A/N: Wow, I am so sorry it has taken me so long to update this. This is what happens when plot bunnies go wild and you write four other stories at one time and get married. Sheesh. I'm adopting a new method when it comes to updating my stories now so hopefully it will work. Wish me luck. I hope you guys are still out there and I hope you enjoy the update!
Chapter 2: Rebirth
Serenity leaned heavily against the door she had just locked, successfully shutting out Minako and Endymion. How dare they treat her like this! She was not a china doll by any means and did not need to be treated as such. The Queen was the one they needed to be watching so adamantly, not her! She rolled her eyes at Endymion's reassurances that he would take care of her as he finally gave up at trying to gain access to her room. Serenity sank to the floor as she heard his retreating footsteps and the quiet request he gave Venus not to leave her doorway and to alert him should she decide she was ready for company.
She closed her eyes and placed her head in hands. Trapped. Everyone else, including her mother were doing everything in their power to prepare for the inevitable attack on the Moon Kingdom and all she could do was be holed up in her chambers and away from harm. Unbidden tears trickled down her cheeks as her frustration got the best of her. This was her kingdom too! Why couldn't she do anything to stop this? She may not be in control of the ginzuishou but one day she would be…shouldn't that alone count for something?
Serenity felt silly to be curled up against the door to her chambers, allowing angry tears to flow down her cheeks at the sheer unfairness of it all. Her mother would scold her for sure. She just wanted to protect the kingdom that would one day be hers. Was that too much to ask for? She scoffed and wiped the tears from her eyes.
"Apparently I will never be able to do anything but hide behind someone else." She whispered.
"Not necessarily your Majesty."
Serenity looked up in surprise to see Luna standing on the edge of her chaise lounge. The cat made a small bow before hopping into the floor and padding over to where the future Queen sat against her bedroom door.
"I apologize for the intrusion Serenity. I managed to get into your chambers before you slammed the door on your pursuers." The cat said with a light laugh. Serenity nodded, pulling herself up of the floor lest the cat go and tell her mother that she had been crying like a child.
"No apologizes necessary Luna. What can I do for you?" She asked, smoothing her dress down and attempting to smile kindly at the Moon cat. Luna shook her head with a humored meow.
"There is no need to pretend in front of me Serenity; I know how upset you are at not being permitted to help prepare for the invasion. Don't worry; I don't intend to sell you out to the Queen. This is not what I would deem a temper tantrum." She said knowingly.
Serenity's eyes grew wide, but then she allowed herself to slump onto the edge of her bed in a very ungraceful manner. Luna always had been able to see right through her. There was no point in attempting to hide her unhappiness.
"Oh Luna what should I do? What can I do? Everyone has their tasks at hand to prepare for this Beryl woman. Even the Outer system Senshi are here and what am I supposed to do? Sit in my room and take my tea and pretend like everything is alright. It's not alright! This is my kingdom and I want to save it!" She exclaimed angrily. Her hands balled into fists, her fingernails digging into the soft flesh of her palms, but never mind that. It gave her something else to think about.
Luna gasped as the princess' crescent moon began to glow again. Twice in one day. Way too frequent to be a coincidence. She had to be right. Luna took a deep breath as she thought about how to explain what was necessary to Serenity.
"I can help you Serenity." She whispered.
Serenity looked over, a glimmer of hope crossing her anguished features.
"You can talk to them? Make them see that I should be able to fight too?" She asked.
Luna smiled, worried that what she had to say may not come across as what the princess was looking for in means of aid.
"Better, your majesty." She replied.
Serenity regarded her for a few moments, as if waiting for her to answer. When she realized that she was not going to, Serenity placed her hand on the cat's small paw. Luna looked up at her. Serenity could see the look of uncertainty on the feline's face and squeezed her paw gently.
"What is it Luna?" She urged.
Luna took a deep breath and looked Serenity in the eyes for a moment.
"You may or may not believe this, but I believe you are about to carry on Selene's legacy." She offered slowly.
Serenity furrowed her brow, confused.
"Luna, what do you mean? The first Queen?"
Luna nodded. "It is not something you would be knowledgeable of until your reign as queen began Serenity. But you have shown me today, I do believe, that you are worthy of knowing now. Do you know of the items your mother keeps in her chambers? The two items that remain in the glass case before the Queen's window?"
Serenity thought for a moment before nodding. She remembered seeing the ancient relics. A wand bearing a crescent moon and a small gold brooch with a similar crescent moon. When she had asked her mother about these items, she simply told her they were the Moon Family's heirlooms and she had dismissed it as truth.
"Yes Luna. Mother says they are family heirlooms. Is this not true?" She asked.
Luna surprised her by jumping off of the bed and going to the door. After listening for a moment Luna came back to Serenity's side.
"Minako is at the door and could very well be listening. Let us go out on your balcony your Majesty." She stated, heading towards the opened balcony doors.
