I do not own anything related to Sailor Moon. This story is mine though...

Usagi left the school yard with her head hung low

Usagi left the school yard with her head hung low. She felt exhausted. She woke up late; therefore, she was late to school, received detention, and was now late and on her way to meet the girls for a meeting and a burger at the Crown Arcade. She felt exhausted, even more than usual. She was use to having a lack of energy, but the feeling she had today was more than just an acute lack of sleep. It worried her, but she pushed it to the back of her mind as she opened the door to the Crown Arcade Café and looked for her friends. She immediately spotted Rei, Minako, Makoto, and Ami sitting in booth. Rei had daggers in her eyes as usual.

"Hey Meatball Head, why are you always late!! You are later today - even for your standards!" Rei was now standing and had her hands on her hips, which was her standard pose when reprimanding Usagi for her lack of punctuality.

Usagi flinched slightly as Rei's decibels escalated. She continued walking at her slow pace and simply slumped down in a chair next to Minako in hopes that she would be a little more relaxed in comparison to the raging pyro on the other side of the booth. Minako simply gave Usagi an endearing look and continued eating her fries.

"Hey Usagi, how have you been? Do you want your usual?" Usagi turned around and was faced with Motoki talking with Mamoru by the counter. She gave Mamoru a loving smile, turned to Motoki and, with as much happiness as her present lack of enthusiasm could muster, stated, "Hi Motoki. I am doing great, but no thank you on the usual." Usagi turned around back to face the girls and was surprised to find the 4 with their mouths open staring at her incredulously.

"What is wrong?" Usagi asked just as perplexed as the girls staring back at her.

Ami placed her hand on Usagi's forehead. "You don't feel warm, so it is not a fever. Are you coming down with something?"

Usagi chuckled at her friends concern and shook her head. "No, I am simply a little tired, that's all. In fact, if there is nothing important to discuss I was wondering if I could possibly go home. I feel really… (yawn), tired." Usagi fought to keep her eyes open, and let out a heavy sigh.

Mamoru stood up and walked over to Usagi. "I am pretty sure the girls would not mind if you wanted to go home. You do look tired. Sleep will do you good."

All the girls smiled back at Usagi and nodded. "Okay Usagi! Any way, we were simply meeting to talk about what you wanted to do for your birthday tomorrow. But we can always do that tomorrow. Go home and when you wake up tomorrow come here and we will be waiting for you."

Usagi was happy for Minako's kind words. She had hoped Minako would help her out, and was glad to see it had worked out okay. Usagi stood up and gave her friends a quick wave. "Thank you guys! I will see you tomorrow then."

"Do you want me to walk you home?" Mamoru gave Usagi's arm a slight affectionate squeeze, and looked down on her quietly awaiting her answer. Usagi appreciated his loving concern, and was about to accept his invitation, when her mouth opened up and the opposite words came out. "No thank you. I will not be very good company right now. I am really tired." Usagi stood on her tippy toes and gave Mamoru a small kiss on the cheek. She gave him a smile and walked out of the arcade without another word.

Makoto watched Usagi leave the arcade. "Well, that was strange. She looked so tired. We didn't even do anything last night. Did any of you keep her up late last night?"

All the girls shook their heads no. They all sat quietly as they all wondered why Usagi was tired. Even Mamoru took a seat at the booth, and looked around the table. "Maybe we are overreacting. Let her sleep, and tomorrow she will be in a better mood."

Usagi walked in the front door of her home and into the kitchen to tell her mom she was home.

"How was school Usagi? Did you have a good day? I made some cookies."

Usagi gave her mom a hug. "Thank you, but I am not hungry. I am actually really tired. I think I am going to go sleep, if you do not mind."

Usagi gave her daughter a quick look over. She did not look sad, or sick. She simply looked like there was a void of emotions on her face. 'She must really be tired.' "Yes Usagi. Go ahead; I will keep a plate warm for you just in case you change your mind. Tomorrow for your birthday, I will make your favorite."

Usagi padded off to her room. She gave a small twirl and let herself fall on her back onto the bed. In seconds, she was asleep.

Later on that night...

Queen Serenity slowly stirred the sleeping girl from within her dreams. "Usagi I need you to listen."

Usagi slowly pulled her focus onto her mother. "Mother...I am so glad to see you!"

