Chapter five
That Sunday was going as usual for Kai'oh Michiru: she had just been swimming for the past two hours, like she always had done on a Sunday morning and, as always, it was seven-o-clock when she got out of the pool and the city was just starting to wake up. However there was one thing that was not going to go to Michiru's usual plan, and that was bumping into someone as she exited the building.
She spun around when someone grabbed her arm, but her shock turned into annoyance when she discovered whom the person in question was. Hate filled teal eyes met calm navy ones as Michiru pulled away from the tall blonde in front of her, a sneer on her normally tranquil features.
"Ten'oh," Michiru hissed as she glared at the other woman. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"
"Some things never change," Haruka shrugged. "I knew you'd be here and, to be honest, I need your help with something."
"You need my help?" Michiru laughed at this. "Why should I help a lying bastard like you, Ten'oh?" Haruka was silent. "Well?"
"It's not for me, Michi," came the reply.
"Well you remember my name now, do you?" Michiru narrowed her eyes. "You forgot all about me when you fell in 'love' with other girl, didn't you?"
"Her name was Hotaru," Haruka snapped, but she sighed and started again. "Besides, I've never forgotten about you, Michi…"
"It's Michiru to you. And you've had years to apologise, why do it now when it's too late?"
"Because I don't want us to hate eachother any more," Haruka sighed. "If only for Minako's sake."
"What's Minako got to do with this?" Michiru asked. "Were you screwing her too when you were fucking dear old Hotaru?"
"No," Haruka replied, "I wasn't. But she's the reason why I'm here…"
"Well if you want my help to seduce her you can fuck off," Michiru smiled sweetly. "She's my friend, Ten'oh, not some cheap lay for you."
"That's not what I was going to ask," Haruka snapped; this was trying her patience dearly. "But can't you just listen to what I'm trying to say…"
"No. I've moved on now, Ten'oh. No matter how hard it was I've moved on now."
"Michi, I…"
"Don't call me that," Michiru hissed. "You call me that like you still love me when… I found you in bed with another girl and it broke my fucking heart; I'm not going to let you do that to Minako, never."
Haruka shook her head: "I'm… sorry…"
"It's too late for that," Michru snarled. "I hate you."
"You have every reason to," Haruka shrugged. "But even though you're not going to hook me up with Minako, that wasn't ever what I was going to ask. I just wanted to tell you that we know who made up those rumours about Minako: we were wondering if you might tell her for us considering she's not going to listen to us."
"Whose 'we'?"
"Rei and I," Haruka shrugged. "Please, Michiru, for Minako's sake."
"Fine," Michru snapped. "But I'm not doing this for you. Who was it?"
"It was Tsukino Usagi."
Michiru sighed, "Why is that not surprising?"
"Because it's Usagi and she hates Minako."
"Well I'll tell her," Michiru replied. "Normally I wouldn't believe a word you said but this time I'll give you the benefit of the doubt for Minako's sake."
"For Minako's sake," Haruka nodded. "Thank you, Michiru." But the blunette didn't hear; she had already left.
Things just kept getting more and more confusing for one Aino Minako. At the beginning of the year she had had not doubts about anything at all: she was sure she was straight, completely sure of it. Then this rumour had come along and Ten'oh Haruka had turned out to be a female but still in love with her… What the heck was going on with her life?
She stared out of the window to her garden and tried to loose herself in more pleasant, less confusing thoughts. Still that plan didn't work too well seeing as Minako only ended up frustrating herself further. It was only when there was a knock at her bedroom door that Minako snapped out of her musings.
"Come in," she called and turned around, wondering who it was that was calling on her. Michiru stepped into the room then closed the door behind her.
She was smiling at Michiru but her gaze was dark.
"How are you, Minako?"
"I'm good, and you?" Minako lied.
"I'm fine," Michiru lied back. "I have news for you, by the way; I think you'll find it quite interesting when I'm done."
"News?" Minako was intruiged. "What news?"
"I know who did it."
Minako frowned, wondering why what Michiru had said just sounded like something out of a cheesy old murder-mystry film.
"The butler did it?" Minako asked and Michiru laughed dispite herself.
"I'm glad to see you've got your sense of humour back," Michiru noted. "But no, it wasn't butler; it was Usagi."
"Usagi what?"
"Tsukino Usagi was the one who speard all those rumours about you being a lesbian," Miciru said.
Minako's eyes became like saucers, "What?"
"Tsukino Usagi was the one who spread all those rumours."
Minako flopped back onto her pillows and groaned.
"Why didn't I see that sooner?" she shouted out to thin air. "Of course it was bloody Usagi, who else would it have been? Gods when I get my hands round that girl's neck I swear I'm gonna kill her!"
"I can think of something far better than that, Minako," Michiru grinned. "Something that would humiliate her so much she'd never bitch about any of us again, ever."
"What?" Minako asked interested to hear what Michiru had come up with.
"Well why don't we give dear Usagi a taste of her own medicene?"
"What, you mean spread rumours about her?"
"No," Michiru shook her head. "That would be too childish."
"Then how are we going to give her a 'taste of her own medicene'?" Minako was confused.
"Oh I'm sure we can think of something," Michiru winked and Minako smirked as she realised what Michiru was getting at.
"Michi, Michi, Michi: I'm beginning to like this plan. I'm beginning to like it a lot."
Hino Rei had lived at the Hikawa Shrine with her grandfather since part way through eigth grade when her father had chucked her out. Usually the only visitors they got were for religious reasons, so Rei was quite surprised when she saw none other than Aino Minako and Kai'oh Michiru walking up the steps towards her, as she was pretty sure they weren't there on a religious visit. Her thoughts were confirmed when Minako called out her name and the two ran towards her.
"What brings you here?" Rei asked, frowing slightly.
"Look, to be direct about it we need your help," Minako said.
"Help?" Rei asked. "Whatever for?"
"Well you know Tsukino Usagi?"
"You've found out it was her I see."
"Yes," Minako nodded, "but we really need your help."
"And why is that?"
"Well, Rei, you still do calligraphy, don't you?" Michiru spoke: it took a lot of willpower for Rei not to flush bright red when she spoke.
"Yeah, I do" Rei replied. "Why?"
"We've just got a plan to give Usagi a taste of her own medicine," Michiru smiled, "and we thought you might want to help. Besides, we need someone to forge something and I see you'd be good at that."
"Hey, sure, so long as we get our own-back then yeah, fine," Rei said then mentally died as she realised she was completely incapable of putting together a coherent sentence when in Michiru's presence.
Michiru noticed this too but she didn't realise that it was her that was making Rei nervous; she wondered for a second whether Rei really did have a crush on Minako but though better of it and didn't ask; after all it was the last thing they needed.
"Thanks, Rei," Minako grinned. "Let operation 'the downfall of Tsukino Usagi' begin."
The others sweatdropped.