LOST WITH YOU
by brada_m
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. I really don't.
Rating: M for language, violence and... to be on the safe side anyway.
Setting: AU
CHAPTER 4
- YOU CAN TRUST ME -
* * * * * * * *
Tokyo airport, 9.26 AM.
It wasn't raining that day. But it should have been. There should have been rain washing the streets, dousing cars, staining that window. There should have been rain pouring on the city to match the tears on her cheeks, rolling down her neck and soaking the collar of her shirt. It always rains in the movies when the heroine is sad. She can cry and her tears mix up with raindrops and no one will care.
'But it's not a movie.' She thought, chuckling. 'If this was a movie, then he'll arrive and we'll end up kissing in the rain with background music.' The tall brunette laughed bitterly at her own ridiculous thoughts.
People who passed glanced suspiciously at the lone tall girl crying and laughing at the same time, quickening their pace.
'There's nothing to laugh at. You've let someone fool you again. He won't come... it was foolish enough to think he would have in the first place.' Her inner voice was harsh as usual, but she needed it, she needed to be reminded that you can't trust people, no matter how much you want to.
Nevertheless, she couldn't help feeling that way, she had to wait until the end, and she couldn't give up hope.
'If I stay till the end, then it won't be my fault...' She whispered to herself. Looking up, she could see her image reflected on the wide window, her cheeks streaked with tears, her wet green eyes scanning everyone walking through the entrance.
* * * * * * * *
An island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, present.
"There's something there!" Umino whispered, standing very cautiously. He put on his thick glasses and looked towards the general direction of the noise that had woken him. He saw bushes shaking, but couldn't tell what was causing it in the dim light of impending dawn, and he wasn't too eager to go and check either. The tale of the journey to the cockpit had been enough to scare everyone into not going near the woods if not necessary.
Fortunately, Umino hadn't been the only one woken by the noise. Seiya and Darien had joined him silently. The three remained still and waited, and soon the bushes near the airframe shook again.
"What do we do?" Seiya whispered to Darien.
The short haired man didn't answer, his eyes fixed on the bushes. Seiya couldn't tell if he was thinking or petrified by terror. Then, Darien turned and glanced at his girlfriend's sleeping form, obviously unsure on what to do.
GRUNT GRUNT
A cold sweat ran down the three men's backs and they were really petrified.
"They're probably more scared of you, than you're scared of them."
The three men literally jumped at the voice, even though Darien couldn't understand what had been said, his Japanese being still weak.
The short, bald man approached them from behind and grinned. He was walking out the forest fixing his clothes. They looked at him, still shocked, while he returned their stare in amusement. His mocking expression was starting to annoy Seiya.
"It's not what you think it is, but I suggest not to go anywhere near them. The mother could get a little touchy..." He said, chuckling and walked off, leaving the three younger men even more confused.
GRUNT GRUNT GRUNT
Then something brownish came out of the woods and scampered to the wrecked airframe. The three men yelped in surprise, scattering until they realized it was some sort of furry…pig?
"Wild hogs." Umino stated as they counted five, one was big, – probably the mother – and four were little cubs with striped backs and no tusks.
"How cute!!" Serena's high-pitched, but still sleepy voice came from behind them, making them turn in surprise.
"Surely you weren't scared by a bunch of little puppies, were you?" Mina said with a suggestive tone that made the three men blush in embarrassment and she and Serena burst out in laughter.
* * * * * * * *
The first rays of the morning sun filtered between the palm leaves and found Haruka standing, she hadn't get any sleep last night, after Tomoe died. Now, she was watching Hotaru sleeping peacefully – at last – nestled against an also sleeping Michiru. The view was very sweet, but there was no smile on Haruka's face. Her brows were furrowed in a deep frown, her lips a thin line and her eyes red rimmed and anguished.
"It's hard." It could have been the wind itself to say that, maybe it was just a voice in her head, her tired mind playing tricks, but when the voice spoke again, she couldn't deny its existence.
"It's hard when you have to stick around and make decisions, isn't it?" Setsuna said and Haruka started at her words, "Sometimes, it's necessary." She stated with a little understanding in her voice.
Haruka was too tired to dwell on the fact that that woman always knew what was in her mind. She was too tired to try and answer, so she remained silent hoping the green-haired woman take the hint and leave her alone.
No such luck, though, "He would have died anyway." Setsuna said it so naturally and convincingly, that Haruka actually believed it for a moment. "One life versus many…it's always hard, but in the end the answer is simple as much as painful." Haruka clenched her fists; it wasn't her place to choose about other's lives, she didn't want the authority. She was responsible for herself and herself only. She risked her life on a regular basis, but that was her own decision. She never asked anyone to choose for her, why would it be different for others?
"Deal with it; it might not be the last time you have to do that." She said, dismissing the subject and Haruka's distress rather coldly, so differently from just a minute ago.
Haruka's eyes widened with surprise and anger as she turned to glare challengingly at the older woman. The tanned face remained unreadable and, unexpectedly, the blonde was forced to give up and lower her eyes. Now she was even angrier than before.. She walked away to cool off before doing anything stupid.
Garnet eyes followed her, crossed by a flash of preoccupation, then settled down to the letter. It was addressed to Prof. Tomoe Souichi and had the receipt for two seats on flight Oceanic 5186 inside.
"Something's wrong." She murmured, folding the letter and putting it away as Michiru begun to stir at her feet.
* * * * * * * *
An hour later, the bright sunlight had managed to wake everyone up and the camp begun its day.
When a more relaxed Haruka entered the tent to pick something for Hotaru to eat, she ran into Ami. The girl stood in the middle of the tent, her eyes fixated on the now empty pallet. She seemed not have noticed Haruka's presence, and the blonde moved cautiously so as not to disturb her.
"Haruka-san, how's Hotaru-chan?" The question came unexpectedly, stopping the race car driver in her tracks.
"She's still upset, but I think she'll be okay. I was about to bring her…something to…eat..." She paused, looking down into the thermal-box, her heart stopping.
"Yeah, there's not much left, is there? The water too." Ami said, discouraged.
"We'll try to find some food, maybe fruits?" Haruka offered to reassure her.
Ami seemed to accept the idea, but then looked at her for the first time, her blue eyes sad and resigned.
"You didn't say they'll come." She said, her voice almost expressionless, "To reassure me, you didn't say not to worry, that we will be rescued in no time, now." Haruka was at a loss for words. She was pretty sure Furuhata hadn't said anything, nor had she, "It's up to us and us only, isn't it? No one's gonna come for us." Ami asked and Haruka knew the younger woman didn't know, she had simply lost hope.
"We'll find something to eat." Haruka repeated, ignoring the painful question, and left.
On her way to Hotaru, she unexpectedly ran into Michiru.
"Hey." The violinist greeted her with a wave and a joyless smile, remembering the sad night they had shared. She then noticed the package in Haruka's hand. "What will Hotaru be having for breakfast, today?" She asked, grabbing Haruka's arm and lifting it to take a look. "Mm, eggplant sandwich. Yummy!" Michiru tried to lighten Haruka's obviously bad mood by teasing her.
