Pyre
Chapter 3
by Kayla Chavi
Genre: Drama
Rating: R
email: kaylachavi@yahoo.com
website: http://www.angelfire.com/ky2/todrem/index.htm
* * *
"Finally," I muttered as I watched the youma turn to dust. "That was the second one today," I commented to no one in particular.
"Sixth one this week," Mercury said dryly.
"And if we want to be technical, its the eighteenth this month," Moon said testily. "I can not believe that he didn't show up," she muttered. "I don't care if he is bedridden. Saving the world takes priority over everything. Even being sick. I was sick one time and I still fought."
Mercury and I exchanged a smile and shook our heads in unison. I was about to say something when I frowned and closed my eyes.
He was nearby. I could feel him, just waiting until Moon and Mercury left. My hands began to shake and I tried to hide them, but Moon noticed. She's like that, always noticing when something isn't right with her friends. Gods, how I loved her for that. There was a reason that she was Sailor Moon and I was just Hino Rei.
"Mars?" she asked worriedly, stopping her tirade to come over to me. She took my hands gently in hers. "Is something wrong?"
I swallowed the lump in my throat, "Of course not," I said and forced a smile, "Just post youma-ass-kicking fatigue."
I knew she didn't believe me, but what could I say to her? Serena, the moment you leave me alone our enemy is going to come, feel me up, and possibly kiss me again like he's done the past five times?
Oh, did I forget to mention that? Yeah, its been five times.
No, I couldn't say that to her. I couldn't tell her.
"You sure? I mean 'cause if you want I could walk home with you," she suggested.
"Please?" I whispered and met her eyes. I knew she could see the despair in them, the fear. Normally Darien walked me back to the temple after a battle. The only times he didn't, was when Serena was injured and needed him to carry her home.
She was more important than I was and he needed to be with her during those times. I understood that. So I decided I could bare walking home alone and faced the fear of possibly running into him for Serena's sake. She was the one who was going to save the world, I was just there to make sure she didn't get killed in the process.
She nodded and took my hand in hers. Holding it gently, we walked home after saying good-bye to Mercury. It was a silent walk home, for she didn't ask any questions and I didn't offer any explanations. I had become increasingly distant during the last few weeks; since I had found out who my stalker was. Serena had told me several times that she was worried about me.
Darien had told me several times how worried he was about me too. In fact he was starting to get frustrated with me because I wouldn't tell him who it was that was scaring the shit out of me. What could I tell him?
The man who's doing this is a powerful General of the Negaverse who we don't have any Power to destroy? The man who is doing this to me can't be put in prison because he's not exactly human?
Could I tell him that the man that was doing this had me paralyzed with fear, so much fear to the point that when he kissed me I wanted more?
No. I couldn't. Therefore, his identity remained a secret, known only by me. One of these days Serena would defeat him and I would be free. That was something that I believed in completely. I wondered if she knew how much faith I had in her, if she knew how much I believed in her.
Serena and I stopped at the gate to the temple and she offered a small smile. "You did a great job tonight Rei," she kissed my cheek and squeezed my hand. "I don't know what I would do if you weren't there to back us up. You're the backbone to this ragtag team of misfits," she joked playfully, but I could hear the serious note to her words.
"Thanks, Serena," I gave her a hug. "Thanks for walking home with me. Be careful, okay?"
"I'll be fine," she said and winked before walking in the direction of Darien's apartment. I smiled knowing that the dark haired knight in shining armor, was going to get quite an earful. They had only been dating for a little over two weeks, (and we won't go into that warm and fuzzy story), but they were completely devoted to each other.
I smiled at the thought, wishing that like Serena, I could find a man who would love me the way that he loved her. Instead all I had was a stalker who got his kicks my scaring me and arousing me.
That thought alone caused a conflict in me.
Carefully I closed the gate and turned to walk into the small home attached to the temple. I was almost to the door and to the safety of my bedroom when I stopped, my hand on the handle to the screen.
"You're avoiding me again."
I shut my eyes tightly but didn't turn around.
"You seem surprised."
He laughed quietly, "Not really," he commented. "Turn around and look at me, Rei."
"No."
I was fighting with everything I had in my being to not obey that command. I knew that once I started to do what he told me to, that I would lose myself completely. I didn't want that, I had to be in control of all of myself.
I didn't want to lose myself in his eyes.
