Like the sea and the wind., Haiden - Date Night

(8PM, the Friday of 'Lost at Sea...')

Michaela admitted, she was nervous... She had tried a dozen different outfits, before settling on a simple blue dress that shimmered in the light like the ocean reflecting moonlight. She had put her hair up in a half-do, a twist knot held by a conch hair comb, with small pearl pins tracking down the loose strands. A long black coat covered the dress, descending down the heels she wore, a pair very close to her henshin set. The make-up she wore was subdued. She wanted to dress up for Haiden but not... not too much. Had she ever been this nervous just to go on a date? But it wasn't just a date... This was the beginning of the life she would make with Haiden. It sounded a bit presumptuous, but she was sure, from this point to their last breath, they would always be together.

The drive from Kejona to Pharaida was a decent length, but it went by in a flash. Michaela had plugged the coordinates on her hovercraft, and from there, her part was little more than keeping the course. Meanwhile, she stole glances at herself in the rearview. It seemed almost like all of her incarnations were excited for this moment, as if they were all waiting to be reunited with their soulmate. Catching sight of Haiden's house, Michaela turned off the navigation system. It was a lovely place. Much more charming than the imposing tower Michaela lived in. She slowed the hovercraft and parked it next to the one already in the driveway.

Walking to Haiden's door, Michaela wondered if her blonde partner was as nervous as she was. In the times they had met, Haiden had always struck Michaela as possessing a naturally cool grace. Unlike Michaela, whose sense of composure stemmed from ice and aloofness, Haiden was warm and involved. Like the sea and wind, they were different, but a part of one another.

Michaela knocked on the door and waited.

If there was anything that Haiden was ever going to be nervous about, it wasn't going to be this.

There were a lot of factors that played into her confidence in this whole situation. The first was that it was simply in her nature. Haiden didn't know how to feel any other way. Although she hadn't done much serious dating in the past, even first dates hadn't gotten her on edge since she was, what, thirteen? Now years past that awkward stage that everyone goes through (Haiden's existed to a much lesser degree, as anyone who knew her now could expect), there was little that could scare her in any realm, let alone the romantic realm.

And romance was easy when it came straight from the heart. Haiden didn't really have to say or do anything excessively affected because she had a way of saying what she felt, anyway. So there was nothing to worry about on that front, because she was sure of her feelings for Michaela already.

Likewise, she was sure of Michaela's feelings for her. They were meant to be together. It had been this way in two lives before, that spanned thousands of years. And it would be that way again.

That didn't mean that this night had been without effort. Haiden still had wanted to plan something completely lovely for her girlfriend, and so had pulled out all the stops to do it. She found one of the best ways to convince someone of your love was to show it.

She recalled now that Haruka had liked to spoil Michriu, too. They weren't so very different.

The knock at the door was quickly answered by Haiden, who was dressed in a classy outfit that was equal parts masculine and feminine - the top was a simple, fitted white piece with a few ruffles running vertically down the torso; she also wore simple black slacks, and well-polished, shining black shoes. Blonde hair was combed neatly, not haphazardly tousled by wind resistance.

The Uranian smiled, holding out a fresh-looking bouquet of pink and white water lilies. "For you, my dear! Would you like to step inside for a moment?"

Michaela was perhaps excessively nervous. While their night on the beach had given her peace of mind, she still worried that if it was possible to rest asunder the long standing love between Uranus and Neptune, that she could do it. It was a fear that arose from her attempt to wall herself away from the constant swirl of angst and passion her home thrived on. She tried to block herself off so much that she almost couldn't recognize her true feelings, and the result was a fragile heart. Maybe if she had been passionate in all realms, instead of just her art, Michaela would be more at ease.

But there was faith rising up in her. In the midst of her own personal maelstrom, Haiden had received her distress and answered it calmly, providing shelter and understanding. It was a startlingly unique experience for Michaela, who, had she remained alone, would have buried her feelings into a painting, symphony or even the ocean itself now that she could navigate the tides without fear.

In the end, all doubts and hopes weighed, Michaela promised herself to be open, to be honest, and to allow herself to fall in love. While everything else told her she was already in love, Michaela still maintained distance to the idea, still afraid to expect.

Haiden was, as always, charmingly beautiful. Michaela smiled, taking the flowers in both hands, "Thank you, they're beautiful." She held them up close to her face, indulging in the faint sweet scent. She looked at Haiden from behind the bouquet, "Only a moment? How suspenseful." Michaela teased, hoping her voice didn't betray her actual suspense. Michaela stepped beyond the threshold, glancing around curiously. She wondered what sort of home Haiden kept.