"It was either eggplants or spinach." She replied, knowing neither was very appealing for a child. "I'll have to lodge a complaint to the 'Thermal Box Supermarket'. They don't seem to be well supplied." She added caustically.
"We're running out of food, aren't we?" The aqua-haired woman asked, her tone now serious.
"Noooo, it's just that I think kids love eggplants." The bitter sarcasm hit Michiru hard, causing her to fall silent.
"Sorry." Haruka apologized, "Too much stress for what was supposed to be a two-day trip to New York." She smiled, seeking forgiveness.
Michiru smiled back, understanding, "Yeah, and maybe too little sleep." She added, noticing the dark circles under Haruka's eyes.
"Here's your breakfast, Hime-chan." She said as they reached Setsuna and Hotaru, "I know, it's purple and apparently nothing edible, but trust me, it's not that bad." Haruka's precautionary speech was either very convincing or plainly unnecessary, because the little girl grabbed the sandwich in silence and took a bite diligently.
After a moment, still chomping on her sandwich, Hotaru blushed in embarrassment and muttered a thank you.
"You're welcome, Hime-chan." Haruka tousled the girl's black hair.
They sat in silence until Hotaru had finished, then Haruka handed her a small bottle of water.
"Don't drink it all, it has to last until tomorrow." Those words came at Michiru like stones. They could survive with little food, but they needed water.
Hotaru obediently took a couple of sips and handed the bottle back to Haruka. As the blonde took it back, a soft sob broke the silence. Hotaru's little shoulders shook with her sobs and she looked up at Haruka, her cheeks damp and large tears rolling down into her shirt. Her eyes were filled with such despair that Haruka was paralyzed.
It was too much for her. Emotions always made her uncomfortable; she didn't know how to deal with it. She never knew what to say or how to say it. With Hotaru, she had simply tried to be there, though it seemed she might have failed at that too. Now, it clearly wasn't enough. Those eyes were demanding something she couldn't give. Something she felt she had helped in taking away.
"I miss him." She said in a trembling voice, "I want my papa."
At those words, Michiru instinctively glanced at Haruka, the blonde's expression painful to look at. Her teal eyes were wide, as if she was terrified by the little girl, her whole body leaning backwards and tense. Michiru knew how Haruka felt about Hotaru's father's death: responsible as she had been the one to get him sick, and that wasn't fair, because she had risked her own life to get him out of the plane.
Michiru acted on instinct and took Hotaru in her arms and, as soon as she embraced her, the little girl broke down and cried desperately, holding the violinist tightly and shaking her head.
The violinist searched for Haruka's eyes, wanting to reassure her as well. If it had been the case, she would have held the blonde as she was holding the little girl.
Setsuna joined Michiru, whispering soothing words and caressing Hotaru's head. She, too, looked toward Haruka, trying to tear her from her dazed state, but it was Michiru's look that finally came through to her and made her move over to them.
As Hotaru felt another arm – a strong one - embrace her, she turned and buried her face into Haruka's chest and the other two women let her cradle the child until she had calmed down.
"I don't want to be alone..." The little girl murmured.
The blonde hugged her tightly, ignoring the throbbing pain in her shoulder, "You're not alone, Hime-chan."
"You have us. We'll be with you, don't ever doubt that." Michiru added, searching Haruka's eyes for a sign they were making that commitment together and she smiled when she saw acceptance in them.
Behind them Setsuna smiled gently, 'At least some things never change.' She thought.
* * * * * * * *
"Hey, you can't do that!" Yelling came from the back of the tent, drawing a crowd outside.
"Get out of my way, Jap." Jade glared at Yaten and stepped menacingly closer. The younger man was blocking the way, his arms outstretched.
"What's going on here?" Darien asked. Jade ignored him and pushed Yaten, sending him falling hard on the ground.
"Keep your hands off my brother!" Seiya threw himself at the long haired man, but was stopped before he could reach him by Darien and Haruka. He struggled against their hands, eventually calming down and they reluctantly released him.
"He's taking too much food." Yaten accused while Jade simply shrugged and looked towards Darien and Haruka, his gaze completely nonchalant.
"I'm hungry." He stated.
"Come on; give it back so we can all return to our activities." Darien commanded calmly.
"Fuck you, douche-bag." Jade sneered, turning to leave.
"You had better do what he says." Taiki threatened menacingly.
"I'll teach him a lesson!" Seiya said through gritted teeth.
"Give it back. Now." Haruka ordered, her tone so hard that he turned to look at her.
Their gazes locked for a moment, and then he turned to face the others. Six men and five women all angry at him, he stopped to think for a moment.
"Here, take it." He finally said, tossing the already unpacked sandwich on the sand and then left.
"Son of a-" Seiya was held back once again.
"Let him go, he's not worth it." Taiki's reasonable words needed a couple of seconds to sink in, but eventually Seiya calmed down.
Lita picked up the sandwich and tried to brush the sand off. Once she was satisfied, she replaced it into the thermal box.
"We have to do something about that." Darien said.
"Yeah, tie him up to a tree and let him dry off under the sun." Seiya said angrily.
"Seiya!" Taiki scolded. Michiru touched her friend's arm gently, calming the young man instantly.
Haruka observed the scene and massaged her shoulder, slightly strained by the effort of restraining Seiya. An unsettling feeling fell on her, but she couldn't name it. She kept looking at Michiru now exchanging words with Taiki, her hand still on Seiya's arm, and noticed that they looked very close. Haruka knew they were traveling together and she knew they were working together, but hadn't really acknowledged that intimacy.
Suddenly Seiya's eyes crossed hers, challenging her as he circled Michiru's waist with his arm in what seemed to be a familiar gesture.
"We need to find some food." Haruka advised, averting her eyes from them.
"My grandfather says we should hunt the wild boars." Rei offered, the short, bald man behind her smiling and waiting for his granddaughter to translate.
"And how can we do that?" Seiya inquired directly in Japanese.
"I can do it. I just need two good runners…and a knife. I saw that she has some beautiful blades." He said pointing his finger to a confused Lita. Rei translated and all eyes turned to the brunette, who was taken aback by the sudden attention. With a nervous smile, she nodded, "O-Of course."
* * * * * * * *
"So, don't you think this is a much better way to use a knife?" The gray-haired man asked while he expertly sliced a tomato. The sharp blade cut smoothly into the red fruit in quick, firm movements. In a few seconds he had reduced the tomato in little pieces, tossing it into the big pan and a loud sizzle erupted as a delicious aroma spread into the air.
"Oh, yes." Lita said, staring fascinated as he took another tomato."C-Can I try?"
The chef looked at his promising young apprentice. She was passionate and dedicated to the art of cooking and also very talented. Of course, she could be a little blunt sometimes and she needed to improve her manners and her tastes, but she had a future despite her past.
"Of course you can."
