A/N: I do not own any of the lovely characters used in this story…no matter how much I wish I did :'(. Furthermore, this story originated from a random thought about the consequences of Usagi becoming Neo Queen Serenity through her friends and Mamoru's eyes.
When I Look at Her
Neo Queen Serenity swept gracefully into the corridor sparing polite smiles to everyone she passed, her white gown flowed heavenly around her. These days Neo Queen Serenity showed no correlation to the ungraceful and impetuous young girl she once was. No, Neo Queen Serenity was the epitome of gracefulness, kindness, beauty, and patience. Serenity made her from the corridor to a wondrously decorated council room. As she entered she stopped to survey the occupants taking time to look around at the sailor scouts, and her husband gathered in the room for the yearly debrief on the kingdom. Making her way to the chair directly next to King Endymion she settled and proceeded to nod slightly in assent to the signifying the start of the meeting.
Rei, Sailor Mars, gazed upon her queen and recalled the days before Crystal Tokyo. Rei could still hear Usagi's loud laugh ringing in her mind; she could remember the endless arguments they would engage in frequently. A part of Rei couldn't help but miss her Usagi, the one that was just a normal teenaged girl and not a queen. These days Neo Queen Serenity was difficult to rile and the only sign of anger would be a temporary crease in her brow, but even that did not last. Rei simply sighed and allowed her mind to drift away from the ever increasing hole in her heart.
Makoto, Salior Jupiter, could not meet the queen's eyes. She knew that when she locked eyes with Neo Queen Serenity the naivety and curiosity that Usagi once held for the world would not be there. Makoto missed her friend who would rely on her for protection and sweets; the first one to befriend her. In her mind she knew Neo Queen Serenity was Usagi, but they still seemed a million years apart. Standing before her was not her same forgetful and klutz of a friend, those years had surly passed. Sometimes Makoto wonders how it would have been had Usagi never ascended to the throne, would she still feel as if her friend was a million miles away.
King Endymion sat at the head of the table; to his side was his lovely wife. He never believed he could love Serenity more than he already did, but each day he proved himself wrong. When he looked at Serenity he saw strength and determination, never weakness. Still he could not help but miss the days when Usagi would throw herself in his arms anxious to be near him even though they hadn't been parted long. He missed the wide smiles and hearing her excitedly call out "Mamo-chan!" from any distance. The only thing that hadn't changed was that she still had her meatball head, as he used to affectionately term it. While his Serenity was not cold, she was reserved and upheld her duties as queen stringently; no longer was she the warm Usagi he'd once known.
Haruka, Salior Uranus, sat quietly by the window seal gazing out among Crystal Tokyo. It was not often the ourter senshi came to earth and usually it was for annual meetings. Haruka did not miss earth as much as one would think, perhaps because it held no resemblance to how it used to be in the past. Everything on earth reflected the radiant beauty of it queen. Looking at Neo Queen Serenity never ceased to be astonishing for her, she still couldn't reconcile that her queen used to once be Usagi. Addmittedly, when Haruka first met Usagi and learned that she was their missing moon princess she was shocked. Usagi was carefree back then and still learning lessons in maturity. At first Haruka judged her princess harshly believing she was unfit to be the future queen as she never took anything seriously and continuously wined. However, as time passed Haruka grew fond of Usagi and learned to love her faults as well as her compliments; yet she liked the rest pushed Usagi towards a destiny they never stopped to ask if she wanted. Not once did it occur to Haruka the consquences of Usagi becoming queen and often she wondered if Usagi even fully understood. Then she wondered if maybe her not knowing would have been better or worse. If she like the others had looked hard enough they would have seen their beloved Usagi was simply hiding behind more mature eyes. Every small smile was Usagi's way of letting them know she was here to stay no matter what obstacle she faced.