Senshi of Fire.
Pairing: Minako x Rei.
Contains Yuri. Don't like, don't read.

Sailor Moon and all related characters are copyright of Naoko Takeuchi.
Not me. No profit is made by this work.

This story is owned by me; Mereel Skirata.

I stare at her across the classroom, as the teacher drones on about something I couldn't care less about.

I can barely hear the words he is saying. This girl has so captivated my mind. Completely captured my mind.
My mind which is drinking in all the details of her.
The expression on her face as she focuses on the notes in front of her. The line of her chin as it rests on her hand. The angle of the wrist which supports it.
The fingers of her other hand which twists her pencil between them, as she collects her thoughts.
The gentle swell of her breast, visible even through her shirt.
Her hair, deep raven black, flowing down her back like a curtain of purest silk.

Her eyes, depths of colour that I would just lose myself in, if I could. Soft purple around the edge, melting into a deep indigo in the centre. Deep wells, swirling with passion and life. Wells that anyone could drown in. Eyes that I would have drowned in, that first time I saw her. Eyes that I would drown in now, willingly. If only she let me. But she won't.

Two weeks ago:

I race into the classroom, taking my usual seat. (3rd desk back, right by the window. Perfect for sneaking glances at the gym classes, wishing I was outside too)
I over slept again, resulting in the usual mad dash to school, barely grabbing my breakfast on the way out. It's not my fault. My bed is just so comfortable, that I never want to leave it.
Today seemed it would be like every other day.
Yet something was about to happen that would turn my world upside down.

Sensei enters, a pile of books in his hand. The whole class rises as one, bowing formally.
He directs us to sit again.

Instead of taking the register as normal, he directs our attention to the door, which slides back revealing.
My heart leaps into my throat. I've never seen an angel, or really believed in them. But if I did, this would have to have been one. This girl, her poise, the serene expression on her beautiful face. All sweep me away.

she is only wearing the same uniform as me, a simple sailor style with white shirt, deep blue tie divided by a red stripe and black knee length skirt, but she wears it with such grace that it might be an expensive ball gown or Kimono.

I'm not the only one she has this effect on. The whole class is speechless. Boys and girls alike, each impressed with her in their own way.

I hardly hear the teacher introduce her. Or catch her introduction back. But I do catch her name. Rei Hino.

Rei Hino.

Those two words flow around my head like the softest, sweetest music. Music I almost seem to remember, like a song from a long time ago. Nostalgic and melancholy at the same time.

Then I notice she is moving, heading my way. My heart begins to pound. I so much want her to sit next to me. To talk to her. But there are no empty seats around me, prompting her to take the desk right at the back.
So their she sits, surrounded by boys who seem much to interested in her for my liking.
Placing her bag in the desk, she greets them formally, smiling slightly.
My heart melts from seeing it. Oh, to have her smile at me like that.

First period passes quickly and the second begins.
We have gym now. I follow the rest of the students to the changing rooms. As I pull my shirt over my head, I glance around the room, eyes moving over the girls that have already joined me, most of them in some form of undress. I was hoping to catch sight of Rei, to talk with her but she's not here.
Having changed into my gym clothes, tight t-shirt and shorts, I head outside excitedly. Hoping to see her there.

I do. I catch sight of Rei, as she walks over to the sports hall, carrying a long object under her arm, wrapped in a heavy cloth.
She returns a few minutes later, having changed into her gym clothes, a loose flowing shirt and long skirt. She is still carrying the long object, but has now unwrapped it, letting me see what it is. A longbow, exquisitely carved out of polished wood. A quiver of arrows slung over her shoulder.

She joins the rest of the class doing archery in the butts, quickly stringing an arrow. Just as quickly, she looses it. Too fast for me to track. But I move my gaze to the target anyway. The arrow is buried dead centre. Two more quickly join it, grouping around it. I look back at her, as she draws back for another shot. She makes it look so easy, the way she draws the string back. Holding it effortlessly, before her fingers go slack, letting the string slide out of her grip, carrying the arrow away. Another dead hit.

I'm no slouch. I love anything sporting, as you can tell by my figure. Athletic, long legs. slim waist. Strong arms. But she does that so much easier than I can. The few times I've tried, I've hardly ever hit the target.

