SOUL MATES
Chapter 10: "Unwanted Attention"
A Sailor Moon fanfic
By Bill K.
Sailor Pallas, astride the dragon she had befriended, spotted the hovering drone just as her fellow Senshi did. On the island, Sailor Moon was in communication with her father back in Crystal Tokyo.
"And we followed Pallas to Chikubu Island," she explained. "We were hoping we could resettle the dragon here. Apparently there was a dust-up . . ."
"Sailor Moon!" her father broke in sharply. "I'm getting a news stream from your area. Is that Sailor Pallas riding on a dragon's neck?"
Cursing softly, Sailor Moon looked up. She quickly spotted the drone hovering near them, recording everything and, apparently, broadcasting it to anyone in the world watching that news stream. A sinking feeling overtook her.
"Beautiful Incantation!" Pallas called out from atop the dragon. An invisible force crushed the drone, shooting sparks into the dusk-covered sky. The drone, now useless and inert, fell to the water and sank.
"Oh, crap, this just keeps getting worse!" Sailor Moon exclaimed.
"Sailor Moon," she heard her father say, "I'm dispatching another squad of CDP officers to your location. Hopefully they won't be needed. Meanwhile, please get your Senshi under control."
"Yeah, Pop," Sailor Moon sighed. Moving forward, Sailor Moon brushed past the others and stopped. "PALLAS!" she shouted. "Back here, please!"
Without waiting for a signal from Pallas, the dragon turned and flew back to them. He dipped his tail into the water while his head and neck hovered above them, Pallas still riding on his back.
"Pallas, you can't do that!" Sailor Moon replied, her annoyance escaping in her tone.
"But Pallas has to protect Mr. Dragon-Sir!" whined the Senshi.
"Yeah, what's the problem?" Vesta added. "She didn't hurt nobody! Just that nosy drone!"
"We don't enforce the peace with violence against others if we can avoid it," Sailor Moon told her. Pallas started to protest.
"No, Pallas, she is correct," the dragon hissed. "Initiating violence is no way to peace. It only serves to justify those who are fearful."
"But now everybody knows!" Pallas cried. "How is Mr. Dragon-Sir supposed to be safe now if everybody knows about him?"
"Look, it's almost nightfall," Sailor Moon reasoned. "Why don't you and Pallas see if you can find another spot you want to relocate to. I'll try to talk to those news streamers and see if I can get them to leave you alone."
She glanced at Helios and the Dream Guardian immediately assumed his Pegasus form. With practiced ease, she mounted the winged white horse and was about to take off. But a commotion from the direction of the resort caught everyone's ear.
"There are people coming in this direction," Juno reported, listening to the sounds of the jungle. "Suppose they saw the video stream and recognized the cove?"
"You four try to get rid of them," Sailor Moon told the Senshi, "nicely. If they ask, you're investigating the report, but you don't see any sign of it being accurate." She patted Pegasus on the neck. "Come on, let's see how charming I can be."
Pegasus leaped into the sky, even as Pallas and the dragon flew low to the water, hoping to avoid detection. The remaining Senshi looked at each other.
On the cruiser, the video crew was in the process of preparing another drone to canvas the area. From on deck, they heard the sudden beating of wings. Glancing out of the cabin door, the crew saw a sterling winged horse gently landing on the bow, the vaunted Sailor Moon astride it.
"Sailor Moon," Hideo Akibara said, walking up onto the deck. He hoped to get an interview with possibly the third most famous person on the planet. He also hoped to block her path if she was here to destroy more video equipment. "To what do we owe this visit?"
"I," Sailor Moon scowled, "wanted to apologize on behalf of Sailor Pallas for destroying your video drone. She had no right to do that."
"It's happened before," Akibara replied. "If the company feels it necessary, they'll send a bill to the palace. Was that all you wanted? Or could I prevail upon you to sit for a few questions?"
"Actually, I came to make a statement," Sailor Moon told him. "I imagine you'd like to stream it. I'll take some questions after the statement if you have any."
"Yes!" gasped Akibara. He ushered her into the cruiser's cabin. "Please come in!" He glanced at Pegasus. "Uh, will your mount be all right out here?"
And Pegasus transformed before his eyes into Helios.
"I feel I shall be more comfortable inside," he said to Akibara, following Sailor Moon into the cabin. "Thank you." Akibara just stared for a few moments at the crystal horn growing out of the gentle being's forehead.
Sailor Moon was seated on a bunk in the cabin. Akibara was seated at an angle to her and the video camera was recording them both. Akibara counted down to the camera from three to one.
"We're talking with Sailor Moon, otherwise known as Princess Usagi of the Royal Family," Akibara began. "I understand you have a statement you wish to make?"
