Genesis, Chapter 7
By Distant Sky King
Rated R	

All standard disclaimers apply. 

Author's Note: 
This fanfiction is an attempt to tell the story of how Haruka and 
Michiru initially met during the Silver Millennium. Parts of this 
story may be too mature for younger audiences, so if you're 
under 18 or don't think you can handle adult situations, turn 
back now.	

Chapter 7

	Orion stared intensely at the door to his sister's chamber.  He needed to go in, he 
needed to tell her something important, but he knew that no matter what he said 
everything would remain the same.  In her condition she could do nothing to prevent it, 
and even if she could the Queen would undoubtedly question her judgement and most 
likely veto any decision made.  But he had to tell her.  And he had to tell her he came 
clean and saw everything that happened on the date with Neptune.
	He didn't understand it.  Before the date he literally ran into the princess of 
Neptune in the hall and explained everything to her.  She knew that it was Uranus and 
not himself waiting at the bridge, yet she had gone anyway.  Curious, he followed.  Now 
he wished he hadn't.  What happened?  Was Neptune trying to make a fool out of his 
sister?  He doubted that, since they spent almost every waking moment together, unless 
their schoolwork and music lessons demanded otherwise.  They truly seemed to care for 
one another.  Was Neptune stupid?  He doubted that, too.  Since arriving she quickly 
overtook all the classes gradewise and gave his sister and the princess of Mercury a run 
for their money.  What the hell was it?  She couldn't have wanted to kiss Uranus, could 
she?  They were both girls.  Girls weren't supposed to fall in love with other girls.  It was 
against all laws of nature.  Yet, this type of thing wasn't completely unheard of.  Was 
she?  Could she?  His own sister?
	Well, why the hell not?  
	Uranus dressed like a man, behaved like a man, found entertainment in "manly" 
activities, and never once had he even seen her look at a man with interest.  And that 
remark she had made a couple weeks ago about not wanting men's approval.  Had she 
been trying to tell him and he just didn't notice?  It all added up.  And strangely, it didn't 
bother him.  Somehow he had always suspected but never really gave it any serious 
thought.  Uranus was a lesbian.  And Neptune was apparently quite smitten with her.  
That didn't really bother him, either.  He was used to having crushes and was glad that his 
sister had finally found someone to care about, other than himself.  He often wondered if 
she'd lost her ability to love after their parents' death.  He shook his head and sighed.  
	It wasn't fair.  Ever since their parents died Orion was his sister's only family.  
They relied on each other for comfort and companionship, and as much as Uranus would 
probably hate to admit it, love.  They were all each other had...until now.  Now Orion 
held in his hand a letter condemning his sister to loneliness.  No, not loneliness.  She had 
Neptune now.
	Orion's education had been completed on the moon, and his presence was now 
required back on the planet Uranus.  There, he would take up the long-absent throne and 
rule as the next King of the planet of the winds.  He didn't particularly care for the idea, 
but he had no choice.  The planet Uranus needed a king, and he was next in line.  But 
how to tell her?  And when?  Uranus was still out cold from her self-induced relapse and 
God only knew how long she'd be that way.  Orion had to leave the next morning and 
there was no way to get the news to her in person before then.  A letter would be far too 
impersonal and he knew she'd hate him for it.  His home planet was distant and remote, 
and it wouldn't be easy contacting him.  The letter he'd just received was sent over a year 
ago.  No, it had to be done personally, but who could do it for him?  Someone to let her 
down easily, someone to tell her it wasn't his fault.
	Neptune.

