Chapter two: Friends...
Slowly the last traces of winter passed away. The rain decreased and the sun shone through the thick blankets of clouds for a longer time. The air got warmer and the birds returned from their long journey from the past. They chirped happily on three's branches which very slowly covered with small, green leaves. The meadows grew green again and the people left their houses more and more. They went to the park with their children or their parents. They went to the famous sights of Tokyo. Or they simply went shopping.
"Okay, I need a new evening dress and Himme-chan needs new shoes." Michiru smiled into the pram Haruka was pushing carefully over the pavement of Tokyo's inner city. Busy people hurried by and more than once she almost crashed into a business man with the pram. Hotaru doesn't seemed to be interested in all the cars, people and noise. She laid under the soft blanket and dreamed an innocent child's dream.
"I can't believe how fast she's growing. Soon she will go to school, meet a nice boy and move away to other places..."
And leave me here all alone.
Michiru swallowed hard and forced herself to smile.
I should be happy that I am allowed to be her mother. After all what I've done to her when she was Mistress 9. And the senshi of death who tried to sacrifice herself for this world.
"Then I'll be an old woman" sighed Michiru and heard Haruka giggle next to her.
I wish I found my soul mate. So it all would be easier.
"Stop, Michiru! You already sound like a sixty year old granny." Haruka raised her head and took a deep breathe. The sun was shinning from a blue sky and she enjoyed the warm feeling on her face.
"Granny..." The sad expression in the young violinist's blue eyes changed quickly into luck. And happiness. "One day I'll be a granny. For Himme-chan's children." She smiled. "My granny was a very nice person. She lived in a small house near the sea. Although my father earned a lot of money and wanted her to buy a bigger house she refused. She loved her home and didn't want to move away. She was the nicest person I ever met. She really loved me. Guess she loved me ever more than my parents do. Maybe it's the typical relationship between grannies and their grandchildren. Every time I went there she gave me an apple which grew on her tree near the house." Michiru looked into the window panes but Haruka was sure that she didn't see the clothes behind the glass. That the young violinist's mind was far away.
"She died three years ago. It was quite a shock, but daddy said that it was her time. She was very old and her heart was simply tired." She whispered and automatically raised one hand to wipe away two tiny tears. "It still hurts but I am very grateful that I was allowed to get to know her."
Haruka nodded and they stopped before some traffic lights. She leaned forward to correct Hotaru's blanket. Michiru told her something about her parents during the past weeks. That her father was a famous piano player and her mother a great opera singer. They were often together on tour through the whole world and Michiru seldom saw them. Her parents loved her but they chose their music and Michiru was used to see them only twice or three times a year.
"Do you have grandparents?" asked Michiru and Haruka blinked surprised. At that moment the lights turned green they crossed the street with a lot of other people.
"Nope." Answered Haruka but kept silent. She didn't like to talk about her family and sometimes Michiru understood it. But sometimes she was simply too curious to get to know more about her nursemaid's past. And her family.
But this time Michiru didn't ask more, because she discovered the shop she searched for the last ten minutes.
"Here it is, come on, Haruka!" she declared and grabbed the taller young woman's arm and pulled her together with the pram towards the shop. It was a huge shop and one look at the clothes declared Haruka that they weren't cheap.
Certainly designer clothes.
Shortly she looked at her washed out jeans and the crumbled black shirt she was wearing. She didn't really look like she would be welcomed in such a shop. And she didn't like shopping. Michiru had asked her this morning to take care of Hotaru while she searched for a nice new evening dress for her next concert and of course she agreed. Today would have been her free day but she spend her free time mostly at the huge park to look at the people passing by. Hoping that she would recognize the one she once hurt. Without knowing she hurt one of her closest friends and now she wanted to apologise. But she didn't know where she lived. Nor did she know her name.
Hell, you doesn't even know how she looks!
But deep in her heart she knew that she would recognise her. So she sat down and waited. And waited. And waited. Without any success during the past weeks. So she agreed to accompany Michiru on her shopping tour. Maybe she met the one in the inner city.
