A/N – I though Protégé Moi would be a good song to describe Michiru right now. In fact I implore you all to download it and put it on repeat as you read this chapter! I'm now making my way into the S timeline. Oh, and one again, another thank you for the reviews! I really enjoy reading them! love
Chapter Seven
C'est le malaise du moment
L'épidémie qui s'étend
La fête est finie on descend
Les pensées qui glacent la raison
Paupières baissées, visage gris
Surgissent les fantomes de notre lit
On ouvre le loquet de la grille
Du taudit qu'on appelle maison
Protect me from what I want
Protect me
Protect me
Protège-moi, protège-moi
Placebo – Protégé Moi
Michiru flexed her left arm. It had healed nicely, the muscle almost totally repaired. The doctor had told her that swimming would be great physiotherapy. Michiru was just happy that she could now continue playing the violin.
It had been well over five weeks since her incident with Sakiko and the discovery of the pen. Michiru had spent her days secluding herself in her house painting the giant canvas with the elegant stroke of her brush.
She had finished the work of art and all that was left was for her art teacher to come over to her apartment and remove the painting for marking. Michiru stretched out her arms wide, breathing in deeply. It was nice to have the ability to use both arms again.
Michiru had begun to learn to live with the visions that were depicted in her painting, but she was having a harder time ignoring the rage of the sea that kept boiling up inside of her.
She was dreaming, there was no other excuse for it. In the dream instead of being Kaioh Michiru, she was now Sailor Neptune. An aqua glow surrounded her figure, it was her power. The world was coming to an end, like it did in all of her other dreams. But this time it was different. She felt someone at her side. A hand reached out to touch hers, the contact was calming and the fear of the moment faded away. Sailor Neptune turned her head around to see who it was fighting beside her.
"Who are you?" She asked the phantom.
"Your destiny."
Neptune calmly turned her head back towards the chaos and destruction before them. She studied it carefully and calculated everything. She had to stop it, no matter what. Their lives were meaningless in this battle. She squeezed the hand of the phantom beside her.
"Help me." Sailor Neptune whispered, "I can't do this alone. I don't want to be alone to fight."
The darkness began to come closer, the street cracked beneath their feet. Buildings began to crumble and the screaming people turned to stone. The phantom let go of her hand and wrapped arms around Neptune's form.
"If you want me, come and get me."
Michiru snapped awake at that moment, the words that were whispered to her in her dream still fresh in her mind. Who was that mysterious figure who held her so tenderly? She grumbled to herself.
"If you're trying to bribe me…" she said to destiny.
She looked at her hands. They were already tainted with a sin. She had killed a boy to protect a child. She had done it with the power she had been granted. What other sins would she commit? Who else would she have to kill?
"If this were Macbeth I'd be scrubbing the blood off my hands." She sighed.
Michiru had yet to find a job for herself. The count down was on; she only had one month left. One month and it would be off and away with her. It wouldn't matter then what her destiny was. She couldn't do anything if she was in America.
Michiru glanced over to the clock and decided that it was time to get ready for school.
"I think you need to meet Haruka." Elza said.
She had found out where Michiru went every lunch hour. Elza didn't want to see her friend acting out as a loner; it was Elza's duty to make her best friend happy again.
"Why do I need to see your rival?" Michiru replied, holding her sandwich top her mouth.
"Because, I think you would like her a lot. She can be cold…a lot, but that doesn't mean she's a bad person."
"Maybe she's just cold to you?" Michiru retorted, biting into her food.
"Well, we are rivals. I won't lose to her again either."
"So, what will I be? The trophy for your next competition?" Michiru joked.
"I'm not a lesbian, Michiru. Why would I use you for a trophy?"
"It was a joke Elza, you shouldn't get so offended." Michiru said.
There was a long pause as they both sat and ate. An uncomfortable silence arose between them. Michiru had gotten a little colder in the last few weeks than she had ever been. Michiru had called it maturity but Elza decided that it was just plain coldness. There was something different in Michiru's eyes.
"So, you'll come to practice today after school and meet Tenoh Haruka?" Elza asked again.
"Yes, I will. If it makes you happy."
"You bet it does." Elza grinned and patted Michiru's knee.
Michiru did nothing to return her friend's gesture of affection. Elza glanced at her, a worried look on her face. She rested her hand on Michiru's knee and drew her face in closer to her friends.
"Michi, are you alright? You haven't been your happy self lately." Elza said.
"I'm fine. I'm just fine."
"Just fine? Nothings bugging you at all? I saw the painting Michi, I couldn't believe that you did that. It's not you at all. Something is up, why won't you tell me?"
Michiru turned her head away from Elza's stare. Elza did not need to be dragged into her problems at all. Elza could not find out that she was really Sailor Neptune and Michiru didn't want to worry Elza with her dreams of the end of the world.
"The painting was a commission," Michiru lied, "And I'm just tired with all the school work I've been getting."
"That's not the truth Michiru." Elza said angrily.
Elza grabbed her bag and got up; Michiru moved her head to stare at her friend.
"I expect you to be here after school. I'll see you then." Elza said, swinging her bag over her shoulder.
