SOUL MATES
Chapter 8: "Fugitive"
A Sailor Moon fanfic
By Bill K.
"By the Gods!" Usa whispered, her amazement stealing her voice. The Princess and her lover looked up to see a huge dragon flying west across Lake Biwa. Sitting astride the dragon's neck was Sailor Pallas.
"Look, Maiden," Helios redirected her attention to the grass in the clearing. "Burned grass; and the grass has been recently trampled. I fear a confrontation has taken place here recently."
"Transform into Pegasus!" Usa said quickly. "Moon Eternal Make Up!"
"Maiden," Helios began.
"Now, Helios! Pallas may be a hostage!"
Exhaling, Helios transformed into his winged unicorn form. Instantly Sailor Moon was on his back and the steed pushed off into the sky, spreading his magnificent white wings.
"I implore you, Maiden," Pegasus thought back to his rider. "Do not jump to conclusions in this matter."
"I'm trying not to," Sailor Moon replied. "They may be working together, either fleeing the confrontation or pursuing whoever attacked them. But whatever's happening, I want to know so I can back Pallas up if she needs it."
"Of course, Maiden," Pegasus thought to her. "Forgive me for doubting you. Will you be calling the others?"
"I should," she fretted, "but I don't know how Ves will react to something like this. I'll make that decision when I know more." She leaned forward to give Helios more speed. "Hopefully it won't be too late."
Pallas and the dragon were over open water now, the campsite of the forest far in the distance. All Pallas could see ahead was water and sky. The dragon continued in a west-northwest heading.
"How is your injury, Pallas?" the dragon asked as it flew.
"It hurts when Pallas touches it," Pallas said.
"Then I suggest you do not touch it."
"Thank you very much, Mr. Dragon-Sir. Pallas will do that," the Senshi chirped. "Where are we going? Does Mr. Dragon-Sir know?"
"Are you familiar with Chikubu Island?" the dragon asked.
"No," Pallas replied. "Pallas isn't very smart and she doesn't know places too well. Is it nice?"
"I think so. It resembles the clearing in which you first met me. The water is soft and the forests are thick. Plus there is ample sun, so I may feed on its rays with no trouble."
"Are there people there?"
"There are some clusters of humans there," the dragon responded. "But the island is big enough so that humans and dragons coexist - - so long as we dragons stay behind our cloaks."
"You mean how you make it so nobody can see you?" Pallas asked. "How do you do that? Oopsie, Pallas is sorry. She's being nosy again. Cere-Cere says that's not nice."
"I have nothing to hide from you, Pallas," the dragon replied, almost smiling. "As much as we dragons have an affinity with the water, for we are originally creatures of the water, we also have an affinity with the sun. The rays of the sun nourish us. When we do this, we absorb the rays of the sun and they do not reflect from us. And things that do not reflect light cannot be seen. Does that explain it so that you understand, Pallas?"
"No," Pallas squeaked. "Pallas told you she wasn't very smart."
"Ah, Pallas," the dragon chuckled. "You are far smarter than you think. You lured me into demonstrating what a pompous windbag I can be."
"Um, Pallas is sorry?" the Senshi said. Then she pointed suddenly. "Lookee! An island! Is that the island you were talking about?"
"It is," her companion replied. "Hold on. I must find a place that both satisfies my needs and is far enough away from the inhabitants so another incident is not inspired."
The dragon flew along the coast of Chikubu Island. Pallas looked it over from atop the dragon. There was a small port town with a ferry near the east coast, and though the island was thick with forest, resorts and shrines dotted the terrain. She wondered if her friend would be able to find a place far enough away from humanity.
Dipping casually, the dragon glided down to a clearing near the forest, a small cove under a five foot bluff.
"We are here, Pallas," the dragon said, bending so that his head and neck were against the bluff while his lower torso and tail dipped into the waters of Lake Biwa. "You may climb off me."
Pallas did so. As she returned to solid ground, the Senshi looked around nervously.
"It is not what I am used to," the dragon commented, "but it will suffice for the present time."
"Um, Mr. Dragon-Sir," Pallas spoke up, clearly nervous. "Pallas can hear other thoughts. We're not alone. And Pallas don't think she likes us."
"Boy, some vacation," sighed Jun. She sat on the porch step of one of the cabins, her chin in her hands, staring longingly at the lake.
"Well, it's not like Palla-Palla intentionally went looking for a dragon," Cere mumbled. Jun glanced over and saw her sister was texting a message, no doubt to Hiroki. "Go in the water. Everybody knows you want to."
"I want to be ready in case something happens," Jun responded. "I'm not sure how it would look if I had to go into battle in a bikini plastered to my body."
"Mmm," Cere said distantly.
"Can't you go five minutes without contacting him?" Jun asked sourly.
"Yes!" Cere responded indignantly. "I just don't want to. Just because you're bored doesn't mean I have to be." She continued to type on her PDA. "If you recall, I didn't want to come on this trip in the first place." Cere waited for a response, but there was none. "Come on, Hiroki! Answer!"
