Chapter Three (Ending of June)
Michiru stood in her changing room. Motionless, wer blue eyes wide open. Her right hand held her favourite Stradivarius and the left one the remote control. She was already wearing her dark blue evening dress. Her stilettos laid next to her naked feet.
The violinist frowned slightly while she watched colourful race cars doing their job on TV.
What is she doing?
Haruka was leading - as always. But she changed her style. Normally she drove like crazy. Every lap was a challenge for her. She wanted to break the track record time of every arena she started at. That was why her racing style often looked quite dangerous.
Michiru knew that racing such a fast car was indeed very dangerous, but Haruka couldn't leave any chance to reach her limits. And sometimes to cross them...
Haruka was as fast as the wind and she wanted to prove it with every single race. Even with every single training. Michiru often argued with her about her silly behaviour, but she couldn't change her. So she just stood quietly beside the track and hoped that her lover would survive the race - healthy.
That was the reason why the violinist didn't want Hotaru to watch Haruka race. However, often enough she couldn't avoid it, because Hotaru could be as wild as her papa.
This time, however, Haruka showed another style. Yes, she was on the pole position and Michiru bet that her lover wouldn't lose this race - as so many races before - but her opponents were near behind her. Normally Haruka was about half a lap ahead, but today only a few meters separated them.
She's slower than normal!
Michiru shook her head and held the violin tighter in her suddenly cold hands. After all those arguments, after all those fears Haruka finally decided to become more careful.
But why?
The young woman winced as the door was pushed open and her manager stood on the threshold.
"Hurry up, Michiru-san. Your concert starts in about five minutes." He said and smiled happily. "Those French people outside are crazy about you. They already cry out their wishes what they want to hear."
Michiru just nodded but couldn't take her eyes off the screen.
"Oh, Haruka-san is racing?" The manager came nearer and thoughtlessly cleaned his classes on his shirt's sleeve. "And she's winning as always." He declared as the white race car crossed the finish line. "Now, hurry up!" he declared determinedly and switched off the TV.
The young woman took her stilettos and followed him. Her deep blue eyes were clouded with thoughts as she walked down the long corridor that lead her toward the stage.
Hai, Ruka has won the race.
But she has not been as fast as the wind.
"What the hell was that?"
Haruka looked bored into her trainer's redden face. He gesticulated wildly with his arms as he shouted at her. Hashitzou stood next to her and wanted to defend her, but she stopped him with a sign.
"I actually won this race, didn't I?" She asked in a bored voice and held up her trophy. Then she turned and wanted to leave the room, but her trainer's angry screams stopped her.
"With that attitude you will never be world champion!"
Haruka spun around and stood next to the manager at the next moment. She was about half a head taller than him and could look very impressive if she wanted to. Now her face was slightly redden, as well.
"I was it the past three years!" she replied loudly.
"And now you want to give up? Just like this?"
"I won this race!" repeated Haruka dangerously quiet and clenched her fists. "And I will win the Grand Prix of Japan."
"But with that style you will never be able to win the world championship!"
The two stared into each others eyes like wild tigers ready for the big jump. Hashitzou watched from one to the other and didn't know what to do first. What to do best.
"I never talked about the world championship, did I?" said Haruka finally but didn't look away.
"But..." The trainer got paler and searched for words. "What..."
"Don't worry. You still have Hashitzou. He's good enough to be my successor." A bright smile appeared on her tomboyish face. "After all I have never said I'd leave the team. I just don't want to risk more than necessary. After all I'll win the Grand Prix. That isn't that bad, is it?" Her smile grew wider as no one said responded anything. Or reacted physically.
"If that's all I'll go now. I've got other things to do." She waved her goodbye and left the room.
After she closed the door she leaned against it and took a deep breath.
You knew that it wouldn't be easy.
Haruka looked down at the trophy in her hand and knew that there were more important things waiting for her. This wasn't the end of her dream. It was just the end of her career. No, not the end - just an interruption.
The car racer glanced at her belly under her wide jumpsuit, then she walked away out into the burning sun shinning down from a cloudless endless sky.
But it's worth it!
"Tell me that's not true!" whispered the trainer after some moments in stunned silence. He shook his head in disbelieve. "This can't actually be true!"
