Chapter 2

It was all happening so fast. Everything was moving around her head in an incessant buzz, memories of what had just transpired still being processed in her mind, his words still hot on her ears. The family? She had a family. Was this man barking mad? She was seriously starting to wonder. Blinking a little, she looked to her right, her eyes falling upon him. His huge grin. What was he so happy about? Haruka raised an eyebrow, her emerald gaze tentatively roaming over the smaller details that she hadn't been able to digest in the dark alley.

Mr. White (for that's what she was calling him since he was still nameless) stood about an entire head below her own, a fact that made her chest puff out a little and a smirk light her features. Who was the big man now? He looked to be about the age of her father, maybe a few years younger. Of course, the man looked better kept. Lucky bastard got to bathe every day, she assumed. There were laugh lines around his eyes, his lips always pulled up into a smile. Maybe he wasn't so bad? Ha. Fat chance, she knew it was all a façade. There was no way an honest, decent man would come out and 'help the less fortunate,' a term that she was sure that he would have used if given the proper opportunity. She wasn't sure. The red flags were never wrong, and now more than ever they seemed to be hitting her in the face. That smile quickly turned into a smug smirk. Ah. There it was. He was hiding something.

He turned to look at her, his hard sapphire eyes full of excitement. She held back the need to jump when their eyes met, held back the need to look away. She would not stand down. No one had power over her. No one. Her emerald eyes sparked with a rebellious shimmer as she stared. Could anything be more awkward? Probably not. Her insides squirmed, her lip twitching. And that smug face. Taunting her. Daring her. To do what? Her brow creased a little as she tried to figure it out. The light of the illuminated street hit her face. Oh yeah. They were still walking.

"Come, there are matters at hand that need my attention," he said, his voice masking a small hint of…what? WHAT?! GOD! It was infuriating. Something was there, but she couldn't see what it was, and it was driving her nuts. Her jaw twitched a little as she narrowed her eyes. Why should she trust this man? She had no reason to. For all she knew, he was going to be taking her to some back road, take out a gun, kill her, and then bury her body in a shallow grave. Serial killers did that, sometimes. The prospect didn't really frighten her, though. Pity, his suit was sure to get all dirty and stained. Sad. She was certain if that were the case, he would have someone else do it for him while he watched. Now…would that make him the killer, or the person who actually did the deed? What a perplexing question.

The idea made a small smirk twitch at the corner of her mouth, amusement twinkling in her eyes. A chuckle threatened to surface from her chest, but since she didn't really feel like sharing, well, anything with Mr. White, she feigned a small cough. His eyes finally broke from that stare. Thank goodness. It was making her uncomfortable, but she would be damned if he ever found out about that. Slowly, she followed the direction that he had turned. And her mouth almost dropped. Not ONLY was it an AUTO. No. Of course not. She should have known. It was an object that screamed "look at me, I have money, you should love me." If she hadn't already had any preconceived notions towards the man, then she may have fallen for its trick. But. But. It was just begging for her to go tinker with its insides. Make it roar. That soft purr. What was that? It wanted her to drive it. All. Night. Long. A groan was hot in her throat as she stared at the beautiful vehicle.

A 1922 Roll-Royce. It looked rich. It smelled rich. Hell, she was sure that it took diamonds instead of gasoline. But. What else was she supposed to say? Okay, so maybe she was a little hopeless. But. But. But. Childish intrigue caught in her eyes as she moved towards the car, still under the man's arm. The spell had been cast. She would probably follow him to her own grave, lie down and then wait to be buried now. It was like love at first sight. If she were in better company, she probably would have already drooled a lake. But, unfortunately, she wasn't. And she was still wholly aware.