I heard him come up from behind me. I could feel the warmth of his body so close to mine. I prayed that he wouldn't touch me. That maybe, this time, he would just leave. That he wouldn't force me to feel the heat and passion that inevitably came with his touch.
"Turn around and look at me, Rei."
"Get away from me."
My prayers, of course, were in vain.
His gloved hands came and settled on my shoulders. I stiffened and did my best not to let my body react to that sickening touch. I knew he was leaning over my shoulder, his mouth near my ear.
"Turn around and look at me, Pyre." His warm breath made me shiver and I just shook my head. I hated the nickname that he had decided to give me after our second kiss. Amazing isn't it, I know how many kisses we've had. The name didn't mean anything to me at all. It wasn't like Pyro, which Darien liked to call me in jest because of my fascination with flame. Pyre, on the other hand, made absolutely no sense to me.
"Never."
He didn't say anything as he bent down even closer to me and I felt his lips against my neck. Once. Twice. Three times he kissed me there, letting his hands slide down my arms and then around my waist. He pulled me back into his chest, forcing me to rest against it. I could never let myself relax in his warm embrace, never. For if I did I would lose myself too easily.
He knew what to do when it came to seducing a woman.
"Why do you fight me when you know that you can not win?" he asked, lightly stroking my stomach in a gentle gesture that left my stomach in knots. He confused me so much. Some nights he was gentle and gave the impression that he cared. Other nights it was painful and I ended up with bruises where he touched me.
"We will win," I said, deliberately misunderstanding him. "Love and Justice will triumph."
He laughed quietly, "You delude yourself," he said simply. "Turn around Rei."
It was a silent battle the entire time as he forced my body to slowly turn around until I was facing him. Every night, more of me gave into him. It scared me, making me wonder how far I would let him go, how much of me would let him take advantage of me.
"When I ask for you, you will come," he said simply, one of his gloved hands holding the side of my face.
I narrowed my eyes, "No. I will never come willingly."
He laughed again. He does that a lot, his blue eyes crinkling at the corners, his mouth quirking slightly on one side.
"Soon, Pyre. I will take you in the most intimate of ways and you will come to me willingly. You will crave it and you will come." He smirked and touched my lips.
At that revelation, I tore out of his arms, my breathing was shallow and labored. I was ready to cry out all of my frustrations, to scream at myself to do something. I would never let him get that intimate with me for so many reasons.
Reasons besides the fact that I was only fifteen.
"I will never want you. I will NEVER crave your touch. I will never come willingly. I never have and I never will."
He raised an eyebrow and then in a movement faster than lightning, crushed his mouth on mine in a fiercely passionately kiss. It was a conquering kiss. A kiss that left me trembling from cowardice and the desire for more.
"Yes. You will. You do. You have."
Then, after that enigmatic statement, there was only air where he had been standing.
* * *
"Kalkaylakia is one of the most complex characters in all the myths in the world." Jonathon d'Stormui, a American brought in to teach at my school, was one of my favorite teachers. He had captivated our Mythological Literature class with his rendition of the Myth of Kalkaylakia. It was one of those universal myths that had sprung up in every culture. Even the stupid Americans had her in their myths, and well, Americans were just stupid when it came to myth. They had folklore but because they were so young, they had very few myths.
According to Mr. d'Stormui, there is quite a difference between folklore and myth. He pointed this out to us and made us aware that while we were Japanese, we were still very ignorant.
In our ignorance, we didn't realize that they also had the Myth of Kalkaylakia, until Mr. d'Stuormui brought it to our attention as well. Until then it was just one of those boring myths that we grew up learning. However through him, we grew to love it because he had such a passion for it.
Once, our class teased him that he if it were possible for him to meet this character and fall in love with her, that he would have. He knew things about her that most people didn't. Either way, he was a very good storyteller. At times he made me wish she was real, just so I could meet her.
Yeah, I began to idolize a mythological character. So sue me.
"Within her, Kalkaylakia held the power do a great good as well as a power to destroy the universe. She held it in the form of the child." He paused, " She had to make a vow to protect the world and people that she loved. Her vow was that of chastity."
A student raised their hands and Mr. d'Stormui nodded, "But the text you gave us, says that she slept with many different men. She didn't do a good job keeping her vow."