Hashitzou stood next to him and put his right hand upon the old man's shoulder comfortingly. He watched the closed door and smiled as he thought of the young woman with sea green hair and the wild little girl who often bounced innocently smiling next to the track. He could remember the fearful look of the violinist too well.
"Accept it. Our wildest racer finally grew up."
The piano's soft noises filled the air as Setsuna entered the house by the sea. She put the bags she was wearing down on the table in the kitchen and went upstairs to the room where the sweet melody evolved. Noiselessly she opened the door. Haruka sat at the black piano and played with her eyes closed. It was the first time since Michiru went on tour that Setsuna heard the car racer play.
The class door which lead to the balcony outside was wide opened and the setting sun's red light covered the white carpet, making it glow golden. Fresh wind played with the long curtains and with the dark hair of the little girl who sat next to the door on the huge couch. Hotaru looked concentrated down to the cards in her lap. She already wore her violet pyjamas. Quietly she hummed along to the melody. Haruka seemed to have played the notes for several times this evening.
"Setsuna?" Haruka stopped and looked up in surprise. "I didn't hear you come. Is anything wrong?"
"No everything is fine." The senshi of time came nearer and stroked the little girl's soft hair. "I just wanted to tell you that I'll go to the concert now."
Haruka nodded.
"The Three Lights are in the Concert Hall this evening, aren't they? And you want to see your sweet Yaten sing."
"Hai." Setsuna had the decency to blush, but her dark eyes shone happily.
"Then off you go. I don't wanna detain you from being together with the one you love." Haruka returned to the page that was lying on the black wood, but she didn't really need it. She already knew the melody by heart.
"What's this?" Setsuna came next to the young woman and looked down to the tiny notes. She loved music but she had never been able to read it.
"It's Yaten's new song. That's why they're arguing all time. Everyone wrote his own song and now they can't decide which one they should sing." Haruka laughed amused but quickly her face got serious again. "I guess Yaten wrote his one for you."
The senshi of time took the paper in her hands and slowly read the words written under the notes. A tender smile appeared on her face, then she gave it back to the young woman who watched her silently.
He did not only write it for me.
"Will you call Michiru up this evening?" she asked instead.
"Of course." Haruka's dark green eyes suddenly shone sadder.
Of course she will.
"And now hurry up! Otherwise your lover will be very upset when he won't find you among the fans of Three Lights."
"I will." Setsuna promised and left the room after she kissed Hotaru good night. At the door she turned around again.
"Congratulations to your victory on the track this day." She said.
"Thanks." Haruka laid her hands again on the piano's keys, ready to start her playing again. "Green is actually your best colour."
"Hai..." replied Setsuna confused as she looked down at the dark green evening dress she was wearing. She was confused about the indifference of Haruka's voice. Usually Haruka was very proud of every victory she gained. Today, however, it almost seemed as if the sport wasn't important anymore.
I have to talk to her.
Setsuna glanced down at her watch and realized that she was about half an hour too late to get to the Concert Hall in time.
Next time I'll have a long talk to her.
"Bye." She spun around and ran downstairs, taking two steps at once. The door was slammed as she left the light house by the sea in a hurry.
"Bye..." Haruka closed her eyes again and started to play the sweet melody. Yaten wrote this song with all his feelings. With all his heart. With all his love for Setsuna.
Love... The young woman sighed as she thought of Michiru who was that far away.
I really miss you!
She went on playing and suddenly knew why this song wasn't finished yet. Something was missing. The rush of the near ocean faded and the only thing she heard was the piano's soft sound - and a violin's tender melody. Haruka opened her eyes and could almost see Michiru standing beside her. She smiled her tender smile at the young car racer. Then she closed her deep blue eyes and continued to accompany Haruka's play. They fit together. Like the sea and the wind...
The ringing of the telephone interrupted Haruka. She winced and the violinist next to her disappeared with the wind out to the endless ocean.
"Hai?" she took the cell phone and watched Hotaru who left the couch and came to her. The little girl smiled, because she knew that only one person would call them up at this hour.
"Funny, dear. This very moment I've thought of you, and I guess our small princess, too."