Serenity regarded her strangely for a moment before getting up off of the bed and following. Once outside, she closed the doors behind her. Luna stood perched on the railing. Serenity came to stand beside her as they looked out over the Sea of Serenity. The beautiful waters glistened in the light coming from the planet Earth and Serenity smiled at the simple elegance of the landscape before her. She brought her attention back to cat looking at her attentively.
"Serenity what your mother said is true, but not in its entirety." She said, pausing.
Serenity sighed. "Luna, you're making me nervous. Why won't you just tell me what you want to say?" She asked, becoming frustrated at Luna's secrecy.
Luna lowered her head for a moment, praying she was right about what she had seen.
"Serenity, the wand is made to hold the ginzuishou and the brooch belongs to the Sailor Senshi of the Moon." She said simply.
Serenity looked at her strangely. A sailor senshi of the Moon? Who had heard of such a thing? Didn't Luna know there were only Senshi for each planet?
"Luna, I believe you are mistaken. That is a myth. There is not a Sailor Senshi for the Moon. That is an ancient fable…" She began.
"No it is not Serenity." Luna interrupted. "I apologize for interrupting you but give me my piece. Queen Selene was the first and only Sailor Senshi of the Moon. It is not a myth and your mother knows it as well. No one since the first queen has inherited her powers. Until now." She stated.
Serenity looked at the Moon cat carefully. Luna had never lied to her before, but why would her mother withhold such important information from her?
"Until now." She repeated. Luna nodded.
"Serenity. I believe you are the next Sailor Senshi of the Moon." She stated.
Before she could react, Luna abruptly did a back flip onto the balcony floor and Serenity gasped as the ancient brooch appeared before Serenity, landing in her palm.
"Luna, why did you take this? This belongs to my Mother…" Serenity began.
Luna shook her head fervently. "No Serenity, it belongs to the Sailor Senshi of the Moon. You." She replied.
Serenity stared down at the brooch in her palm. She could scarcely believe this was happening. Her heart pounded as she fingered the raised edge of the crescent moon. If this were true, she would be able to help fight Queen Beryl. She could help defend the Moon…and she would be the first Sailor Senshi of the Moon, according to Luna, in many centuries. Luna smiled up at her; she knew she believed her in spite of her skepticism.
"At birth the Moon cats are raised to look for the next Senshi of the Moon. We know the signs. We know the ancient text. To activate the brooch, say 'Moon Prism Power Make Up'. "She said.
Serenity gripped the brooch in her palm, looking at Luna as if this were a dream.
"What if it doesn't work Luna? What if I'm not what you think I am?" She asked, panic filling her face. Luna shook her head.
"It will work. You must try." Luna urged, her heart hammering in her chest. If her instincts were correct, she was about to encounter the first Sailor Senshi of the Moon since the powerful Selene.
Serenity gripped the brooch in both hands, saying a prayer that it would work, before narrowing her eyes and stating loudly, hoping with all her might, "Moon Prism Power, Make Up!"
Serenity gasped as she was lifted off of her feet. The brooch sprang to life as though it had never been dormant, filling the air around her with color and light. Luna watched in fascination as her princess' dress evaporated, and a sailor fuku similar to the senshi's appeared on her lithe form. Her eyes grew wide as she watched a beam of light shoot out from a statue in the center of the Sea of Serenity. The statue of Queen Selene.
She gasped as objects appeared in thin air before the statue, hurtling ever faster towards the newly born Senshi who was being enrobed her uniform. Serenity's eyes grew wide as the objects twirled through the sky in the beam of light and fitted them to her form. Luna watched in shock as a pair of ruby gems attached to the princess' hair, onto her twin buns that was the style of royalty. A pair of pearl earrings with crescent moons fastened to ears, white pearls with feather ends clasped to her hair, a red choker with a golden crescent moon slithered around her neck, and a golden tiara on her forehead.
"The ancient jewels." Luna whispered in disbelief.
The light faded and Serenity found herself standing on the balcony once more, garbed in a uniform identical to the Sailor Senshi. A blue skirt and sailor collar, red bows, knee high boots similar to Mercury's. Serenity stared at her gloved fingers in wonderment.
Luna fought back tears as she stared at the awakened soldier. "Serenity the jewelry you wear is of the past queens. We all believed them to be vanished forever."
Serenity touched the barrettes in her golden hair in surprise. She had seen the same pearls on an old painting of the first Queen, Selene.
"Luna, aren't these what Selene wore as her crown?" Serenity whispered. Luna nodded, allowing the tears in her eyes to fall.
They just may live through this battle. The Moon had hope once more, and a legend was born again. Never in her life had she believed she would see this day.
Serenity picked the weeping cat up off of the floor where she sat, concern on her face.
"Luna are you okay? What's wrong Luna?" She asked, worried.
Luna smiled through her tears and nuzzled the Princess' chin.
"I am honored beyond imagination to be the first to lay eyes on you…Sailor Moon."
TBC