Haiden simply winked, leading the Neptunian into her apartment. It was a modest size, but by no means cramped. If anything, it looked like a lived-in, middle class home. The walls of the foyer were painted a creamish blue, which darkened just slightly as the entrance gave way to the living area, which was furnished with two plush couches, a wide telescreen, a warm hearth, and a variety of other simple, yet charming amenities.

The Osiaan family was not especially wealthy, but they lived comfortably. And what money they did make was spent on cars and motorcycles and adventuring, not on amassing material proof of wealth. Everything was tidy and orderly, but not excessively so. All in all, it was a very welcoming environment, or so Haiden thought.

The Uranian led her companion to the center of the room, motioning for her to take a seat. "I'll be just one moment. The car we're taking should be about finished warming up. I'll be right back!" With that, she trotted off into a hallway and out of sight. She wasn't gone even five minutes before she returned, keys in hand, grinning.

"Shall we? I don't know about you, but I'm hungry," she said with a chuckle, extending her arm to her 'date'. If it was even appropriate to call her that. She was so much more than just a date.

Haiden led the way back out into the drive, locking the door behind her, towards a very sleek, red car. It was truly a luxury car, streamlined in its shape for speed. Although she had no intentions of careening down the highways with Michaela as a passenger, it had many other creature comforts, which was why she had chosen it.

Her family may not have been ridiculously wealthy, but they had all the connections to build ridiculously fabulous vehicles.

Haiden opened the passenger-side door for Michaela, offering her a warm smile as, with the tap of three buttons, part of the top of the car rolled down, revealing a sun roof. It was covered, albeit with glass so clear that you had to look closely to see it at all.

Michaela subscribed to a minimalist decor and entering her apartment was almost like entering a very sparse art museum. Her cleanliness had developed at an early age and all her family mementos could be found in her music collections or in the instruments she owned. She found Haiden's apartment to warm, to be more like a home, than her own. It was especially welcoming and Michaela almost wished they were staying in so she could experience life in her... girlfriend's? lover's? soulmate's? shoes.

Michaela looked around, while Haiden disappeared down a hallway. Instinctively, she wanted a vase to put the flowers in, thinking they would probably not do well on a long date. But then, Haiden returned, and Michaela simply took the flowers with her, suddenly liking the way she looked with them with Haiden. If they wilted along the way, it would be for a worthy cause.

"Yes, me too." It wasn't the most sparkling reply, but Michaela found herself too distracted to come up with more, wrapping her arm around Haiden's and leaning into the other woman. It was so familiar and casually intimate, Michaela almost didn't notice it was a new experience. Feeling such comfort in another's presence. Whenever they met, Michaela felt a calm wash over her.

As they approached the car, Michaela observed it more closely. Her own hovercraft was silver, and while also a luxury vehicle, Michaela had chosen a bigger and therefore bulkier model, in order to transport her instruments more easily. The cello especially took up a lot of room. That and... Michaela was a bit of a shopper.

Much like Haiden's house, Michaela was excited to see another faucet of her... her... Uranian's life. She slid into the passenger seat and smiled up at Haiden, holding the bouquet to her chest. She could hardly wait to see where the night would take them.

Haiden felt very at home behind the wheel. It was her custom to drive at speeds that were far beyond legal limits, to such an extent that she seemed to be gliding effortlessly down roads. And somehow, when it was her driving, it never seemed like a danger to anyone's safety, because it was as if she was somehow able to weave through traffic like a needle through thread, with all the precision in the world.

Nevertheless, she knocked it down a few notches, for Michaela's sake, as she had often found, in the past, that it had a way of making her first-time passengers nervous. It was only after a few rides that they learned to be more confident in her abilities.

They were in the car less than twenty minutes, all the while the early evening moonlight streaming through the glass of the sunroof, before she finally slowed the car and pulled up in front of a moderately fancy-looking bistro. It didn't appear to be the sort of establishment that required a tuxedo or a gown, but it was nice, nonetheless.

Before Michaela could get out of the car, Haiden was already at her side, opening the door and offering her a hand out. "Well, here we are! I hope you like fondue," she said with a wink, before leading the way into the entrance way. There, a portly man in a simple suit getup was there to greet them.

"Name?"

"Osiaan, party of two."

"Right this way."

They followed after him, to a nice little corner booth, where menus were placed at each seat. Almost immediately, their waiter appeared in the absence of their host - before they could sit down, in fact. The contrast he offered to the man who seated them was comical; in place of this short, rounded man, here was one several inches taller than herself, and maybe also ten pounds lighter.