Michiru stood on her hotel room's balcony and watched the lights of London at night. Last day she left France after her concert and now she was in good old England. She loved the historical city's flair, but it wasn't quite the same without her Ruka and her little darling being by her side.
Hotaru-chan would have loved the great Ferris wheel next to the river Thames. And Ruka would have loved the wild traffic, especially around Piccadilly's Circus.
The violinist dialled the number. She slightly shivered as the wind ran through her yellow pyjamas which belonged to Haruka. The sky above was full of stars and the horizon already changed it's colour. It. was late at night, almost the next morning again, but she couldn't sleep. And she knew that it would be bedtime for Hotaru in Japan.
"It's nice to hear you." She said and couldn't fight back the tears which suddenly shimmered in her eyes.
I must be crazy to be that far away.
She sighed slightly and listened to her daughter's existed voice on the other end of the line. Hotaru told her all about the events that happened in the kindergarten and about her life without her mother...
"No I am not crying!" she replied helplessly as her Ruka returned to the cell phone and took a deep breath.
"How the concert was? Fine. The French people loved my music. Now I am in England. I arrived late at night and now it's almost dawn. I've read a lot a books about London and tomorrow I'll attend a sightseeing tour before my first concert starts." She listened to her lover for a while and felt suddenly all alone. "I guess I'll visit the famous Tower, the Globe Theatre and Big Ben. That's a lovely tower! You should hear the bell ring!" She sighed again and could suddenly hear the sadness in her lover's voice.
"Yes I love you, too." She finally answered and walked back into her hotel room. It was a very luxurious one - and it was very empty... Michiru sat down on the bed's edge and knew that it was too big for her alone.
"I am feeling fine. Hai, I still have to take my medicine but it doesn't hurt anymore." She said and laid back on the soft blanket. Her free hand stroked her belly. Yes, it actually didn't hurt anymore. Not physically. The pain, however, didn't stop in her head. But it decreased more and more each time she could stand on the wide stage and gave her music to the people. The melodies of her violin healed her soul step by step. But it was a big wound and it would last some more time until it was healed.
They talked about different things until Michiru had to get ready to go to breakfast. While she dressed up and went down to the restaurant she wished her lover and her daughter a good night and sweet dreams.
She didn't even notice that she actually forgot to talk about Haruka's new style of driving her race car.
"I wanna black shoes!" Declared Hotaru as she took her papa's hand and followed her into the shopping centre in the middle of Tokyo City.
"I don't know if they have black sandals but we can try it. Often summer shoes are white or yellow." Haruka watched her little daughter. She was a normal child. A wild child sometimes. You would never think that she was the future senshi of death, but Hotaru loved dark colours. Dark, violet and white were her favourite colours. Seldom she wore green or yellow.
Well, if that's our smallest problem than we'll survive it. Michiru often said and brought the little girl a violet dress or something similar.
Michiru ...
"Wanna get a summer hat, please?" Hotaru's dark eyes watched her papa pleadingly. Haruka sighed resigned, then she smiled.
This girl knows how the make me weak.
"Okay." She agreed and they both entered the department store for children clothes. The small girl left her papa's side and tried one hat after another. Sceptically she watched herself in a mirror that was taller than her. Haruka waited next to her and got bored after a while because Hotaru wasn't satisfied with any hat although the young woman assured her that every hat fitted perfectly.
Haruka looked around and something picked her eyes.
"Don't run away. I am right over there." She told her daughter who just nodded while taking the next hat into her little hands. She didn't seemed to be very satisfied with that try, either.
The young woman took her sun glasses away when she walked to the colourful plastic boxes full of tiny clothes. Baby clothes. Haruka swallowed hard as she stared at the tiny pyjamas in her big hands. They were deep blue with white seabirds all over them.
How would Usagi call it? Cute!
The young woman didn't know how long she just stood there holding the small pyjamas tighter than necessary.
It's a long time ago that we needed such things.
Hotaru grew up very fast, but they didn't threw away the clothes. Neither the cradle.
We will sure need it again.
