From Schoolgirl to Royal 21/?

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon; none of these characters are mine, no infringement intended.

A/N: This doesn't really follow the timeline, although it is after season 1. Even though, Serena is the moon princess, Darien doesn't know that she is Sailor Moon. Just pretend that the whole evil-Darien thing never happened and the scouts defeated Beryl on their own, but didn't loose their memories. Sorry if this is confusing; if you have any questions just ask.

Serena may seem OOC in the next few chapters, but let's just say she is extremely stressed out and that explains her sensitivity and she's pissed because her family was attacked which will explain her bouts of seriousness.

Warning: Some cursing and otherwise bad language.

The Scouts' Last Stand?

When I entered the clearing I found my friends being utterly decimated by a swarm of youma. Mars was unconscious as was Mercury, while Jupiter and Venus were each being restrained against a tree. They couldn't move as the monsters sent attack after attack against them.

The only on still standing and fighting was Tuxedo Mask, and he looked like he was ready to collapse where he stood battling three youmas at once. He was throwing roses left and right, but they were barely able to hold off his attackers. The one's that got through his attacks were hastily batted away with his cane.

As I looked at the carnage I didn't know whom to help first. I stared helplessly at my friends as the monsters Vortar sent beat them mercilessly. When I looked around the clearing for him I saw him overseeing the whole thing from a safe distance away smiling malevolently.

I glanced at Luna in concern before I rushed into the clearing with my wand already drawn. From there it was an easy decision to help my trapped Scouts before I helped Darien. He at least was holding his own. The three youma who were alternately throwing attacks at Venus and Jupiter's prone forms were so focused on their fun that they didn't notice me from a distance until it was too late.

"Moon Gorgeous Meditation!" I bellowed aiming my wand at the youma from twenty feet away.

I had never used the power of the moon wand so much at one time before and subsequently it weakened me greatly. I had fallen to my knees as pain wracked my body during my attack and only stood up when I noticed four more youma charging toward me. I aimed my wand once again and this time without saying the incantation my wand once again emitted a powerful glow. Where the youma had stood now were four piles of dust blowing away in the night breeze.

"Very good, Sailor Moon." Vortar acknowledged. "But how many times do you think you will be able to do that?"

"As many as I need to, Vortar." I hissed determined to defeat him once and for all, even though at present I was feeling increasingly weak-kneed.

"We shall see, Serena." Vortar answered, gesturing the three youma who were attacking Tuxedo Mask to attack me. "We shall see."

This time I used my tiara to attack the youma, but I only managed to dust two of them before the third attacked. I was knocked to the ground when the monster's tentacle hit me in the stomach. I was gasping in pain waiting for the next attack when I noticed that Tuxedo Mask was attacking it with his cane. He managed to knock it back a few feet before he was knocked to the ground as well. Surprisingly this was fortunate because it was at that moment that I reached my tiara where it had been laying on the ground.

"Moon Tiara Magic!" I yelled holding my tiara as it powered up, burning my hand slightly in the process. I threw it when it got to be too hot to continue holding, and it hit its target unerringly.

Before I could move closer to check on Tuxedo Mask or my Scouts my path was blocked as Vortar suddenly materialized in front of me.

"Bravo, Serena. I must say you are a bit tougher than my sister gave you credit for." Vortar commented casually.

"Maybe that's why she is dead." I commented softly, staring into Vortar's cold blue eyes. "She underestimated me."

"Perhaps, but I will not do the same thing." Vortar answered, holding a sword in his right hand. "I know what you are capable of, but it won't make the slightest bit of difference."

I merely raised an eyebrow in curiosity, not wanting to encourage him further with a verbal response.

"I won't hesitate to kill you as your precious Sailor Scouts and Tuxedo Mask are forced to watch." So saying her held his hand out in their direction and before I knew what he was planning there was a force field of some kind erected between them and myself. "Shall we get this over with, then? I grow bored."