Day 35: Bus 1

[ienvyroaches]

Nny was beginning to suspect that he wasn't dreaming. Interestingly enough, it wasn't the length of his stay that was starting to convince him. It was his goddamn headache. You didn't get headaches in dreams, you just didn't. Not unless you'd been drinking the night before, which he hadn't experienced in, well, a really long time (and that was it's

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[kanpekinasenshi]

Seiya's eyes had been closed when the blue-haired figure had approached the bus, but as Michiru sat down, Seiya turned, looking at the other soldier with a grim but smoothed expression. This was what running away resulted in, in the long run--just finding a new place to be cornered in. If nothing else, Seiya had learned a lot about running away.

At least the other woman had answered Seiya's initial worries quickly. No fear of having to lie or pretend they were allies, Michiru knew her, and knew her well enough that the question of Usagi's location felt like an accusation. A perfectly reasonable one, in context; Seiya wondered if Ami were aware of that fact too, now. Seiya's first words to Usagi upon arrival had been an apology, but apologies made to people who didn't remember the wrongdoing were empty, and Seiya had given no apologies for Ami, had no apologies for Michiru. She also had no excuses.

"I was kidnapped here without warning, as I'm sure you were as well." She must have spoken to Ami, to know that Usagi was missing. "Odan... Tsukino Usagi went missing within the last few days. I spoke with Ami-san, but she didn't know what had happened, though she also hadn't seen her. Another woman on the community board at the Institute claimed to have more information, and I asked Ami-san to tell me what she learned, but I haven't heard any other news." Which was news enough in itself. The dark feeling she'd been able to ignore all day, flitting around town like some ordinary person on a vacation in a less than exotic locale, returned with the gravity of worlds.

Was Sailor Neptune alone? Had Sailor Mercury decided not to inform Seiya of new information, suspecting her of some role in Usagi's disappearance? Don't be ridiculous, Seiya, you don't need to have kidnapped her. The fact that you failed to protect her is bad enough as it is. At least this one won't think it was your job, even if it was your wish... The words sunk into her mind in a dry voice that didn't leak through to her quiet, solemn words. All she had to offer the other soldier was honesty. And honestly, Seiya didn't feel she had a leg to stand on if the other woman wanted to accuse anything, or to renew hostilities.

[tranquil_seas]

Another woman had information on Usagi? No, that must have been the 'Alita' that Ami had run after this morning. No wonder she'd been so depressed afterwards.

"I spoke to Ami this morning after she contacted a woman by the name of Alita. The Usagi that went missing two days ago is still missing." Curt, straight-forward answers were the best, Michiru had decided. It left little to be discussed, which made the whole situation in general less painful if only by shortening the time she had to talk about it. She didn't like admitting that she didn't know where her princess was. Especially not to Seiya.

"However, I wasn't asking about that Usagi." Michiru frowned very slightly, trying to keep her concern tightly contained. She had to be careful. If this Seiya wasn't from her time or her world, then she couldn't admit to anything. But if so, then Michiru feared that her princess was in an even worse situation than she and Haruka had left her in...

"When were you taken from?"

[kanpekinasenshi]

The Usagi that had gone missing. That Usagi. Seiya's lips tightened, but in an odd way, she was happy for the tense, business tone of Michiru's questions. They were intelligent, cut to the point, and it was clear that she had understood the situation as easily as Seiya had, along with its potential confusions. The fact that Seiya would not benefit from generous doubt if there were differences in their timeline was also clear. It was like having your conscience eased by wearing your sins openly.

Dammit, it's not my sins! I never meant for Odango to be hurt, I only...! Seiya swallowed once, making the helpless rage she could feel growing simmer down, silencing the voice that tried to redirect it. Michiru was a resource, Healer and Maker would agree. At this stage, it was best that they all understand each other, at least to avoid future confusion that wasn't to Seiya's benefit. I feel sick.