"Don't you think Usagi's got enough of this stuff?" asked a male voice suddenly behind her. Haruka startled, spun around and looked angrily into Sejya's grinning face. The young woman searched for the perfect words but she didn't find them. So she kept silent.
"Those girls are driving me crazy!" sighed Yaten and appeared behind the lead singer of the famous boy group Three Lights. Surprised he recognized Haruka and remembered that she wanted to buy something for Hotaru.
"Did you find some shoes?" he asked and looked down to the pyjamas in Haruka's hands.
I didn't realized that she was as crazy as the others about Chibiusa.
"Don't you think that this one is too tiny for Hotaru-chan?" he mocked gently.
"We couldn't find any sandals yet, because Hotaru-chan is looking after a nice hat." She pointed over to the little girl simply ignoring the young man's question.
"That's cuuute!" In the next moment Usagi stood next to her. Together with Minako she investigated the tiny pyjamas and Haruka just watched her in silence.
"Hai, that's perfect!" said the senshi of love and took some more tiny clothes out of the boxes.
"I think it's too dark for Chibiusa." Declared Sejya determinedly and wanted to go away. But he stayed as no one actually followed him. Yaten just stared to the department door's ceiling. But no one answered him. No one helped.
But it is of the same colour as the sea...
"What are you doing here?" asked Haruka finally the two boys, trying to ignore that Usagi was about to buy the pyjamas for her unborn daughter.
These are just simple pyjamas. I've got enough at home. Our small princess grew up too fast to use them all.
But she was disappointed as Usagi went to the counter to pay. Minako followed her like a loyal puppy, but Haruka knew that the senshi of love was simply concerned about her future Queen. About her Queen being well advanced in pregnancy. In pregnancy with her future Princess.
"Well, Mamoru is at work and so I actually wanted to drive Usagi and Minako to the hospital for the weekly visit. And next to the hospital is the library where I actually wanted to deliver my love drunken Yaten." Explained Sejya and ignored his younger group partner's protest.
"But Usagi got thirsty and at our quest for a cool soda we found this department store for children's clothes. And that was the point when I lost control. Now I guess that we will never reach the hospital. Or at least without thousands of bags full of baby stuff."
Haruka listened carefully to Sejya and could see the sadness in his blue eyes. But she could also see deep love and peace. It had been hard for the lead singer of Three Lights when he had to learn that Usagi only loved her Mamo-chan. However, in the end he had to accept that he would only be a good friend to Usagi. There would never be more than friendship between them. Sejya understood, after all. He realised that Mamoru was a loving husband for the young woman with such great heart. And that he would be a loving father for unborn Chibiusa.
On the day of their wedding Sejya overcame the pain of his unlucky love and now he was one of Usagi's best and most loyal friends.
"I wanna this one!" Hotaru plucked at the wide blue shirt Haruka was wearing over her blue jeans and held up a huge hat. It was almost to big for the little child but Haruka knew the determined expression on her daughter's face too well.
Sejya looked at the little girl in disbelieve while Yaten burst out into laughter. Then they all went serious again as they heard the scream coming from the street. They all could feel it. This was not a normal cry for help. Someone was attacked by a Youma.
It had been some years ago that they defeated Galactica, but there were still some youmas left. Months could pass and they did not hear anything of any of them. But sometimes they tried to get back the power they lost as the Chaos disappeared. Maybe there was some greater person behind the few attacks who wanted to regain the world power. Maybe there wasn't.
Haruka grabbed her daughter and sat the puzzled Hotaru into the department store's children's corner.
"You stay here until I'll come back." She said more sharply than she intended to the little girl and gave her a quick kiss on the forehead. "Don't move!" The young woman gave her daughter a toy car in her hands. "Then you'll get your hat." Haruka promised. The next second she turned away and ran out to the street rising her henshin.
"Hey! Wait!" shouted Sejya and Yaten at once. Usagi just watched Haruka leaving the department store. Then she pushed the confused Minako the bags with baby clothes into the cold hands.
"As wild as always!" sighed the young woman being well advanced in pregnancy while she followed the young car racer.
Two older women were laying unconscious on the green ground of the near park as the wind senshi arrived. The sun was shinning hotly, the air shimmered. The water of a huge fountain looked like soft rain. Rainbows covered the quiet surface. The leaves of the trees rushes gently in the fresh wind.
