Ronin Warriors, Sailor Moon, and Final Fantasy VIII do not belong to me. They belong to Sunrise Inc., Toei Animation, and Squaresoft respectively. Only the plot of the story and any new characters belong to me.

Oh, I almost forgot. I will be using a few lyrics from Tamia's 'So Into You.' The song doesn't belong to me.

"Dance Fever: Raye and Ryo"

Chapter Nineteen

Balamb's Library:

"I can't take anymore of this Raye," Ryo sighed out loud. He closed the book and tossed it on the table. "If you ask me any more questions about junctioning GFs, items used to nullify or cure certain status effects, or naming some status effects on monsters after particular magic spells were cast, I will go insane," he groaned as he pinched the bridge of his nose to alleviate the acute pressure.

Raye sighed quietly as she closed the book. "You wanted me to help you prepare for the SeeD Level Examinations. I can't help it if the test asks these types of questions," she argued her point. She glanced at her small watch-bracelet display 6:45 p.m. She sighed again and placed a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. "We've been studying for the last three hours. Let's take a break and we'll finish on tomorrow."

"Thank you Hyne!" Ryo stated as he stood and stretched. Both individuals left the library and headed towards the Dormitory. "Now that we're done studying, how about we go to dinner and have some fun afterwards?"

"That's fine with me. So what time you want to go?" she asked as she pulled out her room keycard.

"We'll go around 8:30. Just remember to wear something nice," Ryo reminded as he stood at her doorway.

Raye nodded in understanding. "See ya then!" she replied as she watched him head towards his room.

*************************

"What is taking you so long to retrieve the Imperium Silver Crystal and the Jewel of Life?" Sorceress Adel questioned her servant.

"My apologies, your Greatness. My two henchmen Talpa and Queen Beryl failed me. Another development has occurred recently- the Scouts are leaving Earth to restore the Moon Kingdom. This will only leave those Ronins to defend the planet," Sorceress Patsy explained as she bowed before her mistress. "Do not worry your Greatness. I will get the talisman and the crystal if it's the last thing I do."

"You better be successful," Sorceress Adel warned grimly, "or you will share a more gruesome fate than any of your henchmen."

"Yes. I'm working on it right now," Sorceress Patsy vowed as the holographic image dispelled before her. The raven-haired woman began pacing back and forth on the floor, contemplating her next move.

"Your majesty," a servant began as he bowed before her. "I have some news."

The jade-eyed sorceress stopped her pacing and acknowledged her servant. "What is it Jaken?"

"I just received info that those Sailor Scouts are leaving Monday on an important mission."

'This brainless, incompetent toad is just now telling me this when I knew since last week. Oh well…I guess I'll amuse myself…' she thought to herself. "And where exactly is this mission?" she questioned the frog-like servant, keeping her tone light.

"The Sailor Brats are leaving to go into outer space to repair the Moon Kingdom," Jaken informed her. "You can finish off the Ronins and take the Jewel of Life, then destroy the Scouts in outer space."

'Interesting idea…' The jade-eyed woman sat on her throne, crossed her legs, and nodded her head at her servant's suggestion. "And you thought of this all by yourself?" the sorceress asked disbelievingly, humor lacing her voice. Her servant nodded in reply. The raven-haired woman let out a small chuckle until it escalated into a chilling laughter. She grasped the armrest to steady her frame and narrowed her eyes at the frog-like servant. "Thank you Jaken. You are dismissed."

"Thank you mistress," Jaken said nervously, bowing in respect. He then turned around to exit the spacious room.

'First, he tells me some old ass news. I can let him slide with that, but then he takes it upon himself to order me around. I am his mistress and he's my fucking slave!!!' she thought angrily to herself. 'The irritating prick managed to think of something before me. No one…no one does that!!'

The sorceress' eyes glowed an eerie green and she raised her hand. She pointed a bloody red fingernail at Jaken's retreating figure and fired a small energy beam at his skull.'This will be his very…. last…time!!!' She watched as the figure slumped to the floor, shattered into a billion pieces, then disappeared. "I feel so much better now," she laughed callously. "Now onto business…" She snapped her fingers and a figure appeared in the room.

