My Michiru

Part 2

~*~

"Ho, ho, hotaru koi, atchi no mizu wa nigai zo…"

Setsuna's eyes opened at a snail's pace, but closed again very quickly as she discovered the daylight. "Ite… gotta remember to close the blinds at night," the dark-haired woman mumbled as she flopped over onto her side.

"…kotchi no mizu wa amai zo… hotaru koi, ho, ho, yama michi koi."

Her garnet-colored eyes forced themselves open once again as she groaned and stretched her back in an almost cat-like movement. Lifting her head, Setsuna brushed a tendril of long hair away from her face. She caught a glimpse of a picture of her family that stood on her nightstand and smiled vaguely.

"Hotaru no otosan kanemochi da, do ri de oshiri ga pikapika da."

Setsuna slipped quietly down the hall, her bare feet making no sound on the cold hardwood floor. She came into the living room, where she saw Hotaru curled up on the floor, in front of a tree, singing softly… what's a tree doing in our house?

Setsuna's eyes followed the tree to its top, where a star was perched. Of course, it's Christmas, she thought as she came near Hotaru.

"Hiruma wa kusaba no tsuyu no kage, yoru wa ponpon, taka chochin."

Hotaru was holding a lamp, a deep purple glass sconce painted with white lilies. She held it against her chest and rocked as she sang, almost as though it were a baby. Setsuna watched her with a leaden heart.

"Tenjiku agari shitareba, tsunbakura ni sarawabe."

Hotaru suddenly stopped. Setting the lamp down like a baby into a crib, she stood and turned around. Setsuna saw that there were tears on her face, but she was smiling.

"It was… from Michiru-mama. Haruka-papa said it was." Picking up the lamp again, she offered it into Setsuna's hands. "It's beautiful, isn't it? I can't wait to see it lit up."

Setsuna examined the lamp cautiously before giving it back to its owner. Hotaru laid it carefully in a box with tissue paper beneath the tree.

"Michiru used to sing you that song when you were small," Setsuna remarked quietly.

Hotaru turned around and gave a wry chuckle. "Come, Firefly. That was my favorite song because I thought it was about me. Nobody but Michiru-mama could sing it, or else I'd be angry." The smiled faded from her face and her eyes became serious. "Now I must sing it myself. I can't let Michiru-mama go just yet."

Setsuna smiled momentarily before her tears began to flow. Her knees caved in and she cried with her face in her hands. No, you fool! Her inner voice shouted at her to stop. If you cry, you'll set off poor Hotaru.

But it was too late. Setsuna waited for Hotaru's sobs to join her own… and yet they didn't come. Looking up, the senshi of time saw that Hotaru was only standing silently, looking down on her sorrowfully. Setsuna tried to wipe her eyes, but the tears kept coming. Hotaru took a step toward her elder. "Oh, Setsuna-mama…"

Setsuna felt the girl's slender arms close around her as Hotaru rested her pale cheek on Setsuna's head. "It'll be okay, Setsuna-mama," she whispered comfortingly. "I'll never leave you. Neither will Haruka-papa."

"Hime-chan… thank you," Setsuna sobbed. "Merry Christmas."

In a small white house in Minato-ku, the shadow of a cat passed silently through a corridor, flickering under the light of the candles that were hung throughout. It stopped at an open doorway and slipped through just as silently. The shadow's owner hopped up onto the bed with a meow, coming up and rubbing against the bed's occupant and purring. The pajama-clad woman didn't respond, but continued to stare sadly out the window and watch the snowflakes. The white cat crawled into her lap and rubbed the bottom of her chin. "Minako-chan, talk to me. Tell me what you're thinking," the cat said in a serious tone.

Minako didn't respond at first, but pulled her legs up onto the bed. "I want some answers, Artemis. I want to know what's happening. What's going to change now that Michiru-san is… is…" she couldn't say the last word, and she buried her face in her knees.

"She's gone, Minako-chan," Artemis spoke as a father who would explain a death to a child. "You know that. I don't think this will affect you as directly as some other people, though. Haruka-san, for instance. She might need a friend like you; she and Michiru-san were very close, you know."

"Yes, I know," Minako lifted her face, and Artemis saw that her eyes were full of tears. "But… but will she ever come back?"

