As usual, I disavow any rights to the characters from Pretty Guardian SailorMoon. They all belong to Takeuchi Naoko and Bandai.

The final chapter! (smile) You made it! Greetings to Starsketch007 who was kind enough to review the Secrets section. I'm glad you liked it. And I hope that you, Taeniaea, Thorn on a Rose, and aserene enjoy this one. It is dedicated to all of you who reviewed. And to all who did not submit a review... No problem. I hope you enjoy, too! (smile) - Raya

Lonely Harp

Merry Christmas, Princess

Usagi stared in disbelief at the note in her hand, and then grinned and began to dance around the hall in excitement. "Mama! Mama!" she called as she ran into the dining room. "Mama!"

"Usagi!" Ikuko mimicked as she turned away from the stove, holding a spoon in the air. She smiled at her daughter. "Welcome home! Did you get your mail?" she asked with a twinkle in her eye. As her daughter grinned and nodded, she sidled around the counter. "A-a-and? Was it a love letter from your boyfriend?" she asked with a teasing, sly look.

Blushing, Usagi shook her head. "No… It's from Minako-chan!" Her blush faded as her face lit up again. "She's going to be in town next week, and she wants to know if I can come to a party over at Crown."

"Minako-chan?" Ikuko asked, beginning to look as excited as Usagi. "Really? I still cannot believe you are friends with such a famous idol," she said in an aside to herself. She turned back to her daughter, and noted that the excitement had gone out of her face. For a moment, Usagi looked heartbreakingly sad, and then she smiled again, covering it up. "So, when is the party?" she asked, knowing better than to push Usagi about whatever was bothering her.

Usagi smiled as she looked down at the invitation. "Next Saturday," she replied. "Oh, what will I wear?"

"Why not wear that pink dress?" her mother said as she put the spoon against her chin in thought. "No, the white outfit. Maybe the green sweater with the patches?" A hissing sound from the stove made her jump and turn. "Ah! Supper! Supper!" she cried as she rushed back to the stove. "It will be ready in a few minutes. Why don't you go change?" she said over her shoulder. Usagi's smile brightened as she nodded, and then turned to leave the room.


Ami sat in her seat on the airplane and gently caressed the blue scarf in her lap. 'Will they remember?' she thought for the hundredth time. She lifted a magazine out of the back of the seat in front of her and blinked as she saw the sexy picture of Minako on the cover. Curiously, she flipped to the article, which was announcing the release of Minako's newest single, 'Come Out', after the New Year's holiday.

As she read the article and studied the pictures, a certainty formed in her mind. Minako had remembered. It was there in her eyes, in the way she glowed in every picture. She was obviously in touch with her most basic trait. Ami smiled, a little relieved.


Motoki smiled as he polished Kamekichi's glass home. "It's almost Christmas, Kamekichi-kun," he said lovingly to his pet as he put down the cloth and began to play with the little Christmas tree that was beside the tank. "Have you made out your wish list for Santa-san?" he asked. "Hmm?"

He looked up when he heard the door swoosh, and then smiled brightly at Usagi as she came in. She was huddled up, rubbing her hands over her ears. Her cheeks and nose were very red from the blistery cold wind that had started blowing as the sun went down. "Hey, Usagi-chan!" he called cheerfully as she smiled at him.

"Hi, Motoki-san," she replied as she shifted the big bag which held stuffed cat she always carried into the crook of her arm and reached into her pocket to pull out her pass. He just waved his hand at her, indicating that it was all right.

"I hear you have a party tonight," he said as he leaned into the counter. Usagi smiled happily as she nodded. His brown eyes twinkled as he continued. "Oh, the food and drinks I was asked to supply… Is Mamoru-kun coming, too?"

Usagi shook her head. "No, it's just a girls' night out," she said with a teasing wink.

He laughed as he stood up and turned back to his polishing job. "Room five," he told her as she began to dig through her bag.

"Here!" she said brightly as she held out two medium sized boxes. At his look of surprise, she continued with a smile. "Merry Christmas! This green one is for you, and the red one is for Kamekichi-kun."