The male bowed before her. "You summoned me mistress?" the individual asked.

"Yes. I want you to devise a plan to retrieve the Jewel of Life from the Ronins. Notify me of your plan and execute it two days from now," Sorceress Patsy ordered sternly. "Don't worry about recovering the crystal just yet. Get me that talisman!"

"Yes, my sorceress," the figure answered.

"Don't disappoint me Saranbo," the sorceress warned dangerously. "You may go." Saranbo bowed once more and vanished from the great room.

************************

Raye woke up from what seemed to be an hour-long nap, feeling slightly refreshed. She glanced at her small digital clock display 7: 45 p.m. She recalled before she was deep in her sleep that Amy was getting ready for her 'date'. She remembered wishing the cerulean-haired genius luck on tonight. She yawned quietly as she stood, releasing a few kinks from her spine. "Well, I better start getting ready."

Forty minutes later, Raye sat at her desk debating on a hairstyle. She sighed quietly and pulled back the sleeves of her ¾ sleeved, black, v-neck wrap dress. Raye ran her fingers through her shiny, raven tresses and decided to place the tendrils in a chignon on the back of her head.

"Since that's done, I can finish with the makeup," she remarked as she ran her fingers through her bangs. She applied some black mascara on her eyelashes and a light layer of nude pink lipstick. The young woman smiled at her reflection and stood up. She brushed off the bottom of her dress.

She heard a knock at her door and yelled, "Come in!!" She walked over to the closet and pulled out her black, ankle-strapped heels. She fastened the buckles around her ankles and glanced over her shoulder at the doorway. "Hey Ryo." She noticed that he wore a black oxford shirt, khaki slacks, and black loafers. "You look nice."

He murmured a response in kind as he watched her strode to her dresser to grab her keycard and black purse. "We can stop by Jun's China Kitchen to get a bite to eat."

She and Ryo left her room and walked out of the Dormitory. Her left hand reached out to his right hand and held it. She looked at him and gave a warm smile. "Sounds good to me."

They continued walking until they reached the Parking Lot. Raye suggested they should use her car. She led him to her black Dodge Neon and handed him the remote. Ryo pressed the UNLOCK button on the small remote and the doors to the vehicle unlocked. He opened the door for Raye before striding over to the driver's side.

"So where else are we going?" Raye asked inquisitively as they left the Parking Lot and headed towards Balamb City.

"Hmmm…somewhere I believe where we'll both have fun," Ryo replied coolly as he glanced at her.

"I take it you're not gonna tell me right now," Raye inquired easily.

He chuckled softly. "I'll tell you over dinner," he answered sincerely, as he continued navigating through traffic.

Twenty minutes later, the young couple arrived in Balamb City. Ryo carefully navigated down the street until he spotted the restaurant on the left.

"This is the place." He found a parking space and shifted the gear into park. He stepped out the car, walked to the passenger side and opened the door. "So what do you think?" he asked as he held out his hand to her.

Raye grasped his hand and pulled herself out the car. She glanced at the cream and reddish temple. There were elegant illustrations of dragons and imperial symbols painted on the windows. "It's very beautiful," she whispered in awe as she entered the restaurant.

A young, attractive waitress greeted the couple at the counter. "Good evening. I'm your waitress Mei-Ling. How many in the party and which section- smoking or non?"

"It's just a party of two in the non-smoking section," Ryo answered as he looked at Raye. "Right?"
Raye nodded her head and Mei-Ling led the two raven-haired individuals to a small booth. She handed them the menus and then jotted down their choice of drinks. A few minutes later, she then returned with a glass of tea with lemon and another glass with Coca Cola.

"Are you guys ready to order?" Mei-Ling asked as she pulled out her notepad and pen.

"I think I'll try the Sesame Chicken with a bowl of steamed rice," Raye stated as she handed her menu to the lilac-haired waitress.

"I'll have the Sweet and Sour Chicken with a bowl of steamed rice," Ryo said as he handed the menu to the waitress.

Mei-Ling scribbled the orders on the notepad. Her high ponytail swayed back and forth as she glanced between the two individuals. "Okay. I'll be back with your food in about ten minutes."

