Chapter Eight
A Team Divided
Your heart began to be scorched, and there was a smell of it.
It was the end of your dream, and the start of everything…
-Moments by Ayumi Hamasaki
Haruka was used to being the center of attention from her days spent on the race track. Her skill accompanied by the fact that she was a woman had always left her on the receiving end of some very awed stares. Not to mention her tall stature and striking good looks had always drawn in ogling eyes from most of the females she crossed paths with. Haruka never minded, she rather liked it in fact. But the looks Haruka's presence inspired that day were anything but pleasant to feel bearing down upon her.
Once again she found herself shacked up in Ami's apartment with her comrades, but that day her welcome was startlingly cold. Rei looked particularly bristled and glared at Haruka with a sort of uppity pucker to her lips. Minako sat beside her—intimately close as always—at the small dining table they all shared, looking displeased as well, yet there was an amused upturning of the right corner of her mouth. Ami sat directly across from Haruka at the head of the table and looked crestfallen, as if at a loss for any sort of reasoning. Something that obviously distressed the logical young woman. Makoto sat at Ami's side across from Rei and switched frequently from shooting angry daggers with her eyes at Haruka to gazing wistfully at Despo who sat beside her. Despo's eyes were covered by her large white sunglasses but, Haruka knew the redhead wasn't bothering to stare her down. The rock star's head was hung into her supporting palm, her posture slumped as she secretly nursed a hangover. The sheer amusement of Despo trying to adjust to civilian life was the only thing keeping Haruka from breaking under all the unhappy eyes turned upon her.
"What?" She finally asked. Her tone was calm, almost mockingly inquisitive as she matched the gazes of each of her fellow soldiers. Rei blanched, her eyes wild, she was clearly about to fly off the handle. But Luna cut her off.
"What? Is that all you've got to say for yourself?" The feline hissed, her rage seeming to blur the lines of her human mentality and her animal form. She sat in the middle of the table with Artemis, who had been working to calm her down. The male cat sighed in defeat.
"What would you like me to say?" Haruka asked evenly and Luna practically spat.
"How could you do such a thing? What were you thinking?! Do you realize the mess that you've caused?"
Haruka scratched the brim of her nose. "Actually I don't. I don't feel like I've complicated anything."
"How can you say that!?" Rei cut in, silencing Luna.
"You didn't even consult us." Ami lectured. "We should have been told about your plans. Maybe then we could understand."
"You didn't even consult me!" Minako huffed in an indignant manner, a hand upon her chest. "I'm the leader. I should be involved in any sort of plan making that goes on within the group." Rei rolled her eyes.
"You didn't consult any of us." Makoto corrected, finally tearing her eyes off of Despo long enough to join in on the attack. "We're a team, we're supposed to be open with and support each other."
"I am sorry for that." Haruka admitted with a small sigh. "But it was a brash decision, there just wasn't any time."
"Too brash." Said Artemis quietly.
Luna nodded sharply. "Yes, you should have thought this through! How does this possibly help Usagi?"
Haruka sighed again, deeper this time but, when she moved to speak in her continuing defense, Despo waived the hand that had been supporting her head agitatedly.
"Lay off guys, it's not Haruka's fault." Her voice was strained, her head was obviously killing her. "I gave her the idea."
Ami's eyebrows rose, her big eyes blinking rapidly in wonder. Minako's face twisted in afront, more-so at being left out of the loop then over the situation itself. Makoto's anger dissolved and instead shifted to a look of curiosity and eagerness to understand. Luna and Artemis stared at one another, sharing a private but non-to-happy sort of look. Rei shot up, slamming her hands against the table so hard the strong wood vibrated and sent a jolt through all that sat around it.
"Who the fuck do you think you are?" The black haired goddess raged.
Despo recoiled from the sharp pain that Rei's shriek shot through her head. "Your voice is so grating." The redhead sighed, rubbing her temples.
