High up in the heavens, two separated lovers looked across the darkness of space, and found each other. Tanabata, the night when the Weaver and the Shepherd were together for one perfect moment, and romantic miracles rode the wind as the cherry blossoms do. It is a moment of fulfillment, the conclusion of one cycle...and the brief rest that comes with it. Down on earth, on an island called Hokkaido, in a town called Kuroimura, a lone boy leaned against the wall of a dead end street. His hair, which was some pale color that could have been brown or maybe blond, fell into his eyes. Moonlight glinted off his pale skin, and his commonplace clothing. But there is nothing commonplace about the figure he shared the alley with. Creeping towards him was a fanged creature with eyes the color of rubies, and claws like steel hooks. "You're not the same filth I sensed earlier," the boy smirked. "Not that it matters. I've been aching for something to take my aggressions out on, and you'll do fine." "Star of Darkness," the demon hissed, "my master wishes to know if you have decided whether you shall join Queen Yasha or not." "Oh, you're a messenger from Yasha? Why didn't you say so? Now let me see...I was considering her offer and I believe my answer was..." A cloud drifted across the face of the moon, plunging the forlorn alley into darkness. When the moon showed her face again, the boy had been replaced by a demon. The demon brushed at his pale blue hair that darkened at its tips to an indigo color, and raised eyes that shone like polished silver. They met the creature's ruby ones evenly. A bemused smirk graced the face, skin white as snow, save for a mark upon his forehead...a five-pointed star, black as the sky above. Navy cloak, tunic, and pants clung to his lithe form, a black whip wound about his waist. In his hands, a sword was held, black as the night's shadows...a sword that seemed to shift and swirl with the changing shadows. The sword raised, and the demon attacked with the speed of ghosts and spirits. The sword plunged deep into the other's chest and when withdrawn, a wave of green-black blood cascaded down from the wound, and seeped into the ground. "No," he concluded. "My answer is no." With that, Dark Star became one with the inky blackness of the night, and disappeared. ~*~*~*~*~*~ Dark Star 15 One Perfect Moment By: Chandra Rooney Hosted by: Improfanfic Started by: Chandra Rooney '~*~*~*~' indicates beginning and end to a flashback. [ ] indicates internal converstations. "You take a chance, you throw the dice You risk it all, it's just a part of life" --"Everything Changes" ~*~*~*~*~*~ Another yard, another tazaku. A gentle wind caught the paper attached the bamboo pole and it danced merrily in the night air, drawing Kurayamino Hoshi's attention to it. He read the haiku written on the paper. 'Alone on the edge Once you promised me a dance Please do not forget' "Everything changes, including people," he snorted. "It's the way things work. Promises do not stand up to the passage of time." He walked on, passing by another house. This tanzaku bore no haiku, simply a prayer for a brighter future. "Won't matter one bit if Shiko wakes up," Kurayamino muttered, "there won't a future to hope for." The wind blew at his blue hair, and Kurayamino pushed the strands back from his face. He looked up into the sky. Vega and Altair moved closer. "Once again, I'm cheated out of my dance," Kurayamino replied, shaking his head. Then he snorted again. "And to top it all off, I'm starting to sound like Angst Boy." [I doubt showing a little compassion would kill you,] a voice in his head said quietly. [Still, it's oddly sentimental for you, Kurayamino. Feeling all right?] [Zellar...I thought you were sleeping.] [I was, but the calling forth of your powers awakened me. I see you didn't go and find Hitomi.] He sighed. [You said you would, Kurayamino.] [I know I did. I just got sidetracked, okay? Go on back to sleep.] [In a minute. Since I'm awake, I'd like to talk to you. Something's been nagging at me. I want to ask you a question, Kurayamino, and I want you to answer it honestly. What is it about Tenshi that bothers you so much?] [I told you, I don't trust her.] [There's something deeper than that...I can sense it in your thoughts...Honestly, Kurayamino, why can't you let me be happy?] [Truthfully? Jealousy prevents. What you and Tenshi had...what you want to have right now is something that is beyond my reach. That simple, never-ending devotion that you still show to one another...eats at me.] He paused, and shook his head. [Even Altair is allowed to have Vega one night a year...but thanks to Atsuri I'll never stand a chance with Tenkou.] He slammed his fist into the tanzaku before him, and the pole snapped. [Damnit! Before all this came up I was happy, I don't need this emotional baggage weighing me down.] [What?] Zellar's shock tore through Kurayamino's mind. [Emotional baggage? That's what you consider love to be? Baggage?] "Love hasn't been a big player in my life," Kurayamino replied, out loud. "It ties you down, prevents you from seeing the world. Look at you and Tenshi. You certainly haven't been very happy these past few centuries, stuck here in this tiny town moping over Tenshi." [The pain comes with the joy. That's part of love. If you feel you love Tenkou, how can you say things like that?] Kurayamino was silent for a moment. [I knew the Queen of Heaven a very long time ago. I loved her then. Maybe I love her now. But what the hell does it matter? She doesn't love me.] [You call Tenkou the Queen so easily, as if you're absolutely certain she is. All we have is Gyoshi's word on it, and who knows if he speaks the truth.] [I've seen Vincent's paintings, brother, as have you. Can you deny their meanings? Tenkou is the Queen of Heaven reborn.] He paused, and chuckled. [Kinda funny how she doesn't even remember me, though.] [What are you talking about, Kurayamino?] [I'm talking about a story involving some naïve young Star and the previous incarnation of the Queen of Heaven. I'm talking about an oath swearing that she would find him in the future and that they would be together. I'm talking about me and Tenkou. Or what was supposed to be me and Tenkou. Now it looks like Tenkou and Atsuri.] He shrugged. [C'est la vie, ne?] Zellar was quiet for a moment. [Who are you mad at, Kurayamino, Tenkou and Atsuri or yourself?] Shock played across his features momentarily, as he wondered how Zellar had seen through his façade so easily. Kurayamino found himself lowering his body to sit by the broken