Welcome to the new Upside Down, Inside out. It's being completely redone. I really didn't like it, and made the purely selfish decision to redo it. Hopefully those of you who've read it already like it even more and those of you who never got to read it the first time...well, Lucky you.

Posted: 05/14/08

New Chapter One: Royal Families

Peaceful times between two loyal planets were wavering as distrust ran rapid throughout the ranks of the Neptunian kingdom. The royal Neptunian family was now at war over their foreign policy plan pertaining to their Uranian sisters.

The Uranian royals kept a close watch on their troubled neighboring planet. They weren't keen on having unstable allies. Well grounded planets made for predicable movements. It was not until, in a moment of weakness, they let their guard down that terror struck.

Their targets were small, but important. They were harmless, yet powerful. The new generation, two small children barely past their forth birthday, were in trouble.

The Neptunian forces set out on a devastating venture for battle. The Neptunian king sent his troops on the path of war. Their neighboring planet Uranus were their victims. It was swift and blood-stained as the well formulated plan moved into effect. Supposedly killing the queen. The Neptunian warriors kidnapped their tiny princess from the clutches of her dead mother. It was a mistake they were sure to regret.

The Uranians, a race bred for battle, retaliated. Killing any traitorous militant solider they could find. Coldly murdering anyone who dared stand in their way.

The Neptunian king, in a desperate attempt to salvage what was left of his ravaged kingdom, wisely submerged it underwater.

But their hell-bent counterparts were vengeful and relentless in their assault. Their princess was in danger and nothing would keep them from getting her back…

"Ruka!" The small aqua haired girl squealed in delight, as she hugged the older girl. She loved the small blonde child before her more than the sea.

"Hi Michi," The small blonde smiled, returning the hug. The two small children so blissfully unaware of the dangers that hung just outside the young princess's chamber doors.

"Come on," Michiru said. "The men are outside."

Haruka nodded, and followed the small girl into what they thought was a suitable hiding place.

Michiru covered her eyes and hid next to Haruka as the sounds of screams and swords echoed through the castle walls.

Haruka held the small girl, listening out for anything of the "men".

She yawned and was lulled to sleep by the steady breathing of the girl next to her.

--

Now, twelve years later, The new kings had come to an agreement that both parties could live with.

Unfortunately, there were two separate and less important parties who couldn't come to an agreement.

"Why do I have to wear a dress?" Haruka asked rhetorically. She already knew the answer, they'd gone over this many times before, but the blonde always felt the need to ask.

"Stop acting as if you're six years old. Quit complaining and hold still," Naru said, tying the back of the lanky girls dress.

"I'm telling father," Haruka huffed. It's not like telling him would matter, he always sided with Naru on "womanly things". "This has got to stop."

"Oh yeah?" Naru said with a smirk. She loved torturing the young girl. She'd made it one of her life's missions to harass the tall youth whenever she was given the opportunity.

"Yeah!" Haruka added, as if it would help her cause.

"It won't," Naru deadpanned.

"Don't crush my hopes," Haruka whined.

Naru made sure to always stand the young king in front of a mirror while she was dressed. It added to the effect.

"I hate dresses," Haruka said gruffly to her reflection. There was not anything she hated more than frilly pieces of uncomfortable cloth women stuffed themselves into.

"I can't help you," Naru said making fun of her. "Why do you think I don't wear dresses? They're just a little to breezy for me."

"I feel naked without my pants," Haruka remarked sadly. It was the truth. There was something about the wind flowing freely around her nether regions that bothered her.

"Well get use to it," Naru responded. There was no way she was going to let something so simple yet aggravating get vetoed by the girls father.

"How about not," The blond retorted. "No way I'm getting use to this crap."

"You're just like your mother," Naru groaned.

"I ain't got no mother," Haruka said mockingly. The young sky king knew how much slang bothered her "guardian". She also knew that it slightly bothered her when she referred to not having a living mother.

"Ain't is not a word so don't use it," Naru scolded. "If you did not have a mother you would not be here,"

"The wind is everywhere," Haruka retorted for what might have been the millionth time. She used that saying just to get up Naru's craw and it always seemed to work.

"There you go again with the wind," Naru chastised. "If I don't get you downstairs before the Royal family of Neptune I'm dead."

"Not my problem," Haruka said. She might just have it in mind to be a few hours late. Having dinner with some snobby, dishonest royal family from an disloyal, untrustworthy planet wasn't exactly her cup of tea. She would rather swim and that was number two among the things she hated, right under dresses.

"If you're not there by the time I get there, still in the dress might I add," Naru said cuffing her over top of her head. "I'll tan your hind."

