Chapter 4
The period of sleep was broken by periods of wakefulness. Athena woke up first a few hours after dawn to see a few animals poking around the land below the plateau they had chosen to sleep on.
:Gaea, wake up Dearheart. Yesterday's working seems to have attracted a few creatures.:
Gaea sat up and blinked as the sun shone on her face. As her eyes adjusted to the light, she combed her hair out with her fingers. And replaced the circlet of diamonds that she had taken out last night to keep from breaking on the rocks. She glanced down in the direction that Athena indicated with her paw. Sure enough, there were a few things that appeared to be animal prowling around down there. {Well, as long as they don't come up here and nose around, I don't care}. Gaea thought warily. She would need all her concentration to finish the working. She was lazily staring out at nothing when she thought she heard someone talking. When she opened her shields out of habit, she "heard" one of the animals, a cat by the way it half purred when it talked, mindspeaking someone. She listened for a moment more before she could stand it no longer.
:Athena? Do you hear that? Something down there is mindspeaking. I can't make out the responses, can you?: Although Gaea's ability to mindspeak was above normal, Athena was as close to adept in her ability to mindspeak as one could get.
:Yes, they're talking about the planet. They think that they might be able to make their home here. They are wondering what or who returned the life force. Shall we intervene?: Athena loved intruding in on others conversations, but she was very good at it. A long as she had Gaea linked in to project feelings of friendship and peace, and to interpret the feelings of the victim, she succeeded in not offending anyone. They linked together quickly and easily.
:Pardon em, not to be rude, but where did you come from?: Athena said her most friendly voice. Gaea had all her shields open, except the ones against physical and magical attacks, so that she could "hear" and feel clearly. She felt reactions of surprise and then fear. Then came the caution before the answer. Since Gaea and Athena were linked, Athena could feel everything that Gaea picked up from the 2 victims they had surprised.
:Who are you? And where are you?: There was a bit of alarm in that mind voice. Athena was having so much fun it was all she could do to keep her self from laughing.
:I'm sorry, forgive my tigers rudeness. My name is Gaea and my smart- allic bonded here is named Athena. If you'll just turn around, you'll see us standing on the edge of the plateau that over looks the valley here.: Gaea responded for Athena who was doubled over with her withheld laughter. She looked down upon the valley where the animal was standing. Sure enough it looked up at her. She could see it clearly because she was using her gift of farsight. However, she doubted that it could see her as she did it.
There was a long silence in which the other 2 beings were, as Athena told her in-between deep breaths, conferring between each other. It was sometime after Athena had regained her composure that they got an answer.
:You said, "…your bonded…" are you from Douleur?: The cat like voice asked very conspicuously.
:Yes, we are. How do you know its name?: Gaea was very interested, now, in these new comers.
:It is a place that had sent a large blast of energy out in to the abyss that hit the palace of my Queen. It knocked our communications down for years. This planet was the birthplace and kingdom of our greatest enemy, Galaxia. She drained it in a last attempt to take over our kingdom. The Moon Court had to use al the power of the 9 planets and Earth's moon to restore communication and repair shields. This is how we know about your home. So when we saw life force being restored to this place, naturally we were very concerned for our safety, so my Queen sent me here to investigate.: The cat began to relax as Gaea felt her, It is definitely a her, probing her. As it completed it's scan or Gaea it relaxed and began to speak with, presumably, her Queen. After a few seconds of serious talking between the 2, the cat spoke in a very formal, but relaxed tone.
:Queen Serenity of the Moon, wishes you, Gaea of Douleur, and your bond-tiger Athena, to accompany me, Luna, back to the Moon Palace. Once you are finished restoring what you wish of this plane, you are to contact me. I will set up a link between myself and Athena for your convenience.: Luna replied with a diplomatic nod that only Gaea saw. {Very formal, but I wouldn't expect any less from a royal companion.}
:Tell her highness Serenity that myself and Athena are not worthy of her offer. We will be contacting you shortly.: While she was young, she had learned the ways of royalty and the court. She knew what to say and how to say it, which had apparently surprised Luna quite a bit since she had hesitated before nodding to Gaea's reply.
