Silver Angel: I'm feeling rather motivated right now, so I decided to work
on this story! Ano.Was the last chapter really awful? I got almost no
reviews. I'm still working on this story though! Hopefully, I won't run
dry on ideas or anything. I have a few plot elements mapped out, but very
little, so any ideas you have are appreciated. Please review!
Chapter 7: Origins
"So then," Serenity began, as they left the room where Usagi had been taken. "Are you up for a little fun? None of the girls know anything about you yet, so I'm sure they'll be. surprised, to say the least, when I introduce you to them." She put her hands under her chin, grinning with anticipation.
Usagi smiled at her counterpart's glee. 'We really don't seem that different,' she thought. 'Despite being from totally separate times. And here I thought my past self was always calm and collected and mature.'
"Anyways, just before Mother came to get me, I was having a small party with the princesses of the Inner Planets. Do you know them?" Serenity turned to face Usagi, the curiosity now seemingly a permanent feature of her face.
"Well, I do know them - and the outers as well, but they probably have different names where I'm from." The princess nodded in understanding.
"Then I'll tell you what their names are here, and their planets as well. Lets see now. Mina is the princess of Venus. I don't know about the future, but she is a real blond - insists on calling herself the Goddess of Love too. Still she is the leader of my guard, and *is* the best person to turn to in matters of love." Usagi nodded at the description.
"She sounds just like Minako to me - that's Venus' name in the future." Usagi wondered how much they were like their past selves. She would have thought they'd be more different, having grown up as princesses here.
"Next there's Lita, and she's the princess of Jupiter. She probably the most protective of all the Senshi, and she's also a great cook. The palace chef's keep having to kick her out of the kitchens, because she's always trying out new things with food. Ami is the princess of Mercury, and is the smartest of all of us. She always has her nose stuck in a book or that mini computer of hers." Serenity stopped here, her face growing grave. "Actually, she's been even more withdrawn then usual lately, because her father was recently killed."
Usagi turned to face the princess, eyes wide. "What?! Ami's father was killed? How? What happened?"
"Well Mercury is the main repository of knowledge for the entire Solar System. That's why so many people - like Ami - who are from there, are scholars. Anyways, it's also got the biggest library. The next biggest is on Pluto, but people are always a little iffy about going there. Somebody - they don't know who yet - tried to break into the Mercurian library, and steal some of the volumes on the shelves. Ami's dad was in late that night researching something or other, and the thief blasted him with some strange weapon. He was in a coma at first, and then he just died. It hit Ames really hard."
Tears filled Usagi's eyes at the thought of what her friend must have went through. This must have been one of the memories from their past that they hadn't regained. She would have to speak with the Mercurian princess of this time and see if she could cheer her up. "What about Mars?" she asked, trying to change the topic to something a little happier. Apparently, it worked, as Serenity's face lit up with a mischievous grin.
"The princess of Mars is Rae. She's a pyro who likes to play with her fire and make predictions - sometimes they're true too! She also has a really bad temper, and has been a bit put out with me since I told Jadeite that she likes him!" Serenity grinned triumphantly. "She does too, but she just won't admit it. I just thought that she needed a little push in the right direction."
"They're a lot like the Senshi from my time," Usagi decided. "It's actually kind of creepy. Even you and me are a lot like each other - though Rae would probably laugh at that idea. For a long time I was quite a. klutz; always tripping over things. She called me meatball head because of it." Usagi brought her hands up and rubbed them together conspiratorially. "Heheh. maybe I can get a little revenge. What were you planning?"
"Well, they'll be expecting me to come back to the party soon, but instead of me, you can see them. I'll enter the room from another door - their chambers are all connected to mine - and we'll let things play out from there."
~ ~ ~
Usagi poised one fist in front of the large white and gold door, counting slowly to twenty in order to give Serenity a chance to take her position. 'I wonder what they'll be like,' she considered, before knocking quickly on the door. It opened immediately to reveal a grinning Minako - no, it was Mina here she corrected herself.
"Serenity, what are you doing knocking? It's just us here, and besides, it's your room!" She motioned Usagi in, and then took a double take. "What are you wearing girl?" Usagi looked down at her short pink skirt and white blouse. What was wrong with it? Before she could ask, the other three princesses came over and glanced over her.
