in which everyone gets settled in and the story makes a pitiful attempt to get moving
"Gurk.. did I ever mention that riding on planes makes nauseous?" Jada grumbled as she stepped off the plane with her friends, meeting her parents and sister at the gate."You’re so silly, Jada," a little girl that looked like a smaller version of Jada latched herself onto the white-haired girl. Jada’s cheeks suddenly acquired a green tint.
"Don’t squeeze me too hard right now, Rana, dearest," she managed, plucking her younger sister off of her and gently patting her soft hair.
"Hee." Rana’s sky blue eyes squeezed shut happily as she raised her head towards her sister, hugging her gently. "’Kay."
"She’s cute," Kaitlyn smiled, petting Rana’s hair as well. "I hope someday I have a kid that’s sweet like that."
"Children?…hmm. A waste of time, I believe," Kiera said. "Not to mention bearing a child only adds to the surplus population that already infests this planet."
"Gee, Kiera, thanks for the happy thoughts," Kaitlyn made a face.
Etienne glanced at Rana and then turned his face skyward, closing his eyes for a moment.
*
"It’s such a pretty day," Kaitlyn said happily, as the group wandered out of the small airport and into the sun’s light.
"Yeah, whatever," Umi said grumpily. "Be careful not to spill!" he added, swimming frantically in the sloshing water of his fishbowl.
"So, um, where’s our like, transportation?" Jada said, holding up a hand to shield her eyes from the sun and looking around.
"Right there," Umi said, and everyone’s heads jerked forward, where they saw a two small cars and limo parked next to the sidewalk. "The limo belongs to our loaded Shadow friend over there, the white one is Kaitlyn’s, and the black one is your family’s, Jada. Now that we’re all here… you and Kiera can go home with your families, and I’ll show our two lovebirds here where they’ll be staying."
Kaitlyn reddened and Etienne growled in his throat. Jada laughed as she climbed into back of the car with her little sister. Kiera just shook her head a little and bowed to Kaitlyn slightly.
"I shall make your acquaintance tomorrow, Kaitlyn. Goodbye for now."
"’Bye, guys!" Kaitlyn called, clutching Umi’s fishbowl with one hand and waving with the other as the two cars drove away. After they had disappeared into the horizon, Kaitlyn held Umi’s bowl up to her face and said to it, "Where’m I supposed to put you while I drive?"
"Mister Anti-Social can hold me," Umi answered, causing Mister Anti-Social to groan a little. Kaitlyn held the bowl out to Etienne.
"Here you go," she said, a look of nervous happiness spreading across her face.
"Thanks," he said, taking it from her hands gently. He paused, and looked down at Umi, then muttered. "I think."
"Hahahah," Umi said sarcastically. "Get in the car, funny man. I’ve got some stuff to tell you."
*
The white car’s black tires crunched the gravel beneath them as Kaitlyn pulled into the parking lot of a large apartment building near the local high school.
"This is an awfully small town," Kaitlyn observed, unlocking the car doors and stepping out. "That wasn't a long drive at all."
She trotted over to the passenger side of the car and held the door open for Etienne, who slowly climbed out of his seat, holding Umi’s bowl carefully. The two had been silent for the entire time, talking to each other in mindspeak.
"What were you guys talking—er, thinking.. whatever… about, anyway?" Kaitlyn asked, shutting the door once Etienne was standing next to her.
"Nothing you’d be interested in… just the fish telling me how grateful I should be because his omnipotent friends gave me a second chance or something to that effect," Etienne said, rolling his dark eyes a little.
"Nyah. We could have just left you for dead, you know," Umi said. Kaitlyn shook her head as they started to walk to the building’s entrance.
"I wouldn’t do that."
"Oh, great, here comes a mushy scene… everybody duck and cover," Umi said, a sigh in his thoughts.
"Why not…?" Etienne said, ignoring Umi.
"Everyone deserves a second chance," she said, holding the front door to the apartment building open for him.
"Do they," Etienne said, glancing down at Umi.
"What’re you looking at, goth-boy?" Umi snapped, jumping in and out of the bowl’s rippling water. Kaitlyn giggled as she took two sets of keys from the man at the front desk, and then gestured for Etienne to follow her to the elevator. The shining metal doors slid open, and the two stepped inside. Kaitlyn smiled a little and tapped the glass of Umi’s bowl.
"Take Umi here… this is his second chance, too," she said.
"Yeah, right… some second chance… get reincarnated as a fish and have to guard some ditz claiming to be a Sailor Senshi," he muttered.
Etienne shook the bowl, causing the water in it to slosh around violently.
"Don’t you insult her," he said.
"It’s okay," she mumbled, her hands shaking as the elevator chimed and reopened its doors. They stepped out, their shoes sinking into the plush carpet as they walked down the well-lit halls. Kaitlyn reached her apartment door and fumbled with her set of keys.
