Yup, you guessed it! Me again! Thank you all for the great reviews! Here's chapter two! Gomen, but I'm going to have to disappoint you... no NC-17 rating yet, but oh, yeah, it's coming! ^_~
[::Rekindling Stars::]
by Lady in Red
section 2 (Red is the color of passion)
"I'll train her Princess." Healer batted her eyes and mocked a sugary sweet voice as she followed Fighter down the hall.
"Shut up Healer, I'm warning you." Fighter growled from in front of her.
"Oh Lover, I'm sorry, did I just happen to pin you down in this seductive manner?" Healer's teasing continued.
"Shut up..."
"Oh, Lover, you remind me so much of my Odango... I guess you'll have to do." Healer knew immediately that she had gone too far, but her realization came too late for Fighter's hand was already wrapped around her throat.
"Don't ever talk about her that way again." Fighter's eyes were blazing with pure fury. The anger that was being built up by Healer's teasing was just the tip of the emotions that fueled her strength. "No one could ever replace her..." Her grip loosened and Healer fell to the floor holding her neck.
"I was only joking." She said as she rubbed her sore neck.
"Joking about what?" Lover said as she came up to the two, as she looked to Fighter she saw the raw fury displayed in her face and body and knew that the two had just had a falling out.
Fighter said nothing and just turned away walking down the hall to her room and slamming the door. "So touchy." Healer groaned as she stood up. "Are you ready for your training?"
Lover's eyes had followed Fighter's form down the hall and now turned to Healer to nod. The two walked down the hall towards the gym that they would be training in today. "What was that all about?" Lover asked still curious as to what had gone on just before she arrived.
"It's a long story."
"We're going to be here a while, it looks like we have time." Lover mused as she smiled at Healer.
"It's really nothing, I just struck a nerve with Fighter, I should have known better, that's all." Healer said as she laid down the thick blue mats.
"Oh." Lover asked as she began to assist Healer. "Are we wrestling today?"
"Nani?" Healer looked up at her. "No, we're going to practice throws today."
"Oh." Lover once again answered as she finished up what she was doing. "Does she have a temper?"
"Who?" Healer wasn't really paying attention to their conversation, she really didn't care much for this girl, and didn't find her that fascinating.
"Fighter."
Healer walked over next to Lover who was standing with her hands at her side, eyeing her carefully. "Here's a word of advice, just stay away from Fighter and you'll be better off."
"Nani? Why?" Lover was confused, why should she stay away from Fighter? She knew she wasn't a bad person, besides, she had come all this way to see her, and she certainly wasn't just going to stay away from her.
"Just consider yourself fortunate enough not to know the answer to that question." Healer said and before Lover could ask any more questions she found herself flying towards the mat. "Ha, and Maker thought you were going to be strong."
Lover got up and rubbed her bottom a bit. "Why you..." She cursed the fact that she had let Healer catch her off guard, she wasn't going to come across as weak so she charged the silver haired light. Healer began to laugh and side stepped the on coming attack with ease.
By the end of the session the two were tired, well more so Lover than Healer, but they were both tired. Tired and laughing? "You certainly gave me a run for my money there!" Lover panted and wiped some sweat from her brow.
Healer smiled back. "Arigato, I'll take that as a compliment."
"Healer laughing, and saying thank you?" A voice came up behind the two of them and Healer's face immediately straightened out, while Lover's still held the goofy grin. "Did you two have a good time today?"
"Yes Kakyuu." Lover beamed. "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to wash up for dinner." She said as she looked from Kakyuu to Healer.
Once Lover was out of hearing range Healer began to speak. "You know, Fighter would be much better at training a new senshi than I would." She smiled inwardly, the statement was true but she had only spoken those words to see Kakyuu's reaction.
"Oh?" She just said with a smile and followed Lover in the direction she had disappeared in.
"Bum, bum, bum... and the drama begins." Healer smiled.
"Yes it does." Maker came up from behind her. "Gomen, but I heard the entire conversation. I don't know what Kakyuu's worried about, I mean she is a princess, why would she fear Fighter as competition?"
