Killings: Old Acquaintances
Sailormoon (Haruka) fanfiction
immo - immo@hamena.org
rating: R
Lets hope I get this one up soon, right guys? :D Thanks for the reviews. SHort and sweet, now here's what you're all
waiting for: THE STORY!
~~~
"I'm not surprised that people are still trying to bury your ass." Seiya chuckled, cradling a cup of hot
coffee. "You're such a bitch some times."
"Fuck you, Seiya." Haruka growled, sipping her own hot cocoa. "So I assumed right when I said it was
Bungario who hired you to kill me."
"Yup."
It was funny, how the two had been trying to kill each other just a half hour ago, were sitting in a little
cafe, catching up on old times with each other. They had first met a long time ago, and had been enemies. There was
a trend in the way Haruka made friends. The reason why, was because the blonde treated everyone as enemies until
proven otherwise. And even then, she kept them close, but held them at arms-length. It took a lot to earn the blonde
assassin's respect.
"I haven't seen you in... what... four years now?" Seiya mused. "Its been a damn long time, and I can't say
I'm not glad to see you."
"Glad to see you too." Haruka permitted herself a smile. Seiya was one of those that she trusted a bit more
than others. Before they could get deeper into the conversation, Haruka's phone rang. Haruka glanced at the number
on the call display, and picked up her cell phone. "Sorry, gotta take this."
"Go right ahead." Seiya picked up his biscotti, and nibbled on it.
"Hey, Michiru. You alright?"
"Haruka!" The relief in Michiru's voice was apparent. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah, hun. You know. Day in the life of me." Haruka joked.
"Are you hurt?"
"I'm good. Just a scratch." Haruka assured the violinist. "Listen, I'm sorry I had to cut our date short."
"Its not your fault. I'm just glad you're okay." Michiru's voice dropped to a whisper. "And I... I don't
think we should see each other anymore."
It took a good few seconds for Michiru's words to sink in. It was the sheer shock that anyone would refuse
her. "Michiru? What did you say?"
"I don't think its good for us to see each other." Michiru sounded close to tears. "That man tonight that
was going after you? I think I know him. He works for my uncle."
Haruka got up from her seat and slapped Seiya upside the head.
"What the fuck was that for?!" Seiya held his head in pain.
"What was that?"
"Nothing," Haruka lied smoothly. "Michiru, I can handle myself. We shouldn't let something like this stop us
from seeing each other."
"No, I don't want to see you hurt." The genuine concern in her voice touched Haruka. "I'm serious Haruka, if
I remember right, this guy has two brothers and they all work together."
"I don't care," Haruka frowned. "I want to see you, Michiru."
"Why don't you go back to hating me?"
Haruka paused, feeling incredibly angry and hurt at the request. "How can you say that?"
"I mean, it was so easy for us to go from one to the other... just... please..."
On top of the anger and the hurt she felt, was confusion. "You can't possibly mean that, Michiru."
"I do, Haruka. I... I had a great time with you tonight."
"Michiru--shit." Michiru had hung up. The blonde dialled the other woman's number again, but she couldn't
get through. Michiru had turned off her cellphone. "Seiya, you asshole."
"What the fuck did I do?" Seiya protested.
"You ruined a good date, that's what." Haruka snapped. She sat back down opposite Seiya. "And you also might
have severed my information line to Bungario."
"Kaioh Michiru?" Seiya loosened his tie. "You're playing with fire, woman. Stop while you're ahead."
"You should be talking." Haruka snorted. "You think Bungario'll appreciate three cross-dressing women in his
outfit? That man is the most sexist pig I've ever met."
"A girl's gotta get money some way." Seiya shrugged. "So I have to masquerade as a man for a while. So what?
This is the first job I've gotten in a while. I need this, Haruka. Not like you. I heard you became a 'made man'."
"Sacha Slobodianik." Haruka nodded. "Its a good job."
"But we're on opposite ends again, Haruka." Seiya traced the rim of her cup. "Too bad. We're never on the
same side, are we?"
"We've been through a lot of shit." Haruka held out her hand to the long-haired brunette, and Seiya took it
in her own. "I owe you my life."
"You saved MINE twice." Seiya pointed out.
Haruka shrugged. "Who's counting?"
The blonde assassin had never failed in a mission. Except for one time, when she defied orders and saved
Seiya's life.
"You just be careful, okay?" Seiya let go of Haruka's hand and took out her wallet. Throwing a twenty on to
the table, she got up out of her seat. "After my contract's up, I'll give you a call. We could have dinner together
with my sisters."
"Can't wait." Haruka smiled, then suddenly looked like she remembered something. "Seiya, you gonna get in
trouble if you didn't kill me?"
Seiya shrugged. "Probably."
"Wanna break my arm? So you don't go back with nothing?"
"Yeah. That would be great. Thanks, Haruka."
"Yeah right, fuck you."
Seiya laughed, and gave Haruka a light punch on her upper arm. "Wouldn't have done it even if you were
serious."
"Oh, I was."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
"... naw, still, thanks for the offer."
~~~
"So, how did it go?" Rei pounced on her with questions as soon as she walked through the door.
"Michiru would be a good lead." Haruka reported.
"That's all you got?! Haruka--" Rei asked, incredulously. She grabbed Haruka by the shoulders, planning to
shake the blonde down a bit, but retreated quickly when Haruka's face twisted into a pained grimace at the contact.
"What happened?!"
"Should be all over the news by now." Haruka took off her jacket slowly. Seiya had patched it up a bit with
a first aid kit she had in her car, but that didn't stop the pain.
"I was too busy listening for your phone call to listen to any news." Rei wrung her hands in agitation. "Are
you alright? What happened?"
"I got shot at." Haruka took out her cellphone and dialled Michiru's number again. Again, there was no
answer. "Bungario is definitely behind my ass getting shot at. And he's definitely up to something. He's hired a few
outsiders to do some work."
"So...?"