tanzaku. Broken prayer poles...broken promises. Why don't things ever work out as they were supposed to? [Kurayamino?] Zellar prompted. [Are you talking about something that happened after you left Kuroimura?] "She promised that we would be together in this time," he said quietly, smoothing the prayer paper out beside him on the grass. "And we're not." Zellar sensed the change in Kurayamino, the lowering of walls and the letting down of defenses. This was the real Kurayamino Hoshi sitting here, the one that no one was ever allowed to see. Most people saw Kurayamino as a classic evil twin, but Zellar knew him too well to believe that his brother was that two-dimensional. There were many facets to Kurayamino's personality...and it had been a very long time since he'd last seen this one. [Talking about your troubles help make them easier to bear,] Zellar whispered quietly. [Why don't you tell me about what happened?] He didn't expect an answer, but he asked anyway. After all, it was Tanabata...and sometimes miracles happen. Kurayamino spoke, and time melted away as the stars faded with the coming of dawn. ~*~*~*~ I remember it was raining the night that we got into town. It had been raining for five days straight. Walking through it had not been overly fun. It was the most rain I'd ever seen, and I remember I said as much to Firu. Firu was a mystery to me, as I can't remember when I joined up with him, nor can I remember whether it was he who found me or if it was the other way around. It didn't matter, we'd found each other and that was the important thing. Firu taught me many things, but above all it was the importance of enjoying life that I remember most. He was good for that. Having fun and causing trouble. Oh, never bad trouble, just mischief. Both of us were good at making mischief. But I'd remarked to him about the rain. That much I do remember. "Not much fun, is it?" He remarked. "Damn, I'll be glad to get out of this rain." "Me too." I sniffed at him. "You're starting to smell like a wet dog, Firu. I suppose that's what you get when you drench a kitsune." "You smell the same, Kumi." "Only because I travel with you." We shared a grin, and pushed on into the town. I looked around at the buildings. I was always doing things like that...looking around and asking stupid questions. "I bet this is a busy place when it's dry. Hey, Firu? Are we going to go to the beach?" "The beach?" Firu laughed. "Sure, Kumi, sure. No one's going to notice a kitsune and a demon. We'll blend in perfectly with the humans." We stopped in the porch of a building. I think it was an inn or a hotel of some kind. Or maybe it wasn't. I just remember it shelter us from the rain. "I can get into human form," I replied, peeling back the wet layers of canvas of my bag. Everything in there appeared to be slightly damp. "You said my studies were coming along well enough." "Well enough for a non-kitsune," Firu replied. "Don't get me wrong, kid, I think you're doing great...but the thing is, I don't know of many humans that have blue hair." "It happens." I absently touched my soaked hair. The strands were a water-logged blue color, darkening to a dramatic indigo color at the ends. It never seemed odd to me, but Firu seemed to think that blue hair was unusual. It didn't matter if we'd seen others with hair similar colors, he still insisted that he was right. He insisted he was right about everything. "I've gotten it to go not-blue before." "Silver is not a common color among humans either, Kumi." "It happens. What about those folks on the farm who let us stay with them a night?" "Those people were at least eighty. I meant, it's not a common color among young humans. I mean, their grand-daughter...what was her name?" Firu looked over at me. "Katy." I reminded him. "Her name was Katy. She was pretty, ne? Seemed to really like you." "Until she saw that I was a kitsune. That didn't seem to go over too well." "Too bad, she was a nice girl. The whole family was. What were their names again? Cooper?" "Something like that." Firu looked at me again, and poked my arm. Then he pointed up to the sign. "Should we stop here for a few days? What do you want to do?" "I want to paint," I replied softly. "I want to paint something before I forget how." "In the rain, ne? You must be planning on using water colors." "I meant when it dries off." I pulled up my hood. "Let's go find a room. I'll keep quiet this time." "Hey, stop worrying about it. I would have gotten upset if someone had said I had girlie features. Any moron can tell that's a blue cloak, not a blue dress." Firu replied, and opened the door. Inside was drier, and the man behind the desk looked up at the two of us. "It must be wet outside," he remarked. "What can I do for you two...um, what can I do for you?" "My friend and I would like to know if you have vacancy for two," Firu said, jiggling the pouch on his belt. The rattle of coins emitted from it. The Innkeeper gave us a funny look, and I think he was wondering what two raggedly dressed travelers would be doing with a sack of money. Firu didn't notice. He was used to getting funny looks. He WAS a kitsune after all. "We do," the innkeeper nodded. "It's the rain, it's keeping visitors away. You're brave, sir, traveling through it. It must have been difficult for the horses to see." "We walked," I said, "a little rain never hurt anyone." The man gave me an odd look. Must have wondered why someone with a coin pouch that made that noise would walk anywhere. "If that's what you'd call a little rain, son, I'd hate to see what you call a lot," he remarked. "Are your bags outside?" "All we have is on our backs," Firu replied. "Drifters?" "Artists," I corrected. "Right, drifters." The man took two sets of keys off a hook. "Follow me, I'll take you to your rooms." He led us upstairs and handed unlocked neighboring doors, then he handed us the keys. "If you need anything, come down to the front desk. My name is John, and if I'm not there my wife, Sarah, should be." I looked at Firu. The Kitsune smiled and extended his hand. "It's nice to met you, John. I'm Philip and this is-" "Kurayamino Hoshi," I replied. At John's puzzled look I added, "but please call me 'Kumi'." And why wouldn't they? Not many people could get Kurayamino Hoshi out in one breath; it's quite the mouthful. "What an unusual name," John replied, and shook Firu's hand. "Please enjoy your stay." Firu waited till he was gone to speak again. "You know, Kumi," Firu rubbed his nose, "the whole point of telling humans to call us by human names is so we can blend