"I don't know, but I do know that there is more to our little Lover than she lets on." Healer watched Kakyuu disappear into Lover's room and Maker nodded in agreement.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The long elegant dinner table was set with six place settings. Kakyuu was to be seated at the head of the table as always and on her right was Zankou, but to her left was a new person. In Fighter's usual seat now sat Lover. Healer snickered at the look on Fighter's face when she entered the room to see her seat taken, she was to sit beside Lover since it was the only open seat left.
"How did your training go today?" Fighter didn't know what to think of this new senshi, she wanted to despise her for coming up on her position but there was just something about her that continued to draw her in, so she felt the need to be civil.
Lover smiled over at Fighter. "Great! Healer is a really good teacher." Lover noticed the sideways glance that Fighter shot Healer and couldn't help wondering just what she was missing.
"That's great." Kakyuu commented. "It's nice to see you two getting along. Tomorrow you are going to train with Maker and after that I have a special surprise for you." She winked just before her soup was set down in front of her.
"Sounds lovely." Lover smiled. Perhaps her surprise had something to do with getting to see Fighter, she couldn't help the thought and a goofy grin made its way to her face. Healer noticed and chuckled some more.
"So Lover, where exactly are you from?" Fighter asked with a certain smirk.
"Umm... uh..." Lover stumbled on her words, she couldn't come out and tell her that she was from Earth, that would just be too weird.
"Fighter, you know that you are not allowed to ask that of her." Kakyuu narrowed her eyes at the raven haired Starlight. "Lover, none of the Starlights know each other's origins, so please don't explain yours." Kakyuu added still glaring at Fighter.
Maker felt a kick at her leg and looked over to see Healer grinning, Maker let out a faint giggled. "Nani?" Lover asked of the tallest Starlight.
"Nothing, it is an inside joke." Healer covered for her.
"Oh." Lover said but then noticed the glare shot in Healer's direction from Fighter. She definitely wanted to know what was going on. "What are we doing after dinner?" Lover anxiously questioned Kakyuu while shoving food in her face faster than anyone you'd ever seen before, this also caught Fighter's eye.
"The Princess has a meeting with the neighboring Star. You will have to find something else to fill your time." Zankou answered for her. "That reminds me, Princess, you'd better hurry. You don't want to be late do you?" Kakyuu nodded and rose from her seat.
"I'll see you all tomorrow. Goodnight." She said setting her napkin that once adorned her lap down on the table in front of her.
The four Starlights rose to respect her exit but only Lover sat back down. "What? You guys are leaving behind all of this yummy food!" She said as she shoved the last biscuit into her mouth.
"Kind of reminds you of some one, doesn't it Healer?" Maker questioned Healer but looked directly at Fighter. Healer didn't dare respond to the comment for fear of Fighter's reaction. Lover looked up from her task.
"So what do you want to do tonight?" Healer asked Lover as the four of them strode down the corridor.
"I don't know, I haven't really seen the whole palace yet. I wouldn't mind a tour. I mean, if I'm going to be living here and all it might be nice if I knew where I was going!" She winked and smiled. There was a certain warmth in her smile, unmistakable.
"Well, Fighter knows the palace the best, I'm sure she'll show you around." Maker commented and then noticed the death glare she received from Healer. "Healer and I have other matters to attend to."
"But I thought..." Lover started but realized that the two had already walked away leaving her behind with Fighter, not that she minded in the least.
"You shouldn't have done that." Healer commented when they were down the hall.
"And why not?" Maker said with a smile.
Healer shook her head. "You're such an antagonist, you know that? Why couldn't you just leave the situation alone?"
"I don't know what you're talking about." Maker continued to smile. "I think it will be good for her."
"Who? Lover or Fighter?"
"Fighter of course."
"I think you're wrong, and I have a bad feeling about this." Healer stopped in front of her door.
"Well it looks like it's just you and me." Lover turned and smiled at Fighter.
