That Special Magic
-by: the Yarnspinner-
the_yarnspinner@yahoo.com
http://strands-of-moonlight.my3gb.com
-or- http://strands-of-moonlight.6te.net
A Sekkushiaru Roman
featuring characters from the anime "Sailor Moon"> Chapter 48 - Change of Venue <
The pink-tinged silver-white glow of the ginzuishou faded. The Senshi and their companions found themselves standing on a gentle slope that extended down to the ocean. A low hedge stood immediately in front of them, while scattered palm trees decorated the slope. Behind them, positioned on a knoll that formed the highest point in the immediate vicinity, stood a large, single-story house, with another cluster of trees surrounding it to provide shade from the hot sun. Off to one side was another, thicker cluster of trees, through which several small bungalows could just be made out. Just inland of that cluster of trees were two spacious barns.
"Yay! We're home!" Kara cried excitedly, as Rei held on to her hand.
"It really is impressive, Atana," Geoff said, his arm around Minako.
"Thank you," Atana replied, holding Rei's hand. He gestured toward the trees. "You will be staying in the bungalows over there. They were originally built to be housing for the farm hands on the old plantation. Most had fallen into pretty bad disrepair, but I was able to restore those six, and turn them into guest quarters. I've had friends come out from Honolulu, or visit from the mainland, and it's much nicer to be able to offer them the added privacy of their own bungalow. I called my caretaker yesterday morning to say I was returning very suddenly, and was bringing guests, so the bungalows should be fully equipped."
"We certainly thank you for your generosity," Usagi said.
"You're all welcome, of course," Atana said. "And I hope you'll actually have a chance to enjoy your stay."
"Thanks," Mamoru said.
"Oh, one more thing," Atana said, pausing to make a gesture with both hands. Energy swirled around all of them. "This spell will ensure that anyone other than ourselves will see the girls, and Ryo and Shinozaki, as being at least eighteen, which is the age of adulthood here in the States. That should allow you to avoid most difficulties if you wanted to go into town or tour the nearby islands. Also, I'll soon have fake ID's prepared for you, which will support that you're all adults in the event you should need it."
"That's very thorough," Ami commented.
"Yes," Usagi agreed. "I hope this isn't too much trouble."
"Not at all," Atana said, as they walked toward the bungalows. "It seemed like the least I could do to make your stay as pleasant as possible. And being seen as adults will make things much easier for you, eliminating many potential problems."
"I'm not sure that was absolutely necessary," Luna said, disapprovingly.
"Oh come now, Luna. I think it does sound like a reasonable precaution," Artemis said. He glanced around, sniffing, then turned to look at Atana. "Is there anything here that the two of us should be particularly aware of, Atana?"
"Like the caretaker's large dog, perhaps?" Atana asked in reply, with a grin.
"Large dog?" Luna asked, struggling to suppress a rising alarm.
"Don't worry about him, Luna," Atana said, chuckling softly. "He's rather large, but he's just a big chicken. If you growl at him and maybe show your claws, he'll turn tail."
Luna nodded, not looking entirely convinced.
"But seriously, I don't think you'll even see anything of the dog," Atana added. "And I don't think there's really anything else you need to be concerned with."
"Well, I think we need to turn our attention to finding out if the Dark Kingdom has started it's campaign yet," Luna said.
"Yes," Usagi agreed. "Once we all get settled, we should have a meeting to see what we can learn about that."
"If you don't mind, I have a place in mind where you might meet," Atana said. He pointed toward a rocky outcropping on the shore. "There's a cave down there that I've cleared out. It happens to be a fairly decent magic point, and I've used it to monitor for signs of the demons that were pursuing me."
"That could be very helpful," Luna said.
"Good. We'll take time to get unpacked, and then meet down at the cave," Usagi said.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Usagi and Mamoru were settling in to their small but comfortable bungalow. It had a single bedroom, a bathroom, a small kitchen, and an open front section that served as living and dining area. A covered porch facing the ocean provided additional living space outside.
"This really is nice," she said.
He nodded. "Beautiful scenery, and an exquisitely beautiful young woman." He took her in his arms and kissed her.
"Oh, Mamo-chan," she sighed. "You're so sweet."
"I'm in love," he said softly. "With you, my lovely princess."
She grinned, kissing him in return. "And I'm in love with the most handsome, and sexy, prince."
"I want only to please you, Usako."
"You certainly do, Mamo-chan," she said. "I've never been so happy in my entire life."
"I'm glad... because you make me exceedingly happy, my love."
