(This is my last update on fanfiction.net. With the coming of my computer I
have found that I can actually update on this story without any problems. I
realize that there are still some people who were following my story that
never got my website address, which is where this story is currently being
housed. For future reference, book 9 chapter 17 is the last chapter on this
website. However, you can find more at my website, which is listed under my
profile.)
~*~*~*~
Irritated that Kaori had just barged into their conversation, Haruka glared her. "Excuse me?" She let her eyes drop down to the suitcase size box, just as Michiru had with her encounter. "What is it that you're looking for?" Wondering what was inside the box, but not taking the time out to question the woman, she let her eyes travel back up to Kaori's eyes. "Just get it and scram!" She glanced next to the girl at her side, who didn't seemed to be dazed in the least about the interruption. There really wasn't a need to be, yet.
A devious smile appeared on Kaori's face as she daintily placed her box- like item down on the ground. "So you really want me to take what I'm after?"
Having not even the slightest idea what the dangers her answer would bring, Haruka nodded. She didn't care what this woman needed. She only cared that one minute she was being praised, and the next, she was talking to this bozo. "Just get it and go! How many times do I have to tell you!?"
Kaori's smile grew as she bent her knees as she could reach down and begin to release her new Heart Snatcher. "All right. If you really insist that much." Glancing up for a moment, she waved her hand around to motion Haruka out of the way. "Please step aside."
Haruka didn't respond right away. She wanted to know why she was being told to move aside, and not the other girl. "Why?"
Kaori's smile faded into a growing frown. "Just do it! I can't get what I need with you standing in the way." Under other circumstances, she would have just come right out and unleashed her Heart Snatcher, but this time she had Haruka, a possible threat, agreeing that she should just get things done and over with.
Haruka frowned back as she was slow to respond. Crossing her arms, she slowly turned and slowly started walking to the far end of the locker room, thinking that Kaori just needed to get something out of her locker. Boy was she wrong. By the time she had gotten halfway to her destination, she heard a loud squeal. "Huh?!" Spinning around on instinct, she saw Kaori just standing and watching, while a human-like creature, that seemed to be covered in everlasting mud, had the other girl pinned up against the lockers. "What the hell are you doing!?" In a flash of blue light, she powered up and dashed for Kaori, and not the Heart Snatcher.
Haruka's words for warning were enough for Kaori to drop to the floor in order to miss being hit, but she didn't know the full power of the girl. Haruka was able to read Kaori's movements, and followed her down to the ground. Picking the woman up by the shoulders, she flung her across the room with a growl.
Kaori slammed, back first, into the metal lockers. She hadn't been prepared for the girl's reflexes; but then again, she fought like Hotaru had in the past. Trying to get over the pain quick enough to divert Haruka's attention to the undefeatable Heart Snatcher, she pointed upward. "Your friend is going to die!" Her voice cracked as a gush of pain ran up her back.
Haruka stopped momentarily as she turned her head back to the other girl. She was just in time to watch the Heart Snatcher make a point with its arm and dig it deep into the chest of its victim. "NO!"
Seeing that Haruka was no longer paying any attention to her, Kaori dug up enough strength to kick the fighter in the stomach, causing her to fall down to the ground. Completely underestimating Haruka, she staggered back to her feet. "Heart Snatcher, give me the Pure Heart Crystal!"
Haruka grabbed her stomach, though not in pain. She had only had the wind knocked out of her. She would have to be more careful not to take her attention away from her foes. " 'Heart Snatcher?' "
Kaori grabbed her back as she slowly made her way to her Heart Snatcher, thinking that Haruka was down for the count. Haruka jumped to her feet as quietly as she could, as she didn't want Kaori to hear her movements. She didn't just shoot out for her foes. She wanted to watch them first, to see what she was up against. Kaori looked nothing like a fighter and she sure didn't fight like one. However, the other guy, the thing Kaori referred to as a 'Heart Snatcher', was another story. Haruka had never seen anything like it. It had the build of a man, yet was covered with mud that seemed to replenish itself at its own whim.
Powering up again, this time to her fullest extent, she prepared herself for battle. Under any other circumstances, she would have just left things alone with the mentality that this just wasn't her duty. But for some reason, she felt compelled to stop these people in their tracks, whoever they were.
~*~*~
Michiru was already in the stands and waiting for Haruka to come out. This would be the day the team was determined, and she couldn't wait to hear Haruka's name listed off as one of the members. However, something was wrong. Haruka hadn't come out yet, while all the others had. At first she thought nothing of it, Haruka usually did take a little longer than the others. But as soon as she felt the power up, she knew something was wrong.
Michiru quickly raced down the stands and headed for the locker room. She had a feeling she knew what Haruka was fighting. The Heart Snatchers were at it again, and now they were after Haruka. Fear entered her eyes as she pushed herself harder at the thought that Haruka's Heart Crystal would be stolen, and never retrieved. "I have to save her!"
~*~*~
Haruka watched Kaori take something from the mud-like creature. She wasn't sure what it was for she didn't get a good look at it. She only saw that it was a crystal, and possessed a bright shine. 'Was that the Heart Crystal?' Not taking the time to try and answer her question, she dove for Kaori, but found a glob of mud being hurled at her from the side. She quickly forgot about her pursuit for Kaori and paid more attention to dodging the 'attack'. She quickly jumped into the air and fired her own attack. She watched as her blue Ki ball flew down at her target. It punctured a large hole in its stomach, but it was quickly refilled. Haruka didn't let the failed attack get her down. After all, things were just getting started.
~*~*~
Kaori frowned as she made her way out of the locker room. "All that for a lousy, regular Heart Crystal!? I might as well just toss this thing right here and now!" Looking around and seeing no one, she reached for her pouch to put the Heart Crystal in. She wouldn't really have just ditched it, as the Mistress needed all the Heart Crystals she could get.
"Or you could return it to its rightful owner!" Called out a voice from above.
Kaori's eyes widened as she gulped. She knew that voice from somewhere. She had heard it recently. She was reluctant as she raised her head, only to see Sailor Neptune, the one who had foiled her plans only the day before. "You!" She yelled out in surprised.
Sailor Neptune crossed her arms as she began to lower herself to ground level. She didn't fail to see the Heart Crystal in the woman's hands. "You've stolen your last Heart Crystal!"
Kaori tightened her grip around the item in her hand and pulled it to her side. "Oh have I?"
Sailor Neptune uncrossed her arms as she took a step forward. "Hand it over!" She held out her hand, knowing that Kaori would never give it up without a fight.
Kaori taunted the Senshi. "Make me!" Securing the precious item in her hand, she turned to the side and made a run for it.
Sailor Neptune followed the woman, which was hardly a challenge. It was seconds before she was caught up and on the woman's tail. "Give it up!" She grabbed the woman by the shoulders and spun her around, only to be met with a fearful expression.