Fighter, despite trying not to, smiled in return. Smiles just came so easily in this girl's presence, just like... No! Don't think that way. "Yeah, I guess so." Fighter said walking away.
"You don't like me very much do you?" Lover said walking behind Fighter with her hands behind her back.
"What would give you that idea?" Fighter looked back with a cocked eyebrow.
Lover came up to walk beside Fighter. "The way you look at me some times. I get the feeling that you feel threatened by me. Is that it?"
"I think you flatter yourself too much." Fighter said with a slight laugh.
"That's an odd statement coming from you!" Lover mumbled to herself remembering Fighter's previous attitude on Earth.
"What did you say?" Fighter stopped walking.
"Nothing." Lover looked innocently. "I just want us to get along that's all." They continued to walk, Lover was thinking too hard. Why was Fighter in such a bad mood all of the time? She seemed touchy, jumpy and hard to reach, not at all the way she remembered her. "Can I ask you a question?"
Fighter continued to walk, by now they were in the garden. She hadn't even meant to lead her here, it was just where her feet took her when she needed to think, usually about her. Fighter looked up into the night sky not answering Lover's question but staring contently at the sparkling stars.
Lover looked up to see the sight that captivated her dark haired companion so. The stars really were shining brilliantly. "What is going on between you and Healer?"
"Nani?" Fighter's head snapped down suddenly.
"I sense such animosity sometimes between the two of you. Like the today when I came into your conversation before training. What were you talking about that got you so mad?" Lover searched Fighter's face for any sensible answer, but found none.
"It's nothing."
"It's something, otherwise you wouldn't have tried to strangle your partner!" Lover looked up and realized that she was a new person to Fighter all over again. She didn't have the trust that she had once given to Usagi.
"By `it's nothing', I meant that it's none of your business." Fighter snapped at her, but immediately regretted it when she saw the look displayed on the smaller girl's face. That pout was so similar.
"It's alright."
"No, it's not, I shouldn't have snapped at you. Gomen." She apologized and returned her gaze to the stars above and noticed Kakyuu on her balcony staring down at them. "We'd better get back it's late." Fighter said turning away and heading back into the palace.
Lover was confused but followed. "Can I come back to your room and talk with you some more?" She asked as she tried to catch up with Fighter's hurried pace.
"I don't think that would be such a good idea." Fighter answered, but felt the longing to actually sit down and spend time with this girl, her Princess' love.
Lover was disappointed but saw that Fighter was firm in her answer. Had she come all of this way and in the end she couldn't spend time with the one person who still meant something to her? It looked like it.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Earth seemed like a distant dream to her now. Lover often found herself thinking of what the other senshi were doing and if they even noticed her gone at all. Probably not, was the conclusion she came to. It was almost time for her training with Maker. Why couldn't she just train with Fighter? That way they could spend time together while she was doing something that she was supposed to do any way.
"Are you ready?" Maker asked coming up behind her as she stared out the window.
Lover quickly turned around and came out of her thoughts. "Yes, where are we headed today?"
"The second gym." Maker smiled and pointed her in the right direction. As they were walking away Maker glanced out the window that Lover had been staring out, there in the walkway below she saw Fighter pulling up her gloves and straightening her hair as though no one was watching her. Maker looked from the window to see Lover walking away in the direction that she had pointed her in.
"We should practice throws!" Lover smiled as Maker came into the gym with her.
"Why exactly is that?" Maker questioned seeing no logical reason in why she would pull that out.
"Because, I trained on them yesterday and I think I got pretty damn good!" Lover shot her a victory sign and noticed the strange look on Maker's face.
Two fingers raised in a victory sign wasn't a usual gesture on Kinmoku, Maker had only seen it on Earth. This made her wonder just where exactly this new Starlight was from. "I don't think that is a very good reason and I think we'll stick to the exercise that I already had planned."
Lover sighed. "Oh alright, party-pooper." She slumped by her taller companion.
