chapter two: a senshi in a shinning dress
"D... don't look at me!"
For the first time since Michiru had known her Ruka she heard the strong wind senshi actually stammer.
"Don't be such a baby, Ruka, and come out! Now!" Impatiently the young violinist knocked against the other woman's bathroom door. "I don't want to be late at the party. And I don't want to give our enemies an advantage."
"But..."
"Don't worry, Ruka. I won't laugh." Declared Michiru determinedly and rolled her eyes. Then she put her long blue evening dress in order. Her sea green hair fell over her shoulders and surrounded a pale face. She had put on some make up, but it couldn't cover her tiredness. Two dolphins jingled as the young violinist turned her head toward the slowly opening door.
"Don't make such a fuss, Ruka. I won't get a heart attack by..." Michiru's voice died away as she observed Haruka who only clenched her fists. She wore a long narrow evening dress she bought quickly this afternoon. It glimmered golden in the setting sunlight. Michiru could not longer deny that the young car racer before her was indeed a woman. In the thin dress she could see every female outline.
She's so beautiful...
Haruka had even brushed her short blond hair in a different way. She didn't look like a tomboy anymore. Now she looked like a real lady.
"I hate this dress." grumbled Haruka, and as she raised her head Michiru saw that she even used a little bit of the make up she gave her one hour ago. Her dark green eyes shone angrily and she blushed slightly. "I feel like a complete idiot!"
"Well, sometimes you're one." Giggled Michiru and stepped closer. "But only women allowed to this party." Critically she looked at her and the young car racer had even more to blush. "Well, something is missing." A bright smile appeared on the young violinist's face and her cheeks got redder. The tiredness disappeared from her eyes as she unclasped the golden amulet she always wore around her neck. It was shaped like a tiny heart and contained pictures of her dead parents. Carefully she put the necklace around Haruka's neck who stared at her in disbelieve.
"Michiru, I... I can't take this..." stammered the young car racer and wanted to give it back. However, the young violinist only shook her head.
"They always protect me. This evening they should protect you, Ruka." Michiru looked serious at the taller woman, then she grinned again. "It should protect you from those men at the party who will be all crazy about you, you beauty."
She laughed as Haruka's face got darker.
"Oh, Michiru! You're.."
So nice. So lovely. So kind. So amiable.
"I am your best friend and without me you wouldn't know what to do at this party this evening." Michiru took her handbag and went over to the front door.
Haruka watched her in silence.
Without you I wouldn't know what to do all my life.
The young car racer wanted to say something more and Michiru who felt that something changed looked up at her in attention. Silently they stood near the door and looked each other deep into the eyes. Then a honk interrupted the almost magical atmosphere.
"That will be our taxi." Haruka sighed silently and finally opened the door.
"Didn't you forget anything, Ruka?" With that smile Haruka loved so much Michiru pointed her shoes. The young car racer looked down and registered that she was still wearing her old comfortable slippers.
"I guess you should use some stilettos."
"O no! I wasn't born to be a lady." Groaned Haruka and stumbled down the steps of the entrance staircase. The taxi driver had already opened the door for them and Michiru observed how her young car racer got into the car.
"I know, Ruka." She whispered and suddenly her look was very sad. Silently she sat down next to the taller senshi on the backseat. Pensively she looked out of the window, watched the coloured ocean glittering in the sun's setting light. Tears shimmered in her blue eyes but she forced herself not to cry.
I know, Ruka.
But it doesn't matter to me.
Blue eyes looked critically at the huge painting hanging the white wall opposite. Red lines were crossed with blue lines. Yellow dots filled the free space between.
"You don't like them, do you?"
Michiru spun around and looked into Haruka's grinning face. The young car racer held a plate covered with tiny fruit pieces in her hands.
"Well, actually I don't understand why this painting is called Destiny ." She observed the painting again and shook her head.
"And I don't understand why it costs 100.000,00 Yen!" declared Haruka and ate a piece of sweet apple.
"Because it is made for idiots who think they're intelligent, because they think they can understand the artist and his work."
"I understand your works: Your endless oceans, your free dolphins, your dark forests and your endless skies." Haruka's words were intended to tease her, but as Michiru looked up she saw a very serious expression on Haruka's still grinning face.
