Dante's Prayer by Orchyd Constyne orchyd_constyne@fanfictioncentral.net No copyright infringement intended, song is by Loreena McKennitt. *When the dark wood fell before me *And all the paths were overgrown *When the priests of pride say there is no other way *I tilled the sorrows of stone Michiru leaped again, dancing around the rubble kicked up by the latest attack. This was a hard one. This daimon was strong, stronger than what she was used to. She screamed for her Deep Submerge and watched as the focus of the blast skittered harmlessly into the distance. She was getting worn out and her aim was starting to suffer. Not a good sign. She could see other Senshi firing off various attacks and could tell that fatigue was setting in all around her. They were doing damage, but not enough and not fast enough. Pluto raised her garnet rod and called for the Senshi to pull back. Her Dead Scream ripped through the air between her and the daimon. She realized too late that her aim was just off center. Nevertheless, the attack still hit with enough force to obliterate the daimon's arm. The triumph was short-lived, though. As Michiru watched, the daimon paused only long enough to grow a new arm, this one looking even stronger than the last. It tore a tree from the ground and hurled it at Pluto, who barely managed to get out of the way in time. Jupiter attempted her Sparkling Wide Pressure attack, and, to her horror, the daimon blocked it completely with its new arm. Further attacks from Mars and Venus were met with the same resistance. She looked across the clearing at Haruka, who nodded. They had tried this attack before with other daimons, and it usually worked. They moved around to opposite sides of the daimon and fired off their attacks simultaneously, sure that the daimon could only block one. This particular daimon, however, somehow anticipated it. At the last moment before the attacks converged, it jumped straight up until the Senshi lost sight of it in the canopy. Michiru was looking up, scanning the treetops for the enemy, and almost didn't hear the rustle behind her. 'If you can hear it, it's already too late,' she thought belatedly as the pain struck her. She looked down and saw a bloodied claw protruding from her stomach. She looked over her shoulder into the gaping maw of the daimon, who seemed to smile as it ripped its arm out of her back. She fell. *I did not believe because I could not see *Though you came to me in the night *When the dawn seemed forever lost *You showed me your love in the light of the stars She never saw how the daimon was defeated. All she could see was that smiling face behind her; all she could hear was Haruka's voice screaming her name. The blood loss was playing tricks with time. She fell forever before she hit the ground, but then Haruka was there instantly, and the daimon was gone. "Just hang on," Haruka was saying. Michiru looked up at her as best she could. Haruka, her lover, her dark warrior. So many things she wanted to say, if only she had the strength to talk. She wanted to tell her she was sorry. She was sorry for ever dragging her into this hell, sorry for seeking her out, sorry for loving her too much to let her go. It would have been so easy to have walked on by that day at the track. So easy to have never said a word. She could have left Haruka in her world of track meets and car racing, with her endless quest to outrun the wind. Uranus would never have awakened, would never have loved her, and would never have to have witnessed the object of that love lying here like this. It would have been so easy. At least, it would have been if Michiru hadn't already fallen for Haruka. She'd been watching the tomboy ever since she had the first inklings that she might be the lost Senshi. And the watching led to thinking, and to fantasizing. By the time she finally approached Haruka, she was lost in love for her, and knew that all her choices had already been made. She slowly closed her eyes. *Then the mountain rose before me *By the deep well of desire *From the fountain of forgiveness *Beyond the ice and the fire Was it time yet to think of all the things she'd be losing? Of warm embraces and morning kisses? Of watching Hotaru (for whom she felt like a mother) grow into the woman she was destined to become? Or was it best to save that for the end and instead concentrate on the guilt she felt for not watching her back? It wasn't supposed to be this way. She was supposed to have a destiny, just like the others. Wasn't she? Or was it simply that there would always be a Sailor Neptune, with no guarantee that Michiru would always be that person? Would Haruka love the new Neptune because she was meant to, or was that honor forever hers? So many questions, and no time for answers. She was moving now. She heard hushed voices above her. The faint hope rose that somehow, she'd be saved. After all, it had happened before. If she was meant to be Sailor Neptune, then something would have to save her. Senshi had fallen before, and managed to heal. True, their wounds hadn't been quite as serious, but there certainly did seem to be a strong will to live among them. That had to count for something. *Though we share this humble path, alone *How fragile is the heart *Oh give these clay feet wings to fly *To touch the face of the stars "Open your eyes, Michiru!" That voice. Haruka's voice, so insistent. She hadn't ever heard that tone, so sad and frightened. 'No need to be frightened, Ruka... ' she thought, or did she say it? She couldn't tell. It hurt, and she knew it would hurt even more to open her eyes. She would then have to admit that she would never get the chance to tell her love just how much she meant. More time! She wanted more time! She slowly opened her eyes on the world, on her partner. Tears? No time for tears. No time at all. There was never any time. It wasn't fair. She couldn't leave Haruka to fight alone. Death was so permanent, at least at this moment. Would she ever see her love's face again? Feel Haruka's breath near her ear? Feel her hands caress her body? So much to lose, so much she had taken for granted, passed by without a second thought for tomorrow. "Haruka..." *Breathe life into this feeble heart *Lift this mortal veil of fear *Take these crumbled hopes, etched with tears *We'll rise above these earthly cares "Shh, Michiru. You shouldn't talk, waste your energy..." Haruka held her close, her face was just above Michiru's. Michiru smiled up at her, her eyes filling with regret and tears that would never have a chance of running down her cheeks. "Why do people always say that?" Michiru croaked out. "Haruka, I'm sorry I wasn't watching, I'm sorry it took so long to come to you, I'm sorry-" her body spasmed from lack of blood and the weight of impending death. She took as deep a breath as she could and tried to get everything out, time ws short. "I'm sorry we didn't have more time. Please, remember, I loved you, Tenoh Haruka, for all that you are. I will forever be near, just look out to the ocean, play in the waves... and feel me near..." Michiru's eyes widened and she took a choking breath in. She couldn't see Haruka anymore. Fear took hold of her heart and squeezed. "Haruka!" *Cast your eyes on the ocean *Cast your soul to the sea *When the dark night seems endless *Please remember me Haruka watched as her lover's eyes closed, knowing they would not open. She gripped Michiru's arms, her heart shattering. Chin trembling, tears coursing down her cheeks, Haruka let out a soul wrenching scream. "Michiru!" The other Senshi gathered around the two lovers, Sailor Moon kneeling down and placing a hand on the shoulder of the blond Senshi. Haruka gathered the body of Michiru close to her, burying her face in the soft aqua tresses, sobbing inconsolably, feeling as if her soul had been ripped to shreds. Her Michiru... her light... extinguished. *Please remember me *Please remember me... There had not been enough time. **** End Part 1 **** http://www.fanfictioncentral.net/welcome.html