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 Ninth Part: "Enemies to Friends...." "Are you sure we're doing the right thing?" Kaen turned back to face the small group behind her. "We have no choice," she replied simply. "We can't go into hiding just because our _former_ friends have some misguided idea that we've switched sides. We have to try and prove ourselves! And the best way of doing that is finding somewhere that our doubles are attacking and being there at the same time. It's our only chance!" "Our only chance is the off chance of actually being in the right place at the right time?" Yaten gave her a disbelieving look. "I don't know Kaen. Those aren't very good odds...." "Well they're the only odds we've got!" Kaen snapped back. "Take 'em or leave 'em. Personally, I'm going for the blind luck. 'Sides, those things have a plan of some sorts. They're not just using our identities for the fun of it. I think they _want_ to face off with us.... And I'll be happy to oblige them...." She gave an evil grin and the other three stepped back from their leader, sharing a glance. "You haven't changed a bit have you Kaen," Seiya finally sighed. "You still _always_ want to take the direct approach to everything...." "Damn straight!" she replied with a brisk nod. "Now hurry up or we're gonna be late...." **** **** **** **** "Oh wow! Would you look at all this food! Boy I love these school festivals!" Ami, Minako, and Makoto watched Usagi try and make a record for 'Highest Amount of Junk Eaten in a One Hour Period' with mildly amused looks on their faces, long since used to her extended periods of snacking. Ami started looking around and suddenly gasped, drawing the other's attention to where she was looking. "What is it Ami..." Usagi began, suddenly realizing the change in her friends. She stopped short as she spotted Kaen standing with the Three Lights at the entrance. "Guys," she started slowly, "maybe we're wrong.... I mean, they haven't done anything to us...." "What do you mean? They attacked us!" Makoto continued to glare at them. "Yea but.... Didn't you ever think that _maybe_ what Kaen told us was the truth? They've never done anything to us when they're not transformed.... Maybe this story about this hooded thing and their doubles isn't as far out there as we thought it was...." "We can't take that chance Usagi," Ami replied, still watching the group by the door. "But Kaen...." "Is one of them," Minako finished for her, cutting her off. "We had thought it before and now we know for sure, since she's gone and admitted it. They're dangerous Usagi. They're not from this planet. And since they've gone and attacked us they're even more dangerous. We just can't trust them anymore...." Kaen felt her jaw clench as she saw the way the others were looking at her. "They're watching us like we're gonna up and start wailing on them," she hissed at the other three. "What a pack of paranoids...." "Kaen," Taiki whispered back. "They have every right to look at us like that after what our doubles did. They're probably worried that we'll do something to Usagi. The future of this planet depends on her you know...." "Yea, yea, yea...." Kaen waved him away. "Still, they could give us the benefit of the doubt.... I mean, you guys helped defeat Galaxia, how can they just forget about that?" She started pouting and the others gave her an odd look. "Kaen, that doesn't matter anymore." Seiya sighed. "Look, it was your idea to show up here anyways. Why were you so insistent?" "Because!" Kaen stopped and thought for a moment. "Because... I dunno... I got this feeling, okay? Haven't you ever got the strangest feeling that something was up before? I just think something's gonna happen today...." "Like maybe we _will_ be in the right place at the right time?" Taiki prompted. "Exactly!" Kaen smiled brilliantly, glad that _someone_ had finally gotten her drift. "No wonder we call you the smart one!" **** **** **** **** "This is it," Blaze suddenly said bluntly, stopping outside of Juuban High. "Are you sure we should do this Blaze?" Brooke asked worriedly, glancing from side to side. "I mean, we've done the discrediting thing in other spots before no problem. But then there was no chance of them showing up and spoiling it all. This is their school, they might be here...." "Exactly," Blaze replied simply. "That's what the Master wants us to do. It said that it was time for the next phase to begin. And fer crying out loud, call me Kaen! After all we _are_ supposed to be in character." "Sorry Bl... Kaen." Brooke quickly corrected himself as Blaze gave him a dirty look. "Thank you. Now quit your whining and let's go! And no slip ups! Especially with the names. In fact let's go over this one more time...." She pointed at Brooke. "Now who are you?" "Seiya Kou," he answered simply. "Right. And you?" she asked, turning her attention to Blossom. "Taiki Kou." "Okay. And you?" she asked, finally facing Breeze. "Oh... umm... gee... I