Disclaimer: While discussing my fic withmy friend, TEZfrom the IMDB,i wasalerted to a few other similarities that i must disclaim! As usual, I do not own anything of Harry Potter other then a POA sticker album & a 6 disc Boxset of the 3 movies. Neither do I own Star Trek (a big fat DAMN may be inserted here!), Archie Comic books, the movie Underworld or Playstation's 2 video gamesof Champions Of Norrath &Final Fantasy X & X part 2; areas of thegames may be seen in detail through-out this fic, "Moon City...."!

& so, with a very dreamy sigh of things I'll never own, I will continue with my fic!

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(14)A City & Her Fountains

"Are you sure you can do this?"

"I feel fine!"

"You're eyes are completely yellow!"

"Padfoot! I'm fine!" Remus pulled out Kerrel's scale & waved it in Sirius's face.

"OK!" Sirius groaned, stepping on to the Moonpath in the middle of the forrest. Remus followed behind while Merida was somewhere up ahead.

The Moonpath led up through the forrest, twisting around trees & getting tangled with tree roots that had grown over the path & hung down on the other side. It was the only source of light in the middle of the forrest where it would otherwise be dark. The center of the Moonpath was semi-solid, where beads of light coursed through. Remus made sure the mermaid scale was safe & secure on him & concentrated & controlling his Amber vision.

An hour later, they reached the middle of Moonpath, where it split into three ways. One went down in front of them towards the Wind Planes, the other went down behind the way they had come. The third went up out of the forrest & over the cliff into Moon City.

Padfoot bounded up the hill after an artic wolf. Mystique soon realised that being a wolf was not a good idea! Padfoot yipped in surprise as a panther suddenly appeared & hissed at him in disgust.

"Knock it off, Pads!" Remus ordered as he peered over into Moon City. He immediatly slammed his eyes shut & groaned.

"You alright, Moony?"

"I'm fine!" Remus forced himself to stare into the city. "Not what I expected!"

"It's an amazing place, isn't it?" Sirius agreed. "It's made out of crystal. And the fountains? There's 7 of them. They run red with blood! Where the blood comes from nobody knows, except the Vampires! Well, let's go! Remus? Though they can't smell as well as Lycans, just stay out of sight! Follow me!"

Sirius transformed into Padfoot & Merida became a bat. Remus followed close to Padfoot down the crystal stairs & behind a tangle of bloodvines. The bloodvines were dark red with tiny white flower clusters. They grew up like pillars on either side of a wide road & formed an arch. The road was lined with six fountains, three on each side, redness spilling out of their tops into a second & third layer before filling in the pool at the bottom.

Remus sniffed the air warily. "It doesn't smell of blood!"

"I know," Sirius replied. "Must be something about the fountains. You can't smell the blood."

"Maybe it isn't real," Remus suggested. "Just an illusion?"

"I've seen the Vampires drink out of them in the past," Sirius shrugged. "It has to be real!"

"There's only 6 fountains," asked Merida. "where's the other one?"

"In the City itself," Sirius pointed down the road. "These little things are nothing compared to that one!"

"Little?" Remus scoffed. "They look big enough!"

"Only 8 feet at the top & 12 at the bottom!" Sirius said as if it wasn't that big. " with the pool itself bieng about 14! Come on! Let's go before someone comes! There's another place for you to hide up ahead, after these fountains!"

Padfoot & Remus fled down the road as Mystique fluttered on ahead. There were two more pillars of bloodvines at the opposite end, also forming an arch. From here, Moon City itself could be seen. It was large, spreading out over two or three miles. In the distance, one building rose higher than all others, Lord Charmone's fortress. Within the City were floating orbs of various sizes, filled with Moonlight, casting rays of light over the land.

Remus growled sofltly. Sirius hurried to his side & attempted to keep him quiet. "I'm fine!" Remus assured as Merida landed in front of them. "I'm just a little antsy!"

"Looks like that scale is working fine!" said Sirius. "We follow the edge of the City so you can stay out of sight. We have to get to Lord Charmone's fortress."

"You know a way in?" asked Remus. Sirius put on his best 'haven't-got-a-clue' look. "Great!" Remus groaned. "You idiot! You always did have a knack for getting us all in trouble. Even more so then Jim!"

"No no no! Jim was the worst!" Sirius corrected. "& then you! THEN me!"

"Shut the bleep up!" Remus groaned.

"Bleep? What did you say that for?" Sirius stifled a laugh.

"It's impolite to swear in front of a lady!" Remus explained. He raised his voice a bit higher. "Or do you not think Merida is a lady?!"

"I always knew you were gay!" Sirius replied with a sly smile. Remus's lips formed an 'O' as he glanced downward.

"Sweetheart?" Merida groaned. "Go.....BLEEP....a Dementor!" Remus snickered.

"Hmm, one problem," Sirius said. "I don't know if Dementors are...well...bleepable!"

"Bleepable?" Merida raised an eyebrow.

"Wait a minute! I'm not hearing this!" Remus stared. "You've spent nearly 13 years with those things & you never bothered to find out if there were female Dementors?"

"Never got around to it!" Sirius shrugged.

