I Dream of Genie
Chapter One
by Alexia Rated: PG

This story is an old one of mine that I wrote several years ago back. Some of you may remeber this fic from then, and this may be new to some of you. I was never happy with the way this story progressed and I think it had a few plot loopholes. I also plan to use the Japanese names in this version; when I first started writing, I had just seen the dubbed version of the show, but now, thanks to DVD box sets, I have been able to watch Sailor Moon in its uncut entireity. I've grown quite a bit as a writer since I first started writing fics back when I was in my mid-teens, so I decided to put this story through a major re-write. I think the idea I had going here was worthwhile and interesting, but I just wasn't sure how to develop it. Heck, I'm still uncertain as to where I'm going to go with it, but I believe that I am more capable of going somewhere with this. For your sake, I sure hope so. :) The original version isn't horrible (certainly not as horrible as my first fic), but I was never happy with it, which is why I never made it past the second installment. I hope to finish itup this time around, but I don't know how much time I'll end up having. I plan to self-edit this, so don't be surprised if there's errors. :)Pleasereview or e-mail me with any feedback- I would greatly appreciate knowing if I should continue revising this story!

That pretty much covers it. I'm sure you all know by now that I am not the owner/creator of Sailor Moon, but I should put this little disclaimer in anyway.

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Chiba Mamoru walked slowly and methodically down the familiar streets of downtown Tokyo, half-heartedly gazing in the store windows as he leisurely passed by. Even though he was barely glancing at the contents in each window, a vase in display a case of an antique shop caught his eye. He paused to look at it for a few moments, carefully studying the rich blue hues painted on the slender ceramic structure. Smiling slightly at his find, Mamoru entered the store, deciding that he needed to take a closer look at the delicate-looking vase. When Mamoru opened the door, he was encompassed by a warm musty scent. He stepped into the small, cluttered shop, smiling at the eldery woman perched behind the counter, who hesitantly returned his grin.

As soon as Mamoru look another look at the vase, he was completely mesmerized by its intricate beauty; it was meticulously hand-painted in various shades of blue. He carefully lifted it off the dusty wooden shelf and perused the cluttered antique shop, glancing around to see if he wanted to snatch anything else before purchasing the vase. Nothing else captured him as the vase had done, so he made his way to the small, and equally cluttered, counter.

The elderly woman's smiled widened as Mamoru approached the counter. "Ah," she murmured, her voice sounding scratchy and unused. "I thought you were admiring that bottle from the window earlier."

Mamoru looked up from his wallet, startled. "Bottle? I thought it was just a simple flower vase."

The woman clucked her tongue, her bright blue eyes sparkling with mischief. "This is very much a bottle, and a magical one at that!"

"Magical?" Mamoru queried, his eyes narrowing. This was beginning to get ridiculous, he thought, silently urging the woman to simply ring up his purchase and be on his way.

The woman nodded solemnly. "Oh yes, quite magical indeed. Legend has it that an evil sorcereress imprisioned a beautiful young maiden in this bottle many years ago, and if you free her, she will grant you what ever wishes your heart desires."

Mamoru gazed at the woman skeptically, then he smiled politely. "If there is such a genie trapped inside this bottle, then why haven't you released her? Surely you would like to make some wishes."

The woman frowned slightly before continuing, "The genie can only be freed by a certain person, young man. Many people have tried to release the genie over the years, including myself, but, as you can see, no one has yet succeded." The old woman smiled slyly. "Perhaps you could be the special person."

Mamoru was skeptical of the old clerk's story and was inclined to believe that she may be going slightly crazy due to all the time she spend around such dusty relics. However, he has planned to buy the vase, or bottle, before learning of its mysterious properties. Mamoru nodded and smiled. "Please wrap the bottle up for me. I would like to buy it."

The woman grinned broadly, the skin around her bright eyes crinkling with delight. "Great!"

After Mamoru handed her his money, the woman carefully wrapped the bottle in tissue paper and placed it gently in a paper bag. As Mamoru was leaving the store, the door creaking on its hinges, the elderly woman called, "Good luck, young man!"

Once outside on the sidewalk once more, Mamoru chuckled to himself. Imagine, a genie! That kind of thing only occurs in children's fairy tales; such things as genies and princesses did not exist outside the realm of someone's overactive imagination. However, Mamoru had found the perfect vase to put roses in, and he was quite pleased with that fact, as he always enjoyed having fresh roses in his apartment.

