For The Soul of The Stars: And Then…He was Gone.

Written By: Lynderia

Disclaimer: I do not claim that I own the OVA Outlaw Star or its characters therein. However, I do own the characters that were introduced for the first time to create For The Soul of The Stars.

She sat in front of the temple. Melfina couldn’t believe her eyes. The once desolate and sandy planet was now full of life. It was so peaceful. She began to wonder what had caused the sudden change. A smile lit her face but soon fell when she saw two approaching figures. “No.” Melfina whispered to herself. She just wanted sometime to forget and relax for just a little bit.

Ron didn’t want to have anything else more to do with situation. If it wasn’t for Harry, he would have jumped ship a long time ago. This was it; after this he was taking his little brother and getting as far away from The Dark Stars as possible. “Where’s Kat?”

Gene stared at him, and signaled Suzuka and Aisha to hold their positions. It was unnerving that the MacDougall Brothers were here on this planet, when it was a planet that most people didn’t know existed, well that was what Katrina had told him. Gene suddenly had a horrible feeling. “I don’t know.”

“If you do or you don’t, just give her this message.” Ron said slowly. He reached for an odd shaped gun and aimed it at Gene.

Gene’s body tense, getting ready to try and dodge the attack. “Yeah, what message will that be?”

Ron smirked and fired the weapon quickly.

Gene didn’t have time to react, but then again, he wasn’t the one that was hurt. In fact, he felt fine. What was going on? Gene slowly turned to see what else Ron could be aiming at. He found Jim encircled by a dark mist.

“Tell Kat she must come home.” Ron said looking straight at Gene. He then looked at Harry who had been staring at the ground the entire time. “Harry.”

“Yes Ron.” Harry said sadly as he pressed a button on his watched. He was ashamed. He was leading Kat into a trap. He didn’t know what The Dark Stars had planned but knew it wasn’t good. It wasn’t fair. All he wanted was to, at least, go on a date with Kat, maybe even call her ‘his’ girlfriend a couple of times. “It’s done.”

Kat ran. She had heard a gun being fired. What was going on outside? She had a big gap in her memory, and after talking with Proteus she knew why. Things never seemed to calm down. When was all of this going to come to an end. Kat stopped when she saw Harry and Ron. The question that came to mind was, ‘How did they get here?’ Her eyes wandered to Gene, who was staring at something so immensely. What was it? She saw what it was. Dear God. “Jim.”

Harry looked up. She was there; Kat was standing right there. He just wanted to take her and start to run, but he knew she wouldn’t let him. Kat was too strong for that. “Kat, stay away.”

Kat looked at Harry, who quickly dodged her gaze and stared at the ground. Kat found it strange, and then looked at Ron. She nearly had to blink to make sure what she was seeing was real. His eyes gave it away. The Dark Stars had broken him. She had pity for him. “I understand.” Kat told Ron.

Ron let a small smile grace his tired face. Kat always had this knack for reading people. She could always tell if they were good, bad, and what lay between the lines of good and bad. To Ron, Kat had always been that way. Ron said nothing enjoying the silence, for it would not last as long as he would have liked.

Five figures appeared in a circle around Jim. They were chanting.

She couldn’t let this happen. What would happen to Jim’s purity if they got to it? Kat ran towards them only to be knocked into Gene. Kat sprung to her feet. She knew her power, magic, was still immature, but she would tear down that shield even if she had to use her bear hands. Kat began to wish she could control her powers better. Five Dark Stars were too much for her to handle still. Kat didn’t doubt that her power was greater than theirs, but it was still immature, which did her no good against them. The Dark Stars had centuries for their magic to mature. She hardly had eighteen years. A small ball of light formed in both her hands as she tried to save Jim from The Dark Stars.

He didn’t know where he was, all he knew was he was so sleepy. Jim looked around in the darkness. There was nothing but darkness, and… There was a voice. A voice that he hated. He hated that voice because it belonged to that thing.

