Title: Newborn Wings Alicia Blade Kammi22@sprintmail.com Rated G Dedicated to Amanda I, Amanda II, and my personal Chibiusa-chan. I wanna thank BlackIris3 for the sweet contribution of the AMK template, even though I couldn't use it. Arigatou for thinking of me!! Thanks also to my editor, Ms. Stormlight, and Lady S, friend and partner in crime. ^_~ Ms. Joy Sutherland, could you please read the note at the bottom? Thankies much, girl! Gomen nasai to those who have emailed me the last few weeks. Most of you are sitting lonely in my inbox. Sigh… I'll get to work replying soon, I promise! Might I state before I begin that about half way through writing this I actually researched Elios a bit and found out that his character is actually a LOT like I'd imagined him being, even the fact that he… wait a minute, that'll give away the story. Ugh, but either way, I just wanted to say proudly that I was quite closely on track with the manga story and am thrilled that Naoko and I must think alike. ^_^ WARNING! However, despite my psychedelic wavelengths with Takeuchi- sama, there are many differences between this fic and the original manga story line, including character and plot differences. Don't take this for fact, if you want the original plot, read the manga. Always keep in mind this is FANfiction. (Don't we love it? ^_~) "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing." II Timothy 4:7-8 Newborn Wings Hard breathing sounded behind her. Her legs pumped harder. Up and down along the hard sidewalk, she ran. Beads of sweat were already forming on her brow. Her shoes, soft leather tennis shoes, skidded on the pavement. Echoes, breathing… the enemy behind her approached. Merciless, its breathing closed down on her ears. A whimper escaped. Her arms swung faster, bent at the elbows. She ignored the pink hair flying into her eyes. A tear of horror sunk across her cheek. Her lips, dry, could not scream. With a sudden loss of strength, she fell to the ground. A grunt, a moan, another helpless whimper. On hands and knees, she bent down, lowering herself closer to the stone floor. "Sailormoon, Tuxedo Kamen, where are you?" Her lip began to bleed. Biting roughly upon it, ignoring pain, she turned onto her side. Giant terror-filled eyes lifted to the attacker. It loomed over her frail body. Two silver fangs gleaming from red lips. A mane of straggled violet hair surrounded horrible green skin and gloomy black eyes. The thing held up a hand. Each finger held a razor at the tip. It hissed in satisfaction. "No…" was her struggled response. "Somebody… help me…" It was too quiet for anyone to hear. She slammed her eyes shut. A fierce howl contradicted the winning grin of moments past. Gurgling and trampling sounds replaced fearsome breathing. Not feeling any hurt on her limbs, Chibi Usagi managed to raise her eyelids. The ruby tints gleamed with fear and confusion. The unicorn, no, the pegasus neighed in fury, thrusting its head forward again. The horrid creature was already bent over on the ground, grasping at its stomach. With another wound, it sprawled backward, landing on its back in the middle of a dark street. The giant winged horse followed, kicking at it unmercifully with its hind legs, stabbing it with a gold horn jutting from its forehead. The beast screamed in agony, before letting its claw fall into an oil-stained puddle in the gutter. And it was dead. Chibiusa looked on with wide eyes and trembling lips. Shaking, she managed to pull herself to a sitting position, aimlessly backing into a wall behind her. Neighing again, the pegasus turned toward her slowly. What a glorious animal it was. Powerful legs, a silky white sheen, a flowing main of snowy hair, a proud golden cone on its forehead, two graceful, strong wings upon its back, and shimmering golden eyes with tints of silver echoing in their deep stare. Chibiusa blinked many times, clutching her skirt with one tight fist. The animal slowly began to trot toward her, cautious and shy. Unwillingly, she tried to sink down into the background, but it continued to come toward her. "S…stop!" she commanded with false courage, holding up one hand. It paused, tilting its head to the side. Instantly, a wave of white hair flowed over its neck. "Please don't be frightened, pretty maiden. I promise that I will not hurt you." Her eyes instantly widened, staring at the long snout of the creature. "You… you just talked!" "Of course… Princess Usagi Small Lady Selenity of Earth." Chibiusa blinked rapidly, her jaw open. Whimpering, she shuffled her feet to find she could move no further into the solid wall behind her. The voice was soft and kind, obviously from a man, or boy at least. The creature was male, but age was a completely different question. "How do… you know my name? How would you know all that?" He blinked, lowering his head momentarily. "This… is your dream, Chiba-san." There, he knew her family name as well. "Dream?" "Hai, of course." "I don't understand…" In truth, she was only beginning to comprehend. Of course this was a dream. In real life, Mamoru or Usagi would be protecting her by now, not a giant talking unicorn. "I cannot explain it. I am real, however I exist only in the dreams of children who believe in me. I promise, fair maiden, I will keep away your nightmares from now on." "But who are you?" "I am your protector. For now, you may call me Pegasus." She wasn't quite sure whether to thank him, or pinch herself in hopes of waking up in a nice warm bed, snug in Mamo-chan's apartment. Her decision would have made no difference. With the dying of his words, Pegasus disappeared into the air. And Chibiusa woke up. <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> "Hey, have you seen the new kid?" "Yeah, he's kind of cute." "You think? I thought he was a little strange looking." "I agree! He's scrawny… and what boys have hair color that… light?" "But he does have pretty eyes." "Yeah, I guess. Still… there's just…" "…something about him…" Breaking into giggles, the group of girls walking behind Chibiusa in the large school hallway quickly changed the subject to the newest movie star or teeny-bopper boy group. Frowning, Chibiusa stepped into a side hallway, turning around as the large cluster of gossips disappeared into the crowd. With a furrowed brow, she tilted her head to the side. "A new kid?" she mused to herself, brushing one cotton-candy strand of hair away from her shoulder. Rolling her eyes at her own curious amusement, she tied both arms around her books and turned once again to head down the original hallway toward her locker. Crash! "Eek!" Chibiusa gasped, watching her books clatter across the