Kaori gulped as she struggled within the Senshi's grip. "Get off!" She kicked at the Senshi, but she was too weak. Her hits weren't even felt.
Sailor Neptune glared into the woman's eyes, causing more fear to arise. Saying nothing, she reached down and grabbed Kaori's wrist as hard as she could, causing the woman's fingers to uncurl around the Heart Crystal. With her other hand, she let go of Kaori's shoulder and snatched the Heart Crystal from her. "Your Heart snatching days are over as far as I'm concerned." She let go of Kaori and pushed her down to the ground. She didn't like to be so brutal, but she had to let these people know she was serious. She wasn't about to lose another human life because of them.
Turning from Kaori, she started out for the locker room, where she still felt Haruka's energy going strong. That eased up the stress on her heart a bit. At least Haruka wasn't the one in danger of losing her Heart Crystal, but that doesn't mean she wasn't still in any kind of danger. With every attack there was a monster to fight, which she knew couldn't be defeated without the power of a Senshi.
~*~*~
Haruka was still going full force with the Heart Snatcher, who didn't seem to be hurt by any of Haruka's attacks. "Damn you!" She yelled as she dodged yet another blob of mud being slung at her. She retaliated with a swift roundhouse kick to its head. Her leg went only so far into the tip of its head before it was stopped by the hardening of the mud inside. A new, moist layer was remade, which completely locked her leg into place. Growling, she diverted all of her power into her leg and pulled it out, causing the mud to break and splatter everywhere.
Haruka jumped away from the creature, and landed on her feet just a few feet away from the door. "How the hell am I supposed to defeat that? Its resistant to everything."
~*~*~
Sailor Neptune arrived in the doorway. Before she jumped in to stop the fight, she examined the room, which was covered in mud. Not too far from the door stood Haruka, who was standing face to face with the newest Heart Snatcher. In the far corner of the room, she noticed a body lying unconscious on the floor. 'That must be the victim.' Neptune stepped forward into the room.
'Stop. Leave the room.'
Neptune looked up and around. That was the same voice she had heard the night she first became Sailor Neptune. Why was she telling her to turn around and leave if it was her duty to protect those who are attacked by the Heart Snatchers? She did as she was told, and stepped back out of the room and away from the door. "Why? What's going on?"
'We cannot interfere.'
Neptune poked her head around the corner into the room just as the Heart Snatcher was extending its arms for Haruka, who in turn, jumped into the air to dodge. Haruka then fired a series of Ki attacks at the creature with no remorse.
Moving her head away from the door, she thought back to the night she became a Senshi. Why did this remind her of that night? Probably because it was almost the exact same thing. She was left to fend for herself against a monster that was almost unbeatable. That's when it came to her. It was obvious. "She's a Sailor Senshi too?!"
'I don't know.'
~*~*~
Haruka didn't know what to do. Nothing was working against this particular monster. Anything she threw at it was effective for only a few seconds. While she was wearing herself out, the Heart Snatcher still had full energy, or at least, it seemed to have full energy.
Haruka jumped back toward the wall as she discontinued her attacks. The creature was full of holes, but she could see that it was starting to replenish itself. If she hadn't known any better, she would have thought that this was another Majin Buu from the descriptions that Goku and the others had given her. "What are you?!" She screamed as she jumped back into a wall, causing her to lose her footing. She clumsily tripped over her own feet for a few seconds before she landed on her backside.
Looking up at the monster in horror, she growled. "I will not be defeated by whatever you are!"
The monster looked curiously upon Haruka. It grew a wide, taunting smile on its face; looking down at her prey as a cat would a mouse. "He he he." It chirped beneath its breath as Haruka's breathing began to increase. It looked like this was finally it, her prey had been won. But just as the monster bent down to finish its victim off, a bright, blue light appeared between the two of them.
The light was so intense that Haruka had to turn her head and shield her eyes with her arm. "What's happening?!" She cried out as her breathing intensified. She couldn't believe what was happening to her; the strange feelings she was experiencing. For once in her life she was scared. It was a strange, new feeling, something that she had never once given into before this moment. It was strange, all right, and horrifying.
She couldn't see what was happening past the light, but somehow, as the light grew brighter, her nerves seemed to be calmed, as if something was calling out to her in a softly singing voice. "Huh?" She grunted as she lowered her arm just slightly.
~*~*~
Neptune couldn't believe what she was seeing. How could she have not known that Haruka would be a Sailor Senshi? Like the other five Senshi had grown up, inseparable, they too had shared the same link. She had always felt that there was something more to them than just what was on the outside, as if something were missing from their lives. Seeing Haruka's power being awakened had finally made her realize this.
Sighing, Neptune felt a bit at ease knowing that she wouldn't be the only Senshi of her kind. Now she could share her secrets with her friend; her lover, just as she always had. She wouldn't have to hide her second identity and lie about where she was going, or where she had been at a certain time. She could finally tell someone about what had happened the night at the museum of art.
~*~*~
Haruka thought her eyes were playing tricks on her. Thought the monster seemed to be screaming louder and louder from pain of the intensified beam of light shooting into its eyes, Haruka seemed to be able to bear the powerful gleam as the seconds passed by. "What's going on?" She cried out, her voice shaking from fear.
"Do not be afraid." Sang the soft woman's voice.
Haruka seemed to have been the only one to hear the strange voice, as if it were talking directly into her head. She didn't quite understand; thinking it was only a trick by the enemy. But, that obviously was not the case as he seemed to be preoccupied with the pain rushing into his eyes. "Who."
"I am your past, young Haruka. I am your power, hidden beneath years and years of sleep. You have summoned me."
Haruka's eye instinctively widened. She didn't even realize that amount of light gushing into her pupils as she leaned closer. "I what?" She asked, softer this time than before. She seemed to be growing calmer and calmer the more she looked at the glowing ball of energy before.
"It is time for your decision, Haruka. Embrace me with willingness, or shut me out to close this chapter or your life."
Haruka wasn't sure what to think. She wasn't sure what was going on to create a valid opinion of what was happening to her. What was this voice saying? "close this chapter of your life"? What, exactly, was this to mean? What was she to think? She had no idea what was going on, nor did she know who her attacker was. Maybe this was part of a trick. She couldn't have that. This was serious. She could be killed. This could be one big, sick joke of Mamoru's in hopes to get a good laugh. Whatever it was, she had to make a decision fast of what she was going to do.
~*~*~
Meanwhile, out in the hall, Neptune had her fingers crossed tightly. She didn't think Haruka would turn down the power, but the girls hesitation wasn't exactly reassuring. "Come on, Haruka, you can do this. I know you can."
~*~*~
Haruka peered deep into the center of the energy, still very conscious of the fact that the monster was in the same room as her; and his moans were beginning to dissipate. Inside the tiny, round ball of floating energy, she could make out what seemed like a small, pen-like item floating inside. That just totally blew her out of the water. She hadn't found it strange that a random ball of energy appear before her, but an item becoming whole out of no where, that was just a bit too much to handle for her. "What is this?"
