Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon: Cosmic, Episode 1: "An Experiment Of All Sorts"
By: Sokai
Disclaimer: It is sad, but very true. I, Sokai, do not claim ownership to the wonderfully great Takeuchi Naoko's Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon series, or any of her brilliant characters. However, I DO own the plot, storyline, and the original characters as well as attacks that I'll put in here (though OBVIOUSLY they were inspired by Takeuchi-sama's series).
Note: Okay, so sadly there were a few errors on my part that I'd missed and didn't get to fix until after I posted the prologue (don't bother telling me about a few grammatical errors because I saw them, already -- anyway). The Asteroid Senshi I've included within this trilogy are not princesses, but Chibiusa, or Usa-chan's Ladies-in-waiting, so in the future I'll refer to them as Lady Ceres or Lady Vesta. I was on my way out on my date when I was posting the prologue, so I forgot to change Princess Juno to Lady Juno. Meh. LoL
What else . . . oh, yes! I'm SURE some of you are like, "TWO Queen Serenities? How is that possible?" Yeah, well, Usa-chan got engaged when she was eighteen as I'd written and married when she turned nineteen. And while she was originally next in line to inherit the throne of Crystal Tokyo from her mother and become queen, Usa-chan declined it and chose to be queen of Elysian, since Elios needed to stay behind to continue to protect it, etc. So there you have. Usagi's still queen of Crystal Tokyo, with now her second daughter in line for that throne (but is still too young to ascend it just yet), while Chibiusa/Usa-chan is now queen of Elysian. So, yes, two Queen Serenities. Phew. LoL
One more thing, they're ALL "Neo," before someone leaves a review about it, because they're mothers were Queens of their planets before them, and now they're the new queens, and . . . case closed. LoL Anyway, yay for the review(s) (I knew you'd be extra happy to see this RPG-turned-fic make its comeback, Chibi HeHe)! Enjoy episode one (which actually will be pretty short, which is new for me, since I always do long eps/chapters LoL But I couldn't meld this episode with the others I've already written, because it wouldn't flow right)!
This episode was created/written in August 2003.
-- Sixteen Years Later, the Venusian Library within the Venusian Palace, the year 3026 --
"Hmm . . . now let's see if we can't get it to work this time . . ." Nyuu Princess Venus, or Aino Jouai muttered to herself in fierce concentration, licking her lips in heated anticipation as she begun to pour the last of a blue colored substance from a crystal-like test tube into a beaker already pre-filled with a brown liquid.
". . . Come on . . . work . . ."
The young, new princess of Venus had been working feverishly all late morning and early afternoon within her makeshift laboratory as well as favorite room within the whole palace, the Venusian library, on yet another one of her many experiments without pause. It was her hope that the result she was aiming for would at last occur and fuel her already vast ego where her equally vast intellect was concerned.
Jouai's light blue eyes widened with happiness as she watched the two mixtures meld into one, changing into the correct color and waited for the proper reaction to formulate.
Suddenly, however, the young princess' experiment took a wrong turn, as harsh smoke began to billow out of the beaker and then finally exploding in her face, causing parts of her long, cornflower colored hair to take on a black hue to it.
"Oooh . . . another failed experiment, huh, Jou-chan?"
Coughing violently, fanning the surrounding contaminated air with her hands, Jouai turned around to see her mother and queen, Neo Queen Venus standing a few feet away, her long and flowing golden gown elegantly glittering against the brilliant lights illuminating the very large library.
Sighing heavily, her delicately plucked golden brow furrowed in frustration as she pushes the beaker away, Jouai dusted off the soot from her formerly white lab coat and blue cotton work pants.
Taking off her protective goggles from her face, the new princess of Love and Beauty bowed respectfully towards her mother before at last responding.
". . . Apparently . . . You know, sadly, that's the fifteenth time in a row that it's done that . . ."
Neo Queen Venus merely smiled warmly at her forestalled daughter as she gracefully approached and began to help her clean off, gently wiping her face.
"Well, as I've said fifteen times, now making this the sixteenth, trying to make an elixir that will allow people to breathe underwater for as long as they wish is doomed for failure from the get go."
