CHAPTER 2
Haruka had had enough! She was tired of being pushed around. She was tired of being told where and when to move. She was tired of being treated like a second-class person; and she was tired of searching for "free wind" as the person standing to her left called it.
"That's it!" She yelled when Uranus grabbed the underside of her right arm to drag her off again. "I've had enough of you!" She exclaimed as she wrenched her arm out of the gloved hands of Uranus. "I'm sick and tired of searching for wind!" She threw her arms up. "You want wind?" Uranus nodded.
"Of course, there is no wind here. How can you Earthlings survive without the cool feel of the wind on your face?" Uranus asked. "And why Earthlings…" she muttered to herself. Had the Silver Millennium really been destroyed, and how far into the future was she? She had those questions and more, but the prospect of actually being able to breath had her full attention at the moment.
Haruka looked about, and realized that the Avatar of the Winds had dragged them far away from Rei's temple, and her car. Sighing she turned to the other woman.
"You can teleport right." She asked in a bored, almost tired voice.
"Of course." was the short reply she got in return. Uranus hadn't even glanced her way when giving it.
Haruka was starting to get very annoyed with this woman's lack of manners, but for the sake of Crystal Tokyo she calmly replied, "Then take us to my house, then we can go get you the wind you require so badly."
The pair arrived at the Outer's mansion a second later, and Haruka hurried off toward the garage without so much as a glance at Uranus.
The lean woman looked up at Haruka's house with eyes that told of her bored state. "This is where she lives?" Uranus whispered to herself. "Even the peasants on Uranus have nicer homes." Finally bored with the house Uranus decided to look around her, she liked this land better than the place they had been at before, it reminded her of the brief time she had spent on Jupiter, training with the King to move about the forest without a sound. It was a peaceful place, but still there was not enough wind. She found herself staring at the house again, and wondering how Haruka managed to live in it; in her opinion it wasn't nearly big enough, even though all four of the current Outer Senshi lived in it without a bit of problem.
What's that look for." She asked, as she had noticed a look of annoyance on Uranus's face.
"I was just looking up at your…home." She started. "It's so small. How do you live in it?"
Haruka took the statement as an insult, and she also took it to heart. She was once again
annoyed with the woman. "Now look here. My house may not be a castle, but it's not a dump either!"
"You anger too easily." Was Uranus's response to Haruka's outburst. "If I was you're enemy all I'd have to do would be to insult you and the fight would be won. You lack discipline." Haruka didn't have time to even respond to that because Uranus was looking at her bike as if it where something very odd.
"What is this…thing?" She asked. "Did you get it on Mercury? I'm sure one of those Mercaniuns thought it up."
"No I didn't get it on Mercury." Haruka shook her head. "The Silver Millennium is over. The planets aren't filled with life anymore; only earth. This is going to get you the wind you wanted. Now get on." Haruka finished as she patted the seat behind her.
Uranus looked the whole bike over again. She couldn't understand how this thing could call up her element, but she sat down on the seat behind Haruka anyway.
"Hang on." Haruka yelled behind her to Uranus.
"To what?" Uranus asked as she looked around.
"My stomach." Haruka replied pointing to her waist. Uranus slowly wrapped her arms around Haruka's waist and waited.
"Nothings happening." Uranus said getting annoyed. Haruka rolled her eyes and let out a very big breath.
"You know if this was a date I'd be done already." She said quietly to herself. 'And if this was a date I must be really desperate to date myself.' She thought. Haruka thought about answering Uranus for a second, and then thought better of it; instead she just revved the engine and took off.
The motorcycle raced through the country roads, leaving nothing but stirred up leaves in its wake. Haruka took the corners sharply, not slowing down anymore than she needed to. She flew past beautiful landscapes that Michiru would've made her stop to look at, and actually sped up more when she approached the lake. At wild speeds she flew her bike off road, and onto a trail that lead up the mountain, here she finally slowed a bit. When they were about half way up the mountain Haruka slowed to a stop and cut the engine. Uranus got off the bike and slowly closed her eyes; she stood there for many seconds just taking in the feel of the wind.
"Now this is better." She sighed at last. "Why don't you live up here? It's so much more freeing than that place you call a home." Her statement was met with a small nod from the racer, who was staring at the wonderful view the side of the mountain gave her.