Turning abruptly on his heel, and nearly knocking a woman laden with packages over in the process, Mamoru started off in the direction of the Crown. Motoki had to hear about his latest antique shop adventure.

He quickly walked the few blocks to the arcade, carefully cradling the fragile vace under his left arm. After arriving at the Crown, Mamoru stepped through the sliding glass doors of the arcade. Motoki was standing behind the counter of the vacant room, mindlessly running a rag over the same spot of the counter repeatedly.

Mamoru cleared his throat. "Slow day, Motoki?"

Motoki jumped, dropping his rag on the floor. "Geez, Mamoru-san! You scared me half to death; I hadn't realized that you came in. But anyway, my day has been fairly slow for some reason."

Mamoru laughed. "So I noticed."

Motoki nodded in the direction of the brown bag under Mamrou's left arm. "What did you buy?"

Mamoru grinned. "A magical bottle," he stated simply.

Motoki looked at his friend as though he had gone crazy. "A magical...bottle," Motoki repeated, his eyes growing wide.

"Of course," Mamoru chuckled. "What else would it be? Actually, I think it's merely a flower vase, but the woman at the antique shop swears that a beautiful magical genie has been trapped in this bottle for many years, waiting for a special person to free her."

"Hmm," Andrew murmured, as he thought for a few moments. "What if she's right, Mamoru-san?"

Mamoru rolled his eyes. "Surely you're not falling into this woman's trap."

"Well, I'm just saying that it may not hurt to give it a try." Motoki smiled as he continued, "What have you got to lose?"

Mamoru shrugged half-heartedly.

"Exactly!" Motoki exclaimed triumphantly. "Now give it a try."

Mamoru reluctantly reached into the bag and pulled the carefully wrapped bottle out. After he unwrapped the tissue paper, he placed the bottle on the counter, eyeing it skeptically. "Now what do I do?" he asked, turning his questioning gaze on his friend. "Just wave my hands around and cry 'Abacadabara!'?"

Motoki sighed in exasperation. "Haven't you ever seen I Dream of Jeanie?"

Mamoru shook his head, confused. "What's that?"

"It's an old American television show. Nevermind. I just know that all you have to do is rub the bottle," Motoki assured Mamoru.

Mamoru looked at Motoki with the same skepticism he gave the bottle only a few minutes before. Maybe Motoki had inahled too many cleaning fumes. However, Mamoru gently picked the bottle up and rubbed to satisfy both himself and his friend.

The pair stood in silence for a few moments, staring at the bottle, watching as nothing happened. It merely sat there on the counter, looking more like a vase than a magical, mysterious bottle.

Mamoru turned away from the bottle. "See, I knew it wouldn't work, Motoki-san," he announced smugly.

As soon as the words left Mamoru's mouth, the bottle began to shake violently on the counter and silver smoke poured out of the top, quickly filling the room with a shimmery haze.

Motoki glanced and Mamoru, and remarked, in an equally smug voice, "You were saying?"

Mamoru gulped loudly and turned his attention back the blue bottle, which was still emitting smoke into the cloudy arcade. Mamoru hoped that no passers-by would notice the smoke and alert the fire department. How would he and Motoki explain this one?

Suddenly, the cloud of shimmery silver smoke began to dissipate, slowly revealing a slender figure. After most of the smoke had cleared, Mamoru and Motoki found themselves gazing on a beautiful girl with silver blonde hair done up in two odangos atop her head. She was wearing a shimmering silver white haltertop that left little to the imagination, and a flowy knee-length skirt of the same color.

She smiled brightly at the two men, her sky blue eyes dancing with delight. She rushed over to Mamoru and threw her slender arms around his neck, hugging him tightly to her small frame. "Oh, thank you for rescuing me, Master!"

Mamoru looked down at the beauty in his arms and squeaked, "Master?"

She giggled. "Of course! You were the one who set me free after those many long years of imprisionment. Now I will grant you your every wish!"

Mamoru paled. "I think I need to sit down." He collapsed into one of the many stools that lined the counter while Motoki stood in the corner, dumbly watching the scene unfold before him, as though he were watching a cheap B movie.

The genie gasped. "Oh forgive me! I am being so incredibly rude. I didn't even introduce myself. You may call me Serenity," she said, bowing slightly.

Serenity glanced pointedly at both Motoki and Mamoru. "And what do you call yourselves?"

Motoki recovered from his earlier shocked state and introduced himself and Mamoru.