Despo didn't even look up when the table began to shake under the force of Rei. The hotheaded young woman had lunged toward the group's newest comrade, her fury blinding. The blockage of the table and the vice of Minako's hold around her hips kept Rei from laying hands upon Despo. But the fiery vixen still reached for her prey, eager to grasp at Despo's flaming hair, even when Makoto shot immediately to her feet to defend her idol. Luna and Artemis crouched down low on top of the shaking table, bracing themselves as Ami hid her face behind her hands.
"Cut it out Rei!" Minako commanded breathlessly, pulling her friend down into her lap as the girl continued to struggle. She was furious.
"She needs to leave!" Rei demanded. "She's not worthy of being a solider!"
"The transformation pen chose her, stop acting like a temperamental child Rei-chan." Makoto bit.
"Don't you defend her Mako-chan! Idolizing a person you've never even met, your obsession with her is pathetic!" Makoto's face turned bright red at Rei's words, scrunching up with anger.
Despo seemed completely unaware of the drama she had caused and, didn't speak a word in her own defense. She'd hardly have had a chance, because Makoto and Rei began to scream back and forth, insulting and belittling each other in a way so unaccustomed to their usual behavior. Never had two soldier's turned so fiercely on each other. Not a word Ami or Minako or even Luna and Artemis offered could calm the two girls.
No one even noticed as Haruka slowly rose from her seat, removing the leather jacket she so often adorned to reveal the fitted black vest she wore beneath. Not one of them took heed as she popped the top button to reveal a bit more of the flesh of her breasts and placed her hand to her chest, prompting a bright white light to emit there. So when she swiftly pulled forth her space sword from that warm light and jammed it deeply into the wood of the table in front of her, the deafening thud that sounded—more like a muffled gunshot—drew everyone's eyes toward her. Every girl was silent, save Ami who let out a strangled gasp of horror at seeing what Haruka had done to her table.
Haruka's face was calm, maintaining the easy-going serenity she was known for. But her mouth was stiff, almost scowl-like and there was a harsh stare in the depths of her navy eyes. She glared at the girls in front of her, pointedly at Despo who slid her sunglasses to the top of her head behind her bangs and rolled her eyes—her previous surprise long forgotten and replaced with her usual careless arrogance—and buried her head in her arms upon the table. Haruka turned her attention to Rei then, but the other woman would not return her gaze. Instead she stared pointedly away at the wall far off beside Ami's head. She still looked agitated but, the grumpy way she folded her arms over her chest and pouted made it clear that she got the message. When Haruka looked at Makoto the brunette had already sat back down and, gave Haruka a small nod of understanding.
"Thank you." Haruka said very quietly but, clearly heard in the silence of the apartment. Her rigid stance relaxed slightly as she released the hilt of her sword, leaving it stuck in Ami's table. The poor girl stared at it, chewing her lower lip most unhappily but, quite unwilling to interrupt Haruka as the older woman began to speak. "Now is not the time to be turning on one another. That would be of no help to Usagi.
"I realize Rei that Despo is a bit difficult to get along with." Haruka continued, earning an amused snort from the incapacitated redhead who just kept her head down. Rei muttered something inaudible and Haruka sighed. "The fact of the matter is that, we need her. We need to be at full power for whatever is coming our way and that means not only having every kingdom in the alliance represented but, in being truly aligned." She stated wisely, palming the narrow curves of her hips. "So put whatever petty differences you're developing aside and focus on the issue at hand. We are indeed facing a new enemy."
Rei finally turned her head as the group came to alert. Even Despo shifted her head, keeping it down in the pillow of her arms as she exposed her face to stare up at Haruka as attentively as possible. Ami finally turned her attention away from the sword sticking out of her table to look across the table at Haruka.
"Obviously." Minako agreed, a bit of bite in her tone. She was rather put off by how readily Haruka had taken command. That was supposed to be her job. "But what is it they're after and who's running the show? That creature didn't seem very smart. All it had going for itself was strength so there's definitely a ring leader."
"I agree." Haruka nodded. "I can't be certain of it's intention, but I am almost positive that it wasn't just a random attack. I think the creature was after Usagi."
