Hi there! If you're thinking that this story sounds awfully familiar, it's
probably because it was posted on A Sailor Moon Romance under the name
Matrix1013. Well, it's still me; I've just changed my screen name to Ash,
and my email to tenjou_utena229@hotmail.com. The same disclaimers apply.
Sailor Moon in all its incarnations are the property of Naoko Takeuchi, Dic,
and Mixx. A Royal Pain is the property of Ellen Conford. Any similarities of
persons living or dead is purely intentional! Please review the story! I love
feedback!
Switched at Birth
By Ash (AKA Matrix1013)
Chapter 1
Hello there. My name is Serena Tsukino. For the first fifteen years of my
life, that is. Then it changed to Her Serene Highness Princess Beryl Serena
Angelica Christine Anastasia Serenity the fourteenth, heir to the throne of
Paradeisos. Several years after that, it changed _back_ to Serena Tsukino.
Then, additions were made to Serena Tsukino. A little after that, my name went
back to being Princess Serenity. Are you confused? I thought you might be. Not
going anywhere for a while? Have a seat, then. I'll tell you all about it.
My childhood was pretty normal. I had a mother, a father, and a younger brother
who could be annoying at times. We lived on a large estate that had been left to
my father by a wealthy relative. My father was a successful businessman, and my
mother was one of those people who don't do anything but charity work. Wait a
minute, that sounds like she wasted her time, but let me assure you, she devoted
her time to many worthwhile causes. At an early age, I was deemed as such a cause.
As soon as I could walk and talk, I became my mother's favorite 'project'. Dance
lessons, art lessons, music lessons, foreign language lessons, and etiquette
lessons became a part of my life. Combined with school, I think that I was being
educated for over ten hours a day, seven days a week.
What surprised me the most, I think, was that I actually enjoyed a lot of it.
All of these seemingly frivolous lessons actually had practical uses. For
instance, the extra art and music lessons raised my GPA in school. The same goes
for my foreign language studies. And, I was able to talk to the exchange students
that come to my school. I was very thankful for my dance lessons when I entered
my teen years. As many people can attest to, puberty is a very awkward time. I
think that if I hadn't learned to be light on my feet, that I would have probably
tripped and bruised my way through adolescence.
But I digress. I was planning on telling you about the numerous changes to my
name, wasn't I? I guess the best place to start is when my name changed the
first time. It all began when I was three months away from my sixteenth birthday.
It was a cool March afternoon, and I was coming home from school...
"So, Molly, any plans for Spring Break?" I asked my best friend. I was in the
passenger seat of her silver jeep.
Not taking her eyes off the road, Molly Osaka shrugged. "Nothing definite. I'm
probably just going to stay home and vegetate. I deserve a little relaxation
after so much school," she replied.
She turned her jeep onto my street as she asked me, "What about you? Anything
planned?"
"Not really," I said. "Probably just work with my language tutors."
"I can't believe you're going to learn something while you're on vacation,"
Molly remarked. "I think there's a law against that."
"Afraid not, Moll, I already checked," I told her, laughing.
"Hey, whose car is that?" Molly asked, pointing to the long, black sedan that was
in our driveway.
"I don't know," I replied. "I've never seen it before." I unbuckled my seatbelt as
Molly parked alongside of the unknown car.
"Well, I have to pick up my mom from the doctor's office, so call me later, okay?"
she said.
"Sure," I agreed, as I got out of her car. "See you around, bud."
"Take care, girl," Molly answered. I closed the door, and waved to her as she
pulled away onto the road.
I made my way up the footpath and opened the door to my home. "I'm home!" I called
out.
"There she is now," I heard my father say. I frowned to myself. What was he doing
home so early?
"Father?" I followed the sound of his voice into our study. He was seated with my
mother on one of the couches. Standing by the fireplace were a man and a woman both
dressed in formal business suits, whom I had never seen before.
"Mother? Father? What are you two doing home so early?" I asked them. "Whose car is
in the driveway?
"Serena, honey, I'd like you to meet Monsieur Artemis and Mademoiselle Luna. They
are emissaries from Paradeisos." The man bowed and the woman curtseyed. "Do you
remember when we told you about Paradeisos?" My father asked me.
I nodded slowly. "I was born there. You and Mother were on vacation."
My parents, a couple of months before I was born, had decided to go on one last
vacation. They had planned a three-week tour of Europe.
They had heard of Paradeisos, a place famous the world over for its wealth, but
decided that visiting the exquisite country would be too lavish and expensive,
even on their budget. But the travel agent had thrown in a visit at no extra cost,
and my parents agreed. They had been told that their visit would coincide with the
annual Festival of Selene, one of the major tourist attractions of the country.
