Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Dreams of the Mist ❯ Explanations ( Chapter 3 )

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av·a·tar - noun, from ava- away + tarati he crosses over

1 a : an incarnation of a deity in human form. 1 b : an embodiment (as of a concept or philosophy) often in a person.

"Ignorance is bliss."

-unknown

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Chapter 3:

Explanations

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"I suppose I shall have to start at the beginning. Well first thing first. I believe some introductions are in order. My name is Toshinokou, and I am a Third Level Mage. Welcome, my friends, to the world beyond the gates of the Holy Isle, welcome to Avalon."

"Nani?!" Usagi screeched.

"Avalon?" Ami asked in an awed gasp.

"Demo... that's.... that's impossible," Rei stuttered, her voice unbelieving and incredulous.

"I assure you, it's not," Toshinokou stated calmly.

"Avalon is just a British legend, nothing more." Michiru told him vehemently.

"All legends have some basis in fact," Toshinokou replied evenly.

Haruka seemed about to retort, but Setsuna quickly intervened. "Like the Legendary Sailor Senshi."

"Yes," he said, regarding her for a second, "Quite right."

Everyone paused clearly taking in Setsuna's words and understanding their implications.

"Come," Toshinokou said, while taking a step towards the large, metal spiked wooden doors leading into the heart of the castle. "I have a story to tell you."

* * *

The trek through the castle was quiet. All the senshi stared in wide eyed wonder as images of medieval earth and faint memories of the Silver Millenium came to life before their eyes. Servants dressed in modest calico dresses, bowed their heads and slipped quickly and quietly around the halls, stoking the embers of dying fires in stone fireplaces twice as tall as the average man, sweeping dirt and dust from the flagstone floors of the massive castle, and scurrying with trays or other such tasks through the immaculate halls.

The halls were large, easily big enough to accommodate a dragon. Possibly not a dragon the size of Akebono, but a dragon none the less. Finely woven tapestries hung from the stone walls, and the group would occasionally pass the odd high-backed, carved, wooden chair. The tapestries depicted epic battles, with brilliant colors shining in the surprisingly bright light flickering from the torches. Finally, the group passed a tapestry that was different from the others. Embroidered on its soft folds was a beautiful woman with pointed ears. While the senshi had never seen an actual elf, they were fairly sure this is what one would have looked like. She was tall, thin, and delicate, with slender arms crossed ethereally across her chest. Her features were sharp and angular, and her long white blonde hair hung suspended in the air around her. Had it not been for the membranous bat wings sprouting from her back, the senshi would have been convinced that she was indeed an elf. She did not appear strong in a physical sense, but her very demeanor spoke of unimaginable power. The woven cloth depicted her white dress billowing about her in an imaginary wind, but the edges of it were stained a vivid red, contrasting sharply with her pale skin, hair, and clothes. She was standing in the middle of a war. Around her lay sprawled figures, pictured graphically within pools of their own blood, yet the figure in the tapestry remained calm and almost oblivious to the horrors around her. An intense aura of power and light surrounded her and gave the appearance of slowly encroaching upon the rest of the battlefield. She had her eyes closed and looked completely relaxed and in control, an angel in the midst of hell.

The senshi paused for a long moment in front of this particular tapestry, standing awed by both the craftsmanship and scene depicted on the woven hanging. But Toshinokou continued walking down the hall, ignoring their brief respite. The girls and Mamoru rushed after him, leaving Makoto glancing one last time towards the tapestry before leaving to follow her friends, just missing to catch a glimpse of the wide open, gray-blue eyes of the winged, elfish woman as they bored in the back of Makoto's retreating figure.

* * *

"Sit, make yourself welcome. This should prove to be quite a long story, and you would be well advised to make yourselves comfortable." Toshinokou swept his arm towards the variety of chairs, pillows, and cushions arrayed around the room while he spoke.

Usagi hesitantly took a step forward, Mamoru by her side and her senshi fanned out protectively around her. Usagi settled into Mamoru's embrace on top of one of the large pillows, her dress spreading out elegantly around her. The rest of the girls arranged themselves similarly on the soft pillows and fluffly cushions.