But now she regretted her decision as she saw the huge shop. Deeply she sighed and took her sunglasses out of her short blonde hairs and hide her green eyes behind the dark glass. One look into Michiru's excited face told her that she had no chance to escape. So she smiled bitterly as she took the pram in her arms and stepped upstairs, entered behind the young violinist the shop.
"Women!" sighed Haruka while she sat down in front of the changing room and rocked the pram gently. Hotaru awoke some minutes ago and looked at her with her big black eyes. She laughed happily as Haruka took her favourite toy in her left hand and played with it. The little girl stretched her arms towards it and laughed even more.
She did it for the next forty minutes although Hotaru felt asleep in the meantime. Patiently she waited in front of the curtain while different excited service women walked in and out. With different clothes on their arms.
"And, what do you think?"
Haruka oppressed a yawn and opened her closed eyes. She almost fell asleep like Hotaru and so she needed some seconds to remember where she was. She raised her head and took slowly the sunglasses off. And stared at Michiru .
The young violinist stepped towards her. She wore a long, narrow, white evening dress. There was a light green belt around her slim waist. The sleeves had the same green and were long and transparent. Michiru had put her hairs together in her neck with a net of white roses. Surely plastic roses but they looked very real. Some strands fall over her shoulders, surrounded a smiling face.
"Does I look so ugly?" she asked unsure as Haruka didn't respond anything. Dark green eyes looked undefinable up at her.
"No..." whispered Haruka after a long while and blinked. She simply couldn't take her look off the beauty in front of her. The velvet crackled as Michiru walked. Walked? She seemed to float.
It doesn't look like an evening dress. It looks more like a wedding dress...
"No... it's... it's beautiful." Stammered Haruka and felt how she blushed. Normally she didn't blush that easily. Normally she didn't show her feelings so easily.
"It's beautiful." She repeated and swallowed hard.
You're beautiful!
But she didn't dare to say it aloud.
"That's good. I wasn't sure if it doesn't look too odd. But I recorded a new CD this year. It's called Honeymoon and... well.. I thought, it would be a good idea to wear it on my next concerts." Declared Michiru and smiled as she turned around and around. The dress crackled even more and the skirt flew through the air.
"It's a wedding dress?"
"No, but it's designed after some." Michiru started to hum a sweet music. Then she walked closer and leaned over her sleeping daughter. "She looks so cute." She whispered and stroke through fluffy dark hairs.
"She was simply bored." Haruka winced as she met thoughtful looking blue eyes. There was something in that look she didn't like. Although she didn't know why.
"And you was it, too, wasn't you? Don't worry. Now it's your turn." Michiru giggled as she clapped and a service woman appeared. Always smiling. Always friendly. Always stupid.
"I'll take this one and then we need something for her, too."
Haruka shook her head and tried to escape. But one look into Michiru's determined face showed her that she had no chance.
"Don't behave so childish!" declared Michiru as she entered the changing room. She already changed into her normal clothes again. Now she was holding her daughter in her arms while she observed the clothes laying next on a big table. Haruka blushed deeply as she saw Michiru in the mirror standing behind her.
"Can't I change it on my own?" she asked angrily while she searched for a fitting top.
"Why? There's nothing you've got that I don't." giggled Michiru and rocked her sleeping daughter gently. "Do you always wear sports bras?" she asked and Haruka blushed even more. She cursed herself while she simply grabbed into the clothes and pulled a pullover over her head.
"Do I ask you about your habits in wearing underwear?" she growled and sighed as she saw the price sign. It was a very comfortable pullover. It was soft and warm. And she liked the dark green colour. It fitted perfectly to her eyes. Slightly she frowned as she watched herself in the mirror. Her short blonde hairs. She cut them shorter again after she came to Japan and with the dark trousers and the soft pullover she didn't look like a woman anymore.
Now I really look like a tomboy.
