Song of the Shadows: chapter 3
Disclaimer: I do not own OHSHC/Sailor Moon
"Five more rounds, Takako-san."
"M-mi-michiru-san, can't we just-" Takako panted heavily, pressing against her knees.
She had been training ever since they got back from the host club, and for her impulsiveness, she had to be punished. By running thirty-five rounds around their apartment complex. Which was big. Very big. Too big.
"You should have been more patient. And more focused," Haruka added, throwing a lemon into their air and then catching it.
"Haruka-san! Why-!" Takako shook her head, but she only got more dizzy.
"Remember our mission, Takako-san. Besides, you still need to train."
Takako gave up, and continued running. This time, the winds were stirring and the sound of it was not soothing at all. It sounded hollow. Takako looked around her as she slowed to a jog. She grimaced. Everything looked so dull-
And then she heard it- the first signs of thunder. Great. Now she would have to be running in the rain. Takako gulped, and hurried with her running. All the sounds of life were now noiseless. So stiflingly silent. As though something was placing its big, grubby paws all over it, squeezing and choking until nothing was left.
"Shadow…" Takako muttered again.
Before she knew it, the storm had arrived.
It was not- it was not normal, no.
There was something else. The cries of a-
"Demon! Help!"
Takako stopped in her tracks and glanced around her. People were swarming out of the ramen stall, screaming and hollering. Was the monster finally attacking? Takako felt the cold metal rub against her neck, and she gulped. Haruka- Michiru- she needed to tell them! Another piercing yell-
"IT'S GOT HER! HELP!"
She couldn't wait- hopefully Haruka and Michiru weren't too concentrated with each other to notice this. Running to hide behind a pillar, Takako immediately transformed, sweaty fingers gripping tightly on her transformation necklace.
"Song infinity, make up!"
In her place was Sailor Song, magical and very, very un-sweaty, thank you very much. She sprinted to the stall, ignoring the protests from her legs. She wasn't going running for a very, very long time.
What greeted her was the sight of overturned tables and chairs and ramen spilling everywhere. She grimaced at the slimy noodles in front of her, and shrugged. Well, there was a life to save, so she had better do it. A weird caterpillar-shark thing had conveniently captured a girl. Who had just fainted. Okay. Lovely.
At least she wasn't flailing about.
"Stop it right there!"
"Mooochaaaa?" The monster cooed.
"You can't just attack a ramen stall and sound like you're a cow going to Starbucks!"
"Who are you!"
"Oh, so you can speak. The name's Sailor Song!"
"Sailor… Song…? Take this! Moooochaaaaa!" The monster shot out a stream of coffee.
Sailor Song successfully dodged it! Ten points! "Coffee? Wow, that's- how dare you abuse coffee!"
"Mooooochaaaaa!" It seemed as though the monster was not interested in small talk, but instead shot out another stream of coffee.
Sailor Song almost managed to dodge it- but her leg was now burning. "Well, if you're not one for chatting, then- Silent Tempo!"
The monster would never know what hit him- a high-frequency wave swept him off his feet, literally. His last cry was the name of his favourite caffeinated beverage, and then he died.
"Good job, Sailor Song." Sailor Song spun around to see Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune leaning nonchalantly against the stall door.
"Jeez, I thought you guys- I'm never going running again!" Sailor Song grumbled as she stomped out of the ramen stall.
"Scalded by coffee, huh?" Sailor Uranus muttered.
"It feels like acid. But let's go home."
0*0*0*0
"That… that was surprisingly easy." Takako murmured, before wincing as Michiru dabbed another ointment-soaked cotton wool on her wound.
"Trust me, it gets harder. Like level-upping in a game."
"Trust you to say that." Takako murmured, lazily stroking her pendant.
"The seas are getting restless," Michiru muttered, throwing away the last of the cotton wool.
"I couldn't really hear anything else. The winds- they were stifled. Everything so… silent," Takako added, shifting her leg off the table.
"Yes… I believe there's something wrong with this place. Ouran Academy especially…"
"The host club, ne, Haruka-san?" Takako teased.
"Yeah…" Haruka muttered disinterestedly, then- "What are you suggesting!"
"Haruka-san hates popular men, ne?"
"S-shut up!"
Michiru giggled and moved to the kitchen. Takako grinned and let herself sink into the couch. It was one of those rare few moments where she didn't have to be so tensed up about this 'new threat' that Haruka and Michiru were often talking about. She was the latest addition to their team, and it had irked Haruka to no end when they realised that she could be of some use, and was not a threat.
"Takako-san, we really have to be more careful around Ouran Academy. I don't feel so good about those rich kids."
"Especially the host club, huh?"
"Not only them. There's just- the money and power. It's much more evil than all the demons that we encounter."
"I…I see." Takako nodded, fists resting on her lap.
I really don't! But what you said sounds so cool so I'll take it as it is!
"Do you, really?" Haruka teased, brushing her fringe aside as she settled down beside Takako.
"Kinda. But it'll be alright, won't it?"
"Hmm?" Haruka looked so peaceful as she shut her eyes and sank into the couch.
"We, sailor soldiers, always seem to have an affinity with monsters, and they always seem to come looking for us, so…"
"Idiot." a smack on the head. "We still have to investigate."
"Fine."
The sound of Michiru humming travelled into the living room, and Takako found herself getting drowsier. A word slipped out in her sleepiness, but it was caught by Haruka-
"Shadow…"
Haruka sat up stiffly and glanced at the sleeping girl, before pressing a hand to her own throbbing forehead. Shadow, shadow, shadow- the name sounded evil enough, so why would Takako be looking for Shadow? Wasn't shadow dark and evil? Unless Takako was also-
"She's lonely, isn't she, Ruka?" Michiru had emerged from the kitchen, and was drying her hands on a piece of cloth.
Haruka nodded absentmindedly and rose from the couch, reaching Michiru in a few steps. Holding Michiru was strangely comforting, and Haruka chose to indulge in that action. Feeling warmth and the scent of the sea in Michiru's wavy, soft hair-
"She's very lonely. Sometimes I wish that we didn't bring her along, you know?"
"It would have been dangerous if we didn't, Michi."
"But it must hurt to be alone, and the third wheel when she sees us together…" Michiru mused, drawing light circles on Haruka's arm. "I wonder about this 'Shadow' that she speaks of. Maybe it's like us- Neptune calling for Uranus, Song calling for Shadow…"
Haruka did not say anything, but tilted Michiru's chin up, kissing her. Michiru sighed against Haruka's lips, before pulling away.
"Not now, Haruka."
Haruka stood, arms hanging limply by her sides. Upon seeing her dejected look, Michiru giggled. Michiru went to get a blanket, and then tucked Takako in. The blonde felt a sense of home- as though Takako was their child, and they were free from fighting. Free-
But the wind was banging against the windows, and it hurt too much. As though it was caged up, stifled. Something was rousing the wind. Poking fun at it.
"Let's go take a bath, ne? It would be rather rude if you woke her up. You're so sensitive, you know, Ruka?" The nickname rolled off her tongue easily.
There was Michiru teasing, all over again. Michiru, Michiru, Michiru. Haruka tugged at Michiru's arm, pulling her close again.
It felt like home.