"Good evening, ladies. I'll be your server tonight. Can I start you off with something to drink?"

As if she had already planned it out, "A bottle of your 872 Champagne, please."

The ride to the restaurant was quiet but not unpleasantly so. Michaela held her flowers and watched Haiden drive. She had guessed it was probably a few steps down from how Haiden normally preferred to drive but Michaela could still see how casually comfortable yet utterly in control she was of the vehicle. Michaela could only imagine what Haiden must have been like on a track. Maybe one day, they would go driving together and Haiden would show her what she was capable of. A small thrill sped up her heart at the thought of it.

Before she knew it, Haiden was parking. Michaela propped her flowers up between the two seats, and then gave her hand to Haiden, stepping out of the hovercraft. "I love fondue." Michaela felt she could have eaten anywhere at this point and come up with the same enthusiasm. This wasn’t to say she didn’t appreciate every fine detail, but the new-yet-old love syndrome had hit her hard and Michaela was starting to feel like a puppy, completely enamored by each step in their date. She smiled (hoped it wasn’t goofy) and happily took Haiden's arm once again, as they entered the restaurant and Haiden guided her to their table and through the first round of their dinner. Michaela was already impressed, everything so far had been so smooth, it was like she was being taken through a dream.

"You have excellent taste, Haiden." Michaela gently touched her ankle to Haiden's calf, mindful of both the heels she wore and the appearance from the outside (hence she used the ankle on the inside of the booth). Playing footsie over dinner wasn't exactly refined, but Michaela wanted to keep some contact with Haiden, and while their booth was intimate, they couldn't exactly hold hands and eat at the same time.

"Thank you. Already this has been wonderful, my best date yet." Unlike Michaela's dates on Neptune, this was purely pleasurable. There were no ulterior motives, no one trying to stir up new rumors for the gossip pool, just a purely romantic design.

As they drove, and even as they were stepping out of the car and into the restaurant, there was a steady stream of fragmented memories floating through her subconscious, occasionally trickling into the very forefront of her thoughts. The Uranian recalled how her past incarnation had liked to spoil Michaela's, too. Apparently, she had gotten a special sort of joy out of giving to and being romantic with her loved one then, as much as she did now.

Almost as soon as he left, their waiter was back with a bottle of champagne, chilled in a bucket of ice. Gently, he placed two delicate champagne glasses onto the table, before uncorking the bottle, filling both glasses generously, before sliding the bucket to the back of the table, where they could grab more as they pleased, without it being in the way.

Just as promptly, two servers appeared behind him, and began lining their table with a variety of bowls and plates. The scents of chocolate and cheese lingered in the air as plates began to expand out around the centerpiece, filled with breads and fruits of varying varieties, textures, and flavors.

At last they disappeared, leaving the two of them to their meal. Haiden grinned boyishly, shrugging lightly. "I had hoped you would like it," she responded, raising her champagne glass. "Cheers!" There was a small clink, and then Haiden took a healthy sip of her drink, savoring the taste of it. She wasn't much of a liquor snob, and she didn't know how to describe particular flavors, but she knew a good one when she tasted it.

She reached for one of the savory breads with a metal skewer, dunking it into one of the paler cheese dips as generously as she could, without making a mess of herself. "Is there a lot of cheese on Neptune?"

Michaela raised her glass to the toast and sipped carefully at the bubbly. It had been awhile since she had had champagne, but she was always careful around it. The drinking age on Neptune was astonishingly low for the sole reason of cultivating good taste at an early age. A very young and naive Michaela became very drunk and very sick during one of the many debut balls she was required to attend. It was the first and only time Michaela got drunk. While very few people knew of the incident, hiding in a closet, curled up in a ball and sick to her stomach, it was the absolute height of embarrassment for the young Neptunian. Ever since, Michaela had always been a bit leery about drink, enjoying but not indulging. Her thoughts lingered only briefly on the champagne, though, much more enamored (and drunk) with Haiden. Their words had been few so far, but each second seemed to immerse them further into a bond that held no limit.

Michaela picked up one of the metal skewers and chose a small piece of fruit and delicately dipped it partially into one of the cheese sauces, before spinning it gently to let the excess fall off, and then bringing it to her mouth. The contrast of flavors was absolutely wonderful and Michaela couldn't wait to try other combinations. Fondue parties were always nice for small casual engagements and in the intimate setting; it was both fun and intriguing. Haiden was certainly winning points.

Michaela had just finished swallowing when Haiden asked her about cheese. She couldn't hold back the giggle that escaped, but immediately brought her napkin up from her lap to cover her mouth and cough instinctively.

