rlm@2: Hey guys, rlm@2: this is my first ever fan fic so I'd really appreciate feedback on it. rlm@2: rlm@2: It's based on the Angel/Dust manga by Aoi Nanase. It's currently being rlm@2: serialised in the Newtype magazine and for indepth information on the rlm@2: storyline, plot details, translations and images etc. check out my site at rlm@2: http://www.asgard.gen.nz/anime/aoinanase/ rlm@2: The story is incomplete and I'll post it on the ML each time I complete a rlm@2: chapter (if thats cool) rlm@2: rlm@2: And here we go... please to be not dissing TOO much ^_^; rlm@2: rlm@2: Disclaimer: rlm@2: rlm@2: This story is written in a parallel universe to the Angel/Dust story. rlm@2: Characters and concepts remain intact but as Angel/Dust is, as yet, incomplete rlm@2: (31.03.01) the events within this story may not follow the thread of the actual rlm@2: manga. rlm@2: This is a yuri fan fic… i.e. love/sex between two females. If you are against rlm@2: such goings on, you have been warned. Please do not expect to find gratuitous rlm@2: sex scenes; sex is only used within this story as an expression of love. rlm@2: Characters, concepts and Angel/Dust are copyright to Aoi Nanase. rlm@2: rlm@2: Composed to the sounds of Gatecrasher Wet. rlm@2: rlm@2: Chapter 1 rlm@2: rlm@2: Staring up at the sky Yuina sighed. It was a warm spring evening and the rlm@2: darkening sky above already glittered with stars. All around, the city lights rlm@2: were coming on and the dull roar of traffic and humanity seemed to be more rlm@2: muted. Yuina noticed none of this. Lost in her own world, she slowly trudged rlm@2: home. She was not looking forward to a night of sitting in her room, alone. rlm@2: Listening to her aunt getting ready to go out, smiling and nodding to whatever rlm@2: she said. Not wanting to get in the way. rlm@2: rlm@2: She always felt like she was in the way. Soon after her mother died, her father rlm@2: had asked his sister to look after his daughter until she graduated from high rlm@2: school. Yuina had always felt like she was in the way. Always felt that she was rlm@2: causing people problems just by her very existence. Over time, trying to be rlm@2: perfect and un-obtrusive had become part of her nature. She went through the rlm@2: motions of life in a shell. She had cut herself off so much from life, she no rlm@2: longer even sang. rlm@2: rlm@2: Yuina used to love singing, and she sang very well indeed. Being able to play rlm@2: the piano at an early age, Yuina had developed a strong music talent. It had rlm@2: all shattered during middle school. Even though her talent was recognized rlm@2: during a try out for the school choir, someone else got the lead role and rlm@2: Yuina's confidence has deserted her. rlm@2: rlm@2: Walking through a deserted playground Yuina saw a swing and went and sat on it. rlm@2: Pushing herself, she gently rocked back and forth, staring up at the sky. rlm@2: rlm@2: Little bird, why don't you sing for me? rlm@2: rlm@2: There was a slight breeze blowing, and through it Yuina heard the whispered rlm@2: words. Frowning she looked around, trying to find the speaker. rlm@2: rlm@2: Sing. Please sing for me. Sing so I can be with you! rlm@2: rlm@2: Shaking her head Yuina muttered to herself "I'm hearing things." rlm@2: rlm@2: There was a soft laughter. rlm@2: rlm@2: Sing for me. rlm@2: rlm@2: "But I don't sing anymore!" Yuina replied, brushing away a lock of hair that rlm@2: had escaped its bindings. Unsure and a little scared she whispered, "I can't rlm@2: sing." rlm@2: rlm@2: Oh but you can! I've heard you sing Yuina. Sing so beautifully that the heavens rlm@2: have wept. rlm@2: rlm@2: "You've heard me sing?" Again Yuina frowned. Standing up, she began pacing rlm@2: around the playground, trying to find the source of the voice. The breeze had rlm@2: picked up and leaves flew across the ground. Yuina's long hair waved out behind rlm@2: her, slowly coming loose from the ribbon that that bound it up in a braid. rlm@2: rlm@2: Yes I have. Through space and time have I heard you sing. Now please, sing for rlm@2: me again. rlm@2: rlm@2: Coming to a stop under a cherry tree Yuina gave up looking and shook her head. rlm@2: She must be going mad to start hearing voices like this, but, then, she always rlm@2: wondered whether she was mad. Nothing made sense