Now, either I did not like the plane trip, or my mother's OB/GYN failed math. Two
hours after they left the airport and were on their way into Lunaris, Paradeisos'
capital city, my mother went into labor. My father steered their rental car to the
nearest building, which happened to be the royal palace.
"It was a miracle," my mother always tells me. "The first person we met was a doctor."
He had just helped the queen of Paradeisos deliver her baby. He was about to deliver
the wonderful news to the people celebrating in the festival, but when he saw my
mother's condition, he agreed to wait before sharing the news.
"Why are you bringing up something that happened over fifteen years ago?" I asked.
"Do you remember that you were born on the same day as the princess?" my mother asked.
I nodded, looking at the two emissaries. M. Artemis bowed again, and Mlle Luna
curtseyed again. "Your Highness," they in unison.
"Why are you calling me--? Oh God, you are _not_ serious, are you?" I demanded
incredulously. This had to be some sort of joke. This kind of thing only happened in
the movies.
"Your Highness..." M. Artemis began. I cut him off angrily.
"Stop calling me that!" I shouted. "You are not going to tell me that the princess
and I were switched at birth, and that I am the real princess of Paradeisos!"
"Actually, that's exactly what they're going to tell you," my father said quietly.
"And you believed them?" I demanded of my parents. "Is there any proof? What evidence
supports their claim?"
Mlle Luna stepped forward and produced a sheet of paper, which she handed to me.
"This is a confession signed by Dr. Gurio, the doctor which delivered the two
babies, your Highness. Shall I translate it for you? It was written in French," she
offered.
"Thank you, but I can read French," I said curtly. Quickly, I scanned the letter.
Darkest secret...terrible shame...eternal regret...switched the American baby
with the princess...I looked up at the emissaries. "And this has been authenticated?"
I asked.
"Yes. The findings have been confirmed by your own government," M. Artemis replied.
"Does this mean that I'm not your daughter?" I asked my parents in a small voice.
"You'll always be our daughter!" my father declared, his eyes wet with tears.
That's when I began to believe everything that they were telling me. When your
stoic father starts to cry, you start to take things a lot more seriously.
M. Artemis and Mlle Luna continued talking, while my parents comforted each other.
I had taken a seat on one of the couches, due to the shocking news.
Two emissaries from a distant European country were trying to convince me to
leave the life that I had known for fifteen years, and to take on a new life
as a princess.
Of course, that was impossible. Admittedly, I might have the looks, and I say
that without being conceited. My friends tell me that they'd love to be blonde
-haired and blue eyed. Or to have a dancer's body like mine, tall and slender.
But I had no idea how to run a country. I barely manage to keep track of my
lesson schedule.
How could they expect me to leave my family, my friends, and my country? How
could I suddenly be expected to adapt to a completely different culture, in a
completely different county? An enormous ocean would separate me from everything
I once knew.
They expected me to live in a palace and lead a nation? How would I finish school?
What about a career? I wanted to be a translator or maybe even an ambassador to a
foreign country when I was older. Would all of my dreams be shattered?
"Your adoptive parents are welcome to accompany you," M. Artemis was saying.
"We would like to make this as simple as possible for you, your Majesty."
"It would be simple if you would just leave, but I really don't see that happening,
do you?" I retorted.
"I can't uproot my family like that," my father said angrily. "My wife and I have
commitments to fulfill. We have a son..."
At that moment, Sam, my twelve year-old brother, walked in. "What's going on?
Whose car is in the driveway?" He stared at the two strangers in front of the
fireplace. "Who are you people?"
Sighing, I introduced my brother to the emissaries. "This is M. Artemis and Mlle Luna.
They're from Paradeisos and they say that I'm their long-lost Princess Serenity."
"Yeah, and I'm the King of Zenbar," Sam snorted. "The king is hungry. The king needs a
pudding fix." The king went into the kitchen.
"This is ridiculous!" My father shouted. "You can not take our daughter. She is an
American citizen, and a minor. If you take her against her will, you will be guilty
of kidnapping, and it is an act of aggression against the United States that could lead
to war."
"Mr. Tsukino, please," Mlle Luna began. "With all due respect, she is not your daughter.
She is not an American citizen. She is a citizen of Paradeisos, where she has already
reached the age of majority. If she does not come back with us, it could lead to civil
war in _our_ country."
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"When the former princess' lineage had been discovered, it caused great unrest among
the people. Riots broke out, protests were staged. The princess was a symbol of peace.
