Break the Silence

By: April Eagle

>I can imagine the moment
Breaking out through the silence
All the things that we both might say

And the heart it will not be denied
'Til we're both on the same damn side
All the barriers blown away <

Peter Gabriel

Author's note:
This is a story about Haruka and Michiru . The time isn't important.
Haruka and Michiru know each other for over two years and they got to
know Sailor Moon and her team. They are still looking after the
talismans, but this time it is not as busy as in the anime.
Haruka and Michiru are in love with each other but neither of them
dare to talk to each other.

For all those people who know Japan or are even living in it: I am
sorry. I don't know if Japan has such mountains as I describe them in
this story. If not, please forgive me.

Disclaimer: I guess everyone knows who created Sailor Moon... The
story is mine. If you want to tell me how much you liked my story or
how much you hated it, just write to aprileagle@freenet.de ! I will
answer every letter. I promise.

The actual meaning of the song "Come talk to me" is another one, but I
think the lines are suitable. I love this song very much and I think
everyone knows how hard it is to talk about personal feelings.

It's never been easy to talk about love.

Break the silence
By April Eagle

prologue: dancing dolphins

Bright sunlight burned from a cloudless sky at the world beneath. Busy
cars forced their way through the big streets that divided the big
city. They lurched like snakes between the huge sky scrapers. Steam
and fog laid over the hot asphalt.
Outside the city the noise died slightly away and green trees and wide
meadows covered the ground. Small houses could be seen overall between
the high trees. They seemed to fit into this picture of nature next to
the industrial giant. The rushes of the near ocean could be heard as
well as the sweet singing of the birds all around. Lots of people
walked through the huge park at the outer ring of Tokyo. They enjoyed
the nice weather, their free time or simply their pension. Young
people walked next to old ones. The isolation of the big city didn't
exist here anymore. People were greeting each other although they
didn't actually know why. Children played at the playground or seek
and hide between the bushes. Loving mothers watched them happy. Some
dogs barked and followed existed tiny sticks. Couples passed the sandy
ways holding their hands.
Bright sunlight burned from an cloudless sky through the window of a
small shop in the middle of the park. There mostly souvenirs were
sold. Souvenirs for the tourists that visited Tokyo each day.
Souvenirs... And if you opened you eyes and looked around quite well
you could find treasures between tiny copies of the Tokyo Tower or
cheap pictures of the great ocean that started behind the green oasis
as the people called it.
Two ear rings sparkled in the hand of a young woman. She took off her
sun glasses and her deep green eyes watched the diamonds thoughtfully.
Sparkling jewels formed the eyes of jumping dolphins. The silver skin
of the animals shimmered blue and remembered the young woman of the
endless sea. And of two blue eyes she loved so much...
"They are very cute, aren't they?" The shop assistant, a young woman
of almost twenty years, appeared next to her and looked over her
shoulder. Then she looked around in the small shop and wrinkled her
front. "I didn't realize that we have such ear rings." She ran a
steady hand through her long red hair. That happened often. The small
shop was so inoverwieving that people often found things she didn't
even know they were there.
The young woman took a deep breathe then she looked up.
"I'll take them." She declared in a low voice and went over to the
counter with the shop assistant.
"Shall I wrap them up?" As the young woman just nodded fought the
young shop assistant with the paper. It was too big but she had no
scissors. So she talked to cover her awkwardness.
"Are you from here? Or are you a tourist?" she asked politely and
rolled her eyes as she heard the crash of the door when her younger
sister entered the small shop.
"Hey, Yako. How do you do?" Another girl with red but short hair went
over to the counter and grinned at the young woman. Her eyes went over
the long blue jeans and the wide black shirt the customer was wearing.
She piped appreciative.
"If I had known that you would have such nice guys in you shop I..."
"Go to university and study!" declared the other sister and finally
won the battle with the big paper.
"It's too hot for learning! By the way what does he buy?" asked the
smaller sister curiously and grinned again at the young woman who
smiled back and took her sun glasses into her right hand.
"Ear rings. Dolphins with diamonds."
"O, I didn't realize that we have such ear rings. That we have ear
rings at all."
"Me neither. But granny does the buying so I doesn't wonder about
anything."
"Our loving granny... I am hungry. Don't you think it's time for
dinner?" The pleading expression of the smaller sister's face was so
funny that the young woman giggled.
"Here you are." The shop assistant gave the small box to the customer
and sighed. "Why don't you just go and cook something for yourself?
You're old enough!" she scolded but her little sister didn't even
listen to her. She just followed the young woman.
"Do you have any appointments this evening?" She asked and didn't even
blush to talk to strange men in such an open way.
"Asuka!"
The young woman took her sun glasses on. The smile on her face froze.
Then she left the shop and went away.
"Asuka! You're crazy!" could she hear the older sister scolding while
she walked along the sandy way looking up to the cloudless sky.
"Yako!" "Don't you think that he's already a nice girlfriend? What do
you think for whom were these wonderful ear rings?" "O, then his
girlfriend is lucky. She must be something special."
The voices died away as she walked deeper into the park.
Something special...
The young woman thought at shinning blue eyes, at long sea green hairs
that felt velvet and at a smiling face that always seemed so
understanding. At two small hands that could play the violin in a
tender way that touched her heart each time she heard the soft
melodies.
Something special.
"Hai..."
Michiru is indeed something special.
Haruka sighed slightly and risk a look down her watch and knew that
she was too late. The others already waited for her. She should hurry
up.

***

The girl sat on the bank. The wind was playing with her short blue
hair and the white skirt she was wearing. Birds sung and the leaves of
the trees around rushed. But she didn't even mention it. All she saw
was the thick book she hold in her hands. Her blue eyes behind glasses
shimmered as they followed endless lines of written words.
"He! What are you doing here so alone?" A man sat down next to her and
grabbed her shoulder. The girl looked up very puzzled and the book
fell upon the sandy ground.
"Leave me in peace!" she demanded and wanted to pick up her book as he
hold her back.
"You remember me of my former girlfriend." He said and she could smell
the alcohol. "Are you as good as she was?" The man asked and came
nearer.
"Get off me!" demanded the girl. This time her voice was louder. And a
little bit more frightened, too.
"Hey, small one! Don't be so shy. I know you want it, too." He smiled
and she could see a bad expression on his face. His hands hurt more
and more upon her shoulders and she wasn't strong enough to escape.
"No..." she winced as he tried to force her to give him a kiss.
"NO!!!" She screamed and hold up her hands protectively in front of
her head. He just slapped them away and hit her in her face.
"No..." she stammered and suddenly tears were running down her burning
cheeks. The glasses landed in the grass and it cracked as the glass
sprung.
"Yes!" declared the young man and grinned satisfied as he felt that
she was too weak to defend herself seriously enough.
"She said >noYou lesbian!<
Haruka hold her hands up to her ears but she couldn't stop the rude
voice inside her head. It followed her the whole evening. Again she
saw that hateful look of the fat man at the parking space as she hold
the soft hands of her Michiru.
Again she saw the disappointment in the young musician's face as she
didn't want to talk about her problems. Michiru would never
understand. Would she?
She's always so understanding. She accepts my passion to fast cars.
She isn't affected about my male behaviour. She never loses a word
about my messing room. Or about my terrible cooking. She just listens
to my problems and tries to solve them.
Haruka sighed and laid back in the sand. Her eyes shone treacherously
as she looked up at the sky that was covered with thousands of stars.
"Hai, Michi-chan is very understanding..." whispered the young car
racer and swallowed hard. Then she covered her face with her cold
hands.
But she's surely not so understanding to accept that I love her...
For almost an hour Haruka laid there. Motionless. In silence. She
thought at the young violinist who declared her that she was Sailor
Uranus. That her destiny would be the search of the talismans and the
saving of the world. She remembered Michiru inviting her to live in
her huge house that was too big for one person. For the first time in
her life Haruka got her own room. She got new clothes and the car keys
of the wonderful silver Ferrari. She got the chance to start a career
as a car racer. And she got the possibility to talk to a friendly
young woman who listened to her. Who comforted her after she talked
about her sad childhood for the first time after her parents died. For
the first time in her whole life. And surely for the last time.
Michiru gave her so much...
I got a friend. My best friend. My only friend...
Michiru gave her so much. It wasn't fair of Haruka to thank her by
telling her about her strange feelings. About her love to her.
Haruka sighed and stood up quietly. She didn't want to lose Michiru
because of these feelings. And she didn't want Michiru to be treated
the rude way she was by other people. By other people who recognized
that she wasn't a man although she looked and behaved like one.
She's my only ray of light in this dark world.
Slowly Haruka went back to her motorbike and sat up.
What should I do without her?
The young car racer turned her motorbike and speeded up. It was a
question she couldn't answer. Because all answers she found were too
sad.

***

It was about five o'clock in the morning. It was almost dawn. The
horizon already wore the colours of light blue and the ocean started
to glimmer.
Haruka woke up and laid silently in her bed while she tried to calm
down her body. Sweat covered her face and she run a steady hand though
her short and wet blonde hair. Her yellow pyjama felt also wet and she
wanted to take a shower as always when she tried to ignore her
nightmares.
She reached over to the table that stood next to the bed and switched
on the light. For a long time she stared at the framed picture she
found on her pillow as she returned home late at night. It showed
herself who sat on a tiny wooden pony on the playground. Michiru sat
behind her and had wrapped her arms around her waist. She looked over
her shoulder and laughed happily into the camera.
We both are laughing...
They went to the playground with Usagi and the others about a months
ago. It was a nice day and they had a lot of fun. The outer senshi
almost forgot their dangerous mission and in a moment of happiness Rei
took that picture.
Haruka couldn't take her look from the lucky shinning face of her
Michi-chan.
Why does she give it to me?
She didn't find an answer on this question, too.
At that moment she heard the soft voice of the violin that filled the
cool air of the night. The melody was very sad and full of despair. It
didn't stop at the end of the song. It just settled into a next one
until it changed into a imaged melody. Heavy notes in a strange order.
Haruka stood up and went upstairs to the room where the moaning melody
was born. Quietly she opened the door and could see Michiru on the
balcony. She stood in the corner. Her face was turned towards the
endless ocean but the young car racer knew that her eyes were shut.
"Michi-chan?" she whispered as she entered the balcony. The melody
broke and left a bitter sweet aftertaste. The young musician spun
around and Haruka could see the sparkling tears that fell down her
pale cheeks. Michiru put carefully her instrument down on the wide
handrail and slowly walked over to the young car racer. Without saying
a word she wrapped her arms around Haruka's neck and pulled her hot
face against the young woman's shoulder.
Haruka didn't react at the first seconds. Then she heard the oppressed
sobs of the smaller senshi. And she felt the shaking that went through
the slim body.
She's too slim.
The young car racer took her small musician into her arms and rocked
her gently.
She has too many problems.
"You had this nightmare, too?" she asked quietly and felt how Michiru
nodded against her shoulder. Silently she sighed and looked down at
the trembling young woman in her strong arms. Carefully she stroke the
velvet hairs while the other one cried. Tears shimmered also in Haruka
eyes, but she fought them back successfully. She didn't want Michiru
to see her cry. She didn't want her Michi-chan to be more concerned
than she already was. One of them had to have the strength to show
that life carried on. It always did. Haruka knew it too well...
We have too many problems...
"Our enemies found a new victim. We should be there to see if they're
lucky. If this victim owns a talisman in his heart." Whispered Haruka
and could feel how Michiru's arms squeezed her harder. As if she was
the only life line in the dark life of the talented musician.
"Ruka..." answered Michiru in a strange voice and coughed. "I don't
know if I am able to..." Again a shaking went through her body and
more tears fell.
"I don't know it either, Michi-chan. But it's our mission as you know.
Otherwise the whole world is going to end. All people will die if we
don't prevent the messiah of silence to be born."
"But one life for six million lives..." cried Michiru and rose her
head to look straight into Haruka's also pale face. She could see the
determined expression on the young car racer's face and knew what she
would say next. It were the same words she always said in such a
discussion.
"It's our destiny to full fill this mission. We aren't asked if we're
able to..." Haruka swallowed hard and turned her head to look out to
the endless ocean. The steady rushes of the sea seemed to call her
down. External.
"... to kill anyone. And no one asked if it's fair enough to sacrifice
one person for the rest of the world. Well, at last it's not fair for
this single person. But the rest of the people will survive. Usagi and
her friends will survive. Although someone else has to die for this
peace."
"That's no peace!" said Michiru in a suddenly icy voice. Haruka looked
at her pale face again and could see the angry expression in it.
She never argued after these unchangeable words before.
"Just think of the family of this person. Of her parents. Of her
children. Of her lover..." Deep despair shone in the tears that slowed
down. Wind ran through the long sea green hairs and Haruka felt how
Michiru pulled her nearer to hold her tight.
"It's better for us not to think about it." Declared Haruka and her
voice sounded insensible. But both of them knew that she wasn't.
"But..."
"It's our mission and we have to full fill it. The destiny of the
world depends on us. We can't let this tragedy happen." Haruka wanted
to return into the bedroom but Michiru hold her tighter. She didn't
want her car racer to let go. And Haruka knew that she didn't want to
leave her young violinist either. They needed each other. Without the
other one they would never have come so far. Living.
"Besides it doesn't mean..."
"But I would never sacrifice one person for this bloody world if that
person was you!" The scream interrupted the words of the taller woman.
Green eyes grew wide and stared in disbelieve in desperate blue ones.
How did she meant it?
Please, don't leave me!
For some moments they stood their in silence just watching each other.
None of them dared to say a word. None of them knew what to say best.
Finally Michiru lowered her head and leaned it against Haruka's chest.
She could feel her breasts through the yellow pyjama the young car
racer wore instead of night dresses. Michiru actually never seen the
senshi of the wind in a dress. Haruka hated the costume she had to
wear as Sailor Uranus and she would never voluntarily wear anything
else than her blue jeans and her wide shirts.
But it didn't matter to Michiru. She liked her tomboy and it was alike
what she wore.
"Hey, you know only a person with a pure heart owns a talisman. So you
can't sacrifice me." Joked Haruka after a while and was very glad that
it was too dark outside. Otherwise Michiru would have seen that the
cool car racer blushed deeply.
She let off Michiru and went into the bedroom.
"Better I'll care for the tickets that we're at the party before our
enemies arrive there." She said and opened the door as she heard the
quiet voice behind her.
"R... Ruka?"
Haruka slowly turned her head and could see Michiru who stood next to
the huge bed. She had protectively wrapped her arms around her slim
chest. The blue night shirt she wore moved in the wind that blew
through the open balcony door. Her hair fell over her shoulders and
shadows hide her face. Obstinately she stared at the carpet down
below.
She looks so fragile...
"Hai?"
"Please..." Michiru swallowed hard and didn't look up. "Please stay
for the rest of the night. I... I don't want to be alone after this
horrible... nightmare..." The young violinist sighed and shook
slightly her head. It was too much she asked from the independent car
racer. She knew it.
Thoughtless she winced as she heard how the door closed.
I am silly that I asked.
Again Michiru sighed and suddenly froze in her thin night shirt. She
knew that it was alike how much blankets she would use. The next hours
until she had to get up she would freeze like hell. She shut her eyes
and just stood there motionless. She didn't want to think about the
next day. Maybe they would find one of the talismans. Maybe they would
be forced to kill...
No I am not silly. I am jut so tired of this all.
Michiru's eyes flew open as she felt the soft blanket that suddenly
covered her trembling body. She rose her head and looked straight into
two green eyes. An expression laid on Haruka's face she'd never seen
before. She couldn't explain. She couldn't define.
But she wasn't scared about it. Oppositely she felt safe and secure as
Haruka pulled her down on the soft bed and laid down next to her.
Wordlessly she took one of Michiru's cold hands in her warm one and
held it tight.
"Are you cold?" asked the young car racer after a while they just laid
in silence and listened to the steady waves of the near ocean.
"No, not anymore. Thanks." Michiru shut her eyes and concentrated on
the tender touch. Everything seemed to be less important as she
settled into sleep. Yes, here she felt free. With her Ruka next to
her. No one could harm her as long as she wasn't alone.
No, I am not alone.
A smile appeared on Michiru's pale face as she entered the dream world
and left all her problems behind.
Haruka squeezed the small hand gentle and looked down at the senshi of
the endless ocean. She didn't want to see her Michi-chan cry. She
wanted to see her happy. To see her laughing the whole day. But she
knew she wouldn't. Not as long as their mission lasted.
And afterwards?
Haruka sighed slightly and laid her head back on the soft pillow.
I want to love her. But she deserves a better life. She shouldn't be
called bad words by old intolerant men. She should bee free and not be
bound at a sick person like me.
Haruka silently watched the ceiling while the sun set. The room got
brighter with every minute. Michiru next to her slept deep and tight.
No more nightmares disturbed her dreams.
I don't want her to be called a lesbian.
The car racer didn't find any sleep the rest of the night.

