Title: The Thirteenth Year

Summary: When All-American girl Serena Warren turns thirteen, weird things start happening. Every night she dreams of the life of a Moon Princess and as time progresses, her dreams become more and more real, so that finally, she cannot distinguish between the life she leads in her dreams and the one she is trying to live during the day.

Author: Silver Sparklze

Reason for Writing: A challenge, issued by Sage: The Dark Dryad

Author's Notes: Words written in bold will be translated at the end of the chapter. OMG, I am sooo sorry to have taken so long, guys. Now my exams are over, hopefully the chapters will be coming more frequently, and I hope you aren't too pissed off with me. Thanks to my reviewers, but I won't name you especially, as that will take longer. You've really come through for me, even though it's been taking so long for me to write.

~Dream Sequence, Tennis Courts, Tokyo~

"Molly!" Serena yelled, limping towards her best friend, and sitting on the grass with a sigh of relief, "Hi." She grinned at the red-haired girl, who smiled back.

"Hey, Serena." She replied, "How are you?"

"Good," Serena lay back, shielding her eyes from the sun, "What are you doing?"

"I'm watching the tennis." Suddenly, Molly grinned, "Hey, Rui! Sis!" Serena sat up in astonishment as the tennis player Rui Sainoji waved at Molly.

"I didn't know you had a big sister, Molly." She said.

"I don't." Molly replied, "But Rui has been like my big sister for as long as I can remember."

"Oh." Serena settled back down on the grass…

~Park Bench, New York Central Park, New York~

Serena opened her eyes with a jerk, and growled.

"Jeez, I hate this!" She cried, "Going to sleep, waking up, and being no more rested! Why can't, you just leave me alone?!" She burst into noisy tears, and the people who'd been walking along idly hurried on their way, anxious to get away from the sobbing girl.

"Look, Mummy," One little girl cried, "That big girl's crazy!"

"Don't make eye-contact, Sara." Her mother said, "If you don't make eye-contact she'll leave you alone."

"I can hear you, you know!" Serena shrieked, "I'm not bloody deaf!" The lady grabbed her daughter, and hustled her into a car, muttering something about teenage hellions.

Serena continued crying, lost in her despair. By the time she'd finished, throat aching, eyes raw, it was dark. She blinked, and saw gleaming eyes looking at her. She shielded her own blue eyes, when a torch shined at her.

"Well, well, well, what have we here, boys?" A teenage boy asked, shining the torch insolently over her grubby white shirt, and too-short skirt. The other three boys, all tough guys, she could see, snickered inanely.

"Looks like we've got ourselves a little girl who don't know it's stupid to be in the park after dark." One of the other boys said. Serena's muscles stiffened.

"I think she needs to be taught a lesson." Added a second.

"I reckon so." Agreed the third. The leader grinned, giving Serena a long, slow look over.

"A lesson she won't forget in a hurry." He said. Serena sprang from the seat, just as two of the boys were about to grab her, and leapt over all four of them. The boys looked stunned, but only for a moment, before they ran at her again. Serena quickly punched one straight in the nose, and kneed the other one in the balls.

"Pick on someone your own size." She snapped, turning to the third and knocking him out with a roundhouse kick. She turned around just in time to move out of the way as the leader grabbed for her, and all he got was an armful of empty air. The next moment she was on the ground, the first boy having grabbed her ankle and pulled her.

She flipped backwards, was up, and just in time to move out of the way. The boy's momentum carried him into the duck pond. Then she punched the leader in the stomach, and slammed her open palm upwards underneath his nose. There was the satisfying sound of his nose splintering, and in that moment she grabbed her bag, and ran off, heading straight for the Orphanage.

Serena burst in the door, and the seriousness of the situation she'd been in caught up with her. She collapsed in a dead faint, just as Rochelle came to yell at her…

~Dreamish Sequence, Tennis Courts, Tokyo~

"Hit it harder." A hot instructor with long red hair…'instructed' Rui. Rui screwed up her face, and hit it as hard as she could.

"Oh please," He scoffed, returning the serve with so much force that it almost broke the metal enclosure net. "A fly could return that serve."

"Who are you?" Rui asked.

"Maxwell Stan, an interested tennis coach. You're very good, Miss, er…"

"Rui Sainoji." Rui said. "Domo Arigatoo. It's always nice to know when you can do something well." She bowed slightly.

"Douitashimashite. It's nice to meet you, Rui."

"Watashi mo."

"I'd like to help you improve your game. You have potential." Maxwell handed Rui back her racket, which she'd dropped. "Here you are. Just think about putting more weight behind your serve. That should help." He sauntered off.

"Wow," Molly said, "He's really cute."