"What makes you say that?" Minako pressed, moving her hand beneath the table to covers Rei's as it formed a fist over her thigh. Minako could feel how tense Rei had become, she had yet to move off of the blonde's lap. She knew Rei was remembering the dream she had had the other night.
"When I was fighting it there was a point where I fell. It was nearly on top of me, yet when Usagi screamed it veered off for her. I was making too much noise for it to have lost track of me. It didn't make sense for it to just run after her like that unless it was sent there for her." Haruka reached a hand up, scratching the short nail of her index finger against the bridge of her nose as she often did when deep in thought. Her eyes dropped to where the blade of her sword pierced the wood of Ami's dining room table. "We can assume without hesitation though that it's intentions for the princess are not good ones. What makes matters worse is that Usagi can't transform to defend herself."
"Any thoughts on why that is?" Makoto asked and Haruka shook her head.
"I think I know the answer to that at least partially." Ami piped up. "We've seen it before; Usagi-chan has trouble maintaining her Soldier form when under extreme emotional duress."
"But she's never not been completely unable to transform." Rei challenged.
"It's the baby." The girls drew their eyes to Despo, who had lifted her head enough to rest her chin on her arms, the seriousness of the conversation seeming to dull the ache in her head. She too was staring at Haruka's sword. "It must be a subconscious instinct. Transforming draws out the seed of power hidden within us, that alone must put the body under a pretty fair amount of stress. Calling upon that power again in battle, not to mention all the physicality a fight calls for. Usagi's subconscious won't allow her to endanger the baby."
Rei frowned. "But Usagi didn't know she was pregnant."
"Her body did." Despo answered quickly.
"Excellent hypothesis." Ami grinned broadly, sounding thoroughly impressed.
"Thanks." Despo shrugged and finally sat up, her eyes rolling a bit due to the swimming sensation in her head. "That's why it's important she always has one of us around."
"The creature was so strong though, Haruka couldn't even fight it off." Minako worried, shifting her arms idly around Rei's waist to pull the girl close. Rei turned a fierce scarlet but did not fight Minako's hold.
"For now the game plan should be flight and avoidance rather than attack." Haruka explained with a clear of her throat, feeling almost indignant over her shortcomings in battle the previous night. "Until we know more about the enemy anyway."
"This still doesn't explain the marriage proposal Haruka-san." Luna finally spoke up.
"In all honesty, the reason behind that was mainly to ease some of the pressure off of Usagi." Despo answered in Haruka's place. "I mean, I'm sure Usagi's parents are decent people but, I doubt things would have gone as smoothly if they had been told the real situation. Her father probably would have gone after Endymion, either to kill him or force him to take responsibility or both."
"You mean Mamoru." Ami corrected, a puzzled look upon her face. Despo just stared for a moment before nodding.
"Right." She shrugged the mistake off, but everyone was staring with looks of confusion that mirrored Ami's. All except Rei who glared suspiciously and, Haruka who was staring pointedly at her sword again. "The point is: it's just easier if Usagi's parents think she's being taken care of."
"It'll be easier for us to keep Usagi safe this way too." Haruka input, taking hold of the hilt of her sword to finally pull it free of the table. Ami flinched. "It'll be hard enough to watch over her, let alone her family. It's best if they're involved as little as possible." She held the hilt up to her chest, prompting that strange light once more, this time to absorb the sword back into her chest.
"Well then that shouldn't be hard if she's spending her nights with you." Makoto commented, a private sort of smile overtaking her face as Despo chuckled. Haruka stared hard at the both of them.
"Yes, you said the creature retreated at the first sign of dawn. Logically that would mean that it's sensitive to light and will only attack at night." Luna deduced with a thoughtful nod, not seeming to understand what Makoto and Despo found so funny.
"But if the monster is really blind, why would the light bother it?" Artemis asked.
"It wasn't so much blind, it just didn't have eyes." Minako answered. "It was just this massive blob of darkness. Like a solid three dimensional shadow."