Lita took the big knife in her strong, yet young hands. The blade felt great, balanced and perfectly sharp. She began slicing a tomato with more enthusiasm than skill, but after working for a while and listening to her teacher's instruction, her technique improved and her smile broadened.
* * * * * * * *
"Seiya, are you sure?" Michiru queried, helping to fix the rucksack on her friend's back. "It's dangerous." She stated the obvious, but no one had the courage to mention the carnage that was seen in the cockpit.
"I know, but we have to do this. We can't go another two days with the food we have, you know that." He replied, his voice serious, though his eyes sparkled with excitement.
Michiru knew he was right, but the idea of going back into the forest was disturbing. Also, the fact that Seiya had volunteered without hesitation bothered her even more, and that wasn't it either.
The whole thing had been unsettling: Rei's grandfather had asked for two fast runners, Haruka had come forward saying running had been her job up through college and she was still training.
Michiru's heart had skipped a beat then, but Haruka was an athlete and everyone knew that so she couldn't protest. Then, Yuiichiro offered to go, but Seiya had stepped in firmly. Michiru could still see the challenge in his eyes as he looked at Haruka. Seiya had already fretted about the blonde's tendency to 'butt in' in every matter, and they had even almost fought over it. Michiru had realized that the more she defended Haruka, the more it upset Seiya. Why? They had barely interacted and had never even spoken to each other directly.
But even now Seiya was eying Haruka from a distance and the blonde glared back. Their childish behavior made Michiru roll her eyes in exasperation.
"This isn't a game, Seiya." She said finally, bringing his attention back to her. "We don't know what's out there, but we saw what it's capable of." She was scared for him, and in the corner of her mind she knew she was just as scared for Haruka.
"I can do it, Michiru-chan, don't worry." Seiya said. He wanted to reassure her, but was also pleased that she was expressing so much concern about him. It made him shoot a triumphant look across the camp, though no one could understand what was happening. Although he hadn't analyzed it deeply, he had been very upset by the fact that Michiru was spending so much time away. Due to their current situation, he had imagined the four of them - Michiru, his brothers and himself - drawing closer together, but instead, Michiru seemed to be drifting away.
On top of that, Haruka had crossed the line when she had stopped him from beating up Jade and Seiya couldn't forgive that.
"You act like someone had challenged you to it." He was about to protest, but was cut off. "I know that look, Seiya..." She said, and that was enough. He knew she wouldn't have accepted a lie and so he admitted what was troubling him.
"It was about my brother, she had no right to interfere." He snarled.
Michiru realized he was talking about their altercation with Jade, and she noted how he hadn't mentioned Darien's interference.
"They..." She stressed the word, "...did you a favor. That man looks capable of anything; you don't want to get into a fight with him. It's not worth it." She retorted, admitting what she had been thinking since that morning.
"I don't care. If he messes with my brother, he'll regret it." Seiya exclaimed stubbornly. "She's always getting involved, like she's some kind of…I don't know. All I know is that we've all survived and we're doing our best to stay alive. She's nothing special. There's no hero here."
His words were unfair to say the least, and Michiru couldn't help but reply, though she knew it would incite a reaction. "I don't think that's how she feels."
"Of course you don't!" Seiya's voice raised as his anger increased, and Michiru became even more uncomfortable. He was overreacting and she had no intention of continuing the conversation.
"You know what?" She had passed the point of irritated, "You can go and get yourself killed, if that's what you want."
The harshness of her words was enough to bring Seiya back to his senses, realizing that he had been rude and had no valid reason. Michiru was really worried about him and he now felt stupid about his jealousy. Michiru was his friend after all, she loved him and was always there for him. Everything else didn't matter.
"I'm sorry Michiru-chan. That was out of line." He looked down at her and smiled ashamedly. "I think we're all a little overstressed."
Michiru nodded, accepting his apology and rising on her tiptoes she placed a little kiss on his cheek.
"Take care."
* * * * * * * *
"Take care." Setsuna said, but Haruka wasn't really paying attention; instead her look was fixed on the two figures in the distance. When she saw the woman on tiptoe leaning on the taller male, her stomach twisted.
"Haruka-san, here's the antenna. Haruka-san? Haruka-san!" The second time Furuhata called her name; he managed to get her attention.
"Oh, sorry." The blonde apologized, crossing Setsuna's intense look, "What should I do with it?" She asked, dismissing the knowing look the older woman shot at her.
"Just put it on a tree when you're sufficiently deep into the woods." He said, his voice becoming anxious, "The higher the better. But no need to take risks, the signal is quite strong." He was hopeful that they could amplify the transmitter's power and not just receive, but also send out a message this time. Haruka still didn't know if his optimism was annoying or endearing, only that he had worked all night trying to arrange it, and she would make sure his work wouldn't go to waste.
"Good luck, Haruka-san." He concluded, smiling. She nodded and turned to Setsuna, but before the tanned woman could speak, someone had called her name again.
"Haruka." Michiru was walking to them quickly, her expression troubled though by the time she had reached them, a soft smile graced her face.
"What?" Haruka greeted her a little colder than she had intended.
Michiru was taken aback by her tone and remained silent for a moment.
"Please, take care." She finally managed to say, the blonde's look almost intimidating. "Try to come back safe…the both of you." Haruka's eyes turned so cold that the violinist had to repress a shiver. But as fast as the look had come, it was replaced with a cocky, arrogant smile.
"Don't worry, I'll bring him back in one piece."
Michiru was surprised at the sudden change in the blonde's mood, but the pretentious, smug tone hadn't pass unnoticed. Maybe Seiya wasn't the only one feeling the rivalry.
* * * * * * * *
With the recognition of their needs, the group of survivors had started to organize. After the hunting party left, some of the girls decided to take a little trip to the edge of the forest to collect wood for the fire. At first, they were silent, mostly not sure how to make conversation. They knew next to nothing about each other, hardly knew each other's names, and were still not sure if they could trust each other.
Lita, especially, was intently watching each one of them, trying to understand their thoughts; trying to catch them looking at her nervously. There! Ami had glanced at her briefly, yes, but still…oh and Rei, that girl's dark eyes pierced through her. And the two blondes, Serena and Mina, they were whispering to each other. They were certainly talking about the freak with the knives...
'It doesn't matter how far you go, you'll always be the violent freak. You can have a new life, but you can't erase the old one...' Her inner voice admonished. 'No matter how much you've changed, they always find out eventually.'
"You all think I'm some kind of freak." She bluntly stated out loud.
The four girls turned, puzzled, looking at the tall brunette who now stood with her hand on her hips and a challenging look in her green eyes.
"Why should we think such a thing?" Mina was the first to break the long silence.
Lita looked at them again and saw confusion, realizing she had been a little paranoid. 'Great! Now they think you're nuts...'
"'C-Cause of the knives and all." She stuttered, lowering her eyes. "I...I" She felt all the eyes on her, not wanting to draw attention, but she always managed to. She had always been too loud, too tall, too busty, too blunt or too aggressive. If they only knew how small and insignificant she felt inside!