Haruka swallowed hard and ran thoughtful a trembling hand through her wild strands.
Now my father's right about me...
"Don't worry about the price. I am able to pay it." Declared Michiru and hummed a sweet melody for Hotaru who watched her with tired dark eyes. The baby yawned but wasn't sure if she should sleep any longer.
"But..." tried Haruka to protest and turned around towards her. But Michiru interrupted her with a determined voice: "I've got more money than I could spend my whole life. And you need some new clothes. Not for now but also for summer."
"But I am only your nursemaid."
Michiru frowned as she heard the silent voice. She remembered how the taller woman in front of her taking care for Himme-chan during the past weeks. And not only for her daughter, but also for the young violinist. She had another bad attack after her manager left and it took her over another week to leave her bed for good. More than once she threw up her food again and more than once Haruka changed the blankets without complaining. More than once the tomboy helped her to take a bath. She made sure that Michiru wouldn't drown in her own tube. More than once she took Hotaru and went with her along the beach while her mother couldn't leave the bed without breaking down. More than once Haruka managed the whole household and cared also for her friends. More than once she fetched the girls up from school when Mamoru was still at University and it rained too much for them walking home. More than once she learned with a crying Usagi, because Michiru wasn't able to teach her that day as she had promised. Haruka was very good in English and the blonde girl learned a lot during those lessons.
Every night she spend in that hard chair next to my bed. Every time when I awoke she was there. Every time when I felt I would die she helped me to survive.
"You're not only my nursemaid, Haruka." Smiled Michiru friendly. "You're one of my best friends, don't you know? I can't count the times I bought Usagi a toy she wanted so badly. Last year there was a really bad storm and it destroyed Rei's temple roof. I gave her the money to prepare it. And if Ami needs any expensive books for her learning she knows that she can ask me whenever her pocket money is low. They don't misuse me. Just Usagi time by time..." Michiru giggled and kissed her daughter who giggled with her. As if daughter and mother understood each other without a lot of words. "It's just okay that I can help them if they're in need. And you need new clothes. If you don't accept them I'll be very angry with you!"
Haruka sighed deeply. But there was a thin smile on her suddenly pale face.
"Okay." She said and looked closer at another clothes.
She called me a friend!
Haruka didn't know when someone called her the last time a friend. It seemed to be too long ago...
"A dress?" The taller woman frowned as she raised the summer dress. It had wide, white sleeves up to the elbows. It was short, maybe it reached only her knees. It was light blue with white roses all over it. There was a dark blue collar and it seemed to be her seize.
"Just try it. I only wanted to see if it was you or the red dress." Michiru turned around as Haruka growled and threw a yellow t-shirt after her. She giggled as she heard a deep sigh and how Haruka changed her clothes.
"Okay, you'll get your laughter. I am ready now." Haruka plucked nervously at the dress. It was wide but very narrow around the waist. One could see her breasts under the top and she felt very uncomfortable in it.
I am not born to wear dresses.
She swallowed hard as Michiru turned around and watched her in silence. There was a sparkle in deep blue eyes but the smile froze and there was now a shocked expression in the young violinist's face.
"I knew it." Marbled Haruka and stepped back. She couldn't help but blushed again. Her green eyes sparkled now angry and she reached again for the pullover to cover her now obviously female body.
"It was me, wasn't it?"
Michiru looked at her and blinked. She couldn't imagine that Haruka had ever looked different. That she thought that she was an ugly, greedy woman.
Woman? You thought in that night she was a whore!
Now Haruka looked indeed like a woman. Not like a tomboy she used to look in her normal clothes. Now Michiru saw a real lady in front of her. Not longer an ugly ducky but yet a wonderful swan. A real lady...
She's beautiful...
Michiru blinked and returned into reality as Haruka pulled the pullover again over her body.
"No, it wasn't you." Whispered the young violinist and asked herself why her heart was beating so hard with a sudden. Why she felt so dizzy. Why she felt so hot.
