Chapter 12: Discovery
Finally, after a pretty long period of time, Michiru climbed off the blonde again and allowed her to sit up. "I hope I didn't hurt you with my tackling." The aqua haired girl spoke as soon as Haruka sat next to her again. Haruka shook her head no. "Don't worry, I'm perfectly fine." She smiled at the smaller woman and stood up, walking over to the couch. "Well…I suggest you try to get some sleep. I'll just sit here and…" "…and watch me sleep?" Michiru asked, causing the blonde to blush heavily. "Well…sorta." She then admitted. "But it's not my fault!" the blonde then protested. "I can't sleep anyway!" Michiru giggled and started to get undressed. "You're cute when you protest against something." She then said. Haruka coughed and looked out of the window, a slow, steady blush rising on her cheeks. Michiru just smiled and crawled into the bed, pulling the covers over herself. Haruka leaned back on the couch and turned the light off. "Sleep well, Michiru." She softly spoke. "Mhm." Michiru mumbled, already halfway in dreamland. Soon, she slept soundly, her breath coming in calm, long draws. Haruka let out a small sigh and stared up at the ceiling – which didn't have any cracks, much to her anger. "Not even cracks for me to count." She mumbled to herself. Her eyes fell on Michiru again, and to her own surprise, she could feel how she started to smile. "Now what…" the blonde thought to herself, her eyes still glued to Michirus sleeping form. Suddenly, a thought flashed up in her mind, and she frowned. "How on Earth did Ichiro and his men catch up on us so far? After all, we were swinging away…how did they know which way we went?" Her hand unconsciously came up to her neck, rubbing the scar where Ichiro had cut the chip out of…the chip. Harukas eyes went wide. Hers was gone, but what if…? She stood up as silent as possible and bent over the sleeping Michiru. Her fingers found the place at Michirus neck where her own chip had been, and she gently applied some pressure. Underneath the skin, she could feel something hard. "My God." Haruka whispered. "She has one too…he implanted one into her neck…that's why. Michiru! Michiru, wake up!" the blonde shook her sleeping friend, who finally groaned and opened her eyes. "Haruka…? What…" "You have one." Haruka interrupted her. "Huh?" Michiru replied, blinking while she sat up. "A chip. You have one in your neck." "WHAT?" Michiru cried out, shocked. "That can't be! I would've noticed! I mean, I…" She fell silent when Haruka took her hand and led it up to her neck, placing the aqua haired girls fingers right above the chip. "Now, push down. You'll feel it." She advised her. Michiru did as she had been told, and her eyes widened until Haruka feared that they might fall out of their sockets. "Ichiro must've implanted one into your neck." The blonde spoke, frowning. "What shall we do now?" she then asked, sounding a little helpless. "You have to cut it out." Michiru replied. Harukas eyes grew twice as big as they normally were. "Are you nuts?" the blonde then cried out. "I don't know how to do that!" "But you must do it!" Michiru shot back. "If not, they'll chase us forever!" "And what if I make some mistake, and you die?" Haruka asked, worried to no-end. Michiru just glared at her, and the blonde sighed. "Okay, I'll do it." She finally said.
"…you couldn't find a bigger knife, could you?" Haruka asked, eyeing the huge butcher knife Michiru had given her warily. The aqua haired girl just shrugged. "Sorry, that's the only one we had in the room." Haruka sighed and took in a deep breath. "Okay, I'll start cutting now." She then said. Michiru squeezed her eyes shut when the knife sunk into her flesh, and until Haruka had the chip out, the aqua haired girl was in tears. "Sorry for hurting you." The blonde softly spoke while she stitched the wound up and bandaged it. "It's…it's okay." Michiru sniffled. Haruka gently put one arm around her, then pulled her into an embrace. Michiru was surprised for a moment, but then she returned the hug, smiling. "You know what…" the aqua haired girl spoke after a short moment of silence, "I really like that muscles of yours." While talking, she ran her fingers over Harukas biceps, and the blonde blushed. "You do…? Well…thanks, I guess." Michiru gave her a smile, then let out a yawn. "Well…can I go back to sleep now?" she then asked. Haruka chuckled and nodded. "Yeah." She let go of the smaller woman and stood up, when all of a sudden Michirus fingers closed around her wrist. "Huh?" Haruka spoke intelligently, gaping at Michiru. "Can't you stay here with me?" Michiru asked, her voice trembling. "Haruka, I…I'm scared. Can't you stay here in the bed and hold me?" Haruka was a little taken aback at that unexpected request, but agreed anyway. "Well…if it helps…I see no problem." She spoke. Michiru gave her a thankful smile and lifted her blanket, so Haruka could climb in with her. The blonde gently put her arms around Michiru, who let out a happy sigh and snuggled up to the taller Haruka. Soon, the aqua haired girl was fast asleep again, while Haruka laid next to her, listening to her heartbeat – and feeling good for the first time ever since she escaped from the ship.