SEVENTEEN
(c) rikki-chan (lady bundtcake) 2004
CHAPTER TWO - GUESTS OF HONOR
===
"I don't know where the hell we are. I give up!" Yaten Kou brushed a silvered lock of hair behind his ear and crumpled the map in his hands. "We're never going to find that house. You would think after light years' worth of galactic travel, we could find one stupid house, but NO! Haruka-tachi just HAS to live out in the middle of nowhere!" He flung the twisted remains of his map on the ground.
Taiki bent down and picked up the map, painstakingly unfolding it and refolding it into a neat little packet. "Just be patient. We're heading in the right direction, at least."
Behind them, Seiya Kou gave a sharp laugh and said, "Are you sure, Taiki? With Yaten navigating, I'm surprised he hasn't led us straight off a cliff."
"Believe me, the first cliff I find, I'd be more than happy to chuck you over it," Yaten growled.
"Settle down, children," Taiki admonished, pulling a small object from his coat pocket and flipping it open. "I bought this in that shop back a ways. It's a compass, a special device designed to point towards this planet's magnetic north. Now, we know Haruka-tachi's home is due east of the city, and we are currently heading just south of east. If we cross a few blocks over, that should put us directly back on track and at least get us into a more populated neighborhood. We'll find someone and ask for more specific directions."
"A few blocks over?" Yaten whined. "Look, Taiki, I'm exhausted. Don't you have any quicker solutions for the weary?"
"Well, we could always paint Taiki's forehead white and use it as a beacon," Seiya suggested.
Yaten snorted and Taiki gave Seiya a withering look. "Har har. For the last time, my forehead isn't any larger than yours."
"Nah, you're right. It's just your hairline that's receded."
Taiki was ignoring his friend and unfolding the map once more to take another look. Meanwhile, Yaten sighed and leaned against a telephone pole.
"We are going to be stuck out here all night," Yaten muttered, casting his olive eyes heavenward with a look of total depression.
Seiya just shrugged. "Calm down. We won't get stuck. Actually, they aren't even expecting us until tomorrow evening; we just got here too early. We may as well shack up in a hotel for the night." He thrust his hands deep into his pockets and assumed his characteristic bored stance. "It's probably a good thing. At least it's prolonging the inevitable beating I'm going to receive from Haruka for treading on her planet," he smirked.
Yaten snorted. "As though you're not at all excited about this whole party thing, Seiya."
Taiki coughed what sounded suspiciously like a laugh into his hand as Yaten snorted even harder and rolled his eyes for added emphasis. "Please, Seiya," he continued. "We all know how excited you are to see your little Odango again."
Seiya didn't respond, but couldn't help the color rushing to his cheeks or the corners of his lips quirking up in a grin. "Don't tease him, Yaten," Taiki admonished, his eyes still laughing as he returned to studying the map.
"Oh, come on, Taiki," Yaten started, flicking his ponytail back. "Why else would Seiya return to this planet as a boy, if it weren't to pour on the charm for Usagi-chan?"
"Well, while we're on THAT subject," Seiya interrupted, his blue eyes glinting with mirth, "Why did you and Taiki decide to come back here as boys, too? Especially after how last time, you did nothing but complain about how AWFUL it was."
Taiki coughed and blushed slightly. "Well, I thought Ami-chan would prefer to have selections from the poetry anthologies I brought along read to her by a man, instead of a woman," he said, indicating his suitcase.
"Uh-huh. And you, Yaten? I bet you have a certain blonde on your mind," Seiya gloated.
"Blonde? Me?" Yaten huffed. "If you're referring to that scatterbrained, airheaded Aino Minako, I can inform you right here and now that I have positively ZERO interest, thank you very much."
"Is that why you so eagerly pounced on her invitation here, then?" pressed Seiya.
The silver-haired boy narrowed his green eyes with a look of total malice. "I accepted the invitation for Usagi-chan, since this IS for her birthday, and she IS a pretty important person to the galaxy. I felt it was my duty," he explained, nose in the air. "Had Minako-chan contacted you first, I'm sure you would have accepted solely on the grounds that you haven't stopped thinking about your long lost love since we left this planet last year. As you can see, my intentions are much nobler than your vague notions of puppy love, Seiya."