floor, mixing with those of the clumsy teenager. "Oh, I'm so sorry!" came the immediate apologies. Chibiusa froze, watching on stunned as the head of pale blond hair stooped down to begin collecting the books and papers. "It was a complete accident. I simply wasn't watching where I was going. You see, I'm new here and I was trying to find my classroom, but I… well, I'm just very sorry." The voice… it seemed so strangely familiar. Chibiusa found herself listening closely to the tone rather the words, trying desperately to remember where she head heard that boy's voice before. "Uh… here are your books, anyway." He stood up, thrusting a stack of texts and binders in her direction, another bunch shoved carelessly into a book bag still lying on the floor. Their eyes widened. The new boy let his jaw drop only momentarily before bringing his lips together and gulping roughly. Clearing his throat, he nodded shyly. After a pause of silence, he lowered his gaze to the books still hanging in mid-air upon his palm. "Y…your books, miss." Chibiusa blinked, losing contact with the calm, caressing lemon gaze. "Arigatou…" she mumbled, gingerly taking them from his gasp. He nodded again, refusing to meet her stare. Frozen in place, Chibiusa stared at his lowered features, briefly noticing a pale, hardly visible scar on his forehead. It was not her place to inquire, nor did she have enough time. Soon, the boy had stooped to pick up his backpack before walking briskly past her, scurrying from her path like a beetle. He was soon lost in the crowd of students, all bustling toward first period. The pink-haired teenager watched on, her lips parted. "How… how could anyone have such… vibrant eyes…?" she whispered, glad that no one stayed near enough to hear her. Her mind conjured up the image of a blazing white steed, before the bell rung and she caught her breath, pivoting to jog quickly for her morning class. <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> "So much homework, so little time…" she whimpered drowsily, shifting the pile of books higher into her arms. They hurt already and she was only two blocks away from the school. Sighing, Chibiusa looked up at the sky, watching as a flock of small black birds clustered above her head before soaring into a bush over by the park on the other side of the street. A smile crept over her lips. Blowing a strand of hair off of her forehead, she let her eyes drift tiredly, then spark to life as she caught a glimpse of a small, blond figure on the sidewalk across from her. He was about forty feet ahead of her and she wondered why she had not noticed him until now. His head bent, a bag undoubtedly filled with books hung off of his left shoulder. Feathery bangs caressed his temple and forehead, most likely covering that tiny scar by now. Furrowing her brow, Chibiusa listed her head to the side in hopes to study him while she had the chance. She felt sort of bad about staring at him so closely, almost like he was some sort of mutant, but… Those girls in the hall had been right. He was strange. Elios was his name. He had been in three of her classes throughout the daily eight. Sat in the back until the teacher would place him elsewhere. Didn't talk to anyone, even those who would attempt to greet him kindly. Only stare in a hint of fear and curiosity, his saffron eyes widening in unspoken wonder. After a moment he might hint at a smile and nod, before turning his stare back to the floor. Chibiusa could tell that he was lonely and wondered how many friends he had… has ever had. Gulping, she began to chew a bit on her lip. Straightening her back and throwing back her shoulders, she crossed the street at the first crossing and quickened her pace through the park, shuffling her feet quietly. She kept a safe space of thirty feet between them after her mind realized she was too shy to approach him after all. At one point he froze and turned, his suspecting eyes scanning the park. His personal stalker was already hidden within a patch of large bushes. Furrowing his brow, Elios turned and continued through the lush green park. And so they walked on, not quite hand in hand. <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> Elios made his way through the fields, past gardens and small forests without taking the smallest moment to stop and admire the beautiful environment. Chibiusa found this more difficult, but continued on with little delay. She followed him down to the lake where he paused and looked around for some time, until a couple who had been sitting on a nearby bench stood to leave. Chibiusa held her breath, ducking behind a great tree trunk. Finally, he neared the lake, creeping around the shores to the large silver waterfall that fell glimmering to the crystalline surface. The pink-haired princess nibbled on her lip, staring in awe as he took one last look around before clambering up a small cliff of rocks and sliding behind the waterfall without making the slightest stir in the cascading wall. The girl held still for sometime, debating whether or not to continue with her journey. Curiosity was near killing her, her hands gripping the branches of the large tree. Eventually, with an agitated groan, she left her sanctuary, searching the surrounding area much as the teenage boy had done, before stepping in his path and disappearing behind the water. Inside she froze, her ruby eyes opening drastically. It was a cave; she had expected as much. But it was much larger than she could have imagined. A good thirty feet in diameter, and stretching into the cliff farther than she could see. Surprisingly warm, it held almost a comfortable feel, albeit lonely. Gulping, Chibiusa forced her legs forward, her eyes darting over the area with every tiny sound she heard. The cave stretched farther back, and soon she saw dimmed lights around a corner. Hesitating, she peaked around the corner, and could hardly hold back a gasp. Like a comfy cottage, the cave opened into a large room with crystal wall sconces with burning flames and a fluffy cushioned chair in the corner. There was a simple bed against one wall and a tiny stove, evidently made of the strangest crystal material, alone by the back. But she could see no more doors branching off from the space, and there was no sign of Elios. Her brow furrowing, she cautiously moved into the room. "What are you doing here?!" yelled an angry voice, a heavy hand landing forcefully on her shoulder. Chibiusa screamed, whisking around only to lose her balance and fall to the rock floor. Gasping for terrified breaths, her eyes lifted to look into a crystal sheer gaze lowered down on her. Her lip quivered, feeling scared