Ch. 2

~ She finds her self standing knee high in the ocean off the coast of Tokyo Bay. The water cool and wet against her skin. Staring into her reflection in the fairly calm waves. Michiru recognizes herself in a lucid dream state.

Touches the water with her hands watching as the ripples span out. Looking up to the horizon facing east.

Gentle clouds of the incoming night hang over the pinkish after glow of sunset. Panning left to right only to focus straight ahead. Off in the distance a plume of water sprays into the sky.

An other worldly song flows through the atmosphere, caressing Michiru's ears. Listening as the music draws her in further.

"No, stop, I'll come to you!" The mysterious voice bellows.

She looks around and does a double take. It's the blue whale who is repeatedly seen in her dreams. Indeed the blue whale swims up to her. The awe striking, gentle but mighty energies of this breathtaking creature fills Michiru's spirit.

It stops before her, the dream waves and the whale sends her a picture of a map in her psychic eye, showing coordinates.

"Follow those directions and listen for my music if you want to know who you are and claim your destiny. Be there and I will come." ~

Michiru wakes in a hurry grabs a pencil and a sheet of paper and draws the coordinates exactly as they are shown.

The name Tsubasa Beach wafts in her ears.

That's in Tokyo Bay… south of here, near the airport.

Now I just need a map to compare this to.

Michiru stands in front of her desk spacing out, thinking out loud.

"Destiny though, what is destiny? What is fate? Really I'm not sure what to believe.

However I now better than to ignore my intuition. I go where the current takes me."

~

I'd much rather be alone when I swim but guess I can't avoid P.E, thinking as she does her stretches. Good thing the school's pool is inside. It's chilly out today. She picks a lane, goes over to a platform and dives in.

Michiru is deep in thought as she does her warm up laps in the pool, What day is it today? … Wednesday, of coarse. Three days till the concert, tomorrow is the big dress rehearsal. Speaking of dress, I still have to pick out something to wear. Can't believe I haven't anything to wear yet, that's not like me. Maybe I'll go to my favorite dress shop after school today. Yeah that sounds like a plan.

"Her technique is superb!"

"Such finesse in her form!"

"Michiru Kaioh can easily out matches even the boys in swimming and does it all with such grace!"

"Did you hear she's famous!

"She's only in middle school."

"No fair I wanna be famous."

Michiru over hears the other students gossiping about her and this makes her feelings grow dark and cold. Though it irritates her, she ignores them.

Forget them, let them talk, their words can not stop me from enjoying myself.

The teacher blows her whistle, "Everybody out of the water! We are getting ready to do time attack freestyle."

Getting out of the pool, Michiru can sense a mix of jealousy and admiration from her peers. Triggering a day dream that seems more like a memory, of a time long since past. Feelings of constant judgement from archaic political bodies. Pictures wave in her head of being on a space ship sailing the galactic seas ensuring peace is long lived and that order is fair.

"Michiru, you're staring off into space, is something wrong?" Elza asks walking up to her, looking concerned.

"Oh, excuses me," she snaps back to reality, " It's nothing."

Pondering the feelings expressed in the daydream a mix of strength and anxiety stirs in her.

The crowd cheers when a boy from the boys swim team claims the best time. Watching the other students swim after him, not one even comes close to challenging him.

Before long Michiru's turn is up.

The room grows to an eerie, awkward silence as she gets on the diving platform.

"Two laps, okay… on your mark, get set…" the teacher sounds her whistle.

Diving in right on cue, practically gliding through the water. Tilting her head to the side to breath every so often. Seamlessly syncing her arms alternating over head. She kicks propelling herself forward fast.

Transitioning smooth she launches off the wall. Arm and leg strokes are coincide with her breathing. Quickly finishing her first lap, Michiru kicks off into her second.

The rush and thrill of the swim soothes her mind, allowing her to forget her worries for a little while. So in tune with herself and in love with what she's doing. Before she new it she reached the end of her second lap.

"And, time!

Amazing! It's a new record!" The teacher announces.

Michiru gets out of the pool, glistening as the water runs off. As she grabs her towel, a couple of female classmates come up to her after she just slayed the boy's time.

"You where amazing!"