Sailor Uranus watched the youma for some seconds with hate. This monster was really ugly. Maybe it had been a plant in his former life but now it resembled more a compost heap.
"I'll kill you all!" It shouted but it's voice sounded choked. As if it had never been able to learn the human language properly.
"Over my dead body!" replied Haruka and held up her henshin to call her supernatural powers.
"If that's your wish." The youma laughed a wicked laugh, then it attacked the senshi with a pair of scissors.
"Earth Shaking!" Sailor Uranus shouted - but nothing happened. She looked down at her golden henshin in disbelieve. Then she jumped back as the pair of scissors were aimed on her.
What's happening NOW?
Haruka jumped into the tree and almost missed the saving branch. Her weakness suddenly returned and she felt very tired.
Not now!
"How can you do this?"
Sailor Uranus lowered her head and looked down to Sailor Moon who appeared next to the fountain holding her Holy Grail in her trembling hands. She wore a white wide dress, but her arched belly was immense.
"How can you torture poor innocent people like this? That's inexcusable!" Sailor Moon tried a turn but it didn't work. She was too immobile for such athletic sports. So she just waved her Grail a bit and shouted with a thin voice. "That's why I'll punish you in the name of the moon!"
The youma watched her for some minutes in disbelieve. Then he started to laugh and the pair of scissors were now aimed at the pregnant super hero.
No...
Haruka jumped down from her tree and ran towards her Queen.
She's too slow for such a fight. She's too weak!
"No!"
Sailor Uranus could see the blades' silver shimmer when she grabbed Usagi's arm hard and covered her body with her own.
She will have a baby in about a month! I'll have to protect her. Her and Chibiusa!
Haruka winced as she felt the pain in her right shoulder. Then she landed with Usagi on the grass near the fountain. The birds still sang happily and the fountain's rushes almost seemed to be peaceful.
"Your shoulder..." whispered Sailor Moon as she watched her with her big blue eyes. Quickly tears were filling them.
"Everything okay?" gasped Sailor Uranus and pulled the bloody blade out of her right shoulder that ached more and more. Shocked Haruka looked down at the blood on her hands.
That could have been Usagi's blood. And that of Chibiusa...
"Yes." Nodded Sailor Moon and a fragile smile appeared on her pale face. She seemed to be surprised by herself that she wasn't as powerful as always. As in those days when she defeated Galactica and saved the world.
They both could have been killed...
Haruka jumped to her feet and spun around to face the grinning youma who already held up the next pair of scissors.
"You'll surely regret this big mistake!" shouted Haruka and waved her henshin again ignoring that it didn't work five minutes ago. She was full of rage. Her face looked determined and furious. Her deep green eyes shimmered with hate.
"EARTH SHAKING!"
A great planet of a golden colour evolved out of her henshin and grew bigger with every meter. But this time it was surrounded by a weak green light.
Haruka's eyes widened as she watched the unfamiliar planet making it's way towards the screaming youma. Her legs trembled too much and so she went down on her knees.
"Fighter Star Power!"
"Healer Star Power!"
"Crescent Beam!"
Sailor Uranus heard the voices of the others and the other lights combined with her strange planet. It hit the youma that screamed out loud and finally vanished. As all youmas did when they were defeated.
We are lucky. It could have been worse...
"Everything okay?" asked Sejya with a worried face and helped Usagi up. The future Queen of Crystal Tokyo just nodded and sighed worn-out. This battle had been too much for her. And for Haruka's nerves as well.
"Are you NUTS!" she shouted angrily at Usagi who paled visibly. "What the hell was that? Did you wanted to kill yourself? And your unborn daughter, too!"
"Hey, she just wanted to help." Said Yaten and laid a hand on the young woman's healthy shoulder.
"Oh shut up!" she pushed his hand away. Her pale face blushed in anger and she clenched her fists. Then she returned her attention to Usagi who started to cry silently. Without making any sound or sob she just looked at Haruka with her big innocent eyes. That drove Haruka almost crazy.