tears attack their ducts. Elios, on the other hand, looked more surprised than any sort of angry. In his left hand he held a sort of club looking object, which he quickly dropped to the floor with a look into the girls eyes. His jaw dropped, hearing her whimper echo into the silence of the cave. Catching his breath, he immediately dropped to his knees before her. "Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't recognize you at first, please forgive me, I didn't mean to startle you!" "Huh?" Chibiusa let her eyes soften, the fear dissipating with a look at the softness in his eyes. Slowly she managed to sit up, her arms shaking beneath the weight of her body. "But… I… I should be apologizing to you. I didn't mean… I thought… I just saw you come in here and I… I'm very sorry, I didn't mean any harm." The shakiness in her voice did not go unnoticed and with a long drawn out breath, Elios smiled. "Please don't apologize. I shouldn't have sneaked up on you like that. Here, let me help you up." Pulling himself to his feet, Elios held out a hand, gently taking hers and lifting her easily to her own support. Shocked, Chibiusa followed his eyes, unsuspecting the strength that she found in his small arms. He was a bit taller than her, but not by much, possibly five or six inches was all. Again she found herself hypnotized by the lively shades of his eyes, slightly hidden by wisps of feather soft blond bangs. Gulping hesitantly, she took a step back, unsure of what to say. "Wh…what are you doing here?" Elios finally managed, lowering his eyes to the floor as she backed away from him. "Oh… I… ahem…" She turned around, pacing into the center of the room. Her hands fidgeted with her skirt, trying to find some piece of interest to comment on the room. However, she soon found it was completely accessory deprived. Sighing, she looked at the boy again. He hadn't moved. "I saw you walking home from school. You looked lonely, so I… I thought maybe I would come say hi, but… I got scared and just followed you here instead." Her gaze diverted, unconsciously folding her arms over her stomach. She didn't see the tints of a smile on his lips. "Thank you for your concern, Usagi." Gasping, she looked up at him. His smile was of pure friendship. "I learned your name in class. Oh, and I'm Elios." After a moment of silent blinking, the pink-haired spore grinned widely. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Elios-kun! By the way, all my friends call me Chibiusa, okay?" He chuckled, a small, near unnoticeable laugh. "Likewise, Chibiusa-chan. Um… would you… like something to eat?" <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> Chibiusa soon found a mild interest in the small oven. Not because it was crystal or see-through or incredibly accurate for cooking food, but because it was exactly like those used at home, in Neo-Crystal Tokyo. Elios somehow managed to dissuade her incoming questions by changing the subject. Maybe she should have found his vague answers odd… but she didn't. Instead she enjoyed talking to him about his new school and her close friends. She told him about her 'cousin' Usagi and her boyfriend Mamoru, whom she referred to as Mamo- chan. A happy light entered the boy's eyes with this knowledge. After dinner of cooked fish and salad (with tasty chocolate for dessert, of course), the two sat down on the couch. It was comfortable and soft, but Chibiusa found the lack of a television quite unusual. "So… is this where you live, or do you just come here sometimes?" she asked mildly after the end of a long conversation on odd-colored hair. Immediately, Elios was squirming in his seat, his eyes diverted. "I… live here. At least, for now I do." "Oh? Is your house being built?" His throat cleared. "Iie… this is just temporary until I go home again." Chibiusa nodded, scooting a bit closer to him. "Elios-kun… where are your parents?" His head dropped. After a moment of silence, he shrugged mindlessly. "I'm not… really sure… But it isn't important. I'm fine, really. Living by myself isn't all that bad." 'Like Mamo-chan…' she dwelled momentarily, before inhaling a long breath and letting her eyes roam around the quarters. "It… is a nice place. Even if it's quite plain. The water outside was beautiful though!" Elios grinned, lifting his gaze to hers again. "I agree." Laughing, he added, "Though I suppose it could use a lady's touch." Chibiusa grinned along, delighting in the carefree twinkle in his soft stare. She had noticed how handsome he was this morning, even looking at a shy, lonely boy. Now… he was truly shocking. Oddly, he didn't seem quite so lanky, and his hair was almost a darker blond. His eyes were happier, albeit more mature, and his smile… white teeth and moist, though masculine lips. She wondered how lips could be masculine… maybe like Mamoru's, she imagined, but Elios… it was different. It was like he had matured to a perfect… lover?… right before her eyes. With these thoughts swimming in her head at an untimely moment where their faces lay less than a foot apart, she felt the blood rush to her cheeks. Her suddenly knotted throat sent her into a fit of coughs as she immediately turned away from him, standing on her feet, with her hand over her mouth. Unsurprisingly, he was with her every step of the way. "Chibiusa- chan, are you alright?" he whispered, placing one arm over her shoulders. She nodded, embarrassment not helping the redness in her cheeks. "I'll get you some water!" he cried, dashing to the short cupboard on the opposite side of the oven to pull out a glass before leaving down the dark hallway. Before he could return, Chibiusa had calmed the choking, rubbing at the tears in her eyes. Elios came back soon with the glass of cold, clear water, his eyes full of worry. "Are you feeling better?" She nodded. "Here, you should drink some of this anyway. It'll take care of the hoarseness in your throat." She nodded again, taking the tall cup in both hands and sipping lightly at the top. She closed her eyes, not wanting to see him watching her intently. It was like he was always so afraid she would disappear. When he wasn't shy or scared to look at her, he would be watching her with the passion she saw in her parent's eyes. It frightened her, yet also sent her heart fluttering against her ribcage. Done, she handed him the glass, which he quickly set aside their previous dinnerware. Returning, he stood quietly before her, his hands clasped tightly behind his back. "Are you sure you are alright?" "Yeah, yeah…" she muttered, turning on her heels to pace to the other wall. "I'm fine, Elios-kun, arigatou…" Sighing, her eyes glued to the ceiling, Chibiusa