Kaichuu's Happiness, An Approach for Love

"Meticka!" Shakaku called as she ran after her teammate. Meticka stopped right as Shakaku was heading straight for her, and the two collided.

"Yes?" Meticka asked after the two girls had gotten up from the floor.

"Great setting today," Shakaku said, picking up her bag, which was still on the floor.

"Thanks," Meticka said with a smile.

Before either girl said anything else, a boy Shakaku's age walked up to the two girls and asked, "Are you Shakaku?"

"I'd better go," Meticka said, heading out the door.

"Yes, I am, and you are?" Shakaku asked.

"My name is Kumori, and I've seen you practice here a lot," he introduced himself. "I wanted to ask you a few questions about your friend, Kaichuu."

"What about her?" Shakaku replied, glancing at Kumori briefly.

"I was wondering, is she dating anyone currently?" Kumori asked.

Shakaku raised her eyebrow and replied, "You like her, am I right?" Kumori blushed and looked away. "No, she's not dating anyone right now. Before I say anything else, how do you know about her?"

Kumori looked up at Shakaku, "I come every once and a while after school. Anyway, I was wondering if maybe you could ask her if she might be interested in maybe meeting me sometime; I'd love to meet her in person."

Shakaku thought about this for a few moments. "I'll see what I can do."

"Great! How about if her and I meet tomorrow at around six or so at the park by the mall?" Kumori asked. Shakaku was silent until, after a few moments, she nodded slowly.

***

Kumori and Shakaku walked out of the gym a few minutes later, and Kumori walked down the street without looking back at her.

"Oh, Shakaku has a boyfriend!" Minako said from where she was on the sidewalk along with Makoto.

"I do not," Shakaku corrected her.

"So what were you two doing?" Makoto asked.

"After practice?" Minako added.

"He had a couple of questions that he wanted to ask me," Shakaku answered.

"Ah ha!" Minako exclaimed. "So what exactly did he ask you?"

"What does it matter to you?" Shakaku said as she began walking along the sidewalk.

"Inquiring minds want to know," Makoto replied.

"Actually, he asked me about Kaichuu," Shakaku told them.

"The psycho girl?" Makoto asked. Kaichuu's reputation with duct tape had spread all around school after Kaichuu and two of her friends had duct taped a boy from head to foot for lying to them.

"Yes," Shakaku sighed, "the psycho girl."

"He's got guts," Minako said; she had heard about Kaichuu from Ami, Usagi, and Makoto.

"So are they going to hook up?" Makoto asked.

"Do you mean would Kaichuu want to, or would I want her to? They're two different things," Shakaku pointed out.

"You don't want Kaichuu to be happy?" Minako asked.

"She doesn't need a boy to be happy," Shakaku responded.

"Have they even met?" Makoto asked.

"Not face to face, but he wants to meet her tomorrow at that big park near the mall."

"I wanna be there!" Minako shouted.

Shakaku raised her eyebrow but nodded. "I suppose, but we are going to stay out of their way, they don't need us hanging around when they first meet. Two psycho girls," she eyed Minako, "is not what Kumori wants on the first day. I think one is enough, especially since it is Kaichuu after all."

"Fine with me," Makoto and Minako answered at the same time.

***

Shakaku entered the apartment and she was greeted by the strong smell of banana bread that hung in the air. "Kaichuu, I'm home!" she called out. As she headed for her room she heard the crash of a pot in the kitchen, and Kaichuu ran out with a roll of duct tape in her hand.

"Put down your bag and fight," she greeted Shakaku.

"Hello to you too."

"I am KAICHUU," Kaichuu said as she took out a piece of duct tape.

"I know that," Shakaku responded with a smile.

"Shakaku, you're spoiling the effect. You're supposed to cower in fear as I unleash my wrath."

"Just you standing there is enough to unleash the great depression all over again."

"UH!"

"And don't get me started about what happens when you actually start doing something. One fling of those hips will send people to the hospital," Shakaku said with a smirk.