***

chapter two: a senshi in a shinning dress

"D... don't look at me!"
For the first time Michiru knew her Ruka she heard the strong senshi
of the wind stammer.
"Don't be such a baby, Ruka and come out! Now!" Inpatient the young
violinist knocked at the door of the other woman's bathroom. "I don't
want to be late to the party. And I don't want to give our enemies an
advantage."
"But..."
"Don't worry, Ruka. I won't laugh." Declared Michiru determined and
rolled her eyes. Then she put her long blue evening dress in order.
Her sea green hair fell over her shoulder and surrounded a pale face.
She put on some make up but it couldn't cover her tiredness. Two
dolphins jingled as the young violinist turned her head towards the
slowly opened door.
"Don't make such a rebellion, Ruka. I won't get a heart attack by..."
Michiru's voice died away as she watched Haruka who just clenched her
fists. She wore a long narrow evening dress she brought quickly this
afternoon. It glimmered golden in the light of the setting sun.
Michiru could not longer deny that the young car racer was indeed a
woman. Behind the thin cloth she could see every female outline.
She's so beautiful...
Haruka had even brushed her short blonde hair in a different way. She
didn't look like a tomboy anymore. Now she looked like a real lady.
"I hate this dress." Declared Haruka and as she rose her head Michiru
recognized that she even used a little bit of the make up she gave her
one hour ago. Her deep green eyes shone angry and she blushed
slightly. "I feel like a total jerk!"
"Well, sometimes you're one." Giggled Michiru and stepped nearer. "But
at this party there're only women allowed." Critical she looked at her
and the young car racer blushed more. "But something is missing." A
bright smile appeared on the young violinist's face and her cheeks got
redder. The tiredness disappeared from her eyes as she let go of the
golden amulet she always wore. It was a tiny heart that contained the
pictures of her dead parents. Carefully she hung the necklace around
Haruka's neck who watched her with disbelieve.
"Michiru, I... I can't take this..." stammered the young car racer and
wanted to give it back. But the young violinist just shook her head.
"They always protect me. This evening they should protect you, Ruka."
A serious expression appeared on Michiru's face then she grinned at
the taller senshi. "It should protect you from the men who will be all
crazy about you, you beauty."
She laughed as Haruka's face got darker.
"Oh, Michiru! You're.."
So nice. So lovely. So kind. So amiable.
"I am your best friend and without me you wouldn't know what to do
this evening on this party." Michiru took her handbag and went over to
the front door.
Haruka watched her in silence.
Without you I wouldn't know what to do in my whole life.
The young car racer wanted to say something and Michiru who felt that
something changed looked up to her in attention. Motionless they stood
near the door and looked each other deep into the eyes. Then a honk
interrupted the almost magical atmosphere.
"That will be our taxi." Haruka squinted and finally opened the door.
"Didn't you forget anything, Ruka?" With that smile Haruka loved so
much Michiru watched her shoes. The young car racer looked down and
registered that she wore her old comfortable sport shoes.
"I guess you should use some stilettos."
"O no! I wasn't born to be a lady." Groaned Haruka and stumbled down
the steps of the entrance staircase. The taxi driver already opened
the door for them and Michiru watched how her young car racer
disappeared in the car.
"I know, Ruka." She whispered and suddenly her look was very sad.
Silently she sat down next to the taller senshi at the backseat.
Thoughtless she looked out at the window to the coloured ocean and
watched the sun set. Tears shimmered in her blue eyes but she didn't
cry.
I know, Ruka.
But it doesn't matter to me.

***

Blue eyes looked critical at the huge painting at the white wall. Red
lines were crossed with blue lines. Yellow dots filled the free space
between.
"You don't like them, do you?"
Michiru spun around and looked into the grinning face of Haruka. The
young car racer hold a plate with tiny fruit pieces in her hands.
"Well, actually I don't understand why this painting is called
>Destiny<." She observed the painting again and shook her head.
"And I don't understand why it costs 100.000,00 Yen!" declared Haruka
and ate a apple piece.
"Because it is made for idiots who thinks they're intelligent because
they think they can understand the artist and his work."
"I understand your works. Your endless oceans, your free dolphins.
Your dark forests and your endless skies." It should sound mocking but
as Michiru looked up she saw a very serious expression on Haruka's
still grinning face.
She's the only one who understands me. The only one who...
Michiru sighed slightly then she smiled encouraged.
"Thanks. Then you must be very intelligent. I didn't realize that you
have so much talents." Joked Michiru and giggled as she could see how
Haruka rolled her eyes.
"You would be surprised..." whispered the young car racer and offered
her some fruits. Michiru just nodded and bit into a pear. Silently
both of them observed the wide room.
The taxi brought them to a skyscraper in the inner city. The party
took place at the huge apartment in the thirteenth story. Well, the
whole apartment was the thirteenth story. It belonged to an old man
who drew his own paintings. He was very known in the artist's world of
modern art. Michiru knew him for several years. They didn't like each
other very well because both of them didn't like the works of the
other one.
Mr. Snyder was born and grown up in America. Two ages ago he married a
woman from Japan and moved to the islands. His wife dies by a car
accident and so he had been alone with his daughter. Three years ago
his daughter disappeared from one day to another. She went to school
and never came home. Since this day Mr. Snyder searched desperately
after his daughter. That was the reason why he only invited women to
the parties he gave to represent his new paintings. Because he hoped
that one of the women would be his missing daughter.
Some musicians stood next to the door that leaded out to a huge
balcony where you could overlook almost whole of Tokyo. It was a very
bright and surely it was a very expensive apartment. There were five
musicians and they played Japanese Country music. It was his favourite
music. Some of the guests actually liked it. But some of them were
bored by it.
"It's incredible!" said Michiru quietly and watched a musician with an
old violin who missed two notes in one line. She knew the music, too,
but she had never heard it this terrible way.
"Don't worry. At least you don't have to dance." Replied Haruka and
ate another apple piece. Her green eyes were always in motion. She
searched for the slightest hint that their enemies were there. Michiru
could feel that the young car racer waited for a fight. That they
would found the talisman or at least got the chance to look into Mr.
Snyder's heart crystal. And then went home. Michiru knew that Haruka
didn't feel well in the long narrow dress. And the young violinist
couldn't imagine that she would ever get used to this terrible try of
the five men to make music.
"You can't dance, can you?" asked Michiru in surprise because she
thought that Haruka could do everything. Well, at least she behaved as
if she was able to reach every goal.
"Not as a woman." Obstinately Haruka stared on her plate and slowly
ate the rest of the apple pieces.
Michiru rose her head and watched the young car racer silently for
some moments.
I'd like to dance with you.
But she didn't dare to say it aloud.
"Hey, Ruka! Don't eat everything! I didn't have any dinner, too!"
Michiru grabbed Haruka's hand and took the last piece of apple. She
could feel how the taller woman winced as they touched.
"Greed doesn't suit you." Mocked Haruka and laughed as the young
violinist made an angry face. "Shall I take some more fruits from the
huge banquet? I really don't know who should eat all this food."
"You! And then you'll be fat. A fat car racer." Now it was Michiru's
turn to laugh as she saw the confused expression in two green eyes.
Haruka lowered her head and observed her body.
"The pizza last evening was too much, wasn't it?" asked she and looked
down at Michiru with that look that remembered her of a little puppy.
The young violinist couldn't resist her feelings. She rose her hand
and ran it tender through Haruka's short blonde hair. The taller woman
swallowed hard, but she didn't move.
What had begun as a kind gesture changed now in something different.
Michiru's hand froze but it rested between the soft strands. Loving
blue eyes looked up into startled green ones.
I want to dance with you.
What shall I say?
In that very moment both of them heard the exited voices next to the
banquet.
"You took the last piece of the chocolate cake. That's not fair!"
"When you're so lazy! It's mine! Hey! Give it back! Now!"
"Fetch it if you can!"
"You'll regret this!"
Michiru's hand fell down as she turned around and looked as surprised
as Haruka at the four girls who stood next to the huge balcony door. A
girl with two blonde plaits and a white dress run through the room.
She hold a plait with a brown cake in her hands. A taller girl in a
red dress followed her with an angry expression on her face. Her long
black hair covered her back and swirled through the air as she tried
to catch the other girl.
"That's so embarrassing!" sighed a tall girl and ran a steady hand
through her brown hair. She wore a dark green dress. Another girl with
a light blue dress stood by her side. She didn't react because she
looked the whole time in a big book.
"Ami! You're as bad as them! Put this book away!"
"But, Mako... Tomorrow is a test in English and..."
"And you never missed a single word your whole life. You're the best
pupil in your class. And I guess you're even better in this language
than an English people. So put it away! Or I will be very angry about
you!"
The girl bowed her head and her face that was surrounded by shoulder
long blue hair blushed.
"Gomen, Makoto-san." She said and the tall girl laughed.
"Don't worry. Just put it away. That's all I ask of you, Ami. Put it
away, take a apple or a roll - they look really delicious - and enjoy
yourself." Answered Makoto and rolled her eyes as she watched the
other two girls still arguing about the cake.
Ami sighed helpless and looked around. Her light blue eyes grew wide
as she recognized the two young women at the other side of the huge
room. Slowly she crossed it and stood at the next moment by the side
of Haruka.
"Hi." She smiled and the words she wanted to say died away as she saw
Michiru's warning look. "What are you doing here?" Ami asked instead
and didn't say anything about the dresses she admired.
They must have been very expensive.
The senshi of the water didn't want to think about her dress she
borrowed from her cousin.
They both look really beautiful.
She felt grey next to them but cheered up as she saw the loving smile
on the young violinist's face.
"I know Mr. Snyder and wanted to take a look at his new paintings."
"It's said that he lost his daughter and now searches for her."
"That's right." Michiru nodded and wondered how informed Ami was.
Always she seemed to know more than the others. The young violinist
hoped that the girl would never be her enemy one day. Or the one who
owned one of the talismans. Michiru wasn't sure if she would be able
to sacrifice her...
"How sad..." Ami sighed. Then she remembered something important.
"Haruka, how are you feeling? Do you have any headaches? My mother
told me that it would have been better if we would have visited a
doctor. It's not funny to be beaten up by a stone." Her light blue
eyes observed Haruka, but she couldn't see any weakness. As ever.
"A stone?" whispered Michiru shocked.
"She didn't tell you?" Ami seemed to be really surprised.
As Michiru wanted to reply anything the others came over to them.
"I don't believe it! She ate the whole cake!" Rei looked frustrated
and Usagi grinned happy. Her mouth was brown and the white dress got
some brown spots. Makoto just smiled tortured.
The music increased and Michiru took a deep breathe. Silently she
watched Haruka who stared again on her empty plate.
She didn't tell me anything about the incident. But why? I thought I
am her best friend? I thought she trusts me. Doesn't she?
The young violinist swallowed hard and looked away.
Well, not anymore...
Ami noted their reactions and frown her forehead.
"Hell, this music is driving me crazy!" declared Makoto and couldn't
help to stare at Haruka. She'd never realized that the young car racer
was indeed a woman. Yes they all knew it. But actually she'd never
seen her so female before. The others were as puzzled as she was.
"That's a nice dress. Where did you buy it?" asked Usagi who didn't
see the warning looks of the others and touched the velvet cloth of
Haruka's dress. "It's a nice colour. And it changes with the daylight.
It must have been very expensive, wasn't it? O, I dream of ever
wearing such a nice dress." Declared Usagi and looked innocently up as
Haruka automatically stepped back until the wall bared her only way of
flight.
"But this dress is also nice, isn't it?" she said as the young car
racer didn't reply anything. "Mamo-chan has brought it for me. It is
very sad that he can't be with me this evening. But Mr. Snyder just
invited girls. And otherwise Mamo-chan has a seminar this evening. But
it would be fantastic to dance with him this evening." Dreamed Usagi
and a honest smile appeared on her redden face.
"To this music?" whispered Makoto and made a face.
"With her talent to dance? Poor Mamoru!" answered Rei and got a angry
look of Usagi.
"You're just jealous!"
"What? Me?"
"By the way, what are you doing here?" asked Michiru and interrupted
the starting argument.
"Well..." begun Usagi and stopped at the warning look of Rei.
"It's for a school project. About modern art."
That was an excuse everyone always accepted. Because they couldn't
tell the two that they were at the party because of a bad vision of
Rei. Could they?
Usagi was convinced that Haruka and Michiru were friends. But the
others hesitated. So they decided not to tell them about the Sailor
Team.
"But you're in different classes, aren't you?"
For the first time Haruka interrupted the rule and asked for more
information after they told her the magic word school project.
"Well..."
At that very moment they heard how the class of the huge windows
broke. A ugly youma entered the room. Fast he reached the old man and
tried to beat him. The rest of the female guests screamed and escaped
through the doors towards the lifts. So did the Sailor Team. Just
Haruka and Michiru stayed.
"At last!" sighed Haruka as she rose her golden henshin.
"You couldn't await to tear your dress off your body, could you?"
asked the young violinist and giggled as she took out her henshin out
of her handbag.
Haruka turned her head and stared confused at the smaller senshi.
"You should wear a dress more often, Ruka." Whispered Michiru and
blushed. Then she concentrated on the youma and rose her henshin, too.

