Sailor Moon Fan Fiction / Crossover With Non-anime Series Fan Fiction ❯ Dragoon Tales: The New Legend ❯ Chapter 5 The Basilian Capital ( Chapter 5 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Chapter 5 The Basilian Capital



After a few days of traveling, Rei, Makoto, and Usagi finally reach Bale, the heart of Basil. They enter the ornate gates of the city, Makoto greeting various soldiers along the way. The city was beautiful, and bustling with life. Vendors and shopkeepers displayed their wares in an open market; the doors of various weapon shops and item stores swing wide open as satisfied customers walk in and out, chatting animatedly to one another.

"Captain Kino!" a knight claps a fist to his chest in greeting. Makoto returns the gesture and smiles as she guides her friends onwards. Rei and Usagi walk through the crowds, sensing the suspicious gaze of the people.'What the hell is wrong with them,' Rei thought angrily. She feels a breath next to her ear.

"It's not their fault, Rei. We're in the middle of a war, they have a right to be suspicious, especially of strangers." Usagi had woken up and notices the expression on her carrier's face. Rei mumbles something incoherent and continues trailing Makoto. The blonde just giggles and rests her head on Rei's shoulder, not missing the crimson blush that has spread over Rei's grumpy face. A warm feeling worms its way into her heart as she snuggles closer to her friend. 'Just like old times.'

FLASHBACK

A 14 year old Rei and 10 year old Usagi run through a grassy forest.

"Wait!" Rei yells out.

"This way! This way!" Usagi cries as she turns back, waving for Rei to hurry up.

"Umph!" the blonde haired girl unexpectedly trips over a large log. Rei runs faster to check on her friend. She grins as she reaches the girl.

"Haha, always the clumsy one, odango," Rei jokes as she sits next to the Usagi.

"Hmph, Rei is so mean," Usagi sniffs as the dark haired girl inspects her foot.

"Looks like nothing's broken, just a slight twist."

"Owwie, it still hurts," Usagi whimpered as she tries to stand up. Rei sighs and turns her back, crouching low.

"What are you doing?"

"What does it look like, odango-atama? Looks like I'm going to have to give you a lift back to the village," Rei says, exasperated. Usagi smiles and climbs onto her back, not missing the good-natured grin Rei was trying to cover up.

END FLASHBACK

"This, my friends, is Indels Castle," Makoto says as they reach a large, towering structure at the heart of the city. The castle was magnificent, tall towers spiraling towards the sky, green Basilian banners and flags covering the structure. A long stairway stretches into the entrance of the castle, its equally long red carpet welcoming to the guests.

'Great, more stairs,' Rei thinks as she grudgingly climbs the walkway. 'And to top it off, I'm still carrying Usagi.' Makoto was used to the long ascent and waited at the top for her companions. They reach the top, where Usagi got off her friend's back and gazes at the structure in amazement. The two guards at the top greet the knight as she ushers the two awe-struck friends in. They observe the delicate carvings on the wall, depicting famous battles and, surprisingly, the simple lifestyles of the people.

"These carvings were done long before King Artemis," Makoto points to the battle scenes. "The others were added after his reign. His Majesty believes it is the hard work of the people that truly shapes this kingdom."

"An honorable philosophy," Rei agrees. Usagi continues to stare in wonder at the beautifully decorated hallways. They are interrupted as a small man in a page outfit runs up to Makoto.

"Captain Kino, His Majesty heard that you were back and requests your presence in the conference room," he breathes. Makoto nods and gestures to her two companions.

"Tell him that I will have two important guests with me," Makoto commands, and the page nods, running off once again to the conference room.

"His Majesty is a bit uptight, but he is a greatly loved ruler. I'm sure you will find him hospitable," the brown-haired woman says as she leads them to the conference room in the lower corridors. As they enter, they are greeted by the sight of a blue haired woman standing next to the throne, wearing scholarly robes and a large book held in one hand. She was talking to a white-haired man sitting on the golden, eagle-shaped throne in the middle of the room.

'So this is the great King Artemis of Basil,' Rei thinks, observing the two men. 'Then the other one must be Minister whatever. Odd, a female advisor...'

Her train of thought is interrupted by Makoto, who clasps a fist to her chest and kneels, ushering with her eyes for Rei and Usagi to do the same. They comply, Rei more grudgingly so.

"Your Majesty!"

The king breaks from his talk with the woman on his right and prompts them to get up, waving a hand dismissively.

"Now, no need for formalities. You know I hate those things among friends," King Artemis says as they rise to their feet. "Makoto, what happened? We sent guards to invade Hellena after you were found captured but then news broke out that you escaped..."

"Yes, sir," the knight replies. "My two companions and I broke through the barriers and headed back here. This is Rei Hino, a warrior from Seles, and Usagi...?" Makoto looks to the blonde.

"Tsukino, sir," Usagi speaks up.

"Also from Seles," Makoto continues.

"Seles, the town that they ravaged a few weeks back?" the king queries. Rei's expression turns dark as she nods.