"First thing first, I apologize. You are strangers in this land, we have not given you an appropriate greeting. But you must understand something. Those who had forsaken us so long ago are not remembered fondly, so almost all contact with Earth is avoided if possible. Only magi can even call upon the gates to open them now. I don't know how you arrived here, but I'd say that it is obvious from the dresses that you wear, that you are royalty."

Toshinokou saw Haruka opening her mouth and quickly held up a hand. "Please, do not speak until I have finished my tale, then you may tell me yours.

"The story of our land begins long ago, before the very dawning of time. We have two magics that rule our world, the magic of Maboroshi and Enmu. Maboroshi are phantoms, they are the very core of our magic. The first and simplest form of magic ever created was the illusion, and because Avalon is where illusion was created, Avalon is the only place where illusions are reality." Toshinokou quickly sent Ami a stern look seeing conflict on her face. "Do *not* interrupt! In Avalon illusions are real, and only the purest forms of magic are allowed to exist in this place. Avalon itself was created from illusions and the Maboroshi of Enmu. Therefore in a place created in illusions, illusions become real.

"Truthfully Enmu is what allows the illusions to become real, because in the beginning before the magic of Time was created, Enmu was born. He is the god of illusions and Maboroshi, just as Chronos rules over Time, and Selene guides the light. He was the first god created from magic, and the first magic created by a god. He rules over Avalon just as Selene rules the moon of your Earth, and Gaia governs the Earth itself. I trust you know some of the Greek mythology of your planet?" His voice said it as more of a statement than a question. "We've already established that legends have some basis in fact." He teased mildly before continuing, "And this is no exception. Ten gods and goddesses ruled the area of your solar system, and each governed their own planet. Each chose avatars for their power in order that their planets and the children of the gods who inhabited those planets might be protected. The children of the gods prospered in a time known as the Age of Millenia, sadly the last era of the millenia ended with the Silver Millenium and the destruction of the White Moon Kingdom. That in itself is a sad story..."

"You know about the Silver Millenium?!" Usagi had immediately risen to her feet in surprise and excitement.

"Yes, why should I not? It's story is tragic, but its power was legendary. The Sailor Senshi of that time were avatars to the gods themselves, some of the those gods being even older than Enmu. How do you know about the Silver Millenium?"

Usagi spared a quick, questioning glance at her senshi. Most appeared confused and shocked, completely unprepared for all they had been dealt in so short a time. Setsuna, however, nodded almost imperceptibly.

"Well," Usagi began nervously, "You see..."

"Baka! Just what the hell do you think you're doing?!" Rei, still untrusting Toshinokou, harshly scolded her friend.

"Odango! You can't seriously be thinking about telling him, are you?" Haruka took a similar, while slightly less severe, attitude.

"It is her decision in the end, Haruka, you must respect that." Setsuna, in her ever calm voice, had effectively silenced Haruka's loyal, if not over-protective, nature.

Usagi turned uncertainly from face to face, gauging each reaction, but only finding the same confusion mirrored in their faces as present on her own. Finally sighing she made up her mind, "I think it's the only way we'll get any straight answers, or any respect for that matter," she mumbled lightly. "We need to tell him minna-san, if he is willing to give us this hospitality, then it is the least we could do for him."

"We don't owe him anything, Usagi-chan!"

"Perhaps, but we owe it to ourselves to be able to live freely in a magical world. Besides, this place is so much like the Moon Palace that I don't think I could stand walking around here much longer without giving something away, even if only accidentally."

"You are not who you appear to be. Are you?" Toshinokou asked calmly.

Usagi gave him a sad smile. "No, not quite. Although, before I tell you whom I am, I want a promise from you. Onegai, do not reveal our true identities here for now. We are not sure who we can trust, and the fewer who know our actual identities, the safer we will all feel. Please, promise me that you will tell no one what I am about to tell you."

"My duty is first and foremost to my King and Queen. I shall tell them who you are, but beyond that, you have my word. No one shall know any name you do not wish them to know."

