A/N: This chapter came to me pretty easily, and for that I was grateful. To be completely honest, I'm making up this story as I go along with it, so I don't have anything planned… at all. Which means that some things might be unexpected, or not, depending how you look at it. Also, gxFANGIRL XD commented on something I'd like to expand on, her exact wording was: "Couples; HarukaxMichiru, MakotoxAmi, ReixMinako, UsagixMamoru, ect."
Well last time I checked... Only HARUKA ND MICHIRU are mentioned so far... (We can keep it like that, I certainly don't mind...) Hehe well that must mean the story gonna be long O_O!"
At first I was gonna have this as a short story with only about 10 or 12 chapters or so, but with that reminder, I've decided to expand the story even more. The other characters will be introduced eventually, but for now, just keep an eye on Haruka and Michiru. C;
Also, guys! I was soooo very happy with the insane amount of comments, alerts, and favorites I got from the last chapter! I honestly didn't think it was going to be nearly as popular as it was! I'm so glad all of you are enjoying the story, and a lot of thanks for all the praise. You have no idea how happy you all made me, and now my motivation to finish this story is even greater then ever!
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"You seem starved today," Haruka pretended not to hear the words as she took another large bite of the honeyroll in her hand, savoring the sweet flavor as it hit her tongue. Chewing for a few seconds, she swallowed the piece, licking her fingers to rid them of honey. She proceeded to reach for another one, before realizing she had ran out of them. Hearing the 'clack' of another plate being set on the table, her teal-gray gaze flickered to the plate next to her's. She responded while eyeing the piece of honey-coated bread on the other plate.
"And to what may I owe this visit, Princess?" Haruka said politely, a soft sigh sounding from the person next to her. Dainty hands moved the honeyroll to Haruka's plate, placing it there while Haruka nodded in satisfaction. She took it gratefully with a polite bow of her her, taking a huge bite of it, manners apparently forgotten. So much for a appearances. Then again, with the small laugh that came from the girl next to her, appearances didn't seem to matter much.
"No need to be so formal Haruka; nobody is around." The aqua haired female responded quietly, her hands on her lap as her eyes danced about the room, confirming what was said.
The blond noticed the lack of food on her companion's plate; either Michiru wasn't hungry or the food was for Haruka. Fingers itching to take another roll from the plate, she decided on the latter, grasping it and stuffing it in her mouth. A few moments of silence only filled with Haruka's chewing, and the blond finally finished up.
"Says the one who insists on 'formal speaking' in public." The "formal speaking" part of Haruka's retort was supplied with air quotes formed with her fingers, which Haruka promptly lowered and licked clean. Again. In all honestly, she had already lost count of how many of those rolls she had eaten.
"Is something wrong, Haruka?" Michiru said sincerely, raising an eyebrow at the blond while a slight frowned tugged at her lips.
"Wrong?" Haruka repeated softly, staring at Michiru's plate, which was now in the same state as her's. Devoid of everything, except a faint layer of honey that lingered on it. "Nothing's wrong. I just came back from training."
"What a liar you are…" Michiru murmured, looking at Haruka who was only sending a knowing smile at her, one that was charming despite the fact that she was lying and Michiru knew it. Her smile was weak though, and Michiru could tell, a worried, "Haruka…" coming from under her breath. Although the two had only been together for a month, the aquanette had grown to care for the tomboy a great deal.
"Training? I thought my brothers used it at this time of the day." Michiru decided to let Haruka slide for now, already catching on that she was in a bad mood.
"Woke up real early," Haruka spoke while stretching out her sore muscles. She saw Michiru staring at the empty plates with slight amusement. "Hey, I was hungry." Haruka defended before Michiru had a chance to comment… which the girl did anyways.
"You ate 3 of those easily when I got in here. From your plate, I wouldn't be surprised if you ate more." Seeing Haruka crack a smile made Michiru relax slightly, already being used to seeing that then anything else.
