Chapter 9
"Michiru! Are you coming down? Or do I have to come up and carry you down?" Taiko shouted from the staircase, while gazing towards the top floor. "We're ready and willing to go now!"
"I'll be right down!" Michiru's voice shouted back.
Taiko sighed and looked at Hoshi who was standing at the doorway with a gentle smile playing on her lips. Taiko was wearing a white blouse and a pair of dark blue jeans, while Hoshi was wearing a white short- sleeved blouse that was tied into a bow over her stomach and a gentle blue skirt, which ended at her feet. The two changed gazes and smiles, and no words were needed. Soon the fourteen-year-old girl walked down the stairs, wearing her school uniform, while a headband held her hair back. She was carrying her drawing pad.
"You really need to take that to school, pumpkin?" Taiko asked as the girl stepped down the last step.
"I wanted to show them to the teachers." Michiru replied, giving Taiko a gentle gaze, which only gave Taiko a feeling that she had seen the gaze before.
Taiko nodded a little before she looked at Hoshi, who was holding out her keys, while giving Taiko the very same gaze Michiru just had given her. "Could you two just stop being some damn cute?" She protested while raising an eyebrow towards Hoshi. "Let's go to your last day of school." Taiko noted after a while with a sigh, putting her hand onto Michiru's shoulder.
The three left the house and entered Hoshi's car, which Taiko was driving that day. Michiru got into the back seat, while Hoshi sat down beside Taiko in the front. The aqua haired beauty gazed out the window with a gentle smile over her lips. After the school ceremony they had been asked to come to the tracks, where one of Michiru's closest friends was doing her last track race, before moving out of the country. Hoshi could see the girl's reflection in the rear mirror, and she could see that the girl sitting behind her was nervous.
"It'll go well sweet heart. Don't worry." Hoshi replied as she looked over the seat and at the girl. "Just remember what you have been told..." She added, but now whispered.
"I know." Michiru nodded and soon looked at the woman she adored the most. I have to try, if she won't listen to me, I'll just have to try again. She thought, now looking out the window again while her hands holding the drawing pad, tightened slightly.
The ceremony had gone well and Michiru had gotten her scholar as expected so she was going to start at Mugen Gakuen after her last semester in junior high, and she had brought the house down, so to speak with her play with the schools music class. Hoshi and Taiko were proud over the girl, but at the same time they were sad. Soon the girl would leave them, and they would probably never see her again, but about this they didn't say a word. They were the proud 'parents' of Kaioh Michiru, and that fact only made them calmer.
The track was about to start and Taiko and Hoshi were sitting on the stands, gazing over the crowd of people surrounding them, and at the people running about on the field. The two didn't mind the gazes and whispers behind their backs, being used to it, they just sat there talking about the day to come, planning where they would take Michiru on her last meal with them, so to say.
"I think we should take her to the new place in town, what was it called again?" Taiko thought out loud while looking at Hoshi, who took of her sunglasses.
"You mean the Sunflower?" Hoshi asked, looking back at Taiko who ended up nodding. "Sounds like a plan in my ears." She agreed with a slight nod, and soon she saw Michiru walking towards them on the stands, still carrying her drawing pad. She had met up with Elza Gray in the parking lot as they arrived, and Hoshi didn't mind that the girls talked for a while. "How was Elza-chan? Nervous before the race?" Hoshi asked as Michiru sat down between Taiko and herself.
"A little." Michiru replied with a gentle smile. "But she said she was ready to give her best." She added while looking at Hoshi. "She said hello too." She continued.
Hoshi nodded and soon she looked at the field once more, seeing Michiru friend walking about stretching her legs before the race, which Hoshi knew the girl was taking seriously. "Let's wish her good luck for the race." She whispered with a gentle smile, while she studied the other runners.
"Hey? Isn't that Tenoh-san's daughter standing there?" Taiko suddenly asked while leaning closer to the edge of the stands. "In yellow and green?"
Hoshi and Michiru blinked at the same time, noticing the blonde on the track studying the other runners. "I see that little Haruka-chan has grown since out last encounter." Hoshi pointed out and looked at Michiru, who was just gazing at the track. "You planed on talking to her after the race?" Hoshi asked after a while of studying the girls distant gaze.
Michiru soon nodded as a reply and ended up looking at her drawing pad, which she held tightly in her lap.
"Ladies and gentle men!" A voice echoed in the speakers around the field. "It is a glorious day, and the race will be an exiting one! Which we will start shortly."
"I'm betting my money on Tenoh." Taiko grinned, leaning against the metal bar with her arms hanging over, which held her back from falling onto the cement ground below. "I heard she became a mega star in her team, and now the Tokyo Sports Society wants her on their team. And, they want to give her the number one mark."