"Don't worry, I put a trace on them."
~~~
"Fucking Haruka," Seiya cursed.
"She's a sly one." Taiki squashed the bug that was hidden in Seiya's sleeve. "We're moving, NOW. Second
safe-house. This one's been compromised."
"Why can't we just kill them?" Yaten asked.
"Because. Tsukino's smart. He made a public announcement as soon as he found out Usagi was caught, that if
the girl ended up dead, he would donate everything to charity. He has enough power to liquidate ECS, the company
our employer's after, and make it NOTHING." Seiya answered the question, for the hundredth time.
"I should've broken her arm when she offered." Taiki caught the Seiya's mutterings and just shook her head.
Haruka and Seiya had a special relationship that nobody understood but the two of them.
"Can't we just cancel this contract?" Yaten asked. "Its annoying enough, just babysitting these two girls.
Now with Haruka on our tail, it'll be even more annoying."
"Stop that." Seiya warned.
"Oooo, Yaten still has a crush on Haruka-san." Taiki teased in a sing-song voice.
"Stop it!" Yaten pouted and blushed. "I do not!"
"I said stop that. Both of you." Seiya was packing things away quickly. "We don't have time for this. Yaten,
get the girls."
"Yeah, yeah." Yaten grumbled. When Seiya turned her back, she aimed a kick at Taiki's shin, who side-stepped
the attack and made a face at her sister.
"I said MOVE IT!" Seiya snapped.
"Geez, calm down." Yaten headed down the hallway. She unlocked the door, and couldn't help a look of
distaste that came to her face. Usagi and Hotaru sat on the bed, regarding her with trepidation. "Get up. We're
moving."
"Why?" asked Usagi.
"Shut up. You get no questions." Yaten took out two handcuffs and cuffed Hotaru with little effort. When she
got to Usagi, Yaten suddenly found herself on the floor seeing stars. Usagi picked up Hotaru and just managed to run
through the doors before Yaten got her head together enough to shout for help.
"Just one mention of Haruka and you lose your cool enough to let these two kids get away?!" Taiki yelled
down the hall. She blocked Usagi's exit, grinning.
"Shut up!" Yaten stumbled into the hallway, holding her head.
"Haruka?" A small flame of hope flared up briefly in Usagi. The distraction let Taiki lunge forward and grab
Hotaru from Usagi's arms, while Yaten tackled the blonde to the ground.
"You," There was a murderous gleam in Yaten's eyes. "You fucking hurt me."
Blows rained down on Usagi's head, and she let out cries of pain, trying to block the rain of fists with her
hands and arms.
"Yaten... Yaten!" The blows stopped, as Seiya yanked Yaten off Usagi. "Stop! Calm the fuck down! Go get the
things into the car!"
"Fine!" Yaten snarled and stalked off.
"Hey," Seiya knelt down and touched Usagi's cheek. The blonde whimpered. "I'm sorry... but you don't piss
Yaten off without getting something like that. It hurts, doesn't it?"
Usagi sobbed, unable to answer.
"Don't try escaping again or next time, I can't stop Yaten." Seiya helped Usagi up, looking at the blood
that seeped through the girl's lips in concern. Further inspection showed that there was no permanent damage, Yaten
had just managed to split the blonde's lip.
"Here," Seiya took out a tissue and wiped at the blood on Usagi's lips, then threw the used tissue on the
floor. "There... that doesn't really help at all, but we'll get you some ice, alright?"
Usagi nodded.
"You're going to be a good girl?"
Usagi nodded again.
"That's great. Now lets go."
~~~
"The trace went dead." Rei pointed out the obvious.
"Which means they must have found it." Haruka pointed out the blinking dot on the map that came up on her
computer screen. "This was probably where they had Usagi, at the place where the trace showed they stopped the
longest. It'll take them... tops, five minutes to move out. But maybe we can bump into them if we head out now."
"What are we waiting for? Lets go."
~~~
By the time Haruka and Rei got there, Seiya, Taiki and Yaten had moved out with their precious cargo.
"FUCK!" Rei slammed a fist into the wall. In her hand, was a bloodied tissue. Rei, being tuned in to Usagi's
spirit, could sense she was alive from the small amount of blood on the tissue. And that made her spirit soar. But
the fact that they had missed the blonde... it was like losing Usagi all over again. They had searched the house
from ceiling to floor, but there was no clue on where the kidnappers had taken Usagi.
"We know for certain that Bungario's behind it." Haruka was in the room that had recently been Usagi and
Hotaru's prison. "But the only way to get her back alive is if we GET her back alive. We can't let Bungario know
that we know, that we have evidence."
Rei nodded, barely taking in what Haruka was saying. That only thing she knew was that Usagi was still gone.
"Haruka, I have to get her back." Rei said quietly.
"We will, don't worry."
"I swear Haruka, I swear..." Rei was openly sobbing now. "I'll die if anything happens to her. I won't be
able to live without her."
"Rei," Haruka watched the brunette crying uncomfortably. She didn't know what to feel. The prevalent feeling
was one of disgust. Emotions were weaknesses. This was what it had always been like for her. But now... she felt
that tiny hint of a doubt. She felt sympathetic. And she wanted to comfort. "Rei, did you sleep at all since I was
out?"
"No." Rei sobbed.
"You're going to stay at my place tonight. If you go to back to the Tsukino house, you're going to be up all
night doing god knows what." Haruka did not listen to any protests on Rei's part, and finally, Rei sat back in
silence and let Haruka drive.
"You can sleep in my room tonight." Haruka announced when they were back at her place. Rei just agreed
wearily, not really hearing what Haruka was saying. Slobodianik's woman herded Rei to bed, tucked the bodyguard in,
and left the room. Haruka built up a fire in the living room's fireplace, and lay down on the couch, pondering the
day's event, and waiting for sleep.
When she woke up, it was to the uncomfortable feeling of being in a furnace.
