☆TRACK VIII: I'LL REACH YOU BELOW

[interdimanagers]

Who: All rescuers!
What: The trio is here to give you the deets.
When: The evening of February 18th.
Where: An abandoned subway.
Warnings: Nothing predictable, but you never know.

“Word has it on the wire That you don't who you are. Well, if you could jack into my brain, You'd know exactly what you mean here.” ☆I'LL REACH YOU BELOW The notification is sudden. A several hours in advance, all rescuers will receive a ping over the network from Shep that they are to gather at a specific location late that evening. The location will not be given out until one hour in advance of the meeting, but they are advised to be ready to receive it and move out immediately. When they arrive, the meeting is taking place in an abandoned subway. At first it doesn't seem like there is a way in, but after slipping through the rubble in some collapsed tunnels, you'll find it. Shep, Gold, and Silver are all present, and will spent the first while doing a careful headcount of those that show up, until approximately 15 minutes after the starting time. The results seem to be disappointing. People who were here the first time are missing, that much is obvious just from looking around – the leaders’ unease with it is clear. However, it doesn’t cause them to panic or change the point of the meeting, either. At 11:15 PM on the dot, then Shep will begin the meeting by explaining what they are all there for: information. There have been details that the team has been holding back on giving until now, and Shep will somewhat sheepishly explain that it’s because they didn’t want the risk the change of it being leaked in the event that new recruits were incapable or unwilling to blend and lay low for the time being. Thankfully, he’ll explain, everyone here has more than proven themselves capable of working within Vista’s system. So, they’ve been brought together so they can be fully brought up to speed. Information will be delivered in three parts, by each one of the leaders. Afterwards, questions can be asked, and the rescuers will be allowed to mingle and discuss for a few hours. All the information is concise, and in the end the actual explanation will end up taking a half hour or less. Afterwards, Gold has brought snacks to share, as has become customary. Hopefully you like pastries. “So, if you've got the time, Set up the tone to sync. Tap in the code, I'll reach you below.”

Comments

[actsmagnificent]

Haruka doesn't mingle with her fellow rescuers after the meeting. In fact, she waits long enough to see everyone start to talk amongst themselves, and then turns to leave. She got what she came for. She knows how to bide her time when it's smart, even working with a ticking clock. But that's all the more reason to keep a low profile as long as possible.

She's lost enough in thought, though, that she might bump into somebody on her way out.

[lightthedarkness]

Usagi looked up when Haruka bumped into her. She was currently lost in her own thoughts and offered the outer senshi a smile.

"Time to go?"

[actsmagnificent]

Ah. Usagi. Haruka blinks once to clear her head - no point in getting stuck in the future and ignoring the present. That will only slow them down.

"You don't have to," she offers, knowing Usagi prefers to be more social than she does. "I don't have the limo today..."

It was a long walk, but Haruka'd arrived on foot. Taxis mean a stranger knows where she is, and Haruka Tenoh does not ride the bus.

[lightthedarkness]

"Haruka..." she bit her lip and came up to the older woman locking her gaze. "We have to work together... all of us. Not just... the three of us. This isn't something you can do all on your own and I don't want you to feel that way either. You and Michiru and Setsuna... I know I'm asking so much because of what you do. But this is such a different place, we aren't... complete here."

[actsmagnificent]

Haruka nods: she isn't dumb, nor is her pride fragile enough for her to take offense. But she also can't stand completely facing Usagi, choosing to knife her body even if their eyes continue meeting. "I won't do anything foolish," she promises. Which is not the same thing as working together with everyone else. Everyone else has different priorities, and that's wonderful. They can draw fire. They can help get the kidnapped people to safety once that time comes - if that time comes. Haruka trusts anyone who's agreed to come along to do just that.

But Haruka doesn't trust the people who brought everyone here to have a plan, nor is she willing to see any of the people at this gathering taking on the goal she's set for herself. It's for their sake she won't talk to them. She can't invite anyone along on a suicide mission and she won't shrink her ambitions. Until their supposed supervisors come forth with a plan that actually sounds like it'll work, she's doing this her way.

[lightthedarkness]

"No, Haruka, I know that look," her brows creased together and she grabbed the older woman's hand.

"Please, you can't... this is so very different than the witches and Galaxia. I can't lose you too!" she insisted, clasping both hands together as she looked up at her, trying to make her understand, trying to get her to not be so distant.