The tall American laughed quietly and murmured something in English before answering the question. "Do you all recall the prophesy that she was given at the time of her Trial? She was told that a man of Darkness and a Man of Light would come into her life. Both would love her. One would destroy her. Through a series of visions and events in her life, she found the man of Darkness: Angel d'Lamouge. The other man is not named, but was her soul mate."
"Because he carried her soul, right?" I asked, contributing to the discussion. Mr. d'Stormui smiled at me and nodded. If I had been prone to such things, then I'm sure I would have sighed. He was hot!
Then again, I already had a hot guy wanting me to lust after him. I had already learned that handsome sometimes equaled cruel. Just because he was a great teacher, didn't mean that he was a good person.
"Exactly, but he loved her as well. And it is very obvious from the text, Kalkaylakia isn't a particularly easy woman to love."
Our class chuckled softly before he turned us serious again. "Now, her chastity vow was limited to two men. Not exactly an easy task when one of them is your soul mate and the other is a well known and experienced womanizer. It is extremely not easy when you're cursed with an overactive sex drive."
He paused quietly and then looked at us all intently. "How many of you think that you would be able to make a vow like that and be true to it?"
There were a few hands that went up. Mine was not with them, even though I knew that I would have no problem making that kind of a vow.
I already had.
Reason number two, why I would not give in to Jedeite.
I was a priestess and had taken my duty seriously. The Gods did not require of me to make the vow, but I did anyway. The temple is my life, being a senshi is my life. I don't anticipate anything else being able to squeeze in there.
I didn't regret making that vow.
Besides, having the vow gave me a sense of safety and security. I would never let myself break my vow with him.
Mr. d'Stormui raised an eyebrow skeptically at those who had raised their hands. "Ah, the delusions of youth," he smiled sardonically and walked up to the chalkboard. He picked up a piece of chalk and wrote a word on the board.
When he pulled away, the word 'seduction' had been scrawled in both Japanese, English, and another language I didn't recognize. A few of the more immature members of the class laughed childishly at the word, but one look from the teacher shut them up quickly.
Mr. d'Stormui was at least 6'4" if not taller. Tall Americans can be intimidating. Jedeite really wasn't tall. I think he came to about 6'1" maybe not even that. Then again, all I knew what that he was a lot taller than me.
"Most of you have not discovered the wonders and joys of sexual stimulation," he said bluntly. "If you had, you would not be so quick to assume that it is possible to 'Just say no.' It is more difficult than anything else you could ever experience. Pleasure is not something your body is going to let you stop or forgo once it has discovered it."
He paused again and looked around the room. He met every students eyes evenly before continuing. "Kalkaylakia had some of the best control imaginable, but she also was just as weak as any mortal. When it comes right down to the event, the moment in time, there is suddenly a vast difference between what you vowed to do, what you're willing to do, and eventually what you will let yourself do. There is always a crossroad where choices are made. There are always a bridge that once crossed must be burned. There is always a point of no return."
He had stunned our class into silence. He nodded once. "That's just something to think about." The bell rang and he looked at the clock, "See you tomorrow," he said and then went to his desk as the class ran to the doorway to escape the horrors of school.
I paused after gathering my things and then went up to him. A question had burned in my mind during the discussion. "Mr. d'Stormui?"
He looked up from his papers, "Yes, Rei?" His Japanese was very good, but he always called us by our first names. Sometimes it was a little awkward, a little personal, but our class had gotten used to it.
"How does it end?" I asked quietly, "I haven't gotten that far in the text you've given us yet."
He looked at me for a long moment and for an instant I felt like he was looking into the very depths of my soul.
"It doesn't," he said after a moment, "The myth continues and it seems like every year new texts are found with her story. Its thought, by some philosophers and mythologists, that because she never is given a death, that the myth will continue until the end of time."
I nodded and bit my lower lip, "What happens with her and Angel?"
He looked incredibly saddened for a moment, which confused me. I mean, this was just a myth, not a real person or a real story. But he had made it real to me, so real that at times I almost believed that the myth was real. Maybe he felt the same way too.
"She gives in," he said after a moment, "In an experience that is half rape, half consent, she experiences passion with Angel. The Child of Chaos is born and threatens the entire universe. Kalkia ends up killing her own child, the only one she could ever have. Her soul mate dies in her arms for a second time and then life goes on."