	For three days Uranus drifted in and out of consciousness, always on the edge of 
waking.  She felt strangely adrift, detached.  It was tiring, floating around in a sea of 
restlessness.  Every time she thought she'd worked up enough energy to finally wake her 
body would tell her she wasn't ready and send her back into the darkness.  Strange and 
confusing dreams came frequently and without warning or understanding.  
	She saw her parents.  They were dead, slaughtered by bandits on a back road.  
Their terrified screams and the smell of dark red blood filled her memory, even though 
she was never told how they died.  She cried out from the pain of it all, but knew that no 
one could hear her.  The images of their gruesome demise played over and over in her 
mind, changing slightly each time.  This time one of the bandits spotted her and gave 
chase, brandishing a beautiful bejeweled sword.  She was afraid of the sword and the 
awesome power it seemed to possess, and dashed into the trees.  She ran with all her 
energy and strength until she came to a pond and, completely exhausted, collapsed on its 
shore.  She looked over her shoulder at the quickly approaching bandit and willed herself 
to her rubbery legs.  Damn, her chest hurt.  She needed to rest.  She needed to sleep.  But 
she needed to survive.  
	Voices suddenly came to her, quiet and whispery, off in the distance.  There were 
many, all feminine.  A tiny speck on the horizon hinted that it was the source, and Uranus 
decided to give it her all and run toward it.
	"I didn't think she'd react that way," said a light voice, laden with sadness.
	Uranus recognized it but couldn't place it, but she knew it brought warmth and 
happiness.  She wanted to reach out to it but she wasn't close enough.  Faster!
	"Then why did you do it?" said another, younger one.  Uranus recognized this one, 
too.  What were they talking about?  Why were they so God damned far away?  Answer, 
dammit!  I can't hear you!  There was a painfully long pause before a response came.
	"It felt...right."
	"I didn't know you were that kind of girl," a third voice teased with a giggle.
	Slowly Uranus's mind began to clear and her body stirred slightly in her sleep.
	"Oh, hush up, Venus," a fourth warned.  "You don't know about these things."
	"I'm to be the senshi of love!  Don't tell me what I don't know!"
	Love?  What did that have to do with anything?  She was much closer to the speck 
now and noticed that it looked like a giant oak tree, painted in lovely swirling colors on a 
light blue and green canvas.  It was beautiful, and it was familiar.  Her chest really, really 
hurt, but she pushed on.  Unbeknownst to her, her body stirred again, slowly dragging her 
into consciousness.
	"Girls, please!  She's waking!" a fifth urged.
	Immediately there was silence.  Uranus halted.  Where did they go?  She couldn't 
find them.  She began to panic.  Don't leave me with him!  She shouted frantically into 
her mind.  Don't leave me with the blood!  The sword!  I can't find you!
	"I thought you said she was waking up, Mercury."
	"She is, I'm sure of it."
	There!  Keep going!  She grabbed hold of the tree in front of her and gazed up at 
the leafy expanse above.  Don't stop!  I can't hear you!  Please, don't leave me alone!
	"Haruka," the warm voice said gently, yet urgently, nearby.  "Haruka, wake up.  
Please, Haruka..."
	With a gasp she scrambled up the tree just as the bandit slashed at the air behind 
her with the sword, and entered the comforting arms of darkness.

