Disclaimer: I don't own The Rocky Horror Picture Show

A/N: This is based on The Tempest by William Shakespeare in a number of ways. I just saw the STC Free For All production of that play. For some reason it gave me this idea of Magenta getting in an argument with Riff Raff and going back to Earth with their young daughter. So... Magenta is this story's version of Prospero. But Riff never tried. I suppose what I'm trying to say is that it's inspired by The Tempest but not too similar. Sort of like Forbidden Planet (hence the title).

Sorry if this story's out of character or just plain bad. I'm not that good at this stuff... at least these days.

It was a perfectly ordinary day in the Morbius household. 16-year-old Miranda had just finished eating a lovely breakfast cooked by the servant Brad. Her mother, Magenta, was in the study designing another project. Various machines around the house clicked and gears turned everywhere. Never was the house silent. No, always abuzz with life.

Miranda placed her plate in the dishwasher and watched as it was carefully cleaned. Having a mother who invented all sorts of mad things was indeed useful. While Miranda gazed at the thing that was cleaning the ceramic plate she couldn't help but marvel at how lucky she'd been. Lucky to be the daughter of such an inventor!

"Think of the devil," Miranda muttered, as Magenta entered the room.

There was a solemn look upon Magenta's face. "Today's an important day, child. There was a storm last night – surely you noticed – and you know how storms make me think of a time and place we've tried to forget. Anyway, I've decided to explain everything about who we are."

Miranda rolled her eyes. "You've said that, you've often begun to explain… are you planning to actually tell me everything?"

Such a statement may sound a bit rude when spoken by a girl to her mother. It's because the relationship between those women wasn't exactly like that. Despite the fact that Magenta had (16 years previously) spent far too much time in a hospital room giving birth to Miranda, they behaved like two good friends of the same age. Equals. This simple relationship kept them from arguing too much. They only had each other to be family, friend, or foe. It was best to just have the former two and lack the latter.

"I swear to explain. So please be quiet. Now… do you remember anything before we moved here twelve years ago?"

Eagerly, Miranda nodded. "A bald man, and a variety of oddly dressed people. The bald man cared for me dearly… which I've said to you before. Is he my Father?"

Now Magenta seemed sad. A strange darkness clouded her green eyes and her lips no longer smiled. "Yes. Though I'll get to that later. The story begins here on Earth. My then-employer, Prince Frank of Transsexual, lived here in this very forest. Whilst dwelling in a castle-ship not unlike ours he partied all night, fucked locals, and built a creature. The last of those was the final straw. After being forced to help with that morally dubious science project we'd had it. So, after a very strange night, we killed him and the creature. Then we returned to our home planet with his groupie Columbia in tow. Three earthlings – Brad Majors, Janet Weiss, and Dr. Scott – were involved. You know them, of course.

"After that we returned home. By then I'd become something akin to a queen. My beloved brother Riff Raff was a king, having killed the only other heir anyone really liked. Your father was also a king… surely you realize that they – my brother and your father – happen to be the same person. In most parts of the universe incest is a terrible crime. Though our people are less upset by it, there still are issues with inbreeding. You inherited a few of the nastier traits that run in the family. With the money we had, and the influence, we managed to fix or prevent such issues early on. Surely you don't even remember that.

"After years of peace I began to argue with my brother. Fighting over silly things… no doubt thanks to the stress of raising a young child – not that I blame you – and trying to govern a planet-wide monarchy at the same time. Eventually I'd had enough and left. Never did he send ships after me! I've long since given up on him."

Magenta then laughed a bitter, stark laugh. "There! Now you know it all."

Before, Miranda had known mere fragments of all that. Now she knew far more of her past and as a result was even more curious. Though her mother clearly didn't want to say much more.

The servant Brad chose that unlucky moment to enter the room. He wore plain khaki trousers, a button-down, a dark blue tie, Clark Kent glasses, and a faked expression of confidence. That was his usual appearance. Like some sort of idealized 1950s-style father, Miranda sometimes thought. Though he never really acted as a father figure to Miranda. Since he was a servant she didn't get much social interaction with him. Magenta had trained Miranda to order Brad – and other servants – around. This didn't seem wrong to Miranda at that point in time.

After a moment of awkward silence, Magenta cleared her throat.

"Why don't you go read something, Miranda, while I talk to Brad?" she said.

Without really bothering to ask why, Miranda did so. She didn't want to be in the presence of her oddly upset mother any longer. It was unsettling to hear Magenta speak in such a fearful manner, her words lacking in the usual humor. Miranda left… very worried.

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