Disclaimer: All characters and settings aren't mine, except those I make
up. The story, style, and idea, however, ARE.
Send all comments and questions to: ash_arra@hotmail.com
Oh, the Point of View is mine unless otherwise stated.
13 Hours - Chapter 1
Into the Labyrinth.
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Chibi-Usa's scream instantly galvanized Usagi into action, sending her
racing back to the bedroom. Her heart skipped as the shriek was abruptly
cut off. Usagi skidded to a halt, catching herself on the doorframe,
Henshin Locket in hand, and gasped at the scene before her. She had been
expecting Rubeus and three droids at LEAST from the pitch of Chibi-Usa's
cry. What she saw was far worse.
Nothing.
No monsters, no overly dramatic General, no Chibi-Usa! The room was empty,
dark and silent. Confused, and becoming more and more worried, Usagi crept
further into the room.
A sudden gust of wind shattered the windows, sending a glittering spray
of glass particles into the room. Usagi fell back, protecting herself
from the silvery prismatic storm. As the shimmering cleared, she looked
up and saw him.
"Who are you?" Usagi wasn't surprised to hear a slight tremor in her voice.
The figure before her was intimidating to say the least!
The man was tall, and handsome in an otherworldly fashion. A mocking smile
played about his lips and his shimmering night-dark cloak swirled around his
lean form like mist, brushing over the leaves and glass that now littered
the floor. After a time he answered her in a coolly cultured voice. "I
am Jereth, the Goblin King."
"The Goblin King?" Now Usagi's voice truly trembled for she had no idea
what was going on! Was he the reason Chibi-Usa had disappeared? "What are
you doing here?"
"Why, you sent for me, Usagi." His cold changeling eyes mocked her confusion.
"You sent for me and I took the child."
"No I didn't!" Usagi's eyes stung with barely controlled tears. "How
could I have sent for you, I have no idea who you are!"
"As I said, the Goblin King." He replied, hoping that she wouldn't burst
into hysterics or have one of those nervous breakdown things as mortals were
so fond of doing. "And I am here because you called for me. You made the
Wish."
"Chibi-Usa!" Usagi gasped. "What have you done with her! Where is she!"
"She's there. In my castle." He pointed to an object behind Usagi and
she spun, mouth dropping open at the sight. Before her swept a convoluted
maze with a tall, forbidding castle rising from its center.
Enjoying her speechless shock at the sudden change of scenery, Jereth
stepped closer. "Do you like my Labyrinth, Usa?" He whispered into her
ear, startling her with his closeness.
"I. . . I don't believe it!" Usagi trembled at the exceedingly odd landscape
before her. Then it clicked and she wrenched herself away from the Goblin
King and shook her head. "Wait! This can't be real! Hello, Usagi! Funky
landscapes, Mr. Bad-Hair-Day in tights, clocks in trees!" For there was
indeed an ornate clock set in the mossy branches of a nearby tree. "It's
a dream!" She concluded triumphantly. Jereth merely settled himself
comfortably on a rock next to the Time Tree, knowing she'd understand and
return to reality -- such as it was -- soon enough.
"A dream is it?"
Usagi nodded cheerfully. "And I'll prove it!" She grabbed a chunk of her arm
and squeezed. Pains lanced up her arm and Usagi screeched.
Jereth sighed. "Are you quite finished?"
"What do I have to do?"
"You have thirteen hours to solve the Labyrinth and confront me in my castle
before Chibi-Usa becomes mine forever."
"Oh, one more thing." Jereth gestured and Usagi's Locket appeared in his
hand. Usagi clutched her front bow in panic, grabbing only fabric.
"You can't take my locket! It's not fair!"
"Fair?" Jereth raised an eyebrow mockingly. Usagi glared at him wordlessly.
Jereth finally sighed.
"You will get. . . compensation." He admitted with a hint of resigned
disgust. "The Game will be fair." He obviously wasn't happy with whatever
this 'compensation' was to be and Usagi briefly wondered if something
unusual wasn't going on. "Besides, your precious heirloom will not function
very well in the Underground. The Ginzuishou would do you little good."
"When I win, will you give me Chibi-Usa back?"
Jereth nodded, eyes amused. "Of course, IF you win. But remember, Princess."
Jereth mocked as he faded away. "You only have thirteen hours."
Usagi stared at the sprawling maze before her for moment, wondering how in
the moon she'd gotten herself into this mess.
The Senshi were going to KILL her!
-------@
The dream stopped. No fanfare, no flash of light. Everything just stopped!
Froze! Then, out of the silence, came a sound.
"Endymion." A sourceless voice spoke. Mamoru turned, looking for the low-voiced
speaker.
"Who are you?" He demanded. "Where are you? Show yourself!"
