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Blue Sky Pearl by Loki

Chapter 1 Dreams Take Flight  next

ACT ONE: DREAMS TAKE FLIGHT

A collaborative effort from K-chan and Loki


Darkness fell over the city like a mournful shroud. Meanwhile at the Tsukino household, Chibi-Usa was sound asleep in the room once belonging to Usagi. Moonlight fell like a benediction upon her peaceful face, turning her hair into a pool of liquid pink quartz. Luna P rested on the pillow beside her.
As she slept, a voice, deep and melodic, insinuated itself into her dreams, accompanied by the sound of falling water.

‘The forest is weeping…our crystal forest is weeping… if you can hear me… if you can hear me at all, please come to the crystal forest. I have traveled all night long to find you.’

A horse’s whinny, high and clear, washed over her being like an array of tiny chimes that penetrated her dreams. Suddenly, she was running along the street in her pajamas, hair streaming out behind her as she ran. What a strange dream, she thought, watching the grass in the park shimmer with an emerald-green light. At the bottom of the street, she came upon a lake and forest of crystal. Standing upon its moisten shores, head bowed, was the most beautiful creature Chibi-Usa had ever seen. It was a Pegasus, with a long golden horn protruding from its brow, with a coat of blue-white fur. Its wings partially unfurled. Its mane and tail shone like gemstones in the moonlight.

Chibi-Usa stood stock-still, unable to move or speak. The Pegasus’ eyes were pools of liquid blue, and they held her transfixed.

‘Was it you who called me?’ she asked, stepping a little closer. She approached the Pegasus cautiously, hand outstretched. ‘You’re so beautiful… can I touch you.’ At that moment, golden light cascaded over her as she got a little closer, and when it cleared, she had undergone an amazing transformation and stood in her princess form, wearing the long sleeveless white dress and a golden crescent moon upon her brow – plaits in place.

The Pegasus watched her with liquid blue eyes. ‘Please,’ it said, its voice echoing within her mind, ‘Please do not speak of our meeting.’

She opened her mouth to give her reply, but then the stunning winged creature was gone. Chibi-Usa found herself alone, and the forest, dark and forbidding, began to make her feel a little uneasy.

‘Where did you go?’ she asked, tilting her face towards the full moon. ‘Where are you?’

~*~

Opening her eyelids and rubbing the sleep from her eyes, the sunlight streaming over her bed, she felt the tears on her cheeks and sighed.

Usagi stood over her, arms folded, a fond and exasperated look on her face.

“Come on, sleepyhead… rise and shine and all that,” she said, smiling. “You’ve slept long enough.”

Chibi-Usa blinked stupidly. “Huh?”

Usagi sighed. “Have you forgotten what today is? Mamo-chan is taking you, me and Miranda to the zoo, and later the observatory, to witness the eclipse.”

“Oh…” Chibi-Usa’s eyes fluttered open. Then, without so much as a by your leave, she sprang out of bed with unfettered enthusiasm. “Of course I didn’t forget. I was in the middle of a dream.”

Usagi watched her daughter with a frown upon her face. Whatever she had dreamt had a profound effect on her, and she was stumped as to what it might be, and then dismissed the matter.

~*~

Half an hour later, all four were wandering through the zoo, Chibi-Usa, wide-eyed at the variety of animals on display.

“Wow,” she said simply, tugging Usagi’s hand, pulling her mother this way and that. “I’ve never seen so many animals in one place. But they all look so sad.”

It was true; she had to admit, thinking about it. Despite having enclosures identical to their natural habitats, the animals did look disconsolate.

“I think it’s cruel to have animals all fenced in for people to look at,” Chibi-Usa continued. “They should be allowed to roam free.” With these words, an image of the wondrous creature she had seen in her dreams appeared. This image prompted her to voice her thoughts. “They shouldn’t be locked up simply for people’s pleasure.”

“I quite agree,” Miranda said, as they paused before another enclosure. There was only the one occupant, a huge black panther, lying on its side. Its jet-black fur gleamed with a blue-black sheen in the sun, but it had a lusterless look about it, and the huge flanks moved slowly in and out, as the beast slept. “This fellow doesn’t look terribly happy to be here, doesn’t he?”

“He’s huge,” Chibi-Usa said in awe. “I’ve never seen a panther that big.”

“He was transported to Japan by ship from Africa… and according to his handlers, he’s five feet tall, and his head comes up to about here,” Mamoru indicated, placing his hand upon Usagi’s head. ” He weighs quite a bit, too… around 400 pounds.”

“That’s heavy,” Usagi said thoughtfully, looking at the magnificent big cat. “But Chibi-Usa-chan’s right, the poor thing does look rather sad. I feel sorry for him.”

“So do I,” Miranda said, her faced etched with heart-felt conviction.

At that moment, the panther’s eyes opened. They were magnificent orbs of gold, set like jewels against the black fur of his face. He stood, every movement fluid, and glided toward the enclosure’s glass barrier. Mamoru, Usagi and Chibi-Usa stepped back, but Miranda remained where she was, transfixed by the panther’s huge golden eyes. They seemed to capture and hold her to the spot. She could neither move nor speak.

Then, without warning, the panther stepped back, gathered himself, and leapt. There were screams as he crashed through the glass and landed on Miranda, knocking her to the ground. She fell flat on her back, the panther’s massive forepaws upon her shoulders and the large head close to her face. She froze, hardly daring to breathe. Aside from the slight growl deep within his throat, the panther made no other sound.

Mamoru stepped forward, but the panther snarled menacingly, forcing him to take a few steps back. The handlers who ran towards the incredible scene had to keep well back.

