chapter three: Silent waters
"Let's go on vacation!"
"Nani?" Haruka was sitting on the couch in the living-room, listening to the sport news on TV. Surprised she raised her head to look up questioningly at Michiru. The senshi of the wide ocean sat down next to her and opened a big atlas on her lap.
"We've never been on vacation before and at the moment there's such a great weather. It's nice, warm and dry." A self-confident smile appeared on Michiru's face. "And at the moment it doesn't look like our enemies would find a new victim soon. Why don't we just use this short time of peace?"
The young car racer switched off the TV and put the remote control on the table. Then she stared at the atlas down on Michiru's knees. A part of Japan was surrounded by a big red line, obviously drawn by the smaller woman earlier.
"Vacation in the mountains?" she asked quietly as she read the names of the nearer cities within the red line.
"Why not? We can use our bikes and spend the nights in a tent. One or two weeks will do wonder." The young violinist's eyes shone enthusiastically.
Haruka watched her in silence. It was about a week that the last youma tried to get the old man's heart crystal at his party. They didn't talk about it afterward. They just kept going on with their lives. Haruka had to attend some training with her race car and Michiru took part at several small concerts in Tokyo. Everything was how it had been before the incident at the party. But somehow it had been different.
"You aren't kidding, are you?" asked the young car racer, but she also liked the idea to get out of this city and bike through nature. To leave all those problems behind. To forget their mission. Just for a few days. But these days would be enough to regain new strength. New hope.
"No..." Doubt covered the enthusiasm in Michiru's eyes. She hadn't even thought about the possibility that her best friend would refuse to go on vacation with her. She had just thought that Haruka would like her idea as much as she did.
Maybe it had been a silly idea.
"But if you don't want to go on vacation... Well, I can understand that your training is more important... and the youmas... and the talismans..."
Nothing is more important to me than you.
"No, Michi-chan. I like this idea. When do we start?" Haruka smiled warmly and was happy to see the sad expression disappearing from Michiru's face.
"Arigato, Ruka!" Before the young car racer could react, Michiru had already wrapped her arms around her waist and had squeezed her gently.
"Hey, don't strangle me!" gasped Haruka and blushed against her will.
"You would have deserved it!" teased Michiru and looked up into two green eyes. She laid half over the young car racer on the soft couch.
It's a good feeling to have her by my side.
The young violinist raised her hand and touched thoughtlessly Haruka's short blond hair and stroked it gently.
It's alike if she's male or female.
The senshi of the wind just stared at her and automatically wrapped her arms around her slim body. Then she winced.
Michiru pulled herself back immediately and blushed slightly.
"Everything okay, Ruka? How's your back?" All week she hadn't ask again about the wounds. Not that she didn't think of them. She just didn't dare to break the silence that seemed to have surrounded Haruka. And her, as well.
"I am alright, Michi-chan. Don't worry. I am strong enough to carry my rucksack. With soda, chocolate, jelly babies and waffles."
"Baahh..." Michiru made a face and Haruka had to grin.
"Hey, that's my way to make proper vacation."
"Well, I've survived worse. But I will take a torch, a pocket knife, a sleeping bag and some medicine with me." Declared the young violinist and went over to the kitchen and opened the fridge. "And some sandwiches." She said after she observed its contents.
"So I'll have the funny things and you the serious ones." Haruka sat down on the round table in the middle of the kitchen and let her legs swing back and forth. "I hope they aren't too heavy for you."
"Hey, you actually forgot how heavy soda and chocolate can be." teased Michiru and spun around. The happy smile was on her lips Haruka loved so much.
You smile too seldom, Michi-chan.
"And you forgot how strong I am!" Haruka made a sulky face which always made Michiru laugh like this time.
"My strong super hero." She joked and laughed a little bit more. Haruka watched her, smiling honestly. The sun shone through the open kitchen window and wind played with the sea green hair.
She looks like an angel.
"I thought that we could leave tomorrow early in the morning."
"Early in the morning?" Haruka mad a desperate face and tried to yawn.
"You'll survive it. I am sure." Michiru opened the fridge again and took out some bowls. "I'll make the food and you repair my bike. That's a deal, isn't it?"
"What, you didn't repair your wheel? You had this accident five months ago!" Haruka jumped off the table and observed the bowls' contents.
"Well, I have you to repair my bike, haven't I? Oh, Ruka! Don't steal! Otherwise you'll have to starve the next days."
"Not with you by my side." Haruka blushed again as Michiru raised her head at her ill-considered declaration. She took a deep breath and turned toward the door. "I'll repair your wheel." She said and left the kitchen.