"Excuse me? Cheese?" These were all wonderful follow up questions to the first inquiry of Michaela's planet. "Well, there is... not. We import much of our food supply. Anything that does not come from the ocean, is imported. It is an expensive way to live, but that is Neptune in a word. The question of quantity depends simply on means." Michaela did not add that her family, which then consisted only of her father and grandmother, could indeed afford fancy imported cheeses from across the solar system. Already she was depressing the conversation.

"What about Uranus? What are the local delicacies in your culture?" Michaela smiled, genuinely interested in the response, but also to cover the realization that she had very little positive topics to bring up, regarding her home planet. The ocean. She would talk about the ocean, if Haiden pursued her planet.

Haiden couldn't help but chuckle a bit as she watched her date dip one of the fruits into a cheese sauce. Of course, she did it with all the finesse and grace that she did everything else. But what was particularly amusing about it was that Haiden didn't think she had ever seen anyone dip fruit in cheese. Now that she thought about it, it was kind of odd, that there seemed to be unspoken rules about everything, including how to eat fondue.

And then it was Michaela's turn to have a laugh at her silliness. The question had been simple enough, she thought, but it provoked some giggles anyway. She didn't mind, though. As in the past, when they laughed like this, it was never at each other, only lighthearted teasing and amusement.

"Well, I guess that makes sense. Using your natural resources, and what not." She could easily imagine Neptune as a community divided by those who lived lives full of decadence, and those who were resigned to the fisheries. One life seemed particularly better than the other, and it wasn't the one that involved fancy tuxedos and dresses.

Haiden wondered how she'd be received on Neptune, if she was completely herself. Probably poorly, she thought. She rarely conformed to any traditional standard of womanly beauty, and at the same time, reused to conform enough to those of men that she could successfully disguise herself as one. Indeed, she had no desire to pretend to be something she wasn't - in this case, a man.

And worse still, she had a way of speaking her mind with a certain bluntness that would probably be considered rude on Neptune. It wasn't that she spoke without thinking - that happened only very rarely - and she certainly knew how to held her tongue, if she wished to avoid excessively hurt feelings.

But nevertheless, she concluded, with no real remorse, that she probably wouldn't fit in there at all.

Dipping a rather large, skewered strawberry into chocolate, Haiden lightly twirled the metal prod, allowing the chocolate to slowly drizzle off. "We have a lot of hearty meat platters and ales, but there's also a special affinity for light desserts, like puff pastries. We're not especially artistic about them, but they're really good."

Michaela was completely oblivious to any strangeness her actions might have produced. On Neptune, mixing fruit and cheese was just another aspect of the many many wine tastings she had attended. Perhaps alcohol had something to do with the odd fondue items that appeared in artistically arranged platters. Honestly, she was a little surprised they had received no vegetables. But the spread was still absolutely delicious. And more than that, her company was shaping up to be quite edible as well. Not that Michaela had such scandalous thoughts. Not on a first date, of course not.

The Neptunian diet took heavily from what was offered by the ocean, both in flora and fauna, so while food imports were luxurious, it was a rare find to meet a Neptunian who did not enjoy a sea-given dinner. Michaela was not entirely aware of how the economy worked, but she imagined the fishers on her planet made good money, especially those who went after the harder to reach and more dangerous beasts of the ocean.

Her childhood had been completely occupied by developing her arts, social graces, and a protective buffer against social drama. Perhaps the last of those had interfered a bit with the middle of those disciplines, making Michaela seem distant, aloof and perhaps not really connected to the world around her. But it was a work in progress, and Michaela was gradually breaking out of the brittle, glossy shell she had worn on Neptune. It was really quite exhilarating to be out on a date like this. So different and refreshing.

"Oh, that sounds wonderful. I would love to try them sometime." Michaela pondered on Haiden's comment about artistic pastries. She carefully skewered a piece of bread and went through the motions of dipping and eating the item. "What sort of arts are you fond of?" It was a natural question, stemming from Michaela's heritage, but she wondered. Did Haiden think she was too fussy? ...too artistic from an overly complicated planet?

While Michaela was proper and high-minded, Haiden was quite the opposite... or, at least, in this particular scenario. Sure, she could be all kinds of charming and elegant and dignified. But that said nothing for the intrinsically carnal thoughts that worked their way to the surface of her mind. In her defense, it was hard to help such a thing; she had two lives' and more worth of love for the woman across from her, who also happened to be exceptionally beautiful.

She was only human.