began to nervously twirl a lock of pink hair between her fingertips. "Although… actually… I should probably be getting home soon. I mean, I didn't call anyone after school and I'm sure they're all very worried. Even Usagi…" She stuck her tongue out sourly for a moment, before turning back to the boy with a large smile plastered against her lips. "Thank you SO much for dinner, Elios-chan! It was very sweet of you!" She giggled at the somewhat familiar sounding nickname, sending a wink in his direction. Elios, for his part, was flabbergasted. He stood and watched his peer scoop up her books from the couch before whisking past him in a breeze of blue, red, and pink. Pink much like the coloring in his cheeks. "Oh!" squealed Chibiusa, not three steps past him. Gulping with a moment of hesitation, she turned back to the boy standing continually shocked. "One more thing… um… welcome to Juuban!" Leaning forward, she gave him a light peck on the cheek, before fleeing the cave in an embarrassed rush. Elios, catching his breath, turned to stare at the far wall she had left behind. Closing his mouth long enough to gulp, he wet his lips unconsciously. "Arigatou… Princess." <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> Groaning in agitation, she flopped onto her stomach in the center of Mamoru's guest bed, muffling her sighs into her thick feather pillow. "Why me?" "Chibiusako? Oh, there you are. I though I heard you come in. I was just making some curry for dinner, would you like some?" She shook her head, ducking her hands beneath the pillowcase for warmth. "No thanks, Mamo-chan." Mamoru could hardly hear her, but didn't need to as he saw the form on top of her bed. Creasing his brow, he slowly took off his "Kiss the Chef" apron, hanging it on the doorknob before entering quietly. "Chibiusako?" he whispered, claiming a seat beside her. His right hand stroked across her back momentarily. "Well you can start by telling me where you've been all day, and then you can go right on ahead and tell me what's bothering you." She was silent at first, before heaving a loud sigh and pushing herself to a sitting position. Crisscrossing her legs, she refused to hide the small pout on her lips. "I went to a friend's house. He's new at school." 'Oh no…' thought Mamoru instantly. 'A HE… must be boy problems.' Clearing his breath, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "And… what's wrong?" She sighed, her red eyes drooping quietly. "Well… he's really nice! I mean… he's sweet and charming… kind of the romantic, gentlemanly type, you know?" "Uh-huh…" he urged her to continue. "So what's the problem?" She sniffled involuntarily. "I… I don't want to sound stereotypical or choosy, but… the thing is… he's… strange." A black eyebrow perked. "Strange?" "Yeah, I mean, he lives in this cave thing with no appliances except for a crystal stove. He doesn't have any family-not that that's a bad thing, of course-he hardly talks to anyone, and… he's just… strange! Sometimes when he looks at me, it feels almost like he thinks he should be worshipping me or something! I know that sounds weird, but… but… I don't know what to do! I like him a lot… but he really is so very odd…" "Hm…" said Mamoru as if in deep thought. "I see… Well, I want you to think about something for me." "What's that?" "Who am I?" "Nani?" "Who am I?" "You're… Mamo-chan…" she said in confusion, watching Mamoru curiously. He smiled, leaning back with a small chuckle. "Wrong. I, Chibiusako, am a man who dresses up in a cape and top hat, runs around in the middle of the night throwing steel-tipped roses at creatures from a black hole called the Negaverse who are constantly trying to kill my girlfriend, who happens to be a princess who lived on the moon a thousand years ago, will someday rule the Earth at my side, but who is currently a fighter for love and justice who wears a short sailor-like fuku and tosses tiaras like sharp-edged boomerangs. Oh, yeah, and she has a talking cat." He paused, smiling at the stunned girl. "Now… are you saying that I'm not odd?" Letting it sink in, Mamoru stood up and walked calmly to the kitchen in order to finish dinner. <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> With her eyes closed, the tranquility of the splashing waves made a soothing aura within her mind's eye. It was a small lake surrounded on all sides by lush green grass and the occasional oasis of trees, in full bloom; covered with pastel pink cherry blossoms. Letting a bit of light seep through cracked eyelids, Chibiusa noticed the unending, uninterrupted blue sky above. Clear and pale with a flock of birds soaring past once in a long while. Even the scent of fresh air and wildflowers seemed to seep through her very skin. The soft thud of hooves and quiet neighing was the only disturbance. Expecting reality, the future princess opened her eyes to watch the Pegasus come closer. It stopped to smell a budding lilac momentarily, before bending its knees beneath it and lying down next to the girl. "Am I dreaming again?" Chibiusa whispered near silently. Pegasus returned the gaze, his amber eyes twinkling back at her mysteriously. "Hai." Her breath caught as she stared at him, noticing the familiarity of the voice, yet too caught into the dream to remember where it came from. She wet her lips, rolling onto her side to completely face the large animal. It turned away from her, the long shimmering mane blowing in a small breeze. The proud horn at the tip of its forehead sparkled in the sunlight, almost glowing orange beneath the warm rays. "Pegasus?" "Yes, Maiden?" "Do you only protect my dreams? Or can you be by my side always?" "I will always be with you when I am needed, Princess." "Even in real life?" "Hai." She yawned, folding her arms beneath her head. "It's funny. I know that I'm sleeping, yet I still feel tired." The horse chuckled. "You will feel very rested in the morning." "Yeah…" her voice became light, beginning to doze off. "Small Lady?" "Hm?" "I have a gift for you." Her eyes immediately perked up, staring up at the horse. Beside his head now lay a golden bell. She hadn't seen it before and soon wondered when it had appeared. "What's that?" "This is a magic bell. When you ring it and call my name, I promise that I will be there for you. Now take it." Slowly, her hand reached forward to curl around the bronze handle. It jingled quietly when she lifted it up, the pendulum within creating a full melody with the slightest movement. "Arigatou…" "Remember, Fair Maiden, I will always protect you." <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> Walking up the steps to the school, Chibiusa kept her