The World on the other Side

Jango and Ali both paused as she said that. Apparently the thought of flooding hadn't yet crossed their minds as Sheera pushed them from behind "Keep it moving" she bucked as Alibaba gulped "Maybe t-this will be a nice djinn and we won't have to fight it" he said

Mars chimed up from Jango's side "Maybe. Neptune in very tempermental. Just like the sea. You never know what side of her you'll get!"

Hanako kept walking further into the cave as she looked back at them, noticing that they hadn't even thought about the cove flooding and she sighed shaking her head. "Well we are here now, we don't have much of a choice now" she stated as Sheera was pushing them on. The group continued to move, the sound of water rushing through echoed around them the closer they got to the center and soon they entered a large opening as the group looked around. "This is bigger.....than just a cave..."

“An underground waterfall!”Alibaba said surprised as they enetered the large area around them looking around “This is amazing...this cavern is expansive.....and look!”he said pointed down. In the center of the large lake that the waterfall emptied into, was a woman. She was standing in a billowy dress with ice blue skin, hair and eyes, much different than the djinn they had seen in the center of the whirlpool

Before anyone else could react, Sheera had already jumped down creating a bridge of ice beneath her as she landed right at the edge of the lake facing the djinn “So you’re the infamous djinn that’s been ruining the houses and fields in my village huh?”she practically demanded as the aloof Djinn slowly turned to face her “Indeed, I am Neptune.”she said gently

Hanako glanced around at the underground waterfall and then turned to Alibaba, "it trully is amazing, though it would some what explain the twister of water out there....all that water must have dug out the cavern." She took a deep breath feeling the chill in the air but she glanced down to see the women standing there. "that must be her..." she said softly, hoping her voice wasn't going to echo though that didn't stop Sheera who suddenly jumped down towards the Dijinn and Hanako blinked. "I guess....that solves the whole....how we going to talk to her.."

"Well that was--" "Aggressive" the boys chimed as Sheera jumped down as Alibaba held out his hands as a barrier covered the three of them as he lifted them up and slowly floated them down to the edge of the underground lake beside Sheera

Neptune opened her eyes looking at the group "I sense other djinn among you...are one of you the new Disciple?"

Hanako stood to the side of Alibaba as she glanced at Neptune the women was rather stunning...then again she was basically a god able to control the very nature of water and every form that it could be. She raised her hand to gently grip Venus's hilt wondering if once Alibaba answered the Dijinn's answer would it attack them?

"I'm the Disciple. My name is Alibaba, its an honor to meet you great Neptune, Goddess of the Seas. I ask that we renew the contract that Queen Iris initiated with you."he stated to her

"Ahh such a young Disciple. May your reign be everlasting. If you wish to bear contract with me, I require three things. First, I require a large body of water to live by. Second, I require to sing my Siren's song twice a day, at sun rise and sunset. Third, I require a yearly sacrifice at my altar by the sea. Meet my demands, or earn my contract through ensealment. The choice is yours." She told the group

Everything up to the whole sacrifice seemed to be nice but Hanako would blink as she looked over at Jango, "does she mean like....human or animal?" it didn't really matter either way a life was still being asked to be killed in honor of her. "He's not going to agree to that is he?" she whispered softly

"There's no way...but does he really wanna fight her down here...like you said us and the whole ship can be flooded with the cavern"Jango whispered back

Alibaba bit his lip weighing the decision on his hands before Sheera then spoke up "I accept. As vassal of the Water Djinn I am the one who will be protecting your seal. I will be your sacrifice. At the end of this contract my soul is yours to keep. My royal soul is worth far more than sacarificing peasants to a powerful diety like you" she said as Alibaba dejected but she cut him off "Look Baba, leadership isnt always about saving everyone and sunshine and butterflies. You have to make split decisions on the fly and live with the consequences later."

Hanako glanced over to Sheera, she was giving up her life in order to save her own people however she had a point....a leader couldn't appear weak...had to make the tough calls and she looked over to Ali as she moved over to him. "She has a point Ali...even if its one you don't like, she is saving many who would have been killed just to please one.....its a tough choice but....its slightly similar to the choice I made in the mountains....I either marry Jango or we would have died in that cell."

"But why should anyone have to die at all! We should live in a world where there doesnt have to be lives lost pointlessly. I'm going to make the world that way as the Disciple" he said fighting back tears as Sheera smiled down at him for a change " I know you will Ali. I believe in your future. But right now this is what's best for everyone"

Hanako smiled some seeing how much Ali wanted no one to suffer if he could help it, "I don't think Sheera is going to let Neptune take her that quickly...." she said looking at Sheera. "I think you still have a lot of things to do not to mention making sure you grow up stronger Ali" Hanako then looked back to Jango "Right?...even you have to admit you'd hate to see her go so soon..." she was eyeing him saying 'dont you dare say anything to upset Ali'

"Yeah...if there's anyone who'd outlive us all, it'd definitely be Sheera."Jango said "And her soul os definitely big and full, she has so much heart."

"Im not dead yet you idiots, so quite talking like Im going anywhere" Sheera scolded the group as she looked over at Neptune "Are we doing this or what?"