She's the only one who understands me. The only one who...
Michiru sighed slightly then she smiled encouraged.
"Arigato. Then you must be very intelligent. I didn't realize that you have so many talents." gibed Michiru and giggled as she could see Haruka rolling her eyes.
"You would be surprised..." whispered the young car racer and offered her some fruits. Michiru only nodded and bit into a pear. Silently both of them observed the wide room.
The taxi brought them to a skyscraper in the inner city. The party took place at the huge apartment on the thirteenth floor. Well, the entire apartment was the thirteenth storey. It belonged to an old man who drew his own paintings. He was very known in the world of modern art. Michiru had known him for several years. However, they didn't like each other very well, because both of them didn't like the works of the other one.
Mr. Snyder was born and grew up in America. Two decades ago he had married a woman from Japan and moved with her to the island. His wife died during a tragic car accident and so he had been alone with his daughter ever since. Three years ago his daughter had disappeared from one day to the other. She went to school and never came home. Since this day Mr. Snyder had searched desperately for his daughter. That was the reason why he only invited women to the parties he gave to represent his new paintings. Because he hoped that one of the women would be his missing daughter.
Some musicians stood next to the door that lead out to a huge balcony where you could overlook almost all of Tokyo. It was a very big and surely it was a very expensive apartment. There were five musicians and they played Japanese Country music. It was his favourite music. Some of the guests actually liked it. But some of them were bored by it.
"It's incredible!" said Michiru quietly and watched a musician with an old violin who missed two notes in one line. She knew the music, too, but she had never heard it this terrible way.
"Don't worry. At least you don't have to dance." Replied Haruka and ate another piece of sweet apple. Her green eyes were always in motion, searching for the slightest hint that their enemies had arrived at the crime scene. Michiru could feel that the young car racer waited for a fight. That she hoped that they would find the talismans or at least got the chance to look into Mr. Snyder's heart crystal - and then go home. Michiru knew that Haruka didn't feel comfortable in the long narrow dress; the young violinist couldn't imagine that she would ever get used to this terrible attempt of the five men to make music.
"You can't dance, can you?" asked Michiru in surprise because she thought that Haruka could do everything. Well, at least she behaved as if she was able to reach every goal.
"Not as a woman." Stubbornly Haruka stared on her plate and slowly ate the rest of the sweet apple.
Michiru raised her head and observed the young car racer silently for some moments.
I'd like to dance with you.
But she didn't dare to speak it out loud.
"Hey, Ruka! Don't eat everything! I didn't have any real dinner, as well!" Michiru grabbed Haruka's hand and took the last piece of apple. She could feel how the taller woman winced as their fingers touched.
"Greed doesn't suit you." teased Haruka and laughed as the young violinist made an angry face. "Shall I take some more fruits from the huge banquet? I really don't know who should eat all this food."
"You! And then you'll be fat. A fat car racer." Now it was Michiru's turn to laugh as she saw the confused expression in two green eyes. Haruka looked down at her body.
"The pizza last evening had been too much, hadn't it?" she asked and glanced at Michiru with that look that remembered her of a little puppy. The young violinist couldn't resist her longing any longer. She raised her hand and ran it tenderly through Haruka's short blond hair. The taller woman swallowed hard, but didn't turn away.
What had begun as a kind gesture changed now into something different. Michiru's hand froze but it rested between those soft strands. Loving blue eyes looked up into startled green ones.
I want to dance with you.
What shall I say?
In that very moment both of them heard the excited voices next to the banquet.
"You took the last piece of the chocolate cake. That's not fair!"
"When you're so lazy, it's your own fault! It's mine now! Hey! Give it back! Now!"
"Catch me if you can!"
"You'll regret this!"
Michiru's hand snapped back as she turned around and looked as surprised as Haruka at the four girls who stood next to the huge balcony door. A girl with two blonde pigtails and a white dress ran through the room. She held a plait with pieces of a chocolate cake in her hands. A taller girl in a red dress followed her with an angry expression on her face. Her long black hair covered her back and swirled through the air as she tried to catch the other girl.
"That's so embarrassing!" sighed another tall girl and ran a steady hand through her brown hair. She wore a dark green dress. Another girl dressed in light blue stood by her side. She didn't react because she read a book.