"You know, Yaten," Taiki mused, glancing up from the map, "I always felt there was a bit of chemistry between you and Minako-chan."
"Well, if I were interested in Minako, which I clearly am NOT, at least I would take her on interesting dates. Which is more than I can say for you and Ami, for whom the height of entertainment is probably an evening at home reading up on mathematical theory!"
"So you've considered taking her on a date?" Taiki asked.
"Look, don't put words in my mouth!"
The two continued to argue, with Taiki quietly baiting and Yaten pouncing furiously on the insinuations, but Seiya was no longer listening. His thoughts had drifted to a blonde of his own liking, a different sort of blonde than the perky Aino Minako. The woman in his mind had deep golden hair, wound up neatly into two glorious streaming ponytails, with softly curled bangs that perfectly framed her adorable face. A pair of lovely, sky-blue eyes that sparkled when she laughed and glared playfully but pointedly when he teased her. That beautiful, heavenly skin, pale and luscious as the moonlight…
It had been a year since he'd last laid eyes on this beautiful woman, but not a day had passed in which some memory of her popped into his mind. Seiya had thought, upon returning to Kinmoku, that it had just been an infatuation and without her nearby, the feelings would swiftly fade. After all, he had told himself, the love he had felt for Usagi had been something like the love he felt for his princess Kakyuu. It was the love any soldier felt for what he was dear to him, dear enough to be worth sacrificing himself to protect.
He was so convinced the feelings for Usagi would fade away, and he would return to his duty of loving and serving only Kakyuu.
But it didn't work out that way. And it wasn't as though he didn't try, Seiya thought. Upon returning to Kinmoku, he had left behind his Earthen identity of Seiya Kou and returned to who he truly was…Sailor Star Fighter. Seiya thought that perhaps his feelings for Usagi had been amplified by the male body he'd inhabited for so long on her planet; perhaps as Fighter, in the body of a woman, those feelings would subside.
And yet they didn't. For the first few months home, Fighter slept restlessly and ate less and less. Kakyuu became desperately worried about her; she had directly stated it to Maker or Healer, but everyone knew she had a soft spot for her dear Fighter. She urged Fighter to stay with her, in her palace, and the distraught senshi agreed, hoping her princess could soothe her mind.
Kakyuu had always spoiled her a bit, but she became even more doting upon Fighter. She had the best of meals prepared for her head senshi, and insisted Fighter not overwork herself and spend as much time resting as she needed. Instead of recuperating, Fighter grew restless. She already felt a part of her had died; the last thing she wanted was to be treated like a withering invalid.
One night, the pair had rested together in Kakyuu's splendid drawing room. For so many years, it had been Fighter who would hold Kakyuu in her arms, possessive and protective of the only woman who had ever been truly important to her (not counting her fellow senshi). But on that night, it was Kakyuu who sat strongly upright and drew Fighter into her arms, pressing the worn soldier against her breast and stroking her ebony hair softly to ease her companion into sleep.
Fighter felt frustrated at being so babied, but at the same time she was soothed by the gentle warmth her lovely princess always radiated. She was too tired and too apathetic to push away, and so she relaxed wearily in Kakyuu's arms.
Kakyuu ran her soft fingertips across Fighter's back. The skin was drawn and taut from so many weeks of Fighter denying herself food and sleep. "Fighter," she said softly. "What is it?"
Fighter shrugged on impulse, then thought better of it and decided to be as vague as possible. "I'm not well."
Kakyuu smiled, though Fighter couldn't see it. "It's very obvious. But you aren't sick. We can't find anything wrong with you, aside from the fact that you refuse to live. What is it?"
Fighter clutched the folds of Kakyuu's skirt, and then relaxed her fists. "It's…it's nothing, Princess. I'm sorry this has worried you."
"I am worried, for your sake," Kakyuu sighed. "Fighter…I don't want to lose you. Would you ever leave me?"
"No."
"Would you leave me for her?"