in." "But your name isn't Philip, it's Firu." I replied, widening my eyes in that innocent way I'd long ago perfected. "Besides, what would I have told him? Hi, my name is Jonatan?" "Jonathan. We agreed on Jonathan." I laughed, and shook my head. "Sometimes the truth is the safest story to tell, Firu. I'm going to bed." ~*~ Morning came, and brought the sun with it. The rain had ceased and puddles of water dotted the road. I was seated at the window of my room, sketching with a bit of charcoal, when the knock came on my door. I put the sketchpad down, and walked over to the door. After a moment of brief concentration, I slipped into a human guise, and opened it. A girl with a water pitcher stood opposite. "Water for morning wash, sir?" I nodded. "Yes, please." She came in and set the pitcher on the dresser. "Breakfast in the café across the street is very good, sir, and reasonable too." "Thank you, miss?" "I'm Delfina, sir," she said. "My parents own the hotel." "It's nice to meet you, Delfina. You have a lovely face, have you ever modeled for paintings?" She blushed. "No, sir. My cousin Helen did once." I walked over and picked up my sketchpad. "May I sketch you, Miss Delfina? If you have time, of course." ~*~ Firu was waiting in the café when I came in. "What took you so long?" "I was sketching the innkeeper's daughter." I replied, straightening my collar. "She has very beautiful features. Very striking." Firu chuckled. "Isn't that the same line you used on the last one?" " 'Line'? Firu, I'm serious. She's a pretty girl." "You're not fooling anyone, Kumi." "I happen to like to sketch pretty girls. There's nothing wrong with that." "Sure, Kumi, sure." The waitress came over and dropped a plate of bacon and eggs down in front of Firu. Then she looked at me. "What will you have?" "Um..." I looked at Firu's plate. "The same thing he's having. You have beautiful eyes, miss. You must have a good soul." She arched an eyebrow. "Now there's one I haven't heard in a while. You must be from out of town." Firu chuckled as she walked away. "Don't take it personally, kid, I'm sure these girls have heard 'em all." "Wonderful," I remarked, smiling. "I love to be challenged." "What color were her eyes, by the way?" "Pale blue." "They were gray, Kumi." "No, they were quiet blue." "Quiet bl-- don't use your fancy art colors with me. They were gray." The waitress returned and set a plate of bacon and eggs down in front of me. "There you are." "Miss, would you object to me sketching you?" I asked. Women like artists. That's one thing that hasn't changed. The waitress sighed. "Look, boy, I'll tell you what. My name is Elsie. I get off work at five, if you're honestly serious about sketching or whatever come back here then. But I do not do nudes. Understand?" I nodded. I loved challenges back then too, that's something else that hasn't changed. "Pity she doesn't," Firu said through mouthfuls of eggs. "I'd sketch that." ~*~ I still remember the first time I ever saw Tenkou. I had sat down on the stool, and rested my sketchbook on his knee. Inside were several sketches of towns and landscapes...and many, many of people. People smiling, people looking happy...people walking with other people. People fascinated me; they were such social creatures, so full of life and potential. Humans burn brighter than Stars, and has to do with how their lives last a shorter period of time. They know that Death waits for them, so they try to make the best of what time they have. They seek out those perfect moments with the passion and courage that I've always admired. At least some of them do. Those that don't can go to hell. They have no purpose for existing as far as I'm concerned. So many portraits of these bright souls, but none of them were bright enough for me. None of them screamed 'paint me, put me on a real canvas and color me with life so I may live on even after my body is dust and ash'. So I sat there and stared at the blank canvas that sat beside me and it stared back with its blank white face. It was then it happened. One of those perfect moments that change your life forever, one of those ones that you never have the chance to prepare for because it never gives any warning that its coming. "Excuse me," a soft voice said, "can you tell me what this place is?" I didn't look up. I still don't know why. I just replied, "sorry, I'm not from around here." "I know. That is why I asked." She said. That's when I looked up, and all I saw was amethyst. Her eyes were the most glorious violet color, I'd never seen eyes that color before. Her skin was a soft peach color, and her hair was midnight black. She was dressed in a flowing, soft white and lilac colored robe, things resembling the kimonos of my homeland. "Not many people have such bright silver eyes, nor a black star upon their foreheads," she continued. "You're a demon, aren't you? I stared at her, open-mouthed. I was certain that I'd masked myself with both my own illusions and kitsune-taught magic. "You can see what I am?" "I see you," she replied, folding her arms and sitting next to me. "But they do not. Will you answer my question?" I answered her. How could I not? "I am a demon, yes." "Are you a Star?" she asked, gesturing to my forehead. "Or is that some strange tattoo?" "Yes, I'm a Star," I replied. I wasn't an idiot. I knew she had to be something more than just a pretty face. She knew about the Stars. Not a hell of a lot of people did. "I've been looking for the Stars," she replied. "Which one are you?" "I'm Kurayamino Hoshi," I told her. "The Dark Star." "Yes, so you are." She smiled suddenly, and clasped my hand. "Do you know where to find the others?" Now, I'm the first to admit that I'm not always the brightest star in the sky, and I was pretty damn naïve in my young age, but even then I could smell danger. There is only so much you tell anyone on the faith that they're a swell person looking to help you out. As I got older I learned to limit this information to less and less. "What do you want with the Stars?" I asked. Beautiful woman or not, some questions shouldn't be sugarcoated with politeness. "I know your mother, Kuroi Hoshi," she explained. "It's very important that I find her. Do you know how to reach her?" "I'm not in constant communication with my mother," I replied. "May I ask your name?" She blushed. "How rude of me! My name is Tenkou." I bit my lip, unsure of what to do next. Being contacted by the Queen of Heaven was a big thing, even I knew that. But another funny thing about faith is that you have to be careful how much