"You would not!" Haruka said Invidiously. "I would kick your ass."

So that wasn't one hundred percent truthful Haruka knew. Her guardian was good at getting her to lose her temper and ultimately getting her to make irrational decisions during battle but if that wasn't the case, she would knock Naru flat on her ass every time.

"I have done it before and I'll do it again, now get," Naru said triumphantly.

Grumbling under her breath, the young royal cut her losses and angrily slammed the door on her way out.

The young king stopped and stared out over her kingdom on the way to the dining hall. There was something calming about knowing the everything was peaceful. She wasn't sure what this newfound alliance with the traitors who were trespassing in her castle would bring. Something positive she hoped.

There was something about the thought of meeting this family that was unsettling for her. She vaguely knew what it was. Memories of the young Neptunian princess and herself flashed through her mind.

She remembered the young princess' small girlish voice that only seemed to have been able too achieve two octaves... High and low. Childish laughter that the wind seemed to love allowing to linger in the air long after they'd escaped the aqua haired sea king's lips.

Short arms that held her so lovingly, like she was the only thing in the world that mattered.

Yes, She remembered the young princess very well. She had known her better than anyone could have ever hoped, but this new "person" she'd never met. This "older Michiru" was someone who needed to be inspected and evaluated closely. She could not trust this Neptunian princess. People changed, Haruka knew this first hand.

She slowly came back to her senses and took one final glimpse at her kingdom before making her way toward the dining hall where her family, and the things that were responsible for the atrocity she was wearing, were waiting.

Why life had to be so complex she did not know. She knew Naru only did it for laughs and yet her father just allowed it to go on. Her father had let her wear tuxes before. Yes, she was still fuming about the dress.

She just couldn't wrap her head around what was so different about it this time. The servants greeted her with wide grins and she huffed.

"You all are supposed to be on my side," She told them.

They shook their heads and laughed.

"Sometimes we can't tell who's the prince and who's the princess," One said.

"This definitely clears it up for us." The other responded opening the doors to the dining hall.

Haruka growled, wishing she had pockets she could shove her hands in out of annoyance.

Naru stood waiting for her.

"You're late," Naru whispered.

"Shut up and be happy I'm still in the dress." Haruka snapped quietly.

Without stopping to acknowledge the people at the table, or to acknowledge her father, she took her seat next to her brother.

It was during dinner that night, that Haruka found out that these people, whom she'd yet to "meet", would be staying for a week before leaving their daughter to train alongside her.

"Why does she have to train with me?" Haruka quietly grumbled to her twin brother AlexanderAlexander, as she pushed peas around her plate. She could feel eyes on her but refused to look up and meet them. She knew who it was from. Naru hated it when she played with her food, but Haruka always made a point to tell Naru it was her own plate and none of her business.

"Just be happy they're not making you stop training with us because of her," Alexander said, trying to calm her down. By "us" he of course meant other Uranian warriors, who'd been training since the day they'd been shoved from the womb. "Just think of all the fun you could have making her life miserable and enjoying it at the same time."

"How come I get the feeling I'm not going to like it here once my folks leave?" Michiru glanced ruefully at the older girl across from her.

"She looks like pure mischief," Michiru blushed when Haruka met her frown with on of her own. One that seemed to promise trouble for her in the future. Michiru silently wondered about how stable her health would be while she was here. Haruka seemed to be wishing her dead from across the table.

"Michiru?" The Neptunian princess looked up at her mother. "Why don't you try and make conversation with her? I bet she's not all that different form they way you are,"

"I bet she is," She looked back over at Haruka and shook her head. There was no way they could have anything other than being Senshi and princess' in common.

"I highly doubt it," Michiru's mother smiled down at her daughter. "It won't hurt to try."

"I don't want to," Michiru was determined not to speak to Haruka until it was necessary, even if it meant being rude to her mother.

"You're sure?"

"Positive," Michiru confirmed.

"Haruka, Alex I'm sure you don't remember Michiru," Haruka's father implied, with the friendliest of tones.

Haruka pushed back the surging memories from her childhood. The sounds of the young screaming version of Michiru as the small child reached her arms out in a desperate attempt to get her best friend back.

Alexander, the only one to truthfully answer the question shook his head while and Michiru and Haruka decided to actively ignore the question. Which didn't go unnoticed by the people seated with them at the table.

"You three where still so very young," Jonathan smiled at the children.

"Jonathan, I'm sure the three will reacquaint themselves during Michiru's stay for the next year..." Neptunian King Michael replied. "Kami knows they will have more then enough time."