"Is that so?" Hoshi smiled at the woman, who loved her sports and most of all, loved to know everything worth knowing. And strangely enough, Taiko had a natural high every time she read something about Tenoh Haruka, to which Michiru showed an amazing interest to and always wanted to sit beside Taiko, when she read the sports paper.
"I also heard she's turning out to be the perfect 'gentlemen' too." Taiko added with a grin at the two sitting beside her. And Hoshi and Michiru knew what Taiko mean by the comment.
"If you keep that talk up, I'll be expecting you to sleep on the sofa tonight..." Hoshi added with a slightly raised eyebrow towards the woman, who had changed her blue strands of hair into platinum gold, and just added pale blue ones. "And add a month to your sentence." She added, while she looked at the field again.
"What did I do now?" Taiko chirped, looking at the woman with slightly widened, made up puppy eyes.
"Runners please take your marks!" The man's voice suddenly broke the tense air, and the runners did as they were told. The voice named the runners on their lanes, and Elza Gray was on lane five while Haruka was standing by lane six. "Runners! On your marks!" The voice said after a while as the names were read up.
"Time to rock and roll, baby." Taiko grinned for herself, but was slapped on the back of her head by Hoshi, who leaned over Michiru who bent towards the metal bar, knowing what the woman was thinking. "Hey!" Taiko growled slightly, holding her hurting head, while staring at Hoshi, while Michiru was giggling.
"Go!" A gunshot was heard and the runners were off fighting to get into the lead, to which Elza and Haruka were fastest to get, while the crowd was standing up and getting louder for every step that was taken on the track. At one moment Haruka and Elza were tied, at another moment Elza was leading.
A gang of girls behind Michiru, Taiko and Hoshi were growing wilder, screaming after Haruka to run faster, and the screaming was making Taiko mad, which was clearly seen on her face while she mumbled something for herself about kids, and how much she wanted to smack them up big time.
Michiru and Hoshi did like most people on the stands, they stood up but they were silent, staring at the blonde who suddenly was leading before Elza. And before the crowd even started thinking of calming down, the race was over. The blonde had won the race with at least five steps in front of Elza.
Taiko and Hoshi stood by the entrance to the field, where they had met up with Elza, who had asked Michiru to come along with her to meet the winner, to which Taiko or Hoshi didn't protest, even thought Taiko wanted to tag along, but Hoshi had held her back with a iron grip. Michiru and Elza walked over to the blonde who had gotten her tracksuit on, being matching jacket and pants.
"Tenoh-san! I want you to meet someone." Elza greeted the blonde who was getting up from the bench with her bag over her shoulder.
Haruka slowly turned around to see Michiru standing there in all her elegance and her drawing pad. Haruka just stared at the girl for a while without saying a word.
Michiru slowly let her gaze from the ground end up at the blonde. "You ran a great race." She said in a low voice as she took a step closer to Haruka.
"You think?" Haruka blinked and smiled a little.
Michiru nodded a little and soon looked at the drawing pad in her hands. "I was thinking..." She replied after a while and soon looked at Haruka again. "I was wondering if you would let me paint you."
Haruka's eyes widened a little and the smile faded. "Sorry but I'm not interested." She replied and slowly turned around, walking away from the girl she had met before but tried her best to forget. "I don't have time to spend in modeling." She added as she gazed over her shoulder. "Try with some one else." She continued before she walked away, not looking back at Michiru.
Michiru gazed after the blonde with a saddened gaze but soon she looked back at the ground. She said it would be hard. She thought and ended up with a sigh.
Elza walked back to her friend and saw that she wasn't happy. "She said no?"
Michiru nodded a little and looked at the girl standing beside her.
"Sorry to hear, but I guess she's got something else on her mind. Don't worry, she'll come round." Elza said trying to cheer Michiru up. "I have to go. My dad's waiting in the parking lot." She continued, before she put a comforting hand onto Michiru's shoulder, only to walk of.
Soon Taiko and Hoshi walked over to Michiru, who was gazing at the ground once more. "Sweet heart?" Hoshi blinked, noticing the sad face Michiru wore. "What happened?" She asked as she placed her hands onto Michiru's shoulders.
Michiru sighed and shook her head a little before she looked at Hoshi. "I guess I have to try some other time... maybe she'll say yes..."
Hoshi nodded a little and soon hugged Michiru, who gaze her drawing pad to Taiko, so she could hug Hoshi back.
"What a cold hearted brat!" Taiko protested, holding the drawing pad against her chest, while looking at Michiru and Hoshi. "I should give her a piece of my mind!" She added, looking the way Haruka had walked. "Making my pumpkin sad. The nerve!"