Serenity nodded and carefully scrutinized Mamoru, her gaze turning wistful. "Hmm...Mamoru. You remind me so much of someone I once knew." Her eyes immediately brightened and a smile returned once again to her delicate lips. "Well, there's no point in dwelling the past, not when I have wishes to grant!"

Mamoru stood up, now fully recovered from the shock of the old woman's words becoming a reality. "Well, what are we going to do now?" he asked, directing his question to no one in particular.

Serenity sigh, becoming quickly annoyed with Mamoru's behavior. Why wasn't he more excited at the prospect of having a genie to grant his every wish? Wasn't she pretty enough? She would have to prove herself to him. "What part of 'I'm a genie here to grant your every wish' don't you understand?" she snapped, her eyes blazing with anger. "I have a very short temper, and you are pushing it to the limit," she added, looking Mamoru straight in the eyes.

Mamoru was so confused. One moment, Serentiy was so thrilled that Mamoru had freed her form her bottle, and the next, she was breathing fire down the back of his neck. Women, even female genies were all the same: confusing. "I understand the whole wishing concept perfectly well," he said, coolly.

Serenity looked skyward. "Finally! Thank you, Lord."

Mamoru glared at her momentairly before continuing, "But I have no desire to make any wishes."

Motoki's and Serenity's jaws dropped simultaneously, but it was Motoki who spoke first. "WHAT?" Motoki cried. "Are you insane? This girl can give you what ever you want!"

Serenity nodded in assent. "Motoki is correct. You could have anything! Fame, fortune, women. You name it, I can give it to you," Serenity said quickly, looking up at Mamoru with pleading eyes.

"Why is it so important to you that I make these wishes, anyway?" Mamoru asked.

"Because you're my first master," Serenity said softly. "I've never had the chance to grant any other wishes until now."

Mamoru blinked. The old woman must have been telling the truth. But what was so speical about him? How could he be the chosen one? "How is it possible that I'm your first master?"

Serenity shrugged. "How should I know? No one has ever freed me before. I have been trapped in that bottle for over a thousand years!"

Mamoru sighed, burying his face in his hands.

Serenity walked over to him carefully, tentatively wrapping a comforting arm around his broad sholders. "I know what will make you feel better!" She snapped her fingers and a gigantic choclate shake appeared before Mamoru's very eyes.

Mamoru gasped in surprised, and looked up at Serenity, his eyes wildly searching her face. "How did that get there? I didn't wish for it!"

Serenity giggled at her Master's dismay. "I know you didn't wish for it, but that doesn't matter. I can create anything I want."

To prove her point, Serenity snapped her fingers again, and Motoki was suddenly dressed a bright yellow and green clown suit, complete with a red nose and rainbow wing. Motoki looked down at his unconvential attire and cried, "Hey! Change me back! I'm merely and innocent bystander."

Serenity and Mamoru laughed for a few moments, then Serenity gave in to Motoki's bewildered cries and returned him to his normal self. Motoki sighed with relief.

Mamoru glanced down at his watch and grimaced. He needed to get home soon; he had a pile of homework waiting for him on his desk. He should have spend his day off doing work instead of ambling down the sidewalk. His life would have been so much simpler if he just would have stayed in bed. "I really need to be getting home. Work calls, I'm afraid," he said, standing up from the stool where he sat.

Serenity grabbed her bottle and stood next to Mamoru. "I'm ready when you are, Master!"

Mamoru looked over at her, his eyes wide. "What? Oh no you don't! You're not coming home with me!"

Serenity pouted. "Where else am I to go? You are my Master. You set me free, therefore, you are responsible for my well-being."

"She does have a point," Motoki piped up from his post behind the counter. This elicited a glare from Mamoru.

He turned back to Serenity, who was still pouting and looking up at him expectantly. Why did she have to be so adorable and yet so frustrating? "ARG! Fine, you can come home with me," Mamoru relented, then immediately regretted his words as he felt Serenity's slight frame pummel his own.

Serenity squealed, and threw herself in Mamoru's arms once again, hugging him tightly for the second time that afternoon. "Oh thank you, Master!" Serenity said reverently into Mamoru's green blazer.

"What have I gotten myself into," Mamoru muttered, gazing down at the beautiful genie in his arms.

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Well? What did you think? Let me know by e-mailing me at - remember, writers love feedback! Depending the responses I get, I may or may not be revamping the next chapter or thinking up new ideas for coming chapers:)