"The source of your power, should you choose to embrace it. But, once you hold it, you may not release it. It will be your destiny to uphold the name of Uranus."
Haruka backed away at the proclamation, and back into the wall. "What?!" She didn't know what to make of that. She wasn't sure if she had heard the voice completely right. There was only inference to be made off a name like that. "Are you saying that I'm a Sailor Senshi?"
~*~*~
Neptune gasped at Haruka's reaction. She knew how her friend had felt about the Senshi. She had hated, even loathed them. She had always said she would never be caught in a stupid outfit like that; that it was fine for others but not her. Was she honestly thinking about turning down the offer to hold a new power? The question scared Neptune to death; so much, in fact, that she was willing to defy the voice in her head that told her that, what she was about to do, probably wasn't the wisest choice in the world.
Without a single thought, she leapt into the room so she would be plainly visible to Haruka. "Haruka!" She cried out as she stumbled over an abandoned shoe, causing her to fall to her knees. She didn't much care, she was more concerned with her friend's decision. "Please!" She called out in a fit of exasperation.
Haruka's concentration was lost as fumbled over her thoughts and the words called out to her. "What the.!?" She quickly shot a glance at the Sailor Senshi now in front of her in shock. She didn't need to be a Senshi herself to know who was underneath that prissy Senshi uniform. She only needed her senses. There was no doubt that this particular Senshi had a bit of Michiru's power mixed in with it. "Michiru?!" She cried out in both surprise and confusion.
Neptune didn't take her friend's words of shock into consideration as she leapt forward to be closer to her. "Please, you have to accept the power of Uranus!"
"And if I don't?" Haruka barely managed to reply. She couldn't help but notice that the intensity of the light was beginning to diminish. Had she lost her chance? Had she taken too long?
"Then the power will be passed to someone else. You have to take it, Haruka! I don't know what I'd do if I had to work with someone else." Neptune stayed still as she pleaded with all her heart. She didn't even take the time to notice that the monster was seaming to recover.
"I don't want the responsibilities, Michiru. Let someone else do it!" She yelled at the top of her lungs, thought it was hardly needed. The monster was growing quiet.
It broke Neptune's heart to hear Haruka talk like that. After everything Piccolo had taught them, hell, that Usagi and her friends had been able to teach them, Haruka still acted like a child. "Don't you understand? We were destined for this; destined to do it together! I don't want to do this alone!" With those last words, tiny, little droplets of tears began to run down her cheeks ever so slowly.
Haruka calmed herself a bit, taking full notice of the girl's anguish. She didn't like to see Michiru in such a state. But this time, the answer wasn't as easy as 'give her what she wants'. This time, it involved her own future. Everything she ever wanted, the dreams about becoming a star athlete, all out the door. She could consider them gone. Of course, Michiru had given up the same privileges. She had given up her dream of becoming a musician to become a Senshi, maybe even knowing that Haruka would become one. Maybe she had dropped her dreams for that reason, so the two of them could live together for all eternity.
Haruka's face softened at the thought of Michiru giving up everything for their relationship. If she could do it, then Haruka could too. She had to be fair about this. Without saying a single word to the aqua-colored Senshi, she looked up to the angering monster, who was starting to regain his bearings. With a growl of anger, she reached out and grasped the pen- like item, which was quickly disappearing. Her actions only worked to gain a gasp from her partner.
Neptune's eyes filled even faster with tears, though they were no longer caused by fear. Getting back to her feet, she slowly walked into the far corner of the room next to the unconscious body to deliver the Heart Crystal which she had just stolen from Kaori. She didn't even wish to pay attention to how the fight played out, for she knew who the victor would be.
'You should not have done that. She would have made the decision on her own.' The voice from before had returned to Sailor Neptune, though it was ignored.
Haruka was immediately engulfed by a bright, dark blue light. Her track clothes were replaced with her Sailor uniform. It was much like Sailor Neptune's, but the blue was darker with a purple tint, and her bows were yellow.
Just as if she had done this task many times in the past, two words popped into Sailor Uranus's head. Glaring at the blob of a monster, which was slowly making a move for her, she raised her right arm high in the air and chanted her attack. "WORLD SHAKING!" The words were nearly screamed as a ball of golden energy was formed on her fist. Almost as soon as it had formed, with a rapid action, she threw her fist all the way to the ground and released the energy to go flying toward her attacker.
Uranus was frozen in place as she awaited the results of her attack. Without a doubt, it was blown to pieces almost as quickly as it had appeared in the first place. "Now that's what I call power." She chimed arrogantly, as she looked down at her hand, which she tightly curled into a fist.
Neptune giggled just as she guided the Heart Crystal back into its owner.
Uranus quickly became quite as she hunched her shoulders over. She looked down at her kneeling partner and sighed. "I'm sorry, Michiru."
Naptune made sure the victim was alive before standing up to face Uranus. "Haruka." It was the only thing she could think of saying for she was at a loss of words. Nothing could have made her happier at that moment than to look at Haruka standing before in a Senshi suit. They were again united as a pair, the troublesome duo as their teachers had always referred to them in school.
Uranus took a step forward in the rubble, not even taking a second look back at her defeat. "I had no idea."
Neptune walked over to her partner. "It has been rough, these past few days, without you."
Uranus took Neptune's hands up in hers and kissed them ever so softly. "Don't worry, I'm with you now, together, as it always should be."
Neptune smiled softly as she took her hand from Haruka's grasp and placed it on her shoulder. "I need to tell your something." Her eyes quickly moved away from Haruka's and landed on the floor next to her feet.
~*~*~
Kaori hightailed it back to the lab in the basement of the school empty handed. "Damn those melding Sailor Senshi! The professor isn't going to like this!"
"Isn't going to like what?" Professor Tomoe turned a corner to enter the same hallway that Kaori currently occupied. His eyes didn't look quite as inviting as they usually did.
Kaori came to a screeching halt, nearly tumbling into the broad-chested professor. "Professor! I thought you were in the lab."
The professor looked into Kaori's eyes, which were quickly filling with fear. He didn't like the nervous tone in her voice. "You were taking too long, and I heard a noise."
Kaori's jaw nearly dropped, but she held it together to the best of her ability. "I thought the lab was in the basement."
The professor glared deeper into Kaori's eyes. He could detect something was wrong, and seeing that she didn't have a smirk of victory on her face, he became agitated. "You didn't get it?!" He looked down at her side, completely ignoring her implied question. "And where's my creature?!" He snapped.
Kaori held herself together enough not to jump at his command. "A Sailor Senshi came at me out of no where. And then there was that melding brat, Haruka. Once I had the Heart Crystal I ran for it. But it was stolen."
