Chapter 22
Haruka's great plan
Michiru got dressed before anyone enters. She felt shocked the same way she was the day she discovered Setsuna's feelings. Setsuna was her best friend and she had never imagined such a thing. She wanted to go away. For Haruka's good first and also for Setsuna. It surely wasn't good for her to live with the two of them, always happy, always so in love while she was alone and longing for her. And also because Michiru felt really ill at ease now she knew the way she looked at her. Michiru didn't want anyone but Haruka to look at her this way. Even if she knew Setsuna would never do anything embarrassing, that Setsuna would never try to pull them apart, she was sincerely scared. She knew that if Setsuna really was in love with her, everything would change. Not that she didn't like change, but she didn't want to loose her friend. She was so glad the way the things were, she had a beloved fiancée, a daughter and a best friend all living with her. Living with Haruka alone would be great too. Probably even better since they needed nothing to live except each other. When they were alone, they dived into their own little world. Michiru loved it and she always would. And every couples needed their own place, needed the intimacy. Michiru liked their family life very much, but she couldn't deny she had always dreamed of living on her own with Haruka and Hotaru. But they always had considered that Setsuna wasn't home very often and there was the mission. Being sailor senshi gathered them. A special bond united the outers together, especially in time like this, when there was an enemy to fight. The thought of leaving with Haruka only crossed Michiru's mind in times of peace.
« You are still thinking of this. » said Haruka at night, as Michiru nervously tried to find a good position to sleep for an hour at least.
« How could I forget? »
« I know how you feel. Don't you think I'm not stressed. I can't help but watch every of her moves. But remember, the private problems must wait after we defeat your evil sister. »
« She's not my sister! »
« I was just teasing. »
« And in this case our marriage should wait too. »
« You are right. But I intend to win the war before June 25th! »
« Really? So how will you do? Don't tell me you'll just go to my house and jump into this black hole, say hello and send a world shaking and just leave? »
Haruka began to laugh.
« You forget about my space sword! »
« Silly! »
But as silly as she might be, she had succeeded in cheering up Michiru who was now smiling as she threw her pillow to Haruka, who responded by a loving kiss before leaning Michiru under her. Michiru let herself go in her passionate and loving embrace.
Next morning, Haruka got up at 5 a.m. Then she awoke Michiru with tenderness at 6 a.m. Then she made the more noise possible to awake the whole house. Five minutes later, she had entered all the rooms, thrown out every blankets and everyone was gathered in the big kitchen, all of them with gloomy and sleepy faces, still in pyjamas, except for her. She had had the time to take her shower and get dressed… Well in fact she had transformed.
« Haruka we're not in the army! » Said Minako.
« No, at the army we would already be dressed, at least she let us come downstairs in pyjama. » said Amy.
« What's the big idea? » asked Makoto.
« What time is it? » asked Rei gloomily.
« Is the house burning? » asked Usagi, her head buried in her pillow.
Everyone looked at her, sweat dropping. Usagi was not a morning person.
« I made you all wake up earlier because today's our day! I know I'm not the leader, so we'll ask sailor moon for confirmation when she will be… Well… fully in possession of her capacities. »
« I want to go back to sleep! » said Usagi.
« Sorry, Koneko. You can't. So my I think today, we should get a plan to attack the enemy by surprise. We must attack them as soon as possible, we must not wait them to come to us. If it's okay with Koneko, we'll attack tonight. »
« Haruka? You were serious? » asked Michiru.
« It's foolish. We're not tough enough. » said Mamoru.
« It may work. But everyone must… Well… awake. Right now we don't look like a motivated, organised and strong army. » said Setsuna.
« We must win, we are stronger and superior in number. » said Hotaru.
« Wait a minute, young lady. They might have created clones of you three either by now. » said Michiru.
« This is the reason why we should strike now! We let them too much time to prepare already. » said Haruka, she was excited and the only one really awake. Michiru looked a little embarrassed when Minako asked her in a whisper how come she wasn't able to keep her girlfriend in her bed being so sexy in night clothes. Haruka overheard the remark and sent a killing look to Minako who stepped back from Michiru cautiously.