Fighter's heart jumped into her throat. She pushed herself away from the princess and gazed into her garnet eyes. "What…" she choked out, her throat dry. "What do you mean?"
The red-haired woman smiled the saddest smile Fighter had ever seen. "I never thought this would happen. I never really thought…I never thought you would fall in love," she said softly, nervously smoothing her skirt with her hands.
"Never thought I'd fall in love?" Fighter asked.
"With someone who wasn't me." Kakyuu gazed sorrowfully at her beloved senshi, though her lips were smiling faintly. "But Fighter, you can't go on like this. I would rather be left here alone than watch you suffer because you're afraid to leave me."
The senshi's mouth dropped open, and she felt herself grow hot with shame. "Kakyuu…I…I can't leave you," she stammered. "What if I left here to pursue my own dreams, and then you fell into what I feel now? I couldn't do that to you. I don't want you to feel that kind of pain."
"Fighter," the princess began. "We have loved each other for so long, since I became the princess and you my guardian. You know I care about you, and I know you care for me." Her gaze grew suddenly determined. "But I would never want you to sacrifice your deepest desire because you felt it interfered with duty, Fighter. I care about you too much to take away what's important to you."
The dark-haired senshi felt her eyes began to swim with tears, and she shakily reached forward and pulled Kakyuu into a tight embrace. She kissed her on her fair-skinned forehead, letting a few tiny tears deck the princess' deep red hair, and rested her chin on her head. Fighter stroked the princess' back through the soft folds of her dress.
"It doesn't matter, Kakyuu," she heard herself saying, rocking her princess back and forth as though she were a small child. "She can never love me back, not even if she wanted to. It doesn't matter." Fighter smiled into Kakyuu's hair.
"I promise, I will never leave you."
Time had worn on, and Fighter was determined not to spend any more of it wasting away. She had her whole life ahead of her for love and heartbreak, she reflected ruefully, and besides that there was much to do on Kinmoku. They had a whole world to rebuild, and Fighter had spent too much time lamenting the loss of a world in which she could never truly belong. She instead focused on the tasks before her and soon returned to her old, joking self, much to Maker and Healer's relief. The three, along with Kakyuu, began to grow closer than ever as they created a new world even more beautiful than the Kinmoku of old.
But despite all this, Fighter never forgot her.
The one woman who had made a permanent place in her heart.
Odango…
Months later, when Fighter and Maker had been engaged in a game of checkers (Fighter was losing horribly), Healer had sauntered nonchalantly out on the patio where they were playing.
"Bad news?" Maker queried, taking in the sour look on Healer's otherwise pretty face.
"I doubt it. She's probably just been scowling so long that her face has finally stuck that way. I always knew that would happen," Fighter said, grinning. "Check."
Maker frowned. "That move isn't even legal."
"Well, it was worth a shot," Fighter sighed, moving back her piece.
"They want us to come visit," Healer drawled, as though the news was the most inconvenient thing in the world.
"Who wants us to visit where?" Maker asked.
"Them. Those girls. Minako-chan told me it's an Earth month until Usagi-chan's birthday, and we're all invited to attend," Healer replied, playing with a strand of her shiny hair. "They could have at LEAST given us more notice than that. Don't they know we're busy out here?"
"It's your move, Fighter," said Maker, looking at her partner.
But Fighter seemed momentarily frozen, her hand still resting on her bishop piece. "Odan—Usagi-chan wants us to visit?" she asked, and realized her voice was trembling.
Healer seemed not to notice this, and extracted a letter from her pocket, scanning it quickly. "No, Usagi doesn't even know we're invited. Minako-chan says it's going to be a huge event, we're invited for a whole week and every night we're going to do things together, so it's sort of a reunion and a birthday celebration all at once. Usagi's actual birthday party won't happen until the end of the week." Healer groaned and wadded up the letter again. "Great, a whole week of listening to those girls babble. Why was I made to suffer?"
Maker shrugged lightly. "Well, we don't have to go," she said, ignoring Fighter's immediate look of indignation.
"Ah, well," Healer began, "I already responded and said we would. You know, we might as well. It's been over a year already, and Usagi did do a lot for us."
"Your move, Fighter."
