—-—-—-—-—Ungodly Hours—-—-—-—-—
A lone droplet slipped into the empty pool.
Against narrow windowpanes, the storm raged. The falling flood had no effect on the almost still silver water, the smallest ripples already melting away.
Footsteps echoed in the natatorium. A vicious gust slammed outside.
Michiru heard it all. But she also heard seagulls. And the soft summer rays pinkening her skin.
The conch shell at her brought back memories of childhood beach days and recent dives.
She could remember how it felt to be the sea, staring at the clouds, and how it felt to be her, staring at white birds forever flying to the sun.
As she pressed the shell closer to her ear she could hear the voices of her new friends, their childish bickering and vibrant laughter.
She could also hear her fate and how soon tonight was.
"it's not fair," a familiar voice called to her. Away from the birds and distant sun she turned, listening. "Going into your own world like that…"
Michiru opened her eyes. In the murky light, she saw her clearly: Haruka.
Solemn eyes behind forward falling bangs bore down at Michiru. "Don't leave me behind."
The stern gravity in Haruka's voice made Michiru smile. The conch shell lingered at her ear a second longer, just so she could hear the red angels and how hard their arrows would hit.
The lounge chair Michiru was reclining on creaked as she unfurled her arm, holding the shell with a precariously limp hand.
"This morning I had a dream," she softly, knowing why Haruka was here and being unable to meet her gaze. "I've been feeling it since I woke up."
It was something that had never happened to them before.
"You must have noticed it."
"Of course, I noticed."
"Then," Michiru focused on something in the distance, refusing to look up at Haruka with the last sounds from the conch shell still echoing so clearly in her ears, "There's no mistaking it. Today is the day…"
Despite it all, Michiru smiled. In a way, she was happier than she had ever been.
A/N: Edited chapters, took some out, and finished this :)