"Yes," Sailor Moon exhaled. "Earlier, you may have seen video of - - a dragon. We stumbled onto the dragon by accident here at Lake Biwa. This dragon is not a threat. He is very gentle and very intelligent, and he only wishes to be left alone. According to him, he's lived in Lake Biwa for nearly eleven hundred years, and not once during that span has he attacked or injured a human, or any other creature. Any injury had been the result of fearful reactions from people who overreact to the idea that a dragon has lived among them undetected for so long. I'm telling you now that you have nothing to fear, on my honor as a Senshi and as a member of the Royal Family. He's already been driven from one home and now he's been forced to leave Chikubu Island because we just won't let him exist in peace. So I'm asking the curious among you to respect the wishes of this gentle creature and leave him alone. Please, if the reputation of myself and my family mean anything, respect this wish." She took a breath and turned to Akibara.
"Sailor Moon," Akibara asked, "how long have you known about the existence of this dragon?"
"We just discovered him," she responded. "And quite by accident."
"So how can you be certain that it isn't a threat?"
"Sailor Pallas has the ability to communicate telepathically," she explained. "She looked into his mind and saw he harbors no malice toward anything. But you can see that just by the way he speaks and acts. He's quite charming, actually."
"Were you aware of the incident on the Lake Biwa shore earlier?"
"Yes, this is one of the reason's why I'm speaking out," Sailor Moon said. "That incident was caused by irrational fear. The dragon did nothing to them. In fact, their actions drove him from his home. That's why he was seen flying around Chikubu Island. He just wants a quiet home. He won't bother anybody."
"How does a creature that size not be seen until now?"
"I - - shouldn't answer that," Sailor Moon replied. "He should have some privacy. And that's something I want to emphasize, too. Our curiosity is just as potentially harmful to him as our fear. We don't have any right invading his world in the name of science or the press or even just human curiosity. He's done nothing to us. We owe him that much respect."
"But the public has a right to know."
"And he has a right to be not known," she answered. "Where does one right end and the other begin?"
"Um," Akibara stammered. "Um, is-is this dragon the only one of its kind?"
"Who knows?" Sailor Moon shrugged. "If there are more, I think we should respect them and leave them alone. And if he is the last of his kind, it may be even more imperative to respect his wishes. Thank you."
Taking that as a signal, Akibara cut off the video. He rose with Sailor Moon and Helios as she moved for the door.
"You think I'm responsible, don't you?" he asked. "For what happened on the Lake Biwa shore?"
"I think we all have to do what we think is right," she told him. "And if something bad results from it, we have to shoulder our share of the blame and consider whether we actually did the right thing. I'm not here to judge you. I'm here to get this situation as close to the old status quo as I can with as little stress as possible."
Out on the bow of the ship, Helios transformed into Pegasus and he and his mount were quickly off. As they flew, Sailor Moon felt her communicator signal.
"Oh, Honey!" Queen Serenity squealed over the communicator. "That speech you gave was just so wonderful! I am so proud of you!"
"Thanks, Mom," Sailor Moon choked out as her cheeks flushed. "I just hope it did some good."
Back at the cove, a collection of a dozen tourists and natives of the island were at the edge of the woods, pushing to see the dragon. Standing in their way were four Senshi wondering how they were going to handle things without escalating tensions.
"I want to see the dragon!" squealed a young teen girl.
"Yeah, that thing looked bad-ass!" her companion added. "Move out of the way and let us past!"
"Look, there's no dragon!" Jun bristled. "Why don't you people just turn around and go back to the resort!"
"That's a lie! I saw the vid-stream!" the young man shot back.
"There was a dragon here," Ceres told them, making a decision. "He was looking the area over to see it he might resettle here. But it didn't fit his needs, so he moved on. He's not here anymore."
"What's wrong with here?" one of the native residents gasped indignantly.
"Oh, for . . .!" muttered Vesta
"What's wrong with you people?" one of the residents exclaimed. "There was a dragon here! An actual dragon! How can we feel safe here?"
"Aw, the dragon would never eat a dried up old hag like you!" sneered the teen girl. "Come on, stop hiding the dragon! We want to see it!"
"Yeah, stop hiding it and let us past!"
An instinctual early warning began to tickle in the back of Ceres' head. She turned and saw Vesta beginning to boil over.
"Fine, you chumps want a dragon?" Vesta roared. "Fauna Assimilation . . .!"
"VESTA, DON'T YOU DARE!" Ceres snarled, getting right up in her sister's face.
"Don't order me around!" Vesta spat back. "I'm tired of taking it from a bunch of straights who just want some freak show! I'll give them a freak show they'll never forget!"
"And do how much damage in the process?" Ceres countered. "Vesta, think before you act for once!"
"Maybe she's right!" Jun grumbled. "It's always the same: People stomp into a creature's natural environment so they can stare at it or take it home as a pet! They don't have an ounce of consideration for that animal's needs or feelings!"
"Who cares?" the teen girl sneered. "It's just a dragon! You act like it has feelings!"
"He does," came a shy voice motivated by resentment. It was Sailor Saturn. "He has feelings. And he probably doesn't like being stared at or feared or treated like he's some sort of freak or oddity. The compassionate thing to do would be to respect him and leave him alone and not treat him like he's a threat or a source of amusement. That's what Queen Serenity preaches: compassion for others." She looked away, embarrassed by all eyes being on her. "Even dragons."
"Look, you can all see nothing's here," Ceres told the crowd. "And if there were something here, I'd hope that you'd all have enough respect and compassion to not disturb it. Now can everybody just go back to the resort. You're tramping on all the flowers and bushes."
