THE FOLLOWING AUTHOR'S NOTE WAS WRITTEN ON YAHOO MESSENGER, UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF SUGAR IN VARIOUS FORMS INCLUDING SODA AND OREOS. READ FURTHER AT YOUR OWN RISK

AN:

Sailor Xena: Hey guys! Don't kill us!

Sailor Star: Yeah. What she said. Us dieing would kinda be bad...

Sailor Xena: Especially since it would mean no more stories for you guys to reeead...

Sailor Star: So, before you guys freak out, hear us out.

Sailor Xena: Okay, so as you know, we were going to take a break from Great Angel while we worked on the side story detailing the Gang's crazy adventures in New York, Senshi in the City.

Sailor Xena: But we had this crazy idea.

Sailor Star: Crazy idea induced by Rootbeer and brownies of course...

Sailor Xena: Is there any other kind?

Sailor Xena: So we decided that we are NOT going to write SITC at this time.

Sailor Star: SURPRISE!

Sailor Xena: We're going to finish Great Angel, and then take a short break to get back into the rhythm of school, make sure we don't stray behind on work, get off to a good start, and then while I work on SITC, Emma's going to start Universal Chaos.

Sailor Star: Yeah, you don't want us getting grounded for falling behind and not getting any updates at ALL would you?

Sailor Xena: So bottom line is:

Sailor Xena: Although you'll be confused just a bit at the beginning of Chapter 20, DON'T WORRY.

Sailor Xena: You'll get it by the end of the chapter, and we WILL go back and explain it ALL in SITC.

Sailor Xena: Okay?

-Silence-

Sailor Xena: OOOOkay then, Anything you want to add, Emma?

Sailor Star: Ummmmmmm...imma gonna go with NOPE

Sailor Xena: Okay, say goodbye, Emma.

Sailor Star: Goodbye Emma!

Sailor Xena: ...Smartass.

Sailor Star: Always D

Sailor Xena: So here's the rest of Great Angel, don't get too confused and we hope you like it!!

Sailor Xena: D

COHERENCY: MY ANTI-DRUG.

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Great Angel of Fire

Chapter 20

"Okay, if you have no idea who I am, then ignore this announcement--except for Kyo!" Ms. Nakamura called on the speaker phone on the plane. "Attention, my little chickadees--and our lovely chaperones! As you know, we are finally about to land in Tokyo after a 16 hour flight, and we're all itching to get off this plane and meet up with our loved ones. BUT, we are going to do this in an orderly fashion."

As Nakamura explained the exit procedure they'd be exacting--as if they hadn't all heard it from every single chaperone they'd ever had on every single field trip they'd ever had--some students began talking amongst themselves.

"...and Kasadi's hosting study group this week," Meggie finished. She and Kyo were both sitting sideways in their seats so as to talk to one another.

Kyo frowned. "And my parents are having Frey and everyone over for a Lotis thing." He sighed. "So what do we do?"

"I don't know." Meggie sat back in her seat and rubbed her eyes. "Oooh, I'm getting a migraine."

"Hey," Kyo leaned over and kissed her forehead. "Don't worry about it. We'll figure it out."

The plane hit some turbulence, and then they landed smoothly on the runway. The passengers applauded the pilot, and the captain thanked them for flying with them.

"All right, students of mine--" began Nakamura, to run through the exit procedure once more.

Before the poor woman could say anything else, everyone on the plane got up, grabbed their bags and blew right past her, knocking her into a very disheveled male flight attendent. (Hey. you'd be disheveled too after tending to a plane full of about 60 high school students plus annoying chaperones, Aka. JOSH in addition to all the other passengers for sixteen hours straight.)

Everyone was glad to be home after a month and a half. So much had happened back in New York City, and so much was left behind. But the memories would last them a lifetime and everyone was so glad to have had the opportunity to work on Junior Broadway.

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Meggie sat at her desk, typing an e-mail on her laptop to Zac, a friend from the States that she'd been lucky enough to able to hang out with in New York, along with a number of her other friends from good old PA.

Tap tap ta-tap tap ta-tap. Confused, she looked towards the windows, where that tapping sound was coming through the curtains. Tap tap ta-tap tap. Tap tap. She quickly got up and closed her bedroom door, checking the hall first to make sure the coast was clear, then she went back across her room and, pushing the curtains aside, opened the door to the balcony.

"Surprise," Kyo said, coming in.

"How very Edward of you," she commented, smiling.

"But I'm daaangerous!"

She laughed. "How very very Edward of you."

Kyo shrugged, smiling as well. "I try. So you clear?"

