In a message dated 2/5/2002 11:15:10 AM US Mountain Standard Time,
sommer@3rdm.net writes:
And getting back to this:
And gladja did, as always!
> <He reminds me of my last. . . .>
>
> <?!?!?!>
>
> <Errr, elder Jupiter's last. . . . overfriendly upperclassman.>
Heh
I guess Terra must have absorbed some of the memories of the
ones she fought with when she got to the Moon. Maybe a lot of
others before then, but only now is she getting to decoding them.
She did sort of eat the Queen of Saturn, so that might explain
her affinity for glaives...
> <But until I execute you, I have a job for you, since you're
> a free, single bachelor now and've got a starship.>
That's cold.
Gotta be strict with those Knights in Shining Armor constructs.
Otherwise, they'll just go off and get married or some other such
nonsense. ^_^
> <You would!>
>
> <And, by corollary, so do you!>
true
Trying to impose one's will on one's self. Can be difficult.
> Terra nodded. <Yes, that was a rather bumpy ride out, wasn't
> it?> Aloud, she continued, "It's no problem," and had about five
> hundred inner voices that silently added, <handsome!>
>
> "I am afraid that nor have we any medic to help you recover."
Not sure what you're trying to say there.
Wellllllllllllllllllll, how about:
Terra nodded. <Yes, that was a rather bumpy ride out, wasn't
it?> Aloud, she continued, "It's no problem," and had about five
hundred inner voices that silently added, <handsome!>
Giles frowned at the sight of some of the girl's injuries. "I
am afraid that we have no medic with us to help heal your wounds."
"That's okay," Terra replied. She closed her eyes and turned
to one side. "I don't need one."
Only a slight difference, but does it get my point across better?
> <Eh, well, when someone gets to be my age, I can't imagine
> them being afraid of much of anything.>
>
> <Heh. Yeah!>
>
> <What about the clowns?>
Good point.
Everyone's got something they don't like. ^_^
> touching it, her soft skin demonstrated no sign of scarring or
> residual injury whatsoever.
>
> <Oh yeah, THAT's easy stuff to fix. Take one cell, say, 'HEY!
> take these proteins and make a duplicate of yourself, right by that
> other one,' and do that on a large scale...>
Sounds pretty easy to me. I'll have to try it someday.
Try studying with the Bene Gesseret. They've got that sort of control
down pretty good.
But then they'd employ you in their selective breeding program, and
you'd have to learn the secret of the Spice Melange, etc...
> <Well, looking back over the data, there _was_ a distinct
> signal being sent, but only another Lunar Senshi or Queen Serenity
> should have been able to pick it up.>
>
> <Unless one knew what one was looking for.>
Curious. So why was he looking for senshi?
I think, being of the Royal Lunar Family, he could sense that sort of thing
lightyears away; something that someone less attuned would have to be
actively searching for.
> "How about you first, so I may return you to your home before
> going to mine. Where do you live?"
>
> "Third rock from the Sun."
Heh. Cute
And straight on 'till Cleaveland...
> Giles froze and looked downward, his expression growing
> worried. "The Moon Kingdom?" He held a hand to his chin. "Whom is
> she that you call Mother?"
>
> "Well, the one I've been calling Mother is Queen Serenity."
Heh.
Kind of a shock being away for a few years and discovering that your
wife's got a new kid...
> *Bling* At that moment, the intercom chimed and an officer's
> voice came on. [Lord Tranquility, we have arrived.]
Hm. Serenity and Tranquility, interesting.
Well, I was in a discussion with a prereader, asking about where Princess
Serenity came from...
I hypothesized asexual reproduction, but my prereader said, "Where's the
romance in THAT?!"
It's a good point that the Moon Kingdom and all that does seem to be based
heavily on magic and love, so if there was anything, it HAD to be absurdly
romantic.
Trying to figure out what sort of man Queen Serenity would marry...
Assuming QS has better taste than her daughter :P, it would have to be
someone as close to personifying a perfect male as one could hope to come.