"You work with them." The soft voice wasn't a question, it was a statement; neutral, calm, reassuring. Lita looked up at Ami, who smiled at her gently. The short, blue-haired girl blushed after a moment under Lita's intense gaze, and eventually even the brunette managed to smile.
"Are you a butcher or something?" Mina asked, curious.
"Actually, I'm a chef." Lita admitted.
"Wow! So you can bake cakes!?!?!" Serena said very loudly, but then covered her mouth with her hand, remembering they were running out of food. Everyone looked at her, some reproachingly, some preoccupied, making Lita feel that she had to do something.
She looked up and started walking, the others following in curiosity.
"Lita what-" Serena wanted to ask, but the brunette stopped abruptly and pointed high to the thick foliage.
"Plantains!" She exclaimed, when no one seemed to understand what she was pointing at. Their eyes lifted to look up into the trees, brightening at the sight of big, green and yellow bunches of fruits hanging from the top of the tall trees.
In less than an hour, with Yuiichiro's help, they managed to collect a sufficient amount to provide a decent meal for the entire group.
Their mood had visibly improved, and the girls found themselves chatting amiably, even laughing as if they've been long-standing friends. Lita was surprised that she could talk so freely with those strangers, finding herself even talking about her personal life, not much maybe, but still...
They seemed to trust her, to take what she offered with no judgment, no expectations. But when she thought that she could finally feel at ease, she felt something hurting inside, something that reminded her of her place. .
* * * * * * * *
"You'll come, won't you?" She stared into his dark eyes, the white sheets scattered around her, her chestnut hair loose on the pillow. She made quite a view.
Of course she'd never consider herself a beauty. She was tall and strong built, never gracious, and she often scared boys instead of charming them. But now, with her bare shoulder emerging from the sheets and a contented smile on her face, she looked very feminine and beautiful. However, he wasn't looking at her. He couldn't look at her.
He turned his back to her and put his clothes on. She knew he was in a hurry because he had to be at the restaurant in half an hour, but in the back of her mind, she knew that wasn't the only reason.
She was about to leave Japan and go back home, her training had finished and he was ready for a new affair. It had been fun; she had been great, but…nothing more.
It wasn't like people didn't like her, the problem was that she always tended to like them much more than they liked her. She always gave her heart unconditionally to people who weren't worth it.
This was quite the masochistic behavior, but unfortunately, it was also the only way she knew. She had never been able to do things halfway, not even when she was at the institute.
No matter how hurt, how disappointed she was.
He was fully clothed now and this time looked at her to say good-bye. She noticed it was hard for him and she shivered, suddenly cold.
How come they can never look at her? How come they can never seem gather the courage? Was it her? Was she that scary? Or was she just worthless?
He smiled at her nervously and leaned down to kiss her awkwardly on the lips.
"Will you come at the airport?" She asked him once again, trying to leave urgency out of her tone, but failed.
He looked at her for a moment, thinking. "I'll try, but don't count on it. Bye." And with that, he picked up his coat and left.
She remained there for a minute, the room suddenly silent. Sighing, she remained between the warm sheets for a moment, then stood. The cold hit her nude form as she walked to the bathroom for a shower.
'That's it, Lita.' She said to herself, 'Just another bad choice. It's not the first one and it probably won't be the last.' She looked at herself in the misting mirror, 'Just a new scar, it's not the end of the world.' She grazed the pale mark on her stomach with her fingertips. Just another scar for her soul, one little scar to add to the others…so many others.
She shrugged and stepped into the shower, the hot water washing away her tears.
* * * * * * * *
"Michiru-mama, look!"
No matter how many times she heard it, Michiru's heart still skipped a beat when she was called that name. After that morning outburst, Hotaru had began calling her and Setsuna: 'Mama'. Neither of them had objected, of course, and Michiru, for her part, had found that she felt exhilarated when she heard it. It seemed like they had been adopted as 'mothers,' and that alone was enough to make her head spin.
She had never thought about motherhood, not because she was young, because she wasn't. She had been mostly too engrossed in her career and she had always thought a family could get in the way.
Or maybe – she found herself thinking – because she had never had someone close enough to her heart to consider starting a family.
It was something deeper; it was the foreign feeling to have someone depend on her, that she had a responsibility that wasn't solely to herself. The feeling of being needed, of belonging, it was amazing.
Hotaru had her arm stretched high to let them see the elaborated shell, a proud and childish look in her purple eyes.
The two women looked at it and complimented the child who then went back to her task, leaving them a few steps behind. They had both welcomed the chance for a walk on the shore and some alone time. Setsuna seemed to be quite the loner, though she preferred the sole company of Hotaru, Michiru and Haruka. Michiru had been very preoccupied since Seiya, Haruka, and Rei's grandfather had left and she was scared and upset about Seiya's and Haruka's behavior. She had sensed some kind of rivalry between them since the time they had interacted on the plane, but believed that she had imagined it. They both had strong personalities, and the whole situation was testing their limits.
All of her thoughts were held at bay by the light conversation she had struck up with Setsuna. The older woman was genial company for the violinist. She was calm and measured, but smart and capable of sharp remarks and irony. The only thing was the unsettling feeling that she could read her mind, sometimes, like Setsuna had known her for years.
Sure, Michiru found Setsuna and Haruka the two most interesting characters of the group and wanted to know more about them. 'As long as she comes back safe...' The thought brought a shiver down her spine.
"Are you OK, Michiru-san?" The warm voice reached Michiru, tearing her from her reverie.
"Of course." She answered like she used to, trying not to give away her private thoughts.
"Is it about Seiya-san? Are you worried?" But with that woman, it was absolutely useless, she always knew and this time was no different. Yes, because this time she wasn't thinking about Seiya, and the hint of skepticism in Setsuna's voice and her look told Michiru that the older woman knew it perfectly well.
"Or..." Setsuna let the implication trail off as Michiru remained silent, walking slowly. Before Setsuna could stress the topic, Michiru trailed to her right and crouched down, picking up a sheet of paper half-buried in the sand.
"What is this?"
* * * * * * * *
"So? Do you think it's true?"
Darien observed the photo intently, longer than it'd be necessary to read a name on the little black board.
"Yeah. It's true." He said, his voice holding such certainty that Michiru was taken aback for a moment.
"How...?" She asked, still looking at the long-haired man in the photo.
"I know it's true because we've found the Marshal's body with the wrist still cuffed." He explained, a little surprised himself. He'd been sure they had known.
"I thought Haruka told you." He added, unprepared for Michiru's ocean blue eyes to whirl with anger, her tone icy.
"You mean Haruka knew?!"
* * * * * * * *
"It's a lot of bananas..." Serena chirped from behind the tall brunette. "Too bad I don't like them too much..."
"Well, I don't think you have much of a choice, Serena." Lita retorted, not bothering turn around to look at her.
"I love banana splits, though." The blonde girl said.
"And these are plantains, by the way. Not bananas." Lita seemed pensive.