With wide eyes, he took the boxes from her and gave her a little disbelieving look. His eyes asked if it was okay to open them, and she nodded with a sound of agreement. Quickly, he tore into the green box.

"Ah!" he cried in delight. Slowly, reverently, he lifted a Michelangelo Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle statue out of its box. He gave Usagi a look of disbelief, which just made her smile wider. She blinked in surprise, however, when his face suddenly became very controlled and he put the statue back in its box.

"I cannot take this," he told her seriously as he tried to give it back to her. Usagi backed away waving her hands in the air. "It's too expensive."

"No, really, it wasn't that much!" she exclaimed. She stopped waving her hands and gave him a begging look with her eyes. "Please? You like it, don't you?"

"Of course!" he said as his expression melted again. His eyes went back to the box, and then back to Usagi again. "You're sure it wasn't too expensive?" he asked as he slowly put the box back on the counter.

"Really! Please, I want you to have it!" she said, her voice suddenly soft and a little uncertain. She relaxed as he began to slowly smile, and then grin. She smiled brightly again when he nodded his acceptance.

"Thank you very much," he said remembering his manners.

"You're welcome," she replied with a smile. With a little wave, she turned and made her way to room number five.

After she was gone, he opened the red box and looked at the bag of special turtle food. With another grin, he drew it out and showed it to Kamekichi. "See, Kamekichi-kun? She brought you a special Christmas dinner. And there might even be enough in here for New Year's, too!"

Usagi was still smiling as she pushed her way into the karaoke room. Her eyes widened and she gave a squeal of delight when she saw who was already there. "Ami-chan!" she cried as she raced across the room and threw her arms around her friend.

"Usagi-chan!" Ami replied with a wide smile, as she gently hugged her friend back. She closed her eyes as she enjoyed the contact, and then opened them as she slowly drew back.

"Welcome home!" Usagi said with a bright smile.

Ami gave her an uncertain look, and then relaxed and laughed. "I'm back," she replied with the traditional response. She opened her mouth to say something else when the door opened up again. The two girls watched as Rei entered the room, followed by Makoto. Their faces brightened as they spotted Ami.

Laughing and talking, the girls settled into the room and began their party. Usagi quickly took over the song selection book and began to look for her favorite selections. Makoto, Ami, and Rei all gave each other and Usagi hidden curious looks, each trying to determine what the others might remember.

Somehow, Minako and Artemis slipped in without their being aware of it. She smiled softly in amusement as Usagi snatched up the microphone and began to sing. Her eyes grew wide, and the smile faltered as she realized that the song was "C'est la vie…". Belatedly, she remembered that it was Usagi's favorite song.

About half way through her enthusiastic rendition of the song, Usagi finally spotted Minako. Her squeal of joy created a very loud squawk of feedback in the system which in turn made her friends throw their hands over their ears. "Minako-chan!" she cried as she jumped up and down excitedly.

Minako's smile grew into a grin as she tilted her head. "Yo! Glad you all could come."

For the next hour, the girls laughed, ate, sang, and had a grand time. Luna and Artemis snuck themselves onto the far end of the table and watched a little enviously as the girls enjoyed themselves. Silently, they sighed that they were stuck and unable to move.

"Oh!" Usagi cried as she put her drink down and bent to pick up her bag. "Presents! I brought everyone presents!"

Ami smiled as she got up and went across the room. Deep in her stomach, she felt the butterflies begin again. "So did I," she said. Makoto looked smooth and nonchalant as she walked across the room and picked up a tall bag that she had hidden behind the monitor earlier that day. Rei and Minako just leaned back in their seats and watched everyone else.

They looked at each other a little uncertainly for a moment, and then suddenly laughed. Quickly, presents flew around the room.

Makoto gave Usagi the rabbit with the pink ribbon. Its front paws were wrapped around a slender bud vase with four sunflowers and a tall rose in it. The rose started off milky white at the bottom, flushed pink up through the center of each petal until it reached the edge where it turned abruptly to a soft, golden yellow along every edge. Usagi's eyes widened as she noted the ribbon and the flowers. She looked uncertainly at Makoto, who just smiled innocently at her. To the other girls, Makoto gave little glass figurines. Ami received an ice blue rose, Rei received a blood red firebird, and Minako received a golden unicorn.