Kalkia. He had shortened her name and had said it with an intimate feeling. I took a closer look at him and my psychic nature could feel some sort Power emanating from him. It appeared that Mr. d'Stormui was not what he appeared to be. My first reaction was Negaverse, but he didn't have an evil aura around him.
So I dismissed it.
"She gives in?" I asked disbelieving. For some reason I felt like my hopes had been shattered. Something that was a part of this myth was important to me. I needed to know that if it would help me overcome my current problem.
For all myths were based in a semblance of reality.
"Rei, Angel was a Powerful man who could read minds. He also had been her best friend at one point. He knew her in a lot of different ways and on a lot of different levels. When two people know each other that well, and one or both have sexual feelings for the other, then what happens next is inevitable." He looked at me intently, "Can you understand that?"
Slowly I nodded, and sighed dejectedly, "It's not fair though."
He gave a slight smile, "Life rarely is."
* * *
I was thinking about all of this as I walking to meet Serena and Ami at the Crown. I knew that Kalkaylakia is only a fictional character. I knew that she really doesn't exist.
But I felt like the story was important enough to dwell on. I had been doing my best not to dwell on Jedeite and his torments. It didn't help that Angel sounded a lot like Jedeite, with the exception that if I got pregnant the child wasn't going to destroy the universe.
But I was still so scared.
Because I was so lost in my thoughts I didn't hear the car drive up next to me. I didn't hear the window being rolled down, and I certainly didn't see the person who was driving it.
"Hello, Pyre."
I stopped. I was completely frozen. That voice was one that I had only heard at night. That voice I never associated with my everyday life. That voice was a part of my life that I kept hidden. It was not supposed to be out in the daylight.
I turned towards the source of the voice and paled.
Sitting in the car was Jedeite. Gone was the gray general uniform and in its place was black slacks and a gray shirt. He looked like he had just stepped out of a clothing ad.
The fact that his car was extremely beautiful didn't help either. It was also a convertible.
Did I mention how much I loved convertibles?
"Go away."
"Get in the car."
"No. Leave me alone."
I knew that my hands were shaking obviously. I clenched them into fists and tried to hide them in the folds of my very skimpy school uniform. I met his eyes and looked at him as coldly as I could.
"Get in the car."
Chapter 3
by Kayla Chavi
Genre: Drama
Rating: R
email: kaylachavi@yahoo.com
website: http://www.angelfire.com/ky2/todrem/index.htm
* * *
"Finally," I muttered as I watched the youma turn to dust. "That was the second one today," I commented to no one in particular.
"Sixth one this week," Mercury said dryly.
"And if we want to be technical, its the eighteenth this month," Moon said testily. "I can not believe that he didn't show up," she muttered. "I don't care if he is bedridden. Saving the world takes priority over everything. Even being sick. I was sick one time and I still fought."
Mercury and I exchanged a smile and shook our heads in unison. I was about to say something when I frowned and closed my eyes.
He was nearby. I could feel him, just waiting until Moon and Mercury left. My hands began to shake and I tried to hide them, but Moon noticed. She's like that, always noticing when something isn't right with her friends. Gods, how I loved her for that. There was a reason that she was Sailor Moon and I was just Hino Rei.
"Mars?" she asked worriedly, stopping her tirade to come over to me. She took my hands gently in hers. "Is something wrong?"
I swallowed the lump in my throat, "Of course not," I said and forced a smile, "Just post youma-ass-kicking fatigue."
I knew she didn't believe me, but what could I say to her? Serena, the moment you leave me alone our enemy is going to come, feel me up, and possibly kiss me again like he's done the past five times?
Oh, did I forget to mention that? Yeah, its been five times.
No, I couldn't say that to her. I couldn't tell her.
"You sure? I mean 'cause if you want I could walk home with you," she suggested.
"Please?" I whispered and met her eyes. I knew she could see the despair in them, the fear. Normally Darien walked me back to the temple after a battle. The only times he didn't, was when Serena was injured and needed him to carry her home.
She was more important than I was and he needed to be with her during those times. I understood that. So I decided I could bare walking home alone and faced the fear of possibly running into him for Serena's sake. She was the one who was going to save the world, I was just there to make sure she didn't get killed in the process.
She nodded and took my hand in hers. Holding it gently, we walked home after saying good-bye to Mercury. It was a silent walk home, for she didn't ask any questions and I didn't offer any explanations. I had become increasingly distant during the last few weeks; since I had found out who my stalker was. Serena had told me several times that she was worried about me.