dunno. Maybe Yaten Kou!" he snapped back sarcastically. Blaze glared at him. "Knock it off runt! I gotta be sure that you know what you're doing. We can't risk any screw-ups, this is _way_ too important. We've got to be completely indistinguishable from our originals. Now let's move. It's go time!" **** **** **** **** "Kaen, let's just forget this. They're obviously not showing themselves okay. Let's go!" Kaen shot Yaten a dirty look, then glanced in the direction that he was staring in, drawing in a shocked breath as he realized just _what_ was making him want to make a hasty retreat. Candi had just walked in and was glancing around, obviously looking for someone she knew. "Look Yaten," Kaen began slowly, "if you really want to you can make yourself scarce for a little while. Just stay close enough that you'll be around if any trouble pops up okay?" "Thanks Kaen, I owe you one." "Actually you owe me at least six but that's beside the point," Kaen replied flatly. "Hey! I thought the count would reset after we left our planet." "It did, that's why you only owe me six. Now get out of here!" "Too late, she's seen him," Seiya idly commented as Candi started strolling towards the group. "Hi Kaen!" she said brightly, smiling at her friend. "Seiya, Taiki...." She nodded slightly in their direction and her eyes narrowed as her gaze fell on the last one. "Yaten..." she said with barely any emotion, her tone dripping with ice as she shot him a cool glance. Yaten immediately looked down in response. "Candace," he replied softly. "Candace I...." "Don't even bother," she cut him off coldly. "I don't want to hear anything you have to say. So what are you up to Kaen?" she asked brightly her tone immediately changing as she turned back to her friend. "Oh... nothing much," Kaen replied mysteriously. "We're just watching to see who shows up and who doesn't...." Candi was about to ask what she meant by that when there was a sudden commotion at the door. Everyone gaped in confusion as four people who looked exactly like Kaen and the Three Lights strolled in. "What are you gawking at," the Yaten look-alike snapped, glaring around him. "Ya never seen an idol befo... oh crap!" He stopped abruptly as he spotted their originals among the gawkers. "They got here before us Blaze, now what?" "Kaen!" the Kaen double growled exasperatedly. "Call me Kaen!" "Why should we bother?" the Yaten replied. "It's obvious that the jig is up. They got here first. I _told_ you we should have left earlier. But did you listen? Nooooo...." Kaen turned to face the real Three Lights. "Are these guys for real?" she asked them, trying to control the bubble of laughter that was trying to force its way out. "They in-fight more than..." "We do?" Yaten finished for her smugly. "Oh, can it runt! Come on, lets show these imposters what happens to things that steal our identities!" They all nodded briskly and were starting towards the group of fakes when Candi suddenly grabbed Yaten's arm. "Wait!" she said quickly. "This means... that night... you were telling the truth...." Yaten smiled at her sadly and nodded. Candi's eyes immediately began filling with tears in response. "I'm sorry," she breathed. "I'm so so sorry." "It's okay," Yaten whispered back, giving her a quick hug. "I don't blame you. It's pretty far fetched...." On the other side of the room, another group was also shocked at the appearance of the doubles. "They were telling the truth!" Usagi exclaimed suddenly, turning away from the spectacle to face her friends. "We have to do something to help them! They're powerless right now. Come on!" The other three senshi nodded and together they slipped off, looking for a place to transform. "All right guys! Let's get 'em!" Kaen started towards the other group again when Taiki stopped her. "Kaen, wait. I just realized. How are we going to stop them? We're ah...." He glanced nervously over at Candi who was watching the exchange with interest. "It's okay Taiki," Yaten sighed. "She knows about me, and she's probably figured out about you...." "You told her!?" Kaen snapped. Then suddenly remembering who it was that Yaten told she turned back to her friend. "I'm sorry Candi, but some things just aren't told to people.... At least not on the first date...." She shot another angry glance at Yaten, who glared right back. "A monster attacked, what was I supposed to do? Let it maim us? Really Kaen...." "It's okay guys," Candi put in softly. "Actually, now that I know it seems pretty obvious. I mean, you guys don't change that much...." Taiki and Seiya gaped at her with shocked looks on their faces and she tried to correct herself. "I mean not physically.... I mean... as far as facial features and hair and stuff go...." She giggled. "The rest of you certainly does... well except you Kaen.... Why is that?" "Long story," Kaen sighed. "Very, very long story. And maybe if we survive this one we'll tell you all about it...." She glanced over her shoulder and