« I don't understand either Mina. With what I did to her last she should still be asleep… Where can she get all this energy? » asked Michiru to herself, sighing deeply.
Haruka's idea's made time to make its way in the sleepy minds of her friends. First it had seemed completely reckless. But after a while, they came to think of it seriously and Usagi (after a cold shower), decided that they could, at least, elaborate a plan. At nine o'clock, they voted for tempting an attack the same night if they had a good plan, or the earliest possible. Haruka had pointed out the emergency. If they waited longer, the others would have too much time to prepare and they would attack before them.
At the end of the afternoon, they had a plan. Not very elaborated in fact, it stuck to Haruka first idea of running into Michiru's parent's house and attack the clones in their place. But no one had a better idea.
« Remember, there is no way you take your own clone! It would impossible to make the difference for the other. » said Setsuna.
« So each of us will have to have a matching partner… »
« I'm taking Neptune's clone. » said Haruka with an aggressive look on her face.
« Are you sure? » asked Michiru.
« Oh yes. I swore I would kill her. But maybe you wanted to do it yourself? »
« No it's all right. I grew with this person, I wouldn't be able to kill her myself. And I guess you're the only one able to get rid of her. We have special powers, you, me and Setsuna. It means I'll take Uranus. »
« Well… If you two are able to take each other's clone, then I think I have to take Mercury. » said seriously Makoto.
« I'll take Jupiter then. »
« Hey! You all will get insane. Do you think it's easy to fight a person who look perfectly like the one you love? » asked Minako.
« I'll take Venus. It's my only choice left. I can't possibly fight Sailor Moon, so… »
Minako blushed, she understood what Rei meant by this choice.
« I… I'll take Mars. » said Venus with embarrass. « But I still think it's a bad idea. Will you be able to do it? Fight the one you love? »
« I will, because this person might have destroyed us. She tried to pull us apart. She might look like Michiru but I won't weaken. And don't forget she dared to hurt her. I won't let her live. »
« I think we all must support Haruka and Michiru. Besides, we match perfectly our opponent. Uranus and Neptune are equal, so I am with Mercury, Venus and Mars too. We just need to know who will be Sailor Moon's opponent. » said Makoto.
« I'm volunteer. » said Mamoru.
« Mamo-chan… » began Usagi.
« Makoto is right, Usako. »
« But you won't be able to face her alone. We have three others senshi available. I suggest you to fight with Hotaru. Setsuna and Chibiusa will help wherever they can, especially Usagi. » said Ami.
« There's no way Chibiusa can fight Tuxedo or Sailor Moon, nor Hotaru Neptune and Uranus. » said Michiru wisely.
« So is everyone okay? Usako?» asked Mamoru.
« I fought you once. I think it will do. » said Usagi.
« All right then. Remember, never face your clone. » said Haruka as she got up from the sofa. She needed some fresh air. Michiru followed her a few minutes later, seeing she wasn't alright. But in the corridor, someone caught her by the wrist.
« Michiru. I guess we need to talk. »
« Setsuna… That is not the moment… Haruka is… »
« It is. We must solve this before the fight. I know you remember. And if you don't, Haruka does. Her reaction was easy to interpret. I guess you react the same way you did thirty years ago. You freak. But let me tell you… My feelings changed. I always knew you would never love me as you love her. But thirty years changed everything. I'm not in love with you anymore. You can't see it, but you changed, you're not the same as you were thirty years ago. Your story is different and it makes you different to me. My love died thirty years ago. Not Haruka's because her love was surely deeper than mine. She loves you whatever life. She still loved you even when your sister possessed you. She can see your very soul. You two have a connection we don't have. »
« Right… I prefer that. I must admit I was scared… But it doesn't change my decision. Haruka and I are getting married and we need our own little nest. Just the two of us. We're grown-ups; and as soon as this war will be ended we'll try to live a normal life. We both like you very much but we passed through too much things, now we need to find each other again. Maybe we sound all right. Yes, our love is unchanged, no, our love is stronger, but there are still wounds that need healing. We moved in there too quickly, we didn't really thought of it, you made me realize I needed to be alone with Haruka for a while for doing it.