He kissed Usagi once again, slow and lingering, while sweeping a hand gently down over her back. As their lips separated, he unfastened her skirt and slipped it down.
She sighed happily, beginning to unbutton his shirt and running a hand over his chest. As he stepped back to remove his shirt, she unfastened his pants. He responded by unbuttoning her blouse, and lightly teasing her nipples with his fingertips.
"Mamo-chan," she whispered.
He leaned forward and kissed her lips. "Yes, my love?"
"At this rate, we're not going to make it to the meeting," she said softly.
He stepped out of his pants, then took hold of her panties and pulled them down. "Is that a problem?" he asked with a grin.
She sighed as one of his hands gently caressed her breast, while her eyes focused on the bulging mass within his boxer shorts. Arousal swelled within her, urging her to join herself physically once more with this man she loved so much. With an effort of willpower, she nodded. "We don't have time right now."
He kissed her once more. "OK," he said. He stepped back and slipped off his boxers.
Once again, her eyes swept admiringly over her future husband's naked form. A happy smile spread across her face as she thought of spending the rest of her life with him, and of their child growing within her. She reached for her swimsuit and started to slip it on. This was a new one-piece she had purchased just the other day. She had needed a new suit anyway, wanting one that was more adult in style, and that was bigger to accommodate the fact that she was already starting to grow larger.
"Very nice, Usako," he said, as he stepped into a pair of loose fitting black trunks.
"Thank you," she said. "You look nice, too... although I prefer the tighter fitting ones."
He grinned. "I know. But I thought you didn't want to be distracted."
She nodded. "That's true."
"Besides, you can have the whole package later," he added.
"Well, that is definitely something to look forward to," she said, slipping her arms around him. "I do love you, Mamo-chan. More than anything."
"And I love you, Usako," he whispered, kissing her softly.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Rei emerged from the bathroom attached to Atana's bedroom, having just taken a shower. He looked up at the naked young woman and smiled.
"A vision of loveliness," he said softly.
"Flatterer," she replied with a grin.
He shook his head. "From where I sit, it is the absolute truth."
She moved closer, seeing the form of his erection within his shorts. "A part of you definitely seems happy," she said, giggling softly. She pressed her lips to his, and slid a hand inside his shorts.
"Oh, Rei," he groaned as her hand stroked his penis. "I... I don't think this is the best time."
She sighed, then nodded. "I understand," she said.
Stepping back, she slipped on a red bikini. "Do you like it?" she asked, as she fastened the top.
He smiled and nodded. "You are incredibly beautiful," he said.
She kissed him again. "You are so sweet," she whispered. "And very handsome."
He kissed her in return, then slipped off his boxers. Standing up, he retrieved a pair of swim trunks from the closet and put them on.
Rei put on a pair of white shorts, and set out a long-sleeved shirt as additional protection from the sun.
Atana picked up a manila envelope from the drawer of his night table, then sat down again on the large bed they would be sharing. "I have a question for you."
"What is it?" she asked, sitting down beside him.
"Well... this concerns the fake ID's I'm having made," he said. "I had an idea for yours... but I want your permission for it... since we've never really discussed it before."
She looked at him, slightly confused. "What do you mean?"
He reached into the envelope and withdrew a small plastic card.
She took it from him, seeing it was an Hawaii driver's license. Her picture was on it. A lump formed in her throat and she felt a pressure on her chest as she saw the name. "Rei Magi," she read, her voice barely a whisper. She looked back at him questioningly. "Do... Do you really mean it?"
He nodded. "Most definitely," he said. "And with all my heart."
She threw her arms around him and kissed him, tears in her eyes. "You make me so happy."
"I'm glad," he said, embracing her. "I love you so much."
"I love you," she sighed.
"I have only one regret from the past, and that's that we never actually managed to get married," he said. "That's something I don't want to have happen again."
She gasped for breath as he slipped off the bed, holding her hands, and dropped to a knee. He leaned forward and kissed the back of one of her hands.
"I would be so very happy to have you pose as my wife while we're here," he said. "But eventually... I think we're both going to want more." He kissed her hand again, then looked up into her beautiful dark eyes and took a breath. "I love you so much, and I want to have you in my life forever."
"And I want you in my life," she said softly. "You and Kara."
He nodded. "She needs you too, just as much as I do," he said. "We've found you again, and I don't want to loose you, darling... Will you marry me?"
Rei struggled for breath as tears of joy filled her eyes. She nodded and leaned closer to him. "Oh, yes," she whispered. "There is nothing I could want more."
