Hello everyone. Sorry for the delay in this chapter but I just came back
from a mini-vacation to one of the best party cities in North America,
Montreal! But I digress. Thanks in advance for your continued reviews and
support.
~Virgo15~
************************************************************************
~The Road Less Traveled~
Chapter 4
Usagi….
Usagi…
Usagi could her the voice calling her as she struggled to move, but she was unable to reply. She tried to move her hands, but her limbs felt leaded, as if some force was pushing down on them. She tried to call back but no sound came from her lips. A slight swell of panic rose in her, but she mentally ordered herself to remain calm. She willed her arms to move and they began to sluggishly obey. Propping the top half of her body up, she cautiously opened her eyes. A bright light assaulted her and she brought one hand up to shade her eyes as she surveyed her surroundings. She was lying half- buried in the grass on a slight hill in the middle of a wide field. She swiveled her eyes to the sky and gasped as she saw a bright yellow sun being chased by a much smaller bluish one. The light of the two suns painted the atmosphere varying shades of indigo and purple. A soft breeze came up and ruffled the ends of her hair and the tall grasses around her. Usagi wondered if she was on the right planet, but something inside her told her that this was part of Kinnmoku. She struggled to her feet in order to better survey her surroundings. The field she was in stretched far to the horizon, with heavier vegetation to her left and what appeared to be a road snaking in front of her. Gingerly she began to walk in the grass in search of Luna.
"Luna!"
Usagi began to wonder how long she had been unconscious. The power of the ginzuishou had brought her through vastness of space in one piece, and she hoped that such power had not proved fatal to her companion. She quickened her pace, as she received no reply to her call.
"Luna! Luna!"
Her voice began to rise in volume as the field remained quiet. Her heart began to beat quickly and she began to search frantically for some sign of movement from the grasses. The direness of the situation began to creep into Usagi's mind. She was a stranger on a faraway planet, alone and vulnerable. Usagi didn't want to face the idea of losing Luna, much less before the journey even began. She slowed her walk as tears began to prick her eyes. A sudden movement to her left caught her eye, and she saw a dark shape moving rapidly to her. A sliver a fear worked into her mind as she wondered what creature could be headed so purposefully and rapidly toward her. She had no means to defend herself so she picked up a nearby branch and held it club-like away from her body. Terse moments passed as she watched the shape grow closer and begin to take form. Her body tensed as she saw two figures wrapped in cloaks riding a large horse-like animal with two horns protruding from its forehead. When the creature came within earshot it slowed its pace and began to move slowly toward Usagi.
" Who are you? Show yourself!" Usagi raised the club threateningly not caring if they could understand her or not. She hoped her attitude if nothing else would make them think twice before attacking her. Two white hands came out of the sleeves of the passenger as it threw back the cloth hood. Black hair spilled out to reveal a young woman with big blue eyes.
"Luna!" Usagi exclaimed, lowering the branch to her side.
Luna slid of the animal and rushed to Usagi gripping her in a tight embrace.
"I'm so glad that you are okay Usagi. I had no idea where you ended up!"
" Where the hell were you Luna? I had no idea where you were either!"
" I landed at the other side of this field and was out for a long time. Amio here found me and brought me to the nearby town. I couldn't believe that we had made it to Kinnmoku in one piece. I told him that you would be around here somewhere and he agreed to help me look for you." She said as she gestured to the cloaked rider. The rider pulled back the hood to reveal a handsome young man with fiery orange hair and a kind smile."
" It's nice to meet you Usagi-sama. Luna had told me that you are travelers from another world. A pretty ungraceful way to arrive at a new planet ne?" He said. Amio had a deep, resonating voice and his golden eyes sparked with humour.
Usagi found herself instinctively smiling back at him. She could only imagine how she looked with her hair full of grass and her clothes covered in dust. "Thank you Amio for returning my companion before I could find her and kill her for worrying me!" She said as she punched Luna softly in the arm.
"Hey!" Luna said wagging her finger at Usagi playfully. " I didn't have to come find you y'know!"