Michiru shot her father a glare that could peel paint off the wall. Haruka noticed and held in a chuckle. At least she wasn't the only person at the table who wished they weren't here.

Actually, Michiru didn't just wish she wasn't here, She wished she wasn't even alive at this point. Which she highly doubted she would be in the coming weeks. If the training didn't kill her, the demon sitting across from her surely would.

"You have got to be kidding me," Haruka said incredulously. "Year?"

Naru nudged Haruka "Be nice or I'll follow out with that promise."

"Whatever," Haruka casually stated loud enough for the whole table to hear. Blushing she looked down, her feet suddenly were becoming very interesting.

"Is there something you would like to say?" Her father raised his eyes brows at his only daughter. Sure he loved her but she could be stubborn at times.

"No father, nothing at all." Haruka lied smoothly.

Michiru heard her comment, and it was good to know they were both on the same page. Haruka didn't want her here, She didn't want to be here. Simple as that.

"Are you positive?" Alexander asked, earning a punch in the arm form Haruka and a pinch on the leg from Naru.

"Ouch," Alexander hissed, there were down sides to sitting between the two.

"They never cease to amaze me," Naru told the Royal Neptunian family. "Although more work on their behavior is in effect they're wonderful children, at times." The last two words said low only for the twins to hear.

Haruka scoffed. She'd be so happy when they day was over. Fortunately for her, the dinner passed by in a blur, as did the rest of the week the family was there. The twins and Michiru didn't interact too much as they were training from dusk to dawn while Michiru got a tour of the outer city.

It was probably the most boring thing she'd done in her life. She had to admit, Uranus was a beautiful planet. It was warm and inviting, and the people seemed charming and the buildings were beautiful. Eventually, however, the awe of its beauty wore off and left her bored.

She wasn't surprised when she found herself wandering around the training yards watching the young pages practice. She noted Haruka was there instructing the younger children.

Haruka felt Michiru watching her. She'd seen the aqua haired girl when she first approached, but refused to pay her any mind.

After a while, Michiru decided her time would be better used to see her parents while they were getting ready to leave. Tomorrow, she'd be without them for only the gods, no pun intended, knew how long.

When the next morning rolled around, Michiru was having a difficult time saying goodbye to her parents. The young girl had never been so far away from them before and they seemed perfectly okay with leaving her here. It sure did not pay to have such a sheltered life.

"It's alright honey. You'll see us soon," Michiru's mother could be heard lying to the young girl who was feigning crying into her shirt. "It's alright, you'll be with us sooner than you know."

"Lies," Michiru garbled trying to lay the icing on thick.

"You might not even want to come back when it comes time to bring you home,"

"Fat chance of that happening." Michiru mumbled into her mothers blouse.

"Alright, enough of that. Look on the bright side, you'll make new friends," Michiru's mother smoothed out her hair. She was on to her daughters tricks. The Queen had to give it to her daughter, she girl really knew how to lay it on.

"They're going to terrorize me!" Michiru exclaimed sincerely.

She actually meant this, she'd seen the way they'd been looking at her at dinner the night before.

"You're going to be fine," Michiru looked over at her father with eyes that said, "This woman's crazy. Take me back home with you!"

"Now Michiru, it is time you became an adult. Your mother and I won't always be there to make decisions for you." Michiru's father gave her a stern look "Now you have two choices. One, stay here without further questioning or two, we can do this the hard way."

"It does not matter which one I choose, I'm still stuck here." She muttered. She refused to beg any further. "I can't believe I'm related to you people!'

"Alright, have fun sweetheart," They said ignoring their usually well behaved teen, and disappeared for what Michiru figured was forever.

"Welcome abroad," Haruka mumbled as she walked to Michiru side.

She kind of felt bad for the aqua haired girl. Of course she wouldn't have acted like that had her father left her on Neptune. Haruka was to proud for that, but it was a bit rude of Michiru to make it known to Haruka that she really didn't want to stay here. You'd think someone with Michiru's upbringing would at least feign graciousness for being allowed to live in the palace, eat their food, sleep in their beds, be waited on hand and foot.

The blonde scoffed, Michiru had it damned good in her opinion.

Michiru, on the other hand, felt exactly the opposite. She did not feel as if she had it good. This could possibly be one of the worst things to have happened to her. Worst case scenario, Haruka killed her, best case she got to go home early. She knew she was acting selfish, but what people in their right mind would leave their only heir on a planet they'd been on the outs with for more than a decade? What if they planned to get the ultimate payback?

Michiru gulped and turned toward Haruka who stared at her pensively.

--

A.N I'm debating whether or not I should upload the old story in one mega chapter at the end. Should I?