Authoress note: So, I know that on episode 106 from season S we only see part of Haruka's nightmare, but I was always intrigued about what Michiru had seen in hers. So I took the liberty to create something based on the painting we also see on that episode and that was done by Michiru. Hopefully, it will make sense to you guys as it did to me! Thank you for reading!

»«»«»«

Chapter 3 – Mesmerizing blue eyes

With her hands wrapped around the cup, Michiru tried to warm away the deep chill inside of her. Her mind swirled with thoughts she could no longer ignore.

"You should drink your tea before it gets cold, Kaioh-san."

Michiru looked up, momentarily startled. Elsa Gray sat on the other side of the table, watching her with a preoccupied frown. "Is something wrong? Lately you seem somewhat distant…" Elsa added, lowering her cup of tea.

Michiru managed a half-smile, but she knew it wasn't believable. "I am fine."

Elsa reached across the table to squeeze Michiru's hand briefly. "Kaioh-san, I know that you are a private person, but you can talk to me if you want to."

Michiru opened her mouth to speak, but then changed her mind. Could she really tell Elsa what she did not fully comprehend? If she had a hard time believing, what would Elsa think? "I have been feeling a bit tired, but that is all", Michiru said at last with a reassuring smile.

Elsa did not seem fully convinced but did not press the subject. "You have been working too hard. School, concerts… maybe it is all too much to bear."

"Perhaps…" Michiru replied distractedly, looking through the window on her left. And that was when she saw Haruka. Her heart skipped a beat. She glued her face to the glass to observe Haruka as she walked casually towards an orange convertible.

A month had passed since she had first seen Haruka at the race. There hadn't been a day during that month when she hadn't thought about the blonde girl. She had watched her a few times from afar and her notepads were filled with portraits of her. And although Michiru would never admit it out loud, she was beginning to feel like a stalker.

Haruka stopped before reaching the car. Almost as if she suspected she was being watched, she straightened and turned. Michiru gasped and bowed her head, allowing her green curls to hide the side of her face.

"She is getting inside the car", Elsa commented. "Now she is driving away", she added a few seconds later.

Finally, Michiru risked a glance at the window and saw the back of the orange car disappearing behind a corner. She let out a sigh.

"I could introduce you to her, you know?"

Michiru laughed nervously. "I- I don't think-thank you, but no", she stammered, refusing to meet Elsa's blue eyes. She didn't feel ready yet. It was as if she was waiting for something, only she didn't know what it was.

»«»«»«

Haruka's vision clouded and cleared, focused and unfocused. Her feet were leading her back to her car, but she was barely aware of it. Her mind had been assaulted by more images of destruction, and she was having trouble dismissing them. It all seemed so real…

If only she was able to shrug it off and act as if nothing had happened… But the illusion of destruction had cast a shadow upon her heart, and it only continued to grow stronger. When the wind blew harder, she could hear vague whispers, warnings of what was to come. She had been trying to ignore those warnings for almost a month.

Sighing, Haruka finally became aware of her surroundings. Her car was but a few feet away and she started walking more resolutely. And that was when she felt eyes burning on her back. Stopping, she turned to see who was watching her. A cascade of green hair hid the features of the girl, but Haruka knew who she was; she remembered her from the school.

She felt tempted to cross the road to go inside the coffee shop, to see how the girl would react, but she could see the vague outlines of another person sitting on her table. Maybe some other time… Shrugging, she finally reached her car and jumped inside.

As she drove by the coffee house, she slowed down to take a better look at the girl, but she was still hiding behind a curtain of hair.

»«»«»«

Michiru stared at the ceiling, blinking rapidly to force her eyes to stay open. She was scared to fall asleep. She didn't want to relive the nightmare again. She didn't want to hear the eerie voice saying she was a chosen warrior and that she had a mission.

She lay motionless for a while, but then her eyes began to close. Michiru shook her head stubbornly. Her eyes closed again. Michiru struggled to remain conscious, but it was as if an invisible force was pulling her deeper.

She opened her eyes and she knew she had plunged into the realm of dreams. She heaved a defeated sigh.

The sky was clear and the patch of ocean visible between two tall buildings was quiet. Michiru knew it wouldn't stay that way for long. Reluctantly, she started forward, waiting for the inevitable to happen.

The wind picked up as she was almost reaching the line of buildings. She shivered with fear but kept going. The sky darkened and a low rumble echoed in the distance. Her heart accelerated.

The rumble grew closer and at last Michiru stopped. Her eyes were brimming with tears as she looked up to see a gigantic wave approaching. Then, as she looked, the wave slowed gradually until it seemed to stop before colliding with the buildings. It hovered above the rooftops, impossibly still.

The dream was all too familiar now, but that did not mean she was less frightened by it. She dreaded what was coming, perhaps even more than the threat presented by the wave. She sucked in a shaky breath; the soft voice would soon speak to her mind.

»«»«»«

A distant grumble of thunder rolled overhead. Haruka did not need to open her eyes to know what was coming. She could sense the dark cloud rolling in, bringing with it devastation, chaos and suffering.

As the cloud drew nearer, Haruka felt the wind picking up; the howling was almost unbearable. Reluctantly, she opened her eyes. The tornado destroyed everything in its path; the buildings were shattered and tossed in the air as if they were nothing but sand castles.

The sinister funnel continued on its path of destruction until it came to a stop but a few meters from where Haruka stood. She stared in horror as it rotated slowly around itself, but did not disappear.

An eerie silence settled around Haruka; she could see the twister but she could not hear it. Again, this was something she had been expecting, but it still terrified her.

A green glow shone to her right; Haruka's eyes were immediately attracted to it, like a moth to luminosity. She shielded her eyes, like she always did, and waited for the voice to speak.

"Silence is approaching. We must find the Messiah quickly. The ones who can do that are you, and I."

The voice was gentle but pleading. Haruka did not want to listen to it, but it was so compelling… For a month, she had done everything in her power to ignore it, but this time she found herself replying: "Who are you? Show yourself!"

"As you wish…"

Haruka watched in awe as the light grew fainter, slowly revealing the contours of a delicate figure. Eyes as deep as the ocean locked with hers, making her heart beat faster with the intensity with which they bore into them.

"You have to remember who you are…"

Haruka shook her head.

"We have to find each other."

Again, Haruka shook her head. She wanted to speak, but she was mesmerized by those bottomless blue eyes.

"We have to look for the Talismans; they will help us find the Messiah."

"Why? Why should I do that?" Haruka finally asked, her tone edging towards challenging, in spite of her fear.

"Because we are the only ones who can do it, Haruka. We were chosen-"

"No", she choked, her voice coming out strangled. "This is just a dream. I refuse to believe any of it! I'm going to close my eyes now and when I open them, I will be back in my room!"

"The end of the world is near, Haruka. We can stop it, together!"

Haruka woke up with a sharp intake of air. The voice still echoed inside her mind but she shook her head to clear it. She flung herself out of bed and went to the bathroom to wash her face with cold water. She couldn't fall back asleep. Whatever she did, she couldn't go back to the dream.

She straightened and her terrified reflection greeted her from the mirror; her hair was matted with sweat and her eyes were wary. She turned her back on the mirror but stood with her back against the cabinet for support.

Slowly, her breath returned to normal. She did not want to think about the dream, but it was impossible not to. Again, it had changed, and this time she had seen more than before. The owner of the mysterious voice had finally been revealed. A pale face framed by green hair… mesmerizing blue eyes that seemed to have no bottom… Haruka had seen her before. And just now she wished she would never see her again.

To be continued...