sucked in her breath as she spotted the imposters heading towards them. "Well... looks like a showdown. Ready guys?" "How the hell are we going to do this?" Seiya wondered out loud. "They have our powers. They'll slaughter us...." "I don't know. But we're not going to go down without a fight!" She turned to face the group of doubles. "What do you think you're trying to pull. Impersonating us like that!? There is only one Kaen Kou...." "And for that the world is ever thankful," Yaten mumbled under his breath. "Can it runt! Anyways, don't you realize that we're irreplaceable? There was no way you could fool anyone with this ill laid plan." "Oh really?" the Kaen clone asked slowly, looking them over with narrowed eyes. "It seemed to me that it worked pretty well. Your friends certainly didn't believe you...." The group of originals started fuming. "That doesn't matter now," Kaen snapped. "You've gone and slipped up. You've proved our innocence for us...." "Right," Yaten put in with a brisk nod. "Penetrating the darkness at night...." "The air of freedom breaks through...." "We are the _four_ sacred shooting stars...." "The...." Kaen paused slightly, wondering the best way to describe themselves. "The Lights... are here!" The Kaen double looked at them with a bored look on their face. "Very nice. But you know what?" She smiled at them evilly. "We can do it better.... NOVA STAR POWER, MAKE UP!" "FIGHTER STAR POWER, MAKE UP!" "MAKER STAR POWER, MAKE UP!" "HEALER STAR POWER, MAKE UP!" The originals fell a step back and shared a glance. "Great..." Kaen mumbled under her breath. "They _had_ to do that. Maybe if they had stayed in human form we could have kicked the crap out of them. But now...." The four fake Starlights finished their transformations and faced their opponents smugly. "Well," Nova began slowly. "Are you four ready to say goodbye now?" "We won't go down without a fight!" Seiya snapped at them. "We weren't expecting any less," Fighter countered. "Fine! Let's rumble!" Kaen stepped forward, looking a lot braver than she felt, cracking her knuckles. "Hold it!" The two groups turned at the shout and jaws dropped. "Why don't you fight someone who at least stands a chance of fighting back?" Sailor Moon asked from the doorway, flanked by Mercury, Venus, and Jupiter. "Like the beautiful sailor suited soldier for love and justice, Sailor Moon!" "Oh I don't know...." Nova turned to face the group behind her. "Girls?" "Why not?" "Let's get them!" "But... aren't we supposed to just get...." "Blossom! We can do that later! This is our chance for some real fun!" Starhealer stepped out in front of Nova. "This time we don't have to hold back. We can get rid of these goodie goodies once and for all...." Jupiter tensed, getting into a defensive crouch. "I'd like to see you try!" "No problem. STAR SENSITIVE INFERNO!" The Inner Senshi scattered and Kaen clenched her fist in frustration. "We have to do something! We can't just let them fight our battles for us!" She glanced around and suddenly something hit her. "Come on, I've got an idea!" Meanwhile the Inner Senshi were still dodging blasts coming from the fake Starlights, not knowing exactly what to do about them. They weren't exactly sure just _what_ would happen to their friend's powers if they completely destroyed these frauds, or even what would happen to their friends period. Suddenly Sailor Moon stumbled and the false Starfighter loomed over her, about to deal what could be a death blow when something struck her from behind. She screamed in anger as she was wrestled to the ground by Seiya. Elsewhere the other three were also scrapping with their doubles, taking advantage of the element of surprise. Candi watched the whole proceedings with wide eyes, not knowing what to do. She wanted to help but she knew she'd really just be in the way.... But oh how she wanted to do something useful.... Suddenly something grabbed her from behind and she let out a ear splitting scream, grabbing the attention of all the combatants. "Can't I trust you to do anything?" the cloaked figure asked. "I told you to get the girl, instead I find you in little scratching, biting, hair-pulling fights with your originals. It's obvious now that if I want anything done that I have to do it myself. Now grab them and let us return...." It vanished, taking Candi with it, and immediately the four false Star Senshi changed tactics. Their grips shifted, making sure that they were holding their sparing partner effectively captive, and they vanished in turn. Sailor Moon gasped as she watched them go. "Wh... why did they do that?" she asked softly, staring at the spot that they had been. "Why take them captive? And Candi too... what's going on here...?" ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Immicolia... immicolia@hotmail.com Immicolia's Fanfiction Nebula http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Temple/8671 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------