"Yeah-- I'll be 'home alone' in about five minutes, and no one'll be back for a few hours. You?"

"Mom and Dad're in China until tomorrow night and Frey is watching Nyozeka. I was staying with Darien so he could 'make sure I'm training like I say I am.' You guys got it easy--you're orders come from a fluffy little cat. Mine come from a very tall man with superpowers."

"Yeah, but he doesn't have claws, does he?"

"Touche." He looked at the door as if seeing past it, through it. "So where're the others?"

"Kasadi's at her study group and Emma's over at Sam's, and the Hanzos are about to go visit Josh and Mina."

"So we're going to the theater on North St., then?"

"Yeah." Meggie grabbed her jacket off her desk chair. "Hang on one minute."

"What is it?"

"Just wait out here," she said, pushing him out onto the balcony, closing the door and drawing the curtains. Her bedroom door opened a little.

"Hey, we're leaving for Josh's now," Beth said, sticking her head in around the door. "We're stopping to get a late dinner, too, so we won't be back until about midnight. Okay?"

"Yup."

"Okay then, don't stay up too late, goodnight."

" 'Night Okaa-san."

Beth left, closing the door behind her. Meggie grabbed her jacket off the back of her desk chair and headed out the door to the balcony.

"Okay," she said to Kyo. "Ten seconds from now they'll be gone and so will we."

"Cool," said Kyo, holding out his hand.

"I can get down myself," she said indignantly. He raised an eyebrow at her. "What? I can!"

"Well, you haven't yet," he said, but nonetheless he vaulted over the side of the balcony, landing gracefully on the ground below, leaving her to her own devices.

Grumbling about how she wasn't really that clumsy, she climbed up onto the ledge and hopped down, landing a bit harder than he had, but just fine anyway.

"See? I did just fine."

"First for everything," he laughed.

"Shut up," she muttered. "Mister Sir Shiny Certificate."

"Okay, Miss I Stand Alone," he took a step towards her.

Accepting his challenge, she took a step towards him. "Rockinininin Party."

"Stage Kiss."

"Oh-ho! Completely Uncalled For."

"Rockefeller Skating Rink Disaster--of '07."

"As I recall, that was half your fault," she said. "Or rather that whole night was all your fault, seeing as you lied to me."

"Yeah, I did, didn't I?" he said, smiling and sounding not at all repetent. They were standing close enough to each other now that he had absolutely no difficulty in dipping his head ever so slightly to kiss her.

"Kyo," she mumbled.

"Hm?"

"We're going to be late for the movie."

He sighed, but pulled away and took her hand.

There wasn't a big line at the theater by the time they'd gotten there. Meggie insisted on paying for the popcorn, because Kyo had paid for their tickets. She didn't see him slip a five in her purse when she was giving the cashier her own bill.

Theater Seven, the one their movie was playing in, was pretty much empty. Only about twenty other people were scattered throughout the seats. It was easy finding good seats. He put his arm around her shoulders and she settled into his side just as the lights started to dim.

"I like this," she whispered as the previews started rolling.

He smiled. "Yeah?"

"Yeah... I've been waiting to see Juno for weeks."

"Oh, thanks!" he laughed quietly.

"Oh, you thought I meant this?" she snuggled closer to him. "Yeah, this isn't so bad either. Remind me why didn't do this sooner?"

"Because Juno only just came out last week." He waited a few seconds, then feigned sudden realization. "Oh, you meant this?" He held her closer. "Because I was stalking you and you thought I was a creeper."

"You still are a creeper."

"Love you too babe."

"Oh, it's starting," Meggie said. The opening scene of Juno began.

"It started with a chair."

"Oh, crap--Sam! It's already started!"

At the sudden sound of Emma's whisper, Kyo and Meggie both took immediate action. Moving so quickly that their popcorn exploded all over the place, they dove onto the floor, out of sight from the doorway.

"Dammit! I spent five bucks on that popcorn!!" Meggie hissed.

"And I spent ten on the tickets!" whispered Kyo. "I thought they were supposed to be at Sam's!"

"Apparently not!" she pushed her hair out of her eyes and peeked over the seats to see where Emma and Sam were. "Okay, they're still in the doorway." She looked back at Kyo. "We've gotta get outta here before they see us."

"There's a fire exit this way--follow me." He turned away from her and started crawling away.

"Hey, there're some good seats," Emma said, pointing them out to Sam.

"Okay, yeah," Sam led the way over to them and they sat down--making a crunching sound.

"There's popcorn on the seats," Emma said, standing up and brushing it off.

"There's popcorn everywhere," Sam observed, looking at the floor.

