1491/Dimension Past: Let's Go In the Garden

Dimension Past: Let's Go In the Garden
Date of Scene:	24 April 2024
Location:	Silver Millennium
Synopsis:	In the ancient past, a peaceful moment plays out between Princess Serenity and Sailor Venus.
Cast of Characters:	Usagi Tsukino, Minako Aino

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Usagi Tsukino has posed:
A maze garden in the Capital City, this hedge maze includes many small private gazebos, beautiful flowers, and plenty of scenery. It?s easy to get lost, but luckily, you?ll find your way if you just keep going to the left at every opportunity. That won?t get you to the center, though.

At the center of the maze garden, is a grove of large trees, providing shelter to a picnic table. Small robotic servants float through the area, offering refreshments from compartments within their chests.

It is in this center that Princess Serenity sits, uncaring of the potential for grass stains upon her fine white dress. She stares wistfully at the Earth, which from her perspective is far above, blue and green with swirls of white clouds. She wishes she was there. She wishes she was with him.

"You don't have to stay so close, you know," she pouts at Venus, her body-double, her closest guardian. Venus' golden hair could become silver in an instant with her disguise magic, and she was closest to Serenity in height and build, despite the several years difference in their ages. Serenity had grown up with her, as she had all her guardians, and she loved her dearly -

But not when Venus was enforcing her mother's demands that she stay within the city, to be available for the important talks she was expected to make an appearance at.

Neither Serenity nor Venus will see the rainbow colored portal that opens in the shaded trees near them, allowing those displaced by the portals to walk through and find this peaceful area.

Minako Aino has posed:
"I do actually," Venus speaks, the Venus of a kindom once gone by offers her charge, standing close by with her arms folded under her bust, a little quirk of her lips in amusement at the Princess' pouting. This wasn't the first time they'd had this discussion and odds were it would not be the last, but the Guardian didn't seem bothered by it. The duties of a princess were demanding on the girl, perhaps even more demanding than that of a guardian. "Just in case."

Another life, or perhaps the next step of the same one, but the portal offers a glimpse none the less. Of all the Inner Senshi, Minako recalled the most of their previous lives...but to see it for herself?

Well, this was something else...

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"You already made sure I can't go down to Earth," thin arms are crossed over the princess' chest as she sulks, looking forlornly at the Earth above. "I could have seen him today. Mother would have forgiven me."

And she would have, for all the world knew Queen Serenity was exceptionally soft on her daughter - but the fact remained, that Serenity's presence was demanded, and thus it was expected. For her to fail to attend the talks would create a stir, and she knew that, truly. It was only that her heart wanted what it wanted, and she wasn't a little girl anymore. At these peace talks, she was rarely asked her opinion - she was young, after all, and her mother was Queen. It was her mother who wanted her in attendance, to expand her horizons, but her horizons were expanded!

"The gardens are prettier on Earth. Ah - don't tell Jupiter I said that?"

Minako Aino has posed:
"I would have had to snatch you away from him, maybe created a little incident in the process..." Venus points out, a little chuckle. "And we'd be late, upset people, made things harder for you -and- your mother..." listing off on fingertips, there's a little soft chuckle from her lips and a light shift of a gloved hand to raise to her lips in a 'sealed' motion.

"Of course, your secret is safe with me..."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"You wouldn't have had to. It was your choice, to enforce those rules. I had nearly slipped away, entirely unnoticed -"

And she had, for she had been preparing herself, ready to teleport down, descend to the Earth and feel it's grass beneath her feet, growing freely in the fields, felt the kiss of untamed, natural breezes (and other kisses, too), when Venus caught her, putting an end to those sweet plans.

"Those people wouldn't have minded so much. These talks are mother's doing, not mine. It's just a report, anyway, on whatever's causing all that activity in the sun..."

