Hello, everyone. It's been a while, but I have had this idea in my head for some time now and I thought it best to finally put it to paper (SM meets Science Fiction). Light references to The Jovian Senshi trilogy, but absolutely not a pre-requisite to read. As always, I don't own these characters, and these stories are written purely for enjoyment. Merci.


CHAPTER 1

There is something about the sizzle– the way the oil cradles the pork to create a crust from the flour and the ginger; it is a symphony for the senses. The aroma carries both heat and spice through the small open window which isn't nearly large enough to temperature control the space. I can feel a bead of sweat threatening to slide down my cheek.

The salt is perfect.

Any more would be too much.

The true art of food is in its balance.

Here, in this kitchen, I feel safe. Safe from what though? I feel most like myself. Do you even know who you are? I feel…

I feel…

…something is wrong.

I haven't lived in this apartment in years–decades even and yet it all looks the same down to every last detail. It's as if I'm staring at a snapshot. The calendar on the wall says today is Sunday, and if that's true then this must be a memory. Cooking on a Sunday was the luxury of a much younger me.

"That smells absolutely delicious." The voice is calm with a hint of playfulness I recognize instantly–a tone which feels like it transcends timelines.

"Ken? No, Shino."

He stands in the doorway and while I can see him clearly, the room behind him looks faded and blurred. "Don't act so surprised, Mako. It's no secret you come down and make yourself a midnight snack every now and then."

There's something different–he's different. When I look at him again I see armor and these walls… I'm not in my apartment anymore. This is the palace kitchen on Jupiter.

"Am I traveling through time?" My question goes unanswered as everything just stops.

The sizzle of the pan, the fire of the oven–there is a stillness which takes its place. The walls contort and Shinozaki disappears until I find myself standing in an empty room I don't recognize. I look down at my hands and see my clothing shift between my university sweater, my senshi form, and a set of armor I haven't worn since my time on Jupiter.

What was I doing before this?

Why can't I remember?

"You've lived a very unorthodox life, Lita. All these people you've been… I'm surprised you've been able to keep track of it." Venus.

I turn and see one of my oldest friends looking at me–no, she's looking past me. "I don't understand what's happening."

"Time is becoming irrelevant." Pluto.

I hear her voice but I don't see where it's coming from. It's like this for a few moments; the voices accompany brief glimpses of people I knew in this life and my last. I must be dead, it's the only thing that makes sense.

"Senshis don't really die though. When their body ceases, their life returns to the cycle. Energy can shift and transfer, but it never stops." A young woman stands next to me now, glaive in hand.

I expect her to disappear just as the other's had, but she doesn't. "Hotaru."

She nods. "Makoto."

I take a deep breath. "I suppose asking for clarity would be too much."

She shrugs. "I'm merely a mirror, Jupiter, we all are. All these fractals are reflections."

"You could've just said yes."

She stays for a moment, staring off in a similar direction as the others before she disappears just the same. The room feels like it's grown larger somehow, and I find myself searching for whatever it was that caught their attention.

A door stands on the other side of the room.

Was it always there?

"We all have destinies that we can't run from." Nephrite.

I freeze in place. Those words linger and I can feel the ache in my chest. He wasn't my first love, but he was the one who showed me what betrayal looked like.

This is enough now.

I begin to make my way to the door without any hesitation. Whatever this is can go to hell.

"Do you remember when we saw our first storm on Jupiter? I had never seen anything so beautiful in my life." A hand is suddenly holding mine and I stop.

My breathing slows and a sense of calm surrounds me. "You weren't looking at the storm."

He chuckles. "You're right, I wasn't."

I look over and see the man I built an empire with. Even in this confusion I can't help but feel safe as he pulls me into his arms. "Sapphire, what's going on?"

"It looks like you're not done yet." He's young–too young.

That's when I remember everything. We grew old and I fought so hard for so long. I lived my life and died happy. This isn't how things are supposed to be.

"I… I just want to rest now."

He lets me go and motions towards the door before he begins to fade. "I know."

I am alone again, just me and this door. All these shadows and memories remind me of what was and I find myself wanting to stay here for as long as I can. Then, when the silence starts to feel heavy, I open the door.

On the other side is a void of darkness with no hint of light anywhere. The room behind me grows smaller as I step through. For a second I am weightless and then the darkness shifts to a blinding light.


"It should be working. Why isn't it working?"

"Patience, Hinako. We're in uncharted territory here."

"We should have waited for Saito. He knows the calculations the best."

"Shh… quiet. Something is happening."

There are many voices around me, and I don't recognize any of them. Four people in the room–maybe more, I can't quite tell. Then there is a brief period of silence before the distinct sounds of machinery begin to move. Pressure is released and I realize I am laying down in some kind of box no larger than a coffin. As light disperses and my eyes adjust I begin to move on instinct, but find restraints secured around my arms and legs.

"Princess Ami, it is an honor to be in your presence. There is so much we need to discuss…" A young woman stands in front of me with a strange expression on her face. "...um… oh no. This isn't…"

I can still feel my connection to Jupiter. "I'm not Princess Ami."

She doesn't respond to me, instead she turns to the smaller man next to her. "Get Saito in here now. Tell him it's an emergency."

There's a slight chill in the air, one that triggers a memory from a very long time ago. Lightning begins to dance around my body and I can see the fear travel between each person in the room. The electricity strikes my restraints and I am able to free myself, but something feels different.

Is there metal in my hands?

I look down and touch my skin then inspect my clothing. "Someone needs to start talking right now."

Forceful, perhaps too forceful.

A woman with glasses moves behind a small metal table. "I'm Hinako and this is the Mizuno Research Facility."

I nod. "You're going to have to keep talking."

She pauses. "I'm sorry. I'm not quite sure what to say."

"You're Sailor Jupiter, aren't you? A contemporary to our Princess." An older man walks into the room with his hands very clearly fishing for something in his lab coat pockets. After a second he pulls out a small metal tablet and what looks like a pen. "This is unexpected. It seems our sample was incorrectly labeled."

I turn my attention to him. "I'm sorry, what?"

He starts to write something down. "This is an honor, just not the one we were anticipating."

Whispers begin to fill the room and I try my best to fill in the gaps. There are charts and vials all around what looks like a laboratory. What is it Hinako called this place? The Mizuno Research Facility. That is when I see it–the crystal suspended in what looks like a display case across the room. The energy it's pulsing is unmistakable.

"Is that… my crystal?"

The man lowers his tablet then takes a few tentative steps forward. "My name is Saito, and I'm the head of this facility. I sincerely apologize for the confusion, but if you allow it we would love to welcome you properly to–"

"This is Mercury isn't it?" My question lingers for a few moments.

"Yes, it is."

The electricity continues to dance around my fingertips as the chill I had felt earlier begins to make more sense. This planet has always been harsh, but those who have called it their home have always adapted. I have so many questions, but I feel this situation needs some restraint on my end.

Breathe, Jupiter.

I just want to know what they've done to me.