"That's pretty much enough now Taiko." Hoshi said in a serious tone, gazing at Taiko, while holding Michiru carefully in her arms. "Give her time... she's not like her fathers is in anyway, so she will come around." She added and looked at Michiru who leaned her head against Hoshi's shoulder. "Don't worry sweet heart... you'll have more chances." She whispered now, petting Michiru on the head.
The three had dinner at Sunflower, but Michiru didn't have much of an appetite, she just wanted to go home and get some work done on one of her darkest pieces of art, which she hadn't shown Hoshi or Taiko. The sun had set some time ago and Michiru was putting the finishing touches to the piece, which she had decided to call End of the world. She hadn't told anyone of the painting, or the visions she had had which made her paint the painting. She just stood in front of the painting, listening to the silence around her. Taiko had gone to be and Hoshi was in the studio, last time she hard from them. Michiru sighed deeply and slowly sat down on a chair, which she had placed some steps away from the painting. She sat there just gazing at the painting. She soon sighed once more and got up from the chair, sitting down on her knees by the large canvas so she could sign it.
The door was slowly opened at the same time, after a gentle knock was heard. It was Hoshi who slowly stepped in, looking tired, which really wasn't strange, since the time was half past midnight. "Time for bed sweet heart?" She whispered as she walked over to the painting. She just turned silent, seeing the brutal brush work made into a large wave which would at any second smash into a darkened city.
"I guess..." Michiru whispered as the last 'i' was painted into the corner. She sighed and gave a last gaze to the painting, before she got up from the floor and placed the brush into a jug with water.
"Are you alright sweet heart?" Hoshi whispered while gazing at the girl. "This isn't like your work..."
"I felt that I had to put it onto a canvas." Michiru replied shortly and took the hair band off, putting it beside the water filled jug.
Hoshi just gazed at the girl not really knowing what to make of her face. I think she needs to know. She thought and soon sighed, placing her hand onto Michiru's shoulder. "I have something I must give you."
Michiru gazed at the woman, seeing that she was serious in her words, but at the same time she was somewhat sad. Michiru was led out of the room and up the stairs, and soon she was asked to sit down on Hoshi's bed, while the woman opened the drawer of her nightstand. "What is it mother?" Michiru asked as Hoshi sat down beside her on the bed, holding something small in her hands.
Hoshi gazed at the floor and soon sighed deeply. "This is something that I really hoped I never had to give you, Michiru." Hoshi replied, now looking at the girl with tears shining in her eyes. "It was given to me by Pluto, to same night I was given you... when you were a baby." She whispered and soon placed the small wand into Michiru's hand.
Michiru gazed down over the wand with slightly widened eyes. She soon held it up so she could study the symbol of Neptune a bit closer. The wand was beautiful and Michiru could feel that it was warm, even thought it could have been her imagination. "What... is it?" Michiru asked after a while, before she looked at Hoshi.
"It's your transformation wand." Hoshi replied looking at the wand Michiru was holding with a tight grip. "With this... you're past and your future will be changed. But I hope you will embrace it..."
Michiru studied the sad look over her mothers face and soon she stared at the wand. With this everything will be changed? She thought and soon swallowed hard. Her eyes widened suddenly and she got up from the bed. "Is it because of this I have to leave you?" She suddenly shouted, staring at Hoshi.
Hoshi looked at the girl for some time before she nodded a little. "It's your future and it has been your past... as the senshi and princess of Neptune. You have a mission in life, Michiru. To save the world and protect it from the evil and from the Silence, which is to come."
Michiru's eyes filled with tears. "But..." She gasped slightly and stared at the wand again. "It's because of this I'll have to leave you... forever!" She shouted after a while of silence as a tear ran down her cheek. "I don't want that mother!"
Hoshi got up from the bed and brushed away the tear from Michiru's cheek, before it had time to run to her chin. "I don't want you to leave either, but this is your destiny."
"I don't want it, mother!" Michiru shouted now, while more tears ran down her face. "I don't want to leave you and this life that I have been blessed with!"
"I understand Michiru!" Hoshi whispered, while fighting back her tears. "But you must! Or else everything will be lost!"
"I don't want it!" Michiru screamed now. She suddenly remembered that it was the first time she ever had screamed at Hoshi, and this made her scared. The girl started shaking suddenly. "I..." She whispered under her breath.
Hoshi saw that the girl was scared, afraid even. She gently placed her arms around the girl, who wrapped her arms around Hoshi, holding onto her tightly and almost cramp like. "There, there." Hoshi whispered while she gently stroked Michiru's hair, leaning the girl's head against her shoulder.