"Why is this celebration so…so long?" Fighter asked, ignoring Maker. "I mean, a whole week of a visit. That's a lot." Not that she minded, of course, and she tried to seem as nonchalant as possible when asking. Still, a whole week with Odango! Fighter could barely contain the impulse to jump out of the chair, sending the chess pieces flying as she did a dance of celebration across the patio.
"Looks like Mamoru-san has checked out for some more summer classes," Healer explained. "He has to leave before her birthday, so Minako said Usagi would probably be very depressed and it would be a nice sort of a pick-me-up. After all, we were pretty close to her. Some more so than others," she hinted, and she and Maker cast similar looks at Fighter.
But Fighter stopped listening after learning about Mamoru's definite absence. A week with Odango, AND no competition. Fighter really did let loose then, leaping out of her chair and taking off across the grounds. Maker and Healer stared, dumbfounded, as their friend dashed out of sight.
"Think this is going to be a problem?" Maker asked, cocking an eyebrow with vague interest.
"A problem? Usagi-chan stranded without her man, combined with Fighter's inflated ego and oh-so-forbidden secret love? Nah, no problem at all," Healer said. "But I am definitely taking my camera this time."
"Hello? Earth to Seiya!" Yaten was yelling. "And that's ironic, since you're already ON Earth!"
Seiya shook his head and let his glazed eyes refocus on his frustrated partner. "Sorry," he said, running his hand over the back of his neck. "Guess I kind of spaced out for a minute there."
Yaten narrowed his eyes. "Man, you've got it BAD."
"Huh? I've got WHAT bad?" Seiya asked.
"The legendary Odango Fever, dear Seiya. Contracted mainly by young men with overly large foreheads," Yaten said ostentatiously.
"Should run its course in about a week. In the meantime, we recommend hot soup and plenty of bed rest," Taiki chimed in. "But for right now, I'm going to recommend we give up trying to find Haruka-tachi's house and cry uncle. This is a completely futile search and it's getting late. Frankly, I'm ready for a nice long bath with my anthologized copy of Wordsworth."
"I'm ready to stop lugging all these suitcases around," Yaten griped.
Seiya said nothing, just pulled a small device out from his pocket. Flipping it open, he began to press a few buttons.
"What is that?" Taiki asked, craning his head over Seiya's shoulder.
"Well, while you thought it would be a stroke of pure genius to purchase a compass back in that last town, I went ahead and got something practical," Seiya said, completing his dial. "It's a cell phone. I figured I'd ring our old agent and talk him into getting us a room for the night." He put the phone to his ear.
"Our old agent?" Yaten scoffed. "Seiya, the Three Lights broke up a year ago. Why the hell would our agent give a flip about a bunch of has-been pop stars coming back out of nowhere, let alone set us up at a hotel?"
"Ah, Yaten," Seiya said, wagging a finger. "You underestimate the power of Earthen celebrity politics. They take their idols very, very seriously here! Besides, nothing screams intrigue and money like a band reunion. Hold on, I think someone's answering."
Yaten and Taiki crowded around Seiya to listen in on the conversation. Seiya grinned widely as he heard his old agent's voice. "Guess who! No, I'm not kidding with you, it's really me. I mean, it's us; Yaten and Taiki are here too. Hey, we need a favor from you. We just got in town intending to meet up with some people, but we don't know the area real well and it's getting late. Anyway you could set us up for tonight?" Seiya paused to listen. "Great! I knew you'd help us. Oh, of course we'll do a reunion concert. Anything for you helping us out in our little pinch. All right, we'll be in touch. Bye."
Seiya clicked the phone shut, and Yaten shook his head. "Sometimes, Seiya, you amaze me," he said rather solemnly.
"I amaze myself every day," Seiya said cockily, grinning from ear to ear. "They're sending a car to pick us up. Not too much longer now."
"Seiya," Taiki interrupted, very seriously. "What about this whole reunion concert? We don't really have anything prepared."
"You leave that to your uncle Seiya!" the dark-haired man laughed. "Just so happens I have exactly what we need to impress all our old fans."
And, he added privately, it wouldn't hurt if it winds up impressing Odango, too.