"Michiru what is your secret?"

"Yes, please tell us."

Michiru tries to collect herself, blushing she turns her head away in embarrassment, searching for the right words despite her irritation.

"Well, I have loved the water for as long as I can remember. You just gotta be in tune with the water. And of coarse Practice, that's something that never gets old. If You truly want to be good at something that is. Of coarse If you really enjoy it than it shouldn't be a chore. Doesn't mean there won't be challenges though, it takes grit and perseverance."

Some more peers come up to her. She recognizes they are on the girls swim team.

"Michiru why don't you join the swim team?"

"With someone like you on our team we are sure to win!" Says another girl.

"That's very sweet of you to ask, but I'm far too busy with my music career. Swimming is just a regular hobby that I enjoy. I'm afraid constant competition would ruin the experience. Thanks for thinking of me though."

~

What am I going to wear for the recital? Perhaps like a dark blue or indigo. Yeah that's what I'm thinking.

Michiru, ponders as she walks into the dress shop. Being a regular customer, she knows right where to go to find what she's looking for.

She browses through the racks of gowns.

Hm, as always when it comes to a performance my dress must be comfortable and fashionable.

Then at last she finds it, a dress titled, The Midnight Sea.

Blues from lightest blending to dark all the way down with sparkling silver sequence on the skirt of the dress.

Michiru finds her size and ventures to the fitting room to try it on. Looking at her reflection in the mirror, fluffing her hair.

" Oh it's perfect!" She sways watching the skirt drift and sway like ocean waves. The sequence shimmers and sparkles in the light.

"Quality. Flattering. And functional! I like it."

She buys the dress, the clerks put it safely in a box and gave her a protective sleeve to use when she puts it on a hanger.

Michiru leaves a happy customer.

~

The sounds of a violin tuning carries out in to the concert hall. People are going about setting the stage. Michiru is listening to not only her intonation but the effects the acoustics have on her sound.

A distinguished lady walks up to her.

"You're tone quality is superb, Michiru."

Finishing up her tuning. "Thank you Aoki sensei."

"Remember to relax and maintain your posture. You seem unusually tense, is something bothering you?"

"Oh just a lot on my mind, juggling life and all. Do you think it's possible to get excited nerves at times?

"Absolutely! Now, let's warm up shall we. Long tones and rhythm exercises in A major please."

Michiru brings the Marine Cathedral up to playing position and begins her warm up. Spirit and skill matches with the high quality make up of her Stradivarius and sings a sound all her own.

"Now the same in A minor and then G minor." Aoki sensei instructs.

Drawing the bow across the strings listening to each note of the A minor scale and the delicate balance of her intonation. Always listening. Michiru transitions into patterns of quarter notes, eighth notes then sixteenth notes. Going through the same process in G minor.

"Excellent, Excellent! Very good, handled with such finesse."

"I'll say." An enthusiastic gentleman approaches. "It is a delight and an honor to welcome you, the legendary Michiru Kaioh, to play here at Tokyo Concert Hall."

"Ah, Fujiwara san it's so good to see you." Aoki sensei greets him.

"Michiru have you met Kenji Fujiwara? He's the Director of the concert hall who has so graciously invited us to play in this beautiful venue."

"Thank you Fujiwara san, the pleasure is all mine." Michiru bows in respect.

"Splendid, I've come to inform you that we are ready for sound and light check."

"What timing, we just got done warming up." Aoki sensei said.

"Alright come now Michiru, to the middle of the stage."

On cue Michiru plays a few notes.

The sound techs adjust the microphone pick ups above the stage and give it balance. Repeating this process till they get it right. Proceeding to test the lighting, the light techs test the spotlights. Michiru gives creative suggestions for the timing of the lights to bring out the mood of the music.

"Okay, we all get a ten minute break, meet back in your places not a moment later, thank you kindly." Fujiwara announces!

Backstage she gets ready for the full dress rehearsal. Sitting down in her dressing room visualizing the performance she's about to give. Michiru breaths in the sound of ocean waves. She imagines submerging into the water listening to her heartstrings ring. Running through Storm, the third movement of Vivaldi's Summer, in her mind.