Michiru watched her go, then she took a knife and started to make their food for the next days.
"Hai..." she whispered self-confidently.
Step by step.
"Good morning, Ruka!"
Haruka turned away from the exciting voice and pulled her blanket over her head.
"It's too early." She mumbled tiredly and shut her eyes tightly as someone opened her curtains and let the bright sunlight flow into the twilight of the room.
"Get up! We're going on vacation!" declared Michiru quite loudly and jumped into the bed. She grabbed the blanket and pulled it away energetically.
"Michiru!" At the next moment Haruka sat upright and fetched it back to cover her nakedness. Yesterday had been very hot and after she finished her shower she just went to bed without pulling over her white shirt. So that she wouldn't sweat so much.
If I had known that Michiru would wake me up I would have never...
"So you're awake at last. Get up, my little late riser. Breakfast's ready and I don't want to leave late after seven o'clock."
She's so beautiful...
"Seven o'clock?" whispered Haruka and yawned. "How late is it?"
"It's already six." Declared Michiru and smiled as she saw the shocked expression on Haruka's face. She stroked friendly through Haruka's wild blond hair to mess them even more and went back to the door.
"Six o'clock?" repeated the young car racer and yawned again.
"Hai." Michiru left her best friend's room and went over to the kitchen.
"You're nuts!" yelled Haruka after her and fell back on her bed. She yawned again but she smiled as she pulled away the blanket to get up and dress.
The world rushed by quickly. Tokyo, other cities, suburban areas, meadows, rice fields, trees, rivers and some small lakes flew by with high speed. Only the sun seemed to stay in the same place in an endless cloudless sky.
Michiru sat silently near the window and watched her home country. They took the train in Tokyo to get to the mountains. The big city was about two hundred miles far away from the place they wanted to spend their holidays, so they decided to take this fast means of transportation, because the route towards the mountains went through different big cities and Michiru wanted to see nature not glass, concrete and honking cars.
The train drove through a long black tunnel. Michiru squinted as they returned to the surface; the bright light of the powerful sun dazzled.
The young violinist felt a head leaning against her shoulder and looked down at a sleeping Haruka by her side. A smile appeared on Michiru's face as she watched her car racer sleeping.
It's been too early for her.
Thoughtfully she raised her left hand and stroked gently through short blond hair. It felt like velvet. Michiru loved this feeling. Haruka opened her eyes a little bit for some seconds, maybe to see who was playing with her strands. Dreamily she looked in the young violinist's face and smiled tiredly. Her warm hand took the stroking of Michiru and held it weakly tight.
"Just two more minutes." Whispered Haruka then she settled back into sleep.
She's so cute.
Michiru squeezed the hand gently, then she glanced again out of window and watched the green world out there. She was happy. It was the first time that she went on vacation since she had been ten years old. On real holidays, not on tour. For the first time she wasn't alone, because she went on vacation together with her Ruka!
The door to their compartment opened and a woman about the forties entered.
"May I sit down?"
Michiru observed her for some seconds.
Maybe she is indeed forty, however, she dresses and puts on make-up like a twenty-year old teenager.
"Hai."
The woman sat down and corrected her black skirt and her white blouse.
Surely a business woman.
Michiru watched the world for a while while the woman studied a big newspaper.
"Are you going on vacation?" asked the woman finally after she had observed quietly the two rucksacks and the couple in front of her.
"Hai. Went want to spend some days up in the mountains." Replied Michiru politely, but didn't turn her head.
"How romantic! When I was young my husband and I used to do such crazy vacation too. Now he's too ill for such adventures. Now we spend our summers in Europe."
"Interesting." Honestly Michiru just wanted the woman to shut up. She had an idea for a new song and needed her peace to make up her mind for the new melody inside her head.
For a while they just sat there in silence.
"Where are you from?"
"Tokyo." Michiru tried not to roll her eyes. It was very hard not to show her boredom.
"A nice city. And far away." The young violinist could feel how the woman looked from Haruka's sleeping face into her. "Your boyfriend seems to be very tired."
"Haruka's a late riser."
"But today he didn't sleep until midday. That's romantic." Dreamed the young woman and looked up to the ceiling. "Young love is always so romantic. When I was your age I believed that I could change the world. That I could move mountains together with my boyfriend. Now he's my husband and we didn't move anything. But we're happy together and that's all that counts, isn't it?"
Michiru looked down at Haruka and a her eyes shone sadly.
It must be fantastic to grow old with the one you love.
"Hai..." she whispered.
Where will my Ruka be when I am forty?
Michiru leaned her head against Haruka's and closed her eyes.
Will I ever become so old or will I die because of a youma?