"What the f--" Haruka woke up, on the alert. There was Rei, sitting in front of a blazing inferno of a
fireplace. "Rei?"
The girl didn't answer her. And for some reason, Haruka just lay back, and watched the girl, sitting there
stoically in front of the fire before falling back asleep.
In the morning, she questioned Rei about the incident.
"I was trying to find Usagi."
"Well..." Haruka paused, trying to find something to say to that. "Did it help?"
"A little bit." Was the surprising answer.
"What do you mean?"
"I... it took a long time. But I felt her." Rei grinned. "She's alive. And she responded to me. She knows
we're searching for her. That's all I could get from her and all that I could convey to her. But I'm going to try
again later."
Again, Haruka didn't know what to say to that.
"Um... breakfast?"
"Yes, please."
"Coffee with that?"
"No, thank you. Do you have any tea?"
"Sure. Here."
"Thanks."
"You're welcome."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"Would you like a side order of 'I think you're crazy' with that?"
"No, I would not. And I'm not crazy."
"Right. You need a break. Did you get any sleep last night?" Haruka took out a canister of good chinese tea
leaves. "Hope you don't mind herbal tea."
"I did, thank you. And actually, I prefer herbal."
"You got damn good taste. Still think you're crazy, though."
~~~
"I still think you're making a mistake." Minako insisted on the phone. "You were so excited when I was
helping you get ready for the date."
"Its better this way." Michiru insisted. More to convince herself, than Minako. After the shoot-out, Michiru
had been surrounded by her uncle's men, shoved in a car and driven to her uncle's house.
"What is going on, Uncle Gio?" Michiru demanded, as soon as she saw her uncle. She recognized the man who
had started shooting at her and her date. "Why was that man there?"
"What were you doing with that unnatural bitch?!" Giovanni ignored his neice's question.
"I was on a date, if you don't mind!" Michiru snapped back. "What, I can't go out on a date?!"
"Not with Tenoh!" Giovanni was furious.
"Who are you to tell me what to do?!" Michiru hissed. "I don't have to listen to you, you're not my father,
you're not my mother. Who are you to--"
Giovanni came forward menacingly and backhanded her across the face, stunning the woman.
"You do NOT talk like that to me. Not in MY house." Bungario paced the room, glaring at Michiru darkly. "You
do not pull this Romeo and Juliet shit on me now, you hear?! I will not hesitate to skin your little girlfriend's
worthless hide!"
"Boss... shouldn't it be Juliet and Juliet?"
Bungario walked forward again and slapped one of his men. "Don't be a fucking smartass, Mario."
"Love should be something you fight for, Michiru!" Minako urged her friend on. "Go for it! Don't listen to
your uncle--"
"He said he'd kill her if he saw me with her again."
"Then again, life is something worth fighting for!" Minako changed her mind quickly. "Life! Cuz, damn, its
good to be breathing!"
~~~
"Who is it?"
"Minako-chan? Its Haruka... you know, from the party?" Haruka paused for a few tense seconds, before the
door opened. "Hi."
"Hey." Minako's smile was hesitant.
"I want to talk to you about Michiru. Why isn't she taking my calls?" Haruka went straight to the point.
"I've been calling her."
"She doesn't want to see you anymore." Minako avoided Haruka's eyes. "You should just give up, Haruka-san."
"I don't give up, Minako-chan." Haruka put her foot in the door's way when Minako made to close the door.
"And I'm not going anywhere. Look, I... I like her. And I really want to at least talk with her."
"You'll get hurt if you do!" Minako blurted out. "Her uncle doesn't want you around, and that's that!"
"I don't care. And if you don't help me, I'll go to her uncle's house to try and talk to her."
"Don't do that!" Minako was hyperventilating. Haruka's determination was romantic, but death was really,
really unromantic.
"Call her." Haruka urged. "Tell her to come here to meet me."
"She won't come." Minako shook her head. "I think she really likes you, that's why she doesn't want to see
you."
"That doesn't make sense!"
"She doesn't want her uncle to kill you!" Minako hissed. Then she clamped her hand over her mouth at what
she had just said. Quickly, she pulled Haruka into the room. "She won't see you!"
"She will if she doesn't know I'm here. Call her, Minako."
Minako, who had never had a strong will when it came to love, crumbled. In an hour's time, Michiru was at
Minako's door, thankful to be away from her uncle.
"Hey, Michiru!" Minako's smile was impossibly wide. Her eyes went impossibly wide too when she saw the two
bodyguards that accompanied her friend.
"Hey, Mina." To Minako's relief, Michiru ordered the bodyguards to stay outside. "Sorry about that, I just
need a break from them before we go shopping. They've been following me all day--"
Michiru stopped when she saw Haruka standing there.
"Michiru." Then the blonde did a double-take and grabbed Michiru's hand, pulling the violinist closer to
take a look at Michiru's bruised face. "What happened? Are you alright?"
Michiru covered her mouth with her hands, and shook her head, disbelieving. "No... Haruka, you shouldn't be
here! Minako, she should not be here!"
"Shhh! Shhh!" Minako waved her arms around wildly. Then she turned up the volume of the TV.
"Michiru, what happened?" Haruka touched Michiru's face gently, and panicked when she saw tears start their
way down Michiru's face. "I'm sorry, did I hurt you?"
"I can't see you, Haruka."
"Is Bungario hurting you?" Haruka asked in a quiet voice. She felt an overwhelming anger inside of her. "Is
he hurting you?"
"Its nothing I can't handle." Michiru lied cheerfully. Haruka just shook her head and hugged the teal-haired
woman close. "You don't have to handle it, Michiru. You shouldn't."
"You can stay with me!" Minako butted in.
"I can't do that to you, Minako." Michiru motioned to the closed door, where the two bodyguards were sure to
be waiting for her. "They'll be here with me. I won't let that happen to you."
"And I won't let you be hurt again." Haruka added.
"I'm not a damsel in distress." Michiru frowned.
