July 2: EKK! Please don't kill me Please don't kill me! See, pretty new chapter? ::cowers:: please don't kill me. Eh... I was actually writing this on a laptop in my car on my trip so it was written about a week ago. I couldn't update as soon as I got home because of certain…complications, let's say. Well, it's here now and it is so good to see something other than sand, dust, and cacti.

A/N: Sorry for the wait folks! Like I warned you guys before...at least about two weeks or so till the update. Honestly, I still don't know when I'm gonna be getting home. Actually, I'm not even in my home state. As I write this I am on the 19th floor in a hotel room gazing upon the drop-dead gorgeous glittering nightlife of Las Vegas, Nevada. To heck with the casinos (until I hit 18, that is. Hehe) The view itself is worth the trip (though the hotel prices are somewhat questionable ::mumbles about overpriced hotels::) Here it goes and hope you like.

Oh, BTW: I don't own Sailor Moon...crap crap crap...please don't sue me...crap crap crap...Also, I know jack squat about London and theaters so just smile and nod like you know what I'm talking about (works for me every time!) And please review. I need some form of motivation. And thanks to those who have done so. ::sniff sniff:: I feel so loved. WARNING: I am reminding you guys that I am not putting Haruka and Michiru together. I'm reminding you of this because I would very much like it if the criticism I got had nothing to do with my pairing preferences. I don't do this to offend anyone since, after all, I respect people's choice of inclination and all I ask is that you respect mine.

Looking Back

Part VIII

Location: Theater in London

            An abrupt hush fell upon the anticipating audience. Bodies leaned forward in interest as binoculars were whipped out in expectation. Several streams of light struck down on one spot of the stage, not that everyone's attention wasn't already focused to the point that not even a fire could move the immobile crowd.

            The light shined down on the woman on the stage, creating a halo-illusion upon the natural marinal shade of the ocean that was piled on her head. She lifted her head to the crowd, bright blue eyes shining demurely into the crowd. However, there was some sort of aura around Ms. Michiru Kaioh that commanded your attention and made you feel like you were in the presence of royalty and should act accordingly.

            The air was sucked dry as each person held their breath as she tilted her head slightly and brought her bow to the strings. The apprehension that had radiated from the audience was immediately dispersed as the notes echoed through the theater. The tensed bodies relaxed considerably as every single pair of eyes fell shut, relishing in the invisible beauty that had engulfed them. There was something in the way she moved so fluently like water that made each moment seem like her arm was swaying with the same flow and rate of an ocean tide. But the very affect of the sight of her playing wasn't as powerful as the actual playing.

            It was, it was... It was indescribable, honestly. But in what words I could explain are as these:

            It was as if the essence of those exquisite notes took form of an air angel and...     Slowly...Tenderly... and ever so sweetly sensually caressed one's very soul. Michiru's musical angel touched the souls very much like a mother would when she held her sleeping babe in her arms as she rocked back and forth gently, softly humming.

            Soft sighs of admiration and emotion escaped many lips and some eyes welled up with tears that were conjured up by that mere ghostly musical touch. The artistic atmosphere Michiru created had touched every single mind and soul in the room...

            Well...almost everyone.

            Along the center audience, on the second floor center balcony, sat about eight people. Felicia Dreir gazed upon (in her opinion) the modern reincarnation of Euterpe, the Greek muse of music in pure admiration. She had arranged it so that she and her husband could meet the woman after the show. Xander had refused though Felicia couldn't see why. How could he, when the woman was absolutely extraordinary? She, herself, wasn't so musically inclined.

            In all bluntness, she sucked at it.

            Felicia had no patience to sit still and look at sheets of music and practice for even ten minutes. She was far too impetuous. So it was hard to believe she was even remotely related to the man beside her, her younger brother, Alexander Marquis Gerard, a man known for his rather stoic and businesslike attitude. Even from far away, they didn't look like each other's sibling. Felicia had gained her mother's Swedish traits, looking expectantly fair with her (undyed) blonde hair and fair skin.

            Her brother, however, was, in short American teenage terms, hot as hell.