"He's probably painting," Jun grunted.
"He BETTER be painting," Cere scowled.
Just then Hotaru ran up to the cabin from the path behind them. She was wearing her warm ups, in black of course, and was coated with perspiration. As the two waiting girls glanced at her, Hotaru slowed to a stop and braced against the banister, sucking air.
"How much did you do?" Jun asked.
"Just a mile," wheezed Hotaru. "I would have gone more," she gasped, "but my stupid monitor," and she swallowed, "went off."
"It's just as well," Cere said distantly as she began another text message. "You don't want to overdo it and hurt yourself again."
Hotaru glanced at Jun. "Hiroki?"
"Who else?" Jun sighed.
"Jealousy ill becomes you, Jun," Cere sniffed.
"What jealousy? I don't say anything about Hotaru and Yutaka."
"Oh that reminds me! I have to text Yutaka!" Hotaru exclaimed, pulling out her PDA. Cere gave Jun a triumphant smile.
At once, the news alert signal went off on both Cere's PDA and Hotaru's. They each pressed the button to engage the alert while Jun strained to see.
"It's that reporter and his dragon story again," Cere frowned. "He's got some local, too." Cere listened. "The local is saying he was attacked by the dragon! And one of the Senshi!"
"Uh oh," Jun swallowed.
"But that shouldn't be!" Hotaru protested. "Both Hino-Sensei and Mizuno-Sensei said the dragon wasn't a threat!"
"And Palla-Palla wouldn't act unless she felt she or the dragon were being threatened," Jun added. "There's more to this than they're saying."
At that moment, Hotaru's Senshi Communicator signaled. She engaged it and brought it up to eye level.
"Hotaru, what's going on over there?" asked King Endymion. Hotaru instantly tensed. "I just saw this latest news stream about the dragon attacking someone? And now I can't raise Usa."
"We just saw the report, too, Your Majesty," Hotaru replied. "We were thinking that there must be more to the incident that's being reported - - that the dragon and Palla-Palla were defending themselves. As for Usa, she and Helios went for a walk. I hope nothing happened to them!"
Endymion considered his next action. "This situation seems to be getting out of control. Even if this dragon is innocent, its presence is causing some consternation among the local population. You and the Asteroids focus on finding Usa. I'm sending in a detail of CDP officers to restore order and keep this situation from escalating further. It's a possibility that this dragon may have to move." He thought for a moment. "Call me if you find Usa. I want to talk to her."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Hotaru nodded. When the call ended, Hotaru looked at the others anxiously.
"We heard," Jun told her. "Where do you think the Pr . . . um, Usa is? Think something happened?"
"I hope not," Hotaru replied.
"I'll call Artemis and see if he can trace Usa," Cere said.
Hotaru engaged her communicator, too. "Ves? You need to come back to the cabins. We've got a mission."
"On my way!" was the reply over the communicator.
"Palla-Palla?" Hotaru inquired, engaging the communicator again. But there was no response. "Palla-Palla, come in!" Again nothing. Hotaru looked anxiously at the other two and got the same look from them.
"Ves is going to love this," Cere said ominously. "Artemis, can you make that two tracers?"
"Why did you not answer the communicator summons, Maiden?" Pegasus thought as he and his rider flew over the northwest end of Lake Biwa.
"It was Pop," Sailor Moon answered, her vision locked ahead of her. "I don't have time to listen to a lecture right now."
"You assume his intent was to lecture," Pegasus gently chided her.
"Yeah, I guess so," Sailor Moon surrendered softly. "I'll call him back after we find Pallas and find out what happened." On they flew. "Are you sure she went this way?"
"Reasonably, Maiden," Pegasus responded. "I have no means to sense her while she is awake, but I am able to sense the dragon. And I sense one up ahead." Pegasus thought a moment as he flew. "No, I sense two."
"Two?" gasped Sailor Moon. "Of course. Why would there be only one?" She squinted as she stared forward. "I see an island ahead. Suppose they went there?"
"That is where I am sensing the dragons, Maiden."
"OK, when we approach, try to go in high so we can survey the terrain without being seen," Sailor Moon advised her steed. "I don't want to spook whatever's down there until I know what's going on."
With that, Pegasus climbed into the sky. His speed slowed as they approached Chikubu Island. A tourist happened to glance up as they flew over a resort on the southeast side of the island. She pointed up, catching the attention of others on the veranda just outside the resort. Excitedly the people all waved.
"There was no excitement down there before they spotted me, and Pallas would have attracted attention," Sailor Moon mused. "And the dragon would naturally head for the denser forest over on the south side of the island."
Pegasus banked left without being asked. Sailor Moon patted him on the neck.
"Maiden!" Pegasus thought suddenly. "There by the bank; I see the dragon!"
"Damn, that's a big creature!" Sailor Moon gasped. "And Pallas is there on the bank! Can you circle over this area without being spotted?"
