Chapter 205
"Haruka..get up," Michiru said with a grin. Haruka turned on her side.
"Now..that isn't going to work you know," Michiru said.
"Why shouldn't it?" Haruka muttered.
"Now..now..you're acting like Serena," Michiru said.
Haruka bolted up.
"Fine, fine..you happy now?" Haruka muttered.
"You are the one who pays the bills remember," Michiru said.
"Yes..I know,"Haruka muttered. "Can't let ourselves fall into debt again. Then we might have to sell the helicopter."
"Which would be tragic, it's been so useful," Michiru said. "Sometimes I wonder just where Setsuna got it from?"
"She didn't buy it that's for sure," Haruka said.
"Or maybe she did," Michiru said. "The question would then be where'd she get the money for it."
"Which is essentially the same question."
Michiru grinned.
"Of course we could always sell the car first," she said.
"No..the cars mine," Haruka said.
"But you didn't buy that either?"
"Yeah..well..I pay for the tune ups," Haruka said.
"So you do," Michiru said. "Just think in a couple of years you'll actually be old enough to legally drive it."
Haruka sighed.
"Why do you tease me so much?" she muttered.
"Oh..I don't know," Michiru said. "It's sort of a habit."
"Yes, I know," Haruka said. "So what are you going to do today while I'm at work?"
"I thought I'd sit around and watch television," Michiru said with a laugh.
Haruka sighed.
"You're getting some bad habits Michiru, you should stop hanging around with the other scouts before I lose you forever."
"You worry too easily. There's nothing wrong with relaxing now and then."
"Yes, I guess there isn't," Haruka said. "I'd better get ready."
Michiru nodded and headed out of the bedroom into the kitchen. Setsuna was sipping some coffee.
"Is Haruka up?" She asked.
"Finally," Michiru said. "She worries about me picking up bad habits. She's been oversleeping far too much lately."
"Can't blame her. You two do work a lot a nights."
"We've gotten used to it," Michiru said. "So what have you been up to."
"With Hotaru at her fathers, I haven't had to worry about her. She seems to be improving, though I guess she's chosen Patterson to be her mentor."
"Patterson? Why on earth..." Michiru said.
"He's the most like her...he had to rejoin society after being thrown out of it, Hotaru knows this," Setsuna said.
"But Setsuna, Patterson isn't really a great social model."
"He's merely a step up from where Hotaru is now. To tell you the truth she sort of tricked me."
"Oh?"
"I told her if she could reach the social level of any of her friends I'd let her go back to school. She then picked Patterson since he was the.."
"Easiest to emulate...yes...tricky isn't she?" Michiru asked.
"She's smart," Setsuna said. "I fear there are more problems then just these goddesses. Queen Nehelenia's prison has been broken."
"By who?" Michiru asked.
"We don't know. But I'm looking into it. She has to be found before she can do any more damage."
"Do you think she's here?" Haruka asked walking into the room.
"I don't know. It doesn't seem like it. You'd think she'd be eager for a confrontation," Setsuna said.
"Granted," Haruka said. "Still..having her on the loose just adds to the fun doesn't it?"
"She may not even be in this dimension," Setsuna said.
"If she wanted revenge wouldn't she just attack the moon kingdom again?" Haruka asked.
"She might," Setsuna said. "Precautions are being taken."
"You needed the two of us, along with the Guardians to beat her the last time," Michiru said.
"We didn't beat her, we beat her minions," Setsuna said. "She's even more powerful."
"And you're not worried?" Haruka asked.
"I am concerned, but being worried is unproductive. I'll find out what's going on. And that's not all, but there's no need to go into it. You worry about these goddesses," Setsuna said and walked out.
"These amateur goddesses are nothing compared to Nehelenia's power," Haruka said.
"Still, we know where the goddesses are at least," Michiru said.
"We have to stop them as soon as possible," Haruka said.
"Agreed, any idea how?"
"Let's find out."
"Haruka..I'll find out, you get going before you're late to work," Michiru said.
"Good idea, being late is embarrassing," Haruka said.