of it you put in other people. "What...um...brings you here, your majesty?" "Please, Dark Star, simply Tenkou will do." She smiled. "There's no need to be so formal. We're working for the same goals." "If you want to be so friendly, then call me 'Kumi'," I returned her smile. "Why don't you tell more of these goals we work for?" "Are you testing me, Kumi?" She asked. "You don't believe that I'm the Queen of Heaven, perhaps? Funny, you don't seem the cynical type." "Treachery is the foundation of the Kobun's schemes," I told her. "No offense meant, Tenkou, but in a matter such as this, proof is needed that you are who you claim." She leaned closer to me and whispered, "do you know what it's like to be constantly guarded?" Then she touched my forehead, placing her two fingers on the star. What happened is hard to describe with words, as it wasn't a literal experience. It was purely sensual and visual. I saw...I felt what her life in Heaven had been like. I felt that trapped feeling, and it reminded me of my own life. People will tell you that love at first sight doesn't exist. It might, it might not. Love isn't my area of expertise. All I know is that at that moment, at that first sight of her soul, I felt a profound connection form. I felt as if I could tell her anything and not have to fear her reaction to it. That lack of fear, and unconditional acceptance was the first I'd ever experienced. In that instance, I lost my mother's darkness that had attached itself to my name and my soul, and found the inklings of humanity that I had inherited from my human father. I felt, for the first time, like I belonged. Then she removed her hand, and sat back. The feeling faded, but my desire to feel it didn't. "I know what it's like to feel trapped," I told her, thinking of my years inside Zellar's body. "I know I don't want to ever have to feel that way again." She nodded. "I was trapped. They're always watching me up there. I was never allowed to do anything without someone watching me. I just wanted to escape...to get away from all the constant reminders. It didn't matter if I was safer there; sometimes freedom is more important." "I felt that way too," I nodded. "Like I couldn't remain...like it was slowly killing my spirit." "Exactly." She touched my hand, and that wave of warmth spread through me again. "Kurayamino...you're the first being that's ever understood how it felt. Perhaps we are kindred spirits? " I blushed slightly. "I think my situation was a little different from yours. I spent the first seventeen years of my life sharing a body with my brother. To keep us safe, as I was told." She patted my hand, and my heart skipped a beat. "It must have been awful." "Well...I mean I love my brother," I paused, unable to believe I was telling a complete stranger something I couldn't tell my own family, "but it's hard to have to live your life through the actions of someone else. I suppose if it was necessary I could do it again...but I hope it doesn't ever come to that. I like taking part in the world too much." "I had to watch the Earth from Heaven," Tenkou said softly. "I watched and watched...and if I ever tried to leave, they stopped me. 'It's not safe, your majesty' they'd say. 'You have to stay here where you can be protected from the Kobun'." She snorted. "Everyone was allowed to have a life, except for me. It's an awful feeling." We sat in silence for a moment. I watched a gentleman and a finely dressed lady cross the street and get into a coach, and the image of Tenkou and I doing the same flickered through my mind. I started to wonder if she'd place some sort of spell on me when she'd touched my star. I'd never felt that way before. I chewed my lip, and desperately tried to think of something to say. Tenkou sighed softly and stood. "But we're both free now, aren't we? It was a pleasure to meet you, Kurayamino, but now I must be going. I'd like to reach Kuroi Hoshi as soon as possible. I shall tell her that you are doing well when I find her." She smiled gently at me, and began to walk away. A wise man would have let her go and do what she needed to do. A wise man would have seen that she was the Queen of Heaven, and I was the Star of Darkness. A wise man would have thought that romance between the two could occur only in children's fairy tales. But like I said, I'm not the brightest star in the sky. "Tenkou, wait!" I chased after her, cutting her off. "Wait. Could...I mean would you...May I have the honor of painting your portrait?" What a stupid thing to say, but when you're desperate and you can't think straight it sounds brilliant. "My portrait?" she shook her head. "I'm sorry, so many portraits have been done of the Queen of Heaven. Please, try to understand, Dark Star. I don't want you to take offense, but I fear it would remind me too much of what I escaped from." I shook my head. "That's not what I meant." Actually it had been, but I could work around this. I hesitantly took her hand, and poured on the charm. "I ask as a young painter asking a beautiful and intelligent woman, not as Dark Star asking the Queen of Heaven. Please, Miss Tenkou, would you allow me to paint your portrait?" She was quiet for a long time before answering. "I suppose staying one more day wouldn't hurt." ~*~*~*~ [Tenkou stayed in a room next to ours for the two days that Firu and I remained in the town. The two of them hit if off quite well; they had to have because he paid for her room. When we left for the next town, she came along,] Kurayamino continued softly. [The more time I spent with her, the more time I wanted to, and it appeared that she felt the same. For the next few months we traveled together, never leaving each other's side, and on July seventh we settled into another small town on Honshuu. Tenkou had never been to a Tanabata festival, and she wanted to go.] Zellar sensed the strain in Kurayamino. His brother was hesitating, struggling against something. [That doesn't sound like the end of your story,] Zellar began carefully, [go on, Kurayamino, what happened at the Tanabata festival?] ~*~ Tenkou reached down and touched the black star pendent she was wearing around her neck. It felt hot to her touch, something that had never happened before. "Atsuri said to find Zellar," she repeated to herself. "It must be something important for Atsuri to take off like that." She continued through the town, looking for Zellar without much luck. This is stupid, she thought, I should stay in the square where everyone is. He'll come there. But for some reason, she felt as if she should be