He pressed his lips to hers, enfolding her in his arms. He was happier than he had been since Kara was born. "I love you, beautiful."
"I love you," she said softly, still overwhelmed by her own happiness and holding him tightly. She took a breath, then looked into his eyes. "But... I'm not old enough to get married yet... unless you're planning a spell or something to get around that."
He shook his head. "Not unless you really want me to," he said. "Like Mamoru, I am content to wait to get married, but I do want to declare my intent."
She smiled and kissed him again. Her eyes caught the driver's license he had made for her, laying on the bed beside her. "Rei Magi. I really do like the sound of that."
As he nodded, there was a soft tapping at the door.
"Daddy?" Kara called, hesitantly peeking into the room.
"Hi, honey. You can come in," Atana said.
Kara stepped into the room, looking at them, then raced forward to hug both of them. She looked up at Rei with her young eyes wide. "Are you and Daddy getting married?"
Rei gasped softly, caught off guard by the bluntness of the girl's question.
Atana intervened, turning Kara toward him. Well, honey... Rei and I do plan to get married..."
"Yay!" Kara cheered.
"But not for a few years," Atana finished.
Kara's happy grin faded a bit. "Oh... But why, Daddy?" She turned back to Rei. "I thought I heard you using Daddy's last name."
"Yes, you did," Rei admitted.
"Rei and I are... pretending... just for while we're here," Atana said, struggling for an explanation Kara would understand. "Do you understand that?"
Kara looked at him uncertainly. "Just pretending?"
Atana nodded. "Remember that spell I cast earlier? To help Rei's friends? Well, this is just a part of that."
Kara nodded slowly, then grinned. "Can I pretend too?"
"What do you want to pretend?" Atana asked.
Kara turned and threw her arms around Rei, slipping into her lap. Looking up at her, Kara started to giggle softly. "Can I call you mommy?"
Rei found herself hardly able to breathe as she sat there in shock. A part of her was overjoyed at the thought of Kara accepting her as her mother, but another part was still terrified of such responsibility for this little girl. Finally, she glanced at Atana pleadingly, opening herself to him so that he could sense her conflicting emotions.
Atana nodded as her feelings and concerns flowed to him. He smiled back at Rei, directing assurances toward her that she would do just fine, and reminding her of how well she was already filling the mother role for Kara. "Uhm, are you sure you really want to, honey?" he asked Kara.
She nodded her head vigorously, still embracing Rei tightly. "Oh yes, Daddy." She turned to look at Rei again. "Please?"
Rei just looked down into the face of this little girl who was the daughter of her past self. Both from her memories of Princess Rei of Mars, and from how attached she had become to the girl in this life, she wanted to just embrace her and say yes. At the same time, though, she still knew she was only fourteen. She could sense the reassurances coming from Atana, and could see it in his face.
"Well, I guess that has to be Rei's choice," Atana said.
Rei scowled at him, but had to admit he was right. She had to come to terms with this herself. She had accepted Atana's proposal, and even if they couldn't actually be married for some time, that still meant an increased commitment to each other. That commitment included being a family together, and if she wasn't prepared for that, she would have to rethink the whole idea of being engaged to him. Looking up at Atana, she could see and sense his love for her. She smiled, realizing again just how much she loved him. Just then, Kara kissed her cheek.
"Please?" Kara repeated. "I love you."
Rei embraced the girl tightly and kissed her in return. "Alright, honey," she said softly.
A bright, happy smile spread across Kara's face, and she kissed Rei again. "Thank you! Thank you... Mommy!"
Atana smiled, feeling a tremendous warmth spreading through him at seeing Kara accept Rei as her mother, and Rei's acceptance of that herself. He embraced both of them, overjoyed to have his family complete once more. He knew Rei was still quite young, and not fully prepared for this. Yet, powerful forces had conspired to reunite them at this time, and he also knew he and Rei desperately needed each other. As he held them close, he kissed Rei's cheek, knowing he was the happiest he had been in a long time.
Rei looked into his eyes and sighed. As his arm enfolded her, she could feel his love and support. She looked down at Kara, seeing the happiness in her face as the girl pressed herself against Rei. He softly kissed her cheek. As she kissed first Kara and then Atana, she realized she felt completely at home here with them, and incredibly happy.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Artemis jumped on to a rock and sniffed the salty sea air. He hesitantly reached down to test the water with a paw. A low wave swept in, and he suddenly jumped to the next rock.
"Artemis! What are you doing?" Luna called.
