AUTHOR'S NOTE: Okay, standard disclaimer. Sailor Moon and all related characters do _not_ belong to me. They are copyrighted by Naoko Takeuchi, Kodansha, Toei Animation, and who knows who else depending on what language you're watching it in.... However the characters of Kaen Kou and Candace "Candi" Martin of this fanfiction are purely creations of my own insanity..... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- AFTER THE FIRE MY SAILORMOON SAILORSTARS FANFICTION BY: Immicolia The Third Part: "Kaen's Quest" Kaen glowered as she closed another magazine. It seemed impossible. How was she _ever_ going to pull off weaseling her way into their band. They guarded themselves so closely. She was going to have to find a way though. Finding the rest of her group depended on it. She had the perfect plan. She would use the music to try and get a message to them, one that only they would understand. That way she'd know for sure that it was them. The group that she had saved could have been them, but she was starting to have her doubts. She _had_ to get into that band, it was the only way she could think of getting her message out. "But how am I gonna get those guys to let me in?" she wondered aloud. "I know that if they heard me play they'd be so overwhelmed that they'd have no choice.... But getting them to listen to me in the first place, that's the trick...." She began pacing, easily covering the distance of her crowded apartment in a few steps. "How..." she hissed. "How am I gonna pull this one off." She glanced at the magazine photograph and smiled as the obvious answer came to her. "Kaen, you're brilliant. After all, how many times before have you said that they're all looks. Getting close to one of them shouldn't be _too_ much of a trial...." **** **** **** **** Kaen peeked around the corner and felt an evil grin touch her lips. There they were, just coming down the street. All she had to do was 'accidentally' bump into them and turn on the charm. "Five... four... three..." she slowly began counting down, wanting to time it just right. She swiftly stepped onto the street as she hit zero and ran headlong, just as planed, into one of them. Unfortunately she hadn't timed it well enough to slam into one that was in a better mood.... "Hey watch it!" Yaten snapped, stumbling back as Kaen hit him. "Oh!" Kaen blushed cutely and looked at him in her most endearing manner. "I'm so sorry...." "Yea, you better be," Yaten growled, not in the mood for anyone fawning all over him. Kaen fought back the urge to snap something equally rude back at him and looked at them through lowered eyelashes. "Oh I am...." The Three Lights shared a glance. This was the girl that Taiki had said _could_ be Nova. But Nova _never_ would have backed down like that from a challenge. "We've met before, haven't we?" Seiya asked, wanting to talk to her, to see if they could find any clues as to whether or not she _was_ Nova. "Yes," Kaen replied sweetly. "Usagi introduced us. I'm Kaen Kou." "Right," Seiya replied with a vague nod, although he knew very well who she was. "Kaen. The new transfer student, and the girl who goes by her family name. You were on a foreign exchange program right?" "Yea." "Where'd you go?" Kaen smiled at them mysteriously. "Guess," she said in perfect, accentless, English. The Three Lights blinked. "Somewhere... that they speak English," Seiya asked with a shrug. Kaen grinned at them. "My but you're perceptive...." "That's amazing," Taiki said suddenly in slight awe. "You don't have any accent whatsoever. How did you do that?" "Practice," Kaen replied with a shrug, knowing that the _real_ reason was just _too_ unbelievable. "Well Kaen," Yaten suddenly cut in rudely. "Although it's been _really nice_ talking to you, we do have other things to do. If you don't mind...." "Not at all," Kaen replied, trying her hardest to keep her tone civil. "Maybe I'll see you again some other time. Bye!" She parted with a wink that she had been practicing for the longest time and that she _knew_ was guaranteed to have any heterosexual male falling at her feet, then chanced one small glance over her shoulder and smiled inwardly as she noticed the three of them staring after her with various expressions of interest. she thought as she strolled away. "She's interesting...." The other two glanced away from Kaen's departing form and over at Seiya. "I don't believe it!" Yaten gasped sarcastically. "What about Usagi? She's gonna be heartbroken...." "I don't mean interesting like that you little pervert!" Seiya snapped. "Keep your mind out of the gutter for a change. I'm talking about her in general.... Where she's been, the way she acted, how much she looks like Nova...." "She doesn't look _that_ much like Nova...." "Bull! How many people do you know with eyes that shade of blue?" Seiya asked rhetorically. "I wasn't looking at her eyes...." Yaten trailed off with an evil grin. "I was looking at her facial features and her hair color and body language and such!" he quickly added, noticing the odd looks he was getting. "Now who's got their mind in the gutter?" "We're just going where you usually are anyways," Seiya replied simply. "And I still think she looks like Nova." "Yea, yea, you probably just want to...." "Don't you dare finish that sentence!" "Ffffffffff..." Yaten started tauntingly. "YATEN!" "...fffffffeel