Ami studied the flowers, and then looked at Makoto as Rei began to give out her presents. Each of them received a bracelet with her name spelled out in blocks. Little charms hung beside each name: crescent moons for Usagi, little waterfalls for Ami, a tiny bolt of lightening and a rose for Makoto, and small heart silhouettes for Minako. Usagi's eyes widened as she remembered returning the same kind of bracelet to Rei the first day that they had met. Her eyes flew to Rei, who returned her look expressionlessly a moment and then turned to show Ami the little protection charms she had also woven into the bracelets. As she lifted her hand, Usagi could see that her bracelet had gained a two tiny dragons spouting flames.

Ami smiled, and then looked a little nervously around the room. Before she could give out her presents, however, Usagi stood up and began to distribute hers. She gave Ami a pre-order certificate for Minako's next single, which made Minako smile oddly, and a gift certificate to a local bookstore. To Rei, she gave a deluxe calligraphy set and a book of famous hokku. Makoto received a bottle of perfume, which made her give Usagi a strange look, and a small tin of cookies from a famous baker. She gave Minako an amber necklace, a popular CD, and a tin of peppermints. Minako laughed as she turned to the back cover, and remarked that she loved the band as she studied their picture.

Finally, Ami gave out the hat, scarf, and mitten sets she had knitted. Everyone stared wide-eyed at their gift, and slowly raised their eyes to look at her. "I… I like to knit," she said quickly as she shifted uncomfortably in her chair. "And it's so cold in Boston that it seemed like a good idea…" They all looked down at their gift again, each silently remembering the mittens that Ami had knit for them so long ago. Only, in this time, she hadn't.

Usagi pasted a smile on her face, covering up the pain that that thought brought, and looked up to Ami. "Thanks!" she said enthusiastically. "It'll come in handy tonight. It's so cold out there!" Ami absently noted the others nod their agreement as she studied Usagi's sorrowful eyes.

Minako gave the gifts on the table a look, and then raised her eyes and slowly studied each of her friends. Abruptly, she nodded and stood. She quirked a smile at them as they looked at her in surprise, and picked up the karaoke microphone.

"This was originally just a present for Usagi," she said as she pulled a CD out of her pocket and inserted it in the machine. "But, I think it might be for all of you," she said mysteriously.

Their eyes widened as the sound of a harp began to fill the room. "I know a girl," Minako sang, looking anywhere but at Usagi. "So sad and alone. / She hides from her friends and herself. / Afraid of pain. / Afraid of joy. / Afraid of life…" Suddenly the music became brighter, poppy, and more inviting. In the background, little children could be heard singing playfully along. "Come out! Oh, come out and play/ The sun is shining. The wind is blowing. The world is bright and new… / Oh Come on! Hurry up/ Your friends are waiting / Come see the day… / Oh my friend… / Come on out today…" The harp returned once more as she finally turned her attention to Usagi and saw the shocked look on her face. "I know four girls so sad and alone / Each one needs their friend, but she hides / Hides from the pain / Hides from the joy / Living in fear… Come out! Oh, come out and play/ The sun is shining. The wind is blowing. The world is bright and new… / Oh Come on! Hurry up/ Your friends are waiting / Come see the day… / Oh my friend… / Come on out today…" The music bridged. "You need not be alone anymore… / The curse is broken… / We are longing for you… / Oh Come on! Hurry up/ Your friends are waiting / Come see the day / Oh princess… / Come on out today… / Oh my dearest friend… / Return to us this day… / Come out and play…"

Minako slowly lowered the microphone as the song slowly came to an end behind her, the voices of little children laughing excitedly over the blend of harp and keyboard. She watched nervously as the tears in Usagi's eyes finally spilled over and traced a delicate line down her cheek.

Suddenly, Ami stood up and walked over to stand beside Minako. Her eyes watched Usagi, patiently waiting. Rei and Makoto blinked, and then stood up and joined them. Usagi just blinked up at them, hardly daring to believe even though the signs were so blatantly obvious.

