CHAPTER 6
It was the third and final night of Usagi's birthday celebration. The night was clear although somewhat chilly. Michiru shivered, wishing she'd worn something warmer than the spaghetti-strapped white dress that she had on. She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to keep warm. The wind blew her hair into her eyes as she looked around in despair. 'Where am I?' she asked herself.
Well, she was deep in the Moon Palace's maze of shrubbery and plants, that was for sure. She was trying, and failing, to find the place that Haruka had showed her last night. She'd promised that she'd meet Haruka there, but at the rate she was going, she would be lost in the Moon gardens for eternity!
She sighed and turned around, trying to retrace her steps back to the Castle. Maybe Haruka would come looking for her there. Everything was going fine until she came to a fork in the path, and she couldn't remember the way she'd came.
She eventually decided to take the left path. She walked for awhile but still didn't know if she way going the correct way or not. Everything looked the same!
Suddenly she stepped into a large opening, with a grand fountain off to one side. She looked around but could find no path. Apparently she'd reached a dead end.
She sat down on the edge of the fountain to catch her breath. Tiny mists of water from the spraying fountain showered her, making her shiver. She eventually stood up to continue searching for the Moon Palace. She had only walked a few paces away from the water fountain when suddenly she heard as soft rustling, and someone emerged from the path that she'd come from.
It was a tall, silhouetted figure. "Haruka? Is that you?" Michiru said uncertainly. The figure moved forward so that Michiru could see its face. It was a man, in his 30s, with light brown hair slicked back on his head...
"Larry!" groaned Michiru, backing away from him. She wondered what kind of tricks he'd try to pull on her tonight. She advanced towards her, and Michiru covered her mouth, expecting him to attempt to kiss her.
However, what happened next was not at all what Michiru had been expecting. Larry grabbed Michiru by the shoulders, and threw her to the ground with all his strength. Michiru gasped as the wind was knocked out of her. She tried to sit up, or to crawl away, but it hurt too much to move. Larry kneeled down on the ground beside the shocked Michiru.
"You- filthy- little- bitch," he growled through clenched teeth. "You and your stupid Haruka. When you could've had me, you chose him instead. Well. Well, I'll teach you a lesson you'll never forget."
Larry drew back his fist. Michiru tried to protect herself, but she wasn't quick enough. Larry's fist connected with her face.
She rolled over onto her stomach and covered her head as Larry hit her over and over again. She was crying and she could barely breathe...who would possibly come to her rescue...
But suddenly Larry's violence ceased. Michiru cautiously looked over her shoulder for the reason why.
It was Haruka! Haruka seized Larry pushed him with all his might at the stone water fountain. Larry's head hit the side of the fountain and he fell to the ground, unconscious.
Michiru took a shaky breath and, still lying down, looked around her. The cobble stone ground was smeared with blood- her blood. She reached up and gingerly touched her face, where Larry had punched her the hardest. When she withdrew her hand, she saw more blood on her fingertips. She assumed it was coming from her nose.
Haruka kneeled down beside her. "Can you sit up?" he asked gently, and fished out a white handkerchief from his pocket. "Wipe up some of your blood. And pinch the bridge of your nose, it should help stop the bleeding."
Michiru managed to sit up with Haruka's help, and then did what she had been told. She was still in a bit of a daze. Every inch of her body hurt. The images of what had happened just a minute ago were still fresh in her mind. Larry's leering face started down at her in her mind...she closed her eyes stubbornly, trying to block out the memories.
Haruka was stroking Michiru's hair comfortingly. "It's all over. Calm down...he won't hurt you anymore. He was drunk...he didn't know what he was doing...but it's all over now..." Haruka's soft voice broke through Michiru's thoughts. A few tears leaked through Michiru's shut eyes and slid down her cheeks, until she was eventually sobbing. She leaned against Haruka, who pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her.
.::..::..::.
Awww such a mushy ending!! It makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside, no? ;D Next chapter will be here sooooooon...