her up!" he finished smugly. Seiya flushed slightly. "Not as bad as I thought it would be but still.... Grow up!" **** **** **** **** "All right Kaen, you've got their attention. Now it's time to start phase two...." Kaen smoothed out her hair and flashed a brief smile at herself in the nearest reflective surface. "Lookin' good," she said with a slight nod. "Now, let's show them how much of a woman you are...." She strolled into class, as fashionably late as was safe, and immediately plopped down into a seat next to Taiki, making a show of her entrance. She flashed him a brilliant smile and he weakly smiled back, uncomfortable with her regard. he wondered to himself. "Taiki," she whispered to him. "I need to talk to you after class. It's _very_ important." She looked at him through half closed lids and he nodded slightly, trying to shake the uneasy feeling he got from the look she was giving him. All through class Taiki could feel a pair of eyes on him. But every time he looked over at Kaen, which was the direction he _knew_ the looks were coming from, she was always looking straight ahead. He sighed as he looked back towards the front after trying to catch her staring at him again. She was starting to give him the creeps. Did she know something? Was that why she wanted to talk to him? Was she really Nova and had she figured out their identities already? If she was it would certainly make their jobs here easier. Although they _still_ weren't sure that Nova was even alive, the Nova that they had seen the other day could be an agent of the enemy trying to infiltrate herself into their group. And if Kaen was that Nova.... He shook his head to clear it. They had to concentrate on one thing at a time. First find out if the Nova they had seen was real or not... _then_ worry about who she was. The instant class was over he turned to face Kaen. "What is it?" he asked, wondering what was on her mind. "Walk with me," she said simply, starting out of the classroom. He shrugged and followed. "Well?" he prompted. She turned to face him smoothly and leaned against the wall, effectively pinning him against it as well. "I'm glad I can speak to you alone about this Taiki," she said huskily, regarding him through half lowered lashes. "I have something very important to ask you...." "Ah.... What?" Taiki asked slowly, uncomfortable with the look she was giving him. "Do you guys need a drummer?" she asked, her tone changing drastically. Taiki blinked in confusion. "What?" "You guys got a band right?" He nodded. "Well I noticed that you don't have a drummer. You want one? I'm quite talented." Taiki sighed. He hadn't thought that Kaen was the spotlight craving type. "I'd have to discuss it with the others," he replied coldly. "But I'll let you know." Kaen noticed the change in his mood immediately. "Please do," she said simply, drawing herself up to her full height. she thought idly as she did. He cleared his throat and broke her out of her trance. "We'll talk later?" she asked. "Sure. Later." He turned and walked away and Kaen fumed slightly. she thought irately. She blinked as she realized something. "Duhh Kaen! He doesn't know cause you didn't tell him!" "Talking to yourself Kou?" Kaen tensed at the voice behind her and whipped around. "DON'T CALL ME KOU!" she snapped as she went. "I TOLD YOU, I GO BY KAEN!" Yaten eyed her with a bored look on his face. "All right, I won't. I just thought it might be interesting to see what you'd do if I did, that's all. Although it's obvious now that if anyone goes against what you want you overreact and flip out so...." Kaen ground her teeth in frustration. "Can it runt!" she snapped, glaring down at him. "All right I'll admit that I overreacted but that's no reason to get on my case!" Yaten glared right back at her. "Oh I don't know, I think it's a pretty good reason. And with that crack about my height...." "What crack!?" "You called me a runt!" "That's what you are isn't it!? After all, I think that when a guy is shorter than the average girl he constitutes as a runt...." "I am _not_ shorter than the average girl!" "Oh all right.... The same height then.... But still pretty tiny...." Yaten glowered at her. "You, Kaen Kou, are obnoxious." Kaen smiled back at him sweetly. "I try...." **** **** **** **** "The nerve of her!" Yaten growled as Taiki told them about what Kaen had asked him. "Asking for us to hear her play... to actually _consider_ letting her join us. Then, not two seconds later, insulting me!" "I take it you're not all for hearing her out then?" Seiya asked flatly. "Damn straight!" Yaten snapped, sticking his nose in the air. "There is _no_ way in hell I'm gonna listen to her. 