All Buffy related things are owned by Joss Whedon, etc, etc. All things related to Final Fantasy are owned by SquareSoft, etc, etc. In short, I own nothing except the idea for this story.
***
"I can't believe we're actually on our way to the moon!" Willow cried in awe and disbelief.
Angel looked over at her from the control seat and grinned in agreement. Of all the possibilities, this was certainly not one of them. He, Willow, Buffy, Xander, and Giles were all on board a ship called the "Big Whale," a ship that was now in flight to the moon.
None of them could believe it when Jenny told them that they had to go to the moon in order to stop Zemus. It was generally accepted that the demon would arise in Sunnydale. Now here they were, sitting aboard a legendary ship that had stayed dormant beneath the oceans for nearly 2500 years, and on their way to the moon. Thankfully, the ship didn't travel through the Physical Plane, but rather through the Astral Plane; that way, it didn't emit any type of signal for the satellites to catch. They certainly would have a lot of explaining to do if someone associated with the U.S government--or, more importantly, the Defense branch of the U.S government--suddenly noticed a renegade ship heading for the moon.
Since the ship was perfectly capable of taking itself to the moon, he and Willow decided to just sit back and watch the view from the control room.
"I've never even thought it was possible to travel by machine through the Astral Plane," Willow mused. The vampire next to her heard her comment and admitted, "I wasn't even aware there was an Astral Plane until yesterday."
Willow rolled her eyes in amusement and muttered, "Geez, after two and a half centuries you'd expect an immortal to have learned something."
"Watch it," Angel warned her darkly.
"Or what?" Willow countered.
"Or--" Angel was cut off as he noticed that they were ready to land. He took control of the ship as Willow searched for a flat area to land. "There!" she pointed to an elevated spot just below them.
After a few moments of circling and fidgeting with the controls, the two of them finally figured out how the landing gear worked, and they completed a safe landing.
"All ready?" Angel asked, as he and Willow emerged from the control room. Xander, Buffy, and Giles were already standing and Buffy replied, "About as ready as we'll ever be. C'mon."
The five Warriors exited the ship and looked around, none of them sure whether or not it was safe to return to the Physical Plane. They decided against it.
"And where exactly were we supposed to go?" Xander asked.
"Well, it never specified…" Giles expressed his confusion as well.
"Oh, that's just great!" Xander muttered sarcastically.
"Hey, look!" Buffy yelled and pointed to two figures approaching from the distance, "I wonder who they are?"
"Obviously someone we're supposed to meet, considering the fact that we're still in the Astral Plane," Willow responded.
As the figures approached, the group could begin to make out the physical characteristics of the two men. One was a rather aged man with a long white beard, short, dressed in a light blue garment, and carrying a walking stick. The other was significantly taller, but shrouded by his dark blue and gold garment.
"Welcome to our home," the older one spoke, as they neared. Coming to a stop in front of the Warriors, he continued, "I am FuSoYa, Guardian of the Lunarians' slumber. This is my companion, Golbez."
"Lunarians?" Buffy wondered aloud.
"Yes," FuSoYa answered, "Millennia ago, the planet between Mars and Jupiter was about to be shattered. The people who survived this calamity escaped by ships and headed to the Blue Planet."
"The Blue Planet?" Xander wondered.
"Your land, Earth. However, the people of your planet were still in the process of evolution, and we did not want to disrupt the natural course that the Higher Beings had set for your planet. Thus we created the Moon and kept sleeping beneath the surface. Now that Zemus is arising again, your help was needed, and you were called here, thus awakening me from my slumber."
"I guess it's a good thing your people don't venture out onto the surface all that often," Xander quipped, "or you'd have been hauled back to Earth years ago as aliens."
"I suppose," Golbez answered, "But when we do emerge to the surface it is through the Astral Plane. The men who have ventured here in the past years have none of the abilities to see into the parallel planes that surround the Physical."
"So, you're a race of wizards?" Giles asked.
"Though we prefer not to use our Gifts very often," FuSoYa clarified, "we are a peace loving people. But the very nature of Magick allows it to be used both for the Light and for the Darkness. We prefer not to have our people tempted by such an alluring power. But enough of this talk, we are running short in time. I will lead you to the entrance of Zemus' cave. From there, I'm afraid, you are on your own."
"If your people are wizards, though," Willow asked the man, "why haven't you tried to stop Zemus?"
"We have, child," FuSoYa answered, "both myself and my companion, who was raised on the Blue Planet, during the time of the Ancient Warriors, but we failed. The Darkness can only be battled by those who have been properly trained to wield the Light. Come, I will show you to the cave."
* * *
When they emerged in the Underground, the home of the Lunarians, the group returned to the Physical Plane, where they were able to see the underground lairs with more clarity. Though the Astral Plane exists parallel to the Physical Plane, it is encased in mist, since it is only a temporary reflection of the Physical Plane.
FuSoYa and Golbez led the Warriors inside what seemed like a crystal palace. They walked past the throne room, into a room sealed off in the back. Inside this room were eight crystals, arranged in a large circle, and in the middle was a large pedestal of sorts. Willow, who was sensitive to Magick even before the prophecy began, immediately sensed the power radiating off of the crystals and the pedestal.
"Here is where you will enter the cave of Zemus," Golbez told them, "now take this."
He handed Angel a crystal about the size of his hand. "What is this?" Angel asked.
"This is the Crystal of Light," Golbez told him, "you will need it to weaken Zemus. Use it with only the purest of the Light inside of you, or it will not have any effect. The Dark only will only strengthen Zemus."
Angel nodded his head in understanding and pocketed the crystal. "Now," FuSoYa told them, "if you all will gather on the pedestal, the Crystals of the Moon will send you where you need to go."
Not sure what was going to happen, but too in awe to ask, the five did as they were told and stepped onto the pedestal. The light in the room began to grow tremendously, brighter and brighter, until it blinded the Warriors. When they could finally see again, they were in a small cave in a strange place.
Angel exited the cave and saw a doorway in the distance. "I'm guessing that's the way to Zemus," he told the others, who had just joined him, "no point in heading for the battle right now. I say we rest."
"I agree," Giles said.
They all returned to the relative safety of the cave, each one wondering whether or not they would ever return home.
Willow thought about all the dreams she had, and wondered whether or not they would ever happen. She thought about all the plans she had laid out for herself over the years, all the goals she had yet to reach. But in a strange way, she felt like she had already achieved the basis for the goals she was supposed to reach.
Angel noticed Willow standing quietly by herself, and felt a pang of regret that they may never get the chance to be together. She would never have even known that he loved her. Angel decided he couldn't let that happen. He had to tell her, and the time was now.
Willow turned at the sound of Angel's voice. "Hey," she said quietly in response to his greeting.
"Mind if we step outside for a second?" he asked. Willow nodded her head and wondered to herself about the fact that she may never get the chance to tell Angel how she felt about him. But she had to, and it was now or never.
As they stepped away from the cave, Angel spoke, "We need to talk…I have something important I want to say to you."
"I have something I want to say to you, too," Willow responded.
And so they stood, looking into each other's eyes, each wondering where to begin.
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