And assuming (hoping beyond hope) that Princess Serenity was a legitimate
child, and since QS doesn't seem the sort to be keeping a lot of male
concubines around(quiet! yes, you!), there would have to be a Moon King.
We checked options, types, names, etc. and came up with a tall, yellow-blond
semi-superbeing handsome enough to make QS shiver at the very thought of
him...
Hey, it was either that or Murray Slobbidity, an overweight, beer-swilling,
hairy
guy that never does anything except hang around, watching the 'tube and
scratching himself.
Serenity: Dear, your daughter wishes to see you.
Murray(belches, long and loudly, snorts): Eh? Yeah, shender in... (chugs
a mug of the cheapest beer in the Silver Millennium)
We figured..........................................
Eh, this time we'll give 'Rennie a break and let 'er have the hunk. ^_^
> The musicians brought trumpets into play, slow enough to
> avoid sounding forced while heightening the dramatic feeling.
>
> The tall sihouette
silhouette
Oh! Right, got it.
> Giles looked them over, pleased at having been honored as such.
> He repeated the playing motion and held up his right hand, two
> fingers in a V-shape. "Be," he said, "excellent to each other."
Ouch.
Gotta have some basis for all your peace and love. Music, for example...
^_^
> Giles thought about what his wife was saying and started to
> put the pieces together. "Hmm, would this girl you took in happen
> to have powers as a Sailor Senshi and be named Terra?"
Heh.
Gotta have _someone_ that's brighter than a week-old dustrag, y'know.
> "I am very, _very_ glad to see you," Serenity whispered.
> "Your sister and I were greatly worried about you. Your friends
> were sorry for leaving you, too." The Queen looked happy, but still
> concerned about something else. "Are you hurt? Would you like me to
> heal you with the Ginzuishou?"
>
> "NO!" Terra shot back immediately.
Hehehehehe.
Of all the individuals who did a really good characterization of people
that didn't like the Ginzuishou, Mark Doherty had to have done the
best job with Emerald in I'm Here to Help.
Wonder what happened to that author... He was one of my favorites.
> The excitement of the moment calming down, Queen Serenity
> returned to stand with her husband. Arm in arm, they followed the
> girls inside. "Come, Giles, we have much to discuss."
Sure they do.
And a lot of catching up to do. (Nudge-nudge, wink-wink. KnowhatImean?) ^_^
> Out of an older guard's armor popped a small, green and white
> seal-like creature, which fluttered over to perch on a fountain,
> using its tail like a hummingbird wing. "Alroight, lads, that doez
> it for ta'day. See ya next month. Gotta get back ta th' lab on
> Merc'ya'ry before anyone notices."
>
> "Bye, Arby!" replied everyone in a manner that suggested they
> had done it many times before.
Heh
The ArbyFish keeps getting kicked out of the lab, but he likes it there!
> "You picked one hell of a time to come back home, you know,"
> Kull added. "On Earth we've had three major rebellions to put down
> in the past year alone."
Kull: Life's been good, for a change.
Hmmm......... I like that line, so...
"You picked one hell of a time to come back home, you know,"
Kull added. "On Earth we've had three major rebellions to put down
in the past year alone." He cracked his knuckles. "Life's been good
for a change."
"Perhaps you should treat your subjects with more kindness,"
Giles suggested.
Does that blend, or would Giles need a bit more of a reaction for it
to fit?
> "Perhaps you should treat your subjects with more kindness,"
> Giles suggested.
>
> "Maybe _you_ should try harder to keep the sorcerers and the
> mass-brainwashers from coming to _my_ planet! _You're_ the ones with
> the all-powerful magic, remember?"
Good point.
That's one of the big things that caused the end of the Silver Millennium,
IIRC.
Brainwashing and such.
Works for the Ordos!
> "Its name is Oblivion's Kiss--a horrible and violent affliction
> that eats living souls and turns them into a nhilistic scourge upon
> creation; turns men into demons and demons into sludge."
Kull: Sort of like lawyers, only not that repulsive.