(c) rikki-chan (lady bundtcake) 2004
CHAPTER TWO - GUESTS OF HONOR
===
"I don't know where the hell we are. I give up!" Yaten Kou brushed a silvered lock of hair behind his ear and crumpled the map in his hands. "We're never going to find that house. You would think after light years' worth of galactic travel, we could find one stupid house, but NO! Haruka-tachi just HAS to live out in the middle of nowhere!" He flung the twisted remains of his map on the ground.
Taiki bent down and picked up the map, painstakingly unfolding it and refolding it into a neat little packet. "Just be patient. We're heading in the right direction, at least."
Behind them, Seiya Kou gave a sharp laugh and said, "Are you sure, Taiki? With Yaten navigating, I'm surprised he hasn't led us straight off a cliff."
"Believe me, the first cliff I find, I'd be more than happy to chuck you over it," Yaten growled.
"Settle down, children," Taiki admonished, pulling a small object from his coat pocket and flipping it open. "I bought this in that shop back a ways. It's a compass, a special device designed to point towards this planet's magnetic north. Now, we know Haruka-tachi's home is due east of the city, and we are currently heading just south of east. If we cross a few blocks over, that should put us directly back on track and at least get us into a more populated neighborhood. We'll find someone and ask for more specific directions."
"A few blocks over?" Yaten whined. "Look, Taiki, I'm exhausted. Don't you have any quicker solutions for the weary?"
"Well, we could always paint Taiki's forehead white and use it as a beacon," Seiya suggested.
Yaten snorted and Taiki gave Seiya a withering look. "Har har. For the last time, my forehead isn't any larger than yours."
"Nah, you're right. It's just your hairline that's receded."
Taiki was ignoring his friend and unfolding the map once more to take another look. Meanwhile, Yaten sighed and leaned against a telephone pole.
"We are going to be stuck out here all night," Yaten muttered, casting his olive eyes heavenward with a look of total depression.
Seiya just shrugged. "Calm down. We won't get stuck. Actually, they aren't even expecting us until tomorrow evening; we just got here too early. We may as well shack up in a hotel for the night." He thrust his hands deep into his pockets and assumed his characteristic bored stance. "It's probably a good thing. At least it's prolonging the inevitable beating I'm going to receive from Haruka for treading on her planet," he smirked.
Yaten snorted. "As though you're not at all excited about this whole party thing, Seiya."
Taiki coughed what sounded suspiciously like a laugh into his hand as Yaten snorted even harder and rolled his eyes for added emphasis. "Please, Seiya," he continued. "We all know how excited you are to see your little Odango again."
Seiya didn't respond, but couldn't help the color rushing to his cheeks or the corners of his lips quirking up in a grin. "Don't tease him, Yaten," Taiki admonished, his eyes still laughing as he returned to studying the map.
"Oh, come on, Taiki," Yaten started, flicking his ponytail back. "Why else would Seiya return to this planet as a boy, if it weren't to pour on the charm for Usagi-chan?"
"Well, while we're on THAT subject," Seiya interrupted, his blue eyes glinting with mirth, "Why did you and Taiki decide to come back here as boys, too? Especially after how last time, you did nothing but complain about how AWFUL it was."
Taiki coughed and blushed slightly. "Well, I thought Ami-chan would prefer to have selections from the poetry anthologies I brought along read to her by a man, instead of a woman," he said, indicating his suitcase.
"Uh-huh. And you, Yaten? I bet you have a certain blonde on your mind," Seiya gloated.
"Blonde? Me?" Yaten huffed. "If you're referring to that scatterbrained, airheaded Aino Minako, I can inform you right here and now that I have positively ZERO interest, thank you very much."
"Is that why you so eagerly pounced on her invitation here, then?" pressed Seiya.
The silver-haired boy narrowed his green eyes with a look of total malice. "I accepted the invitation for Usagi-chan, since this IS for her birthday, and she IS a pretty important person to the galaxy. I felt it was my duty," he explained, nose in the air. "Had Minako-chan contacted you first, I'm sure you would have accepted solely on the grounds that you haven't stopped thinking about your long lost love since we left this planet last year. As you can see, my intentions are much nobler than your vague notions of puppy love, Seiya."