"Before I was taken...? I am aware of your other self, as well as those of your friends, and... of that person. She was aware of mine as well, from which I assume you learned about it. This was new to all of us." And when was this Michiru from? Could things possibly have become more tense between the two groups? It was already near-blows whenever the Starlights had the bad luck to run into the extended guardians of the solar system. But at least she could feel reassured in an odd way at the thought that surely this Sailor Neptune, so vicious in defense of her naive and beautiful princess, would not find any Usagi's disappearance acceptable.

[tranquil_seas]

"I see. Before me, then." Michiru eased slightly, breaking her gaze away from Seiya for the first time since she'd sat down. Did it somehow make things better that this Seiya was not the one that they'd left Usagi in the hands of? Of course not. Not to Michiru, at least, but it eased her worries enough that she could focus on other important matters.

Like finding the Usagi that was currently missing and returning her home. The only problem was the lack of people that she could trust. None of her fellow Outer Senshi were here, but at least Ami could be counted on. Seiya... was still just as questionable as ever. If she had a choice, she would have continued to exclude the foreign senshi, but they were already facing severe limitations. Could she really afford to alienate someone who--at least in her time--had already proven to share similar goals of keeping Usagi safe? That was a very difficult question to answer at the moment.

"How long have you been here?" Michiru continued her questioning at a more leisurely pace to give herself time to think. Nothing close to friendly chatting, but the tense urgency was no longer there. Considering that they were now seated together and likely wouldn't be allowed to move, the less awkward they could make the ride back the better.

[kanpekinasenshi]

Before her? So what else happened? The fact that Seiya wasn't being physically assaulted really only spoke to the fact that Michiru wasn't an idiot and wouldn't allow herself to be sedated by nurses. It was no proof that tensions had eased at all. But at the very least, she continued the conversation, which was some indication that she... wanted information from Seiya, maybe trusted Seiya enough to believe what the alien had to say. That alone was a stretch, maybe too much to assume.

In a strange way, she almost wished it had been Haruka. Haruka would have been more likely to let something slip, in Seiya's estimation. Not that Seiya could really afford to underestimate either of them. Was Michiru really alone, or had Haruka followed, perhaps the Sailor Pluto instead? Seiya was already outnumbered, counting Ami. She could only hope not to give them reason to want a fight, or hope that she hadn't already in some future or alternate timeline.

"I have been here a few days, less than a week. Ami-san and Odango were both here longer." She answered honestly, because there wasn't any point in lying. Then, after a momentary hesitation, she added in an even tone, "I've spent my evenings gathering supplies for self-defense, due to our 'condition' here." Maybe too much honesty. Odango, if you were here, then... "Ami-san and Odango had no memory of the Starlights, or of the war."

Sailor Neptune could do what she liked with it. The information wasn't intimate, wasn't impossible to find out just by asking Ami, but was given freely. They weren't friends, couldn't afford to be such here or back on the Earth they'd left behind. But Seiya was alone and Michiru was a strong ally, or a strong enemy. If nothing else, mutual polite neutrality might be obtained. Unless Sailor Neptune had come with her partners from a time where open hostility had broken out, while Seiya remained alone, and then Seiya had nothing to lose because she wouldn't stand a chance. She wouldn't give up without a fight, but she'd spend her night shifts wandering with an open eye for more than monsters. Michiru seemed surprised to see her, though, perhaps Ami had neglected to mention her. Perhaps Michiru would have to wonder the same, question whether Seiya's usual backup was still around. It wasn't exactly a warming thought, but it was better than one-sided uncertainty.

[tranquil_seas]

Odango. Michiru tried to ignore the twinge of annoyance that flitted briefly through her mind, hearing that familiar word pass Seiya's lips. Some small part of her mind, separate from the part that was analyzing the information being given, was reminding her that this was a Seiya who had been told to stay away from Usagi... and yet, was still using that familiar endearment. As much as she wanted to, now wasn't the time to be making such trivial corrections, but that didn't mean it wasn't noted for later use.

On a more business-like scale, she now understood why Ami had made no mention of Seiya being here. If she didn't know the idol or the senshi, then Seiya must have seemed no different than a random stranger to her. It made her wonder if others were here as well, but that question would have to wait.

