Two weeks came and went, and Mitsuki gradually settled into life with the Tsukino family. Usagi and Mitsuki seemed to have rather good effects on each other; Usagi urged the quieter girl to speak up more often, and Mitsuki made sure that Usagi was punctual. It seemed, so far, to be a very good arrangement. "Eeek! Mitsuki, don't eat all the pancakes!" "Sorry...it's just...really good." Though, sometimes, everyone has disagreements. ~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~ where does this ocean go? "The sun is casting shadows an afternoon is fading I ask, but no one knows the answer to the question my life is like an island where does this ocean go?" Yoko Kanno/Troy, Where Does This Ocean Go? "Keep an eye on her. That is all I can tell you." Setsuna set her teacup down. "You know I am not allowed to reveal the things that will come to pass." "Can we at least get a hint?" Haruka asked, smiling rakishly at the stoic time guardian. Setsuna stirred her tea with her index finger and shook her head. "No." "Please?" "No, Haruka. As much as I would like to tell you more about that girl, I cannot. Besides, the vision was hazy; I'm not quite sure what it meant myself. It was just...very odd. Surreal, eerie. It made me uneasy." "Setsuna, might you at least be able to tell us what you saw?" Michiru asked softly, gazing at the older woman. Setsuna sighed, closed her eyes, and frowned. "A woman. She was cradling a child...but...there was something wrong about it." "Wrong?" Haruka asked. Setsuna looked almost queasy for a moment before she responded. "The woman was surrounded in light, so bright that I could not see her face, but the child was swathed in a darkness so great, that it was barely visible. It was...very strange. I cannot recall ever having a vision of the future that was so...vague. Just...keep an eye on her," she finished tiredly, finishing the rest of her tea. Haruka and Michiru nodded. ~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~ "Of course she's here," Ririko said irritably, rolling her eyes. "Who else could have sent those things against Kazuki and I? Besides, you know what she said, right?" Nami yawned, showing a flash of almost unnoticeable fangs. "Yes, I am well aware of that. But if she's here, why haven't we seen her?" Well manicured nails tapped against the desk as she thought. "You're so dumb," Ririko growled, regressing back to her teenage years for a moment. "She's hiding, of course. Don't you know anything?" "I was sheltered," Nami replied dryly. "Forgive me. But how, little one..." "If you call me that one more time..." Ririko warned, bright blue eyes glittering with a flicker of fire. Nami continued, ignoring her. "How do we lure her out?" Ririko frowned in thought, twirling a strand of bright red hair around her finger. "Well...if she gave us the right information..." "Hmm?" "Then the best way to lure her out...is to cause some trouble." Nami blinked in confusion. "Well...if you say so...causing trouble..." the brown-skinned girl grinned suddenly, and Ririko gave her a wary look. "What are you thinking of?" "Well," she began in a slow, easy drawl, "what do I have that these poor Earth creatures don't?" Ririko blinked, stared at Nami curiously. "I don't know." Nami laughed, the sound like silver bells. "Why, my voice, of course. If I sing, then they will come...offering a terrific opportunity to cause some mischief. Aren't you happy you have me around, dear?" Ririko sighed. She had a bad feeling this wasn't going to go over well. ~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~ Mitsuki walked home with Usagi, watching the snow fall from the sky. Usagi sneezed, pushed her scarf up against her mouth. "It's so cooold! Man, I can't wait until...hmm." The blonde girl stopped suddenly, staring around in confusion. "Do you hear that?" Mitsuki gazed at her walking companion, and kicked snow off of her boots. She listened carefully. "Something...faint..." The noise carried over the wind, a soft, sweet song. "It's really...nice," Usagi said. Her cheeks looked flushed, her eyes bright. Mitsuki frowned. "Let's go see what it is, okay?" Usagi nodded, practically tugged Mitsuki along with her. "I bet the others can hear it too. Let's go." ~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~ "The sea, Haruka..." "What about it?" Haruka's eyes were glazed, she stared at the woman on the stage blankly. Michiru stepped on her foot. "Ow! What was that-" Michiru covered her mouth. "Don't listen to her. She is a child of the sea...but not a very friendly one. She's what we would call a 'Siren.'" Haruka covered her ears. "A Siren? She doesn't look like the Sirens I've heard about..." "Appearances aren't everything Haruka." "What?" Michiru sighed, removed Haruka's hands from her ears. "Appearances aren't everything, I said. I wonder...what is this girl doing here? And who is the woman beside her? She doesn't seem to be affected." Haruka looked at the sullen redhead sitting on the stage, and then at the dazed, confused crowd. "She doesn't. Maybe these are Mitsuki's friends?" "Why would she be making the crowd this way if she was Mitsuki's friend?" "Setsuna did tell us to keep an eye on her...and speak of the devil..." she motioned to Usagi coming toward the crowd quickly, tugging Mitsuki behind her. As soon as the two women on the stage caught a glimpse of the white-haired girl, they seemed to freeze. The singer stopped, laughed. "Why, looks like it's our guest of honor! Ririko, usher these people out now," she winked, "Show's over folks!" Groans issued from the group. Mitsuki stared at the two women on the stage, and pulled away from Usagi's grasp, running toward them. Usagi blinked, and then ran after her, pushing through the crowd. Haruka shrugged. "Guess they are her friends." Michiru's eyes narrowed. "That Siren is not here to play nice." The crowd had thinned, and now only the three Senshi and Mitsuki remained. Mitsuki scrambled up to the stage, and gawked at the two women. "You two...what are you doing here? Did you come to rescue me?" Nami smiled serenely, and the wind blew, the air lightly hinted with the smell of the sea. "Something like that," she said. She grinned, and her eyes glowed like that of a cat's. ~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~ "Terrific. Send Dumb and Dumber to do the job." The woman sneered, jade eyes glinting with poorly veiled disdain. "You could have stayed, Kazuki, and offered your assistance. Nami and Ririko will be alright though; they are fine warriors." The second woman smiled, sipped her tea. "Besides...the time will come where I will have to step in." She gave Kazuki a sad, tired smile, and walked off.
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