The two raven-haired individuals held a light conversation as they waited for their orders.

"So where are we headed after dinner?" Raye asked as clasped her hands on the table.

"We're gonna go to Club Paradise." Raye quirked an eyebrow in interest. "I heard from my roommate Enriquez that tonight's supposed to be Salsa Night."

"Sounds like fun!" she chirped before sipping her tea.

"Yeah. Besides, it gives us the opportunity to test out our dancing skills," Ryo added as he watched his date's facial expression.

"But we just learned a few moves in Instructor Martin's class earlier this week," she protested weakly. She glanced at her hands. "I know I've done some Salsa dancing when I was younger, but I don't think I can dance all that great."

"Hey, don't worry about it. We're just going there just to have fun," he reassured.

Raye looked at him and offered a small, shy smile. Ryo returned the small gesture.

"Excuse me," the waitress interrupted softly. "Here are your orders." She sat the dishes on the table and smiled at the young couple. "And here are your utensils." She pulled out two sets of chopsticks from her apron and handed them to the individuals. "Enjoy your meal." Raye and Ryo both said their thank yous and Mei-Ling left the table.

"So I take it that you know how to eat with these things?" Ryo asked as he held the utensils in question skeptically.

Raye let out a small laugh as she nodded her head. "Do you want me to show you or do you want Mei-Ling to bring you a fork?" she inquired teasingly.

"I'll try with these first," he said, "but if I can't eat my food with the sticks, I'll request the fork."

Raye moved from her side of the booth and scooted in next to him. She held out her left hand and showed how the chopsticks were held between her fingers. Ryo held the two sticks in his left hand in a similar position. She demonstrated how to pick up the rice and placed the small morsel in her mouth. She did another demonstration with the Sesame Chicken and placed the small chunk in her mouth.

"Now you try it," she encouraged, smiling genuinely.

Ryo managed to pick up a chunk of the Sweet and Sour Chicken and placed it in his mouth. However, he wasn't so fortunate with the rice.

"Here, let me help you," she offered as she grabbed his left hand. She placed the chopsticks in the proper position and encouraged him to try again. The raven-haired female watched him pick up a few grains of rice and placed it in his mouth. "Now you're getting the hang of it."

Ryo looked at the small female as she sat comfortably across from him. "Thanks."

The two individuals continued with the light conversation as the night progressed. Ryo and Raye split the bill in half. In addition, Ryo left the waitress a nice tip. The two raven-heads walked towards their transportation and traveled to their next destination.

Ten minutes later, they pulled up to a large, two-story building. On the second floor, there was a large balcony with tables and chairs. From there, one could view the stage where people were performing at the microphone. On the lower level of Club Paradise, there were four long windows - one on each side. One could see the people dancing their hearts out on the polished, wooden floors.

"This looks to be a nice place," Raye observed as they walked towards the line.

Ryo nodded in agreement. "The club just opened its doors around 9:30." He glanced at his watch-bracelet. "It's 9:42 right now. I think that couples get in free before ten o'clock," he remarked.

Raye glanced at the ten couples ahead of her and sighed in relief. 'Looks like we'll make it.' She smiled, then felt two familiar auras nearby. The raven-haired female spotted the two teens and nudged Ryo's arm. "Isn't that Kento and Mina across the street?"

Ryo looked in the same direction and nodded his head. Both of the young adults waved at their friends, as the line slowly inched through the club doors. As they reached the entrance, the bouncer checked the IDs.

"Welcome to Club Paradise. You can go on inside," the tall, solidly built male said as he moved the red rope to the side.

Both Raye and Ryo entered the club and watch the people dance to the Latin beats. The raven-haired female smiled as she felt the passion-filled lyrics sing to her soul. Her blood hummed as the upbeat tempo drummed seductively through her body.

"Do you want to head upstairs for karaoke or do you want to dance first?" Ryo asked in her ear.

"Karaoke first," she replied as she pointed upstairs.

The duo carefully eased their way through the dancing crowd and headed upstairs. They passed a few individuals as they continued to the upper level.

Once they arrived, they heard and spotted a female singing slightly off key. The strawberry blonde added a few dance moves and sultry glances at the audience. Everyone applauded and even some males whistled at her performance.