"When did you change your dress Serenity? And does your mother know you're walking around in a skirt that short?" Rae seemed just the same as Usagi knew her, complete with irritated look, and arms folded across her chest.
"Aww come on Rae, I bet she wearing it to catch the attention of that cute new palace guard. Aren't you Sere?" Mina asked, a smug look on her face. Usagi stood silent, a small grin on her face, as the past forms of her friends bombarded her with questions from all angles. Most were about her clothes, however Ami cut to the important part quickly.
"What was it your mother wanted, princess? You had to leave so quickly, and you never said." Usagi's smile grew bigger.
"Actually Ami, Mother didn't tell me what it was she wanted to show me at first. It seems, that they caught an intruded in the gardens, and she wanted to make sure I was safe."
"So what took so long then? And who was the intruder? Were they trying to hurt you Serenity? I can go down to the dungeons and give them a lesson if they were." Lita was just as protective of her as Makoto was, it seemed.
"No Lita, the intruder wasn't after me. As a matter of fact. the intruder is. me." All four of the Inner Senshi looked at Usagi as if she were crazy.
"Sere, did you hit your head somewhere? I could have sworn you said that you were the intruder." Mina leaned pushed her down onto the rich looking bed, and checked her head over for bumps.
"It's true you guys," a voice stated from behind them. All the scouts tensed up and turned around wide eyed, to face their true princess. "I'm surprised. I thought you guys knew me! And you can't even tell us apart?" Serenity wore a vaguely insulted look, though she was grinning.
Usagi giggled at their expressions. You could practically hear the jaws clanking as they dropped, and Mina sat down heavily on the bed next to her. "You - you," Rae spluttered, unable to form a coherent sentence.
"Oh my," Ami breathed. "Is it possible? Are you two twins or something? Did you have a sister we didn't know about Serenity?"
Usagi cracked up. "You guys. you should see the expressions on your faces! It's even worse than Mother's! You were right Serenity; this was definitely worth it! I just wish I had a camera or something!" She burst into a fresh set of giggles, and rolled around on the bed in glee. Across the room, Serenity was almost as bad.
"N - no, we're not sisters Ami," Serenity finally managed to get out. "The truth is probably even less believable than that, if it's possible. Usagi? Do you want to tell them?"
Serious now, Usagi sat up straight. "The truth is, that I am Serenity - and I'm not. Okay, you're totally confused now. Lets see. At some point in time during Mother's reign, something will happen to cause your Serenity to be sent a thousand years into the future to be reborn. I can't go into specifics, because that could 'create a time paradox, destroying the universe as we know it' as Setsuna would say. The short of it is, that I am your princess, a thousand years in the future, after she's been reborn."
Silence filled the room just as it had during Usagi's meeting with Queen Serenity, and then. "Extraordinary! Wow! Amazing! Cool!" And various other exclamations of surprise. The first one to respond had been Ami, who had immediately whipped out her mini-computer, and began examining Usagi and Serenity.
"Your energy signatures are nearly the same - although Usagi's seems to have something extra." She moved closer to the twin in question, and tapped out a few things onto the computer. A few blips later, a new set of number came up on the screen. "Usagi, what are you doing with the energy signature of a Sailor Senshi?"
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"I'm sure Ambassador, you can see why I can't allow you to set up a separate colony within the Sol System - especially not on Earth. They are a people in their own right, and we are even now going through with plans to welcome them into the Silver Alliance. We can not permit you to set up Military outposts or colonies on the planet and subjugate the humans." Queen Selenity moved to take another sip of her tea, and watched the two Varlan Ambassadors for their reactions to her statement. Neither of them so much as twitched at the announcement.
"Surely, your Majesty, you are not protecting the humans?" Ebony asked. They are not yet part of your Silver Alliance, as you call it, and any one can see they are barbarians. Even now on the surface, they are still having wars over power. Wouldn't it be perhaps helpful to the humans themselves, if not to us all, if someone were to take charge? Someone who could stop their petty squabbles?" The Queen made as if to protest, but the other ambassador, Obsidian - Ebony's brother she recalled - cut in.