	The birds chirped merrily in the bright sunlight, heralding yet another beautiful 
day for the Moon Kingdom.  Annoyed by their thoughtless cheer, Haruka fought to keep 
herself from hurling her pillow out the window.  She wasn't quite ready to wake up.  She 
sleepily groped for one of the throw pillows the princess of Jupiter gave her so she could 
press it to her head in the hope of either blocking the noise or suffocating.  Either 
outcome would have been appreciated.  Her hand came to rest on her soft quarry and 
without looking, she grabbed it...and met with a sharp gasp.  What the hell?  Haruka's 
green eyes flew open and met with the wide, sparkling blue of Neptune.
	Haruka's heart stopped.  Shocked, she jerked away from her friend and rolled off 
the bed and onto the floor with a muffled thump.  Pain shot through her chest when she 
landed on the cold marble, but that concerned her less than what she had just seen.  
Neptune was in her bed.
	Perhaps it was her imagination.  She often dreamed strange dreams, and Neptune 
certainly had a habit of finding her way into them as of late.  The only difference 
between her dreams and what she had just seen was that Neptune was fully clothed.  
What the hell was she doing in her bed?  They didn't...do...anything, did they?  Of course 
not, moron, she chided herself.  Only wishful thinking.
	"Haruka?"
	A cold sweat erupted over her body even though the temperture inside the blanket 
was stifling.  Haruka closed her eyes tightly and heaved a sigh.  Shit.  Hesitantly, she 
pulled the blanket back far enough to peer up at the luminous face of Neptune gazing 
down upon her, her goregeous blue eyes wide with worry.
	Idiot, say something.  She probably thinks you're dying.  "Good morning, 
Neptune," she managed rather sheepishly.
	The aqua-haired girl's eyes shone with unshed tears as she sought Haruka's gaze 
and locked it with her own.  "Haruka," she whispered.
	Haruka considered the girl above her.  Wide, sparkling blue eyes, perfectly 
smooth skin attractively flushed, soft aqua tresses, a regal bearing...God, she even looked 
beautiful when rumpled from sleep.  And that dress.  The dress to end all dresses.  The 
most perfect light blue silk gown that clung to her every perfect curve, accentuating the 
color of her eyes perfectly.  Everything about her was just...perfect.
	Idiot! she chided yet again.  Not five minutes awake and already you're thinking 
about the contents of her dress!  Well, it wasn't every day she woke up to find the most 
perfect girl in the world in her bed.  It was only natural.  Nothing about you is natural, 
she reminded herself coldly.  Not only are you going to be trained as an ultimate killing 
machine, but you're in love with another girl.  If she wasn't being scrutinized by Neptune, 
she would have laughed.  Neptune. 
	Haruka found herself blushing as she snapped out of her reverie and returned the 
girl's gaze.  No more time for these thoughts.  Life just got a lot more complicated.
	"H-have you been here long?" Haruka immediately berated herself for asking.  
What a stupid thing to say.
	Neptune only nodded her aqua head slightly.  She didn't break her gaze for a 
nanosecond, which unnerved Haruka just a bit.
	There was a pregnant pause as Haruka struggled to find something else to say.  
There were many questions to which she wanted to know the answers, but she was too 
afraid to ask them.  She didn't remember anything about what happened and was petrified 
to think she could have harmed Neptune in any way.  The girl was looking at her so 
strangely.
	A single sparkling tear traced a gentle trail down Neptune's smooth cheek.  
Haruka resisted the urge to reach up and wipe it away.  The tear lingered momentarily 
under the other girl's small chin and eventually released itself into the air.  The intensity 
with which it struck Haruka's hand surprised her.  She inspected the patch of salty water 
on her skin in odd fascination.  She'd caused this somehow.  She hated knowing she was 
the one who brought about this watery expression, yet she couldn't tear herself away.  
How did she do this?
	A muffled cry came from above and Haruka suddenly found herself wrapped 
tightly in Neptune's arms.  "Neptune," she chuckled.  "What--"  
	And then she heard it.
	"I'm sorry, Haruka.  Oh, I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm 
sorry..."
	Haruka blinked in wonder and wrapped her arms around her sobbing, shaking 
friend.  What in the world?
	"I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm 
sorry..."

	"Are you going to be all right?" Neptune asked gently.
	Haruka paused a moment to let everything sink in and nodded slowly.  After 
soothing the Princess of Neptune they relocated to the bed, where Haruka sat leaning 
against the headboard with her eyes closed as her friend relayed everything that had 
happened over the past few days, including her brother's departure.  Curiously, she didn't 
mention her date.
	"I just wish I could have been able to say goodbye," she said quietly.
	Neptune's flawless face fell.  "I'm sorry," she said in a small voice.
	"You keep saying that," Haruka told her with a chuckle.  "I wish you wouldn't."
	Her face colored slightly and she dropped her gaze to the blanket below her.  "I'm 
sorry."
	Haruka smiled slightly and shook her head.  It seemed to her that Neptune didn't 
even know what she was apologizing for, yet she wasn't going to win this one.  "Did he 
say anything else before he left?" she pressed.  She selfishly wanted to know if he'd 
admitted his dark plan for the date.
	"No," Neptune replied with a toss of her lovely head.  "He was rather hurried."
	The blonde heaved a sigh and winced, rubbing her lower ribs.  Part of the 
afternoon's activities had been spent rewrapping her chest, much to her embarrassment.  
She was able to keep Neptune at bay long enough to do it herself, but only received a 
stern lecture afterward.  It always hurt to have her bandages redressed and this time she 
did it a little tighter than needed.  Anything to keep her mind from wandering into 
uncharted territory.  She was with Neptune now and she wanted to savor the time with 
her, not sink into a depressed analyzation of how she was the laughing stock of the 
cosmic community.
	Neptune noticed the pain in her face and started in worry, but Haruka held up her 
hand, smiling.
	"I'm all right, Neptune.  Really."
	The beautiful girl nodded slowly, but it was clear she didn't believe her.
	She sighed in resignation.  "Would you...would you like to go to the kitchen with 
me?  I haven't eaten in days and I'm starving."
	The request had its desired effect, for Neptune's face brightened immediately with 
a large and sparkling smile.