"Oh!" Serena was surprised, she examined the hanging fruit inquisitively. "Can you make plantain split?" She asked, her tone serious, much to Lita surprise.
A large smile appeared on Serena's face, her light-blue eyes were dreamy and her mouth was slightly agape. Lita looked at her in disbelief.
"Oh my…Serena is thinking about ice-cream!" Mina exclaimed, "I can tell by the drool." She winked at Lita and elbowed her best-friend.
The two blondes started bickering good-naturedly, stopping abruptly when they heard the brunette's exclamation.
"Of course!" Lita had been thinking about it since the hunting party had left, she wanted to feel useful and had thought about volunteering. She was strong, but she wasn't a good runner, so she had thought about what else she had to offer: she could use a knife and she could cook, but then again, they were running out of food…until now. Now she had found some ingredients and she was absolutely determined to fix a proper meal for everybody.
"I'm gonna cook for you, and I'm gonna make it taste amazing!" She exclaimed triumphantly. The two blondes looked at her questioningly; those fruits didn't look too tasty, though they were a wonderful alternative to starving.
"I'm sure I saw something during the luggage raid. I didn't collect it at the time because I thought it was useless but..." Lita mumbled, obviously trying to recollect the memory.
She asked everyone around the camp, and even went back to the pile of luggage they had searched. Nothing. But she was absolutely sure she had seen the small package. Actually, she had smelled it first: the strong odor of spices. It had to be somewhere.
After a while, she concluded someone must have taken it and there was only one shady enough to be the culprit.
Lita approached the long-haired man who lay under a tree reading a book. He had made a sort of pallet with some towels and had an open suitcase beside him that was full of various items, probably collected from different baggage. She examined it from a distance and immediately recognized what she was looking for.
"Is that your suitcase?" She said, already knowing it wasn't.
"It is now." He answered, not even bothering to lie.
"I need that." She said stretching out her hand to pick the package, its strong fragrance permeating the air.
BLAM!
Thanks to her reflexes, she managed to withdraw her hand from the suitcase just in time, narrowly avoiding losing her fingers. He had slammed the lid violently and now was looking at her with an evil grin, shaking his finger in admonishment.
"Are you insane?" She yelled, incredulous. He could have chopped off her hand!
"What you think you're doing?" He asked calmly.
"I want to arrange a meal for the group." Lita replied, hardly keeping her voice down.
"But that's mine, you see. Why would I want to give it to you?" He shot back, his fake smile making him look even creepier.
"Because it's for the community and you don't need it, do you?" She answered, though she had realized what was happening. He had no intention of giving her the spices, but was enjoying the little power game. Lita glared at him in annoyance, her temper flaring.
"What will I have in return?" He asked, still smiling, but now his steel eyes flashed dangerously. "Nothing's for free here."
Lita wasn't afraid of Jade, but she had also realized what sort of man he was and though she knew how to deal with him, she didn't like it.
"I won't pay you for something that doesn't even belong to you. You can count on that." She snapped, holding his gaze.
"Too bad, honey." He winked at her, knowing he was irritating her, "Then you won't have it…you can count on that." He replied mockingly, returning to his pallet and book.
Lita remained where she was for a moment, staring at him. She realized that she was fighting a losing game, and walked back towards the girls.
When she returned to the others, her upset expression was noticed by everyone. Serena's attempt to make her tell what had happened failed miserably, and she was silenced by a glare from the fuming brunette.
An hour passed before Ami could quietly approach Lita and convince her to rejoin the others. Lita had calmed down by then, but had been tempted to brush off Ami bluntly when she felt the blue-haired girl sitting next to her.. Instead, she was surprised as Ami sat and remained silent, not bothering her, rather, waiting for Lita to break the silence. And she did, after a while, telling Ami what had just happened and more. She told the doctor-in-training about her stay in Japan, about her job and even about that morning; the one where she had left Tokyo. She told Ami about how happy she had been when they told her she needed to stay in Japan for one more day, how the mere thought of spending one more night with him was exciting, and then how sad she had been when she realized he wouldn't come to the airport to say goodbye. She had even shed a tear. Just one solitary tear had rolled down her cheek and she was grateful to the young doctor for not mentioning it.
After her tale, she was ready to join the group, no longer angry or sad, instead there was a big smile on her face and renewed enthusiasm. She turned to Ami and mouthed a silent 'thank you'.
No one said anything in particular to her, only continued talking with the occasional glance from Serena, reminding Lita that she had been a little rude with them. She decided she would make amends by arranging their meal and trying to be as friendly as she could, at least as much as they were to her.
They were talking rather amiably when she caught a glimpse of a movement in the corner of her eye. "What the hell you think you're doing?" Lita stood up abruptly and glared towards the pile of fruit they had collected with flaming eyes.
"I'm helping myself." Jade's rough voice showed no sign of intimidation, despite the brunette's tone and glare.
"No, you're not." Her voice now held the hint of a threat. The atmosphere suddenly became icy cold, no one daring to speak or make any sound.
"Listen to me little girl, you're not the one to give permissions here. No one is. So don't bother glaring at me like that. I'm not scared and you're not convincing." His tone had passed from cold to menacing in a single instant. He turned again and moved to pick up one of the plantains.
"She's rather convincing to me. Check out the look in her eyes, it gives me the creeps." Serena whispered to Mina, shivering.
"If you want that, you know what I want in exchange." Lita said firmly, her hands on her hips.
The long haired man smiled mockingly, chose one of the green fruits, and grabbed it.
"Maybe next time, little girl." He taunted, smirking. And then they all heard the hiss and thunk of something hitting an object hard. "Oh, shit!" Jade exclaimed in surprise, jumping back and looking at Lita with wide eyes. He then looked down where his hand had been a couple of seconds before, finding a big knife sticking out of the plantain he had just been holding.
All the girls gasped as their eyes saw the same thing, Serena stifling a small cry by putting her hand on her mouth. Lita stood there, glaring at the long-haired man with frightening intensity.
Serena's stifled cry caught Darien's attention, sending him running towards them, followed by Michiru and Setsuna. When they arrived, they didn't notice the knife at first, their attention directed at Lita as her firm, menacing tone cut through the air.
"Do you think I'm scared of you? I know guys like you and I know you only understand one language." She glanced meaningfully at the knife, its black handle clearly visible against the green fruits. "Now, if you want one of those, you know what you have to do, and if you don't, you can crawl back under your stone." She hissed.
Jade stared at her for a long time, his gray eyes flashing with anger. Everyone held their breath, surprised when he turned and left with empty hands.
"Someone want one?" Lita asked cheerfully, picking up one of the fruits and retrieving her knife.
* * * * * * * *
"Hey, you! Leave her alone!" Lita ran to the secluded corner of the big courtyard. When she arrived, the three boys, no older than twelve, turned and glared at her, behind them a crouched little girl, trembling against the stained, ruined wall.
