...
Arrows flying, into silence
Broken pieces, lying around where it went down
Waters risin, back to silence
Quietly crying, wondering how
And look at us now
We thought our love would take the world by storm…
Are we too far apart?
Two worlds among the stars
You're gonna take a piece of my heart if you leave
So its two separate ways
Or am I too late to say
"I wanna fight for what we got
Cause I believe in family"
In family
Hotaru's figure lay on the bed as Haruka and Michiru stood in the doorway not speaking a word. Hotaru's chest moved up and down slowly once more, but her wet hair refused to move from its position as it clung around her face.
Slowly... They were taking this slowly. Too slowly for Michiru's liking, but Haruka had stood firm in making sure that neither Michiru nor Hotaru broke the truce she had somehow convinced them to agree too without saying it outright. Haruka had wanted to get the girl talking just as much as Michiru had, but something felt wrong about it all, and Haruka just wanted to make sure they were all in control of themselves before they pushed forward. And that meant they had to take their time. Michiru needed to get herself back into her more reserved self, and Hotaru just needed to calm down entirely. Hotaru had agreed more easily than Michiru, and the girl had moved around wordlessly as she had made herself at home in the house; fairly easily the two had noted. It had become evident that Hotaru didn't just know Haruka and Michiru's identities, but she also knew the house.
She had moved without question when Haruka had suggested a bath to help her relax. This had unnerved the two adults a bit, but everything about her had that affect.
Now she slept soundly again in their guest bedroom in one of Michiru's smaller bathrobes, but still she was swimming in it. Haruka again thought about how peaceful she looked, but still she was on edge waiting for her to thrash out violently like she had done earlier.
"I'm going to go get supper started." Michiru said turning away from the room.
"You're not going to try again?" Haruka asked. She was sure that the Michiru would have been lured in by the chance to get a view of the dream again. There was something eerily familiar about it, and in truth Haruka was hoping Michiru would oblige her. Michiru paused and her blue eyes stared back at the sleeping girl and a look Haruka knew as guilt was on her face.
"I think... I might have set the dream off." Michiru admitted. "By peering into her mind, I think I may have unlocked it." Haruka looked back at the girl as well and she felt guilt as well. She had been the one to suggest it to Michiru.
"Oh. "It was all Haruka could say. Michiru began to move towards the kitchen again, and Haruka pulled herself away from the room and shut the door slowly behind her. She stood in the doorway looking at Michiru as she moved around the kitchen. Neither of them were good cooks, but Michiru's was at least decent and edible. "Want any help?" Michiru paused and then shook her head silently. Haruka could see in Michiru's eyes that she was still angry, but the more Michiru stewed over the situation the more Haruka knew she had been right to make them take this slow: Michiru was not acting normally. But then again neither was Haruka, it seemed that they had changed roles the minute Hotaru had slammed into their lives only a few hours before; with Haruka being the calmer one of the two. Michiru had noticed the change as well, and it only served to push her even farther into her anger.
Hotaru appeared around the corner still in the bathrobe just as Michiru turned off the oven.
"Ahh, the sleeping beauty awakens!" Haruka said trying to make herself sound as cheerful as possible. Hotaru's eyes refused to look her in the eyes though and she stared at the middle of the kitchen at a place somewhere in between Haruka and Michiru. Her hair was still a bit wet and it clung a bit to her face. "I just put your clothes in the dryer. It will be ready in about an hour." Hotaru nodded without looking up. Haruka stood up from the table. "Come on, why don't you help me set the table?" She asked trying to get Hotaru to interact with them again. Plus, she wanted to see if Hotaru would truly know where everything was, or if they were just being paranoid. Hotaru nodded and she stepped into the kitchen, and her head lifted as she opened the correct cupboard without hesitation. Haruka pushed away her growing uneasiness and stepped to help her carry the plates and glasses. Hotaru avoided Haruka's gaze once more as she stepped to the table carrying the plates with her and began to place them down one by one. Haruka smiled remorsefully, but she grabbed hold of the glasses and turned to follow after her.
"You only need three plates. Unless you have a friend you haven't told us about." Michiru said with a bit of anger seeping into her voice. Her anger at Haruka was pouring over into her uneasiness with Hotaru. Haruka stopped as she stared at the table where Hotaru stood next to the final chair where she had just placed the fourth plate. The girl stared at the final plate with a blank stare for a moment, but then Haruka saw tears forming in her eyes.
"Hey, it's okay." Haruka said rushing forward. "It was a silly miscount." She said unsure of the truth behind that. "Nothing to be upset about." She said smiling. Michiru stepped closer to Hotaru, but then she stopped before touching her.
"I didn't mean to be so harsh." She apologized in a hurry. Then she laughed trying to correct the awkwardness of the situation, but it only made it even more tense. "I just..." Hotaru picked up the plate and the two adults could finally see that her tears were not of sorrow but of anger.