The professor looked up and down the hall to make sure no one was coming. "Looks like we have to implement a new plan. Time to go back to the drawing board, we need to equip our creatures with weapons." Without waiting for any sort of reply, he turned himself around and headed back for the lab. Kaori was quick to chase after him. "You would do well to find a way to rid ourselves of the Senshi, Kaori."
~*~*~
~~Haiwaka Shrine~~
Makoto didn't talk much that next morning when she woke up. She was too preoccupied with the thoughts of what had happened earlier that day, with the plane crash and the falling out with her father. She ate breakfast, and quickly ushered herself back into the guestroom to be left alone. She'd barely gotten any sleep the night before, but that wasn't really anything new to her. The past week had been a restless one, ever since she'd first heard the news of her parents leaving town. But last night had been to worst. Every time she closed her eyes she saw a vision of a fiery plan with her mother lying lifelessly in front of it on the ground. Replaying the events of the day before were enough to keep her awake, and the visions didn't help ease any of the pain.
She couldn't seem to put her mind at ease. Telling her father off had felt really good. She was able to let some of the steam that had been building up over the years out. But as she was left to think about it, she became more and more worried; worried that her father would forever scorn her and never accept her back; worried that she would never again get the chance to move back home with her mother if her father refused to take her back. So many thoughts of worry were piling up in her head. She couldn't deal with the stress anymore. It was all too much.
Rei didn't mind seem to mind that Makoto was keeping to herself. She knew that her friend was upset and decided to give the girl some time to herself. She had other things she wanted to tend to anyway, like her Grandfather's new help, Yuuichiro.
Her grandfather had walked into room just as she was cleaning up the table from breakfast. She gave him a warm smile as she gathered three plates together and placed one atop the other. "Just the man I wanted to see." She said, rather cheerfully, which was quite against the mood inside the house.
Mr. Hino smiled back as his granddaughter, reaching out for the table to help her clear it faster even though it was really her duty to finish by herself. "You're quite the opposite of your friend."
Rei walked to a small, wooden tub and carefully set the plates down in it so they wouldn't break. She then turned back to the table and grabbed some glasses out of her grandfather's old hands. "I'm just trying to keep things positive. What would Makoto think if she knew that I was upset too?"
Mr. Hino smiled even wider as he took a seat at the small wooden table. "You really remind me of your mother, Rei. You've always been compassionate and caring toward the feelings of others, and aware of how you make other's feel."
Rei blushed as she opened a fresh bottle of dish soap. She hated it when her grandfather compared her to her mother for it had always embarrassed her, especially when she was younger. He would always boast how beautiful she was, and how much she looked like her mother. "Grandfather." She scolded with a slight giggle.
Mr. Hino chuckled as he rested his arms on the table in front of him. "You know its true, Rei. You seem to be growing into her more and more. She would be very proud of the way you've turned out."
Rei set the bottle of soap down as she slightly dipped her head into her chest. She couldn't help but wonder what her mother was like. After all, she hadn't really ever met her. As far back as she could remember, she had always lived under the care of her grandfather. The memories of her parents were only those of what she had heard from the stories people had told her over the years.
Every time she was told that she was like her mother, she wished more and more to meet her. She envied her friends more than anything for knowing their parents, as imperfect as many of them were. She was the only one who had never really known hers; and for many years, this had made her feel inferior to her classmates. They were always able to talk about their parents; of their fights and quarrels, but there was always the talk of how they had made up in the end. She witnessed these parent-child fights nearly every day with Usagi, and though she always sided with Usagi that it was horrible to live through, she couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to have a mother to argue with.
Mr. Hino seemed to detect these feelings from his granddaughter, for he stood up rather suddenly. "Was there something you wished to speak with me about, Rei?" He questioned, trying to get her mind away from her troubles. He knew how Rei felt about never knowing her parents. He remembered when she was just a young child, how he could hear her crying in her sleep for her mother and father. It broke his heart every time, but there was nothing he could do to remedy the situation other than to tell her stories of her mother and father to make it seem is if she knew them. For her fifth birthday, he had put together a small picture book of her parents together before Rei was born. It wasn't much to ease her mind, but it had worked to make her feel as though they were with her.
Rei snapped out of her trance and looked back into her grandfather's eyes. "Oh, yes. About this helper you've hired." She got a menacing grin as she walked back to the table and placed her hands upon it.
Mr. Hino smiled as he raised his hands behind his head. "Do not worry. He won't harm you. He just wants an honest job, and to reform from his life as a beggar."
Rei sighed. "I hope you know what you're doing, grandfather. Beggar's usually tend to be liars."
Mr. Hino slightly frowned at his granddaughter. He didn't remember teaching her to be so close-minded and judgmental. "I do know what I'm doing, Rei. I have spoken with him on several occasions. He is very sincere about turning his life around. He just needs to be given a chance to do it. Not very many people would be willing to do that for him."
Rei nodded very slowly. She had to admit that he was right. Not many people would be willing to let a beggar be their apprentice in order to reform. Most people just shrugged them off and decided someone else would take the task up. "All right."
~*~*~
~~Mugen School~~
"So Taro was a victim of the Heart Snatchers?" The two Sailor Senshi had allowed their defenses down and detransformed into their civilian selves. Michiru had gone on to explain her first encounter at the Museum of Art; how she had lost the life of Taro to the Heart Snatchers. She had been too slow in defeating her attacker to catch up to Kaori in time to get his very life source back. She had beaten herself up over it for hours upon hours, on into days. She couldn't find it in her heart to forgive herself. She didn't feel that she deserved to be forgiven until she found out who was behind the attacks and bring them to their doom.
Michiru nodded quite grimly as she stared down at the ground. "I'm afraid so." She put her arms behind her back in shame, not knowing what kind of reaction she should expect from Haruka. "I tried to save his Heart Crystal, but Kaori got away. I hurried back to the Museum, but it was too late. He was gone. That's when I returned to you and said that I wanted to go home."
Haruka didn't know quite how to take the news. She hadn't a single clue of what her partner was feeling inside for days now. "We'll fight these guys until we defeat them. We'll make them pay for all the killings that have been going on lately. They won't get past us."
Michiru looked up with a smile of relief. "There's more, though. We aren't to tell Usagi, who is, unfortunately, our Princess."
Haruka looked rather confused at the comment. "Excuse me? I do not give my loyalty to her. She's much too brash to be a Princess. I work alone, under the command of no one." The room became silent as the two girls stared into each other's eyes. Haruka was becoming quite curious as to why she was un- allowed to tell Usagi that they too were of the Senshi team. "Why exactly can we not tell her?"
Michiru shrugged. "I was told on the night that I became a Senshi to tell no one; that we are some sort of special Senshi. No one can fell us, not even us. We have some sort of hidden power, that's why you didn't feel me become a Senshi that night at the museum."
Haruka scratched her head with wonder. "How strange. I'm guessing we aren't to tell Mamoru either?"