"Give it up for Alexandria Jones for her rendition of Britney Spears' 'Toxic'!" the deejay announced as the crowd continued applauding.

Raye spotted the short line for musical selection. "Did you want to sing something?"

Her companion held up his hands in surrender as he smiled at her. "Uh-uh," he grinned. "I'll leave that to the professionals."

Raye smirked up at him. "Okay then," she conceded while laughing. She poked a finger in his chest as she made her next statement. "But we are definitely dancing together, mister."

He held up his right hand in a pledge. "I promise."

The female walked to the desk and scanned the compositions listed in the pamphlet. After ten minutes of searching through the music, she spotted the perfect song. 'Interesting title. This is a beautiful song,'she thought as she reached for a piece of paper. She wrote down her name and song selection. Raye handed the strip of paper to the deejay, then returned to Ryo's side.

"Let's give it up for Misty Stone for singing Christina Aguilera's 'Genie in a Bottle'!" the deejay yelled as the guys whistled at the ebony-haired, jade-eyed female. "Next, we'll have…Raye Hino singing Tamia's 'So Into You.' Everyone, let's give it up for Ms. Hino!!"

The audience applauded as the ebony-haired beauty approached the stage and grabbed the cordless microphone. She gave the audience a dazzling smile as the soft spotlight illuminated her small frame. The music began playing and the lyrics appeared on a small screen at her feet. She glanced at Ryo and held the microphone to her lips and began singing.

With every passing moment

Thoughts of you run through my head

Every time that I'm near you

I realize that you're heaven sent baby

Ryo stood there in amazement as the gifted female's voice floated towards him. The seductive alto timbre of her voice, as well as the way she held his gaze, wreaked havoc on his senses. 'Hyne, she's wonderful,' he thought in total shock.

I really like

What you've done to me

I can't really explain it

I am so into you

I really like

What you've done to me

I can't really explain it

I'm so into you

Raye smiled in his direction before she glanced at other individuals.

It could be the way that you hold me

Could be the things that you say

Oh I'm not too sure what it is boy

But I know why I'm feeling this way

The raven-haired male felt as though no one existed except her and him. Her ethereal beauty drew him to her, as well as the slow, and graceful movements of her body. Her voice was a like a soft caress against his body.

When he caught her violet gaze, she winked at him.

I really like

What I feel when I'm with you

You're a dream come true

Don't you ever leave my side

'Cause it feels so right

Ryo smiled back at her as she continued ensnaring the hearts of everyone in the room. 'She really has a beautiful voice.'

The ebony-haired female continued singing until the slow, love song ended in a low croon. "Everyone, show your appreciation for the amazing Raye Hino!" the deejay announced as she bowed slightly.

The crowd went wild with applause and praises as Raye smiled and walked off stage.

Raye approached him and embraced him. "I never knew that you could sing like that!" Ryo stated in her ear. "You have an incredible voice."

"Thank you," she murmured against his neck. "I was so nervous."

He grinned softly. "Well, you truly fooled the crowd and myself!"

They both left the upper level and headed downstairs. Once they arrived, the couple took a spot on the dance floor.

"So you do know how to lead right?" Raye questioned him while he placed his right hand on her hip and held her right hand to shoulder level. She rested her left hand on his shoulder.

Ryo nodded in response. "Just make sure that you follow the signals I give you," he added jokingly as they moved to the beat.

The upbeat Latin song coursed through the couple's blood as the music continued. They smiled at one another as they noticed each other's potential. The two individuals look forward to one another's passion in the feverish tango.

As the night continued with more songs playing, the other couples began noticing the way Raye and Ryo danced. As a result, they formed a small circle around the raven-haired couple. The spectators watched in wonder and interest.

Raye executed a few left and right turns, adding her own flair to the movements. A few tendrils escaped from her bun as her partner led her into a series of twirls and spins. The onlookers observed the couple dance with fiery passion.

Once the song came to a close, Raye found herself in a low dip. Her back was arched, as it was nearly parallel to the floor. She somehow managed to keep her right foot flat on the floor. Her partner held her left thigh to his waist. In addition, she felt the light brush of Ryo's lips against her collarbone as he panted quietly.