Usagi smiled gratefully and proceeded to introduce herself. "On Earth I am known as Tskino Usagi, aged 18. But in a different place and time, in another life, I was known as Princess Serenity, and Sailor Moon."

For a long moment Toshinokou remained silent staring hard at her. "If not for the fact that there was no Sailor Moon during the Silver Millenium, I would be inclined to believe you. You *are* wearing the hairstyle of the Royal family and the dress the princess normally wore."

"She speaks the truth. I am Sailor Pluto, Guardian of the Gate of Time, and avatar to Chronos. You are right, though. In the Silver Millenium, there was never a Sailor Moon. That particular senshi was created when the need arose in this time. She took Venus's place as leader among the inner senshi. Perhaps it would be best if we introduced ourselves. My name on Earth is Meio Setsuna, and in the Silver Millenium I was known as Lady Pluto." Setsuna motioned for the others to follow suit, and they did so, however hesitantly.

Toshinokou gave them all a hard piercing look before turning once again to Setsuna. "You and Serenity are the only ones among these who still remember the Silver Millenium, correct? I take it then that Queen Serenity sent you to be reborn, not merely resurrected in the future?"

"That is correct. All of us have a few vague memories of the Silver Millenium, but mine, Saturn's, Serenity's, and Endymion's are the most complete. However, the Queen still locked many of my memories away, so I do not remember everything." Toshinokou nodded slowly, comprehension dawning on him.

"Not all of you are of age then."

"Nani?" Usagi asked bewildered, her companions sharing in her lack of understanding, although Rei would be slow to admit that. She still harbored her anger at being ignored and overruled.

"You shall see in due course. I assume that you are having difficulty using your powers here?"

"How did you... What do you know?!" Haruka desperately wanted to threaten him with her Space Sword, but seeing as she could not even transform, she would gladly settle with her fist.

"Now, now, calm down. As I said before only the purest forms of magic may exist in Avalon, and all of you have yet to recieve your true powers. Do not worry, the time draws near, but for now, I ask that you trust me and my people. I will do all I can to make you comfortable, and I know that my King and Queen will do so as well. The evening is growing late. I think it is almost time for our evening meal. You may be my guests of honor."

"Hey! Wait! You still haven't explained what you know about the Silver Millenium, yet. Or how you know about it for that matter." Minako, like the rest of her friends, was beginning to show signs of annoyance.

"We will talk more over dinner. But first you need to be cleaned up." Toshinokou simply left it at that and walked out of the room, brooking no room for argument. Soon maids and attendents appeared from all corners of the previously unoccupied room, ushering the senshi towards baths and fresh sets of medival gowns. The senshi relunctantly followed them, knowing they really had no other alternatives.

* * *

A fire roared merrily from the large fireplace that reached halfway towards the ceiling. Makoto marveled at its grandeur, she was fairly sure Akebono could have stretched from nose to the tip of his tail and still not have been as tall as the massive Hall. Five different tables adorned the room, three slid together to form a u-shaped bowl, and the other two were situated within its confines. Along the crescent table sat the finer attired, wealthier, and higher ranked of the people inhabiting the castle, while along the center tables sat those slightly lower in the social caste, but no where did Makoto see any peasants or servants besides those serving the food.

The meal in itself was more of a feast than a dinner. Servants by the hundreds came with large trays laden with boundless amounts of food, placing the food first on the crescent table before moving to the inner ones. As Toshinokou's guests of honor, the senshi had been given a place of honor among the people. Toshinokou sat to the right of the King who was seated at the head of the crescent table. Usagi was given the seat next to the Queen, with Mamoru beside her. The rest of the senshi were spread out along both sides of the bottom part of the crescent.

"Well this is certainly keeping a low profile," Haruka muttered darkly, "So much for not drawing attention to ourselves by not telling them our identities. We may as well wear a sign. 'Princess is over here! Come and kill her if you can!'"