The woman seemed to say something more but she was interrupted by the announcement of the locomotive's personal.
Michiru opened her eyes and ignored her sad thoughts. Now they went on vacation and for these few days there wouldn't be any youmas. There hadn't to be better any! No talismans and no missions would disturb their peace.
"Ruka." Whispered the young violinist and gently squeezed the warm hand.
She feels so good!
"Nani..." mumbled the young car racer and Michiru saw that Haruka didn't want to open her eyes and end her sleep.
"Get up, Ruka. The train arrives in about five minutes and we have to fetch our bikes."
"Then fetch them and give me these five more minutes..." Haruka's voice was still full of sleep and slightly she yawned.
"Sometimes you're terrible." Whispered Michiru but she smiled as she leaned forward and gave her young car racer a light kiss an her cheeks. Haruka's eyes flew open and she stared at her young violinist in confusion. Then she blushed slightly.
"Awake at last?" joked the young woman and stood up.
I hope she can't hear my heart beat.
Michiru went over to the rucksacks and took one of them in her trembling hands.
"C'mon, Ruka. I don't want to miss the stop!"
"Hai..." whispered Haruka and stretched herself to get rid of her tiredness and to calm down her suddenly exited body. For some seconds you could see the young car racer's female outlines through the wide yellow shirt she wore over her short blue jeans. Michiru saw the business woman's confused look change quickly into something worse. First she looked at Haruka and then at Michiru.
Don't look at me this way!
The young violinist heard again Haruka's calm voice in her head.
Michiru took the second rucksack in her left hand, as well, and grabbed with her right one Haruka's. Then she left the compartment without any greetings. Suddenly she could understand Haruka's strange behaviour. However, she would never accept it.
"Is everything okay?" asked Haruka as she took her bike. She had seen the sad expression on her best friend's face and wondered why Michiru would be sad. They went on vacation. There was no reason to be sad.
"Hai." The young violinist turned her head and smiled happily.
When the train arrived at the stop they left the train.
Michiru didn't look back to see the woman watching them both in silence through the window. With a contemptuous look in her dark eyes.
The bright sun shone from an endless sky. A small river ran near the sandy way they drove along. Huge trees covered the way with shadows and cows stood on green meadows and ate their grass.
Michiru raised her head and looked up to the mountains that came nearer and nearer. Soon they would be surrounded by them.
Maybe we can climb on such a high peak. It must be a great feeling to be on top of the world...
She sighed happily and closed her eyes for some seconds to enjoy the wind playing with her long sea green hair.
Haruka turned her head and smiled slightly as she saw the happiness in Michiru's face.
She looks so beautiful. Like an angel...
Haruka sighed and concentrated again on the sandy path under her mountain bike's wheels. She wanted to tell Michiru how she felt for her. However, she didn't dare to. What if she wouldn't understand her? If she would laugh at her?
What if I lose my one and only friend?
They reached a fork and Haruka took the right path without looking on the map she carried in her rucksack.
"Why did you chose this direction?" asked Michiru as she reached her after some seconds. Haruka was very fast. Sometimes too fast for the young violinist. But she waited when she realized it.
"Because it leads to a mountain lake, my little mermaid."
"Great. I am already soaked with sweat." They had arrived in the small town four hours ago and since these four hours they had driven towards the mountains without a pause. Michiru would have never admitted, but she was indeed a little bit tired.
Well, I am not as well trained as Ruka.
"A bath will be fantastic."
"The water's surely very cold." Wondered Haruka, because she knew her Michiru. The young violinist was always cold. Even in the hottest summer. However, if she was in her wet element it was always perfect. Michiru never complained about the water's temperature.
"You don't have to join me." Laughed Michiru and screamed quietly as her bike jumped over a stone she hadn't seen coming. But she could react and didn't fall off the bike.
"Are you okay?" Haruka stopped her bike next to her and looked concerned at the smaller senshi.
"Don't worry." Michiru laughed and speeded up. "The last one is a lazy chicken!" she shouted laughing while she reached the next bend.
"Cheater!" Haruka followed her. She had to laugh, too.
An hour later they arrived at the small lake. It was surrounded by old trees and if you looked up to the sky you could see the top of a huge mountain. It looked as if you only had to stretch out your hand to touch it, but in reality you had to walk for a couple of hours to actually reach it.
"How peaceful." Declared Michiru as she put down her bike and stepped toward the lake until she stood with her feet in the cool water. "Nothing can be heard. No noises of the big city, no arguments of angry people. No screams of victims. No mad laughter of some youmas." Michiru opened her arms wide and closed her eyes. She felt the water on her skin and heard the rushes of the leaves around.