"Of course, our outpost wouldn't interfere with any of your Majesty's affairs. The Varlan Empire wouldn't presume to hold sway over your systems affairs. We would of course also allow you free trade to the planetary surface as well." The dark haired young man leaned forward earnestly. "All we are asking for is permission to place a new colony on the surface to relieve population pressures in our own system - and perhaps as you said, an outpost or two to further exploration?"
"I will not presume to speak for the people of Earth," the Queen said finally. "You may of course, send ambassadors of your own empire to speak with its current rulers. However," She continued. "Without approval from the humans, I will not allow any one else from your empire to set foot on the planet. The humans are our allies, and soon to be members of the Alliance. As such, I hope you will not try to give me further proposals for Varlan colonization of the Earth - I will not give it."
Ebony opened her mouth as if to speak further. Her eyes held a hint of outrage, and Selenity decided that it would be best to end the meeting now, before it degenerated into insults and fueled a war. "I am sorry Ambassadors." She nodded to Ebony, and Obsidian, who had slumped into his chair with a sigh. "I truly must end this meeting now. I have several other. important engagements to make today." With a gracious smile, she turned and left the meeting room.
Ebony scowled as soon as the queen had closed the door. "Look at her, all high and mighty! She treats us like mere children, instead of ambassadors of the Empire!" Getting up out of her chair, she stalked to the other end of the room, and began pacing back and forth.
"Calm down sister," Obsidian began soothingly. "I'm sure she is very busy. She is the queen after all, and I don't doubt that she has other things to do. Look at how busy the Emperor is. Besides, we still have time to convince her to change her mind, without even approaching the humans. She is having that ball tomorrow night, and we have been invited. Although preferable, negotiations do not have to take place in the conference room."
End Chapter Seven.
Silver Angel: Well? Was it halfway decent? I'm still trying to introduce some of the most important plot elements too, so I know this chapter was really all that exciting. Still please continue to review, as those are what inspire me to continue! Oh, and please vote on who you want Serena to be paired with. Do you want Endymion, or an AU pairing?
Next chapter: Usagi's power as a Senshi - what has changed? Where are the outers in the Silver Millenium? And. The ball, and a little romantic interest? Perhaps. ^_^
Chapter 7: Origins
"So then," Serenity began, as they left the room where Usagi had been taken. "Are you up for a little fun? None of the girls know anything about you yet, so I'm sure they'll be. surprised, to say the least, when I introduce you to them." She put her hands under her chin, grinning with anticipation.
Usagi smiled at her counterpart's glee. 'We really don't seem that different,' she thought. 'Despite being from totally separate times. And here I thought my past self was always calm and collected and mature.'
"Anyways, just before Mother came to get me, I was having a small party with the princesses of the Inner Planets. Do you know them?" Serenity turned to face Usagi, the curiosity now seemingly a permanent feature of her face.
"Well, I do know them - and the outers as well, but they probably have different names where I'm from." The princess nodded in understanding.
"Then I'll tell you what their names are here, and their planets as well. Lets see now. Mina is the princess of Venus. I don't know about the future, but she is a real blond - insists on calling herself the Goddess of Love too. Still she is the leader of my guard, and *is* the best person to turn to in matters of love." Usagi nodded at the description.
"She sounds just like Minako to me - that's Venus' name in the future." Usagi wondered how much they were like their past selves. She would have thought they'd be more different, having grown up as princesses here.
"Next there's Lita, and she's the princess of Jupiter. She probably the most protective of all the Senshi, and she's also a great cook. The palace chef's keep having to kick her out of the kitchens, because she's always trying out new things with food. Ami is the princess of Mercury, and is the smartest of all of us. She always has her nose stuck in a book or that mini computer of hers." Serenity stopped here, her face growing grave. "Actually, she's been even more withdrawn then usual lately, because her father was recently killed."
Usagi turned to face the princess, eyes wide. "What?! Ami's father was killed? How? What happened?"
