Storms of Neptune

Ch.7

As the water gradually turns from dark to light, Sailor Neptune surfaces with the Trident in hand. Crawling onto the indigo sands and stands up to see her family cheering.
     Catching her breath, a big grin grows on her face. Shika whistles and waves to her to come on over. Sailor Neptune makes her way across the shallow waters and sand bars that appear as the planet breathes.
        "We knew you could do it!"
        "Thank you all for your kind support but I really need a moment to sit down."
        "Sure by all means, rest."
Shika lays out a towel and hands Sailor Neptune another one to dry off with. Neptune sits upon the towel collecting her thoughts as she gazes upon the trident.
        "That trident is one of our most powerful Neptunian weapons. Very few things rival or surpass it. Power is meant to be respected, do that and it will serve you well. It'll take some patience but as you grow so will your ability to wield greater powers within that Trident at will."
         "Mom, sorry to interrupt, but some of my memories surfaced while I was down there! I need to talk about them."
        "I'm all ears."
        "The things you told me about illusions and reality really came in handy. I was in some hallucinogenic trip, mostly cause I was afraid. But then I remembered to come to my senses, be in tune, and breathe.
        Anyway, In the midst of it I recalled myself putting the little girl aka Sailor Triton in an escape pod and sending her back to earth.
        Something about a war on the moon  and my mirror's divine will pulling me from where I was on that ship and oh it's too hard, I must have died. So much destruction and chaos. It was a horrific scene.
        The one thing I heard myself say to Triton, 'Be free and claim you're destiny!'
Actually now that I think about it, I do recall Sailor Triton showing me this exact sequence of events in a dream. She said it was the truth I needed to know. But this time these were my actual memories.
         Is this tragedy pertaining to these karmic times we're in to answer for the ghosts of our archaic past, as you have said it?"
         "That's great news my dearest Neptune." Said Shika, "Indeed it does. In that moment, at that time, you did the right thing. My heart was stricken with grief but it was one of those critical moments that steered the coarse of time. When we are indeed pulled to where we are most needed if it should have to be.
          "Shika, was there really a kingdom on the moon? How romantic.
          "Yes but unfortunately earth's moon is a source of great conflict in this galaxy. Trouble seems to follow moon kingdom royalty wherever they go.
But that's a subject for another time, priorities are priorities. If the karmic plan is to go smoothly we must turn to the task at hand."
         "Oh yes, right."
          Neptune holds the trident, resting it on her lap.
         "So this trident, what does it even do? Also I haven't the slightest clue on how to use it."
         "It commands the oceans and greatest magic of Neptune. And I mean any body of salty life bearing water. As of now you can probably only wield about 10-20 percent of its power but remember not to force power, ever. If you feel resistance then do not force it. It is a good idea to train a bit with it but we can do that later. BlackIce is expecting us, she has no doubt sensed the shift."
"Very well, thank you for the useful information." Neptune sits digesting this vital information. A few minutes of quiet pass by as she sits observing the Astral Lagoon. Colorful butterfly fish swim the cove among the brilliant corals. Waves lapse upon the shore in a soothing rhythm. She sits in a mesmerizing place of peace.
       "If you are ready then we may head north."
They board Akira and sail off. Sailor Neptune stirs in her emotions, "I must admit I am afraid of the dragon."
"Quite frankly I wouldn't want to tangle with a cosmic dragon either. Don't worry though, BlackIce is cool, we're luckily she's on our side." Said Akira.        
        They land at the base of a large mountain. Where an large opening is graced with jagged ice around the perimeter.
         "Here is the cavern that is BlackIce's layer." Said Shika.
        The entrance to the cavern opens up to a spacious crystal ice domain. Sailor Neptune follows Shika and Kiyoko into the cavern. Shadows obscure the silhouette of the dragon. Sparingly lit with bioluminescent crystal torches that create a glimmer of icy blue light that bounces off the icy walls and frost covered stone floor. Almost creating an underwater light effect.
       BlackIce stirs from her pondering. "Who goes there?"
       "Ahoy there BlackIce, I come bearing a special guest."
       "Could it be the one I have summoned, Sailor Neptune?"
       "Yes, my dearest friend. She has come home to help us all."
        "Exquisite timing."
        The dragon opens her crystal ice blue eyes. She proceeds to come towards them, emerging from the shadows of the cavern.
Fear starts to grow in Neptune as the dragon approaches.
        Some light coming in from the entrance to the cavern casts upon the dragon's figure. A pair of rugged horns attach from the top of her head. Her spikes travel all the way down to the tip of her tail. Graced with a pair of mighty wings fold along side her strong back and flexible physique. The noble blue and black dragon sits down before them.
        "Greetings dear princess. Would you like something to drink? You seem parched."
       "Well sure, now that I think about it. I hardly noticed."