Artemis became exasperated. "Minako-chan…" he groaned.

"No, no! Listen to me!" A tear spilled from her eye. "Do you… remember how we were all killed… in the last battle? But we all came back. We were okay. We just didn't remember… who we were," she said. "Do you think… it could be that way for Michiru-san?"

Artemis understood. He sat for a moment, looking thoughtful, before he began to speak slowly. "Minako-chan… I'm sorry, but I don't think she could ever come back."

"But WHY?!" Minako cried in frustration and anger.

"Whenever you all have been kidnapped or killed, you were transformed. Michiru-san was not—"

"What does that have to do with anything?" Minako demanded, sounding very much in agony.

Artemis kept his voice calm. "You and all the other girls are vessels for your respective senshi identities. Michiru-san was too. Without Sailor Neptune, there can still be a Michiru. But," his voice took on a firm tone, "it cannot be the other way around. If Sailor Neptune doesn't have Michiru-san, she won't be able to take on a form."

Minako stared expressionlessly at her guardian cat as hot, silent tears ran down her face. "Vessels…"

Artemis nuzzled against Minako's side and curled up in her lap. "I'm so sorry, Minako-chan…"

"There could be another vessel," Minako said almost mechanically.

Artemis looked up. "Nani?"

"There could be another vessel," Minako repeated. "A second chance for Neptune."

"You think so?"

"I don't know. I just have an odd feeling she's not really gone."

The two sat in silence for a long time, both of them pondering Minako's words, wondering if they could be true.

"Haruuuuuuukaaaaaaaaa!"

The person so named groaned and rolled over in her bed. "It's too early, Hime-chan…"

"Haruka-senpai, wake up!"

Oh, it's not Hotaru, Haruka thought to herself as she opened her eyes to find a little pink bundle sitting next to her. Before she could do or say anything, though, the door burst open.

"Chibi-usa! I thought I told you not to wake up Haruka-senpai! I'm so sorry, Haruka-san," Usagi said as she collected her daughter. "She doesn't know the difference between waking her parents and other people."

Haruka laughed and sat up. "It's okay. I probably slept in anyway."

"I think you're right," Mamoru said as he closed the door. "It's 11:30 already. Still, Chibi-usa should know better," he said as he wagged a finger at his daughter. Chibi-usa giggled. "I'm sorry, Haruka-senpai. Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas to you, too, Chibi-usa-chan." Haruka sighed as she rubbed her eyes. Usagi suddenly thought of something. She whispered to her daughter. Chibi-usa's eyes lit up. The pink-haired girl nodded and hopped to the floor, where she picked up a small box tied with a dark blue ribbon. She climbed up on the bed and presented it to Haruka. The wind senshi carefully untied the ribbon as Chibi-usa watched with anticipation. Haruka's expression turned to one of wonder when she pulled the gift out.

"Usagi-chan, Mamoru-san, Chibi-usa-chan… you didn't have to…"

Haruka's deep blue eyes reflected the gleaming surface of the blue gem she held in front of her face. It was trimmed in gold swirled with copper. On the back was the character for ten (sky), her element. Its beauty mesmerized Haruka.

"Do you like it, Haruka-san?" Usagi asked cautiously, causing Haruka to look up.

"Like it!" Haruka replied after a minute, "It's beautiful! Thank you so much, Usagi-chan." Haruka smiled as she fastened the necklace, wincing from the pain in her arm.

Chibi-usa clapped her hands together excitedly and jumped up and down, her pigtails bouncing rhythmically. "I knew she'd like it! I knew it! I knew it!"

Usagi smiled down at her bubbly offspring. "Chibi-usa helped me pick it out."

Haruka helped Chibi-usa back up to the bed and hugged her. "Thank you, too." But as she let go of the child, she felt something bubble up inside her. They had to go. They couldn't see this… she swallowed hard and smiled up at Usagi and Mamoru. "I wish I had something more to give you… but…"

Mamoru shook his head. "We couldn't ask anything of you, Haruka-san."

"Except to get well and be happy," Usagi added.

Haruka lowered her eyes. Happy… I was happy with Michiru, she thought. I can't be happy now. Not when they took my life away from me. She swallowed again, this time she tasted blood.

