Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing or Sailor Moon. I am not earning a profit from this fanfiction. Originally, it was a collaboration piece between fanfiction writer, Kii and myself. I will be continuing the series sans my co-writer.
This one-shot, "First Encounter," will serve as the prequel to the Dreamscape series. The first three chapters of the sequel are in the process of being revised.
"First Encounter"
By: Inazuma Akai
Once upon a time, as all good stories go, there lived a gentle queen and a benevolent king. Their reign was one of peace and prosperity for earth. Alliances were formed and planets colonized. As with all rules leaders they were under the protection of guardians, four for the solar system and four for earth.
The solar system guardians were known as the outer senshi, ruthless fighters and their kingdom's first defense. The earth-based guardians were called the inner senshi and would gladly give their lives to save the king and queen.
Now one of these inner senshi was a priestess, a beauty beyond compare actually. With hair the color of midnight yet each strand shined violet, and lips a crimson red. Her skin was smooth and flawless. Her psychic talents were a blessing and a curse for her with this duty, bringing with it a never-ending stream of possibilities.
The past, present, and future were constantly monitored by Sailor Pluto, the Guardian of Time. Yet as the years passed and the likelihood of the kingdom's disaster approached, a kinship between the two grew. Rei Hino. Sailor Mars. She had and always would exist in a world of her own.
The wind gently swept across the realm of solitude. Rei now called this realm, this unreality, her home. It was spring there. But then again, it was always spring. It had once been her favorite time of year long ago, when she had walked among the people she called her friends. When the cherry blossoms would bloom and shower down upon the temple in a fragrant rainfall, they would all sit outside under the trees having picnics and parties. She remembered dressing up sometimes, coming out of her shell to laugh and play. Sadly, it was all a memory now. She could only re-create happier times and watch them, like an unending movie.
Occasionally, she would encounter a dream weary traveler. They'd pass through her realm, bearing news and offering her long-desired conversation. Yet none of them returned. They were not powerful enough. All the magic of the earth seemed to have been drained with the fall of Crystal Tokyo, or as she viewed it, her failure. She had the power to see the future, to foresee the events that would alter their lives forever. But she did not act fast enough. Her sacrifice came too late to save the ones she loved. As punishment, or as a gift, she had yet to figure out which, she was placed in her solitude. In her dream world where it was forever spring, her past haunted her.
She could still hear the screams echoing in her head as she watched her king and queen fall. If only she had given herself to save them sooner, if only. There were so many possibilities. Out of all the endless possibilities, the one to cause her the most horror came to pass.
Silently she walked among the cherry blossoms, her mind reeling backwards in time to the night of her folly.
The heat of the flames encompassed her as she mediated in the huge temple of crystal. Visions flickered across her mind that night - a child playing with a small toy boat in the outskirts of the country, a boy and his sister flying a kite high in the clear sky, the next generation of senshi practicing in the courtyard. Suddenly, the comforting flames seemed too hot. Their gentle crackle turned to a roar as they leapt to life. Darkness descended on her mind as she quickly was sucked into a vision or death and fire.
The sun was just about to set when she awoke from the darkness that held her mind. An enemy was on its way, traveling like the night wind, bringing death and destruction even the outer senshi could not withstand alone.Swiftly, she rose. Still hearing the screams of the people of Crystal Tokyo echoing in her mind, she ran from the temple to the royal palace. The need to protect the king and queen was stronger than ever that night. Never in her immortal life had she felt fear of that magnitude.
As swift as a fox she dashed through the palace ignoring the guards and other senshi as she fled her vision. She arrived in the throne room just as the night descended upon her Majesty. The figure was defiantly female in characteristics but no features were visible to anyone. The Night Wind had arrived with no warning other than her mocking call to Rei's mind. While the Night Wind distracted the fire senshi's mind with her ideas of pain and suffering, she slipped past the outers like a wrath being carried by the wind, her namesake. She was intangible. She emitted no evil nor did she emit any good. It was as if she did not exist, just the wind in the night there to steal the souls of those pining for release.
The Night Wind played cat and mouse with Rei's mind. She knew that Rei was the only creature besides Sailor Pluto who could sense her approach. The Night Wind then released the priestess and forced her to watch the demise of her Queen, her friend, her sister. The Queen fell to her knees beside the King.
Neo Queen Serenity screamed a scream that seemed to echo for an eternity. The silver crystal was in the past with the Queen's daughter, Small Lady; so the Queen was virtually defenseless. Neo Queen Serenity opened her arms wide, a small smile playing about her lips as she accepted her fate.
"I wasn't fast enough. I couldn't get in-between the two in time." Rei agonized inwardly.