Maker let out a slight laugh, there was something about this girl that just made her relax, almost as if they had known each other for a long time. "We're going to work on your speed and agility." Lover sat there and stared. "Is there something wrong?" Maker asked noticing her apparent staring problem.
"No, nothing, that just didn't seem to be your department that's all." She commented nonchalantly.
"Are you trying to say that I'm slow?" Maker asked slightly offended.
"No, not at all." Lover defended herself once she saw how Maker had taken the comment. "I was just thinking that you were more of the intellectual type, I thought we would do something along those lines."
Maker smiled. "You're pretty observant."
Lover's mood lifted with the comment. "Arigato!"
"Come on, we'd better get to training. We don't want Kakyuu to get the wrong idea now do we?" Maker noted Lover's puzzled expression due to this statement.
"Whatever." She shrugged and lined up to do wind sprints. Time went by and neither of them said anything except Maker's occasional instruction.
Their training time was just about over when Lover broke the silence. "Ahhh! I can't take it any more! My legs are turning into Jell-O!"
Maker laughed at her pupil's outburst and decided to call it a day. They walked down the hall towards their room together. "Why don't you just ask me?" Maker stated looking straight ahead.
"Excuse me?" Lover looked up at her.
Maker still didn't turn her head to address her fellow senshi. "You want to ask me a question, I can tell, it's been on your face all night."
Lover smiled. "Now who's the observant one?" She mused with a slight laugh. "I was actually going to ask you about Healer and Fighter."
"Oh, and what about them?" Maker was curious as to what this new girl could be wondering concerning her two friends.
"They seem to be at each other's throats, and every time I ask one of them about it they tell me its nothing important, or that they're sure I'd rather not know." Lover's head was down and she didn't see Kakyuu approach.
"How was your training today my chibi-starlight?" She asked picking up Lover's chin with her index finger.
Maker watched a smile form on Lover's face. "It was great."
"I'm happy to hear that." Kakyuu answered. "Well you get a break tomorrow."
"Really?" Lover was a bit disappointed that Kakyuu didn't say she would be training with Fighter tomorrow but was relieved to get a break.
"Yes, but I was wondering if you would like to come and spend some time with me?" Kakyuu's question seemed innocent enough.
It didn't look as though Fighter was going to want to spend time with her any time soon so Lover agreed. "That would be nice."
"I will see you both tomorrow, I'm sorry that I could not give you your surprise today, I will be sure to get around to it tomorrow. Lover, Maker, if you'll excuse me, I will not be joining you for dinner, I have diplomatic guests. Ja."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Fighter, Healer and Maker sat around doing nothing in particular. Dinner had been quiet and they had left Lover by herself in her room. She had asked them what they were doing but they all responded that they were busy. They didn't know if she had seen through their lie, but then again they didn't really care.
Fighter was beside the window gazing out at the nighttime stars. Healer and Maker were across the room having a private conversation. "I think our new little Starlight has a thing for Fighter." Maker commented looking in Fighter's direction to see if she was listening. She wasn't, she was oblivious to the fact that they were even there.
"Why do you say that?" Healer asked, she hadn't seen any evidence of that.
"She asks about her quite often, if you haven't noticed, and today I caught her staring longingly at our dear Fighter when no one else was around." Maker said this in a hushed voice just in case Fighter could hear them.
Healer's eyes grew a little as she looked at Maker in amazement. "Do you really think so?" She only half expected an answer. "Doesn't she remind you of some one though? I'm saying this seriously now, not just to ruffle Fighter's feathers."
Maker nodded in agreement. "She could be her long lost twin if I didn't believe that idea was so obscure."
Healer laughed a bit at the comment. It was a little far fetched, but it would have been a good explanation. "I think we should put them together and find out just what Lover's intentions are towards Fighter. Who knows, maybe Fighter will see what we see and find that love she's been looking for."
"I don't see that happening, but I would like to see what Lover has up her sleeve." Maker stood. "This could end up `not-so-pretty' don't you think?"