going this way. It felt right. Tenkou closed her hand over the black star and tightened her grip. Then she loosened it and lifted the pendant up to the faint light to look at it. "When did that happen?" she asked, inspecting the small crack at the top point. ~*~ Kurayamino shifted about, uncomfortable. [It doesn't matter. Why think about the past, right? Let's go and find Hitomi.] Zellar mused this over quietly. Kurayamino was resisting telling the story. If Kurayamino didn't want to talk about something, it was very difficult to get him to. Zellar sighed, he'd have to be stubborn and not let Kurayamino leave it as it was. [Just forget about it,] Kurayamino said. [What happened at the festival, Kurayamino?] Zellar asked. [You can tell me.] Kurayamino hesitated. He looked up at the sky. Altair danced closer to Vega. Nearly five hundred years ago he'd seen it with his own eyes for the first time... ~*~*~*~ "That star there," Tenkou pointed. "We call it 'Altair'. That one over there," she pointed to one close to it, "we call 'Vega'. Vega is called the Weaver here, and Altair is the Shepherd. It is said that they are two lovers who are separated by the coldness of space, but once a year they are allowed to meet and share it together. That night is July seventh, and the people of Nippon celebrate it with the Tanabata festival." "What a beautiful story," I remarked, looking down from the sky to smile at her. "Sad, but very moving. To think that they remain faithful to each other despite that they can only spend one night together. It reminds me of someone I know." Tenkou slipped her arm into mine and we walked past the tanzaku pole we'd attached a prayer to. "Who?" I smiled sadly. "My brother, Zellar. I told you about him and his fiancée Tenshi, didn't I?" She nodded. "Their story is much like Altair and Vega's. Is that what you put on your prayer, Kumi, a hope for them?" I nodded. "A prayer for their future...and one for ours." I took her hand. "Tenkou, these past few months have been the happiest of my life. I feel completed when I have you with me." She blushed. "I have been very happy as well, Kumi. I feel protected when I am with you...but never stifled." She smiled. "You treat me like I'm an equal." I let go of her arm, and bent to one knee. "Tenkou, we've only known each a little while, but do you think in the future...once we were ready, would you...consider marrying me?" She stared at me, eyes widening. "Kumi..." My hopes sank. "Kumi, I don't know if it's possible for us to be together. It's never been done before." "I'm not afraid to be the first," I replied. "Tenkou, I love you, and there is no one else I would rather spend my life with. If it's not possible, well I guess it's not possible." She opened her mouth to say something and I held up a hand to stop her. "But I want you to know how I feel. I know you're this Queen, and you've probably got lots of duties and things to consider. So, I guess what I'm really asking is for you to stay with me as long as you can. Whatever is possible, no matter how short, I'll take it." Tenkou's eyes brimmed with tears. "Oh, Kumi." She smiled faintly. "You don't know how much it means to me to hear you say that." "Right, bloody touching," a gruff voice interrupted. I turned to see the faint outline of a man standing off to the side of us. I squinted in the starlight, but it wasn't the lack of light that made the man hard to see. It was as if he didn't have any features. My emotions stopped focusing on Tenkou, and my awareness of the man's demonic aura slammed into me. "Who are you?" I demanded. "One of Yasha's associates?" The figure laughed. It was a hash, cold sound, devoid of humor. "I am not associated with Yasha. Hello, Queen of Heaven. It's time." Tenkou's expression tightened. "So you've found me, Owari." I stepped up by Tenkou, and drew my hands together in front of me. "I'm warning you, Kobun, step back and leave. I don't want any trouble." Tenkou's gaze hardened. "Kumi, get away from here. I have to deal with this myself. If you really think of me as an equal, then you'll respect my wishes and leave." I looked at her. "Tenkou, I'm NOT leaving you." I gestured to Owari. "I'll fight beside you because I see you as my equal." "This is sickening," Owari muttered. "Make this easy on yourself, Queeny, and come over here like a good little girl. It's time to end this cycle and bring the time of Shiko nearer." I bit my lip. He had given himself away as member of the Kobun now, and that meant he didn't intend to leave us alove. Tenkou raised her own hands, generating a soft, golden light. "Do what you have to, Kumi. We both will." Owari sneered, and a red aura of power surrounded him. I put my hands before me and cried, "yukikureru!" The shadows swirled around me, and my human guise fell away to show my true form, the form of Dark Star. I felt the power that was my birthright swirl inside, and it was strengthened by my desire to keep Tenkou safe. "Shadow Sword, come forth!" The black sword formed in my hands, and I slipped into an opening stance. "Well, well, it appears we have a Star in our midst," Owari said calmly. "Doesn't matter. Stars can't stop destiny." I smirked at the Kobun. "I'm a firm believer in free will, Kobun." ~*~*~*~ "Hurry, Junta," Hitomi urged. "It's not like Zellar to run off without telling anyone. What if something's happened to him?" Junta hushed her with a wave of his hand. "We'll find him, Hitomi, most likely he and Kurayamino have simply taken this opportunity to discuss a few things." "But Vincent's painting said he as in danger," she protested. "We'll find him before anything happens, Hitomi," he told her, and they kept going. ~*~ Vincent looked at the new canvas he was working on. The two figures were only outlined at the moment with the man holding the woman as they danced beneath the stars. Vincent debated...for the first time he didn't know what sort of expression to put on his subjects. ~*~ [And then what happened?] Zellar asked, urging Kurayamino to continue from where he'd stopped. Kurayamino was silent. Zellar sensed the warring emotions in his brother, so he changed his approach. [Was Owari a member of a previous generation of Kobun, or the current?] [I don't know,] Kurayamino replied. [Maybe the past...like our mother was a past Star. I'm not sure how it works.] [So, you and Tenkou were going to battle Owari of the previous Kobun, and?] Zellar asked. [I've never told anyone about this,] Kurayamino said quietly. [What happened next was my fault. Can we please just forget about it?] ~*~ Tenkou