Haruka who covered a shadowy place near the lake with a blanket looked up and watched her young violinist silently.
"Michi-chan..."
The desire to go to her and hold her in her arms was almost irresistible. Haruka clenched her fists and stepped automatically back.
Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to go on vacation with her...
"Hai?" Michiru spun around and ran over to her. Haruka smiled and the tomboyish expression returned on her face.
"I am hungry." said the young car racer and sat down on the blanket.
"Well, maybe I can help you." Michiru kneeled down next to her and observed her rucksack's contents. "Here are some sandwiches with salad and a sausage and an apple. You've got the lemonade." She said finally. Her blue eyes shone happily as she gave the food into Haruka's suddenly ice cold hands.
"Aren't you hungry?" asked the young car racer while she unwrapped the sandwiches.
"Hai, but first I wanna swim." Michiru pulled the T-shirt she wore over her head and threw it on the blanket. Haruka coughed and her sandwich seemed to be very dry with a sudden. Then she realized that the young violinist wore a swimsuit under the short blue skirt. With a splash Michiru dove into the cool wet. The water sprayed through the air and shimmered in the bright sunlight like a rainbow. Michiru stood in the middle of the fountain and laughed happily as Haruka put up her arms protectively as Michiru tried to splash her.
The young car racer put down her sun glasses and watched her silently for a while.
I love you so much!
The water calmed down and Michiru started to swim silently in the small lake. Haruka sighed and laid back on the blanket after she had eaten up her sandwich. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the peace that suddenly surrounded them. So rare peace.
She dozed for a while. Then she suddenly felt some cold wet drops upon her yellow shirt and made a face. As she opened her eyes she could see Michiru's laughing face that was surrounded by sea green hairs. By wet hair. By so cold hair.
"Iiih!" Haruka sat upright in the next moment. "The water's really cold!" she declared loudly.
"But refreshing. C'mon, Ruka. Just five minutes. They'll do wonders, believe me." Michiru came nearer and Haruka watched her with horror in her deep green eyes.
"No! That's certainly too cold!" The young car racer screamed as Michiru touched her right leg with her icy hands. "You're impossible!"
"I know." A wicked grin appeared on Michiru's face as she grabbed Haruka's arm and tried to pull her toward the lake.
"No!" said Haruka again and wanted to crawl back to the blanket.
"Hey, I don't wanna have a skunk in my tent." Declared Michiru who already stood with one foot in the cool water.
"Just one tent?" asked Haruka surprised and the young violinist used the moment of hesitation and pulled the young car racer with her into the icy lake.
"Michiru!" gasped Haruka as she returned to the surface. "Do you wanna kill me!" She tried to get out of the water but Michiru was faster. Haruka could be as fast as the wind in her car, on her motorbike or during her races, but in the water the senshi of the ocean was unbeatable. Quickly she wrapped her arms around Haruka's waist from behind and held her back.
"Leaving so soon?" she teased and giggled as Haruka turned around and tried to push her head under the surface. But Michiru was again too quick. She evaded and instead of the young violinist the young car racer dove into the cool water. Haruka came back to the surface, gasping hard for breath. Michiru used these moments when the young car racer searched for her to tickle her from behind. Haruka burst out into laughter and tried to defend herself, but Michiru was stronger in her element.
"Are you ticklish, my sweet Ruka?" asked Michiru teasingly and didn't stop.
"Michi, please..." laughed Haruka helplessly.
With a sudden Michiru stopped her punishment and wrapped her arms again around Haruka's waist and held her tight. She leaned her head against her shoulder and closed her eyes.
"I like it when you laugh." whispered the senshi of the wide ocean quietly. "You laugh too seldom." For a while she just held her tight. Haruka sighed slightly, but she didn't dare to break the silence. Motionless they stood there in the cool water.
"Are you cold?" asked Michiru after a while as she felt the shaking that went through Haruka's body.
"No, this water's just too hot!" answered Haruka ironically and turned in the smaller senshi's arms to look right into Michiru's beautiful face. Automatically Michiru raised her arms and took Haruka's face in her hands. Blond hair clung wetly to a reddened face and the young car racer looked wilder than normal. The yellow shirt was wet all over and Michiru could see Haruka's breasts. The young violinist looked deeply up into dreamy green eyes.
She's a real woman.
Michiru smiled and begun to stroke the slightly blushed cheeks of the taller car racer.
But it's okay for me...
Then she saw the blue lips and the shaking that continued to run through her friend's body.
"Let's get out before you freeze to death." Declared Michiru and swam toward the small lake's rim.
"How nice!" teased Haruka and followed her.
