"One heart is all I ask for and this;
two strong arms, and a license to kill"
- 'Ni-Ni', 1-2-3-4-007, Dance Dance Revolution
Twisted Prophecy, Chapter 6
Rei entered the kitchen where Kabal was, and she sighed tiredly as she let her hair entirely down. She considered him as he looked over the contents of the fridge. A simple, noble man. Brash and oftimes seemingly uncaring, but always with his heart in the right place. "I hear you standing there Rei. Want a beer?" he asked. "What the hell why not?" she responded, still comparing the man in front of her to the man the fire had shown her. Warrior, lover, yes. But royalty? He would never make good royalty.
The fire had showed her, among other things, that this man would have two choices to make. One would lead to a magical artifact; an orb of some sort that was carried by a young boy, and a confrontation that had happened many times before between a family line and a dark god. The other path led somewhere Rei herself was partially familiar with. A battle to restore an old kindom's glory, enemies that themselves were enslaved, and a throne upon the moon. Along that path also lay a confrontation with the agent of a far more familiar god. Both paths showed him clad in the robes of obvious royalty. Though Rei did not see this explicitly, she also got the feeling that no matter which path chosen, he would still have to deal with the god of the other, as well. That what represented each path was the marriage to a woman; the other would be a concubine, and the battle would not be avoided. What bothered her is that she was not at the head of either of these paths. Her two closest friends were. She was relegated to the position of "concubine". Though the fire did offer her some consolation, it seemed she would get something else above others as well. More, she would mean much to this, as it was her place to absolve him and set him free. She had already absolved him of his past... and the rest would happen in time. Rei Hino was unashamed and unafraid; the one thing the flame has assured her was that she would never be betrayed by this man.
Kabal returned with the beers in hand, tops already popped off. he sat down and drank off half of his in three large swallows. Rei sipped hers... and found it repulsively bitter. She sipped again to be polite, secretly wondering why Kabal seemed to enjoy it so much. Kabal sighed loudly, and Rei noticed that he was avoiding meeting her eyes. "007." she said. He looked at her, and then pulled off his mask for another drink of beer. "Why do you keep calling me that?" he asked. Rei shrugged, "I don't know really. It's cute. Kabal, I-" Kabal silenced her with his expression as he glanced at the clock. "Rei!" he said, a little too loudly, "Do you have school tomorrow?" "Yes, 007, I do." she responded. Kabal actually looked somewhat relived as he said, "Then you need to go to bed! It's 1am!" Rei rubbed her eyes and noted that she was, indeed, exhausted. She also knew that Kabal was having a major attack of guilt. His eyes met hers, "Go on to bed Rei." "What about you Kabal?" she asked. "I'm gonna go out for a walk," he said, "I have a lotta thinking to do, ya know?" It was now Rei's turn to sigh, slightly annoyed that he was brushing her off. She decided she was too tired to drag anything out of him now, but couldn't help but have the last word. "Well, I'll keep the cover drawn back on my bed for you."
Rei stalked into her room, feeling rather hurt. She had just given her virginity to a man, and he suddenly didn't want to talk to her. The flame had told her that he would love her forever, but it sure didn't seem like that right now. And the fire had been wrong before. Thinking about it, she felt unsure, as if she might have just imagined the whole thing because Kabal was such an attractive man. Maybe she was just looking for a reason to justify her acting on her hormones. Maybe.. but then why would I show myself a vision of him marrying someone else? So I can have some emotionally detached sex? But it wasn't that... no. If she was trying that, it certainly failed, there was no emotional detachment here. She realized also that she was crying a bit, unwillingly. And her chest... it almost felt as if something were gnawing at her heart. 'Maybe I should get and try to get some answers.' she thought. She resolved to go to the shrine room and do exactly that... right after she rested her eyes a moment.
She opened them again to notice the glorious morning sun was shining right on her naked form. She streched and blearily look about for her clock. 7:06! She was going to be late for school! She dashed about, throwing clothing on, and rushed through the kitchen. There her grandfather was sitting, reading his morning paper. "Morning Rei." he said calmly. Too calmly, Rei noted. "I didn't hear you getting up this morning, so I figured I'd let you sleep in." Rei bowed quickly, "Thanks Grampa." He indicated two bento boxes on the other side of the table. "I took the liberty of making your lunch, and a quick breakfast." Rei bowed again, "Thanks Grampa! I thought I'd have to buy something on the way!" "Right," Grampa said, not raising his eyes from the paper, "And I made your breakfast really high protein. That kind of exercise can really take the energy reserves right out of you." Rei froze and blushed deeply. Of course he would have heard, Rei was openly screaming a few times the night before. "Go to school Rei." he said, still behind his newspaper, "you have to study for exams. I'll see you later." Rei scooped up the meals, "Aren't you going to say anything about it?" "Well, you certainly seemed to enjoy yourself, " Grampa said, a small tone of mischief evident in his voice. Rei's mouth hung open and she remained silent. "Oh, there is this though, did you use protection?" "No.." she said, squirming uncomfortably "It never even crossed my mind." Grampa lowered the newspaper and looked at her piercingly. "I thought you were more responsible than that, Rei." "Er..." Rei said, "I didn't think I'd need any." "And why is that, Rei?" She stammered a few moments to buy time, but he stopped her, "Because you went to see Dr. Tomoe and you got yourself a prescription about two months ago." Rei was still stunned and unable to speak, "Damnit Rei," Grampa said, not looking particularly angry, "I'm not mad about any of this, in fact I expected it, I just wish you wouldn't go behind my back." "But.. how did you know?" Rei asked. Grampa laughed, "You never got around to intercepting the insurance statement before I got to it. Now go to school. And cover your behind better." Rei tugged at her skirt and then stopped, and immediately felt foolish, when she realized that he didn't mean it that way.