"Princess," Minako said softly. Usagi's brown eyes flew to meet hers. "We remember. The seal you placed has broken." She shifted a little nervously, and then spoke again. "Venus once told me… I remember just a little… That you were alone. That to enable you to control your power, you were forced to be alone. But, that was our old life. In this life, you are not alone. The Crystal is gone. There is no reason to be afraid anymore…" Suddenly, her voice became pleading. "Please, Serenity. Please come back to us…"

A soft light began to glow on Usagi's forehead. Quickly it became brighter, resolving itself into a crescent moon. Rings of golden silver light began to emanate from her, spreading to fill the room. "'Dite?" she asked, choking a little on the strange name that came from somewhere deep within. Tears flowed down her face at the pain and fear that filled her.

Minako blinked at the strange name, and then smiled, held a hand out to her, and spoke instinctively. It would be a long time before she knew what memory prompted her words. "Here, 'Nity. I'm here. We're all here. It's over." Suddenly, she looked uncertain and a little afraid. "Can you forgive me? Can we be friends again?" She barely flinched as Ami put a sympathetic hand on her shoulder. Her entire being was focused, waiting for Serenity's answer.

Serenity shut her eyes and took a deep, shuddering breath and then another. Deep inside, Usagi looked at Princess SailorMoon with sad, sympathetic eyes. Suddenly, she wrapped her arms around her old self. The Princess jerked and stared wide-eyed out into the mist. And then, her head collapsed onto Usagi's shoulder, and they were surrounded by a bright light.

The four friends threw up arms and hands to protect themselves from the sudden blinding light. They blinked as it faded, lowered their arms, and looked anxiously towards their friend. She smiled tentatively at them, her eyes still uncertain and afraid. Something in the way she held herself told them that she had become one once more.

Minako smiled reassuringly, and took a step forward. "Welcome back," she said softly. Usagi nodded slowly.

Suddenly, Ami threw herself forward and gave Usagi a big hug. "Usagi-chan!" she cried. Slowly, Usagi reached up and hugged her back, hanging on as if for dear life. Rei, Makoto, and Minako joined them and turned it into a group hug.

Artemis smiled to Luna, who smiled back. Suddenly, she leapt off of the counter, transformed, and joined in the hug.

After several minutes, they calmed down again and sat down to talk. "Are… Are you really all right with this?" Usagi asked them. "We cannot transform any more. The Crystal is gone…"

"It's okay," Makoto said as the others nodded.

"We are still senshi," Ami said. "It will just be a while until we can transform on our own." As the others looked at her, she blinked and looked down shyly.

"What do you mean, Ami-chan?" Makoto asked suspiciously.

"I mean… We just do not have the power to transform on our own, yet," she replied slowly. "We are still senshi. At least… I am…" She looked uncertainly around at her friends, who waited patiently. "I still have my intelligence. And, since I have remembered, I have noticed that I am getting physically stronger again." Her friends looked at her in surprise, and Rei, Makoto, and Minako nodded.

"I've been thinking, remembering how it was before," she continued. "I think the Crystal enhanced our strength somehow. Advanced us enough until we could transform. Since it is gone, we no longer have that strength, but it will come to us naturally over time."

"In other words, if we continue to focus and strengthen our abilities, one day if we need to we will be able to transform again by ourselves." Rei said looking thoughtful. Ami nodded.

"Then we will have to become strong again," Makoto said in a determined voice. She gave Usagi a gentle smile. "We have a princess to protect."

Usagi suddenly shook her head, protesting, but her friends all smiled and nodded. "Don't worry, Usagi," Minako said gently. "We will still be your friends. You won't be isolated again." Her smile grew a little wider. "And friends protect friends, right?"

Usagi looked at each of them, judging their sincerity, and then deflated with a sigh. "Yes," she smiled with a smile that finally reached her eyes and stayed. "Friends protect friends. And I will work hard so I can protect you, too," she vowed. They all nodded, little imagining the time just a few short years away when they would have to fulfill that vow.