^_^
"Its name is Oblivion's Kiss--a horrible and violent affliction
that eats living souls and turns them into a nhilistic scourge upon
creation; turns men into demons and demons into sludge."
Kull nodded along. "Yeah, kind of like lawyers, only not that
repulsive." He looked at the Moon King. "A lot like you, actually."
"How quickly will it advance?" Giles asked, brushing off Kull's
comment.
> "A few hours ago, the curse began to spread across space. The
> people of the Asteroids Kingdoms of Akis and Jares have been utterly
> consumed
Doesn't sound like that was part of the plan.
I guess something went wrong in the summoning procedure.
Asteroid Senshi are not noted for their prowess in planning,
magic, or anything _really_ sinister. ^_^
I mean, they're typically tougher than Deathbusters, but that's
the only thing they've got going for them.
> "Moon Healing Escalation," Serenity corrected, "and anything
> less than full power would be unable to stop the foul magic."
>
> "At full power?" Giles asked incredulously. "But all that
> have used the Ginzuishou at that level have perished!"
>
> Serenity nodded. "However it is the only way we can possibly
> save our worlds, Giles, aside from ordering our men to go in and
> commit some horrible abomination, possibly succumbing themselves
> to this travesty. There simply is not enough time to carry it out!"
Kull: Actually, that's what I'm hoping for. No need to kill yourself or
anything. Me and my horde will be happy to slice away.
Hmmm...........
"At full power?" Giles asked incredulously. "But all that
have used the Ginzuishou at that level have perished!"
Serenity nodded. "However it is the only way we can possibly
save our worlds, Giles, aside from ordering our men to go in and
commit some horrible abomination, possibly succumbing themselves
to this travesty. There simply is not enough time to carry it out!"
"Actually," Kull said, "that's what I was hoping for. No need
to kill yourself or anything. Me and my horde will be happy to slice
away." He paused. "I was going to send my best man in, but he'll be
stuck in negotiations with Pluto for a little while longer."
Queen Serenity waved off Kull's suggestion. "There is not
enough time," she insisted. "You could not gather that many troops
before it would be too late."
"My people could surprise you," Kull added.
"There is only one way," Serenity affirmed, looking downward.
"I see," said Giles Tranquility. "Then I shall take the Crystal
and perform the action myself."
"I am afraid that you are not strong enough to wield it."
"My love for you will give me the strength. I have spent the
last few years battling my way across the universe to stop that which
would have destroyed us. It was nothing more than how thoroughly I
care for you that enabled me to return once more."
Does it need a little more tweaking, do you think, or is this fine?
> "Hey," Princess Serenity whispered, "what am I? Diced bovine
> innards? And why does she get two servants and I don't get any?"
>
> "She needs more reassurance and help than you do," the Queen
> whispered back to her true daughter.
>
> The Princess blinked. "Oh, okay..."
Heh
Terra seems to be getting REALLY special treatment...
> "What? Oh, nearly forgot about that. My communications officer
> went on extended leave. Weeeeeeellllll, to tell the truth I had to
> jettison my entire crew into the cold darkness of space since they
> mutineed when they heard my last order."
Heh
Typical response. ^_^
> "Let 'em listen!" the green-armored man shouted, looking
> right at Terra. "You like that, 'Princess?!' Huh?! I did exactly
> like you told me. I violently slaughtered those two circus midgets
> and eeeeeeeeeveryone that _might_ have been involved. The ones that
> surrendered got a quick death. The ones that didn't have found an
> entirely new definition of pain and suffering as I reconfigured their
> innards to leave every single nerve ending in their bodies exposed
> to-"
>
> "Shut UP, Starlight," Terra whispered through clenched teeth.
Yeah, someone should pick up on the Princess comment.
In what way? I mean, in the following lines, people did take notice, at
least.
> Starknight's expression fell. He froze, gawking at the Terran
> King, as did Terra at her adopted mother.
>
> "IT WAS?!" both captain and princess asked incredulously in
> linked unison.
Heh. So much for getting Terra in trouble.
Funny how a lot of the intended mayhem they try to cause ends up
bringing in some positive effect. ASK was REALLY trying to get at
Terra this time.