"Believe me when I say this. Princesses are common among the people of Avalon. Avalon is large, and each province, country, and sometimes even village have their own Royal leader. It is common for the King and Queen of this castle to host new royalty each night. No one thinks anything of it. If anything they would be more surprised if you were to sit among them rather than by the King and Queen's sides. Eat for now, enjoy the food."

"But you said you were going to tell us more about Avalon and how you know about the Silver Millenium." Minako pouted.

"So I did, so I did, very well then. Hmmm. Let me see, where to start? Well how about a story. That is always the best way to begin...

"No one knows exactly how the universe started, or exactly how the first gods came into being, but Gaia was the first. From her was born Uranus, god of the heavens and her husband. Together, they sired the Titans, including Chronos, the god of Time, his wife and sister, Rhea, and Hyperion, god of the Sun. From Hyperion was born Selene, goddess of the moon, Helios, priest of dreams in Elysion, and Eos, goddess of the Dawn. From Rhea and Chronus were born Hades, Poseidon, and Zeus. From Zeus and Hera were born Aphrodite, Ares, and Hermes.

"There I believe that is all of the gods of your solar system. They were among the first born to the universe, and therefore the most powerful. Enmu was born after Gaia, he was spawned from the mists of her Earth, and it was from those mists where he drew his power. Those mists allowed him to distort reality and confuse Gaia to no end."

Toshinokou began to laugh heartily, and the senshi could not help but grin at his merryment. Although Haruka had a strong suspicsion that it came from more than just the large goblet he held in his hands.

"You see, Enmu was still young at the time, because even he had to come into existence at some point. However, because Enmu was still young, he was still very mischevious and often upset the delicate balance of life Gaia had worked so hard to create with Earth. Thus, she banished him to another dimension, one removed from your own on a seperate plane of existence. That was the beginning of Avalon. Avalon is not infinite, or at least it was not in the beginning, but for as long as Enmu rules Avalon, it will be as large as it needs to be. Its size is ever increasing and decreasing from the illusions. For a long time, Avalon remained outside the loop of time, completely existing of its own, never old and never young, always omniscient and always ignorant, and always dying but never dead. Then, the worlds merged.

"The magi of the Age of Milenia, had been working for countless dynasties in search of the ultimate way to protect their kingdoms. The senshi of old had steadily been losing their power. The gods and goddess had lost interest in their colonies and Children, so they left them to their own devices, and their avatars were slowly dying.

"The magi stumbled upon Avalon completely by accident. They had been trying to harness the powers of the Light, and it opened the doorway into Avalon. As soon as the two worlds merged again, Time took over Avalon. Enmu was able to resist its presence slightly, but even then for every day of your world, two pass in Avalon. But with the reemergence of Avalon, the gods and goddess took interest in their worlds again. Selene gave to the rulers of the moon a crystal containing the Light that gave the goddess her power, and with it the moon was finally protected. That was Selene's version of an avatar. In this fashion, the other gods granted their avatars powers over their respective elements and told them that their duty now was to both protect the power of the goddess and their worlds.

"Over time, with the interest of the gods returning to your worlds and to Avalon, our world began to take on some of the characteristics of your universe, adopting and adapting its customs and traditions. Experienced magi with the highest level of power were taught how to open the Gates that separated our worlds and keep them open.

"It all came crashing down at the end of the Silver Millenium, after nearly a thousand mellenia of peace and cooperation between our two worlds, the Gates were partially shut. With the end of an era, and the powers invoked by Metallia and Serenity, the world collapsed into an ice age. This was the entire reason for creating avatars to protect the Silver Crystal. It held the power of a goddess, it held incredible destructive abilities. The human survivors of the White Moon Kingdom and the other allied planets hid among the brutal nature of Earth where an Ice Age raged uncontrolled, where Gaia punished them for failing in protecting the goddess's power. The elves of Venus retreated to Avalon, where they remain to this day. Humanity recessed into a dark age from which it has yet to grow into its former glory.