***

Fearful looked the old man at the youma who came nearer. This time it
was a woman who resembled a modern painting. Her head seemed to be
were her right hand should be and the right hand had changed her place
with her left food. A hole in her belly allowed observers to see what
was behind her. Her dark eyes shone angry and full of hate. In her
left hand she hold a gun with which she could pull out the heart
crystal out of human's bodies. Mr. Snyder screamed in pain as she did.
"Look if it's a talisman, Uranus. I'll take care for this...
creature." Michiru ran towards the youma who realized her.
"Deep..." screamed Sailor Neptune but she couldn't finish her
sentence. The power of the youma hit her suddenly. The young woman
lost hold and was thrown out of the balcony door. She winced as she
felt the pain in her body but at she was able to grab the handrail of
the balcony.
"Shit..." whispered Neptune as she saw the city under her. The cars
looked like toys thirteen story above. The youma left Mr. Snyder and
the crystal that flew over his silent body in a bright light.
"Now I will kill you. At last! You have foiled all my plans! You
didn't do it without any consequences!" The youma stood now at the
balcony and looked down at the defenseless senshi of the wide ocean.
"Now you will regret your intervention!"
The modern art woman rose her head and Michiru automatically closed
her eyes.
"EARTH SHAKING!" Haruka pulled her henshin down and observed how the
planet grew bigger and hit the youma who stepped back and screamed in
pain. Sailor Uranus didn't even look at the heart crystal as she ran
towards the balcony. She jumped and landed hard. At the last moment
she could catch the falling hands of the taller senshi who could not
longer hold on the handrail.
"What the hell..." whispered Michiru and opened her eyes. They grew
wide as she saw how the youma stood up and again came towards them.
"You jerk! What have you done?!" screamed the senshi of the wide ocean
and suddenly tears run over her pale cheeks. "One of us must survive
to full fill the mission! Now you can't even defend yourself!" She
didn't look down the street that was several hundred meters below.
Wind drove through her uniform and she shivered. Sailor Uranus didn't
say a word. She just hold her hands tighter and bit on her lower lip
as she tried to raise her back on the safe balcony.
"I am too heavy!" declared Michiru and swallowed hard as she felt that
there was no ground under her trembling feet. "Leave me and save
yourself as we once promised. Save yourself and the world."
"Never!" declared Haruka and lifted her up some inches. But it would
take some more moments until Neptune would be safe and secure on the
ground of the balcony. Moments they didn't have.
"Ruka, please..." demanded the smaller senshi and couldn't fight back
a scream of fear as her stilettos fell down a long way down to the
street.
"Shut up, Michi-chan." Yelled Uranus as the first beat of the youma
hit her. The pain ran through her body and she had to use all her
powers not to let go of the hand of Neptune. "Don't you know that I
would never leave you, you stupid..." Uranus's voice died away as the
second beat hit her. Her body arched incredibly and she felt how she
lost control over her trembling hands.
Don't...
"Ruka!" The scream of Neptune took away the darkness that waited for
the senshi of the wind. The pain increased but she just bit on her
lower lip and lifted the smaller woman some more inches. Just some
seconds and she would be safe and secure. Just two seconds and...
The third beat hit Uranus and she didn't had the power to hold her
anymore.
NO!
At that moment two hands reached for Neptune's and together they were
able to lift her back on the balcony. The senshi of the wide ocean
sobbed. Then she looked up and saw Sailor Jupiter who just smiled at
her.
"That's been really tight." Answered the inner senshi and turned away
to help her partners. But she didn't have to help them anymore. Sailor
Moon already defeated the youma with her mighty henshin and now they
gave the heart crystal back to Mr. Snyder.
Sailor Neptune came hard to her feet. Slowly she walked over to the
old man. Sailor Moon kneeled at his side. Blue eyes looked innocently
up in a tear wet face.
"You didn't even look if it's a talisman." Whispered the senshi of the
ocean stunned and shook her head. "You just let this chance go to find
one talisman and to full fill our mission." Sailor Neptune spun around
and looked at Sailor Uranus who just stared at the ground of balcony.
"What have you done? It's our mission to save the world! One of us has
to survive! When we both die the whole world will die! Didn't you say
that we have to make sacrifices to save this world? That every
sacrifice is worth for saving thousands of people?!" Now Sailor
Neptune yelled at the still kneeling woman. The uniform was now red
and Michiru knew that Haruka was bleeding. The pain was surely
incredible but the senshi of the wind still didn't look up. For the
first time Michiru was really angry about her young car racer.
"You always said that everything is less important than our mission!"
"What for a mission?" asked Sailor Mars.
"What is a talisman?" asked Sailor Mercury and looked up from her tiny
computer.
"Why are you arguing?" asked finally Sailor Moon and tears were now
shinning in her eyes, too.
"SHUT UP!" yelled Neptune and Uranus with one angry voice.
Slowly the senshi of the wind came on her feet and walked over to the
senshi of the wide ocean.
"He didn't have a talisman." Declared Uranus with a cold voice.
"How could you be so sure? You didn't even look at it!"
Haruka just shook her head. A thin smile appeared on her dirty face.
I didn't have to. I love you too much, Michi-chan. I'd rather die with
you than to live without you. Don't you know?
But she knew that the smaller woman didn't.
"Do you remember what you told me yesterday? That you couldn't
sacrifice me for the mission? Gomen. I am not able to sacrifice you
either."
Michiru rose her head and all the anger disappeared from her pale
face. Tears were still shimmering in her deep green eyes. Now she
stared at the taller senshi in confusion. In disbelieve.
"Don't look at me this way!" whispered Haruka then she sighed and
turned away.
What way?
Michiru watched her quietly. Even the inner senshi didn't dare to
break the silence.
"Take a taxi." Said Uranus loudly as she opened the door to the lifts.
"Don't wait for me. It'll be late." With those words she entered the
lift and leaned against the walls. She pressed her icy hands over her
hot face as the doors were shut and the lift moved down.
I can't live this way any longer. But I can't live without her at the
same time.
"Did you understand a single word?" asked Mars puzzled and went over
to the still motionless old man.
"He will be okay." Said Ami and shook her head. "I've never heard
anything about talismans before." She declared honestly and made a
note into her computer that she would visit the library the next day
to find out more about this topic.
"Why can't you told us more? Don't you trust us, Sailor Neptune?"
Sailor Moon spun around and she froze as she saw the empty place were
the senshi of the wide ocean had stand some seconds before.
"She's gone." Whispered the future princess of Crystal Tokyo and
suddenly more tears filled her eyes.
"Hey, at least they could have said >Arigato<. That's not too much,
isn't it?" complaint Sailor Jupiter but she was glad that she could
help Sailor Neptune not to fall down on the street. Surely it would
have been a deadly fall...
"Hai..." whispered Ami and went over to the open balcony door and
looked out at Tokyo at night.
But she actually didn't listen to her partners.

***

Slowly Haruka stumbled over the old stones that covered the sandy way.
Huge trees laid shadows over the peaceful place. At night it was
forbidden to come to this place but the young woman simply climbed
over the wall. Her golden dress was now torn and she threw away her
stilettos some miles ago. Her hair looked messed and her face was
dirty. Her back was wet and the cloth pasted to it. Haruka knew that
it was blood but she didn't care about it.
In front of a black grave stone the young car racer fell on her knees.
She sighed deep and looked desperately at the inscription: Gendo and
Mareiko Kaioh. Michiru's parents were buried at this cemetery. They
died when the young violinist had been ten years old. Michiru didn't
often talk about them. But when she did her voice was full of love and
her look full of sadness.
They must have been great parents.
Haruka took the amulet in her trembling hands and looked at the
smiling pictures in it.
If I had such loving parents maybe I would've never become the person
I am today...
The young car racer bowed her head and fought against the tears that
were burning in her eyes. Her head ached and her back made every
motion to a motion in pain.
>You lesbian!< Again she heard the voice in her head that didn't stop.
Again she saw the confused look in those blue eyes she loved so much.
"Gomen..." whispered Haruka and knew at the same time that there was
no mercy for her. No piece. No freedom at all...
A lightning crossed the black night sky above and thunder followed.
First rain trop fell down the dry earth. They felt cold at the hot
skin of the young woman. But she didn't actually realize it. She just
kneeled there and stared at the grave stone and remembered the mocking
words of her smaller senshi.
>They always protect me. This evening they should protect you, Ruka.<
Maybe they actually protected them both as they fought at the balcony
with the youma. Maybe they saved their lives in the form of the inner
senshi.
But they couldn't help her. They couldn't answer her questions. They
couldn't solve her problems. They couldn't change her feelings.
"I... I..." stammered Haruka and closed her eyes. "I love your
daughter." Whispered the young car racer and fought successfully back
her tears. But she couldn't hold back a sob.
"Gomen..."
At this very moment the storm broke off.