"Ami! You're as bad as them! Put this book away!"
"But, Mako... Tomorrow is a test in English and..."
"And you've never did a mistake in English all your life. You're the best pupil in your class. And I guess you're even better in this language than any native English in America! So put it away! Or I will be very angry with you!"
The girl bowed her head and blushed. Her redden face was surrounded by shoulder long blue hair.
"Gomen, Makoto-san." She said and the tall girl laughed.
"Don't worry. Just put it away. That's all I ask of you, Ami. Put it away, take an apple or a sandwich - they look really delicious - and enjoy yourself." Answered Makoto and rolled her eyes as she watched the other two girls still arguing over the cake.
Ami sighed helplessly and glanced around. Her light blue eyes grew wide as she recognized the two young women at the other side of the huge room. Slowly she crossed it and stood at the next moment right by Haruka's side.
"Hi." She smiled and the words she wanted to say died away as she saw Michiru's warning expression. "What are you doing here?" Ami asked instead and didn't say anything about the dresses she admired.
They must have been very expensive.
The senshi of the water didn't want to think about her dress she borrowed from her cousin.
They both look really beautiful.
She felt grey next to them but cheered up as she saw the loving smile on the young violinist's face.
"I know Mr. Snyder and wanted to take a look at his new paintings."
"It's said that he lost his daughter and now searches for her."
"That's right." Michiru nodded and marvelled about how informed Ami was. Always she seemed to know more than the others. The young violinist hoped that the girl would never be her enemy one day. Or the one who owned one of the talismans. Michiru wasn't sure if she would be able to sacrifice her...
"How sad..." Ami sighed. Then she was reminded of something important. "Haruka, how are you feeling? Do you have any headaches? My mother told me that it would have been better if we would have visited a doctor. It's not funny to be hit by a stone." Her light blue eyes observed Haruka, but she couldn't see any weakness. As ever.
"A stone?" whispered Michiru shocked.
"She didn't tell you?" Ami seemed to be really surprised.
As Michiru wanted to reply anything the others came over to them.
"I don't believe it! She ate all of the cake!" Rei glared frustrated and Usagi grinned happily. Her mouth was brown and the white dress got some brown spots, as well. Makoto managed a forced smile.
The music increased and Michiru took a deep breath. Silently she watched Haruka who stared again on her empty plate.
She didn't tell me anything about the incident. But why? I thought I am her best friend? I thought she trusts me. Doesn't she?
The young violinist swallowed hard and looked away.
Well, obviously not anymore...
Ami noticed their reactions and frowned.
"Hell, this music is driving me crazy!" declared Makoto and couldn't help but stare at Haruka. She'd never realized that the young car racer was indeed a woman. Yes, they all knew it, but actually she'd never seen her so female before. The others were as puzzled as she was.
"That's a nice dress. Where did you buy it?" asked Usagi who didn't see her friend's warning looks. Instead she touched Haruka's velvet dress admiring. "It's a nice colour, and it changes with the light. It must have been very expensive? Oh, I dream of ever wearing such a nice dress." Declared Usagi and looked innocently up as Haruka automatically stepped back until the wall blocked her only escape route.
"But this dress is also nice, isn't it?" she said as the young car racer didn't reply anything. "Mamo-chan has bought it for me. It is very sad that he can't be with me this evening, but Mr. Snyder just invited girls. Well. Mamo-chan has a seminar this evening, anyway. But it would have been fantastic to have danced with him this evening." Dreamed Usagi and an honest smile appeared on her redden face.
"To this music?" whispered Makoto and made a face.
"With her talent to dance? Poor Mamoru!" answered Rei. Usagi glared at her.
"You're just jealous!"
"What? Me?"
"By the way, what are you doing here?" asked Michiru and interrupted the starting argument.
"Well..." began Usagi and stopped at Rei's warning look.
"It's for a school project about modern art."
That was an excuse everyone always accepted. Well, they couldn't tell the two friends that they were at the party because Rei had an uncanny vision. Could they?
Usagi was convinced that Haruka and Michiru were friends. But the others hesitated. So they decided not to tell them about the Sailor Team.