"You said you discovered something about what it was made of didn't you Ami-chan?" Rei looked to Ami, who shot to her feet excitedly.
"Yes!" She hurried through the apartment and down the hall to her bedroom, flicking the the lights off along the way to shroud the girls in darkness.
The city lights shining dimly from Ami's patio and through the few windows in the apartment were the only source of light. It was dismal, but it was enough light so that each girl could make out the outline of of the faces around them.
"Well this is cozy." They heard Artemis chuckle before squealing, Luna had scratched him. The girls laughed quietly.
Ami returned almost as quickly as she had departed, wielding what looked like a large box. No one could tell exactly what it was because it was covered by a billowing black cloth. Tucked beneath her right arm was a large flashlight, which she sat upon the table in front of her, right beside the box.
"Come in close, it's hard to see." She commanded and the others complied, all rising to their feet to gather in close around Ami and her mysterious box. Minako stood close to Ami's side, dragging Rei along with her as their arms remained linked. Haruka walked around the table to stand on Ami's other side, easily muscling her way between Ami and Makoto. The tall brunette didn't seem to mind—then again—she wasn't even looking at the secret treasure Ami had brought them. She was staring down at Despo, per usual as the redhead stood with her side pressed against her.
For once Despo stared right back, smiling up at Makoto through the darkness. She was a few inches shorter than the statuesque girl, which Makoto was used to. But unlike all the other girls that had to crane their necks to look up at Makoto, there was nothing timid about Despo. She didn't need time to get to know Makoto to realize she wasn't as scary and abrasive as her features seemed to let on. Despo didn't seem intimidated by Makoto at all. It reminded Makoto of the first time she had met Usagi, and it made her smile brighten significantly.
Despo's grin faded into a confident smirk, a self-assured twinkle making her gold eyes shine. She really was very cocky. The intense hue of red that overtook Makoto's face seemed to cast a faint light in the darkness and Despo chuckled at the sight of it. A strange nostalgia gathered like the flutter of butterfly wings inside Makoto's stomach, making her heart ache almost sadly because it felt so familiar. Like something her head had forgotten and her heart yearned to remember.
"Ew! What is it?" Minako's voice punctured through the wall that had built around Despo and Makoto—separating them from the others—and drew their attention to what the other girls were gaping at.
Ami had lifted the black piece of cloth to reveal a square glass container beneath. The container was completely empty upon first sight but, upon closer inspection it could be seen that there was a small black mass in the middle of the box. It was hard to see because of the lack of light in the room but, the more the girls stared at it, the more clear it seemed to become. It was squirming just sightly, like a bug twitching with it's last remnants of life after being swatted.
"I've been calling it specimen S." Ami answered. "S for shadow." She explained matter-of-factly, but there was a twang of pride in her voice.
"You really are a mad scientist Ami-chan." Rei said and, Ami blushed in the darkness.
"Okay so it's specimen S." Minako nodded hard with exasperation. "What the hell is a specimen S?"
Ami cleared her throat as if to prepare herself for a long-winded speech. "I have no idea." Was all she said. The others sighed and hung their heads respectively.
"You've been studying it in the lab for the past two days and you haven't learned anything?" Luna blustered from her seat on the table in front of the box, unable to hide her frustration.
"Oh I learned lots about it!" Ami responded cheerfully. "I'm just not sure what it is." She puckered her lips thoughtfully as Luna slumped forward on the table and sighed more deeply. "It's made up of the oddest dark matter, unlike anything I've ever seen or could find described in any text book. It's other-worldly."
"So—in other words—it's alien." Haruka joined in sternly, staring hard at the strange substance.
"Indeed." Ami nodded. "I can't tell you what it is but, I can tell you that it exhibits some very astounding behavior when exposed to light." At that, Ami brandished her flashlight. "Observe." She flicked the switch to turn it on, casting a dim light into the darkness. It wasn't very bright, but when she focused the light down on the dark matter it began to squirm violently, as if it were in great pain.
"Ew!" Minako squeaked.
"What is it doing?" Rei asked.