"Just a little investigating," the white cat replied. "Interested in fresh fish?"
Luna scowled and shook her head. "Most of the fish out there are bigger than you are. Besides, you're not much of a hunter, you know."
"Speak for yourself," Artemis muttered, his tail swishing as he spotted a small fish behind the rock. "This one is mine!" He lunged down, forepaws extended, but the fish suddenly darted away. Artemis struggled to stop, but found his paws couldn't gain purchase on the wet rock, and he splashed into the water.
"Artemis!" Luna called.
Minako and Geoff reached the beach just then.
"Artemis!" Minako cried, tossing away her hat, wrap, and sunglasses. She and Geoff both rushed out into the water.
Artemis sputtered for breath as he struggled to keep his head up. The water was too deep for him to touch bottom. Minako reached down and picked him up.
"Are you alright?" she asked with obvious concern.
Artemis sighed. "Throw me back in. Better to die at sea than face Luna after something like this."
Minako glanced at Geoff, then shook her head. "What sort of talk is that? What about the danger of the Dark Kingdom?"
"I'll face Beryl any day over Luna," Artemis muttered.
"You are impossible," Minako declared, carrying the dripping wet cat back toward the beach.
"This doesn't sound much like a royal advisor to me," Geoff said.
Artemis sighed again and nodded.
"Artemis!" Luna called, as they reached the beach. "What did you think you were doing?"
"Give it a rest, Luna," Artemis replied. "I was just trying to have some fun. Maybe you need to try it sometime."
Minako set Artemis down. As she stepped back, the cat shook himself, then began cleaning himself.
Luna walked over and stood next to him. "You smell like salt," she quipped.
"I'm sure I wouldn't know why," Artemis said.
"Well... I guess I might as well help you clean up... so we aren't waiting all day," Luna muttered, moving closer.
Artemis turned and flicked his tail. "Thank you, Luna, but I can manage perfectly well myself," he said, moving away from her.
"That cat!" Luna grumbled. "So irresponsible."
"I think you're being a little hard on him, Luna," Minako said. "Even you two can't work all the time... Besides, you and Artemis are supposed to work together on this, aren't you? I don't recall Queen Serenity ever saying that you outranked him."
Luna glared at Minako, then sighed and looked thoughtfully after Artemis.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The group assembled in Atana's cave. It was obvious that the cavern had been expanded beyond what either the ancient volcano that created the island or subsequent weathering had accomplished. Battery-powered lanterns hung from the ceiling, providing illumination. Several improvised tables and benches stood along the walls, and an old, somewhat dented steel cabinet containing books and a numbers of candles. On the floor was drawn a large circle with small holes along its edge. Traces of wax indicated that the holes were for the candles.
"This is quite a place," Shinozaki said. "I'd almost expect to find some ancient wizard of legend living down here."
Atana laughed softly. "Well, strong magic tends to come out of the earth, so I guess that's why wizards like caves. And since the Hawaiian islands are comparatively young, their magic is often stronger."
"Yes. I can feel the magic here," Rei said softly, sitting down on a bench.
Kara hopped up next to her. "Can I sit in your lap, Mommy?" she asked quietly.
The other girls glanced at each other.
"Sure, honey," Rei answered, sliding Kara into her lap.
"Mommy?" Makoto mouthed silently in Usagi's direction, an eyebrow raised.
Usagi shrugged.
"Uhm, Rei and I have decided to pose as being married during our stay here," Atana explained, noticing the reactions. "And Kara insisted on playing along."
Usagi glanced back at Mamoru.
'Ordinarily, I think that would be a really bad idea,' Mamoru said through their link.
Usagi nodded. 'Yes. But Kara really is Rei's daughter... I guess Atana decided it was safe to let her begin to accept Rei in that role.' She turned back to Atana. "I think we wanted to find out something about whether the Dark Kingdom has started their attack yet," she said.
Atana nodded, beginning to retrieve candles from the cabinet. "Yes. We should be able to do a fairly simple probe for the Dark Kingdom's energy."
"Can you use some help?" Shinozaki asked.
"Actually, yes," Atana said. "I need to set out these candles around the circle. One in every third position should do it."
Ryo joined Shinozaki in setting out the candles.
Meanwhile, Geoff had drifted back from the circle. Minako moved after him. "Are you alright?" she asked him.
Geoff nodded. "I can sense the magic in here," he said softly, frowning.
Minako nodded. "So can I. What of it?"
"I'm remembering more of my own past. I can now sense more of these things," Geoff said. "The magic in here is... well, rolling off around me, I guess."
