don't really care at the moment. All I can do is sit here and wonder, where are you, Michiru? And when will you be back?
***
Wednesday Evening
Point of view shift - Haruka
Here I am, sitting in my yellow convertible. Every few seconds I look over at the passenger's seat and wonder where you are. I've stopped at the beach to watch the moon shine over the ocean. It's just like we planned except that you're not here too.
There's no wind tonight, and I'm glad. The wind always makes me feel better and I don't want to feel better, not while you lay so still, while you can't see the beautiful night.
Today seems like a surreal dream. I woke up with you in my arms and now when I go to bed I will be alone. I don't think that I want to go to bed. Whenever I travel to races I know you hate the feeling of sleeping alone, and whenever you leave for a concert in a distant city, you know I miss the warmth of your skin. What are we going to do now?
I know where you are, but I cannot touch you, and that's why I'm here tonight, staring at the ocean like a romantic fool. I can't help but wonder where are you, Michiru?
***
Time shift - Wednesday Afternoon
"When was the last time we were in this situation?" Sailorneptune asked me. She stood atop a torii gate looking down at me as I stood on a set of stairs below the gate. Dark clouds moved behind her like waves on the ocean. On the shrine grounds, Pluto and a creature with the appearance of an over-sized black panther were facing off.
"When we had first met." I replied, also smiling. My body was in a relaxed position, but my hand was curled tightly around my transformation pen in my front pocket. Part of the shrine was destroyed as Pluto dodged a blast from the creature and then sent a Dead Scream at it in return.
"No, it was in that hotel, before we met Seiya and other others." Neptune corrected. She looked back at the action behind her momentarily and sent a well-aimed Deep Submerge at the panther monster. The attack caught the monster off-guard and sent it spiraling into a tree covered in fortunes.
"Do you want me to transform?" I calmly pulled her transformation wand out of my front pocket. I used my wand to motion in the direction of the panther monster.
No, Pluto and I can take care of this. You should go back to your parents. They're probably wondering where you went off to so fast." Neptune urged and she hopped down from the torii gate onto the stairs above me.
"This isn't the beginning of a new enemy, is it?" I placed the transformation wand back into my pocket and watched Pluto fend the creature off with her rod.
"No, this is merely a spirit gone bad." Neptune responded. "Any of us could handle it alone, but Pluto and I were together when attacked, so we decided to make life easier on ourselves." She explained. Neptune turned away from Haruka with a gentle smile on her face. "I should go help Pluto."
"Be careful," I called.
"Of course," Neptune said softly before walking into battle. I watched her elegantly walk up the pale stone steps and onto the shrine grounds. I had always admired that about her, the ability to go into battle so beautifully despite any terrors haunting her.
I turned to leave. I had my hands in my front pockets as I began to stroll down the steps, away from the shrine and back to my parents. I purposely made my gait slower than normal. Although I did plan to come out to my parents, I was nervous about it and thus wanted to take my time about getting back.
I was probably about ten yards away from the steps leading up to the shrine grounds when I heard both Pluto and Neptune scream and heard the sound of wood breaking. Pluto began to send Dead Scream after Dead Scream bounding into existence, and I knew that I could no longer simply go back to my parents.
I pulled my wand from my pocket and thrust it into the air while yelling my transformation phrase. Hopefully, no one was watching nearby; I was in such a hurry that I forgot to check. My transformation seemed to take longer than normal, and I remember counting the seconds of the sequence for the very first time.
As soon as the part of me known as Haruka had been replaced by Sailoruranus I ran back toward the shrine. I took the stairs two at time and arrived at the top of the steps to find a pile of black dust disappearing thanks to the wind.
"Neptune? Pluto?" I called, desperately worried.
"Uranus, over here!" Pluto returned. I saw her waving from where she stood in a bush below a tree. Pluto knelt down, and I noticed the tree's broken branches swinging as gravity tried to pull them to the ground below. I instantly remembered hearing the sound of wood breaking earlier and looked around for Neptune although instinctively I knew where she was.
Seconds later, I found myself sprinting toward the bushes and I crashed through them not caring that the branches were cutting my bare legs. Pluto stood up and looked at me desperately.
"Pluto, who's there?" a soft voice asked.