Michiru kept shaking all over, and Hoshi could feel that the girl was turning warmer. She was in panic and frustrated, at the same time as she was scared and sad.
Hoshi sighed gently and soon sat down with Michiru. "It's alright, sweet heart." Hoshi whispered gently, trying everything to comfort the girl and calm her down. "I will never forget about you, not even if I would die. You are always my little kitten..."
"Mother..." Michiru whispered suddenly while more tears ran down her face, as she tightly closed her eyes.
"I know this isn't anything a young girl wants on her shoulders." Hoshi whispered. "I felt the same way... almost the same way when I was told to take care of a child." She added smiling gently. "But now I can say that it was worth it, and I would do it again if I had to."
Michiru swallowed hard and slowly lifted her head up from Hoshi's shoulder, looking right at the woman and into her comforting eyes. "Mother..." She sobbed after a while of silence and studying.
"Yes sweet heart?" Hoshi whispered while drying Michiru's tears.
"Can I sleep here tonight...? I... I want to be close to you..." Michiru whispered while sobbing. "Like we were before..."
Hoshi let a tear ran down her cheek, hearing the words from Michiru's lips. She nodded as a reply and stroked the girl's cheek. "Get your pajamas on... I'll make the bed for tonight." She whispered gently.
Michiru nodded and slowly got up from the bed, walking out of the room, still holding onto the wand tightly in her hand. Michiru walked to her room, which seemed to be miles away while she kept gazing at the wand in her hand, trying to calm her thoughts down and in someway understanding that her growing up was to end up like this. She slowly placed the wand onto her pillow, before she got her white night shirt and matching pants on. She gaze the wand another gaze before she walked back to Hoshi's bed room, where Hoshi had changed into a white top and a pair of black pants, making up the other side of her bed for Michiru.
Michiru gazed at the woman under silence. She has showed me what life means, and she has made me proud. Michiru thought but at the same time thinking that her thoughts, were of a grown woman's. She watched Hoshi, who in her eyes moved in slow motion. And I've promised her to be strong. She continued thinking. This is my destiny and she wants me to embrace it. Haruka-san is also my destiny, since she could be the partner I have been told about. Michiru's thoughts were only growing inside of her head, which she wanted to stop, but she couldn't seem to find the off button anywhere.
Hoshi looked at the girl who was standing in the doorway, gazing at her without saying a word. Hoshi sighed gently and soon walked over to her, putting her hand onto Michiru's shoulder. "Michi?"
Michiru blinked and as she felt Hoshi's warm hand on her shoulder, the thoughts were blown away and her head was empty. Nothing meant anything, but at the same time she knew what she had to do. Hoshi's eyes said everything, but at the same time they gaze comfort and slowly a safe feeling started growing inside of Michiru. "I'll make you proud..." She whispered suddenly.
Hoshi smiled at the words and nodded, placing her hand from Michiru's shoulder onto her cheek. "You already have, sweet heart. You already have." She whispered back.
The two soon laid their heads on the pillows, where they ended up gazing at each other, like so many night before, when Michiru was younger. They just gazed at each other and soon Hoshi smiled gently, putting her hand onto Michiru's. "Hope you can sleep well." She whispered, while a gentle shine appeared in her eyes.
Michiru's eyes got the same shine, while a tear ran down her cheek. She started playing with Hoshi's hand, touching her palm and finger tops with her own. The comfort kept growing inside of Michiru, like it always had done when she did so, and suddenly she could remember that the same feeling always had been there, ever since she could remember, she had gotten the same calm feeling inside and the feeling made her stronger, and nothing could stand in her way. "Mother..." She whispered after some time.
Hoshi nodded a little. "Yes?"
"I love you..." Michiru whispered as yet another tear ran down her cheek. "I'm happy you where... are, my mother..."
Hoshi smiled gently at the girl while she softly stroked away the tear from Michiru's cheek, before Michiru scooted over to Hoshi's side of the bed, leaning her head against Hoshi's arm while lying as close as she possibly could. "I love you too, sweet heart... and don't ever forget that..." Hoshi whispered, while she gently held the girl in her arms, realizing that she had turned into the woman she had seen in Michiru's memories from the past. "Sleep well... Michiru." Hoshi whispered, feeling Michiru calming down in her arms.
Michiru nodded a little and slowly closed her eyes, slowly falling asleep in Hoshi's arms. Nothing could touch her, or hurt her now. She would always remember the feeling that was growing inside of her, while her strength only kept on growing. She accepted her destiny, her faith before she was gone in dreams and memories, while feeling Hoshi holding her close and gently.