Minako Aino has posed:
"If you went, I'd be sent to chase you," Venus offers lightly, a lean forward towards Serenity and a touch of her fingertip to her own cheek. "And that interuption would ruin things. Your mother wants to prepare you after all, so that you might be able to rule as she does..." The blonde guardian considers, eyes shifting away whistfully. "Besides, there will be time for you and him, without interuption, once things are done. At least for a little while..."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"Well," Serenity starts, and then stops, pouting still further. "You could at least pretend you'd say no."

She knows the truth, of course. Venus would respect the wishes of her mother and come retrieve her, and it would most certainly cause a stir, if she were with Endymion in public, rather than visitng in a clearing or tucked away garden. Venus is right. Serenity - just doesn't want her to be.

"It's always just a little while. It's not as though Mother will hand down the throne any time soon! She's ruled for years and years, and she's in perfect health. It will probably be centuries before she even considers stepping down."

Minako Aino has posed:
"Time is funny," Venus offers. "I think it can surprise us. Maybe it's the bodyguard's way of thinking, but preparing for the unexpected is one way to ensure you can keep those precious things more protected. Keep your precious moments more protected..." A little shift, her hands fall to either side of her once more.

"Your mother wants you to be ready. And it is my job to keep you safe while you're doing so."

Elsewhere from the sidelines, eyes watch this exchange, so familiar and yet...

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"Maybe," is the most the princess is willing to budge on this, though the truth is she understands the situation. It's the privilege of youth, to understand her mother's wishes and to see her own as more reasonable, more tur. Whatever situation is unfolding, it will be her mother's call to respond, not Serenity's.

Of course, her mother does accept her advice, does listen to her thoughts, it's true, but -

But still. She had wanted to see him, and she can't.

"I've been safe on the Earth," she mumbles. "It's beautiful there, and the people I've met are kind -"

Of course, she's met only a scarce handful of people as herself - disguises have been used whenever she's met the rest, and she's not so naive that she doesn't know the positive reactions she's received thus far might well change if the people knew she was truly of the Moon.

Minako Aino has posed:
"It's very differenct from venus," the girl speaks, tilting her head to the side. "Very beautiful, and not just because of your fondness for a certain prince?" Princess Venus simply considers, a moment passing and a small sigh from the guardian. "Maybe we'll be able to convince your mother to let you take another trip there soon. With me watching over you...then you'll be protected, and I can see for myself."

That and well, the guardian of love had a soft spot for the romance between the princess of the moon and her paramour.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"It's beautiful," she sighs, "The air currents are natural, there are oceans, whole oceans! That have their own currents too, all their own, no machines to direct them... even the weather is natural. It's like Io, almost, only it's generally so much calmer, though there can still be storms!"

She can been caught in a storm once, hiding out under a tree as the fierce rains fell, ruining the dress she'd worn that day. It had been exhilarating.

And then Venus' words register.

"Wha - no, oh no, I'd rather you told Jupiter what I said about the gardens, definitely don't tell mother, you know it's forbidden, she'll definitely wonder why you're asking!"

Her face is flustered, panic filling her at the very thought of her mother finding out that she'd violated the rules!

Minako Aino has posed:
The momentary panic? It brings a giggle, an amused but honest noise from her lips. She moves, making to take a seat next to Serenity. "Sounds like you're going to have to have a conversation with your mother at some point," she considers.

A little shift, she leans back, her hands resting down behind her as she looks skywards.

"Tell me more..."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"Maybe! But not today, not while the talks are going on," today, her mother would most certainly not want to learn that her daughter has been violating her rules and regulations! "And -"

She turns even more red.

"You know that everything here is so... controlled. It has to be, on account of the dome, and the artificial atmosphere, and making sure resources are properly allocated so we have our eternal spring, and it's lovely, of course, but... there's no surprise. Earth, though... everything's a surprise on Earth. I mean, of course they have means of predicting their own weather, but it's just that, a prediction, it's not by design!"

Can you imagine?