"Machine gun bullet holes," Raye said with annoyance as she stared at her wooden door. "I swear to you all, the next goddess I get my hands on will receive no mercy."
"We're not in the habit of really giving mercy out anyway," Mina said.
"Evil doers must be punished," Serena said.
"No..you don't understand...I'm going to dig deep all the way to the twisted heart the beats below the goddesses skin, and I'm not going to rip it out..no...I'm going to poke at it, causing pains, pains that will increase in intensity, until I end that goddess's life, and leave her lying on the ground, and I will wait until the end, to let them know..it was I who killed them," Raye said.
"She's not in good shape is she?" Mina whispered.
"Doesn't seem like it," Serena said.
"Of course I'm not!" Raye shouted. "But you will be spared! The goddesses shall pay dearly!" Raye said angrily striking a pose.
"Uh..lunch is here," Rick muttered standing at the top of the steps with some boxes of Chinese food.
"FOOD!" Mina and Serena said and rushed to him.
"Ehh...you ruined..the...MOMENT!" Raye shouted.
Amy meanwhile was checking her mail.
"Hmm..envelope from Juuban High. Oh it must be my grades," she said and walked inside the house. She moved to the door to the war room and buzzed. The door slid open seconds later.
"My grades came D.V." She said. D.V. was as usual typing into his computer keyboard quickly. Images of the various goddesses were appearing.
"Doing research?" Amy asked.
"I might as well," Patterson replied.
"Well..I'd better have a look at this. So long four point o," She said. She looked at the grading sheet.
"Math, A+," She read. "English A+, History A+ thanks to some creative work by Principal Oksua....but I deserved it."
"Absolutely," Patterson said.
"Spanish A+, Latin A+...and now Biology..."
She paused and stared at the sheet. Her eyes widened.
"A minus!" She shouted. "YES!"
"Wha.." D.V. said.
"Don't you see with all the bonuses I get from the A pluses in all my other courses I still have a GPA above four! I'm so happy!" she shouted jumping onto the war room table.
D.V. tensed.
Amy leapt off and hugged him. D.V. blushed.
"I have you to thank, and Greg too..and..everyone!" she shouted.
Did she win an emmy? Patterson wondered.
She hurriedly raced out the door and let out another happy scream.
D.V. stopped from his work for a minute and let a broad smile form across his face.
"Way to go sis," he said and resumed his stoic expression.
"So how's Raye doing?" Darrien asked as Serena clung to his arm and they moved down the sidewalk.
"She's insane," Serena said. "But I understand why. I mean..her temple gets trashed almost weekly."
"Yeah..it's too bad. She's gone through so much."
"I know..it's why I can take all the verbal abuse she dishes out. I understand why she could feel that way..and she is right some of the time," Serena said.
"Yeah I guess," Darrien said.
"You weren't supposed to agree with the last part," Serena said.
"Oh..sorry," Darrien said. "So..you wanna go bowling?"
"Yes...I do...is it hard?"
"Well it can be," Darrien said.
"Fine..because even if I'm not good at it, you must be."
"Well..I've only done it once or twice before."
"With who?" Serena said turning suspicious.
"Some friends from uh..college," Darrien said.
"Male friends?"
"Some girls..but just friends. Why am I getting the third degree?"
"You're getting a third degree? In what?" Serena asked innocently.
Darrien glanced at her.
"Botany," he said with a grin.
"Now you're just mocking me. Botany? I'm not that stupid Darrien. I know when you're fooling around."
"Sorry..I won't do it again," Darrien said with another smile.
"You're right, you won't," Serena said. "Besides, do you have the prerequisites needed to get into the upper level botany courses, I hear the curriculum is very strict due to the low demand for trained botanists in the work force."
Darrien stopped and looked at her.
"How did you...what?" Darrien said in shock.
"MIND GAMES!" Serena shouted.
Darrien sighed.
Michiru had since settled down at the restaurant. She was sipping some tea and looking at the window at the various people passing by.
Sometimes I can't help but find existence fascinating. She thought.