Michiru nodded as she leaned her head into the chest of the woman before her. "No. We are to work silently until we defeat the enemy."
~*~*~*~
Irritated that Kaori had just barged into their conversation, Haruka glared her. "Excuse me?" She let her eyes drop down to the suitcase size box, just as Michiru had with her encounter. "What is it that you're looking for?" Wondering what was inside the box, but not taking the time out to question the woman, she let her eyes travel back up to Kaori's eyes. "Just get it and scram!" She glanced next to the girl at her side, who didn't seemed to be dazed in the least about the interruption. There really wasn't a need to be, yet.
A devious smile appeared on Kaori's face as she daintily placed her box- like item down on the ground. "So you really want me to take what I'm after?"
Having not even the slightest idea what the dangers her answer would bring, Haruka nodded. She didn't care what this woman needed. She only cared that one minute she was being praised, and the next, she was talking to this bozo. "Just get it and go! How many times do I have to tell you!?"
Kaori's smile grew as she bent her knees as she could reach down and begin to release her new Heart Snatcher. "All right. If you really insist that much." Glancing up for a moment, she waved her hand around to motion Haruka out of the way. "Please step aside."
Haruka didn't respond right away. She wanted to know why she was being told to move aside, and not the other girl. "Why?"
Kaori's smile faded into a growing frown. "Just do it! I can't get what I need with you standing in the way." Under other circumstances, she would have just come right out and unleashed her Heart Snatcher, but this time she had Haruka, a possible threat, agreeing that she should just get things done and over with.
Haruka frowned back as she was slow to respond. Crossing her arms, she slowly turned and slowly started walking to the far end of the locker room, thinking that Kaori just needed to get something out of her locker. Boy was she wrong. By the time she had gotten halfway to her destination, she heard a loud squeal. "Huh?!" Spinning around on instinct, she saw Kaori just standing and watching, while a human-like creature, that seemed to be covered in everlasting mud, had the other girl pinned up against the lockers. "What the hell are you doing!?" In a flash of blue light, she powered up and dashed for Kaori, and not the Heart Snatcher.
Haruka's words for warning were enough for Kaori to drop to the floor in order to miss being hit, but she didn't know the full power of the girl. Haruka was able to read Kaori's movements, and followed her down to the ground. Picking the woman up by the shoulders, she flung her across the room with a growl.
Kaori slammed, back first, into the metal lockers. She hadn't been prepared for the girl's reflexes; but then again, she fought like Hotaru had in the past. Trying to get over the pain quick enough to divert Haruka's attention to the undefeatable Heart Snatcher, she pointed upward. "Your friend is going to die!" Her voice cracked as a gush of pain ran up her back.
Haruka stopped momentarily as she turned her head back to the other girl. She was just in time to watch the Heart Snatcher make a point with its arm and dig it deep into the chest of its victim. "NO!"
Seeing that Haruka was no longer paying any attention to her, Kaori dug up enough strength to kick the fighter in the stomach, causing her to fall down to the ground. Completely underestimating Haruka, she staggered back to her feet. "Heart Snatcher, give me the Pure Heart Crystal!"
Haruka grabbed her stomach, though not in pain. She had only had the wind knocked out of her. She would have to be more careful not to take her attention away from her foes. " 'Heart Snatcher?' "
Kaori grabbed her back as she slowly made her way to her Heart Snatcher, thinking that Haruka was down for the count. Haruka jumped to her feet as quietly as she could, as she didn't want Kaori to hear her movements. She didn't just shoot out for her foes. She wanted to watch them first, to see what she was up against. Kaori looked nothing like a fighter and she sure didn't fight like one. However, the other guy, the thing Kaori referred to as a 'Heart Snatcher', was another story. Haruka had never seen anything like it. It had the build of a man, yet was covered with mud that seemed to replenish itself at its own whim.
Powering up again, this time to her fullest extent, she prepared herself for battle. Under any other circumstances, she would have just left things alone with the mentality that this just wasn't her duty. But for some reason, she felt compelled to stop these people in their tracks, whoever they were.
~*~*~
Michiru was already in the stands and waiting for Haruka to come out. This would be the day the team was determined, and she couldn't wait to hear Haruka's name listed off as one of the members. However, something was wrong. Haruka hadn't come out yet, while all the others had. At first she thought nothing of it, Haruka usually did take a little longer than the others. But as soon as she felt the power up, she knew something was wrong.
Michiru quickly raced down the stands and headed for the locker room. She had a feeling she knew what Haruka was fighting. The Heart Snatchers were at it again, and now they were after Haruka. Fear entered her eyes as she pushed herself harder at the thought that Haruka's Heart Crystal would be stolen, and never retrieved. "I have to save her!"
~*~*~
Haruka watched Kaori take something from the mud-like creature. She wasn't sure what it was for she didn't get a good look at it. She only saw that it was a crystal, and possessed a bright shine. 'Was that the Heart Crystal?' Not taking the time to try and answer her question, she dove for Kaori, but found a glob of mud being hurled at her from the side. She quickly forgot about her pursuit for Kaori and paid more attention to dodging the 'attack'. She quickly jumped into the air and fired her own attack. She watched as her blue Ki ball flew down at her target. It punctured a large hole in its stomach, but it was quickly refilled. Haruka didn't let the failed attack get her down. After all, things were just getting started.
~*~*~
Kaori frowned as she made her way out of the locker room. "All that for a lousy, regular Heart Crystal!? I might as well just toss this thing right here and now!" Looking around and seeing no one, she reached for her pouch to put the Heart Crystal in. She wouldn't really have just ditched it, as the Mistress needed all the Heart Crystals she could get.
"Or you could return it to its rightful owner!" Called out a voice from above.
Kaori's eyes widened as she gulped. She knew that voice from somewhere. She had heard it recently. She was reluctant as she raised her head, only to see Sailor Neptune, the one who had foiled her plans only the day before. "You!" She yelled out in surprised.
Sailor Neptune crossed her arms as she began to lower herself to ground level. She didn't fail to see the Heart Crystal in the woman's hands. "You've stolen your last Heart Crystal!"
Kaori tightened her grip around the item in her hand and pulled it to her side. "Oh have I?"
Sailor Neptune uncrossed her arms as she took a step forward. "Hand it over!" She held out her hand, knowing that Kaori would never give it up without a fight.
Kaori taunted the Senshi. "Make me!" Securing the precious item in her hand, she turned to the side and made a run for it.
Sailor Neptune followed the woman, which was hardly a challenge. It was seconds before she was caught up and on the woman's tail. "Give it up!" She grabbed the woman by the shoulders and spun her around, only to be met with a fearful expression.
Kaori gulped as she struggled within the Senshi's grip. "Get off!" She kicked at the Senshi, but she was too weak. Her hits weren't even felt.