"Only one island of people and refugees, Atlantis, the Kingdom of the Children of the gods on Earth, survived the ruin of the Silver Millenium and Metallia's reign of death and destruction. They would later form another island in remembrance of their sunken kingdom. It became the Holy Isle, the Isle of Avalon. It was those select few of subjects that had survived the destruction of Atlantis and the other Kingdoms of the Age of Millennia that remembered the ancient ways, some were even descendents of the Children of the gods and were granted a fraction of their incredibly long life. Two you may know of from British legends: the Lady of the Lake, a direct descendent of the Royal Moon Family, and Merlin, the greatest Mage since the Silver Millenium. What most don't know is that the Lady of the Lake had a sister, Igraine, the mother of King Arthur. King Arthur was, in actuality, a descendent of Serenity's family. But Avalon was already fading from your world at that time. Too many people had forgotten the old ways, and the Priests of the Isle had built Glattosnbury Abby on the site of the once mighty Gates of Avalon. People were forsaking the old ways for the new. Finally, when King Arthur died, Avalon's Gates were completely shut on your world. You are the first visitors we have had in a very long time.

"Well I'll say that about sums it up!" Toshinokou pronounced happily.

Haruka nudged Usagi's sleeping form none too gently, and with an undignified snort she sat bolt upright.

"I was listening, really I was."

Makoto groaned lightly. Minako was leaning on her shoulder, snoring loudly, and Rei's head continued dropping dangerously close to the pudding. Makoto herself had spent the last half hour it had taken to tell the story with a vacant expression on her face as she thought about her own experiences thus far in Avalon. The fact that she had experienced a meeting between Merlin, Igraine, and the Lady of the Lake was one of the things that had prevented her from joining her friends in Elysion. Out of all the senshi, Ami, Setsuna, Mamoru, and Michiru had been the only ones to listen attentively throughout the narration. But of course Michiru had her Deep Aqua Mirror for an illustrated version of the telling.

Makoto could hear Ami asking numerous technical questions that easily passed all comprehension of the majority in the room, including Toshinokou. But there was one question that had stuck out in Makoto's mind from all of Toshinokou's tale, one that she knew had gone unanswered too long.

"Toshinokou-san?" She began hesitantly, suddenly aware everyone had turned their attention towards her. "Er... I was wondering, I had been hurt... very badly... and somehow, Akebono healed me... he said you could explain."

"I thought that was what I had been doing. It's simple really. He merely used an illusion spell. He made your wounds appear to be healed and so Enmu made them actually be healed."

"So then I'm not really healed! I'm still injured! It's all an illusion!"

Toshinokou sighed deeply while the senshi began to look very concerned indeed. "You haven't heard a word I've said have you?"

"Hey! I wasn't the one who fell asleep!"

Minako frowned deeply, "I resemble that remark!"

This invited a groan among the senshi. "So much for that. And I'd thought she'd finally overcome her misquotations." Usagi said with a long suffering sigh.

Toshinokou decided to ignore the feuding friends and continue with his explanation. "This is Avalon; illusions are a reality here."

"But what happens when she returns to Earth then, does the illusion become nothing more than an illusion then?" Ami sounded increasingly worried about her friend.

"No, no... It only begins as an illusion. But once it is touched by the mists of Enmu, it becomes reality, and since Akebono is a dragon, a very powerful dragon at that, Enmu will gladly follow his will and wishes.

"Enough! I am tired of talking. Finish eating then I will show you to your rooms for the night. Sleep well and we can talk more in the morning."

The senshi had started to become accustomed to Toshinokou's abrupt endings and commanding prescence. At first he had seemed almost wary of them, but when he realized that they were not total outsiders to magic, he had begun to treat them as he did everyone else. Makoto was not quite sure if that was a good thing or not.

The majority of the group had finished eaten sometime during Toshinokou's narrative, but because he had been too busy talking, he had yet to finish his meal. After drinking plenty and eating anything in site, he was ready to go. The senshi were led down another maze of hallways until they stood outside an oaken door that Makoto doubted they would be able to budge.

"Hey! This is the room you had us locked in earlier."