"Why don't you guys try messing with someone your age, huh? She's just a kid." Lita scolded. The little girl looked up, her eyes clouded with tears and her clothes torn and dirty.
"Mind your own business, freak!" One of the boys, the biggest, spat,turning his back to her, dismissing the interruption. But that was a fatal mistake.
Lita grabbed him by his shoulder and threw him to the ground, turning to the other two just as one made his move, quickly receiving a swift punch in the stomach. The third one withdrew slowly, obviously scared. Suddenly, however, he smirked, Lita was surprised by his sudden boldness, but continued to move closer, her fists clenched and ready to strike. The boy didn't try to escape, instead, he stood tall, his grin widening.
"You had better get lost before it gets nasty." He sneered. Lita smiled, he wasn't much of a challenge for her. He was smaller and looked rather weak and unparticularly dexterous.
"Oh? Is that a threat? Are you threatening me?" She asked mockingly.
"No, it's just good advice." He challenged, now walking towards her, "Don't tell me I didn't warn you!" He said and looked over her shoulder.
Lita immediately got the hint and turned around just in time to see the bigger boy now standing again with a wide smirk. Two against one, but she could take them.
The brunette girl decided to engage the bigger one first, closing the distance between them. Suddenly the little girl on the ground shouted.
"NO!" Lita saw the flash of metal, "He has a knife!" The girl's words came too late. The larger boy jumped at her incredibly fast, and though Lita tried to dodge the attack, the blade penetrated deeply into her left side. Lita staggered, the blinding pain taking a few seconds before shooting through her entire body, sending her to the ground near the little girl, clenching her side.
The larger boy winked at them as he and his lackeys ran. "We're not done with you!" Then, they were gone.
Lita lay on the ground, lifting her hand to look at the enlarging crimson stain on her shirt. It wasn't the first time and it wouldn't be the last.
She was used to it ever since she was a little kid and her parents died, leaving her in the 'System'. She had been in different institutes and foster homes, she had met kids like those several times, and she knew how to deal with them.
* * * * * * * *
"Hush. Here she is..." After an hour of walking, the short bald man stopped, pointing at the boar in the distance. He took cover behind a bush and gestured them to do the same.
"Are you ready?" He whispered. Haruka and Seiya nodded.
They had put together a plan of sorts. Haruka and Seiya were to flank the boar and attack from both sides while, at the same time, Rei's grandfather attacked from behind with the knife. It wasn't much of a plan, and they weren't sure it could work, but they were desperate enough to try.
At least, that was what Haruka believed though she gulped in fear as she got closer to the animal and got a glimpse of its big yellow tusks. Seiya noticed her tense expression and smiled,
"Are you scared, Tenoh?" He whispered, "Or do you just not have your usual audience of pretty girls?"
Haruka was about to reply, in the most rude way possible, when the old man gestured at them to hurry. She had to settle for an old-fashioned piercing glare before going to the right.
Once in their positions, they stood to get the animal's attention. The boar lifted its head swiftly, looking first at Haruka, then Seiya. As the old man had predicted, the animal stalled, not sure who to attack first, giving the old man the chance to get closer from behind.
The boar moved, unfortunately for Seiya, choosing to charge him instead of Haruka. As soon as realization hit, he turned and ran, but it wasn't easy to run through the thick vegetation and soon the boar was closing in. Haruka reacted immediately, launching herself in pursuit of the two. It didn't take her long to reach them, and she began to shout, hoping to scare the beast away. Sadly, all she managed to do was agitate it further. Suddenly, Seiya tripped and fell to the ground, now at full mercy of the raging animal. Haruka leapt and tried to push him away from the boar's trajectory, unfortunately, she was too late and the animal's tusks slammed into the young man, cutting into his leg.
The boar didn't even stop after its attack, running away into the foliage as the elderly Shinto priest ran towards them, panting.
"Fortunately, it just grazed you. If you'd been given the whole blow…I don't want to think about that." The elder mumbled, checking on Seiya's leg. The black-haired young man gulped.
"Thanks for the information, but it still hurts." Seiya hissed in pain.
"Oh, come on, don't be such a cry-baby." Haruka scoffed with great satisfaction.
Seiya huffed, shooting an angry glare at the annoying blonde.
"I think it's better for him to go see the doctor." Rei's grandfather advised. He and Haruka helped Seiya stand, but when he was on his feet again Haruka remembered that they had another task to accomplish. Leaving the old man to carry Seiya for a moment, she took Furuhata's device out of her rucksack and climbed swiftly up a solid tree, securing it to a branch with a leather belt.
* * * * * * * *
Seiya and Haruka proceeded slowly along the uncleared path. It was difficult trying to minimize the strains for the man's injured leg. They had used a shred of his shirt as a tourniquet, but still had to hurry back to the beach. The cut was deep enough for him to bleed profusely, but fortunately not enough to pierce an artery.
At first, Seiya had made little use of Haruka for support. She had reminded him just once, and then it was up to him. He was the one in pain; if he wanted to be stubborn, it wasn't her problem. Although after a while, he started to lean against her more and more and soon they were both panting in overexertion.
"You need a break." Haruka announced in a tone that wasn't open to objection. They sat down on two large rocks opposite one another
Though he would have never admitted it, Seiya was grateful for the rest, his leg hurt and the other one was sore for the extra effort. He closed his eyes for a moment, expecting some sarcastic remark from Haruka. When it didn't come, he re-opened them and looked at the tall woman in front of him. He didn't like her, that was for sure, but he couldn't exactly explain why.
Yes, she was a little too friendly with Michiru and he knew from the newspapers that she was openly gay, but that wasn't enough. Michiru had hundreds of suitors. Maybe it was the fact that Michiru seemed to appreciate the blonde's company.
He felt some kind of competition with Haruka, he felt compelled to prove himself. Just like with Yaten. But maybe that was something else. What was going on with his brothers was something much deeper than some petty jealousy. And Michiru... well, Michiru was definitely straight; he had no need to worry.
Haruka hadn't liked to be the first in need of a break and had tried to make it look like she was actually letting Seiya rest. But in reality, she was exhausted and her shoulder still hurt. He wasn't exactly light, he was a well built man and she wasn't at the top of her game. She hadn't slept much since…well, since before the plane crash, since the damned phone call.
She glanced at her companion. He had his eyes closed and seemed to enjoy the break. Looking at him intently, he was, in fact, handsome – 'If you're one to like those kind of things,' she thought – maybe he was even charming – 'If you like arrogant, cocky people...'
Well, she didn't. So she didn't like him. But Michiru did…a lot. Haruka shivered, remembering the violinist on her tiptoes leaning to him...
'Get a grip of yourself!' She silently scolded herself for indulging in such thoughts.
'It's not like you're envious, is it?' Her inner voice's mocking tone was annoying.
'Why the hell should I be envious of that baka?' She replied to her conscience. These inner conversations were becoming more and more frequent in her tired mind.
'No reason...' The sarcasm was really starting to piss her off.
'Oh, shut up!' How could someone argue with themselves? It wasn't normal…it was insane.