"Michiru we are ready for you." Aoki sensei said politely knocking on the door.

"I will be right out, sensei." Michiru drinks some water and stretches.

Leaving her dressing room she meets up with Aoki sensei behind the left wing.

"Alright Michiru, remember to channel our nerves into positive energy and let that Stradivarius sing."

"Shall we tune one last time?" Michiru suggests, fixing her hair.

"You read my mind. You may proceed."

Tuning on the A string, she follows through on the D string. Going down to G, landing high on the E string. Adjusting the pegs as need be, listening for clarity. To be in flow with the environment around her. Satisfied she gives her teacher a nod and steps out on stage.

The darkness caresses the spotlight as It follows Michiru. The oceans in her soul crash and lash out in fury. Her inner voice sings from her heartstrings taming the waves under her command.

With her violin at rest she looks out into the void of the concert hall, as Aoki sensei and Fujiwara san take their seats.

Michiru receives her cue and gives a welcoming bow with grace and gratitude.

Comes up to playing position, she begins the charming melody of Minuet. The music brings sweet images of birds flittering about in the spring breeze. Sound waves marry the air waves carrying sweet vibes out into the hall. Like a walk through royal gardens and labyrinths with scenic ponds. A carriage ride on a gorgeous day out in the country. Tea and crumpets on a romantic picnic under the shade of old trees.

Over in what seems like a flash, Michiru prepares for her next piece, Fur Elise. Back up to play she jumps right in to the classic Beethoven Melody.

Listening to whole steps and half steps of the intervals in the key signature.

The ebb and flow of the music is complementary the nature of the ocean.

As Michiru plays she channels its currents power surging into her sound. Completely in flow Michiru embraces her passion for music and the joy she finds in playing her violin. At last she comes to the last note holding out and letting it ring.

The show now half over, Michiru gets her mind in the game for Summer. Processing her emotions. Deep breath in she brings The Marine Cathedral up under her chin for the finale.

She bows the opening phrases of the first movement. Expressing every note to the fullest. Like a butterfly flying from flower to flower. Then the music ignites in explosive runs of sixteenth notes.

Michiru's natural grace enhances the pure quality of her Stradivarius. The music is warm and vibrant like a summer day.

Transitioning into the second movement seamlessly. In the middle of it Michiru gets a splitting headache. Maintaining her composure by remembering to maintain her breathing. Just as she finds her calm, an eerie premonition waves into her consciousness.

Visions of stormy seas invade her mind. The battle cries chill her to the bone. The presence of the shadow now appears closer. Giving off the silhouette of a young girl with long, wavy turquoise hair emerging out of the void of the roaring tides. Fighting for her life, fending off against the greedy god. Michiru witnesses in her mind's eye, the girl harpooning the the god in the back. Then the same image as before of the nasty, gnarly entity, in that sickly green color floods Michiru's mind.

Should I follow the coordinates of the directions given in my dream?

I feel like I know this girl but who is she to me? I can't quite place it to save my life.

When the cold touch of a spirit sends shivers down her spine.

Refocusing she is now approaching the third and final movement, Storm.

A few measures of rest fills the hall with anticipation.

With breakneck speed and agility of her fingers and the finesse of her bow, Michiru brings the storm to life. Maintaining momentum channeling her anxious energy now concentrating on the music. No time to think, she gives in to the currents in her soul like she is the storm itself. Nailing the parts that normally trip her up. Sailing home she whizzes through to last and final note.

"Help Me!" The girls voice cries "I just wanna live! I want my freedom! I deserve Peace!" Michiru sees vividly in her minds eye the image of the little girl running away into the darkness.

Michiru's spirit can't help but reach out as a the moon eclipses her heart, pulling on the tides. Oceans of her soul floods her mind and the song of the blue whale from her dream echos in her consciousness.

The round of applause from the crew members snaps her out of her spell. Aoki sensei and Fujiwara san give a standing ovation.

Michiru bows.

Little do they know the world of secrets I keep. The things I sense and can comprehend.

With deep curiosity churning inside her.

It's all connected somehow I know it. May be insane but I've got to trust it.

Then that's it, I will follow those coordinates, to the shores of Tokyo Bay!