"You know, Yaten," Taiki mused, glancing up from the map, "I always felt there was a bit of chemistry between you and Minako-chan."
"Well, if I were interested in Minako, which I clearly am NOT, at least I would take her on interesting dates. Which is more than I can say for you and Ami, for whom the height of entertainment is probably an evening at home reading up on mathematical theory!"
"So you've considered taking her on a date?" Taiki asked.
"Look, don't put words in my mouth!"
The two continued to argue, with Taiki quietly baiting and Yaten pouncing furiously on the insinuations, but Seiya was no longer listening. His thoughts had drifted to a blonde of his own liking, a different sort of blonde than the perky Aino Minako. The woman in his mind had deep golden hair, wound up neatly into two glorious streaming ponytails, with softly curled bangs that perfectly framed her adorable face. A pair of lovely, sky-blue eyes that sparkled when she laughed and glared playfully but pointedly when he teased her. That beautiful, heavenly skin, pale and luscious as the moonlight…
It had been a year since he'd last laid eyes on this beautiful woman, but not a day had passed in which some memory of her popped into his mind. Seiya had thought, upon returning to Kinmoku, that it had just been an infatuation and without her nearby, the feelings would swiftly fade. After all, he had told himself, the love he had felt for Usagi had been something like the love he felt for his princess Kakyuu. It was the love any soldier felt for what he was dear to him, dear enough to be worth sacrificing himself to protect.
He was so convinced the feelings for Usagi would fade away, and he would return to his duty of loving and serving only Kakyuu.
But it didn't work out that way. And it wasn't as though he didn't try, Seiya thought. Upon returning to Kinmoku, he had left behind his Earthen identity of Seiya Kou and returned to who he truly was…Sailor Star Fighter. Seiya thought that perhaps his feelings for Usagi had been amplified by the male body he'd inhabited for so long on her planet; perhaps as Fighter, in the body of a woman, those feelings would subside.
And yet they didn't. For the first few months home, Fighter slept restlessly and ate less and less. Kakyuu became desperately worried about her; she had directly stated it to Maker or Healer, but everyone knew she had a soft spot for her dear Fighter. She urged Fighter to stay with her, in her palace, and the distraught senshi agreed, hoping her princess could soothe her mind.
Kakyuu had always spoiled her a bit, but she became even more doting upon Fighter. She had the best of meals prepared for her head senshi, and insisted Fighter not overwork herself and spend as much time resting as she needed. Instead of recuperating, Fighter grew restless. She already felt a part of her had died; the last thing she wanted was to be treated like a withering invalid.
One night, the pair had rested together in Kakyuu's splendid drawing room. For so many years, it had been Fighter who would hold Kakyuu in her arms, possessive and protective of the only woman who had ever been truly important to her (not counting her fellow senshi). But on that night, it was Kakyuu who sat strongly upright and drew Fighter into her arms, pressing the worn soldier against her breast and stroking her ebony hair softly to ease her companion into sleep.
Fighter felt frustrated at being so babied, but at the same time she was soothed by the gentle warmth her lovely princess always radiated. She was too tired and too apathetic to push away, and so she relaxed wearily in Kakyuu's arms.
Kakyuu ran her soft fingertips across Fighter's back. The skin was drawn and taut from so many weeks of Fighter denying herself food and sleep. "Fighter," she said softly. "What is it?"
Fighter shrugged on impulse, then thought better of it and decided to be as vague as possible. "I'm not well."
Kakyuu smiled, though Fighter couldn't see it. "It's very obvious. But you aren't sick. We can't find anything wrong with you, aside from the fact that you refuse to live. What is it?"
Fighter clutched the folds of Kakyuu's skirt, and then relaxed her fists. "It's…it's nothing, Princess. I'm sorry this has worried you."
"I am worried, for your sake," Kakyuu sighed. "Fighter…I don't want to lose you. Would you ever leave me?"
"No."
"Would you leave me for her?"
Fighter's heart jumped into her throat. She pushed herself away from the princess and gazed into her garnet eyes. "What…" she choked out, her throat dry. "What do you mean?"
