As usual, I disavow any rights to the characters from Pretty Guardian SailorMoon. They all belong to Takeuchi Naoko and Bandai.

The following story is based on the Live Action version of SailorMoon (PGSM), and picks up at the very end of the final episode when Usagi returns home. Although I am not a big fan of memory stealing/blocking storylines (thanks to my sister L), this story was somehow born. Ami's dream (next chapter) just came to me, and that set the stage for all of the rest. I hope you enjoy it! - Raya

Lonely Harp

Forgetfulness

"Usagi!" Ami, Rei, Makoto, and Minako raced towards their friend. Relief filled their hearts when they finally saw her running towards them, waving wildly. For the moment, nothing mattered except that she was there.

"Guys!" Usagi cried. "Guys!" she said again as they came together. Confusion reigned for a few moments as the five friends laughed and cried, full of excitement at seeing each other and the strange relief that the important thing was there once more.

Finally, however, they began to settle down. Turning, they walked over to a nearby park where Minako teasingly bought them all sodas from a nearby machine. Still laughing, they walked over to a nearby fountain and sat along its rim.

Rei was the first to look puzzled and confused. Makoto caught sight of her expression, then blinked, and looked uncertainly at her friends. Minako and Ami slowly followed suit, until Usagi was left looking at them questioningly.

"Um, Usagi..." Makoto said sounding as uncertain as she looked. "What's going on? Why did you ask us to meet you here?"

"Eh?" Usagi asked as she gave Makoto a puzzled look.

"Yeah, Usagi, what's up? You made it sound so important," Rei said giving her friend a semi-stern look.

"What... What do you mean, Rei-chan?" Usagi asked sounding confused. "You guys called to me... So I came back..."

Ami's face lit up. "You're moving back? Really? What happened? I thought you were planning to stay in Kyoto." Usagi looked at her friends in confusion as they all suddenly seized on this explanation.

"No way!" Makoto said looking excited. "Hey, are you going to go to Azuban High School after all? I'll have to transfer!"

"Osaka-san will be so excited," Ami said with a bright smile. Suddenly, she giggled. "You should have seen her this morning, Usagi-chan. She came running in late like you used to do all of the time."

"Eh? Naru-chan did?" Usagi asked, still plainly confused.

"So what happened?" Rei asked curiously. "Weren't you looking forward to staying with your relatives out there?"

"Did your parents change their minds? Or did something happen to your..." Makoto asked, trailing off uncertainly.

"Aunt, wasn't it?" Minako said suddenly as if she had just remembered. "Wait, she didn't get that job in Hollywood, did she? The one for the new Edo movie?"

"Really? Wow! That must've been exciting," Makoto said looking a little envious.

Ami studied Usagi's confused expression curiously. Deep inside, she felt a flicker of guilt and sadness at the lost, sad look in Usagi's brown eyes. Her instincts told her that whatever had made Usagi decide to come back, it wasn't something as nice and simple as parents who missed her or an aunt with an unexpected out of town job. With a gentle look, she reached out and laid her hand on Usagi's shoulder.

"I'm so glad you're back," she said as sincerely as she could. When Usagi smiled happily at her, she smiled back.

"You must be so tired," Minako said suddenly. "I know how that train ride from Kyoto can be, especially if you're moving. Why don't you go home and rest? I really should get back to the studio anyway."

Usagi blinked as Rei and Makoto nodded suddenly in agreement.

"Yeah, why don't you give us a call after you get settled back in?" Makoto asked with a reassuring smile. "Maybe we can get together at Crown later this week after school."

Rei grimaced at this thought. "Karaoke..." she moaned with mock disgust.

"Come on, Rei," Makoto laughed as they stood to leave. "You know you like listening to us sing..."

"Welcome back! See ya," Minako said with a smile as she rose and began to walk back to the recording studio.

Ami paused uncertainly a moment, and then spoke. "I have to go to cram school now, too... See you tomorrow?" she said reluctantly as she slowly rose.

Usagi suddenly shook her head, smiled, and stood up. "Sure. Tomorrow. Don't study too hard!" She waved and continued to smile as Ami slowly turned and walked away. Ami noticed, however, that the smile never reached her eyes.

As she reached the end of the park, Ami turned to look back at her friend. Usagi stood where she had been left. She looked into the fountain with a sad expression, as if she did not know what to do now. Just as Ami was about to turn back, she saw a tall young man walk up to her friend. With a confusing feeling of relief, Ami began to head to her school once again.

"Usagi?" Mamoru called quietly.

"They... What's happened to them?" she asked uncertainly as she turned her gaze towards him. "It's as if... As if..."

"As if nothing happened?" Luna asked as she and Artemis walked over towards the couple in their plushy cat forms. With a flash of light, she transformed to her human form. "It is. For them at least." Artemis leapt up to the edge of the fountain.

"Eh?" Usagi asked looking at her. Slowly, her face filled with comprehension. "They've forgotten..."

Luna nodded, her dark purplish-blue hair bouncing at the strong movement. "To them, the whole fight with Beryl never happened. They remember being friends with you, apparently, but nothing else. Somehow, they've decided the reason you haven't been around lately is that you moved away to stay with a relative. Do you know what day it is?" Usagi and Mamoru slowly shook their heads. "It's the day I met Usagi-chan," she said watching closely for their reaction.

Mamoru looked puzzled, but Usagi looked shocked. "No way... All the way back then?"

Luna nodded. "I don't know how, but..."

Usagi blinked as an image of a sad woman with dark green hair and garnet eyes flashed across her mind, and then vanished. "Strange..." she murmured. "I wanted them to forget... So they wouldn't be hurt by all the painful memories, but to change time...?"

Gently, Mamoru put an arm around her shoulders. "We'll just have to go with it," he said encouragingly. "At least they've remembered you. And we remember," he added looking down at Luna and Artemis who nodded back.

"Yes, we remember," Artemis agreed. "We'll be here if you need anything. Anything at all."

Usagi looked down at him, and then smiled. "Right," she said, feeling as if a burden had been lifted off of her shoulders.

Luna grinned down at him, and then froze. As Usagi and Mamoru watched with puzzled expressions, she crouched down and tensed. Suddenly, she sprang into the fountain, splashing water everywhere. Usagi and Mamoru laughed as Artemis dodged the water spray, complaining loudly. The three of them leaned over to see what Luna had found so interesting. Luna sat up in the middle of the fountain with a koi in her mouth. She suddenly dropped it, looked around in embarrassment, and scampered back to her friends as she realized that people were staring at her.

"Mmm... That looked tasty," Artemis said as he licked his lips and stared after the fish. Usagi and Mamoru laughed again, shaking their heads.

Usagi snuggled into Mamoru as they stood watching the fish in the fountain once more. Her smile faded a little as she remembered the one person who had not returned. 'Princess...'