***

The silver Ferrari drove through the dense rain. Great trop fell upon
the window pane and the light could hardly bring any brightness in the
dark street. Slowly it was parked by a big house where four families
lived. The young woman still wore her dirty blue evening dress. Her
sea green hair was wet and her blue eyes shone sad as she walked over
to the entrance and pressed the bell.
"Hai?" A girl in a violet pajama appeared tired at the door. Her light
blue eyes grew wide as she recognized the young woman.
"Michiru! What are you doing here in the middle of the night? You're
all wet! Come in!" Ami stepped back and guided the young woman to the
flat she lived in with her mother.
"Did anything happen?" asked the girl alarmed.
"No." Michiru just shook her head and took a deep breathe.
Probably not.
"My mother's still at the hospital. An emergency." Declared Ami as she
disappeared in the bathroom. "Just sit down." She said to the young
violinist and went over to the fridge.
"Arigato." Michiru took the towel to dry her hairs and sat down at the
round table in the middle of the small but comfortable kitchen.
"Do you want a tea?" asked Ami and already took a box out of the
cupboard.
"Hai..." Michiru sighed. "Gomen. I know that you have to go to school
tomorrow. And now I disturb your holy sleep."
"Don't worry. I was still learning some vocabularies." Ami smiled
confident and put two tumblers down on the table. "Pay attention. It's
still very hot." She declared and looked into the pale face of the
young musician.
"It's about Haruka, isn't it?" asked the senshi of the water after a
while they drank their teas in silence.
"Hai..." whispered Michiru and didn't ask why Ami knew it. The girl
was very intelligent. And very sensible. Maybe she read too many books
and learned too much, but she was a very good friend. Michiru was glad
that they have met.
"It's about the fight yesterday. Haruka didn't tell me about it, but I
want to know more about it. Because she's different now. And I can't
understand why." Michiru stared in her tea, unable to look into the
innocent face of the intelligent girl.
"Well, it wasn't very pleasant. Rei was still at her seminar for young
priests and I sat on a bank in the park. I brought some books and so I
wasn't bored when Haruka came too late. She searched the whole day for
something but she didn't want to tell me. I don't know if she finally
found it, she didn't lose any word about it."
My ear rings.
Michiru rose her head a little bit and could hear the jingle of two
dancing dolphins.
"I read one of my books as suddenly a rude man appeared next to me. He
tried to force me to give him a kiss and to go with him. I was too
weak to defend myself and..." Ami blushed and sighed. "Well, Haruka
came not a second too late. She didn't ask a lot and simply beat the
man down. She declared him that he should go away, but he put up a
stone and threw it at her. Then they started to fight again and
somehow he must have mentioned that Haruka's a girl. He seemed to be
very surprised. He looked at me and than at Haruka." Ami closed her
eyes and took a deep breathe. "I've never seen such a hateful look my
whole life before. He said that we are sick persons and that..." Ami
shook her head. "He was very rude and he said some more meanness and
called Haruka mad names. But finally he had to see that Haruka has
been too strong for him and we went away." Ami opened her eyes again
and they grew wide as she saw the tears in Michiru's.
>Don't look at me this way!<
The quiet voice of Haruka was still in her ears and now she seemed to
understand what way the young car racer actually had meant.
"Afterwards we went to the optician, repaired my glasses and fetched
Rei. We went into a café and ate a big chocolate ice cream. Rei told
us a lot about her seminar and we laughed a lot. But..." Ami stood up
and filled her tumbler again. "But Haruka seemed to be concerned about
it. She would've never admit it but she was a little bit quieter than
normal. A little bit more serious. But it could be because Rei had
been very exited and very loud this afternoon."
Michiru shivered as she remembered the hateful look of the fat man at
the parking space. How Haruka reacted afterwards.
She let go of my hands immediately.
The whole night the senshi of the wind drove her motorbike.
And she didn't want to talk to me about her problems.
"How did the man call Ruka?"
Ami looked up for some seconds and stared silently into two concerned
blue eyes.
Ruka... She always calls her this familiar way.
Then the senshi of the water stared back in her brown tea.
"He said >You lesbian<." Ami's voice was very calm.
Michiru knocked over her tumbler.

***

It was dawn when Haruka entered the light house by the sea. The sun
rose from the endless ocean and the stars disappeared slowly one by
one. The waves shimmered mysterious in the light of the new day.
The young car racer opened the fridge and drank some gulps of milk out
of the bottle. But it couldn't cover the nausea in her stomach. Haruka
sighed and went through the living-room. She shivered as she followed
the corridor towards her room. It stopped raining about one hour ago
but the young woman was still wet to the skin, the dirty narrow dress
pasted to her shaking body. She had to sneeze as she entered her room
and closed the door quietly behind her. Her head ached and her back
mad out of every motion a torture. She froze and she felt very tired.
Just a shower and then to bed.
Haruka didn't mention that anyone had tidied up her room. No more
dirty clothes laid on the carpet and the books were brought in order
on the desk. And the young woman didn't see the shadow that laid on
the blanket of her now tidy bed.
"Shit!" swore the young car racer as she tried to get out of the wet
dress. Her back hurt and the pain robbed her breathe. She sat down on
the chair and looked out of the window. Silently she watched the
sunrise while she took a deep breathe to get her feelings again under
her control.
"May I help you?"
Haruka spun around as she heard the soft voice behind her and winced
by this inattentive motion. Quietly she watched how Michiru rose from
the bed and yawned.
"I said you don't have to wait for me." Declared Haruka and returned
to stare out of the window.
"I just wanted to know that you're home." Michiru stood behind the
chair and opened the zipper of the dress on Haruka's back. "It was a
heavy storm and I was concerned that you wouldn't return at all."
Whispered the young violinist and looked sadly at the wounds. They
didn't bleed anymore but surely they did hurt a lot.
"The youma did a god job, didn't she?" asked Michiru quietly and
sighed as Haruka didn't answer. Silently she went into Haruka's
bathroom, took a flannel and carefully washed the dirt away from the
young woman's skin. Then she bandaged the back. Haruka winced but she
didn't turn away.
"Are you ready now?" asked the young car racer after Michiru had
finished.
Sadly Michiru watched her taller senshi some moments.
I want to understand you, Ruka. Please, let me be part of your life
and not only a partner for your mission. Talk to me Ruka!
But Michiru knew that the young car racer would never.
"Hai..."
Haruka pulled away the rest of the dress she would threw away the next
day. Then she pulled over a long white shirt she misused as pyjama and
climbed into her bed.
"Are you cold?" asked Michiru and wrapped her arms protectively around
her belly. Motionless she stood next to the empty chair and swallowed
hard.
Ruka is so different...
"No! And now get out and leave me in peace!" Haruka turned her burning
face towards the wall and pulled her blanket over her head.
"I guess I would have reacted the same way you did." Michiru sighed
loudly, took the rest of the box of the first aid. "Don't worry about
it, Mr. Snyder didn't have a talisman. And don't think about my
reaction. I overreacted a little bit. Maybe the shock of almost
falling down thirteen storeys of a skyscrapers." The young violinist
went over to the door and opened it. Before she left the room, she
turned her head and watched the body of her senshi of the wind for
some moments in silence.
"I like you the way you are, Ruka." Quietly Michiru closed the door.
Haruka turned around and looked at the ceiling for the next hours
while she listened to the soft melodies of the violin.
She had to think about a lot of things.
At midday she finally settled into a deep but restless sleep.

***

chapter three: silent waters

"Let's go on holidays!"
"What?" Haruka who said on the couch and listened to the news on TV
rose her head and looked at Michiru in surprise. The senshi of the
wide ocean sat down next to her and put the opened atlas down at her
lap.
"We've never been on holidays and at the moment there's such a nice
weather. It's nice warm and dry." A confident smile appeared on
Michiru's face. "And at the moment it doesn't look like our enemies
will find a new victim. Why don't we just use this short time of
peace?"
The young car racer switched off the TV and put the remote control on
the table. Then she stared at the atlas down on her knees. A part of
Japan was surrounded by a big red line.
"Holidays in the mountains?" she asked quietly as she read the names
of the nearer cities within the red line.
"Why not? We can use our bikes and spend the nights in a tend. One or
two weeks will do wonder." The blue eyes of the young violinist shone
enthusiastically.
Haruka watched her in silence. It was about a week that the last youma
tried to get the heart crystal of the old man at his party. They
didn't talk about it afterwards. They just kept on with their lives.
Haruka hat some training with her race car and Michiru took part at
several small concert in Tokyo. Everything was how it had been before
the incident at the party. But somehow it was different.
"You aren't kidding, are you?" asked the young car racer but she also
liked the idea to get out of this city and get into nature. To leave
all those problems behind. To forget their mission. Just for some
days. But these days would be enough to regain new strength. New hope.
"No..." Doubt covered the enthusiasm in Michiru's face. She didn't
even think about any refusal of the taller senshi. She just thought
that Haruka would like her idea as much as she did.
Maybe it was a silly idea.
"But if you don't want to go on holidays... Well, I can understand
that your training is more important... and the youmas... and the
talismans..."
Nothing is more important to me than you.
"No, Michi-chan. I like this idea. When do we start?" Haruka smiled
confident and was happy as the sad expression disappeared from the
face of the smaller woman.
"Arigato, Ruka!" Before the young car racer could react Michiru had
already wrapped her arms around her waist and squeezed her gently.
"Hey, don't strangle me!" gasped Haruka and blushed against her will.
"You would have deserved it!" mocked Michiru and looked up into two
green eyes. She laid half over the young car racer on the soft couch.
It's a good feeling to have her by my side.
The young violinist rose her hand and touched thoughtlessly Haruka's
short blonde hair and stroke it gentle.
It's alike if she's male or female.
The senshi of the wind just stared at her and automatically wrapped
her arms around her slim body. Then she winced.
Michiru pulled herself back at that very moment and blushed slightly.
"Everything okay, Ruka? What about your back?" The whole last week she
didn't ask again about the wounds. Not that she didn't remember them.
She just didn't dare to break the silence that seemed to surrounded
Haruka. And her, too.
"I am alright, Michi-chan. Don't worry. I am strong enough to carry
rucksack. With lemonade, chocolate, crisps and waffles."
"Baahh..." Michiru made a face and Haruka had to grin.
"Hey, that's my way to make proper holidays."
"Well, I've survived worse. But I will take a torch, a pocket knife, a
sleeping bag and some medicine with me." Declared the young violinist
and went over to the kitchen and opened the fridge. "And some rolls."
She said after she observed the contents of it.
"So I'll have the funny things and you the serious ones." Haruka sat
down on the round table in the middle of the kitchen and ran a steady
hand through her short blonde hair. "I hope they aren't too heavy for
you."
"Hey, you actually forgot how heavy lemonade and chocolate can be."
Mocked Michiru and spun around. A happy smile laid on her face Haruka
loved so much.
You smile too less, Michi-chan.
"And you forgot how strong I am!" Haruka made a sulky face which
always made Michiru laugh. So it did this time.
"My strong super hero." She joked and laughed a little bit more.
Haruka watched her with a honest smile on her face. The sun shone
through the open kitchen window and wind played with the sea green
hairs.
She looks like an angel.
"I thought that we could leave tomorrow early in the morning."
"Early in the morning?" Haruka mad a desperate face and tried to yawn.
"You'll survive it. I am sure." Michiru opened the fridge again and
took out some bowls. "I'll make the food and you repair my bike.
That's a deal, isn't it?"
"What, you didn't repair your wheel? You had this accident five months
ago!" Haruka jumped off the table and observed the contents of the
bowls.
"Well, I have you to repair my bike, haven't I? O, Ruka! Don't pinch a
bit! Otherwise you'd have to starve the next days."
"Not with you by my side." Haruka blushed again as Michiru rose her
head at her ill-considered declaration. She took a deep breathe and
turned toward the door. "I'll repair your wheel." She said and left
the kitchen.
Michiru watched her for some seconds than she took a knife and started
to make their food for the next days.
"Hai..." she whispered but a confident smile laid on her now redden
face.
Step by step.

***

"Good morning, Ruka!"
Haruka turned away from the exiting voice and pulled her blanket over
her head.
"It's too early." She mumbled tired and shut her eyes as someone
opened her curtains and let the bright sunlight into the twilight of
the room.
"Get up! We're going on holidays!" declared Michiru aloud and jumped
into the bed. She grabbed the blanket and pulled it away
energetically.
"Michiru!" At the next moment Haruka sat upright and fetched the cloth
back. She covered her nakedness. The last day had been very hot and
after she finished her shower she just went into bed without pulling
over her white shirt. So she didn't sweat so much.
When I had known that Michiru would wake me up I would have never...
"So you're awake at last. Get up, my little late riser. Breakfast's
ready and I don't want to leave after seven o'clock."
She's so beautiful...
"Seven o'clock?" whispered Haruka and yawned. "How late is it?"
"It's already six." Declared Michiru and smiled as she saw the shocked
expression in Haruka's face. She ran friendly a steady hand through
the wild blonde hairs and went back to the door.
"Six o'clock?" asked the young car racer and yawned again.
"Hai." Michiru left the room of her best friend and went over to the
kitchen.
"You're nuts!" yelled Haruka after her and laid back down on her bed.
She yawned again but she smiled as she pulled away the blanket to
dress up.