"I see. We have sent supplies and guards to the village about a week ago, they should be there by now. Every citizen of the Kingdom of Basil is my responsibility." Rei raises her head and looks at the king. 'Seems like he's not such a bad guy after all.'

"Thank you, your Majesty," Usagi voices, relieved. Rei bows her head, thanking the man.

"I've heard that they razed the village in pursuit of a girl," King Artemis says evenly, looking at Usagi. Rei raises her head defensively, stepping in front of the girl. The king observes the woman in front of him. 'Protective, indeed. A fine quality.' The aura around the girl blazes a fiery red, amazing the man, and her dark violet eyes bore through his.

"Now, no need to be defensive. It was merely a statement. We don't know what they want, but as long Sandora is after her, we will keep her safe. After all, you did save the life of my most trusted knight."

Rei takes a half-step back, controlling her aura, still unsure of the situation.

"Don't worry, young one, you are now under the protection of Basil. Like I said, we don't know what they want with the girl, and I can see that she is still merely a girl. We mean no harm, are we not all on the same boat here?" the monarch reasons. "You don't have to trust me, but the king of Basil is indebted to you nonetheless," the white-haired man reassures.

Rei, surprised by the honesty in the man's voice, looks over ar Usagi before bowing her head. "Thank you."

"Don't worry, this one's not really trusting at first. She'll grow on you," Makoto interrupts, ignoring the glare sent her way from the raven haired woman. Minister Mizuno claps a hand over her mouth, trying to cover a giggle while Usagi lets out an adorable laugh. The king smiles slightly.

"There is still a question that has been troubling me," Rei speaks, ignoring the jibe. The others turn to her, their interest peaked. "I would like some information about the Black Monster. It...destroyed a village called Neet in Mille Seseau eighteen years ago."

King Artemis nods toward the woman on his right.

"Ami." The blue haired woman opens the large book, flipping through the pages violently before stopping.

"The Black Monster...Neet...here we are...It seems as though the Black Monster has no longer been sighted since the attack on that village. The records have little to no information about it, except for the fact that it appears every 108 years and destroys a particular village before disappearing completely....Hmm, its says here that the Black Monster is a 'devil who devours a god."

"A devil who devours a god!," Makoto exclaims. "What does that mean?" There was a pregnant silence in the room, its occupants trying to absorb the information given to them.

"11,000 years ago, a war was fought between Humans and a race of powerful creatures called Winglies," Ami's voice breaks the silence. "The bloody war lasted for a century, but the Humans gained momentum with the use of dragons. They defeated the Winglies and "acquired the future."

"The future?!" Usagi gasps.

"A power that is shrouded in secrets. No one knows what it means, but it is said to appear every 108 years," Ami explains.

"Can it mean....the Black Monster...it was looking for this power?" Makoto says. 'A mysterious power...'

'So, it was searching for this...future,' Rei muses. "How do I find it?"

The minister continues flipping through the pages. "I don't know, there is no information on the whereabouts of the beast nor any details about how to find it."

Rei lowers her eyes, angered. 'So, all this for naught.' She feels a hand on her arm.

"Rei, its ok, we'll find it somehow. Please, don't be sad," Usagi pleads. Rei looks at her, gazing into pools of baby blue...Those eyes, they always seem to calm her down...somehow...Usagi....

"Eh-hem..." came the awkward cough from Minister Mizuno. The two break their gaze and flush, turning their attention back to the white-haired monarch. Rei feels comforted by Usagi's hand, which is still resting on her arm.

"You all must be tired," King Artemis said, breaking the awkward moment. He gestures to the page. "Take them to the guest wings to rest. Makoto, we have much to discuss."

The page nods and bows, leading the two to out the door. Rei looks over at Makoto, who gives a reassured nod of her head before turning her head back to the king.

"Makoto, there is rumor that Hoax will be..." Artemis's voice trails off as the door closes. 'I'll ask Makoto about it later,' Rei reasons, tiredness washing over her body. The violet-eyed woman and her friend are led to the guest wings. Usagi heads off to her assigned room while Rei enters her own. A large bed sits in the middle of the room, and a large lamp stands next to it on top of a small table. A door to the right leads to what looks like a bathroom, where Rei immediately heads to, peeling off her red armor and hanging her swords on the towel rack. After a quick shower, she pulls on a pair of dark trousers and a long night shirt before throwing herself onto the bed, and is about to fall asleep when a knock is heard on her door.

"Rei? Are you awake?" Usagi peeks her head in and looks around for her friend.

"Yup," comes the muffled reply, a dark head buried face down into a pillow. The girl being addressed looks up.

"You know, odango, you're supposed to wait until someone says you can come in to actually come in," she smirks.

"Reiiiiiii, stop calling me that," the blonde whines before sitting down on the bed. "I was just...a little...scared," she murmured. Rei's eyes soften.

"That thing that happened back there in the caves, that light...I don't know what it is. I don't know what happened...I'm just scared. I don't want it to happen again." The blonde shuts her eyes, trying to wipe the memory from her mind. That monster was about to hurt Rei, and something had snapped inside. It had hurt so much, her head felt like it was going to explode. Suddenly she feels arms encircle her as Rei pulls her into a warm hug..