Hell, I am cold!
Haruka climbed out of the water and went over to the blanket.
And at the same time I am so hot!
"Here..." Michiru gave her a big towel and watched her with her shinning blue eyes. "Are you angry with me?"
"No..." Haruka had to laugh at Michiru's pleading expression. Then she started to dry her hair. "But sometimes you're so overwhelming."
"I hope so." Michiru laid into the bright sun to dry her swimsuit and bit into one of the green apples she liked so much. "Shall we stay here for the night?" she asked and looked up to the sky. They spent the entire afternoon at the lake and now the sun slowly set.
"Why not? It's a nice place." Haruka swallowed as she thought that they just had one tent.
Why did she only buy one tent?
The young car racer searched her rucksack for some warm clothes and considered how to change without Michiru seeing it. Without herself blushing.
Well, we're both woman. It's okay for her to share it. It would be something completely different if I were a man.
Haruka glanced over to Michiru and sighed slightly. She still remembered the feeling of two arms being wrapped around her waist. The feeling of a small body being pressed against her own.
It's nothing special to her. Is it?
"You set up the tent." whispered Michiru tiredly and squinted in the bright sun which lost it's power in the evening light. In about an hour it would be a dark night, because dusk came faster up in the mountains than at the sea.
"And what about you?" Haruka changed quickly from her yellow shirt into a black one. Michiru turned her head and watched her in silence. A smile laid on her face.
"I will start praying that it won't break down in the middle of the night." Michiru screamed as Haruka suddenly stood over her and tickled her.
"Gomen..." she laughed happily and opened her arms with an acquiescently gesture. "I know I have deserved..." Michiru's voice died away as she saw the strange expression in Haruka's face. The young car racer stopped tickling her and her warm hands rested motionless on her hips.
I like this feeling. Being by her side.
Deep green eyes shone seriously as Haruka leaned forward. Michiru watched her silently and her smile faded slightly. She wanted to say something. Anything. But her voice didn't belong to her anymore. So she just looked into these eyes she loved so much and hoped.
What am I doing?
Haruka stopped two inches away from Michiru's face. She could feel her warm breath upon her skin.
"Better I'll set up the tent." The young car racer turned away and stood up in a sudden. Then she took her rucksack and pulled out the green cloth.
Michiru closed her eyes and wondered why tears burned behind her lashes.
Why am I disappointed?
Silence fell upon the lake. None of them dared to break it.
It was a dark night. The stars shined in black sky. The sun was gone and with her the hot of the summer. Haruka sat near the campfire. A long black pullover warmed her. Quietly she looked into the flames and wondered why she felt so sad. She was on vacation. Together with Michiru! But instead of being happy she just felt empty. And alone.
The young violinist went into the tent some hours ago. But Haruka couldn't sleep. She just sat there and watched the night in the mountains. She listened to the rushes of the trees around and the screams of some night animals that were hunting now. She tried hard to ignore the rude man's words.
After another hour Haruka sighed slightly and gave up. It was about one o'clock in the night and she didn't want to fall asleep on her bike the next morning.
Better I'll go to bed.
She erased the fire and moved quietly into the tent. Michiru laid in her sleeping bag and slept deep and tight.
Sometimes I envy her...
Haruka climbed into her sleeping bag and turned toward the tent's wall. With an angry expression on her face she shut her eyes. However, she knew that it would take another long hour until she would be able to sleep. A restless sleep full of frightening nightmares.
Michiru opened her eyes and glanced at Haruka's back for some seconds. Then she stared again at the ceiling.
I am so cold!
The sleeping bag could hardly warm her. But she didn't dare to ask Haruka for...
For what? Holding me tight? Giving me some warmth? Excluding all my fears?
Michiru closed her eyes, but she couldn't fight back the tears that were burning behind her lashes. Silently they fell down her pale cheeks. She didn't make any sound. No sob escaped her shaking lips. One thing she had learned after her parent's sudden death: She couldn't fight back her tears, but when she was quiet no one noticed that she cried. No one would look at her with wrong pity.
It was already dawn when she finally settled into a light dreamless sleep.
Michiru stifled a yawn and stared tiredly in her soup. It was her lunch and it was still hot. But she actually didn't have hunger. Nor appetite.
The young violinist raised her head and looked around at the terrace of a small restaurant. It looked like an old farmhouse in the middle of a green valley. Maybe it used to be a farmhouse, but now it was a hostel for hungry tourists and hikers.
Michiru stared again in her soup and the nausea increased inside her stomach. It was a hot summer day and she knew that she was the only one who wore a thick pullover. The sun burned down without mercy, but at the same time Michiru was very cold.