'I'm really talented.'" He made his voice even higher trying to imitate Kaen. "Hmph.... She can probably bang out some sort of a beat and thinks she's God's gift to the rock music industry...." "You have to wonder though," Taiki put in suddenly, "why she even suggested this. I mean... she just didn't seem like the spotlight craving type to me. When she first met us she didn't really seem to care that we were idols at all." "Oh, I bet she cared," Yaten drawled. "She was probably just testing the water. And now she's got her hooks in you. Hasn't she!?" "What!?" Taiki looked at him like he was nuts. "You've got a thing for her," Yaten said simply. "You took one look into those baby blues of hers and haven't been able to stop thinking about doing lewd things to her. Haven't you!?" "You are _such_ a pervert," Taiki replied flatly. "If anyone thinks about doing lewd things it's you. I've barely thought about her at all." "Aha! But you admit you have thought about her!" Yaten said triumphantly. "Well... I... I suppose.... A little.... Just considering the connections between her and Nova of course." He looked down at his shorter teammate, confident with his rationalization. "Sure you were," Yaten said in a bored tone. "You considered her as you consider everything, in a clearly clinical sense and with little to no regard for what they actually are. She is simply a creature who could be the person that we're looking for. Correct?" Taiki glared at him. "I am _NOT_ that cold," he ground out through clenched teeth. "Coulda fooled us," Seiya replied with a shrug. "But really, you _should_ make up your mind as to how you see her. Is she simply a possibility for who could be Nova, or is she something more to you?" "I've only just met the girl! How could I know...." "You'd know... and yet you wouldn't," Seiya cut him off. "But you'd better decide, because your feelings towards her are going to have a major effect on our mission here, regardless of what she is...." "_You_ are the last person who should be lecturing other people about letting feelings get in the way of the mission," Taiki retorted simply. "Just think about it...." **** **** **** **** "So Kaen," Usagi began idly, looking at the redhead appraisingly. "When are you and Taiki going out?" Kaen, who had been listening to the gossip that had been flying with only half an ear, jerked to attention at the question and blushed a shade of red close to that of her hair. "W... what do you mean? Why would me and Taiki be going out?" "Oh come on Kaen! The signs are all there. You two like each other, it's obvious." Usagi nodded briskly, proud of her astuteness. Kaen rolled her eyes. "And since when have you been an officianatio on reading the signs?" she added silently. "No changing the subject," Usagi said chidingly, wagging her finger at her. "I know. Ami told me all about the little looks that were going between you during class." Kaen shot Ami a deadly look but no one seemed to notice. "So when do you think he's going to ask you out?" "Ugh... Usagi, he's not! And I still don't see what makes you think he is!" Kaen started fuming even more and Usagi finally got the message and decided to give it a rest, wondering if it would be easier to work on Taiki. Because no matter what, she was going to get those two together. "Hey! Who's that?" Minako asked suddenly, pointing. The group of gossiping girls all looked in the direction indicated and spotted a rather somber looking brunette dressed in Juuban High's school uniform standing on the steps looking uncomfortable. "New student?" "Another one!" "She looks foreign...." "I wonder who she is?..." "Why don't you go ask her," Kaen cut in irritably. "Kaen! We don't want to make her feel even more uncomfortable by interrogating her!" "I think she's gonna feel worse if she hears you talking about her behind her back. I'm going to go introduce myself...." And with that she haughtily stood and walked over. "Hi there!" The girl looked at her in shear panic for a moment, but quickly composed herself before carefully replying. "Ah... hello...." Kaen pondered the girl's accent for a moment and smiled as she recognized it. "English," she replied in that language. The girl gaped at her, shocked and relieved. "Thank God," she began quickly in English. "Someone else here speaks English too. Oh sorry, I'm Candace Martin, my friends call me Candi.... Where'd you learn English so well... I can't even hear an accent." Kaen smiled. "I'm Kaen Kou. I was a foreign exchange student so I've had a lot of practice...." "Kaen?..." Candi replied slowly with a look of confusion on her face. "That's a weird name... ah... no offense meant or anything...." Kaen looked back at her blankly for a moment wondering how the girl had picked up on what she wanted to be called by, then realized _exactly_ how it had happened. "Oh, Kaen's my family name," she explained quickly. "My given name's Kou. Just call me Kaen though, I prefer to go by it." "Oh right! Last names first here.... I forgot for a minute." She gave a nervous giggle. "This is gonna take some getting used to. It was nice meeting you Kaen, but I'd better go. Maybe I'll see you later." She dashed off into the school and Kaen was immediately swarmed by Usagi and company. "So who is she?" Kaen sighed. "Her name's Candace Martin, I'd presume she's an exchange student of some sort. I don't know where from, but she speaks English so use your imagination. Are you quite through interrogating me now, 'cause that's all I know!" She frowned at them irately and the group gave her some space. "Okay Kaen. Hey, maybe the direct approach works after all...." **** **** **** **** Candi strolled uncertainly down the hall, trying to remember the directions she'd been given to her first class. "It's around here somewhere," she murmured to herself. "I know it." Suddenly someone rushing down an adjoining hallway bumped into her, knocking her against a wall. "Hey watch where you're going!" Yaten glared at the girl he had