Toshinokou smiled mischeviously. "Hai, it is our largest room, complete with sitting area, and five adjacent bedrooms. I am afraid you will have to share. The bathing room is a little further down this hall on your right. The servents will have clean clothes placed out for you in the morning, we can arrange the rest of your stay and accomadations tomorrow. It is late now, so I will bid you goodnight. May Selene light your path in darkness and night."

"And may Enmu grant you the strength to follow it," Ami answered him uncertainly, hoping she had correctly remembered the answering farewell.

Judging by Toshinokou's appraising grin, she had.

The senshi turned to walk into the room, but Makoto paused briefly in the door. Alternately glancing between her friends and Toshinokou, before finally deciding.

"Wait, wait Toshinokou-san, wait!" Makoto cried desperately as she ran to catch up to his retreating figure, leaving her friends to explore their room.

"Hai, Jupiter-sama-"

"Well first, start by calling me Makoto, I'm not a princess in this time. That was a past life."

"Very well... Makoto-sa... n" Toshinokou answered uncertainly before continuing, "How may I help you?"

Now that her mad dash down the hall had been completed, Makoto blushed. "Er... yes... well... You've told us so much about Avalon as a place, but I wondered about its creatures, its life and people."

Toshinokou smiled knowingly. "You wish to know more about dragons and your dragon friend." Toshinokou's laughter rang out at Makoto's embarrassed and surprised expression.

"Let us go outside under the stars where no one may disturb us and I will tell you all I may of dragons, however, it is Akebono's business what he tells you about himself."

The two walked in companionable silence until they reached the door that led outside. Both stepped from the shadows of the castle and into the brilliant white light of a glowing full moon. The sky was still a deep midnight black, despite the bright light of the moon. Makoto found it odd that the light of Avalon's sun seemed fainter than their moon, and yet it was dark under the baleful eye of the moon, and light under the pale glow of the sun. The magic and illusions of Avalon was the only way Makoto could think to explain it.

Ahead, a path of flagstone wove between hedges of medium height and modest budding trees. Everything in this section of the garden looked new and young, perfectly cultivated and not wild in the least. Flowers were beginning to bud, but in the shadows cast by the moonlight everything took on a surreal appearance. Almost as though the young saplings and blossoming buds were illusions created from the mist that hung in the air around them, reflecting with moonlight like spun silver hanging suspended in the air.

Toshinokou led her on the path, through the younger group of flowers and greenery until the duo came upon an arch of living willow branches. Makoto's breath caught in her throat.

Two towering willow trees, their long branches sweeping downwards and draping over the ground like a curtain, barred their path. The tallest branches of the trees wove together at their apex, and created a living arch of leaves and wood. The rest of the branches laced their fingers together and created a curtained doorway. Toshinokou walked slowly forward and pulled apart the branches, motioning her forward.

She ducked beneath the thin, leafy branches and stepped into Eden.

A pond with crystalline water as calm as the eye of a storm rested in the middle of the oasis. Growing on one of its banks, with old knobby roots reaching out, under, and around the smooth waters, was a cherry tree with a gnarled trunk twisting above the water. Cherry blossoms danced under the moon and fell like rain onto the smooth waters causing small ripples which slowly spread out from the epicenter until eventually dying and leaving the pond smooth once more. With a sharp intake of breath, Makoto reached out a gentle hand and gracefully caught a falling petal. The fragrance drifted slowly up and Makoto curled her fingers cautiously around the delicate petals, intoxicated by its scent and the beauty surrounding her.

"We are alone here," Toshinokou told her, effectively shattering the tranquil mood.

Slowly, Makoto released the petal to fall soundlessly to the water's perfect surface sending flaws rippling out from its sudden intrusion into a foreign land.

"Now, sit, Makoto-san, and listen to the dragons' legend...

"Once long ago, after Enmu had created Avalon, he became lonely. Hyperion, son of Gaia and Uranus, sired three children-Helios, Selene, and Eos-all of them had humans that they were to look after. Enmu, however, had only the living trees and plants to protect. And while they had been imbued with a certain sentience, they were far from capable of conversation. You see at that time the trees were young and held none of their present wisdom. But Enmu decided that in order for him to create his own company, they would have to be superior to humans. Thus he created the dragons.