"Course you're not," Haruka said placatingly. "You're fully MY hero."
Michiru tried to stiffle a laugh, but she couldn't.
"Ma'am?" There was a knock at the door. The bodyguards had no patience.
"Men." All three women said in disgust, and shared a good laugh.
"We have to go," Michiru sighed. "Or else they'll come barging in."
Haruka placed soft kisses all along Michiru's unbruised cheek and lips, before finally, grudgingly, letting
go. Left with the blaring TV, Haruka finally shook herself out of her reverie.
'WHAT THE FUCK AM I DOING?!'
~~~
"Howabout this, Michiru?" Minako showed Michiru a nice g-string, while the bodyguards sat uncomfortably
outside the lingerie shop.
"It'll look good on you."
"Don't you think Haruka would like it if you modelled in it for her?" Minako winked. Michiru flushed at the
thought of that.
"I would like it very much, actually." Haruka appeared in front of them, in a faded blue tank-top, white
hotpants that showed exactly how long the blonde's legs were, and the entire outfit ended with a pair of flipflops.
She also had a cute little backpack on her.
"Wow." Minako's mouth opened, echoing Michiru's thoughts.
"You should wear make-up more often." Minako looked at Haruka's attempt at makeup with envy. Less 'attempt',
more 'success'.
"Thanks, I think." Haruka turned to Michiru with a shy smile. "So, did my disguise work?"
"Almost didn't recognize you." Michiru leaned forward for a quick kiss.
"Hey, are those my clothes?" Minako suddenly realized why everything on Haruka looked so familiar.
"Sorry," Haruka apologized. "Thought you wouldn't mind if I borrowed some clothes. I'll return them soon as
I'm done."
"You can keep them," Minako beamed. "They look great on you!"
"Pretty sure they woulda looked better on you." Haruka was one smooth operator. "Now, if I'm not mistaken,
there's a backdoor through the storage room. Lets get out of here."
There was no argument, as all three girls sneaked out the back entrance.
~~~
They sat together, eating ice cream companionably. After evading the guards, and then running off to unknown
parts of the city, they were resting at a cafe with a patio.
Michiru was sitting so close to Haruka she was almost in her lap, and Minako just chatted blithely away,
announcing that Haruka was the best girlfriend Michiru had ever had.
"I've never let you see any of my past girlfriends!"
"Which is why this one is soooo much better than the rest. So good looking too!" Minako nudged Haruka good-
naturedly.
"Find your own," Michiru retorted, only half-serious. "Uncle Gio actually wanted to accompany me today, you
know?"
"Oh?" Haruka kissed some icecream off of the corner of Michiru's mouth. "What business?"
"He usually meets this man once a month or so. He was at the last party, hanging around Mr Slobodianik."
Haruka paused. "Would you know his name?"
"I don't think so. I hardly knew anyone at the party."
"This is important," Haruka asked the waiter nearby for a pen. "Do you remember him enough to sketch out a
profile?"
Michiru did so, the urgency in Haruka's voice making her comply without questioning.
The likeness of the man was stunning. It was like a photograph. Except done on a napkin. Haruka tucked that
into her pocket, smiling. "Thanks."
"What did you need that for?" Michiru asked, leaning back into Haruka's arms.
"Just someone who's been leaking company secrets out." Haruka answered. "Remember how your uncle came to
Tsukino's house and knew that contracts for ECS' shares were being drawn out? Mr Slobodianik suspects someone might
have informed your uncle. That man needs to be fired."
Minako frowned at this revelation. "But that man will be out of a job, wouldn't he?"
"Better out a job than sued for everything he's got, and then some."
"Well... yeah." Minako shrugged.
"Hey, I want to know... how did you know there was a back door at that lingerie store?" Michiru's
questioning blue eyes made Haruka squirm. What to tell your lady of the moment? That Haruka had had a rendezvous
with one of the girls from sales in said back room a while ago? And had made a quick getaway from a curious manager
using the same backdoor?
"Got in trouble for shoplifting?" Haruka tried. When Michiru gave her another look, she couldn't lie
anymore. "I had a girlfriend who worked there."
"Oh." Michiru's eyebrow was still raised.
"We don't see each other anymore."
"Good girl."
Haruka's cellphone rang, and she glanced at the call display before answering.
"Tenoh here."
"Haruka, Mr Tsukino's NOW." Rei's voice rang clear, then the call ended.
"Shit." Haruka looked at the girls apologetically.
"Another girlfriend?" Michiru eyed her suspiciously.
"No." Haruka got up, placing enough money on the table to pay for the icecreams and whatever else the girls
might want to order. "Business. I *have* to go, Michiru. Can I call you?"
"Yes." Michiru smiled.
Haruka nodded, kissed the violinist, and said goodbye to Minako. She was half-way out of the patio when she
raced back. "If I call, will you answer?"
Michiru laughed delightfully, and pulled Haruka down for a joyful kiss. "Of course."
"Cuz you didn't last time." Haruka walked backwards, bumping into tables and patrons. "I'll call!"
"She's great." Minako squealed, as soon as Haruka was out of hearing distance.
"I know."
~~~
The house was full of grim-faced men. When Mr Tsukino saw Haruka, his face filled with dispair, and he left
to hide in his den.
"What happened?" Haruka asked Rei. Then she pulled the priestess closer, whispering the next question. "Did
you tell him?"
"No." Rei was trying extremely hard to stay composed. "They... sent something of hers... to us..."
"Where?"
Rei pointed to a box in the hallway that people were avoiding. Haruka strode towards it, dread filling her
chest. Seiya was definitely not the type to send things to people piece by piece. Neither was Taiki. Yaten. And
Haruka felt responsible, somewhat. For hadn't she taught Yaten that the best way to make people listen was with
violence?
The assassin lifted the lid of the box slowly and peeked inside.
A mass of long blonde hair. Usagi's. She could smell the scent of it. One of her signature pigtails,
butchered off.
