Title: The Price of Love
Author: Ree
Theme: Sailor Moon R first Arc - Fiore
Genre: General
Version: Anime/ Pre-story line
Rating: G

They're not mine...they're not yours unless you are Takeuchi Naoko. Well, some of them might be mine.

The Price of Love

AN: In my universe, Makaiju made Ann and Ail to raise her seedling, and filled them and their pod with as much love as possible.

A truce was called between the Branch clan and the Root clan. Their home had developed an unusual growth, and all were present to investigate it. Fiore of the Root clan stared at the pod that was suspended in the empty space between the roots and the branches. The closer he stood to it, the more unusual he felt. 'I don't know what it is... but I like it. I feel light... content.' Even as the other clan members drifted off to make new battle plans, he stayed close.

Fiore darted under the Branch clan's sentries, slipping under the roots when ever he could. Finally, he was near the pod. It had grown during the last four months. If he stood on his tip toes he could touch the pod. Using all his scouting training, he scanned the area for any of the Branch clan scum who might try and kill him. Not detecting any, he let his finger tips brush the under surface of the pod. He heard a voice echoing in the back of his mind. It always said the same thing. 'Love.. Pure love.. happiness comes from love... life comes from love.'

He dropped his hand, and settled in the shadow of the pod. 'If love is the feeling I get when I'm around this pod... it could bring happiness, but life?' Sliding down a root until he was well hidden, but still in the pod's area of affect, Fiore soaked in the emanations to heal the weariness of the day's skirmishes.

Fiore was the first to notice the split in the pod. He had hoped that over the last year the clans had forgotten about the pod, or at least were not watching it closely. His hopes were dashed when another truce was called, and both clans were formally called before the pod.

The leaders of both clans were giving speeches about how wonderful the tree was to give this present. Fiore noticed how they were standing. 'They don't trust the truce. Both of them are out of weapon's range. It is safer not to take chances.' His eyes flickered to the ever widening split, hoping to see what was inside. He was only half listening to his leader's speech and the Branch clan's jeering.

"The tree has gifted us with new life. We shall raise and teach this newest member of our clan in the ways of the right path." The Root clan leader droned on, and Fiore blocked him out. But when the Branch clan leader started his speech, which was essentially the same thing, he joined his clan members as they jeered the red eyed leader while watching the split grow.

Fiore vigilance was rewarded when he was the first to spot the two children held inside the pod. When his eyes met theirs, he knew he couldn't allow them to be corrupted by the clans. He had to help them escape, but how? His window of opportunity was lost when the leaders spotted the children.

Both leaders called out to their respective clans. "Two! We have two new members!" Spinning about, blue eyes clashed with red and weapons were drawn.

The blue eyed leader of the Root clan snarled at his opponent. "They are of the root clan! See! Their eyes are blue!"

The Branch clan leader smirked. "Look again. Their eyes are red! They are for the Branch clan."

Fiore narrowed his blue eyes briefly, trying to see the children's eyes better. 'They are both right. One is blue and the other is red. I wonder if this is a sign.'

The words that only he could hear echoed in the back of his head. Love.. Pure love.. happiness comes from love... life comes from love.

'If they are to bring us life and happiness, then I have to get them away from here.' As a skirmish broke out, ending the truce, Fiore slipped into the pod. "Come with me. I'll take you to a safe place." He held out his hand and hoped that they could walk. When they placed their hands into his, he all but dragged them out of the pod.

Moving quickly, Fiore moved them through the network of roots that were right under the pod. 'All that time spent sneaking here is paying off.' He knew that the other scouts didn't know the area that well. And he was sure that no one knew of the hiding place he was heading for. He helped the children over the rough roots and through the tight spots until he reached the base of the stem. Moving a curtain of root hairs, he gestured them into the cave like opening at the base of the stem. Once they were in, he dropped the curtain behind him. Light gently filtered through the upper roots and their root hairs.

'I need to explain to them what is happening. I need to tell them why they need to hide. Why they need to grow up apart.' Taking a deep breath, he exhaled quickly when he realized that the children looked the same age as himself. Looking at them, he realized this was going to be tougher than he had thought.

Eyes stared at him, red ones in fury, and blue ones in shock and disappointment. 'And it is the blue one that hurt the most. They are my family, my friends, the ones I care for.' Standing as straight as he could, Fiore tried to ignore Ann and Ail's calls to him. It was because his connection to them that he had learned to care, to love, his family, his clan. The power of the pod had stayed with them.

"Fiore!" The clan's leader's crisp tone snapped him back to the trial. Fiore's eyes focused on the man he had come to think of as his father. "You took the children from their pod, didn't you?"

"Yes sir, I did." He thought of all the other things he could have said in his defense, but he knew it would be futile.

The leader's eyes narrowed slightly. "If you had captured them for the clan, you would have been rewarded." The Branch clan erupted in fury, their yells and screams echoed into the depths of the roots where the trial was being held. "But, you hid them from us, as well as from the Branch clan. And you kept them hidden for an entire year." He paused for a moment, waiting to see if Fiore would defend himself. 'Surely he had a reason. My best scout, one of the most trusted members of the clan. Why?' When Fiore remained silent, the leader continued. "We would not have found them if we did not follow you." 'I wanted to promote you... you would have been the youngest scout leader in the clan's history. I tracked you down to tell you, and I found...' He ruthlessly blocked the scene from his mind.

Fiore watched the pain flash through the leader's eyes. 'Their affect was expanding. But it seems to be traveling through the roots faster. I wonder if that was because of me. But, that is over now.' He could feel the emanations lessening the longer Ann and Ail were captives. Soon the hope they represented to him would vanish all together as they were incorporated into the clans. Remaining silent, he waited for his sentence. He knew no one doubted his guilt.

"Fiore, you have gone against your clan." The leader shook his head slightly. "We can not trust you anymore. So, you are to be banished." Fiore's eyes widened in shock. He knew the pain would come soon, especially as the rest of the sentence sunk in. "We will not send you to the Branch clan, you were too good of a clan member to do that too. So, you shall be set adrift."

Two member of the clan council stood next to him and raised their hands. Between them Fiore noticed a bubble surround him. The councilors made a pushing motion. Fiore felt himself drift away, and before he realized it, he was floating in space, with his home leaving him far behind.