"Shall we?" He asked, a knowing glimmer. All she could do was nod her head. Words were failing her, for once in her quick-witted life. There was no doubt in her mind that this man could have what ever he wanted. A grimace swept over her features as she looked at him, the image of the car still burning in her retinas. Probably blood money. That's how he got all of these fancy…things. But, she was a woman of her word. She would at least see where he was taking her before she left. If she didn't like it, then she could just vanish. Who would really notice a slum dog? Hiding in the shadows is what they did best. She snickered a little at the thought. Though, they did tend to have a rather vicious bite. Rabies, sometimes. It would be nice to sink her teeth into the smug man next to her, if only to infect him with her hypothetical disease, but that would come later. Until after she saw what he was proposing. Later. Yes.

Her face was set in stone as she watched the driver, a blank faced man dressed in a classy black suit, open the door to the vehicle. He motioned towards the interior, indicating that they should get in. Her hands tightened a little as she watched Mr. White get into the car, then pat the seat next to himself. Metal bit into her skin. She really did need this. With her jaw tight, she slowly bent her towering form and sat down, the fresh scent of tobacco making her nose burn. The door closed once she was situated, her eyes looking out the windshield. The night was dark. Streets void of life, the shops all bedded down for the night. Small lights flickered in the town houses, families going about their nightly business while her stomach twisted. Her resolve was reinforced at the sight of the warm windows.

Something heavy landed around her shoulders, her nose wrinkling slightly with disgust as she looked at the arm that was draped around her. The man smiled lightly at her when she met his eyes. Oh God. He was going to start talking again. She just knew it.

"I think you'll come to like what you do, Haru." She raised an eyebrow. What was she supposed to do, really? Just beat the hell out of men, right? That didn't seem too bad.

"Is that so," she grunted, her gaze disgruntled and untrusting as she looked out the window once again, the passing scenery making her a little anxious. What if he really was going to attempt murder? No, she chided to herself, don't be stupid. He would have done it in that alley.

"What, so cut and curt? Aren't you even curious?" he asked.

"No."

"Really?"

"No, I lied." Sarcasm dripped from her voice as she crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"I thought so!" he chuckled. She rolled her eyes. Apparently he was either dense or was doing this intentionally. The probability was dead even, she decided. Haruka grunted again, her leg bouncing up and down with the anxiety that she was starting to feel. They were quickly moving away from the residential area of the city and were closing in on the industrial sector. Perfect place to dump a body. Towering warehouses reached up towards the sky, blocking out the stars and the moon, casting all that was upon the ground in the deepest shadow. Small lamps quelled the darkness every once and a while, but it didn't really take long for the darkness to take over once again. She could feel the unhappy and perplexed gaze that had fallen upon her turned head. God, he was nosey. Irritation bubbled in her stomach as she looked back at him.

"What?" It was swift, bitter and snipped.

"Maybe you should pay better respect to the man that's helping you pick yourself off your feet," the remark was snide. True colors. Anger flashed in her eyes as she locked gazes with his.

"Maybe you should stop thinking yourself God and maybe I'll try my hand at this 'respect' you speak of. A near impossible task set upon both of us, ne?" He leaned in close to her face suddenly, his teeth bared, a sharp snarl gracing his lips.

"Boy, you better start worshiping, because I can take everything you have left. You may not think you have nothing left to lose, but you do. And I will take it all, make no mistake. So mind your tongue before I cut it out." Malice poured through those icy tones, a small shiver racing down her spine. Her own anger boiled at his bold words. But this wasn't for her. She wasn't here for herself. Reluctantly, she snorted, her jaw clamped tightly to prevent a retort. Any breaks were a Godsend. And this, it seemed, was a huge one. If she screwed this up, then she was sure she would punch herself in the face later. At her apparent submission, Mr. White pulled back, that careless smile once again on his face.

