Storms of Neptune

Ch. 2

~ She finds her self standing knee high in the ocean off the coast of Tokyo Bay. The water cool and wet against her skin. Staring into her reflection in the fairly calm waves. Michiru recognizes herself in a lucid dream state.
Touches the water with her hands watching as the ripples span out. Looking up to the horizon facing east.
Gentle clouds of the incoming night hang over the pinkish after glow of sunset. Panning left to right only to focus straight ahead. Off in the distance a plume of water sprays into the sky.
An other worldly song flows through the atmosphere, caressing Michiru's ears. Listening as the music draws her in further.
"No, stop, I'll come to you!" The mysterious voice bellows.
She looks around and does a double take. It's the blue whale who is repeatedly seen in her dreams. Indeed the blue whale swims up to her. The awe striking, gentle but mighty energies of this breathtaking creature fills Michiru's spirit.
It stops before her, the dream waves and the whale sends her a picture of a map in her psychic eye, showing coordinates.
"Follow those directions and listen for my music if you want to know who you are and claim your destiny. Be there and I will come." ~

Michiru wakes in a hurry grabs a pencil and a sheet of paper and draws the coordinates exactly as they are shown.
The name Tsubasa Beach wafts in her ears.
That's in Tokyo Bay... south of here, near the airport.
Now I just need a map to compare this to.
Michiru stands in front of her desk spacing out, thinking out loud.
"Destiny though, what is destiny? What is fate? Really I'm not sure what to believe.
However I now better than to ignore my intuition. I go where the current takes me."

~

   I'd much rather be alone when I swim but guess I can't avoid P.E, thinking as she does her stretches. Good thing the school's pool is inside. It's chilly out today. She picks a lane, goes over to a platform and dives in.
    Michiru is deep in thought as she does her warm up laps in the pool. What day is it today? ... Wednesday, of coarse. Three days till the concert, tomorrow is the big dress rehearsal. Speaking of dress, I still have to pick out something to wear. Can't believe I haven't anything to wear yet, that's not like me. Maybe I'll go to my favorite dress shop after school today. Yeah that sounds like a plan.
    "Her technique is superb!"
    "Such finesse in her form!"
    "Michiru Kaioh can easily out matches even the boys in swimming and does it all with such grace!"
    "Did you hear she's famous!
    "She's only in middle school."
    "No fair I wanna be famous."
    Michiru over hears the other students gossiping about her and this makes her feelings grow dark and cold. Though it irritates her, she ignores them.
Forget them, let them talk, their words can not stop me from enjoying myself.
    The teacher blows her whistle, "Everybody out of the water! We are getting ready to do time attack freestyle."
    Getting out of the pool, Michiru can sense a mix of jealousy and admiration from her peers. Triggering a day dream that seems more like a memory, of a time long since past. Feelings of constant judgement from archaic political bodies. Pictures wave in her head of being on a space ship sailing the galactic seas ensuring peace is long lived and that order is fair.
"Michiru, you're staring off into space, is something wrong?" Elsa asks walking up to her, looking concerned.
"Oh, excuses me," she snaps back to reality, "It's nothing."
Pondering the feelings expressed in the daydream a mix of strength and anxiety stirs in her.
The crowd cheers when a boy from the boys swim team claims the best time. Watching the other students swim after him, not one even comes close to challenging him.
    Before long Michiru's turn is up.
The room grows to an eerie, awkward silence as she gets on the diving platform.
"Two laps, okay... on your mark, get set..." the teacher sounds her whistle.
Diving in right on cue, practically gliding through the water. Tilting her head to the side to breath every so often. Seamlessly syncing her arms alternating over head. She kicks propelling herself forward fast.
Transitioning smooth she launches off the wall. Arm and leg strokes are coincide with her breathing. Quickly finishing her first lap, Michiru kicks off into her second.
The rush and thrill of the swim soothes her mind, allowing her to forget her worries for a little while. So in tune with herself and in love with what she's doing. Before she new it she reached the end of her second lap.
"And, time!
Amazing! It's a new record!" The teacher announces.
Michiru gets out of the pool, glistening as the water runs off. As she grabs her towel, a couple of female classmates come up to her after she just slayed the boy's time.
"You where amazing!"
"Michiru what is your secret?"
"Yes, please tell us."
Michiru tries to collect herself, blushing she turns her head away in embarrassment, searching for the right words.
"Well, I have loved the water for as long as I can remember. You just gotta be in tune with the water. And of coarse Practice, that's something that never gets old. If You truly want to be good at something that is. Of coarse If you really enjoy it than it shouldn't be a chore. Doesn't mean there won't be challenges though, it takes grit and perseverance."
Some more peers come up to her. She recognizes they are on the girls swim team.
"Michiru why don't you join the swim team?"
"With someone like you on our team we are sure to win!" Says another girl.
"That's very sweet of you to ask, but I'm far too busy with my music career. Swimming is just a regular hobby that I enjoy. I'm afraid constant competition would ruin the experience. Thanks for thinking of me though."