" I know. " Usagi said laughing. She grew serious as she turned back to Amio. " It's very important I travel to the capital and see Princess Kakyuu as soon as possible. Can you help us with that?"
" The capital city is about a day's ride over those hills there, " he said gesturing toward a row shimmering hills in the distance. " You're lucky you didn't land on the other side of the planet."
Usagi rolled her eyes. " Thank goodness for small favours."
Amio laughed. " The best thing for you to do is to spend the night in my town and to leave on the morning transport. It will only take a few hours for you to reach the capital that way."
A sudden thought struck Usagi. She couldn't believe that she could have been so stupid. She felt a cold feeling wash over her as she realized that she had no means to pay for either lodging or transport to the capital. She thought furiously for a moment and snapped her fingers as the solution came to her. She reached up to her neck and removed the necklace that hung there. She gazed at the large diamond in the centre in a heavy gold setting. It had been a graduation present from Mamoru, and she still wore it from time to time. She thanked the heaves that she had enough foresight to wear it the day that she left. She hoped that he wouldn't mind it being used for this purpose, but it was too late now. She held up the diamond toward Amio and asked him if it would give her and Luna enough money to reach the capital. Amio turned the gem over in his fingers a few times before handing it back to Usagi.
" I think that it should. We'll bring it to a merchant I know once we get into town. Pasa's a stingy old bastard, but if I go with you he'll treat you fairly enough."
Usagi smiled her gratitude. " I'll make sure that we pay you back somehow for your kindness Amio."
Amio looked at her seriously and Usagi felt suddenly shy under his piercing gaze. " You don't have to pay me back Usagi-sama. This is what fellow travelers are supposed to do for each other ne? Come, we'd better return to the city before the shops close."
He held out a had to her and she felt herself being lifted on the animal in front of Amio. He turned to assist Luna as she climbed behind him. Usagi felt his strong arms encircling her as he grasped the reins and with a soft noise set the animal in motion. Usagi felt strangely odd as she felt the rhythmic movement of the animal below her and the presence of Amio behind her. She shook it off and gazed at the serene wilderness as it passed by at a dizzying pace.
~Virgo15~
************************************************************************
~The Road Less Traveled~
Chapter 4
Usagi….
Usagi…
Usagi could her the voice calling her as she struggled to move, but she was unable to reply. She tried to move her hands, but her limbs felt leaded, as if some force was pushing down on them. She tried to call back but no sound came from her lips. A slight swell of panic rose in her, but she mentally ordered herself to remain calm. She willed her arms to move and they began to sluggishly obey. Propping the top half of her body up, she cautiously opened her eyes. A bright light assaulted her and she brought one hand up to shade her eyes as she surveyed her surroundings. She was lying half- buried in the grass on a slight hill in the middle of a wide field. She swiveled her eyes to the sky and gasped as she saw a bright yellow sun being chased by a much smaller bluish one. The light of the two suns painted the atmosphere varying shades of indigo and purple. A soft breeze came up and ruffled the ends of her hair and the tall grasses around her. Usagi wondered if she was on the right planet, but something inside her told her that this was part of Kinnmoku. She struggled to her feet in order to better survey her surroundings. The field she was in stretched far to the horizon, with heavier vegetation to her left and what appeared to be a road snaking in front of her. Gingerly she began to walk in the grass in search of Luna.
"Luna!"
Usagi began to wonder how long she had been unconscious. The power of the ginzuishou had brought her through vastness of space in one piece, and she hoped that such power had not proved fatal to her companion. She quickened her pace, as she received no reply to her call.
"Luna! Luna!"
Her voice began to rise in volume as the field remained quiet. Her heart began to beat quickly and she began to search frantically for some sign of movement from the grasses. The direness of the situation began to creep into Usagi's mind. She was a stranger on a faraway planet, alone and vulnerable. Usagi didn't want to face the idea of losing Luna, much less before the journey even began. She slowed her walk as tears began to prick her eyes. A sudden movement to her left caught her eye, and she saw a dark shape moving rapidly to her. A sliver a fear worked into her mind as she wondered what creature could be headed so purposefully and rapidly toward her. She had no means to defend herself so she picked up a nearby branch and held it club-like away from her body. Terse moments passed as she watched the shape grow closer and begin to take form. Her body tensed as she saw two figures wrapped in cloaks riding a large horse-like animal with two horns protruding from its forehead. When the creature came within earshot it slowed its pace and began to move slowly toward Usagi.