	Weeks passed, and Haruka became stronger and healthier by the day.  She found 
she no longer needed to wrap her torso in bandages, much to her relief and Neptune's 
worry.  The aqua girl still didn't believe her to be healing properly even though the doctor 
gave her full permission to begin exercising and her senshi training within a week.  This 
news came to Haruka as a welcome relief from boredom and physical degradation, as 
well as a great challenge to catch up to the other girls, but not so for Neptune.  Neptune 
had postponed the start of her training to keep watch over Haruka.  Haruka was touched 
that her friend would do such a thing for her and was hard-pressed to tell her to do what 
was best for herself, so she was selfish.  With her brother gone she enjoyed Neptune's 
companionship more and more.  With the aqua-haired girl she wasn't alone; in fact, she 
was anything but alone.  She was complete, and she wanted to hang onto it.  Being self-
indulgent had never been quite as satisfying.
	The mere thought of Orion was enough to infuriate her.  She knew the 
irrationality of her anger but didn't care.  She needed to be angry at someone, and his 
absence made him a convenient target.  She knew what happened couldn't be helped, and 
once again found satisfaction in her selfishness.  At least it wasn't her.
	Haruka wondered guiltily when she'd next see her brother.  Probably not until the 
end of her training, or a state function honoring foreign visitors.  State functions were 
few and far between, however, so she didn't set her hopes on that.  Seeing Orion any time 
before her graduation from senshi training was probably completely out of the question.  
She sighed heavily and shook her head.  Another four years.
	Neptune looked up from her book at Haruka's sigh and frowned slightly.  It was 
raining, and the two girls decided to spend the day in each other's quiet company in 
Neptune's sea-colored room.  The blonde had installed herself on the windowsill with 
Neptune across from her, and until moments ago was lost staring at the falling rain.
	"Are you all right?" Neptune asked quietly.
	"Hm?" Haruka asked.  "Yeah, I'm all right.  I was just thinking."
	Neptune marked her book with a piece of green ribbon and closed it, setting it 
aside.  "About what?" she inquired, cocking her head in such a fashion as to make Haruka 
grow weak.  She averted her eyes quickly and chuckled.
	"About my brother.  You.  Everything."  She couldn't believe she just said that, 
but it was too late to revoke it.
	The other girl blinked in surprise.  "Me?"
	May as well blunder on ahead.  "Yeah."  Dumb answer!  Blunder is right!
	"Well, what about me?"
	Haruka chuckled softly again.  She guessed this particular truth wouldn't do any 
damage.  Besides, everyone needed a little friendly confirmation of their relationship, no 
matter what level.  "I was thinking about how lonely I could have been if you weren't 
here," she said simply, but truthfully.  To her pleasure, a slight color rose in Neptune's 
porceline cheeks.
	"Oh."
	"I never thanked you for caring for me," Haruka continued softly.  "I don't know 
what I would have done without you."  She meant it, every word.  She wanted to say 
more but didn't think it appropriate, or the right time.  Someday.
	A bright and shining smile broke its way through the demurely attractive stain 
slowly seceeding from Neptune's face.  She dropped her gaze to her hands shyly, not 
knowing what to say in return.
	Haruka grinned slightly.  This moment seemed to her one of those perfect 
moments where she felt completely at ease with herself, her feelings, and the object of 
her desire seated no more than five inches from her.  All she needed to do was reach out 
with minimal effort and she'd be able to touch Neptune's beautiful face, wrap her arms 
around her waist, kiss her supple lips, and lose herself in her intoxicating embrace 
forever.  She felt the color in her cheeks rise with her body temperature, but paid it no 
heed when there came a knock at the door.
	Neptune gave her friend a mysterious look and crossed the room to the large, 
ornate door.  She opened it and stepped aside to reveal a somber-looking Queen Serenity.
	Haruka immediately clambered to her feet and mustered a rushed bow.  Neptune 
bowed as well, but managed to be quite a bit more graceful.
	The Queen acknowledged their greetings and inclined her head as well, noting the 
flushed state of her girls' faces.  She idly wondered if they had been doing something they 
shouldn't have, but decided not to make mention of it now.  She didn't call on her beloved 
wards for a lecture, or a social visit.
	"Neptune, Uranus," she said, nodding to each girl in turn.  Her eyes lingered on 
Neptune, the expression on her face soft and gentle.  It wasn't unusual for the Queen to 
look gently upon her girls, but her eyes...so sad.  It worried her.  
	"Neptune, I have something very grave we need to discuss," she said, taking the 
Neptunian princess's hand.  "Would you leave us, Uranus?"
	Haruka swallowed a lump that had risen in her throat and nodded.  She 
disappeared through the adjoining door and closed it behind her.  She stood a moment, 
puzzling over whether or not she should eavesdrop.  It was impolite to intrude upon their 
privacy, but the look in Serenity's eyes...she couldn't get it out of her head.  She threw all 
etiquette to the winds and pressed her ear to the door, but found to her dismay that the 
heavy oak would not betray their secrets.  It was frustrating.  Something was going on in 
that room that would effect Neptune greatly, and she knew it.  She wanted to know what 
it was, to make sure it wouldn't harm her Neptune.  She cursed the makers of the door for 
constructing such a well-made product, and turned to leave.  It was then that she heard it:  
A broken wail, followed by choked and inconsolable sobs.
	Haruka spun on her heel and rushed to the door, staring at it in absolute horror.  
Neptune was in there.  Her Neptune.  Her Michiru.  She put her hand on the doorknob 
and willed herself to turn it, but found that she couldn't.  What was wrong with her?  Why 
couldn't she break the seal and go to her?  She wanted nothing more but to comfort her as 
Michiru had done for her before, but something held her back.  Fear.  Was she afraid of 
what she'd find inside?  Was she afraid that she couldn't be the friend Michiru needed?  
Was she afraid of being rejected?
	Yes, she was afraid.
	Haruka sighed and leaned against the door, allowing her forehead to drop to the 
cool wood.  She closed her eyes tightly against the world and her ears against Michiru's 
pain.  Fear was a very frightening, and very crippling thing.