***

The world rushed by fast. Tokyo, other cities, suburban areas,
meadows, rice fields, trees, rivers and some small lakes passed by
with a high speed. Just the sun seemed to stay in the endless
cloudless sky.
Michiru sat silently near the window and watched her home Country.
They took the train in Tokyo to get to the mountains. The big city was
about two hundred miles far away from the place they wanted to spend
their holidays. They decided to take this fast means of transport,
because the route towards the mountains leaded through different big
cities and Michiru wanted to see nature not glass, concrete and
honking cars.
The train drove through a long black tunnel. Michiru squinted as they
returned to the surface and the bright light of the powerful sun
dazzled.
The young violinist felt the head that leaned against her shoulder and
looked down at the sleeping Haruka by her side. A smile appeared on
Michiru's face as she watched her car racer sleeping.
It's been too early for her.
Thoughtful she rose her left hand and stroke gently through the short
blonde hair. It felt like velvet. Michiru loved this feeling. Haruka
opened her eyes a little chasm for some seconds. Dreamy she looked in
the young violinist's face and smiled tired. Her warm hand took the
stroking of Michiru and hold it tight.
"Just two minutes more." Whispered Haruka then she settled back into
sleep.
She's so cute.
Michiru squeezed gently the hand then she returned towards the window
and watched the world out there. She was happy. It was the first time
since she had been ten years old that she went on holidays. On real
holidays not on tour. For the first time she wasn't alone. She went on
holidays together with her Ruka!
The door to their compartment opened and a woman about the forties
entered.
"May I sit down?"
Michiru observed her for some seconds.
Maybe she is indeed forty, she dresses and makes up like a twenty old
teenager.
"Hai."
The woman sat down and corrected the order of her black skirt and her
white blouse.
Surely a business woman.
Michiru watched the world for a while while the woman studied a big
newspaper.
"Are you going on holidays?" asked the woman finally after she had
observed quietly the two rucksack and the couple in front of her.
"Hai. Went want to spend some days up in the mountains." Replied
Michiru politely but didn't turn her head.
"How romantic! When I was young my husband and I used to do such crazy
holidays too. Now he's too ill for such adventures. Now we make our
holidays in Europe."
"Interesting." But honestly Michiru just wanted the woman to shut up.
She had an idea for a new song and needed her peace to make up her
mind for the new melody inside her head.
For a while they just sat there in silence.
"Where are you from?"
"Tokyo." Michiru tried not to roll her eyes. It was very hard not to
show her boredom.
"A nice city. And far away." The young violinist could feel how the
woman looked from Haruka's sleeping face into her. "Your boyfriend
seems to be very tired."
"Haruka's a late riser."
"But today he didn't sleep until midday. That's romantic." Dreamed the
young woman and looked up to the ceiling. "Young love is always so
romantic. When I was your age I believed that I could change the
world. That I could move mountains together with my boyfriend. Now
he's my husband and we didn't move anything. But we're happy together
and that's all what's count, isn't it?"
Michiru looked down at Haruka and a her eyes shone sadly.
It must be fantastic to grow old with the one you love.
"Hai..." she whispered.
Where will be my Ruka when I am forty?
Michiru leaned her head against Haruka's and closed her eyes.
Will I ever become so old or will I die because of a youma?
The woman seemed to say anything more but she was interrupted by the
announcement of the locomotive personal.
Michiru opened her eyes and ignored her sad thoughts. Now they went on
holidays and for these few days there won't be any youmas. No
talismans and no missions would disturb their peace.
"Ruka." Whispered the young violinist and squeezed gently her warm
hand.
She feels so good!
"What..." mumbled the young car racer and Michiru saw that Haruka
didn't want to open her eyes and end her sleep.
"Get up, Ruka. The train arrives our goal in about five minutes and we
have to fetch our bikes."
"Then fetch them and give me these five minutes more..." Haruka's
voice was still full of sleep and slightly she yawned.
"Sometimes you're terrible." Whispered Michiru but she smiled as she
leaned forward and gave her young car racer a light kiss an her
cheeks. Haruka's eyes flew open and she stared at her young violinist
in confusion. Then she blushed slightly.
"Awake at last?" joked the young woman and stood up.
I hope she didn't hear my heart beat.
Michiru went over to the rucksacks and took it into her trembling
hands.
"C'mon, Ruka. I don't want to miss the station!"
"Hai..." whispered Haruka and stretched herself to dispel her
tiredness and calm down her suddenly exited body. For some seconds you
could see the young car racer's female outlines though the wide yellow
shirt she wore over her short blue jeans. Michiru saw the confused
look of the business woman that changed fast into something worse.
First she looked at Haruka and then at Michiru.
>Don't look at me this way!<
The young violinist heard again the calm voice of her car racer in her
head.
Michiru took the second rucksack in her left hand and seized with her
right on Haruka's. Then she left the compartment without any words.
Suddenly she could understand Haruka's strange behaviour. But she
would never accept it.
"Everything fine?" asked Haruka as she took her bike. She had seen the
sad expression on the face of the smaller senshi and wondered why
Michiru should be sad. They went on holidays. That was no reason to
moan.
"Hai." The young violinist turned her head and smiled happily.
When the train arrived the station they left.
Michiru didn't look back to see the woman who watched them both in
silence. With an estimate look in her dark eyes.

***

The bright sun shone from the endless sky above. A small river flew
near the sandy way they drove along. Huge trees covered the way with
shadows and cows stood on green meadows and ate their grass.
Michiru rose her head and looked up to the mountains that came nearer
and nearer. Soon they would surrounded them.
Maybe we can climb on such a high peak. It must be a great feeling to
be on top of the world...
She sighed happily and closed her eyes for some seconds to enjoy the
wind that played with her long sea green hair.
Haruka turned her head and smiled slightly as she saw the luck in the
smaller senshi's face.
She looks so beautiful. Like an angel...
Haruka sighed and concentrated on the way under the wheels of her
mountain bike. She wanted to tell Michiru about her feelings. But she
didn't dare to. What if she wouldn't understand her? If she would
laugh at her.
What if I loses my one and only friend?
The reached a fork and Haruka took the right way without looking on
the map she carried in her rucksack.
"Why did you chose for this direction?" asked Michiru as she reached
her after some seconds. Haruka war very fast. Sometimes too fast for
the young violinist. But she waited when she recognized it.
"Because it leads to a mountain lake, my little mermaid."
"Great. I am already sweaty." They arrived the station four hours ago
and since these four hours they drove towards the mountains. Michiru
would have never admitted it but she was indeed a little bit tired.
Well, I am not as well trained as Ruka.
"A bath will be fantastic."
"The water's surely very cold." Wondered Haruka because she knew her
Michiru. The young violinist always froze. Even in the hottest summer.
But if she was in her wet element it was always perfect. Michiru never
complaint about the temperature of the water.
"You don't have to join me." Laughed Michiru and screamed quietly as
her bike jumped over a stone she didn't see. But she could react and
didn't fall off the bike.
"Are you okay?" Haruka stopped her bike next to her and looked
concerned at the smaller senshi.
"Don't worry." Michiru laughed and speeded up. "The last one is a lazy
chicken!" she declared while she reached the next bound.
"Cheater!" Haruka followed her. She had to laugh too.
An hour later they arrived the small lake. It was surrounded by old
trees and if you looked up to the sky you could see the top of a huge
mountain that seemed to be near. But you would have to walk for some
more hours to reach it.
"How peaceful." Declared Michiru as she laid down her bike and stepped
towards the lake until she stood with her feet in the cool water.
"Nothing can be heard. No noises of the big city, no arguments of
angry people. No screams of victims. No mad laughter of some youmas."
Michiru opened her arms wide and closed her eyes. She felt the water
on her skin and heard the rushes of the leaves.
Haruka who covered a shadow place near the lake with a blanket looked
up and watched her young violinist silently.
"Michi-chan..."
The desire to go to her and hold her in her arms was almost
irresistible. Haruka clenched her fists and stepped automatically
back.
Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to go on holidays with her...
"Hai?" Michiru spun around and ran to her. Haruka smiled and the
tomboy expression returned on her face.
"I am hungry." Declared the young car racer and sat down on the
blanket.
"Well, maybe I can help you." Michiru kneeled down next to her and
observed the contents of her rucksack. "Here are some sandwiches with
salad and a sausage and an apple. You've got the lemonade." She said
finally. Her blue eyes shone lucky as she gave the food into Haruka's
suddenly ice cold hands.
"Aren't you hungry?" asked the young car racer while she unwrapped the
sandwiches.
"Hai, but first I wanna swim." Michiru pulled her t-shirt she wore
over her head and threw it on the blanket. Haruka coughed because and
her sandwich seemed to be very dry with a sudden. Then she realized
that the young violinist wore a swimsuit under the short blue skirt.
With a splash she ran into the cool wet. The water spray through the
air and shimmered in the bright sunlight. Michiru stood in the middle
of the fountain and laughed happily as Haruka put up her arms
protectively as Michiru tried to splash her.
The young car racer put down her sun glasses and watched her silently
for a while.
I love you so much!
The water calmed down and Michiru started to swim silently through the
small lake. Haruka sighed and laid back on the carpet after she had
eaten up her sandwich. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the peace that
suddenly surrounded them. Rare peace.
She laid there for a long while. Then she felt suddenly some cold wet
trop upon her yellow shirt and made a face. As she opened her eyes she
could see the laughing face of the smaller senshi that was surrounded
by sea green wet hairs. By so cold hairs.
"Iiih!" Haruka sat upright in the next moment. "The water's really
cold!" she declared loudly.
"But refreshing. C'mon, Ruka. Just five minutes. They'll do wonder,
believe me." Michiru came nearer and Haruka watched her with horror in
her deep green eyes.
"No! That's certainly too cold!" The young car racer screamed as
Michiru touched her right leg with her icy hands. "You're impossible!"
"I know." A wicked grin appeared on Michiru's face as she grabbed
Haruka's arm and tried to guide her towards the lake.
"No!" said Haruka again and wanted to go back to the blanket.
"Hey, I don't wanna a skunk in my tend." Declared Michiru and already
stood with one food in the cool water.
"Just one tend?" asked Haruka surprised and the young violinist used
the moment of hesitation and pulled the young car racer with her into
the lake.
"Michiru!" gasped Haruka as she returned to the surface. "Do you wanna
kill me?!" She tried to get out of the water but Michiru was faster.
Haruka could be as fast as the wind in her car, on her motorbike or in
her race, but in the water the senshi of the ocean was unbeaten.
Quickly she wrapped her arms around Haruka's waist from behind and
hold her back.
"Leaving so soon?" she mocked and giggled as Haruka turned around and
tried to pull her head under the surface. But Michiru was again too
fast. She evaded and instead of the young violinist the young car
racer dove into the cool water. Gasping for breathe Haruka came back
towards the surface. Michiru used the moments when the young car racer
searched for her and tickled her from behind. Haruka burst out into
laughter and tried to defend herself but Michiru was stronger in her
element.
"Are you ticklish, my sweet Ruka?" asked Michiru joking and didn't
stop.
"Michi, please..." laughed Haruka helplessly.
With a sudden Michiru stopped her punishment and wrapped her arms
again around Haruka's waist and held her tight. She leaned her head
against her shoulder and closed her eyes.
"I like it when you laugh." Declared the senshi of the wide ocean
quietly. "You laugh too less." For a while she just held her tight.
Haruka sighed slightly but she didn't dare to break the silence.
Motionless they stood there in the cool water.
"Are you cold?" asked Michiru after a while when she recognized the
shaking that went through Haruka's body.
"No, this water's just too hot!" answered Haruka ironically and turned
towards the smaller senshi. Automatically Michiru rose her arms and
took Haruka face in her hands. The blonde hairs were wet and the young
car racer looked wilder than normal. The yellow shirt was wet all over
and Michiru could see Haruka's breasts. Deeply the young violinist
looked up into dreamy green eyes.
She's a real woman.
Michiru smiled and begun to stroke the pale cheeks of the taller car
racer.
But it's okay for me...
Then she saw the blue lips and the shaking that continued through the
body of her friend.
"Let's get out before you freeze to death." Declared Michiru and swam
towards the rim of the small lake.
"How canny!" mocked Haruka and followed her.
Hell, I am cold!
Haruka climbed out of the water and went over to the blanket.
And at the same time I am so hot!
"Here..." Michiru gave her a big towel and watched her with her
shinning blue eyes. "Are you angry about me?"
"No..." Haruka had to laugh at Michiru's pleading expression. Then she
started to dry her hair. "But sometimes you're so overwhelming."
"I hope so." Michiru laid into the bright sun to dry her swimsuit and
bit into a green apple she liked so much. "Shall we stay here for the
night?" she asked and looked up to the sky. They spend the whole
afternoon at the lake and now the sun slowly set.
"Why not? It's a nice place." Haruka swallowed as she thought that
they just had one tent.
Why did she just brought one tent?
The young car racer searched her rucksack for some warm clothes and
considered how to change without Michiru seeing it. Without herself
blushing.
Well, we're both woman. It's okay for her to share it. It would be
another thing if I was really a man.
Haruka looked over to Michiru and sighed slightly. She still
remembered the feeling of two arms being wrapped around her waist. The
feeling of a small body pressed against her own
It's nothing special to her. Is it?
"You set up the tent." Said Michiru tired and squinted in the bright
sun which lost it's power with every minutes. In about an hour it
would be dark night, because dawn was faster up in the mountains than
at the sea.
"And what about you?" Haruka changed quickly her yellow shirt into a
black one. Michiru turned her head and watched her in silence. A smile
laid on her face.
"I will start praying that it won't break down in the middle of the
night." Michiru screamed as Haruka suddenly stood over her and tickled
her.
"Gomen..." she laughed happily and opened her arms with an
acquiescently gesture. "I know I have deserved..." Michiru's voice
died away as she saw the strange expression in Haruka's face. The
young car racer stopped tickling her and her warm hands rested
motionless on her hips.
I like this feeling. Being by her side.
Deep green eyes shone seriously as Haruka leaned forward. Michiru
watched her silently and her smile faded slightly. She wanted to say
something. Anything. But her voice didn't belong to her anymore. So
she just looked into these eyes she loved so much and hoped.
What am I doing?
Haruka stopped two inches away from Michiru's face. She could feel her
warm breathe upon her skin.
"Better I'll set up the tent." The young car racer turned away and
stood up in a sudden. Then she took her rucksack and pulled out the
green cloth.
Michiru closed her eyes and wondered why tears burned behind her
lashes.
Why am I disappointed?
Silence fell upon the lake. None of them dared to break it.

***

It was dark night. Stars shone above in an endless sky. The sun was
gone and with her the hot of the summer. Haruka sat near the campfire.
A long black pullover warmed her. Quietly she looked into the flames
and wondered why she felt so sad. She was on holidays. With Michiru!
But instead of being happy she just felt empty. And alone.
The young violinist went into the tent some hours ago. But Haruka
couldn't sleep. She just sat there and watched the night in the
mountains. She listened to the rushes of the trees around and the
screams of the night animals that haunted now. She tried hard to
ignore the words of the rude man.
After another hour Haruka sighed slightly and gave up. It was about
one o'clock in the night and she didn't want to fall asleep on her
bike the next morning.
Better I'll go to bed.
She erased the fire and moved quietly into the tent. Michiru laid in
her sleeping bag and slept deep and tight.
Sometimes I envy her...
Haruka climbed into her sleeping bag and turned towards the wall of
the tent. With an angry expression on her face she shut her eyes. But
she knew that it would take another long time until she would be able
to sleep. An restless sleep full of frightening nightmares.
Michiru opened her eyes and watched the back of the taller senshi for
some seconds. Then she stared again at the ceiling of the green tent.
I am so cold!
The sleeping bag could hardly warm her. But she didn't dare to ask
Haruka for...
What for? Holding me tight? Giving me some warmth? Excluding all my
fears?
Michiru closed her eyes but she couldn't fight back the tears that
were burning behind her lashes. Silently they fall down her pale
cheeks. She didn't make any sound. No sob escaped her shaking lips.
One thing she learned after the sudden death of her parents. She
couldn't fight back her tears, but when she was quietly no one
mentioned that she cried. No one could look at her with wrong pity.
It was already dawn when she finally settled into a light dreamless
sleep.