"If I had it my way I would." She replied as she continued to look out. "But…" she started as a smirk appeared on her face. "Michiru can't live this far from the ocean…and I can't live without her." Haruka had turned and said the last bit while staring directly into the eyes of her counterpart.
Uranus simply nodded, "It must be nice to be able to live with the one you love. To sleep next to them every night, wake up to them every morning, and eat breakfast with them. I think for that I would trade all the wind on my planet." Her smile was softer than Haruka's; it was filled with hopes and dreams
"You love Neptune." Haruka wasn't really asking. You could say she was wondering. You see the present Senshi only knew bits and pieces of they're past, only the bits and pieces they're past selves wanted them to know; which in Haruka's case wasn't much. It mainly consisted of glimpses of Miranda Castle and countless duels where she was the winner. There was nothing in her memory bank about the Princess of Neptune, or even her time as a Senshi. So you could say that Haruka wanted to know how deep Michi and her love went. Where they truly soul mates? Or was their relationship just one of circumstance.
"You know the answer to that question." Uranus said sadness in her eyes. Instead of continuing, she turned away, and again closed her eyes against the heavenly winds.
That wasn't a good enough answer for Haruka though, "You can't run away all the time!" She yelled as she grabbed Uranus's shoulders and turned her around. "I want a real answer." Her face shaking with emotion, so unlike the blank canvas she usually wore. "I know you're running from something. If you loved her tell me. We will never become one, if we keep running from each other!"
"I was not running." Uranus replied in a defensive tone.
"Your body wasn't, but your mind ran far away from our conversation." Haruka replied quickly.
Uranus squinted up her eyes, "Why do you want to know."
"Because loving just Michiru isn't enough for me, I want to know that I love her in every form I take." She replied while still holding the warriors shoulders.
"The Princess of Neptune," Uranus started "and I could barely stay apart. The hardest days of my life where the days we were stuck taking care of our planets, barely allowed a moments rest. Every moment we could find, we were together, and every other moment my heart died inside." Uranus had tears in her eyes, "Does that answer your question?" She then broke the hold Haruka had on her and ran.
'Crap' Haruka thought as she watched the Uranian Princess run into the trees.
Ten minutes later Haruka was still running after her. Uranus had lost her, and Haruka was finding it very difficult to relocate her. 'Damn is it hard to keep up without my Senshi powers. Running was always second nature to me…I just thought it was a part of me.' She thought to herself as she jogged through the trees looking for the avatar of the winds.
"You could use some pointers…but you aren't that bad at keeping up." Haruka heard from above her. The tall blond looked around, and sure enough Uranus was sitting on a branch facing the ocean. "I thought about what you said while I was running." When Haruka didn't acknowledge Uranus added. "The bit about not running anymore."
"Oh right, that part…and what do think about it." Haruka said with the tiniest bit of labor in her voice, even though Haruka was a good athlete without Uranus's powers keeping up that pace had worn her out a bit.
Uranus was starring at the dark deep ocean as she said, "Who told you to stop running?"
"Michiru." Was Haruka's short reply.
"Why did she tell you that? Doesn't she know it's in a Uranian's blood to run?" Uranus asked as she continued to watch the waves rise to meet the sky and the crash back down toward the depths.
"Because she saw me running from everything." Haruka answered the princess's question. "Michiru saw that I was running from my destiny. She saw me running from the talismans…and she saw me running from her. She told me to stop running, because once you run around the world your problems are still there waiting for you."
"That sounds like something Neptune would've said to me." Uranus smiled. "Do you really love her?"
"I love her enough to stop running. Didn't you say that you would've given up all the wind on Uranus in order to be with Neptune? They're one and the same. If Michiru asked, I'd lay down my life."
"Umph. She'd never do that. If anything she'd…"
"Save my life by giving up hers." Haruka finished. "No need to tell me that. She's already died for me. That's something I never want to see again."
"They can't help it," Uranus said as she climbed down the tree. "Seeing the future can be a horrible thing." She paused and looked at Haruka. "Neptune saved my life in the final battle. She ran up to me, kissed me, and told me she loved me, and that was when I noticed the blood coming from her stomach." Uranus's face was hard, and cold, "I fought those bastards off her for hours, the last thing I remember is falling on top of her."