"We- the holy chalice is created when all our hearts work as one," which, while here she likely couldn't summon that, not with Rei so far away, not with her powers so diminished. "But you're going to do something, I know you are, because that's what you always do. Please don't tell me not to worry, because that's all I seem to be doing when I know you're so distant. You're... you're planning something, only Michiru and Setsuna and Hotaru aren't here. I am. Minako is. You have to depend on us."

She wanted to ask if Haruka trusted her, but she knew that answer, honestly. All her senshi trusted in her, it's why she did everything she could to support them.

[actsmagnificent]

Why is the Princess talking about - no. Doesn't matter. Haruka is tired of having this conversation and it only just started. She tries to stamp on her irritation, since she knows it's not actually at Usagi. It's at her own relative powerlessness and the complete unreliability of the people who'd brought them here.

"What form is that dependence supposed to take?" she finally asks: maybe they'd better just have that out in the open, draw the lines - force Usagi to pick a conviction and stick to it. Haruka can't agree or disagree to anything without knowing what's expected of her, either.

Constantly having Usagi dogging her heels is no way to fight an enemy that is, indeed, different than any they've fought before. They can agree on that much.

[lightthedarkness]

"Don't keep secrets about what you're going to do, don't... think you have to fight anything or anyone alone. If you can't depend on anyone else here you could at least depend on Minako and me. We would fight beside you, we have fought beside you." She bowed her head, hating how this sounded, that she needed to say this at all.

But wasn't how it always was? The outer senshi had to fight on their own, the inner senshi were to protect her.

But she wanted to protect everyone. Even Haruka.

"I can't be Michiru or Setunsa, but I'm not asking to be. I'm asking you to put more faith in me," she lifted her gaze back up. "If you need something done I can do it. I'm not the same little girl anymore either. It's just the three of us here, and until we get Rei back that's all we have who knows each other intimately. I know I can trust you with everything, Haruka... can you the same about me?"

If she received a no on this... she knew that was her own fault, because she wasn't always serious enough, she wasn't always strong enough, but she tried. She did everything she could to make things right if she messed up.

[actsmagnificent]

Haruka had been afraid of all of the above: Usagi doesn't know what she's asking. No matter how many times Usagi's told the worlds they want are different, no matter how much she cares - and Haruka doesn't doubt Usagi cares - there are things Haruka is just not comfortable asking Usagi to do. People she wouldn't want to see Usagi become. And not wanting Usagi along is not a matter of trust: she is the precious Princess. Her presence is a liability because it splits Haruka's focus, and she can't afford that.

Yet she's terrible at explaining her emotions never been able to get Usagi to see that. So she follows up bluntness with bluntness.

"Look after Rei," she states: that's where she trusts Usagi, that's where she wants Usagi; if Usagi and Minako are helping with the actual rescue effort that frees Haruka up to do what only she can do. If they must have this conversation, that's the form of cooperation she's willing to offer.

And it's all she's willing to offer, since now she's turning to go. She can tell she's close to losing her temper and this situation needs a Soldier of the Outer Solar System who can make decisions unimpeded by their emotions. Until she can be that person, she needs to make herself scarce.

[lightthedarkness]

She leaned back against the wall to let Haruka pass. It was all she could do to stop herself from crying because Haruka didn't...

Once again the barrier was there, as tangible as the door when she pleaded with the outer senshi to fight beside them during the Pharaoh 90 issue. She closed her eyes and when Haruka was gone, she swallowed and slid down to the floor, drawing up her knees and leaning her head back.

Was it always going to be like this? She wasn't sure she could handle this. She knew Haruka loved her, she knew Haruka trusted her. She could not summon the grail without either of those things. She knew that Haruka was on a different mission. She didn't discount Usagi's abilities, but it would always be like this. A barrier of what they were supposed to do. She was the princess and Haruka the warrior.

But it didn't mean Usagi always had to like it. She never liked it. She wanted to be able to stand up and... and protect all of them. Like they were fighting to stand in front of the other in the face of a blast. But Haruka was like the wind.

Always had been, always would be.

Not something to be caught, not by her even if she tried. She closed her eyes and lightly knocked her head against the stone, only to hiss at having done it too hard and rubbing the back of her head.

But she couldn't just accept this, could she? Not here not when they only had each other?

"Damnit, Haruka," she whispered and knew... knew she couldn't say anything about this to Minako, because Minako would side with Haruka. Haruka did have a separate mission from them, whatever she may be planning.