<Jim, just rest.>

<No. Go away. Gene!!>

<Your sleepy Jim. Rest.>

<Gene!! Kat!! Aisha!!! Melfina!!>

<They’re resting too, and it’s time for you to get some sleep. You have a very important event coming up.> The voice said in a smoothing tone.

<Yes, I’m sleepy. Need rest.> Jim was too tired to fight any longer. His eyes closed slowly, and he fell deeper into the darkness.

Jabal smiled. It was working. Soon everything will fall into place, just as it was meant to be, and there was no escaping fate.

“No Jim!!” Kat screamed. The dark mist had consumed his entire body. “Jim, fight it!!” It wasn’t fair. Her life wasn’t fair. Kat was thrown back by an invisible force as the Dark Stars started to disappear with Jim in the dark mist.

“I believe Gene, or the MacDougall Brother’s have a message for you.” Jabal said in a light tone. He couldn’t wait. Soon she would be back in his clutches.

“Prepare yourself, Little One.” Tai spoke. She would be back very soon. She would be his, and his alone.

“There’s no escaping.” Desdemona giggled. Soon her fun would begin.

“It was always meant to be.” Reginald said with a high air about him. He couldn’t wait for payback.

“See you on the battle field, girlie. You just better hope you can handle it!!” Morrigan spoke sternly as they all disappeared leaving nothing but air.

Kat stood, giving no hint to her defeat. “Just go. Get out of here MacDougalls.” She knew what the message was, she didn’t have to be told.

Ron didn’t even look at Kat and began to walk away in the opposite direction. “Come on Harry. It’s time we got out of here.” His freedom had cost someone else’s freedom, maybe even their life. Ron didn’t think that he would care as much but he did. After Kat had given back his brother to him, Ron had tried to keep tabs on Kat, which didn’t work. He was trying to, he guessed, to replace Hilda. Hilda always knew where Kat was, what she was doing, and who she was doing it with. Ron began to feel more guilt as he continued to walk away.

This was his last chance. He had to do something. “Come with us, Kat. Please!!” Harry begged. Tears seemed to flow involuntary from his eyes.

Kat stared at him with emotionless eyes. She didn’t think he cared so much for her. She had always believed Harry had a silly crush on her, but now, maybe it wasn’t just a crush anymore. “Leave Harry.” Kat spoke in her usually monotone.

“I…”

“Just go. Turn around and forget about me!!” Kat said plainly with no emotion. She wanted to scream, ‘Yes, I’ll leave with you,’ but she couldn’t do that. It was time to go forward instead of always taking steps back.

Harry looked at her in defeat. “I’ll be seeing ‘ya Kat!!” Harry’s face held a sad smile.

“I’ll be seeing ‘ya.” Kat said taking in his defeated image.

Harry took one last look at her and ran to catch up with Ron. For some reason he wasn’t assured he would be seeing her again. The thought of not seeing Kat again made his insides hurt. He thought of her as a childhood friend. She was his only friend. Harry continued to walk in silence trying not to think about Kat’s fate.

She couldn’t believe he was gone. He just vanished without a trance, and they had no idea where he could be. Aisha growled in anger. She hated not knowing. She didn’t understand what was going on. There was too much confusion. “Where have they taken him?!” Aisha shouted. Her anger was getting the best of her. “Tell me now!!”

Kat ignored her and began to walk towards the temple. She was worried about Eros and his pack. They were the Guardian Beasts, but where were they? The Guardian Beasts kept the unwanted off the temple’s grounds.

“Little One.” a tired voice spoke. He was so sore, and his pack… He was thankful they had survived. The black spotted winged wolf slowly approached her.

Kat noticed the blood trail he left behind and ran to him. “Don’t move, are you okay, Eros?”

Eros, the black spotted wolf, chuckled, “I am the leader of my pack, of course I’m alright child.” His light laughter soon became a disgusting cough.