Could he REALLY have been in love with Sailor Pluto, d'ya think?
> > you guilty of performing above and beyond the call of duty in taking
> care of that doomsday curse, having the gumption to respond and do
> whatever it took to stop it."
>
> The Queen nodded along with the verdict. "Though your methods
> were unorthodox and extreme, I believe they were necessary.
My, she changed her tune rather quickly. A moment ago she said she didnt'
want the blood on her hands.
Well, she was more resigned than anything. Besides, she's quick on the
uptake and wouldn't look a gift-genocide in the mouth. ^_^;;;
> "I remember when my daddy got back from a long trip," Althea
> added, "he was in intense rehab for _months_! He kept talking about
> how huge the mushrooms were, and how flammable the rope got, and
> how sweet the pixies were. Then there was all the dragon-dancing."
> She looked wistfully off into the sunset, which was going to be
> around for another few days. "Someday, I wanna go where he went."
Of course.
Just to show that it was no ordinary trip Amy went on earlier. ^_^
> <Right, right. I'm our 'vent.' Since I'm the head of Earth's
> fleet, I can make bigger, better ways to destroy things!>
>
> <And if you _still_ need that idiotic physical relationship,
> Neptune's princess is of age and isn't technically married yet.>
>
> <...She doesn't like men.>
>
> <So? You like a challenge, don't you?>
>
> <Well, yeah, but NOT when it comes to->
Heh
So what can he do? Try to marry Sailor Neptune.
It'd be scarier if he'd actually succeeded...
> "Just how powerful are you?" Chibijupiter asked.
>
> A gleam came to Terra's eye. "Wanna see?"
Heh. This could get messy.
Hoo-yeah, baby!
> "Blast it!"
>
> Chibijupiter stood back up and crossed her fingers together
> as tightly as she could, a small lightning rod extending from the
> gem of her tiara. "Grrrr... LIGHTSPARK SHOCK!!!"
>
> *Bzrrr-zrrr-zrrr!* The lightning glanced off the rock without
> doing any damage whatsoever.
>
> "Yell at it!"
Yeah. Thought I recognized the dialogue.
I always did like that part from the Dune movie(though where they got the
idea for weirding modules is beyond me). It's about time it was adapted
to suit my purposes. ^_^
> Red in the face, the chief guard looked down at the hole, then
> back at the girl. "Selene's name, child! You've just destroyed the
> Runestone!"
>
> Sailor Chibimercury gasped. "It was the Runestone!?"
Heh. Of course something bad had to happen.
Indeed!
I got some other suggestions and this is what I came up with:
"Thanks," the Super Senshi replied and turned to the others.
"So, who here's tough enough to break this rock?" She knocked on
the stone as if to guarantee its solidity.
The four looked at each other, then back at Terra. "I could
do that!" Chibijupiter announced.
Terra motioned for the girl to come forward. "All right,
Iolanthe. Think you're hot stuff? Hit it."
*Whump!* "MMMMHH!" Sailor Chibijupiter drew back her small
fist and thrust it at the rock. The impact didn't do anything at
all to the boulder, but it did have a fascinating effect on the
girl's hand. *CRUNCH!* "Owwww!" The brunette yanked off her elbow-
length white glove and sucked on her bruised knuckles for a little
while.
Terra grinned secretively and waited for Chibijupiter to
recover. "Ready? Okay, kick it."
*Thud!* Iolanthe swung her foot at the object and in the next
instant fell back, rubbing her toes through the thin material of her
short boot. Althea, Hermione, and Pyra winced at the nasty-sounding
crack. "Aaaaah!"
Princess Terrifying nodded, maintaining a mocked expression
of sagely wisdom. "Right, blast it!"
Chibijupiter stood back up and crossed her fingers together
as tightly as she could, a small lightning rod extending from the
gem of her tiara. "Grrrr... LIGHTSPARK SHOCK!!!"