She stepped outside and turned to look at the sun as she always did on her way. She saw Kabal was sitting on the roof. "Hi 007!" she said brightly. "G'mornin, Rei." he responded, sounding somewhat distracted. Rei felt that strange gnaw at her chest again. "007?" she asked, "Have I.... done something wrong?" "No." Kabal said. Then Rei smiled and said, "Then neither did you." and she rushed off to school.
And Kabal thought that through as he spent the morning atop the shrine roof. He hopped down at a later point and walked around the park there, and returned around lunch, where he cooked for himself and Rei's grandfather. They never spoke, save for him saying; "Rei should be coming home in a few hours. Please take care of her, I am going to Kyoto for the night," right before Kabal left to do the week's shopping.
Kabal turned down the final street towards the shrine, and waved at the elderly couple sitting in front of their house as he always did. While turning back to the road after doing so, he caught sight of something strange near the coffee house the next half-block over: A woman sitting in the chair out in front of the house, book in hand, talking to a woman who was in a trenchcoat and hat... that moved with the exact same mannerisms. Knowing that only ninja studied targets that well... and usually showed themselves to their target right before eliminating them, he shouldered the pack more securely and rushed over. He came within earshot to detect the first woman saying "You're not kidding?" The second woman answered in an identical voice, "No, I am not. We can't waste any time. There's time for so much more if we start NOW." The first woman looked irritated, "You know what? I hate it when we do this. It always gives me a massive headache." The second responded with, "Listen to what I say! I'm doing this for a damn good-" The second woman cut off when the first looked up and saw Kabal approaching. The second woman said nothing more save "Shit." and walked off briskly.
Completely befuckled, Kabal decided to play it cool.
"Hi!" he said, "Do you know anywhere I can get good coffee around here?"
Well, he had given "playing it cool" a good college try, anyway.
The woman stared at him for a few moments with a look that reminded Kabal of the looks Ryoga had often gotten when asking for directions. She then pointed at the store she was sitting in front of. "Thanks!" Kabal said, recovering quickly. He deposited his bag at her table and rushed inside; where he ordered a Green Tea Latte and popped back out... but stopped to examine the woman a moment before he sat. She had skin darker than most Asiatics, almost olive colored. It was exotic in it's tone, and somehow clashed almost... sensuously, with her evergreen colored hair. She looked around and peered at him a moment, and he took in the details of her eyes; crimson in colour and of a slightly different slant than most Japanese. Her legs were long and her hips well rounded, if a bit smallish. She uncrossed her legs with an easy grace, before sliding them to the other crossed position. He noted that she pointed her foot as it dangled; she seemed a picture of almost noble femininity. On a hunch, he checked the amulet inside his shirt.... it was throbbing gently in a hue matching her hair color. His curiosity overcame propriety.
Kabal sat right in fron of her and asked, "Are you a Sailor Scout?" The woman's composure did not change at all, nor did she react physically in the slighest. Were it not for a fast glint in her eyes, he would have taken her next statement somewhat differently. "Sailor Moon and her friends do have many wonderful adventures... though it is the dream of many a girl to lead that kind of life, alas, I am not included in these adventures." Kabal nodded a moment, sipped his latte, and said, "What, somebody has to stay behind and watch the home base?" The woman laughed lightly and elegantly, "I don't think the Scouts have a home base. My name is Charlene." Kabal nodded, "And I am called Kabal. Pleased to met you." He extended his hand to shake, but she merely smiled enigmatically at him and said "I do not touch strangers. Kabal is not your real name, is it?" Kabal withdrew his hand and said, "You tell me your secret identity and I'll tell you mine." Charlene laughed again, "I am who you see before you." Kabal sipped again and said, "And who else are you?" She locked eyes with him, "A lover of good coffee, excellent literature, harmonious music and fine beer." "Fine beer?! I didn't know there was any such thing." Charlene smiled, "Then perhaps maybe it is something you should no longer miss. Would you care to buy the lady a drink?" Kabal stood up and bowed sweepingly, "Certainly. Sit tight and tell me what to get us? Sorry, but it would be a shame to hide someone like you in a poorly lit bar." Charlene pointed to the chinese bar somewhat down the block and said, "Tell them the green lady would like drinks for two." Kabal saluted her and walked off, swaggering for comic effect, stopping to give her a thumbs up before walking in.
Charlene was a bit surprised by her actions... she had not drank with a man in over 2 hundred years. She shrugged it off, and awaited his return.
Several hours, and several rounds of drinks had passed during which they chatted lightly of all manner of things. Though Charlene did become a bit more free and giggly, she never lost one iota of the class she displayed at the start. He did notice that whenever he asked her any questions about her background, she managed to deftly sweep the question aside, or turn it around on him. She would then ask questions in such a way that he spoke of himself the entire time, and she never revealed a thing. He felt that she would make a master Geisha look like a doddling schoolgirl. He moved to take her hand in the middle of one of her questions, and she noticed it only as their hands were about to touch.. she jerked hers away so rapidly that she knocked over one of the empty bottles. "Clumsy of me, that!" she said, smiling cheerfully, "good thing the cleaning robot comes through in 11 minutes!" He noted that she said that without even so much as glancing at a clock or her watch. Internal chronometer? "Why won't you let me touch you?" he asked. She looked at him almost despairingly, "Because I can't." and she actually seemed to well up tears for a moment. She looked away, sniffed once, and composed herself, before looking back to him. "You can't? What happened?" "It's complicated." she responded. "I've noticed you've not once lied to me this entire time. You've evaded the truth, but you've not lied to me. Why not?" he asked.