However, she was also, more importantly, genuinely interested in her company as a person, not just as something nice to look at. So in all respects, she was poised and respectful, easy-going and non-assuming. It wasn't like she needed anything from Michaela, except perhaps general affection. That was more than enough.

Not that she would turn down any kind of bonus...

And Michaela seemed to be growing more and more comfortable as the evening stretched onward; it was clear in the way her muscles relaxed, in the way her displays of emotion were less calculated. The changes were subtle, but enough for her to notice, and she felt pleased. After all, above all else, she wanted her date to be happy.

Haiden shrugged, swallowing a piece of cheese-dipped angel food cake. The sweet, tangy, and savory flavors were a delightful mixture. Maybe there was something to the fruit and cheese combo after all...?

"Oh, I don't know!" she started, thinking for a moment as she rested her slightly tilted head on her free hand. "I mean, who doesn't like music, right? And I've always enjoyed visual arts of almost any medium." She paused, a grin creeping onto her features. "I have to admit, I'm not difficult impress. I know shamefully little of art.

"I'm not a huge fan of the abstract, though. I don't mind putting the thought into processing art, but I want to know that I have a chance of seeing what the artist saw. I don't feel that with abstract art."

Michaela could feel the soft but strong undercurrents of her previous lives reacting to Haiden. It was a rare harmony, given the tulmoltuous relationship Michaela had with Michiru and Morgana. They were both still frightening creatures, lurking in her mind. She had yet to reach any sort of medium with them, still tormented by nightmares and visions. Eventually, they would synch, Michaela felt, because this anxious and fearful state would be no good in battle. And battle she would eventually have to do. But until then... She could enjoy herself. Right here. Right now.

"That is understandable." Michaela smiled, deciding to take another 'odd' chance. She picked speared one of the cheese cubes and dipped it into a sinfully smooth and dark dish of chocolate. Cheese and chocolate wasn't one of those delicacies that everyone appreciated, but Michaela certainly did. They were both rare delicious imports. And it was pure heaven in her mouth when it passed her lips. Not missing a beat, Michaela picked up their conversation.

"Abstract art can be difficult. It is one of the harder art forms to genuinely appreciate. So many people will feign enjoyment of art for the sake of appearance. It is a bit painful to witness. But I have found that the piece does not inspire or provoke any emotion in me, it is simply not meant for me. Art is so deeply personal, so unique to everyone, one can hardly expect a universal effect in its reception."

Michaela took a sip of her water, washing down the last of the chocolate, lingering on her tongue. She remembered some of the paintings she had done most recently. Of war, death, darkness. She had made them abstract because she couldn't bear to bring those images into crystal clear reality, so sharp and brutal.

"Sometimes, it just takes contemplation to reach the same point of emotion and depth the artist has felt during the creation process. And sometimes, it is simply best not to plumb those depths."

Well. That was depressing. Michaela needed to move on from the subject.

"Do you play anything? I seem to recall, ever so vaguely, that you had skilled fingers. With the piano." Michaela added the last part quickly, smiling a bit impishly before hiding behind her wine.

Haiden was, by many standards, a simple woman. ...No, simple wasn't the right word for it, because she did have these different and at times conflicting sides to her personality. Not simple. But straight-forward. She couldn't be bothered with pretension. If she had any desire for it, she could have played the part well enough. But she found the notion insufferable.

Michaela had a very genuine charm. She was a little reserved, but classically elegant - not to mention irresistibly beautiful. Even the way she spoke had the Uranian complete hooked, mesmerized as she was by her companion, who was new to her, and yet not new at all.

Strangely, she didn't feel at all perturbed by the pace of her own thoughts and feelings, in regard to this relationship. She surprised herself, even, because on paper, she hated the notion that anyone or anything else might have a hand in her future. But if this was fate, it wasn't looking too bad.

The transition away from what it was like to be a tortured artist wasn't entirely smooth at first, though Haiden was, of course, completely ready to indulge it, as Michaela now seemed uncomfortable, and she hated that. Her task of bridging the awkward gap there was made easier by what she thought was probably an inadvertent double-entendre.

The Uranian grinned openly, unabashed. "Oh, well. I'm certainly not what one could call talented by Neptunian standards, but I did spend several years playing. Racing has been my life since I was a teenager, but I like to think of myself as being fairly well-rounded. I wouldn't want to be, you know, a one-trick pony," she concluded, winking conspicuously. "I always liked Bach myself. Do you have a favorite classical artist?"

She followed Michaela's lead, popping a chocolate-dipped cheese cube into her mouth, before pulling a face. "Er... that's interesting."