turned the corner, she had passed through to the outskirts of town, but the feeling kept drawing her this way. She looked down at the star pendant again, the crack had split half-way through the star. Maybe she should stop and take it off before she broke it. She slipped the chain over her head, and gently tucked the star into the small clutch bag she'd brought with her to hold her make-up, then started walking faster. ~*~ [You feel guilty?] Zellar asked. [I've never known you to feel guilty about anything, Kumi.] [Guilty maybe, it was my fault,] Kurayamino told him. [But I got over what happened a long time ago...it's how I reacted to it that still bugs me. I lost my cool, Zellar.] [What do you mean?] Zellar asked. Kurayamino looked up at the stars. Altair was extending the invitation to dance to Vega. Would she accept it again this year? [What happened, Kurayamino?] Zellar pushed. [You can't take the story this far and then stop. Come on, tell me.] ~*~*~*~ "No, Dark Star," Tenkou said softly, placing a hand on his arm. "Even together we're outmatched. Perhaps if we had Firu's help as well..." I turned and stared at her. "You want me to leave you alone with this creature to go and get Firu?" She looked at Owari. "I can stall him long enough. You're fast, Dark Star, you can reach him in time. Go now, and hurry." "But, Tenkou," I protested. "Go, Dark Star, your queen orders you," she replied. I stared at her. She'd never referred to herself as my queen before. She'd never tested my loyalty to follow orders. But she was my Queen, and I would follow her orders. I left, running at top speed, to get Firu. I found him in town, flirting with a barmaid at the local tavern. It caused quite a stir for a demon to suddenly appear in the doorway, and grab a patron by the collar. Several men stood up, at least those sober enough to do so did, and advanced towards me. I paid them no heed, my only concern was taking Firu back to Tenkou and keeping her safe from Owari. So I half-carried him with me out of the tavern and ran back towards where I'd left Tenkou. We were half-way there when Firu slipped from my hold, and rolled to the ground. "What in all the hells is going on, Kurayamino?" he asked. I blinked. Firu never called me by my full name, we were buddies, pals...my full name was something people I didn't like were made to call me. "Tenkou's in danger, she said we could beat off her attacker if you were there to help," I replied. He got up, and dusted himself off. "Oh, why didn't you say so?" ~*~ We ran as fast as we could back to where Tenkou and Owari were, but it was already too late. Tenkou lay on the ground, blood staining her beautiful robe, and Owari was no where in sight. "No!" I cried, and dropped beside her. "Tenkou! What happened?" She smiled faintly, reaching up to touch my face. "Owari played out his part...and now I must play out mine. I'm sorry I sent you away, Kumi, but it was necessary for this to happen." My eyes widened. "Necessary?" I slammed my fist into the ground. "How in all the hells can you say that?" "It's all right, Kumi," she told me softly. "It's what had to happen. I tried to tell you earlier. I came to Earth to die. I had to die here, on Earth, so that I could be reborn before the Taisei." She struggled to smile. "This is all the time I can give you now, Kumi, but when I am reborn...I'll find you, wherever you are, and we'll be together." I shook my head, eyes tearing. None of that mattered to me. None of that changed the fact that she was dying here and now. The only person who I felt I belonged with was leaving me. "Tenkou, please don't die, don't leave me. You're everything to me. I don't want to be alive if you aren't." "Be brave, Kumi. You have to wait till the next time for us to be together. But just like Vega and Altair we will be together again." She shuddered. "I'm cold, Kumi." I had to put on a brave face. I drew her closer, choking back the tears. "I'll wait for you, Tenkou." She smiled faintly. "I know you will. I just wish we could have danced at the festival, Kumi. I would have loved to have just one dance with you." "I'll give you that dance, Tenkou, right now. Close your eyes, pretend we're at the festival." I remember rocking her back and forth slowly. "Pretend that we're sharing that dance." I think I'll always remember that. The way we rocked back and forth, swaying as best we could, dancing to music that no one else could hear. She closed her eyes and smiled again. "Such beautiful music. Oh, you're a wonderful dancer, Kumi." I nodded shakily. "As are you, Tenkou. There's not a finer dancer alive." She gasped, her breath was getting shallow. "I love you, Kurayamino Hoshi." "I love you, Tenkou." She smiled one last time, and then her breath stopped. A tear fell onto her beautiful face as I touched her hair. "I love you always and forever." I held her for a few minutes longer, and looked up at the sky. Altair and Vega had parted, gone back to their travels across the sky. It would take the end of another cycle for them to be together. I thought of the prayer for a long and happy future I'd written on the tanzaku for Tenkou and me. I thought of how empty and lonely I felt. I thought of how if I hadn't left she would still be alive. Then, unable to hold back my tears, I wept for the first time. ~*~ I don't how long I sat there, holding her body against me. I just know that sometime later, Firu shook me. "We need to get out of here," he told me. "Anyone who comes will think we killed her. It's how it is with humans." I slowly set the love of my life down, and stood. "Before the dawn comes I will find this Owari and bleed him dry. He won't live to see the sunrise. I promise you, Tenkou." Firu backed away from me. "Kumi, you've got a really funny look on your face. How about we go back to town, and you sit down for a moment? I don't think you're in your right mind right now." "No, Firu," I shook my head. "You go back to the hotel and wait there. If I come back in the morning, it's business as usual, and if I don't...well, you've been wonderful to me, and I appreciate it." He caught my arm as I stalked by. "Kumi?" "Please, Firu, this is something I have to do," I told him softly, shaking him off. "Don't get involved, okay? I've lost enough people I care about tonight." "Kumi," Firu stared at me. "What is this? Vengeance isn't your thing. Why this guy?" "I have to do it," I whispered. "I have to have closure, Firu. I'm not going to spend the rest of my life moping!" "I know what you're like, Kumi," Firu sighed softly. "So I know I can't stop