Chapter 10: "If You Sow, So Shall You Reap"
Makoto was gonna get it...How dare she get sick. She, the all-powerful Haruka, blessed by Chaos, was NOT sick. She sneezed and snuggled deeper into her blanket.
"Aww, Ruru's all sick now..." Kakyuu cooed, wiping Haruka's nose and rubbing the blonde's back. "Don't worry, I'm here to make you feel all better."
Haruka started to scowl when a coughing fit hit her. "Water Kakyuu!"
Kakyuu rushed out and fetched a jug of water. Haruka greedily gulped it down when she received the jug.
"Thank you. Now please leave me alone. I wish to sleep." Haruka said, placing the jug on her bedside table and lied down.
Concern filled Kakyuu's red eyes. "If you say so, Ruru. I'll be here if you need me," she said softly, walking out and quietly shutting the door.
Haruka sighed and looked at the grooves in the ceiling. 'I told you, you know.' Soft words caressed her ears.
Yes, Haruka was told.
"You're a monster! Unmei. That's a word you should know. Yours is to die a horrible death."
Yes, told many times.
"How could you do this!? They're all dead! You killed them!" A scream. "I'll kill you...I'll kill you!"
They all said that.
Anguished sobs. "Why? Why? Why? She...she didn't..." Pained eyes caught her own. Something tugged at her heart. She was a monster...
"I've had enough. Am I allowed to say what's right?" That beautiful woman paused. "I believe that..I am with you. Our souls are two and related," What did that mean? The woman's voice was hard, but her eyes betrayed weakness.
"Torn my heart, my love, like you wanted to," Haruka spat. "No-one can stop me, not even you," Then it hit her. She was leaving, leaving Haruka all alone."Can you stay with me?"
Michiru looked at the crumpled form of her lover. "Can you stay with me?" Her Ruka said again, voice weak and pitiful. Michiru turned away and headed off.
"Stay with me..." Haruka whimpered, watching as the only person she ever loved, leave her.
The memory bought tears to Haruka's eyes. They stung. Monster, monster, the voices whispered.
No, she said to the voices. I am not a monster.
Yes you are. A monster that Michiru would never love.
No, Haruka repeated. I am not a monster.
'Stop it Haruka, don't do this. You know, you just don't want to admit it.' Minako whispered.
'You killed me for no reason,' Motoki growled. 'Did my death benefit you?'
No, but I can't stop. Then I'd die...
'Then you should have died like what we would've done for you!' Saturn screamed. 'You betrayed me! Gave me to Chaos! I don't want this! I didn't want this!'
'You like this...you like the power,' Iron Mouse stated. 'But there has to be a limit, you know.'
Go away, I don't want you here. Why are you all here. I killed you.
'Yes you did,' the invader smirked. 'You can't forget. You can't forget us. And I'm gonna make sure you regret killing every single one of us.'
'Isn't that harsh?' Minako asked.
'She deserves it,' Saturn snarled. Haruka knew the others were agreeing with her.
'You will pay, Uranus,' Tin Nyanko giggled. 'I will have my vengeance.'
They left suddenly, leaving a weary Haruka behind. She buried her face into her pillow. Memories came flooding back.
"Ruka...Ruka...You have to wake up. It-it's bad. You have to see what happened..."
Haruka slowly opened her eyes. She smiled at the worried face of her lover. "Hey Michi. What's with that face?"
Michiru sighed with relief. "Something happened, Haruka. I think this was what my dreams were warning us about..."
Haruka frowned and sat up. "This was it? I thought someone had invaded..."
"Many have. I suppose our barriers were too weak..."
Haruka grunted with pain. Moving had sent sharp pains up her side. "You know where the invaders are? We gotta get them out of here..."
Michiru shook her head. "We have more important things to do, like find the princess and restore the planet."
"And pummel whoever did this," Haruka muttered. Michiru rolled her eyes and help Haruka up.
"Come on Ruka, let's go."
"What's that?" Michiru asked. "It looks like a golden egg..." The object in question was egg-shaped, and more yellow in color than gold. There was a purple splotch in the middle. When Michiru poked at it, it jiggled.
"Disgusting..." She wiped her hand on her skirt. Haruka chuckled.
"Here let me see..." Haruka stabbed the egg with her finger. It quivered. Tendrils emerged from the purple splotch and latched onto Haruka's arm.
"What is this thing?" Michiru panicked. She tried prying the increasing tendrils off of Haruka's arm. The yellow gelatinous cover fell away, leaving the purple splotch. When the tendrils reached Haruka's chest, they fell away and turned into small floating globes. Michiru and Haruka stared in horror when they rushed towards Haruka. The globes passed right through Haruka, before collapsing in on themselves.