'No reason…You don't like her, right? You don't even see her, or listen to her, right? Right?!' She shook her head annoyed, and begun to absently massage her sore shoulder.
"Weren't you injured?" The loud question brought her back to reality.
"It's nothing."
Seiya decided he had tried enough to be polite and simply shrugged. The sudden movement sent waves of pain to his leg and he winced. Haruka noticed, kneeling down in front of him.
"Let me take a look." She touched his leg delicately, much to his surprise. He hadn't expected her to be gentle. She seemed to be a hard person, tough, but now that she was that close and unaware of him observing her, he could clearly make out her feminine feature. Her hands were long and delicate. Despite her body being athletic and muscular, she had everything a woman was supposed to have. He shook his head. That didn't mean he liked her, but he could see her in a different light.
"What are you staring at, baka?" Oh no, he could never like her - in that or any other way!
"I wasn't thinking about you, moron!" He replied, but his fiery cheeks betrayed him.
"It'd better be the truth." Haruka mumbled, taking his leg and placing it on her lifted knee. "I need to change the bandage, it's already soaked." She informed him, uncovering the gash and tearing another piece of his expensive shirt.
"Hey!" He complained, but was ignored as she carefully proceeded so as not to hurt him.
Seiya had protested out of habit. It wasn't like he cared about the shirt; he had just wanted to give her a hard time. He thought about all the walking they still had to do and groaned.
"Don't make a fuss!" She commented briskly, obviously thinking she had hurt him.
He hadn't even acknowledged her comment, a sweet thought making its way into his mind.
He was injured, and he was just picturing in his head what would happen once they returned to the camp. People gathering around him concerned, people like Michiru. She was worried when they had left, and now she would have to take care of him. And maybe, just maybe, he could have the chance of getting closer to her this time. Yeah, that was a fine thought for the road.
"What are you smiling at, baka?" Haruka couldn't help but be rude; Seiya was staring into space with an idiotic grin on his face.
"Nothing that concerns you." He snapped, but the smile didn't leave his face.
"We'd better get going, it's getting late and you're not exactly speedy." She said, offering him her right hand to help him stand. He looked at it at first, annoyed for her remark, and then he noticed for the first time the dirty cloth around her fist.
"What have you done?" He asked, nodding to the hand he refused to take standing up. However, he circled her shoulders with his arm for support, waiting for an answer.
"Oh, that." She shrugged, "Nothing, I just had some trouble with a tree." She said, her eyes looking in the distance. A dark feeling began creeping in her heart at the memory of the day before.
* * * * * * * *
It was mid-afternoon when the exhausted Haruka and Seiya finally made it to the beach and headed off to the doctor.
The blue-haired woman attended Seiya's wound in the presence of the two mocking brothers and a worried Michiru. The violinist had seemed very upset since that morning, especially when she and Setsuna had found Jade's mugshot. But then, there had been the confrontation between the convict and the tall brunette chef, and everyone seemed a bit more relaxed knowing there was someone who could stand up to him. Everyone except the aqua-haired woman who was becoming sulkier and sulkier, and her mood hadn't improved even when the doctor assured them that Seiya was going to be perfectly fine in a couple of days.
In the meantime, Haruka had waited at the back of the tent, silent. Something was wrong; Michiru hadn't even acknowledged her presence. She hadn't spoken to her; she hadn't asked anything, only once had she looked at Haruka, her blue eyes icy cold.
Haruka finally exited the tent, unable to bear the restless feeling in her heart. What happened? Why was Michiru mad at her? It couldn't be about Seiya, could it? It was just a scratch…okay, she cared about him, but this was just ridiculous!
"Haruka-papa! You're back!" Hotaru literally jumped into her arms bringing her back to reality and managing to bring a surprised smile on her face too.
'Haruka-papa?!?'
* * * * * * * *
The forest was oddly silent. No noises for at least five minutes, now. Even his prey had stopped in its tracks, grunting. Only the wind continued blowing through the foliage gently.
The dark-furred animal had its head high, sniffing the air and its small ears stretching in a particular direction, listening to something only it could hear.
The man stopped behind a bush. He had wasted almost two hours tracking down the stubborn animal again and he didn't want to let it go, but he knew silence was never a good sign in a forest. So he wasn't surprised when he heard rustling getting closer and closer at a very fast pace, his heart accelerating. He was scared.
The boar ran on instinct to save its life, but the predator was faster and in a blur of dark colors, the groaning and grunting and desperate cries of the animal ceased.
The carcass flew in the air and landed with a dull thud right beside the man's feet. Then, the groan got closer and closer as beads of sweat ran down his spine, the hand that clutched the big knife trembled. Maybe if he could stay still, perfectly still...
Maybe.
* * * * * * * *
The afternoon was drawing to a close and with the unexpected meal provided by the plantains, the mood had improved dramatically at the beach. For almost everyone.
Haruka was quite concerned about the old Shinto priest, though she knew it was still early to actually be worried. On top of that, Michiru was very cold even in Hotaru's presence. Haruka was confused, she didn't know what was happening and she was fighting the urge to go ask for an explanation. She couldn't mistake the violinist's glares and the deliberate disregard for her, Michiru was definitely mad and Haruka couldn't think of the reason.
Was it about Seiya's injury?
The image of the affectionate departing between the two of them was still lingering in her mind. But she couldn't picture Michiru overreacting on a minor injury like Seiya's.
'And it's not your fault, by the way. He's a moron!' Her inner voice was unexpectedly reassuring.
Nonetheless, the thought of Michiru being angry at her was unsettling. 'Then go and ask her. You'll make a fool of yourself.' The voice said sarcastically, 'I know you are a fool anyway.'
Great! She was being mocked and insulted by her own mind. She closed her bloodshot eyes and took a big breath.
"I do need to get some sleep." She murmured.
Setsuna, who was going through Tomoe's notes, lifted her head and glanced at the blonde, puzzled.
"What?"
"Nothing. I was thinking out loud." Haruka's head began to hurt and she sighed, massaging her temples. The older woman frowned at her.
"You know what's going on, don't you?" Haruka asked, not even looking at Setsuna. "You know everything all the time." Her statement was bitter, she felt frustrated and exasperated.
"What are you talking ab...?" Before Setsuna could even finish her sentence, Haruka stood.
"Never mind." She concluded, waving her hand in dismissal, She was about to lose her temper and she didn't want to make a scene, so she walked away.
That wasn't her, all that sitting, guessing, and thinking. Waiting for people to explain, being patient. That wasn't her.
Something was wrong and she wanted to know what it was, so the simplest thing to do was to ask the person concerned.
* * * * * * * *
Michiru was upset. No, she was pissed. Really pissed. Not to mention disappointed and frustrated.
She had been scared since the crash, but now she was mad and for a very specific reason.
She was mad at her.
She felt betrayed and she felt like a fool. And for that, she was even angrier at herself. She had let a perfect stranger fool her.