« I understand. »
« The only thing is that I'm worried about Hotaru, Haruka and I don't want to loose her. »
« You won't loose me. » said a little voice from the doorway.
« Hotaru? » asked Michiru.
« You heard everything, didn't you? » asked Setsuna.
« Yes, but it's okay. I'm sorry about all the bad things I said to you. You are my parents. I should have trusted you. You can move if you want. Setsuna-mama is very busy. She has always been. I'll share my time between you three. When Setsuna-mama will be home, I'll be with her, and when she won't I'll be with you. It's like having divorced parents. It's not a problem. You two are in love and getting married, you need intimacy. »
« You take this very easy, Hotaru. » said Michiru.
« I'm proud of you. » added Setsuna
« Oh… I had thirty years to think. And I felt so much regret when you died. Maybe they could have been defeated if we had stayed. »
« Don't say such things… So is it really ok? » asked Michiru.
« Yes, as long as there will be a room for me in your new house. »
Michiru hugged her daughter. Then she remembered Haruka had left with a bad look on her face. She hurried towards the door to find her lover outside, leaning against one of the house wall.
« Haruka… »
Haruka looked up to her. Michiru approached and passed her arms around her shoulders.
« What's wrong? »
« Nothing. »
« Really? So that's why you are all alone and that there is cigarette smashed on the floor. I didn't know you smoked. »
« I used to, long ago, a little before I met you. »
« So now tell me, and I'll try to forget about this. »
« I'm scared Michi. »
« I know, and it's normal. They killed us once. »
« I think we'll die. It's an intuition. »
« That's a possibility, but we shouldn't think about it. »
« I still don't know how Uranus and Neptune made the difference, I mean, Miharu told me they were loosing against us before their arrival. I wonder how they defeated us all. »
« We can't know. I just suppose that they were stronger. Remember, with the talisman, and even without, we're superior to the inners. You always makes fun with this. »
« I know. And Setsuna and Hotaru too. They are our best chance since the enemy didn't know they existed… If only I could remember what exactly went wrong, what really happened that day! We would know what to do… »
« Sure, we would have a better plan… But we don't. Don't blame yourself, we all should remember. I'm more worried about the inners opponent's choice. They take risks. I don't think Usagi will be able to fight Tuxedo. »
« I know, that's why Setsuna will be there. »
« Talking about Setsuna… We just talked. She told me she wasn't in love anymore. She said I wasn't exactly the same as thirty years ago. I'm sure she was sincere. »
« Really? So we worried uselessly. I'm relieved. »
« Did I really changed? »
« Oh yes! A lot. Not physically, it's weird, but you're very different…. And yet still the same. »
« Really? And you still love me? »
« Yes, because there is a something in you that always stay the same whatever life. Eternal as a diamond. And I can't explain why, but whatever your personality, I always fall in love with you. You could be a dangerous murderer that it wouldn't change. »
« So what about your main problem with me when we broke? That I was not the same? »
« It was not really what I meant. The truth is that I never stopped loving you, but I struggled against it because I knew you were kind of evil, and I'm glad it wasn't really you. But my love never faded. »
« Haruka… »
Michiru felt tears coming down her face. She embraced Haruka tighter. The taller girl wiped away the tears and gave her a loving kiss.
« I happy you said this Haruka. I love you too. »
« Don't tell it too often… At the end those words will loose their power. »
Michiru laughed.
« Hey… Tonight we may die. »
« And you smile? »
« Isn't there something you would regret if I died? »
« Haruka! How can you think of this at such a time! You never loose an occasion… Sometimes I wonder if you don't have a sex in place of your brain! »
« At least it is not in place of my heart. I must have a heart to be in love with you. Come on… It'll improve my chances of winning… I'll feel so good that I'll be able to defeat them all. Don't tell me you wouldn't regret if I died. »
« You won't die, I won't allow it. And it wouldn't be the first thing I… well… shall we go to the bedroom or we do it outside? »
« Yeah! I recognize you at last. » said Haruka as she took Michiru's feet off the floor. « It will be just as if we got married, I'll make you pass the entrance door. »
On those words, she brought Michiru to their room.