"Michiru! Are you coming down? Or do I have to come up and carry you down?" Taiko shouted from the staircase, while gazing towards the top floor. "We're ready and willing to go now!"
"I'll be right down!" Michiru's voice shouted back.
Taiko sighed and looked at Hoshi who was standing at the doorway with a gentle smile playing on her lips. Taiko was wearing a white blouse and a pair of dark blue jeans, while Hoshi was wearing a white short- sleeved blouse that was tied into a bow over her stomach and a gentle blue skirt, which ended at her feet. The two changed gazes and smiles, and no words were needed. Soon the fourteen-year-old girl walked down the stairs, wearing her school uniform, while a headband held her hair back. She was carrying her drawing pad.
"You really need to take that to school, pumpkin?" Taiko asked as the girl stepped down the last step.
"I wanted to show them to the teachers." Michiru replied, giving Taiko a gentle gaze, which only gave Taiko a feeling that she had seen the gaze before.
Taiko nodded a little before she looked at Hoshi, who was holding out her keys, while giving Taiko the very same gaze Michiru just had given her. "Could you two just stop being some damn cute?" She protested while raising an eyebrow towards Hoshi. "Let's go to your last day of school." Taiko noted after a while with a sigh, putting her hand onto Michiru's shoulder.
The three left the house and entered Hoshi's car, which Taiko was driving that day. Michiru got into the back seat, while Hoshi sat down beside Taiko in the front. The aqua haired beauty gazed out the window with a gentle smile over her lips. After the school ceremony they had been asked to come to the tracks, where one of Michiru's closest friends was doing her last track race, before moving out of the country. Hoshi could see the girl's reflection in the rear mirror, and she could see that the girl sitting behind her was nervous.
"It'll go well sweet heart. Don't worry." Hoshi replied as she looked over the seat and at the girl. "Just remember what you have been told..." She added, but now whispered.
"I know." Michiru nodded and soon looked at the woman she adored the most. I have to try, if she won't listen to me, I'll just have to try again. She thought, now looking out the window again while her hands holding the drawing pad, tightened slightly.
The ceremony had gone well and Michiru had gotten her scholar as expected so she was going to start at Mugen Gakuen after her last semester in junior high, and she had brought the house down, so to speak with her play with the schools music class. Hoshi and Taiko were proud over the girl, but at the same time they were sad. Soon the girl would leave them, and they would probably never see her again, but about this they didn't say a word. They were the proud 'parents' of Kaioh Michiru, and that fact only made them calmer.
The track was about to start and Taiko and Hoshi were sitting on the stands, gazing over the crowd of people surrounding them, and at the people running about on the field. The two didn't mind the gazes and whispers behind their backs, being used to it, they just sat there talking about the day to come, planning where they would take Michiru on her last meal with them, so to say.
"I think we should take her to the new place in town, what was it called again?" Taiko thought out loud while looking at Hoshi, who took of her sunglasses.
"You mean the Sunflower?" Hoshi asked, looking back at Taiko who ended up nodding. "Sounds like a plan in my ears." She agreed with a slight nod, and soon she saw Michiru walking towards them on the stands, still carrying her drawing pad. She had met up with Elza Gray in the parking lot as they arrived, and Hoshi didn't mind that the girls talked for a while. "How was Elza-chan? Nervous before the race?" Hoshi asked as Michiru sat down between Taiko and herself.
"A little." Michiru replied with a gentle smile. "But she said she was ready to give her best." She added while looking at Hoshi. "She said hello too." She continued.
Hoshi nodded and soon she looked at the field once more, seeing Michiru friend walking about stretching her legs before the race, which Hoshi knew the girl was taking seriously. "Let's wish her good luck for the race." She whispered with a gentle smile, while she studied the other runners.
"Hey? Isn't that Tenoh-san's daughter standing there?" Taiko suddenly asked while leaning closer to the edge of the stands. "In yellow and green?"
Hoshi and Michiru blinked at the same time, noticing the blonde on the track studying the other runners. "I see that little Haruka-chan has grown since out last encounter." Hoshi pointed out and looked at Michiru, who was just gazing at the track. "You planed on talking to her after the race?" Hoshi asked after a while of studying the girls distant gaze.
Michiru soon nodded as a reply and ended up looking at her drawing pad, which she held tightly in her lap.
"Ladies and gentle men!" A voice echoed in the speakers around the field. "It is a glorious day, and the race will be an exiting one! Which we will start shortly."
"I'm betting my money on Tenoh." Taiko grinned, leaning against the metal bar with her arms hanging over, which held her back from falling onto the cement ground below. "I heard she became a mega star in her team, and now the Tokyo Sports Society wants her on their team. And, they want to give her the number one mark."