eyes alert, scanning the quickly approaching main hallway. Children, peers, bustled back and forth within, the doors opening and closing in seconds. She had arrived early in hopes of finding and talking to Elios. Ever since the dream, strange as it may sound, she had had an incredible desire to see him. To look into the strangely comforting eyes and tell him… tell him… She didn't know. She just needed to tell him something. What she was feeling? Impossible, given she didn't have a clue herself. But something. Gulping unsteadily, she reached the top of the courtyard steps. Tossing her book bag's full support onto her left shoulder, she took a deep breath and reached out her hand to open the door, but gasped as another caught it first and pulled it open before her. Somewhat startled, she turned her head to look at a shy smile with golden eyes looking down on her. Performing a small, near unnoticeable bow, Elios, gestured to the doorway. "Ladies first." Blinking a few times, Chibiusa willed the incoming redness in her cheeks away. Nodding her head, she walked inside of the building, hearing him join her quickly. "Um… how… how are you?" he asked quietly, his head bowed. Chibiusa smiled, her heartbeat speeding up drastically. "I'm fine, thank you. Yourself?" "Wonderful!" Cruel snickering to their left instantly followed his cheery attitude. The girl straightened, her eyes darting to a large group of older student, watching the two of them like hawks. Within the gang stood two of the most popular students in school-and three of the most known gossips. "Oh, no…" she mumbled. "Gomen nasai," Elios was suddenly whispering. Instantly turning her attention from her peers, Chibiusa looked up to see a sad and lonely light filter into his stare. "Huh? Elios-ku…" "Gomen, Usagi-san. I understand…" Then, in an almost superficial flash, Elios disappeared from the crowded hall. Chibiusa stopped, her jaw gaping open. "Elios?" Quickly, her gaze dropped from worry and guilt to anger. Her fire-filled gaze turned to the students, permitting another combustion of laughter, before she turned and stalked toward her classroom. In truth, she was angrier at herself-for letting him think that she would choose those brain-deads over his friendship. And guilt covered her heart. Yesterday, she would have. How much had things changed? <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> Dear Elios, Gomen nasai for this morning. I didn't want to make you feel as if I didn't want to be with you. The kids in the hallway mean nothing to me and if you hadn't left so fast I would have told you that. I'm afraid now that you won't want anything to do with me. Yesterday was wonderful. I enjoyed spending time with you and believe that I have found a friendship worth cherishing. In that short time I know that I've come to care for you greatly. I was thinking about that all last night, in fact. Please forgive me for letting stupid peer pressure get to me. With another chance I would love to be your friend, regardless of what all the other bakas in the school say. Ai shite iru, Chibiusa She sighed rather loudly, folding the note carefully on the desk. Her eyes raised to the teacher. Gotara-sensei was still lecturing about the structure of the cell membrane. Chewing on her lip, her glossy eyes shifted to the quiet form two desks ahead of her in the row to the right. He was sitting abnormally proper, with his hand folded on the desk, his feet firmly planted on the tile floor, and his hair combed neatly to each side, no longer tossed gorgeously in mishap. From the slight angle of his face she could see, he looked sad and lonely, most stereotypical. Gulping, she leaned forward, the note carefully locked between two fingers. Shifting her eyes to the other classmates, most of whom were either watching the teacher in muted attention or doodling on pads of paper, she flicked her wrist forward, watching the note land only a few inches from the back leg of his chair. Piercing her lips together, she glanced up at the teacher once more, before leaning far forward. "Elios!" she whispered sternly, watching his face. He straightened silently. Chibiusa's eyes danced down to the note, before feeling her entire body tense. A quiet tennis shoe thudded against the paper, before pulling it backwards. Her gaze traveled up the leg to see the all-too-proud grin of Hanagata Shio, the snobbiest, most stuck-up and popular boy in the eighth grade. He never turned his face towards her, but from the crooked grin on his lips, Chibiusa knew he was laughing. Her brow creased, a small growl lifting up from her throat. "Tsukino Usagi!" "Nani?" she squealed, turning focus to the teacher in front. "What did I just say?" "Oh, well, um… I… I… uh… wasn't… listening… Could you repeat that?" she stuttered, her cheeks beginning to flame. From the corner of her eye she could see Elios watching her with confusion and near-guilt. The teacher frowned, her eyebrows curling together. "I want to see you after class, young lady." "H…hai, Gotara-sensei." Shio snickered as the teacher turned back to her blackboard, and Chibiusa could do nothing but glare as he picked up the note and stuck it calmly in his pocket. Elios watched her peculiarly, solemnly for a moment, before turning to face the teacher once more. <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> Mumbling, Chibiusa kicked at the dirt in the courtyard as she walked out of the deserted school building. Whoever would have thought a reprimanding on listening skills could last half an hour?! "Yesterday was wonderful. I enjoyed spending time with you and believe that I have found a friendship worth cherishing. In that short time I know that I've come to care for you greatly. Bla, bla, bla… Ai shite iru… Chibiusa…" The voice was covered in obvious mocking, and the familiar words caused the girl to stop motionless in the courtyard. Her brow furrowing, she whisked around to stare into the pale blue eyes of Hanagata Shio himself. Her fists clenched. "Give it back!" she commanded, stomping forward with her hand thrust outward. Shio laughed, holding the note above his head. "Why would I want to do that?" "Because it's mine!" "Hm…" he raised the free hand to his chin in faux consideration. "Naw, I don't think so." "Ugh!" she screamed, tossing her hands down. "This isn't funny, Shio, give me my note!" "What do you say?" he taunted, his voice chirping merrily. Chibiusa stopped moving forward, pausing a moment to collect her senses. "I SAY… give me my note now, you tiny-brained, turkey flipping ragamuffin who smells like fish because someone slapped you with a Coho, insignificant wuss of the human