"Where are you going?"
"Somewhere where I won't be angry at you."
And with that Elza got up and walked down the bleachers leaving Michiru behind. Michiru clenched her hands into fists, cursing under her breath. She was slowly ruining the one friendship she had.
Michiru waited for Elza in the bleachers, Michiru was a little early, she had skipped going to her locker to avoid an uncomfortable confrontation with her friend. She wanted Elza to come to her and not the other way around. Michiru was holding her sketchbook in her arms; it would be her safety blanket for this meeting.
Elza approached, a smile plastered on her face. Her mood had totally changed before which made Michiru uncomfortable. Elza came up to Michiru and placed a hand on her shoulder, the grip was tight and Michiru grimaced.
"Come this way, she should be over here." Elza said, forcefully moving Michiru in the appointed direction.
Michiru nodded and let Elza drag her along. There was no point in arguing, Elza was extremely angry and extremely good at wearing a mask to cover it.
Michiru waited for Elza in the bleachers, Michiru was a little early, she had skipped going to her locker to avoid an uncomfortable confrontation with her friend. She wanted Elza to come to her and not the other way around. Michiru was holding her sketchbook in her arms; it would be her safety blanket for this meeting.
Elza approached, a smile plastered on her face. Her mood had totally changed before which made Michiru uncomfortable. Elza came up to Michiru and placed a hand on her shoulder, the grip was tight and Michiru grimaced.
"Come this way, she should be over here." Elza said, forcefully moving Michiru in the appointed direction.
Michiru nodded and let Elza drag her along. There was no point in arguing, Elza was extremely angry and extremely good at wearing a mask to cover it.
Haruka was standing by a bench; she was dressed in a purple and white track suit, her duffel bag laying beside her. Her blonde hair was ruffled just a bit but Haruka looked calm and collected.
"Haruka!" Elza called out, taking her hand of Michiru's shoulder.
Haruka turned around, but a look of surprise filled her face when her eyes fell upon the small aqua haired girl. Michiru looked up, a smile played across her face. There was a strong sense of familiarity that came from Haruka.
"So, you're Haruka? I'm interested in you." Michiru said.
Michiru felt the same sense from the phantom in her dream. That same feeling came off of Haruka strongly. Michiru just new that this was her mystery companion, the one who would help her not face her destiny alone.
"What do you want?" Haruka replied, an uninterested tone played on her voice.
The words stung Michiru, but Michiru had to keep on trying. She remembered the sketchbook she was holding and an idea came to her head.
"I want to draw you." Michiru told the tall blonde, honesty in her voice. The feeling coming off of Haruka was addicting.
Haruka looked at Elza and Michiru then picked up her duffel bag.
"I'm not interested." Haruka replied and began to walk off.
"Haruka, good luck in today's race, I'm going all out!" Elza called after the girl.
Michiru let out a sigh of defeat. This girl, Haruka Tenoh, was the one from her most recent dream. She was the comfort and the courage she needed. Elza turned towards Michiru.
"What did I say that was so offensive?" Michiru asked.
Elza shrugged and began to unzip her track shirt. She dragged a hand through her pink hair, eyes following after her self-proclaimed rival.
"I don't know, maybe you were too straight foreword?"
"Excuse me while I go eat some ice cream in a corner." Michiru joked; a real smile crossed her face.
"Don't go all depressed on me. You wouldn't want to ruin your figure now, would you?" Elza joined.
Michiru grinned, hugging the book tightly to her chest. It was nice that Elza had forgotten about their little fight. She needed Elza happy right now, for both of them. Michiru turned around to face Elza.
"Do you know what classes Tenoh has?" Michiru asked.
"Um, she's all my morning classes, and then she has gym after lunch followed by math. Why do you ask?"
"Oh, no reason, I'm just a little curious."
"Michiru, are you telling me that you're falling for Tenoh's charm?"
Michiru winked and didn't say anything further. She waved a 'goodbye' to Elza and walked back to the school.
That night Michiru received a phone call. It was from a teacher at a neighboring school who was very interested in her painting.
"It touched me that there were students with that amount of talent out there. To honor it I would like to buy it from you for a fair amount of money."
Michiru felt a sudden burst of joy. This man was going to buy her picture.
"How much are you offering?" She asked.
The man explained the amount of money to her; Michiru had to stop herself from jumping up and down. It was enough to pay for at least five months of rent.
"My son runs a cruise ship business; I was planning to have your painting hosted on one of the ships. Of course, including the money I would like you to come to a party on there as well."
"Your offer is appealing. I'm willing to take it up under one condition."
"What is that?"
Michiru licked her lips, her heart racing in her chest.
"Are you playing any type of band on this cruise?" Michiru asked.
"Yes were are, during dinner. A little jazz and a little classical. Why are you asking?"
"I would like to play for a little while; I play the violin, In fact I used to give lessons not so long ago. I'm good, I swear!" Michiru pleaded.
There was a long pause on the other end of the line. The man was thinking about letting the girl play violin.
"I'd have to hear you first, but other than that, it's a deal!"
TBC…