            He was practically out of those romance novels that young women hid from their parents. Alexander had a peachy complextion despite the fact that he had recently been on vacation on some Carribean island (during a time that Felicia strongly suspected that he had spent in front of his laptop computer). He had light brown (sort of dirty-blondish) hair that was usually sophisticatedly slicked back for his business meetings. However, tonight at his older sister's request, he had his hair parted down in the middle with some tresses falling by his cool gray eyes. Felicia said it made him look his age and much less severe than he usually did.

            What ever that meant. He had thought to himself.

            But now, Alexander had made a sudden movement and Felicia turned her gaze from the beautiful violinist and focused on her brother. He had leaned back in his chair, his hand covering his face. Felicia raised an eyebrow.

            "Goodness, Xander," She teased quietly as to not ruin the effect of the music of those around them. "Are you crying?"

            The hand moved to the side as Alexander tried to massage his head when Felicia noted that of course he hadn't been crying (Man hadn't done so since he was ten) but rather, he seemed to be having some sort of a headache. Felicia frowned slightly as she leaned forward.

            "Xander, are you alright?"

            Her concerned hand was waved away by Xander who was blinking rapidly, much like one would when waking up in the morning.

            "I'm fine Eli." He said gruffly, using his nickname for her. He blinked a couple more time and rubbed his hand over his face. "Just a little...overwhelmed."

            His elder sister gave him an exasperated look. "You see?" She whispered harshly. Alexander rolled his eyes and sunk into his chair, knowing fully well of the scolding he was about to get. "It's all the work you've been doing. I keep telling you that you shouldn't do so much all at once. You work far too hard and you barely even relax at your own vacations. I bet Mrs. Harrington had to force you out of your hotel room. I don't know how that nice old lady can manage to lighten your load as your secretary when you insist on doing everything on your own. You see this is why I brought you here - so you could relax and yet here you are-"

            Her rants were cut off as a calming hand fell upon hers and her husband sort of pulled her away from her further chastisement of her brother. Alex shot Hank a grateful glance as his brother-in-law nodded smilingly in response and continued to whisper soothing words to his wife. Alexander turned his attention once more to the scene before him.

            What was that? He frustratingly thought. All was well when he was leaning forward to listen to this woman's music. But the second she had started playing, his mind suddenly went into overdrive. His head begun spinning and felt like he was ready to puke or something, like he was on some seriously fast roller-coaster ride that wouldn't stop. Then, images and sounds flashed before his senses, like a movie or something. But he couldn't really explain it. He felt like he was drowning in water, like the tide was swirling about him, dragging him even further to the depths of the ocean. Strangely though...he could still feel himself breathing.

            He rubbed his temples and studied this Michiru Kaioh before him. He had heard of her from several of his travels. She was an excellent violinist and quite famous. And also, he noted, quite beautiful. Her hair was an odd shade of aquamarine. However, Alexander had the feeling that it wasn't fake or anything like it, and the natural toning strangely fitted her perfectly. Tonight it was piled on her head, curls coming down to frame her face as she continued to play that beautiful music of hers. Her dress was spaghetti strapped and hugged her body. It was a blend of several hues of blue and green and adding to the fact that the lights that were used took on light shades of blue, created the effect as if she was under water.

            Beautiful. Alexander thought. A sudden pain like a knife struck through his brain. But there's something wrong... He straightened

            Perhaps I ought to take up Felicia's offer on meeting the woman afterwards...

            Michiru continued her playing. It was one of her own pieces that she had composed on her own. When she had played it before in Japan strangely enough, her fellow inner scouts told her that it had some strange effect on them, causing the return of some bits and pieces of their past lives. Luna had mentioned something about certain things that they did now causing some memories to resurface. It was all probably another preview of the Neo era. To Michiru at that moment, however, it was just relaxing.

            Lately, things weren't going so great in Japan, mostly because of her relationship with Haruka.

            It was ironic to think that their love was able to survive the Silver Millennium to now...yet disappear on any regular day. But it wasn't new. Love, though great and powerful, was, like just about everything else in life, subject to change. Rare and sacred cases of love would have to include the Prince and the Princess. Theirs was meant to last forever whereas Haruka and Michiru's...just wasn't. And it wasn't like because they had been in love in the Silver Millennium that they would have to maintain that love.