Don't even think about it! She's not the one!
"No, it wasn't you. It was that terrible red dress." Michiru giggled as Haruka rolled her eyes and shook her head. She knew that she won. As always.
Maybe she's simply too friendly to let me loose.
"So we'll take this dress, too." The young violinist laughed happily and Hotaru joined her laughter. Then she turned around and left quickly the changing room before Haruka could reply anything.
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"Michiru?" Usagi opened the kitchen's door and stumbled over her own feet. Rei hold her in the last moment but was pushed by Minako. With a scream they all fell down. Makoto rolled her eyes while Ami blushed.
"Usako, you're happy that Mamoru's waiting in his car. Otherwise he would left you immediately!" snapped Rei and showed the blonde girl her tongue. Usagi sobbed but did the same.
"Hai, with Chibiusa!" Usagi's voice was suddenly a little bit jealous.
"What are you doing here?" Michiru turned surprised from the dishwasher she was filling. They had tomato soup for dinner and she declared to tidy up the kitchen.
"We wanted to ask you if you wan to come with us to the Circus. It's new in Tokyo." Declared Makoto and sighed as she tried to get out of the knot she formed with the other two girls.
"And they have lovely horses!" shouted Usagi exited and giggled as Rei tickled her.
"This evening?" Michiru frowned. Then her face brightened up. There were no rehearsals tomorrow. Nor recording. No concerts. She had time to go out. The young violinist looked at the pupils on her kitchen's ground and grinned. And to invite them.
"Why not." Michiru said and stepped closer. "Hope you didn't hurt each other."
"That was her fault!" Rei pointed at Usagi who started to cry at the next moment.
"Rei, you're so mean to me. Wahhhh!"
"Could you both please go down from me!" Makoto's voice was really desperate and Michiru couldn't help but to giggle.
"Okay, just let me call Haruka and change my clothes." Michiru showed at her dirty pullover. It was covered with red spots. Hotaru grabbed for her spoon while she tried to feet her daughter with mash and threw it with a happy laughter into the tomato soup.
Michiru turned around and left the kitchen. Ami followed her.
"Normally we wanted to learn but they are all so crazy about the circus." Sighed the senshi of water and her shoulders hang.
"Don't worry, Ami-chan. They will learn it tomorrow." They both thought at Usagi and giggled.
Haruka was in Hotaru's bathroom and changed the little girl's nappies. Hotaru laughed happily while the tall woman told her some fairy tales. The first times had been very difficult to get the baby in her pyjama again after changing. But over the weeks she learned it better and Hotaru was a very patient girl. As long as she was occupied. With a story. With a nice word. Or with a soft song. Haruka wasn't so good in singing and Hotaru really liked to hear her low voice. So Michiru decided not to tell her that she sung wrong. More than once. The laughter of her daughter sounded better than her bored screams.
"Haruka?" She leaned against the door frame while Ami walked over to the her niece and tickled her. Hotaru crowed in pleasure.
"Hey, my little darling. My sunshine..." whispered the intelligent senshi and her blue eyes shone happily behind her big glasses.
"Hai?" The tall woman reached for the powder. A towel hang over her right shoulder and some of the powder covered her cheeks.
She looks like the perfect daddy.
Michiru frowned but didn't know where that strange idea came from.
"We're going into the circus." She declared and thought at her wardrobe. She was sure to wear a thick pullover. Although it was in the middle of spring now, she didn't want to freeze. The nights could still be very cold.
"Hm..." Haruka fought successful with the nappy. "When will you return?"
"Don't you want to come with us? It'll be surely a lot of fun. Especially with Usagi." Answered Michiru and looked into startled green eyes.
"Hai, Usako's always so frightened of the lions and she can scream, my goddess!" giggled Ami and stroke over Hotaru's round cheeks. The girl laughed and tried to catch those skilful hands.
"But..." Haruka only frowned.
"Hotaru's full, clean and tired. I guess she won't make any problems." Michiru turned around and left the bathroom. "See you in two minutes!"