'Hyne…that was too intense,' she thought as she closed her eyes in slight fatigue. The ebony-haired female gasped softly as she wrapped her arms around Ryo. She heard the spectators whistled and applauded their performance.

He pulled her out of the dip and held her. "That was too crazy out there," he grinned lowly as the young couple bowed.

They slowly made their way off the dance floor and headed to the parking lot. "You were quite the dancer tonight," Ryo acknowledged as they entered the car.

"You weren't so bad yourself," she murmured as she closed her eyes and rested her head against the headrest. "Hyne, I'm so tired."

"Same here," her companion agreed as they left the parking lot. "I just know that I'm gonna pay for it in the morning."

"Well, no one told you to dance for three hours straight!" she teased as she glanced over at him.

"Hey, it was all worth it," he countered with a smile.

"Figures." Raye shook her head before she smirked. She glanced out the window and sighed quietly as the light rain fell against the glass.

"So where do we go from here in our relationship?"

"I don't know Ryo," she whispered dejectedly, as she adjusted the purse strap on her shoulder. "I definitely wanted to see how much it will evolve, but time is not on our side."

Ryo nodded reluctantly as he continued driving through the rain. "We'll make the most of it while we're together."

Twenty minutes later, two soaked individuals entered the quiet halls of Balamb Garden. One of the individuals swore under their breath when they nearly lost their footing. The same person pulled off their shoes and held them in their hands as they continued down the slippery hallway.

The female plucked the damp fabric away from her chest in slight disgust. "I knew I should have brought my umbrella," she muttered darkly as she brushed her damp bangs from her forehead. "I won't doubt my instincts like that again." The young woman clutched her pair of shoes to her bosom as they walked down the hall.

The male, who followed a few steps behind, shook his head in pure amusement. "Well, there's nothing we could have done to prevent what happened Raye," the male replied while stifling a chuckle.

Raye detected the amusement in his voice and muttered a few words under her breath. "And you really think this is funny Ryo?" she asked, implying her rain-soaked appearance. She sat on a nearby bench and fastened the straps around her ankles.

He scratched the back of his neck as he placed his other hand on his hip. "Actually, I think it's quite entertaining," he laughed softly as she huffed in annoyance.

"Whatever," she retorted before she rose from the bench and headed towards the Dormitory. "I'll leave you to your amusements."

Ryo chuckled lowly as he easily caught up with her. "Sweetheart, don't you think you're overreacting?" he questioned innocently as he stopped her by placing his hands on her small waist.

Raye crossed her arms over her chest and turned her gaze to the floor. "Maybe," she admitted a few moments later.

Her partner enfolded her in a loving embrace as he kissed her temple. "You know," he murmured as they swayed slowly to some unknown song, "you're really adorable when you overreact." A few moments passed in comfortable silence. "This is not what's got you slightly antsy," he answered perceptively.

Raye sighed quietly as she placed her hands on his forearms. "It's just that I'm afraid…" she whispered as she rested her cheek against his damp shoulder. 'And I'm supposed to be the Scout that never has emotional break downs,'she thought to herself.

"What are you afraid of?" he asked soothingly against her wet tresses. They continued swaying to some beat that sang through their veins.

She closed her eyes as she inhaled slowly. "I fear I would never come back to Earth. And if I do make it back, you probably would be with someone else," she confessed as silent tears mingled with her comforter's rain-soaked shirt.

"You're not leaving forever. Besides, I'll still be here whenever you return," he reassured her, appeasing her fear. She raised her head from his shoulder and gazed up at his face. He rested his forehead against hers and stared into her eyes. "No one has, and ever will, have my heart but you. I love you Raye."

Her fingernails dug in the damp material, clinging to his chest. She closed her eyes at his passionate statement as she expelled the breath she held. "I…love you too," the ebony-haired croaked softly. She tried to blink back the onslaught of tears. "Hyne…why do I have to leave?"

"We're not going to worry about that." Her comforter rained feather-light kisses on her face. "Let's just make the most of the time we have together on tonight," Ryo whispered before claiming her lips in a soul-searching kiss.