"He's yummy, alright." Serena agreed. "I think I might start taking tennis." They spent the rest of the afternoon watching Rui beat all the guys at tennis.

"Sorry I'm late." Serena called gaily, running into the shrine.

"Acutally, Serena, you're right on time." Ami said, smiling.

"Huh? But I thought the meeting started at seven. It's half past."

"Actually," Luna said, "We only told you that the meeting started at seven, because we knew that way you'd be on time. The meeting starts now." Rei came outside with her grandfather, carrying a tray of tea.

"Serena's here." She said, "And on time. But I don't see the demonettes skating figure eights of harmony on the frozen lava in Hell."

"Shut it, Rei." Serena muttered, "Or I'll use that hair of yours to strangle you."

"You wouldn't have the courage," Rei sneered, "You cry when you have to fight piddly little Nega-sleaze."

"Stop it!" Serena cried.

"No you stop it!"

"You!"

"You!"

"You!"

"YOU!"

"Both of you stop it!" Ami yelled, causing both Rei and Serena to fall silent. "Thank you. Don't you realise that your childish fights are pushing us apart? We can't do this! We need each other!"

"Listen, girls," Luna began running up, "Main Control has told me that the enemy we're fighting is called the Nega Kingdom. You weren't far off when you started calling them Nega-sleaze."

"We know, Luna. They told us." Serena said disgustedly.

"What you do not know is that they are from the Dark Side of the Moon, the Nega-Moon."

The girls were silent. "They're after human energy, and this thing called the Imperial Silver Crystal."

"Perhaps we should take up tennis to build up our strength." Serena suggested.

"Why?" Rei asked. Ami nodded.

"Well…there's this really cute tennis coach." Serena said finally.

"What about Tuxedo Mask?" Rei asked slyly. Serena's face dropped.

"Oh no! How can I have a crush on two guys?!" She cried, her eyes filling with tears.

"Thank heavens I have Ami and Rei." Luna muttered.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Serena yelped.

"Well if I only had you the Nega-Verse would have gotten to the Imperial Silver Crystal and all the humans would be wiped out."

"Isn't it some kind of mistake that Serena is a Sailor Scout anyway?" Rei asked, "I mean…look at her."

"That is enough, you two!" Ami cried, "Serena doesn't deserve this. Leave her alone." Serena hugged Ami.

"Thanks, Ami." She sniffed, "Wanna come play tennis with me?"

"Er…Watashi no tennisu wa chotto…aru, Kuramu Gaku o ikimasu."

"Oh…ok then…" Serena sighed, and went home.

~New York Base Hospital, Casualty Ward, Room 305~

Serena opened her eyes slowly, and blinked. A shadowy figure was standing above her.

"Rei?" She asked, blinking.

"No. It's me, Rochelle."

"Oh…" Serena tried to push aside her slip. "Where am I?"

"You're in the Hospital. You fainted. What happened, Serena?" Even her voice is like Rei's. Serena thought.

"I…ran into some trouble at Central Park…" Serena said.

"Are you ok? Did anyone hurt you? I can't believe you'd be so irresponsible, Serena. Why can't you use your brain? Sometimes I wonder if it's permanently switched off these days…" Serena tuned out, realising that Re-Rochelle (AN: I accidentally wrote Rei at first…even I'm getting the two confused.) would just continue to go on, and on, and on, and on.

"Look, I'm really tired." Serena interrupted. "G'night." She turned over and closed her eyes, suddenly really sleepy…

~Dream Sequence, Tsukino House, Serena's Room~

"Moshi moshi." Serena said into the phone.

"Hey, Serena," It was Molly. "Can you come over?" Molly sounded a bit upset, so Serena nodded, even though Molly couldn't see.

"Sure. I'll be right over, Molly. Ja."

"Ja." Serena grabbed her coat, and raced down the stairs.

"Where do you think you're going puss-brain?" Sammy sneered.

"None of your business banana boy." Serena shoved her three-day-old banana (which had been lurking in the bottom of her bag) in his face and raced out the door.

Moments later, she was at Molly's house.

"Molly?" She called, letting herself in (yes I know it's bad manners, and a long shot but they're best friends, live me alone!!)

"Up here." A sad voice said. Serena ran to Molly's room.

"Are you ok?" She asked.

"I'm ok," She sniffed "It's just…"

"Nani?"

"It's Rui. She played tennis for ages after you left, and she knocked down all the girls. Then, when I asked her what was wrong, she told me it had nothing to do with me, and that it was none of my business. And she broke another girl's racket! Rui's never been like this before. I'm scared, Serena." Molly began to cry.

