Fireball

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Author: Ravena Kaiou
Email: KakyuuStarLt@aol.com
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Yuri (Kakyuu x OC), a little discussion of the paranormal, probable OOC. If the idea of two women being in love makes you uncomfortable, then please find something else to read.
Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon. They belong to Naoko Takeuchi, Kodansha, Toei Animation, and a bunch of people who I don't know about and probably will never meet.
Notes: WAHAHAHAHA! My first attempt at writing shoujo-ai...XD *falls over laughing hysterically* Oh, the suckiness of it all!

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The sound of running...shouts of surprise, followed by cries of pain...and then a horrible, black silence.

Princess Kakyuu sat up abruptly in her bed, shaking, tears running down her soft, pale face. For so long, that dream had been haunting her, disturbing her sleep every night.

Although the attractive redheaded woman was exhausted, she didn't dare close her eyes again. The dream would come back, she was sure of it. And every time it did return to her, it was more vivid...and much more terrifying.

"Kakyuu-hime?" a female voice asked from the doorway to the royal bedroom. "Kakyuu-hime, you cried out...is everything all right?"

Once Kakyuu's eyes had adjusted to the darkness, she could see Angel, her guardian's, face, illuminated by a paper-thin ribbon of light that played over her features. On her delicate face was an expression of pure concern.

"Yes...yes, Angel-chan, everything is all right," Kakyuu muttered as she got out of bed and pulled a silk kimono on over her nightclothes. "I think I'll just take a walk to clear my mind."

Angel was well aware of her princess's nightmares. More than once she had consoled the frightened woman, telling her it was all a dream, and nothing more. But now the pretty Starlight wasn't so sure that she had been truthful with Kakyuu all along.

Her emerald green eyes glittered in frustration as she tried to place the strange energy she had been feeling around the palace lately. She was not sure of what nature it was, but it had appeared about the time that Princess Kakyuu's nightmares had begun.

"Kakyuu-hime, please be careful wandering outside at this time of night. Chaos--"

"Angel-chan, during the Sailor Wars, you fought bravely alongside my other guardians to protect me. Chaos is gone, never to return to Kinmokusei, or any other planet," Kakyuu said quietly to the lavender-haired girl. "I thank you for your concern, but you must not worry so much." With that said, she stepped through the door and walked down the marble hallway to the balcony at its end.

Angel watched her princess's departure, noticing for the first time how she seemed to almost float when she walked, so graceful was she. An odd feeling was being stirred up inside of her, one not unlike the unidentified entity that had been surrounding the palace in the sense that she could not place it for the life of her.

The sound of soft footsteps behind her caused the young guardian to quickly whirl around in surprise. A short, silver-haired woman was standing behind her, a smug smile spread across her face. "Well?" she asked expectantly. "What happened?"

"Ugh...Yaten, leave me alone," she sighed. Yaten took that as her cue to exit, and returned to her bedchamber to resume sleeping.

Princess Kakyuu stood at the intricately carved railing on her balcony that overlooked the palace gardens. The moonlight that shone faintly in the velvet sky seemed to trap itself in the simple topaz band that she wore on the third finger of her left hand. Closing her eyes, she forced back the tears that threatened to spill down her face for the second time that night.

The ring had been given to her by the prince of a small neighbouring planet. The two of them had been in love and were to be married shortly after she had received the beautiful gift. But the Sailor Wars proved that Destiny had other plans for them; Kakyuu's lover had been killed in one of the first battles between Kinmokusei and Chaos.

In her mind, the image of the beautiful gardens that extended just beyond her view changed to the ruined wasteland where the two of them had shared their last moment together. An almost ethereal chill pervaded her heart as she watched a tragic scene play itself out...

A handsome young man was laying limply in the arms of Kakyuu, his clothing torn and bloodied, and cuts and bruises carrying almost every inch of exposed skin.

"Please...don't leave me..." she choked between sobs.

His once-brilliant green eyes slowly moved so that they were staring into Kakyuu's own. "Destiny has other plans for us, dearest one," he whispered. A small stream of blood spilled over his lips, and his eyelids fluttered closed for the last time.

"No..." Kakyuu said quietly, blinking in disbelief. Once the realization of everything had sunken in, she looked up towards the sky, tears leaving their glistening tracks on her cheeks. "NO!" she cried out as the scene faded, being replaced by red roses in an almost cruelly cheerful bloom.

