Storms of Neptune

Ch.5

Ch.5

    Back at the sea side park by Tokyo Bay, Michiru comes upon the beach. Gentle waves roll in to shore and withdraw back out. She stops and gazes out into the horizon's abyss.
      Michiru stands before the ocean in the stillness of the morning sun rise. The nautical winds gently breezes through her hair, her dress doing a subtle dance in its wake.
    Surveys the area to make sure no one is around. Michiru sends a telepathic signal out to Akira. Before long a plume shoots in the sky like a geyser.
    Permission to come ashore, Michiru?
   Yep, the coast is clear.
   The blue whale swims up like a cargo ship coming into harbor. Michiru seems to shrink as he approaches her.
   "Michiru, allow me to apologize. I didn't mean to cause such a disturbance. Your awakening was for you and you alone to go through. From now on I will do my best to be upfront with you.
    The little girl in your dream calls to you because indeed she does need your help."
    "You mean you know where she is! Can you take me to her? Who is she Akira?"
    Akira nods.
    "She is family. Your little sister to be exact. She is Sailor Triton. What she said to you about Poseidon hunting her is true. However I'm afraid the situation is far more complicated than we would like."
    Speechless, Michiru brings her hands to her face. It hit as though struck by the blue lightning.
   "That must be why I feel such a strong connection to her. I always feel like I know her but couldn't tell why to save my life. I want to save her Akira, what do I need to do?"
    Akira looks Michiru in the eyes.
    "Then let me ask you this, Michiru. Are you willing to put your life on the line and fight?
     I must tell you that if we do not answer to our karmic obligations there won't be an earth to come back to in the near future.
This is the truth you need to know.
Have faith in yourself, you are more than a capable fighter."
     Michiru pauses and reflects.
"So this is where the currents of my intuition have been taking me. This is all so bizarre but okay... I swear my loyalty to my duty... please take me to her!"
Akira bows in respect and gratitude.
      "This may be a strange question, but would you be willing to go on a trip to your home planet, with me?
      I know it's a lot to take in. You may wonder where all these intense dreams are coming from? Why they matter? Why you were born into this world with some sort of amnesia about who you really are? How I know everything about you?
     But please trust me. I promise you will understand once you meet a few special beings there that have more information than I about your sister, who are eager to see you.
      And about official training you will be given opportunities for that as well. Although, from what it sounds like, it seems you fought them off just fine. However, there is a difference between winging it and actually knowing what you're doing.
       Michiru's eyes wander and she notices the activity coming from across the water in Tokyo's Landfill. Literally an island made up of trash. Fumes fill the air as they light the incinerator.
     Her ears tense up in horror as the awful sound of grunting and slobbering draw in from east end of the sea side park.
     "Michiru!" Akira said in alarm
     "Yeah I know, we've got company.
Forcing herself to turn around to face them.
     "Neptune planet power, make up!"
     "Oh how long I have dreamed of this day. To see our guardian and warrior princess, Sailor Neptune in action."
     The corruption troll's stocky, humanoid figures come onto the beach. Their toxic hides stinking up the atmosphere.
     Sailor Neptune trots up, shifts diagonally, takes aim and fires.
     "Deep Submerge!"
It shoots down an imaginary line knocking them out in a nice angle. The hydro power of her attack drenches them, slowing them down and weakening their rotten flesh.
     "I take it you're getting the hang of it?"
     Neptune grins back at him
     "Just takes a little effort and resourcefulness, though I admit keeping up the pace is a challenge, I need conditioning and endurance training or something to that effect. I'm still a bit wiped out from yesterday's fight."
      "Well understood Neptune. You're a smart cookie as always."
      Pulling out her mirror, she takes aim.
The trolls come at her and she shines it in their faces. The three trolls wither and begin to melt as Sailor Neptune watches them screech in terror.
      "Submarine Reflection!"
Blasting the corruption trolls with a direct hit popping the nuggets that are the wretched core of these vermin.
       She then takes off for the eastern most end of the shore.
       "Where are you going?" Akira asked.
        "To find out where they are coming from."
        Running across the sand in high heels proves to be a workout. Neptune focuses on the task at hand choosing to overcome the physical strains. Stopping before the rocky boarder she watches as a few corruption trolls emerge from the ocean.
        "Okay but where exactly are they coming from? I fear the worst."
        She stares past them out at the landfill. The intricate layers of trash she knows is buried under the sea creating land of trash to add on to the existing island.
         "Just great, how am I supposed to find their nest this time. No, scratch that, it's more like a fortress."
          Attention back on the corruption trolls to find them staring her down. She in return takes her stance ready to attack. Her face turns to horror as they continue to accumulate, crawling out over the rocks.
           They charge in a stampede of rancid rampaging trash, spewing their haze. Neptune freezes in fear.
          "I can't get my feet to move."
          "Neptune get down!"
She snaps into action doing as Akira commands.
          "Hydrosonic Blast!" An immense force of water and sound bombards the corruption trolls.
           Without warning, Akira levitates Sailor Neptune onto his back. He then emits a special aura like a force field that surrounds himself and Sailor Neptune.
         "Wait! What the heck?"
         "Don't worry about falling off I've got you. Oh and I grabbed your bag."
         Sailor Neptune then feels the sensation of Akira lifting off from shore. Floating up in to the air on the back of this enormous animal. Sailor Neptune looks around in astonishment.
          "Akira! I don't believe it, but it is! This is real!" She touches the smooth surface of his skin and then her face.
          "Princess, I'm not just an ordinary whale, I am a space whale!"
           "What about the corruption trolls? What about the people?"
           "We can't save everyone!
            The corruption trolls are not worth it Neptune, they're small fries. They're just a distraction form the real mission at hand. Your sister is more important than wasting time with those clowns. Trust me they are after us, if we leave they will find a way to follow."
             Akira turns round and gradually floats up in a forward momentum. Releasing a strange mist turning them invisible to the ordinary world. Taking off with far more grace and finesse than any rocket ship.
            "Now just breathe and relax and yes, again, this is really happening! It's surreal but I can assure you, this is real."
             "This is uncanny but okay. Roger that Akira!"
             "Now please relax and enjoy the trip. You are perfectly safe.