       "I see you have the trident very good. I noticed the shift in Neptunian energies." BlackIce hands her a rocky crystal bowl filled with water. "Thank you for the hospitality." She takes a drink and tastes the clean water reviving her from her challenge.
"Shika. Kiyoko. do you want anything?"
       "I'm good, thank you."
        Kiyoko walks up to the natural spring that pools inside the cavern with fresh water, BlackIce dips a bowl collecting the water, lays it before Kiyoko and she takes a drink.
       "Anywho, princes Neptune, I'm so pleased that you are here. I am BlackIce and I am Sailor Triton's guardian. These times we are in are both exciting and nerve wracking all the same. But fear not, all is in order. We are making great strides and our efforts are paying off.
Now come, Princess Neptune and look into the Mirror Pool."
      She follows the dragon with Shika close behind. To the back there sits a mysterious pool of water that glimmers in the sparingly lit cavern. Separate from the natural spring that rivers even deeper into the cavern.
       Upon arriving at the edge of the Mirror Pool she noticed this water was unusually clear, so much so she could see her reflection vividly. Sailor Neptune watches as BlackIce douses the water and it ripples out. Warping into a clear picture of what looked like a dimensional whirlpool.
"This is the rift I'm sure Shika has been telling you about. Basically it's causing a hole in the fabric of space time.
We must retrieve the relic that is causing it and it just so happens that it's the conch shell that belongs to Sailor Triton. How this has been brewing since the fall of Atlantis we don't know. It's slipped right out from under our noses. Perhaps because there were far more important things on our mind at the time. But as most things have a rhyme and a reason, a place and a time so we have come to this crucial point now."
Sailor Neptune watches the dimensional whirlpool spiral and contort in
the picture in the Mirror Pool. Recalling the experience the sensation of staring into the abyss of the atoll back in the Astral Lagoon.
"BlackIce, excuse me, but I need answers."
BlackIce turns to Sailor Neptune.
Then it is time you heard the story. You should know that dragons love to tell stories.
Long, long ago, back in archaic times, After you sent Sailor Triton back to Earth I'll have you know she lived a full and epic life filled with love adventure and triumphs over corrupt forces everywhere she went.
It was during the prelude to the fall of Atlantis, Sailor Triton faced off against Poseidon in a decisive battle. A grueling battle took place but then she successfully harpooned him in the lower back, defeating him. Then you Sailor Neptune came to her telling her to pull the trigger on Atlantis. And so she did.
Unfortunately that wasn't the last of him. Though he is banished from the realms of life. Poseidon, after all this time, still longs to possess Sailor Triton. To turn her into a weapon to use for his own personal gain. His jealously marinated and grew out of his humiliating defeat for many millennia.
The Corruption Trolls are the failed souls of Atlantis who seriously believe in his diabolical pollution. They were corroded by their thirst for war and hubris morals, so their pathetic souls became Poseidon's pawns.
           He himself can't fully come down here so Poseidon has the Corruption Trolls looking for Sailor Triton. For Sailor Triton issued a divine restraining order because she refuses to give him the rematch he doesn't deserve!
So this time, you, Neptune must fight him. Perhaps Poseidon knew that you, Sailor Neptune, somehow were the only one who could stop him at this point in time. To be quite frank he seeks vengeance on all of us as well, as a family because he is a sore loser and of course seeks revenge.
We fear the dimensional barrier is starting to weaken as he gains energy off the pollution his minions have collected. After their sludge seeps into the bodies of their victims, the people effected are oblivious to the wrong that they are committing and carelessly succumb to human vices, such as alcohol, animal cruelty, and the like.
It must seem like the odds are stacked against us but I'm confident if we play our cards right we shall have victory."
Sailor Neptune nods, her eyes alight with clarity.
"This explains a lot, thank you. You should know that she actually has spoken to me in my dreams, asking for my help."
"And so we must act! Sailor Triton is about to incarcerate on Earth! We must do everything in our power to support her.
Someone has to retrieve the conch shell and that person is you, Sailor Neptune. But to tamper with such a crucial point in time is very risky. Luckily I am quite knowledgeable in matters regarding the space time continuum. You and Akira will be transported via a musically induced time warp into the Time Zone.
"Wow, how does that work?"
Sailor Neptune gasps with great curiosity.
        It's really cool, any instrument will do.
My family has passed down the divine musical codes. You just leave that magic to me and focus on your mission.
There is a special person there who will be able to help and direct you. You need a space-time key to access and navigate the right stream."
"Oh, wow, this is crazy but I'm in. When do I depart and from where do we perform this musically induced time warp?"
"I will meet you back at Triton Castle tomorrow morning. Time flows different in Neptunian territory. I'm in command and and everything is going according to plan. In the mean time you should work on training with that Trident, you're going to need it."
"Well understood, can't go in unprepared."
"That's the spirit!." Said BlackIce, with a fist pump in the air.