Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Russian Roulette ❯ Chapter 4 ( Chapter 4 )

Chapter 4

"Haruka!" Michiru's call was heard throughout the household, but someone the one person who was supposed to hear it wasn't answering. "Haruka, come out here, please! I need help setting the table." At last, a mischievous five year old face peaked out from the corner. And following it, the rest of her body as she pushed herself forward in a child-size wheelchair.

"Mama, guess what! The Angels just won the championship!" she exclaimed. Michiru was cooking something over the stove and did not glance up.

"Is this for baseball?" she asked.

"No, mama, soccer," Haruka whined. "Geez, you can be so clueless!"

"Did you clean your room?" Michiru asked. Haruka looked sheepishly down at the ground.

"Most of it," she said.

"But you still had time to watch a soccer game?" Michiru questioned. "Is that going to keep your toys picked up?"

"No," Haruka replied. "But it should." She wheeled herself up towards the stove and tried to peer up to see what her mother was preparing. It was in a pot, so she couldn't tell, but the smell was hauntingly familiar.

"Did you make natto?" she asked, hoping against hope her mother would answer no.

"Of course," Michiru replied. "It's good for you."

"Yeah, so are salads, but they don't taste like someone puked in them," Haruka muttered under her breath. Her mother ignored her and placed three sets of silverware and some napkins in her hand.

"Put those on the table please," she said. "Then go finish your work. I'll call you when dinner's ready. Don't forget Mr. And Mrs. Chiba are visiting today."

"I remember," said Haruka as she went to do as she was told. She actually didn't mind the Chiba's visiting. At least then there was someone around her age to talk to. Even if she did have the funniest hair Haruka swore she ever saw.

About an hour later, a loud buzzing sound filled the room. Outside, a small pink-haired girl stood pressing and holding the doorbell to the Kaiou household until Michiru finally answered the door.

"Hello there, Little Bunny," she said with a smile. "Glad you got to visit us today."

"Hello, Mrs. Kaiou," a five-year-old Chibiusa chimed as her father sat her down on the ground. "Is Haruka home?"

"She's cleaning her room," Michiru said. "But..."

"I'm finished!" Haruka yelled halfway down the hallway. Michiru smiled.

"But I think she just got done."

In a few minutes, the two families were sitting down to eat together. Haruka's father was away on business for tonight, so Michiru thought it would be good to have company. She had grown very close to Usagi these past several years. It was always as if she was holding on to her, afraid that if she let go for even a moment, she would lose the last two people she held dear.

Chibiusa and Haruka finished the dinner rather quickly, Chibiusa because it tasted good and Haruka because she reasoned that the faster she ate it, the sooner she wouldn't have to smell it on her plate anymore.

"So, first day of school tomorrow, huh girls?" Mamoru asked as they ate the last few bites. The two friends nodded eagerly.

"Mama got me a new bookbag with a racing car on the side," said Haruka proudly.

"That's nothing," said Chibiusa. "My mama got me a Sailor Moon lunchbox."

Haruka turned up her nose. "Sailor Moon's not so cool."

"You're just jealous."

"Why don't you two go play some video games and let us talk for a bit?" Usagi suggested, hoping it would interrupt the argument, or at least provide a distraction. She was right. Haruka was only too proud to show off her new games and Chibiusa was always anxious to watch. Michiru snickered as the girls left the room.

"Usagi, you hopeless self-promoter," she said.

"Hey, it's not like I get any cuts on the merchandise," Usagi muttered. Michiru shook her head.

"Yes, I suppose, that's true. But I'm surprised that your image is still so popular, considering it's been years since we last fought a new enemy."

"I guess Chaos was our last enemy," Usagi said, sipping her lemonade.

"It makes sense," said Mamoru, rubbing his chin and looking very intelligent while doing so. "All of our enemies were born from Chaos, so when she left, we shouldn't have any more problems."

"Except that we're still in 20th century," Michiru pointed out. "When was Neo Queen Serenity supposed to awaken?"

"I don't know," Usagi said. "Pluto said earth went through a period of sleep for a while, and apparently after that was when Crystal Tokyo was born."

"I guess I just assumed," said Michiru as she stared sadly down at the drink in front of her. "That when our last battle was over, we would all be reborn in the future. At least, that's what Setsuna seemed to indicate." At the thought of Setsuna, Michiru couldn't help but push back a few tears. She tried so hard to keep a happy façade around her family, but that didn't mean that the pain wasn't there. Seeing Michiru upset, Usagi reached over and put a sympathetic hand on her shoulder.

"I know you miss her," she quietly. "We all do."

"Not just her," Michiru said. "But also Rei, and Ami, and Minako. I miss everyone. I hate being the one left behind."

"I was left behind too," said Usagi. "But the others, they're being reborn. We know that we'll see them again. Look at Haruka..."

"That's the hardest of all," Michiru objected. "They're reborn, yes. But they don't know us, don't remember us. Furthermore, they're all at least twenty years younger than us. Do you know how hard it is for me to raise Haruka?" Michiru covered her mouth. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that. I mean, I love her of course. She's my daughter. But I miss her old self. The one I could always talk to whenever I had a problem. Who was always there for me."

"You have Nathan," Mamoru pointed out. At the mention of her husband, Michiru smiled and nodded.

"Yes, that's true. Nathan has been such a blessing to me. I don't think I would have made it this far without him." She rubbed her forehead slightly. "You know, I was so devastated when the doctors told me about Haruka. I knew she wasn't kicking while I was pregnant, but I never said anything about it. I didn't really want to believe she'd be born like this. Her of all people."

"You did nothing wrong," Mamoru assured her. "It was a genetic defect. No matter how well you treated her during pregnancy, you couldn't have avoided it."

"I know," Michiru sighed. "But it's just so unsettling. To see someone who thrived on speed have her legs useless to her."

"I wouldn't say her inability to use her legs had any effect on her speed," Mamoru said, indicating the room next door, where the two girls were in a heated motorcycle race on Haruka's new game console. "She's one of the most energetic kids I've seen. And she loves her life. That's what's important."

Michiru smiled and nodded. "You're right, Mamoru. As usual. I'm sorry for being so pessimistic."

"Hey, we're all allowed our down days," said Usagi, patting Michiru's shoulder. "Tell you what. Why don't we call the baby-sitter and go have a little adult's night out? Tomorrow after Nathan gets home, of course." Michiru giggled.

"Of course."