She stared piercingly at him. "You're awfully perceptive, for someone who seems so boorish." Kabal shrugged, "Well, I AM boorish. Nothing seeming about it. But I guess I always had a knack for picking up on some things. Totally miss lotsa stuff that otehrs would see as obvious... but I'm weird like that." "Really?" Charlene said, swallowing a few ounces of beer before speaking again, "like... what kind of things do you notice?" "Well, for starters," Kabal said, "I noticed that you once again turned a situation back around on me to get me to change the subject by talking about myself. I'm not buying it. Why won't you let me touch you?" She looked away, "A lady of my upbringing does not go about letting relative strangers touch her." "You're baiting me into pressing you for details on where you came from. You REALLY want me to drop this, don't you?" She turned to him and offered him a mute nod. "I'll drop it, if you'll admit to being a Sailor Scout." "That makes no sense. That's ridiculously tangential to this." she returned. "There you go again, " Kabal said, "Evading but not lying! Are you, or are you not a Sailor Scout?" Charlene smiled again, and sipped her beer. "Yes." "Finally a straight answer." he said. Charlene, totally back into her easygoing demeanour, said, "Correct. I answered the question you asked."
Kabal, never much of an intellectual, mulled that over in his head for a long while. "I asked you 'Are you or are you not a Sailor Scout?' and you said yes. Clever." Charlene shrugged again. "So why don't you just lie to me?" She looked at him for a full minute before opening her mouth. "I... wish to know why you ask I am a Sailor Scout before I tell you whether I am or not." Kabal took out his crystal, still pulsing the color of her hair, and showed it to her. He saw immediately that she knew what it was, but decided he would ask her later. "There have been several women that this crystal has glowed around. Not all of them were Sailor Scouts, nor did all Sailor Scouts cause this reaction. But most of the women were."
Charlene looked into her drink, and finished the rest off at one gulp. "Yes. I am a Sailor Scout. I am the oldest; I was there before the original court they were part of fell. I am Sailor Pluto." Kabal nodded, respectfully. He now understood why such grace, such natural ease.... she had been a lady back when being a "lady" meant something. "That... that crystal.. I have never seen one do that before." She met Kabal's eyes, "As I am a Sailor Scout, as you are a Crystal Knight. You are of the order that guarded the court, and all the crystals were thought destroyed as all the bloodlines were ended. These crystals came into being when a man was born to the role, and found their way to him sometime in their life. And upon their deaths, the crystal would fragment and blow away into a fine dust."
"Why don't you lie to me?" he asked. She looked away and he saw color in her cheeks, and sadness in her eyes, "I am attracted to you. Sometimes love comes on fast for a woman, even of my age." "Then are you afraid for your honor? Is that why I cannot touch you?" Charlene turned back to him, "That is not it at all. My honor would not be sullied by laying with a man of such noble lineage." "You said 'love'." he said. Charlene's cheeks flushed again, "I did at that did I not?" He drank from his beer again, "You do not know me." Charlene sighed, "Why do men think they are so deep? I can judge a man at a glance, in his walk, his posture, the tone of his voice. I know what attracts me, and you are it. And you are without pretense; that surprised me." "So you have me all figured out already?" he asked. Charlene shook her head, "Not at all, but it does not take long to learn the worth of a man." "You are old-fashioned, you know that? 'Worth of a man'" Charlene drank again, "It's not any older fashioned than I myself am. I come from an age where women married young, and well. We had to be good judges or be unhappy forever."
"Then why not allow me to touch you?" he asked, "moving too fast?" "No, Kabal. Would that I could you would be in my bedchamber tonight." she said, allowing the alcohol to amplify her desires and wash her in them, "But I cannot; everything I touch dies." Kabal smiled and thought of the time a girl in his village had said that exact thing after two of her betrothed died in horrible accidents. "Oh please, bad luck does not mean you are..." Charlene reached over her head and touched the grapevine there as Kabal continued, "..doomed to it for eternity. Sometimes people die, and I know it hurts but you cannot blame yourself. Life just doesn't work- " he shut his mouth so quickly it made a sound when he saw the vine just beginning to show some browning in it's extremeties. He watched in a state of silent awe as the entire vine withered and died in the space of the next 15 minutes.
Charlene stood up. "See? Now you know what? I'm going to walk away from here before I actually come to love you. My heart cannot take it again." "Charlene." Kabal said in a voice low enough that she could pretend to ginore it if she chose to. She did not. "Yes?" "The sun is a beautiful thing. Her radiance warms us all. I love her very much, but I cannot touch the sun, that would seriously hurt. Nor can I look upon her for long. I need neither touch her nor be in her company to love her." Charlene turned back somewhat, "You're not very good at metaphors." "But you get what I am saying?" he asked. "Do you know what you are doing to me right now?" she returned. "Making you fall in love with me?" he guessed. "Damn you!" Charlene responded in a sudden flash of high emotion. She teared up quickly and turned away. "No!" she said, "You are torturing me! I told you a truth and now you are mocking me with it!" "How am I mocking you?" She turned back to him, anger in her eyes, "In the space of four hours and seven minutes you have.. done.. this... and..." her composure returned, "I should not have admitted my attraction to you."