:Very well.: With that Luna closed her eyes and disappeared. Odd, I'll have to ask how they do that. Gaea shrugged and turned back to Athena. :Ready Smallone? This is going to take all day.:
:Yes, I am ready Dearheart. Proceed.:
Some where off in a far away galaxy, a pair of black eyes watched as Gaea and Athena repaired their new home. A woman and her bonded fox sat in a small dark room upon a great purple marble throne overlain with black and deep emerald pillows. Othi was a fairly tall woman who wasn't much older than Gaea. Her black and purple striped hair was crimped like lightning blots. She was as tan and her fox Rayann who's eye's matched that of Othi's. Lady Othi, Mistress of the Shadows, had started out much like Gaea. Only the Dark Spirit had corrupted and Rayann and convinced her to kill her parents after it's first apprentice, Galaxia, had met up with the Sailor Scouts form the Moon Court and had been destroyed. She fled her poor home on Douleur at the age of 5. The Dark Spirit took her to a small planet beyond the reaches of the 5 Elements, where it could train her to carry out its evil plans for the Elemental Spirits.
The Elemental Spirits had cast it in to exile from their court, which gave it strength beyond anyone's imagining. It could do thing that not even all 5 Elementals put together could do. It fed off of death and destruction; blood spilled in hate and vengeance satisfied its lust for demise.
Now, as Othi looked upon the planet that once belonged to her older sister Galaxia, being replenished by Gaea's goodness, she laughed. Not a normal laugh though. It was a beserker's chortle that bubbled out of her throat like water bubbling out of an overflowing well. Is scared off a young serving boy that had entered her pathetic excuse for a throne room to bring her bread and wine for her lunch.
"This will be fun Rayann. This girl is weak and is growing weaker every moment. However, I shall let her finish her work and be satisfied of her self before I ruin all she has worked to build. That planet will belong to the Dark once again." Othi said, beginning to laugh again loosing the vision. "Ah well, I shall scry her out again tomorrow. Here. Take this to that poor serving boy that is cowering out side the door. Tell him to take it to the Master of the Dark. He will know who I mean. If he protests…kill him." Othi liked giving that command as much as she liked seeing Naharu. She loved his powers, since she could not love him, for love was not allowed to one who studied the Dark. She needed to speak to him about this new blemish in their world of darkness. {He will know how to deal with her, he always know what to do.} She thought, admiring him. Just then Rayann came trotting back into the room with a piece of bread in her mouth.
:I brought this for you. I already ate mine. That poor boy, I hope I didn't scare him too much. He bolted out of the royal hall like one of your lightning spells.: Rayann said shaking her head as she handed Othi the chink of bread she had in her mouth. That was always her favorite part of the job, scaring the servants. Rayann was a deep gold with midnight black eyes and pearly white teeth. When she chose she could look quite waspish when she showed her teeth. Othi took the food without comment. {We shall see who has the last laugh.}
By sunset there was vegetation and flowing water on the planet. Soon after the sun went down Gaea and Athena could see more creatures crawling around in the valley and the land beyond it.
:We should find a place to sleep tonight, under cover. I fear these new creatures. I know that they probably will leave us alone, but I just want at least something between us and them besides a steep hill.: Gaea had never liked sleeping unguarded, ever since those bullied started threatening her when she was 7, she always slept on guard.
:Well I remember the carving spell they taught us. Call Element Fire. I'll do the rest.: Although Athena was a mage, she could not call upon the Elements herself. That was why they had bonded in the first place.
:Sure thing.: Gaea loved having her powers back. She felt whole once again. It took an hour to carve a home out of the plateau and another half- hour to smooth it out so that there weren't any sharp places that they could cut themselves on.
:Thank you Athena. Now let's get some sleep.: All Athena could do was nod and let Gaea carry her into their new home. The spell had worn her out, it had been very difficult to carve the rock. She hadn't ever done it in that large of a scale before. The only thing that she had ever carved like that was a small cave to protect herself and Gaea from the tormenters. As Gaea lay her down in a place by the fireplace that Gaea lit with a snap of her fingers, she felt sleep over come her and cover her like a blanket. Then there was nothing but the heat from the fire and a dreamless sleep.
