blueeyeddevil06 thank you for being my beta!

Chapter 1 – A Plan in Motion

Serena dashed into Darien's apartment after unlocking his door with her key. He had once mentioned finding stones that matched the names of the Dark Generals after each of their defeats. At the time in the planning meeting when he mentioned that, she grew curious. Ever since then she had been quietly obsessing over what it could possibly mean. She kept quiet, and no one else seemed to have even thought twice about it.

She dug through his closet. She knew they had to be in there. With how meticulous he kept his whole apartment, it was the only place she could think of him storing the rocks. Sure enough, right behind an incredibly ugly hat, she found a box with the stones inside. Not wanting to alert him to the fact that they were gone, she placed the four stones in a zippered pocket in her purse and put the box back. She contemplated throwing out the hat, but that would alert him that someone had gone through his closet shelf. She sighed as she put the hat back. She whispered, "At least I haven't seen him ever wear it before."

She left his apartment and made sure to lock the door behind her. As she exited the apartment building, she waived to the door man and smiled at him. She then took a left on the sidewalk and tried not to skip on her way home. All of her ideas buzzed in her head and she grew even more excited and hopeful. She had at least four good ideas so far and one completely silly one on how to use the stones. She laughed to herself and decided if those did not work, the stones could always make a pretty necklace.

As Serena walked down the street, she didn't notice that people kept glancing at her and smiling. She never realized how she drew others in with her joy. Even strangers saw it, were drawn in, and left to go about their day a little bit happier than before they encountered her. Even the door man from Darien's apartment building was currently remarking to the mail woman what a sweet girl Serena is and how lucky Darien was to have her.

Once she got home and kissed her mother on the cheek, she dashed upstairs and shut her door. Luna snapped awake and looked at Serena.

Luna asked, "What has you so excited today, Serena?"

"I am working on a present for Darien, and I got a big part of it today. I have been thinking about it for a while, and I am excited to see if I can give him the best gift he could ever receive." After all, what is a better gift than to restore his four closest friends and confidants. While she loved that she was one of two that he ever really desired to talk to, she couldn't be selfish with him. She wanted to be his world but knew he would be happier if his world was just a bit bigger. After all, she had her Scouts and Molly. How could she not want something like that for him?

"What did you get him?"

"Nope, not telling! I am not even sure it will work, and I want it to be a surprise. Really, it will sort of be a surprise for everyone, and I am afraid to get everyone's hopes up."

"Serena, I really think you should bring me in on this. You know you struggle to complete anything you start. Just two days ago I asked you to put together a list of potential targets."

"I gave you the list of three!"

"You gave me two great potential targets, and then for number three, wrote and I quote 'whatever event Molly is going to next.'"

"I argue that number three is the most solid lead we have. I can call her right now and ask where she is going. Then I will write it down on that dumb list for you."

"Amy, Lita, Mina, and even Raye gave me great lists that included at least ten potential targets EACH. Serena, you really need to take this seriously. I understand Darien is your boyfriend, but you really need to spend less time coming up with the perfect gift. You need to spend more time on your Sailor Moon duties. You need to take this more seriously!"

Serena sighed and grew frustrated. She knew she was trying to restore the Generals and thus actually helping, technically fulfilling her "Sailor Moon duties," but Luna didn't know that. She tried to stay patient, she really did. That was until Luna spoke again.

Luna took her silence as avoidance and shouted, "You cannot just ignore me like you do with every one of your responsibilities you have ever had!"

Now, that went too far for even the sweet Serena, and she screamed, "Get out, get out, get out!" When Luna refused to move, Serena turned around and stomped out of her room, down the stairs, out of the house, and ran down the sidewalk to the park, collapsing on a bench. Digging her fingernails into the palms of her hands, she told herself she wouldn't cry. She demanded of herself that she wouldn't cry even as tears slowly leaked down her face.

Swiping the tears away, she stood up and tried to collect herself only to literally run into one of her fellow classmates. As always, she didn't see how she affected those around her. Mark regarded her and desperately wanted to help her and ease her pain. He collected himself and tried to figure out what to say.

Mark asked, "Serena, are you okay? Why are you crying, and can I do anything to help you?"

"Thank you. No, I'm okay. Don't worry about me."

"But, I am worried. You don't have to tell me what is bothering you, but I really would like to help you."

"Actually, I'm just angry. A friend of mine is constantly telling me I'm not trying hard enough and that I'm lazy. I got angry and stormed off after she did it again."

"She sounds like a terrible friend. Wait, you're so angry you're crying?" He asked, not quite believing her.

Serena let out a little huff of a laugh, "It's a girl thing."

"Ooookkkaaayyy."

"Really, it is. Just talking to you has helped a bit. Thank you." She gave him a brilliant smile, and she walked off saying, "Thanks again and I'll see you in class Monday!"

Mark sighed since that didn't go exactly how he wanted it to but walked off in the original direction he was headed. He wasn't sure how he felt. He knew she had a boyfriend but also knew those things change a lot when you're in High School, and he was hoping to get to know her better. He then realized that, even if he didn't ever get to date her, she was the kind of girl you just wanted to lend a helping hand to.

Serena wandered through the park then stopped at the Arcade and talked to Andrew for a bit while she sipped on her milkshake. She paid then made her way over to the Sailor V game and kept feeding it coins for half an hour. Glancing up at the clock when she was done, she decided to head home and be early for dinner.

Dinner with her family was tense that evening. Her father kept insisting she needed a plan for when she finished High School. He wanted to know what jobs she was planning to apply to or what Junior College she was going to try to attend. Serena was exhausted and didn't know how to work her "Sailor Moon duties" around a job or college. She was struggling even now, and it was only High School. She was barely getting enough sleep every night as it was and falling asleep during her classes. Frustrated, she told him she would think about it and went to her room early.

Up in her room, she slouched down at her desk and pulled out her homework. Her books followed soon after, and she started her Math assignment due the next day. Halfway through her second problem, her communicator went off, and she heard Amy on the other end.

"Youma at the park! Everyone please get here quickly."

Serena transformed into Sailor Moon, dashed out her window and down the tree. By the time she got there, Amy and Raye were both pinned to trees, and Lita was struggling to distract the youma while Mina tried to attack it.

Raye was angry, "Where have you been, Moon!? It's about time you got here!"

Serena looked to Raye and dashed over to help her only to suddenly get whisked out of the way by Darien. When she glanced to where she had been standing, there was a small creator.

"Thanks, Tuxedo Mask!" She beamed at him. She then turned and struck at the youma with her tiara, dusting it instantly. Before she could get yelled at by Raye yet again, she dashed off, leaving everyone behind.

Exhausted, Serena climbed up into her window, dropped her transformation, changed into PJs and fell right to sleep.