Desperately, with eyes filled with tears, Rei dove only to slide beneath my Queen and catch her dead body as it fell to the floor. She watched as the Night Wind stole all the souls of all Crystal Tokyo with the death of the Queen. The Crystal city dimmed as if a flame was extinguished and all the people seemed to still.
"Too easy," The Night Wind whispered to Rei in her mind, taunting Rei into a rage unlike any she had ever known.
In an instant Rei entered a state that one might call a small fit of insanity. She called on her powers as a priestess to exorcise the demonic presence of the Night Wind. The purification was enhanced by her powers as the senshi of the planet Mars.
"Akuryo Taisan!" she yelled, beginning the cleansing ritual. As the energy surged forth, everything was destroyed in a wave of fire…of rebirth. She cried out in a strained voice as it consumed the people, the senshi, the very place she loved and gave herself to protect was all wiped out.
It was not what she wanted; yet it is what had happened. That's when Pluto placed her in the Dreamscape, the lone survivor of a night of terror. She didn't know if Pluto's motives were out of pity or out of friendship. Pluto had known what was coming. And she'd known Small Lady would come back to it all ready to start anew like her mother before her to create a new world, to become its light of hope.
Rei still didn't know if the Night Wind was destroyed that night. Pluto would not tell her. So she sat there and watched as the dreamscape rippled again, sending waves across the unreality. It signaled a stray dreamer about to enter. More cherry blossoms fell around her at this unexpected force. The dreamer was strong. The waves rocked the ground Rei stood upon as they collided with her world.
Rei assumed whoever the person was would appear shortly. Slowly, she sat upon the soft grass and fallen cherry blossoms and awaited the next visitor's coming.
"This field looks so familiar." Wufei thought. He recounted the argument he'd had with his wife, Meiran. She'd challenged him, thinking someone as weak as she would actually win. He had turned his back on her, asking how could she uphold her justice if she was powerless.
Now he sat in his room meditating, trying to clear his mind of her impractical ideals. At least that's where he had been. He then began to walk around, hoping to figure out where 'here' was.
Rei smiled softly at the confused expression on the boy's face. He must have been at least 14 years old. "He is so young to be such a strong dreamer." She noted silently.
Gracefully, Rei rose, her violet hair lifted around her, twisting and turning in the gentle wind. Her approach was hesitant as she moved towards the youth, curious as to how one so young was able to breach her prison. Her graceful steps faltered a bit as she stepped on a twig, sending out a crack. The sound carried as if she shouted. Rei waited, breath abated, for the boy to turn and face her.
Wufei's posture stiffened at the sound, and he whipped around in one fluid motion, assuming a fighting position. He blinked as he came face to face with a woman...a very beautiful woman. He shook off the feeling, thinking it was weak to let such emotions over take him. "Especially when I'm already married," He thought sarcastically. He dropped his stance and stood to his full height. "Who are you, onna? And how did you get here?" He asked, almost rudely.
A small smile played around Rei's ruby lips as she delicately tucked a couple of strands of hair behind her ear. "Since you are in my domain I will give you my name, young man. I am Rei and this," She said gesturing to the never-ending dreamscape, "is my home. Now will you give me the honor of your name?" Rei's voice never rose above the gentle tone of the priestess she was, yet it was laced with disapproval.
Wufei's eyes narrowed slightly, but he decided it would be the honorable thing to do if he told her his name since she had told him her's. "I am Chang Wufei, heir to the Dragon Clan." He bowed his head, showing her the minimal amount of respect as possible.
Rei lowered her thick lashes to cover the slight amusement in her violet eyes as she returned the bow. His arrogance was so much like Haruka's, so superior to everyone else. "It's an honor to meet you Chang-san. May I ask how you came to wonder to my domain? Not everyone can enter this realm of unreality."
He turned thoughtful for a minute then answered, "I don't know actually. I was meditating, and my mind took me here. I've never experienced anything like this through meditation." He was befuddled at the current situation and hated not knowing how such a place could exist in one's own mind. He valued practicality, and this predicament was as far from realistic as it got.
Rei smiled brightly at Wufei's lost expression. "Would it help Chang-san if I tell you where you are?"
"Hai, it would." He replied, shortly, finally giving her his full attention.
"Well Chang-san, you are in my world. It is a prison or a heaven depending on how you look at it. I am surprised you were able to traverse here. Only strong psychics have been able to pierce the hazy barrier around us. You are the youngest person to visit me."
The young man raised an eyebrow. He knew his mental abilities were immense, but he never knew they would have the ability to accomplish what Rei had just told him.
"Hn. So you're saying this is a realm where only those who are strong of mind can penetrate?" Wufei inquired. His face suddenly turned disbelieving as the more he thought of it, the more improbable it sounded. It was more likely this place was nothing more than a dream, and he had fallen asleep during meditation. Something he would berate himself for later.