Haruka looked back to where the globes disappeared. "That was weird..." Haruka said.
Michiru started checking Haruka for any injures. "Are you okay, Haruka? They didn't hurt you did they?"
"I'm fine Michi, just weirded out." Haruka straightened. "Come on, let's go."
Michiru looked worried, but she followed Haruka anyway.
The seeds of darkness had been planted.
"Ruka look!" Michiru pointed towards some dark figures on the horizon. "I think those are people!"
"Oh really?" Haruka raised an eyebrow. "I'm shocked."
"It might be the princess or maybe-" Michiru felt a burst of wind. She turned and saw that Haruka had disappeared. "Haruka?" Michiru turned back to the dark figures, only to see that they had gone.
"What is it Michi?" Michiru jumped. She whirled around to tell Haruka but the words died in her throat. Dark stains blossomed on Haruka's clothing and the dank smell of death lingered in the air. "Haruka, what did you...?"
Haruka shrugged. "They were weak, they had no right to live," Haruka brushed it off and resumed walking. Michiru looked at where the people had been before following.
"Haruka-san!" the hyper blonde exclaimed. "I am so happy to see you!" Her companion, on the other hand, didn't.
Haruka smiled, twisting her face. "Hello Venus, how nice to see you alive and well."
Venus smiled, eyes watering. "It's been so hard...Have you seen Usagi-chan?"
Haruka shook her head, eyes twinkling. "No, I haven't seen her. You're the first ally I've found..."
The sliver-haired companion grabbed Venus' arm. "I don't trust her, Venus. She doesn't feel right."
"Haruka's fine! She's going to help us! I know she wi-" Haruka's blade struck her before she could finish her sentence. Venus looked shocked at the blood pooling on her fuku before collapsing.
"Venus?! Venus!?" The intruder cradled the dying body of the senshi of love. She started sobbing.
"Healer..." Venus whispered. "Don't worry, I'll be fine. Just do what I asked...please..." Venus smiled before her eyes closed.
Healer's body wracked with anguished sobs. Pained eyes met Haruka's cold ones. "Why?" She sobbed. "Why? Why? She...she didn't..." The eye contact broke as Healer buried her face into Venus' cooling chest and continued sobbing. Haruka left before the sobs became screams.
Michiru had not spoken to Haruka in some time. Haruka didn't understand why. Sure, she killed those weak humans and then Venus, then that alien, then the villagers in their current location. But it was alright. Wasn't it?
"Michi," Haruka cooed. "Talk to me...You haven't said a word since I got rid of the intruder."
Michiru's jaw tightened. "Come onnnn, Michi! You're the only one.." Haruka sighed and kicked the still body of a man with horrible taste in jackets. At least the drying blood made it look better. Haruka heard a crash. She turned around and saw some costumed freak. She was trembling and tears where streaming down her face.
"Looks like I missed one," Haruka chuckled. That snapped the girl out of her stupor. Rage contorted her features and her trembling increased tenfold."How could you do this!? They're all dead! You killed them!" she cried. With a dreadful scream that dazed Haruka, the girl attacked.
"I'll kill you...I'll kill you!"
She was extremely fast. Haruka, the fastest thing on Earth, could not keep up with her desperate attacks. Sharp nails that tore, teeth that bit, mouth that shrieked, hair that danced around them in a deadly dance. Haruka could not gain the upper hand. Haruka used a blast of wind to push her assailant back. The girl crumpled and started to cry. Michiru looked between the girl and her lover. Michiru approached the girl and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. The girl looked up at Michiru's comforting smile and dried her eyes. Haruka watched her Michi help the girl up.
"Michi?" Haruka whimpered. Michiru faced her lover.
"I've had enough," Michiru started. "Am I allowed to say what's right?" She paused, taking a hold of the girl's hand.
"I believe that," she resumed saying to Haruka. "I am with you. Our souls are two yet the same."
Haruka let out a hurt laugh. "Torn my heart, my love, like you wanted to." Haruka spat. "No-one can stop me, not even you." Michiru's shoulders slumped. She shook her head and sighed. She looked at the girl, who was looking at their linked hands in a broken daze and tightened her grip. Then it hit Haruka like several tons of bricks. Michiru was leaving, leaving her all alone. Haruka struggled to find the words she wanted to say. I love you.
"Can you stay with me?" Haruka whispered. Michiru looked at the crumpled form of her love.
"Can you stay with me?" she repeated again, weakness evident in her voice. Michiru looked at her with sad eyes again before turning away with the girl.
"Stay with me.." Haruka sobbed to the corpses as the only person she ever loved left her.