"As you wish." His long white hair swept back from his face to reveal a
pair of delicately pointed ears. A lavender-tinged white cloak fell elegantly
from a silver fastening on his right shoulder. Looking closer, Mamoru
noticed a strange, flowerlike emblem etched into it.
"Who and what are you?"
"My name is Gilead. I'm -- rather obviously -- an elf." The being introduced
himself, sketching a half-bow.
Mamoru stepped back, startled at the unusual introduction. "Why did you end
my dream?"
"You mean you wanted to finish it?" Gilead asked, raising an eyebrow. "You
already know the ending."
"Am I still dreaming?"
"In a way." Gilead nodded. "My kind find it . . . difficult, to visit your
world without being summoned. This way is much easier."
"Why?" Mamoru asked, curious despite himself. After all, this was all a
dream anyway; a very strange dream, but still just a dream . . . right?
"It's complicated." Gilead answered. "Just think of it as you and I being
from different worlds but our two worlds sharing the same dream plane."
Mamoru nodded. "That's not too difficult. So, what's an elf doing in my
dreams?"
"I'm helping."
"With what? I don't need help."
"Mamoru-kun, you need PROFESSIONAL help, but one thing at a time, ne?"
Gilead grinned, leaning against a low-hanging tree branch. "I'm here to
help you save Serenity. You do know who that is, don't you? Moon Princess,
young, long hair, great body? I believe she's your soul mate?"
Mamoru gasped, remembering the sharp double burst of fear he'd felt from the
Tsukino's home earlier that evening. Now he could still feel them, but only
dimly. And only when transformed. "You know where Usagi-chan is?"
"And Small Lady too." Gilead confirmed. "And things are about to get a bit
strange." Then it hit Mamoru. Trees? Since when were there trees in this
dream?
"Um, Gilead? Where . . ."
Gilead smiled wryly. "I warned you. Welcome to the Underground, Prince of
Earth."
***************************************************************************
***************************************************************************
See? I am continuing this story! It just took me a while. And if you
think this is too normal and tame don't worry, I'm just getting warmed up.
Next Time:
Mamoru and Usagi enter the Labyrinth and run into some old friends and a
few new traps. Plus Jereth will begin to realize that maybe he shouldn't
kidnap little girls who are as annoying and arrogant as he is!
Thank You for all the feed back I've gotten on this! Please continue! Parts
come out faster if I know people are reading.
May 2001
up. The story, style, and idea, however, ARE.
Send all comments and questions to: ash_arra@hotmail.com
Oh, the Point of View is mine unless otherwise stated.
13 Hours - Chapter 1
Into the Labyrinth.
************************************************************************
************************************************************************
Chibi-Usa's scream instantly galvanized Usagi into action, sending her
racing back to the bedroom. Her heart skipped as the shriek was abruptly
cut off. Usagi skidded to a halt, catching herself on the doorframe,
Henshin Locket in hand, and gasped at the scene before her. She had been
expecting Rubeus and three droids at LEAST from the pitch of Chibi-Usa's
cry. What she saw was far worse.
Nothing.
No monsters, no overly dramatic General, no Chibi-Usa! The room was empty,
dark and silent. Confused, and becoming more and more worried, Usagi crept
further into the room.
A sudden gust of wind shattered the windows, sending a glittering spray
of glass particles into the room. Usagi fell back, protecting herself
from the silvery prismatic storm. As the shimmering cleared, she looked
up and saw him.
"Who are you?" Usagi wasn't surprised to hear a slight tremor in her voice.
The figure before her was intimidating to say the least!
The man was tall, and handsome in an otherworldly fashion. A mocking smile
played about his lips and his shimmering night-dark cloak swirled around his
lean form like mist, brushing over the leaves and glass that now littered
the floor. After a time he answered her in a coolly cultured voice. "I
am Jereth, the Goblin King."
"The Goblin King?" Now Usagi's voice truly trembled for she had no idea
what was going on! Was he the reason Chibi-Usa had disappeared? "What are
you doing here?"
"Why, you sent for me, Usagi." His cold changeling eyes mocked her confusion.
"You sent for me and I took the child."
"No I didn't!" Usagi's eyes stung with barely controlled tears. "How
could I have sent for you, I have no idea who you are!"
"As I said, the Goblin King." He replied, hoping that she wouldn't burst
into hysterics or have one of those nervous breakdown things as mortals were
so fond of doing. "And I am here because you called for me. You made the
Wish."
"Chibi-Usa!" Usagi gasped. "What have you done with her! Where is she!"
"She's there. In my castle." He pointed to an object behind Usagi and
she spun, mouth dropping open at the sight. Before her swept a convoluted
maze with a tall, forbidding castle rising from its center.
