Soul Mates Chapter 1: Vacation In Neverland, a sailor moon fanfic

SOUL MATES
Chapter 1: "Vacation In Neverland"
A Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

October 19, 2990:

"Now isn't this a beautiful place?" King Endymion asked as he got out of the palace air car.

The scene was the eastern shore of Lake Biwa, in Lake Biwa National Preserve, the tract of land surrounding Lake Biwa. Lake Biwa National Preserve had been a national monument in Japan since 2081, when Queen Serenity had decreed it as such and banned all detrimental use or development in order to preserve the area's natural beauty. She'd done it out of concern for the environment and Japan's natural flora and fauna. She'd also done it as a surprise gesture to her friend Ami, because her father had spent so many years there that the two were irrevocably linked in Ami's mind. The area was a treasured resort for all of Japan.

Most of Japan.

"I suppose," came the reply from the ten year old Princess Usagi Small Lady Chiba. She was still in the air car in the back seat, typing obsessively on her PDA.

"Small Lady," Endymion sighed. "This is supposed to be a vacation. Could you please put the PDA away."

"I'm messaging Momo!" the Princess gasped with exasperation, her eyes never leaving the device.

"Unless either you or she are dying, I think the messaging can wait," Endymion replied, trying to remain patient.

"And if I were still in Crystal Tokyo, I wouldn't have to message her," she shot back, her eyes still glued to the device.

Just then a dainty hand closed around the PDA and jerked it out of Small Lady's possession. Indignantly she looked up and found her mother on the other end of the hand.

"Mom!" she howled.

"Small Lady," Queen Serenity said through clenched teeth, fleetingly looking like the Usagi of old that Small Lady had irritated just five of her years prior. "Get out of the air car and enjoy this beautiful lake. If you spend any more time on this PDA, you'll go blind!"

"That's a fallacy," huffed Small Lady. Seeing no way to win the argument, she grabbed her carry bag and dramatically exited the air car. Serenity tried to shove the PDA into a pocket, then realized that her gown didn't have pockets. She stashed it in the front storage compartment of the air car and climbed out.

"Brat," muttered the Queen. "It is NOT a fallacy!" Then she leaned over to her husband. "What's a fallacy?"

"Honey, I really think you'll enjoy Lake Biwa if you just give it a chance," Endymion suggested.

"Bored!" Small Lady replied over her shoulder as she wandered up to the cabin that sat near the lake.

"I would think you'd enjoy being away from the palace for once!" Serenity fumed. "You're always complaining about not getting to go anywhere!"

"This isn't 'anywhere'," Small Lady replied, pausing at the cabin and turning back to them. "In fact, this is as far away from 'anywhere' as you can possibly get. Does this place even have a computer and web connection?"

"Of course it does," Endymion sighed. "But no logging on until after dinner."

"Fine!" Small Lady huffed and stormed into the cabin. Endymion and Serenity looked at each other.

"We should have left her in the twentieth century," muttered the Queen.

October 4, 2998:

A palace air car entered the air space surrounding Lake Biwa National Preserve. At the controls was Jun, handling the tricky flight pattern through the heavily wooded area with the same skill she handled her hover bike. On board the craft were Princess Usagi and her Senshi in their civilian forms, as well as Helios.

"I can't get over how different you look without that headdress, Jun," Usa remarked. Jun had, since her return from her solo sojourn on her hover bike, begun wearing her green hair down or in a simple ponytail.

"Well, I couldn't wear the headdress under my helmet on the trip," Jun responded as she piloted the craft. "After a while I just decided to leave it off. I'll still wear it on special occasions, but not for every day." She grinned self-consciously. "It's sort of more of the 'new me'."

"It looks good, Jun," Usa told her.

The craft began its approach to a small area by the lake with a pair of rustic-looking cabins that were actually constructed of poly-fiber resin made to look like wood.

"Wow, it doesn't look like it's changed at all!" marveled the Princess as she looked over the area from the air car portal.

"Your mother has taken great care to preserve this area, Maiden," Helios added. "I find it very reminiscent of portions of Elysian."

"You seem really excited to be here, Usa," Hotaru observed.

"Yeah," the Princess grinned. "My parents brought me here about eight years ago for a vacation. But I was too young and stupid to appreciate it. All I did was moan and groan the entire time."

"Sort of like Cere's doing now?" Ves asked.

"Look, I understand that I have to be here as part of my job of protecting Usa," Cere hissed at Ves. "I accept that. But I'm separated from Hiroki because of that and I DON'T have to like it! And furthermore, don't you even THINK about criticizing me. Nobody died and appointed you leader!"

"I would have let you stay in Crystal Tokyo if you wanted," Usa offered. "I'm not going to need bodyguards for this trip."