"It's dying." Ami revealed evenly. "Direct exposure to light weakens the matter's density significantly."
"So it does have a weakness." Haruka was certainly pleased by the news.
Ami nodded. "Yes; artificial light is it's weakness and direct sunlight would almost certainly kill it."
"That must be why the monster was in such a hurry to leave when the sun was coming up." Minako inputted, feeling very proud of herself for adding her piece to the puzzle.
"It stands to reason." Ami agreed as she drew the cloth back over the glass box. She used the flashlight to guide her through her apartment, finding the light switch to illuminate the room once more.
"And here I was worried." Makoto laughed. "The way you guys were talking I thought this enemy would be more of a challenge."
"It's not that simple." Ami explained. "This stuff, it isn't just matter, it's a parasite. A pretty horrifying one actually." Ami's concerned tone peaked the interest of the other girls. "I wanted to see how the matter responded to an outside organism so I placed a mouse in the glass case with it. The matter attacked the poor thing, it expanded to completely cover it and, when it finally pulled away, it was two times it's original size. The mouse was dead, every cell in it's body had died. It was a withered black husk."
The other girls looked horrified, none more-so than Despo. "That's horrible! The poor mouse!" She exclaimed.
Ami's face turned red and her head hung slightly. "Yes I-I didn't mean for the poor thing to-to..."
"It's not your fault Ami." Haruka cut the girl's apology short. "You did a good job; we still don't know much about the enemy, but at least now we know enough to strategize a good defense against it."
"So what's the defense plan exactly, carrying around flashlights?" Rei inquired with a bit of bite in her tone. Haruka poised an unamused stare her way.
"And I'm supposed to be the one who's difficult to get along with." Despo laughed outright as Makoto bit back a smile beside her.
"Are you trying to start with me again?" Rei slammed her palm on the table again to lean threateningly toward the redhead. "Don't push me." She glared and Despo grinned. She placed her palm very calmly on the table and leaned towards Rei.
"Oh but it's so much fun." Haruka rolled her eyes and Ami shook her head with worry as she rushed away from the tension to return her trapped specimen to the safety of her bedroom.
Rei's face was a furious shade of purple. "Damnit Rei just let it go!" Minako pleaded agitatedly, locking her arm into Rei's to hold the fiery girl back as she waved her finger in Despo's face and sputtered angrily.
"You need to stop." Haruka turned on Despo as the girl laughed carelessly.
"I'm not doing anything."
Makoto nodded rushing to Despo's defense. "Rei's just acting crazy."
"Screw you Makoto!" Rei shouted over the ringing of Ami's phone.
"I said cut it out!" Haruka pressed more sternly, looking from Despo to Rei, the frustration clear in her eyes.
"You too Haruka, you're not the leader!" Rei raged on. "Who do you think you are bringing this troublemaker into our ranks huh? Who the hell is she to act so comfortably around us? She hasn't earned the right!"
"Regardless, this whole thing is completely counter-productive. We have to protect the princess, I'm not giving this speech again."
"Usagi wouldn't need protecting if you could have controlled that whore of a girlfriend!"
Minako jerked Rei back, pushing the other girl behind her as Haruka turned upon Rei, her face twisted in an uncharacteristic look of anger. It was the look of calculated threat she only ever showed in battle, but it wasn't enough to make Rei back down. She glared defiantly, stepping up even as Minako forced her back behind her. Minako held her hands up to Haruka in a show of peace but also a threat of retaliation if she tried to lay hands on Rei.
"Girls! Stop this right now!" Luna commanded, horrified at the way they were acting but, no one paid her any attention.
"Haruka-san." Ami's breathless voice drew Haruka's attention from Minako and Rei. Ami looked at a loss for words at the scene she had returned to, holding out the receiver of her cordless phone. "It's Usagi-chan, she needs to talk to you."