"But you're in different classes, aren't you?"
For the first time Haruka broke the unwritten law and asked for more information after they said the magic word school project .
"Well..."
At that very moment they heard how the class of the huge windows broke. An ugly youma entered the room. Quickly he reached the old man and tried to beat him down. The rest of the female guests screamed and escaped through the doors towards the lifts. So did the Sailor Team. Only Haruka and Michiru stayed behind.
"At last!" sighed Haruka as she raised her golden henshin.
"You couldn't await to tear your dress off your body, could you?" asked the young violinist and giggled as she took her henshin out of her handbag, as well.
Haruka turned her head and stared confused at the smaller senshi.
"You should wear a dress more often, Ruka." Whispered Michiru and blushed. Then she concentrated on the youma and raised her henshin, too.
The old man looked fearfully at the youma who came nearer. This time it was a woman who resembled a modern painting. Her head seemed to be were her right hand should be and the right hand had changed her place with her left food. A hole in her belly allowed observers to see what was behind her. Her dark eyes shone angrily and full of hate. In her left hand she held a gun with which she could pull out the heart crystal from human bodies. Mr. Snyder screamed in pain as she did.
"Look if it's a talisman, Uranus. I'll take care for this... creature." Michiru ran toward the youma who finally noticed her.
"Deep..." screamed Sailor Neptune but she couldn't finish her sentence. The power of the youma hit her all too suddenly. The young woman lost balance and was thrown out of the balcony door. She winced as she felt the pain in her body, but at least she was able to grab the balustrade before really falling down.
"Shit..." whispered Neptune as she saw the city under her. The cars looked like toys thirteen floors below. The youma left Mr. Snyder and the crystal, which now flew over his silent body in a bright light.
"Now I will kill you. At last! You have foiled all my plans! You haven't done that without any consequences!" The youma stood now at the balcony and looked down at the defenceless senshi of the wide ocean.
"Now you will regret your intervention!"
The modern art woman raised her head and Michiru automatically closed her eyes.
"EARTH SHAKING!" Haruka pulled her henshin down and observed how the planet grew bigger and hit the youma who stepped back and screamed in pain. Sailor Uranus didn't even look at the heart crystal as she ran towards the balcony. She jumped and landed hard. At the last moment she could catch her best friend's falling hands who could not longer hold on the balustrade.
"What the hell..." whispered Michiru and opened her eyes. They grew wide as she saw how the youma stood up and came toward them.
"You baka! What have you done!" screamed the senshi of the wide ocean and suddenly tears ran over her pale cheeks. "One of us must survive to complete the mission! Now you can't even defend yourself!" She didn't look down to the street that was several hundred meters below. Wind ran through her uniform and she shivered. Sailor Uranus didn't say a word. She just held her hands tighter and bit on her lower lip as she tried to lift her back to the safe balcony.
"I am too heavy!" declared Michiru and swallowed hard as she felt that there was no ground under her trembling feet. "Leave me and save yourself as we once promised. Save yourself and the world."
"Never!" declared Haruka and lifted her some inches. But it would take some more moments until Neptune would be safe and secure on the ground of the balcony. Moments they didn't have.
"Ruka, please..." demanded the smaller senshi and couldn't fight back a scream of fear as her stilettos fell down a long way.
"Shut up, Michi-chan." Yelled Uranus as the first beam of the youma hit her. The pain ran through her body and she had to use all her powers to not let go of Neptune's hand. "Don't you know that I would never leave you, you stupid..." Uranus's voice died away as the second beam hit her. Her body ached incredibly and she felt how she lost control over her trembling hands.
Don't...
"Ruka!" The scream of Neptune took away the darkness that waited for the senshi of the wind. The pain increased but she just bit on her lower lip and lifted the smaller woman some more inches. Just some seconds and she would be safe and secure. Just two seconds and...
The third beam hit Uranus and she didn't have the power to hold her anymore.
NO!
At that moment two hands reached for Neptune's and together they were able to lift her back to the balcony. The senshi of the wide ocean sobbed. Then she looked up and saw Sailor Jupiter who just smiled at her.
"That's been really tight." said the inner senshi simply and turned away to help her partners. However, her help wasn't needed anymore. Sailor Moon already defeated the youma with her mighty henshin and now they gave the heart crystal back to Mr. Snyder.