She noticed a familiar figure amongst the crowd.
Was that Haruka? She thought. No..she's at work. Could it be? It..looked like it. I wonder..what she's doing.
Michiru got up and paid her bill quickly. She was soon headed out into the street following Haruka.
She rounded a corner. The figure slowly moved down the street.
It can't be here..but the hair and the clothes..if I could only see her face for sure. Michiru ducked down a side alley she hope Haruka would pass by. Time passed.
No good. She thought and ducked her head out of the alley. Haruka was headed down a side street. She followed quickly.
What business does she have down here. Is there something she isn't telling me? But why would she? We're closer then sisters. She knows she can trust me, doesn't she. Haruka walked into an alley and then into an unmarked door leading into an apartment.
I've never seen this place before. Michiru thought. But I don't know what
could happen if I open that door. I don't know what's behind it. I wonder what I
should do. I can't go in. I'll just have to keep watch for her. She found a
place to hide behind some cans and waited.
It was another few minutes before Haruka reemerged from the door. Her face was clear to Michiru now.
It's her for sure. Michiru thought. Haruka rounded a corner and headed back down the street.
Michiru followed as carefully as she could.
And at a bowling alley.
"Go ahead Darrien roll a strike," Serena said.
"Uh..right.." Darrien said and rolled the ball down the lane. It curved towards the pins and then missed completely and rolled into the gutter.
"Ehhh..what was that?" Serena screeched.
"Serena..calm down.." Darrien said and reached for the next ball.
"I thought you were good at this."
"I didn't say I was."
"You didn't say you weren't."
Darrien sighed and rolled again. The ball hit a couple of pins.
"Well that's better," Serena said. She wandered up to the lane and rolled.
The ball went a foot before going into the gutter.
"Ehh..so what?" Serena said and went for another ball.
"This thing's too heavy," she said.
"Try holding it with both hands," Darrien said.
"Two hands..." Serena said.
"Like I did."
"But you stink."
"That doesn't matter," Darrien said.
"Oh.." Serena said. She lined up and rolled the ball down the lane. It went gutter too.
"Your way doesn't work," she said.
Darrien glanced at her.
Michiru rounded another corner in her pursuit of Haruka. What she found was Haruka standing there in the middle of the alley starring at her.
"Michiru. What are you doing?" Haruka asked.
"I..uh..sorry..I saw you walking and I didn't know where you were going. I thought you were at work," Michiru said. "I was concerned."
"You've been following me since I left the house. At first I played along, but now.."
"I didn't...I just saw you walking by the restaurant."
"That's when I noticed you."
"But.."
"Michiru I don't understand, why are you following me everywhere. I took a break from work just to see if you were doing it. I guess I was right."
"But..Haruka..I was just wondering what was going on," Michiru said. "You don't keep secrets from me."
"I have a few. I'm sure you do too."
"Well.."
"My keeping a secret from you is no reason for you to follow me over the city," Haruka said. "Like some childish school girl."
"But Haruka..I've only been.."
"Michiru I have to go back to work," Haruka said and walked away.
I don't understand. She might be a little annoyed, but this seemed like
genuine anger. Michiru thought.
Haruka headed back to work.
I don't know what her game is. She's been after me since I practically walked
out the door. I called out to her, she didn't answer. She just vanished.
Now..she tries to make excuses. I don't get it. I don't work all day so she can
wander around Tokyo spying on me. This is so odd. What's gotten into her, and
for her to deny it like that. To try and weasel out of responsibility. That
isn't like her at all. But it was her. That I know. And she's following me
again. I don't get it.
"What is this.." Patterson said looking at his screen. Displayed was a picture of Haruka walking down the street. Michiru was peering from behind a wall. He typed more commands in, on two separate screens appeared one image of Michiru, the other of Haruka. Haruka turned and looked back. Michiru kept walking.
"They...aren't in the same place are they? Why would Haruka be calling out to Michiru..she's seven blocks away?" D.V. asked himself. He typed in more commands.
"All right computer, let's find out what this means," he said. The computer ran through the images.