Darien had told me several times how worried he was about me too. In fact he was starting to get frustrated with me because I wouldn't tell him who it was that was scaring the shit out of me. What could I tell him?
The man who's doing this is a powerful General of the Negaverse who we don't have any Power to destroy? The man who is doing this to me can't be put in prison because he's not exactly human?
Could I tell him that the man that was doing this had me paralyzed with fear, so much fear to the point that when he kissed me I wanted more?
No. I couldn't. Therefore, his identity remained a secret, known only by me. One of these days Serena would defeat him and I would be free. That was something that I believed in completely. I wondered if she knew how much faith I had in her, if she knew how much I believed in her.
Serena and I stopped at the gate to the temple and she offered a small smile. "You did a great job tonight Rei," she kissed my cheek and squeezed my hand. "I don't know what I would do if you weren't there to back us up. You're the backbone to this ragtag team of misfits," she joked playfully, but I could hear the serious note to her words.
"Thanks, Serena," I gave her a hug. "Thanks for walking home with me. Be careful, okay?"
"I'll be fine," she said and winked before walking in the direction of Darien's apartment. I smiled knowing that the dark haired knight in shining armor, was going to get quite an earful. They had only been dating for a little over two weeks, (and we won't go into that warm and fuzzy story), but they were completely devoted to each other.
I smiled at the thought, wishing that like Serena, I could find a man who would love me the way that he loved her. Instead all I had was a stalker who got his kicks my scaring me and arousing me.
That thought alone caused a conflict in me.
Carefully I closed the gate and turned to walk into the small home attached to the temple. I was almost to the door and to the safety of my bedroom when I stopped, my hand on the handle to the screen.
"You're avoiding me again."
I shut my eyes tightly but didn't turn around.
"You seem surprised."
He laughed quietly, "Not really," he commented. "Turn around and look at me, Rei."
"No."
I was fighting with everything I had in my being to not obey that command. I knew that once I started to do what he told me to, that I would lose myself completely. I didn't want that, I had to be in control of all of myself.
I didn't want to lose myself in his eyes.
I heard him come up from behind me. I could feel the warmth of his body so close to mine. I prayed that he wouldn't touch me. That maybe, this time, he would just leave. That he wouldn't force me to feel the heat and passion that inevitably came with his touch.
"Turn around and look at me, Rei."
"Get away from me."
My prayers, of course, were in vain.
His gloved hands came and settled on my shoulders. I stiffened and did my best not to let my body react to that sickening touch. I knew he was leaning over my shoulder, his mouth near my ear.
"Turn around and look at me, Pyre." His warm breath made me shiver and I just shook my head. I hated the nickname that he had decided to give me after our second kiss. Amazing isn't it, I know how many kisses we've had. The name didn't mean anything to me at all. It wasn't like Pyro, which Darien liked to call me in jest because of my fascination with flame. Pyre, on the other hand, made absolutely no sense to me.
"Never."
He didn't say anything as he bent down even closer to me and I felt his lips against my neck. Once. Twice. Three times he kissed me there, letting his hands slide down my arms and then around my waist. He pulled me back into his chest, forcing me to rest against it. I could never let myself relax in his warm embrace, never. For if I did I would lose myself too easily.
He knew what to do when it came to seducing a woman.
"Why do you fight me when you know that you can not win?" he asked, lightly stroking my stomach in a gentle gesture that left my stomach in knots. He confused me so much. Some nights he was gentle and gave the impression that he cared. Other nights it was painful and I ended up with bruises where he touched me.
"We will win," I said, deliberately misunderstanding him. "Love and Justice will triumph."
He laughed quietly, "You delude yourself," he said simply. "Turn around Rei."
It was a silent battle the entire time as he forced my body to slowly turn around until I was facing him. Every night, more of me gave into him. It scared me, making me wonder how far I would let him go, how much of me would let him take advantage of me.
"When I ask for you, you will come," he said simply, one of his gloved hands holding the side of my face.
I narrowed my eyes, "No. I will never come willingly."
He laughed again. He does that a lot, his blue eyes crinkling at the corners, his mouth quirking slightly on one side.
"Soon, Pyre. I will take you in the most intimate of ways and you will come to me willingly. You will crave it and you will come." He smirked and touched my lips.