Sailormoon (Haruka) fanfiction
immo - immo@hamena.org
rating: R
Lets hope I get this one up soon, right guys? :D Thanks for the reviews. SHort and sweet, now here's what you're all
waiting for: THE STORY!
~~~
"I'm not surprised that people are still trying to bury your ass." Seiya chuckled, cradling a cup of hot
coffee. "You're such a bitch some times."
"Fuck you, Seiya." Haruka growled, sipping her own hot cocoa. "So I assumed right when I said it was
Bungario who hired you to kill me."
"Yup."
It was funny, how the two had been trying to kill each other just a half hour ago, were sitting in a little
cafe, catching up on old times with each other. They had first met a long time ago, and had been enemies. There was
a trend in the way Haruka made friends. The reason why, was because the blonde treated everyone as enemies until
proven otherwise. And even then, she kept them close, but held them at arms-length. It took a lot to earn the blonde
assassin's respect.
"I haven't seen you in... what... four years now?" Seiya mused. "Its been a damn long time, and I can't say
I'm not glad to see you."
"Glad to see you too." Haruka permitted herself a smile. Seiya was one of those that she trusted a bit more
than others. Before they could get deeper into the conversation, Haruka's phone rang. Haruka glanced at the number
on the call display, and picked up her cell phone. "Sorry, gotta take this."
"Go right ahead." Seiya picked up his biscotti, and nibbled on it.
"Hey, Michiru. You alright?"
"Haruka!" The relief in Michiru's voice was apparent. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah, hun. You know. Day in the life of me." Haruka joked.
"Are you hurt?"
"I'm good. Just a scratch." Haruka assured the violinist. "Listen, I'm sorry I had to cut our date short."
"Its not your fault. I'm just glad you're okay." Michiru's voice dropped to a whisper. "And I... I don't
think we should see each other anymore."
It took a good few seconds for Michiru's words to sink in. It was the sheer shock that anyone would refuse
her. "Michiru? What did you say?"
"I don't think its good for us to see each other." Michiru sounded close to tears. "That man tonight that
was going after you? I think I know him. He works for my uncle."
Haruka got up from her seat and slapped Seiya upside the head.
"What the fuck was that for?!" Seiya held his head in pain.
"What was that?"
"Nothing," Haruka lied smoothly. "Michiru, I can handle myself. We shouldn't let something like this stop us
from seeing each other."
"No, I don't want to see you hurt." The genuine concern in her voice touched Haruka. "I'm serious Haruka, if
I remember right, this guy has two brothers and they all work together."
"I don't care," Haruka frowned. "I want to see you, Michiru."
"Why don't you go back to hating me?"
Haruka paused, feeling incredibly angry and hurt at the request. "How can you say that?"
"I mean, it was so easy for us to go from one to the other... just... please..."
On top of the anger and the hurt she felt, was confusion. "You can't possibly mean that, Michiru."
"I do, Haruka. I... I had a great time with you tonight."
"Michiru--shit." Michiru had hung up. The blonde dialled the other woman's number again, but she couldn't
get through. Michiru had turned off her cellphone. "Seiya, you asshole."
"What the fuck did I do?" Seiya protested.
"You ruined a good date, that's what." Haruka snapped. She sat back down opposite Seiya. "And you also might
have severed my information line to Bungario."
"Kaioh Michiru?" Seiya loosened his tie. "You're playing with fire, woman. Stop while you're ahead."
"You should be talking." Haruka snorted. "You think Bungario'll appreciate three cross-dressing women in his
outfit? That man is the most sexist pig I've ever met."
"A girl's gotta get money some way." Seiya shrugged. "So I have to masquerade as a man for a while. So what?
This is the first job I've gotten in a while. I need this, Haruka. Not like you. I heard you became a 'made man'."
"Sacha Slobodianik." Haruka nodded. "Its a good job."
"But we're on opposite ends again, Haruka." Seiya traced the rim of her cup. "Too bad. We're never on the
same side, are we?"
"We've been through a lot of shit." Haruka held out her hand to the long-haired brunette, and Seiya took it
in her own. "I owe you my life."
"You saved MINE twice." Seiya pointed out.
Haruka shrugged. "Who's counting?"
The blonde assassin had never failed in a mission. Except for one time, when she defied orders and saved
Seiya's life.
"You just be careful, okay?" Seiya let go of Haruka's hand and took out her wallet. Throwing a twenty on to
the table, she got up out of her seat. "After my contract's up, I'll give you a call. We could have dinner together
with my sisters."
"Can't wait." Haruka smiled, then suddenly looked like she remembered something. "Seiya, you gonna get in
trouble if you didn't kill me?"
Seiya shrugged. "Probably."
"Wanna break my arm? So you don't go back with nothing?"
"Yeah. That would be great. Thanks, Haruka."
"Yeah right, fuck you."
Seiya laughed, and gave Haruka a light punch on her upper arm. "Wouldn't have done it even if you were
serious."
"Oh, I was."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
"... naw, still, thanks for the offer."
~~~
"So, how did it go?" Rei pounced on her with questions as soon as she walked through the door.
"Michiru would be a good lead." Haruka reported.
"That's all you got?! Haruka--" Rei asked, incredulously. She grabbed Haruka by the shoulders, planning to
shake the blonde down a bit, but retreated quickly when Haruka's face twisted into a pained grimace at the contact.
"What happened?!"
"Should be all over the news by now." Haruka took off her jacket slowly. Seiya had patched it up a bit with
a first aid kit she had in her car, but that didn't stop the pain.
"I was too busy listening for your phone call to listen to any news." Rei wrung her hands in agitation. "Are
you alright? What happened?"
"I got shot at." Haruka took out her cellphone and dialled Michiru's number again. Again, there was no
answer. "Bungario is definitely behind my ass getting shot at. And he's definitely up to something. He's hired a few
outsiders to do some work."
"So...?"