"Yep. Thanks for the extras too, by the way."
"They were for you anyways." Michiru shrugged. She never really ate sweets like those; pastries weren't really her thing. Only rarely did she ever indulge in it. "You were going at them like a ravenous dog." Michiru made a face, thinking it well worth it when Haruka laughed lightly.
"I know they were." A pause and Haruka's smile turned into a characteristic smirk. "Afraid you'll get fat and ruin your figure or something?"
Michiru fought the urge to roll her eyes, instead just crossing her arms and shaking her head in a disapproving gesture. "Oh haha, Haruka. Very funny." She said sarcastically, even though she was glad that Haruka's demeanor seemed to stabilize again.
"Aw, but Michi, I've got to wonder…" Haruka started to say, leaning back in her seat, the chair creaking back slightly. "With no training whatsoever, how do you keep such a nice figure?" Haruka smirked slightly at the female, letting her eyes roam over Michiru's body, eyes glinting playfully. She chuckled when Michiru's hand went to gently smack the back of her head.
"Haruka, you're a devil, you do know that right?" Michiru scolded while she watched Haruka shake her head, the blond still smirking mischievously.
"Been told so before, beautiful." The response came equipped with a devilish grin as Haruka waggled her eyebrows at Michiru. Amusement flashed in her eyes as the artist let out a huff, turning her head away.
"Do you even know how to fight?" Haruka paused after she said this, clicking her tongue and turning her head to the window. "Never mind. Judging by the fact you couldn't even hold my sword a few weeks ago, I doubt you can fight."
Michiru frowned at the other. "Haruka…" She started to say, but was cut off by the Uranian.
"Why don't they train you? In Uranus it's a custom for royalty…" Haruka questioned, one blond eyebrow raised as she stared at Michiru. "It's not like guards are going to be with you always, at every time of the day…" Michiru leaned back in her chair at the information, closing her eyes as she thought of how to respond.
"Plus, it's not like those pansy guards can do much. I can take them down with my eyes closed. Or better yet, with an arm strapped behind my back." Michiru opened her eyes to remark on that, surprised when instead of meeting a smug look on Haruka's face, she saw the features hardened into a serious expression.
"Even if I wanted to learn how to fight Haruka, I doubt they'd let me." Michiru replied softly, Haruka's eyes locking onto her. The blond's lips were stuck in a frown now. "Why are you bothered by it anyways?"
"You could get hurt." Haruka tapped her fingers against the table. "And like I said, sometimes you might not have any guards to protect you. If they could even…"
"You're worried about me?" Michiru asked while putting her hand on the masculine female's shoulder, feeling the muscles tense up underneath the fabric. Haruka let out a sigh, a little laugh, before turning her head to look straight at Michiru.
"Well, yeah. You're my friend, right? And you seem pretty delicate, so…" Haruka held back another laugh when she felt Michiru push her gently at the last statement. She let her muscles relax slightly, feeling Michiru's hand slide down her arm to rest on her hand. "I wouldn't want anything to happen to you…" Haruka admitted, fingers still thrumming against the table. Michiru's hand stilled them and her fingers slid in between Haruka's.
"Haruka, I appreciate you being worried about me, but like I said before… even if I wanted to learn I wouldn't be able to."
"I can teach you," Haruka responded quickly, watching as Michiru's face showed surprise. The words sunk in after a while, and Haruka paused herself, before her lips turned up into a small smile. "Really, I can. If you don't mind."
Michiru stared at her as if she were crazy for a few moments, wondering if the girl was being serious about the offer. By the way Haruka was staring at her, calculating her, Michiru was guessing that the blond was being earnest about what was said. She felt Haruka turn her hand around, grasping her's tighter in an attempt to gain a reaction.
"… you would actually train me, Haruka? You can't be serious." Michiru finally managed to reply. Haruka frowned slightly, leaning away from the female and releasing her hand.