Time slowed for Kabal a moment. He thought of everything this woman was saying, and he thought of what must have brought her to the point she is now. Awful loneliness, to have such a strong reaction to a man she had only just met. He looked at her standing there, not a hair out of place and incredibly ladylike, but with a fierce anger/pain in her eyes. His heart swelled and he damned himself silently even as he said aloud:
"It's OK. I'm glad you did. I hope you stay in my life. Your love would be a treasure that I would hate myself forever for passing up upon." he said. She glared at him, "Even if I could never touch you, in any way shape or form?" she asked. "Though contact with you would never be something I could have; to not have love of one like you would be far greater of the two tragedies." Charlene looked him over, returning to her composure again, and he could tell she was judging him again. He also noted that a butterfly was in his view, and as a still life painting. Somehow, time actually HAD stopped. "Fine then.... love.. uhh.. yes. Love me if you dare. But you know what?" He shrugged, "What?" "I was being evasive again. I am not entirely without the capacity to touch..." She made a shushing motion, finger to ruby lips, before he said anything. She raised her arms and cried in a voice that echoed as were they in a canyon... "Pluto Planet Power... make up!" And before him she stood, in a deep, almost black, green Sailor Scout outfit. She took a step to him; placed one hand on his cheek and the other firmly over his mouth. Then she kissed the back of her hand and he felt a thrill of emotion from her as she did so. She was kissing him as best she could; he understood immediately: "When you are a Sailor Scout yo do not transmit whatever it is about you that kills things." She nodded and looked at him joyfully, still tearing, then shook her head almost as quickly. "It is not as a Sailor Scout I stop oozing the poison.... it is that the Outfit somehow blocks it. Anywhere it does not cover me you still cannot touch me." She stepped another pace away from him, "Go home, Rei is expecting you." She tapped him on the forehead and just as suddenly she was gone.
The butterfly continued it's flight to alight upon the windowsill of the coffee shop.
Hurrying home, Kabal took his place in the shrine, and awaited Rei's arrival that they could commence their daily purification and discussion. She arrived, looking radiant as always in her Miko getup, and swished her sakaki wand about a bit as she prepared the rituals...
Kabal panted heavily, and now that it was over, he much liked the feel of Rei's hair sopping wet against his chest. But he also made an effort not to mention the fact that her hair was VERY sweaty since to tell her so would cause her to move and would probably offend her greatly. Beautiful hair.. thick and lustrous to be sure, but also very good at insulating. "That was absolutely intense, Rei." he said, hating the sound of it. She laughed lightly, "I got that yes." she said. Kicking himself for having opened his mouth, he slid his arms about Rei and clutched her to him... lovingly, he realized. He also knew enough about women that he knew it was time for him to shut up and just enjoy the moment.
It did not take her long to break the silence. "You've never done that before, have you?" she asked. "Nope, " Kabal said, "Thought about it plenty. Seen it in a couple of porn movies, but never actually DID it." "You certainly seemed to enjoy yourself." Rei said. "I can't believe you actually let me do that." he responded. Rei brought her arm back and patted his cheek, "It's no big deal 007. Stop feeling so damned guilty about everything." "That's the thing, " Kabal responded, "You're 14. Last night I took your virginity, and now... this." Rei wanted to turn in his arms to face him, but realized she was too weak to make the effort. "007, and at any point did you ever coerce me?" "No." he said. "And did you lie to me about anything, or mislead me in any way?" "Well," he said, thinking, "No." "And do you really think the spirit of Akane is going to lose much sleep over the fact that you're learning to move on?" Kabal was silent for a time and then said, "No, she always wanted only for my happiness, once she admitted it." "There you go then." Rei said. Kabal took a breath, and then actually began to laugh. "What?" Rei asked, trying not to laugh herself.. his laugh was infectious, full of unadulterated joy and she always found it hard to resist such sincere shows of emotion. "In fact, she's probably jealous of you for one thing." he said. "What?" she asked again. Kabal took a few breaths from under his mask before putting it back on the nightstand. "She's probably jealous that you got me to cut loose. She always complained that I was too... courteous... in the sack." "What's that mean?" rei asked, giggling now. "Well, I was so determined to be the opposite of what my mother critiqued pops about his tactics.. that I was, shall we say.. too considerate a lover?" Rei made a huffing sound, "007. I hardly think you need to use any euphemisms around me." Kabal nodded at that; no, indeed, he didn't. Nor did he think that was what the word 'euphemism' meant, but he did not comment on that. "I tended to think of her pleasure only, and she always told me I never seemed to be actually enjoying myself." Rei laughed again, "Something you should learn about women, Kabal-san... men are so afraid of being men... a lot of women are extremely happy if they are pleasing the one they love." Kabal furrowed his brow, then asked another question, "Yeah but what about you?" Rei flushed a bit, "If you must know, I did come. But it doesn't really matter... I'm not a man. I don't have an overriding need to orgasm every time I have sex. I'm just happy to give you love."
Rei snuggled back into his arms once more, then rose up, in somewhat of a hurry to the bathroom. Kabal chuckled at that and, very tired, let his eyes close and sleep overtook him into a light doze.
When his eyes opened again, Rei was sitting up next to him on the bed, towelling off her hair. "Hiya 007." she said when he moved to yawn. Bringing himself to focus, Kabal thought to broach a somewhat difficult subject. "Rei-chan?" he began. "Hmm?" she responded. "You know how my crystal glows all red when you're around? And we're uhh.. we're.. ah shit. Well, I love you, at least." "Yes?" Rei said, switching position of her legs to give her leverage to brush her hair. He had a clear on view right of... and stopped looking there. "Well, it did the same thing around Sailor Pluto. And in the space of only a couple of hours, we're... kinda.. have a thing going too." Rei looked unconcerned, "Actually I knew that you would...." she paused and looked at him, "Sailor Pluto? There's no Sailor Pluto."
Serena's black cat bounded into the window behind Rei; and only seeing her, began to speak. "Rei! You've been ignoring your communicator! The 'scouts are in a lot of trouble and we need Sailor Mars right now!" Rei turned to look at Luna, revealing Kabal. "Uh err... meow?" Luna said. Kabal rolled up out of bed and began throwing his clothes on. "C'mon Rei; we have work to do."