Reluctantly the crowd began to drift back toward the resort. Mutterings could be heard about being killed in their sleep and of bossy Sailor Senshi, but they left. The Senshi all turned to each other in relief.
"DON'T boss me around," Vesta warned Ceres.
"Oh!" Ceres rolled her eyes. "You primitive!"
And when the crowd was out of sight, the female dragon came out from behind her cloak of invisibility. Saturn approached her.
"I'm sorry if they disturbed you," Saturn offered. "They shouldn't bother you again. I don't think anyone else knows you're here."
"I concur," she replied. "And I - - thank you for your words and your efforts on behalf of dragons of the world. I sometimes forget that there are enlightened humans in the world - - your Queen Serenity for one."
"Enlightened by bitter experience sometimes," Saturn said.
Ami was in her quarters at the palace, sitting in a chair and staring into space, lost in thought. Makoto recognized the signs. Ami had been distracted all through dinner and now was sitting, pondering a problem that had her vexed. So Makoto did what she often did during those times: She silently came up behind Ami, gently put her hands on Ami's shoulders, and began massaging the shoulder and neck muscles. Ami tensed initially, but rapidly relaxed.
"Sorry if I surprised you," Makoto chuckled.
"No you're not," Ami replied. "But you more than make up for it. Makoto, you have the hands of a fine craftsman. Physical therapy would have been a good calling for you."
"Well, I always did like being physical," she quipped. "I used to do this for San-San, way back when, and he was a lot more muscular than you are, so you're not a challenge at all." She continued to massage. "So what great problem has got you bugged now, and will I be able to understand it?"
"I think so," Ami smiled. "I have all of this data on the dragon I scanned at Lake Biwa. It's a fantastic find, Makoto. It revolutionizes our concept of life and evolution. It's something that the world should know!"
"So what's the problem?"
"The problem is it being an invasion of the lives and privacy of intelligent creatures," Ami told her, "and the further incursion on their lives that this information may inspire. I had that pointed out to me by Endymion because I was too blinded by discovery to realize it - - which is very short-sighted of me. Revealing this data could put the dragons at risk of further harassment, both from the curious and from those inspired toward fear and suspicion."
"Well, didn't I see a vid-stream a little while ago where they caught one of the dragons on camera? Doesn't that kind of blow the secret?"
"Yes, concealing their existence is no longer a concern. Now the concern is finding a means for them to peacefully co-exist with humanity now that humanity knows of their existence. I personally think that posting this information will add to that ability rather than subtract from it." Ami sighed pensively. "But I'm just not certain."
"Well," Makoto began thoughtfully, "I've always felt that people are more afraid of what they don't know than of what they know," and she grinned, "unless what they know is a hover car about to run them down." Ami covered her smile with her hand. "I suppose there's always going to be someone who wants to use that information as a means of justifying their paranoia or to further their ambitions. I suppose it's the chance you have to take. Because right now all some people have is Usa's word that they're not a threat, and that might not be enough for some folks."
"I knew I could count on your clarity of vision, Makoto," Ami smiled. "You have a superior ability to sift facts and arrive at the logical conclusion."
"I make a mean pot roast, too, if I don't say so myself," Makoto chuckled.
Ami walked over to her computer work station she kept in her quarters. She was about to post her scientific data on several of the scientific data sites she regularly contributed to when she noticed she had an incoming message.
"[Dr. Rosenberg]," Ami exclaimed, speaking to him in his native German. "[This is a surprise. You usually don't Instant Message me. Has something happened?]"
"[Has something happened, she says,]" Dr. Emil Rosenberg, a fifty-six year old German with a Ph.D. and multiple awards in biology and zoology. "[Haven't you been watching the news streams out of your own country, Dr. Mizuno?]"
"[Ah, that,]" Ami nodded. Makoto was hovering in the background.
"[I assume you're in the process of mounting an expedition to study this creature?]"
"[I'm way ahead of you, Doctor,]" Ami told him. "[I was about to post my findings. I'll send you a copy right now.]"
She pressed a button. Rosenberg pulled them up on his end and took a few moments to look them over while Ami waited. She could see the excitement growing on his face.
"[This is remarkable,]" Rosenberg said, stunned. Then he grew more excited. "[This is the find of the century! Of several centuries! How proud you must be, Dr. Mizuno! This could win you another Gantry Prize!]"
"[Awards aren't necessary, Dr. Rosenberg. You know me better.]"
"[I have to get out there! What's the next Intercontinental flight?]" Rosenberg muttered, shuffling through some papers on his desk.
"[Why would you want to come out here?]" Ami asked. "[The data is all there.]"
"[Why? We have to study this creature! Find out everything about it!]" Rosenberg exclaimed. He put his hand to his mouth. "[Perhaps we can even capture one as a test subject; do an in-depth examination! Run DNA analysis! Oh, what a fountain of information that could be!]"
Makoto didn't speak German. She didn't have to. All she had to do was see the mounting anxiety on Ami's face to know her partner's worst fears had been realized.
Continued in Chapter 11