"I will try, Maiden," Pegasus thought to her and began circling. Sailor Moon studied the scene intently, trying to ascertain if Pallas needed immediate assistance. Down on the ground, Sailor Pallas was looking around nervously. She continued to sense hostile thoughts from an unseen source. The dragon looked around.
"Forgive my trespass," he said to no one in particular. "I merely seek shelter. I did not know this bank was occupied." There was no response. "This is my friend, Pallas. She means you no harm." Still no response, but Pallas continued to be bombarded by thoughts of suspicion and contempt. "You need not keep your cloak up. She is gifted and can sense your thoughts. She knows you are here and she senses your mistrust."
To the dragon's left, another dragon slipped out from behind its cloak of invisibility. This dragon was smaller than Pallas's friend, though no less menacing. She glared at the dragon with unconcealed fury, so much so that both Pallas and the male dragon were taken aback.
"Please forgive the intrusion," he offered. "I only sought a new home. I was forced to abandon my old home because I was discovered by humans and I did not wish to suffer their fear and paranoia."
"So you bring a human to discover mine?" she snarled. "Am I to be grateful?"
"Please, Miss Dragon-Ma'am," Pallas began. The creature whirled on her.
"SILENCE!" she raged. "There is nothing in the universe that a human could possibly say that I could possibly be interested in!"
"Your rage and suspicion are unnecessary," he told her, edging over so that he could come between her and Pallas if warranted. "Pallas is not your enemy."
"All humans are our enemy," she sneered.
"No, Ma'am, Pallas doesn't want to hurt you!" Pallas shouted. "Pallas is Mr. Dragon-Sir's friend! And she'll be your friend if you let her! Pallas only wants to help!"
"You can help by leaving!" she shot back, leaning in for emphasis.
Before any other response could be made, both dragons looked up into the air. Pallas followed and saw Sailor Moon diving into the situation on Pegasus, the Moon Tier out and pointed at the smaller dragon.
"Silver Moon Crystal Power Kiss!" Sailor Moon shouted. Pink energy shot out from the Moon Tier and lunged at the smaller dragon. She tried to avoid it, but the pink energy was on her in moments, twisting around her. She writhed and fought to escape, but the pink energy held firm. Quickly her movements became sluggish. Finally she surrendered to the soothing crystal energy, flopping onto the bank near Pallas. Her mouth pulled back into a lazy smile, revealing sharp teeth, and her eyes drooped. As the pink energy dissipated, she let out a contented sigh.
Pegasus landed near some trees. Like a shot, Sailor Moon was off of him and advancing toward the other dragon, her Moon Tier pointed and ready to use. But Pallas jumped in front of her.
"No, Princess!" Pallas exclaimed. "Please don't hurt Mr. Dragon-Sir! He's Pallas's friend!"
"But it looked like he carried you off," Sailor Moon argued.
"Pallas went with him! Pallas had to protect him!" Pallas told her, on the verge of tears. "Some bad men tried to hurt him! Pallas had to protect him! He's her friend!"
"OK, OK, I get it," Sailor Moon tried to calm her. She glanced at the dragon. "I apologize if I overreacted. So what's this one's deal?"
"She is suspicious of humans," the dragon responded, his hissing voice sending chills up the Senshi's spine. "Perhaps she only knows them from our legends and mistrusts your kind from myth. She is young. Perhaps she has had an actual bad experience and mistrusts you for that reason."
"Yeah, I could imagine that happening," Sailor Moon nodded. "Given that this island is populated, it must be a constant fear for her."
"A concern, perhaps," the dragon corrected her. "We do not fear humans. We fear the reaction our appearance and history inspires in you."
"So you're OK? You didn't get hurt in whatever happened?" Sailor Moon asked. The dragon shook his head. "And you're OK, Pallas? That's a pretty nasty cut on the side of your head."
"Pallas is fine, Princess. Pallas just has the one boo-boo and it doesn't even hurt much anymore, thank you very much."
"And you were going to resettle here?" Sailor Moon asked the dragon.
"That was my original intent," he replied. "But this area is inhabited, and if she wishes me to leave, I must do so. Perhaps there is another part of the island I may rest in. The south side of the island would have been preferable in the winter, but I will not impose myself on anyone else."
"Maybe Mr. Dragon-Sir could live in the palace in Crystal Tokyo?" Pallas hinted hopefully.
"Yeah, right. Luna would have ten fits," Sailor Moon chuckled. "Not happening, Pallas. But we were coming to find you because of just that situation." Sailor Moon glanced behind her and, as if sensing the situation, Helios was there. Together they faced the dragon.
"I am Helios, Guardian of Pleasant Dreams and Lord of the Realm of Elysian," Helios said, his grand words spoken with a charming humility. "It is within my power as Lord to offer you sanctuary in that magical realm. You may come and live out your days in a place much like this one, safe from the fear and violence you inspire within human minds. What say you, Dragon?"
The dragon looked down thoughtfully at Helios. He considered the offer as Sailor Moon waited hopefully.
"It is a kind and generous offer," the dragon replied finally, "but one I fear I must refuse."
Continued in Chapter 9