"Why did she do that?" Haruka asked.
"Because she thought I was the strong one. Her mirror showed her that I was going to die, and instead of letting me, she died in my place." Small tears were forming in her eyes. "She thought I'd be able to handle losing her, better than she'd be able to stand losing me." The strong woman fell to her knees sobbing. "I guess you already know how horrible that is."
"Is that why I don't remember anything about Neptune and you?" Haruka questioned her other self.
Uranus nodded, "I tried to keep everything deep inside me, hoping that you wouldn't fall for her." She looked straight at Haruka, "But I guess I can't stop soul mates from finding each other, even if I want to protect myself from heartache."
"So…" Haruka started after a short pause. "do you actually know what the hell we're supposed to be doing? I mean we've been talking for a while, and I don't really know how this is making any bit of difference."
"You're supposed to find out more about me…So that I can dissolve. You have to know that the Senshi haven't been able to rest since we died. Once we become one, you'll take over for me."
"That sounds a lot like I'm becoming you." Haruka cut back. "I don't want to lose myself here."
"Not even for your Princess?" Uranus questioned. Haruka's eyes hardened.
"I'd do anything for Koneko-chan." She straightened up, almost to a fighting stance; challenging Uranus to say anything else against her loyalty to Usagi.
"Are you sure?" Uranus asked also straightening up, and carefully getting into her fighting stance. "I'm not sure if you really would. All you've showed me is that you would do anything for Michiru. You can't be a successful Senshi if you let your love get in the way of your duty."
"You can't be successful in your duty if you don't embrace love." Haruka countered back, as she carefully started to circle around Uranus.
Uranus simply chuckled, "Is you're love strong enough to survive many years of separation? Could your heart be able to handle sacrificing your love, for the love of your kingdom? That is the question my dear self. Would you be able to make sure that your relationship never interfered with your duty to the royal family?"
They were both circling each other now. Haruka knew that Uranus didn't want her to answer that. The talking was over. There was nothing else needed to say. Uranus wouldn't believe her words; Haruka needed to prove to Uranus that she was worthy, and the best way to prove yourself to a Uranian was in a duel.
"You're going to need a weapon if you want to fight me." Uranus said as she slowly removed her scimitar from its sheath. "I'll give you to the count of ten." The short sword glittered in the moonlight, and Haruka thought it seemed different than when she would use it. She couldn't put her finger on it exactly, but the sword seemed more relaxed; it seemed to fit better in Uranus's hand than it had ever fit in hers. There wasn't much time to think about that now though, because Haruka had to find a suitable weapon, and fast.
Her eyes darted back and forth, looking for a stick thick enough to block the sword. While she was looking Uranus stood there counting.
'5' No sticks big enough to her left. '6…7'
'8' There by that tree was a log that looked as if it would be able to hold off Uranus's attacking for a bit.
'9' Haruka raced toward the tree.
'10' Haruka was at the tree, as she was picking up the stick she heard the pounding feet of the warrior behind her.
Instead of picking it up Haruka dropped to the ground, rolling away from the attack that came a little too close for comfort. As Uranus's sword swung at nothing but air the princess smiled. "Good timing, if you had finished picking that up I would've cut a deep gash into your arm." She said this as she was turning to relocate her target.
Haruka on the other hand had hid behind a tree. She needed to get back to that branch; without a weapon she was helpless against the space sword and the woman that wielded it.
"Playing hide and seek? Come now Haruka that's no way for a warrior to fight. Direct attacking, that's the real way to fight." As Uranus was talking, she started to walk away from the tree, slowly looking for any signs of the tall racer. Haruka noticing that Uranus was moving, started her careful journey back toward her weapon.
She bounced from tree to tree, hoping that Uranus wouldn't see her; the element of surprise was always a good tactic in war.
Haruka got to the branch and called out to Uranus. "Hey, I got my weapon, how about we start things over again?"
Uranus turned, a little surprised to see Haruka back at the oak tree with her weapon in hand. The teal eyes locked on each other and very similar smirks appeared on their faces as they both started racing toward the other.
As she raced toward the veteran fighter Haruka tried to replay the various duels that Uranus had won in her head. Not much was replaying itself, besides the fact that in a proper duel no Senshi powers were allowed. Which Haruka was happy about; because that meant that the Space Sword, while still a sword, would hold no magical powers. Haruka's log held a much better chance against a plain old sword.