I'll stick to Volleyball, that s definitely my game. Sadly, not the one we are playing today. Still, tennis is just as good.
I grab a racquet, squaring off against the girl opposite me. Letting my mind still, as I dash back and forth, intercepting the ball and sending it rocketing back. People call me clumsy, and I can be. Always bumping into people or tripping up. But not now. With sports, the world just seems to fall into place. I can see everything. Knowing exactly where the ball is coming from and where it will go. Where I want it to go. My hands are always in the right place, the correct angle to catch and return a serve or shot. I don't seem to get tired like others do when playing sports. Yes, I can feel that my body is using up energy and that can take its toll, but it's like I know I have more and can keep going.

I walk back into the changing room, long after everyone else had gone. I volunteered to stay behind and help clear up the equipment. Or I should say that I got volunteered. Still, at least I should have the showers all to myself. No. Not quite. I can hear water running so at least one person is here. I quickly undress, folding my clothes neatly inside my locker, placing my socks, bra and panties on the top of my uniform. I pull my hair loose of the ribbon that holds it up, my long blond tresses flowing free. I carefully fold the strip of red material, putting it on top of everything else. I grab a towel, but don't bother wrapping it around my body. I've never minded being naked around the other girls. I'm not self conscious. Not usually. But this time, as I walk into the showers, I suddenly feel embarrassed. The showers are laid out in the standard gym style, no cubicles, just two long lines of shower heads without any partitions between them.
And standing in the last one, back to me, her head under the spray is Rei. I can only stare at her body, at the water flowing over her curves. Her hair seems even darker now, glistening with moisture. She looks so beautiful. I feel my a heat in my cheeks. If I could see them, I know they would be a bright red.

I shake off my embarrassment. This is my chance. Stepping on the tiled floor, I walk towards her, hanging the towel on the rack by the entrance. Stepping up next to her, I turn on the water, moving under the warm spray, tipping my head back, letting the water cover it. The water quickly washes off the sweat that had built up. I decide it's best to start things off formally.

Turning a little to face her, just so I can see her out of the corner of my vision.

"Ohaiyo, Hino san. Dozo Yoroushku."

The response I get is just as formal, lacking any of the warmth she seemed to display earlier. Her lips are pressed into a thin line. Not a frown. But she certainly isn't smiling. Why not? Every person I saw her talk to, she seemed to be smiling.

"Hai. Yoroushku."

I don't let this get to me. Maybe she just feels shy, here. I try to break the ice.

"I saw you shooting out there. You were awesome. I wish I was that good."

Nothing. No emotion. Nothing at all. Her eyes are hard, not even meeting mine.

"Arigato."

I don't get this, she seemed so different earlier. So happy. Why is she acting so cold?

I don't say anything else, as she shuts off the water, walking past me. But I can't help feel a little knot of sadness in my chest as she leaves, just following her with my eyes until she is out of sight. I don't know why, I've only just met her, but I expected something more. Some sign that she likes me. Maybe I'm just kidding myself, but I just felt that she would like me, should like me.

But I decide to give her some time. She'll come around.

Now.

She doesn't. With everyone else, she shows some kind of emotion. Respect for the seniors. Understanding and concern for the juniors. Kindness to some. Loathing for others. She has, in this short period of time, become known all over the school. I wouldn't say she has friends, but she does interact with all sorts of people. Except me.
Whenever I pass her in the hall, or talk to her in class, or sit at the same table with her, it's almost like a replay of our first conversation.

Just quick, formal words. Some sign of warmth or emotion. Or any form of recognition, beyond knowing my surname. Some people she calls by their first name, maybe Juri san or Akito kun. But me, I'm always Aino san. That's all she says to me. Just 'Ohaiyo, Aino san.' Or 'Konnichiwa, Aino san.' Nothing beyond simple politeness and manners.

And I don't know why. It's almost like she hates me for something. But that's impossible. We never met before.

I stand up, the bus is approaching the school and I join the line of students waiting to get off. Even though it means another day of Rei and her cold shoulder. Just then I catch a glimpse of red hair next to me. I grin, throwing my arms around the waist of the girl.