Frowning in light resentment, Jouai cafefully pushed her mother's helping hands away from her face.
"Gee, thanks for the support, oka-san . . ."
"Oh, my love, you know I don't mean it like that. But you've been trying non-stop, among your other experiments you've conducted -- most of which have gone off without a hitch, mind you, further proving to everyone that my daughter is a genius -- and it just won't work.
Human-kind was not meant to breathe underwater. So, just let it go, before you completely blow up this entire library. And did I not ask you to stop doing your experiments in here? What is wrong with the lab your father and I had specially constructed just for you?"
Still frowning, but now more through fatigue, Jouai sat down upon the long study table she'd morphed instead into her lab table, and rested her head upon her hand in defeat.
". . . I find it more convenient to be located in the library, where I can efficiently search for the things and listings I need before, while, and after conducting one of my experiments . . . Besides, you know how I am with books, oka-san . . .
And I'll have you know that wanting to create a powerful and rightly effective elixir to enable one to breathe within the elixir of life is certainly not a waste of time -- it just might come in handy some day . . ."
Nodding her head in understanding, knowing better not to bother getting into any sort of debate with her prodigy of a daughter, as she always knew beforehand that she would lose, Neo Queen Venus smiled once more while moving behind Jouai to begin straightening then braiding her long mane.
"All right, all right, darling -- you win. But still, it would be nice if for once you'd get your head out of those books and this library, and embark outside. You know, there is --"
"-- I do go outside, oka-san, I just --"
"-- Hai, hai -- we all know you go outside; I'm not to imply that my daughter is some sort of miserable hermit crab or something. I am only saying that as a princess, you should get out more, visit your city every so often . . .
Speaking of 'Princess Affairs,' the King and Queen of Sector Quadian Eight have a son around your age, and as one of our Allies, has insisted that they come visit for a little . . . get together . . ."
Turning her head immediately around in horror, Jouai narrowed her light blue jems as she gazed up at her fidgeting mother suspiciously.
". . . Oka . . . what kind of 'get together?'
"Nani? Oh, you know . . . the usual ball type of gathering . . . we've had many before in the past, Jou-chan, my love -- don't act so weary of your own mother!"
Jouai began to tap her foot impatiently against the marble floor and began to frown again after standing from her seat to properly face her queen, eyeballing her ferociously.
". . . You didn't . . . onegai, tell me you aren't trying to set me up with yet another one of the many 'suitors' I always get stuck dancing so 'conveniently' with at all of the other balls we've ever had?
Oka-san, you know how I feel when you do that! I'm only sixteen years old!I have far much more to worry about and to deal with as the Princess of Venus -- what with all of my royal duties and such -- to even think about getting married right now!"
Wrinkling her nose and gently tapping her own foot in suit, Neo Queen Venus clasped her hands together and rested them in front of her as a light, yet tight smile spread across her fair visage.
"I would appreciate it if you did not take that tone of voice with me, young lady. Now then! You act as though I do this for a living or something --"
"-- Well, you practically do, you know . . ." interrupted an exasperated Jouai, rolling her eyes towards the ceiling while her mother continued.
"-- In any case, what could be so wrong about wanting to see my only daughter, my only child, for that matter, having a lovely nice young gentleman at her side? Someone you can talk to and rely upon?"
". . . You mean like you and otou-san?" whispered the young princess more to herself than to her mother, who heard her anyhow and regrettably so on both sides.
Tension immediately filtered into the room as both women looked anywhere and everywhere about their surroundings except at one another, faces riddled with unspoken but understandable discomfort at the mention of the King of Venus.
Exhaling slowly and carefully, pursing her rosy lips together afterwards, Jouai managed to find her voice again as she began to apologize.
". . . Gomen nasai, oka-san; I did not mean to --"
"-- No, Jou-chan, it is all right . . . I completely understand . . . Anyhow, I know all of this . . . matchmaking, as it were, can be a bit frustrating and tedious for you --"
"-- A bit frustration and tedious? It seems as though you're taking this whole 'Queen of Love and Beauty' role a bit too far, oka-san," offered Jouai in an attempt to promptly recapture the lighthearted nature of their conversation, smiling lightly to herself as she watched her mother's formerly melancholy expression instantly melt away and a gentle simper took its place.