            Things and times and people change. As did their love.

            Michiru hadn't left Japan for good or in spite. For that matter, she had almost turned down her appointment at the theater had Hotaru not forced her to go on. Haruka and Hotaru both threatened her if she would not get on the plane and Haruka opted to stay behind in case Michiru was really concerned about Hotaru's safety. However, it backfired on the scout of wind and earth as Hotaru temperamentally pointed out to her guardians that she was almost twenty and perfectly capable of taking care of herself and forced Haruka to go on her worldwide racing competition in Italy. So Hotaru was basically on her own in Japan staying at Setsuna's empty apartment and checking up on Haruka's and Michiru's places every so often. Michiru would be coming back there in while, not that she was worried about the girl or anything of the sort. After the training the remaining Japan scouts put her through, the girl could probably put up with just about any and everything (including having to deal with Rei through PMS mode and mornings).

            Speaking of the other scouts, Michiru pondered over how the Princess' daughter was doing. She and the others had arrived on the scene of the birth about half an hour after the baby was born. They had found Usagi, the baby, and Mamoru in the room along with Rei. Rei, being the only one present at the time who wasn't a family member (Kenji, Ikuko, and Shingo were there as well), she had the honor of being the girl's godmother. Naturally, of course, that was only on the record. Off-record, Chibi-Usa had one godsister (Hotaru, who said she wasn't old enough to be considered a godmother) and about seven godmothers (including Rei and Ami). Speaking of her Inner counterpart, Michiru wondered over when Ami would be coming back to Japan. She always hoped that Isis was okay but she was sure that Ami was still traumatized.

            Ami was usually very physically frail but had pretty strong mental barrier. However, Urawa's death was more than enough to seep into her brain. The senshi of ice suffered a breakdown a few days after her husband's death that nearly killed her unborn child.Thankfully, the baby survived. Ami had continued to put up a strong front during her pregnancy, determined to not lose what little she had left of Ryo. Some of the scouts were actually angry at the fact that Ami left so abruptly and hadn't come at all after Chibi-Usa's birth, but Usagi had smiled and waved the hostility aside, saying that Ami wasn't ready to come home yet and even pointing out that Ami had sent her congratulations and the two women had spent over an hour on the phone talking about their daughters.

            Ami would come home when she was good and ready.

            Michiru allowed her eyes to scan the audience when a certain pair of eyes caught her attention. There, right in front of her, on the second floor. With the lights on her, she couldn't even see the audience's faces. However, strangely enough, his came through.

            Haunting, moonlight gray eyes gazed into hers almost hypnotically. They seemed to be staring into hers, searchingly, as if looking for an answer to some mental question. An icy chill ran down her spine as an image flashed before her eyes momentarily. Her bow faltered and she almost lost her concentration. However, she dutifully turned back to her music but not before she cast one last glance over in the honey-eye's direction, blinking her eyes.

            That's strange.... And she conintued to play as if nothing had happened, all the while pondering over that strange scene of what looked like a beach of some sort. Yes, Michiru was sure it was a beach. Actually, the scene was more like a painting that froze some event. She furrowed her brow, trying to recall the details.

            There was a couple...she had felt an air of sadness, a sense of parting ways and separation...and...evil?? She frowned even further and her thoughts straggled over to her transformation pen that she always kept with her. Her grip tightened on her bow as she continued playing. She hoped she wouldn't have to use it very soon.

~*chickay*~

Whew! Wow...that was long. I'm somewhat disappointed in this chapter, though. I don't feel like I put in enough of Michiru's thoughts and updates in it. Sorry for any out-of-characterness on her personality. But like she had a chance to talk much. Don't worry, she'll get in her two cents and more later on. Hmm...what's up with this Alexander dude? Uh...actually, I myself don't know yet. ::hides from being hit by rotten food thrown by readers:: Hey! What can I say? I'm sorta making more than half of this stuff up as I go. Okay, I love you Buh-Byeee!!!

P.S. I've already started the next chapter on Haruka so it won't be long till I put it up!

P.S.S. (is there such a thing?) Review!