***

Michiru oppressed a yawn and stared tired in her soup plate. It was
her lunch and it was still hot. But she actually didn't have hunger.
Nor appetite.
The young violinist rose her head and looked around at the terrace of
a small restaurant. It looked like an old farmhouse in the middle of a
green valley. Maybe it used to be a farmhouse but now it was a hostel
for hungry tourists and hiker.
Michiru stared again in her soup and the nausea increased inside her
stomach. It was a hot summer day and she knew that she was the only
one who wore a thick pullover. The sun shone without mercy down at the
earth. But at the same time Michiru was very cold.
"Hey, small one. Are you here all alone?" asked a male voice and a
young man sat down on the chair next to her. Curious he looked at her
and Michiru sighed slightly. "The mountains can be very dangerous for
such a beautiful woman like you."
"Don't worry, super hero. I've got my own protector." Replied the
young violinist and pointed over to Haruka who balanced her cola while
she tried to put the change back into the pockets of her short jeans.
When Michiru woke up in the morning Haruka had already left the tent
and made breakfast. They talked about different things and slowly they
got so familiar they had been the last day. They packed the tent and
carried on with their tour. Haruka was as funny as ever and Michiru
tried to be as happy as she had been yesterday. But at the same time
something changed.
We didn't talk about the last evening.
"Oh... well..." The young man seemed to be disappointed as he watched
the young car racer coming towards the table. "Then I wish you a nice
day, young lady. Goodbye." He said quietly and went away.
"Bye..." whispered Michiru and stared back at her lunch.
Haruka observed the young man who talked to her young violinist.
Finally he stood up and came to her direction. He didn't stopped as
they passed by but the young woman believed to hear some sad words:
"You lucky one."
Then the man was gone. Haruka turned her head but she couldn't see him
anymore. So she took place at her chair and ate her dinner. After a
while when her hunger was more bearable she recognized that Michiru
didn't eat anything.
"Do you want to hypnotise your soup?" she asked mocking and trunk half
of her cola.
"It just doesn't taste." Declared Michiru but didn't look up.
"Do you want anything else?"
"No."
Silence evolved between them. Haruka finished her meal and watched
quietly two small girls who played at the playground with a huge ball.
"Who was the young man you were talking to?" asked the young car racer
after a while and made a face as one of the girls stumbled and fell
hard on the grassy ground. Immediately it started to cry.
Michiru put the spun into the soup and shivered slightly as the wind
played with her long sea green hair.
Are you jealous, Ruka?
But she didn't dare to say it aloud.
"Nothing important." She replied instead and stood up. "Let's go."
Haruka watched her young violinist walking over to the bikes and
taking her rucksack.
"Hai..." she whispered and followed her.

***

The whole day they drove through the mountains. They went up to
different viewpoints and climbed over some rocks to have a better look
over the valley. Michiru took several photos and after a while they
forgot that they had been angry about each other. It was such a
wonderful day and nature did it's best to make it fantastic.
Slowly the day ended and the sun started to set.
"Hey, this is a nice place, isn't it?" asked Michiru and shivered
again. She was still very cold and she could hardly drive her bike.
She reached the edge of her powers. But she didn't dare to talk to the
young car racer. She didn't want to look weak beside the strong senshi
of the wind.
"Ruka?" Michiru coughed and the world begun to spun around. Her head
ached more with every minute and her whole body started to tremble.
"Just until the next valley. Please. It's still bright enough, don't
you think?" could Michiru hear the exited voice of the taller senshi.
She rose her head and the dizziness increased. She could see Haruka
far away at the next bend.
"Hai..." she whispered. Then she lost the control over her bike. She
didn't see the rock that laid across the way. Her trembling hands
couldn't hold the handlebars any longer. Michiru wanted to scream but
she wasn't able to. She just fell down on the stony ground. Pain went
through her right leg and somewhere next to her she could hear how her
bike crashed down on the stone.
"Shit..." she coughed again and wanted to stand up. But her rucksack
was too heavy with a sudden. So she closed her burning eyes and waited
for some moments. Surely she would be able to stand up when the pain
disappeared a little bit. When the dizziness would have gone.
She could hear the noises of another bike and hoped that no one would
drive over her. It was already twilight and she didn't wore bright
clothes.
"Michi-chan?" A concerned voice next to hear let her open her eyes.
She looked into two green ones that were very concerned. "What
happened?" Haruka tried to help her up but she couldn't load her right
leg. The whole world spun around and the thought that her head was
going to explode.
"Michi!" yelled Haruka and held the young woman tight as she seemed to
faint.
"Everything's fine. Just one moment rest..." whispered the senshi of
the wide ocean and coughed again. She leaned her head against Haruka's
shoulder and closed again her burning eyes. "I am just so tired..."
admitted the smaller woman and shivered obviously.
Haruka helped her out of the rucksack and it landed somewhere on the
rocky ground. Carefully she took the face of the young violinist in
her hands and could feel the heat under the skin.
"You've got fever." She declared with a strange tone in her voice.
Cautiously she sat Michiru on the stone and stroke the sweaty hairs
out of the hot forehead. "Why didn't you tell me that you're feeling
ill?" asked Haruka quietly and started to stroke the red cheeks of the
young violinist. Michiru opened her eyes as she felt that those strong
hands trembled.
"I don't... don't want to be.. too... too weak..." she stammered and
rose her head towards the suddenly pale face of Haruka. Green eyes
looked for some moments deep into two feverish shimmering ones.
"You're never weak, Michi-chan. You're the strongest woman I know."
She declared calm. Then she went back to her bike and studied the map
in the twilight.
"We passed a hotel some miles ago. I guess they'll have a doctor and a
warm bath for you." Haruka sighed slightly then she returned to the
sitting woman. "Can you walk?" she asked and looked doubtfully at the
bloody knee.
"Hai..." Michiru came hard on her feet and stumbled along the stony
way. "Gomen..."
Haruka took the two rucksacks and the two bikes. Quietly she went by
Michiru's side and scold herself how she could be so blind.
She didn't eat anything the whole day!
"You don't have to apologise. Even strong women are weak time by
time." She said after a while they just walked slowly towards the
valley they left half an hour before.
Why didn't she just tell me? Don't she trust me anymore?
"Believe me, I know what I am talking about."
Michiru looked up from the stony underground and nodded understanding.

***

"But..."
"The doctor told you that you need some rest. And I won't let you stay
the night in our tent where you would freeze. The ground is too hard
for you knee and I don't wanna be responsible for you getting a real
flu!"
Michiru gave up. Haruka wanted to stay the night in the hotel and so
she couldn't say anything against it.
Ruka can be so stubborn!
She coughed and shivered again. The doctor bandaged her knee and it
would be okay the next day. If she took her medicine and slept well
they could carry on with their tour the next day. Or the day after
tomorrow. The young violinist stumbled slightly as she followed the
young car racer towards the reception.
"Are any rooms free?" asked Haruka a young woman who smiled friendly
at her. Michiru rolled her eyes and coughed again.
Please, don't flirt now!
Haruka returned the smile but as Michiru looked closer she could see
that the green eyes were empty. Somehow insensible...
"Of course. We don't have holidays and it's in the middle of the week.
What do you want?" The young woman looked in her computer and gave in
some dates.
"A double room for one or two nights." Declared the young car racer
and swallowed.
"Room number twenty. It's over there. Just use the lift." The young
woman gave the keys in Haruka's hands and the smile grew wider.
Ugly teeth!
Michiru coughed again and wondered why she didn't like the young
woman.
Maybe I am just too tired.
"I hope you'll enjoy your stay in our hotel."
Haruka just nodded and turned towards Michiru. Now the green eyes
weren't empty. Suddenly they were full of concern and other feelings
the young violinist couldn't define.
"Let's go and bring you to bed." Haruka took carefully Michiru's hand
and guided her towards the lift. Silently they reached the first
storey and entered their room. It was a great room with a huge bed in
the middle. A table and three chairs stood next to a big window. A
small door leaded towards a comfortable bathroom.
"The last time I felt so ill was on the funeral of my parents."
Whispered Michiru and sat down on the soft mattress. She covered her
burning face with her icy hands.
"Do you want to take a shower?" asked Haruka while she observed the
small bathroom. "Do you want anything else? Something to eat or...?"
"Just my medicine..." mumbled Michiru but the idea of a nice warm
water pouring down her skin was tempting. "Maybe a shower would be
fine." Slowly she stripped her pullover and stood up. Her legs
trembled and could hardly hold her weak body. Then she stripped her
shoes, her socks and her t-shirt. Then she entered the bathroom in
underwear. Haruka who already turned on the shower and controlled the
temperature blushed as she saw her.
"Do you think you're able to take a shower?" asked the senshi of the
wind concerned. "I don't want you to slip on the wet ground."
"You can join me if you like." Said Michiru in a quiet voice and
coughed again. Again the whole world seemed to spin around but she
ignored the feeling. She stripped her underwear and stepped under the
warm water. Michiru closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling of being
in her element. The dizziness increased and she coughed again and
again until tears were running down her still wet cheeks. She searched
for hold at the wall but all she could find were cold flagstones. She
winced as the pain went through her right leg as her trembling body
gave up. Slowly she went on her knees and had to cough again. The
water fell down on her and suddenly she couldn't breathe anymore. The
water seemed to surround her and she feared to drown.
"Michi-chan!" She could hear the concern in Haruka's voice. The
waterfall of the shower stopped immediately. A soft towel was wrapped
around her trembling body and strong arms helped her up. Michiru rose
her head and looked into a pale face. Nothing remembered of the always
joking tomboy. Now Haruka's face was pale and her green eyes full of
concern and...
Love?
"You're driving me crazy." She declared but her voice broke.
"Not more than you are." Replied Michiru and coughed again. Haruka
looked at her for some seconds and seemed to say something. Then she
decided to be silent. Quietly she dried the smaller senshi and covered
her nakedness with another soft towel. Carefully she carried the young
violinist to the bed and sat her down on the soft mattress.
"Did you bring any night dress with you or do you want a simple
t-shirt?" asked Haruka while Michiru leaned against the wall and
closed her eyes. Her face was redden from the fever and her body still
trembled.
"A dress. In my rucksack..." whispered the young violinist and coughed
again. It sounded really ill.
I can't remember the last time I had been really ill.
Well, at least the doctor had declared that she just had a little cold
and not a dangerous flu. She didn't want to break up their holidays.
She didn't want their free days to end like this.
"You call this a night dress?" Haruka stared at disbelieve at the
light blue negligée.
"How would you call it?" asked Michiru and her voice was a little bit
angry as she grabbed the thin cloth and pulled it over her trembling
body.
Tempting...
Haruka swallowed hard and turned away to study the medicine the doctor
gave them.
"Uncomfortable." She said instead aloud. Michiru just coughed again.
"Well, you don't have to wear it, do you?" she said and sighed loudly.
Then she took the medicine and crept under the soft blanket. Haruka
switched off the light and went over to the bathroom.
"Sleep tight, Michi-chan." She whispered in the darkness and quietly
closed the door.
"Sure..." Michiru coughed again and looked at the ceiling of the hotel
room. Tears were burning in her feverish shinning eyes and her
headache seemed to explode her head. The world still spun around and
she felt so weak and helpless she had never felt before. So totally
alone.
The young violinist heard the noises of the shower. It seemed to last
an eternity until Haruka left the bathroom.
Were will she sleep?
Michiru didn't dare to hope that they would share this huge bed. The
young violinist closed her burning eyes and shivered again. Her legs
were ice cold and even the soft blanket couldn't warm her. She heard
how Haruka crossed the room and took something out or into her
rucksack.
Her sleeping bag?
"Michi-chan?" she heard suddenly the calm voice somewhere far away.
"Hai?" answered the young woman and coughed again. The roundabout she
seemed to sit in increased it's speed and she wondered why she didn't
fell out of it.
"Are you cold?"
"Hai..." Some tears fell down Michiru's cheek and she shivered again.
She felt how Haruka crept under the blanket and took her into her
strong arms. The body of the young car racer was so wonderful warm!
Michiru pulled herself a little bit closer and leaned her head against
Haruka's shoulder. She could feel the breasts under the shirt Haruka
misused as night dress. Slowly the young car racer put her legs
between Michiru's and warmed them.
She feels so soft.
"Better now?" asked Haruka with a strange tone in her voice Michiru
had never heard before. Carefully the senshi of the wind wiped away
the tears from the burning face of the smaller woman.
"Hai." Answered Michiru and coughed again. The roundabout was still
turning around, but the cold left slowly her body.
"Gomen, Michi-chan. I didn't mention that you were feeling ill."
Automatically Haruka begun to stroke the velvet sea green hairs.
Michiru looked up for some seconds. But she couldn't see Haruka's face
in the darkness. So she shut her eyes and enjoyed the feeling.
"Why didn't you tell me last night that you were freezing?" asked the
young car racer. Her hand left the hairs and slipped under the thin
night dress. Tender she caressed the soft skin of Michiru's back.
"One sleeping bag is too narrow for two, isn't it?" Michiru yawned and
felt how the medicine did it's job. Slightly she settled into sleep.
"Hai... but..." Haruka sighed oppressed and leaned her head against
the one of the smaller senshi. For a long while she didn't say
anything. She just listened to the regular breathes of Michiru and
thought about the last two years. How this smaller woman changed her
whole life.
"Michi-chan?"
Michiru heard the shaky voice. She wanted to reply anything but she
was too tired to mumble or even to open her eyes. It was so warm and
comfortable with her Ruka by her side. Sleep had almost caught her.
Michiru felt how Haruka moved slightly. But she didn't leave.
Maybe she's looking for a better position.
At the next moment Michiru felt soft warm lips upon her own. It was a
tender touch. The light kiss lasted for a few seconds. Then Haruka
laid back on her pillow and her arms squeezed gently the smaller
senshi.
"Night, love." She whispered with a quiet sob in her voice.
She won't be my future but at least I'll have this kiss to remember.
Even if she doesn't remember it...
Michiru wanted to reply that she liked that kiss. That she wanted
another one. But she was too tired. She heard the silent sobs of the
taller senshi and felt the strong heart beat next to her ear.
Everything will be fine.
Michiru settled into a deep and peaceful sleep.
Now that I know that you love me, Ruka.
A smile appeared on her face while she started to dream. A wonderful
dream of a wonderful future she would be able to experience.