"I resent that! Anyway, there's banana bread in the oven, and you CAN'T have any," Kaichuu replied with a nod.

"Who would want to eat your bread?" Shakaku continued with her teasing.

"You will pay!"

"Oh and uh, by the way, a guy asked me about you after practice," Shakaku changed the subject.

Kaichuu, who was on her way back to the kitchen, froze. "Really?" she asked slowly as she turned around to look at Shakaku. Kaichuu began to wipe her eyes and pretended to cry, "At least I'm loved by someone," she said with a sniff.

"Who said he asked good things?" Shakaku said, temporarily suspending Kaichuu's act.

"Quiet you!"

"Alright, geez. His name is Kumori, and he said that if you are interested you could meet him tomorrow at six at the big park over by the mall."

"COOL!" Kaichuu shouted as she started jumping up and down. Shakaku rolled her eyes as she waited for Kaichuu to settle down. "So what does he look like?" Kaichuu asked after she had regained her cool.

"He's about my height, and he has light blonde hair," Shakaku made a disgusted face, "and he has the most wonderful gray eyes that sparkle and shine like a brilliant, newly polished penny," Shakaku began laughing.

"Alright, I get the idea," Kaichuu said. "Does he have a lot of zits?"

"A face full," Shakaku replied. Kaichuu knew by the look on Shakaku's face that she was lying.

"Ok, be serious with me now."

"None what so ever," Shakaku replied with a straight face.

"Coolness," Kaichuu grinned from ear to ear. "Wait a second... how does he even know me?" she asked Shakaku.

"He said that he's seen you after volleyball practice."

"So he's seen me?" Kaichuu asked, wondering if she had already met this mystery man.

"Yes, but you haven't seen hi,," Shakaku replied. The two girls were silent before Kaichuu began jumping up and down again while holding on to Shakaku's shoulders.

"I might actually get a boyfriend," Kaichuu said in mid-leap.

"I was afraid of that," Shakaku replied.

Kaichuu stopped jumping and looked at Shakaku, "Are you ok with this?"

"You don't need my permission to date; I'm not your guardian," Shakaku replied with a nod. "If you want to fine, but if you get hurt it'll be my fault."

"Are you ok with this, yes or no?"

"You're not going to go through with it if I say no, are you?" Shakaku asked, and Kaichuu shook her head. "Fine, I'm ok with this," Shakaku replied.

Kaichuu squealed loudly as she hugged Shakaku. "What do I have to lose? It's not like I haven't been searching madly for the past few months," Kaichuu pointed out

Shakaku made no response, but she let Kaichuu be happy.

***

"I'm really nervous," Kaichuu said as she, Makoto, Minako, and Shakaku walked to the park. Hades was in Shakaku's coat pocket, and Artemis was on Minako's shoulder.

"You'll be fine," Makoto reassured Kaichuu as she straightened her blouse for her.

"Good luck, and tell us everything that happens," Minako said excitedly, "we'll be right over there if you need us," she said, pointing to a bench that was under a large tree.

Kaichuu took a deep breath and began to walk towards the large fountain alone. She saw a young boy with black hair sitting at the fountain. Is that him? No, Shakaku said he had blonde hair. As she approached the fountain, a young girl walked up to the black haired boy, and they walked away together.

"It's a pleasure to see you, Kaichuu," a voice called to her from the other side of the fountain.

Kaichuu was at a loss for words until he walked around the fountain towards her. "Yes, I'm Kaichuu."

"You look prettier up close," Kumori said as he stopped in front of her. "My name is Kumori, but I'm sure Shakaku must have already told you that," Kumori said.

"Yes, she told me about you after she came home from practice," Kaichuu said; she was still at a loss for words and was having a difficult time forming sentences.

"You two live together?" Kumori asked. The two sat down at the edge of the fountain.

"Yes, we've lived together for about two years now," Kaichuu said with a nod.

***

"Do you think she's doing ok?" Minako asked as she, Makoto, and Shakaku watched Kumori and Kaichuu converse.