Kat didn’t have to ask what had happened. The Dark Stars were responsible for this. They must have engaged in battle in inter-dimensions. “Is the pack alright?”

Eros nodded. He was so tired. The battle with The Dark Stars took a lot out of him, and he still didn’t manage to stop them before they could touch the temple grounds.

“Proteus!” Kat shouted.

Proteus ran to her side. He didn’t know what was going on, but would do anything to help her. He trusted Kat’s judgment. “Yeah, I know.” he said helping the wounded Eros into the temple. The pack soon appeared to follow. All were broken and bruised. Proteus was surprised that The Dark Stars left any of them alive.

He couldn’t take his gaze from that one spot. The spot where Jim last was. His Jim was gone. They had taken him. Gene’s body shook in anger, and rage consumed his thoughts. He was so sick of this; so sick of being left in the dark; so sick of not knowing, or not knowing what to expect; and he was so sick of Kat and her attitude, and her god damn secrets!! “You’re to blame!!” Gene began to scream. Kat was to blame for it all. Gene turned, and ran in Kat’s direction.

She had heard him, and watched as he approached her.

Gene leapt in the air and tackled Kat to the ground. He began to pound her with his fist. Involuntary tears fell from his eyes. He didn’t understand why she didn’t fight back, but he continued his assault.

Melfina began to scream for Gene to stop, but she knew he couldn’t hear her. She was in shock too. This moment was worse than when Donte took Jim, she just knew that it was. A horrible feeling laid in the pit of her stomach.

One of the winged wolves turned around sensing danger for their charge, and was ready to attack Gene, but in one split second she made eye contact with Kat, and turned back around heading for the packs resting spot.

Suzuka’s eyes didn’t miss that. That wolf was ready to tear Gene apart but Kat stopped it, but why, and how? “Gene that’s enough!! Beating on Kat will not give you the answers you want!!” Suzuka shouted. She was surprised by Gene’s actions. She expected Aisha to do something like this.

How did she know that? Maybe Kat would give in to his assault, she didn’t know that. Gene was crying freely now. The more he cried the more blood became visible. “You did this. You’re the cause of everything. If Donte didn’t want you dead we wouldn’t have to go through that whole thing with Jim, then Rock, if he didn’t want to find you he wouldn’t be dead and we wouldn’t be in this mess, and if The Dark Stars didn’t want you to return home Jim would be right here with me, and if you just stayed dead, or stayed wherever you were Katrina wouldn’t be gone!!” Gene cried out letting his blood soaked hands fall to his sides. His tears dropped onto Kat’s wounds, mingling with her blood. What had he just done? He was no better than The Dark Stars, and the worse part was she had allowed him to beat her into a bloody pulp. Gene slowly removed himself from on top of Kat and stared at her emotionless eyes.

Kat stood. Gene had so much anguish locked in him. He was so sad and alone. Kat had seen it in his eyes. He had tried to hide it for so long that Jim disappearing again was the ‘last straw that broke the camel’s back.’ And now presently, there was a look of guilt in Gene’s eyes. Kat began to laugh. She didn’t know why she was laughing but it felt good, it felt better than crying because that’s what she really wanted to do.

Susuka didn’t understand Kat. The more she thought she did, the more she got confused. “Why are you laughing?” Suzuka didn’t find anything amusing. Aisha was still sulking and Melfina had shock written all over her face, and Suzuka didn’t know what to be feeling right now. Maybe she felt ashamed for being so scared that she could have swore her legs shook in fright at the presence of The Dark Stars. “There is nothing funny. I find this whole thing not at all funny, and find you disgusting!”