- 'Ni-Ni', 1-2-3-4-007, Dance Dance Revolution
Twisted Prophecy, Chapter 6
Rei entered the kitchen where Kabal was, and she sighed tiredly as she let her hair entirely down. She considered him as he looked over the contents of the fridge. A simple, noble man. Brash and oftimes seemingly uncaring, but always with his heart in the right place. "I hear you standing there Rei. Want a beer?" he asked. "What the hell why not?" she responded, still comparing the man in front of her to the man the fire had shown her. Warrior, lover, yes. But royalty? He would never make good royalty.
The fire had showed her, among other things, that this man would have two choices to make. One would lead to a magical artifact; an orb of some sort that was carried by a young boy, and a confrontation that had happened many times before between a family line and a dark god. The other path led somewhere Rei herself was partially familiar with. A battle to restore an old kindom's glory, enemies that themselves were enslaved, and a throne upon the moon. Along that path also lay a confrontation with the agent of a far more familiar god. Both paths showed him clad in the robes of obvious royalty. Though Rei did not see this explicitly, she also got the feeling that no matter which path chosen, he would still have to deal with the god of the other, as well. That what represented each path was the marriage to a woman; the other would be a concubine, and the battle would not be avoided. What bothered her is that she was not at the head of either of these paths. Her two closest friends were. She was relegated to the position of "concubine". Though the fire did offer her some consolation, it seemed she would get something else above others as well. More, she would mean much to this, as it was her place to absolve him and set him free. She had already absolved him of his past... and the rest would happen in time. Rei Hino was unashamed and unafraid; the one thing the flame has assured her was that she would never be betrayed by this man.
Kabal returned with the beers in hand, tops already popped off. he sat down and drank off half of his in three large swallows. Rei sipped hers... and found it repulsively bitter. She sipped again to be polite, secretly wondering why Kabal seemed to enjoy it so much. Kabal sighed loudly, and Rei noticed that he was avoiding meeting her eyes. "007." she said. He looked at her, and then pulled off his mask for another drink of beer. "Why do you keep calling me that?" he asked. Rei shrugged, "I don't know really. It's cute. Kabal, I-" Kabal silenced her with his expression as he glanced at the clock. "Rei!" he said, a little too loudly, "Do you have school tomorrow?" "Yes, 007, I do." she responded. Kabal actually looked somewhat relived as he said, "Then you need to go to bed! It's 1am!" Rei rubbed her eyes and noted that she was, indeed, exhausted. She also knew that Kabal was having a major attack of guilt. His eyes met hers, "Go on to bed Rei." "What about you Kabal?" she asked. "I'm gonna go out for a walk," he said, "I have a lotta thinking to do, ya know?" It was now Rei's turn to sigh, slightly annoyed that he was brushing her off. She decided she was too tired to drag anything out of him now, but couldn't help but have the last word. "Well, I'll keep the cover drawn back on my bed for you."
Rei stalked into her room, feeling rather hurt. She had just given her virginity to a man, and he suddenly didn't want to talk to her. The flame had told her that he would love her forever, but it sure didn't seem like that right now. And the fire had been wrong before. Thinking about it, she felt unsure, as if she might have just imagined the whole thing because Kabal was such an attractive man. Maybe she was just looking for a reason to justify her acting on her hormones. Maybe.. but then why would I show myself a vision of him marrying someone else? So I can have some emotionally detached sex? But it wasn't that... no. If she was trying that, it certainly failed, there was no emotional detachment here. She realized also that she was crying a bit, unwillingly. And her chest... it almost felt as if something were gnawing at her heart. 'Maybe I should get and try to get some answers.' she thought. She resolved to go to the shrine room and do exactly that... right after she rested her eyes a moment.
She opened them again to notice the glorious morning sun was shining right on her naked form. She streched and blearily look about for her clock. 7:06! She was going to be late for school! She dashed about, throwing clothing on, and rushed through the kitchen. There her grandfather was sitting, reading his morning paper. "Morning Rei." he said calmly. Too calmly, Rei noted. "I didn't hear you getting up this morning, so I figured I'd let you sleep in." Rei bowed quickly, "Thanks Grampa." He indicated two bento boxes on the other side of the table. "I took the liberty of making your lunch, and a quick breakfast." Rei bowed again, "Thanks Grampa! I thought I'd have to buy something on the way!" "Right," Grampa said, not raising his eyes from the paper, "And I made your breakfast really high protein. That kind of exercise can really take the energy reserves right out of you." Rei froze and blushed deeply. Of course he would have heard, Rei was openly screaming a few times the night before. "Go to school Rei." he said, still behind his newspaper, "you have to study for exams. I'll see you later." Rei scooped up the meals, "Aren't you going to say anything about it?" "Well, you certainly seemed to enjoy yourself, " Grampa said, a small tone of mischief evident in his voice. Rei's mouth hung open and she remained silent. "Oh, there is this though, did you use protection?" "No.." she said, squirming uncomfortably "It never even crossed my mind." Grampa lowered the newspaper and looked at her piercingly. "I thought you were more responsible than that, Rei." "Er..." Rei said, "I didn't think I'd need any." "And why is that, Rei?" She stammered a few moments to buy time, but he stopped her, "Because you went to see Dr. Tomoe and you got yourself a prescription about two months ago." Rei was still stunned and unable to speak, "Damnit Rei," Grampa said, not looking particularly angry, "I'm not mad about any of this, in fact I expected it, I just wish you wouldn't go behind my back." "But.. how did you know?" Rei asked. Grampa laughed, "You never got around to intercepting the insurance statement before I got to it. Now go to school. And cover your behind better." Rei tugged at her skirt and then stopped, and immediately felt foolish, when she realized that he didn't mean it that way.