Since there was no princess, the peace disappeared as well. That is why she must come
back." M. Artemis explained.
"There has to be another way. I will not give up my daughter," my father said firmly.
"There is no other way," I said softly. Everyone turned to stare at me. I looked up
at them. "There is no other way," I repeated.
"Serena, what are you saying?" my mother asked, stricken.
"I have to go," I replied.
"You don't have to do anything," my father insisted. "You can't give up the only life
you've known for fifteen years, to go off to run another country."
"Is it fair to keep one life the same, only to have countless others destroyed?"
I asked him quietly. "That's what M. Artemis said could happen if I don't return."
"You're not thinking clearly," my father pleaded. "You've been hit with a lot of
information. You're confused."
"No, Father, I'm not." I told him. "I think we all know that I have to do this.
I can't let so many people die. Not when I have the power to save them."
My mother was crying. She gathered me into her arms. I reached up to try and comfort
her. I felt my father join in the hug. "We know you have to do this, honey," my mother
sniffled. "It doesn't mean we have to like it, though."
Breaking the embrace, I wiped my eyes. Then I faced the emissaries. "I will return with
you. I need one week." I told them.
"Your Majesty, time is rather limited," Mlle Luna replied.
"One week," I restated firmly.
M. Artemis sighed. "Very well, your Majesty."
After the he and Mlle Luna had left, my family sat down and really discussed my decision.
"You mean it was for real?" Sam asked incredulously. "You really are a
princess?"
"Yes, I am," I replied. "I have to leave America in a week, to rule my country."
"You're going?" he asked, shocked.
"She has to, Sam," my father said. "There could be countless lives at stake."
"Well, I think you'll make a good princess," Sam said. "You're bossy enough."
Laughing, I ruffled his hair. Then, I pulled him into a hug. "I'll miss you," I
whispered into his hair. I felt him hug me back tightly. When I let go, I saw that
he was crying. "Don't cry, Sam," I pleaded, my own eyes filling with tears.
"I'm not crying." Sam wiped his eyes quickly. "It's the dust in here. Hasn't anyone
cleaned this room lately?"
I smiled sadly and reached out to wipe away some of his tears. "I guess not.
There's dust everywhere, isn't there?"
My father gathered all of us into a big group hug. We all held on for a lot longer than usual.
probably because it was posted on A Sailor Moon Romance under the name
Matrix1013. Well, it's still me; I've just changed my screen name to Ash,
and my email to tenjou_utena229@hotmail.com. The same disclaimers apply.
Sailor Moon in all its incarnations are the property of Naoko Takeuchi, Dic,
and Mixx. A Royal Pain is the property of Ellen Conford. Any similarities of
persons living or dead is purely intentional! Please review the story! I love
feedback!
Switched at Birth
By Ash (AKA Matrix1013)
Chapter 1
Hello there. My name is Serena Tsukino. For the first fifteen years of my
life, that is. Then it changed to Her Serene Highness Princess Beryl Serena
Angelica Christine Anastasia Serenity the fourteenth, heir to the throne of
Paradeisos. Several years after that, it changed _back_ to Serena Tsukino.
Then, additions were made to Serena Tsukino. A little after that, my name went
back to being Princess Serenity. Are you confused? I thought you might be. Not
going anywhere for a while? Have a seat, then. I'll tell you all about it.
My childhood was pretty normal. I had a mother, a father, and a younger brother
who could be annoying at times. We lived on a large estate that had been left to
my father by a wealthy relative. My father was a successful businessman, and my
mother was one of those people who don't do anything but charity work. Wait a
minute, that sounds like she wasted her time, but let me assure you, she devoted
her time to many worthwhile causes. At an early age, I was deemed as such a cause.
As soon as I could walk and talk, I became my mother's favorite 'project'. Dance
lessons, art lessons, music lessons, foreign language lessons, and etiquette
lessons became a part of my life. Combined with school, I think that I was being
educated for over ten hours a day, seven days a week.
What surprised me the most, I think, was that I actually enjoyed a lot of it.
All of these seemingly frivolous lessons actually had practical uses. For
instance, the extra art and music lessons raised my GPA in school. The same goes
for my foreign language studies. And, I was able to talk to the exchange students
that come to my school. I was very thankful for my dance lessons when I entered
my teen years. As many people can attest to, puberty is a very awkward time. I
think that if I hadn't learned to be light on my feet, that I would have probably
tripped and bruised my way through adolescence.
But I digress. I was planning on telling you about the numerous changes to my
name, wasn't I? I guess the best place to start is when my name changed the
first time. It all began when I was three months away from my sixteenth birthday.