More important was the mention of supplies. It was to Seiya's credit that at least she was resourceful. 'Useful' was a good thing to be, when 'friend' was out of the question. "Which supplies have you gathered?"

[kanpekinasenshi]

The use of the nickname had slipped in, despite Seiya's initial efforts to avoid it. There was no point in artificially avoiding it anyway, if she'd just find herself reflexively calling Usagi that again the first moment she relaxed a bit. She had to concentrate on more than pet names which had become instinctive.

"Items to be used as weapons. I believe Ami-san mentioned she had found some baseball bats, herself." As had Usagi, and both had offered to share with Seiya, even though they only knew the strange girl by her own word. Very like them. Entirely unlike this. Seiya's eyes narrowed faintly, although not angrily.

"I know you haven't been here long. Have you had time to get anything for self-defense? The creatures here can't be killed easily by hand even by the very strong." A question couched in something almost like advice, although advising could also be a touch insulting. Michiru would take it however she liked; Seiya could judge the woman's position from her reactions, at least.

[tranquil_seas]

Baseball bats? Well, that was certain better than flinging a few pens around. Unfortunately, that happened to be the only potentially useful weapon that Michiru had found during her room search, and even that was pushing it. Finding her henshin pen needed to be somewhere near the top of her priorities.

Michiru noticed the look that Seiya was giving her, and the fact that her question had been nestled neatly between what could pass for anything from sympathy to understanding to concern--any of which could easily be feigned. She fixed a dry look on the other girl, not out of anger, but more of annoyance at being questioned herself.

"I haven't had the chance as of yet," she stated after a lengthy pause. If Seiya was expecting a plea for assistance, she was going to be waiting quite a while.

[kanpekinasenshi]

Seiya nodded. Still no mention of others. And Michiru hadn't taken open offense, even if the look she gave her wasn't precisely warm. It did sound as though Michiru had experienced at least one night shift, unless she'd just heard about it from Ami.

Was there any point to this game? What could she get out of Michiru? Other than a non-aggression pact, which Seiya could at least count on until night fell and the nurses weren't peering over their shoulders. Was there anything else? Or had Seiya just lost something else, with the more familiar face able to 'warn' Ami about Seiya? She sighed, and glanced away, breaking the mutual stare.

"In our proper place, our missions make us natural enemies. And you have personal reasons to dislike me, as well." Maybe poker could be played with all the cards visible. "But as long as we're here, our goals are the same; to return to our own duties and time. The barrier between us, and our goals, seems to be a shared problem." And you don't have to worry, I won't be close to your Princess... An ill sensation passed over her, and she ignored it.

"I don't have any intention of fighting pointlessly here. There's no reason for us to fight here, when there's a larger problem. Even if you don't like it, you know as well as I do if you're from my time that I don't... I'm not happy to know that she's missing." They both knew who she was, surely. "I may not have a right to go near her, but can you afford to refuse help in trying to at least find out what happened to her?"

A blunt offer that Taiki or Yaten would not have made, that wasn't appropriate at all, really. Completely personal. But that was all Seiya had.

[tranquil_seas]

Michiru already understood the pointlessness of reopening hostilities in this place. There were already too many uncertainties for her to heap more difficulties on top of that, though that wouldn't stop her from shutting Seiya out of any plans being made. And that was the crux of the matter, wasn't it? Could she afford to ignore Seiya's help in favor of keeping their mission within the senshi she could trust? Michiru looked away and frowned, brooding over the question posed as she had been for the past few minutes.

If there were more senshi present--particularly of the Outers--then yes, she would most certainly refuse Seiya's offer. But she didn't have that luxury, did she? She was only one person; and while Ami was present, she seem desperately close to despair. It almost would have been an easier choice if this Seiya had been the one from her time, but there was no point in wishing for things like that.