Queen Serenity gave her daughter a hug and kissed her on her forehead. "I am just as happy, if not more, to see you too. Tomorrow will be a big day for you with your birthday."

Usagi gave a little giggle. "I know, I feel like something is going to happen! Like there is something I am forgetting or expecting..."

Usagi sat down with her mother. Usagi looked away from her mother and looked about the room where they were seated. Her mother and her sat in a large room with gold and red coloring. It was a very elegant place and she just noticed it was a place she had never been to before in her dreams with her mother. "Mother, where are we?"

Queen Serenity gave a small sigh. She had brooded over how to approach the situation all day, and when it was finally upon her, it seemed that her daughter would probably want a more direct approach. "Usagi, I have been watching you over the years, even when you can't see me, nor hear me, I am watching. Always making sure you are well taken care of. You were late to school today, were you not?"

Usagi winced a little. Her mother, Serenity, had never scolded her on punctuality before, but it felt worse than when Rei or her instructors were upset. "Yes I was. I simply overslept, but I do try."

Queen Serenity listened with patience. "I know you say you try. I do see a bit more effort now, in comparison to before Beryl's demise, but do you not see where there could be GREAT improvement?" Serenity turned to her daughter and watched the expressions tell her the answers. She continued. "One day, you will be queen. You will not have the luxury then of having those around you push you along to get things done. You will need to do it all on your own. Do you feel that you are prepared or at least preparing yourself for that responsibility?"

Usagi bowed her head in shame. "I should do more. I am trying, it is just so hard. But I am trying, and from this point forward, I will try even harder! I promise." Usagi looked into her mother's eyes hoping for some kindness.

Queen Serenity stared back in to her daughter's eyes. "Usagi, we are currently on the planet Kinmoku."

Usagi felt that name was familiar. Then it dawned on her. "We are here to visit with Princess Kakyuu!"

Serenity gave her daughter a smile and walked to sit next to her daughter on the same seat as her. She lifted Usagi's hand from her lap and tangled Usagi's fingers with those of her own. "I love you dearly. Nothing makes me happier than to see you happy and well. But I came to realize that you are not taking your responsibilities as serious as you ought to. I do not know whether it is a lack of enthusiasm, or too many distractions…I don't know the reason for your attitude and actions. You clearly do not seem to know the reason either."

Usagi watched her mother speak. She knew what her mother was referring to, but she felt her heart flutter and her stomach flipped as her mother continued.

"Usagi, shortly you will be visiting Princess Kakyuu for an extended amount of time. For the rest of your training, I have arranged for you to come to Kinmoku. You will remain here until you have become more responsible, and you have caught up with where you need to be in your studies."

Usagi gasped at her mother's words. She did not know what to say. She simply stared at her mother as though this were not real. She quickly shook her head as though trying to clear it. Usagi picked up her arm and pinched it expecting to wake up.

"Usagi, I am very serious. I am currently in your dreams, but when you wake up, there will be changes. I will allow you to stay for a few hours, but I expect you to be ready to leave tomorrow. You will not be accompanied by anyone."

Usagi opened her mouth to protest. "You can't mean this! I know I have slacked off some in the past, but I can change. I will try harder! I won't go."

"Usagi, think of the people who depend on you. Not just the scouts, or Mamoru, or Chibiusa, but the entire Earth. Are you preparing yourself to take on the responsibilities that will fall on you? Once you are up to par on training and I feel that have enough discipline to do it on your own, then you can return to continue back on Earth. But until that appointed time, I need you to focus. There is no room for compromise."

Usagi watched her mother's eyes harden. She understood her mother was serious and was not going to be persuaded. "For how long am I expected to stay here?"

Queen Serenity was glad that her daughter was not going to protest. "It may be months…, maybe years. That depends entirely on you. Understand that I do this out of love."

Usagi could not look into her mother's eyes. She wiped away the tears that seemed to steadily trickle down her cheeks. After a few minutes of self-pity passed, she felt she could look at her mother without completely loosing it. 'Hopefully accepting this will show her that I am trying and I can stay if not come back sooner.' Usagi looked her mother dead in the eyes, and without a single tear replied, "Thank you for the opportunity."

Queen Serenity gave her daughter one last hug and kiss and then everything started to fade.

Hey everyone I hope you like this beginning...

I am working on the next chapter...if you have any thoughts or comments - suggestions please don't hesitate! Let me know. Also please tell me if you have any direction you wish to see the story take...