"-- My point, Jouai, is that I love you, and I just want to see you safe, healthy, and happy . . . I mean, so young Prince Tripton might not be your 'one true love.' Could you at least humor your old Mom . . . er, well, not so old Mom, and do this one thing for me?"
Rolling her eyes, trying hard not to smile or let out a giggle as her mother was then flashing her a puppy-dog sort of gaze, pouting like a little child rather than the prestigious queen she was known to be, Jouai let out a long, heavy sigh (which was normally a familiar signal to her mother that her daughter had at last conceded whenever asked to attend a ball in which a suitor was waiting to try to sweep her off her feet).
". . . All right, fine . . . I will do this for you, oka-san -- but just this once! No more after this, okay? I don't want you making an even more grossly large habit out of this . . ."
Jumping for joy in spite of herself, Neo Queen Venus happily planted a kiss upon her princess' cheek, who then smiled faintly in suit.
"Oh, splendid! I will go see to it right now that Cook starts preparing a glorious feast for the occasion; the royal orchestra immediately begins rehearsing; and that Himeko-san starts laying out all of the different gowns you might wear in attendance! Oh, this is going to be most fun! Promise! And, do change out of those work clothes of yours and into a gown or something -- it's dreadfully filthy now."
Jouai tilted her head to the side, a few strands of hair falling into her eye as a result as she watched her mother gleefully skip out of the library, momentarily reverting back to her old, less disciplined self when she was younger.
Jouai immediately felt her smile beginning to fade as thoughts began to race through her mind . . . important thoughts . . .
Oh, oka-san . . . I love you -- I really do . . . but sometimes, I just wish that you could be a little more serious and structured when it came to the more important matters in life, instead of always worrying about who might be my future husband and other such trivial things as that, thought Jouai with mixed emotion, turning her attention back to her lab table and beginning to clean up her equipment
Sometimes I wonder if she's ever had to take on bigger responsibilities, besides the ones inherited to her as Queen . . . Heavy, more important duties like saving the world . . . fighting the good fight . . . just like those mysterious women I see in my dreams all the time . . . I wonder if I should talk to oka-san about them, see if she might know what it means . . .
Jouai couldn't help but let out an incredulous chortle in spite of herself at that last thought. If there was one thing the Venusian intellect knew for certain, of all people who would be able to understand what her mysterious and repetitive dreams of shrouded young women facing off against countless enemies and seemingly perilous dangers day after day, Neo Queen Venus would be the least likely candidate.
It wasn't as though Jouai thought very little of her mother; on the contrary, she admired and respected her immensely as the wonderful and fair queen she truly was. However, she always wondered how she could have ever been born to her, as they had so little in common, with their goals lying elsewhere.
I'd love nothing more than to share my deeper insights with her and to finally have some sort of common, solid ground to share between the two of us that exceeds royal heritage and genetics. However, at this rate, who am I kidding? Oka-san and I will probably never be as close as I'd like, and I'm sure even she might desire . . .
And I certainly can't tell her about my ongoing dreams, or else she'd most likely deem them "most amusing," or something . . . Maybe I'll try talking to otou-san about it instead -- he is a bit more level headed and better at understanding serious matters like this than oka-san, it's always seemed . . . Sadly, though, first things first: I must get through this annoying ball . . .
After having finished cleaning and packing away her lab equipment, Jouai sighed for what felt like the umpteenth time while gingerly wiping her hands onto a clean spot upon her lab coat, leaving the library to head towards her royal bedchambers.
"Well, I guess I'd better go get changed and get this over with . . . I won't like it, but I'll do it . . . Boy, do you owe me big, oka-san . . ."
-- End of Episode 1
(A.N. Sweet. LoL I know Chibi definitely liked it, yes? Notice a few changes I've made, hun? Well, one in particular . . . think about it a moment, before leaving a review or e-ing me to tell me what you think it is. HeHe Anyhow! To the rest of you! C'mon! I KNOW you're more interested in this story! Admit it! LoL Well, EITHER way, like/hate it, please leave reviews, reviews, reviews, and stay tuned for episode two! HeHe)