"Hey, Rika chan." I almost shout happily. Rika has been my friend since I started at this school and we've always been in the same class. I'm always pleased to see her, especially since I usual get a equally pleased reaction from her. She's always full of energy and ready to show that with hugs.
Not today, though. She turns, her face full of concern and pain.

"What's wrong? Did something happen?"

She nods as we step down onto the pavement. Suddenly, she turns to me, pressing her face into my shoulder, arms around my neck, locked tight together.
I can feel her body shaking, then I hear small whimpers escaping her lips. Within seconds those whimpers have turned to full blown sobs. People are shooting looks at us, as they walk past. I manage to extricate her from me and lead her to the seat on the bus shelter. She takes the handkerchief I offer, wiping her still streaming eyes on it.

Between sobs, she manages to tell me what happened.

Her sister, who is in the year above us, had been found unconscious on her way home from school yesterday. She was found a block from her house, just lying in the street. No sign of injury, not a mark on her and yet she is in a coma. She and her family spent the whole weekend in the hospital, waiting for test results. The doctors are baffled. Without life support, she would die.

I decide to take her to the nurse s office. Not sure what they can do, but at least it will give her somewhere quiet to sit for a bit.

The nurse s office is empty, when I get there. No, not empty. The nurse is absent, but sitting on one of the beds is Rei. I ignore her, letting Rika lie down on another bed, across the room from Rei. I don't what to talk to her, but I have to ask one thing.

"Hino san, do you know when the nurse will be back?"
My chest hurts at the cold tone I use, but part of me wants to see how she likes it.

She shakes her head, "Gomennasai, Aino san. She just went out to get some fresh bandages."

It is then that I notice her sleeve is rolled up to the shoulder, revealing the strip of cloth wrapped around her right upper arm. A cloth with deep red stains on it.

My pretence of cold distance cracks a little, as I move over to her, my hand hers, lifting her arm up a little.

"Are you okay? How did you do this?"

Her voice seems to warm a little, a small smile crossing her lips, "I'm fine. I just got knocked down on my way home. Caught my arm on a fence."

I smile a little, maybe this has thawed things between us.

At that point, the nurse returns and I step back, allowing her to tend to Rei. I gasp a little, as she peels the stained cloth off the wound. Three long scratches running down her pure skin, deep red welts that are still bleeding a little.

Once it is re-bandaged, she turns and walks out, without looking at me again, her face back to a blank emotionless slate. I feel confused again, why act nice, then ignore me?

I push these thoughts away, as I turn my attention back to Rika chan.

She seems to have calmed down a little. Tears are still running out of her eyes, but she no longer sobbing.

The condition of Rika's sister had been the talk of the school all day long. The rumour mill was in overdrive, with theories ranging from her taking part in some kind of experimental drugs program for the money, to being abducted by aliens. I was glad that Rika had got sent home early. I would not have wanted her to hear people saying those things. Hopefully she will be off for a few days, so that the rumours could die down a bit.

I sit in my room, finishing my homework. Or trying to. But I can't concentrate. My mind won't stay focused. Neither will my eyes. They keep dancing around the room, not really settling on one thing. I give up, abandoning the worksheets spread over my desk in favour of my bed. I flop onto it, grabbing Molly and pressing her to my chest. Maybe it's childish to still have a stuffed animal at my age (okay, a whole shelf full), but she always manages to cheer me up or comfort me. I breath in the soft lavender smell of her fur, as my hands absent mindedly play with her long, floppy ears.

My mind keeps thinking about Rika, about her sister. What she must be going through.

And about Rei. Why does she act this way to me? Why does she make me feel this way? This powerful connection I feel towards her, which I can't explain.

My mum s voice calls up to me. Calling me down to eat. I place Molly next to me on the bed, patting her head one last time.

The next day, Rika's sister was far from anyone else's mind. I walked into the classroom, to find everyone clustered at the back, around one student. Suzuki, the class gossip. He's holding forth with another wild story, I'm sure. According to him another person, a first year boy, had been found in the same condition. But this time, the story was even stranger. Apparently, this had happened in the school and a group of students from the drama club had seen it happen and when he was found, they claimed to have seen a girl in sailor uniform fighting with a beast of some kind, shooting fire from her hands.

I sigh, why do people always have to exaggerate things to keep a story going.