	Haruka snapped awake as the bathroom door struck her backside.  As soon as she 
was coherent enough to register the pain she yelped and scooted across the marble floor, 
away from the offending slab of wood.
	The door opened fully and Queen Serenity smiled an amused smile at her young 
ward, who was wide-eyed and prostrate on the floor.  Haruka made to scramble to her 
feet, but Serenity held up her hand.
	"Stay where you are, Uranus," she intoned quietly and shut the door behind her.
	"How is she?" Haruka demanded with more emotion than she intended, or thought 
herself capable.  "What happened?  Is she going to be all right?  What's going on?"
	The Queen held her hand up again to quell the blonde's breathless questions.  
"She's hurting very badly right now, Uranus," she told her.  The alarm in Uranus's face 
was almost too priceless for Serenity to continue.  Uranus apparently cared for Neptune 
very much, even though she was afraid to show it.  Her heart ached at the thought of 
telling her that they must be separated.  
	"Uranus," she began quietly, "something happened to the King and Queen of 
Neptune today."
	The Queen didn't even have to say it.  Haruka could tell by her expression and 
tone of voice that they were both dead, and that Michiru must return home.  "When will 
Michiru be leaving?" she asked softly.
	Serenity raised an eyebrow at Uranus's slip of the tongue.  "Presently."
	"For how long?"
	"Indefinitely."	
	Haruka fought back the sinking sensation forming in her stomach at the prospect 
of life without Michiru.  Would she be able to handle it?  Stop being so selfish, Haruka, 
she admonished herself.  Michiru is grieving.
	"I have to say good-bye," she whispered, scrambling to her feet.  "I have to tell 
her--"  What?  How she felt?  How much she was going to miss her?  She couldn't say 
that.  Especially not now.  Something like this would likely throw the poor girl over the 
edge.  "Where is she?" she asked.
	"Most likely on her way to the port by now.  You'd better hurry."
	Haruka nodded and yanked the bathroom door open and flew across Michiru's 
chamber floor.  She hadn't though about what she was going to say, and honestly didn't 
really intend to say anything of value.  She just wanted to see Michiru's face one more 
time before she was to give her up forever.  She reached the bedroom door and threw it 
open with a loud resounding crack that echoed down the hall and made a particular 
patron pause and turn.  Green eyes locked with blue as Haruka stepped out of the 
doorway and into her own personal hell.
	Michiru stood not thirty feet from her.  She looked tired, drawn; not the Michiru 
she grew to admire and love.  Her face was creased with a slight frown and her eyes were 
red, swollen, an dull.  No light reached them.  Her posture was low and limp and belied 
her inner struggle to remain erect.  she looked nothing like herself, yet Haruka had never 
wanted to be with her more in her entire life.
	A low cry emanated from the aqua-haired girl's throat, and the next thing Haruka 
knew she was inhaling the sweet scent of her Michiru's hair and enjoying the sensation of 
her small arms wrapped about her taller frame, her lithe body pressed against hers.  It 
took her by surprise, but once she got over the initial shock Haruka hugged her tightly, 
protectively.  As soon as it began, however, it was over.  Michiru pulled away with a 
choked sob and fled down the hall and out of Haruka's life forever.
	