"Yeah, but it's getting boring around this place isn't it?" Healer smiled.
"Healer!" Maker snapped at her and drew Fighter's attention in the process. "That was uncalled for." Healer just shrugged and rolled her eyes.
"What are you two talking about?" Fighter got up and walked over towards them.
Healer and Maker looked at each other for a moment. "Nothing." Maker said and stood up. "It was nothing of importance."
"And just where are you going?" Healer asked her with a smirk.
Maker was to the door by now. "I don't want anything to do with your half-baked ideas." And she was gone.
"What was that all about?" Fighter asked coming over to take Maker's previous seat.
A devilish idea popped into Healer's head as she looked at Fighter with a smile. "We were just saying how we felt bad ditching Lover like that."
"Yeah, I guess that was pretty rude and all." Fighter agreed.
"Why don't you go and see her?" Healer put the idea on the table, she couldn't force Fighter to go, but she could definitely try and persuade her.
Fighter looked over at Healer as though she had grown two heads. "Why don't you go and see her?" She questioned back not seeing why she should have to go alone. "Besides, you know her better than I do."
"I have to wash my hair and get some beauty sleep. Some of us actually care about our appearance." Healer said throwing her hair back over her shoulder and walking to the end of the room.
Fighter just grunted and stared on. Why did she want her to go and see this new Starlight? She knew Healer had some crazy notion in her head, the way Maker had acted earlier only confirmed it. Fighter decided that she would play along with this little game. "Fine, maybe I will go and see her."
Healer smiled and walked out of the room, but not more than a second later her head poked back in. "Be sure and not let the Princess catch you!" She said with a full tooth grin. Fighter knew very well to what she was referring to and got up to head on her way.
"They hate me." Lover sighed and put her head down on her folded arms. She lay out on her bed on her stomach feeling the night air come in through the window to blow across her skin. A knock at the door sounded and Lover assumed that it was Kakyuu. "Come in." She called not bothering to move from her current position.
Fighter entered the room and noticed the blond girl on the bed, she felt bad that they had made her sad by not hanging out with her. "Were you going to sleep?" She asked not venturing too far into the room just in case she was.
Lover's head shot up from its resting place and stared at the new person in the room. It was Fighter not Kakyuu and a smile immediately found its way to her face. "No, I wasn't sleeping, come in." She motioned for the black haired girl to make herself comfortable.
"Achk, I think I would puke if they put this much pink in my room." Fighter commented looking around, pretty much checking to see if Kakyuu had spoiled this Starlight more than the others. She hadn't. Lover laughed and just stared at Fighter. Fighter felt her eyes on her but pretended that she didn't notice still looking around the room.
"Can you see anything?" Maker asked as Healer stood on her shoulders.
"Would you hold still?!" Healer cursed down. They were spying into Lover's room, they knew Fighter wouldn't tell them anything of what happened so they were going to have to find out for themselves. "They are just sitting on the bed together. I can't hear anything though. Damn!"
"I was surprised to see that your room was decorated in blue, you seem like more of a red person to me." Lover commented moving slightly closer to Fighter.
"Lover is moving closer to Fighter, and she has her gloves and boots off." Healer was trying her best to give Maker the play by play of what was going on.
"Now, why would you see me as a red person?" It was true that her favorite color was red, but why would that be brought up?
Lover moved even closer, she was on her knees beside Fighter on the bed and her face was only inches from hers. "Red is the color of passion, and you come across as a very passionate person." Lover brushed some hairs behind Fighter's ear as she spoke into it.
"What's going on!" Maker wasn't happy about being the human pillar.
"Uh..." Healer stared a little surprised that Lover was actually sort of making a move on Fighter. "Lover is whispering in her ear and playing with her hair. She's nearly on top of her!"
"WHAT!" Maker said surprised and almost dropped Healer in the process.
Fighter sat still and didn't look over at the girl beside her. She did remind her in so many ways of her Odango. She let out a laugh. "What would you know about the subject anyway?"