Sailor Neptune came hard to her feet. Slowly she walked over to the old man. Sailor Moon kneeled at his side. Blue eyes looked innocently up in a tear wet face.
"You didn't even look if it's a talisman." Whispered the senshi of the ocean stunned and shook her head. "You just let this chance go to find one talisman and to complete our mission." Sailor Neptune spun around and looked at Sailor Uranus who just stared at the balcony's ground. "What have you done? It's our mission to save the world! One of us has to survive! If we both die the whole world will die! Didn't you say that we have to make sacrifices to save this world? That every sacrifice is worth saving thousands of people!" Now Sailor Neptune was yelling at the still kneeling woman. The blue uniform was turning red and Michiru knew that Haruka was bleeding. The pain was surely almost unbearable, but the senshi of the wind still didn't look up. For the first time Michiru was really angry at her young car racer.
"You always said that everything is less important than our mission!"
"What kind of mission?" asked Sailor Mars.
"What is a talisman?" asked Sailor Mercury and looked up from her tiny computer.
"Why are you arguing?" asked Sailor Moon finally and tears were now shinning in her eyes, too.
"SHUT UP!" yelled Neptune and Uranus with one furious voice.
Slowly the senshi of the wind came on her feet and walked over to the senshi of the wide ocean.
"He didn't have a talisman." Declared Uranus with a cold voice.
"How could you be so sure? You didn't even look at it!"
Haruka just shook her head. A thin smile appeared on her dirty face.
I didn't have to. I love you too much, Michi-chan. I'd rather die with you than to live without you. Don't you know?
But she knew that the smaller woman didn't.
"Do you remember what you told me yesterday? That you couldn't sacrifice me for the mission? Gomen. I am not able to sacrifice you, neither."
Michiru raised her head and all the anger disappeared from her pale face. Tears were still shimmering in her deep blue eyes. Now she stared at the taller senshi in confusion. In disbelieve.
"Don't look at me this way!" whispered Haruka then she sighed and turned away.
What way?
Michiru watched her quietly. Even the inner senshi didn't dare to break the silence.
"Take a taxi." Said Uranus loudly as she opened the door to the lifts. "Don't wait for me. It'll be late." With those words she entered the lift and leaned against the walls. She pressed her icy hands over her hot face as the doors were shut and the lift moved downward.
I can't live this way any longer. But I can't live without her at the same time.
"Did you understand a single word?" asked Mars puzzled and went over to the still liveless old man.
"He will be okay." Said Ami and shook her head. "I've never heard anything about talismans before." She declared honestly and made a note into her computer that she would visit the library the next day to find out more about this topic.
"Why can't you tell us more? Don't you trust us, Sailor Neptune?" Sailor Moon spun around and froze as she saw the empty place where the senshi of the wide ocean had been only seconds before.
"She's gone." Whispered the future princess of Crystal Tokyo and suddenly more tears filled her eyes.
"Hey, at least they could have said Arigato . That's not too much, isn't it?" complained Sailor Jupiter,. but she was glad that she had been able to help Sailor Neptune not to fall down. Surely it would have been a deadly fall...
"Hai..." whispered Ami and went over to the open balcony door and looked out at Tokyo at night.
But she actually didn't listen to her partners.
Slowly Haruka stumbled over the old stones that covered the sandy way. Huge trees covered the peaceful place in shadows. At night it was forbidden to come to this place, but the young woman simply climbed over the wall, ignoring once again all rules. Her golden dress was now torn and she threw away her stilettos some miles ago. Her hair looked messed and her face was dirty. Her back was wet and the material pasted to it. Haruka knew that it was blood that was running down her spine, but she didn't care about it.
The young car racer fell on her knees in front of a black grave stone. She sighed deeply and looked desperately at the inscription: Gendo and Mareiko Kaioh. Michiru's parents were buried at this cemetery. They died when the young violinist had been ten years old. Michiru didn't often talk about them. But when she did her voice was full of love and her look full of sadness.
They must have been great parents.
Haruka took the amulet in her trembling hands and looked at the smiling pictures in it.
If I had had such loving parents maybe I would've never become the person I am today...
