Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Russian Roulette ❯ Chapter 5

Chapter 5

 

On her first day of school, Haruka proved herself to be quite rambunctious, and that was an understatement. Michiru awoke at 6:45 to the buzzing of Haruka's intercom she had "thoughtfully" installed so her daughter could call her whenever she needed help.

 

"Mama!" called Haruka's voice. "Is it time for school yet?" Michiru sat up and rubbed her eyes.

 

"In two hours, angel," she replied, placing her head right back down on the pillow afterwards.

 

"Oh." The intercom clicked off and Haruka's voice went away for a moment after that, but just for a moment.

 

Buzz

 

"Mama?"

 

"Yes, sweetie?"

 

"Can I get up anyway?" Michiru sighed and got out of bed. Haruka's child form could be so like her old self in some ways yet so different in others. In the past, Haruka never got out of bed of her own free will. Now nothing could keep her in it. Getting into her slippers and robe, Michiru tied her sash and walked downstairs to her child's room. She opened the door to find Haruka already anxiously sitting up in bed, brushing her hair. She smiled and went to the closest to get out Haruka's school uniform, a while blouse with a bright blue sailor collar and skirt, not at all different from Chibiusa's. Well, there was one difference. Chibiusa wore a brooch in the shape of a heart with a moon in the center. It was not a transformation brooch of course, the Sailor Senshi had disappeared long before Chibiusa's present self was born. But it was still a symbol of what she was to become, however unaware she might be of it. Haruka had something like that too, a keepsake Michiru had given her when she was still very small. This too was a brooch, but instead of a heart, it was in the shape of a planet. The planet of Uranus.

 

Michiru looked over at the bed to see that Haruka had already thrown her nightgown off and was eagerly awaiting for her mother to assist her with the rest. Michiru walked over and handed the girl the top of the uniform while she fit Haruka's paralyzed legs into the blue skirt. Haruka did not mind, of course. She had grown up having to helped this way. She was very happy when she learned to take her shirt on and off, and brush her own teeth, and all the other childhood accomplishments she was capable of. She had no idea, Michiru reminded herself, of how different she was now. Not only from the other children, but from herself.

 

"How's this?" Haruka asked as she pinned her treasure onto the bow. "Does it look okay?" Michiru glanced up.

 

"It looks very becoming," she said, scooping up the girl from her bed and setting her into her wheelchair. "Now, how about some breakfast?"

 

Haruka's eyes widened with pleasure. "Yea!" she cheered. "Pancakes?"

 

"Nonsense. Leftover natto."

 

"Eww..."

 

"Just kidding. Pancakes."

 

The breakfast table conversation was rather light. Haruka could barely get her food into her mouth quick enough, leaving her very little time to speak, while Michiru sat in solemn silence, stirring her coffee. There was something else she knew she had to tell Haruka before the girl went off to school her first day. But it was something she knew would be difficult, if not impossible, to explain.

 

"Darling," Michiru said quietly. "I want you to remember, if any of the other children bother you today..." Haruka looked up curiously.

 

"Why would they bother me?" she asked, finally taking a pause from her food. Michiru folded her hands together and gazed down at them.

 

"Sometimes... sometimes children, and grown-ups, can be very cruel. And they'll make fun of people who are different from them."

 

"You mean, they might make fun of me because I can't walk?" Haruka asked. Michiru nodded. She didn't mean to start off the first day of school so melancholy, but there was really nothing else she could do. To her surprise, though, Haruka did not look depressed or disappointed. She showed her mother the same energetic smile she always did.

 

"Don't worry, Mama," she assured her. "I'm strong, I really am. I won't let anybody pick on me. And if someone does, I'll pick on them right back."

 

"You should tell the teacher," Michiru reminded her with a smile.

 

"I will. But after I pick on them back." With that, Haruka took her last bite of pancake and washed it down with a glass of milk. And not a moment too soon, for as soon as she did, the sound of the old bus brakes pulling to a stop could be heard just across the street.

 

"Your ride will be here in just a second," Michiru said, getting Haruka's lunch from the refrigerator and her bookbag from the closet. "Be a good girl, okay?"

 

"Yes, Mama."

 

Michiru put the lunch box in the net on the back of Haruka's chair and allowed the girl to sit the backpack on her knee, slipping one strap over her arm to ensure it did not fall. After that, she opened the door just in time to see the large bus pulling up in front of their house. Tearfully, she kissed her daughter good-bye, wished her a fun first day, and watched silently as the bus driver helped Haruka onto the bus before disappearing down the road.