"Don't worry, I put a trace on them."
~~~
"Fucking Haruka," Seiya cursed.
"She's a sly one." Taiki squashed the bug that was hidden in Seiya's sleeve. "We're moving, NOW. Second
safe-house. This one's been compromised."
"Why can't we just kill them?" Yaten asked.
"Because. Tsukino's smart. He made a public announcement as soon as he found out Usagi was caught, that if
the girl ended up dead, he would donate everything to charity. He has enough power to liquidate ECS, the company
our employer's after, and make it NOTHING." Seiya answered the question, for the hundredth time.
"I should've broken her arm when she offered." Taiki caught the Seiya's mutterings and just shook her head.
Haruka and Seiya had a special relationship that nobody understood but the two of them.
"Can't we just cancel this contract?" Yaten asked. "Its annoying enough, just babysitting these two girls.
Now with Haruka on our tail, it'll be even more annoying."
"Stop that." Seiya warned.
"Oooo, Yaten still has a crush on Haruka-san." Taiki teased in a sing-song voice.
"Stop it!" Yaten pouted and blushed. "I do not!"
"I said stop that. Both of you." Seiya was packing things away quickly. "We don't have time for this. Yaten,
get the girls."
"Yeah, yeah." Yaten grumbled. When Seiya turned her back, she aimed a kick at Taiki's shin, who side-stepped
the attack and made a face at her sister.
"I said MOVE IT!" Seiya snapped.
"Geez, calm down." Yaten headed down the hallway. She unlocked the door, and couldn't help a look of
distaste that came to her face. Usagi and Hotaru sat on the bed, regarding her with trepidation. "Get up. We're
moving."
"Why?" asked Usagi.
"Shut up. You get no questions." Yaten took out two handcuffs and cuffed Hotaru with little effort. When she
got to Usagi, Yaten suddenly found herself on the floor seeing stars. Usagi picked up Hotaru and just managed to run
through the doors before Yaten got her head together enough to shout for help.
"Just one mention of Haruka and you lose your cool enough to let these two kids get away?!" Taiki yelled
down the hall. She blocked Usagi's exit, grinning.
"Shut up!" Yaten stumbled into the hallway, holding her head.
"Haruka?" A small flame of hope flared up briefly in Usagi. The distraction let Taiki lunge forward and grab
Hotaru from Usagi's arms, while Yaten tackled the blonde to the ground.
"You," There was a murderous gleam in Yaten's eyes. "You fucking hurt me."
Blows rained down on Usagi's head, and she let out cries of pain, trying to block the rain of fists with her
hands and arms.
"Yaten... Yaten!" The blows stopped, as Seiya yanked Yaten off Usagi. "Stop! Calm the fuck down! Go get the
things into the car!"
"Fine!" Yaten snarled and stalked off.
"Hey," Seiya knelt down and touched Usagi's cheek. The blonde whimpered. "I'm sorry... but you don't piss
Yaten off without getting something like that. It hurts, doesn't it?"
Usagi sobbed, unable to answer.
"Don't try escaping again or next time, I can't stop Yaten." Seiya helped Usagi up, looking at the blood
that seeped through the girl's lips in concern. Further inspection showed that there was no permanent damage, Yaten
had just managed to split the blonde's lip.
"Here," Seiya took out a tissue and wiped at the blood on Usagi's lips, then threw the used tissue on the
floor. "There... that doesn't really help at all, but we'll get you some ice, alright?"
Usagi nodded.
"You're going to be a good girl?"
Usagi nodded again.
"That's great. Now lets go."
~~~
"The trace went dead." Rei pointed out the obvious.
"Which means they must have found it." Haruka pointed out the blinking dot on the map that came up on her
computer screen. "This was probably where they had Usagi, at the place where the trace showed they stopped the
longest. It'll take them... tops, five minutes to move out. But maybe we can bump into them if we head out now."
"What are we waiting for? Lets go."
~~~
By the time Haruka and Rei got there, Seiya, Taiki and Yaten had moved out with their precious cargo.
"FUCK!" Rei slammed a fist into the wall. In her hand, was a bloodied tissue. Rei, being tuned in to Usagi's
spirit, could sense she was alive from the small amount of blood on the tissue. And that made her spirit soar. But
the fact that they had missed the blonde... it was like losing Usagi all over again. They had searched the house
from ceiling to floor, but there was no clue on where the kidnappers had taken Usagi.
"We know for certain that Bungario's behind it." Haruka was in the room that had recently been Usagi and
Hotaru's prison. "But the only way to get her back alive is if we GET her back alive. We can't let Bungario know
that we know, that we have evidence."
Rei nodded, barely taking in what Haruka was saying. That only thing she knew was that Usagi was still gone.
"Haruka, I have to get her back." Rei said quietly.
"We will, don't worry."
"I swear Haruka, I swear..." Rei was openly sobbing now. "I'll die if anything happens to her. I won't be
able to live without her."
"Rei," Haruka watched the brunette crying uncomfortably. She didn't know what to feel. The prevalent feeling
was one of disgust. Emotions were weaknesses. This was what it had always been like for her. But now... she felt
that tiny hint of a doubt. She felt sympathetic. And she wanted to comfort. "Rei, did you sleep at all since I was
out?"
"No." Rei sobbed.
"You're going to stay at my place tonight. If you go to back to the Tsukino house, you're going to be up all
night doing god knows what." Haruka did not listen to any protests on Rei's part, and finally, Rei sat back in
silence and let Haruka drive.
"You can sleep in my room tonight." Haruka announced when they were back at her place. Rei just agreed
wearily, not really hearing what Haruka was saying. Slobodianik's woman herded Rei to bed, tucked the bodyguard in,
and left the room. Haruka built up a fire in the living room's fireplace, and lay down on the couch, pondering the
day's event, and waiting for sleep.
When she woke up, it was to the uncomfortable feeling of being in a furnace.