The period of sleep was broken by periods of wakefulness. Athena woke up first a few hours after dawn to see a few animals poking around the land below the plateau they had chosen to sleep on.
:Gaea, wake up Dearheart. Yesterday's working seems to have attracted a few creatures.:
Gaea sat up and blinked as the sun shone on her face. As her eyes adjusted to the light, she combed her hair out with her fingers. And replaced the circlet of diamonds that she had taken out last night to keep from breaking on the rocks. She glanced down in the direction that Athena indicated with her paw. Sure enough, there were a few things that appeared to be animal prowling around down there. {Well, as long as they don't come up here and nose around, I don't care}. Gaea thought warily. She would need all her concentration to finish the working. She was lazily staring out at nothing when she thought she heard someone talking. When she opened her shields out of habit, she "heard" one of the animals, a cat by the way it half purred when it talked, mindspeaking someone. She listened for a moment more before she could stand it no longer.
:Athena? Do you hear that? Something down there is mindspeaking. I can't make out the responses, can you?: Although Gaea's ability to mindspeak was above normal, Athena was as close to adept in her ability to mindspeak as one could get.
:Yes, they're talking about the planet. They think that they might be able to make their home here. They are wondering what or who returned the life force. Shall we intervene?: Athena loved intruding in on others conversations, but she was very good at it. A long as she had Gaea linked in to project feelings of friendship and peace, and to interpret the feelings of the victim, she succeeded in not offending anyone. They linked together quickly and easily.
:Pardon em, not to be rude, but where did you come from?: Athena said her most friendly voice. Gaea had all her shields open, except the ones against physical and magical attacks, so that she could "hear" and feel clearly. She felt reactions of surprise and then fear. Then came the caution before the answer. Since Gaea and Athena were linked, Athena could feel everything that Gaea picked up from the 2 victims they had surprised.
:Who are you? And where are you?: There was a bit of alarm in that mind voice. Athena was having so much fun it was all she could do to keep her self from laughing.
:I'm sorry, forgive my tigers rudeness. My name is Gaea and my smart- allic bonded here is named Athena. If you'll just turn around, you'll see us standing on the edge of the plateau that over looks the valley here.: Gaea responded for Athena who was doubled over with her withheld laughter. She looked down upon the valley where the animal was standing. Sure enough it looked up at her. She could see it clearly because she was using her gift of farsight. However, she doubted that it could see her as she did it.
There was a long silence in which the other 2 beings were, as Athena told her in-between deep breaths, conferring between each other. It was sometime after Athena had regained her composure that they got an answer.
:You said, "…your bonded…" are you from Douleur?: The cat like voice asked very conspicuously.
:Yes, we are. How do you know its name?: Gaea was very interested, now, in these new comers.
:It is a place that had sent a large blast of energy out in to the abyss that hit the palace of my Queen. It knocked our communications down for years. This planet was the birthplace and kingdom of our greatest enemy, Galaxia. She drained it in a last attempt to take over our kingdom. The Moon Court had to use al the power of the 9 planets and Earth's moon to restore communication and repair shields. This is how we know about your home. So when we saw life force being restored to this place, naturally we were very concerned for our safety, so my Queen sent me here to investigate.: The cat began to relax as Gaea felt her, It is definitely a her, probing her. As it completed it's scan or Gaea it relaxed and began to speak with, presumably, her Queen. After a few seconds of serious talking between the 2, the cat spoke in a very formal, but relaxed tone.
:Queen Serenity of the Moon, wishes you, Gaea of Douleur, and your bond-tiger Athena, to accompany me, Luna, back to the Moon Palace. Once you are finished restoring what you wish of this plane, you are to contact me. I will set up a link between myself and Athena for your convenience.: Luna replied with a diplomatic nod that only Gaea saw. {Very formal, but I wouldn't expect any less from a royal companion.}
:Tell her highness Serenity that myself and Athena are not worthy of her offer. We will be contacting you shortly.: While she was young, she had learned the ways of royalty and the court. She knew what to say and how to say it, which had apparently surprised Luna quite a bit since she had hesitated before nodding to Gaea's reply.