"Almost there," he said with a good humored pat on her shoulder. He was lucky that he had money because if he didn't, she would have broken his teeth a long time ago, just so his smile was a little less charming. Her gaze rested out the window once again, the car rolling to a stop, a warehouse looming over her. It looked dark. Sure seemed abandoned. And it wasn't even that big. She raised an eyebrow. Weird. Well. It looked like that Hannibal Lector over there would get his dinner. She shrugged her shoulders. If he could catch it. Nervously, she watched as the driver opened her door. Okay. Taking a deep breath, she got out, Mr. White shooting out almost immediately after. He kept his arm around the young woman as he motioned towards the door.

"This is the first step towards fortune, son." His voice was low. She looked around.

"…A dark building and a long alley. Seems like a rather dead fortune to me," she replied. Hey, she was just being honest. The man chuckled to himself and patted her shoulder.

"You'll see." Without another word said, he pushed open the door, the smell of tobacco hitting her face with full force. Her father may have smoked it, but it still never ceased to amaze her how bitter and disgusting it smelled. Left a bad taste in her mouth. She blinked rapidly. The light made her eyes dilate, temporarily blinding her. She could feel the man pushing her inside, therefore, she really didn't have any choice not to go.

Slowly, her eyes adjusted, their lids fluttering open to reveal what she would certainly call a sight to see. Her handsome features turned down into an indifferent frown as she looked around. The music was loud, blaring almost. A band was situated just to her left, a stage just behind them. It was jazz at its best. Trombones, trumpets, saxophones, they all wailed through those blazing notes together to create the sass; that jive that was supposed to elicit immoral behaviors. People milled all about, some dancing or nodding their heads, most making their way towards another part of the busy establishment. Talk of this, and talk of that mixed with each other to make the constant buzz that passed between her ears. Sometimes, she could make out a few words, however, most times it was all a bunch of jumbled sounds. She let her eyes fall upon the stage, the dancing girls making a small smirk find its way onto her lips. And they were mighty saucy; in fact, a few of them were even topless. A place catered to men, naturally. Despite being somewhat pleased, she couldn't help but roll her eyes.

To her right was a high counter, bottles and a high mirror placed behind, a man in a pinstriped shirt shooting the breeze with a customer. Tables were situated in front, many men sitting and talking to each other, some slumped over as if they were sleeping. She had seen that before. When she worked at her fathers…wait. A bar. There was alcohol here. Her eyes grew wide, anger welling up inside of her. What was this? What was this place?

She felt herself being moved further in, men in suits passing all around her. They were probably the rich crowd. They could do as they pleased. Money made the world go round. Nothing enveloped that saying more than this place. This. What was this? She still was unsure. Her eyes drifted to the cat walks, noticing the walkways and private boxes. So. It was like a club. A club for the rich? No. Her eyes graced a working man. There were more of them than she had first noticed. Average men. Wait. She knew that one! He used to come into the bar all the time. Her lip twitched, eyebrows furrowing as she looked to the man beside her.

"Welcome to the Slaughts, my boy! Greatest, grandest, richest business to grace this earth!" He opened his arms wide, motioning to all that she had already seen. Her hands balled into fists. Now. Now she was curious. What was she supposed to do here? There was nothing that she could possibly accomplish that wasn't already being done. She ran her fingers through her hair, the other hand remaining balled. She gave an irritated sigh. So this was just to get a rise out of her. She understood. She grit her teeth, her form towering over the man beside her now, anger pouring off of her in waves. Oh. She was going to break those charming teeth, even if it killed her. No one made a fool of her.

"Sorry for the wait folks! It appears as though a new cat crossed my path while I grabbed a bit of air. I'm sure you'll become acquainted, but in the mean time, let's bring out Smith and Williams!" The voice rang out loudly through out the establishment, startling the young woman for a brief second. A round of yells roared from the center of the room. Uh…what?

"Oh! Come on, spit!" It was sudden. It was brief. Before she knew it, she was being pulled by her wrist towards the cacophony, her eyebrow raised. Just what in the world was going on? If this was some kind of prank, it was a rather elaborate one, she would give him that. Stumbling a little, she moved after the man. Not like she really had a choice. Her head was blaring with the impulsivity, with the raw, sheer emotion. She could barely see.