"Why can't I be serious? I'm being completely honest, Michiru." Haruka's eyes narrowed and she crossed her arms, her head turning to check if anyone was around at the moment. No one was seen. "I'd love to train you." Haruka finished, turning back to look at Michiru, whom still looked at her with an incredulous expression.
Michiru contemplated this. Slowly, she removed her hand from the table, resting them on her lap and curling them in the fabric of her clothing. She wondered why exactly Haruka was pushing for this. It must have something to do with whatever was bothering her friend, she concluded.
"… and if I agreed to it?" Haruka was suddenly at complete attention now, her entire gaze on Michiru.
"Are you agreeing to it now, or is that just me?" Michiru had to smile at the slightly timid tone the blond's voice took on and she leaned forward, her hand moving from her lap to gently grab Haruka's.
"If it soothes your worries about me, then yes, Haruka, I'll allow you to train me." She said honestly, watching as Haruka's features switched from surprise to a smile. "Thanks, Michi." Haruka started to say, grabbing both of her hands and standing up with her. Michiru huffed in surprise as she was pulled up easily by the taller woman.
"Don't worry, I'll go easy on you, okay?" Haruka winked at her, Michiru catching onto the hidden innuendo. She responded by whacking Haruka on the arm, which was followed by a laugh.
Michiru couldn't help but smile happily at her friend. All earlier signs of her distress were gone, and Michiru couldn't help but feel like it was because of her. Her hands gripped at Haruka's harder, and she let a happy sigh leave her.
"Princess!" The call made the two of them break apart quickly, Haruka swiftly sliding back into her chair. She let her gaze linger on the plate in front of her, pretending to ignore the Neptunian princess next to her.
"What is it..?" Michiru's voice was cool and smooth, relaying none of what had happened before this servant had walked into the room. However, the servant, at seeing the two of them together had a less then understanding face.
"Uh…" The young boy seemed at a loss for words at seeing the two together. The sound of his princess soon brought him back to attention, though.
"The… the Prince called for you. He is currently in the garden…" His words were rushed. As Michiru walked past him, mumbling something about him escorting her there, the servant bowed his head quickly and nodded multiple times. He stumbled off with the stoic Princess in tow.
Haruka stared at the doors to the dining room close. "… poor kid." If Michiru looked like she did then all the time, Haruka probably would have been insanely nervous as well.
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"Good morning, Princess!" A gruff response came from Haruka as she walked down the elaborate corridors. Michiru had been sent down to the garden to have a chat with her stuck-up brother, meaning that Haruka herself would have to find other ways to pass the time. Not that she didn't do that often, but today she felt like she needed Michiru by her side. Why, exactly? Judging by the fact that just having the girl near kept her from thinking about what she had heard about earlier. Earlier…
"How are things on Uranus, General Oberon?" Haruka said, watching the form of her friend and comrade shift on the screen at the question.
"Well, sir…" Oberon began to say, hesitance clear in the tone of his voice. Seeming like he caught himself, he quickly hardened up, his voice taking on a structured tone. "The rebels attacked us again."
Haruka straightened. "Our forces held them back, I assume?" Seeing a nod in response from Oberon, Haruka felt slight relief. Only slight, because something in the bottom of her stomach was bubbling up unpleasantly, and Haruka guessed it had to do with this subject.
"Of course." Oberon affirmed. "However…" The pause in her friend's words made Haruka anxious to hear further news. Her lips quirked down in a scowl.
"However?" She prodded on, prompting him to continue his words. By her tone she wasn't going to play around with the idea. This was her army, her planet, and she needed to know what was happening.
"Sir, the rebels have gotten stronger." Haruka raised an eyebrow at the information. Stronger? The last time Haruka had been on the planet, they had been nothing but a mere distraction. A distraction that needed to be dealt with, and would have been done so easily.
If Haruka had been able to stay and take care of it.
She cursed herself for thinking of that. Now that she was on Neptune, that was something she shouldn't be thinking. Plus, she was happy with Michiru right now, wasn't she? Her priorities were seriously jumbled up.