"Hey, small one. Are you here all alone?" asked a male voice and a young man sat down on the chair next to her. Curiously he looked at her and Michiru sighed slightly. "The mountains can be very dangerous for such a beautiful woman like you."
"Don't worry, super hero. I've got my own protector." Replied the young violinist and pointed over to Haruka who balanced her soda while she tried to put the change back into the pockets of her short jeans. When Michiru woke up in the morning Haruka had already left the tent and made breakfast. They talked about different things and slowly they got so familiar they had been the last day. They packed the tent and carried on with their tour. Haruka was as funny as ever and Michiru tried to be as happy as she had been yesterday. But at the same time something had changed.
We didn't talk about what happened last evening.
"Oh... well..." The young man seemed to be disappointed as he watched the young car racer coming toward the table. "Then I wish you a nice day, young lady. Goodbye." He said quietly and went away.
"Bye..." whispered Michiru and stared again at her lunch.
Haruka observed the young man who talked to her young violinist. Finally he stood up and came to her direction. He didn't stop as they passed by but the young woman believed to hear some sad words:
"You lucky one."
Then the man was gone. Haruka turned her head but she couldn't see him anymore. So she thudded on her chair and ate her dinner. After a while when her hunger was more bearable she realized that Michiru hadn't eaten anything.
"Do you want to hypnotize your soup?" she asked teasingly and drank half of her soda.
"It just doesn't taste." Declared Michiru but didn't look up.
"Do you want anything else?"
"No."
Silence evolved between them. Haruka finished her meal and watched quietly two small girls playing at the playground with a huge ball.
"Who was the young man you were talking to?" asked the young car racer after a while and made a face as one of the girls stumbled and fell hard on the grassy ground. Immediately she started to cry.
Michiru put the spoon into the soup and shivered slightly as the wind played with her long sea green hair.
Are you jealous, Ruka?
But she didn't dare to say it aloud.
"No one important." She replied instead and stood up. "Let's go."
Haruka watched her young violinist walking over to the bikes and taking her rucksack.
"Hai..." she whispered and followed her.
The entire day they drove through the mountains. They went up to different viewpoints and climbed over some rocks to have a better look over the valley. Michiru took several photos and after a while they forgot that they had been angry about each other. It was such a wonderful day and nature did its best to make it fantastic.
Slowly the day ended and the sun started to set.
"Hey, this is a nice place, isn't it?" asked Michiru and shivered again. She was still very cold and she could hardly drive her bike. She had reached the edge of her powers, but she didn't dare to tell that to the young car racer. She didn't want to look weak beside the strong senshi of the wind.
"Ruka?" Michiru coughed and the world began to spin around. Her head ached more with every minute and her whole body started to tremble.
"Just until the next valley. Please. It's still bright enough, don't you think?" Michiru could hear her best friend's excited voice. She raised her head and the dizziness increased. She could see Haruka far away at the next bend.
"Hai..." she whispered. Then she lost control over her bike. She didn't see the rock that was on the way, blocking half of it. Her trembling hands couldn't hold the handlebars any longer. Michiru wanted to scream but she wasn't able to. She only fell down on the stony ground. Pain pierced through her right leg and somewhere next to her she could hear how her bike crashed down on the stone.
"Shit..." she coughed again and wanted to stand up. But her rucksack was too heavy with a sudden. So she closed her burning eyes and waited for some moments. Surely she would be able to stand up when the pain decreased a little bit. When the dizziness would be gone.
She could hear the noises of another bike and hoped that no one would drive over her. It was already twilight and she didn't wear bright clothes.
"Michi-chan?" A concerned voice next to her let her open her eyes. She looked into two green ones that were very concerned. "What happened?" Haruka tried to help her up but she couldn't stand on her right leg. The whole world spun around and she thought that her head was going to explode.
"Michi!" Haruka yelled and held the young woman tighter as she seemed to faint.
"Everything's fine. Just one moments rest..." whispered the senshi of the wide ocean and coughed again. She leaned her head against Haruka's shoulder and closed her burning eyes again. "I am just so tired..." admitted the smaller woman and shivered visibly.
Haruka helped her to get out of the rucksack's clutches and it landed somewhere on the rocky ground. Carefully Haruka took Michiru's face in her hands and could feel the heat burning under the skin.
"You've got a fever." She declared with a strange tone in her voice. Cautiously she sat Michiru on the stone and stroked sweaty hairs out of a hot forehead. "Why didn't you tell me that you're feeling ill?" Haruka asked quietly and started to stroke Michiru's red cheeks. The smaller senshi opened her eyes as she felt that those strong hands trembled.