The young car racer bowed her head and fought against the tears that were burning in her eyes. Her head ached and her back made every motion to a motion in pain.
You dyke! Again she heard the voice in her head that didn't stop. Again she saw the confused look in those blue eyes she loved so much.
"Gomen..." whispered Haruka and knew at the same time that there was no mercy for her. No peace. No freedom at all...
A lightning crossed the black night sky above and thunder followed. First rain trops fell down, wetting the dry earth. They felt cold on Haruka's hot skin, but she didn't actually notice them. She just kneeled there and stared at the grave stone and remembered the teasing words of her smaller senshi.
They always protect me. This evening they should protect you, Ruka.
Maybe they actually protected them both as they fought at the balcony with the youma. Maybe they saved their lives in the form of the inner senshi.
But they couldn't help her. They couldn't answer her questions. They couldn't solve her problems. They couldn't change her feelings.
"I... I..." stammered Haruka and closed her eyes. "I love your daughter." Whispered the young car racer and fought successfully back her tears. But she couldn't hold back a sob.
"Gomen..."
At this very moment the storm broke off.
The silver Ferrari drove through the dense rain. Big rain drops fell upon the window pane and the floodlight could hardly bring any brightness on the dark street. Slowly it was parked by a big house where four families lived. The young woman still wore her dirty blue evening dress. Her sea green hair was wet and her blue eyes shone sadly as she walked over to the entrance door and rang the bell.
"Hai?" A girl in violet pyjamas appeared at the door, looking tiredly. Her light blue eyes grew wide as she identified the young woman.
"Michiru! What are you doing here in the middle of the night? You're all wet! Come in!" Ami stepped back and guided the young woman to the flat she lived in with her mother.
"Did anything happen?" asked the girl alarmed.
"No." Michiru just shook her head and took a deep breath.
Probably not.
"My mother's still at the hospital. An emergency." Declared Ami as she disappeared in the bathroom. "Do sit down." She said to the young violinist and went over to the fridge.
"Arigato." Michiru took the towel to dry her hair and sat down at the round table in the middle of the small but comfortable kitchen.
"Do you want to drink a tea?" asked Ami and already took a box out of the cupboard.
"Hai..." Michiru sighed. "Gomen. I know that you have to go to school tomorrow. And now I am here, disturbing your holy sleep."
"Don't worry. I was still learning some vocabularies." Ami smiled warmly and put two tumblers down on the table. "Be careful. It's still very hot." She declared and looked into her friend's pale face.
"It's about Haruka, isn't it?" asked the senshi of the water after a while they had drunk their teas in silence.
"Hai..." whispered Michiru and didn't ask why Ami knew it. The girl was very intelligent. And very sensible. Maybe she read too many books and learned too much, but she was a very good friend. Michiru was glad that they have met.
"It's about the fight yesterday. Haruka didn't tell me about it, but I want to know more about it, because she's different now, and I can't understand why." Michiru stared in her tea, unable to look into the intelligent girl's innocent face.
"Well, it wasn't very pleasant. Rei was still at her seminar for young priestesses and I sat on a bank in the park. I bought some books and so I wasn't bored when Haruka came too late. She searched all day for something, but she didn't want to tell me. I don't know if she finally found it; she didn't lose any word about it."
My ear rings.
Michiru raised her head a little bit and could hear the jingle of two dancing dolphins.
"I read one of my books as suddenly a rude man appeared next to me. He tried to force me to give him a kiss and to go with him. I was too weak to defend myself and..." Ami blushed and sighed. "Well, Haruka came not a second too late. She didn't ask a lot and simply beat the man up. She told him to go away, but he picked up a stone and threw it at her. Then they started to fight again and somehow he must have noticed that Haruka's a girl. He seemed to be very surprised. He looked at me and than at Haruka." Ami closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I've never seen such a hateful look before in my life. He said that we are sick persons and that..." Ami shook her head. "He was very rude and he said some more nasty stuff and called Haruka bad names. But finally he had to see that Haruka was too strong for him and we went away." Ami opened her eyes again and they grew wide as she saw the tears in Michiru's.
Don't look at me this way!
Haruka's quite voice was still ringing in her ears and now she thought to understand what way the young car racer had actually meant.
