Title: A lizard's wish
Author: Ree
Theme: Crackfic trip
Genre: General/Drama - Crossover with Oathbound by Mercedes Lackey (specifically Lizard Dreams)
Version: Anime/Manga Crystal Tokyo - Pelagir Hills way in the past
Rating: G

They're not mine...they're not yours, unless you are Takeuchi Naoko or Mercedes Lackey. Neither know I have used them.

A lizard's wish

AN: The story has it's roots firmly placed in Mercedes Lackey's universe. It follows the story told by Kethry of how a sapient lizard becomes a wizard. Kethry tells the tale in "The Oathbound book 1 :Vows and Honor".

Usagi stared about the her trying to determine where she was. All about her were twisted trees and other strange vegetation. Looking at the rocky ground at her feet she noticed that she was short again. Quickly glance in a nearby puddle, she stared at her murky reflection. 'Why am I little again? I look like I did before I began to grow, when I was ChibiUsa. That was years ago.'

The baying of hounds broke her contemplations. Somehow, she knew the dogs were after her. As Usagi ran she realized that not only did she look younger, but she had lost all the speed and stamina she had built up in training. Tripping on the hem of her floor length grown, she crashed into the unforgiving hillside. 'I understand now why the fuku skirt is so short. You can move in them!' The hounds' baying sounded closer to her. While scrambling to her feet, she realized that dance slippers had bad traction. Soon the dogs and her were playing a game of run, hide, and seek.

Panting, Usagi pelted madly up a hill looking everywhere for a place to hide. She could hear the dogs just a few moments behind her, and she needed a break. Tripping over a half covered tree branch, she fell to the ground, just barely keeping her head from smashing into a rock. The stunned girl heard the dogs closing in, and tried to leverage herself back to her feet. That was when she felt two small, cool hand helping her up. Turning the thank her helper, she stared in amazement and a small gasp escaped her. It was a lizard standing on its back feet.

The lizard guided Usagi to its tree. "Hide human. Hide! Hide in my tree. I will stop the dogs from getting to you."

The dogs bayed again, and they were almost there. Usagi clambered into the large hollow tree, making sure the tattered remains of her dress were hidden. Through a small crack, she saw the lizard stretching itself out onto a near by rock just as the dogs broke the crest of the hill.

The lizard jumped up and scrambled about for just a brief moment before it ran into the opening in the tree, leaving just its head out. Every time one of the dogs came too close to the lizard, it bite them on the nose hard. Usagi watched as the bitten dogs fled away from the tree. Then she saw her true pursuer, Rubeus, crest the hill with Esmeraude at his heels. 'Why? Why are they hunting me? Did Rubeus resort to the dog when the sisters failed? Why is Esmeraude with him?'

Rubeus snarled. "Where did that rabbit hide now?" He looked at the dogs scratching to get into the tree. Then he spotted the large lizard. "A lizard! We've been following the trail of a lizard!"

Esmeraude flipped out her fan. "I told you that this was useless. Your plans never work, Rubeus."

Rubeus spun about and glared at the green haired lady. "You didn't offer a better one."

Esmeraude smiled cruelly. "You didn't ask, and I do so enjoy watching you fail. Prince Demand is already disappointed in you, but, for some reason, seems to think you can succeed in catching that baby guardian rabbit."

Snapping orders, Rubeus called the dogs back. Spinning angerly, he stormed back down the hillside following the dogs. Esmeraude surveyed the rock strewn ground about the tree and then the lizard crouched in its crevasse. Then, with a cruel laugh, she followed Rubeus.

When she was sure they were gone, Usagi clambered out of the tree and bowed slightly to the lizard. "Thank you for saving my life, Mr. Lizard."

The lizard returned her bow. "I am called Gervase, and I'm glad I was able to help."

"Gervase. I am called Usagi. How can I repay you? I will do my best to grant you one wish. But it must be quick, they may return so I must be far from here." Usagi glanced at the moon that hung low in the sky, and hoped it would grant her the power to honor Gervase's wish.

Gervase shifted from foot to foot as he thought quickly. "I want to be like you."

Usagi frowned slightly. "A human, or a guardian? I can only grant one, and even then it might not last long."

Gervase stared at the pink-haired girl as he thought. Then with a decisive nod he answered her. "I wish to be a guardian. A guardian for the Pelagir Hills"

Usagi looked into the earnest eyes of the lizard and hoped the moon would fulfill his wish. "A guardian then?"

She reached for power, and felt it rush into her. The crescent moon on her forehead burned and then a beam of moonlight streaked from it to Gervase encompassing him in a pale glow. Usagi held his wish tightly in her mind as the power poured out of her. Suddenly, the flow of power stopped. The new emblem on Gervase's head caught her attention. It was a small series of hills.

Gervase shook his head, and then touched the short cloak that had appeared around his shoulders. Then he slowly reached up and touched the new emblem already fading into his head.

Usagi heard the sound of something coming. "Guardian Pelagir, I leave you to tend and protect all who seek shelter in these hills. Now I must be off."

Waving bye, Usagi ran off. 'The Moon. That is where I need to go. That is where I'll be safe. But it will be a long trip. Unless...' Once again, she called on the power of the Moon to help her, but this time she used it to teleport herself to its tranquil surface.

Sitting up sharply, Usagi slapped at the player until the music turned off. Rubbing her hand across her brow, sections of her dream floated through her mind. "I will never listen to this mixed disc again before sleeping. I don't know how Chloe can do it."