"I don't... don't want to be.. too... too weak..." she stammered and looked up into Haruka's suddenly pale face. Green eyes stared for some moments deep into two feverish shimmering ones.
"You're never weak, Michi-chan. You're the strongest woman I know." She whispered calmly. Then she went to her bike and studied the map in the twilight.
"We passed a hotel some miles ago. I guess they'll have a doctor and a warm bath for you." Haruka sighed slightly then she returned to the sitting woman. "Are you able to walk?" she asked and looked doubtfully at the bloodstained knee.
"Hai..." Michiru came hard on her feet and stumbled along the stony way. "Gomen..."
Haruka took the two rucksacks and the two bikes. Quietly she went by Michiru's side and scolded herself for having been so blind.
She didn't eat anything all day!
"You don't have to apologize. Even strong women are weak time by time." She said after a while they had walked slowly toward the valley they had left half an hour before.
Why didn't she just tell me? Doesn't she trust me anymore?
"Believe me, I know what I am talking about."
Michiru looked up from the stony underground and nodded in understanding.
"But..."
"The doctor told you that you need to rest and I won't let you stay the night in our tent where you would be cold. The ground is too hard for your knee and I don't wanna be responsible for you catching a real flu!"
Michiru gave up. Haruka wanted to stay in a hotel for the night and so she couldn't say anything against it.
Ruka can be so stubborn!
She coughed and shivered again. The doctor bandaged her knee and it would be okay the next day. If she took her medicine and slept well they could carry on with their tour the next day. Or the day after tomorrow. The young violinist stumbled slightly as she followed the young car racer toward the reception.
"Are there any rooms to rent?" Haruka asked a young woman who smiled friendly at her. Michiru rolled her eyes and coughed again.
Please, don't flirt now!
Haruka returned the smile but as Michiru looked closer she could see that the green eyes were empty. Somehow numb...
"Of course. We don't have a special holiday and it's in the middle of the week. What do you want?" The young woman looked in her computer and typed in some dates.
"A double room for one or two nights." Declared the young car racer and swallowed.
"Room number twenty. It's right over there. Just use the lift." The young woman gave the keys in Haruka's hands and the flirtatious smile grew wider.
Ugly teeth!
Michiru coughed again and wondered why she didn't like the young woman.
Maybe I am just too tired.
"I hope you'll enjoy your stay in our hotel."
Haruka merely nodded and turned toward Michiru. Now the green eyes weren't empty. Suddenly they were full of concern and other feelings the young violinist couldn't define.
"Let's go and get you to bed." Haruka carefully took Michiru's hand and guided her toward the lift. Silently they reached the first floor and entered their room. It was quite a big room for a hotel in the middle of the mountains with a bed big enough for the both of them to sleep in comfortably. A table and three chairs were next to a big window. A small door lead to a clean bathroom.
"The last time I felt so ill was on my parent's funeral." Whispered Michiru and sat down on the soft mattress. She covered her burning face with her icy hands.
"Do you want to take a shower?" asked Haruka while she observed the small bathroom. "Do you want anything else? Something to eat or...?"
"Just my medicine..." mumbled Michiru, but the idea of nice warm water pouring down her skin was tempting. "Maybe a shower would be fine." Slowly she stripped her pullover and rose. Her legs trembled and could hardly support her weak body. Then she stripped her shoes, her socks and her T-shirt. She then entered the bathroom in underwear. Haruka who had already turned on the shower and controlled the temperature blushed as she saw her.
"Do you think you're able to take a shower?" asked the senshi of the wind concerned. "I don't want you to slip on the wet ground."
"You can join me if you want." whispered Michiru and coughed. Again the whole world seemed to spin around but she ignored the feeling. She stripped her underwear and stepped under the warm water. Michiru closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling of being in her element. The dizziness increased and she coughed again and again until tears were running down her still wet cheeks. She searched for hold at the wall but all she could find were cold flagstones. She winced as the pain went through her right leg as her trembling body gave up. Slowly she went on her knees and had to cough again. The water fell down on her and suddenly she couldn't breathe anymore. The water seemed to surround her and she feared to drown.
"Michi-chan!" She could hear the concern in Haruka's voice. The warm waterfall was stopped immediately. A soft towel was wrapped around her trembling body and strong arms helped her up. Michiru raised her head and looked into a pale face. Nothing there reminded her of the always joking tomboy. Now Haruka's face was pale and her green eyes full of concern and...
Love?
"You're driving me crazy." Haruka scolded but her voice broke.