"Uranus," Pluto replied. I worked my way through more of the bushes until I could see the owner's voice, Neptune. She lay tangled among broken branches and bushes, but she managed a tiny smile for me. I barely noticed it. The blood was what caught my attention, dripping off of soaked leaves and barren branches, sliding down her cheek, on Pluto's gloves.
"Neptune," I whispered in a horrified, shaking voice.
"Uranus, detransform and go for help." Pluto said urgently. I wanted to stay by Neptune's side, but Pluto knew more about medical care than I did and I was the faster runner of the two of us. I nodded and detransformed as I turned to run to the shrine to look for a priest, priestess, or even a tourist with a cell phone. Neptune called my name in a quivering voice and I looked back at her.
"Haruka! I...I'm sorry." She said. I didn't say anything. I couldn't say anything; I was too choked up with tears.
"Neptune, detransform." I heard Pluto order before I dashed away, wiping at my eyes. I ran through the shrine grounds looking desperately for anyone. The only sounds I could hear were the gravel crunching beneath my feet and the sound of thunder in the distance. Little droplets of rain began to wet the gravel and slide off the sloped shrine roof.
"Dammit!" I cried in frustration, and ran to the temple steps. I hurried to the street below and nearly slipped because the rain had made the stairs slick. I looked up and down the street for anyone, and my prayers were answered. A young woman on a bike was pedaling through the otherwise empty street. "Please stop!" I shouted and waved my hands in front of my face. "There's been accident! Do you have a cell phone?"
"What's wrong?"
"A woman was hurt terribly on the shrine grounds! Do you have a cell phone?" I asked. The woman reached into her purse and pulled out a hot pink Hello Kitty cell phone. "Thank you!" I said with a smile despite the gravity of the situation and dialed for help.
I don't remember what I said to the dispatcher aside from giving her directions. All I remember was counting the seconds before I could return to Michiru's side and fearing I would be one second too late. The dispatcher promised me that someone would arrive soon, and to go to Michiru because now that they had a location, they needed a description of the wounds.
The woman who had let me borrow her phone, parked her bike and followed me up the steps. My heart had jumped into my throat and made talking hard. I remember hearing my voice crack as I spoke in the little pink phone.
"Setsuna," I called as I ran through the courtyard with the woman behind me. The green-haired woman looked up from the bushes with concern. "Can you describe Michiru's wounds? You know better than I do." I climbed through the bushes and handed the phone to Setsuna who instantly began talking into the receiver.
"Haruka," Michiru whispered. I tried not to focus on Setsuna's report as I moved as close to my lover as the bush would allow.
"What happened?" I asked. I carefully took one of her hands into my own and squeezed. Michiru smiled and I wiped the blood off of her lips with a gentle finger. I tried to keep my face neutral as I listened to Michiru struggle to draw in another breath.
"Haruka," Michiru repeated. She looked content.
"Michiru, what happened?" I tried again.
"The creature simply got in a lucky shot." Michiru explained calmly. Her tone seemed too calm for the gravity of the situation, to match the way she gasped painfully so desperately, to match the way she worked to keep her eyes open. "It used an energy ball to send me crashing into the tree." She murmured in a breathy voice.
"Haruka," I heard Setsuna say from behind me. "The paramedics are here." I nodded and pulled away from Michiru so that paramedics could do their jobs.
***
Time Shift - Wednesday Evening
I didn't want to let go of your hand today. You cried out, sounded so betrayed that I had to turn away. I couldn't watch as the paramedics worked furiously over your body. I rode with you to the hospital and thought about how much faster the wind is.
After the doctors finished with you, I spent the day with you. I talked to you and I stroked uncovered areas on your skin. You never moved aside from being forced to breath by machines. The nurses told me that they thought you could hear me, and I tried my hardest to believe it.
Now, here I am sitting in my yellow convertible staring at the ocean. My parents are probably wondering where I am. I left my parents in midconversation when you and Setsuna transformed; I had to be sure you were okay, and it gave me another excuse to delay telling my parents about us.
Clouds have gathered in the sky, a mixture of our elements, water and air. I should close the convertible so that it's not ruined, but I don't really care at the moment. All I can do is sit here and wonder, where are you, Michiru? And when will you be back?