A minute of silence passed as Remus let that sink in. "I am no longer a member of this conversation!"

"Good! Who asked you to join anyway?" Sirius snapped.

"Uhhhh---what if I fly over there & explore the castle while you two sneak around the side?" Merida cut in before the two could pick another fight between themselves.

"How could you do that?" asked Sirius.

"I can turn into a bat," said Merida. "Not a vampire one but they'll never know the difference!"

"It's too risky!" Remus replied.

"I'll be fine!" Merida stepped out into the open & headed for the city.

"Hold it!" someone ordered.

"She's dead!" Remus whispered as Sirius became Padfoot to go rescue her.

"Is something wrong, Sir?" Merida asked.

"Who are you?" the man stalked up to her. Merida could see his two fangs hooked dangerously over his lip. Unlike Lycans, Vampires only had two upper fangs through which they sucked most of the blood drawn from their prey.

"Merida!" she stated simply.

"You're not one of us?" he snarled.

"Yes I am!" Merida declared.

"I've never seen you before," the man continued. "Show me your fangs!"

"I don't have to!" Merida snapped. "You're nothing but a pompous git who wishes to tease me! Well, I won't have it!"

"What will you do about it then?" the man sneered. "Merida?"

"First off, where are you manners in front of a lady?" Merida snapped as Remus smacked his forehead, trying not to laugh. "You are?"

"Very well, Cyan! Happy?" Cyan snapped back.

"Extatic! Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll be on my way!" Merida made to march off.

"Where are YOU'RE manners?" Cyan grabbed her, not noticing a black dog standing behind him. "It is customary for all visting Vampires to drink from Lord Charmone's fountain!" He led Merida down the road into the courtyard where stood a gigantic fountain of 7 layers, spilling over into a pool at its base which then flowed outward in a river toward the fortress a few miles away. The road split in four directions, one on each side of the courtyard. The one heading North, to Lord Charmone's castle, followed the river. "There now! Drink!"

Remus buried his face in both hands & watched through a crack between his fingers as Padfoot's jaw hit the crystal road! "She's! NOT! Going---HOLY BLEEP!"

"Why thank you, Sir Cyan!" Merida smiled pleasently, "I think I will have a drink!" Merida turned away & sat by the pool. Oh Merlin! she scowled silently. Help! Unfortunatly, Merlin was not part of this realm! Merida dipped her fingers in & then began licking them much to Cyan's content. "Now may I leave?"

"Why yes ma'am!" Cyan smiled. Merida became a bat & flew off into the skies.

Padfoot hurried back to Remus who head his head pressed hard against the pillar of bloodvines, muffling a laugh. "She's not a bad actress!" said Sirius, making Remus snort a laugh. "Come on! Lets go!"

Merida reached the castle in less than an hour. Remus & Sirius however spent all day, picking their way around Moon City. They saw several Vampires along the way but were not seen. They followed a stream leading toward the river. The stream was also filled with blood. The stream winded its way along until it came to the river....& there hovered Randalla over the connection of stream & river.

Her wings beat softly back & forth & her black silk dress trailed into the stream. She looked like a Dark Angel! "I've been waiting for you! I was told you'd try following the stream to the river & the river to the castle." Randalla landed on the river bank & folded her wings up. "Tell me, wolf! Why did you save Rikku?"

"I--er--I couldn't just leave her there to turn to ash in the sun!" Remus stammered.

"Why not? Any other would!"

"I'm not part of this war!" Remus stated for the umteenth time.

"Ah, yes! You're of the Celestial Temple!" said Randalla as she came closer.

"Exactly!" Sirius stepped in front of Remus in defense. "Vampires & Lycans get along just fine!"

"I find that hard to believe," Randalla replied. "Given what I have to live with here! By the way, Landau found Luna! She's fine!"

"That's nice!" Remus growled. "Have you found out who really destroyed your family?"

"Y-Yes!" Randalla stared at the ground for a moment. "Lord Charmone's not my father after all! He destroyed my family when I was just a baby but for some reason, he decided to raise me! That's why I'm waiting for you. Merida sent me! I'll help you enter his castle. But be careful! Rikku is in there as well! Oh she's not really my sister but I've never considered her otherwise."

"How did you managed to get him to admit that?" asked Remus.

"I didn't!" Randalla admitted. "I just eavesdrop a lot. He was talking to Randaf."

"So Charmone's the one turning the Vampires against the Lycans!" Sirius exclaimed. "& Randaf is in the castle!"

"That's right!" Randalla sighed. "He's the first human in here but no one else knows that. Randaf is the one that broke the cross windows in Landau's house so the Vampires could attack."

"Randaf is a vile creature!" Sirius hissed. "I plan to kill him!"

"Then follow me," said Randalla. "There's a secret entrance to the castle. I'll show it to you. But don't use your powers til I get Rikku out, then you can take over!"

"& where's Merida?" asked Remus.

"She's already inside," replied Randalla. "You'll have to find Randaf yourself. Merida is on the right wing, she told me to put you in the left wing & she'll meet you later! Come now! We are losing time!" Randalla transformed to a bat & flew towards the castle with Sirius & Remus in hot pursiut.