"Haruka-san?"

"Huh?" Haruka broke out of her daze and saw Usagi there, her eyes slowly filling with realization. The odango-haired girl cast her eyes down for a moment. "I see…" then she looked up and smiled cheerfully at Haruka. "Well, I think we'll be going, then. We're supposed to meet Ami-chan for lunch."

 Chibi-usa groaned in disappointment and turned toward the door. "Bye, Haruka-senpai!" she called back before exiting. Mamoru bowed. "Get better soon, Haruka-san." He didn't seem to know.

Usagi went last out the door. She looked up. Her sad eyes met Haruka's momentarily, and then she slipped out, closing the door behind her.

Haruka listened to their footsteps fade down the hall. As the world became silent again, she closed her eyes and clasped the jewel around her neck. Comfort and warmth cloaked Haruka as she sank into her pillow with a sigh. She opened her eyes to see Michiru's smiling face. Her heart sped up and her eyes filled with tears of joy. "You've come back to me, Michiru!" Haruka cried as she reached out to touch her lover's beautiful face. Looking at her own hand, she saw it covered in blood.

Suddenly Michiru was gone, and all that was there were the hospital room and the bloody hand. Haruka's eyes took on a frantic disbelief as the blood dripped onto her face. "Michiru! No! Come back!" The tears her eyes had held for joy now flowed in sorrow. "Why, Michiru?"

Haruka gagged as something warm and wet flowed down her neck. Looking down, she saw only a pool of her own blood that was running down to the floor now. She sat up, her arms shaking with effort. "Why?!" she screamed as more blood fell to the sheets.

Badum-badum-badum. She could hear the rhythms of her heart. They were louder than the monitor. Tears fell, but they were only more blood to Haruka.

Badum, badum. The beating of her blood was slowing down now. Haruka's head slid into the wet, crimson pillow with a loud and sickening squelch. Her world fell into blackness, but she saw Michiru's face again, wearing the same smile. "Why, Michiru?" she moaned. "Why are you doing this?"

Then Sailor Neptune disappeared, for only the second time.

Sunlight flooded the room and made the water sparkle, but Hino Rei didn't care. She sat in the bathtub with her knees drawn up close to her chest; tendrils of her raven hair floated all around her. She ran a hand down her arm and flinched as she touched the water. It's getting cold, she thought. Shivering, Rei tucked her knees up under her chin, but they slipped out from under her with a squeal. The senshi of fire found herself submerged under the cold, dark water. She lay on the bottom of the tub, her hair swimming around her like black snakes, watching the sunlight play on the surface. It's so quiet and peaceful down here, Rei mused as a sad smiled crossed her lips and her eyes closed. Was this what you loved about the ocean, Michiru-san?

The salt from her tears tainted the water as Rei turned onto her side. It's warmer down here, too.

Her ruminations were suddenly interrupted by a muffled knock on the door. Sitting up, Rei gasped for air and parted her hair from her face. "Who is it?"

"Rei-chan, it's Makoto. I'll wait for you in the shrine, okay?"

Rei started to get out of the tub. "I'll be out in a sec." She shivered as she put her hair back loosely and changed into a comfortable pair of jeans and a red sweater. Sliding the door open, she took a glance down the hall. Makoto was kneeling in front of the fire, her face shrouded in shadow. She looked up and brushed her bangs out of her face as Rei came in. "You ready?"

The priestess nodded. "Yeah, Mako-chan, I'm ready."

"Okay, then. Let's get out of here." Makoto stood up hurriedly and walked straight past Rei, her eyes cast down. Rei followed silently. She knew there was no more to say.

Well, that concludes Part 2 of "My Michiru!" I hope you have enjoyed the story so far. Thank you to knshn4eva for your review, I'm glad you liked the first chapter (I'm glad the effect came through, anyway J). I'd like more reviews, and I'd like them to be honest, please. The best way to improve is through the criticism of other writers, so tell me if anything seemed a little off-key. Or, on the other hand, tell me if you loved it! More chapters coming very soon!

Sincerely,

Yami-neko-sama, Goddess of the Nocturne Felines =^-.-^=