"I think she's doing just fine. At least she's not just sitting there staring at him," Shakaku pointed out.

"They make a cute couple," Makoto pointed out. Kumori's blonde hair went well with Kaichuu's silver hair, and they both had almost the same color of eyes. Kumori was also taller than Kaichuu by three inches or so.

Artemis moved over to where Shakaku was sitting, and he whispered for Hades to come out. "How's she doing?" Hades asked, poking his head out from Shakaku's coat.

"Everything looks good so far," Makoto answered. A loud scream was heard as a yajuu burst out from behind a tree and began running around the park.

"You spoke too soon," Shakaku said getting up from the bench.

"Just once I wish they would take a vacation," Minako said. The girls ran behind a group of trees.

"Venus Star Power, Make up!"

"Phoenix Constellation Power, Make up!"

"Jupiter Star Power, Make up!"

Hades looked at Artemis, "Yeah, I could transform too, just not right now." Artemis nodded.

The yajuu ran towards Kaichuu and Kumori. "Run!" Kumori said as the two stood up. Kaichuu didn't have to be told twice, so she began to run along with Kumori. The creature reached the two and took a hold on Kumori by his neck. Kaichuu ran behind a tree quickly.

"Let go of me!" Kumori pleaded as the yajuu lifted him from the ground.

"You heard him," Sailor Phoenix said. Right beside her Sailor Jupiter, Venus, Aquaria, Hades, and Artemis stood facing the yajuu.

"Aquaria Tsunami!" Sailor Aquaria yelled as she launched her attack at the creature.

"Jupiter Thunder Crash!" Sailor Jupiter also yelled, combining her attack with Sailor Aquaria's. Jupiter's attack managed to make the yajuu let go of Kumori, but Aquaria's attack had no effect.

"Water proof," Sailor Phoenix told Aquaria. Aquaria frowned as she realized that she wouldn't be able to help Kumori.

***

"Good plan," Kerai said to Kaboku from where they were watching the fight.

"She can't do anything against the yajuu," Kaboku said, his eyes fixed on the battle.

"Something's bugging you," Kerai pointed out. Kaboku gritted his teeth together, but his eyes never strayed. "You need to lighten up if this is going to work," Kerai told him.

***

"Aquaria, hold it while we attack," Phoenix told her partner. Aquaria complied, sneaked behind the yajuu, and grabbed hold of it. It was small enough to where she didn't have too much trouble holding on. "Senshi!" the yajuu shouted.

"Twisting Flame Encounter!" Sailor Phoenix powered up her attack.

'Lovely Chain Encircle!"

"Sparkling Wide Pressure!"

Sailor Aquaria jumped out of the way just as the three attacks reached their target, fatally wounding it. The yajuu tried to stand, but it was unable to before it began to turn into nothing but a puddle of blue oil.

Sailor Aquaria hurried over to Kumori who was still knocked out. She detransformed and hit his cheek lightly to wake him up. "Kumori, please wake up!" she called to him.

"We'd better go," Sailor Jupiter said as she saw Kumori's eyes open slightly.

"Kaichuu?" Kumori asked as he sat up, "What happened?"

"You fell and hit your head; you're going to be fine," Kaichuu responded as she helped Kumori up.

***

"We attack now," Kerai said as she saw Kaichuu helping Kumori up.

"No, now we leave," Kaboku said as he turned and left. Kerai was confused but she followed him.

***

"Shakaku, are you ok?" Hades asked her, looking up at her.

Shakaku turned away from Kumori and Kaichuu's direction. "If she gets hurt it's going to be all my fault," Shakaku said softly.

"That's not true! Kaichuu can handle herself. And besides, it looks like things will work out for them," Hades reassured her.

"I sure hope you're right." Shakaku turned around once again to see Kumori and Kaichuu sitting by the fountain holding hands and smiling at each other. Shakaku rolled her eyes before she turned around again and began walking to the apartment.