Still resenting her position between a rock and a hard place, Michiru turned her attention back to the senshi sitting next to her. "Could I afford to refuse your help? I'd like to think so, but unfortunately that doesn't mean that I should. I know of your feelings for Usagi. I don't approve, but seeing as our numbers are so few and our goals are similar in nature... I agree that a little cooperation would be in our best interests." Like making a deal with a devil, it took every bit of her self-control to admit to that, reminding herself that it was for the sake of finding Usagi. She'd done many unpleasant things for her duty and her princess in the past. This was not by any means the worst.

"That being said," Michiru added in a less accommodating tone, "this truce only applies to you. If either of your companions are here or should arrive here, I expect them to keep their distance. Understand?"

[kanpekinasenshi]

Seiya finally smiled, although it was a tight-edged smile without any happiness in it. "Of course. If they were here, do you think I'd be making this offer? Any more than you would accept someone like me if you had a better choice. Our responsibilities are just coinciding for the moment, and our resources are poor. It's not like I'm asking you to be my good friend, or that I think you genuinely trust me beyond our mutual goals. You shouldn't; I wouldn't expect you to be that naive."

And then a drop of the dry humor, frowning again, her actual mood returning to the surface. "I haven't got a lot, but it's stored in my room. If you hide things in the closet, the nurses don't check. I'm guessing it's part of the game here. Everyone here needs a weapon of some kind, and the Institute's upstairs is the best place to obtain one, at least a pipe or something sharp-edged."

Information, a trade, with the addition, "You also shouldn't travel alone. I believe Ami-san has made friends with some of the other female patients, and she and... they were going out at night in groups together for safety." Seiya hadn't exactly been invited and hadn't invited herself along, especially early on when she'd lacked weapons.

Less coolly, not a soldier describing the field for practical reasons, Seiya added, "What do you know about our mission, from your time? There may be something I can do, or at least try, to see if Odango is still in the Institute somewhere." Always searching for your scent... Their songs had been written for one woman out of the entire galaxy, but on occasions, it could be stretched. Even alone, if it were just one building, she could try...

[tranquil_seas]

Michiru took Seiya's advice with a grain of salt, lodging it away with the other warnings she'd received throughout the day. Was the nighttime really that bad? She couldn't say she knew, considering that she hadn't had a chance to leave her room yet. Well, that would be changing tonight, monsters or no.

Seiya's suggestion made Michiru quirk a brow at the other girl. "You three are looking for your own princess, using your songs as a means of locating her without Galaxia's notice. If you're thinking of doing the same to find Usagi, you're welcome to try." She didn't put much stock behind the idea, but it was better than nothing. There was something stifling in the air, something keeping her from sensing things as keenly as she should be able to. Without her mirror, Michiru knew there was very little she could do in that regard.

[kanpekinasenshi]

Seiya'd only been injured lightly so far, but she'd seen some of the fights other patients had been in, and if the night hadn't ended quickly on that evening with the birds, she wasn't sure how she and Leon might have fared. As it was, much of her 'luck' was due to caution and avoiding obvious conflicts where other patients sometimes jumped in. Her excuses before were that she was unarmed and would just get in the way, later that she was travelling with someone else and had no right to demand he step in. Now, it was just the larger issue that had stood between the two Sailor groups back on Earth--she wasn't responsible for others, only for her own mission. They each had to protect what was precious to them with their own strength.

But we always did wind up stepping in despite ourselves. And this isn't your princess, your mission... Seiya's memories drifted back with Michiru's words, a bit too blunt for public talk in Seiya's taste, but she glanced around and no one seemed to be paying attention. Maybe there was no point in hiding ones' self, where everyone was strange, but she wouldn't be the first to announce her origins and true identity if she could avoid it. The teasing conversation with Wally had been fun, but even someone as lighthearted as him seemed to feel that same secretive need.

"I wasn't asking permission, Michiru-san." Seiya raised her eyebrows a bit haplessly at that response. "It's an issue of safety. It's a beacon... we've gotten hints of her on occasions, and if O... if your Princess is here, she might be able to respond on some level too, at least I might feel an echo back. Or she might hear it and know someone's looking for her still. But something else might come in response too. It's why I haven't tried before; the people I've stayed with at night for safety so far wouldn't have understood the purpose of it."