"Oh, don't worry, Molly, it'll be ok. We'll find out what's wrong with her, don't worry."

The next day Serena totally ignored Rei and Luna, only talking to Ami. Mind you, since Rei went to another school, Serena wasn't sure if Rei even realised that she was ignoring her, but that couldn't be helped.

"Hey, Molly," Serena called, waving her friend over. The redhead looked extremely depressed. "Still upset about Rui?"

"Of course I am!" Molly cried.

"Don't worry, I know we can do something about it. How about if you and I go to Rui's tennis school after school this arvo? Will that make you feel better?"

"Ok…"

Serena and Molly arrived at the tennis school that afternoon. Molly looked a bit nervous, but Serena knew there was something far worse going on here. The Nega-Verse was involved, she was sure of it. And while every single bone in her body urged her to tell Rei and Luna, not to mention Ami, her mind rebelled.

They didn't seem to think she was capable of being a Sailor Scout, but they were wrong! Being Sailor Moon was her whole life, now, for all she complained about it non-stop. But if she defeated this Nega-Monster on her own, perhaps they would recognize it, and stop bugging her.

"Serena, are you ok?" Molly asked.

"Fine, just fine." Serena said, "Let's go." They went to the tennis courts, and saw Rui drilling the tennis ball against some professional tennis coaches. At once, Serena realised that the pros wanted to quit, but Rui refused to let them.

"Stop it, Rui!" Molly yelled. Rui swung her tennis racket in Molly's and Serena's direction, and they were blown into the bushes. Suddenly, Rui changed into a Nega-Monster. Serena quickly transformed, using the bushes for cover.

When Sailor Moon went to face the Nega-Monster, it shot a tennis ball at her. She tried to run away, but the ball hit her hard in the small of the back. A large body-sized tennis ball formed around her, making it so that she couldn't move. The Nega-Monster bounced Sailor Moon high into the air. Poor Sailor Moon was totally helpless to do anything to stop it.

But then a red rose shot out in front of Sailor Moon, and hit the Nega-Monster. It was Tuxedo Mask! The Nega-Monster tried to hit its tennis ball at Tuxedo Mask, but Tuxedo Mask extended his staff to hit the Nega-Monster. It fell down and the large tennis ball around Sailor Moon disappeared.

"Domo, Tuxedo Mask!" Sailor Moon called out.

"Watch out, Sailor Moon!" Was all Tuxedo Mask said in reply, and Sailor Moon turned around to see the Nega-Monster attack her again. But just in time, Tuxedo Mask knocked her out of the way. "Use your tiara!" Tuxedo Mask said.

"Moon tiara MAGIC!" Sailor Moon threw her tiara like a discus, and destroyed the Nega-Monster. Just then, Sailor Mercury and Sailor Mars arrived, along with Luna. Sailor Moon shot Luna and Sailor Mercury a triumphant smirk, then turned around to thank Tuxedo Mask…but he was gone…

Later that afternoon Serena sat with Molly watching Rui play tennis.

"She doesn't remember anything." Molly remarked.

"Well, she's ok now, so there's nothing to remember." Serena said.

"Hey Moll, come and play!" Rui called out. Molly grinned, and ran off to play tennis. Serena smiled. It was nice to see Molly so happy.

~New York Base Hospital, Children's Ward, Room 10~

Serena grinned as she woke up, and stretched, making sure there were no stiff muscles. Then she lay back down, and the smile fell off her face. If only she knew who she was dreaming about. All she knew was their name. And that they lived in Tokyo. But none of that would help if they were only an imaginary person, as she suspected. After all, so far, the other scouts resembled two of her closest friends.

And Tuxedo Mask…he reminded her of someone else that Dream-Serena knew…and it wasn't Andrew. It was that other guy, the one that teased her. But that was impossible! How could they be one and the same? This Tuxedo Mask seemed to care about Sailor Moon a lot, and Darien really hated Serena.

Anyway, she really owed this Serena an apology, for thinking she was a ditzy blonde. Although she was certainly clumsy and silly and a crybaby, she really cared about her friends. And she'd always come through for them. Serena wondered if she could do the same, in similar circumstances. Serena sighed, and closed her eyes, this stuff was way too heavy for two am…

Domo Arigatoo: Thanks very much

Douitashimashite: You're welcome

Watashi mo: I agree. (In this case, it's nice to meet you too.)

Watashi no tennisu wa chotto…: I don't really like tennis… (read, 'I hate tennis' polite form)

aru, Kuramu Gaku o ikimasu. : Besides, I have Cram School.

Moshi moshi. : Hello? (phone)

Ja. : See ya.

Nani? : What?

Domo: Thanks