She stepped outside and turned to look at the sun as she always did on her way. She saw Kabal was sitting on the roof. "Hi 007!" she said brightly. "G'mornin, Rei." he responded, sounding somewhat distracted. Rei felt that strange gnaw at her chest again. "007?" she asked, "Have I.... done something wrong?" "No." Kabal said. Then Rei smiled and said, "Then neither did you." and she rushed off to school.
And Kabal thought that through as he spent the morning atop the shrine roof. He hopped down at a later point and walked around the park there, and returned around lunch, where he cooked for himself and Rei's grandfather. They never spoke, save for him saying; "Rei should be coming home in a few hours. Please take care of her, I am going to Kyoto for the night," right before Kabal left to do the week's shopping.
Kabal turned down the final street towards the shrine, and waved at the elderly couple sitting in front of their house as he always did. While turning back to the road after doing so, he caught sight of something strange near the coffee house the next half-block over: A woman sitting in the chair out in front of the house, book in hand, talking to a woman who was in a trenchcoat and hat... that moved with the exact same mannerisms. Knowing that only ninja studied targets that well... and usually showed themselves to their target right before eliminating them, he shouldered the pack more securely and rushed over. He came within earshot to detect the first woman saying "You're not kidding?" The second woman answered in an identical voice, "No, I am not. We can't waste any time. There's time for so much more if we start NOW." The first woman looked irritated, "You know what? I hate it when we do this. It always gives me a massive headache." The second responded with, "Listen to what I say! I'm doing this for a damn good-" The second woman cut off when the first looked up and saw Kabal approaching. The second woman said nothing more save "Shit." and walked off briskly.
Completely befuckled, Kabal decided to play it cool.
"Hi!" he said, "Do you know anywhere I can get good coffee around here?"
Well, he had given "playing it cool" a good college try, anyway.
The woman stared at him for a few moments with a look that reminded Kabal of the looks Ryoga had often gotten when asking for directions. She then pointed at the store she was sitting in front of. "Thanks!" Kabal said, recovering quickly. He deposited his bag at her table and rushed inside; where he ordered a Green Tea Latte and popped back out... but stopped to examine the woman a moment before he sat. She had skin darker than most Asiatics, almost olive colored. It was exotic in it's tone, and somehow clashed almost... sensuously, with her evergreen colored hair. She looked around and peered at him a moment, and he took in the details of her eyes; crimson in colour and of a slightly different slant than most Japanese. Her legs were long and her hips well rounded, if a bit smallish. She uncrossed her legs with an easy grace, before sliding them to the other crossed position. He noted that she pointed her foot as it dangled; she seemed a picture of almost noble femininity. On a hunch, he checked the amulet inside his shirt.... it was throbbing gently in a hue matching her hair color. His curiosity overcame propriety.
Kabal sat right in fron of her and asked, "Are you a Sailor Scout?" The woman's composure did not change at all, nor did she react physically in the slighest. Were it not for a fast glint in her eyes, he would have taken her next statement somewhat differently. "Sailor Moon and her friends do have many wonderful adventures... though it is the dream of many a girl to lead that kind of life, alas, I am not included in these adventures." Kabal nodded a moment, sipped his latte, and said, "What, somebody has to stay behind and watch the home base?" The woman laughed lightly and elegantly, "I don't think the Scouts have a home base. My name is Charlene." Kabal nodded, "And I am called Kabal. Pleased to met you." He extended his hand to shake, but she merely smiled enigmatically at him and said "I do not touch strangers. Kabal is not your real name, is it?" Kabal withdrew his hand and said, "You tell me your secret identity and I'll tell you mine." Charlene laughed again, "I am who you see before you." Kabal sipped again and said, "And who else are you?" She locked eyes with him, "A lover of good coffee, excellent literature, harmonious music and fine beer." "Fine beer?! I didn't know there was any such thing." Charlene smiled, "Then perhaps maybe it is something you should no longer miss. Would you care to buy the lady a drink?" Kabal stood up and bowed sweepingly, "Certainly. Sit tight and tell me what to get us? Sorry, but it would be a shame to hide someone like you in a poorly lit bar." Charlene pointed to the chinese bar somewhat down the block and said, "Tell them the green lady would like drinks for two." Kabal saluted her and walked off, swaggering for comic effect, stopping to give her a thumbs up before walking in.
Charlene was a bit surprised by her actions... she had not drank with a man in over 2 hundred years. She shrugged it off, and awaited his return.
Several hours, and several rounds of drinks had passed during which they chatted lightly of all manner of things. Though Charlene did become a bit more free and giggly, she never lost one iota of the class she displayed at the start. He did notice that whenever he asked her any questions about her background, she managed to deftly sweep the question aside, or turn it around on him. She would then ask questions in such a way that he spoke of himself the entire time, and she never revealed a thing. He felt that she would make a master Geisha look like a doddling schoolgirl. He moved to take her hand in the middle of one of her questions, and she noticed it only as their hands were about to touch.. she jerked hers away so rapidly that she knocked over one of the empty bottles. "Clumsy of me, that!" she said, smiling cheerfully, "good thing the cleaning robot comes through in 11 minutes!" He noted that she said that without even so much as glancing at a clock or her watch. Internal chronometer? "Why won't you let me touch you?" he asked. She looked at him almost despairingly, "Because I can't." and she actually seemed to well up tears for a moment. She looked away, sniffed once, and composed herself, before looking back to him. "You can't? What happened?" "It's complicated." she responded. "I've noticed you've not once lied to me this entire time. You've evaded the truth, but you've not lied to me. Why not?" he asked.