At that revelation, I tore out of his arms, my breathing was shallow and labored. I was ready to cry out all of my frustrations, to scream at myself to do something. I would never let him get that intimate with me for so many reasons.
Reasons besides the fact that I was only fifteen.
"I will never want you. I will NEVER crave your touch. I will never come willingly. I never have and I never will."
He raised an eyebrow and then in a movement faster than lightning, crushed his mouth on mine in a fiercely passionately kiss. It was a conquering kiss. A kiss that left me trembling from cowardice and the desire for more.
"Yes. You will. You do. You have."
Then, after that enigmatic statement, there was only air where he had been standing.
* * *
"Kalkaylakia is one of the most complex characters in all the myths in the world." Jonathon d'Stormui, a American brought in to teach at my school, was one of my favorite teachers. He had captivated our Mythological Literature class with his rendition of the Myth of Kalkaylakia. It was one of those universal myths that had sprung up in every culture. Even the stupid Americans had her in their myths, and well, Americans were just stupid when it came to myth. They had folklore but because they were so young, they had very few myths.
According to Mr. d'Stormui, there is quite a difference between folklore and myth. He pointed this out to us and made us aware that while we were Japanese, we were still very ignorant.
In our ignorance, we didn't realize that they also had the Myth of Kalkaylakia, until Mr. d'Stuormui brought it to our attention as well. Until then it was just one of those boring myths that we grew up learning. However through him, we grew to love it because he had such a passion for it.
Once, our class teased him that he if it were possible for him to meet this character and fall in love with her, that he would have. He knew things about her that most people didn't. Either way, he was a very good storyteller. At times he made me wish she was real, just so I could meet her.
Yeah, I began to idolize a mythological character. So sue me.
"Within her, Kalkaylakia held the power do a great good as well as a power to destroy the universe. She held it in the form of the child." He paused, " She had to make a vow to protect the world and people that she loved. Her vow was that of chastity."
A student raised their hands and Mr. d'Stormui nodded, "But the text you gave us, says that she slept with many different men. She didn't do a good job keeping her vow."
The tall American laughed quietly and murmured something in English before answering the question. "Do you all recall the prophesy that she was given at the time of her Trial? She was told that a man of Darkness and a Man of Light would come into her life. Both would love her. One would destroy her. Through a series of visions and events in her life, she found the man of Darkness: Angel d'Lamouge. The other man is not named, but was her soul mate."
"Because he carried her soul, right?" I asked, contributing to the discussion. Mr. d'Stormui smiled at me and nodded. If I had been prone to such things, then I'm sure I would have sighed. He was hot!
Then again, I already had a hot guy wanting me to lust after him. I had already learned that handsome sometimes equaled cruel. Just because he was a great teacher, didn't mean that he was a good person.
"Exactly, but he loved her as well. And it is very obvious from the text, Kalkaylakia isn't a particularly easy woman to love."
Our class chuckled softly before he turned us serious again. "Now, her chastity vow was limited to two men. Not exactly an easy task when one of them is your soul mate and the other is a well known and experienced womanizer. It is extremely not easy when you're cursed with an overactive sex drive."
He paused quietly and then looked at us all intently. "How many of you think that you would be able to make a vow like that and be true to it?"
There were a few hands that went up. Mine was not with them, even though I knew that I would have no problem making that kind of a vow.
I already had.
Reason number two, why I would not give in to Jedeite.
I was a priestess and had taken my duty seriously. The Gods did not require of me to make the vow, but I did anyway. The temple is my life, being a senshi is my life. I don't anticipate anything else being able to squeeze in there.
I didn't regret making that vow.
Besides, having the vow gave me a sense of safety and security. I would never let myself break my vow with him.
Mr. d'Stormui raised an eyebrow skeptically at those who had raised their hands. "Ah, the delusions of youth," he smiled sardonically and walked up to the chalkboard. He picked up a piece of chalk and wrote a word on the board.
When he pulled away, the word 'seduction' had been scrawled in both Japanese, English, and another language I didn't recognize. A few of the more immature members of the class laughed childishly at the word, but one look from the teacher shut them up quickly.
Mr. d'Stormui was at least 6'4" if not taller. Tall Americans can be intimidating. Jedeite really wasn't tall. I think he came to about 6'1" maybe not even that. Then again, all I knew what that he was a lot taller than me.