"Well Mercury is the main repository of knowledge for the entire Solar System. That's why so many people - like Ami - who are from there, are scholars. Anyways, it's also got the biggest library. The next biggest is on Pluto, but people are always a little iffy about going there. Somebody - they don't know who yet - tried to break into the Mercurian library, and steal some of the volumes on the shelves. Ami's dad was in late that night researching something or other, and the thief blasted him with some strange weapon. He was in a coma at first, and then he just died. It hit Ames really hard."
Tears filled Usagi's eyes at the thought of what her friend must have went through. This must have been one of the memories from their past that they hadn't regained. She would have to speak with the Mercurian princess of this time and see if she could cheer her up. "What about Mars?" she asked, trying to change the topic to something a little happier. Apparently, it worked, as Serenity's face lit up with a mischievous grin.
"The princess of Mars is Rae. She's a pyro who likes to play with her fire and make predictions - sometimes they're true too! She also has a really bad temper, and has been a bit put out with me since I told Jadeite that she likes him!" Serenity grinned triumphantly. "She does too, but she just won't admit it. I just thought that she needed a little push in the right direction."
"They're a lot like the Senshi from my time," Usagi decided. "It's actually kind of creepy. Even you and me are a lot like each other - though Rae would probably laugh at that idea. For a long time I was quite a. klutz; always tripping over things. She called me meatball head because of it." Usagi brought her hands up and rubbed them together conspiratorially. "Heheh. maybe I can get a little revenge. What were you planning?"
"Well, they'll be expecting me to come back to the party soon, but instead of me, you can see them. I'll enter the room from another door - their chambers are all connected to mine - and we'll let things play out from there."
~ ~ ~
Usagi poised one fist in front of the large white and gold door, counting slowly to twenty in order to give Serenity a chance to take her position. 'I wonder what they'll be like,' she considered, before knocking quickly on the door. It opened immediately to reveal a grinning Minako - no, it was Mina here she corrected herself.
"Serenity, what are you doing knocking? It's just us here, and besides, it's your room!" She motioned Usagi in, and then took a double take. "What are you wearing girl?" Usagi looked down at her short pink skirt and white blouse. What was wrong with it? Before she could ask, the other three princesses came over and glanced over her.
"When did you change your dress Serenity? And does your mother know you're walking around in a skirt that short?" Rae seemed just the same as Usagi knew her, complete with irritated look, and arms folded across her chest.
"Aww come on Rae, I bet she wearing it to catch the attention of that cute new palace guard. Aren't you Sere?" Mina asked, a smug look on her face. Usagi stood silent, a small grin on her face, as the past forms of her friends bombarded her with questions from all angles. Most were about her clothes, however Ami cut to the important part quickly.
"What was it your mother wanted, princess? You had to leave so quickly, and you never said." Usagi's smile grew bigger.
"Actually Ami, Mother didn't tell me what it was she wanted to show me at first. It seems, that they caught an intruded in the gardens, and she wanted to make sure I was safe."
"So what took so long then? And who was the intruder? Were they trying to hurt you Serenity? I can go down to the dungeons and give them a lesson if they were." Lita was just as protective of her as Makoto was, it seemed.
"No Lita, the intruder wasn't after me. As a matter of fact. the intruder is. me." All four of the Inner Senshi looked at Usagi as if she were crazy.
"Sere, did you hit your head somewhere? I could have sworn you said that you were the intruder." Mina leaned pushed her down onto the rich looking bed, and checked her head over for bumps.
"It's true you guys," a voice stated from behind them. All the scouts tensed up and turned around wide eyed, to face their true princess. "I'm surprised. I thought you guys knew me! And you can't even tell us apart?" Serenity wore a vaguely insulted look, though she was grinning.
Usagi giggled at their expressions. You could practically hear the jaws clanking as they dropped, and Mina sat down heavily on the bed next to her. "You - you," Rae spluttered, unable to form a coherent sentence.
"Oh my," Ami breathed. "Is it possible? Are you two twins or something? Did you have a sister we didn't know about Serenity?"
Usagi cracked up. "You guys. you should see the expressions on your faces! It's even worse than Mother's! You were right Serenity; this was definitely worth it! I just wish I had a camera or something!" She burst into a fresh set of giggles, and rolled around on the bed in glee. Across the room, Serenity was almost as bad.