"Is that so?" Hoshi smiled at the woman, who loved her sports and most of all, loved to know everything worth knowing. And strangely enough, Taiko had a natural high every time she read something about Tenoh Haruka, to which Michiru showed an amazing interest to and always wanted to sit beside Taiko, when she read the sports paper.
"I also heard she's turning out to be the perfect 'gentlemen' too." Taiko added with a grin at the two sitting beside her. And Hoshi and Michiru knew what Taiko mean by the comment.
"If you keep that talk up, I'll be expecting you to sleep on the sofa tonight..." Hoshi added with a slightly raised eyebrow towards the woman, who had changed her blue strands of hair into platinum gold, and just added pale blue ones. "And add a month to your sentence." She added, while she looked at the field again.
"What did I do now?" Taiko chirped, looking at the woman with slightly widened, made up puppy eyes.
"Runners please take your marks!" The man's voice suddenly broke the tense air, and the runners did as they were told. The voice named the runners on their lanes, and Elza Gray was on lane five while Haruka was standing by lane six. "Runners! On your marks!" The voice said after a while as the names were read up.
"Time to rock and roll, baby." Taiko grinned for herself, but was slapped on the back of her head by Hoshi, who leaned over Michiru who bent towards the metal bar, knowing what the woman was thinking. "Hey!" Taiko growled slightly, holding her hurting head, while staring at Hoshi, while Michiru was giggling.
"Go!" A gunshot was heard and the runners were off fighting to get into the lead, to which Elza and Haruka were fastest to get, while the crowd was standing up and getting louder for every step that was taken on the track. At one moment Haruka and Elza were tied, at another moment Elza was leading.
A gang of girls behind Michiru, Taiko and Hoshi were growing wilder, screaming after Haruka to run faster, and the screaming was making Taiko mad, which was clearly seen on her face while she mumbled something for herself about kids, and how much she wanted to smack them up big time.
Michiru and Hoshi did like most people on the stands, they stood up but they were silent, staring at the blonde who suddenly was leading before Elza. And before the crowd even started thinking of calming down, the race was over. The blonde had won the race with at least five steps in front of Elza.
Taiko and Hoshi stood by the entrance to the field, where they had met up with Elza, who had asked Michiru to come along with her to meet the winner, to which Taiko or Hoshi didn't protest, even thought Taiko wanted to tag along, but Hoshi had held her back with a iron grip. Michiru and Elza walked over to the blonde who had gotten her tracksuit on, being matching jacket and pants.
"Tenoh-san! I want you to meet someone." Elza greeted the blonde who was getting up from the bench with her bag over her shoulder.
Haruka slowly turned around to see Michiru standing there in all her elegance and her drawing pad. Haruka just stared at the girl for a while without saying a word.
Michiru slowly let her gaze from the ground end up at the blonde. "You ran a great race." She said in a low voice as she took a step closer to Haruka.
"You think?" Haruka blinked and smiled a little.
Michiru nodded a little and soon looked at the drawing pad in her hands. "I was thinking..." She replied after a while and soon looked at Haruka again. "I was wondering if you would let me paint you."
Haruka's eyes widened a little and the smile faded. "Sorry but I'm not interested." She replied and slowly turned around, walking away from the girl she had met before but tried her best to forget. "I don't have time to spend in modeling." She added as she gazed over her shoulder. "Try with some one else." She continued before she walked away, not looking back at Michiru.
Michiru gazed after the blonde with a saddened gaze but soon she looked back at the ground. She said it would be hard. She thought and ended up with a sigh.
Elza walked back to her friend and saw that she wasn't happy. "She said no?"
Michiru nodded a little and looked at the girl standing beside her.
"Sorry to hear, but I guess she's got something else on her mind. Don't worry, she'll come round." Elza said trying to cheer Michiru up. "I have to go. My dad's waiting in the parking lot." She continued, before she put a comforting hand onto Michiru's shoulder, only to walk of.
Soon Taiko and Hoshi walked over to Michiru, who was gazing at the ground once more. "Sweet heart?" Hoshi blinked, noticing the sad face Michiru wore. "What happened?" She asked as she placed her hands onto Michiru's shoulders.
Michiru sighed and shook her head a little before she looked at Hoshi. "I guess I have to try some other time... maybe she'll say yes..."
Hoshi nodded a little and soon hugged Michiru, who gaze her drawing pad to Taiko, so she could hug Hoshi back.
"What a cold hearted brat!" Taiko protested, holding the drawing pad against her chest, while looking at Michiru and Hoshi. "I should give her a piece of my mind!" She added, looking the way Haruka had walked. "Making my pumpkin sad. The nerve!"