race, worm-infested, flee-ridden, maggot-eating, stuck-up, big-mouthed, lousy son of a pig-headed gerbil!" Her mouth twisted around the words, spitting them with more venom in her tone than any of the spoken phrases, ending with false praise. "Onegai?" Shio's brow creased with snickering behind him. Instantly, Chibiusa knew that he was not the only other person on this school ground. "What did you just call me?" Inhaling a deep breath, Chibiusa stepped forward, her fist clenched in front of her chest. "I said… give me my note now you tiny- brained, turkey flipping ragamuffin who smells like…" SMACK! Chibiusa gasped, her hand flying to her cheek. "You know, I don't believe in hitting girls, but true ladies don't talk like that, now do they?" Shio hissed. Stepping forward so that their toes touched, Shio glared down on her with vengeance. "Let me make sure you understand something, Tsukino. No one talks to me like that, got it?" "Oh, I'm shaking…" Chibiusa taunted back. With darkening eyes, her attacker raised his hands and pushed at her shoulders, sending her hurling backward. Stunned, Chibiusa could only brace her knees to keep from falling. "Where's your pretty boy to save you now?" He teased before pushing at her again, this time sending her falling to the hard dirt ground. She gritted her teeth as a fury of pain cried out from her left leg. She sniffled a few times in attempt to keep from crying, before glaring up at him once more. His friends- five of them-were now gathered around them in amusement, laughing at her new predicament. "Oh, yeah, yak it up!" she yelled in annoyance. "It's so hilarious how this brain dead creep can take on a girl half his size! Wow, I'm SO impressed!" Shio's joking glare turned to sizzling embers. "You listen up, cotton-candy haired wuss! No one insults me and gets away with it, not even a baby priss with pinecones and bananas for hair! You have NO idea what you just talked yourself into!" He kicked her sharply in the side, creating an instant squeal from her lips. Chibiusa flinched, flailing onto the ground. "Elios…" she whimpered, closing her eyes as tears began to crawl up through her ducts. Inside, she cursed herself. Years of being SaliorChibiMoon, and she couldn't even stand up to a school bully. "Hey, come on, Shio!" yelled one of his buds. "That's enough, don't push it!" "No way, she got herself into this and I swear that from now on, I'm gonna make her life in Juuban Middle School a living hell!" Curling slightly, Chibiusa heard a small ring off to the side. Her eyes opening, she looked up to see a bronze bell lying at her side. A lightness entering her gaze, she shot her hand out, struggling to reach it. "Not to mention that walking stick dweeb she picked up," Shio continued, lying one foot lightly on her wrist to keep her from picking up the bell. An eyebrow perking, he stooped to pull it into his fist. "What have we here? Oh, how pretty. Was it a gift from your scrawny little boyfriend?" Anger sizzling inside of her blood stream, Chibiusa looked up at him as he examined the bell. "Looks kinda like something you would buy at a dollar store, isn't it boys?" His group snickered uncomfortably, and he looked down on her again, his eyes seething. "Worthless." With a sickened gesture, he dropped it from his hands to the dirt below. Chibiusa ignored his words, watching the instrument gleam in the sun as if in slow motion. Inaudibly, she whispered the name that immediately came to mind. "Pegasus…" "Huh? What did she just…" "AH!" A scream impounded with fury echoed through the courtyard, just in time for the boys to turn before a clenched fist smashed full speed against Shio's jaw. He growled in pain, falling to the ground, his balance quickly dissolved. Shocked, Chibiusa and her five attackers turned to see the newcomer, chest heaving in pent up anger. Elios' eyes gleamed angrily like two coals shimmering in his sockets. His hair blew in an imagined wind, shuffling against his forehead. Two hands clenched tightly at his side, one white knuckle covered with a drop of blood from Shio's lips. On the ground, a single tooth lay with a tiny stream of bloody beside it. The bully raised his hand to his lip, tasting warm blood on his tongue, before glaring at Elios in fury. "So you decided to show up after all, freak!" He stood up, his knees shaking momentarily from the blow. "This day just keeps getting more and more interesting." "How dare you touch her…" Elios' voice was quiet, deadly quiet and strained as if he was forcing himself to keep from screaming at the top of his lungs. A thin eyebrow shot upward, and it was blindingly obvious to Chibiusa that he was attempting to keep his cool. "Gee, I'm terrified. I think the new boy is kinda mad, guess I should start running," he taunted, shaking his head to toss his bangs from his eyes. "That was a lucky swing, scar-boy. Won't happen again." As soon as the words left his mouth, he lunged forward, throwing one fist toward Elios' stomach. However, before he could make contact, two hands had grasped hard onto his upper arm, flipping him over to throw him hastily on his back. Chibiusa stared with stunned eyes, the bell forgotten at her fingertips. "Elios… can fight?" Moaning in the pain of lost breath, Shio lay there motionless, his eyes closed tight. Elios continued to stand over him, his fists pulled tight to his sides. His lips remained in a straight line, his haunting stare lowered on his fallen enemy. "Come on, let's get him!" With the battle cry, Elios turned to see the first boy step up from the crowd, his fists flying madly. Without hesitation, Elios stepped forward, sideswiping the air with his right foot, before jumping into a roundhouse with the other. The boy took one hit to the face, the other to his stomach, before falling to the floor. But as soon as he landed, Elios felt an elbow collide full force with his own shoulder, forcing him to fall to the ground. At the same time, a low kick jolted him in the side, tossing him onto his back. With only a moment of shock, Elios jumped up to his feet, his heart racing. WHACK! A hard blow on the back, followed by a punch to the stomach. Elios collapsed to his knees yet again, a tint of blood beginning to crawl up between his lips. "Ha, what a wuss!" joked one who hadn't yet been touched. Slowly, Shio stood up, turning to the boy now breathless on his knees. His eyes frowned as he slowly walked towards him. "What were you thinking? Did ya honestly believe you could take on all of us?" "Protect…" Elios whispered to himself, his eyes closed. THWACK! He was lucky the hard kick didn't break his neck as the force to his chin sent him flying directly