Enjoying her speechless shock at the sudden change of scenery, Jereth
stepped closer. "Do you like my Labyrinth, Usa?" He whispered into her
ear, startling her with his closeness.
"I. . . I don't believe it!" Usagi trembled at the exceedingly odd landscape
before her. Then it clicked and she wrenched herself away from the Goblin
King and shook her head. "Wait! This can't be real! Hello, Usagi! Funky
landscapes, Mr. Bad-Hair-Day in tights, clocks in trees!" For there was
indeed an ornate clock set in the mossy branches of a nearby tree. "It's
a dream!" She concluded triumphantly. Jereth merely settled himself
comfortably on a rock next to the Time Tree, knowing she'd understand and
return to reality -- such as it was -- soon enough.
"A dream is it?"
Usagi nodded cheerfully. "And I'll prove it!" She grabbed a chunk of her arm
and squeezed. Pains lanced up her arm and Usagi screeched.
Jereth sighed. "Are you quite finished?"
"What do I have to do?"
"You have thirteen hours to solve the Labyrinth and confront me in my castle
before Chibi-Usa becomes mine forever."
"Oh, one more thing." Jereth gestured and Usagi's Locket appeared in his
hand. Usagi clutched her front bow in panic, grabbing only fabric.
"You can't take my locket! It's not fair!"
"Fair?" Jereth raised an eyebrow mockingly. Usagi glared at him wordlessly.
Jereth finally sighed.
"You will get. . . compensation." He admitted with a hint of resigned
disgust. "The Game will be fair." He obviously wasn't happy with whatever
this 'compensation' was to be and Usagi briefly wondered if something
unusual wasn't going on. "Besides, your precious heirloom will not function
very well in the Underground. The Ginzuishou would do you little good."
"When I win, will you give me Chibi-Usa back?"
Jereth nodded, eyes amused. "Of course, IF you win. But remember, Princess."
Jereth mocked as he faded away. "You only have thirteen hours."
Usagi stared at the sprawling maze before her for moment, wondering how in
the moon she'd gotten herself into this mess.
The Senshi were going to KILL her!
-------@
The dream stopped. No fanfare, no flash of light. Everything just stopped!
Froze! Then, out of the silence, came a sound.
"Endymion." A sourceless voice spoke. Mamoru turned, looking for the low-voiced
speaker.
"Who are you?" He demanded. "Where are you? Show yourself!"
"As you wish." His long white hair swept back from his face to reveal a
pair of delicately pointed ears. A lavender-tinged white cloak fell elegantly
from a silver fastening on his right shoulder. Looking closer, Mamoru
noticed a strange, flowerlike emblem etched into it.
"Who and what are you?"
"My name is Gilead. I'm -- rather obviously -- an elf." The being introduced
himself, sketching a half-bow.
Mamoru stepped back, startled at the unusual introduction. "Why did you end
my dream?"
"You mean you wanted to finish it?" Gilead asked, raising an eyebrow. "You
already know the ending."
"Am I still dreaming?"
"In a way." Gilead nodded. "My kind find it . . . difficult, to visit your
world without being summoned. This way is much easier."
"Why?" Mamoru asked, curious despite himself. After all, this was all a
dream anyway; a very strange dream, but still just a dream . . . right?
"It's complicated." Gilead answered. "Just think of it as you and I being
from different worlds but our two worlds sharing the same dream plane."
Mamoru nodded. "That's not too difficult. So, what's an elf doing in my
dreams?"
"I'm helping."
"With what? I don't need help."
"Mamoru-kun, you need PROFESSIONAL help, but one thing at a time, ne?"
Gilead grinned, leaning against a low-hanging tree branch. "I'm here to
help you save Serenity. You do know who that is, don't you? Moon Princess,
young, long hair, great body? I believe she's your soul mate?"
Mamoru gasped, remembering the sharp double burst of fear he'd felt from the
Tsukino's home earlier that evening. Now he could still feel them, but only
dimly. And only when transformed. "You know where Usagi-chan is?"
"And Small Lady too." Gilead confirmed. "And things are about to get a bit
strange." Then it hit Mamoru. Trees? Since when were there trees in this
dream?
"Um, Gilead? Where . . ."
Gilead smiled wryly. "I warned you. Welcome to the Underground, Prince of
Earth."
***************************************************************************
***************************************************************************
See? I am continuing this story! It just took me a while. And if you
think this is too normal and tame don't worry, I'm just getting warmed up.
Next Time:
Mamoru and Usagi enter the Labyrinth and run into some old friends and a
few new traps. Plus Jereth will begin to realize that maybe he shouldn't
kidnap little girls who are as annoying and arrogant as he is!
Thank You for all the feed back I've gotten on this! Please continue! Parts
come out faster if I know people are reading.
May 2001