"Oh…" She sighed a little as the keys slipped from her trembling fingers, landing on the soft linoleum with a quiet thump. She hastily knelt to retrieve them, reddening when she heard the sound of Etienne slapping Umi’s fishbowl and muttering something about total perversion. She scrambled to her feet and jammed the key into the lock, twisting it angrily and throwing the door open. She paused and turned, grabbing Umi’s fishbowl from Etienne and clapping the young man’s set of keys into his pale hands. Kaitlyn looked up at him, her face bright red.
"I think I’m going to go and take a shower, okay? I’ll talk to you later," she managed, placing one foot on the threshold of her door.
"Oh… all right," Etienne said, trying to mask the disappointment in his voice. He bowed a little.
"I’ll… see you," he said as Kaitlyn stepped all the way into her apartment and closed the door. The sound of slamming wood reverberated in Etienne’s ears for a few moments. Etienne jammed his hands into his pockets and sighed.
"Kaitlyn…"
*
Kaitlyn set Umi’s bowl on top of the small table next to her bed and threw herself on the bed’s covers, burying her face in a pillow.
"What’s your problem?" Umi said, sounding a little annoyed.
"What do you mean, what’s my problem? I’ve just been totally uprooted from everything I’ve ever known, shipped away from my hometown, and now you go and make a total fool of me in front of Etienne! I think I have a right to be a little stressed out," Kaitlyn cried, sitting up on her bed and squeezing the pillow tightly.
"Me make a fool of you? It’s not my fault you’re so damned sensitive."
"You’re supposed to be my guardian! You’re supposed to be nice to me," Kaitlyn sniffled pathetically, rubbing her eyes.
"Give me a break," Umi snapped coldly. "I’m only here because I have to be."
Hurt showed in Kaitlyn’s blue eyes, and she stood, turning away from him.
"Fine," she said sullenly, rubbing her head and muttering, more to herself than to Umi. "This is all happening too fast… it’s too much for me."
She sighed for the second time that day and started back towards the apartment door.
"I’m going for a walk and I don’t know when I’ll be back.. goodbye, Umi."
"Thought you were going to take a shower?" Umi called after her.
"I changed my mind!" she yelled back, her words punctuated by the slamming of the door.
"That door's not going to last long if she keeps doing that," he muttered.
*
Etienne buried his face in his hands, sighing.
"What have I done," he murmured, raising his head and staring at the glass of red wine in front him, watching his reflection ripple in the crimson liquid.
"Relax… you’re probably just in shock."
Etienne blinked, jerking away from the table and staring suspiciously at the wine glass.
"Hmm, maybe I should start cutting back on this stuff," he muttered, rubbing his head. The voice spoke again, now sounding slightly exasperated.
"You’re not drunk yet, you’ve barely had one glass."
"Who are you?" Etienne frowned, looking around his new home and seeing only still, silent air.
"It’s us. THEM. The ones who so kindly arranged all this for you. Now, once again, just try to relax. We’re sure the shock of suddenly going from evil to at-least-not-homicidal is a little jarring."
"I want to see Kaitlyn," Etienne sighed, wrapping his fingers around the stem of his glass and taking another sip. He lowered his head again, squeezing his eyes shut. "But I’m such a coward."
"Well, you’re certainly not going to get anything done that way, are you?"
"Why are you helping me, anyway?" Etienne said suddenly, looking up.
"Because you have shown that goodness exists within the darkness of your heart… and we always like to reward that."
"Oh," Etienne said, putting his head back down. "Okay."
"Why are you still just sitting there?" the voice said angrily, and Etienne felt a small jolt of pain surge through him, causing him to cry out and let go of his wine glass as he fell from his chair, landing on the slick wood floor with a hard thump.
"What the hell was that for?!" he cried, glowering darkly.
"Obviously you needed a little push…so we gave you one."
Etienne growled. "Just leave me alone!" he spun on his heel, opening the door with a violent yank. "I’m going for a walk."
Silence blanketed the air for a few moments, and then a soft chuckle filled the room.
"Ah… setting up these chance encounters is just so much fun." One of the voices said.
"Yes," another agreed. "It’s good to be omnipotent."
*
The sky shimmered with pinks, reds, purples, and golds as the heavy rubicund sun slowly sank beneath the horizon. The air was humid, scented with the soft fragrance of coming rain. Kaitlyn breathed it in, feeling it flow through her body and relax her distressed mind.
"Smell of rain," she murmured, as she walked towards the center of the small town. "I hope it starts to fall soon… I could use it about now."
Zephyr slid through the trees, and Kaitlyn listened as the soft breeze rustled the thin green leaves that clung to the trees’ heavy branches. She reached her destination, finding a small park. Kaitlyn stepped onto the gravel path that wound through the park, staring down at the ground as she did so and thus not seeing the figure approaching her.