	They were all talking about her, Haruka knew...yet she found it hard to care.  
Everyone was asking about the princess who was suddenly struck dumb, or the princess 
who went insane, or the princess whom they feared possessed by a devil and in seclusion.  
Never once did they actually think that she was simply depressed, but she was far from 
concerned.  Let them think what they wanted.
	The few weeks since Michiru's departure passed by in a dark blur.  She knew it 
was stupid to base all her happiness on one person, but she couldn't help it.  Love sucks, 
she told herself for the umpteenth time that day.  Was it even day?  She drew her shades 
closed tight enough to successfully block out all light, so it was hard to tell.  Lord knows 
she didn't keep track.  How could one focus on the little things when their heart was in 
ruins?
	Michiru was gone, and Haruka was alone.  Sure, she'd had visitors, but never 
answered the door.  After knocking for a few moments the intruders usually got the hint 
and left her alone.  It finally got to the point where Haruka didn't even notice them 
anymore.  She did her best to avoid people.  After joining society in her depressed state 
for a few days, she quickly learned that she didn't like their pitiful gazes and sought to be 
rid of them.  She couldn't avoid them altogether, however.  She usually passed one or two 
servants during her midnight raids upon the kitchen.  She may not have liked to see them, 
but she had to eat.  After a time it occurred to her that these servants had informed Queen 
Serenity, because she began finding fully-prepared meals left out in the kitchen.  Serenity 
was indulging her her self pity.  Haruka didn't know whether to hate her for allowing her 
pain to continue or to be grateful.
	She slept little.  Or a lot.  Her body couldn't decide if it was tired.  She certainly 
didn't feel energized, but sleep was sometimes hard to come by.  When she did sleep, she 
dreamed.  They were always very confusing dreams and she usually woke more 
exhausted than when she fell asleep.  It was common for her to wake feeling empty and 
devoid of emotion.  When she reflected on that, she hated it, but she couldn't help it.
	She cried often, usually at the oddest times.  She'd never cried in her life, yet she 
found herself sobbing uncontrollably into her pillow, hands, knees.  She didn't know she 
had such emotion stored in her.  It came as a frightening surprise.  	
	This particular span of time was rough.  She'd given up calling her time days or 
nights, considering the only indication she had of the division was her growling stomach.  
She figured it was night, for she was feeling a bit peckish.  She had yet to work up the 
desire to drag herself down to the kitchen, and sat on the windowsill with her arms 
wtapped about her legs.
	There came a knock at the door.
	Haruka ignored it, like she always did.  They would go away.
	Another knock.
	She leaned her head against the wall.
	Again, a knock.
	Didn't they get the clue they were unwanted?
	Knock.
	Persistent son of a bitch.
	Knock knock.
	Haruka was getting annoyed.  All she wanted was peace and quiet.
	Knock knock knock, then...silence.
	She sighed quietly and closed her eyes, unaware that there was a key turning in 
the lock.  A pointed click echoed in the quiet chamber and Haruka looked up to find 
Madam Delta gazing at her sorrowfully.
	"Uranus," the large woman greeted solemnly.
	The blonde scrubbed her cheek with the back of her hand and looked at her with 
bloodshot eyes.  "Madam Delta," she returned, the false conviction apparent in her voice.  
"I haven't seen you lately.  What have you been doing?"
	"Trying to figure out what to do with you," she said.   
	Haruka chuckled emotionlessly and rested her head against the marble wall.
	"I know what's going on, Uranus," Madam Delta continued sternly.  "You can't 
hide it from me."
	The blonde's green eyes flashed dangerously at the large woman.  "You don't 
know anything," she growled.
	"You're in love with her."  It was a statemant, not a question.
	Haruka shrank inside at her governess's words.  She thought she'd hidden her 
feelings well.  If Madam Delta could figure it out, who else knew?  She was too 
exhausted to think about it then.  She closed her eyes and hung her head.  "Does the 
Queen know?" she asked sadly.
	"No.  I neglected to tell her."
	Haruka looked up at her suspiciously.  "Isn't it the Queen's business to know 
everything about her senshi?" she asked. 
