That feeling, the feeling when you come up for air. Struggling to break the surface of water, lights disorientating your vision, like your head is inexplicably caught in a current. No matter what Serenity tried to do her head was always swimming, she was always trying to break from the surface that held her back.

Millions of years worth of memories were stored in her brain, mingling and shifting constantly, like a crowded room full of loud people jumbled together. She knew they were there but she couldn't discern what was what, the outlines she could barely grasp, the details fuzzy. It was like meeting someone for the second time, you innately recognize something, like the color of their eyes or the length of their hair but you can't remember their name or how you'd met them.

Serenity knew who she was and what her duty was, she was princess of the moon kingdom and a sailor guardian, her duty to defend against evil. Her mission was to destroy Galaxia, to destroy Chaos.

She remembered, that on Earth she was Usagi Tsukino, a bubbly clutz. By pure chance or luck she remembered Motoki, how to use a coffee machine and make milkshakes. It was however, fate that she couldn't remember her companions. She knew the other senshi were out there and her prince too but fate was always cruel to those who tried to change it.

Serenity closed her eyes and forced herself to shut down her thoughts as her head dipped into the cool water, her breathing slow and shallow as her nostrils filled with the putrid stench of hairspray and dye. "All done, sweetie." A kind old lady smiled, wrapping the girl's head with a towel, a new head of shiny gold hair hiding beneath.

Serenity sighed in relief as she peered into a hand held mirror, the familiar shade was far less likely to cause questions, which eased her nerves. She ran a hand through the loose strands of hair itching to pull them in her twin buns, but refrained due to the fragility of the freshly dyed locks.

The princess swallowed her guilt as she rose from her salon chair and paid the little old woman who'd helped her, she regretted taking money from the arcade but she had little choice in the matter, despite swearing to return it someday, she steal felt the weight of the deed.

Pacing the streets of her hometown, Serenity walked aimlessly until the sun began to set in the sky. Her search for answers had been null, she was no closer to her goal and more frightful than when she'd awoken. Weeks kept passing, her facade growing weary as time passed. She still had yet to regain her powers as a sailor senshi and Luna was nowhere to be found.

Serenity was about to head home when she heard a scream in the distance. Racing furiously towards the sound, she found a familiar sight, evil had struck again. Outside of the Crown Arcade a young woman had turned, the new foe hissed and snarled, tendrils of black smoke exuding from the scene. The new villain had grey wrinkled skin and hollowed eyes, a frightful creature of the darkness.

Serenity cursed under her breath, muttering in the words of her mother tongue. Her powers were grossly limited, being unable to transform was a problem. Regardless of that fact however, the princess knew she had to act quickly. Without her powers at full strength, Serenity opted to go for strategy. Wishing for Mercury's tactfulness she devised a limited but possibly effective plan. Serenity planned to trap the being by luring it to a deserted area, then she would try to cleanse the being.

Serenity had always naturally exuded healing powers, her body being more of a vessel than anything else. While the legendary silver crystal, greatly enhanced her powers, Serenity had innate abilities that were far stronger. The difficulty was initiating the powers. Serenity had always hypothesized that while the power resided within her being, her powers actually stemmed from elsewhere, her soul linking to what she'd come to suspect had been the Galaxy Cauldron. Her body as mortal was limited as she'd learned, her awareness of reincarnation had taught her that.

Serenity believed that if she could stay with the creature long enough she could extend her natural healing and return the young girl who'd fallen prey to chaos. So she tried to do just that, revealing herself from the pillar she'd used as cover, she caught the attention of her enemy. Dodging attacks of black flames and smoke she twirled across the street in a frenzy. As she was about to sprint away she heard the familiar shout of her beloved heroes.

"Watch out!" A certain masked figure yelled, sweeping her off her feet.

Serenity's eyes widened, "...T-Tuxedo, Mask?" She whispered, her head beginning to throb.

The dapper figure smirked as he leapt to safety. "Careful now. Don't want you to get hurt." He smiled, setting her down on a low rooftop before leaping away to battle.

Serenity's head was spinning, her thoughts scattered. She barely heard the shouts from below, with the commotion going on in her brain.

"MERCURY SHINE AQUA ILLUSION!"

"MARS FIRE IGNITE!"

"JUPITER SUPREME THUNDER!"

Serenity let out a horrifying scream as her head erupted in pain, a bright light coming forth, a glistening golden crescent becoming visible on her head.

The guardians and Tuxedo mask, who fought below, noticed the bright light but focused on the task at hand. No concern growing over the new development, a rush of familiar calm washing over them as the light began to fade.

But as soon as the fringes of light touched the youma's flaky skin the battle was over before it had really begun, the youma cleansed by the bright light had dissipated.

The senshi turned to Tuxedo mask their eyes meeting with brief tension before the man skipped away into the faint remainders of sunset that brushed across the sky.

The senshi decidedly ran over to the spot the light had originated from, a tugging ache in their chests.

Unknowingly the three soldiers knelt on the grounds in a bow, tears dripping from their eyes as they were graced with the loving gaze of bright blue eyes.