Note: italics means flashback. regular means regular, bold stands for whatever the characters are reading

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon, that credit belongs to Naoko Takeuchi

Chapter One: Serena Remembers

She sat at the base of a Sakura tree with a notebook before her and a stack of books beside her. She was studying her notes when something possessed her to look up. She saw some of her friends or at least she thought they were friends. They were laughing and talking, not taking any notice to her. Serena sighed and returned to school work. None of her friends would speak to her for some odd reason. School work was all she could do. Somehow, she managed to pull off a report of straight A's with little help from her parents. Serena thought back to the Sailor Scouts' last battle together, before they abandoned her, before she fought alone. It was only three weeks ago.

They had six opponents. Five were down and out for the count. The last one was difficult. It took on the form of others and was hard to figure whether it was the real thing or not. Somehow, though, Serena was attacked and she blacked out. When she awoke, her wand was lying on the ground before her and she was standing. The Scouts were glaring and attacking. "Stop! It is me!" she cried, but the attacks continued until she gave up and returned to be her before their eyes. They sneered and walked away, returning to who they were and leaving behind their wands and gadgets. Their eyes had displayed hurt and anger. "Come back!" They looked back, turned and ran to get away from her. Serena picked up their stuff and held it close to her. Luna and Artemis stood beside her. Mina had left Artemis and he knew that. Serena fell to her knees and started to cry. Darin even left, but that was the norm for him.

"Let's go, Serena," Luna said. Serena shook her head.

"Serena, there is nothing we can do. The thing broke your friendship with them. It will never be the same," Artemis explained. Serena stood up, still clutching the objects close to her.

"I guess I'm alone now," Serena sniffled. Luna and Artemis nodded and jumped onto her shoulders. Serena walked home with a thick silence until she went to bed. Her mother had wondered why she was out and Serena told her that her friends were no longer talking to her and how they were at Rei's place when she decided to go home. Serena cried herself to sleep that night.

Serena snapped out of her flashback and returned to her work. It was about some poem written by some English writer. Luna and Artemis showed up at her side. "I'm proud of you, Serena," Luna praised.

"Yeah, your grades have gone up," Artemis commented. Serena shrugged.

"This just means that if I didn't have friends to begin with, I would be in college right now with an IQ of like 250," Serena joked, making herself smile with a tear falling down her face. Luna and Artemis smiled and stayed around until it was time for Serena to get home for dinner. She looked at her brown leather wrist watch. 5:30 PM. Dinner was at 5:00. She was really late this time. Serena gathered her books and notebooks and shoved them into her backpack. She put her bag on her back and had Luna and Artemis on her shoulders. Serena started to run through the park until she ran into Lita and Mina. "Hello, people." Serena smiled and went run around them when Lita grabbed her bag.

"What do you mean 'hello people?' Do I know you?" Lita asked in a very demanding tone. Serena shook her head. In their mind, the friend named Serena was not there.

"I was saying hello as an apology for running into you. I don't think you know me unless you know Serena," Serena answered. Lita released her bag.

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you. I think you ought to get out of here. I heard the Sailor Scouts abandoned their leader because she attacked them, but she was out," Lita apologized. Serena stiffened and realized that Sailor Scouts lose their memory when they leave. It wouldn't return until they re-filled their post.

"I heard that Sailor Moon transformed back into who she is mostly during the day and her friends attacked her. Some witnesses claimed to have seen it, but it could be all phony," Mina commented. "What pretty kitties. What is their names?" Luna meowed and Artemis yawned.

"The black one is Luna while Artemis is the white one," Serena said, trying to figure a way out.

"Adorable," Mina cooed. Serena's eyes widened.

"Mina, just get a cat already!" Lita said with frustration in her voice.

"I got to go. Bye!" Serena said before taking off down the road. Lita and Mina waved and laughed about what a strange girl she was. "Luna, they didn't know me! Artemis, I thought for sure you would return to Mina."

"Memories weren't erased completely if Lita asked she knew you. They are locked up and you need to release them," Luna said, deep in thought. Artemis and her had gotten used to their way of hanging on while Serena ran.

"Mina doesn't want me yet. She has to realize that she wanted to protect Princess Serenity with all her heart and befriend you before I can return to her," Artemis explained. Serena sighed and continued to run.