"Your ability to disrupt magic fields?" she asked.
He nodded. "I can reduce the area it covers somewhat... but I can't seem to turn it off. I don't want to get to close to Atana's circle, or I might cause interference with his probe."
She slipped her hand into his, and kissed his cheek. "I understand. And I'll stay right here with you, my sexy man."
Geoff smiled and kissed her in return.
Atana gave the candles one last inspection. "I think we're just about ready," he said. He gestured and the candles flickered alight. "Where do we want to start?"
"Tokyo, I think," Luna said. "We should try to determine if they actually did activate their spells around the city."
"I have to agree," Artemis said. "If the Dark Kingdom has started its campaign on Tokyo, then they're pretty much committed to launching their all-out attack."
Atana nodded, and gestured again. The candles flared, and a band of energy formed above them. It floated up, beginning to rotate. A second band formed, and then a third. All three spun with increasing speed through different axes, creating the appearance of a sphere. As the sphere took on a nearly solid appearance, a glow formed at its center point, spreading out. Suddenly, the glow flickered. A puzzled expression crossed Atana's face, and he focused his concentration to keep the sphere stabilized.
Geoff clenched his teeth and stepped back farther. "Damn," he muttered softly.
"Do you want to step outside?" Minako asked him, her voice a whisper.
Geoff shook his head. "I'd rather not. As long as the outer field doesn't expand any further, it should be OK."
Atana brought the sphere back under control, and an aerial view of Tokyo formed within it.
"Everything looks peaceful," Makoto observed.
"Yes," Atana said.
"Can you detect any magic energies in the area?" Artemis asked.
Atana nodded, and the view began to change. The city now became a swirling mass of energies, from small points that were individuals, to an ever-changing mosaic of natural energy, and finally the harsh, flickering of man-made energy.
Ami quickly opened her computer. "This is incredible," she said, studying the readings closely. "We're seeing an aspect of nature that is outside the range of normal human sight."
"Yes," Rei agreed, still holding Kara in her lap. "But something about this doesn't feel quite right."
"Very true," Atana said softly. He reached out to adjust the sphere once more, again feeling a disruption close by. Scanning the energy fields immediately around them, he quickly realized Geoff was the cause. The energy was mostly flowing around the New Zealander, and it was obvious to Atana that Geoff was making a considerable effort to minimize his impact on the sphere. Adjusting the energy flow slightly, Atana compensated for Geoff's presence, and the image in the sphere changed again. Thin mist-like streams could now be seen covering the city like a layer of smog.
"That's it," Luna said. "Dark Kingdom energy."
"But they haven't attacked," Usagi observed.
"No, they haven't," Atana confirmed. "This energy seems to be just sitting there."
Ami studied her computer. "Yes. It's behaving very much like static electricity. It seems to be just waiting for something to... cause it to jump, basically."
Artemis nodded, stepping closer to the sphere. "Yes, of course. Their probes couldn't find the Senshi, so they've set up this energy field. It must be designed to react to the powers of the Senshi."
"Well, that's why we're here," Usagi said. "Can you detect any signs of Dark Kingdom activity elsewhere, Atana?"
Atana frowned, and the sphere flickered again. This time the image changed repeatedly, like a slide show running much too fast. Finally, the image settled on a barren snowfield. Once more, the conventional view was replaced with a view of energy fields, showing a smoke-like mass of opaque dark energy that rotated slowly.
"They're getting ready to break through," Artemis said.
"But they haven't made it yet," Atana said. "They could just be waiting until they locate the Senshi, though."
"Is there a way to monitor their progress?" Mamoru asked. "We'll want an alert if they should break through."
"I think I can manage that," Atana said. Energy briefly pulsed around them. "I can monitor a particular type of energy coming from that field. If the level of that energy increases, we'll know they're doing something. At the same time, though, we won't be doing anything to tip them off."
"That sounds very good," Usagi said, nodding. "I think we all could do with some time to get settled before we have to confront them."< To be continued >
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NOTE: No steamy stuff in this chapter. More to come.Hopeless Romantic and I now have a message group to notify our readers when we post new stories/chapters. Those who are interested can sign up at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/strands_of_moonlight/ .
Always remember, good gentles, that a yarnspinner works from and within existing legends and stories. The characters of "Sailor Moon" belong to others. In spinning my yarns, I do not seek to infringe on their rights of ownership, but merely to join with other fans to spread the legend still further. "The moonlight carries a message of love." Enjoy.
-10.05.2002