	"Under normal circumstances, yes.  However, I am not her spy.  May I sit down?"  
The plump woman gestured to the window seat beside her brooding charge.  When the 
girl nodded she dropped herself onto the marble sill with a labored sigh.  It was then she 
noticed Haruka watching her strangely.  "Let me tell you a story, Uranus," she said.
	"Great," Haruka muttered distastefully.
	"Hearken to my words, girl," Delta threatened.  "This story will do you good."
	The large woman's tone caught the princess's attention and she decided to give in 
to her wishes.  Even though she wasn't in the mood, a story certainly couldn't hurt.
	Noticing that her insubordinate charge had relented, Madam Delta began.  "In a 
small village on the outskirts of the kingdom there lived a very special young woman.  
She was tall, beautiful, talented musically and enjoyed athletics as much as the local 
boys."
	Haruka groaned.  "Let me guess...her name was Uranus," she said.
	"No," Madam Delta snapped.  "Her name was Io.  She was sweet, kind, and 
confident, and damn well more enjoyable to be around than you.  All the men fought for 
her favor, but she never gave them a second glance.  Everyone thought it was because she 
was so special no man would be able to complement her.  Then one day she fell in love.  
Unfortunately, no one but her love would share in her happiness, for her love was another 
woman."
	Haruka suddenly grew angry.  "Is this one of those moral stories?  If you're going 
to tell me that they were banished from the village because of their 'perversion' I don't 
want to hear it."
	"Quiet!" Madam Delta roared, shaking a whitened fist.  "For once in your damned 
life you will listen to me, Princess of Uranus.  Those two girls were killed for their 
feelings, not banished!  They were burned alive inside their home in the night while their 
loved ones and protectors watched on helplessly!"  The woman's large frame shook with 
anger and tears of rage flowed freely down her broad cheeks.  "The cruel villagers kept 
the fire blazing for three days to satisfy their bloodlust.  Soon after the girls families and 
friends were banished.  Do you understand what I'm saying, Uranus?" 
	Haruka swallowed the lump that had risen in her throat and nodded numbly.  She 
felt sick.  People actually did that because of love?  Love was supposed to be filled with 
flames of passion, not death.  How could anyone do what they did and understand the 
true nature of humanity's greatest asset?  Once again humans had proven themselves 
untrustworthy and devoid of honor.  Small wonder she was being trained to kill them.  
	"Hide what you are, Uranus.  Tell no one, not even your brother.  Do you 
understand?"  Madam Delta's hard gray eyes softened when she saw the stricken 
expression on her charge's face.  "You're young, Uranus," she began more warmly, 
though intensely, "yet you're so old.  You already know the injustice of government and 
the loneliness of being an orphan.  You don't need the danger that would follow if the 
world were to learn of your secret.  Royalty or not, your life would be threatened.  I don't 
like telling you this, but it needed to be said."
	The blonde nodded again and hugged her knees to her chest, her faith in the 
human race hanging in the balance.  "Would you mind leaving, Madam Delta?" she asked 
quietly.  "I'd like to be alone now."  She desperately needed to think things through.
	The large woman rose from her seat and crossed to the room to the door, but 
Uranus's voice stopped her from opening it.
	"Madam Delta?  Thank you."
	She nodded gravely and left the room, closing the door behind her.  It wasn't 
enough, but it was for the best.


End Notes:

All right.  I know it's been a long time since Chapter 6 and for that I'm sorry.  My mother 
got married, I got a new job, moved into a new apartment, survived a computer melt-
down, house-sat for my mother while she was on her honeymoon, took my uncle dancing, 
was abducted by aliens, my dog ate my homework, etc.  That, and I have to prepare for 
Otakon.  Oy oy.  

Thanks to my roommates who provided me with every excuse I needed not to write.  If 
you've never played Super Smash Brothers on N64, you haven't lived.  Pika-CHU!

I'd also like to thank IRC for crapping out on me so I'd eventually get bored enough to 
write.

Special thanks goes to Nishiki brand rice, which gave me the brain power to continue, as 
well as regularity.

*wuvin* to all!

distantskyking@moonkingdom.com 

http://www.uvm.edu/~vlaporte