Kat continued to laugh. The pain she was feeling from Gene’s words and beating, and Suzuka’s words were unbearable. It was true, where ever she went there was pain, death, and destruction, and she was disgusting. She was the most disgusting human being in the entire universe. She was to blame because she was too weak, too immature, too much of a chicken to face The Dark Stars. Kat never took steps forward in such conflicts, she always ran away hoping people would forget about her and that there was no trail left behind for The Dark Stars to follow, but now it was too late. There was so much at stake. The people she knew, loved, and respected were all in danger because of her. Nothing had changed since she was a little girl. Kat suddenly stopped laughing and stared at the ground. She felt her eyes sting, and fought back the tears. She forced the words out of her mouth, “I suggest you all take your leave. Go to your ship and leave. If Proteus wants to go with you, let him. I want nothing more to do with you people. You’re the ones that disgust me.”

Melfina had been listening, “No, we’re not leaving until you tell us what this is really about! And how are we going to find Jim on our own?!!”

“Why don’t you use Mutant Feline, she has a good sense of smell! Don’t even think about asking me, because I’m not going! I’m not leaving this planet!!” Kat screamed as she continued to look at the ground.

“I know now that you are nothing but a chicken! You coward!! You sick twisted little girl!! Go hide under your covers and wait for your parents to make it all better! This is not a game anymore Kat, we can’t afford to play your little games anymore. You just can’t run away. We need your help.” Melfina shouted. Tears made its way into Melfina’s eyes. She just wanted this whole thing to be over. She wanted Jim back so they could all go on adventures together just like before, before knowing about Uriel and The Dark Stars.

Kat closed her eyes. As long as she could remember this was always a game for The Dark Stars. She wasn’t sure if Jim was Uriel but The Dark Stars had taken him for some reason. “You’re wrong Melfina. This is a game. This is a game for them, and in this game people die, they get tortured, they run, they hide, they grow older, they fight, and eventually they can either win or lose. So don’t talk to me about something you have no knowledge of, and don’t talk as if I owe you anything because I don’t, Nature’s Freak.” Kat lifted her head and stared at Melfina with ice cold eyes. She could feel her eyes stinging again. Why couldn’t they just listen to her and leave? Why did they have to be so stubborn?!

He didn’t know what was wrong with him. He didn’t know what he was feeling but he embraced her. Gene took in the smell of her hair and the touch of her skin against his. What was he doing? “We’re never going to leave you.” he whispered.

Kat’s first instinct was to push Gene away, but Gene wouldn’t budge. “Let go of me!” Kat’s voice was full of disgust. What was Gene trying to accomplish? “Why are you touching me Captain Shit-Face? Do you think I want to be defiled by you?” Kat touched the joints of Gene’s shoulders making his arms fall to his sides. Kat looked at him, and found he was staring straight at her. Why would he always staring at her like that sometimes? Kat tore away from his gaze. “Since you filthy people are planning on staying the night, you are given permission to stay at the temple.” Kat said walking away.

Melfina ran to Gene to inspect his arms. “Gene, are you okay? Can you move your arms?”

“No.” Gene said tiredly. He didn’t understand Kat at all. She wanted them gone, but yet she allowed them to stay at the temple. Maybe she knew they weren’t leaving without her showing them the way. Gene looked down to his blood stained hands. He was so filled with guilt, he shouldn’t have done that, but why didn’t she stop him?”

“Kat!!” Melfina shouted after the retreating form.

Kat snapped her fingers and Gene had movement in his arms again.

Suzuka didn’t like this. Something big was about to happen. She had listened to Kat talk to Melfina about how this was a game. Something on an immeasurable scale would happen, and soon. “Come on Aisha, let’s go get some rest.”

Aisha only sighed and nodded. She felt so worthless and defenseless.

End

After Thoughts: Jim’s gone, The Dark Stars have Jim!!! What will Gene do now? He already beat up on Kat and still didn’t get any answers. What will Kat do now that The Dark Stars have Jim? Does she care at all? Or is she too scared to do anything about it? Questions, questions, all questions seemed to be unanswered. Want answers? You’re going to have to keep reading. Send all comments and questions to Lynderia. Thank you for reading.