Ami only giggled as she looked into Haruka's shocked face.
"Sometimes she can be very stubborn, can't she?"
The tall young woman only nodded.
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"They're so dangerous!" whispered Usagi and leaned closer to her boyfriend. Mamoru smiled and wrapped his right arm around his girlfriend's waist.
"You're such a baby!" growled Rei and rolled her eyes.
"And so childish!" Chibiusa sighed depressed and ate her popcorn.
"May I got a sandwich?" Minako looked hungry into Makoto's lunchbox and moved her head in the rhythm of the music. Coloured flashes crossed the light and the audience.
"Of course." Makoto smiled and handled her one. A book feel on the ground as Ami watched the lions with big blue eyes and an open mouth.
Setsuna smiled and touched Michiru's right shoulder. Her looks declared that she was very relieved to see her friend healthy again. Michiru nodded and stroke thoughtfully over her daughter's tiny hands. The little girl was sleeping now and not even the lion's roars could disturb her peaceful dreams. Her child's seat laid on the ground next to their seats. She slept deep and tight in her mother's arms.
"Nice, isn't it?" whispered the young violinist towards Haruka who smiled back.
"Hai." But she didn't mean the lions. Her green eyes watched the other girls and Michiru. Real friends. Not one of them treated her like a nursemaid, a servant. They all behaved as if she was a close friend of them - for a very long time, not only for a few weeks. Rei had been sceptical at the first days but after she saw how Haruka cared for Michiru and Hotaru she gave her a chance. One afternoon the young priest visited ill Michiru. It had been one of those days when the fever rose and her whole mood sank. She tried to get out of her bed to greet the black haired girl and fell down. Haruka helped her back into bed and made them both a cup of tea. Then she fed Hotaru and remembered Michiru of taking her medicine. Michiru wasn't very pleased and really down when Rei had to leave. She didn't want Rei to see her cry. So the young priest left. But she could see how Michiru broke down sobbing and how Haruka took her into her strong arms and comforted her until she felt better.
Rei's and Haruka's eyes met for a moment and the young priest smiled. Then she pointed at the arena and concentrated again on the lions.
They're really good friends.
Haruka swallowed hard.
I was very lucky when I read the advertisement in the newspaper. Who knows where I would be today without Michiru. Without Hotaru. Without them all...
The young violinist felt Haruka's looks. She raised her head and watched her asking. Then she smiled and took shortly her hand and squeezed it tight. The taller woman froze in motion.
At that moment one of the bigger lions roared loud and looked dangerously around. It was a dominant roar of a ruler. The king of the wide desert. Of whole Africa. Of all animals.
But Usagi's scream was louder.
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The fog filled the whole kitchen. Dark fog.
"Shit!" Haruka jumped through the room and coughed. She pushed open the windows to let some fresh air in. But it didn't seem to help while the cooker still produced little black clouds. It smelled of melt plastic and Haruka coughed again as she took the pane without thinking.
"Ouch!" It was hot and she burned her right hand. The pain was too much and she immediately let go off the pane. It crashed the ground and dark potatoes covered her feet.
Lucky that I wear house shoes.
She bowed to collect them and heard how something hissed.
"Oh no..." she whispered as she saw how the pudding cooked over and flew all over the hot cooker. The vegetable wasn't burned but it looked as if she boiled them too long. It looked more like a strange soup than something one could eat without fearing being poisoned.
Well, at least there's the roast.
Haruka opened the oven and coughed even more as a dark cloud tried to escape. With a short gesture she closed it again and looked shocked at the chaos. The whole kitchen looked like a mess and she didn't know what the tell Michiru. It was Sunday evening and she had some rehearsals with the Tokyo Orchestra. She would give another concert the next week and she was very nervous. She had to play the first violin and some solos and she didn't want to miss a single note.
Haruka opened the fridge and winced as she used her right hand. It burned but she was too concerned to take any attention about it. Sadly she looked into the fridge.