in her life. No one wanted her rlm@2: and she could never do things right. She must be mad! rlm@2: rlm@2: Laughing to herself Yuina said, "Okay, I'll sing." rlm@2: rlm@2: There was a soft sigh, whether it was the wind or the cherry tree above rlm@2: creaking against the growing force of the wind Yuina did not care. Searching rlm@2: for a song to sing, she noticed a cherry blossom floating past her. A song came rlm@2: into her mind, and lifting her face up to the sky, she began to sing. rlm@2: rlm@2: At first her voice sounded rusty, off key from dis-use; but slowly it grew in rlm@2: strength and clarity, musical words spilling from her lips as she sang with rlm@2: pure joy about the coming of spring. The renewal of life to a barren, dead rlm@2: world. The wind had grown and now blew with enough strength to whip off the rlm@2: cherry blossoms from the tree and send them streaming around the singing girl, rlm@2: who noticed none of it, too lost in the power of the song. Deep inside, Yuina rlm@2: began waking up. The words of the song struck her. "I'm singing! I'm singing rlm@2: again!" rlm@2: rlm@2: Yes you are Yuina! Thankyou! Thankyou! rlm@2: rlm@2: There was a flash of blinding golden light and everything around her turned a rlm@2: shade of gold too bright to behold. Then something fell from the sky. A rlm@2: feather. Then another feather, and then more feathers until the sky swirled rlm@2: with feathers and cherry blossoms. Gasping in delight Yuina stared up, arms rlm@2: stretched out and slowly turning. Something large drifted down amongst the rlm@2: feathers, and crying out Yuina watched as it fell to the ground near her feet. rlm@2: rlm@2: "An angel!" rlm@2: rlm@2: What else could it be? Female of form, long legs, slender hips, full bosom and rlm@2: the longest pearly hair; the most arresting features were the huge white wings rlm@2: attached to the figure. Although, this was a strange angel indeed for it wore rlm@2: clothes quite alien to any depiction of an angel Yuina had ever seen before. rlm@2: The wind died down and with it the wings disappeared. The ground around them rlm@2: was covered with cherry blossoms and feathers; gulping, Yuina slowly approached rlm@2: the inert figure, wondering what she was to do. rlm@2: rlm@2: She was saved from having to make a choice when a groan came from the figure. rlm@2: Slowly the female sat up, wincing and looking around with a slightly dazed rlm@2: expression. rlm@2: rlm@2: "Where..?" it whispered to itself, and at the same time Yuina haltingly asked rlm@2: "Are… are you alright?" rlm@2: rlm@2: The female looked at Yuina and then a slow smile formed on her lips. "Yuina!" rlm@2: she whispered, the name breathed out with an almost sensual joy. Stepping back rlm@2: Yuina replied, "Yes? How do you know me?" The female laughed and carefully rlm@2: stood up, brushing off a cherry blossom from her arm. Stepping towards Yuina rlm@2: she said "Thankyou for singing for me Yuina." rlm@2: rlm@2: Blinking in shock, it slowly registered to Yuina that this female was the rlm@2: source of the mysterious voice. "Who… who are you!" rlm@2: rlm@2: "I have no name… although… you may call me by my hierarchy code… Seraph," the rlm@2: female replied, again taking another step closer to Yuina. Before Yuina could rlm@2: say anything Seraph said, "Yuina, I need your help. Will you make contract with rlm@2: me?" rlm@2: rlm@2: "Contract? What sort of contract?" Yuina felt confused. Dazed by the beauty of rlm@2: Seraph and by these strange events. "This contract…" Seraph whispered, and rlm@2: before Yuina could do anything, Seraph placed her hands gently onto Yuina's rlm@2: shoulders, bent her head, and kissed her. rlm@2: rlm@2: Yuina stood still, unable to believe that she was being kissed, and by a female rlm@2: no less! She couldn't move though. Couldn't break the kiss or protest in any rlm@2: way. She was finding this kiss far too pleasurable. Seraph's full lips were rlm@2: soft against hers, caressing her lips. When Yuina felt Seraph's tongue gently rlm@2: stroke her bottom lip, she shivered. Seraph broke the kiss then, and all Yuina rlm@2: could do was stare up at her beautiful face. rlm@2: rlm@2: Stroking Yuina's cheek, Seraph smiled and whispered "We are one now." rlm@2: rlm@2: Chapter 2. rlm@2: rlm@2: "Miss Akiho? It's time to