"I don't have a friend you have to worry about." Hotaru's voice came out dark and there was a mixture of anger and sorrow lying underneath it. Perhaps some of the tears were of sadness, but her eyes only reflected her anger. "I'm alone in this." She said. Her hands gripped the plate tightly and Haruka stood there thinking she might just throw it onto the floor; shattering it. "I've always been alone in this. She deserted me." The two adults looked each other in the eyes for the first time since coming into the kitchen.
"Who?" Haruka asked looking back at Hotaru. "Who deserted you?" Haruka's eyes drifted to the fourth plate in her hands. "Who is the fourth plate?" That mysterious fourth plate… The third plate had revealed its owner, but the fourth plate Haruka always went to grab remained shrouded in darkness.
"Setsuna-mama..." Hotaru spoke with her anger breaking and she stood standing there appearing utterly crushed once more.
"I thought I was 'Mama'." Michiru complained. Haruka glared at her this time, but when she turned back to Hotaru her face was soft. She took a step closer, and took the plate from Hotaru's hand.
"I'm sure that's not true." She encouraged. "I'm sure there is a reason she isn't here." Hotaru looked up with her teary eyes and Haruka offered her a smile. Perhaps she couldn't stop the phantom woman's tears, but she could at least try with Hotaru.
"I know." Hotaru spoke softly. "She has to be coming, but..." She stopped and looked back down towards the floor. "We can't wait for her anymore." She said. Then she looked up again with her eyes hardened again, but no longer in anger. Instead they were determined again. "You have to tell me what you know." Hotaru demanded. "I need to know what you've found. You have to know something, even if you don't realize it, you have to at least have some sort of clue!" She was growing desperate again.
"Not until you calm down." Haruka said. Hotaru's eyebrows furrowed and now Haruka realized she had two people angry at her.
"That will never happen. Not as long as I can't fix this!" She declared. Michiru stepped into the conversation. Hotaru had broken the truce, and now anything was fair game. The control Haruka had thought she had was fading fast as the two head strong females in front of her collided.
"We know even less!" Michiru complained, her deadly anger rushing out. "How do you know our identities? What is it that you claim we have to help you fix?" Hotaru stood unswayed and unanswering. "Why do we feel so... drawn to you?!" She demanded in an even louder voice.
"You wouldn't even believe me if I even told you the very beginning..." Hotaru said sadly.
"Well try us! Start with explaining how you know us. It shouldn't be that difficult." Michiru stated and Hotaru's lips pressed tightly together as she refused to answer. "You can't even tell us that?" Michiru asked in disbelief. Hotaru stood up straight.
"It would only confuse and anger you more." Hotaru said. Michiru's anger was now fully visible on her face, but Hotaru still did not give in. Haruka wondered in fear what she could be hiding that would anger Michiru more than her silence.
"Then at least tell us what you want us to fix!" Michiru shouted. "We can't help you if we don't know what it is that we are helping you in!" She reasoned. Hotaru stood still for a moment and then she nodded. Michiru seemed to calm a fraction of a bit to Haruka's relief.
"I can't tell you, but... if I show you..." Hotaru's hands cupped together, but after a moment she put her hands down to her side. "I can't." She said. "It wouldn't be strong enough. You couldn't see the scale. I need..." She stopped and shook her head. "You would never let me. Not in a million years." Haruka saw Michiru begin to regress.
"And what would that be?" She asked. Haruka sighed knowing she had to intervene before things got worse.
"Okay," She put her arms in between the two of them and wedged herself into the direct middle of the line of fire. "Michiru, can I talk to you alone for a bit?" Michiru's glare tried to put wholes in Haruka, but Haruka tried to look just as strong as Hotaru was under her gaze. "Please?" Michiru turned away from Hotaru and stepped into the hallway. Haruka followed after her. Michiru entered into their bedroom and when Haruka entered she sat on the bed not looking up as she fumed silently on the bed.
"Why can't you just back me up?" Michiru steamed.
"Why do you have to take this so violently?" Haruka asked back. Michiru stared up at her with another deadly glare.
"I'm just trying to get to the bottom of this; you are letting her walk all over you." Haruka crossed her arms over her chest. "Haruka, we know nothing about her!"
"We know enough." Haruka said. "She's desperate and determined. Whatever event sent her here to us-"
"That's just it!" Michiru interjected. "We need to know what sent her to us! Why do we feel so drawn in by her, and how does she know our identities?!" Michiru argued. "We have to stick together in this. You're my partner, you should back up my questions, not encourage her to remain defiant!"
"Or maybe you should try to be softer." Haruka shot back. "She's obviously gone through something that she has risked everything to come and fix." Haruka reasoned. "We have to stop this 'Good Senshi/Bad Senshi routine we've fallen into." Michiru sat silently on the bed for a moment. "Well?"
"If I let myself be kind to her, I won't be able to stop myself from loving her." Michiru whispered. Haruka nodded. She had already fallen for the girl as well. Michiru sighed and sat up straight on the bed. "Good Parent/Bad Parent." She said. Haruka tilted her head in confusion.
"What?" Michiru smiled slightly.