:Very well.: With that Luna closed her eyes and disappeared. Odd, I'll have to ask how they do that. Gaea shrugged and turned back to Athena. :Ready Smallone? This is going to take all day.:
:Yes, I am ready Dearheart. Proceed.:
Some where off in a far away galaxy, a pair of black eyes watched as Gaea and Athena repaired their new home. A woman and her bonded fox sat in a small dark room upon a great purple marble throne overlain with black and deep emerald pillows. Othi was a fairly tall woman who wasn't much older than Gaea. Her black and purple striped hair was crimped like lightning blots. She was as tan and her fox Rayann who's eye's matched that of Othi's. Lady Othi, Mistress of the Shadows, had started out much like Gaea. Only the Dark Spirit had corrupted and Rayann and convinced her to kill her parents after it's first apprentice, Galaxia, had met up with the Sailor Scouts form the Moon Court and had been destroyed. She fled her poor home on Douleur at the age of 5. The Dark Spirit took her to a small planet beyond the reaches of the 5 Elements, where it could train her to carry out its evil plans for the Elemental Spirits.
The Elemental Spirits had cast it in to exile from their court, which gave it strength beyond anyone's imagining. It could do thing that not even all 5 Elementals put together could do. It fed off of death and destruction; blood spilled in hate and vengeance satisfied its lust for demise.
Now, as Othi looked upon the planet that once belonged to her older sister Galaxia, being replenished by Gaea's goodness, she laughed. Not a normal laugh though. It was a beserker's chortle that bubbled out of her throat like water bubbling out of an overflowing well. Is scared off a young serving boy that had entered her pathetic excuse for a throne room to bring her bread and wine for her lunch.
"This will be fun Rayann. This girl is weak and is growing weaker every moment. However, I shall let her finish her work and be satisfied of her self before I ruin all she has worked to build. That planet will belong to the Dark once again." Othi said, beginning to laugh again loosing the vision. "Ah well, I shall scry her out again tomorrow. Here. Take this to that poor serving boy that is cowering out side the door. Tell him to take it to the Master of the Dark. He will know who I mean. If he protests…kill him." Othi liked giving that command as much as she liked seeing Naharu. She loved his powers, since she could not love him, for love was not allowed to one who studied the Dark. She needed to speak to him about this new blemish in their world of darkness. {He will know how to deal with her, he always know what to do.} She thought, admiring him. Just then Rayann came trotting back into the room with a piece of bread in her mouth.
:I brought this for you. I already ate mine. That poor boy, I hope I didn't scare him too much. He bolted out of the royal hall like one of your lightning spells.: Rayann said shaking her head as she handed Othi the chink of bread she had in her mouth. That was always her favorite part of the job, scaring the servants. Rayann was a deep gold with midnight black eyes and pearly white teeth. When she chose she could look quite waspish when she showed her teeth. Othi took the food without comment. {We shall see who has the last laugh.}
By sunset there was vegetation and flowing water on the planet. Soon after the sun went down Gaea and Athena could see more creatures crawling around in the valley and the land beyond it.
:We should find a place to sleep tonight, under cover. I fear these new creatures. I know that they probably will leave us alone, but I just want at least something between us and them besides a steep hill.: Gaea had never liked sleeping unguarded, ever since those bullied started threatening her when she was 7, she always slept on guard.
:Well I remember the carving spell they taught us. Call Element Fire. I'll do the rest.: Although Athena was a mage, she could not call upon the Elements herself. That was why they had bonded in the first place.
:Sure thing.: Gaea loved having her powers back. She felt whole once again. It took an hour to carve a home out of the plateau and another half- hour to smooth it out so that there weren't any sharp places that they could cut themselves on.
:Thank you Athena. Now let's get some sleep.: All Athena could do was nod and let Gaea carry her into their new home. The spell had worn her out, it had been very difficult to carve the rock. She hadn't ever done it in that large of a scale before. The only thing that she had ever carved like that was a small cave to protect herself and Gaea from the tormenters. As Gaea lay her down in a place by the fireplace that Gaea lit with a snap of her fingers, she felt sleep over come her and cover her like a blanket. Then there was nothing but the heat from the fire and a dreamless sleep.