"I accept your offer. Disciple, you may make your contract"Neptune said bowing her head before transforming into a golden trident as Alibaba raised two fingers drawing his seal on the shaft as it flashed before flying straight into Sheera's hands who twirled it it around before stabbing the base in the ground as the water in the lake rippled before calming once more "Alright, now lets see if those lazy fools have finished fixing our ship"

Hanako couldn't help but laugh abit as how Sheera got her own feathers ruffled, though she was glad to see that things had calmed down. The group would head back towards the ship though as they where leaving Hanako slightly fell behind as she could almost hear something, she turned her head some. She could hear the others moving further away as she soon saw what she thought was something ducking into the shadows, what was it and why could she hear whispers?

Sheera was barking orders to the crew to finish readying the ship as Jango and Ali stood off to the side "Where'd Hanako go?" Ali asked as Jango looked back seeing her "Whatcha doin back there?" He called to her

Hanako could hear them calling to her as she would pause before she would soon turn and head towards them running a bit to catch up, "sorry....I was just admiring how this cavern was, must have taken quiet a bit of time to carve this out....since we won't get to see many like this.." she said smiling, though she was lieing she didn't want to worry them.

"Yeah that is true. This must have been made hundreds of years ago" Ali saod "A cave beneath the ocean floor, how cool"

"Yeah well I'll feel much better when we are up on the surface, and even better than that back on land." Jango said "I dont know how would could have had a fight down here without dying"

"We are on land still Jango just....several miles below the sea level" She said with a small chuckle as she could see him still not liking that idea, though she moved up towards him as she raised her hand to pat his shoulder. "Just hold your breath and count to 10 and we will be up on the surface soon" she teased him some, though she was still attempting to avoid the shadows moving about out of the corner of her eye.

"Ha. Ha. Funny." Jango said glaring at her as he blinked "What do you keep looking at?"he asked "Ever since we started walking back you've seemed really preoccupied....seeing a water ghost or something?" He teased waving a hand in front of her face

SHe would blink agian as he waved his hand in front of her face and she would turn to look over at him and would speak "No sorry....just...admiring the cave..." she stated it was a bold face lie and she knew Venus would probably question her later the two where connected now and she smiled some. "lets just get you above sea level...." she teased him and moved past him ignoring anything that was moving out of the corner of her eye.

The group would get back to the ship and true to Sheera's comand her men had gotten the ship back to sailing perfection, it had been just a short amount of time so she didn't want to know what sort of tricks they used just to get the ship back to perfection. As they boarded she glanced once more back at the caves, something was calling to her tugging at her she couldn't tell if it was a threat or not but she would leave it be she couldn't let the others know as she soon felt the ship moving and Sheera's voice booming to get them back to the surface.

~~~Some hours later~~~
They had left Neptunes underwater cavern and where already sailing back to meet up with the rest of the 'castle' that still floated proudly on the sea, Hanako leaned against the railing feeling the wind hitting her face as she sighed softly before speaking softly "Do you think....it was him calling Venus?" she asked softly hoping ALi and Jango didn't hear her, her constant concern that the darkness within her would harm those she cared for.

"Yes I do believe it is quite possible. On the open waters all the way out here the protection of the Barcyl's barrier isn't as strong. Outside the barrier in the Shadowlands the Dark Wizard's spirit corrupts and mutates anything that comes across it's paths. That is why our citizens are strictly forbidden from leaving the barrier. Those who do without permission of the Noble family are considered exiled and can never enter again. I believe it was the presence of the djinn that prevented his spirit from tainting you." Venus said to her appearing as the others were having a conversation with newcomer Neptune "I wouldn't worry about it to much. We will be returning to the continent shortly where the barrier is the strongest"

She would look over towards the others before she glanced over at Venus, her hand sliding up to grip her arm some as she tried to calm herself. "So...just stay in the barrier...and we'll be fine..." she stated with a small smile trying to keep herself from showing to much concern. "Once the dijins are collected....im sure things will calm down and we can go back to our lives...."

With a deep breath she would turn to head towards the others, "So Neptune....your really different from the stories I've heard of you....normally your depicted as a muscled man with a giant spear.....I'm kinda excited to know that my world can't get a thing right" she laughed a bit

"The masculinity of a Sailor is such a fragile thing. They must feel the need to appear tough" Neptune said "Though I do wield a golden trident." She stated "So you are one of the disturbances that has entered through the Gate. Yet your blue eyes delineate your power, most intruguing indeed." Neptune said "And you seem to be in sync with Venus...but that is no surprise, she is usually pairable with almost everyone. Except that Fairy Knight." She said

"Keruan is King now"Venus said softly "He is no longer just a Knight"

Hanako would brush her hair from her face as she would shift some, "ya...I suppose that is something everyone is amazed at..." she said with a small shift, then she would glance over towards Venus when she mentioned Keruan even his name still was unsettling to Hanako as she would then speak, "He....he's not in a need to wield Venus anymore since I look after Alibaba it's only fitting that I'm the one that pairs with her." she stated with a small smile.

"I see. Venus' role is to protect the Disciple and keep the other djinn in control. You failed in protecting our vessel last time and the King died. Let us pray this time the same does not befall the Didciple, especially one so young. With the death of the Disciple comes the death of the djinn and the fall of the barrier"