The sea of bodies slowly began to thin out, but by that time, she was thoroughly confused. Where were they? Were they still in the same warehouse? The lighting was a little bit dimmer here. She looked back behind herself and saw the closing door. Oh. So, they were in a new room. Okay. She looked back at Mr. White, her emerald eyes still hard. What was he doing now?

"Okay, champ, here's the idea," he began as they moved down some stairs. The distant yells still rang in the hollow well. "You go down there, rough up the other guy, and I give you twenty." She raised her eyebrow at the sudden exchange. Twenty? Twenty what?

"Twenty what?" she asked, her voice hesitant. The man thrust his free hand into his coat pocket and pulled out a bill. Her eyes grew wide. Air wasn't getting into her system. Her throat contracted as she stared at the mark. Twenty dollars. She could. They could! Imagine what they would be able to get with that! They could buy groceries! They could get what they needed! Mom would be okay. Mom would be fine. Twenty. Twenty dollars.

"And. If you do the job right, you'll be earning more money than you can imagine. Consider this as…a trial run," he said. She couldn't help but notice the sneaky edge as he said that. She shook her head, pushing the suspicion away. He was going to give her twenty dollars. Nothing was more important right now.

"How do I know you won't take back your offer?" Doubt was still seeded.

"Tommy, do I look like a liar to you?"

"Haru--"

"That's what I said!" She rolled her eyes. In all honesty, yes. He did look like a liar. But what else could she do? Either she beat a man up and gained twenty dollars (easy money) or she beat a man up and went home with a nickel. Either way she still went home. There really wasn't any downside that she could see. Her eyes followed the bill as they moved, the green, crisp paper tempting her further. Yeah. She could do this. It wouldn't be so bad. "So, what do you say?" He could still see the hesitance, but he had to get her. Somehow, he had to get her.

"O..okay," she sighed, finally caving to the man. She would do it. There was no way she could pass this opportunity up. They were moving once again, a little bit more hastily now than before. Haruka could see the elated step that the man now possessed, which further progressed her own doubt.

"Wonderful, son! Here's the run down," he started, his voice low with excitement. Everything was coming at her too fast, unfortunately, so the most she really caught was "no rules" and "win." Okay, there were no rules, and something about winning. Yeah. Winning wasn't everything. For being pulled along as she was, Haruka was able to maintain her balance rather well. Sure, her head was fuzzy. And sure, she really was lost in this place, but it would all turn out alright in the end. A wail snapped through her system. Alert, she looked around the dark corridor. She could hear footsteps coming from somewhere in front of her. As far as she could tell, they were frantic and there weren't too many people, but before she could really inquire as to what was going on, she heard an elated roar from above. Okay, this place was just getting weirder and weirder.

"This is the Underbelly, you're sure to see a lot of this place during your stay." The sudden voice made her muscles tense, adrenaline now coursing through her veins. She hadn't been expecting it, and after all the commotion, she was sure something was going to lash out at her. She rolled her eyes at her own stupidity. She was just being a jumpy child. Shaking it off, she looked to her right, her eyes catching the vague outline of doors. Many many doors. Her frown deepened a bit more as their numbers grew, a thought occurring to her. Perhaps she was in what used to be an asylum. The cells sure looked like they could house a crazy person, that or a serial killer. Well. There she went again with the serial killer theory. "You sure are a quiet devil, aren't you?" She hated it when people tried to cover the awkward silence with an even more awkward statement. A grimace pulled at her features.

"I have nothing to say," was her blunt reply. Of course, she could have said a million things, but she was sure that it would either get her killed or thrown out of the place. One of the two, and both resulted in the loss of twenty dollars. For the sake of her family and for the sake of the money, she would keep her mouth shut at least until she had collected and made off into the night.