"It's OK," Cere sighed. "Like Jun said, it'll give me a chance to meet some new flora." Then she gestured to Ves. "Besides, the drill sergeant insisted."

"It's our job," Ves muttered.

The air car landed in a designated clearing near a cabin on the eastern shore of the lake. Once the vehicle was shut off, everybody disembarked.

"Princess?" Palla-Palla suddenly asked energetically. "Can Palla-Palla play with the horsies?"

"Uh, Palla-Palla," Usa began cautiously, "there aren't any horses here."

Palla-Palla's face fell. "Then why come?"

"Not every place has horses," Ves grunted. "There's lots of other animals around."

"But they're not as fun as horsies," Palla-Palla pouted.

"Wow!" gasped Jun as she disembarked from the air car. "Just smell that water! Why have I never been here before?" She ducked into the car long enough to grab her bag. "I'm going to get my suit!" Jun rushed off toward the cabin, then stopped suddenly. She turned back to the group. "Uh, that's OK, isn't it Princess?"

"So much for 'Miss Spontaneity'," mumbled Cere. Hotaru put her hand to her mouth to cover her giggles.

"Go for it, Jun," Usa smiled. Then she felt a tug at her blouse. She looked and found Palla-Palla.

"Princess, does the cabin have a vid-stream?"

"I suppose I could rig one up on the cabin's computer," Usa replied curiously. "But don't you want to enjoy this place? What's on vid that's so important?"

"Yumi-Chan's Toyshop," Palla-Palla replied earnestly. "Palla-Palla wants to see if Miss Yumi-Chan can keep Bun-Bun from stealing her carrots."

Usa was about to reply, but Ves leaned over. "You better do it," she whispered to Usa. "It's easier than arguing."

Shrugging, Usa headed for the cabin with Palla-Palla dutifully following behind. Picking up their bags, the others followed.

The afternoon sun was beginning to set. As Usa exited the cabin and stepped down from the porch, she found Helios about ten yards from the shore. She also found that the east shore of the lake was a good spot to see the sun set along the lake's western horizon.

"Did you succeed in pacifying Palla-Palla?" Helios asked, turning to her as she joined him.

"Yeah, the vid-stream was pretty easy to hook up," Usa replied. "She was singing the theme song when I left her. She really loves that show."

"To a mind such as hers, repetition and familiarity are things that make her feel secure," Helios mused.

"Yeah," Usa murmured. "Helios, does she dream?"

"Of course, Maiden. All living things dream."

"Does she have pleasant dreams?"

"Maiden, you seek answers that I cannot give you. A person's dreams are sacred things and cannot . . ."

"No, I don't want to know specifics," Usa stopped him. "I know the rules - - and I do follow them occasionally. I just - - someone like Palla-Palla - - well, you said familiarity makes her feel secure. So when we go on missions - - to unfamiliar places - - she's not, you know, affected by that, is she?"

"Does her time as a Senshi affect her spiritual well-being?" Helios asked, glancing at her to see if he interpreted her question right. "There are things which linger. But it does not deter her from her desire to continue as your Senshi. And you could say the same about the others as well."

"Really? I know Cere isn't that hot about it, but the others? Even Hotaru?"

"Maiden, they have faced death and witnessed destruction," Helios told her. "How could they not be affected? They have fears. They have regrets." His hand came up and brushed at the pink hair by her ear. "Much the same as you do. But they choose to continue. Whether it is because of loyalty to you or the desire to emulate someone who has impressed them or to prove their worth to a suspicious world, they willingly follow where you lead."

"Good," Usa nodded absently. "I just - - I worry about them sometimes. And I don't want them to do this out of a sense of duty or obligation. I just . . ."

She stopped when Helios cupped her chin in his hands. Surprised, she stared into his eyes. He leaned in and kissed her.

"Of course you would," he smiled after their lips parted. "For your heart is such that you could do nothing else."

Usa leaned in and kissed him back.

The sound of splashing brought them back to the real world. Turning, they found Jun trudging out of the lake. She was soaked to the skin and the daring bikini she wore was plastered to her. But her face had a serene look to it that Usa couldn't recall often seeing.

"Sorry for interrupting," Jun grinned sheepishly. "But if I stayed in there any longer, I was going to cramp up."

"I'm guessing you're enjoying yourself," Usa smiled. "And where did you get that suit? That's a little daring for you, isn't it?"

"It's the suit I picked up when I was in Minami-Satsuma," Jun replied. Suddenly her serenity was gone, replaced by an awkward self-consciousness. "I'd like to blame it on Aino-Sensei, but it was my choice to buy."

"I'm glad you wore it. It looks good on you," Usa nodded. Then she nudged Helios with her hip. "Stop staring."

