For the One I Love

Chapter Two: Breaking the Ice

"No way!" Minako gasped over the phone. "He did what?" The four girls were over at Minako's place trying to study for their upcoming exam. Makoto, Ami, and Rei sat on cushions in the center of her bedroom floor, while Minako dangled from her bed, continuously wrapping the phone cord around her finger.

Rei began to grow angry. "She's been on that damn phone for nearly 20 minutes!" She thought before shouting, "Will you get off that thing already?!"

"When did that happen?"

"Arg!" Rei picked up a pillow and chucked it across the room, hitting the blonde in the head and knocking her over.

"Just a second, Yaten." Minako placed her hand over the bottom of the phone as she sat up. "What did you do that for?" She griped.

"We're supposed to be studying!" Rei said through clenched teeth.

"But-" She started.

Makoto sighed and turned around. "You know if you fail another test you're going to be held back, right?" Minako blushed a bright pink.

"I know that!" She gave Makoto the old puckered lips look. "But something interesting just happened!"

"I'm sure Yaten's gossip can wait until after school tomorrow." Ami peaked over from behind her book.

"But something happened between Seiya and Usagi!"

"WHAT?!" All three girls jumped from their seats and crash landed onto the floor by Minako's bedside, trying to grab the phone away. She couldn't help but flash a huge grin across her face.

"Ho, ho, interested now are we?"

"Idiot, just find out what happened!" Rei said as she rubbed the back of her head which had collided with Makoto's shin.

Minako placed the phone by her ear once more. "Yaten?" There was an intense silence all around the room. Suddenly, her expression fell flat. Everyone continued to stare at her intently. "I'm sure Usagi must feel completely miserable right now too. Right, I understand." She nodded her head. "Bye."

"Well, what happened?" Rei asked. Minako crawled off the bed, and walked over to where the girls sat earlier. She took a book in her hands, plopped down on a cushion, and began to read. "Well?!" Rei asked louder.

Minako turned her head around and gave everyone a dirty look. "You guys really shouldn't gossip, it's bad for your health! Now please leave me alone, I'm trying to study." The girls gawked at her.

"After all that you better tell us." Makoto demanded.

"Is it serious?" Ami asked. The blonde whose hair was so gracefully pulled back into a red bow turned once more to look at her friends. She sighed.

"Yaten's asked us not to mention anything to Usagi, or Seiya if we see him, about it." Makoto and Rei both motioned for Minako to continue. "He finally told her."

"Told her?" Ami repeated, trying to confirm her thoughts.

"... I love you." Minako finished. "And it didn't go well."

At a nearby park, two women sat on a bench watching the remnants of the setting sun sink below the horizon, calling out the early evening sky.

"We worked hard to get here." A tall sandy blonde spoke.

"Shhh." Her partner placed a finger over her lips. "Every time someone says that, something always happens." Haruka sighed and leaned back against the bench.

"I'm just glad. We had to endure so much, especially our princess." She stretched out her arms towards the orange and purple waves above her. "I'm happy she's finally happy again." Michiru shuffled uneasily at her side. "With Mamoru back and no other disturbance-" Haruka stopped to look at Michiru, and laughed. "What, do I smell bad or something?" For Michiru had moved slightly away from her.

"What? Oh, of course not." She smiled casually.

Haruka lifted her eyebrows, staring at Michiru with a doubtful smile. "You know, you're a horrible liar." She said. "What's going on? Tell me, or I'm sleeping on the couch tonight."

"Don't tease me." Michiru smirked.

"You know I'll find out eventually." Haruka warned. Michiru knew she was right. She closed her eyes, and drew in a deep breath before re-opening them.

"Okay. But promise me you won't go off the deep end?" The aqua hair woman asked her.

"You'd rescue me, but I promise." Haruka winked. Michiru gave her a flat, unimpressed expression. "What, I said I promise!"

"Well..." Michiru glanced sideways warily, anticipating her companion's reaction. "You, remember the Starlights?" Haruka stopped smiling almost immediately.

"What about them?" She asked roughly.

"It seems Taiki and Yaten have returned, along with Seiya."

"... Why?"

"It sounds like things have finally settled down back on their planet, so they wanted to give Earth another try. Also..." Michiru tried treading carefully. "Seiya had been wanting to meet with Usagi again," She paused to look at Haruka who was scowling. She decided to take the plunge. "and I heard from Minako that this afternoon, Seiya confessed his feelings to her- Haruka!" Michiru jumped off the bench when her partner did the same. "Where are you-"

"Hell no!" She shouted. "There's no way that punk is coming back here to ruin everything, again. He has no business with Usagi like! I warned him before to stay away. He's leaving Earth immediately or I'm going to make him!"

"You promised!" Michiru said crossly.

"That's before I knew he was with her! Michiru!" Haruka said fervently. "How can you be okay with this?! Since the moment he first appeared on Earth he's done nothing but put Usagi in danger and chase after her. She's finally back with Mamoru-san, she doesn't need him making things complicated!"

"And she doesn't need you complicating things on top of that!" Michiru rose her own voice. "You're also seeming to forget how he protected Usagi all those times, especially in the end when we couldn't. How can you blame someone for loving our princess so much? You know he'd risk his life for hers. I think he's proven himself by now as more than a threatening outsider."

Haruka stared at her lover in disbelief. "I can't believe you're defending him." Haruka grabbed Michiru's hand. "That love could kill Usagi and Mamoru, it will confuse her and I'm sick of seeing her in pai-" Michiru snapped her hands away from Haruka and stared harshly at her.

"Don't you trust your princess?" She asked.

"What are you-"

"Don't you give her any credit? She's loyal to Mamoru-san! If it's truly destiny those two will end up together, won't they?"

"I..." Haruka said, slightly taken aback. "It's not that I'm doubting her!" She defended herself. "I just.... that stupid, arrogant-"

"Shush! What was that?" Michiru held out her hand to silence Haruka, and instead focused her attention elsewhere. Haruka followed her gaze to some nearby bushes, picking up on the rustling sound herself. She stepped around Michiru, and walked over towards them. She could clearly sense a magical presence now.

"Who's there, come out!"

A dark silhouette stood up from behind the greenery. Slowly, it began to walk out into the light. Haruka and Michiru both placed their hands into the pockets, clutching onto their transformation wands, but quickly let go. The figure was now fully visible in the flickering park lights.

"Chibi-Usa?" Michiru asked.

"Seiya." She responded, walking up to both of them. "Tell me more about this Seiya, and his relationship with Usagi."