"Well. When you are finished here, make sure to come find your way back upstairs. I'll be waiting for you there. And remember, there are no rules and in order to win, you must take his white. Here," he was speaking fast again, but at least she could understand him this time. He thrust a white piece of cloth at her, prompting her to take it. She did as such and looked at it inquisitively. "Your white. Remember?" Upon seeing her clueless look he let out a sigh. "Just tie that on your body somewhere and don't let him take it. When he takes it, the fight is over and you've lost. So take his before he takes yours. It's you or him out there, just don't forget that." And with that said, Mr. White grabbed the assumed young man by the shoulders and thrust her forward.

Blinding light hit her face as she tried to gain her bearings. She looked down at the cloth clenched tightly in her fist, her thoughts screaming at her to remember. Making quick work, she wrapped it around her knuckles tightly, the nickel held safely against the cloth and her skin. "Well ain't this a pretty picnic."

"It will be once I've taken that pie away from you, boy!" Something darted close to her face. And it had begun.

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The monotony of the night was starting to get to her. Really. Was anything exciting going to happen? She shook her head, letting a small sigh pass her lips. Four minutes nineteen seconds. Those sapphire eyes drifted down to the sandy pit, her eyebrows creased giving her an air of disinterest. The young woman frowned, her fingers pushing through her hair. Annnnnd. Done. Letting out a small sigh, she hunched forward in her chair, those eyes trained upon the doors. Out stepped a man, his smile large and his muscles larger. It was obvious that he had seen this pit many times prior to this night, for his nose was crooked, scars littered his body from apparent open fractures that had long healed, and there was an air of familiarity. He looked to his right, then to his left, his eyes finally falling upon the opposite door.

She flicked the mic on after clearing her throat, her fingers gently grasping the base of the tool. The spotlight was on and it was time to shine. "Coming out of the black door comes the mighty, the powerful, the champ of the pit, Darren 'Bull' Jones! Look at that display of absolute power, folks. He looks just as good as he fights, rest assured," she could hear the small rise of laughter coming from the crowd, some men looking down at the fighter with a new found respect. She couldn't help but roll her eyes. Of course they were assuming the 'worst' which in his case would be a major 'score!' She let it slide. This was all part of the job.

"He sure does look dominating, doesn't he? All fired up and burning for this fight, which begs the question, where is his opponent? Don't tell me they chickened out?" She saw the grin spread across the hulks face, arrogant, calm, cool. He was confident. A by wouldn't be too bad, that would mean he would still see to fight later that night. Didn't want to get too banged up. However, she couldn't help the unsettling bubble that was beginning to develop in the pit of her stomach. What was going on? She looked down at her spread, the schedule that was supposed to be followed down to the T. But there was no name slotted in next to Darren 'Bull' Jones. It was blank. Her eyebrow creased worriedly. She had to keep talking. Just as she was about ready to open her mouth, the white door opened.

"Oh! There he is, gents!" Her eyes fell upon the new comer as he was thrust out into the middle of the ring. Great. It was that sandy blonde from just a few minutes before. He looked rather lost, she noticed, but he didn't appear to be startled. "Oh look who it is! It's that very same cat I was telling you about! Well isn't he a darling little spit?" she said, her voice bouncing lightly. The crowd laughed again at the small joke as they watched the smaller young man, skepticism radiating through all of them. How could such a puny little thing go up against two hundred and twenty pounds of sheer muscle? This was going to be a massacre. If her mic hadn't been on, she would have let out a distressed groan. What was he thinking?