They connected. Just as Haruka thought,; the space sword was stuck in the wood, proving that it wasn't getting any help from it's mistress. Uranus dislodged the sword from its prison, and swung again.
'Her blocking is superb, but if she doesn't start attacking soon I'll completely destroy her.' Uranus thought as she kept Haruka on the defensive.
'I've got to get a hit in!' Haruka thought as she once again blocked the small sword from coming in contact with her lean frame.
One more block, this time Uranus had tried a downward attack, causing Haruka to bring the log above her head in order to fend it off. The space sword was about half way through the weapon by now. Instead of waiting for Uranus to yank the jeweled sword out, Haruka twisted the log, effectively ripping the sword from her gloved hand.
Haruka smirked as she saw it sailing toward her. Uranus on the other hand was in minor shock. Nothing and no one had ever taken the space sword from her without her consent. As the handle got closer to her, haruka reached out her hand, ready to yank it free from the depths of the log and finally start an offensive attack. Admitting that the Space Sword was Haruka's for the moment, Uranus rolled away to the left; it was now her turn to find a suitable blockade.
'There really is nothing like the Space Sword.' Haruka thought as she flexed her fingers around the ornate handle. Carelessly she tossed the pathetic log behind her, and smiled as she swung the real weapon back and forth. She stared at the movement of Uranus's ultimate weapon. With every swing Haruka swore it was like the blade grew; almost to the length of a normal sword, but when she stopped the blade returned to normal.
New memories entered her head, but these memories weren't any thing like the normal ones she had. She saw herself walking through a giant castle. The hall she was walking down was decorated in many shades of gold, the way the paint was on the wall made it seem like a small wind was kicking up dust. She proudly walked up to a set of double doors that held the symbol of Uranus on it. 'I thought I was in Miranda Castle; this must be the door to the throne room.' Haruka thought as she saw the doors open for her from the inside.
Inside the throne room stood many people, all of them looking the young princess. Haruka smirked and looked straight ahead of her at the throne that should have held her mother and father. Instead, in the head chair sat the ruler of the Universe. Queen Serenity. The queen smiled at Haruka; and Haruka noticed that she held the Space Sword carefully in her lap.
"Come forward Princess Haruka." Serenity beckoned her. Haruka marched forward. As she came closer to the throne, she noticed her parents sitting on each side of the Queen. Her mother sat there with a knowing look on her face; while the only expression in her fathers face was the small twinkle in his eyes.
She was in front of Queen Serenity now, and the ageless Queen swept herself from the chair and looked out among the many royals and lesser royals that occupied the room.
"Today is a great day for Uranus, the Outer Planets, and the whole Silver Millennium." She turned her attention to Haruka. "Today Princess Haruka claims the Space Sword as her own, and starts her duty as leader of the Outer Senshi; Sailor Uranus!" The crowd erupted with cheers as the Queen handed over the formidable weapon. As she held her Space Sword Haruka felt herself leaving the memory and falling back to the present; where she still held the sword, and it felt as good now as it did then.
"Alright…I think I've given you enough time." Haruka shouted as she relocated Uranus and lunged at her. The Senshi of the Winds quickly jumped out of the way of the downward thrust that would've sliced her in half, and picked up a thick branch. Haruka quickly kicked the log out of her hand, before Uranus could get a good grip on it, and pointed the Space Sword at Uranus's neck.
"I've got you." She said to the warrior.
"Then let me up." Uranus said, sounding somewhat disappointed. "You win." She said bowing to Haruka. Right before Haruka's eye Uranus changed from her Senshi uniform into a formal suit. Uranus now wore dress shoes, gold pants, a gold shirt with blue jewels on it, and a blue floor length cape.
"I've always known the only person to beat me in a duel would be myself." Uranus said as she bowed to Haruka once more. "Take care of Neptune for me." She said as she was swept away by the wind.
Author's Notes:
OK! So I haven't updated in FOREVER….and I'm sorry --
Finding the differences in Uranus and Haruka was a bit harder than I thought…I think some of the other Senshi will be easier to write.
If you read my other stories…I'm working on Unwanted Guest…I promise that I will update that one…(hopefully soon)