Sailor Neptune glared into the woman's eyes, causing more fear to arise. Saying nothing, she reached down and grabbed Kaori's wrist as hard as she could, causing the woman's fingers to uncurl around the Heart Crystal. With her other hand, she let go of Kaori's shoulder and snatched the Heart Crystal from her. "Your Heart snatching days are over as far as I'm concerned." She let go of Kaori and pushed her down to the ground. She didn't like to be so brutal, but she had to let these people know she was serious. She wasn't about to lose another human life because of them.
Turning from Kaori, she started out for the locker room, where she still felt Haruka's energy going strong. That eased up the stress on her heart a bit. At least Haruka wasn't the one in danger of losing her Heart Crystal, but that doesn't mean she wasn't still in any kind of danger. With every attack there was a monster to fight, which she knew couldn't be defeated without the power of a Senshi.
~*~*~
Haruka was still going full force with the Heart Snatcher, who didn't seem to be hurt by any of Haruka's attacks. "Damn you!" She yelled as she dodged yet another blob of mud being slung at her. She retaliated with a swift roundhouse kick to its head. Her leg went only so far into the tip of its head before it was stopped by the hardening of the mud inside. A new, moist layer was remade, which completely locked her leg into place. Growling, she diverted all of her power into her leg and pulled it out, causing the mud to break and splatter everywhere.
Haruka jumped away from the creature, and landed on her feet just a few feet away from the door. "How the hell am I supposed to defeat that? Its resistant to everything."
~*~*~
Sailor Neptune arrived in the doorway. Before she jumped in to stop the fight, she examined the room, which was covered in mud. Not too far from the door stood Haruka, who was standing face to face with the newest Heart Snatcher. In the far corner of the room, she noticed a body lying unconscious on the floor. 'That must be the victim.' Neptune stepped forward into the room.
'Stop. Leave the room.'
Neptune looked up and around. That was the same voice she had heard the night she first became Sailor Neptune. Why was she telling her to turn around and leave if it was her duty to protect those who are attacked by the Heart Snatchers? She did as she was told, and stepped back out of the room and away from the door. "Why? What's going on?"
'We cannot interfere.'
Neptune poked her head around the corner into the room just as the Heart Snatcher was extending its arms for Haruka, who in turn, jumped into the air to dodge. Haruka then fired a series of Ki attacks at the creature with no remorse.
Moving her head away from the door, she thought back to the night she became a Senshi. Why did this remind her of that night? Probably because it was almost the exact same thing. She was left to fend for herself against a monster that was almost unbeatable. That's when it came to her. It was obvious. "She's a Sailor Senshi too?!"
'I don't know.'
~*~*~
Haruka didn't know what to do. Nothing was working against this particular monster. Anything she threw at it was effective for only a few seconds. While she was wearing herself out, the Heart Snatcher still had full energy, or at least, it seemed to have full energy.
Haruka jumped back toward the wall as she discontinued her attacks. The creature was full of holes, but she could see that it was starting to replenish itself. If she hadn't known any better, she would have thought that this was another Majin Buu from the descriptions that Goku and the others had given her. "What are you?!" She screamed as she jumped back into a wall, causing her to lose her footing. She clumsily tripped over her own feet for a few seconds before she landed on her backside.
Looking up at the monster in horror, she growled. "I will not be defeated by whatever you are!"
The monster looked curiously upon Haruka. It grew a wide, taunting smile on its face; looking down at her prey as a cat would a mouse. "He he he." It chirped beneath its breath as Haruka's breathing began to increase. It looked like this was finally it, her prey had been won. But just as the monster bent down to finish its victim off, a bright, blue light appeared between the two of them.
The light was so intense that Haruka had to turn her head and shield her eyes with her arm. "What's happening?!" She cried out as her breathing intensified. She couldn't believe what was happening to her; the strange feelings she was experiencing. For once in her life she was scared. It was a strange, new feeling, something that she had never once given into before this moment. It was strange, all right, and horrifying.
She couldn't see what was happening past the light, but somehow, as the light grew brighter, her nerves seemed to be calmed, as if something was calling out to her in a softly singing voice. "Huh?" She grunted as she lowered her arm just slightly.
~*~*~
Neptune couldn't believe what she was seeing. How could she have not known that Haruka would be a Sailor Senshi? Like the other five Senshi had grown up, inseparable, they too had shared the same link. She had always felt that there was something more to them than just what was on the outside, as if something were missing from their lives. Seeing Haruka's power being awakened had finally made her realize this.
Sighing, Neptune felt a bit at ease knowing that she wouldn't be the only Senshi of her kind. Now she could share her secrets with her friend; her lover, just as she always had. She wouldn't have to hide her second identity and lie about where she was going, or where she had been at a certain time. She could finally tell someone about what had happened the night at the museum of art.
~*~*~
Haruka thought her eyes were playing tricks on her. Thought the monster seemed to be screaming louder and louder from pain of the intensified beam of light shooting into its eyes, Haruka seemed to be able to bear the powerful gleam as the seconds passed by. "What's going on?" She cried out, her voice shaking from fear.
"Do not be afraid." Sang the soft woman's voice.
Haruka seemed to have been the only one to hear the strange voice, as if it were talking directly into her head. She didn't quite understand; thinking it was only a trick by the enemy. But, that obviously was not the case as he seemed to be preoccupied with the pain rushing into his eyes. "Who."
"I am your past, young Haruka. I am your power, hidden beneath years and years of sleep. You have summoned me."
Haruka's eye instinctively widened. She didn't even realize that amount of light gushing into her pupils as she leaned closer. "I what?" She asked, softer this time than before. She seemed to be growing calmer and calmer the more she looked at the glowing ball of energy before.
"It is time for your decision, Haruka. Embrace me with willingness, or shut me out to close this chapter or your life."
Haruka wasn't sure what to think. She wasn't sure what was going on to create a valid opinion of what was happening to her. What was this voice saying? "close this chapter of your life"? What, exactly, was this to mean? What was she to think? She had no idea what was going on, nor did she know who her attacker was. Maybe this was part of a trick. She couldn't have that. This was serious. She could be killed. This could be one big, sick joke of Mamoru's in hopes to get a good laugh. Whatever it was, she had to make a decision fast of what she was going to do.
~*~*~
Meanwhile, out in the hall, Neptune had her fingers crossed tightly. She didn't think Haruka would turn down the power, but the girls hesitation wasn't exactly reassuring. "Come on, Haruka, you can do this. I know you can."
~*~*~
Haruka peered deep into the center of the energy, still very conscious of the fact that the monster was in the same room as her; and his moans were beginning to dissipate. Inside the tiny, round ball of floating energy, she could make out what seemed like a small, pen-like item floating inside. That just totally blew her out of the water. She hadn't found it strange that a random ball of energy appear before her, but an item becoming whole out of no where, that was just a bit too much to handle for her. "What is this?"