Without batting another eyelash, a punch was thrown, and her attention was drawn back to the matters at hand. "And it's off, Bull already throwing the first punch, barely missing the young cat by a fraction of a hair, a warning shot no doubt. Circling circling circling each other, neither dares invade the others privacy. It appears as though they're sizing each other up, or down, depending upon which side of the pit you're on," she noticed the un appreciative scowl appear upon the blondes face. Lesson one, don't listen to the announcer. Ever. "There it is! It appears as though Bull has made up his mind, his fist flying straight towards his victim who takes a swift step to the side. That was a close one, but it's not over yet. The cat has taken this chance to bring his knee up into the steel stomach of Bull, who doesn't even bat an eyelash. Another fist, another swift dodge, this could be a long fight." Her eyes passed back and forth between the scramble below, her voice low with a hidden excitement.

"The cat steps behind, crouching low, and WHAT! With a sweeping kick, he's managed to pull Bull down to the ground, face first. The cat is upon his back now, his small hands locking around one of Bull's arms. It's a classic chicken wing, gents, and with that leverage, it could very well be the outcome of the game!" She chided herself in her thoughts. Of course it wouldn't be. There was no way this was even close to being done. "Wrenching that wrist, the cat is working on his white. Does he have it? Wait! Look at that, Bull grabs that ferocious feline by the scruff of his collar and tosses him off like a small rag doll. Look at that body slam into the side of the pit. Marvelous!" It looked like it had hurt. Why had this young man come? "Nursing what seems to be some slight wounds, the young cat looks like his nine lives are up. The Bull is charging, his fist reeled back as he launches it right into the cats face. Ohh. Direct hit! I think I felt my own nose breaking at the sight of that!" The yells and jeers down below her box were ones of excitement. Of course no one had bet on the new comer. Why would they when they knew exactly what Bull was capable of. She looked at the young man, blood pouring out the side of his face where the larger mans rough hands must have gouged him.

"Here comes another blow, right to the stomach, our cat appears to be down for the count." It was almost unbearable. She wanted to scream at him to get up. He was just an innocent young man! He didn't deserve to be thrown into this just to be taken out instantly. It wasn't fair. 'Get up,' she thought to herself frantically. His white was still his, thank God, but Bull wasn't having any of that. Furiously, he tried to work at the tight knot, but found that his fingers were a bit to large to successfully grasp it. A flicker of movement caught her eye. "Has he done it? Has Bull won? Wait. Why is he stumbling back? His hand is clamped tightly over his nose as if something just…the cat! He's getting up, looking unphased, even in his bloodied state! I think he just planted a palm right into Bull's nose! His opponent looks angry. That cat sure does have a bite, don't he? Enraged, Bull is charging again. He wants this kids' blood. Lunging all he has into this punch, the cat darts quickly to the side, bringing his knee up to pound into that steel stomach, again. When will he learn? But..wait! His elbow has now come down hard onto the back of the Bull's head, the cat taking this chance to push the man over to fall flat on to his back! What a turn of events! The cat is now on top of the other, pummeling his face. Right after left after right after left! I think this cat has it, gents!" She felt a wave of relief wash over her as she watched the scene unfold before her. He was going to be okay. Hopefully he would realize that he shouldn't return, however. She really did. No one deserved to get mixed up with this crowd.

"The white, that cat has Bull's white. Bull is done for the night, gents. This fight is over!" It was just a trial. So she didn't have to say it. But the crowd was waiting for her. Was waiting for those words. "Sorry fella's, but this cat has business to attend to." With a quick finger, she flicked off the mic and let out a long drawn out sigh. Good. Not all was lost, yet. Slowly she stood, her beautiful locks falling down her back as she moved. She ran her fingers through her hair slowly in a way that made her shoulders slump with relaxation. The night was almost over. Then she wouldn't have to worry about anything for a whole week. How luxurious that would be. A sudden rap upon the door made her jump.

He didn't really need to knock, since the motion was immediately followed by the door opening. Really, he didn't even wait for her to speak. What if she had been naked! Well, that was a highly unlikely scenario. "Did you see that?" He spurt out, his voice excited and shaking just a bit. She looked at him and smiled. He was like a small child.

"See what, exactly?" she asked, her voice soft and mannerisms beginning to draw in.