Haruka's heart was still hammering in her chest as she opened the gate in front of Usagi's house. After she'd gotten off the phone with Usagi she had left Ami's apartment in a hurry, leaving Despo behind to deal with the friction she had helped cause on her own. It was lucky she had gotten the call. Haruka had been so angry she wasn't sure what would have happened without something to distract her from the ugliness that had begun to bubble out of her. She was still angry, but the closer she got to Usagi's front door, to Usagi herself, the calmer Haruka became. It was refreshing, to have someone that needed her. Easier to focus all of her attention on her princess rather then face the emotion gnawing at her insides.
"Oh Haruka." It was Usagi's mother that had answered the door. She looked surprised. "What are you doing here so late?"
Haruka held up the pint of strawberry ice cream and bag of mini powdered donuts she'd been carrying. "The princess had a late night craving." She laughed and Ikuko smiled a little.
"Yes, but I thought she had called Mamoru." Ikuko sounded confused as she stepped aside to usher Haruka inside. Haruka had been in such a rush to get over to Usagi's house she had forgotten to use the disguise pen.
"He's on call at the hospital right now. He gave me a call asking if I'd bring Usagi her snacks." Haruka lied and Usagi's mother smiled and nodded, pushing the matter no further.
Haruka found Usagi in her bedroom, her legs tucked into the sheets of her bed as she sat up and read. But rather then a funny manga, it was an actual book that held all of the young girl's attention; a guide for expectant mothers. She held it up under her nose with her right hand as her left stroked her stomach, the pink sheen of the pearl ring that decorated her finger gleaming in the light. Her night shirt was rolled up over it to expose the slightly pudged flesh of her tummy. It wasn't quite a baby-bump yet, but Haruka knew it would round out nicely. She laughed at the thought and the sound made Usagi jolt.
"Haruka!" She placed her book down and quickly smoothed her shirt back over her belly bashfully. "Th-that was quick." She laughed awkwardly and Haruka smiled as she entered the room.
"Well when my princess calls with demands I must deliver as promptly as possible." She stopped in front of the bed to hand Usagi her food before pulling out the chair that sat at her desk to sit down. "Otherwise what kind of soldier would I be?"
"I'm sorry." Usagi offered shamefully, but her shame didn't stop her from tearing open the bag of donuts and popping one into her mouth. "I sho-int o cahd yew." She chewed out but Haruka only smiled.
"Don't be sorry. You're supposed to send me out on late-night convenient store runs. You're my pregnant bride after all." Haruka shrugged her coat of her shoulders casually. Usagi averted her eyes to her bed and began to eat her ice cream in silence.
The silence stretched on but Haruka seemed content to just sit there and stare at Usagi. She leaned back comfortably in the chair, crossing one leg over the other elegantly and her arms around her chest. She watched as Usagi scooped one spoonful after another of the sweet dairy treat into her mouth. The coldness turned her lips rosy. Haruka watched Usagi swallow every spoonful and not once did she return Haruka's gaze. She looked lost in her own world and a vibe of distress hung in the air around her.
"Are you going to tell me what's wrong?" Haruka asked with a tilt of her head after Usagi had finished nearly half the pint of ice cream. She finally looked Haruka's way, a look of surprise on her face as if she had forgotten the other girl had been there. She just stared though, so Haruka asked another question. "Is that your dress?" She turned her attention to Usagi's closet where a large cloth space bag was hanging from the closet door.
"Yes." Usagi answered that question.
"That was quick."
Usagi nodded and looked down at her ice cream as Haruka looked back toward her. "I had to buy a sample gown off the rack since... since the w-wedding is next week." Her hands were trembling and the emotion in her voice was making it hard for her to speak. "The sales lady... she looked at me like-like she knew. Like she knew I was pregnant a-and she looked so disapproving." Usagi sniffled as tears began to trickle down her face. "And I wouldn't care about that, because-because I'm so-so happy that I am. I'm so happy... happy that Chibiusa will still be born."
"But?" Haruka pushed, rising from the chair to make her way to Usagi and sit beside her on the edge of her bed.