"The source of your power, should you choose to embrace it. But, once you hold it, you may not release it. It will be your destiny to uphold the name of Uranus."
Haruka backed away at the proclamation, and back into the wall. "What?!" She didn't know what to make of that. She wasn't sure if she had heard the voice completely right. There was only inference to be made off a name like that. "Are you saying that I'm a Sailor Senshi?"
~*~*~
Neptune gasped at Haruka's reaction. She knew how her friend had felt about the Senshi. She had hated, even loathed them. She had always said she would never be caught in a stupid outfit like that; that it was fine for others but not her. Was she honestly thinking about turning down the offer to hold a new power? The question scared Neptune to death; so much, in fact, that she was willing to defy the voice in her head that told her that, what she was about to do, probably wasn't the wisest choice in the world.
Without a single thought, she leapt into the room so she would be plainly visible to Haruka. "Haruka!" She cried out as she stumbled over an abandoned shoe, causing her to fall to her knees. She didn't much care, she was more concerned with her friend's decision. "Please!" She called out in a fit of exasperation.
Haruka's concentration was lost as fumbled over her thoughts and the words called out to her. "What the.!?" She quickly shot a glance at the Sailor Senshi now in front of her in shock. She didn't need to be a Senshi herself to know who was underneath that prissy Senshi uniform. She only needed her senses. There was no doubt that this particular Senshi had a bit of Michiru's power mixed in with it. "Michiru?!" She cried out in both surprise and confusion.
Neptune didn't take her friend's words of shock into consideration as she leapt forward to be closer to her. "Please, you have to accept the power of Uranus!"
"And if I don't?" Haruka barely managed to reply. She couldn't help but notice that the intensity of the light was beginning to diminish. Had she lost her chance? Had she taken too long?
"Then the power will be passed to someone else. You have to take it, Haruka! I don't know what I'd do if I had to work with someone else." Neptune stayed still as she pleaded with all her heart. She didn't even take the time to notice that the monster was seaming to recover.
"I don't want the responsibilities, Michiru. Let someone else do it!" She yelled at the top of her lungs, thought it was hardly needed. The monster was growing quiet.
It broke Neptune's heart to hear Haruka talk like that. After everything Piccolo had taught them, hell, that Usagi and her friends had been able to teach them, Haruka still acted like a child. "Don't you understand? We were destined for this; destined to do it together! I don't want to do this alone!" With those last words, tiny, little droplets of tears began to run down her cheeks ever so slowly.
Haruka calmed herself a bit, taking full notice of the girl's anguish. She didn't like to see Michiru in such a state. But this time, the answer wasn't as easy as 'give her what she wants'. This time, it involved her own future. Everything she ever wanted, the dreams about becoming a star athlete, all out the door. She could consider them gone. Of course, Michiru had given up the same privileges. She had given up her dream of becoming a musician to become a Senshi, maybe even knowing that Haruka would become one. Maybe she had dropped her dreams for that reason, so the two of them could live together for all eternity.
Haruka's face softened at the thought of Michiru giving up everything for their relationship. If she could do it, then Haruka could too. She had to be fair about this. Without saying a single word to the aqua-colored Senshi, she looked up to the angering monster, who was starting to regain his bearings. With a growl of anger, she reached out and grasped the pen- like item, which was quickly disappearing. Her actions only worked to gain a gasp from her partner.
Neptune's eyes filled even faster with tears, though they were no longer caused by fear. Getting back to her feet, she slowly walked into the far corner of the room next to the unconscious body to deliver the Heart Crystal which she had just stolen from Kaori. She didn't even wish to pay attention to how the fight played out, for she knew who the victor would be.
'You should not have done that. She would have made the decision on her own.' The voice from before had returned to Sailor Neptune, though it was ignored.
Haruka was immediately engulfed by a bright, dark blue light. Her track clothes were replaced with her Sailor uniform. It was much like Sailor Neptune's, but the blue was darker with a purple tint, and her bows were yellow.
Just as if she had done this task many times in the past, two words popped into Sailor Uranus's head. Glaring at the blob of a monster, which was slowly making a move for her, she raised her right arm high in the air and chanted her attack. "WORLD SHAKING!" The words were nearly screamed as a ball of golden energy was formed on her fist. Almost as soon as it had formed, with a rapid action, she threw her fist all the way to the ground and released the energy to go flying toward her attacker.
Uranus was frozen in place as she awaited the results of her attack. Without a doubt, it was blown to pieces almost as quickly as it had appeared in the first place. "Now that's what I call power." She chimed arrogantly, as she looked down at her hand, which she tightly curled into a fist.
Neptune giggled just as she guided the Heart Crystal back into its owner.
Uranus quickly became quite as she hunched her shoulders over. She looked down at her kneeling partner and sighed. "I'm sorry, Michiru."
Naptune made sure the victim was alive before standing up to face Uranus. "Haruka." It was the only thing she could think of saying for she was at a loss of words. Nothing could have made her happier at that moment than to look at Haruka standing before in a Senshi suit. They were again united as a pair, the troublesome duo as their teachers had always referred to them in school.
Uranus took a step forward in the rubble, not even taking a second look back at her defeat. "I had no idea."
Neptune walked over to her partner. "It has been rough, these past few days, without you."
Uranus took Neptune's hands up in hers and kissed them ever so softly. "Don't worry, I'm with you now, together, as it always should be."
Neptune smiled softly as she took her hand from Haruka's grasp and placed it on her shoulder. "I need to tell your something." Her eyes quickly moved away from Haruka's and landed on the floor next to her feet.
~*~*~
Kaori hightailed it back to the lab in the basement of the school empty handed. "Damn those melding Sailor Senshi! The professor isn't going to like this!"
"Isn't going to like what?" Professor Tomoe turned a corner to enter the same hallway that Kaori currently occupied. His eyes didn't look quite as inviting as they usually did.
Kaori came to a screeching halt, nearly tumbling into the broad-chested professor. "Professor! I thought you were in the lab."
The professor looked into Kaori's eyes, which were quickly filling with fear. He didn't like the nervous tone in her voice. "You were taking too long, and I heard a noise."
Kaori's jaw nearly dropped, but she held it together to the best of her ability. "I thought the lab was in the basement."
The professor glared deeper into Kaori's eyes. He could detect something was wrong, and seeing that she didn't have a smirk of victory on her face, he became agitated. "You didn't get it?!" He looked down at her side, completely ignoring her implied question. "And where's my creature?!" He snapped.
Kaori held herself together enough not to jump at his command. "A Sailor Senshi came at me out of no where. And then there was that melding brat, Haruka. Once I had the Heart Crystal I ran for it. But it was stolen."
The professor looked up and down the hall to make sure no one was coming. "Looks like we have to implement a new plan. Time to go back to the drawing board, we need to equip our creatures with weapons." Without waiting for any sort of reply, he turned himself around and headed back for the lab. Kaori was quick to chase after him. "You would do well to find a way to rid ourselves of the Senshi, Kaori."
