The Thoroughly Academic Adventures of Elegant Science Princess

A-ko was looking for her favorite red slippers behind her wardrobe when she found the wand. It was bloodstone jade, intricately carved, and she aloud wondered where such a thing came from.

Her pet gerbil, a friendly, giant example of the species, wandered up to her and rubbed against her legs.

"I brought it for you," it answered her question.

Her gerbil was talking.

"Your friend Keiki's father is in danger."

She didn't say anything. It was a giant, mutant gerbil, after all. Maybe this wasn't surprising.

"Hello? A-ko?"

"How-" She thought about asking how the gerbil could talk, but that seemed rude. "How can I help her?"

"Protect him. Take the sceptre and repeat after me."

A-ko did as she was told, holding up the bloodstone sceptre.

"By the spirit of Ge Hong! I am the labcoatted Elegant Science Princess!"

There was a rush of energy around her, like a typhoon rushing around her body. Before she knew it, she was somehow nude, and then there was the sensation of silk against her skin.

The energy faded and A-ko caught a look at herself in the window reflection. She wore a dress like a short labcoat, raw white silk laying across her thighs in ruffles.

She posed; her reflection smiled back.

A-ko leapt easily through the air, almost floating as she climbed to the top of the Janus Science Building. It was cold up here and she shivered. She located the scientist and slipped in through the window. Dr Ian Fukouno was sitting in the dark; he seemed to be waiting for her.

"I am the Elegant Science Princess, mistress of the elements and queen of chemicals!" she announced, posing.

"Are you here to kill me?" Dr Fukouno asked.

"No, that would be me." They both turned.

The assassin stood in the doorway. She didn't bother to pose; she didn't need to. Her hair swung behind her in a series of of tight braids. Her skin was pale and her hair, black. Her eyes glowed faintly in the near-dark.

A-ko gasped, recognizing the assassin as her sister, E-ko.

"He's mine. Get out of the way."

"No," A-ko said, getting between the scientist and her sister. "He has a family. I won't let you just kill him."

"A-ko? Is that you?" E-ko took a hesitant step forward. "What are you doing out here?"

"I'm the Elegant Science Princess!" A-ko shouted, but her heart wasn't in it.

E-ko shook her head. "You should be home. Mom will kill you. What do you think you're doing?"

"I'm stopping you!"

"I'm doing my job."

A-ko crossed her hands over her chest. "No. You're not."

"I will go through you if I have to."

"Try it." A-ko dared her sister. "I'll stop you with the power of science!" E-ko advanced on her.

An inhumanly shrill scream erupted from the hallway behind E-ko. The assassin turned just in time to be bowled over by a giant gerbil. It hissed and clawed at E-ko's face.

"That's not science!" E-ko managed to spit as she wrestled the gerbil.

"Sure it is," A-ko answered. "Science is his given name."

E-ko finally managed to knock the gerbil away from her and she staggered to her feet.

"Dammit, A-ko, if you get hurt... I don't want to hurt you. Just... let's go home."

"You won't hurt him?" I looked back at Dr Fukouno.

"You're more important. Come on, let me take you home."

That night there was détente between them, though A-ko slept uneasily. Her sister knew her secret, and could reveal her at any time. She knew her sister would be sent to kill more people; it was what secret assassins did.

She would have to stop her sister. And next time, she wouldn't have surprise on her side.