[Episode 126620] [Episode 126620]...
Wait a minute...
Michiru didn’t have leather pillows.
It was then that Michiru’s ears caught the noise of snoring. Only this snoring wasn’t anything like that of Haruka’s. It certainly wasn’t as loud.
But it sure sounded... Wet...
“GAAAAWK... Hoo... GAAAAWK... Hoo...”
She slowly started to open her eyes, trying to adjust to the light that was coming in through the window. As Michiru did, she started to get a sinking feeling about the whole situation. Memories of the night prior. The Splicing Center and how she and Haruka brought that place down to its foundation...
...And how she saved... And WAS saved by a rather large reptilian Splicer...
“GAAAAWK... Hoo... GAAAAWK... Hoo...”
...That was currently breathing loudly through his mouth, drool dripping slowly from the corners.
Michiru jumped back and resisted the urge to scream. There was one thing she wanted to know before screaming her head off.
She looked down at herself to see if she still had any clothes on.
She saw her clothing all right...
...On the floor...
...With the burnt remains of Jacque’s clothing.
Michiru’s eyes widened to cover nearly her entire face. “AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!”
She couldn’t have done it! She just COULDN'T!!! She was a lesbian, damn it! And she...
...
...And she... Loved it.
“Eh?” Was the sound as Jacques slowly started to sit up on the bed. He was slowly brought out of his dream of cats with crescent-moon marks on their foreheads jumping into his mouth by the scream. “I miss something?”
Michiru turned to look at Jacques with a horrified expression on her face. “You... Me... We didn’t... But we did... I...”
“We did what?” Jacques asked. He scratched at his neck. “Lessee... I realized my job and home was in the crapper... You said yer job and love-life were in the crapper... You ordered lots of wine...” He looked down at himself and noticed he wasn’t wearing any clothing. “Woah...”
Michiru fell to her knees as if her strings were cut off and stared dazedly at the floor. This just couldn’t be happening...
Jacques may not have been the brightest bulb in the bunch, but even he could tell the girl was seriously upset. Getting off from the bed, Jacques got close to the upset woman, wrapping his thick tail around her in a comforting gesture. “It’s... It’s all right, Neptune-san...” He said, still not knowing her real name.
Michiru wanted to recoil from the Spliced man. She wanted to scream at him for what had happened. The Senshi knew, however, that what happened was also her fault. “Can we... Put some clothes on?” She didn’t want to be naked anymore for now.
“All right,” Jacques said, taking his tail from off of her. His tail snaked about the floor, picking up her clothing as it went underneath the articles of clothing. “Here,” He said, his tail holding up her garments like a table.
Michiru thanked him and started to get dressed. Not that there was much difference, being her Senshi outfit that she was putting on, but she still felt somewhat more protected. “Jacques... About what happened last night...”
“...I know, a fluke right?” Jacques chuckled. “I would think so. Nobody ever has interest in me.”
“It’s not that I wouldn’t be interested in you... I kind of like you...” Michiru admitted. She wouldn’t have slept with him if that wasn’t so. “It’s just that... I’m a lesbian.”
Jacques blinked his eyes once, twice, thrice; the thick eyelids making an audible ‘splush‘ sound as they closed. “So? You're a lesbian. That’s your preference.”
“You’ll find someone that wants you,” Michiru insisted. “It’s just that I prefer women.”
Jacques shrugged. “I ain’t gonna find no one.” He started gathering his own clothing off the floor. “One thing this new me ain’t is sexy.” He chuckled bitterly. “I tend to scare people more often than not and I have a taste for pets.”
“Find someone with a similar Splice,” Michiru said and smiled when her clothes were now covering her decency, as much as they did anyway. “There’s always someone out there for you. You just have to keep looking.”
She was being very understanding right now. Maybe her way of compensating for what happened last night and how she was making Jacques feel.
Jacques chuckled. “Neptune-san?” He started as he was getting his Splice-specific boxers on. “Can I let you in on a secret?”
“I’m listening.” Neptune winced slightly at the feel of her crotch. Even with her Senshi healing, it would be a couple of hours before she was fully healed.
“When it comes to women, I’ve always been a fanboy of one respectable lady.” He started to get his charred pants on. “Not that she’d want anything to do with someone like me.”
“Is that so?” Neptune asked.