She didn't know if it was frustration, tiredness, or rage to bring tears to the corner of her eyes, but she knew she had to blink them away to deter Seiya. He was about to question her when she excused herself and walked away, trying to calm down.
She walked along the shore for a while, taking deep breaths and cooling down in the evening breeze, listening to the soothing sound of the shore.
That helped. The sea had always helped her calm down, it let her disconnect from the world outside and connect to her inner self, her emotions, her thoughts.
She had just recomposed herself when she saw someone approaching, someone she did not want to see at the moment.
Haruka had watched Michiru from a distance, she had noticed the turmoil in her behavior, even glimpsed it in her ocean blue eyes - when she had been close enough -but now, she was presented with a much colder version of Michiru and couldn't help but flinch.
Stiffened shoulders, cold look, hard voice, the violinist seemed much more like the aloof, snob person the magazines showed.
"What do you want Haruka-san?" To the very tired and frustrated Haruka, Michiru's words sounded like sharp blades slicing her to Pieces. Why? Why was Michiru mad at her? She massaged her pulsing temples, her headache getting worse by the minute.
"I…I'm sorry." She couldn't think straight, and before she could prevent it, the words were out of her mouth.
'Oh my God, you did it! You apologized. You never apologize, not even when you're actually wrong!' Haruka's inner voice protested.
"Great! She's sorry!" Michiru's bitter laugh felt like a punch in the stomach, "I thought we were friends, but I was obviously wrong." The aqua-haired woman sounded…hurt. But by what? It couldn't be because of Seiya, no, it was something else.
"Of course we're friends..." Haruka was in total darkness, but she felt compelled to stress that point.
"Oh no…No, no, no, you lied to me! I trusted you and you lied to me!" Michiru couldn't keep her cold demeanor any more. She was so hurt by the blonde, she couldn't even start to consider why. She wouldn't dare.
"What are you talking about?!" Now Haruka too had raised her voice.
"I found an interesting photograph, this morning." Michiru started, her voice dripping venom. "Of that Jade." Her look was accusing, but Haruka couldn't understand why. "I found his mugshot!" Now Michiru was literally yelling. Fortunately they were far enough from the others, although Setsuna was watching intently from her spot.
"What...? You mean…Jade's the convict?" And then Haruka realized that she hadn't talked with Michiru about it. At first, she hadn't wanted to spread panic and then it happened: the journey to the cockpit, the strange interceptions, Hotaru's father's death, and she had forgotten about the Marshal and his hypothetical captive.
Now, as she looked at the enraged woman in front of her, Haruka knew there was nothing she could have said to justify herself. Nothing could be accepted by Michiru, she was too upset at the moment.
The only thing she could think to do was to apologize again, but she hadn't got the chance, because Michiru spoke again.
"You don't trust me." The statement was bitter. "You have never trusted me."
Haruka tried to protest, but she was cut off. "I even asked you once and you didn't answer me."
That was right, Haruka had been asked. And she was right; Haruka had a hard time trusting people, but...
"You talk to me and make me think I can get close to you. But no one can, right? No one's worth Haruka Tenoh's trust." The words and their tone were so harsh that Michiru thought she saw Haruka shiver, but at the moment, she didn't care. She had intended to be cruel; she had intended to hurt her like she had been hurt.
Haruka was shocked. How could she say those things? After all that happened in the past two days…how could she?
The blonde felt rage rising in her heart, she had broken all her rules and principles, and she had let that woman get closer than anyone. A stranger. And that was what had brought her: hostility, accusations, hurt.
"You should have told me." Michiru stated.
Haruka closed her eyes, her head threatening to explode. She didn't need that now. She didn't.
"I didn't know I was under any kind of obligation to you." Her voice was so hard and cold that Michiru had to suppress the urge to shiver. The blonde turned and walked away, leaving a panting Michiru behind, even more upset by their fight itself than the reason they started it in the first place.
* * * * * * * *
Just as the sun was about to disappear beneath the horizon, Rei's grandfather returned to the camp, dragging the heavy carcass of a boar behind him.
Haruka couldn't help but smile at the view of the short man returning triumphantly with his prey, despite her dark mood. She observed from afar, wanting to be sure he was alright, but she didn't approach the main group, not wanting to run into Michiru or an inquisitive Hotaru, who had immediately realized her 'Mama' and 'Papa' had had a fight.
Michiru was in an equally bad mood and was trying to keep a nonchalant facade, but it was getting hard to do so with Seiya being needy for her attention and Hotaru constantly asking her about Haruka.
The rest of the group had greeted the old man – and his prey - cheerfully, the big animal able to provide them food for several days and the hope for more in the future.
Lita had immediately been put in charge of the preparation of a real meal. She had Ami, Rei, and Mina to help her and Serena to be in the way and provide laughing material for everyone.
After dinner, they all sat around the fire – with the exception of Jade and Haruka – chatting cheerfully.
Hotaru suddenly looked up at Setsuna's garnet eyes and talked with such seriousness, that Setsuna couldn't help but smile at her, "I'm worried. Where is Haruka-papa? She hasn't even eaten." It was one of those moments when the little girl seemed so much older and wiser than she looked.
"You don't have to worry, Hotaru-chan, sometimes grownups have to be alone. She'll eat when she'll feel like it."
"But she has to be hungry!" The dark-haired girl protested, "I've never seen her eating…or sleeping. Do you think she could be sleeping right now?" The purple eyes sparkled as Setsuna was taken aback by her perceptiveness.
"Well…maybe…maybe." Setsuna's skeptical tone didn't fool Hotaru, who had her little brows furrowed cutely.
"They shouldn't fight." Another extremely sharp observation from the young girl, and another knowing smile from the tanned woman. Setsuna looked at Michiru, who sat next to Seiya, pretending to have fun, noticing that none of her smiles ever reached her eyes, and then she turned towards the darkness enveloping the beach and sighed.
"You're right, Hotaru-chan, they're not supposed to fight."
"So, Grandpa! Tell us how you were able to kill the poor animal." Seiya asked cheerfully, getting everybody's attention, "It looks like you're some kind of Rambo, and me and the snobby racer were just getting in the way!" He made everyone laugh.
"Well…It wasn't just me you know..." He blushed furiously, oddly embarrassed, letting Rei translate his words, "…I had help, you know..."
"Help? By who? Did Santa give it to you?" Yaten's sarcasm fell unnoticed by the group.
"Well…I…I…" He gulped, "I had the knife! I couldn't have done the job without it!" He concluded quickly as his face turned an even deeper shade of red.
End chapter 4.
Author's note: You can't even try to imagine how many times I've rewritten this chapter. It never looks right to me, and the reason is because I really like Makoto's character and I never seem to be right to her.
I need to thank once again (and particularly this time) my beta reader, Getto-Kunoichi, because she made an excellent work with this chapter, like always... or maybe even more :)
I also want to thank everyone who took the time to leave a review, it's always amazing what reviews do to a writer's mood... but I'm sure you all know that! ;)
Thank you all for reading, see you next chapter!