~

Leaving the atmosphere of Earth, clouds give way to stars. Akira notices her fascination and so stops and turns round.
        "Dearest Neptune, I present to you Earth like you've never seen her before. This precious hub of life is counting on us to do our part in the karmic showdown between good and evil."
         "It's amazing! So magnificent! I feel such strength. It empowers me in ways I can't explain. I feel like I can do anything!"
       The minutes pass as they take in the glorious sight. The minutes pass as they take in the glorious sight. The blue rocky sphere covered in oceans and clouds swirling about in the currents. Making atmospheric sounds Neptune tuned in to listen.
       "It's like I can hear the beating heart of the Earth, so awe inspiring!"
       "It never gets old my princess. Now you understand just what's at stake."
       Sailor Neptune embraces the oceans of life that she now realizes are dependent on her.
       "Once you've had your fill we will go."
        "Few more minutes, it is just mesmerizing. How often does someone get to see something like this?"
        A few moments of peace go by.
        "Okay Akira, let's head on out to Planet Neptune."
         They sail off into deep space of the solar system.
       "Akira, may I ask how this is possible? For me to breathe in space? And how long is it going to take to get there? On earth they say it would take almost a lifetime to get to the outer reaches of the solar system."
         "So glad you asked, Neptune. Well for starters as a space whale I can emit a special energy or aura that creates an atmosphere around me. Thus allowing you to breathe. It also doubles as a forcefield to keep dust and other particles out. I have complete control of my system so you need not worry about falling off.
          As for the second question about space travel. For space whales we swim the cosmos like an earthly whale does the ocean. It's the most natural thing to us.
           We are capable of traversing the universe's many dimensions and even swim out in the multiverse. We can travel very far distances with ease. A trip from Earth to Neptune is like a trip from Japan to North America."
            Sailor Neptune nods putting her finger to her chin.
            "How fascinating."
            As they are swimming with the stars Sailor Neptune enjoys the spectacular views. Akira sails through the cosmos with ease making it a smooth ride.
       "This feels like a dream!"
       "Well, come to think of it, there was a time where space travel was a normal thing on Earth. Back during the time of Lemuria and Atlantis. The ancient past long since forgotten by modern humans. A very important and significant time reduced to myth and fairy tales."
        Michiru ponders.
        "Akira, in my dream I saw blueprints to an ancient oceanic city. The same one with my conch shell playing little sister. Is it possible that it could be the city of Atlantis?"
         "Sure is, you designed it."
         Sailor Neptune stammers in mixed emotions, her mind blown.
         "This is so surreal, I am in space on a whale heading to planet Neptune. But Atlantis? How is Neptune connected to Atlantis?"
         "I bet it is hard to believe but in reality, truth is stranger than fiction.
          Hold on a sec, I've got to concentrate now, the asteroid belt coming up ahead. Asteroids here are actually more spread apart than Hollywood would have the world believe. But can still do damage if I'm not careful. This may seem scary but trust me, I will keep you safe. We can still talk though."
         "Very well Akira, you were saying?"
          "Yes, anyway, Atlantis is a Neptunian settlement on Earth built between our symbiotic relationship with Gaia. It was a beautiful and magnificent place. Truly a sight to behold."
           "Very interesting." Sailor Neptune ponders.
           Traversing through the asteroid belt, Akira maneuvers around stellar objects with grace. Now exiting the asteroid belt.
           "We are now getting on a superhighway, we will be there in no time. It's like a major current in the ocean."
          "Wow, I didn't know sea and space had so much in common."
           "Well Neptune, practices and patterns that have proven to be tried and true tend to repeat themselves throughout the universe."
            Getting off the super highway it takes them right into the outer reaches of Neptunian territory .
            "Akira, what was I like as a princess?"  
             "Princess Neptune. As princess you were a fair and wise ruler. The same kindness and generosity that empowered you then still does so today! You maintained balance and order with grace and gratitude."
              You were loved but also hated by our enemies for they believed Atlantian early times were too peaceful and prosperous. In other words became jealous and so acted in prejudice.
             Your mother has a whole lot more to share with you about it. She is so excited to see you."
              "My mother?"
              "Yes, your Neptunian mother."
              As they soar through space, Sailor Neptune looks up. Her jaw drops. Akira notices her sudden silence.
            "And there she is, the beauty and wonder that is planet Neptune. We will be landing on Triton, our guardian satellite."