"What kind of inconsiderate jerks just dump a jumbo-sized popcorn on the floor?"

"That was close," said Meggie, as the door closed behind them. "Way...way too close." She sighed. "What now?"

"How about we take a walk through the park?"

"Sounds good." She took his hand and they started walking. "I'm sorry you wasted money on the tickets."

"I'm sorry you didn't get to see the movie."

The park wasn't far away, so it didn't take long to get there. They ended up on a park bench, thumb wrestling.

"Isn't this a litte deja vu-ish?" she said, struggling to keep his thumb pinned down with hers.

"What do you mean?" He tried desperately to escape her grip.

"Isn't this kinda how New York went?"

"We thumb wrestle all the time," he countered.

"Yeah," she replied, "but we don't normally thumb wrestle in a park, under the stars, while our friends think that we're somewhere else, doing something else."

"True... Here, we'll compromise." He suddenly pulled her close and kissed her. "There. Now I'm feeling some deja vu."

"Hm... No, it was more like this..." She smiled and leaned in again.

"I am a vampire, I am a vampire, I am a vampire, I am a vampire!" sang Meggie's phone in her purse, so suddenly it made them jump. "I am a vampire-ampire, I am a vampire, I have lost my fangs." Kyo sighed frustratedly and turned, sitting normally on the bench now, as Meggie pulled her phone out, looking at the Caller ID. "I am a vampire, I am a vampire, I am a vampi--" She sighed angrily.

"Hey, Kas, what do you need? I'm--studying." She paused, listening to Kasadi talk, looking decreasingly happy. She sighed and pushed her hair out of her eyes and said "Okay, okay, calm down and get yourself out of there. I'll be right there. ...No, Kas, you know the rules. Go home. Now. ...Kasadi, I'm not arguing with you about this again! GO HOME. ...No, I'm not snapping at you! ...Am not. ...Am not. ...Am--What am I--?! GO HOME!!" She flipped the phone closed and looked at Kyo.

"Time to work?" he asked, though he knew the answer.

In reply she let out a long sigh--more of a huff than a sigh--blowing a few stray hairs out of her face momentarily.

Destiny sucked.

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"Switch!" Sailor Star yelled. She docey-doed around Xena as they switched oponents. Within seconds, Xena had triumphed and proceeded to fend off two more.

Luckily, it wasn't one of those annual-June-at-Hogwarts type battles that they got every once in a while, just one of those just-another-Buffy-episode, bored-minions-stirring-up-trouble skirmishes.

"Xena!" Jr. pulled Xena out of the way of an attack. All the minions seemed to be ganging up on her while Star was distracted. He pulled her into the protective cocoon of his cape for a moment. "You all right?"

"Are you?"

"I'd actually prefer thumb wrestling now, to tell the truth." She laughed breathlessly, then pushed him away from her and they both threw themselves back into the frenzy.

"There's too many!" yelled Star, trying desperately to keep them back. "Take my hands!" Xena and Jr. each grabbed one of Star's hands, which she threw out to them, risking the vulnerability for a moment, and then used their free hands to complete the triangle. "When I say, we all use our best attacks together to take them all out at once! And no flaming roses!" she snapped at Jr.

"But--"

"NONE!"

"FINE!"

"NOW!" shouted Xena, to break it up.

In unison, they released each other's hands and lunged towards the oncoming demons, Xena summoning her silver daggers to her hands, Jr. procuring roses from nowhere and Star preparing to let loose a Star Sphere. But her powers had other ideas. Without knowing why she was saying it or how she knew it would do something, Star shouted "STAR FLARE!!" as the other two used nonverbal attacks.

A shining ring appeared around her, hanging in mid-air around her abdomen like a possessed hula hoop, then it suddenly stretched, the front portion racing forward to slam into their attackers and destroy them, brightening as it went. Every youma that came in contact with it imploded--literally--then suddenly the beam seemed to reach its maxium stretch and it flickered and disappeared.

"...Wow," said Star, then, tucking away her stunned incredulity for later, engaged in hand-to-hand with any monster lucky enough to dodge the beam and within a minute they'd been dealt with, as their numbers had been decimated by her extremely effective attack.

Xena slashed at the last demon with her daggers, then, as it disintegrated, turned back to the other two. "Is that it?" she asked hopefully.

"Yeah," Jr. said breathlessly, looking around at the huge amounts of dust everywhere. "Yeah, I think so."

"Good." Star glanced around to make sure they were alone, then reverted back to herself. Xena and Jr. followed suit. "'Cause I have a date to salvage. Can you two call this one in?"