"That's pretty much enough now Taiko." Hoshi said in a serious tone, gazing at Taiko, while holding Michiru carefully in her arms. "Give her time... she's not like her fathers is in anyway, so she will come around." She added and looked at Michiru who leaned her head against Hoshi's shoulder. "Don't worry sweet heart... you'll have more chances." She whispered now, petting Michiru on the head.
The three had dinner at Sunflower, but Michiru didn't have much of an appetite, she just wanted to go home and get some work done on one of her darkest pieces of art, which she hadn't shown Hoshi or Taiko. The sun had set some time ago and Michiru was putting the finishing touches to the piece, which she had decided to call End of the world. She hadn't told anyone of the painting, or the visions she had had which made her paint the painting. She just stood in front of the painting, listening to the silence around her. Taiko had gone to be and Hoshi was in the studio, last time she hard from them. Michiru sighed deeply and slowly sat down on a chair, which she had placed some steps away from the painting. She sat there just gazing at the painting. She soon sighed once more and got up from the chair, sitting down on her knees by the large canvas so she could sign it.
The door was slowly opened at the same time, after a gentle knock was heard. It was Hoshi who slowly stepped in, looking tired, which really wasn't strange, since the time was half past midnight. "Time for bed sweet heart?" She whispered as she walked over to the painting. She just turned silent, seeing the brutal brush work made into a large wave which would at any second smash into a darkened city.
"I guess..." Michiru whispered as the last 'i' was painted into the corner. She sighed and gave a last gaze to the painting, before she got up from the floor and placed the brush into a jug with water.
"Are you alright sweet heart?" Hoshi whispered while gazing at the girl. "This isn't like your work..."
"I felt that I had to put it onto a canvas." Michiru replied shortly and took the hair band off, putting it beside the water filled jug.
Hoshi just gazed at the girl not really knowing what to make of her face. I think she needs to know. She thought and soon sighed, placing her hand onto Michiru's shoulder. "I have something I must give you."
Michiru gazed at the woman, seeing that she was serious in her words, but at the same time she was somewhat sad. Michiru was led out of the room and up the stairs, and soon she was asked to sit down on Hoshi's bed, while the woman opened the drawer of her nightstand. "What is it mother?" Michiru asked as Hoshi sat down beside her on the bed, holding something small in her hands.
Hoshi gazed at the floor and soon sighed deeply. "This is something that I really hoped I never had to give you, Michiru." Hoshi replied, now looking at the girl with tears shining in her eyes. "It was given to me by Pluto, to same night I was given you... when you were a baby." She whispered and soon placed the small wand into Michiru's hand.
Michiru gazed down over the wand with slightly widened eyes. She soon held it up so she could study the symbol of Neptune a bit closer. The wand was beautiful and Michiru could feel that it was warm, even thought it could have been her imagination. "What... is it?" Michiru asked after a while, before she looked at Hoshi.
"It's your transformation wand." Hoshi replied looking at the wand Michiru was holding with a tight grip. "With this... you're past and your future will be changed. But I hope you will embrace it..."
Michiru studied the sad look over her mothers face and soon she stared at the wand. With this everything will be changed? She thought and soon swallowed hard. Her eyes widened suddenly and she got up from the bed. "Is it because of this I have to leave you?" She suddenly shouted, staring at Hoshi.
Hoshi looked at the girl for some time before she nodded a little. "It's your future and it has been your past... as the senshi and princess of Neptune. You have a mission in life, Michiru. To save the world and protect it from the evil and from the Silence, which is to come."
Michiru's eyes filled with tears. "But..." She gasped slightly and stared at the wand again. "It's because of this I'll have to leave you... forever!" She shouted after a while of silence as a tear ran down her cheek. "I don't want that mother!"
Hoshi got up from the bed and brushed away the tear from Michiru's cheek, before it had time to run to her chin. "I don't want you to leave either, but this is your destiny."
"I don't want it, mother!" Michiru shouted now, while more tears ran down her face. "I don't want to leave you and this life that I have been blessed with!"
"I understand Michiru!" Hoshi whispered, while fighting back her tears. "But you must! Or else everything will be lost!"
"I don't want it!" Michiru screamed now. She suddenly remembered that it was the first time she ever had screamed at Hoshi, and this made her scared. The girl started shaking suddenly. "I..." She whispered under her breath.
Hoshi saw that the girl was scared, afraid even. She gently placed her arms around the girl, who wrapped her arms around Hoshi, holding onto her tightly and almost cramp like. "There, there." Hoshi whispered while she gently stroked Michiru's hair, leaning the girl's head against her shoulder.