into the brick wall of the school. Blood choked his throat, his head falling limp to his chest. "No! Elios!" Chibiusa screamed, struggling to stand, but the pain in her ankle kept her from fleeing to his rescue. His golden eyes opened slightly to stare down at the dirt stains on his white tunic. From the corner of his eye he could see her lying there helpless with tears beginning to stream across her fair skin. Blinking at his own distress, he leaned against the wall for support as he pushed himself to his feet. Once he could feel that his legs were sturdy, he lifted his stare to five smirking boys. Reminding his body to relax, he deserted the wall to take three small steps toward the boys. They seemed unshaken. Pausing, he inhaled a sharp breath, smelling the strong scent of warm blood. Gulping, he let his arms rest at his sides, his fingertips tingling with desire to hit something… hard. Then he let his eyes drift close. First the boys were confused at his lack of intelligence, to so willingly drop all defenses to them. But then… their jaws dropped as he began to glow with a pale blue aura around him. The very wind seemed to be surrounding him, creating a soft whirlwind in relation to his body. Hesitantly, they sunk back, unconsciously gathering closer together. Then, in the midst of the power surrounding him, two small lumps began to form on his shoulder blades, expanding quietly. In the blink of an eye, two large, glistening wings erupted from his back, expanding far out from his slim body, before folding back against him. His eyes still closed, a tiny jewel formed at the top of his forehead, before growing and growing, until a gold spike jutted out from his soft bangs. The glowing stopped, leaving everyone still and motionless. Chibiusa watched the transformation, tears in her eyes. "So… it was you… after all…" she whispered to herself. His eyes opened with a sense of peace and sadness behind them. Power to their legs rejuvenated, Shio and his gang wasted no time before turning and running toward the open gates. Jumping to the air, Elios soared into their path, falling down to face them before sweeping his leg into the air to knock one straight to the ground. His arm came back instantly to make contact with another's lower back. The other three were standing in front of him now, their hands held up nervously. His eyes lowered on one in particular, Shio with the ice blue eyes now filled with terror. Stepping over the shaking body of a peer, he moved forward, watching Shio flinch with every step. "P…please don't… don't…" His hand shot forward, grasping onto his shirt collar. "Listen closely," he whispered. From what she could hear, Chibiusa knew that his voice had somehow gotten deeper with the transformation, and realized that Pegasus' voice was, indeed, much more masculine than Elios' had ever been. Shio whimpered, his gaze locked with the amber stare. "I never want to see you near her again. You will leave Usagi alone from this moment forth and if ever you come in harmful contact with her, I will personally track you down and make you pay. Do we have an understanding?" His jaw quivering, Shio nodded. "Good. Now leave." The second Elios let go of his shirt, Shio scrambled to his feet, ignoring the putty in his knees, before running full speed out of the courtyard, four frightened boys behind him. Exhaling a long sigh, Elios stood there quietly for a moment, his gaze lowered to the floor. With hesitation, he gulped, before slowly moving toward the injured girl. She didn't move, only continued to stare up at him with shock evident in her gaze. Elios refused to meet eye contact as he stooped down beside her to begin examining her ankle. She said nothing, only flinched once as his fingers worked into the sensitive tissue. "There goes being normal," Elios finally muttered. "For both of us." The girl only squirmed lightly beneath his touch. Again, he looked away. "I'm sorry, Chibiusa-chan. I'm so sorry…" Blinking back tears, the girl pushed herself onto her elbows before taking one hand and turning his face toward her. He watched as a cascade of tears began to flow from her glistening eyes. "I never wanted to be normal in the first place," she whispered, the hints of a smile pushing against her lips. Slowly, she watched as his face softened, before he glanced down at her ankle. "It's not broken, but it does need attention." She nodded, watching in slight adoration at the shy boy she remembered from yesterday. But before she knew it, he had swept his arms beneath her and lifted her into a strong embrace. Squealing, Chibiusa stared into his chuckling eyes. They said nothing as Elios took to the air on his newborn wings. <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> They were lucky that the park was virtually empty as Elios climbed gracefully into the cave behind the waterfall, slipping into the dimly lit cave with Chibiusa tucked neatly in the folds of his arms. She had been quiet and still the way to his home, her arms tied loosely about his neck with her eyes watching the ground down over his shoulder, awed. Now as they disappeared into the large den, her arms tightened momentarily with a small sigh escaping her closed lips. "Chibiusa-chan?" Elios whispered once standing in his living room and she still had made no motion to move from his hold. Her eyes closed. "I can't believe you're Pegasus." He blinked a few times, looking down on her serene frown, before placing her gently on the couch. Willingly she released her hold, sinking into the cushions as he ran to find medical supplies. Returning, he proceeded to wrap her leg with gauze and bandages, taking extreme caution before gently replacing her sock and small black sandal. Finally sitting back on his heels, he gulped in hesitation before raising his gaze to hers. She was staring at him openly, like analyzing his every feature. They both remained still in open admiration, before Chibiusa found herself blinking rapidly to oncoming tears. Elios furrowed his brow, pushing himself up to sit on the couch beside her. "What's wrong? Why are you crying?" he whispered quietly, grasping onto her hand. Almost immediately, she broke into laughter, her head craning back to lie on the arm of the couch. Elios only stared in quiet confusion. "Nani?" "Nothing, nothing…" she whispered, her eyes closed sleepily. "I just find it amusing that you're so incredibly overprotective. Like yesterday with the water… and… it's just… funny…" Not bothering to mask the confusion on his face, Elios only tilted his head to the side. "I have to be overprotective. It's my job." A small eyebrow perked and Chibiusa gradually opened her