"Sure," Meggie said. "Serena or Rei?"

"Serena's swamped with wedding stuff; Darien told me to make sure all calls go to Rei," said Kyo.

"Thank you thank you thank you thank you!" Emma chirped as she grabbed them both in a double hug then dashed off.

"Hey, wait a second!" Meggie said as Emma left. "What about your new...powers. Great." She looked at Kyo. "She's gone."

"But... She's gone," he pointed out.

She smiled. "Great."

No sooner had he twitched in her direction when a noise suddenly made them both jump.

"I am a vampire, I am a vampire, I am a vampire, I am a vampire!"

They both sighed angrily.

"I am going to kill that thing," Kyo growled.

"I have lost my fangs. I am a vampire, I am a vampire, I am a vampi--"

"Heh--" Meggie started, but she stopped mid-greeting. "Kasadi."

"HANZOS ARE HOMEBOUND!" Kasadi's voice yelled so loud Kyo could hear it. Meggie held the phone at arm's length as Kasadi continued to yell. "HANZOS ARE HOMEBOUND! MAYDAY! MAYDAY!!"

"Where are they right now, Kas?" Meggie asked, loudly, so Kasadi could hear her.

"They just called and said they're leaving the gas station on South Avenue!" Kasadi wailed. "They think you're still here in your room with the sweater you're letting me borrow!!"

"Oh cra-- Which sweater?"

"Er-- HURRY!!"

"DAMMIT! Thanks Kas!" She snapped the phone closed a little violently than needed. "I gotta go."

"Wait--"

"I can't--Beth and Hotaka are on their way home!"

Kyo grabbed her arm to stop her. "No, I mean you'll never make it home before them-- We're in the Northwest sector of the city!"

"Then what am I supposed to do?!"

"Here," Kyo quickly pulled her into his arms and they dissapeared in a flash of swirling lights. When the lights faded, they were surrounded by the familiar setting of Meggie's room.

"HEY!!"

Meggie and Kyo flew apart faster than opposite magnets.

"Kasadi!" Kyo said, trying to sound cheerful.

"Hey, that's my favorite sweater!" accused Meggie.

"And that's my favorite power that I'M NOT ALLOWED TO USE!!" Kasadi hissed, "None of us--well, you are allowed to transport!"

"It was a Senshi thing, Kas," Kyo blurted before thinking. "OH! Not that you're not--I didn't mean you didn't--I don't think you don't--I'll be quiet."

"Phantom?" Meggie said.

"Christine?" Kyo answered.

"Be a phantom."

"Like the wind," he said, heading for the door to the balcony.

"Hey! Anybody home?" Beth called through the house from the front door. Kasadi, huffing angrily, said that the two of them should head down there. As if on cue, Hotaka called "Hey, Meg! Kas! Come here for a minute!"

"Be right there!" Kasadi shouted back.

"One sec Kas," Meggie said, hurrying to the sliding door. She opened it and said "Kyo."

Kyo, one leg already over the side of the balcony, stopped and looked back at her. "Yeah?"

"Uh..." Meggie was painfully aware of Kasadi's burning stare, fixated on her. "Good job tonight. You kicked some serious ass."

He smiled, trying to make it look like his normal, happy one, but Meggie could see the understanding of what she was really trying to say.

"Anytime." And he swung his other leg over the side and dropped out of sight.

Meggie took a step back and slid the door closed, then drew the curtains. She turned around to find Kasadi still glaring at her, but with other emotions laced through her expression--suspicion, perhaps?

"What was that?" she asked.

"Oh, well--" Meggie tried to think fast. "Kyo saved my ass tonight. Pulled a demon off me. He's losing some of his Creepertude."

Kasadi smiled, relieved. "So you guys are gonna be friends? Finally?"

"Uh, yeah--I mean, if he continues this no-more-Keggie kick he's on."

"Oh, good." Kasadi sighed. "Finally, we can have Movie Nights that don't end with popcorn projectiles and 'Kyo that is MY knee!' Although, I am gonna miss the constant supply of just-add-water comic-relief..."

She nodded, feeling extremely awkward. Quickly, she shifted the subject off herself and Kyo and the manner of their relationship, "We should get down there."

"Yeah," Kasadi said as the two of them headed out into the hall and down the stairs. "I wonder what Uncle Ho-Ho wants."

"Keep calling me that and I'll just take the gift back," Hotaka, passing by the stairs, warned.

"Gift? What gift?" Meggie demanded.

"Is that a DVD?" Kasadi asked, spotting a small something in an fye bag. "Uncle Ho--I mean--Mr. T! Mr. T, wait!"

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