Seiya exhaled slowly. "I'm vulnerable if I concentrate on something like that, too. Especially the way things are, I don't think I'd be able to send a message even as far as across the building without my complete attention on it." And all of her energy... they were exhausted after each concert from more than just the physical performance. "In other words, I need a spotter."

[tranquil_seas]

Then what do you want from me? Michiru wanted to counter, but she waited and let Seiya finish. When the other girl was done speaking, Michiru couldn't help the skeptical look on her face. Seiya was asking her to act as a bodyguard of sorts? A 'lookout', really. The discomfort that accompanied the thought of being Seiya's lookout made her wonder if she was truly ready to make this 'truce' work.

"I'll need a weapon. An unarmed 'spotter' doesn't do you much good." If she was going to agree to this, it wouldn't be for free. There were better things she could be doing than watching Seiya's back, after all. Maybe she was simply too accustomed to working alone; together with Haruka, but essentially apart from the rest of the senshi. Teamwork didn't typically fit in with Michiru's plans.

"That is, if you'll trust me with one," she added, almost as an afterthought, more of a challenge. It didn't show on her face, but Michiru was a bit surprised that Seiya had asked her in the first place, so soon after their tentative truce. She obviously hadn't asked this of Ami. Did Seiya honestly have that much faith that Michiru wouldn't turn around and make use of the opportunity? It would have been touching if Michiru hadn't briefly--very briefly--considered that particular option. Instead, it just gave Michiru the impression that Seiya was more desperate than she'd initially thought.

[kanpekinasenshi]

Seiya automatically bristled a little at the faint undertone she thought she perceived in Michiru's voice. The classical musician and artist, of course, and possibly as rich as the Three Lights to boot, although both of them knew those weren't attributes to take real pride in. Asking for help was swallowing back her pride as a soldier, but there was no better choice. Leon? It'd be a waste of his time, and he'd probably consider it a waste of hers. Ami? Even if the girl trusted her that far, there was no way Seiya wanted the more delicate senshi watching her back alone. Maybe she should have just offered to show Wally her 'magical pop idol powers' after all, but of course she only knew he was a good eater, not how well he could defend himself.

"I've got more than one weapon at hand. I'll lend you something for the night," Seiya agreed, although she added, "I'll want it back after, though if you're worried, I'll help you find something else for yourself in trade for your time."

She paused, then smirked faintly. "I suppose asking someone like you to watch my back is a little like the fox watching the henhouse, but I won't be giving you everything I've got; we'll want to at least be on the second floor, and that means passing through areas where the monsters come out. I'll be ready to fight until I actually try singing. And honestly, Michiru-san, I doubt you'd need a weapon if you wanted to get rid of me and I were incapacitated." Seiya gave an almost too casual shrug, although this wasn't casual at all. "But we also both know where each others' priorities are. I can trust you for one thing--watching out for your Princess. If I do find something and you kill me before I can share, you might have eliminated a minor problem but I don't think you'd find it worth the potential cost, even if it meant being spared my charming personality for the rest of eternity."

[tranquil_seas]

If Seiya was paying close attention, she might have noticed the way Michiru's gaze flickered upwards and to the side at the words 'charming personality'. But for the most part, Seiya was right. Michiru had no intention of backstabbing one of the few people she could work with here. Better the devil that you know than the one you don't.

"Kill is such a harsh word," she remarked lightly, but there wasn't too much feeling behind it. Her hands weren't as clean as some might imagine. A little more dirt wouldn't be of any consequence. "Leaving you to the creatures would be easier...but I won't. If you provide the weapon, I'll watch your back. Just as long as you share whatever you find." Michiru met Seiya's gaze at that point, trying to emphasize that she wouldn't take well to any sort of deceit or concealment of information. There would be dire consequences, otherwise.

The look lasted only a moment before Michiru glanced out over the other patients again, idly observing. Everyone seemed to be in similar huddles with their busmates. She wondered if the nurses were oblivious or if they just didn't care. Probably the latter... Michiru thought with a frown.

Back to Seiya again. "That settled, where shall we meet?"