She stared piercingly at him. "You're awfully perceptive, for someone who seems so boorish." Kabal shrugged, "Well, I AM boorish. Nothing seeming about it. But I guess I always had a knack for picking up on some things. Totally miss lotsa stuff that otehrs would see as obvious... but I'm weird like that." "Really?" Charlene said, swallowing a few ounces of beer before speaking again, "like... what kind of things do you notice?" "Well, for starters," Kabal said, "I noticed that you once again turned a situation back around on me to get me to change the subject by talking about myself. I'm not buying it. Why won't you let me touch you?" She looked away, "A lady of my upbringing does not go about letting relative strangers touch her." "You're baiting me into pressing you for details on where you came from. You REALLY want me to drop this, don't you?" She turned to him and offered him a mute nod. "I'll drop it, if you'll admit to being a Sailor Scout." "That makes no sense. That's ridiculously tangential to this." she returned. "There you go again, " Kabal said, "Evading but not lying! Are you, or are you not a Sailor Scout?" Charlene smiled again, and sipped her beer. "Yes." "Finally a straight answer." he said. Charlene, totally back into her easygoing demeanour, said, "Correct. I answered the question you asked."
Kabal, never much of an intellectual, mulled that over in his head for a long while. "I asked you 'Are you or are you not a Sailor Scout?' and you said yes. Clever." Charlene shrugged again. "So why don't you just lie to me?" She looked at him for a full minute before opening her mouth. "I... wish to know why you ask I am a Sailor Scout before I tell you whether I am or not." Kabal took out his crystal, still pulsing the color of her hair, and showed it to her. He saw immediately that she knew what it was, but decided he would ask her later. "There have been several women that this crystal has glowed around. Not all of them were Sailor Scouts, nor did all Sailor Scouts cause this reaction. But most of the women were."
Charlene looked into her drink, and finished the rest off at one gulp. "Yes. I am a Sailor Scout. I am the oldest; I was there before the original court they were part of fell. I am Sailor Pluto." Kabal nodded, respectfully. He now understood why such grace, such natural ease.... she had been a lady back when being a "lady" meant something. "That... that crystal.. I have never seen one do that before." She met Kabal's eyes, "As I am a Sailor Scout, as you are a Crystal Knight. You are of the order that guarded the court, and all the crystals were thought destroyed as all the bloodlines were ended. These crystals came into being when a man was born to the role, and found their way to him sometime in their life. And upon their deaths, the crystal would fragment and blow away into a fine dust."
"Why don't you lie to me?" he asked. She looked away and he saw color in her cheeks, and sadness in her eyes, "I am attracted to you. Sometimes love comes on fast for a woman, even of my age." "Then are you afraid for your honor? Is that why I cannot touch you?" Charlene turned back to him, "That is not it at all. My honor would not be sullied by laying with a man of such noble lineage." "You said 'love'." he said. Charlene's cheeks flushed again, "I did at that did I not?" He drank from his beer again, "You do not know me." Charlene sighed, "Why do men think they are so deep? I can judge a man at a glance, in his walk, his posture, the tone of his voice. I know what attracts me, and you are it. And you are without pretense; that surprised me." "So you have me all figured out already?" he asked. Charlene shook her head, "Not at all, but it does not take long to learn the worth of a man." "You are old-fashioned, you know that? 'Worth of a man'" Charlene drank again, "It's not any older fashioned than I myself am. I come from an age where women married young, and well. We had to be good judges or be unhappy forever."
"Then why not allow me to touch you?" he asked, "moving too fast?" "No, Kabal. Would that I could you would be in my bedchamber tonight." she said, allowing the alcohol to amplify her desires and wash her in them, "But I cannot; everything I touch dies." Kabal smiled and thought of the time a girl in his village had said that exact thing after two of her betrothed died in horrible accidents. "Oh please, bad luck does not mean you are..." Charlene reached over her head and touched the grapevine there as Kabal continued, "..doomed to it for eternity. Sometimes people die, and I know it hurts but you cannot blame yourself. Life just doesn't work- " he shut his mouth so quickly it made a sound when he saw the vine just beginning to show some browning in it's extremeties. He watched in a state of silent awe as the entire vine withered and died in the space of the next 15 minutes.
Charlene stood up. "See? Now you know what? I'm going to walk away from here before I actually come to love you. My heart cannot take it again." "Charlene." Kabal said in a voice low enough that she could pretend to ginore it if she chose to. She did not. "Yes?" "The sun is a beautiful thing. Her radiance warms us all. I love her very much, but I cannot touch the sun, that would seriously hurt. Nor can I look upon her for long. I need neither touch her nor be in her company to love her." Charlene turned back somewhat, "You're not very good at metaphors." "But you get what I am saying?" he asked. "Do you know what you are doing to me right now?" she returned. "Making you fall in love with me?" he guessed. "Damn you!" Charlene responded in a sudden flash of high emotion. She teared up quickly and turned away. "No!" she said, "You are torturing me! I told you a truth and now you are mocking me with it!" "How am I mocking you?" She turned back to him, anger in her eyes, "In the space of four hours and seven minutes you have.. done.. this... and..." her composure returned, "I should not have admitted my attraction to you."