***

chapter four: do you love me?

Slowly Michiru woke up. She smelled the fresh coffee and the warm
rolls. Her lips curved in a smile as she blinked into the bright sun.
Oppressed she yawned and turned her head. She could see Haruka sitting
on a chair next to the open window. Thoughtful she studied the
crumbled map. The young woman already wore her short blue jeans and
her wide black shirt. Her short blonde hairs had been brushed into the
right position. The wind played with some wild strands. Unconsciously
she stroke them behind her ears. Sunlight reflected soft in her deep
green eyes. She didn't wear her sunglasses as she normally did. Her
cheeks were redden but Michiru could see that the skin was too pale
for her being on holidays. Dark shadows laid under her eyes and the
young violinist suddenly asked herself if she didn't get enough sleep.
Michiru's eyes grew wide as she remembered the last night. Or had it
been a dream? A wonderful dream of a wonderful kiss?
The young violinist rose her right hand and touched her lips.
It wasn't just a feverish illusion, was it?
At that moment Haruka looked up. A smile appeared on her face and
suddenly nothing remembered of the weakness Michiru had seen one
moment before.
"Good morning, Michi-chan. Awake at last?" Haruka put away the map and
came over to the bed. "How do you feel?" she asked with concern in her
voice.
"Fantastic." Answered Michiru and sat up. But she had to cough again.
"Maybe not that fantastic. But at least better." She smiled back and
looked over to the set table.
"Breakfast?" Michiru asked and stood up slowly. A little bit she had
to hobble. Her right knee still hurt but she could bear it. She
couldn't eat the whole yesterday and now she was really hungry.
"Dinner. It's half past twelve." Haruka pulled a bathrobe around her
shoulders and leaded the smaller senshi towards a chair.
"And you didn't use to chance to sleep the whole day?" mocked Michiru
and observed the marmalade. Haruka didn't reply that she couldn't find
any sleep the whole night. At dawn she left the bed and took a long
shower. Then she sat down on the chair and waited for Michiru to wake
up. Watched the smaller woman in silence. Thinking...
"I studied our map. Maybe we can go to the peak of the mountain over
there. It's called..." Haruka looked at the crumbled map and tried
hard to read the tiny letters. "Well, however, the map says that it's
got a fantastic view over the whole valley. The way it not too long,
maybe two hours. And it's not so steep. What 'cha think?"
Michiru made a face as she took her medicine.
"Why don't we carry on with our tour?" The young violinist covered her
roll with a thick layer of marmalade.
Haruka observed her for some moments in silence, then she simply shook
her head.
"Not until you're recovered. It don't want you to fall off your bike
again. A hot bath and another night in a soft bed will be better than
a swim in cold melt water in a lake and a night in a sleeping bag on
the hard ground." She declared determined and took her coffee into her
hands. She stared for some seconds into the black fluid. As she rose
her head again a tomboy expression laid on her face. "Besides I've
already read the menu and can't wait to try the farmer salad they
offer." Her lips curved in a joking smile. "And they have spaghettis,
too. With tomato sauce."
"Okay, you won." Giggled Michiru and ate her roll.
I've been really hungry!
"Then let's hurry up!" declared the senshi of the wide ocean and took
another roll. Haruka stood up and went quietly over to the open window
and looked out to the nature that surrounded the small hotel
"You don't have to hurry, Michi-chan. The mountains will wait. We have
plenty of time. Here aren't any youmas or victims. Nor talismans. Just
enjoy your free time, Michi-chan." Haruka didn't turn around.
Michiru looked up but she could just see the shadow of the young car
racer against the bright sunlight. Since they had met two years ago
they had never have some days free. Her concerts and the Grand Prix's
of Japan weren't real free time. Once a youma had interrupted her
concert and tried to steal the heart crystal of the conductor of the
orchestra where she played the first violin this evening. And on the
race track a youma wanted to steal the heart crystal of a mechanic of
Haruka's team. But here in the mountain they seemed to be almost free.
Independent.
"Hai." Whispered the smaller senshi and covered another roll with
marmalade.
"Guess, you're right."
Haruka just watched nature and sighed slightly as she heard the calm
voice of the younger woman.
I just wish I could talk to you. Honestly.
The young car racer clenched her fists and stayed silent.
But I am not as strong as you may think.

***

It was late in the afternoon as they reached the viewpoint. From there
they could overlook the whole valley and the next one on the other
side of the mountain. Wide behind the mountains at the edge of the
horizon you could see the shimmer of the endless ocean that surrounded
the huge isles of Japan.
"It's wonderful here!" sighed Michiru happy and winced as she stumbled
over a small stone. Haruka who didn't run as always was at the next
moment at her side.
"Everything okay?" asked the young car racer and looked at the smaller
senshi with concern.
"Don't worry." Michiru laughed lucky and went over to the flag that
stood in the middle of the platform. It crackled quietly in the steady
but warm wind. Michiru closed her eyes and spread her arms. The
winches played with the long white shirt she was wearing and with her
long curly hair. A happy smile appeared on her face, her cheeks were
redden.
"You were right, Ruka. We should forget all our problems." Said
Michiru as she opened her eyes again. "I just wish I could have taken
my violin with me."
"Then it would be broken and you would be sad the whole time. No,
thanks." Haruka passed over and looked to the handrail that was some
inches away. It should protect the tourists not to fall from the peak.
Michiru just smiled at her and sat down on a bank next to the flag.
She closed her eyes again and concentrated on the soft melody that
evolved in her mind. The wind played with the leaves of the near trees
and the rushes remembered the young violinist of the endless ocean she
loved so much. Thoughtful she rocked herself in a rhythm only she
could her. Slowly she entered her own world made by music. Leaving all
her problems, all her fears behind. Leaving reality behind.
Leaving her Ruka behind.
The young car racer watched her Michiru for some moments in silence
then she turned away with a sigh and leaned herself against the
handrail. She knew this expression on the smaller woman's face. But
she couldn't quite explain why she always felt so jealous when Michiru
only thought of her music.
So alone...
"This had been a very nice day." Heard Haruka the voice of a young
woman. She turned her head a little bit and could see a couple that
walked over to the other corner of the viewpoint.
"Hai." answered the young man and wrapped his arms around her slim
waist. For a long while they just stood there and watched nature or
whatever they seemed to see.
"I love you." Declared the young woman finally quietly.
"I love you too, sweetheart." The young man lowered his head and
kissed her gently. The kiss lasted very long. Finally they walked
away. Hand in hand. Their fingers entwined.
Haruka swallowed hard and her trembling legs could not longer hold her
weight. She just went on her knees and stared into nothing.
I will never experience such deep love.
Will I?
Haruka wanted to go over to her Michiru to tell her about her strange
feelings. But she couldn't move. She couldn't say a word. She actually
couldn't break the silence.
Michiru sat silently on the bank. A smile appeared on her face. Her
eyes were still closed. She rocked gently to the music only she could
hear. To a tender melody that evolved slowly in her mind. That she
would never forget, because it was different than all songs she wrote
before.
Suddenly she could understand all the love songs of those great
musicians. The feelings that stood behind every single note.
The smaller senshi sighed happily while she stepped deeper into her
own world of music, dreaming of a better future. Hoping for a life in
peace.

***

"Fish and noodles?" asked Haruka and looked critically at the plate of
Michiru then at the smaller senshi who ate her dinner with enthusiasm.
"Well, I couldn't decide so I took both." Said Michiru simply and
giggled as she saw the expression on the taller woman's face. "Don't
worry, Ruka. You don't have to eat it. Just eat your farmer salad.
Before the snails will run away."
Haruka thanked the waitress who brought her a cooled cola. Then she
leaned back on her chair and observed the other guests on the big
terrace of the hotel were they would stay for the next day. Michiru
ate her meal with a lot of appetite. She looked a lot healthier than
the evening before.
The day of rest was very good for her.
The young car racer picked with her fork in her salad and didn't want
to think of the next night.
This night I won't have a reason to sleep next to her in the huge bed.
To hold her tight.
Maybe she would never have a simple reason again.
Haruka sighed watched how some musicians entered the small stage. They
took seat and started to play. It were soft melodies. Waltz as Haruka
remembered right. Soon the soft melody filled the air and the first
couples danced. The music was quiet enough to eat but at the same time
it created a romantic atmosphere. The sun set slowly and soon soft
twilight covered the valley.
"They certainly can play." Decided Michiru after a while and topped
her left foot with the rhythm. Then she stood up with a sudden and
reached for Haruka's hand.
"Let's dance!"
"Nani?" Haruka looked up in surprise and shook her head in disbelieve.
"You know I can't dance."
"Some days before you told me something different." Michiru just
grabbed the hand of the taller woman and realized that it was very
cold. "Don't worry about me knee. I am feeling fine." She watched
Haruka with a pleading expression on her beautiful face and leaded her
towards the dance floor. "Pleeaasseeeeee!" Michiru blinked and made a
pout. As always she got her young car racer with that begging look.
"All right." Sighed Haruka and took the smaller senshi of the wide
ocean in her strong arms and rocked her between the other couples to
the soft music. "But you've been warned."
"Hai..." replied Michiru thoughtful.
Quietly they danced. They world seemed to end. Nothing existed but
them. And the sweet melody of a waltz that surrounded them. The two
outer senshi just danced as if they had never done anything else. As
if they were meant to be together. They steps fitted together and not
once they stumbled. Like wild wind that seemed to play with the steady
waves of the endless sea.
Time didn't play a role anymore. It stopped some seconds ago. Or were
it hours? Or years? Or even centuries? The other people faded and as
longer they danced they forgot them. Tender they hold each other
tight. Finally they could leave their problems behind.
For those moments that seemed to last for eternity there were no more
borders anymore. No more fears. No more doubts.
Michiru looked up at the slightly blushed face of Haruka.
Here we can talk about everything. In my world of music.
The young violinist rose her right hand and touched the soft skin of
Haruka's hot cheek.
It's our world now. Here we can do whatever we want to do.
Here we can even break the silence...
"Ruka...?"
The young car racer blinked. She didn't even mention that they stopped
dancing. They just stood between the still moving couples and looked
each other deep into the eyes.
Hell, I love you so much.
"Hai?" she whispered with a low voice.
Hell, I don't want to hurt you!
At that moment the music died away and the mystic spell was broken.
The other coupled turned towards the musicians and applauded loudly.
The ocean dried immediately and the wind was gone one second later.
"Ruka, I wanted to talk to you about last night. I didn't sleep
and..."
Haruka's eyes grew wide with panic as she realized that Michiru knew
about the kiss. She shook her head in disbelieve. Then she turned away
and ran as fast as she could. Quickly she left the terrace and
disappeared between the trees around the small hotel.
She didn't even mention that Michiru looked at her with yearning. And
not with disgust.
"Ruka, you're such a jerk!" she sighed and paid the now cold food.
Then she followed her young car racer.
"And I've been such a jerk, too. For such a long time..."