"We've been acting like a couple of parents fighting over how to discipline their child." Michiru explained. "We're being played by a witty, defiant teenager!" Haruka put her hands on her hips with a smile.
"I would be the 'Good Parent'." She boasted. Michiru glared up at her again.
"No, the 'Bad Parent' is the one who keeps spoiling her, and undermining the other's authority!" Michiru argued. Haruka shook her head but still remained smiling.
"Sometimes a kid needs to be spoiled." Haruka stated, though what logic lay behind it she couldn't say.
"Yeah, but you always spoil her." Michiru complained.
"Always? We've only known her for a couple of hours!" Haruka defended. "Besides, you're just jealous because she loves me best!" She said lifting her chin high, and Michiru laughed.
"No, I think Setsuna has us beat out on-" Michiru stopped, and Haruka had to stand there trying to make sense of the whole conversation. It had evolved into something they didn't even understand anymore even though it was coming out of them. "That was... not right." Michiru said putting her hand to her forehead. Haruka could only nod. No, that had not been right at all. "Let's..." Michiru shook her head and she stood up. "Let's just get back to the kitchen. Let's just find a way to make sense of this!" Haruka nodded. Michiru touched the door handle when the sounds of a violin beginning to play reached them from down the hallway. "She didn't dare!" Michiru's anger came back full force and the ground Haruka had made vanished like a puff of smoke as Michiru opened the door violently and stepped into the hallway; making a direct line for the study. Haruka threw her arms up helplessly. The violin had been touched, and there was nothing Haruka could do now to keep things in control.
Michiru entered the study and Haruka followed after her a foot or two behind. As the two entered in they stopped short and Michiru stood with her mouth opened wide, and Haruka stood in her own personal awe.
The room was completely darkened despite the outside wall being made up entirely of glass. Within the darkness stood Hotaru playing the violin gently as she stood in front of the piano, and all around the room shone a billion tiny lights. The girl's eyes remained closed as she played and Haruka followed Michiru as they stepped deeper into the room. Hotaru's face carried with it the same peacefulness Michiru had as she played; leaving the rest of the world behind, and Haruka had to admit, she was just as good as Michiru.
"What is this?" Michiru spoke up first. Hotaru's eyes opened and played on the violin more quickly. The lights swirled around them and a group near the edge of the room grew bigger and began to take up the entire room; it was the whole Solar System floating around their heads. The Earth and Moon floated in between Hotaru and the other two with The Sun shimmering brightly above the piano behind her. The violin trilled more slowly now as Hotaru eased up her arm motions and her eyes were cold and blank as she played. Michiru's hand lifted to touch The Earth, but she stopped before doing so and put her hand down still in shock.
"I do this for several reasons." Hotaru spoke in a hollow voice. "To control my power, to help it awaken more fully, and to see into the future..."
"The future?" Hotaru didn't respond, but continued to play softly.
"This is the only way I can show you what is wrong. What needs fixed." Hotaru remained staring at The Earth and Moon as she played and the two celestial beings rotated slowly. "What is wrong is not what is happening." Hotaru began. "But what is not happening." The other two looked at her in confusion, but she was paying no attention to them. "If we cannot stop it from getting worse in this time, then..." She suddenly played the violin more forcefully and the planets spun around the room above them. As the two adults looked on they could see that with each rotation around The Sun, each of the planets was growing dimmer.
Hotaru's playing slowed once more and The Earth and Moon rotated steadily in between them once more. "This is a thousand years into the future." Hotaru whispered. The two Senshi stared at the horrible dark orb in front of them, and The Moon behind it no longer gave off any light, but was simply a dead rock in the sky. "The Earth, The Moon, the other planets..." Hotaru spoke sadly. "They will all die if this continues." Hotaru finished. Her playing halted suddenly without warning and the vision around them faded and the light returned to the room. Michiru and Haruka stood there speechless. "That is all I can show you." Hotaru spoke as she placed the violin down gently onto the stand.
"W-What can we do?" Haruka asked. Hotaru looked to Michiru and the two stood with eyes meeting, and for the first time they were both sorrowful.
"Just, trust me enough to show me what you know." Hotaru said.
"We don't know anything, we just know-" Michiru began, but Hotaru cut her off before she could go on.
"Anything." Hotaru said. "Anything you've investigated in the last few months, or even years could be something!" She said. "Something small, or a group of things, is changing the course of history, and in turn it's creating a butterfly effect that has devastating consequences. All of time is being affected." The two Senshi glanced at one another. She was talking… like Pluto, but they knew for certain that she wasn't. It was probably the only thing they were certain of at the moment. "You have to show me everything. We have to investigate it all again." Michiru frowned again.
"And you think you could do better?" She asked. Hotaru stood staring at the two in front of her for a moment.
"It's not that." She said. "I'll just have a better chance at noticing something important." Haruka wrapped her arm around Michiru and this time she didn't get rejected.
"Fine." Michiru said with her arms crossed. Hotaru smiled a bit as Michiru revealed The Mirror. "We'll start with the most confusing." She said turning The Mirror so Hotaru could see it clearly. "This house, and the people within it."