"Afterward we went to the optician, repaired my glasses and fetched Rei. We went into a café and ate a big chocolate ice cream. Rei told us a lot about her seminar and we laughed a lot. But..." Ami stood up and filled her tumbler again. "But Haruka seemed to be concerned about it. She tried not to show it, but for me she seemed to be a little bit quieter than normal. A little bit more serious. But it could be because Rei had been very exited and very loud this afternoon."
Michiru shivered as she remembered the fat man's hateful at the parking space. How Haruka reacted afterwards.
She let go of my hands immediately.
All night the wind senshi drove her motorbike.
And she didn't want to talk to me about her problems.
"How did the man call Ruka?"
Ami looked up for some seconds and stared silently into two concerned blue eyes.
Ruka... She always calls her this familiar way.
Then the senshi of the water stared back in her brown tea.
"He said You dyke ." Ami's voice was very silent.
Michiru knocked over her tumbler.
It was getting light when Haruka finally entered the light house by the sea. The sun rose from the endless ocean and the stars disappeared slowly one by one. The waves shimmered mysteriously in the light of the new day.
The young car racer opened the fridge and drank some gulps of milk right out of the bottle. However, it couldn't cover the nausea in her stomach. Haruka sighed and went through the living-room. She shivered as she went to her room. It stopped raining about an hour ago, but the young woman was still wet to the skin; the dirty narrow dress pasted to her shaking body. She had to sneeze as she entered her room and closed the door quietly behind her. Her head ached and her back seemed to be on fire. She felt cold and very tired.
Just a shower and then bed.
Haruka didn't notice that someone had tidied up her room. No dirty clothes laid on the carpet any more and the books were brought in order on the desk. The young woman didn't see the shadow lying on the blanket of her now tidied bed.
"Shit!" swore the young car racer under her breath as she tried to get out of the wet dress. Her back hurt and the pain pierced through her trembling body. She sat down on the chair and looked out of the window. Silently she watched the sunrise while she took a deep breath to get her feelings under control again.
"May I help you?"
Haruka spun around as she heard the soft voice behind her and winced by this thoughtless motion. Quietly she watched Michiru raising from the bed, yawning.
"I told you not to wait for me." Declared Haruka and turned to stare out of the window once more.
"I just wanted to know that you're home." Michiru stood behind the chair and opened the zipper of the dress on Haruka's back. "It was a heavy storm and I was concerned that you wouldn't return at all." Whispered the young violinist and looked sadly at the wounds. They didn't bleed anymore, but surely they did hurt a lot.
"The youma did a god job, didn't she?" asked Michiru quietly and sighed as Haruka refused to answer. Silently she went into Haruka's bathroom, took a flannel and carefully washed the dirt away from the young woman's skin. Then she bandaged the back. Haruka winced but she didn't turn away, didn't stop her.
"Are you finished now?" asked the young car racer after Michiru had packed the bandages away.
Sadly Michiru watched her taller senshi some moments.
I want to understand you, Ruka. Please, let me be part of your life and not only a partner for your mission. Talk to me Ruka!
But Michiru knew that the young car racer would never.
"Hai..."
Haruka pulled away the rest of the dress she would throw away next day. Then she pulled over a long white shirt she misused as pyjamas and climbed into her bed.
"Are you cold?" asked Michiru and wrapped her arms protectively around her belly. Motionless she stood next to the empty chair and swallowed hard.
Ruka is so different...
"No! And now get out and leave me in peace!" Haruka turned her burning face toward the wall and pulled her blanket over her head.
"I guess I would have reacted the same way you did." Michiru sighed loudly. "Don't worry about it, Mr. Snyder didn't have a talisman. And don't think too much about my reaction. I overreacted a little bit, maybe the shock of almost falling down thirteen storeys of a skyscrapers." The young violinist went over to the door and opened it. Before she left the room, she turned her head and watched the body of her wind senshi for some more moments in silence.
"I like you the way you are, Ruka." Quietly Michiru closed the door.
Haruka turned around and looked at the ceiling for the next hours while she listened to the soft violin's soft melodies.
She had to think about a lot of things.
At noon she finally settled into a deep but restless sleep.