“Yeah...” Jacques said. “A really great artist and musician. She lives in Japan, and was one of the most exciting aspects about moving here.” He shook his head. “Sadly, she doesn’t seem to be giving concerts anymore. And she never had CD’s made of her music.” He zipped the fly of his pants. “Hell, the only reasons I managed to have some songs of hers was because they were bootlegged from a concert she performed.”
“You’ll probably see her again someday. Who knows? She might even have a Splice to match your own,” Michiru spoke trying to make him feel better, though she didn’t think that was possible.
“See her again?” Jacques asked Sailor Neptune. He chuckled. “I wish I saw her once! I never even got to see her in person before.” He let out a forlorn sigh. “What I wouldn’t give to meet Michiru Kaioh...”
Sailor Neptune’s eyes widened at that and she turned to the door to try and hide her reaction. He couldn’t have said that. He just couldn’t! “... I... I’m sure you’ll see her.”
Jacques snorted. “Look, Neptune-san, I know you’re trying to make me feel better, but let’s face it. She’s been something of a recluse for over a year. No one’s seen her often, and few sightings have said she’s been in male company. She probably has a boyfriend already.” He looked down at his hands. “Besides, she’s a lady of refinement. What would she want with a Splicer like me?”
“Jacques... Don’t do this to yourself. You don’t know about that.” Neptune sighed. “Keep on living and you’ll find your match. Who knows? It might even be... Michiru Kaioh...”
Turning his head to the Sailor Senshi, Jacques gave the teal-tressed woman a wry grin. “You really think so?”
“Everything is possible,” Neptune said and turned to give Jacques her most confident smile. She didn’t want to think about it. Maybe it was a cruel thing to give him hope when there was none.
Or wasn’t there? A tiny voice asked inside her head.
The Alligator Splice gave the Senshi of Neptune a genuine smile. “You know what? You really are the nicest person I’ve ever met. Even nicer than my boss. Thank you.”
That took Neptune aback and she smiled hesitantly back. Why was it that his comment made her feel rotten to the core?
Getting his clothing straightened out as best he could with the shabby state it was in, Jacques held out his hand to her. “If it’s all right... May I take you out for breakfast?” Of course, said Gator didn’t know it was past lunch and close to dinner...
Neptune took his hand and smiled. “Thank you, but no. I have a certain someone I have to have a ‘serious’ talk with about endangering innocents.”
“Oh, okay...” Jacques said in an understanding tone. “I... Hope to see you again... Thank you for all your help, Neptune-san.”
“Just make sure to take care of yourself, Jacques. And don’t lose hope.” Neptune released his hand and walked to the door.
The Alligator sat back on the bed as he watched Neptune leave. He figured she wouldn’t want him to know which way she went. Jacques let out a sad sigh. He was sure going to miss her.
But first... He had to get back and let his boss know he was alive AND this wasn't his fault!
And then... If he had any free time... Maybe he could spend some time genuinely searching for the reclusive musician Michiru Kaioh.
(------)
Sailor Neptune roof-hopped on her way home and all the way she couldn’t take her mind off what just happened. It was too confusing to think clearly right now.
For the moment, though, she had to kick Haruka’s ass all the way to the Moon and back for attacking her.
However, as the Senshi moved from roof to roof, she could tell more was just off than her own feelings. Her surroundings held a feel of... ‘Danger’. There was tension in the air all around her. At first, she attributed it to guilt about last night, but no... It was growing, and not from within. But from all around her.
She looked down on the street and... “No way!” Sailor Neptune saw Senshi merchandise being burned on the street. Or rather, HAD been burned!
There weren’t many people around or even paying attention to the dying bonfire in the center of the street. But the bits of color and plastic that had remained gave Sailor Neptune the idea it HAD been Senshi-affiliated items.
And the biggest proof came by an errant wind that blew... the remains of a Sailor Moon t-shirt went up into the air and hit Michiru across the face. Pulling the cloth back, it was a blackened image of Sailor Moon in a victory pose on what HAD been a white t-shirt.
Michiru didn’t need to be a rocket scientist to know what this was all about. “... I better change back,” She muttered and jumped down into an alley to transform to her civilian form. Back in her more refined clothing, Michiru knew that she’d best stay out of her Senshi form for awhile...
...And that she should boot Haruka in the ass...
...REAL hard.
“Guess I’ll be walking for a while...” Michiru muttered irritably, since she didn’t bring her purse with her and Jacques ran a great distance before stopping. And just the day she had sex with a man for the first time too. Life just wasn’t fair.
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(Posted Fri, 17 Dec 2004 05:10)
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