bumped into, then did a double take as he looked into a pair of luminous hazel eyes. "I'm so sorry," she was saying. "I should have been watching...." "It's okay," he cut her off quickly. "My fault entirely. I'm just in a bad mood." His jaw clenched slightly as he remembered what had put him in that mood. Kaen Kou... and her stupid spotlight grabbing.... "Oh... well you see," the girl continued slowly, her soft melodious voice catching his attention again. "I'm new here and...." She gave a nervous giggle and Yaten felt his heart race at the sound. "...I'm kinda lost. Oh! Sorry, I'm being so rude. My name's Candace Martin, but my friends call me Candi." he thought disjointedly. He blinked at the direction his thoughts were going and nervously cleared his throat. "Ah... I'm Yaten Kou," he replied. "Kou? Hey that's weird. Do you know Kaen?" she asked innocently, trying to make conversation. "She has the same name." Yaten tensed at the mention of Kaen but quickly collected himself. "Ah... yea... I've met her a couple of times.... So you said you were lost..." he prompted, quickly changing the subject. Candi blushed. "Yea. See, they gave me this schedule, but I still don't know where most of the rooms are...." "Let me see." She passed it to him and he glanced it over. "Hey, I'm in most of these classes. I can show you around." "Really!? You'd do that? Oh, you are so sweet!" She impulsively hugged him and he blushed. Mildly embarrassed by the public display of affection. "Ah... it's nothing...." **** **** **** **** Kaen stormed into her English class, irritated with life in general beyond belief. Taiki had told her in no uncertain terms that the band 'really wasn't looking for a drummer'. Not that she was surprised by it. She _had_ been expecting it, especially after seeing how cold he got when she had brought it up the first time. But he had given her such an attitude.... She fumed and slouched down in a desk. And that stupid runt Yaten didn't help anything either. It was his fault they didn't even want to hear her out. How was she _ever_ going to find her team with them slowing her down? "Hi Kaen!" Kaen looked up at the familiar accented voice. "Hi Candi. You in this class?" "Would I be here if I wasn't?" "Good point. So how've you been doing?" "Fine. This really nice guy's been showing me around, he says he knows you. His name's Yaten Kou...." Kaen suddenly felt ill at the mention of his name. "Ah... yea. I kinda know him.... I've talked to him and all...." Candi got a far off look in her eyes. "He's such a sweetheart. So kind and considerate...." "Really? Doing a little test in word association 'kind' and 'considerate' aren't the first two adjectives to pop into my mind when I hear the name Yaten." "Oh? What are?" "Rude and obnoxious." Candi was taken aback by the other girl's blunt, and low, opinion of what seemed to her like a really great, and mega-cute, guy. "Well... we can't be talking about the same person then. Maybe you have him confused with someone else...." "Don't think so. He's blond, right? With really pale green eyes?" "Y... yes...." "Same guy." She leaned back in her chair, preparing to warn this poor innocent about a first class jerk. "He's in a band. A really crappy band too. They don't even have a drummer. I offered them _my_ talents, asked them quite nicely to listen to my stuff actually, but _noooo_ they don't want to hear it. Especially Yaten. He just hates me for some reason...." "Oh. So you don't like him because he won't listen to you play...." "No!" Kaen exclaimed, seeing how petty that made her sound. "It's not just that. He's an irritating little creep too, and pompous, and he thinks he knows everything. He's just a jerk." "Who's a jerk?" "Yaten," Kaen replied simply, barely glancing at the owner of the voice. "Let me guess, you're talking about how he refused to hear you play." Kaen finally whipped around and glared. "As a matter of fact, it _did_ come up, but we're past that now and discussing the many _other_ reasons that he's a jerk!" "But the drumming thing was first on the list, right?" Kaen looked about ready to pop a vein and everyone nearby took an involuntary step back, realizing that a flash of redheaded temper was about to flare up. Taiki, suddenly realizing that he had crossed the line with that last remark, cleared his throat nervously and gave a weak smile and prepared himself to try and defuse the situation he had created. "Ah... Kaen... come on.... I didn't mean anything by it.... I... I was just.... I don't know.... I was just teasing you.... Come on...." "You were teasing me," Kaen replied flatly, holding her rage in check momentarily. "Y... yea.... I was just teasing...." He smiled at her weakly, and Kaen gave an evil looking smile back. "Just teasing..." she said slowly. "Well ya know what? I DON'T LIKE BEING TEASED!!!!" Everyone winced and waited for her to completely blow her top but the moment never came. Kaen just smiled sweetly and relaxed again. "And now you know," she said sweetly, patting Taiki gently on the cheek. "So don't do it again...." END THE THIRD PART..... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Immicolia... immicolia@hotmail.com Immicolia's Fanfiction Nebula http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Temple/8671 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------