"What the f--" Haruka woke up, on the alert. There was Rei, sitting in front of a blazing inferno of a
fireplace. "Rei?"
The girl didn't answer her. And for some reason, Haruka just lay back, and watched the girl, sitting there
stoically in front of the fire before falling back asleep.
In the morning, she questioned Rei about the incident.
"I was trying to find Usagi."
"Well..." Haruka paused, trying to find something to say to that. "Did it help?"
"A little bit." Was the surprising answer.
"What do you mean?"
"I... it took a long time. But I felt her." Rei grinned. "She's alive. And she responded to me. She knows
we're searching for her. That's all I could get from her and all that I could convey to her. But I'm going to try
again later."
Again, Haruka didn't know what to say to that.
"Um... breakfast?"
"Yes, please."
"Coffee with that?"
"No, thank you. Do you have any tea?"
"Sure. Here."
"Thanks."
"You're welcome."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"Would you like a side order of 'I think you're crazy' with that?"
"No, I would not. And I'm not crazy."
"Right. You need a break. Did you get any sleep last night?" Haruka took out a canister of good chinese tea
leaves. "Hope you don't mind herbal tea."
"I did, thank you. And actually, I prefer herbal."
"You got damn good taste. Still think you're crazy, though."
~~~
"I still think you're making a mistake." Minako insisted on the phone. "You were so excited when I was
helping you get ready for the date."
"Its better this way." Michiru insisted. More to convince herself, than Minako. After the shoot-out, Michiru
had been surrounded by her uncle's men, shoved in a car and driven to her uncle's house.
"What is going on, Uncle Gio?" Michiru demanded, as soon as she saw her uncle. She recognized the man who
had started shooting at her and her date. "Why was that man there?"
"What were you doing with that unnatural bitch?!" Giovanni ignored his neice's question.
"I was on a date, if you don't mind!" Michiru snapped back. "What, I can't go out on a date?!"
"Not with Tenoh!" Giovanni was furious.
"Who are you to tell me what to do?!" Michiru hissed. "I don't have to listen to you, you're not my father,
you're not my mother. Who are you to--"
Giovanni came forward menacingly and backhanded her across the face, stunning the woman.
"You do NOT talk like that to me. Not in MY house." Bungario paced the room, glaring at Michiru darkly. "You
do not pull this Romeo and Juliet shit on me now, you hear?! I will not hesitate to skin your little girlfriend's
worthless hide!"
"Boss... shouldn't it be Juliet and Juliet?"
Bungario walked forward again and slapped one of his men. "Don't be a fucking smartass, Mario."
"Love should be something you fight for, Michiru!" Minako urged her friend on. "Go for it! Don't listen to
your uncle--"
"He said he'd kill her if he saw me with her again."
"Then again, life is something worth fighting for!" Minako changed her mind quickly. "Life! Cuz, damn, its
good to be breathing!"
~~~
"Who is it?"
"Minako-chan? Its Haruka... you know, from the party?" Haruka paused for a few tense seconds, before the
door opened. "Hi."
"Hey." Minako's smile was hesitant.
"I want to talk to you about Michiru. Why isn't she taking my calls?" Haruka went straight to the point.
"I've been calling her."
"She doesn't want to see you anymore." Minako avoided Haruka's eyes. "You should just give up, Haruka-san."
"I don't give up, Minako-chan." Haruka put her foot in the door's way when Minako made to close the door.
"And I'm not going anywhere. Look, I... I like her. And I really want to at least talk with her."
"You'll get hurt if you do!" Minako blurted out. "Her uncle doesn't want you around, and that's that!"
"I don't care. And if you don't help me, I'll go to her uncle's house to try and talk to her."
"Don't do that!" Minako was hyperventilating. Haruka's determination was romantic, but death was really,
really unromantic.
"Call her." Haruka urged. "Tell her to come here to meet me."
"She won't come." Minako shook her head. "I think she really likes you, that's why she doesn't want to see
you."
"That doesn't make sense!"
"She doesn't want her uncle to kill you!" Minako hissed. Then she clamped her hand over her mouth at what
she had just said. Quickly, she pulled Haruka into the room. "She won't see you!"
"She will if she doesn't know I'm here. Call her, Minako."
Minako, who had never had a strong will when it came to love, crumbled. In an hour's time, Michiru was at
Minako's door, thankful to be away from her uncle.
"Hey, Michiru!" Minako's smile was impossibly wide. Her eyes went impossibly wide too when she saw the two
bodyguards that accompanied her friend.
"Hey, Mina." To Minako's relief, Michiru ordered the bodyguards to stay outside. "Sorry about that, I just
need a break from them before we go shopping. They've been following me all day--"
Michiru stopped when she saw Haruka standing there.
"Michiru." Then the blonde did a double-take and grabbed Michiru's hand, pulling the violinist closer to
take a look at Michiru's bruised face. "What happened? Are you alright?"
Michiru covered her mouth with her hands, and shook her head, disbelieving. "No... Haruka, you shouldn't be
here! Minako, she should not be here!"
"Shhh! Shhh!" Minako waved her arms around wildly. Then she turned up the volume of the TV.
"Michiru, what happened?" Haruka touched Michiru's face gently, and panicked when she saw tears start their
way down Michiru's face. "I'm sorry, did I hurt you?"
"I can't see you, Haruka."
"Is Bungario hurting you?" Haruka asked in a quiet voice. She felt an overwhelming anger inside of her. "Is
he hurting you?"
"Its nothing I can't handle." Michiru lied cheerfully. Haruka just shook her head and hugged the teal-haired
woman close. "You don't have to handle it, Michiru. You shouldn't."
"You can stay with me!" Minako butted in.
"I can't do that to you, Minako." Michiru motioned to the closed door, where the two bodyguards were sure to
be waiting for her. "They'll be here with me. I won't let that happen to you."
"And I won't let you be hurt again." Haruka added.
"I'm not a damsel in distress." Michiru frowned.