"Its ok. You didn't want us to get hurt, thats all. Don't worry. Whatever happens, I'll always be here for you. Always remember that," the dark haired girl whispers, stroking the blonde's hair. 'This is becoming a habit,' she thinks amusingly, chuckling to herself.

"What's so funny?" Usagi asks, curious.

"Nothing, little one, just get some sleep. You can stay in here tonight," Rei says, leaning over and unexpectedly kissing the petite blonde on her forehead before falling on the bed, intent on going to sleep. Usagi blushes fiercely, looking at her friend before laying down next to her, a sad smile on her face.

'When are you going to stop treating me like a little sister Rei...when are you going to realize there's more than that...'

*********************************************

*K NOCK KNOCK*

Usagi wakes up to a loud thumping on the door. She looks around, 'Where's Rei?' feeling the empty sheets next to her. The door suddenly opens and the warrior walks in, her arms carrying a tray with milk, bread, cheese, and a roasted meat. She is quickly followed by Makoto and the blue haired woman Usagi recognizes as Minister Mizuno.

"Here, Usagi, dig in," Rei says as she sets the tray down on the small table next to the bed. 'Wow, I never realized how hungry I am,' Usagi notes as she attacks the food with fervor.

"Hfarnt fyu fuys gogna haf ny?" Usagi says through a mouthful of food. The others look on incredulously.

"No, we're already ate," the raven haired woman replies, oblivious to the amazed stares of the other two in the room, who briefly shake their heads. 'Too weird to ask,' they thought.

The blonde shrugs and continues to eat. As she finishes, Usagi catches some information from Rei and Makoto's conversation.

"...that Hoax is being attacked tomorrow night. The Sandorians are sending elite forces. The king has asked me to help the Eight Knighthood defend the fortress. I'll be leaving in a few hours," Makoto explained quietly.

"And Minister Mizuno...?" Rei queries, looking over at the imperial advisor.

"Please, Ami is just fine...I'll be going too," she blushes, reaching over to grasp Makoto's hand, the knight smiling at her fondly. Rei looks at their hands and blushes, realizing that the two were...closer than she thought.

"We're going too!" Usagi quips, having finished her food at an alarming rate, and moves next to Rei, her eyes bearing into Makoto's forest green ones.

"Usagi, this is extremely dangerous. We can't-" Makoto replies, shocked, but is interrupted by the red-armored woman.

"No, she's right. We have to go. This is war, and it's going to affect everyone who lives in this kingdom. It is our duty as citizens of Basil to defend it," Rei argues, looking meaningfully at Usagi. The blonde nods and smiles at her friends.

"That's right. You're not going anywhere without us."

Makoto looks at Ami, who smiles gently.

"It would be nice to have traveling companions. From what I've heard, you are quite the swordsmaster," Ami spoke up. Rei blushes at the comment. Usagi smiles, liking this woman already. She was so shy and sweet, it's so cute!

"Well, I guess its decided," Makoto finalizes, scratching her head. "We'll go inform the king. You guys had better pack up and uh...don't take too long." With a wink the knight leads her apparent girlfriend out of the room, leaving a stunned Rei and a fiercely blushing Usagi to ponder her meaning.

"...Right," Rei muttered before turning to Usagi, who had already begun packing. 'Guess I'd better start too," the woman sighs.

******************************

"All ready?" Makoto asks as the four step outside the castle. She was dressed in her green clothes, the dirtied armor from before replaced with new silver armor trimmed in green. Her hair was tied in a traditional ponytail and dark green running boots rested on her feet. The long, green spear in her hand glowed with an unearthly power as the thunderbolt design on it gleamed under the light of the sun. Ami was dressed in light hunting garb, leather armor covering her upper body over a blue shirt and tight blue trousers binding her legs, which were covered with shin guards. A large belt trailed over her chest before encircling her waist, multitudes of small knives and ninja stars attached to it. A small pouch was attached to the side of the belt, and small dagger could be seen attached to the hunting boots on her right leg. Rei eyed the blue haired woman curiously.

"She can throw knives so well it's scary. You'll never see it coming," Makoto grinned proudly. Rei's eyes widen as they trail over to Ami, who flushed slightly.

"I used to be a knight, but I find that using words is better than shedding blood," Ami explains, pocketing small herbs and vials into her pouch.

'Wow, totally unexpected,' Rei thinks. She herself was garbed in her red armor, the newly scrubbed metal reflecting the shadow of the Moon that Never Sets. Her two swords were where they belonged, at her waist, and, surprising, the worn leather bag usually slung across her shoulder was absent. "It'll get in the way," Rei had said. Tucked into the same hunting boots as Ami's were her black fighting trousers, covered with red shin guards that tightly hugged her frame. Rei looked over at Usagi, the blond wearing scouting leathers similar to Ami's, although they were white (courtesy of the rangers in the castle), and carried a fresh quiver of arrows over her shoulder, a long ivory bow held in both hands. The four walked steadily down the stairs away from the castle and headed for the town of Hoax.