**Warning**

This story will be dealing with PTSD and unhealthy coping mechanisms as I believe after a traumatic battle like the one between Galaxia and Eternal Moon, anyone would be in a terrible place mentally.

Chapter One: A Battle Within

Tokyo, Japan.

The night the Starlight's left and the battle of Galaxia finished.

Usagi looked up at the full moon that seems to cover the city of Tokyo in a peaceful veil of moonlight. It was so peaceful, and after they all they been through, peace was something she and the other senshi welcomed. Looking at the city, you wouldn't be able to tell that not even a few hours ago, the entire city was crumbling under Galaxia's power combined with Chaos. A few hours ago, the people who occupied this city were dying all over the place without their star seeds A few hours ago, Usagi watched her friends die in from of her eyes, protecting her. Their lifeless bodies disappearing into nothing as Galaxia laughed echoed into the air, echoing off the destruction surrounding them. Somehow, despite everything that happened, despite all the death and destruction that occurred, Usagi, Sailor Moon, Princess Serenity was able to right the wrongs and restore every star seed that was stolen and bring back her home to what is was supposed to be. She even brought Galaxia back to the light, after being lost in the darkness for so long. She was happy; at least she was supposed to be happy. So why did she have such a bittersweet taste in her mouth? Why couldn't she sit in the room and feel content with all she did? Why did she still feel like she was out there in the destruction surrounded by death and darkness? She suddenly felt like she couldn't breathe properly and the images of her battle started to consume her mind again. For a moment, she couldn't move as her muscles tensed suddenly and she felt like she was falling into something she couldn't describe. Her hand began to cramp as she clutched it in a very tight fist, causing her skin to go an unnatural white. Her forehead began to get damp with cold sweat that make her hair stick to her skin. Breathing felt like a struggle even though she wasn't gasping.

"Stop it," She softly begged herself. She repeated it to herself again and again for what it seemed like hours before she started to feel her muscles began to relax and that sinking feeling began to disperse, and she remembered where she really was. When she looked at her bedside clock, she saw that only 20 minutes had passed. She pushed those memories back down again and hoped that she wouldn't have to deal with them come morning. It was hard to do, but she didn't want to deal with them. She didn't think she could. Mentally, physically and emotional, she was so tired. She wanted to sleep so badly, but yet sleep eluded her.

"What is wrong with me?" she said out loud to no one as she turned herself away from her window and her eyes roamed her bedroom, looking for a distraction from her mind. Her eyes looked frantically until they stopped at a small bear plush keychain that was hanging on her vanity. It was the size of her palm, the fur as gotten dirty over time and you could see bits of thread beginning to show on its seam lines. A small smile appeared on her lips as she remembered how Seiya mocked her with it, and then at the end he gave it to her as a gift after their day together. Seiya. Just thinking of them caused a bittersweet taste to grow on her tongue. She didn't understand why though. The Starlight's found their princess; they got her star seeds back and now were probably home on the newly recovered Kinmoku. Everything was at it should be. Was this feeling just another after effect of Galaxia? No. It wasn't. This taste was on her tongue far longer than the destruction. It began when Seiya confessed his love for her. Yes, Usagi knew Seiya loved her. Despite how she acted before the Starlight's and Kakyuu left, she was fully aware the meaning behind Seiya's words. She wasn't as naïve or stupid as Rei put it. But Usagi was scared to answer Seiya. She didn't know how to respond, so she decided it would be easier to pretend she didn't know what he was saying than to deal with the huge emotional pain laced in those words. Was it selfish of her to do so? Yea, it was very selfish. Usagi's vision began to blur as tears began to sting her eyes and her heart felt like it would burst through her chest at this thought of hurting Seiya emotionally. Quickly wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, she kept her gaze on that little pink bear an took in a deep shaky breathe.