"Maiden," Helios replied, aghast. "I was not staring."

"Not much," she giggled.

"Thanks for taking us along, Princess," Jun said. "This place is a dream!"

"I needed some time off," Usa shrugged. "And I figured you all needed some time off. And could I PLEASE be Usa, Jun?"

"If you say so, Princess," Jun nodded, then caught herself. "I mean Usa! I mean . . . whatever you want. I'll try." Jun felt herself flushing. "Is the kitchen stocked? I can try to whip up something for dinner. I mean, I don't cook as well as Kino-Sensei, but all Ves knows is how to fry bacon and Cere doesn't want to get her hands greasy."

"Stocked and ready. If you want to cook, we'll eat it," Usa replied.

"I'll try not to make it too spicy," Jun said and hurried off. Helios glanced at his love and found her expression melancholy.

"What troubles you now?" he asked.

"There's still a distance between us," Usa scowled. "I'm not 'Usa' to any of them. I'm 'Princess'; except for Hotaru, there's still a distance between us."

"They are merely being respectful."

"No, it's more," Usa moaned. "What was the old saying: you never get a second chance to make a first impression. When they first came, I wasn't exactly - - nice - - to them. And I think it still affects them, deep down. And I'm afraid it may be me. I do tend to spend more time with Hotaru than with them. And that's not right. I should be close to all of them, like Mom was with the elders." She glanced down. "I kind of planned this trip hoping it would break some of the ice that's still there. Spend some time together and maybe break down that last barrier between us. Convince myself that those thugs that ran with Nehelenia are gone and I don't have to carry a grudge anymore. I mean, if Mom can forgive anyone . . ."

She stopped babbling when Helios took her in his arms and hugged her to him.

"A generous and kind gesture, made by a pristine soul who really needs to stop comparing herself to her mother and live her life as her own person," Helios said as he held her. "For she is more worthy of the mantle she has assumed than she believes."

"Oh, you," sighed Usa and just rested in her love's arms.

". . .and then Bun-Bun tricked Miss Yumi-Chan and stole her carrots!" Palla-Palla explained with excitement. "And then Tree-San told Miss Yumi-Chan a story! And then she and Dragon-San counted to ten!"

"Still don't care," Ves sighed as she and Palla-Palla walked down the hall of the cabin. They arrived at the room Palla-Palla had chosen for a bedroom. "You going to be all right sleeping in a strange bed?"

"Yes, Palla-Palla will be fine. Is Ves-Ves going to be fine sleeping in a strange bed?"

"With some of the places I've slept in," Ves chuckled, "a strange bed don't bother me none."

"Did Ves-Ves brush her teeth?"

"I will when I'm ready to sack out." Palla -Palla looked at her curiously. "I'm going to nose around the woods a little bit. See what this place looks like at night."

"Does Ves-Ves think there are monsters?" Palla-Palla asked tremulously.

"Just want to get a look at the night foragers," Ves told her. "You don't get to see them during the day." Then she grinned maliciously. "But you never know. So DON'T go wandering around."

"Ves-Ves will protect Palla-Palla if there are monsters, won't she?" Palla-Palla asked, her lower lip protruding.

"Always. Now get to bed."

Beaming, Palla-Palla scampered into the bedroom. Ves closed the door behind her and stood a moment, smiling to herself. Sometimes Palla-Palla could be too needy. But sometimes it was nice to be needed.

Ves walked outside. Though it was nightfall, it was still early for everyone else. Jun was still swimming. Hotaru and Cere were on the steps of the other cabin, talking. Helios and the Princess were off somewhere and Ves could just imagine what they were doing. Summoning her henshin stick, Ves transformed into Sailor Vesta.

"Fauna Assimilation, Red Fox," she said and instantly took on the form of a red fox. With that, she bounded off into the forest to observe the other nocturnal animals.

Nearly an hour later, Palla-Palla suddenly woke. She sat up in bed, staring into the dark as if she were having visions of somewhere else. Without warning, she swung her legs over the side of the bed and got up. Stripping out of her footed bunny pajamas, the teen put her clothes on. She ventured out of the bedroom, down the hall and out the door of the cabin onto the front porch.

For a moment she paused as if unsure whether to continue. Ves had told her not to wander off. But what she was sensing tugged again at her mind and curiosity got the better of reticence. She descended the steps and headed off into the forest. Moments later, Jun's head bobbed to the surface. The teen shook the water from her face and hair, then looked around.

"Funny," Jun thought. "I thought I saw something moving up here. I wonder if they have bears around here. I really should call it a night."

Jun treaded water for a moment.

"One last lap," she decided and began swimming away from the cabins to the artificial horizon point she'd chosen.

Continued in Chapter 2