eyes to look up at him. "Oh? What do you mean by that?" His breath caught in his throat and Elios turned away from Chibiusa, knotting his hands together in his lap. "It's not important…" he whispered. Chibiusa watched quietly as his wings slowly began to retract into non-existence along with the gold spike atop his head. She gulped, pushing herself to a sitting position once he was yet again the scared little boy. "Elios…" she whimpered quietly, reaching out to place a warm palm against his clasped hands. "Please tell me what's going on. Who are you? Why are you here? Onegai…" His sunshine stare turned to the ceiling before he inhaled a sharp breath and moved to his feet to begin pacing the floor beside the sofa. "Alright… Princess…" She gasped, a hand covering her lips. "Nani?!" He sighed loudly, a half chuckle tilting the corners of his lips. "I am from the same time and place as you; Crystal Tokyo, the late 30th Century." Clearing his throat and gulping, he took in a deep breath. "I was a servant in your castle, a proud attendant to King Endymion and Queen Selenity. When you were sent back into the past to train for your powers as a sailor senshi, their Majesties along with Sailorpluto decided that you might need a protector in addition to those already in the past. Pluto nominated myself and therefore gave me the Golden Crystal. With this crystal I can change into Pegasus in order to protect you better than I could as Elios. It is also what gave me the power to enter your dreams in order to ward off your nightmares." Chewing his lip, he turned to look down on her to see her reaction. Chibiusa hadn't taken her eyes from him as he spoke about his circumstance, only lay there watching his face carefully. Now as their eyes met, she licked her lips in confusion, furrowing her brow slightly. "Why did Puu choose you?" Instantly, his eyes darted away to stare off at some corner in the room. He faced her directly with his gaze diverted, his hands latched behind his back. His jaw shaking, he carefully formed the statement in his mind. "Why do you think Tuxedo Kamen protects Sailormoon better than any of the senshi?" "Huh?" Chibiusa stuttered quietly, dumbfounded by the question. "Because… he… loves her," she managed to reply. Gulping, Elios slowly let his gaze drift down to meet hers again. "Hai. He loves her." Chibiusa's eyes widened slightly, looking deep into the soul bared through his amber gaze. Her lips parting, she managed to prop herself up on weakening arms. Elios held her gaze with fearsome worry evident in his own. A thick silence settled upon them, only disturbed by the pounding in Chibiusa's heart… the shaking in Elios'. "Ai… ai shite… iru…" he stuttered, his throat dry. Chibiusa blinked, her eyes dampening. With a shaky breath, Elios separated their trapped gazes, looking down at the floor. "Gomen nasai… Perhaps I should not have told you…" Rejected, he turned to go gather dinner. "Ay!" he yelped suddenly as two thin but strong arms tied themselves over his stomach; a tiny, feminine form suddenly pressed against his back. "Me too, Elios…" she whispered, feeling the first tear slip into the folds of his school outfit. Surprised, Elios turned to face her. She refused to loosen her grip, now burying herself into his chest until his arms could tie around her. Noticing that she was balancing on her one good foot, he strengthened his hold to support her gently. "I don't remember you at the palace… And my dreams from the past nights are kind of hazy, but… but I think… Elios, I don't want to live without you!" she cried, her hands grasping onto the thin material of his shirt. He held his breath, staring down upon the pretty pink hair smothered against his shirt. Bringing a shaky hand up to rest against the base of her neck, he craned his back to kiss her head gently. "I'm not leaving you, Chibiusa-chan. I only want to see you happy. After all, you are the princess…" She sniffled briefly, turning her head to look up at him, so close that she could feel his breath against her skin. "Elios… do you really love me?" she whispered, her eyes wide. He blinked in confusion before his gaze slowly became softly caressing. "Hai… always…" he choked out, his body shaking gently. She smiled carefully, her eyelids lowering. "I love you too… Elios-chan." His eyes blurred, Elios managed a tiny smile, looking upon her serene face, turned up toward him. Curling some of the small tendrils at the nape of her neck between his fingers, he touched his lips tenderly against her forehead. "Yatta…" he whispered, promoting a simple giggle from the girl wrapped between his arms. With the charming sound echoing in the back of his mind, Elios remembered the many dreams he had had while living in the palace. Dreams of being with his princess… this close, this romantic, this intimate… Locked in the arms of his bubblegum-haired royalty, the single girl who had not left his thoughts since the moment he had laid eyes on her. Licking his lips, he craned his neck down, catching the sweet smile and puckered lips in a tender kiss. It was brief, tempting with gentleness, and the second he pulled away he glanced down to see her surprised, enchanted gaze caught in his own. Her lips were parted as he had left them but as they stared lovingly into the other's bared soul, they inched into a dazed smile. With another cherished peck against her smile, he rested his head on top of hers, wrapping his arms tighter about the slim waste. She shifted momentarily to lock her arms around his shoulder blades, before the world and surrounding time drifted to eternity. The End. ^_^ Comments always welcome: Kammi22@sprintmail.com This was my "secret project" so mentioned in AMK-7. And YES this means I'll get to work on the Elevator sequel. Then, after NTTTE, I'm gonna write a series on the love lives of the inner senshi. QUESTION: Which would you rather see? Romances between: Raye and Chad Raye and Jadeite Lita and Ken Lita and Nephlyte Amy and Greg Amy and Zoicite Mina and Adonis [Action Ace (manga)] Mina and Malachite Mina and made up character (Josh? ^_~) OTHER Tell me!! I'll write what gets the most responses!!! God bless! <3 Alicia http://www.geocities.com/tokyo/spa/4410 Hiya Joy!! (You're not in trouble, I swear! ^_~ lol) Anyway… for some reason I can't reply to your email addy nor did your mailing address work when I sent you the information. Sigh… I tried! Maybe… you could sign up for yahoo or hotmail just so I can get the info to you… if you're still interested, of course. Thanks much, girl, and I am so sorry about any inconvenience! Oh, yes, and thanks much for the birthday greeting as well! Arigatou guzaimasu!