It was a cool March afternoon, and I was coming home from school...
"So, Molly, any plans for Spring Break?" I asked my best friend. I was in the
passenger seat of her silver jeep.
Not taking her eyes off the road, Molly Osaka shrugged. "Nothing definite. I'm
probably just going to stay home and vegetate. I deserve a little relaxation
after so much school," she replied.
She turned her jeep onto my street as she asked me, "What about you? Anything
planned?"
"Not really," I said. "Probably just work with my language tutors."
"I can't believe you're going to learn something while you're on vacation,"
Molly remarked. "I think there's a law against that."
"Afraid not, Moll, I already checked," I told her, laughing.
"Hey, whose car is that?" Molly asked, pointing to the long, black sedan that was
in our driveway.
"I don't know," I replied. "I've never seen it before." I unbuckled my seatbelt as
Molly parked alongside of the unknown car.
"Well, I have to pick up my mom from the doctor's office, so call me later, okay?"
she said.
"Sure," I agreed, as I got out of her car. "See you around, bud."
"Take care, girl," Molly answered. I closed the door, and waved to her as she
pulled away onto the road.
I made my way up the footpath and opened the door to my home. "I'm home!" I called
out.
"There she is now," I heard my father say. I frowned to myself. What was he doing
home so early?
"Father?" I followed the sound of his voice into our study. He was seated with my
mother on one of the couches. Standing by the fireplace were a man and a woman both
dressed in formal business suits, whom I had never seen before.
"Mother? Father? What are you two doing home so early?" I asked them. "Whose car is
in the driveway?
"Serena, honey, I'd like you to meet Monsieur Artemis and Mademoiselle Luna. They
are emissaries from Paradeisos." The man bowed and the woman curtseyed. "Do you
remember when we told you about Paradeisos?" My father asked me.
I nodded slowly. "I was born there. You and Mother were on vacation."
My parents, a couple of months before I was born, had decided to go on one last
vacation. They had planned a three-week tour of Europe.
They had heard of Paradeisos, a place famous the world over for its wealth, but
decided that visiting the exquisite country would be too lavish and expensive,
even on their budget. But the travel agent had thrown in a visit at no extra cost,
and my parents agreed. They had been told that their visit would coincide with the
annual Festival of Selene, one of the major tourist attractions of the country.
Now, either I did not like the plane trip, or my mother's OB/GYN failed math. Two
hours after they left the airport and were on their way into Lunaris, Paradeisos'
capital city, my mother went into labor. My father steered their rental car to the
nearest building, which happened to be the royal palace.
"It was a miracle," my mother always tells me. "The first person we met was a doctor."
He had just helped the queen of Paradeisos deliver her baby. He was about to deliver
the wonderful news to the people celebrating in the festival, but when he saw my
mother's condition, he agreed to wait before sharing the news.
"Why are you bringing up something that happened over fifteen years ago?" I asked.
"Do you remember that you were born on the same day as the princess?" my mother asked.
I nodded, looking at the two emissaries. M. Artemis bowed again, and Mlle Luna
curtseyed again. "Your Highness," they in unison.
"Why are you calling me--? Oh God, you are _not_ serious, are you?" I demanded
incredulously. This had to be some sort of joke. This kind of thing only happened in
the movies.
"Your Highness..." M. Artemis began. I cut him off angrily.
"Stop calling me that!" I shouted. "You are not going to tell me that the princess
and I were switched at birth, and that I am the real princess of Paradeisos!"
"Actually, that's exactly what they're going to tell you," my father said quietly.
"And you believed them?" I demanded of my parents. "Is there any proof? What evidence
supports their claim?"
Mlle Luna stepped forward and produced a sheet of paper, which she handed to me.
"This is a confession signed by Dr. Gurio, the doctor which delivered the two
babies, your Highness. Shall I translate it for you? It was written in French," she
offered.
"Thank you, but I can read French," I said curtly. Quickly, I scanned the letter.
Darkest secret...terrible shame...eternal regret...switched the American baby
with the princess...I looked up at the emissaries. "And this has been authenticated?"
I asked.
"Yes. The findings have been confirmed by your own government," M. Artemis replied.
"Does this mean that I'm not your daughter?" I asked my parents in a small voice.
"You'll always be our daughter!" my father declared, his eyes wet with tears.
That's when I began to believe everything that they were telling me. When your
stoic father starts to cry, you start to take things a lot more seriously.