"There are two kinds of dragons, the Elder Brethren and the Lesser Dragons. Lesser Dragons are the type of dragon you hear fairy tales about as children. Enmu created these as a simple basis for the other beasts in the forest. They do not have the ability nor mental capacity to talk in the same way as Akebono. In truth, they are really nothing more than your average animal. Living off primal instincts and with only enough magic to spit fire from their mouth when provoked or angry. Akebono, however, is an Elder Brethren. They are the oldest of all magical beings... and the strongest. Their powers of illusion are unrivaled, and because they were Enmu's first and most beloved creation, he gave them his power. They cannot force their will onto him, and he only gives his complete power to a select few, but even the weaker of the dragons are stronger than any elf or mage you will ever meet, especially in Avalon.

"They also hold many secrets not permissable for me to tell to one who is an outsider, even if that person is a senshi. Avalon holds many secrets, and it likes to keep its secrets. It is up to Akebono whether or not he tells you.

"However, I must say this... You must be special Makoto-san. Dragons are fiercely loyal to their clan and ultimately distrusting of everything but other dragons. Not even their distant cousin the elf can always earn their trust and respect. Humans are inferior to them. They are not rude or mean in any way, but they do not trust others. Akebono would have saved anyone else from certain death, be certain of that, but he would not have been so willing to laugh, smile, and become friends with just anyone. For a dragon to speak willingly to a non-dragon is simply unheard of. For an Elder Brethren to befriend a non-dragon is a miracle in and of itself. I believe there is more to you than meets the eye, Makoto-san." Toshinokou commented as he turned his gaze upwards, his eyes thoughtful as his mind wondered about the young woman that stood beside him. Eventually his attention returned to her and he abruptly ended their conversation with a not so subtle question. "Do you wish for me to show you back to your room, or do you believe you can find it?"

"Oh no, that's fine. I want to stay out here under the stars for a little while longer. I can find my own way back, don't worry about me." Makoto smiled graciously at Toshinokou as he bowed in return and disappeared among the shadows of the willow branches. Her smile dropped almost as soon as his form was gone, and she walked purposefully towards a bed of lilies nearly hidden in the shadows of the oasis yet shining white in the moonlight and glistening with pale tears of dew. Her head angled sharply towards the sky, feeling suddenly childish and lost in this new, large, and very different world. She singled out a star among the vast heavens, and gave into her childish dreams. "I wish... I wish... that things were differnt. That you weren't who you were, Akebono-kun, or that I'm not who I am. Because, if that were the case, I think I could... I think I could love you with all my heart. But... I can't... not like this, not now... not ever. If things were different..." She collapsed soundlessly to the ground. Holding in her sobs as she stared uncertainly at her hands clinging to the grass, wishing for the impossible, wishing that it was possible to control who you loved, but knowing that she could never allow herself to love Akebono. The moon hung pale and alone in the vast black sky, as two stars, one a brilliant emerald, and the other a pale sky blue shone iredescent on either side of the lonely satellite.

Toshinokou watched her, wide-eyed, from his place among the shadows, his thoughts wandering along similar lines as hers, but still so very different. "What is so special about you Makoto-san, that you have fallen for the one you cannot have, that you must force yourself to turn away from the one who would complete your soul? And how is it that you have captured the Dragon Prince's heart as well?"

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Author's Notes:

Yes, I know that this chapter had no action whatsoever, but I had to explain everything sometime and I doubt people want to be confused forever. Although I do realize that many things probably still don't make all that much sense, but what do you expect when dealing with illusions, nothing is ever what it seems. Then add that to using science and facts to describe magic and illusion, and nothing ever makes sense. If you're still confused about some of the finer details of Avalon or its magical beings after reading this chapter, just e-mail me at junohime@hotmail.com. I'll try and explain everything as best I can, as long as it doesn't give away a future plot line of course. ^_-

Also, I changed the section this fic is in, hoping that it will attract more attention in its new spot. I want reviews people! I am so grateful to those who do review, but I'm greedy and I want more. What can I say?