a/n: Kou Kou, Empress, Tenshi no Hoshii, and Sachiel Yukio:

thank you so much for the flattering comments. getting feedback is a huge inspiration for me. also, thanks to all you lurkers out there. I really appreciate the time you've all invested in this story and I hope I can continue to earn your interest. : )

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Seiya held fast to Yaten's hand as the girl led her through the lightless passage. They had been walking for what felt like hours, stopping for breaks only as often as was necessary. The good news was that they had been climbing steadily. They'd also taken a right turn near the beginning, indicating that they were headed in the direction of the school.

Yaten had told her that the tunnel seemed man-made. She described the even floor and carved out walls, saying they had an unnatural appearance. She also noticed what seemed to be gutters lining each side on the ground. Seiya trusted her judgment; there was little else she could do as her own vision was completely useless. She told Yaten she'd heard stories of older civilizations who had built escape routes into the mountains. They agreed this was the likeliest explanation.

They passed the time with light banter. Seiya was incessantly curious about Yaten's home world, and inquired about everything from their plants to politics. Yaten was currently explaining,

"Many of the flowers are rich in phosphorous so they provide our light—nothing like your sun, but a soft glow… Lights are fashioned from them. We have battery-operated lights too but those are much too expensive for the common person to afford. Our eyes are adapted to see in the dark. It's a survival mechanism."

Seiya was quickly learning that much of the culture on Kavaar was geared toward that very purpose: survival. Nourishment in the underground cities was scarce. Their diets mainly consisted of cheap off-world foods like bread and rice, covered in bacteria-rich spices made from ground minerals. Water dispersement was regulated by local governments who had monopolies on deep reservoirs. Such rigid controls left the population dehydrated and malnourished. Yaten's small stature, her unnaturally pale hair, and those peculiar green eyes all seemed appropriate now that Seiya understood the conditions of her home world. And she had to admit, the girl's exotic look was incredibly attractive to her.

"No one but miners are allowed on the surface. I often imagined sneaking up to see the sun, but that was forbidden and dangerous besides. We call it 'Nihla': the hidden light, also our word for God. We're taught that Nihla created the universe and then set itself in the sky to watch over its children." She recounted, "'It witnesses everything, but is never witnessed.'"

Seiya chuckled lightly.

"What's so funny?"

"Oh nothing. It's just a strange story."

"Don't you have religious stories on your planet?"

"We have science; there's no need for myths."

"Science doesn't explaining everything."

"And religion doesn't explain anything."

Seiya knew she was pushing the girl's buttons but the fun of getting her riled up outweighed any moral objections. She heard the repressed anger in Yaten's voice when she spoke next.

"You've never had any kind of experiences you can't explain? Knowing things are gonna happen before they do, sensing other peoples' thoughts, seeing spirits…"

"Sounds a little crazy to me."

"It's not crazy!" Yaten shouted, pivoting and nearly slammed into Seiya. The taller girl caught her and kept both of them from falling. The position held their bodies pressed together, heat passing through the thin veil of still damp clothing. Seiya could hear Yaten's breath inches away, the warm exhales tickling her neck. Without her sight the rest of her senses were magnified, and the contact was all the more intense for it.

Seiya could feel Yaten's chest expand against her with each heavy inhalation. Her body responded in turn and her hands shifted from Yaten's arms to her neck. They continued their course upward, mapping the contours of the girl's face, tracing the lines of her cheekbones and jaw before settling at her lips.

Small tremors issued from the slighter girl. Her eyes, the only part of her that was visible in the utter darkness, were staring up at Seiya intently. Seiya took the lack of withdrawal as a cue.

Tipping her head forward, Seiya replaced her fingers with her lips. The kiss was unlike anything in her experience (and she had a lot to draw on). It was more than physical. Seiya could sense Yaten's presence looming in her mind. She felt the other girl's emotions channel through her—fear, vulnerability, joy. Yaten kept the reigns on the last one, which was by far the most dangerous. Seiya had never felt so intimately connected with another person. It set off a feeling of ecstasy that was developing in her mind and echoed much lower.

Growing bolder, she breached Yaten's mouth with her tongue. It was the wrong move. Yaten pulled away instantly, shutting off the euphoric butterflies that had been dancing in Seiya's head.

"I—I have to get out of here," she said in a dazed voice, and Seiya heard footsteps moving away from her.

"Wait!" Seiya exclaimed. "Please don't leave me here." She held out her hand and counted several heartbeats before Yaten took it. They walked the next few minutes in silence. Seiya wondered if kissing her had been a mistake. She couldn't help it though, it had just felt so…right.

Some time later, Yaten gasped.

"What is it?" Seiya whispered.

"There's light ahead. I think it's the way out."

Both girls forgot their weariness and made a bee line for the opening. It grew larger until it illuminated a path in front of them. Crossing the threshold, they flinched as their eyes readapted to the brilliant sunlight streaming through the trees. A vapor rose from the ground, giving the forest an ethereal look. For a few seconds they stood together and admired the beautiful landscape, and then Seiya found something even more wonderful.

"Look!" She pointed to a bare spot on the ground. They followed it up with their eyes until it disappeared behind a tree. "It's a trail." Yaten's eyes went wide and a rare smile crossed her lips. Seiya admired the change in the girl and voiced her opinion out loud.

"You should really smile more often. You're beautiful when you do."

Yaten blushed visibly and Seiya flashed a charming grin.

"Come on," the raven headed girl said excitedly, running up the trail.

"Not so fast!" Yaten cried and dashed after her.