The red-haired woman smiled the saddest smile Fighter had ever seen. "I never thought this would happen. I never really thought…I never thought you would fall in love," she said softly, nervously smoothing her skirt with her hands.
"Never thought I'd fall in love?" Fighter asked.
"With someone who wasn't me." Kakyuu gazed sorrowfully at her beloved senshi, though her lips were smiling faintly. "But Fighter, you can't go on like this. I would rather be left here alone than watch you suffer because you're afraid to leave me."
The senshi's mouth dropped open, and she felt herself grow hot with shame. "Kakyuu…I…I can't leave you," she stammered. "What if I left here to pursue my own dreams, and then you fell into what I feel now? I couldn't do that to you. I don't want you to feel that kind of pain."
"Fighter," the princess began. "We have loved each other for so long, since I became the princess and you my guardian. You know I care about you, and I know you care for me." Her gaze grew suddenly determined. "But I would never want you to sacrifice your deepest desire because you felt it interfered with duty, Fighter. I care about you too much to take away what's important to you."
The dark-haired senshi felt her eyes began to swim with tears, and she shakily reached forward and pulled Kakyuu into a tight embrace. She kissed her on her fair-skinned forehead, letting a few tiny tears deck the princess' deep red hair, and rested her chin on her head. Fighter stroked the princess' back through the soft folds of her dress.
"It doesn't matter, Kakyuu," she heard herself saying, rocking her princess back and forth as though she were a small child. "She can never love me back, not even if she wanted to. It doesn't matter." Fighter smiled into Kakyuu's hair.
"I promise, I will never leave you."
Time had worn on, and Fighter was determined not to spend any more of it wasting away. She had her whole life ahead of her for love and heartbreak, she reflected ruefully, and besides that there was much to do on Kinmoku. They had a whole world to rebuild, and Fighter had spent too much time lamenting the loss of a world in which she could never truly belong. She instead focused on the tasks before her and soon returned to her old, joking self, much to Maker and Healer's relief. The three, along with Kakyuu, began to grow closer than ever as they created a new world even more beautiful than the Kinmoku of old.
But despite all this, Fighter never forgot her.
The one woman who had made a permanent place in her heart.
Odango…
Months later, when Fighter and Maker had been engaged in a game of checkers (Fighter was losing horribly), Healer had sauntered nonchalantly out on the patio where they were playing.
"Bad news?" Maker queried, taking in the sour look on Healer's otherwise pretty face.
"I doubt it. She's probably just been scowling so long that her face has finally stuck that way. I always knew that would happen," Fighter said, grinning. "Check."
Maker frowned. "That move isn't even legal."
"Well, it was worth a shot," Fighter sighed, moving back her piece.
"They want us to come visit," Healer drawled, as though the news was the most inconvenient thing in the world.
"Who wants us to visit where?" Maker asked.
"Them. Those girls. Minako-chan told me it's an Earth month until Usagi-chan's birthday, and we're all invited to attend," Healer replied, playing with a strand of her shiny hair. "They could have at LEAST given us more notice than that. Don't they know we're busy out here?"
"It's your move, Fighter," said Maker, looking at her partner.
But Fighter seemed momentarily frozen, her hand still resting on her bishop piece. "Odan—Usagi-chan wants us to visit?" she asked, and realized her voice was trembling.
Healer seemed not to notice this, and extracted a letter from her pocket, scanning it quickly. "No, Usagi doesn't even know we're invited. Minako-chan says it's going to be a huge event, we're invited for a whole week and every night we're going to do things together, so it's sort of a reunion and a birthday celebration all at once. Usagi's actual birthday party won't happen until the end of the week." Healer groaned and wadded up the letter again. "Great, a whole week of listening to those girls babble. Why was I made to suffer?"
Maker shrugged lightly. "Well, we don't have to go," she said, ignoring Fighter's immediate look of indignation.
"Ah, well," Healer began, "I already responded and said we would. You know, we might as well. It's been over a year already, and Usagi did do a lot for us."
"Your move, Fighter."