"Didn't you realize in what danger you've been?" she shouted loudly and some bird flew terrified into the blue sky. "It's not your bloody job any longer to fight in battles for the good side. We've grown up to handle this alone. Don't worry. You aren't a real help any longer. Not in you condition!"
Usagi lowered her head and Haruka suddenly felt sorry for her ill-considered words.
Of course she's a help. But Chibiusa is more important than such a silly youma!
"That's enough!" said Sejya coldly and stepped protectively between the future Queen and the outer senshi. Angry blue eyes met empty green ones.
"Just take care of your child." Whispered Haruka. Then she turned away and walked into the department store to fetch her little tomboy and that big summer hat.
Light green eyes watched her thoughtful while Minako asked Usagi for the twentieth time if anything did hurt.
"Usagi simply wanted to help!" Sejya said grumpily. "Sometimes she's so insensible!"
Yaten silently disagreed.
"Why are we going into this house? It scares me!" Hotaru held the young woman's hand tighter.
Because I want to know if anything happened to little Michi-chan during the battle.
"My shoulder hurts." Haruka replied but she knew that it was just a scratch. Nothing to be worried about it. She had been lucky.
So was Usagi.
"Are you ill?" Suddenly tears were rolling down the little girl's pale cheeks and she stopped walking in front of the entrance of the hospital. "I don't wanna you to stay in this terrible house!" The sobbing increased. "I don't wanna loose you!" Hotaru turned and wanted to run away, but Haruka was faster. She held her little daughter tight in her strong arms.
"You're ill and no one tells me." Cried the little girl and fought against her papa's embrace. But Haruka was stronger than her. "Poo and Yaten talked about this house and that you went to the doctor last month." Hotaru looked up with her sad dark eyes and Haruka knew that she had to tell her the truth.
"You're ill and now you'll go, too."
She's missing Michiru more than I thought.
The young woman stood up with her daughter in her arms and walked over to a bank that stood under a great chestnut tree. There she sat down and dried her little daughter's salty facer with the corner of her blue shirt.
"I am not ill." She declared and smiled softly at the small girl on her lap. Hotaru held the huge summer hat tight in her little hands and looked up to her papa.
"No?" she whispered and the last tears rolled down her cheeks.
"No." Haruka stroked gently the future senshi of death's black hair. A still small senshi who was full of fears of loosing her parents.
She knows more than we want her to know.
The young woman swallowed hard.
What does she really know about Michi-chan's illness? Is that the reason for her to be so worried about me?
"Do you want a brother or sister?" she asked and could see the confused expression on her daughter's face that was quickly replaced by bright smile.
"Mommy and you will have a baby?" asked the little girl and the tears disappeared completely from the now happy face.
"That's why I'll have to go to the doctor time by time. Nothing to be worried about, my sweet princess." Haruka stroked the dark hair again. It felt like velvet. "And auntie Usagi must visit the doctor as well and she isn't ill, is she?"
"No." Agreed Hotaru and the smile grew wider. "When may I play with the baby? You know I got this wonderful card play last birthday."
Haruka shook her head grinning and started to laugh.
"I love you, my sweet princess." She laughed and pressed her little daughter gently. "I think you must wait until New Year."
"Oh, New Year..." Hotaru looked disappointed but the smile didn't fade. "Well, till New Year I can play with Chibiusa."
"If auntie Usagi agrees."
"She will." A confident expression appeared on the child's face. "Then we can play the cards properly. You know it needs normally three person to play it."
"You are not very patient."
"I am like my sweet Haruka-papa." Answered Hotaru innocently but she smiled impishly.
"You..." Haruka tickled her little daughter who burst out into happy laughter. When the young woman stopped she looked down to her daughter very serious and Hotaru looked back as serious as she. These were the few moments Haruka remembered that the small girl would be Sailor Saturn some day, the senshi of death.
Will the baby be a senshi?
But there were no planets left in this galaxy. And no one ever heard of a fifth outer senshi. Not even Setsuna who knew a lot about the past. And sometimes about the future as well...
"The baby is our little secret, did you understand?"
"Hai." Hotaru came to her feet and ran over to the entrance. "I love secrets!" Haruka took the summer hat which laid on the grass and came over to her little daughter. Hotaru liked secrets. And she hardly ever betrayed one.