"Time index 1754, Haruka's looking out the window of the restaurant. There's Haruka...but..Haruka...is.."
He pressed some other buttons.
"At time index 1754. Haruka is one street over," Patterson said.
He stood up quickly and walked out the door.
Michiru tried to keep from being seen again.
Haruka clearly isn't herself. Why is she so angry. Why was she exaggerating
so much, I had only been following her for the past ten minutes? Maybe she had
gotten drunk or something. Could that be why she was so elusive. Or drugs? To
distort her perceptions. No.. Haruka would never do that. That's impossible But
then what does this all mean then?
"STRIKE!" Serena shouted as all ten pins collapsed.
"Serena..you aren't supposed to roll more than one ball.." Darrien said.
"Yeah..well..rolling one ball rarely gets anything done. If you have the weaponry available, I say use it," Serena said.
"Whatever." Darrien said.
"Why don't you give it a try?" Serena asked.
"No thanks..I like following the rules," Darrien said.
"Are you enjoying yourself Darrien?"
"Uh.."
"Because you should be.." Serena said.
"It's just I thought you wouldn't take this so seriously. I thought we could laugh at each other's mistakes and all, cause I wasn't that good. I thought you'd enjoy being involved in an activity I wasn't better than you at."
"Oh..so..you're better then me at everything then.." Serena said and flung him down the lane. He hit the pins and crawled back.
"Strike.." Serena said.
"Serena.. I didn't mean it as an insult," Darrien said. "Uh..that was a good throw though."
"That's what I like to hear," Serena said with a grin. "Let's go do something we're both good at Darrien."
"Uh..what would that be? Nothing comes to mind.." Darrien said.
Serena tossed him down the lane again.
"HOW ABOUT KISSING!" she shouted. "You can't say I'm not good at that!"
"Oh..yeah.." Darrien said. "Right..of course..let's go."
"STRIKE!" half the bowling alley yelled watching them go. Serena turned and
stuck her tongue out.
When Michiru rounded another corner she found that Haruka had disappeared.
Oh..no..now where'd she go. She thought.
Michiru heard the ground crunch behind her. She turned. Haruka stood there again.
"Why are you continuing to do this," Haruka said.
"Because now I'm really worried. Before I was just wondering what was going on. But the way you were so angry at me," Michiru said.
"I thought I could go out without you watching me," Haruka said.
"Have I ever done this before?"
"No, and that's what disturbs me."
"But Haruka, you've never been this angry at me before. What's going on?"
"You should know."
"Haruka..wait a second. Why are the two of us fighting like this. We trust each other don't we? Now let's sit down and try and explain things to each other."
"There is no time for explanations Michiru. You should apologize for what you've been doing."
"Apologize? For caring about you?" Michiru asked. "I'm sorry to have followed you, but I want to know what's wrong. Why are you so irritable?"
"You've been following me for hours."
"Your exaggerating, it's only been for a half an hour."
"Liar."
Michiru stopped at this line.
"What..you're saying I..lied...Haruka..what's happened to you. I've never lied to you. Are you taking some drugs or something?"
"No..of course not! How could you ever think I would?" Michiru said. "You know me too well."
Both of them tensed and then looked up just in time to see the laser blasts heading towards their heads. They dived out of the way.
"What's happening!" Michiru shouted.
"Who are you?" Haruka said.
"Who am I?"
"This was a trap!" Haruka said.
"Haruka..stop it! I'm Michiru," Michiru said and pulled out her power stick. "Neptune..
Haruka kicked her.
"Wha.."
"You can't be..." Haruka said.
More blasts flew at them.
Haruka pulled out her power stick.
"You're not Haruka.." Michiru said.
"I am.." Haruka said. "Uranus Planet Power!"
Michiru lunged for her power stick. Uranus leapt and grabbed it.
"What..are you.."
"You're a goddess..." Uranus said.
"I am not..." Michiru said. "I'm your dearest friend...Haruka...they must have gotten to you somehow..listen..it's me..I swear I saw you going into a strange building.. I got concerned, I followed. That's all. I didn't leave the house till noon."