Do I have enough time to prepare salad and to threw away the sad remains of the roast?
The door was opened and Haruka knew she didn't.
"Hello, I am home." Shouted Michiru and walked over to the living-room. She put her violin case on the table and yawned. Then she froze in motion and looked shocked at the chaos. Thick clouds flew towards her as she entered the kitchen. Haruka stood at an opened fridge and looked really guilty. There was a pan laying on the ground and the pudding cooked on the oven. It smelled of roast. Burned roast.
"Gomen..." stammered Haruka and closed the fridge. At that moment Michiru saw her red skin. Determined she walked over and took the other one's right hand in her own ones. Haruka winced automatically.
"Does it hurt?" Michiru pushed her towards the tap and hold her hand under the cool water.
"No..." Haruka shook her head and took a deep, shaky breathe. "Gomen about the mess. Just give me ten minutes to tidy it up and to make something else."
"With your hand? Forget it." Michiru giggled over the chaos. "That remembers me of my first try to cook another meal than noodles and fried eggs. My mother was so angry with me." She giggled even more and turned Haruka's hand carefully around so that the water could reach every part of the red skin. Then she reached for a towel and dried it carefully. "I didn't look at the watch and our cooker almost exploded." She smiled as she wrapped another towel around the hand. "Let's give you a tidy bandage, fetch up our princess and leave." Michiru turned out the cooker and closed the window again. "No one will see this chaos so it can wait."
Our princess...
Haruka blinked and looked at her still hurting hand.
Did she say our princess?
She swallowed hard as Michiru grabbed her pullover's left sleeve and pulled her with her.
"What do you want to eat? I know there a really nice Italian restaurant."
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"You aren't angry with me?" Haruka looked up from her menu. Her stomach growled and she couldn't await to eat a real self made pizza again. The last she ate had been from the supermarket and it didn't really taste.
"Why? Because you almost burned the kitchen?" Michiru giggled and winked over to the waitress. "Makoto would have died but Usagi would have understood you. She isn't any better in cooking." The young violinist smiled at the waitress. "Spaghetti and water, please." She said and watched shortly at Hotaru who laid in her child's seat next to her on the corner bank. "Do you have mash? She likes apple."
"Of course." The waitress smiled curious down at the girl. "She's cute. How old is she?"
"Ten month next week." Answered Michiru and looked very proud.
"You must be very happy parents." Declared the waitress and wrote something on her note block. "And you?"
"Cola and one pizza with cheese and ham." Answered Haruka and laid the menu away. At that moment Hotaru opened her eyes and yawned tired. The waitress automatically laughed delighted.
"She looks like you. But that's normal, isn't it? When they're young they all look like their daddies." Before the surprised women could say anything else the waitress turned around to take care for their order.
Haruka blinked and suddenly looked at her bandaged hand as if she hadn't seen anything more interesting in her whole life before. She swallowed hard as she felt hot tears burning in her eyes.
It's such a long time ago that I cried and now she simply has to say that Himme-chan looks like me and I almost beak down sobbing. That's so strange...
But at the same time she knew that it wasn't. During the past weeks she learned to love that little girl. With every day her love grew stronger and suddenly she wasn't sure what she should do if she was ever forced to leave her.
I am only the nursemaid!
But she didn't know if she would ever be able to go if she wasn't needed any longer to baby sit Hotaru. When the girl would go to school one day.
When she doesn't want a baby sitter any longer...
"Haruka?" Michiru frowned as she saw the tears sparkling in dark green eyes. She leaned closer forward as the young woman didn't react. Carefully she put her hands over the bandaged one and saw how her taller friend winced.
"Ruka?"
The other one finally looked up and Michiru saw how hard she fought against her tears.
Why doesn't she simply let them fall? I cried so often when the fever and my nightmares increased. When I felt weak. When I threw up my food for the third time at day. She was there to hold me. To comfort me. Why shouldn't I be there for her?