"Here's your hat." Haruka placed it into her daughter's dark hair who took trustfully her cold hand and warmed it.
"I wanna a sister." She declared determinedly as they both entered the hospital.
"I liked the movie." Yaten opened the door for his girlfriend and followed her into the kitchen.
"It wasn't very realistic." Setsuna put her bag down and opened the fridge for cooled ice tea. Although it was late at night it was still very hot outside. They both returned from the cinema and were now talking about the movie they watched. Afterwards they went for dinner into an noble restaurant in the middle of the city.
"Don't you like happy endings?" Yaten wrapped his arms around her from behind and kissed her neck. The young woman shivered and put her glass of ice tea down at the table.
"Yes, but that's not the point." She sighed as she felt more and more hot kisses on her skin. "No one died, no one actually was sad in the end." Setsuna turned around to face Yaten who grinned at her.
"I didn't realize that you're as theatrical as Tahiki." He stood up on his toes and kissed her gently. Setsuna returned his embrace and held him tight while she kissed him back.
"Admit that you liked the movie, too!" he whispered and she could see his eyes shinning in the darkness. They didn't switched on the lights as they entered the house by the sea where they lived during the time Michiru was on tour.
"Hai." Answered Setsuna very quietly and pushed her lover towards the couch behind the round table. In the light of the moon which shone through the great window Setsuna could see the almost wicked grin on her lover's face as they laid down on the white couch's soft underground.
"Don't you think we should go...?" whispered Setsuna between two kisses as Yaten opened her plait and her long green hair cascaded on her back.
"No. Everyone is sleeping now. No one will hear us." Yaten kissed his lover again and groaned silently as Setsuna opened the buttons of his white shirt and uncovered his chest.
That was the moment they heard the noises from the living-room. Startled green eyes looked into horrified dark ones. They left the couch quickly and Yaten tried hopelessly to close his shirt again. Setsuna finally helped him. But no one entered the kitchen.
Neither a small girl who couldn't sleep because of a nightmare. Nor a young woman who couldn't sleep because of the loneliness in her life.
However, the noise didn't stop. So both of them decided to risk a look into the living-room.
The lights were on and a fat man talked about a perfect diet on TV. Haruka was lying on the huge comfortable couch near the chimney. Her eyes were closed and she slept deep and tight. Haruka held her little daughter tight who laid next to her and slept as well. The small child wore violet pyjamas while her papa misused one of Michiru's long T-shirts. The young woman's left arm was bandaged. Several cards covered the carpet around the couch and a book laid on Haruka's chest. Setsuna and Yaten exchanged glances. Then Setsuna put carefully the open book away while her lover covered the two with a warm blanket. It was still warm at night but it would be colder at dawn.
For a long moment Yaten watched the small girl's smiling face. She looked really happy. So different from her papa.
"She seems to be very worried about our Usagi." Said Setsuna quietly as she switched off the TV and showed Yaten the opened book. She once took it from the library for baby Hotaru. It was about the illnesses and the food of little children. And it was about pregnancy and birth, as well. Haruka and Michiru never read the first fifty pages, because they weren't necessary to handle baby Hotaru. Until now...
"The wonder of birth." Read Yaten and looked terrified at the pictures under the text. "I feel with Usagi. That's terrible." Then he looked down into the young car racer's sleeping face.
"Maybe that's why she shouted so angrily at Usagi." Said Setsuna, closed the book and embraced her lover tightly. They talked about the battle during their dinner and the senshi of time had been surprised about Sailor Uranus' behaviour. It was alike what happened but Haruka had never ever shouted at Sailor Moon. Yes she shouted regularly at Tahiki, Sejya and even at the inner senshi, but she had never been really angry about Usagi. About Usagi who saved the world. About Usagi who was her future Queen. About Usagi who saved her Michiru after they found the talismans...
"Maybe that's why she had been so angry."
"Maybe..." whispered Yaten and remembered the tiny blue pyjamas which had been brought by Usagi.
Haruka's face had been disappointed, hadn't it? Although she tried hard to hide it. But why...
Yaten suddenly forget all his thoughts as he followed his Setsuna into their bedroom.