Rei laughed, a delicate musical sound, like that of the tiniest wind chimes. "You, Chang Wufei, look like you just bit into a lemon! Please come sit with me…I would enjoy the company and the news. What is going on in the world today?"
The ground seemed to shimmer as it slowly changed color and shifted texture. A soft blanket covered the ground as Rei seemed to gracefully collapse upon it, her robes spreading out about her in an orderly fashion.
Wufei was hesitant at first, seemingly trying not to be amazed by the stunning creature before him. He had to keep reminding himself she was just a silly woman, and he would humor her. He slowly made his way over to Rei and took a seat beside her. There was silence before he asked, "What exactly would you like to know," He paused. "Rei-san?" He finished, speaking her name for the first time, wondering why he didn't just refer to her as woman.
Rei smiled brightly at Wufei. "I would be grateful for anything you can tell me. You have no idea how long it's been since anyone has been here! So please, any and all news…. Even a little about yourself will be enlightening."
He sat in contemplation before answering, "In my time many colonies have been erected. At one point everything was going quite smoothly, until the assassination of the colonies pacifist leader, Heero Yuy. After this incident, the universe became plagued by war and devastation. Earth has slowly begun to cease communication with the colonies and a rift has formed between them. There have been rebels from the colonies who want to take a stand against Earth; however, they will not succeed. They think they can obtain justice, but how can you obtain something that doesn't exist?"
He spoke about the topic so vehemently. Rei wondered what could have brought him to such a conclusion, for justice did exist… no matter what world you lived in.
Rei's eyes softened a bit, and she smiled sadly. "There is always some form of justice Chang-san whether it is delivered by man or by fate there is a consequence to every action. How do you think I ended up here?"
"You may say justice exists, in some instances, but that doesn't mean it is actually just." He frowned as he stared out at the dreamscape. "When innocent lives are sacrificed so justice can be served then it is not truly justice."
Tears gathered in Rei's eyes as she turned her head away from Wufei. "You are young yet Chang-san, and as you live your views will change and adapt; they will have to for you to survive," Turning back a single tear streak marred Rei's right cheek, making it seem like a silver streak down her peaceful face. "I see many things ahead of you, Chang Wufei of the Dragon Clan. Pain and sacrifice will only be the beginning of your journey. Our time together draws short for your mind is slipping from this place. Soon you will wake up and think it was but a dream, a silly figment of your imagination. But remember one thing, Chang Wufei…never take the ones you love for granted. Cherish every moment you have with them for they are all too soon taken away."
The young man nodded, absorbing her words. He didn't know why, but he felt that what she said held much more meaning and depth than any philosopher could have told him. "I will." He vowed.
Slowly, Rei leaned over and placed a chaste kiss upon Wufei's lips. Like that of a butterfly landing on a flower for a split second then alighting to the air again. "Be well my strong dreamer. Maybe someday you will dream my way again. God's speed Chang Wufei." Slowly, as if in slow motion, Rei placed a hand on Wufei's head pushing him out of her realm back into the chaos of his mind.
Wufei deftly registered the kiss, uncharacteristically blushing. He had no time to dwell on it, however, because he soon found himself gliding back as the dreamscape began to morph. He felt as if his mind was being pulled in different directions until finally it ceased and all was calm.
Forcefully opening his eyes, Wufei came face to face with Meiran. She looked relieved but quickly covered up any concern she might have had. "It's about time you woke up." She told him sarcastically.
Wufei sighed. If his wife thought he planned to argue with her now... she was wrong. "I'm not in the mood for another one of your verbal sparring matches." He stated shortly. Without waiting for a response, he stood. "I'll be in the library." He informed her, ignoring her stunned face and walking to the door.
He stopped in the doorway, resting a hand on the frame. He turned his head and spoke softly, "If you are able to obtain enough power to uphold the justice you speak of... then I will believe in it as well." He left without another word. It was his way of trying to form a truce between them.
Meiran watched him leave, smiling slightly. "I will become stronger, and when I do, I'll prove to you that I really am Nataku." The determination in her words were palpable.
Author's Note: Well, I hope you all enjoyed this. And by all means, review. I'd love feedback and constructive criticism...hence constructive criticism...not flames, lol.
Also, I've designed a 5-star system for my readers' convenience. Feel free to use it to review the fic.
Inazuma Akai's 5-Star Rating System for Fanfiction:
1 star – This fic is unreadable! Get a beta-reader stat!
2 stars – This story needs a face lift in the worst possible way…
3 stars – Not bad, but with a little more effort you can make it a really good fic.
4 stars – There are some minor errors here and there but otherwise it's a very nice fic!
5 stars – It's an exceptional work of art! More, please?
Thank you all for reading!