Lover became a little discouraged that she had been brushed off so easily, but wasn't going to give up. "I may not know much about it now but I would love to find out." And before Fighter knew what had hit her Lover had captured her lips in a passionate kiss.
Healer gasped. "Lover kissed her!"
Fighter quickly broke away from their kiss and pushed the blond away. "What are you doing?" She asked.
Maker was becoming excited below. "Now what happened? You're not a very good caster you know."
"Fighter pushed her away."
"Really?"
Lover looked confused as she studied Fighter's face. "I don't know." She answered slowly. "I guess I just felt like doing that."
"Well don't just feel like doing that again." Fighter answered her tone somewhat harsh.
"It looks as though Fighter is yelling at Lover."
Lover was downhearted and felt like she was dying. She wasn't even going to let her near her. "Is there already some one else?" She asked afraid of the answer.
Fighter's body relaxed a bit and a small smile appeared on her face. "Yes, there is some one else."
"Do you love them?"
"I love her more than anything else in this world, but I can't be with her." Fighter looked up at the ceiling in sweet remembrance of her Odango.
"Why not?" Lover asked. She didn't know who Fighter was referring to, but she wanted to see if there was ever going to be a chance for her to fill that void.
"There are too many details, it just wasn't meant to be." Fighter's face became sad.
"What are you two doing out here?" Kakyuu's voice came up behind Healer and Maker as she caught them peeping into Lover's window.
Maker turned around so suddenly that Healer was knocked off from her shoulders into the bush nearby. "We were just checking out the structure of this wall, yeah, that's it." Maker tried quickly to come up with a feasible excuse.
"Do you really expect me to believe that?" Kakyuu said putting her hands on her hips.
By now Healer had gotten up and brushed herself off. "Fighter is in Lover's room." She said holding her head a bit and then punched Maker in the arm for dropping her. Without a word Kakyuu spun around and headed into the palace. "Uh oh, looks like some one wasn't too happy." Healer commented.
"Fighter better get her butt out of there now!"
"Are you going to go and tell her?" Healer asked knowing full well that she wasn't going anywhere near that problem.
"Not a chance in hell!" Maker said walking towards the palace.
Lover put her hand on Fighter's gloved one. "Do you think you'll ever forget about her?"
Fighter brought her head down and looked at Lover for the first time. "I could never forget about her, and I will always love her and only her."
"Oh Fighter, I didn't realize you were in here." Kakyuu commented walking in wearing only her robe. Fighter immediately jumped up somewhat scared half out of her wits.
"We were just talking." Lover commented with a smile and Fighter shot her an odd look.
Kakyuu had seen the position they were in when she walked in and didn't like it. "I was actually just leaving Princess." Fighter said walking past the red haired girl. "Goodnight."
"So how did it go?" Kakyuu walked over and sat down next to Lover.
Lover sighed. "Can't I get out of this fuku?" She asked as she tugged at the straps.
"You can detransform, but you can't let the Starlights see you." Kakyuu warned.
In a second Usagi replaced Lover and fell back on her bed. "That is so much better. Who knew leather was so restrictive?"
Kakyuu laughed and sat behind Usagi when she sat back up. She began taking her hair down and reached for a brush. "It wasn't what you expected it to be was it?" She said while stroking her hair.
Usagi looked down into her hands. "No, it wasn't." She sighed taking in the new weight on her heart. Why hadn't she suspected this? Why was she so na�ve to think that Fighter wouldn't have found some one new? "I didn't know that she already loved some one."
"Oh, and how did that come up?" Kakyuu paused with her task for a moment. "Don't tell me you confessed your feelings to her already."
"Not really, but I did kiss her and she just pushed me away and told me to never do that again... I guess you were right, she might have just pretended to have liked me if I came here as myself." Usagi was almost on the verge of tears and she couldn't see Kakyuu smiling blissfully behind her.
"I'll stay in here with you tonight, we can have some girl talk." Kakyuu said finishing up with her long blond hair.
Usagi turned around with a smile on her face. "That would be great."
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