"Seiya. I hope you got home safely and whatever your future holds, I hope it makes you happy like I never could." Usagi whispered softly, barely audible to herself. Slowly rising from her bed, she walks over to the vanity and picks up the small bear. Rubbing its fur against her finger, she silently apologies to Seiya for making they think she didn't know they loved her. Would it have done Seiya any good to say that she understood his words? His words? She needed to stop thinking of Seiya as Seiya. She was truly Sailor Star Fighter. But the thought of them not being on earth anymore made an uncaught tear stream fast down her cheek. Usagi was so emotionally raw, everything she was feeling was at an all-time high even if those feelings were muddle and confused.

"Usagi?"

Startled by the sudden voice calling out to her in the dark, she stiffens her stance, quickly turning around and holds the tiny bear to her chest as if she was hiding the small toy from who called out to her. By the door to her bedroom, was a small black cat with a shiny fur and a beautiful crescent moon symbol on her forehead, looking at Usagi with caring concern.

"Luna, you startled me." Usagi says softly as she forces herself to relax and made a small smile stay on her lips as she looked at her guardian.

"Sorry Usagi. I didn't mean to scare you. I actually thought you would be asleep at this hour." Luna said to her as she quickly walked over to Usagi's bed and jumped up onto the covers. Usagi walked and sat on the edge of her bead and gently scratched Luna behind her ear, still holding the bear close to her chest.

"Yea. I know. I usually would be asleep by this point. But I just can't fall asleep tonight." Usagi said casually as she could so to not worry Luna.

"Do you wish to talk?" asked Luna as she moved a bit closer to her princess. "I know after all that transpired with Galaxia and chaos, you must feel overwhelmed."

"Overwhelmed? Is that what I'm feeling?" Usagi thought to herself. Part of her felt that it didn't sum up everything she was going through, but it must have been it. The events just left her overwhelmed and out of sorts. That's why she wasn't feeling like herself, right? Yea, that was the answer. It was simple and that means it had a simple solution. Nodding her head and looking at Luna she gave her a weak, smile.

"I guess I am. But I saved her. I brought her back to who she truly was, what I knew she always was. I destroyed Chaos and I was able to bring my family and friends back to me when I thought I was all alone. I'm still not sure how I was able to do that." Usagi told Luna, although as she talked, it sounded like she was trying to convince herself more than Luna.

"You are more powerful than you give yourself credit." Luna told her as she pressed her head into Usagi's hand in comfort. "As the child and heir of the moon, its light resides in you and your powers. The brighter your light is, the more powerful you become. Your fight with Galaxia was the brightest I have ever seen you shine. Just like your mother, Queen Serenity."

"Queen Serenity?" asked Usagi, now giving Luna her full attention. Even after all this time of being Sailor Moon and realizing she was Princess Serenity, she knew very little of her moon mother, besides her face, and the fact that she is the reason Usagi and her friends were able to be reborn on earth and live their lives as normal people. This realization made a lump form in her throat. Sliding off the bed and kneeling beside it, it allowed her to be eye to eye with Luna. "Please, tell me more about her. What was she like?"

Luna looked at her with wide eyes. Usagi never asked about Queen Serenity before, but the way she looked at her, like knowing would answer unanswered question Usagi refused to voice. Gently smiling at the blonde, she sat down and started to talk about their lost queen and her lost mother.

"Queen Serenity was a wonderful queen. She ruled her kingdom with strength and kindness, guided her people into a time of great prosperity. The kingdom thrived under her rule. She was strong, caring, forgiving and loving. Just like you. When you were born as Serenity, It was love at first sight. You brought such a light and happiness back to the queen's eyes that was missing for a few months."

"Her light was missing? Why was that?" asked Usagi with genuine curiosity.

"When she learned about being pregnant with you, it was at the time of the a great loss. King Apollo, Husband of Queen Serenity had just passed away and it left a sadness in the Queen heart." Luna told Usagi, but as she said it, it felt off. Like something was missing, but that wasn't the case. She remembered the Silver Millennium more clearly than any of the scouts, so she pushed it aside.