"Everything all right?" she whispered and squeezed the hand gently. So that she didn't hurt her but at the same time to let her feel that she was there.
"Hai..." It sounded more like a sob than a proper answer. "It was just..." Haruka looked directly into deep blue eyes. Which remembered her on the wide, wild sea. Always free. Always independent. Suddenly she heard the rushes of the waves, felt the wind playing with her blonde hairs. Calling for her.
Ruka...
I can't remember the last time someone called me in another way than Haruka.
She never had a real nickname after her mother's death. But she liked this one. Because Michiru said it.
"Was it because of the waitress's words?" suggested Michiru and frowned as Haruka swallowed hard and nodded.
"Where they so bad?" Shortly she looked at her daughter who played with her toy. Then she turned again towards the still fighting woman.
"No..."
Before Haruka could say any more words the waitress came with their drinks and Hotaru's mash. She said something friendly to the girl and disappeared again between the tables. There were many people in the small Italian restaurant. It was known and very popular. Because the Italians here were very friendly. And the food was delicious.
Michiru took a deep breathe and let go of Haruka's hand. She took her daughter in her arms and started to feed her. First the little girl didn't want anything. But after she tasted the first spoon she wanted more. Greedy she ate and munched. And dirtied her clothes.
"No, it was the biggest compliment in my whole life..."
Michiru raised her head and looked straight into Haruka's suddenly very pale face. Surprised she frowned. Surprised about the low, shaky voice. Surprised about the sad look in watery green eyes.
Surprised that the other woman meant her words.
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"Happy birthday to you, dear Ami. Happy birthday to you!"
It sounded terrible. Usagi simply couldn't sing and Haruka and Mamoru's voices were simply too low for the girl high ones. But it was the nicest song Ami had ever heard. The girl sat in front of a huge table. A big cake, Makoto made, stood in front of her and several candles burned.
"Happy birthday to your 16th birthday, our genius!" shouted Minako and before the senshi of water could react the senshi of love had embraced her wildly. They almost landed on the ground but Rei could held them back before they fell off the chair.
"Arigato..." was all Ami could whisper.
"You should blow out your candles. All at once!" Chibiusa turned away from Hotaru in her child's seat to walk over to the huge table. They were in Rei's temple to celebrate Ami's birthday. It was a good place because here they could all spend the night without disturbing Michiru too much. They often asked for her house to celebrate other festivals. But they silently agreed that they shouldn't misuse the young violinist's friendship. So they asked Rei's granddad and he agreed.
Ami took a deep breathe and they all cheered up as she defeated the flames.
"That's our water senshi!" declared Minako giggling and watched greedy at the cake.
"Let's eat." Makoto giggled, too as she saw how Usagi and Chibiusa stepped closer and took their spoons in their hands.
"Greedy as always!" was Rei's only comment but her stomach growled, too. So they all sat down and ate.
Haruka watched them in silence. She sat next to Hotaru's child seat and watched the little girl sleeping. She could remember another birthday party. When she had been younger. Her mother had make a cake, too. And her father wore his bests clothes because they wanted to go out afterwards. Haruka could remember how excited she was because she got her first race car at that day and would take part at the Formula One the next week. For the very first time. And she wanted so badly to win it.
We didn't go out, because we got the hospital's phone call.
Her grandmother had at that very day a heart attack. They wanted to visit her before going to the restaurant. To take her with them. But destiny had been faster.
She died one week later.
Haruka swallowed hard and touched Hotaru's cheeks. The little baby raised on hand and grabbed her thumb tight.
She laid a whole week in coma and didn't wake up again.
The tall woman leaned forward and kissed carefully the tiny forehead. Hotaru smiled in her dreams.
Hope you'll never experience such pain.
Haruka winced as she heard the scream again in head. As she heard it almost every night. A death scream which destroyed her life forever. Completely.
Hope you'll be happy and careless forever. Innocent. I wish it for you, Himme-chan.