M. Artemis and Mlle Luna continued talking, while my parents comforted each other.
I had taken a seat on one of the couches, due to the shocking news.
Two emissaries from a distant European country were trying to convince me to
leave the life that I had known for fifteen years, and to take on a new life
as a princess.
Of course, that was impossible. Admittedly, I might have the looks, and I say
that without being conceited. My friends tell me that they'd love to be blonde
-haired and blue eyed. Or to have a dancer's body like mine, tall and slender.
But I had no idea how to run a country. I barely manage to keep track of my
lesson schedule.
How could they expect me to leave my family, my friends, and my country? How
could I suddenly be expected to adapt to a completely different culture, in a
completely different county? An enormous ocean would separate me from everything
I once knew.
They expected me to live in a palace and lead a nation? How would I finish school?
What about a career? I wanted to be a translator or maybe even an ambassador to a
foreign country when I was older. Would all of my dreams be shattered?
"Your adoptive parents are welcome to accompany you," M. Artemis was saying.
"We would like to make this as simple as possible for you, your Majesty."
"It would be simple if you would just leave, but I really don't see that happening,
do you?" I retorted.
"I can't uproot my family like that," my father said angrily. "My wife and I have
commitments to fulfill. We have a son..."
At that moment, Sam, my twelve year-old brother, walked in. "What's going on?
Whose car is in the driveway?" He stared at the two strangers in front of the
fireplace. "Who are you people?"
Sighing, I introduced my brother to the emissaries. "This is M. Artemis and Mlle Luna.
They're from Paradeisos and they say that I'm their long-lost Princess Serenity."
"Yeah, and I'm the King of Zenbar," Sam snorted. "The king is hungry. The king needs a
pudding fix." The king went into the kitchen.
"This is ridiculous!" My father shouted. "You can not take our daughter. She is an
American citizen, and a minor. If you take her against her will, you will be guilty
of kidnapping, and it is an act of aggression against the United States that could lead
to war."
"Mr. Tsukino, please," Mlle Luna began. "With all due respect, she is not your daughter.
She is not an American citizen. She is a citizen of Paradeisos, where she has already
reached the age of majority. If she does not come back with us, it could lead to civil
war in _our_ country."
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"When the former princess' lineage had been discovered, it caused great unrest among
the people. Riots broke out, protests were staged. The princess was a symbol of peace.
Since there was no princess, the peace disappeared as well. That is why she must come
back." M. Artemis explained.
"There has to be another way. I will not give up my daughter," my father said firmly.
"There is no other way," I said softly. Everyone turned to stare at me. I looked up
at them. "There is no other way," I repeated.
"Serena, what are you saying?" my mother asked, stricken.
"I have to go," I replied.
"You don't have to do anything," my father insisted. "You can't give up the only life
you've known for fifteen years, to go off to run another country."
"Is it fair to keep one life the same, only to have countless others destroyed?"
I asked him quietly. "That's what M. Artemis said could happen if I don't return."
"You're not thinking clearly," my father pleaded. "You've been hit with a lot of
information. You're confused."
"No, Father, I'm not." I told him. "I think we all know that I have to do this.
I can't let so many people die. Not when I have the power to save them."
My mother was crying. She gathered me into her arms. I reached up to try and comfort
her. I felt my father join in the hug. "We know you have to do this, honey," my mother
sniffled. "It doesn't mean we have to like it, though."
Breaking the embrace, I wiped my eyes. Then I faced the emissaries. "I will return with
you. I need one week." I told them.
"Your Majesty, time is rather limited," Mlle Luna replied.
"One week," I restated firmly.
M. Artemis sighed. "Very well, your Majesty."
After the he and Mlle Luna had left, my family sat down and really discussed my decision.
"You mean it was for real?" Sam asked incredulously. "You really are a
princess?"
"Yes, I am," I replied. "I have to leave America in a week, to rule my country."
"You're going?" he asked, shocked.
"She has to, Sam," my father said. "There could be countless lives at stake."
"Well, I think you'll make a good princess," Sam said. "You're bossy enough."
Laughing, I ruffled his hair. Then, I pulled him into a hug. "I'll miss you," I
whispered into his hair. I felt him hug me back tightly. When I let go, I saw that
he was crying. "Don't cry, Sam," I pleaded, my own eyes filling with tears.
"I'm not crying." Sam wiped his eyes quickly. "It's the dust in here. Hasn't anyone
cleaned this room lately?"
I smiled sadly and reached out to wipe away some of his tears. "I guess not.
There's dust everywhere, isn't there?"
My father gathered all of us into a big group hug. We all held on for a lot longer than usual.