you from doing something that you want to do. Just be careful, okay?" I nodded. Firu looked around, and then reached forward and hugged me. "I mean it," he said sternly, "be careful." ~*~ I found Owari drinking in a tavern in a town a few miles away. He was very surprised to see me. "Well, well," he raised a glass to me, "the little Star's come by to pay me a visit. Too bad about your Queen, but what has to happen happens." I smiled at him. "It does, doesn't it? Death is a part of life, after all." I looked around the bar. Several other people were passed out on the floor, or doing there best to mind their own business. Fate was cruel sometimes, these poor slobs were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. It wasn't my problem to worry about. I smiled at Owari, and placed my index and middle fingers on the black star on my forehead. "Yukikureru!" I cried. My silver eyes glowed brightly, and my body became surrounded by a black aura. "Death..." I said calmly, bringing my fingers to rest together, and extending my arms out in front of me. Owari's expression changed ever so slightly. "What have you got up your sleeve, little Star?" He began charging up an attack, the stench of raw mana clouding the air. "...Wake!" I finished, and slammed my wrists together, flinging my palms open. The massive ball of darkness, of dark matter, that was being created, was released into the air. "SHI-NE!" Owari cried, launching his own attack as my attack moved towards him. I jumped, and dashed out of the tavern as Owari's attack swallowed the ground where I had been standing. Owari was not so lucky. The ball entered his body and instantly the very life essence in every one of his cells turned against him; exploding outward in a blast of deadly dark energy. The Death Wake consumed Owari, and the tavern in a satisfying way, as it exploded. Several homes and buildings nearby were also destroyed. No doubt lots of people died or were in serious pain. Knowing this did nothing to help fill the empty spot inside my heart. ~*~*~*~ [I have never shed single tear for any of those people who died,] Kurayamino finished. [I knew that if I let it get to me that I wouldn't be able to keep going. So I never focused on it. Instead, I tried to find that beauty in life that I had seen with Tenkou, but I couldn't. Not in Japan.] He paused, then finished the story. [I didn't go back to the hotel in the morning; I went my own way, and left Japan for the West. I went where I could leave behind the memories and start afresh. And I found that place in America. I don't expect you to understand me, Zellar, but that's how I work. I pack up and move when a place loses its appeal and go keep going until I see something that makes me want to stop.] [What about Firu? You must still think of him,] Zellar mused. [A friend that close to you can't be easily forgotten.] [Sure, I think about him all the time.] Kurayamino paused. [I wonder what he's doing...who he might be doing it with...] Zellar ignored the conation his brother put behind the remark. [You never saw him again?] Kurayamino shook his head. [No, I did. Just over a century ago. He didn't recognize me at first, and we parted shortly after meeting. I was off a train and he was getting on, so there wasn't much time to talk. He's gotten all serious in his old age. I think he's some big shot business man in Tokyo now.] [So you're the only one who kept traveling,] Zellar said softly. [Tenkou's death probably made you want to keep moving all the time.] [So what if he changed? People change all the time. It's not a bad thing, Zellar.] Kurayamino paused. [That was a long time ago, and even I've changed a bit in all these years.] [Do you ever think that maybe people shouldn't change?] He snorted. [Don't be an idiot, Zellar, if people didn't change the world would be at a standstill. Change is inevitable.] [It's not inevitable. It's very difficult to fight, but it's not inevitable.] His brother paused. [I'm not saying that it shouldn't happen, just that people shouldn't change for the worse.] Kurayamino shifted his weight, bringing his knees up to rest under his arms. [What are you trying to say, brother? I don't think I've changed all that much...and certainly not for the worst. A naïve young painter doesn't make a good world traveler. You can only get your pocket picked so many times before you have to admit you've been robbed.] [I'm not saying that you've changed for the worst,] Zellar told him. [Just that you're not the exact same person you were, and maybe that's why Tenkou doesn't recognize you. That innocence and devotion that the young painter had is a little over-shadowed by your constant need to be amused. I think you come on too strong sometimes, Kurayamino.] Kurayamino was silent so Zellar continued. [Besides, did you ever think about telling Tenkou this story and seeing what her reaction was?] [Well...I...] Kurayamino trailed off. Zellar sighed. [You assumed she would remember something that happened in a past life? Kurayamino...] [Okay, so maybe I didn't consider that she might not remember,] Kurayamino admitted [but I just assumed that she would...] he broke off. [Do you feel that?] ~*~ Atsuri turned the corner. There was the source of the four demonic auras he'd sensed. Four forms, shadowy at best, clothed in human guise were moving towards someone in the center of the crowd. Atsuri frowned. "Isn't that Tenshi?" He peered closer; it was Tenshi. Atsuri sighed a little. "Well, if Zellar isn't going to take care of her, it appears I'll have to." ~*~ Tenkou came around the side of the house. The feeling was strong here, like this was where it had drawn her to, but she still couldn't see Zellar. Maybe he was in the back yard. A soft tinkle stopped her, and she bent down to retrieve half of the star pendant. "Great," she muttered, "I broke it." A noise came from the backyard, like someone falling on the ground, and she hesitated. For the first time she realized that she was out in the backyard of a farmstead, surrounded by rice fields and all alone. What if someone was breaking into the house? A hand fell on her shoulder. Tenkou dropped the star half and screamed. "Easy, Tenkou," Junta backed away, "It's only us." She stared at Junta and Hitomi, and gasped. "Don't do that, Junta! You nearly gave me a heart attack." There were sounds of running, and Zellar appeared from behind the house. "Tenkou," he looked from her to Junta and Hitomi, "what's wrong? What happened?" She breathed in and out, calming her heart beat, and then told him. "Atsuri said to come and