The princess couldn't control her sadness any longer. She sank to her knees, her small shoulder shaking with the worst kind of crying of all; the heartbroken sort that makes no sound.

"Kakyuu-hime?" a familiar voice asked softly. "I'm sorry...I couldn't save both of you..."

Kakyuu lifted her head. "Angel-chan...it wasn't your fault. Destiny truly did have other plans for the two of us."

Angel bowed her head for a moment, then stumbled backwards against a marble column and gripped her forehead as a shooting pain caused her to cry out.

"Angel!" Kakyuu shouted as she ran to her fallen guardian's side. As she held the woman in her arms, she thought of how long and silky the lavender hair that spilled over her shoulders seemed in this light. And for whatever, Princess Kakyuu felt an irresistable urge to kiss her.

Slowly, as if in a dream, the princess lowered her face over Angel's and softly kissed her lips. When she pulled back, a wave of satisfaction overwhelmed her.

What was this...?

It wasn't proper. Not only was this another woman, but...Angel was her guardian, and Kakyuu was a princess. Could a romance between the two classes truly survive?

A soft groan from Angel caused Kakyuu to snap out of her thoughts and glance down at the beautiful girl in her arms. After a moment, her eyelids flickered open, revealing perfect sparkling emerald green eyes.

"Kakyuu-hime...there is an energy surrounding the palace..." Angel mumbled as her senses began returning to her.

Princess Kakyuu merely shushed her. "You collapsed," she whispered. "Can you walk? We ought to get you inside..."

Angel nodded and somehow managed to get to her feet again. With the first step she took, however, she stumbled, falling back into the princess's arms.

Kakyuu lifted Angel's arm and draped it around her neck. "Come on. I'll help you," she said, leading her towards her own bedroom.

On the way, Kakyuu knocked on Seiya's door. "Seiya-san! Angel has collapsed...please, call Meikaze to come to my room!" she called, glancing at the woman who was so close to her own body...

Shaking her head, Kakyuu helped Angel into her room and laid her down on the bed. The guardian's breathing was shallow, her skin an ashy grey. "Shhhh...please hold on, Angel-chan. Meikaze will come and help you..." Of all her guardians, Meikaze was the only one that Kakyuu knew to have healing powers. Whatever was afflicting Angel, she was sure Meikaze could fix.

"She's had a reaction to a foreign energy," Meikaze told Kakyuu once she had examined the fallen Starlight. "I've used my powers to heal her most of the way, but rest will complete the process," she said as she walked out.

Kakyuu gazed down at Angel, whose eyes were closed, her breathing and skin tone returned to normal.

"There's no need for worry," a man's voice ran through Kakyuu's mind.

The princess stiffened for a moment, unsure of who the voice belonged to.

"Don't tell me you've forgotten Karasu..."

"Karasu? Can it really be you?"

"Yes, dearest one. I can only stay for a short time," the voice said as a misty white figure materialized next to the bed.

"Karasu...are you all right?" Kakyuu asked, blinking back tears. "When you died, I--"

"That's not important now," the figure said. "As I told you before, Destiny had other plans for the two of us. You were meant to live, and I was meant to die. The Three Sisters have been discussing what is to become of you and Angel."

The princess widened her eyes. "Angel and I?" she asked.

"Pay no heed to the class system. Follow your heart, dearest one," the shape said, then disappeared.

"You should listen to him," Angel said suddenly, a weak smile on her face.

"You could hear him?" Kakyuu asked, startled by the evening's events. Angel nodded. "For the longest time, I've been unable to place the energy here. But now I can...it was Karasu, trying to contact someone in the palace. He came through to both of us."

Angel swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood up, walking over to a chair next to the one that Kakyuu was sitting in. "The dreams were part of the Three Sisters' plan. He told me that you cared for me..."

Princess Kakyuu automatically blushed.

"...Which was lucky for me," Angel finished as she leaned over and kissed her.

Kakyuu sat up straighter for a moment, then closed her eyes and immersed herself in the kiss. After a moment, she felt Angel's soft tongue pry her lips apart and slide into her mouth.

A few hours later, the beautiful red-haired ruler awoke from her slumber and gazed at her lover's sleeping form, relinquishing the soft touch of her own silken skin against Angel's before once again succumbing to the call of her beautiful dreams.

A familiar misty figure stood, unnoticed, at the edge of the room, except its features were more defined now; they clearly showed a smiling prince as he faded away for the very last time.

-end-