The vast gleaming eyes swung back to Miranda, who felt as though she was falling into deep wells of luminous gold. Then, incredibly, a voice spoke to her, echoing within the depths of her mind – ‘at last. I was beginning to fear I would never find you.’

“Who are you?“ Miranda whispered as her eyes doubled in size and her respiration shot through the roof.

‘I am a refugee,’ the panther replied simply. ‘I had overcome many difficulties to reach this world, and it was a long and arduous journey… In this moment, I have received my reward. I have found you at last.’

‘What do you mean?’ Miranda asked now hearing the voice within and responding in kind, all the while not understanding what was happening to her.

‘I cannot go into it now… lets just say, all you need to know for the moment is that I am your friend, and I will always be by your side.’

‘But what is your name?’ Miranda asked, a trembling smile crossing her lips.

‘My name is Kantaro,’ the panther answered. Then his golden eyes seemed to burn into hers, if that was possible given the intensity of this first meeting. ‘This is an act by which we are irrevocably bound.’ He lifted a massive paw, and long, steel blue claws were unsheathed. With a swift movement, he raked her right arm.

‘What the hell was that for, huh?’ she demanded, crying out in pain.

The panther met her angry gaze with steadiness as he gave his reply, ‘It is a bonding. It could not be otherwise.’ then he vanished. ‘I will always be there whenever you need me. Call my name, and I will come to you, no matter the distance between us.’ Then the sense of his presence was gone.

Miranda came back to herself, to find Usagi and Mamoru bending over her, exclaiming at her near death encounter, examining the long scratches on her right arm. “Don’t worry about these,” she told her distraught mother. “It’s nothing, really.”

She was, however, shaking from head to toe, and whiter than a sheet, this belying her statement. She wanted to go home, and Usagi almost agreed, but Chibi-Usa wanted her sister to come along to the observatory. Miranda reluctantly agreed.

After leading her to the infirmary for treatment by a concerned nurse, who bandaged her arm and had given her a mild sedative, she slept on the small bed for an hour while Mamoru, Usagi and Chibi-Usa sat by her side waiting for her to wake.

After making herself eat a little food, washing it down with a fruit juice cocktail, she leaned heavily on Usagi’s arm as they walked back to the car.

~*~

Later, they sat atop a hill overlooking the city, where they were joined by the girls. Motoki and Lizzi had also joined the gathering.

Hundreds of people were sharing the hill with them, and Usagi was amazed. “I’ve never seen so many people in the one place at the same time,” she said, looking around, enjoying the sensation of warm air caressing her skin and hair.

“You can’t blame them when there’s such a cool event about to take place,” Minako said, as she looked at the huge building behind them. They all had special goggles that would filter the suns harmful rays and allow everyone to enjoy this amazing celestial event. “This is a once in a lifetime experience.”

“The sun, moon and earth will be in perfect alignment,” Ami added, chancing a glimpse at her Senshi computer cradled within her soft fawn leather shoulder bag, resting in her lap. “You won’t be able to see the sun, because it will be hiding behind the moon.”

“When the moon overshadows the sun, they call it a solar eclipse. It gets dark, and it’s as the sun has set, but its only hiding behind the moon. It’s fantastic. You’re lucky you’ve the opportunity to see it today,” Lizzi told a wide-eyed Chibi-Usa.

She smiled, nodded, and then turned her thoughts to the troubling dream. Unexpectedly, she saw the amazing creature once again, and heard his voice in her head. ‘Please, don’t tell anyone of our meeting.’

Chibi-Usa sighed. Lizzi heard the release of breath from the little girl and looked at her, offering a gentle smile. “Whatcha thinking about?” she asked.

“I… uh,” Chibi-Usa stammered, not knowing what to say.

“Are you thinking about someone you met?” Lizzi teased. “You shouldn’t be doing anything to upset your mom and dad now.”

Mamoru and Usagi looked at each other, noticing Chibi-Usa’s confused expression as a hint of panic crossed her sweet face.

“You should talk,” Motoki said, good-naturedly. “Mom’s been quite worried about you. You’ve been coming home pretty late these days.”

“Mind your own business,” Lizzi said indignantly.

“Do I look like a babysitter?” Motoki shot back, and they all laughed.

The eclipse was about to take place, and everyone put on their protective shades or held dark panes of glass before their eyes, careful not to look directly at the sun. It happened quite quickly, but the darkness, when it did set in, seemed to grip the day as if a blanket had been thrown over the entire city. Stars began shining, and a hush fell over the bustling city.

‘It must be this dark at night when no lights are on,’ Usagi thought, as she stood watching the ebony skies festooned with bright points of stellar light. ‘It’s so strange and calm.’

‘I wonder what Kantaro was talking about there,’ Miranda wondered to herself. Her right arm still a little sensitive and sore, but the pain was quickly receding. Again, she felt the sensation of falling into a vast well of golden light at the very thought of Kantaro -- his eyes, magnetic and fathomless. She had to clutch at the grass with her free hand to banish her sense of vertigo.

~*~

‘I hope I see you again,’ Chibi-Usa thought, as once again her dream of the Pegasus and crystal forest came to mind. ‘You’re so beautiful. I would love to see you again. Please come back.’

Suddenly, a vivid flash of light in the sky drew everyone’s attention, against this backdrop, black lightning flashed. It crackled and burst forth like a stroboscope against the clouds. Then a fiery flare of luminous obsidian ascended, fountain-like into the sky. The strange lightning flashed one last time before a curtain of darkness fell upon the landscape. Then, without warning, the sun struggled from the oppressive layer of cloud, as once more, daylight reclaimed its dominion.

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