Time slowed for Kabal a moment. He thought of everything this woman was saying, and he thought of what must have brought her to the point she is now. Awful loneliness, to have such a strong reaction to a man she had only just met. He looked at her standing there, not a hair out of place and incredibly ladylike, but with a fierce anger/pain in her eyes. His heart swelled and he damned himself silently even as he said aloud:
"It's OK. I'm glad you did. I hope you stay in my life. Your love would be a treasure that I would hate myself forever for passing up upon." he said. She glared at him, "Even if I could never touch you, in any way shape or form?" she asked. "Though contact with you would never be something I could have; to not have love of one like you would be far greater of the two tragedies." Charlene looked him over, returning to her composure again, and he could tell she was judging him again. He also noted that a butterfly was in his view, and as a still life painting. Somehow, time actually HAD stopped. "Fine then.... love.. uhh.. yes. Love me if you dare. But you know what?" He shrugged, "What?" "I was being evasive again. I am not entirely without the capacity to touch..." She made a shushing motion, finger to ruby lips, before he said anything. She raised her arms and cried in a voice that echoed as were they in a canyon... "Pluto Planet Power... make up!" And before him she stood, in a deep, almost black, green Sailor Scout outfit. She took a step to him; placed one hand on his cheek and the other firmly over his mouth. Then she kissed the back of her hand and he felt a thrill of emotion from her as she did so. She was kissing him as best she could; he understood immediately: "When you are a Sailor Scout yo do not transmit whatever it is about you that kills things." She nodded and looked at him joyfully, still tearing, then shook her head almost as quickly. "It is not as a Sailor Scout I stop oozing the poison.... it is that the Outfit somehow blocks it. Anywhere it does not cover me you still cannot touch me." She stepped another pace away from him, "Go home, Rei is expecting you." She tapped him on the forehead and just as suddenly she was gone.
The butterfly continued it's flight to alight upon the windowsill of the coffee shop.
Hurrying home, Kabal took his place in the shrine, and awaited Rei's arrival that they could commence their daily purification and discussion. She arrived, looking radiant as always in her Miko getup, and swished her sakaki wand about a bit as she prepared the rituals...
Kabal panted heavily, and now that it was over, he much liked the feel of Rei's hair sopping wet against his chest. But he also made an effort not to mention the fact that her hair was VERY sweaty since to tell her so would cause her to move and would probably offend her greatly. Beautiful hair.. thick and lustrous to be sure, but also very good at insulating. "That was absolutely intense, Rei." he said, hating the sound of it. She laughed lightly, "I got that yes." she said. Kicking himself for having opened his mouth, he slid his arms about Rei and clutched her to him... lovingly, he realized. He also knew enough about women that he knew it was time for him to shut up and just enjoy the moment.
It did not take her long to break the silence. "You've never done that before, have you?" she asked. "Nope, " Kabal said, "Thought about it plenty. Seen it in a couple of porn movies, but never actually DID it." "You certainly seemed to enjoy yourself." Rei said. "I can't believe you actually let me do that." he responded. Rei brought her arm back and patted his cheek, "It's no big deal 007. Stop feeling so damned guilty about everything." "That's the thing, " Kabal responded, "You're 14. Last night I took your virginity, and now... this." Rei wanted to turn in his arms to face him, but realized she was too weak to make the effort. "007, and at any point did you ever coerce me?" "No." he said. "And did you lie to me about anything, or mislead me in any way?" "Well," he said, thinking, "No." "And do you really think the spirit of Akane is going to lose much sleep over the fact that you're learning to move on?" Kabal was silent for a time and then said, "No, she always wanted only for my happiness, once she admitted it." "There you go then." Rei said. Kabal took a breath, and then actually began to laugh. "What?" Rei asked, trying not to laugh herself.. his laugh was infectious, full of unadulterated joy and she always found it hard to resist such sincere shows of emotion. "In fact, she's probably jealous of you for one thing." he said. "What?" she asked again. Kabal took a few breaths from under his mask before putting it back on the nightstand. "She's probably jealous that you got me to cut loose. She always complained that I was too... courteous... in the sack." "What's that mean?" rei asked, giggling now. "Well, I was so determined to be the opposite of what my mother critiqued pops about his tactics.. that I was, shall we say.. too considerate a lover?" Rei made a huffing sound, "007. I hardly think you need to use any euphemisms around me." Kabal nodded at that; no, indeed, he didn't. Nor did he think that was what the word 'euphemism' meant, but he did not comment on that. "I tended to think of her pleasure only, and she always told me I never seemed to be actually enjoying myself." Rei laughed again, "Something you should learn about women, Kabal-san... men are so afraid of being men... a lot of women are extremely happy if they are pleasing the one they love." Kabal furrowed his brow, then asked another question, "Yeah but what about you?" Rei flushed a bit, "If you must know, I did come. But it doesn't really matter... I'm not a man. I don't have an overriding need to orgasm every time I have sex. I'm just happy to give you love."
Rei snuggled back into his arms once more, then rose up, in somewhat of a hurry to the bathroom. Kabal chuckled at that and, very tired, let his eyes close and sleep overtook him into a light doze.
When his eyes opened again, Rei was sitting up next to him on the bed, towelling off her hair. "Hiya 007." she said when he moved to yawn. Bringing himself to focus, Kabal thought to broach a somewhat difficult subject. "Rei-chan?" he began. "Hmm?" she responded. "You know how my crystal glows all red when you're around? And we're uhh.. we're.. ah shit. Well, I love you, at least." "Yes?" Rei said, switching position of her legs to give her leverage to brush her hair. He had a clear on view right of... and stopped looking there. "Well, it did the same thing around Sailor Pluto. And in the space of only a couple of hours, we're... kinda.. have a thing going too." Rei looked unconcerned, "Actually I knew that you would...." she paused and looked at him, "Sailor Pluto? There's no Sailor Pluto."
Serena's black cat bounded into the window behind Rei; and only seeing her, began to speak. "Rei! You've been ignoring your communicator! The 'scouts are in a lot of trouble and we need Sailor Mars right now!" Rei turned to look at Luna, revealing Kabal. "Uh err... meow?" Luna said. Kabal rolled up out of bed and began throwing his clothes on. "C'mon Rei; we have work to do."