~*~*~
~~Haiwaka Shrine~~
Makoto didn't talk much that next morning when she woke up. She was too preoccupied with the thoughts of what had happened earlier that day, with the plane crash and the falling out with her father. She ate breakfast, and quickly ushered herself back into the guestroom to be left alone. She'd barely gotten any sleep the night before, but that wasn't really anything new to her. The past week had been a restless one, ever since she'd first heard the news of her parents leaving town. But last night had been to worst. Every time she closed her eyes she saw a vision of a fiery plan with her mother lying lifelessly in front of it on the ground. Replaying the events of the day before were enough to keep her awake, and the visions didn't help ease any of the pain.
She couldn't seem to put her mind at ease. Telling her father off had felt really good. She was able to let some of the steam that had been building up over the years out. But as she was left to think about it, she became more and more worried; worried that her father would forever scorn her and never accept her back; worried that she would never again get the chance to move back home with her mother if her father refused to take her back. So many thoughts of worry were piling up in her head. She couldn't deal with the stress anymore. It was all too much.
Rei didn't mind seem to mind that Makoto was keeping to herself. She knew that her friend was upset and decided to give the girl some time to herself. She had other things she wanted to tend to anyway, like her Grandfather's new help, Yuuichiro.
Her grandfather had walked into room just as she was cleaning up the table from breakfast. She gave him a warm smile as she gathered three plates together and placed one atop the other. "Just the man I wanted to see." She said, rather cheerfully, which was quite against the mood inside the house.
Mr. Hino smiled back as his granddaughter, reaching out for the table to help her clear it faster even though it was really her duty to finish by herself. "You're quite the opposite of your friend."
Rei walked to a small, wooden tub and carefully set the plates down in it so they wouldn't break. She then turned back to the table and grabbed some glasses out of her grandfather's old hands. "I'm just trying to keep things positive. What would Makoto think if she knew that I was upset too?"
Mr. Hino smiled even wider as he took a seat at the small wooden table. "You really remind me of your mother, Rei. You've always been compassionate and caring toward the feelings of others, and aware of how you make other's feel."
Rei blushed as she opened a fresh bottle of dish soap. She hated it when her grandfather compared her to her mother for it had always embarrassed her, especially when she was younger. He would always boast how beautiful she was, and how much she looked like her mother. "Grandfather." She scolded with a slight giggle.
Mr. Hino chuckled as he rested his arms on the table in front of him. "You know its true, Rei. You seem to be growing into her more and more. She would be very proud of the way you've turned out."
Rei set the bottle of soap down as she slightly dipped her head into her chest. She couldn't help but wonder what her mother was like. After all, she hadn't really ever met her. As far back as she could remember, she had always lived under the care of her grandfather. The memories of her parents were only those of what she had heard from the stories people had told her over the years.
Every time she was told that she was like her mother, she wished more and more to meet her. She envied her friends more than anything for knowing their parents, as imperfect as many of them were. She was the only one who had never really known hers; and for many years, this had made her feel inferior to her classmates. They were always able to talk about their parents; of their fights and quarrels, but there was always the talk of how they had made up in the end. She witnessed these parent-child fights nearly every day with Usagi, and though she always sided with Usagi that it was horrible to live through, she couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to have a mother to argue with.
Mr. Hino seemed to detect these feelings from his granddaughter, for he stood up rather suddenly. "Was there something you wished to speak with me about, Rei?" He questioned, trying to get her mind away from her troubles. He knew how Rei felt about never knowing her parents. He remembered when she was just a young child, how he could hear her crying in her sleep for her mother and father. It broke his heart every time, but there was nothing he could do to remedy the situation other than to tell her stories of her mother and father to make it seem is if she knew them. For her fifth birthday, he had put together a small picture book of her parents together before Rei was born. It wasn't much to ease her mind, but it had worked to make her feel as though they were with her.
Rei snapped out of her trance and looked back into her grandfather's eyes. "Oh, yes. About this helper you've hired." She got a menacing grin as she walked back to the table and placed her hands upon it.
Mr. Hino smiled as he raised his hands behind his head. "Do not worry. He won't harm you. He just wants an honest job, and to reform from his life as a beggar."
Rei sighed. "I hope you know what you're doing, grandfather. Beggar's usually tend to be liars."
Mr. Hino slightly frowned at his granddaughter. He didn't remember teaching her to be so close-minded and judgmental. "I do know what I'm doing, Rei. I have spoken with him on several occasions. He is very sincere about turning his life around. He just needs to be given a chance to do it. Not very many people would be willing to do that for him."
Rei nodded very slowly. She had to admit that he was right. Not many people would be willing to let a beggar be their apprentice in order to reform. Most people just shrugged them off and decided someone else would take the task up. "All right."
~*~*~
~~Mugen School~~
"So Taro was a victim of the Heart Snatchers?" The two Sailor Senshi had allowed their defenses down and detransformed into their civilian selves. Michiru had gone on to explain her first encounter at the Museum of Art; how she had lost the life of Taro to the Heart Snatchers. She had been too slow in defeating her attacker to catch up to Kaori in time to get his very life source back. She had beaten herself up over it for hours upon hours, on into days. She couldn't find it in her heart to forgive herself. She didn't feel that she deserved to be forgiven until she found out who was behind the attacks and bring them to their doom.
Michiru nodded quite grimly as she stared down at the ground. "I'm afraid so." She put her arms behind her back in shame, not knowing what kind of reaction she should expect from Haruka. "I tried to save his Heart Crystal, but Kaori got away. I hurried back to the Museum, but it was too late. He was gone. That's when I returned to you and said that I wanted to go home."
Haruka didn't know quite how to take the news. She hadn't a single clue of what her partner was feeling inside for days now. "We'll fight these guys until we defeat them. We'll make them pay for all the killings that have been going on lately. They won't get past us."
Michiru looked up with a smile of relief. "There's more, though. We aren't to tell Usagi, who is, unfortunately, our Princess."
Haruka looked rather confused at the comment. "Excuse me? I do not give my loyalty to her. She's much too brash to be a Princess. I work alone, under the command of no one." The room became silent as the two girls stared into each other's eyes. Haruka was becoming quite curious as to why she was un- allowed to tell Usagi that they too were of the Senshi team. "Why exactly can we not tell her?"
Michiru shrugged. "I was told on the night that I became a Senshi to tell no one; that we are some sort of special Senshi. No one can fell us, not even us. We have some sort of hidden power, that's why you didn't feel me become a Senshi that night at the museum."
Haruka scratched her head with wonder. "How strange. I'm guessing we aren't to tell Mamoru either?"
Michiru nodded as she leaned her head into the chest of the woman before her. "No. We are to work silently until we defeat the enemy."