"Stronger? General, they don't even have a proper army in place. They're barely coordinated." Haruka responded, hints of question in her tone. She watched as Oberon took in a breath, releasing it as a sigh.
"It's almost inhuman." Oberon said, looking hesitant about doing something. He then lifted up his arm, which despite the heavy bandages covering the appendage, looked as if it had been mangled horribly. "They have gotten stronger, Haruka, no matter how you look at it. They're faster. They're getting bigger… And sometimes…"
Haruka's gaze stayed trained on Oberon's wounded arm, teal eyes narrowed as she watched the general begin to remove the bandages from the wound. Her narrowed eyes widened considerably at the blackened and ripped skin, and her breath came out in a surprised huff.
"Sometimes I swear that the look in their eyes isn't human anymore." Oberon let his eyes wander to his broken arm.
Haruka slammed the door to her room open, uncaring of the fact that a few stray workers near the halls had jumped up in surprise. She felt their eyes on her, but at the moment she couldn't find a single reason why she cared. Closing the door behind her, she leaned against it, closing her eyes and cursing quietly.
She remembered just how Michiru's voice had sounded earlier. That worried whisper of, "Haruka," that had left the beauty's lips. What had Haruka been able to do other then send her a false smile? Tell her about the conversation she had with her comrade? Tell her about how much she didn't want to be here, how much she wanted to be back on her planet, assisting with what was going on?
Even if she wanted to, and even if she did, it wouldn't sound true to even herself. A part of her wanted to stay here. Not on the planet itself, but with a certain Princess. That would become problematic. Oberon had told her to stay put and that he would take care of it, but would he? If situations got worse, she'd have to leave, and then…
A sick feeling bubbled up in her stomach again, and she gritted her teeth, walking to the bed and sitting down on it. She ran her hand up and down her arm nervously as she thought back to the conversation she had with Michiru earlier before.
Haruka was going to have to train Michiru. Her mind seemed to insist the idea, and ever since the earlier conversation, Haruka's insistence on the subject was a whole lot stronger. Just seeing Oberon hurt… Haruka flinched at the thought that it could happen to Michiru. But what was she even worrying about? It wasn't as if a war was raging over here. The concept was completely different.
The blond let out a huff, letting the rest of her body fall on the bed.
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"It's okay. I'll be fine from here on." Michiru muttered to the young boy after she had stepped out of the palace and into the garden. The servant looked at her for a moment, before stuttering his goodbyes and bowing, heading out the door. She looked around the garden for a moment, expecting to catch the sight of the Prince who had wanted to see her. She saw no one and instead she took a few more steps forward into the garden.
"A pleasure to see you, Michiru." The deep voice came from Michiru's side, a rustle following the words. The Prince's form appeared from the moved bushes, him wearing a slight smirk as he treaded towards Michiru. "For a moment I was afraid you wouldn't come." A low chuckle followed the statement.
"Oh?" Michiru breathed without turning to even look at the male. She brushed her fingers over a the petal of a rose, sensing the other walk closer to her. Soon enough she could practically feel the heat radiating off of him, and when she tilted her head to the side, catching a glimpse, she nearly bumped into him. "Why is that?"
"Honestly …" He started with an amused tone, examining how she turned to look up at him. Her gaze was bored and uninterested, and a frown nearly tugged at his lips. Nearly. "It seems like you have been avoiding me ever since the day I've gotten here."
Michiru walked forward and away from him, not liking his closeness at all. He followed behind her as she walked deeper into the garden. "Avoiding? I'm afraid you have that all wrong. I've simply been busy…"
"Ah, I see…" The Prince blew out air from his nose, stopping when the girl in front of him paused in her steps. She gestured to the nearby marble bench next to them, taking a seat and waiting for him to sit down as well. He offered her a kind smile, hoping to get at least some reaction out of her. Something other then that utterly bored look on her face.