"Not more than you are." Replied Michiru and coughed again. Haruka stared at her for some seconds and obviously wanted to say something. Then she decided to be silent. Quietly she dried the smaller senshi and covered her nakedness with another soft towel. Carefully she carried her best friend to the bed and sat her down on the soft mattress.
"Did you bring any nightdress with you or do you want a simple T-shirt?" asked Haruka while Michiru leaned against the wall and closed her eyes. Her face was red from the fever and her body was still trembling.
"A dress. In my rucksack..." whispered the young violinist and coughed again. It sounded really ill.
I can't remember the last time I had been really ill.
Well, at least the doctor had declared that she just had a little cold and not a dangerous flu. She didn't want to cancel their vacation. She didn't want their free days to end like this.
"You call this a nightdress?" Haruka stared at disbelieve at the light blue negligée.
"What would you call it?" asked Michiru and her voice was a little bit angry as she grabbed the thin cloth and pulled it over her trembling body.
Tempting...
Haruka swallowed hard and turned away to study the medicine the doctor gave them.
"Uncomfortable." She said instead aloud. Michiru just coughed again.
"Well, you don't have to wear it, do you?" she said and sighed loudly. Then she took the medicine and crept under the soft blanket. Haruka switched off the light and went over to the bathroom.
"Sleep tight, Michi-chan." She whispered in the darkness and closed the door quietly behind her.
"Sure..." Michiru coughed again and looked at the room's ceiling. Tears were burning in her feverish shinning eyes and her head seemed to explode. The world still spun around and she felt as weak and helpless as she had never felt before. So totally alone.
The young violinist heard the shower's noises. Haruka seemed to take an eternity for her shower and after what surely had been a century the wind senshi left the bathroom again.
Were will she sleep?
Michiru didn't dare to hope that they would share this bed. The young violinist closed her burning eyes and shivered again. Her legs were ice cold and even the soft blanket couldn't warm her. She heard how Haruka crossed the room and took something out or into her rucksack.
Her sleeping bag?
"Michi-chan?" she suddenly heard the calm voice somewhere far away.
"Hai?" answered the young woman and coughed again. The roundabout she seemed to sit in increased its speed and she wondered why she didn't fell out of it.
"Are you cold?"
"Hai..." Some tears fell down Michiru's cheeks and she shivered again. She felt how Haruka crept under the blanket and took her into her strong arms. The body of the young car racer felt so wonderfully warm! Michiru pulled herself a little bit closer and leaned her head against Haruka's shoulder. She could feel the breasts under the shirt Haruka misused as her nightdress. Slowly the young car racer put her legs between Michiru's and warmed them.
She feels so soft.
"Better now?" asked Haruka with a strange tone in her voice Michiru had never heard before. Carefully the senshi of the wind wiped away the tears from the smaller woman's burning face.
"Hai." Answered Michiru and coughed again. The roundabout was still turning around, but the cold left her body slowly.
"Gomen, Michi-chan. I didn't notice that you were feeling ill." Automatically Haruka begun to stroke the velvet sea green hairs. Michiru looked up for some seconds. But she couldn't see Haruka's face in the darkness. So she shut her eyes and enjoyed the feeling.
"Why didn't you tell me last night that you were cold?" asked the young car racer. Her hand left her hair and slipped under the thin nightdress. Tenderly she caressed the soft skin of Michiru's back.
"One sleeping bag is too narrow for two, isn't it?" Michiru yawned and felt how the medicine did it's job. Slightly she settled into sleep.
"Hai... but..." Haruka sighed silently and leaned her head against Michiru's. For a long time she didn't say anything. She just listened to her best friend's regular breaths and thought about the last two years. How this woman in her arms had changed her entire life.
"Michi-chan?"
Michiru heard the shaky voice. She wanted to reply something, but she was too tired to mumble or even to open her eyes. It was so warm and comfortable with her Ruka by her side. Sleep had almost caught her. Michiru felt how Haruka moved slightly but didn't leave.
Maybe she's looking for a better position.
At the next moment Michiru felt soft warm lips upon her own. It was a tender touch. The light kiss lasted for a few seconds. Then Haruka laid back on her pillow and her arms squeezed the smaller senshi gently.
"Night, love." She whispered with a quiet sob in her voice.
She won't be my future but at least I'll have this kiss to remember. Even if she doesn't remember it...
Michiru wanted to reply that she liked that kiss. That she wanted another one. But she was too tired. She heard Haruka's silent sobs and felt the strong heart beat next to her.
Everything will be fine.
Michiru settled into a deep and peaceful sleep.
Now that I know that you love me, Ruka.
A smile appeared on her face while she started to dream. A wonderful dream about a wonderful future she would be able to live.