find you. On the way, Zellar, I'm afraid I broke the pendant." "So that's how it happened," another voice said, and Tenkou looked up to see someone identical to Zellar walking from behind the house. "Sorry, I stopped to try and fix the tanzaku Kurayamino broke." Hitomi bent down and picked up the star half. She raised it to the full moon, and smiled. "To think such a simple little talisman is the key to the binding spell on you two. Mother shows her craft yet again." Tenkou looked from the boy standing in front of her to Zellar. "Kurayamino doesn't look like this. Who the hell are you?" He actually looked hurt. "What, Zellar's allowed to be in human guise, but I have to remain in demon form?" Hitomi put a hand on his shoulder. "Of course not, Kumi. I just don't think you've ever bothered to show Tenkou your human side." Kurayamino flinched, and shot a look back at Zellar. Zellar shrugged. "I told you so." Then he walked past Tenkou, and said softly, "Kurayamino needs to talk to you. Please give him a little bit of your attention, Tenkou, and be patient. It might take him a while to say what he needs to." Then he stepped over to where Junta and Hitomi were waiting. "Hitomi, I'd like to talk to you about the present that Tenshi gave me. Junta, maybe you can offer some insight as to what it is as well?" The two elder stars exchanged a glance, and then nodded. "Let's go back to the hotel," Junta said. Zellar shot a looked back at Kurayamino. "Remember what I said. Be yourself." He smiled at Tenkou. "Don't worry, he'll behave." Then he and his older siblings disappeared around the front of the house. Tenkou folded her arms, and looked at Kurayamino. He shuffled his feet, and looked away rubbing the back of his neck. "Um, hi." She smiled, just a little. "Hi." He inhaled, opened his mouth, and then closed it again. Then he opened it again...and closed it. Finally he sighed and shook his head. "If things were different...if I wasn't Dark Star, and we were just two people who'd met on the street one day, do you think we might have been friends?" Tenkou blinked. "I don't know, Kurayamino. Maybe, maybe not." He nodded, and suddenly smiled. He extended his hand. "Hi, my name's Kurayamino Hoshi. You are?" She raised an eyebrow. "I'm Tenkou." "I knew a Tenkou once. May I?" He took her hand, and kissed it. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Tenkou. I don't suppose I might convince you to share a dance with me?" ~*~ Above in the heavens Altair extended his hand to Vega, and she accepted. Gently, he pulled her into a dance, and for one perfect moment they were together. ~*~ Down on Earth, Kurayamino Hoshi extended his hand to Tenkou, and she accepted, despite her concerns for his sanity. Gently, he pulled her into a dance. "This must seem crazy to you," Kurayamino said softly, "but I want you to know how much it means to me, Tenkou." Tenkou followed his lead, dancing to silent music. They moved in and out of the shadows, and his eyes never left her face. "It's absolutely insane," she agreed. But somehow right, a tiny part of her said. "Do you want to know why I'm doing this?" he asked. "Because you're insane?" "Because we got off on the wrong foot," he replied. "I think I might have given you the wrong impression, Tenkou. Can we start again? Would you give me a second chance?" She considered it. Maybe it was the way he looked at her, with his eyes open and caring, or maybe it was the whole Tanabata mood. It might have even been the part of her that recognized the look in his eyes, and the rightness of his arms around her. Either way she answered the same. "All right." He smiled again, one of those real smiles he'd given Hitomi when she had first arrived at the hotel. And just like back at the hotel Tenkou found that she couldn't resist smiling too. ~*~ Nesuni looked up at her mother. "When can I meet my siblings?" Kuroi Hoshi smiled gently. "Whenever you'd like. In fact, I'm expecting three of them to arrive back here shortly." ~*~ "And then the dance was over, and the Shepherd had to leave the Weaver to go off on his journey," Joodan finished, "but he knew that he would see her again, and for him anytime he could spend with her was precious, and no matter how short it was enough. And that is the story behind tanabata." The inutatsu looked down at the sleeping child and smiled. "Sweet dreams, kid." ~*~ They stopped dancing. Kurayamino stepped back from Tenkou. "Thank you for that, it meant more to me than you can imagine." He smiled. "It's been five hundred years, but I finally got that dance." Tenkou looked at him. "What do you mean?" He bit his lip. "That's a very long story." She gestured to a bench sitting beside the house. "I'm not going anywhere." Kurayamino smiled. "I'm glad to hear that." They walked over to the bench and sat down. Kurayamino took a deep breath, and then he began to tell her. ~*~ High up in the heavens Vega watched as Altair began his journey. It was the end of one cycle and the beginning of another. But she didn't look at it as him leaving her; she saw it as him starting to come back. ~*~ Learn Japanese with Inu! Owari: the ending, the finale, the closing. [Fitting but only if you think like I do.] Firu: I don't think it means anything. [But it kinda sounds cool.] Yukikureru: to be overcome by darkness. [How pleasant] Tanzaku: the name for the paper prayer strips that are attached to bamboo poles during Tanabata. Shi-ne: I'm not exactly sure I think it means 'die!' like a command, but I could be wrong. Author babbles: Well this ends 15. My only real motivation behind writing it was to develop Kurayamino Hoshi and the Queen of Heaven a bit. [Yes everyone that has written a Dark Star part thus far has been mentioned in the flashback.] Yeah, and I separated the twins. It was going to happen sooner or later. Thanks go out to quite a few people this time around. ~Philip Barkow~ for his time, effort and patience with prereading. Plus he wrote the lovely haiku for me. ~Delfina~ Who helped me with the flashback idea. ~Jonatan~ For prereading and setting me straight on how to spell 'Altair'. ~Phoebe~ For prereading and informing me of what an 'Impro Slut' is. ~Roe~ Who thankfully knows more about computers than I do. ^_^ ~McAfree Software~ For making a decent virus scanner. Bill Gates is Satan. Feel free to make comments, but keep in mind I appreciate hearing them too. "Sometimes the truth is the best story to tell." Lady C [cdrmoon@uniserve.com] www.geocities.com/Area51/Lair/9763/projects.html: Get Slayed!, FF7: The Director's Cut, and Dark Star: Swapped.