DAYBREAK

Episode 31

"Do you really think she'll be here?" Michiru was following Haruka, who had told her during their chemistry class that she and Kurai would be racing.

"I'm positive." Haruka was gazing around the track, looking for her friend.

"How can you be so sure, Haruka? You've only know her for a few days but you act like you two have been friends for years."

"Technically, we have…" All of a sudden, Haruka saw someone waving to her from across the track. She waved back and grinned at Michiru. "See what I mean?" Michiru nodded her head sulkily, hating to be proven wrong. Haruka jogged over to Kurai while Michiru slowly followed.

"Ready to go?" Kurai asked Haruka.

"How long have you been here?"

"Long enough to get some practice in. I don't mind if you'd like to." "Kurai looked behind Haruka at Michiru. "Hey, Michiru. Come to watch me kick Haruka's ass?" Michiru couldn't help but smile, especially when Haruka tried to hold back her anger.

"I don't need to practice. Let's start." Haruka took off her jacket and walked over to the starting position.

"Okay." Kurai got alongside Haruka, fingertips on the white line. "But, where are we racing to?" Haruka's face took on a look of thought.

"We run a mile."

"Which is…?"

"It's four times around the track."

"That's it?! Oh, alright." Kurai glanced back to Michiru, who shook her head.

"On your mark," Michiru began. Haruka and Kurai got into classic runners' positions. "Get set…GO!" The two girls ran off, running at the same speed. "Wow. Kurai's pretty fast…" Michiru commented as she watched the shorter girl pull ahead and Haruka fall behind. But what Michiru didn't know was that Haruka's mind wasn't entirely on the race…

Uranus was standing in a field, resting. Suddenly, a streak of blond hair went flying past her. Uranus quickly threw off her shoes and ran after the blond hair. "You'll never get far in those shoes!" she screamed.

"I can if they're in my hands!" The girl threw her hands up and her shoes went soaring through the air. "And now I can even more if they're in the air!" The girl ran on down a hill, Uranus after her. They ran into a beautiful garden surrounded by tall pillars.

"Apollo!" Apollo stopped dead in her tracks, but Uranus wasn't so lucky. She didn't have enough time to stop and crashed right into the still girl. Both fell to the ground and Queen Serenity shook her head, as did Princess Serenity. Apollo quickly got up and stood formally, as did Uranus. Apollo curtsied while her accomplice bowed. Princess Serenity noticed and began to giggle at not only Uranus's insistence on not curtsying, but also at their antics.

"I'm very sorry, Mother," Apollo said quietly.

"As am I, Your Highness," Uranus added. The two never met the Queen's gaze, but Apollo caught her sister's glance and smiled. She knew very well that they weren't in trouble. It happened too often for Queen Serenity to even try to punish them.

"You two must really stop all this nonsense. Apollo, I have to meet with the royal council. Could you stay with Serenity for now?" Queen Serenity's face took on a calmer appearance as she spoke to her daughter.

"Why, of course." Apollo watched Queen Serenity turn around and begin to walk away towards the palace. Suddenly, the Queen spun around.

"Apollo! Uranus!" The two girls looked up at the Queen.

"Y-yes, Your Highness?" Uranus questioned, a hint of nervousness in her voice.

"Where are your shoes?" Both Queen and Princess Serenity glanced down at Apollo and Uranus's feet.

"Uh, well, it's a bit hard to run in high heels," Apollo answered. Queen Serenity smiled and walked through the open palace gates. The three girls watched her go inside and then turned to each other. "You just had to run into me, didn't you, Haruka?" Apollo asked playfully.

"It was the grand finale." Princess Serenity smiled at this remark. Apollo noticed and went into thought. Uranus noticed and grew worried. "What are you conjuring up now?"

"Nothing. I was just thinking of how all three of us are princesses, although you're still unknown…"

"Hey!" Uranus exclaimed while Princess Serenity started laughing and Apollo continued.

"Anyway, we're all supposed to be princesses and yet Serenity is the only one of us that actually acts like one."

"On the contrary, Apollo. You two are the only ones that don't," Princess Serenity instantly replied.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, all the other princesses of the planets act like what they are while you two are always running around like little school girls."

"Don't tell me it doesn't amuse you, Serenity."

"I never said it didn't. I'm just saying that you never conform…"

"Yes I do!"

"Well, when you have to, both of you do, but otherwise forget it."

"At least it's better than sitting on the royal council all day, or constantly picking flowers…"

"Now that was uncalled for!" Princess Serenity stomped her foot down and pouted.

"You don't look very royal-like now, Princess," Uranus commented. Apollo grinned mischievously at her.

"Great, now both of you are against me!"

"No, we're not. We just like to have fun, right Haruka?" Apollo turned her attention to Uranus.

"Right," Uranus answered.

"Okay, but answer one question," Princess Serenity continued.

"And what might that be?" Apollo inquired.

"Where are your shoes, anyway?" Apollo and Uranus started laughing.

"Well, we were running and since it's so hard to do so in high heels, we just threw them on the grass."

"Oh. Maybe you should go get them?" Princess Serenity offered.

"That would be a good idea…race you!" Uranus sprinted away and Apollo went after her.

"Those two will never change," Princess Serenity sighed to herself…

Haruka came out of her daze and saw she was way behind Kurai. She quickly picked up her speed but still couldn't catch up. This went on for the rest of the race, with Kurai winning by a considerable margin. Michiru strolled over to the two tired girls.

"It seems Kurai was correct," Michiru pointed out.

"No, I wasn't. Haruka got sidetracked, which caused her to slow down. Maybe we could do this another day?" Kurai was looking at Haruka with a sympathetic expression.

"Uh, sure…" Haruka answered. She was still breathing heavily.

"But Kurai won fair and square!" The three girls turned to see Usagi, Minako, Makoto, and Ami all standing behind the track fence. Kurai smiled at her sister's insistence.

"Shouldn't the four of you be at the temple?" she asked.

"That's what I told them!" Ami proclaimed, clearly exasperated.

"Well, then, I guess we better go there before Rei explodes with anger. You guys coming?" Kurai glanced back at Haruka and Michiru, who shook their heads no. "Alright, I'll see you later then." Kurai jumped the fence and walked away with her sister and friends. Michiru waited until they left and then fixed her attention on Haruka.

"What were you thinking about during the race so much that made you lose?"

"I don't know. I think I was having a flashback…but it was probably nothing. If you don't mind, Michiru, I'd like to run for a little…alone." Michiru's eyes widened at this request.

"Um, okay. I'll just go home, then." Michiru hesitated, thinking Haruka might stop her. But Haruka simply once again got ready to start running.

"Okay. I'll see you later, Michi." Haruka burst from her position and ran off. Michiru sighed and started to walk home…

Klein was standing behind the bleachers, watching Haruka running around the track. He had seen her whole conversation with Michiru and thought Haruka was "cheating" on the beautiful girl he had seen earlier. "He'll pay for that." Klein crouched down and opened his watch. "Calvin!"

"Huh?!" An image of Calvin's face appeared in the face of the watch. "What is it now, Klein?"

"I've found the next place to strike. Send your next daimon to the Juuban High School track."

"Whatever you say." Calvin turned away from his watch and Klein could hear him giving orders to someone. Klein glanced back at Haruka, who was still running around the track.

"I'm going to enjoy this…"