" Who are you? Show yourself!" Usagi raised the club threateningly not caring if they could understand her or not. She hoped her attitude if nothing else would make them think twice before attacking her. Two white hands came out of the sleeves of the passenger as it threw back the cloth hood. Black hair spilled out to reveal a young woman with big blue eyes.
"Luna!" Usagi exclaimed, lowering the branch to her side.
Luna slid of the animal and rushed to Usagi gripping her in a tight embrace.
"I'm so glad that you are okay Usagi. I had no idea where you ended up!"
" Where the hell were you Luna? I had no idea where you were either!"
" I landed at the other side of this field and was out for a long time. Amio here found me and brought me to the nearby town. I couldn't believe that we had made it to Kinnmoku in one piece. I told him that you would be around here somewhere and he agreed to help me look for you." She said as she gestured to the cloaked rider. The rider pulled back the hood to reveal a handsome young man with fiery orange hair and a kind smile."
" It's nice to meet you Usagi-sama. Luna had told me that you are travelers from another world. A pretty ungraceful way to arrive at a new planet ne?" He said. Amio had a deep, resonating voice and his golden eyes sparked with humour.
Usagi found herself instinctively smiling back at him. She could only imagine how she looked with her hair full of grass and her clothes covered in dust. "Thank you Amio for returning my companion before I could find her and kill her for worrying me!" She said as she punched Luna softly in the arm.
"Hey!" Luna said wagging her finger at Usagi playfully. " I didn't have to come find you y'know!"
" I know. " Usagi said laughing. She grew serious as she turned back to Amio. " It's very important I travel to the capital and see Princess Kakyuu as soon as possible. Can you help us with that?"
" The capital city is about a day's ride over those hills there, " he said gesturing toward a row shimmering hills in the distance. " You're lucky you didn't land on the other side of the planet."
Usagi rolled her eyes. " Thank goodness for small favours."
Amio laughed. " The best thing for you to do is to spend the night in my town and to leave on the morning transport. It will only take a few hours for you to reach the capital that way."
A sudden thought struck Usagi. She couldn't believe that she could have been so stupid. She felt a cold feeling wash over her as she realized that she had no means to pay for either lodging or transport to the capital. She thought furiously for a moment and snapped her fingers as the solution came to her. She reached up to her neck and removed the necklace that hung there. She gazed at the large diamond in the centre in a heavy gold setting. It had been a graduation present from Mamoru, and she still wore it from time to time. She thanked the heaves that she had enough foresight to wear it the day that she left. She hoped that he wouldn't mind it being used for this purpose, but it was too late now. She held up the diamond toward Amio and asked him if it would give her and Luna enough money to reach the capital. Amio turned the gem over in his fingers a few times before handing it back to Usagi.
" I think that it should. We'll bring it to a merchant I know once we get into town. Pasa's a stingy old bastard, but if I go with you he'll treat you fairly enough."
Usagi smiled her gratitude. " I'll make sure that we pay you back somehow for your kindness Amio."
Amio looked at her seriously and Usagi felt suddenly shy under his piercing gaze. " You don't have to pay me back Usagi-sama. This is what fellow travelers are supposed to do for each other ne? Come, we'd better return to the city before the shops close."
He held out a had to her and she felt herself being lifted on the animal in front of Amio. He turned to assist Luna as she climbed behind him. Usagi felt his strong arms encircling her as he grasped the reins and with a soft noise set the animal in motion. Usagi felt strangely odd as she felt the rhythmic movement of the animal below her and the presence of Amio behind her. She shook it off and gazed at the serene wilderness as it passed by at a dizzying pace.