"Most of you have not discovered the wonders and joys of sexual stimulation," he said bluntly. "If you had, you would not be so quick to assume that it is possible to 'Just say no.' It is more difficult than anything else you could ever experience. Pleasure is not something your body is going to let you stop or forgo once it has discovered it."
He paused again and looked around the room. He met every students eyes evenly before continuing. "Kalkaylakia had some of the best control imaginable, but she also was just as weak as any mortal. When it comes right down to the event, the moment in time, there is suddenly a vast difference between what you vowed to do, what you're willing to do, and eventually what you will let yourself do. There is always a crossroad where choices are made. There are always a bridge that once crossed must be burned. There is always a point of no return."
He had stunned our class into silence. He nodded once. "That's just something to think about." The bell rang and he looked at the clock, "See you tomorrow," he said and then went to his desk as the class ran to the doorway to escape the horrors of school.
I paused after gathering my things and then went up to him. A question had burned in my mind during the discussion. "Mr. d'Stormui?"
He looked up from his papers, "Yes, Rei?" His Japanese was very good, but he always called us by our first names. Sometimes it was a little awkward, a little personal, but our class had gotten used to it.
"How does it end?" I asked quietly, "I haven't gotten that far in the text you've given us yet."
He looked at me for a long moment and for an instant I felt like he was looking into the very depths of my soul.
"It doesn't," he said after a moment, "The myth continues and it seems like every year new texts are found with her story. Its thought, by some philosophers and mythologists, that because she never is given a death, that the myth will continue until the end of time."
I nodded and bit my lower lip, "What happens with her and Angel?"
He looked incredibly saddened for a moment, which confused me. I mean, this was just a myth, not a real person or a real story. But he had made it real to me, so real that at times I almost believed that the myth was real. Maybe he felt the same way too.
"She gives in," he said after a moment, "In an experience that is half rape, half consent, she experiences passion with Angel. The Child of Chaos is born and threatens the entire universe. Kalkia ends up killing her own child, the only one she could ever have. Her soul mate dies in her arms for a second time and then life goes on."
Kalkia. He had shortened her name and had said it with an intimate feeling. I took a closer look at him and my psychic nature could feel some sort Power emanating from him. It appeared that Mr. d'Stormui was not what he appeared to be. My first reaction was Negaverse, but he didn't have an evil aura around him.
So I dismissed it.
"She gives in?" I asked disbelieving. For some reason I felt like my hopes had been shattered. Something that was a part of this myth was important to me. I needed to know that if it would help me overcome my current problem.
For all myths were based in a semblance of reality.
"Rei, Angel was a Powerful man who could read minds. He also had been her best friend at one point. He knew her in a lot of different ways and on a lot of different levels. When two people know each other that well, and one or both have sexual feelings for the other, then what happens next is inevitable." He looked at me intently, "Can you understand that?"
Slowly I nodded, and sighed dejectedly, "It's not fair though."
He gave a slight smile, "Life rarely is."
* * *
I was thinking about all of this as I walking to meet Serena and Ami at the Crown. I knew that Kalkaylakia is only a fictional character. I knew that she really doesn't exist.
But I felt like the story was important enough to dwell on. I had been doing my best not to dwell on Jedeite and his torments. It didn't help that Angel sounded a lot like Jedeite, with the exception that if I got pregnant the child wasn't going to destroy the universe.
But I was still so scared.
Because I was so lost in my thoughts I didn't hear the car drive up next to me. I didn't hear the window being rolled down, and I certainly didn't see the person who was driving it.
"Hello, Pyre."
I stopped. I was completely frozen. That voice was one that I had only heard at night. That voice I never associated with my everyday life. That voice was a part of my life that I kept hidden. It was not supposed to be out in the daylight.
I turned towards the source of the voice and paled.
Sitting in the car was Jedeite. Gone was the gray general uniform and in its place was black slacks and a gray shirt. He looked like he had just stepped out of a clothing ad.
The fact that his car was extremely beautiful didn't help either. It was also a convertible.
Did I mention how much I loved convertibles?
"Go away."
"Get in the car."
"No. Leave me alone."
I knew that my hands were shaking obviously. I clenched them into fists and tried to hide them in the folds of my very skimpy school uniform. I met his eyes and looked at him as coldly as I could.
"Get in the car."