"Oomph!" Kaitlyn slammed into the figure and fell backwards onto the gravel, her face bright red.
"Ah… I’m sorryi’msorryi’msorryi’msorry!" she cried, getting up hastily and dusting herself off, not looking at who she had bumped into. "Please forgive me, I wasn’t paying attention, I—"
"It’s all right," a soft, familiar voice said, and Kaitlyn finally looked up, to see Etienne standing there quietly, his hands shoved into the pockets of his black jeans.
"Oh… Etienne," she said, her voice lowering to a coarse whisper. "Funny… funny I should meet you here," she laughed nervously, coughing.
Etienne remained silent, his dark eyes searching Kaitlyn’s embarrassed face. He looked into her widened blue eyes, and what he saw there caused him to turn away.
"You’re still afraid of me," he said. "I can see it in your eyes."
"What? Oh, no, no… I’m not, I’m not," she babbled, but Etienne shook his head.
"No," he murmured. "After what I’ve done to you, I completely understand. I’m sorry, I'll go."
"Ahh, stop, stop," Kaitlyn said breathlessly, taking hold of a bit of Etienne’s sleeve. He paused, blinking.
"Come on," she managed, taking a breath. "Walk with me."
Etienne was silent. Kaitlyn smiled a little, crinkling the skin around her eyes.
"Come on… I don’t bite, y’know," she said, holding out her hand.
Etienne’s expression softened as a small smile played upon his lips. He took her hand, and the two began to walk. Thick clouds had begun to form now, their underbellies smoked with black. Only a few rays of gold light remained in the now purple sky, as the sun’s descent into darkness was almost complete.
"Are you sure we should be out here?" Etienne said, frowning. "Looks as though it’s going to rain."
"I like rain," Kaitlyn said. "Besides, if it rains too hard, we can always go sit in that little gazebo over there," she added, pointing.
Etienne nodded, and the two walked through the park in silence for a while.
"Heh," Kaitlyn laughed a little, looking around at the emptiness of the park. "All the sensible people are inside."
"Mmm… well… it’s… kind of nice, just the two of us," Etienne muttered, still holding Kaitlyn’s hand. She blushed a little.
"Thank you," Etienne said, squeezing her hand.
"Mmm? For what?" Kaitlyn asked.
"For… for everything," he said, looking at her.
"Oh… well, you should really be thanking THEM… I mean, they arranged all this…somehow…" she said, frowning a little and rubbing her head.
"Yes.. but you forgave me," he said. "Something I know your friends are still not ready to do."
"I hardly know them," Kaitlyn said, looking up. She paused, then turned her face to him. "I hardly know you."
"Well… now you can get to know me."
"I have a lot of acquainting to do, it seems," she agreed. "This all happened a little fast for me, I think… one minute I’m adjusting to living in my own apartment, and the next I’m adjusting to being a Sailor Senshi, and then you get me and the others show up..."
"—and then we’re here," Etienne said, looking skyward as a fat drop of rain splashed his pale cheek. Kaitlyn giggled as he frowned a little.
"Maybe we should head for that gazebo," he muttered, as another drop fell from the sky, followed by another, until a steady flow of rain poured down around them. Kaitlyn's giggle became a robust laugh as she pulled on Etienne's hand, encouraging him to run with her.
"Come on!" she cried, her eyes sparkling as rain kissed her cheeks and hair. Etienne looked at her face and felt comforted, despite his quickly dampening clothes. The two of them ran across the spongy wet grass until at last they reached their shelter.
"That was fun," Kaitlyn breathed, trying to calm the rapid beating of her heart as the two of them settled onto the wicker bench inside the gazebo. He nodded, smoothing back his wet hair.
"Whew," she grinned, leaning back. "Anyway... maybe things will slow down now."
Etienne held one hand over the rail, letting the warm raindrops splatter onto his hand.
"Yeah, this is a pretty quiet town," he said, considering the droplets covering his palm. "You know, this is the first time I've seen or felt rain."
Kaitlyn blinked. "Really?"
He nodded.
"We don't really have that many weather variations in the Negaverse...it's mostly just still darkness all the time, with the occasional strike of lightning...but no rain," he said.
"Sounds boring," Kaitlyn said, sticking out the tip of her tongue. Etienne chuckled a little, closing his eyes and relaxing. Kaitlyn held his dry hand and leaned against the bench's back. Rain pattered softly against the gazebo's wooden roof, and the two of them sat there for a long time, listening.
*
"So, where do you guys want to sit?" Kaitlyn asked, standing in the middle of the crowded cafeteria with Jada and Kiera. She clutched a red plastic tray in her hands, laden with various objects resembling food, its bottom spattered with warm moisture from the dishwasher.