wake up Miss Akiho," a voice called, and groaning rlm@2: Akiho Kudou rolled over and opened her eyes. She saw her maid Okudzume staring rlm@2: anxiously down at her. Groaning again Akiho said, "I'm going to sleep some rlm@2: more, go away!" There was a silence. "But Miss Akiho, your father wants to see rlm@2: you at breakfast." rlm@2: rlm@2: Akiho sat up and cursed. "And I shouldn't keep dear daddy waiting should I?" rlm@2: Swinging her legs off the bed, Akiho stretched and stared out the huge French rlm@2: windows that lined one wall of her spacious bedroom. "Now Miss Akiho, you rlm@2: shouldn't speak of your father like that," Okudzume admonished, laying out her rlm@2: mistress' new school uniform. "I can talk about my father any way I please. rlm@2: It's at least one grace I can allow myself!" Akiho said, bitterly hating how rlm@2: much of her life was dictated by her father. rlm@2: rlm@2: All her life Akiho had done what her father had told her to do. Never wanting rlm@2: to dis-please him in any way. Never wanting to lose his good opinion of her. rlm@2: Always wanting to be the best for him. She had even given up her best friend rlm@2: for him. rlm@2: rlm@2: Akiho could remember the event well enough. It was when she was in middle rlm@2: school. Her father had learned of the trials for the lead role in the choir and rlm@2: wanted her to get it. He had know that her best friend would be trying out for rlm@2: the position and her told her on the day of the trial "Don't let Hatori's rlm@2: daughter win Akiho. You are a Kudou so don't let me down!" rlm@2: rlm@2: When her best friend had been chosen for the lead role Akiho had been consumed rlm@2: with envy. She had complained, saying that she, a Kudou was better! Knowing rlm@2: that the school would not go against someone as powerful as her father, she had rlm@2: been given the lead role. rlm@2: rlm@2: It had been an empty victory. rlm@2: rlm@2: "Oh Yuina, I wonder whether you can ever forgive me?" Akiho whispered, rlm@2: remembering how at the time she had lorded her victory over her best friend; rlm@2: while deep inside hating Yuina. She had known very well that Yuina was far rlm@2: better in singing than she could ever be. rlm@2: From that point on they had grown apart, and soon after Akiho had been rlm@2: transferred to a private boarding school for the rich. Making her way to the rlm@2: bathroom ensuite, Akiho wondered whether she would ever be given the chance to rlm@2: make up for her mistake. rlm@2: rlm@2: An hour later, Akiho bowed to her father as she entered the breakfast room. rlm@2: Sitting at the shokutaku, her knees bent beneath her, Akiho let a servant serve rlm@2: her with an assortment of raw quail eggs, grilled fish, miso soup and rice. rlm@2: rlm@2: "Good morning Akiho, I trust you slept well?" her father asked. "Hai otousan," rlm@2: she murmured, taking up her chopsticks and delicately picking up a piece of rlm@2: fish and placing it in her mouth. It tasted delicious, but to Akiho it was rlm@2: another reminder of how her father's riches could control all aspects of her rlm@2: life. rlm@2: rlm@2: "I'm glad. Today is your first day at this new high school and I hope it goes rlm@2: well for you." Rustling the papers he was reading, he put them down and looked rlm@2: at his daughter. She was a petite creature, resembling her dead mother in rlm@2: appearance. A good child most times, he was slightly disappointed that she had rlm@2: not been born a male. Unfortunately her mother had died giving birth to her, rlm@2: and being too busy to bother with finding another wife, he had given her care rlm@2: over to nannies and governesses. rlm@2: If she continued to be a dutiful daughter, he would make sure she married well. rlm@2: Daughters were good for sealing deals through marriage, if anything. rlm@2: rlm@2: Gently patting his mouth with a napkin, he said, "I have a gift for you Akiho." rlm@2: The door opened and a woman walked in. Looking at her, Akiho felt very rlm@2: self-conscious, the woman was extremely beautiful. Long straight black hair rlm@2: reaching just past her knees and a svelte, neatly rounded figure dressed in a rlm@2: fashionable suit. She walked to her father's side and bowed, before turning and rlm@2: bowing to Akiho. "This, is Sahaku. I've arranged that she becomes your new rlm@2: homeroom teacher at the school. Her ultimate task is to make your life easier. rlm@2: Please listen to whatever she says." rlm@2: rlm@2: You really mean her job is to watch over me and make sure I don't do anything rlm@2: that would harm the Kudou name Akiho thought, inwardly shaking with fury. rlm@2: rlm@2: Her father then stood. Akiho immediately stood up and bowed. Pleased, he said rlm@2: "This is your first day at school. Do well and don't disappoint me." rlm@2: rlm@2: Half an hour later, her father's limo rolled to a stopped in front of her new rlm@2: school. Waiting for the chauffer to open the door, Akiho stared at the rlm@2: sprawling building and the groups of students making their way to classes. This rlm@2: was the first time since middle school that she had been to a public school. rlm@2: Although she wasn't exactly a snob, she felt she had nothing in common with rlm@2: them. Being brought up in the lap of luxury, she had developed an appreciation rlm@2: for the finer things in life. Even that didn't stop her from wishing she had rlm@2: more friends, but most were intimidated by her father's wealth and standing. rlm@2: rlm@2: That was one of the many reasons why she loved having Yuina as a best friend. rlm@2: Yuina had looked past the wealth and fame and seen her for who she was; smiling rlm@2: to herself she realized that Yuina probably never saw the wealth at all. Yuina rlm@2: had been a good friend, and she Akiho, had gone and ruined it all. rlm@2: rlm@2: "Life is a constant battle Miss Akiho, those who are ruthless succeed," rlm@2: murmured Sahaku, and with a start Akiho stared at the woman sitting next to her rlm@2: in dismay. Sahaku smiled and answered her un-spoken question "Yes, I read rlm@2: minds. More specifically, your mind." rlm@2: rlm@2: "What? Why… how?" Akiho asked, confused. "We are connected Akiho. Connected in rlm@2: a way that can only make the both of us stronger," Sahaku replied, sliding rlm@2: closer to her, her skirt riding up her thighs. Reaching out with a slender rlm@2: hand, Sahaku stroked Akiho's smooth cheek, black lacquered nails gently rlm@2: scratching at each stroke. Held immobile by the rhythmic strokes and the rlm@2: mesmerizing glitter in Sahaku's eyes, Akiho could only watch. rlm@2: rlm@2: She didn't feel afraid. She felt almost resigned to what was to come. Sahaku, rlm@2: for all her subservient exterior, was turning out to be as controlling as her rlm@2: father. By the looks of it, she had her father wrapped around her fingers and rlm@2: no amount of complaint from Akiho would sway her father from his faith in the rlm@2: woman. This realization was enough to make Akiho silently scream inside. rlm@2: rlm@2: "Yes connected Akiho. Together we will fulfill both our dreams," Sahaku rlm@2: whispered. Capturing Akiho's face in her hands she knelt forward and nipped rlm@2: Akiho's ear, before trailing soft kisses across her cheek, and then onto her rlm@2: mouth. The kiss was a shock to the senses. Akiho could feel Sahaku inside of rlm@2: her, inside her mind, learning everything there was to her. The invasion was rlm@2: less disturbing in comparison to the surge of desire that coursed through her rlm@2: at Sahaku's kiss! rlm@2: rlm@2: She could hear Sahaku's laughter inside her head… no, not Sahaku. This rlm@2: creature's name was Lucifer, a being from another world. Come to earth on a rlm@2: mission, a mission that she was irrevocably involved in now no matter what. rlm@2: "Submit to me Akiho! Become mine and I will give you everything you could rlm@2: want!" The pressure, the desire to please, the pleasure of the kiss; it all rlm@2: became too much for Akiho. With a groan, she gave way. rlm@2: rlm@2: Chapter 3. rlm@2: rlm@2: "Seraph no! You can't come to school with me!" Yuina protested for the fourth rlm@2: time, stopping and glaring at the woman. Cocking her head to the side slightly rlm@2: Seraph said "But we made a contract. Now I have to be with you all the time." rlm@2: Yuina groaned, "How am I going to explain your presence to my teachers?" "What rlm@2: about your friends?" Seraph asked, and Yuina winced. "I have none." Looking at rlm@2: her Seraph smiled and said "Alright. Just remember, if you need me, you must rlm@2: invoke my key." Nodding, Yuina quoted it, having learned it by heart thanks to rlm@2: Seraph constantly mentioning it. "There, see? I know it. Now go away!" Blowing rlm@2: Yuina a kiss and winking, Seraph vanished into thin air. rlm@2: rlm@2: Gaping, Yuina made a mental note to tell Seraph that she couldn't just vanish rlm@2: like that, especially in public! Smiling at a shocked bystander who had rlm@2: witnessed the scene she said, "Oh she does that all the time! She's a magician rlm@2: ehe!" before beating a hasty retreat. rlm@2: rlm@2: Taking a huge breath of relief, Yuina made her way to her homeroom. Seraph rlm@2: really had stuck to her side after that kiss, so much so that she had woken up rlm@2: this morning to find Seraph sleeping beside her. That, and the fact that Seraph rlm@2: was virtually naked had caused Yuina to almost have a seizure. Blushing at the rlm@2: memory, Yuina found her seat at the far corner of the class and sat down. rlm@2: rlm@2: Seraph had hit sore point earlier about her lack of friends. After losing her rlm@2: best friend in middle school, Yuina had stayed away from her classmates. Kept rlm@2: to herself and never participated in any of the school activities. She had rlm@2: never minded the lack of friends; but now with Seraph in her life, everything rlm@2: seemed so much more different. Suddenly, life seemed worth living again. rlm@2: rlm@2: There was a stir, and looking up Yuina saw a beautiful woman enter the class. rlm@2: "Hello. My name is Sahaku, I am to be your new homeroom teacher until Ms rlm@2: Yamazaki, your old homeroom teacher is discharged from hospital," the woman rlm@2: introduced herself. The class greeted her, and smiling she opened the door and rlm@2: ushered a girl in. "Let me introduce you to a transfer student. This is Kudou rlm@2: Akiho." rlm@2: rlm@2: Staring at the new girl, something clicked and with a gasp Yuina cried rlm@2: "Aki-chan?" Akiho glanced towards the girl sitting in the far corner, and felt rlm@2: her world tilt. "Yuina!" Glancing between the two girls Sahaku softly asked, rlm@2: "You know each other?" "Yes! This is Yui-chan. We were best friends at middle rlm@2: school. May I sit next to her teacher?" Akiho asked, looking at Sahaku, her rlm@2: eyes pleading. Nodding her ascent, Sahaku watched as Akiho tripped over to the rlm@2: corner and sat at an empty desk, the two girls soon talking to each other. Eyes rlm@2: narrowed, Sahaku called the class to order and began the lessons. rlm@2: rlm@2: At lunch break Akiho and Yuina found a quiet spot for themselves in the school rlm@2: gardens. rlm@2: rlm@2: "Oh Yuina I never imagined I would ever get to see you again!" Akiho smiled rlm@2: happily, drinking in the girl's features. Yuina had grown so beautiful. Her rlm@2: long pale blond hair reached just past her knees, her pale face dominated by rlm@2: her huge violet eyes. As she spoke, Akiho was again entranced by the soft sweet rlm@2: quality of her voice. "Do you still sing Yuina?" rlm@2: rlm@2: She watched as a slow blush spread across Yuina's cheeks. "Not since recently rlm@2: Akiho, but… but I was never as good as you." Akiho smiled to herself; Yuina was rlm@2: still the same as ever; willing to let Akiho take credit for things she didn't rlm@2: deserve. "No I'm not Yuina. You should have gotten the lead role in the choir." rlm@2: rlm@2: Yuina's head shot up, surprised at what Akiho had just said. "It's true Yuina. rlm@2: I envied you so much; you were so much better than me. I couldn't handle your rlm@2: getting the role so I spoke to the teachers and they gave it to me because of rlm@2: who my father is," Akiho sighed, looking away. "I felt so awful once I realized rlm@2: how cruel and wrong I had been. I… I've been wanting to say sorry for so long." rlm@2: rlm@2: Smiling, Yuina sat next to Akiho and wrapped her arms around her friend and rlm@2: hugged her. "Oh Akiho it doesn't matter anymore. I just hope we can be good rlm@2: friends again, like before. I've missed you!" Surprised and pleased at the same rlm@2: time, Akiho returned the hug and smiled. "I've missed you too Yuina." rlm@2: rlm@2: From the shadows of nearby a tree, Lucifer watched, her hand clenched to the rlm@2: trunk of the tree, slowly shredding it. Jealousy flooded through her; no one rlm@2: could share Akiho's affection with her. They were hers and hers alone. Yuina rlm@2: Hatori would bear close watching.