"Why is this celebration so…so long?" Fighter asked, ignoring Maker. "I mean, a whole week of a visit. That's a lot." Not that she minded, of course, and she tried to seem as nonchalant as possible when asking. Still, a whole week with Odango! Fighter could barely contain the impulse to jump out of the chair, sending the chess pieces flying as she did a dance of celebration across the patio.
"Looks like Mamoru-san has checked out for some more summer classes," Healer explained. "He has to leave before her birthday, so Minako said Usagi would probably be very depressed and it would be a nice sort of a pick-me-up. After all, we were pretty close to her. Some more so than others," she hinted, and she and Maker cast similar looks at Fighter.
But Fighter stopped listening after learning about Mamoru's definite absence. A week with Odango, AND no competition. Fighter really did let loose then, leaping out of her chair and taking off across the grounds. Maker and Healer stared, dumbfounded, as their friend dashed out of sight.
"Think this is going to be a problem?" Maker asked, cocking an eyebrow with vague interest.
"A problem? Usagi-chan stranded without her man, combined with Fighter's inflated ego and oh-so-forbidden secret love? Nah, no problem at all," Healer said. "But I am definitely taking my camera this time."
"Hello? Earth to Seiya!" Yaten was yelling. "And that's ironic, since you're already ON Earth!"
Seiya shook his head and let his glazed eyes refocus on his frustrated partner. "Sorry," he said, running his hand over the back of his neck. "Guess I kind of spaced out for a minute there."
Yaten narrowed his eyes. "Man, you've got it BAD."
"Huh? I've got WHAT bad?" Seiya asked.
"The legendary Odango Fever, dear Seiya. Contracted mainly by young men with overly large foreheads," Yaten said ostentatiously.
"Should run its course in about a week. In the meantime, we recommend hot soup and plenty of bed rest," Taiki chimed in. "But for right now, I'm going to recommend we give up trying to find Haruka-tachi's house and cry uncle. This is a completely futile search and it's getting late. Frankly, I'm ready for a nice long bath with my anthologized copy of Wordsworth."
"I'm ready to stop lugging all these suitcases around," Yaten griped.
Seiya said nothing, just pulled a small device out from his pocket. Flipping it open, he began to press a few buttons.
"What is that?" Taiki asked, craning his head over Seiya's shoulder.
"Well, while you thought it would be a stroke of pure genius to purchase a compass back in that last town, I went ahead and got something practical," Seiya said, completing his dial. "It's a cell phone. I figured I'd ring our old agent and talk him into getting us a room for the night." He put the phone to his ear.
"Our old agent?" Yaten scoffed. "Seiya, the Three Lights broke up a year ago. Why the hell would our agent give a flip about a bunch of has-been pop stars coming back out of nowhere, let alone set us up at a hotel?"
"Ah, Yaten," Seiya said, wagging a finger. "You underestimate the power of Earthen celebrity politics. They take their idols very, very seriously here! Besides, nothing screams intrigue and money like a band reunion. Hold on, I think someone's answering."
Yaten and Taiki crowded around Seiya to listen in on the conversation. Seiya grinned widely as he heard his old agent's voice. "Guess who! No, I'm not kidding with you, it's really me. I mean, it's us; Yaten and Taiki are here too. Hey, we need a favor from you. We just got in town intending to meet up with some people, but we don't know the area real well and it's getting late. Anyway you could set us up for tonight?" Seiya paused to listen. "Great! I knew you'd help us. Oh, of course we'll do a reunion concert. Anything for you helping us out in our little pinch. All right, we'll be in touch. Bye."
Seiya clicked the phone shut, and Yaten shook his head. "Sometimes, Seiya, you amaze me," he said rather solemnly.
"I amaze myself every day," Seiya said cockily, grinning from ear to ear. "They're sending a car to pick us up. Not too much longer now."
"Seiya," Taiki interrupted, very seriously. "What about this whole reunion concert? We don't really have anything prepared."
"You leave that to your uncle Seiya!" the dark-haired man laughed. "Just so happens I have exactly what we need to impress all our old fans."
And, he added privately, it wouldn't hurt if it winds up impressing Odango, too.