*Bzrrr-zrrr-zrrr!* The lightning glanced off the rock without
doing any damage whatsoever. Then the faint electricity going through
the Jovian Chibiscout's body reminded her nerves what she had already
done to her hand and foot, sending some pretty sharp warning messages
to her brain. "Aaaaooowwwwww!"
"Yell at it!" Super-Duper Sailor Chibimoon ordered.
The brunette clenched her teeth, fought back the stinging and
balled up her fists. "GRRR! BREAK ALREADY, !@@$&! YOU @$^@@!#
ROCK!!!"
The other Chibiscouts gasped at Iolanthe's outburst.
Chibijupiter blushed. "Errrr, 'Oh, darn,' I mean."
"That was nice," Terra said, referring to the swearing, "now
stand back." She pulled out the Pink Sugar Heart Wand and pointed
it at the rock. "This is a regular-level attack."
*Bweow-bweow-bweow!* A stream of hearts shot out from the
wand's gem, chipping away at the hard granite.
"This is not," Terra continued, holding her wand horizontally.
The handle extended a good four feet and the wings on top grew into
a pair of feathery blades. She held it up. "CHAAAAAAAAAAAAI," she
vocalized in a penetrating vibrato and swung the staff down upon
the rock, "HA!"
*BLAAAAAM!!!* The granite rock instantly exploded, scattering
into thousands of itty bitty fragments that flew every which way.
The four Chibiscouts coughed, covering their eyes and mouth.
Iolanthe could have sworn she had briefly seen the numbers 9,999
flash over the rock before it blew.
When the dust cleared, it became apparent that the boulder
had vanished, leaving a beautifully blackened pothole marring the
small grassy field.
Terra blew the smoke off the tip of her glaive before allowing
it to retract into its smaller shape and putting it away. "How was
that?"
The guards ran up to them, weapons drawn and their gaze
shifting around in search of their foe.
Terra waved at them. "Oh, that was me! Don't worry about it."
"Sailor Chibimoon?" one of the guards began. "What in blazes
were you doing?!"
"Just a demonstration," the redhead replied, "nothing to see
here." She waved them off. "Move along, move along."
Red in the face, the chief guard looked down at the hole, then
back at the girl. "Selene's name, child! You've just destroyed the
Runestone!"
Sailor Chibimercury gasped. "It was the Runestone!?"
"Not the Runestone!" the other three Younger Senshi exclaimed
in shock.
Terra frowned. "Oh, was it something important? Terribly sorry
about that."
"Uhmmmmmmmm," Chibivenus hummed nervously, "does that mean the
Orcs win?" The others looked at her. "I hate it when that happens."
"Do you know what this means?!" an elder guard cried, ignoring
Princess Venus's irrelevant statement.
"No, not really," Terra replied.
"It means that the atmosphere of the Moon will now evaporate,
causing a massive decompression wave that will propel us all into
the harshness of space?" Hermione posed a theory.
Pyra gasped and covered her mouth, thinking of a possible
scenario that could play out. "It means that all our magical powers
will vanish and we'll be left with no one to protect us from the
villains from other solar systems?!"
"It means that our transformations will fail, our outfits'll
disappear and we'll be left to run around literally naked and with
nothing to wear?!" Iolanthe cried in fear, crouching down and taking
action to cover herself with her arms and hands should such an event
occur.
Sailor Chibivenus took out her trusty Crystal Wink Sword that
she hated using in combat and scratched her head with its hilt as
she thought what might happen in the absence of the Runestone. "It
means that evil will vanish, revilings, deceits, envyings and strifes
will come to an end, and peace and love will dominate our minds from
here on out?!" She cringed and shuddered.
The captain of the guard collapsed, his head firmly imbedded in
the ground after hearing the girls' responses. "No!" he said, his
voice muffled in the dirt. He stood up. "It means that, that, that,
that!!! It was created to contain an outflowing of demons ten thousand
years ago from the Horrid Chaos Dimension From Whence There is no
Return!"
"The Horrid Chaos Dimension From Whence There is no Return?!"
Chibivenus blurted out in shock.