***

Haruka raced along the stony way if bloodhounds haunted her. She
jumped over roots and took two steps at once as she climbed the old
staircase that leaded up to the viewpoint she had been with her
Michiru.
Michi-chan...
The young car racer gasped hard for breathe as she walked slowly over
the stony underground. The sun set and set the endless sky on fire.
The air shimmered and coloured the peaks of the other mountains around
in a golden light.
Haruka sat down on the place she had kneeled some hours ago. Watching
a happy couple. Knowing that their happiness would never be her.
Quietly she stared at the burning heaving and forced herself not think
about the future. What should she do now?
>You lesbian!< she winced as she heard again and again the rude voice
in her mind.
I can't simply go back.
Haruka sighed and remembered her Michiru how she stood in the small
lake and laughed happy. How she woke her young car racer up when the
train arrived the station. How she cared for her after she returned
late at night from the party. Hurt and in pain. Michiru never asked a
lot. She seemed to understood her.
How she declared desperate that she would never sacrifice me for this
bloody mission...
Haruka closed her eyes and bowed her head while she clenched her
fists.
For the last two years I didn't feel so lonely...
"Ruka?"
The young car racer looked up in surprise as she heard slow footsteps.
They stopped next to her.
"Hell, you're really fast. I've almost forgotten during the last
afternoon." Said Michiru and ran a steady hand through her sea green
hair while she watched the sun set.
"It's romantic here, isn't it?" she asked after a while and a smile
bloomed on her face. Haruka didn't reply anything. She simply didn't
know what. So she kept silent and stared asking at the young
violinist. Finally Michiru took a deep breathe and turned towards the
sitting woman.
"Do you love me?" Her voice was soft and clear. Haruka rose her head
and swallowed hard. Then she saw the look of Michiru's deep blue eyes.
Saw all the tender feelings that laid in it.
All the unconditional love...
Haruka wanted to say anything but her voice broke. She watched how
Michiru went carefully on her knees and made a face as she felt the
sore skin. Then she wrapped her arms around Haruka's waist and pulled
her closer.
"Do you love me?" repeated the young violinist and her lips curved in
a tender smile.
Haruka couldn't do anything else than nodding.
"Then everything's alright. 'Cause I love you too, Ruka." Michiru
leaned forward and kissed her strong senshi of the wild wind.
Again the world seemed to end. Everything became less important. Now
they were left over. As the only survivors of a heavy storm.
Shipwrecked on a abandoned isle. Were no youmas existed. No talismans.
No fears...
>You lesbian!<
Haruka's closed eyes flew open and she interrupted the tender kiss
immediately.
"We can't do this." Declared the young car racer with a strange ton in
her voice.
"Why not? Didn't you like it?" Michiru grinned and tried to kiss her
again but Haruka held her back. She couldn't break her protecting wall
as fast as the young violinist. Michiru just needed a reply of her
strong feelings. Haruka needed more.
"Hai, but..." The young car racer sighed and looked finally up to the
endless sky above. "But I am a girl."
"Oh, I didn't realize." Mocked Michiru and touched with her right hand
Haruka's breasts. "And I thought they were just inflamed."
Haruka winced but she didn't turn away.
You jerk! That's all you ever wanted! That Michiru would love you! And
now you're running away. As always...
>You lesbian!<
"I..." The young car racer looked up into the still smiling face of
the young violinist and automatically reached her hand to touch it.
She feels so good. So right.
"I... I love you, too." Whispered Haruka finally. She had never
thought that it would be so hard to say these few word. And at the
same time so easy. "But..."
"Why didn't you tell me before?" wanted Michiru to know while she
openly enjoyed the soft touches of the taller senshi. "All this time I
thought you were just looking for a good friend."
Haruka blushed deeply as the smaller hand of Michiru slipped under her
wide black shirt and caressed her skin. Immediately she started to
freeze although it was very warm at the dying summer day.
The young car racer couldn't oppress a groan and closed her eyes to
concentrate on the tender touch. Of feelings she never felt before.
She thought she would never experience.
This must be a dream...
Please, don't let me ever wake up again!
"I've always wanted you to be so much more for me, Ruka. But you've
been always so reserved. You looked so strong that I thought you
wouldn't need me. You were so independent. I thought you would never
stay after the mission." Michiru smiled as she saw the reactions of
the her taller senshi. "I had been scared of what you would think when
I'd told you that I want you to be my lover."
Haruka opened her eyes. Then she took the senshi of the wide ocean
carefully in her suddenly trembling arms and hold her tight for a long
while. She could feel how Michiru returned her embracement.
I love you. I love you. I love you.
I love you so much!
But...
>You lesbian!<
The young car racer swallowed and automatically squeezed the smaller
woman a little bit harder.
"I..." She took a deep breathe while she looked into the flames of the
burning heaven. "I don't want you to be called a lesbian." Haruka
finally said in such a quite voice Michiru almost missed the words.
She rose her head and took the hot face of the young car racer
thoughtful in her hands.
Ami had been right...
She forced successful Haruka to look into her deep eyes.
I want to drown in them. To be lost in this depth. And to be found by
my beautiful Michi-chan.
"Hey, I've been called worse things. Remember of ignorant rich brat.
Or insensible, brutal thief. I have to live with Sailor Moon's worried
face after every battle. And I have to live with the fear who will be
the next person. Maybe it'll be Ami or Rei. I went through hell as the
youma got Usagi's heart and we didn't know if she had a talisman or
not." Serious shinning blue eyes looked determined into startled green
ones. "And it drives me crazy to know that I could sacrifice you for
the mission and to know at the same time that I am not able to. These
are real problems, Ruka. Besides them calling a lesbian is not so
important. Hey, my sweet tomboy. We have to save the world. Maybe our
next day will be our last one. Why should we go waste it?"
"I just want you to be happy."
Michiru's smile grew wide as she heard the silent declaration of her
Ruka.
That's the true reason why you didn't tell me, isn't it?
And I've been to scared to break the silence. To scared of losing you.
At the same time I didn't realize that you've been scared, too.
"Don't worry. I am happy as long as you're with me."
Haruka sighed but a honest smile appeared on her still blushed face.
"It's alike what I say, isn't it? I won't convince you." But Haruka
knew that she could never let her Michiru go. Not after she knew the
truth.
"About what, Ruka? That we have no right to love each other? Forget
it! No one has the right to decide about one's life or one's decision.
And I've decided to love you a long time ago. Now that I know that you
return my feelings I won't just let you get like this!" Michiru leaned
forward and gave her young car racer a short kiss on the soft lips.
"Accept it, Ruka. Maybe it's karma."
Haruka grinned and the evening wind played with her short blonde hair.
A tomboy expression returned on her now lucky shinning face.
"Hai, Michi-chan. You just don't know what pact you just made. I am
not so easy to handle as Mamoru." Michiru looked at her for some
seconds than she burst out into laughter.
"I am so lucky!" she laughed and covered Haruka's face with small
kisses. "Cause I love you the way you are."
"But never regret it."
Michiru just kissed her senshi of the wind tender. Haruka pulled her
young violinist closer and returned the sweet kiss with all her love.
>You...<
Suddenly Haruka could forget the rude words of the man. The free wind
took them away like a light breeze and they died away in the rushes of
the leaves that resembled the steady waves of the endless ocean.
Never regret it...
They both know that they would never.
Silently they gave each other this promise.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------

epilogue: it doesn't matter

Motionless she stood on the empty stage. Her eyes were closed and her
fingers seemed to fly weightless over the instrument. They never
missed a single note. The melody filled the evening air. The music was
as fantastic as it had been on every concert she had given since she
had been eight years old. But this time the character changed. Now the
melody was more tender. Happier. Really free...
Warm summer wind played with her sea green hair and the long blue
evening dress she was wearing. Barefoot she stood on the huge stage
and didn't seem to realize anything else than her own world of music.
Suddenly she opened her blue eyes and searched the lines of the
audience in front of her. She smiled tender as she found the person
she loved more than anything else. The melody got a little bit dreamy
and as she closed her eyes again she took her lover with her into her
world. Into their world.
"That's been really fantastic." Declared Ami and dried her wet cheeks.
Normally she wasn't very touched by music but the last song had been
the best love song she had ever heard. It showed so deep feelings.
Real love. Unconditional trust.
"Hai." Admitted Haruka quietly as the audience applauded delighted.
"Arigato, Haruka. It's nice of you to take me with you to her concert.
You know I always wanted to hear her play."
The young car racer looked into the happy face of the girl and took
the bunch of flowers she brought this afternoon.
"We have to thank you that you really came."
Ami observed the flowers and her lips curved in a happy smile.
"Just go, Haruka. I want to risk a look at the music encyclopedia they
sell over there." She pointed to the other side of the meadow and
quickly disappeared between the busy people. "Just gimme five more
minutes." Haruka could hear the girl and smiled because she knew that
five minutes would never be enough for the small bookworm.
The young car racer turned away and went over behind the stage.
Michiru stood next to a table and took her violin carefully into it's
case. Haruka waited until the instrument was save then she embraced
her lover from behind and swirled around with her. Michiru screamed
then she started to laugh.
"Let me down. Ruka!" She said and her eyes shimmered happy.
"If that's your wish..." Haruka let the smaller senshi down but
instead of letting her go she pulled her nearer and gave her a long
and loving kiss which Michiru returned immediately.
"Michi-chan, you played fantastic!" declared Haruka and blushed
deeply. Although they declared their love to each other it was still
very hard for the taller woman to show her feelings open. Even to her
lover.
"Arigato, Ruka. Did you like the last song?"
"Like? I love it. It's been so..." Haruka searched helpless for the
right words. "It's been so touching. Ami even cried and I..." She
sighed and smiled tender on the younger woman in her arms. "I've never
heard such a happy melody from you violin."
"It's my love song for you." Giggled Michiru but her eyes were very
serious. "I love you." Said the young violinist and stared straight
into dark green eyes she loved so much. Haruka blushed even more. Then
she kissed her Michiru again. It was still very hard for her to say
those simple words. But when she kissed her the young violinist knew
that her feelings were returned.
We don't need much words.
Michiru felt how Haruka pulled her closer and kissed her more
passionately. Her lips curved in a smile as she pulled her Ruka
closer.
I love you, Michi-chan.
I am so glad we've finally broke the silence.
Silently they hold each other tight. Kissing. Loving. Knowing that the
other would be there forever. Even if forever would end tomorrow by
the attack of a youma or by a victim who really owned one talisman.
They returned from her holidays two weeks ago. The few days up in the
mountains were the best ones of their lives. And after they went home
they realized that every day could be special if they made it so.
They were happy with each other. As happy as they had never been
before.
"May I got an autograph...?" The voice died away as the old man came
nearer and saw the kissing couple.
"Gomen. I didn't want to..." The man stopped as Haruka stepped back
and turned towards the violin. But she hadn't been fast enough. He
could see her female outlines, because the shirt of her tuxedo was
very narrow. To narrow to hide herself behind it.
He first looked at the young car racer than at the young violinist and
Michiru could see how Haruka automatically clenched her fists.
"Do you want an autograph?" asked Michiru politely but at the same
second she knew that the old man didn't want it any loner. He stared
at her with the look Haruka hated so much.
"You pervert!" he declared and threw the CD he hold in his trembling
hands to the ground. It cracked as the cover broke.
Haruka spun around and stepped protective before the smaller woman.
Her eyes shone angry and she didn't left any doubts that she would
beat him if I tried to hurt her Michiru.
The man watched Haruka estimate. Then he turned around and went away
very quickly.
For a while they both kept silent. Finally Michiru took the broken CD
in her hands and watched at the crumbled picture of the wide ocean.
She made it some years ago when she wanted to explain her feelings
with her music. Because she couldn't explain them by words. Until now.
"Gomen..." said Haruka finally and ran thoughtfully a trembling hand
through her short blonde hair.
"It doesn't matter, Ruka. Really." Replied Michiru and took the
flowers that laid now on the table. "As long as we're together."
Michiru smelled at the flowers and a smile appeared on her face. "As
long as we're happy." She rose her head. "White roses. My favourite
flowers. They're beautiful, Ruka."
Haruka turned around and leaned forward. For some moments she just
looked deep into deep blue eyes she loved so much.
"You're beautiful." Again she took her smaller senshi into her strong
arms. "Where did we stop?"
Michiru returned her grin and kissed away all of Haruka's doubts.

***

"Can...can we go home? ... now?" Ami stared with a red head down on
her shoes. She was really embarrassed. "Be... because it's past ten
and my mother is so soon worried when I am too late."
Blue and green eyes looked startled at the girl with the school
uniform that hold tight a thick book in her hands.
What will she think about us?
Will we lose her because of our feelings?
Will we lose the friendship we've got with her and the other girls?
Ami finally rose her head and they watched each other in silence. The
senshi of the water could feel the unsafeness of the other two. And
she could feel at the same time the happiness. She remembered at the
quiet Michiru who sat in her kitchen that rainy night. Ami still saw
the sad expression on the young violinist's face. And she remembered
to well the reaction of Haruka after the fight with the rude man.
Although she tried hard to hide it.
Ami still heard the soft melodies of the violin that touched her heart
in such a deep way that she had to cry.
Because I suddenly felt so happy and didn't know why.
The young girl looked from one woman to the other.
They're still the same.
Good friends.
And for the first time I know them they seem to be really happy.
Ami grabbed with each hand one of Haruka and one of Michiru and pulled
them towards the silver Ferrari that was parked near the huge park or
the green oasis as the people of Tokyo called it.
"You're enviable." She whispered almost inaudible. Then she turned
around and smiled confident in the other's still surprised faces. "Bye
the way, I've found a really nice encyclopedia." She declared and
giggled as she pointed at the thick book under her right arm.
A smile evolved on Michiru's still pale face.
"Just one?" she mocked and could see the relieved expression in
Haruka's green eyes, could hear her silent voice.
"Arigato, Ami."
Yes, it didn't matter.
As long as they had such understanding friends.
Haruka and Michiru looked each other deep into the eyes and smiled
confident.
Yes, they could live with the ignorant glances and bad shouting of old
silly men. They could live with the fear of sacrificing one person for
six millions. They could live with the knowledge that every day could
be their last one.
It didn't matter.
As long as we have each other.
Both watched how Ami opened the book and showed some nice pictures of
old musicians to them. A happy expression laid on her young face and
her light blue eyes shone lucky as she explained something laughing.
As long as there's a ray of hope.

end

finished 21.06.2000

Please, don't blame me that Haruka and Michiru needed two years to
find their love. Sometimes it takes more than a few moments to break
the silence and some people won't ever be able to break it at all.
I know how hard it is to talk about love. Especially when you don't
know if your love will be returned. But I have to tell you that it's
worth it. If the person loves you too you'll be very happy (maybe for
the rest of your live) and if he or she doesn't then your doubts will
be over at last.

This short story is for Markus. I hope that you'll discover one day
that gay people are as normal as the rest of us. Or at least just shut
up! If you don't have to say anything nice keep silent. No one wants
to hear your big words with no content!
This short story is for Sylvia who found her prince. I love you very
much, sister. And I hope you'll be happy for the rest of your life.
But when I look into your shinning eyes I know you will.
And this short story is also for Swen. Don't give up. One day you'll
find the right girl!

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