"But it...it's all wrong. It wasn't su-supposed to be like th-this." Usagi stammered as tears fell freely from her eyes. "When I got married, it-it was supposed to be for l-love. Not-not for appearances. N-not so nobody would ask questions. I-I was supposed to be Mamo-chan's bride. I was supposed to marry him because-because I loved him."
Haruka nodded. "You've been planning this wedding for a long time haven't you?"
"Ever since Mamoru and I began dating." Usagi laughed tearfully.
Haruka sighed. "I'm sorry princess. I'm sorry that things aren't working out the way they were supposed to. I'm sorry for what Michiru did and for how Mamoru betrayed your trust." Haruka reached out a hand to brush away the tears staining Usagi's cheeks. "But what's done is done and, there's nothing either of us can do to change it. All we can do is make the best of it." She tucked a finger beneath Usagi's chin, prompting the young girl to look up at her, her blue eyes shimmering with the tears that lingered. "It's okay to be sad, as long as you remember to be thankful. Usagi, your daughter will be born and though one parent may be absent, she'll still be born into a family that loves her. Your family, the Soldiers and me. We'll always be there to support you and, we love her just as much as you do. So she'll never lack anything, I'll personally make sure of that."
Usagi sniffled and her lips tucked into a small smile as she nodded.
"And you know princess..." Haruka continued, moving her hand to brush Usagi's bangs out of her eyes tenderly. "I do love you." Usagi's eyes widened slightly and her cheeks flushed a bright pink instantly. Haruka laughed. "Not in a romantic way; in the same way the knights of old loved the queens they served. That kind of love, that level of devotion, even some women that do marry the person they love don't have that." Haruka smirked and Usagi nodded slowly, trying to calm the violent hammering of her heart.
"I love you too." She breathed and Haruka tilted her head with slight surprise. "I-in that way. Th-that same way you s-said." She dropped her eyes back to her ice cream and Haruka smiled.
"I'm happy." Usagi rose her eyes just slightly to stare through the veil of her eyelashes at the vibrant smile that had brightened Haruka's comely face. It made her heart throb and she quickly looked back down.
"So I'll ask you again, because the first time, your mother was screaming and jumping around so much I never did get your answer." Again Haruka used a finger beneath Usagi's chin to guide the young girl's gaze back her way. Usagi was feverishly red in the face as Haruka took her ice cream to set it aside on the nightstand. She took Usagi's hand—garnished with the lovely ring Haruka had given her—and slid off the bed to get down on one knee. "Usagi..." Haruka smiled softly, the radiance never leaving her face as she entwined her fingers with Usagi's. The young princess was breathless, her heart beating so excitedly she felt faint. "Will you marry me?"
Usagi smiled, not quite understanding why she felt such joy in that moment. The first time she had been anxious, dreading what was to come. Yet seeing Haruka there on one knee without the mask of Mamoru's face, without the watchful eyes of her parents, she felt so at ease, so serene. Staring into the depths of Haruka's eyes, Usagi felt a security she had been absent of for a long time, perhaps longer than she had even realized.
She leaned down and, to Haruka's surprise planted a soft lingering kiss to her soldier's forehead. She pulled back slightly, the pink tinge in her cheeks matched by the red hue of Haruka's as they stared into each others eyes.
"Yes."
If I could flow like the wind I would reach you.
If I could shine like a moon I would keep shining on you.
I'll be anything if it can stop you from being seized with fear.
-Moments by Ayumi Hamasaki
Why hello out there my lovely readers! Did you think I'd forgotten about this story? Were you wondering if I'd died? Nope! I've just been suffering from a horrible case of writers block brought about by the real-life blues. -sigh-
My apologies everyone, I'm not as quick as I once was and, I can't guarantee I'll be any quicker with publishing the future chapters. But I do promise that I will never stop writing and that this story will be finished! So please, bear with me until the end!
I know not much happened in this chapter, but hopefully you're all entertained with the drama that is building and, pacified with the gushy UsaHaru action I added at the end. I do hope that at least partially makes up for how slow I am and how much I suck. :C
Thank you for sticking with this story, continuing to support me and being so very, very patient. I love you all!
Reviews please?