"Hmm," Kiera frowned, standing on her tiptoes and scanning for a table that was mostly devoid of human presence.
"Hey!" a voice broke through the cacophony of noise that surrounded the girls. Kaitlyn blinked, looking up.
"Yeah, you, green-haired girl! Over here!"
Kaitlyn looked in the direction of the voice, finding its purple-haired owner waving at her.
"I think she wants us to sit with her," Kaitlyn said dumbly, not moving.
"Duh," Jada said, turning on her heel and walking towards the sound. Kiera rolled her eyes and followed, nodding to Kaitlyn.
"Hey, new girls," the girl who called to them said to Kaitlyn, adjusting the pair of glasses that adorned her small, round face.
"I’m Lani Lysander," she paused and then gestured to the two other girls at the table.
"That’s Azura Adina," she said, pointing to a tall girl with short, dark blue hair that framed her soft features.
"Hullo," she said, smiling, her voice showing off a thick British accent.
"…and that’s Roan Serafine."
An even taller girl with long, flaming red hair looked up from her lunch.
"Hello, fresh meat," she said, her bright, intelligent eyes shimmering. Kaitlyn looked into them, swallowing as she saw that the left was a darker orange than the right, and that both were filled with wild intensity.
"Don’t mind her," Lani said, as the three sat down uncertainly. "She’s the resident psychopath."
"Oh… I’m… Kaitlyn Sinclair," Kaitlyn said.
"Kiera Kasmira," Kiera bowed her head a little.
"I’m Jada Lucia," Jada said, swallowing a bit of food. "I’m also starving. Mmmph." She added, tearing off another bit of the sandwich her mother had made for her last night.
"I've seen you around," Lani nodded to Jada. To Kaitlyn and Kiera, she said, "Where are you from?"
"I live here, but I was homeschooled prior to now," Kiera replied.
"California," Kaitlyn said.
"Quite a ways away," Azura said, the smile not fading from her gentle face.
"Welcome to Vinton, then," Lani said. "Hope you stick around."
"Why wouldn't I?" Kaitlyn said.
"Why do you think this town’s so small? Half the people that move here are gone within the month. The only ones that stick around are the nutcases," she nodded to Roan, who giggled maniacally in response, "recluses," she nodded to Azura, who made a face, "and people like me, whose families have been here since who knows how long."
"Why's that?" Kaitlyn asked.
"Because this town is cursed," Roan hissed. "Cursed, cursed, cursed." She chuckled to herself as if she were making a joke.
Kaitlyn exchanged glances with her two friends.
"Trust me, you were transferred here for a reason," Jada muttered under her breath.
"If you want an example, I just heard a story recently about a girl that works at the library finding a demon or something of that nature in the forest." Azura said.
"Really? I heard about two other girls that disappeared a little while ago. Something about the tree in one of their backyards," Lani said, arranging the remains of her lunch neatly on her tray. "You heard anything interesting lately, Ro?"
Roan muttered, running her tongue across her lips. "No… I do not listen to such idle teenage gossip."
Lani poked Kaitlyn in the ribs, leaning over. "What she really means is that no one will talk to her because they’re afraid she’ll set them on fire or something."
"I heard that, minion!" Roan said, reaching over the table and whapping Lani on the head.
"Oww, well, it’s true," Lani said, rubbing the spot where she was struck.
"Fire?" Kaitlyn said.
"Oh, yes. Roan’s quite the pyromaniac," Azura said pleasantly.
"Hee… yes," Roan grinned. "Fire and bombs."
"Ah.. huh," Jada said, twitching a little. Lani gave them a sheepish look.
"Is she… always like this?" Kaitlyn asked.
Lani nodded. "She kind of grows on you after awhile."
"Ah," Kaitlyn nodded, as the lunch bell rang. Roan jumped up, grabbing the nearest person and shoving her lunchbag into their hands.
"Dispose of that for me, minion," she said, towering above the said person, a medium-sized boy with pale green hair.
"Y.. y-yes, ma’am," he said, scuttling off with it. Kiera blinked.
"Fascinating. Does everyone obey her in such a manner?"
Azura nodded.
"Usually, yes… that boy, in particular, however, is fairly spineless." Azura said, watching him stand against the wall, waiting for everyone else to leave and nibbling on his lip nervously.
"Hey, now, I think he’s sweet," Lani nodded.
"If you call being a coward sweet," Azura rolled her eyes.
Lani made a face. "Nothing wrong with being a coward."
"What’s his name?" Kaitlyn interrupted.
"Eh? Oh, his name’s Nikolas," Lani said, walking to throw her lunch away. "I’ve got a couple of classes with him."
"Hmm," Kaitlyn mused, as they all left the lunchroom and continued on to their various classes. "I guess we were wrong, Etienne…" she murmured. "This town doesn’t look like it’s going to be so boring, after all."
...end
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