Sailor Chibimercury gasped and her eyes went wide as she shook
her head. "No, not the Horrid Chaos Dimension From Whence There is no
Return!"
Chibijupiter stamped her feet and snapped her fingers. "I HATE
the Horrid Chaos Dimension From Whence There is no Return..."
Chibimars covered her mouth again and looked at the guard that
had given them this new information. "Then that means..."
"It means," the guard continued, "that in fourty thousand years,
the Great Forbidding will fall and chaos will reign unless a Great
Warrior comes to destroy the Demon Lord and free us all from his
foul clutches!"
All the girls looked at each other frantically.
"Oh no!"
"Oh, yes!"
"This is terrible!"
"What have we done?!"
"'WE?' It was Chibimoon!"
Everyone glared at Terra.
"Wait a second," the adopted princess started, "how long did
you say it would take?"
"Fourty thousand YEARS!"
Little by little, everyone relaxed.
Chibijupiter folded her arms. "Fourty thousand years, eh?"
Chibivenus glanced at her gloved wrist. "I guess that means we
have time for lunch..."
Just a quick addition, but I think that helps to liven things up a bit.
> <Why?>
>
> <Remember what nearly killed us when we arrived?>
Heh. Think she would have considered that sooner.
Terra: Hey! There was a delay in decoding that stuff! (folds her
arms) I'd like to see you do any better!
^_^ If my characters were perfect, then this wouldn't be any fun. All
we can settle for while still being interesting would be a "pretty good
planner."
> The Chibiscout leader stared after the two running adults.
> After a moment, she shrugged and faced her teammates. "Okay,
> everybody, feet together, eyes forward. Raise your right hand to the
> square and repeat after me."
>
> Mars, Jupiter and Mercury raised their right hand and fixed
> their gaze firmly on their leader. Mars crossed the fingers of her
> left hand behind her.
Of course.
Those who were watching and reading might have recognized the
Men at Arms (Terry Pratchett, Discworld) reference.
Besides, in other stories (Lines of Destiny, for example. Highly
recommended) there's mention of an oath some Sailor Senshi
have to take somewhere along the way. I figured I'd just show
'em how it'd REALLY have turned out. ^_^
> "Because today, your grandmother is coming over to visit."
> The girl's father pointed to a calendar on the wall, circled in
> red and marked in small, alarming letters, [GRANDMA.]
>
> Terra paled. "Grandma?"
Heh
Some relatives are pleasant to have around.
Then there are some others that, well.........................
> Well, that's the big flashback for this part. I figure it's good
> enough practice to put in some level of backstory. Actually, a
> lot of people tend to like the past incarnations of ASK and Terra
> a lot better than the 'present' ones. Fancy that...
Both have their pros and cons.
Yeah, I suppose that's true. I did get told by some that they liked
the present versions better.
They're the same, sort of, with different knowledge levels and different
circumstances.
Though, yes, most of Terra's mind is still missing from her brain. ^_^
Nice work and good way to wrap up the flashback. Look forward to more
present day action and the apperaanceof Gramma Jenova.
Thank you very much! There's more present action in 17/?!?! and 18/18.
Haven't gotten any response on 18/18, but... (shrug) I guess the story's
fine ending where it does. It'd take a big weight off my shoulders. I mean,
everyone already knows what's going to happen and stuff. Why prolong
the inevitable?
Whelp, gotta get back to work on Going at it Like Rabbits, Heart of Sugar
and Mix and Match...
-------------------------------
Benjamin A. Oliver
boredcollective@aol.com
"We are the Bored. Lower your shields and surrender your fics.
We will add your standup and slapstick comedy to our own.
Your humor will adapt to entertain us.
Resistance is and always has been: Futile."
Collective works available at:
http://lwf58.tripod.com/fan_fiction/ben-oliver/index.html
.---Anime/Manga Fanfiction Mailing List----.
| Administrators - ffml-admins@anifics.com |
| Unsubscribing - ffml-request@anifics.com |
| Put 'unsubscribe' in the subject |
`---- http://ffml.anifics.com/faq.txt -----'