"It's a little disheartening that I've already been here a month, yet haven't gotten to spend any time with you yet." He took a seat next to her.
Michiru studied him from the corner of her eyes. Behind that smile was still the beginnings of a cocky attitude, and other then that, he was handsome. Too handsome, in fact. His hair was just long enough that the ends tickled his shoulders, slightly wavy and blond. Green eyes that shined with confidence and were relatively clear, unlike the murky teal she had grown used to seeing on Haruka. He was well built, shoulders broad and his muscles defined enough from what she guessed was training. Haruka did mention that royalty in Uranus was always trained.
"Is it? I apologize then," Michiru responded, the apology not heartfelt, though she doubted he'd be able to tell. This male didn't seem like one to dig deep into things; whatever mask she could put on he'd probably buy in an instant.
The Prince rubbed his pale hands together, leaning forward so that his elbows rested on his lap. He stared at the exotic shrubs in front of him. "You can call me Titan, if you want." His statement was random and Michiru raised an eyebrow.
"Of course… Titan." The way the name rolled off of her tongue was exceptionally smooth, and for some reason, she didn't like it too much.
"Since I've been calling you by your name already." Titan clarified. Michiru felt the temptation to roll her eyes. That was something she had noticed the first time. Personally, she didn't like it, but she wasn't about to let herself say something like that.
"So, Michiru…" Titan leaned back again, staring up into the sky as a few moments passed by. Michiru let the silence be; it wasn't as if she wanted to break it anyways.
"Do you mind if I asked you something?" He asked, already having the intention of asking anyways.
"What is the question, exactly?" Michiru countered.
Titan let a chuckle bubble forth from his lips and he stared at Michiru again. "If your so busy, why do you have time to visit my sister so much?"
And then Michiru froze. Easily, she held back the surprised look that wanted to mar her features, but she did no such thing. She kept the cool look on her face as she stared back at Titan's gaze, furrowing her eyebrows in false confusion.
"What do you mean?"
Titan licked his lips as he ran a hand through his hair, concentrating his green eyes on Michiru. A knowing smirk appeared on his lips and he stood up again. "Michiru, you have nothing to hide from me. I've seen you multiple times with my dear sister." He stressed that one word in his sentence, turning away from Michiru to examine a plant, teeth gritted slightly.
"That might be the case…" Michiru responded calmly, making no effort to stand up. "But even so, I don't see a problem with it. Is there?" Titan stayed silent at the question.
"… none." He finally ended up replying, though not without sounding agitated at the turn of the conversation. A part of him knew how ridiculous he sounded, wanting to make assumptions about things he didn't know yet. He was completely ticked off at the thought that his sister was spending more time with the Princess then he was. He was her fiancé, not her. So why was Haruka closer to the girl.
His fingers gripped at the leave tighter until it crunched in half, and he let it drop. "I apologize." He muttered dejectedly, relaxing himself and turning back just in time to see Michiru standing up.
"If you don't mind, I'll be taking my leave now." Titan held himself back before he bit his lip roughly again, narrowing his eyes slightly before bobbing his head slightly in a nod. Michiru walked past him, intent of leaving even if he requested her to stay. He watched her retreating back, before dropping the broken leaf on the ground and crunching it with his foot in irritation.
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A/N: This chapter is a tad bit longer then all the rest. I finally finished it though! oAo If I can be honest, I've been slacking off a hell of a lot lately. And at the beginning of this chapter I was like, "Aw, yeah, I got this!" but then I dwindled down and… you know the interweb with it's distractions. xD I've also been into Puella Magi Madoka Magica a lot, as the main couples are adorable. oAo I'm not one for advertising or anything, but if you want a magical girl anime that's gonna shock you, watch that one. You won't regret it!
Okay, enough advertising, lawl.
This chapter is pushing towards the development of everything else that's gonna set this thing into spin. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, I'm glad I finally got it released! xD