"Course you're not," Haruka said placatingly. "You're fully MY hero."
Michiru tried to stiffle a laugh, but she couldn't.
"Ma'am?" There was a knock at the door. The bodyguards had no patience.
"Men." All three women said in disgust, and shared a good laugh.
"We have to go," Michiru sighed. "Or else they'll come barging in."
Haruka placed soft kisses all along Michiru's unbruised cheek and lips, before finally, grudgingly, letting
go. Left with the blaring TV, Haruka finally shook herself out of her reverie.
'WHAT THE FUCK AM I DOING?!'
~~~
"Howabout this, Michiru?" Minako showed Michiru a nice g-string, while the bodyguards sat uncomfortably
outside the lingerie shop.
"It'll look good on you."
"Don't you think Haruka would like it if you modelled in it for her?" Minako winked. Michiru flushed at the
thought of that.
"I would like it very much, actually." Haruka appeared in front of them, in a faded blue tank-top, white
hotpants that showed exactly how long the blonde's legs were, and the entire outfit ended with a pair of flipflops.
She also had a cute little backpack on her.
"Wow." Minako's mouth opened, echoing Michiru's thoughts.
"You should wear make-up more often." Minako looked at Haruka's attempt at makeup with envy. Less 'attempt',
more 'success'.
"Thanks, I think." Haruka turned to Michiru with a shy smile. "So, did my disguise work?"
"Almost didn't recognize you." Michiru leaned forward for a quick kiss.
"Hey, are those my clothes?" Minako suddenly realized why everything on Haruka looked so familiar.
"Sorry," Haruka apologized. "Thought you wouldn't mind if I borrowed some clothes. I'll return them soon as
I'm done."
"You can keep them," Minako beamed. "They look great on you!"
"Pretty sure they woulda looked better on you." Haruka was one smooth operator. "Now, if I'm not mistaken,
there's a backdoor through the storage room. Lets get out of here."
There was no argument, as all three girls sneaked out the back entrance.
~~~
They sat together, eating ice cream companionably. After evading the guards, and then running off to unknown
parts of the city, they were resting at a cafe with a patio.
Michiru was sitting so close to Haruka she was almost in her lap, and Minako just chatted blithely away,
announcing that Haruka was the best girlfriend Michiru had ever had.
"I've never let you see any of my past girlfriends!"
"Which is why this one is soooo much better than the rest. So good looking too!" Minako nudged Haruka good-
naturedly.
"Find your own," Michiru retorted, only half-serious. "Uncle Gio actually wanted to accompany me today, you
know?"
"Oh?" Haruka kissed some icecream off of the corner of Michiru's mouth. "What business?"
"He usually meets this man once a month or so. He was at the last party, hanging around Mr Slobodianik."
Haruka paused. "Would you know his name?"
"I don't think so. I hardly knew anyone at the party."
"This is important," Haruka asked the waiter nearby for a pen. "Do you remember him enough to sketch out a
profile?"
Michiru did so, the urgency in Haruka's voice making her comply without questioning.
The likeness of the man was stunning. It was like a photograph. Except done on a napkin. Haruka tucked that
into her pocket, smiling. "Thanks."
"What did you need that for?" Michiru asked, leaning back into Haruka's arms.
"Just someone who's been leaking company secrets out." Haruka answered. "Remember how your uncle came to
Tsukino's house and knew that contracts for ECS' shares were being drawn out? Mr Slobodianik suspects someone might
have informed your uncle. That man needs to be fired."
Minako frowned at this revelation. "But that man will be out of a job, wouldn't he?"
"Better out a job than sued for everything he's got, and then some."
"Well... yeah." Minako shrugged.
"Hey, I want to know... how did you know there was a back door at that lingerie store?" Michiru's
questioning blue eyes made Haruka squirm. What to tell your lady of the moment? That Haruka had had a rendezvous
with one of the girls from sales in said back room a while ago? And had made a quick getaway from a curious manager
using the same backdoor?
"Got in trouble for shoplifting?" Haruka tried. When Michiru gave her another look, she couldn't lie
anymore. "I had a girlfriend who worked there."
"Oh." Michiru's eyebrow was still raised.
"We don't see each other anymore."
"Good girl."
Haruka's cellphone rang, and she glanced at the call display before answering.
"Tenoh here."
"Haruka, Mr Tsukino's NOW." Rei's voice rang clear, then the call ended.
"Shit." Haruka looked at the girls apologetically.
"Another girlfriend?" Michiru eyed her suspiciously.
"No." Haruka got up, placing enough money on the table to pay for the icecreams and whatever else the girls
might want to order. "Business. I *have* to go, Michiru. Can I call you?"
"Yes." Michiru smiled.
Haruka nodded, kissed the violinist, and said goodbye to Minako. She was half-way out of the patio when she
raced back. "If I call, will you answer?"
Michiru laughed delightfully, and pulled Haruka down for a joyful kiss. "Of course."
"Cuz you didn't last time." Haruka walked backwards, bumping into tables and patrons. "I'll call!"
"She's great." Minako squealed, as soon as Haruka was out of hearing distance.
"I know."
~~~
The house was full of grim-faced men. When Mr Tsukino saw Haruka, his face filled with dispair, and he left
to hide in his den.
"What happened?" Haruka asked Rei. Then she pulled the priestess closer, whispering the next question. "Did
you tell him?"
"No." Rei was trying extremely hard to stay composed. "They... sent something of hers... to us..."
"Where?"
Rei pointed to a box in the hallway that people were avoiding. Haruka strode towards it, dread filling her
chest. Seiya was definitely not the type to send things to people piece by piece. Neither was Taiki. Yaten. And
Haruka felt responsible, somewhat. For hadn't she taught Yaten that the best way to make people listen was with
violence?
The assassin lifted the lid of the box slowly and peeked inside.
A mass of long blonde hair. Usagi's. She could smell the scent of it. One of her signature pigtails,
butchered off.