Michiru kept shaking all over, and Hoshi could feel that the girl was turning warmer. She was in panic and frustrated, at the same time as she was scared and sad.
Hoshi sighed gently and soon sat down with Michiru. "It's alright, sweet heart." Hoshi whispered gently, trying everything to comfort the girl and calm her down. "I will never forget about you, not even if I would die. You are always my little kitten..."
"Mother..." Michiru whispered suddenly while more tears ran down her face, as she tightly closed her eyes.
"I know this isn't anything a young girl wants on her shoulders." Hoshi whispered. "I felt the same way... almost the same way when I was told to take care of a child." She added smiling gently. "But now I can say that it was worth it, and I would do it again if I had to."
Michiru swallowed hard and slowly lifted her head up from Hoshi's shoulder, looking right at the woman and into her comforting eyes. "Mother..." She sobbed after a while of silence and studying.
"Yes sweet heart?" Hoshi whispered while drying Michiru's tears.
"Can I sleep here tonight...? I... I want to be close to you..." Michiru whispered while sobbing. "Like we were before..."
Hoshi let a tear ran down her cheek, hearing the words from Michiru's lips. She nodded as a reply and stroked the girl's cheek. "Get your pajamas on... I'll make the bed for tonight." She whispered gently.
Michiru nodded and slowly got up from the bed, walking out of the room, still holding onto the wand tightly in her hand. Michiru walked to her room, which seemed to be miles away while she kept gazing at the wand in her hand, trying to calm her thoughts down and in someway understanding that her growing up was to end up like this. She slowly placed the wand onto her pillow, before she got her white night shirt and matching pants on. She gaze the wand another gaze before she walked back to Hoshi's bed room, where Hoshi had changed into a white top and a pair of black pants, making up the other side of her bed for Michiru.
Michiru gazed at the woman under silence. She has showed me what life means, and she has made me proud. Michiru thought but at the same time thinking that her thoughts, were of a grown woman's. She watched Hoshi, who in her eyes moved in slow motion. And I've promised her to be strong. She continued thinking. This is my destiny and she wants me to embrace it. Haruka-san is also my destiny, since she could be the partner I have been told about. Michiru's thoughts were only growing inside of her head, which she wanted to stop, but she couldn't seem to find the off button anywhere.
Hoshi looked at the girl who was standing in the doorway, gazing at her without saying a word. Hoshi sighed gently and soon walked over to her, putting her hand onto Michiru's shoulder. "Michi?"
Michiru blinked and as she felt Hoshi's warm hand on her shoulder, the thoughts were blown away and her head was empty. Nothing meant anything, but at the same time she knew what she had to do. Hoshi's eyes said everything, but at the same time they gaze comfort and slowly a safe feeling started growing inside of Michiru. "I'll make you proud..." She whispered suddenly.
Hoshi smiled at the words and nodded, placing her hand from Michiru's shoulder onto her cheek. "You already have, sweet heart. You already have." She whispered back.
The two soon laid their heads on the pillows, where they ended up gazing at each other, like so many night before, when Michiru was younger. They just gazed at each other and soon Hoshi smiled gently, putting her hand onto Michiru's. "Hope you can sleep well." She whispered, while a gentle shine appeared in her eyes.
Michiru's eyes got the same shine, while a tear ran down her cheek. She started playing with Hoshi's hand, touching her palm and finger tops with her own. The comfort kept growing inside of Michiru, like it always had done when she did so, and suddenly she could remember that the same feeling always had been there, ever since she could remember, she had gotten the same calm feeling inside and the feeling made her stronger, and nothing could stand in her way. "Mother..." She whispered after some time.
Hoshi nodded a little. "Yes?"
"I love you..." Michiru whispered as yet another tear ran down her cheek. "I'm happy you where... are, my mother..."
Hoshi smiled gently at the girl while she softly stroked away the tear from Michiru's cheek, before Michiru scooted over to Hoshi's side of the bed, leaning her head against Hoshi's arm while lying as close as she possibly could. "I love you too, sweet heart... and don't ever forget that..." Hoshi whispered, while she gently held the girl in her arms, realizing that she had turned into the woman she had seen in Michiru's memories from the past. "Sleep well... Michiru." Hoshi whispered, feeling Michiru calming down in her arms.
Michiru nodded a little and slowly closed her eyes, slowly falling asleep in Hoshi's arms. Nothing could touch her, or hurt her now. She would always remember the feeling that was growing inside of her, while her strength only kept on growing. She accepted her destiny, her faith before she was gone in dreams and memories, while feeling Hoshi holding her close and gently.