"Poor Queen Serenity. To lose the one you love so suddenly is a horrible fate. It's like losing a part of your soul and heart. No wonder her light had grown dim." Usagi said as she thought about her past mother. How strong she seemed to stand when you lost something so great. But it was also strange. No one has ever mentioned this king before this moment. Was his death so traumatic Queen Serenity literally couldn't mention her dead loves name? It was possible. Usagi literally broke down in the middle of her battle with Galaxia when she learnt Mamoru's fate.

"But you brought it back to her." Luna reminded her. "The moment you were placed in her arms, I saw our Queen Serenity return to the moon kingdom. And when you fought Chaos, I saw her light within you. You shined so brightly; I believe that light will reach the farthest reaches of the galaxy. What Serenity was is now in you. You are now the beacon of hope and light that not even Chaos can take out with darkness."

Luna's words made Usagi smile, a real smile that night. Taking the small cat into her arms, she gave her guardian a hug filled with love. "Thank you Luna. I needed to hear all that. I don't know what I would do without you." Usagi said.

"You would probably still be running late for school." Luna joked, causing a small laugh to escape both their lips. "Get some rest Usagi-chan. Despite all that has happened, life is going to continue tomorrow morning. So its best if you get a few hours of sleep."

"Okay. I'll try. Good night Luna." Usagi said softly as she watched her friend jump off the bed and walked out of her room and down the steps. Talking with Luna was good, it helped her relaxed, but now she was all alone again, that feeling was coming back, not as strong as before, but it lingered there, like a weight she couldn't get off her shoulders. Climbing back into bed and laying her head on her pillow, she turned to look at the moon again and brought her hands to her chest where her heart was, and laying on top of her heart, was a small key chain bear.

1 year later, Near the Red Star V838 Monocerotis

Within the depths of darkness, where our suns light doesn't reach and a black hole sucked up any good that came near it, a figure wrapped up in a deep black cloak floated dormant in space with their hands and feet chained together with Light magic. It's head, covered in a dark hood, seemed to hang in front of its body; it was unconscious, and their hands were bruised from pulling and trying to break the chains. Their feet were in the same condition. They realized long ago that blunt force wouldn't set them free, so they had to wait for their time to strike, no matter how long it took. Surrounding them seemed to be many stone stature of warriors, their skin decayed by time and inactivity. Suddenly a wave light and goodness hit the figure with a force causing the figure to awaken and gasp in pain. The figure recognized that light. It was the same light that locked them away.

"Queen…Serenity…." their harsh strained voice gurgled with hate after years of being silent. The curled their body up into a shape of a ball and a dark aura surround them until it was too much. They released the energy with a piercing scream and with their dark power, the chains that bonded them in their prison shattered. A low dark laugh escaped their lips as they looked at their now free hands and feet.

"I am…. Free…" The figure said as they turned to look at the rusted statues that were floating below the figure.

"AWAKEN!."

Raising both of their hands above their head, the figure conjured the dark magic from within them and it washed over the statues. Suddenly the statues began to shatter, reveling black and silver armored knights with different weapons in their hands. Soon hundreds of knights were freed from their rusted prisons and kneeled before the hooded figure to show their loyalty. The figure smirked at the knights.

"To the Silver Millennium." The figure told their army. With speed that was faster than light that allowed them to break from the pulling gravity of the black hole, the hooded figure and their army began to make their way to the Kingdom that had them locked away.

"This is the beginning of the end, Serenity. I can't wait to destroy all that you love." The figure whispered to their self with a smile that would send fear into the soul of any who crossed them. And they hope someone would cross them. They needed to bathe their weapons in new blood.

** I did actually research before writing this, and by researched, I mean I googled where the closed black hole to earth is. So V838 Monocreotis is an actual Red Sun with an actual Black hole about 19,900 light years away. But for story timeline sake, let's say it's a tad bit closer to earth and its half waypoint is in fact, Kinmoku.**