"N - no, we're not sisters Ami," Serenity finally managed to get out. "The truth is probably even less believable than that, if it's possible. Usagi? Do you want to tell them?"
Serious now, Usagi sat up straight. "The truth is, that I am Serenity - and I'm not. Okay, you're totally confused now. Lets see. At some point in time during Mother's reign, something will happen to cause your Serenity to be sent a thousand years into the future to be reborn. I can't go into specifics, because that could 'create a time paradox, destroying the universe as we know it' as Setsuna would say. The short of it is, that I am your princess, a thousand years in the future, after she's been reborn."
Silence filled the room just as it had during Usagi's meeting with Queen Serenity, and then. "Extraordinary! Wow! Amazing! Cool!" And various other exclamations of surprise. The first one to respond had been Ami, who had immediately whipped out her mini-computer, and began examining Usagi and Serenity.
"Your energy signatures are nearly the same - although Usagi's seems to have something extra." She moved closer to the twin in question, and tapped out a few things onto the computer. A few blips later, a new set of number came up on the screen. "Usagi, what are you doing with the energy signature of a Sailor Senshi?"
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"I'm sure Ambassador, you can see why I can't allow you to set up a separate colony within the Sol System - especially not on Earth. They are a people in their own right, and we are even now going through with plans to welcome them into the Silver Alliance. We can not permit you to set up Military outposts or colonies on the planet and subjugate the humans." Queen Selenity moved to take another sip of her tea, and watched the two Varlan Ambassadors for their reactions to her statement. Neither of them so much as twitched at the announcement.
"Surely, your Majesty, you are not protecting the humans?" Ebony asked. They are not yet part of your Silver Alliance, as you call it, and any one can see they are barbarians. Even now on the surface, they are still having wars over power. Wouldn't it be perhaps helpful to the humans themselves, if not to us all, if someone were to take charge? Someone who could stop their petty squabbles?" The Queen made as if to protest, but the other ambassador, Obsidian - Ebony's brother she recalled - cut in.
"Of course, our outpost wouldn't interfere with any of your Majesty's affairs. The Varlan Empire wouldn't presume to hold sway over your systems affairs. We would of course also allow you free trade to the planetary surface as well." The dark haired young man leaned forward earnestly. "All we are asking for is permission to place a new colony on the surface to relieve population pressures in our own system - and perhaps as you said, an outpost or two to further exploration?"
"I will not presume to speak for the people of Earth," the Queen said finally. "You may of course, send ambassadors of your own empire to speak with its current rulers. However," She continued. "Without approval from the humans, I will not allow any one else from your empire to set foot on the planet. The humans are our allies, and soon to be members of the Alliance. As such, I hope you will not try to give me further proposals for Varlan colonization of the Earth - I will not give it."
Ebony opened her mouth as if to speak further. Her eyes held a hint of outrage, and Selenity decided that it would be best to end the meeting now, before it degenerated into insults and fueled a war. "I am sorry Ambassadors." She nodded to Ebony, and Obsidian, who had slumped into his chair with a sigh. "I truly must end this meeting now. I have several other. important engagements to make today." With a gracious smile, she turned and left the meeting room.
Ebony scowled as soon as the queen had closed the door. "Look at her, all high and mighty! She treats us like mere children, instead of ambassadors of the Empire!" Getting up out of her chair, she stalked to the other end of the room, and began pacing back and forth.
"Calm down sister," Obsidian began soothingly. "I'm sure she is very busy. She is the queen after all, and I don't doubt that she has other things to do. Look at how busy the Emperor is. Besides, we still have time to convince her to change her mind, without even approaching the humans. She is having that ball tomorrow night, and we have been invited. Although preferable, negotiations do not have to take place in the conference room."
End Chapter Seven.
Silver Angel: Well? Was it halfway decent? I'm still trying to introduce some of the most important plot elements too, so I know this chapter was really all that exciting. Still please continue to review, as those are what inspire me to continue! Oh, and please vote on who you want Serena to be paired with. Do you want Endymion, or an AU pairing?
Next chapter: Usagi's power as a Senshi - what has changed? Where are the outers in the Silver Millenium? And. The ball, and a little romantic interest? Perhaps. ^_^