"The way he handled Bull! It was incredible, no?" A glimmer hinted in his eyes as she nodded her head. He had a valid point, the young man was rather talented. A shiver went down her spine at the thought. Talent. There was no way he was going to let him go. Not for a million years.

"Where did you find him?" She asked, her eyes falling heavily upon the window pane just to her right. It was just a topic of discussion, both of them knew it. She was not, in anyway, interested as to where he found him, just what he was planning on doing to him.

"Oh, come on, Michiru!" His voice was pleading, his eyes rolling at her antics. It was always like this. Sometimes she wondered why she even bothered. "Don't rain on my parade! Don't you love me?" He gave her a look, his hands clasped hopelessly in front of him. Goodness, he was such a child. Her muscles were ridged as she moved to cross the distance between them, her arms wrapping around the man's waist. She buried her face into his white suit, her jaw still set tight in disapproval.

He let out a sigh. "Don't try to talk me out of it. I see what I want and what I want is right in front of me. I'm going to take it, Ru, and your opinion on the matter has no effect on the outcome. Stop being a spoiled child and let me have my fun," his voice was suddenly filled with frustration. His arms tightened around her, his fingers biting into her arms. She closed her eyes, small spiders of pain rippling through her muscles. She took a sharp, small breath, her eyes closing at the unpleasant feeling. It would all be forgotten in a few seconds, as it always was. She didn't want to fight. This wasn't what she wanted. Slowly, she nodded her head, knowing his stubborn ways. His hands softened when he felt the motion, his demeanor changing all too rapidly.

"Now! Be a good girl and go do what you do best. They're all waiting, you know," he chuckled, his eyebrows waggling a little as he gently pushed her towards the door. It was that time. She nodded her head, giving the man a blaringly fake smile as she exited the room. He would follow after her shortly. It was routine.

And like everything else, eventually, it would have to stop.

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AN: Okay, I decided I didn't want to be too mean about the whole going away to Fargo for two weeks just after putting up the first chapter. Consider chapter two as a treat. I might have some down time to come up with chapter 3 while I'm away, since my beautiful beautiful laptop is coming with me, but don't have high hopes everyone. The minute I get back, though, I will definitely be working on said chapter. Now. I just have to gush about this. I was watching the English version of Sailor Moon last night and I was DYING. Like, I'm sitting there, watching "Amara and Michelle" interact and do you know how many times they spoke the words "family, cousins, or related" in their lines? It was like thirteen times in one episodes. I laughed so freakin' hard. It's like the English version was trying SO hard to mask the two's real feelings that they made it seem incestuous. It was hilarious.

On a more serious note, I want your feed back for the fight. Did you like Michiru narrating, or would you rather it be in the pov of Haruka? I was stepping out on a limb here when I tried this. Answers would be much appreciated. Anyways, if you have any questions, drop me a review (or you could do that anyways) and I'll be sure to reply in the following chapters author's note.

Which leads me to replies:

Ami - Michiru is the announcer. I didn't want to blatantly state it, but from time to time she will be referred to as "Ru" which, I thought, would be a more endearing way to call her.

T. - Thanks for the criticism, and as for an answer to your question: The story will sort of have a split feel to it. About seventy percent of the story will be put into Haruka's point of view, while the remaining thirty will be in Michiru's. As the chapters progress, it should come closer together, but since the two still have yet to actually speak, it's just easier to do it this way. I have a method to my madness, so just stick with me. Haha.

Swinging Cloud - I know you didn't actually ask a question, but I wanted to say that at first glance your review made me cringe. I thought you were going to YELL at me or something. Haha. But then I realized how stupid I was being, so…yeah. Thanks for the support. And yes, you will be seeing me around. I'm sure someone around here will be beating me to death to update.

Okay, thanks to everyone else to replied, it made me feel so good about myself. Haha. And I hope to see everyone rather soon! I like reviews, just so everyone knows.

Till next time!