"I can't believe that." Uranus said. Blasts flew at her, but not Michiru. She dodged them.
"Now..look, you're not even being fired at!"
"It's a trick! Give me the power stick. Can't you see it's real."
"I..." Sailor Uranus was hit by a barrage. Michiru stood up and rushed to her side.
"What..are..you.." Sailor Uranus said trying to get up.
"Give me my power stick," Michiru said. The laser blasts flew at them again. Michiru pushed Uranus out of they way. In human form she was thrown into a wall. She sank to the ground.
"MICHIRU!" Uranus shouted and hurried to her.
"It was..you.." she said and gave Michiru the power stick. Michiru slowly stood up, very weak.
"Come out and fight!" Sailor Uranus said. A goddess leapt off a rooftop and launched a barrage. Uranus pushed Michiru out of the way. The blast exploded against the side of the wall.
"Mercury Bubbles Blast!" Mercury shouted. The area was filled with fog. Through it leapt Sailor Saturn.
"Saturn Mist Wave!" She shouted hitting the stunned goddess. A barrage of multicolored light followed hitting the goddess dead on.
"Mercury..Ice Storm Blast!" The next attack of frozen water knocked the goddess down.
Sailor Uranus slowly stood up.
"You...treacherous..." she shouted and drawing her sword raced down the alley. She dug her sword into the goddess, it vaporized.
Mercury did a scan of her.
"Uranus, you've got traces of LSD inside of you.." she said in surprise.
"What...how?" She said weakly.
Mercury and Saturn moved over to check on Michiru.
"The bread you ate for lunch. The goddess must have slipped LSD into it," Maverick said.
"But..how did you know I ate bread?"
"I had you and Michiru under surveillance because I figured the goddesses would have it in for you two following the last battle," Maverick said. "Here."
He handed Uranus a capsule.
"It'll negate the effects of the LSD."
"Oh..thank..you.." Uranus said. "How is Michiru?"
"I'll manage," Michiru said with a brief smile. "Though I think I will have to spend a few days watching TV."
"I'm so sorry," Uranus said reverting back into original form. "It was what they drugged me with.."
"I know..we trust each other too much.." Michiru said. "But why did you think I was following you earlier?"
"It must have been an illusion," Mercury said. "Maverick found out that you were seeing each other when you weren't close by. So it must have been artificial ideas."
"The idea was probably to break each other's trust and then leave you open to attack," Saturn said.
"The LSD was to make sure one side overreacted it seems," Mercury said.
"It almost worked," Michiru muttered.
"We probably could have fought her off," Haruka said. "We're tough..still..I thank all three of you. I'm a bit surprised though..why did you assist us so readily Maverick?"
"The heck if I know," Maverick said and leapt away.
"So you finally knew when I pushed you out of the way?" Michiru asked.
"If it wasn't for the drugs, I never would have doubted it," Haruka said. "You know that."
"Yes, I do," Michiru said. "It took a lot to get us to distrust each other didn't it."
"I see it differently. It took too little," Haruka said. "But that wasn't your fault. It was mine. LSD in the bread. How pathetic."
"There was little you could have done to prevent it," Sailor Saturn said.
"Yes..unless you were to scan every meal for chemical content," Mercury said.
The four looked at each other.
"He does doesn't he?" Michiru asked.
Mercury and Saturn nodded. Then Mercury, Haruka, and Michiru let out a laugh. To their surprise Saturn joined in.
CHAPTER 201 CHAPTER 202 CHAPTER 203 CHAPTER 204 CHAPTER 205
CHAPTER 206 CHAPTER 207 CHAPTER 208 CHAPTER 209 CHAPTER 210
CHAPTER 211 CHAPTER 212 CHAPTER 213 CHAPTER 214 CHAPTER 215
CHAPTER 216 CHAPTER 217 CHAPTER 218 CHAPTER 219 CHAPTER 220
CHAPTER 221 CHAPTER 222 CHAPTER 223 CHAPTER 224 CHAPTER 225