"Don't you want anything, too? It's really delicious. Makoto made it." Michiru sat down beside her with two plates in her hands.
"Arigato, Michiru!" shouted Makoto through the room and blushed as the other also declared that they liked her cake very much.
"Hai..." Haruka took one of the plates and looked at the chocolate cake. "Arigato..."
Michiru frowned and leaned closer.
"Don't make such a face. This is a party. Not a funeral!"
Haruka nodded and tried to smile. But she still felt as if she had lost a really important person.
Damn, the wounds are too fresh. Especially here in Japan. And up to now I couldn't find her. To apologise. To ask for forgiveness. To let those scars heal - at last...
Suddenly Michiru put her plate away and wrapped her arms around Haruka's waist. The taller woman blushed deeply and wanted to turn away but the young violinist hold her tight. Serious deep blue eyes looked into sad shinning green ones.
"Whatever's wrong, Ruka, you can tell me. 'Cause we're friends, aren't we?" she whispered and raised one head to ran through blonde strands. Wild strands that soon looked very messy.
Haruka took a deep breathe and it seemed as if she wanted to say anything as Minako rose from her chair and turned on the radio. Soon loud music filled the temple.
"Let's play some games!" she shouted and before the two woman could react they were grabbed by several hands and pushed into a circle. To accompany them in their birthday games. And to see if Ami liked their presents. Of course she did.
Soon laughter filled the air. Laughter and Usagi and Rei's arguing words of friendship.
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It was almost dawn. Still the night fought hard with the day but the first sunlight shone from behind the horizon and lightened up the dark sea. Michiru stood only in her sleeping dress on her balcony and took a deep breathe. She loved it to be up so early. To see a new day born. To hear the wide sea next to her, to feel the wild wind playing with her long hairs.
Where are you?
Her blue eyes were filled with tears and she wiped them away.
Where are you, Uranus?
But no one answered. There was no strong senshi out there. No fourth outer warrior for love and justice. No soul mate... Setsuna declared her that the last senshi of their milky way wouldn't awake anymore. That she probably wasn't born at all. Or that she died as a child before she got to know who she really was.
But I need you so much!
Michiru shivered and wrapped her arms around her waist. She closed her eyes and felt the wind increasing. He howled and it seemed as if he cried with her. For his lost child. The young violinist couldn't imagine her whole life being alone. Hai, she had her friends. Very good friends who cared a lot for her. But they couldn't replace her partner. Her lover. Her soul mate.
Uranus.
She was her partner by destiny. She loved her. Or at least the shadow she had seen that very day almost one year ago.
I miss you so much.
Michiru took another deep breathe and stepped back into her sleeping room. Automatically she walked over to her daughter's room and watched Hotaru sleeping deep and tight in her small bed. Her arms were wrapped around her toy and she smiled in her sleep. A small light burned in the darkness of the room but Michiru didn't switch it off. It would be on the next time she would look after her daughter.
I don't know where she is, but I am not alone. Not really.
Michiru looked down at the figure laying on crumbled blankets next to the child's bed. The young violinist told Haruka more than once that she could use her own room, her own bed. The taller woman only replied that the ground wasn't so hard and that she wanted to be near Hotaru. Michiru couldn't change her mind and so she let her.
She looks cute...
Michiru frowned over her own strange thought. Then she went on her knees. Haruka seemed to have an excited dream. She hugged her pillow tightly and her blanket laid next to her freezing body. She had curled herself up in a ball and shivered. But she didn't wake up. Her eyes were closed and Michiru giggled as she heard a silent snore. The young violinist reached for the blanket, corrected it and covered her friend's freezing body.
Friend?
Michiru looked into Haruka's face and couldn't help but to stroke through those wild blonde strands that felt like velvet.
Hai she's a friend.
Michiru sighed as she saw the dreamy smile on the other one's face. Haruka turned her head a little bit so that she could stroke her behind her ears.
She's a very good friend.
The young violinist rose and closed the door quietly behind her.
But she's not the one.
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