It was the third and final night of Usagi's birthday celebration. The night was clear although somewhat chilly. Michiru shivered, wishing she'd worn something warmer than the spaghetti-strapped white dress that she had on. She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to keep warm. The wind blew her hair into her eyes as she looked around in despair. 'Where am I?' she asked herself.
Well, she was deep in the Moon Palace's maze of shrubbery and plants, that was for sure. She was trying, and failing, to find the place that Haruka had showed her last night. She'd promised that she'd meet Haruka there, but at the rate she was going, she would be lost in the Moon gardens for eternity!
She sighed and turned around, trying to retrace her steps back to the Castle. Maybe Haruka would come looking for her there. Everything was going fine until she came to a fork in the path, and she couldn't remember the way she'd came.
She eventually decided to take the left path. She walked for awhile but still didn't know if she way going the correct way or not. Everything looked the same!
Suddenly she stepped into a large opening, with a grand fountain off to one side. She looked around but could find no path. Apparently she'd reached a dead end.
She sat down on the edge of the fountain to catch her breath. Tiny mists of water from the spraying fountain showered her, making her shiver. She eventually stood up to continue searching for the Moon Palace. She had only walked a few paces away from the water fountain when suddenly she heard as soft rustling, and someone emerged from the path that she'd come from.
It was a tall, silhouetted figure. "Haruka? Is that you?" Michiru said uncertainly. The figure moved forward so that Michiru could see its face. It was a man, in his 30s, with light brown hair slicked back on his head...
"Larry!" groaned Michiru, backing away from him. She wondered what kind of tricks he'd try to pull on her tonight. She advanced towards her, and Michiru covered her mouth, expecting him to attempt to kiss her.
However, what happened next was not at all what Michiru had been expecting. Larry grabbed Michiru by the shoulders, and threw her to the ground with all his strength. Michiru gasped as the wind was knocked out of her. She tried to sit up, or to crawl away, but it hurt too much to move. Larry kneeled down on the ground beside the shocked Michiru.
"You- filthy- little- bitch," he growled through clenched teeth. "You and your stupid Haruka. When you could've had me, you chose him instead. Well. Well, I'll teach you a lesson you'll never forget."
Larry drew back his fist. Michiru tried to protect herself, but she wasn't quick enough. Larry's fist connected with her face.
She rolled over onto her stomach and covered her head as Larry hit her over and over again. She was crying and she could barely breathe...who would possibly come to her rescue...
But suddenly Larry's violence ceased. Michiru cautiously looked over her shoulder for the reason why.
It was Haruka! Haruka seized Larry pushed him with all his might at the stone water fountain. Larry's head hit the side of the fountain and he fell to the ground, unconscious.
Michiru took a shaky breath and, still lying down, looked around her. The cobble stone ground was smeared with blood- her blood. She reached up and gingerly touched her face, where Larry had punched her the hardest. When she withdrew her hand, she saw more blood on her fingertips. She assumed it was coming from her nose.
Haruka kneeled down beside her. "Can you sit up?" he asked gently, and fished out a white handkerchief from his pocket. "Wipe up some of your blood. And pinch the bridge of your nose, it should help stop the bleeding."
Michiru managed to sit up with Haruka's help, and then did what she had been told. She was still in a bit of a daze. Every inch of her body hurt. The images of what had happened just a minute ago were still fresh in her mind. Larry's leering face started down at her in her mind...she closed her eyes stubbornly, trying to block out the memories.
Haruka was stroking Michiru's hair comfortingly. "It's all over. Calm down...he won't hurt you anymore. He was drunk...he didn't know what he was doing...but it's all over now..." Haruka's soft voice broke through Michiru's thoughts. A few tears leaked through Michiru's shut eyes and slid down her cheeks, until she was eventually sobbing. She leaned against Haruka, who pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her.
.::..::..::.
Awww such a mushy ending!! It makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside, no? ;D Next chapter will be here sooooooon...