But, as I move around the school, I hear the same story over and over again. Groups of people discussing it in the halls. Murmurs of it flowing across the cafeteria. Some details are different, mostly the girl s appearance, but some details are the same, the beast and the girl's fire hands mainly. The girl has even got a name, being dubbed the Senshi of Fire. Senshi of Fire, indeed.

I forget about that story as soon as school is done. The teachers had been putting an end to it, anyway.

I had just finished a late evening tutorial and can't wait to get back home. The daylight was fading fast, as the sun sets.

I decide not to wait for the bus. It usually faster if I walk at this time of day.

I decide to take a shortcut through the park. Juuban park is a beautiful place. Lush gardens. Natural lakes. The whole place is full of the sounds of nature. Bird song, rustling tree. Flowing water. Then I hear something else. Something moves in the bushes across the road. I freeze for a second, then laugh softly. I'm getting jumpy. I take a step forward and the bushes move again, as if something large is in them. A loud rustling sound, as if something is pushing through them. I start to back away. The bushes are visibly moving, shaking so hard that leaves and berries are falling off.

The shrubs explode outwards and something large charges at me, four powerful legs pounding into the ground. A creature like a lion, only larger. I see a huge head, mouth full of sharp teeth, dripping saliva. I dive aside, more grateful than ever for my volleyball practice. Not fast enough. The head of the beast rams into me, knocking me flying. I scream, my ribs feel like they've been snapped. I land in a heap, trying to clear my head. Before I can move, I feel something like strong ropes wrap around me. Binding my legs together, trapping my arms to my sides. The pressure on my strained ribs is agony. I try to get away, struggle, free myself, but my arms and legs feel so heavy. So tired, I can barely lift my eyes. I think I'm going to pass out. All the energy seems to be flowing out of my body.

Then I feel heat on my face and the ropes release me. I drop back to the floor, my limbs like rubber; all limp and useless.

I can't even raise my head. I can see a red light through my eye lids though, bright and flickering. The heat comes again, strong waves of it. I would have laughed if I could. Maybe this Senshi of Fire has come to save me. Yeah, sure. I hear another roar, much higher and urgent than the others. Like the beast is in pain. I brace myself for what I imagine teeth sinking into my flesh would feel like.

Instead, I feel strong arms scooping me up, tucking my arms into my lap. I'm pressed into someone else s body; another woman. I can feel her breast against my cheek. I'm so close I can smell her body, something warm and spicy. Something that somehow feels familiar, like something I smelt a long time ago, but can't remember. Yet at the same time, I'm sure I've never smelt before. But it feels so good, so right. Then we're moving, the arms holding me tightly, supporting me. Good, cause I can't hold onto her. My arms are so weak. I'd feel better if I could wrap my arms around her neck or something but I can't. All I can do is trust to her, trust she doesn't drop me. The figure isn't running, it feels like she's jumping. But jumping further and faster than anyone should be able to. I can both hear and feel the wind rushing past me. Despite the fear, the uncertainty and the strange speed and movement, I feel safe here.

We land softly, and I hear a door opening. I'm placed on something soft that moulds to my body, my head on a pillow. I can't be sure, but I swear this is my room. But how did this person know where I lived? And which room was mine? I want to ask her all of this, as well as who she is.
I can't think about those questions though. I can't think about anything. I feel so tired, unconsciousness rushing towards me. The last thing I remember before I fall into a black well is the spicy smell coming close again and the feeling of a soft pair of lips touching mine. They taste as spicy as she smells, and I would love to press harder against them, but I can't move. She breaks the kiss and I think I hear someone whisper my name.
"Minako."

I want to scream, shout. 'Don't leave. Come back. Who are you?'
But I can't. I fall asleep. But in my mind s eye, I see a figure standing on the balcony outside my room, looking back at me, just for a second. I can't see her face. Her whole body is covered in shadow. But somehow, her face is sad. I just know that.

Okay. That went quiet well. Not bad for a story that sprung into my head from watching a 5 second clip of a Sailor Moon music video.
I have another chapter planned, but that will have to wait until the next chapter of my KIGO fic is done. Sorry.

Reviews always accepted, as well as constructive criticisms.
Hope you all enjoy it.

Mereel Skirata.

Also, my Japanese is very basic, so sorry for any errors.